Chapter 71
The long and tedious formalities had finally ended.
I had finished exchanging pleasantries with the key figures attending the banquet. Talking to them had been exhausting, to the point where I felt like my brain was cramping. It was the kind of fatigue that came from dodging and deflecting a hundred bullets.
"You've done well, Luka. Now, enjoy yourself freely."
Hemillas said as he left my side.
"Sigh."
Feeling drained, I leaned against the wall and took a moment to catch my breath.
All that talking had made my throat dry. I gestured, and a servant extended a tray with drinks toward me.
'Only alcohol, huh.'
After hesitating for a moment, I picked up a glass. It was my first time drinking. Not that a sip or two would be enough to get me drunk anyway.
As I brought the glass to my lips, I frowned.
"Ugh."
My heightened senses picked up the strong scent of alcohol, almost as if it had stabbed straight into my nose. The more I thought about it, the less I understood why people even drank this stuff. The liquid that touched my tongue had an unpleasant taste.
I merely wet my lips before shifting my gaze toward the terrace.
'What is Martina, the Diva of La Vie en Rose, doing here?'
Jin Gaw was a renowned figure in the Empire. From a young age, he had served as the director of the research institute for over a century. Even Hemillas respected his achievements.
'Martina Diva isn't a noble.'
I used the Overseer's Eye to check Martina Diva’s background. Her age… was higher than I expected, and her origins were from the very bottom of the lower districts.
'A man of Jin Gaw’s influence can bring someone from the lower districts to a noble's banquet, huh.'
It was only natural. Jin Gaw, in particular, seemed like someone who didn’t care about others' opinions.
'If people tolerate his arbitrary ways, it must mean he’s that capable.'
As I pondered, I habitually tilted the glass in my hand.
"Hmm."
I winced again. Alcohol really wasn’t to my taste.
I shifted my gaze. The Imperial Guard cadets who had accepted my invitation were gathered in small groups. They blended into the banquet naturally, as if they belonged here—unlike me, who felt out of place.
"Luka."
A fellow cadet approached me. He glanced toward Giselle, who was wearing a dress in the distance, and whispered.
"Does Giselle have a fiancé or a boyfriend?"
"…Not sure."
"Come on, you're family. Don’t pretend you don’t know."
"She probably doesn’t have a boyfriend. Her temper’s too nasty for that."
"That doesn't matter. Finding a noble lady with a good personality is about as hard as finding a noble young master who isn’t a playboy. Just introduce me so I can say hello."
My fellow cadet nudged my arm with his elbow. I felt a little annoyed. But there was no reason I couldn’t introduce them.
I approached Giselle with him.
"Giselle, this is—"
I introduced my fellow cadet to Giselle. She looked at us with an expressionless face and only exchanged a brief greeting.
"Uh, could I have a moment to talk—"
My fellow cadet tried to keep the conversation going.
"Apologies. I’m a bit busy right now."
Giselle spoke coolly and walked away. I felt awkward for even making the introduction.
"I told you she had a nasty temper, didn’t I?"
I said as I watched Giselle disappear into the crowd.
"This much is nothing."
My fellow cadet laughed cheerfully despite being rejected. Before long, he was chatting up another noble lady, effortlessly continuing his social endeavors.
'Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.'
It seemed like only a few of us weren’t.
I observed the banquet from the perspective of an outsider, studying the flow of the event.
'So this is the noble society I have to navigate and live in.'
How many more banquets would Lukaus Custoria have to attend before he could become one of them? I had no idea.
I wanted to be a part of the Custoria family. But the wall of my origins loomed large—not because of others' disregard or discrimination, but because of my own inner struggles.
Lavish banquets and feasts felt endlessly uncomfortable… A small space where I could relax with Gabriel or Gilda was much better. Even if it meant eating spoiled food and getting sick the next day.
My feelings wouldn’t change overnight. Maybe they never would.
'If I have to endure this uncomfortable feeling every time I attend one of these gatherings…'
Just imagining it was unbearable torture.
I was suited for the Imperial Guard, not for nobility.
I felt like screaming right then and there. Of course, if I did, the nobles would whisper among themselves that I had lost my mind.
