Chapter 390 Royal Banquet I
The room they were guided to for the banquet was a series of connected rooms. The doors were open, and in the adjacent room, there was a grand piano.
'I knew it. I thought they would make me play.'
Many nobles knew about Sara's playing skills, so this situation was easy to imagine. She also had a child-sized violin with her and had prepared some sheet music. Grazioso, the golem accompanying her, handed the violin and sheet music to the palace staff waiting nearby.
At that moment, Duke Arbal and his wife, along with their eldest son Alfred, entered the room. It seemed they didn't bring their 3-year-old daughter Eugenie to the palace banquet.
"Oh, you're early. I thought you would be late."
"We apologize for the worry."
Chloe, representing the girls of Grandchester, replied and smiled brightly at Victoria.
"By the way, Ms. Chloe, your accessories are wonderful."
"Thank you very much."
As Chloe bowed her head, not only did her necklace shine, but the ruby in her hairpin sparkled as well.
"Gathering such high-quality pigeon blood rubies is very difficult. What a fantastic collection."
"I had the Sophia Merchant Guild arrange it."
"I see. I can really feel the passion of the Sophia Merchant Guild in the fashion department."
"Victoria, you shouldn't trouble such a young lady too much."
Victoria was looking closely at Chloe's accessories, which led her husband, Duke Arbal, to scold her. When a high-ranking noble shows interest in the items of lower nobles or merchants, it can be seen as a demand for those items. Normally, the person who receives such an offer is expected to give something in return. However, it is understood that a woman of the Duke's status should not want the belongings of a young girl.
"Oh, I'm not trying to cause any trouble. They were just our guests a moment ago, and they are lovely friends."
"I see. I didn't know because I was at the palace. We just met at the hunting tournament, but Lady Chloe has become a beautiful lady. Girls grow up so fast."
"Thank you very much, Your Excellency."
"Lady Sara is also adorable. I wonder if my Genie will become as graceful as that."
Edward, who had been listening to the conversation, quietly smiled and spoke to Duke Arbal.
"Children really grow up in the blink of an eye. It's truly precious to be able to watch their lively cuteness when they are young."
"Father, does that mean I'm not cute now?"
"That's not what I meant. But seeing how much you've grown lately reminds me of when you used to call the servants with a childish voice and run around the garden. Please don't grow up too fast. I'm not ready to let you go yet."
"Oh, Father, that's embarrassing to say in a place like this."
When Chloe showed a flustered expression, Duke Arbal responded with a smile.
"Haha. Lady Chloe, I understand your father's feelings very well."
"Oh, I'm honored."
"Well... I was disappointed that there are only 3 men, including my son, Edward, but thinking that I have to marry off my daughter someday makes having a daughter a complicated thing. Thanks to Chloe and Sara, I can understand that feeling now."
"It might depend on where she marries. If it's a noble family like Marquis Grandchester or Young Marquis, who often visit the palace or have a nearby mansion, it might not be so lonely, right?"
Victoria tried to gently steer the conversation, but Edward brushed it off casually.
"The Grandchester men are very indulgent with their daughters and granddaughters; they have a hard time letting go."
"Oh, Father..."
'I see. I underestimated my uncles' social skills. I can see that Chloe's attitude was planned. She's easing the atmosphere while controlling the flow of conversation.'
Marquis Grandchester nodded at his son's comment with a blank look as the royal family entered the dining room one by one. Everyone bowed their heads together.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Please raise your heads and take your seats."
The nobles raised their heads, but the commoners, Sara and Sophia, kept their heads down.
"William, could you introduce your family? The little lady over there and the merchant behind her can also raise their heads."
"Of course. Sara, Sophia, please raise your heads."
As Marquis Grandchester introduced Sara and Sophia, the two greeted the king with the deepest curtsy.
"Hmm, your etiquette is like that of nobles."
"It is an honor."
"You may also take your seats at the table."
"With all due respect, I am just a mere merchant. Please forgive me."
"There's no need to be so formal. I, the king, invited you myself."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
This is a formal exchange. It's a bit of a hassle, but it's polite to decline at least once, even if it's a courtesy from the king.
Sophia and Sara gracefully sat down in their chairs, and the king looked at them, feeling disappointed that things didn't go as he expected.
'I intended to show some mercy after making them feel a bit awkward, but...'
The king did not intend to "humiliate women," as the queen believed. Instead, he thought he was acting appropriately by addressing a breach of etiquette by a common female merchant and a girl.
