Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Having sorted out the situation to some extent, Lancelot turned and opened his mouth to Seth and Min-ha.

“Well, let’s go to the banquet hall. Sir Gawin and I will guide you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Right.”

“And, Young Master Noah, Gawin will serve you. Come to my side!”

As Lancelot took the lead to show the way, Gawin took Noah from Seth’s arms and followed him. Then, guiding Min-ha against the wall inside the hallway, Seth asked Lancelot as they were striding out.

“Has Grand Duchess Blaine arrived yet?”

“Yes. About thirty minutes ago, I received a call from Sir Kay that the carriage carrying Grand Duchess Blaine and her party had entered the Loengram estate. It’ll be after the arrival of Your Excellency and the Duchess that the Grand Duchess will enter the banquet hall.”

“Is there anything unusual about Grand Duchess Blaine’s party?”

“Yes. He said there was nothing unusual about it.”

“Still, be vigilant.”

“Don’t worry, commander.”

Lancelot replied with a nod.

Min-ha, who was beside him, listening to their conversation, became a little anxious. If the woman came, it meant that that man, Rupert Guinivis, might come. She was afraid that if she ever ran into him, something she could not handle would happen.

Because of that, she spoke to Seth with her anxious mind.

“…Seth.”

“Hmm?”

“What if that person wants to meet me? What should I do…?”

“Well, why don’t you do what you want to do what you want?”

“What are you talking about? If I really do what I want and it puts you or Noah in danger…”

As she continued her words with a worried face, Seth, who was watching her quietly, reached out and gently grabbed her hand.

He grabbed Min-ha’s hand tightly and uttered reassuringly.

“Don’t worry. No matter what happens, neither you nor Noah will be in danger.”

“…Yes.”

“Besides, I really mean it when I say you can do whatever you want. Even if you want to go against the world, I’ll gladly raise my sword for you.”

“Oh, what are you talking about? You think I’d do something like that to embarrass you?”

“Haha. I’m determined.”

When he said that he would do anything she wanted him to, Min-ha denied it and turned away with a smiling face. As Seth grabbed her hands and shook them slightly up and down as if trying to relieve her still not very good mood, she felt that the anxiety that had gripped her and stunned her heart was lifted.

‘Yes, it will be nothing…’

After all, there was Seth who constantly reassured her. Thinking so, she walked alongside Seth to the banquet.

* * *

In front of the banquet hall at Loengram Castle, where a banquet to celebrate the full bloom of acacia is held every year, Gawin and Lancelot, who took on the role of guide, arrived at the banquet.

Meanwhile, Min-ha turned her head slightly and glanced around. The light leaking through the open windows of the colorful building, the subtle sounds of music, the voices of nobles, and the laughter reminded her of the already ripe atmosphere of the banquet hall.

Seth stopped for a moment in front of the entrance to the banquet hall and spoke to her, who had a nervous expression on her face.

“Then, shall we go?”

“Hoo… Yes, let’s go.”

“Hold me.”

“Yes.”

When he let go of her hand and held out his arm for the escort, Min-ha lightly folded her arms around his. Then, she reached out to Noah, who was coming down from Gawin’s arms.

“Come on, Noah. Take my hand.”

“Yes, sister-in-law!”

As she reached out her hand, Noah quickly grabbed her hand. Gawin and Lancelot stood next to them, staring at the two of them as if they would never let go of each other’s hands, as well as Seth. The next moment, the two knights talked to the three of them about things to be careful about.

The appearance of the two seemed like the fresh atmosphere of a lover, like a duke and his wife with perfect etiquette.

Lancelot and Gawin, who glanced at Seth and Min-ha, lowered their voices to the two of them.

“Your Excellency, Duchess. When you enter the banquet hall, you must treat each other with respect.”

“And, if a suspicious person approaches you, treat him appropriately and hand them over to the commander.”

“Got it.”

“Yes, I got it.”

“Even the Young Master must not enter the banquet hall and do anything that embarrasses the Duchess and His Excellency. You know, right?”

“Yes! Got it, Lancelot!”

“Then, after delivering the invitation, we’ll stand guard for the three of you inside the banquet hall.”

“If you run into any trouble, please call us.”

At those words, the three of them nodded as if they understood.

