The Emperor engaged in conversation with scholars and businessmen he’d only known by name until now, showing genuine interest. Both he and the guests seemed to have plenty to discuss.

The invited guests, initially frozen with awe, gradually began to relax and immerse themselves in conversation with the Emperor. Meanwhile, Robert and Sophia also made rounds, greeting the attendees. Given that Robert had personally selected the guest list, he was well-prepared, and his conversations were seamless.

Sophia greeted a horticulturalist she had long admired and continued in lively conversation. Although it was a ball, conversations filled the hall, making it even more vibrant and cheerful than other gatherings, with those who preferred to leave having already done so. A few, however, looked around with disdain, mocking the unusual atmosphere of this royal ball.

Seeing those few gathered and whispering about the others, Sophia thought, ‘They’ll probably spread word about how this ball was a disaster, saying that inviting the bourgeoisie into the royal palace was a mistake.’

She shook her head. It was a relief that only a small number of guests neither declined the invitation nor joined in fully. Helen, Mr. and Mrs. Finega, meanwhile, had adapted well. Helen, after first spotting familiar faces to ease her nerves, had no trouble conversing with new people.

Though it was their first time being invited to a ball hosted by the royal family, Mr. and Mrs. Finega and Helen were experienced in social gatherings and soon began enjoying themselves. Even the nobles who had initially felt out of place gradually joined in. Those particularly interested in business or branching out into new areas found it fascinating to meet knowledgeable scholars and businessmen.

While the Empress maintained a smile, it wasn’t due to genuine pleasure. Apart from the Empress and a handful of others, everyone else was fully absorbed in lively discussions.

Finally realizing it was indeed a ball, the Emperor signaled for the music to begin. Robert and Sophia stepped forward. For this day, Sophia had trained relentlessly, much to Acel’s exasperation.

As Robert took Sophia’s hand, he whispered in her ear, “I hope this will settle the debt I owe you since your debutante ball.”

“No matter how well you dance, that won’t be enough,” Sophia replied. “You’ll need to dance with me two or three more times. Who knows when I’ll get to wear such a lovely dress and dance again, so I’m planning to dance as much as I can tonight.”

Robert nodded with a determined smile. From a distance, they looked every bit like a harmonious couple.

As they moved in sync with the music, Robert leaned in and whispered, “About that salt mine… They say the map from Umbriel proved incredibly useful?”

With an awkward smile, Sophia whispered back, “It was thanks to my years of dedication and longing. The map you gifted me was just a small catalyst.”

“It’s no coincidence that the salt mine was discovered right after Baron Ariel received the title of Marquis. So you’ve known about it for a while, haven’t you? It seems your haste in securing the title was more about the salt mine than Wiscombe.”

“A bit of both. Does it matter? If you’re interested in investing in the salt mine, I’d welcome it. By employing people from Umbriel and diving into the development together, we might even be able to eliminate Umbriel’s financial deficit.”

“I’ll send Mav to the Marquis of Ariel soon. Looking forward to it,” Robert replied with a satisfied smile. Sophia nodded in agreement, knowing that the investment burden couldn’t fall solely on Ariel.

By involving both Mr. Finega and Robert, they’d be able to cover costs before sales began. Sophia smiled brightly, thinking, ‘I’ve secured investment and smoothly obtained the map for the salt mine.’

Seeing their amiable interaction, the Emperor nodded approvingly. The new wave that Robert and Sophia had brought into the royal sphere wasn’t unwelcome. The Emperor considered that if Robert could gain support from these new allies, the future might hold great potential.

Pleased with the ball’s success, the Emperor invited the Empress to dance, but she declined with a smile.

“I’m not feeling well,” she said. “I forced myself to attend on this joyful day, but I don’t think I can continue any longer.”

“Take good care of your health, then. Allow me to escort you,” the Emperor replied.

He escorted the Empress out of the ballroom, releasing her hand as he spoke. “It seems your efforts tonight were in vain, leaving you uneasy. Rest well. I, on the other hand, have too many fascinating conversations here to leave. Tonight, everyone seems happy—everyone except one person.”

After sending the Empress on her way, the Emperor returned to the ballroom, and everyone turned to look at him as he re-entered. He resumed his earlier interrupted conversation with none other than Mr. Finega.

Despite being somewhat nervous, Mr. Finega focused on the discussion and didn’t find it too challenging, especially with other businessmen and publishers around to support him.

They had been caught off guard by the opportunity to converse with the Emperor directly, but the flow never broke. The Emperor observed with interest how those who had seemed hesitant at first now spoke freely once the topic shifted to their businesses.

‘They don’t hesitate when it comes to their own interests. They don’t miss an opportunity—just like the nobles,’ thought the Emperor, finding their pragmatism intriguing.

The ballroom was filled with groups chatting, dancing, and some resting. It was a pleasant scene. Sophia took in the view of the ballroom and then whispered to Robert, “The atmosphere is quite nice. Now, I’ll set you free. Go and chat some more—everything will seem interesting to them right now, thanks to me.”

As Sophia made to release his hand, Robert held it firmly and spoke.

“The guests were each enjoying themselves, so shouldn’t we, as the stars of the evening, do the same? After all, it’s our engagement celebration, isn’t it? I can’t even imagine how busy we’ll be after this.”

