CHAPTER 36……………………………………….
The visitors gathered in small groups, glancing at the interior decorations and banquet dishes, repeatedly turning their eyes toward the entrance of the grand hall as they waited for the main character to appear.
More important than the breathtaking scenery of the hall was the fact that the last direct heir of the Pegasus family would soon show herself.
“Lady Lyn Pegasus and her partner, Young Lord Kaidan Tigris, are entering!”
At the loud announcement, everyone’s eyes turned in one direction.
“That child is….”
“The color really is unusual. They said she was the first one born like ‘that’, right?”
No one was foolish enough to utter the word “mutant” loudly inside Pegasus Castle, but the strongest rumor had never faded from people’s minds.
A mutant beastman born into the Pegasus family.
A mutation among mutations, with colors and features no one had ever seen before.
The girl who appeared wasn’t grotesque as the rumors implied, but she certainly had colors never seen before.
Everyone’s gaze was stolen by her unique hair color, so only the boy escorting her paid attention to her cute face and confident golden eyes.
“The opal necklace. It suits her.”
Whether someone thought that or not…
Each time the girl took small, quick steps, her hair shimmered like rippling streams of light, drawing curious looks.
Just as people were finally getting used to the unfamiliar sight…
They noticed the existence of the partner beside the sole Pegasus heir.
“Could he be…?”
“No way.”
Normally, bringing someone as a partner to such an important official banquet meant they were a fiancé.
And for an ability-awakening party—a major event presented for the first time in one’s childhood—the partner often signified a betrothed from the womb.
But the suspicion someone voiced was immediately dismissed.
“They brought him all the way from the far northern region as an heir. A union between heirs? They’re not even trying to merge territories.”
“Well, that’s true…”
“They just want to cut off any possible rumors.”
Since the noble who said this belonged to a house that often traded with the Pegasus family, his words held even more credibility.
As one person began, others added their own interpretations.
“Actually, it might be a sophisticated political tactic—no, a message.”
Hinting at the sensitive subject, the speaker lowered his voice.
“In the Tiger Beastman Tigris family, black tigers are extremely rare. Historically, those with powerful abilities—so strong they were called the reincarnation of the founder—were black tigers. Symbolic, yes, but in the end, they’re also a kind of mutation, aren’t they?”
“Hah. You could look at it that way.”
“So just as black tigers hold special meaning in the north, perhaps the Pegasus heir is being presented not just as a mutant beastman, but as a special one. Isn’t that the message?”
What started as murmurs over the heir and her partner’s arrival quickly turned into a political discussion.
The Pegasus family had immense influence, and surrounding houses were eager to interpret its actions.
“Besides, the rumor about her being sickly seems false. I heard she’s been visiting the knights’ training grounds constantly at her age.”
“Blood doesn’t lie. Mutant or not, only the outside is different. Inside, she clearly inherited the pure, powerful blood of the lord’s direct line.”
People averted their eyes, pretending not to hear the final remark from the strict pureblood enthusiast.
With so many houses gathered, there were bound to be differing opinions.
Most of them, however, had been carefully selected by Theodore as friendly factions, for Lyn’s first party.
But some—particularly those who shared the Pegasus surname yet were far from friendly—were also present.
“Tsk. To think we can only enter our clan’s castle on occasions like this.”
“This is all because the previous head—”
“Shh.”
Members of the former elders’ council—those who had insisted on pureblood Pegasus privileges and lost all power because of it—whispered among themselves.
Normally, they were blocked from entering the castle, but today, the family’s shared blood provided an excuse they could exploit.
Claiming the right to attend the child’s first ability ceremony, the Pegasus group entered, only to be met with Theodore’s calm, watchful eyes.
While adults whispered about complicated, boring matters…
Children—allowed to attend only because it was an ability-awakening party—were gathered excitedly around the snack table.
“What’s that? Have you tried it?”
“No, it’s my first time!”
Even noble children, used to all kinds of sweets, stared at the drinks on the table.
A cup colored like the night sky, sprinkled with star-like glitter.
Layered rainbow colors with a Pegasus cookie on top.
A pretty sky-blue drink topped with white cotton candy like clouds.
Lyn and Julien’s kid-friendly cocktails filled the table, capturing everyone’s gaze.
‘Hehehe. Good, good. Everyone’s looking!’
As soon as she entered the hall, Lyn had headed straight for the mocktail table, smiling with satisfaction.
Today was the grand banquet where all surrounding nobles gathered.
‘This is my chance to introduce mocktails to nobles from other territories and make even more money!’
Imagining herself becoming rich enough to let hardworking Uncle Theo stop working forever and play every day, Lyn walked with dignified steps.
Her goal: the kids’ mocktail table.
Approaching the spot where noble children were gathered, Lyn cleared her throat.
“Do you know what this is?”
“Huh? No, no idea.”
The children, glancing nervously at the famous direct heir of the Pegasus family, shook their heads.
Lyn picked up the cotton candy mocktail—the star of the table—and raised the glass proudly.
“This is a mocktail!”
“A mocktail?”
“I know that! My dad drinks that.”
Lyn handed the glass to the child pretending to know.
“That’s alcohol—a cocktail. This is a mocktail we can drink.”
“But we’re not allowed to drink alcohol.”
“Of course not. But this is fine, because there’s no alcohol! And look over there.”
Lyn pointed to another mocktail table set at adult height, with drinks similar to the kids’ version.
“Adults drink these too!”
“Wooooow!”
The reaction was explosive.
‘Kids always want to try grown-up drinks.’
As a current child who understood children well, Lyn nodded in agreement.
“Look! I’m drinking the same thing as my dad!”
“Me too! I wanna drink what Mom and Dad drink!”
Mystical drinks normally reserved only for adults…
Even though these weren’t alcoholic, just imitations, the colorful presentation and the thrill of drinking something “adult-like” won huge approval from the children.
“Good, good. Drink lots~”
Watching the kids excitedly try the mocktails, Lyn smirked inwardly.
‘If I grab their taste buds early, they’ll buy our mocktails forever!’
Hehehe.
Food stocks? Beverage stocks? Whatever they were called in that Earth You×Tube video—people’s childhood taste impressions rarely changed.
Lyn herself planned to drink cotton candy drinks and hot chocolate for life.
Having confirmed the theory on her own palate, Lyn nodded confidently.
‘Drink up, kids! Then keep buying Pegasus mocktails forever!’
Laughing inwardly like a dark merchant plotting to dominate the continent’s beverage market, Lyn covered her rising smile with her hand.
