“Bianca, you’ve come at a good time. Where is Arne now?”

“At the banquet’s balcony! Do you know how absurd today was? Arne said she wouldn’t get engaged to Kale!”

She awaited Duke Ronia’s response, imagining him getting annoyed and going to look for Arne immediately.

However, after hearing ‘balcony,’ Duke Ronia immediately walked off, filled with excitement.

Bianca screamed, pulling at the Duke who just walked past her.

“Father, Arne said she wouldn’t get engaged to Kale!”

“That’s not important right now. Let go.”

“What could be more important than that!”

“Bianca!”

Bianca was startled by Duke Ronia’s shout. Her father had never raised his voice at her before.

His eyes flashed threateningly, as if he wouldn’t let her off if she interfered with him any further.

Bianca let go of Duke Ronia’s sleeve, which she had been holding.

Duke Ronia turned his body sharply and passed by Bianca.

Left alone, Bianca was engulfed in shock as she watched the disappearing back of Duke Ronia.

“Did Father just get angry at me?”

* * *

Perhaps it was due to the enchanting scent of Reta. When Arne’s cold fingers brushed over his neck, Cedric froze on the spot.

Tension crawled up his spine. A gust of night wind blew slowly, fluttering Arne’s hair.

Red eyes appeared fully beneath the bangs that covered her face.

Arne sometimes had such eyes. Enthralling like Reta, immobilizing you with deep-seated, intense emotions.

Arne scratched Cedric’s nape with her thumb.

‘So he can make such expressions too.’

Cedric looked unfamiliar. The last time she had tied his cravat was at their wedding reception.

Back then, he was quite stiff and showed no emotion.

Like a man who was obligatorily performing one of many ceremonies, he needed to get over with quickly.

Cedric worrying about her, his face changing sensitively with just one touch of her hand—all of it felt unfamiliar.

‘Perhaps that’s better.’

Arne didn’t want to miss this moment.

If she couldn’t change the future, this might be the last time she could see him like this.

‘You were a cold and enigmatic man to me. So I’ll keep this sight of you in my eyes as much as I can. You should at least allow me that.’

Arne burst into laughter again. The sight of white petals and silver hair fluttering together in the moonlit night was beautiful.

But strangely, Cedric felt like that smile might make Arne disappear like scattering petals.

Without time to think, he pulled her closer by supporting her back.

The sudden closeness made it seem like their noses might bump into each other.

Arne felt like her heart was going to burst. It wasn’t just because her mana was thumping mana inside her core.

She must have drunk too much Reta.

“Arne!”

Suddenly, the balcony door swung open. Duke Ronia’s urgent voice stopped as soon as he spotted Cedric.

“……”

The positions could have been misunderstood. It seemed they were close enough to kiss any moment.

It felt like he had interrupted something.

Arne quickly composed her face and greeted the Duke.

“What is the matter, Duke Ronia?”

The Duke’s gaze shifted from Arne to Cedric, who was now standing upright.

“I assisted Lady Ronia because she seemed quite intoxicated.”

Cedric spoke only the truth, yet he felt as if he were making excuses.

The Duke quickly scanned Cedric’s impeccable attire and neatly groomed hair.

Somehow, that gaze made him feel as if he were being interrogated.

“I have something urgent to discuss with Arne.”

Duke Ronia felt strangely guilty due to the strange atmosphere.

It felt as if he needed to leave quickly. However, recalling the Second Prince’s command, the Duke shook his head.

“I need to have a talk with Arne.”

“I shall take my leave now.”

Cedric, maintaining his manners, left the scene. As Cedric walked through the door, Duke Ronia’s gaze followed him but quickly returned to Arne.

“Arne, do you have the Ivellata tea?”

A slow, enchanting smile spread across Arne’s lips. It was the first time the Duke saw her smile so confidently.

The Arne he always saw was like a child who was trying to look good in front of him, scared of making any mistakes.

“You must be quite drunk.”

“I see.”

Arne leaned against the railing and lazily took out her handbag.

Her posture seemed precarious, seeming as though she might fall off the railing, but the Duke was only looking at her handbag.

Click.

When the bag opened, Arne picked up a packet of Ivellata tea. At the same time, it was evident that there was a pile of Ivellata tea inside the bag.

“Good. So, you did have it. Give it to me.”

“What are you going to use it for? I brought this tea because of my mana surge.”

“I just need it. Give it to me quickly.”

Arne’s eyes narrowed. As expected, the Duke never shared important matters with her.

“Alright.”

Arne tried to hand over the bag but stumbled.

The handbag slipped from her fingertips and flipped over, scattering the Ivellata tea below the railing.

The Duke stretched out his hand desperately, as though gold were falling, but he caught nothing.

