Soon, a new musical piece will begin. Taking advantage of the commotion around, Ilarid stood up while holding Lebel’s hand.

Everyone in the hall watched the movements of the Empress and the mercenary.

“With His Majesty the Emperor not present, what are you doing now…”

“Well… There’s no problem. The ball is hosted by Her Majesty the Empress, and it would be impolite to refuse a guest’s request for a dance.”

“But can that guy even dance? He’s just going to embarrass himself.”

The two people clad in black slowly walked to the center. People didn’t dare approach, remaining only at the edges.

Lindein’s eyes, which had been fixed on the scattered flower petals, turned to the two. And he immediately realized:

The fact that the Empress had taken a liking to this mysterious man.

‘No, perhaps even more than just liking him.’

The emotion reflected in the Empress’s eyes before this man was markedly different from when she danced with the Emperor.

If she had been emotionless before the Emperor, she was boundless before this man.

Could such quietly overflowing feelings in a person really exist? Lindein had to swallow a dry gulp.

He closely observed the man preparing to dance in front of the Empress. As he was no ordinary person, it was better to check in advance.

‘…What’s this?’

Perplexity filled Lindein’s eyes.

He couldn’t hear any sound from the man dressed in black.

Lindein narrowed his eyes again and focused on the man. This had never happened since he learned the art of magic.

But what appeared in his vision was a black energy enveloping Lebel’s body. Like a hazy fog, it obscured Lindein’s view and his art of reading minds.

The black smoke surrounding Lebel writhed. As gaps flickered open, large eyes appeared.

More precisely, ‘multiple’ eyes.

Countless eyeballs moved ominously within the smoke. And all the opened eyes gazed at Lindein at once.

Lindein couldn’t read Lebel’s inner thoughts, but he could read what the eyes were saying.

‘Back off.’

It was a whisper like the friction of old metal. A laugh involuntarily escaped Lindein’s lips.

But Lebel seemed unaware that he was carrying such a hideous thing behind him.

When Lindein turned his gaze elsewhere, the eyeballs closed as if falling asleep.

And all around became quiet again.

Lindein slowly began to massage his tingling hand. He hadn’t heard any information about such a person existing in the Astrid Empire. An ominousness that would never appear in ordinary people surrounded the man like a shadow.

The Empress looked clever and sensitive at a glance. Perhaps she had already noticed that danger visible only to a mage’s eyes.

But the fact that she had taken this man to heart meant she either deliberately ignored it or…

‘She truly has a pure heart.’

But Lindein didn’t believe in hearts. How could one know the inside of a person? Unless one was a mage with mind-reading abilities.

In any case, that man in front of the Empress was quite an unpleasant existence. He wondered if the man could use magic, but he seemed far removed from that at first glance.

Perhaps this guy’s ancestors were from the Eastern Continent. If not, he might be someone from the North that hasn’t been properly identified yet.

There was no definitive proof that magic could only be used in Pegeia. The northern region of the Western Continent was still an unknown land to them, and some of the nomads were so closed off that it was difficult to even approach them.

Amidst the murmuring of people, he faintly heard that the problematic man was a mercenary.

If he was a mercenary from the North, there was a possibility he had received magic from the nomads in that area. But judging by appearances, he wouldn’t have willingly received such an ominous energy.

‘If he received it willingly, he’d be incredibly strong-willed, and if he received it unknowingly… it would be a curse.’

Lindein covered his eyes with his hand and slowly organized his complex thoughts.

What if they included that mercenary in conquering the North?

His ominous power might be needed to deal with the unidentified nomadic tribes. He had to force a smile, pushing away the ominous energy.

The two refrained from speaking throughout the dance.

They breathed in silence, their hands and arms intertwining and unraveling repeatedly.

It was a fast-paced piece. That must be why it was more breathtaking than other dances. Ilarid thought so and deliberately ignored the heat rising to her cheeks.

The music that had reached its climax regained a slower tempo. The two knew the end of this song, the conclusion of the dance.

The fact that they would eventually have to separate, bow, part ways, and return to their respective places.

So they vowed to give their all for the moment they faced each other.

Ilarid took advantage of their close proximity to whisper softly.

“Lebel.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’m planning to leave for a moment.”

“I’ll escort you.”

“No. I need to move alone… Don’t make a disappointed face.”

She smiled briefly at the dejected ‘shadow’. The gazes of others in the ballroom were regrettable. If not for them, she would have caressed his cheek to comfort him.

“I’ll call for you through Cecilia, so wait for a moment.”

Wait. At those words, Ilarid felt a firm pressure on her waist. At the same time, Lebel’s lips curved slightly upward.

“I’ll wait quietly as usual.”

It was what Lebel did best. And he was confident in it. After waiting for years, what was a fleeting moment?

As the song ended and the time to part drew near, an indescribable regret rose to their throats, but neither Lebel nor Ilarid dared to express it.

Their bodies and hands separated in turn. Then the bow. The blue ornaments sparkled at the edges of Ilarid’s eyelashes as they gradually moved apart.

Ilarid cherished this moment, imprinting it in her eyes. Lebel, bathed in light, shone brighter than anyone else in this world.

His escort was perfect until the very end. Even the act of lightly kissing her hand as Ilarid returned to the Empress’s seat was carried out with simplicity.

‘I’ll wait.’

Lebel’s gray-blue eyes blinked again, conveying a firm resolve.

Ilarid took a breath and surveyed her surroundings again. Viscountess Gerdia, who had been with her niece on the other side, had disappeared.

She probably left at Cledius’s call while Ilarid was dancing with Lebel.

