“Shinsuke, wake up. We’re here,” I heard Cynthia urge.

“Oh.” Evidently, I had done a bit more than zone out.

I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and found the car utterly swarmed by the media as it pulled into the castle grounds. I thought my dad’s paparazzi shot earlier in the evening was irritating, but an army of people I didn’t know snapping photos of me was much worse. I had also forgotten how much I loathed the sound of hundreds of camera shutters going off at once.

“I don’t know how you deal with this nightmare all the time,” I remarked.

“You better get used to it. It’s your life too, now,” Cynthia stated.

At last, we made it down the spiral ramp and reached the parking garage. The driver let us out of the car, where we found Helena waiting for us.

“Welcome back, your Royal Highness,” the reliable assistant greeted Cynthia. “You both look lovely tonight. His Majesty has asked me to accompany you both to the ballroom.”

“Of course,” Cynthia complied.

We followed closely behind Helena, ascending the stairwell until we reached the entryway to the foyer. Once again, the room was crawling with members of the media. Everywhere I looked, there were television cameras and microphones outstretched, as newspeople shot rapid fire questions that neither Cynthia nor I attempted to answer. However, despite their staggering numbers, there were even more guards lining our path to the ballroom, ensuring the obnoxious drones stayed a good distance away from us.

If these cameras are airing all of this live, I bet mom and dad are losing it on the couch right now…

Cynthia and I arrived in the ballroom, and the King immediately rose from a large chair at the other side of a long, extravagantly decorated table. “There you are! You’re both just in time. Our guests should be arriving shortly. Please, come sit.”

“Yes, father.”

The room was set up with a stage, a long dining table, and numerous smaller, round tables. I had been wondering why we were led to the ballroom instead of the dining hall, but doing a quick bit of math in my head made it quite clear. With so many royals in one room, alongside their guards and assistants, I imagined even a grand dining hall like the one the castle had would fill quite quickly.

Helena led Cynthia and I to our designated seating. We were placed side by side, right next to the king and queen. Unfortunately, we were on the side closest to her mother.

“You both look wonderful tonight!” the king said in a jovial tone.

“Our daughter does, anyway,” the queen added.

“Oh, come now,” the king urged his wife. “The boy looks fine. Shinsuke, it’s great to see you again.”

“Thanks…”

“Your Majesty,” Helena started, “I just received word that the guests have arrived in the parking garage.”

“Wonderful! Please go and guide them here, won’t you?”

“Of course. Right away, Your Majesty.”

I shuffled in my chair a bit as anxiety began to play on my nerves. Cynthia gave me a knowing look and whispered, “it’ll be okay.”

I nodded and watched tons of the castle’s staff enter the room. Waiters and waitresses stood by, chatting quietly with one another, and anticipating the arrival of those they would soon be serving. Meanwhile, a man I presumed to be the host of the evening stepped up onto the stage and began to test a PA system. The rest of the staff all seemed to be there for no reason other than to wait around.

“Be sure to give each of our guests a grand entrance,” the king ordered the host.

“Only the best for you, Your Majesty!”

In a short time, Helena returned to the ballroom and said, “they’re here, Your Majesty.”

“Great! Let them in!”

Helena opened the doors, and in walked someone I had seen more than a few times by now. Surrounded by an entourage of what looked to be his own personal staff, was a boy with neatly combed, mid-length blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and a blue tuxedo to match. His complexion was spotless, save for the beauty mark that sat below his right eye.

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“Please welcome the one and only handsome Prince of Gliyrhiel, Emil LeClair!” the host announced.

The staff began to applaud, and I instantly understood why so many had gathered. As Cynthia previously mentioned, having all the future world leaders in one place was a big deal, and the king was very clearly going out of his way to make them feel welcome. It was almost cartoonish, honestly.

Emil cracked a smile in response to his warm reception. “Well now, this is what I call hospitality~”

Some of the staff members approached him and his group and led them to their assigned seating. His staff was directed to one of the round tables, but Emil was placed right across from me, of course. We made instant eye contact, and he smirked. I didn’t have the time to interpret his gesture before the ballroom doors opened for someone else.

“Please welcome the beautiful Moon Princess of Gliovania, Silvia Rosu!”

To the tune of applause, a girl entered the room with black hair stretching to her lower back. Her midnight black locks were fashioned in a hime cut that framed a pointy, doll-like face, and eyes the color of blood. Rather than a dress, she wore a gothic style tuxedo, with a wine-red jacket that featured black designs extending up and down the sleeves, black suit pants, and spiked, black boots.

