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Chapter 97




How about it, my gift! I turned to Aiden with a sense of pride. But... Aiden avoided my gaze.
‘...?!”
He should be happy, right? What’s with this reaction? I had spent several days racking my brain to come up with a name that would prevent him from being called the Demon of Devlin and mocked...! Even if everyone else ignored me, Aiden shouldn’t have. I felt a deep sense of betrayal.
‘Even you, Aiden!’
　 *** Everyone was shocked, and Aiden was flustered.
‘...First the Demon of Devlin, now the Angel of Ermano.’
Although Mabel had never shown it, Aiden detested his nicknames. The Demon of Devlin, a name that made his fingers and toes curl involuntarily. He thought the frequency of being called that had finally decreased... But then the ennoblement ceremony ended, and Mabel briskly walked down and grabbed Aiden’s sleeve.
“...Don’t you like the name?”
Aiden was momentarily at a loss for words. Seeing Mabel’s gloomy expression, he couldn’t possibly tell her the truth. So Aiden had no choice but to tell a white lie.
“No.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Of course. I agonized over it!”
Seeing Mabel’s delighted expression, Aiden managed a brief smile. But thinking about being called the Angel of Ermano in the future, he couldn’t keep smiling. After the ennoblement ceremony, the ball began, and people started gathering in small groups to chat or dance on the dance floor. Fortunately, Esteban and Oscar were detained by high-ranking nobles and couldn’t pay attention to Mabel. Taking advantage of their distraction, Mabel pulled Aiden’s arm.
“Come here.”
The two entered an empty balcony and drew the curtains. The music from the orchestra faintly reached them, creating an atmosphere as if they were the only two people in the world.
“Actually, I should have given this to you earlier, but I forgot.”
Mabel fidgeted and took something out, handing it to Aiden.
“What is this?”
“It’s a communication magic tool developed by Casey. They said they could only produce a few because of the lack of materials, so I only got two. Besides, it’s quite troublesome to communicate with the squeaks and squeals...”
And if birds and mice were constantly seen coming and going, it might arouse someone’s suspicion.
“Are you giving this to me alone?”
“Yeah. I only got two, remember? One for you and one for me.”
“What about Casey?”
“Casey probably has one too. We need to communicate with Casey, after all.”
Aiden put the communication magic tool away and thought.
‘If the design is the same, I’ll have to break it.’
The idea of a third party having a magic tool of the same design as Mabel’s made him feel uneasy. The difficulty in obtaining materials was not important. He could go to Devlin and get them again.
“Take this too.”
Next, Mabel handed him a single rose. Aiden took the flower, feeling a bit bewildered.
“Why...”
“I told you. It’s supposed to help you feel emotions. What do you think when you see the flower?”
“I don’t think anything.”
“Hmm. What about when you smell it?”
Aiden smelled the flower.
“It smells like a rose.”
“...”
Mabel decided to call it a day with today’s emotion-finding project.
“Lord Leaved Banner?”
“He still knows nothing.”
“I was wrong. He wouldn’t have been given a communication device to contact the leftovers directly. He might just be acting dumb. Keep an eye on him. Veron might send an assassin, so make sure he doesn’t die.”
“I understand.”
After the business report, the two returned to the hall. Mabel immediately regretted it.
‘I should have stayed on the balcony!’
　 *** I never imagined that dance invitations would flood in as soon as I entered the hall. Noblemen from various families swarmed around me, making it hard to take a single step.
“Your Majesty. You look beautiful today. Would you grant me the honor of a dance?”
“Your Majesty, if you would grant me that honor...”
I was nine years old. I was old enough to have mastered the social dances. As the host of the ball, I should probably dance at least one song... But the number of partners was overwhelming.
‘What’s with this sudden kindness from Dad towards Aiden?’
I thought it might be because of the many onlookers, but Dad wasn’t the type to care about others’ gazes. There was definitely some ulterior motive. I watched the two men’s conversation with suspicion. Dad’s friendly attitude was soon revealed.
“You’ve received a fief, so it would be good to go and inspect it. Wouldn’t you agree? Even if you delegate the management to an agent, you should visit it at least once.”
It was a suggestion, but it was almost a demand.
‘So that’s why Dad chose the fief himself.’
There was nothing wrong with the fief. It was a very ordinary piece of land. But the distance from the capital was a significant point.
“I look forward to your future endeavors.”
Dad walked away with a villainous smile. He seemed cheerful, thinking he had scored a point.
“Ugh, so childish...”
I couldn’t bear to look at Aiden. Giving him a fief far from the capital and pushing his buttons like this...
“Don’t worry. That distance is manageable.”
“If anything happens, use that to contact me.”
I whispered to Aiden, worried someone might overhear. Oscar took a step closer.
“What are you two talking about?”
“Of course, I was telling Aiden how handsome Oscar looks today.”
“...You were telling Aiden that?”
