Vissel was a nation that faced the northern sea. It shared parts of its border with Lagrange, which had coasts both to the north and south. The kingdoms of the north had continuously changed their shapes throughout history, taking their current forms about a hundred years ago.
A small country that was wedged between Vissel and Lagrange had been merged into Lagrange, making us a proper neighbor to Vissel. Many people had been against the merger, so even though a hundred years had passed, they still hadn’t forgotten. Despite this, we’d managed to maintain good relations with Vissel.
The welcoming ball for Princess Mira was kept to a small scale. It wasn’t held in the large venue for the summer’s grand balls, but in a different hall. When I entered with my father-in-law and our entourage, most of the attendees were already present. I could see many of Lagrange’s high-ranking noble families, ministers, and foreign ambassadors. Ambassador van Rail from Vissel was also there, of course, with his wife, Frechett. I’d wanted to greet them to perhaps gather some information on the princess, but I couldn’t approach them right away, as they were busy chatting with other guests.
The Royal Order of Knights was guarding the walls and entrances. There were more of them deployed than usual, their eyes glinting unrelentingly at any potential evildoer. Their brilliant white uniforms, though often made fun of by the other sections of the military, blended in well with the atmosphere, so they didn’t give off too much of an imposing aura. Said uniform had not been designed simply for aesthetics—it served a specific purpose.
Lord Simeon was not among the knights, however. He was most likely accompanying the royal family.
I excused myself from the Flauberts momentarily, hunting for a place where I could calm down and examine the venue. But then, a mellow voice called out to stop me.
“Why, good evening. You’re rather cute tonight, aren’t you?”
Before me stood a strikingly beautiful man, who stood out even within the crowd. With sweet, honey-colored curls and golden, tanned skin that hinted at southern blood, this man stole the gazes of not only young women, but also older ladies. His height was incredible, making him even taller than Lord Simeon, and though he carried himself with the elegance of a noble son, he also had the strength of a knight.
This was Ambassador Nigel Shannon from Easdale, a country to the west. I’d had many run-ins with him in the past. He was only a year older than Lord Simeon, so we’d forged a good friendship.
“Good evening, Lord Nigel. I see you’re also in attendance this evening.”
“Yes, I’m grateful to have been extended an invitation. I heard you took care of my uncle recently. For that, I thank you.”
His uncle, Duke William, had been invited to represent Easdale at the big wedding in Lavia. He was a cheerful, kind, and wonderful gentleman, as well as a hot-blooded musclehead. He’d even initiated the capture of a criminal by jumping out on his own, making his own personal guards panic. What a memory that was.
“Oh no, he was the one who took care of us. As expected of someone who’s your uncle, he was very reliable.”
“Oliver reported to me that he thrashed about and acted unbefitting of his age. I can only hope he didn’t throw out his back.” Brushing it off with a laugh, Lord Nigel turned his eyes to the person standing next to me. “Your escort tonight... I haven’t seen him before. Won’t the Vice Captain be jealous?”
“Ah, right.” I looked to the person beside me. “I haven’t introduced you yet. He was at the reception as well, but I suppose he didn’t get the chance to greet you.”
The man next to me spoke up listlessly. “Hello. I’m her brother, Gerard Clarac.”
“Oh, you’re her brother? My apologies.” Lord Nigel’s eyes went wide. “Actually, I remember you! My, you look very different from how you did back then.”
“Ha ha...” My brother grimaced. “It’s all thanks to Madam Flaubert.”
It was no wonder that Lord Nigel didn’t recognize him. Gerard had been reborn in the capable hands of my mother-in-law. He hadn’t wanted his bangs cut, so she’d used hairdressing products to cleanly show off his forehead. His eyebrows were styled as well, and his unsophisticated black glasses had been confiscated. Thanks to that, he looked about fifty percent more manly than usual. Still messy in a way, of course, but his posture wasn’t bad, so dressing him up could make one’s impression of him flip upside down. His appearance didn’t come close to the radiance of Lord Nigel, but my brother did look quite handsome tonight, if I did say so myself.
Great work, mother-in-law! You’re better than anyone at fashion!
I was also dressed for the occasion, but I certainly wasn’t styled to be the focus of attention.
