Tamed A Blackened Slave Man - Chapter 84: Gone Mad

“Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Lillian Grace, a member of the Viscount Grace Family.”

I wondered why she, a commoner, was pretending to be a lady from a viscount family.

When I continued to stare at her without responding, Lillian smiled and added,

“Viscountess Grace once told me that I reminded her of her young daughter, whom she lost long ago. She took me in as her adopted daughter. This imperial banquet is the first one that I attended on behalf of my ill stepmother.”

In the midst of the crowded banquet hall, Lillian spoke to me with a smile.

“I came here with an official invitation. However, I did not expect to meet you here, Lady Serkia. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

Since those who were not officially invited to the banquet could not enter the building, it was likely that Lillian had indeed been adopted into the noble family.

I hadn’t expected to see Lillian here, but given her persistent nature, it didn’t take me long to understand why she was present.

‘She probably did everything she could to gain their sympathy.’

She had always played the victim in the past, so it was not surprising that she was doing so again.

But what on earth was she thinking, coming to the palace?

‘Does she have something to rely on?’

As I scanned the room, I noticed several men blushing as they looked at Lillian. Among them were several nobles from prestigious families that I recognized from previous banquets.

‘Ah, I see.’

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Just as Lillian had done to me, I smiled at her and replied,

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Lady Grace.”

“I can’t believe you accepted my greeting. Today is truly a memorable day.”

Lillian held a laced fan in her hand. She brought it up close to her face, and when she locked eyes with Cassadin, she dropped the fan on the floor.

To others, this might have seemed like nothing out of the ordinary, but I clearly saw that it was intentionally planned.

With a small clack, Lillian’s white lace fan fell to the ground. Lillian bit her bottom lip, pretending to be flustered, as she spoke.

“Oh my! How silly of me, making such a mistake……”

Lillian trailed off as she switched her gaze between Cassadin and the fan.

The ladies standing nearby gave her sidelong glances, but it seemed that Lillian didn’t care at all.

Her eyes were wide open like a rabbit’s, and then Lillian spoke to Cassadin.

“This dress is making it difficult for me to pick up the fan. If it isn’t bothersome, could you please pick it up for me?”

Out of everyone in the banquet hall, Lillian chose to ask Cassadin specifically.

Looking around, I saw that not only the ladies nearby, but also the other nobles who were in conversation, were looking this way.

It was clear that the people in the banquet hall were curious about how Cassadin would react. Whether he would pick up the fan or not, it was going to seem somewhat inappropriate either way.

Cassadin glanced at me once, then turned to Lillian.

After a moment of silence, Cassadin politely curled up the corner of his lips.

All he did was smile, but gasps rang out from around us.

The noblewomen, who had been looking our way, swallowed nervously as they stared at Cassadin. Tilting his head to the side, he opened his mouth.

“…I think it would be better for that man over there to pick up Milady’s fan.”

Cassadin’s eyes were directed to a man who had been watching Lillian for some time. Flustered by the sudden attention, the man froze, not knowing what to do.

But soon, seeming to have made up his mind, the man slowly walked over from the corner where he had been standing. He stooped down and picked up the fan that Lillian had dropped.

As he handed the lace fan back to Lillian, the man’s cheeks flushed a bright red.

“Here you go, Milady.”

“……”

“You are even more beautiful up close.”

It was evident on Lillian’s face that she did not appreciate another man picking up the fan for her. With a discontented expression, Lillian switched her gaze between Cassadin and the man who had picked up her fan.

Regardless of what she was doing, Cassadin turned to me and smiled.

“Let’s go, Sister.”

I smiled back at Cassadin and nodded my head. Escorted by Cassadin, I left the area where Lillian was standing.

I felt Lillian’s deadly glare behind me. When I turned around, I saw that some of the men who had been watching us were approaching her.

Since her request to Cassadin had been turned down, they likely thought that they had a chance.

‘Though, you probably won’t be satisfied with those people.’

All of the men who had approached Lillian began to praise her appearance.

“That dress suits you well.”

“It’s hard to come across such a beautiful lady.”

“I’ve actually been watching Milady for a while now.”

Lillian seemed like she wanted to talk with Cassadin, but was blocked by all of the men surrounding her. So she had no choice but to put on a fake smile and engage in conversation with them.

But that was likewise true for us as well.

The moment we escaped Lillian, the people who had been watching us began to swarm Cassadin and try to talk with him.

“I was worried when you did not attend the banquet yesterday since Your Lordship is the star of this banquet after all.”

“I see Lady Serkia is next to you. It’s always nice to see the two of you get along so well.”

“Nice to meet you, Sir Cassadin. Do you happen to remember me? We talked for a moment last time about the importation of products to the imperial palace.”

Smiling gently, Cassadin skillfully dealt with all of the people who had spoken to him.

“I do. Is the shipping business you mentioned before going well?”

“Goodness, you remembered that?”

The man who mentioned importing products to the imperial palace teared up after hearing Cassadin’s reply.

“May everything you do be blessed with fortune.”

In response to Cassadin’s encouragement, the man nodded vigorously. He seemed touched.

The way Cassadin interacted with the others didn’t feel awkward or forced in any way.

A crowd of people completely surrounded Cassadin even before the banquet reached its climax. Like moths to a flame, the number of people around Cassadin only increased, showing no sign of dwindling.

When I checked the clock hanging on a pillar, the time had just passed noon.

