《Kneel Before The Villain》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    ***


    It started snowing early in the morning and finally stopped in the afternoon. By the time I stepped out of the building, all sides were covered with white snow.


    I stood in front of the crosswalk with my cell phone in one hand. I pressed and held the power button on my phone and the screen lit up with a bright light, messages that I hadn¡¯t been able to check started flooding in.


    [Noona, you know the super sale ends today, right? Just pick up a bag of ice cream when youe over.]


    While I was checking the stagnant letters, a new one arrived. It was the onlyint among the messages of support and encouragement that raised an eyebrow. I naturally gritted my teeth as I thought of my brother¡¯s face, who would be at home watching TV leisurely. How could I, who had justpleted a lifetime of serious business, run errands for someone who was at home ying?


    <i>¡®Is he out of his mind? Why do I hate him so much?¡¯</i>


    I felt like I was getting crazy, but suddenly the air around me became cold. I shoved my hands into my padded pockets and looked ahead.


    The crosswalk lights turned green just in time. About halfway across, I saw a familiar car.


    I saw someone sitting in the driver¡¯s seat and waved my hand with a happy face.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    It was cold and I wanted to warm up my cold body in the warm car as soon as possible.


    I hurried towards the car.


    Just then, I heard a loud whistle in the back.


    I turned my head, startled by the sudden roar, and saw a motorcycle running towards me.


    Instantly, everything around me seemed to slow down.


    But on the contrary, my body, sensing the danger, froze and did not move. The next moment, with the feeling of being pushed away, my body lifted into the air and immediately crashed. I couldn¡¯t even scream properly due to the cruel pain I felt for the first time in my life.


    Under my reddening vision, I saw a broken motorcycle and the driver lying bleeding with his leg broken in a strange direction.


    Something warm flowed down my cheeks.


    I couldn¡¯t even tell if it was tears or rainwater. My body was motionless, my heart beating faster and faster, and everything felt slow, as if I was the only one in the world who had stopped.


    People screamed loudly.


    The sun had set a little and I could see my mother¡¯s face, all pale and pallid.


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s ¡­¡­.¡±


    I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.


    Only then did I have a hunch that something was terribly wrong.


    The people around me were not looking well either.


    I moved my head slowly and looked down at my body.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The figure was so terrible that I couldn¡¯t even open my eyes to see it.


    I felt empty. I burst outughing at the unrealistic sight.


    After a trickle of blood from between my opened lips, the tears began to flow.


    How did I end up in this situation?


    I slowly closed my eyes and opened them again.


    Was this what you call a shback?


    I closed my eyes and the events of the day slowly went through my mind.


    Today was the day I was to take the university entrance exam.


    Early in the morning, I left home after putting on my thick jacket and a backpack. It was certainly a very important day for a student, but I wasn¡¯t the least bit nervous.


    I had already been informed a few weeks ago that I was epted to the university of my choice. In the meantime, I spent all of my time studying, besides reading romance novels, which was my only hobby.


    It was exhausting.


    I went to bed after midnight and woke up at dawn.


    Sometimes I felt so miserable with the repetition of life and cried for no reason at all, but it was okay.


    I didn¡¯t give up until the end, and finally I achieved it.


    Thanks to my life of looking only forward, I ended up being epted into the business administration department of a prestigious university, and it was clear that my future would be solid.


    I struggled enough, and now all I had to do was to bepensated for all the hard work I had put in.


    At least, that was what I believed for sure until ¡­¡­ a while ago.


    But they say you¡¯ll never know what the future might bring.


    I had worked so hard, but I couldn¡¯t even go to college, and it was such a waste.


    I felt so frustrated at the unfairness that I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to close my eyes even if I died. However, contrary to my mind, I was struck by a strong drowsiness. At the same time, my vision gradually became cloudy. It was as if I was being sucked into a deep sleep.


    <i>¡®This is absolutely ridiculous.¡­.¡¯</i>


    I slowly closed my eyes.


    Soon darkness consumed my vision.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I warned you not to be vulgar again, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    An unfamiliar voice sank into my eardrums. The voice woke me up slowly. It was as if I had awakened from a deep sleep. I could feel the texture of the cold marble floor against my skin vividly. I didn¡¯t know why, but I felt a tingling pain in my wrists and ankles. Before I could figure out what the hell was going on, I heard the voice that had woken me up again.


    ¡°How long are you going to keep doing that?¡±


    <i>¡®You¡¯re not talking to me, are you?¡¯</i>


    I slowly raised my head and looked up. A man with blond hair and blue eyes was looking down at me with a cold face, while a beautiful woman with dark green eyes was looking at me with a surprised face. They were dressed very mboyantly, like the heroes of a fairy tale, and they were the most beautiful people I had ever seen in my life. And I was lying in front of them in a tight, saggy dress with a tight waist.


    My body froze as if the ident had stopped at an unreal sight. I slowly looked around, frowning. For the first time in my life, I saw thisndscape.


    Marble floors,rge chandeliers on the ceiling, dozens of foreigners in peculiar clothes¡­. A scene that could only be seen in medieval Europe was spread out before me.


    I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment.


    <i>¡®What? Where the hell am I?¡¯</i>


    It was indeed indoors, but it seemed to be even bigger than a school yground.


    Even in the midst of chaos, the gorgeous decorations attracted my attention.


    <i>¡®Is that real jewelry?¡¯</i>


    The man opened his mouth again while I was distracted by the eyes of a nearby sculpted statue.


    ¡°You¡¯d better stop looking so dirty and go back. Or go somewhere and chill out.¡±


    I was sure that the man¡¯s eyes were on me. The man¡¯s gaze was definitely on me, so his words must have been directed at me as well.


    I ended up frowning at a series of his vitriolic remarks.


    I was dumbfounded by the absurdity.


    But the man, unconcerned with his own reaction, turned to the woman beside him.


    ¡°ire, let¡¯s go. I¡¯m sure you were startled, so you¡¯d better go and rest.¡±


    The man said, and the woman gave a small shake of her head, then turned her gaze to me again. Then the man¡¯s gaze also turned back to me.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s demeanor was arrogant, his gaze on me was like he was looking down on something foul. Rather than being annoyed by his gaze, I first wondered if I was dreaming right now.


    ¡°Are you still here?¡±


    The man¡¯s tantruming voice roused me from my reverie. I could hear a rustling around me. I felt the prickling of people¡¯s gazes piercing through me. My right wrist hurt as if it was injured, and my heart was beating wildly.


    I brushed my lips and raised my upper body with my hands on the floor.


    My mind was filled with the idea of getting out of this ce for now.


    As I turned with a bewildered look on my face and hurried to my feet, I bumped into someone¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    I saw a clean white shirt, an elegant suit, and a small pendant encrusted with red jewels.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I made a small apology in a panic, and without waiting for the other person¡¯s answer, I walked away.


    ¡°Even if he¡¯s the Crown Prince, I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s treating the princess that way. If the Dukees back and finds out about this, he won¡¯t sit still.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. His Highness is really too much.¡±


    ¡°She probably deserves it too. That¡¯s why he did what he did.¡±


    Every time I took a step, people¡¯s eyes followed me. I couldn¡¯t understand what they were talking about while looking at me, but I felt as if I had be an animal in them and turned into a spectacle.


    I walked randomly looking for a ce where there were no people.


    It was then that I discovered the terrace. I didn¡¯t know where I was and I had nowhere to go anyway, so I needed some time to calm down and take a look at the situation.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    As soon as I opened the door to the terrace, I lost the strength in my legs and sat down.


    I let out a deep breath.


    <i>¡®What is going on here?¡¯</i>


    I was trying to calm my confused mind in the cold breeze, when for a moment, I saw a strand of golden hair, waist-length, blowing in the wind.


    I reached out and touched it.


    The hair, thin and long like a spider¡¯s web, hung gently in my palm. My skin was particrly pale from the moonlight, and my fingers were slimmer and longer than I remembered.


    I raised myself up slowly and approached the window.


    <i>¡®What is this?¡¯</i>


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes for a moment.


    The reflection of myself in the ss was so unfamiliar.


    The light golden hair, the strange white skin, the big, yellow eyes, and the thick lips were definitely not my own. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off my iprehensible image and watched for a while, but my reflection in the ss didn¡¯t change a bit.


    <i>¡®Am I dreaming right now?¡¯</i>


    I had a feeling that everything was too vivid to be a dream, but other than that, there was no other way to exin this situation. The morous lighting and musical sounds inside felt alien, and the people in it were not only unfamiliar, but hostile to me.


    <i>¡®Where in the world is this dreaming from?¡¯</i>


    The tears welled up in my eyes, the blood, the broken pieces of the motorcycle and the screams of the people, and my mother crying at the sight of me¡­my tears flowed naturally as I recalled myst memory.


    I thought I would never be able to live after the horrible ident as I saw in the movies, but now that I was so clear in my consciousness, it seemed like a dream, too.


    When I was convinced that everything was a dream, Iughed in despair.


    I didn¡¯t know why I kept having nightmares like this, but now I think about it, I was addicted to horror movies and romance novels back then.


    That was how I started having these crazy dreams.


    I was afraid I would never see my family again, and all my efforts during that time would go down the drain.


    It was unfair to disappear.


    My heart was still beating fast, but it was better than before. I wanted to go back to reality as soon as possible, and as soon as I got home I would throw away all the horror movies and romance novels in my room.


    I swore and wiped my tear-stained face with my sleeve. Then I turned around and walked towards the parapet.


    The quickest way to wake up from a dream that I was aware of was to bang my head against something or run away from a space that scared me.


    <i>¡®How could I not wake up from this?¡¯</i>


    Finished thinking, I huddled against the parapet of the terrace and looked down. The moon¡¯s reflection in theke next to the garden full of red roses was breaking in the wind and swaying in all directions.


    The distance from the terrace to the ground seemed a bit far, but not too high, and there was a softwn.


    Of course, in real life, a fall from this height would be very painful.


    I think I might break one part of my body or get seriously injured.


    But I knew that this was a dream and it wouldn¡¯t affect me.


    I took a deep breath and stood on the railing. A breeze was blowing and the pleasant scent of flowersing from the garden below wafted to my nose.


    Perhaps it was because of the dream, but I felt more hazy than frightened. Then I stepped into the air.


    Just then, someone reached out to me.


    ¡°Princess, no!¡±


    The nice voice seemed to be frightened, desperate, and urgent.


    As soon as someone grabbed my wrist, my body, which had fallen, was hanging in the air.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    ***


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I let out a short scream as I felt a strong pain that instantly warped the bones in my wrist.


    I felt a slight loosening of the grip on my hand. I didn¡¯t miss the opportunity to shake off the hand of the man who caught me with the other hand that wasn¡¯t captured.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    My body was falling at a rapid rate towards the floor, but strangely everything seemed slow.


    Then I saw the face of the man who reached out to grab me.


    His jet-ck hair, red eyes, white face and fine features were so beautiful that it made me forget everything for a moment.


    Somehow his eyes were filled with guilt.


    The man¡¯s face was distorted as if he was in pain, but he was still as beautiful as ever.


    It was even more mesmerizing than when I was looking at the moonlight.


    I couldn¡¯t understand why someone I didn¡¯t even know was making such a face for me, but I would soon wake up from my dream and I would never know why. The moment I slowly closed my eyes, thinking, ¡°I¡¯ll be back to reality soon,¡± the raw pain choked me and soon clouded my consciousness.


    A few minutes ago, the Princess tried to torment an innocent woman again today, but was stopped by the Crown Prince, and because of her high status, this was not a light matter, but she fled out of shame. It was always the case.


    The people didn¡¯t care much about it. Even after that one littlemotion, the banquet hall was still lively and festive.


    People went out into the halls to dance with their partners and drink while exchanging happy looks and conversations.


    In the middle of the banquet hall, the Crown Prince and ire were standing. There were many people around them.


    ¡°Lady Dana, are you hurt anywhere?¡± (*Dana is her family name)


    ¡°I was really surprised earlier. I¡¯m d the Crown Prince came at the right time.¡± (Someone else is talking.)


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your concern.¡±


    ire smiled brightly.


    The people around her gathered to see the Crown Prince, but it seemed that the Crown Prince¡¯s attention was elsewhere.


    His lips, which had been cheerfully red, were pale, and his eyes were wide open as if he had seen something shocking.


    Surrounded by people, receiving interest and concern, ire noticed the unusual condition of the Crown Prince btedly and called him.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    There was no response from the Crown Prince.


    He didn¡¯t answer any of ire¡¯s questions, and a few secondster, he ran off somewhere in a hurry, leaving her alone.


    The people present seemed to be more than a little perplexed by the Crown Prince¡¯s sudden action.


    ire, with a small frown, turned her gaze in the direction he had been looking earlier.


    There was a terrace with an open door, the curtains billowing in the breeze, and she could see a man standing in the middle of it.


    The man¡¯s upper body was leaning towards the railing.


    His hair, which looked soft in the moonlight, was dancing wild in the wind. After a while, ire looked at the man¡¯s face and saw a surprised look on his face.


    <i>¡®Why is that man there?¡¯</i>


    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the ce where the man was standing was the terrace where the Princess had been earlier.


    However, there was no Princess on the terrace, just a single person. ire couldn¡¯t hide her wonder.


    ¡°Lady Dana, is something wrong?¡±


    Someone from the crowd asked as the Crown Prince hurriedly left his seat, and even ire, who was left behind, had aplicated look on her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ire shook her head.


    However, contrary to her words, her expression hinted there was a problem.


    The Crown Prince was headed somewhere.


    He didn¡¯t even seem to have time to pay attention to the suspicious looks of the people watching him.


    In front of the Crown Prince, who had stopped, a woman with dazzling white hair and a pale face was lying on the cold floor, motionless with her eyes closed like a dead person.


    Her long, wavy white blond hair stretched out in all directions, her dress was covered in mud, and her face was clearly marked with tears.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face turned pale as he looked at her.


    ¡°Roxana?¡±


    There was no response to his call, and the Crown Prince¡¯s body began to tremble.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    It was then that he felt the presence of someone behind him. The Crown Prince slowly turned his head.


    There was someone standing in the darkness. When the Crown Prince saw his face, he looked a little surprised.


    ¡°Elvin, why are you¡­?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t pay any attention to the Crown Prince¡¯s words and approached.


    Without hesitation, the man sat with one knee on the floor, checked the woman¡¯s condition, and then held her.


    The Crown Prince, who came to his senses btedly, frowned and asked,


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°She needs a doctor. And what¡¯s so important about who¡¯s helping? Why don¡¯t you go back now, Your Grace? There are many people waiting for you inside.¡±


    The man was so arrogant that he didn¡¯t even bother to hide his discontent.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re trying to buy time and draw attention, would you please step aside?¡±


    The Crown Prince was speechless.


    While he was thinking what to say, the man disappeared with the princess.


    The Crown Prince, who was left alone, stood frozen for a while.


    ***


    When I woke up, the sky was already dark.


    I didn¡¯t know how long I slept, but it felt like a very long time had passed in my experience.


    It was a dream within a dream¡­¡­¡­ It was a strange experience.


    Beside the bed, a brown-haired, innocent-looking woman was sitting in a chair, dozing.


    The room was luxurious with precious artifacts here and there, tapestries hung on the walls, and the marble floor was covered with a carpet embroidered with freesia in gold thread.


    This was certainly not my room, but I knew this room.


    I even knew the name of the woman sitting in front of me.


    <i>¡®It¡¯s Annie.¡¯</i>


    I had a very long dream until I woke up.


    In the dream, I was a noblewoman named Roxana, and everything in front of me now¡­. was hers.


    I blinked slowly.


    But when I closed my eyes and opened them, everything in front of me did not disappear.


    It was still there in front of me.


    If this wasn¡¯t really a dream, it would probably be a terrible nightmare.


    What would I do if I don¡¯t wake up forever?


    I stood in front of the frame containing the portrait of Roxana¡¯s family and pondered, then made up my mind.


    <i>¡®Let¡¯s try this onest time.¡¯</i>


    I looked around and spotted a vase of flowers on the table.


    I pushed it slightly to the side with my hand and it fell down, and the vase, carved with a mango tree, made a loud breaking sound.


    The sound startled Annie, who had been sitting on the side of the bed dozing off, woke up.


    Annie stood up and looked at me with a surprised look on her face.


    I averted my gaze, picked up a shard with a trembling hand, and cut my palm.


    A red line was drawn across my palm and immediately red blood leaked out and stained the carpet on the floor.


    I groaned in pain at the raw agony and clenched my fists.


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    Annie rushed towards me and held my hand with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Lady, are you all right?¡±


    She looked at me and stamped her feet as if she were going to cry.


    However, I didn¡¯t hear her words very well.


    I felt a twinge of pain in my freshly made wound.


    Red blood trickled from the white skin that was not mine.


    That¡¯s when I saw the mirror on the other side of the dressing table.


    In the mirror, I had long blond hair and was wearing a thin indoor dress.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that I was not dreaming.


    I stood there in a daze, not knowing what to do.


    ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll go get someone right away.¡±


    Annie said in a trembling voice as she hurriedly walked out with an anxious expression.


    ¡°Young Lady, please stay where you are!¡±


    After a while, a few people came into the room.


    Along with Annie who had just slipped out, there was a doctor, a butler, a nanny, and even a servant boy.


    They looked at me in surprise and carefully observed my condition.


    The doctor disinfected and bandaged my hand, and the attendants tidied up the room.


    I spent each day in a daze without any concept of time, doing nothing and falling asleep when I felt sleepy. I cried secretly and had a fever and struggled through the night.


    I despaired that even after so many days, the ceiling I saw when I woke up was still the same.


    As time went by, I began to give up on it. The more time I spent locked in my room all day, trying not to see anyone or do anything, the more worried I became about my surroundings.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve hurt your head.¡­I think it¡¯s a mental problem.¡±


    After several visits by the doctor, there were rumors in the mansion that I was abandoned by the Crown Prince, that I had gone mad.


    As time went on, the rumors became wilder and wilder.


    At some point, they even started circting the nonsense that I had an ident while having an inappropriate rtionship with another man.


    Why hasn¡¯t she woken up yet? There really is something wrong with her , isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath and keep your seat.¡±


    All I did was lie in bed in a daze all day, locked in my room without saying a word.


    People began to talk among themselves right in front of me.


    As time went on, the servants¡¯ attitude toward me changed. At first, the maids seemed to be cautious, but gradually they left their seats, ignoring me brazenly.


    The only one who silently stayed by my side was Annie, a young-looking servant girl.


    It had been two weeks since the day I jumped off the Imperial Pce¡¯s terrace, and a week and two days since I came to my senses.


    I wanted to stay in my room and turned a blind eye to everything, but I couldn¡¯t.


    While I was locked in the room, the memory of Roxana came to mind.


    ***


    When Roxana was a young girl, her biological mother, Duchess Lillian, died.


    The Duchess was wise and gentle, kind to those beneath her, and well-liked by all.


    When she was alive, the family was close and the household was at peace. However, after the death of the Duchess, the Duke could not ept the death of his beloved wife and suffered intensely, eventually volunteering to go to war.


    People all feared that he would go off to die with a broken heart, but the army led by the Duke unexpectedly won a series of victories, and his fame grew ever stronger.


    The news of the Duke¡¯s subsequent victories was an honor for the family, but Roxana, who was left alone in the mansion from an early age, was raised by nannies and servants.


    As the only daughter of a high-ranking noble family, she was treated very well while growing up, but she never felt loved.


    However, no matter how well the others treated her, they could not fill the void left by her parents. The Duke only asionally gave gifts on days like her birthday, but otherwise showed no interest in her.


    He was so busy that he would only stay less than a month each year at the mansion. That was the only time Roxana could see his face.


    Even at times, he was as cold-hearted as a stranger.


    The Duke was a finemander and a good lord, but he wasn¡¯t a good father.


    He was indifferent to his only daughter, and Roxanna thought he had abandoned her. To her, the Duke was difficult and ufortable.


    Far from talking, they rarely bump into each other even when they were in the same house, so the father and daughter were as estranged as strangers.


    Roxana fell in love with the Crown Prince and for the first time since she was a child, she asked the Duke for a favor.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°I want to marry the Crown Prince. If it is not him, I will not marry anyone and will live alone for the rest of my life.¡±


    When Roxana first said this, the Duke left his seat without saying anything. He reacted as if it wasn¡¯t even worth listening to. But a few dayster, the Duke called Roxana and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask His Majesty.¡±


    With a few words from Roxana, the Duke gave her a wedding with the Crown Prince.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a teacher in advance to learn imperial discipline. Study hard.¡±


    Being rted to the royal family may have been an honor on the surface, but it came with great danger.


    If she was involved in a bad incident, the Duke would also be involved and suffer great damage. Also, if the Crown Prince was pushed out of thepetition for the throne and the second prince took over instead, the entire family that supported the Crown Prince could be in danger.


    Nevertheless, the Duke granted her wish.


    Roxana was inwardly surprised by his decision, but on the other hand, she was grateful.


    The Duke went to the frontier again. Roxana was left behind in therge mansion, but she was no longer lonely. At her side was the Crown Prince.


    The Crown Prince had dazzling blond hair and beautiful features, just like the Emperor.


    Because of his high status, beauty, and good looks, many nobledies adored him, but Roxana was able to secure an engagement with him with the help of her father.


    The Crown Prince was the only legitimate son of the royal family, and Roxana was the only legitimate daughter of the Duke.


    The Empress cared so much about her only son and had to show his power in front of everyone. The Duke also prepared Roxana¡¯s engagement ceremony perfectly, so their engagement ceremony was a very grand affair.


    Next year, Roxana would marry the Crown Prince, and when she did, she would be the Crown Princess. The Crown Princess was the most noble woman in the country, except for the Empress.


    She was also the woman whoter rose to the position of Empress.


    The Crown Princess was certainly a seat worthy of being sought by many, but what Roxana really wanted was not power, but the Crown Prince himself.


    Roxana didn¡¯t have much to say except for her high status.


    She was arrogant, insensitive, and had a bad reputation, even though she was the only daughter of the Duke.


    Still, the Crown Prince was kind to her. He treated Roxana with courtesy and kindness, and she was able to stand by him proudly in many ces.


    After the engagement ceremony with the Crown Prince, the way people looked at Roxana changed to a mixture of jealousy and envy.


    There were those who used her behind her back that she actually wanted the throne instead of the Crown Prince.


    But that didn¡¯t affect Roxana in the slightest.


    Nothing else mattered to Roxana, as she already had the Crown Prince, whom she adored from the depths of her heart.


    The Prince was clearly doing his duty as her betrothed and being kind to her.


    Roxana, with the help of her family, gave the Crown Prince a lot of help to get to the throne.


    The Duke epted most everything Roxana asked for, and when the Duke did not ept her request, she used her willpower and somehow managed to get what she wanted.


    She forced her family to make sacrifices in order to gain the favor of the Crown Prince.


    With the support of the powerful military family, the Duke of Lillian, the Crown Prince¡¯s position became stronger.


    The more this happened, the closer the rtionship between the Crown Prince and Roxana became.


    Roxana was immersed in happiness and intoxicated with sweet dreams.


    However, her happiness did notst long.


    Justst year, at the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday banquet, ¡°the woman¡± appeared.


    ire Dana.


    Baroness Dana was a local aristocrat, very insignificant, and Baron Dana was also a humble man.


    ire was just the daughter of a lowly aristocrat, but she had turned Roxana¡¯s sweet dreams into nightmares in the blink of an eye.


    ire had blonde hair that reached her waist, green eyes that looked like they were transported straight from the forest, smooth and lively milk-colored skin without a single blotch, and rosy cheeks and lips. With her flowery face and gorgeous figure, ire caught the attention of many people since her debut.


    There were countless beautiful women to be found in social circles, but ire stood out among them all. Even the poor nobles usually came dressed in good clothes when attending the imperial banquet, even if they had to borrow money to do so.They wanted to fit in at the luxurious banquet.


    However, the dress ire wore that day was the most rustic of all the people at the banquet. Her pale pink dress with a small jewel ne made her rustic attire gorgeous.


    It was instead noticeable among the people wearing heavy trinkets. ire kept her posture, undaunted by the pensive stares. But the social world was thoroughly a world of the weak and the strong.


    If a powerless person had what she wanted, the people around her could not leave it alone. A woman in ire¡¯s position in the social world was a very good match for a political marriage. She would likely marry to be concubines of rich nobles or be sold to a wed noble for the benefit of her family.


    ire¡¯s situation was not so different from theirs in the beginning.


    One nobleman flirted with her and was rejected, which caused a smallmotion in the corner of the banquet hall.


    Even though the nobleman, whose pride was hurt by her stubborn attitude, raised his voice, ire did not give in and still maintained her firm attitude.


    As a result, when several aristocrats around him sided with him, the uproar grew bigger. That was when the Crown Prince stepped in.


    ¡°Why so much noise? Is there a problem?¡±


    He sought understanding from ire and calmed down themotion.


    ¡°Crown Prince¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know much about etiquette and this nobleman was being rude¡­.¡±


    As the male nobleman facing the Crown Prince froze, one of the noblemen beside him defended him instead.


    ¡°Really? It¡¯s a little different from what I¡¯ve seen. Am I mistaken or are you trying to fool me in the pce?¡±


    The Crown Prince sneered coldly.


    ¡°Sir, if the Young Lady rejected you, it¡¯s because of your shorings. It¡¯s not something you should make a big deal about.¡±


    The nobleman¡¯s face turned red when the Crown Prince pointed this out in front of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    The nobleman looked around for help with a look of shame on his face, but the atmosphere had already changed from before the crown prince intervened.


    People did not intervene any further, but just watched the situation closely.


    ¡°The Imperial Pce is not your yground, so you¡¯d better keep your dignity straight. This time, I¡¯ll let it slide, but if you make a scene in the pce like this again, I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re ignoring me and hand you over to the guards for punishment.¡±


    ¡°..I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Themotion was quickly settled down.


    Even the arrogant aristocrat had no choice but to bow his head in front of the only legitimate son of the imperial family. After the situation was over, the Crown Prince escorted ire to the guest room. Disputes of that magnitude often urred among the nobles, but this was the first time the Crown Prince hade out directly.


    Roxana was somewhat curious, but she had just assumed that was the end of the matter for that day.


    But then he didn¡¯te back, and while she was looking around the banquet hall for him, Roxana went out into the garden and saw him and ire kissing on the terrace.


    At first she was confused and then angry. But the next moment, when she saw the Crown Prince¡¯s gentle smile staring at ire, there was nothing she could do.


    It was a happy sight that he had never shown to Roxana before. It was different from the pretense he usually put on in front of her.


    Roxana had been mistaken so far, intoxicated by the Crown Prince¡¯s kindness.


    She was sure that he felt the same way. But when she saw the Crown Prince looking at ire with different eyes than when he looked at her, she had to admit that it was all an illusion.


    The Crown Prince looked so happy that Roxana didn¡¯t have the heart to disturb him, and as she was backing away, her eyes met ire¡¯s.


    The look mixed withughter was an obvious mockery.


    Roxana grew more and more decrepit since that day.


    She had to dress even more morously to hide it, but it caused the opposite effect.


    Roxana used to wear dark primary colors, but after meeting ire, she decided to wear what she thought was the Crown Prince¡¯s taste.


    She wore a light pink dress and simple trinkets to suit his taste.


    It was a beautiful outfit, but the pink color didn¡¯t suit her dark and haggardplexion.


    In fact, it only made her look provincial, like a youngdy who had juste from the countryside. Moreover, Roxana was taller and more mature, making it awkward, like an adult wearing children¡¯s clothes.


    She didn¡¯t have a good reputation to begin with, but after she openly copied ire, she was tantly ridiculed.


    Roxanna¡¯sck of character was even more nakedly apparent than ire¡¯s.


    Roxana¡¯s clothes were originally gorgeous to match the Crown Princess¡¯s status, but somehow they became childish and frivolous.


    ire, on the other hand, always wore simple clothes.


    Even though she didn¡¯t have any noticeable essories, she was like a pure and simple lily, and somehow began to wear gorgeous clothes after she got close to the Crown Prince.


    Even those who had mocked and pointed at her were impressed by her beauty, which grew day by day. ire took all the hard-earned things that Roxana had done easily. The crown prince¡¯s attention, the seat next to him, even his heart¡­¡­


    ¡°Did you see the dress Lady Dana wore at the banquet the other day? It¡¯s very gorgeous. As far as I know, her family¡¯s financial condition has not been very goodtely.¡±


    ¡°It must have been a gift from the Crown Prince. Otherwise, how could she get such expensive items every time?


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely true. Come to think of it, her clothes lookedpletely different the first time I saw her.¡±


    ¡°This is a secret but some people saw a carriage with the imperial seal on it going in and out of Baron Diana¡¯s house the other day.¡±


    ¡°That Young Lady is very capable, isn¡¯t she? I¡¯m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I¡¯m sure the Princess would be quite sick to her stomach if she knew.¡±


    Roxana had everything so easily from an early age that she didn¡¯t have to fight hard with anyone until ire showed up.


    There were no sisters in the Duke¡¯s mansion to be jealous with, and the servants were wary of her, the Duke¡¯s only child. Perhaps that was why Roxana was always somewhatcking.


    She was lonely and filled the void around her extravagantly by buying new goods and dresses incessantly. However, those things could not heal her wounded heart.


    Therefore, even though Roxana was almost of the age of adulthood, she still had many childish parts.


    Roxana was arrogant and ire was cunning, so Roxana was no match for ire in any way.


    Since ire¡¯s appearance in the social world, Roxana¡¯s status had diminished drastically. Inparison, ire, who was only a baron¡¯s daughter, had the crown prince as her backer and was even more domineering than Roxana, the Princess.


    Roxana would officially be the Crown Princess next year.


    However, the Crown Prince had yet to show his face, even though his fianc¨¦e was ill.


    Roxana was thoroughly neglected by the imperial family.


    Even if she was to marry, it wouldn¡¯t make any difference.


