Published: September 6, 2025
The welcome banquet began with the sixth bell.
Today’s dishes were prepared by Hugo and Ella, showcasing the cutting-edge cuisine of Ehrenfest. Since they had already been presented at the lords' council meeting, there was no point in keeping them a secret. There were a few menu items not served at the meeting, apparently as a show of strength to elevate Ehrenfest’s value in the eyes of Arensbach. “We must make Ferdinand look as valuable as possible,” my foster father had said.
As the lord family entered, along with the Arensbach delegation led by Georgine and Dietlinde, all the lord candidates in the North Wing were instructed to gather and move together.
Because the guests were from Arensbach, the Guard Knights looked tense, and Angelica, though dressed formally, had repeatedly practiced whether she could quickly draw Steinluk if needed.
It was rare for the castle to host guests from other territories. Both Charlotte and Melchior were experiencing this for the first time. Charlotte was fine, having socialized with other nobles at the noble academy, but Melchior had almost no social experience yet. Since less than a year had passed since his baptism ceremony, he was much like Wilfried when Georgine had visited before.
“Melchior, do not say anything unnecessary. Only deliver the preset greetings,” I warned.
“Yes, brother,” he replied earnestly.
Wilfried had been scolded severely last time for adding extra words at the final greeting, so I was making sure Melchior didn’t repeat that mistake. He listened to his brother’s failure story with a serious expression.
“Do you think Lord Ferdinand has prepared a new mana stone?”
Brunhilde murmured anxiously in a barely audible voice. Since the workshop had plenty of materials, making a mana stone for Arensbach shouldn’t take much time, but the high priest probably hadn’t done so.
“...I don’t think he has, but he’ll somehow manage. He seemed confident,” I replied with a sweet smile, confidently stating that if given the right words and presented with a smile, it would be fine. I worried whether my abdominal muscles could take the fake smile paired with such insincere flirtation. The stark contrast with his usual stern face was almost unbearable.
By the time we entered the grand hall, the high priest was already there, greeting the nobles who offered their congratulations with a perfect fake smile. He looked so kind—it was almost deceptive. I wanted to shout that it was a fraud; he was a completely different person from usual.
“Uncle’s social face is amazing,” Charlotte said.
“Yes. He doesn’t show the stern look he reveals in the secret room at all. Not only is he skilled in alchemy and office work, but he’s also a great role model for social events,” Wilfried added with a sigh of admiration. Both had seen the high priest practicing for the noble academy in the workshop. I hoped Charlotte would not take the high priest’s social skills as her example.
...If Charlotte started wearing such fake smiles and turned dour in daily life, I would definitely cry.
“Rosemine, Wilfried, Charlotte, Melchior. You will wait here,” Lord Bonifatius ordered.
“Lord Bonifatius,” we responded.
“I’ve already declared my retirement, so I usually avoid official events involving other territories. But this time, I was asked to accompany you as protection,” Grandfather said proudly. Angelica and Brother Cornelius subtly shifted their positions to shield me from Grandfather.
“Today, we welcome important guests from Arensbach,” said my foster father and foster mother as they entered. Once all Ehrenfest nobles assembled, the banquet officially began with my foster father's words, and the doors swung wide open. Beyond them stood Georgine and Dietlinde, veiled, leading their entourage.
Maybe because it was summer, Georgine and Dietlinde wore thin, almost translucent veils. Georgine moved with the majestic grace of a queen, while Dietlinde followed quietly behind, smiling affectionately at the nobles around her. Though the nobles whispered among themselves, they showed favorable expressions toward Dietlinde.