In an instant, the atmosphere around Yuder turned icy cold. Even those who had been laughing and pretending not to pay attention to him suddenly became cautious and hesitant to speak. The man who had addressed Yuder also struggled to reply, his face a blend of disbelief and fury. However, he eventually managed to collect his emotions and spoke again.

"Ahem... I see. Well, given your commoner background, it's understandable. I am Baron Durmand. I've heard much about your recent achievements in the West."

"Is that so?"

"..."

This time, an even greater number of people remained silent for longer. Baron Durmand twisted his face into something resembling a rat and asked, "Really, now. Don't they teach you about manners and eloquence in your Cavalry? I approached you to offer congratulations, but you seem quite guarded."

Due to the palpable tension, even the dancing Cavalry members started to direct their gaze in this direction. Most wore expressions of surprise and concern.

Yuder sent a subtle, reassuring look to a few of the members who seemed on the verge of rushing over to him.

'It's fine. Just stay where you are.'

The members were probably shocked, thinking that as soon as Kishiar left, Yuder would be surrounded and attacked by nobles. However, this was a situation Yuder had already anticipated.

For the perfect execution of the dance scheduled for today and the events surrounding it, Kishiar had not even disclosed to the Emperor and Empress who he would be dancing with or what kind of dance it would be. They could guess that the Emperor, learning of this late, would call for his sibling, and that actions would be initiated by Duke Diarca as soon as Kishiar left.

If he had to be on guard anyway, Yuder figured it was better to control the situation himself. When you create a predictable opening for the enemy to attack, there's no need to be on guard all the time.

And now was precisely that moment.

Jimmy, who seemed ready to rush over after having been guzzling food, Ever, who had even stopped dancing to scan the surroundings with a sharp gaze, and Kanna, who had been scrutinizing the faces of the nobles one by one, all stepped back quietly upon meeting his gaze. But Gakane still approached as close as a few steps away, crossing his arms. Though he was smiling as if nothing was amiss, his posture clearly conveyed the message that he was ready to intervene at any moment.

'So much for saying it's okay.'

Still, the dark mood Yuder had often sensed on Gakane's face during previous encounters was mostly absent, so he let it pass. Perhaps because Gakane had moved closer, the atmosphere seemed to relax somewhat.

'Is it because of his face?'

Ignoring the murmurs around him, Yuder calmly opened his mouth.

"It never occurred to me that you approached to offer congratulations, especially since you began by cryptically introducing yourself and stating you've heard much about me. In the manners I've been taught, one typically states their purpose first, offers congratulations, and then exchanges introductions. Mentioning someone's prior status after they've been officially titled is considered a serious breach of etiquette. Has something changed that I'm not aware of?"

"..."

Baron Durmand's face flushed crimson. It was as if he hadn't expected a commoner-turned-hero to not only stand his ground but also counter him in such a manner.

The crowd always brimmed with people who would needle him like this whenever Yuder received a new title or a significant reward. He had long grown accustomed to the vexing task of discerning the intentions of such people.

Being taciturn on occasions like this was not a flaw. There was no need to grovel and shudder at every sarcastic comment. Although power and influence among nobles weren't solely determined by one's official title, Yuder did share the same rank as the man before him. Officially, he couldn't be considered any lesser.

'There's technically no need for formal language... but fine, I can tolerate that much. Getting caught up in etiquette based on age differences is too tedious.'

"Your point seems valid. I must have momentarily forgotten in my excitement. Haha. But I trust you're not overly offended by such trivial matters?"

"No, I wasn't particularly offended."

"Good. Then let's just consider this a small misunderstanding."

Baron Durmand forced a smile, his eyes tinged with barely suppressed fury, and moved on. The surrounding nobles also turned their gaze away, resuming their conversations as if nothing had happened. Yuder wondered what sort of expression they'd make if he praised them for maintaining etiquette while refusing to admit any fault and attributing it all to 'misunderstanding', but he decided to let it go.

'Baron Durmand. He was known to be close to the current Duke of Diarca. After the Duke died, he held his position for a while but fell out of favor with the heir and retreated to a rural domain.'

A man of little personal achievement, relying only on the power of the faction he was part of; a typical leech. While he might have been somewhat respected among the nobles, he wasn't indispensable to the Diarca Duke's family.

The man was just the right kind to be sent in lieu of the Duke himself for bothersome and noisy affairs like this one.

And that, in turn, offered Yuder an inkling of how Duke Diarca felt about him and the Cavalry. Not a threat significant enough to draw close scrutiny, but not entirely dismissable either. If this was the 'gift' prepared by Duke Diarca, then the remaining gestures would be equally mediocre.

'I had thought that something much stronger would come out, especially considering Kiolle's whining...'

As expected, it was all for naught.

A brief, icy smile flickered across Yuder's lips and vanished. His gaze then shifted to Duke Diarca, who was drinking wine, appearing wholly unconcerned by the ongoing events.

'If this trend continues, then next would be...'

"But I do genuinely wish to celebrate the hero of the West. Might we meet again personally after today?"

Yuder stared quietly into Baron Durmand's eyes, which sparkled oddly as if he were earnestly inviting him, then shook his head without changing his expression.

"Though I've received a title, I'm committed to the Cavalry. It's difficult for me to make personal engagements."

"What if I told you that my birthday is soon, and I'm planning a grand celebration?"

"No."

"Well, in that case, will you at least accept this? It's something prepared for today."

At Baron Durmand's gesture, someone brought forth a long object wrapped neatly in red paper. It was impossible to tell what was inside.

"Even if you can't attend, you'll accept this, right? It's a token of my sincerity for today."

For a moment, the gaze of those around Yuder intensified. Some watched with anger, while others observed with a voyeuristic curiosity.

"It will be difficult."

"Good heavens! At this point, even I am genuinely offended. Are you saying you can't accept even this small gesture? Do you mean to ignore me?"

Baron Durmand dramatically shifted his shoulders, aiming to draw the attention of the crowd.

"I don't know why you would think that."

"Enough with playing dumb. I've also heard about dangerous items being found within the palace before this party. Several palace workers preparing for the event have gone missing. Everyone knows the Cavalry decided to be extra cautious due to these suspicious activities."

Baron Durmand's voice bristled with anger.

"Are you saying you're avoiding even a normal gift because you're suspicious? If you don't suspect me, then how can you refuse like this!"

Yes, he knew it would come to this.

Yuder was about to speak when someone else stepped forward before him.

"I apologize for the intrusion. I know it's not polite to interrupt a conversation, but I've heard that actions like this are not permitted in today's party without prior permission. Have you received such permission?"

The person who stepped forward before Yuder could speak was none other than Gakane Bolunwald.

Though his smile seemed impeccably courteous, his sharp eyes were not hidden, causing murmurs to stir among the surrounding nobles once again.