Chapter 85: The Lie

“Congratulations.”

This was Duke Blast’s response after reading the current situation and deciding how to deal with Caelan.

He chose not to be at odds with Caelan, who would soon be his equal in rank. Though he was angry about his wounded pride from the bet and the fact that someone would share his title, he smiled and extended his hand.

He had already shown his displeasure openly when Caelan came down from the stage. The result was Caelan’s leisurely counterattack. After hearing that he wouldn’t be able to treat him as just a marquis anymore, the duke changed his attitude.

Even if he would secretly point a knife at his back later. Rather, precisely because he was an opponent worth pointing a knife at, it was right to swallow his feelings.

Under others’ gazes, the duke feigned composure.

“You must know that my influence played a part in you becoming a duke, so let’s get along well from now on.”

Though it was purely a bet about the dagger, the duke shamelessly claimed credit for himself.

“Well then, enjoy the rest of the party.”

As the duke passed by with this light farewell, Caelan watched his retreating figure while drinking wine.

“No matter how long one rolls in politics, they can’t hide everything.”

No matter how experienced, someone whose pride was shaken found it hard to maintain complete composure. In that sense, though the duke came smiling as if he had let everything go, his feelings toward Caelan showed briefly in his eyes.

Whatever the duke might do in the future was a matter for later. Right now, Caelan was about to put the duke on the stage he had prepared.

Caelan watched the duke while swirling his wine glass.

Earlier, during the finals with Viscount Jimilta, he had subtly hinted that after dealing with the duke first, Viscount Jimilta would be next. Caelan planned to shake the duke at this very gathering.

“It’s been a while.”

“Ah, Viscount Crown.”

“I’m honored you remember me.”

“Of course I do.”

Watching as one person after another approached to greet the duke, Caelan waited until the numbers reached a certain point before slowly approaching with a commanding presence.

“Good evening, Your Grace. I am…”

The noble who was just greeting the duke sensed something and turned around, startling at what he saw.

“Marquis Adrian.”

Duke Blast too showed a puzzled expression upon discovering Caelan. His eyes suggested he wondered if there was something left unsaid.

“I recalled something I hadn’t finished saying about the dagger.”

As Caelan opened the topic, Duke Blast’s brow furrowed slightly. He seemed to wonder if this conversation they had in private needed to be had here.

“Let’s discuss that separately.”

“It’s called the Demon King’s Echo.”

As if unaware of what the duke meant to say, Caelan continued.

“You now…”

“The dagger’s name is the Demon King’s Echo. It’s true that occasionally chosen ones receive Echo’s teachings and enter a new path.”

Duke Blast’s lips grew tight while other nobles busily pretended not to listen while straining their ears.

“Even if I had lost to Viscount Jimilta in this knight tournament, Your Grace wouldn’t have gained much. The Demon King’s Echo wouldn’t respond just because you gave it to your son.”

“Marquis Adrian.”

The duke spat the words through clenched teeth in anger. Making their bet public was nothing less than an attack on him.

“I would prefer if you didn’t try to use me again to obtain a dagger that might give teachings.”

“Are you in any position to say that? You’re the one who proposed the bet.”

“This wouldn’t have happened if Your Grace hadn’t made such a request of me.”

Red-faced, Duke Blast glared at Caelan. Though rumors of their bet might have circulated secretly, speaking about it so openly was different.

Though he had extended his hand despite his wounded pride, Caelan smiled while drawing and pointing a dagger.

“You said your influence played a part in me receiving a duke’s title?”

Caelan casually brought up what the duke had said.

“There was no one’s influence in my becoming a duke. Since winning the knight tournament was by my own ability…”

He considered mentioning that Bliss had made the sword, but ended up trailing off. The consideration was brief. He decided not to mention Bliss.

As a result, it came across as saying he had earned the duke’s title purely by his own ability, further provoking Duke Blast.

“Why are you going this far?”

