99. Prey

2024.01.07.

“Your Grace! What’s wrong?”

“Your Grace!”

A small commotion broke out from behind the crowd.

Duke Celentina tore off the triple-layered golden neck ornament he was wearing and further loosened the already slack clothing around his neck.

“Guh! Ugh… It’s nothing, don’t make a fuss!”

He was deathly pale, searching for the sudden choking sensation in an old illness he used to suffer from.

The western region must be suffering from a severe shortage of physicians.

Yuan spotted a noblewoman approaching the commotion with quick steps from where the ladies had gathered in small groups.

“Is that lady Duchess Celentina?”

Bollonico, who had been pretending to recognize the northern visitors from afar, turned his gaze to where Yuan was gesturing with a tilt of his chin.

Seeing the emaciated noblewoman launch into a long lecture blaming her husband’s sudden suffering on excessive drinking, Bollonico briefly frowned.

“Sharp-eyed as ever. Do you know her? Don’t get too close with Duchess Celentina—she’s a tough woman.”

Yuan thought perhaps Duchess Celentina might recognize her too, if she looked closely enough.

After all, that sensitive, headache-prone noblewoman had been a regular patient at Garrett Pelliese’s side clinic.

Just seeing her made Yuan instinctively feel as though her own headache had been transferred, and she quickly turned her head away.

To Duke Celentina, husband of that noblewoman, Yuan had pushed the suffering of one of the people she had brought to Bollonico.

When the attendant managing that place suddenly yanked the leash, the pain had been absorbed—surely a rather shocking experience.

While moving in and out of Bollonico’s palace, Yuan had practiced her ability by matching the pain she collected from ‘Bollonico’s Heaven’ with those who had offered it.

With Bollonico explaining diligently, identifying the rightful owners of the pain was like eating cold porridge.

To Yuan, this Glory Hall was now a vast training ground for honing her ability.

This was the first time practicing so many times in succession, and Yuan had pushed herself. She didn’t know when she’d ever get such an opportunity again.

To her, everyone fawning over Bollonico appeared as prey.

Yuan tested her ability step by step, ranging from the slightest pain to far greater suffering than she’d practiced on Bollonico before.

She began to feel her body reaching its limit when she poured the pain of a hairless cat that had been kicked hard in the stomach into a western official who had brought it as an offering.

Just as Bollonico stared at Yuan, who suddenly froze and began coughing, Marquis Companni pushed through the crowd and whispered into his ear.

“Marquis Rev, his sons, and the Rochsenhart carriage have just passed the capital checkpoint and are heading this way.”

Upon hearing this, Bollonico immediately wiped away his picture-perfect smile.

“The monster must be on that carriage.”

He lowered his face toward Marquis Companni so the crowd couldn’t see, whispering.

His nervously twitching eyes flashed sharply.

Yuan, too, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, pretending to stop coughing, and strained her ears toward them.

But Marquis Companni and Bollonico quickly whispered among themselves, using the surrounding voices as a shield.

After exchanging a glance with Bollonico, Marquis Companni gave a crisp bow and even forced a smile toward Yuan before disappearing.

“Where is Marquis Companni going?”

“Why? Afraid you’ll kill your brother-in-law right away?”

Bollonico whispered with dark eyes.

He still wore an equal smile for the people crowding around him, but answered Yuan coldly.

“Don’t worry. Even Bollonico isn’t in a position to kill him right now. I’ll give you plenty of time to reunite with your ex-husband.”

Bollonico naturally placed his hand on Yuan’s waist, where her back was considerably exposed.

His nearly healed arm twitched several times as if aching again, and he glared at the still-empty imperial seat.

“Even the father who created this party hasn’t arrived yet. With the main character—the monster—absent, people seem confused about whom to fawn over, don’t they?”

News of Clade’s entry into the capital apparently hadn’t reached only them.

Seeing murmurs spreading among nobles who had their own information networks, Bollonico immediately reacted, scanning the surroundings sharply.

“Since the Emperor isn’t here, Bollonico will take charge and tighten discipline a bit. Try to survive well until then.”

Enjoying the pouring attention, Bollonico straightened his back and resumed greeting people one by one, then escorted Yuan to Empress Marilyn’s group before vanishing like the wind.

***

The Empress was busy too.

Since the Emperor hadn’t arrived, several groups of noblewomen lingered nearby, fanning themselves, eager to make an impression on the Empress.

Yuan stood stiffly near Tasha, who was positioned behind the Empress.

The noblewomen seemed startled by Yuan’s appearance but didn’t dare gossip openly before the Empress.

