"Hmm..."
Reed looked at his reflection in the mirror.
It was a ceremonial robe based on black with a touch of red.
On it was a red brooch, engraved with the emblem of the Silence Tower.
'It's serene.'
Indeed, a first-class designer.
He captured the calm and unobtrusive feeling that Reed had wanted.
"How is it?"
Phoebe, who had been watching him, responded.
"I want to quit."
"What?"
"I want to quit being the Tower Master's deputy, quit being part of the Silence Tower, and even become a noble of the Asteriafamily to participate!"
Phoebe whined like a child.
Reed looked at her with a pitiful gaze.
"You said you had no regrets when you were dancing, do you still have lingering feelings?"
"No, but... the Tower Master is so cool..."
Reed sighed at Phoebe's behavior, which was like a child throwing a tantrum.
"What about the other things? Does it look calm?"
"Yes~ But maybe because of that, you shine even more."
An objective evaluation seemed impossible.
Deciding not to ask any more questions at the sight of her unable to control herself like a girl in love, Reed made a decision.
'This should look fine.'
He nodded, evaluating himself.
"What about Rosaria's clothes?"
"She looks like a princess~ Miss likes it too, and other magicians said it's good, so she'll definitely get attention."
"Her first social debut... I am a bit worried."
Although they call it a social gathering where everyone chats, not everyone shows their true feelings.
He was worried that Rosaria might not be able to withstand the atmosphere and get hurt.
Phoebe comforted Reed with a gentle smile.
"She'll be fine. Despite how she may appear, she's stronger than anyone."
"That's true, thank you."
Upon hearing Phoebe's words, Reed decided not to worry unnecessarily.
Even if something were to happen, she would undoubtedly handle it in a positive way.
***
The gatekeepers of Cohen, the capital of the HupperKingdom, were having the busiest day of their lives.
Luxurious carriages were entering one after the other, and they were busy without a moment's rest, verifying the identities of those inside.
On the day of the demonstration.
Many nobles scattered across the country flocked to Cohen.
Kings, nobles, high-ranking magicians, military figures, and so on.
Those who were called the top 1% in all fields gathered in the banquet hall of Cohen Castle.
Everyone was dressed in bold and dazzling clothes as if competing to see who was more glamorous.
Everyone proudly represented their family, showing off their prestige.
Life is a comedy from afar and a tragedy up close.
Although it was a banquet filled with music and laughter, in reality, it was no different from a battlefield of warriors holding knives in their hearts.
This was a social place where all allies gathered and a battlefield where all enemies gathered.
Other tower masters who were interested in Reed's music also attended the banquet.
Of course, Reed was the one who invited them, and some of them even threw a fit upon hearing the news before the invitation was even sent.
They wore dresses and suits appropriate to the color of their tower and displayed an authority comparable to royalty.
"Hehe, the Tower Master of the Jade Tower! It's nice to see you here~."
"Oh, isn't this Prince Baldwin? It's nice to see you again here."
"Are you attending this demonstration?"
"Of course. We're the Tower's magicians, it's only natural for family members to gather, haha!"
With nobles from all over the country gathered in one place, the tower's magicians often ran into familiar faces.
Being a tower master was no different from being a leader of a country, so it was nothing new for them to blend into social gatherings.
All the tower lords were wandering around with a glass of champagne in their hands.
"Speaking of which, where could this banquet's protagonist be?"
"Indeed. It's not right for the star to be late."
A moment later, the door of the banquet hall opened, and a man walked in.
Instantly, everyone's gaze focused on one place.
If you didn't see him, you didn't. But once you saw him, you absolutely couldn't take your eyes off him.
Ashen hair with golden eyes.
A ceremonial robe based on black with accents of red.
He was dressed so modestly that one might mistake him for a butler, but the aura he exuded naturally was unmistakably not that of a servant.
The nobility that could be felt from his captivating expressions and movements.
His very existence seemed to announce who the master of this party was.
Reed Adeleheights Roton.
The eldest son and the last bloodline of the Adeleheights family, the current Lord of the Silence Tower, captivated everyone's attention as he entered the banquet hall.
***
'What's going on?'
Reed, who had entered silently, was inwardly flustered.
He was late due to double-checking the condition of the recorder's music and how to present it on stage.
