The unidentified ivory-haired girl seemed somehow displeased with me.
Judging from what she was saying, she must have had some connection to me.
'I should have asked Lucas about Ash's relationships with women... but no, there wouldn't have been enough nights to cover them all.'
Ash was well-known as a notorious playboy, after all.
There wouldn't have been time for a detailed briefing, and remembering every single instance would have been impossible.
'So, who is this young lady... Ah!'
Suddenly, it dawned on me.
That ivory-colored hair, the same shade as the SSR-rated heroes from the northern Ariane Kingdom.
Furthermore, though slightly tan and cream-colored, she had the pale skin typical of northerners, with a particular light pigment.
And those white furs adorning her pearl-colored dress... they must be from the white bear, a symbol of Ariane Kingdom.
By now, it was clear. I quickly got up, forcing a smile.
"I apologize for recognizing you late, my Lady."
I approached the girl and respectfully bowed at the waist.
"As you know, I am Ash, the third prince of the Everblack Empire."
"..."
"May I know your name, my Lady?"
I already knew her name, having read the documents provided by Fernandez, but it's better to go through the formality of asking.
"...Yun."
The girl reluctantly spat out her name, as though it was a great inconvenience.
"It's Yun Ariane, Your Highness."
"It is an honor to meet you, Princess Yun."
As I continued to bow, Yun, looking uncomfortable, twisted her body and reluctantly extended her left hand.
I gently grasped her left hand and kissed the back of it. Yun shuddered, disgusted.
Hey, I was merely following the etiquette. Don't hate it so much.
I mustered up the courage to do this, even though I'm kissing the back of a hand of a woman I've never met.
Though Ash was known to usually ignore royal etiquette and behave however he liked, he still had to act properly when meeting his betrothed.
As I lifted my lips and smiled gently, Yun quickly snatched her hand away.
***
Yun Ariane. 19 years old.
The second princess of the Ariane Kingdom, she was described in her profile as clear-headed, wise, and as courageous as a bear, making her quite popular in her kingdom.
'Courageous like a bear...?'
Looking down at the girl in front of me, I broke into a cold sweat. She looked more like a swan than a bear, no matter how I looked at her.
"I was sent as an envoy, and after I arrived, I found out that a marriage had been arranged in the meantime."
Standing at the border of the garden and banquet hall, we were engaged in conversation.
Leaning against the terrace wall, Yun absentmindedly swirled the champagne glass in her hand.
"The fate of royalty is always like this. Ha, but to be matched with the most ill-reputed third prince..."
"That third prince is standing right before you."
You'll hurt the delicate feelings of the prince if you say it so bluntly.
"You are surely aware of your own reputation, aren't you, Prince Ash?"
"One cannot truly know a person's essence based on public opinion alone. Princess Yun."
Yun addressed me with the respectful "Your Highness," but I did not return the favor.
The Ariane Kingdom was nominally a vassal state of the Everblack Empire.
Because of this, she could not easily refuse this arranged marriage, regardless of her own will.
"Do you dislike me?"
I asked with a broad grin, to which Yun rolled her amber eyes.
"Do I have a reason to like you? A philanderer, a good-for-nothing... You seem to have tried every bad thing a man can do."
"Perhaps all of that is merely unfounded rumor?"
"Where there's smoke, there's fire, right?"
I shrugged at Yun's sarcastic laugh.
"If I truly were such a playboy, wouldn't all the ladies I'd ever dallied with be swarming around me like bees at a party like this?"
Around me, all was calm. Yun was the first to approach me one-on-one.
But Yun glared at me, her face filled with disbelief.
"Do you think I really wouldn't know? You're famous for approaching others, sucking them dry, and then ruthlessly discarding them."
"..."
"I've heard there were many young women who gave you everything, their bodies, hearts, and wealth, only to be discarded. Will you not use me and my kingdom, only to cast us aside when you're done?" she asked.
I was at a loss for words, buffering.
So what was this? Ash wasn't just a playboy, simply playing with fire; he was a piece of trash who ruthlessly used people and then cut them off when he was done?
'It reminds me of what he did at the Serenade and Silver Winter Merchant Guild, borrowing lots of money and causing a mess.'
He had been doing the same thing to other ladies' families. Oh, shit...
Only then did I understand why Ash's ex-girlfriends had not come running to this party.
If the ending had been that bad, it would be hard to rush in with open arms. Maybe if they had a knife clenched in each hand.
"I agree with strengthening the alliance between our two countries. I mean, which country in this world would oppose an alliance with the Everblack Empire?" she said, pressing her thick red lips together and letting out a soft sigh.
"But to do it through a strategic marriage! It's really old-fashioned. Can't we form an alliance if there are no children of matching ages on both sides?"
"So how else can we strengthen the alliance? I admit it's old-fashioned, but I don't think there's a closer way for adults to see each other."
"Do we need to get that close in the first place? We can just clarify what we need to do, draw the line, make a treaty, and announce it."
She wore a dress that fully revealed her collarbone and shoulders, and she shrugged playfully.
"Instead of stickily sending our sons and daughters to mix blood, we can cleanly make a contract and fulfill our obligations to each other. A relationship that's as refreshing and crisp as snow falling in summer. Doesn't that sound good?"
Snow falling in summer?
The northern metaphor of snow falling all year round was a bit hard to grasp, but anyway, I understood what she meant.
'She must really not want to marry me...'
I was about to say a few more words to her when a servant at the entrance of the grand hall shouted in a resonant voice.
