“Shh.”
Sensing that Formo was extremely tense, Serdin gently soothed him. Only then did Formo’s breath, which had stopped for a moment, continue again. Formo took short, deep breaths with a pale complexion and stuck close to Serdin’s side. Though he desperately wanted to hide behind him, he couldn’t show such shameful behavior while everyone was watching.
Formo held his head up stiffly and walked toward the platform. Unlike his stiffly held head, his gaze kept wandering here and there. He could only hope that the predators paying attention to him would quickly look away. Formo, who creakily followed Serdin and stood at the edge of the platform, unconsciously drew in his breath. The predator beastmen filling the banquet hall came into view at a glance.
“Our Pipi is valiant.”
While his mind was growing distant with fear, when a gentle voice of praise rang in his ear, Formo’s shoulders trembled. Formo swallowed dry saliva and smiled awkwardly. Seeing the beastmen of Tersium and Chaimb looking up at him and Serdin, his palms became sweaty. He couldn’t even take in the splendid decorations adorning the banquet hall.
“The Sun of Tersium, His Majesty Emperor Harold Belius, enters!”
The magnificent performance began again. His heart eased a little when the beastmen’s gazes soon moved toward the entrance where Harold’s figure would appear. Formo exhaled a thin breath and waited for Harold’s entrance. Soon the large door opened and Harold appeared with a leisurely appearance. He stepped forward in a well-tailored tailcoat and surveyed the inside of the banquet hall.
The massive Harold passed between Serdin and Formo and stood in front of the platform. He seemed to pause for a moment, then announced the start of the banquet in a dignified voice.
“I hope that harmony between Tersium and Chaimb can be maintained for a long time through this banquet, and I hereby announce the start of the banquet.”
A full-fledged banquet began with the orchestra’s performance. The beastmen noisily conversed with each other while eating and drinking.
As it was his first experience, the banquet was fascinating, but that was all. As time passed, it became boring. Formo sat awkwardly on the leftmost of the three chairs placed on the platform and watched the banquet hall. He was already uncomfortable with the fact that he had attended the banquet, and somehow he ended up sitting in such a seat of honor. It was nothing but uncomfortable.
Even in the midst of this, Harold diligently whispered to Formo, who was sitting next to him, about the people he should know. The Crown Prince of Chaimb and high-ranking officials of Tersium, that is.
Formo’s eyes widened round as he watched the unfamiliar sight of the beastmen who had been gathered together chattering noisily scattering and leaving the center empty as soon as the gently flowing music stopped. Then the next music naturally began. It was a slightly different beat from what had been flowing until now. Just like a waltz.
Come to think of it, didn’t the book he had skimmed through before cover the order of banquets? If his memory wasn’t wrong, at such important occasions, the first dance was usually started by the emperor or crown prince. Formo glanced at Harold and Serdin and gauged their reactions.
“Haha, are you afraid I might make you dance?”
At Harold’s mischievous question sensing his gaze, Formo gasped. He looked at Harold and shook his head vigorously.
“……It’s because of the first dance.”
“First dance?”
At Formo’s answer, Harold blinked and soon smiled.
“Ah. It’s fine. Such formalities aren’t necessary here. And you won’t have to dance either.”
Harold spoke kindly and, perhaps worried that Formo might not believe his words, gave a look to Serdin sitting on his right as if seeking agreement. Then Serdin made eye contact with Formo and opened his mouth.
“There’s no way I’d show the other brats the sight of Pipi dancing cutely.”
Formo’s lips trembled slightly. It was something he had somewhat expected. But what good is expecting it? It made him shudder every time he heard it. Formo squinted his eyes and turned his head sharply. He was only filled with the desire to quickly escape from this boring and uncomfortable banquet hall.
Glensia Enox, a red fox beastman and the head of the Enox Trading Company, was busily moving around the large banquet hall searching for the rare long-tailed tit. However, no matter how much he looked around, he couldn’t see the long-tailed tit that was said to have entered the palace following the Crown Prince. Perhaps because it was such a precious commodity, it was hidden away so that merchants like him couldn’t get their hands on it.
However, wasn’t his specialty finding what was hidden away somehow and selling it at a high price? His brown eyes with a faint reddish tinge gleamed meanly. Glensia, who had been inconspicuously observing the shoulders and heads of passing beastmen, stopped abruptly.
He had spotted a beastman with white hair entering the balcony at the far right end of the first floor, far from where he was standing. Glensia swallowed his dry saliva. Beastmen with white hair were not easily seen. Moreover, wasn’t it completely snow-white hair without any dyed spots here and there?
