The moment the Mainukor delegation, who had been observing the situation, entered following them.
“Hoo.”
"Ha."
Exclamations burst out one after another. The lanterns that filled the ceiling were dazzlingly illuminating the banquet hall.
The large round table looked like something from a banquet hall, but the harmony of the carpet, curtains, and tablecloths beneath it was unusual.
It was neatly arranged yet sophisticated and the scent of the flowers was subtle but not excessive.
“It feels like I’ve arrived at the capital’s banquet hall. I didn’t expect to be treated this way on an island.”
The tense atmosphere of the Mainukor delegation, led by Count Montiol, began to soften.
“Well, it’s nothing special.”
“...”
Except for one person.
The head seat at the large round table was occupied by Fernand, while the seats across from him were occupied by Agatha and Enoch.
Agatha sat down on the chair Enoch had given her and was momentarily aware of his presence.
Now she should be concentrating on her work, but her mind keeps wandering to Enoch, who is moving behind her and next to her.
Once the high tables were filled and the rest of the delegation had taken their seats at the tables, the banquet began in earnest.
Fernand took the lead, holding a glass of wine.
“Now, for the eternal friendship between the Mainukor Empire and the Roxbard Empire.”
"Cheers."
Agatha smiled with the corners of her lips raised at the subtle choice of words in the speech, but she focused all her attention on Enoch's reaction.
The man was emptying his first glass without any reaction as if his previous reaction had been meaningless.
“Let’s start dinner.”
As soon as Fernand made his declaration, all kinds of food filled the table to overflowing.
It was a splendid table that included Mainukor Empire cuisine, Roxbard Empire cuisine, and Eastern Continent cuisine.
Count Montiol, the chief executive of Mainukor, gave a favorable review.
“It seems that the Marchioness has put a lot of thought into the banquet. The way she eats and the variety of dishes show her consideration.”
“You are exaggerating. It was something that had to be done for the sake of reconciliation between our two countries. And...”
Agatha continued her story and placed her hand on Enoch’s right arm. The wedding ring on his left ring finger sparkled blue under the light of the ornate chandelier.
“I think I was able to prepare better and feel more at ease because my husband personally led the knights and went out to greet the delegation. I was happy about that.”
She had no intention of letting Fernand provoke her husband any longer.
Regardless of Enoch's reaction, it was never a good idea to condone Fernand's actions.
Above all, although Enoch was a man of noble character, he did not know the tricks of a man.
Since it was something related to this side in the first place, it was right for her to draw the line several times.
“Right, Enoch?”
“...I just did what I had to do. I’m even happier that it helped you.”
The moment he lightly kissed the back of Agatha's left hand.
Fernand's eyes, whose patience was already thin, sparked. He was a guy he had disliked from the moment they first met on the ship.
A few hours ago, Fernand headed up to the deck with an annoyed expression on his face when he heard that the Roxbard Empire was there to greet him.
“We’ll be arriving at the island soon, so why are you coming here to greet us?”
“Even though it is an unofficial visit, isn’t it proper procedure given His Highness’s presence?”
Behind him were his close associates and the Count of Montiol, his chief of staff.
“And the person who has come out to greet you is the famous war hero Marquis Aratus, so I think it would be a good idea to pay your respects while you’re at it.”
"What?"
It was natural for Fernand, who had been walking well, to stop walking.
Marquis Aratus!
He was Agatha's seventh new husband.
Fernand almost flew out onto the deck, wanting to see that evil face.
At there.
Flutter-
The second Prince experienced a terrible sense of defeat as a man.
Overwhelming atmosphere.
The man appeared in his military uniform and epaulets, his cloak billowing, and his every step left an imposing presence.
The moment he saw him, his stomach twisted. It was very humiliating for Fernand to find out that the man he had thought was ugly was actually a proper man, handsome and with a strong presence.
Moreover, the bastard was bowing his waist with indifferent eyes as if he had no interest in me at all.
“Your Highness, the Second Prince of the Mainukor Empire.”
All this time, he had been so indifferent to him that it seemed pointless.
'Criminal!'
Fernand, who woke up from his flashback, ground his teeth. He belatedly started picking on him for every little thing, but it was already too late.
Because he was clearly defeated in their first meeting!
But that alone was not enough, and it was driving him crazy that Agatha was only interested in that guy.
'No matter how great that guy is, he's not better than me, the Prince!'
