Duke Martens continued to wait for the right moment to put sleeping powder into Prince Tesler’s wine glass, but the opportunity didn’t present itself easily.

As time passed, the Duke’s anxiety grew.

‘How can I give such an order?’

He thought inwardly while looking at Prince Tesler in front of him.

Rams was the son of Prince Norton, but he was also the son of my younger sister, Princess Lyselia.

Although he wanted to deny this situation, claiming it was a mistake made under the influence of alcohol, the problem was that he was dealing with Tesler.

If the prince ordered his knights to command the assassination guild to investigate the palace, it might take some time, but there was a high chance they would locate Rams by tomorrow morning.

Therefore, he needed to quickly move Rams to a place beyond the reach of the assassination guild.

But was there such a place?

Except for the Laphion Palace.

Thinking of a safe place, Duke Martens quietly shook his head.

Even if Rams were brought to the palace, there was no one he could trust with him.

Even though he wasn’t intoxicated, the Duke’s mind was becoming a mess.

“Your Highness, it seems you are drinking too much. It’s time to stop…”

“My stomach is bubbling, and there are days when I can’t help but drink too much. Martens, why haven’t you emptied your glass?”

Prince Tesler pointed at the Duke’s wine glass with an unsatisfied look.

“If I were to follow your pace, I’d have to crawl out of this room. Don’t you know? Whether it’s drinking or anything else, I always end up broken when competing with you. Especially in swordsmanship.”

Duke Martens intentionally matched the prince’s preferences.

Upon this, Prince Tesler burst into satisfied laughter.

“Stay put. Well, not only should we drink, but I should also ask for something to eat.”

Feeling happy with Duke Martens’ flattery, Prince Tesler rang the bell.

When the bell did not receive an immediate response, he got up from the sofa, staggering.

“We must find these before it’s too late.”

“I will go and fetch them.”

Duke Martens supported the prince, saying, “Oh, well. It seems I’m drunk now. Keep drinking until I return!”

Ignoring the Duke’s hand, Prince Tesler crawled to the door himself, opened it, and went out.

Finally, the opportunity had come.

Duke Martens hurriedly searched his formalwear pocket and took out the powdered sleeping pills he had obtained from the ‘Dignified Night’ clinic.

Although it was regrettable that the pills had run out, he had brought powdered sleeping pills just in case, and he never expected to use them like this.

Without hesitation, the Duke poured all the powdered sleeping pills into Prince Tesler’s wine glass.

Perhaps because it was powder, the sleeping pills disappeared without a trace as soon as they mixed with the red wine.

He quickly poured the wine in his glass into a large vase on a table in one corner.

When the door creaked again, the Duke, feeling slightly intoxicated, leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes.
“Martens, it’s already getting difficult. Even if I get drunk, I won’t fall asleep just by drinking. That’s my nature.”

Prince Tesler chuckled as he lifted his glass and took a long sip of the wine mixed with a sleeping pill.

Duke Martens, who had opened his eyes discreetly, looked at him and met the prince’s gaze.

“Oh, is your glass empty? It seems we’re out of wine as well. Let’s share this before bringing in new wine.”

Prince Tesler poured about a third of the wine, mixed with a considerable amount of sleeping pills, into the Duke’s glass.

‘Damn it!’

Duke Martens tried not to show his emotions.

‘If it goes like this, my plan to put Tesler to sleep and go to Prince Norton will be ruined…’

“What are you doing? Not drinking? Oh, we should toast.”

Handing the Duke a wine glass, Prince Tesler clinked glasses, saying, “To our friendship!”

Both of them downed the wine in one go.

Duke Martens continued to hold the wine in his mouth without swallowing.

“Today, the wine tastes sweet, doesn’t it? Don’t you think? Am I the only one feeling that way, Martens? Are you ignoring me?”

Due to the prince’s insistence, the Duke had no choice but to swallow the wine.

Gulp. The bastard.

“Yes.”

In the end, Duke Martens also drank the wine with the sleeping pills.

‘Considering the amount I drank, Tesler should fall asleep first.’

A few minutes later, servants brought in new wine and some light snacks.

‘I feel like my mind is getting hazy, but why is that brat still fine?’

Duke Martens, trying not to lose consciousness, kept his eyes wide open.

When Prince Tesler saw the new wine, he clapped his hands, pouring himself another glass.

“Today, the wine sticks to the mouth.”

As Prince Tesler placed the wine bottle on the table, he fell asleep as if fainting on the sofa.

“Ah… Our trash-like friendship finally comes to an end.”

Duke Martens, staggering, got up.

If he lingered here, he would likely fall asleep just like Tesler.

He needed to hurry to meet Prince Norton.