The man with long olive hair was wearing a large robe, but no one could tell if it was suitable for the party.

“I have committed a great disrespect to a noble person. Please forgive me.”

The man bowed his head deeply, putting his arms to his chest in a ridiculously large movement. Like a clown. The man’s face was so strange to Eleon, who was aware of the list of nobles attending the party hosted by Ilior.

“You, which family……?”

When he was about to ask the man’s family, something rolled over and got caught at his feet. He looked down at his feet involuntarily and saw a stone full of mysterious colors glistening.

“……!”

He looked up again, wondering if it was a jewel that had fallen from the man, but Eleon blinked slowly in surprise. It was because the man who had just been here disappeared without leaving a trace.

“What the hell is this?”

He was a suspicious person. Eleon picked up the stone that was supposed to have been dropped by such a man and put it in his arms. Once he reported to the Emperor, he would have to move the Imperial Knights to find that man.

“Lock all the Imperial doors. A suspicious person has just entered the Stenia Hall.”

* * *

Ethan entered the room inside the lounge where Claude and Sarah were hugging. His eyes narrowed slightly as they both had swollen eyes for some reason.

“Did you two have a fight?”

“What? No! I and Young Master Claude are totally close!”

“Right, I’m close to Nanny!”

Claude and Sarah clung closer to each other at Ethan’s question.

At the gesture that appealed to anyone who saw them that they had a good relationship, Ethan covered his lips with his fist and coughed as if his mouth was loosening. Now was not the time for them to be doing this here.

“Sarah.”

“Yes?”

“It is said that there is a suspicious person at the party right now. Could you please stay here with Claude for a minute?”

“A suspicious person? At the party held in the Imperial Palace, how……”

Sarah’s eyes widened in surprise at Ethan’s words. Suspicious people could not enter the party held at the Imperial Palace. This was because every one of them, from attendants to those who do chores, was specially selected and strictly censored before entering. Ambrosia was no exception. On this day, the accompanying servants and maids would go through everything from meticulous physical examinations to identification verifications.

“The Third Prince witnessed it firsthand, so it’s not unreasonable to say. I’ll go for a while.”

“……Be careful.”

Ethan nodded at Sarah’s worried voice and looked at Claude. Seeing the boy’s green eyes trembling anxiously, he tapped Jade beside him and shoved him inside.

“Sir Harper will be with you. If anything happens, I’ll signal Sir Harper.”

“Yes, My Lord. I will do my best to protect Young Master Claude and Countess Millen……!”

“Sir will act as a contact. If anything happens, hide behind Sarah.”

“Hic.”

At Ethan’s heartless words, Jade swallowed tears. With more brain than brawn, Jade might be good at dealing with whatever happened, but weak at protecting anyone. He’d be lucky if he wasn’t a burden to get close to Sarah’s side.

“You must never, ever leave here until I tell you it’s safe.”

“I know. I’ll do whatever Sir Harper tells me to do here.”

Ethan released a deep breath as if he was relieved at Sarah’s answer and said to Claude.

“See you. You must never leave Sarah’s side.”

“Yess……”

Ethan, who had received the promise even from Claude, turned around just then.

“Nanny, what happened? Is it dangerous?”

Claude stamped his feet as he saw Ethan’s back quickly leaving the lounge. He seemed to be worried that something might happen in a dangerous situation.

“It’s okay, this is the Imperial Palace. There are Imperial Knights, and the Ambrosia Knights are also guarding the Duke, so nothing will happen.”

Although, unlike the Imperial Knights, the Ambrosia Knights could not carry weapons, they were excellent in individual martial arts, so they would be able to subdue the enemy without a sword.

‘In Flower of Darkness, these are events that weren’t even mentioned in the first place, so it’s unpredictable.’

Somehow she didn’t have a good feeling. It wasn’t nice that something she didn’t fully understand was going on in Claude’s presence.

“Sir Harper, what did he mean that the Third Prince witnessed the suspicious man in person?”

“Actually, I don’t know yet. According to the Third Prince, he is not on the attendance list today.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It is said that he had olive hair and was wearing a robe. It’s definitely something you don’t see very often in a banquet hall.”

“……Olive hair with a robe?”

A person flashed past Sarah’s mind. As she scrunched her forehead, thinking there was no way, what Jade said next was like the confirmation shot to Sarah.

“It is said that he dropped something, and it is a stone with light inside.”

“……What?!”

Sarah jumped up from her seat. Olive hair, robe, and a stone that holds light.

‘Oliven!’

It was then that the face that seemed to be floating in Sarah’s head came to mind clearly. Oliven, who had always liked to mess with her and cause trouble, finally found out where she was.

“Is, is it dangerous?”

“It’s dangerous!”

Sarah hurriedly tried to take a step, but as she felt her dress being pulled back, she looked back. Then she saw Claude’s face with tears in his big eyes.

“Nanny, leaving?”

“Young Master Claude……”

“You said it’s dangerous, but you are going to go?”

Sarah sighed and bowed down in front of Claude who had a frightened expression on his face, making eye contact with the child.

“I’ll be right back. Please stay here with Sir Harper.”

“Don’t go, it’s dangerous. So you shouldn’t go.”

“I have to go to this one.”

“Why?”

“……Because it’s my mistake. I have to correct it.”

The thing that Oliven spilled was made at random while she was researching the power of Ambrosia. It sealed the power that absorbed life force, and it could be broken even if a little force is applied to the fist. Breaking it several times a day, she studied how to receive the power of Ambrosia and how to get rid of it.

‘He’s unlocked the sealed magic stones in my lab, right?’

This was the price for making fun of the disciples’ obsession. She had known from a long time ago that they were the children who were a little crazy, but she never thought they could cause this much of an accident.

“Countess Millen, do you happen to know anything about him?”

To Jade’s question, Sarah responded with a feeling of being stabbed somewhere in her chest.

“……Yes, probably.”

“May I ask who that is?”

“I think he’s my disciple.”

“Disciple?”

“When I was in the magic tower, he was the child that I had by my side and taught. Maybe He’s a little angry because I left without a word.”

Sarah sighed deeply and stood up. A catastrophe would happen on the day that the magic stone was touched incorrectly and broken. It was also the place where all the major nobles, including the Emperor, the Second Prince and the Third Prince, were gathered. That much had to be stopped. That would be exactly what Oliven was aiming for. To make things that Sarah had no choice but to pop out.

“And it’s not me who’s in danger now, it’s the Duke. Even if it wasn’t today, the ring looked a bit……”

She bit her lips thinking that there might be a situation where Ethan had to use his power. When Sarah showed her nervousness, not only Jade but also Claude’s face hardened.

“I will go with you.”

“No, Sir Harper, please keep Young Master Claude here. You must not let Young Master Claude get close to that stone.”

Ethan had Sarah’s ring and had years of controlling his powers. Even if the worst happened, the power would not overflow. But Claude was different. Sarah was suppressing it, but Claude’s power was just beginning to bloom. If he touched the magic stone that contained Ambrosia’s power, the sleeping power within the child’s body would respond and stretch.

“Claude, please don’t come out and stay still here. You got it?”

“Yeah…… Okay.”

Knowing that his father might be in danger, Claude let go of the hem of Sarah’s dress helplessly.

“Since Nanny is strong, it’ll be okay because you’re a great magician, right?”

At Claude’s anxious voice, Sarah smiled as if reassured.

“Of course”