IBMB 01

Chapter 1

The banquet hall shimmered beneath dazzling chandeliers as a gentle melody drifted through the air.

“Who is that young lady?”

The gazes of the nobles gathered in small groups were drawn to a single spot as if pulled by a magnet.

It was because she was a face no one had ever seen in high society before.

Silvery hair that looked as though it had gathered all the moonlight in the world, and clear cherry-colored eyes.

Her graceful appearance resembled the Moon Goddess from ancient myths, possessing an irresistible charm that drew every eye to her.

“I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in the capital…”

“Could she be royalty from the Western Continent? Just look at her dress and jewelry. Those are things you couldn’t buy in the Empire even if you offered several times the price.”

The girls whispering among themselves were young noble ladies who had become the center of high society thanks to the influence of their powerful families.

They stole glances at the unfamiliar young lady from the corners of their eyes.

Since the ducal house hosting the banquet had close ties with the Western Continent, the speculation wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

“But doesn’t that silver hair look strangely familiar?”

The one who stirred the calm waters was the second daughter of a count’s family.

“You’re right. It looks just like that marquis family’s ‘halfwit.'”

“Oh, Lady Lawrence, really. That ‘halfwit’ had frizzy white hair that looked ready to snap like an old broom. You can’t compare that to such radiant silver hair. Besides, someone like her would never dare attend a banquet like this.”

“You’re right. I was being too mean.”

Their bright laughter echoed through the hall, but no one paid it any attention.

If she really were royalty from another continent, she wouldn’t understand the Imperial language.

And Muriel Aymond—the young lady better known as the Marquis family’s “halfwit” than by her own name—would never have dared attend such a banquet.

Mocking eyes turned toward the silver-haired girl standing alone.

Anyone would have been uncomfortable under such hostile stares, yet the center of attention didn’t even blink.

“…I guess she really doesn’t understand the Imperial language.”

“Seems that way. By the way, Lady Lawrence, that’s a brooch I’ve never seen before.”

“You ladies really do have sharp eyes. My father specially commissioned it just for me.”

Maria subtly straightened her back with pride.

“A leopard-patterned lizard brooch… Th-that’s certainly unusual.”

“What? My brooch is a lily-of-the-valley made with diamonds.”

“Then what’s that…?”

The young ladies’ gazes naturally shifted toward Maria’s brooch.

The spotted pattern, reminiscent of a leopard, was astonishingly lifelike.

It looked as though it might spring to life at any moment.

It didn’t take long for them to realize the truth.

Twitch.

The lizard, which had remained perfectly still like an ordinary brooch, suddenly spread its legs wide and leaped.

Straight onto the face of the young lady standing opposite.

Slap!

Its cold, damp feet pressed firmly against her cheek.

“Aaaah! S-someone get this thing off me!”

“L-Lady, stay still! Don’t come this way! A-aaah!”

From her pale face, it jumped onto another girl’s shoulder.

Then onto yet another girl’s face.

Like a fish finally returned to water, the little lizard bounced happily from one young lady to another.

As if they were its mortal enemies, it tugged their hair and nipped at their faces.

“M-Move!”

“Aaah! Stop pushing!”

Trying to flee from the rampaging lizard, the girls stumbled into one another and collapsed in a tangled heap.

The elegant dresses they had prepared just for tonight were ruined, and the elaborate hairstyles they had spent hours perfecting had long since fallen into complete disarray.

“Tsk, tsk. Young ladies these days have no sense of shame.”

“Indeed. To behave so disgracefully on such an important occasion. Just which families do they belong to?”

The noblewomen watching from a distance frowned.

Today’s banquet was held only once every ten years.

Perhaps it would even be the first and last opportunity of its kind.

After all, it was being held at Black Dragon Castle.

And yet these girls were making fools of themselves at such an event.

“I don’t know whose daughters they are, but they’re a disgrace to the nobility.”

Just as the ladies shook their heads in disgust—

“…Madam, isn’t that your second daughter over there?”

“Oh my! Why is she over there?!”

“Why is my daughter there too…?!”

The graceful fans fluttering like peacock feathers were thrown aside, and skirts swirled wildly as the noblewomen rushed forward.

In an instant, even the ladies had joined the chaos.

“Oh dear! Someone call the knights…!”

Though it made very little difference.

The banquet had become an utter disaster.

“Hehe.”

A faint laugh escaped from somewhere.

It came from the silver-haired young lady, who had silently watched everything unfold with an expressionless face.

