Chapter 47
“Hello, Spirit Master! I’m so happy to see you again. I’m from the Cassit Count family…”
“It’s been a while, Lady Einra. I’m the eldest son of the Fiorét Marquis family…”
“Oh my, it’s been such a long time, Lady Einra! You haven’t forgotten me, right? I’m the matron of the Nanie Viscount family…”
Nobles adorned in extravagant attire greeted me warmly, each with a smiling face.
“Haha, it’s good to see you all too.”
I quickly returned the greetings with a bright smile of my own.
As if they were trying to make up for not having a chance to leave a good impression on me over the past five years, the nobles kept approaching me one after another in a seemingly endless line.
Already drained by the sheer “banquet debuff,” my stamina was rapidly declining even further due to the never-ending crowd of nobles.
At this point, I honestly thought I’d rather do five years’ worth of overdue homework all at once…
Just as that genuine thought crossed my mind, Harnen, who was accompanying me as my partner and helping handle the nobles, suddenly turned to look at me.
His sky-blue eyes met mine, clearly noticing how pale I’d become.
“Excuse me for a moment,” Harnen said to the noble he was conversing with, then turned and leaned in close to me.
He whispered softly into my ear.
“If you’re tired, should we rest in the lounge for a bit?”
“Yes…!”
Ah, my angel!
You must have descended to this world just to save me!
When I looked up at him with sparkling eyes, Harnen let out a soft laugh.
He gently patted my head before turning gracefully to address the nobles.
“I’m sorry, but Lady Einra isn’t feeling well. She’s been so excited to attend a banquet for the first time in a while that she hasn’t been sleeping well lately.”
Upon hearing his polite words, the nobles looked disappointed but understanding.
“Oh… then of course she should rest.”
“Please, go rest in the lounge. None of us want to see the Spirit Master fatigued.”
“Her well-being comes before all else.”
Even though they stared at me longingly, the nobles finally backed off.
Only then could I breathe properly and sigh in relief.
“Thanks, Harnen. You really saved me…”
“If it was too much, you should’ve given me a sign. We could’ve left earlier.”
With a look of concern, Harnen lightly brushed my cheek.
“Poor thing,” he murmured softly. Embarrassed, I rubbed the spot where his fingers had touched.
Was my face really that bad?
Harnen and I headed for the second-floor lounge, which was restricted to only VIPs.
Once we entered the most luxurious and spacious room of all, I rushed forward and dove straight onto the plush, opulently decorated sofa.
“Waaah! A sofa!”
Who cares if the dress the emperor picked gets wrinkled?
As expected of a palace sofa, the texture was unbelievably soft and cushiony.
While I was busy indulging in some good old sofa therapy, Harnen approached and asked in a gently amused voice.
“You like it that much?”
“Yeah, I love it!”
A soft chuckle escaped him.
When I lifted my head and grinned, Harnen asked kindly, “Einra, do you want something to drink? I’ll go grab you something.”
“Hmm, mulled wine! With lots of honey!”
I raised my hand energetically.
Chuckling again, Harnen patted my head and said, “Just wait a bit,” before stepping out.
Swish— The red curtains covering the lounge swayed elegantly as he exited.
My brain, already depleted from socializing, was no longer functioning.
I laid on the sofa, blankly staring at the night sky beyond the terrace.
“The stars are so pretty…”
Twinkle twinkle little star… shining so beautifully…
As I hummed absentmindedly and swung my feet, someone suddenly thump—fell onto the terrace from above.
“…?”
Huh. Someone fell.
Thump.
“Am I hallucinating?”
Why is a person coming from there?
Instinctively—or rather, with ingrained reflexes—I summoned Quiel.
Back when I lived in the capital, I’d received enough intense anti-assassination training from the emperor and Harnen to etch it into my body.
Sure enough, the summoned Quiel immediately went on high alert, sticking close to me while staring down the terrace.
I cautiously stood and crept toward the terrace.
The moment I opened the terrace door silently—someone pulled me into their arms.
“Hgh…?!”
“Shh. Beautiful lady, be quiet.”
A man’s body heat pressed against my back, and a deep, undeniably adult male voice whispered near my ear.
“Don’t worry, I’m not a criminal. I just wanted to borrow this terrace to escape my father for a bit…”
The man holding me from behind continued to say something, but I didn’t bother listening to the rest.
I forcefully pulled down the hand covering my mouth and shouted urgently.
“Quiel—Quiel, Quiel! Stop! No, don’t kill him!”
No sooner had I spoken than Quiel, who had been streaking through the air toward the man’s throat, froze in place.
Just a second ago, he had been fully ready to slice the man’s neck clean in two. Now, blinking his round little eyes, he tilted his head curiously.
‘That was almost a casualty…’
While I let out a shaky breath, the man behind me stammered.
“L-Lady…?”
He sounded completely lost.
I sighed again, this time for a different reason.
Freeing myself from his arms, I turned around and crossed my arms, glaring at him.
Sky-blue hair and golden eyes.
Quite good-looking—no, actually, pretty stunning. But surrounded as I was by people with top-tier visuals, he didn’t particularly stand out.
‘What should I even call this guy? Unlawful trespasser?’
But this wasn’t my room, so that didn’t apply.
Hmm… he’s not gentlemanly enough to be called a gentleman either.
“Hey.”
I finally settled on a neutral title.
Puffing myself up like an animal trying to appear intimidating, I lifted my chin.
“I claimed this lounge and its terrace first. Barging into someone else’s space uninvited is extremely rude. If you need a terrace, please find another.”
“…”
“Hello? Did you hear what I said?”
“…”
“…Excuse me?”
Maybe he was too shocked to respond.
I waved a hand in front of his dazed face, only to see his pale complexion slowly flush bright red.
“…?”
Frowning slightly, I watched as he awkwardly turned his head away, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.
…Shy?
There’s something off about this guy.
I took a step back instinctively, but he suddenly grabbed my arm.
“…May I ask your name?”
Oddly enough, he didn’t even look at me while asking.
I stared at him, unimpressed, and pulled my arm back as I replied.
“Einra. I’m a commoner, so I don’t have a family name.”
Considering he had access to this banquet, he’d learn who I was eventually, so telling him my name didn’t really matter.
“Einra…”
He muttered my name, then suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
Then, hiding his now fully flushed face with both hands, he mumbled,
“…Even her name is cute…”
“…Sorry? What did you just say?”
I didn’t catch it exactly, but I knew it was something weird.
As I looked at him with growing suspicion, he seemed to steel himself and raised his head—though not to look at me, but at the edge of the terrace.
“Look… you might not believe me, but I’m usually really popular with women.”
“Oh, sure.”
I really don’t believe that.
“I’m not the kind of guy who clings to someone like this…”
“Oh, sure.”
If you say so, let’s go with that.
“And I actually have a high social status, so you wouldn’t be embarrassed to introduce me to people…”
“Oh, sure.”
Though that’s never going to happen.
I had no idea what point he was trying to make, but he just kept talking passionately.
I couldn’t outright ignore him, so I just nodded along while planning how to gently push him off the terrace.
Then, I heard the door to the lounge open from the inside.
“Einra?”
Harnen had returned.
