Chapter 17 Part 5: Triumphal Banquet

The outskirts were brightly lit.

The lights from various mansions illuminated the faces of nobles who were getting off their carriages.

“Honey. You did well.”

“You too. Let’s get some rest now.”

As if savoring the moment, or sharing their impressions.

The occasional laughter signaled the end of the second day of the triumphal banquet.

Rosa watched the scene from the terrace.

After a while, she went inside and lay down on her bed.

A spacious and soft bed. The pajamas, made of quite thick silk, made her whole body feel languid.

‘It feels like I’ve been through a lot in one day..’

She recalled what the Count had said to her when she got off the carriage earlier.

[Did you have a good time with him?]

It was an unexpected ambush.

Of course, Rosa was flustered and stammered that it wasn’t like that at all, but the Count didn’t seem to believe her at all.

[You must be tired. Go to your room and rest.]

Instead, he just said that with a faint smile.

Caron and Rosa. The two had been absent from the ballroom for quite some time, as if they were having a secret rendezvous.

In fact, not only the Count but everyone in the ballroom must have thought so.

Rosa couldn’t help but blush.

‘It’s not like that at all..’

Well, what of it. It wouldn’t hurt for the two of them to appear to be on good terms.

Still, she was quite flustered when Caron said those words to her.

“No. I wasn’t joking.”

He wasn’t joking?

“Then what, are we really going to practice?”

“Yes.”

Caron nodded.

Of course, Rosa couldn’t understand it at all.

“Do we really have to..? Go as far as to practice?”

They just had to appear to be on good terms.

Since they were originally friends, there wouldn’t be any problem with that.

“Just. We just need to be a little more mindful, as you said.”

They just had to appear to be a real married couple in the eyes of others, didn’t they?

Holding hands a little, and holding hands a little more.

Since there would be many eyes on them at the wedding.

“Ju, just one kiss.”

Unfortunately, not thinking beyond that, Rosa was, in fact, already anticipated.

Caron let out a small chuckle and approached her. And he grabbed her slender arm.

“Rosa. To fool others, whatever it is, it has to look quite plausible.”

Caron already had a history. Rosa looked up at him with wary eyes.

“..Of course, that’s true, right?”

“For example.”

Caron took her small hand and overlapped it with his.

“When holding hands, like this.”

Rosa was startled.

It felt completely different from holding hands while dancing at the ball. At that time, they simply overlapped their palms, but now they were fully interlaced.

The feeling of their fingers intertwined made Rosa gasp, and goosebumps rose on her body.

“Do you understand?”

Without giving her time to be flustered, that low voice came from above.

“Uh.. I got it. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Rosa quickly pulled her hand away, her voice flustered.

Caron stared at her silently, then pointed to the sofa in one corner of the room.

“If you’re tired, rest for a while. No one will come here.”

“And you..?”

“On the terrace. I have something to think about.”

After speaking, Caron went out to the terrace attached to the room.

The long-awaited conversation with Caron was roughly over, and the tension from the ballroom gradually eased.

‘Should I rest a bit?’

Somewhat tired, Rosa also buried her body in the sofa in one corner of the room.

‘Caron said he had something to think about.’

She intended to rest for a while. It wasn’t long before she started dozing off.

‘Tomorrow…’

Lost in thought, Caron noticed Rosa dozing uncomfortably.

He returned to the room.

And sitting right next to Rosa, he made her head lean on his shoulder.

A careful movement, as if handling an expensive artifact.

After a while.

Waking up from a light sleep, Rosa looked up at Caron, wondering what this meant.

“..Could it be. Is this practice too?”

“No. You used to do this a lot too.”

..That’s right.”

Rosa smiled awkwardly and got up.

Before Caron grew taller. She often stroked his head.

A kind of habit. In her previous life, her job was a youth counselor.

Like a child, sometimes like a younger brother. She seemed to have treated Caron that way.

Naturally, there were times when Caron would doze off, she would let him use her lap as a pillow, or let his head lean on her shoulder.

But now, what was in their view was the splendid and cold interior of the Imperial Palace.

“..It was nice. The villa in Eckshire, I mean.”

“Yes.”

Caron nodded in agreement.

After that, the two went out into the hallway and returned to the ballroom.

In the meantime, Caron’s expression, naturally holding out his hand, seemed to have no ulterior motive.

“We need to practice. We’ll have to do this often in the future.”

It was bothersome.

It was bothersome, but if she was the only one bothered, that would be strange.

It wasn’t a fluttering feeling for the opposite s*x, or anything like that.

