The great hall slowly recovered its noise, though the cheerful air never returned.
Laughter was brittle now, conversations clipped, as if everyone feared saying the wrong thing.
Lord Elfred and Lady Elfred, who had been standing at a distance, now remained in the middle with Rubina. They were not speaking, merely drinking in silence. Darkness stood nearby, her stillness like a blade in its sheath. Rubina moved between them with precise, controlled gestures, refilling cups without spilling a drop. From time to time, eyes across the room flickered toward her.
'Things are stable for now because of my Dharma,' Darkness thought, her gaze fixed forward. 'But when he crosses the limit again, not even the king will be able to save him.' She knew the Second Prince too well. He was the kind who would not let humiliation fade without striking back. 'And he still hasn't apologised.'
---
At the far end of the hall, Second Prince Ametrine sat with a goblet of wine, his grip so tight his knuckles whitened. The sweet drink tasted like ash in his mouth. All he could think of was the public humiliation Darkness had dealt him earlier. Since then, he had drowned himself in wine, letting bitterness numb his mind.
Archduke Renzugus stood beside him in silence, though his eyes made his disapproval clear. The Emperor and Empress had yet to return from their meeting with the envoy—a sign of the seriousness of their talks.
'They think they've put me in my place,' Ametrine thought, jaw tightening. 'They think that girl—no, that thing—can look down on me.'
From across the room, Lord Veynor leaned against a marble pillar, smirking faintly. Known for exploiting others' weaknesses, he approached the prince with slow, calculated steps.
"Your Highness," Veynor said smoothly, bowing just enough to be polite, not submissive. "It seems you've made quite the… impression tonight."
Ametrine's eyes narrowed. "Do you mock me?"
"Not at all. I only see opportunity where others see humiliation." His tone was silk over steel. "The woman they call Darkness… she obeys the girl, Rubina, does she not?"
Ametrine's gaze sharpened. "She does. And she claims to follow some… law."
Veynor's smirk deepened. "Then all you need is to twist that law. Force her into a choice where upholding her principles will destroy her pride."
Ametrine leaned forward. "Go on."
"Every vow has a breaking point. Push her to it—and she will break."
'Yes,' Ametrine thought, a cruel spark in his eyes. 'If I cannot shatter her by force, I will corrode her from within.'
From nearby, Lord Carnelle glanced at them, his expression darkening. 'Fool. You're reaching for a weapon you cannot control.'
---
Meanwhile, Darkness moved alongside Rubina, her senses alert. She could feel the prince's malice even without looking. 'I can smell it from here,' she thought. 'Good… that will make it easier to deal with him when the time comes.'
Rubina noticed the change in her gait. "What is it?" she whispered.
"Nothing… yet," Darkness replied, though her eyes glimmered briefly like blades catching light.
---
The banquet began to thin. Lantern light danced on marble floors, music softened, and the air carried the faint scent of roses and spiced wine.
In one shadowed corner, Ametrine sat slouched, the goblet dangling from his fingers. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes glassy—but the bitterness remained sharp. No one approached him now. Nobles who once laughed with him avoided his gaze. 'They were all eager enough to drink with me last month,' he thought bitterly. 'Now they look at me like I'm a disease. And all because of her…'
His eyes found the center of the hall, where First Prince Belactus stood surrounded by allies. Rubina was there too, poised and steady, Darkness at her side. The sight twisted his pride into rage.
He remembered Veynor's words and rose abruptly, weaving slightly from the drink. 'No one can refuse a prince's order.'
Several nobles turned to watch him approach, sensing trouble.
"Brother," Belactus greeted coolly, his voice polite but distant.
Ametrine ignored him. His gaze locked on Rubina. "Lady Rubina," he said loudly, silencing the nearest conversations, "you should sell her to me."
The words hit the room like a stone dropped into still water. Nobles froze mid-step. Lord and Lady Elfred went stiff, unable to believe what they'd heard.
Ametrine repeated himself. "I want her. Name your price."
Rubina blinked slowly. "…Sell her?"
"Yes." He gestured lazily at Darkness. "Name your price. I'll pay in full tonight."
'Is he insane?' Rubina thought, her spine straightening. She saw curiosity flicker in some nobles' eyes—not approval, but shock.
Darkness's gaze slid to Rubina, measuring her reaction. "Prince Ametrine, I think you've had enough to drink. You need rest."
"Shut up, commoner! I'm not speaking to you," he barked, voice rising.
Belactus stepped in, voice low. "Stop this, little brother."
"Get away from me!" Ametrine shoved him, but the force of his own power sent Belactus sliding back a step.
Rubina's voice cut in, cold as ice. "Your Highness, she is not for sale."
Ametrine smirked, leaning closer. "Everything has a price."
'He really doesn't understand,' Rubina thought, heat tightening in her chest.
"She is my retainer," Rubina said firmly, "and she is not an object to be traded."
A low murmur spread through the crowd.
"You may regret that, Lady Rubina," Ametrine said.
"No," Rubina replied, her tone final. "The only thing I would regret is lowering myself to such a bargain."
The air went still. Then Ametrine's face twisted in fury. "You—" He raised his hand toward her, the motion so sudden Rubina didn't expect it.
The music snapped to silence. Every warrior in the room tensed. The prince had crossed the line.