Oscar looked at Aiden and me with shock. Since Aiden didn’t deny it, the misunderstanding only deepened. As we talked, people started to gather around me again. Among them were some cute ladies.
‘Aiden and Oscar are indeed popular.’
It was too greedy to monopolize two handsome men on such a good night. I pushed them in opposite directions.
“I’ll be over there drinking and resting. Neither of you come back until the fifth song.”
“...Your Majesty.”
“Mabel!”
Ignoring Aiden and Oscar’s protests, I leaned against a pillar where I wouldn’t be noticed. Lyssandro, who was guarding me, took a glass from a passing servant and handed it to me.
“You look tired already, our cute little princess?”
“I guess balls aren’t my thing. Old, not-so-cute knight.”
“Ahaha. I’m your Majesty’s.”
“Ugh. Stop that and get married already.”
While scolding Lyssandro, I noticed someone looking around, searching for someone.
‘It’s the Countess Deverill!’
Who was she looking for? As I sipped the drink Lyssandro gave me and observed the countess, she suddenly met my gaze.
“Hmm?”
The Countess Deverill approached me without hesitation.
“There you are, Your Majesty. I’ve found you.”
“Eh, eh, me?”
“Yes. If you don’t mind, would you be willing to keep an old lady company?”
I was about to say yes, but...
“No.”
“Your Majesty. Why are you associating with Countess Deverill? It’s not good for your reputation. Father, support me.”
“Yes, yes?”
Suddenly, my grandfather started badmouthing the countess right in front of her. The countess didn’t flinch and countered.
“You’re introducing yourself, Count Gadania. I must be your father, then.”
One was the leader of the noble faction, and the other was the leader of the social circle. These two giants were throwing ‘father, support’ at each other, each step causing a massive butterfly effect.
“Lyssandro, Lyssandro. What’s going on all of a sudden?”
“Ah. These two were engaged a long, long time ago.”
“Eek?!”
I quickly covered my mouth with both hands. Fortunately, the countess and my grandfather were too busy bickering to notice my outburst.
‘What kind of messy family is this?’
Even if she was my grandmother, the Countess Deverill and my maternal grandfather were once engaged! It suddenly became very interesting.
“How did the engagement end?”
“No one knows. Only the parties involved might know. Even the great information guild, Ebel, couldn’t uncover this.”
“Indeed...”
With that, I couldn’t just let it go. As the master of the guild, I couldn’t avoid a challenge.
‘One more task for the guild.’
Meanwhile, the two giants continued their argument. Sometimes they used metaphors, and sometimes they were direct, engaging in a very intense verbal battle.
“So, Your Majesty, what do you need from me?”
“I have no reason to tell you.”
“Huh, you’re senile.”
“Watch your words, old man.”
“What?”
The number of onlookers eavesdropping on their argument gradually increased. Even if they didn’t openly watch, they started to gather and whisper among themselves.
“Lyssandro. What should I do?”
“If you leave it be, it will end.”
“How will it end?”
“The ball will end.”
“...”
It was time for me to step in.
“Um, the two of you...!”
“Did you call me, old man?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. What is it?”
The two turned to me simultaneously upon hearing my voice.
“Well, can you stop arguing...”
“Arguing, Your Majesty? It’s only possible between equals.”
“Hey, you old hag!”
...The second round began. The intense argument between the two proud old men was beyond my intervention.
‘Mountains are mountains, and water is water...’
I stood like a fossil between the two, who were viciously tearing each other apart. Just then,
“Didn’t you agree to have a conversation with me, Your Majesty? Let’s enjoy the night air together.”
“Nonsense. Your Majesty should dance with me. We made that promise last time.”
Suddenly, a bolt from the blue. The two looked at me as if waiting for me to choose. I was taken aback and couldn’t help but panic. Whichever I chose would lead to disaster. Looking around, I saw Lyssandro grinning.
“Hiiing.”
Just then, I met the eyes of Duke Donovan passing by.
‘Please help, Duke!’
Did he read my desperate and intense gaze? The duke approached and stood in front of me.
“Your Majesty. May I touch your body for a moment?”
“Yes? Yes.”
As soon as I gave permission, Duke Donovan scooped me up into his arms. My field of vision suddenly rose.
“Duke Donovan, put Your Majesty down!”
As my grandfather tried to stop Duke Donovan, flustered—
“I noticed that Your Majesty is not feeling well. I will take you to the lounge. Please continue what you were doing.”
With that, he walked through the crowd, undeterred. Even the seasoned two couldn’t stop the confident Duke Donovan.
‘Phew. Saved.’
Just as I sighed in relief and relaxed in the duke’s arms, something was slipped into my hand.
‘...A note?’
I quickly looked up, but all I saw was the retreating figure of someone. It was definitely golden hair. *** [A highly toxic poison that can cause death with even a small amount.] The letter from Duke Javier crumpled in Emily’s hand.
‘So it begins.’