After the regression, Rose followed Dane to attend the royal harvest festival. And there, she met Arikx for the first time and fell in love.
Knowing this, I hadn't been very keen on coming to this place.
Even though my relationship with Rose had progressed significantly, and judging by her attitude, I figured this would be fine.
“…….”
Still, a sense of unease remained in a corner of my heart.
No matter what Rose looked like, Arikx would inevitably find the shining talent and jewel-like radiance within her.
Being such a man, he was bound to fall in love at first sight upon seeing Rose so perfectly adorned.
‘Did I push Lucy too hard?'
He had done the job too well, leaving me with a slight pang of regret.
No matter how I thought about it, Rose stood out the most among the noblewomen here.
In fact, I could feel the other nobles seated on the podium glancing at Rose.
Unaware that it was for a different reason,
“Rose.”
I deliberately spoke to Rose.
“Are you still very nervous?”
To tell her to only look at me, right beside her now. And not to even glance at Arikx, who would be up above.
“A little. I'm better than before.”
I felt the corners of Rose's stiffly frozen lips relax ever so slightly.
“If you're really nervous,”
I smiled faintly at her.
“You can hold my hand or something.”
“Excuse me”
I pulled and grabbed the hand of Rose, whose eyes had gone wide. I interlaced my fingers with hers and naturally lowered our hands.
“How is it? Is it a bit better?”
Rose didn't answer my question.
She blankly looked at my hand folded over hers, then back at my face leaning toward her.
“…I don't know.”
Her lips parted, but she ultimately lowered her eyes.
I felt a lukewarm warmth through the thin fabric of the glove.
As I focused on that, the King's boring speech soon passed.
[Lay aside your worries and pains for now. For the next three days, the night shall not fall upon the kingdom! Drink, sing, and revel to your heart's content! I declare the opening of the great Harvest Festival of Rozerek!]
The King's voice signaling the end echoed through the hall.
“Long live the King!”
“Eternal Rozerek!”
The people gathered in the square cheered or waved their hands wildly.
Jjak, jjak, jjak—
The nobles on the podium merely clapped with restrained expressions.
Jjak, jjak.
I also clapped to the beat.
Feeling disappointed that I could no longer hold Rose's hand.
Then, when I glanced toward the balcony,
“—!”
I met eyes with Arikx, who I didn't know had been watching me.
Kkadak.
He waved his hand at me. I also gave a light bow and accepted his greeting.
‘Finally.'
It was the beginning of the harvest festival.
**
In the afternoon, there was a consecration ceremony presided over by the High Priest. It was a solemn ritual offering the year's first harvest to the gods.
After the consecration ceremony ended,
The royal family members and the nobles lined up and gathered in the royal audience chamber.
‘The time to prove our worth has come.'
It was for the tribute ceremony.
Lords would line up to offer rare and expensive tributes to the King.
It was a time to prove how great our territory was and how loyal I was.
“…….”
The nobles remained silent as they awaited their turn. The order in which they were called here could be safely considered the ranking of power within the kingdom.
“Duke Lancaster, enter!”
The first to be called was the Lancaster family, founding contributors who had long offered their loyalty to the royal family.
Kung.
The doors of the audience chamber closed, and the Duke of Lancaster's back disappeared.
“…Hoo.”
Standing beside me, Rose took a short breath, seeming tense.
“…….”
I glanced at Rose from the corner of my eye and then stared ahead again. I knew my turn wouldn't be right now anyway.
The Grand Chamberlain began calling the names again.
“Duke Voronov, enter!”
“Duke Sforza, enter!”
Duke Voronov, who ruled the eastern part of the kingdom, and Duke Sforza, who ruled the south, entered the audience chamber in order.
I knew they each served different prince factions.
Seeing that the east, where the current queen's family was based, was called first, it seemed the King's love for her was quite profound.
‘That's why Arikx struggled.'
Backed by the King's favor, the current Queen Consort Lavenna had tried every which way to make her son Cassian the Crown Prince.
Although Arikx was the legitimate prince and had the highest right of succession, he lacked the strong maternal support to back him up.
Therefore, the King probably hadn't appointed a Crown Prince yet and was watching the fight between the two factions.
‘Only Schmaichel remains.'
Since I hadn't yet decided which prince faction to support,
A fairly complex political mind game would unfold at the banquet hall following this tribute ceremony.
“…….”
I saw Rose's back stiffen straight.
Seuk.
I extended my arm toward Rose, and she took a deep breath and lightly placed her hand on my arm.
“Next, the Guardian of the North, Duke Schmaichel, enter!”
On the high podium overlooking the entire audience chamber, a massive red throne was placed.
The King sat on the throne dressed in a splendid formal robe. Beside him stood the First Prince Arikx and Princess Beatrice.
On the opposite side stood the Queen Consort Lavenna, and her son, the Second Prince Cassian.
Jeobeok.