“That precious thing! Have you lost your mind?”

The only thing left was the one in Arne’s hand.

“Give me that at least.”

“Ivellata tea has mana stabilization and detoxification effects.”

“Hand it over quickly.”

Arne twisted her red lips. It was at this moment that any lingering affection she had for the Duke disappeared.

Even now, Arne’s body was barely holding up. If a mana surge came again due to her unstable mana, it would be truly dangerous.

But even at this moment, the Duke still did not think of Arne at all.

‘It wasn’t that I didn’t know, but maybe I just wanted to ignore it back then.’

Arne chuckled softly.

“Father, just last year, I was a secret knight for Ronia, ‘Roa’. My main duties were reconnaissance, assassination, poisoning, and other special missions.”

The enemy leader, who could only be defeated by leading tens of thousands of soldiers, fell at Arne’s fingertips.

She was barely holding onto a life that was on borrowed time, dragging along a crumbling body, barely standing.

That fact amused her, yet whenever she saw Marquis Ronia rose to the rank of duke because of those merits, she couldn’t help but feel the power of it.

“So I can tell at a glance.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Second Prince. He is poisoned.”

“……”

The Duke, who had been focused solely on having a private meeting with the Second Prince, felt as if he had been hit on the back of his head.

Thinking about it now, it was strange that he suddenly asked for Ivellata tea out of nowhere.

“Did you do it by any chance?”

“Duke Ronia, are you satisfied with being just a duke of the empire? Shouldn’t you aim to become a grand duke?”

Duke Ronia’s expression changed. Pure greed was revealed on his face, which always wore the mask of a good father, a good husband, and a good noble in front of others.

“Bringing the Ivellata tea to the Second Prince might win his favor. But with an antidote, maybe even more so…”

While waiting for Arne’s next words, the Duke whispered languidly with an anxious look in his eyes.

“Wouldn’t that earn even greater favor?”

“Are you saying the Second Prince hasn’t found an antidote yet?”

“Not yet. But someone will soon find it.”

A smile spread across the Duke’s lips as he pieced together the situation: despite living in seclusion for quite some time, the Second Prince had not recovered from his poisoning.

Had Arne, who used to only follow orders, become smarter after being on the battlefield? To think she would do something so useful.

The Duke’s view of Arne changed.

“Shall we try to find it?”

“Immediately! We, the Ronia ducal family, must be the first to procure the antidote, faster than anyone else!”

Greed glinted in the Duke’s eyes. Licking his lips, he opened his mouth again as if he had thought of something.

“But I heard you refused to get engaged to Kale.”

“Kale recommended replacing His Highness’ silver cup with a gold one today.”

“……”

Silver was the most basic tool for detecting poison. Understanding the meaning behind Arne’s words, the Duke froze.

Arne slowly rose from the railing and approached the duke.

“I won’t board a sinking ship. So, Duke, you better behave yourself.”

Arne slowly placed the last remaining Ivellata tea onto the duke’s handkerchief.

A strong and enchanting scent of Reta wafted towards Arne.

“Well then. I’m tired, so I will go back first.”

“So……”

Arne turned away without waiting to hear the end of the duke’s words.

Despite being tipsy, she had an oddly imposing aura that couldn’t be easily dismissed.

The duke thought the changed air around Arne was like the murderous intent that one honed on the battlefield.

It was similar to the aura often seen in knights.

More importantly, he needed to focus on Kale’s suspicious actions and his upcoming private meeting with the second prince.

* * *

Having left the balcony, Arne ran a hand through their hair. She was tired. Their throat was dry, and their body felt heavy.

If Cedric hadn’t replenished her mana in the middle of the event, she might have really collapsed.

Arne called a servant to prepare a carriage and bring some water.

While waiting, she noticed Kale standing next to Amelia.

Amelia had spilled her glass again. She said with teary eyes and a deflated tone,

“Oh, I’m sorry, Lord Kale. I must be drunk.”

“It’s alright. Whatever you do is fine, Amelia.”

“You’re so kind. Please, just call me Amelia.”

“I’m Kale.”

Kale continued to wipe the table, but his smile never left his lips.

Then, his eyes met Arne’s.

“That one needs to be killed.”

Amelia slowly turned her head to see where Kale was looking. It was Arne.

“Oh, is that Lady Ronia? She was watching us.”

“Don’t mind her. She’s a malicious woman full of jealousy. She’s just envious of the beautiful Amelia.”

“That can’t be true. She must be concerned about you, Kale.”

Arne blinked at their conversation, finding it absurd.

She was standing there silently and had turned them into a malicious and jealous woman.

‘To think I’m jealous of Amelia.’