After receiving that exquisitely crafted invitation, Helos found herself lying awake in her dormitory bed that night, a rare occurrence for her.
She tossed and turned on the single bed that wasn’t particularly soft but was still comfortable enough.
Moonlight streamed through the windowpane, casting a silver glow across the floor of the room.
She fished the invitation out from under her pillow and, by the moonlight, carefully examined it once more.
The thick, gilded cardstock was edged with silver thread outlining intricate and elegant patterns. The front bore handwritten calligraphy, inviting her to attend the Royal Celebration banquet to be held at the Royal Palace next weekend.
And on the back of the invitation, the seal firmly affixed with bright red wax silently proclaimed its weight—it was the imperial family emblem.
Helos let out a long sigh and casually tossed the invitation onto the nightstand.
To be honest, she had absolutely no desire to attend such so-called banquets.
Just the thought of squeezing into one of those corseted gowns from her wardrobe that could practically cut a person in half, wearing a stiff “proper lady” smile while navigating through a crowd of nobles flattering each other, made her scalp prickle.
That kind of occasion, for her, was far more torturous than spending three days and nights in the Smelting Center’s Underground Workshop researching ancient runes.
She’d rather face a frenzied stone-skin lizard than deal with those noblewomen with daggers hidden behind their smiles.
But that glaring imperial seal on the invitation made her hesitate.
She subconsciously touched the cool ring on her finger.
Her words and actions now represented the face of the Olivias Family. Just as her father, Eisende, had solemnly warned her, in a place like the Imperial Capital where dragons and tigers lay hidden, she couldn’t afford the slightest bit of willfulness.
This was a Royal banquet attended by His Majesty the Emperor himself.
If she, the Second Young Lady of the Olivias family, received a formal invitation but failed to attend without reason, it would not only be disrespectful to the royal family but also a stain on the entire family’s honor.
And, when it came down to it, was she really fit for such a top-tier occasion?
She recalled her teacher Lilith’s bizarre theories about “the stage” and “charm.”
Did she really expect her to go to such a place to feel some inexplicable power of “charm”?
Helos irritably ran her fingers through her silver hair and buried her face deep into the soft pillow.
This matter was clearly not something she could decide on her own.
***
The next day, taking advantage of a free afternoon with no scheduled classes, Helos found Eleanor in the Sacred Magic Academy Library, quietly reading a religious text.
The library of the Sacred Magic Academy was completely different from the Archives at the comprehensive research academy, which were filled with the smells of potions and ores.
Here, the light was bright, the air carried a faint scent of incense, and rows of jade-white bookshelves reached up to the vaulted ceiling, creating an atmosphere that was solemn and serene.
Eleanor was, as always, the picture of an impeccable Saintess. She sat quietly by the window, sunlight filtering through the glass to cast a halo upon her golden hair.
Helos tiptoed over to her side and called her name in a hushed voice.
“Sister.”
“Sisi?”
Eleanor looked up from her book, and upon seeing her, a gentle smile appeared on her face.
“What brings you here? Are your classes over for the day?”
“Mhm.”
Helos nodded. She didn’t beat around the bush, instead pulling the invitation that had troubled her all night from her pocket and handing it to Eleanor.
“I ran into Teacher Lilith last night.”
She said softly.
“This is what she gave me.”
The smile on Eleanor’s face faltered slightly.
She took the substantial invitation, and when she saw the bright red royal wax seal, a clear flash of surprise passed through her sapphire blue eyes.
“An invitation to the Royal Celebration…?”
Eleanor’s voice held a note of confusion.
“Why would Teacher Lilith suddenly give this to you?”
She looked up at Helos, her brows slightly furrowed.
“To my knowledge, invitations for this level of banquet are uniformly issued by the Royal Court affairs office to the heads of the major families. The head then decides who to bring—especially spouses and younger family members.”
“Teacher Lilith is also a noble, but in principle, she shouldn’t have this kind of ‘spare invitation.'”
Eleanor’s fingertips lightly brushed over the seal, a flicker of doubt in her eyes.
“It feels as if it was prepared for you in advance.”
Helos shrugged, indicating her innocence.
“It’s no small matter. I don’t know either. She just said it was a spare and then shoved it at me.”
Eleanor’s expression grew serious.
She had indeed heard about this banquet. The current Emperor, Valerian, had only been on the throne for a year, his foundation not yet solid.
This celebration was the first large-scale event since the new Emperor’s accession, carrying extraordinary political and symbolic significance.
She had originally thought her father would have her represent the Olivias family. She never expected Helos to obtain an entry ticket in such an unexpected way.
Lilith’s motives were far too suspicious. Eleanor couldn’t just ignore it.
