Chapter 5.2

Chapter 5.2

People began to arrive in the afternoon and filled the vast banquet hall of the Imperial Palace.

“I see the evidence of the Red King’s discerning eye at this party.”

“It’s extravagant but elegant. No one else can imitate her style.”

The imperial events hosted by the Red King were always met with praise. Even before marrying, Patricia was known to be a trendsetter among the high society. Once she became the Red King, she was able to show off her flair without any hesitation. Her royal parties were incredibly luxurious and catered to the vanity of the nobles.

Today was the day the Princess was turning into an adult. All the guests were dressed in their best. Even those that usually didn’t attend aristocratic parties were in attendance. The nobles were busy introducing themselves and building personal connections.

A group of people surrounded a plump, middle-aged man. They were laughing at something the man said.

The people around this group were wondering about what the man had said and asked around.

“Just who is that man and why is everyone crowding around him?”

“It’s Baron Burock.”

“Ah, that man is…”

Even those that had never personally met this middle-aged man knew his name and nodded their heads in understanding.

The celebrities in high society were usually those of high status. However, Baron Burock was an exception. He didn’t have a high position, wasn’t that wealthy, and wasn’t known for his looks. But he had an incredible influence in high society.

His nickname was ‘Vagabond’. Like his nickname suggested, there wasn’t a place he hadn’t visited. He had been to every corner of the continent. He also had the excellent skill of drawing everyone in with his storytelling as he told them stories of what he’s seen and heard during his travels.

For the nobility that lived in such a small world, Baron Burock’s stories were the best entertainment. He was only home a few times a year, and whenever he attended an event, people gathered around him.

“I’m thirsty. Let’s rest for a bit. Please give me some time to moisten my throat.”

“Here’s some cold water, sir.”

Somebody quickly brought a cup full of ice water and handed it over to Baron Burock.

“Oh, geez. It looks like I’ll lose my voice tonight and won’t be able to speak a word tomorrow.”

Baron Burock quickly found a gap in the crowd and exited. The people began to laugh as they called out, ‘Baron Burock is running away!’ and ‘Somebody grab him.’ However, they didn’t follow him.

Having found a few moments of peace, Baron Burock sipped his ice water and looked around the banquet hall.

‘Hmm? That old geezer is still alive. And that young man looks familiar. I must know his father.’

As he was people watching, the barons’ eyes widened. He hurried over to his target.

Two handsome men were in the middle of a discussion. They were drawing everyone’s attention. One of the men had red hair mixed with gray. Just from his hair, everyone could guess his identity.

“What a surprise to see you here, Prince Dian.”

“Isn’t it? I think this is the first time I’ve seen you at a palace event.”

Dian was an outsider. He would helplessly shut himself away in his own residence. Whenever he received an invitation, he would always attend, no matter the rank or status of the person who invited him.

Those who were afraid to offend Duke Rimone’s family shunned him. Those that did send Dian invitations held positions of no importance and therefore didn’t need to be wary of Duke Rimone’s feelings. Therefore, the parties Dian attended were normally filled with people of low status.

Even though he was an imperial prince by name, people criticized him for not knowing his place. People that were just starting out in the social circles of the nobility were often told to avoid any event that Prince Dian was attending as a rule of thumb. In this way, he was ridiculed. However, today these people couldn’t laugh condescendingly at him. Something was different about him.

He wasn’t his usual self. Normally, he would have a sweet smile on his face as he laughed at all the lame jokes and begin drowning himself in liquor as soon as the party began… But today, he didn’t do any of the things that would cause people to click their tongues in disapproval.

“You’re quite gentlemanly today.”

“You never know. I may do something completely strange at any moment.”

Seeing the prince act so normal was strange. The people that would normally whisper about him behind his back gradually shut their mouths. They suddenly realized that he was truly a member of the imperial family. The imperial family members were closest to the gods with their beautiful figures, and Dian was no exception.

Seeing him so focused on his conversation shook the hearts of many noblemen and noblewomen around him. When Dian grinned, all the women began to flutter their fans and let out a sigh.

