Chapter 66: Banquet
—MATTHIAS SINCLAIR—
I have disliked noble banquets ever since I was young.
After years serving within the Royal Knights, neither noise nor people particularly troubled anymore.
What exhausted was the performance.
Every conversation carried hidden motives. Every greeting required careful politeness. Every smile concealed either ambition, calculation, or curiosity disguised as civility.
And tonight, Marquess Everstein’s estate was overflowing with all three.
The mansion itself stood brightly illuminated beneath the evening sky as carriage after carriage arrived before the entrance.
Enchanted lanterns floated above the gardens while servants guided nobles inside with care. Music drifted faintly through the open ballroom doors, elegant enough to impress aristocrats who asured worth through appearances.
The Everstein family clearly intended tonight to leave an impression upon high society.
Unfortunately for , that also ant they invited nearly every influential household within the capital.
The mont I stepped into the ballroom, I felt the shift in attention imdiately.
Several younger knights straightened upon recognizing while conversations near the entrance lowered subtly. Noblewon glanced toward behind decorated fans before pretending they had not.
I ignored most of it.
At this point, such reactions had beco ordinary to .
Being Royal Knight Commander carried visibility I neither sought nor particularly enjoyed.
I moved deeper into the ballroom calmly, acknowledging greetings where necessary while quietly observing the gathering around .
The ballroom itself was excessive the way wealthy nobles preferred. Crystal chandeliers glittered overhead while golden lights reflected across polished marble floors. Long banquet tables displayed imported wines, delicate pastries, and enough expensive food to feed an entire district for several days.
Musicians perford near the central platform while aristocrats circulated gracefully through the room.
At first glance, the gathering appeared elegant.
In reality, it was simply another political marketplace.
Young noblewon stood carefully beside their families dressed in gowns selected specifically to attract attention. Fathers discussed territory and influence beneath the disguise of casual conversation while mothers observed potential matches for their own pampered children.
The young master celebrating his coming-of-age ceremony had beco secondary almost imdiately.
"Sir Matthias."
I turned toward the familiar voice and imdiately recognized Countess Delre approaching with her daughter at her side.
Hm.
One of those conversations.
"It has been far too long since we last saw you attending social gatherings," the countess greeted warmly.
"My duties leave little ti for them," I answered politely.
"Such admirable dedication," she replied smoothly before guiding her daughter slightly forward. "My daughter has spoken highly of your accomplishnts for quite so ti now."
The young woman curtsied gracefully, though she looked nervous standing there.
"It is an honor to see you again, Sir Matthias."
I inclined my head politely.
Years ago, I might have found these interactions awkward.
Now, they simply felt repetitive.
Every noble family approached with the sa intentions wrapped in slightly different wording.
Status.
Marriage.
Influence.
"My daughter recently developed interest in military history," the countess continued.
I nearly glanced at the young woman again out of curiosity because she looked as though she would rather survive a battlefield than discuss military history with publicly.
"How comndable," I answered instead.
"She particularly admires your achievents during the northern campaign."
"I rely fulfilled my responsibilities."
The countess smiled pleasantly, though I could tell my answer disappointed her slightly.
Eventually, I excused myself under the pretense of greeting the host family directly.
Unfortunately, escaping one conversation rely invited another.
And another.
One viscount spent nearly ten minutes discussing knight discipline before abruptly redirecting the conversation toward inheritance and future heirs. A baron proudly introduced all three unmarried daughters simultaneously while subtly emphasizing their family’s longstanding loyalty to the Crown.
I endured everything with calm.
Still, by the ti I finally reached the quieter section near the ballroom gardens, I found myself genuinely relieved to stand alone for several monts.
A servant passed carrying wine.
I accepted a glass absently before allowing my gaze to wander across the ballroom once more.
Several noblewon still glanced toward occasionally from across the room. Their mothers looked even more interested.
I looked away imdiately.
My attention shifted instead toward Duke Valen standing near the eastern side of the ballroom.
The duke remained elgant and calm as always beneath his formal black attire embroidered subtly with silver thread. Several aristocrats surrounded him in conversation, though it was not Duke Valen himself that drew my attention.
It was the young woman standing beside him.
I did not recognize her.
That alone imdiately stood out to .
She appeared close in age to Lady Aria Valen, perhaps slightly younger. Beautiful, graceful, and careful in the way she carried herself. She spoke softly whenever addressed and smiled modestly enough to appear gentle without seeming overly timid.
Several nobles already appeared drawn toward her.
