The First Detached Palace, Hilderan’s royal castle.

The detached palace, which had stood empty for nearly a year, had come alive again with its mistress’s return. Her active involvement in politics brought increasing numbers of visitors, and the servants were grateful that this was a palace rather than a mansion in the capital. Not just anyone could stroll inside.

Even so, visitors of noble standing were plentiful, and the attendants bustled about serving them whenever they came.

“Hurry, hurry! There must not be a single mistake!”

Heruan was the head attendant responsible for the servants of the First Detached Palace. Under the Crown Princess’s orders, he oversaw everything there and had received countless guests since her return.

Yet this was the first time, out of all those visits, that Her Highness had given him such explicit instructions.

[“Do your very best. There must not be even the slightest mistake.”]

‘Who is coming?’

His Highness the First Prince? The Second Prince? His Grace Duke Heinz? Or perhaps a foreign noble or royal?

He had no idea. The Crown Princess would not make a fuss over a visit from their own princes, and her relationship with Duke Heinz was practically hostile. As for foreign nobles, her connections were confined to their own country. She had rarely traveled abroad in the first place.

‘Oh, what does it matter?’

Whoever came was no concern of Heruan’s. What mattered more was that offending the important guest the Crown Princess had warned him about might cost him the thing sitting atop his shoulders.

“Hurry, hurry!”

An inexplicable chill made his voice grow louder.

* * *

“Quite a grand affair.”

Berge had not particularly intended to come as a formal guest. Yet that was how things had turned out. Knights had greeted him the moment he entered the royal capital, invited him to the detached palace, and seated him at this banquet.

Despite the great crowd that had welcomed him, only two people occupied the vast banquet hall: the mistress of the First Detached Palace and a Demon King wearing a human guise.

“Naturally.”

Ernyan cut her steak gracefully. From spearing it with her fork to bringing it to her lips, she made not a single unnecessary movement. It was like a painting.

“This is the least I can do to welcome you, Pale.”

“There were rather a lot of eyes watching.”

Berge cut a piece of the enormous shrimp and swallowed it. There was no fishy taste at all, and the combination of butter and herbs was quite agreeable.

“It doesn’t matter. Dozens of nobles knock on the palace gates every day to see me.”

“Do you give them such lavish welcomes too?”

“Of course not. But you’re special, my lord.”

That did not seem to be the only reason.

“How are the new princesses?”

“Ordinary. It’s embarrassing even to compare them to you, Kaede, Elena, or Lavinia.”

Berge clicked his tongue.

“They’re too weak to be of any use.”

“Perhaps you’re the unusual one, my lord, trying to turn every princess into a servant?”

“I hardly think you’re in a position to say that to me.”

“What? Why not?”

At her innocent smile, Berge changed the subject.

“Where is Hillen?”

“He went out for a little while on business.”

“Not because you didn’t invite him?”

“...”

“A grand welcome, followed by a meal alone together in your palace. The rumors must already be everywhere. What are you after?”

Under Berge’s suspicious gaze, Ernyan finally confessed.

“It’s because of the marriage proposals.”

“Marriage proposals?”

“Since I began pursuing politics in earnest, more nobles have taken an interest in me.”

“You’re of marriageable age by human standards, so the timing is perfect, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Countless nobles want to marry into the royal family. Even though the person concerned has no intention of marrying.”

Marriage alliances were a longstanding part of human history. The flood of suitors pursuing Ernyan was only natural.

“Even with Hillen around?”

Ernyan had appeared with Hillen Cargill in society several times. Humans inflated and exaggerated even the smallest clues. There was no way people had not begun speculating about their relationship.

“That’s an even bigger problem.”

“That’s a problem?”

“Father brought up an old custom. Do you know what it is?”

“A custom?”

“That dreadful, outdated tradition of ‘giving the princess to the hero who rescues her.’”

She frowned in displeasure.

“He’s trying to marry you to Hillen?”

“Yes. Even though the age of such antiquated customs is long over.”

For some reason, Berge suddenly wanted to hit Hillen.

“Did you refuse?”

“Yes. Both Hillen and I did. But Father doesn’t seem to have given up.”

Unable to force a great hero into marriage, the king had let the matter drop, but it certainly did not feel over. No, it was more than a feeling.

