When most people think of a reception, they immediately picture a high-class event, and this was indeed the case.
The banquet hall used for the reception was located in the West Wing Hall of the Imperial Palace, a space spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people.
Three massive crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling, each composed of hundreds of beautifully cut crystals. They refracted brilliant light under the glow of candles, enveloping the entire hall in a warm, magnificent aura.
Waiters in tailcoats threaded through the crowd carrying trays laden with flutes of champagne and various delicate pastries.
As for the invited guests, the gentlemen wore well-tailored black or dark blue formal suits, with crests representing their respective families pinned to their chests.
The ladies wore all kinds of gorgeous gowns, their skirts shimmering with a silky luster under the lights. Adorned with jewelry around their necks, the crowd looked like a living, breathing painting.
All of this fit Greg's stereotype of the privileged class perfectly.
But what he couldn't quite understand was...
“Why am I here too?”
Greg looked down at his outfit.
He wore a well-tailored black suit, a silver-gray tie knotted at his white shirt collar, and a pair of exquisite cufflinks at his wrists.
This formal wear accentuated his already tall and upright posture, making him stand out exceptionally well even among the brightly lit crowd.
Yet, he didn't even remember how he had ended up in these clothes.
He only recalled that he had been working with Victoria at the construction site, arguing endlessly over the repair plan for a wall.
Then, a carriage suddenly pulled up in front of him. Under Victoria's utterly bewildered gaze, two well-trained maids grabbed him by his arms and dragged him, half-protesting, into the carriage.
Inside the carriage, he met the Third Imperial Princess, Sarah, who said to him:
“An outstanding talent like you shouldn't constantly dwell on the past and waste your potential. I will help you expand your network!”
Before Greg could even speak, the carriage sped off, hurtling all the way to a dressing room in the palace. By the time he came to his senses, he had already been changed into a brand-new suit. The entire process was so fast he hadn't even had time to resist.
After that, the carriage whisked him away to the entrance of this banquet hall.
Finally, the culprit, Sarah, left him with a single sentence: “Everyone coming today is part of the Empire's nobility and elite. Please do your best to seize this opportunity!”
She then hurried off with her skirts gathered, busy attending to her own affairs, leaving him all alone in this completely unfamiliar setting.
“Ummm... So what exactly did she mean by 'seizing the opportunity'? Whatever. Since I'm already here, I might as well eat first.”
Giving up the struggle, Greg looked around and found that the food at the banquet was served buffet-style, with long tables piled high with all kinds of high-end delicacies.
Though he felt a little sorry for Victoria, who was still back at the construction site, Greg decided to enjoy her share of the feast as well.
He picked up a porcelain plate and began his culinary exploration.
What he failed to notice was that his handsome looks and unique aura had already attracted a great deal of attention.
A few young noble ladies huddled together not far away, stealing glances at him and whispering among themselves:
“Who is that? I've never seen him before.”
“I don't know... but he's so handsome.”
“Who's going to go up and talk to him first?”
They nudged and pushed one another, all wanting to strike up a conversation, but because of his absolute focus on the food, they couldn't find a suitable moment, leaving them to fret anxiously from the sidelines.
Not long after, the atmosphere of the banquet suddenly grew lively.
A waiter at the entrance announced loudly, “His Imperial Majesty has arrived!”
The entire hall fell silent for a brief second. Then, everyone near the entrance turned toward the door and bowed in unison.
The Emperor strode into the hall wearing a magnificent royal suit with a gold-embroidered cape draped over his shoulders. Although he was over fifty, his steps were still steady, and his eyes held the unique authority of someone who had long held the highest position.
Since the death of Crown Prince Finn and the arrest of the severely injured Prime Minister Marcus, the Emperor had firmly re-established his grip on power.
His presence here naturally made him the center of attention.
The nobles scrambled forward, eager to show off in front of the Emperor and offer their compliments and blessings, as if getting an extra word from him would give them an edge in this game of power.
But before the Emperor could spend much time among the crowd, the Third Imperial Princess, Sarah, approached him. She performed a slight curtsy and said softly:
“Father, please come with me. There is someone I would like to introduce to you.”
The Emperor glanced at Sarah.
Among all his children, Sarah was the one who gave him the least trouble, second only to Wendy. She was diligent, kind, and sensible—and she was the only one who had pleaded on Wendy's behalf.
Thus, he did not refuse her request.
As he walked, he asked curiously, “I must say, I am quite curious. Who could possibly warrant my daughter personally introducing them to me?”
A gentle smile played on Sarah's lips. “You will see in a moment. He is an exceptionally outstanding talent.”
Sarah led the Emperor through the bustling crowd, eventually spotting Greg holding a plate.
He was focusing entirely on a steak, completely oblivious to the young noble ladies behind him who were nudging each other with their eyes, trying to find a brave soul to approach him.
Sarah looked at Greg's behavior, and she couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
He really is still hurting. He hasn't moved on from Wendy yet, which is why he's deliberately staying here and eating to avoid giving others a chance to talk to him. He is so devoted...
Her impression of Greg improved even further. She stepped forward and spoke:
“Father, this is the person I wanted to introduce to you. This is Greg Sass from the Glory Cael Magic Academy. In this exchange, he not only took first place in the preliminary defense, but also broke all previous records in the secondary defense, achieving an unprecedented perfect score. He is an exceptionally outstanding talent!”
“WTF?!”
When Greg saw the Emperor, who had appeared behind him at some point, the fork in his hand nearly slipped onto his plate.
Not long ago, he had met this Emperor face-to-face. Since he had been in a hurry at the time, he had only worn a simple mask to conceal his identity, so he was a bit worried the Emperor would recognize him.
To distance himself from the impression he had made last time, Greg quickly set down his plate, lowered his head slightly, and spoke in a nervous tone:
“G-Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty... I didn't know Your Majesty would come in person. Forgive my lack of manners, and I beg Your Majesty's pardon.”
The Emperor looked at the young man and chuckled, waving his hand.
“No need for such formality. You are a talent recommended by Sarah, so do not worry about it.”
Although his daughter hadn't said it outright, the Emperor could tell that Sarah had feelings for this boy.
But what puzzled him was that, even though this was clearly their first meeting, this boy gave him a strange sense of familiarity.
Having sat on the throne for so many years, the Emperor was certainly no fool.
He quickly began searching his mind for the source of this familiarity.
This build, and those striking amber eyes... Could he be...?!
The Emperor soon remembered.
Greg looked exactly like that masked man who had stood beside Wendy.
Which meant... he was the mysterious figure who had summoned the black sun over the Imperial Capital!
Holy shit, this young man?!
Rate on N.U.
