The icy cold voice gently blanketed the gathering in an instant. Simultaneously, the prince’s hand, which had been about to lift the petticoat and caress the b*ttocks, froze.

“What is it, High Priest?”

“Since this is a formal occasion welcoming representatives from another country, perhaps I should briefly introduce our dignified Imperial Ballet to those present. The performance seems about to begin.”

Though not particularly loud, his refined voice was enough to draw attention and overwhelm the crowd at once. The corners of mouths that had been laughing raucously instantly fell. The high table became quiet as though doused with cold water. In that silence, only Shahan remained relaxed, narrowing his eyes and leisurely tilting his wine glass.

Those who had been rolling in political circles for decades understood Shahan’s intentions perfectly. Formality. Dignity. The Prince of Eodiphia should behave according to his status. Maintain princely decorum and majesty. Stop the unseemly behavior of groping a maid. Where have you sold your dignity?

…How undignified. In the political arena where every word, glance, and action was scrutinized, the High Priest Shahan silently recited these thoughts to Kenneth Eodiphia, the Second Prince of the great empire.

The bustling ambient noise and sweet classical melody felt incongruous. The delegation seated around the table and Duke Ksiphos didn’t dare speak loudly, glancing at each other cautiously. Duke Eden, a celestial being seated opposite Shahan, observed the situation without blinking an eye.

Just then, breaking the stone-like silence, Kenneth burst into laughter. His strong hand shoved my back, roughly throwing me to the floor. Pushed away by Kenneth, I limped as I quickly got to my feet.

“Ha… You’re right, High Priest. Indeed, you’re right a hundred, a thousand times over.”

Prince Kenneth, who had just turned thirty, drank a sip of alcohol with a benevolent smile.

Shahan’s cold gaze lingered briefly on me as I lay prostrate on the floor.

“As expected of our excellent High Priest. I showed excessive behavior due to the alcohol. I apologize to you all.”

Following Kenneth, the remaining people resumed their meal with artificial smiles.

I stayed by their side like a shadow until they finished dining. Eventually, the Black Swan performance began, and I used that time to clear the main dishes and bring out desserts. When I returned with seven dessert trays, Shahan’s seat was empty.

In the space that had relaxed considerably due to his absence, Duke Eden quietly spoke up. 

“Even for a High Priest, he remains beneath the royal family’s feet. Don’t you think you let him off too easily, Your Highness Prince Kenneth?”

“Well, he was speaking the truth.”

“Is that so?”

Duke Ksiphos, who had been eating dessert with his head bowed, looked at the two men alternately with anxious eyes.

“But you have a point. What just happened wasn’t something a mere priest should have stepped in to address.”

“Indeed. Moreover, that man who spoke of formality is rumored to embrace women every night. Yet he dares to personally interfere with Your Highness’s actions. The height of hypocrisy.”

Duke Eden, a pure celestial bloodline unlike Shahan who had snake blood mixed in, twisted his lips upward.

“Your Highness, do you know about the coming-of-age ceremony incident? Someone with impure intentions allegedly mixed beastkin aphrodisiac incense into the altar fire. That Shahan brought irrelevant evidence and brought the Second High Priest to trial. Of course, the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence… What a ridiculous character.”

“By the Second High Priest, do you mean Lord Sebril, who like you has pure celestial blood? Are you saying he was falsely accused?”

“The culprit could have been High Priest Sebril, or conversely, it could have been the First High Priest. No one knows the truth. Beastkin aphrodisiac incense—how blasphemous! This all happened because they appointed a High Priest with dirty beast blood.”

“Hmm.”

“His arrogance and insolent attitude grow more distasteful by the day.”

Duke Eden placed his interlocked hands on the table and smiled.

“I’m only concerned he might commit acts above his station even before the royal family. For instance, attempting to threaten the empire’s absolute monarchy.”

“…That’s true.”

I quietly stared at Shahan’s empty seat while eavesdropping on the entire conversation. Somehow… it felt like I’d heard an extremely dangerous exchange.

‘So what?’

I turned my head abruptly and busily resumed carrying food plates and clearing dirty dishes.

Although I’d received help earlier, what did I care what happened to the High Priest who had forcibly violated me? He might not have been helping me at all but simply acted that way because the prince’s behavior was unseemly.

The essential life guidelines for surviving long and thin that the head maid had taught me: Act blind even when you see, act mute even when you hear. Pretend not to know even when you do.

Trying to shake off the uneasy feeling, I continued moving plates as though nothing had happened.

* * *

“We have prepared various entertainments to serve the distinguished guests from Helcamber with the utmost care, so please enjoy yourselves.”

As the mood heightened with the dazzling performance of dancers that was impossible to look away from, they clinked their glasses again in good spirits. Shahan seemed to have returned to the High Temple as he was nowhere to be seen.

“We don’t know how to express our gratitude for the noble Prince’s consideration. Ah, I’ve noticed one seat has been empty for a while. If it’s not impolite, may I call in one of our people? There’s someone I’d like to introduce to Your Highness.”

The man who appeared to be the leader of the three delegation members seated in a row asked while checking the time.

