Chapter 416: The Royal Banquet (I)
A week later, the night of the Royal Banquet arrived.
Gray stood alone beside one of the palace’s outer fountains, waiting for Seraph.
The fountain itself was carved from white marble veined with faint gold, water falling in thin, even sheets from three stacked basins.
Soft lantern light from the nearby walkway caught on the surface and broke into small, changing reflections.
Behind him, the palace halls were already filling with carriages and distant music.
He had chosen this spot on purpose, visible enough that Seraph would find him easily, quiet enough that he would not have to stand among the arriving nobles just yet.
His appearance that night left very little room for anyone to look away.
He wore a tailored black suit so dark it seemed to swallow the lantern light rather than reflect it.
The fabric was fine and close-fitting, cut to follow the lines of his shoulders and waist without a single loose fold.
Thin silver embroidery ran along the edges of the collar and down both sides of the jacket in a pattern of interlocked lines that resembled faint sword traces.
The same silver thread appeared again at the cuffs and along the seams of the trousers, catching the light only when he moved.
A slim silver chain rested against his black shirt, barely visible at the open collar.
His [Phantom Loop Earrings] caught the fountain light each time he turned his head.
The Mark of Beauty on his forehead was uncovered, the small black ruby mark standing out clearly against his skin.
Combined with his black hair, the contrast of his one crimson eye and one black eye, and the cold, composed set of his features, he looked less like a student attending a banquet and more like someone the palace itself had been built to receive.
Even standing still, he drew glances from passing attendants and early guests. A few of them slowed without realizing it.
Inside his mind, Jasmine’s voice came through with an uncharacteristic sigh.
[...I really am jealous.]
Gray’s expression did not change.
[You look like that, and I don’t even get to walk in beside you tonight. I don’t get to dance with you either. Do you have any idea how unfair that is?]
’You’ll live.’
[Hmph. Easy for you to say. If I were materialized right now, half the women in that hall would already be glaring at me.]
’...Sure.’
[Tsk...]
Just at that moment...
Clack, clack...
Soft footsteps approached along the stone path.
Gray turned his head.
Seraph walked toward the fountain with the grace of someone who had been raised inside palaces her entire life.
The lantern light reached her before she fully stepped into view, and for a moment the silver of her gown looked almost liquid.
The dress was a pale, cool silver that caught every nearby flame and turned it into a soft glow along the fabric.
Golden embroidery traced the neckline and spread downward in fine branching patterns, like thin veins of sunlight worked directly into the silk.
The same gold thread outlined the fitted waist and followed the fall of the skirt, appearing and disappearing with each step.
The gown left her shoulders bare and framed her collarbones cleanly, while the bodice was cut close enough to show the shape of her figure without looking careless.
The skirt moved with her rather than against her, light enough to sway, heavy enough to keep its line.
Her hair had been arranged in a loose but precise style, pale strands gathered so that a few of them framed her face while the rest fell down her back.
Small silver earrings hung from her ears, simple in shape but bright enough to flash whenever she turned her head.
A thin golden hairpin held part of her hair in place, the only warm accent against all that silver.
Her expression was calm, though color had already risen faintly in her cheeks the moment she saw him waiting by the fountain.
In that dress, under that light, she looked less like a normal student of Clementine’s Academy and more like the First Princess the entire banquet was supposedly being held to display.
She stopped a few steps away from him.
For a second neither of them spoke.
Her eyes moved over the black-and-silver suit, the mark on his forehead, the way he stood as if the palace grounds belonged to him.
Then she drew in a quiet breath and offered a small, slightly nervous smile.
"You look... handsome... so handsome that it’s almost unfair."
Gray smiled gently.
"You look gorgeous."
He offered his arm.
Seraph took it at once, her fingers settling lightly against his sleeve. Because of her heels, she stood a little taller than usual.
The difference was small, but it suited him. Side by side, they looked like they had been arranged that way on purpose.
They began walking toward the palace.
The path was lined with lanterns.
Soft music already leaked from the open halls ahead, mixed with the distant sound of carriages and voices.
