In the chilly air, the room was silent.

Mrs. Hartion’s face was already pale.

I looked at the small figure visible beyond my fan.

‘Poor thing.’

The child, no more than seven years old, struggled to keep from falling away from his mother.

‘What happened to you again?’

My eyes shine with a silver sheen now that my surroundings has fallen silent.

‘I’m going to the temple, so you must be quiet.’

‘Mother… may I come with you?’

His little head bobbed in fright.

A venomous gaze is fixed on the child.

‘The moment you take one step outside the mansion, you will be…….’

‘…….’

‘I’ll lock you up again, remember that.’

Oh, no.

The child’s eyes quickly turn sad.

‘Yes…….’

The sad child enters their room again.

This is not her biological son.

The illegitimate son of the Duke of Hartion.

The woman who kept him locked away in her mansion for fear of him being found out.

And that day, the child dies.

The cause was a sudden fever.

‘Madam, the Little Duke has suddenly fallen ill!’

The woman didn’t blink at the words.

‘Leave him alone. He will be better soon.’

Sarak, sarak— 

She continues to flip through her book nonchalantly.

The woman seemed to be smiling, maybe even laughing.

‘Crazy bitch.’

Even if he wasn’t her son, a person is dying, and yet…….

When I stop reading her past, my glowing eyes return to their original color.

Still, the ladies remained frozen.

“If you go to the temple and repent, do you think your sins will go away?”

“…….”

“No, it won’t. You don’t have any guilt in the first place, so it will be called repentance.”

The woman’s once pale face now took on a sour glow.

Mrs. Hartion slumped back in her seat.

“H, how could you…….”

Mrs. Hartion’s admission of guilt quickly stirred the room.

“Is she saying this is all true?”

“No way…….”

“Even to an illegitimate child, to do such a thing…….”

People were stunned.

“I guess the social circles haven’t heard about it.”

“……”

“I have a very special ability.”

At that moment, the woman began to shake off her shoulders, screaming like a madwoman.

“Aaaahhhh! Get off me, get off me, get off me!”

She looked like someone fighting off an evil spirit.

She threw herself down frantically, her face a deep blue.

“Get out of here, you asshole. If you’re dead, you’re dead, why are you following me, ahhhh!”

Her elegant up-do became a mess.

She tugged at her shoulders as if she were going to rip her dress off at any moment.

Her drunkenness seemed to play a part.

“Over here, take her away.”

I gestured to the knights, who seem unsure of what to do.

The imperial knights guarding the banquet hall rushed forward and grabbed the woman’s arms.

“Karina!” A man approaches, calling her name in the commotion.

‘This is the Duke of Hartion.’

The Duke looks at his wife, who is screaming like a madwoman, and asks what’s going on.

“I, it’s…….”

“Duke Hartion.”

I push past the knight and step forward.

The Duke’s complexion turns grim as he spots me.

“G, Grand Duchess?”

The Duke doesn’t know.

He doesn’t know how his son died.

I let out a short sigh in silence.

‘They say everyone has their own story…….’

That’s why I don’t enjoy stepping up.

In the midst of all this commotion, a child who had become a spirit hugged the woman’s shoulder eagerly.

‘Why have you become so nice?’

The child looks at me.

[Mother seems strange, is she sick?]

My head almost hurts from his sheer worry.

She’s not your mother, and she doesn’t deserve your love.

The child clutches the woman’s shoulders with a grip he can’t quite manage.

“Even the purest of souls can change when they’re tied to this world for too long, Jisoo.”

I remember what my mother said to me one day.

Even that pure child, one day…….

“I’m not doing this for you because you’re pretty.”

“……?”

“I do it because I feel sorry for you.”

I pulled out the bell I always carry with me.

The only good thing is that it’s made of crystal, so it looks like an ornament to others.

‘You should go now, child.’

[But Mother’s still here……]

The child’s round eyes are filled with tears.

‘When you get up there, you can eat all the goodies you want, and play with friends.’

The child’s eyes wobble a little.

But he still holds onto the shoulder of the woman he believes is his mother.

I squat down and get eye level with him.

It was hard to say that his real mother was actually waiting for him up there.

I didn’t want him to be confused.

I picked and chose my words. I picked and chose my words so he wouldn’t be hurt.

