Chapter 58
Chapter 58: Has He Gotten Involved with a Minor Again?
Lights blazed brilliantly, gold glittering in every direction.
Red silk drapes hung suspended in the air, cascading gently down to the Palace floor, while the domed ceiling above opened to let the night sky through.
Melodious strains of music drifted through the hall, reaching the ears of every guest present.
The banquet tables were laden with rare delicacies, awaiting the guests to take their seats.
The nobles exchanged pleasantries and greetings.
They raised their goblets full of fragrant ale and waited in quiet anticipation—waiting for the guest of honor of this Banquet to arrive.
Kavra stood beside Gwen, her glass held high, her cascade of purple hair paired with an evening gown of the same color making her look devastatingly alluring.
She moved effortlessly among nobles and politicians, exchanging greetings out of habit.
Gwen trailed behind Kavra, looking visibly uncomfortable.
Her legs were clamped stiffly together beneath her skirt, and her body kept shifting and twisting in restless agitation.
Kavra turned around, caught the strange look on Gwen's face, and pulled her into a corner.
"Little Gwen, what's the matter?"
Gwen tugged at her dress and complained with considerable displeasure:
"Sister—why do I have to dress like this..."
In day-to-day life, Gwen almost exclusively wore armor. Even during leisure time, she kept light protective plating on her at all times.
Having this gown on her body made her feel like she was being subjected to some form of punishment.
"And I certainly never heard anything about having to put on makeup either."
She directed her grievances at Kavra with some resentment, though Kavra only smiled back at her with narrowed eyes.
"Alright, alright—who shows up to a Banquet in armor? You'll have to get used to these things sooner or later."
"But..."
Gwen tugged at the fabric across her chest, pointing there with irritation.
"This part is too tight—it simply doesn't fit me."
Kavra: "..."
A smile remained on her face, yet Kavra's mood was evidently not all that pleasant.
She reached out and pinched Gwen's cheek, smiling without warmth.
"Whose fault is it that your entire wardrobe doesn't contain a single gown? The one you're wearing is one your sister wore before."
"I'm terribly sorry it feels tight in the chest."
Gwen, unable to understand why her sister was upset, fell silent and let Kavra pinch her cheek without resistance—the very picture of a put-upon little punching bag.
Kavra released her hand and gave a small shrug.
"Do you even know how beautiful you look right now? The way those nobles are staring at you—their eyes are practically going straight."
If not for the fact that some people knew Gwen was Viktor's Fiancée, someone would surely have come over to approach her long before now.
"I don't need anyone looking at me."
"Oh come on—what's the harm in dressing up nicely? Who knows, maybe when Viktor sees you later, the way he looks at you will be completely different?"
Kavra said this with a light nudge against Gwen's shoulder.
Hearing her sister bring up Viktor, Gwen knew Kavra was teasing her again. Her face went red, and she turned away.
"What does it matter how Viktor looks at me?"
Kavra knew her little sister was being stubborn, so she let out a soft "tch," and turned her head away.
Duke Livi at this point was weaving among a cluster of Mages himself, all smiles.
"Ha ha—how have you been lately, Lord Beck?"
The white-haired elder steadied himself on his Obsidian Walking Staff and gave Duke Livi a nod.
He stepped up to the Duke and clinked glasses with him.
"Duke Livi—it has been a long time."
"These old bones of mine, there's no good or bad to speak of anymore. But you, Your Grace—no one would ever believe you're a man of 60 looking at you."
"Oh, and where is your daughter?"
Duke Livi, hearing the question about Erika, turned his head to look toward her.
Lord Beck followed his gaze—and saw Erika conversing with ease among the younger generation of nobles.
He smiled at the Duke and said: "I truly envy Your Grace for having such a remarkable child."
Duke Livi was genuinely pleased to hear Lord Beck's words. He knew they were flattery—but being praised for his daughter still filled him with unmistakable pride.
Erika moved through noble conversation with effortless grace, her long golden hair paired with a silver gown making her look like a white swan adorned with a golden crown—poised and refined.
A young nobleman was drawn over to Erika's side.
He too had golden hair, and carried a handsome face above an elaborately dressed figure.
"Miss Erika."
