TDXXBC Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Even with their face concealed behind a white mask, Aderton had recognized them instantly. That could only mean one thing—he had known from the start that Sascha was the hero.

Just how far will he go with his deception? A shiver ran down Sascha’s spine, like a sudden fever. Their entire body trembled with fury.

There had been so many things they wanted to say if they ever met him again, but now, their mind was blank. Their fists clenched tightly, veins rising against their pale skin.

Juliana, oblivious to the tension, seemed delighted. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and her fan fluttered rapidly. In an excited tone, she asked,

“You two know each other?”

“Yes. I owe her a great debt. Though I have yet to repay it.”

“I see. It pleases me to know that two of my dear acquaintances are already familiar with each other.”

Juliana, looking satisfied, took a sip of her drink. While Sascha burned with fury, the Crown Prince leisurely enjoyed her wine.

Meanwhile, Aderton caught the attention of a passing servant and took another glass. Holding one in each hand, he offered one to Sascha.

“Your hands are empty.”

“…”

“If you glare at me like that, even I might feel hurt.”

“You bastard.”

Taunting her so openly—Sascha couldn’t hold back. She lunged at him, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him like a rag doll. Aderton let it happen, swaying under her grip without resistance.

Juliana’s eyes widened in shock. The surrounding nobles whispered in hushed tones. The musicians halted their performance, sensing the tension.

“Sascha! What is going on?”

“Your Highness, this man is—”

Just as Sascha was about to reveal the truth, a voice slithered into her mind.

<Are you planning to expose me? That wouldn’t be wise.>

She glanced around. No one else seemed to have heard it. A spell? What kind of sinister magic allowed him to communicate directly into her thoughts?

Sascha scowled.

“Stop your tricks.”

<If word gets out that a demon beast infiltrated the Crown Prince’s coronation banquet… well, imagine the scandal surrounding the imperial family.>

“…”

<Surely, you don’t think I arrived here without proper credentials? You must know that without an imperial invitation, one cannot simply walk in.>

“You…”

Sascha, who had been gripping Aderton by the collar, froze and glared at him. He was right—entry into the imperial banquet hall was not freely granted. Security was tight, and only carefully selected nobles received invitations. How did he get in? The growing questions made her hand tremble as she clutched his collar.

<And if a fight were to break out here, wouldn’t innocent bystanders be caught in the aftermath?>

Aderton smiled with a glint in his eye. He had bypassed the barrier stones at the border, as well as the powerful protective wards surrounding the capital. That alone proved he was no ordinary beast. Recalling the energy she had sensed in the mountains, Sascha was certain—he wasn’t just strong. He was something far more dangerous. Most high-level demon beasts grew large in size, which meant Aderton was likely a massive serpent.

Sascha had no doubts that she could win in a fight. But protecting everyone in the banquet hall while doing so? That was another matter entirely. Aderton wouldn’t allow them the chance to flee, and if battle erupted, innocent lives would be lost.

This situation doesn’t favor me.

It might be better to deal with him after the banquet, once the hall was empty. Tch. Clicking her tongue, Sascha let go of his collar.

As the sudden confrontation died down, onlookers visibly deflated with disappointment. The nobles, pretending as if they had never been watching, returned to their conversations, and the musicians resumed playing.

“The music is starting again.”

As the melody filled the hall, Aderton extended his hand in an invitation to dance, but Sascha ignored him and turned away, heading for the farthest corner. But just as she attempted to withdraw, a voice crept into her mind once more.

<I imagine you have a lot of questions. Like, for example, how I managed to bypass the capital’s barrier.>

“…”

<Even the black dragon, Kalceus, failed to break through the capital’s defenses.>

Sascha shot Aderton a murderous glare. Though Juliana had previously reminded her to suppress her overwhelming presence, she made no effort to do so now. Ordinary people would have been too terrified to breathe under her intensity, but Aderton remained completely at ease. Infuriatingly so.

“Would you grant me this dance?”

<If you do, I’ll answer your questions.>

His voice in her mind was smooth, enticing. Sascha clenched her hands into fists. Her nails dug so deeply into her skin that she almost drew blood, but Aderton’s ever-present smirk didn’t waver in the slightest.

“You evaded my questions before. I have no reason to believe it will be different now.”

“This time, it’s different.”

<Back then, I had to keep my identity hidden.>

“Ha! What a joke.”

The music swelled again, a slow and elegant dance tune. Facing each other, the two took hold of one another’s hands and began to move, turning slowly with the rhythm. When the introductory steps ended, Aderton’s hands settled at Sascha’s waist, fingers tracing lightly over the firm muscle.

