### Chapter 49: Stars in the Night
Knock, knock.
Someone was at the door.
“Your Majesty the Queen, Captain Rect requests an audience,” came the old butler’s voice from outside.
Victoria, seated at her vanity, gestured for a maid to hand me the velvet box she was holding and to open the door. Then she turned to me and said, “Open it.”
The box was heavy.
“What is this…?”
Having a bunch of things dangling from my ears felt quite odd. I shook my head, trying to ignore the discomfort of what felt like someone tugging at my earlobes. I lifted the crimson silk cloth covering the box and opened it, revealing a crown nestled inside.
The crown shimmered with golden light, encrusted with countless dazzling gems that sparkled brilliantly.
“Put it on me.”
Victoria said softly.
“Oh.”
I carefully lifted this symbol of power from the box, cradling it in my hands as I walked behind Victoria and placed the crown atop her head.
Looking up into the slightly yellowed mirror, I saw her indifferent yet stunning face reflected back.
This was my first time seeing her wearing a crown.
If previously Victoria had felt like a celestial fairy, completely untouched by the mundane world, at this moment, as she donned the crown, she transformed into the proud Queen of Ethanbel, undeniably regal.
Once again, I was awestruck by this woman’s beauty, utterly at a loss for words. Even the grandest of adjectives would only fall short of capturing a fraction of her enchanting presence.
“Your Majesty.”
Rect’s call broke me from my daze.
Victoria glanced at him, waved her hand to dismiss the maids, and finally asked, “Is everything arranged?”
“Yes.”
“And what about Viscount Leonard and Harrison?”
“I will send someone to keep an eye on them.”
“Good.”
Victoria nodded slightly and stood up from her seat.
“Monitor their movements closely. If anything unusual arises, execute them on the spot without needing to report to me.”
“Understood.” Rect responded quickly.
But he seemed a bit concerned, hesitating for a moment before adding, “Your Majesty, pardon my intrusion… I understand your urgency to gather forces and call upon them to unite against the Clive Family. That’s all fine and good, but do some of these people… really deserve our trust?”
Rect didn’t specify who he was referring to as “some people,” but I could easily identify a few nameless faces around the round table, their expressions betraying their waffling loyalties. With Victoria’s IQ, she must have already picked up on that.
Though I knew she was quite formidable, she was still rather young and had only been crowned queen under duress, her line of succession originally a lower one. So it was inevitable that there’d be some individuals… particularly those old, cunning nobles from the north who had come from a distance.
Despite their grudges against the Clive Family, that didn’t mean they’d automatically trust their young queen; they likely had their own little schemes brewing. Listening to Rect, I began to worry. Even if those people put on a good show, what if, at a crucial moment, someone suddenly decided to slack off, dragging their feet as if waiting to reap a bounty from a dispute? Or worse, what if they just chose inaction? That could turn fatal for Victoria.
So I looked at her with concern.
“Whether they are trustworthy is a judgment you can never make accurately until something happens.”
But Victoria had her own thoughts.
“After all, they are all my subjects. So whoever they are, I will give them sufficient trust first. The situation is always a matter of the eastern wind prevailing over the western wind; only those who have the people’s hearts can win. That’s my stance.”
The golden-haired beauty held my hand lightly. Despite her stern looks, her palm was warm.
“Trust is mutual. If anyone betrays my trust, they shouldn’t blame me for betraying their expectations.”
She pulled me toward the exit of the cloakroom.
“It’s almost time…”
With a click, the door swung open.
The maids stood outside, heads bowed, lined up neatly. The old butler at the front bowed deeply and said, “Your Majesty, your birthday celebration has been prepared.”
“Mm.”
Victoria replied indifferently, her steps unceasing as she slightly lowered her head to glance at me.
“Let’s go. Time for the banquet.”
………
Sophia, who had just arrived at the palace, felt incredibly nervous.
While she often attended various noble gatherings and social balls, these sorts of occasions felt like swimming upstream for her. She was well versed in what to say and how to deal with the eclectic mix of nobles… Such things, Sophia had mastered long ago.
What choice did she have? Her brothers weren’t exactly the sharpest tools in the shed, spending all their time eating, drinking, and having fun, leaving her father no choice but to pin his hopes on her. As the youngest sister in the family, Sophia had always been competitive, striving to outdo others at everything. She relished being better than everyone else and thus put in a lot of effort.
She was eager to stand on her own and contribute to the family business. That’s why she begged her father to bring her along to today’s banquet—to meet more distinguished nobles and broaden her connections in the royal city.
She had prepared for this for quite a while. The gown she wore was something she had painstakingly picked out over an entire day during her day off, and it came with a hefty price tag. Sophia had nearly spent all of her allowance for half a year just to stand out among the wealthy young ladies at the banquet.
She knew today’s banquet was different from the usual ones.
It was Her Majesty the Queen’s 23rd birthday celebration.
Sophia felt distinct from Sarah and Daisy, who both blurted out wanting to become knights and bemoaned their prowess in swordsmanship yet never set foot in the training grounds after class. And as for the other one… Never mind, she wasn’t worth mentioning.
She was different; she had an inherent responsibility as a noble and wouldn’t waste her time frivolously. She was always preparing for future opportunities.
