‘Is he just nasty by nature?’

That was the most reasonable conclusion Adelia could draw.

The incident was settled for now with the Saintess’s intervention.

People’s attention returned to the Saintess. Interest focused on the Saintess’s words about hearing God’s voice.

Thanks to this, Lucian, now free from people’s gazes, looked at Adelia. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

“Did you anticipate this situation?”

“I anticipated it somewhat and coordinated with the Saintess.”

“You should have told me in advance.”

“Well, it’s good that Your Highness stepped in to prevent rumors.”

Adelia shrugged her shoulders. Lucian stared at her intently as if asking what she meant.

Adelia quietly pointed to one side of the banquet hall.

“Listen carefully.”

Lucian turned his ear toward where Adelia pointed.

Though the banquet hall was filled with various people’s chatter, it wasn’t difficult to hear their voices.

“I thought Her Highness the Crown Princess ascended to her position carrying God’s will.”

“Me too. But seeing His Highness the Prince’s behavior just now, it’s clear that’s not the case.”

“Right. Anyone could see he was a doting husband anxious about losing his wife.”

“It’s so romantic. No one will doubt their relationship now.”

The nobles gossiped while covering their mouths with fans. Though more people were talking about the prophecy, there were also some discussing Adelia and Lucian’s relationship.

“As long as the result is good, right?”

Adelia smiled and lightly tapped his hand.

Though she expected an answer like ‘Indeed,’ no words came from Lucian’s mouth.

Knowing his naturally reticent personality, she thought nothing of it and turned her attention to the people watching them.

‘Why did I.’

Like someone suddenly coming to their senses, Lucian’s pupils dilated then contracted again.

He silently looked down at Adelia engaging in social interaction. Seeing her smiling with her eyes at other people made his brow furrow for no reason.

His mind was confused. While he did come down to prevent Lawrence from causing trouble, the method was wrong.

Usually, he would have held a sword to the high priest’s neck and threatened him to shut up, but today his body wouldn’t move that way.

‘She would have hated that.’

Lucian raised one corner of his mouth and snickered. Less than a second after the deflating sound, his face hardened.

Hate? From whom? No, was he ever someone who cared about being hated by others in the first place?

Arianna wasn’t even here. There was no lovely presence to scold him saying big brother was bullying people again, so why did such thoughts come to mind?

Lucian frowned and covered his mouth. He couldn’t help but question why his body had reacted before he was even conscious of it.

“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

At that moment, Adelia noticed Lucian fidgeting beside her and casually spoke up. She leaned slightly toward Lucian and whispered.

Whenever Adelia approached, Lucian naturally bent down.

“It’s nothing.”

“Is that so? Then that’s good.”

Adelia flashed a bright smile at Lucian before turning her attention away again.

At Adelia’s words, the thoughts that had filled Lucian’s mind vanished as if washed away. More precisely, all his worries felt like nothing.

Lucian’s gaze was already following Adelia.

Defining the reason for his actions would be a matter for the future.

“Raise your glasses.”

The Emperor, displeased with the noisy banquet hall, stood up holding his glass.

People quickly called servants and received glasses filled with wine.

“Bring water this way.”

Glasses filled with water were handed to the high priests and holy knights who didn’t drink strongly colored beverages. The high priests praised her saying indeed the holy woman was so considerate. Adelia awkwardly covered her mouth slightly with a smile and let the praise pass.

“To the friendship between the Holy Kingdom and Decra.”

The Emperor’s toast was short and concise.

People emptied their glasses and sought out their partners. The first dance at a banquet for visiting delegations began after the Emperor’s toast.

The high priests and holy knights stepped back. It was a kind of custom for foreign delegations to step back and appreciate the Empire’s culture.

They showed off the Empire’s refined culture with slow and elegant dance music that wasn’t often danced to normally.

The center of the banquet hall was naturally Adelia and Lucian. People cleared the center of the banquet hall as if planned in advance.

Receiving Lucian’s escort to the center of the banquet hall, Adelia whispered softly.

“If I collapse in the middle, you need to take me away properly.”

“Understood.”

After the dance, the real socializing would begin. She absolutely refused being the center of that.

