The banquet hall felt like cold water had been poured over it.

Only the musicians continued playing, while everyone else turned their attention towards them.

“…Duke Echerzen? What business does he have in the capital? Isn’t he not on good terms with the Emperor?”

“Be careful. He killed his father in his teens to take his place. Stay away from him.”

“I’m seeing him in person for the first time… He’s more handsome than I thought.”

“There’s a rumor that most scholars acknowledge him as an outstanding strategist. There’s undoubtedly a reason for his appearance here.”

Regardless.

Duke Echerzen blocked Rosha’s path, silently glaring at Geoffrey.

Wearing a dark, funeral-like suit, the Duke was more than just handsome. He had the elegance of flowing black velvet, and his presence silently overwhelmed. The term ‘handsome’ barely scratches the surface in describing him.

Overwhelmed by the Duke’s aura, Geoffrey stuttered:

“What, what is it? Suddenly appearing and asking to leave…”

“The young lord tends to use what he has when things don’t go their way. Shall I be more specific?”

The Duke continued dryly.

“The heirloom passed down in the Marquis family, currently around the neck of Marquis Lycaon, the Necklace of-“

“-Enough!”

Snap!

Geoffrey’s outburst of magic slightly damaged a nearby pillar and caused a table to shake, dropping its food.

He momentarily lost his composure, crucial for a magician.

“Ah!”

“Is it, an earthquake?”

“What’s happening all of a sudden?”

The people were startled. Some even hurriedly left the scene.

But the Duke, completely undeterred, rather smirked and responded:

“How can you be so easily swayed by just a few words?”

“…”

Despite his polite manner, the Duke’s sarcastic tone made him seem like the top in the world.

However, Geoffrey, the one who was mocked, didn’t meet the eyes of the Duke and instead glared at Rosha.

What’s going on? Why is he glaring at me?

“This isn’t the place for this discussion, let’s go outside.”

Finishing his words coldly, he turned around with a face full of anger. Duke Echerzen didn’t even give a glance to Rosha, pretending to be uninterested, and elegantly turned away.

But as he passed her, he didn’t forget to whisper, ‘Let’s meet on the terrace later.’

Barely nodding, Rosha quietly watched their retreating figures. Then, using magic, she tripped Geoffrey’s foot.

Because their previous conversation made her so heated.

How about meeting with me once?

“Argh!”

Geoffrey, who was walking ahead with swagger, tumbled right in front of the ballroom’s door. It was such a magnificent fall that onlookers gasped.

“Um…”

She might have tripped him in a spur of the moment, but she didn’t expect him to fall that hard.

Was it typical of a water magician?

Geoffrey, who fell disgracefully, quickly disappeared.

“This is fun. I thought he was definitely the type that wouldn’t attract attention like this.”

Koko, who returned from surveying the palace, said as he perched on her shoulder. His dark eyes were fixed on the Duke’s broad back.

Surely, the Duke’s actions today were quite puzzling.

However…

Flap, flap-

It was Koko, who had been fussily preening his feathers as if he wanted to ask something, that drew her attention.

Rosha quickly whispered as she saw Cedric approaching her from the ballroom:

“What is it? Did you find something while observing the palace?”

“Yes, of course.”

Puffing out his chest proudly, Koko whispered his findings.

“I saw a suspicious person sneaking into the palace.”

* * *

Kokko’s testimony was:

-A person wrapped in black from head to toe, wandering as if looking for something.

He stopped at a secluded building and looked carefully. Although the building was two stories tall, there were no windows and the door was locked, making it impossible to see inside.

‘Hmm… such a place exists in the palace?’

She immediately thought of the princess, perhaps imprisoned, but she was said to be confined in the Summer Palace.

At that time, there was a corner that suddenly caught her attention.

“Are you okay, Rosha? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yes, I’m fine. It was nothing.”

She reassured the worried Cedric, and as the commotion subsided, she excused herself to get some fresh air on the terrace.

After waiting for a while,

“I apologize for being late.”

The terrace door closed softly, and a gentle voice reached her ears. When she slowly turned around, a handsome man with cool purple eyes was standing a few steps behind her.

“It took longer than I thought dealing with Geoffrey Lycaon. Especially because Marquis Lycaon followed.”

If the word ‘elegance’ took human form, it would be him.

Rosha calmly looked at Duke Echerzen, who perfectly matched the darkening night sky.

She had a question for him:

“Why did you step in at the ballroom? I could’ve handled it myself.”

“The young lady is my ally. If I could help, why wouldn’t I?”

His pleasing words weren’t the answer she was looking for.

Rosha, noticing Koko’s suppressed chuckle, retorted:

“You seemed to have other matters today. Was it for that?”

She suspected that the suspicious person Koko saw might be the Duke’s man.

Otherwise, his sudden interference at the party didn’t make sense. With his abilities, he could’ve discreetly visited the terrace.

She had no evidence, only a hunch.

However, she guessed right, as the Duke paused when he heard her words. His eyes lit up.

“Did you know? This is quite interesting.”

“Then, may I ask what you’re planning?”

The Duke seemed puzzled about how she knew, but without knowing about Koko, he wouldn’t figure it out.

Responding to Rosha’s insistent gaze, the Duke carefully surveyed the surroundings.

Fortunately, no one was around the terrace overlooking the imperial garden. Only the serene moon watched them from the sky.

“…Indeed, you look troubled dealing with Geoffrey Lycaon directly. But I can’t deny that there might be another agenda at the palace.”

The man, brushing back his hair that fluttered in the wind, got straight to the point.

“Do you know there’s a relic storage in the palace?”

“Relic storage…”

The imperial family has obsessively collected objects believed to be ancient relics.

Of course, there would be a place to store those collected relics, but Rosha never thought deeply about it.

‘I wasn’t interested before, and now it’s important to protect the sacred relic I have.’

She subtly moved her hand to her right leg.