Up close, the man looked like a sophisticated aristocrat in his mid-forties. He had a serious expression on his face and gave off an overall intimidating vibe.
Ardyn immediately felt that he needed to be careful. This guy wasn't someone to be trifled with.
"I should be the one thanking you for the invitation, Your Royal Highness." The man's gaze swept over Ardyn, his eyes devoid of emotion. "And who might this young fellow be?"
Ardyn flinched slightly, but tried his best to keep his composure. This man was indeed very different from the other nobles he had met so far. The tone just sounded icy and unfriendly in his ears.
"Greetings to you, Your Grace," he said in a steady voice. "I am Chris, a Royal Guardian from the Sapphire Kingdom."
I forgot to say my last name, he realized, sweat dripping down his back. Damn it. I must've been too nervous.
Hopefully he doesn't ask me too many questions…
The Duke's gaze turned frostier, and it seemed as if he was staring down at Ardyn with a slight contempt. "A Royal Guardian, you say?" he said with an elegantly raised eyebrow. "From which family, might I ask?"
Ardyn's throat went dry. He was so intimidated that he nearly stumbled on his words. "From the House of Hanswell, Your Grace."
There was a momentary pause. The Duke was still staring at him like he was a specimen who ran away from the laboratory.
Elyana, on the other hand, remained smiling.
"He comes from a family of skilled artisans, Your Grace," she helpfully supplied, probably thinking that the Duke did not recognize the family name. "He is a good friend of the Prince as well."
The Duke seemed to lose his doubts at that moment. "I see," he said simply, now uninterested in Ardyn's identity.
"How have you been finding the banquet so far, Your Grace?" Elyana asked conversationally.
"It is satisfactory. The food is excellent, I might add," the Duke said in satisfaction. "Also, Lady Elyana, allow me to offer my sincere congratulations on your impending marriage. Forgive my manners for bringing it up this late."
Elyana beamed. "It is fine. Thank you, Your Grace. I am honored by your kind words."
The Duke nodded. "Prince Evangelon is a good man. He is also someone capable of succeeding to the throne when the time comes. May your union bring the stability our kingdom needs."
"I shall do my very best, Your Grace."
Ardyn stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do. He looked around, but Mathias was nowhere in sight. He thought the man was following them the entire time, but it turned out that they had been left alone.
Where did he go? Ardyn wondered.
"Your Grace, if I may ask… Has Leon arrived?" Elyana suddenly inquired, catching Ardyn's attention.
"Of course, Your Royal Highness." The Duke gestured towards something nearby with his head, causing both Ardyn and Elyana to turn towards that direction.
They saw a young man about their age, with hair the same color as the Duke's fiery orange eyes. Even from this distance, Ardyn could tell he was handsome, with an angular jawline and a striking appearance that exuded a boyish charm.
"Leon," the Duke called as the young man, Leon, finished picking up a plate from the buffet table and made his way towards them. "Her Royal Highness wishes to greet you."
As he approached, Ardyn took a cautious step back to observe the newcomer. The young man was dressed much like his father — the Duke, presumably — in a white linen shirt, tunic, and a blue shoulder cape.
Behind the Duke was a small, empty table. The older man stepped aside without a word, and Leon quietly placed his plate there before turning to face Ardyn and Elyana.
He was indeed good-looking up close, with an oval face, slightly tanned skin, and dark, expressive eyes. He had chiseled features that looked like he came straight out of a fairy tale book where he was the prince.
"Your Royal Highness," Leon said, his voice sounding surprisingly younger than Ardyn had expected. Although the guy looked intimidating at first glance, there was a quiet serenity about him that gave off a much better vibe compared to his father.
"Leon!" Elyana exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with happiness. She gave him an elegant curtsy as a greeting. "It is a pleasure to see you again."
"The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness," Leon responded with a practiced, polite smile. "Thank you for inviting me to this grand celebration."
He then took her palm and pressed a chaste kiss against the back of her hand.
"It has been too long, hasn't it? Have you been well?" he asked.
Elyana giggled, using her other hand to pat him on the shoulder. "You need not be so formal with me, Leon! Sometimes you talk as if we're not childhood friends at all!"
Leon looked at her in mild surprise, and then his smile slowly turned genuine. "That is true," he admitted.
The two continued their small talk, with Elyana asking about some details that Ardyn had no idea about. She was probably referring to their childhood days, so Ardyn had no reason to listen any further.
Meanwhile, out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Duke watching the two with an impassive gaze. Though there was no emotion on the man's face, Ardyn could feel a stirring in his stomach, one that closely resembled a sense of foreboding.
There was just something about the Duke that made him feel more vigilant. It was as though the man had hawk eyes, that nothing went unseen under his gaze.
Ardyn remembered his conversation with Evan and Mathias earlier and suddenly felt that if the Duke ever caught wind of his real identity, he would not be shown any mercy whatsoever.
Not only that, but Ardyn also had a strange feeling that the Duke did not approve of Leon and the Princess' friendly relationship. That didn't seem to make sense though, because wouldn't the nobles normally be happy to have good relations with the royal family?
He also remembered how the Duke's expression had changed slightly when Elyana mentioned earlier that Ardyn was a Royal Guardian. Maybe he was wary of Guardians?
But Elyana was a Guardian too, wasn't she?
"You must be quite busy, Your Highness," Leon suddenly said as he took a step back with a polite bow, as though signaling the end of the conversation. "It is your celebration party, after all. I must be taking up too much of your time. For that, I sincerely apologize."
"Don't be like that! I do not mind at all. Oh, by the way!" Elyana beamed as she took Ardyn's arm and pulled him close to her side. "Leon, I'd like you to meet Chris. He's one of the Prince's friends, and he's a Guardian as well. Just like I am!"
Leon's gaze switched from Elyana to Ardyn, and something seemed to shift in his eyes. Ardyn couldn't quite describe it, but it was as if Leon was now studying him with an unexpected intensity, something that made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Ardyn managed to say as he gave a polite bow. "My name is Chris Hanswell."