"I just...know, because he’s always by my side," Zayden explained, the words leaving his mouth too quickly.
Lies. It wasn’t the truth. What had really drawn his attention was the scent—Ren’s pheromones trailing faintly in the air, impossible for him to ignore. The word "attendant" had left his lips before he realized it.
"And he was needed for the plan," he added, as though saying it aloud might make it true—convincing Diana, James, and himself.
"Sure, sure," Diana said lightly, her lips quivering.
James, however, leaned forward, his voice cutting through the air with a weight that silenced the room.
"The Duke plans to use Vinimency at the banquet."
The atmosphere shifted at once. The laughter and ease drained, leaving a heavy tension that settled like a shadow over the table.
Ren blinked, caught off guard. Just moments ago, this room had felt foreign for its warmth. Now it felt foreign for its gravity.
"Vi—" he hesitated, glancing between them. "What’s that?" He hesitantly asked. He hated how ignorant it sounded, but it was the first time he had heard it spoken.
"Many people don’t know what that is. It’s mostly used in the military," Zayden explained, scratching the back of his head. He, himself, was unsure why he tried to make his servant feel at ease for not knowing something.
Diana looked at the general. She didn’t say a word, simply smiling.
"It’s wine tempering. It could be poisoned, or could contain drugs that put everyone to sleep to carry out their original plans," She lowered her gaze, looking at the papers on the table.
"We drew a map containing all the entrances and exits of the mansion here," James pointed at the papers.
Ren looked at it. There were four of them. And he only knew one of them.
The first thought that crossed his mind was: It could help me when I leave.
"I will assign knights to guard them thoroughly," Zayden added.
Ren let out a soft sigh. Of course, it wouldn’t be so easy.
"But we still need to have a backup plan in case the guards can’t stop them from intruding into the mansion," Diana looked up at the three men.
"Of course. I will handle that part," Zayden grinned.
His words could also be translated as: I simply don’t trust those present in the room.
"Alright," Diana returned the smile politely. "Also, the emperor has been looking for you. It doesn’t seem like you will visit him anytime soon."
"No. At least not until the Duke’s issue is resolved."
"Shame. You’ll be missing the crown prince’s engagement talk," the young woman leaned her head against the chair, slightly sliding down her seat.
"What? Brother is getting engaged?!" Zayden asked, shocked.
"Brother?" James and Ren asked at the same time, narrowing their eyes in confusion.
Diana glanced at the two servants. She bit her lips, trying to hold back before bursting into laughter.
"Oh dear! I can’t get used to this! Every time one of your servants hears this, they always have the same reaction," she pressed her lips, trying to hold back her laugh.
"Do you not behave like a proper prince, Your Royal Highness?" She turned to Zayden.
The general looked away, ignoring her teasing. What mattered more were her words—his older brother was getting engaged. He hadn’t received any letters from the emperor, his father, about anything related to that.
But who could be the groom—
Just then, a face flashed before his eyes.
He turned towards Diana.
"That prince?!" he muttered under his breath. "But he was brought here to study—even if later he would become a partner, but still! How could Father—"
"Father?" Ren interrupted, dumbfounded. He couldn’t understand what was going on—the general—a prince?
"... Let me explain..." Diana straightened her posture, her tone almost casual. "General Zayden is the youngest prince of Revhara. Though for a human like you, it’s normal that you wouldn’t know. The prince took the title of General over the past two hundred years... and you seem no older than twenty-five." She explained before taking a brief pause.
Ren’s eyes widened, trying to understand.
"Oh, right!" She gasped as if recalling something. "But if you read the history books from back then, it does state that there are two imperial princes in the empire."
He turned to Zayden, still in shock.
Zayden only shrugged, unbothered by the curious eyes of the two servants.
"I don’t like being called by a name I already disowned."
Ren’s eyes lingered on him for a little too long, intrigued.
Why would someone not want that title? An imperial prince meant... he could have anything. He would simply be below the emperor.
Ren couldn’t bring himself to ask anything although questions clouded his mind. He kept quiet while Diana and Zayden continued the conversation, with James stepping in from time to time.
Diana rose from her seat, snapping Ren out of his daze. His mind had been blank for a while. He couldn’t recall what had been discussed and what hadn’t in the past few minutes—or hours.
When he looked outside the window, the sun had already begun to set.
"I will return for now. If you need anything, please let me know," Diana said, standing by the door frame and looking at Zayden.
"Yes, yes," he smiled, gently patting her head.
"Take care of Mom for me," she added before her figure disappeared into the hallway.
"I will," Zayden replied, though he wasn’t sure she had heard him.
"Her mother?" James raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, didn’t I tell you? She is Hannah’s youngest daughter."
James and Ren looked at each other.
It seemed today they had been discovering too many ’secrets’. Or rather, things that were never hidden nor revealed. Things that were simply facts. And nothing in the world would change them.
"Attendant, go get a glass of water," Zayden ordered, sitting back in his chair.
Ren looked at the glass of water on the table—already full.
But he didn’t say a word. He bowed and exited the room. Perhaps Zayden wished to speak alone with James.
He walked through the corridor, glancing out the window. The sky had turned a peaceful orange, and every servant who had worked outside was returning to the building.
His gaze fell on the pavement leading toward the exit of the territory, where Diana’s carriage rumbled away.
"And soon, I’ll be leaving this place too," he told himself, placing a hand against the cold glass of the window.
"Ren?" A familiar voice asked, slightly shaky.