11.
“What is this?”
Lancel stared blankly at the scene unfolding before him.
“I’m not late yet, phew.”
“Hey! Where’s the food? I skipped a meal to rush here, and I’m starving.”
“Oh my, where are you touching so lewdly?”
“I didn’t touch anything! Don’t accuse the wrong person!”
“Um, there’s no space for my carriage—where should I park it…?”
Baron Ibil Shen’s mansion was filled with several masked nobles and magnates.
Even now, ornate carriages streamed in, packing the interior and garden to the brim.
There were roughly hundreds of people, and with their retinues and servants, there was easily over a thousand.
‘…This is the secret organization?’
Lancel let out a chuckle.
This wasn’t a secret organization.
This was…
“Wow, what kind of social gathering brings this many people? I’ve never had this many guests in my mansion before.”
Baron Ibil Shen’s grin stretched ear to ear. Hosting such a grand party at his mansion instantly boosted the ego of a man who was once called a mere upstart.
Truth be told, even now, Lancel could not clearly guess at what the Darkhood did, but one thing was certain.
This wasn’t a secret organization. From its outward appearances, it seemed to be just a “social gathering,” as Baron Ibil Shen said—a faction or clique, like those found in the Imperial Court.
“With all this chaos, where has Mary gone off to slacking now?”
“If we catch her, it’s another month of cleaning duty—no way around it.”
The maids searched for Marigold amidst the frenzy.
But Lancel had already spotted her nearby.
“Hello, Sir.”
Golden hair neatly braided, a red party dress, and a white mask covering her eyes and nose.
It was Marigold.
“You seem new to the gathering. May I escort you?”
Before Lancel could respond, Marigold linked arms with him, pressing herself tightly against him as if fearing he’d slip away.
She clearly knew it was him.
Even with a mask, his familiar silhouette was hard to miss.
However, she hadn’t realized that her own identity was just as obvious.
“Hehehe.”
Marigold, emboldened by the mask she wore, clung to him openly.
“You’re awfully close.”
“So what? This is normal. Everyone else is doing it, aren’t they?”
In fact, no one else was.
“Want to try this? Come on, say ‘ahh.’ I’ll feed you myself. Hurry, say ‘ahh’—mmph!”
As Marigold tried to feed him a canape, Lancel stuffed a cookie in her mouth instead. Choking, she coughed awkwardly, “Cough, hack!”
“Ugh.”
Swallowing quickly, Marigold spoke again.
“I was trying to feed you…”
“This is quite a grand party.”
“Right?!”
Marigold’s expression brightened instantly.
She looked oddly smug.
“What do you think? Darkhood’s gathering—impressive, right? Isn’t it amazing? Whoever made this, it’s incredible, yeah?”
“…Honestly, I didn’t expect this many people.”
“Hehehe, right? Honestly, I was shocked too! It feels like ten times more people than last time.”
“Ten times?”
“Yes!”
“You didn’t know until it grew tenfold?”
“Huh?”
Lancel’s question carried the implication, ‘You’re the one who made this, aren’t you?’
“I mean, last I checked, there were about thirty people, I think. But today, it’s practically exploded.”
“…?”
He glanced at the party hall. It was teeming with guests.
“There’s got to be hundreds at least. Are you sure it was really thirty?”
“Yes. Thirty? Thirty-one? I’m pretty sure it was around that. It’s a secret organization, after all.”
“…So you’ve been here since the early days, then?”
“What?” Marigold yelped, then quickly covered her mouth.
“Ah! No! Not like that—just rumors! Yes, I heard rumors!”
“A secret organization with rumors…”
“Ah, no! Not rumors, I mean, uh, um… uh…”
She was racking her brain for an answer.
No appropriate excuse seemed to come to mind.
Finally, Lancel spoke up.
“If the group grew tenfold so suddenly, there must be a reason. Does anything come to mind?”
