The garden air was thick with tension as Darian stood his ground, his voice cutting through the silence with a calm that bordered on chilling.
"I was here even before both of these ladies arrived,"
Darian spoke evenly, his gaze steady. He paused, a brief flicker of calculation in his eyes before he continued, "But before I say anything further… may I know both of your names?"
The first woman drew herself up, her voice trembling slightly despite her composure. "I am Seraphina Dreyvorn."
The second woman followed immediately, her tone sharper. "I am Lilliane Vose."
(Auri – inner thought)
So these are their names… Seraphina and Lilliane. I see.
(Neria – inner thought)
Alright… let's see where this leads. Darian seems to have a lead.
Darian offered a shallow, respectful nod. "Thank you for telling me your names." He crossed his arms, his posture shifting into that of a keen observer. "When I first arrived here, there was no one present. But after some time, Mrs. Dreyvorn arrived. From her expression alone, it was clear that her mood was dark—troubled, perhaps."
He shifted his gaze toward the other woman. "Shortly after that, Miss Lilliane arrived. She said something to her… though I do not know the contents of their discussion." He paused, a faint, polite smile playing on his lips. "…after all, it is not proper to listen in on a private conversation between two ladies."
(Auri – inner thought)
What does that even mean? Is he playing coy? Does he actually know anything or not… Well, whatever. Let's get to the point.
The Duke's voice boomed, demanding clarity. "What happened next?"
"Suddenly," Darian answered, his eyes narrowing, "Mrs. Dreyvorn threw wine on her."
Lilliane immediately stepped forward, pointing a triumphant finger. "Wait—see? I told you! She threw the wine on me!"
Seraphina's face went pale, her hands clenching at her sides. "I did not mean to do that… I don't know how it happened. It was as if my hand moved on its own."
(Neria – inner thought)
What kind of excuse is that? She threw it, but didn't mean to? That makes absolutely no sense.
Darian's voice cut through the skepticism. "When did I say that Mrs. Dreyvorn did it intentionally?"
The Duke's brow furrowed into a deep frown. "What do you mean by that?"
"I observed the scene very carefully," Darian replied, his tone dropping to a whisper. "Mrs. Dreyvorn's shadow… it moved before she did. And when the wine fell on Miss Lilliane… even she herself looked surprised. It was a reflex of the darkness, not the woman."
The Duke's expression shifted from anger to a chilling realization. "…What?"
(Auri – inner thought)
Her shadow moved first? That sounds like something out of a nightmare. What does that even mean?
Lilliane, unwilling to let her grievance go, spoke up again. "Fine! Even if we accept that—she still pushed me! There was a clear physical shove!"
Darian shook his head slowly. "No. Even at that moment… her shadow moved first." He turned his gaze toward Lilliane. "And yours as well."
The Duke narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with suspicion. "But until now, you were only talking about Seraphina's shadow. Why involve Lilliane's now?"
Darian nodded. "Yes, you are correct. But in the end… I saw another shadow. It detached itself from Mrs. Dreyvorn's shadow and moved toward Miss Lilliane's. It was a parasitic movement."
A heavy silence fell over the garden as Darian delivered his verdict.
"And from that, it is clear that neither of them is truly at fault. The real culprit… is that evil shadow. An entity feeding on the discord between them."
The Duke's eyes widened slightly as he leaned back. "…I see. I have heard whispers of such entities before. Malevolent spirits that cling to heightened emotions."
Seraphina lowered her gaze, her shoulders slumping in relief. "…Thank you for revealing the truth," she whispered.
Without another word, she turned and walked away, her silhouette disappearing into the gloom of the manor.
(Auri – inner thought)
She just left? No goodbye, no further defense? Maybe she's just overwhelmed… she's clearly upset because her son is being sent away.
I didn't want to stay in that suffocating garden any longer. I turned and navigated the corridors back toward the main hall. As I entered the warmth of the ballroom, I spotted Seraphina again.
