As the Second Prince contorted his eyes in apparent displeasure, the nobles naturally fixed their gazes on the floor.

In the banquet hall, which was like walking on thin ice, they could make one assumption.

The reasonable suspicion that the Second Prince might have harmed someone before entering the banquet hall.

However, Marquis Würetti seemed completely unconcerned, merely joking around.

“Hmm, is that so?”

“I believe his name was Baron Catlos.”

At Benjamin’s words, Bleon, who had been standing silently behind the marquis, personally corrected him.

“You must be referring to Viscount Kettlerus.”

Viscount Kettlerus, from a provincial noble background, was a neutral force who had recently risen rapidly to become a central noble.

Though called neutral, as a loyal subject, he often offered advice to the Emperor.

“Then… did you perhaps go hunting before entering?”

The question everyone wanted to ask flowed calmly from Marquis Würetti’s lips.

Hunting was often used as a euphemism, and it was also a question about whether he had harmed the viscount.

“Of course not. I just thought the viscount should take a rest for a while.”

Benjamin raised one corner of his mouth. It was a roundabout way of saying he had done just enough to prevent the viscount from being active in politics.

That statement was enough to feel like an unspoken pressure to the nobles who were listening to the conversation between the two.

To submit and yield if they didn’t want to face retaliation.

Witnessing this absurd scene, Roina tightly clenched her trembling hands.

She was chilled by the Second Prince’s appearance, which didn’t miss expectations, or perhaps far exceeded them.

Benjamin’s gaze, while conversing with Marquis Würetti, suddenly turned to the woman beside him.

“Anyway, my partner seems quite shocked.”

“I… I’m fine.”

The marquis, glancing at Aila’s pale complexion, momentarily made a displeased expression before composing himself.

“Congratulations on your entry into society, Aila.”

Marquis Würetti firmly held his daughter’s hand with a face that seemed to love her dearly.

“…Thank you, Father.”

Aila, whose expression had been hardened throughout, seemed to take a deep breath before showing a bright smile.

Benjamin, who had been watching the Würetti father and daughter with apparent interest, chuckled and said to the nobles.

“What are you all doing? Hurry and enjoy the banquet.”

˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗

Roina watched her father with tense eyes from a distance.

Marquis Würetti showed no difference from his usual attitude, not revealing his intentions.

From what she had heard, the Emperor did not want the existence of the prophecy book to be revealed to the public.

That’s why the marquis had been able to secure the marriage between his daughter and Duke Asheter.

Having already concluded the contract, the two could not disclose anything about the prophecy book.

‘But why can Father be so confident?’

Perhaps the marquis held another key besides the prophecy book.

What that was, she needed to find out from now on.

While Roina was lost in thought, the trumpet sound of the brass band echoed loudly once more.

The Emperor and Empress of the Noxtan Empire had appeared in the banquet hall.

The nobles all bowed their heads, showing respect to the holy masters of the empire.

“Holy light to the Noxtan Empire. We greet the Emperor and Empress, the prophet of Noxtan and the owner of sacred glory.”

Seated at the high seat with his wife, Cedric broke the silence with a dignified voice.

“Everyone may raise their heads.”

At those words, the nobles slowly raised their heads.

The Emperor, quite different from his usual demeanor, wore a solemn look in his eyes.

In contrast, Benjamin, finding something amusing, let out a laugh and approached the throne fearlessly.

“It seems you’ve been well, brother.”

Despite his half-brother’s impertinent greeting, Cedric answered softly without showing any emotion.

“Yes, it’s good to see a welcome face after so long.”

At this, Benjamin, tilting his head to the side and raising one eyebrow, gloated.

“I didn’t expect you to welcome me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I almost misunderstood that you wanted me to remain buried in the south.”

“First, it would be good to do something about the reeking smell of blood.”

The nobles, moving restlessly, observed the Kaldebaum brothers.

At the same time, looking at the two confronting each other, they seemed to be rapidly calculating.

Whether to follow the current Emperor, based on intellectual governance, or to align with the Second Prince, based on force governance.

However, there was no one who would carelessly speak in the current situation.

No matter who the opponent was, if one spoke wrongly, their tongue might be cut off.

“It would be nice to catch up between brothers after so long.”

Unlike his benevolent smile, the Emperor’s eyes were not at all so.

In the ominous atmosphere, Benjamin twisted the corner of his mouth upward.

“Catching up with my brother, I’m greatly looking forward to it.”

Standing silently by his side, Aila finally left the banquet hall weakly.

Watching her sister from afar, Roina momentarily lost her balance and staggered, but Conrad supported her.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes… I’m fine.”

Nodding slightly, Roina moved a step away from him.

Then, with a slightly trembling voice, she asked.

“May I go speak with Aila for a moment? It won’t take long.”

Staring at her intently, Conrad soon nodded.

“…Go ahead.”

With his permission, Roina hurriedly followed her sister.

˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗

While searching for her sister in the cool night air, Roina stopped her steps at a sound coming from the rear garden.

Ugh—.

Following the source of the sound, she found Aila sitting down in a deserted spot, as expected.

With a pale complexion, she was bent over, dry heaving.

Aila, who must have had high expectations for her debutante ball, would have been greatly shocked by the ominous situation.

‘Today must have been very overwhelming for you.’

Looking at her sister with worried eyes, Roina’s face grew increasingly somber.

Was it because the actions Benjamin might have shown in front of Aila were vivid in her mind? Her hands involuntarily clenched into fists.

Trying to calm herself, Roina approached her and handed her a handkerchief.

“Aila, are you alright?”

The fact that the Second Prince had a ferocious temperament was known to everyone in the Noxtan Empire.

However, confirming it with one’s own eyes was another matter entirely.

“Sister….”

Seeing her sister who looked like she might collapse at any moment, Roina’s insides burned black.

Gently holding Aila’s cold hand, she composed her voice before speaking.

“It must have been hard… enduring by his side.”

“That person is completely insane. He’s not in his right mind!”

Aila briefly explained what had happened before entering the banquet hall.

She said the incident with the viscount occurred instantaneously while she was being escorted by the Second Prince.

Biting her thumbnail and trembling all over, Aila murmured softly.

“We never had a choice to begin with. Nothing will change as long as we are Father’s children.”

Feeling sorry for her sister with such a despairing expression, Roina embraced and comforted her.

“Don’t worry, Aila. I’ll… talk to our brother.”

Marquis Würetti had given his eldest daughter a year to bring results in either direction.

However, he would surely try to use Aila by other means as well.

Therefore, Roina also needed to think of another way to counter her father.

‘The confidential documents I have won’t be enough to negotiate with Father.’

That’s why she had considered consulting with Bleon.

Though he couldn’t take action due to his position as the family heir, Bleon would surely stand up for his youngest sister.

At least by discussing with him, she believed they could find a way to persuade their father.

“Sister, I’m sorry….”

“What are you sorry for?”

Helping Aila up, Roina deliberately added in an affectionate voice.

“It’s not your fault, so you don’t need to feel diminished. Besides, today is your debutante day.”

As if Roina’s wish for her sister to feel at least a little better had been granted, Aila nodded slightly.

“Yes, I’ll do that.”