* * *
His thoughts hadn’t changed.
Although he had misspoken last time, his second son, Jason, was quite intelligent compared to his peers.
He even took after his mother, making him rather adorable.
“Supporting Jason would be a far better investment than wasting money on some lowly commoner adoptee.”
The frustration in his chest wouldn’t subside.
It wasn’t as if he wanted to be harsh with his precious son.
Jason was already a sensitive child who cried easily.
“Don’t dwell on it too much.”
As if reading his thoughts, his wife offered words of comfort.
“Before long, they’ll understand. A commoner is simply a commoner. He may have a pretty face, but he looked utterly dull-witted. They’ll soon realize that no amount of education will change that.”
That was his wife, indeed—always knowing just what to say to ease his worries.
“Yes, you’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
“I heard that they’re formally introducing that adoptee today. I’m sure he’ll make a mistake or get scared and start bawling.”
“Haha! That’ll be the last shred of affection gone!”
But that assumption didn’t last long.
“Sei, just do it the way we practiced.”
We were waiting at the entrance, preparing to step in.
Still holding my hand, Raizen spoke to me in a low voice.
“Mm…”
To be honest, I wasn’t entirely confident.
I wasn’t the type to get nervous in front of a crowd, but today felt different.
I had to do well—not just for myself, but to uphold the honor of the Duke and Duchess, who had gone through the trouble of arranging this occasion for me.
“I’m actually nervous about protecting someone else’s reputation?”
The realization of this unfamiliar side of myself felt strange.
Before I possessed Sean’s body, I never imagined having a guardian who genuinely cared for me.
Becoming a child again was impossible, and even if I did, my parents wouldn’t have been any different.
“Alright, Sei. There’s no need to be nervous.”
The Duchess, who had been standing in front of us, turned around and pulled me into a warm embrace.
“It’s really nothing.”
Even Duke Pantheon, with his usual blunt tone, offered something that resembled encouragement.
The Duchess, seemingly dissatisfied, gave him a sharp jab in the side.
“Ahem. What I mean is… no matter what mistakes you make, you are still a Pantheon.”
“That’s right. We’re family.”
Family.
The word felt foreign.
‘Wasn’t this just a shelter to protect a friend’s child?’
They knew whose blood Sean carried, and once I became an adult, they planned to return me to my rightful place.
Even my current identity as “Shane Pantheon” was only temporary.
And yet, they called us a family.
‘Even though I’m not really Sean.’
I pushed away the thoughts before they could spiral further.
Now wasn’t the time to overthink.
I needed to focus on the moment.
“…Yes!”
My spirited response brought small smiles to their faces.
Just then, a waiting attendant informed us that the doors would soon open.
We straightened our postures and turned toward the entrance.
“…Now entering!”
A voice echoed faintly from the other side.
As the grand doors began to open, the dazzling chandelier lights spilled through the widening gap.
Raizen gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go.
Honestly, I don’t remember much after that.
I walked. I stood before the crowd.
The Duke introduced me.
When I greeted the assembly with the etiquette I had diligently practiced, applause erupted from all directions.
Finally, a badge bearing the emblem of House Pantheon was pinned over my heart.
“This is just a symbolic ceremony. Whether or not you wear this badge, you are still a Pantheon.”
The Duke’s words from our rehearsal echoed in my mind.
Snapping back to my senses, I scanned my surroundings.
When our eyes met, the Duke gave me a faint smile.
The Duchess was dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.
And Raizen…
“……”
Raizen was looking at me.
No, he was only looking at me.
After my introduction, the New Year’s banquet officially began.
To my dismay, our seats were placed at the very front.
The Duke and Duchess sat in the middle, with Raizen and me on either side of them.
‘Well, when else will I get to see a banquet like this?’
I decided to think positively.
Unlike Raizen’s birthday party, this was a true banquet in every sense of the word.
The next event was the ball, where young debutantes were introduced one by one.
Once the dance concluded, I was finally freed from my chair.
But as expected, people immediately flocked toward us.
I instinctively moved closer to the Duchess.
“Shane, do you remember me? We met once before…”
It seemed the Duke and Duchess’s influence had worked—more people approached me than before, eagerly introducing themselves.
