When Baek Yu-Seol mentioned Isaac Morph, the most shocked person wasn't Hong Si-Hwa… it was Eisel.
'…To bring up my father here, of all places?'
She had never imagined that everything would end here tonight. She had only come to prepare in advance, nothing more.
But Baek Yu-Seol suddenly brought up Isaac Morph, and the reason wasn't hard to guess.
"This could turn out to be a two-birds-with-one-stone situation…"
Flame murmured.
Eisel nodded in agreement.
"Dangerous, but possible."
If they could use the Isaac Morph incident to topple Hong Si-Hwa, it would benefit both Hong Bi-Yeon and Eisel.
However, achieving that perfect outcome was another matter entirely.
Eisel, Hong Bi-Yeon, and even Flame already knew what Hong Si-Hwa had done. But without evidence to prove her crimes, they had remained silent until now.
"Isaac Morph… that was a painful incident."
She glanced sideways at Queen Hong Se-Ryu, who maintained a cold, emotionless expression, showing no reaction to the conversation.
If Baek Yu-Seol were to truly expose the truth, Hong Se-Ryu would also suffer significant damage. How could she remain so indifferent?
'Is she planning to abdicate the throne now…?'
Hong Se-Ryu had never cared much for the kingdom to begin with. She had ascended to the throne not out of love for her country, but because her siblings were utterly unfit for the role. Frustrated by their incompetence, she had reluctantly taken the crown.
She had no competition.
Becoming queen had been little more than an amusement for her. With only minimal effort, her siblings couldn't come close to matching her talent.
So, she likely felt no regret. Her readiness to step down from the throne at such a young age only indicated that she had already enjoyed it to the fullest.
Or perhaps, Hong Se-Ryu had seen enough of Adolevit's rotting core and simply wanted to walk away from it all.
Either way, Hong Se-Ryu showed no intention of stopping Baek Yu-Seol's statement.
Hong Si-Hwa closed her eyes.
She, too, had to make a choice.
Baek Yu-Seol was far from a foolish boy. In fact, he was sharper than anyone she had ever encountered. That was why she had approached him in the first place, hoping to bring him to her side.
'…The likelihood that he actually knows something has increased.'
But how? Where had things slipped through the cracks? She had ensured everything was airtight. Not only had she silenced witnesses by ordering them to stay quiet, but most had been killed and buried. The key figures had been bound by a binding curse that suppressed their tongues.
This curse even applied to members of the royal family, ensuring that no one could escape its effects.
Her original plan to temporarily distance herself from Hong Bi-Yeon was already canceled.
She had to make another choice.
- Option One: Assume Baek Yu-Seol has no evidence and let him speak.
- Option Two: Assume he might have evidence and silence him by force.
Hong Si-Hwa's mind worked like a computer, rapidly simulating various scenarios. In an instant, she evaluated the potential actions of herself, the Queen, Baek Yu-Seol, and the nobles, viewing the situation from an objective perspective.
'…The first option isn't good.'
If she chose the first option, and Baek Yu-Seol turned out to have no evidence, she would walk away with a flawless, 100% victory, losing nothing in the process.
But if he did have even the slightest shred of evidence…
That would spell a 100% defeat for Hong Si-Hwa.
As the hero of Adolevit and a globally renowned mage, such a revelation would irreparably tarnish her image.
'The odds are 99% in my favor. But if I lose that 1%, I lose everything.'
What about the second option, then?
Forcing Baek Yu-Seol to speak his statement was a guaranteed loss… a 100% defeat.
However, the loss from this choice would be minimal.
Even if those unaware of the truth began to harbor some doubts, there would be no decisive evidence, and the events of that day wouldn't need to resurface. While her image might take a small hit, it wouldn't lead to her complete downfall.
'Not yet.'
A damaged reputation?
She didn't care about such things.
Even if people threw stones at her, humiliated her by leaving her naked and exposed in the town square, she could endure it.
She had lived a life deserving of such punishment.
But… But…
'... Until I discover the method to break Adolevit's eternal curse, I can't let it end here.'
She was so close.
She could feel it… it was almost within reach.
Hong Si-Hwa knew she was going to die soon.
Even if she ascended to the throne, she would surely be assassinated by someone who bore her a grudge. And even if she avoided assassination, the deep-rooted illness in her body would inevitably kill her.
'I'm not doing this to survive.'
She lifted her head and looked at Baek Yu-Seol.
The choice with a 99% chance of victory but a 1% risk of complete defeat… she set it aside.
She couldn't allow even the smallest chance to slip through her grasp.
So, she chose the path of certain defeat.
"Baek Yu-Seol."
"Yes, Princess?"
"The events of that day are not something a commoner can dare to mention. Many of Adolevit's flames, including myself, were deeply wounded, and the scars have yet to heal."
Her tone shifted suddenly, becoming heavy and solemn.
The nobles in the room gulped nervously. It was rare for Princess Hong Si-Hwa to adopt such a serious demeanor.
In response, Baek Yu-Seol bowed his head.
"I apologize, Princess. I was out of line."
"You are neither a citizen of Adolevit nor bound by its rules, and as a guest of the royal family, you will not be punished. However, I cannot continue enjoying the ball alongside a commoner who dared to bring up that day's incident. So, either I will leave, or you will. It's one or the other."
"I could never ask you to leave the Adolevit ballroom, Princess. I will take my leave."
"A wise choice."
At Hong Si-Hwa's words, Baek Yu-Seol raised his head and met her eyes.
At that moment, she realized it.
'A trap…?'
Baek Yu-Seol was smiling, as if everything had gone exactly as he intended.
Realizing this too late, Hong Si-Hwa gritted her teeth.
'So that's how it is…'
It was now certain that Baek Yu-Seol knew at least part of the truth about that day's incident.
