Dinner was never a particularly enjoyable affair, even under the best of circumstances.
Tonight was shaping up to be a bigger nightmare.
The grand dining hall of Einar Duchy was draped in velvet curtains, unpolished silverware, and the faint scent of lavender wafting through the air.
A picture of luxury and comfort couldn't be more contrasting to something than this.
It was like I was eating in the knights' barracks.
And Arthur Balthasar, the golden-haired crown prince of Scadrial, had decided to grace us with his presence.
He sat at the long table with the same casual ease with which he had dangled from the tree earlier.
His eyes, sharp and teal, scanned the room with an amused glint, as though he were the cat that had cornered a roomful of mice.
I was one of those unfortunate rodents, and I had never felt more like gnawing my own leg off to escape.
To my left sat Himmel, my supposed fiancée, who looked as though she'd rather be anywhere else in the world. Her wide hazel eyes darted nervously around the room, and every time Arthur so much as glanced in her direction, she shrank a little further into her seat.
On my right, Licht—ever the golden retriever of our trio—was blissfully unaware of the tension that hung over the table like a thick, suffocating cloud. He was far too busy chatting away, bright as the morning sun.
"Your Highness," Licht was saying. "I must say, it's an honor to have you join us this evening. I've always admired the way you conduct yourself in court. You have such a commanding presence!"
Arthur, for his part, looked utterly delighted by the attention.
He smiled at Licht, that same infuriatingly charming grin that made me want to punch him in the face. "Well, thank you, Licht. I must admit, it's not often I'm greeted with such warmth. You're quite the charming one yourself."
Licht beamed, his cheeks flushing slightly at the compliment. "Oh, I'm just being honest, Your Highness. It's not every day that one gets to dine with the crown prince!"
Arthur chuckled, and the sound was like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. "You're too kind, truly. You remind me of a little puppy, so eager to please. It's adorable."
I was mid-swallow when Arthur's words hit the air, and it took everything in me not to choke on my food.
Unfortunately, Himmel wasn't as fortunate—she spluttered, her fork clattering onto her plate as she struggled to regain her composure. I glanced over at her, wondering if she was about to faint on the spot. Knowing my luck, she would, and I'd be the one stuck picking up the pieces.
Licht, however, seemed utterly unfazed by the comment.
He even looked positively pleased.
"A puppy? Really? Well, I've always liked dogs," he said, laughing lightly.
Duke Einar, sitting at the head of the table, seemed to share in Licht's amusement, nodding along with a fond smile as if Arthur had just bestowed upon Licht the highest of compliments.
Meanwhile, I fought the urge to roll my eyes so hard they might get stuck in the back of my skull.
Puppy, indeed. If Licht was a puppy, Arthur was a dragon—slithering around with a smile, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And strike he did, with all the subtlety of a serpent.
His gaze shifted to me, his smile never wavering, and I felt my appetite disappear entirely.
"And what about you, Kaltes?" he asked. "How have you been faring since your mother's passing? I imagine it must have been quite difficult."
There it was. The strike.
I set my fork down, my grip tightening ever so slightly as I forced a smile onto my face.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness," I said, my voice carefully controlled. "My father and I are managing as well as can be expected."
Arthur's smile widened, and I could see the glint of satisfaction in his eyes. As if he got exactly what he wanted.
"I'm glad to hear it. Ranke was always a strong man, wasn't he? It's good to know he's holding up. Though I did hear an interesting rumor… something about Countess Schwein's daughter being rather keen on becoming your new stepmother."
My blood ran cold, but I didn't allow it to show.
Instead, I took a slow, measured breath and kept my expression neutral. "Rumors are just that, Your Highness—rumors. I wouldn't put much stock in them."
"Oh, of course, of course," Arthur said, waving a hand dismissively. "But you know how these things are. Where there's smoke, there's often fire, as they say."
There was no mistaking the gleam in his eyes now, and I knew exactly what he was doing.
This wasn't just idle gossip; this was a calculated move, a way to remind me that he knew more than he was letting on. He knew of Countess Schwein's involvement in the attack on me and Licht during my mother's funeral.
The fact that he was bringing it up now, in front of everyone, was a clear message: I'm watching you.
The bitter taste of anger rose in my throat, but I swallowed it down, forcing myself to maintain my composure.
"My father is doing well," I replied. "Thank you for asking."
Arthur's smile didn't falter. He seemed even more amused.
How terrifying.