They also wanted to know who the man speaking to Dian was. He stood right next to the prince, but the prince’s beauty didn’t outshine this man. He was even taller than the prince.

Currently, a close-fitting tailcoat was trending in fashion. Seeing the sturdy male body show through the tightly-fitted tailcoat, all the noblewomen swallowed as their throats went dry.

The man’s stark black hair stood out among the dull-colored hair of the partygoers. His tall nose made his eyes seem deeper. His jawline was the perfect balance between soft and hard.

These two men were complete opposites. The prince could be described as a dignified lion, while the black-haired man was more of an enchanting black leopard.

“Is it time for Duke Grosi to make his appearance?”

“It’s too early. It’s better if more people are here to see the duke personally hand his granddaughter over to you.”

“I guess so. The banquet’s only just started.”

“You’re about to meet the woman you’re going to marry. How do you feel?”

“I can’t say that I don’t feel anything at all… I just want to get along with her. She will be the mother of my child.”

“You just need to do well.”

Dian scoffed.

“You. Do you know that you’re different from what you seem? I thought you were the type of man who had a lover in every corner of the continent.”

“What?”

“If I had a sister, I would have wanted you to marry her. That way, we could be brothers-in-law.”

Kuhn wasn’t able to respond with ‘Whatever.’ like he usually would. This was because he suddenly remembered Dian’s half-sister, Sienna.

‘Isn’t the Princess your sister?’

He swallowed that question in his head.

“I was surprised you even decided to attend this party. Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Because today will be a historical day. I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to witness it with my own eyes.”

“Really…?”

Dian looked Kuhn up and down as he spoke.

“You look like you came here to woo a woman. I see a gigolo standing before me.”

Tsk. Kuhn clicked his tongue.

“You need to fix that frivolous tongue of yours.”

“And do you know that your blunt way of talking is starting to cross the line?”

If someone had listened in on their childish conversation, they would have been dumbfounded.

“Lord Roxan.”

Even though Kuhn had noticed Baron Burock approaching him, he still reacted in surprise when he called.

“Baron, I knew you’d be here, but this banquet hall is so large. I didn’t think I’d see you.”

“I didn’t know you’d attend. Why didn’t you tell me when we met a few days ago?”

“I didn’t plan on it back then. It wasn’t like I could come even if I wanted to.”

“If you told me, I could have gotten you an invitation.”

“I’m grateful for your kindness, Baron.”

“It’s nothing compared to the favor you did for me a few days ago.”

“You’re being too generous. That wasn’t anything big.”

Kuhn put on a friendly smile and transformed into a bright, polite young man. His behavior didn’t seem out of place. It was a miraculous transformation. Dian looked at Kuhn from the corner of his eye as if he were observing the most despicable creature on earth.

Only after having exchanged more than a few words with Kuhn did Baron Burock notice Dian standing nearby.

“Oh, dear. Prince. I’ve been very impolite. My manners seemed to have disappeared after I met an unexpected friend here.”

“It’s fine. It’s an honor to introduce myself to such a famous celebrity such as yourself, Baron Burock.”

“You flatter me, Your Highness. I’m just an old man who likes to talk. Let me formally greet you, Prince.”

Dian’s eyes went back and forth between Kuhn and the baron.

“It seems that you two have quite an interesting relationship.”

“Lord Roxan is a young man who I’m quite fond of. He’s well-mannered and very capable. But I’m more curious about the relationship between the two of you.”

“I can’t quite remember where it was. Anyways, we met by chance at a party. We got along pretty well and shared a few drinks. Like you said, Baron…”

Dian looked at Kuhn and laughed.

“He’s well-mannered and very capable.”

“…I’m honored, Prince.”

Dian laughed in satisfaction when he heard the word ‘honored’ coming from the lips of such an unfriendly jerk. Only Kuhn felt irritated at Dian’s reaction.

As the three of them continued to talk, the people around them began to notice and approached them.

Even though they wanted to introduce themselves to the two charming, young men, one of them was the prince, and the other was an unknown man. They felt intimidated to approach them. However, Baron Burock served as a bridge to that gap. The baron was liked by everyone, no matter their political leanings.

