The day when the sun was most intense. The day when the north’s daylight was longest in the year. The northern humans who longed for sunlight came out from early morning to fill the streets. They hoped this warm summer air, the fresh scent of fruit, and the sunlight that seemed to promise abundance would stay with them forever.
The Imperial Palace commemorated the same day. However, it was in a more elegant manner, different from the lively music and greasy smells that filled every marketplace in the capital.
As the days grew warmer, the small springs that had been frozen all winter thawed. The half-melted springs flowed to form streams and brought forth soft moss. The streams repeatedly thawed and froze, and some flowed into larger springs.
The sources of water were diverse. But they all created a mist resembling dense fog in the early dawn when the sun rose. The fog rising from the frozen ground was bound to dissipate when the sun was intense, but not today when the sun was most intense.
There was a saying that the site where the Imperial Palace stood had been marshland long ago. As summer approached, the ground grew softer, and the thickly risen fog didn’t dissipate even at noon.
There were many rumors passed down like folklore—that it was because of a tragic incident at the Imperial Palace, or a curse continuing through the blood-stained throne—but the beautiful banquet that had begun about 100 years ago instantly silenced such tragic rumors.
Lanterns were floated on the vast lake in the rear garden. The mist was thick and soft like curtains made of cotton, guaranteeing the identity of one’s boating companion. In other words, it was a masquerade ball without masks.
At that time, nobles freely floated small boats, moving slowly, and when the prows bumped into each other, they would switch partners and sit together. Holding the hand of a lady or gentleman of unknown identity on the swaying boat, secret whispers would be exchanged before long.
Only on this day did one’s status, honor, or even appearance not become major barriers. Those who boarded the boat together just from a moment’s tremor wished to cherish that flutter forever. Without seeing their partner’s face to know who they were, they simply left it as a beautiful memory in a corner of their heart.
Perhaps because of that, there were occasionally those who used the banquet to confess feelings they had harbored for a long time.
Brukisel wore a uniform as dark as his own hair. Perhaps because he had come straight from the battlefield after being there for a long time, it still seemed like the smell of blood lingered at his nose.
‘And yet such an extravagant banquet.’
Lanterns weighted down to prevent them from flying floated gently on the water. Whether they had put plenty of spices in oil obtained from sperm whales, the fragrance the burning candles emitted was dizzying. In the humid air, the scent couldn’t spread far and continued to hover around the banquet hall.
The lake water also seemed to be no ordinary thing. The perfectly symmetrical lake was a beautifully proportioned oval from any direction one looked, and around its perimeter was laid grayish-white sandstone from the East, sparkling sand-colored whenever it caught the light.
The water was tinted a deep blue as if dye had been mixed in. Moreover, using a special blending method, the shallow parts were transparent enough to see the bottom, but just a little deeper and it became dizzyingly dark, taking on an eerie light. Those boating would sit closer to each other, afraid of falling into the water.
This was the first “Day When the Sun is Most Intense” banquet held since Brukisel ascended to the throne. This was also a signal that Brukisel’s imperial authority had stabilized.
Even if everyone knew this fact, there was a big difference between revealing it this directly and not doing so. Therefore, this banquet was intended to be as splendid as, no, even more gorgeous and extravagant than the previous reign, displaying the emperor’s status to the nobles.
But regardless of that purpose, Brukisel found the banquet bothersome and tiresome. He boarded the boat prepared for him. The red curtains and gold tassels running along the boat’s edges announced it was the emperor’s boat. The ornate decorative cords even on the oar handles made him frown.
‘Once inside the fog, no one will know whose boat it is anyway…’
He thought it was pointless. But since he wanted to disappear into the fog before the nobles crowded in, Brukisel silently boarded the boat. He began entering the mist at a fast pace, hoping no one would board his boat today.
Brukisel picked up the oar that had lost its practicality and existed purely aesthetically. Whether to protect the nobles’ delicate hands, the handle was incomparably soft. Even those who usually didn’t want to lift a finger considered rowing at the banquet a splendid amusement. With no attendants to row, it seemed to be considered an even more perfectly disguised banquet.
Before completely disappearing into the mist, he checked the lake’s boundary one last time. His gaze looked as if waiting for someone.
But he soon clicked his tongue as if it was an idle thought. Brukisel willingly sank into the fog. The lake took on an even deeper blue as if to completely hide his traces.
