"It doesn't matter what he looks like. A dog of war is still a dog of war. He only belongs here because of the generosity of the Valderics."
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Aveline, who was never far away, intercepted so of these comnts. Her eyes darkened, but she remained impassive, her impeccable manners masking her irritation.
She knew that intervening directly would only fuel the gossip.
Maxi, for his part, heard the criticism, for his physique gave him exceptional hearing.
It didn't extend to being able to hear through walls, but as long as soone was talking about him in the sa room, he could hear them.
However, he ignored them and continued to chat calmly with those who had co to speak to him, mixing modesty and confidence in his answers while smiling.
This attitude only accentuated his appeal, much to the chagrin of so of the nobles who saw their importance overshadowed by this rcenary.
At one point, Aveline approached Maxi and placed a light hand on his arm, capturing his attention.
"You're a sensation," she murmured with an amused smile.
"Not really on purpose." he replied in a low voice.
She chuckled.
"Still, try not to make any enemies among the young n here."
"These young won are all coveted by young noblen."
Maxi inclined his head slightly.
"Don't worry, I'll manage."
"And even if a nobleman dares to co and make trouble for , there's no telling who will end up regretting it."
Maxi's audacity no longer surprised Aveline, who gave him a few more little tips, then left him in the midst of these beautiful won.
The evening was in full swing in the sumptuous banqueting hall, where laughter and lively discussion mingled with the light music of musicians seated in a discreet corner.
Guests moved in small groups, exchanging courtesies and flattery, glances furtively eting, calculated, on the lookout for the slightest opportunity.
Aveline, always in the spotlight, seed unshakeable, radiating confidence and elegance, while Maxi, always well surrounded, drew both admiring glances and disapproving murmurs.
But for the mont Aveline and Dorian still hadn't spoken, and so people were beginning to notice.
As the evening's atmosphere took on an increasingly lively tone, a new arrival made her appearance and imdiately drew all eyes.
"The 5th princess, Selene Ravenwood, has arrived!"
The door opened with an almost theatrical lightness, and the regal figure of Princess Selene entered.
The 5th princess, the king's favorite and only daughter, was no longer a child. She had just turned 18 and was also attending a banquet alone for the first ti in her life.
Her beauty radiated almost supernaturally across the room. Her brilliant white dress seed to catch the light of the room.
Her hair, a perfect golden blond, was styled in an elaborate cascade of curls.
Her gentle, charming gaze swept the room with natural ease, imdiately capturing everyone's attention.
Every movent, every smile was imbued with the nobility of her rank.
Whispers died away as she passed, as if everything had co to a standstill for a few seconds.
She had arrived not only to celebrate Aveline's engagent, but also to mark her own passage into adulthood, a mont of historic importance.
Conversations continued in the background, but the princess seed to have beco the center of attention.
A few high-ranking nobles hurried around her, seeking to chat with her.
The princes were already starting to fight for the crown, so you had to be careful when chatting to them in public, as it could be seen as joining the said prince's camp.
But this was not the case with the princess.
No matter who won and who lost, the princess would always have power because she was loved by all her brothers.
So attracting her graces could only be beneficial, and everyone knew it.
As the princess moved around the room, Maxi felt the attention on him diminish.
So he slipped out onto an empty balcony to get so fresh air and relax.
"Damn, it's so hot in this room. It's way too crowded," Maxi murmured to himself as he took in the view of the capital.
At the sa ti, he was recharging his batteries a little. Talking to so many people required a lot of energy and concentration.
However, just as he was enjoying this mont of respite, the balcony door opened softly behind him, and when he turned around, he saw a figure approaching.
"Do you mind if I enjoy this view too?"
Maxi opened his eyes wide and felt his breath catch.
This was on a whole different level from being surrounded by so many noble young beauties.
This beauty eclipsed even Aveline and Laura.
It was Princess Selene.
"Yes, of course." he replied quietly, not letting his surprise show.
She stepped forward unceremoniously, her curious gaze resting on Maxi.
"I've never seen you before, who are you?" she asked in a gentle voice.
"My na is Maxi and I'm the captain of a small group of rcenaries."
"Ohhh, and what's a rcenary doing at a noble banquet?"
"I've been wondering that myself."
The princess stifled a chuckle at this surprising answer.
"I wonder what the life of a rcenary is like?"
Without waiting for an answer, she continued to speak.
"Traveling, eting people, saving and protecting people...you have a profession I envy very much, Captain."
But Maxi shook his head.
"You're just expressing your dreams, princess."
"Ohhh, so what's life like as a rcenary captain?"
Maxi looked at her very seriously.
"Travel, eting people, saving and protecting people..."
Hearing the sa beginning of an answer as what she'd said, the princess grinned broadly and tried to keep from laughing to maintain her princess image.
But when she heard the rest, her expression imdiately changed.
"Then sotis to see, because of her own weakness, her comrades die before her eyes, to see innocent villagers literally exterminated by orcs and just after that for the latter to destroy years of work with a kick in their houses, collapsing the house on the children hiding inside."
Maxi gave the princess, who was now looking at him with shocked eyes, a little ti to digest.
"Would you like to continue, princess?"
She lowered her eyes, looking sadly at the city before her.
"I didn't know people could experience such atrocious things."
Princess Selene remained silent for a mont, her eyes fixed on the city stretched out before her.
The lights of the capital shone like stars, but her thoughts seed elsewhere, far removed from the festivities and superficial concerns of the nobility.
She wasn't used to hearing such realities, and Maxi's simple words had struck her deeply.
Maxi, for his part, was still standing by the edge of the balcony, his gaze calm, but his soul heavy with a past he'd never really shared with anyone.
The princess seed to want to ask more questions, but a heavy silence had settled between them, like an invisible web woven by the gravity of the mont.
After a long mont, the princess broke the silence in a soft, almost pensive voice.
"I always thought my life was full of challenges, but I think they were just a shadow of yours, Captain."
She turned her head toward him, her gaze more serious, but still imbued with that natural benevolence.
"How do you keep going after all this?"
Maxi stared at the princess for a mont before answering.
"You said it yourself princess. I do it because only we can save these people from despair."
The princess imdiately understood the implication.
The nobles were too weak to protect their own territory.
"But our rcenary group is rather special, the other rcenaries do it for the money and we do it out of conviction."
"I do it mostly for the money too, but that I wouldn't say." he thought with a hidden mischievous smile, proud of his own deception.
Selene looked at him for a mont, as if seeing him in a new light. She turned away slightly, her gaze both lost and fascinated.
"You seem to be a man of great strength and conviction. Perhaps even more than most of those I et in my world."
Maxi scrutinized her for a mont, the shadow of a smile at the corner of his lips.
"You don't look too bad yourself, Princess."
"Not too bad?"
The princess was shocked by Maxi's words, never before had she been described in such a way.
"I've never heard that one before."
Then she burst out laughing despite her restraint.
Fortunately, the door was closed, otherwise there would have been a lot of gossip.
Of course, a lot of gossip had already been generated by the sight of the princess alone on the balcony with a rcenary.
But no one dared disturb her, for fear of receiving a negative impression of the princess.
"May I confide in you, Maxi?"
"Of course."
"These banquets, these dresses, the smiles and the looks, it's all wearing out."
"If you only knew how lazy I was to co, especially all alone."
The princess's way of speaking, changing completely surprised Maxi but made him laugh at the sa ti.
"Sotis I wonder if it all makes sense."
"Well, it doesn't matter, I'm going back or I can't even imagine the rumors that will be circulating in the capital tomorrow."
"And I also don't feel like being scolded by my father."
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