The banquet was in full swing.

Colorful fireworks exploded with loud bangs, beautifully embroidering the night sky.

The fireworks visible through the large windows and the violin performance by the band heightened the excitement of the party attendees.

Clink!

The people in the banquet hall all laughed and clinked their wine glasses at once.

“She’s truly a great beauty as rumored, isn’t she? If His Highness the Crown Prince hadn’t declared her his mistress, there could have been a fight among men over that woman.”

A middle-aged man with a flushed face smacked his lips regretfully. A young man standing next to him answered while twirling the wine glass in his hand.

“Who knows. Since Duke Gredrick took her away, things might change again.”

“Well, seeing that he went out and hasn’t returned yet, it seems Duke Gredrick is also fond of that woman.”

“It would be better to lower your voice. His Highness the Crown Prince doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.”

While people were in high spirits, only Jeremy, sitting languidly on the golden chair on the platform, was emanating a gloomy aura unbefitting the protagonist of the banquet.

Some nobles approached to offer congratulatory words, but Jeremy barely listened to them.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday. I look forward to the day you ascend to the throne.”

“…”

“When Your Highness ascends to the throne, the empire will surely stabilize.”

Instead of looking at the noble flattering him, Jeremy continued to pour strong wine down his throat.

His gaze was fixed on the entrance of the banquet hall. People whispered behind his back at his behavior of quite openly waiting for Celiya to arrive.

“His Highness must be quite impatient.”

“It’s been well over two hours since the two of them left, hasn’t it?”

“Even so, shouldn’t His Highness pay more attention to those attending the banquet? He’s soon to become the Emperor…”

The ladies who were aiming for the position of Crown Princess returned to their original seats with deflated expressions, and Balt, who was leaning obliquely against a pillar, was yawning languidly as if the banquet was boring.

Jeremy felt like his insides were twisting. He said it would only take a moment, but it seemed they hadn’t returned even after two hours.

Gabriel was also in a foul mood. Just when she thought it was good that Celiya had fallen to become the Crown Prince’s plaything in the name of a mistress, she left the banquet hall with Ileon.

“Is it because she’s from the streets? She still has the habit of flirting with men.”

As Gabriel uttered vulgar words, Hariel nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

“With such a loose bottom. Maybe she’s actually met with men several times before?”

“It might really be as Mother said. Perhaps her chastity was already compromised even before she was adopted into our family.”

For an unmarried woman to be unchaste was a tremendous flaw in noble society. Gabriel whispered with Hariel, disparaging Celiya as easily as breathing.

“Since she’s become His Highness the Crown Prince’s mistress without any room for argument, if it’s discovered that she’s not chaste, she might be thrown out tonight itself.”

Gabriel was already thinking of denying any knowledge if such a thing were to happen.

‘She’s entered the Imperial Palace, but is there no way to create a connection with Dietrich somehow?’

The Dietrich she had longed to see so much didn’t show even a strand of hair, and only unremarkable young nobles occasionally showed interest in her, subtly asking questions about Celiya.

Meanwhile, Jeremy, who had been drinking strong wine consecutively, started to feel his vision blur. He had drunk more than his usual capacity because he felt stuffy inside.

“One more glass.”

The aide standing next to Jeremy tried to stop him, unable to bear it any longer.

“Your Highness, this is already the second bottle. Perhaps you should restrain yourself a bit…”

“Did you not hear me say I want one more glass?”

At Jeremy’s words, the aide reluctantly poured the wine. As soon as the red wine filled the glass to some extent, Jeremy downed it in one gulp.

“Your Highness, if you’re not feeling well, perhaps it would be better to rest now…”

Before the aide could finish speaking, Jeremy threw the wine glass in his hand against the wall.

Crash!

With a sharp sound, the shattered remains of the glass scattered on the floor.

The violin sound being played by the band stopped, and the noisy banquet hall became as quiet as a mouse.

People looked at each other in bewilderment.

“Are you daring to disrespect me? As you can see, I’m in perfectly fine condition.”

Jeremy’s irritated voice echoed loudly through the banquet hall.

A heavy silence continued for a moment. In the silence, Jeremy abruptly stood up from his seat.

As soon as he stood up, Jeremy staggered. The aide quickly approached to support him.

“Let go! I can go alone.”

Jeremy shook off the aide’s arm and stumbled out of the banquet hall.

Watching this, Balt shook his head.

He hadn’t been like this when seen at official occasions a few times before.

