Among those dressed as elaborately as peacocks, Ella stood out alone.

“……Oh, she’s in the saintess‘s robes again today.”

“Hmm, this way she’ll be compared unfavorably to Dienne. Well, there’s no comparison even now.”

“Showing up like that without a single piece of jewelry, she doesn’t even feel embarrassed……”

Dienne’s followers spoke their criticism belatedly, but Dienne’s agitation had already been seen.

The hand gripping Zikhart’s arm tightened.

But even as Dienne quietly called Your Highness, he didn’t hear it. His gaze was directed entirely at Ella.

‘Why that woman of all people……’

Dienne clenched her back teeth, trying to hold back the humiliation. She had to work quite hard not to let her jealousy show.

Zikhart looked displeased with both Ella’s attire and the man beside her.

“Why isn’t she wearing what I gave her……”

Hearing his murmur, Dienne’s face went stiff as wax.

‘The Emperor and the High Priest haven’t arrived yet.’

Ella checked the empty seats of the Emperor and the High Priest first, then let her gaze move slowly. It stopped only when it reached Zikhart standing beside Dienne.

The expression drained from Zikhart’s face the moment his eyes met Ella’s.

His eyes moved to Tailian and sparks flew. He twitched as though about to rush over at any moment.

‘How transparent he is.’

Ella laughed inwardly.

With another woman at his side, Zikhart was behaving like someone who had just witnessed his wife’s infidelity.

Shameless.

Cursing him sharply in her mind, Ella walked toward Zikhart in plain view. She had to greet him regardless.

“I greet the Empire’s small Sol.”

Ella and Tailian offered their respects simultaneously. As though that too was displeasing, Zikhart’s eyes were cold.

Glaring at Tailian, he spoke in a stiff tone.

“I wasn’t informed you’d be coming with the knight.”

It was clearly an angry voice to anyone listening.

With everyone around holding their breath, Ella opened her mouth with a bright smile.

“I requested it, Your Highness.”

“You requested it?”

“Yes, my body hasn’t fully recovered, so coming alone was difficult. I had no choice but to ask Sir Martis for an escort.”

There was no way to find fault with the escort itself. Even the Empress of this Empire occasionally received an escort from someone other than the Emperor.

The same was true of other noble ladies and engaged young misses.

It wasn’t common, but it wasn’t rare either.

“Sir Martis was the only one I could ask. He has helped me before as well.”

“Then from the start you should have asked me……!”

Zikhart stopped abruptly mid-sentence. It was because of the pressure he felt on his arm.

He glanced at Dienne and his expression crumpled satisfyingly. He was posturing despite being unable to shake off Dienne’s hand in the first place.

‘Quite the farce.’

A mockery crept into the curved smile.

Just then, the chief chamberlain’s voice rang through the banquet hall announcing the Emperor and the High Priest’s arrival.

When Capuasia came into view, Ella felt her heart go cold. She had to go forward and greet him, but her feet wouldn’t move.

Perhaps because layers of accumulated hatred had settled beneath her feet. She couldn’t move for a moment.

“Miss Mariella, are you all right?”

Tailian asked, having noticed her color go pale. The clear light returned to those blue eyes.

Ella turned her head and looked at Tailian.

“I’m fine. More than that, would you hold onto me a little more firmly? My legs aren’t cooperating.”

“Ah, of course. Miss Mariella.”

Even with Zikhart standing right there, Ella made her request to Tailian.

This too was intentional, but the effect appeared faster than she had anticipated.

“Just a moment, Dienne.”

Zikhart took Dienne’s hand from his arm and brought it down.

He whispered something in her ear, and her expression twisted in a peculiar way. Whatever he had said, the look in her eyes as she turned to Ella was sharp with venom.

It was the same as always, but now there was something close to murderous intent layered on top.

Zikhart extended his hand to Ella.

“Ah, Your Highness. I……”

“The High Priest has come as well, so it seems right to offer our greetings together.”

He cut off Ella’s words and pressed her to take his hand.

She let out a sigh too quiet to be heard and looked up at Tailian.

Had the tension deepened? Tailian’s color was darker than before.

“Sir, I’ll be back shortly.”

“……Yes. Miss Mariella. I’ll wait here.”

Zikhart, watching the exchange between the two, creased his brow sharply and pulled Ella’s hand.

Ella stumbled as she lost her balance, and Tailian’s hand shot out reflexively. But Zikhart’s hand was faster.

“Stand down, Sir.”

At the sharp voice, Tailian seemed to recall his position and drew back with his hand curled into a fist. The veins in his tightly clenched fist stood out as though ready to burst.

Zikhart shot a look at Tailian and wrapped his hand around Ella’s waist.

Dienne couldn’t bear to watch and turned her head away.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Your Highness. Thank you for your consideration.”

I have to endure.

The hand at her waist made her whole body break out in something like hives, the revulsion was so strong. It was almost a reflex.

She wanted to shake it off, but there were far too many watching eyes right now.

‘Keep your head.’

And this was in front of Capuasia, no less.

He stood beside the Emperor, dressed head to toe in white and gold, smiling that detestable smile.

Looking at the two standing side by side on the dais, Ella smiled serenely. A beautiful smile in inverse proportion to her desire to take revenge on the masterminds behind Marian’s death.

“I greet the Sol and Diana of the Empire.”

To the Emperor and Empress first, and then……

“I greet the most faithful servant of the chief god.”

To Capuasia as well.

Ella offered her respects in turn. Even compared to a crown prince born and raised in the imperial family, her bearing was without flaw.

Confirming her perfect etiquette, Capuasia’s gray-blue eyes gleamed with something strange.

The Emperor responded with appropriate words and then announced the start of the banquet.

“May Solea’s grace rest upon the upcoming ‘Goddess of Summer’ festival.”

“Solea Leoni!”

“Solea Leoni!”

Capuasia made the sign of blessing and prayed for the divine’s protection over them all.

The music that had stopped began to flow again, and the nobles and priests fell into the festive atmosphere they had been long without.

Following the custom that the imperial family must begin the first dance, the Emperor and Empress took their place in the main dance hall. Zikhart, as crown prince, also seemed to be anticipating a dance with her.

Sure enough, Zikhart extended his hand to her.

“Shall we, then?”

“……”

Dancing itself wasn’t a problem, thanks to Marian’s memories.

But there was one thing that concerned her.

‘Capuasia’s eyes are unsettling.’

There had been suspicion in the glance that had briefly met hers.

Appearing too perfect could invite suspicion. Unlike the foolish Zikhart, Capuasia was a cunning snake.

Ella put on a troubled expression and spoke.

“Your Highness, I’m afraid dancing will be difficult as I haven’t fully recovered.”

“Are you quite unwell?”

“If I weren’t, I would have come alone. I wouldn’t have needed to ask Sir Martis for an escort.”

Seemingly pleased with Ella’s answer, the stiffness in Zikhart’s expression eased slightly.

“Please spend today with the crown prince’s consort. Don’t mind me.”

Zikhart’s gaze moved to Dienne. Seeing her eyes reddened as though she might cry at any moment, his resolve seemed to soften and he let out a small sigh.

“Then I’ll dance one song and come back.”

The words don’t bother rose to her throat, but Ella answered with a faint smile instead.

Dienne wouldn’t let him go anyway.

‘Then what remains is Capuasia?’

The rumor that the saintess‘s sacred pain was severe had already spread throughout the Empire. So saying she was returning for a purification prayer couldn’t be greatly faulted.

A cool presence approached from behind Ella.

“Have you grown a little thinner? Your color is poor.”

It was Capuasia.

To be continued in Volume 2.