The subtle tension in the hall gradually dissolved as the royal orchestra resumed playing.
Moments later, the King slowly rose from his throne. Almost instantly, the murmurs across the banquet hall died down. Every noble present turned their attention toward the royal seats.
The King of Dresden looked across the gathered guests with a calm and welcoming expression.
"Distinguished guests from across the continent," he began, his voice steady yet warm.
"Welcome to the Dresden Royal Palace."
A few polite applauses followed.
"Today's gathering is held to celebrate the cultural heritage and artistic achievements of our kingdom. We are honored to host scholars, nobles, and distinguished guests from many lands."
His gaze briefly swept across the hall. "And of course, we are also pleased to welcome our esteemed guests from Kizen."
Several heads turned toward the delegation from the academy.
The King smiled slightly.
"After the banquet concludes, we will proceed to the Winter Palace, where the Winter Court Arts Exhibition will officially begin at ten o'clock this morning."
More applause followed.
"For now, please enjoy the hospitality of Dresden." With that, the King returned to his seat.
Not long after, a palace attendant approached Jane.
"Vice President Jane Olivia of Kizen," he said politely. "His Majesty would like to greet the delegation."
Jane nodded once. "Understood."
She glanced briefly at Knox. "Come."
Knox followed behind her as the delegation from Kizen approached the royal seats.
Once they reached the appropriate distance, Jane gave a formal bow. "Your Majesty. On behalf of Kizen, we thank you for your generous invitation."
The King inclined his head slightly. "The pleasure is ours."
His eyes shifted toward Knox. "So this must be Knox Aznable."
The attention of several nearby nobles sharpened slightly.
The King continued with an amused smile. "A rising star of Kizen, I hear."
Knox returned a polite bow. "You flatter me, Your Majesty."
"I have heard quite a bit about you," the King said. "And I must admit, I am rather fond of your novels."
A faint ripple of surprise spread among some nearby nobles.
The King chuckled lightly. "If time permits later, perhaps we may speak further."
"I would be honored," Knox replied calmly.
Throughout the exchange, the Queen remained silent. Her gaze rested on Knox, cold and observant.
Beside her, however—
Princess Molly was trying very hard not to look too excited.
Her bright blue eyes kept drifting toward Knox.
Kyah…!
He's even more handsome up close…!
But she quickly straightened her posture again when she noticed the Queen glancing sideways.
Meanwhile, Jane gave another respectful nod.
"We will not disturb Your Majesty further."
The delegation stepped back and returned to their table.
Soon after, the banquet officially began. Servants moved gracefully through the hall, carrying trays of wine and dishes.
Long tables filled with elaborate meals had been prepared, and the buffet area soon became lively with guests selecting their food.
The assistant professors accompanying Jane excused themselves first to gather their plates.
Jane remained seated.
Knox sat across from her.
"Go ahead," Jane said calmly to the others. "We'll eat later."
The assistants nodded and moved toward the buffet tables.
Meanwhile—
From the royal seats, Molly's gaze still occasionally drifted toward Knox.
She tried to appear composed. But the sparkle in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Not long after, several guests began approaching the Kizen table.
Some were nobles. Others appeared to be scholars or merchants.
"Vice President Jane," one of them said respectfully. "It is an honor to meet a representative of Kizen."
Jane handled the conversations smoothly.
Meanwhile, Knox soon found himself the center of attention as well.
"Sir Knox Aznable."
"I must say, your works are quite remarkable."
"Will you be performing music at the exhibition later?"
"Is it true you compose all your pieces yourself?"
Knox responded with polite ease.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"I simply write what I enjoy."
The conversations remained light, almost casual.
Despite the fame surrounding his name, Knox carried himself with calm confidence.
From the royal seats, the Queen watched everything in silence.
Meanwhile—
Princess Molly was clearly itching to walk over. But she restrained herself for the moment.
Eventually, as the banquet gradually drew toward its end, the King stood once more.
The hall quieted again.
"Honored guests," he announced.
"The banquet will conclude shortly."
