“What about me?”

Sandes’ playful question was heard near Erina’s ear.

As he leaned in slightly to speak, his laughter-laced breath tickled Erina’s ear.

When Erina startled, Heila sighed audibly, as if to let Sandes hear, and said:

“Marquis, please don’t tease the lady.”

Heila’s eyes revealed her great regret at not being able to separate the two due to the lingering gazes around them.

Even so, she quickly moved her hands to finish arranging the dress.

“But I’m not teasing.”

“Hmph, let’s get going!”

Heila urged them on, her red eyes flashing at Sandes, who was still responding playfully.

As if to show that she had come to the Founding Day celebration as Erina’s maid, Heila did not walk ahead of the two but only hurried them along.

Erina raised her head to look up at Sandes, intending to tell him to move quickly.

Sandes’ clear sky-blue eyes, which had been curved playfully, were now very warm, unlike earlier when they had been terribly cold while glaring at Peiron.

They were like a clear sky in spring when winter has ended and warm breezes blow abundantly.

Erina couldn’t look away from his eyes for a moment.

Sandes, seeming to sense that Erina was looking at him, moved his gaze from ahead to look down at her.

He could see his own image clearly reflected in Erina’s beautifully shining golden eyes.

Sandes was startled to see her eyes, dazzling enough to covet, containing only himself.

He found her terribly tempting.

Even though she was already a married woman, even knowing their relationship was for a transaction, he felt himself slowly sinking into her like quicksand.

Despite this being only their second meeting.

He was strangely quickly assimilating to this unfamiliar yet not unpleasant feeling.

Before he could ask himself why and deduce the reason, he unconsciously let his lips droop at the unfamiliarity of gradually becoming immersed.

The two of them, with their gazes locked, each became lost in their own thoughts.

“Ahem.”

The one who broke the sweet atmosphere was Heila, who was looking at the two with a meaningful smile.

“Of course, I don’t mind, but I’m sorry to say the start isn’t far off.”

“Ah.”

Sandes, coming to his senses, glared briefly at Heila, who was covering her mouth and smiling mischievously, then composed his expression.

“Shall we go in then?”

“Ah, yes.”

Erina, startled to realize she had been staring blankly at Sandes, answered hurriedly with a slight blush on her face.

Sandes smiled unknowingly at her reaction and slowly began walking with Erina.

Upon reaching the entrance of the banquet hall, Heila bowed to the two and stepped back.

The place where maids who came to the Founding Day banquet hall stayed was prepared separately, so she had to enter separately.

The huge white doors carved with lisianthus were wide open.

The interior of the banquet hall was incredibly splendid yet not excessively beautiful.

The elaborate carvings on the gold-decorated pillars, the fragrant and beautiful fresh flowers decorating various places, the magnificent golden chandeliers, and the red cloth hanging from the ceiling symbolizing the Asilium Empire captivated the gaze of those entering the banquet hall.

On both sides of the wide-open banquet hall entrance, the palace servants bowed their heads neatly to greet the nobles as they entered.

The interior of the banquet hall was a wide and long rectangular shape with a simple structure.

At the far end, on a high platform, there were several chairs decorated with red velvet where the imperial family would be seated.

Since the Founding Day celebration was an event where all nobles participated, they didn’t loudly announce which nobles had entered, unlike typical balls.

However, the nobles already in the banquet hall were all watching the entrance, in case any high-ranking nobles who should be noticed might enter.

Sandes was the most trusted noble by the current emperor, important enough to handle all of the imperial family’s transactions.

At the same time, he was so famous that there wasn’t a single merchant guild in the empire that hadn’t met him.

Everyone in the banquet hall watched his entrance with hushed voices.

The noble ladies and young ladies were busy conversing behind their fully opened fans, covering their mouths at his captivating appearance, while the heads of families were watching with eagle eyes, timing when to approach him.

Then they noticed the woman who quietly entered with him, receiving his escort.

Long purple hair gleaming like a violet dewed with moisture, a gorgeous face but with a somewhat cold impression.

“Isn’t that the Countess of Iolles?”

“Yes, certainly…”

“But why is she entering with Marquis Kerenik?”

“Oh my, surely not…?”

The scene started to resemble the Lafillren Palace gardens.

The people inside the banquet hall, unaware that she had entered separately from Peiron, began to suspect the relationship between the two.

Since neither of them had any intention of explaining, they ignored the conversations that were deliberately spoken loud enough to be heard.

Sandes led Erina towards the far end of the banquet hall where the emperor would be seated.

Heila, heading to where she needed to go, began to take note of the very frivolous nobles who still hadn’t stopped gossiping.

It was to investigate the nobles who couldn’t pass up new and shocking news, like sparrows unable to pass a mill.

To spread rumors that needed to be quickly disseminated throughout the entire Asilium Empire, going through them was the fastest way.

