The Royal Banquet (End) The Smooth Prince Consort

"Ah, but surely the queen has many duties that keep her from… more personal matters. It wouldn't do for a prince consort to be left unattended, would it?"

Mikhailis's grin widened hearing those words.

Truly obvious attempt, isn't it now, Lord Count?

"Well, I've got plenty to keep me occupied. Between my research, my… hobbies, and, of course, my lovely wife, I'd say I'm pretty well taken care of."

Mikhailis saw in the count's eyes, a hint of frustration flashing behind them before he quickly masked it with a chuckle.

Not bad.

"Of course, of course. But if you ever find yourself in need of companionship, there are many noble families with daughters of suitable age. It would be wise to consider—"

Mikhailis cut him off with a loud laugh, drawing the attention of several nearby nobles.

"Ah, Count Levos, I appreciate the offer, really, but I think I'm good. I mean, unless you know a girl who's into insects, then we might have a problem,"

Elowen stifled a laugh beside him, though her eyes remained watchful. She knew exactly what the count had been trying to do, and she was grateful Mikhailis had handled it so smoothly.

<Well done. You've defused him for now. But be careful—he'll try again.>

Mikhailis gave the count a wink.

"Anyway, I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the tip!"

Count Levos, clearly unsatisfied but unwilling to press further in public, nodded stiffly and excused himself, moving back into the crowd.

Elowen leaned in closer to Mikhailis, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Thank you for handling that."

Mikhailis grinned.

"Hey, no problem. I'm just here to make your life easier."

Before Elowen could respond, another figure approached, this one more familiar. Earl Vaelis Drakar, one of the more prominent nobles who had been considered a potential suitor for Elowen before Mikhailis had arrived. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair slicked back and a gleam of ambition in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, Prince Consort," he greeted, bowing slightly, though there was a certain sharpness in his tone.

"It's good to see you both looking… well."

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, his grin never faltering.

This man... One of Elowen's potential husband material...

"Thanks! You're looking pretty well yourself, Earl Drakar,"

Vaelis's eyes flickered with annoyance for just a moment before he smiled.

This guy is the bold type, huh?

"Indeed. Though I must say, you seem to have made quite the impression in your short time here."

Mikhailis shrugged, playing the part of the fool.

"Ah, you know, just doing my thing. Trying to stay out of trouble."

Vaelis's smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Of course. Though I must admit, I was surprised when the queen announced her marriage to you. It seemed… sudden."

'I'm surprised you dare to take such a position as a nobody' I guess that concludes what he implied?

Mikhailis tilted his head, his grin widening.

"Yeah, I was surprised too. Guess I'm just lucky, huh?"

The tension between them was thick, but Mikhailis kept his tone light, pretending not to notice the veiled hostility. He wasn't here to make enemies, but he wasn't about to let someone like Vaelis get under his skin.

<Watch him closely. He's dangerous.>

Thanks for telling me the obvious.

Mikhailis nodded subtly, his gaze briefly flickering to Elowen. She looked calm, but he could see the way her eyes sharpened whenever Vaelis spoke.

Vaelis's sharp eyes gleamed with an intensity that put Mikhailis on guard. The Earl's smile remained plastered on his face, but there was an unmistakable challenge in his voice as he spoke.

"Prince Consort," Vaelis began, his tone casual but with an edge to it,

"I've heard quite a few interesting rumors about you. It seems you're something of a... traveler, summoned by our dear queen. Quite an unusual story, isn't it?"

Well, finally this topic.

I heard that the thing about me being summoned supposed to be not a secret, but not many dare to such a topic. But I guess it's different from this bold earl?

Mikhailis maintained his friendly grin, though his eyes flickered with curiosity.

"Yeah, it's a wild story, isn't it? One minute I'm minding my own business, the next—poof! Here I am, living it up in a magical kingdom. Gotta say, beats my old job."

Vaelis leaned in slightly, his gaze never leaving Mikhailis.

"Oh, I'm sure it must be quite the change. But tell me, Your Highness, being from another world, surely you possess some sort of... special abilities? A strength or talent perhaps, akin to the heroes in our legends?"

The crowd around them seemed to hold its breath, eyes now focused intently on the exchange. Mikhailis could feel the shift in the atmosphere; Vaelis was poking the proverbial bear, trying to get a rise out of him.

The way Vaelis phrased it made it clear: if Mikhailis admitted to having no power, he'd come across as a disappointment—a weak link in the royal chain. But showing too much, or anything at all, could be just as dangerous. It would put both him and Elowen under greater scrutiny, opening doors for those looking to exploit the situation.

Not holding back now, aren't you?

Rodion's voice was barely a whisper in his ear, a hint of warning evident.

<Be careful, Mikhailis. He's baiting you.>

Mikhailis plastered on his most charming smile, tilting his head slightly.

"Special abilities? Oh, Earl Vaelis, you're talking like I'm some character out of a fairytale. I mean, I can balance a spoon on my nose, but I doubt that's what you meant."

