Chapter 1456

The Knights' cipher, “the cuckoo sings.”

On the surface it sounded like nonsense, but it was a tactical code that meant suspected terrorist activity.

Illyna couldn’t help but sigh. While Heins was unusually peaceful, the other nations often fought for power even while sitting at the negotiating table.

The Pallan Empire had many jealous neighbors. Naturally, those countries would deny it, but incidents had popped up occasionally in the past.

“Where is it this time?” Illyna asked the knight.

He didn’t seem sure how to answer. “Well... we are still investigating.”

Illyna looked dumbfounded at the knight’s report. “You haven't even figured it out, and you've already circulated the cipher?”

“A warning has arrived.”

The Knight Commander sighed and took out a letter. It was a pretty, pink-colored note.

“Wait! Commander, isn’t that?!”

“Huh?”

Only then did Illyna realize the letter looked familiar.

“Ahem! Ahem!!”

“Knight Commander!!”

“My apologies. I've been carrying the letter sent by Your Highness close to my heart.”

“Knight Commander, are you out of your mind?” Illyna whispered in shock, and he chuckled, then pulled out a different letter.

“This is it. I really shouldn't be showing you this, but... it's not like you and us are just ordinary acquaintances, Your Highness.”

“If my brother catches you, you're going to get a serious scolding.”

“Then I will offer my neck for punishment.”

Illyna skimmed the patchwork letter. It was a warning created using letters cut out from a book, demanding the immediate cancellation of the banquet unless they wanted to see the Imperial Palace blow up in front of their eyes.

“We can't confirm the authenticity,” a knight reported. “No letters have arrived consistently before this, and this seems to be the only one.”

“If they had come consistently, I might’ve just brushed it off as a joke...”

Just a single letter. Illyna frowned at the stern warning that suggested no room for compromise.

“Furthermore, there have been several reports about suspicious individuals. So...”

“You circulated the cipher, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll help you with the search.” Illyna tapped her brooch gently. “All we need to do is find those guys and subdue them without drawing too much attention, right?”

“We are devoted to Your Highness, and will follow you if Your Highness so desires.”

“You know that if what you've just said gets out, the Knight Order’s going to be completely dismantled, right?”

“Haha. Of course we'll keep our mouths shut! According to the information we've gathered, some of the suspicious individuals were discovered here,” he said as he pointed to a corner of the Imperial Castle's outskirts.

He continued, “Your Highness. Since you were a kid, you were always poking around the Imperial Castle. Where do you think those guys would try to sneak in?”

“There are two possibilities. If the person knows the Imperial Castle well...” She pointed to a narrow passage. “Here. I went through here once when I was running away from Sir Olman. The intruder must have a good amount of information on the Imperial Castle.”

“Do you have a basis for that judgment?”

“Look at the path where the suspicious individuals were found. See here, here, and here?”

“Yes.”

“Someone who doesn't know the Imperial Castle well wouldn’t be able to determine this optimal route.”

The Knight Commander's expression darkened at her words, as it meant they also had to consider the possibility of a traitor from within.

“Just as expected from Your Highness, the biggest troublemaker of the Imperial Castle.”

“Knight Commander...”

“Haha, I'm kidding, Your Highness. But, about Sir Olman... is he doing well?”

“I guess teaching is his true calling,” she informed him with a smirk.” He's still there even though it's past the time for him to return. He must’ve gotten attached to the students.”

“Haha. Sir Olman, that old goat.”

Illyna added, “Though I'm a little worried about how much he obsesses over potatoes.”

Sir Olman, the Potato Professor of Heins Academy. He was an excellent Swordmaster of the Pallan Empire, yet his nickname within the Academy was incredibly indignant.

It came from the fact that he'd never let go of the potato in one of his hands, even while teaching students during sparring.

Despite that, his incredible skills made him a very popular professor.

* * *

“You look beautiful.”

Evangeline looked at the gorgeous dress with an uneasy look before forcing a bitter smile. “It really is uncomfortable.”

“What can we do? Still, it's a good thing you didn't have to wear it from the start like the other young ladies.”

“That's true.” She turned around in a twirl once, then cleared her throat. “I'm ready.”

“This is the last thing.” Perserque, who was assisting Evangeline in Illyna 's place, put a pretty earring on her ear.

“What is this?”

“It's a protective artifact. A spirit is dwelling within it.”

“I don't really need this, though...”

“Even so, there's no harm in having it,” Perserque said in a cautioning tone. “Just in case, I'd suggest not sprouting your wings or performing any partial incarnation.”