Speaking of nobles, Sophia recalled the beautiful little girl from the Valen Empire, Peilo, who was in her dormitory.
She originally thought Peilo was just a distant relative on the fringes of the Winter Moon bloodline—perhaps one of those relatives you can’t quite remember. She certainly didn’t possess the depth expected of a noble and came off a bit silly, like a carefree little girl who loved to eat…and yes, sometimes Sarah might fight her for food.
So in Sophia’s mind, Peilo was probably akin to Sarah. Her family might have some means, but it paled compared to the century-old foundations of prestigious families—though she had no intention of looking down on anyone, Sophia had always thought this way.
Until today when she saw Peilo climb aboard that gorgeous War Chariot.
Sophia knew that was Her Majesty the Queen’s War Chariot. She had seen it from a distance with her father before.
Not only did she recognize that it was the Queen’s, but she also identified the green-haired man who peeked out from the carriage. Sophia knew he was the Queen’s most trusted subordinate, the renowned Guardian of the Royal City—the captain of the Sword of Kanli, Rect Lavensinel.
That bright green hair was simply too eye-catching to forget. Of course, she knew Rect, but he certainly wouldn’t know her. That was normal; what kind of person was the captain of the Sword of Kanli? He may have crossed paths with her father, but he wouldn’t recognize a young girl like her, still wet behind the ears from her limited social circles.
That was all fine. Sophia believed that one day, through her diligence, she would make it so that even such notable figures would know her.
But what she couldn’t understand was…
Why was Peilo so familiar with the captain of the Sword of Kanli?
Why did they seem like such good friends? There wasn’t a trace of distance between them. Even when she felt the tension rising, Peilo was chatting away casually.
And most importantly, why was it the Queen’s War Chariot…
No, not just the Queen’s War Chariot.
Sophia had heard a woman’s voice from within the carriage. Although she couldn’t be 100% sure, sitting so comfortably in that chariot, speaking commandingly to the captain of the Sword of Kanli… Sophia was hesitant to think further.
She couldn’t believe that the Queen of Ethanbel would specially come to the Royal Academy on her birthday during a holiday to pick up her silly roommate.
This was impossible…
Peilo couldn’t possibly…
On the way to the palace, Sophia’s mind was flooded with that stunning scene: the familiar Black Hair Girl, casually getting into that lavish carriage. Then the War Chariot slowly moved, and she poked her head out to wave goodbye to Sophia and Sarah.
At that moment, it felt like a storm was brewing in Sophia’s heart.
Who on earth was she…
All those mixed thoughts lingered in her mind until the War Chariot stopped in front of the palace square.
But now wasn’t the time to ponder these things…
Sophia straightened up, preparing to face the challenges ahead.
Yes. For her, this was a test.
While she had indeed attended many parties, this was different… This was the palace, the power center of Ethanbel!
Just walking into the inner hall from the square with her father, Sophia had already seen many prominent figures whom even her father had to greet courteously. After entering the venue, these figures swelled in number; it was a veritable gathering of the upper-crust nobles. Rumor had it at least three marquesses showed up, not to mention the earls… the assembly was filled with people famous both far and wide in Ethanbel, completely distinct from the petty gatherings of young nobles she was used to.
Thus, Sophia felt intensely nervous.
She realized she had possibly overestimated herself because she had no idea how to interact with these high-profile individuals. So she fell back into the role of her father’s shadow, tagging along as he clinked glasses with others. As a mere appendage to her father, Sophia felt somewhat relieved.
Before long, Sophia saw many people emerging from a side room in the venue. Her father quickly led her over, beaming.
Through their conversation, Sophia learned that these were among the most powerful nobles in Ethanbel, the actual guests being honored at the banquet.
“Her Majesty the Queen is still inside… about tonight’s matters…”
“Mm, I understand… that’s wonderful…”
Someone whispered a few words to her father, and both shared a knowing smile.
Sophia felt curious: “What’s going on, Father?”
“It’s nothing.”
She saw her father shake his head, though he seemed quite pleased.
“Her Majesty just finished a council meeting inside, and the Little Princess of Shanter Castle has arrived. If everything goes well, they might forge an alliance… that’s a good thing.”
The Little Princess of Shanter Castle? Who is that…
“Sophia, we must keep this under wraps; be careful, walls have ears.”
“Oh.”
Watching her father’s cautious demeanor, Sophia felt a bit out of sorts.
Before long, she encountered Her Majesty the Queen.
In a flowing white gown, the Queen gracefully traversed the crowd, stepping onto the red carpet and coolly waving to the warmly welcoming people inside the venue.
She was so beautiful…
Sophia couldn’t help but gasp. But then she froze.
Because she saw a girl beside the Queen, also being surrounded by the crowd.
The girl wore a stylish black fishtail gown, its splendid gems reflecting the light with a mesmerizing glow. Despite such a different outfit, that petite figure looked so familiar.
Sophia thought she must be seeing things.
She rubbed her eyes, shook her head vigorously, and squinted to take a better look.
No doubt about it.
That was indeed Peilo. The same silly girl who was always consumed with thoughts of filling her belly.
She walked right beside Her Majesty the Queen, holding her hand as though they were the brightest stars in the night.
