Chapter 82: Banquet

“Hmm.”

In front of the wardrobe.

Isaac was deep in thought.

He had nothing suitable to wear to the banquet being held today.

Even though he had gone to such events a few times back when he was the live-in son-in-law of Helmut, and he did own some fairly expensive formal uniforms…

‘I should’ve just set aside at least one outfit instead of letting my pride get in the way.’

When he left Helmut, he left everything behind. Given that he didn’t leave on good terms, it would’ve been odd to take things he had received there.

‘The outfit I wore to the ennoblement ceremony….’

He thought about wearing that again, but it was far too lavish.

At the ennoblement ceremony, he had been the main focus, so dressing extravagantly was a form of courtesy.

This time, though, he wasn’t the star of the show, nor was he entering under any grand title.

‘Haah, this is problematic.’

They say that nobles who’ve run out of money grovel before wealthy commoners.

Right now, that was exactly his situation.

While he was agonizing over the awkwardness of it all, there was a knock on the door from outside the dressing room.

“Baron, Her Highness the Princess sent you some clothes.”

“Clothes?”

When Isaac opened the door, he found Karen politely smiling as she explained.

“Yes, something for you to wear at tonight’s banquet.”

“Why would the Princess send me clothes?”

“What do you mean, ‘why?’”

Karen beamed as she clarified.

“You’re Her Highness’s partner, aren’t you?”

“…Me?”

“Yes, you, Baron.”

Imagine that—a mere baron being invited as the Princess’ partner.

‘She really does have me dancing in the palm of her hand.’

But it wasn’t so bad.

He was spared the trouble of choosing an outfit, and since it was something the Princess herself had sent, he’d be getting a fancy uniform for free.

“Hehe! I’m looking forward to greasing my stomach too, for the first time in ages.”

Karen smiled cheerfully.

She was going along in her capacity as a maid to help out in the banquet hall. As a former court maid in the royal palace, she sometimes went back to lend a hand on these occasions.

“Then there’s no need for you to come in to work tomorrow.”

“Pardon?”

Isaac, holding the uniform in front of the mirror to check the fit, saw Karen stare blankly at him. Still facing the mirror, he added:

“I’m saying you can drink if you want. You’re friends with some of the royal court maids, right? Go catch up with them.”

“Baron—!”

Karen looked at Isaac with an expression of deep gratitude, clasping her hands together as if praying in reverence.

“If only there were more people like you, Baron! I was actually worried when I got assigned to you, but… I’m so thankful!”

“Worried? Why?”

When Isaac glanced at her, Karen confessed bashfully:

“Because I’m actually engaged. My fiancé went ballistic when he heard I’d be working alone under a handsome baron.”

“…Well then, make sure you tell him. Let him know I’m not that kind of person.”

“Right! I Karen! In my humble capacity! I will serve you faithfully until the day I die!”

“No need for that. Now go on and get out.”

He needed to change clothes and check his size.

“Understood!”

“Oh, one more thing.”

Just as Karen was stepping out, Isaac offered a small but heartfelt piece of advice:

“Before you get married, think carefully. Love alone doesn’t solve everything.”

“…Do you really want to say that to a bride-to-be?”

“Take it from someone who’s been through it.”

****

A banquet thrown by Princess Adeline Seraphia Regardia, the first in line to the throne, was as dazzling and grand as her name and status implied.

She had opened up the palace’s ballroom for the occasion.

Clarice had dismissed it as if it were some lighthearted kids’ home party, but it was nowhere near a casual gathering.

“Why is it so….”

As the partner of the banquet’s host, Clarice, Isaac couldn’t just join the event once it was already underway.

Traditionally, the hosts made their appearance when the atmosphere was at its peak.

So Isaac waited behind the ballroom, adjusting his outfit.

“Wow?”

Clarice entered the room with an admiring sound.

“I did send it to you, but it really does look good on you. I’m glad I used expensive dyes to make it that deep black.”