"Hiyaaaaaahoooooo!! I feel like I can flyyyyyy!!"
I widened my eyes. There actually was someone here acting out my thoughts.
"Director Jin! No, stop!"
Jin Gaw's attendant shouted in panic.
Jin Gaw stood on the terrace railing, flapping his arms as if he had wings. Then, from the fourth floor, he leapt straight down.
Crash!
The sound was deafening. The terrace floor below was solid marble. But since he had a full-body prosthetic, he would probably be fine.
"He's at it again."
"He always does that when he gets drunk."
The nobles barely reacted. They seemed accustomed to Jin Gaw’s sudden outbursts.
'Impressive.'
At the very least, he had a distinct personality. A rare type within the Empire.
"Hey, protagonist."
Taking advantage of the commotion, Ilay approached me.
"Protagonist, my ass."
"Don't be so grumpy. Try smiling a little. Do you know how many women wanted to talk to you but ran away? I counted at least five."
Ilay, dressed sharply, gestured with his eyes toward a group of noble ladies. Standing beside me, he handed his empty glass to a servant and took a fresh one.
Now that I was in the same space as Ilay, I finally felt a bit more at ease.
"Ilay, do you know anything about Director Jin Gaw? I didn’t expect someone like him to exist in the Empire."
I was genuinely curious.
"Of course. Director Jin is one of the top authorities in Arcane research."
I studied Ilay's face. His clear expression gleamed with admiration.
"If you have something to ask that eccentric, you should go now."
"Hah, it's too late for that. It's rare enough to even get a chance to meet him, but even when you do, it's hard to hold a conversation. He gets drunk and becomes completely incoherent in no time."
The Carthica family was respectable. Yet even Ilay, a direct descendant, found it difficult to meet Jin Gaw in person.
"So if you’re recognized for your abilities, even that kind of free-spirited behavior is tolerated."
I couldn't help but envy Jin Gaw. He was the only one in the Empire’s rigid and solemn noble society who didn’t care about others' opinions.
"Director Jin is special. Did you know? He’s even authorized to travel to Bellato."
I didn’t bother hiding my surprise.
"Bellato?"
"No matter how much of a potential enemy state it is, interactions must continue. We're in the Three Kingdoms era, after all. If two of the nations decide to form a technological alliance, the third one gets left behind. Not to mention the civilian-level exchanges. Many people secretly cross back and forth, especially in Border City..."
I had heard of Border City before. It was the Bellato city that Lilian had wanted to visit.
Ilay trailed off mid-sentence. The music in the banquet hall slowed into a familiar melody. Even my ears recognized it. The song we had listened to endlessly in the Fundamentals of Social Events class at the Royal Kracia Academy.
"It's time to dance, protagonist. Go find yourself a lovely lady."
Ilay said that before slipping away. He found a suitable partner, offered a polite greeting, and began to dance.
Not everyone was dancing. Many, like me, stood along the outskirts of the banquet hall.
Click, click.
I heard the sound of footsteps approaching between the notes of the music.
'Giselle.'
She glanced around before standing beside me.
"Luka, instead of just standing there staring, you should be dancing."
She spoke sharply.
"I'm terrible at dancing. I’d probably just step on my partner’s feet."
That was a lie. With my reflexes, I could adjust to any dance, even one I’d never learned, just by following my partner’s movements.
"If the guest of honor doesn’t dance, people will think it’s strange. It’s also improper etiquette."
Giselle pointed out. Now that I thought about it, she had a point.
"So?"
I looked at her blankly. Giselle avoided my gaze and hesitated before parting her lips.
"If you really don’t have a part—"
Before she could finish, a deep, alluring scent drifted toward us. Giselle also stopped speaking and turned to look behind her.
A mature woman swayed her slender waist as she walked toward us.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
'Martina Diva.'
She stopped right in front of me. As if planned in advance, the music momentarily paused.
"The guest of honor seems to be without a dance partner. Would I be acceptable, young master? Mine just got carried off after falling from the terrace."
Martina cut in and asked me to dance. I turned to Giselle as if seeking permission.
"Perfect timing. If you didn’t have a partner, I was going to find you someone suitable. Since you have one now, that’s a relief, Lukaus Oraboni."
