Chapter 16

Episode 16

When we arrived at the Flanders Hall, the grand banquet hall of the Duchy of Felicity, they were already playing music, and many people had arrived already.

"Welcome, Prince Davey, Prince Barris, and Princess Winley. I'm Kram, the Head Chamberlain of the Duchy of Felicity."

"Thank you for your hard work, Kram."

As we entered the place, I saw servants and maids waiting for the guests with their heads down. Barris smiled kindly.

"We've been waiting for you."

"I wonder if we're too late."

"Please don't worry about it."

Responding politely, he quietly pointed to the entrance of the banquet hall.

"Please come in. Most of the VIPs are already here."

"I shall ask your favor."

"Please leave it to me."

When he sent a signal to the other servants, they quietly opened the door, revealing a colorful and spacious room.

When we entered, people inside the hall immediately turned their heads towards us.

Combat

The age limit for participants in the continental swordsmanship competition was under twenty. Due to that condition, most of the party attendees looked young.

for the people who came along with the competitors like Winley, most of them were quite young.

The attention we got from them was intense. However, Barris didn't seem to be bothered by it. Instead, he kept walking in with a smile.

"Davey, shall we go?"

"Sure."

With Winley's beautiful smile and her quiet voice, we entered slowly, following after Barris.

Having a lot of people's attention was weirding me out. Our arrival seemed to make them tremendously curious.

A lot of people were interested in Barris. His skill was a little higher than an intermediate level, which was already above his age.

Their knowledge of him might not have been accurate, but they must've heard about him all the same. As a competitor, they were interested in him.

At least, in the upcoming competition, they were opponents.

"Damn, I've heard he is talented, but he is good-looking as well."

"By the way, is she Princess Winley?"

"She is beautiful."

I heard some people murmuring in the distance. They probably didn't think I could hear them. However, I happened to have excellent ears.

However, Barris and Winley, smiling awkwardly, didn't seem to hear their voice.

"Nice to meet you, Prince Barris. I am the Duke of Perdisha Kingdom's Koldium."

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am the Duke of Voltis of the Hushan Kingdom."

Naturally, there were boundaries between competitors. On the other hand, they seemed to think it was worth getting to know each other.

Barris looked at me for help as a lot of people approached him with a smile on their faces.

Sometimes...

"Winley, Would you like to dance with me?"

It was good to ignore someone's plea for help.

"Hey, Davey..."

In the end, I just decided to ignore his annoyed tone of voice.

* * *

People started to dance with their partners as the music changed in the hall.

"This is the first time we've danced together, Davey, isn't it?"

Winley smiled and put her hands down elegantly after the music.

"It is."

"I was eight years old when you became comatose. I hadn't even made my social debut yet."

In most of the countries in the Tionis continent, the aristocratic and royal family encouraged fourteen and fifteen-year-old girls to begin their social life.

It happened a little early for royal families.

Winley made her social debut when I was still in a coma.

I still couldn't believe they sent her to chase the local criminals.

As she recalled the past, Winley smiled with her eyes fixed on the banquet hall.

"I'm so glad you're recovering now. They will learn of your true value someday."

Her genuine smile made me smile as well. They were one of the few affectionate people in the royal palace.

Most people in the royal palace of the Rown Kingdom were coldblooded. Hence, I wondered how these guys came out so warm-hearted.

"You were very talented in swordsmanship."

She reminded me as if I had forgotten about it.

"I have no use for the sword now."

"Don't say that. You're still young."

"Aren't you a little too young to say that?"

"Hehe."

She smiled and drank a glass of grape juice.

"Princess Winley."

It was a gentle voice but quite cheesy at the same time.

While Barris had the most attention, Winley was also in the center of attention among the aristocratic males and females.

Considering the male-to-female ratio, there was nothing weird about Winley getting a lot of attention, who was admittedly pretty cute.

"Oh..."

Winley seemed to know who he was.

"I'm glad to see you again."

"Oh, yes, Prince Baltian de Voltiz."

She spoke awkwardly with a stiff expression, taking a step back unintentionally.

However, he held out a hand to her as if he didn't notice her body language.

"Can you spend some time talking to me?"

It was rare to see Winley, who wasn't picky about people, retreating with a dark expression.

A sudden curiosity arose.

"I'm sorry, Prince Baltian, but I was talking to my brother."

He turned to me at her words.

Although he was aware of my presence right from the beginning, he pretended that he just took notice of me.

He clicked his tongue and soon burst into laughter. Even if the aristocrats wanted to beat someone to death, they had to smile externally.

"Oh, I apologize. I'm Baltian de Voltiz, the seventh prince of the Voltiz Kingdom."

"I'm Davey Al Rown."

His eyebrows wiggled with my short answer.

I felt sorry, but it was too late to give a good impression anyway.

I looked at his eyes, immediately feeling his contempt.

No matter who he was, it was disrespectful to look at the royal family of another country in such a way. However, he didn't seem to care at all.

"What brought you here, Prince Davey?"

"I'm here to watch my brother's game."

"I see. Please enjoy your trip."

He turned to Winley again, with a creepy smile on his face.

"I will give you the honor if I win the Continental Sword Competition, Princess Winley. You are my inspiration."

Winley looked disgusted by the way he spoke in a cheesy tone.

Although she was pretty good at presenting herself in public, she couldn't hide her discomfort at his remarks.

"You should know that it is disrespectful to say that for the people who gathered here."

"Yes, but it wouldn't be rude if it was true."

"My twin brother is also participating in this competition. It is quite disrespectful to my brother."

Winnie looked up at me as if she didn't want to hear any more of his nonsense.

"Let's go, Davey."

"..."

It wasn't hard to step out, but I didn't mean to burden Winley or Barris. However, when we were just about to leave...

"How dare you ignore me?! Princess Winley!"

Prince Baltian quickly reached his arm out to her, who turned her back against him, seemingly unable to stand him anymore.

That was it.

'I've had enough. I can't take more bullshit.'

Poof!

Ukhhh!

"Kkkkh?"

'When the chance comes, don't hesitate.'

As I always said, I wasn't the kind who battled with the knife wrapped in cloth.

It also wasn't like me to put up with rudeness that had gone way too far.

* * *

It was essential to keep public and private matters separate for royalty and aristocrats.

We had to hide our emotions, no matter if we were upset or happy. Such was the life and responsibility of the noble blood.

Sometimes I thought it was unfair.

No one lived a perfect life, even if they seemed that way on the outside.

"Oh, my gosh!"

Baltian, who fell on one knee, gave out a painful scream, which brought everyone's attention to us.

"Hey, Davey."

"You are not supposed to touch someone else's precious sister."

I spoke calmly and softly with a smile, which aggravated Prince Baltian even more.

"Loud..."

"You're lucky I saved your bone."

"Kkkh!"

I released his wrist, which I was holding tightly, and he immediately gasped and grabbed at it.

I could've broken his bone simply by twisting his arm, but I didn't want to cause any trouble.

The worst thing that could happen was Barris getting disqualified.

Whatever it was, it was okay if there was no evidence left.

He was furious now, but his body would still heal after a while, so he would have nothing to complain about. He stared at me with spiteful eyes, but he took a step back from me.

The relaxed and cheesy impression he had a while ago was no longer present. Only a boy with a bad temper was in front of us.

He took off his gloves and threw them at me.

"I challenge you to a duel!"

Everyone in the banquet hall was now looking at us, from the young aristocrats and royal families who came here for the competition to the small number of people who accompanied them.

I glanced at the gloves on the floor and looked at him coldly.

Winley then began to shout furiously.