CH 17

It does no good to be seen by Prince Omen.

I hesitate, recalling the Grand Duke’s words for the umpteenth time.

The goblet clinked, and now I had to take it to my mouth.

It’s not poison, and it’ll only make me sick with a fever for a few days.

Why would the prince give it to us?

‘Whatever it is, I must not drink it.’

By the time I got that far, everyone had already raised their glasses to their lips.

If I’d had a more flexible mind, I would have stumbled and spilled my glass on purpose.

“Flotty, don’t you think you’re drinking too much? You’re not even that good of a drinker.”

If I had a calmer head, I could have come up with a better way to save the day.

[What are you thinking? Don’t do that. Don’t do that. Don’t do that!]

The old woman, who had read my thoughts, shouted urgently.

But it was too late.

Before the crown prince and the Grand Duke could wet their tongues with the liquor, I gulped down the black liquor like a madman.

“Hmph…….”

And then I had no choice but to act.

As if I’d been poisoned, I gagged and slumped back in my seat.

“Flotty!”

The Grand Duke, who had hurriedly joined me, looked genuinely alarmed.

“What are you doing?”

The Grand Duke’s low voice, like he’s angry, recedes slightly.

I grabbed him by the hem of his shirt, barely, and pulled him closer to me.

‘Fuck…. I thought the medicinal effects would come slowly.’

Contrary to my expectations, the medicinal effects spread through my body in an instant.

‘Don’t drink it, it’s poisoned, asshole…….’

“Flotty, Flotty!”

I could hear the urgency in the voice calling me.

I don’t want to close my eyes, but they closed on their own accord.

Black eyes that I thought were completely unreadable glow with nervousness.

And a man, looking over the Grand Duke’s shoulder, smiled curiously at me.

“Hmm?”

Prince Omen curled up one corner of his mouth meanly.

That was my last memory.

Damn it.

* * *

“Gah!”

“A person has fallen!”

The peaceful banquet hall quickly descended into chaos.

The nobles, who had been keeping a close eye on the royalty, hoping to catch a glimpse of them, had witnessed exactly that.

Flotty Bevenia, now Floaty Noctis, collapsed.

“Block all exits from the ballroom immediately!”

Even at the sound of Denver’s loud voice, the knights hesitated, their eyes fixed on the prince.

Even with the crown prince in front of them, they scrutinized his every move.

As if their master was Prince Omen.

“Move if you don’t want to die.”

An invisible black aura enveloped the banquet hall in the blink of an eye.

Everyone holds their breath, frozen in place.

The knights stood in front of the exit to the outside of the ballroom without a care in the world.

“What in the world is going on? Is the lady weak at drinking?”

In response to the prince’s demeanor, Denver chuckled lowly.

This foolish woman didn’t want to reveal her powers to Omen.

He wished he could just tell her it was okay to act as she pleased.

“Omen, what did you put in that drink you brought?”

“Brother, what do you mean? I just want to share a good drink…..”

“Omen Noctis.”

His voice was cold, his words icy.

In Denver’s arms, Flotty lay limp.

At the sight of her limp arms, the prince sank deeper into himself.

She drank it, no doubt, to help him.

“Here I go again…….”

It was always like this.

A foolish prince, unable to think ahead.

A pathetic human who couldn’t recognize a joke when it was played right in front of him.

As he recalled her silver-gray eyes that had disappeared between her eyelids, an indescribable feeling of guilt bloomed.

“Drink it.”

“…… brother. Are you doubting me now?”

He was a snake, twisting and turning, looking for an opening.

Omen’s red eyes narrowed.

“Leon, come here.”

The knight who had brought the flask at the prince’s command appeared.

“Has anyone touched this flask but you?”

“No one.”

“I see.”

Omen quickly drew a sword from the scabbard at the knight’s waist.

The well-honed blade glinted in the light.

Kwak-!

Vivid blood splashed everywhere.

“Kaaak!”

“Omen, what are you doing!”

A heavy silence fell over the banquet hall.

The nobles were terrified, and the crown prince was in an uncontrollable rage.

The knight, slashed by the sword, fell to the ground in a pool of blood.

And in the midst of it all, Denver, silently cradling Flotty, gazed at Omen.

A nerve-wracking battle of wills ensued between the three.

“Brother, I have the culprit, the one who dared to try to kill a member of the royal family.”

“Ha, ha.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

If it weren’t for Flotty, who was as hot as a fireball, he wouldn’t have let this go.

If only for the sake of his brother, who would have to watch with open eyes as Omen, born with less than half the power of the black lion, rampaged through the palace.

“You’re funny, Omen.”

Denver said through gritted teeth as he looked down at Flotty, who was breathing more and more ruggedly.

“Amuse me even more.”

For the first time, he uncontrollably exploded with a black aura.

