“Karen of House Conrad.”
It was nothing if not an ostentatious ceremony, but the main speech was comparatively short. When my name was called, I lifted my head and rose to my feet. At the raised stage was a throne, and on it a man sitting with his legs crossed. Next to him was an aide, a chancellor, who announced the details of my commendation.
“For excellence in the swift punishment of our enemies.”
It was a solemn, majestic affair. I stood among a host of people, all dressed glamorously. For the general public, it was quite the picture—here I was, a loyal subject of the empire, being rewarded for a most impressive feat shortly after moving to the capital. There were more curious sets of eyes on me now than there had ever been in Falkrum, and maintaining my mask of calm took far more willpower than I’d expected.
My efforts were read aloud for the audience, but none of the speech resonated with me. For the empire, it was a celebratory occasion, but for me, it was like attending a funeral. All the same, the dress I wore was Garnier. Time was tight, but they accepted my request—perhaps sensing I was now one of their VIP clients. Funeral vibes or otherwise, the dress was stunning, and the true meaning of its subtle black highlights was known by me and me alone.
“For your meritorious deeds, the emperor sees fit to reward you. Take these gifts, and know that the empire sees in you a bright future.”
An attendant brought a tray to Emperor Karl, seated on the throne, and I made my way to the stage. The emperor then awarded my medal directly, which brought us all one step closer to putting the ceremony behind us.
“You have done well,” said the emperor. “Work hard in service to our great empire.”
His voice lacked all the pomp and vigor of his chancellor. But not a single person would ever level any criticism at the man, no matter how indifferent he chose to be. And it was only I who saw the venom that lay within the depths of his gaze, because it was only I who was allowed to be so close to him in this moment. I had to hand it to him—he had gathered far more people for this ceremony than was ever necessary, and the wicked intentions behind it were, at least to me, crystal clear.
The crowd erupted into applause, with some among them cheering and calling out the emperor’s name. Even among such revelry, I still felt the pressure of those who detested the newly arrived Conrad family. It was a ceremony to celebrate the murder of my best friend, and so it felt devoid of color. And yet, even then, I was showered in glory and praise for what I had done.
There were a few other speeches, and then, naturally, a party followed. I met and greeted all the attendees with a polite smile and the expected decorum, but with each word, I felt another fracture upon my heart. The nobility, the military class, and all of the nation’s civil servants, however, were more than happy to spit all over Ern’s dead body.
“I was most surprised when I heard the emperor’s announcement, but even more astounded when I learned that it was Lady Conrad who struck the final blow,” said one. “A young woman like her, taking out a mage of that caliber? Awe-inspiring is the only word for it.”
“That damned mage,” commented another, “acting all innocent and harmless while she schemed away, plotting the nation’s downfall. Deplorable is the only word for that.”
“Harmless? Don’t be silly. She was a foreigner, and she didn’t even have the humility to recognize that the emperor was doing her a great favor. You could see the arrogance and rebellion practically leaking from her eyes. I couldn’t stand her.”
Most of the nation’s recent technological developments could be traced back to Ern. There was no denying her impact, and until just recently, people were clamoring to invest in her work and gain access to her newest inventions. But in one fell swoop, her reputation had plummeted into the depths.
I did my utmost to maintain a placid smile through it all. I said nothing to confirm nor deny what was said. That was my own personal act of rebellion, meager though it was, but even then I wasn’t sure who it was against, or whether it was a sort of atonement on my part.
“Excuse me, a moment if I may?”
As I did my best to safely navigate all the social interactions, a savior arrived before me, clad in military attire. It was Bertrando Lorenzi, and with him was a man I assumed was his second-in-command.
“It is nice to see you, Sir Bertrando,” I said.
“And you too. I’m here to congratulate you, Lady Conrad, for your valor.”
“I must say it feels rather strange to have you here celebrating my efforts. It was my understanding that parties like this were anything but your preference, and so I can’t help but be surprised to see you.”
“Truth be told, I was not intending to come. Father’s orders, you see.”
That explained the formal military attire.
“The man with you, he was the one who came to my aid, wasn’t he?” I said.
“This is my vice captain, Osti. I don’t actually remember what you’re talking about. Clearly you still do, hm?”
“How could I possibly forget? He rescued me from a group of rather uncouth soldiers.”
“I’ve never been one to stand idly by when a person is in need,” said Osti. “I never imagined that you’d turn out to be the captain’s daughter, however. It is an honor to make your acquaintance again, Lady Conrad.”
“The honor is mine. Fate is indeed a funny thing, isn’t it?”
I hadn’t expected Osti to remember me, but he appeared to have a far better memory than his superior. It turned out they’d been working together for ten years, and that Osti had not always served the imperial forces. He’d started out as a mercenary, and one could sense it in the way he held himself—the air about him was different from the usual soldier.
“I’d heard the rumors, but your hair really did go white as snow. Any chance of it returning to its natural state?”
“Captain, your manners, please,” said Osti.
“Let him be,” I said, interjecting. “I don’t mind.”
I was getting so sick of people trying to subtly poke and prod around the issue. Bertrando got straight to the point, and I found it refreshing.
“I’m told that with time it might return. That said, it might not. Nobody knows for certain.”
“You were stunning with a head of black hair, but even white, you’re still very pretty. Clearly, it doesn’t bother you, and really, that’s all that matters in the end.”
I was surprised that he had been able to read past my words to how I actually felt about the matter. Yes, people’s reactions to my hair bothered me, but the actual change of color didn’t. Everybody else pussyfooted around it. Bertrando didn’t even pretend to. As I said, it was refreshing.
“The old man is crying about it, but pay him no mind. For all intents and purposes, he’s retired now, and he’s in the habit of meddling. All the more so when it comes to his granddaughter.”
“Captain, I think, if anything, you’re not showing enough consideration. Lord Gerhard’s reaction is entirely natural.”
“Don’t be an idiot, Osti. If anything, it’s the opposite. Who wants some old man you’ve only just met suddenly acting like your father, right, Lady Conrad?”
I wondered if the casual banter and the air he’d created had been intentional. Since the party started, I’d been forced into conversations that required a strict adherence to etiquette, and I found Bertrando’s honest nature to be far more comfortable. As far as the rumors were concerned, he was the man everybody thought was my real father, and he held up a glass as he spoke.
“I don’t know if it’s my place to speak on the matter, but the old man told me to look out for you, so you’ll just have to let it slide. And given that His Highness isn’t here to protect you, the duty falls on my shoulders to warn you that you’d best be cautious in your dealings with the people here. Take them seriously and you’ll regret it.”
“Thank you. I realize that the emperor himself is graciously hosting this party, but I was actually looking for a good opportunity to take my leave.”
“A wise move. This is no place for a young woman.”
Whateley had also said there was a matter he wanted to discuss, and so I hoped to finish up at the party as soon as I could.
“That said, it’s unlike the prince to leave so early,” remarked Bertrando. “The glory for all of this is Conrad’s, and you’d think as the family’s guardian that he’d be more proud of the fact.”
“He’s a man with a most busy schedule,” I said.