If You Devour Poison / Doku wo Kurawaba Sara Made

Chapter 5: Banquet

Trigger Warning: Violence (Depictions of violence in the last paragraph)

The banquet hosted by the Royal Palace in the Kingdom of Palcemith was a place for the retainers to expand their networks, while at the same time serving as an opportunity for the royal family to announce engagements and the like.
Perhaps it was the aftermath of the chaos the Crown Prince and his entourage caused during the audience, but the banquet was teeming with nosy noblemen and powerful clans that had attained the qualifications to attend.
I arrived slightly late on purpose, just before the banquet began. Wearing formal attire, I took the hand of Julieta, who covered her face with a veil as always, and alighted the carriage.
No sooner than the soldiers, entrusted with guarding the banquet, announced Julieta and my arrival, a tiny stir erupted, and whispers filled the room. Behind the folding fans, faces were brought closer and tales were happily shared. Exaggerated rumors of the Dragon Priestess abandoned by the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister who was driven into a corner. Even the nobles, who usually gathered to greet Anderheim with flattery, seemed to sense the situation in the kingdom this evening. They surrounded the seats Julieta and I chose at a distance.
Contrary to our surroundings, High Priest Malacia approached Julieta and I with a smile and bowed. Today, not just Julieta, even Malacia had a role to play. This luxurious banquet that was to serve as the Crown Prince’s engagement announcement would be the perfect occasion to raise the curtains of this ridiculous stage act.

“Is everything ready?”
“Of course. Just as Your Excellency wished, all the formalities are complete.”
“You did a good job, Malacia. Now, our time has come. Let us have a drink once everything is over. How about it?”
“You jest...even if I look like this, I cannot possibly drink alcohol.”

The precious stones that adorned the candlestick on the table were Magic Crystals. A listening device thought up by the child prodigy Morin. Listening in on the conversation between the Prime Minister and Malacia at the table, the Crown Prince and his entourage lay in wait in another room. While I knew they could hear our conversation, I feigned ignorance, held Julieta’s hand, and gently spoke.

“Julieta… I shouldn’t have brought you to such a place today after you were hurt so badly. It must feel like a bed of thorns to you. But I promise you, this will be the last time you have to attend such a farce.”
“Your Excellency… I shall ask again, is it really fine? Won’t it be like you… abandoned everything with this?”
“Malacia, you’re mistaken. I have already abandoned everything.”
“Your Excellency…”
“I am tired of everything. If I was the only one smeared in mud, I wouldn’t have mattered. It didn’t matter if they made me play the clown. But the Crown Prince hurt his fiancée, Julieta. On top of that, he dared nominate that Sacrificial Priestess as a substitute for my lovely daughter. I do not believe His Highness does not understand what that means.”
“...Father.”

I patted Julieta, who tightly returned my grip, on the head. Once I made sure that I had gathered enough attention, I took off my silver-rimmed glasses. I had made sure to eat and rest properly and had also borrowed some of Julieta’s makeup to lighten the area under my eyes. When I gave a gentle smile, countless sighs of wonder, albeit unconscious, could be heard across the hall.

“Ah, how beautiful…”
“It is obvious. His Excellency is the descendant of Sage Asbal.”
“Well, then why is Lady Julieta…”

I could hear it all.
Hearing the nobles gossip, Julieta lowered her head. But my Julieta’s debut would have to wait a bit. First I had to catch our opponents, who had yet to appear, off guard.
Before long, the time came. The sound of trumpets announced the arrival of the Crown Prince at the banquet.
The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Palcemith, Vikram Atrai Palcemith. He had just turned eighteen and stepped into adulthood two years prior. Around half a year ago, he lost both his parents, the King and the Queen, in an accident. In addition to having a handsome face, his personality was just and upright; a gentle and reliable man. While his naivety as a sovereign was somewhat worrying, it was nothing that the retainers couldn’t support. There was no one to challenge his claim to the throne; and when the mourning ended in half a year, the same time as the Dragon Festival, he would ascend to the throne that lay vacant.
The one the Crown Prince escorted was a lovely girl wearing a marine blue dress, Nasha Laturi. Despite being brought from the remote village of Cofone as a Holy Maiden, who was to become the Sacrificial Priestess, she joined hearts with the Crown prince and overturned her fate.
Guarding their backs was my son, the Imperial Knight under the direct control of the Crown Prince, Sigurd Isys Asbal. Since the heroine had taken the Crown Prince route, Sigurd would eventually get married to Nasha’s younger twin, Melia. Incidentally, if the heroine took the Sigurd route, it would lead to a stormy love triangle with her sister. But let’s hold that thought for now. The one who was escorting Melia, who wore a canary yellow dress, was the son of the Knight Commander, Lutora. It couldn’t be helped since Sigurd was on guard duty.
Besides, the child prodigy Morin and the Knight Commander Jolga were also present. The arrival of the Crown Prince indicated the start of the banquet and the announcement of his engagement to Nasha Laturi.
Hey! You won’t say a single word with regards to Julieta?
At the time when the vortex of perfunctory shouts and claps congratulating them settled down.
I abruptly stood up.
Clap, clap.
I intentionally clapped slowly, slowly walking towards the guests of honor.