Creed, with a half-lost expression, raised his fist again. This time, he intended to completely shatter the man's facial bones.
Crack!
The sound of his black leather gloves tightly clasping together was especially chilling.
"Your Highness!"
Navia, slightly bewildered by the sudden turn of events, hurriedly grabbed Creed's coat.
Creed hesitated, fist still raised.
‘...Noona might be scared.’
He had just returned from the battlefield, having killed a tremendous number of people. His brutal violence was still strongly present.
Creed, lowering his clenched fist, coldly interrogated.
"...Agnes, don't you know such behavior could lead to scandal?"
Being of noble rank, Creed didn't need to show respect to a noble's son.
But he did respect Navia publicly as his benefactor.
Even so, basic courtesy required a respectful tone.
Creed didn't follow this. He confronted Wood like a prisoner of war, with an authoritative demeanor.
"Let go of this, now!"
Wood, face flushed red, shouted back.
But Creed, instead of releasing, gripped even tighter, as if to break it.
"Are you not going to answer me?"
"Your Grace."
Navia called out, seemingly to restrain Creed, who looked ready to break Wood's arm.
Creed looked at her with softened eyes.
"Are you alright, Lady?"
"Yes. So, there's no need to be so harsh."
Navia hinted with her eyes that causing a disturbance at the imperial banquet was not ideal, despite her anger.
'It's already hard to overlook with his swollen cheek and busted lip.'
Creed easily loosened his grip, following Navia's suggestion.
Wood, freed, clutched his arm and stepped back, unable to contain his anger.
"How dare you be so rude, even if you are a Duke!"
"Why shouldn't I?"
Creed, having no intention of sparing Wood, approached him threateningly.
"Shall we test what's really unacceptable?"
Wood, his pride trampled, was furious yet immobilized.
He was afraid. Creed's aura was that of a man who had killed many.
"Creed."
Navia grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her.
"Stop now, come here."
Creed's fierce gaze softened, responding to Navia's touch like a well-trained wild dog expecting praise.
Wood instantly sensed it.
'That bastard...'
He likes Navia.
Not only Wood realized this. Creed also noticed the change in Wood's attitude.
'How dare.'
He seemed to have forgotten his actions, shamelessly brazen.
'Should I just kill him?'
While Creed was seething, Erkin appeared.
"Your Grace! What in the world is happening...?"
Erkin, usually moderate, arrived at the lounge, perplexed by Creed's sudden departure, and saw Wood.
His expression turned icy.
"Why is this gentleman in the balcony alone with a lady, and drunk?"
Erkin's gaze fell on the wine bottle on the floor.
Creed, protectively standing by Navia, the scattered bottle, Wood with a slapped face - the situation was clear.
"How dare you insult my niece!"
Erkin's anger transformed his usually calm demeanor.
"No, this is...!"
"Silence. I cannot overlook this."
Erkin addressed Creed.
"Your Grace, please take care of Navia."
"Uncle..."
"Don't worry, Navia. Your uncle will handle it."
Erkin turned, indicating his resolve.
"I must see His Majesty!"
Navia, shocked, followed Erkin's gaze.
'Prime Minister Bonard!'
Beside the Prime Minister stood Lady Daisy Bonard.
Lady Bonard winked at Navia.
Navia chuckled lightly.
'Uncle must have brought the Prime Minister, thinking something happened.'
And Lady Bonard was very fond of Navia. Since the day she sent Ricardo to her, knowing it was Navia's decision, they had been allies.
The Prime Minister approached, speaking in a cold tone.
"I've already sent someone down, Duke. Such a disgrace on such a joyous day..."
Lady Bonard quickly joined in.
"How terrified the Lady must have been! A drunken man using brute force to approach is something that could traumatize one for life."
Wood, at his age, knew better than to recklessly speak in such a situation.
He quietly suppressed his anger, waiting for his father to arrive upon hearing this news.
His judgment was accurate.
"They're using every trick in the book to persecute Agnes!"
Upon receiving the news, Nikan burst into the lounge and barked an order fiercely.
