Chapter 140: Chapter 211 – The Entrance

Miria gasped in surprise and started clapping joyfully while Asterios smiled wryly at the king.

“I think I know where this is heading,” he replied with a light chuckle.

Welrond smirked at him. “I wouldn’t have to worry too much if it was you who would be by my daughter’s side. Naturally, I will be present as well, but I can’t always be around. Many people will certainly want to speak to me alone or in groups. What do you say?”

Asterios sighed softly and glanced over his shoulder. Miria’s excitement was at its peak, as he had expected. Selene and Tina had some experience with nobles or people of higher standing in general so they didn’t show any specific reactions besides smiling at him warmly. Grea seemed to be the only one not exactly sold on the idea but it was understandable. She didn’t go out that often.

“Would my companions be allowed to come or is this offer extended only to me?” he asked after returning his gaze to the front.

“Naturally, your lovely ladies may join us as well.” Welrond nodded at them courteously. “While I would like to ask you to accompany Silvia at the banquet as her escort, that doesn’t mean you would be forced to follow her every step. I would be glad if you and your girlfriends, or rather mates if I’m not mistaken, enjoyed the evening to the fullest.”

Pondering over it for a moment, Asterios glanced at Silvia. “What do you think about it?”

She showed a delicate smile and slowly walked closer to him, taking Ast’s hand into hers. “I would be happy to accompany you.”

“Shouldn’t it be me who will be accompanying you?” He squeezed her palm as their eyes met. “I will be honored to be the princess’ escort for the evening.”

“Are you sure? Think about it for a bit longer. Such meetings can be extremely annoying and tiresome. I don’t want to bother you.”

Sneaking a quick glance at the king, Asterios leaned forward and placed a gentle peck on Silvia’s lips. They shared a short, fluffy kiss and he drew himself back to see a faint blush on her fair cheeks. A trace of the tiny fireworks sparkled over Silvia’s mesmerizing hair.

“If I’m going to stand by your side one day, I need to get used to such events, don’t I?” He smiled at her. “Besides, it’s my duty as the man you’ve chosen to make sure that you are always comfortable.”

She nodded lightly. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

Welrond laughed openly and smacked his hands together. “Great! I assume you aren’t in the middle of anything important? The banquet takes place tonight in one of the mansions in the capital.”

“Tonight? Gods…” Asterios chuckled to himself.

“Then we need to prepare! We don’t have much time!” Miria bounced around while looking between everyone.

“Everyone coming? Grea?” He turned to look at the crimson-skinned researcher.

“Don’t cross me out this easily.” She rolled her eyes and snorted. “I might be a shut-in but I ain’t gonna let you all party while locking me in the basement. It will be tough but I’ll do my best to hold my tongue. Lest I offend some important dude.”

“Alright. Bryn? What about you? Feel free to decline, of course.” Asterios turned his focus to their angelic friend.

“I have no plans for the evening, Master, so it would be my pleasure.” The Valkyrie made a polite bow.

“I think we are all in,” Tina said with a soft smile. “When are we expected to arrive?”

“The banquet starts in exactly four hours from now,” the king replied after glancing at a nearby clock. “Of course, as the custom dictates, Silvia and I will show up about half an hour to an hour after the party starts, just to let the hosts finish all their preparations. While the girls are free to join early, I would like to ask you to accompany the two of us. Specifically, my daughter.”

“Now, that will certainly be an entrance.” A sly grin curled Selene’s lips up. “The mysterious youth by the princess’ side will surely be at the center of attention amongst the attendees. All the potential suitors will think twice before making any attempts.”

“That’s so smart!” Miria beamed at the king, making him chuckle.

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, though,” Silvia added.

“I agree with Miria. This should make it easier for you. Hopefully, I won’t make a fool of myself in front of the most important people in the kingdom. I don’t have much experience in this field,” Asterios replied.

“Don’t worry. Now that we can speak mentally, I can lead you through everything as it unfolds. I’ll brief you about the most crucial parts shortly before the banquet.”

“We should peace the fuck out back home to pretty ourselves up, then. We aren’t exactly rich on time. Ah. Whoops. Sorry.” Grea smiled apologetically at Welrond.