Matching Isaac’s black uniform, Clarice was dressed in a black gown. Smiling mischievously, she moved in close to tidy his attire.

“Your tie’s crooked. You’re not very good at tying these, are you?”

“Well, you know…”

Isaac was used to a touch like this.

But one thing was different—there wasn’t the faint scent of roses that usually lingered.

[…The tie.]

Whenever he attended banquets as Helmut’s live-in son-in-law, Rihanna often tied his necktie for him like this. She always did it with no discernible change in expression, but at the time, that alone made him unbelievably happy.

“Okay, all set. What do you think?”

“Not bad.”

“I meant, what do you think of me?”

“…”

Clarice stepped back with a playful smile. Dressed in an elegant black gown, her hair neatly styled, she looked so different from the woman Isaac had seen in the city streets that one would question if she was even the same person. Indeed, a woman truly shines when she adorns herself.

“You look very much like a princess.”

“Is that a compliment, or a sneer that I haven’t been very princess-like until now?”

“…”

Isaac withheld an answer. Clarice, pouting slightly, merely grumbled without pressing further.

“More importantly, are you sure it’s okay for you to choose me as your partner?”

After all, he was a divorced man. If a princess takes someone like him as a partner, it won’t earn her the best public opinion. On top of that, rumors could spread that she was openly opposing Helmut.

“It’s a matter of mutual benefit,” Clarice said apologetically with a shy smile. “People see me as a complete troublemaking princess. Because you happen to have a handsome face, they’ll say I’ve fallen for looks—a frivolous girl enamored by a pretty face.”

“For the sake of the royal family?”

“Yes. I have to funnel all the power to my older sister. Adeline Seraphia Regardia.”

“Hm.”

Realizing her intention, Isaac nodded.

“In turn, some nobles already look down on me for breaking away from Helmut. By showing them I have the princess behind me, I won’t have to pay any attention to their opinions, right?”

“Exactly! Hey, Isaac, ever consider being my bodyguard? It’d be way—way—easier to talk with you than it is with Heyrad.”

He pretended not to hear that. At least he understood the princess’ intentions.

Because Helmut was so prominent, many families closely tied to them existed as well. Some of those families disdained Isaac, blaming him for tarnishing Helmut’s prestige.

But if he once again made it clear that he had Clarice behind him, he wouldn’t need to worry about how they looked at him.

“Have you attended many banquets before?”

“I’ve gone to a few with Rihanna.”

“Which means… basically next to none.”

She wasn’t wrong. Back then, Isaac was like a puppy tagging along at Rihanna’s heels. He had never attempted to join nobles’ conversations or decipher the hidden meanings they exchanged behind polite facades.

“Banquets like this are essentially showcases. It’s all about displaying who you are—how exceptional you can be—through your attire, your speech, your manners.”

“Are you teaching me to be a noble now?”

“I can’t always be your partner, can I? Who knows when I’ll get married myself?”

“…Make sure you really think it through before you marry.”

“That advice hits a little too close to home.”

Clarice let out a soft laugh.

“Do you know what’s the most precious thing people like to show off—and also the biggest target of envy and jealousy?”

She slyly extended her hand. Catching the cue to escort her, Isaac gently took her hand in his.

“What’s that?”

“A partner. Isaac, give me the honor of being partnered with the banquet’s most handsome man.”

“….”

“And in return, I’ll give you the honor of having the most noble lady as your partner.”

They locked eyes, each with a subtle lift of the corners of their lips. The atmosphere between them was more mischievous, like two childhood friends roaming country lanes, than the tension of a man and woman at a high-society function.

Step by step, they headed out to collect all the envy and jealousy the banquet hall had to offer.

****

‘This is boring.’

Inside the ballroom.

The Grandmaster, sitting off to one side and nibbling on some food, let out a sigh.

She had accompanied Clarice here, but aside from sampling the food, there wasn’t much she cared to do, nor much she was able to do.

She only wanted to remove the awkward hat that was supposedly concealing her ears as soon as possible.

