Nobles

*Crowd*

A guard bearing a holy emblem unlocked the gate for my grandfather and me as we approached it. They appeared to be looking directly at us; their eyes were quite evil-looking, but what they said wasn't.

"How is that standing next to the duke of this kingdom?"

"What an adorable child next to the duke!"

Even as I was concentrating on my shoes, I could hear the nobility chatting about me and glancing my way. I was too afraid to speak or even look at my shoes, so I was just watching them. But I did see that the palace's inside was rather gorgeous; everything was immaculate and appeared really regal. As they wound their way up to the second story of the palace, the stairs gave the impression of being made of crystals. The carpet seemed rather fluffy to the touch as if it were formed of an animal's skin. I thought the food they were serving had a very upscale cuisine, but I still wanted to try all I could.

"Could you please introduce this youngster to us and tell us who he is from?" A gentleman from the crowd said while greeting grandpa. His eyes looked down on me as if I was nothing but disturbing them.

When the grandpa's blue eyes first focused on me and he said, "I'm not sure, are you ready to introduce yourself to everyone?" I immediately felt like the spotlight was beaming on me. Since I hadn't considered introducing myself or simply wishing everyone a good day, my head looked up rather bewildered. I had given in to letting my feelings rule me.

"I'm Prince Lumi of the Saint Kingdom, and it's a pleasure to meet you all, please excuse me." Given that I had only received the script in the carriage before departing, I did my best to maintain composure and keep a straight face as I made my introduction. It was a little stressful trying to remember every line in the script, but fortunately, things should be looking up now that I can maybe go away and hide from everyone's view. Which appeared to be the case as grandpa led the group away and to a table where they were seated and conversing about something I couldn't understand.

I headed in the direction of the white and mahogany table and began to move. I grabbed a tray that a server was passing out to other guests. I started piling the pricey items that I had never heard of or seen before and was shocked that my tray didn't crack under the weight of the food. My eyes twinkled as I began to depart and search for a seat among the tables along the perimeter of the main stage. I was drawn to a table where a handsome man with blonde hair appeared to be unhappy to be there, which caught my attention. He had blue eyes that reminded me of my grandfather's and were as deep blue as the ocean, yet something about him looked off. He gestured for me to approach as his gaze shifted my way and his radiant white smile made me flush.

"Your hands do appear to be somewhat full, huh? You didn't eat before the event, right?"

"If food isn't supposed to be consumed, what's the point of offering it?"

The food was more delicious than it appeared when I sat down at his table to start eating. Everything seemed to be going well at this event; nobody bothered me, and the food was fantastic. What more could a person want? However, it appears that just stating how wonderful everything seemed to stir up the soup. As I was completing my meal, a bunch of kids our age approached our table. Their expressions suggested that they were very annoyed to see us both having fun.

"Prince Lumi, it appears that we are meeting for the first time; I am the viscount's son of holy. You two appear to be enjoying your conversation together, so why don't you sit at our table? A prince should converse with other Nobel laureates, right?"

"I'm sorry for bothering you, but I do not wish to sit with your circle. I would much rather be seated next to this brilliant person. In the end, being here is preferable to having to bother talking to individuals such as you. Do you believe that your plot is not immediately apparent? Haha, very pathological; the next time, be sure to conceal your evil intentions." As soon as I was done, I ordered a servant to remove my plate and sat back down. Noble youngsters are quite foolish; it is easy to spot when they are hatching a scheme. I was reared in the pig prison, chained up, and constantly being taken advantage of. I wasn't going to let myself do it again, not to kids like that.

"I hereby issue you a dueling challenge, and if you accept, I'll make you regret it! You ought to have been pleased that I permitted us to have a conversation." The white glove that the son of the viscount threw in my direction meant that I couldn't refuse.

As I began to stand up, I pushed back the wooden chair I was sitting on, but the blonde-haired person moved in front of us before I could even stop myself. I was quite perplexed by what he was doing and wondered why he bothered to enter the fray. As the crowd gathered around the two of us, even grandpa was gazing at us. Was he delighted that I didn't express any emotion on his face or was he annoyed that I caused problems?

"To create such a dilemma at a noble gathering. Have you taught your child appropriate behavior? How foolish to get upset about a rejection when your child is now 17 years old. Guess the Viscounts' children weren't properly raised. There is no reason to continue fighting over a rejection, therefore I officially proclaim this conflict finished. Start a battle about a legitimate subject the next time. How discouraging." As we moved approached the gate going out to the garden, the blonde individual remarked to me while gripping my arm. Around my hands, his hands were pretty chilly, almost solidly cold. His golden, curling hair looked rather lovely in the moonlight glares.

*Garden*

"You didn't have to end our conflict; I was more than willing to engage him in combat. But I guess I owe you a debt of gratitude for what you did. since everything turned out perfectly as a result of it." My pale cheeks flushed as his hands guided me farther into the garden, where I saw a table in the center of the space, surrounded by vibrant flowers that reminded me of those in the maze.

"Would you kindly bring us a cup of floral tea, servant? Please, don't take too long, one cold and one warm."

Although it was lovely, I wasn't sure why I had been brought out of this garden. The winds appeared to blow between the two of us as flower petals dropped to the table. His intensely blue eyes, which seemed to be peering directly into my soul as they were fixed on me, were all I could think about. The tea the servant offered us was excellent, and it was a lovely sensation. The floral flavor wasn't overpowering; rather, it was well-balanced and comforting. Its hue was similar to that of the petals of flowers.

We spoke for what felt like hours, and his words were soothing to the ears. Nothing was restricted to our chats other than his name, and we discussed a wide range of subjects. I didn't care that he never appeared to tell me his name as if he were trying to keep it a secret. His charming face and voice were more than enough. But as soon as I heard someone calling my name, the beautiful moment came to an end. "It appears we would need to continence our conversation at a later date, Prince Lumi, I'll be sending a letter over to you as soon as I have the time"

*Carriage*

"Someone seemed to be rather pleased about something. Do you mind giving it to me? Despite the fact that this was a significant gathering and you were only present for a portion of it, you departed as if it were just another party." Grandpa was staring at me with eyes like daggers, ready to strike at any moment. Since our initial daytime encounter, I hadn't seen him this enraged, and I was certain.

"I'm sorry, grandpa; I just had a conversation. Didn't you say I should socialize and make friends? Despite there being just one person, I followed your instructions exactly. It's preferable to make a friend with one individual than a bunch of pointless kids."

"Go to sleep we can talk later."