At Jeremy’s unusual behavior, the people in the banquet hall all whispered among themselves.

Celiya closely examined the vial she had received from Ileon. The transparent liquid contained in the vial looked no different from water, no matter how much she looked at it.

“What’s in this vial… Is it perhaps poison?”

To Celiya’s question, Ileon replied in a cheerful voice.

“To be precise, it’s a poison that ruins the face of the recipient. Even consuming a small amount makes the face melt horribly.”

“…”

Celiya’s fine brow furrowed instantly.

“I can’t use something like this. I’ll give it back to you.”

Celiya returned the vial to Ileon. Looking at the poison that had returned to his hand, Ileon tilted his head.

“Why not, Lady Celiya? There might come a time when this is absolutely necessary.”

“Even if such a time comes, I don’t want to use such a cowardly means.”

It would be better to resolve it with her own ability instead. She didn’t want to harm people by using such poison.

This was contrary to her beliefs as a princess.

“I hope you won’t use this poison on anyone else.”

At Celiya’s words, Ileon let out a low laugh and raised one corner of his mouth.

“Who do you think I would use it on?”

“…I can’t know that.”

Celiya felt uncomfortable with Ileon.

Thanks to him, she realized that Dietrich had an ability, but for some reason, she couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.

Whether it was because he hid his true intentions behind a seemingly gentle smile, or because he might really be the one who destroyed her kingdom.

-If you let your guard down, you’ll be torn apart without a single piece of flesh left.

‘Why is this person trying to drive a wedge between me and Dietrich?’

Celiya wasn’t confident she could discern whether the person in front of her was her enemy or not just by seeing him for one day.

If Dietrich was like an untamed beast, Ileon was like a snake that beguiled people.

There would be opportunities to confirm it even if not today. So Celiya brought up leaving first.

“It’s getting late, so we should return to the banquet hall.”

“Lady Celiya.”

Ileon called out to Celiya with a slight smile.

“Before you go, let me ask you one thing. Would you sacrifice the pawn, or would you sacrifice the queen?”

Celiya tilted her head at the inexplicable question.

“Are you talking about chess now?”

“Yes. Just answer this one thing. Will you sacrifice the pawn? Or will you sacrifice the queen?”

The pawn is the lowest rank on the chessboard, and the queen is the most important piece after the king, so isn’t it obvious to sacrifice the pawn? Celiya thought it was a truly strange question.

“If it were me, I would sacrifice the pawn.”

At those words, Ileon blinked a few times and then smiled, his eyes curving into crescents.

“Good answer. Shall we go back now?”

Ileon held out his hand. Celiya hesitated before taking it.

Ileon’s hand, as she grasped it, was still cold.

The two quickly left the garden. The palace where the banquet was being held was still brightly lit, indicating that the party was in full swing.

Just before entering the banquet hall, Celiya encountered someone she had become familiar with seeing.

The faint moonlight settled on hair as black as ebony.

The red pupils set within distinct features seemed to hold indifference, as if uninterested in anything in this world.

A sharp nose bridge and broad shoulders, a firm body hidden under a black uniform without a single wrinkle.

It was Dietrich.

Dietrich was silently looking down at Ileon and Celiya’s clasped hands.

Ileon casually smiled and spoke to Dietrich first.

“General, no. I should say Duke Calypso now. Do you have something to say to me?”

“…Duke Gredrick.”

Dietrich slowly opened and closed his eyes once, then looked at Ileon and said.

“It seems I don’t need to go into the banquet hall. His Highness the Crown Prince has retired to his chambers early, drunk on wine.”

“Ah, thank you for telling me. However…”

Ileon placed his free hand on Dietrich’s shoulder and added.

“Your speech has become quite short in the time we haven’t seen each other.”

Celiya thought Ileon was quite strange. Why did he use honorifics with her, who was much lower in status, while speaking informally to Dietrich?

“…Well, I’d like to rest now.”

At Celiya’s words, Dietrich held out his arm as if he had been waiting.

“I’ll escort you from here, Celiya.”

Celiya changed her mind. Ileon was strange, but Dietrich was also unusually strange today.

Usually he would speak informally, but now he was using honorifics because Ileon was present.

When Celiya gave him a look as if to say ‘What on earth are you doing?’, Dietrich ignored her gaze and gently enveloped Celiya’s other hand, saying,

“You’re not going to enter His Highness the Crown Prince’s chambers, are you.”