CH 80

Although there were unprecedented disturbances, the banquet went smoothly.

There was no great noble who dared to ruin the second prince’s banquet.

Logan could only grit his teeth and did not tell the Emperor about Glorielle.

The other nobles did the same as they were concerned the Emperor will hear them.

So, her existence was known to the emperor when she delivered gifts to the main characters of the banquet in order of her rank.

“Next, Duke Lestir and Glorielle… Your Majesty.”

When she entered the banquet, she was referred to as ‘Glorielle Silksia with ‘Silkisia’ as her last name. That was only because she was forced to do so by Verndia’s threats, and since Leas and her family were disowned, her daughter, Glorielle, had no family name.

So, the attendant, who shouted her name, blurted out his words vaguely.

“Glorielle?”

Even when the two preceding families, Evergreen and Silkisia, gave presents, the empathetic emperor stopped talking.

“Did you say Glorielle?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The attendant bowed deeply and answered.

He expected that due to the emperor’s personality, he might see blood in this spot.

As if he had seen something interesting, he changed his sitting position, bending and looking down.

On the red carpet, Psychke and Verndia bowed at the place where they gave gifts to the Second prince.

At the same time, they congratulated the second prince who was sitting in front of the emperor.

“Congratulations on his coming of age.”

“Happy Birthday.”

Instead of being greeted, the second prince looked behind him.

Not befitting his age, he looked at his father with a look of unsure of what to do with her pure appearance.

The emperor looked at the two people arrogantly.

“Raise your head.”

The moment he heard his voice, Psychke realized.

‘He must be the emperor.’

In the past, the man who ordered Shiona to be brainwashed and to call her master was the emperor.

The Duke of Verndia said that it seems that he was the one who framed her parents.

‘Just why…’

She forcibly prevented something that was arising from within her.

She couldn’t make eye contact with the emperor, so she expressionlessly stared at his feet sitting on a high platform.

The corner of the emperor’s mouth drew an arc as he looked at her like that. His eyes weren’t smiling, though.

“How can you make me believe that you are Glorielle?”

Psychke pretended to be as normal as possible and answered.

“I can use Silkisia’s unique abilities.”

The surprised nobles gasped by the words that came out.

The emperor leisurely crossed his legs.

“Show me.”

Psychke obeyed him.

Slowly, the ambient temperature lowered and from where her feet was, a blue aura spread, and a faint frost covered it.

The giant snow crystal pattern was carved into the bottom, centered around her.

Twinklingly, the blue light grains that emerged from the patterns were scattered in the air.

The blue aura that swayed across the floor spread all over the place.

Like a gift sprinkled by a fairy, it became transparent ice crystals and floated in the air.

It hovered in one place, creating ice storms, and creating fields of flowers that swayed delicately in the breeze.

The way they looked changed just like that.

A sharp ice crystal brushed the emperor’s cheek.

It was so small and so fleeting that no one saw it.

The emperor stroked his cheek with the back of his hand but no blood oozed out.

Psychke pretended not to see his meaningful gaze and continued to use her superpowers.

Then she finished it after placing iced wine glasses in the hands of everyone at the party.

Surprised by the scope and detail of the superpower, the nobles murmured.

“Oh my god. She can handle something like this?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen anything of this scale in the history books.”

Psychke straightened her back.

In eyes of many people, she was weak. But now, her training with Verndia was worthwhile.

“Hmm.”

A satisfied smile appeared on the corner of the emperor’s mouth as he patted his icy cheek.

He rolled an ice glass as if it contained real alcohol, then slowly stood up.

“You’re the untouchable Silkisia.”

“…!”

Silent consternation spread among the nobles.

The emperor named Leas’s daughter, Glorielle Silkisia!

Logan, who had been watching all this devastated, bit his lip.

There was a look of utter despair on his face.

“But you know what?”

Slowly descending the steps of the podium, the emperor looked elegant.

“Your mother, Leas, has committed a great sin against the imperial family.”

“… I know, Your Majesty.”

“And that sin was a sin that applies to her children as well.”

He stood tall in front of her so she lowered her gaze.

“Glorielle.”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know you would come all this way as a sinner, and without fear.”

The emperor stretched out a hand and its destination was Psychke’s neck.

However, before the hand reached halfway, Verndia blocked it.

“I was the one who brought the princess, so it seems right to punish me.”

“Do you intend to be punished?”

“If one commits a crime, he must be punished. That is, ‘If he had sinned.’”

Verndia looked straight at the emperor.

Deeply sunken purple eyes were burning more fiercely than usual.

The emperor looked at him with an unknown face. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“Duke.”

“Yes.”

“You better be careful.”

It was an eerie warning not to climb any further.

However, Verndia did not blink an eye. Rather,

“I will keep that in mind.”

He blurted out words that was not even from the bottom of his heart.

The emperor’s gray eyes glared at him.

When he was looking at Psychke, there was even a faint warmth, but now it was cold.

“The crime of bringing a sinner into this was serious but it’s not appropriate right now. Hence, I’ll deal with you later.”

