4.
As if he were a man who disliked drawing more attention than necessary, he raised a hand to stop the chamberlain from announcing his name, then descended the stairs with an elegant, upright posture.
Yet, despite his efforts, all eyes remained fixed on Varkas. It seemed as though even the presence of the future Emperor paled in comparison to his arrival.
Talia greedily devoured his appearance from head to toe.
He was impeccably dressed in the ceremonial uniform of the Imperial Guard, as always. The only difference from his usual attire was that instead of the golden armor symbolizing the Roem Knights, he wore a black breastplate engraved with the crest of the black stallion beneath his ornate, guild-issued cloak.
It signified that he was attending the banquet as the heir to the Siorcan Family and the fiancé of Aila.
As Talia had anticipated, Varkas headed straight toward the center of the hall where Gareth and Aila were stationed.
“I greet the Crown Prince.”
After offering a greeting to Gareth that was neither excessive nor lacking, he turned toward Aila, who was smiling bashfully.
Talia’s fingertips began to tremble. She gripped her wine glass with such ferocity that her knuckles turned white.
When Varkas extended a hand toward the ‘authentic Imperial Princess,’ Aila took it demurely. In an instant, a pain as if her insides were being twisted swept over her.
*Don’t touch her. I told you not to touch Aila.*
She wanted to scream that, even though she had no right to. Talia had to bite her lip to avoid creating a horrific scene.
“Wouldn’t it be better to leave the banquet hall now?”
The man who had been observing her face suggested cautiously. It was jarring to hear such a thing from someone who seemed to genuinely enjoy chaos. She hadn’t come here to make a miserable and pathetic exit.
Talia composed her face, which had crumbled for a brief moment, and crossed the hall with an elegant gait. The crowd surrounding the Crown Prince, the First Imperial Princess, and the young noble of the East naturally parted for her.
They, too, were undoubtedly hoping for an exciting incident to unfold. Talia intended to meet their expectations perfectly.
“Greetings. My respected brother, and… my lovely sister.”
Deliberately ignoring Varkas’s existence, she addressed only the two of them in a slow, languid tone. She felt that if she were to meet his eyes head-on, she would lose the fragile thread of reason she had barely managed to hold onto.
She turned her back to Varkas, keeping her gaze fixed solely on Aila’s face. Then, she spoke in a mocking voice.
“I’m glad to see you’ve recovered your health safely. You showed us… rather an unpleasant sight before, after all.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
Aila said, a gentle smile devoid of even a hint of darkness lingering on her lips.
In an instant, goosebumps broke out across Talia’s body.
This woman could not possibly be unaware that it was her half-sister who had poisoned her wine. Yet, in the gaze she turned upon her, there was not a speck of anger to be found. It was as if she were looking at some common, inanimate object scattered about.
A wine glass, a plate, or a candlestick lying in the hall… how could a person harbor rage toward such things?
Talia was flooded with deep regret at the sight of her attitude, which was not just calm, but utterly indifferent.
She should have fed her lethal poison, not an emetic. Even if it meant facing a horrific execution… even if it meant burning in the fires of hell for eternity…
Compared to this woman, her brother, who laid his raw anger bare, felt almost human.
“How dare you show your face here.”
Gareth hissed through his teeth, leaning in close to her. His glossy, intense gaze swept over her from top to bottom, filled with deep loathing.
“And in such a vulgar state! Did your mother instruct you to come and win over my loyal subjects by playing the whore?”
“’A vulgar state,’ you say? Your words are harsh.”
Talia spread her skirt wide for all to see.
“This dress is the one my mother wore on the day she first met His Imperial Majesty. It is a dress of great significance.”
Silence descended upon the hall in an instant.
Flames of rage flickered and burned in the Crown Prince’s eyes. Regrettably, Talia loved playing with fire.
“Our father must have loved this dress very much. Don’t you think so?”
The Crown Prince’s shoulders rose. It looked as if he might lose his temper and lay a hand on her face.
But his intelligent sister would never allow such a thing. At the perfect moment, Aila placed her hand on Gareth’s arm to restrain him, turning back to her half-sister with a bright, clear smile.
“Yes. It truly suits you well.”
Surprisingly, there was no malice hidden in her voice. She spoke in a tone so calm, as if she were merely stating an obvious fact, that it infuriated Talia. Perhaps this woman considered reacting to the provocations of a lowly illegitimate child to be a blow to her own dignity.
After casting a calm look at her twin brother, as if telling him to stay composed, Aila stepped to her fiancé’s side. Leaning gently against him, she said with a face of utter happiness.
“Anyway, thank you for coming. Today is a very meaningful day for us… especially for me. I wanted to be congratulated by as many people as possible.”
Aila’s slender hand rested softly upon the arm of the man standing as silent as a shadow.
Talia stared down at that hand as if she wanted to tear it to shreds. She could not bring herself to lift her gaze. She felt that if she were to see him smiling at Aila, she would lose her sanity entirely.
Aila spoke in a voice as soft as a feather.
“Our official wedding date has finally been set. On the day the Season of Winds begins, I will head to the East to become a member of the Siorcan family. Of course, before that, I must go on a pilgrimage to receive the blessings of the saints. Since I must leave before the weather turns hot, this might be the last time I see you.”
She masqueraded her expression of regret quite well.
“I’m glad I could meet you like this before leaving the Imperial Palace. I wanted to at least share a final farewell.”
As if she wished to end the conversation there, she leaned her shoulder softly against Varkas and added gently,
“Please, do enjoy the banquet for us to your heart’s content.”
Wearing a smile of tolerance, Aila turned her body gracefully. Talia, who had been staring intensely at her, suddenly spoke up.
“Since today is the last time… I truly wish to bless your future, Sister.”
As she took a step toward Aila, the man who had been quietly watching the silent war between the two women reacted instantly. Seeing him reach his arm forward as if to protect his fiancée made her vision blur into a crimson haze.
Before Varkas could completely block her path, Talia quickly poured her wine onto Aila’s chest.
The dark-colored liquid stained the top of the snowy-white dress, covered in dense pearl embroidery, and flowed down to the hem of the skirt. It looked as if she had been pierced through the heart and was bleeding.
“I will pray every single day that you end up like this soon.”
Everyone gasped sharply at the horrific curse.
Even Aila, who had been composed the entire time, turned deathly pale. The sight of her genuinely terrified expression was so ridiculous that Talia almost burst into laughter.
However, the pleasure was fleeting. A strong hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her violently. Because of that, Talia had no choice but to face the man she had been trying so hard to ignore.
A pair of pale, glowing blue eyes were glaring at her, filled with razor-sharp rage.