ELND Chapter 66

Chapter 66

The Banquet Destined for Death

It was an ambush unlike anything Adrian would normally do.

Startled, I looked up, and under the sunlight filtering through the parasol, his eyes shone even more brilliantly as they met mine.

We stared at each other silently for a long while.

Adrian let out a small sigh, folded the parasol, and handed it to me.

“I said I would wait elegantly… yet here I am, embarrassed.”

As he spoke, the nape of his neck had turned slightly red.

After a moment, Adrian quickly regained his composure and smiled playfully.

“But please take this as a harmless little prank.”

“…A prank, huh.”

Pouting slightly, I watched as Adrian, smiling, led me to the main gate.

And it was precisely when we reached the gate.

“Today… I was truly happy.”

Adrian stopped walking first and smiled brightly at me.

“Here, not in the Twins family castle, and as a man rather than a butler, I could be with Your Highness.”

It was a beautiful smile, one that seemed to radiate happiness just by touching it.

Meanwhile, in a dark alley, there was a pair of eyes watching Rebecca and Adrian.

Dressed in shabby clothes that didn’t suit the Delta streets, hair unkempt, body so thin it was unpleasant to look at.

That man’s face had nothing—no discernible eyes, nose, or mouth.

His face, head hung low, swayed slowly before fixing on one point.

It was Rebecca, entering the townhouse after Adrian saw her off.

Slowly, eyes began to appear on the otherwise blank face of the man, capturing Rebecca’s movements with a persistence like a camera lens.

At the same time, in a gloomy basement.

On a table draped with deep purple velvet, a large crystal orb reflected the image of a woman.

It was Rebecca being seen off by Adrian in front of the townhouse.

The young woman watching her through the crystal orb suddenly shouted irritably.

“I said we could kill her quickly… so why is she still alive?!”

She stamped her feet like a madwoman.

Then, an old hag with grotesque, wrinkled skin and an unnaturally large hooked nose slowly spoke.

“Since that day, after using the voodoo doll, an invisible barrier formed around that woman.”

“What does that mean?”

The old woman glanced at the young woman cautiously.

“…It seems His Highness the Grand Duke intervened personally.”

As expected, the young woman’s face flushed with even more fury.

Gnash—gnash.

The sound of teeth grinding echoed eerily in the dark basement.

“Who does that woman think she is to cause so much trouble?”

Muttering in a dark voice, the woman anxiously bit her thumbnail.

“If it’s Rebecca Twins, she’s the one who made me grind my teeth with rage before. This… this is really strange… something is going terribly wrong…”

She paced around the table, unable to hide her anxiety.

Bang! Crash—!

The woman slammed her hands on the table and shouted.

“Do you know how much humiliation I endured? How much I’ve tolerated those arrogant fools? I’ve reached my limit!”

The old hag, as if accustomed to such outbursts, simply opened and closed her eyes slowly.

The young woman glared at her, grinding her teeth low.

“You promised to help me return to my rightful place. So how long do you expect me to endure this wretched life?”

“….”

“You know my patience isn’t limitless, don’t you?”

The young woman leaned close to the old hag’s calm face, her eyes flashing with murderous intent.

Gnash. The sound made the old hag slowly open her eyes.

“…Everything has its proper time, my lady.”

“When exactly is that?!”

The old woman’s eyes snapped open as the young woman pressed forward.

“You’ve waited patiently all this time. Now we are almost there…”

“….”

“You wouldn’t want to ruin all the effort so far just because of a moment of impatience, would you?”

Though calm in tone, the old woman’s words carried a clear warning.

Finally, the young woman turned away irritably, suppressing her boiling anger.

The old woman watched her leave, letting out a faint sigh.

“Do you think I do not understand your heart, my lady?”

Her voice softened as if to soothe the young woman.

“Please wait a little longer, my lady. I will ensure you can return to your rightful place.”

As the young woman’s anger eased slightly, the old woman continued.

“But since you are already tired from waiting, I will offer you a small gift.”

“…A gift?”

The old woman’s wrinkled lips slowly curved upwards.

“This old hag… will remove the one who makes it hard for you to endure.”

Finally, her lips parted, revealing dark-stained, sticky teeth.