Then her gaze shifted toward—

[Boss, if they bully you, I’ll teach them a lesson!]

The little lizard had emerged from the crowd.

Holding clumps of the young ladies’ hair in its mouth like trophies, it still trembled with indignation, its tiny fists shaking furiously.

“Sevi, I’m really fine.”

[Hmph. I’m not fine.]

Watching her gently pat the little lizard on the back, it almost looked as though they were carrying on a conversation.

The nobles’ expressions became even more bewildered.

After all—

“Though more beastfolk have started treating animals as family these days…”

No one else could hear the little lizard’s voice.

It was then that—

“…Muriel Aymond?”

Maria, who had only just escaped the lizard’s terror, stared as though she had seen a ghost.

Those cherry-colored eyes that curved softly whenever she smiled.

That delicate voice, like the ringing of a tiny bell.

There was no mistake.

It was Muriel Aymond.

“Y-you… Why are you here?!”

Maria shouted, her face twisting in disbelief.

“Lady Aymond…?”

Murmurs spread through the hall like waves.

Naturally so.

Because Muriel Aymond had died three years ago.

It had been one of the Empire’s most infamous stories.

The Marquis of Aymond had committed treason, causing his entire family to be exterminated.

The young Lady Aymond, who escaped, was said to have died after an unrelenting pursuit.

Yet now, the very woman from those rumors had returned alive.

And she looked nothing like the “halfwit” everyone remembered.

“H-how is this possible…?!”

Unable to finish her sentence, Maria stared blankly at Muriel.

Then her eyes met the detestable little lizard perched on Muriel’s shoulder.

The culprit responsible for turning what should have been her moment to shine into a laughingstock.

Suddenly, every piece of the puzzle fit together.

“It was all you, Muriel! You’re behind all of this, aren’t you?!”

Maria became convinced that Muriel had orchestrated everything.

She strode toward the infuriating “halfwit,” determined to teach her a lesson.

Then—

“Gasp…”

A single gasp echoed through the hall.

Instantly, silence fell over the room.

Someone was descending the grand spiral staircase.

“My goodness…”

It was a man so breathtaking that people of every age and gender couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.

Beneath hair as black as finely polished obsidian were eyes that seemed to hold the sun itself.

The master of Black Dragon Castle.

The young head of House Kreuz.

König Kreuz.

“Y-Your Grace…”

Maria hastily lowered the hand she had been about to raise.

Remembering the mess she looked like, she quickly straightened her clothes and greeted him with a curtsy.

But not a single thing about her managed to catch the Duke’s attention.

Without hesitation, he walked straight past Maria—

—and stopped somewhere entirely unexpected.

“Mu, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Right in front of Muriel Aymond.

‘Mu?’

A nickname reserved for someone close.

Every eye in the banquet hall turned toward the handsome duke and the beautiful young lady.

“Why aren’t you on the platform? Did you run into someone you know?”

The Duke of Kreuz casually wrapped an arm around Muriel’s shoulders as he spoke.

“No. Sevi disappeared, so I came looking for him.”

“Tsk. That glutton ran away again.”

That was why Muriel, who should have been standing on the platform, had come down into the banquet hall.

“Someone like me… I don’t have anyone I know.”

Muriel glanced toward the gathered nobles and murmured quietly to herself.

Shock swept through the banquet hall.

Because normally, only members of the host family—or someone destined to become part of that family—stood on the platform.

Which meant—

Muriel Aymond might become the Duchess of Kreuz!

But that wasn’t the end of the surprises.

“What nonsense are you talking about, my dear! How can you be alone when this old man is here?”

The former head of House Kreuz, who had stopped counting his age after reaching eight hundred years old, declared loudly.

“Cherry, Cherry, was there anyone here who bullied you? Just whisper their names to me.”

The Empire’s only Grand Duchess, infamous for her fierce temperament, added with a dangerous smile.

And then—

“To insult Lady Muriel is the same as insulting all of Black Dragon Castle!”

“Just give the order, my lord!”

Even the knights of Black Dragon Castle looked ready to draw their swords at a moment’s notice.

Every single one of them stood firmly on Muriel’s side.

With the situation unfolding like this, it was only natural that the quick-witted nobles’ minds began racing.

The Imperial traitor is alive.

And she’s under the protection of the mad Black Dragon family!

Muriel simply squeezed her eyes shut.

I swear, I never intended for my return to be this dramatic.

Just what in the world had happened?

To explain that, we have to go back about four years.