Seeing the sharpened blade, the man seemed to realize Flora wasn’t joking and moved his trembling fingers carefully.

“Th-that… I was trying to return the handkerchief you dropped earlier…”

Handkerchief?

The man, answering in a half-dazed state, indeed produced a white handkerchief that looked like something a lady might carry.

However, Flora pressed the blade harder with sharp eyes.

This was even more suspicious. She hadn’t brought any handkerchief with her when coming here.

“Stop lying and tell the truth if you don’t want to die.”

“Gack! This crazy woman… help!”

When she pulled her wrist to adjust the blade’s direction, the man let out a strange cry and struggled.

Feeling a stinging pain from his slightly cut neck, the man fell backward unsteadily, making gurgling sounds like he was foaming at the mouth.

Heriot, who had been frozen in shock, covered his forehead.

She’s really done it this time!

Though he wanted nothing more than to run away right now, that wasn’t an option as he would face the Duke’s wrath.

Snapping to his senses, Heriot hurriedly approached Flora who was threatening the man sitting on the floor.

When he was about to scold her immediately, he caught himself and closed his mouth with a “hup.” Instead, aware of the crowd gathering behind them, he quickly whispered.

“What do you think you’re doing? Are you crazy?”

“Please, someone get this mad woman off me!”

The man, his face turning pale, flailed his hands asking for help from Heriot who seemed to know Flora.

But far from lowering her blade, Flora shook her head with an unyielding expression.

“He tried to pull something out from his clothes as soon as he saw me. It’s suspicious.”

“…What? What are you talking about?”

Seeing Flora point to the handkerchief sprawled on the stone floor, Heriot looked even more bewildered.

What was the deal with a handkerchief?

Heriot, feeling like he could cry any moment, first grabbed Flora’s arm trying to stop her.

“Are you in your right mind? This is the imperial palace. Will you only lower that blade after being dragged to the underground prison for causing a disturbance?”

Though they weren’t in the banquet hall yet, just possessing a blade was enough reason to be dragged away by the imperial guards.

Fortunately, Flora had her back turned toward the outer corridor, so the blade wasn’t visible from others’ perspective, but being discovered was only a matter of time.

“That’s not it, this person…”

Only then did Flora hear the murmuring from behind. Quite a few people seemed to be watching what was happening, though not daring to come close.

As Flora was about to lower her hand, suddenly a large hand shot out from beside her and firmly grabbed her wrist.

With the blade still in her grip, Flora’s hand was yanked backward. A man’s large frame loomed firmly behind her as she staggered slightly.

Flora froze as she slowly raised her eyelids at the sudden heat. The man standing right behind her was Duke Claude.

“Mas…ter…?”

When did he arrive?

Though she tried to pull her hand away in surprise, the large hand gripping her wrist didn’t budge.

A suffocating silence fell.

As she moved her lips to say something, the Duke shifted his gaze to the man opposite without even looking at her.

He spoke sternly to the man who was now catching his breath in relief at being saved.

“Let’s pretend we didn’t see what just happened. You may go now.”

“D-Duke Heinst… Do you know what that wench did to me?”

The man who had been making a huge fuss about dying just moments ago finally composed himself after recognizing the Duke’s face.

The other person was none other than the head of the ducal family. Since he clearly knew the woman, the man thought to use this opportunity to salvage his fallen dignity.

“It seems… there was some issue with the woman I brought. Let’s keep this quiet and move past it.”

So he plans to cover it up with his authority?

Seeing imperial guards appearing behind the crowd gathered behind the Duke, the man gained courage and squared his shoulders.

“That’s impossible. That woman tried to kill me. She threatened me with a blade!”

The Duke glanced at the blade in Flora’s hand before turning his eyes to look down at the indignant man. Despite his beautiful features, his ash-gray eyes gleamed coldly, sending a chill down the spine.

His toneless voice fell softly.

“You’re Viscount Yoheim’s eldest son?”

The man suddenly named drew in a sharp breath.

Though it seemed the Duke knew his family name since he mentioned it, his words felt more threatening than reassuring.