"You've come at the right time, Duke Agnes. I was just about to confront you about the violent rudeness your son committed against my niece!"
"Violence, you say? Watch your words!"
Nikan, attempting to appear like a good person, dropped his feigned smile and bristled with a tiger-like intensity.
Creed tried to take Navia away from this disgraceful fight.
"Your Excellency the Prime Minister! There's been a terrible incident!"
A servant sent by Prime Minister Bonard rushed in, his face pale with alarm.
It was unusual for anything serious to happen at the banquet, aside from the occasional scuffle between drunkards.
It wasn't likely that something minor would have caused the servant to look so deathly pale.
Navia's eyes grew cold.
'Could it be that someone has tampered with the Emperor's well-being?'
The Emperor had been a healthy man without a single illness until Navia turned twenty-two. But suddenly, there were rumors that his health was gradually deteriorating.
"What's the matter?"
The Prime Minister asked, and the servant replied.
"His Majesty the Emperor has collapsed in the banquet hall!"
"What! How could His Majesty have collapsed!"
"You must go at once. The banquet is now suspended, and knights are forming a perimeter."
It was a situation where the Emperor's safety was compromised, leaving them defenseless.
It meant that the knights were surrounding and protecting the Emperor, suggesting a potential threat and indicating the seriousness of the situation.
"Oh no...."
Prime Minister Bonard looked around at those who were in the middle of a standoff in the lounge, his expression one of great difficulty.
Regardless, the Emperor's safety was of utmost importance.
'If something happens to His Majesty, there will be a change in the Emperor.'
It was a situation on the brink of crisis.
"I'll deal with this matter later. For now, I must go to His Majesty. What will you all do?"
At the Prime Minister's question, Erkin and Nikan looked at each other with cold expressions.
Erkin spoke first.
"Let's set this aside for now. His Majesty's safety comes first. But make no mistake, I will not let today's events pass unaddressed."
"Ha, who's to speak? My son's face has turned like this! Do you think I should just overlook this because it concerns His Majesty's well-being?"
As the two raised their voices, the Prime Minister shook his head and left the lounge with his wife.
"Come here, Wood!"
Nikan tended to his son, then suddenly glared at Navia.
"You should not forget that it's all thanks to me that you were able to find your biological parents and live a luxurious life."
At this utter nonsense, Navia just curled her lips into a smile.
"Of course, I haven't forgotten, Duke."
How could I forget what you've done to me? I never want to forget. I'll remember it for the rest of my life.
'I'll make sure you watch with your own eyes how Agnes, whom you so dearly love, becomes nothing but a trivial family, without my feelings dulling even a bit.'
Nikan frowned at Navia, who still seemed obedient and gentle.
'Is this child really the rightful heir to the Familiae?'
In fact, Nikan suspected that the reason she had never responded to his summons was due to the intervention of adults.
Lark, having met him only a few times, had already felt firsthand just how formidable a person he was.
‘...Anyway, the current situation is clearly in my favor.’
Nikan was inwardly rejoicing at the fact that he now had a justification to push for the crown prince's appointment.
‘Whether Prince Ares becomes the crown prince or the emperor, Vivian will ascend to the position of empress.’
The national marriage was a significant event. Nikan planned to make his move before Ares could interfere with Navia.
Nikan sneered and then casually left the lounge with Wood.
Navia read his thoughts clearly from his expression. He was still under the mistaken belief that Navia was brainwashed and favorable towards Agnes.
That disgusting belief was about to be shattered soon.
"Now is the time for us to prepare for the succession battle as well."
"Uncle, even if the emperor is fine, the discussion about the crown prince's appointment will definitely come up. Please tell the forces supporting Princess Monica to prepare a response immediately."
Erkin agreed and left the lounge first, followed by Creed, who was about to take Navia with him.
Click!
Navia locked the door, stepping ahead.
"...Noona?"
Creed called her with a hint of confusion, not fully grasping the situation.
Navia leaned against the locked door and looked at Creed.
The atmosphere was strange.
Finally, Navia parted her lips.
"Kiss me, Creed."
Creed's eyes widened like a rabbit's.
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