Chapter 62: 62 New Year Celebration.

Inside the silent room, Jin stood before the mirror, adjusting his formal outfit in preparation for the celebration that would be held not long from now. The suit, a tuxedo, was a rising brand that had recently made a name in the capital.

Jin wore a white suit over a black shirt inside, a gift from his mother, who happened to buy it along her way from the castle. He gently pinched his white tie, letting it settle perfectly in the middle of his chest.

“I think this was enough,” Jin murmured. The reflection from the mirror, showing his slicked hair, seemed to stir something in his heart.

A soft knock broke the stillness in the room and drew his gaze toward the door, “Yes, who is it?”.

“Um, Jin.” Silvia’s soft voice echoed behind the door, fading like a gentle whisper.

However, her voice soothed the ragging shame swirling in his chest as Jin turned toward the mirror for the last time and then walked toward the door. Each step seemed heavier for him, recalling the upcoming event.

Swallowing his reluctance, Jin twisted the door handle and opened it, only to get struck by a thunder. Bolting him down with a powerful strike as he stiffened like a pole.

“Ahaha, how do I look?”.

Silvia gently twirls her white gown. Her pristine beauty seems otherworldly, coupled with the ethereal atmosphere from her aura, which turns her almost like a Goddess under the evening light.

The gown’s off-shoulder design revealed her smooth, pale skin. Her smooth neckline was draped by silver hair that cascaded down to the chest area and back in a graceful half-up style.

Jin was mesmerized by her beauty; he gulped to moisten his barren throat and opened his stiff lips.

“…You look gorgeous, Silvia”.

Silvia’s thin lips parted to the side, showing her holy smile that could banish wicked spirits. Her gaze swept over Jin as she nodded in acceptance.

“You looked handsome too, Jin. Also,” her glove-covered hand took Jin’s hand and gave him a gentle squeeze. “We have a matching color”.

“Yes”.

Jin and Silvia stare at each other, falling deeper into each other’s figure, unaware that several pairs of eyes have been observing them since earlier.

“Are you guys ready?”.

The Duke’s merry voice broke the pink atmosphere between the two youngsters, separating them in a gentle jolt as a flame of embarrassment tainted their cheeks.

From there on, they strode off the inn and rode the carriages. The rocking carriage glided slowly under the artificial light that lined the side street, guiding them toward the castle, which seemed full of life.

Jin and his family had some silly conversations, but mostly, it was a warning from his parents not to act rashly or show improper behavior.

“You understand, Jin. Even though you have no right to the territory, you are a noble. So please act according to the etiquette you learned”. Marina gently reprimanded the boy as her hands kept tending to Jin’s appearance and outfit.

Ryan’s warm gaze watched them closely in silence. However, his expression twisted slightly, recalling his other son’s behavior, which still showed no chance. Or rather, he seemed much worse than ever.

He still recalled the chivalry and bravery of his second son, Victor, when he trained with him. Compared to his other two sons, his manner was strict and rigid.

However, despite his rigidity and sense of justice, Victor was compassionate and loved to care for his other two brothers, especially Jin, when he was still a baby.

During the years he spent honing his sword, Victor went to school in the neighboring country to pursue his ideal of a knight who could protect his homeland along with his brother, who would soon be a territory head, replacing Ryan.

Ryan was thrilled after hearing the news of Victor training under Count Magna as a knight. But hearing his son’s intention to serve under Count Magna earlier.

His image of the future, seeing both brothers working together, cracked like brittle glass.

At first, he got lost in his own thoughts. Ryan hoped that Victor could support his elder brother, who is now a trainee in another country.

Also, when he realized how easily he could blatantly lower his little brother’s dignity, he sighed softly and murmured, ’Victor, what happened to you in these years?’

Jin catches a glimpse of his father’s darkened face and opens his lips, “Father, are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m okay”. Ryan chuckled as he dismissed his thoughts, ’Better to think it over later’.

On his side, he also saw his mother’s lowered brows, which seemed to resonate with her husband’s worry. ’What has happened between them?’

The atmosphere was coiled in heavy silence as the two adults bitterly cast their gaze down. The coachman’s knock on the door broke the situation as they lifted their gaze.

“Lord Midnight, we have arrived”.

The door pulled open, and a cold winter breeze swept over the place, instantly chilling their bodies and easing the problems that had weighed on them.

Jin slowly left the carriage first, followed by his father and last, his mother, who was being escorted by the two. He stared ahead, watching the tall building stretched back, decorated with thick pillars on each corner.

They stood in the vast yard of the building entrance with elevated stairs. People around them were dressed nicely and harmoniously linked their arms with a partner.

