I turned my gaze back to Duke Daysha.
The faint scent of Leisha flowers carried on the breeze tickled my nose. Though spring had begun, Leisha’s flowers hadn’t yet bloomed. There was only one reason for this scent.
They’re here.
I slowly curled my lips into a smile.
“You’re right, Duke. I was waiting for reinforcements.”
His eyebrow twitched, as if questioning my intent.
Leisha flowers had a subtle yet far-reaching fragrance, perfect for perfume. I’d gifted Levina a bottle of Leisha flower perfume for her wedding.
Only she and I had it.
“But the reinforcements I’m waiting for aren’t the knights at the palace.”
Levina loved the perfume so much she used it on everything, even the paper for her letters.
My awaited allies had arrived.
“Well, looks like the party’s already started!”
Amid the pained screams and the metallic stench of blood, a lively voice cut through, jarringly out of place. I scolded the newcomer.
“You’re late, Kasan.”
“Hey now! I moved so fast my feet were practically on fire, my lady!”
Despite his whining, Kasan approached with a light, carefree stride, as if strolling through a park.
“Do you know how hard it is to pull troops from a place where battles—big and small—happen daily? I’ve been plenty diligent, so cut me some slack.”
He wrinkled his nose, then grumbled with a face full of discontent.
“Here I am, lonely and itching, while my lord’s off enjoying his honeymoon, dumping extra work on me. I came to the capital expecting pretty flowers, but all I get are these grimy men to deal with. Life’s just unfair.”
Kasan playfully flicked his finger.
As if on cue, the men with him charged at the masked figures.
“Since it’s come to this, I’ll work out all my pent-up frustration here!”
Despite his playful expression, his eyes gleamed dangerously as he glared at the masked men.
Our knights, previously overwhelmed, gained momentum with the reinforcements, swinging their swords with renewed vigor.
Kasan’s men all had tanned skin and sun-bleached hair, unmistakably from the West. Trained under Marquis Retan to counter the Inayari, they were seasoned warriors.
I’d suspected Daysha’s involvement but wasn’t certain. However, I was sure the Inayari were behind the recent string of events.
I didn’t know the true extent of the Inayari’s power, but their hybrids far surpassed ordinary humans. Regular people, even knights, were no match for them.
I knew the Inayari were targeting me. While I trusted my knights’ skills, I had to prepare for the worst.
With the First Prince’s death, El’s kidnapping, and war preparations, everything was chaotic. Forces were stretched thin, and sparing extra manpower for a potential threat was nearly impossible.
Moreover, the enemy was the Inayari. We needed seasoned experts. And I knew one who understood them well.
I hadn’t asked Marquis Retan for help—I’d asked Levina. How she persuaded him, I didn’t know. What mattered was that his men were here now.
“Well, I’ll be damned. Feels like I’m back in the West.”
Kasan glanced around, sniffing the air. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand, grinning.
“The stench of Inayari is so thick it’s stinging my nose.”
He stepped between me and Daysha, sniffing pointedly.
The Inayari could recognize their own, or rather, their hybrids. If Kasan was right, the masked men with Daysha weren’t human—they were Inayari.
The five knights Daysha brought were just a diversion. His real force was the Inayari.
“Pleased to meet you, Duke Daysha. Name’s Kasan. Heard a lot about you, but this is my first time seeing you in the flesh.”
Kasan rubbed his hands together, as if fawning. Daysha’s brow furrowed slightly.
“A Westerner.”
“Spotted me right away, huh?”
“With those Western traits, it’d be stranger not to notice.”
“Haha, I’m a bit of a purebred, aren’t I?”
“Purebred? You reek too strongly of Inayari for that. To think Marquis Retan, who supposedly kills Inayari on sight, keeps someone like you close. He’s not what the rumors say.”
Kasan scratched his head, mussing his already disheveled hair.
“Well, rumors aren’t always true, are they? Some are exaggerated, some are outright lies. A mixed bag, really.”
His already narrow eyes narrowed further as he stared at Daysha.
“Speaking of, you’re positively reeking, Duke. Never heard a whisper of you being an Inayari hybrid.”
“…!”
Kasan’s bombshell drew all eyes to Daysha. I was too shocked to close my mouth.
