"Thank goodness... It seems to have gone well, for now."
Watching the guests buzz with excitement over the array of delicacies, Rest let out a long sigh of relief.
He had been incredibly nervous about hosting his first party, but as it turned out, his worries had been entirely misplaced.
The Rosemary sisters had handled every difficult aspect of the event. All Rest had really done—aside from gathering the ingredients—was make the rounds and exchange greetings with the guests.
"For this dish, we prepared the wyvern meat using a low-temperature cooking method..."
"As for the alcohol, we also recommend trying it with ice. This style of drinking..."
Viola and Primula were attending to the guests with practiced grace. Viola, with her social personality, and Primula, with her vast knowledge, worked in perfect tandem to ensure everyone felt welcomed.
"They truly are wonderful wives-to-be... I'm leaning on them for everything."
"That is also a testament to your own capabilities, Count Clover."
While Rest was marvelling at the sisters' competence, one of the guests called out to him. It was one of the most prominent figures in attendance—Andrew Aiwood.
Yusgos and Riranda, his close aides, followed closely behind the prince, who wore a friendly smile.
"Well, well... Your Highness Andrew."
"I'm enjoying myself immensely. This party is so magnificent that I’m afraid you've gone and raised the bar too high."
"Raised the bar...?"
"The bar for my own family’s parties. Honestly, you’ve really done it this time. I never expected to see Diamond Bear served here."
Andrew’s eyes turned slightly reproachful. The more successful and lavish the Clover House party was, the more would be expected of Andrew in the future.
While it might have been different for others, Andrew was a member of the royal family. It had already been decided that he would eventually undergo a descent to subject status and be established as a Duke. He couldn't allow a party under his name to be of a lower caliber than the one Rest was currently hosting.
"I have my own celebration for the establishment of my new Duke House coming up... I'm feeling quite a bit of pressure now, I must say."
"Ah... so it’s been finalized, then?"
"It has. I suspect there won't be many more opportunities for people to call me 'Your Highness.'"
Andrew shrugged playfully. The Aiwood Kingdom already had a Crown Prince in Richard Aiwood. Since Richard was married and had children of his own, Andrew’s role as a "spare" heir was no longer necessary. The royal house had been planning Andrew’s transition to subject status for some time, simply waiting for the right moment.
"There was talk of me marrying into another family or entering the Temple, but well... thanks to your achievements, I’ve been granted the position of a landed Duke. I suppose I can’t complain too much."
"I apologize if I've caused you any trouble."
"Don't worry about it. Besides, there are ways to entertain guests other than food. Now that a large Rainbow Crystal has been discovered, I’ll just have to push that as the main attraction."
Andrew took a sip of his drink, which had been diluted with juice.
"Though... I would be delighted if you'd sell me some of this liquor. I’m happy to pay whatever price you name."
"I’ll see that some is prepared for you. By the way, Your Highness, may I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"That gentleman... Count Walnut. Just what kind of person is he?"
Rest cast a subtle glance toward a corner of the hall. There, Marquis Rosemary, Marquis Catreia, and Duke Crocus were gathered around the man known as Count Walnut. They were deep in conversation, sipping their drinks and sampling the Diamond Bear meat served by the butlers.
"Ah... him."
Andrew exhaled softly and drained the rest of his glass in one go.
"He's someone you've met before, actually. It’s just difficult to recognize him because he’s disguised with a magic item."
"Disguised...?"
"Once you reach a certain station, you can’t exactly drop in on the parties of lesser nobles on a whim. For instance, if he were officially seen attending Count Clover’s party, he’d be obligated to attend the parties of every other count as well, or the hierarchy among peers would become too blatant. That’s why he comes incognito like that."
"Ah... I see. I understand who it is now."
Andrew’s use of the term "lesser nobles" for a count, combined with the extreme deference shown by the kingdom’s most powerful high nobles, allowed Rest to deduce Count Walnut's true identity.
Still, it was clearly an unspoken rule to keep it a secret. Rest knew better than to point it out directly.
"Since he's calling himself a 'count,' there's no need to be overly humble. You should just leave him to the Prime Minister and the others."
"...If you say so, Your Highness."
Following Andrew’s advice, Rest decided to stop worrying about Count Walnut. Keeping the man's presence in the back of his mind, he continued through the hall to greet his other guests.