“Mommmm, I know all that.” Evangeline, who had a mischievous smile, took a short breath and walked out gracefully, adhering to the court etiquette she had learned.

The banquet hall was already buzzing with the attendees.

A receptionist asked her, “Excuse me, could you state your identity?”

“Evangeline O'Rowane, Grand Duchess of Heins,” she answered calmly, and the servant guarding the entrance looked surprised, then bowed his head.

“Welcome, Grand Duchess Evangeline O'Rowane. I will assist you with your entrance.”

Seeing her enter without issue, Perserque smiled faintly. She muttered to herself, “They sent the invitation late, so I thought they might be foolish enough to leave her name off the guest list entirely. Looks like they're not quite that stupid.”

The ones who likely delayed her invitation were certain influential young ladies.

After all, in such social circles, it was always the young ladies who kept other young ladies in check, and the young lords who kept other young lords in check. It seemed they were merely testing the waters since rumors about Evangeline were rampant.

Since there was no reason to openly be on bad terms with Heins, their intent was probably just to give her a little poke and see her reaction. Sure, it was unpleasant, but the social scene for women was generally like that, so complaining about it would just be a waste of breath.

“Grand Duchess Evangeline O'Rowane enters!”

Usually, a woman wouldn’t attend a social gathering alone. She would typically have an escort, but this particular banquet was a bit of a special case.

Of course, the moment Evangeline's name was announced, all eyes naturally turned toward her. Her appearance, already proven exceptional on Earth, was more than enough to captivate countless people, regardless of her young age.

Even though she hid her horns with magic, her natural charm hadn't faded.

“Ooh...”

“My goodness! That young lady is the rumored Saint's daughter...”

“But isn’t the Saint just twenty years old? How could he have a daughter like that?”

Many were puzzled. While Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon existed, they had never engaged in any official activities or revealed their presence. That was why Evangeline was the most well-known child of Davey’s on the continent.

People whispered so she couldn't hear, but Evangeline picked up everything with her acute hearing. She wasn't surprised or annoyed, though. It was exactly what she'd expected, and she probably would've reacted the same way if she were in their shoes.

However, that murmuring didn’t last long. The atmosphere shifted as word spread that she wasn't fully human but of mixed heritage, suggesting she matured differently from humans.

Of course, there were those who were displeased with her presence. Yet, no one openly approached her to pick a fight. They only watched and waited for an opportunity.

Since the special banquet required her to enter without an escort, Evangeline was quite lost about what to do first.

The hall, decorated for a banquet that gathered the young generations from various regions, was truly beautiful.

That was when it happened.

A young, pretty girl, still a minor, approached and bowed elegantly toward her. “You must be Miss Evangeline O'Rowane.”

“Ah. Yes. Evangeline O'Rowane, Grand Duchess of Heins.”

“My apologies, I'm late to introduce myself. I am Eosha Patrick. I heard stories about you from my older sister,” the girl said with a smile.

“Your sister?”

“Yes. There is a bit of an age gap, but I'm the younger sister of Alyssa Patrick, who once attended to and assisted Grand Duchess Illyna.”

‘Ah.’

Only then did Evangeline remember where she had heard the surname Patrick. That was Alyssa Patrick, a noble young lady in the Pallan Empire who had assisted her mother Illyna in the past.

Alyssa Patrick, like Illyna, was a member of the Alpha Reinforcement Order, yet since that fact was never made public, they were only known as close friends.

‘Now that I think about it, she definitely had a friend named Alyssa Patrick.’

“Actually, my sister asked me to show you around this time.”

Evangeline appreciated the guidance. “Thank you.”

“Don't mention it. Even if she hadn't asked, I really wanted to get to know you personally.”

She wasn't of age yet, but had already gained experience in various social activities. Using those skills, she provided detailed introductions based on quite a bit of thorough information.

“The truth is, even though it's just a formality, in banquets like this, people from the same country often stick together. People who knew each other before will also frequently form their own cliques.”

She spoke slowly while savoring a fruit drink, adding, “I can’t tell you much. But a social gathering’s a place where various people get together, no matter the objective. The choice is yours, Grand Duchess, but please be wary of those who try to take advantage of your authority, those who suck up to you for gain, and those who smile while tearing you down to use your power for their own benefit.”

That was the nature of society for young ladies, if not young lords as well. Simply having a highborn title wasn’t everything.