    It was clear that all she would gain was status, and that she would fade away pathetically under her morous mask. The whole time I was experiencing Roxana¡¯s life through my dreams, I felt as if I was being enveloped in a pitch-ck darkness.


    My world had be even darker than before.


    Even now, when I woke up from the dream, I was miserable and nauseous at the bad memories.


    ¡®When will I be able to go home? No, can I go home?¡¯


    I bit my lip as I thought about my family.


    Already, the servants¡¯ attitudes were changing daily. In the beginning, they were polite and acted with some sense, but now they would act arbitrarily, treating me as an invisible person.


    If I let it go any longer here, it would be difficult to solve itter. I wasn¡¯t going to force myself to nurture the problem and solve it.


    So I couldn¡¯t just think about my feelings and be depressed like this all the time.


    I stood up and opened the curtains.


    My body was a little stiff from being cooped up in bed for so many days without moving.


    My head was throbbing with pain. Just then, I heard the door open and Annie, the maid who had been nursing me so well for so many days, slowly entered the room with a bright face.


    Her face was full of surprise and joy.


    Annie stared at me closely and burst into tears.


    ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere, My Lady?¡±


    I pondered for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°I need to get a doctor right away. You¡¯ve been lying down for a few days, so you must have gotten a lot weaker. And I¡¯ll bring in the others. Everyone will be happy to see you awake.¡±


    Annie said in a thrilled voice.


    She was truly happy that I was awake now.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to make a fuss. I just want to get some rest, can you let me be alone for a while?¡±


    Annie hesitated a moment, then quickly nodded and left the room.


    I looked at her as she left with a tired face.


    I said I didn¡¯t want Annie to make a fuss, but the news that I had woken up was going to spread soon.


    It was obvious how much people would be talking about this.


    Until now, I could only lie down and pretend to be sick without talking to anyone. But now that I got tired of it and decided to stop, I would have to face the people from tomorrow.


    I wondered what stories they would tell behind my back, and how should I treat them from now on.


    My head was already spinning with thoughts of this and that. Alone, I washed my face, sat in front of the mirror, andbed my hair.


    Then I faced my new appearance for the first time in a calm state.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    ***


    My reflection in the mirror was very beautiful. Sharp,rge, golden eyes were mysterious and long eyshes.


    Snow white skin, round forehead, small nose, and plump red lips.


    There was a shadow under the eyes, but even that was very atmospheric and beautiful.


    On the first day, I didn¡¯t have the time to appreciate this face properly, and I had purposely avoided it until now. But once I decided to ept it, the act of ignoring it was much more irrelevant than I thought.


    Maybe many days had gone by and I became a little dull.


    If you think about it, in the original world I should have died, but now I¡¯m alive. And I became a rich youngdy with a very beautiful face, the kind that everyone would dream of at least once. I didn¡¯t even know myself that maybe this second life would be worse than I thought, but I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the mirror for a while.


    After looking at those mysterious golden eyes and bright golden hair for a long time, I suddenly remembered the first day I fell into this world.


    That was the first time I saw them. The Crown Prince and ire.


    That day, I found myself running away from the mockery and the scornful stares.


    The people looking at me were full of mockery, and the expression on the Crown Prince¡¯s face, the first time I had seen him, was filled with deep hatred.


    The image of me in the mirror was aplete contrast to ire¡¯s.


    ire had downcast and naive eyes, but now my reflection in the mirror looked a little sharper.


    When I sat still with no facial movements, I looked a little ferocious somehow. But I didn¡¯t feel a bit inadequate,paring my current appearance to ire¡¯s. I couldn¡¯t understand how Roxana¡¯s pride had hit rock bottom. She was beautiful enough on her own, without being obsessed over her appearance or imitating anyone else.


    <i>¡®I don¡¯t even want to think about it.¡¯</i>


    I naturally frowned at the thought of that day when I was covered in wounds. Just then, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Mydy, this is Stephen. May Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Pleasee in.¡±


    Eventually the door opened and a man with brown hair and brown eyes came in with Annie. The young man was not as conspicuously beautiful looking as the crown prince, but he was taller and had a nice face.


    ¡°You¡¯vee.¡±


    I greeted him with an unconcerned look on my face.


    He had a familiar face which I encountered countless times in Roxana¡¯s memory.


    Stephen.


    He was the chief butler of the mansion. He was sopetent in handling business that he had earned the title of chief butler at a young age in his position as amoner. The Duke spent most of his time on the battlefield, so it was Stephen who actually managed the mansion while the Duke was away.


    Stephen was certainly capable, and his loyalty and love for the Duke¡¯s family was deep.


    But now, his gaze on me was not so sweet. He looked at me standing by the window in my nightgown with an unfriendly gaze, and then, with a frown on his face, he asked,


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. But I¡¯ll go get a doctor just in case.¡±


    Stephen¡¯s words were polite, but his voice was wavering. He looked neat as always, but his face was a little gaunt, and he looked tired.


    <i>¡®Do as you please.¡¯</i>


    I stared at him for a moment, then nodded.


    Stephen looked surprised at my easy answer, greeted me politely, and left the room.


    His demeanor was cold and irreverent, but I didn¡¯t point it out. From his point of view, Roxana was someone who would only cause trouble and harm the family.


    In addition, Stephen and Roxana had shed many times over the issue of nannies and maidservants. His allegiance was to the Duke of Lillian, not to the Duke¡¯s immature daughter.


    He didn¡¯t like Roxana, and Roxana didn¡¯t like him either.


    However, Stephen was one of the few people who could give Roxana proper advice. Of course, she didn¡¯t listen to him one bit¡­


    It was not in her best interest to be acquainted with him at this point. And while he was a bit irreverent, he was a lot better than some of the people around Roxana.


    At least he wouldn¡¯t cheat or deceive me.


    I sat on the couch while drinking the cup of warm tea that Annie prepared for me, and waited for the family doctor that Stephen called.


    It was the very same doctor who had treated me for the past few days. And I was deredpletely cured. I was not deaf or aphasic, but to say I was sick was a bit ridiculous in my opinion.


    ¡°Appearances can be deceiving, but just in case, I think it¡¯s best not to do anything that might shock the Young Lady for the time being.¡±


    The doctor told Stephen in a quiet voice at the door before he left, and Stephen nodded with a serious expression on his face. People looked at me uneasy and worried, but that did not interest me in the least.


    ¡°I want to be alone. Please leave.¡±


    The servants looked unhappy at my words, but finally did as I asked and left the room. Left alone, I recalled the memories of the past few days while looking at the bandages that the doctor had wrapped around my wrist a while ago.


    I woke up after the fall and was absent-minded all day without saying anything, so people thought I was strange, but besides that, the surroundings were strangely calm.


    It was peaceful, but also a little lonely. Roxana¡¯s great status and position was only demonstrated when she was in front of them.


    Annie was the only person who cared for her in thisrge mansion¡­. Roxana superficially seemed to have it all, but what she was holding was like a sand castle that could easily fall apart.


    I felt even more sorry for Roxana because she knew the truth to some extent.


    The emptiness and misery I felt while looking into Roxana¡¯s memories was enough to drive one mad.


    It was enough.


    When she wished for her own death and disappearance, Roxana was obviously impulsive, but she threw away all thest lingering feelings in the world.


    It seemed that my bewilderment and fear that day was not just limited to myself.


    When I thought of that moment, a fever rose in my eyes.


    <i>¡®I need some rest.¡¯</i>


    After the doctor¡¯s visit, I was given generous treatment.


    On the surface, everyone was happy that I was awake. But I knew better. However, I thought it would be more natural for me to remain silent.


    I was changing my clothes and looking around the room.


    Someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Youngdy, I brought you some food.¡±


    As soon as my permission was given toe in, the door opened and an unfamiliar-looking servant brought in a tray on wheels.


    On it were plenty of dishes with delicious looking food.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any help. You can go.¡±


    The servant had the food ready on the table and quietly closed the door. I slowly approached the table and sat down.


    There were three kinds of meat dishes on the table: beef, pork and chicken, corn and mushroom soup, rye bread and sd.


    It was the first proper meal I had had since I fell into this world.


    Up until now, I had only eaten porridge and soup like hospital food that the maids brought. I didn¡¯t have much of an appetite, but the soup the maid brought me was just warm and tasteless.


    That was why I often skipped it.


    Because of the sense of loss and depression, I lost all motivation and thought I had no appetite.


    However, when the feast was in front of me, I could feel the hunger that I had forgotten before. In the end, I ate more than usual and even ate all the desserts that the servant brought.


    After a while, the maid came back into the room with some other maids. They were all dressed from head to toe in gorgeous outfits, as if they had gone to a party a moment ago.


    They looked very worried when they saw me.


    Laura, the oldest of the attendants and the head maid, approached me and spoke in a tearful voice.


    ¡°How are you feeling, youngdy? We were all worried about you.¡±


    Laura¡¯s eyes were filled with tears before I knew it. She squeezed my hand and seemed to have some truth in her tears. But it didn¡¯t work for me.


    <i>¡®If you¡¯re going to do this kind of acting, at least you have to show sincerity by changing your clothes.¡¯</i>


    I gently pulled my hand out from her grasp and asked with a smile on my face.


    ¡°Did you all have fun at the festival?¡±


    Laura¡¯s eyes widened, as if she felt a sense of dissonance with the slightly different reaction than my usual. The other maids also looked at each other with surprised faces.


    It was the festive season, and judging by their attire, they weren¡¯t at the banquet.


    Then there was only one ce left.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t everyone answering?¡±


    I asked again and the maids went pale.


    Their faces showed signs of irritation.


    In fact, it was originally the head maid¡¯s job, not Annie¡¯s, to take care of me. But she and the other maids not only excused themselves, leaving their sick master behind, but also pushed what they should have done to their subordinates.


    If I wanted to take issue with their conduct, I could give them a great punishment or even kick them out of the mansion.


    But the next minute, what came out of their mouths was not an apology or a word of forgiveness.


    ¡°It was alright. It would have been better if Young Lady could havee too. Oh, I bought a gift for you at the festival, would you like to see it?¡±


    Laura looked perplexed for a moment, but quickly regained herposure and spoke falteringly.


    I raised my lips coldly at the sight of her unconcerned face.


    She was the oldest among the maids, and the other maids chimed in with their own words.


    ¡°Yes. It was no fun at all. Isn¡¯t that right, Tien?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was so worried about the Young Lady that I couldn¡¯t enjoy it at all.


    The others were cautious and reserved, but Laura treated me as if she wasforting a little child with a friendly tone.


    <i>¡®You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. A present?¡¯</i>


    It was ridiculous. How foolish she thought Roxana was.


    For the future, I needed to get my affairs in order and clear my surroundings. I didn¡¯t have to be a thorn in their side and be sensitive about everything, but I had to let them know that they had been looking down on the higher-ups and correct their behavior.


    I shook the bell by my bed, for otherwise they would continue to deceive me.


    Soon after, another maid came into the room.


    ¡°My Lady, you wanted to see me?¡±


    Perhaps because of the difference in status, the maid¡¯s attitude was quite different from that of the other maids.


    Perhaps it was because of their different status, but they certainly had a very different attitude from the maids. No matter how much noise they made in the shadows, this maid was very polite in front of me and did not seem to be the least bit disturbed, perhaps to avoid having her job taken away.


    I looked at them and spoke in a calm tone.


    ¡°Viscount William¡¯s daughter (Laura) will be leaving the mansion as of today. And I will bring back the head maid who was kicked out the year beforest.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    At my words, the atmosphere in the room froze in an instant.


    The faces of the maids stiffened, and Laura¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. They all looked more than a little surprised.


    A heavy silence descended upon the room.


    It was Laura¡¯s voice that broke the silence.


    ¡°Miss, what is this now¡­¡­?¡±


    Ignoring her, I stared at the servants, and said,


    ¡°Why is no one moving? You don¡¯t hear me because you don¡¯t see me as your Master, do you?¡±


    The maids¡¯ faces turned pale at my words.


    They shook their heads saying it wasn¡¯t like that, and then approached Laura.


    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡±


    Laura said in an imminent voice. Now a hint of nervousness appeared on her face.


    ¡°If you¡¯re upset that we left you to go to the festival on our own, you can join us tomorrow, or even today after dinner¡­¡­¡±


    I stood up with a cold look on my face.


    Then I turned to the servants and coldlymanded them.


    ¡°How long do I have to listen to this nonsense? Get her out immediately!¡±


    ¡°My Lady? My Lady!¡±


    As the servants grabbed her arms to carry out my order, Laura called me urgently. She knelt down on the ground and tried to grab the hem of my dress. I had been watching her before she reached for my dress, and I stepped aside to dodge her hand lightly.


    Then I lowered myself and looked at her straight in the eyes.


    ¡°Goodbye, Laura. You¡¯ve done a great job.¡±


    Laura¡¯s face contorted instantly. A hint of fear appeared on her face.


    As I raised my head, the servants resolutely grabbed her arms and pulled her out of the room. Laura¡¯s voice rang out in the hallway, calling for me pitifully, and soon after, silence fell.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Laura did not apologize to me until the end.


    I think she was just perplexed. There were a few people who felt sorry for the crown prince who was engaged to me because Roxana was arrogant, insensitive, and spective.


    So far, Roxana has tormented people by believing in her status and position.


    But in fact, Roxana was too generous to her people. That was why her nannies and maids behaved so cheekily in front of their masters. Roxana¡¯s generosity and escapism made this situation what it is today.


    <i>¡®What kind of servant ignores and makes fun of her master¡­¡­..¡¯</i>


    It was unimaginable in ordinary aristocratic families.


    The atmosphere in the room became even heavier after Laura, who was the most intimate and dignified among the maidservants, was sent away.


    The maids looked bewildered at the unexpected situation. I gazed at them and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Now, whose excuse should we hear next?¡±


    There was silence for a few moments after I finished speaking.


    Then the maids shouted out, without saying who was first.


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    The maids knelt down in front of me and apologized.


    Unlike Laura, who tried to cate her master by treating her like a small whim or a mean child when her master pursued her about her mistake.


    But that didn¡¯t mean that their past was much different from Laura who was just kicked out.


    They were still ignoring and deceiving their master, just to a lesser extent. If Laura was the mastermind, the rest of the maids were more like bystanders.


    To be honest, at first I thought about kicking them all out.


    But I quickly changed my mind.


    With the exception of Laura, the rest of the maidservants had a vicious side to them, but not so much that I couldn¡¯t tame them. Above all, the maidservants have a fierce side that was unique to the nobility. However, they were still immature children. It wouldn¡¯t be too hard for me to deal with them.


    Besides, there would be a lot of rumors in the social circles if I got rid of all the maidservants overnight, and even if the issue was excluded, Roxana, a high ranking noblewoman, couldn¡¯t be without them.


    And so, a new head maid should be selected, but after such a big fuss in the pce, it was very difficult.


    Roxanna¡¯s reputation in social circles had never been good, but the recent events had made it even worse.


    On top of that, I jumped off the balcony of the Imperial Pce and injured myself badly, so I contributed greatly to the damage to her reputation.


    In such a situation, what difference would it make if anyone came?


    After all, it was rare to find a nobleman in the capital who didn¡¯t mock or ignore her at least once. I¡¯m sure there are a lot of people who are different inside and outside.


    To choose a new head maid, one has to go through variousplicated procedures.


    The head butler was not the only one who was troubled by this process. Rather than that, it would be better to use someone who was familiar with the situation.


    Since most of the work would be done by the servants anyway, it didn¡¯t matter to me whether they were there or not, as long as they didn¡¯t cause any serious problems.


    And isn¡¯t it too much trouble to fire all the maids and hire new ones?


    I¡¯m sure it will be the same no matter whoes.


    So I decided to give the rest of them a chance, except Laura. They could either leave the Duke¡¯s mansion like Laura, who was just kicked out, or they could stay and obey and be honest from now on¡­Actually, I didn¡¯t really care that much either way. It was just a little annoying.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A heavy silence fell.


    My heart wasplicated when I saw the maids on their knees trembling, unable to say a word, unable to raise their heads.


    The Duke of Lillian was a longtime founding contributor, and his victories on the battlefield had taken his prestige to the sky in the Empire.


    The people were enamored with him, the knights led by the Duke were powerful, and the surrounding countries did not dare to invade the empire. Because of this, even the noble imperial family was wary of him.


    Roxana, the only daughter of such a family, was an invaluable person. Moreover, she was supposed to officially be a member of the royal family next year, when she held hering-of-age ceremony.


    She would then be the most noble woman in the empire, except for the Empress, the Crown Prince¡¯s mother.


    Not many people could publicly mock the royal family, no matter how disreputable and foolish they were.


    Whether they liked it or not, the nobles would have to bow before her.


    In time, she would naturally take her ce as Empress.


    When that happened, Roxana¡¯s maids would no longer be the Princess¡¯s maids, but the empress¡¯ maids.


    It was a great honor for the nobles to take care of the royal family.


    Besides, considering the status of the maidservants, being the Empress¡¯s maid was the most prestigious position they could ever dream of.


    Normally, the maids of honor, daughters of the lower nobility, would not have dared to even speak to Roxana. However, Roxana treated them very well, considering them to be her own people, and they took advantage of her heart and looked down on her for giving them grace.


    If they were good people, or if they had any conscience at all, they would be grateful and thankful for what she was giving instead.


    But they did not.


    The maidservants had certainly looked down on Roxana and deceived her a few times.


    They did not do the job they were assigned to properly.


    They had nopassion or sense of duty asn went to the festival when Roxana, their owner, was lying on her sickbed.


    But no matter how much they looked down on Roxana and hated her, it would be a shame to lose out on the Empress¡¯s maid position right in front of their eyes.


    The generous sry and honor given by the Duke would also y a strong role in changing their attitudes.


    ¡°What did you do wrong?¡±


    When I asked, the maids looked at each other silently with troubled faces.


    It was obvious that they were trying to use their brains to avoid the situation.


    It was a pity to see the young girls turning pale and looking like they were about to cry in bewilderment.


    But as I watched their changed attitude, I became more and more determined.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, you can leave. I¡¯ll tell Stephen.¡±


    The faces of the maids turned even paler at my words.


    The year beforest, the head maid was evicted, and Stephen took over the management of the servants. Stephen was a very straightforward and strict man.


    He didn¡¯t get along with them, and they didn¡¯t like him either.


    If I were to tell Stephen what had happened today, it would be out of my control.


    There would be no turning back then. Stephen¡¯s work was delicate and tricky, so the maids might not just be kicked out like Laura did, but be questioned and punished.


    Since Stephen was a close aide of the Duke, it was possible that he had reported to the Duke today.


    The Duke always seemed like a heartless father, but from what he had done for Roxana over the past few years, it was clear that he cared for his daughter very much.


    His long wanderings on the battlefield had given him a bleak mood, and in handling his work, the Duke was silent and very generous to his servants and the people of his domain.


    But people were afraid of him and had a hard time with him because of his determined, sword-like attitude. So the maids were not trying to please me right now out of remorse for the behavior they had shown so far or out of fear of me, they were trying to escape the situation at hand for the sake of their own future. But even they, who had no qualms about the master in front of them, should be afraid of the Duke.


    So my words were nothing but a stern threat. It was also the easiest and quickest way to get them to open their mouths.


    ¡°My Lady! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that I took Laura¡¯s invitation and left you unattended. I¡¯m sorry I left our work to the maid instead and¡­¡­.¡±


    Tien and Joan continued to talk in tears.


    From the looks of it, they were indeed afraid of the Duke.


    ¡°And?¡±


    When I asked, Tien¡¯s face looked devastated.


    She bit her lips in frustration, as if she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Next to her, Joan was sitting like she was dead. She looked nervously at me as she ripped her nails.


    Before I could open my mouth again, Tien spoke first.


    She apologized for every little thing she said, from recent to past events.


    Joan finally opened her mouth when Tien finished.


    There had been more than one or two incidents of disrespect they hadmitted against Roxana. They were also not punished for their actions or mistakes, which they knew were their faults, so they moved on as naturally as water flows.


    As the conversation grew longer, their faces became more distorted.


    I sneered at them, their faces turned pale and their lips quivering.


    ¡°If it was an unintentional act, I would just give a warning, and if you don¡¯t fix it afterwards, I would punish you then. But you did it even though you knew it was wrong so I have nothing more to say.¡±


    I finished talking and turned around.


    Then Tien grabbed the hem of my skirt with an impatient look on her face.


    ¡°Miss, wait a minute! Please go ahead and ¡­¡­ punish me.¡±


    I shook her hand away as I stared at her coldly.


    ¡°Today¡¯s punishment will be based on your future behavior.¡±


    Relief washed over Tien¡¯s face. However, she didn¡¯t seem happy.


    ¡°You should leave now.¡±


    I gave them an order.


    Unable to stand it, they awkwardly got up.


    ¡°Get some rest, youngdy.¡±


    I did not answer.


    Looking at the backs of the drooping maids, I instructed Annie to close the door.


    I did not say that I would fire the maids. I didn¡¯t say anything about getting angry or punishing them. But I also did not say it was okay.


    The maidservants eventually left without being forgiven to the end.


    If I were to punish them, they would have a hard time. Though I considered they had paid for their sins with what I did earlier.


    Butpared to what Roxana had been through, the maidservants¡¯ hardships were only a moment.


    I had no intention of easing their minds.


    Therefore, I would not forgive them either.


    It was not my role to forgive them, so what does it matter to me what they are thinking in their hearts or what they sincerely regret?


    ¡®There¡¯s already no one in the world who really needs to be apologized to.¡¯


    I looked out the window feeling bitter.


    The only reason I was pursuing the maidservants now was to rify the hierarchy. I wanted to make sure they knew where they were, and at the same time remind them of their duty.


    It was as simple as that.


    With Roxana¡¯s power and position, most people were bound to bow before her.


    Of course, using this method would have a negative impact on her reputation. But for the future, it was better this way.


    Roxana¡¯s reputation was near disaster anyway, and it looked like there was nowhere else to go. I was rather d about that.


    Because it meant that I didn¡¯t have to be so careful about my actions and pour so much meaningless sincerity into a reputation that wasn¡¯t even mine.


    People would generally leave it at that, even if I acted on my own.


    I looked at my bandaged hand. The pain wasn¡¯t much but it felt stuffy.


    I put my fingers inside the bandage to create a space between the bandage and the skin.


    Then the bandage loosened a little, and it was cooler as the wind blew through the open space.


    There were still bruises on my thin, white wrist.


    It was a gift from the Crown Prince on the day I first fell into this world.

 Chapter 6

    When I thought of the Crown Prince, I naturally remembered the memory of that day.


    Despite the fact that the Duke¡¯s daughter was being humiliated in public, people only looked at her with mocking stares instead of helping her.


    Even the people who usually liked to go out and say they were gentlemen or chauffeurs were especially quiet that day.


    Actually, the memory of that day was quite shocking. It was wildly frustrating, but I left the ce in solitude with no oneing forward. However, at some point such things became routine for Roxana. It was shortly after ire showed up in the social world that Roxana began to fall apart in earnest.


    ire was as sly as a fox and as persistent as a snake.


    She was like a person who existed to drag Roxana down. Thanks to ire, Roxana also tried to be as careful as possible on official asions.


    However, Roxana had the personality to do whatever she wanted for the Crown Prince.


    And ire was very well aware of that.


    Under the light of a gorgeous chandelier, the couple was confronting a woman. The onlookers watched the three of them with interesting gazes. The man and woman were all beautiful, but unlike the gorgeously dressed man, the woman standing beside him was a bit shabby in her clothing. (ire)


    However, the gold bracelet on her white, thin wrist looked very expensive.


    ¡°Are you deaf, or is there something wrong with what I¡¯m saying? Why don¡¯t you answer me?¡±


    The mboyantly dressed woman asked with wild vigor.(Roxana)


    ire seemed to be very scared of this situation right now. Everyone was upset by ire¡¯s pathetic appearance, and the Crown Prince by her side gritted his teeth bitterly.


    A murmur erupted from the people.


    The people stared at Roxana coldly.


    Everyone wants to be a hero.


    I think it was natural for them to be angry, because they adore heroes, because a fragile beauty was being bullied in front of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you to stop.¡±


    The Crown Prince warned in a low voice.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The woman gave a gasping fakeugh.


    She was the most mboyantly dressed of the three.


    She looked a little sharp, but her appearance itself was not bad.


    But the thick make-up made her look ferocious, and the frown on her face, as if she was terribly angry about something, made her look bad.


    The woman was the real Roxana.


    ¡°Was it my fault this time, too? I only asked her where she got the bracelet from. Jeremy, I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e. You haven¡¯t forgotten that, have you?¡±


    Roxana squealed, pointing at the bracelet on ire¡¯s wrist.


    As people¡¯s eyes focused on him, they could see the confusion on the Crown Prince¡¯s face.


    As everyone watched the situation, ire quietly opened her mouth.


    ¡°This is a relic that my grandmother gave to me. It was normally kept in my jewelry box, but today was a special asion, so I brought it out for the first time in a long time. I don¡¯t know what kind of misunderstanding the Princess may have had.¡±


    ire¡¯s demeanor was calm, her eyes were very clear, and she didn¡¯t seem to be lying.


    People sighed, feeling sorry for ire. They even frowned ufortably at Roxana.


    ¡°Misunderstanding¡­¡­¡­.Do I look blind to you?¡±


    Roxanaughed. Her eyes were filled with disbelief.


    ¡°Even if you sell the old shabby house you live in, you can¡¯t buy that bracelet.¡±


    The people¡¯s expressions worsened at the excessive usation. But the indignant look in her eyes couldn¡¯t possibly be that.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so brazen, why don¡¯t you let me check out that bracelet? Then we¡¯ll know where you got it.¡±


    ¡°Roxana, stop being so cocky.¡±


    When Roxana grabbed ire¡¯s wrist and tried to force the bracelet off, the Crown Prince shook off her hand. He looked at Roxana with a disgusted stare. While Roxana froze, feeling dumbfounded that the first time her fianc¨¦ did that to her, the Crown Prince walked away, taking ire with him. All that was left was the murmur of the people and the infantile nces of the enemies.


    ¡°It¡¯s despicable!¡±


    Roxana, who grasped the mood a step toote, was at a loss, but she soon left her ce, swearing loudly.


    In fact, Roxana¡¯s suspicions were quite reasonable.


    The bracelet on ire¡¯s wrist was the one she had seen the other day on her visit to the Imperial Pce.


    She still remembered wondering a bit about the women¡¯s essory as it was on the Crown Prince¡¯s desk.


    The jewelry bracelet was certainly borate and pretty.


    However, there were plenty of jewels and trinkets piled up in the duchy, and Roxana could have more if she wanted.


    She just wondered a bit why there were women¡¯s things in her fianc¨¦¡¯s room. But she let it go without a care, thinking that it probably belonged to the Empress, but the bracelet on ire¡¯s wrist today brought up a memory of that time. She had a good memory, and since it was something she had seen the other day, there was no way she would forget it.


    And yet, how dare ire tell a lie so brazenly?


    And the Crown Prince was on ire¡¯s side.


    But unfortunately, there were only two people who knew that fact, aside from Roxana, the Crown Prince and ire.


    The two of them had already sided with each other, so in the end she had to fight the battle on her own.


    Since that day, the Crown Prince and ire began to stick together openly.


    And now, Roxana¡¯s reputation was fatally damaged.


    ire cleverly provoked Roxana in the same way almost every time.


    Some days ire revealed her gifts from the Crown Prince, some days she spilled small secrets between her and the Crown Prince, and some days she would proudly stand close to the Crown Prince.


    Their arguments ended up with finger marks on ire¡¯s face and her beautiful dress ruined by wine.


    Ostensibly, ire seemed to lose every time, and Roxana seemed to win every time.


    But after every such fiasco, the Crown Prince always showed up, med Roxana, and took ire away.


    After that, all that was left was the people¡¯s condemnation.


    Once themotion was over, Roxana became an evil woman who always used her power to bully the powerless Young Lady.


    The one-dimensional anger of the way Roxana dealt with ire just looked ridiculous in their deep minds, like a child¡¯s prank.


    Roxana couldn¡¯t even make a decent threat, let alone be too cruel.


    So it was only natural that she was ignored. For ire, dealing with a girl blinded by love was as easy as eating a piece of cake.


    It was obvious to whom the people would side with: Roxana¡¯s, who lost her reason and went crazy, or ire¡¯s, who looked fragile and wept sadly.


    ¡°The Duchess died early, didn¡¯t she? That¡¯s why the Princess turns out this way.¡±


    ¡°It seems the Duke¡¯s love for children was truly amazing.¡±


    ¡°The Duke spends most of his time on the battlefield defending his country, so how can that be his responsibility?¡±


    ¡°Neither the Duke nor the Duchess did that, who on earth she is¡­.¡±


    Some people attributed Roxana¡¯s wrong behavior to the fact that the Duchess left this world too soon.


    They taunted Roxana, who was never taken care of by her parents from an early age, so she never learned anything while growing up. The Duke¡¯s political opponents also said that every time Roxana acted in a way that lowered the prestige of the duchy, it was because the Duke had mishandled the education of his daughter.


    Of course, not everyone was stupid. ire was in the Crown Prince¡¯s favor, and the Crown Prince was considered a strong possibility to inherit the throne in the future.


    If ire was to stay by the Crown Prince¡¯s side until then, who knew what her future would hold.


    That was why many people were trying to make connections with ire.


    Roxana knew very little about politics and was not that close to her father, the Duke of Lillian.


    He spent most of his time on the battlefield, and his time in the capital was very short.


    Just seeing ¡°Mochi¡± fall now made a difference, so ire was able to interact with a lot of people and solidify her position while maintaining an imposing rtionship with the Crown Prince at a low status.


    Indeed, it was ire who pushed Roxana into the mud in a short period of time, but it was Roxana who destroyed herself by being swept up in the shallow tricks.


    It was not easy to be ignored by others even with such high status and status as Roxana. Although Roxana was actually young, she didn¡¯t know how to think as deeply and was impulsive as they were whenpared to other nobles of her age.


