Chapter Nine: Welcome Party
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On Yohan's first day as an interim Special-Class Mage in the Bureau, a welcome party was held.
The party venue, rented by the Imperial Bureau.
Marble floors covered with rugs of vibrant colors. The ceiling soared high, exuding an imposing majesty as if it could pierce the heavens.
A chandelier with lit candles hung from above, its light reflecting softly off the walls.
On the tables, lavish dishes made from rare ingredients, along with crystal glasses filled with wine and various fruits, tempted the guests.
Luxurious food, strong yet clean spirits—it was a perfect party venue.
'This is on par with the parties hosted by the Barodo Marquisate.'
Perhaps it was thanks to the Second Division being run by the imperial family? Or was it because of the Crown Prince's influence?
Whatever the reason, the resources backing it were undeniable.
"Doesn't a place like this feel familiar to you?"
The voice belonged to Deputy-Commander Tersis, who approached Yohan with a glass of wine. His face was already flushed, suggesting he'd had quite a bit to drink.
"Not at all. As you know, my status is nothing more than the third son of a Viscount."
"Ha! With a face like that, you've never been to parties like this?"
"I've been invited, but I couldn't always attend."
"Ha! Careful and cautious, I see!"
Tersis clapped Yohan on the shoulder before draining his wine glass in one go.
"Today is your welcome party, Yohan. Feel free to enjoy yourself. We're not such a stiff group, you know."
"I can see that. Thank you for your consideration."
"You're a cautious fellow. Well, I'm off to grab another glass of wine. Have a good time."
With that, Tersis walked off toward a servant carrying more wine.
Yohan's expression grew contemplative as he watched the man leave.
'Cautious, huh.'
He couldn't help but be cautious. With the mindset of a modern person, adapting to this world hadn't been easy, and the noble life, which he'd thought was all leisure, came with far more responsibilities than he had anticipated.
And what if one had an exceptional appearance to top it off?
To others, his life might have seemed enviable, but to Yohan, it felt like walking on thin ice.
'If I end up crossing the wrong marquis's or count's daughter, it could mean instant death.'
Hadn't he nearly been killed by Duke Fervache not long ago, just because he let his guard down?
This was why Yohan always had to tread carefully.
"Yohan?"
A woman's voice called out from behind him. Yohan turned in the direction of the sound.
"Ah, First-Class Mage Ratalen."
Violet Ratalen tilted her head slightly as she gazed at him.
With a sultry look and a faint smile, she lightly patted his shoulder.
"You can call me Violet. If you're too formal, I might think you dislike me."
"…That's not the case. I'm just not used to life in the Bureau yet."
In the Bureau, ranks took precedence over titles. It was, after all, a public institution.
"Not drinking?"
"I'm not particularly fond of alcohol."
"Hmm. That's surprising. You don't strike me as the type to let women stop you from drinking."
Violet's smile deepened as she regarded him with an intrigued look.
"How about it? Shall we find a private room and drink together?"
"As the guest of honor, wouldn't it be improper for me to leave the party?"
"You're good at politely refusing, aren't you? Not bad."
Violet's hand, resting on Yohan's shoulder, began to slowly slide down, tracing the line of his body until it reached his chest.
"..."
Yohan's expression turned cold.
'I thought she liked Cassis?'
Doubt crept into his mind. She already had someone she liked—so why was she flirting with him?
'A jealousy tactic, perhaps.'
Some women resorted to such games. If they couldn't win over the person they liked, they'd act as if they'd moved on, using another man as bait.
This shallow attempt to woo him seemed to fall into that category.
"Thank you for your concern. As a new member, I'm still adjusting to life in the Bureau."
Yohan smiled faintly, subtly drawing a line between them—not as a man and woman, but as senior and junior colleagues.
"Hmm."
Violet's brows twitched momentarily before she regained her sultry smile.
"Fine. That's not bad."
She chuckled softly and continued,
"As the guest of honor, I shouldn't keep you all to myself. I'll take my leave."
"Thank you for your understanding."
With a shrug, Violet brushed past Yohan. She didn't look back, though her gaze lingered over her shoulder as she thought about him.
