Aurora, the capital of Valeria, was alive with a different kind of energy tonight. As twilight settled, a steady stream of carriages, each bearing the fancy crest of a noble family or influential house, converged on a single, magnificent destination: the Royal Palace.
The palace stood tall in the heart of the capital, a formidable structure of pale stone surrounded by high walls. Tonight, its defenses were a visible show of force, with royal guards posted at every conceivable inch of the perimeter, their armor gleaming under the enchanted lamplight.
One carriage, marked with the elegant crest of a winding wine vine, rolled steadily through the main gate. After a brief check from the guards, Haide guided it through the grand passageway and toward the main entrance.
Inside, the atmosphere was quiet. Ji Hoon sat beside Ione, while across from them, Adrine and his mother, Viscountess Lady Yuhwa, maintained a composed silence.
"You know you could have skipped tonight, right?" Lady Yuhwa's voice was soft, her worry a subtle undercurrent in the quiet cabin. "Are you absolutely sure you're feeling alright?"
"Of course," Ji Hoon replied, offering a reassuring smile. "I told you already, Mother. I'm fine."
She studied him for a moment longer before conceding with a slight nod, not wanting to fuss over him further. "Very well. Just remember, we will be meeting a great many people. If it becomes too much, you only need to nod and smile. Or ignore them entirely if you feel tired. I will handle the consequences."
Ji Hoon's smile widened. "Sure, I will."
The carriage came to a smooth halt before the grand main entrance. The doors were opened from the outside, and one by one, they stepped out into the cool night air, ready to face the glittering, watchful eyes of the Valerian court.
Noble families from all over were also disembarking and making their way inside. Haide gave a respectful bow before taking the reins to move their carriage to the designated parking area.
As Ji Hoon, his mother, Ione, and Adrine began to move toward the grand entrance, another carriage—this one bearing a crest of a crossed fork and knife—pulled forward. Lady Yuhwa recognized it instantly. The air around her seemed to shift, her posture stiffening and her friendly demeanor vanishing into a mask of cool neutrality.
Ji Hoon noticed the sudden change. He was just about to ask what was wrong when her voice, calm but firm, cut him off.
"Cassian, my love," she said, turning to him with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Could you please take Ione and go in before us? I have to take care of something."
"Umm, sure, Mother," Ji Hoon said, picking up on the unspoken tension. He gestured for Ione to follow him. "Let's go."
Without another word, he led the fox-eared maid toward the towering doors of the royal palace.
The moment they were out of earshot, Lady Yuhwa's false smile dropped completely. Her voice was low and final.
"Let's go, Adrine."
The knight fell into step beside her without a moment's hesitation, her hand resting on the pommel of her sword as they turned to face the newly arrived carriage.
The carriage came to a halt. An attendant scurried to open the door, and a man emerged—short, with slicked dark hair and thick eyebrows, dressed in opulent silks. Alister de Clein stepped out with a practiced smugness, adjusting his cuffs as he turned with the posture of a man who owned the world.
His eyes landed on a knight and a lady standing directly in his path. The woman was dressed in a sophisticated gown of dark lemon, topped with a veiled hat reminiscent of a Victorian era. For a moment, he didn't recognize her. Then his gaze dropped to the crest embroidered over her heart—the winding wine vine of the Ahn family.
His blood ran cold, but he somehow kept his composure, forcing his smirk to remain.
"Lord Alister?" Lady Yuhwa's tone was devoid of warmth, a simple, cold acknowledgment.
"Oh my! If it isn't the famous Ahn family?" Alister tried, his smile strained. "We haven't seen each other in a while, have we?" He looked her over, a flicker of insolence returning. "Well, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? By the way, is the Viscount Ahn still not hom—"
He couldn't finish.
"Can we please talk. Alone." It wasn't a request. It was a command wrapped in ice.
Alister shrieked internally, but his thoughts raced. 'Well, she's probably just mad. I did hear she was overprotective of her son. Too bad he won't survive now with the Black Knight after him.'
"Talk? Oh, of course!" he said aloud, his voice a little too bright. "But about wha—"
"Follow me."
She turned without another word, expecting to be obeyed. Still worried, he shot a nervous glance at his personal guard before trailing after Lady Yuhwa and her knight, Adrine, who moved with the silent lethality of a shadow.
She led them away from the bustling entrance, down a secluded path lined with manicured hedges, into a quiet part of the royal gardens where the music and chatter from the palace were just a distant murmur.
The atmosphere was thick enough to choke on. Alister puffed out his chest, gathering his courage. 'This is the Royal Palace,' he thought, a sly confidence returning. 'She can't do anything to me here. Hehe.'
"My Lady, I'm sure whatever you've heard—" he began, his tone dismissive.
He never saw the swing coming.
