Chapter 89

089.

The Eclecia Salon selection process took quite a long time.

After all, it’s Eclecia Salon.

Even disregarding its rapidly growing fame, it was already a prestigious salon.

The top salon in Mulrand City.

It wouldn’t be easy to bring in new members there.

Furthermore, there were too many applicants, and some of them were undeserving ones trying to hitch a ride on Eclecia’s fame.

Carefully distinguishing between them wasn’t easy either. Having rented a separate inn within Eclecia was proving to be a wise decision.

“Ugh… when will this end…”

On the third morning of their stay at the inn, the women who practically ran the salon made their appearance. Despite their elegance and beauty, unmatched by any, they couldn’t hide their fatigue after three days of work. The one leading the group, Sinath, muttered under her breath, and Daphnis and Serasie nodded in agreement.

The selection process was not just about checking documents—it involved verifying the contents for authenticity, ensuring no exaggerations or fabrications. Expecting all of that to be wrapped up in an instant was unreasonable.

If it weren’t for these sharp-witted young ladies, the process would have taken twice as long.

Relatively established nobles were easier. For instance, Laris, who hails from one of the five great families of the empire, needed no painstaking checks. The name ‘Laris Plache’ was itself proof enough.

The problematic ones were the baron and count-level candidates. These ladies, who normally wouldn’t dare submit an application, had cleverly received family backing to do so.

Unbelievable though it may sound, it was true that families were indeed supporting their applications.

Undeniably, the current social scene was monopolized by Eclecia Salon. Even when Mulrand, Clamenia, and Pelts maintained a perfect balance, this salon had an overwhelming edge. With illustrious figures like Daphnis, Licheisa, and others holding this salon together, the balance started to tip only with the arrival of Eliana.

Not to mention Lucatus, Hiart, and even Drannus, who recently reached the ranks of the five great families. Just the mere fact that three of the five great families were affiliated with it was impressive.

But the word ‘Heartstones’ changed everything.

Eliana, Serasie, and Sinath—these three young ladies were not just the center of attention in the social circles but also in the magical realm, possessing Heartstones of such beauty that they could reduce the jewels worn by the emperor’s wife to mere pebbles.

The five great families of the empire. The most beautiful Heartstones. And all this belonged to ladies who were affiliated with the same salon.

In essence, anyone claiming to be noble and desiring a place in the social scene would not overlook this. Even with the knowledge that it was unlikely, with the support of their families, they manipulated applications in an attempt to be part of Eclecia.

Therefore, the selection process was far more meticulous and detailed than usual. Unsurprisingly, this extended the duration and led to more frequent meetings.

No matter how excellent the Eclecia-exclusive inn might be, it still couldn’t rival the mansions of the noble families. Yet, the ladies of Eclecia endured, truly deserving admiration.

As Kalen observed all this from the sidelines…

“How about it, Kal?”

He found himself facing dozens of pairs of eyes.

And what was worse, he was inside the exclusive tea lounge of Eclecia Salon, where men were forbidden.

“A viscount-level applicant really shouldn’t need to exaggerate…”

“No, Kalen. Usually, you’d be right, but now even countesses and baronesses who normally wouldn’t apply are flooding in. And even viscount- and marquis-level noblewomen from other salons are considering transferring.”

“…”

“…Yeah. You could say the standards have risen…”

Kalen quietly swallowed his bitterness while gazing out of the window on the side wall.

Why was he in this men-forbidden zone? And not just outside the teahouse door but amongst a group of noblewomen?

This situation had developed only a few days ago. Initially, he had spent his time outside the teahouse as usual, but two days ago, he was forcibly brought inside.

Since the Eclecia ladies were busy with selections, Kalen spent most of his time with Laris. Considering the events at the banquet concerning Heartstones, and the fact that Laris was the only noble staying at the inn who was not associated with Eclecia, their time together made sense.

Whether Kalen preferred silence over noise was a separate matter. Waiting outside the teahouse for meetings that dragged on all day was excruciatingly dull. That’s why he spent time with Laris most of the time.

Suddenly, Serasie came and instructed him to come inside starting the next day. He learned that Eliana suggested it and that Sinath had enthusiastically approved. Serasie strongly supported the idea, and Daphnis had no objections either.

