"Yeah?"

Raphine blinked, wondering what she was talking about.

"I vividly remember your beautiful pink hair and blue sky eyes."

"...."

"Because it was the mermaid that saved me from falling into the water after being hit by a sleeping needle."

Raphine's eyes narrowed.

Uh, maybe....

Come to think of it, when I went to find the relics of ruby, the man who fell into the river looked exactly like that.

I was out of my mind, so I just put it on the boat to save it, and then I completely forgot about it.

"I was looking for a long time. And I saw the wanted flyer and knew who you were."

"... ah."

Raphine rubbed the nape of her neck as if embarrassed. He seemed to be referring to the wanted badge that Zerkan had given him.

"Unfortunately, the knights of the Empire collected all the wanted flyers that were left."

"...."

"But thanks to you, I met you again. I am now grateful for the grace that saved my life."

When those words were finished, the escort knight and maid, who were standing behind the prince, took a step forward and bowed deeply in front of Raphine.

"Thank you for saving our prince."

"thank you."

"It doesn't matter. I just...."

Raphine shook her hand and laughed, and Prince Saladin tried to grab her hand.

Just then, someone came into the terrace.

"What is this?"

It was Zerkan. Zerkan frowned and came closer.

Saladin, who was about to grab Raphine's hand, put his hand behind his back and briefly explained the situation.

"I was just saying thank you for saving my life."

"... I don't think this is the right place or time to say thank you."

At that, Saladin grinned.

"I was rude. I apologize."

Even with his apology, Zerkan's expression was terrifying. It was a look that no one could see.

Saladin looked at Raphine one more time and left the terrace as if he had no choice but to say hello.

"I'll greet you again later."

When he left, the attendants who had come with Zerkan also avoided their seats without notice.

When only Raphine and Zerkan were left on the terrace, Zerkan asked straight away.

"You save lives, what do you mean?"

"ah. Last time I went to the Lenchest estate, I saved something from drowning."

"...."

"It doesn't matter."

I don't think it's a big deal.... Zerkan bit her lip slightly.

Raphine couldn't take her eyes off Zerkan's lips.

'If only I tried one more time.'

Not knowing that Raphine was thinking like that, Zerkan burned his stomach.

As a child, Rafine liked children's books about a strange prince.

As much as I saw it and proposed to myself.

In Zerkan's eyes, Prince Saladin looked like a trash prince from a fairy tale book.

As a candidate for Rafine's remarriage, she did not make it into the rankings. Luckily, there were too many reasons to put him to death.

"It's better not to get close to people from the Babylonian Kingdom."

Unbeknownst to me, an annoying voice came out. Zerkan looked at Raphine, a little embarrassed by his own tone of voice.

Raphine was a bit ecstatic for some reason, but her expression was very cute.

"Great."

Raphine came to her senses and coughed, "Why?" asked. Zerkan stopped trying to tell the truth.

"... There are rumors that they are close to the kingdom of Themion."

"The kingdom of Themion?"

"yes."

Raphine's eyes narrowed. I heard that Themion Kingdom is getting close to the Ukmerin tribe, a barbarian force recently.

And....

'Themion Kingdom is also a country where Antonio sold his empire in the original work.'

A kingdom that was ignored because it was small will eventually occupy the entire empire.

Unlike the current empire, which is still prosperous, in the original story, it was possible because the empire was in the midst of falling apart.

Zerkan was unable to properly take care of state affairs due to blurred vision. And Zerkan's death.

After that, Antonio, who had no ability at all, ascended to the throne, and he fell in love with women and did not properly take care of affairs.

So the empire passed.

The story after all the main characters died was not drawn in detail anyway, and I lost interest and did not read it properly.

Of course, there must have been many other factors that contributed to the passing of the empire.

'Themion Kingdom bastards must have planted a lot of saffron among the high-ranking nobles of the Empire.'

Now I couldn't be bothered.

Their trilogy will already be hidden all over the empire.

'There are a lot of things that are quite suspicious....'

"What do you think?"

Seeing Raphine who had been contemplating for a long time, Zerkan frowned and asked. It was an offensive tone.

"If you were thinking about that trash prince...."