Lady Yuhwa's arm moved with a lifetime of repressed fury. Her open palm connected with his face with a crack that echoed in the quiet garden. The force was shocking, snapping his head to the side and sending a jolt of pure, white-hot pain through his skull.
Alister staggered, his hand flying to his stinging cheek. When he pulled it away, his fingers were smeared with a trickle of blood from his split lip. Fury obliterated his fear.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" he shouted, his voice a raw, capitalized scream that shattered the garden's peace.
Lady Yuhwa looked down at him, her expression devoid of any sympathy. "That," she stated calmly, "was just the beginning. To help calm my mind, I will continue with something more substantial later." She looked at her hand, now marked with a smear of his blood, with utter disgust, and wiped it clean with a handkerchief she produced from her sleeve.
Alister, humiliated and enraged, shoved away his guard who had rushed forward to help him. He held his nose with one hand, his voice trembling with fury. "This is the Royal Palace!! You know the punishment will follow for those who cause trouble!"
"OH REALLY?" she countered, her voice dropping to a deadly, mocking whisper. "And I wonder what happens to those that plan an attack on another noble's heir? Death?"
The word hung in the air, cold and final. Alister's face went pale, all the blood seeming to drain from it. "I-I..." he stammered, his bravado completely shattered.
Before he could form another word, Lady Yuhwa closed the distance between them, her veiled face just inches from his. "Finish whatever business you have tonight," she warned, her voice low and venomous. "And then pray we do not cross paths again."
With that, she turned, her gown sweeping the gravel, and walked away, Adrine falling in behind her without a single backward glance.
Left alone in the shadows with his stunned guard, Alister's blood boiled. He touched his throbbing lip, staring at the retreating figures. "How dare she..." he murmured, his voice a venomous hiss. "How dare she touch me! Even Marquess Roswald has never laid a hand on me!"
"Oh Viscountess... you have just added a target on your head too, hehehe!" Alister started laughing hysterically, a smear of blood still marking his philtrum. His guard stood by, utterly unsure of what to do in the suddenly hostile quiet of the garden.
* * *
Meanwhile, Ji Hoon stepped through the towering palace doors and into the grand entrance hall, his head tilting back in pure, unadulterated amazement.
Soaring arches of white marble swept overhead, held aloft by pillars carved with intricate depictions of legendary battles and mythical beasts.
Enchanted crystals set into the ceiling glowed with a soft, warm light, illuminating tapestries woven with threads of real gold. It was a level of opulence that was almost overwhelming.
Pushing further inside, he and Ione entered the main ballroom where the party was in full swing. It was a sea of silk, velvet, and glittering jewels.
Nobles in their finest attire moved through the room like peacocks, their clothes a silent, fierce competition of status and wealth.
Ji Hoon's eyes scanned the crowd, taking in the scene with a chef's analytical eye, while Ione stayed close behind him, her own eyes wide with a mixture of awe and anxiety.
He didn't have to wait long before his mother rejoined them, her composure perfectly restored. She subtly tucked a handkerchief into her sleeve as she approached.
"Cassian, my love. I hope you didn't wait long," she said, her smile warm and genuine now.
"Not at all, Mother," he replied, noticing the brief, hard look Adrine shot toward the garden entrance before resuming her stoic watch.
Their quiet conversation was interrupted by a familiar, shrewd voice. "Well, if it isn't the heroes of the hour."
They turned to find Madam Ashdown approaching, a small, knowing smile on her lips. Greetings were exchanged politely.
She patted Ji Hoon firmly on the back. "You really impressed me with that last round and your new reciepe, boy. And to actually dare to use a Sea Sugar in a competition?" She let out a low, appreciative chuckle. "That's not just skill, that's boldness. I like it."
Lady Yuhwa smiled with clear pride, while Ji Hoon simply ducked his head in a humble gesture. "You flatter me, Madam."
Before their conversation could continue, a loud, clear voice cut through the din of the party, silencing every guest at once.
"His Majesty, Emperor Charles II, and the Royal Family!"
A hush fell over the ballroom. As one, the entire assembly of nobles bowed their heads in a deep, respectful gesture. Ji Hoon followed suit, his heart thumping with a strange mix of protocol and curiosity.
As he raised his eyes again, he heard Madam Ashdown murmur beside him, "Oh, so that's the Princess Yuliana, hmm? The girl of the party."
Ji Hoon's gaze instinctively followed the direction of her nod, his curiosity piqued. He tried to peer through the crowd of courtiers who subtly shifted to get a better look, partially obscuring his view.
Then, the crowd parted for a moment, offering a clear line of sight to the young woman standing beside the Emperor.
Ji Hoon's breath hitched. His mind stuttered, refusing to process what his eyes were seeing. The elegant gown, the royal diadem in her hair—it was all wrong, and yet those eyes of hers were unmistakable.
His lips parted in sheer, unadulterated shock, and two words escaped as a disbelieving whisper.
"Cook Yuna?"