Over time, the king developed a tendency to belittle others, a behavior that was not present in his youth. Those close to the queen noticed this change as he neared his late fifties.
Although there was no specific reason for this shift, it seemed to coincide with the Crown Prince reaching adulthood and becoming more prominent in politics. As the Crown Prince's potential ascension became apparent, the king often criticized his maturity.
The problem was that the king's attitude affected not just his family but also his advisors. When riots broke out in the Grandchester territory, the presence of Roisen's Crown Prince Gerhart highlighted the king's troubling behavior. Instead of simply confirming that there were no issues between the two countries, the king used the riots to strengthen Avalon's position.
He acted arrogantly and sent Rebecca, who had a complicated past with Roisen, to a hunting tournament in Grandchester. His goal was to impress Roisen's Crown Prince with Avalon's rich farmland while making him feel inferior to Rebecca, a viscount's daughter.
While some may not see this as wrong for a ruler, as Sara noted, many nobles had mixed feelings. The king might view his actions as minor mischief, but others did not share that perspective. Some nobles felt resentment and began to distance themselves from him.
Marquis Grandchester was concerned that Sara might be upset with the king's behavior. However, Sara dismissed the king's actions, thinking he a small-time person who can't help but try to show off. She had dealt with similar people in her past life and knew it was best to avoid them.
Despite this, the dinner party began on a positive note. At the table, Prince Andrew and Alfred sat in front of Chloe and Sara. Usually, Prince Andrew would sit closer to the head of the table, but it seemed they wanted to keep the children together.
'Prince Andrew looks bored. I guess Chloe will have to step up here.'
Even though they are cousins, 6-year-old Alfred and 17-year-old Prince Andrew are having a hard time talking to each other. Prince Andrew, who is good at socializing, is trying to keep Sara and the others entertained.
"I thought the same during the hunting tournament, but both Lady Chloe and Lady Sara have perfect manners, right?"
""Thank you very much.""
Chloe and Sara smiled gracefully in response to Prince Andrew's compliment. But Prince Andrew looked at the two of them and chuckled softly.
"It seems like you're nervous because it's in front of Your Majesty, but I remember Lady Sara from the hunting tournament very well."
"I deeply apologize for my rude behavior back then."
"Haha. Today, Lady Sara seems like a borrowed cat."
Hearing Prince Andrew's words, Alfred's eyes sparkled as he looked at Sara and asked,
"Your Highness, what kind of behavior did Sara show at the hunting tournament?"
"Hey, Alf, that's rude to the young lady."
Duke Arbal immediately scolded his son. However, Alfred maintained his curious attitude.
"But Father, I heard that Sara also practices swordsmanship. And she is being taught directly by Sir Jeffrey!"
This caught Prince Andrew's interest, and he looked at Sara's hands.
"That's amazing. Lady Sara not only does magic but also practices swordsmanship. Does the Grandchester family teach swordsmanship to young ladies too?"
Marquis Grandchester, looking a bit troubled, responded to Prince Andrew.
"If she wishes for it, I won't oppose. My sister, the former Mrs. Harrington, was also skilled in swordsmanship."
"Still, I thought Sir Jeffrey wouldn't take on any disciples."
"Since he is the captain of the knights in our territory, he does train our knights. Besides that, there are only his nephew's sons and Adam, Edward's son."
"I see. So he is giving basic training to promising young men."
Scott is already unmatched among his peers and is even at a high level among the knights. Considering that even Scott respects Sara, it raises serious doubts about whether it can really be called basic training. However, Marquis Grandchester thought it would be safer to leave it as is if the other party was misunderstanding.
Fortunately, Prince Andrew did not bring up Sara's swordsmanship any further and made sure to speak equally to all the young ladies as part of his host duties.
"By the way, Lady Chloe, your atmosphere has completely changed. You used to feel like a cute girl, but now you seem like a beautiful lady."
"That's too kind of you to say."
'Chloe's makeover seems to be generally well-received. I wonder if those big curls aren't really appealing to guys after all.'
Hearing this, Victoria shot a teasing glance at Prince Andrew.
"Your Highness is also at the age where you should be looking for a partner, right?"
"Please don't tease me, Aunt. I'm still inexperienced. I even caused a magic rampage in the Grandchester territory."
"That seems to be true. I'm surprised that there was no damage to the buildings at all."
