<CHAPTER 40>
The One Who Covets Eternal Night
“Please.”
A hand was extended.
People stirred.
Maxwell Embrio was a man who had never danced even at his own wedding.
Yet such a man had asked the master of the Winter Palace to dance.
“Your hand.”
Evelyn placed her hand on top of the one she had unconsciously extended.
Her mind went blank.
Evelyn walked, pulled along by Duke Embrio’s hand like a child dragged into a nightmare.
When she came to her senses, she was standing among the dancers.
Evelyn looked down blankly at Duke Embrio, who was asking her to dance.
When Evelyn did not move, the Duke slightly raised his bowed head.
At that movement, Evelyn started in surprise and hastily spread her skirt wide to offer an accepting greeting.
A moment later, as she raised her body, the Duke approached to support her back and extended his hand.
She felt like she would die from nervousness.
Her fingertips grew cold and sweat seeped into her palms.
In contrast, the Duke’s hand was dry and hot.
“Was your conversation with my wife enjoyable?”
“It seems my son-in-law is conspiring with his mother-in-law to extract his father-in-law.”
Evelyn’s body stiffened instantly.
It had been a chance encounter, a brief collusion.
It was too early for word to leak out.
Evelyn deduced that Siaris’s plan was an old one, and that Duke Embrio knew of it and had guessed at the conversation between the two.
“Did Your Grace’s daughter not die?”
“But His Highness has not let go. That is why I am still a father-in-law.”
“I think His Highness would feel differently.”
“Thoughts can change.”
Contrary to the world’s expectation that he would be clumsy having never danced before, Duke Embrio led Evelyn quite decently.
He pulled her body, which he had pushed away, back to himself and continued what he had stopped saying.
“Since you will become my adopted daughter, His Highness must take me as his father-in-law again.”
“That will never happen!”
It was such an unpleasant thing to even imagine that Evelyn struggled violently.
However, Maxwell Embrio’s strength was firm, and she could not escape from him at all.
“Then why did you give me cause?”
Eyes that were smiling.
He wore an expression as if he found this entire situation so enjoyable and delightful that he could hardly bear it.
Evelyn’s arm, unable to free her captured hand, trembled.
If her hand were freed right now, she would have wanted to scratch her father’s face.
“Because you caused such a splendid commotion, has not only His Highness been put in a difficult position?”
It really sounded like advice given out of concern for Rexfail.
So Evelyn asked, incredulous.
“If Your Grace had not played such useless pranks, there would have been no problem at all.”
“I bear no responsibility for this matter.”
“Even if you make such excuses…”
Evelyn faltered.
Her father’s words were strange.
“…None, you say?”
With a simple action of closing and opening his eyes, he answered Evelyn’s words.
Evelyn fell into confusion.
‘He is not the type to lie, and certainly not to someone like me, a mere commoner, in public.’
Lies are told by the desperate.
A powerful person who fears no punishment even when speaking the truth has no reason to be desperate.
Evelyn changed her attitude and asked the Duke.
“Did you not meet Miss Ivy?”
“If you mean Miss Rose Ibiton, I have heard much of the rumors. But she is not a suitable companion for pleasant conversation, being foolish and impulsive.”
“You did not think her easy to handle?”
…So.
“Haha.”
Duke Embrio laughed loudly and finished the dance.
Even after exchanging greetings, the two did not go their separate ways.
There was still conversation left.
“I shall not deny that I thought her a young lady easy to deceive. But if you wish to make use of her, you must be cleverer than that.”
He called a passing servant and requested two glasses of non-alcoholic champagne.
A glass filled with transparent beverage was placed in Evelyn’s hand.
Duke Embrio was the first to put his mouth to the glass.
“If it seems suspicious, shall I offer you what I am drinking?”
“…Such kindness, go bestow it upon your daughter.”
If she still lives, and if she wishes it, that is.
Evelyn swallowed the words that were about to follow along with the champagne.
Duke Embrio was observing her closely.
“Such kindness is unnecessary for my daughter. That child is also an Embrio.”
“I see.”
With a perfunctory answer, Evelyn took a few more sips of champagne.
Having swallowed something, thirst arose and she could not help it.
“Which house?”