    In any case, prejudice, once engraved in people¡¯s minds, would not go away easily.


    That was why she didn¡¯t want to go to the trouble of putting in the time and effort to restore and maintain her reputation.


    The worst would be getting a p on the face.


    If ire would endure a few insults in front of Roxana, people would feel sorry for her and it would be Roxana who would be vilified. So there was far more to gain than to lose from ire¡¯s struggle with Roxana.


    So it was only natural that ire wasn¡¯t afraid of Roxana.


    Roxana was already notorious in the capital. She believed in power, liked to bully others, was jealous and had no sense of propriety.


    She didn¡¯t intend to correct this misunderstanding.


    It was not easy to get rid of prejudice once it¡¯s engraved in people¡¯s minds anyway.


    Moreover, the fact that Roxana was not a saint, but a viiness, was not so bad for her either.


    Unlike a saint who has to work hard to gain the favor of others, worrying about her every move, people would not suspect her if she acts carelessly.


    I will use only what I need from Roxana¡¯s reputation: status, position, money, and even notoriety.


    Everything I have avable will be used to protect me.


    To do so, cleaning up the surroundings was a top priority.


    By now, the time hade to round up rumors that were spread out of control.


    I also had to get a better grasp of the situation in order to be prepared for how the royal family and ire might try to reach out to me again.


    Even though my mind wasplicated and painful, I needed to move on.


    Because I couldn¡¯t stay drunk with dreams forever.


    I looked at Annie with a tired face as I spoke.


    ¡°Please bring me the letters that were sent to me.¡±


    Annie had a stunned look on her face earlier, as if she was quite surprised to see me reprimanding the maids.


    But without asking, she replied with a small nod that she understood, and then left the room.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Watching the door close, I put on a light coat, and walked up to the desk to sit down.


    Annie was quick-witted and sincere.


    Her manners were quick and polite, a stark contrast to the maids.


    As I was watching Annie, I thought of the maids, and I disliked them even more.


    I sat at my desk and wondered if I had made the right choice by not kicking them out.


    I pondered for a bit, then quickly shook my head.


    The maids were nothing more than just a maid.


    If a problem arises, I can just kick them out like I did earlier, and if i kick them out all at once, all sorts of words wille out, so I think it¡¯s not toote to take my time and watch them before deciding.


    It¡¯ll be noisy as soon as I get back in the society again anyway, but there¡¯s no need to create additional work.


    Shortly after I sat down, Annie came back with arge basket full of envelopes. There were quite a lot of them piling up due to my long stay hiding in my room. So I started to read the letters and invitations.


    I picked out a few things in it that I needed to be aware of and checked them.


    I had no idea what was happening outside.


    But I suppose it¡¯s the same for others who don¡¯t know what happened to me.


    <i>¡®Princess Lillian fell from the second floor balcony of the Imperial Pce and was severely injured.¡¯</i>


    I don¡¯t know if it was rumored that I jumped on my own or not, but the fact that there was such an ident itself was a big issue. The nobles were very sensitive to news.


    For them, exciting gossip was a very interesting topic. And even more so since the Imperial Family was also involved.


    Since such an ident happened right after a dispute with the Crown Prince of all people, all kinds of false rumors must probably be circting by now.


    This was not an easy case to get away with, so people were bound to want to know the truth about the incident. It only takes a moment for the mouth-to-mouth, insubstantial rumors to grow like balloons through the mouths of multiple people.


    I looked at the stack of letters and invitations.


    <i>¡®Everyone seems to be interested in my news.¡¯</i>


    It was obvious what they wanted.


    To take me out of hiding and enjoy watching my broken self.


    In the social world, most people have always hoped and enjoyed Roxana¡¯s embarrassment as if it were some kind of fun.


    I rummaged through the pile of letterhead with an unamused look on my face.


    It was then that I found a letter that stood out. The letter¡¯s envelope was engraved with borate patterns on its surface and sealed in the center with golden wax.


    The writing engraved on the wax was very familiar.


    It was jumbled in a pile of letters, and at first I didn¡¯t notice that it was sent from the imperial family. It had been assumed that Roxana was neglected by the imperial family, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily the case. I pulled it out from the middle of the stack.


    <i>¡®How could a letter from the imperial family be treated like this¡­¡­.¡¯</i>


    The Duke¡¯s prestige was indeed amazing.


    I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at it and took out a paper knife from my drawer.


    I then roughly peeled off the beeswax and read the content inside.The letter was in the name of the imperial family, and it contained the formal constion that the imperial family was concerned about Roxana and wished her a speedy recovery.


    I read it with a disinterested look on my face, then put it in a drawer.


    Then I quickly searched through the other letters.


    While I was in the process of selecting letters in this manner, there were a few letters that stood out to me.


    All of them had the same letter envelope, but instead of a title or family name, it had the sender¡¯s name.


    ¡°Jeremy Kleis?¡±


    I frowned as I checked the sender¡¯s name written in extremely flowing script on the back of the letterhead.


    Jeremy Kleis¡­ the Crown Prince!


    After I found out that the name on the envelope was the Crown Prince, I checked the back of all the envelopes of the same letter with it.


    The envelope had his name on it, not the name of the imperial family.


    The pattern of the seal also meant that it was a private letter, not an official document sent in the name of the royal family.


    I organized the letters by date and opened and read the first one that came.


    The first letter was transcribed with a question about Roxana¡¯s safety, but the middle part of the letter oozed a sense of irritation that was impossible to hide.


    The letter ended with, ¡°Take care of your health.¡± The second letter had no particr content either.


    As in the first letter, the first few lines asked about my condition, and then, in the middle of the letter, he talked about his memories of the past and suggested that we go to the festival together as soon as I was better. Finally, in his third letter, he asked me why I had not responded to his letter and expressed his wish to see me as soon as possible.


    All three letters seemed to be sincere and heartfelt, unlike the more formal letters he usually sent from time to time.


    Perhaps if Roxana had seen them instead of me, she would have been very pleased.


    A sneer bubbled up as I recalled the face of the Crown Prince, who had left his betrothed right in front of him and was proudly standing beside another woman.


    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    Annie looked at me with a curious look when I said it to myself. I avoided it and replied in a disgruntled voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    I put the pile of letters to one side.


    I stood up from my chair and stretched out, arching my body backwards as best I could. Outside therge window, I could see butterflies flutteringzily among the blooming flowers from the first floor garden.


    On arge branch of the tree closest to the window, a bird had built a nest and was singing prettily in it.


    The world I could see was peaceful.


    It seemed that I was the only one who was disturbed.


    I stayed still for some time, and when my head was a little clearer, I looked at the unchecked pile of letters.


    I sent Annie home and began the boring task of sorting through them.


    Thus, for a while, I sat at my desk with a pensive mind and repeated the same thing.


    It was a monotonous time, but when I felt a stiffness in my neck, I lifted my head to look at the clock and saw that time had flown by. I looked out the window and saw that the sun, which was high in the sky when I sat at my desk, had already begun to set, and before I knew it, the sky outside was tinged with sunset.


    ¡°Shall I get up now?¡±


    I pulled my chair back to get up and a letter fell under my desk.


    It seemed to have fallen out when I put the letters to one side earlier. As soon as I saw the golden wax on the clean white envelope, I felt anxious. I slowly leaned forward and stretched out my arm to pick up the letter that had fallen on the floor. Frowning as I saw the name on the back of the envelope, I broke the seal and read what was written inside.


    <b><i>[ I was worried when you didn¡¯t wake up for a while, but I¡¯m d to hear that you¡¯re feeling better. I¡¯ll being to see you soon. There are some misunderstandings about what happened the other day¡­¡­]</i></b>


    I clenched my fists.


    My long fingernails dug sharply into my palms.


    ¡°Miss, are you okay?¡±


    Annie asked worriedly, looking at my pale face.


    ¡°Um, when did this lettere?¡±


    To my question, Annie took the letter and answered quickly.


    ¡°It came the day before yesterday. Is there something wrong with the letter?¡±


    I bit my lip.


    The letter was sent by the Crown Prince, a one-sided notice that he was visiting his fianc¨¦e because he was concerned about her health.


    <i>¡®Where on earth did it leak from?¡¯</i>


    I furrowed my eyebrows at my bitter heart.


    I was going to choose one of the invitations that hade my way and reply that I would attend. The rumor about my appearance would spread then. But now, before I could reply, I had never left the room. So that means¡­


    <i>¡®It means that it has leaked from inside.¡¯</i>


    I nced at Annie beside me.


    She was just quietly holding her position, as usual. I had a nagging feeling in my head that something was wrong, but I decided to stop immediately. I didn¡¯t want to doubt the innocent people, and my move wouldn¡¯t change anything. As long as the Crown Prince had decided toe anyway, there was nothing I could do to stop him.


    I tapped my fingers on the end of the desk in a haze.


    Stephen wouldn¡¯t be the one, but any servant in my room could have leaked the information about my recovery.


    Annie wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s been in and out of my room.


    Most of the people in the mansion probably knew that I had woken up, despite the rumors.


    I knew I had to meet the Crown Prince one day as I was his fianc¨¦e.


    I couldn¡¯t keep avoiding him just because of the inconvenience. But I didn¡¯t expect it to be so urgent.


    I thought we wouldn¡¯t run into each other, at least not while I was cooped up in the mansion¡­


    I bit my lip tightly.


    Thest thing I saw was the infantile stare of my enemy and the face of hatred towards me.


    I stared at the letter for some time and soon picked it up and tried to tear it apart. But I couldn¡¯t because the paper he used was strong and hard. When my eyes met Annie¡¯s, she was staring at me with a surprised look on her face. As she hurriedly lowered her head again, I motioned for her toe over. Annie stood nervously in front of me.


    I gave Annie the rest of the letters except for thest one.


    ¡°Take these and burn them.¡±


    Annie¡¯s eyes went wide as if they were about to pop out. She looked at the letters with a look of disbelief. I ordered her coldly.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    ***


    In fact, this was not the first time the Crown Prince had sent me such a sweet letter.


    He usually looked away from Roxana when he was by ire¡¯s side, and would finally visit her if he needed something.


    And Roxana was always behind, waiting for him to look at her.


    And on the days when he did turn around, she was greatly pleased, and even had vain hopes.


    However, the day after he got what he wanted, the Crown Prince would, without exception, turned away from her again.


    The one corner of interest and affection that Roxana had hoped for was nothing sort of a bone that he sometimes threw at a dog guarding his house.


    Perhaps Roxana herself knew that she was being used. And yet, she couldn¡¯t cut it off.


    Perhaps she would have tried to forgive the Crown Prince this time, too, forgetting what had happened before. She would have forgiven the Crown Prince, who had defended his illicit lover in so many ces, who had med and insulted his fianc¨¦e.


    But I was not the real Roxana.


    I wasn¡¯t blind like her, and wasn¡¯t the type to beg for love from anyone.


    The Crown Prince, with the help of his fianc¨¦e, has managed to maintain his current position.


    However, he cheated on his fianc¨¦e with another woman and treated her coldly.


    He took advantage of Roxana¡¯s true feelings and profited from it, then threw her away. Roxana believed that her marriage to the Crown Prince would change the situation.


    But I thought differently.


    Even if she married the Crown Prince and entered the Imperial Pce, Roxana¡¯s future would never be bright.


    In fact, wasn¡¯t that when the real misfortune began?

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    The Crown Prince¡¯s desire was to be emperor.


    If he ascended the throne, it meant that he had already fulfilled the goal he had set out to achieve through Roxana.


    Then Roxana¡¯s value to him would have disappeared.


    Even now he still needed her support, he treated her like trash. So, what would happen if he no longer needed her?


    From the way he had been acting, it was obvious that he didn¡¯t need to ask.


    Would he see a fianc¨¦e who was only a pretender to his lovely lover? When the timees, Roxana¡¯s hopes will be shattered and her sacrifice will return to betrayal. It was I who was now living Roxana¡¯s life.


    In other words, I had inherited her misfortune just as what she had enjoyed had be mine.


    Now, the reason I was not so bitter about the Crown Prince was because I did not love him.


    And because I didn¡¯t love him, I didn¡¯t have false hopes, and because I didn¡¯t have expectations, there was no disappointment.


    When the Crown Prince became Emperor and I became Empress, I would remember the past like we were colleagues¡­¡­.


    <i>¡®It¡¯s possible that I might get thrown away.¡¯</i>


    I silently looked at the glowing firece.


    In fact, my first thought was to visit the Crown Prince and try to negotiate with him.


    If I say that I won¡¯t demand anything, and that I¡¯ll stay quietly, I think we can live in peace without causing any harm to each other.


    But soon I realized it was a ridiculous idea.


    Once the Crown Prince took the throne, there would be no reason for him to hold on to me any longer. What could I possibly negotiate with him for if there was nothing in my possession that he wanted?


    So, in my opinion, there was a much greater chance that it would be thetter than the former.


    I didn¡¯t dare to put my future life on uncertain possibilities, but this mansion was also unfamiliar to me.


    Because there were more than one or two people in this mansion who had hostile intentions towards me.


    And the people in this mansion were the Duke¡¯s people.


    The only people who could be called Roxana¡¯s people were her nannies and maids, but they were, well, ¡­.


    It went without saying.


    If I¡¯m notfortable remaining in this mansion, and I¡¯m notfortable entering the pce, what am I supposed to do?


    The thought of my future was very tiring, if only for a moment.


    If I imagined a dark future, I had no appetite and I had to get up, unable to touch the feast that was ced in front of me.


    Back in my room, I was looking out the window in a daze when Annie brought me a tray with some light treats.


    It seemed to bother her that I had barely touched the food earlier.


    When I faced the ignorance and hostile nces directed at me, my heart hardened instead, but I was strangely touched by the good-natured attention.


    I was grateful for her concern for every little thing, and ate the snack she brought me.


    Despite myck of appetite, the snack was delicious. The bite-sized cookies looked and tasted wonderful.


    The tea that came with it was also fragrant, and the sugar added to it made it taste sweet, which wasn¡¯t bad even though I was not a big tea drinker.


    Finally, the macarons filled with buttercream were beautiful in color and tasted good.


    They tasted strangely luxurious, as if they were made with the best ingredients, much better than the ones I had at the famous bakery in my city. I chewed the macaroon lightly in one bite and then took a sip of tea. Even though I was eating delicious food, I was strangely choked up.


    Macaroons were my original favorite snack. Not in this luxurious mansion, but in my real home¡­.


    I wiped my damp eyes with the napkin that was ced on the tray, my vision instantly clouded as I thought of the peaceful days before I fell into this world.


    I thought I was finally getting used to life in this mansion, but I guess not yet. I frowned with a wince.


    Now I was living a life of luxury that I couldn¡¯t even imagine in my original world. But there was nothing really mine here.


    From the clothes I wore, to the food that went into my mouth, to my family, to the people around me, to the single snack that was ced in front of me. ¡­¡­.


    Everything I enjoyed now was not mine, it was Roxana¡¯s.


    I was now using other people¡¯s things as if they were my own, as if I were their master.


    There was nothing real about me in this world.


    Remembering this fact made me feel depressed again.


    <i>¡®Will there ever be a day when I can fully adapt to this world¡­?¡¯</i>


    ***


    Today, Roxana¡¯s changed appearance made the maids of honor tremble with fears even after they left the room. They had been by Roxana¡¯s side assisting her for several years now, but they had never seen her like this before.


    She had always been impulsive and sensitive, but she was also surprisinglypassionate, timid, and easy to deal with.


    Today, however, Roxana was an unfamiliar sight, as if she had be a different person in a single day, and the sight she presented today horrified the maids of honor.


    Today Roxana mercilessly kicked out Laura, the closest of the maids.


    Unbeknownst to others, Roxana was generous to her own people. Although Laura was arrogant by nature, she had an exceptional talent for soothing Roxana, and because of the years they had spent together, she must have been verypassionate.


    Surprisingly, however, today Roxana did not hesitate at all to kick Laura out of the mansion forever. Today she seemed to be very angry, but she did not shout or break things as usual. However, the maids were watching Roxana, revealing their emotions and belittling her as they usually did¡­


    ¡°I felt even more scared than when I saw her.¡±


    Roxana¡¯s gaze was cold, unlike before. What made her turn into someone else?


    ¡°She seemed too calm to simply vent her anger.¡±


    ¡°The cold expression I saw earlier is still bothering me. I used to be able to put her in a good mood by coaxing her with just the right words, but now it didn¡¯t seem to work anymore.¡±


    The maids were having a worried conversation when a middle-aged woman approached them from a distance.


    After spotting them, she came closer.


    She was wearing a subdued navy blue dress of high quality material with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. As if she had suffered a lot at a young age, deep wrinkles between her eyebrows and gray hair in ces. Joan was delighted to see her.


    ¡°Viscountess Willis!¡±


    ***


    I checked all the letters and then went to see Stephen.


    I said earlier in front of the maids that I would reinstate the head maid, but I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to handle such a matter on my own.


    The person in charge of the mansion was the butler, Stephen.


    He was so influential in the mansion that he held almost all the authority, including the management of the mansion and the personnel rights of the employees.


    Of course, no matter how much authority he held, the master of this mansion was the bloodline of the Lillian family.


    So there is no need for me, the master, to report and ask permission from him, the servant, every single time.


    However, the issue of the head maid¡¯s reinstatement was a little different.


    It was none other than Roxana who kicked the former head maid out of the mansion despite Stephen¡¯s strong opposition.


    So how would he react if I asked him to bring her back again?


    I didn¡¯t need to be wary of him, but Stephen was certainly capable and honest, and as far as I know, he never did anything to harm Roxana.


    <i>¡®There¡¯s no need to make enemies out of hatred, I suppose.¡¯</i>


    The fact that I decided a serious matter as the head maid¡¯s reinstatement on my own, and now notified him afterwards would make him feel unpleasant. A real Roxana would have acted on her own without hesitation and without regard to his mood, but I wasn¡¯t her.


    I had some things to discuss with him about the head maid and I wanted to ask him some questions, so I decided to visit him first, like the saying goes, ¡°A thirsty man digs a well.¡±


    However, when the time came, I could not bring myself to knock on the door.


    As I looked at the elegant dark chestnut wooden door in front of me, I recalled his face, the one I had run into a few hours earlier, responding with a nonchnt expression and showing no sign of being upset.


    That cold, neat face hardened as soon as Stephen spotted me.


    He was not just a servant, but he was the Duke¡¯s henchman.


    This made him different from the maids and other servants. Stephen¡¯s business was not Roxana¡¯s business, so I could not treat him recklessly or let him go at my disposal like I did with Laura.


    If a fight broke out with him, the least I could do would be to tell the Duke what he was doing. But the Duke trusted Stephen deeply, so he might not do anything to Stephen.


    The two of them were not on the best of terms, but no matter how much they didn¡¯t like each other, they couldn¡¯t do anything to each other.


    Because of this, it was always Roxana who would look ridiculous when she was with him.


    But I¡¯m sure he must have had his share of pain.


    Because even if it was just a child¡¯s prank, it must be infuriating to be on the receiving end of such an innocent act.


    And then there was the fact that he had to clean up Roxana¡¯s mess, and she had to clean up after him.


    It would have been too irritating and annoying.


    It became more and more difficult to think about how she had treated him in the past when she hated him for daring toin.


    But there was no problem that could be solved by avoiding it.


    Besides, problems like this only got worse as time went on.


    <i>¡®Well, let¡¯s open it.¡¯</i>


    Just as I was about to knock on the door of the office, the door opened and Stephen appeared, dressed neatly as usual.


    He looked at me with a surprising look on his face and immediately asked in a clerical tone.


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    Standing in front of Stephen, I stiffened, not even knowing I was doing so. I took a deep breath, then raised my head and replied tly.


    ¡°I have some business.¡±


    He looked at me with a searching gaze for a moment, then quickly stepped back and said,


    ¡°Come in¡­¡±


    Stephen¡¯s room was calm and tidy, just like his personality.


    The calm room smelled of paper and orchids. Looking around the room, I saw a few small flower pots by the window.


    The desk and bookshelves were piled high with papers and books.


    I sat at the tea table near the firece, facing him. Then Stephen ordered a servant to bring tea.


    We didn¡¯t say a word to each other until the servant came back with a teapot and tea cakes.


    Stephen seemed fine, but I was suffocated with awkwardness.


    When the servant ced the tray on the table, Stephen poured me a cup of tea. He poured the tea into my teacup, and then poured milk from a ss bottle and added sugar.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Milk tea was Roxana¡¯s most favorite drink.


    I took an awkward sip of the tea at his delicate consideration.


    The tea definitely tasted good. I had never been a big fan of milk tea, but it wasn¡¯t bad, perhaps my taste buds had changed along with my body.


    The bite-sized cookies also consisted of only Roxana¡¯s favorite things. While I was admiring the pretty, delicate yet clean visuals, Stephen spoke.


    ¡°ording to the doctor, you don¡¯t need to worry anymore¡­¡­ Is there any inconvenience?


    I looked up and looked at Stephen.


    He had asked me about my condition a few hours ago. At the time, I thought it was just a polite thing to do, because the way he was looking at me wasn¡¯t friendly.


    But now, hearing his words of concern for me again made me feel strange. Come to think of it, it was Stephen who instructed Annie to serve me tea and snacks earlier. Even though he didn¡¯t like me, he cared about every single detail. His behavior alone made me wonder if it was true that he really disliked Roxana.


    ¡°I heard from the maid that you seem to have recovered significantly, but I think I¡¯ll be relieved to hear it myself.¡±


    His words were very warm, unlike his calm tone and cold face.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡­.¡±


    I replied dazedly and then looked at him as I set the cup down.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Stephen took a sip of his tea with a nonchnt face.


    <i>¡®Yes. I knew that look. It¡¯s too cold to be d. Talking with that look on your face sounds like a threat</i>.¡¯


    I grumbled inwardly.


    However, his current attitude gave me hope that maybe we could improve this awkward rtionship. Stephen was stubborn, but Roxana wasn¡¯t well behaved either, so their rtionship was a conflict, like water and oil.


    But Stephen had never said anything wrong. His words were far from the sweetestpliments like the nannies and maids of honor had ever said to Roxana, but when I thought about it, they were all for Roxana¡¯s sake.


    Roxana didn¡¯t really hate him, either. I didn¡¯t hate him either, he was so straightforward but sincere.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Stephen was silent for a moment, but after a few seconds he replied in an awkward voice .


    ¡°You thank me a lot today.¡±


    I chuckled.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Actually, Roxana had never thanked Stephen before because of her pride. But then again, I wasn¡¯t her.


    ¡±¡¯Thank you¡¯ is not that difficult to say, so why should I refrain from saying it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Stephen looked at me with aplicated face.


    Lacking the courage to meet his gaze head on, I purposely ignored him and brought the teacup to my lips. When there was no more tea left, I set the cup down on the table and finally spoke.


    ¡°I would like to reinstate the head maid, is that possible?¡±


    Stephen¡¯s face hardened again at my words. He stared at me with a look of profound uncertainty on his face.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    My answer caused Stephen¡¯s eyes to widen.


    He looked at me with even more astonishment than before.


    I stared at the front of the room with an unconcerned look on my face. But that didn¡¯t stop Stephen¡¯s gaze from leaving me.


    ¡°I heard you sent Viscount William¡¯s daughter away.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°May I ask why?


    Stephen still looked astonished.


    His inquiring gaze seemed to gauge my intentions.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough that she went out without permission, she underestimated her master, so I kicked her out. I have no need for a servant who takes their masters lightly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    I answered as I always did, but my voice sounded surprisingly cold and arrogant, even to myself. Perhaps that was why Stephen¡¯s face went stiff.


    ¡°It is in the same vein that I want to bring the head maid again. It seems that the rules of the house have been loosened recently.¡±


    Stephen was silent.


    I looked back at what I had just said and regretted it, wondering if perhaps I made a mistake.


    Come to think of it, it was Stephen who was in charge of the mansion.


    I couldn¡¯t believe I talked about the loosening of discipline in that mansion in front of him¡­ This was as good as a tant reprimand to him. So, what I had just said probably sounded unpleasant for him.


    Besides, it was Roxana who caused all of this, so he must be frustrated. I could almost hear his sarcastic speech.


    ¡°You¡¯ve be quite the role model, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    For some reason, Stephen¡¯s face was softened. He said, smiling faintly.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s time for a change. I¡¯ve been feeling it a lot this time, too.¡±


    Surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t offended by my words.


    ¡°I will handle the matter of the head maid¡¯s reinstatement as soon as possible, as you requested.¡±


    I responded with relief that he wasn¡¯t in a bad mood.


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    I finished my tea and was about to get up, when I saw Stephen¡¯s lips pursing.


    He seemed to have something to say, but couldn¡¯t get it out easily. I think the mood had eased a bit, and I was both sorry and grateful to him, so I sat quietly and waited for him to say something. The wait was not very long. After a few minutes, he managed to open his mouth.


    ¡°There¡¯s onest thing I want to ask you¡­ ¡­May I?¡±


    With a serious look on his face, I had a rough idea of what questions he would ask me.


    I sighed inwardly and nodded.


    ¡°What the hell happened at the Imperial Pce that day?¡±


    It was a question I was expecting, but this time it was not so easy to answer. He was the Duke¡¯s confidant, even if his attitude toward me was a little more friendly. The Duke must have heard about my ident, because it was not something that he would just overlook.


    And what I say to Stephen now will be heard by the Duke as well.


    That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t give a hasty answer. The longer the silencested, the more ufortable the air flowed between us.


    I could see the tension in his gaze.


    ¡°People say¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened that day was simply an ident.¡±


    I cut him off in the middle and answered because I couldn¡¯t let Stephen have any more strange misunderstandings.


    ¡°ident?¡±


    Stephen¡¯s brow wrinkled. He narrowed his eyes and looked at me.


    There was a hint of suspicion in his gaze.


    But even with a visible lie, this was the best I could do for now.


    ¡°I went out on the terrace to cool my head, but I leaned against the railing and lost my bnce, and fell off.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I spoke as calmly as I could, but I knew it was ame excuse. There was no way he would believe me, because he knew the situation between me and the Crown Prince wasn¡¯t good even before the ident.


    Come to think of it, someone must have seen me stepping on the railing that day.


    Also there was the man who tried to help me. They might be talking about me.


    I don¡¯t know how the rumors about me spread outside.


    But¡­.


    Stephen knew.


    He stared at me in frustration.


    It was clear from his reaction that he didn¡¯t believe me.


    But I didn¡¯t want to exin.


    I couldn¡¯t give him a proper excuse yet, and I didn¡¯t have the eloquence to deceive him in a tactful way.


    But I couldn¡¯t tell the truth.


    I knew that the more I tried to exin, the crazier it would get.


    Besides, what I said wasn¡¯t wrong. What happened that day was definitely an ident.


    I swear to the heavens, I was not trying to make an extreme choice that day because of the wounds I received from the Crown Prince, as Stephen seemed to think.


    I didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened to me that day. I was just bewildered and frightened and trying to escape.


    I thought I was dreaming at the time.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    An awkward silence washed over me.


    I kept clenching and unclenching my fists. The palms of my hands were quickly getting hot from nervousness.


    ¡°Okay¡­.., if that¡¯s what you say, then that¡¯s what it is.¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    I was a little taken aback by Stephen¡¯s words. There were certainly many weaknesses in my words. There was no way that the perceptive Stephen could not have known that. Nheless, he let it slide just like that. It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one who had changed from before. I left my seat before I would get into trouble with aplicated look on my face.


    ¡°Thank you for the tea.¡±


    Fortunately, Stephen didn¡¯t ask anymore. I was about to leave the room, but stopped at the door and asked him.


    ¡°Have you ever heard from the royal family about me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I have, many times.¡±


    Stephen¡¯s reply made me realize that I had asked a ridiculous question. Roxana is the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and since the ident in which I was injured urred in the Imperial pce, I¡¯m sure the Imperial Family hadunched an investigation.


    ¡°Speaking of which, how did they handle what happened that day?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still being investigated by the Imperial Family, but for now, it was treated as an ident.¡±


    The ¡®for now¡¯ in Stephen¡¯s words bothered me, but I didn¡¯t ask further.


    ¡°Have you informed the Imperial Family of my whereabouts recently?


    ¡°No, I have not. What happens in the Duke¡¯s residence is kept secret from the outside world.¡±


    Stephen replied firmly.


    But I smiled at his assurance.


    Despite his imposing manner, what he had said was wrong. If what happened inside the Duke¡¯s mansion had not leaked to the outside world, there was no way the Crown Prince would have known about my recovery.


    If it was Stephen who told the Crown Prince, I wouldn¡¯t be so anxious, but he did not¡­.


    The thought that there might be an imperial spy in this mansion made me shudder somewhat.


    ¡°Then how could His Highness the Crown Prince know that I am awake?


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I asked with a frown, and Stephen looked at me with a look of disbelief.


    Looking at his surprised face, it seemed like he really didn¡¯t know anything about it. I looked at him quietly with a frown.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be. I¡¯ve made sure that the servants are kept in the dark.¡±


    Stephen quickly countered.


    I¡¯m sure it was unforgivable for a man who takes such pride in his work and does everything to the best of his ability. It¡¯s not something I can easily admit and ept, of course. But no matter how much I liked Stephen, his suspicion of me now was not a pretty sight.


    ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened if it was really thorough.¡±


    When I looked at him with unpleasantness, he seemed somewhat sorry and asked more politely.


    ¡°Is it true what you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I nodded.


    I held out the Crown Prince¡¯s letter in front of him.


    ¡°You can see for yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    His eyes fluttered as he saw the letter.


    ¡°How dare I¡­.¡±


    Stephen was hesitant to ept my letter.


    He was only a servant, but to read his master¡¯s letter, a letter was sent by the Crown Prince, it was certainly something worth hesitating about.


