It had been a month
since Andre arrived in the capital. He had attended nearly every social event
that took place. When it came to quickly raising one’s profile, few things were
as effective as frequenting social gatherings.
"Lord Bless, are
you alone again today?"
"It seems I still
have much to improve, as I’ve yet to find a generous lady willing to accompany
me."
"You're too
modest. It's more likely that your standards are simply too high, Lord
Bless."
At these social
parties, it was customary to attend with a partner. Those without a lover would
typically bring a family member to maintain appearances.
Yet, Andre's
consistent attendance alone intrigued people. As the son of a duke and a
knight, no one believed he lacked the ability to find a partner.
"Would you like
me to introduce you to someone suitable?"
"Thank you for
your offer, but in truth, there’s someone I’ve been meaning to approach for
some time."
"Oh dear, if you
keep waiting for the right moment, the whole year will pass by."
"Indeed, it seems
my courage just fails me."
The group chuckled at
his response. Whenever someone offered to introduce him to a lady, Andre always
gave the same reply. Initially, people were curious, but by now, they
interpreted his answer as a polite refusal.
"Nothing exciting
seems to be happening these days."
"You're right.
Every party is starting to feel the same. I think I’ll stop attending for a
while and look for another hobby."
"Did you hear
Countess Merze has been getting into jewelry auctions lately?"
"That could be
interesting."
The ladies fanned
themselves with indifferent expressions. It wasn’t that today’s party was
lacking, but lately, everyone attending social gatherings seemed to share the
same thoughts.
The quality of a social
event depends on its attendees. Recently, the most notable figures—Silver King,
Marquis Rad, and the Iron King and Queen—were nowhere to be seen.
The Silver King had never
been interested in social gatherings, and Marquis Rad didn’t even attend men’s
social clubs. The Iron King had not left the palace since his marriage, and the
Iron Queen had never been particularly active in social circles. Even the Red
King, Patricia, who once hosted tea parties, had gone quiet. Social life had
never been this dull.
Andre listened to the
murmurs of the people around him, smiling faintly. Over the past month, he had
learned what these gatherings were really about: people who loved to gossip.
The most frequent topics he
overheard were rumors, speculations, and supposed sightings involving the
Silver King and Marquis Rad. Andre had always thought that gossiping about
others was beneath him, but without realizing it, he found himself listening
intently whenever the subject of the Silver King came up.
‘Perfect beauty…’
He had heard rumors about
the Silver King even in his duchy. At the time, he laughed them off. But after
seeing her in person, he realized the stories weren’t exaggerated at all. Her
image, far from fading over time, grew clearer in his mind.
‘Father, you really didn’t
prepare me for this.’
When the Duke of Bless sent
Andre to the capital, he had said:
"I’ve laid the
groundwork for you, so go make it happen. It’s all up to you."
‘What groundwork? My
father’s bluster never changes,’ Andre thought.
He hadn’t expected to find
such a formidable barrier around the Silver King in the form of Marquis Rad. If
the Marquis had simply flaunted his status, Andre could have scoffed and
dismissed him.
‘But I’m no match for him,
Father.’
Andre had followed his
father’s orders and concealed his identity as the son of a duke while
undergoing knight training.
Far from receiving special
treatment, he had been put through grueling trials. At the time, he cursed his
father endlessly for it, but looking back, the knight’s title he earned through
sheer effort became a source of pride and an asset.
On the night of the Silver
King’s birthday banquet, something happened that no one else knew about. Andre
had tried to approach the Silver King, but every time, Marquis Rad skillfully
blocked his path. The Marquis would subtly step forward or change direction,
cutting Andre off with effortless ease.
To those unfamiliar with
swordsmanship, it would have seemed unremarkable, but Andre knew just how
masterful the Marquis’s footwork was. When it comes to fencing, there’s only so
much you can do with technique alone. The real secret weapon that separates the
experts is their footwork.
With it, you can disrupt
your opponent’s rhythm, retreat at the perfect moment, and strike when they
least expect it. The real battles between true masters aren’t as intense as one
might think—victory is often decided in the blink of an eye.
That night, Andre had lost
to the Marquis. He never managed to gain the upper hand. In terms of
swordsmanship, it was a total defeat.
Andre sighed. He couldn’t
think of a way to break through the wall in front of him. He lacked the status,
the skill, and there was no opening in the Silver King’s gaze when she looked
at the Marquis.
