Perfect.
Ray stared at his reflection in the mirror.
No, there is still something missing.
Psss— Psss—
Perfume. Right.
He sprayed it all over his body, the pleasant scent of lavender filled the entire room.
There. That did it.
"Nice."
He nodded in satisfaction.
Now, this was perfect.
It had been a day since the storm called Isabelle had cursed him out upon his return.
He slapped his cheeks once, twice and glanced at his reflection again.
Jet-black hair, neatly combed. Crimson eyes, calm as ever.
A sleek white shirt, paired with black long pants, a rather tight black tie elegantly placed beneath the shirt collar. A long black coat draped over the outfit, completing the look.
This damn tie…
Ray didn't like wearing ties. He found them suffocating, but for this occasion, he had no choice.
Now, he finally looked like someone ready for a royal banquet.
An official invitation had arrived at his door just a week ago. Not just any letter, but one pressed with the Emperor's seal.
Let's see what this banquet has in store for the Gracefall family, or rather, for me, the young Count.
He walked toward the exit of his room.
Evelyn was waiting for him in the hallway. She was dressed in a gown that seemed deliberately designed to cause problems, tight, black, and dangerously beautiful. The fabric clung to every curve, and the high slit promised more than it concealed. Needless to say, she looked breathtaking.
___
It didn't take Ray long to arrive in Eternal Sky, the capital city of the Empire.
He had used one of Gracefall's private teleportation portals. After all, there was no faster way to reach Eternal Sky City within seconds than a portal.
He exited the teleportation hub as the morning sky of Eternal Sky greeted him. He had arrived early, it was still around eleven o'clock, while the banquet would only begin in the evening.
He had come early to sightsee during the Empire's largest festival of the year. More precisely, what he had planned was a date with Evelyn.
But he didn't even get a second to take in the view. The moment he stepped onto the city's ground, a butler in a sharp black-and-white uniform approached him and bowed with practiced grace.
"Welcome, Count. His highness, the royal crown has sent me to escort you to the place you'll stay before the start of the event."
Ray didn't recognize the butler, but he knew the man was telling the truth. After all, they were inside the palace premises, and the three-winged symbol on the man's chest was the unmistakable mark of servants under the Crown.
Ray gave a short nod in return.
"Lead the way."
The butler guided them through opulent corridors. The walls were polished marble, lined with gold-trimmed arches and tapestries that whispered of the highest order of nobility and power.
They were led to a pair of lavish guest chambers, each one stupidly large and ornate. They each entered their own rooms to freshen up, then met again outside later.
***
"You're early," Ray said.
"So are you," Evelyn replied.
They were, annoyingly, dressed in matching colors. Ray stood up and offered his hand.
"…Want to explore the festival together?"
Even though she had seen it coming, his words still managed to catch her off guard. Her eyes widened just a little, a detail easy to miss if you weren't looking for it, and she hesitated.
Why?
With a small shake of her head, she pushed the thought aside. She reached out, took his hand, and stood.
"Sure."
"Haha. Then let's go. I want to see what the heart of the empire has to offer."
She wasn't looking forward to it. Not at all.
"Hehe."
And yet, she found herself giggling at the thought anyway.
The two walked through the bustling streets, immediately drawing the attention of several stall owners calling out to passersby.
The streets were packed. Stalls lined the roads, their colorful goods spilling outward, while people mingled everywhere, their laughter and chatter blending into a lively buzz.
Ray's lips curled into a smile. He stepped ahead, then stopped and glanced back at Evelyn.
"I'm quite hungry."
He rubbed his stomach for effect.
"Have you had lunch yet?"
"Nope."
Evelyn shook her head.
"There should be some good food on Street 13."
"Ah, then let's go there."
Evelyn nodded, and the two continued on their way.
Street 13 was a riot of smells and sounds. Vendors shouted over one another, stalls brimmed with trinkets and food, and the air was thick with something delicious.
A pleasant aroma wafted by, and Evelyn's nose perked up. Her gaze locked onto a particular stall.
Following her line of sight, Ray turned to look. What greeted him was a stall selling something fried and glazed on a stick. He wasn't entirely sure what it was.
Evelyn's mouth opened and closed slightly, her eyes sparkling with unmistakable interest.
Catching the hungry look on her face, Ray pursed his lips, amused.
"You want to try that?"
"Yes."
The answer came instantly.
Moments later, the two of them were already walking toward the stall together.
The skewer crackled softly as Evelyn took a careful bite.
"…It's spicy."
She said it flatly, but her brows pinched just a little, and the tips of her ears turned red.
Ray watched her for half a second before smiling.
"You're the one who insisted on trying it."
"I didn't know it would be this spicy."
She took another bite anyway, stubbornly chewing through it before finally exhaling. Ray laughed.
"That's it. Come on."
Before she could protest, he was already pulling her along. A few moments later, they were standing in front of an ice cream stall. Ray ordered quickly, handing one to Evelyn and keeping the other for himself.
Evelyn took a small lick, her expression easing almost instantly.
"…This is good."
Ray nodded, satisfied, and took a much bigger bite of his own.
A second later, Evelyn stopped walking.
"…Count."
"Hm?"
She stared at his face, then pointed. "You've got ice cream on your cheek."
Ray blinked.
"Huh?"
He raised a hand to wipe it off, but before his fingers could reach, Evelyn stepped closer. Her movement was quick, almost impulsive. She gently wiped the smear away with her finger.
"There.."
she said softly.
Ray froze for a brief moment.
She pulled her hand back just as quickly, turning away as if nothing had happened. Ray resumed walking, pretending not to notice.
Behind him, Evelyn hesitated, then quietly brought her finger to her lips and licked it clean.
Ray's ears burned.
He did not turn around. But the corner of his mouth twitched.