Chapter 101

Chapter 101

By the time Eve re-entered the banquet hall, most of the guests had arrived, with only the Royal Family yet to make their dignified appearance.

Distinguished guests mingled, clinking champagne flutes, exchanging effusive flattery, or engaging in subtle verbal sparring. Her gaze swept through the elegantly dressed crowd before finally locating Lorca, who was trailing behind Family Head Oliver.

Given that many had already witnessed her entrance as Lorca’s companion, Eve naturally approached him, a glass of wine in hand.

The gentleman conversing with Family Head Oliver wore a dark grey tailcoat, his slightly protruding belly a testament to a life of ample food, fine drink, and insufficient exercise.

Noticing Eve’s direct approach and her unafraid stance beside the Oliver family’s eldest young master, his handlebar mustache twitched. He hesitantly inquired of his superior, “Your Grace, may I ask who this young lady is…?”

Family Head Oliver subtly glanced at Eve, who had mysteriously vanished for a time. The girl blinked innocently back at him. He withdrew his gaze, took a sip of wine, and stated, “This is Lu Qing, a young Alchemist studying under Louis.”

This was one of Eve’s earlier stipulations, now conveniently serving as her introduction.

The fact that the Oliver family harbored a reclusive Five-Star Alchemist was no secret among the capital planet’s elite. Upon hearing this, the portly gentleman’s expression immediately shifted to one of understanding. With a beaming smile, he raised his glass toward Eve: “So you are Lord Louis’s esteemed disciple! A young genius, truly a young genius!”

He had initially found Eve’s masked presence and mysterious demeanor at the banquet rather odd, but upon learning she was an Alchemist, it no longer seemed peculiar.

After all, Alchemists were expected to be a little eccentric.

“Thank you,” Eve replied, raising her glass politely. “You’re too kind.”

Exchanging pleasantries with her was merely a formality; the true focus of the evening remained Family Head Oliver. The mustached man nodded with a smile and promptly rejoined his conversation with the Family Head.

With Eve’s return, Lorca no longer needed to shadow his father. The two exchanged a glance, and Lorca offered his bent arm, allowing Eve to loop hers through it as he led her to a slightly more secluded area.

“His Majesty should be arriving soon. Since I’m wearing a mask, it’s better to remain inconspicuous,” Eve explained.

“It’s fine,” Lorca shook his head, dismissing her concern, then asked, “Did Duke Medici give you any trouble?”

Eve chuckled. “It was alright. After all, I did scheme against his beloved son once, so it’s natural for him to hold a grudge. Luckily, you called for help early, and the Princess quickly whisked me away. But where did you find her? Weren’t the Royal Family members all absent?”

“She arrived with the military personnel, separate from the other royals,” Lorca stated concisely.

With that, Eve understood.

Even with her military achievements, Qin Mengde had likely not yet been fully accepted by the Royal Family. The current Royal Family comprised the Emperor and Empress, their biological children—the Crown Prince, the First Princess, and the Second Princess—as well as four other princes and the Third Imperial Princess. Though not directly descended from the current Emperor and Empress, these children held high status within the Royal Family and equal rights to the throne.

Further down the line was the Fourth Princess, Qin Mengde.

The imperial succession laws were exceedingly complex. Beyond these princes and princesses, several members of the Royal Family and high-ranking nobles could be considered potential hidden heirs, though this only applied if all explicit heirs were eliminated. Given this, Qin Mengde’s appointment as Princess had undoubtedly encroached upon many people’s interests.

—No wonder she had to arrive with the military.

The classical music played by the royal orchestra suddenly swelled with dramatic intensity. The hall lights dimmed, and with a sharp whoosh, several powerful beams of white light shot toward the indoor balcony on the second floor from all directions. As the thick crimson curtains slowly rose—the Royal Family had finally arrived.

Though it happened without warning, the surrounding guests, accustomed to the Royal Family’s flamboyant antics from years past, took it in stride. Only Eve, who had been furtively selecting food at the dining area with a plate in hand, was so startled by the sudden change that she nearly dropped her plate. Luckily, Lorca steadied it just in time. “Be careful.”

“Thank you, thank you. Good thing you’re here,” she said, spearing a small cake with her fork and eating it to calm her nerves. “But what are these Red Roses up to?”

The Otto Royal Family, with their red hair and green eyes, were nicknamed the “Red Rose Royal Family.” People often used the red rose emoji to refer to them online.

“It’s probably the New Year’s address. It’s an annual tradition, but this year the Royal Family has a new member, and there’s the Royal Zerg on the front lines. Who knows if they’ll share any additional information beyond the usual formalities,” Lorca said.

Eve noticed numerous professional camera setups around the hall. Clearly, the Royal Family’s New Year’s address was being broadcast live across the entire star system.

The Emperor’s clear voice rang out from the high platform as he leaned on the railing, delivering New Year’s blessings and wishes. The Empress stood to his left, her red hair and golden eyes characteristic of the Cavendish family. To the Emperor’s right stood the Crown Prince, who, upon closer inspection, resembled his mother more closely. Though his eyes were a shimmering green, Eve knew this was only due to implanted iris modification surgery.

Her gaze drifted downward to the shadowy area beside the expansive Baroque staircase extending from the second-floor balcony. There, positioned at the very front among all attendees, Family Head Medici was tilting his head slightly as he spoke with a silver-haired woman wearing an elaborate updo.

As if sensing her scrutiny, Sparti Medici turned his head and met Eve’s gaze before she could look away.

