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Chapter 16
“Maybe there’s something deeper behind this story.”
Prina headed to Count Seyton’s guest room.
This was before Havel’s regression. In the novel, Havel at this time was still only a low-ranking knight, so he had no way of witnessing the hidden conspiracies unfolding at the banquet. Everything the protagonist knew came only from rumors spoken long after the events.
So if Prina was right…
‘Someone is poisoning Count Seyton’s ceremonial wine.’
The wine would still be in the guest room. That was why she was waiting here.
A moment later.
Footsteps echoed through the second-floor corridor.
A servant entered Count Seyton’s guest room, lifted the ceremonial wine on a silver tray, and walked out.
That servant was probably…
‘An assassin hired by someone.’
Most likely an infiltrator disguised as a servant.
He carried the wine toward the servants’ passage leading down to the banquet hall.
He was going to bring that wine to Deklin.
“Hey. Bring the ceremonial wine from the guest room immediately.”
At Count Seyton’s command, the chosen servant immediately headed to the room.
He was a professional assassin who had infiltrated the palace using a forged identity pass.
If I complete this job safely…
He had been promised a huge reward just for poisoning the wine.
The task itself wasn’t difficult. Just deliver the poisoned drink.
But assassination always came with severe consequences if it failed—especially when the target was…
“Ah! I’m sorry!”
A maid suddenly appeared and crashed into him.
Pink hair filled his vision for an instant, and a sticky drink spilled over his body.
What is this?!
He was on his way to carry out a life-or-death mission, and some foolish maid had ruined everything.
Her uniform was slightly different, but judging by its worn condition, she was clearly a palace worker.
Damn it!
He almost shouted—but then another thought crossed his mind.
The mission was already complete. He had already poisoned the wine as instructed.
Calming himself, he looked down at the trembling girl.
Her pink eyes shook as if she might cry at any moment.
A crooked smile formed on his lips.
“How dare you know what you’ve done!”
He pretended to be a servant and shouted at her. Handling a clueless maid like this was easy.
“This wine I am carrying is an offering for someone so noble you couldn’t even imagine!”
“N-noble…?”
As intended, fear instantly filled her face.
“Yes. Grand Duke Kaisar. You almost caused me to drop this precious wine.”
He lowered his voice threateningly.
“It’s, it’s good it didn’t break…”
“Good? Look at me! How am I supposed to appear before His Grace in this state?”
“T-then… w-what should I do…?”
She stammered, clearly terrified. Her pink eyes trembled like she would cry at any moment.
Come to think of it… unusual appearance.
Pink hair and pink eyes.
Especially the eyes—he had never seen anything like them.
And that actually worked in his favor.
‘Perfect to leave a strong impression.’
He had already been considering who to frame for the assassination attempt.
Someone lowly, without backing, and foolish.
And that person was standing right in front of him.
“Since it’s already happened, there’s no choice. You will deliver the wine in my place.”
“W-what?”
“You expect me to enter the banquet hall like this? What noble would accept a servant drenched in spilled drink serving them?”
“T-then…”
He spoke gently, almost coaxing her.
“You go instead.”
“….”
“Nothing special will happen. Just pour the wine and leave.”
She would become the one who poisoned a war hero in his place.
Everything was going too smoothly.
The maid, trembling, eventually accepted the wine.
Watching her shaky figure walk toward the banquet hall, the assassin clicked his tongue.
Even prisoners on death row know they are going to die.
But that foolish commoner was walking straight into execution without knowing it.
When the assassin’s attention shifted away…
Prina, holding the poisoned ceremonial wine, quickly slipped into a dark corner of the banquet hall.
She took out a silver spoon she had secretly hidden and dipped it into the wine.
Ssshh—
The bright silver instantly turned pitch black.
So it really was poisoned.
This wasn’t Count Seyton’s doing.
He certainly wanted Deklin dead, but he wouldn’t go as far as hiring an assassin and poisoning his own ceremonial wine.
Especially not something from his own family.
Then there was only one possibility.
This was Deklin’s own scheme.
“Your Grace! Congratulations on your victory!”
“Your Grace, it’s been a long time. I am from the House of Gilard…”
Countless greetings and praises poured toward Deklin, the center of the banquet.
Everyone tried to approach him, hoping to attach their family name to his.
Deklin smiled brightly.
His noble beauty stole everyone’s breath.
Everyone except one man.
Count Seyton.
Before Deklin even entered, his face was already pale.
Deklin walked calmly toward him.
“Count, it has been a long time.”
At the gentle greeting, Seyton’s face turned even paler.
“Oh, come to think of it, you visited just two days ago. So perhaps not so long.”
The pointed remark made Seyton bite his lip.
He had long been one of Deklin’s most open enemies.
Twelve years ago, he had believed without doubt that his nephew would inherit the Grand Duke’s seat.
But then the entire Grand Duke’s family was slaughtered in a mysterious incident—and an illegitimate child no one had known about appeared.
Deklin.
No one accepted him. But once the Emperor granted him legitimacy, everything changed, and Seyton’s hatred deepened.
But now, what he felt in front of Deklin was not anger.
It was fear.
“Congratulations on your victory, Your Grace…”
Damn it. How is this monster still alive?
The enemy territory had been a natural fortress, making the war drag on for a hundred years.
He had planned to use it as Deklin’s grave and seize power.
But Deklin had returned alive.
That monster should have died there!
Seyton could not believe his house was now on the brink of ruin.
And that the fate of his family now depended on the young man he once looked down upon.
“Is that all?”
At Deklin’s words, Seyton’s eyes widened.
“…P-pardon?”
Deklin’s gaze slowly shifted toward the ceremonial wine.
Then it stopped at the Seyton family seal.
Cold sweat ran down Seyton’s back.
What is he thinking?
The man who had returned the severed head of my spy just two days ago…
Why had he chosen Seyton’s ceremonial wine himself?