Finishing the champagne in
his hand, Andre quietly slipped out of the banquet hall. Tonight was especially
dull.
***
"Your Majesty, Marquis
Raad is here."
Dian, who had been lost in
thought while seated on the sofa, lifted his head.
"Show him in."
A moment later, Kuhn
entered. As usual, all the attendants withdrew, leaving the two of them alone.
Dian’s casual wave was the same as always, and Kuhn walked over to the sofa.
"Have a seat,"
Dian said to Kuhn, who stood rather than sitting immediately. "We haven’t
suddenly become enemies overnight. I don’t want to change how we act around
each other, but if you’d prefer, I can treat you like a proper Marquis."
Kuhn smirked and sat down.
"That’s not
necessary."
"I know I called you
here on short notice, so I won’t take much of your time. I have a request for
you."
"A request?"
"Before, you just
helped me because you wanted to. But now, if I want your help, I need to make a
formal request, right?"
Kuhn stared at Dian,
folding his arms and leaning back into the sofa.
"I’m expensive."
Dian shook his head in
disbelief. There was no one more arrogant about their services than Kuhn.
"I know you are. Put
it on my tab."
"A tab? I don’t do
tabs."
"Come on. Can’t you
cut me some slack, considering our relationship?"
"And what exactly is
our relationship?"
"Are you going to be
petty and tattle to the Silver King?" Dian teased with a grin.
"…"
Dian chuckled.
"What do you think
she’d say if you refused to help me over a few coins?"
"Coins?! That’s not just—!"
Kuhn began to protest but
then stopped himself. With a somewhat disgruntled expression, he spat out,
"…What do you
want?"
Dian’s eyes widened, and he
let out a laugh.
"Great! Now I know
your weakness. Let’s be real here—I'm closer to the Silver King than you are.
You may end up as an outsider, but I’m her blood brother."
Kuhn glared at Dian, who
seemed proud of his connection. Though being her blood relative was not a real
advantage in Kuhn’s eyes—blood ties didn’t allow for romantic love. Still, Kuhn
couldn’t help but envy the unbreakable bond Dian had with her.
"I need
information."
Dian paused, unsure of how
to continue, clearly hesitating after deliberating for a long time.
"Jeffrey Acheron. I need to know what my uncle is up to, where he goes, who
he meets—everything. And no one on my side should know I made this request to
you."
Dian carefully observed
Kuhn’s reaction, curious about how he would respond. Would he be surprised or
uncomfortable? But Kuhn simply nodded, cautiously and seriously, revealing
nothing of what he was thinking. He wasn’t overly dramatic or dismissive—he was
balanced.
‘That’s right. He’s always
been like this.’
Recently, Kuhn had become
much more expressive, especially around the Silver King. Dian had never seen
his emotions so clearly on display. But Kuhn’s usual self was different from
that—distant and inscrutable.
When Dian first met Kuhn,
he thought he was cold and intimidating. But soon after, he revised his opinion
to "surprisingly easygoing and decent." However, the more time they
spent together, the more his perception changed to "someone whose thoughts
are impossible to read."
He couldn't quite explain
Kuhn to others. He knew him well, yet felt like he didn’t know him at all.
‘Has the Silver King ever
managed to pull off his mask?’
"Got it. How do you
want the information delivered?"
"That’s up to you. Oh,
right—didn’t you say you were going to give me compensation? How about we call
it even with that?"
"That would be a loss
for you. It’s too cheap."
Dian scoffed.
"I can’t make sense of
your pricing standards. Hmm, how about one more thing? Could you find a good
tonic for me? Something beneficial for pregnant women."
"I’ll look into
it."
Dian's face brightened
quickly, likely thinking of Violet. Kuhn, about to stand up, casually asked,
"What does it feel
like?"
"Hm?"
"Having a child."
"Oh… well, I’m not
sure it’s fully hit me yet. It feels strange, but also a little scary. But
knowing that the baby will be here soon makes Violet feel even closer to me.
Once the baby is born, it’s like there’s a permanent bond between us."
"A bond..."
"Even if things went
badly and we somehow drifted apart, the fact that we’d always be the child’s
mother and father will never change. That’s kind of comforting."
"…"
As Dian continued to smile,
Kuhn’s expression became more serious, clearly pondering something that made
Dian uneasy.
"Hey, don’t get any
strange ideas."
"What ideas?"
"Like I said last
time, just focus on dating. Keep things respectful until marriage."
Kuhn smirked and tilted his
head mockingly.