Many nobles had already heard. It was all revealed that Duke Blast had coveted Princess Jasmin’s possession through Caelan’s hand, and had even used the knight tournament to obtain it. Since he said he would give that dagger to his son, the heir to the duke’s family, it was a conversation that cast doubt on both the duke’s greed and his heir’s ability.

This conversation, completely disadvantageous to one side, became firmly fixed in the nobles’ minds. If the heir wasn’t reliable, the future duke’s family would be shaken, and if so, what they could rely on was the new duke who had proven his ability and received the emperor’s recognition.

As people’s attention gradually focused on one side, Caelan leisurely gazed at the duke.

From the moment the duke made this proposal, Caelan had intended to reveal it someday. Unlike the duke, he had no need to hide anything.

“Then, until next time.”

Next time they would meet as equal dukes. Caelan, who no longer needed to pretend to be friendly with the duke even for appearances’ sake, turned away.

It was time to find Bliss, who had disappeared at some point.

***

‘Latte…’

She could have dismissed Countess Azel’s words. Being the original story’s female protagonist, she had never suspected her from the start.

Though she had thought the Latte she met in person was different from the one she read about, she had never once considered her as someone who would put poison on a necklace.

‘My suspicion might be wrong.’

If so, it would be better to confirm and clear away the doubt.

“Has she not come yet?”

Bliss walked around the ballroom, appropriately receiving greetings directed at her.

‘Found her.’

After searching for a long time without success and just about to think she hadn’t come, Bliss’s eyes lit up upon discovering Latte. Instead of sighing, she touched her necklace and approached Latte.

“Latte.”

“Ah, Marchioness Adrian.”

Lost in thought, Latte noticed Bliss and greeted her.

“What are you doing here alone?”

Bliss spoke to her casually. This wasn’t a time for formal conversation. Understanding the intention to talk as friends, Latte smiled with a slight wrinkle of her nose.

“Just standing here. Congratulations.”

Bliss smiled back while touching her necklace. Latte’s gaze also lingered on the necklace, with something strange in her eyes.

“The necklace is pretty.”

“Yes. I received it from the Marquis. Did I tell you where I got it?”

“I know. Everyone’s wearing necklaces with the same design now. It’s famous, how could I not know?”

“Is that so? I guess the ladies who saw the necklace that day thought it was pretty.”

“Indeed. It’s pretty.”

Latte gave a noncommittal response while looking at the necklace from different angles. Without taking her eyes off that expression, Bliss said, “If you had been there that day, I would have shown you the necklace first. What a shame.”

“That day?”

“The day I received this necklace.”

Latte seemed to recall when it was and nodded.

“Right. I should have gone to see it then.”

At Latte’s weak response, Bliss hid her startled fingertips by pretending to touch her necklace.

“Why didn’t you come then? It would have been nice to meet and spend time together.”

“That ball? Well… I had a lot to think about.”

Latte picked up champagne from a nearby table.

“I was busy with family matters.”

Latte offered another champagne to Bliss.

“But I should have gone. I didn’t know you would think of me.”

Latte had been brushing off Bliss’s words lightly throughout. Her tone suggested she didn’t really believe it.

“But we met at Viscount Jimilta’s party. If we hadn’t greeted each other then, we might have been awkward.”

Bliss took the champagne. The soft peach-colored champagne couldn’t hide her reddened fingers from gripping too tightly. Staring at those fingers, Bliss spoke.

“…Because I married Caelan?”

“Hm? Yes.”

Latte turned away awkwardly.

“Since we were friends, it became an even more ambiguous relationship. Of course, I’m not blaming you. It’s just that I wasn’t destined to be with the Marquis. But people don’t think that way, so I thought you would feel uncomfortable with me too.”

Latte lightly clinked her glass against Bliss’s champagne.

“But I’m glad you still treat me as a friend.”

While listening to Latte reminisce about the past, Bliss’s expression gradually sank.

‘Countess Azel says she saw Latte, but Latte denies it.’

If Countess Azel had seen wrong or lied, this could end peacefully…

Bliss looked at Latte’s fingertips.

Like her own, the fingers holding the champagne were red from gripping too tightly.

The one who was lying… was Latte.