Chapter 67

At Lyssel's side were Ether, Rozelia, and Kal too.

This was the first time all of them had truly dressed up.

"Why are you all so pretty and handsome today? Every noble at this party's going to fall head over heels for you."

Rozelia, with her pink hair flowing long and a dress in the bright, bouncy colors that suited her age, was adorable.

So was Ether. In a white shirt and red vest, the boy looked so cute she wanted to pinch his cheeks.

"That's what I want to say. You look completely beautiful, Lady Iberin."

"Yeah, Mommy, you're so pretty!"

Iberin's dress, an oatmeal hue chosen to complement her hair, gave her a clear, unspoiled look.

Her eyes, curving into crescents, looked impossibly pure.

"Am I really that pretty? You all tell me I'm pretty every time you see me, so how am I supposed to believe any of it?"

"You really are pretty."

She could've worn rags and they'd still call her beautiful. Although today, even by her own standards, she'd put a bit more effort in.

"Shall we go now?"

A moment later, when Pons let them know that all the nobles had gathered in the hall, Iberin's group set off down the corridor.

After some walking, they stopped at the entrance and smoothed their clothes.

"His Highness the Grand Duke Lecashe, Her Highness the Grand Duchess, and the young master, entering!"

The doors opened, and a wave of eyes washed over them.

---

The stares were intense, but a cold silence settled.

Iberin and Lyssel, along with the children, took their places on the dais.

Lyssel looked down at the assembled nobles and swept the room with his eyes.

It was most of these nobles' first time actually seeing him, and the majority of them — already brimming with curiosity — sat with their mouths slightly open.

"My thanks to all of you for making the journey here."

Most had assumed Grand Duke Lecashe would be an ugly man, but no.

One noble's daughter was so caught off guard that she found herself mumbling stupidly.

"…Is that even human?"

Her voice was small, but anyone within earshot had probably caught it. Lyssel, in the other sense of the word, was too handsome to look human.

It was less remark than gasp.

There was no way Lyssel — with his sharp instincts — could've missed it.

The only difference was that Lyssel didn't take it kindly.

He was used to it by now, of course, so it didn't hit him at all.

And now he had Iberin beside him, so he was fine.

"Please enjoy your evening."

His words finished, he sat back down beside Iberin, and the orchestra they'd invited from the capital began to play.

Music was non-negotiable for a party, and they'd gone to lengths to secure them.

"There are more guests than I expected."

Iberin said, looking out at the nobles down below the hall.

"You think so?"

"I went in with all this confidence, but I was worried about what we'd do if nobody showed."

"None of the Gelta nobles came."

"That's no big loss…."

Even if they had come, she wouldn't have been all that happy about it.

Iberin and Lyssel kept their voices low.

"Mommy, those people keep staring."

Ether tapped Iberin's arm and mumbled, looking a little frightened.

He probably wasn't quite used to so many eyes on him yet.

"It's all right, Ether."

"They said something weird about His Highness."

"Hm?"

"Like, asking if he was human…."

True to his Lecashe lineage, even without inheriting the Seed, his sense for picking up on things was already impressive.

He'd just misread what they meant, like Lyssel had.

"That he was weird?"

"Yes…. They said, is that even human."

Wasn't a curse, by the sound of it.

Iberin had felt something similar the first time she'd seen Lyssel.

"They were saying Lyssel's handsome — that's a compliment."

"…Handsome?"

Ether craned his head out to look at Lyssel.

Then he started prodding at his own face.

He seemed to be processing the fact that he and his father looked startlingly alike.

"Pretty sure Mommy's told you you're handsome plenty of times."

"…That's true, but."

"Other people think you're handsome too."

Only then did Ether nod, before glancing over at Rozel and Kal.

The nobles must have been whispering about Kal and Rozelia too, not just Ether.

Iberin's hearing was ordinary, so she hadn't picked it up.

"Did they say things about Rozel and Kal too?"

"…Mhm. Asking why they were on the dais with us…."

Rozelia, always self-assured, had her chin tipped up like a challenge, and Kal didn't seem bothered either.

"Ether, I'm fine."

"Kal, you heard it too?"

"Sure I did. So they're whispering — so what."

Didn't seem like he was putting on a brave face either.

He'd been through too much at too young an age to be cowed by strangers staring.

Rozelia just smiled brightly, showing off her sweetness.

---

Iberin felt a hot stare locked onto her.

It was so blatant that she glanced over, and a striking woman in a dress red enough to look like flame was watching her.

The cluster of people around her suggested she was fairly well-known, and Iberin found herself staring back for a while before — ah.

Among the list of nobles Pons had pulled, there'd been one young lady who looked like this.

