"So that's what happened. Did Lord Andre offend Duke Qinghui?"
After listening to Yolanda recount the full story, the Regent King looked at Westheid and Andre and said,
"The Solren Clan has always been a pillar of the Empire, but I fear their overly Prominent status has caused such a long-standing family to forget what the Branch of Prosperity signifies... Lord Andre, do you know what the Branch of Prosperity signifies?"
Andre was stunned. "Isn't it just a moment of mercy from the Divine Ancestor...?"
The Regent King said, "The Branch of Prosperity is the very frontline of the Empire's resistance against the Chaos Tide. It is an indispensable barrier for the Empire. Lord Andre, have you ever seen the Chaos Tide?"
"In books... and I've seen it in projections..."
Sylvia continued, "That alone is not enough. Chaos is the great enemy of all civilization and Order. That kind of extreme terror and destruction constantly batters the borders of our Realm of Order. What right do those who live peacefully within the Holy Root System have to mock those who face Chaos directly?"
"For a Branch of Prosperity to be wasting away his years in the Imperial Capital is indeed somewhat unseemly. But the destruction of the Qinghui Territory was purely a natural disaster. The Chaos invasion two years ago would have been a devastating catastrophe for any Imperial border province, yet the Qinghui Territory resisted it almost entirely on its own."
This resonated deeply with Yolanda. She said with conviction, "It was indeed a tragedy, but the name of Qinghui will not be buried. We will one day return to the Purity Forest."
The Regent King said slowly to Andre, "Insulting a Branch of Prosperity is a crime against the will of the Empire and the Divine Ancestor. Lord Andre, on account of your youth and ignorance, I will not punish you. Apologize to Duke Qinghui."
Passing judgment directly on the conflict, the Regent King added a veiled threat, "Otherwise, I will have no choice but to summon the Solren Patriarch."
"No! Please, don't! I... I understand."
Andre's face went white. He might not have feared the Regent King much, but the moment his extremely strict father was mentioned, the young noble panicked.
"Nngh..."
Andre clenched his fists. After an intense internal struggle, he knelt before Westheid in utter humiliation.
"H-Honorable Duke Qinghui, please forgive... my offense. To have forgotten the honor of a Branch of Prosperity was truly... presumptuous and rude of me."
"Lower. Is that how you apologize?"
Andre trembled, then performed a standard full prostration.
Westheid said, "Alright. I forgive your rudeness."
As if granted a great pardon, Andre sprang to his feet, shot Westheid a hateful glare, and turned to run away.
"Brother, Andre will probably hold a grudge against you for a while now."
Yolanda sighed at the scene.
Westheid said coolly, "Are you going to blame me for making an enemy of the Solren Clan?"
The girl, who resembled an Ice and Snow Fairy, smiled radiantly and shook her head.
"No, you handled that perfectly. It almost makes me see you in a new light, Brother."
Yolanda glanced at the surrounding nobles of the Imperial Capital, who had witnessed the scene but now dared not meet her gaze. The corners of her lips curved upward.
"Since the disaster two years ago, the Qinghui Family has been ridiculed for far too long. In the eyes of the people of the Imperial Capital, we're nothing but outsiders living on someone else's charity, a ruined house that lost its lands. Since they hold the name of Qinghui in such contempt, this is the perfect chance to show them that the dignity of a Branch of Prosperity is not to be questioned!"
Clearly, Yolanda had endured many slights over her family's decline. Although most people held her in high regard, wanting to recruit the promising new talent, she saw their offers as nothing but insults.
Westheid's forceful response to Andre had been deeply satisfying for Yolanda, and the looks of awe from the surrounding nobles were enough to sweep away the gloom that had long clouded her heart.
"And... what is going on here?"
After settling the dispute, the Regent King shifted her attention to Reiya and said to Westheid,
"Duke Qinghui, you have truly done something I find... novel."