Like a moth that attracts toward the light in the night, they also walk toward the opened entrance door that emits such bright light.

As they followed the stream and ascended the stairs toward the building, a gentle tune whispered its note, seeping through his heart like a violin string screeching with a beautiful melody.

The grandiose interior, with a soft red carpet softly absorbing their steps. A glittering chandelier hung above the room, revealing its luxurious ambiance.

Jin’s nose twitched as the smell of spice wafted through the air. Long tables joined together, forming a beautiful display of exquisite foods and the mild flavor of the opened wine, filling the entire place.

A sudden shift occurred when the band started to change the music into a regal one. All eyes in the room shifted toward the innermost place, where a stair ascending above and a man and woman wearing royal outfits, bathed in golden intricate with crowns, stayed over their heads.

Behind them, Jin spotted another figure, a girl the same age as him. She wore a bright red gown, and her blonde hair cascaded down to her back. She looked over the spectators with gentle, bright smiles.

’Wait, she was!?’. Jin’s eyes widened as he recognized the girl’s face, ’Lucya?’.

His surprised thought disappeared immediately when he saw a handsome man in his forties step forward and sweep his eyes over the gathering crowds.

“Greetings, my people…”.

The King’s face loosened into a joyous expression as he delivered his clear, long speech to embrace the new year that would soon come a few hours from now.

Standing beside his parents, Jin looked straight toward Lucya. Coincidentally, her large blue eyes blinked and gazed at Jin.

Both flinched upon realizing each other’s identity, and Lucya waved her hand from the elevated floor. Her confidence and royal charisma stirred others’ attention to her alone.

“To the new year, to our Kingdom and all of you, cheers!”.

“Cheers!”.

The room atmosphere shook as the speech was over, and thus, the party began.

***

After the bustling greetings with the kings and other nobles, the room was calm and filled with laughter as nobles formed a group, talking about business or reuniting with an old friend.

On the other hand, Jin slipped under that gaze and settled himself on the balcony, where he could feel the cold breeze freeze his skin, taking a calm break from the stifling world inside.

He stared at the darkened horizon, feeling the twinkling stars encourage him to hang in there, because the party seemed to continue for hours.

’Are they going to celebrate until midnight?’. Jin shook his head, pushed away the thoughts far, and let the wind carry it.

“Huff, it’s calm around here”.

Alone on the balcony, his feet suddenly brought him walking toward the vast garden that spread before him.

He kept wandering aimlessly as he spotted a white gazebo in the corner of the garden.

Below it, a calm pond reflected his blank expression as it opened the memories from his conversation with the woman in the shop.

***

“…What sort of relationship do you have with Athena?”. The woman shrank her gaze.

“…A-Athena!?”. Jin spoke those names that seemed familiar in his tongue. He traced every corner of his memory but could not find a single trace of its existence or appearance.

As memories resurfaced, they were covered by a thick black fog, covering the important part where he wanted to see the most.

Jin noticed that the stronger his feelings toward the void in his heart, the farther it would be from his grasp.

Torn between his conflicted mind, he lifted his gaze and squeezed the word stuck in his throat, “W-who is it?”.

Tears started streaming down his cheeks, and his heart pounded deafeningly it cracked his ribs. ’Why? Why does it hurt so much?’. Jin reached out toward his chest and softly clenched his clothes.

“Get closer, boy?”.

“?”.

Strength slowly faded from his body, but Jin stepped forward, standing before the woman with a scrunched expression filled with unknown tears.

A gentle touch nestled on his wrist, and soon, a golden warm seeped through his veins, soothing his chaotic heart. He saw the woman’s face knitted in a deep frown and boldly announced his problem.

“Your memories were altered”.

“…Altered?”.

***

Jin touched his forehead and muttered softly, “My memories were altered, huh?”.

If that is the case, then everything seems to make sense for Jin. He remembered spending centuries in that Trial Dungeon, escaping and still retaining his sane mind, unimaginable skills, and battle instinct beyond human capabilities.

“Then, what was the reason?”. His words solemnly disappear into the dark curtain that keeps hiding its light.

Only the stars above gleamed gently as if offering him support.

It felt like a long time passed, yet it was actually short. Jin knew that if he spent more time here, his parents would warn him, “I should go back. Huh!? ”

A translucent panel popped out of nowhere. Its news brought Jin a dawning realization that a conflict might start.

[World Quest Progression had been triggered]

[Quest progress: -1%]

#####

[Character Quest opened!]

…..

#####

“What the!?”. Jin’s eyes snapped wide, glaring at the panel that blocked his sight.

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