🌻 🌻 🌻
THE royal palace dazzled a brilliant white under the night sky. A gorgeous banquet was underway, welcoming the guests who arrived via the ship. When I stepped off the carriage, the lovely sounds of the ocean reached my ears. The illuminated port allowed the waves to shine, making it seem like a sea of stars rippled before me.
The royal family of this kingdom was friendly and had even extended a letter of invitation to Lucas, a former commoner. We were grateful to have the opportunity to attend this occasion. We headed over to greet the elderly king and queen; they welcomed us warmly like old friends.
“Baron Stock, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” His Majesty said. “I was quite lonely, for you wouldn’t visit us sooner.”
“I apologize for the long wait,” Lucas replied.
My husband bowed respectfully and took the white package that Leik had held out. Lucas offered it to the king—the gift almost stolen by that boy when we first arrived at Lapisasther.
“It’s a protection stone made of calcite,” Lucas said. “I hope this can commemorate my meeting with Your Majesties.”
“Hmm… How very unusual this is,” His Majesty replied.
Wrapped in fine silk, the calcite emitted a faint glow and looked like an orange, unpolished rock at a glance. It was paired with a piece of fine lapis lazuli in the shape of a star in accordance with the legend of how Lapisasther got its name.
“The lapis lazuli represents the islands of our kingdom, and this calcite…” His Majesty murmured. “Baron Lucas Stock, I’m surprised by your vast knowledge despite your youth. Indeed, calcite is treasured as a stone for navigation. The orange variety is especially rare and unheard of in this kingdom, so I’m ecstatic to receive this.”
Lucas placed a hand over his chest and bowed. “I learned this fact from a poem my mother taught me about my father’s birthplace in a land far away. Unfortunately, I’ve never met him.”
His Majesty nodded. “So I’ve heard. You’re looking for your father, aren’t you?”
“I am, sire.”
“Lapisasther is less than a third of the size of Eizeria. We’re a small island nation, and what’s more, our population is also far less than a third of Eizeria. We don’t have many immigrants either, so it shan’t be too difficult to find your relatives here. I shall dispatch a few messengers tomorrow.”
“You’re far too kind. You have my utmost gratitude, Your Majesty.” Lucas bowed again.
“And you must be the lady from House Karelia of Eizeria,” Her Majesty said, turning to me. Her elderly eyes of pale amber studied me as she smiled. “Karelia is highly esteemed within Eizeria. Surely, you would’ve received some backlash from marrying a husband with foreign blood in his veins?”
I internally smiled at the word “backlash.” I’d received nothing but since I was an etiquette book purchased by a scary, nouveau riche baron.
I shook my head. “I’ve received many blessings from those around me, and I’m quite happily married, I assure you.”
A smile naturally formed on my lips, and that was more than enough to convey my happiness. The two royals turned to each other and smiled from the bottom of their hearts.
“I’m glad to hear it,” she said. Her Majesty recited an old Lapisasther verse as she gazed at me. “The truth is at the end of the voyage. For adventurers who fight against the raging sea and head for land, the glimmer of the North Star shall guide the way. You’re a wife who brings good fortune with that mole by your eye. I hope you can be a compass to your husband, who lives in Eizeria, far from Lapisasther.”
After a peaceful conversation, we parted ways with the king and queen to greet others. We stepped away from the lively grand hall of the royal palace and headed to a quiet corner with a sofa facing the terrace.
“That went well, Iris,” Lucas said.
“I was nervous, but I’m glad it went smoothly,” I replied. “By the way, orange calcite is excavated in the same spot as the Marmaria stone slabs, which kicked off your success, isn’t it?”
“Yep. The people there treat it as debris, but here in Lapisasther, it’s a priceless gemstone. Did you know? Polished calcite can be a natural compass.”
I gazed at his face, which was turned away from me as he talked. Perhaps Lucas had initially tried to get his hands on calcite, a prized stone of Lapisasther, his father’s hometown. He just happened to stumble upon Marmaria stone slabs, but that wasn’t his primary goal. I felt like my theory wasn’t far from the truth.
“You’ve always been searching for your father,” I said.
“Well, yeah,” Lucas replied, a hint of loneliness in his voice. He stood up, shaking himself free of melancholic thoughts. “The night’s still young. I need you to accompany and socialize with me a bit more, Iris.”
We returned to the grand hall and joined the dancing. An equal number of Eizerian nobles and Lapisasthan nobles mingled and enjoyed themselves. I could tell that the Lapisasthans were proud of their canary-yellow hair that glimmered under the lights. I quietly looked up at Lucas beside me. His hair usually made him stand out, but here, he blended in naturally.
“Iris?” Lucas asked, gazing at me. He noticed that I was a beat behind on the dance routine.
“Nothing,” I replied with a smile. I tried my best to forget the emotion I’d just felt for a split moment.