Hearing Sylvia's voice, Reiya slowly opened her eyes. They were magnificent, filled with the lingering reluctance of waking from a beautiful dream, yet she forced herself to rally her spirits and greet her.
"Your Royal Highness..."
"There is no need to bow. You are, after all... my royal sister."
The Regent King said coolly, looking at the Silver-haired Dragon Girl.
Though to most people in the Imperial Capital, Reiya was a half-breed whose very presence soured their mood, Sylvia herself felt no particular disgust for her younger sister.
'After all... if Reiya's birth hadn't taken that old man with it, she would never have had the chance to taste the supreme power of the Empire.'
However, as the Regent King of the Empire, she needed to appear absolutely politically correct.
The Regent King said coldly,
"The commotion tonight started because of you. You shouldn't have come out. This is enough. Go back, and don't come out again."
Reiya nodded. As she began to turn her wheelchair to leave, the Silver-haired Princess hesitated for a moment, then said to Westheid,
"This has been my best day... Thank you."
'A day so wonderful I can savor the memory for years to come.'
But Westheid reached out, stopping the wheelchair by its backrest, and asked,
"May I come and visit you after this?"
Reiya: "!?"
Westheid smiled. "As a Branch of Prosperity, I have permission to freely enter and leave the Holy Tree Palace. But to visit someone's private quarters, I still need the occupant's consent."
Hearing this, the Regent King frowned. "Duke Qinghui, I understand you danced with my royal sister out of kindness and sympathy, but that's far enough. There's no need to do anything more that might cause a misunderstanding."
"Your Royal Highness, I must correct you. I am not acting out of sympathy. I feel no sympathy or pity for her whatsoever."
Westheid slowly and firmly shook his head, placing a hand on his chest as he spoke.
"I feel not a shred of pity or sympathy for Her Highness Reiya. What I hold for her is nothing but pure admiration, even adoration."
"Admiration? Adoration?"
'What is he talking about?'
'Duke Qinghui, has he lost his mind?!'
Sylvia was a woman of high station with exceptional control over her expressions, but even she suspected she had misheard Westheid. It was becoming difficult to maintain her composure.
The Regent King was silent for a moment, then said,
"Perhaps Duke Qinghui has had too much to drink tonight. Guard! Escort Princess Reiya back to her quarters!"
The Royal Guard, long unable to tolerate this "filth and blasphemy," darted forward, grabbed Reiya's wheelchair, and made to shove her away roughly.
But Westheid stopped him again. Ignoring Yolanda, who was shooting him frantic looks from the side, he asked the Silver-haired Princess earnestly,
"Her Highness Reiya, what is your answer?"
The Silver-haired Princess looked up, her gaze meeting Westheid's deep purple eyes. Her lips twitched, but in the end, she simply turned her head away without a word.
Westheid said, "If you don't answer, I'll take that as a yes. I'll come visit you again tomorrow."
After the Royal Guard pushed the wheelchair away, the Regent King let out a long sigh.
"Duke Qinghui, are you serious? Although you are a Branch of Prosperity and I have no right to interfere in your affairs, if you associate too closely with Reiya, the entire nobility of the Imperial Capital will shun you. The aid the Qinghui Territory requires will become nearly impossible to secure."
"I am perfectly serious, Your Highness."
Westheid had no intention of explaining himself. 'I'm not unaware of the gravity of my actions,' he thought, 'but drastic measures are necessary. After all, compared to the goodwill of the entire Imperial nobility, Reiya's favor is far more important.'
The Regent King pressed her fingers to her forehead, as if nursing a headache.
"I originally intended to help you reclaim your homeland, but... Please, go back and think this over. If the nobles of the Imperial Capital become deeply prejudiced against you, Duke Qinghui, then even my hands will be tied."
The Eldest Princess had dismissed him. Feeling he had successfully achieved his goals for the evening, Westheid left the Holy Tree Palace in high spirits.
Back at the Qinghui Family's residence, Westheid had just taken off his jacket when he suddenly felt a piercing gaze on his back.