CHAPTER 07………………………………
“Still as noisy as ever.”
Karhis muttered in a low voice as he stepped into the bustling entrance of the banquet hall.
The moment he appeared, the nobles of the capital all turned toward him, whispering among themselves and casting sidelong glances.
Curiosity and fear.
Everyone looked at him with those two emotions intertwined.
It was a familiar kind of attention, so he felt nothing in particular—but it was unpleasant.
As if he were some beast in a cage.
He had expected as much, but the nobles of the capital were just as rude and distasteful as ever.
With cold eyes, he swept his gaze across them.
Though most quickly averted their eyes, there was one person who continued staring straight at him.
A woman who looked innocent and fragile—so delicate it seemed she might stumble with every step—yet she dared to stare at him without fear.
Karhis let out a hollow laugh.
‘Bold… or simply insane, to have that kind of nerve.’
Even most male nobles or imperial knights lacked the courage to meet his gaze directly.
The cold aura around him was overwhelming.
His arrogant eyes, devoid of emotion, made him seem less like a human and more like an ancient spirit of Ferdian itself.
Even the servants in his estate would sometimes be startled when they saw him.
‘Strange.’
Her gaze was different from the others.
Not fearful or furtive, but fixed—staring at him as if lost.
Her pale eyes rippled like the surface of a blue lake.
There was something sorrowful in them, as though they were probing into his very being.
Normally, such a gaze would have irritated him.
But strangely… it didn’t feel entirely unpleasant.
She was undoubtedly a strange woman.
Karhis dismissed the thought and shifted his gaze elsewhere, walking toward the Crown Prince.
The prince looked down on him with arrogant eyes.
Karhis narrowed his brows slightly.
The Crown Prince, Layerden, studied him curiously before speaking.
“Duke Ferdian. I didn’t expect you to attend this year. I never thought I’d see you in the capital. What brings you here?”
“No particular reason. It has been over ten years since I received my title, so I thought it proper to attend at least once this year.”
“I see. We’ve prepared quite a grand event, so enjoy the eve festival.”
Layerden smiled benevolently.
A faint irritation rose in Karhis, but he suppressed it.
“I have something to inform you.”
“And what might that be?”
“I will be staying in the capital for a while. I thought it best that Your Highness be aware.”
The prince’s smiling mask cracked.
His gentle expression stiffened instantly.
He had sensed something unsettling.
Karhis smirked inwardly, lifting the corners of his lips into a smooth, composed smile.
“I’ve heard unpleasant rumors about Ferdian spreading in the capital. I intend to remain here for some time to restore our honor.”
“That is… unfortunate. I hope you recover your reputation soon.”
Layerden replied slowly.
Karhis found the prince’s hidden unease amusing.
“After all, if even one ducal house that protects the empire loses its honor, it would reflect poorly on Zenon as well. So I must uncover the truth behind it as soon as possible.”
“Of course. Restore your honor by all means.”
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.”
Karhis bowed elegantly and turned away.
The atmosphere in the hall stirred.
The nobles whispered even more after his bold declaration.
But he had no interest in what they were saying.
More than anything, the noise irritated him.
There were too many people, and compared to the north, the hall felt stiflingly warm.
He disliked crowded, noisy places to begin with, so his mood only worsened.
Seeking quiet, he headed to a secluded terrace.
A cold breeze greeted him there.
He leaned casually against the railing, letting the wind brush against him.
Then he began undoing the silver buttons at his collar one by one.
His sharp nose, lowered gaze, and shadowed lips gave him a somber air.
His silver lashes trembled briefly before his gaze lifted.
‘The Crown Prince’s face was quite something.’
He smirked at the memory of Layerden’s stiffened expression.
“Still… it’s been a while.”
The mild weather felt unfamiliar.
It had been nearly ten years since he last came to the capital to receive his title.
His reason for coming wasn’t truly to restore Ferdian’s honor.
That was merely an excuse.
The real reason lay elsewhere.
‘Winter’s Tear.’
The Ferdian family heirloom—the spirit stone—had disappeared.
Though surprising, he instinctively sensed its location.
The stone, imbued with the power of a winter spirit and the ability of the first duke, Roan, possessed a will of its own.
For over a thousand years, it had been hidden from the imperial family.
Only the head of Ferdian knew of its existence.
It was their only means of countering the imperial family.
While other houses had surrendered their spirit stones, Ferdian alone had preserved theirs.
Thus, calling it an heirloom hardly did it justice.
Even the duke didn’t know its exact location.
That was why no one had found it in over a thousand years.
But a few days ago, Karhis felt it.
The stone had vanished.
Using his power, he faintly sensed its presence in the capital—and so he came.
It was unlikely anyone had stolen it.
More plausibly… it had moved on its own.
‘It’s definitely here in the capital.’
Since the stone contained a spirit with a will, it could move independently.
And he, merely a wielder of borrowed power, could not stop it.
So he had no choice but to find it himself.
He sighed deeply, running a hand through his neatly styled hair.
The wind quickly disheveled it again.
Finding the stone would not be easy.
Lost in thought, he suddenly remembered the woman.
‘Who was she…?’
He knew most noble faces, yet she was unfamiliar.
He didn’t understand why she lingered in his thoughts.
Her gentle yet sharp eyes.
The dress matching his own eye color.
Her fragile appearance.
Strands of hair falling from her updo.
Each time he recalled her, a strange emotion stirred within him.
He couldn’t tell if it was unpleasant or simply unfamiliar.
But none of that mattered.
All that mattered was finding the spirit stone and returning as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Psyche was in turmoil.
— “I will be staying in the capital for a while.”
His words had stirred the entire hall.
Psyche, too, stood frozen, eyes wide in shock.
Karhis… staying in the capital?
It was a one-sided revelation, yet she was genuinely surprised.
She covered her mouth, overwhelmed with unexpected joy.
But his behavior felt strange.
In the past, Karhis had never intended to leave the north.
He had been firm about that.
And he never cared much about Ferdian’s reputation.
Which meant—
Restoring honor might just be an excuse.
If so, there were countless possibilities.
She couldn’t guess his true reason at all.
‘I overlooked the fact that the present could change from the past.’
She felt foolish for assuming things would unfold the same way.
She didn’t even know what she would say to him if they met.
“First… I need to find him.”
She looked around, thinking of where he might be.
The terrace seemed the most likely.
Karhis disliked noise and preferred quiet places.
He hated parties and didn’t enjoy socializing.
He usually spent his time working, patrolling, or training.
“Hmm…”
She had already checked six terraces.
All empty.
Most nobles were still dancing and chatting.
She headed toward the seventh.
As she approached, the necklace around her neck suddenly glowed with a vivid blue light.
Her steps quickened.
But just as she drew closer—
A sharp voice stopped her.
“Who are you?”
It was a voice she knew all too well.
