The night inside House Veil deepened beautifully.
Music drifted through the grand hall like flowing water while crystal chandeliers scattered warm golden light across polished marble floors. Noble laughter echoed softly beneath the orchestral melodies, mixing with the clinking of wine glasses and the endless whispers of politics hidden beneath elegant conversation.
The feast had fully matured now.
Masks had loosened.
Not literal masks—
But the invisible ones nobles wore upon arrival.
At first, everyone had remained cautious before the Three Dukes.
Now, wine and opportunity had begun softening restraint.
And naturally—
Attention gathered toward the center of rising power.
Toward Landon Veil.
Near the central gathering area of the hall, Landon stood surrounded by nobles from nearly every faction present tonight.
Young heirs.
Merchant nobles.
Military families.
Even daughters of lesser Counts and Viscounts had gradually approached the growing circle around him.
Some smiled too sweetly.
Some praised too carefully.
Some attempted subtle political testing through casual conversation.
Everyone wanted something.
Connection.
Influence.
Access.
And Landon—
Handled it surprisingly well.
Kel observed quietly from a short distance away while holding a crystal glass loosely between gloved fingers.
The dim chandelier light reflected softly against the dark fabric of his formal attire while his calm gaze moved steadily across the room.
Watching.
Measuring.
Evaluating.
Sairen's voice echoed softly through the soul-link.
"…Your knight is becoming popular."
Far away—
At Scarder Lake—
Sairen sat quietly atop endless silver mist while observing the noble feast through Kel's senses.
Her pale hair drifted softly around her shoulders as ancient eyes followed the endless movement of nobles surrounding Landon.
Kel answered calmly.
"Power attracts people naturally."
Sairen tilted her head slightly.
"…No."
A faint pause.
"…Potential attracts people."
Kel remained silent.
Because she was correct.
The South respected current strength.
But it worshipped future power.
And Landon—
Was beginning to resemble a man destined to rise much higher.
Several young nobles surrounded him currently.
A merchant heir leaned forward eagerly.
"Lord Landon, House Veil's recent expansion has been truly inspiring."
Another immediately followed.
"I heard your trade routes now extend toward three regional territories already?"
A noblewoman smiled elegantly while adjusting the sleeve of her silver dress.
"And your potion distribution network is already outperforming older merchant houses…"
Compliments.
Questions.
Subtle offers hidden beneath conversation.
The usual noble dance.
Landon maintained composed politeness throughout it all.
Responding carefully.
Never too warm.
Never dismissive.
Exactly how a rising noble should behave.
Kel watched silently.
Satisfied.
Because Landon had learned something important.
Not everyone surrounding power deserved closeness.
Many only wanted proximity.
Yet among the crowded circle around Landon—
Kel noticed someone standing further away.
Watching quietly.
Waiting patiently.
Duke Altair's daughter.
Tonight, beneath the golden chandelier light, she looked even more striking than earlier. Her crimson dress flowed elegantly around her figure while dark silk gloves reached delicately past her wrists. Ruby earrings shimmered softly against long dark hair cascading over one shoulder.
Beautiful.
Graceful.
Yet currently—
Slightly conflicted.
Her eyes drifted repeatedly toward Landon.
Not possessively.
Not impatiently.
But quietly.
As though wanting to approach…
Yet choosing not to.
Kel observed her body language carefully.
The subtle hesitation in her posture.
The controlled stillness.
The way her fingers lightly tightened against the fabric near her waist whenever another noblewoman moved closer to Landon.
And most importantly—
The restraint.
She understood politics.
Which meant she understood what this moment represented for Landon.
Networking.
Alliance building.
Influence consolidation.
Interrupting him carelessly now—
Would only create inconvenience.
Sairen's voice echoed softly.
"…She genuinely likes him."
Kel's gaze remained calm.
"Yes."
Unlike many noble interactions tonight filled with calculation—
This one carried sincerity.
And perhaps because of that—
Kel decided to interfere slightly.
He moved quietly through the crowd.
Graceful.
Unhurried.
Until eventually stopping beside her.
The Duke's daughter noticed him immediately.
