I shifted my gaze towards Lianne. Lianne and the children behind us, as well as the nobles surrounding us, couldn’t hide their surprised expressions. No, they didn’t even try to hide it.

Although it wasn’t an era without magicians, perhaps because I had never used such powerful magic, they were all too stunned. In fact, their reactions made me feel more embarrassed.

“Lianne…?”

“Uh… uh… Right. Empress, no, Isabella. When did you have such power…?”

“It’s been quite a while. I only hid it temporarily for this moment.”

“Ha-ha… Me, too… The moment the reason for the existence of the knights disappears.”
He wore a somewhat disappointed expression.

“Each has reasons why they are in their respective positions… so please don’t think too much about it.”

I felt somehow embarrassed.

“No, it’s okay… I probably don’t need a bodyguard at this point.”

Approaching him, who seemed disappointed, I tightly held his hand.

“It seems like it’s all over.”

“Yeah. It ended perfectly.”

He put the half-drawn sword back in place and chuckled in disappointment.

“Empty vessels make the most noise. It’s because they have nothing. Beatrice, she wants to show that she is outstanding even in such a state, so that’s why.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. In the end, I will win. Everything unfolded for me… I… I…!”

Despite Beatrice still not giving up, Lianne smirked at her as if looking at a bug.

“The beautiful appearance is completely gone, leaving only a terrible and unremarkable figure. Beatrice, even my precious and shining past now feels faded. It really feels disgusting.”

“Lianne… Lianne…”

“Thank you for making my past so dreadful that I can’t even remember it perfectly, Beatrice.”

“I love you.”

That was the moment.

Now completely overwhelmed, Beatrice looked at him with a desperate gaze.

“What did you say?”

“I love you. I love you… I just wanted to receive your attention. So… that’s why. How much I love you. How much I missed you every moment.”

His earnest and poignant voice made my heart unexpectedly tingle. People could express such emotions. Whether it was genuine or fake, it was surprising.

Although I wanted to say something from my heart, I left it to Lianne. It was an issue he had to resolve, a matter of his heart. In fact, there was a slight uneasiness in my heart.

It was Lianne, who was her first love and did everything for her. Maybe he would yield to her desperate last resistance, as it seemed. Such thoughts crossed my mind.

However, disgust was evident on his face.

“To put the word ‘love’ in such a manner. What a terrible thought to make my memories the worst.”

“L-Lianne. That is…”

“Shut up. If you don’t want your tongue cut off, shut up and stay quiet. It might be the only way to slightly extend your lifeline.”

That was the end of it. Lianne nodded his head with an expression that he didn’t want to hear any more. Thanks to the magic I cast, the knights whose limbs were now free quickly approached and dragged her away.

“This can’t be. This can’t be true. I am… I am…!”

“Cover her mouth with a stone or something. It seems like her ears are rotting.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Aaaah!”

There was no trace of consideration. Beatrice, who was truly beautiful, looked completely unattractive.
Beautiful hair was disheveled in disarray, and her face, screaming with resentment, resembled a witch. In this way, Beatrice was dragged away.

Then, silence fell.

I thought the party would end like this, but I didn’t expect things to escalate to this extent. I felt sorry as someone who didn’t anticipate such a commotion on Ruedel’s birthday. However, Lianne showed no intention of stopping the party.

“Let’s enjoy the party again.”

“Yes…? Your Majesty, are you saying that the party will continue?”

It wasn’t just me who was surprised. Other nobles also blinked and looked at him.

“Rather, since the useless person has disappeared, can’t we enjoy the party even more? Right, Duke Evan?”

As if pointing it out, Lianne looked at Duke Evan.

“Yes. Since the useless… person has disappeared…”

At this moment, he lost several things. For his sake, he turned his family into ‘useless’ people.

For his own sake, he not only discarded his family but also demonstrated that he could even poison them. It was hard to believe that he could abandon his family, yet there was no way he could not discard those on his side.

The complexion of the nobles who realized this truth became stiff.

But Evan pretended not to know, turning his head. He might have dreamt of bringing his younger sister into the noble family for its prosperity.

If the child’s magic hadn’t been released, if Ruedel still longed for Beatrice, everything would have unfolded perfectly differently.

Ruedel would have clung to Beatrice. In that case, Beatrice would have displayed her presence in front of all these people.

Recognized by the emperor as the crown prince. The child’s mother claiming to be him. The child wanting him more ardently than anyone.

If that had happened, the situation would have changed not only for Beatrice but also for Duke Evan.

‘I anticipated such things, so I endured all the risks and brought her here.’

Even though she was identified as the mastermind behind the last attack on the Star Palace, she confidently brought her here. It was because there was trust. The trust that Ruedel would undoubtedly want her. That’s why I also laughed. If it had been before, the Duke might have argued with me about my laughing figure, but this time, he just bit his lips without saying a word.

“Duke Evan, you’ve got yourself quite a wonderful sister.”

So, I had to pick a fight.