"Thanks to Lady Sara. She has enough magical power and control to protect the academy's professors while also suppressing my magic surge."
Prince Andrew smoothly dodged Victoria's subtle comment and shifted the conversation to another topic. However, for Sara, who was affected by the change, it was quite a nuisance.
'Uncle might be better at conversation skills. This is getting awkward.'
"I can hardly believe it. Andrew's magic is among the strongest in the royal family. To think someone so young could surpass that."
"Your Majesty, it is an undeniable fact. Thanks to Lady Sara suppressing my magic rampage, no one got hurt."
"You were lucky, I suppose. Still, Andrew, as a royal, you must focus on training your magic control. A disaster caused by an inexperienced royal would be unacceptable."
"I sincerely apologize."
Prince Andrew called his parents "Father" and "Mother," but he addressed his grandfather, the King, as "Your Majesty." This formal title highlighted the distance between them, even in casual situations. Notably, Prince Andrew possesses more magical power than both the King and the Crown Prince.
However, the King does not accept that anyone could be more powerful than him. As a result, the King often makes remarks that keep both the Crown Prince and Prince Andrew in a subordinate position.
"You should apologize and thank Lady Sara. But I also want to know how you calmed the magical power rampage of the royal family, Lady Sara."
Everyone looked at Sara, but she kept eating calmly, not paying attention to them. Since the question wasn't aimed directly at her, she felt no need to answer. She found it annoying and didn't want to engage, but Prince Andrew noticed the situation.
"Lady Sara sang a lullaby for me. It was a truly lovely voice."
"Was it a kind of spell to seal magical power?"
"I don't think so."
At this rate, she might be treated like a witch who seals others' magical power with a curse, so Sara reluctantly decided to speak up.
"Your Majesty, if I may, Prince Andrew has regained control over his magical power himself."
"Oh? That seems different from what others are saying."
"No one can calm a magical rampage from the outside. I believe it is the result of Your Highness finding peace in your heart."
The king was irritated by Sara's graceful smile. He expected that if she were a child, she would argue back fiercely at his "unbelievable" statement and loudly claim her own achievements. The king realized that things were not going as he had planned.
"That's not true. I couldn't control my anger until my magic ran out. Your magic wall limited the damage. The professors inside were also protected by another wall, right? I can't believe you can control magic like that. And I know my heart calmed down because of Lady Sara's lullaby."
"Thank you for the kind words."
Prince Andrew tried to keep the conversation going, but Sara's response was as cold as a wooden nose. She showed no intention of making the conversation lively at all. Although she was polite and courteous, there was no room to complain. However, Prince Andrew did not give up.
"Who is your magic teacher?"
"It's Lady Rebecca, the daughter of the Orson family, who is my governess and will soon be my mother."
"Oh, what a nostalgic name. I was wondering about her since I haven't seen her at social events lately. Is Rebecca doing well?"
The queen smiled warmly and spoke to Sara.
"She's a bit tired because she's busy preparing for her wedding, but she's doing well and seems happy."
"Speaking of which, she's finally getting married. There were many things in the past, but I think it's truly a happy thing for a noble lady to be with someone she loves."
"I see, so Sara is a student of Rebecca."
Of course, the king knew about these facts from his prior investigation, and the queen was aware of them too. However, such insincere conversations are part of socializing.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"So, what type of magic does Lady Sara possess?"
"I have the 4 attributes of earth, fire, water, and wind."
"I've heard rumors that you can also use compound magic. Is that true?"
"If it's simple, I can combine them."
"Can you show us now?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
'This king treats me like a spectacle. How rude.'
Sara felt annoyed but maintained a calm expression. She smiled and raised her hand towards the king. Using earth magic, she formed a bowl in front of him, then created a small flame in the bowl with fire magic.
"First, we have earth and fire."
"Interesting. You can activate 2 types of magic so quickly without chanting."
"Next, I will show you wind magic."
She combined the wind magic with the flame, causing the fire to swirl around in the bowl.
"Your control is impressive."
"Thank you. And finally, here is water magic."
Lastly, Sara used water magic to extinguish the fire, and as if nothing had happened, she cleaned up the bowl along with the water, finishing her magic demonstration.
"Hmm. You truly have all 4 attributes. It's a shame you're a woman."
'They say the same thing here too. I just don't understand how they can act so high and mighty when they're just hanging onto unnecessary things.'
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