“Well… they did give out trading company shares to nobles who brought referrals. Oh, not me! The leader of this organization! Lemon Verbena! You know, the mage who always appears as a crow? Yes!”
“So, a pyramid scheme?”
“Huh?”
Marigold wore a dumbfounded expression.
Frankly, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
‘Of course, there’s no way she built this massive gathering on her own.’
Simply making some money or dabbling in dark magic wouldn’t scale to this.
She clearly hadn’t anticipated that her idle scheming would snowball this far.
‘Still, Lemon Verbena is definitely the leader, right?’
Lancel felt a slight thrill.
Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that Marigold was now the head of this massive gathering. This party itself was held by her will.
And among the attendees…
============
—Encounter event triggered! You have met Third Prince Yuri Langris Freesia.
—Encounter event triggered! You have met Second Prince Arwen Louis Freesia.
==========
‘Two princes.’
Lancel easily spotted them.
With nobles swarming around them, how could he not? The princes didn’t seem to be hiding anyway.
“What a shame. Has Darkhood already lost its edge? All sorts of riffraff are at the party. Always happens when I try to have fun.”
Second Prince Arwen glanced sideways while filing his nails.
Third Prince Yuri’s lips twisted into a sneer.
“I came to see the face of the fool obsessed with coral day and night. As expected, it’s no surprise. If our elder sister finds out, she won’t let it slide.”
Second Prince Arwen and Third Prince Yuri, famously at odds among the royals.
Tension spread around the two like thin ice, constantly clashing.
“Who are those guys fighting all the time? They’re ruining the mood I worked so hard to set.” Marigold whispered in his ear.
Lancel was momentarily speechless.
‘She doesn’t even know who they are?’
Marigold.
No, Lemon Verbena.
‘How on earth did you create this gathering?’
“Siblings are naturally at odds.”
Lancel replied calmly.
“Sir Lan… you have siblings too, don’t you?”
‘No intention of hiding, huh, Marigold?’ She was spilling information only a regressor would know.
“…I do. Three, in the Imperial Knights. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them, given the distance.”
“So you’re the youngest?”
“I am, but…”
Recalling his three brothers, Lancel shook his head briefly.
“I think I grew up faster.”
“Is that so?”
Marigold seemed uninterested in his reply, focused only on clinging to him under the guise of anonymity.
“Hahaha, hehe.”
“…You seem to be in a good mood.”
“Just because.”
“…”
His arm was getting sweaty from her grip.
‘She didn’t call me here just for this, did she?’
As Lancel chuckled, the verbal sparring between the two princes continued.
“What a pathetic excuse. Just admit it: ‘I’m a little brother with nothing but an inferiority complex, trailing after my elder brother.’”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about. Inferiority complex? Should a younger brother feel inferior to a lesser elder brother?”
“What else would you call it? The feeling of a little brother who’s never beaten his elder.”
Third Prince Yuri’s eyes sharpened.
“Don’t make stories up, my brother. Who says I’ve never won?”
“It’s the truth.”
“…If you insist, let’s settle it here. I’ll show you I can win.”
“Are you trying to ruin the party mood?”
“Who ruined it first?”
Second Prince Arwen smirked and stood.
“This is fun.”
His lips curved, but his eyes were chillingly cold.
“Fine then, let’s do this. If I lose, I’ll kneel and apologize as a pathetic elder brother. If you lose…”
“Good. What’s the challenge?”
Third Prince Yuri stood as well.
“Anything works for me.”
“Anything… then…”
The Second Prince, who had been pondering this, was struck by an idea as he scanned the room and spoke.
“Lemon Verbena!”
“Eek!” Marigold’s shoulders flinched.
“Lemon Verbena, who is surely watching somewhere from within this mansion, I shall let you decide. How’s that? No complaints, right?”
“Fine. As the host, you’re qualified for that.”
“Hear that, Lemon Verbena?”
Marigold’s gaze darted nervously. Her expression froze as the spotlight suddenly fell on her.
