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“The first dance is supposed to be with your partner, isn’t it?”  

Even if my understanding was a bit clumsy, I had learned proper etiquette. I asked Axel, using this knowledge as leverage. He simply shrugged.

“That’s true, but unfortunately, your partner isn’t here right now.”

I narrowed my eyes, giving Axel a scrutinizing look from head to toe.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

“…No.”

“You’re lying. You didn’t want me dancing with Eugene, did you?”

“I said no.”

“Oh, please. Do you think I don’t know you? Your intentions are obvious.”

I scoffed, waving my hand dismissively, and noticed that Axel’s face momentarily stiffened. It seemed even someone as shameless as Axel felt a little guilty knowing I had seen right through him.

“You were worried I might mess up dancing with Eugene, weren’t you? You don’t trust either of us?”

I could understand why Axel might not trust me, given my history of mishaps. But Eugene was reliable in everything he did, so why was Axel being so harsh?

“Now that Eugene is your student, maybe you should try opening that tightly shut heart of yours and trust him a little more…”

As I grumbled and half-heartedly offered advice, I could feel Axel staring at me with a look that reeked of pity.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No reason. I was just thinking about how consistent you are.”

“…That doesn’t sound like a compliment, does it?” I asked, pouting as I sensed the tone behind his words. Axel let out a small chuckle.

“You’re surprisingly perceptive about these things,” he said, elegantly sidestepping the fact that he’d essentially told me I was otherwise clueless. Then he began to move, leading us in the dance.

The steps were familiar, thanks to the many times I had practiced social dances with Noah. I naturally followed Axel’s lead, not stiff or resistant, which seemed to surprise him. He whistled softly, just loud enough for me to hear.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

“I had to practice hard, you know. I didn’t want to embarrass the Duke by making a fool of myself as the host.”

“If you practiced hard just for the Duke, you wasted your time. He’d probably praise you even if you performed some strange tap dance in the middle of this hall.”

“No way.”

“I’m certain of it.”

My disbelieving gaze met Axel’s confident one in the air between us.

“If you don’t believe me, feel free to test it out.”

“No way!” I quickly shook my head, horrified at the thought. Even if the Duke might praise me, everyone else would definitely think I’d lost my mind. Axel laughed softly at my quick refusal, but then his expression turned serious as he looked at me.

When I noticed the shift, I tilted my head in confusion, wondering why he was suddenly so solemn.

“To think that you and I are siblings… Even though we don’t share a single drop of blood,” he said quietly.

“That’s not so strange, is it?”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I’ve always considered you and the Duke my family, even before everything.”

My words made Axel’s eyes widen slightly.  

“If someone is precious enough that you’d give your life for them, that’s what makes them family, right?”

“But… even real blood relatives often can’t do that,” Axel murmured to himself, then suddenly stopped in place. It was so unexpected, especially in the middle of our dance, that I stumbled, my feet tangling awkwardly. Axel quickly reached out to steady me, his gaze turning strangely complex as he spoke.

“I’ve always felt the same way. I’ve always cherished you.”

“I know. Even though you’ve acted like a jerk sometimes, I’ve always understood your true feelings.”

“Do you really?” Axel said, leaning in playfully to press his forehead against mine. The light ‘bonk’ made my forehead sting slightly, causing me to frown.

“Don’t give your life for anyone. No one, ever.”

“I’m just saying. I know my life is important too. I wouldn’t give it up easily.”

“No, you would. You’re the kind of person who would sacrifice your life if your friends were in danger,” Axel said with certainty. “But no one wants that, so you mustn’t do it. You’ve always valued your life too lightly.”

“Well…”

He wasn’t wrong. I had always thought that my life was less important than Kirke’s, Axel’s, or even Bael’s or Servian’s. I was just a black mage, an orphan with no family to mourn me if I died, no critical position that would cause upheaval if I were gone. But those others—if they died, their families would grieve, and the loss of their status would have far-reaching consequences. So, wasn’t it better for me to be the one to make the sacrifice?

That thinking hadn’t changed, even now.