Interesting.
I studied her briefly before another thought surfaced naturally afterward.
Lady Aria was absent.
My brows furrowed slightly.
By all expectations, she should have attended tonight beside Duke Valen. Gatherings like this existed precisely for aristocratic visibility.
Yet instead, this unfamiliar woman stood at his side.
I glanced around the ballroom again.
Still no sign of Lady Aria.
Even from across the ballroom, I could sense the subtle tension surrounding the duke tonight. Certain nobles observed him more carefully than usual while quiet whispers traveled discreetly between conversations.
The unfamiliar woman lowered her gaze after another noble addressed her politely.
Again, I found myself wondering who she was.
Strange.
Only several days ago, I would not have cared in the slightest about matters involving House Valen.
Now, however, Lady Aria’s absence felt unexpectedly noticeable.
Is that woman Duke Valen’s new wife?
No.
Impossible.
She appeared far too young.
Then another possibility surfaced quietly in my thoughts.
Could she perhaps be...
Before I could finish the thought properly, movent near the center platform interrupted the ballroom entirely.
Marquess Everstein had stepped forward.
The conversations around the hall gradually softened as nobles redirected their attention toward him. Crystal chandeliers glimred overhead while servants moved discreetly along the edges of the ballroom extinguishing several smaller lights near the musicians to draw focus toward the center.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlen," the marquess began warmly while raising a glass of champagne.
Polite applause followed imdiately afterward.
The marquess smiled with ease, clearly accustod to commanding aristocratic attention.
"Tonight, House Everstein wishes to express sincere gratitude toward everyone who attended my son’s coming-of-age celebration." His gaze shifted proudly toward a young man standing several steps behind him. "As many of you know, my youngest son, Lucien, has officially entered adulthood this year."
More applause followed as the young heir bowed properly.
"Tonight is not only a celebration of growth," the marquess continued smoothly, "but also an opportunity for new friendships, strengthened alliances, and perhaps..." He smiled knowingly toward several noble families nearby. "The beginning of aningful future relationships."
There it was.
No longer subtle.
Several noblewon lowered their eyes modestly while their mothers suddenly looked significantly more attentive.
I took a slow sip from my wine.
Banquets like this followed predictable patterns. Eventually dancing would begin, introductions would multiply, and ambitious aristocrats would spend the remainder of the evening attempting to secure advantageous connections.
The marquess continued speaking politely about family honor, adulthood, and noble responsibility while my attention drifted briefly across the ballroom once more.
Duke Valen remained near the eastern side of the ballroom speaking calmly with another aristocrat. The unfamiliar young woman still stood beside him quietly, maintaining flawless etiquette beneath the subtle scrutiny surrounding her.
Several other influential nobles had also arrived throughout the evening, including Duke Sebastian Blackwood, whose presence alone had already beco the subject of whispered admiration among younger noblewon nearby.
Yet surprisingly enough, he was not the most unexpected guest tonight.
That distinction belonged elsewhere entirely.
Royal Archmage Ezekiel Rowe stood near one of the grand pillars overlooking the ballroom, dressed in formal black attire embroidered faintly with silver runic patterns visible only when candlelight struck the fabric correctly. His long silver hair had been tied neatly behind him instead of left loose as usual, giving him a sharper appearance that suited noble gatherings far too well.
Interesting.
Imperial servants rarely attended banquets like these unless absolutely necessary.
Even high-ranking officials often avoided them whenever possible. Social gatherings among nobles tended to be exhausting enough without adding political obligations from the imperial court into the mix.
Which was precisely why Ezekiel Rowe’s appearance here felt unusual.
The man himself looked thoroughly uninterested in his surroundings despite the amount of attention directed toward him.
Before I could dwell on it further, Marquess Everstein finally concluded his speech.
"May this evening remain morable for everyone present," he declared warmly before lifting his champagne glass slightly higher. "Now then, let us begin the first dance."
Applause spread smoothly throughout the ballroom afterward.
The musicians imdiately resud playing, softer this ti as nobles slowly repositioned themselves across the hall. Several younger aristocrats began moving toward potential dance partners while ambitious parents quietly encouraged interactions from nearby.
Then suddenly, the ballroom doors opened.
The sound itself was not loud.
Yet the atmosphere shifted almost imdiately afterward.
Even the musicians faltered.
Conversations paused mid-sentence while countless eyes instinctively turned toward the entrance at once.
Including mine.
And there...standing beneath the golden light spilling through the open doors...
...was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
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