However…
'He doesn't have the evidence to turn the public against me here.'
If Hong Si-Hwa had boldly called Baek Yu-Seol's bluff and demanded that he speak about the incident, she would have won.
Baek Yu-Seol didn't have any concrete evidence.
But the way he stood so confidently, and how he seemed to genuinely know the truth, forced Hong Si-Hwa to fear that 1% chance of complete defeat.
She pressed her lips together tightly and scanned her surroundings.
For her, reading the room was second nature.
'What's going on? Why is this happening?'
'That day was a glorious event, wasn't it?'
'The execution of the traitor Morph was remarkable. Why would anyone bring it up now…?'
'Was there even a need to silence people over it?"'
'I was hoping to hear the Princess herself recount the heroic tale of that day…'
The atmosphere was shifting, and public opinion was turning uneasy.
Princess Hong Si-Hwa had suddenly turned serious and used her authority against none other than Baek Yu-Seol, the Honorary Mage?
This… This was highly suspicious.
The incident from that day had undoubtedly caused significant wounds. However, ten years later, it was hardly the kind of event that warranted silencing a commoner and expelling him from the ballroom.
If Princess Hong Si-Hwa truly were the hero who defeated the fallen dark mage Isaac Morph, she should have proudly accepted Baek Yu-Seol's remarks and let her reputation be praised. Why, then, did she go so far as to forcibly silence him?
This question...
Would have lodged itself in everyone's mind.
This was precisely the fallout Hong Si-Hwa had predicted.
And, likely, the exact situation Baek Yu-Seol had aimed for.
As this atmosphere unfolded in the ballroom, Hong Si-Hwa closed her eyes.
'I've been played.'
How foolish.
She should have trusted herself.
She should have objectively assessed her own perfection.
'There was no evidence.'
Even though she had been certain of it, why had she convinced herself the odds were only 99% in her favor? The truth was... The odds had been 100%.
She turned her gaze to Baek Yu-Seol.
He was respectfully bidding farewell to Queen Hong Se-Ryu before exiting the now-silent ballroom.
'This is Baek Yu-Seol's ability…'
Turning a guaranteed victory into an illusion of uncertainty - making 100% seem like 99% - and then exploiting that sliver of doubt.
Surely, this was how he had claimed his victories thus far.
Against seemingly insurmountable opponents, he had managed to turn even a 1% chance into a 100% success, climbing his way to where he stood now.
'…He is fundamentally different from me.'
Hong Si-Hwa had always ensured 100% certainty before acting, always securing victory within that frame. She had never learned how to win with only a 99% chance.
And so, when her certainty faltered, she had reflexively declared defeat, convinced she couldn't win without total assurance.
That was her fatal mistake.
Creak. Bang!
As Baek Yu-Seol left, the murmurs among the nobles grew louder.
'Perhaps… the one who should have left wasn't Baek Yu-Seol, but me.'
With that thought, Hong Si-Hwa returned to her seat beside Queen Hong Se-Ryu and sat down.
The musicians, sensing the tension, glanced nervously at the Queen. At her subtle nod, they quickly resumed playing, and the nobles, pretending nothing had happened, stepped back onto the dance floor to continue their festivities.
Even as they danced, their minds would undoubtedly linger on Hong Si-Hwa's puzzling behavior moments earlier.
"Well, you fell for it beautifully," Hong Se-Ryu said lazily, her tone dripping with amusement.
Hong Si-Hwa frowned deeply. She hated being dismissed by that woman.
"…It seems so."
"Haha, it's been a long time since I've heard such defeat in your voice."
"If Baek Yu-Seol truly had definitive evidence just now, Your Majesty would not have been safe either."
"And what of it?"
"…Excuse me?"
Hong Si-Hwa turned her head to look at Hong Se-Ryu, who now gazed at the ballroom with a look of utter boredom.
Her expression seemed so indifferent, as though she might yawn if not for the people present.
"If I die, and you die, there's still one person left to inherit the throne. The nation wouldn't collapse."
"…Do you truly believe that?"
"Why would I lie about something that doesn't benefit me? Perhaps in the past, I might have cared. But now, it doesn't matter if Hong Bi-Yeon takes the throne. Whether it's you or her - or even that boy - any outcome would be interesting."
Thud!
At those words, Hong Si-Hwa shot to her feet, staring at the Queen.
The Queen didn't even glance her way, her expression still dull and detached.
"What do you think you're doing? Raising your gaze above the queen's? Must I truly look up at you?"
"…I apologize. I felt a bit dizzy. I will take my leave."
"Good. It's nice to see some courtesy in your tone. Though, it's obvious you'll revert to your usual self by tomorrow. Go and rest. This ballroom is bound to get even duller without you."
Hong Si-Hwa, hearing Queen Hong Se-Ryu's indifferent voice, suddenly realized where her own personality stemmed from.
'…Like mother, like daughter. I'm just a lesser version of her.'
Thinking this, she didn't feel particularly disappointed or despondent. It was simply how it was.
Today, she had attempted to attack Hong Bi-Yeon.
And she had lost, spectacularly.
That was all there was to it.
With that thought, Hong Si-Hwa exited the ballroom.
'Princess Hong Si-Hwa has left the ballroom…'
'...Yeah, she did.'
'That conversation earlier must have hit her hard.'
'Hmm. If that's the case, there really might be something to it.'
'Is that so? Then I…'
Now, the only princess remaining in the ballroom was Hong Bi-Yeon.
The nobles' gazes naturally began to converge on her.
With Princess Hong Si-Hwa no longer present, the nobles no longer felt the need to tread carefully.
It might not seem like much, but to Hong Bi-Yeon, this was an enormous turning point.