“You’re quite the dancer.”

“Stop stalling. Answer me. What are you?”

“Before that, I have something to tell you.”

Sascha scoffed. She could already tell that he was about to spout more nonsense.

Go on. Say whatever ridiculous lie you’ve come up with this time. You really think I’ll fall for it?

She glared at him, her gaze practically daring him to try.

“…We have a child.”

At those words, all of Sascha’s composure shattered. Her scowling expression faltered, and she stared blankly, blinking in stunned silence. Slowly, she tilted her head to the right, lowering her gaze.

Her stomach was as flat as ever. She hadn’t eaten anything at the banquet—not even a sip of water. She had never carried excess weight, and her active lifestyle had ensured that her body remained toned with solid muscle.

Have there been any changes in my body lately?

She thought back over the past few days and gave a small shake of her head. Her irregular cycles remained unchanged, and nothing felt different.

“Your nonsense has gone too far. I know my own body.”

Sascha’s voice was sharp as she retorted. Aderton merely shrugged, smiling as if her reaction amused him. His golden eyes gleamed enticingly, and his dark hair swayed slightly with his movement. Once, Sascha might have found his smile alluring. Now, it left her cold.

<Not you.>

“…What?”

<I meant me.>

“…You mean to say it’s your child?”

“Yes. I’m the one raising it.”

“…What the hell are you talking about?”

Sascha almost dismissed it outright. How could there be a child that doesn’t even exist? More than that, he was male. A beast, sure, but still a male.

It was absurd. Impossible. More nonsensical than the wildest gossip spread among commoners.

This makes no sense—

Or rather… it shouldn’t make sense.

But Aderton was a demon beast. Who knew what kind of twisted methods he had? Alchemists and sorcerers had long pursued the forbidden art of homunculus creation. Perhaps he had broken the laws of nature, crafting something like a living replica.

“…And?”

“Hmm?”

“I have no reason to believe your nonsense. And even if it were true, it has nothing to do with me.”

Sascha had no interest in entertaining this any further. She refused to be pulled into Aderton’s games, nor would she let herself be manipulated by his cryptic words. Like a true serpent, he was cunning. If she gave him an inch, he would twist his forked tongue and try to deceive her again.

Aderton tightened his grip on her hand, as if unsatisfied with her response. Sascha, refusing to yield, matched his strength. Only then did he finally loosen his hold.

<How can you say it doesn’t concern you? The child is ours.>

“Ha. And how exactly can you be so sure? How do you even know whose blood runs in its veins?”

Aderton’s eyes widened slightly. For a brief second, she saw something flicker in them—moisture, glistening as if on the verge of tears.

His already pale face became even paler, his features momentarily tinged red before returning to normal. His lips, which had parted slightly, pressed into a firm line.

Then, his gaze sharpened.

<…Are you accusing me of betrayal?>

“There’s no reason for me to take your words at face value.”

<You were the only one I have ever been with. You took my first, and now you act like this?>

“A man who clings to something as petty as his first time… how pathetic.”

“…Ha.”

A long sigh left Aderton’s lips, laden with unspoken emotions. He seemed to hold back whatever had risen within him, then spoke in a calm tone.

“There are too many ears listening. Why don’t we continue this on the terrace?”

“The song is ending. So answer my question. How did you bypass the barrier?”

“I will tell you everything on the terrace.”

“You really never change.”

Just when she thought she would finally get a straight answer, he remained the same as ever—evasive, selectively revealing only what suited him. Selfish, manipulative. Once was enough to be played by him.

More than that, a man and a woman slipping away to the terrace in the middle of a banquet? Even though Sascha had been away from noble society for a long time, she still understood what that would imply. A lover, or a mistress. The heroic warrior, absent for years, returns only to be seen sneaking off with a handsome young man after nearly fighting him? It would make for excellent gossip.

Sascha, thoroughly fed up, let go of his hand before the song even ended. It was rude to stop before the next piece began, but she didn’t care. When Aderton reached for her again, she stepped back.

Seeing her slip from his grasp, Aderton’s expression twisted in irritation. His golden eyes slit vertically, his pupils elongating. Finally showing your true colors, huh? Just like the wicked beast you are. Sascha scoffed.

<Are you really going to leave? I gave you a chance.>

“…”

<You were the one who rejected my attempt to settle this quietly.>

Even under his sharp glare, Sascha refused to dance any longer. The song came to an end, and she turned away completely. Watching her retreat, Aderton suddenly collapsed onto the floor.

