Chapter 9: The Royal Banquet

​The first thing that assaulted his senses was the colossal size of the room compared to the suite he had woken up in. Crystal chandeliers hung from its towering ceiling, and in the center stretched a giant wooden dining table surrounded by dozens of plush velvet chairs.

​But amidst all this emptiness, there was only one man sitting at the far end of the long table. Behind the man stood a young woman wearing a dark red dress that drew the eye simply because it sharply contrasted with the room's coldness; her striking color was the first to break the white-and-gold rule in this palace.

​Even from this distance, their features were perfectly clear to Vain thanks to his sharp vision. The man appeared to be middle-aged, possessing pure white hair and light wrinkles that gave him an air of dignity and prestige. He wore a small, calm smile that planted an unsettling confusion in Vain's innocent heart. He was dressed in luxurious formal attire bearing the same royal crest Vain had seen earlier. As for the girl in the red dress, she had a quiet demeanor with gentle, yet cold, features.

​The moment Vain entered, the white-haired man stood up from his chair, showing unexpected respect with a slight bow of his head, and said in a warm, deep tone:

​"Welcome to the main palace of the Kingdom of Lyth... guest of the Protector."

​Vain became extremely nervous, not knowing how to respond to a greeting from someone who seemed so influential. He opted to mimic the man with a simple bow, replying in a stuttering, confused voice:

​"I... I apologize for the intrusion, and thank you for taking care of me while I was unconscious."

​They both raised their heads at the same time. The white-haired man gestured toward a chair near him, telling Vain to sit wherever he pleased. Vain didn't quite understand the underlying meaning of pointing to a specific chair while saying 'sit anywhere,' as if issuing a polite command.

​Deciding to play along and avoid trouble, Vain walked calmly and sat in the indicated chair, which was very close to his mysterious host's seat.

​Vain sat quietly, deciding to remain completely silent out of fear of saying something unnecessary, remembering Zeel's strict warning to choose his words carefully.

​A heavy silence settled over the spacious room, creating a suffocating tension that caused Vain to sweat, his eyes glued to the wooden table in front of him.

​Suddenly, the man broke the silence by clapping his hands three consecutive times, making Vain jump in his seat.

​A side door swung open, and Vain watched four maids enter carrying covered silver platters. As they approached, a warm, mouth-watering aroma slowly drifted to his nose—the scent of roasted meats and rich spices that made his mouth water involuntarily. The mysterious man noticed his predatory gaze and drool, and let out a cheerful, resonant laugh, causing Vain's face to flush bright red with embarrassment.

​The maids placed numerous dishes of various types, colors, and shapes on the table. The enchanting aromas continued to waft into Vain's nose, doubling his primal urge to devour everything in sight.

​The maids retreated slowly and silently, but Vain didn't even notice them; his absolute focus was maniacally locked onto the food.

​The man kept staring at Vain with his usual smile and said:

​"Well, we can't focus on talking on an empty stomach. Let's eat first."

​The red-haired girl stepped forward and sat in a chair near the mysterious man. The two began eating from the plates in front of them using methods Vain found strange and complicated; they took very small bites using shiny silver utensils like forks and knives.

​Vain cared nothing for noble dining etiquette. For someone who hadn't tasted food in days, these tools were merely an obstacle and a waste of time. In a normal situation, he would have savagely torn into whatever was in front of him to satiate his deadly hunger, but he didn't want to look like an incompetent barbarian in front of his hosts. So, to strike a balance, he decided to eat with his bare hands, but at a deliberately slow pace—after all, he didn't know how to use those tools even if he wanted to.

​Vain started eating, trying to feign composure, but the moment the food touched his tongue, he lost himself entirely. He ate and ate, oblivious to his surroundings, savoring every bite of the nourishing dishes that melted in his mouth. He drowned in the euphoria of satiation, while the man and the girl continued to eat quietly, without making any sudden movements or uttering a single word.

​Finally, Vain finished his meal after wiping his plates clean. He leaned back against his chair, his stomach completely full, granting him a delicious feeling of warmth and contentment. He naively thought to himself that it wouldn't even matter if he died at this very moment, as long as he had filled his stomach after all that horrific torment.

​Without realizing it, a wide, goofy smile of absolute satisfaction spread across his face. This spontaneous display made the man laugh aloud once again, snapping Vain out of his daze—he had completely forgotten his host's presence due to his intense focus on the food and drink.

​The man wiped his mouth with a white silk napkin resting on the table and pushed his chair back slightly, producing a soft squeak. The girl did the same quietly, then stood up to return to her previous position, standing silently behind the mysterious man's wooden chair, waiting to see where this meeting would lead.