"Who is attending this time in Themion Kingdom...."

Both words came out at the same time.

Raphine, who was about to ask about the kingdom of Themion, blinked.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing to say."

"I don't think so...?"

"What did you say? Themion Kingdom?"

When Zerkan asked, Raphine nodded and said.

"In the kingdom of Themion, who came as the delegation for this wedding?"

"The King's younger brother is here."

"Then are you a prince?"

At Raphine's question, Zerkan's forehead wrinkled. He wasn't a prince as she asked, but since he was a grand duke, his status was comparable to that of a prince. No, why are they all just princes?

"I have the title of Grand Duke, but...."

"okay? Are you in the banquet hall right now?"

"Why? You want to say hello?"

Zerkan reacted sensitively. Why does Raphine like the prince so much? Are you not enough by yourself?

"No, it's not...."

Raphine raised her hand. It was a signal to come closer. As Zerkan bowed her head, Raphine whispered in her ear.

"I want to see who I am contacting. Probably because it won."

"...."

Their eyes met from a very close distance. Zerkan stared intently at Raphine, and Raphine's gaze turned to his lips.

"Great."

"... Hmm."

At the same time, the two fell apart.

"Hey, I need to go out and watch some people."

"... yes."

So Raffine left the terrace first. Zerkan stayed a little longer to calm his burning cheeks.

Raphine confirmed the location of Themion's envoy through the attendant.

And watched him from afar.

The people around him, the Honam type, were full. Every time he spoke, the people around him burst out laughing.

Among them were nobles on the side of the empress, and there were nobles on the side of Viscount Tedler.

But Raphine didn't have time to watch him for long.

This is because there were countless people approaching Raphine, the main character of the banquet, to say hello.

Olivia and Christine blocked most of them, but it wasn't enough.

When he was frantically greeting the nobility that came like a wave, someone walked in front of Raffine.

It was the royal family of Themion, whom Raphine had been secretly watching a while ago.

"Nice to meet you."

Raphine greeted him first, and he bent his arms and bowed his head.

"Nice to meet you, Your Majesty the Crown Prince. I am Archduke Gaston, who came as an envoy to Themion Kingdom. The Imperial Palace is really, really beautiful."

He grinned and laughed. Maybe it was because he knew the original story, so it was not common to hear that the Imperial Palace was beautiful.

"okay. The Imperial Palace is really beautiful."

"Yes, I am very happy to be here as an envoy."

Rafine greeted him calmly and watched closely.

the gaze of those around you.

And I saw people with strange smiles in the gap.

A male nobleman known as Viscount Tedler's subordinate, and a priest standing in the corner.

The two had eyes and expressions that were strangely similar to those of Archduke Gaston in front of them.

Among the many people, Raphine seemed to see only the eyes of three people.

It was the eyes of a predator eager to steal someone else's.

* * *

When the banquet was in full swing.

Celestina looked around with keen eyes. In fact, she's tried several approaches to get closer to Zerkan, but never succeeded.

But today was different. I couldn't miss this opportunity.

Celestina, who had been looking for someone for a long time, finally found Zerkan in the distance and approached it.

A small vial was hidden under the sleeve.

Long ago, it was a bottle containing a secret medicine that the empress used on the emperor and captured his heart.

Tonight, Celistina had to seduce Zerkan.

If such a thing happened on the day of the wedding, the relationship between the Crown Prince and his wife would be horribly ruined.

In addition, Zerkan's reputation and image in the aristocratic society will plummet.

Naturally, Prince Antonio's image will improve, so it was an opportunity that would flow like water if he succeeded.

So it had to be today.

But Celestina felt uncomfortable for some reason.

'I just got help then....'

Not long ago, Raffine, who rescued him from trouble at the banquet hall, came to mind.

The gesture that pushed the unscrupulous nobles down the terrace.

The action, which had moved without hesitation, kept replaying in my mind.

'You have to calm down, there's no reason to be shaken. Even for him, I....'

Celestina soon made up her mind and approached the Crown Prince who was talking with Adrian.

* * *

Raphine, who deliberately went to the quiet side to avoid people, noticed something and blinked.

'That girl, what did you put in now?'