“Don’t mind it! We are in private right now!” The king laughed again and waved at her dismissively. “I won’t hold you back any longer, then. Asterios, please meet me here at least half an hour before our assumed time of arrival. And you, Silvia?”

“I’ll go with Asterios for now, Dad,” the princess answered.

“But of course.” He grinned. “That’s it for now. Thank you for agreeing. I appreciate it greatly. See you all during the ball.”

Taking that as the cue for their dismissal, Grea opened her crimson gate and everyone used it to return back to Glimmervale. Ending up in her underground lab, they all looked at each other.

“Now what?” She put her hands on her hips.

“Should we use the dresses Selene got us?” Miria asked as her tail danced excitedly behind her back.

“That’s not a bad idea. Though, Silvia doesn’t have one, right? Would we be able to have it made before the banquet?” Tina wondered out loud. “I mean, it’s not like she has to wear a dress in a matching style. She’s the princess. She technically should stand out more from the other women.”

The person in question showed a small smile at the blue-haired lady. “I’m certainly not above you as Ast’s woman too and I would love to wear matching dresses with all of you.”

“That can be arranged, but as I’ve read somewhere, it’s improper for a woman to show up to social gatherings in a dress she’s already worn.” Asterios chuckled. “I think we have enough time to pick something perfect for such an occasion for all of you. We do have an expert with us.”

“Who?” Miria tilted her head curiously.

“My mother, of course.” He winked at her.

Grea sighed. “Expert or not, it’s plain impossible to find anything that wouldn’t look utterly hideous on me.”

Tina giggled. “If it’s Miss Kindra, I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“What are we waiting for, then? Let’s go!” Miria bolted out of the underground chamber, causing everyone to chuckle at her eagerness.

Asterios and the others soon caught up to her and went to find his mom once more. It didn’t take them long as she was still present in the mansion she and Tina’s parents had chosen for their home. After learning about their situation, something awoke in her and she made it her life mission to make the girls shine brighter than the biggest stars in the night sky.

Kindra was going to take them through their newly opened shops in Glimmervale but she remembered that Umbra could bring them almost anywhere. After consulting it with the Lord of Darkness, who assured them that he wouldn’t lose track of Fievedem’s group while tending to their request, Kindra politely asked him to transfer them to the capital.

Shortly after getting there, she shoved Asterios aside and dragged all the girls away, saying that he wasn’t needed and would see them at the party. He shrugged and waved at the group of fleeing women, led by his mother to most likely the best shops their family had to offer in the royal city. Asterios certainly didn’t mind a surprise.

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While Kindra and the girls toured the capital, he decided to visit a few stores with appropriate clothing for men too. He asked a few better-dressed gentlemen about the location of shops belonging to the Hestizo Household or their personal choices. Gathering a few answers, he paid a visit to the mentioned establishments.

At first, he considered buying a pre-made suit since he definitely had no time for a tailor-made one, but then he realized that he could actually make it himself. He was in possession of clothes that shaped themselves to his will. And, with a simple experiment, Asterios confirmed that his spiritual energy could form a detailed suit too.

He felt a little bit scummy at first as he walked around and browsed various designs and styles just to materialize them on himself after leaving the store. But, he wasn’t exactly stealing anything. Besides, if the managers learned who he was, they wouldn’t accept his money anyway, at least in his family’s stores, of course. He couldn’t decide which design to pick so he just memorized all of them and kept thinking about it while going around the capital.

In the end, he settled for a simple, black suit, finished with a red thread, and a sleeveless vest of a similar, black shade. Underneath, he wore a dark crimson shirt. Full leather gloves of dark crimson completed his set. All the buttons on his jacket, vest, and shirt had the carving of a Dragon’s head from the profile, most likely influenced by his aura. He didn’t mind the accent personally. It was a nice touch. 

He didn’t even notice how much time had passed until Silvia reached out to him mentally, asking if they could meet up with her father. She assured him that all the girls had finished their preparations too and had gone to the banquet’s location already. Since Ast’s mom didn’t want to bother Umbra again, who had returned to tailing Fievedem, she chose to join everyone after Silvia’s suggestion. He smiled to himself while imagining the king’s reaction when he would see her in the crowd.

After moving to an empty alleyway, Asterios opened a gate for Silvia and she walked out of it carefully. He quickly extended his elbow to her and she used it for support while brushing a lock of hair behind her ear with a hardly noticeable blush. Asterios barely recognized the princess with how much she had changed in the span of those few hours.