Medinen Bilson.

The treasured daughter of Marquis Bilson.

Of every noble who'd shown, she held the highest rank.

With her looking this hard, I should at least go over and greet her.

Either way, these were nobles who'd come all the way here — basic courtesy demanded it.

"Ether, want to come down with me? You hungry?"

"…Mhm."

"Lyssel?"

"…I'll come down too."

The three of them came down off the dais together, sticking close.

After getting some food into the kids and tucking herself into a corner, Iberin found Lady Bilson approaching, her eyes fixed on her.

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness the Grand Duchess."

"…A pleasure."

"My name is Medinen Bilson."

"I'm Iberin Sherburn Lecashe."

"I hear you've decided to start accepting residents into the territory. Word's gotten around."

"Yes."

After what she'd been through in the capital, Iberin was on full alert.

This is my turf. I'm not about to just sit here and take it.

She hadn't exactly walked into anything blind in the capital either, but the back-of-the-head sting was still fresh.

"Although there doesn't really seem to be anything here yet."

So direct.

It was a different feel from the capital, where everyone was fluent in talking around things.

"We'll build it up gradually from here. You can't satisfy your hunger on the first spoonful."

"If there's anything you need, please call on me. I'll do whatever I can."

"…I appreciate that, even just hearing it."

What was this strange eagerness?

"Honestly, I was really curious what the Lecashe territory was like. Even though my father told me not to come, I snuck out anyway."

"Did you, now?"

"Yes, and I'm glad I did. Your Highness, you also seem like a wonderful person."

"Do I?"

"Yes. I'd love to become close with you, Your Highness."

"Well — I'd be grateful."

"Really? I was curious what kind of person you'd be, but I wasn't necessarily planning to get close to you, you know? My mind's changed."

…Really, really direct and confident.

"What made you change your mind?"

Iberin didn't mind honesty either.

Better that than the ringing ear of a backstab later.

"This place — I think it'll work!"

Whoa.

When Lady Bilson said it, sharp little intakes of breath went up around them, and people started asking really?

Only Iberin blinked, baffled.

A young lady who'd been standing quietly filled her in.

"Lady Bilson has a sharp eye for business."

"Ah…."

"When she says something will work, it's never failed to work. This place is going to work!"

The young lady, who'd raised her voice in her excitement, beamed at Lady Bilson.

Lady Bilson returned a pleased smile.

"It's awkward saying this myself, but it's true. The small miracle line in the invitation did pull me in, but even without seeing it, I think this place will work."

The young ladies all looked at Iberin with eyes shining.

"…You're being generous in your assessment. Thank you."

But based on what, exactly?

The small miracle hadn't even been brought up yet.

Iberin asked out of genuine curiosity,

"May I ask what you saw that made you think so?"

"I saw the crop fields on the way in."

"Ah — you saw those?"

"Yes. The crops are growing beautifully. And — this place has carried that cursed land stigma, so I'd never even thought about it, but actually coming here, it just feels like a place where people live. We're not exactly close to your territory, but we're not far either. Even just cutting trees from the forest and selling the lumber, it's all money on the table."

"…The crops literally grew on cursed land, though. Will people actually buy them?"

She'd already had a brutal lesson on that front in Alketa territory.

But Lady Bilson didn't flinch.

"I'll use them myself, then. All it takes is proving nothing bad happens. Anyone who misses out on this is a fool. And besides — investment is about taking on a certain level of high risk if you want a payoff to match."

The other young ladies clearly didn't follow her just because she had a head for trade — there was real affection and respect in the way they looked at her.

You could tell whether someone was being sincere just from their eyes.

"Even so — please look forward to what the small miracle turns out to be."

"Oh — when you put it that way, I really am looking forward to it!"

Lady Bilson laughed brightly.

---

Lyssel stood for a long while in one spot, the children flanking him like guards.

Around Iberin, young ladies clustered thickly, but no one approached Lyssel.

They were all gauging him from a distance.

Lyssel had no intention of approaching first either.

"Ether, Rozel, Kal."

"Yes?"

"You don't have to stay right next to me."

"Why?"

Rozelia, who'd been standing quietly, asked.

"No reason in particular. I just wanted to let you know you're free to move around."

He'd said it worried they might be holding back for him, but Rozelia just gave a little snort.

"Standing here is by my own choice, and moving around would be too. By the way, mister — you're really not popular, are you. Lady Iberin's swarmed with people, and look at you."

Rozelia hit a nerve.

But Lyssel didn't feel a thing.

He thought she was right.

{"…Iberin sparkles. That's why."}(#gqkm6s02tiow)