Axel clicked his tongue as if he could predict my thoughts. Just then, the music abruptly stopped, and a man’s drunken voice rang out loudly across the banquet hall.

“How much longer do we have to wait for that so-called great prophecy book? Hic!” 

Turning to where the shout came from, I saw a man with a flushed face, having snatched an instrument from one of the musicians and was now causing a scene.

“I didn’t come here to listen to this idle music! Urk!”

“That’s Viscount Hassen,” Axel muttered under his breath, instantly recognizing the man. I gently tugged on Axel’s arm, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

“Could he be the culprit?”

“He doesn’t have the guts for something that bold. But he’s the type to get easily riled up if someone pushes the right buttons.”

“So, whoever incited him to cause this scene is likely the one trying to ruin the party.”

I quickly scanned the room, searching for any suspicious individuals. It didn’t take long to spot the group that had been with Viscount Hassen. Among them was a woman, possibly his wife, nervously tapping her feet, her attire perfectly coordinated with his.

Axel seemed to have noticed the same group at the same time.

“Pilsner, Ayaxen, Kasairn,” Axel quietly named the three families.

“They were close to the former emperor when he was in power. Especially the Ayaxen family—they’re vassals of the Duke of Kreutz.”

“So… could they be the culprits?”

“It’s highly possible. We’ll need to investigate further to be sure.”

Axel smiled meaningfully as he pulled the prophecy book from his jacket and handed it to me. Startled, I took the book, blinking in confusion. Axel then snapped his fingers and, with his other hand, covered my eyes.

‘Magic!’

A surge of magical energy erupted from where the prophecy book was, spreading out in an explosive wave. Although I couldn’t see what was happening, the intense brightness surrounding me was unmistakable. Even with my eyes covered, I could feel the overwhelming light. I imagined that anyone looking directly at it might have been temporarily blinded by its brilliance.

“Ah!”

“Look, there’s light coming from it!”

I could hear shocked voices echoing around the room. It wasn’t until the dazzling light began to fade that Axel finally removed his hand from my eyes.

“What did you do?” I asked, still dazed. Axel simply shrugged and then called out to the crowd, who were now murmuring in astonishment.

“Behold, the prophecy book you’ve been waiting for, everyone.”

The book in my hands responded to his words by emitting a gentle, ethereal glow. Though I knew Axel had used magic to create this effect, to the others, it must have appeared as a divine sign. Sure enough, after a moment of stunned silence, the guests began to bow their heads and clasp their hands in prayer, awed by the sacred spectacle.

‘Now I understand my role.’

The ones who stole the prophecy book would be certain that the one in my hands was a fake. They would think I was putting on a sham performance with a counterfeit, and that would drive them to try and humiliate me in front of everyone.

‘Well, if it’s acting they want, I’m up for the challenge.’

I had always been confident in my ability to change faces, so much so that if I hadn’t become a dark mage in my past life, I might have become a stage actor instead. With that thought, I eagerly stepped into the role Axel had set up for me.

“Yes, this is the prophecy book sent by the gods,” I declared.

“Ooh…!”

As I lifted the glowing book high, gasps of admiration came from all around. The nobles gathered here might belong to different factions, but they all shared a belief in the gods. That common faith made the name of the “god” so powerful in this setting.

Of course, not everyone was swayed by the display. One man, particularly, maintained a stiff and discontented posture.

‘The man from the Ayaxen family.’

He was the one Axel had pointed out earlier as a vassal of the Duke of Kreutz. As our eyes met, he gave a contemptuous smile and raised his voice.

“A book glowing with light? This is something new. Could it be that the god has responded to the Cardinal’s proclaimed saintess?”

He tilted his head mockingly as he asked.

“May I examine the prophecy book more closely?”

His brazen request left me momentarily speechless.

‘What does he think he’ll find just by looking at it?’

But before I could respond, someone else voiced exactly what I was thinking.

“What does he think he’ll find just by looking at it?”

The voice was unmistakable. Turning toward the entrance of the hall, I saw Servian standing there, his expression indifferent.

When had he returned to the capital?