Instead of her usual military uniform, Silvia wore a beautiful, full dress that started at her chest, leaving her shoulders bare. The dominant color was amber, just like her eyes, and the dress clung tightly to her torso until it reached her waist. At that point, it expanded around the princess to the very ground with interchangeable layers of orange and red. Her arms were covered by amber sleeves reaching past her elbows.

Silvia’s hairstyle had changed completely too. Rather than flow down in a straight manner, her mesmerizing scarlet hair was pulled to the back, fully revealing the sides of her face, her ears, and her beautiful neck. Then, it was combed into a lush ponytail, reaching past her waist. Two pretty bangs were left to decorate her cheeks, showing a bit of her orange inner strands.

“You look dazzling,” Asterios complimented her looks, moving his hands to her waist.

“Thank you. You look very handsome in this suit too. I like the buttons.” She showed a gentle smile and nodded appreciatively. “I can’t wait for you to see everyone else. Your mother has an incredible fashion sense. I’m really grateful for her help.”

“That she does. You are the living proof of it.”

They looked each other in the eyes for a brief moment and Silvia placed her palms on Ast’s chest. He sensed her intentions and pulled her a little bit closer. They both leaned forward and joined their lips in a delicate kiss.

“This will be the first time in years that I wear an actual dress,” Silvia said quietly. “Perhaps it’s not as bad as I’ve always thought.”

“I think you look great in it. It really suits you.” Asterios smiled, leaving one more peck on her lips. “Let’s go and meet with your father. I bet your appearance is going to shock him.”

Chuckling together lightly, they walked through the portal Silvia opened for them. After arriving in her personal chambers, they hastily left the room and headed to the king’s office. Many servants they passed gave them surprised and curious looks and they exchanged smiles now and then. 

Welrond’s reaction didn’t disappoint them either as the king almost melted before their eyes, muttering under his nose something about cuteness, the mirror image of Silvia’s mom, and the world ending. It must have truly been ages since Silvia had donned such a beautiful dress. Asterios remembered her telling him that she wore various versions of her uniform almost everywhere.

The trio talked about some proper etiquette and how everything would proceed during the banquet, from their arrival to their departure. Asterios had to accompany Silvia during those two instances but otherwise was free to do anything he wished. Of course, he assured Silvia and her father that he wouldn’t just ignore her for the entirety of the party.

Soon, enough time had passed for the king and princess to head out. Asterios held his arm for Silvia and she entwined her elbow with his, pulling herself close to his side. Welrond grinned at them proudly and led them to the castle’s entrance, where a rich, fancy carriage awaited them. Twelve members of the Royal Division sat atop their winged tigers in two groups of six, one behind the carriage and the other in front. Everyone’s eyes were on the duo behind the king and they were fully aware of that.

The trip to the mansion belonging to Eugene’s family took only ten minutes, during which Welrond tried to pull Asterios into a casual chat, sneaking a few glances between him and Silvia. They considered telling him about Ast’s mom just to see him panic in the middle of the road but barely held back, imagining his reactions while talking mentally as he remained blissfully unaware.

As the carriage stopped, someone rushed to open the door for them and held his hand up while bowing low, aiming to assist the passengers in getting out. The king accepted his offer but the sight of another man inside the carriage threw the kind helper off, especially after that additional man helped the princess instead of him, fully taking her in his arms and gently setting her down.

Entwining his elbow with Silvia once more, Asterios smiled politely at the man who looked way too well-dressed to be a butler. He assumed that this was the head of the family since it would only be natural for the most important person to greet the king. It was clear that Eugene’s father hadn’t expected him from how confused and flabbergasted the man was for quite a while, most likely trying to figure out his identity or their relationship. Or, perhaps, Silvia’s appearance was to blame for it.

With her husband partially frozen, the lady of the house took it upon herself to lead Welrond, Silvia, and Asterios inside the mansion. They walked into a truly grand villa, the biggest and richest manor Asterios had ever seen. Not that he had seen many of them until recently. But, just the main lobby was as spacious as an entire wing of his family’s residence. It was closer to a palace rather than a mansion.

After passing through countless massive and finely carved double doors, they stopped in front of the most intricate ones. The noise of an ongoing banquet could be heard from the other side.