Though she felt sorry for the Saintess who would be left alone, the Saintess was partly responsible for making such plans.

‘I’m a bit tired after purifying white magic right up until just before.’

She had poured most of her white magic for a month making the necklace to give to the Saintess. Pouring a full amount of white magic only produced one pearl-sized piece. So she had to pour her power right up until just before sending the necklace to the Saintess.

The efficiency was so low she never wanted to make something like this again unless necessary.

Adelia let out a deep sigh as she placed one hand on Lucian’s shoulder and joined hands with him with the other.

“You don’t look well, are you really alright?”

“I’m just a bit tired. It’s fine since I’ll go in soon.”

Adelia smiled, pulling up the corners of her mouth. The fatigue showing through even with makeup couldn’t be hidden.

A gentle and slow dance music played, and they moved their bodies elegantly to the music. It was when everyone was moving, taking slow steps…

Adelia’s feet, which had been moving peacefully, began to falter, breaking the rhythm. Her hands tensed and her head gradually lowered toward the floor.

Lucian frowned and held her firmly. Her dropped head slowly rose.

“Lucian……”

What entered Lucian’s view was Adelia vomiting bright red blood.

Like being caught in the wind, Adelia’s body collapsed onto Lucian. Lucian caught Adelia completely with both hands. Her hands curled forward pressed against Lucian’s chest. Adelia gripped his clothes tightly and her hands trembled.

When strength left her legs, only Lucian was supporting her.

“Ugh!”

Adelia vomited bright red blood again. Even more blood poured out than before.

Dark red blood soaked not only her pure white dress but also pooled heavily on the white marble floor. Her blood stained even Lucian’s clothes.

Adelia’s body collapsed. Lucian sat down on the floor supporting her body as it slumped toward the ground. His hands holding her trembled.

“Adelia!”

He shook Adelia’s body cradled in his arms rather than the cold floor.

Though he shook her body several times, there was no response. Her head dropped unconsciously. Her slightly exposed face was covered in blood stains and had turned pale.

‘Was this what she meant by collapsing?’

Wasn’t she supposed to just stagger and collapse while pretending to be tired?

Lucian’s pupils were filled with confusion. The sight of her in pure white clothes vomiting bright red blood felt surreal.

The warm temperature of the dark red blood spilled on him and the cold temperature of her pale body touching his hands made him realize everything was real.

“Kyaa!”

“Your Highness the Crown Princess!”

The blood soaking Adelia’s limp body made people realize the gravity of the situation.

In an instant, the banquet hall turned into chaos.

Dark red blood, a clear sign of poisoning. Silver accessories blackened where the blood had touched them.

It was clear evidence of poisoning.

The Saintess with rabbit-like eyes ran to Adelia.

“What is this……”

The Saintess placed her hands on Adelia’s body and frowned. The confusion swirling in the Saintess’s eyes gradually turned to shock.

‘She didn’t say she would collapse like this!’

— Ah, and. I’ll collapse at today’s banquet. When that happens, pretend to heal me.

Adelia had definitely said it that simply. Like someone who just twisted their ankle and fell.

So she couldn’t have imagined such a horrific sight.

Thanks to the power Adelia had lent her, the Saintess could tell at once. That Adelia wasn’t acting but had really collapsed from poison.

All sorts of negative energy filled Adelia’s body.

The Saintess’s hands placed on her body trembled.

“Saintess!”

The Saintess snapped back to her senses at the voice loud enough to burst eardrums.

Since only the imperial family dropped honorifics when calling the Saintess, it wasn’t difficult to find the owner of the voice.

When the Saintess raised her head, she saw fierce red eyes staring at her.

Lucian’s strong-looking red eyes wavered helplessly like flames blown in the wind. The Saintess turned her head away after facing the complex emotions contained within them.

The fierce emotions were like falling into volcano magma, frightening even to peek at.

“Huh…… Really.”

The Saintess let out a deep sigh and gathered her strength.

The power Adelia had lent wrapped around the Saintess before flowing into Adelia’s body.

Though it appeared to others that the Saintess was healing Adelia, in reality Adelia was absorbing the Saintess’s power itself.

One of the crystals woven into the Saintess’s necklace gradually shrank until it became the size of a fingernail.