Through the communication stone, the crown prince observed Leon's image with silent and calculated attention. His eyes, of a rare crystalline shade, resembled cut glass under light—translucent, cold, and difficult to decipher, as if hiding deep thoughts behind a surface.
His hair was light blond, almost golden, falling slightly disheveled over his forehead while still maintaining a natural elegance typical of royalty. His skin was pale and well cared for, without imperfections, softly contrasting with the darker details of his clothing. He wore noble garments in white and gold tones, with fine embroidery indicating his high status, along with a dark blue cape resting on his shoulders, fastened by an ornate brooch.
"So you're not coming"
"Yes, Your Highness. I apologize for that, but I arrived quite exhausted"
"There's no need to worry about it. After all, you and the other four deserve rest. Next time, I hope you come"
"Of course I will, Your Highness. This will be the first time I do this—and the last"
Alistair Ravenswood exchanged a few final words before ending the call. It was the first time his friend had refused to come, so this exhaustion must have been real. It was a shame he wouldn't attend, since he had worked so hard to allow his family to be present at this banquet.
"Lord Alistair, is everything alright with my Leon? He mentioned he was tired"
Turning, he saw Leon's adoptive sister along with her parents. The one who spoke was her mother, and all three seemed worried about their family member not having come. A young woman of delicate and noble beauty, with long golden slightly wavy hair, light eyes leaning toward blue, and soft features. Her appearance conveyed purity and kindness, though her expression carried concern. She wore elegant clothing typical of high nobility. The protagonist's name was Elara Everhart.
"Well, he just returned from a war that was exhausting, but there's no need to worry. He should be fine after a good night's sleep"
"The crown prince is right, dear. War is no joke"
The imposing man with gray hair and a well-kept beard standing behind Elara spoke. He had a serious and firm expression, with an attentive and protective gaze. His posture was rigid, typical of someone with authority and responsibility, dressed in more sober and formal noble attire. That was Duke Richard Everhart.
"You speak as if you've been to war in your life"
The graceful and mature-looking woman with red hair arranged in a sophisticated hairstyle spoke from behind them in a playful tone, before returning to her previous expression. Her features were soft and elegant, and her eyes showed empathy and concern for Leon's condition. She was the protagonist's mother, Lady Isolde Everhart.
"Well, my father used to talk a lot about the wars he went through"
Richard twisted his hands, trying to hide his worried expression in front of the prince. His wife had a point—he had never participated in a war, as he was born during a time of peace in the kingdom.
"Even so, I would have liked to see Leon today, but I suppose I'll have to wait"
Elara looked down, slightly disappointed, but quickly composed herself and gave a small bow to the prince before leaving with an excuse. Her path to the banquet hall was quick and easy. She was worried about Leon, but from what she knew, his friend would be acting as a temporary guard, so he should be fine.
'Actually, if I think about it, I should be more worried about Uril. He's quite weak. Leon, on the other hand, must be terrifying to his enemies… I never thought I'd think of him as someone scary'
Elara picked up a glass of wine and gently swirled it, recalling a sincere smile from Leon. But from all the stories she had heard, it was hard to imagine him smiling, and now, for some reason, she couldn't believe that only a madman would try to attack her brother.
'He'll be fine. There's no way anyone would attack him now'
While she had those thoughts, Leon entered the mansion, observed by many eyes. As he stepped near the entrance, with Surfien right behind him and Uril returning to the carriage to leave, an explosion occurred, bringing down the entire mansion. Debris rushed toward them, and Uril jumped out of the carriage to react as well. But to everyone's surprise, the knights further behind stabbed those at the front.
"Excellent, men. Time for our revenge"
One of the knights removed his helmet, revealing a gaze full of hatred directed at the mansion where Leon had been. He had thought the plan would fail when he heard Leon was going to the crown prince's banquet. His name was Kailin, the strategist behind the attack.
'We could only carry out this plan today before we were discovered—if Surfien had taken a closer look at us. But thank God that bastard came here'
That was why they stayed further back, and so far, the plan was working. Uril drew his sword and charged at the knights who were breaking the armor bearing the Everhart family symbol. The knights who survived the surprise attack quickly formed defensive positions, while others advanced immediately. They had good coordination and managed to push the attackers back despite being caught off guard.
'They're good knights. It's a shame they're following a demon'
Kailin drew his sword and advanced toward the first knight in front of him—and that knight was Uril. Even surrounded, he tried to defend himself. Their swords clashed, but with superior strength, Kailin knocked the young guard's weapon into the air.
"I'm sorry, kid. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time"
Uril froze as he saw the sword being raised to strike his head, but another blade intercepted the attack. It was held by the green-haired knight who followed Leon. His sword collided with the opponent's and pushed him back. Surfien rested his sword on his shoulder while spitting blood onto the ground. His condition reflected someone who had taken the brunt of the damage. Without a doubt, someone with absolute loyalty.
'If they're in this state, that means—'
"You're all dead for attacking my lord"
Surfien's voice carried contained fury, but that wasn't what made his eyes widen. At the site of the explosion, the smoke had cleared—and Leon stood there with his hand covering his face. What made him terrifying was that his eyes had turned a deep red.
"I just arrived, and I'm already the target of an assassination attempt?"
Enrico's mind was honestly in chaos, with memories flooding rapidly into his head. Every moment of Leon's life was returning at once, disturbing his mental state. Dragging his hand upward into his hair, his eyes grew increasingly red.
"Since you were the ones who attacked first… I'll use you to vent a little"