Once the song was over, Lapisasthans came up to Lucas in droves. Like the royals, the nobles of this nation were familiar with the language of Eizeria.
“Welcome to Lapiasther,” one said.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you,” another added.
They were all dying to exchange words with my husband. It seemed rumors of a noble in Eizeria with Lapisasthan blood had made its rounds within this kingdom. I also assumed that he looked rather handsome even by this nation’s standards—many ladies were eyeing him with interest. Shocked by this sudden shift in scenery, I was filled with an inexplicable sense of loneliness.
Once freed from the crowd, Lucas relaxed and smiled gently at me. “You okay, Iris?” he asked. I felt like his amber eyes could see right through me and averted my gaze.
“I’m fine,” I replied.
“Was it boring?”
“Nothing of the sort.” I didn’t want to worry him and decided to be honest. “I suddenly became rather embarrassed of myself. You stood out in Eizeria, and your appearance was special. I felt like I could monopolize you there and be the only one by your side. I was proud of that. But here, you blend in with your surroundings well, and I just feel…”
“Huh…” Lucas said, listening with great interest. He gazed at me with amusement.
Confused, I tilted my head to one side. “Um… Have I said something odd?”
Lucas grinned happily. “It’s just that you can get jealous too, huh?”
“What?” My cheeks grew hot. “Th-That wasn’t my intention…”
“The past you would’ve said something unromantic, like, ‘I’m sure there’s another lady who suits you better than me.’ I see, I see. So, you’re finally jealous of me, are you?”
“That’s not true, I…”
“I’m happy to hear it, you know.”
He brushed a stray strand of hair away from my face, the back of his fingers tickling my cheek.
“Please don’t tease me,” I said.
“I’m not. I think it’s cute,” he said.
He kissed the mole by my eye and smiled. “I can only blend in because of my appearance. But rest assured, I’m a man who hails from the same nation as you, and I’m your husband.”
“Lucas…”
“What’s more, did you know I’m related to a noble in the faction of the prestigious first prince?”
“There you go again…” I giggled, and Lucas flashed a satisfied grin. I was relieved by his words; he was able to joke about his origins instead of desperately hiding them. That was a happy sign of growth.
“You two look like the perfect couple. Care to quench your thirst?” a servant called out to us.
Curious about the awkward intonation of the Eizerian language, I looked up and saw Cano.
“Good evening, madam. You look lovely tonight as well,” he said. He was wearing a canary-yellow wig and glasses to hide his golden gaze.
Lucas took a glass and asked, “Do you know the faces and names of each guest?”
“Most certainly,” Cano said. He winked and pointed to his eye. “I’ve also memorized most of their conversations, especially when I can see their lips.”
“That’s amazing,” I said.
“See? He’s useful, isn’t he?” Lucas said.
I nodded in agreement. Cano’s gold eyes wouldn’t stand out too much among the Lapisasthans’ amber gazes. Combined with the wig, he could blend in quite well with the citizens here.
Cano proudly smiled. “I’m not good with rough affairs like Sir Leik. But I can still cross-dress to a certain degree if needed. Madam, if you ever need to sneak out and evade my lord’s notice, please be sure to call for me.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “But I don’t think I’ll keep secrets from Lucas. Rest assured.”
“You two are so passionate. Now, then, I shall be scouting around as a Lapisasthan. Even if you see me on the streets, please don’t call out to me.”
I watched his receding back as he disappeared into the crowd.
“He does his work well,” Lucas said. “You don’t have to worry about him. As a skilled agent, he should know well what would happen if he betrayed me here. In fact, I gave him the perfect circumstances that allow him to eavesdrop on our conversations boldly without the third prince suspecting anything.” He patted my shoulder to quell my fears. “The third prince wants to put a collar on me; I want information, connections, and a useful subordinate, and Cano wants a convenient position. It’s a win for all of us.”
“I see…” I said.
Amid the cheery music and the jovial conversations, I could tell the banquet was becoming even rowdier. I could hear a waltz in the background, mingling with the sound of the waves. The nighttime breeze that blew through the terrace had the scent of the ocean that differed from Solalitika’s.
“Shall we dance again, Iris?” Lucas suggested.
“Let’s,” I agreed.
We again intertwined our hands and headed for the grand hall illuminated by stunning chandeliers. All the while, Cano was working hard to gather information. I couldn’t see Leik anywhere. I guessed he left this place to his subordinate to work behind the scenes. When the music started, Lucas gave a happy smile.
“I don’t know this song,” he said.
“Me neither,” I replied.
“There’s stuff even you don’t know, huh?”
“Not to worry. We’re in a foreign nation, so I’m sure we can make do.”
We got into position and locked hands. We danced the rest of the night away. I believed that everything would go smoothly tomorrow, too.
However, the following day, an unexpected incident occurred.