Sophia smiled.

“As you wish. I’m still holding up just fine. You probably don’t know how many times I’ve traveled through the Titania Mountains. I’m more worried about you, Prince. You’re always stuck behind a desk, and now suddenly, you’re moving around so much—are you sure you can handle it?”

“Working is also a matter of endurance. Let’s see who’ll walk out of this ballroom on their own two feet.”

***

Even after most people had left the dance floor, Sophia and Robert were still there, joined by Helen, who was dancing with a young man Sophia didn’t recognize. Curious, she asked Robert,

“Who is he? That young man so close to Helen. Is he a bourgeois or noble?”

“Ah, that’s Lord Oberon, the second son of the Oberon estate. The eldest son is managing the estate in place of his father, and the second son was invited as he’s studying at the Academy in the capital. I wonder if Baron Oberon would consider a bourgeois daughter-in-law.”

“The Oberon estate relies heavily on trade, so it’s not completely unrelated to Mr. Finega’s business. If Mr. Finega ended up with family ties to both Ariel and Oberon, that would give him an edge in business, wouldn’t it? It might be a bit premature to think that based on a single dance, though.”

“Oberon certainly isn’t lacking in funds, but he wouldn’t pass up a chance to make more.”

“Thank you. If there’s any chance of a connection between Finega’s family and the Oberons, it’ll be thanks to you, Prince.”

“You flatter me. Nothing’s even started yet, has it?”

“I used to envy the Oberon estate so much. Ariel is poor due to its border location, while Oberon amasses wealth through port trade. I once even wondered if Oberon was involved in some conspiracy to make that happen,” she laughed.

Robert couldn’t help but chuckle at her candidness.

Nearby, Vian was watching the two with a concerned expression. Though he was glad to see the prince enjoying himself at a ball for the first time in ages, thinking of the future filled him with unease.

The ball concluded with great success. Countless meetings, conversations, and new connections were made. Sophia was satisfied. Although this was only the second ball she had attended in her life, it was undoubtedly the finest.

As she said goodbye to Robert, she remarked,

“This was wonderful. You’ve more than made up for last time. I won’t hold a grudge against you anymore.”

“So you hadn’t forgiven me after all?” Robert said, smiling. “In that case, I’m glad the debt is cleared. Now, take care getting home.”

As their carriage slowly rolled toward Finega’s home, Mr. Finega, Mrs. Finega, and Helen looked tired but joyful.

Mr. Finega spoke in an animated tone,

“The Emperor understands things quickly. When I mentioned that the state should oversee the road improvement project, he nodded in agreement.”

Helen interrupted him,
“What good is that? The administrative office will oppose it. With limited taxes, taking on new projects will be tough. Wealthier regions will demand improvements in their own territories, while poorer regions will argue that roads are necessary to create industries. Setting priorities will be a battlefield and a huge waste of time.”

“If only you had talked to the Emperor yourself! Instead, you were spending your time with some young man. Who was he again?”

Helen grinned and replied,

“It was only a brief conversation. He said he’s a student at the Academy. He mentioned he was invited by Prince Robert.”

Sophia chimed in, speaking to Mr. and Mrs. Finega,

“He’s the second son of Baron Oberon. He does indeed attend the Academy, and apparently, he’s quite well-regarded there.”

Helen looked at Sophia, surprised.

“How did you know that?”

“The prince told me. He invited him to strengthen relations with Ariel, Umbriel, and Oberon, as these estates are all connected to the kingdom of Saturn. For the record, he’s single, and he’s never had a girlfriend.”

Sophia gave a meaningful glance at Mrs. Finega, who laughed merrily.

“That would be perfect for our second daughter, who hasn’t had a romance herself.”

Helen blushed deeply.

“How can you say that? We’ve only just met!”

Sophia smiled.

“Exactly. It’s early enough to look into things. You might see him again on the weekend since he’s at the Academy. And from what I saw, you two seemed to get along.”

Helen remained silent, not denying it—clearly, the young man had left an impression.

Mr. Finega sighed wistfully.

“It would be sad to see all my daughters leave the capital and move to distant estates.”

Helen pretended to be upset.

“Father, all I did was dance with him.”

Yet, Mr. and Mrs. Finega continued to tease her. To deflect attention, Helen shifted the spotlight to Sophia.

“Sophia, how many dances did you have with Prince Robert tonight? Did you know the band even skipped their break at one point?”

Sophia responded,

“He left me behind at the debutante ball, remember? Tonight, I simply reclaimed that debt.”

Helen had an “Aha!” moment.

“That’s right. This was your first dance together. How romantic!”

Looking at Helen’s flushed cheeks, Sophia said with a smile,

“Helen, wasn’t dancing just wonderful? How was it when you danced with Lord Oberon?”

“Sophia!” Helen exclaimed, flustered.

Laughter filled the carriage all the way back to Finega’s residence.

Once home, the four of them immediately retired to their rooms to rest. Although it had been a delightful evening, staying up late had left them all feeling tired.

Despite the exhaustion, everyone fell into a pleasant sleep, their minds filled with memories of the joyful night—everyone, that is, except for the Empress, who still lay awake.