Emperor Alexander entered first.
He wore a magnificent dragon robe, and despite the authority accumulated through years of ruling the empire, he still possessed the vigor of a man in his prime. His handsome features were stern, and the moment he entered the garden, an invisible pressure seemed to settle over the gathering.
Beside him walked the Empress in a red gown. Her bearing was graceful but commanding, her expression composed as she surveyed the gathered nobles.
Behind them came the Crown Princess, Vanessa Moonstone.
She wore a pale pink robe that suited her elegant appearance. Her features were refined, and a gentle smile rested on her lips as she followed her parents into the garden.
Several young men immediately straightened.
Some lowered their eyes in an attempt to appear composed.
Others could barely conceal their excitement.
For them, becoming the Crown Princess's consort meant stepping into the highest circle of imperial power.
"Greetings to His Majesty, Her Majesty, and the Crown Princess!"
The gathered nobles bowed.
Alexander raised one hand.
"Rise. Tonight is a family banquet. There is no need to be overly formal. Enjoy yourselves."
Everyone thanked the Emperor and returned to their seats.
The Empress then stepped forward.
Her voice was graceful, but the authority behind it carried easily throughout the garden.
"I believe everyone understands the purpose of tonight's gathering. The Crown Princess has reached the appropriate age. It is time for Her Highness to choose her rightful consort."
A murmur immediately spread through the garden.
The young men who had come prepared for this moment tried to maintain their composure.
Some exchanged subtle glances.
Others looked directly toward Vanessa.
The possibility of becoming the Crown Princess's husband was enough to make countless noble families restless with anticipation.
Yet while excitement spread through the gathering, General Helius stood among the ministers with an increasingly stiff expression.
This banquet had little to do with him.
His family's relationship with the imperial line had already suffered enough damage.
First, Zion's engagement to Vanessa had been broken.
Then Kaelan had become entangled with Vanessa, only for that relationship to collapse publicly as well.
Now Vanessa was preparing to choose another husband.
The General had no reason to expect his family to benefit from tonight's proceedings.
But then someone noticed an absence.
"Has anyone seen Zion?"
The question was quiet at first.
Then another person repeated it.
"Wasn't he supposed to attend?"
"Perhaps he hasn't arrived yet."
"After everything that happened, I wonder if he even intends to show his face."
The whispers gradually spread through the garden.
Zion had once been Vanessa's fiancé.
Now he was the former fiancé who had suddenly transformed from the sickly, useless young master everyone knew into the famous physician of Origin Medical Hall.
His absence was naturally enough to attract attention.
General Helius's brows drew together.
The Emperor and Empress were already present.
Vanessa was here.
Yet Zion had still not appeared.
'Where is that boy?'
His expression darkened.
This was an imperial decree. Zion could not simply decide to ignore it because he disliked the occasion.
If the Emperor asked why the former Crown Princess's fiancé had failed to attend such an important banquet, the embarrassment would fall directly on the General's family.
Icarus, standing beside him, noticed his father's expression.
After hesitating, he quietly said, "Perhaps Brother Zion simply doesn't want to come."
"Nonsense."
Helius's voice was restrained, but the irritation behind it was obvious.
"This is an imperial decree. Does he think he can come and go whenever he pleases?"
Icarus lowered his eyes and said nothing more.
Helius looked toward the entrance again.
The longer Zion remained absent, the more uncomfortable he became.
Then a leisurely voice sounded from nearby.
"General Helius, why haven't we seen Young Master Zion tonight?"
Helius turned.
Henry stood among the other ministers with a faint smile on his face.
The two men had never been particularly friendly.
Their positions at court were comparable, their influence considerable, and their rivalry had existed for years. Henry had no intention of wasting an opportunity to embarrass Helius in front of so many people.
"Could it be," Henry continued casually, "that Young Master Zion decided not to come?"
Helius's face became even darker.
Henry had an irritating talent for finding exactly where a person was most vulnerable and pressing there.
The exchange naturally attracted the attention of the surrounding ministers.
Soon, more people began looking toward the palace entrance.
But Zion remained nowhere in sight.
The whispers grew louder.
Then, just as the atmosphere was beginning to turn awkward, the entire Royal Garden suddenly fell quiet.
One by one, people turned toward the entrance.
Two figures were approaching.
The first was Callista.
She wore a light golden robe, its elegant design complementing her composed bearing. Although she sat in a wheelchair, her back remained straight, her posture relaxed rather than defeated.
Her face carried the familiar lazy smile that made it difficult to determine what she was thinking.
Yet tonight, even the nobles who knew her well found themselves looking twice.
Callista had always possessed an extraordinary presence.
Tonight, she seemed even more striking.
But she was not alone.
Walking beside her was a young man dressed entirely in white.
The garden fell silent.
The man's long black hair was simply tied behind him like a pony tail. There was no elaborate ornamentation, no excessive decoration, and yet nothing about his appearance seemed lacking.
His white robes fell naturally around his tall frame.
His features were clean and sharply defined, his dark eyes calm beneath straight brows. He did not deliberately display his presence, nor did he appear interested in the countless gazes suddenly fixed upon him.
He simply walked beside Callista.
That indifference made the sight even more arresting.
The people of the Imperial City had seen countless handsome young nobles.
They had also seen Zion before.
The sickly young master of General's Manor.
The blind waste.
The abandoned former fiancé.
The young physician who had become famous almost overnight.
But the man walking into the Royal Garden now looked nothing like the person they remembered.
For a moment, nobody connected the two.
Callista glanced toward Zion.
He remained perfectly calm.
She could almost imagine the chaos that would erupt in the next few moments.
And she was right.
Someone near the entrance stared at the young man in white for several breaths before his expression changed.
"Zio... Zion?"
The uncertain whisper carried farther than intended.
Several people turned.
"Isn't that the physician from Origin Medical Hall?"
"No way. How could that be him?"
"But those eyes..."
"It's him!"
The realization spread rapidly through the garden.
More and more people turned toward the entrance.
Their expressions shifted from confusion to disbelief.
The young man everyone had known as the sickly and useless son of General Helius had appeared before the entire imperial court with a completely different face.
And now there was no way to pretend they had not seen him.
Countless gazes locked onto Zion.
The banquet had just become a very different affair.