24. Birthday Banquet (1)

Edward suddenly thought of Herwen. Due to the new defense line being built in the Kayaneuman Mountains and the development of the mana stone mine, Herwen would be visiting the imperial palace more frequently. 

After all, he was the lord of the region closest to the Kayaneuman Mountains. Edward considered limiting Herwen’s visits to the palace, but felt petty for thinking so and sighed. He suspected Larael’s behavior today was due to the news from the north that would spread around this time. 

Hearing news from the north would inevitably remind her of Herwen. Edward tried to shake off these thoughts, realizing they were meaningless.

—

Herwen was in a frenzy. A mana stone mine had been discovered in the Kayaneuman Mountains, right next to his territory. Before he could do anything about it, Edward had already proclaimed it as the property of the Kazel Empire. 

The thought of what might have happened if he had discovered it first tormented him. Although it wasn’t his, it felt as if something of his had been stolen. It seemed to him that the wealth he could have gained was snatched away by Edward.

His anger was mostly directed at the vassals, including Count Hoakinen, who governed Kalia in his stead while he spent time in the capital. 

“What would have happened if we had discovered that mine first, huh?”

There were no intact items left on the desk or table in Herwen’s office. Everything that had once been there had been thrown at his vassals. 

“What were you doing? Do you think I don’t know you’re acting like kings in Kalia with my property?”

“Your Grace, that’s a misunderstanding. We are honest and incorruptible…”

Count Hoakinen hurriedly tried to explain, but it was useless against the arrogant Herwen. Despite his beautiful appearance, Herwen had a thoroughly duplicitous personality, known only to a few vassals in the grand duchy. 

With Herwen not visiting Kalia, they had been enjoying peaceful days, but the discovery of the mana stone mine in the Kayaneuman Mountains was a near disaster for them.

“Honest and incorruptible, my foot.”

Herwen sat down heavily in front of his desk, seething.

‘If only that mana stone mine were mine…’

The more he thought about it, the more regretful it seemed. It was lamentable that he hadn’t known about the treasure right in front of him.

‘How did Edward find out?’

Herwen recalled the members of the negotiation team he had seen when he briefly visited Kalia after concluding negotiations with the Hashiya Kingdom. Among them, he remembered Count Winters, who stood out because he had no prior connection with Edward.

‘It’s suspicious that he was suddenly included in the negotiation team. Edward wouldn’t have just put him in there.’

Thinking of Count Winters’ handsome face and sly smile made Herwen uncomfortable. Edward wouldn’t have included someone known for being a playboy in the negotiation team without reason. There must have been something.

—

On the day of the Emperor’s birthday banquet, Abella Palace was bustling from the morning. It was also the day the Empress Consort would make her first appearance in front of the nobles. 

Once Larael finished putting on her dress, exclamations of admiration filled the room.

“Your Highness, you will surely be the star of the birthday banquet.”

“The star is His Majesty.”

Larael playfully glanced at Sasha as she laughed at the comment. The light ivory dress was adorned with small jewels, which might seem plain at first glance but sparkled brightly when catching the light. It would shine even more brilliantly in the banquet hall.

Sasha and Joanna looked at Larael with satisfied expressions, bursting with admiration. They regretted that Count Hedway and his wife wouldn’t be attending the banquet to see such a sight. If they had seen it, they might have shed tears of joy. Sasha expressed her disappointment, and Larael comforted her, saying it was alright.

“Your Highness, you need to go to the main palace to enter with His Majesty.”

After confirming the preparations were complete, the head maid informed Larael, who then boarded the carriage waiting in front of the palace to head to the main palace. Although it was a short distance, she took the carriage to ensure her carefully arranged attire wouldn’t be disturbed.

Upon arriving at the main palace, Larael temporarily stayed in the room next to Edward’s bedroom. This room was the one the Empress used when staying at the main palace, and it was currently unoccupied.

“His Majesty is not ready yet.”

An attendant came to inform Larael of Edward’s preparation status. The maids from the main palace prepared refreshments for Larael while she waited.

“Your Highness, he’s coming today.”

Sasha quietly asked Larael as she poured tea into a cup, starting to worry as the banquet time approached.

“Who?”

“Um… His Grace, Grand Duke Vellaus.”

“Oh…”

Larael realized she hadn’t worried about meeting him even once today. All she was looking forward to was seeing Edward in the matching formal attire they had coordinated.

‘Oh… I really want to see him.’

She erased the thought of Herwen’s story from her mind immediately after hearing it from Sasha. As she imagined Edward in his formal attire, her heart raced as if he were right in front of her. She knew these feelings were not something she was allowed to feel. However, she couldn’t stop the emotions from slipping through the cracks like deep blue sea water, just like the color of his eyes.

An attendant came to inform that Edward was ready. Larael took a sip of tea to moisten her dry mouth from the tension. After lightly moistening her lips, she put down the teacup when she heard a knock.

“His Majesty the Emperor is entering.”

With the attendant’s announcement, the door opened, and Edward entered, his gaze fixed on Larael. Larael was so captivated by his dazzling appearance that she forgot to bow and greet him, instead staring as he walked briskly toward her.

“Your Highness, you should greet him.”

Joanna, who was deeply bowing, whispered urgently to Larael, who was just standing there.

“I greet the sun of the empire.”

He was the sun itself. From his coolly slanted eyes to his sculpted nose and perfectly formed lips, Larael was lost in admiration. His eyes, half-closed, seemed languid.

Larael closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she slowly opened them again, Edward’s smooth face was right in front of her.

Larael unconsciously held her breath and, flustered, quickly turned her head to the left.

“I can’t take my eyes off you.”

Startled by Edward’s low murmur, Larael turned back to look at him.

“Why such a surprised look?”

“No, I was just a bit surprised. It’s not like Your Majesty…”

Suddenly, Edward’s face turned red. It was a sight that didn’t match his previous suave tone. Larael’s eyes twinkled with mischief as she watched him.

“Did you see something strange again somewhere?”

Edward averted his gaze and cleared his throat.

Edward smiled broadly at Larael, and she returned his warm smile. After a moment of shared laughter, Edward extended his right hand to Larael.

Larael smiled faintly and placed her hand atop Edward’s outstretched hand.

—

The banquet began with the Emperor and Empress Consort entering the hall together. Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on the Emperor and Empress Consort. 

Initially, they greeted the Emperor and the Empress Consort beside him with respect, but soon they were captivated by their nearly perfect appearances, eventually directing blatant disdainful gazes at Larael.