Chapter 230

Chapter 231. Haven’t You Heard the Rumor? (2)

The first social party hosted by the Sephira family.

This was also a celebration party held in honor of Keter becoming the representative knight of the southern region, the “Southern Palace.”

Most of the nobles who attended this event had a negative outlook.

“A social party hosted by Sephira, who has never hosted one before, and even rushed to organize it… and outdoors? I couldn’t bring myself to wear my finest clothes.”

“I made sure to eat a hearty meal the day before. If bugs come out of the food, I’ll be starving all day, right?”

“Did I tell my coachman to stay on standby just in case? I can leave Sephira anytime. Ahahaha!”

They didn’t attend the party with high expectations. They gathered to “criticize” the poorly organized party by Sephira. There’s nothing more fun than tearing others down, after all.

Of course, not all nobles felt this way.

“So this is Sephira… It’s not as shabby as the rumors suggest.”

“Was Sephira’s territory this vast? They could build a major city here.”

“I thought all of Sephira’s children were either ugly or disabled since they’re all unmarried, but look at that. Every single one of them is a handsome young man, exuding the aura of a true leader.”

On the day of the party, over a hundred nobles gathered. This was an astonishing number.

While there are thousands of nobles across the country, every noble present here was at least a lower noble.

Moreover, Sephira isn’t the only one hosting a post-tournament party for the Southern Sword Tournament.

The Garcia and Ruvan families, renowned for their swordsmanship in the south, held grand parties, and the Baydant family, which wields influence comparable to prestigious families, also hosted a party.

They spent astronomical sums to invite famous poets, musicians, chefs, and entertainers from both within and outside the country.

A party is the most suitable occasion to showcase a family’s prestige.

To hastily organize such a party within a month and have a hundred nobles attend was truly a remarkable event.

The public attributed this not to Sephira’s inherent influence but to the significant influence of “three individuals.”

Keter of the Southern Palace.

The party enthusiast Baiga.

Princess Iris.

Because of them, influential nobles flocked to Sephira. And even now, not all of them had arrived.

The party was scheduled to start at 6 PM.

But it was only 5 PM now.

The nobles who arrived an hour early were called “escorts.”

On the other hand, prestigious nobles do not arrive on time. They deliberately arrive late. The more power and fame they have, the later they arrive, with some historically arriving three hours late.

The reason for this phenomenon is simple. Not all nobles attending the party are equal.

Can a lower noble enter alongside an upper noble?

Even among upper nobles, the children of prestigious families hold higher status. Social parties meticulously scrutinize this.

That doesn’t mean the escort nobles who arrived an hour early were insignificant.

They had all passed two tests.

The first was wealth.

At a party attended by upper nobles, one must have “class.” The value of what they wear must be at least 5,000 gold, equivalent to a mansion.

The second was information.

They must know in advance who is attending and what they are wearing. This allows them to gauge their “social position” and decide whether to arrive early or late.

This is not only to assess their influence but also to avoid overlapping dress styles with nobles of higher status.

At that moment, a cool breeze flowed through one corner of the party venue. The battle of wits among the young ladies had begun.

“Oh my, Emily. You’re attending this party too? That necklace looks quite nice.”

“Ohoho. Anna, you have a good eye. It’s not much. About 3,000 gold.”

“Not much, indeed. Mine is worth 7,000 gold. Have you heard of Godric, the empire’s top jeweler…? It’s made by his apprentice.”

Anna, who quickly brushed off the latter part, covered her mouth with a fan and laughed.

Emily, with a sly smile, pointed at Anna’s dress with her fan.

“That red fabric. Is it red velvet?”

“You can tell? It was really hard to get. You know how it is. Red velvet can only be obtained from the Baen Kingdom, and even then, most of it is delivered to upper nobles first. It’s like plucking stars from the sky.”

“Yes, I know. I’ve worn a red velvet coat from the Baen Kingdom before. So, about that… it’s fake.”

“Ohoho, Emily. I understand your jealousy, but fake? That’s a bit offensive.”

“There’s a way to tell if it’s fake. Want to test it?”

“Emily. This was a gift from my father. Doubting this is an insult to our family… Ahhh!”

Splash!

Emily grabbed a wine glass from the table and poured it onto Anna’s dress. Just as Anna, now drenched, was about to explode in anger, Emily struck first.

“Real red velvet is waterproof and would never get wet. Anna, even a single drop of water would have revealed it’s fake… Poor thing.”

“Y-you…!”

As the tension between the two ladies threatened to sour the party’s atmosphere—

“Lady Anna Ken Blitz.”