“Society and the royal capital are full of talk about my romance with Hillen. Who do you think spread those rumors?”

“The king.”

“Yes. He’s trying to make it an established fact.”

It would be a union between Hilderan’s Crown Princess and the Hero of Hilderan who had rescued her. Naturally, the people were thrilled, and the matchmakers sent by the nobles had stopped coming altogether. But that was not necessarily a good thing.

Ernyan did not want it.

“So this lavish, highly publicized meal for two is a warning to the king?”

“Yes, exactly. I’m making it clear that Hillen and I don’t have that sort of relationship. You’ll help me, won’t you?”

“You’ve already done it. Is that really something to ask now?”

That king fellow must have heard by now. With him trying to pair Hillen and Ernyan off, Berge’s sudden appearance would be a thorn in his side.

‘I’ve been dragged into something troublesome.’

Still, he could do this much for her. She had helped him more than once, and it was thanks to her that Golden Moon had recently survived. Officially establishing a connection between his identity as Pale and Hilderan’s Crown Princess would not hurt either.

However...

‘I’d better leave this country as soon as possible.’

He detested hassles.

“But painting over the existing rumors with new ones could lead to some unpleasant gossip.”

Berge savored the red wine. Its balanced grape aroma and acidity gently washed away the fattiness of the meat.

“No one would be bold enough to spread baseless gossip about the kingdom’s Crown Princess.”

“No race is bolder than humans.”

“Even if they do, it doesn’t matter. They’ll pay for wagging their tongues carelessly.”

“What if they use it to attack you?”

“I wouldn’t have started this if I couldn’t handle that much.”

This was not a matter of important national policy or diplomacy. It was merely the Crown Princess’s marriage. If Ernyan’s support base were weak, even that might cause problems, but she was confident that something so minor would not bring her down.

“But why me, of all people? You could use any number of others.”

“That’s a strange question.”

“Strange?”

She answered with a sulky look, clearly displeased.

“Obviously, it has to be you, Pale.”

“... Hm?”

“So there’s one thing I’d like to ask of you.”

“Ask?”

“Duke Heinz is hosting a banquet in two days.”

She handed him an invitation in a red envelope.

“No.”

“I haven’t even asked yet.”

“You want me to go, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Pale.”

“You have Hillen.”

“That would defeat the purpose.”

A single meal together. It was not meaningless, but it could be dismissed as insignificant if someone wished to do so.

Being her partner at a banquet hosted by a duke was a different matter. At an occasion like that, bringing someone with whom she had no connection would be stranger still. Everyone probably expected her to bring Hillen Cargill.

And she wanted Berge as her partner there.

“You have helped me a great deal. And I am grateful to you.”

But that...

“Does not oblige me to become your partner and attend some banquet.”

“What if I use one of the favors you promised me?”

“No.”

“You swore on the first Demon Emperor and the Guide.”

“You already know I don’t abide by those, don’t you?”

“You really are shameless, aren’t you?”

“You’re the one who’s been telling Kaede strange things.”

Berge maintained a brazen expression.

“I’ll use two favors.”

“No means no.”

“This doesn’t benefit only me. It’s necessary for me to become Hilderan’s ruler. And you’re the one who promised to put me on the throne, my lord.”

“... That seems a little different.”

“In the grand scheme of things, it’s the same.”

Ernyan answered firmly.

Berge grumbled. A banquet! On his way to Hilderan, he had never imagined attending such a thing. Putting on a false face, laughing politely, and playing petty political games did not suit his temperament.

Then his eyes met Ernyan’s. Her large, clear, amethyst-like eyes gazed straight at him.

“...”

[“I’m the first.”]

[“The first person you reached out to.”]

[“The first to take your hand.”]

Why was he remembering that moment now, of all times?

“Please?”

Ernyan blinked once more.

‘It wouldn’t hurt to increase Pale’s prestige and fame.’

That had been Berge’s purpose in operating as Pale from the beginning: to seep deeper into human society and become an even deadlier poison. Friendship with Hilderan, and the connections and reputation it would bring, would undoubtedly prove useful.

It was worth enduring the nuisance of attending a banquet and attracting the attention of the king and the public.

