HRNGDS 89

~Chapter 89~

Kassen stared at them with his mouth open in disbelief.

Their behavior made it unclear whether they had come to watch the succession ceremony or to eat.

“Your Highness Piaz, look at them. Really, no manners at all—”

Kassen stopped mid-sentence. He had only looked away for a moment, yet now Piaz was busily dipping chicken into tteokbokki sauce.

“Y-Your Highness…”

Piaz looked up in surprise, glancing down at the fork in his hand as if realizing what he was doing.

For someone who had eaten only healthy foods all his life, tteokbokki and fried chicken brought an intense taste of the mortal world.

For someone who loved spicy food, it was a perfect match—almost shockingly so.

‘No food in the Eastern Empire has ever satisfied me like this…!’

There were kinds of spicy flavors: the tasty kind and the unpleasant kind. Piaz found that Delphina’s dish didn’t just meet his personal, indescribable standard—it surpassed it.

Even the Imperial chefs struggled to match his picky tastes. Yet Delphina had captured exactly the spice he wanted.

Piaz looked around. He’d heard that Delphina had asked about people’s tastes before the ceremony.

‘Did she really match every noble’s palate?’

Those who ate her dishes looked genuinely satisfied.

‘That means she adjusted the spice for everyone.’

This alone was enough to shock him. But still, he couldn’t understand—

‘Why would Delphina want to make Kassen’s succession ceremony perfect?’

Jerian stared at the dish in front of him.

Before coming here, he hadn’t completely believed Delphina when she said she could cure him.

It was only natural—before the ceremony, she had done nothing but cook, without any other action to heal him.

And now, this food was placed before him.

‘It looks tasty… but can this really cure me?’

Just then, Sestia, happily eating her own tteokbokki, spoke to him.

“Eat. The moment you do, things will change.”

Jerian looked at her strangely—her eyes were practically dripping with greed, nothing like a saintess.

“If you don’t want it, you can give it to me… ahem.”

Jerian pretended not to hear and asked,
“What exactly will change?”

“I’ll be able to heal your body.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Sestia looked at him as if he’d asked something odd.
“Because Lady Delphina said so.”

Sestia’s faith in Delphina bordered on extreme.

“You have nowhere left to retreat to, do you?” she added.

That was true—Jerian had no way out.

‘The saintess is right.’

The Delphina he had known since the academy was not the type to speak without certainty.

‘If I can recover with Delphina’s help…’

He was not someone to forget a favor. If he regained his health, he would take revenge on his brother Kassen, just as Delphina wished. His resolve was already firm.

Jerian put a piece of tteokbokki in his mouth.

“From here, we will begin the succession ceremony.”

At the Duke of Fuat’s words, Kassen rose to his feet. The ceremony began in earnest.

The Duke started climbing the tower, the crowd below looking up at him.

Kassen, Ivelina, Delphina, and Elcayan also moved toward the tower.

Along with Kassen’s succession, there would be a ceremony to recognize Ivelina as a member of the Fuat household.

Alfonso had attended the ceremony but did not acknowledge Ivelina’s position, so Delphina had been chosen to accompany her as a representative of House Rikeion. Elcayan came too, unwilling to be apart from Delphina.

Jerian was too weak to climb the tower. It was extremely tall, with seemingly endless stairs.

“Delphina, take my hand. I’ll help you up,” Elcayan said.

Without his help, climbing would have been far more difficult.

“I’m coming too, Kassen!” Ivelina called, hurrying after him, but he didn’t look back, his steps quick with excitement for his soon-to-be title.

At the top, Ivelina smiled at Delphina.
“Thanks, Delphina. I didn’t think you’d work this hard for Kassen’s succession.”

It was practically a jab. Delphina gave a wry smile—lately, Ivelina had been on edge, as if afraid Delphina would steal Kassen away.

“Oh, that’s not it at all. Like I told Kassen, I made this food for Jerian, not him. I honestly hate Kassen, so please don’t misunderstand, Ivelina.”

Ivelina frowned—Delphina’s expression was clearly unpleasant.

To make her point, Delphina added,
“With Elcayan right next to me, do you think I’d look anywhere else?”

And truly, every young lady present had their eyes on Elcayan.

Ignoring Ivelina now, Delphina looked toward the Duke of Fuat. He was about to ask the three final questions needed to complete the succession.

‘To officially receive the title, he has to pass all three.’

They could communicate with the people at the base of the tower via a communication orb.

“I will activate the orb,” the Duke said.

Light spread from his hand, showing the image of the crowd below.

Holding the seal, he began.
“Kassen Fuat, are you prepared to govern House Fuat?”

Kassen nodded firmly.
“Yes, I am prepared.”

“Do the members of House Fuat acknowledge him?”

From the orb came the reply—from both the main and branch family members:
“Yes, we acknowledge him.”

Only one remained—Jerian’s approval. This was the reason he had come despite his poor health.

“Jerian Fuat, do you consent to pass the title of Duke to Kassen?”

All eyes turned to Jerian. If he agreed, Kassen would be Duke.

The Duke, certain of Jerian’s agreement, extended the seal toward Kassen.

But before Kassen could take it, Jerian’s answer shocked everyone.

“No, I cannot agree.”

A wave of silence swept the crowd, then whispers erupted.

“What did he just say?”
“If Jerian doesn’t agree, what happens?”
“It means Young Duke Kassen can’t take the title yet.”
“But isn’t Jerian seriously ill?”

Kassen’s face twisted in anger. He couldn’t comprehend the situation.
“What do you mean, you can’t agree? What is this, Jerian?”

“Just what I said—I cannot agree to Kassen Fuat inheriting the title of Duke.”

With that, Jerian stood up. Kassen’s eyes widened—Jerian had been unable to walk for a long time.

And now, Jerian was standing on his own two legs.