Finally, Princess Jasmine entered wearing a glamorous wedding dress. As she passed by, the pungent scent of her perfume invariably stung the nose.

“The bride and groom shall exchange the sacred gifts.”

As the high priest officiating the ceremony said this, the maid acting as the bride’s attendant standing behind Princess Jasmine handed her an ornate golden box.

The Crown Prince, smiling radiantly, also looked down from the platform searching for his attendant.

The one he was looking at was Leon. However, Leon, who was sweating profusely in a half-dazed state, seemed to have forgotten his role. Finally, when the Captain of the Holy Knights jabbed him in the side, Leon realized his mistake and stepped forward.

Climbing a few steps to stand before the Crown Prince, Leon took out a purple box containing the gift from inside his uniform.

His hand, trembling from pain and fatigue, briefly overlapped with the Crown Prince’s. At the same time, Leon and the Crown Prince’s eyes, both the same shade of purple, met.

The Crown Prince smiled generously at Leon and patted his shoulder.

“Thank you, my cousin brother.”

Leon merely bowed his head expressionlessly towards the Crown Prince who was praising him, then quickly came down the stairs.

At his unfriendly attitude, Princess Jasmine’s brow furrowed slightly as she stood next to the Crown Prince. Of course, as soon as the Crown Prince turned back, she returned to her original shy expression.

Leon, having returned to his place, flinched for some reason and staggered very slightly.

Although it was just for a moment, the gazes of a few people who noticed his stumble fixed on him, then scattered again when he regained his usual indifferent expression.

But only Kasha kept watching Leon intently, except when observing Princess Jasmine.

The ceremony continued. The noble couple, having exchanged gifts and completed their marriage vows, stood side by side facing the guests and waved.

“Long live the Crown Prince! Long live the Crown Princess!”

The cheers that started from the guest seats soon spread to the plaza outside the Grand Temple. Soon fireworks burst and music began, and in an instant, both inside the temple and the plaza were transformed into a festival scene.

As the Crown Prince was coming down the stairs for the procession, he suddenly leaned towards Leon and whispered.

“Cousin brother. Make sure to attend the reception later. It’s been a while, we should catch up.”

Leon nodded silently, and the Crown Princess looked at this scene with displeasure.

And Kasha observed them all with a cool gaze throughout.

The Summer Palace, renowned as the most beautiful place in the Imperial Palace.

Kasha entered that place where the Crown Prince’s reception was being held, together with Daril.

Naturally, the reception hall was luxurious and bustling. At the entrance to the reception hall connected to the central garden, even a huge champagne fountain was installed, capturing the attention of passersby.

“Why did you insist on attending the reception? The healer said you still need plenty of rest…”

Daril grumbled with a dubious expression. Kasha shook her head gently at him.

“Elder brother. Unless the Count himself… had attended, perhaps… but since even he did not participate, if we too… leave early… it would not look good in many ways.”

Count Lyuschino could not attend the wedding due to the poor situation in the northeastern part of the empire. But hearing her answer, Daril tilted his head.

“The Count?”

“…Yes. Count Lyuschino.”

Kasha replied, avoiding Daril’s gaze.

“You, how long are you going to call Father ‘the Count’? You’re calling me elder brother well now… Hmm.”

While reprimanding like that, Daril seemed strangely not displeased.

“Of course, I have a more friendly image than Father. Our father’s expression is quite fierce from the start…”

As Kasha stared blankly at Daril boasting like that with an appearance identical to his father’s, suddenly Margaret’s voice was heard.

“Kasha!”

Hearing her voice, Daril startled and adjusted his clothes, while Kasha turned around to greet Margaret.

“Yes, Margaret.”

“Lady Margaret.”

“Young Lord.”

Daril with a reddened face, and Margaret looking at him as if he was cute.

The way they looked at each other had become much more natural now. Kasha was wondering if she should create another opportunity for them to be alone when…

“Margaret! What are you doing here? You need to greet Baron Marquis.”

A skinny woman who appeared from somewhere urgently pulled on Margaret’s sleeve. It was Viscountess Yonder, Margaret’s mother.

“Ah, Mother. I was just having a conversation with Young Lord Lyuschino and Lady Kasha…”

“Come here now. Where’s the time to dawdle? You’re always so carefree.”

Viscountess Yonder dragged Margaret away without giving her a chance to reply.

Seeing this, Daril clenched his fist as if about to go after her right away, but Kasha stopped him.

“Elder brother. Don’t tell me you… still haven’t expressed your intention to propose to the Viscount’s family?”

“Of course I did. The Viscount’s family simply ignored it.”

Daril replied in a gloomy voice.

“Why on earth…?”

The Lyuschino Count family is influential enough in the empire to be called the Emperor’s shield. It was definitely not a match that even a mere Viscount family would find unsatisfactory.

“I found out that Viscount Yonder recently lost a huge amount in gambling debts. To Baron Marquis.”

“Ah, so that’s why…”

Kasha let out a groan.

‘In the end, it’s because of money.’

It seemed Viscount Yonder was trying to sell off his daughter instead of his gambling debts. And to Baron Marquis, who was notorious as a philandering pervert in the capital.