“At the upcoming Emperor’s birthday banquet…”

Slurp. Slurp.

A disturbing sound slipped out from her blackened teeth.

Soon, the day of the Emperor’s birthday banquet arrived.

The carriage carrying Cedric and me finally entered the imperial palace.

Until that moment, I had been talking with Cedric, but I signaled him to pause briefly.

“Wait a moment, Cedric…”

Cedric looked a bit disappointed, but the palace’s grandeur had already captured my attention.

The vast garden, cloaked in twilight, was illuminated by light near alabaster statues, and elegant music flowed from everywhere.

When the carriage stopped in front of the banquet hall, Cedric stepped out first.

“Keep talking, Rebecca. After you said the Monter family townhouse is on 3rd Street… what else did you say?”

Cedric stood by the carriage door, urging me with his hand.

“Ha, Cedric… must you be like this even after coming all this way?”

I scolded him, and he pouted while helping me out of the carriage.

“…Adrian says the silliest things. Why did you even meet him?”

Ever since I mentioned going to the gift exchange with Adrian yesterday, Cedric had been grumbling.

“I told you, Mina invited me.”

“That Mina… I liked her, though…”

Ignoring Cedric’s frown, I turned quickly toward the imperial banquet hall.

Cedric’s expression showed mild disappointment, but he didn’t let go of my hand.

Hand in hand, we entered the hall, and I was once again captivated by its splendor.

Hundreds of chandeliers of varying sizes cast sparkling light.

The expansive hall, bathed in alabaster tones, glittered brilliantly.

Luxuriously dressed nobles conversed in groups, and a massive fountain at the center spouted champagne.

“You warned me that this might seem excessive, yet here we are.”

Seeing the champagne fountain, Cedric shook his head.

Of course, he meant it with loyalty, but what about Emperor Letitz?

He loved boldness and, once decided, never reconsidered, no matter how trivial.

“Hahaha! Would you like to see the latest magnifying glass I invented?”

I laughed out loud, spotting Emperor Letitz already in the center, roaring with laughter.

‘Just like the original story.’

I glanced around, curious to see if I could spot any other original characters I hadn’t seen yet.

But unfortunately, the first person to catch my eye…

Was Duke Bold, glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.

‘Still not over it. Shouldn’t have erased his memory back then.’

With Cedric’s permission, next time I won’t erase anyone’s memory.

I turned my gaze casually, then saw Camilla.

She stood beside her husband, Count Dmitri, talking to other nobles.

‘So they’re back on good terms?’

But Dmitri subtly rejecting Camilla’s hand suggested otherwise.

‘Seems like this couple will keep up appearances until their divorce.’

I shrugged and looked elsewhere.

In the distance, I spotted Adrian.

He hadn’t noticed me yet, quietly sipping champagne.

Beside him was a man who looked exactly like him—the eldest son of the Monter family.

Although I was glad to see Adrian again, I averted my eyes once more.

I wanted to find the person I most wanted to see after Cedric.

‘She should be here too… I can’t leave without seeing her.’

The original story’s heroine, Robelia.

As I searched, someone called out loudly.

“Haha, Sir Jenkinson! I heard your gift investments last week were profitable?”

Unfortunately, it was her husband, Henry, who caught my attention first.

With a boyish, innocent smile, he boasted to the nobles around him.

‘Ugh… even more irritating than Camilla.’

I narrowed my eyes, noticing him, when Cedric quietly asked:

“Someone you know?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

I shook my head and looked again.

Near the champagne fountain stood a beautiful blonde woman—Robelia Bart.

She was certainly beautiful in person, but her face was pale and lifeless, like a doll.

‘No wonder. By the original story, Robelia would be suffering, knowing about Camilla and Henry’s affair.’

Next to her, Henry laughed freely, the source of all her misery.

‘Feels like someone I knew in my past life.’

I pursed my lips and looked away.

The fountain continued to spout golden champagne magnificently.

It was breathtaking, no matter how many times I saw it.

‘I’ll probably never forget this scene…’

As is often the case with rare sights, I thought so.

And, unfortunately, my premonition proved true.

Only a few hours later, that radiant fountain would be dyed dark red by one person’s death.