​Vain looked at the man in confusion, waiting for him to speak after this silence. The mysterious man noticed his gaze, stood up from his chair with dignity, placed his right hand over his chest in a noble gesture, and said in an apologetic tone:

​"Please forgive my rudeness, the food made me completely forget to introduce myself. My name is Karl Lyth Aetherius, and this standing behind me is my fiancée, Nara Tenson."

​Vain also stood up nervously. Despite his naive observation that this sentence should have been said before the meal, not after, he answered respectfully:

​"My name is Vain... and unfortunately, I have lost my memories, so currently I only know my name."

​Vain noticed that Karl's face suddenly clouded with confusion and complexity. He hesitantly asked:

​"D-Did I say something wrong?"

​Karl replied in a calm tone that carried a sudden, heavy weight, completely bypassing the issue of amnesia:

​"I have one question for you, Vain... How did you meet Aetherius?"

​Vain noticed that the atmosphere drastically shifted the moment the dragon's name was mentioned. The aura of the friendly host vanished, and Karl cut straight to the chase with a gaze that seemed to pierce through thoughts.

​Vain fell silent for a moment, thoughts clashing in his mind; should he tell the truth or dodge the question? Even if he wanted to lie, he hadn't prepared a cover story, and in the presence of such influential people, an improvised lie would be transparent and foolish.

​Vain decided to just tell the truth, abbreviating the events to avoid mentioning the spirit "Zeel." He told Karl that he had been locked in a dark dungeon amidst deadly frost, and when he miraculously managed to escape, he headed south fleeing from death. There, by chance, he encountered the Great Dragon, begged for its help before collapsing, and then woke up in this palace.

​Technically, Vain didn't lie; this was exactly what happened, albeit leaving out many specific details.

​A suffocating silence engulfed the room. Karl sat back down, resting his head in his hands, wrinkles forming on his forehead. He raised his eyes, looking directly into Vain's, and said in a tone weighed down by worries:

​"No one in this palace will believe this story... And even if we assume what you said is the truth, despite how hard it is to comprehend, this in itself... is a disaster."

​Vain swallowed dryly, his heart racing as he stuttered in severe distress:

​"A... A disaster?! Why?!"

​Karl sighed for the first time, as if carrying the burdens of the kingdom on his shoulders, and answered:

​"Imagine this: our Great Dragon, the Divine Protector who hasn't been seen caring for or intervening to help anyone outside the royal family for centuries, suddenly appears to save a human boy we know nothing about. And on top of that, a foreigner who doesn't belong to this country. What do you think the King's and the Council of Sages' reaction will be?"

​Vain broke out in a sweat from the overwhelming tension, swallowing his tongue, unable to reply. He remained silent, trying to process this new political dilemma he had unwittingly fallen into. Karl interrupted his spiral of thoughts, stating seriously:

​"Anyway, Vain, keep your eyes open and stay vigilant. My advice to you right now is: do not leave this suite in the palace, no matter what happens."

​Vain raised his head, looking at the large window behind Karl, and asked out of an uncontrollable curiosity:

​"Lord Karl, I apologize for asking... but why are you helping me? Aren't you also from the royal family?"

​From what Vain had previously heard from Zeel, the royal family of the Leith Kingdom was characterized by their pure white hair, so he knew from the start that Karl belonged to them.

​Silence filled the room for a moment before Karl broke it with a light, surprised chuckle, following it up with:

​"Oh? Am I that obvious? How did you know?"

​Vain gave a vague excuse, trying to avoid mentioning Zeel:

​"I don't know exactly how to explain it... just your luxurious clothes, and your distinct way of speaking. Also, your name includes the name of the kingdom itself."

​Karl nodded with a faint sigh:

​"Good observation. Yes, I am the younger brother of the current King. As for why I am helping you, it is because you are the guest of our Protector Dragon. If you are harmed in any way within our walls, a shame that cannot be washed away by death will follow us to our graves. Do you know that the last person personally hosted by Aetherius in this palace was six hundred years ago?"

​Vain's eyes widened in sheer shock, remarking that this was a terrifyingly long time. Then he added, trying to hold onto his desire:

​"Alright, I apologize for all the questions, but... why can't I go out to see the city?"

​Karl answered with veiled sternness:

​"It is highly recommended that you don't. We do not know who saw you when the Dragon delivered you to the palace. Even though the altitude was staggering, news travels fast. You might encounter people outside with less than noble intentions who will try to exploit you."

​Vain frowned deeply at this statement; he yearned to go out and feel alive in the vibrant city streets he had seen from the window.

