Ophilia began greeting them one by one.

Celine followed along, standing beside Ophilia. Chatting with the nobles present at the ceremony. Olivia who was aware of her status stepped back slowly but not too far from Ophilia.

She stood at the side of that wall. Watching the busy surroundings. Bored, she tried looking at the threads on the wrists of each guest or noble who came. But nothing felt strange... all of them were calm red. Olivia was confused...

"Maybe it was just my gut feeling" she whispered in her heart. Her hands were neatly folded in front of her. Watching her surroundings.

She started covering part of her hair in front so nobody would notice her eyes watching or observing Duke Herold who was calmly chatting with other nobles.

But a few minutes later a hand hit her shoulder from behind. Olivia startled, her fingers clenched tight.

But she tried not to react impulsively. And tried to draw in a breath. After she had calmed down she slowly turned her head toward the person who had hit her shoulder hard.

She startled for a moment....

"Oh my.... Avelvionn!!" said Olivia while smiling. Not expecting that the broad shouldered and neatly dressed man in front of her was the very careless boy from 7 years ago.

She startled briefly.

" Oh no....I forgot..."

"Greetings, Your Highness.." said Olivia while bowing slightly. Avelvion rolled his eyes. Tired of watching Olivia’s behaviour.

"Turns out you’re still the same as before..." said Avelvion while looking at Olivia as if briefly stunned.

"Tch!...Your Highness you’re still the same too... still hot headed... still childish." said Olivia grinning while looking him up and down. Laughing quietly.

"Okay, enough about that.."

"How are you?.... well? "

" you look unwell when I returned to the palace before..."

said Avelvion while sipping wine from his glass. Olivia stared stiffly toward Avelvion, then slowly covered her mouth.

" Your highness, that’s how much Your Highness has changed.... I’ve never heard you care about someone before??..." said Olivia while laughing quietly.

But without Olivia knowing, in the distance someone was watching her. Quiet and sharp.

Suddenly, an electric current ran down her back. Without thinking she looked in that direction. But nothing... empty. Avelvion who noticed Olivia’s behaviour asked.

"What’s wrong?" asked Avelvion while whispering. As if he already knew what Olivia was thinking. Then Avelvion slowly moved closer toward Olivia.

"So how is your investigation going?" said Avelvion who looked relaxed but alert. Olivia shook her head.

"Something feels suspicious... but I’m not entirely sure" Olivia answered while whispering quietly. Avelvion nodded slowly. For a moment silence fell between them. Olivia was still alert to her surroundings while Avelvion’s eyes didn’t leave Duke Herold in the distance. As if that had already become part of their shared plan.

But something crossed Olivia’s mind. She turned her head toward Avelvion.

"Your Highness..." before she could finish suddenly Duke Herold spoke loudly.

"Forgive the interruption.....I have something I would like to announce here" said Duke Herold while staring sharply at them one by one. For a moment the atmosphere of that hall went quiet again.

"I know perhaps all of you did not expect this... but I would like to declare that..."

He paused for a moment then looked toward the Emperor who was standing below him. His face looked as if he didn’t know or had no idea what Duke Herold was about to say. He focused while one hand held his wine glass.

"My daughter who made her debut today will be engaged to the first prince... Prince Avvion Elixirs."

Said Duke Herold. His eyes looked toward the Emperor in front of him while smiling. A smile that felt mocking or as if testing something, but deeper than that.

Every guest present at that moment was shocked and began whispering among themselves. Olivia who witnessed it was also shocked watching that announcement.

What is his point doing this....

Olivia whispered quietly. Her brow furrowed. Then she searched for Ophilia’s figure.

Oh, there she is....

From a distance Ophilia’s face could be seen smiling calmly, but Olivia knew behind that smile, she herself hadn’t expected to hear that announcement. Ophilia’s hand gripped the edge of her gown. The wine glass she was holding was gripped tight.

Olivia started to worry seeing Ophilia’s state who looked paler than before.

But,

Owww!!!

Once again her wrist trembled... this time not just one thread but several of those threads trembled faintly... as if their emotions were unstable. Followed by a strong pulse.

Olivia’s eyes drifted toward the corner of that crowd. She really wanted to see the Emperor’s reaction as he stood among the crowd. But it stayed the same.....

His reaction remained exactly as it had been when she observed him earlier. Olivia who was watching the atmosphere lightly jabbed her tightly clenched hand.

"Why isn’t that thread reacting..." Olivia said in her heart. The noise of gossip in that room was still audible. Olivia turned her face toward Avelvion who was still standing beside her...

Even though Avelvion looked calm while sipping his wine, Olivia noticed the man’s grip on that glass hardened slightly when his brother’s name was mentioned. As if there was something being hidden behind his indifferent face.

"Your Highness, did you know about this announcement?" Without meaning to Olivia half whispered toward Avelvion. Avelvion who was sipping his wine slowly moved the glass away from his lips.

His eyes kept staring toward the far corner of that room.

"Do you know my brother?" he said as if Olivia’s question just now didn’t exist. Olivia went quiet...

What’s wrong with him?....

She whispered quietly.

"I’ve heard the name but never seen the face" said Olivia while her fingers slowly held her chin.

"My brother is standing beside... my father...." he said in a serious tone. His eyes stared sharply toward the man he was referring to. Olivia slowly turned her face in that direction.

Following Avelvion’s line of sight. There, stood a man who had an aura almost identical to the Emperor’s, but with a smile that was far more dangerous.

The moment Olivia’s eyes landed on Prince Avvion, the thread on her wrist didn’t just tremble.... but somehow even though she hadn’t yet interacted with Prince Avvion, that thread was already on Olivia’s wrist..... hooked on neatly. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Since when did this thread appear here?..." Olivia whispered. Her eyes went wide looking at that thread.

"Your Highness...."

Olivia whispered with a trembling voice,

"Prince Avvion.....has he ever met me before?..."

she whispered quietly. While waiting for an answer from Avelvion suddenly her eyes fell toward the line of thread belonging to Prince Avvion.... she swallowed hard.

Why is Prince Avvion’s thread... black?