    In the end, however, he epted the letter I gave him and read the content. While he was reading the letter, Stephen¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed of myself. I didn¡¯t mean to doubt your words. I was just so surprised¡­ I¡¯m sorry if it was offensive.¡±


    As if he had finished reading the letter, Stephen held it out to me and apologized profusely. I stared at him with a frown. The shocked expression on his face didn¡¯t look like he was faking it.


    But did Stephen really have nothing to do with this?


    I stared at him in silence for a moment, then quickly said,


    ¡°You can stop apologizing.¡±


    Stephen slowly raised his head.


    He still had a confused look on his face. I still didn¡¯t have enough evidence to prove that Stephen had nothing to do with this, but I didn¡¯t want to doubt him.


    As far as I know, Stephen was a man of rare honesty.


    It was the same in Roxana¡¯s memory, and what I had seen and felt firsthand. I decided to trust the Duke¡¯s eyes and my own eyes for once.


    That¡¯s why the Duke entrusted him with a lot of the work.


    ¡°Please continue to keep as much of what is going on in the mansion from leaking out to the outside world. And the Crown Prince is scheduled to visit in the near future. I do not know the exact date. Get ready in advance so we don¡¯t get med.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I turned away, leaving him with a still shocked look on his face, but I stopped.


    Come to think of it, besides the maidservants, I still had many problems to solve.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her since yesterday. Where is the nanny?¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    After my conversation with Stephen, I was surprised to find myself immersed in the silence of the garden.


    It was dark in the room with no lights on, and I could barely make out the face of the person in front of me, only a silhouette in the faint moonlight streaming through the window, her long skirt and single hair blurred. I wondered.


    I looked around and before I knew it, the moon was full. When I returned to my room after my walk, I casually opened the sliding door and already noticed something else.


    I could see her. She reacted to the sound of the door, and before I could ask who she was, she turned around first and spotted me.


    Having already guessed who she was, I turned on the light with an indifferent look on my face. As the bright light poured into the room, I saw her face.


    She was wearing a simple, neat navy blue dress, whitish hair, and a middle-aged ¡­¡­¡­ nanny who was wild for her age.


    ¡°Young Lady!¡±


    The nanny called me with tears in her eyes.


    Both of her eyes, full of tears, were filled with sadness, and her stiff lips quivered as she strained to hold back her tears.


    When her gaze met mine, she smiled that gentle smile of normalcy. But it didn¡¯t look good, with dark blue under her eyes and a gaunt face.


    ¡°Nanny?¡¯


    I stopped at the door and asked without approaching her.


    ¡°Miss, how is your body?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    I replied nonchntly with a nk face.


    Despite my cold response, the nanny looked at me with tear-filled eyes. But I already knew that those tears were not for me.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Did something happen today?¡±


    At what I said, the nanny cut to the chase about her son. While she was exining the situation to me, her tears started flowing down her cheeks. I looked up at her with an uninterested expression on my face. In fact, I already knew about the nanny¡¯s situation from what Stephen had told me.


    She said that her son, who was like a ruffian, was taken away by the security force yesterday for assault¡­


    It hadn¡¯t been more than a day or two since the nanny¡¯s son had caused trouble. This time he must not be able to get out of it easily because he hit the other guy badly and had to pay a high settlement money.


    The nanny must have been busy running east and west to take care of her son and get the bail money. On top of that, she must have been busy bribing and feeding the guards for the convenience of her son who was locked up in prison.


    Unlike the maidservants, the nanny did not go out during working hours, and had obvious reasons to take a leave of absence.


    Besides, she came to my room almost every day after my fall to spend time with me.


    So I can say that she made an effort to fulfill her duty to some extent. However, when I think about the attitude my nanny showed me while I was down, I feel awkward around her.


    She didn¡¯t show the slightest sign of concern or heartache for me, even though I would be concerned and worried if our dog or cat was sick at home.


    She really looked unconcerned.


    However, unlike the woman of yesterday who was fine, the woman in front of me now seemed to be in real pain and distress.


    I know that no matter how much you raise your child from a young age, it¡¯s hard to have the same feelings for that child like you have for your own child.


    Blood is thicker than water.


    The only reason the nanny was okay with what happened to Roxana was because she was a stranger. But if something had happened to the nanny, Roxana would not be able to be as nonchnt as she was.


    Roxana may appear to be a viin to others, but at least she had never used or trampled on human sincerity.


    She was always taken advantage of.


    She treated all people sincerely, and if she considered them to be her own people, she gave them favors regardless of their conditions. Depending on the situation, she would dly give them what she had. However, there were many people in the world who did not appreciate the favors and took them for granted. I think it was the same with the Crown Prince, and the nanny.


    The same was true for the maids. There was nothing wrong with the way Roxana treated people, but didn¡¯t know how to read people.


    ¡°Miss?¡±


    I pondered for a while, then came back to my senses at the sound of the nanny¡¯s voice and raised my head. In front of me was my nanny, her brow wrinkled with a suspicious look.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ where did you go?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t listening, were you?¡±


    The nanny seemed to be offended by my reaction. However, It didn¡¯t bother me.


    ¡°No, I heard most of it. I heard that my son was taken away by the security force.¡±


    ¡° Yes, that¡¯s right. So I went to ¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You must be tired.¡±


    I said, cutting the nanny off in mid-sentence.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t need to hear what the nanny needed to say, as this had happened more than once.


    <i>¡®I suppose she wants me to lend her money again.¡¯</i>


    The nanny¡¯s husband was a gambler and an alcoholic. He died in an ident, and the nanny¡¯s children, like their dead father, a son who liked to gamble and a daughter who liked to go into business.


    Because of the periodic idents of these two, the nanny had always experienced financial difficulties while working as an only nanny in a prestigious family and received a considerable sry.


    Since she already had a lot of debts, people around her lost trust in her, there was no one to borrow money from, and since her house was also pledged as coteral, it was impossible for the bank to give her any more loans. Taking pity on her situation, Roxana always helped her financially. However, as if to prove that human beings are not meant to be fixed, the two did not change a bit.


    Helping them was like filling a bottomless jar with water. The nanny always took money from Roxana and said she would pay back the money she borrowed one day. But so far, she has never paid it back.


    So the nanny knew that those words were a lie, and Roxana should have known it too. Of course, Roxana didn¡¯t care.


    The Duke¡¯s fortune was inconspicuously overflowing, even if she had spent it that way, Roxana had spared no expense in helping her nanny.


    But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do so.


    ¡°You came to see me thiste, something must be bothering you.¡±


    ¡°What? Oh¡­.Yes.¡±


    The nanny answered in a sullen voice. There was a small sense of anticipation in her ck, dead gaze.


    ¡°Never mind, you may take your leave until the business is well settled. I¡¯m sure you came here because you were concerned about me, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­even though people were making a big deal about it, that the nanny didn¡¯t care about me¡­¡±


    The nanny¡¯s face stiffened quickly.


    ¡°My goodness, who would dare¡­? Who is talking such nonsense?¡±


    The nanny said in an frustrated voice as her face turned red. At first nce, she looked like someone who was insulted and angry, but when I saw her eyes flicker, she was embarrassed because I had hit the target.


    I said in a gentle voice tofort her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. I don¡¯t mind those words either. Ah, what to do? I¡¯m still not feeling well and I think I need to go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The nanny sighed softly.


    But she did not move.


    ¡°Well, have a safe trip home.¡±


    The nanny hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth.


    But what she said was different than what I expected.


    ¡°Miss, I heard Laura was let go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I nodded nonchntly at her words.


    ¡°Laura worked for Lady for a long time. But to let her go so suddenly? I¡¯m sure people will talk.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern. However, it is my authority to hire and fire the servants of the mansion, not the nanny¡¯s to interfere.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    After I finished speaking and headed to bed, I spoke to Annie, leaving the nanny as she was.


    ¡°Nanny doesn¡¯t look well.¡±


    I said coldly, keeping my gaze fixed on Annie.


    The nanny¡¯splexion became colder and colder at the obvious order to leave. Annie looked at me and the nanny then approached the nanny with a troubled look on her face. When she gently grasped the nanny¡¯s arm, the nanny¡¯s face distorted as if she was insulted, and she sharply shook Annie¡¯s hand off.


    ¡°Nanny looks very tired, Annie will give you a hand.¡±


    This much, surely, would have conveyed its meaning.


    The nanny immediately looked at me with a pained expression on her face as if she wanted to ask for help.


    I looked at her and Annie alternately.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t feeling well because of your badplexion, but you seem to be full of energy. That¡¯s a relief. Looking at the nanny now, Annie, you don¡¯t need to see her off.¡±


    ¡°¡­.. ¡­..!¡±


    ¡°Annie, stay in the room and take care of me.¡±


    Annie looked at me and said in a small voice, ¡°Yes,¡± and went to get a tub of water.


    ¡°Nanny, shouldn¡¯t you get going? I thought you had a bad problem at home to take care of. You don¡¯t want to lose all that effort you made thest few days, do you?¡±


    The nanny paced heavily, perhaps because she couldn¡¯t find any more excuse to hold on any longer.


    Her feet must be heavy if she hade to borrow money and was leaving without being able to solve anything. The money the nanny borrowed almost every two months was more than her sry. That money could have been donated to relief work for the poor that flooded the city, or to a nursery school. It was money.


    It could help hundreds of people, it could be used to save dozens of lives, and this time the son of the nanny who had caused the problem again was a criminal who had already been jailed and released several times.


    The charges were varied.


    Business obstruction, assault, theft, even fraud¡­.


    The nanny always talked about her children as if they were the most unfortunate in the world and rationalized their mistakes.


    From what I was told, the nanny¡¯s husband died when the children were very young, and he was a violent father.


    He drank and gambled and spent all the family¡¯s money and vented his anger at losing money to his family. After her husband died in an ident and left a huge debt behind, she had to leave her children and go to work.


    Because of this, the nanny said that she could not watch her children¡¯s education and nurturing, and it always left her with a sense of guilt in her heart. But even with the influence of a father who was an alcoholic in a poor family, everyone was like that, the nanny¡¯s son may have been a victim at one time, but now he was a strict perpetrator.


    As if to prove that people are not meant to be fixed, he had already been helped by others, many times, but nothing changed.


    Even though he was pardoned, he sinned again. No matter how big the Duke¡¯s fortune was, it was a waste of it to be used to satisfy the vanity of someone who was not of his bloodline and to release a criminal who had not the slightest room for improvement.


    ¡°Youngdy, just so you know, don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I was forced to leave yesterday because of a really urgent matter.¡±


    The nanny told me as she stood in front of the door before leaving the room.


    ¡°I understand. That¡¯s why I told you. Have a nice vacation. I hope things will work out with your son.¡±


    I shed a formal smile at her.


    Her face grew even firmer.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about your return date. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be exhausted once the job is settled, so go ahead and rest. I¡¯m not a child anymore, so you don¡¯t have to be with me every day.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    *Ooh, we might see the male lead? soon¡­..


    ***


    I don¡¯t know how she epted my words, but the nanny¡¯splexion immediately turned pale.


    ¡°No, your body is notpletely healed yet, so I will stay by your side. I will go back to work the day after tomorrow. Then please take a good night¡¯s rest.¡±


    The nanny hurried out of the room as if to flee.


    I looked at the spot where she had left for a while and soony down in bed.


    After a while, Annie came back with a tub of cold water and a towel. Everything I had said earlier in front of the nanny was just an excuse, my body had healed quickly and I did not need to be nursed.


    ¡°I want to be alone. Leave.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now. So you won¡¯t need to take care of me from now on.¡±


    Annie went out and I lied under the covers.


    The early spring airing in through the slightly opened window was still cold. But thanks to Annie¡¯s leaving lots of wood in the firece, the room was warm and therge bed was cozy.


    And the spacious, luxurious room felt more peaceful than the day before, though it was still a bit unfamiliar. Today I made enemies with more than half of Roxana¡¯s people. The people around ire would blindly support her and love her no matter what she did.


    However, those who were by Roxana¡¯s side had so far acted unattached, receiving only favors and not knowing how to appreciate them.


    There was no way they could have had any favorable feelings towards me since I had shown them tant hostility and applied pressure on them.


    There was no way to know in advance what consequences my actions today, which made enemies of those beside me, would haveter.


    But now I felt better, knowing that I didn¡¯t have to have to be self-conscious and do anything that would hurt me anymore.


    My heart felt even lighter now that I had sorted out my surroundings, but I felt lonely again when I was left alone.


    <i>¡®I¡¯m tired¡­¡¯</i>


    I slowly closed my eyes and opened them, looking at the ceiling. Each time I closed my eyes, the memory of my first day falling into this world came to mind. ire was under the protection of the Crown Prince, and the people around her sided with her. The infantile nces of my enemies towards me, and their tauntingughter, their sympathetic voices, and¡­.


    None of it was pleasant to think of. But that person who reached out towards me from the terrace that day¡­¡­


    ¡°Who on earth was he¡­. ¡­?¡±


    The white skin, ck hair, and red eyes looked particrly pale under the moonlight. It was strange to think of a beautiful face with white, ck, and red blending together so harmoniously.


    It was a face that would certainly be hard to forget once you saw it, but it was not someone Roxana remembered.


    <i>¡®That means she was not acquainted with him.¡¯</i>


    I thought about it for a while and couldn¡¯te up with his identity. I couldn¡¯t even think of his name, but the thought of seeing him again made it seem like a return to the social scene wouldn¡¯t be too bad.


    ***


    The night dawned.


    The mansion was noisier than the day before, but I ate, rested, and slept better than I expected. I ate three proper meals a day, and snacks as well. When I was bored, I went to the study and read a few books.


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that Duke¡¯s study was a collection of only all kinds of boring things, but the Duchess¡¯s study seemed to have a mixture of books from different genres that made it easier to read.


    I looked around the study and took out books to read, but when even that became tiresome or cramped, I went outside for a walk.


    Though it was only to look around the gardens and empty rooms in the Duke¡¯s residence.


    The Duke¡¯s residence was muchrger than I expected, and there were many things to see.


    The rose garden and the sshouse with colorful roses in full bloom made the time fly by.


    It was hard to tell.


    All in all, life was peaceful and satisfying.


    I had a veryfortable time.


    There was no shing with the servants.


    I hadn¡¯t the slightest intention of appeasing them, and they could say whatever they wanted to me, and I spent the day in and out of the study and garden leisurely, and it wasn¡¯t until after dark that I returned to my room.


    I changed my clothes and got ready to go out.


    Since I didn¡¯t know how much walking I would have to do, I wore low heeled shoes and a simple dress that would allow me to move around easily, but not as in as usual.


    I¡¯ve also prepared some gold coins, and I¡¯ve kept a drawer full of expensive trinkets just in case.


    There, standing in front of the mirror with my robe and mask on, I looked quite the part. I was certainly dressed differently than usual, and the robe and mask hid my hair and the top of my face, so there was no way anyone I knew would notice me like this.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    I nodded with a satisfied look on my face, then took off my mask and put it in my arms. If anyone witnessed me going around to watch the festival, it would be a problem. There would be people who would suspect that the sickdy, who was lying on her sickbed, walked around the city where the festival was being held in an unconcerned manner.


    Moreover, if this news were to reach the ears of any member of the Imperial Family, even the Imperial Family would doubt my intentions.


    I couldn¡¯t afford to create a problem again before my return to society.


    This disguise was necessary to avoid such a scandal.


    It must not be so strange, since there would be other people walking around in masks at the festival anyway.


    I intended to go to the infamous Upper Room of Hermes today.


    It was said that the upper levels of Hermes was not only a ce to buy and sell goods, but also a ce where all kinds of dangerous transactions take ce.


    It was known to be brutal and unforgiving if one had a debt and could not repay it or did not pay the promised price, but only the ability and security was certain. What I would buy from them today was not things, but information.


    I needed to know how things went before I returned to society, and there were some additional things I wanted to request. No matter how high Roxana¡¯s status was, the social world was not easy.


    So if I were to unnecessarily bump into them with nothing, I¡¯m sure the damage to me would be enormous.


    <i>¡®If I know a little bit about it beforehand, I can defend myself to some extent.¡¯</i>


    The festival, which was said to be particrly grand this year, was one of the things that I was curious about, but there was actually another reason.


    I couldn¡¯t tell Stephen about it because it was a job I wanted to request personally.


    I would like to know the identity and name of the only person who tried to help me that day at the banquet.


    I didn¡¯t know him, but he certainly seemed to know me.


    I had been wondering sincest night if there was something that I missed. Of course, this was just my own personal curiosity.


    However, if it became known that I was looking for a beautiful man when I was already engaged, there would be a lot of talk.


    Even if my intentions were really simple curiosity stemming from innocence, how many people would believe my words?


    It would surely be easier if I left this job to Stephen, but it would get into the ears of the Duke.


    I didn¡¯t want that to happen.


    If the Duke was cold and ufortable with Roxana and she didn¡¯t know what was in his heart, then I felt the same.


    I wanted to avoid being involved with him as much as I could.


    I took onest look in the mirror, swiped the dust off my robe and grabbed my hat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    I was walking down the stairs and across the first floor hallway leading to the front door. I came upon Stephening out of his room, still holding his papers.


    ¡°Miss, the way you¡¯re dressed ¡­?¡±


    Stephen looked at me with his eyes wide open. His gaze was full of surprises. I was embarrassed and replied calmly, avoiding his gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go out, if that¡¯s alright with you?¡±


    ¡°Not that it¡¯s a bad idea, but ¡­¡­¡­. Where in the world do you want to go dressed like that?¡±


    Stephan looked over at me with a sour look on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to a festival.¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    The furrow between Stephen¡¯s brows deepened at my answer. He looked at me silently, but then sighed.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly doing something you never did before? You used to say that you didn¡¯t like festivals because they were too chaotic. Besides, that outfit¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to do this once in a while. And since this festival is going to be especially big, it¡¯s not a bad idea to go at least once.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you really want to do, then so be it. But where are your escorts? You weren¡¯t nning to go out alone thiste at night, were you?¡±


    Even with my words, Stephen¡¯s expression did not return to normal, but became increasingly grim.


    ¡°After this year¡¯s festival, I would never be able to walk around freely like this again if I were to marry the Crown Prince next year, but it¡¯s a shame to think that this is thest time.¡±


    ¡°! ¡°


    Stephen¡¯s face suddenly distorted.


    He looked unchanged, but I could see his emotions in his eyes. He seemed to be feeling sorry for me. I just thought of an excuse and said it without thinking much. Looking into his eyes, which wavered helplessly, I felt sorry and silently avoided his gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m off then.¡±


    In any case, it seemed that he wouldn¡¯t keep me now, so I decided to leave. If he regretted not stopping me, I would be gone by then, so there would be nothing to be done.


    With that thought in mind, I stepped out, but was soon grabbed by Stephen.


    ¡°Stephen?¡±


    I looked with perplexed eyes at the white glove that had grabbed my wrist. Then the hand that grabbed me immediately fell off. But his gaze was still fixed on me.


    ¡°My Lady.¡±


    Stephen called me with a more serious face than usual.


    Perhaps it was the lights, but his face looked even more tragic today, and I tensed inwardly.


    Stephen, the butler, did not have the authority to stop me from going out, but the Duke, Roxana¡¯s biological father and the patriarch of the Lillian family, could. And Stephen, as the Duke¡¯s confidant, was obligated to report this to him and inform him when I caused an ident or acted in a way that lowered the Duke¡¯s prestige.


    <i>¡®Can¡¯t you just let it go? Don¡¯t tell the Duke.¡¯</i>


    I prepared for the worst in my mind and held my breath. But the next words that came out of Stephen¡¯s mouth were not at all what I had expected.


    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was too unexpected toe from Stephen¡¯s mouth.


    I mumbled absentmindedly and nodded before quickly withdrawing.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯m off.¡±


    Just as I was about to rush out, Stephen spoke again.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t go alone. During the festival it¡¯s more dangerous than usual, and even more so now that it¡¯ste. I¡¯ll tell the knights.¡±


    But that¡¯s not entirely true. During the festival, the security forces strengthened their patrols several times, so the city should be safer than usual.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to give me a straightforward ride since I had already been found out, but escorts?


    It was no different than putting me under surveince.


    I wanted to say that I don¡¯t need it because it¡¯s inconvenient and a hindrance, but the look on his face as he passed on the words was too determined for me to refuse.


    ¡°I understand¡­.¡±


    Stephen¡¯s face softened as I nodded my head in reply. Since our face-to-face conversation earlier, his demeanor had changed quite a bit. It was not a bad change.


    I didn¡¯t hate this rtionship now.


    There were times when being hated by others didn¡¯t hurt much.


    But it was better to know that there was at least one person who cared about me than to have everyone hate me.


    ¡°Now, please wait in the carriage for a moment.¡±


    Stephen disappeared somewhere. I obeyed his words and went outside and climbed onto the waiting carriage. Then, within five minutes, four knights with robes over their uniforms appeared and greeted me.


    I gave a small nod as I made eye contact with them through the window of the carriage. As I greeted them, they immediately went to the back of the carriage and mounted their horses. Eventually, the horseman gave one big shake of the reins and the carriage departed. I looked at the mansion in the distance for a moment, then soon closed the curtains and my eyes.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    ***


    In fact, unlike what Stephen knew, Roxana didn¡¯t hate festivals. She actually liked them.


    No matter how extravagant the banquets held at social gatherings were, festivals held in the city had a different appeal.


    We all pursue the new and crave for freedom. The city in Roxana¡¯s memory was a mysterious, free-spirited ce that did not need to be bound by heavy formalities and dignities. In the city, there was a rare sight to see people from the distant East and West. The wandering musicians and acrobats performing throughout the city, the roadside stores, and finally the spectacr fireworks that lit up the night sky on top of the hill were so enchanting to watch that it brought tears to my eyes.


    Festivals were usually attended with families or lovers.


    However, the Duke, who spent most of his time on the battlefield and in the office, never went to the festival with her.


    Roxana didn¡¯t want to spend an awkward time with her cold father either.


    She had bravely suggested to the crown prince that they go to the festival together, but he refused, saying that had to work a lottely and it was difficult to coordinate their schedules.


    In the end, Roxana went with the maids to see the festival.


    The maids tried to keep her in a good mood, and Roxana¡¯s spirits were lifted by their efforts and the unusual sight she saw for the first time in her life.


    But her happiness did notst so long.


    And, as usual, it was the Crown Prince and ire who turned those happy memories into a nightmare.


    **¡±


    A few months ago, Roxana and her maids visited East Hill to watch the fireworks.


    East Hill was a famous tourist attraction because it had a beautiful naturalndscape with wild flowers in full bloom and they could see the streets below.


    Not long after she climbed up East Hill, people started setting off fireworks from the city. The fireworks at the top of East Hill were indeed beautiful.


    The spring breeze on the tip of her nose was refreshing and the fireworks were diverse and spectacr.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    As Roxana looked up at the evening sky in admiration, the maids at her side chimed in.


    ¡°I know. I think this year is more spectacr thanst year.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame we can¡¯t see it often.¡±


    Roxana replied with a pleasant look on her face, keeping her eyes on the sky.


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s more special.¡±


    It was that time when they spent a peaceful moment admiring the fireworks.


    Roxana spotted a lover couple at the bottom of the hill, surrounded by knights. The two were dressed inmoner¡¯s clothes, but the number of knights guarding the area showed that they were not of low status.


    As they watched the golden fireworks go off in the dim evening sky, they kissed, not caring who was around them.


    East Hill was a famousndmark frequented by lovers, as there was a popr belief that if they watched the fireworks with their lovers during the festival, their love woulde true.


    Roxana could also pray for their happiness. The only problem was that the man was her own fianc¨¦.


    Why would the Crown Prince, who had refused to go with her on the pretext of busy political duties, be here with ire?


    She wasn¡¯t foolish not to know the reason.


    Roxana watched the two of them for a moment from a short distance away, then turned and started leaving.


    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡±


    The maids, who did not see the Crown Prince and ire, could only wonder.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home now!¡±


    Roxana¡¯s high-pitched voice made the maids m up.


    Roxana could no longer see the dubious reactions of the maids, or even the night view and fireworks.


    After returning to the Duke¡¯s residence, she quickly retreated to her room.


    The maids of honor, who were with her but did not see the couple,


    suddenly changed their attitudes and could not understand her nervous whims. After returning to her room, Roxana suffered for some time, unable to forget the scene she had just witnessed.


    Her first visit to the festival ended that way.


    Her own fianc¨¦, who had said he was busy with work, was happy and with his girlfriend for the first time.


    Roxana did not confront him and returned home.


    The Crown Prince probably had no idea that Roxana had seen him at that moment. But what would have changed if Roxana had grabbed him and questioned him at that time? If she had, how would he have reacted? Would he be embarrassed or sorry?


    Or would he be angry?


    As I pondered for a while, thinking of the faces of the Crown Prince and ire that day, the carriage stopped and the door opened.


    ¡°Lady, we¡¯re here.¡±


    I slowly got off the carriage, taking the knight¡¯s outstretched hand.


    ¡°!¡±


    The city was decorated with flowers and insignia, and there were cheerful musical melodies.


    I walked slowly, my heart pounding with excitement at the sight of so much more life than what I had seen in my memory.


    The scenery of the town where the festival was held was certainly different from the usual. Stores were more crowded than usual, and as I walked along, I could see musicians, acrobats, and exotic dancers performing in the streets. The faces of the people passing by were bright, and it seemed as if the whole city was in a state of buoyancy.


    The bright and joyful atmosphere made me feel better.


    I walked leisurely through the streets until I arrived at my destination, leaving aside useless thoughts for a while. Fortunately, there was arge crowd on the streets and the costumes were also diverse, so it was not very noticeable to wear a robe and a mask.


    It made it easy for me to look around without being noticed.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate to buy anything I liked.


    It would be suspicious if I bought something expensive while dressing like I was, but the items I bought in the stores were not that expensive.


    It was simple items that Roxana would never pay attention to. But to me, it felt like a memorial.


    It was fun to see the items for sale in the store, and it made me even happier to know that I could buy as many items as I liked without worrying about my pocket. Even when I collected them all, I could not say that the amount was small. This should be enough to cover the cost of living for a few months for an ordinary person.


    Besides, the hats and brooches I bought in the stores afterwards were worth a lot of money. In fact, I was not a true noblewoman, and in my previous life my family was moremon than wealthy, so I was not used to this kind of consumption habit.


    But a day like today was quite interesting because it was something I had dreamed of for once.


    For a brief moment, I truly enjoyed myself to the point of forgetting my current situation.


    As night fell and a distinct darkness descended on the sky, the stores began to close one after another.


    One by one, the lights of the stores began to go out and the streets became a little deserted.


    When I saw the stores were closed, I finally realized that I had been so absorbed in shopping that I hadn¡¯t been able to do as much as I nned.


    While I was looking away, the sky became dark, so the moonlight and starlight alone were not enough to distinguish the surroundings.


    However, after a little while, the streets were covered with bright lights.


    In front of the closed stores, merchants settled down on mats and began selling goods.


    Those who were in a better position brought carts and set up tents.


    The lights they turned on made the streets much brighter than it had been at sunset.


    This scenery was something that even Roxana had never seen before.


    At first I was confused, but then I saw the peopleughing and talking, and I naturally smiled.


    ¡°The night market. I didn¡¯t expect to see it here.¡±


    There was not much difference between the night market I had often visited in my previous life and the one I could see in front of me now.


    Delicious smelling food was prepared and sold on the spot, and the merchants raised their voices to invite customers. In the taverns, livelyughter echoed with the sound of clinking sses.


    For the first time this world, which had always been unfamiliar and alien to me, felt familiar.


    It waste, but I didn¡¯t feel like going home when I saw the brighter lights of the city.


    When the stores closed too early I was disappointed, but now I wondered if I should stay until dawn and go home in the light, since it waste anyway.


    Even if I left early, there was one one waiting for me at home anyway.


    It didn¡¯t take me long to make a decision.


    I decided to go home early tomorrow and walked with a nk look on my face. It was fun to browse the street vendors as I had done in the past, but it was also a different kind of fun to watch the windnterns blowing on the bridge.


    In this way, I enjoyed a leisurely stroll, soaking up the atmosphere of the festival.


    I wondered how much I had walked.


    Finally, I saw the building of my destination in front of me.


    The building, achromatic and seemingly monotonous with only gray, was very impressive with its high walls and thick iron gates.


    When I told the guard at the gate that I hade to make a request, a person immediately came out from inside and told me to follow him. He led me in, and I walked with a nervous feeling.


    The floor was carpeted, the wallpaper was a dark gold color and all the interior decorations were luxurious. I was not an appraiser, but I felt that the interior of the upper building was no less dignified and wealthy than the Duke¡¯s residence.


    The inside of the building was gorgeous, unlike what it looked like from the outside.


    This had to be either because the wealth of the upper level of Hermes was not insufficientpared to most high-ranking nobles, or because the master was a vain man. Anyway, that was just my observation.


    The man who led me in showed me to a room.


    ¡°Please wait here for a moment.¡±


    I nodded and went inside. The room was luxurious, but small and deste. The only furniture in the room was a table with a cup and a teapot on it. However, I did not want to mess with the tea in front of me as I recalled the notoriety of Hermes. So I did nothing and waited patiently. I felt the thirst in my throat as my energy was exhausted from walking around. And eventually, a person came in.


    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    I looked up and saw the man¡¯s face and wrinkled my brow.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    ***


    The man was middle-aged, wearing luxurious clothes and expensive essories. He had a sharp,look in his eyes that gave him a somewhat vulgar atmosphere. He took a quick look at me up and down, chuckled, and sat down on the opposite side. The look of arrogance on his face made it seemed like I was nobody.


    Even if the guards were standing behind me, it would have been difficult for them to see me now and know that I was from a high-level noble family. Guards could be obtained from any number of low-level nobles as well as richmoners.


    ¡°What is your business here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to buy some information. As long as you handle your business well, you will be wellpensated.¡±


    ¡°Just say the word.¡±


    The man nodded with an indifferent look on his face.


