House Seid was holding a grand party to celebrate the coming-of-age ceremony of its youngest daughter, Yuria von Seid.
“Lady Yuria, congratulations on reaching adulthood.”
“You grow more beautiful by the day.”
“Thank you for attending my coming-of-age party.”
Exhausted after receiving people’s congratulations for so long, Yuria stepped onto the terrace to get some air and catch her breath.
“Haah, this is tiring.”
Yuria let out a quiet sigh.
Having to force a smile and entertain nobles throughout the party was no easy task.
“When will this boring party end? Sister Hye-mi has not even come…….”
Just as she complained, a familiar voice sounded behind her.
“What is the star of the party doing here alone?”
“Ah, Brother Yunho!”
“Again, you have to call me Brother Eden now, not Brother Yunho.”
The person who had followed Yuria onto the terrace was none other than Yunho, the one who had escaped the dungeon first with her. He was now Eden von Seid.
“Pfft, it is fine when it is just the two of us.”
“What are you going to do if you accidentally call me Brother Yunho in front of others later?”
“I will deal with that when it happens…… More importantly, has the gift Sister Hye-mi said she would send arrived yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Still not? The party began quite a while ago.”
Iriana had said that, since she could not attend the party, she would send an astonishing gift instead.
Yuria had endured this boring party while waiting for that gift.
“What sort of gift will she send?”
“What gift do you want?”
“Hmm, expensive jewels and dresses would be nice, and so would a sweet cake, but……”
Her voice trailed off. Soon, she continued with a bitter smile.
“I think I would rather have all our comrades gathered together to celebrate my coming-of-age ceremony.”
“Even Sister Hye-mi would find that difficult.”
“At the very least, I wish the Leader were here…… No, it would be even better if the Leader were my real older brother~”
At her blatantly playful words, Eden responded with a light flick to her forehead.
Tonk.
“Ow.”
“Hey, who has taken care of you all this time for you to say that? Stop talking nonsense and let us go back inside. You are the star of today’s party.”
“Okay.”
When they returned inside, the entrance to the banquet hall was somehow noisy.
It seemed that one of the high-ranking nobles had arrived.
“That person is…….”
“Was his name Count Bled?”
Though they had never seen him directly, his face remained in their memories.
It was Count Bled.
After briefly exchanging greetings with the other nobles, Count Bled noticed Eden and Yuria and approached them.
“Have you both been well?”
“It has been a long time, Count Bled.”
“Thank you for coming to celebrate my coming-of-age ceremony.”
“It is only natural as a noble of the Empire.”
“By the way…… are the people behind you your family, Count?”
That naturally led to the introduction of Count Bled’s family.
“This is my wife, Olivia.”
“It is our first meeting. I am Olivia von Bled. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
When Countess Bled greeted her first, Yuria lightly held the hem of her skirt and gave a small bow in return.
“Thank you for attending my coming-of-age party, Countess Olivia.”
Once their greeting was over, Count Bled introduced Hailed and Lloyd.
“These are my sons, Hailed and Lloyd.”
Eden and Yuria had already heard plenty of rumors about the two.
Hailed von Bled, the legitimate son of House Bled, was said to be skilled but possessed a character that had sunk to the depths.
There were even rumors that he beat maids whenever he had the chance.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Hailed von Bled, the legitimate son of House Bled.”
Even Hailed, the notorious wastrel, seemed helpless before power as he introduced himself with an exceptionally polite attitude.
They did not want to greet Hailed, who was called a wastrel, but House Bled was not a house they could ignore.
Eden and Yuria concealed their feelings and exchanged brief greetings with smiles.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Hailed.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Now it was Lloyd’s turn.
Their gazes naturally turned toward him.
‘So this is Lloyd?’
They had heard rumors about Lloyd as well.
Until recently, he had been an incapable illegitimate child with no mana. Then he had suddenly gained mana and reached the realm of a Sword Expert.
‘And…… Sister Hye-mi asked to meet him first?’
Since Iriana had not even been willing to meet with them often, they had felt hopeful when they first heard the news.
Iriana only summoned someone personally when she had found a comrade.
For that reason, they had thought Lloyd might be one of the comrades they had been separated from in the dungeon, but……
‘Since Sister has not said anything to us until now, he probably is not.’
As they thought that and prepared to greet Lloyd, a heavily intoxicated noble stumbled from behind and collided with Yuria.
The impact from colliding with the male noble caused Yuria’s body to tilt forward.
Normally, she would have quickly regained her balance from something like this. But with uncomfortable shoes and a dress, she could not move as freely as usual.
At this rate, she would fall to the floor before she could do anything.
Then, at that very moment, something astonishing happened.
Her body, which should have fallen, stopped for an instant!
She quickly regained her balance, so no one else noticed, but she did.
‘This power…… Could it be!?’
Yuria’s eyes widened as she looked around. Then, before long, her eyes met Lloyd’s.
Lloyd gave a small smile and spoke.
“It has been a long time, Yuna, Yunho.”
His voice was very quiet, but both heard it clearly.
It was unmistakably Korean.
“Could it be…… Leader?”
Not only Yuria, but Eden also recognized Lloyd at once.
