A little over a month later...

Lumierian Empire.

——

The streets of the central city of the Lumierian Empire were bustling with activity, people, and ceremony.

The banner of the royal family — a silver frost-blossom encased in a jagged diamond of ice against a deep crimson field — hung from almost every building.

To some people, this was probably the first time in their lives that they had seen so many nobles on the streets at a time, and for days on end.

If one went down to the main canal where the turquoise water shimmered under the golden sunset, they could see a few small boats, around a bigger one that was a bit more majestic, draped in velvet and adorned with gold leaf, and had the same red banners of the royal family.

Standing on the raised dais of the imperial barge for the world to see was a young, strikingly handsome man that looked to be in his early twenties. He had skin like alabaster and blue eyes that were icy, yet he kept them focused as he pretended to be warm. His white hair was a clear sign to all that this was a member of the royal family.

This young man was the first prince of the Lumierian royal family, and he was smiling for the nobles and the commoners alike. Everyone watching him was absolutely enamored by his presence.

But in reality, he was not smiling for them. He was smiling because today was the final day of the ceremonies. That meant it would be the last day that he or any member of the royal family would have to come out in public in this manner, and pretend like they actually cared about the masses.

Today would be the last day in a while, that he would have to mingle with all sorts of people, from the high-ranking elites to the poorest of the poor.

To him, pretending to care about people was truly exhausting.

But while he was happy that the farce was ending, there were many people who were not. The poor citizens of the outskirts, for instance, were deeply invested in the event. For them, these celebrations brought a rare feast and a bounty of benefits that they would otherwise never see.

You see, a month ago, the brave and glorious nobles who had ventured to the first ring during the last lunar eclipse had finally returned after six months. But this time, they did not just bring the regular news that they had destroyed the red bridge. No.

Instead, they claimed to have even challenged the Lords!

And even more unbelievable was the fact that they had returned successful!

That news, gentlefriends, threw the entire empire into a state of total frenzy. Word spread to everyone, bringing awe among the nobles and even the bondless who lived outside the central city.

As for how this news was this confirmed?

Well, after the sixth month, a new eclipse had arrived and this had brought about new blue bridges in different points in the empire.

As per the usual arrangement, a new batch of first-year cadets was already waiting to challenge the red bridge within the first ring.

However, after hearing of the tragic yet miraculous events involving the returning nobles, some first-year cadets who held the rank of Grade Two were sent to investigate. They attempted to cross the bridge, but to their utmost bewilderment, they found that they could not pass through.

Under normal circumstances, if a Grade One or Two tried to cross any of the bridges, they would be automatically sent to the first ring. But since they could not enter, it could only mean one thing.

There was no longer a red bridge in the first ring!

And so, that particular world beyond the Veil had been cut off from their own.

This was truly unbelievable.

After more than a thousand years, countless expeditions, and the deaths of thousands of noble children, they had finally conquered the first ring.

...Of course, at this point in time, no one knew that the true reason this happened was not just because the first-year nobles had killed the Lords, but also because a certain first-year noble had killed himself.

And so, that bit aside, to celebrate the conquest of the first ring, the Royal Family had to throw a month-long festival of triumph. They funded these public banquets, and they, alongside other nobles, distributed bread, wine, and meat to the public.

Since this celebration demanded massive demand for labor, the poor could find extra work as boatmen, temporary street vendors, stagehands for theatrical displays, or laborers for building the ornate wooden festival structures. So no, the poor weren’t really happy that the celebrations were coming to an end.

Life, which was already hard for most, would soon become even tougher. The bondless in particular would be chased out of the central city and sent back to the outskirts where they belonged.

Now, aside from the general festivities, there were other events being prepared, such as the official investiture of a new Marquess and Marchioness.

Marquess Anele Vesper Martini and Marchioness Isadora Faye Martini

***

The Lumierian Empire was a land of so many waterways that even the majestic castle in the imperial city was surrounded by a body of shimmering turquoise water.

After a long and really exhausting day, the first prince walked through the long halls of the palace looking like someone drained of all patience. Behind him, a young girl who looked to be somewhere between thirteen and fourteen walked with her head lowered.

She had the same white hair as her bearer and was dressed as a maid, walking not too quickly, yet not too fast. And her hands were clasped tightly in front of her.

When the duo eventually reached a large door, the two female maids who stood there bowed deeply. They were dressed in standard palace uniforms that were quite different from the one the young girl behind the prince wore.

While they wore simple, practical cotton dresses with plain white aprons and short sleeves, the prince’s bond wore a far more elaborate gown of fine silk with lace-trimmed cuffs and a high collar that marked her unique status.

After their deep curtsies, the two maids quickly opened the doors, with each reaching for a handle at the same time. But then, the prince halted and took off his long black coat.

He looked back at the girl behind him and handed it to her before speaking in a gentle yet cold voice.

"Wait outside. If I need you, I will call for you."

The girl bowed her head even further as she took the garment. "Yes, my Prince."

The prince looked away and walked into the dining hall. The room was vast and dominated by a high, vaulted ceiling where a massive crystal chandelier hung like a frozen sun, casting a sharp light over the long mahogany table below.

At the edge of the table, slumped in the chair to the right of the empty seat reserved for the head of the family, was a boy.

The boy was slightly younger and had a mischievous, playful vibe to him. His white hair was longer and was tied behind him in a loose, messy ponytail, and both his feet were on the table. He was eating an apple while resting his hand on the chair beside him in a lazy, arrogant manner as he also read from a red book that had no title or markings on its blank exterior.

He brightened when he saw his senior brother, but before he could speak, the first prince snarled, "Get your dirty legs off where we eat, Sebastian Beaufort!"

Sebastian frowned, but instead of moving, he looked his senior brother dead in the eye, smiled, and said coldly, "Or what?"