The dinner gradually came to an end beneath the warm golden lights of House Velcrest.
Servants quietly cleared the main dishes one after another while soft orchestral music continued flowing through the elevated banquet section overlooking the grand ballroom below.
Outside the frost-covered crystal windows—
Northern snow continued falling endlessly beneath moonlit skies.
Inside—
The atmosphere subtly shifted.
The heavier formality surrounding dinner eased slightly as silver dessert trays began arriving across the tables.
Crystal cakes layered with winter berries.
Honey pastries dusted with powdered sugar resembling snowfall.
Frozen milk desserts glowing faintly with cooling enchantments.
And warm northern chocolate served inside steaming silver cups.
The nobles relaxed more visibly now.
Conversations deepened.
Smiles became slightly more genuine.
And naturally—
Political discussions slowly began surfacing across the upper section.
Because nobles rarely stopped discussing power.
Even during celebrations.
Especially during celebrations.
Meanwhile—
Kel remained mostly silent.
Calmly seated beside Aria while quietly observing the flow of conversations around the elevated tables.
The candlelight reflected softly across his black noble attire while the silver embroidery near his collar shimmered faintly beneath chandelier light.
He rarely interrupted anyone.
Rarely volunteered opinions.
Instead—
He listened.
And somehow—
That alone already unsettled several nobles.
Because experienced politicians understood something dangerous:
The people who listened carefully usually revealed the least about themselves.
Meanwhile—
Aria quietly ate small portions of dessert beside him while occasionally observing the surrounding discussions.
Trade taxes.
Military patrol routes.
Southern dragon treaties.
Merchant guild expansion.
Every topic eventually surfaced.
At one point—
An older viscount seated nearby sighed softly while setting down his wine glass.
"The southern trade routes are becoming unstable again."
Several nearby nobles nodded.
Another added:
"Especially after dragon realm tourism opened."
A marquess softly frowned.
"Smaller merchants are panicking."
"Because they fear losing relevance," another noble replied.
The discussion continued naturally afterward.
Most opinions remained predictable.
Raise tariffs.
Restrict access.
Protect northern trade dominance.
Meanwhile—
Kel silently stirred the warm chocolate inside his cup.
Listening.
Then suddenly—
One older noble looked toward him.
"Young Master Kel."
The surrounding conversations softened slightly afterward.
The noble smiled politely.
"You've remained awfully quiet."
Kel calmly looked up.
"I'm listening."
Soft laughter spread lightly across the table.
Then the noble continued.
"What do you think about the southern situation?"
Several eyes shifted toward Kel immediately.
Even the Marquess quietly became attentive.
Because everyone wanted to know how House Rosenfeld's heir viewed the Empire's changing political landscape.
Meanwhile—
Kel remained silent briefly.
Not because he lacked an answer.
But because he organized thoughts carefully.
Then finally—
He spoke.
"Fear creates poor merchants."
Silence.
The noble blinked once.
Kel calmly continued.
"If northern merchants fear southern competition…"
A pause followed.
"…then they'll waste more effort protecting weakness than improving strength."
Several nearby nobles visibly sharpened attention instantly.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly lifted his cup afterward.
"The dragon treaties changed trade itself."
His crimson eyes calmly swept across the table.
"So resisting change completely is impossible."
Another pause.
"The only rational choice is adaptation."
Silence spread.
Not awkward silence.
Heavy silence.
Because the answer sounded painfully reasonable.
Meanwhile—
One military lord frowned slightly afterward.
"You speak ideally."
Kel calmly looked toward him.
"No."
Another pause followed.
"I speak economically."
The military lord narrowed his eyes.
Kel continued:
"If southern trade becomes cheaper or more valuable…"
His voice remained composed.
"…then merchants will naturally follow profit."
Several trade nobles slowly nodded unconsciously hearing that.
Kel calmly added:
"Trying to prevent movement entirely only creates black markets."
Now even older merchant nobles visibly reacted.
Because that statement carried experience.
Real understanding.
Not theoretical politics.
Meanwhile—
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly laughed.
"They're realizing you actually understand economics too."
Kel internally replied:
"Economics controls wars more often than swords."
The spirit hummed thoughtfully.
"You really think like a ruler."
Kel ignored her.
Then—
Another noblewoman seated nearby spoke carefully.
