They set out for Duke Trian's residence to attend the dinner banquet. Hastora rode in the same carriage as Elsia. Brok shared a carriage with Horn, and Erlan traveled with Barna.
Their journey began under the luminous glow of the moon, which bathed the capital in its ethereal light, illuminating even the most secluded corners.
The night sky was adorned with a celestial tapestry of stars, a sight of unparalleled beauty.
"I hadn't realized it, but this is quite pleasant," he murmured to Zarafel.
"Indeed, it's not bad at all," Zarafel agreed, sharing his sentiment.
"You're right," Hastora replied succinctly.
Their carriage continued its progress beneath the moon's gentle radiance. A cool night breeze swept through the capital. "This feels peaceful," Hastora mused.
"Hey, Hastora, what do you plan to do once we arrive at the banquet?" Zarafel inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Hastora, however, was uncertain of his own intentions.
"I don't know... perhaps I'll simply dine for a short while, then go out to observe the moon."
"That sounds delightful... seeking tranquility occasionally is never a bad thing," Zarafel remarked softly.
Hastora rested his chin on his palm and gazed out the window. He observed the waves of the night sea, carrying a few fish within their depths. He also noticed a vessel propelled by mana crystals, with several individuals aboard.
"They must be fishermen," Zarafel informed Hastora.
Hastora found himself intrigued by Zarafel's words. Fishermen? The term seemed foreign to him. It was because, 20,000 years ago, such a profession did not exist. This sparked his curiosity.
"Zarafel... what exactly is a fisherman?" Hastora asked, his curiosity growing.
Zarafel, in response, began to explain the concept of a fisherman to Hastora.
"A fisherman is a term for those who dedicate themselves to catching fish or other aquatic life that inhabit the depths of water bodies," Zarafel explained in detail.
Hastora seemed to grasp the concept immediately. He found it truly remarkable.
...
...
After a journey of ten minutes, they finally reached Duke Trian's residence. It was a considerable distance, but the luxurious carriage they rode in made the time seem shorter.
"Elsia, Hastora, you arrived early," his father exclaimed as he disembarked from the carriage, Sera by his side.
Hastora was taken aback; he hadn't anticipated their presence at the gathering. Elsia promptly ran towards Ard and embraced him.
"That's rather excessive, wouldn't you say?" Zarafel remarked, finding Elsia's behavior a bit over the top.
"Not really," Hastora replied concisely.
Zarafel was surprised by this response. Such a statement was rarely uttered by Hastora.
"Well, let's go inside then," Ard suggested, leading the way.
...
Upon entering, the residence appeared even grander and more expansive than he had imagined. It was larger than the capital's library itself.
Hastora felt numerous gazes directed towards him, causing him to feel a sense of unease.
"Zarafel... do you think anyone is looking at me?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Indeed... there seem to be many girls your age who are staring at you. Be cautious, don't give them any opportunity, as this could become quite troublesome," Zarafel advised, urging him to be vigilant. He sensed that Hastora was rather inept when it came to matters of romance, and he wanted to prevent any potential complications.
"Hey... what are you doing? Why do you seem so wary?" Sera inquired, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Of course, if I'm not careful, something troublesome will happen."
Sera was perplexed by Hastora's words. "Wary? Of what?" she wondered.
Before long, a noble girl who appeared to be his age approached Hastora. She possessed blonde hair and striking blue eyes.
"I just told you," Hastora said with a sigh of resignation.
"Hey, may I stand here with you?" the girl asked, her voice laced with a charmingly innocent tone. She was adorned in a light green gown, and a golden necklace graced her neck.
Hastora felt a surge of annoyance. "This is what I've been dreading for 20,000 years," he thought to himself.
"Why me? There are many others, aren't there?" Hastora replied flatly.
"But I want to be here with you, is that not permitted?" the girl inquired, gently taking hold of Hastora's arm.
"What in the world is this woman doing!? She dares to touch the arm of the great demon lord like that!?" Zarafel exclaimed, his voice filled with indignation.
Hastora, seemingly having no other choice, reluctantly acquiesced.