Sparti smiled faintly and raised his glass toward her from afar before returning to his conversation.

“That’s the Legion Commander of the Ninth Legion.”

Lorca’s voice suddenly sounded near her ear. Following his gesture, Eve saw a golden-haired officer in an indigo military uniform standing ramrod straight, frowning intently at the Emperor as he spoke. “Selena Windsor. The Windsor family is a subordinate branch of the Cavendish family, but if Selena insists on supporting the Fourth Princess, she might find herself at odds with the Cavendishes.”

Qin Mengde stood beside Selena, slightly taller than her superior. Dressed in a splendid snow-white military uniform, the golden tassels on her epaulets hung motionless. She seemed to have anticipated what was coming next, her expression unexpectedly calm.

“I’m surprised you’re interested in these details too,” Eve whispered back, her voice barely audible under the Emperor’s droning speech.

“I’m not interested in these things,” Lorca curved his lips slightly. “I just hope to be of help to you.”

It was indeed helpful. The original novel didn’t elaborate on such minor background characters, and the information Qin Mengde provided her never included these specific, trivial details.

Eve smiled silently. “Then I really must thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“My pleasure.”

The Emperor’s speech dragged on like that of every long-winded old man. After listening for a while, Eve stealthily reached her fork toward the food table again. Thankfully, the lights below were completely off, so even if she disrespectfully snuck food, no one would notice.

Since Lorca was still beside her, she gestured for him to take a fork and join her.

Lorca tried to refuse. “I’m not hungry.” His ingrained noble etiquette protested firmly.

“If you eat too, we’ll be accomplices, and you won’t be able to report me,” Eve threatened. “Just one piece, come on.”

Resistance was futile. Lorca finally speared a small piece of fruit from her plate. The refreshing juice burst in his mouth, and he instinctively slowed his chewing, carefully savoring the fruit.

Seeing this, Eve didn’t press him further and instead focused on selecting other delicacies from the long table.

In the end, the Emperor made no mention of the Royal Zerg awakening in the Lyra β system, only stating that the front lines had faced a Zerg invasion but the brave imperial army had once again thwarted the aliens’ schemes and safeguarded the people’s safety. Then, with a genial smile, he announced that a new figure would be joining the Royal Family.

He told a long story about an unfortunate princess who had been lost among the people in her childhood but persevered tirelessly until finally being recognized and welcomed back by the Royal Family. When he mentioned that this Princess was the top contributor in the recent minor Zerg conflict, the hall erupted into applause from the nobles, playing their part.

“Now, let me invite my daughter, also a hero of the Empire, to say a few words.”

The Emperor extended his hand downward, his eyes glistening with what seemed to be tears. It was no act—over recent years, the Royal Family’s prestige had waned significantly, and an inspiring new Princess with tangible achievements was clearly beneficial for reversing this trend.

Thinking of this, the Emperor’s voice grew even softer. “Come, Chris. Don’t be nervous. You deserve this.”

The Legion Commander of the Ninth Legion encouragingly patted Qin Mengde’s shoulder. Even the lights perceptively shifted a beam onto her. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the red-haired young woman finally took a step forward.

She ascended the high platform on the second floor step by step with steady composure, calm as if walking toward a preordained destiny.

The new Princess bore a striking resemblance to the Emperor, undeniable proof of her noble lineage. Standing before the podium, Qin Mengde paused for a moment before speaking slowly, “Good evening, everyone. Allow me to offer you my most sincere New Year’s blessings in advance.”

Merely this polite opening elicited another thunderous round of applause. Whether out of obligation or genuine respect, the nobles granted her a reception no less enthusiastic than that given to her father.

Behind Qin Mengde, the Crown Prince’s eyes flickered with a subtle, unreadable light.

More reassuringly, her style was entirely different from her father’s. With military efficiency, she concluded her appointment speech swiftly and decisively. A maid bowed her head and presented a crown crafted from gold and diamonds, which the Empress personally placed on her head. After letting go, the Empress, tears in her eyes yet maintaining her dignity, said, “Congratulations, child. You’ve finally returned to your family’s embrace.”

Qin Mengde replied, “Thank you, Your Highness. That I can return to this family now is also thanks to your years of heartfelt prayers and concerns.”

—She could have been born in Rome, but thanks to the Empress’s “prayers,” she only returned at twenty. Indeed, it was “thanks to” her.

Eve couldn't help but feel amused.

The emperor promptly cut off the precarious conversation: "Alright, let's save the catching up for later. After all this chatter, this New Year's Ball should finally get underway."

Raising his left hand high, he declared cheerfully, "I hereby announce the commencement of the Empire's 982nd New Year's Glory Ball!"

"Let the music play, let the dancing begin, and let us all enjoy this splendid New Year's Eve ball!"

The Royal Orchestra shifted into a light, melodious dance tune as the hall's lights gradually brightened. Elegantly dressed couples glided onto the dance floor, but Eve had already composed herself well before then.

A slender, strong hand extended toward Lorca. He looked up to see the dark-haired girl wearing a silver mask that revealed only her delicate, pale lower face. Her purple gown was adorned with glittering sequins, as if dusted with starlight.

"Finally finished with all that chatter. So now, I formally invite Young Master Lorca Oliver," Eve said, half-complaining, half-teasing, "would you mind sharing a dance with me and checking how my recent lessons have paid off?"

Suddenly, Lorca heard his own heartbeat grow loud and thunderous, like crashing tides, nearly overwhelming him in this sudden rush of affection.

He slowly placed his hand in hers and said earnestly, "It would be my pleasure."