With most of the guests now present, Emperor Regulus Hestia decided it was time to begin. Rising from his elevated seat at the highest point of the festive palace, his mere movement was enough to command attention. The murmuring of the crowd ceased instantly, all eyes turning toward him.
A heavy silence settled over the hall as Regulus cast a sweeping gaze over the assembled nobles, generals, and dignitaries. Then, in a deep, authoritative voice, he spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all to this grand occasion. It is an honor to stand before you as the ruler of the Hestia Empire."
His voice echoed throughout the vast chamber, carrying the weight of an emperor who had ruled for decades.
"It seems there are those who would dare to disturb the peace of our empire. The recent attack on the royal museum was not just an act of terror—it was a declaration of war against our sovereignty."
A tense murmur rippled through the crowd. Though the empire remained unshaken, the audacity of the enemy had shocked many.
Regulus continued, his sharp gaze unwavering. **"But let me remind you all—**those who challenge Hestia will always meet the same fate. **Defeat."
"And that defeat was made possible by the bravery of our young heroes and the unwavering resolve of our soldiers. Thanks to them, the enemy’s plans crumbled before they could cause true devastation. For that, we owe them our gratitude."**
Clap-clap-clap!
The hall erupted into thunderous applause. Some guests cheered, others raised their glasses in appreciation. The knights standing along the walls remained stoic, but the pride in their eyes was unmistakable.
"Tonight, we celebrate not just victory, but those who stood against chaos," Regulus declared. "We shall honor their courage and mourn those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the empire’s peace."
The word sacrifice seemed insufficient to describe the horrors of that day, but no one questioned the emperor’s phrasing.
After a brief pause, Regulus gave a faint nod. "The reward ceremony will commence soon. But for now—enjoy this banquet."
With that, another wave of applause swept through the hall, and the formalities gave way to the revelry of the evening.
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More cheers erupted, filling the festive palace with a lively atmosphere. The guests, flush with excitement and fine wine, raised their glasses high. Among them, the students of the Arcane Academy stood stiffly, still trying to process the grandeur surrounding them.
For many of them—especially the commoners—this was their first time stepping foot in such a lavish setting. The towering chandeliers, the endless tables filled with gourmet dishes, and the sheer extravagance of it all made them feel out of place. Would they ever get to experience something like this again?
Arthur, standing near the edge of the hall, observed the spectacle with a blank expression.
Seriously… Grandpa is something else.
The sheer amount of wealth poured into this one banquet was absurd. Just to maintain the empire’s image in front of the nobility, Regulus Hestia had organized a celebration grand enough to fund an entire city for a month.
"Go on, mingle."
A gentle push from behind made Arthur stumble forward slightly. Elona, holding a glass of deep red wine, smirked at him.
"You’re the star of the night, after all."
Arthur sighed. "Yes, mother."
Meanwhile, Regulus leaned back in his throne, sipping his own glass of exquisite imperial wine, his gaze scanning the room with a practiced calm. He wasn’t just indulging—he was watching. Assessing.
As Arthur stepped further into the crowd, he immediately felt the shift. Countless eyes turned to him. Some subtle, some not so much.
A few nobles openly whispered among themselves, casting curious glances his way. Others, more reserved, studied him from a distance, their expressions carefully neutral.
Was this really the boy who had fought against monsters and lived?
Did he truly survive wielding a demonic weapon?
He looks too young. Too… ordinary.
Arthur paused.
What now?
Should he strut through the crowd like a majestic lion, exuding confidence and dominance? Or should he play the role of an innocent young noble, smiling politely and greeting everyone with a reserved charm?
Arthur smirked to himself. Yeah, right. Those ideas were ridiculous—something straight out of a bad drama.
Shaking his head, he casually plucked a glass of wine from a passing servant’s tray. The famed imperial wine, so rare that even high-ranking aristocrats reserved it for once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, was being handed out like common ale.
Arthur glanced at the dark red liquid and felt the absurdity of it all.
This will be my first drink in this life.
Though he had tasted alcohol before, that was in his past life—and those drinks were far from luxurious. Cheap beer, questionable cocktails, whatever he and his friends could afford back then. But now? This was the good stuff. He felt an odd sense of excitement as he brought the glass closer.
"You seem to be getting more famous by the day."
A familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"How are you feeling? Have you fully recovered?"
Turning, Arthur found Alex and Cassandra approaching him.
Without missing a beat, he ignored Alex completely and turned to Cassandra with a small smirk, handing her another glass of wine.
"I’m fine now. Fully recovered," he assured her smoothly.
Cassandra accepted the glass with a soft chuckle. "That’s good. We wanted to visit you at the infirmary, but we got caught up with some academy matters."
Arthur waved it off. "Don’t worry about it. A bunch of people already came to check on me, and honestly? It was a headache. They wouldn’t stop talking."
Cassandra giggled, while Alex sighed dramatically.
"Ha~ha. They were just worried about you. Seeing you awake probably made them a little… enthusiastic."
As Arthur and Cassandra chatted, Alex stood awkwardly to the side, clearly feeling left out. His expression shifted between frustration and embarrassment.
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Cassandra noticed and sighed, before nudging Arthur. "Are you still mad at my brother?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Mad at him? Why would I be?"
"Well… you two didn’t exactly start on the best terms. And you’ve been ignoring him this whole time."
Arthur blinked, then smirked. "What? Of course not. Sure, we had a rough start, but we’re still classmates." He shrugged. "It’s just that I’d rather talk to a beautiful girl than another guy."
Cassandra laughed. "Ha~ha! You’re pretty smooth, huh?"
"Only when the situation calls for it."
Before Cassandra could reply, Arthur glanced around. "By the way, where is everyone else? Did only you two get here so far?"
A teasing voice cut in from behind. "Everyone’s here. If you weren’t so busy flirting, you might’ve noticed."
Arthur turned to see Alicia and Cedric approaching.
And damn—Alicia looked stunning.
Her usual elegance was amplified by the way she carried herself—her long platinum hair cascaded down in loose waves, catching the light like strands of silk. Dressed in a refined yet stylish gown of deep sapphire blue, the fabric hugged her slender frame, enhancing her natural grace. Her sharp golden eyes held an amused glint, lips curved in a knowing smirk.
Arthur laughed off her taunt, walking up to her with a playful grin. "It’s not like that. Before I even had the chance to look around, these two approached me, so I had to entertain them."
Alicia crossed her arms. "Yeah, yeah. Keep making excuses."
As Arthur and Alicia exchanged playful banter, more familiar faces joined in.
Akira, Eveline—accompanied by Althea—Kaela, Nadia, and several other students from the academy approached, some of them not part of the main cast but all present during the museum attack.
The atmosphere grew livelier as everyone gathered, their conversations overlapping, laughter bubbling up between them.
Arthur, caught up in the moment, forgot all about the scrutinizing gazes from the nobles around him.
"How are you, Arthur?"
A deep, refined voice broke through the chatter. Arthur turned to see a well-dressed middle-aged man approaching with a polite smile.
Arthur immediately recognized him. "Uncle Edgar."
Alicia’s face lit up. "Dad!"
She quickly moved forward and hugged him. Edgar’s usually composed expression softened into a warm smile as he embraced his daughter. "How’s my sweet girl?"
Alicia pouted slightly as she pulled away. "Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?"
Edgar chuckled. "All noble houses were invited. I figured this was a good opportunity to see my children."
"Hah! Yeah, right." Cedric scoffed, crossing his arms. "Let’s be real. You’re only here to see her."
Edgar raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you say that?"
Cedric smirked. "Because you always ignore me, that’s why."
"Shut up, brother." Alicia added, smirking.
Edgar chuckled at their sibling banter before turning back to his daughter. "So, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?"
Alicia started listing off their names, introducing each one in turn. But when she finished, Edgar arched an eyebrow.
"You forgot someone." His gaze flicked toward Arthur teasingly.
Alicia blinked. "What do you mean? You already know him."
Edgar’s smile widened. "I know him as your friend. But from what I’ve heard recently, you two are more than that."
"Dad!" Alicia’s face flushed red.
Edgar let out a hearty laugh. "Ha~ha! My little girl has grown up."
Then, he turned to Arthur, his expression still playful but with a hint of seriousness. "Kid, don’t ever make my daughter sad."
Arthur smirked. "You don’t have to worry about that, Uncle. She’s already happier with me than she has been ever with you."
Edgar blinked, then burst into laughter. "Bold, aren’t you?"