After speaking, the emperor returned to his throne.

The nobles were shaken again by his actions.

Although the emperor called Glorielle a criminal, he did not even issue a summary judgment.

Even though Lestir blocked him, judging from the atmosphere, the emperor wouldn’t have killed him if he had done more than that.

What does this mean?

‘Is the owner of Silkisia changing?’

‘He didn’t even tell the oracle!’

‘Maybe he decided that it would be better to keep him alive because he is a person with outstanding abilities?’

‘Well, according to the oracle, that would be more dangerous. Then, what about the Duke of Silkisia?’

Silent words came and went through eyes and gestures.

In the meantime, Psychke and Verndia bowed before the Second Prince.

And it went back to its original celebration, neither fast nor slow.

* *

After the order of presenting gifts to the main character of the banquet was over.

The musicians who were waiting started playing a calm song. It was time to dance.

It started with the 2nd prince.

Usually at such a party, the first dance partner was chosen by the person herself, but the timid second prince handed the authority to his father.

The emperor nominated Lilian without much hesitation.

In the middle of the hall, watching the two of them dancing, Psychke thought about this and that.

‘Am I weighing it?’

There must have been a reason why the emperor had named Lillian as the Second prince’s dance partner.

For example, to show the nobles that Logan was still alive and well as the Duke of Silkisia.

‘It was strange enough to have Lillian as his dance partner in the first place.’

So, there was a high possibility that all of this was the Emperor’s planned performance.

Was he trying to shake the current Silkisia and her at the same time?

‘I don’t care.’

It was not like she didn’t have it in her mind.

She was confident that she wouldn’t be shaken no matter what, so she didn’t worry.

“I don’t dance dirty. Even if I dance alone, I will dance better than that.”

Verndia, who was next to her, whispered mischievously.

Psychke laughed thinking- ‘I don’t think so.’

He requested a dance after the performance of the Second prince and Lillian was over.

“Shall we dance to a song?”

“Gladly.”

She put mine on the outstretched firm hand of his and he led her to the center.

Eyes who stared at her had increased.

Even when Lillian and the 2nd Prince were dancing, half of them were spying on me, but now….

‘I think it’s about 9% out of 10.’

Verndia, who was standing across from her, tugged at her slightly and muttered in a joking tone.

“I wonder if the practice was worthwhile.”

“I hope so.”

When she answered indifferently, he wrapped one hand around her waist.

She surrendered to his lead and moved stiffly. As if her special training was worthwhile, Verndia was certainly gentle.

Lightly, music wrapped around her ears.

She danced to the beat.

A blue dress under an ornate chandelier was dancing.

She saw people with different facial expressions in their eyes.

Hilvia turned blue, Lennox was in disbelief, and Yzhar seemed to deny the reality…

It was a pretty good feeling to see the changed eyes of those who always criticized her.

“Concentrate.”

Verndia whispered using the dance as an excuse to be closer to her.

Psychke, who had been looking over his shoulder, looked away.

“Look at me.”

He was smiling prettily as if he were satisfied with the situation.

Ignoring the beat, his lips brushed through her hair.

She was taken aback but only blushed and said nothing. She realized what he wanted to do.

The noble with the highest power in the empire, excluding the imperial family.

The one who receives affection from Verndia was her.

This proposition must be clearly engraved in everyone’s mind.

‘Use me.’

‘I’ll use you as much as I want.’

As he said in the carriage before coming to the banquet hall.

He whispered, enjoying the gaze of the buzzing nobles.

“I thought everyone would feel bad when they see you, but that’s not necessarily the case.”

“Yes?”

“It felt like I had dug up a gemstone that no one knew about. I’m dying to brag about it.”

Seriously, where do you pick words like that?

Her face blushed and lowered her gaze.

Verndia smiled and hugged her close to her music.

“You know? That you can’t stay here. Princess is someone who should shine many times more than now.”

Psychke looked into his eyes.

His purple eyes, which contained only her, were burning with a certain passion, reminding her of his supernatural power, the unquenchable flame.

The flame that lit up the darkness so that she, who had lost the light, could shine again.

He was just like that.

Emotions that cannot be defined by anything else welled up. Psychke gave strength to the hand that held her.

His red lips curled into a smile as his body temperature rose.

“You will climb up to the place so high everyone looks up to you.”

Slowly, the song slowed down.

Thus, the dance was over.

“Because I will make it that way.”

Along with the beat, his voice changed softly.

No, maybe it was only Psychke who felt that way.

“Don’t leave me.”

A faint sound of breathing passed her ears.

“Do you understand?”

Verndia, who brushed his lips against her ear pretending to have made a mistake while finishing the dance, corrected his posture.

He kissed the back of her hand with a seemingly natural expression.

“You said you hate it in the forehead.”

“…”

Her face heated up again, along with her ears and he back of her hand.

Psychke did not know what to say to alleviate the heat.

(TN: You know what? Just kiss already! Ugh!)