You will be the last.
What could that mean?
Did she literally mean no one else but me would ever do such a thing to her?
Or did she mean she would make an example out of me so that such a thing would never happen again?
One thing was certain: Viol was incredibly angry right now.
“Stop this!”
Alios quickly stepped between us.
“Your Majesty, Ceres committed an act of disrespect, but you insulted him first.”
"So it's okay to splash spaghetti on my face, the Emperor's face?"
“Surely Your Majesty wouldn’t retaliate against a frail man for a single blow?”
"I will."
Viol’s burning eyes fixed on me.
Then…
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Viol stared incredulously at Alios, who had taken a fighting stance.
“Has this bitch truly lost her mind? I let you live because you were somewhat useful, but now you dare to defy me.”
“I am merely attempting to offer stern counsel, even using force if necessary, as Your Majesty is about to commit an unjust act. If you back down now, nothing further will happen.”
“That kind of threat is something I should be making. How foolish of a Sword Master to fight me without even a sword.”
“I have a sword.”
Alios picked up a dinner knife.
Instantly, aura—the proof of those who have reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, the Sword Masters—welled up from the knife.
Viol glanced briefly at the knife, now enveloped in aura and transformed into a legendary-grade weapon, then…
"Are you kidding me?"
She punched Alios.
Alios quickly raised the blade to block, and fist met knife.
Afterwards, as if an explosion had occurred, Alios was sent flying backwards.
She soared across the party hall, twisting mid-air to break her momentum before landing on the ground.
“You made me bleed?”
Viol frowned, looking at her hand. Her skin was slightly grazed, drawing blood.
To clash bare-fisted with aura and only suffer a minor scrape…
Her durability was absurd, but this was characteristic of the imperial family.
All royalty here possessed a special bloodline, granting them such resilient bodies.
And Viol was an exceptionally strong monster even among them.
“One after another, defying your own master. Don’t think I’ll let this slide.”
“Your Majesty, please grant your forgiveness!”
As Viol examined her hand, Ares quickly knelt and begged for mercy.
“I will accept the punishment in his stead. So please, spare Ceres!”
"No."
Even though the situation around me was chaotic, the cause of it all, me, observed it calmly.
I thought calmly.
Because I couldn't understand why I had suddenly exploded like that myself.
I did like Ceres, but that was about the story in the novel.
This place, now, was reality for me.
My opponent was the Emperor of this empire, possessing both power and force.
She didn't even say it knowing about the original Ceres. It was just a provocation aimed at me.
So why did I do it? Because the body I'm currently using is Ceres's body, albeit a different gender?
…It seems I held more affection for Ceres than I thought.
"I need to take responsibility.”
Since this happened because of my mistake, it's only right that I bear the consequences.
“Hey.”
I strode towards Viol and spoke. I met her surprised gaze.
“I apologize for overreacting. The one you want to take your anger out on is me, right? Leave Alios and my mother alone.”
“…Is there something wrong with your mind?”
Viol glared at me, aghast.
"As I said before, I admit it. I will never see another one like you again. Someone as far gone as you!"
“Probably true.”
In your life, there will likely be no one you obsess over more than me.
“I could wring your neck and kill you right now!”
Viol made a motion as if reaching for me, and she probably could if she wanted to.
However…
“Right now, you can’t do that.”
“Do my words sound like bluster? Why do you think that?”
Because…
“You will fall in love with me.”
“…What?”
Viol looked stunned.
“Ceres?”
“You, what?”
Alios, who had been preparing to fight again, and Ares, who was about to pull me away to hide me, had similar reactions.
In the frozen hall, I alone continued speaking.
"You're already obsessing over me. It won't be long until you fall completely."
“Crazy bastard.”
“If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you proof.”
I approached Viol's outstretched hand. Startled, Viol flinched back.
“What are you doing?!”
“Go on, kill me if you can.”
I tried to take Viol’s hand and place it on my neck, but she snatched her hand back in fright.
“What on earth are you doing?!”
“What about you? You said you could wring my neck right now. Do it if you want to.”
I smirked at the hesitant Viol.
“Looks like you really can’t.”
“Sh-shut up! I’m just planning to give you special suffering, that’s why I’m not killing you right away. Who do you think would actually love someone like you?!”
Viol snapped irritably, then glanced back and forth between Alios and Ares.
“Let’s say, as you claim, I really can’t kill you because I love you. But do you think I can’t kill those around you? Right now, these two…”
“Then I’ll die.”
“…What did you say?”
“If you touch those two, I will kill myself.”
To show I wasn't bluffing, I grabbed a sharper knife used for peeling fruit.
It would be enough to inflict a fatal wound on my soft neck.
