The words had barely left Kaori's lips—"I'll kill you here myself",when a sudden hush swept the banquet hall.
A single, cold voice cut through the murmurs.
"...Kill who?"
The air thickened like ice. Nobles and royals alike felt their hearts skip. The crowd instinctively parted, all eyes snapping toward the entrance.
There she stood.
Aria Bloodcrest.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Her black hair shimmered under the chandeliers, her golden eyes gleaming like molten suns. Every step echoed like judgment.
"Hey… hey, that's…"
"Aria… Aria Bloodcrest."
"The greatest prodigy in history."
"One of the most beautiful girl in entire empire."
"She's coming this way. W-wait—is she coming for me?"
Kaori stiffened as Aria stopped directly before her.
Aria's golden gaze burned into her. Her voice was calm, deadly.
"What did you just say?"
Kaori bowed quickly, forcing a smile. "N-nice to meet you. I-I'm Kaori Eryndor."
Aria's tone dropped colder. "Did I ask for your name? Answer my question."
Kaori stuttered, "Eh? O-oh… this rat snuck in, so I was just warning him."
Kaori's thoughts raced. What does she want? I set up the perfect stage for myself and she stole it in an instant. Is she trying to flaunt her strength by cutting down a beggar? Damn it… but I can't oppose her. She's Aria Bloodcrest—the greatest prodigy, the greatest scholar, the heir who eclipses everyone. She's an untouchable force.
Aria's lips curved into a mirthless laugh.
"Rat? Warning him? Hahahaha… And who do you think you are to warn him?"
Kaori froze. "Eh? S-sorry?"
Aria's voice cracked like a whip. "I asked who are you to warn him?"
Her mana exploded outward, frigid and suffocating. For the first time in the night, the nobles felt true murderous intent—and it wasn't aimed at the beggar child. It was aimed squarely at Princess Kaori.
Kaori's knees trembled only a single thought arrived in her mind that currently she can't breath. The mana was just too strong for her and in a faint voice she said,"S-sorry mam. I-I won't do anything like this ever again. Forgive me just this once!"
Aria's gaze sharpened like a blade. "Ever again? Who said you're walking out of here alive?"
In one fluid motion, she unsheathed her sword, mana flaring along the edge.
BOOM!
A powerful clash rang out. Commander Elric appeared just in time, her blade intercepting hers before Kaori's head could roll.
"Please refrain yourself, Imperial Princess," Elric said nervously. "This is a banquet to celebrate your and Prince Kaito's achievements. Not a bloodbath."
Kaori collapsed, her body shaking violently. A spreading wet stain betrayed her shame.
Crowd whispers rippled like wildfire—
"Wh-what… what just happened?"
"Did Imperial Princess Aria just try to kill Princess Kaori?"
"She unsheathed her blade before I could even blink…"
"Is this… the power of Aria Bloodcrest?"
"L-look… look at Kaori…"
"D-did she just… pee herself?"
"Poor child. She earned the wrath of Bloodcrest…"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Aria's sword still gleamed with killing intent as she turned on Commander Elric, her golden eyes blazing.
"Elric. What do you think you're doing? Do you even understand what just happened? Did you hear what she said?"
Elric's face tightened. She bowed low.
"My apologies, Imperial Princess. I arrived only at the last moment, just in time to prevent… a mishap."
Aria's voice cracked like thunder.
"Ohhh? A mishap? You call this a mishap?" Her aura surged again, frost in her tone. "If I hadn't arrived, do you even know what would have happened?"
Her sword pointed, not at Kaori now, but at the boy in rags.
"She said… she was going to kill Kaito."
The crowd gasped as one.
"W-what?"
"K…Kaito?"
"Did she just say Kaito?"
"Black hair… golden eyes…"
"It's him. It has to be him!"
"The new prodigy? "
"The child who awakened mana at seven…?"
"Kaito Bloodcrest… true heir of the throne?"
"Why… why is he here looking like that? In such an appearance?"
"Impossible… an Imperial Prince dressed like a beggar?"
All eyes turned to me once again.
But unlike before when it was filled with malice and disgust like looking at a lowly being who wasn't a human, now it was as if a God has descended in front of them.