In no time, the three men were surrounded by people. Still, the only ones talking were the three of them, and the others merely listened to their conversation. After some time passed, it seemed as if the crowd was going to disperse.

“Are you telling me that you’ve come across the Desert Mantis, Prince?”

“That’s right. It happened when I was sent to the desert for a meeting between multiple countries as an envoy.”

A few bystanders remembered this and had peculiar expressions on their faces.

One’s rank was also taken into consideration on diplomatic missions. If someone was sent to the desert, they were considered a hopeless case. It meant that they were hated by their superiors.

Dian was the first member of the imperial family to go to the desert. Even if a bombastic title of ‘envoy’ was attached to his name, it was still not an honorable mission. It meant that others had turned their backs on him and left him to die.

“I think it was five years ago…”

“It was six years ago, Your Highness.”

Someone spoke up. As all eyes turned to him, the man became embarrassed. Dian looked at the young man and smiled.

“You are?”

“I am Earl Mersé’s son, Tayl Mersé. I apologize for interrupting you.”

“Thank you for triggering my memory, Lord Tayl. I can’t believe six years have already passed by since then. Time goes by so fast. But I still remember that day so clearly. We hadn’t even entered that far into the desert when the Desert Mantis appeared. The Desert Mantis is more terrifying than you can imagine. Humans are merely a game to this monster. I could barely keep my eyes open. It was that scary.”

The prince closed his eyes. He slightly frowned. It seemed that he was remembering that horrible event. Everyone’s breaths caught in their throats.

“How did you defeat that monster?”

“Are you asking why I didn’t die?”

“Prince, I didn’t mean it like that…”

Dian watched Baron Barock’s confounded reaction and laughed in good humor.

“I’m just joking. How could I have defeated the Desert Mantis with my skills? I lived thanks to something that was more terrifying than a Desert Mantis.”

The people around them were completely immersed in the riveting conversation between the prince and Baron Burock.

“What monster is more terrifying than the Desert Mantis?”

Somebody in the audience spoke up, unable to suppress their curiosity. After looking around at the crowd surrounding him, Dian answered.

“Kaligo.”

Dian’s eyes brushed over Kuhn’s face, but nobody noticed.

“Kaligo?”

“Ah…”

Several people tilted their heads in confusion, and several people understood.

“You’re talking about the mercenary group Kaligo, aren’t you? I’ve heard of that name before. Those that live in the empire may not know of them, but once you leave the empire, everyone knows that name.”

Baron Burock explained to the crowd.

“Correct. By luck, they were passing by us when this all happened. Thanks to them, my life was saved, and I was able to clearly witness the men hunt down the Desert Mantis with my own eyes.”

Dian’s eyes looked over the crowd and focused on something far away.

“And that’s the end of my boring story. I think the person of honor is about to make her entrance.”

Everyone that had been looking at Dian turned their heads at once. A crowd of people was starting to gather towards the entrance of the banquet hall.

A portion of the crowd broke away from Dian to have a look at the Princess while the rest stayed behind. Baron Burock was one of them.

“Aren’t you going to head over as well?”

“I think the party won’t be as boring if I stay around you, Prince.”

The baron chortled as he answered. His reply represented the hearts of those that remained.

“Desert Mantis hunting? That’s not something you can see even if you’re willing to pay for it.”

Dian shook his head.

“I wouldn’t want to see if even if someone paid me. Only a lunatic would pay to see something like that.”

“Then I must be a lunatic. Please tell me some details. I’ve only seen the dried up carcass of a Desert Mantis.”

“Are you asking me to relive the time I almost died?”

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?”

“Ha! Do you know how difficult that was? It literally changed my life.”

The prince and the baron continued to exchange cheerful banter, and all the listeners felt at ease. And like that, Prince Dian’s travel story vanished from their minds.

It was a life-or-death experience, so it was understandable. It was a wonder that he hadn’t gone insane after that kind of experience. Everyone thought this as they nodded their heads.

Only one person wasn’t paying attention. Kuhn’s eyes were glued to the area where all the people were gathering.\n