The Lyuschino family, whose main source of income was the barren territory in the northeast of the continent, would find it difficult to clear the Viscount’s debt on his behalf.

Moreover, Viscount Yonder would well know that Lyuschino was an honorable family that would not engage in transactions where large sums of money change hands in exchange for marriage.

“Then, what will you do? Will you just stand by and watch Margaret be sold off to that man?”

“How could I! I’ve already contacted Father. I’m hoping to inherit some of my share of assets in advance or use it as a dowry.”

“It seems you need to… hurry.”

Kasha frowned, watching the Viscountess dragging Margaret away somewhere.

It was then.

“My, why does the Young Duke look so displeased on this joyous day? Someone might think you have some great complaint! Hahaha.”

The sound of someone talking loudly as if for others to hear was heard.

The only Young Duke remaining at the reception now would be Leon.

‘Oh right. I was going to look for Leon first as soon as I entered.’

Kasha, feeling a bit urgent, quickly moved towards the direction of the voice.

“You’re speaking nonsense, Marquis.”

“Is that so? Hahaha. Since Grand Duke Osilote left the wedding hall as if he had some urgent matter, I wondered. Come to think of it, where are Young Duke Anthony and Young Lady Eve? No, don’t tell me they went home with the Grand Duke? What could be so urgent that the whole family would not participate in celebrating this joyous occasion of the empire?”

The one openly picking a fight with Leon while pretending to have a good-natured tone was Marquis Anmarie. With a thin mustache that didn’t suit his fat body, he was a figure who acted as the leader of the Crown Prince’s faction.

“Father is not feeling well.”

Leon replied briefly. He was not in a state to engage in a war of words with such a person right now.

However, the Marquis, like a loyal hunting dog, seemed unwilling to let go of the prey he had once bitten.

“Oh my, is that so? Then how about Young Duke Leon, as the sole attendee from the Grand Duke’s family, give the congratulatory toast today on behalf of your family? I’m sure the Crown Prince would be greatly pleased.”

“I would like to, but I’m also not feeling well today.”

“My, what a coincidence. That on this joyous day when the Crown Prince is solidifying his legitimate succession, all the esteemed members of the Osilote Grand Duke’s family are unwell in body and mind. How very curious. Curious indeed. Ho ho.”

The thin eyes of Marquis Anmarie, laughing carelessly as if he knew nothing, glinted like a snake’s. His intention to find fault somehow was clear.

‘On a day like this, I shouldn’t get caught up with such a person.’

Leon pressed his temples, which were burning hot from fatigue and symptoms of lust, trying to maintain his composure.

But it was simply impossible.

‘I’m going to lose it.’

Leon thought as he exhaled hot breath.

Right now, Leon’s body was not his own. It felt like a crazed demon was jumping around inside his body and mind, setting fires here and there. His body was hot all over and his vision was blurry. His sight was becoming stained with red here and there.

His throat burned with the desire to touch someone’s flesh right away. Yet at the same time, he could hardly breathe due to the terrible stench emanating from the people around him.

The shortness of breath and unfulfilled desire were increasingly numbing his reason and reaching dangerous levels. Like a dormant volcano about to erupt at any moment.

Belatedly, Kasha’s warning came to mind.

‘If your condition… worsens… in a place with many people, it would be troublesome, wouldn’t it?’

‘Kasha, did you know? That I would be in such a dangerous state today? No, surely not.’

Leon blinked his hot eyes and thought desperately.

‘Be careful for now. And… if it feels dangerous, come find me right away.’

Her voice echoing in his ears faded. As if someone had vigorously rubbed red paint on his eyeballs, his vision was turning red. This symptom was a first. Leon realized he was afraid.

At that moment, as if delivering the final blow to his despair, someone’s cheerful voice struck his ears.

“You’re not giving my cousin brother a hard time, are you?”

A perfect smile revealing even teeth.

Crown Prince Nigel was patting Leon’s shoulder as he spoke.

“Your Highness. How could that be? I was just suggesting that the Young Duke give the congratulatory toast today.”

“Ah, that’s not a bad idea.”

The Crown Prince turned to Leon with a grin. The purple eyes beneath the wavy golden-brown hair sparkled mischievously.

“That’s alright with you, isn’t it, Leon?”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

Leon gritted his teeth and replied, wanting to end the conversation quickly.

Please take your hand off my shoulder.

You always have the most terrible smell, Nigel.

For a moment, unrefined anger surged up.

He wanted to release this stifling anger. He wanted to tear apart all those bodies emitting that terrible stench.

Even if it meant his own destruction.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Feeling his reason fly away along with the sound of his heart beating at an unnaturally fast pace, Leon finally lifted his head abruptly.

“Hm? No, Leon. The color of your eyes…”

Along with the Crown Prince’s puzzled voice, the murmuring voices around grew louder and buzzed unpleasantly like demonic noise.

Thump. Thump.

It was the moment when the thin wrapping of remaining reason was finally about to tear into two pieces.

“Leon.”

A calm and clear voice suppressing the terrible noise held onto his reason.

“It’s me. It’s Kasha.”

In the middle of this terrible world dyed red.

Kasha, she was suddenly standing there. She with those mysterious deep pink eyes that seemed to absorb even this dreadful red light completely.