Though it was invisible to normal eyes,

The ballroom was filled with thick, black smoke.

“That way, when I kill you, you won’t be punished.”

“The Grand Duchess looks very grave. Wouldn’t it be better if you left now?”

Omen could barely breathe under the black aura, but he spoke calmly.

“I wish to see you again when she is well.”

As he filled the large space, the oppressive force was so overwhelming that the ordinary nobles began to collapse one by one.

“Denver, don’t do this. You’re hurting others.”

In the end, the crown prince decided to stop him.

Denver’s frail and tender brother was worried about his people.

Sensing his victory, Omen smiled a sickening smile and shouted.

“What are you doing? Get out of the way so the Grand Duke can leave!”

Omen’s rigidly erect back showed no sign of bending.

Denver hugged Flotty, whose breathing was becoming increasingly erratic, a little harder.

Omen Noctis.

A nasty man who had been around for so long that he’d caught him off guard.

“Denver, you should go. Your aura could be dangerous.”

“Your Majesty, I’ll be back.”

Denver finally retracted the black aura.

The stifling fog lifted, and the people in the ballroom exhaled sharply.

“Hah, hah, hah. What just happened…….”

“Are you okay?”

In the ballroom where Denver had left, there was the crown prince wallowing in self-pity.

And—

“Alas, that’s a fascinating woman.”

There was Omen, quenching his dry throat with wine and biting his red lips.

* * *

‘Mama, Mama?’

‘Jisoo, Mama can save a lot of people.’

‘Mama, where are you going?’

‘Mama is happy about it, so don’t cry, my little Jisoo.’

‘Don’t go……. Mama, don’t go. Please?’

‘Jisoo, someday……. There will come a day when you will understand me…….’

It’s been a while since I’ve dreamed of my mom.

A nightmare in which my mom is ungraspable, moving further and further away from me.

My mom in white, laughing, walking through the demons.

She walks away from me, never looking back as I beg her not to leave.

“Hoek…….”

When I opened my eyes, damp sheets were the first thing that greeted me.

I grimace at the stinging sensation, and my vision slowly clears.

“Are you awake?”

“Ah…….”

That surprised me.

I didn’t think anyone was here.

Still feeling heavy, I turn my head to see Grand Duke Noctis standing beside me.

He looked pretty gaunt.

Tired-looking eyes, loose clothes, unkempt hair.

I was surprised to see him like this after seeing him so well-groomed.

Even in the midst of all this.

“I feel heavy, must be the drug.”

“Ha, of course you’re feeling heavy. You’ve been in bed for four days.”

“……Really?”

Four days?

I thought I was only asleep for one night.

I felt absolutely fine, except for the lack of physical exertion.

No fever, no headache.

“The discussion about the Duke of Bevenia was scheduled for two days after the banquet.”

Grand Duke Noctis ran his hand through his hair roughly.

“Perhaps to cover the Duke’s ass, they wanted to keep His Highness the Crown Prince out of the discussion.”

“Ah, so…….”

“Because if he drinks the laced wine, he’ll be so feverish he won’t be able to get up for four days.”

Still, I’m glad I stopped him since he had an important agenda.

I’ve proved my usefulness once more, so my life will be longer.

“It’s a good thing I protected the crown prince.”

“And you fell because of it.”

“I’m fine. What happened to Prince Omen? It must have been him.”

“…….”

He didn’t answer my question.

He just stared at me in the inky darkness, his eyes glowing in the candlelight.

“Don’t worry, I took care of that.”

I could vaguely make out the meaning of his words.

I could vaguely recognize the meaning of his words: the worm had gotten away with it again.

“If you knew it was drugged, you should have told me first instead of drinking it.”

“I didn’t have time.”

“I can’t believe you’re so reckless.”

“…You told me to stay out of Prince Omen’s sight.”

It’s hateful.

The Grand Duke seemed to trust me as an ally after I had worked hard.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have spoken to me in such a worried tone in the middle of nowhere.

“I’m really fine.”

I remembered the crown prince’s tired face from his long standoff.

And I remembered the face of the Grand Duke, who looked at him so dearly.

What a brother.

It made me wish I had a brother like that, someone I could protect and rely on.

I lifted my stiff lips into a bashful smile.

“Well done on my first mission, eh?”

“Well done on your first mission, huh?”

Because if it wasn’t for me, no one would have done it.

He may be the Grand Duke with the black lion on his back.

But I’m the only one who can foresee a person’s future and see into their past.

“I’ll do my best.”

The Grand Duke’s expression twisted strangely as I smiled at him.

He looks like he’s smiling, but then he looks like he’s angry.

I stare at him questioningly, and he walks away with only one word: “Rest.”

“What the hell, all of a sudden.”

For a long time, leaving no trace that he had been here.