She was tucked into a quiet alcove, holding her son—Cassian Dreyvorn—tightly against her. She was weeping silently, her tears staining the boy's formal tunic.
I walked closer, my heart heavy. "Are you alright?" I asked softly.
Her eyes, red and swollen, looked up at me. She seemed to see a lifeline in my gaze. "…Princess… may I speak with you privately?"
I nodded without hesitation. "Yes, of course."
Cassian, though young, looked at his mother with a protective frown. "Mother… what do you want to discuss with Princess Aurelia?"
She looked at her son with a heartbreaking tenderness. "…my last hope."
(Auri – inner thought)
Last hope? What could she possibly want from me? I'm just a guest here.
She led me into a nearby receiving room and closed the door with a click. As soon as the privacy was sealed, I turned to her. "What did you want to talk about?"
Suddenly, the noblewoman dropped to her knees, her skirts fanning out on the floor.
"Please, Princess Aurelia… I beg of you. Please stop my son from being sent away."
I panicked, reaching out to help her up. "What…? How can I possibly do that? Please, stand up… this doesn't feel right. Explain everything properly."
She didn't move. She stayed on the floor, her voice trembling with raw desperation. "A few days ago… I overheard my husband. He plans to send my son away to a distant, dangerous territory. He wants to isolate me, to make me weak… so that he can abandon both of us once Cassian is gone."
Tears rolled down her face, unchecked. "When I refused to sign the papers, he threatened me. He said… he would kill Cassian if I didn't comply."
My breath caught in my throat. The politics of this house were far darker than I imagined.
"So I thought… if the Princess attends his tenth birthday, I would find a way to ask for your help. When I saw you at the party, I tried to approach you, but you had already gone toward the garden. I followed you… and Lilliane followed me… and you saw what happened next." Her voice broke into a sob. "There isn't much time left. Please… do something. Save my Cassian. He doesn't want to leave either."
(Auri – inner thought)
I want to help, truly… but I'm a Princess in a foreign court. How am I supposed to stop a Duke from managing his own son?
I spoke carefully, trying to find a thread of logic. "I will help you… but can you tell me how I'm supposed to do that? What power do I have here?"
She hesitated, her eyes flickering toward the door. Then she said softly, "I'm sorry for asking this of you, especially now… but can you keep him with you? If he is under your protection, he doesn't have to leave the capital."
I blinked, stunned. "…What? What do you mean? I don't understand…"
At that moment, the door creaked open. Cassian entered, his expression solemn and far too mature for his years. He walked directly to me and knelt on one knee, bowing his head.
"My mother wishes for me to become your attendant," he said, his voice steady despite the gravity of the request.
"A personal shadow to the Princess." He lowered his gaze further. "…Do you accept?"
I froze.
(Auri – inner thought)
An attendant? He's a Duke's son! This is… way too sudden. But if he's my attendant, he falls under Royal Jurisdiction. The Duke wouldn't be able to touch him.
He continued, "I know I am not worthy of such a position, but—"
"Yes," I interrupted before he could finish.
Both of them looked up at me, startled by my sudden resolve.
"I accept. If this can save you… if it means you won't have to leave your home or face your father's wrath, then I will do it." I hesitated slightly, the weight of the responsibility settling on me. "I don't know if this will truly work perfectly. I don't know if your father will still try to find a loophole… but at least we can try. Don't worry."
Cassian remained kneeling. Slowly, with a reverence that made my breath hitch, he took my foot. He removed my sandal and placed a gentle, fleeting kiss on my skin—a vow of absolute fealty.
"If this fails… even then… thank you for helping me," he said, his voice a low vow. "I promise… I will never go against you. My life is yours."
I was speechless.
(Auri – inner thought)
I've only seen things like this in anime and light novels… and now it's actually happening to me. What am I even supposed to do with a dedicated knight-attendant?
He carefully placed the sandal back on my foot, his movements precise. I reached down and held his hand, pulling him up. Together, with Seraphina watching through tears of hope, we walked out of the room to face Duke Alaric Dreyvorn.