Book 1 Chapter 983

983.

Scions of renowned families from all over the world, poised to lead the next generation, were gathered in a luxurious banquet hall, enjoying a social party.

The hosts were the Rwallin family, a prestigious magical hero lineage of the Lodren Empire.

Those who attended the party, befitting the reputation of the Lodren Empire and the Rwallin family, continuously gasped in admiration.

"Tade, I'm genuinely curious, so I'm asking,"

The heiress of the Marcoa family, Thea Marcoa, poked a fruit with her fork and asked.

It was a spring fruit, but it was as fresh as if it had just been harvested.

"Are you really best friends with Chelsea Rwallin?"

"Sister. You saw the picture."

"No. I just don't understand. How did you become best friends with someone from the Rwallin family?"

"Huh?"

"I really can't believe it."

"Sister. Our family isn't one to be outdone anywhere, either."

"You're not outdone anywhere, but the Rwallins are on a different level, a different class."

She had heard since freshman year that Chelsea and her brother were best friends, but it was hard to believe.

Such was the immense prestige of the Rwallin family.

Thea crossed her arms at her brother's words.

"Oh. Tade."

Just then, Chelsea, who was passing by, spotted Tade and approached him.

Gasps of admiration erupted from those around at Chelsea, dressed elegantly in a gown for the party.

"When did you arrive?"

"A while ago."

"You should have said something when you arrived."

"You looked busy with Avad. Oh, this is my older sister and the family's heiress, Thea Marcoa."

"I am Chelsea Rwallin. Thank you for accepting the invitation."

Chelsea elegantly bowed, lifting the hem of her dress slightly.

Thea returned the greeting to the noble young lady's perfectly graceful bow.

"Thank you for inviting me. I'm Thea Marcoa. My brother is always indebted to you."

"No, it's I who receive a lot of help."

'She's getting more and more outwardly demure as the days go by.'

Tade muttered to himself.

Her usual mischievous impishness was nowhere to be found.

If Khal and Iliana had been there, they would have immediately teased her.

Of course, Tade didn't do that.

Because if he did, he would surely be punished without anyone knowing.

"By the way,"

"Hmm?"

"Is something wrong? Avad's mood seems different from usual."

The flawless young nobleman, that was Avad's usual demeanor.

But today, should it be said he was a little different from usual?

He seemed to be agitated in some way.

Tade made a puzzled expression, looking at Avad in the distance.

"Something happened."

Chelsea shrugged at the question.

"Chelsea, Tade. So you were here."

Just then, a familiar voice was heard.

Gasps of admiration erupted from those around them.

"Nela unnie, welcome."

"You came? Nela."

Thea, standing next to Tade, froze at Nela's appearance, who was breathtakingly beautiful even to another woman, but Chelsea and Tade greeted her calmly.

To the two of them, she was simply a close friend.

"Chelsea, you're really beautiful today."

"You're beautiful too, unnie."

The two talked happily.

Even so, intense gazes poured towards Nela.

Thea whispered to her brother.

"Brother."

"Yes, sister."

"You're truly amazing. To be so calm with such beautiful friends by your side."

"Hmm… Nela is certainly one of the top three beauties at our school. But perhaps I've gotten used to it? And…"

"And?"

"There's someone who goes beyond simply beautiful."

Someone whose mere presence can make people lose their minds, and who can enchant people with just one smile, turning them into toys.

Thea crossed her arms at Tade's words.

"You have such beautiful friends, but you haven't developed a romantic relationship or anything? I heard Khal is in a relationship with the heir of the Hergin family?"

"I'm going to marry an ordinary woman."

Thea shook her head at Tade's words.

Just then, Nela, who had finished talking with Chelsea, greeted Thea.

"Tade. Let's stay together at the party today."

"You must be having a hard time too."

Nela gave a wry smile at that.

Tade knew that many unwanted "mayflies" would buzz around Nela at such social parties.

Normally, Chelsea would have stayed with her, but as the host of the party today, she couldn't.

At least if she was with Tade, who was a man, those trying to flirt would decrease.

"It must be hard being too beautiful."

"Please speak comfortably. Hehe."

"Then should I call you unnie?"

"Yes. Thea unnie."

As Nela spoke affably, Thea admired her and said to Tade.

"She's a good-natured child. But she's so kind that kids don't treat her lightly, do they?"

"Treat Nela lightly? Such a fool wouldn't survive in Lumerne."

Although she is revered like a saint at school, there are few students, even among 4th and 5th graders, who would dare to treat Nela lightly.

Anyone who has seen her wield a morning star in battle, shattering enemy formations, will listen well.

As they were talking,

The entrance began to get noisy.

"Oh. It's the Zerdinger family."

Thea exclaimed in admiration.

Another pillar of the Lodren Empire.

The Zerdinger family had arrived at the party hall.

For today's party, Celia had come as the representative instead of Liss.

Beside her was Emira, Celia's cousin.

Celia, who exchanged greetings with Avad and Chelsea who came out as representatives, was surrounded by countless people, exchanging greetings.

Nela tilted her head, watching them.

"Is something going on between Celia and Avad?"

"Did they fight again?"

"Hmm. They've been getting along well recently."

Nela tilted her head at Tade's words.

***

"Young ladies. I've brought water."

Chelsea looked at the gray-haired attendant who stylishly brought three glass cups of water on a silver tray and said,

"Emira's attendant is quick-witted, isn't he?"

