Princess Iris moved gracefully among the guests, courteously greeting every noble who bowed in her presence.

Her smile was flawless, her voice soft yet firm, leaving a refined and elegant impression with every word she spoke.

No matter how flattering the nobles were, she responded with the same measured kindness, thanking them for their compliments without showing even a hint of arrogance.

But then, her gaze fixed on someone in particular.

Among the crowd of elegantly dressed nobles, there he was.

Nolan Rook.

To everyone’s surprise, instead of mingling with the kingdom’s elite, he seemed far more interested in the banquet.

He hadn’t stopped eating since he arrived, sampling one delicious treat after another served on the luxurious trays.

He didn’t even seem aware of the mocking and disdainful looks some were giving him.

To him, the only thing that mattered at that moment was the food.

A flash of mischief sparkled in the princess’s eyes.

'So he really loves his food, huh?'

Without hesitation, Iris walked straight toward him.

Murmurs began to ripple through the nobles.

"Where is the princess off to...?"

"Wait... could it be...?"

"It can’t be!"

Nolan hadn’t even noticed the princess’s presence until she was close enough for her shadow to fall over part of the table.

Only then did he lift his head—still holding a piece of meat in his hand—and regard her with his usual calm expression.

"Oh," said Nolan, as if noticing her for the first time. "Your Highness."

He offered a slight nod in respect, but before he could say anything further, the princess interrupted him with a smile.

"Nolan Rook."

Silence fell over the hall.

The nobles froze in their places.

'Wait... what did she just say?' went the general thought.

That young man, who had been eating as if he had no manners, was… the legendary warrior?

Some tried to hide their astonishment, but others simply couldn’t.

Glances darted around as they tried to process the revelation.

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Among the most shocked were the noblewomen—many of whom had heard tales of Nolan but had never seen him in person.

"Is he… Nolan Rook?"

"But he’s been right in front of us the whole time!"

"It can’t be—no one told us he was so young!"

"Why did no one pay attention to him before?"

The murmurs grew louder, and chaos threatened to erupt.

Some girls immediately regretted not having tried to speak with him earlier. Other nobles felt anger for having overlooked someone so important. The more calculating among them were already scheming ways to approach him before it was too late.

But Nolan, ignoring the commotion around him, simply continued chewing his food and replied:

"I see Your Highness has come in person to greet me."

Iris laughed softly.

"There’s no need to be so formal with me. After all, we’re close friends."

The silence grew even heavier.

Could it really be that Princess Iris and Nolan Rook were close friends!?

The murmurs swelled in volume.

Emily looked around, noticing the flood of bewildered, surprised, and even envious expressions across the nobles’ faces. She wondered if this was a joke from the princess or if she was truly speaking the truth.

For his part, Nolan didn’t seem surprised or affected at all.

He simply nodded calmly.

"If Your Highness says so..."

Emily felt an urge to cover her face.

'How can he be so nonchalant in a situation like this?!'

Iris seemed to relish the guests’ reactions, but soon, reverting to her role as hostess, she made a slight gesture.

"Come, Nolan. I’ve prepared a special place for you."

Nolan glanced around and then at Emily.

"Could she join me as well?"

Iris observed Emily for a moment before smiling.

"Of course."

Taking Emily by the arm, Nolan led her alongside the princess through the sea of nobles who were still whispering incessantly.

'This is a disaster,' thought Emily as she felt the intense stares fixed on her back.

Finally, they arrived at a slightly more secluded part of the hall.

There were fewer people there, yet the tables were still laden with food, and the atmosphere was much calmer. Nolan took a quick look and nodded in approval.

"Nice spot."

Iris appeared pleased with his assessment.

It was at that moment that Emily decided to be polite and gave the princess a small bow.

"Thank you very much for letting us be here, Your Highness."

But Iris shook her head.

"There’s no need to be so formal with me. If you’re close to Nolan, then those formalities aren’t necessary."

Emily blinked in surprise, feeling her cheeks warm slightly.

'Why does everyone say I’m close to Nolan?!'

But before she could reply, Iris turned her attention back to Nolan.

"I wanted to ask you something, Nolan. Could you accompany me when I deliver my speech?"

Nolan, who was about to grab another bite, paused.

"Will there be food after the speech?"

Iris let out a soft chuckle.

"Yes."

Nolan nodded.

"Then it’s fine."

But then he added calmly:

"Can I trust that Emily will be under the protection of some reliable guards in the meantime?"

Iris looked at him with interest before smiling.

"You can take that as a given, if you like."

It was then that the princess glanced around at the other guests in that area.

These were not just any nobles.

They were representatives of other nations.

With an enchanting smile, the princess gestured toward them.

"Allow me to introduce you to Nolan Rook."

The first to step forward were the representatives from Bravka.

A short-haired white woman with intense red eyes advanced confidently. Despite her youthful appearance, her upright posture and the quality of her attire spoke of her high status.

"Anya Volkov," she said in a firm voice. "It is an honor to meet you, Nolan Rook."

Behind her, several women in similar attire offered slight bows. There were also men in matching formal wear, all with serious expressions.

Then, a brown-haired woman with her hair tied in a high ponytail approached with a more relaxed smile.

"I’m Cassiel," she introduced herself. "It’s a pleasure to see you in person."

After her, a tall man in a black robe came forward with a calm expression.

"Caleb," he said simply. "A pleasure."

The contrast between them was striking.

The representatives from Bravka appeared stiff and disciplined, while those from Astria… exuded a more relaxed air.

Nolan observed them all calmly and finally replied:

"I understand."

And then, he took another bite of food.

Emily felt her eye twitch.

'Can he really keep eating after all this?!'