He leaned back in his chair, seemingly relaxed, but I knew better than to be fooled by appearances.
"That's good to hear," he said lightly. "Though I must admit, I'm a bit curious. Ranke married out of love, didn't he? And yet, it seems he hasn't extended that same courtesy to you."
The words hung in the air, heavy and loaded with meaning.
I felt the weight of them pressing down on me, squeezing the air from my lungs. This was no longer just a casual dinner conversation; this was an attack, plain and simple.
To my left, Licht's cheerful demeanor dimmed, his face paling as he looked at me with concern.
Himmel, on the other hand, seemed to shrink further into her seat, her discomfort growing with every passing second. But Arthur didn't seem to care. He was enjoying this power he held over the room.
I could feel the eyes of everyone at the table on me, waiting for my response. I could feel the pressure building, the need to say something, anything, to deflect Arthur's words.
I did the only thing I wanted: I returned it.
"My father's decisions are his own, Your Highness," I said. "I don't presume to question them. I am but a mere subject wishing to own up to your example. The Crown Princess was also His Majesty the emperor's choice."
Arthur tilted his head, his smile turning almost… pitying.
"Of course, how sweet of you," he said softly. "But it's a shame, isn't it? To be denied the choice to marry for love. Especially when your father had that luxury himself."
He seemed to say it more for himself than me. The Emperor cherished the empress, after all.
This was deliberate—calculated to wound, to unsettle. And it was working. I could see the pity in Arthur's eyes, and it made my blood boil.
How dare he look at me like that, as if I were some tragic figure in a play?
Licht's gaze flicked between us, his concern growing by the second.
"Kaltes," he said softly, reaching out to place a hand on my arm, as if that could somehow alleviate the tension. "You don't have to answer that…"
I did.
I had to say something to stop Arthur from digging further.
And so, with all the sarcasm I could muster, I forced a smirk onto my face.
"You're right, Your Highness," I said, my tone dripping with mockery. "It is a shame. But then again, we can't all be so fortunate, can we?"
Arthur's smile faltered, just for a moment, before he recovered, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"No, I suppose not," he said, his tone suddenly colder. "But you're strong, Kaltes. You'll make the best of it, I'm sure."
The tension in the room was palpable now, thick enough to choke on.
Even Duke Einar, who had been so amiably detached before, seemed to sense the undercurrent of hostility. He cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"Well, now, let's not dwell on such gloomy topics," he said. "We're here to enjoy a meal, after all."
Arthur's smile returned.
"Of course, my lord," he said smoothly, turning his attention back to his plate as if the conversation had never happened.
The damage was done, though.
Arthur had successfully unsettled me, and he knew it. And worse, so did I.
I pushed my food around my plate, my appetite well and truly gone.
What little satisfaction I had taken from redirecting Arthur's barbs was drowned out by the growing sense of unease gnawing at the edges of my mind. He wasn't done with me.
He ate with such ease and appetite that it seemed he was the happiest person alive. His movements were graceful and full of royal etiquette.
The meal dragged on.
Licht was doing his best to keep the atmosphere light, chatting away with Duke Einar and occasionally attempting to draw Himmel into the conversation.
But it was clear that she was just as uncomfortable as I was, her eyes flicking nervously between Arthur and me.
And Arthur was watching me. Always watching, his teal eyes glinting with amusement, with calculation. I could feel his gaze on me, like a predator sizing up its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.
Arthur was dangerous, far more so than I had anticipated. And the worst part was, I had no idea what his endgame was.
Usually, it ended with him having a few laughs and tearing apart my facade which I no longer bothered keeping in front of him.
But, this time, I didn't know.
One thing was clear: this engagement was spiraling out of control.
Arthur clearly had a problem with it.
Now that my life was linked to Himmel, being her fiancé was the best excuse I could have to protect her. Or lock her up, if needed.
Does he like Himmel?
Well, I couldn't afford to lose this engagement anymore. Not with the system at my throat.
Dinner couldn't end soon enough.
When it finally did, I excused myself as quickly as I could, barely pausing to offer the required courtesies before I fled the dining hall.
The moment I was out of sight, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, my shoulders sagging with relief.
But the relief was short-lived.
As I made my way down the dimly lit corridors of Einar Duchy, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. Arthur was there, lurking in the shadows.
His teal eyes glow in the dark.
"Your Highness?" I spoke lightly.
Those eyes disappeared with an indifferent look.