"I am the eldest son of the Tia Family—Pipol Tia. Might I have the honor of inviting you to share a dance?"
Erika did not refuse outright, only replying with polite courtesy:
"I'm afraid not, Young Master Pipol. I already have a prior engagement."
Erika gave him a polite nod and walked away beneath his look of disappointment.
Taking the opportunity, Erika made her way back to her father's side.
Then, without warning, every conversation in the Banquet hall ceased at once, all attention drawn by a single sound—the opening of a door.
The music stopped dead.
Every head lifted, eyes turning toward the 2nd floor of the Palace.
The golden doors on the upper level opened slowly, and Emperor Aubrey stepped out—at his side, Auréliane in a silver-white evening gown.
Following them was the head of the Clavena Family—Viktor Clavena.
Behind him walked his sister, Leah Clavena.
Leah had attended no small number of Banquets in her time, but none had ever felt like this—none had ever made her feel quite so proud.
To walk behind the Emperor, with the eyes of thousands of guests converging upon her.
Just thinking about it, Leah had nearly forgotten how to walk.
Her legs were rigid now, everything she had working to hold herself upright.
After all, stumbling here would mean humiliating herself in front of thousands of people.
Leah absolutely could not have that.
She knew this glory had been brought to her by Viktor—which made it all the more unthinkable to embarrass him.
The Emperor walked slowly to the very front of the upper landing, and many guests recognized the familiar face of Viktor.
"Is that—Viktor?"
"What? Viktor is standing behind the Emperor!?"
"What the—Viktor!?"
The moment the guests saw Viktor's silhouette, the composure in the hall shattered instantly.
They looked at one another, the disbelief on their faces overwhelming.
Gwen and Kavra, upon seeing Viktor, could not close their mouths.
"Sis...Sister, is that Viktor?"
The goblet in Gwen's hand wobbled, and her voice came out slightly unsteady.
Kavra was equally caught off guard, though she was someone who had seen enough of the world to keep from being as dramatic about it as Gwen. She simply nodded and replied:
"It would seem so..."
"To be standing beside the Emperor—His Majesty really does hold Viktor in extraordinary regard."
Where there was admiration, there was also envy—and no shortage of people fixing Viktor with looks tinged with hostility as well.
But none of them dared to act on it. They could only tighten their grip on their glasses, each with their own thoughts.
Erika naturally caught sight of Viktor too. She stared wide-eyed, gaze fixed straight at the 2nd floor.
Then she turned to look at Duke Livi beside her.
Her father's expression held no great surprise—if anything, it seemed entirely expected.
It seems Father already knew.
The Emperor personally commending Viktor and the Emperor having Viktor at his side were entirely different things.
A commendation meant Viktor's contribution—recognition of something he had earned.
But accompanying the Emperor...
The implications one could read into that were endless.
Either way, this was a signal the Royal Family was sending to every noble present.
The Clavena Family—a signal of goodwill with the Royal Family.
And at that moment, Erika caught sight of Leah behind Viktor, her eyes brightening.
The beautiful proprietress she had seen at the item shop that time—so she really was Viktor's kin.
Only Viktor's own family would be accorded the privilege of accompanying the Emperor.
Every guest set down their glasses and bowed toward the Emperor, offering their respect.
The Emperor waved a hand, cleared his throat, and began the customary address:
"The Empire's battle that has now passed—I trust all of you are well aware of it. Though the final victory belongs to us, the Empire has nonetheless suffered tremendous losses."
"As the Empire's leader, I am filled with profound grief. From this day forth, the Demon Battle shall be recorded in the Empire's history, and that day shall be declared a Memorial Day for the entire nation to remember this painful lesson."
"Viktor Clavena's contribution is known to every soul in the Royal Capital—he defeated the Demon and prevented tragedy from continuing to unfold."
"In the name of Sol VIII, I hereby bestow upon Viktor the Empire's highest honor—the Imperial Medal!"
The instant the Emperor finished speaking, a minister standing nearby carried a gleaming medal up to the upper landing and presented it before Emperor Aubrey.
The Emperor took the medal with his own hands and fastened it upon Viktor personally, then looked at him with a smile and a nod.
Viktor placed his hand over his chest and bowed slightly in respect.
At the sight of this, the guests broke into applause in unison, offering Viktor their congratulations.