Lord Nigel teased us with a mischievous smile. “You two siblings are both ready for battle tonight, then. Perhaps you’re concerned about Her Highness, Princess Mira?”
I chuckled darkly. “So you’ve heard.”
“Just a bit through the grapevine. I’ve been tasked with paying attention to certain business, so I’ve had to observe the princess’s actions.”
“Pay attention to what, exactly?”
“Hmm... It would be tactless of me to say, so I’ll refrain for now.”
It must’ve had something to do with either foreign relations or Lord Nigel’s true line of work. He was actually the leader of the private knights of the Shannon dukedom, though he was currently away for various reasons. The role of these knights was not only to protect the duke himself, but apparently, they also received requests from the queen of Easdale and their parliament.
If this was the type of work he was referring to, then I had no choice but to nod my head in understanding. It wasn’t a topic fit for a ball. I most likely didn’t have to worry about it, since it didn’t seem to be a tense situation or anything. Or at least, that was how I chose to interpret it.
I shook my head. “His Highness Prince Severin gave me a strict order to attend tonight. Though in all honesty, I really have to wonder whether this is something to worry about in the first place.”
“Ah, His Highness? A hard worker as usual, I see.” Lord Nigel laughed freely.
“Have you met Princess Mira, Lord Nigel?”
“Not yet, unfortunately. I’m highly anticipating it tonight, however, as she’s said to be quite the beauty.”
This was an expected response from him, as he was known for being a womanizer.
“Yes, I’ve heard she’s very beautiful,” I said. “Well, since you’re single and can even rival Lord Simeon in terms of looks, perhaps she’ll take a second glance at you. Won’t you try to seduce her for me?”
“Hey!” My brother jabbed his elbow into my side.
“This would be much more effective than someone like me trying to fix it,” I explained.
“That doesn’t mean you can talk to a foreign ambassador like that!”
“Lord Nigel was probably going to seduce her whether I asked or not.”
The gorgeous ambassador himself didn’t look bothered in the slightest. Rather, it looked like he was having fun. Unfortunately for me, he refused my request immediately.
“I’m sorry, little lady, but I don’t go after anyone too high in status. It would be a hassle to deal with the consequences.”
“Indeed.” I sighed. “That’s why you were kicked out of your kingdom in the first place.”
“In the case of that specific incident, the lady got mad all on her own. I didn’t even lift a finger!” Lord Nigel’s eyes widened. “Wait, you know about that? Did Oliver tell you?”
“No, His Excellency told me. Apparently you even troubled the queen.”
“Well, yes, I was heavily scolded for not being cautious enough... That being said, I cannot recklessly go after Her Highness Mira. I don’t intend to marry into Vissel’s royal family, after all.”
Though he was speaking like this, I knew Lord Nigel had a lover of his own. I hadn’t expected him to marry the princess, only to change her target of affection. I’d hoped that just showing him to her would be enough to have an effect.
My brother furrowed his brow. “It didn’t stop at Duke Silvestre—Marielle, when did you get on such good terms with all these high-ranking people? Though, I guess that’s just the power of the Flauberts.”
“It really is.” I had no intention of arguing. “I lived in a completely different world before this. Why don’t I introduce you to Prince Gracius while we’re here? Oh, and getting you acquainted with members of Parliament would be good for your work as well. Where is Marquess Rafale?”
I began to look around for the noblemen, but Gerard hastily stopped me. “I don’t need that! It’s fine—just focus on your own mission!”
“But the princess hasn’t even arrived yet.”
“Actually, it seems it’s time.” Lord Nigel signaled with his eyes.
The door at the back of the venue began to open. The moment had come. With the arrival of the hosts and the guest of honor, the true party would begin.
Though the attendees had been murmuring excitedly, they all quieted down at once. The staff standing to the side of the door announced the hosts’ arrival.
First to arrive were Their Majesties, the king and queen. All of the women in the venue curtsied at once, and the men bowed with their hands over their hearts. I curtsied with the crowd.
Hmm? I thought for sure that His Majesty would have been the one to escort Princess Mira.
The guest of honor appeared next. Princess Mira wore a bright blue dress, and she entered with a lovely smile.
“Huh...?”
As soon as I registered her, a gasp escaped my lips. And it wasn’t just me. Waves of shock flowed through the venue...particularly among the women.