The nobles arrived at the lakeside one beat late, as Brukisel expected. They murmured and admired the lake’s beauty.
Unlike the previous emperor, Brukisel didn’t open the Imperial Palace unless it was an absolutely necessary banquet, so being able to see with their own eyes this lake passed down only by word of mouth was a tremendous honor.
Stories passed down orally tend to be exaggerated, yet the scenery was so mysterious and beautiful that even those boastful, absurd tales couldn’t match it. Cutting through the mysterious mist, it wouldn’t be strange if a nymph living in the lake’s depths jumped out.
Then they heard light footsteps approaching the lakeside. Those footsteps were so graceful they left no footprints even treading on wet ground. As soft white silk fluttered behind him, people each turned around.
On the day when the sun was most intense, everyone wore brightly colored clothes. It was because it was a grand and splendid banquet, but fundamentally, since it was a banquet where one entered the mist, if one wasn’t fairly colorful, it was impossible to distinguish whether they were human or shadow.
In other words, no one wore white clothes on the day when the sun was most intense. There was even a saying that if someone in white appeared at the banquet, they were either a shadow or a nymph playing tricks.
So when Rou took one large step toward the gathered humans, a noble from the borderlands whose name wasn’t well known blurted out:
“A n-nymph!”
He soon bowed his head under the sharp stares of the surrounding nobles. Unable to even leave words of apology for not recognizing the High Priest, he had to flee the spot.
The nobles subtly approached Rou’s side and hinted that they might board a boat together.
“High Priest. Would you perhaps board a boat with me?”
It was quite direct speech and behavior for nobles. Especially considering that the day when the sun was most intense was meant to be a secret meeting place, it was even more shocking. The nobles were that anxious.
It was said that the beautiful High Priest of marriageable age had met two young ladies at the last banquet. Moreover, they were two women selected as the greatest beauties in the empire. Whether things had progressed with the High Priest, both women were also at today’s banquet.
Officially, they had come to sing beautiful songs to make the banquet more pleasant, but the nobles thought who could say they hadn’t come for a private meeting with the High Priest. Of course, objectively speaking, just in terms of appearance, whichever the High Priest chose would suit him well, but considering the family’s interests, this was absolutely not a matter they could let be.
Now was not the time to admire the romantic banquet.
“Ah. I’m sorry. I already have someone I wish to ride with.”
The nobles exchanged glances. He already had someone he wished to ride with? Did that mean he already had a predetermined partner? They had rushed in thinking it was an open position, but there was already someone he’d agreed to ride with. This was very troublesome.
Curiosity about this unknown person also began to explosively increase. How deep were the feelings between the High Priest and that person? Had they already exchanged rings? Engagement? Marriage? If it was the High Priest’s marriage, would it be a state wedding? The nobles’ interest was heating up beyond measure, but there seemed to be no way to stop it.
That was because the High Priest’s existence was irresistibly captivating. In this barren and harsh northern land where only the strong survived, a High Priest who was ticklish like a feather that seemed within grasp but wasn’t, warm like a heat haze, yet held solid power.
Especially those of marriageable age had their eyes blazing regardless of gender. They were prepared to capsize any boat they saw approaching the High Priest. Unless they wanted to gloriously sink, everyone had to be cautious.
Regardless, Rou plunged everyone into despair or burning motivation and boarded a boat alone. The nobles weren’t ones to miss that sight. Since he boarded alone, it seemed the feelings weren’t yet deep enough to reveal the person’s identity in front of everyone.
This was actually good. It meant there might still be a chance.
To feign accidental contact with the High Priest’s boat, the nobles began approaching the lake’s boundary elegantly but greedily, one after another.
Those who had been standing close to the lake took their seats first. Just as their boats were about to depart, someone grabbed the prow.
“Hahaha. Excuse me, but your hand seems to be placed in an improper location?”
“How could that be? Isn’t it someone’s bottom that’s placed in an improper location?”
“My, what a witty speaker you are.”
The nobles couldn’t ruin the banquet’s atmosphere, so they were all smiling, but their eyes were exchanging words too vulgar to speak aloud.
Completely unaware that such a battle was taking place behind him, Rou leisurely advanced toward the center of the lake.
Rou had little interest in humans to begin with. The only one whose attention and favor he sought was Brukisel alone.