It was a moment when a strange premonition struck so strongly that his fingertips tingled. Glensia strode toward the balcony where the white-haired beastman had entered. His reddish-brown hair tied in one bundle swayed gently with his busy movements. It was just as Glensia, who had finally arrived near the balcony, was about to enter after looking around.
“……Hm?”
A beastman with a familiar face entered the balcony before him. Thanks to that, Glensia stood rooted to the spot and could only blink. Glensia’s lips parted slightly as he approached in front of the tightly closed balcony door.
“Tersium’s Crown Prince……?”
Through the curtains inside the balcony, he could see the back of Serdin’s head, the Crown Prince of Tersium. His head was tilted downward as if looking at the white-haired beastman. Did Serdin have a beastman he was close with? He hadn’t heard such talk. Glensia, who had been pondering for a moment, stealthily moved his steps and stood next to the balcony door.
He listened carefully to hear the conversation leaking from inside the balcony.
“Why, why did you follow me again!”
“Because Pipi was trying to leave me behind.”
“Even so, what if you leave your seat?”
“What does it matter when Father is there?”
Though it was a childish flow of conversation, it was enough to pique Glensia’s interest. Glensia’s eyes sparkled as he listened to the conversation. Not only were the beastman with the rare hair color and Serdin acquainted, but they seemed to be in a much closer relationship than he thought, so he couldn’t help but be tempted.
However, the surrounding gazes bothered him to continue eavesdropping on the conversation. And if he wasn’t careful, the ill-tempered Crown Prince of Tersium might discover him and do him harm. Though it was regrettable, it seemed better to move away from the balcony. Since it wasn’t completely fruitless, Glensia, who decided to be satisfied with this much for today, moved his steps silently.
Meanwhile, inside the balcony, Formo and Serdin were in the midst of bickering.
“I came out because I wanted to be alone!”
“But what if someone takes Pipi away while you’re doing that?”
“That won’t happen.”
“But Pipi.”
Serdin continued with sunken eyes.
“Just a moment ago, some brat was watching Pipi.”
“……R-really?”
“I told you I don’t lie to Pipi.”
Formo’s pupils wavered from side to side. His spine chilled at the words that a predator had been watching him. He was startled, wondering if his identity had been discovered. Formo swallowed his saliva and looked around for no reason.
“They’re gone now.”
Formo, who had been stretching his neck and looking around, lowered his head at Serdin’s words and bit his lower lip. Fear aside, his pride and self-respect as a guardian were greater, so rebelliousness arose. Was there any need for him to fear them? Since the existence of guardians was created to oppose them in the first place, there was no need to be so scared. If push came to shove, he could fly away.
And above all, there was no way there would be predators acting recklessly at such a banquet. Though he didn’t know the details, since the lazy Serdin dressed up this much, it must be an important banquet. Formo, whose mind was somewhat at ease, nodded his head slightly. Right. It was unlikely that predators would harm him.
Formo deliberately ignored the goosebumps that had risen on his skin and said to Serdin.
“G-go first.”
“Leaving Pipi behind?”
“Yeah.”
He was bothered that Serdin, who was practically the star of the banquet along with the Emperor, kept hovering around him. He seemed to be doing this out of concern for his safety, but that couldn’t look good to other beastmen.
‘Such a foolish jaguar. Can’t be helped.’
Formo, who had at least some loyalty toward him, opened his mouth as if doing a favor for his sake.
“I’ll go back now. So you stay a bit longer and come later.”
“Pipi.”
“I’m uncomfortable and sleepy. I’ll go ahead.”
“I’ll take you.”
“I’m not some young long-tail…… no, I’m not a child. It’s fine. I’ll go alone. If you follow me, I won’t go to the office with you anymore, and I won’t eat with you either. And I’ll transform into an animal and hide in the greenhouse……”
Formo, who had been drawing out his words, glanced at Serdin. Though he was narrowing his brows as if this situation was unpleasant, since he had played quite a strong hand, Serdin would have no choice but to comply. Formo placed his hands on the balcony railing while waiting for his answer. The dusky moonlight was illuminating the balcony.
“Can you find your way well?”
“Are you kidding?”
“No. You just need to take the carriage. I’ll just take you to the carriage. Let’s go, Pipi.”
Serdin said while reaching out his hand. His eyes were fierce, so if he rejected even this proposal, it seemed like he would insist on taking him directly. In the end, Formo had no choice but to sigh and clasp his hand.