"But if southern influence grows too quickly…"
She paused slightly.
"…won't northern authority weaken?"
Several nobles quietly agreed.
A reasonable concern.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly answered.
"Authority built on restriction eventually collapses."
Silence.
Then he continued softly:
"Authority built on usefulness lasts longer."
The noblewoman slowly frowned thoughtfully afterward.
Kel explained further.
"If the North remains militarily stable…"
A pause followed.
"…economically productive…"
Another.
"And politically reliable…"
His gaze moved calmly across the table.
"…then merchants and nobles will continue depending on northern power regardless of southern expansion."
Now even the Marquess himself looked genuinely impressed.
Because Kel's answers didn't sound emotional.
Nor defensive.
They sounded strategic.
Balanced.
Mature.
Meanwhile—
Aria quietly observed the surrounding reactions.
And honestly—
Every time Kel answered something—
The atmosphere subtly changed.
People stopped viewing him as merely talented.
And started viewing him seriously.
Meanwhile—
Another older noble softly laughed afterward.
"Young Master Kel speaks as though he's managed territories personally."
Several nobles smiled faintly hearing that.
But Kel simply replied calmly:
"Every territory follows human nature eventually."
The older noble raised an eyebrow.
"And what is human nature?"
Kel's fingers lightly tapped against the silver cup afterward.
Then softly—
"People move toward survival first."
Another pause.
"Comfort second."
His crimson eyes reflected candlelight quietly.
"And power third."
Silence settled heavily afterward.
Because once again—
The answer sounded disturbingly accurate.
Meanwhile—
One younger noble heir finally spoke up.
Clearly curious.
"Then what creates loyalty?"
Now even Aria looked toward Kel carefully.
Because that question mattered deeply among nobles.
Kel remained quiet briefly afterward.
Then finally—
"Consistency."
The young heir blinked.
Kel calmly elaborated.
"People follow strength temporarily."
Another pause.
"They follow kindness emotionally."
Another.
"But they trust consistency."
The surrounding table fell silent again.
Kel continued softly.
"If a ruler protects today…"
His gaze remained distant now.
"…but abandons tomorrow…"
Another pause.
"…then loyalty eventually dies."
Several older nobles slowly lowered their eyes thoughtfully afterward.
Because those words carried truth earned painfully through generations.
Meanwhile—
The Marquess quietly spoke afterward.
"Young Master Kel possesses frightening insight for someone your age."
Kel calmly answered:
"Suffering forces observation."
The atmosphere softened slightly afterward.
No one questioned further.
Because everyone knew about the curse.
The isolation.
The rumors surrounding House Rosenfeld's heir.
And somehow—
That history now made his maturity feel understandable.
Even if still terrifying.
Meanwhile—
Desserts continued arriving quietly.
Silver spoons reflected warm candlelight while snow beyond the windows thickened further across the northern night.
At another table nearby—
Political discussions grew louder regarding military budgets.
One noble argued for increasing knight recruitment.
Another criticized overspending.
Eventually—
Someone again asked Kel:
"What do you believe matters more?"
The noble leaned forward slightly.
"Money or military?"
Several nobles turned attentive instantly.
A classic political question.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly wiped his fingers with a napkin before answering.
"Neither."
The surrounding nobles blinked.
Kel quietly continued.
"Information."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Kel's expression remained composed.
"A poor ruler with information can survive."
Another pause.
"A wealthy ruler without information collapses eventually."
His gaze briefly shifted toward the ballroom below.
"And armies marching blindly die fastest."
The atmosphere became incredibly quiet afterward.
Because those words carried terrifying realism.
Meanwhile—
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly sighed.
"You really shouldn't sound this dangerous at fifteen."
Kel internally replied calmly.
"I'm speaking honestly."
The spirit laughed faintly.
"That's exactly the problem."
Meanwhile—
Aria silently watched Kel beneath the candlelight.
The nobles around them now listened differently.
Carefully.
Seriously.
Even the older lords had stopped treating him like a returning child heir.
And quietly—
A realization spread across the upper section of House Velcrest tonight.
The heir of House Rosenfeld was not merely talented.
Nor merely intelligent.
He understood people.
Power.
Fear.
Trade.
War.
Loyalty.
And beneath the warm glow of silver dessert candles—
The North's political elite unknowingly began seeing the future sitting calmly before the