Chelsea smiled and took a glass of water.

Emira received Celia's water as well, then said to the attendant, Leo,

"Neo. Could you bring some fresh fruit too? Chelsea?"

Even with Leo's alias, Chelsea didn't suspect anything and said,

"Me too."

"Please bring Chelsea's as well."

Leo nodded and left.

Meanwhile, Celia, sitting on a sofa in a corner of the party hall, wore a tired expression.

Chelsea looked at Celia and said,

"Celia Zerdinger."

"Why?"

"Come on, praise me."

"What now?"

"Do you know how hard I worked for you today?"

"For me? You just didn't want Avad and Emira to get involved, didn't you?"

Celia frowned.

Chelsea snorted, looking at Celia.

"Anyway. It's true I tried for you."

Emira giggled at their conversation.

"I don't know what hardships Chelsea went through, but it can't be as much as Celia unnie, can it?"

"Don't say it."

"What is it? What is it?"

As Celia frowned, Emira covered her mouth and chuckled.

"It's a secret. Because it's a weakness."

Currently, Celia was wearing a cute dress rather than a knight's uniform.

Emira, recalling Celia's appearance, twisting her tongue and acting utterly charming, covered her cheeks and wore an enraptured expression.

Celia let out a deep sigh, looking at Emira.

With this, the relationship between Avad and Celia became known even to the family elders.

Of course, an official announcement had not yet been made, but it was clear that it was a major event that would turn the Lodren Empire upside down.

'Oh, I don't know. Let's think about that when the time comes.'

Celia muttered to herself, scanning the party hall.

And she frowned.

"As expected, the gazes directed at us aren't exactly friendly."

"They have a lot of nerve, don't they? Even if it's our family, to cast unfriendly glances at the Zerdinger family in the Lodren Empire…"

Chelsea clicked her tongue.

A subtle current began to flow through the social party hall from the moment the Zerdinger family entered.

Not everyone, but quite a few noble families from regions other than the western continent began to send hostile glances.

To be precise, it was a gaze directed at Arhi, who was deeply connected to Zerdinger.

As a result, a strange current also began to flow among the scions of the Lodren Empire.

The Zerdinger family symbolizes the 'sword' of Lodren.

Whatever the reason, viewing the Zerdinger family, who could be called the head of the Lodren Empire's knight families, with hostility could be interpreted as a challenge to the Empire's authority.

'I expected it, but the atmosphere is worse than I thought.'

Meanwhile, Leo, walking through the crowd, saw this and clicked his tongue.

Even if this was a social party for those not yet active in politics, it was already at the heart of politics.

'No, because they're kids, they might cause problems more emotionally.'

"I think we should definitely protest to the Zerdinger family on this occasion."

"Honestly, it's just a small country that was just founded, isn't it? Aren't they expanding their power by relying on the Zerdinger family's backing?"

Indeed, voices expressing dissatisfaction with Arhi could be heard quite frequently in the secluded corners of the party hall.

Just when he felt that the perception of Arhi was less favorable than expected,

A commotion erupted again at the party entrance.

It was due to the arrival of another prominent family.

None other than the Hergin family, the greatest heroic noble family of the northern continent.

Upon the Hergin family's entrance, all eyes were drawn to them.

And that was the beginning of a great upheaval.

Even Avad and Chelsea, who were approaching to greet the guests, were surprised.

'No. I heard that someone from the Hergin family would come as the representative, but this is beyond imagination, isn't it?'

Chelsea muttered to herself.

It wasn't Eliza who stood at the forefront of the Hergin family.

Eliza was walking behind someone, almost like a subordinate.

The one walking as the representative of the Hergin family was someone Avad and Chelsea knew all too well.

Khal Thomas.

Khal wore a relaxed smile befitting the representative of the continent's greatest noble family.

But Chelsea could see a certain emotion in her friend's eyes.

'Save me.'

Chelsea was speechless at that desperate and pitiful look in his eyes.

Meanwhile,

Leo, who was watching the situation, let out a hollow laugh.

'The Hergin family head is truly aggressive.'

He had already heard that Khal would attend as the acting head of the family.

In fact, even that was an unprecedented level of exceptional treatment, beyond common sense.

It was literally like a declaration that Eliza and Khal would marry in the future.

However, since Eliza was also coming, he thought the face of the family would be Eliza's role.

He had expected Khal to simply make decisions as the acting head, and Eliza to announce them, but his prediction was completely wrong.

Surprisingly, Khal's position in this meeting was higher than Eliza's, the heir.

While Leo was marveling,

"Hergin… are they crazy?"

"I thought it was just rumors made up by the lower ranks…"

"Did they really take a commoner as the heir's spouse?"

"No, why is a commoner in the very front, pushing aside the heir in the first place?"

"To tarnish the face of a heroic noble family… It seems Hergin is at its end."

Leo clicked his tongue at the negative voices coming from all over the place.

'There's no way Eliza won't hear this.'

Words spoken carelessly.

And as Leo expected.

Anger began to well up in Eliza's eyes, who had been quietly following behind Khal.

Khal's face turned pale as he read the atmosphere.

And he looked at Avad and Chelsea with an anxious gaze.

'Help me!'

Of course, Avad and Chelsea ignored that gaze.

At their reaction, Khal gulped dryly to himself.

'It's not going to lead to a war… is it?'