The minister gradually stepped back, and the Emperor turned and continued:
"Furthermore—Viktor Clavena is hereby elevated to the rank of Count."
Hearing the Emperor's declaration, Leah felt a sudden wave of unreality wash over her.
So this was what His Majesty had meant by something that could not be pushed away.
If things were truly as His Majesty said, the Clavena Family should have been elevated long ago—the delay in rising to Count had been entirely because of her late father's refusal.
But now, Viktor had no room to refuse any further.
A minister on the other side presented Viktor with the title certificate. Viktor received it and faced the Emperor with a bow of allegiance.
"My gratitude, Your Majesty."
In an instant, the hall erupted into an even more thunderous wave of applause.
A smile spread across Erika's face. She looked up at Viktor with an expression of pure admiration, the little stars in her eyes shining brighter than ever.
Gwen and Kavra also broke into smiles, applauding from the floor below and offering Viktor their congratulations.
With the investiture concluded, the Banquet began.
At this point, the Emperor began making preparations to leave.
Before going, he still spared one last word for Viktor:
"Go enjoy yourself, Viktor—an occasion like this is hardly suited for an aged Emperor like me."
He brought Auréliane to Viktor's side and gestured for Viktor to take her along.
"From now on, you are Auréliane's instructor."
Viktor gave a nod and replied:
"I will do my best."
The Emperor smiled upon finishing his words, then was helped along slowly by Servants as he departed.
Only once the Emperor's figure had disappeared from sight did Viktor turn around, with Auréliane in tow, and make his way back into the Banquet.
Auréliane followed behind Viktor, timid and shy—she didn't even dare to walk alongside him.
She had heard a few things about Viktor.
A number of ministers at the Palace often spread the rumor that Viktor was some manner of deviant with a fondness for minors.
Seeing how frightened the Princess looked, Viktor brought her to a quiet spot and sat down with her.
He was not particularly fond of occasions like this either.
The area around them was rather quiet. The familiar chattering he was used to was nowhere near his ear.
He missed Weija a little.
A Crow was considered an ill omen—it naturally couldn't be brought into an event like this, so it had been left to wait on a railing outside the Palace.
The Princess, watching Viktor looking somewhat bored, gathered her courage and decided to offer a greeting first:
"M-Mr. Viktor...? H-hello?"
Viktor turned around and looked at the Princess.
He looked her over from head to toe.
The Auréliane before him now was genuinely difficult to reconcile with what he knew was coming.
Aside from the face, where a faint resemblance could be traced, neither in personality nor in bearing did she match what that future Eternal Witch would become.
But—
Viktor's eyes lingered a moment longer on her slightly timid expression.
Who could have guessed what lay hidden beneath that harmless-looking face?
Viktor said to her: "Your Highness, there is no need to be so guarded. This is a Banquet, and your father the Emperor is not present."
"Right now, it is only the 2 of us."
"Although I am your instructor, in private I can also serve as your friend."
Viktor felt those words ought to do the trick of putting a child at ease.
And so, Auréliane gradually began to talk with him.
Before long, Auréliane had relaxed a little, and had considerably more to say.
As a gentleman, Viktor's unhurried and courteous responses always put the Princess at ease and made her feel comfortable.
"Father says you are very powerful—that I can learn a great deal from you."
Viktor did not deny it. He simply replied mildly:
"As long as you apply yourself to your studies, you will only end up stronger than me."
All the while he was soothing her with words, he was also mulling over when exactly he could make his exit.
Meanwhile—
Erika was searching the Banquet floor for Viktor and found no sign of him anywhere, which puzzled her considerably.
Someone that noticeable—how could he simply vanish?
But the moment Erika turned around, she saw Viktor in quiet conversation with a young girl.
The girl looked roughly her own age, though clearly somewhat younger.
A thread of wariness surfaced in Erika's heart.
"Who is that girl?"
Word always went around that Viktor had a fondness for minors—could this girl be the next target Viktor had set his sights on?
She approached with some caution and studied the girl's features a little more carefully.
The moment she recognized the familiar face, Erika very nearly cried out in shock.
Her eyes went wide, and she hurriedly ducked behind a pillar.
"That's...Her Highness the Princess!?"
