A voice, unexpectedly gentle and almost affectionate, suddenly spoke to her.

She paused, momentarily wondering if she had misheard, as the half-filled golden goblet tapped against the mouth of the wine bottle.

“Why do you act so foolishly when you seem so smart? I’m talking to you.”

Livia lifted her stiff neck to look at the sea god.

As their eyes met, he smiled indifferently. His upturned lips appeared friendly, but his gaze was as cold as ice. Instinctively, she sensed something was wrong.

‘Could it be… has he figured it out?’

It had been unsettling from the moment he had pulled her close from a distance.

However, if he had realized the truth, he could have killed her right away, so it was puzzling that he had summoned her instead.

Had he noticed? Was he suspicious? Or was it just a coincidence…?

Though she tried to maintain a calm facade, her breath came in ragged gasps, causing her chest to rise and fall without pause.

The sea god’s gaze briefly lingered on her heaving chest, but that was all.

Despite being the master of the waters, the man with the driest eyes pressed Livia for an answer.

“Tell me. What do you think? Is lying an instinct for humans or not?”

Not knowing his intentions, she had to answer carefully. What was he trying to find out from her? Or what did he already know?

As she looked into his turquoise eyes, trying to read them, his gaze seemed to turn her inside out. She quickly lowered her eyes.

“The only instinct I know of in humans is just one.”

“And what is that?”

“…Survival. Simply the will to live.”

Though it was useless to her, something she had discarded.

She was only rushing toward death, defying her instincts, solely for revenge, for her family’s revenge.

“Is that so? Well…”

The man’s furrowed brow seemed to relax, losing its tension.

A look of boredom settled on his expressionless face.

What was it that those who lived eternally despised the most? An answer so trite it made one yawn—the mundane wretchedness of it all.

“How dull.”

Muttering coldly, he brought the goblet to his lips but suddenly stopped.

His blue eyes, now filled with a cruel starlight, turned back to Livia.

“Your answer may be insignificant, but I should reward you for livening up the banquet.”

Triton drained the goblet he held, then snatched the wine bottle from Livia and filled his empty glass to the brim.

The sight of red wine overflowing down his wrist was chilling. The wine, sloshing and spilling over, was thrust toward Livia.

“Drink.”

Startled, Livia stared at the wine staining the man’s hand a purple hue.

“It’s the finest wine brewed by the god of wine.”

His playful eyes sparkled as he offered the potent drink in a soft and gentle voice.

Livia felt her heart drop in shock, but she gritted her teeth and maintained a calm demeanor. Many eyes were watching. She couldn’t show any sign of wavering.

“…I will drink it gratefully.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Livia raised the glass and poured it down her throat.

Her slender neck moved smoothly as she gulped down the deadly wine, which scratched and seeped into her throat.

Indeed, it was a wine crafted by the god of wine.

The rich aroma of grapes, the pleasant savory taste lingering on her tongue, and the aftertaste that persisted long after drinking were sweet enough to shake her soul.

Even after finishing a full glass, her throat felt parched, and the slowly fading aftertaste left her yearning for more.

Despite knowing that another glass could mean death, she found herself dizzy with the desire for just one more.

Livia bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, enough to taste the metallic tang of blood. A trickle of blood slid down her throat.

Triton, who had been quietly observing her furrowed brow, smiled with interest.

“Judging by your expression, it seems to suit your taste.”

With an excited look, he picked up the bottle again and began to fill her glass to the brim.

The wine poured over without concern, trickling down Livia’s wrist.

“Here, have another.”

Faced with another round, Livia looked at Triton with a momentarily puzzled expression. The sea god, smiling softly and beautifully like a wave bathed in moonlight, simply gazed at her.

The second glass was the cup of death. But… was that really true?

They claimed Dionysus’s wine revealed the truth, yet it was the gods who deceived and misled humans without a second thought.

Who had given Pandora’s box to the world? Who had changed forms to violate a maiden and make her bear a child? The tale of Hades taking Persephone to the underworld and tricking her into eating pomegranate seeds was all too famous.

Lies and deceit weren’t exclusive to humans. The gods also deceived and tricked humans at will.

Indeed, it required resolve to recklessly drink the wine.

‘Even if this truly becomes a deadly poison, can the witch really save me?’

The witch who had made a pact with Livia had said she could save her at least twice, maybe three times.

So she had whispered sweetly yet chillingly, hoping fervently that Livia wouldn’t face death more than three times before piercing ‘Triton’s’ heart.

‘At least twice, maybe three times…’

She tried not to show hesitation, but her hand holding the glass trembled slightly.

Why was he offering her this drink, one meant for gods? Suspicion was the only answer.

So, what should she do now? Drinking it was too risky, but refusing would only confirm his suspicions.

Livia nibbled on the inside of her cheek where she had bitten before, then suddenly broke into a wide smile.

“…Oh, mighty god, truth be told, I’m quite weak and not good with alcohol.”

A glint of interest flickered in his eyes, as if he had expected this. Just before his lips could twist into a smirk, Livia carefully lifted the full glass and took a step closer to him.

“So if you’re not planning to take back this second glass….”

His turquoise eyes bore into her as she approached, seemingly trying to see through her.

Livia looked up at Triton with an innocent gaze, pretending to be shy. The trembling of her fingertips from tension only added to her appearance of naivety, which was fortunate.

As she handed her glass to his cold hand, she whispered, “Would you feed me directly?”

She desperately hoped it would come across as the bold temptation of a naive nymph.

And if she dared to wish for more, she hoped this clumsy and inadequate seduction might work, even just a little.

The surroundings were noisy, yet she could feel eyes on them. His attendants watched, their jaws practically dropping in shock.

“…….”

His expression was unreadable, making it impossible to discern his thoughts as he stared at her. Her heart pounded wildly, but there was no turning back now.

“This is amusing.”

He laughed, a low chuckle that was nothing like the angry roar of laughter from before.

His cold, firm hand gripped Livia’s chin painfully.

With merciless fingers, he pried open her trembling lips, roughly forcing her mouth open by pressing down on her delicate tongue.

“You need to open up. Only then can I feed you myself, right?”

He spoke in a gentle tone, as if he were soothing a child, but his touch was harsh and cold.

Livia parted her trembling lips and leaned closer to him.

The glass of wine was lifted above her lips and tilted. Just as the purple droplets were about to fall into her open mouth, she thought, ‘Now…!’

In a flash, Livia drew the witch’s knife from her wrist.

The golden blade, sharp and gleaming, emerged from her soft flesh and flew toward the sea god’s heart.

‘Please, just a little more!’

She had put on an act, pretending to flirt with clumsy charm, all for this one strike.

“Look at this.”

…She was caught.

Caught and stopped.

The blade, trembling like Livia’s eyes, hadn’t even reached the man’s chest.

The sea god, gripping Livia’s wrist tightly, wrinkled his nose and laughed fiercely.

“I told you. Lying is instinctual for humans.”

The once turbulent sea calmed in an instant.