A Reader's Grimoire In A Novel World

Alexa walked through the hallway alongside Princess Sasha as they approached Julius' room.

Alexa had a tray of food in her hand, and she seemed nervous as Princess Sasha came along with her to see the prince.

"Hm?" Sasha raised a brow as she began to hear melodic sounds of music and saw a bunch of maids and guards stuck in front of the prince's room, just standing there as if in a daze.

Slowly, she began to hear better, and she heard the sound of a piano.

"What are you all doing here?" the princess said as she approached the group of people, and the maids scurried away in that instant.

She stood outside the room, and she frowned as she listened to the music.

"Does the prince play music?" Alexa asked as she stood outside the door with a confused frown, and Sasha looked at her with a similar expression.

"Aren't you his personal maid?" the princess asked, hearing the question from someone who had been by the prince's side all his life.

They entered the room silently and saw Julius playing a beautiful black piano in the corner, his eyes focused on the keys.

The princess and the maid stayed still as they felt at peace, hearing the tune of the piano.

All of a sudden, the tone of the song became darker, and the princess felt chills down her spine.

'What's this... My heart's racing,' the princess thought as she stared at the prince, and then, all of a sudden, Julius stopped playing.

"It's rude to enter someone's room without knocking," he said, turning to the ladies behind him.

"When did you learn how to play this instrument?" Princess Sasha asked with a smile as she walked toward the piano and ran her hands along it.

"While you were on trial," Julius replied as he put down the food from Alexa.

"Why isn't it making sounds?" the princess complained as she pressed on the keys of the piano, and no sound was produced.

The princess pouted as she moved over to the prince's bed and sat down while he ate quietly, reading a book.

"Hm? A book on magic formations. Are you perhaps interested in it?" Sasha asked, and Julius nodded.

"I find it interesting," he smirked.

Of course, it was part of the plans he made for himself.

'In the future, array masters became highly important in the first world war,' he thought.

...

There wasn't a ball until the afternoon, but the castle hall was already becoming full. People gathered all the way to the first floor where the throne room was, and the large halls could seat over five hundred people from the kingdom.

Most of the people attending were influential figures from all over the kingdom.

Julius stared out of his room's window as various carriages marched into the castle grounds.

He let out a breath and sat down on the bed.

He walked out of his room and went up to the throne room. The maids and guards he passed by all bowed as he walked, and he smiled at the change.

He arrived at the hall, and it was filled with people dancing and music playing. He looked up to where his father was to see the multiple thrones beside the king's, and then his eyes went to an additional throne by the altar as well, and he smiled.

He greeted his father with a bow, smiled at his mother, and then moved toward his own throne at the very edge.

To his side, he could see the first princess looking at him with a cold gaze. Blue eyes, long braided black hair with bangs.

Not only the firstborn of the royal family but currently a general in the royal army.

'I didn't think someone of her status would attend,' Julius thought, taking a breath.

The children, including the triplets, were all wearing crowns to symbolize their authority.

Looking forward, he would've never imagined experiencing something like this. He had only read about it in books and seen it in movies. A royal ball, and this one was held specifically for him.

It didn't take long for the band to start playing various instruments on one side, and then the dancers began to perform while the people watched.

Julius could spot a few high-level figures sitting in the crowd, and then he frowned as he noticed a particular girl in the front with horns.

She had wine-colored eyes and a bored expression. Of course. Someone Julius had seen before.

'Ivana? What's she doing here?' his mind raced as he looked at the assassin who had once tried to kill him.

"And now, for one of the main events of this ball!" An announcer came up to the front with a paper in his hand.

"The fifth prince has proven himself in a test to wield the title of an heir. The prince will now step down to recite the path of the royals!"

Noticing his cue, Julius got up from his throne and went down to the announcer. He then turned to look up to the king and knelt on one knee.

"Before the eyes of the gods and the people of this kingdom, I, Julius Augustine, solemnly swear to serve the Kingdom of Midgard with unwavering loyalty and devotion.

"I vow to uphold the honor and legacy of the Augustine name, to guard its principles, and to bear its burdens with courage and humility," Julius said, and the announcer continued.

"Pledge to protect the people under your care, to wield the heir's crown not as a symbol of power, but as a beacon of justice and wisdom. You shall defend this realm against all threats, whether they come from within or beyond our borders, and ensure that peace and prosperity remain our steadfast allies.

"Let your actions prove worthy of the crown you are to inherit. Let your soul remain untainted by greed or fear, and let your heart stay steadfast in the face of adversity. Here, Julius Augustine accepts the weight of the throne, and you swear upon your life to honor this sacred duty," the announcer finished, closing the book. A person then brought forth a crown on a soft pillow.

"So long as I breathe, I shall stand as the shield and sword of this kingdom, a servant to my people, and a keeper of the Augustine legacy. This I swear, now and forevermore."

With these words, Julius rose, and the crown was lowered upon his head, sealing the oath before all who witnessed.

The crown on his head was a bit different from those on his brothers, as it had a golden kite-shaped crystal embedded in the middle and small spikes around it.

"And now, we dance!" The man in front of him shouted and then looked at Julius.

"Congratulations, Your Highness," he bowed.

Julius nodded to him, then looked up to see Cider frowning. He put on a small smirk as he walked into the crowd of people dancing.

The hall was lit with various golden chandeliers.

By this time, there were already hundreds of people wearing exquisite outfits, dancing and partying.

Julius walked through the crowd in silence, looking around with squinted brows.

"Ah, too many people are making me dizzy," he said as he blinked hard.

And then he saw her.

Long silky black hair that swayed with her movements. A long red gown that matched the color of her eyes. And a signature nonchalant expression he was used to.

'It's nothing new. She was always this beautiful,' he thought with a smile as he approached the demon princess.

"Ivana."