The festival's evening was different from its afternoon.
If the afternoon had been about noise and movement, filled with the energy of people who had been given permission to celebrate and were using it fully, the evening was something more settled. The vendor stalls were now selling light on top of food—small mana-lanterns and paper constructions that produced colored illumination.
Festival… how refreshing, thought Isaac, and chilling at the same time, given the circumstance.
The crowd had thinned since its afternoon peak, with families finding positions to watch the lanterns, couples moving through the quieter streets, and musicians shifting from energetic tunes to something slower and gentler.
Isaac moved through it at his natural pace.
Even in this tension-filled situation he involuntarily got himself into, he was starving.
He considered purchasing a street food similar to others currently enjoying the festival, but knowing that the trained operatives of Solari Empire were lurking by and specifically targeted him twice by now, he was reluctant to eat outside. He couldn't ignore the possibility of the food being poisoned.
In contrast, the buffet at the Golden Repose served food prepared in bulk for many residents simultaneously, which made targeted contamination unlikely. After all, the fact that the operatives worked under the surface meant that they wanted to remain in the dark, and poisoning the food prepared in bulk would result in a mass casualty that would bring their identities up to the surface.
With this thought in mind, he turned toward the Academy's direction. Perhaps, he could join Vesper who had announced that he would be there.
Now, as for the "finding a partner" problem…
Isaac sighed.
The afternoon's attempts had produced nothing. The Free Ground's population was broader than the Academy's but the causes that had produced rejection inside the walls produced the same rejection outside them. Status, skill rank, the "getting assaulted" rumor, and many other factors. The result was the same.
Now, he learned that the current method won't do. Instead of asking everyone within the sight, what he had to do was to search for someone in a similar status as him—someone who is required to participate to the banquet but has a trouble looking for a partner.
Nobles. Lesser nobles more likely than high nobles, and high nobles more likely than Pillar Houses. Information can be pried from—
"Isaac."
A voice interrupted his thought.
He stopped and turned.
Irine stood ahead, in the middle of the space that the crowd involuntarily made. They looked awed by her appearance, one that appeared too mesmerizing and surreal thanks to the enhancement by her [Glamour]. No one would have believed that [Glamour] is a simple D-rank skill. On her, [Glamour] had the effect matching that of A-rank.
However, that's not what mattered. What mattered was that she called Isaac, and it was surprising to him because he figured that she would want to minimize any attention drawn to her.
Judging by her facial expression and overall demeanor, he could see that there was no calculation in her calling out to him. Rather, her calling was instinctive.
Under the silent crowd's attention, he walked toward her.
"Irine. Has the festival been well for you?" He greeted her back.
She looked at him with the direct attention she always brought to him.
"I heard," she said, "that you've been asking many women to be your partner."
News traveled quickly in the crowd.
Isaac blinked. "Yes," he eventually said.
"And… that none of them accepted."
"Yes."
Something moved in her expression. It wasn't an amusement, but, from his point of view, something more of a guilt—although he couldn't understand why she would be feeling as such.
"…How many." She asked.
"Can't say. I lost the count quite some time ago."
She fell silent, as she averted her eyes from him. It appeared that there was something on her mind, and he waited, giving her the time to speak.
Then, she looked around, as if just having realized that they were being watched by many people.
"Let's move the location." She spoke up, "I have a suggestion, but I don't want to speak in here."
Isaac raised an eyebrow. Nevertheless, he nodded, "then, lead the way."
The two walked, with Irine in front of him, through the street. Heads turned as people caught Irine in their sight, and he noted how vulgar some of the glances seemed.
[Glamour]… what a curse it is. Isaac couldn't help but think. It is essentially an amplifier. If someone of average appearance acquired this skill, it wouldn't have had this much of an effect.
In a way, this world was quite cruel to her. Be it her success or failure, everything will now be tied to her skill.
"…Encountering you in here was by a pure occasion." She said as they were walking. "But I was searching for you."
Eventually, they stopped at a corner without a crowd. With the sole source of light being a mana light just above, the surrounding was rather dark.
"Now, as for the suggestion." Irine took in a deep breath. "I have an acquaintance."
"An acquaintance." Isaac repeated.
"She is a lesser noble. One year younger. We still were able to become acquainted." She spoke, rather reluctantly. "Banquet participation is mandatory for her. She couldn't… find a partner like you, and you would get to see the reason why when you meet her."
"What would her name be?" He was immediately invested.
Irine paused. It took a while before she muttered the name, "…Evangeline Velvet."
Velvet… Isaac recognized the name. From his memory, Velvet was the name of the declining lesser noble house, due to its proximity to the eastern battlefield. It was today that he learned of a peer named Evangeline Velvet, however.
Either way, this was an opportunity. A huge one. He saw that potentially, this was the only window he would get.
"Thank you."
Therefore, he couldn't help but be genuine in thanking Irine. The information that she just gave him was, to him, extremely valuable.
Irine nodded stiffly. "That is all I had to say." She then turned, walking away from him.
Then, she stopped. Without turning around, "Isaac."
"Yes?"
She spoke with her back facing him. "If you still haven't found anyone, by the sixth day…"
He waited.
"…Tell me," she said. Then she resumed her walk, before eventually disappearing from his sight.
Isaac stood at the corner for a moment.
"Tell me, you say…" He muttered, "don't worry, Irine. That won't be happening."
He will make it work, no matter what.
Concluding his thought, he too resumed his travel back to the Golden Repose. His stomach was giving a light growl.