Rosa thought it was probably an awkwardness that came from holding hands with a man.

“Alright.”

So, she also held the outstretched hand as if nothing was wrong.

Meeting the First Prince, Leon Winslet, on the way was just a minor incident.

That was really it.

‘Even if it’s practice..’

They had only held hands.

But there was no telling what might happen at the wedding tomorrow, and after that.

‘Maybe it’s because I dozed off earlier.’

She couldn’t fall asleep.

In fact, she was also a little excited. After all, wasn’t a triumphal procession an event where knights in splendid armor and capes marched through the streets?

Most men are usually crazy about things like war, knights, and swords and armor.

‘Real medieval, fantasy knights..’

How could she not be excited about this.

Rosa suddenly chuckled, wondering if she still had this side of her.

But soon, she fell into a deep sleep, making soft breathing sounds.

The sky was bright blue.

Early in the morning, people were crowded on the avenue.

All with excited expressions, they were waiting for the upcoming procession.

Guards in silver armor stood at regular intervals, maintaining order.

People were talking inside the white line.

‘So that’s it? The war in Elchen is over.’

“My friend. Do you know how big Elchen is? They probably only took two or three castles.”

Elchen.

A place where a flourishing magical civilization once existed.

Now it was just one of the territories of the Empire.

But the people of Elchen, who were different in appearance and customs, were not truly part of the Empire.

Every year, they rebelled against the Empire, and it was the common people of the Empire who suffered the most.

“Still. They’re having a triumphal procession.”

“Something big must be coming, right?”

People shared their opinions with anticipation.

Only three times.

That was the number of times a triumphal army had passed through this Arhin Avenue in the history of the Empire.

The exact achievements were not yet known. Because the Emperor had kept it a secret.

The distance between Elchen and the capital was almost the ends of the earth, so news traveled slowly.

So many people thought.

It was a procession to commend the prince who had been in Elchen for a long time.

Still, it was all good.

Flags fluttered from the railings of the mansions. The blue flag of the Empire with the forget-me-not flower.

The nobles, sitting on the balconies, offered their own speculations.

“What is the meaning of this triumphal procession?”

“Well. Things must have gotten a lot better.”

“No. It could just be for encouragement.”

One? Or maybe two at most?

There was even a betting pool among the nobles about the number of castles the Second Prince had retaken.

Still, most of the nobles sitting there agreed that they should congratulate the Second Prince today.

Count Anencia just smiled quietly in his seat.

He had already heard the details when the Second Prince visited the Count’s territory.

He stroked Rosa’s head, who was lost in thought, and asked in a low voice.

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“About the achievements of His Highness, the Second Prince.”

Of course, Rosa knew about it well.

The triumphal procession in the original work.

Caron had retaken four castles.

Naturally, it was a number that exceeded everyone’s expectations, and Caron’s position improved because of this triumphal procession.

But Rosa shook her head as if she didn’t know.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

“Hmm.. Didn’t he tell you?”

“It’s not that but..”

There were listening ears around, so it wouldn’t be fun to say the exact number in advance.

Rosa wanted to see the surprised faces of the nobles who were arbitrarily judging Caron.

“It’s a secret.”

The Count burst into laughter.

‘Actually, I haven’t heard anything either..’

Rosa was lost in other thoughts.

This morning, Caron had visited the mansion. He seemed to have stopped by before the procession.

Thinking he must be nervous, Rosa spoke words of encouragement.

“Caron. I’ve been thinking..”

Two vivid red eyes turned to her.

“Let’s do well. Us.”

Of course, she meant the contract.

For the past two days, Rosa had indirectly experienced Caron’s situation.

He had no allies in the palace. Only people who were intent on belittling and ignoring him.

“I’ll, I’ll do well as a princess. So that you’re not ignored. I’ll try.”

‘At least for a year.’

She hid the last part.

Caron frowned for a moment, as if estimating the cause of her words.

But soon, he smiled.

“You don’t have to try.”

Just being by his side. That alone was enough.

Of course, Rosa, who didn’t know Caron’s true feelings, had been pondering the meaning of those words since morning.

Then. A long trumpet sound was heard.

Boo-

Everyone’s eyes turned to one place.

A black procession could be seen from afar.

The triumphal procession that came out of the outer palace was, of course, the actual troops from Elchen who had experienced the war.

The avenue rumbled. People held their breath.

Behind a dozen rows of horsemen, black armors moved.

They wore black helmets that covered their faces and red capes on their backs.

Black swords were sheathed in plain, dark scabbards and swayed on one side of their waists, and silver kite shields were fixed to the sides of the saddles as if they were one body.

