AME 04

CH:04

At the very moment when the bell of the Holy Tower rang throughout the palace, the royal ball began.

The banquet hall, lined with white marble pillars, was dazzling in its splendor. The ceiling mural depicted the founding myth of the first king with overwhelming grandeur, while the chandeliers, crafted from melted gold, radiated brilliant light in every direction.

Amidst the soft melodies and the fluttering gazes crossing paths, one man drew everyone’s eyes.

His tall height, broad shoulders, and long, slender legs were more than enough to captivate the hearts of women—but what truly sealed the deal was his face.

Beneath neatly styled black hair, his features went beyond what could be described as simply “handsome.”

His dark eyebrows, matching his hair, were straight and elegant. His almond-shaped eyes, sharply defined nose, and tightly closed lips gave him a refined appearance that surpassed even the word “attractive.” He looked like he had stepped straight out of a classical painting.

Yet despite attracting so much attention, no one dared approach the man directly. He looked young somehow, and more decisively, his expression was twisted into a scowl.

Although his face normally would have given off a gentle impression, his furrowed brows radiated unmistakable irritation.

Still, there are always bold women eager to win over a handsome man. One such lady, who had been sneaking glances at him for a while, was just about to take a step forward—

“Diana, you do know the man you’re eyeing is Prince Ferdinand, right?”

“Huh?”

The woman standing next to her—also looking in the same direction—interjected. Half-covering her face with a fan, she clicked her tongue.

“He’s the youngest prince of House Ferdinand. He turned sixteen this year.”

“What?!”

Diana flinched and asked again in surprise. Though he looked a little young, his towering height and strong build had completely misled her.

She looked back at the man—no, the boy—who was Prince Ferdinand.

The youthful freshness radiating from him wasn’t just the aura of a handsome man. He really was young.

“I really have no luck.”

Sighing deeply, Diana turned around. Being three years away from adulthood was already a problem, but being a member of the prestigious House Ferdinand made the whole thing a lost cause.

Having fallen in love only to be heartbreakingly disappointed right away, she walked away in gloom. The sorrow on her face lingered as she received a glass of comfort from a friend.

“So, when is she coming?”

The one who had unknowingly broken the hearts of several women, Kaon Ferdinand, asked the same question yet again—he’d lost count by now.

The initial arrangement was to meet before the third dance began. However, even after several songs had come and gone, there was no sign of the lady from Ingelos. He was nearing his limit, just standing aimlessly next to a massive column.

“Is she even coming?”

“Yes, I believe… it should be about time….”

The excuses had started with, ‘The Ingelos family has always been distant from social gatherings. She may feel out of place at a ball. Let’s give her some time.’

Then they had evolved into: ‘Aren’t mages known for their lack of social sense? I’m sure she doesn’t even understand what a scheduled time means.’

Now, Joseph—the aide—had run out of things to say and fell into silence.

“They don’t even announce new arrivals anymore. How am I supposed to recognize her? Is she just going to find me herself?”

“Well… we did send your portrait ahead. There’s a high chance she’ll recognize you first…”

Kaon held back a snarky “When did you even send my portrait?”—there was no point arguing about it now.

“I thought we had a mutual agreement. I never expected something like this. They’re really beyond imagination. Honestly, they’re in more trouble than we are.”

Kaon had already gone through eight mental breakdowns and returned to calm again. Now, he felt like he finally understood how Ingelos had gone bankrupt.

With that kind of reliability, they couldn’t run a business—or build alliances.

“She has silver hair and red eyes, right?”

“Yes, that’s what I’ve been told.”

“I’m seeing at least ten silver-haired people.”

Pure white hair, light platinum, and even wigs styled to look silver made it almost impossible to distinguish.

After the King and Queen’s entrance, no new guests were announced. It was hopeless trying to identify the Ingelos girl based on appearance alone.

“…Wouldn’t it be easier to go by her eye color? Red eyes usually mean magical talent.”

“Sure. Like I could see that clearly in this massive ballroom.”

Joseph fell silent again. He agreed, but couldn’t say so out loud.

Meanwhile, time continued passing. With the King and Queen now gone, only the guests wishing to enjoy the ball remained, and the atmosphere became more relaxed.

From nearby conversations, Kaon gathered that the next song would be the final dance of the night.