“Do you see over there?” Eosha Patrick pointed to one side. “That's the youngest daughter of Marquis Balos from the Berdor Kingdom. She's naturally kind and gentle. The people around her are young ladies from a count family, a viscount family, and a baron family.”

Evangeline looked at the young ladies who were having a posh tea party in the distance.

Eosha continued, “I heard her nature is so gentle that she never boasts or tries to pressure others. That's why she was eaten alive like that. It's not a common occurrence, but it's not rare either.”

Noble circles somewhat resembled a warzone.

At the center of the group stood a young lady from a count's family. Dressed in a lavish gown, she accepted the praise of the surrounding young ladies, clearly enjoying the attention and influence she commanded.

Though she was a marquis's daughter, she was completely overshadowed and reduced to a mere accessory by the count's daughter.

“You're very knowledgeable.”

“Well, I was strictly taught from a young age about things like international affairs and new emerging powers. In that sense, I guess the social scene is a hotbed of information and a battlefield.”

Smiling brightly, she went on to introduce the names of the young lords and ladies nearby one by one, explaining who they were.

That was when it happened.

“His Highness Prince Khrones Lan Sparta, the First Prince of the Sparta Kingdom, enters.”

Following a monotonous voice, the door opened, and everyone's gaze turned again.

“He's here. The second protagonist.”

Evangeline “The second protagonist? Was there a first?”

“Yes. The first protagonist of the evening was you, the much talked about Grand Duchess. The beloved daughter of the Saint of Tionis and the Grand Duke of Heins, no less. Quite a few young lords attended simply because they heard you'd be here.”

No wonder. She'd noticed some people looking at her cautiously from the beginning. She remarked, “For all that, not many people are approaching.”

Eosha giggled, “Hehe. That's probably because of me.”

“Because of you?”

“Believe it or not, I have a notorious reputation as the mag dog of the social scene.”

Evangeline couldn't imagine why and how the lovely, petite, and delicate young lady before her could ever earn the nickname mad dog.

“Well... I once poured a teacup over the head of a young lady who was trash-talking my fiancé.”

She said it with a blush, as if embarrassed, but the content was anything but shy. Of course, that alone probably wasn't the only reason she was called such a name.

Just then, Eosha Patrick smiled as she saw a young man approaching her. “Grand Duchess, I'm sorry, but I need to step away for a moment.”

“Is something wrong?”

“My fiancé has arrived. Since he's from another country, it's not easy to meet him before the marriage outside times like this.”

“Go ahead. I've kept you too long.”

“No, not at all. I'll be back soon.”

As she hurried away with a reddened face, Evangeline turned her attention to the young man she'd called the second protagonist.

He looked like he was fifteen years old. He had curly blonde hair that looked like melted gold, and shimmering emerald-green eyes. She felt he looked like the male lead of the romance novels she occasionally read back on Earth, but that wasn't all that surprised her.

“What a peculiar constitution.”

It seemed similar to the ability of a Special One, but it was different.

It was a mana circulation system mostly seen in Swordsmen, but he also showed magic circle mastery. His level was about high Expert and 3rd Circle. For someone his age, it was an incredible level and undoubtedly admirable.

Only then did she remember something Davey had mentioned in passing. At one point, he’d told her of an unprecedented genius in the Sparta Kingdom. Although he ranked low in the line of succession, his unique constitution basically guaranteed his appointment as Crown Prince.

Of course, in terms of sheer power, comparing him to herself would be embarrassing.

She then looked slightly to the side and saw two young men who seemed to have come with him. One was a cold-looking boy wearing glasses that gave him an intelligent appearance, while the other was a cheerful, handsome boy who looked like he was always up for some fun.

Oddly enough, Evangeline felt an instinctive repulsion.

The three seemed quite close, as if they were friends. The moment the trio appeared, the young ladies who had been watching Evangeline immediately turned their attention to them instead, their eyes filled with admiration.

In contrast, the expressions of the other young lords weren’t pretty.

It really was a banquet filled with competition, envy, and rivalry. Evangeline couldn't help but think that for kids their age, they all had it pretty rough.

There was soon another development.

A girl with bright, voluminous blonde hair stepped forward in front of the new arrival, leading a group of followers and showing off her elegant figure. “Lord Khrones!”

Seeing that, Evangeline forgot her position and nibbled on a piece of cake on her plate, her eyes sparkling.

‘Here we go. I need drama.’

It was clear that the blonde girl had a crush on Prince Khrones.

However, the young man with the reserved look seemed completely uninterested in her.