War was no joke. It was a place where lives that were fine just yesterday or even today could be extinguished like a flame.

Moreover, they were not a defeated army, but a victorious one.

Their orderly posture and sharp energy were enough to overwhelm everyone present.

At the very front of the procession, Caron was mounted on his black horse. It was an indescribably splendid sight.

Instead of his usual formal attire, he was dressed in black armor, and a red cape hung behind his golden epaulets.

‘He looks quite good.’

It was definitely Caron, but he looked so dashing that she blinked several times.

Clap clap-

Soon, the public began to clap one by one.

A shower of flowers fluttered from the balconies. People murmured.

In the Empire, black was not a favored color, but people cheered for the knights in black armor.

“You look great!”

“Well done!”

The rather long procession gradually slowed down.

Finally, Caron, who had dismounted in front of the platform in the middle of the square, knelt respectfully.

“I greet the most brilliant sun of the Empire, Your Majesty.”

Following him, dozens of knights dismounted and followed his actions exactly.

The Emperor, wearing a splendid crown and silver armor mixed with gold trim, burst into laughter, pleased with the sight.

“It is indeed a good day.”

Then the Emperor began to speak.

“Today. I wish to commend a worthy achievement.”

It was none other than the Emperor’s announcement. Everyone in the square held their breath.

“For the past few years, Elchen has rebelled against our Empire.”

Even though the royal family had fallen. And even though the capital was half destroyed.

The people of Elchen, who never gave up and resisted, were a headache for the Empire.

But Elchen, which was too vast a land, was too far for the Empire’s influence to reach.

[Elchen is a territory of the Empire, but it never submits to the Empire.]

It was to the point where such a saying existed.

Indeed, it was a saying that many people of the Empire secretly acknowledged.

“For the past few years, we have been turning a blind eye to their rebellion.”

The Emperor did not mention failure. So, even though he said that, it was closer to the truth that they were unable to suppress them.

So. When the Second Prince headed to Elchen one day.

At that time, there were quite a few rumors that the prince had been expelled according to the Empress’s will.

“He won’t come back alive.”

“They just sent him to die.”

Of course, no one could guess the Emperor’s true intentions.

In fact, he thought he was giving an opportunity to his son, who had little power.

‘If he meets his death because he lacks the ability..’

That was unavoidable in itself.

But.

Conversely, if he achieved results, the Emperor was prepared to reward him accordingly.

He was generous and ruthless at the same time.

Although he had his own thoughts, it was none other than him who sent the Second Prince to Elchen according to the Empress’s words.

And.

His son had passed that difficult test and was now standing here.

The Emperor spoke again.

“Everyone should be pleased. Elchen never submits to the Empire. About breaking that saying.”

The murmurs gradually grew louder.

Just what kind of achievement did he accomplish for the Emperor to say such things.

And in front of the procession. A knight stepped forward, taking off his helmet.

Dark blue hair flowed down.

As if it were a prearranged ceremony, the guards beside the Emperor did not move.

“You are..?”

At the Emperor’s question, the young knight answered.

“I am Pavel Crouis, the deputy commander of the knights, and I am in charge of the administrative duties of the knights.”

“Good. Proceed with the report.”

A man with an intellectual appearance, dark blue hair, and similar colored eyes.

‘If it’s Pavel..’

Suddenly, Rosa recalled a fact.

He was also Caron’s most loyal confidant in the original work. He was a military genius with outstanding strategic skills, capable of dominating a battlefield.

“Victorious report!”

Soon, a steady voice was heard.

“Battle results. A total of 23 battles.”

For a moment, everything was silent.

“23 wins and 0 losses!”

The moment Pavel said those words.

Wow- Sounds of astonishment spread among the crowd.

“Oh my god. They didn’t lose once?”

“An undefeated knight order.”

But it wasn’t over yet.

“List of occupied castles. Lucia. Dmaric. Keldan..”

Already three castles. Pavel seemed to take a moment to catch his breath.

“..No way.”

“What on earth..”

The nobles sitting on the balcony were fidgeting.

‘There’s still one left..?’

Rosa was quite enjoying this situation.

Since the Second Prince, whom they had been ignoring, had brought back an undeniable achievement, they must be quite stunned, even if she didn’t know for sure.

“Additionally.”

The voice continued.

“Theicia. Ritchel. And..”

It didn’t end.

By that point, all the nobles on the balcony had risen from their seats.

Even Rosa had stood up from her seat in shock.

What on earth was going on.

The original plot had changed.