The nobles around them chuckled, and Elowen gave him a discreet squeeze of the arm, he could see her golden eyes flickering with a mix of relief and concern. Vaelis's eyes narrowed slightly, his smile faltering for just a moment before he pressed on.

"Of course, I don't mean simple party tricks, Your Highness. I've heard stories of otherworldly heroes wielding immense magic or possessing artifacts beyond imagination. Surely, as one chosen by the queen, you must have something of that sort?" His tone was filled with a feigned admiration, but it was clearly a trap.

This man didn't know when to stop, huh?

Mikhailis's smile grew, his eyes sparkling with an almost foolish innocence.

"Ah, artifacts, you say? Well, let me think…" He reached into his jacket pocket, rummaging around dramatically before pulling out… a small, shiny piece of wrapped candy.

"There it is!" he exclaimed, holding it up for everyone to see. And everyone, very interested with what the prince consort has brought from the other world immediately pay attention.

"Behold! A rare and powerful artifact from my world—'Peppermint Delight.' Guaranteed to freshen breath and impress onlookers." He gave a small, exaggerated bow, as if presenting something of great value.

There were a few chuckles from the gathered nobles, but Vaelis's eyes darkened, clearly displeased.

Mikhailis was still playing the fool, and it was irritating him.

<Good move, Mikhailis. He's getting frustrated. Don't let him push you further.>

Vaelis's expression twisted into something polite but biting.

"Very amusing, Prince Consort. Though, I wonder, if you were chosen and brought here by the queen, surely there was a purpose. A reason beyond… humor?"

Mikhailis paused for a moment, pretending to think deeply. He then leaned in a bit closer to Vaelis, his voice dropping as if sharing a great secret.

"Well, between you and me, the real reason I was brought here is because of my unmatched skill in, uh... 'insect identification.' Yep. Bugs love me. Turns out, in my world, that's a pretty underappreciated talent, but here?" He made an expansive gesture with his hand.

"Apparently, it's worthy of royalty. As there are 'bugs' that leeches the sap of the tree in the castle as well, you see," Mikhailis whispered. But because of his playful tone and eyes, Vaelis couldn't really decipher was it a threat or just a coincidence choice of words.

"Pff! Hahahahaha!"

Elowen gave a soft, genuine laugh, unable to help herself.

Mikhailis knew how to lighten even the most tense situations, and this was no exception. The tension in the surrounding nobles seemed to ease slightly, some even letting out amused sighs.

Vaelis's jaw tightened, and Mikhailis saw his smile growing more strained by the second.

He clearly wanted Mikhailis to slip, to reveal something that could be used against him or Elowen, but Mikhailis wasn't giving him that satisfaction. Instead, he was weaving around the challenge with humor and a touch of sarcasm.

"Your Highness is quite… unique," Vaelis said, his voice dripping with insincerity.

Mikhailis grinned widely, leaning back with a relaxed air.

"Why, thank you, Earl Vaelis. I do try. And really, I must say, I admire your persistence. It's not every day someone keeps asking until they get an answer they like."

Vaelis's eyes flickered with a brief flash of annoyance, but he masked it quickly, and his smile returning.

Now that's very typical of a nobleman.

"Of course, Prince Consort. I only aim to understand those who are a part of our beloved queen's life. After all, we all have a stake in the future of Silvarion Thalor, do we not?"

Mikhailis gave a slow, thoughtful nod, still smiling.

"Oh, absolutely. I'm all about making sure the future's bright. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll even learn to use magic. It's kind of my specialty."

There was a ripple of laughter through the room, and even Serelith, the court magician, gave a small, amused smirk. Vaelis, however, did not look amused.

<He's backing off now, Mikhailis. He doesn't want to push too hard in front of everyone. You handled it well.>

Mikhailis gave a mental nod to Rodion's words, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction. The goal tonight wasn't to make friends or enemies—it was to show up, play the part of the harmless, bumbling Prince Consort, and leave without giving anyone ammunition to use against him or Elowen.

Vaelis finally gave a polite bow.

"I look forward to seeing more of your… talents, Prince Consort. And perhaps one day, we shall see if you truly have the makings of a hero from the stories."

Mikhailis nodded, his smile never fade even for a second.

"Oh, I don't know about hero, Earl Vaelis. But I promise, I'll always be... entertaining." Mikhailis purposefully give a hint of sharpness, and he could see Vaelis caught off-guarded for a while.

With that, Vaelis excused himself, his expression tight as he walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Mikhailis let out a slow breath, feeling Elowen's hand tighten slightly around his arm.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and concern.

"That could have gone very differently."

Mikhailis turned to her, his smile softening.

"Hey, I told you I've got your back. Besides, what's a little verbal sparring between friends?"

Elowen's lips curved into a small smile, her eyes holding his for a moment before she nodded.

"Still… be careful. They're all watching, waiting for a chance to exploit your weakness against me,"

Mikhailis chuckled, his eyes twinkling.

"Good thing I don't have any, then. Well, except for you, but I think that one's worth it."

Elowen's eyes softened, her smile turning genuine.

"You always know what to say, don't you?"

"Of course," Mikhailis said, giving her a playful wink. "It's my one true talent."