Chapter 288

Volume 2 Ch 28: Survive Tonight

On ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the other side, Vera’s gaze settled on Ryan.

From ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the moment they parted in the ruins until today’s ceremony, this was the first time she had seen him so clearly, and from such close range.

Silver-haired ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ryan seemed even more mysterious than he had when his hair was still brown in the ruins. He also seemed a little colder now, carrying an added air of quiet restraint.

She ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍showed no great surprise at his current state. She merely gave him a slight nod.

“It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seems you’ve recovered well, Ryan.”

Ryan ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍nodded back, his gray-blue eyes calm and still.

“Thank you for your concern, Vera. The same goes for you.”

At some point, Ilyss had also come over in silence. She still wore that silver-gray gown, and her violet eyes swept calmly over the group before pausing on Ryan for a brief moment. She gave a faint nod in greeting.

The experience of surviving life and death together in the ruins had forged a subtle connection among them, something beyond ordinary acquaintance, something that required no extra words.

At that moment, an attendant officer in immaculate court attire stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

“Your Excellencies, the ceremony has concluded. By His Majesty’s order, please proceed to the side hall to rest and compose yourselves. The court banquet will be held in the Golden Hall after dusk, and attendants will guide you there at that time.”

The banquet...

The thought flashed through all of their minds.

Lillian and Rex exchanged a glance, then said their farewells to Ryan, Vera, and Ilyss.

Lillian needed to get Rex out of the palace grounds as quickly as possible and back to their lodgings in the capital so he could calm down and cram in at least the most basic banquet etiquette. Heaven knew what kind of embarrassment this big fool would cause at an evening reception even more subtle and treacherous than the ceremony.

Rex was clearly more than happy to leave that nerve-wracking place, and hurried after Lillian without the slightest hesitation.

Vera also prepared to leave. She needed to report back to her family and make her own preparations for the banquet. She nodded to Ryan and Ilyss and turned to go.

But just as she was about to step out of the corridor, she paused. Her emerald eyes turned toward Ryan again, and she lowered her voice so far that only the two of them could hear it.

“Ryan,” she said, calling his name, “be very careful tonight.”

With that, she did not linger. Her elegant figure disappeared into the far end of the corridor.

The banquet...

It was not merely a celebration feast. It was a stage where all sides would gather, test one another, and struggle for position.

Now he, the newly invested Law-Sunderer, was without question the center of attention—and the target of many eyes.

Ilyss stood quietly a short distance away, like a silent statue carved from jade. Her violet eyes looked out toward the still-noisy sky beyond the corridor, and no one could tell what she was thinking.

Rest first, then face the clash waiting beneath the fall of night.

...

That evening, the imperial palace.

The heavy, carved wooden doors of the side hall closed softly behind him, sealing away the last remnants of peace. A servant in imperial livery had long since been waiting outside. The moment he saw Ryan emerge, he stepped forward in impeccable form and began to lead the way.

“Lord Velt, please come this way. The Golden Hall is ahead.”

Ryan gave a slight nod and followed the servant deeper into the palace corridors.

There was no doubt that the evening ball was being held within the very heart of the Empire, inside the imperial palace of Augustus.

The palace stood in Saint Augustus District, the very core of the Imperial Capital. It covered an immense area and was itself a city within a city.

Beyond the grand architectural complex of the Outer Court that faced Triumph Square and was used for major ceremonies and audiences, the inner palace was made up of countless courtyards, gardens, side halls, towers, and specialized palaces of every kind.

The Triumph Square at the front belonged to the Empire’s majesty and glory. What Ryan was stepping into now, however, was the secluded realm where royal privacy and power intertwined. Most nobles, over the course of an entire lifetime, might only be permitted to set foot in a few of its corners on special occasions.

The place to which they were headed, the Golden Hall, was one of the most renowned banquet venues within the palace.

It was not used for daily life. Instead, it was reserved exclusively for the most important celebrations, diplomatic receptions, and court balls of the highest rank.

To receive an invitation to a banquet held there was itself a mark of status and standing. It meant stepping directly into the center of the Empire’s highest social and political vortex.

Unlike the areas used before and after the ceremony, the deeper one went into the palace, the more lavish and restrained the decorations became.

Epic murals from myth and history covered the soaring ceilings, rendered almost lifelike beneath the soft glow of magical lamps.

The polished marble floor reflected the cold gleam of knightly armor and exquisite porcelain displayed on either side. In the air lingered the faint, elegant fragrance of costly spices mixed with fresh flowers. Every step seemed to fall upon the living veins of power and wealth.

They passed through several arches and long corridors before the view gradually opened.

Beyond the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows lay the Royal Gardens, meticulously trimmed and, even at night, adorned with magical lights that made them seem like a river of stars. Farther away, before the palace’s main gates, the line of coaches and horses seemed endless.

Carriages adorned with all manner of splendid family crests arrived one after another. The horses snorted and stamped. Well-dressed coachmen and servants moved swiftly and silently. Noble ladies and gentlemen in magnificent formalwear, draped in jewels that flashed beneath the lights, descended from their carriages with the help of attendants. While exchanging greetings, they merged into glittering streams flowing toward the same destination—the brightest and most brilliantly lit hall in the palace.

Ryan’s gaze swept over that floating spectacle beyond the glass, but his heart remained unmoved. On the contrary, he only grew calmer.

Vera’s warning still lingered in his ears.

And not only hers. Cecilia’s subtle reminder before he left had also remained with him, like a series of fine threads faintly outlining the thorns hidden beneath tonight’s feast.

This was no ordinary social ball.

It was a stage beneath the gaze of imperial power, an arena where every faction would display its strength, exchange information, and forge—or shatter—alliances.

And he, the newly invested Law-Sunderer, having only just received from the Emperor a medal that symbolized both honor and trouble, was undoubtedly one of tonight’s most closely watched prey.

Refuse?

Impossible. This was royal favor. It was also a battlefield he was obliged to enter.

If I can just make it through tonight...

Ryan said the words soundlessly to himself.

Once the banquet ended, his public obligations in the capital would, for the time being, be finished.

He could return to the relatively familiar environment of the academy, settle the necessary matters, and then leave with Cosette for Velt Territory in the North.

There awaited the family estate he needed to set back in order, the old bastard he would have to face head-on, and also... Marquis Wilier, Rosen Wilier, the man entrenched in the North with whom he already had old grudges, and whom he would very likely meet head-on tonight.

Tonight might well be his first direct confrontation with that great predator of the North—and with the Second Prince’s faction standing behind him.

At that thought, he cast aside the last trace of distraction.

Whatever came, he would deal with it as it came.

At the very least, when it came to equipment, he was not entirely unprepared.

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