CH 38

I haven’t seen theft as ridiculous as this. He wanted a slave in return for a slave?

He was demanding Cassadin in return for giving me Tuule.

Would Damian have any idea? That he had just been caught in the trap that he had set.

“Yes. Your Grace has given me a slave.”

I nodded in acknowledgment of Damian’s claims. When I agreed with him, a victorious smile appeared on Damian’s face. On the other hand, the Crown Prince tilted his head in confusion.

“Why did the Grand Duke give Milady a slave?”

“….The slave His Grace had given me is not actually mine.”

With a smile, I continued to speak.

“The slave that His Grace had given me was actually the gift he had prepared for Your Highness’s birthday.”

“What? But I can’t understand that either. Why did the Grand Duke want to give me a slave for my birthday, and why are you in possession of that slave?”

See. That was a normal person’s reaction. I slowly surveyed the people in the banquet hall. They were all watching us with engrossed expressions.

The things that had happened at this banquet were now going to spread far and wide through their mouths. A single word that would come out of my mouth could change the entire reputation of our family.

And with the objective of completely ruining Damian’s reputation, I decided to speak the ‘truth.’

But before I did so, I needed to obtain the promise of the Crown Prince. So that I would be guaranteed safety even after I say it.

Since a variable always existed, even with Cassadin being there.

“Are you curious about why the Grand Duke gave me the slave?”

In order to bring out more curiosity within him, I stalled my answer.

“Stop stalling and tell me. I must know what this entire situation is about.”

It was just what I expected from the Crown Prince and his three-second patience. He was beating his chest, apparently unable to stand the wait.

“Before I say anything, I wish to ask Your Highness one favor.”

“A favor?”

The Crown Prince’s eyes widened, surprised by my sudden request. When I gave him a small nod with a serious expression, the Crown Prince also nodded back in acknowledgment.

“I will fulfill whatever you wish for, so go on and tell me what that favor is.”

“I ask you to guarantee my safety.”

“Safety?”

“Yes. Because the Grand Duke may attempt to harm me for speaking the truth.”

Whisper whisper.

The banquet hall was once again swept up in confusion. And in that banquet hall was Damian, who was glaring at me viciously.

Looking at his face, I saw that his previous leisurely attitude was long gone.

“Why do you believe that I may potentially harm you, Milady? This is slander toward my name.”

“I haven’t asked you to speak, Grand Duke.”

When the Crown Prince raised his hand, signaling Damian to stop, his expression darkened even further. Seeing Damian’s fallen expression, I knew that it wouldn’t be long until my plan was complete.

“Well, it’s true that killing someone is child’s play for the Grand Duke with his swordsmanship.”

I saw Damian grind his teeth at the Prince’s remark. He must have wanted to keep the last bit of pride that had already been trampled on, as he then forcefully curled up his lips and replied.

“Not only have you imprisoned me wrongly for a crime I haven’t committed, but you are now slandering my name in this public place.”

“I believe that’s your fault for building your reputation in such a way. If your reputation and actions had been different, would the Lady have gone so much, as to ask me a favor to protect herself?”

It was a wonderful choice to attract the Crown Prince’s attention. I didn’t think he would oppose Damian that much.

The man was born with the right to the throne that Damian had longed for. Damian is most likely simmering with hatred for the Crown Prince internally right now.

A black crow cannot become a hawk. It was because he refused to accept this truth that things have come to this state. The effects of what Damian had done were just returning to him now.

But I wasn’t satisfied yet.

In my past life, Damian didn’t allow me to go to my own father’s funeral, and stole not only my healing ability and our family’s wealth, but also my own life.

And to add onto that, Damian was also attempting to take Cassadin now.

My revenge hadn’t even started yet.

“I will guarantee your safety. So tell me. Aren.”

The Crown Prince promised my safety with a public crowd watching. So I finally decided to open my mouth.

“The reason why His Grace had given me the slave was in return for giving the slave to me instead of Your Highness.”

I paused for a moment and looked straight into the Crown Prince’s eyes.

“He was planning to utilize my acquaintance with Your Highness.”

The first person to react to my answer was Damian. As soon as I ended my sentence, Damian shouted angrily,

“Milady. Don’t attempt to confuse His Highness with false claims!”

Dismissing the truth as a lie. How amusing of him to say.

The Crown Prince also seemed shocked, as he narrowed his eyes and asked me.

“Is that really true?”

“How would I dare lie to Your Highness?”

Damian shot a deadly glare at me, as he then said,

“So the claim that you’ve fallen in love with me at first sight must also be false.”