After that, Gawin and Lancelot walked to the front door of the banquet hall and held out the invitations they had in their arms to the knights guarding the door. The knights, who confirmed this, immediately exchanged glances and opened the door to the banquet hall that was twice their height, announcing the arrival of Seth and Min-ha.

“His Excellency the Duke of Seth Persen, the Duchess of Minase Persen, and Noah Persen are entering!”

As the three of them entered with a roaring voice, the sound of music and conversation in the party hall suddenly became quiet as if it had stopped.

Feeling the stinging gazes of the nobles in the party hall gathering, she was embarrassed and a little daunted by the blatantly ripping gaze from the tip of her head to the tip of her toes. It was even more so because it was the first time that so many people had stared at her with gazes that seemed to be judging her.

Perhaps, that was why Min-ha’s steps, holding Seth and Noah’s hands, were awkward.

Seeing her like that, Seth moved her hand that was holding his, clasped her fingers, and put his face close to her ear.

He whispered softly to her.

“There’s no need to be nervous. Without Grand Duchess Blaine, there’s no one you have to bow your head to.”

“…Yes. But, the Marquis of Loengram and his daughter are nowhere to be seen. Where did they go?”

“I think they went to meet the Grand Duchess. Well, I’m glad they’re not here.”

At that, Min-ha relaxed and smiled at his whispers to comfort her and her withered heart. On the other hand, the nobles in the party hall began to murmur little by little. They were staring at her and Seth with a more blatant gaze than before.

Now, they were looking at them openly while covering their mouths with a fan and making a slight impression on them as they whispered.

‘…I feel bad. They look at people with such a blatant gaze and whisper among themselves like that.’

If only she and Seth were here, she would not mind a hundred concessions. However, there was also young Noah, and they were acting like that even though it was not something an adult should behave in front of a child.

Even as an adult, it was uncomfortable, but what about Noah, who was only five years old now…?

Min-ha, who was worried about him, spoke to Noah as he was looking only in front of him while holding her hand with a stiff face.

“Noah.”

“Yes?”

“Are you okay? Are you very uncomfortable?”

“I’m fine, sister-in-law.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. My brother said that before, ‘Don’t care what they say and don’t listen’.”

“….”

“So, I am fine, sister-in-law.”

Min-ha smiled slightly at Noah, who glanced up at her question, mixed with concern after giving an adult-like answer that was not something a child would say. The child’s answer was bold yet heartbreaking at the same time. He did not have to do this at this age. Instead, he could have honestly complained to an adult.

She thought that as he was more open to her now, his personality brightened a lot and he was acting more like his age.

Still, she felt sorry for Noah, who had to grow up quickly despite this age. Though as much as she felt sorry for him, her heart that wanted to leave only good memories in the future became stronger. To do that, she had to first enjoy this uncomfortable moment herself first.

With that thought, Min-ha, waving the hands of Noah and Seth whom she had deliberately held, uttered with a bright voice.

“Noah. See that chocolate cake tower over there? You like chocolate, right? Shall we go eat that?”

“Huh? Yes! Good!”

As she pointed to the table on one side of the party floor and said, Noah, who had been stunned for a moment, replied with a broad smile.

‘Yes, that was how I wanted him to look, like a child of his age.’

Min-ha was happy to see him smiling at her and turned to Seth, who was standing next to her.

“Come with me, too.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Seth followed her and Noah without reserve.

As she led the two men with both hands, Min-ha walked towards the front of a table with a chocolate cake tower. When the three moved, the nobles hurriedly cleared the path and Min-ha greeted them with a slight nod. At that, the nobles, who were surprised by her action, hurriedly bowed their heads deeply to her.

Wondering why they were doing that, she leaned closer to Seth and whispered.

“They were talking openly behind our backs a while ago? What’s wrong with them now?”

“It’s a crime of disrespect if you don’t receive the Duchess’ greetings with courtesy.”

“Oh, really?”

Even though they stared at them with displeased sarcasm and whispered openly, they were now being polite and saying hello like this…? It would have been better if they could treat people consistently with disregard and inference.

Walking forward, Min-ha thought that nobles lived really uncomfortably, not to mention the dressing up and adorning, and pretentious attitudes.