The festival continued behind him.
…
Dinner arrived. Meal was taken. Night arrived and passed by.
Isaac woke up early in the morning. His sleep was uninterrupted, meaning that the assassins that Henrick mentioned hasn't yet come.
He meditated. It was cut short, however, as a knocking was heard from the window.
Opening his eyes and standing up from his position, he walked up to one of the wide windows of his room, and found the same mana-bird that he saw in the long past, knocking on the window with its beak.
"Professor Andrias?"
Breathing, Isaac opened the window to let the mana-bird in. The bird, scanning the room intellectually, held its talon up to show a tied-up, folded letter that was wrapped around it.
Isaac took the letter. Unfolded it.
Notification… Isaac read, presence requested… by House Velvet?
He paused.
Just when I was planning to find her…
Irine did mention that Evangeline Velvet was her acquaintance. He assumed that just as how she relayed information to him, she relayed it to Evangeline as well.
Either way, the fact that they made this request to meet was a good sign. It meant that they've reached the same conclusion. Just as how Evangeline Velvet was a solution to him, he too was a solution to them.
As the mana-bird dissipated instead of flying back out this time around, he closed the window and quickly got himself dressed.
Isaac checked the time.
It wasn't even at sixth bell.
…
It didn't take long before Isaac arrived at the indicated location—Academy's administrative wing's meeting room.
"Isaac Nameless." A guard in front of the room's entrance confirmed his name. Nodded before opening the door for him, "you may enter."
Isaac entered and immediately found a man already seated.
He was middle-aged, and had the specific quality of someone whose age had arrived faster than it should have—he had the kind of face that had been carrying sustained pressure long enough to have left visible marks.
He stood when Isaac entered, with the specific movement of someone who had decided to perform formality. It was respectful, but unlike most of the nobles whom Isaac encountered in the past.
"Isaac… Nameless," he said. "I thank you for your presence. It was, rather, a sudden request."
Beside him, in a wheelchair that had been positioned slightly away from the man's stationary chair, there sat a woman.
Her hair was blonde and wavy, long enough to drop past her shoulders. Her emerald eyes weren't headed at him, but toward the window where the light was shining in.
"I am Resmore Velvet, the current head of the house. This is Evangeline, my daughter." The man, Resmore, introduced the woman in wheelchair to Isaac.
From just a glance, Isaac could see why Evangeline couldn't find a partner like him.
"It is my pleasure to meet you, Lord Velvet and Evangeline Velvet of House Velvet." Isaac formally greeted them in a noble's manner, bowing slightly.
Evangeline didn't react. She maintained her gaze averted, saying without a word that the current situation wasn't pleasant to her.
"Yes, now, I don't want to keep you for too long." Resmore was the one who spoke, adjusting a fedora that he kept on his head. "You may have noticed, but my daughter is quite fine in looks. She took it from her mother. However, she was… unfortunately, unable to find a partner for the upcoming banquet because of reasons of her own."
"It is because I haven't had my Rite of Manifestation yet," she then spoke, for the first time, flatly. "I have been diligent with my wand training. I have above-average Total Reserve and Mana Efficiency. I know my worth. My skill is bound to be a C-rank or greater."
"Now, let's not get into that, Evangeline." Resmore quickly drifted the conversation back on the topic he wished to discuss, "point is, she needs a partner. Coincidentally, you are looking for one as well, based on the rumors we have been getting." He paused. "Are you still looking for one?"
"Yes, I am," nodded Isaac.
"Splendid." Resmore clapped his hands together. "Then, why don't you take my daughter's hand for this year?"
"It would be my pleasure."
There was no hesitation. The solution to the problem that's been pestering him in the past week has finally arrived.
Isaac peeked at Evangeline. She still had her face turned away and her arms crossed. Clearly, she wasn't appealed by the idea of being his partner.
He supposed that it wasn't that strange of a behavior, given his status as Nameless and all the other rumors surrounding him.
Resmore breathed as if relieved. He briefly took off his fedora to wipe the sweat on his forehead. He then turned to his daughter and spoke firmly, "Evangeline."
"I know," she mumbled.
"Banquet is obligatory. You haven't been proactive once in finding a partner, and almost every participant has a partner of their own. Failure to secure a partner will hurt your reputation in our society."
"I am aware."
Resmore sighed. He turned to Isaac and forced a smile, "I thank you for your acceptance. Now then, I am afraid that I have to leave early; I will leave my daughter with you to speak. Good day."
"Good day to you as well, Lord Velvet." Isaac bowed formally, and Resmore stormed out of the room.
Now, there were only the two of them left in the room.
Isaac raised his top-half back up and stood still. Evangeline still wasn't looking at him.
In silence, time passed.
"…Do know this." Eventually, Evangeline spoke coldly, "I do not have any wish to be affiliated with the likes of you, Isaac Nameless. The current situation simply demands that I partner up."
For the first time, she turned her head, and looked directly into him. She appeared to dislike him.
"I am a noble. You are a commoner. There won't be… any of the special feelings whatsoever. Keep your distance. Treat this as a temporary contract, a win-win situation. Nothing more."
"Of course, Ms. Velvet," said Isaac, politely, "I will keep that in mind."
Evangeline frowned, as if not liking his word—or himself in general.
"That better be true." She snorted.
With that, she rolled her wheelchair, exiting the room before him.
Isaac watched the door close. Then, a sigh escaped from his mouth.
"How tiring."
The day was just beginning. He had potential assassins to look out for, as well as the second meet with Henrick.