A coldness crept through her entire body from Olivia’s wrist. Slowly rising to her shoulder as if it had already coiled itself around Olivia’s heart.

She shook her hand several times hoping that thread would disappear from her wrist. She turned her head toward Avelvion wanting to tell him something but... she went stiff for a moment.

Even if I ask him he wouldn’t know either....

She whispered quietly. Besides, she was the only one who had that ability. That reality hit Olivia hard.

She slowly clenched her fingers. Her eyes were fixed on the thread at her wrist. The surroundings that had been noisy with the whispers of nobles present seemed to grow further and further away. Until nothing could be heard.

Her eyes focused only on that black coloured thread.

Throughout my time here....

Black threads I have only ever seen on two people....

Olivia whispered with a confused voice.

And this is the third..

She continued while tracing the line connecting between Olivia and Avvion. Avvion who seemed to sense someone was watching him turned his face toward Olivia. While smiling sweetly.

But for Olivia that wasn’t just a sweet smile. Or a friendly one. But behind that smile... Olivia could feel something deeper.

Olivia pretended to smile while her eyes drifted elsewhere to hide that suspicion. After a few minutes of him staring sharply toward Olivia only then did his eyes shift toward Duke Herold.

When Avvion turned his face away, the grip around Olivia’s heart didn’t immediately disappear. She looked down, seeing that black thread still firmly coiled around her wrist.

That black colour wasn’t static; it seemed to be flowing something dirty into her veins. Olivia realised, Avvion’s smile just now wasn’t just a greeting, but a warning that his newest target had already been found.

She swallowed slowly. Lifted her head slowly. Trying not to show any reaction. She tried to stay calm and keep a natural expression on her face.

One.

Two.

Three...

She whispered in her heart. Avelvion who had been watching Olivia this whole time stared at her sharply. Not knowing what she was thinking that made her face react that way. He nudged his elbow against Olivia’s shoulder. Olivia startled. Her face visibly paler than before. He frowned.

"What’s wrong with you?..."

He whispered quietly toward Olivia’s ear while his arms crossed. Olivia shook her head while smiling bitterly.

Olivia drew in a long breath, trying to find strength behind the coldness gripping her heart.

But before she could reply to Avelvion’s whisper, Duke Herold’s deep voice echoed again, breaking the silence of the hall that was still in a state of shock.

"And as a sign of agreement between these two great families..."

Duke Herold raised his wine glass high toward the Emperor, but his eyes glanced sharply toward the corner where Olivia and Avelvion were standing.

"I invite our young witnesses to come forward. Especially those who have been... hiding in the shadows all this time."

Duke Herold’s smile widened, looking very sarcastic.

"Olivia? Avelvion? Come, don’t be shy. Aren’t the two of you old companions of Ophilia and Avvion?"

He called out while putting on a wide smile. His eyes looked sincere. But from Olivia’s perspective.... that smile felt like it was testing them. Avelvion and Olivia looked at each other.

Since when i became friends with Prince Avvion!!!

Olivia whispered toward Avelvion who was also frozen. Avelvion’s eyes stared sharply toward Duke Herold. As if those eyes were knives they could pierce right through Duke Herold’s body.

Olivia went stiff, not knowing what Duke Herold meant as he stood proudly holding his red wine glass. But all eyes had already turned toward the two of them.

Olivia’s hope of staying as a shadow throughout that ceremony collapsed completely. She tried to make sure of something first, then turned toward Avelvion whose eyes never left Duke Herold.

"Is there a problem??"

Duke Herold said again with his voice echoing throughout that room. Olivia gritted her teeth. Wanting to refuse but because all eyes were already staring toward them, Olivia had no choice but to comply. Besides, the Emperor was there too.

If I make one wrong move my head might disappear.....

Olivia said in her heart. Olivia pulled her feet that felt heavy to move from that spot. Starting to step toward Duke Herold. Avelvion startled seeing Olivia. He began stepping forward indifferently.

The veins in Avelvion’s arm visibly grew more tense. Step by step.

Their steps felt followed by those sharp stares. Olivia looked forward. Ophilia could be seen stiff. Her eyes met with Olivia’s. Her face looked anxious.

Olivia felt sorry for Ophilia. Even though her gown was studded with gems and her face was covered in perfect makeup, in Olivia’s eyes that light looked dim.

Tonight was supposed to be Ophilia’s night.... the night where she should have been standing under the candlelight and become the main topic of the nobles.

