It was already after Lemetel had entered the banquet hall with his invitation when the damned attendant was caught.

He wanted to go into the banquet hall right away and retrieve what was his from Lemetel, but he couldn’t enter without an invitation. If he wanted to go in empty-handed, he would have to accompany someone else with an invitation.

However, Idren had no friendship with any of the Luntalis or Mevasa participating in the meeting. As for the three sons of Sigrasal, it was better not to have them, and they were already inside the banquet hall.

The guard protecting the banquet hall told him to just go back. It seemed that he had already received separate instructions from Lemetel.

Even though he clearly knew the mockery in the guard’s tone, Idren realized that he had no choice but to follow those words. The door to the banquet hall would never open.

It was when he finally accepted the situation and turned his back. White shoes appeared in front of him like a lie.

The snow-white shoes were a little bigger than the last time he saw them, but they were still made of deerskin and embroidered with colorful threads.

The moment he saw the wave-like clothing and the silver hair decorated with summer flowers above it, Idren realized that he was standing in front of none other than Ophelia.

The girl had grown a lot since he last saw her, but she was still the most wonderful sight he could imagine.

Looking at her blankly without realizing it, Idren’s face turned red. His reflection was clearly visible in Ophelia’s transparent eyes.

Through that reflection, Idren realized that he had committed the rudeness of staring at someone.

He lowered his gaze before committing any further rudeness. But Ophelia was still staring at him. Idren felt embarrassed by that gaze.

Perhaps he had done something wrong.

Although he was now much taller than the skinny boy from two years ago and wearing decent clothes, Idren knew that he was infinitely lacking compared to Ophelia.

Not only her, but he would be lacking compared to any of the children in that banquet hall.

It was then that a still hymn-like voice fell.

“It seems you’re trying to go inside.”

And before he could say anything, Ophelia commanded the guard guarding the banquet hall door.

“Open the door.”

The guard immediately protested.

“But Your Highness. That person doesn’t have an invitation.”

“Can’t you see what’s in my hand?”

The words, shot out coldly, were laced with annoyance. Even though he knew she was looking at the guard, not him, Idren tensed at those words.

The guard retorted to her in a disbelieving tone.

“Then… are you saying that you will accompany that person, Your Highness?”

“You can’t see, and you’re deaf too, it seems.”

The words were dripping with a twisted mood.

No matter what he had heard separately from Lemetel, the guard could no longer talk back to the royalty and immediately opened the door.

After inadvertently ending up accompanying her, Idren thanked the princess who was standing with her hand on his arm and a cold expression.

“…Thank you.”

They had only met twice, but it seemed like he was receiving help from her every time they met.

Ophelia didn’t look at him as he mumbled with reddened ears. She spoke as if she hadn’t heard his thanks.

“When you enter the hall with a partner, you have to dance with your partner first.”

But the tone in which she said that was clearly softer than when dealing with the guard, so Idren could relax a little. Ophelia didn’t seem to be angry with him, or at least not that angry.

That day, while dancing with Ophelia, Idren didn’t make the mistake of stepping on her feet. He could now dance somewhat well.

Knowing that there was no need to guide him, the girl kept her mouth shut the whole time. Idren’s lips moved a few times, but he couldn’t say anything.

He had only faced such an elegant girl once in his life. Even that was two years ago, and he was immersed in shame at the time, so it was as if he had no proper experience.

Instead of not being able to say a word, Idren took in every detail of the girl’s appearance at that moment. Fortunately, he had grown much taller than her in two years, so it wasn’t too blatant.

Ophelia stared straight ahead the whole time he was looking down at her. It was fortunate for him, because if their eyes had met, he would have turned red enough for everyone in the hall to notice.

Finally, when the song died down, Ophelia said to him, who was still immersed in the afterglow.

“Well done.”

It was the same thing as before. Idren recognized it immediately because he had often recalled the memories of being with her before so that they wouldn’t fade.

