The grand ballroom of House Velcrest continued glowing beneath golden chandelier light.
Far below—
Music drifted gently through the enormous hall while hundreds of nobles filled the lower banquet sections with refined laughter, hidden calculations, and endless political smiles.
But above the main hall—
An elevated section overlooked everything.
A quieter place.
More exclusive.
Built almost like a second court above the gathering.
Only a limited number of tables existed there.
Each arranged carefully beneath silver lanterns and crystal pillars overlooking the lower ballroom below.
And naturally—
Only the most important guests sat there.
The moment the Marquess personally guided Kel and Aria toward the upper section—
Countless eyes followed them.
Because everyone understood what it meant.
Placement represented hierarchy.
And the elevated platform symbolized influence.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly climbed the wide marble staircase leading upward.
His black cloak moved softly behind him while silver chandelier light reflected against the dark embroidery near his collar.
Beside him—
Aria followed quietly, lifting part of her gown slightly while ascending the stairs.
The noise from below gradually softened the higher they climbed.
And eventually—
Only quiet noble conversations remained audible above.
Aria finally leaned slightly closer toward Kel afterward.
Her voice lowered enough that only he could hear.
"How…"
A brief pause followed.
"…did you predict everything correctly?"
Kel didn't immediately answer.
Instead—
His crimson eyes calmly swept across the elevated section first.
Observing.
Counting households.
Measuring seating arrangements.
Identifying alliances.
Only afterward did he quietly reply.
"Wasn't it obvious?"
Aria narrowed her eyes slightly.
"To you maybe."
A faint almost invisible amusement appeared near Kel's expression.
Then softly—
He explained.
"We belong to House Rosenfeld."
Another step upward.
"Our status already exceeds the host family."
His tone carried no arrogance.
Only reality.
Kel continued calmly.
"If House Velcrest invited us personally…"
A pause followed.
"…then naturally they prepared our seating beforehand."
Aria quietly listened.
Meanwhile—
Kel's gaze shifted briefly across the upper tables again.
"And besides…"
His voice lowered slightly further.
"…look carefully."
Aria followed his gaze.
The families seated above all carried recognizable northern influence.
Old allied houses.
Military supporters.
Trade partners loyal to House Rosenfeld.
Several lesser vassal houses directly beneath ducal authority.
The pattern immediately became obvious afterward.
Kel continued quietly:
"These aren't random noble placements."
Another pause.
"They arranged the upper section around political closeness."
Aria slowly processed his words.
Kel calmly added:
"House Velcrest's closest allies."
Then—
His crimson eyes moved briefly across another table.
"And the common connections between Velcrest and Rosenfeld."
Now Aria understood completely.
The upper section itself acted like a political statement.
Trustworthy houses.
Stable alliances.
Core northern influence.
And House Rosenfeld naturally occupied the center of that structure.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly concluded:
"So the only logical place for us…"
A faint pause.
"…was here."
Aria stared toward him afterward.
And honestly—
The terrifying part wasn't merely that Kel predicted it.
It was how effortlessly he understood the invisible structure surrounding noble society.
As though he naturally saw the hidden framework beneath every interaction.
Then quietly—
Aria asked another question.
"How are you so perfect at politics?"
Kel instantly looked away afterward.
Ignoring the question entirely.
Inside his mind—
Sairen laughed softly.
"She thinks you're terrifying now."
Kel internally replied:
"She overestimates me."
The spirit immediately answered:
"No."
A pause followed.
"She absolutely doesn't."
Meanwhile—
The staircase narrowed slightly near the upper platform entrance.
Because of her gown—
Aria slowed momentarily while climbing the final few steps.
Kel stopped walking afterward.
Then naturally placed one hand lightly against her waist to steady her balance as they stepped upward together.
The movement lasted only seconds.
Yet nearby nobles immediately noticed.
Several older noblewomen exchanged subtle glances.
Young noble heirs quietly looked away.
Meanwhile—
Aria herself stiffened very slightly at the sudden contact.
Not because it felt improper.
But because Kel did it so naturally.
Without hesitation.
Without awkwardness.
As though protecting and supporting others had become instinctive for him.
Then—
Together—
They entered the upper arrangement section.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Compared to the lower ballroom's noisy elegance—
The upper section felt calmer.
Sharper.
More dangerous politically.
Every noble seated here possessed influence.
Real influence.
The tables themselves formed semi-circular arrangements surrounding the central host family section.
Warm silver lanterns illuminated polished darkwood tables while servants moved silently between guests with practiced precision.
The moment Kel and Aria entered—
Several nobles immediately stood slightly in greeting.
"Lady Aria."
"Young Master Kel."
"Welcome."
Respectful voices greeted them calmly from different tables.
No exaggerated flattery now.
No loud boasting.
Only measured acknowledgment between powerful households.
Kel inclined his head politely toward each greeting while Aria returned graceful noble smiles.
And quietly—
Many nobles seated there observed Kel carefully.
Much more carefully than the lower ballroom guests earlier.
Because these people possessed experience.
They understood subtlety.
And already—
They noticed several things.
The Marquess personally escorting Kel.
The natural composure.
The effortless political awareness.
And perhaps most importantly—
The way Kel observed everything before speaking.
That alone revealed dangerous intelligence.
Meanwhile—
The Marquess himself guided them toward the central table.
"This way."
Kel and Aria followed calmly afterward.
The central table overlooked the entire ballroom below like a court above lesser politics.
House Velcrest occupied the center naturally.
And beside them—
Two prepared seats waited.
Clearly reserved beforehand.
Exactly as Kel predicted earlier.
Aria quietly glanced toward him afterward.
Kel simply sat calmly without reacting.
Inside his mind—
Sairen laughed softly.
"She's still processing that you predicted the entire seating structure perfectly."
Kel internally answered:
"It wasn't complicated."
The spirit sighed dramatically.
"You genuinely don't understand how abnormal you are."
Meanwhile—
As Kel and Aria seated themselves beside the Marquess—
Several nearby nobles initiated polite greetings again.
A military lord seated nearby spoke first.
"Young Master Kel."
His tone remained respectful.
"It's good seeing House Rosenfeld's heir among northern gatherings again."
Kel nodded once.
"The North remains lively as always."
The military lord laughed softly.
"That sounds exactly like Duke Aktaris."
Several nearby nobles quietly smiled hearing that.
Meanwhile—
Another older noblewoman seated near House Velcrest observed Kel carefully before speaking.
"You inherited your father's composure."
Kel calmly replied:
"I hope only the useful parts."
Soft laughter spread lightly across the upper section afterward.
Even the Marquess smiled faintly.
Meanwhile—
Aria quietly sat beside Kel observing everything silently.
And once again—
She noticed the same strange phenomenon happening.
Kel adapted perfectly.
Not forcefully.
Naturally.
As though he belonged in the center of northern political gatherings despite spending years isolated from noble society.
Yet at the same time—
He still carried visible detachment.
Like someone observing the entire world from slight distance.
Meanwhile—
Below the elevated platform—
Countless nobles occasionally glanced upward toward the upper section.
Toward House Rosenfeld's returned heir seated among the North's most trusted households.
And quietly—
Rumors already began forming.
The cursed heir had returned.
Not weakened.
Not broken.
But calm.
Sharp.
Dangerously observant.
And beneath the silver lanterns overlooking the grand ballroom—
Kel silently watched the political landscape of the North unfold beneath him like a living chessboard