    His arrogance was starting to get to me.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know how the Crown Prince and Young Lady ire Dana met, how they got close, and everything that happened between them. Also, about the stories and rumors that are currently circting in the social circles.¡±


    The man frowned at my words.


    ¡°Information rted to the royal family is not so easy to obtain. If we¡¯re not careful, the entire corp could get involved, and we can¡¯t afford to take that kind of risk with a little money.¡±


    I was a little puzzled by the unexpected reply, but I didn¡¯t let it show on my face. He said that he couldn¡¯t handle it recklessly, but didn¡¯t say he wouldn¡¯t handle itpletely.


    His words meant that there was room for negotiation.


    The man in front of me had a hint of frustration in his eyes, but he didn¡¯t leave his seat.


    A cold sneer cut through my voice.


    ¡°Information about the royal family? For the past year, the rtionship between the Crown Prince and Young Lady Dana has been a constant topic of conversation. Isn¡¯t that a leap too far when all I wanted to know was about the gossip circting in the social circles?¡±


    The man frowned,


    ¡°May I ask why you want to know that?¡±


    ¡°Do you owe me an answer?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­.¡±


    He stared at me, his eyes narrowed. Unlike his earlier indifference, his gaze was very sharp. It was as if he was trying to figure out who I was. His demeanor caused the knights standing beside me to frown ufortably. Eventually, his eyes went down through the mask I was wearing and touched the golden hair that stuck out a little from my robe.


    I stood up when I saw the man¡¯s gaze change slightly from before.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t even do that, then let¡¯s pretend this deal never happened. This is not the only ce where you can buy and sell information.¡±


    ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±


    He jumped up from his seat and tried to grab me, but of course his hand was blocked by the knight before it could touch my body. I looked up at him as if to ask what was wrong, and I could see the frustration in his gaze.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was difficult.¡±


    I sighed inwardly at the slight change in his demeanor, as if he had just realized my identity. Now that he knew, I asked him openly.


    ¡°How much would you like to be paid?¡±


    ¡°Ten pounds. How about that?¡±


    After he finished speaking, I pulled a pocket out of my sleeve and tossed it on the table.


    The shimmering gold coins were seen slightly through the open pocket. It was already far more than the amount the man asked for. To Roxana, it was a small sum, but this much money to buy information was certainly excessive.


    However, as long as he was sure that he could get the job done, I was willing to invest this much. Seeing that his eyes were drawn to the gold coins on the table, I casually spoke.


    ¡°This is a prepayment. The rest of the money will be paid after I see the results. And one more thing¡­¡­..¡±


    As I spoke, I nced at the back, curious about the knights. The fact that an unmarried youngdy with an engagement was looking for an unidentified man certainly was not a good thing.


    If this were to be known, my honor and reputation would be damaged.


    I had yet to find an imperial spy in my family, and I did not trust either the imperial family or the Duke. So I needed to be a little more cautious.


    I pondered for a moment and then motioned to the knights standing behind me to stand outside. As expected, they immediately protested.


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave Young Lady alone with this man.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long. I¡¯m not asking you to go out of the building, I¡¯m asking you to wait outside the room. If anything happens, I¡¯ll shout right away, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    After I said all this and they showed no sign of retreating, I expressed my displeasure with them.


    ¡°The nanny was telling the truth when she said that the Order¡¯s discipline seemed to have loosened recently. How dare you disobey your master¡¯s orders and even talk back to me.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Their faces turned pale as I spoke.


    ¡°Whose orders do you people listen to? Since my father is not here, your master is me. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will obey your orders.¡±


    Finally, I wielded my power and chased them out of the room. I felt a little bad, but I didn¡¯t have a choice. The man was looking at me with a strange look on his face. I put on a nonchnt face and asked him.


    ¡°The door looks thick¡­ Is this room soundproof?¡±


    The man nodded.


    The mask was pointless now that my identity was known anyway, so I took off the hood of my robe and even the tight mask.


    I had whitish-gold hair and clear golden eyes that proved I was of the Lillian ducal bloodline. If the Hermes Intelligence was so great, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t know my identity when he saw my current appearance.


    As I took off my mask to reveal my face, the man¡¯s eyes widened as if they were going to pop out, and his mouth dropped open. I regretted it for a while, thinking that I must have misunderstood him because he looked so surprised, but I soon realized that I didn¡¯t.


    The man who couldn¡¯t take his eyes off my face looked as if he was mesmerized.


    His gaze was bold and faintly heated, as if he was afraid of me. Seeing his face full of surprise reminded me of the first time I looked in the mirror.


    It was indeed a beautiful face.


    I, too, was as surprised as the man in front of me when I first faced this face.


    In my memory, Roxana was not the one who attracted attention with her beautiful appearance. I could understand the man¡¯s reaction on the one hand, but it made me somewhat ufortable to think that he was staring at me too closely.


    I didn¡¯t want to stay here too long, and I didn¡¯t want to have a long conversation with the man in front of me, so I cut to the chase.


    ¡°He had dark hair, dark red eyes, and looked young. His face was beautiful and his status was probably noble.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    The man looked at me as if he had finallye to his senses. However, the confused look in his eyes said otherwise.


    ¡°Find the man I just told you about. You don¡¯t have to do anything in particr, you only have to figure out who he is and what kind of connection he has with me.¡±


    The man nodded withoutint. I wondered if it was really possible to find someone with just this level of exnation, but seeing that he didn¡¯t ask for any additional information, it was clear that he was confident that he would seed. At this I raised the corner of my mouth in satisfaction.


    This was the reason I visited Hermes today. Excellent intelligence and tight security.


    ¡°Most of the people who attended thest Imperial Pce banquet¡­ ¡­a week should be enough, right?¡±


    ¡°One week is too short. If you can give us enough time¡­¡­¡­¡±


    The man said with a troubled look on his face, as if this was impossible.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten days. And I¡¯ll give you a month to solve the problem, because the work I¡¯m going to ask you to do is muchrger than that.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    The man¡¯s pale face became even worse than before.


    ¡°Until the work ispletely finished, you will visit me regrly and report on what you have learned so far. And since I won¡¯t be able toe here in person from now on, you¡¯ll have to contact me in an unnoticeable way.¡±


    The man¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    I could see the weariness on his face, as if he thought he had met a difficult customer. I continued self-consciously.


    ¡°You can do it any way you like. However, we need to ensure security. You have to inform me directly about everything and anything about this request.¡±


    ¡°Then by what means¡­.?¡±


    The man asked cautiously, taking in my expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to figure out in the future. That¡¯s why I gave you the extra money. If that¡¯s how much money you got, you need to give me what I deserve.¡±


    I then stood up without looking up at the man. I made sure to remind him that no third party was allowed to enter or overhear the details of this transaction. So I should be able to stop worrying about the contents of the deal leaking out or being overheard by the servants for a while. It would be inevitable if he was to betray me after all this, but he probably wouldn¡¯t.


    The man in front of me seemed to be witty, so he must be aware of the fact that my unmasking and revealing my identity was a warning of sorts.


    Even though the Hermes was wealthy, they were still just being run by amoner.


    Therefore, it could notpete with a high-ranking noble family like the Lillian. The fame of the knightly order that belonged to the family was high, and the prestige of Duke Lillian was so great that even the imperial family couldn¡¯t ignore it.


    And the one he just talked to and left was the notorious princess.


    In reality, there were many exaggerated aspects, but the notoriety surrounding Roxana was so high that he would not dare to try anything futile unless he didn¡¯t care about his life.


    After leaving the Hermes Corp, I put on my mask again and came out into the downtown area. It was alreadyte at night, and the streets, pervaded by a festive mood, were already filled with people drunk on entertainment.


    I felt even more reluctant to go home when I saw the vibrant city scenery.


    But I didn¡¯t know what else to do. I¡¯ve already had enough of the sightseeing earlier, so there was nothing more to do.


    I stopped and pondered for a while, and then I saw a store with a handmade wooden sign in front of it, and a window that opened quickly to reveal the interior.


    The store was small and didn¡¯t seem to have many customers, but the interior was clean and had a rxed atmosphere. Besides, the smell of delicious food leaked out, and everyone seemed to be having fun,ughing and chatting loudly.


    Just as I was getting hungry and feeling a little guilty of dragging others here and there because of me, so I headed there without hesitation.


    When I was about to open the restaurant door, one of the knights blocked my way and asked with a serious face.


    ¡°Youngdy, are you sure you want to go in there?¡±

 Chapter 14

    I could see the bewilderment on the face of the knight who asked me. The rest of the knights had the same expression on their faces. Now I became a little suspicious and asked them.


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like it here? Then let¡¯s go to another store.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that ¡­.¡±


    In response to my question, the knights¡¯ expressions became even stranger.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not like that then let¡¯s go.¡±


    As soon as I finished, I grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open before they could stop me. As soon as we stepped inside, I could smell the steaks cooking in the kitchen inside.


    I looked around the restaurant and saw that the seats were half upied.


    I sat down in the most secluded corner. The knights hesitantly followed me and stood beside me instead of taking a seat.


    ¡°What are you doing not sitting down?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    At my words, thest knight¡¯s eyes went wide as if they were about to pop out. He reacted as if he had heard something unbelievable. I could see the shock and astonishment on the faces of the others.


    ¡°My Lady¡­¡±


    The knight standing in front of me said.


    ¡°By the rules of etiquette, we are not allowed to eat with you.¡±


    ¡°Even if I consent?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    My question caused his face to turn puzzled.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the etiquette. ¡­¡­?¡±


    He said in a voice that was much quieter than the first.


    On the one hand, I didn¡¯t understand.


    At the same time, I felt a little irritated.


    As I sat there alone and they just stood there, the eyes of the people in the store began to turn to me.


    Wearing a robe wasmonce, but it was certainly noticeable that I was wearing a robe and even a mask in the building.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep today a secret, well, I¡¯ll swear on myst name.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    All I wanted to do was to settle the matter quickly. However, seeing them hesitate until the end, I felt my patience was running out. I didn¡¯t realize how hard it would be to move the servants while being a Princess¡­


    ¡°If you don¡¯t sit down and keep being stubborn, people will think it¡¯s weird, and maybe you¡¯ll get someone¡¯s attention.¡±


    I suppressed my anger and let it out in a cold voice.


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m wearing shabby clothes and even a stuffy mask at the expense of inconvenience?¡±


    The knights gave me a look of bewilderment.


    But they still didn¡¯t move an inch, and no one was listening to me.


    I said, still with a cold look on my face.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine. But if you mess up my work, I¡¯ll go home and tell Lord Lorenz that you made me suffer.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    All four knights turned pale at my words.


    Lord Lorenz was the name of the vicemander of the knight order belonging to the Lillian family.


    He was in charge of the duties on behalf of the chief knight who followed the Duke down to the periphery, and was also the boss of all standing in front of me.


    He was one of the few people in the duke¡¯s mansion who behaved favorably towards Roxana, though they rarely bumped into each other as he spent most of his time only in the training hall.


    Roxanna also followed him a lot until she reached puberty, as he was bold and had a delightful personality.


    But there was one fact she did not know.


    Hispassionate face was something she could only see when he was in front of her.


    He was stern, honest, passionate, and never allowed his knights to ck off.


    I would usually take a walk and quietly watch him from a distance as he led the training of the knights.


    The trainingsted a very long time.


    The training went on until the sun went down and I got tired of sitting and watching first. By the time I thought the training was over, the knights¡¯ clothes were soaked in sweat.


    Their faces were so gaunt that it was a pity to look at them. However, due to Lord Lorenz¡¯s unquenchable enthusiasm, the training continued.


    In the end, I was too tired to watch them practice to the end and had to get up first.


    During my training, I found my Lord Lorenz to be of a very calm nature and extremely ruthless to his men.


    Seeing the knights take their seats as soon as I finished my words made me realize once again how big Sir Lorenz was in their hearts.


    But I really didn¡¯t mean to threaten them.


    I felt a little bad when I saw them fidgeting and looking at me even after we were seated. I found a menu in a corner of the table and held it out in front of them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy, so if there¡¯s something you want to eat, feel free to order it, no matter the price. Do you prefer beer or wine? Or you can order both.¡±


    The knights were still looking at me, but they were cheerful when they heard me. They were all adults and would need a lot of physical strength to train normally. How many people would hate free food and alcohol?


    ¡°We can¡¯t have alcohol while on duty¡­¡±


    One of the knights said with a troubled look on his face.


    The other knights seemed to agree with him as well. In response, I did not coerce them any further and called a server. We skipped the alcohol and ordered different kinds of food.


    There was an awkward silence between us as the server disappeared with the menu in his hands.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The knights looked at me ufortably, and I was not friendly either.


    Luckily the food didn¡¯t take long toe out.


    On the table were breads, sds, soups and various kinds of meat dishes, including beef, pork, chicken and duck.


    I cut some of it up first and tried it, it tasted good.


    ¡°!¡±


    Instantly, the expressions of the knights looking at me went crazy.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    I smiled awkwardly at them as they looked at me.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡¯


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think the youngdy would actually eat such food.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the food from a ce like this is not as good or as high quality as what you usually eat¡­¡±


    I frowned, wondering what he meant, and the knight hurried to say sorry.


    I epted what he said. Considering Roxana¡¯s usual image, it was not strange for the knights to look at me with curious eyes.


    Normally, when Roxana came into town, she didn¡¯t look at the cheap stuff or food that was sold randomly on the street.


    If it wasn¡¯t her, it would probably have been the same if it was a daughter of another family. After all, in this world, the disparity in status was clear, and each person¡¯s domain was distinct. An arrogant aristocrat would rarely visit a restaurant or clothing store wheremoners would visit.


    On the other hand, it would be difficult for a poormoner to step into the aristocrat¡¯s domain. It was a world where noblemen ignore and disregard each other while questioning each other¡¯s status. But I wasn¡¯t Roxana, and I wasn¡¯t a true noblewoman. I didn¡¯t want to be picky about the feast in front of me.


    ¡®Because some say good is better.¡¯


    I said in an even gentler voice, rxed my stiffened expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have something like this once in a while.¡±


    The awkward atmosphere loosened up a bit as I concentrated on my meal. The knights¡¯ eyes on me also seemed to have changed a little.


    I don¡¯t know why, but they seemed to have taken a liking to me.


    I only remembered making enemies of people after I fell into this world, so the favorable looks they were showing me now felt good.


    The dialogue continued in a lighter atmosphere than before, and I could see that they were paying attention to me.


    At that moment, I heard a frivolousugh from the opposite table.


    ¡°Princess? The one who rose to be Crown Princess relying only on her house?¡±


    Said one of the drunken guests.


    A man in a hat sitting next to him warned him.


    ¡°Shh! Keep your voice down.¡±


    But the man didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s no secret, the whole capital is talking about her right now. And she wouldn¡¯t be in a ce like this¡­¡±


    The air at our table became cold in an instant at the man¡¯s words.


    The expressions of the knights who had beenughing and talking earlier all froze at once. The knights immediately stood up from their seats with furious faces. I opened my mouth before it was toote, as the fierce knights were about to take out their swords.


    ¡°Stop right now.¡±


    The knight, who was about to jump out of his seat, paused for a moment. I was worried that he might not listen to me and cause an ident, but surprisingly, they were obedient.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    ¡°But they¡­¡­!¡±


    One knight spoke in a frustrated voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big deal. Those lowlings have insulted the princess. But why are you telling us to stay still?¡±


    Thedy knight sitting beside me also looked at me with a look of iprehension as she heard my words. I asked her back.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t sit still, what will you do?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­.¡±


    While she was lost, another knight answered.


    ¡°We must execute them to set an example.¡±


    He was the one whose expression was the least agitated as he listened to the conversation of the men on the other side. He was the one who had just uttered the word ¡®execute¡¯ with a face that seemed so casual and unconcerned. It made my body shudder.


    I know in my head that any number of things can happen in this world, but I¡¯m not adapted enough to understand and ept it with my heart.


    ¡°Stay still. There is no need to step forward.¡±


    The knight¡¯s face scrunched up as I spoke. But I continued without concern.


    ¡°If anyone tries to defame me with profane words, of course they should be punished. But it¡¯s different now.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    He asked with an indifferent look on his face, as if he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°What kind of rumors would start tomorrow if it became known that the Princess who was said to be lying on her sickbed had appeared at a tavern wheremoners woulde and go at ate hour and caused a ruckus?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    My words finally calmed the momentum of the knights. However, one of them was excluded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this quietly so it won¡¯t cause any problems.¡±


    The knight with an expressionless face was still the biggest hurdle.


    The other knights hesitated as he showed no signs of backing down.


    I faced him with a stiff look on my face.


    Despite the quietness of his face, there was a chill in his gaze and a stubbornness in his tightly closed lips.


    How in the world could they do something like that when I, the person in question, was fine¡­ Were they crazy for murder? As for me, I thought it was strange.


    With a frown on my face, I asked in a cold voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s the festival season now, and there are a lot of people walking the streets. If themotion gets bigger, many people will witness it, what are you going to do then?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Finally, his mouth closed.


    I didn¡¯t want to give him any more time to think, so I quickly continued to ask.


    ¡°Are you going to hurt innocent people to keep their mouths shut?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    He looked a little perplexed, as if he didn¡¯t think that far.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be the first to say that you¡¯ll handle this quietly to prevent such a thing from happening. Will you be able to take all the risks?¡±


    I was still squeamish about their conversation, but I guess I was also a little shady at best. By my standards, it was not a serious enough offense to get him fired.


    Would it make me feel any better to execute them for something they said or did that was offensive?


    No, it would make it worse, but it would never make it better. It was unfair to just sit still and get criticized, but I didn¡¯t want to see blood instead of the joyous festival.


    I was not a noble or a knight who was used to seeing blood, and if I thought someone would die because of me, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep for several days.


    ¡°Then sit down. The employees are going to look at you funny.¡±


    I tried to keep my voice as low as I could, but I couldn¡¯t hide my mood.


    One of the employees had been ncing at us since earlier. She seemed to be worried that there would be amotion in the bar.


    I gave her a small nod of apology, and then sat down again. The rest of the knights, however, remained standing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be nervous. It¡¯s not like this will happen again¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I said, meaning that it was fine, but the look on the knights¡¯ faces was still strange.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s at least move on to another restaurant. You don¡¯t need to listen to those words.¡±


    ¡°There is no need. I would like to know what my story was among themoners, so let¡¯s use this opportunity to hear what they are talking about.¡±


    I sat down again and looked at the table where the men had been chatting earlier.


    While I was calming the knights down, some of the people sitting at the opposite table nced at us, as if they had noticed something strange. As they did so, they hurriedly looked away when their eyes met those of the knights at our table.


    After a while, however, I saw themughing and fussing again, and tipping their cups.


    They didn¡¯t seem to have noticed anything, just frightened by the terrible energy of the knights.


    There were about ten people sitting at the table on the other side, but they were all loud because there were drunk people. I was annoyed, but I was d that nothing major happened.


    ¡°It¡¯s a disgrace. I¡¯d probably be hanging my head in shame if I were her.¡±


    At that moment, another loudugh came from the opposite table.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    ***


    I was a little perplexed.


    At first I thought I heard wrong, but I didn¡¯t.


    There¡¯s a saying that you can see the country¡¯s evil in ces you don¡¯t see, but that¡¯s when it didn¡¯t take long.


    In this world where there was a clear disparity in status, the mere fact that they mocked me by putting my name on their lips was enough to punish them immediately. We can ask them about their disrespect and whip them, torture them, or or hit them with profanity until I feel better. That was just as my knights were about to do.


    They were bad-mouthing me in a bar where anyone coulde and go, even though doing so might cost them their lives.


    This meant that my face had fallen to the ground. On one hand, I felt really bad, but on the other hand, I was a little surprised.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t know that they were in the same space as me, so they were doing that, but it was really amazing that they could just make so much noise without worrying about their surroundings, probably because they were drunk. Should I admire their courage or my story bes a mockery.


    I wondered if I should be saddened by the fact that people were talking about me. Then I heard words that I just couldn¡¯t let pass.


    ¡°She has a lot of guts. I heard that she had a secret meeting with another man at the Imperial Pce behind the Crown Prince¡¯s back, but identally fell from the third floor terrace. So that¡¯s why she hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I was drinking some cold water to calm my anger and almost spit out the water in my mouth.


    What¡¯s that?


    Roxana only had the Crown Prince.


    There was no way she was going to cheat on her fianc¨¦.


    Moreover, I was the one on the terrace that day, and I was the one who crashed, not Roxana. By the way, a secret meeting?


    There was a part of me that couldn¡¯t just dismiss it as a baseless rumor from the start. Originally, rumors go through the mouth, so they are slightly altered and exaggerated, but because of that, the details of the rumors were too detailed.


    Moreover, it was strange that the general public knew so much about what had happened in the banquet hall of the Imperial Pce.


    Since there were more than one or two suspicious aspects, I had to assume that someone had intentionally spread rumors about me. It was amon practice in social circles to deliberately spread malicious rumors to damage someone¡¯s honor and reputation.


    ¡®Third floor terrace, secret meetings, other men besides the Crown Prince¡­¡¯


    Suddenly, a face popped up in my mind.


    It was the man who had tried to save me from falling down the terrace. With a serious face, I tried to remember the details of his face. It was often different, but rumors generally arise from the flesh based on facts.


    I don¡¯t know how he managed to open the terrace I was on ande in, but I fell in shortly after he did, which may have looked strange to other people.


    ¡®But a secret meeting¡­?¡¯


    Does he know there¡¯s a strange rumor going around between me and him? If I could meet him again, I wanted to ask him why he tried to help me that day and thank him.


    However, if he also knew that such false rumors were circting, it could be a nuisance to approach him and talk to him.


    In reality, I was the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, so whether he liked my presence in the royal family or not, he would not have been pleased if I met another man with him around.


    Although I had never experienced it firsthand, the Imperial Family was a ruthless ce, more sensitive to reputation and rumors than any noble family.


    I would not be able to sleepfortably with my arms and legs outstretched if innocent people were harmed for no reason at all because of me.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t like that, wouldn¡¯t it be embarrassing to see such a rumor floating around?


    ¡°I heard she was drunk, then stumbled and fell down. No one was there.¡±


    While I was in my frustration, I heard more talking from the table on the other side.


    I was a little relieved to hear the man in the hat say that.


    If everyone says the same thing, people will believe the rumors are real. But if each person told a different story, the rumor would remain a rumor.


    Originally, rumors were something that would be naturally forgotten over time.


    Besides, even if I didn¡¯t cause any problems, incidents and idents happen every day in the social world. People like to be stimted, but they are also interested in new things. No matter how exciting the rumor is, the interest will soon wane because in the end, it is someone else¡¯s problem. If there is a new incident, people¡¯s interest will shift quickly. So, all I have to do is to stay as quiet as possible without causing any agitation.


    Until the rumors die down or a new case arises and people¡¯s attention shifts to it¡­.


    ¡°I heard that she took it out on the innocent youngdy and acted like a lunatic when the Crown Prince stopped her.¡±


    ¡°Did she really go mad all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I think it was because she was drunk. I heard that when they discovered how much alcohol she had consumed, they already smelled alcohol on her body¡­¡±


    What he said this time was about me and ire.


    It was only a suspicion before, but now that I¡¯ve heard the story, I was even more certain. Mixed rumors of truth and falsehood.


    Somebody was deliberately spreading malicious words against me.


    The most likely person, given the circumstances, was ire. She was also the biggest benefactor of this work, and while the viin was clearly and explicitly stated, so was the fact that the other person was known only as a youngdy.


    There were some oddities.


    But as a mere daughter of a Baron, would she have this level of ability?


    I heard that Baron Dana family was a vain noble family, so their territory and wealth weren¡¯t much¡­


    I was a little curious.


    Was this ire¡¯s own doing or with someone¡¯s help?


    No, there was no evidence that ire was the culprit in the first ce.


    The person Roxana was wary of most was ire, but ire wasn¡¯t her only enemy. After her engagement to the Crown Prince, she was the envy and jealousy of all the unmarried youngdies who were yet to be married.


    With Roxana bing the Crown Princess, the Duke of Lillian, who had so far remained neutral, began to support the Crown Prince.


    The battle for the throne was still raging, and the number of political enemies had increased greatly. Moreover, Roxana was arrogant and not the most likable of people, as she was not a good social butterfly.


    Therefore, Roxana¡¯s enemies were many besides ire.


    So for me now, there was more than one suspicious person.


    I looked into her life through my memory. But that didn¡¯t mean I knew everything about her.


    My memory was not perfect.


    The past was faint, but the recent memories were clear and vivid. A person¡¯s memory is not supposed to be perfect by nature. Therefore, there were many parts that were choppy and disconnected.


    So there must certainly be many parts that I missed.


    ¡°Those¡­.how dare they!¡±


    I was lost in thought for a while, when I noticed an indignant voiceing from right beside me. I was a little surprised to see the knights had red faces, but I soon understood what it meant.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before the engagement is annulled since it was such a big deal. It¡¯s a shame really, because it would be difficult for her to get married if the Crown Prince abandoned her. If only she was about ten years younger¡­¡­..¡±


    Having listened to the gossipers, the knights tried to hold back their anger. It made me feel strange to see them genuinely angry on my behalf. But without knowing how I felt, the other table continued to talk about Roxana.


    I¡¯d already heard all the stuff I was most interested in anyway.


    It couldn¡¯t make it worth my while to listen to it, so I got up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it.¡±


    I went to the counter, paid and left the restaurant.


    Then, the knights followed me without hesitation.


    I walked in silence for a while with aplicated feeling, and for some reason, I felt a hot gaze from the back.


    I didn¡¯t have to look to know that it was the knights.


    They seemed to have a lot to say to me. But they didn¡¯t dare to bother me unless I called out to them first.


    Due to the fact that I spent more time than I expected in the diner, I walked around a bit and before I knew it, the sun was about to rise.


    Then I headed to the ce where the carriage was parked.


    As soon as I got into the carriage and saw that the door was closed, I took off my suffocating robe and mask.


    After a while, I heard the shaking of the reins and soon the wheels began to roll. As I sat in the moving carriage, watching the sun rise over the horizon, I had a thought.


    The attitude that the knights showed me today was quite surprising.


    Roxana did not have a very good reputation in the mansion. She didn¡¯t have a very close rtionship with the servants, let alone the knights.


    So I naturally assumed that they would not like me either.


    And yet, today, seeing them angry and frustrated on my behalf made me feelplicated.


    Unlike what Roxana thought, she didn¡¯t seem to be hated by everyone.


    Thinking about the knights seemed to warm a corner of my heart.


    In the diner, my mood sank when the gossipers taunted me with their mouths. But there were people around me who were angry on my behalf, I felt a littlefort.


    But what about Roxana?


    She had to face people who looked at her with hostility and mockery every day in social circles.


    Every time she did, there was no one by her side.


    Unlike others, she had no parents by her side to give her advice and guidance, and the Duke¡¯s fame and prestige both protected and endangered her.


    Her fianc¨¦, the Crown Prince, took the lead in condemning and publicly humiliating Roxana for the sake of his own lover.


    She endured for years alone in such a situation.


    And now it was none other than me who would keep the position for her behalf.


    When I remembered that fact, I was at a loss and felt suffocated.


    ***


    The day has dawned.


    Today was the day my nanny said she would return to work.


    Whether she would return or not was of no interest to me, but I honestly felt like I wanted her to return a littleter. While Annie was bringing in breakfast, I washed my face, then sat in front of the mirror doing my hair.


    The effects of the previous night still hadn¡¯t settled, but as I sat in front of the mirror and looked at Roxana¡¯s beautiful face, I seemed to recover a little.


    I smiled slightly, and through the mirror I could see my beautiful lips bend sensibly. Roxana was definitely beautiful, both objectively and subjectively.


    Her snow-white skin was transparent without blemishes, and her rich hair was lustrous. Her eyes, slightly upturned at the tips hung with long eyshes, and her golden eyes were mysterious and shining like stars, more beautiful than any jewel in the room.


    Her nose was small and pointy, and her slightly plump lips were rosy. My head wasplicated and my mind was restless, but I ate well and rested well, and within a few days the dark shadows under my eyes faded and my vitality returned.


    The difference was small, but looking at the face that became beautiful day by day was one of my hobbies since I fell into this world.


    While I was admiring the beautiful face, I heard a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Naturally, I assumed it was Annie, but it wasn¡¯t. When the door opened and instead of Annie, the nanny walked in, pulling a tray with food on it.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? You came back early.¡±


    When I asked her, she looked at me ufortably.


    She looked even worse than when I had seen her a few days ago.


    The color under her eyes had turned even darker and she looked thinner. I nced at the tray she was holding.


    This was originally done by maids and servants, so there was no need for a nanny to do it.


    Moreover, the nanny was extremely arrogant, although she always pretended to feel sorry for Roxana in front of her.


    She had never done such chores herself since Roxana grew a little older.


    There was no way that she could have changed her mind and be serious overnight when she had let her servant take care of Roxana.


    I looked coldly at the nanny who was cing the breakfast on the table.


    She smiled a little reluctantly when her eyes met mine.


    Seeing her doing that in front of me now, it was obvious that she still hadn¡¯t resolved the ident that happened a few days ago.


    I smiled in vain at her transparent behavior. After facing her early in the morning, I lost my appetite, but I sat down with a calm look on my face.


    The food was fortunately delicious despite myck of appetite because the chef¡¯s cooking skills were excellent.


    The sweet potato soup was sweet and soft, and I could taste the butter vor straight from the bread. The sd topped with cheese was fresh, and the steak with wine sauce was light and tender.


    Throughout the meal, the nanny¡¯s gaze was fixed on me. She must have something to say because her lips were wavering, but I pretend not to pay attention.


    I finished my meal without even looking at her. After eating, I left my seat.


    ¡°Where are you going, youngdy?¡±


    ¡°Take a short walk.¡±


    I replied kindly, slowly turning back to the nanny.


    I was a little tired from the previous day, but the thought of being alone in the room with her was suffocating me.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you. Would you like to have a cup of tea in the garden?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. I just ate. I¡¯ll go alone and let the nanny rest.¡±


    I refused very gently and firmly.