'No matter how you look at him, he's perfect.'
Unyielding, articulate, and strikingly handsome.
'This is going to be fun.'
With her plan swiftly forming, Violet smiled faintly and made her way toward the others.
***
In a corner of the banquet hall, Francia was biting her nails while keeping a close eye on Yohan.
'Violet Ratalen.'
She had approached Yohan, exchanged pleasantries, and even initiated some physical contact before leaving gracefully.
Although Francia knew that Yohan wouldn't fall for such obvious flirtation…
'How dare she, with my man?'
The issue lay in the fact that Violet had touched Yohan's chest — a place where Francia's face was supposed to rest.
And Violet Ratalen wasn't the only one trying to get close to Yohan.
'This is infuriating.'
The female officers of the Second Division were constantly hovering around him, subtly brushing his chest, placing their hands on his shoulders, or leaning in close.
Some sent sly, fox-like smiles, attempting to seduce him, while others flaunted their figures in overly revealing dresses to steal his attention.
Yohan, his eyes half-lidded and hazy from the alcohol, entertained them without resistance, allowing their touches since his mind wasn't entirely clear.
The women giggled with delight as they caressed him, throwing out unsubtle flirts and trying to win his favor.
Naturally, Francia was furious.
'This won't do.'
Just as she was about to rise from her seat to rid Yohan of the scent of those other women…
"There you are, Lady Francia of Fervache."
Crown Prince Fedelian Rozino spoke to her. His golden hair, styled differently than usual, shimmered as he held a glass of wine in one hand.
"It's not Lady Francia of Fervache, but Francia, Special-Class Mage of Fervache."
"Haha, no need to be so formal in a setting like this."
Fedelian shrugged lightly before naturally seating himself beside her.
"So, who has captured your attention so intently?"
"That's not something you need to concern yourself with, Commander."
"Hmm."
Her prickly response made her appear as though she had grown thorns.
Fedelian subtly shifted his gaze to the table. Despite her having drunk a considerable amount, her demeanor toward him had not softened.
"Well, if I follow your gaze, I can probably figure out who you're watching."
He turned to look in the direction of her gaze. A man with dazzling looks was surrounded by several female officers, chatting and laughing.
"Oh?"
Fedelian's eyes narrowed slightly. That must be Yohan Harsen, the newly appointed Special-Class Mage.
'A perfect face, but from a lower noble family. No wonder the female officers are so interested in him.'
A third son of a viscount — someone disposable. Even if things went too far, a simple gag order could handle any fallout.
Of course, it was preferable to preserve a woman's honor when it came to first encounters. However, most of the women in the bureau were already cast-offs from their families.
They were likely destined to marry minor nobles anyway, so it wasn't a significant issue.
Still, Yohan's title as a Special-Class Mage complicated things slightly.
"Are you interested in the new recruit too?" Fedelian asked.
"Not at all."
"It doesn't seem like you're just admiring his looks."
A faint smile lingered on his lips.
"You're the one who rejected me, after all."
Francia's brow twitched at his comment.
'What a repulsive man.'
Did he really think he was attractive? Compared to Yohan, he was nothing but a pumpkin with an inflated ego.
"Care to join me for a drink? It's a rare celebration."
Fedelian offered her his glass with a bright smile.
"No, thank you."
"Haha, another rejection, I see."
Though her refusal was firm, Fedelian simply laughed it off with a soft chuckle.
"Well, as I was saying—"
"There you are, Francia."
"…?"
Fedelian froze as a man addressed her casually by name. He turned his head to see Yohan Harsen standing there.
"Ah, Yohan!"
Francia's face, which had been clouded with displeasure, brightened instantly. She rose from her seat and walked over to him.
"Have you finished your conversations?"
"Yes. They're all very kind people."
Yohan smiled lightly before turning to Fedelian.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Commander. I'm Yohan Harsen, the newly appointed Special-Class Mage."
Though taken aback, Fedelian managed to maintain a composed expression, responding with a warm smile.
"So you're the new recruit, Yohan Harsen. It's good to meet you. I'm Fedelian Rozino, Commander of the Second Division."
