Damians black hair was slicked back to reveal his forehead.
Even under the lights that shone down from the fluorescent lights of the chandelier, his hair remained pitch black.
The green eyes located under that hair were not ones that reminded of a forests greenery, but of a fla that had burned down.
Your Grace.
Seeing call him, his eyes curved as he smiled. I could hear everyone around us gulp loudly at that smile.
Sensing that sothing was odd about how quiet everyone was being, I realized that they had all stopped what they had been doing and were staring at and Damian.
Did you like the gift that I sent you?
Damian didnt seem to care whether the people were staring at us or not. It seed that he considered quite valuable, considering that he was disregarding the others views and speaking to .
But hell be ready to abandon as soon as he thinks Im useless.
I knew all too well about Damians dark intentions.
It wasnt that hard for to hide behind a mask after experiencing death once. Then I returned the smile to the man who greeted and answered him,
Thank you, Your Grace. Your gift was beyond what I was anticipating.
Im glad to hear that you liked it.
Damian only ntioned that he had sent a gift, not a slave. And maybe it was because we were in a public environnt. So knowing that, I casually played along with him.
I was so worried when Your Grace didnt contact after promising to et.
Were you?
Yes. So Im glad I am able to et you here at the banquet.
Just as he was disregarding the others, I also acted as if I didnt care about their attention. Which was why I was unable to see Cassadins expression as he looked at and Damian.
Damian curled up his lips at my response and answered.
Ive been busy with my recent lawsuit.
Why did Damian bother to co to this banquet if he was so busy with the lawsuit against the imperial family?
There was only one reason I could think of.
To see for himself if Im really acquainted with the Crown Prince or not.
Damian was an absolute perfectionist.
Knowing Damian, he had likely done his research on while preparing his lawsuit. Extending an arm out to , he whispered calmly.
May you give the honor of escorting you today?
Would it be the right decision to take his arm? It didnt take long for to make my decision.
Yes. Of course.
I gently placed my hand on his right arm, and Damian smiled. With his black uniform and black hair, he reminded of a black crow.
At the sa mont that I grabbed Damians arm, a deep voice, seeming to have co from the depths of hell, called out to from behind.
Sister.
Turning my head towards the deep voice, I found an expressionless Cassadin gazing at .
Detaching Ively from him at so point, Cassadin was now less than an arms reach away.
Didnt I promise you that I would be your escort today, Sister?
After saying sothing that I hadnt heard of in advance, Cassadin smiled brightly at . When his eyes curved to match his mouth, the fans that the ladies near us had been holding simultaneously fell to the ground.
Plop.
But there wasnt a single person who stooped down to pick up their fans. The ladies were all in a daze, and their cheeks blushed as they stared at Cassadin.
I was incredibly flustered by all of this. None of this had been part of my plan.
I thought you said you wouldnt make a peep?
When I glared at Cassadin, he let out a low laugh and grasped my free hand. Holding it tight within his grip, Cassadin said,
Dont tell you have forgotten, Sister.
What was I supposed to do in this situation?
Taking a glimpse at Damian, I found him looking at Cassadin with an incredibly amused expression. Without losing his composure, Damian then opened his mouth.
I believe we have t before. Miladys younger brother, was it?
You rember ?
Of course. What else would I do then?
Damian directed a polite smile at Cassadin, then added,
I believe this is our third eting.
Is it not?
Third? Not twice? The first ti they t was on the day of the Crown Princes birthday banquet. But aside from that day, Cassadin and Damian shouldnt have t each other.
When I cocked my head at Damians statent, Damian just kept his smile and continued.
The first ti I t Miladys younger brother was on the day of His Highnesss birthday banquet. The second is now. And the third is probably
Damian paused, then ran a hand through his hair. His manner, the way he slicked back his hair, and the smile on his face all seed so egotistical.
He had this arrogant and leisurely attitude, as if this palace were his ho, and boldness, like he was the one who had opened the banquet.
If that confidence completely disappeared from Damians face, and if that face instead held anxiety and fear, now that would be a sight to see.
I asked the man, who had a composed expression on his face, as if I were clueless.
Your Grace, when was the third?
Then Damian answered as if he had been waiting for to ask.
When I was imprisoned.
!
