New Year’s Ceremony. A gathering of all the empire’s titled nobles before His Majesty the Emperor, renewing their vows of loyalty. It was a grand and dazzling event, yet weighed down with gravity and expectation.

So while I’d always been curious about the New Year’s Ceremony, I’d never had any real desire to attend. Once I inherited my title, I’d have no choice but to come, whether I wanted to or not.

I’d heard some people came willingly to expand their connections, but I wasn’t one of them. Even if I became a baron, I’d prefer to stay peacefully on …