「Knight ‘Lumen Dominic’ ‘s favorability has increased by 3.」

「Current favorability: 92/100」

The system window that popped up next displayed a fairly high favorability rating. But Cadel didn’t seem to care about any of that, and his eyes widened and his voice rose.

“What, you’re thankful for him? Did you get brainwashed while I was gone? Did he plant something in your head? Show me! Find it, because this time it won’t end with words!”

Lumen shook helplessly at the rough hands running through his well-groomed hair. Inside him now, the nightmarish presence of Froch Dominic was being rapidly erased.

* * *

The banquet hall was lavishly decorated to rival any golden palace. No expense was spared in the finest marble, jewels, and silks, and every dish was a delicacy. Musicians from all over the country were invited to entertain the guests, playing beautiful music that would make your body sway just by listening to it.

But there was something even more spectacular than this elaborate banquet, and that was the presence of the guests of honor.

With the exception of the leaders of the White Kingdom and the Dunkelhai Kingdom, who were unfortunately unable to attend, all of the leaders of the Alliance were here, as well as the royalty invited to the Empire, and the famous knights for escort. It was truly a feast of stars.

When there are so many stars, there must be a particularly bright one among them.

“Haha, yes. I naturally picked up multi-attribute mana in my childhood. Speaking of which, there are rumors that I might be descended from a black magician. Do you think so, too?”

“Hehe, of course not, it’s all jealous gossip, and I’m not of such low class.”

“Of course not. Are you not the commander of the prestigious Scarlet Scales Knight Order?”

“The might of the Scarlet Scales Knight Order.”

Cadel had come to the banquet hall alone, without his subordinates. With no allies to lean on, he was nervous, but he had expected less attention. He was completely wrong.

People were as interested in him as they were in the leaders of the nations. At first, Cadel thought it was a calculated favor for an Empire’s rookie, but it soon became apparent that there was an ulterior motive.

“By the way, Our Majesty has taken a keen interest in Sir Cadel, even more so than I, the Commander of the Kingdom’s Knight Order, and I’m a little jealous.”

“His Majesty Devon?”

Jayto Devon had been one of the kings who had demanded an explanation from Cadel at the Demon War Summit. Cadel’s lack of explanation hadn’t gone down well with him, as he’d brought out the vicious Scarlet Dragon instead.

When Cadel questioned him, Molev, the Knight Commander of the Devon Kingdom, lowered his voice to a whisper.

“You are a human being protected by the Scarlet Dragon, right? Most of those attending here are closely connected to the summit. It means that everyone knows.”

Cadel stared into Molev’s eyes, then forced a fake smile.

‘I see. So it’s because of Kunra.’

Well, it was hard to imagine that word wouldn’t have gotten out if he’d gone on such a rampage at the summit. It was not like the Empire asked him to keep it a secret. The reason it hadn’t been publicized was that it would have been too overwhelming a display of official Imperial power.

Kunra’s protection was given to Cadel, but he was a Knight of the Empire. It would not be a good move to emphasize the power of one nation over another when they had just formed a temporary alliance. But it was hard to suppress curiosity.

“I’m not deeply connected to the Scarlet Dragon, just a bit of a favor. It was granted to help the human world, and I was lucky enough to get it.”

“The Empire is the lucky one. They have Sir Cadel as their knight, a man who has been favored by the Scarlet Dragon. Haha……. Please know that the Devon Kingdom always welcomes you.”

He smiled jokingly, but Cadel knew there was a sincerity underneath that could not be ignored. Cadel let out an ambiguous chuckle and casually stepped away from Molev’s side.

‘I’m tired. I may be able to get away with this for now, but by the time the Demon War is over, I’ll…….’

If Kunra’s favor still remained at the end of the war. Everyone’s reaction would not be as favorable as it is now.

But that was after the war. It was an uncertain future he might not have to deal with, and so Cadel chose evasion over clarifying his situation.

And so, as Cadel was doing his best to ignore the attention he was receiving.

“It must be comforting to know that the knight commander of the Empire has the Scarlet Dragon at his side.”

Derek, mingling among the leaders, was also the center of attention, and he lightly dismissed the man who spoke. Grand Duke Ren Somulz of the Snivec Principality. Perhaps it was the harshness of the north, or perhaps it was just his nature. For the leader of a nation, he was rather crude.

“Well. Even the knight commander who received divine protection is a figure I cannot directly control. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

“Is that so……. You don’t think that Sir Cadel with the Scarlet Dragon might be a poison to the Empire, do you? Too much power breeds too much greed.”

“Whether he will be a poison or a blessing remains to be seen, Grand Duke.”

“Some things are obvious even without watching.”

Ren and Derek’s gazes met. Both were smiling favorably, but both knew it was only an act.

“You’re being presumptuous, Grand Duke Somulz. In any case, the commander of the Scarlet Scales Knight Order we have now is exactly what we need to prepare for war, and after that, Emperor Osma will take care of the rest.”

Jayto Devon intervened, but Ren showed no sign of stopping; he snorted softly and took a sip of his drink.

“I’ve seen too many people take advantage of a weakened state after a war to plot rebellion, and I don’t see why a man with the Scarlet Dragon at his side shouldn’t think of it. Loyalty is born of fear, and we’d better make sure he doesn’t think of anything else.”

A hint of alcohol, jealousy of Cadel’s presence, and anxiety about the war ahead. They came together and spewed out of Ren’s mouth. He could feel the mood sinking, but he was undeterred.

“Come to think of it, we don’t even know his birth yet, and I suspect he hasn’t announced it on purpose. Is he of criminal blood? If so, you’d better be more careful, for you never know when such men will stab you in the back―”

“You seem very interested in the state of the Empire, Grand Duke. I seem to recall that we were a temporary ally, not a unified nation. Don’t you think that’s meddling?”

“Meddling, sir, is merely a matter of concern……!”

“I didn’t realize that the Empire was in a position of concern to the Snivec Principality.”

Derek, interrupting Ren, raised a brow. He was still smiling, but the jet-black eyes that held his opponent’s had grown cold, and at the sight of that unforgiving gaze, Ren’s busy mouth stopped moving.

Derek stared at him briefly, then lifted his glass lightly as if to break the tension.

“Let’s leave all our worries to the Demon War. If the human realm falls, the throne will be worthless. Let us only hope for victory.”

Politics is only possible when there are humans to govern. If you’re dead, you can’t do anything, whether it’s rebellion or plunder. All humans were equal before the demonic invasion, so they put aside their differences and shared a drink.