“In our Eodiphia Empire, we don’t force attendance at banquets. Since Lord Rictusa is absent due to work, it would be fine to bring in a new face.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Eventually, a man with his face half-hidden by a black hood approached the table. With his tall stature, lithe body like a black panther, and all-black attire, he gave off the impression of an underworld figure rather than a nobleman.

Though seemingly cleverly concealed, he also appeared to be emitting a small amount of demonic energy.

I wasn’t the only one surprised by the appearance of this man who was completely at odds with the glittering banquet atmosphere. Duke Ksiphos gaped blankly, while Duke Eden imperceptibly contorted his eyebrows.

“He is a guard favored by His Majesty the Emperor of Helcamber. His Majesty bought off this former underworld figure long ago. He’s a capable man in charge of our safety and document security.”

“I am honored to meet Your Highness Prince Kenneth, the two stars of Eodiphia.”

The man removed his hood and paid his respects. Busy carrying dozens of food plates, I couldn’t properly see his face, but I caught a glimpse of what looked like deep wine-red hair.

“I see. Welcome.”

Artificial smiles were exchanged in an atmosphere of strange tension.

Those who had been rolling in political circles for decades understood the intentions of the enemy envoy who had brought an assassin to their side. Don’t take the Helcamber envoys lightly.

We have an excellent guard appointed by His Majesty the Emperor of Helcamber, so don’t harbor any foolish thoughts.

That must be the message. I set up silver tableware and water glasses for the new guest. As I approached, the man’s cool summer-tree body scent along with an artificial sweet fragrance tickled my nose.

Sniff, sniff. As I secretly inhaled that bittersweet smell, I was suddenly enveloped by a strange sense of déjà vu. I’d smelled this scent somewhere before…

When was it?

Ah, yes. It was the smell of a drug made by mixing dried Camora leaves and cocaine powder for inhalation. The actual drug smell wasn’t sweet at all but rather nauseating with a numbing sensation in the nose, but this drug had a sweet taste due to the fructose component unique to Camora leaves.

How did I know such things?

‘Well, because someone who always smoked Camora once recommended it to me. They said it would make s*x feel better.’

At that moment, a dull pain struck me as though I’d been hit on the head with a hammer. My heart sank. I stared intently at the back of the hooded man’s head, trembling as memories flooded my mind all at once.

[Vivi.]

[Will you come tomorrow night too? Promise me.]

A man whose body always carried the bittersweet scent of Camora.

The Princess’s night visitor who had seduced Kesera within just a few hours and spent the night with her, then came looking for me instead of the Princess the next day and held my body until morning.

That person who had disappeared without a trace afterward.

My heart pounded so loudly that my entire body seemed to throb.

Could it be my imagination? No, it was definitely the Camora scent. But there must be many people who smoke Camora. Come to think of it, this is an unreasonable leap. I simply became momentarily disoriented after smelling the body scent of a man I loved in the past.

Above all, how could the man I’ve been looking for suddenly be an envoy from an enemy country? That’s impossible.

Feeling foolishly excited for nothing, I shook my head vigorously and poured wine into the man’s glass. Still, I couldn’t help but keep glancing under his hood.

[Are you of mixed blood?]

I had asked him once. He had exotic features not seen in Eodiphia, yet he spoke the imperial language fluently like his mother tongue. That’s why I asked. Since Eodiphia was a closed country, I thought he couldn’t be a visitor.

The man before me now had the same deep wine-red hair and thin golden eyes as the person I remembered. Perhaps I could recognize him immediately if our eyes met, but the man kept his eyelashes, as deep red as his hair color, lowered.

I handed him a wet towel, and he took it, wiped his hands, and returned it to me.

Our gazes met briefly during this exchange.

Clatter.

After placing the empty teacup and wet towel on the tray, I headed to the kitchen with the cart.

* * *

“Hey, your name is Momo, right?”

The banquet, which had continued late into the night, was now reaching its final stages. Many people had left, and it was the intermission before the last performance. Taking advantage of the lull, I was massaging my swollen arms and legs with my colleagues in front of the kitchen.

At that moment, a boy I’d never seen before approached and plopped down beside me.

“I heard rumors. You’re Princess Kesera’s secret attendant, right? So what does this ‘secret’ attendant do beside the Princess every night?”

I didn’t respond.

“Look at that smooth skin. How generously must the Princess treat you for a mere attendant’s hands to be so soft, as though they’ve never touched water?”

The boy grabbed my hand firmly and rubbed it hard. When I slapped his hand away with a sharp sound, he twisted his lips, clearly offended.

“Come on, share a little. What exactly are you doing beside the Princess to live so comfortably without hardship? Damn, some of us are working our bones off for a pittance of a salary.”

My colleagues, who had been trembling while watching us, left one by one. Such treatment wasn’t new or surprising to me, but this boy’s attitude, causing trouble for those around us too, was deeply unpleasant.

“I hear Princess Kesera has an appetite for women too. Ah, could you be the Princess’s…?”

With a lewd smile, he wiggled his pinky finger in front of my eyes.