How had Viktor ended up connected to the Princess?
In that moment, Erika found herself hesitating.
She was torn—should she go over and greet Viktor or not?
Counting the days, it had been almost 2 weeks since she had last seen him.
While she was still turning it over in her mind, something soft pressed against her back from behind without warning. Erika startled—and then an arm reached around and began groping toward her neck with altogether too much ease.
She spun around sharply, and the moment she made out who it was, she couldn't help but cry out:
"Kavra—!?"
"Little Erika—what are you doing hiding here?"
Kavra had her arm around Erika, smiling at her in that characteristic way of hers.
"N-nothing..."
The closeness of the physical contact made Erika somewhat uneasy.
She squirmed slightly, and in doing so, Kavra followed her line of sight.
Catching sight of the familiar figure seated in the corner, Kavra blinked.
"Oh? What is Viktor doing over there?"
Wasn't that her scheming little brother-in-law Viktor?
She still remembered with perfect clarity the business of 4 bottles of potions sold to her for 8,000 Geo.
And the one beside him was...the Princess?
The Princess had almost never appeared in public, and very few people had seen her face.
Even someone with Kavra's extensive social reach had not been among them.
That said, the Princess had walked alongside the Emperor in full view of everyone just now when they made their entrance.
Kavra had naturally taken note of what the Princess looked like.
Thinking of how Erika had been lurking here peeping at the scene, Kavra's expression shifted into something difficult to read.
She tilted her head down to look at Erika, smiling as she said:
"Viktor is a Professor at your Academy, isn't he? Aren't you going to go say hello?"
But Erika looked like someone who had spotted something and regained her composure, replying with measured calm:
"I do need to say hello—just not yet."
"Someone got there first."
Kavra let out another "Oh?" and looked toward Viktor's position.
A silver-haired man was making his way over, goblet in hand.
Kavra's lips curved into an amused smile.
"Well, well—who do we have here? Isn't that the eldest young master of the Rether Family?"
Jess Rether approached Auréliane with a practiced smile, and offered a greeting.
"Your Highness Auréliane."
The instant she saw him, the Princess looked visibly frightened, and instinctively shrank behind Viktor.
Viktor did not move at all. He glanced back at the Princess behind him and asked calmly:
"Who is he?"
"Jess Rether...he is Dewen's older brother."
The Princess answered in a low voice and told Viktor his relationship with Dewen.
By now, everyone knew that Dewen had been in league with the Demon.
And the Demon had been defeated by Viktor.
The intent of the man now standing before him, then, seemed to require no explanation.
Viktor did not rise from his seat. He directed one more question toward the little Princess behind him.
"You dislike him greatly?"
"Although...he is my cousin."
The little Princess shrank even further behind him, every inch of her posture saying she had no desire to lay eyes on the man.
"Then I understand."
Viktor kept his poker face intact and stood up.
His frame was not especially broad—but it placed itself squarely in front of Jess Rether.
"What is it you want to say?"
Jess Rether looked at Auréliane, and even as the Princess appeared visibly frightened, he seemed entirely oblivious—his smile never faltering:
"I saw Her Highness the Princess sitting with you and felt some concern, so I came to check."
"After all, she is the Emperor's most beloved daughter—and a minor, at that."
Viktor's expression remained completely unmoved. He said flatly:
"If you only came here to make trouble, then I have no interest in continuing this conversation."
Viktor showed not the slightest courtesy—his words carried a clear and unmistakable intent to dismiss.
But Jess Rether did not leave. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, a dangerous light flaring within them:
"So, Lord Viktor—might you explain to me why Her Highness the Princess is sitting with you?"
Viktor let out a heavy sigh, turned his head, and spoke to Auréliane behind him:
"I'll give you your first lesson right now."
"If you encounter someone you can't stand—"
"Before, you might have had to be civil with them because of who they were. But now, when you have sufficient strength, and at the same time, a very solid backing—"
"You can do this to them directly."
Auréliane looked at Viktor in bewilderment, and then saw him turn to look at Jess Rether with a sudden smile.
Flame erupted behind Viktor in an instant—blazing fiercely, skirting around Auréliane, coiling like a ferocious Fire Serpent—and came to a stop directly in front of Jess Rether.
"Get lost."