“It was true that I had some feelings for Your Grace. But no matter how much affection I did have towards you, wouldn’t it be natural for it all to disappear the moment you insulted my younger brother?”

I let out a small laugh as I added on.

“How could I hold the same feelings for someone after they insulted my family?”

Damian’s face paled, as if the blood in his veins had run cold. Staring at his face in satisfaction, I glimpsed at the large clock hanging on the pillar located at the center of the banquet hall.

The clock was now pointing at exactly six o’clock, what had been said to be the start of the banquet.

‘I’ve shaken him up enough now, so it should start soon.’

“Utilize our acquaintance? What could the Grand Duke possibly gain from that?”

Stunned, the Crown Prince brought his hand up to his forehead.

“What can be gained from an acquaintance differs by person, but isn’t there only one thing a greedy man who constantly wishes to own everything would want?”

With the brightest smile I could muster, I finished it off.

“Such as a higher position than what they already have.”

“Lady Serkia!”

No longer able to contain his anger, Damian was approaching me with an enraged expression.

But he was unable to touch even a single hair of mine. That was because Cassadin, who had been standing near me, blocked Damian’s path.

“Do not get any closer to my sister.”

Not being able to hold back his anger any longer, Damian glared at Cassadin and shouted aloud.

“Do not dare block my path, you mere slave!”

The banquet hall, which had already been swept up in the commotion, became even louder at Damian’s words.

“A-a slave?”

“Did the Grand Duke just call Sir Cassadin a slave?”

But for some reason, Cassadin merely had a calm smile, even after being provoked by Damian. Cassadin picked up a wine glass that had been sitting on a nearby table, then leisurely opened his mouth.

“It seems that Your Grace didn’t listen to what I said earlier.”

“What?”

Without responding, he wordlessly smiled and brought the glass to his lips. Cassadin’s throat moved as the liquid trickled into his mouth.

Everyone who had been observing the situation froze and watched Cassadin drink the wine.

It was unquestionably improper of him to drink the liquor when the host of the banquet, the Crown Prince, didn’t offer him the drink, but not a single person spoke up to stop him.

No. At this moment, even the Crown Prince had his gaze fixed on Cassadin.

Forget a slave. Right now, Cassadin looked like a pure-blooded noble–no, royalty.

Every single time Cassadin’s throat moved to swallow, one could hear the sound of the ladies also swallowing along with him.

When Cassadin emptied the entire glass and placed it down on the table, several gasps and sighs could be heard around us. Not wasting the chance when everyone had their attention on him, Cassadin then spoke,

“Your Grace speaks as if you know much about me, but hadn’t I already told you earlier that I have no interest in you?”

‘….have…’

‘Was that what Cassadin had whispered in Damian’s ear? And the reason why Damian had asked me permission to converse with Cassadin was because Cassadin didn’t show interest in his offer?’

“Seeing how you’ve filed a lawsuit against the imperial family and come to the palace like this, Your Grace seems like an incredible person.”

“…”

“I would not have been able to do such a thing.”

Saying that, Cassadin smiled. Cassadin was elegantly chipping away at Damian’s reputation. That action felt so natural that I even found myself gasping in awe.

Someone who had just seen Cassadin’s words and actions wouldn’t think that he was a slave. Even I, who had brought him from the gladiator arena myself, was having a hard time believing it.

And it was at that moment that Damian, unable to control his emotions, collapsed with a hand clenched over his heart.

‘Your heart disease has finally stirred up. The heart disease that I treated in the past.’

“Cough!”

Face contorted with pain, Damian continued to verbalize his suffering. Even while he was in pain from the heart disease, his sharp green eyes were glaring at me.

“Y-Your Grace! Are you alright!”

“What is happening?!”

All the people in the banquet hall brought up their hands to cover their mouths with widened eyes. Finding Damian’s sudden distress odd, the Crown Prince asked in a bewildered tone,

“…What is the matter all of a sudden?”

Damian bit down on his lower lip and struggled to respond.

“It… is nothing.”

It was clearly not just nothing. The act of just speaking seemed to be a burden on Damian. He gasped for breath as he tightened the fist clamped over his chest. There were beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“…I will call a doctor.”

When the Crown Prince decided to call on a doctor, Damian vigorously shook his head.

“I do not need a doctor.”

“You’re in this state, and you don’t need a doctor?”

As the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes in disbelief, Damian grabbed onto the Crown Prince’s clothes and muttered,

“Instead of a doctor, Kindel… Call Kindel. Tell them to ask for the butler.”

With those final words, Damian fell unconscious.