“My… It seems his mind and body are quite weak.”

Magnus leisurely observed the man falling to the floor as he murmured.

“It appears Viscount Lavie is unwell, it would be best to send him back to his estate.”

At Magnus’s words, several imperial employees approached and quickly supported Viscount Lavie, exiting the banquet hall.

The imperial servants were quite perceptive as they dealt with sensitive nobles.

Moreover, Duke Kelahinum, who had never shown anger before, had made a move.

Those who had picked up various bits of information quickly disappeared.

“We’ve wasted unnecessary time.”

Magnus muttered softly and slowly turned around.

The nobles’ gazes, which had been peeking at them, instantly turned elsewhere.

“If you’re curious about my wife, it would be better to ask me directly, don’t you think?”

“……”

“I believe you’ll do that.”

Magnus, who had spoken slowly, returned to Serena.

Serena looked at him with a troubled expression.

“Is this okay?”

“What do you mean? Whispering behind our backs is stranger and more disrespectful.”

Magnus answered calmly.

The reason Magnus had stepped forward in the first place was because he was trying to shape public opinion.

There could be ill feelings towards Serena.

He had no intention of praising what Serena had done without reservation.

Of course, that was about Serena from the time when she couldn’t be herself.

Even if the current Serena was blamed for what the fake Serena had done, even if she had to endure the criticism for it, doing this openly was tantamount to disrespecting him.

“Don’t make such a gloomy face, we can go back if you’re uncomfortable.”

“…You say we can go back?”

“Yes, attending the banquet was the job, and we’ve attended, so that’s enough.”

Without meeting the Crown Prince and Crown Princess?

Where in the world is there a banquet where you don’t meet the hosts before leaving?

Nevertheless, Serena knew the reason Magnus was saying this was for her sake.

“Yeah, thank you. But… um, it’s okay. I’m in a good mood today.”

Serena smiled faintly.

It feels strange that she doesn’t feel such a big shock even after hearing such words.

Feeling both uneasy and reassured, Serena tilted her head slightly.

“Maybe it’s because you’re here.”

“…Hmm.”

Magnus’s eyes narrowed slightly at Serena’s honest words.

He suddenly turned his head towards her and abruptly bent his upright upper body.

“Serena.”

“Huh?”

“Should we go back after all?”

“…No, we should still greet the person who invited us out of courtesy…”

“Come to think of it, it doesn’t seem that important.”

Magnus said indifferently.

Their nostrils almost touched as his face came close enough for their breaths to mingle.

“Marquis Irdin Lavernia and Young Marquis Nocturne Lavernia are entering!”

At the loud voice echoing through the banquet hall, Serena flinched and pushed Magnus’s shoulder away.

Their lips, which were about to touch as if they were about to kiss, instantly moved apart.

Serena, who had turned bright red, waved her hands in the air a couple of times, not knowing what to do with them, and then buried her face in her palms, bowing her head deeply.

“You know we’re outside, right?”

“Mm.”

Magnus shrugged and watched the two people from the Lavernia family walk in, stepping on the carpet of the banquet hall.

They walk straight towards where Serena is.

As Magnus slightly blocked in front of Serena, the eyebrows of the approaching Marquis Lavernia twitched slightly.

Marquis Lavernia and Nocturne Lavernia stood in front of Magnus.

“It’s been a while, Your Grace.”

Magnus bowed his head lightly in greeting.

Even though the other party’s status was lower, Marquis Lavernia was still the Duchess’s father.

In fact, even though there was no need to be particularly polite, Magnus tended to treat others quite respectfully in such matters.

Marquis Lavernia also nodded lightly and opened his mouth in response to Magnus’s greeting.

“It’s been a while indeed, I’m glad to see you seem to be doing well.”

Nocturne Lavernia, who was beside him, also bowed his head in greeting.

Magnus glanced at him and nodded lightly, then responded to Marquis Lavernia.

“I’ve been doing not too badly. Except for the few times… when my wife’s mood wasn’t so good after visiting the imperial palace.”

At that voice tinged with a slight smile, Marquis Lavernia’s cheek twitched.

Only then did he look behind Magnus.

In the meantime, Serena seemed to have regained her composure and was standing beside Magnus, having moved from behind him.

“You look beautiful today too, Serena.”

“Ah… thank… you. Fa…ther looks handsome too.”

Serena nodded awkwardly in response and reflexively blurted out the same compliment.

The corners of Marquis Lavernia’s mouth curved into a round arc.

“…Yes, thank you.”

“Ah, yes….”

As Serena nodded and answered with an awkward expression, the conversation abruptly stopped.

Magnus frowned slightly at the atmosphere that was even more bleak than when he was conversing with him.

That was because Serena had an expression that says she doesn’t know what to do.

More precisely, it wasn’t very noticeable outwardly, but it was a fact based on the experience gained from clashing with Serena for a long time.

“…Well, it seems someone collapsed inside the banquet hall, did something happen?”

At that question, the inside of the banquet hall froze and became tense.

Serena blinked her eyes as she looked at him, then awkwardly smiled and stroked her nape.

After hesitating for a while with an embarrassed expression, she opened her mouth.

“Um, well….”

“It seems Viscount Lavie wasn’t feeling well. He collapsed while conversing with me.”

“Oh my, Viscount Lavie you say? He’s not the type to collapse easily with that personality of his….”

Marquis Lavernia made a strange expression.

The always prickly and irritable man tended to spit out even the same words sharply in a way that grated on others’ nerves.

He was so proud that he would try not to back down easily no matter what happened.

“Yes, he was trying to spread false rumors about my wife, so that’s that.”

Magnus spoke in a light voice as though he was simply relaying information, but the intelligent Marquis Lavernia easily grasped Magnus’s hidden meaning.

‘…It seems someone was harping on about Serena’s past.’

Marquis Lavernia’s eyes narrowed.

The social world is indeed a place where it’s advantageous to stand out and receive attention in any way possible.

As a result, it was good to search for more stimulating stories and possess eye-catching attire and flowery speech.

Sometimes this crosses the line, and it seemed Viscount Lavie had done something similar.

‘He is indeed a man with strong ambitions for success and power….’

Moreover, Serena was currently a hot topic in the social world.

In both good and bad ways.

“Those with loose lips are difficult to trust in any business or transaction.”

Marquis Lavernia lightly added.

Some nobles who knew about the transactions between Viscount Lavie and Lavernia swallowed hard.

They realized that Marquis Lavernia’s words were as good as saying he would cut off dealings with Viscount Lavie.

Those who heard his warning words became quiet again.

Serena also understood the meaning.

Her eyes rolled around in embarrassment, awkwardness, and bewilderment, but it would be strange to give advice here unless it was explicitly stated.

“You’ve had a hard time, Serena.”

“No, that…. Yes, thank you.”

From the moment she heard Marquis Lavernia speak, she forgot how to treat him.

Serena pressed her burning nape firmly.

“Nocturne, you should greet your sister.”

Marquis Lavernia looked at his son, who was standing there unable to do anything with his eyes cast down.

His son had told him, almost on the verge of tears, that he didn’t know why he acted that way that day.

In fact, Marquis Lavernia also felt something was off.

Having known Nocturne Lavernia for a long time, he knew his son very well.

Sometimes he could be hot-tempered and his words and actions could become rough, but he didn’t lose control of his emotions to the point of crossing the line like that.

Moreover, he didn’t regret his actions that much after the fact.

Particularly, the reason being ‘I felt strangely angrier than usual and couldn’t control my emotions well’ was even more strange.

‘…It would be good to have a conversation later.’

Marquis Lavernia thought as he glanced at Serena and Magnus.