A man interrupted, calling Anna by her full name. The faces of the two ladies turned bright red upon seeing him.

A spotless black coat, golden embroidery as a highlight, and neatly combed silver hair. It was none other than Anis El Sephira, the third son of the Sephira family.

His appearance left the two ladies speechless.

Anis approached Anna with a leisurely stride, knelt on one knee, and gently kissed the back of her left hand.

“I am Anis El Sephira. Is your brother, Sir Gillian, well?”

“Y-you know my brother?”

“We fought together during the dark mage’s attack at the Southern Sword Tournament.”

“Ah…!”

“It seems you accidentally spilled some wine. Fortunately, our Sephira family has a red velvet dress. Would you kindly wear it?”

“The Sephira family has a red velvet dress?”

The nobles whispered among themselves, doubting Anis’s words, given Sephira’s reputation for frugality.

But Anis paid no heed and continued.

“I’ve been wanting to learn more about the Blitz family. Allow me to personally escort you to the dressing room.”

“Ah, um… okay.”

Anna’s face, red with anger, now flushed for a different reason. Anis escorted her away, glancing back briefly.

On the party’s stage, a young boy gave a thumbs-up and smiled.

*Phew, following his instructions worked out well, but having to talk to a woman and a family I have no interest in…*

Anis was acting on the advice of Daat, who called himself the “Sephira’s advisor.” Initially skeptical, Anis began to trust him as the tense atmosphere dissipated.

However—

*Fidget fidget.*

It was no small feat to resist the urge to scold Anna, who was lightly scratching the back of his hand.

* * *

“Perfect.”

From the stage overlooking the party venue, Daat smiled with satisfaction.

An outdoor party venue in November, as winter approaches? Only a fool would think of such an idea.

Party attire can’t be too thick. It looks clumsy. Moreover, revealing dresses that show off the back or calves are currently in vogue among women.

But hosting a party outdoors? It’s no different from winter survival training.

Since they couldn’t hold the party indoors, Baiga had initially proposed a crude solution.

“Dig up the party floor and light a fire to keep it warm.”

Easier said than done. It would look unsightly, and how would they handle the smoke? Baiga shrugged as if it were no big deal.

“Better to have an eyesore than to freeze.”

Surprisingly, Keter solved this problem.

Sticker mage Denison, who recently joined Sephira, showed his stickers upon hearing about the heating issue.

“Stick these around the party venue, and warm air will last for a day.”

“How can such a small piece of paper have that effect?”

“Try it.”

The architects, half-doubting, attached the stickers to the walls and soon gasped in amazement.

“W-what! It’s really emitting warm air! How is this magic possible? I’ve seen countless magical artifacts in the empire, but I’ve never seen such warm air coming from such a small surface!”

“Hahaha, that’s the true value of my sticker magic.”

Denison didn’t mention that the cost was absurdly high. After all, he had secured research funding from Keter.

Denison’s solution wasn’t limited to heating.

“Amazing! This tiny piece of paper creates ice! This is revolutionary!”

“It even produces wind? Whoa!”

Even Ultima trembled upon seeing Denison’s sticker magic.

“How has such unbelievable magic remained unknown? This is the greatest invention, surpassing scrolls!”

“Um, Lord Merchant. The production cost is quite high.”

“No matter the cost, such a compact magical item has astronomical value…”

“1,000 gold per piece. It only lasts a week. And it breaks if it rains.”

“…Selling it now would be difficult. Now I understand why Keter wanted to research it.”

Regardless, the outdoor party venue’s drawback was brilliantly compensated for by sticker magic.

The nobles, too, began to praise it endlessly.

“I can’t figure out where this warmth is coming from! It must be magic, but I can’t detect it!”

“I wore thick clothes expecting it to be cold, but now I’m sweating.”

“I thought Sephira was completely opposed to magic, but to have such a mage hidden away… Terrifying.”

Since sticker magic was easy to conceal, the nobles were even more amazed, unaware of its existence.

“The food is perfect, the decorations are perfect. Money really is the best, isn’t it?”

The amount spent by Ultima Merchant and Sephira for this party reached a staggering 120,000 gold. It was truly a lavish expenditure.

But it was worth it. Even the nobles who came with hostility couldn’t find fault and were enjoying the party, albeit with uncomfortable expressions.

“Hohoho, who would have thought Sephira would be so considerate of us? Truly unexpected.”

In one corner of the party venue, a group of elderly men had gathered, and they were anything but ordinary.

The Goshikyeonro Association.