Then she would also learn who the Empress had danced with. It was a bit disappointing not to see Cledius’s crumbling face directly. Ilarid smiled leisurely as she listened to the dance music starting again.

As Ilarid had predicted, Viscountess Gerdia headed towards the Emperor’s secret room near the ballroom at Cledius’s summons.

When she entered, there was a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces. The strong smell of cigars made the Viscountess involuntarily wrinkle her face.

“Oh my, a lady has arrived and we were inconsiderate.”

The word ‘lady’ still haunted the Viscountess, tormenting her. As she tried to smooth her brow and enter, a servant quickly approached the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I beg your pardon, but…”

The servant stuck close to Cledius and reported what had happened outside. The Emperor’s expression gradually hardened as he listened to his words.

“How did that bastard…”

Lebel had entered the ballroom and danced with the Empress. Right in the center where people were watching.

Cledius felt a constriction in his chest. A groan involuntarily escaped his lips. The nobles who sensed the Emperor’s discomfort looked around in confusion.

As the Emperor stood up, everyone in the secret room rose. Just before the words “Excuse me” could leave his mouth.

“Your Majesty.”

Viscountess Gerdia took a step inside, knelt, and greeted Cledius.

“Luminess de Gerdia has rushed here at Your Majesty’s command.”

Her greeting was like driving a stake to prevent the Emperor from leaving.

The Viscountess wasn’t the only one waiting. Most of the pro-Emperor nobles had gathered to discuss the conquest of the North.

If he left now to confirm the identity of the man who danced with the Empress, he would face the resentment of those gathered.

And hadn’t a rarely seen noble from the northern part of the empire made a long journey? Although he owned a small territory in the countryside, he was a key figure for the northern conquest.

Cledius bit his lower lip and sat back down.

“I… express my gratitude for the Viscountess’s effort in making this long journey.”

It was closer to suppressing anger than expressing gratitude.

Despite sensing the Emperor’s displeasure, Viscountess Gerdia smiled triumphantly beneath her bowed posture.

She had succeeded in tying down the Emperor’s feet from heading to the ballroom. Now all that remained was to bring up the territory that would become the northern stronghold, as instructed by the Empress.

**

Lynette was hiding in a secluded corner of the garden, waiting for someone. This time, she was confident she wouldn’t be startled even if an unnamed monster suddenly appeared.

“Alright. Stay calm and…”

“…Excuse me.”

As always, Lynette was startled once again.

She couldn’t even scream for fear of being heard by someone. When Lynette calmed her startled heart and confirmed the person who had spoken, it was then.

“Oh? Hello…”

Who would have thought that the trustworthy person Lebel had mentioned would be ‘Luth’ from the mercenary group.

“So, are you Mr. Luth?”

“…Nice to meet you.”

“That’s great. I was just in need of a quiet companion.”

“…I found what you asked for last time.”

What I asked for? Lynette had to pause for a moment to think. As she carefully combed through her past memories, her thoughts suddenly halted at one point.

“Did you perhaps find the woman with bandaged hands?”

“…That’s correct.”

“That’s welcome news. Where?”

“…Near the greenhouse we saw before.”

As expected. Lynette furrowed her brows upon hearing Luth’s words.

Should she be relieved? The young lady of the Darrent Count family and former head maid of the Empress’s Palace was still alive within the Imperial Palace.

‘But she’ll probably act as if she never existed in the palace in the first place.’

That’s how she could carry out her secret work and errands in the greenhouse.

A noble lady from a family with almost no backing or remaining relatives. Moreover, with high loyalty to the imperial family, she must have caught Cledius’s eye. She would be very suitable for hiding and covering up secrets.

What on earth was happening in the greenhouse?

But before uncovering that, there was something that needed to be done first.

Lynette gently bowed her waist, expressing gratitude to Luth. As he rarely received thanks in this manner, Luth also had to bow his head in response.

“Thanks to you, I’ve solved a big problem. I’m truly grateful.”

“…What is today’s task?”

“We’re going to find an object.”

“…What kind…”

“A necklace. A locket, you know, a pendant used to commemorate by putting a photo or hair inside? The kind that can be opened sideways…”

Luth’s thoughts focused on one thing.

The metal locket pendant he had picked up on the day of the swordsmanship competition.

Luth slowly searched inside his clothes. Soon, a familiar locket pendant emerged from his bosom.

“…Here.”

Could this be what the maid was looking for? Worries plagued Luth’s mind, wondering if he had offered it too late, or what if it wasn’t the right one.

Could it be found this easily? Lynette received the pendant with half belief and half doubt.

The name engraved on the back was clearly ‘Kailem Western’.

Lynette jumped on the spot, throwing away all pretense of dignity. If possible, she wanted to express her joy by screaming, but given the location, she had to restrain herself.

“Oh my goodness! To find this here! We’ve just met, but I’m truly grateful, I love you!”

Instead, she chose to hug Luth tightly. Amidst the flood of exclamations starting with a love confession, Luth quietly muttered.

“…We’re not meeting for the first time.”

“Ah, s-sorry.”

She never dreamed of finding it this way. Lynette tried to hide her embarrassment. What could the consistently blue captain of the imperial guards have hidden inside?

Lynette suddenly felt curious. She had spent weeks searching for it, so taking a quick look wouldn’t hurt. Before Luth could stop her, she quickly opened the locket pendant.

The moon, which had been shrouded in clouds, revealed itself, gently illuminating the inside of the locket pendant.

“…Damn it.”

And Lynette’s face turned pale as she confirmed the contents inside. A harsh word involuntarily escaped her lips.