Redemption I

When Her Highness the Crown Princess of Eluin entered the second floor of the hall, she seemed to be followed by the two icy queens, Ailala and Lonina. The hall was as silent as winter, or as though a ghost had passed through everyone. Voices fell with a rustle, freezing into powder, just as the Min'er People on the glaciers said: "Ghosts can devour human voices."

Brando withdrew his gaze from the ostentatious balcony and happened to meet Princess Griffine's eyes. The elf princess rested one hand on the railing, her gaze sharp as a sword as she looked down at him, making his heart jolt.

Brando faintly sensed something unusual in Princess Griffine's eyes. It was the gaze of an executioner looking at a condemned prisoner—cold and icy.

"What's wrong?" Whether in his previous life or this one, he had never seen the princess look at him like that.

The strange silence lasted only for a moment. Princess Griffine withdrew her gaze and formally announced the start of the banquet from the second floor. The musicians seemed to come back to their senses, and the melodious xylophone music began playing in the hall once more.

Everything before him seemed like an illusion, but as Brando watched Her Highness turn and walk downstairs, he vaguely felt that something was wrong. He turned back and asked the Little Prince, who was disguised as Princess Bedis beside him, "Haruze, did your sister tell you anything else?"

"Teacher..." Haruze hesitated. His slender, snow-white neck glimmered under the lights, but was covered in fine beads of sweat, making him look somewhat nervous.

Just then, a sinister voice came from behind them, interrupting Haruze: "Viscount."

Brando turned around and saw an elderly lady-in-waiting standing behind him and Haruze. She wore a light-blue ceremonial gown, and