"I'm sooo full… now I feel sleepy," Rui mumbled, swaying as she clung to Ray's arm like a sleepy koala.
Ray tightened his grip so she wouldn't topple over, though it looked more like he was trying to stop a toddler from face-planting.
"Just stay up a little longer," he said. "We'll go to bed soon enough."
"Huh? What was that?" Ruiasked,eyeshalf-shut,pretendingnottohear.
"I know you heard me," Ray snapped, glaring. "Quit pretending!"
"I'm not pretending," Rui said with a sleepy grin. "I'm just ignoring you."
That earned a barely stifled laugh from the guards, one of whom had to cough into his fist to keep it in.
Meanwhile, Grace remained blissfully unaware of the miniature hurricane of sibling chaos swirling right behind her— far too engrossed in her conversation with Welfred to notice Ray desperately wrestling with the patience of a saint as his drowsy little sister tried her best to melt straight into the floor.
.
.
.
Grace was reviewing the duties that still awaited her. Chief among them was seeing the nobles safely on their journey home, ensuring each returned to their estate without incident.
{ In Elenor, law and order were enforced with unwavering discipline. Crime was rare, and the streets remained safe even after nightfall. The capital—home to the House of Elenhart—was regarded as the safest city in the empire. Even so, on grand occasions such as this, security within and around the Imperial Palace was doubled to guard against any unforeseen incident. }
"By the way, where's Uncle Dasmon?I haven't seen him since dinner," Grace asked.
"I'm afraid I couldn't say, Madam," Welfred replied.
Grace's gaze drifted to the side, her expression growing thoughtful.
(I never cared where Uncle Dasmon went or what occupied his time, she mused. He'd always been like that, even when I was little. He had a kingdom of his own to rule.)
A faint sigh escaped her.
(Even so, he always found time for us. Back then, he'd visit two or three times a week, and he'd often help with palace affairs. No one understood the weight of a crown better than another king.)
Her brows knit almost imperceptibly.
(But things changed after Welfred became Second Minister... or, in practice, the First. I only wanted to ease Uncle's burden. Governing two kingdoms was never meant to fall on one man.)
(Still... I think he took it personally.)
(He never said as much. His pride wouldn't allow it. Yet his visits grew fewer with each passing month.)
Her eyes settled on the corridor ahead.
(He even left the banquet halfway through tonight.)
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.
"You're finished already?" Grace asked.
"Mm," Dasmon replied.
"But you barely ate. Just a few side dishes and a couple of cups of stout tea."
{ Among the nobility, stout tea was the drink of choice—a potent black brew known for its bold flavor and for keeping the mind sharp through sleepless nights and exhausting journeys. }
"I don't have much of an appetite."
Grace frowned. "Are you certain? You traveled eight hours without a break just to reach the capital. You can't still not be hungry."
"It's fine," Dasmon said. "I'm used to it."
He rose from his chair.
(He isn't wrong,) she thought. (He's always skipped meals when work piled up. Even back then, he'd barely eat.)
A faint crease formed between her brows.
(But he never walked out in the middle of a family dinner. Not once.)
Her eyes fell to her plate. She absently nudged a piece of food with her fork, the utensil lingering in midair before she lowered it again.
"Fine," she said at last, her quiet voice edged with disappointment. "Suit yourself."
Dasmon paused.
For a fleeting moment, his expression was unreadable—distant, as though his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. Then he offered a faint smile.
"Very well. I'll be off, then."
Rui and Ray exchanged a glance. The same unease settled over them, as though his departure carried more weight than he was willing to admit.
Across the table, Welfred sat in silence, so still he was almost easy to overlook. His head remained bowed, his grip on the fork tightening until his knuckles whitened.
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Welfred paused. There was a familiar tension in Grace's gaze, one he had come to recognize over the years.
"Is something troubling you, Madam?" he asked.
"Oh, I was just thinking about the guests' safety," Grace replied evenly. "I only hope they reach their palaces without incident. Within Elenor's borders they'll be safe, but once they're beyond them... who knows?"
She offered him a practiced smile.
That should be enough.
Welfred inclined his head. "I understand, Madam. I shall see to the duty you entrusted to me."
(I'm sorry, Welfred), she thought. (But if I told you the truth, you'd only blame yourself... and I can't allow that.)
"Then I'll take my leave, Madam," Welfred said, bowing. "Rest well."
He turned to bid Ray and Rui good night, but the siblings were so consumed by their absurd whisper-argument that they never noticed him. Welfred lingered for a moment, then quietly accepted defeat and slipped away as though leaving a battlefield to its victors.
Grace watched Welfred disappear down the hallway, soon lost among the royal staff gathering around him. With a quiet sigh, she turned to Rui and Ray, who remained hopelessly engrossed in their utterly pointless sibling quarrel.
She caught them both before the next round could begin and ushered them through the doorway with practiced ease. Grace barely spared it a second thought. By now, their silent skirmishes were as ordinary as the changing weather—an everyday nuisance she had long since stopped trying to make sense of.
As Welfred walked with the others, he quietly and swiftly touched above his coat, cherishing something beneath.
As he walked on, Welfred's hand found the inside of his coat. His fingers lingered there for a moment before he lowered them again, the quiet composure he wore seeming just a little heavier.
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Heavy clouds hung low overhead, weary from the rain that had only just passed. The air was rich with the earthy scent of damp soil, while scattered droplets clung to every leaf and stone throughout the sprawling gardens. Beyond them, the palace stretched for miles, its grand silhouette softened by a veil of lingering mist.
At the heart of the estate stood Eleheart, the ancestral palace of House Elenhart. Renowned across the continent as the largest and most magnificent of all great palaces, it was surrounded by sprawling gardens and winding pathways. The grandest of them was the broad avenue leading to its towering golden gates.
Welfred stood at the golden gate, carrying out the duty entrusted to him—seeing the departing nobles safely on their way. Beyond him rose the rain-darkened outer walls of the palace, while farther still lay the residences, halls, and guest quarters of the outer palace, each enclosed behind gleaming silver gates.
It divided the palace into two distinct grounds: the inner palace at its heart, sacred and heavily guarded, and the outer palace beyond, where guests gathered before their departure. Vine-carriages lined the road, their lanterns casting a warm glow as one after another rolled into the night.
Welfred remained at the gate, bidding the departing nobles farewell with courteous bows. Flanking him stood the two royal commanders, their moonlit armor gleaming beneath the clearing sky. Silent and vigilant, they watched as the last of the vine-carriages disappeared into the night, the air still carrying the quiet weight of the passing storm.
The palace grounds bustled with activity. Guests made their way through the pathways as guards, attendants, and servants carried out their final duties. The rumble of departing vine-carriages blended with footsteps, quiet laughter, and courteous farewells—the familiar sounds of a gathering drawing to its close.
Yet Welfred scarcely heard any of it.
His thoughts were elsewhere.
(Madam... he sighed inwardly. You've grown taller and wiser... yet you still cannot hide your heart from me. Something troubles you. I can see that much.)
His gaze lowered.
(Whatever stands between you and Sir Dasmon, may it be mended. Even if the price is the place I've been given.)
Welfred's thoughts broke as a guard hurried to the commander at his right. Leaning in, he whispered something too low to hear.
The change in her expression was immediate. Her eyes widened ever so slightly before she dismissed the guard with a nod and strode toward Welfred.
Stopping beside him, she lowered her voice.
"Sir... there has been an intrusion."