​Noticing the boy's deep frustration, Karl smiled a slightly sly smile and said:

​"Well, there might be a way for you to go out and roam without people noticing you."

​Vain leaped out of his seat, slamming both hands on the table involuntarily, and yelled with childish excitement:

​"R-Really?!"

​Karl smiled at this spontaneity. Vain suddenly realized his behavior was highly inappropriate in front of a prince; his face flushed red and he stepped back, apologizing softly.

​Karl laughed aloud and added as he prepared to leave:

​"I believe the Head of the Court Mages, Syphon, might be able to help you with this matter. You can go to him tomorrow and ask for this favor. Currently, he is preoccupied with some urgent political affairs."

​Vain stood up and nodded, grateful for the opportunity.

​Concluding their conversation, Karl turned toward the door and said:

​"It was a pleasure meeting you, Vain. Since it's still early, you can ask the maid Kacey to give you a tour inside the palace to pass the time."

​Karl excused himself first, citing a backlog of duties awaiting him. His silent fiancée, Nara, followed him like a shadow that never leaves its master.

​Vain's first impression of Karl was positive; he seemed like a reliable and rational person, and Vain didn't sense any suspicion or malice from him—at least for now.

​Vain was left alone in the vast dining room, analyzing the massive amount of information the King's younger brother had just rained down on him.

​Vain whispered inwardly, directing his words to his contracted spirit:

​"Zeel... what do you think of him?"

​Zeel replied in a calm tone that carried deep focus:

​"Well... the Prince isn't bad. But I am much more interested in the human girl standing behind him."

​Vain replied dismissively: "The girl? I didn't care much for her, even though her striking dress and red hair were quite eye-catching in this white palace."

​The ancient spirit sighed, as if talking to a child ignorant of the ways of the world:

​"It's not that simple, boy. What truly caught my attention was her lineage. He called her 'Tenson'. If that is indeed her lineage, it means she belongs to the royal family of the Kingdom of 'Garland'... the very kingdom we were heading south towards. And what makes this complicated is that since the dawn of time, these two kingdoms—Northern Leith and Southern Garland—have been in a state of constant, bloody conflict. The presence of a princess from the enemy nation here as the fiancée of a Lyth prince... is very interesting."

​Vain didn't fully grasp the political complexities Zeel was hinting at, so he remained silent. Sensing his distraction, Zeel said:

​"Don't worry about it for now... Anyway, someone is coming."

​The moment Zeel finished his sentence, the room's door opened. Vain expected to see the black-and-white uniform of the servants, and indeed, "Kacey" was standing there with her usual bow.

​The maid spoke in her emotionless voice:

​"Hello, sir. Lord Karl ordered me to take you on a tour around the palace."

​Vain smiled, thinking to himself that she had arrived at the perfect time, and accepted the offer.

​However, the moment Vain took a single step out of the room and into the corridor, he froze in his tracks.

​The maid wasn't alone. There was a man standing directly behind her... a tall, slender man with flowing yellow hair, wearing the strange, loose-fitting robes of a mage. His ears were unmistakably thin and pointed straight outwards. His half-closed eyes hid a sea of malice, while a sinister smile that sent cold shivers down the spine played on his lips.

​The mysterious man spoke, executing a slight bow that felt far more theatrical than respectful:

​"Hello again, guest of the Protector. My name is Syphon... Head of the Court Mages. And I will be the one taking you on a tour around the palace instead of this maid."

​Vain was taken aback; this was the exact name Karl had mentioned just moments ago, the mage who was supposed to help him sneak into the city!

​Vain replied with a wavering voice:

​"But... Lord Karl told me you were busy today, and I was planning to come to you tomorrow."

​Syphon stood straight, his eerie smile widening as he answered with the smoothness of poisoned silk:

​"No, do not worry, little sir. There is nothing in this entire palace more important than hosting the guest of our Protector Dragon. For our dragon, as you can see... does not bring visitors every day."

​Vain swallowed hard. He had no choice but to accept.

​Syphon cast a single sideways glance at Kacey the maid and ordered her to leave and resume her duties. Kacey bowed in absolute silence and withdrew swiftly, as if fleeing from a vicious monster.

​Syphon gestured with his hand down the length of the corridor, his unyielding smile still in place:

​"Well then, let us go, Vain. Time might escape us... for the palace here is much larger than it appears."

​And so, Vain walked out accompanied by the Elf "Syphon," while "Zeel" watched the situation with extreme caution from within the boy's eye, both wondering what this impromptu tour with the most dangerous figure they had met so far was hiding.