A pale yellow liquid swayed before Tie’s eyes.

The sharp scent of alcohol almost made her flinch, but she forced herself to hold it in.

“Well, you see... uh?”

The noble who had offered her the glass, David, glanced subtly toward the Emperor.

Only after confirming he was occupied speaking with other nobles did he seem to relax and continue:

“I respect mercenaries!”

Those watching them stiffened.

But David didn’t seem to care—he extended the glass toward Tie again.

“Well, how could I not? Achievements worthy of respect deserve respect! Even Marquise Weybrill just said it—this person distinguished themselves at the clock tower, ha ha!”

“Well... that’s true.”

“How much must you have run across the battlefield for even that picky Duke Valentis to look at you like that?”

Tie rolled her eyes.

‘That’s not it......’

She had grown close to Valentis long ago.

Since their first meeting in the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ weapon district, they had kept in contact—and even more so after she moved to the capital.

And now they had learned he was her grandfather.

But David didn’t know that, and looked at her with admiration once more.

“I’m jealous! Honestly, I’m jealous! I tried training to become a knight once, but I kept dropping my sword—so I gave up!”

As if she were his peer, he slapped Tie on the shoulder.

But because of her small size, she nearly tumbled off her chair.

“Ah!”

David froze, flustered, and Tie quickly straightened herself.

She was just about to say she was fine and it didn’t hurt at all, when—

“Why do you keep hitting someone else’s child—no, someone else’s squad leader?!”

“My apologies. Our squad leader has weak shoulders. Please refrain.”

Bale and Basto sprang to their feet.

Bale’s glare was outright hostile, while Basto tried to sound polite, though it came out strangely.

But the most serious of all was Tesetan.

Without thinking, Tie looked at her father—and flinched.

He was staring at David as if he were some monster from the battlefield.

“De—Deputy Squad Leader! Calm down! Calm down!”

Tie’s shout made Tesetan turn his gaze to her.

He pressed his lips together and quietly said to David:

“Keep your hands to yourself.”

David quickly withdrew his hand.

“S-sorry. Bad habit... I know, but I can’t seem to fix it......”

Trying to ease the tension, the younger Marquis Soleio stepped in:

“Come now. Isn’t it a bit much to coddle someone who’s said to have cut down hundreds, thousands of monsters?”

The squad members’ gazes shifted to him.

The young marquis continued smoothly:

“I imagined the King of the Dead as someone rough and manly.”

He snatched the glass of strong liquor from David and, saying “go on, go on,” pressed it into Tie’s hand.

Then he raised his own glass high.

“How long are you going to refuse?! Let’s drink to a safe return from the Central Continent!”

Holding the glass, Tie swallowed.

The heavy smell of strong alcohol rose again.

A wild, adult scent.

Instinct whispered:

‘If Tie drinks this... Tie will get super drunk......!’

But at the same time, curiosity stirred inside her.

‘Papa. Tie wants to try alcohoool too!’

‘......Not this again? You drink alcohol when you’re grown.’

‘I’ll just have a little! Grandma drinks, Aunt drinks—why can’t Tie?! Waaah!’

‘No.’

Her Papa—and all the other adults—were the same.

‘Uncle Basto, is wine tasty?’

‘Yes. It takes away the fatigue after a siege.’

‘Is it like grape juice?’

‘Sweet varieties are similar.’

‘Then can Tie have just one sip......?’

‘No.’

For some reason, no one ever compromised when it came to alcohol.

‘Is it really that special?!’

Each time, Tie swallowed her disappointment in silence.

‘But now?’

She carefully glanced around.

Now—she might be able to fulfill her long-held wish.

Tie slowly brought the glass to her lips.

And at that moment—

“You mustn’t.”

Someone gently took the glass from her hand.

Tie looked up—and her eyes widened.

David and the young Marquis Soleio were just as stunned.

“Your Highness, the Princess?!”

“We greet Your Highness!”

Standing beside her was Ardiana, dressed magnificently, looking down at Tie.

“Princes—no, Chair—!”

Tie faltered.

Princess?

Or Association Head?

She didn’t know how to address her.

And she wanted to ask if she was alright, how she had returned from the clock tower, whether it was true she had been affected by magic...

But the words remained inside, her lips only trembling slightly.

Meanwhile, Ardiana smiled faintly and turned to the two nobles.

“My friend, the King of the Dead, is not drinking right now.”

Without hesitation, she drained the glass she had taken from Tie.

“What?! That strong?!”

“In one go......?”

David and the young marquis exchanged looks.

They awkwardly followed her example.

But fifty-two degrees was no joke.

David grimaced and coughed as if choking.

The young marquis, face strained, hid his half-full glass behind his back.

Ardiana turned back to Tie.

“Didn’t I write in my letter? One glass turns into two, two into ten, so I chose to abstain.”

Tie blinked in confusion.

But she quickly understood the hidden meaning.

‘The Princess is protecting Tie.’

As the King of the Dead, Tie was known as someone who enjoyed drinking.

All because she often appeared in Flint Cove through taverns.

‘If they find out Tie can’t drink right now—it’ll be bad!’

She nodded awkwardly.

“Yes... in the letter......”

But suddenly, she fell silent.

She felt a strange gaze.

Turning her head, she saw someone staring at them with a chilling expression.

Tie tilted her head.

‘Fides?’

As if he were seeing something that should not exist here.

He was looking at Ardiana with fury.

The imperial prince.

The one everyone called the Crown Prince.

At that moment, Ardiana shifted her gaze to Tesetan, who stood behind Tie.

“You are here as well. Thank you for helping with my injury last time.”

David and the young marquis were bewildered.

“Injury?”

“Last time?”

Officially, Ardiana rarely left the palace.

The fact that she was the head of the Frost Association was kept in strict secrecy.

“Ah, you didn’t know.”

Ardiana turned slightly.

Tie couldn’t take her eyes off the dress brushing lightly against her fingers.

Her raised hair shimmered.

“I kept it quiet for a long time, but in truth, I also took part in that siege.”

The hall fell silent.

David blinked.

“What? A siege? Which siege......?”

“I am the head of the Frost Association.”

“Ardiana!”

Someone pushed rapidly through the crowd.

Fides grabbed Ardiana’s wrist, glaring at her as if he wanted to kill her.

“What are you saying right now?!”

From afar, the Emperor’s tongue clicked audibly.

Ardiana remained calm.

Fides, boiling with rage, shouted:

“What nonsense are you spouting! What kind of—!”

“It is time they knew, brother.”

“What?”

“Everyone wonders why I, an imperial princess, am included in this expedition.”

“You—!”

“Some think it is because it is an important campaign and requires a member of the imperial family. Others think it is to strengthen ties with the church. But that is not the case.”

Ardiana shook off his hand, and Tesetan naturally stepped forward, placing himself in front of her.

Her blue eyes blazed.

“Because there is no one else who can do it.”

Her gaze was calm like a frozen lake, yet firm and direct.

“I have coordinated all state missions in the empire until now. I was the one who assigned the appropriate mercenary squads.”

“.......”

“What you cannot do, brother... I can. Isn’t that why?”