If I Throw Myself into His Sea - Episode 2.4

On the day of the banquet, I had planned to scout the sea trench we’d subjugated last time, but Irene Iphraim’s request forced me to attend a banquet for the second time.

I disliked the place, but having decided to go, I couldn’t ruin Irene’s request. At least, I thought I should make the Queen shine brighter than Pereian and Henelia, so I put more effort into my attire and appearance than usual.

“You don’t seem like yourself today.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“It means you look good.”

The Queen seemed to notice that I had put effort into my appearance, and she threw me a compliment that wasn’t quite a compliment. At those words, Sipri slowly lowered his head and took in Irene’s appearance.

“Your Majesty, you also look beautiful today.”

“Well… it’s thanks to Atina, this is.”

It was an appreciation born from truth. Irene Iphraim, standing before him, shone alone, to the point where he felt embarrassed by the idea that he had to dress up so the Queen wouldn’t feel discouraged. Even in the banquet hall, she alone would sparkle.

Perhaps embarrassed by the compliment, Irene lowered her head, following Sipri’s lead. A fresh burst of laughter filled the air of the Coral Palace.

Lightly holding Irene’s hand, Sipri checked the time. It was the time when the banquet entrance was nearing its end. He had to enter with the Queen before the doors of the banquet hall closed and the main event began.

Sipri, who had engraved a magic circle on the floor of the Coral Palace, injected magic power and his eyes shone. His magic-filled eyes were quite beautiful, and Irene blankly stared at the light.

“Shall we go now?”

Worried that Irene might be startled if he suddenly activated the teleportation magic, Sipri whispered to her. Only then did Irene snap out of it, take a couple of deep breaths, and nod.

“Let’s go now.”

With those words, her vision filled with light. The teleportation magic she usually used simply felt like the world was turning upside down, but this time it was different.

A violet glow, resembling Irene’s eyes, spread through the space.

“Surely, everyone will look up to Her Majesty the Queen.”

Sipri said reassuringly, raising his remaining hand and gesturing. The violet light shattered into fine pieces, raining down like a shower. Irene momentarily closed her eyes, almost blinded by the sparkle, and when she opened them again, the entrance to the banquet hall was right in front of her.

“You can do things like this too?”

“There’s nothing I can’t do, you know.”

He replied lightly, but in fact, this was also a magic that Sipri had devised himself to enhance the Queen’s authority. He had spent sleepless nights adding modifications and variations to the existing drab teleportation magic formula.

The effort paid off. The influential figures entering the banquet all stopped and watched Irene and Sipri’s appearance. A woman who appeared with the violet light, accompanied by the number one magic user of the Underwater Kingdom.

To attend this banquet, one had to be a member of a prestigious family or royalty. However, Irene was not from a prestigious family that everyone recognized.

Everyone’s gaze went down from Irene’s face. The wandering of their eyes stopped at her shoulder.

‘That cloak…!’

The cloak draped over Irene’s shoulders was something only the monarch and their spouse could wear. Any family that didn’t recognize it wouldn’t have been invited to this event in the first place.

Whether they were friendly to the royal family or not, those entering finally realized. That woman must be the monarch’s queen from Epin. It was Pereian’s glare that urged them, who had stopped moving, to enter the banquet hall.

Unlike Sipri and Irene, who didn’t arrive together, he seemed to have arrived alone first, waiting for Henelia. Irene, as if fascinated by the splendid banquet hall, looked around and stiffened when she found Pereian. Sipri was, of course, incomparably radiant, but Pereian was exceptional.

His jet-black hair, contrasting with the pure white scenery of the banquet hall, clearly showed that he had put more effort into his appearance than usual.

Even his slightly stiff expression, as if he didn’t like the banquet, harmonized with his formal attire, making him look dignified. His jawline stood out each time he indifferently scanned his surroundings with his rare red eyes.

Irene glanced at him, wanting to see him even once more. Once she started recognizing him, only Pereian’s figure came into view, even in the crowd. It was also the first time for Irene to see him in formal attire. Coincidentally, he was also wearing a royal cloak. Irene, realizing that they looked like they had coordinated their outfits, blushed slightly.

She was satisfied with just this much connection. Meanwhile, Pereian, having confirmed the arrival of Sipri and Irene, let out a hollow laugh. It was just teleportation magic, after all, and Sipri, who was obviously showering magic power and transforming it for Irene, looked ridiculous to him.

‘She’s wearing a cloak.’

It wouldn’t have been Irene Iphraim’s decision; it was probably the head lady-in-waiting’s idea. Even though they were clearly married, Pereian, who wasn’t particularly pleased that his outfit overlapped with Irene’s, took off his cloak and handed it to a guard.

Irene smiled bitterly as she watched Pereian remove his cloak. She felt foolish for having momentarily rejoiced at wearing the same cloak. Letting out a small sigh, Irene averted her gaze from Pereian and looked around again.

“Brother!”

Then, her eyes fixed on one spot.

A woman, adorned more lavishly than herself, was leaning on Pereian’s arm, laughing. A woman and a man who both seemed somehow fragile.

To Irene, who didn’t yet know they were half-siblings, Henelia and Pereian looked just like characters from a fairy tale.

Irene recalled the fairy tale she had once introduced to Pereian. A girl who brought storms and a wounded traveler boy meet, overcome trials, and ultimately dance a dance of happiness in the rain.

Irene had certainly thought that Ian and she were like the boy and girl in the fairy tale. But if asked if she still thought so now, she couldn’t easily give a definite answer.

The woman laughing brightly beside Pereian looked just like the storm girl from the fairy tale Irene had envisioned. And Ian, about to enter with Henelia, leaving his wife behind, seemed to have finally met his match.

“That’s good.”

It was truly fortunate. Soon, Pereian would smile at his beautifully smiling lover. Irene smiled bitterly, her face a mixture of relief and emptiness.

She hadn’t seen Pereian smile since coming to this sea. She had certainly heard him laugh lightly from time to time when they were communicating with conch shells. Irene knew she wasn’t in a position to demand a smile, so she simply watched them silently.

It was a gaze born from the desire to steal a glimpse of Pereian’s smile, even if only like this.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

Sipri bent down to match Irene’s height and then turned his head to follow her gaze.

“Ugh.”

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