"The second prince of His Imperial Majesty and the administrative deputy, Fernandez 'Ember Keeper' Everblack, has arrived!"
Oh my. Brother is early.
All eyes in the party hall were drawn to the entrance. Yunand I looked that way too.
Dressed in splendid ceremonial robes and adorned with his trademark oversized glasses and various glittering accessories, Fernandez made his entrance.
Earrings, necklaces, rings... so shiny. Tall and handsome, he did pull it off.
The orchestra played soft and melodious music.
Fernandez entered the party hall with a smile on his face, nodding at those around him.
Before people could approach him, another announcement followed.
"The first prince of His Imperial Majesty and the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army, Lark 'Avalanche' Everblack, has arrived!"
Today's real star, Lark, appeared.
Lark was not dressed in party attire but in military ceremonial uniform.
The uniform suited his tall stature and robust physique perfectly.
It might have been less glamorous compared to the ceremonial robe, but it stood out in the party hall.
Above all, at Lark's waist was...
'A sword.'
A long sword was sheathed there.
It was said that, in principle, one could not bring a blade longer than 50cm into the Imperial Palace.
Totally against party manners. But Lark proudly entered with the large sword.
A feat only possible as the commander who held the military power of the empire.
The orchestra began to play a magnificent overture.
Applause and cheers poured out from all sides, honoring the commander who had successfully ended (so it was believed) the war with Bringar Duchy.
The nobles flocked around Lark without exception.
His popularity was incomparable to when I made my entrance.
"Hmm."
Watching Lark from a distance, Yun asked me,
"Prince Lark is already married, right?"
"Yes. He already has three children."
Lark's wife, who appeared to be a noble lady, brightly smiled, kissed her husband's cheek, and lovingly linked arms with him. A pleasant sight.
Yun let out a disappointed sound.
"What a shame. He's my type."
"Perhaps you have a taste for married men...? Was that the dangerous preference, Princess Yun?"
"What are you talking about? No, it wasn't. Among the three Imperial Princes, he was simply my type."
Yun said this casually, with her future husband right beside her.
Somehow amused, I covered my lips and laughed, asking, "What about Fernandez? He's still unmarried, and handsome too. He's even taller than me."
"I don't like sly men."
Fernandez had quietly moved to a corner of the party hall and was engaged in conversation with a few people.
Since everyone's eyes were on Lark, he could move soundlessly.
Yun, observing him, shook her head vigorously.
"He's the scheming type. That's not to my taste."
"How about compared to me?"
"Hmm... Let me think about it. A sly man and a bad man..."
I burst into casual laughter.
"Exactly what type of man is to your taste? What is the standard for your preference?"
"Really, don't you southern men understand?"
The princess of the continent's northernmost kingdom raised her arm, emphasizing her biceps, and said, "Of course, it's rippling muscles!"
I was momentarily speechless.
Ah.
Of course.
I understood at once.
"Muscles that fit perfectly! Majestic physique! The kind of heroic presence that can uproot mountains with strength and overturn the world with vigor!"
Was this the aesthetic of a nation that survived in the icy wastelands? Indeed, it made sense.
So she liked the muscular Lark but disliked the scrawny but tall Fernandez and me.
"May I ask just one thing?"
I suddenly grew curious.
"What is the popular ideal for women in the Ariane Kingdom...?"
"It's the same."
Yunthen raised her opposite arm to emphasize her biceps.
"Muscular and strong! What else would it be?"
"...By that standard, Princess Yun doesn't seem very popular?"
She appeared frail and delicate.
"When I take off my clothes, it's quite impressive..."
Yun started to reveal her abdomen, as if to show off her abs, but realizing she was tightly dressed, raised both her hands.
"There's no way to show you."
"..."
She seemed quite confident in her muscles, but, um, those lines were a bit risky. Please be careful in the future.
While engaging in this unproductive but enjoyable chatter.
Dong-! Dong-! Dong-!
Suddenly, a loud, slow, heavy bell rang three times throughout the banquet hall.
The previously noisy party hall became as silent as if doused with cold water. Everyone turned their astonished eyes toward the entrance.
Even Yun, sensing the extraordinary atmosphere, covered her mouth and stared at the entrance.
"Could it be? Could it be?"
Expect the unexpected.
The servant who had been loudly announcing the arrival of the royalty, this time, uttered in a trembling voice, full of effort.
"Chosen by the goddess to build a paradise on this land, supreme, noble, and lofty, the sovereign of this country, His Imperial Majesty of the great Everblack Empire, long live!"
Long live!
Everyone shouted, bowing their heads and showing respect, even though he had not yet appeared.
Yun and I hastily bowed our heads and knelt on one knee.
"He enters!"
With a scream-like shout, that man entered the banquet hall.
"..."
I opened my mouth slightly, looking up at my father.
If a god were to shape a human not from clay but gold, would he look like this?
I hadn't realized it when he was frozen on his throne. The appearance, the demeanor, and the twinkling golden light hidden in those piercing eyes.
He truly seemed a man born to be an emperor.
The majesty, authority, and transcendental aura overflowing from his body, clad in black and gold formal attire...
Thump!
He merely stepped onto the platform, yet I felt a resonating sound.
The sole Emperor of the Everblack Empire.
Traha 'Peacemaker' Everblack - swaying his red cape, entered the banquet hall.
"Hmm..."
He slowly scanned the thousands of kneeling attendees before him and then,
"...Where is Ash?"
He asked for me first.
What?
Why?