Morning sunlight gently filled the Asheville breakfast hall.
Golden rays streamed through towering crystal windows overlooking the eastern gardens while soft winds drifted through the partially opened balcony doors carrying the scent of dew-covered flowers and wet grass from the estate grounds below.
The atmosphere felt peaceful.
Warm.
Almost dangerously ordinary.
Silver utensils reflected the morning light softly across the long blackwood dining table while servants quietly replaced empty tea pots and breakfast dishes before respectfully withdrawing once more.
Only Kel and Reina remained inside the enormous hall now.
And after the earlier conversation regarding the end of their anonymous journey—
A strange lingering silence settled naturally between them.
Not uncomfortable.
Just heavy with thoughts neither fully spoke aloud.
Reina quietly lowered her teacup afterward.
Then slowly—
She reached toward a nearby stack of documents resting beside her seat.
Among them—
One elegant black envelope decorated with silver noble wax seals.
Kel noticed immediately.
His dark eyes shifted calmly toward it.
"Invitation?"
Reina nodded softly.
"The Citadel nobility sent it yesterday."
She carefully handed the envelope toward him across the table.
Kel accepted it calmly before opening the seal.
Inside—
An elegant formal invitation written upon silver-threaded parchment rested quietly beneath the morning light.
A noble gathering.
Private western-central banquet.
High-ranking attendance only.
And near the lower portion—
One line immediately stood out.
Theme Requirement:
Couple Code Formal Attendance
Kel quietly stared at the invitation for several moments afterward.
Meanwhile—
Reina calmly observed his reaction while hiding her own amusement carefully.
Then softly—
She spoke.
"The Citadel nobles invited me to attend a party tonight."
Kel silently continued reading.
Reina folded her hands neatly upon her lap afterward.
"At first…"
Her silver eyes briefly shifted toward the distant windows.
"…I intended rejecting it."
Another pause.
"But now…"
A faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.
"…I changed my mind."
Kel calmly lowered the invitation afterward.
"You decided to attend."
Reina nodded once.
"Right."
The silver-haired matriarch quietly leaned slightly against the chair afterward.
"As long as you're beside me…"
A small warmth entered her voice.
"…I don't think refusing such gatherings is appropriate."
Inside his mind—
Sairen immediately laughed softly.
"She sounds suspiciously happy about this."
Kel ignored her.
Meanwhile—
Reina continued calmly.
"There will likely be many nobles attending."
"Merchant families."
"Military officials."
"Western-central political representatives."
Another faint pause.
"And probably many people curious about you."
Kel quietly sighed internally.
Troublesome.
Very troublesome.
Because ever since the southern diplomatic incident—
His influence inside noble society expanded absurdly fast.
Especially through the identity of Herald.
Now—
Countless nobles wanted connections.
Information.
Access.
Or simply curiosity satisfaction.
Meanwhile—
Reina suddenly added casually:
"There's also a theme requirement."
Kel already sensed danger from her expression.
"The party follows couple code."
Silence.
The breakfast hall suddenly became very quiet.
Kel slowly looked upward afterward.
Reina smiled beautifully.
Dangerously beautifully.
Inside his mind—
Sairen nearly collapsed laughing.
"Oh this is wonderful."
Kel calmly ignored her completely.
Meanwhile—
Reina continued speaking as though nothing unusual happened.
"The host specifically requested paired attendance."
"A symbolic celebration theme."
Kel quietly looked toward the invitation again.
Then calmly asked:
"…The host is celebrating marriage anniversary, correct?"
Reina immediately smiled wider afterward.
"Caught already?"
The silver-haired matriarch softly rested one hand against her cheek.
"Yes."
"Tonight's banquet celebrates the host couple's tenth marriage anniversary."
Kel quietly exhaled afterward.
Of course.
That explained the theme.
Inside his mind—
Sairen sounded endlessly entertained now.
"You're going to attend noble romance celebration disguised as a couple."
Kel internally replied calmly.
"We're simply following dress protocol."
"That denial sounded weak."
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly watched Kel's expression afterward.
And honestly—
The calmness itself amused her slightly.
Because despite all his monstrous intelligence and terrifying political awareness…
Kel still became subtly awkward regarding emotional situations.
Especially involving her.
The silver-haired matriarch eventually stood up from her seat afterward.
Elegant morning light wrapped softly around her figure while silver hair moved gently beneath the drifting winds.
"Since the party begins this evening…"
She calmly adjusted portions of her sleeve.
"…we still have time before preparing."
Kel quietly folded the invitation afterward before placing it aside.
Then calmly replied:
"Then we should focus on more important matters until then."
Reina blinked once.
Kel slowly stood afterward.
"Let's inspect the territory."
The morning sunlight reflected faintly against Reina's silver eyes afterward.
A small smile appeared on her lips again.
"…Understood."
She immediately stepped beside him naturally afterward.
Like always.
The two quietly began walking toward the enormous hall exit together while distant servants respectfully lowered their heads as they passed.
The atmosphere between them remained strangely light now.
Comfortable.
Then suddenly—
Reina softly spoke again while walking beside him.
"I don't want to look bad at tonight's gathering."
Kel calmly glanced sideways briefly.
Before he could answer—
Reina continued naturally.
"Especially since western-central noble society already watches House Asheville carefully."
Another pause.
"And with your recent southern achievements…"
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"…there will definitely be attention."
Kel quietly nodded once.
"Expected."
The corridor sunlight illuminated portions of his face softly afterward.
Then calmly—
He reminded her.
"It's couple code."
Silence.
Reina's footsteps immediately slowed half a step.
Then she slowly looked toward him.
Kel however remained completely calm.
Too calm.
"As long as the pairing appears believable…"
His voice stayed composed.
"…there shouldn't be political complications."
Inside his mind—
Sairen burst into laughter again.
"You really said that with a straight face."
Kel ignored her.
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly stared at him for several moments afterward.
Then slowly—
A dangerous smile appeared.
Beautiful.
Sharp.
Warm.
"Believable?"
Her silver eyes reflected the golden corridor light softly.
"You sound very confident, Young Master Kel."
Kel calmly continued walking.
"That's because it's simple."
Inside his mind—
Sairen sounded helpless now.
"He truly doesn't understand."
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly walked beside him through the long mansion corridor afterward.
And despite maintaining her composed noble expression externally—
Inside her chest—
Her heartbeat had already become slightly unstable.
Because tonight—
For the first time publicly—
She would stand beside Kel not merely as matriarch and advisor.
But as his partner.
Even if only under noble party customs.
Even if only because of "couple code."
Yet strangely—
That thought alone already made her happier than it probably should