"And you’re one to
give that kind of advice?"
"I said it after we
set a wedding date!" Dian retorted.
Kuhn stood up, but as he
turned to leave, Dian shouted after him,
"I’m warning you! If
you tarnish the Silver King’s honor, I won’t let it slide!"
***
A sudden guest arrived at
the Silver King's palace. Sienna had just finished donning her riding clothes,
preparing to take a lap around the riding arena on her horse, Lith.
"Your Majesty, shall I
ask the guest to return another time?"
There was no prior
appointment, so sending the guest away wouldn't be considered rude.
"Let them in."
A moment later, Andre
entered. Upon seeing Sienna dressed in riding attire, he appeared visibly taken
aback.
"My apologies, Your
Majesty. It seems I have come at an inappropriate time. It looks like you have
other plans…"
"As you said, I do
have another appointment. We won’t have much time for a long conversation. Have
a seat, Lord Bless."
Andre hesitated before
approaching the sofa.
"Your Majesty, if
you’re heading out for a ride, may I accompany you?"
"In that attire?"
"I don’t wish to race
you, Your Majesty. It would be an honor just to see the magnificent horse you
received as a gift."
"That’s no problem,
though you should know he has quite a temper."
"I’ll just observe
from afar. I promise not to get too close."
"Very well, let’s
go."
Sienna agreed readily, as
Andre’s approach was effective. She was eager to show off her beloved Rit, but
no one had ever dared to ask for a look.
The stables for Rit were
built near the Silver King's palace, guarded by knights stationed around the
area. Rit was neither tied nor bridled; the magnificent creature roamed freely,
occasionally wandering through the gardens on its own.
As Sienna and Andre approached,
Rit spotted her and gracefully made his way over. Andre, walking alongside Sienna,
took a step back as Rit came closer. Rit nudged his head against Sienna’s
outstretched hand, and she gently stroked his nose.
"Shall we go for a run
today, Rit?"
Rit snorted in response, as
if answering her. Sienna turned to Andre, who had retreated some distance.
"You don’t need to
stand so far away."
"Yes, Your
Majesty."
Andre let out a soft
exclamation of awe. The sight of the gleaming white unicorn and the beautiful
woman beside it felt almost otherworldly, like a scene from a fantasy.
The stable master handed Sienna
the reins and saddle. She saddled Rit herself and, taking the reins, began
walking toward the riding arena with Andre.
"Lord Bless, what
brings you here today?"
"I came to schedule an
appointment, Your Majesty. I thought if I could meet you today, that would be
great, but if not, I would return another time. Fortunately, you have granted
me this meeting. But today is merely a bonus. Since I came to arrange a time,
may I return again?"
"So you have no
particular reason to be here today?"
Andre quickly thought of
something, realizing he couldn’t just say he had no purpose.
"I received word that my father is on his way. He should arrive
soon."
"So we’ll be able to
see the Duke in about two weeks?"
Sienna smiled brightly,
clearly pleased by the news.
"Ah… well, it might
take longer. The carriage journey to the port is a bit lengthy."
"Is it because of the
Duke’s leg?"
"Yes."
"I hope to see the
Duke in good health."
Andre glanced at Sienna's
profile and sighed quietly. Why hadn’t he met her sooner? If he had met her
before Marquis Raad, he might have had a real chance. It was a deeply
frustrating thought.
The royal riding arena was
often used by the palace knights for training. The arena manager had already
cleared it out, having been informed ahead of time that the Silver King would
be coming.
"I’ll take a lap
first," Sienna said as she mounted Rit and sped off toward the arena while
Andre chose a horse to ride.
As he stood there, watching
her disappear into the distance, he found himself mesmerized by her figure. She
wasn’t fragile at all, but that only made her more alluring. As her silhouette
grew smaller, Andre suddenly heard approaching hoofbeats.
‘Wasn’t the arena supposed
to be cleared?’
He turned toward the sound
just as a rider on a horse rushed past him. For a brief moment, Andre’s eyes
locked with the rider.
"…Marquis Raad?"
The Marquis didn’t head for
the entrance but instead kept riding, galloping full-speed ahead and leaping
over the surrounding fence with ease. Andre’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
The stable master
approached with a horse.
"What do you think of this one, sir?"
"No need."
"Pardon?"
Andre waved the stable
master off without even looking at the horse. The stable master, puzzled, led
the horse away.
"Ugh…" Andre
sighed, feeling utterly deflated.
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