MTLNOVEL 55
The pure white hall, adorned with flowers, was bright and immensely spacious.
When combining the palace staff and the invited nobles, the number of attendees easily surpassed double digits. Even with a lavish feast spread across the long table, there still seemed to be ample space in the center for dancing.
As I walked along the carpet stretching from the entrance to the platform, I swiftly scanned the table first. Various dishes were arranged buffet-style, with a glistening, oil-slicked roasted chicken as the centerpiece.
Just looking at it made my mouth water. Honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising if people were here more for the imperial palace chef’s cuisine than for the engagement itself.
‘…But that’s not the priority today.’
I lifted my gaze toward Belial and Sen.
Dressed in matching white attire—her in a flowing dress, him in a sharp tuxedo—the two of them made for a strikingly harmonious pair.
And that ring on her fourth finger? A pale green emerald, the same color as Sen’s eyes, set into the band so naturally that it seemed like it had always belonged to her.
‘It almost feels like I’m sending off my own child.’
A strange sense of bittersweetness crept up in me as I turned my attention to the translucent blue system window.
[Current Miracle Value: 42.2%]
Perhaps because of Lorenz and me being involved, the miracle value had risen slightly. I wasn’t receiving constant updates on minor quests, but seeing the percentage increase day by day suggested that things were progressing.
[Estimated time remaining until Kyle Jane Meinhardt’s death: approximately 150 days.]
Kyle’s expected lifespan had extended significantly. Winter had already passed, yet he only had about half a year left.
While it was good news, it wasn’t exactly comforting. It wasn’t an especially long time either, meaning the threats to his life hadn’t been entirely eliminated.
“I need to know what to expect to prepare for it…”
The fact that Kyle and Belial’s conflict had shifted into an internal family dispute within the ducal house was a welcome development.
However, given the circumstances, if someone’s lifespan had increased, it could mean that someone else’s had shortened.
The real issue was that no one knew whether it would be Belial, Lorenz, or Sen.
Sen, in particular, had veered outside the original narrative. If something were to happen to her, I wouldn’t even be able to question the system about it. Just like the swamp goat or the wyvern… she had become an existence beyond the story.
I let out a long sigh, lost in thought, when Kyle, who had been conversing with other nobles, addressed me from behind.
“What has you so deep in thought?”
“Oh, just thinking about things that will benefit Your Highness.”
Yeah, like I’d be worrying for no reason. Every one of these concerns was something that would eventually help you, Kyle.
Just as I was about to lose myself in contemplation again, Kyle’s hand reached out from behind, gently grasping my wrist.
He steadied the precariously tilted wine glass in my hand, straightening it before I could spill its contents.
“Oh…”
“There may be a second set of clothes, but it would be a hassle to change just because of spilled wine.”
“…Thank you.”
He let out a soft chuckle as he released my wrist. I pressed my other hand against the lingering coolness of his touch, then cleared my throat.
“Now that I think about it, what kind of person is Prince Lorenz?”
Kyle didn’t answer right away. Instead, he studied me intently as if gauging my thoughts before finally speaking in a measured tone.
“Trust in what you’ve seen.”
“…I was having some very irreverent thoughts, though.”
Kyle’s lips curved into a cold smile—one noticeably different from the ones he had shown before.
“Then you should hope he’s not as bad as you imagine.”
“So it’s that bad.”
Instead of responding, Kyle took the glass from my hand and took a sip of the wine. He didn’t swallow it immediately but let it linger in his mouth for a moment, as if evaluating it, before finally swallowing and returning the glass to me.
“Considering how Prince Lorenz usually acts, his behavior yesterday was rather extreme. For him to act so directly…”
“It means he’s preparing for an all-out war against Prince Belial.”
“Exactly. And soon.”
I didn’t understand what was so valuable about the throne that people would go to such lengths—killing, scheming, and tormenting each other.
Was it truly something so grand that one would unhesitatingly turn against not only their half-siblings but even the younger ones they grew up with?
“Is it common for royal siblings to turn on each other over the throne?”
“It’s more common than you’d think. Some even borrow the cruel tradition of ‘hunting’ to take lives.”
What a goddamn mess.
I decided not to ask about the details of this ‘hunting.’ Kyle had no interest in the throne, so he wouldn’t be getting involved anyway.
In the meantime, preparations for the wedding vow ceremony were complete.
A solemn officiant in white robes ascended the platform, and the ceremonial wine—reserved only for grand royal celebrations—was poured into two goblets.
In the Meinhardt Empire, engagements were celebrated with grandeur, while actual weddings were conducted with simplicity.
During these lavish engagement ceremonies, the couple would stand face-to-face, exchange vows, and drink from the ceremonial wine. This act alone was considered the true union, with the official wedding merely being a blessing ceremony conducted before the archbishop.
“Prince Belial and Lady Sen, please proceed with the reading of your declarations.”
At those words, the hall fell into immediate silence.
The gathered nobles, standing close to the platform, fixed their intense gazes on the couple. I, too, moved to a better vantage point with Kyle to get a clearer view of Sen.