But watching Ophilia who was forced to smile under compulsion, a feeling of pity began pressing on Olivia’s chest. She was nothing but a chess piece for her own father.

Olivia’s steps felt like they were shackled, but she had to keep walking under the blinding hall lights.

Ahead, Duke Herold waited with a victorious smile, while on the other side, Prince Avvion watched with his black thread vibrating more and more wildly mixed with a strong pulse.

But before Olivia and Avelvion could reach Duke Herold, suddenly the sound of a loud bang of the hall’s large door echoed hard.

BAM!!

The noisy atmosphere of whispers immediately died. The sound of heavy orderly iron boots began filling that large hall.

That sound didn’t come from one or two people, but from a fully armed unit of soldiers.

A broad shouldered man stepped in at the front of that unit. His black robe swayed following the rhythm of his steps full of authority.

Silver coloured hair shimmered under that lamplight as if following his every shadow.

Duke Herold who had looked so grand before, now smiled even wider as if this was the guest he had been waiting for most.

"Ah, it seems our special guest has arrived right on time!"

Duke Herold said loudly.

"Allow me to introduce, General Javien Alistair de Valois"

He said with gleaming eyes. As if the man standing in front of him was something very precious to him.

"Starting tonight he will carry his great responsibility as personal Knight to Lady Ophilia beginning this very night!"

The hall atmosphere went completely quiet, only the sound of Javien’s iron boots breaking the silence.

Javien’s sharp cold eyes began scanning the entire hall, passing over the Emperor and Duke Herold without even a hint of fear.

The nobles around them began whispering softly,

"Isn’t that action disrespectful to the Emperor?.."

that man whispered quietly into his companion’s ear. But while they were whispering, a long shadow was felt standing right behind them.

They went stiff, then slowly turned their heads behind them.

Javien stared at them with a sharp gaze. Not saying a word but only staring. That stare made the man’s entire body feel as if it was disappearing.

As if something from his body was being absorbed. He sat down.

Duke Herold who was watching Javien only stayed quiet.

But the moment those faded purple eyes met Olivia’s eyes, Javien’s steps stopped for just a moment.

Olivia could feel her heart as if being pulled out from its stem. Not because of fear, but because of something stranger. Feeling something inside her heart that she had long buried and hidden beginning to scream.

She stepped back slowly. Not because she was afraid. But the emotions inside her heart were mixed up. Her chest felt raw, not like a new wound, but like an old wound being forced open again.

Strangely... within that pain, there was a relief that shouldn’t have existed.

But that pain leaned more toward disappointment... disappointment looking at the broad shouldered man in front of her.

She turned her face elsewhere. Then looked down at her wrist. The black thread from Prince Avvion was still there but the thread she knew so well began trembling faintly.

Javien didn’t speak. But his feet moved faster toward her. But before he reached Olivia, someone called him.

"General Javien....how rude..." said the Emperor who was standing in front. Javien stopped. Immediately he looked toward the Emperor who was looking at him as if from a position high above.

Javien tightened his jaw, but he still bowed slightly as the most minimal sign of respect toward the Emperor. His silver eyes shifted from Olivia, but Olivia could feel the warmth of that gaze still lingering on her face.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty,"

Javien’s voice echoed low, cold as if blown by arctic wind.

"I was only... drawn to the quality of the witnesses Duke Herold has chosen tonight."

The Emperor laughed quietly, but that laugh didn’t reach his eyes.

"Interesting, indeed interesting. Since you are already here, carry out your duty. Protect Lady Ophilia as if your life is the stake."

He said in a cold voice. Javien turned toward Ophilia who was still pale, but before he stepped toward that girl, he deliberately passed by Olivia. The distance between them was so close that Olivia could catch the scent of masculine fragrance mixed with the aroma of sword iron from Javien’s body. And the smell of blood.

A soft whisper, almost inaudible to anyone else, reached Olivia’s ear.

"Close the window before you sleep..." he whispered quietly. Olivia stood stiff as Javien walked past.

Close the window before you sleep?’ Why?

Before Olivia could process that warning, the dark red thread at her wrist snapped hard.... one sign that the owner of that thread would not wait until tomorrow to claim the answer that had been delayed for seven years.

She didn’t understand at all what Javien meant. She only glanced briefly toward Javien. But before her eyes reached Javien, Javien’s eyes had already been looking toward her first.

She startled. Then stepped back to her original spot without raising any suspicion.

Duke Herold who was above them watched all of that. He smiled.

My guess was right..

He said while his eyes shifted toward Olivia who was standing stiff in that unseen corner.