    ¡°Youngdy, please take this parasol with you.¡±


    Annie said, giving me the parasol. I walked out of the room immediately, leaving the embarrassed nanny behind.


    The garden, a harmonious blend of green grass and white gravel, was in full bloom with a variety of colorful flowers. I headed for the rose garden through the path of blue hydrangeas with my parasol.


    There was a fountain in the center of the rose garden, and benches were set up under the shade of trees for people to rx.


    The red petals were so fresh, covered with morning dew. The morning air was still chilly, but it was refreshing and fragrant.


    Looking at the flowers under the open sky with the cool breeze blowing, I felt as if all my worries were lifted.


    I had a novel from the Duchess¡¯s study and sat down under the shade of thergest tree.


    As time passed, the sun rose high and the midday sun fell sharply.


    I was so engrossed in my reading that I lost track of time.


    I leisurely finished the book, and before I knew it, several hours had passed. I sluggishly got up. I stretched for a little bit as my body was stiff from the long sitting. I stepped out feeling refreshed.


    The sun was warm as ever, and the flowers glowed vividly when viewed under the intense sunlight.


    It was truly a beautiful scene.


    I decided that when I got back to my room, I would tell Annie to arrange to have teatime in the garden tomorrow.


    As I walked up the stairs and stood in front of the door of my room, I heard something noisy inside. I heard a familiar high-pitched voice and a sharp rubbing sound.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    A little startled, I opened the door and walked in to see the nanny and Annie confronting each other. Annie was standing quietly with a slight slump, and the nanny was ring at her.


    They heard me and turned around. As soon as they saw me, the nanny came and stood beside me with tears in her eyes. Annie was startled, but she was still standing there with her head down like a rock.


    ¡°What were you doing?¡±


    I asked, and the nanny spoke up in a sad voice.


    ¡°This vulgar thing was rummaging through the Young Lady¡¯s things. She didn¡¯t even know I was in the room. When I checked, I found this in her hand.¡±


    She held out a gemstone ne with her outstretched hand towards me.


    The in design wasn¡¯t that noticeable, and seeing that I couldn¡¯t immediately remember it, it seemed to be something Roxana had put somewhere and forgotten.


    The nobles were generous with luxury goods. Roxana was certainly aristocratic in that respect.


    She bought dresses and essories without hesitation whenever there was a banquet or gathering. If one of these things were to disappear among all that stuff, she wouldn¡¯t notice for a while.


    And even if she noticedter that one of the nes was missing, she wouldn¡¯t care much either.


    However, no matter how indifferent she was, it would have been a different story if she had witnessed someone getting their hands on her things.


    In a normal aristocracy, if a servant were to touch something that belonged to her master, she would be whipped and thrown out.


    In the worst cases, they would slit their wrists or even sell them somewhere else. Roxana wasn¡¯t a harsh master, but that didn¡¯t make her any more particrly charitable than the others.


    She already had a history of whipping out her servants who stole from her on several asions. Each time, she had a nanny by her side.


    Once, the nanny said a maid stole Roxana¡¯s things just like she did just now. However, Roxana didn¡¯t actually see it herself.


    And Roxana kicked the maid out with a particrly severe beating for trying to pin the me on the nanny.


    After that, the nanny¡¯s position in the house became more and more solid.


    The servants were cautious of the nanny and she became increasingly domineering. Roxana hadplete faith in her nanny, who had raised her since she was a child, and she did not doubt her, but I wasn¡¯t Roxana.


    Every time the servant had an item or valuables in her hands, the nanny was involved, and when I thought of her current situation, my suspicions grew stronger. I asked, looking not at her, but at Annie.


    ¡°Annie, be honest with me. Did you do it?¡±


    The nanny¡¯s face scrunched up at my question.


    Annie raised her head, looking a little startled.


    I frowned when I saw a clear handprint on one of Annie¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°If you say no, I¡¯ll believe you. So I want you to tell me the truth.¡±


    Annie hesitated for a moment, and then quickly said in a firm voice.


    ¡°I swear to you, I have never touched anything that belonged to Young Lady. I came into your room just now. You can swear by God. Please believe me.¡±


    Annie¡¯s voice was calm, and the way she looked at me seemed sincere. Of course, she might be lying to me. But¡­.


    ¡°I understand. I believe what you said.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    At my words, they both looked at me with surprised faces.


    ¡°My Lady!¡±


    The nanny eximed as she looked at me in disbelief. I frowned, ufortable with her reaction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shout, nanny.¡±


    ¡°But that vile thing touched your things without knowing her ce. If I discovered itte, she would have walked right past me without anyone knowing.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    I asked back coldly, and the nanny said in a more high pitched voice.


    ¡°I know the Lady is feeble-minded, but at such a young age, she is already a thief. Nothing good wille if you keep her around, so we must get rid of her now.¡±


    Annie said with a face full of resentment at the nanny¡¯s words.


    ¡°Miss, it really isn¡¯t me. Rather, it¡¯s ¡­¡­.¡±


    She slurred her words and looked at me sadly. There was a hint of confusion and frustration on her face.


    I could roughly guess what she was talking about. Looking at the nanny, she was biting her lips with a flushed face.


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    The nanny quickly rebutted my words.


    ¡°Lady! You don¡¯t really believe her words, do you?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t believe her? Annie is a good and sincere child.¡±


    Annie¡¯s eyes welled up with tears when I said that.


    ¡°Miss¡­..¡±


    She looked at me as if she was about to burst into tears.


    Then the nanny¡¯s face grew more intense.


    She red at Annie and said in a sharp voice.


    ¡°What you see on the outside is not all there is to a person.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure? The nanny might have misunderstood.¡±


    ¡°I told you that I saw her stealing firsthand. What more do you need here?¡±


    The nanny cut me off in an irritated voice, as if she was frustrated.


    ¡°Nanny, you¡¯re acting a little strange today. Why are you more upset than I am when I said I¡¯m okay? Is there a reason why I have to get rid of Annie?¡±


    I said, and the nanny¡¯s face hardened momentarily. But she quickly adjusted her expression and said with a look of displeasure.


    ¡°Being around bad people can have a bad effect on you. I¡¯m just thinking about you¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you. The nanny always thinks of me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you didn¡¯t, I wasn¡¯t gonna let this matter slide either.¡±


    I felt awkward facing the nanny, but with a smile on my face I said,


    ¡°I tried to pass today off as just a misunderstanding, but my nanny is so stubborn that I had no choice. There must be a reason why the nanny kept being persistent. Right?¡±


    When I asked softly, the nanny nodded.


    ¡°As the nanny said, maybe I¡¯ve been wrong about people all this time¡­¡­.¡±


    The nanny¡¯s face brightened a little at my mention.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Stephen to investigate. He¡¯ll check the rooms and see what he can find out.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    I said, trying to keep my face and voice as calm as possible.


    ¡°Whether additional missing items, or other peculiarities, the nanny just has to tell Stephen exactly what she told me earlier. Annie, if you want to prove your innocence, you¡¯ll have to speak up.¡±


    My words crossed the joys and sorrows of the nanny and Annie.


    The nanny looked as if she had just heard a bolt from the blue, but Annie¡¯s face brightened noticeably inparison. Stephen was a strict but honest man.


    He didn¡¯t get along with the nanny, but he wouldn¡¯t put his personal feelings into a public matter.


    He would not do anything that would bring down a person unnecessarily.


    However, Stephen is very persistent, so if hees forward and investigates, something will definitelye out. Perhaps the past mistakes that had been passed without knowing could have been revealed.


    If they had something to hide, they would certainly want to avoid it, and if they were innocent, they didn¡¯t need to be afraid.


    Of course, ordinary people could be anxious about whether they had made a mistake in the meantime, even if they were not guilty of anything.


    But even so, the nanny¡¯s response now seemed excessive.


    If my guess was correct, the nanny had been stealing for years and framing others for her crime.


    Stephen was strict and principled, so he wouldn¡¯t let it go.


    ¡®Perhaps¡­ he will report to the Duke.¡¯


    The Duke was generous to the people of his domain, but on the other hand, he was relentless and cold hearted. Because of this, the people respected him, but at the same time, they had a hard time.


    If the Duke found out about the nanny¡¯s mistake, there was no way he would sit on her sins. And if he decided to go directly out and deal with her, not even I could stop him.


    ¡°That¡¯ll do, right?¡±


    The nanny¡¯splexion turned pale.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    When I asked, the nanny opened her mouth in a stupor and could not answer easily, then spoke btedly with a puzzled look.


    ¡°Miss, please wait a moment. You¡¯re right I think I was mistaken¡­¡­.¡±


    It was before the nanny finished all her words.


    Someone knocked on the door.


    If the nanny changed her words now, she was as good as admitting her guilt. I was just about to wrap up the situation, but I didn¡¯t feel very good about being interrupted. With a frown on my face, I asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I heard a reply from outside.


    ¡°Youngdy, I think you shoulde downstairs now.¡±


    It was Stephen¡¯s voice.


    His voice was in as usual, but there was something a little hardened about it. A sense of foreboding came over me at the moment.


    Then again, ominous premonitions often came true.


    Stephen continued in a serious voice.


    ¡°The Crown Prince hase to visit.¡±


    ***


    I sent the nanny and Annie both out of the room, then called the other maids and with their help, I changed and dressed lightly. I let my hair loosely hang this time instead of holding it up as I usually did, then put on a light blue dress and sat down in front of the dresser.


    My face contorted shortly after the maids began applying my makeup.


    ¡°Now what¡¯s this all about?¡±


    I gave them a disappointed look.


    At this, the maids were so busy looking at me that they didn¡¯t realize their mistake.


    ¡°We did what we always do, but could it be that there is a problem¡­¡­?¡±


    At the servant¡¯s reply, I frowned and looked into the mirror again. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn¡¯t seem to adapt. Her skin, which was always clean, looked like a patient¡¯s, covered with a coat of face powder that made it pasty and hid the blood color. It looked so thick that it seeped out when I scratched it with my fingers, especially under my eyes which were thin and shaded.


    The darkly painted eyelids were also the kind of makeup that old, mature noblewomen usually wore. Younger women of Roxana¡¯s age should wear makeup lightly, in keeping with the vibrancy of their age.


    Inparison, Roxana¡¯s image in the mirror was devoid of any of the trappings thate with it, and looked more dull and old than beautiful and dignified.


    ¡°Get rid of it. I¡¯m just gonna go down.¡±


    ¡°But ¡­¡­¡±


    There was a hint of worry on the faces of the servants.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to waste time and effort on dressing up that doesn¡¯t even look good.¡±


    The maids looked a little surprised, but soon began to remove my makeup with careful hands. After all the makeup was removed, I applied only a light cream and a bit of fragrant oil.


    Roxana¡¯s skin was originally white and beautiful, and her lips were naturally red, so she didn¡¯t need much makeup on her face.


    After the makeup, I opened the drawer containing essories.


    The drawer was full of gorgeous essories.


    There was one simple pendant among the very expensive looking jewelry.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    I reached out and picked up the pendant and stared at it.


    The pendant was made of silver, with a round floral pattern embroidered along the edge and a red gemstone in the center. The carvings were exquisite, and the shining white sterling silver was even studded with jewels, so it was an expensive item at first nce.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wear this ne today, youngdy? It¡¯s thetest thing you bought.¡±


    Suddenly, the maid who was helping with my preparation asked me with a strange look on her face. The ne in the servant¡¯s hand was adorned with a brilliant blue gemstone. I nodded absentmindedly and she ced the ne around my neck.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    First floor.


    A group of knights were waiting at the door of the parlor.


    They had the imperial seal engraved on their uniforms and all had long swords at their waists. Their postures were neat, their expressions solemn, and their sternness was visible. The servants of the Duke¡¯s mansion looked at them ufortably.


    ¡°When is Roxanaing?¡±


    A beautiful man with light blond hair and blue eyes said.


    He was wearing a suit, not a uniform, unlike the knights.


    He wore a white shirt, a pale gold vest, and a cravat of the same color as the vest. In the center of the cravat was an borate blue-gold brooch, which was fixed in ce, and he wore a dark indigo coat embroidered with gold thread. Looking at his elegant attire, clean white skin and beautiful face, anyone could tell at a nce that his status was extraordinary.


    He was none other than the Crown Prince.


    The servant replied to his question with a slightly troubled look on his face.


    ¡°I have sent word of His Highness¡¯ arrival, and she will probably be here shortly.¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t it been an hour already?¡±


    The Crown Prince said, looking at his watch.


    His irritated voice instantly chilled the room. A cold sweat broke out on the servant¡¯s forehead.


    It was only natural for him to be afraid of the Crown Prince, since he was only a servant, no matter how great the Duke¡¯s authority was.


    He could be punished for making the Crown Prince feel ufortable.


    Whether he understood the feelings of such a servant or not, the Crown Prince gestured with a look of displeasure as if he was about to leave.


    In response, the servant, feeling inwardly relieved, quickly disappeared.


    After the servant was gone, the Crown Prince continued to pace the room, looking at his watch. It was not the first time he had visited the Duke of Lillian¡¯s residence, but it was the first time he had to wait this long.


    He was the one who just stormed in without setting an appointment time, so I¡¯lle down when I¡¯m ready.


    He didn¡¯t have any particrints about waiting for a while,


    However, the longer he waited, the more impatient and frustrated he became.


    The Crown Prince stared at the innocent wood in the firece and was about to open his mouth to summon the servant once more.


    At that time, a sign of movement was heard from the door and soon a voice that had been painted for days came.


    ¡°I am here to see His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    Hearing the familiar voice, the Crown Prince turned around. I stood in front of the door, bowing slightly.


    ¡°Roxana!¡±


    The Crown Prince walked up to me quickly and hugged me.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Then he opened his mouth in tears.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    The Crown Prince furrowed his brow.


    My body stiffened.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you still sick?¡±


    He asked, sincerely worried about me.


    I answered in a stiff voice, pushing his body away.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    The Crown Prince didn¡¯t understand.


    Unlike usual, Roxana had a cold demeanor towards him. As a result, he had a dark expression on his face. It was clear that Roxana was still angry with him for giving ire a shoulder to cry on at the banquet hall the day of the ident.


    It had been many days since they stopped seeing each other, so he thought her anger should have subsided a bit by now, but looking at her current reaction, he was mistaken.


    Wasn¡¯t she the one who insulted ire first and pped her in the cheek when ire didn¡¯t say anything? He helped ire because he felt sorry for her, so he couldn¡¯t understand why Roxana was angry over something as simple as that.


    The Crown Prince sighed deeply.


    Even after several days had passed, thinking back to that day, his heart still felt heavy and tired. He still didn¡¯t think that his actions that day were wrong.


    But he came here today to apologize and to cate her. It was true that she was devastated by that day. Many days he spent in a damp state wondering what he should say or how he should he act when he met her. But when Roxana finally appeared in front of him, he couldn¡¯t remember a single word he had prepared. He had heard that she woke up safely, and he was d to see it with his own eyes, but he felt sad because of Roxana¡¯s unusual attitude. When the Crown Prince rxed his arms, Roxana slipped out of his embrace as if she had been waiting for him. This made him feel twice as sad as before.


    ¡°Roxana, about that day¡­ ¡­¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince hesitated, continuing his words with a pained expression. Roxana stared at him with a frown.


    ¡°¡­Roxana?


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    When Roxana replied with an indifferent face, he went silent and stared at her with a gaze full of surprise.


    Instead of the face that usually looked suffocatingly thickly powdered, it was clean and vibrant, and the dark eyelids were deep and airy thanks to the clean, long eyshes that hung down.


    Her eyes, which wererge and sharp when not obscured by makeup, were even clearer, and her rosy lips shone as if they were watery.


    The dress she was wearing was also different. It was neat and simple, rather than childish and overly shy as it usually was.


    Looking at her, the Crown Prince recalled memories of the past few years.


    ****


    *The past.


    ¡°I heard the Duke of Lillian¡¯s residence has been busytely preparing for the Princess¡¯s birthday banquet. Go and fetch the Duke tomorrow. If he agrees, I will lend him the Crystal Pce for this banquet. There will be no need forplicated preparations.¡±


    In the midst of the War of Conquest, the time when the Duke of Lillian sent word of his victory in the war against the Kingdom of Estibel, the Duke¡¯s prestige hit the heavens and the Emperor handed over the entire Crystal Pce for Roxana¡¯s debutante.


    The Crystal Pce waspleted after an endless five years of major construction work, mobilizing a thousand workers for the first emperor¡¯s most cherished detached pce.


    True to its name, the Crystal Pce was made entirely of the finest white transparent marble, and the interior was filled with priceless treasures and all sorts of luxuries, making it the most extravagant pce ever built.


    Furthermore, only the Emperor and Empress were allowed to enter.


    This was the first time in the history of the empire that the Crystal Pce was opened to the daughter of a nobleman who was not a member of the imperial family.


    There were certainly people who were repulsed by this, but since the other party was the only daughter of the Duke of Lillian, the atmosphere was mostly agreeable.


    Estibel was one of the most powerful in terms of both size and power among the surrounding countries, and it was also the country that actually suffered the most from the wealth situation.


    However, the Duke of Lillian solved that problem, and the Emperor probably felt that his long-sick tooth had fallen out.


    The Emperor had learned early on that the Duke was always sorry for leaving his young daughter alone in the capital. Since the Crystal Pce was a ce that attracted the attention and envy of many people, he gave The Duke¡¯s daughter his good intentions for the sake of maniption.


    Thus Roxana¡¯s debutante was uncharacteristically held in the Crystal Pce under the Emperor¡¯smand.


    It was the first time the Duke of Lillian¡¯s daughter, whom even the emperor cherished, appeared in a social setting, and it was the first time the Crystal Pce was opened to outsiders. Naturally, Roxana¡¯s debutante attracted the attention of many people, and the Crown Prince attended the banquet that day with the same curiosity.


    The banquet began amidst everyone¡¯s anticipation, and soon after, the main character appeared.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    *The Crown Prince¡¯s POV.*


    ¡°The Princess of Lillian will now enter.¡±


    At the same time as the servant¡¯s voice, a small girl stepped softly onto the red carpet, holding the Duke¡¯s hand.


    The purple dress, decorated with frills andce, was so gorgeous that it stood out even from a distance.


    The ribbon ornament on her chest was cute for her age. The tiara on her head was very borate, and her pearl earrings were small and pretty.


    Her brilliant blonde hair shone brightly, proof that she was of the Lillian¡¯s bloodline. Her golden eyes, inherited from her mother¡¯s side, were mysterious, and her small white face was pretty and cute.


    Rumored, she was the Duke of Lillian¡¯s only daughter.


    However, after the death of the Duchess, the duchy became closed and it would be difficult to see her face in person.


    It was the Crown Prince¡¯s first time seeing her face.


    He could still vividly recall the image of her under the fancy lights, escorted by the Duke, stepping slowly down the red-carpeted path.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    When he spoke to her, Roxana stared at him, her eyes wide opened like a frightened rabbit.


    ¡°Are you the Crown Prince?¡±


    When he actually faced her, she did indeed have a beautiful face, but he had the impression that she looked somewhat dark and weak.


    She looked awkward, perhaps she was ufortable with the Duke by her side.


    In response, the people looking at her had high expectations, but they soon became disappointed.


    She certainly look like the Duke in appearance. Her eyes seem to resemble those of the Duchess¡¯s. But they didn¡¯t think she has the same personality.


    ¡°The Lady is still a child. But she is still very clever for such a young girl, she may even surpass the duchess when she is older.¡±


    The Duke was regal and dignified, and the Duchess was gentle and strong, but the princess did not seem to resemble either of them.


    The Duke was standing next to her, so she couldn¡¯te forward, and many people looked at her as if she was a prey.


    But the Crown Prince was not disappointed to see her like that.


    The Duke volunteered to go to war after the Duchess left the world due to illness, so the young Roxana must have been left home alone.


    Not all, but children who grew up without knowing their parents¡¯ love were often traumatized. Moreover, she had never been involved in any outside activities and lived only in the Duke¡¯s mansion, so this was the first time she had appeared in such a crowded ce.


    With so many people¡¯s eyes focused on one person, it was only natural that she looked that way.


    He looked at her, small and pretty, at first liking her, then feeling pity for her. When he tried to converse with her under the coercion of the mother-empress, he found her to be innocent and very lovely.


    The aristocrats in the capital were all arrogant and vicious regardless of their age.


    The higher their status, the more arrogant and vicious they were.


    Among such people, Roxana could be said to be special, for better or for worse. After the debutante, which left a strong impression, the Empress summoned her son to the Empress Pce.


    ¡°Jeremy, you seemed to be on good terms with the princess at the banquet.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You should get to know her better. It¡¯s not a bad idea to get to know her beforehand, since she may be your future wife.¡±


    The Empress said softly, looking pleasant and calmer than usual. The reason the Empress wanted him and Roxana to get close was to bring the Duke of Lillian into their supporting forces.


    He was very young at the time, so he did not know this fact, and he just went along with it.


    ¡®I liked her, too.¡¯


    The young girl, who had grown up unloved, was hungry for affection and he took a little interest and fondness in her.


    Eventually, they got engaged. Her innocence and purity, so out of character for her status, was at times hard to understand.


    He found her interesting, and sometimes endearing.


    Roxana wasn¡¯t beautiful enough to be the light of the country, but she was beautiful, and as she grew older her beauty became more and more radiant.


    The unique weak and dark atmosphere had changed significantly, and when it was just the two of them, she was still innocent and shy.


    But time had changed many things. Somewhere along the line, she was too slowly began to change.


    The timid, and cute person she used to be disappeared, and she became depressed and violent.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate to use her power to torment the innocent Young Lady in front of many people. She also wore a childish appearance that didn¡¯t fit the fashion and aged makeup.


    Her fame and reputation had fallen to the ground, and before she knew it, she had be the target of others¡¯ ridicule.


    The disappointment grew in her iprehensible appearance.


    He felt disillusioned by her ugly struggle to lose her former appearance and began to stay away from her more and more.


    But on the day of the banquet, his heart fluttered when he found her climbing onto the railing.


    He thought he might really lose her, and his whole body froze and his head went nk.


    But fortunately, Roxana regained consciousness safely and was standing in front of him in good health. Besides, not only did she look safe now, but she was also beautiful, as if she had regained her former lightness.


    No, it was as if she was more beautiful than before.


    She was dressed much more lightly than usual, but she was still graceful and dazzling in her beauty.


    ¡°You seem to have recovered well.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Indifferent to their first meeting in weeks, she showed no sign of being the least bit perturbed by the praise.


    Her gaze seemed deep and quiet. It was unfamiliar in a way that was calm yet somehow chilling.


    ***


    I walked past the Crown Prince, who was standing there with a dazed look on his face, and went to the sofa.


    Then a servant standing at the entrance offered me a cup of tea and some refreshments.


    I sat nonchntly drinking my tea, and eventually the Crown Prince took a seat across from me. He had not taken his eyes off me since I entered the parlor. Instead of expressing his disdain and disgust as he had done before, he just watched silently, his gaze full of admiration and wonder.


    I wasn¡¯t foolish to not know what that look meant.


    If I had to guess based on my experience and Roxana¡¯s memory, the Crown Prince seemed to like beautiful women who looked beautiful and innocent.


    Knowing this, I went to the trouble of dressing up, so the effect was still not bad. If there was such a thing as a camera in this world, I wanted to take a picture of his face right now and send it to ire.


    It was good to win the favor of the other person easily, but it was not a pleasant thing because the other person was the Crown Prince.


    I was ufortable with the tant gaze that didn¡¯t seem to fall on me in the slightest.


    The Crown Prince regained hisposure and, perhaps embarrassed, cleared his throat and withdrew his gaze from me.


    He brought the cup to his lips gracefully, blushing slightly.


    It seemed like an unthinking action, but perhaps because his appearance was so gaudy, it was like a work of art.


    It was indeed very beautiful, but I didn¡¯t feel any special emotion.


    My heart didn¡¯t throb or feel scared or excited like it had a few days ago before meeting him.


    It was nothing like I expected, so I was a little surprised at myself. I was surprisingly at peace now that I was facing him.


    There was no angry atmosphere, and the Crown Prince acted cautiously, as if he was rather considerate of me.


    His expression was calm, and there was little conversation, so much so that I even felt bored rather than nervous.


    Perhaps it was the ident at the Imperial Pce that was the cause of this peacefulness, but with only two of us like this, I felt how long it had been since the Crown Prince had seen me, or rather, seen Roxana, and spent time alone with her.


    Roxana loved this time, peaceful and as warm as the afternoon sun. I looked at him casually and shifted my gaze to the boxes piled voraciously in the back. It had been bugging me from the moment I walked in, but I was too preupied with the Crown Prince to take a closer look.


    When my nerves rxed a little, I saw it again. The boxes piled high were uniformly wrapped in high quality packaging, inrge quantities and of various sizes.


    ¡°It¡¯s your birthday soon.¡±


    The Crown Prince said, as if he noticed my gaze. I thought for a moment about what to say and answered.


    ¡°Thank you for the gifts.¡±


    It was a really tasteless reply, even when I thought about it myself. The Crown Prince must have felt it, because he looked a little disappointed.


    ¡°It has been a long time since I have seen you, but it seems I am the only one who is happy to see you.¡±


    The Crown Prince said in a voice full of disappointment.


    As for me, I found what he just said hrious.


    ¡®When has he ever cared for Roxana?¡¯


    Looking at me the whole time, treating me as if he was an old friend or lover, I thought of his action at the banquet at the Imperial Pce and a sneer came to my mouth.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long.¡±


    I replied in a calm voice, in keeping with the Crown Prince. When a cold answer followed, the Crown Prince was offended and stopped talking.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    In a sh, the atmosphere in the room froze. The servants looked at me and the Crown Prince with a strange look, and I sat still without looking at them.


    The Crown Prince stared at me with a stiff face.


    So I looked at him silently and calmly.


    The silence continued for a while. At the end of the silence, it was the Crown Prince who spoke first.


    ¡°I apologize aboutst time¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so hurt. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The Crown Prince told me with a sigh in his voice.


    His apology gave me a lot to think about.


    In fact, not only did the nanny and maids around ignore Roxana, but the person who sincerely apologized was practically pushing her to die. The Crown Prince still has the upper hand if it is the crown prince¡¯s child to be a legitimate heir, whether it is good or bad to expand the country¡¯s territory and defend the nation, but even the emperor tried to persuade and conciliate it instead.


    However, the way the Crown Prince, who had a much higher status than them, uttered his apologies in a sincere manner was somewhat surprisingly understandable.


    The struggle for the throne between the Crown Prince and the second prince was not yet over, and the situation was so fierce that it could be said to be at its peak right now. The imperial family, built on a history of flesh and bone, was a more merciless and brutal ce than any aristocracy.


    The Empress had made a proper name for herself and sent two Princes off to war at a very young age.


    However, contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, the second prince was still alive and well, and the army he led achieved a string of victories that were cheered by the people.


    The Crown Prince asserted his legitimacy and was supported by most of the nobles with the power of the Empress, but he could not ignore the nobles who supported the Second Prince.


    Above all, the Second Prince had the support of his people.


    Being a war hero was the title of the Second Prince.


    It was too important to ignore. Furthermore, even though the Emperor had seen the conflict between the two powers intensifying, he had yet to express his exact intentions, which confused many people. If I turn my back on this situation now, things will be very different.


    ¡°Roxana?¡±


    When I didn¡¯t respond, the Crown Prince looked at me with an uneasy look in his eyes. I raised my head and slowly made eye contact with him.

 Chapter 19

    Since the Duke of Lillian was one of the Crown Prince¡¯s important hands, if he were to lose the Duke, his power would be greatly shaken.


    Not only that, but the Duke of Lillian was supporting him in many ways, including patronage and investment in the projects that the Crown Prince was currently pursuing.


    If everything were to be disrupted in an instant, he would suffer enormous losses.


    Defeat in the struggle for the throne would mean death. Even if he were to survive, he was bound to lose many things, but the possibility of not surviving was greater from the start.


    When he became emperor, keeping a more legitimate royal family alive was tantamount to leaving the bud of rebellion. There was a fine line between rebellion and revolution.


    In the struggle for power, prestige was sometimes more important than tens of thousands of military men.


    The emperors, therefore, took over the throne and executed their own blood rtives directly.


    Even close brothers and sisters often pointed swords at each other¡¯s necks, especially half-brothers who were separated for a long time. As far as I know, the Crown Prince and the second Prince did not get along well, and the Crown Prince¡¯s mother, the Empress, tried to kill the second Prince.


    So the two brothers would not be able to get close to each other even if they tried.


    Given the situation, the Crown Prince was in a position where he had to look better to me than my nanny and maidservants.


    Of course, this may have been overthought.


    The Crown Prince in question did not mean anything by it, and he sincerely felt sorry for me, but it was also my oblique way of looking at his behavior and giving it an excessive amount of meaning.


    But to look at it without prejudice, except for my own personal feelings, I couldn¡¯t forget that day in my mind. The scream in my ears, the pain in my wrists that were gripped with great force and my ankles that were sore from hitting the floor¡­.


    The Crown Prince who looked at me with disdain and ire who smiled next to him¡­.


    ¡°What are you sorry for?¡±


    It was a childish question even for me to consider.


    The Crown Prince looked at me with a troubled face.


    A hint of confusion scraped across his face. I didn¡¯t mean to torment him, but I knew how embarrassing this question would be to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t take you side that day. I didn¡¯t think you would be so hurt.¡±


    I know how difficult it was to ask for an apology from these arrogant royals. I¡¯m sure the Crown Prince had never bowed to anyone before, except for the Emperor and Empress.


    Such was his apology for what happened that day, but it rather dampened my mood.


    To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect him to know his mistake from the beginning.


    But I couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed when I actually heard his reply directly from his mouth. The Crown Prince probably thinks it was strange that I was still acting so harshly after all these weeks, just because he didn¡¯t stand up for me. It¡¯s not very often that we make mistakes that we know are wrong in nature.