He gestured toward the palace attendants. "At ten o'clock, the Winter Court Arts Exhibition will begin at the Winter Palace."
Servants moved to open the large doors leading toward the palace gardens.
"Our attendants will guide you there."
Excited murmurs began spreading among the guests. Soon, nobles began rising from their seats.
The next part of the day's festivities was about to begin.
And with it—
The stage of the Winter Palace awaited.
As the guests began rising from their seats, the palace attendants moved swiftly to guide them toward the exit that led to the palace gardens.
Through those gardens, a wide path stretched toward another grand building visible in the distance—the Winter Palace.
Jane also stood. "Finish your preparations. We'll be moving soon."
The assistant professors who had returned from the buffet nodded while quickly finishing their drinks.
Knox rose from his seat as well, adjusting the collar of his Kizen uniform slightly.
At that moment—
A soft murmur spread nearby.
"Princess Molly."
"Her Highness…"
Several nobles stepped aside respectfully as a young woman approached.
Long golden hair flowed behind her, and the small tiara atop her head glimmered faintly under the chandelier lights.
Princess Molly of Dresden.
She stopped a short distance from the Kizen table.
For a brief moment, she composed herself. Then she gave a graceful bow befitting a member of the royal family.
"Greetings, honored guests of Kizen."
Her voice was clear and elegant.
"I am Molly Dresden, daughter of His Majesty and princess of the Dresden Kingdom."
Jane returned the greeting with a polite bow. "Vice President Jane Olivia of Kizen. It is an honor to meet Your Highness."
The assistant professors followed suit.
Knox also bowed politely. "Knox Aznable. A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."
Molly nodded, maintaining the dignified expression expected of a princess.
Yet for a brief moment, her eyes flickered toward Knox.
Kyah…!
He greeted me personally…!
She barely managed to keep the excitement from showing on her face.
Clearing her throat softly, she continued.
"My father has instructed that the guests be escorted to the Winter Palace for the exhibition."
She placed one hand lightly over her chest in a formal gesture.
"Allow me to guide the delegation of Kizen personally."
A few nearby nobles looked slightly surprised. For a princess to act as a guide was somewhat unusual. But no one voiced the thought aloud.
Jane observed Molly quietly for a moment.
Then she gave a small nod.
"That would be most appreciated, Your Highness."
Molly smiled politely.
"Please follow me."
She turned gracefully toward the exit.
But just before she began walking, she glanced briefly at Knox again.
Only for a second.
Her eyes sparkled.
Calm down, Molly…
You're a princess… behave like one…
Then she began leading the way toward the palace gardens.
Behind her, the delegation of Kizen followed.
As they stepped outside, the morning sunlight spread across the vast royal grounds.
Beyond the gardens, the elegant structure of the Winter Palace stood waiting.
And the next part of the royal event was about to begin.
Princess Molly led the delegation of Kizen out of the banquet hall.
The grand doors opened, revealing the bright morning sunlight pouring across the palace grounds.
A wide stone path stretched ahead through the royal gardens, leading toward another elegant building in the distance.
The Winter Palace.
Unlike the main royal palace, the structure looked lighter and more refined. Its white walls reflected the sunlight beautifully, and large glass windows allowed the morning light to shine through the interior halls.
Along the garden path stood sculptures, fountains, and carefully trimmed hedges arranged with almost artistic precision.
Molly walked at the front, maintaining the graceful posture expected of a princess.
Yet every few steps—
Her gaze would drift sideways.
Toward Knox.
He's even more handsome up close…
And that Kizen uniform suits him perfectly…
Calm down, Molly! Walk normally!
She quickly straightened her posture again, pretending to focus on guiding the guests.
Behind her, Jane quietly observed everything. Her sharp eyes missed nothing.
Molly's occasional glances.
The subtle sparkle in the princess's eyes.
The way she tried to act composed.
Jane slowly exhaled.
Sigh…
Another one has fallen, huh...
Her gaze briefly shifted to Knox.
