By Zephyria 
It was truly fascinating.
How on earth had they managed to surround it without any visible prongs, making the pink jewel stand out so prominently? Every time Ruben and I sat side-by-side, turning the ring on my left ring finger this way and that, the light would flash.
Even without the skill to pinpoint what was better or worse, I knew that the more I looked, the more beautiful it became, drawing my gaze. It looked good even when the wedding ring was considered separately, and when the guard ring was attached, a consistent pattern repeated, making it shine several times more brilliantly.
Ruben seemed quite satisfied as well. The child wore the ring on his hand and admired it as if entranced for a long time. He was so quiet that I had to strain my ears to hear his breathing. Wanting to tease him, I overlapped my left hand on the child’s left hand, only to be caught.
In Ruben’s eyes looking up at me, a brighter and sweeter light than the jewel on the ring shimmered.
His excited heart was clearly visible in his warm gaze. He smiled so shyly that it stole my heart, making it difficult to think straight. If there hadn’t been someone watching beside us, I would have licked or bitten it again.
“Are there any other places to adjust…?”
“Hmm.”
At Vivian Grimbswein’s voice, filled with tension, I turned to Ruben. The child didn’t hesitate.
“This is good enough for the ring. You had a case made to match, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Here it is.”
“Thank you.”
Even without Ruben’s nod, taking care of such things was my part. I readily understood and accepted the ring box, presented on a red cushion. The exterior of the ring box, designed to hold two pairs of rings, including the guard ring, was embossed with a roaring dragon figure over a familiar shield emblem.
Hesitating, reluctant to take off the ring immediately, Ruben smiled and gently closed the box with a tap. I understood his intention to wear the rings today to celebrate the occasion and was greatly pleased, so I carefully put the box away separately.
“And, I don’t know if you heard from Young Lady Philodendor, but they’ve blocked access to the underground area for the past few days. Did you know?”
“The underground area… Huh? Really? No, no. I didn’t hear. The Viscount just said to continue as before, that he trusted us.”
“The Imperial Palace wizards have erected barriers all around, so you won’t have to worry about it separately. This is also a reward for the trust you’ve shown. You’ve worked very hard.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
While a single gnome couldn’t break Spiritus’s barrier, I would still need to find Marcus and Grimbswein if I had to repair gems from the Lair in the future. I felt truly proud to have learned to read the hidden meanings in Ruben’s and the others’ conversations.
Leaving the child who bowed deeply behind, Ruben and I set off on our outing, humming happily.
Still, I wouldn’t be meeting Young Lady Grimbswein much for a while. Thinking that, a certain day from long ago suddenly came to mind. It was when I was practicing my stealth, and Vivian Grimbswein’s loud shout.
“Speaking of which, Ruben.”
“Yes?”
“Where is Vivian Grimbswein’s biological mother now, and what is she doing?”
“She’s working as a maidservant for Viscountess Nico. As far as I know, she’s using a pseudonym…”
“Without using the Grimbswein surname?”
“Yes. It seems there were many difficulties during the process of the Duchy of Grimesbane becoming what it is. Why do you ask?”
“No… it’s not for any particular reason.”
I don’t know why these things keep coming to mind.
Smiling sheepishly, I slipped my fingers between Ruben’s and held his hand tightly. Compared to his meltingly soft hand, Ruben’s rough palm was a testament to repeated training and a symbol of affection. Once touched, it was incredibly difficult to let go.
Holding Ruben’s hand tightly, we strolled down the street, looking up at the sky where fluffy clouds drifted by. As the child’s gaze rested on my profile, I felt an inexplicable sense of shyness.
“Didn’t that Young Lady like Senior Matt Nico in the past?”
“Ah.”
“I was wondering what happened between them.”
“Well… Matt Nico has a rather free… spirit, doesn’t he?”
“Yes? Hmm… Yes, he does?”
“As she grew, her infatuation seems to have faded a bit. I don’t know if she still likes him. They maintain contact, but there’s no news of an engagement or marriage.”
“Hmm.”
“Young Lady Grimbswein, as you can see, has dedicated her life to metalcraft, and Matt…”
“Matt?”
“…Him… Well…”
Ruben tried quite hard to find good words, but ultimately failed.
Still, I just ended up making a joke about how Matt Nico was doing quite well as an Imperial Knight, and that Benjamin, who had performed worse on the exam than him, must have a problem.
❖ ❖ ❖
As the days passed, the population density of the capital increased at a frantic pace.
If you gathered all the nobles from across the country, it would number in the tens of millions, and when you added their attendants, maids, and companions, the number was astronomical. Nowadays, life felt like a war, and one couldn’t just go out carelessly. To maintain order in the capital, even the Imperial Knights were dispatched and scattered everywhere.
