Energy that is being exuded as if they were hypnotizing the people in the banquet hall gave me chills. A soothing presence that blows away all insecurities is something that shouldn't even exist, and even if it did it would be nothing but false hope.
Everything here was made by Jessica and us. This includes the Gods and Demons that the people from this world worship which naturally makes them an enemy.
Especially that Goddess!
The pope and the saintess offered their greetings to the empress and sat down on their table which is the nearest one there is to the imperial family.
While there are five pillars or five prominent families that support the imperial family of Vanifi, the temple would be considered as the sixth one to offer their loyalty to them but that alone won't give them the rights to sit close to the imperial family unless they were able to get it through merits.
'Phoenix, do you sense any spirits here?'
-Not at all, master.
'Then, what about someone who has the energy of spirits?'
-I'm sorry but there is no one here that has traces of interacting with a spirit, master.
I suppose they decided to stay behind. That means Almas still won't be able to get in.
"Baroness?"
"Yes, prince Trevor?"
"I..."
Prince Trevor look at me in the eyes filled with determination and courage. One that would be found from an individual that has an unwavering will.
"I have decided, about what you asked me back then"
"Is that so. Then, what is your answer?"
"I want to do both"
His voice was hoarse and was shaking. He knew that the commander of the imperial knights, Sir Aiden and John who is behind us is able to hear every word he was saying.
"I will demand my position as I take care of my mother"
Even with that fear, he was smiling. A smile filled with pure and noble greed.
Ting, ting, ting.
The empress hit her glass three times which garnered the attention of everyone present here.
"Many things happened this year. One of those things were the successful outcome from the war against Chejada!"
The nobles cheered and roared with excitement.
"This new year celebration is not just any ordinary one as it is also the celebration for the victory of army along with the one who paved the way for that victory"
Prince Diego rose from his seat and took a step forward.
"Because of this, I now announce the first prince of Vanifi, Diego Arte Vanifi as the empire's imperial knight commander"
The joyful expression and excitement in the air quickly vanish. The nobles were puzzled that the prince would replace the 'currently' best knight of the century who came from the ducal family of Theano.
It wouldn't make any sense, under normal circumstances that is.
"I know you all must be wondering why, the reason for that is Sir Frederick von Theano shall be my groom. And the new heir apparent of house Theano will be lady Cecil von Theano"
Another surge of excitement and roaring from the nobles were in progress as they heard the shocking news from the empress herself.
But there was one man whose face was redder than a fully ripe tomato. And that man was none other than Sir Aiden who was being teased by his two sisters.
"Baroness, shouldn't lady Isabelle be the next head as she is older than lady Cecil?"
"Normally, that is the case. But you see, lady Isabelle is already engaged to Charles Miller which is why the title went to lady Cecil"
The engagement only happened about a week or two ago. And the two was keeping their relationship from everyone as a secret.
To think that these two were already in a relationship ever since they were seven, there are so many things I need to know about this world. I did enjoy watching the fight(drama) that commenced when Charles declared his feelings for Isabelle right in front of an enraged Sir Aiden.
Sir Aiden stood up from his chair and went beside the empress. He was about to cry when the empress wipe it away.
These two lovebirds seriously need to go get a room.
The banquet then went on full swing. As time slowly goes by, there were braved nobles who went towards our table just so that they could get to talk to me and see Phoenix.
"Baroness, why are they all staring at your bird so fiercely?"
Ah, right, he doesn't know anything about him.
"He is the mythical guardian of Vanifi. Something like that"
He gasp and looked at me as if I was an insane person.
"You described it as 'Something like that'? No wonder the empress was so fond of you"
"You could tell?"
"Yes. She and the prince kept staring at you since you sat here"
They were? Since their direction are to my back, I don't really know who was staring at me the entire time other than prince Diego. To think that her majesty was also staring at me, but...
I look back to prince Trevor with a rather pitiful gaze.
She must have been staring at Trevor. They were lovers in the story after all.
The Trevor from the novel was an upright and earnest man with a sharp tongue. Nevertheless, he was a loving father and a supportive husband when he married her majesty. That is, until her majesty killed their own child one sidedly because the child was disabled.
Heartbroken by what the empress did, he curse and even tried to kill her. But all was in vain as Sir Aiden killed Trevor before he could take revenge on the empress who mercilessly killed their own child without any hesitation.
With how things are right now, something is bound to happen.