“I, Belial Serena Meinhardt, take Sen Langde as my wife and vow the following: First, I will treat my partner in life with sincerity and respect.”
Perhaps because arranged marriages were common, the words felt more formal than affectionate.
“Second…”
Belial hesitated for a moment before closing the declaration scroll. Then, he looked directly at Sen—and beyond her, at Lorenz—before speaking again.
“I will strive to make you the most noble woman in this empire.”
Murmurs immediately rippled through the hall. Some nobles even turned visibly pale.
“…The most noble woman?”
“Of all things, why would he say that—at an engagement ceremony, no less?”
“I knew something like this would happen.”
“Isn’t this a declaration of war?”
“Declaration of war? Have you forgotten the empire’s emblem? The lion represents strength. This kind of boldness is exactly what befits an emperor-to-be.”
A mix of unease and intrigue spread among the gathered nobility, some appearing unsettled, while others seemed to welcome Belial’s words.
I quietly turned to the system for clarification.
‘What does he mean?’
[Serena Meinhardt, in ancient language, means ‘the most noble woman.’]
Ah.
‘So, he just announced his intent to make Sen the next Serena.’
Sen, however, showed no trace of surprise. Judging by her expression, it was clear that she and Belial had planned this beforehand.
As if the reactions of the crowd were of no concern to him, Belial continued, “And third, I vow to protect you from any threat.”
Sen responded in a calm voice, “I, Sen Langde, take Belial Serena Meinhardt as my husband and vow the following.”
Unlike Belial, who had spoken while keeping his eyes on Sen the entire time, Sen focused solely on the declaration scroll as she recited her vows.
She appeared to regard the engagement itself as the sole priority. Or perhaps… she simply wanted it to seem that way.
“Now, the two of you may drink the wine, a tradition shared only in the empire’s most sacred moments.”
Belial was the first to lift his goblet. Like Kyle earlier, he took a moment to sniff the wine, let it linger in his mouth, ensuring no poison was present, then swallowed it slowly.
Sen, however, lacked any resistance to poison. Instead, she dipped a prepared magical testing stick into the goblet. After a brief wait, she withdrew it to check for any changes in color.
“…W-what is this?”
“The color…”
A wave of unrest, far greater than before, engulfed the hall. The reason was clear—the testing stick had turned black.
Poison in a wine reserved solely for imperial occasions, opened only by the emperor’s command or for grand royal events?
Even Sen, who had remained composed throughout the evening, now stared at the stick with an expression of shock.
And then—
“I’ve waited so long for this moment.”
A chilling smile spread across the officiant’s face. He reached into his jacket and drew a concealed dagger.
His movement was too fast for my eyes to track.
But Kyle, standing beside me, was even faster.
“Sen!”
The moment the officiant thrust his dagger forward, Kyle grabbed Sen’s arm and pulled her aside.
Everything happened so quickly that I could barely keep up with my eyes.
The sharp blade slashed deep into Kyle’s arm.
Drip.
Scarlet blood splattered onto the floor, and nobles screamed in horror.
“…G-get the guards! Call the guards!”
“What are the knights doing?!”
But the chaos had already ignited into full-fledged panic.
At the same time, the officiant showed no sign of distress. Instead, he smirked meaningfully, while disguised servants pulled out hidden knives, forks, or even blades tucked at their waists and began attacking the nobles.
Screams echoed as people fled, knocking over tables and sending food and wine crashing to the ground. The sharp sound of shattering glass rang through the air.
“Someone is trying to assassinate His Highness!”
“Protect Prince Belial and Lady Sen immediately!”
But neither the disguised attackers nor Belial stood in front of Sen to defend her.
Instead, Kyle stepped forward, his face cold and expressionless. His crimson eyes locked onto the officiant with a deadly glare.
“No need. I’ll handle this.”
[Kyle looked down at his stomach. The dagger had been pulled out, and from the wound, blood gushed forth, staining the delicate hand that had wielded the blade—and the pristine white dress of its owner.]
[Sen stared at Kyle, her expression on the verge of tears. But despite her distress, her green eyes remained resolute, showing no sign of regret for what she had done.]
…I had forgotten.
How could I have possibly forgotten?
I had let my guard down, reassured by the increase in Kyle’s expected lifespan.
I had completely overlooked the fact that, in the original story, Sen was supposed to attack Kyle during this engagement.
That Kyle was supposed to suffer a fatal wound because of her.
A wave of nausea twisted in my gut.
‘Why the hell is the system only telling me this now?!’
But unlike me, caught in a whirlwind of emotions, Kyle remained eerily calm.
“To think you would dare attempt to harm one of Blake’s own before its rightful master.”
He was unarmed.
Yet, no matter what legendary weapon one might bring, it would seem insignificant in comparison to the presence Kyle exuded at this moment.
Kyle Blake’s crimson eyes darkened with quiet resolve. His expression was layered with complexity.
But one thing was certain—he had no regrets.
Even if he were to die protecting Sen, he would not waver.
Fate was swirling and twisting into chaos.