Alma 70 Sunset Waltz

Awkward introductions with the heads of noble clans were the most fun of them all. Old Avunian elders inspecting him as if he were some sort of exotic specimen they'd never seen before. Discussions of between them and Velvund of a most unpleasant nature…

"...I have young, gorgeous daughter who's only about a hundred and fifty years old, your Highness… What would you think about the young prince and..."

"...I admire your enthusiasm, dear brother, but why don't we slow down a bit? Why not let the children get a feel for one another instead?"

Reed shuddered at the thought of those conversations but he knew that they were part of the game that Velvund was playing at. Compromising, assuaging, and managing the ambitions of his vassals to keep them in check.

The geezer was once King, so it's not very surprising that he's got everyone in this city around his pinky. Still… it's a bit unnerving seeing him at work, or rather watching him swindle everyone he meets.

He wondered if he'd been swindled; Reed suspected that he had, but he didn't know in what manner he'd duped. The obligations he now had to carry as a prince, the hidden responsibility he'd likely been entrusted with, or something else that he hadn't thought of yet...

"...Prince, were you listening?"

"…Hmm? What?" said Reed as he leisurely braided Vestel's silver hair. "Did you say something? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention…"

"...This evening the royal family will be hosting a special event for your official coronation, young prince. All of the founding clans will be present for it, including a couple of honored guests from the neighboring empires."

Reed's hands stopped moving when he heard what Rivia said and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Honored guests from the neighboring empires…

"Do you know who's going to be coming… from the North?" asked Reed as his mind kicked into overdrive, trying to calculate the possibility of certain individuals attending.

"I believe the Kingscrown family will be attending, specifically the Crown Prince and the Winter Princess," said Rivia as she did her best to recall the guest list. "Them, and some other guests from the North that I cannot remember…"

Ohhhh, shiiiiit! Did sweetcheeks snitch on me, or is it just a coincidence?! I mean this is an unprecedented event, never-before-seen in history, but still…!

Lacrima groaned and said, "Your guess is as good as mine, boy. I wouldn't put it below her to doing something like that… Proceed with caution. That's the only advice I can really give you…"

Reed felt a headache coming on and muttered under his breath, "Goddammit, she might've got me. I didn't think she'd be that shameless..."

Eventually, the sun set below the horizon, much to Reed's displeasure and the time had come for his big night, so to speak.

The royal tree-spire had become a hub of festivities, filled with many a song, delicious food, merriment on the other lower levels, which open for common citizens and the like. For many, especially among the younger generation, this was simply a convenient excuse for them to enjoy themselves at the expense of the royal family's generosity.

They generally had cared little about the fact that a human was about to be crowned a prince, because for the most part — it was a topic that really did not concern them, nor have any impact upon their lives.

Noble, chosen people like contenders and conquerors lived in another world separate from theirs, so they had little interest in the situation. As far as they were concerned, so as long as they protected them from the monsters out in the wild-lands, they could do as they pleased.

It wasn't as if they could stop them from doing what they wanted to do, anyways…

Up above in the middle levels of the tree-spire was where minor guests of honor and other respected individuals could enjoy the special event, away from the hubbub of the lower levels. This was where contenders from across the East gathered to discuss the momentous ceremony and enjoy themselves in peace.

The highest levels of the tree-spire where the main event was held and it was where everyone of worth was gathered. The East's Founding Clans, the earliest families to have arisen out of the chaos during the Unification War, were present here along with other notable clans of the East.

Among them were also foreign guests of honor from a variety of far away places. Of particular interest, a renown prince from the South — the Morning Flower, Jasper Clearblossom — and the Sacred daughter of Witch-Queen of the East — Alvana Nightfall.

And of course, the noble heir of the Kingscrown family, the Crown Prince of the North — Haydn Kingscrown — and his sister, Violett Kingscrown, the infamous Winter Princess of the North…

It went without saying that this was a gathering of monsters and a sight to behold. The Anima here was so dense here that it actually materialized as a beautiful aurora outside atop of the tree-spire for the entire city to witness.

The magnificent ballroom held individuals that could change the course of history with but a few words and among them was someone who could not have seemed more out of place if he tried…

Reed robotically sat in his seat of honor beside Velvund as he contemplated the meaning of the life. He'd been stuck in this state ever since the ceremony had started, an internal defense mechanism his mind had created to prevent him from thinking about the reality in front of him.

The auras of the figures in the room were frightening to witness in person. These were the people that he feared the most: Old freaks and their overly-talented genius children. The kind that he could do nothing to in a real fight. And escaping from them? The biggest joke of them all. These aberrations would probably kill himself before he even made the attempt.

Nowhere to run. Pointless to even fight. Nothing to do except wait for the inevitable…

When the meal ended, everyone moved to a larger ballroom and enjoyed a period of free time before the main coronation. Soft, cheerful music filled the room as a group of musicians played traditional Alf songs.

And before before, he could even recognize what happened, a flock of young, charming noble ladies had surrounded him. Like a slave, he'd been forced to politely accept their invitations and had become a dancing machine of royal descent.

Beautiful Avunian girls formed a seemingly never-ending queue and Reed felt his soul wither away as time passed by at a glacial rate. Soft whispers and sweet promises entered one ear and exited the other as he mechanically smiled and kept repeating the phrases, "Yes, of course", "I'd be delighted to do that", and "You look marvelous."

It was only after he satisfied the ladies of the court that he'd been allowed a moment of respite. Reed sighed deeply inside and wondered what he'd done to deserve this misery, and guessed that it must have been something terrible.

He quietly muttered to himself, "I never want to dance again…" as he disdainfully stared at the lively party. He'd had enough for the night.

"Oh? What about my dance, then?" An all too familiar voice reached his ears and Reed felt his blood freeze over in shock.

There she was. His beautiful warden had come for him. He had been expecting her arrival.

Reed nearly choked when he saw her because she had come without a disguise on like him.

She was simply herself. It only served to demonstrate how powerful she really was; she didn't need techniques. She simply did what she wanted.

"First come, first serve, sweetcheeks," said Reed in response. A genuine smile bloomed across his face and he said, "But I can make an exception or two for you…"

"My, my… How generous of you, my prince," said Lu'um. She grabbed his hands and dragged him back onto the dance floor as Reed wondered why he couldn't get rid of the smile on his face. He found it incredibly perplexing; it was as if he'd lost control over his face altogether.

He really couldn't help but smile when he looked at her, and that made him a bit... happy. He'd missed that feeling ever since he'd left, but then chuckled at himself in self-derision.

He'd been gone for about a week, at best, from her side. And yet, it felt like he'd been gone for much longer than that…

As the pair slowly waltzed to an unrecognizable Avunian song, they enjoyed the moment and forgot about their troubles. Before they knew it, they had entered their own little world as they savored a rare, tender moment of comfort with one another…

When Velvund saw how Reed's soul shone brighter than he'd ever seen, he figured it out almost instantly. To be honest, he did not even need to look at his soul to figure it out — Reed's face had all but given it away in the first place…

He warmly smiled as he watched the pair enjoy themselves, reminding him of the past when he, too, had been a young man…

Chapter end