Clearly, the Empress had firmly instructed everyone on why Yuan was staying in the palace and suppressed any murmurs.

Yuan pressed a handkerchief to her forehead, damp with cold sweat from overusing her ability.

Fortunately, this appearance—though lavishly dressed—seemed fitting for a frail former Crown Princess’s consort recuperating in the palace, so it didn’t appear out of place.

The closer the moment of meeting Clade felt, the more Yuan’s heart swelled and deflated within her body.

Wanting to ease her tension through any conversation, Yuan silently stayed by the Empress for a while, then approached Noel, who had briefly stepped aside.

“Hmm?”

Then, sensing a piercing gaze, she turned her head—only to see Tasha quickly snap hers away.

Completely unaware that a woman’s heart had been deeply wounded, Noel greeted Yuan as if relieved to see her alive.

Judging by his completely pale face, merely being with Tasha had already terrified him.

“B-b-brother, where did you go—”

“Can the one soon to inherit the throne only guard the side of the former Crown Princess’s consort? He’s already busy greeting people earnestly.”

Yuan subtly pointed the tip of her fan, which she had been waving near her face, toward Bollonico.

When she was with Yuan, he only greeted clearly allied people, but as they moved away from the center, the expressions of those approaching Bollonico grew awkward—suggesting they weren’t truly his loyal followers.

Yuan made an effort to memorize their faces well.

If they weren’t Bollonico’s people, they were likely not enemies of Clade either.

As Yuan’s gaze continued to follow Bollonico’s trail, Noel stole glances at her daring appearance, still not fully accustomed to it, then asked hesitantly.

“A-a-a-are you disappointed?”

“Yes. But he’ll come find me soon enough.”

If Clade arrived, Bollonico would surely parade Yuan around even more conspicuously as his trophy.

At Yuan’s cold smile, dozens of questions flashed across Noel’s face before vanishing instantly.

Such an honest person.

Even though they had agreed not to pry into each other’s circumstances and simply coexist peacefully during their stay, fleeting surges of anger and curiosity still clearly showed on his face.

Yuan deliberately ignored Noel’s expression and wiped away more cold sweat.

No matter how close she grew to Noel, she would only do what she needed to do.

Even if Noel were someone Yuan could trust one hundred percent and she revealed every detail of her situation.

Even if, absurdly, Noel then fully decided to help her destroy her full-blooded brother and his supporters.

Yuan still couldn’t reveal all her secrets. For example, that she was terminally ill.

This kind-hearted prince might not be able to bear the sorrow of knowing his new friend would soon die.

Perhaps even this—how much he resembled Clade Euphris. Yuan swallowed a bitter smile and changed the subject.

“You still haven’t reconciled with Miss Tasha, it seems. The second half will start soon—what do you plan to do?”

“I—I took all my medicine for two days.”

Noel mumbled that he hadn’t even met Tasha’s eyes throughout the event.

“I—I practiced a lot.”

“The Empress formally introduced Miss Tasha to me today. If an opportunity arises, shall I quietly create a moment for you? So you can say what you’ve practiced.”

Even though she hadn’t gotten any closer to Tasha Kimfri at all.

Yuan decided to hide her true feelings and give Noel an answer he’d appreciate.

Again, his condition was largely psychological.

“C-c-can you really do that?”

“Of course.”

“Y-you—you look very unwell today… I was worried.”

“Miss Tasha looks healthy, though.”

“I—I—I mean you, Yuan.”

The elegantly curved corner of Yuan’s mouth, like a finely crafted doll’s, stiffened abruptly.

Worried, deep purple eyes gazed steadily at Yuan.

“You seem more tense than usual. Y-you look extremely nervous. Y-you appear so frail, as if you might collapse any moment.”

At this sincere concern, Yuan quietly took a deep breath.

The pounding heartbeat she had tried to ignore seemed to reverberate through her head.

The fine down on her exposed shoulders repeatedly stood on end and settled down.

Was it because she was facing Bollonico’s people?

Because she might meet the mad Emperor today?

Because she was tensing up along with Noel, fearing he wouldn’t be able to speak smoothly to Tasha?

No.

It wasn’t.

“Count Rochsenhart entering!”

A large bell rang three times, announcing the protagonist’s arrival, and finally the second-floor entrance of Glory Hall swung wide open.

Yuan slowly raised her gaze, following Noel, who stood with mouth agape and head tilted upward.

The man who was the master of tonight’s event—and who now held her fate in his hands—was walking toward the balcony overlooking the second-floor landing.