Contrary to Reed's intention to enter as quietly as possible, everyone was paying attention to him.
Unable to afford to look ridiculous, he looked around with as neutral an expression as possible.
However, the women were whispering about him.
'What's the situation here?'
Was there something wrong with his clothes?
Or was it his behavior?
His expression?
He checked whether he had buttoned his clothes incorrectly or left his zipper undone, but everything was in order.
As he was contemplating this, the tower lords who Reed had invited approached him.
"Wow, Master of the Silence Tower! Your outfit today is quite lively!"
"I thought you were someone else because you're not wearing your usual red clothes."
The tower masters of the Monolith and the Radiant, who Reed had invited, complimented Reed's appearance.
Wondering if it was just a simple compliment, Reed thanked them for now.
"Thank you,Monolith Tower Master, Radiant Tower Master."
As soon as their compliments were over, the female tower masters also approached Reed with a somewhat different look and each chimed in.
"You're incredible today, Silence Tower Master?"
"What do you mean by incredible?"
"What should I say, the Tower Master of Silence always exudes an aura of nobility that makes it a bit difficult to approach. But now...."
"Your usual noble sense is complemented by a calm vibe, making you appear even more attractive."
People are drawn to extravagant displays. It's a tactic to allure women by showcasing dazzling feathers, just like a male pheasant.
But are humans that simple?
The process of humans feeling attracted to other humans is complex.
Especially in the world of nobles, which is full of materialism.
If it's too flashy, it seems noisy and hollow.
Rather, showing too much can diminish the charm.
In other words, Reed had increased his charm not by showing it off, but by hiding it.
'This is unexpected.'
Reed wanted to think it was just empty words, but the way they looked at him suggested otherwise.
The men were admiring him, and the women were looking at him as if they were bewitched.
'Phoebe was being objective.'
He felt pathetic for thinking he was running wild alone.
"It seems like you planned this, didn't you?"
"Well... no."
"You're pretending to be innocent. I think we'll have to ask for a song from you, Silence Tower Master, today."
"Oh no, I should go first. Isn't it natural for water to flow from top to bottom?"
"The one who eats first is the leader. How can you be a magician and not follow that rule?"
Leaving the two tower lords who were laughing and childishly squabbling to themselves, Reed asked the Monolith Tower Master.
"Where are the other tower masters we invited?"
"Two of them are having a conversation somewhere else right now. They said they're discussing investments since they're meeting."
"So, that makes seven in total."
Six tower lords had not come.
He had guessed that the master of the Stony Tower and his two gang members, who did not get along well, would not come.
The Master of the Timekeeper Tower, who was busy every day, had politely declined the demonstration early on.
Dolores had asked for understanding that she could not come even before sending the invitation, and Black Sky did not even respond.
Reed asked the Greenwood Tower Master.
"Greenwood Tower Master."
"What is it, Silence Tower Master?"
"Did Black Sky Tower Master not come by any chance?"
The reason he asked her was simple.
The Greenwood Tower Master was a master of boundary and detection magic.
She was the only one who could feel the amount of mana and the signs of magic in everyone.
After focusing for a moment, the Green Wood Tower master answered Reed's question.
"Yes, Black Sky Tower Master did not come today."
"Thank you."
Reed thanked the Greenwood Tower Master.
'I had a feeling that she wouldn't attend since she's the mastermind behind this event...'
But the fact that she was not detected even in the vicinity meant that everything was prepared in advance.
It meant that everything was going according to the scenario that Black Sky and Morgan wanted, without anyone knowing.
'Adonis is going to accidentally kill someone.'
In other words, there was a bomb mixed in among these many nobles.
Of course, it was impossible to tell who the bomb was among them with the naked eye.
'All I need to do now is keep a close eye on things.'
The target was Adonis Hooper.
Since it was certain that she would be targeted accurately, there was no other way to find out except through her.
Reed was just waiting for Adonis to arrive.
***
Meanwhile, at another banquet hall in Cohen Castle.
While the adults were engaging in adult socializing, the children were having their own socializing.
Unlike adult socializing, the awkward children's socializing was carried out blatantly.
The children brought by the noble parents were all greeting each other in the banquet hall.
Dresses as fancy as those of the adults.