It was common for those with titles but no manners to cause a commotion and end up in jail. Eventually, there was no more room to detain them, so they were often released after paying bail. Rumors abounded that those with features that frequently attracted trouble ended up lying down in the barracks building, weeping bitterly out of unfairness and sorrow.
Fortunately, thanks to the Empire setting up hundreds of temporary tents on the streets and providing food supplies at low prices, no one starved to death. In those tents, itinerant merchants from afar and people who came to see the Emperor’s wedding with not a penny to their name sold food as a way to pass the time. Thanks to this, all sorts of food from across the Empire added to the festive atmosphere.
As all accommodations in the capital filled up, nobles of all ranks opened the doors of their mansions.
All nobles of the Sierran Empire were listed in the Nobility Yearbook. Therefore, even if they didn’t know each other personally, they knew roughly where each person was from and what kind of business they were involved in. Generally, Marquis families from the capital hosted Marquis families from the provinces, and Count families from the capital hosted Count families from the provinces.
They socialized, discussed business, held small tea parties, dressed up and prepared gifts to meet guests invited to neighboring houses. Gifts received from one person were passed on to another, and gifts received from another were presented to yet another.
Those who had originally gathered for the Imperial Conference, having made the long journey, wanted to witness any novel spectacle with their own eyes. The people who gathered were like a swarm of locusts; wherever people flocked, there was little left.
All sorts of Artifacts, magical items, accessories, and fabrics sold like hotcakes. Most shops, even if stocked with goods in the morning, were left with only dust by sunset. Every play was packed with people, with no remaining seats, and carriages, to avoid getting stuck on the roads, traveled with voice amplifiers, loudly announcing their destinations. It was also common for strangers to share carriages.
After such a breathless succession of days, June 15th arrived.
The high and imposing gates of the Imperial Palace were thrown wide open.
The First Arena, designated by Ruben as the sparring venue, was the largest training ground within the Imperial Palace. This arena, primarily used for mock war training, was vast enough to accommodate the entire Imperial Knights. It could accommodate a thousand knights charging at once, and thirty thousand spectators could look down upon them.
Between the arena and the spectator seats, a barrier, similar to that of a monster arena, stood three meters high, encircling the area. Since there would be no madmen intentionally firing sword energy towards the spectator seats, the standards were naturally more lenient than those for a monster arena.
As the place that could accommodate the largest number of people in the Imperial Palace, it was decided that this arena would also host the Imperial Conference. The fact that the sparring date was set five days before the start of the Imperial Conference was likely for the arena’s refurbishment.
I knew these facts in my head. But I hadn’t truly grasped them.
Did Ruben anticipate such things in advance?
Thousands of palace staff came out onto the streets to guide visitors, fearing that people might get lost within the Imperial Palace or deliberately wander around. Imperial Knights and capital soldiers who were not participating in the sparring roamed with fierce expressions, swords drawn.
The sparring was scheduled for eight hours, from two in the afternoon to ten at night, yet half of the spectator seats were already filled by eight in the morning. Watching the people who had heard about my sparring and had camped out since dawn rushing to secure better seats left me dumbfounded.
The sparring of the Crown Prince should not be treated as a means of making money or gambling. Since I had not distributed tickets separately for the sake of my honor, most of those whose identities were confirmed, meaning those eligible to attend the Imperial Conference, had come to enjoy the free spectacle.
Looking at the people walking in droves towards the arena like ants drawn to sugar, I felt…
I felt…
“It would be best to have a simple meal today. They’ve prohibited all food from being brought in, fearing someone might fall ill from spoiled food within the palace. If we’re going to distribute sandwiches to the assembled crowd later, we won’t have much time.”
“…Yes.”
“Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell or tired?”
“No, I’m fine. Are all the knights ready?”
“Of course. Mac Weaber checked the date and time several times last night. He confirmed that all 510 people are ready without issue.”
…I felt so ashamed that my face kept flushing with heat.
Drawing my sword and fighting in front of inspectors was not shameful at all. Having learned and mastered much from the teachers who walked before me, I had a duty to inform and pass on what I had received to those who would follow me.
However, the thought of drawing my sword and swinging it in front of thousands of civilians, who likely had never even held a wooden sword, made my throat tickle and my fingertips tingle. Even standing still, my earlobes felt hot.
What should I show them for the first move?
Would my sword even be visible to the eyes of civilians?
Should I go… a bit gentler?
I mustn’t make a fool of myself in front of the eagerly anticipating knights.
Am I still a martial artist after all this?
I had so many worries. I stopped looking out the window and drew the curtains, blocking the view.