Owen and Jay, Kasus and Artia faced each other, and around them, nobles crowded eagerly to watch the intriguing match.

The palace knight looked at both sides and spoke.

“I will explain the rules. Victory is achieved by either disarming your opponent or pointing the blade at their throat, preventing them from attacking further. You must protect your respective partners while also attacking together.”

Jay couldn’t help but hold back laughter. The word ‘partner’ lingered in his ears.

“Hoho… His Highness must have been eyeing me even without saying a word, right? Knows a good thing when he sees it. Well, I can’t blame him; I’m an irresistible man.”

Jay seemed to understand why the Crown Prince chose him as a partner.

Seeing that winning would give the opportunity to change partners for a dance, the match was just a device to liven up the atmosphere of the party. The real purpose was to intimidate the Duke and Duchess from the North and reveal feelings of affection towards himself.

“Even if I win, he’ll probably choose me as his dance partner. Then the Duke and Duchess will become a good laughingstock.”

How clever he was.

“To express a desire to dance with me like this is too romantic, isn’t it?”

Jay used his fingertip to lower the corners of his mouth, which kept wanting to rise.

It was an easy task to defeat Artia, who had never held a sword before.

Jay looked at Artia.

In the meantime, she seemed to have gained more weight and her frame appeared sturdier.

The stick-like figure that seemed like it could break with a touch no longer suited her nickname.

“She didn’t seem this way when I saw her at the party before.”

Did she eat a lot, or is she pregnant?

Her increased flesh definitely looked different from back then.

“Well, whatever.”

The image of the seemingly easygoing Artia was firmly stuck in Jay’s mind, not easily erased.

“Silly woman… I learned to wield a sword to torment you. How enjoyable it was to see your tormented face.”

Jay, inherently cruel and jealous like his mother, enjoyed tormenting the weak.

However, despite the trauma from childhood, Artia, who used to provoke matches with her sharpness, seemed to have learned how to hide her expressions quite well.

“Even if she looks like that, she must be trembling inside.”

Jay grasped the sword again with confidence in victory.

At that moment, Artia lifted the hem of her wine-colored dress as if it were cumbersome.

“Are you going to compete in this attire?”

“Hmm?”

Owen raised an eyebrow.

“Competing in a dress. I thought you were determined and going to do it properly.”

“Ha, right.”

Jay chuckled with a polite expression.

Artia had originally intended to change into training clothes instead of the dress.

But fighting in glamorous attire?

It was evident that either it wasn’t a serious match, or Owen had a different intention.
Moreover, Owen, having consumed several glasses of champagne, was not in a sober state. Whatever confidence led Owen to organize such a tournament was unclear, but his cheeks were already flushed as if the intoxication had set in. And in his inebriated gaze, Artia was the focal point. As if feeling uncomfortable with that gaze, Kasus slightly narrowed his eyes and positioned Artia behind him. Artia roughly grasped the situation.

“Lady, what did I… They said it was a light match, like a hunting competition, and I thought it was something grand. Using the pretext of a casual match to mock my husband? Perhaps to boost his ego as well.”

There would be no pressing a knife against the Crown Prince’s throat, especially coming to the palace, and since they had effortlessly won a hunting competition, it was likely just a polite way to say, “Play along.”

“Well, let’s play for a moment.”

After a brief silence, the spectators buzzed. Although Artia had fewer accessories draped over her body than Jay, she looked more dazzling in the eyes of the nobles. Artia glanced at Jay and Owen with a relaxed smile.

Artia’s actions fueled the surrounding reactions even more.

“Wow.”

“Wow, her energy is no joke.”

The atmosphere in the party hall was becoming increasingly intriguing. Those who were sincerely interested in gossip knew the relationship between the four individuals. Especially Artia, the Duchess who came down from the North, and Jay of the Harvard family. Few were unaware that Artia was the illegitimate child of the Harvard family. Rumors spread quickly.

The showdown between the illegitimate child and the direct heir of the Harvard family was entertainment that anyone would find enticing.

Moreover, there was no one who didn’t know about the lingering feud between the Crown Prince and Duke Wellington.

“I want to see too.”

Some people behind craned their necks to join the crowd.

In the heightened atmosphere, Owen spoke, slurring his words.

“Just enjoy it, don’t feel too burdened.”

Even in this situation, a calculator was rapidly working in Jay’s mind. Being chosen as the Crown Prince’s partner would undoubtedly increase his value. Looks, manners, and even swordsmanship.