Since clothes represented the prestige of the family, and gestures represented dignity, they greeted each other with smiles on their immature faces, trying to appear elegant.
No matter how young they were, their pride was already beyond that of the nobility.
"I am Ami, the second daughter of the Heinrich family."
"Nice to meet you. I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family."
"Oh, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family, a famous magical lineage! It's an honor to meet you."
"Not at all. If anything, it's my honor, considering the Heinrich family holds a large market in the central region."
Yuria Frenda.
She was only nine years old, but she had shown genius in magic from a young age.
She was a girl who grew up receiving the attention and adoration of many adults, hearing that she had the potential to become an "Archmage" like Dolores.
But as the saying goes, too much of anything is not good.
Receiving too much love from a young age, Yuria ended up growing into a spoiled child.
'It seems there's no one here who surpasses me.'
Yuria was arrogant, considering her elegance, status, and abilities to be a cut above the rest.
She thought it was only natural for everyone to come and greet her, and that it was a privilege she deserved.
Therefore, she disliked those who did not come to greet her first.
What Frenda spotted was a girl with white hair and red eyes, dressed in a white dress.
She didn't like the sight of the girl sitting alone, blankly looking around.
'I guess I have no choice.'
With elegant steps, Yuria approached the girl and greeted her first.
"Hello. I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family. And you are?"
"Huh? Ah!"
The girl, who had been staring blankly, belatedly stood up from her seat and greeted back, holding the hem of her dress.
"Hello? I'm Rosaria Adeleheights Roton, the daughter of the Silence Tower's Master. You can call me Roton."
After half-successfully completing her greeting, Rosaria looked up at Yuria with a proud face.
On the other hand, Yuria was shocked internally upon hearing her self-introduction.
'This girl who looks inadequate is the daughter of the Silence Tower's master?'
Being a girl from a prestigious magical lineage, Yuria was well aware of Rosaria's reputation.
If she hadn't been there, Yuria would have continued to enjoy fame as the continent's top talent.
Yuria hid her disgruntled expression behind her fan.
'Roton, a tower mage of the lowest-ranked Silence tower, right?'
The head of the Frenda family, Yuria's father, was the chief magician of the Empire's workshop.
His status should be equal to or above that of a regular tower master!
Having done the math in her head, Yuria looked down on Rosaria.
"Roton? I've never heard of the Roton family. What kind of family is it?"
She intended to reply like this, regardless of Rosaria's answer:
-Oh, I see. I have never heard of such a place, I must have been rude.
It was a wicked intention to provoke Rosaria into anger.
However, such wickedness couldn't match Rosaria's innocence.
"Roton is... uh... what was it? My sisters told me to say this..."
Rosaria wrapped her hands around her head, trying hard to think.
Eventually, she gave up thinking.
"Rosalia doesn't know either!"
Yuria, who had been smug, was taken aback in return.
"Huh? You don't even know about your own family?"
"I don't know!"
Rosaria's admission of ignorance was so confident that Yuria couldn't think of anything else to say.
After all, acknowledging one's own ignorance was not in her common sense.
Yuria moves on to the next question.
"Well, never mind. So, what do you have, Miss Roten?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, what do you own, Miss Roten? I have a pony, a crossbreed of the Empire's famous horses, Frisian and Shire."
"I have a teddy bear! Its name is Lucy, a gift from my Dolores Unni!"
"A, a teddy bear?"
"Yeah! I wanted to show you Lucy... but my dad said I couldn't bring it."
Rosaria looked disappointed, and Yuria looked puzzled.
A horse and a teddy bear.
Could they be on the same level?
However, she didn't panic this time.
She continued to try to break Rosaria's spirit.
"Hmm! Alright. So, what can you do, Miss Rosaria?"
"What can I do? Hmm..."
Yuria was asking about magic abilities, but Rosaria was thinking about other skills.
After pondering for a while, she opened her mouth.
"I know how to make roses out of paper."
Yuria snorted.
"A paper rose? Ha! In our family, we have a greenhouse dedicated to roses. It has white roses, red roses, yellow roses, and even the precious blue roses."
"Are there paper roses too?"
"Huh? No. There's no way there would be paper roses in the greenhouse..."
At that, Rosaria gave a beaming smile.
"Then I'll make one for you! If there were paper roses, they would surely be beautiful!"