Giselle spoke dryly and left. I watched her retreating figure and rubbed the back of my neck.
'I feel bad for Giselle… but I need to talk to Martina right now.'
Martina also seemed eager to speak with me. After all, we had encountered each other in quite an unexpected place.
"When I first heard the name of the banquet’s guest of honor, I could hardly believe it. Young master, you turned out to be a much bigger deal than I expected. I was shocked."
Martina extended her hand toward me as she spoke. I took it, stepping into the dance floor with her.
The music resumed.
Martina and I danced. Her movements were remarkably skilled, guiding me with practiced ease. I simply followed her lead, letting my body move with the rhythm she set.
"How did you end up at this banquet? No, more importantly, what’s your connection to Director Jin?"
Martina curved her lips into a knowing smile.
"You don’t have to interrogate me. I’ll tell you everything."
Martina’s voice was smooth and unbothered, as if she had nothing to hide.
"La Vie en Rose’s Diva has always played the role of a lover to powerful figures in the Empire. It’s one of the Diva’s hidden qualifications—to be the mistress of an imperial authority. There’s even a legend that the first Diva was the emperor’s concubine. Though, of course, it’s just a legend, so who knows if it’s true."
Now I understood where La Vie en Rose’s confidence came from. And why they had dared to attack me, knowing full well that I was a noble.
'La Vie en Rose maintains ties with imperial nobles through seduction.'
There must be many high-ranking nobles' lovers within La Vie en Rose—both women and men.
Most nobles who operated in the lower districts weren’t from high-ranking families. If they were involved in the power struggles of the lower districts, they were likely minor nobles or the lowest-ranking members of their houses.
'If they have direct connections to people in power, they wouldn’t need to fear low-ranking nobles. And any incidents that occur in the lower districts are easy to cover up.'
I found myself developing a slight fondness for the La Vie en Rose gang. In their own way, they were trying to overturn the rigid structure of power. Some might look down on their methods, but I wasn’t one of them.
'If you have a unique weapon, you should use it to the fullest.'
Just as I was naturally aggressive and excelled in combat, Martina had her own talents.
"Since I answered your question, shouldn’t you answer one of mine?"
"If it’s something I can answer."
I murmured in a low voice.
Martina raised herself onto one toe and spun gracefully. Her dress was cut in a way that left her back entirely exposed. My gaze followed the smooth curve of her toned yet supple back, leading up to the stark white nape of her neck.
'So Gabriel rolled around with a woman like this.'
Hmm. But I had seen glimpses of Martina’s true self before. Remembering that cooled my blood instantly.
'Now that I think about it, Gabriel must have sharp instincts, too.'
For a young man to feel an instinctive repulsion toward Martina, he would need to see the old crone lurking inside her. That required a keen eye.
"Why would someone as influential as the son of the Commander of the Imperial Guard be running around the lower districts? Indulging in some unsavory hobbies?"
"Martina Diva…"
I paused for a moment before opening my mouth to answer.
"…Answering your question isn't difficult. But once you hear the answer, you’ll no longer be part of this world. Not even Director Jin will be able to protect you. And I can’t guarantee that La Vie en Rose will survive either. Someone as wise as your age suggests should understand what I mean."
Martina’s lips trembled slightly, the wrinkles deepening. For a brief moment, the old woman inside her surfaced.
It was fascinating. No matter how beautifully she dressed up her exterior, her true self still bled through.
With the Overseer’s Eye, I knew her exact age. It was… quite old. Much older than Gabriel had estimated.
Crunch.
Martina stepped on my foot mid-dance, pressing down hard. I staggered slightly but quickly regained my posture.
"You shouldn’t tease a lady, young master. But don’t worry—I understand perfectly. La Vie en Rose’s survival always comes first for me."
At some point, the dance had ended. Martina released my hand and stepped back with graceful movements.
As I watched her walk away, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
It was absurd, but for a brief moment… Martina reminded me of Hemillas.
And I thought I understood why.
Martina and Hemillas were both people willing to do anything for their gang and their family. Even if it meant sacrificing their one and only life without hesitation.