She said nothing, and like Emil before her, Silvia and her group were seated at their assigned tables.

“Next, please welcome the charming, brainiac Prince of Athary, Siegfried Hafner!”

A boy with thick, neck-length brown hair entered the ballroom. He swept his fringe across his right brow, drawing attention to two bright blue eyes. He wore a light brown tuxedo that complimented his darker brown hair and contrasted his gaze.

The reception he received from the staff drew a chuckle from him, and he thanked them, saying, “you’re all too kind.”

He peered around the room, and smiled when he spotted Cynthia. He waved at the blonde, and she flinched slightly before returning his greeting. After he and his group were seated, Cynthia sighed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Are you okay?” I asked her in a whisper.

“Yes. Why?”

“Just asking…”

That was more than just my imagination.

“Please welcome the visionary, the golden hearted Prince of Vosnus, Eli York!”

A boy with long, black dreadlocks decorated with beautiful ornaments, a gold suit jacket with black lapel, and black suit pants stepped into the ballroom. His dark brown eyes lit up when the staff began to clap for him, and he scratched at the light scruff on his face in a playfully bashful manner.

“My oh my, you know how to make a prince feel welcome, don’t you?” he mused, grinning in confident fashion. He smoothly adjusted his jacket and allowed the staff to take him and his group to their seats.

I glanced over the room, taking in how quickly the tables were becoming occupied. It was hard to believe the ballroom had been quite empty mere moments prior. But that was far from the case now. And at our table, there were still four seats left to fill.

The host continued. “Please welcome the prodigious Prince of Desparia, Liam Lucero!”

A boy with green, messily styled hair and thick black glasses entered the room. He wore a rather loud, red, shiny tuxedo jacket that was, thankfully, offset by a white undershirt and black suit pants. He returned his warm reception with a smug expression that didn’t quite scream appreciation. In fact, he rolled his brown eyes and began to take his seat without waiting for the castle’s staff to accompany him.

“Charming,” I remarked to Cynthia.

She groaned quietly and replied, “you have no idea.”

The host carried on. “Next, please welcome the bubbly Princess of Qestria, Ife Opeyemi!”

Into the room skipped a petite girl, clad in a lacey white dress. Atop her head bounced a head of lush, curly brown hair as she hopped in place, cheering for the applause she received. Her light brown eyes darted around the room, shining like spotlights when they captured Cynthia in their crosshairs. She fluttered her long eyelashes at the blonde beside me and shouted, “hiiii, Cynthia~!”

Cynthia waved to the energetic princess and shrunk in her chair.

“Care to explain?” I asked in a hushed tone.

“We don’t have the eternity it would take right now,” Cynthia replied, shaking her head.

Ife was led to her seat, but not quietly. She was whining about not being allowed to sit next to Cynthia, but the host continued despite the commotion.

“Please welcome the epitome of fitness, the Wild Prince of Ustror himself, Octavio Sepulveda!”

A huge, muscular boy entered the ballroom in a dark blue tuxedo that looked ready to rip from his immense form. His head was shaved, and he had a scar across his left cheek, and two more through both of his eyebrows. His dark eyes seemed to delight at the sight of such a positive reaction. “Thank you, thank you!” he laughed, and made his way to his seat with the guidance of the staff.

Cynthia examined my expression and snickered a bit. “The look on your face right now.”

“I’m glad you find this funny. I’m the one who will eventually have to fight that guy, you know.”

“I’m not laughing at you,” she clarified. “It’s just…pretty much everyone has that reaction seeing him in person the first time.”

“I can see why!”

The host cleared his throat and appeared somewhat uncomfortable. “Finally,” he began his announcement. “Please welcome, the future Emperor of Ashar, Killian Schröder!”

A tall boy wearing a stern expression entered the room, and I caught a chill for some reason. He wore a black tuxedo not unlike my own, but his jacket was adorned with gorgeous designs of white dragons. His long, dark hair trailed down to the center of his back and was pulled into a ponytail that permitted locks of his fringe to hang carefully beside his face. His golden eyes appeared unmoved by the applause for his entrance, and he said nothing. Instead, he silently took his place at the only remaining free chair at our table.

Something about his welcoming felt far less enthusiastic than the others, but I couldn’t place my finger on why. A glance at Cynthia revealed an expression of extreme discomfort upon her features.

“Something I should know?” I asked her.

“Yeah, he’s bad news.”

She offered nothing more than those ominous words as the king clasped his large hands together. “With all the announcements out of the way, I think it’s time we began this evening properly, don’t you think?”