Prison? Did he recognize Cassadin disguised in the palace knights uniform? Since when? Or is he just unsure and wants to confirm it like this?
Whether it was in the past or the present, Damian was not a man to be taken lightly. Damians sharp eyes carefully examined for my reaction.
Maintaining as much composure as I could, I pretended to be oblivious to that fact.
Your Grace, what do you an? Youve t my younger brother in prison?
Didnt you already know, Milady? I thought youd brought him with you on purpose.
I shook my head from side to side, at the man, who spoke with certainty. When I let out a sigh with widened eyes, acting as if I didnt know a thing he was saying, Damian smirked and said,
I thought Milady would have known, since you had also been there.
Im sorry, Your Grace, but I cant understand what you are saying right now.
Seeing say so with my shoulders slouching, Damian muttered to himself only quietly enough that the others couldnt hear.
I see. A brother who tricks his sister.
Of course, as I was holding Damians arm, I was close enough to hear, and Cassadin must have sharp ears, as he seed to hear what Damian had mumbled.
Cassadin squeezed his hand that had been holding mine, then let go. Then, turning his body, he stopped exactly in front of Damian.
Cassadin was taller than Damian, so he lowered his head slightly and whispered sothing into his ear.
have
His voice was too quiet for to hear other than a couple of words. For so reason, Damian seed quite entertained by whatever Cassadin had said to him.
Milady, if its alright with you, may I have so ti to talk with your younger brother?
When he asked that, Damians green eyes glinted. And in those eyes, I saw his unconcealed interest in Cassadin.
So that black crow was trying to take Cassadin away from .
If I turned down Damians request, he was going to beco suspicious. But if I complied with his requests as he wanted, he might threaten Cassadin with his disguise as a palace knight and get him on his side.
Even if it ans hell suspect , I cant hand over Cassadin at any costs.
From my two options that both foreshadowed a bad ending, there was already one that I had chosen from the start.
Im sorry, Your Grace. But Im afraid that you cant.
I slowly detached my hand from Damians arm. Only then did the smug smirk on Damians face slowly start to sink. Regardless of what expression he was making, I approached Cassadin.
I gave Cassadin a wide smile and interlaced my hand with his.
I just rembered my promise to my younger brother.
Isnt that right, Cassadin?
His mouth parted slightly at my question, but it closed back up into a gentle curve. His deep purple eyes narrowed into an arch, and his straight lips loosened their form to match his eyes.
The smile he had was so incredible that it could enchant n and won, old and young. As proof, all of the people who had seen Cassadins smile were all frozen on the spot, staring at him.
Yes, Sister.
Cassadin raised his hand that was connected to mine, then closed his eyes and pressed his lips against the back of my hand. Oh, quick-witted Cassadin, my one and only kind younger brother.
It was at that mont that soone muttered quietly in a sardonic tone.
The two of you seem close.
Turning my gaze toward the source of the voice, I found Damian smirking at the two of us. And as if he wanted everyone to hear, he said out loud,
Even though the two of you dont share a single drop of blood.
Crash!
One of the nobles who had been watching the entire situation dropped their glass in shock. Starting with the sharp sound of glass shattering, another voice among the nobles shouted out,
They arent related?
Once one person started to question it, all of the others who had been quiet started to verbalize their own doubts.
As His Grace said, the two of them have completely different hair and eye colors.
Then was it a lie that he was the Earls hidden son?
If they arent siblings, what are they?
When things didnt play along to his will, Damian started to utilize the audience.
So he had already finished his research on . Which was why he was able to say that we werent related confidently.
It seems as though he valued Cassadin more than my relationship with the Crown Prince. And when things didnt go the way he wanted them to, he said sothing shocking in the middle of the crowd on purpose. That insane bastard.
Damians greed and vileness were much beyond my expectations.
If that was so, then there was no reason for to hold back either.
Is it wrong for us to not share the sa blood? Even without blood relations, we are brother and sister.
I kept my back straight, and my head high.
Why do you believe that family must be related by blood? Even without such a relationship, Cassadin is my one and only younger brother, whom weve officially adopted into our family.
Damians eyes narrowed even further at my response. As he curled up his lips in a slanted manner, his long legs clomped over to .
And just as I thought he was going to pass by , Damian suddenly stopped and whispered so that only I could hear him.
So, is that why youve adopted a slave?
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