The hall was huge.

That was Ardyn's first impression as he entered the area. He slowly took in the entirety of the surroundings, his face filled with wonder.

The hall was lavishly decorated, the walls adorned with intricate writings and elegant designs. The place was lit by an array of chandeliers, casting a warm, golden glow throughout the room. Floral arrangements adorned each table, and soft, melodic music played in the background.

"Wow," Ardyn couldn't help but marvel out loud.

At the head of the hall, there was a raised platform that held a long, ornate table.

It wasn't hard to make out the royal family. They were currently seated in elegant high-backed chairs, adorned in outfits decorated with glittering crystals and beautiful embroidery.

Ardyn couldn't help but stare. The two of them looked ethereal, almost like living works of art. The King, even when seated, appeared tall with an imposing posture and stern features. In contrast, the Queen wore a gentle smile as she chatted with a noblewoman at her side.

Noticeably, there were two empty seats next to them.

"Where's Evan — I mean, the Prince?" Ardyn asked Mathias, who had accompanied him to the banquet so he wouldn't get lost. The others — namely Evan, Ansel, and Clay — had all gone elsewhere.

"His Highness is probably in the audience chamber, checking on Voss and Blade using the commcrystal," Mathias answered. "He'll be out to join the King and Queen in a minute."

"Oh. Okay."

As they walked, Ardyn continued to look around in fascination. Around the hall, guests were engaged in lively chatter, and the aroma of food filled the air, stimulating his senses. Servers moved gracefully between the tables, patient and attentive to every person.

"I think I can make out who the nobility are at this point," Ardyn remarked.

Mathias nodded in agreement. "They like to stand out as much as possible."

Since the banquet was open to everyone and citizens were free to enter the castle if they wished, there were several types of people in the large hall. Some were dressed in beautiful outfits that were clearly customized, adorned with expensive crystals and silk fabrics. Others appeared to be ordinary citizens dressed in their best clothes — simple yet pleasant to look at.

Most of the nobles, including Ardyn, wore a variety of masks. It seemed as if they wore them to stand out in the crowd.

"It feels like a costume party of some sort," Ardyn muttered. "Do we need to find seats? Looks like every chair is taken."

Due to the amount of guests in the hall, each table seemed to hold the maximum number of people. There were two buffet tables, one on each side of the room, and many of the citizens were either wandering around, chatting happily, or eating while standing. Some were even doing all three at once.

"Those who are currently seated are the highest-ranking nobles, some of whom have come all the way from distant kingdoms," Mathias explained. "Even a representative each from the Scarlet and Emerald Kingdoms came here to attend. It's a pretty important celebration considering that the royal family of Silvermane, which is also the leader of the Silver Kingdom, will have an additional member."

"I remember you all mentioning something about the Emerald Kingdom earlier," Ardyn said.

"Ah. It's best not to talk about it, especially not in here." Mathias' voice dropped to a low whisper, as if he was wary of being overheard. "And I would advise you not to ask about the Scarlet Kingdom. Although the four kingdoms are currently in a truce to pick up the pieces from the destruction three years ago, tensions are still high."

Ardyn nodded. He figured there was some kind of wacky politics going on in this world, but it really wasn't any of his business. Besides, he did not want to get involved in anything else. He only wanted to concentrate on his own survival.

Mathias started to lead him somewhere when they suddenly felt two hands grab their shoulders. Before they could react, a head emerged from the space between them, lips stretched into a broad grin.

"Gotcha!" a female voice exclaimed. "So this is where you were, Matty-bear!"

Mathias sighed. It seemed that he recognized the woman instantly.

"My Lady…" he said patiently. "Please don't startle us like that."

Ardyn blinked in surprise as the woman took a step back and moved directly in front of them, her delicate features lighting up with recognition.

She had long, flowing black hair that cascaded gracefully down her back, adorned with jeweled hairpins. Her eyes were the shade of green grass, and she had high cheekbones, honey-colored skin, and a finely chiseled nose.

She looked at them with genuine kindness in her eyes, her smile warm and friendly.

"Is it you?" she inquired eagerly. "Our esteemed guest from far away?"

"…What?" It took Ardyn a moment to register that she was speaking to him.

Mathias sighed. "Shouldn't you be going to His Majesty right now, Your Highness?" he cut in.

'Your Highness'? Ardyn echoed in his head.

"And mingle with those boring nobles? Nah!" The woman chuckled, and there was a bright, almost mischievous aura about her that made Ardyn relax slightly in her presence. "It's much more fun being here with you two compared to them!"

Mathias couldn't resist a smile. "You shouldn't mention anything of the sort to Her Majesty the Queen. Otherwise, she might scold you."

"Oh, she'll understand! His Majesty as well!" she chirped. "If they can endure Evan and his wanderlust, they can bear me going off on my own to have some fun!"

Mathias sighed heavily. "That's not what a Princess should say..."

"Nonsense!" She turned to Ardyn once more, and there was a sparkling curiosity in her eyes. "So… you're Ardyn, right?"

"Yes…" Ardyn said slowly.

At this point, it wasn't hard to figure out who she was.

She was Evan's fiancée.

The soon-to-be Princess of this land.

It was funny in a way. He could see a little bit of Evan's personality in her. That was probably a big part of the reason why they clicked.

"It's nice to meet you," she greeted, giving him an elegant curtsy. "My name is Elyana Fria Ruelle. Welcome to Angelbay City!"