    It is often said that perpetrators cannot remember their mistakes, but it was natural for the victims to feel unfair when they remembered them.


    Suddenly my wrist, which still had a blue bruise on it, caught my eye. The Crown Prince didn¡¯t let go of my wrist that day after a long time, and it was sore, but it wasn¡¯t enough to leave traces for this long.


    This was afterwards. I was falling from a high ce and someone tried to pull me up. But I was the only one here who knew that fact.


    ¡°Do you see this?¡±


    I rolled up my sleeves and held out my bruised wrist to the Crown Prince. At first he looked as if he didn¡¯t understand anything, but then he quickly frowned.


    ¡°What the hell is this? Who dares to¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince asked me in a slightly angry voice.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember, do you?¡±


    I asked with a deliberately cold look on my face.


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked with an iprehensible look on his face, which quickly hardened. Looking at his expression, it seemed that there was something that just came to his mind.


    ¡°No way¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness did this.¡±


    I cut off the Crown Prince¡¯s words and assured him. He looked shocked.


    I continued to speak.


    ¡°That day, His Highness defended ire, pulled my wrist, threw me to the floor, and used me loudly in public. Not anyone else, but your fianc¨¦e, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­..!¡±


    The Crown Prince opened his eyes wide in surprise.


    His blue eyes looking at me turned ck with guilt.


    Even though the morality and justice he usually pursued was hypocritical, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him, with his high self-esteem, to face and admit his mistakes.


    He opened his mouth with a very painful look on his face.


    ¡°What I did was¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever Your Highness¡¯ intentions might be, what matters is the fact that His Highness actually did it.¡±


    He tried to exin, but it was a clich¨¦ that I didn¡¯t need to hear anyway, so I cut him off mid-sentence and continued.


    My words ended and the Crown Prince was speechless for a while. His expression, unlike before, showed a hint of nervousness in his very dark and narrowed brows and tightly closed lips. The Crown Prince needed to face his mistakes properly. Moreover, I needed to make him feel indebted to me. That way, I would have a slight advantage in future rtionships.


    I couldn¡¯t care less about the shock and guilt he had. It must be very embarrassing to talk to me in such a violent way again.


    ¡°My pride was crushed and my reputation fell to the ground that day.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face contorted.


    I thought I was being too hard on him, but I knew very well that if I didn¡¯t settle it clearly this time, it would happen again next time.


    ¡°I think you are ¡­¡­¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince slurred his words with a confused expression. He was silent for a moment before opening his mouth again.


    ¡°I did not think you would go to such extreme choices. What can I do to relieve your anger?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to receive an apology like a bow. His Highness will have to figure out for himself what he must do.¡±


    The Crown Prince nodded with an indifferent look on his face.


    ¡°What do you mean I made extreme choices. I¡¯m afraid you misunderstood something, but the fall that day was an ident.¡±


    ¡°An ident?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me as if to say what I was talking about.


    ¡°I was drunk and went out onto the terrace to cool my head, but I lost my bnce and crashed. I leaned against the parapet and fell from the force of the alcohol.¡±


    It was a poor excuse I came up with.


    From the expression on the Crown Prince¡¯s face, it was clear that he didn¡¯t believe a word I said. I should have thought of a more usible excuse beforehand, but the Crown Prince came earlier than I expected¡­.


    He came too soon, but even a transparent lie couldn¡¯t help.


    I bullied ire, and the Crown Prince beat me, and I attempted suicide out of pity for my situation.


    It was better than letting such a ridiculous misunderstanding take ce.


    ¡°Yes. If you say so, then be it.¡±


    The Crown Prince said.


    He didn¡¯t believe me, but he seemed to let it slide. Satisfied with my reasonable concern, I changed the subject.


    ¡°I also felt like I was making a fuss about something I had no reason to be angry about that day.


    I kept my smile as innocent as possible. Once you are involved with the royal family, it would be nearly impossible to break the engagement. Then there was no need to make it bad for the Crown Prince any longer. I had already received an apology, so at least for the time being, he would keep quiet and I could retreat.


    ¡°Your Highness sent a gift to your lover, and showed it off in front of me, but I shouldn¡¯t be so angry since I was just only a nominal fiancee.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±


    I said in a sense of reassurance, but the Crown Prince¡¯splexion turned pale. He gulped with a puzzled look on his face.


    ¡°ire¡­¡­is just a friend ¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, are you trying to deceive me with such nonsense that even a child would not believe?¡±


    In my own way, I meant to ask for reconciliation and hinted at my intention not to interfere with their rtionship from now on.


    However, I was offended when the Crown Prince tried to deceive me again with lies.


    But I spoke in a calm voice on purpose to show that I was neither angry nor agitated, but in a quiet state.


    While I waited for his response, I drank tea. While I was drinking the tea, my gaze was looking in another direction, but I could feel the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes on me. Having decided not to fight with him anymore, I focused my mind on drinking the tea in silence and waited for his reply with a rxed feeling.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­¡±


    After a while, I heard a sigh that made the ground cave in.


    ¡°ire and I are not¡­.We¡¯re not as close as you think.¡±


    ¡®Do you really think I¡¯m going to believe that?¡¯ My lips twisted spontaneously.


    I stopped drinking my tea and faced him again. The Crown Prince¡¯splexion was much more depressed than before, but his gaze was fixed on me, and his straight eyes did not waver in the slightest.


    Looking at his expression alone, he looked so truthful that I thought perhaps I was deceived by it. However, I knew that the Crown Prince¡¯s current words were lies, and he knew it too.


    ¡°You and her are always together, exchanging friendly words, sending expensive gifts, and even kissing, but not lovers?¡±


    It had been a year now that the Crown Prince and ire had been together like that.


    Although they hadn¡¯t officially announced it, there was probably no one among the nobles in the capital who didn¡¯t know that ire was favored by the Crown Prince. That the rtionship between the Crown Prince and ire was not just a simple matter was such an open fact that even the youngest of the youngdies who had just debuted knew about it.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but¡­You expect me to believe a lie that is so obvious?¡¯


    As for me, I was appalled. It was not that I didn¡¯t know why the Crown Prince denied the truth to the end with such an outrageous lie.


    Even if the customs of the empire were more open than in other countries, it was not enough to condone tant wrongdoing.


    Furthermore, the Crown Prince was now in dire need of the support of the Duke of Lillian.


    Even if I were to stand in his shoes, it would have been difficult for me to admit the fact that I hadmitted the crime recklessly.


    It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t know about the Crown Prince¡¯s situation, but I didn¡¯t need to understand his situation.


    I locked eyes with the Crown Prince with a cold expression. The Crown Prince¡¯s blue eyes wavered like candles before the wind.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    I replied in a hard voice with a cold, stiff expression on my face.


    I had gone to great lengths to urge reconciliation, but since the other side refused, there was no need for me to be any more obsequious.


    I didn¡¯t know how my current appearance was reflected in the eyes of the Crown Prince.


    Hisplexion darkened even more as his gaze met mine.


    At the same time, the image of the Crown Prince, who was now in front of me, ovepped with the image of him using and treating Roxana coldly in front of ire.


    A sneer came to my mouth as I saw him looking as if he was the one who was hurt, even though there was another victim.


    When I thought of how he treated Roxana, and how much she suffered because of it, I hated the man in front of me and felt unpleasant spending time facing him like this.


    I was just about to stand up when I realized that if I faced him any longer, my earlier decision to stop making things worse might be in vain.


    ¡°I think you misunderstood me enough¡­We¡¯re not lovers.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡®You don¡¯t sound sincere in your excuses.¡¯


    The Crown Prince was adamant, knowing that I didn¡¯t believe his words one bit. I quickly wondered if his words meant that they were not officially dating.


    Expressing affection and love for each other, taking sides, and giving gifts were not things that only lovers could do. Hugging, kissing, and other skinship activities were not necessarily reserved for lovers.


    I didn¡¯tpletely believe what the Crown Prince said, but even if what he said was true, nothing changed.


    In order to favor ire, the Crown Prince treated his fianc¨¦e coldly and neglected her. If he had given Roxana even half the attention he cared for ire, Roxana would not have been as broken as she was.


    At the end, when she came up with a wish for her own death, her heart became heavy as if she had put a big stone on her heart.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I made no reply to the Crown Prince.


    Then he continued to speak with a nervous look on his face.


    ¡°I am sincerely sorry that I have been so neglectful of youtely. But you¡¯re only nominally engaged to me? What the hell does that mean?¡±


    Roxana loved the Crown Prince, so he was her only betrothed, but he had no love for Roxana. So I guess it¡¯s hard to find a word that can define their rtionship more than nominal fianc¨¦e.


    But the expression on his face as he questioned me was full of shock, as if he had not heard me. When I stared at him in silence with furrowed brows, he said as he took my hand.


    ¡°I have never, not even once, thought of you in that way.¡±


    He spoke firmly with his eyes fixed on me.


    ¡°Roxana, you are my fianc¨¦e. No matter what happens, that fact will not change. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    I gently withdrew my hand from his grasp and replied.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The Crown Prince was disappointed by my reply. Did he really think that I would be moved by such words?


    I sighed inwardly.


    I thought to myself, It would have been so much better if it was Roxana who was listening to those words instead of me. When I didn¡¯t show any more reaction, the Crown Prince asked me with a wry smile.


    ¡°By the way, what did you mean by what you just said?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what I said earlier?¡±


    ¡°What ire said.¡±


    I was a little surprised because I didn¡¯t expect him to say something I thought I would overlook first.


    Did the Crown Prince really not know how ire had been tormenting Roxana? It didn¡¯t really matter if he knew what she had said or done. Now was the time to expose ire¡¯s mistakes to the surface.


    Normally, it would be more likely that the Crown Prince would know about it and just keep it to himself, but now that he felt guilty, I would probably see a minimum of sincerity if I were to point out her mistakes. Whether he warned ire or not, or watched her in the future, there was nothing bad for me. It would be perfect if the Crown Prince knew what was behind her and was disappointed and kept away from her, but I didn¡¯t want to go that far.


    I just want to make sure that there would be a small conflict between them and that ire wouldn¡¯t be able to act recklessly in the future. That¡¯s enough for now.


    ¡°I heard that you gave ire a dress from Madam Haley this time.¡±


    I spoke as nonchntly as I could, trying to keep my face ordinary.


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡±


    He looked at a loss as to whether I knew. The way he looked at me made me sigh, because he really didn¡¯t seem to know. Madame Hayley was now independent and ran her own store, but she was once a designer working in the imperial pce.


    Combining fine stitching, good results, and even the prestige of being the designer who had previously made the Empress¡¯s clothes, naturally the wardrobe store she ran was very popr in the empire. However, she made no more than ten dresses a year, and the dresses she made were so expensive and rare that even the aristocrats who were willing to pay for luxury were hesitant to buy them. It was only natural to wonder why ire, a daughter of a Baron, wore it.


    Even without asking, it was obvious who the source was. However, in Roxana¡¯s memory, ire had talked about it as if it were a confirmation from her own mouth. Therefore, it was certain that it was a gift from the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Not only the dress, but also the pearl ne and sapphire earrings that were auctioned off this time. Of course, there must have been many more.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me as if to ask how I knew that. I added that perhaps the Crown Prince misunderstood that I was investigating the two of them.


    ¡°ire must have been very happy. She bragged so much in front of me. I was jealous.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    I noticed that the Crown Prince was getting more and more fidgety at my words. Rather than getting angry and swearing at someone when pointing out their mistakes, you have tough at them with an unconcerned face and be sarcastic about their mistakes. Both Roxana and the Crown Prince were of high status and grew up without the benefit of the people around them, so they didn¡¯t know any better, but this was exactly the way they used to talk in social situations.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t ire so thoughtful? When I showed signs of difort, she worried about me who didn¡¯t receive anything. She was going to talk to Your Highness on my behalf.¡±


    There was a saying that the tongue of the nobles was sharper than a well-honed sword.


    I wasn¡¯t an aristocrat, but I lived a pretty cutthroat life in my previous life. School was where thepetitive structure was formed more than anywhere else, and there were students with a certain amount of integrity. But when I think of the faces of my family of five, I suddenly realize that Roxana, who had no one.


    There were none.


    I wondered what would have happened if she had sisters.


    Perhaps it was because I remembered the family I would never see again, or perhaps it was because I remembered Roxana¡¯s sad past, but the tip of my nose grew hot.


    But the Crown Prince was right in front of me, and I had no choice but to swallow my tears. When I calmed my emotions and looked at him again, he looked more troubled than before and suddenly took out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to me.


    I hesitated for a moment and then epted it.


    ¡°I wondered how she knew so much about my private life that I had never told anyone about, so I guess I didn¡¯t feel very good about her unting her friendship with His Highness in front of me, your fianc¨¦e. It seemed that I got angry without knowing it.¡±


    I added, ncing at the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Of course, it could be that I¡¯m specting too much like everyone says.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince was silent for a moment, even after hearing all my words.


    His expression looked veryplicated.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one there that day, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard to ascertain the truth.


    In fact, there was no lie in what I had just said, although I had exaggerated some parts. In the meantime, Roxana¡¯s evil has been obscured by the attention of people, but ire¡¯s words and actions have obviously been problematic.


    Even though they were of the same nobility, there was a difference in rank between Roxana and ire.


    So it wasn¡¯t strange at all that Roxana took it out on ire because she was offended.


    However, Roxana couldn¡¯t do anything about it out of spite.


    She would be punished to varying degrees, but she was to end up making ¡°appropriate¡±pensation to ire¡¯s family, the Baron of Dana.


    No matter what Roxana did to ire, all that would be left to her when the job was done was a small financial loss and notoriety that would not affect the Duke¡¯s estate in the slightest. However, in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, ire dared to boast about her friendship with the Crown Prince and taunted her by boasting about the gifts she had received from him.


    This was an incident where Roxana could just p ire on the face and go.


    The Crown Prince¡¯splexion turned dark, perhaps because he thought I was being sarcastic. But I didn¡¯t say anything more because I had every right to be sarcastic.


    ¡°¡­ire¡¯s family is not wealthy, and Baron Dana spends his time drinking and gambling. Because of that, ire couldn¡¯t afford a decent dress. I¡¯m sure you know how arrogant the aristocracy of the capital can be.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me as if asking for my understanding.


    However, since I didn¡¯t respond and just looked at him coldly, he sighed and continued.


    ¡°I felt sorry for her when people mocked or harassed her, so I helped her a few times¡­..I never thought that you would be offended or hurt by it.¡±


    The Crown Princeid out a usible exnation. I listened to him in silence, keeping his words to myself along the way. As far as I knew, ire was the only person the Crown Prince had helped, although she wasn¡¯t the only person in the capital¡¯s social scene who wore a shabby dress and was ignored by the people.


    But even after hearing the end of it, I still didn¡¯t understand it.


    ire was the only one.


    So he just helped her by giving her expensive dresses and essories because she was poor ?


    I wondered if anyone would actually believe those words unless they were fools.


    ¡°Did His Highness present her with so many luxuries just for that reason?¡±

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    The Crown Prince could not answer my question immediately.


    Actually, I was not curious about his answer, so I did not wait and continued.


    ¡°How could His Highness not know how it would look in the eyes of others for an unmarried man and woman to exchange gifts in such a manner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it that deeply. I swear that I never intentionally tried to hurt you, not even a little.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me and bowed his head with a look of shame.


    I sighed.


    I don¡¯t know how this happened.


    I nned to justpromise today and send him on his way after we made up, but as we talked, I felt emotional.


    Unless I tried to fight him, this way of using and biting off the other person wasn¡¯t the least bit helpful.


    An engagement with the royal family was not something that could be broken selfishly, and the Duke of Lillian was currently on the same boat as the Crown Prince.


    I would have to see him for a long time toe, but from now on, if I befriended him, it might not be good for me either.


    The only one who would benefit was ire.


    I never wanted to see her happy face.


    I sighed and opened my mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to me His Highness, so there¡¯s no need to be so nervous. However, I would like you to restrain yourself a bit from now on.¡±


    The Crown Prince raised his head and looked at me. His blue eyes sparkled.


    I averted his gaze and continued.


    ¡°I hope you will remember that the more affection His Highness shows for Young Lady ire, the more it hurts my reputation as I am your fianc¨¦e.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d. I¡¯m a Princess, and I don¡¯t want to be ridiculed by a daughter of a Baron.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face, which was softened earlier, crumpled.


    ¡°Now¡­does that mean that such things have happened more than once or twice?¡±


    He asked me with a look of disbelief on his face.


    ¡°Not once or twice. She¡¯s been doing it all this time.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked,


    I had my doubts, but it didn¡¯t really matter.


    Either he knew and kept quiet about it, or he was tricked by ire and really didn¡¯t know.


    Things had already happened and the hurt that Roxana had suffered would never be able to be erased.


    And to not know about what Roxana had been suffering for two years meant that the Crown Prince was that indifferent to her. Or that he was too careless.


    The answer to my thoughts should be closer to the former, but neither was pleasing.


    ¡°What difference does it make to say it?¡±


    ¡° What do you mean? Of course you should have told me.¡±


    I asked, to which the Crown Prince replied with a frustrated look on his face.


    I don¡¯t know if it was an act or if he was serious, but the current Crown Prince seemed to be greatly disappointed with the other side of ire.


    He also seemed to feel guilty about me.


    I hesitated for a moment and then asked him.


    ¡°I have only one question for you. Your Highness, now that you know, are you going to throw ire out for me?¡±


    ¡°That¡­.¡±


    The Crown Prince hesitated to reply. When I saw that he didn¡¯t answer right away, I could tell his true feelings without having to listen.


    ¡°I will assume that I have heard the answer. I know exactly what you mean, Your Highness.¡±


    My voice cracked a little as I was tired.


    The Crown Prince seemed to have something to say, but I got up because I didn¡¯t hear anything more from him.


    ¡°You seem to have finished your tea. I¡¯m tired because I couldn¡¯t sleep wellst night. Let¡¯s get up first.¡±


    ***


    I went back to my room and threw the handkerchief in my hand on the desk. I stared at the handkerchief with his name engraved on it for a moment, then called Stephen over to tell him about what happened between the nanny and Annie, and left him to investigate.


    ¡°Examine what has been missing in my roomtely, or rather in the mansion.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Also look into the servant who stole from my room a few years ago and was thrown out. And find out about the nanny¡¯s behavior and family affairs over the past few years.¡±


    Stephen¡¯s face was filled with surprise.


    ¡°I will do so. Now, youngdy, get some rest.¡±


    He walked out of the room with a happy look on his face, despite the fact that he had more things to deal with in his busy schedule.


    The sight reminded me once again that the emotional divide between him and the nanny was deeper than I thought. Unlike me, the real Roxana and Stephen were very much at odds with each other, like water and oil that cannot mix. The young Roxana felt jealous when the Duke was closer to Stephen than his own daughter.


    Her nanny, who was not usually on good terms with Stephen, noticed this and put in more words.


    ¡°His Highness seems to be closer to the butler of the house than the Young Lady. I think the butler was quick to tell the Duke about your mistake at thest banquet. So as soon as he came back, he didn¡¯t even look at you and went straight to his office.¡±


    The nanny used the gap between Roxana and the Duke to her advantage.


    ¡°The Duke is terrible too. Did you see the butler¡¯s attitudest time?


    He often seems to forget that he is a servant. He doesn¡¯t listen to you at all.¡±


    Another day, she pointed out Stephen¡¯s inflexible and principled side. Roxana¡¯s hatred for Stephen was very childish and simple, but once you start hating a person, you will hate everything about that person. In Roxana¡¯s eyes, the butler, who was good at his job and trusted by everyone, was the thorn in her eye. Even without the nanny, Roxana was impulsive and fickle, and Stephen was principled and inflexible, so the two conflicting people would never have gotten along.


    In addition, Roxana, who grew up with only sweet praises, could not stand Stephen¡¯s direct words because he interfered and bothered with her affairs in everything.


    The nanny had never been on good terms with him, but the incident a few years ago had made their rtionship worse, and Roxana¡¯s maids did not like him either.


    Stephen had also disliked the nanny for quite some time now, but she was raising Roxana, and unlike the other servants in the mansion, she could not be easily kicked out.


    So even if it was inconvenient and he didn¡¯t like it, Stephen had to put up with it.


    But this time, when I gave him a cause, he seemed to be very happy. I briefly wondered if Stephen could really rule out his personal feelings while investigating, but I decided to put aside my worries.


    He would be able to investigate more thoroughly, but it would not result in falsehood or exaggeration.


    After Stephen walked out of the room, I looked out the window, a little tired.


    The sky was cloudy, as if it was going to rain, and beneath it I could see the Crown Prince¡¯s party leaving the mansion.


    They made their way across the yard and through the main gate, and I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off them until they mounted their horses and carriages. The image of the Crown Prince, who hesitated to answer my question earlier about whether he could abandon ire, still lingered in my mind. I wasn¡¯t hurt or offended by his words, but I couldn¡¯t easily get rid of the disappointment.


    ¡®I thought I had a good chance to kick ire out. Is this not enough?¡¯


    I was disappointed for a moment, but quickly changed my mind. Even if the two were forced to separate now, such a solution could lead to greater anger.


    The two of them could fool me and meet in secret, and, if anything, it would increase the affection between them.


    I sat down with a serious look on my face and worried. Even if I did not care about the rtionship between the Crown Prince and ire from now on, ire¡¯s presence would certainly be harmful to me. Even if the crown prince¡¯s girlfriend was quiet and gentle, it would still be a problem, and it was even more problematic because she was persistent and clever.


    In fact, it was ire who touched Roxana first, who was sitting still in the banquet hall.


    ¡®I¡¯ll deal with her, ignore her or not, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll cause more problems sooner orter.¡¯


    Thinking of her made me feel like I was in the dark again.


    Just then, someone knocked on my door.


    I habitually looked for Annie and realized I was left alone in the room, so I stood up to open the door myself.


    When I opened the door, I saw a familiar-looking servant standing there. She spoke cautiously, looking at me.


    ¡°Miss, where should I put the gifts that the Crown Prince brought?¡±


    ¡°Please bring them to my room.¡±


    I instructed after a bit of thought.


    The items the Crown Prince brought must surely be of high quality, so I don¡¯t think I need to refuse the gifts.


    There was a saying, ¡°Hate the sin, but not the person.¡±


    Eventually, several servants came into my room with dozens of boxes. After saying thank you to them, I opened the packages. The gifts the Crown Prince had left were all of the highest quality and variety. It started with a jewelry box containing various essories such as sapphire nes, earrings, bracelets, hairpins, etc., followed by a bouquet of flowers, perfume, a fur coat and scarf, a pocket watch¡­¡­


    I kept the jewelry box in my vanity drawer, and the fur coat and scarf in the closet. The bouquet with dozens of fresh, fully bloomed roses and lilies were put in a vase and was ced by the window when Annie came.


    Anyway, after roughly organizing, I pulled the chessboard out of the pile of presents and sat at my desk. The board with ck and white intersects was made of transparent stone, unlike ordinary chess boards.


    The chess horses were borately carved out of crystal, as transparent as a grain of ss, and embedded with real gems, giving them a very luxurious look.


    I hadn¡¯t yed chess for a long time, but the chessboard brought back memories of ying chess with my ssmates every day in elementary school.


    Chess was not a solitary game, but no one there to y with.


    Stephen was very busy, and the nanny and maid servants I did not want¡­


    There was no one else I was close enough to y with.


    I reached out and touched the chess pieces.


    A cool, smooth feeling touched my fingertips.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair and moved the horses.


    I was bored, but there was nothing else to do, and since the chess board and pieces were so borate and beautiful, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to y alone, both to relearn the rules and make a use out of it.


    After ying chess alone for a while, the Crown Prince¡¯s face came into view.


    ¡®It isn¡¯t a love rtionship¡­..What does that mean exactly?¡¯


    ***


    *The author is dragging the story out so much. It¡¯s so frustrating lol.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    I pondered on the Crown Prince¡¯s words.


    If what he said about ire and not being lovers was true, then their rtionship was very tenuous.


    She was much closer than a friend, but not a lover. ¡­ire might think so too, but it¡¯s not hers that¡¯s important, it¡¯s the Crown Prince¡¯s point of view.


    I thought as I held the chess horse in my hand.


    Then what exactly was ire to the Crown Prince? A friend? A mistress? If she was not a lover, did he think of her as a toy?


    Probably not thetter, judging from his attitude towards her. There were some nobles who asionallyforted beauties of lower status than themselves. However, their attitude and the Crown Prince¡¯s werepletely different.


    There was a simr but subtle difference between a lover and a concubine, and a concubine and a toy. In particr, the boundary between lover and concubine was a particrly blurry one. A concubine was like a lover, but a little lower than a lover.


    ¡®Does the Crown Prince intend to make ire his concubine?¡¯


    The empire had a Queen system and a concubine¡¯s system.


    The Empress was the officially recognized concubine, and the concubines were naturally lower rank than the Empress, but they would be treated better than the royal family who lived in the pce. They asionally threatened the status of the Empress, if they were more favored than the Empress.


    And while they were not officially recognized, they were instead treated as ¡°people of the emperor¡± and could freelye and go from the imperial pce with the emperor¡¯s permission.


    Of course, they often lived in the Imperial Pce and received a kind of dignity maintenance fee.


    ire¡¯s low status would make it impossible for her to be an Empress, but it would be possible for her to be the Emperor¡¯s concubine.


    Now, even in the situation of a Baron and a daughter with no power, ire still had the favor of the Crown Prince on her back, and she had Roxana to y with in her own hands.


    However, if sheter gained power and became the Emperor¡¯s most favorite concubine, what would happen then?


    It would certainly be an iparable headachepared to now.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­¡­.¡±


    I grunted as I quickly hit the king with my queen and knocked him down.


    The fallen horse made a clear sound and hit the chess board, rolling a fewps beforeing to a stop.


    The ruby of the crown ornament on the horse¡¯s head glowed intensely in the setting sun.


    I looked down at the fallen chess horse with a worried look on my face.


    Actually, it didn¡¯t really matter what ire was like in the Crown Prince¡¯s mind.


    All I was worried about was what they might do to me in the future.


    I looked down at the chessboard again.


    The game was over now that I had defeated the king, but I could see in my mind that the Rook, who was advancing as fast as he could on the edge of the board, the weakest one in chess, was the Pawn, who could be anything except a king once he reached the end of the board.


    Rooks, Bishops, Knights, and even the Queen. So I could never underestimate them.


    As long as they don¡¯t bother me, I don¡¯t mind if the Crown Prince and ire show their deep affection in front of me.


    Even if the Crown Prince thought of ire as a beautiful ornament or a pet, it would not bother me because it had nothing to do with me.


    However, she would surely be a great threat to me at ater date if I left her like this now. It¡¯d be better to cut off the buds that would bloomter and be a problem from the beginning.


    It would be foolish to leave them in ce knowing full well that they would cause troubleter. I put the chessboard in a drawer and got up from my seat.


    I started the day with a light heart, but by the end of the day, my heart seemed to be heavier.


    I felt nauseous and frustrated because of the tea I had earlier.


    ***


    On the way back to the Imperial Pce.


    The Crown Prince looked out the window with a worried look on his face.


    The residence of the Duke of Lillian was gradually disappearing at a rapid speed of the carriage ride.


    He tapped his seat with his fingers impatiently, thinking of Roxana¡¯s face he had seen earlier.


    It was the first time she had left her seat before him during all the time they were together. Roxana was his fianc¨¦e andpanion.


    His rtionship with her was not passionate, but it was friendly and peaceful.


    Usually like a friend, and sometimes like an old lover¡­..


    Over thest two years his rtionship with her has deteriorated, but he never thought that a few fights would drive her so far away from him.


    But today she was as unfamiliar to him as if he was looking at a stranger. He was sure she was close enough that he could reach her, yet strangely far enough away that he could not reach her. He had never felt such terrible anxiety while he was with Roxana before.


    He met her when she was a little girl, and watched her grow up very closely.


    He had always prided himself on knowing her better than anyone else, but after facing her today, he finally realized that he was wrong.


    Today she seemed to have grown a lot more than before.


    Even though it was less than a month, she seemed much more mature and somehow much more natural than when hest saw her.


    She tried not to show her emotions like she used to, and she deliberately distanced herself from him. The way she looked at him made him realize that the hurt she had suffered in the past was not small.


    ¡®Looks like I made a mistake¡­¡­¡¯


    At one point, he looked at her and wanted to heal those wounds, but somehow he ended up like he had sprinkled salt on her wounds instead.


    ¡®Roxana was lonely and hurt a lot.¡¯


    When he remembered her when she was small and frail, he felt twice as sorry.


    She was such a beautiful and smiley girl back then, but it seemed like a long time since he saw her smile.


    ¡®How long has it been?¡¯


    The carriage stopped and the door opened.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    The distant, supple voice roused the Crown Prince from his reverie.


    As he stepped out of the carriage, he saw ire approaching from the front.


    She was holding a bunch of fresh flowers in her arms that looked like they had just been plucked.


    From the looks of it, she must have gotten them from the garden of the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce. The Crown Prince himself had allowed her toe and pick the flowers whenever she wanted. Only today, however, he couldn¡¯t understand why the sight of her in the Imperial Pce felt so foreign to him.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ire tilted her head curiously at the quiet Crown Prince.


    ¡°ire, how long have you been here?¡±


    The Crown Prince unconsciously reached out and stroked her head as he always did.


    She clung to the Crown Prince¡¯s waist and whispered in a sweet voice, keeping her head down.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long. About¡­two hours?¡±


    ¡°You must have been bored while waiting.¡±


    ¡°A little. But it¡¯s all right, because I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be just as bored when I get home. And since I¡¯m waiting for His Highness, I can wait as long as it takes.¡±


    The Crown Prince gave a soulless nod and looked down at ire in his arms. Normally, seeing her made him feel light-hearted, but that was not the case today. Unfortunately, ire was wearing a dress that was the same color as the one Roxana wore earlier today.