“Come out now and decide!”
The room’s attention suddenly shifted towards finding Lemon Verbena, who they believed was hidden somewhere among them.
12.
“Eek…”
Lancel looked at Marigold clinging to him, her forehead beaded with cold sweat as she trembled.
‘You keep messing around, and now look at you.’
“We know you’re here. Pick something, quick. Don’t run.”
‘What’ll you do, Marigold?’
“Still waiting? Come out already.”
Thump.
Thump.
Marigold’s pounding heartbeat echoed beside him.
‘Just toss out something entertaining, and it’ll be fine.’
Thinking so, Lancel suddenly recalled something and whispered to Marigold alone.
“If…”
“…?”
“If I were Lemon Verbena, I’d do something like this. For example…”
Marigold’s wandering mind snapped back at that moment.
“Why the delay?” As the Second Prince’s voice rang out again.
Swoosh!
Murmurs began to spread through the crowd.
At the center of the party hall, a large crow spread its wings wide, revealing itself.
Caw!
“Oh, there it is!”
“It’s Lemon Verbena’s crow!”
The crow’s beak slowly opened.
A distorted voice boomed out.
“If you insist, then I shall decide!”
Marigold stood with her eyes closed, channeling all her senses into her familiar.
“At the upcoming Imperial Ball, the man who earns my proposal will win.”
“…”
It was a shocking declaration.
“Of course, whether you accept this challenge is up to you.’”
“…Wh-who do you think you are for us to…”
“Each month, I will reveal a hint about my identity.. Try to find me and make me feel inclined toward you. That is all.”
Both princes’ faces went blank.
The crow’s form melted into the shadows and vanished.
For a moment no one moved. Not even a breath was heard.
“Phew.”
Marigold opened her eyes, her flushed face exhaling relief.
‘You really went for it, Marigold…’
Romance.
The ball.
Love.
A competition between princes for the hand of a woman.
All of it—they were elements that nobles of the capital in this romance-fantasy world went wild for.
The party hall’s atmosphere began to ripple, tangible on the skin.
“So, making the princes… publicly fight over romance…?”
“The prince who finds Lemon Verbena and wins her proposal wins? Did I get that right?”
“Who even is this Lemon Verbena mage? Is it a woman? It can’t possibly be a man, right?”
The princes could no longer back out.
Backing out of a wager that already started meant admitting defeat.
Gossip about the wager between Second Prince Arwen and Third Prince Yuri soon spread across the capital like wildfire.
13.
—Things seem to have gotten too big. I’d like your advice on what to do.
—P.S.: By the way, I’ve already chosen who I’ll propose to at the Imperial Ball, so you can rest easy, Sir Lancel.
—From Lemon Verbena.
That was the content of the letter from Marigold, which arrived a week later.
‘Rest easy about what?’
Lancel didn’t find Marigold’s reaction entirely surprising.
She had reason to be anxious.
Since the party ended, the capital’s atmosphere had turned strangely tense.
The cause of the tension was the Imperial Family.
============
—Special event triggered! The competition among royals for Lemon Verbena, Marigold’s alias, has officially begun! Hmm… is this really a love battle?
Second Prince Arwen Louis Freesia.
Third Prince Yuri Langris Freesia.
Fourth Prince Serild Olivia Freesia.
Sixth Prince Karin Craig Freesia.
Seventh Prince Molly Comet Freesia.
Second Princess Sena Po Freesia.
Third Princess Claria Arild Freesia.
Fourth Princess Artena Set Freesia.
A total of eight royals are searching for Lemon Verbena (Marigold).
※ Time remaining until the next hint about Lemon Verbena (Marigold)’s identity is revealed: 15 hours, 35 minutes.
============
‘What in the world is going on?’
Marigold was unwittingly manipulating the capital and the Imperial Court.
Yes.
All without even realizing it.
lol
This woman is always causing a commotion