I listened with a polite smile, letting their words go in one ear and out the other.
How long had I been standing there?
My facial muscles were beginning to stiffen.
Noticing this, the Duchess leaned in and whispered to me.
“Sei, if you need a break, go get some fresh air.”
“Is that really okay?”
“Of course. The guards are watching, but still, be careful.”
‘Did she mean the crows?’
Or perhaps there were disguised bodyguards.
Either way, if even the Duchess was suggesting I take a break, it must be fine.
“Stay close to Mila, alright?”
“Yes…!”
At the Duchess’s gesture, Mila, who had been waiting nearby, stepped up beside me.
Flashing her a grateful smile, I made my way toward the balcony.
“Shane, you were amazing earlier!”
“Really?”
I glanced at Mila, who looked thrilled as if it were her own accomplishment, then let my eyes wander around the hall.
Groups of similar-aged nobles were enjoying the banquet.
‘Oh, looks like someone’s making a move.’
A young man kissed the hand of a debutante, his face full of confidence.
The onlookers, though visibly excited, tried to maintain their composed expressions.
‘One side is caught up in youthful romance, while the other… is all about politics.’
The atmosphere around the Duke and Raizen was starkly different.
Everyone wore polite smiles, but the tension was palpable.
Only the Duke and Raizen remained expressionless.
‘So this is power.’
Power meant never needing to force a smile for anyone.
‘Speaking of which… where are the younger children?’
I thought I had seen some earlier.
Looking around, I spotted a table of finger foods set up for the younger guests.
A handful of children—no older than ten—were eagerly stuffing their faces.
Meanwhile, those closer to Raizen’s age were staring longingly at the Duke’s table.
‘They’re practically itching to get over there.’
Just like at Raizen’s birthday party, it seemed House Pantheon had a strict rule about keeping their young heir away from his peers.
Not that it had anything to do with me.
‘They must be so bored.’
With that passing thought, I turned away.
Lost in my own musings, I eventually reached the balcony.
It was quieter and more secluded—exactly why I had chosen to come here. Mila reached out to open the door when—
A familiar sound brushed past my ears.
“Mila, wait!”
“Yes?”
Before I could say anything else, the door swung open.
A woman, seemingly around the Duchess’s age, stepped out.
She hesitated upon seeing me but quickly composed herself with a graceful smile.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Young Master Shane.”
As he received the greeting, the woman spoke as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“Well then, I’ll be off.”
With that, she quickly walked past me.
Her demeanor was impeccable, but the way she looked at me wasn’t exactly kind.
‘Well, she can hate me if she wants.’
I was used to that, so it didn’t really matter.
What did bother me, though, was what was happening inside the balcony.
‘If what I heard earlier was right…’
Just then, Mila’s voice reached me.
“My lord, perhaps it would be best if you moved to a different balcony?”
‘Sorry, Mila.’
I slowly shook my head and made a request.
“Mila, I’m really thirsty. Could you bring me something to drink?”
“My lord, that’s…”
“I promise I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay right here on the balcony, okay?”
Mila glanced between me and the balcony before letting out a small sigh.
“…Alright. I’ll be back soon.”
“Thanks!”
The moment Mila left, I stepped inside the balcony as well.
A cold winter breeze swept through my hair
The air that had felt stifling just moments ago now felt refreshingly clear—but this wasn’t the time to enjoy it.
“Hic… hngh, huuuaaa…”
‘Sigh…’
Just as I expected, a child was left alone, crying.
So, the sound I had heard earlier really was a kid trying to hold back his tears.
But the woman who had just walked out didn’t look like someone who had a child that young.
I could immediately guess what had happened inside.
‘There’s always a parent who drags their kid all the way to a place like this just to scold them.’
The reason probably wasn’t anything major.
If the child had made a huge mistake, there would have been some sort of commotion during the banquet—but there wasn’t.
For a parent to go as far as dragging their kid to the balcony to reprimand them… it was likely just a minor mistake that happened to put them in a bad mood.
‘That’s why I came in—to help the kid out.’
But why… are you here, Jason Odil?
* * *