Rose and I began to walk slowly. Rose's steps, as she walked escorted by me, were elegant and without faltering.
‘So this is what getting special training from Lucy was about.'
I wondered what she was working so hard on every day, but it seemed she had memorized royal etiquette inside out.
Even amidst the people's gazes pouring down like arrows, there wasn't a single flaw in our steps.
“I greet the great sun. Schmaichel offers his respects.”
After arriving in front of the throne, I bowed deeply at the waist, and Rose spread her skirts wide and curtsied.
“Duke. You have worked hard coming from such a long way. The Duchess is exceedingly beautiful.”
The King raised a hand and laughed benevolently.
“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”
At Rose's smooth voice, the King's smile deepened.
“…….”
Even in the midst of this, my nerves were focused solely on Arikx, who was standing next to the King.
He was seeing Rose's beautiful face from such a close distance and hearing her clear voice, so it was inevitable for him to become interested.
‘…As expected.'
I checked Arikx briefly and hardened my face.
An unmasked, intrigued smile hung on Arikx's lips. His narrowly curved eyes observed Rose carefully.
“…….”
I hid my anxious gaze and glanced at Rose.
Rose was just standing quietly, gently casting her eyes down. To anyone, she looked like an ideal and beautiful noblewoman.
‘…I can't help it.'
I originally hadn't intended to spend much time on the tribute ceremony, but I needed to shorten it even more.
Hwaek.
I snatched the box the servant following behind was holding.
“—?”
Panic rose in Rose's eyes.
Originally, the plan was for the servant to lift the lid of the box and for me to explain the offering, but...
“This is a magic stone mined from the Kalmar Mine this year.”
I spat it out simply without any detailed explanation.
‘Isn't it too short?'
Rose began to protest with her eyes.
‘This much is enough.'
‘??’
After ignoring Rose's questioning gaze,
Peolreok.
I pulled back the carpet covering the box.
Beonjjeok!
The moment the box opened, a pure and brilliant light engulfed the entire audience chamber. It was an intense light that made the chandelier on the ceiling pale in comparison.
From atop the box, a magic stone of a size no one had ever seen before revealed itself.
“Gasp!”
“Hup…….”
The majesty of the massive magic stone was so great that even the nobles standing far away forgot their decorum and inhaled sharply.
Even though it hadn't been processed yet, its purity was so high that it seemed to hum like a living heart.
“—!”
It was enough to even startle Prince Cassian, who had been wearing an indifferent expression.
Offering this massive magic stone carried several meanings.
First, that the Kalmar Mine still had magic stones of this size buried within it, and that the excavation volume was plentiful enough to easily offer one as tribute.
And second, that the Schmaichel family still held absolute control over the distribution of magic stones within the kingdom.
“This year, the veins of Kalmar trembled exceptionally. It is surely a sign that the gods are blessing Your Majesty's reign.”
Rose quickly added, instead of me standing silently.
“Heh, well……”
The King, who had been sitting on the throne the whole time, unknowingly stood up and approached the magic stone. It seemed he couldn't believe it even after seeing it with his own eyes.
“Are you saying a magic stone of this size existed?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I deliberately raised my voice a bit so the other nobles could hear.
“Recently, 'by chance,' we excavated a new Gallery 13, and we found it there. We were quite lucky.”
I hadn't turned around, but I could bet that Henrik's face had twisted.
“Hmm? There is something more.”
The King discovered something thin laid beneath the magic stone. He lifted the magic stone with his hand and examined underneath it closely.
“…Leather?”
It was a leather densely embedded with silver fur that sparkled in the light of the chandelier.
“It is the skinned and tanned hide of a White Lycan.”
When I dropped just one more line with an expressionless face,
“It is perfect for winter gloves. I pray for Your Majesty's health.”
Rose quickly added with a soft smile.
‘…How commendable.'
It took quite a bit of self-control not to smile with satisfaction at Rose.
To have a wife who assisted her husband so well. I really thought marrying her was a good idea.
“…….”
Usually, one would add a long, rambling explanation about the offering, but Rose and I stopped here as if we had made a promise.
The magic stone from Kalmar, and the hide of the monster hunted to mine that magic stone.
That alone was enough to explain Schmaichel. No, it was more than enough.
“…Indeed, as expected of Schmaichel.”
The King, who had brushed his hand over the leather several times, raised his head. Greed and admiration flashed across his old, wrinkled face.
“The miners must have suffered quite a bit to dig up such a precious treasure.”
It was a pointed remark.
It was both a commendation for their hard work and a check to see if I was squeezing the miners too hard.
Just as I was about to open my mouth,
“Your Majesty, the day this magic stone was discovered, the miners actually threw a festival. Everyone cheered, saying that since such a precious treasure was unearthed, Your Majesty would be pleased.”
Rose replied in a soft but firm voice.
It was a perfect defense. She had framed it not as exploitation, but as loyalty.