“No.”
Eleanor closed the invitation and stood up with a grave expression.
“We must go ask our brother about this. He’s been in the Imperial Capital for years and understands the social intricacies among the nobles better than we do.”
Thus, Eleanor and Helos immediately left the Academy, boarded a windrunner beast stagecoach, and returned to the Olivias family’s residence in the Imperial Capital’s noble district.
The residence was as quiet as ever.
Christ was not at the “tower of truth” at the moment but was in his own study, handling various affairs.
When the two sisters pushed open the heavy wooden door, Christ was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, buried in a mountain of documents piled high on his desk.
“Eleanor? Helos?”
Christ looked up from the documents, surprise showing on his face at the sight of both his younger sisters.
“Why are you back at this hour? Is the Academy on break?”
“No, brother.”
Eleanor stepped forward and placed the invitation on his desk with a serious expression.
“Take a look at this.”
Christ took the invitation. With just a glance, his calm, sapphire blue eyes contracted slightly.
After examining it, he confirmed the invitation’s authenticity.
Whether it was the texture of the wax, the intricacy of the imperial emblem, or the unique magical watermark on the cardstock, it was undoubtedly a genuine invitation.
“Lilith Nacht…”
Christ’s fingers lightly tapped on the desk as he fell into thought.
“Brother, do you know her?” Helos couldn’t help but ask.
“Mhm, I’ve heard a little about her.”
Christ nodded.
“Lilith herself is a frequent guest in the upper echelons of the Imperial Capital’s nobility. The Nacht family hasn’t produced any notable figures for the last nine generations, but their foundation remains.”
“She herself is very popular in the circles of noblewomen, often invited to various salons and tea parties, a familiar face in the Imperial Capital’s social scene. However, I hadn’t paid her much attention before.”
Christ adjusted his glasses, a glimmer of understanding flashing in his eyes behind the lenses.
“I see.”
He suddenly smiled.
“Brother? What are you smiling about?”
Eleanor was even more confused.
“I’m smiling because this Teacher Lilith has saved me quite a bit of trouble.”
Christ gently pushed the invitation back, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
“I was planning to tell you both about this in the next couple of days. Father mentioned it in his last letter. He hopes that both of you can represent the Olivias family and attend this celebration with me.”
“Father suggested it?”
Both Helos and Eleanor were stunned.
“That’s right.”
Christ nodded.
“Father believes that since you’ve both come to the Imperial Capital, you can no longer maintain the same low profile as you did back in Olivius City. Especially you, Helos.”
His gaze turned to his younger sister, his tone becoming gentle.
“Father said you are no longer that ‘Cursed Girl’ who needed to be hidden away. He wants you to stand tall and appear on the Imperial Capital’s social stage as the Second Young Lady of the Olivias family.”
Helos listened, dumbfounded, a mix of emotions swirling in her heart.
“So, in this context, Teacher Lilith, as your former etiquette teacher, presenting you with this invitation to attend the banquet at this time seems to have its own logic.”
Christ made his judgment.
“After all, it’s a perfect ‘graduation ceremony,’ isn’t it?”
“Then… we’re really going?”
Helos was still somewhat hesitant.
“Of course.”
After careful consideration, Christ decided to let Eleanor and Helos attend the banquet.
He closed the document in his hand and stood up.
“Since it’s Father’s wish and a royal invitation, you have no reason to refuse. Eleanor, you have experience. You’ll be in charge of guiding Helos then. Remember, we represent the family’s face. Be sure to act with caution.”
Eleanor nodded solemnly.
“I understand, brother.”
“Alright, you two go back and prepare now.”
Christ waved his hand.
“Especially you, Helos. You’ll need a formal gown that meets the standards. I’ll have the Steward arrange for that.”
After his two younger sisters left, the study returned to silence.
The gentle smile on Christ’s face slowly faded.
He walked to the window, watching the retreating figures of his sisters. A barely perceptible glint of shrewdness flashed in his sapphire blue eyes behind his glasses.
He stood up and softly clapped his hands.
From the shadows in the corner of the room, a figure in a tailcoat silently materialized. It was the old Steward of the Olivias family’s Imperial Capital residence.
The Steward bowed his head respectfully, awaiting Christ’s instructions.
Christ didn’t turn around. He continued looking out the window, merely tilting his head slightly to glance at the Steward from the corner of his eye.
“Investigate Lilith Nacht discreetly.”
His voice was flat, yet carried a chill.
“Although she’s a familiar figure among the nobility, I haven’t paid her much attention before.”
“Find out why she suddenly gave a royal invitation to Helos.”
Something was weird. Huh.