A faint surprise crossed her elegant features before composure returned naturally.
"Mister Heral."
Her voice remained soft.
Refined.
Kel inclined his head politely.
"Lady Valemont."
For a moment—
Both simply observed the crowded circle surrounding Landon from afar.
Then Kel spoke calmly.
"Do you also wish to speak with Lord Landon?"
The question caught her slightly off guard.
Not because it was offensive.
But because it was direct.
A faint blush touched her cheeks almost instantly before she regained control.
"…Yes."
She admitted quietly.
Then added carefully—
"But this is not the appropriate moment."
Her eyes shifted toward the nobles surrounding Landon again.
"He is building political relationships."
A faint pause.
"And I understand what that means."
Kel studied her silently.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
Small.
Amused.
"You sound like a Duke's daughter."
She blinked once.
Then softly laughed.
A quiet elegant sound.
"My father taught me well."
Kel nodded faintly.
Yes.
Altair clearly had.
For several moments neither spoke again.
Then suddenly—
Kel tilted his head slightly.
"If you wish…"
His voice remained calm.
"…I can clear the crowd around my lord."
Her eyes widened faintly.
"…What?"
Kel's expression remained perfectly composed.
"So he can speak with genuine people."
A faint pause.
"And perhaps…"
A subtle glimmer of amusement touched his eyes.
"…have time for a conversation and a dance with you."
The blush returned instantly this time.
Far more visible.
"T-That is not what you are thinking."
Her response came quicker than intended.
Kel softly laughed.
Not mockingly.
Just quietly amused.
Of course it was.
Sairen's voice echoed with clear amusement now.
"…You are enjoying this far too much."
Kel ignored her completely.
The Duke's daughter quickly adjusted her expression again, though faint embarrassment still lingered behind her composed posture.
"I merely…"
She hesitated briefly.
"…did not wish to inconvenience him."
Kel observed her for another moment.
Then nodded once.
"A fair concern."
And without another word—
He turned.
And walked directly toward the crowded noble gathering surrounding Landon.
The atmosphere shifted subtly as Kel approached.
Several nobles immediately recognized him now.
The famous potion maker.
Heral.
Perfect.
Because recognition granted access.
Kel stepped naturally into the conversation flow without appearing intrusive.
His timing—
Precise.
"Lord Renfield."
Kel suddenly addressed one merchant noble warmly.
"I heard your eastern trade caravans recently secured a new gemstone route."
The merchant blinked immediately.
Caught off guard.
"…Ah—yes."
Kel nodded thoughtfully.
"I also heard Duke Seraphine's faction has shown interest in expanding there."
Instantly—
The merchant noble's attention shifted.
Completely.
Nearby, Kel smoothly redirected another conversation.
"Lord Darius, wasn't your son preparing for military academy entrance this year?"
The older noble straightened proudly.
"Yes."
"I recently heard Duke Altair's military officers were evaluating promising young candidates personally."
Again—
Attention redirected.
One by one—
Kel subtly dismantled the crowd.
Not through force.
Not through dismissal.
But through calculated conversational redirection.
He guided opportunists toward more beneficial discussions elsewhere while allowing only genuinely valuable connections to remain near Landon.
And slowly—
The overwhelming pressure around him lessened.
Landon noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
Their eyes briefly met across the gathering.
And Landon instantly understood.
Kel had intervened.
Again.
Sairen's voice echoed softly.
"…You manipulate conversations like sword strikes."
Kel calmly accepted a wine glass from a passing servant.
"Both require timing."
Within minutes—
The noble crowd around Landon transformed completely.
Now only several genuinely influential figures remained discussing meaningful matters.
Military cooperation.
Trade agreements.
Political introductions.
Useful things.
And finally—
A clear path opened naturally between Landon…
And Duke Altair's daughter.
She stood quietly several meters away beneath chandelier light, her crimson dress shimmering softly while dark eyes met Landon's across the hall.
For a brief moment—
The political noise around them seemed distant.
Muted.
Then—
Landon approached her.
And somewhere nearby—
Kel quietly smiled into his wine glass before disappearing back into the moving currents of the noble feast like a shadow guiding tides unseen.