He thanked her once more.

“Thank you.”

The words with complex meanings were not elegant, but much better than before. Ophelia raised her head and looked up at him like that. His eyes met her night sea-like eyes.

At that moment, Idren thought that he wanted his reflection in her blue eyes to be at least half as good as the way he saw her.

Ophelia, who had been looking at him almost blatantly, said.

“You look much better than before.”

And before he could reply, she let go of his hand. The silk glove fell off, leaving even more regret than before.

Ophelia turned her back before the music grew louder again. Not knowing what to say, Idren tried to follow her, but by then it was already a step too late.

Before he could get out of the center of the hall, the music started again, and another girl was already standing in front of him.

That day, Idren danced with every girl in the banquet hall.

It was clear that they thought of him as just a handsome entertainment, and they shamelessly made teasing remarks, but Idren didn’t let go of their hands and run away.

There was only one reason. An unmarried person who danced the first dance with a partner couldn’t refuse dance requests from the opposite sex in that hall in order to dance with that partner again.

A princess of Luntalis who was dancing with him said.

“It’s pitiful. To have a fate of dying before even reaching sexual maturity.”

She was the one who had shown discomfort when Lemetel spoke at some point.

The princess, now mature enough to be closer to a woman than a girl, stroked the back of his hand stickily after saying that. She whispered in a lowered voice.

“You seem pure at first glance, isn’t it unfair to die like that? Will you come out with me when this music ends?”

So as soon as the music ended, Idren pushed her away. The princess let out a small laugh at his action. It was a laugh that seemed flawless on the surface, almost pleasant enough to be mistaken as such.

“Don’t act too expensive. It’s not a body that can be sold at its proper value anyway.”

And the princess turned her back and left. Before the upset stomach from the unpleasantness could settle, Idren had to hold the hand of her sister.

Still, it was a banquet with not many participants, so he was able to complete the necessary conditions not too late.

After sending off the last girl, Idren looked around the banquet hall to find the girl he had danced with first, but there was no sign of silver hair. No matter how much he searched, Ophelia was nowhere to be found.

Only then did Idren realize that he had forgotten the most basic condition. No matter how many dances he had, it was useless if Ophelia wasn’t in the banquet hall.

If he had known this would happen, he should have left before hearing such words. That thought naturally occurred to him.

To relieve some of his mental fatigue and frustration, Idren went out to the most secluded balcony.

Without imagining that Ophelia would be in there.

In the balcony he opened without any thought, there was Ophelia, whom he thought had already left.

When she turned around at the sound of the balcony door opening, Idren, out of surprise, turned his head and closed the door. Even after that, unable to calm his startled heart, he stood there leaning against the door with a flushed face.

It was then that a small sound was heard from behind.

Knock knock. Ophelia, who had knocked on the door just enough for him to notice without others hearing, said.

“You can come in.”

When he entered the balcony with permission, Ophelia was sitting with her back turned. The hem of her dress, clearly derived from the color of her eyes, was wrapped around the makeshift chair.

Without looking back at him as he walked timidly towards the railing, Ophelia asked.

“Did you enjoy the banquet?”

It wasn’t really the case, but since she wouldn’t know what he had been through, Idren just nodded.

“Yes.”

Ophelia seemed to know that his words were a lie, but didn’t ask further. She spoke in a still unchanged tone.

“There’s a chair over there. If you want to sit, bring it over and sit.”

Idren did as she told him to.

After bringing the chair and sitting down, he pondered whether he had sat too close or too far away.

But not long after, he realized that Ophelia wouldn’t care about that distance anyway and stopped.

Even though he was beside her, Ophelia only looked up at the sky. Idren glanced at her and worried about getting caught, but contrary to his worries, Ophelia didn’t look back even once.

Watching her cheek illuminated by the bluish moonlight, Idren’s lips moved a few times. He didn’t want to let this moment go to waste, but he didn’t know what to do or how to do it.