Yes, it was worth it.

“Very well.”

“Thank you.”

Ernyan smiled. Chewing her steak, she added,

“But do you know something?”

“What bullshit are you plotting now, putting on that sweet voice?”

“In Hilderan, it’s usually the man who asks the woman to be his partner.”

“You asked me.”

“Let’s overlook the little details.”

“I would like you to be my partner. Even though you asked me first.”

“Leave out the last part.”

“Will you be my partner?”

“Do it like a knight.”

“I’m a Demon King.”

“Does that matter?”

His brow furrowed.

“You’re going too far.”

“I’ll use another favor.”

“You’ve already used that up by making me ask you.”

“I’ll use them all. Surely you aren’t going back on your word, my lord?”

“I can go back on it twice.”

“I’ll spread the word that you don’t honor your oaths to the first Demon Emperor and the Guide.”

“You already have. Thanks to you, Kaede has started giving me unsettling looks.”

“I miss Kaede. Did she enjoy the chocolates?”

“Yes. Thanks to them, things have gotten a little eas—”

...ier.

Their eyes met again. Damn it.

“You really intend to use your favors on something this trivial?”

Berge had only granted Ernyan the right to ask favors when she had paid a fitting price: becoming one of the Four Heavenly Kings and holding off his enemies, killing Dafner Philiain, or returning to Hilderan for the sake of him and the tower.

“I think it’s worth it.”

Berge considered it for a moment.

‘Without Ernyan, I would have died.’

She had helped him survive more than one crisis. Compared with that, how easy was it to grant an absurd little request like this?

This was a transaction. Nothing more.

Berge rose from his seat and slowly approached her. He could not bring himself to kneel. He simply extended his hand and looked down at her.

“Beautiful lady, would you grant me the opportunity to be your partner?”

It was an unconventional invitation, one that looked rather peculiar at first glance. But Ernyan smiled.

“Gladly.”

Radiantly.

* * *

“A guest?”

As Berge had expected, Hilderan’s king learned of the new visitor to the First Detached Palace.

“Pale, is it?”

Someone connected to Hillen Cargill. His mana was said to be so pure that Akan’s mages were obsessed with him.

Simply meeting him was nothing unusual. The problem was Ernyan’s behavior. She had welcomed him more lavishly than anyone else, and reportedly they were dining alone together.

Given Ernyan’s current position and circumstances, it was bound to attract attention and set tongues wagging. Doing so despite knowing that could mean only one thing.

“Is she protesting against me?”

If only Ernyan had refused, he could at least have pushed it through by royal command. But Hillen Cargill did not want it either, forcing him to take a step back.

Yet the fruit that was Hillen Cargill was far too sweet to abandon so easily. He had therefore been quietly working behind the scenes, little by little.

And now she had openly spoiled his plans.

“How many people know about this?”

“Her Highness’s knights went to greet him at the capital’s outer walls.”

“Then it must have spread throughout the capital.”

It was thoroughly deliberate.

After considering it briefly, the king shook his head.

“For now, we’ll watch and wait.”

The rumors were already out, so there was no stopping them. Rather than forcibly harming the man, creating even stranger gossip, and encouraging Ernyan’s rebelliousness, it seemed better to wait for the right moment.

“She was such an obedient child when she was young.”

At some point, that child had turned rebellious.

“When did it begin?”

“I believe it may have been after she returned from her abduction to the Demon King’s tower.”

The chief chamberlain answered.

“Did that trigger a change of heart?”

He knew that people sometimes changed after undergoing major ordeals. Such changes were not always for the worse, but he thoroughly disliked this particular one.

“Do you know anything about what happens to royals abducted to a Demon King’s tower?”

“My understanding is that they generally spend their days confined in prison. In the Tower of Bitter Cold, they are reportedly frozen into ice and have no memories from that point onward.”

“Then you know little more than I do.”

What he wanted was an obedient future queen who would make the kingdom greater still, not a troublesome girl who defied him and went astray.

“Raising children is difficult.”

“I agree, Your Majesty.”

“For now, keep watch and investigate this Pale fellow. Find out where he was born, how he obtained such mana, what magic he uses, and even what he ate for breakfast.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The chief chamberlain bowed.