Seraph’s silver gown moved with each step, the gold embroidery catching the light in thin flashes.
Gray kept his pace unhurried, giving her time to ease her nervousness.
After a short silence, he glanced at her.
"Are you nervous?"
Seraph’s grip on his arm tightened slightly.
"...Yes," she admitted.
"I am. What we’re about to do is close to blasphemy. Refusing the Elven Prince in front of the entire court... my father... the Emperor... everyone will see it."
She looked ahead, not at him.
"If this fails, there won’t be a quiet way out. So I have to ask again... Can we really survive this?"
Gray nodded once.
Before, he would not have answered so easily.
The moment they spoke about this plan, the gap between his strength and the people inside that palace was still too wide.
Now it was different.
Seria was with him.
That alone changed the shape of the night.
"We can," he stated firmly.
Seraph let out a small breath and nodded, though the tension in her shoulders did not fully leave.
They reached the main doors.
The doorman straightened the moment he saw her.
He instantly recognized the gorgeous lady in the gown.
The First Princess, dressed for a royal banquet, arriving on the arm of a man the court still treated as an exile.
His eyes widened before he could hide it.
Gray took out the invitation and held it up.
"This is my partner," he said calmly, though his eyes narrowed coldly right instantly.
The doorman swallowed upon looking at Gray.
Cold sweat gathered at his temple. For a second he looked as if he wanted to ask a question, then thought better of it.
He bowed quickly.
"W-welcome. Please enter."
Gray leaned in slightly and whispered softly to Seraph.
"Act natural."
Seraph gave a small, nervous nod and stepped through the doors with him.
The ballroom opened around them at once.
Chandeliers hung from the high ceiling in even rows, throwing warm light across polished stone and gold-trimmed pillars.
Nobles filled the hall in clusters, speaking in low voices while musicians played near the far wall.
Perfume, wine, and polished metal mixed in the air. A few heads turned when they entered. Some looks lingered on Seraph.
Others stopped on Gray and stayed there a second too long.
Gray did not pause in the center of the room.
He guided Seraph toward one of the quieter corners, away from the main flow of guests and far enough from the imperial dais that they would not draw the Emperor’s attention too soon. Seraph followed his pace, her hand still resting on his arm.
A waiter approached before they had fully settled. He carried a tray of tall glasses filled with dark red wine.
"For the guests," he said politely.
Gray took one.
Seraph glanced at the tray, then shook her head.
"No, thank you."
The waiter bowed and moved on.
Gray held the glass without drinking at first.
His eyes moved slowly across the hall, taking a deep look at the tables, guests, the arrangement of food, and the people standing near the side doors.
Seraph watched him from the corner of her eye, clearly trying to look calm.
"You’re already searching for something," she murmured.
"I’m looking at what they prepared," Gray said.
He turned the glass once in his fingers, then asked,
"Are the elves the only different race attending?"
Seraph blinked, caught off guard by the question.
"I... think so?" she said after a moment.
"The Elven Prince and his escort should be the only non-human guests announced tonight. Why?"
Gray did not answer her at once.
His gaze had already stopped on one of the side tables.
The snacks there were not the usual palace fare. Some of the small dishes were darker, richer, prepared in a way that most human nobles would not touch.
The scent reaching him from that table was faint, but distinct.
’If there are only elves attending... why are the snacks specifically made for non-humans? More specifically... vampires.’
His expression did not change, but his thoughts sharpened.
’This could be a problem. If there are vampires here, I might need to hide Seria from them.’
Vampires lived far longer than humans.
A royal one, especially, would have seen enough of the old world to recognize things most people in this hall could not.
A true dragon was not something easily mistaken.
If even one of them caught Seria’s presence, the night would stop being a dumb political game and become something much worse.
Gray finally took a small sip of the wine.
Seraph studied his face.
"Gray. What did you notice?"
"Nothing you need to worry about yet," he said.
"Just stay close to me tonight."
Seraph hesitated, then nodded.
Her fingers tightened slightly on his sleeve as more guests continued to fill the hall, and the empty dais at the far end waited for the Emperor to arrive.