I examined the landing on the second floor of the central staircase where Dominic stood whispering to the mad emperor. He had probably received a report similar to the one I heard from Regen just now, but the mad emperor simply smiled and made no move to intervene.
Regen spoke. “It seems the emperor intends to turn a blind eye.”
“But that doesn’t mean we should recklessly follow suit. If the same thing happens repeatedly, he’ll punish us just to break the monotony.” I brightened with realization. “But, I’ve learned something useful. To win favor, causing a bit of trouble or putting on an act is permissible.”
“I’ve realized something too.”
“What is it?”
“We don’t necessarily need to win favor. As long as we avoid punishment, we can stir up negative public opinion about our competitors and ensure three of them end up at the bottom.”
I hadn’t expected Regen to voice what I’d only been thinking.
When I stared at Regen intently, he flinched and added hastily as if to clarify. “Don’t misunderstand. I’m mentioning it because someone has already started.”
“Who…”
Just then, my gaze met hers. A spiteful beauty with dark green hair was glaring at me while whispering to someone. Occasionally, she furrowed her brows or chuckled, embodying the very essence of a scheming petty villainess.
“It seems Sister Sehera is spreading slander against us.”
“There’s a high chance that the two at the bottom will be the youngest princess and Princess New Moon. We just need to ensure the third one.”
Sehera had already moved elsewhere. She seemed to be diligently spreading slander about me among the nobles. I was genuinely impressed.
“To think Sister Sehera could grasp such logic, I never knew she had such a clever side.”
“Princess Early Summer is merely acting on instinct, using her usual tactics.”
In other words, it wasn’t out of intelligence but merely habit. If she were truly smart, she wouldn’t have chosen me as the target of her black propaganda.
“What will you do, Your Highness?”
The longer I remain idle, the more negative rumors about me will spread like a plague among those who love gossip. Although it’s officially a popularity contest among the knights directly under us, in reality, each knight and princess were seen as a pair. Whether it’s favor or hatred, the two share the same fate.
At this rate, I might end up at the bottom. But I have no intention of watching Regen suffer under the guise of punishment. It was time to act.
I fiddled with the ring on my finger and lowered my gaze. The banquet hall floor was still littered with fragments of statues.
“Sir Regen, if you stay by my side, I won’t find myself in danger, right?”
“Of course.”
“That’s problematic.”
“…What do you mean?”
I raised my head and suddenly locked eyes with him. “Sir Regen, from now on, trust me and don’t protect me.”
“…”
“It’s an order.”
The authority that clashed with his will made Regen’s body stiffen as if suddenly halted. Before he could protest, I headed straight to where Nanaen was. The perceptive Nanaen noticed me and chose a suitable path to approach. Nanaen and I successfully made contact in a dim corner.
“What is it, Sister?”
“I need your help.”
From my position, her face was reflected through the glass. Her eyes, which had widened in surprise, curved gracefully.
“I never thought I’d see a day like this. Just tell me what you need.”
✦
With roughly ten minutes left until the end of the competition, the atmosphere in the banquet hall was at its peak. The nobles watched comfortably, as it was none of their concern. Some even secretly gambled on the outcome.
“Princess Early Summer will certainly be first, so let’s bet on who will be last.”
“Will you bet on Princess New Moon or Princess Silver Bird?”
Currently, the leading candidates for last place were Gwendellin, who was never popular, and Rosasia, who failed to defend against the public opinion battle.
In another corner, nobles were exchanging thoughts on what punishment would befall the three lowest-ranked contestants.
“It must be a punishment akin to death, right?”
“Well, His Majesty loves his daughters, so it might not be as harsh as what he did to the princes.”
“That’s why the knight dies in their place, isn’t it?”
Some others were indulging in vulgar jokes.
“Sir Heinz and Sir Regen, it’s a shame to let them go just like that…”
“I wonder if the princesses at least had a taste of them.”
“Looks like Princess Silver Bird has given up. She’s just sitting there while the competition’s nearly over.”
“Rumors say she spent a whole week in her chamber with Sir Regen. Maybe she’s already had her fill of him.”
Sasha was quietly sipping wine alone. For some reason, Regen, her personal knight, was stationed quite far away against a wall. As the competition drew to a close, the results seemed inevitable. No one likes to associate with the losers, so few nobles bothered to speak to Sasha.
Then, a small commotion arose. An unexpected figure approached Sasha.
“Sister, drinking too much isn’t good for you.”
“Nanaen.”
With each graceful step, Nanaen seemed to draw attention, turning the center of the banquet hall to where the two princesses stood.
Watching Sasha caress the edge of her empty glass with her fingertips, Nanaen offered a concerned remark. “Your throat must be quite dry?”
“…”
“Well, if I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same. After all, you boldly told Father you’d put on a show —and now look where you are.”
“Did you come here just to chat idly? Or are you trying to win my favor instead of the nobles’?”
“I’ve gathered enough favor that I don’t need to win any more.”
By now, the banquet hall had grown so quiet that it was hard to believe there were hundreds of people present. The two princesses could feel all eyes on them.
The wine glasses were stacked like a pyramid beside them. Nanaen took the glass from the top and offered it to Sasha. “Would you like this? It’s a consolation drink from me.”
“…”
“I’m the only one who cares about Sister, right?”
“…Are you telling me to drink this?”
“Is that a refusal? That’s a bit harsh. Never mind, I’ll drink it then.”
Just as Nanaen pulled the glass towards her lips—Crash! The sound shattered the already tense silence in the banquet hall. The entire hall began to stir.
“My goodness, Princess Silver Bird…!”
“How could she do such a thing to Princess Golden Deer!”
The floor was littered with shards of glass and spilled wine, Nanaen clutching her hand in shock, and the voices of the witnesses in an uproar. There was no doubt—Sasha had struck Nanaen’s hand, shattering the glass. Witnesses and evidence were everywhere.
“T-That’s too much! I was just offering Sister a drink!”
“…”
In stark contrast to Nanaen’s tearful whimpering, Sasha remained silent. Silent and expressionless, she simply stood there—a classic example of a “guilty aggressor.”
“I knew Princess Silver Bird was sensitive, but seeing her today, her personality is downright vile.”
“No matter how cornered she is, such behavior is disgraceful. Where is the dignity of royalty?”
“Princess Early Summer must be right. She says Princess Silver Bird actually suffers from a split personality and neurosis…”
The voices of those eager to stir trouble were hard to ignore. But Sasha remained composed. Calmly, she plucked a white rose from the centerpiece and crushed its petal in her hand. The white petals scattered onto the broken glass, now stained red with wine. It was a seemingly violent and incomprehensible act, making it easy for onlookers to further demonize Sasha.
“What is that? What is she doing?”
“Is that a threat? Like she’ll crush Princess Golden Deer like that rose?”
Meanwhile, there was someone whose eyes gleamed at Sasha’s predicament.
You’re digging your own grave, Rosasia.
The one aiming not just to escape punishment but to seize the top spot—Princess Lilliana.
