Anya was the first to step forward after the princess had exchanged words with one of the guards.

With confident steps and a bearing that reflected the discipline of her nation, she positioned herself right in front of Nolan and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Nolan Rook," she said in a firm tone, though with a slight curve of her lips that almost resembled a smile. "May I ask for a bit of your time later?"

Before Nolan could even respond, Cassiel advanced without any hesitation and positioned herself at his side—as if Anya weren’t even there.

"That's exactly what I wanted to say," Cassiel commented with a tilted smile. "I’d like to speak with you later, if you have a moment."

Nolan blinked.

'What?'

It was pretty obvious that both were ignoring each other, even though they were essentially asking for the same thing. There seemed to be no coordination between them, and the lack of subtlety was all too evident.

Emily, who was watching from the side, squinted with a mix of confusion and disbelief.

'...Aren’t they even going to pretend?'

Nolan felt all the nearby gazes fixed on him, but he remained as impassive as ever.

"I can’t promise anything," he replied, his voice lacking much emotion. "I’ll be spending plenty of time with the princess."

Anyone with common sense would have understood that this meant he had no intention of giving them any time.

Yet neither Anya nor Cassiel seemed fazed.

"Alright, if the opportunity arises then," said Anya with a slight nod of her head.

"Yes, we’ll see what happens," added Cassiel with a playful smile.

Nolan felt a slight headache forming.

'Are they always this persistent?'

Finally, both walked away, leaving Nolan with a mild feeling of discomfort.

Princess Iris, who had been observing the interaction with a smile on her face, waited until the two had disappeared among their companions before giving Nolan a curious look.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Tell me, have those guests been bothering you?"

Nolan turned towards her, noting the casual tone in which she spoke.

"It wasn’t anything," he answered simply.

Iris maintained her charming smile while holding his gaze.

"If you wish, with just one order from me, both of them could be thrown in jail for attempting to harm the hero of this nation."

Emily felt as if her soul was leaving her body.

'W-what did she just say?!'

Nolan looked at her intently for a moment, assessing her. There was no threat in her tone or expression. It was as if she were offering him a favor with the same ease that someone might offer a cup of tea.

"That won’t be necessary," said Nolan, keeping his tone calm.

Iris let out a soft laugh.

"As you wish, but if you ever change your mind... don’t hesitate to ask me."

Her voice was soft and elegant, yet something in her look made Nolan understand that this wasn’t just a joke.

Without saying another word, the princess began walking toward the door, and with a slight nod, signaled for Nolan to follow her.

Nolan obeyed without further questions.

They walked in silence until they reached a balcony offering an impressive view of the city.

By that point, the noise of the party had dimmed slightly.

Several people in the crowd began to notice their presence there and gradually fell silent, watching expectantly.

'...Is she about to give a speech?' Nolan thought, realizing the silence that had spread through the hall.

Iris, with the grace of a perfectly trained princess, took a glass of wine offered by a servant and raised it slightly.

"I appreciate that you all have come to my birthday celebration," said Iris elegantly, her clear voice resonating through the enormous hall. "I want you to know that my commitment remains firm: I will maintain peace among our three nations to bring prosperity to all."

A murmur of approval swept through the guests.

But the next thing she said made Nolan pause for a moment.

"And I will do this... with the help and support of our hero, Nolan Rook."

Nolan did not change his expression, but in his mind, a simple thought formed.

'Ah... so that’s your plan.'

He didn’t have much time to process it, as the princess made a subtle gesture with her hand for him to come closer.

He obeyed without showing any emotion, but as soon as he did...

The hall erupted in murmurs.

"Is it really him?!"

"It’s Nolan Rook!"

"It can’t be, he’s far too young!"

Some people jostled one another just to get a better look. Others were completely shocked, their preconceived notions about his appearance utterly shattered.

And then, the flashes began.

Several media photographers took advantage of the moment and whipped out their portable cameras.

Although photography technology was still relatively new, the most important nobles and newspapers already used it to capture historic moments.

And at that moment, everyone wanted a picture of the hero.

Nolan squinted against the sudden flashes, but remained impassive.

People began clapping and shouting.

"Long live Valenfort!"

"Long live Princess Iris!"

The enthusiasm was palpable, and although Nolan didn’t react much, Emily watched him with wide eyes.

'Nolan... now the entire nation is watching you.'

When the excitement subsided a bit, a journalist stepped forward with his notepad in hand.

"Your Highness," he said in a cautious yet anxious tone, "could you confirm that the young man beside you is truly Nolan Rook?"

A brief silence fell over the room.

Iris turned towards Nolan with an inscrutable expression before looking back at the journalist.

Then, a slight smile appeared on her face.

"Tell me... do you doubt the word of the future queen?"

The journalist paled instantly.

No one in the hall dared say another word.