‘Your mother would be more happy to see you happy.’

[……Really?]

‘Yes, of course. Because your Mother loves you.’

His big eyes quickly filled with tears.

He smiles.

[Okay. I’ll go then.]

He pressed his lips to the panicked woman’s cheek.

The bell shook once, and a loud, clean sound escaped.

The child’s soul was vanishing into a shimmering dust.

“Goodbye. Take care.”

I said aloud through my mouth.

Hoping the poor child would reach the sky safely.

The gazes of the people, who had been silent as rats, turned to me.

‘I shouldn’t have spoken out loud.’

I feel a twinge of regret.

This is the imperial palace, and the center of social circles, the nobility.

I’m sure they’ll be talking about it for a while.

‘Still. Omen has long since discovered my abilities.’

There’s no need to hide it.

That shrewd snake knows all about it.

I just wanted this to end quickly.

The Duchess fainted from exhaustion and Duke Hartion held her close.

And people started looking at me with curious eyes.

‘Tsk, tsk.’

I straightened my bent knees and stood up.

Duke Kellus, familiar with my abilities, looks a little surprised and gives me an awkward smile.

I’d like to get out of here.

Just as I’m thinking that, someone puts a hand on my shoulder.

“Flotty.”

“Ah, Denver.”

Nice timing.

The Grand Duke, who had left the ballroom with the Crown Prince, had returned.

He hurried over to the source of the commotion, a little out of breath.

“What’s going on? Is everything all right?”

“Of course. It’s clearly okay, isn’t it?”

“It’s never quiet where you are.”

The words were a subtle jab at me, but I didn’t hate it.

I saw the concern in his eyes.

“I’ll take it as a compliment, okay?”

“Don’t take it as a compliment because I’m nagging you for me to stop worrying.”

I replied with a smile.

“I’ll hear what’s going on at the mansion.”

“Yes.”

I turned on my heel and walked out of the commotion with the Grand Duke.

To Duke Kellus,

“See next time.”

I bowed quietly.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The shrewd Duke replied.

***

“Where are you off to, my brother?”

A mountain after a mountain.

It never rains but pours.

As we exited the ballroom, we ran into Omen.

“The party hasn’t even started yet.”

Even as he spoke to the Grand Duke, his eyes were fixed on me.

I ducked behind his back.

“I’m not the type to stay long at a boring party.”

“Well, at least it’s a party for your wife.”

“You should have paid more attention.”

A sharp tension flashed between them.

“I wasn’t paying attention, brother.”

Still, Omen seemed to be playing nice today.

I pushed aside the body in front of me.

“It’s the crown prince’s birthday soon, isn’t it?”

Just as I’m about to move past Omen, he speaks again.

That means another day we’ll be face to face.

“Isn’t it a birthday you never wanted to celebrate?”

The Grand Duke smiled wryly.

“Of course not. I’m going to organize the party myself this time.”

And at those words, the Grand Duke’s eyes turned sharp.

It was the Queen’s responsibility to organize parties at the palace.

But why, Omen?

Puzzled, I peeked my head out to see if Omen’s expression had changed.

He looked as relaxed as ever.

“You look like you have a lot of free time.”

“It’s only right for the free man to do it.”

Omen didn’t lose heart and accepted the Grand Duke’s words.

“I’ll make sure we have a perfect party this time, my brother.”

“Indeed. I expect to be entertained.”

“Is that so?”

I held my breath between the two conflicting men.

‘Omen is Omen, but the Grand Duke is the Grand Duke.’

With that, the snake energy flowed powerfully.

The Grand Duke’s expression is impassive.

I gripped the bell tightly as it tried to wiggle out of my grasp.

“At that time, I will wish to speak further with Your Highness.”

Omen leaned in slightly, daring me to look at him.

Of course, the Grand Duke quickly blocked me up.

“I am a jealous man.”

“Haha, you?”

Omen’s laughter always makes me feel terrible.

Even when it’s just a laugh.

The Grand Duke grabs my hand, which I’ve been hiding behind.

His gaze remains fixed on Omen.

“So be careful not to cross the line.”

“…….”

“If I do, I may end up killing my brother in a fit of jealousy.”

The winner of this battle of nerves was the Grand Duke.