Though the “reason” was never revealed, they often bombarded him with difficult and awkward questions. At times, Kalen wished he could go back to the dullness of waiting outside.

Moreover, the other ladies often glanced at him, which kept him on edge. The official reason was to prepare for any unexpected attacks, but as Kalen looked out the window, he wondered if anyone could even dare to challenge such exalted beings.

*

“So, was it difficult?”

“…Not exactly difficult…”

“That’s exactly it. Really… Even though I’m the one asking for help, why am I the one worrying over this?…”

“…”

“Joking. Don’t look so disheartened. That’s quite risky… Anyway…”

On the fifth night of the selection process.

Kalen found himself alone with Laris, an uncommon occurrence. Because things weren’t going as planned, the Eclecia ladies had gathered in Serasie’s room to continue the selection process.

With nothing else to do, Kalen was resting in his room when Laris visited him.

It wouldn’t make sense to disturb the focused ladies, so it was natural for Laris to visit Kalen, especially since she had asked him about the Heartstone issue and often spent their free time together without awkwardness.

Laris, well-versed in spending time alone thanks to her genteel upbringing, was never bored.

Eventually, the conversation naturally turned to Kalen’s day.

“Even if you wanted to help, it’s inevitable that you don’t know much about it. That’s understandable.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Rather than that, have you given thought to what I asked you to do?”

Laris sat on the soft bed, gently swinging her legs back and forth. The relaxation allowed by her host, Kalen, was an instinctive response.

At the same time, it was a sign of anticipation.

Actually, entering Eclecia might not matter much to her.

Compared to her long-held, heartfelt wish.

Kalen was an immensely precious person, the one in possession of the only solution.

She focused on Kalen’s slowly parting lips.

“Hmm…”

Kalen had made a certain decision.

He wanted to know “his” true self.

That same reason drove him to decide to go to the Spirit Realm with Felicious and Tia-se.

The Heartstone that Blamia had described as hellish from the start.

The reason why the noblewomen connected to him awakened their Heartstones. The strange phenomenon of effortlessly mastering high-level magic of various attributes.

There must be something about himself that Kalen didn’t yet know.

And now, the only thing he wanted to do was this. To help Laris, if she awakens her Heartstone too, they might be able to move forward together.

Every day, he had deeply contemplated Laris’s plea for help.

“Alright.”

“Ah…!”

A soft exclamation escaped Laris as the bedspread rustled softly.

Her wide eyes showed just how surprising Kalen’s answer was to her.

After swallowing hard, she asked again with composed but trembling voice.

“Really…?”

“Yes. I also have something personal I want to find out.”

“Something you wish to know…?”

Looking at Laris, whose eyes were beginning to glisten, Kalen could roughly gauge the intensity of her desire.

The young lady who had teasingly spoken only moments before was now trembling with excitement.

Watching her calmly, Kalen could somewhat understand.

“I cannot share the details with you. Just like how you didn’t tell me your reasons.”

“Ah… That’s…”

“It’s fine. You can tell me whenever you feel like it.”

When they first met at the banquet, Kalen had been curious but knew well that unspoken stories and deep emotional scars might be involved. While Laris was unsure if her own belonged to that category, the look on her face suggested it might.

As if it were no big deal, Kalen stated this.

Laris blinked silently for a moment before expressing her gratitude with a slight nod.

Just as the atmosphere was calming down—

“But… Have you received permission from Them?”

Kalen looked at Laris, genuinely curious about her question.

“Them.”

“Permission.”

Kalen paused to consider this but was interrupted as Laris continued.

“The noble ladies of Eclecia… At the ball, they seemed very worried about you.”

“Oh.”

It was true that the ladies had displayed concern back then. Though he had attempted to soothe them by promising careful consideration, thinking about it now, he wondered if it was necessary to seek their individual blessings.

Ultimately, the choice belonged to Kalen.

Though he would try to alleviate their concerns since he didn’t maintain a particularly close relationship with them, ultimately the decision was his own.

Kalen said this calmly, and Laris, gazing at him for a moment, covered her mouth and smiled faintly.

“They will certainly have their worries.”

Worries… Indeed, the ladies were thoughtful, so it could happen.

Though Kalen thought this as he followed Laris and chuckled softly, he didn’t quite understand the true meaning behind her words.