“The second prince must have seen Rayan, but he did, didn’t he?”

“Yes. Our eyes met when I entered.”

I knew it. That unfaithful second prince Beltran must have blushed, smirking.

Imagining Beltran’s face, I sipped the drink Rayan had given me, and my expression soured at the strange sweetness.

“Ugh.”

What on earth is this taste?

As I grimaced, Rayan, who had given me the drink, looked at the glass in my hand.

“Want to try?”

Obviously, I had only offered the glass as a joke… but Rayan took it and took a sip.

“It really tastes bad.”

I looked at Rayan, who was muttering softly, and found myself making a stupid expression.

‘It was a joke…’

I never thought he would really take the glass and try it.

‘He seems to be a bold person, unlike what he looks like. Maybe he’s the type who doesn’t mind using a cup someone else used?’

Thinking that way, my slightly surprised heart calmed down.

Well, yeah. We can share a drink like this.

Trying not to show that I was flustered, I was smiling as hard as I could when it happened.

“It’s been a long time, Lady Elodie.”

Turning my head at the sweet voice that reached me from the side,

‘Ah.’

I hurriedly managed my expression that was about to freeze.

“Yes, it has been a while. Lady Angelos.”

“Oh my, we agreed to call each other by our first names. I’d be sad if you kept your distance.”

“That’s right. Nice to see you, Dorothea.”

It was Dorothea Angelos.

It was the appearance of the infamous original villainess.

Unlike me, a supporting villainess who quickly exits the original, Dorothea persistently tormented Estel until the end.

Her pride in being a direct descendant of one of the four great families was not only high but also arrogant, and she tormented Estel, who dared to cling to Ferdia even though she was an orphan without any power.

I was in the same situation, but she didn’t make it obvious because she knew that at least half of Ferdia’s blood flowed in me.

With her hair and eyes the color of violets, she was pretty, but her eyes were fierce.

“Who’s this beside you? Will you introduce us?”

Dorothea hid her lips with a fan and shyly smiled with her eyes.

It seemed she was interested in Rayan. He was handsome.

It seems that there are exceptions even though she hates commoners so much.

“This is my partner, the mercenary Ian.”

“Nice to meet you, Ian. I’m Elodie’s friend. Wait, Ian? My goodness! Are you the Mercenary King Ian?”

Dorothea asked, her eyes wide as if she had just realized.

Rayan answered just as curtly with a blank expression.

“Yes.”

“You’re as reticent as the rumors say.”

“…….”

“It will be more fun to talk with me over there than staying in this corner with Elodie. Many people are curious about you.”

She wanted us to leave the corner and join her. That was her intention.

I wasn’t even angry at Dorothea’s blatant behavior. She was always such an arrogant person.

In any case, as my escort and partner, Rayan couldn’t leave my side.

It was just when I was going to watch their conversation with the excitement of watching a drama.

“It’s fine.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes.”
Dorothea laughed a bit nervously at the determined attitude of Reian.

It was a face that seemed to boil with competitiveness, one she often saw. The expression when wanting to grasp something desired.

It was usually dresses or jewels, but this time it seemed to be this man.

She touched her forehead and slightly staggered, extending one hand to Reian.

“I feel a little dizzy. Will you support me for a moment?”

Reian, who had briefly looked down at her hand, took it and supported her.

Dorothea looked at me with a triumphant expression. I was taken aback.

“…?”

What is she trying to do?

Does she think he’s her man just because he supported her once?

Dorothea laughed weakly and let go of Reian’s hand.

“Thank you, Ian. Thanks to you, my dizziness is gone.”

“Is that so?”

“I want to repay you somehow.”

“It’s fine.”

Reian, who had refused firmly, took a handkerchief from his pocket. Then he began to wipe my hand with it.

And then.

“…!”

He threw the handkerchief away in front of Dorothea.

Dorothea was surprised, and so was I.

“You, how rude!”

With her face turning red, she glared at Reian and me in turn before quickly turning around and disappearing into the crowd.

I was stunned by what had happened so suddenly.

‘He doesn’t care about using the cup I was using, but he throws away a handkerchief just because he held her hand?’

Isn’t it strange?

“Reian, what did you just do?”

“The lady said she has no friends.”

So, because Dorothea is not my friend, he did that?

What is this, a statement like a houseprotecting dog?

I looked up at Reian, who was calm after stirring up the house of Angelos, and chuckled, laughing.

“She’s not a friend, but….”

“Look at that.”

“But Dorothea is from the Angelos family; will it be okay?”

“I don’t care about that.”

You should care.

Somehow, it seemed that Angelos, who specialized in petty deeds, would retaliate against the Sky Horse Mercenary Group.

“It’s okay. Trust only me. I’ll protect you.”

I made a bold promise to Reian.

With the protection of Ferdia, even Angelos wouldn’t dare to mess with it.

Let’s count it as a price for showing the scene of putting Dorothea Angelos in her place right before my eyes.

Prince Adenmir’s office.

Adenmir, who had just dealt with a taxing issue, grabbed his stiff neck and looked up.

When he regained his senses, he saw that it was already dark outside.

“Take a break.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And by the way, isn’t today the day of the Empress’s banquet?”

“Yes.”

Looking in the direction of the hall where the banquet was taking place, Adenmir spoke after a moment of thought.

“Report to me immediately if anything happens to the princess. There will be much talk since she entered without a partner.”

It was natural to be talked about if she entered alone.

He had never considered Elodie’s situation before, but lately, he found himself caring.

He would have naturally thought that not attending as her partner today was understandable, but he couldn’t do that.

Adenmir didn’t think deeply about the reason.

‘I’ll have to visit and give her a gift soon. She liked accessories.’

Just as he was recalling the luxurious taste of Elodie, his aide called him cautiously.

“Your Highness, the Prince.”

“Yes.”

The aide glanced and then spoke carefully.

“The young lady entered the banquet with a partner this time.”

“…?”

“Beltran?”

He remembered Elodie smiling at the second prince, Beltran, at the Emperor’s birthday banquet.

“No, it was another man.”

“…Another man?”

Another man? What did that mean?

Adenmir chewed over the words while opening the documents again. He didn’t want to waste time on trivial thoughts.

After a few minutes…

Suddenly, he jumped up from his seat.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Yo, Your Highness?!”

Leaving the surprised aide behind, Adenmir headed straight to the hall where the banquet was in full swing.

‘I need to see what this guy looks like this time.’
Elodie’s unabashed behavior, not even trying to hide the fact that she had someone she liked, was astonishing.

Does she even have awareness of who she is?

No matter how much she wants a divorce, they are still officially engaged.

Soon, Prince Adenmir Presil Willeunt arrived at the entrance of the hall.

“Prince…….”

“That’s enough.”

Rejecting any attempts to make his position known, Prince Adenmir Presil Willeunt looked for someone among the elaborately dressed people.

His gaze landed on an inconspicuous edge of the hall.

Prince Adenmir Presil Willeunt’s face gradually hardened.

“……’That’ is what again?”

Indeed, his fiancée was with a strange man.

They were facing each other affectionately, even smiling.

He had never seen her smile like that before.

Yes, she had never made that face even to Beltran.

This time, Prince Adenmir Presil Willeunt was certain.

His fiancée was cheating on him.