They had spent so many years together that there was no way they could fail to recognize his voice.
“You are the Leader, right?”
“Yes.”
Back when they were at the Institute, whenever they were exhausted and suffering, the comrades joined forces and helped one another.
Among them, the person they could rely on most was Hyeon-uk.
Eden was no exception.
“Leader…….”
There were many people watching, so he tried to hold it back. But regardless of his will, tears began to flow.
He hurriedly wiped them away before anyone else could see, then spoke in his usual playful tone.
“The Leader has become even smaller than Yuna and me now?”
“…….”
Lloyd closed his mouth and slightly furrowed his brow as though uncomfortable, and Eden smiled faintly.
Meanwhile, perhaps shocked by the sudden reunion, Yuria could not say anything and merely lowered her head.
Eden lightly tapped Yuria’s arm and spoke in a quiet voice.
“Yuria, why are you just standing there? A moment ago, you said you wanted to see the Leader……”
But before he could finish,
“Leader!!”
With tears of joy flying from her eyes, Yuria ran toward Lloyd and threw herself into his arms.
“Why did you only come now? Do you know how much I missed you!”
The sight of Yuria sobbing in the arms of Lloyd, who was now smaller than her, caused murmurs around them. But Yuria did not care.
The nobles watching began whispering among themselves.
“Oh my goodness! A young lady who has only just come of age behaving so improperly…….”
“Seeing how she is crying, they do not seem to share an ordinary relationship. What language are those two speaking?”
“Who knows? I have never heard it before in my life…….”
The nobles strained their ears to understand Lloyd and Yuria’s conversation and speculate about their relationship, but naturally, none of them could understand.
Lloyd had been about to pat Yuria’s back as he had in the past, but with so many eyes on them, he first pulled her away from his arms.
“There are many people watching.”
At that moment, someone nearby tilted his head and spoke.
“Wait, that young master called Lloyd…… I was wondering where I had heard that name before. Did he not meet privately with the Master of the Hertina Guild not long ago?”
His voice was far too loud to be called a mutter.
With the music having stopped and the banquet hall quiet, there was no one who did not hear him.
“Ah, I know that rumor as well. They said that the Hertina Guild Master, famous for refusing private meetings, requested a meeting first?”
“Is that true?”
“I have heard it too.”
Just as the atmosphere, which had begun to settle, started stirring again over a different subject, a path opened through the gathered crowd.
A middle-aged man in extravagant clothes approached.
He was none other than Yuria and Eden’s father, Duke Seid.
Duke Seid spoke to Yuria in a scolding tone.
“What is this unbecoming behavior? Yuria, you are no longer a child, so be mindful of your conduct.”
“Yes, I am sorry…….”
“Be more careful from now on.”
After saying that, Duke Seid turned his gaze.
Count Bled, who had been briefly stunned by the unexpected situation, was about to step forward when Duke Seid spoke first.
“You are Lloyd von Bled, who has become famous lately?”
“Yes.”
As though he could not see anyone else, Duke Seid’s gaze remained fixed on Lloyd.
He stroked his beard and looked at Lloyd with interest.
“Hmm.”
He had long heard the rumors about Lloyd.
That Lloyd had been born without mana and possessed no notable ability, so he was called incapable.
But recently, completely different rumors had begun circulating.
Rumors that he had suddenly gained mana, possessed outstanding talent in swordsmanship, and had already reached the realm of a Beginner Sword Expert at a young age.
‘It appears that the former rumors were false.’
Lloyd could not yet be called particularly strong, but Duke Seid sensed considerable potential from him.
‘I heard that his Mana measurement produced a green light…….’
Duke Seid examined Lloyd closely once again.
The Mana flowing from Lloyd was extremely faint—so faint that even someone as sensitive to Mana as Duke Seid would not have noticed it without examining him carefully.
But the density of that Mana was indescribably deep.
‘There is no way Mana like this could be only green.’
Duke Seid raised the corner of his mouth in amusement and spoke quietly enough for only Lloyd to hear.
“Did you deliberately do that during your Mana measurement?”
“What are you…….”
Before Lloyd could answer, Duke Seid nodded as though he already understood.
“I understand. There must have been a reason why you had no choice but to do that.”
Considering Lloyd’s circumstances and status, there had to be a reason for it.
‘What a shame. With that amount of Mana, he could have achieved greatness as a mage.’
But Lloyd had already learned swordsmanship.
Since swordsmanship and magic used Mana in vastly different ways, it was difficult to master both.
Duke Seid cast aside his regret and continued.
“By the way, according to the rumors I have heard lately, the Master of the Hertina Guild requested a meeting with you first. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Lloyd gave a short answer.
The rumor had already spread as far as it could, so there was no need to hide it now.
“What sort of person is the Hertina Guild Master? I have heard rumors that they are not human.”
“I am sorry, but I have nothing to say about that.”
“Of course. You cannot carelessly reveal another person’s identity. Then may I ask another question?”
For a moment, Duke Seid’s gaze sharpened, but Lloyd answered with the same calm expression.
“Yes, if it is something I can answer.”
The dignified air befitting a great noble had vanished. With a sly expression and tone, Duke Seid asked,
“What is your relationship with our Yuria?”