“Currently, the imperial family has been held by the Belcmere royal family for three hundred years. But before that, it belonged to the Veloda family, and even before that, it was the Antuan family’s. And before that, even before that……. ”

‘Oh no. I can’t remember.’

Liz, wondering if the effect of the magic had worn off, repeated it in her mind.

‘Pardelio Hysclum.’
“…… Anyway, what is certain is that there was considerable chaos during each family’s succession period. Invasions by foreign nations were frequent, and the territory continued to shrink. You all know that the current empire’s territory is barely more than two-thirds of what it was in the early imperial era, right? If there is a change in the Belcmere family to another lineage, it will probably be reduced by half at that time.”

‘Pardelio Hysclum.’

“Did you hear that the neighboring country, the Tarendis Kingdom, declared that it would rise to become an empire? The country, which was just a small kingdom, became like that in just a hundred years. The reason they could grow in power was not because they were wealthy or had excellent tactics. It was because of the lack of internal cracks. In any case, a country’s decline is not due to external forces. So……. ”

Liz felt relieved. She could now manage to resolve the sudden blunder she made.

“It all depends on all of you. If you unite your strength, Ruzensia will continue to dominate this continent as the absolute powerhouse even a thousand years from now. Otherwise, it will remain as an example of the rise and fall of a once prosperous nation, occupying a page in the historical archives.”

“…….”

A silence fell, so heavy it felt like the breath was being choked.

No one spoke, ate, or drank. No one moved.

Everyone’s expression seemed to have frozen, as if they had all been shocked in the head.

Seeing that, Liz suddenly regained her senses.

‘What… what did I just do?’

It felt like returning from the possessed cross-dresser to the low-esteem Liz Berium.

She felt an intense desire to crawl under the dining table.

While contemplating whether she should make or stop a toast to break the frozen atmosphere,

Clap, clap, clap.

The sound of applause was heard.

It came from her left.

Her left was Hershys’s seat.

When the emperor started applauding, everyone else followed, clapping uproariously.

It was a resounding applause echoing through the banquet hall.

Relieved, some clapped half-heartedly, but most of them were genuine in their actions. Some even clapped as if the applause would burst.

Liz couldn’t figure out how to interpret the reactions people showed.

Did I do something deserving of applause? No, I couldn’t even remember what I said. It seemed like I just blabbered nonsense.

With uncertainty, Liz’s wandering gaze suddenly stopped at one place.

Montaner, the Duke’s cup…

‘It’s empty!’

It was clear that she had drunk something during her amateurish speech.

Liz examined the Duke’s expression. His complexion was stiff.

But it didn’t seem to be because of poison. The way he smiled and applauded as soon as their eyes met conveyed satisfaction.

‘What did I do? I must have done something unnecessary.’

Feeling disappointed, Liz sat back in her seat.

Suddenly, her gaze stopped at one place under the table.

There was a large hand gently grasping her hand.
Even amidst the thunderous applause, his low voice resonated clearly.

“There’s no need to go as far as the two seasons, is there? It seems I’ve firmly established my position with this.”

Bang.

The carriage door opened with such force that the butler staggered as it hit him.

However, Damian Montaner descended without a word of apology, stretching his long legs and firmly landing on the ground.

His steps on the cobblestones were fast and rough. The crescent moon reflected in the red-stained night sky was eerie, like a sinister scythe.

“Your Excellency.”

The butler hurriedly followed, reporting on the events at the Grand Duke’s residence over the day, but the Grand Duke paid no attention.

His mood was reaching its worst.

‘Liz Berium.’

Recalling the virgin name of the future Empress, he bit his lower lip.

‘I knew it wasn’t ordinary. But to mock her in that position was unexpected.’

Moreover, the speech itself was astonishing.

The words and logic were amateurish, yet there was a strange corner that elicited a response.

Even the councilors were enchanted.

‘Well, those boring old men love things like history, tradition, and lineage.’

The Grand Duke remembered the changing gaze of the councilors as Liz’s speech progressed.

‘If she intentionally spoke like that, that woman is really cunning, surprisingly clever. Indeed worthy of Hershys’s attention.’

But it wasn’t just Hershys’s attention.

It caught Montaner, the Grand Duke’s attention, in a slightly different way.

‘If she sent some herbal potion or something for me to examine, it wouldn’t work.’

He mentally wrote Liz’s name in his hit list next to Hershys’s name.

But he also had principles.

Handling a woman required maximum caution and care.

‘How should I deal with this high-born woman?’

He was thinking hard while walking when he suddenly came to a halt.

Then the butler who was walking behind him almost stabbed his broad back with his nose.

“Aaron.”

The Grand Duke called out to his retainer into the void.

Then a shadow stretched out from the darkness, stopping near the Grand Duke.

“Bring one person here quietly tomorrow morning. No one should know.”

“Yes, Your Excellency. Whom should I bring?”

The Grand Duke’s lips curled smoothly.

“Claire Berium.”