“You are so cruel! Were those sweet whispers from that night all a lie?”

Sascha froze mid-step.

As soon as the music ended, his dramatic outburst had everyone’s attention. The nobles turned their heads, murmuring among themselves. They looked back and forth between Sascha and Aderton, trying to make sense of the situation.

“Even if you deny me now, my feelings were true! You can take my body, my heart—take everything! But please, don’t deny my love!”

What the hell is this bastard saying?

Unable to hold back any longer, Sascha spun around. Aderton was sprawled dramatically on the floor, looking like the tragic lead in some overwrought romance. He covered his mouth with both hands, legs delicately folded beneath him. Anyone watching might think he had been cruelly abandoned.

At the absurd display, noblewomen fanned themselves furiously, while noblemen cleared their throats and suddenly found great interest in the tapestries. And yet, their ears were undoubtedly perked toward the scandal unfolding before them.

“My feelings will never change! I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes!”

A lovers’ quarrel at the Crown Prince’s coronation banquet. From a distance, Juliana’s eyes darkened with exhaustion, and the emperor looked utterly distressed, whispering urgently to his advisor, unsure of how to intervene.

And then—

“Furthermore, between us—”

Before Aderton could say anything truly damning, Sascha strode forward and yanked him upright. He fell silent, head still bowed as he sniffled pitifully.

“You dare pull this nonsense and then cry?”

“…Cry?”

Aderton raised his head, and his face was completely dry. Not a single tear in sight. Instead, he leaned in, resting his face against the crook of Sascha’s neck.

Then, in a hushed voice, he whispered into her ear—

“Snakes don’t shed tears.”

His voice slithered against her skin, as deceitful as ever. The smile on his lips was crooked, sly. A grin so cunning, it made Sascha’s fists tremble.

If only—just once—I could hit him.

Sascha prayed fervently to whatever gods might be listening. But first, she needed to put an end to this farce. Grabbing Aderton by the wrist, she dragged him toward the terrace.

The moment she shut the glass doors behind them, the noise from the banquet disappeared.

“Talk.”

The terrace was lined with cushioned chairs, but Sascha didn’t give Aderton the chance to sit. She stood before him, demanding answers.

Aderton only shrugged.

“What would you like to know first?”

“How did you infiltrate the capital?”

“That’s simple. My name is Aderton Vinter.”

“…Vinter?”

The Vinter name belonged to a once-great house. Elias Vinter, a sage who had risen to fame as one of the empire’s founding figures. A scholar and polymath, he had mastered every known language, geometry, architecture, art, geography, and more.

It was Elias Vinter who had established the empire’s administrative framework—standardizing measurements, organizing the capital’s various sectors, and laying the foundations of imperial law. More than that, he had discovered how to forge contracts with demon beasts, granting humans their wisdom.

The very barrier that protected the capital and the formations safeguarding the imperial palace—those, too, had been his work. A scholar, a sorcerer, a pioneer. If the first emperor had built the empire, Elias Vinter had shaped its future.

But the Vinter line had long since fallen from grace. Few even knew if any of his descendants still lived.

If Aderton was lying, if he had merely assumed the identity of a long-lost heir, then perhaps he had gained access to the family’s secrets. Perhaps he had found a way to use their ancient magic to his advantage.

Sascha’s gaze sharpened with suspicion.

“Did you steal the Vinter family’s secret magic?”

“No. There was no need.”

“…What?”

“You call him Sage Elias. Elias Vinter. That is me.”

“…What?”

“The spells I created wouldn’t dare to exclude me.”

The foundation of the empire had been laid by a demon beast? Impossible.

Sascha’s blood boiled. Her teeth ground together so violently that they almost cracked.

“You dare spin such lies to insult the empire?”

“Would you only believe me if I showed you proof?” Aderton pulled an envelope from his coat. Inside was a document written in an ancient script. When Sascha moved to tear it apart without even looking, Aderton raised his hand high above his head. No matter how strong she was, she couldn’t overcome the difference in their heights. After jumping in frustration a few times, Sascha gave up, breathing heavily.

“How do I know that isn’t forged?”

“At dawn, go to the academy. A renowned scholar there will confirm it for you.”

“Fine. I’ll ask them myself.”

Sascha snatched the envelope, tempted to throw it straight into the candlelight illuminating the terrace. But the urge to see with her own eyes what kind of nonsense he had written was stronger. There was still time to deal with the beast afterward. Her guard remained high.