As I held it to my throat…
“Ceres!!”
“You crazy son of a bitch!”
Alios cried out, startled, and started to move, but Viol beat her to it.
Viol snatched the knife away and snapped it with her bare hands.
“You, you!”
She was so agitated she could barely speak.
Just moments ago, she claimed she could kill me.
Seeing her panic and stop me when it looked like I might actually die, I thought,
Yes, it turned out like this after all.
Until now, I had done my best to avoid the original plot developments.
Still, Alios and Hames held considerable favor towards me.
So, what would happen if I acted almost exactly like the original, albeit a bit excessively?
I was certain.
Viol would fall in love with me. And though she could torment me, she could never kill me. That much I was sure of.
“Mother.”
“Ce-Ceres?”
“Go home first. I promise I will definitely return later.”
“How?!”
“Don’t worry. You just saw, didn’t you? This person can’t kill me, so don’t do anything rash out of worry.”
I firmly told Ares not to start a rebellion looking for me, then looked at Alios.
“You go back too. I appreciate you trying to help, but if you cause any more commotion, it will truly be impossible to handle.”
“Then what about you, Ceres!”
“Don’t worry. As I just said, the Emperor can’t kill me. She can’t let me die either.”
As I spoke calmly, Viol shouted.
“Don’t be ridiculous! Do you think I’ll meekly let these traitors who defied me go?”
“You will.”
Just like when Ceres (she), unable to bear the continuous injustices, protested risking her life like I just did, and you [Original Viol] couldn't refuse and had to grant her demands for the time being.
"Grr...."
Watching Viol momentarily raise her hand as if to grab my collar, only to stop, I pitied her.
Poor woman.
To make things like this just by picking a fight needlessly.
Not obsessing over me would have been better for you all too.
To her, who still didn't understand, I stated my terms and revealed the future.
“Instead, I’ll stay here.”
“…What does that have to do with me?”
“It does. From now on, whatever you do, wherever you are, your thoughts will be so full of me that nothing else will matter.”
Viol’s expression twisted.
“This way, please.”
“You will be staying here for the time being.”
Led by two female soldiers, I arrived at a room inside the Imperial Palace.
“Her Majesty will be visiting soon, so please refrain from doing anything strange.”
"I won't. I promised to be quiet."
Ultimately unable to overcome my stubbornness, Viol sent Alios and Ares back.
Instead, she placed all responsibility on me and decided to confine me within the Imperial Palace for the time being.
I accepted it without complaint.
It was a situation I wanted to avoid, but things turned out this way because of me.
What happens now?
Originally, Viol confining Ceres in the palace was an event that happened quite some time after they met.
He [Original Viol] had lured Ceres (her) out with some excuse and forcibly confined her.
But I have a valid reason – smearing spaghetti on the Emperor's face – and I also agreed to the confinement, didn't I?
I have no idea what will happen next.
Although I can guarantee she won't seriously injure or kill me.
Should I prepare to be hit a few times?
“Dinner.”
While I was pondering, food suddenly arrived, brought by a very unexpected person.
“Why is the Emperor bringing something like this herself?”
This was behavior not seen in the original work. Viol herself had come, carrying a tray laden with food.
When I asked why, her reply was a masterpiece.
"If I sent some clumsy servant, you might seduce them and escape, so I brought it myself."
What is she talking about?
As I stared at her, dumbfounded, Viol placed the tray on the table.
Then she sat down in the chair directly opposite mine.
“Eat. I need to keep you alive first so I can make you suffer more later.”
“What’s wrong? You’ll eat what that wench gives you, but you can’t eat what I brought?”
No, it’s not that.
I looked at the steak on the tray, feeling troubled.
“I can’t eat things like this. My body can’t handle it.”
“What do you mean? You ate what Alios gave you.”
“What she gave me were things that weren’t burdensome, like salad or plums.”
This body is too weak; it rejects heavy dishes like steak.
My body has improved a bit now, but I still can't push it.
"Then what do you eat?"
“Soup, soft bread, and certain vegetables and fruits.”
“Tch, making me waste something I took the trouble to make. Wait a moment.”
Viol took the meal and left.
I assumed she was going to tell the chef to change it, but she spoke as if she had made it herself?
"Here's the soup, bread, and fruit you wanted."
The food she brought back shortly after was something I could eat.
I had eaten a few things at the party earlier, but I wasn't full.
As I ate with satisfaction, Viol spoke.
"How did it taste?"
"It's delicious."
"...Is that so."
“Tell the person who made it that I enjoyed it.”
The meal was tasty, so I said it without much thought.
"No need, there's no need to tell them."
Viol smirked slightly, perhaps mockingly, as she refused.