'Huh... suit yourself,' he thought.
The girl offered a faint smile, her eyes sparkling with delight. However, Sera, who had just returned, was startled upon seeing the girl. She immediately bowed in deference.
"W—what? Princess Charlotte? Why are you with my younger brother? Did he do something wrong to you?" Sera asked, her voice laced with panic.
"No, I approached him first," Charlotte replied, her voice sweet and charming.
Hastora was taken aback by Sera's words. He promptly instructed Zarafel to gather information about Charlotte.
"Zarafel, quickly analyze this girl named Charlotte," he murmured to Zarafel.
"Okay, #, Done. What Sera said is true. Charlotte is the daughter of Emperor Kyle, who is the Emperor of this Empire," Zarafel informed Hastora.
"Damn... why does this always happen to me," Hastora muttered under his breath.
"Ha.ha.ha.ha, cheer up, buddy," Zarafel said, his laughter tinged with a hint of cynicism.
Hastora felt a sense of foreboding. "Why does the princess always approach me at parties?" he mused. 20,000 years ago, the princess had always sought him out at social gatherings. It wasn't just the princess; other noble girls had done the same.
"... "
"Good evening, everyone present here, I beg you to pay attention to the front," an elderly man with a distinguished beard announced from the front.
"On this beautiful night, I have invited you all to this grand dinner party. I am hosting this party so that we can all have as much fun as possible tonight. Let's party!!"
The guests revelled in the festivities, enjoying the wine and engaging in lively conversations with their companions. The atmosphere was abuzz with excitement.
"Emmm... your name is Hastora, right?" asked the girl named Charlotte.
"Yes, that's correct... by the way, how do you know my name? We've never met before," Hastora inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"I learned it from your older sister. She's quite beautiful," Charlotte replied, her smile warm and inviting.
"Here, have some of this... we're still young, so we can't drink wine yet. So we'll just have juice, okay? I've brought some for you too," she said, offering him a glass of juice.
Hastora, feeling obligated, accepted the juice. He took a sip and then shifted his gaze elsewhere. He noticed many noble girls his age watching them, their expressions tinged with displeasure. They seemed resentful of Charlotte for having claimed Hastora before they could.
Charlotte sipped her juice, her eyes fixed on Hastora from the side. She stared intently, without blinking. Hastora, who was scanning the surroundings, noticed her gaze. He considered addressing her but ultimately decided to ignore her.
"Hey... why aren't you looking to the side? She's staring at you, HAHAHA," Zarafel exclaimed, his laughter booming. In Zarafel's eyes, Hastora's current predicament was quite amusing.
Charlotte continued to stare at him from the side. Despite being the object of a beautiful girl's attention, Hastora maintained his usual stoic and impassive demeanor.
After staring at him for over five minutes, Charlotte finally realized the extent of his indifference. Hastora was undeniably cold. He didn't even shift his expression, remaining stoic and aloof, even while being gazed upon by a girl as beautiful as her.
Charlotte felt that Hastora had been aware of her gaze all along, yet he chose to ignore her. This only served to intensify her interest in him.
'You're so cold,' Charlotte remarked with a soft chuckle, covering her mouth with her hand.
"It's nothing special," Hastora replied curtly.
"Oi, you jerk! She's flirting with you, you know? Just go with it," Zarafel urged, his voice brimming with amusement.
"Huh... listen Zarafel, don't trust people too easily. You could be manipulated by them for their own benefit," Hastora muttered, attempting to steer Zarafel away from the conversation.
"Hastora... how about we move to another location?" Charlotte suggested, gently tugging on Hastora's arm, guiding him towards a different part of the room.
Charlotte led Hastora to a secluded corner. She felt that he might prefer a more private setting, and it also presented her with an opportunity to engage him in conversation.
"You prefer places like this, right?" Charlotte inquired, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
"Not really," Hastora replied succinctly.
"Ehhh? Really?" Charlotte asked, her voice tinged with playful disbelief. She sensed that Hastora was being disingenuous. In her opinion, he was likely too shy to express his true feelings.