Chapter 4
----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: Diva Chapter: 4 Chapter Title: Spilled Wine and Curses -----------------------------------------------------------------
True to his aversion to drawing more attention than necessary, he raised one hand to halt the attendant who was about to announce his name, then descended the stairs with elegant, upright poise.
But despite his efforts, all eyes turned to Barkas. Even the presence of the future emperor seemed to dim in the wake of his entrance.
Talia devoured his appearance from head to toe with greedy eyes.
As always, he was impeccably dressed in the Imperial Guard's uniform. The one difference from usual was that beneath the ornate cloak issued by the knight order, he wore a black breastplate emblazoned with the emblem of the black horse, rather than the gold armor symbolizing the Roem Knights.
It signified his attendance at the banquet as the heir to Grand Duke Sheerkhan and as Aila's fiancé.
As Talia had anticipated, Barkas headed straight for the center of the hall, where Gares and Aila were seated.
"Greetings to Crown Prince Highness."
After offering Gares a bow that was neither excessive nor lacking, he turned to Aila, who was smiling shyly.
Her fingertips trembled. Talia gripped her wine glass so fiercely that her knuckles turned bone-white.
When Barkas extended a hand toward the "legitimate princess," Aila took it demurely. In that instant, a twisting pain like her guts being wrung out assaulted her.
Don't touch him. Don't you dare lay a hand on Barkas.
She wanted to scream it, despite having no right whatsoever. To avoid a hideous display, Talia had to bite her lip.
"Wouldn't it be better to slip out of the banquet hall now?"
The man who had been scrutinizing her face now offered the suggestion cautiously. Hearing someone who had seemed to relish the drama speak those words snapped her back to reality. She hadn't come here to slink away in misery and humiliation.
Talia composed her crumbling expression in an instant and crossed the hall with graceful steps. Those surrounding the crown prince, the first princess, and the noble from the east parted naturally to let her pass.
They, too, were undoubtedly hoping deep down for some thrilling spectacle. Talia intended to fulfill their expectations perfectly.
"Hello. My esteemed brother... and my dear sister."
She deliberately ignored Barkas's presence, greeting the two slowly and only them. If she faced him head-on, she feared she'd lose the fragile thread of her reason entirely.
With her back to Barkas, she fixed her gaze solely on Aila's face. Then, in a voice laced with mockery, she said,
"I'm so glad to see you've recovered safely. After all... you did show us such an unsightly side before."
"Thank you for your concern."
Aila replied with a gentle smile that held not a trace of shadow.
For a moment, goosebumps prickled across Talia's skin.
This woman surely knew that her half-sister had slipped emetic into her wine glass. Yet there wasn't a speck of anger in the way she looked at Talia. It was the gaze one might give some commonplace object scattered about.
A wine glass or plate in the hall, or a candelabrum... How could anyone feel rage toward such things?
A thick wave of regret crashed over her at the woman's calm, almost indifferent demeanor.
She should have fed her poison instead of an emetic. Even if it meant a horrific execution... even if it damned her to burn in hellfire forever...
Compared to this woman, her brother's raw fury almost seemed human.
"How dare you show up here."
Gares leaned aggressively toward her, grinding his teeth. His gleaming eyes raked her up and down with thick disgust.
"Dressed like that cheap slut! Did your whore of a mother tell you to seduce my loyal vassals?"
"Cheap slut? Such harsh words."
Talia spread her skirts wide for all to see.
"This dress is the one Mother wore when she first met His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. It's a very meaningful piece."
Silence descended upon the hall in an instant.
Flames of rage flickered and blazed in the crown prince's eyes. Unfortunately, Talia loved playing with fire.
"Our father must have adored this dress. Don't you think so?"
The crown prince's shoulders shot upward. He looked ready to strike his own face in his fury.
But his shrewd sister would never allow such a scene. With perfect timing, Aila placed a hand on Gares's forearm to restrain him, then turned to her half-sister with a smile as clear as crystal.
"Yes. It suits you perfectly."
Surprisingly, there was no malice in her voice. Her tone was so matter-of-fact, as if merely stating the visible truth, that it infuriated Talia. Perhaps this woman believed responding to a lowly bastard's provocations would only tarnish her own dignity.
Aila cast a calm glance at her twin brother, as if urging him to stay composed, then stepped to her fiancé's side. She leaned lightly against his flank and said with the happiest of expressions,
"Anyway, thank you for coming. Today is a very meaningful day for us... especially for me. I wanted as many people as possible to offer their congratulations."
Aila's slender hand alighted softly on the arm of the man standing silently like a shadow.
Talia glared down at that hand, as if she wanted to tear it to shreds. She couldn't bring herself to look up. If she caught even a glimpse of him smiling at Aila, she wouldn't be able to hold onto her sanity.
Aila spoke in a voice soft as a feather.
"Our official wedding date has finally been set. On the day the season of winds begins, I'll head east to become part of the Sheerkhan family. Of course, before that, we'll have to embark on the pilgrimage to receive the saints' blessings. We need to leave before the days grow too hot, so today might be the last time I see you."
She feigned a look of regret so convincingly.
"I'm glad we could meet like this before I leave the palace. I wanted to at least exchange farewells."
Then, as if wishing to end the conversation, she leaned gently against Barkas's shoulder and added softly,
"Please, enjoy the banquet for our sake."
Aila turned away gracefully, a benevolent smile on her lips. Talia, who had been staring intently, suddenly spoke up.
"The last time... I really want to bless your future, sister."
As she stepped toward Aila, the man who had been quietly observing the silent war between the two women reacted at once. Her vision went red at the sight of him extending his arm to protect his fiancée.
Before Barkas could fully block her path, Talia swiftly dumped her wine over Aila's chest.
The deep red liquid soaked the upper part of the pristine white dress adorned with dense pearl embellishments, trickling down to the hem. It resembled a heart pierced and bleeding.
"I'll pray every day that you end up looking just like this soon."
Everyone gasped sharply at the horrific curse.
Even Aila, who had remained aloof throughout, paled. Her genuinely terrified expression was so comical that Talia nearly burst into laughter.
But the glee was fleeting. A strong hand seized her wrist and yanked her roughly. Forced by the pull, Talia had no choice but to face the man she'd been avoiding head-on.
A pair of pale blue eyes gleamed with cold fury, glaring down at her.