When Fedelian extended his hand for a handshake, Yohan smiled silently and grasped it firmly.
Squeeze.
There was an unusual amount of strength in the handshake. While his face remained composed, his eyes were icy cold. Fedelian immediately grasped the intent behind it.
"He's warning me to stay away from what's his."
At that moment, the Crown Prince finally understood why Francia had been so resistant to him.
'I didn't expect her to have a man.'
An unforeseen development, but what of it? He could simply take her by force. If necessary, Yohan Harsen could be eliminated discreetly.
Though Yohan held the title of Special-Class Mage, he was still only a noDeputy. While he might become a problem in the future, he was not an issue now.
'I don't know what gives him the nerve to challenge me.'
Fedelian's smile grew sharper.
"You two seem close, so I'll leave you to your conversation."
"Thank you."
Yohan bowed his head politely, offering a respectful farewell.
Fedelian chuckled softly before standing and walking away.
'Looks like I'll need to revise my plans.'
When he saw the honeyed glances Francia had given Yohan earlier, he became certain.
That man — Yohan Harsen — needed to be dealt with, or taking Francia for himself would be much harder.
'No problem. The reconnaissance mission to the Demon's Lair is coming up soon, after all.'
There, he could dispose of Yohan without drawing suspicion.
Though Francia having a lover was an unexpected obstacle, Fedelian's confidence remained unshaken.
***
"What are you thinking?"
Francia asked with a face full of worry.
"You could've just let it slide. You might put yourself in danger, Yohan."
"What danger? I'll soon be a full-fledged Special-Class Mage anyway."
"That's true, but that man… he's capable of selling out the entire nation if it benefits him—"
"Selling out the nation?"
"No, no, forget I said that."
Francia quickly cut herself off.
"Maybe I mistook a dream I had for reality. Haha. It's nothing."
"A peculiar dream, it seems."
Yohan found her words strange but didn't dwell on them. Francia often let odd things slip, and he was used to it.
"In any case, there's no need to worry about this. I've got my own plans."
The reason Yohan had taken the risk of provoking Crown Prince Fedelian was clear.
"I need to divert their attention to me."
When the reconnaissance mission began, it would be impossible not to encounter Cassis. If that happened, Francia would be caught in the middle, suffering from the power plays on both sides.
It was better for Yohan to bear the burden instead. He could handle the situation far more effectively than Francia ever could.
"All I need to do is make sure Cassis focuses solely on me during the next mission."
Dealing with the schemes of both Fedelian and Cassis alone was undoubtedly challenging, but Yohan wasn't worried.
No matter what schemes they tried, he was confident in his strength and ability to handle it.
Though he wouldn't deny that the alcohol had made him act a bit more aggressively than usual.
"Whatever happens later will be fine. So, don't worry. Shall we have a drink together?"
Yohan smiled warmly. Seeing that smile, Francia let out a sigh of relief.
"All right. If you say so…"
She clinked her glass against his, thinking to herself:
'No matter what tricks that damned Crown Prince pulls, I'll do everything I can to support Yohan.'
It was only natural, her duty as the woman who would one day become his wife.
Even if it meant breaking the taboo that had shaped her current self.
"For our future."
Their glasses clinked again.
"By the way, how much have you had to drink today?"
"Two glasses, maybe? Something like that."
"Hmm…?"
As Francia watched Yohan's dreamy, intoxicated gaze, a sly grin crept across her face.
'Tonight might be possible.'
She hadn't admitted it aloud because it seemed too forward, but Francia had been longing to relive their first night together.
'Once he gets a little more drowsy, I'll take him to the hotel.'
Accepting a man into her life had been a first for her when she spent that night with Yohan.
And the love they shared that night had been so special that it erased even the pain of her first experience.
"…But am I the only one who feels this way?"
It felt like she was the one always initiating—on their first night and even now. But she didn't mind. None of that mattered.
She loved Yohan that much.
Her heart was overflowing with the feelings he inspired in her, and it seemed she was addicted to the euphoria of it all. She craved Yohan instinctively, like a natural desire she couldn't suppress.