The boy himself seemed completely unaware—or perhaps simply unconcerned—as he walked calmly beside her.
Meanwhile, Knox was quietly observing the royal gardens.
"Impressive," he said lightly. "The Dresdens certainly take their landscaping seriously."
Molly immediately turned slightly toward him, trying to maintain a composed tone.
"These gardens were designed several generations ago," she explained politely.
"They are considered one of the cultural landmarks of our kingdom."
Her voice remained elegant and formal. But the faint excitement in her eyes still hadn't disappeared.
Jane noticed.
And silently sighed again.
Up ahead, the elegant structure of the Winter Palace grew larger as the guests approached.
The interior of the Winter Palace was quiet yet lively.
Soft sunlight poured through tall glass windows, illuminating the spacious hall lined with elegant paintings. The walls were filled with artworks from different eras—portraits of past monarchs, landscapes of distant territories, and grand historical scenes capturing battles and royal ceremonies.
Servants and attendants stood respectfully along the sides while nobles and guests slowly walked from one painting to another.
Princess Molly led the delegation of Kizen into the exhibition hall.
"This is the first gallery," she explained politely. "Most of the paintings here are from the early period of the Dresden Kingdom."
Knox stopped in front of one of the paintings.
It depicted a winter battlefield—snow-covered plains, armored soldiers charging forward beneath a pale sky.
For a moment, he simply looked at it silently.
Then he spoke.
"The composition is interesting."
A few nearby guests paused.
"The artist used a triangular structure to guide the viewer's attention," Knox continued calmly, his tone thoughtful rather than boastful. "Notice how the commander at the center forms the peak of the composition. The soldiers below create the base."
Several nobles leaned closer.
"The color palette is also deliberate," Knox added. "Cold tones dominate the background, but the red accents on the banners create contrast, making the commander's position feel more dramatic."
A short silence followed.
Then murmurs began to spread.
"…He noticed that just from a glance?"
"That level of analysis…"
Knox had already moved to the next painting.
This one showed a peaceful royal garden during spring.
"The brushwork here is lighter," Knox said casually. "Most likely the artist used thinner layers of paint. It creates the illusion of movement in the leaves."
Someone behind them whispered.
"As expected of the one who drew the illustrations for his own novels."
Another voice followed.
"Not surprising. His drawings in those books are incredibly detailed."
More guests began quietly gathering around, listening to Knox's observations.
Knox himself didn't seem to notice. Or perhaps he simply didn't care.
To him, commenting on art felt as natural as breathing.
"This piece here," he continued while studying another painting, "is clearly influenced by western techniques. The use of perspective and depth is much stronger."
His voice remained calm, almost scholarly. Like someone casually discussing history rather than showcasing knowledge.
Jane watched from a short distance away.
Her lips curved into a faint smile. Barely noticeable.
He really can't help himself when it comes to art, she thought.
Yet the pride in her eyes was unmistakable.
After all, the young man receiving all those praises—
was her younger brother.
Meanwhile, not everyone looked pleased. Among the guests, a few nobles quietly exchanged glances. One of them clicked his tongue softly.
"Tsk."
Another simply folded his arms.
They said nothing. But the irritation in their eyes was obvious.
Knox becoming the center of attention clearly did not amuse them.
Still, the majority of the guests were captivated. Some continued listening to Knox's commentary. Others whispered among themselves in admiration.
Even Princess Molly looked completely fascinated.
Her eyes sparkled as she listened.
He really knows everything…
Even about paintings…
Eventually, the group reached the end of the gallery.
A large hallway opened ahead.
"This way," Molly said gently, regaining her composure as the guide.
"The next location is the auditorium hall."
They followed her through the corridor.
The sound of instruments slowly grew clearer as they approached.
When the doors opened—
A grand auditorium appeared before them. Rows of seats faced a large stage where musicians were already preparing their instruments.
Today's event would not only display paintings and sculptures. It would also feature various performances.
Opera. Classical music. And other artistic presentations from across the kingdom.
Guests slowly took their seats as the next part of the royal event was about to begin.