Chapter 290

Volume 2 Ch 30: A High-Profile Entrance

“Sorry. ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Matters concerning the ruins involve royal and expeditionary secrets. It would not be appropriate to discuss them.”

“As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for the future, I will of course follow the arrangements of the Empire and the academy. For now, I still need rest and further study.”

“Thank ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you for your kindness, my lord. Tonight is a banquet of celebration, and it is only right that all should enjoy it together. We can speak another day.”

Every ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍time, he managed to redirect or end the conversation at precisely the right moment, polite yet firm. He never appeared rude, yet he did not reveal a single piece of useful information.

Then, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍under the pretext of having spotted another acquaintance or needing to attend briefly to another courtesy, he would incline his head slightly and withdraw with ease from the current circle before continuing deeper into the hall.

His ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍path seemed casual, yet carried a certain purpose, like a tranquil night wind passing through one patch of splendid garden after another, engaging in brief, superficial exchanges with the many different people who stepped forward to speak with him.

A toast. A smile. A few words of greeting. Then he moved on.

In this way, he satisfied the necessary demands of etiquette and avoided giving others the impression that he was aloof or antisocial, while also skillfully preventing himself from being tied too early or too deeply to any one faction.

The more seasoned nobles saw this clearly and understood at once.

This young hero possessed far more than mere strength. In this manner, he was declaring his presence to the entire hall, accepting their scrutiny and their initial goodwill, while also carefully drawing his own boundaries and observing the position and posture of every person present.

He was like an elegant but cautious dancer who, even before the music had truly begun, had already stepped into the crowd and started to test the rhythm with movements that belonged entirely to himself.

Each step appeared ordinary, yet each contained a precise command of timing and distance. And every undercurrent that sought to pull him into a particular whirlpool had, at least for now, been deftly avoided by his polite yet maddeningly slippery responses.

Ryan moved through the sea of perfume and jewels with calm ease. The wine in his hand, barely touched, was more like a proper accessory than something he intended to drink.

His mind was perfectly clear. This broad but shallow socializing, casual as it appeared, was not aimless wandering, nor was it the sort of low-key, restrained strategy that a newly elevated noble would normally adopt in such a setting.

Quite the opposite.

He was deliberately placing himself at the center of everyone’s attention.

By common sense, a young man who had only just gained enormous fame and public notice, stepping into such a complicated and elite field of power, should have chosen the safest path: modesty, restraint, perhaps even deliberate obscurity, so as not to draw envy or become the target of premature hostility.

Many expected him to act that way. Many of the hidden eyes watching him were trying to judge from any sign of caution or stage fright whether he was pliable or dangerous.

But Ryan—or rather, the strategy he and Princess Cecilia had devised together—was the exact opposite.

He needed to shine.

He needed to become, without question, one of the central figures of the evening, even if that meant drawing more scrutiny, more curiosity, and even a measure of jealousy and hostility.

The reason lay in the political chessboard of the Empire, and in the hidden path Cecilia had revealed to him.

At present, the clearest power blocs among the Empire’s upper ranks were the two camps led openly by Second Prince Keynes and Third Prince Aster.

The Marquis Wilier of the North was a steadfast supporter of the Second Prince. Of the Four Grand Dukes, the Sword Duke remained resolutely neutral, while the Gale Duke, the Frostleaf Duke, and the Flame Duke each leaned one way or another, or placed wagers on both sides, maintaining a fragile and shifting balance.

Any newly risen power with real value would normally be fought over madly by these two camps. And once it chose a side, it would at once be attacked and excluded by the other.

Ryan neither wanted nor could afford to fall too easily into either one.

To choose a side would mean instantly making an enemy of the other, becoming frontline cannon fodder in the struggle between imperial princes, losing any room for strategic maneuver, and violating the deeper plan he shared with Cecilia.

Cecilia needed him as an independent lever—or at least one that appeared independent on the surface.

At this point, Ryan’s thoughts returned to the crucial conversation he had had with the princess after their return from the ruins.

Cecilia had revealed to him the true spoils she had gained from this expedition, something far greater than a few ancient relics: a chance to earn a seat at the table.

The Emperor had placed the immense task of researching and developing the Elven ruins entirely in Cecilia’s hands, establishing a Royal Elven Research Institute under her direct leadership.

Behind that decision lay the Emperor’s complicated calculations.

First, the results had come from cooperation between Cecilia’s own people and academy students, and her refusal to monopolize the credit had won her favor.

Second, the Emperor did indeed feel a degree of compensatory goodwill toward this daughter of somewhat awkward birth, who had always behaved herself. He hoped that before her eventual marriage alliance, she might at least have the chance to accomplish something meaningful.

Third, and most importantly, the knowledge and techniques hidden in the Elven ruins might alter the destiny of the Empire itself. Such an enormous source of influence and power could not be handed directly to any prince already embroiled in succession struggles, as that would instantly destroy the balance the Emperor had labored to maintain. Giving it instead to a princess who appeared harmless and stood outside the main line of inheritance was the safest choice, both a buffer and a counterweight.

This suited Cecilia perfectly.

Until now, she had disguised herself as little more than a pleasure-loving princess obsessed with salons and fashion. Even her attendance at the magic academy had been treated as a passing diversion. All her quiet efforts and hidden arrangements could not be brought openly into the light.

Without visible political capital or a visible base of support, she could only ever remain a spectator at the edge of the board, never a player.

The Royal Elven Research Institute was the key to her entry ticket.

She needed to use that platform to recruit talent openly and legitimately, gather resources, and build a visible faction of her own. So long as she could get herself to the table, she did not care whether her current role was that of player, piece, or stake.

Ryan was the indispensable public proxy and outward banner in that plan.

He needed to become active on the political stage under openly acceptable identities: independent hero, academy prodigy, survivor of the ruins.

He needed to establish his own reputation and network of influence, becoming a figure who appeared neutral, but who in truth worked in close coordination with Cecilia as a symbol of a third force.

When Cecilia needed to push certain matters forward or recruit certain people, Ryan would be the obvious and reasonable person to stand in the open and act. And Ryan himself, in turn, would gain room to grow, access to resources, and a firmer foothold against whatever upheaval the future might bring.

That was why being conspicuous tonight was the first step.

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