Welrond turned around to face Asterios and Silvia with a wide grin. “I have an idea.”

The duo exchanged glances and the king stepped closer to Asterios, whispering something to his ear. Thinking his words over for a moment, Asterios nodded as the edges of his mouth began curling up too. Silvia watched curiously as faint crimson flames rolled over Ast’s face and a dark red half-mask materialized over his face, covering his forehead, cheekbones, and nose. With his ferocious vertical pupils and deep crimson eyes full of power, it created a captivating image.

“There’s no doubt about you becoming a hot topic tonight now.” She chuckled quietly after realizing her father’s intentions. “You look so mysterious no one will dare to offend you.”

“And in turn, no one should bother you, Princess,” Asterios replied with the proudest and most noble tone he could muster.

“Perfect.” Welrond rubbed his hands. “It’s time to steal the show, then.”

Eugene’s parents hastily slipped through the impressive gate and shushed everyone down, announcing the arrival of King Welrond and Princess Silvia. She and Asterios smirked at each other when the man stuttered a little after realizing that no one had even asked for Ast's name, thus he wasn’t included in the speech.

Then, the two decorative wings opened inwards and the king walked forward first, shooting one last grin at the duo behind him. His entrance was met with instant applause and continued on as he slowly descended long, wide steps leading to the main floor while waving to the sides. The hall was so big that it had three stories and multiple balconies beside the bottom level.

When he disappeared from their sight, Asterios glanced at Silvia and she nodded at him with a gentle smile. Careful to watch his every step, he led the princess through the open gate with confidence. The very moment they reached the top of the descending stairs, the entire hall literally froze. All the clapping noise disappeared in an instant.

Asterios ignored the intense stares boring into them and guided Silvia down with a straight, serious face. Their regular, quiet steps were painfully loud in the completely silent air. Everyone was so shocked either because of him or the princess’ choice of attire that people barely breathed.

As he and Silvia reached the flat midsection of the stairs where Welrond waited for them at the short plateau, the man of the house and his wife sped past them to the very ground and started desperately clapping while nudging the closest people. Soon, the noise echoed through the hall again.

“I’ve never shocked the crowd this much in my entire career. This night is going to be something.” The king chuckled when Asterios and Silvia stopped next to him. “Are your friends here?”

“I’m pretty sure I see them next to the table by the third pillar on the left. Look. Someone is waving at us,” Silvia answered him.

As his daughter’s remark reached his ears, Welrond was in the middle of placing his foot on the next step while looking in the opposite direction and gesturing at the gathered nobles with a charming smile. When his gaze followed the instructions and found the described area, his smile faltered, and not only it.

Asterios and Silvia watched how the bewildered king slipped on the fancy carpet and lurched forward. Somehow saving himself from falling face first, he rushed down the stairs while waving his arms around for added stability and almost crashed into the ground at the very bottom. His face immediately snapped back up to Asterios with his eyes so wide they threatened to jump out of their sockets. A single question was clearly visible in his startled expression.

Why is she here?!

With a great deal of focus, Asterios managed to show only the faintest smirk and shrugged, signaling that he had no idea. But, it was obvious that the king didn’t buy his lie even for a second. Thankfully, Welrond chose to concentrate on salvaging his crumbling image and awkwardly assured the first nobles that had come to his side that he was fine. His eyes kept jumping to Kindra’s whereabouts the entire time.

Silvia tugged on Ast’s arm and he continued guiding her down the stairs in silence again. Everyone had stopped clapping as they held their breaths while watching their respected ruler plunge down the flight of stairs. Though almost everyone’s attention was now on the king, one young, handsome man standing next to the hosts of the banquet with a glass of wine in his hand seemed to concentrate solely on each step Asterios and Silvia took.

They reached the main floor too and curtsied at each other with their heads. As they exchanged smiles, Silvia leaned in and placed a tiny peck on Ast’s cheek before letting go of his arm and heading off to the side. The noise of glass breaking hit his ears and Asterios turned towards the source. Eugene’s parents were frantically prying the man’s closed fist open, which was dripping with red wine, and most likely blood. His eyes were wide as saucers and his skin white as a sheet.

Asterios smiled wryly to himself. It would certainly be an eventful night.

 

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