~Chapter 98~
“A seat has been prepared over there.”
I peeked at the tip of the maid’s hand.
At a round table, my older brothers and Khalid were sitting boldly. When did they sneak over there?!
“You left me behind!”
I tried to move forward, grabbing the hem of my dress, but a few girls stopped me.
“Ah, are you sitting with us…?”
“Sorry, I have to sit with my older brothers…”
“Oh, I see. What a shame… Huh!”
The girls’ eyes widened like lanterns as they looked at the table.
“Th-the person sitting next to the young lords…! The one from the horse riding contest…?”
The one? What’s so special about Khalid?
Curious, I tried to approach, but the girls didn’t include me in their table talk.
“Well, Lady, let’s talk another time!”
The girls left abruptly, just like Kal.
Hmph, too bad.
Anyway, I followed the maids to the table.
It was next to Khalid.
He glanced at me, then clenched and released his fist under the table. His ears were a little red—was his heart still aching?
“Ruby, you’re so popular, huh?”
Void grinned.
“My older brothers ran away, that’s why!”
“Impressive that you noticed…”
“Don’t act smart, Liam!”
“That screeching voice like a beast? Annoying, annoying.”
Liam turned his head. Well… it was already a miracle that he came at all.
The banquet had a lively, fun atmosphere. Musicians played cheerful music, and the prepared food made it even better.
But as time passed, I felt my energy draining. The Spring Festival aftermath… is it always like this?
“Ruby, eat quickly!”
“Mm.”
The other kids, who had been glancing at us, now ate together, chatting.
I pushed a piece of meat toward Khalid’s plate, unable to eat.
“Kal, eat mine.”
“You eat more yourself.”
The single piece I gave him doubled as it returned to me.
Void, sitting across, squinted suspiciously.
“Aren’t they too close?”
He stretched out his arm to push our plates apart. Khalid frowned.
“What’s the problem?”
“What’s the problem?”
“Yes.”
Hmm, I feel like I’ve heard this before.
“She’s a girl, that’s the problem! You washed-out night sky guy!”
Void shouted, lunging.
Khalid just laughed through his nose. Liam adjusted his glasses.
“Stop teasing, Void.”
“…Night sky?”
Void transferred all his meat to Khalid’s plate.
“Eat a lot and get sleepy.”
“That punishment only works on you, brother!”
He angrily dumped his vegetables.
Khalid, getting double nutrition, stared at his plate in disbelief.
“Everyone, stop spoiling Kal! I get it, but overeating… no… don’t…”
I flopped over the table, exhausted.
“Ruby?”
“Ah, no energy…”
“What, is it the cold? You should have rested at home. You’ll never get over it otherwise.”
Void chided, though his eyes still showed worry.
“Why say that…?”
My body felt heavy, my tongue too. I was sleepy…
Liam clicked his tongue, putting down his utensils.
“This isn’t the time to eat. Better find a lounge…”
Just as I tried to stop him from helping me up, the hall suddenly got noisy.
“Everyone, are you enjoying the party? We have a special event to celebrate today.”
A middle-aged man, looking like a palace official, spoke.
“What? Event?”
The kids whispered.
“A magician from the allied kingdom will give you all a special gift to celebrate the festival!”
“Really?”
Void and Liam frowned. Magic? They muttered.
‘Ah, so this is how…’
I slowly lifted myself from the table. Cold sweat ran down my spine. My hand reflexively went to my mask.
“Excuse me.”
A man in a white priest’s robe appeared. His collar rose to hide his face, like in the maze garden.
His red hair and brown eyes scanned the hall. Khalid clenched his fist beside me.
“Congratulations on the Babylon Spring Festival. We prepared gifts from our kingdom. Please accept them happily.”
He placed a box on the stage. Inside were small pendants with jewels.
“What’s that?”
“A magic tool. If you hold it tightly…”
“Waaaah!”
Yellow light burst out. The lights turned into cute animals—a rabbit, a bird, a tiger, a fish—running around and disappearing.
It caught the children’s attention completely.
“One by one, please come forward to receive yours.”
The kids rushed forward. I bit my lip and clasped my hands.
‘A magician from the kingdom… he didn’t give up.’
As expected, the maze had only been preparation. Now was the magician’s true timing.
I felt my hands and feet grow cold with tension. Then, Khalid held my hand tightly.
“It’s okay.”
I nodded.
‘We can’t escape now.’
Khalid and I had prepared for this, but leaving the hall might be exactly what the magician wanted.
“Will Lady and Lords Zebret not come forward?”
A servant looked at our table.
“I’m fine. It’s a silly toy.”
Liam refused. The magician’s cold gaze landed on me. I quickly turned and grabbed Liam.
“Brother, let’s line up too.”
“Did you really want it that much?”
I nodded slightly, and Void and Liam exchanged glances, then joined the line.
I carefully looked at the pendant.
‘This is… a magical tool disguised as a toy.’
Different from the ones Asha or I made.
“Ah! Ladies under ten, please go first.”
The magician smiled weirdly, though only I saw it that way. My peers ran forward excitedly.
“Lady, you too.”
Following his gesture, I moved forward. Khalid watched me worriedly, but I straightened my back and faced forward.
“Why is the magician’s jewel blue? Mine is red.”
One child asked.
“Ah, it’s because you have magic. If you have magic, the jewel changes color.”
“So, magician blue, normal red. Right?”
“Yes. Don’t worry. Even without magic, the jewel’s magic lets you play with the animal until it runs out.”
“Wow! Thank you!”
The child ran off.
The magician checked each jewel while handing them out. The line moved quickly, and my nerves tensed.
Finally, it was my turn.
I climbed the steps. The magician bowed theatrically.
“Ah, Lady Rubian Zebret.”
He spoke as if we were meeting for the first time, even though we had encountered each other in the maze.
“Hello.”
I greeted him politely.
‘Fourth time… it’s been a while.’
“You really have beautiful… hair.”
A gleam of joy flashed across his face.
“Now… I wonder under that mask…”
Suddenly, the magician’s hand shot out unexpectedly.
‘This…!’
My eyes widened.