“A commoner without even a family name could hardly have a house.”
“I ask about the one who educated you.”
The Duke added an unexpectedly kind explanation.
Meanwhile, he scanned Evelyn with unknowable eyes.
“It is a curious thing. I do not know who that person is, but it seems they know that child better than I.”
“…That child?”
Evelyn asked even as she guessed the answer.
Embrio answered even though he knew she knew.
“Evelyn.”
Evelyn thought that her name coming from her father’s mouth seemed to contain forbidden mana.
When he called her name, she often had to lower her eyes to avoid the Duke’s gaze and wait for the scolding to continue.
“Yes, like this.”
He muttered again.
“Even such trivial habits are well implemented. I had never thought one could copy a person to this degree.”
A gaze of interest pulled at Evelyn gently.
She unconsciously tried to step back half a pace but stopped.
‘You may be afraid. But do not turn back. Unless you wish to be devoured.’
That was Duke Embrio’s teaching.
In situations where she wanted to flee, she had a habit of stepping backward, and the Duke found this most displeasing.
So she had repeated stopping her retreat, and it had become a habit before she knew it.
“You.”
“I shall take my leave.”
She was stopped.
Evelyn had no confidence in continuing a conversation with her father while maintaining her composure.
So she tried to withdraw, but Duke Embrio blocked her.
“Release me.”
She tried to pull away her captured wrist, but Duke Embrio would not permit it.
Her heart felt like it would crumble.
The fear she had deliberately ignored and turned away from crashed over her.
The Duke scrutinized Evelyn persistently.
Trapped in his dilated pupils, she was completely frozen.
“Embrio.”
A low, cracked voice held Evelyn.
A large, hot hand covered her eyes, blocking the Duke’s gaze.
Ha. Haa.
Evelyn’s breath burst out roughly.
She realized only now that the surroundings were noisier than she had thought.
She had been unable to hear the sounds around her due to tension.
Evelyn realized then that she was gasping for breath.
As if to comfort her, Rexfail’s arm leaned her body against himself.
Evelyn, leaning obediently, could finally catch her breath only after feeling Rexfail’s chest against the back of her head.
The Crown Prince’s hand patted Evelyn affectionately.
“You have monopolized my woman for too long.”
“May the Blessing of Remensias be eternal upon the Imperial House. It has been long since I last saw you, Your Highness.”
The orchestra was somehow continuing to play.
However, they too continued to watch the confrontation between the Duke and the Crown Prince while handling their instruments.
“I heard you had no interest in banquets.”
“I heard there was good news, so I came seeking it.”
“Even if there were, seeing you would turn good moods bad.”
Rexfail did not hide his hostility.
Duke Embrio put on an act as if he knew nothing of such facts.
“You have finally forgotten.”
At the sudden words, Hacks—Rexfail’s—aggressively opening mouth closed.
Confirming the reaction slowly, the Duke added.
“My daughter.”
Maxfail did not move.
He had Evelyn.
As long as she was with him, Rexfail could be cautious.
Then the Duke pointed at Evelyn with his eyes and pulled.
“Did Your Highness make her?”
An incomprehensible question was thrown.
Rexfail and Evelyn exchanged glances, and neither understood the Duke’s words.
Meanwhile, Duke Embrio continued speaking.
“She seems suitable to keep by your side as a substitute.”
“…It would be best to stop wagging your tongue, Duke.”
The Crown Prince’s warning had no effect whatsoever on Duke Embrio.
He continued saying what he intended to say.
“One cannot illuminate all places, Your Highness.”
“I wonder if you could continue speaking even with your throat cut.”
“I do not covet the sun. I am saying I shall look after the shadows for you.”
Though he coveted eternal night by seeking to bring down the sun, his words flowed like a clear stream.
“I cannot find reason to tolerate the Duke’s insolent mouth.”
“Is there need to refuse the help of a loyal subject who serves the Imperial House?”
“To pack so many contradictions and deceits into such short words—truly Embrio, remarkable.”
Rexfail’s patience seemed to be reaching its limit.
As his mouth twisted, the Duke spoke.
“It seems you have decided the master of the four seasons. How about I assist you?”
At Duke Embrio’s proposal, Rexfail faltered and stiffened.