Daysha was the son of former Crown Prince Lloyd and Crown Princess Pionia, both from noble human lineages with no Inayari ties.
“Is he really an Inayari hybrid?”
“My instincts say so, my lady.”
Kasan’s slit-like eyes opened slightly, his orange pupils glinting sharply.
“And that stench isn’t some weak quarter-blood. He’s a half, no doubt.”
“A half?”
Still fixed on Daysha, Kasan explained.
“Inayari hybrids come in two types: halves, who carry the strongest Inayari blood, and quarters, born of halves and humans. I’m a quarter. Right, Duke? Or should I say, Lord Half?”
For the first time, Daysha’s smile vanished. He bared his teeth at Kasan.
“Not afraid for your life, are you?”
“I’ve been dodging death since I was a kid. Won’t be easy to take me down.”
“You’ve got a big mouth.”
“Did you figure that out already? I’m a chatty one. My mates say if I drowned, my mouth would still be flapping.”
Despite Daysha’s palpable killing intent, Kasan kept smirking.
“Looks like I’ve been bested by the lady.”
Seeming to tire of the banter, Daysha turned to me. Ignoring him, Kasan shrugged.
Daysha’s lips twisted back into a smirk.
“I thought it was just girlish friendship, but you’ve been working with Marquis Retan behind the scenes.”
He was wrong. I hadn’t made a deal with Retan. But I saw no need to correct him.
I’d built a bond with Levina, inviting her to the estate, shopping, and strolling together like any noblewoman my age.
My meetings with Retan weren’t secret, either. Anyone with decent information could see my connection to him through Levina.
I hadn’t hidden our friendship but hadn’t flaunted it, either. I’d moved naturally, as if only helping Levina marry Retan.
After their wedding, Retan whisked Levina to the West. My connection with him ended there, so no one—not even Retan himself—suspected my intentions.
“I’ll admit, I underestimated you. But don’t think what you see is all there is.”
He bared his teeth threateningly, his golden eyes gleaming with madness. Meeting them, goosebumps prickled my skin.
Why had I ever thought those eyes were golden?
“You’re right, Kasan.”
They weren’t like Sys’s gold. They were a beast’s eyes, disguised as gold.
“I feel the same from him as I do from you.”
Daysha’s brow arched with interest.
“They say the barrier’s core can sense Inayari keenly. You’re indeed the core. Good. My efforts weren’t wasted.”
So that’s why I could sense the Inayari?
His satisfied smirk was clear. I clenched my fists to hide my unease.
“You, Duke… or are you even a duke? A half-Inayari couldn’t come from Crown Prince Lloyd and Princess Pionia.”
“Heh, you’re right. Not by normal means.”
He grinned slyly.
“Did you kill the real Duke Daysha and take his place?”
“Hahaha! I admire your imagination!”
His laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by a growl.
“I wish it were as you say.”
His face twisted with rage.
“Then I wouldn’t curse the blood in my veins.”
“You’re truly royalty?”
“Kekeke.”
His manic laughter answered instead. If he were Lloyd’s son, his mother was an Inayari.
“I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong.”
He sneered, lips twisting.
“What do you mean?”
“I was born to Princess Pionia, as the world knows.”
“…!”
My mind reeled. If Pionia was his mother, how was he a half-Inayari?
Before I could ask, a sharp whistle pierced the air—the flare from the sealed palace.
The knights outside would be storming in now.
Daysha’s eyes flicked toward the sound, his smirk widening.
“Looks like your little plan’s unfolding. But it won’t matter.”
“What have you done?”
“Nothing much. Just ensured the palace burns a bit brighter.”
“You set the fire?”
“Let’s just say I helped it along.”
His casual admission sent a chill through me. The fire, the chaos—it was all his doing.
“Kasan, we need to move!”
“Way ahead of you, my lady!”
Kasan signaled his men, who tightened their formation, clashing with the masked Inayari.
I gripped the ring, ready to use the poisoned needle if needed.
“Lant, stay close.”
“I’m not leaving you, Sister.”
Daysha laughed, stepping forward.
“Time’s up, my lady. Come with me, or everyone here dies.”
I met his gaze, my resolve hardening.
“Not today, Duke.”
I pressed the clover, the needle glinting in my hand. If I were going down, I’d take him with me.