Did you say that you went there under pressure from your relatives?
Although he returned victorious and put his family in order, anyone could see that his situation was better.
Besides, he heard that the family's financial situation is still a mess!
“Aren’t I better?”
"Yes?"
“I asked, Agatha, if I were not better than the Marquis.”
Agatha stiffened her lips in a trembling manner. She had driven in a wedge to tell him not to provoke her, but it was like the iron stake had come back to bite her.
“Your Highness. As I said before, words that could cause misunderstandings-”
“I had a lot of regrets after divorcing you.”
'Why is he like this?'
Agatha, of course, and the vassals present at the scene, as well as the Mainukor delegation, were all dumbfounded and kept their mouths shut, but there was only one person who spoke.
“If you challenge me to a duel, then stand up and speak properly.”
There was no longer a man who had been so indifferent to any controversy.
“Your Highness, you desire my wife in public.”
With eyes that were pitch black.
“I will gladly cross swords with you.”
Enoch was smiling coolly as he kissed Agatha's wedding ring.
No one did not feel the stench of blood that was so strong it made their flesh shiver.
The knights of the Mynumconti royal family who were standing guard at the banquet hall had their hands on their swords, and the knights of Aratus also held their sword hilts and stood guard.
A critical situation.
Fernand, who had frozen for a moment, curled his trembling lips.
“I think you misunderstood what I said. That’s not what I meant.”
“...”
The man didn't move. Fernand, who had been gritting his teeth for a while at the fixed gaze, stormed out.
“I, my lowly self!”
The terrified Count of Montiol rose from his seat and quickly bowed his head.
“I apologize for the rudeness on his behalf, Your Excellency and Madame. I hope you will be generous and understanding, as His Highness must have been very tired.”
“Why would the Count apologize? It’s enough that something like this never happens again.”
“Yes. Your Excellency, you probably know that. I’m sorry to interrupt the dinner, but I have something to do for a moment, so I’ll be leaving now...”
“Oh, then we should go now.”
“Well, I guess I need to rest since I’m still a bit tired.”
The Mainukor men, led by Count Montiol, who bowed his head once again, disappeared one by one.
Eventually, even the knights disappeared, leaving only the Aratus knights and servants.
Enoch led Agatha's hand, which he had been holding, to the bedroom. His thick, strong fingers, which had spread between her thin fingers, entered her hand, holding it as if to confine it.
“I made a mistake.”
Go down the hallway and up the stairs.
Agatha, who had reached the bedroom on the fifth floor in an instant, blankly looked up at Enoch. As soon as the door closed, the man held her in his arms and looked down at her.
“Don’t get me wrong, but it would be a lie to say I didn’t care.”
“...!”
Their lips met. The man, who had been deeply exploring her while exhaling lowly, was now holding her in his arms.
Her eyelids fluttered. Was the emotion he had felt back then jealousy?
“Don’t be alone with the Prince, Agatha.”
Agatha barely managed to move her reddened lips.
“We’ve never been alone together.”
“Didn’t you get on his carriage?”
“The maid was there too. And you were the one who wasn’t there for me.”
The man's eyes are slightly distorted.
“I thought I would be okay.”
But now, he doesn't think it's going to work out, the man whispered as he kissed her again and dug deeper into the bed.
***
The night was deep.
Fernand, who had run out of the banquet hall, was filling his empty stomach with alcohol.
“You are misinterpreting my true feelings!”
As he drank, his sense of reason disappeared and his stomach burned. Fernand thought that the reason his stomach was burning was because of the bastard who had taken Agatha.
“You’re so lucky to have married Agatha, yet you dare pressure me!”
If Agatha hadn't divorced so many times, there's no way she would have gotten a chance with that guy.
This was evident from the fact that his second opponent was the Second Prince, Ferdinand himself.
“Bring me more alcohol, bring me more alcohol!”
“Your Highness. You have already had too much to drink.”
The attendant tried to stop him, but it was no use.
“I told you to bring some alcohol!”
“You should think about your health too. You have a meeting starting tomorrow morning.”
“Are you making fun of me too?”
He had no way of holding back when he suddenly got angry and started nitpicking.
As the number of bottles of alcohol he received increased, his frustration grew.
“Who do you think would be afraid if he asked me to duel?”
It was especially frustrating and infuriating that he had to swallow the words he had said while suppressing his will to live.
“How dare you oppress me, the Prince! You are such a baseless bastard!”
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