Passing through the people, the left side of where the imperial family would be seated, which was as good as Sandes’ designated place, was empty as if it were natural.

Just as the three of them took their places, Peiron appeared at the entrance of the banquet hall with an expression that couldn’t hide his displeasure.

As Peiron entered, all eyes turned to him, just as they had when Sandes entered.

Peiron was the commander of the 2nd Imperial Knight Division, trusted by the emperor to guard him from the closest position.

Because of this, Peiron spent more time in the imperial palace than other knights, so few nobles who frequented the palace didn’t know him.

Today, being the Founding Day celebration, someone else was in charge of guarding the emperor instead of Peiron, who usually occupied an important position.

Once again, the hall buzzed with whispers.

“My, the Count of Iolles doesn’t have a partner?”

“Could it be a matter of infidelity?”

“Come to think of it, the Countess of Iolles hasn’t been active in social circles at all, could it be…”

“What exactly is going on?”

Peiron, unable to hide his unpleasant mood, headed towards the inner part of the banquet hall, seemingly unaware of the reactions around him.

After being humiliated like that, he felt like he might snap at anyone who spoke to him, due to Mirea insisting on attending the banquet.

Peiron hurriedly moved towards Sandes and Erina, who were chatting and smiling amiably with each other.

Just as Peiron arrived in front of Erina and was about to open his mouth, a servant’s loud voice filled the banquet hall.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor enters!”

As the servant’s voice rang out, the nobles moved to the sides, creating a path from the entrance of the banquet hall to the platform.

Peiron, who had been about to speak to Erina, glared for a long time at Sandes, who was gently holding Erina’s hand, before turning away to stand a little distance away, watching the emperor who was entering.

The emperor and empress entered, with the crown prince, who had just turned 6, holding the empress’s hand.

“We greet His Imperial Majesty the Emperor!”

All the nobles bowed deeply, greeting their entrance.

As the imperial family took their seats on the chairs on the platform, the nobles straightened up.

All eyes were on the imperial couple and the adorable crown prince.

Having entered with Sandes, Erina was able to observe them from closer than others.

Enzo Kitilen Asillaum.

The current emperor of the Asilium Empire, unlike the previous emperor who ruled oppressively, he led the empire wisely and flexibly, gaining the support of many.

Enzo willingly accepted new nobles if they were capable enough, leaving behind the conservative nobles who were set in their ways.

The previous emperor, the father of the current emperor, though not openly known, had an excessive fondness for wine and women and a habit of pushing work onto others, causing headaches for the nobles.

Having grown up observing such a father, the current emperor, who had been averse to wine and women and fond of learning since his days as crown prince, became the most ideal monarch the people could hope for.

Enzo, with his brilliant red-gold hair and deep sky-blue eyes that were like symbols of the imperial family, had a neat, scholarly face.

As the head servant of the palace approached the emperor, empress, and crown prince with three glasses of champagne on a silver tray, dozens of servants entered the banquet hall and began distributing identical champagne glasses.

After the servants had efficiently distributed glasses to all the nobles and disappeared, Enzo stood up, holding his glass.

“In celebration of the Founding Day, may glory be with the Asilium Empire.”

“Glory to the Empire!”

As Enzo gave a brief, necessary greeting and raised his glass, the nobles, as if accustomed, shouted together.

After clinking glasses with the empress seated next to him, Enzo sat down.

As the series of official procedures ended, the sweet sounds of an orchestra filled the banquet hall.

One of the first things Enzo had done upon ascending to the throne was to eliminate excessive formalities.

The previous emperor had been overly fond of being revered by others, enjoying the flattery of nobles at all banquets and demanding unnecessary gift-giving.

Enzo had removed all unnecessary elements from every banquet, proceeding with only a simple greeting schedule.

Naturally, starting with the high-ranking nobles standing close to the platform where the emperor was seated, they began to approach the platform to greet the emperor.

“Your Majesty, Harigel Emkil greets you.”

“Duke Emkil, I hear your daughter has given birth to a girl recently. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

After a few words of well-wishing were exchanged and the greeting ended, Duke Emkil met Sandes’ gaze as he left the front of the platform.

As Sandes nodded slightly with a faint smile towards Duke Emkil, the duke nodded back.

Seeing this silent exchange of signals, Erina could tell that what Sandes was carrying out was proceeding properly.

Sandes gave Erina, who was standing beside him, a smiling glance as a greeting before heading towards the not-too-distant platform.

Watching Sandes’ retreating figure, Erina’s heart pounded, almost to the point of aching, in anticipation of the future that would be completely changed from today.

Erina pressed her chest firmly to try to calm her heart that felt like it might burst out.

“Your Majesty, Sandes de Ville Kerenik greets you.”

It had finally begun.

The first step that would overturn everything.