“Y-Yes, but…”

Sensing the murderous atmosphere, the man took a step back. A cold sweat ran down his spine from the choking pressure. When the Duke spoke gently, he emanated an even more chilling aura than the woman who had been brandishing a blade earlier. Though not quite killing intent, the heaviness pressing down the air was an uncomfortable feeling unbearable for ordinary people.

“I hear Viscount Yoheim is quite interested in trade? I’ve heard he has close ties with the Heide Guild…”

“……!”

Though as his son he knew his father had been secretly contacting certain people recently, he didn’t know their identity.

However, it was a widely circulated rumor among nobles that the Heide Guild was an underground power handling illegal affairs.

And Duke Heinst was speaking as if he already knew everything.

“W-What does that have to do with me…”

His intimidated voice gradually diminished. His knees weakened under that emotionless direct gaze.

Though seemingly calm at first glance, those numb ash-gray eyes piercing him were as cold as a wolf’s in the snow. The man swallowed hard, caught in the illusion of a snow wolf slowly prowling before its prey.

“If you quietly return to the banquet hall, your family can remain peaceful as it is now.”

Though outwardly polite in tone, it was nothing short of a threat. The dry tone suggesting it wasn’t even a significant matter felt even more terrifying.

It was then that he recalled the Duke’s military achievements of continuous victories on the battlefield. The realization struck that if he wanted to preserve his life, it would be wise to back down now. The attitude of the imperial guards visible over the Duke’s shoulder, not even daring to approach despite the commotion, said it all.

Crushed under the terrifying pressure, the man dropped his head weakly.

In the end, it was none other than Claude who resolved the situation.

After the man straightened his crumpled collar and shuffled away, even the guard soldiers standing in the back withdrew.

Only after Heriot sent the people away saying it was nothing did Claude release his grip. Though her wrist throbbed where he had held it, Flora smoothly maintained her composure.

By now, the Duke was staring at the blade in her hand with distinctly displeased eyes. Though he had assigned her as his adjutant, to think she would cause trouble in such a short time…

His crooked voice flowed out, unfiltered.

“Did you bring that again on your way here?”

“I judged it necessary since I’m accompanying you, Master.”

Flora answered calmly, undaunted by his presence. She had simply followed his order to subdue suspicious persons.

“I wasn’t here just moments ago.”

“He approached me with a lie about a handkerchief I never dropped.”

Claude glanced at the handkerchief rolling on the floor. He started to roughly understand the situation.

He must have tried to make a pass at her and got what he deserved.

“It’s a way of approaching women. Some women really do drop them, some don’t.”

“If he had anything to gain by talking to me, it must be related to you, Master.”

“What?”

The Duke’s sharp expression froze awkwardly.

Claude looked at Flora, wondering if she really didn’t understand. But Flora recited her thoughts with an innocent expression.

“You brought me here for guard duty, right? Don’t worry, I would never leak any information related to you.”

Claude fell silent at the fact he had overlooked. Having brought her without any explanation, he now realized Flora was thoroughly misunderstanding.

She seemed to think her reason for coming here in a dress was some kind of infiltration to hide that she was here as a guard.

Claude felt deep fatigue. He looked at her, considering whether to finally explain the missing information.

But he didn’t really feel like telling her. He was also somewhat annoyed that she had kept even the fact that she had met the Emperor hidden from him until now.

That was it.

He felt he had found the cause of his low spirits throughout coming here in Flora’s face as she looked at him with clear eyes saying she was acting for her master’s sake.

* * *

The Marquis, who would normally have to stick close to the Emperor, remained in the conference room making excuses. Though it pained him to see the Emperor leave side by side with Duke Heinst, he had something he needed to do now.

After the Emperor left first and other nobles filed out one after another, Bishrom finally raised his lingering body sluggishly.

“Ahem… hem.”

Among the Verseum envoys who were grumbling about not achieving their goal, he deliberately cleared his throat. The youngest man among the envoys who had been furrowing his brow raised his head.

When their eyes met, the Marquis gave a slight nod. It was a signal to follow him for a moment.

The man quietly entered the side room following the Marquis who had subtly moved away. The Marquis immediately questioned him as soon as he saw him.