This association of retired old nobles is notoriously strict about tradition. Even at relatively light-hearted celebratory parties, they are famous for their insistence on rituals, etiquette, and tradition.

Even prestigious families find it impossible to fully satisfy the Goshikyeonro Association’s tastes, but Sephira had achieved the impossible.

“Unexpected? Not really. Sephira has Leganon Drayton, doesn’t it?”

Former royal secretary Leganon El Drayton.

He is thoroughly versed in all the traditions and etiquette of the Lilian Kingdom. Knowing every detail, he had the servants memorize them all.

“I heard Elder Leganon had retired, but to return to work for Sephira… I wonder what wind is blowing through Sephira.”

“Doesn’t seem like a bad wind. Hahaha!”

As the old nobles of the Goshikyeonro Association chuckled with satisfaction, someone approached.

“Are you enjoying the party?”

Despite being in his eighties, Elder Panir, with his robust physique and commanding presence, approached them.

“Isn’t this Panir, the judge?”

An old man who had been a judge in the high court alongside Panir stood up. He was the second most influential elder in the Goshikyeonro Association.

Panir shook his head humbly.

“That’s all in the past. Now, I’m retired, just a member of the advisory committee like you, senior.”

“But you’ve changed a lot, haven’t you?”

“Hmm, I was fortunate enough to take a rejuvenation pill.”

“Hoho, that’s not what I meant. I meant your eyes have changed. When you retired, your eyes were filled with anger and ambition. They were the eyes of someone about to cause a major incident. But now… you look quite happy?”

“…Was I like that?”

“Don’t play dumb. You looked like you wouldn’t bleed even if stabbed with a spear. So, I’ll ask you this: won’t you join our Goshikyeonro Association?”

“I’m sorry, but I must decline. I am currently dedicated to my role as an elder of Sephira.”

“Hoho, I see. Well, since you’re here, let me ask you one thing. What changed you? It’s not easy to bend one’s stubbornness with age.”

The other old nobles of the Goshikyeonro Association also looked at Panir with curiosity.

After a moment of thought, Panir smiled faintly and said, “I met someone more stubborn than me. I had no choice but to bend. Hahaha!”

Panir didn’t specify who, but the Goshikyeonro Association realized he was referring to Keter.

They had attended the party out of curiosity about Sephira’s recent developments, not Keter—but seeing Panir so effusively praise someone was a first, naturally piquing their interest.

Just what kind of person is this Keter, to have so transformed the once ruthless Judge Panir?

* * *

Sephira’s party was warm and stable.

Simple yet elegant decorations, an open view, and a cool breeze flowing throughout the party… All of this blended with the warm air to create a cozy atmosphere.

What about the subtly flowing, high-level performance? It melted away the nobles’ tension.

Thus, an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and soon the clear sound of a bell announced 6 PM.

The nobles enjoying the party all turned their gaze to the entrance as if on cue.

“The final guest is undoubtedly Princess Iris, but who will be the first to appear?”

“I heard that Prince Vector of the Browning family is also attending. Perhaps he will be the first?”

The higher the status, the later the arrival—this is the tradition of the party venue. However, the first appearance follows a different rule. The top figure arrives last, while the second arrives first—an unspoken rule.

Knowing that Princess Iris was attending, the nobles were certain she would be the last, but opinions varied on who would enter first.

“Prince Vector is qualified to enter first, but the second son of the Oxford family is more likely.”

“The second son of the Oxford family? The magic prodigy who reached the 6th circle upon his coming-of-age ceremony?”

“Didn’t you all hear? Burgundy, famous among mercenaries, is also attending.”

“A mercenary at a noble’s social party? That’s unheard of. Wouldn’t it lower the party’s prestige?”

“Don’t you know who Burgundy is? He’s the regional head of the Lilian Kingdom’s mercenary branch. Though a mercenary, his influence is on par with an upper noble. He can’t be ignored.”

“I’m really looking forward to seeing who enters first…!”

If someone were to disregard their status and enter out of order, the social party could turn into a funeral. Thus, the nobles were on edge, eagerly anticipating the first entrant.

Then—

*Clatter clatter!*

The sound of a carriage approaching from afar made the nobles swallow hard. The first entrance was about to begin.

The carriage stopped in front of the party venue’s gate, and the door slowly opened.

*Creak.*

The party venue’s door was designed to make a loud noise when opened intentionally, to draw attention to the entrant.

And so, the first person to enter the party was—

“Gasp?!”

“W-who is that?!”

It was someone no one expected, and everyone at the party doubted their eyes.