‘And I wonder where my fellow disciples are…’

She knew Princess Clarice was doing her best to track them down. But two months had passed with no news, leaving her to wait in vain.

“Hoo…”

Her eyelids grew heavy.

She found herself drifting naturally into old memories—ones she had revisited more times than she cared to count. The same sequence, the same well-worn path. Those days when they all lived together, wielded swords together, and chased their shared goals together.

“Hoo…”

She opened her eyes just as the recollections were about to cross into more tragic territory. She had no desire to relive that sorrow in detail.

‘Pathetic.’

The Grandmaster sneered at herself. She tried to divert her mind by taking another bite of food, hoping to think of something else. Just then, she heard a name she recognized.

“Baron Logan even said it’s fine for you to drink alcohol?”

“So Karen has the day off tomorrow? I’m so jealous!”

“Hehe, feels like just yesterday you were crying your eyes out about leaving the palace. Turns out it was the best thing you ever did.”

‘Hmm?’

The woman speaking was Karen, who worked at Isaac’s estate. She was a former palace maid, and it looked like she’d found a moment to chat with her old colleagues while helping out tonight.

“Oh, I’m envious. The Baron is obviously super handsome—you can tell just by the sparkle in his eyes.”

“Please get me a job there too! I’d even be happy to be the Baron’s doormat.”

“When Karen left, we all said how pitiful it was…but look at her now, living her best life.”

‘Huh, so he’s pretty popular, is he?’

The Grandmaster found it amusing. Maids often spent sleepless nights chattering about rumors and men, so that part wasn’t surprising. But it seemed Isaac was quite well thought of.

‘So the divorce doesn’t bother them?’

She doubted that was the whole story.

“But Baron Logan is divorced, right? Doesn’t that mean there’s something wrong with him?”

One of the maids voiced her concern, but Karen snapped back immediately:

“Hold on, our Baron isn’t like that at all! Honestly, I wonder why she ever let a man like that get away.”

“Who cares if he’s divorced? If it were me, I wouldn’t care at all. I’d be like, ‘Come here right now!’”

“You’re nuts!”

They burst into laughter, giggling as if they were reading a romance novel. Each of them had her own little fantasy.

“Come on, isn’t it kind of nice? Comforting the wounded Baron in your arms while whispering, ‘It’s all right. I’m here for you.’”

“Kyaa! The drama! Mongblin, how about you try writing a novel?”

“You know how it’d go: The Baron says, ‘Mongblin, I just… can’t trust women anymore.’ Then I’d say, ‘I’ll stay at your side for as long as you need me.’ And then I’d hold him close—!”

‘…That maid certainly has a vivid imagination.’

Mongblin was twisting her body dramatically as she spun out her daydream. Another maid chimed in with a different fantasy:

“Ooh, I prefer something else—like the Baron actually has a rough side at night.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, something forceful. That can be fun too, right?”

“Suddenly he summons you to his bedroom and orders you to strip. And then he forces you—!”

“Oh my goodness, Baron! Please, no! But secretly I’m thinking: Hurry up and undress me! Let’s get started!”

Their squeals and guffaws filled the corner of the banquet hall.

‘Ugh, I can’t listen to this anymore.’

The Grandmaster was about to walk away when Karen’s sharp voice stopped her in her tracks.

“No, absolutely not. The Baron would never do something like that. He’s so nice, so considerate. I feel touched every time he thanks me for preparing his meals.”

“I suppose he would do that.”

“I mean, I was stunned when I heard Helmut’s eldest daughter was marrying a commoner, but—”

“That just shows what kind of man he must be.”

The maids calmed down as they realized how carried away they’d been, and they began to return to their duties. Right then, the banquet hall suddenly grew quiet, all eyes turning toward a pair entering.

Baron Logan, escorting Princess Clarice.

Both dressed in matching black attire. Their combined presence dominated the entire ballroom with their striking looks.

“Huh, I can see why…”

Smiling faintly, the Grandmaster found herself understanding the maids’ excitement all too well.

– – The End of The Chapter – –

 

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