Just as I looked up to check the time, the golden door positioned under the center of the circular staircase opened with a loud noise.

“His Majesty and His Highness have arrived.”

Hearing the loud announcement from the Emperor’s aide, the people surrounding us scattered and bowed. Then, the Emperor and Crown Prince Leon, dressed in red, appeared through the open door.

When my gaze met the Crown Prince’s, his expression suddenly hardened. After a few moments of silence, the Crown Prince let out a frustrated sigh and roughly tousled the back of his hair.

‘Does he want to say something to me?’

Thinking that something was strange, I bowed to the Emperor and Crown Prince like everyone else.

“Your Imperial Majesty.”

The Emperor’s raspy voice then echoed through the banquet hall.

“You may all raise your heads.”

When we all looked up at the Emperor’s command, his wrinkled eyes creased deeply.

“I appreciate all of you for attending this lengthy banquet. I hope that you all enjoy it. And…”

He paused for a moment, then smiled approvingly at Cassadin.

“I plan to bestow a gift upon Cassadin for his achievements during the war.”

There was a smile on his face, but the Emperor’s golden eyes were certainly sharply alert, scanning for my reaction.

“I present to you Bella, the youngest Princess of the Elsia Kingdom.”

If Cassadin hadn’t informed me of this yesterday, I would have certainly been flustered by the Emperor’s statement.

Bella was the youngest Princess of the Elsia Kingdom.

She was the youngest daughter, known to be cherished by the King of Elsia.

‘That Emperor is one cruel man. A gift? Hardly. He’s merely attempting to manipulate both Cassadin and the Princess as pawns.’

I didn’t recall the Crown Prince behaving in such a manner when Cassadin served as his aide.

‘From this perspective, the Emperor and Damian do appear quite similar.’

When I didn’t react, the Emperor’s scrutinizing gaze narrowed into slits.

After observing me for some time, the Emperor approached.

“Lady Serkia. It has been some time.”

“Your Majesty. Have you been well?”

The Emperor stroked his beard as he nodded. He continued to silently study both me and Cassadin. It was as if he was searching for something between us.

Unable to bear the scrutiny any longer, the Crown Prince reprimanded the Emperor.

“Your Majesty. Perhaps you should stop there.”

“Leon. Be silent.”

“Haven’t I always remained silent as Your Majesty commands?”

With that, Leon let out a deep sigh and abruptly grabbed my wrist.

I looked up at the Crown Prince, startled by the sudden turn of events.

I felt Cassadin’s grip on my other hand tighten. The composed facade that Cassadin had maintained visibly faltered.

“I cannot comprehend why Your Majesty would place Lady Serkia, who saved my life, in such a difficult situation instead of expressing gratitude.”

“Leon!”

The Emperor shouted Leon’s name angrily, but Leon didn’t flinch. The banquet hall fell into an immediate silence.

People’s hushed murmurs started to fill the tense atmosphere of the banquet hall.

“She saved His Highness’s life?”

“Lady Serkia?”

“When? How?”

The person most flustered out of everyone was none other than me.

‘Why did you have to say that out in public?’

I looked towards the Crown Prince with a clearly anxious expression. However, the Crown Prince did not stop there.

“Isn’t the reason why you invested two whole months into planning this banquet so that you could hold Sir Cassadin in your palms?”

“Leon! Have you truly gone mad?!”

Seemingly not expecting his own son to say such things in a public place like this, the Emperor grasped his temple in pain.

Observing the Emperor’s actions coldly, Leon continued.

“Yes. I have gone mad. I am sick and tired of Your Majesty’s actions.”

The Emperor’s expression violently crumpled at Leon’s statement.

In front of all the people gathered in the banquet hall, the Emperor and Crown Prince were fiercely exchanging words.

Due to that, the once loud and lively banquet hall fell completely silent.

‘Goodness… What in the world is happening?’

Not a single breath could be heard in the room. Even the orchestra that was supposed to be playing music had stopped and was watching the situation.

The one who broke the heavy silence was a loud laughter that did not fit the situation.

“Ahahahahah!”

All the people turned their eyes toward the source of the hearty laughter. Standing there was Damian, who had not been there just a moment ago.

Leaning against the wall of the banquet hall with his arms crossed, Damian stopped laughing once people stared at him, then walked leisurely over to the Emperor and Crown Prince.

Dressed in a uniform that was the same shade of black as his hair, Damian stroked his chin with one hand as he spoke.

“Isn’t this conversation a bit unrefined for royalty, who should remain especially prestigious in these situations, to be having out in public?”

If it had been anyone else, that would have been more than enough of a reason to lock them up in prison, but because Damian, although only a halfling, was also part of royalty, the others could not object.

And as he said, it was true that the conversation between the Emperor and Crown Prince damaged the reputation of the imperial family.

“I recommend that you don’t interfere in our matters, Grand Duke.”

The Crown Prince shot back at Damian, expressing his displeasure at the intruder.

“Your Highness, how could I possibly do that? Putting aside the fact that Your Highness does not like me, are we not cousins related by blood?”

Damian continued to look at the Emperor and Crown Prince with a leisurely expression, but then suddenly turned his head to me. Damian’s eyebrow twitched slightly after seeing that Cassadin and I were holding hands.

But instantly straightening his face, Damian then added,

“You can see that even siblings that do not share a single drop of blood are this close, so should we, cousins who are actually related by blood, help one another in difficult situations like these?”

……That crazy bastard.