“I did everything I was told. I kept my end of the deal. It’s Ingelos who didn’t.”

He said this firmly to Joseph, as if demanding the aide remember it. Joseph’s face turned grim—he must’ve been mourning the bonus slipping from his grasp.

‘I greeted everyone. I did my job.’

Kaon felt oddly refreshed. As the substitute for the official representative, he had fulfilled his duties. Now, all that was left was to stay until the end of the ball and quietly leave.

With his mind eased, he began to glance around. Whenever he made eye contact with someone, he offered a polite smile, enjoying the moment.

‘What the…?’

Then he saw someone entering the ballroom.

The late arrival wore a long robe with a wide hood. Judging by the petite frame and style of clothing, it was likely a woman.

Kaon stared at the strange sight. Her plain, pitch-black robe stood out like a sore thumb amidst the brightly colored dresses—not in a good way.

‘Isn’t that something only ancient mages would wear…’

His wandering thoughts stopped dead at that moment.

Mage.

Ancient mage.

An ominous feeling crept up his spine.

“Sir Kaon, that person over there…”

The hooded figure, not bothered by the robe, glanced around. Kaon didn’t respond to Joseph’s comment—he simply watched her. He thought he caught a glimpse of silver hair peeking from under the hood.

“Her outfit… It’s quite unusual, don’t you think? Kind of… mage-like, perhaps?”

Apparently it wasn’t just Kaon. Joseph, too, was choosing his words carefully. The girl’s appearance had already drawn stares from the surrounding nobles.

‘…!’

Their eyes met.

Even from afar, Kaon knew without a doubt their gazes had connected.

Her eyes slowly swept over him, as if checking for something—and then locked onto his face like a nail.

After a few moments, the girl who had stolen the spotlight for an entirely different reason approached Kaon.

Silver hair shone clearly beneath the hood—unmistakable.

The daughter of House Ingelos.

At last, they met.

Kaon tensed a little. Nothing about this meeting had gone according to plan, and now he was beginning to question her mental stability.

What if the lifeline he was counting on turned out to be a rotten rope?

She had arrived long past the agreed time, wearing something utterly inappropriate for a ball, and hadn’t even shown her face until now. His concerns were more than justified.

“Are you Prince Ferdinand?”

A clear voice called out.

Kaon’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Judging by her outfit, he’d expected something like a raspy old crone’s voice, but it was unexpectedly clear and soft.

Then, in the next instant, he froze in place with wide eyes. The girl lowered her hood and looked straight up at him.

“I’m Alessia of Ingelos.”

Silver hair and red eyes.

Joseph had been correct in his description.

But at the same time, he had severely undersold her.

Her shimmering, translucent hair sparkled like strands coated in silver, and her delicate face was perfectly proportioned atop a slender jawline.

Her eyes, an unnatural red, were more vivid than any mage Kaon had ever seen—but their rounded shape and downturned corners gave her a surprisingly gentle impression.

…Fairy?

That word flashed through Kaon’s mind.

Her mysterious appearance, and her petite frame barely reaching his chin, made her seem more like one of the mythical creatures of old than a human.

“I’ve heard so much about you.”

At just the right moment, she added this, before the silence could grow awkward. Kaon then realized he’d been staring too intently at her.

And at the same time, he remembered the ridiculous instruction to “pretend to fall in love.”

‘How do you even do that?’

It was a question he should’ve asked earlier—but now it was too late.

What Kaon didn’t realize, however, was that to everyone watching, he already looked very much like someone who had fallen head over heels. In fact, it looked just like the effect Leonidas had hoped for.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Alessia. I’m Kaon Ferdinand. I’ve also heard quite a bit about Ingelos.”

Kaon replied, unknowingly performing his role perfectly.

He had heard a lot—though it had mostly been slander. He figured Alessia had probably heard similar rumors about House Ferdinand too.

Regardless, they had finally met. All that was left now was to ask her to dance. Though her entrance had been unexpected, he still had a job to do.

Just then, the orchestra began the first notes of the final dance.

“Though it’s late… Would you do me the honor of this dance?”

Before Kaon could even extend his hand, Alessia reached out first. Her gentle smile accompanied a small, pale hand. He took it, almost entranced.

“…It would be my honor.”

The words came out before he even realized he was saying them—his subconscious had taken over.