The crystal chandelier hung from the dome, while the Court Musicians played a slow dance tune, and the waiters wove between the guests, trays in hand.
Crystal goblets brimmed with all kinds of fine wines.
Yet tonight, there was only one name on almost everyone’s lips.
[Dawn Dew.]
“I have a bottle right here.”
A gentleman lifted his hand gently, and a servant respectfully brought forth an exquisite wooden box.
As soon as the box was opened, more than twenty pairs of eyes turned to look, all at once.
Unlike the ornate packaging of the first batch, this bottle was simple and elegant, yet not a single person looked down on it.
On the contrary, someone murmured in admiration:
“This is what true nobility should look like—it has no need to hide behind gold or silver.”
The gentleman smiled faintly and uncorked the bottle in front of the crowd.
A cool fragrance of wine wafted out, as if the light of dawn itself had spread through the hall, even drowning out the scent of charcoal from the fireplace.
He poured the wine into several crystal glasses and handed them to a few distinguished guests beside him.
“Everyone, please, have a taste.”
The guests exchanged glances and, almost in unison, raised their glasses and took a sip.
A moment of silence.
Then, the oldest among them, a Baron, froze for an instant, then let out a breath, and a trace of long-lost clarity surfaced in his gaze.
“It’s a miracle.”
He murmured, “It’s so much better than Crimson Dream.”
At that very moment, another noble, known for his fondness for “Crimson Dream,” was persuaded by those around him to take a sip as well.
He’d long been addicted to Crimson Dream, his eyes dull, his reactions slow—no one expected him to show any reaction at all.
But in the next instant, his whole body suddenly shuddered, and his eyes gradually cleared, as if he had just broken free from a heavy dream.
“It’s been… so long since I’ve felt this lightness.”
His voice was hoarse, but filled with genuine surprise. “After drinking too much Crimson Dream, my whole body always feels heavy, and my mind sluggish. But this… this is the kind of wine that truly brings happiness!”
This scene left everyone present stunned. Then, voices of discussion surged like a rising tide.
“To think it would have such an effect?”
“No wonder everyone’s been chasing after it lately.”
“So Crimson Dream was just a backdrop—Dawn Dew is the real noble vintage!”
The “Dawn Dew” that had been the subject of heated debate because of its reputation now exploded with near-unanimous praise after being tasted.
***
In the secret chamber of Baron Black’s Mansion, the air was so stifling it was hard to breathe.
The Baron’s face was clouded, and the wine in his glass nearly spilled out.
“Dawn Dew… Its influence is growing bigger by the day. If this goes on, Crimson Dream will soon be crushed!”
The man in the black robe remained unmoved, his voice deep and cold:
“What are you panicking for? It’s nothing but idle talk at a few banquets. In the end, mortals will always drown themselves in desire—they won’t remain fascinated with sobriety for long.”
“But…”
Baron Black’s jaw was clenched so tightly it seemed it might break. “Didn’t you see? They’re practically throwing away their bottles of Crimson Dream, just to brag at gatherings that they’ve tasted Dawn Dew!”
But the black-robed man only let out a cold laugh and said, “Let them be. Tides that rise quickly recede just as fast. What they truly crave isn’t the dawn, but the abyss.”
Baron Black fell silent.
Though he said nothing more, an ever-growing flame of unease churned inside him.
The black-robed man’s indifference did nothing to quell his agitation. On the contrary, the rumors kept stabbing at his heart again and again.
Who was it, after all, who had brewed such a wine?
He’d secretly sent out several groups, following every possible lead, not even ignoring the rumors in the slums.
A few days later, in the secret chamber.
A subordinate knelt on the ground, his voice low:
“My lord, we’ve discovered it…
…The formula for Dawn Dew was invented by Miss Eleanor.”
Baron Black jolted as if struck.
His wine glass almost slipped from his hand, and his face looked pale in the lamplight.
“Eleanor?”
He muttered, as if that name shouldn’t have had any connection to such a wine. “How could it be her?”
His fingers began to drum unconsciously on the armrest of his chair, but the rhythm was utterly chaotic.
He quickly drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, though the corners of his lips couldn’t help but curl with a trace of mockery.
“The Duke’s precious daughter… Hah, no wonder Dawn Dew became the toast of the upper city overnight.”
His laughter was low, but it couldn’t hide the anxiety between his brows.
He knew all too well—if it really was Eleanor, he had no chance of winning.
But his doubts didn’t disappear. Instead, they burned even fiercer.
He lowered his voice:
“Keep digging! I don’t believe the Duke’s eldest daughter would get involved personally! Even Eisend hasn’t made any statement! Someone else must be paving the way for her in secret!”
The subordinate bowed his head in acceptance and quietly withdrew.
Baron Black sat alone in the shadows, his wine glass creaking under his grip.
He wanted more information.
But the agitation in his heart wouldn’t subside for a long time.
Eleanor’s status did not permit him to act rashly.
She was the pride of Duke Eisend, a jewel watched by both the Empire and the Church.
If he acted recklessly, it would be nothing short of self-destruction.
Light flickered in his eyes, reflecting a Baron’s ever-darkening expression.
“Her status can’t be touched for now.”
Baron Black muttered under his breath, but the shadows in his eyes only grew deeper. “But if there’s a way to tarnish her wine’s name… perhaps Dawn Dew won’t last.”
His thoughts gradually coiled into something venomous.
Rumors, blockades, secret hands…
There were always ways to smother a wildfire before it could spread.
He was not fighting alone—behind him was the terrifying Abyss Cult.
Besides, this time, the Abyss Cult’s true target was Eleanor herself.
Baron Black slowly lifted his cup and drained the remaining wine in one gulp.
“Eleanor…Even if it really is you, I won’t give in so easily.”
He set the glass down heavily on the table, the sound dull and crisp.
“We’ll see about that!”
***
Several days later.
Inside Helos’s workshop, candlelight flickered softly.
Kyle and Selina entered, both wearing serious expressions.
“We’ve found something new.”
The moment he saw Helos and Julius, Kyle spoke up directly.
“What did you find?”
Helos nodded, signaling them to continue.
Selina spoke quietly:
“The black-robed man appeared again at the ‘Alley Tavern’ we’ve been watching. He was just as heavily covered as before, coming and going through the back door. But there’s no mistake—it’s the same person.”
Kyle placed a rough map of the neighborhood on the table, his fingertip tapping lightly on several marked spots:
“And not just that—in a few other taverns in the lower city, we’ve found traces of the special blend wine. The scent is very similar to the previous one—they’re clearly starting to increase their supply.”
A faint crease appeared on Helos’s brow.
Selina took a cloth pouch from inside her coat and set it on the table.
“We also intercepted a batch of finished poison, stored in the back room of an apothecary. If we’d been a moment later, they would have shipped it out.”
Julius’s expression darkened and he spoke quietly:
“In other words, they’re getting ready to launch it across the entire lower city?”
“From what we’ve seen lately, that does seem to be their intention.”
Kyle added in a grave tone, “If we don’t act soon, the poisonous wine will spread throughout the lower city, and by then, things could spiral out of control.”
The workshop fell briefly silent.
Helos gazed quietly at the cloth pouch on the table. Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on her lips as she looked at the black-haired youth beside her:
“What does that tell you, Julius?”
“It means…they’re getting desperate?”
That Baron Black is far wiser than the cultist, guess he lacks the bias idea that humans want the abyss.