    The sight of her reminded him of Roxana¡¯s image he had seen earlier, flickering in front of his eyes.


    Even though they were dressed simrly, their appearance and moods were distinctly different. While ire was as innocent and lovely as a wild flower blooming on the side of the road, Roxana was as gorgeous and elegant as a red rose in the garden.


    Unlike the roses that were under someone¡¯s protection in the hedge, the wild flowers could be easily plucked by anyone. In a society full of arrogant and ck-hearted aristocrats, it was never a good thing to create attraction if they were not strong enough to protect themselves.


    Shortly after ire made her appearance in the society, she experienced firsthand the status dividend.


    The fact that she stood tall in spite of the bewilderment and horrible situation was unusual and caught his attention. So he helped her out a few times, and before he knew it, they became close naturally.


    Come to think of it, he had never thought about it deeply.


    ¡°Did Your Highness just give her that many luxuries just for that reason?¡±


    So, when Roxana asked him earlier, he was in a daze, as if he was hit on the head.


    ¡®Do I love ire?¡¯


    It was fun to be with her and she definitely had a talent for putting other people¡¯s minds at ease.


    However, he didn¡¯t know exactly how he felt about whether he loved her or not. As he agonized over it, tiredness rushed in, and the Crown Prince made a grimace without realizing it. He asked ire, who was still in his arms.


    ¡°So what¡¯s going on today?¡±


    ¡°Is there always something that has to happen?¡±


    ire said in a sultry voice.


    She looked so lovely and adorable.


    But unlike usual, the Crown Prince did not respond, so ire moved away from his chest to get a better look at his face.


    Then she looked up at him with a bemused expression. The Crown Prince had always been tormented by his various sses and duties, but today his face looked particrly tired.


    When she looked at his pensive eyes, it was as if his mind was in a different ce. His more than usual distant demeanor was strange, but ire asked him without a hint of pretense.


    ¡°Your Highness, what happened today?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. More importantly¡­¡­.¡±


    The crown prince slurred his words.


    ire bit her lips lightly.


    The Crown Prince was always like this.


    He listens well to others, but when they ask him, he doesn¡¯t answer. For this reason, even though she had been by the Crown Prince¡¯s side for two years, she was never able to learn more about him, but today for some reason, he looked strangely nk.


    She thought she should know.


    ¡°Is it because of Princess Lillian?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince frowned.


    Seeing the Crown Prince¡¯s reaction, ire was convinced that his unusual demeanor was because of Roxana.


    When she thought of his attitude, which had been lost in thoughts for the past few weeks since the Imperial Banquet, something hot was rising in her heart. The feeling of excitement was infinitely quieted until it was time to look around the beautiful garden and admire the beautiful flowers.


    She thought he would not speak until the end, but the Crown Prince nodded surprisingly honestly.


    However, his next words were enough to freeze ire¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I was told that you were first to me for what happened that day. I heard you bragged about the gifts I gave you in front of Roxana and even made fun of her. Why on earth did you do that?¡±


    ire could not answer his question and her eyes fluttered in surprise. Her face twisted in frustration as if she was falsely used.


    ¡°Your Highness saw what happened that day. I was merely greeting the Princess, but she was ¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What I saw was from when Roxana was about to raise her hand to you. I did not see the situation before that.¡±


    The Crown Prince spoke, cutting her off mid-sentence. ire looked up at the Crown Prince in disbelief.


    ¡°I would never do that to a princess.¡±


    ¡°Then, ire, are you saying that Roxana lied to me?¡±


    Tears filled ire¡¯s big eyes with goldenshes at the Crown Prince¡¯s words.

 Chapter 23

    ire hoped that he would understand her injustice. But his expression didn¡¯t falter in the slightest. ire opened her mouth in a trembling voice.


    ¡°There must be a misunderstanding¡­..¡±


    Her pride was badly damaged.


    Princess Lillian was fortunate to be born into a prestigious family, and she was a foolish woman who knew nothing. She never thought, and her personality was so bad that she dug her own grave every time.


    ire could be sure that if she was born into a family as lovely as Roxana¡¯s, she would never let anyone treat her like that in the society.


    But, she couldn¡¯t believe she was being put to such shame by such an ugly woman¡­¡­. But the Crown Prince spoke with conviction for some reason. If she didn¡¯t want his heart to leave her, she had no choice but to bow down now.


    It was the first time that the Crown Prince sided with Roxana. ire was perplexed by the situation she was experiencing for the first time, and it was lonely and insulting.


    ¡°Whatever the reason, never do it again, and if you do it again, I can¡¯t protect you either.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s voice was more decisive than it had ever been before.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ire¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    The Crown Prince stared at her with a frown.


    When his cold eyes turned to her for the first time, ire was speechless.


    Eventually, the tears that were building up in her eyes streamed down her cheeks.


    ¡°Really¡­ it wasn¡¯t like that¡­..¡±


    Her tears added a hint of weariness to the Crown Prince¡¯s face.


    After seeing the tears of his mother, the Empress as a child, the Crown Prince was vulnerable to the tears of women. So, in the past, when ire cried like this, he wouldfort her with a troubled look.


    But today, perhaps because was already exhausted, he didn¡¯t feel any special emotion when he saw her tears. He sighed deeply, then forced himself to raise his lips and smile.


    ¡°¡®I will tell Ethan to prepare dinner for you. You can eat then go.¡±


    ¡°What about Your Highness?¡±


    ire asked in a watery voice, wiping away tears as the Crown Prince¡¯s voice softened again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do, so I¡¯ll just eat in my office. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s voice and tone were gentle and firm at the same time.


    ire whimpered at his words.


    The Office was forbidden territory for her.


    She had never stepped foot in it yet, and the Crown Prince had told her that she was not allowed to go in or out of the office. So these words now meant that she should not bother him any further, stay meekly, and then leave.


    Normally, she would hold him back, act cutely, and express her disappointment, but for some reason it was not easy to do so today. She was nervous with an unknown anxiety.


    ¡°And from now on, restrain yourself from visiting me unexpectedly like this without any notice. It does not look good in the eyes of others.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    After finishing his words, the Crown Prince calmly turned away without waiting for a reply.


    ire bit her lip as she watched the Crown Prince disappear into the distance without looking back, leaving her alone, as if he didn¡¯t need her anymore.


    Tears no longer flowed.


    However, her fists, which were clenched so tightly that the knots in her bones turned white, trembled.


    The long, slender nails sharply pierced the soft skin of her palms.


    Seeing how pale her face had be, the servant beside her asked cautiously,


    ¡°Lady ire, you look pale, is everything all right?¡±


    At the servant¡¯s words, ire raised her head and looked at her.


    ¡®Are you asking me if I¡¯m alright after you saw everything that happened just now?¡¯


    ire felt the urge to raise her hand and p the tactless maid on the cheek.


    But she couldn¡¯t do that.


    Even if the woman in front of her was just a single servant, she was still strictly ady-in-waiting.


    It was not someone she could do as she wished.


    Now, the crown prince, who had left her, and the princess Lillian, who was the root of everything, were people who were in positions that she could not even touch.


    So even though she was angry and frustrated, there was nothing she could do about it except to endure, as she was powerless.


    ¡°Thank you for worrying about me.¡±


    ire said softly with a bitter smile on her face. However, unlike usual, it was not easy to manage her expression.


    The rigid muscles in her face trembled finely.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling very well today, so I think I¡¯ll have to leave early. Please inform His Highness.¡±


    The servant nodded as if to say she understood.


    ire gave her a faint smile, then turned and climbed into the carriage waiting at the front gate.


    After getting into the carriage, she found the flowers still in her hands.


    All the flowers growing in the Imperial Pce looked so beautiful and valuable, their colors vivid and fresh.


    But the flowers that she now had in her hands were broken and crushed.


    She saw a bright yellow violet that she had picked a while ago without thinking through the ruined flowers.


    The floor of the carriage she stepped on was also full of fallen petals.


    The flower was fortunate enough to keep the fine figure among the broken flowers, lookingpletely beautiful.


    As she looked at the bright golden petals, her mood sank infinitely as she thought of someone who had always stared at her with eyes as colorful as the flower in front of her. ire opened the window of the carriage and threw all the flowers she was holding in her hands outside. The discarded flowers were eventually run over by her carriage, sttered and crushed.


    *****


    I was resting alone in my room after dinner. I was bored, so I spent the rest of the evening rereading the book I had read during lunch. But I was fed up with even that and walked around the room for no reason. Then I saw a pendant ced on top of the dressing table.


    It seemed that I forgot about it when I went to see the Crown Prince earlier.


    I approached and reached for the long hanging silver chain and picked up the pendant. The thin silver chain hung down in my palm.


    Originally, it should be worn around the neck like a ne, but the chain had broken in the middle. The ne looked borate and valuable, but it was far from Roxana¡¯s usual taste.


    I didn¡¯t remember seeing it, so it didn¡¯t seem like it belonged to Roxana. So why would something that didn¡¯t belong to Roxana be in this drawer? Just in time Annie came in with a mop to clean the room, so I asked her.


    ¡°Annie, where did thise from? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen it before.¡±


    Annie answered, looking strangely at the pendant in my hand.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it yours?¡±


    I shook my head and Annie said with a troubled look on her face.


    ¡°Maybe I have mistakenly picked up something that belonged to someone else. Could it be the Crown Prince¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°The Crown Prince? What makes you think that?¡±


    I furrowed my brows.


    ¡°On the day of the banquet, I went there because I heard that the Young Lady was lying sick in the guest room in the imperial pce. I picked this pendant from the ground next to you.¡±


    ¡°The day of the banquet ¡­.¡±


    I gave a small frown.


    Maybe Annie was referring to the day I first fell into this world. Come to think of it, after I fell in the garden, I woke up in my room in the Duke¡¯s mansion.


    Then someone must have found me and moved me to the imperial¡¯s guest room, then someone else took me back to the Duke¡¯s mansion.


    Suddenly a person popped into my head.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one on the terrace at the moment I fell.


    There was another person.


    ¡°Were there any other people in the room besides me?¡±


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t see anyone there when I came into the room, but the Crown Prince and the imperial physician came in shortly after¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t know who moved me.¡±


    Even if people saw someone fall, they wouldn¡¯t move the person directly.


    They probably called someone else toe.


    ¡®I¡¯m not official yet, so I can¡¯t go in and out of the royal family¡¯s personal space at my own discretion to check.¡¯


    ¡®So is it the Crown Prince¡¯s item?¡¯


    My interest quickly faded when I realized that the pendant belonged to the Crown Prince.


    The next time I met him, I could ask him and return it. If it wasn¡¯t his, then I would find its owner and return it. If I can¡¯t find anyone, then there¡¯s nothing I can do.


    I put the pendant back in the drawer and gave the chain to Annie.


    ¡°Please go tomorrow and see if you can fix the broken part.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    Annie nodded with a sad look on her face, then left the room.


    She must have thought she picked up the item belonging to the Crown Prince, and was scared. I thought it was a little odd, but I didn¡¯t say anything anyway, since there was nothing wrong with being careful.


    Just then, someone knocked on the door of my room.


    There was no one in the room, so I opened the door myself and saw Stephen standing there.


    ¡°Miss, did you enjoy your meal?¡±


    He had been asking me how I was doingtely.


    The way he looked at me and the way he spoke to me was much softer than when we first faced each other.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°A person came from the Hermes. The items you ordered have arrived, and he asked if it would be okay if he could bring it tomorrow.¡±


    The Hermes was where I had visited a few days ago and left my request.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that theypleted my request. I told them to visit quietly, and they seemed to havee up with a way to pass through the main gate without any suspicion.


    The Hermes was a ce that deals in many types of goods. With so many nobles already using it, no one would think it strange if I bought some luxury goods from them.


    I marveled at the idea, which was more usible than I thought.


    However, I wondered a little bit why the butler woulde to tell me just this in person, but I answered first.


    ¡°Tell him I don¡¯t have any special schedule tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll tell him that.¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    Stephen heard my reply and I thought he would be leaving. But he was still standing in front of my room.


    ¡°Is there anything else, by any chance?¡±


    I asked, and Stephen replied with a solemn face.


    ¡°We¡¯ve found the people who leaked the mansion¡¯s affairs to the outside world. I¡¯ve locked them in the basement for now, so what should we do?¡±


    ***


    I followed Stephen¡¯s lead down to the first floor.


    As I walked down the hallway on the first floor, I saw a room with knights standing in front of it. It must be where the informants were locked.


    After being greeted by the knights, I watched intently as Stephen slipped the key through the small keyhole into the door knob and turned it.


    Eventually, the door to the room opened.


    Stephen went in first and then he signaled that it was okay for me toe in.


    I slowly went inside nervously.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    Three familiar faces were lying on the floor in the center of the room, their eyes and mouths covered, their hands and feet bound.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    ***


    I thought there was something special about them being imperial spies, but at first nce, they all looked ordinary.


    ¡°These are the people?¡±


    Stephen nodded.


    ¡°You found them sooner than I thought.¡±


    Seeing people locked up in a room tied with thick ropes, I felt like I was watching a movie, but the situation before me was real, not fake. Imanded as I stared at them, their bodies trembling with fear as if they felt the presence of people.


    ¡°Take off their eye patches and gags.¡±


    Stephen looked at me as if to say, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what the Lady wants, I understand.¡±


    I looked around the room for a moment while Stephen untied the cloth that covered their eyes.


    There was a lot of dust in the room, as if it had been left unattended for a long time. The heating didn¡¯t seem to work and cold air came up from the floor. I felt a bit sorry for them who had been lying on the cold floor, but then I felt disgusted thinking that one of them might have been watching my every move and my privacy. It bothered me to no end.


    I vowed that if I ever caught that spy, I would not let him get away with it. But now facing them, I had a little trouble figuring out how to handle it.


    ¡°Mydy! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    One of the servants shouted as soon as the gag was released. He looked frightened. When his eyes met mine, he became more and more agitated.


    His voice was trembling and his eyes were full of tears, making him look very desperate.


    ¡°Miss, please forgive me just once. I needed money for my wife¡¯s medicine and I couldn¡¯t help it¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    As I stared at him with a frown, Stephen exined the gist of the matter to my ears.


    The servant¡¯s wife had been suffering from a chronic illness, but her condition had worsened rapidly, and the sry he was currently receiving was no longer enough to cover the cost of medicine and living expenses.


    So he ended up borrowing money from people around him, and eventually borrowed private loans¡­.


    After listening to Stephen¡¯s words, the servant¡¯s story seemed to be true.


    The servant¡¯s circumstances were indeed unfortunate.


    The other two men beside me also had their own reasons. Unlike the servant who was kneeling at my feet, the other two seemed to have given up and were just waiting as quietly as possible for the punishment to be handed down.


    But the frightened look was the same. I asked Stephen.


    ¡°Servants who sold their master¡¯s privacy for money¡­¡­. Stephen, in this case, how should we punish them?¡±


    The Duke¡¯s punishment would be to beat them to the brink of death, then fire them, or to send them to the mines to work.¡±


    had been punished by whipping him until just before he died, then kicking him out or sending him to the mines to work.


    Stephan replied calmly.


    I listened to him and nodded silently.


    Perhaps other families also punish their servants in much the same way.


    The servant¡¯s face grew increasingly pale. But I wasn¡¯t going to go that far.


    Whipping them until just before they died, or sending them to the mines to dobor¡­. ¡­¡­


    Aren¡¯t the two methods too cruel? I closed my eyes and thought for a moment.


    It was true that they were wrong, but I didn¡¯t want to punish them so brutally. However, I couldn¡¯t just let it go with the word forgiveness.


    ¡°What do you want to do, Young Lady?¡±


    Stephen asked.


    I could see a hint of nervousness on the servant¡¯s face.


    I was struggling with what to do with a frown when I discovered something odd.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    At first I thought it was my imagination, but now I saw it wasn¡¯t. The servants slumped at my feet but looked at Stephen¡¯s face while asking for forgiveness.


    I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.


    Honestly, it¡¯s because Roxana was not the kind of master that the servants respected.


    They talked about her behind her back.


    I had forgotten about it for the past few days, as I had been feeling a bit better after the removal of the maids, but I didn¡¯t feel so good when I realized once again what Roxana¡¯s ce was in this mansion.


    ¡°Forgive me, miss. If you give us another chance¡­¡­¡­¡±


    I asked, looking down at them coldly.


    ¡°How can I trust you?¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    I spat out in a cold voice, referring to the servant looking up at me with a dazed look.


    ¡°Everything is difficult at first, but then it is easy.¡±


    ¡°I am truly sorry, Young Lady. Forgive me just once, and I will make sure this never happens again.¡±


    This time, the servant, who had been silent until now, said in a desperate voice.


    ¡°You have already betrayed your master once. How am I supposed to believe in you?¡±


    I asked in a calm and quiet voice, instead of speaking excitedly and angrily like the usual Roxana. Then the servants all stopped talking at once, as if they had made a promise. The expressions on their faces were mixed. But I no longer cared about their reactions.


    It also didn¡¯t matter if they were sincerely sorry.


    ¡°Stephen, you handle it yourself. But I need to talk to you about something. Follow me.¡±


    I took onest look at them and then walked out of the room. Their faces were filled with deep despair. Stephen and I came out of the room, I waited for him to lock the door, then said.


    ¡°As I just said, you can handle them yourself, but don¡¯t make it too bad. I¡¯d rather just send them far away.¡±


    I added just in case Stephen misunderstood.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you have to send them to dobor. And don¡¯t forget to give them severance pay.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Stephen had a bewildered look on his face.


    I spoke quickly before he could open his mouth.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t reveal any important secret anyway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­.Are you sure you¡¯re okay with this?¡±


    Stephen asked me with a look of disapproval.


    He wanted to punish them severely from the beginning and get rid of them. I didn¡¯t want to leave the informants in the mansion, either. But the way Stephen said it was too harsh.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing not to be okay.


    It¡¯s not going to be okay. Oh, and for the time being, we will be working to save the sick in the name of the family.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why all of a sudden¡­¡±


    Stephen asked curiously.


    It was a natural reaction. Until now, Roxana hadn¡¯t been the least bit interested in such things.


    In fact, I didn¡¯t n to do this from the beginning either. However, what I heard in the room earlier was frustrating and I couldn¡¯t overlook it.


    I couldn¡¯t forgive the servant for betraying me, but apart from that, I guess I couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for him after hearing about his sad situation.


    I averted my gaze from Stephen, who was staring at me, and continued.


    ¡°We¡¯ll send some doctors so that anyone who is sick, no matter how poor, can receive medical care.¡±


    After I finished talking, I asked him with some concern.


    ¡°Will it be difficult?¡±


    Stephen gave a small smile.


    ¡°Absolutely not. I was just about to talk to His Highness about the starvation that killed many people.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m d to hear that.¡±


    I was about to go back to my room, but I asked a little hesitantly.


    ¡°Stephen, I hope my father won¡¯t me me for thister on.¡±


    Stephen looked dazed for a moment, then immediately burst outughing.


    ¡°No, of course not. I think His Highness would be rather pleased with how much his daughter has grown.¡±


    I could feel the warmth in his face as he said it. But I was still worried.


    The work of helping people was quite tedious and costly.


    To control the people who gathered to receive food rations, a lot of people had to be mobilized, and that was no easy task. When I thought about it, I wondered if I had gone too far. In my memory, the Duke had never once been angry with Roxana.


    He tolerated Roxana¡¯s extravagance, though he never said anything in general¡­.


    I felt bitter as I thought of the young Roxana looking up at him with a longing for attention and affection that I couldn¡¯t even picture properly in my hazy memory.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Stephen stared at me with apassionate face.


    ¡°Youngdy¡­.¡±


    ¡°That was a bit unnecessary, I know. Anyway, thank you for your time. I¡¯ll go up now.


    After I finished speaking, I stepped away. Stephan¡¯s gaze was felt through the walk, but fortunately he didn¡¯t stop me.


    I went around the hallway, climbed the stairs, went back to my room, closed the door, and copsed. I looked out the window and saw a white moon rising high in the sky emitting blue light after sunset.


    Far away in the distance, I could see the colorful fireworks beautifully lighting up the sky.


    Come to think of it, today was thest day of the festival.


    I gazed out the window with a feeling of sadness.


    The fireworks continued for a while.


    Each time they exploded, colorful lights would swirl in the dark, quiet room and then disappear.


    It was a beautiful scene that brought tears to my eyes as I watched.


    Perhaps because it was thest day of the festival, the fireworks were extraordinarily spectacr andsted for a long time. However, when the long fireworks were over, all that was left was a shuddering silence and darkness.


    As I was alone in the dark room, looking out the window, I saw the image of Roxana in my memory and the image of me now.


    I wonder if Roxana felt the same as I do now.


    I wanted to hug her andfort her if she was right in front of me. And I needed to beforted too.


    But I was well aware of the fact that it was not possible.


    There was no one for Roxana then, and there was no one there for me now either.


    Today, the empty room felt particrly lonely.


    ***


    The long, long festival was eventually over.


    The next day, I received an invitation.


    It came from the Imperial Family.


    A grand banquet will be held in the imperial family in the near future.


    The words on the first line caught my eye.


    [You are invited to Prince Payne¡¯s victory banquet.]


    ¡°Prince Payne¡­.¡±


    I recited the name of the Second Prince with an invitation in my hand.


    Currently, there were only two princes in the imperial family.


    One of them, the Crown Prince, was named Jeremy Payne, and the name of the second prince¡­¡­ I traced Roxana¡¯s memory and recalled some information about him.


    As a result, I was able to recall many things about him. The second Prince¡¯s mother was an exiled princess.


    She was dedicated to the empire as a tribute, and the emperor epted her as a sign of reconciliation.


    Some timeter, the second Prince was born between her and the emperor, and she passed away from illness before he was ten years old.


    Thus, the second Prince was alone in the imperial pce at such an early age.


    His mother had the status of Empress, but the power and authority she held was too weak. And after she died, even that feeble power disappeared, so it was easy to guess what the position of the second Prince was in the Imperial Pce¡­.


    It was obvious.


    The second Prince had been constantly pushed to the battlefield since he was young, and had been moving from one battlefield to another for several years since then. In effect, he was sent to die, but against everyone¡¯s expectations, instead of dying, he grew up to be a brave young man.


    More recently, the troops led by the second Prince had won a series of victories, which made him a war hero, a title that was cheered and rejoiced by his people. People focus only on the oue and not the process, but it must have been unusual for a child to survive those long years of fighting on the battlefield.


    (*T/N: This second Prince has the same fate as Achilleon lol.)


    I felt a pain in the corner of my heart when I thought of the child who had spent every night on the bloody battlefield with a real sword instead of a wooden one in his weak, not yet fully grown hands.


    I put the invitation in a drawer and closed my eyes slowly and opened them. The situation with the second Prince was indeed unfortunate, but since the Crown Prince and I were in the same boat, I can say that he and the second Prince, who must be hostile to him, were adversaries.


    In addition, my family was particrly powerful among the families that supported the Crown Prince, so in the second Prince¡¯s point of view, I and the Duke would be like a thorn in his eyes.


    The second Prince was one of the biggest dangers I had to take into ount.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    ***


    I struggled as I sat at my desk, rolling my pen from back and forth.


    I was on the Crown Prince¡¯s side now, but I had no intention of helping him unconditionally in the future. And I increasingly had no desire to spend my time in hostile rtions with others for the sake of the Crown Prince.


    I especially didn¡¯t want to get even worse with the second Prince who might inherit the throne. If possible, I would like to spend my time in peace without making enemies, but things didn¡¯t go my way.


    In the struggle for the throne, there are only winners and losers. The forces that supported the winner would enjoy a lot of glory together, while the forces that supported the loser were in great danger of being purged.


    I nned to build a friendship in advance for that time, but I had no idea what the Second Prince was like. While I had to pay attention to both the Crown Prince and ire, I had a headache as the problem continued to grow.


    I sat at my desk and pondered for a while, when someone knocked on my door.


    ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a man from the Hermes, what should we do?¡±


    The servant¡¯s voiceing from through the door troubled me for a moment before I answered.


    ¡°Tell him toe in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    The servant walked off to deliver my words.


    Not long after the servant¡¯s footsteps faded into the distance, more signs of movement came from beyond the door.


    Eventually, I heard the knocking once more, and when I gave the permission toe in, several people came inside. Aside from the man in the expensive suit, the others seemed to be his attendants.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Noah.¡±


    The man who introduced himself as ¡°Noah¡± greeted me and offered me a bouquet of flowers. Instantly, the room was filled with the scent of flowers, and it was like a spring day had arrived.


    I stared at the people standing behind him with a slightly reluctant look on my face. All three men were carrying fancy boxes. Were those the items I ordered? It looked usible, but it was probably empty inside. I soon realized that my guess was wrong, though, because what I had bought was information, not objects.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    Once seated, Annie quickly poured me a cup of tea. Steam rose from the scarlet teacup with golden roses engraved on it.


    ¡°The Princess is a little different from what I heard.¡±


    I paused for a moment, but then quickly raised the edge of my lips and replied.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s apliment. From what I¡¯ve heard, you have a lively and bold personality, but in person you seem calm and perceptive.¡±


    Noah was a handsome looking young man, who was about 20 years old. Good appearance and well dressed. While I was drinking tea with Noah, his men carefully put down the boxes they had brought to the side.


    It seemed somewhat strange to me, the way they handled the empty boxes.


    They didn¡¯t have to act inside the room. Didn¡¯t they even know what they¡¯re carrying is empty boxes?


    Perhaps sensing my gaze, Noah stopped the conversation and motioned for them to bring the boxes to him.


    ¡°Our boss has prepared this gift as a favor to you, so please don¡¯t refuse it.¡±


    Noah opened the boxes one by one.


    ¡°¡­? ¡°


    Two of the boxes contained clothes, and the other contained several small jars. One was a pale bluish white, very light in color, and the other was a darker purple.


    Roxana usually liked to wear brightly colored clothes, such as yellow and pink, but such colors didn¡¯t suit her. The overly shy attire made her look childish and vulgar.


    However, the dresses in front of me now seemed to go well with Roxana¡¯s skin tone.


    It was no less morous than the clothes she usually wore, but one looked breezy and the other solemn. Indeed, perhaps it was because he was the boss, he was not only bold with money, but also had a good eye for choosing things. I didn¡¯t see his face, but just looking at the two items in front of me, I had to admit that he had a much better eye for things than Roxana.¡±


    ¡°What is this? Cosmetics?¡±


    I asked, looking at some of the small bottles in thest box.


    ¡°It¡¯s medicine. I was told that the Princess was injured not long ago, so he prepared it.¡±


    The two dresses I just saw were surprising, but the most surprising thing was thest box of medicine bottles.


    I know that the news of Roxana¡¯s injury had already spread, but I had never imagined that the Hermes would bring me medicine.


    From the looks of it, the Hermes¡¯ boss seemed to have a meticulous personality as well as a good eye.


    But¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little too much to be this generous. Is there something you want from me by any chance?¡±


    I asked, and Noah nodded with a small smile on his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s true.¡¯


    Even though the Hermes were wealthy, they were merchants after all.


    They were profit-driven and wouldn¡¯t spend money for nothing. The fact that they offered so many gifts to me meant that they had something more to gain from me than this.


    As the anticipation hit me, my mind became rather more at ease. It was better to be transparent, even snobbish, than to ept someone¡¯s excessive favors without knowing why.


    I lifted my chin and spoke.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Despite my arrogance, Noah never lost his smile.


    ¡°My Lord would like to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Could you visit us again next time?¡±


    I was a little perplexed.


    The reason for sending these expensive gifts was to meet me¡­ of course it wouldn¡¯t end up being a simple meeting.


    ¡®What the hell is he looking for?¡¯


    I was terribly curious about Hermes¡¯ boss¡¯s intention.


    Noah added, as if he was worried that I would refuse him because I was sitting still without answering.


    ¡°I swear, you¡¯ve got nothing to lose, Young Lady.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I was a little worried.


    When I looked at the attitude of the man in front of me, it didn¡¯t seem like the meeting would be bad, but I had to meet with the notorious Hermes¡¯ owner¡­


    I was a little reluctant.


    I hesitated for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to find some time next week.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for epting the invitation.¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel like it, but when I thought about it rationally, it wasn¡¯t a bad offer for me either. Hermes was now thergest organization in the Empire.


    If I had a friendship with a wealthy and knowledgeable Lord, it would be better for me.


    I could take the family¡¯s knights as my escorts likest time.


    Because they wouldn¡¯t dare to touch the legitimate daughter of a high-ranking noble family.


    After a short negotiation, Noah, with a happy face, finally began to report on what he had found out so far.


    ¡°Let me tell you what I¡¯ve found out.¡±


    Most of it was exactly what I knew.


    The first time the Crown Prince and ire met, as I knew it, was at an imperial banquet hall, and they had no particr contact before that.


    In their rtionship, ire was much more aggressive than the Crown Prince, which was surprising, but there was nothing strange.


    The male protagonist rescued the female protagonist who was in danger, and the two of them fell in love at first sight and gradually came closer.


    It was a love story like a fairy tale.


    If only the viin, me, would disappear, their story would end in a beautiful happy ending.


    But why should I stand by and watch?


    Wouldn¡¯t it be foolish to stand by and watch and support them as they trample on the happiness of others and make only themselves happy?


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Noah woke me up after I was lost in thought for a while.


    It was only then that I came to my senses when I met his worried gaze. I smiled a little.


    I was no longer the Roxana who clung to the Crown Prince. I did not love him, so there was no reason for me to be hurt by whatever happened between the Crown Prince and ire. But what reason could there be not to be okay?


    I took a sip of my tea with a nonchnt look on my face. Noah hesitated, looking at my expression, and then continued.


    ¡°Recently, there have been a lot of invitations to the Dana family to invite Lady Dana (ire) to various gatherings and banquet halls. It seems to be due to the scandals that have been circting about the ident that urred at the banquet held at the Imperial Pce the other day.¡±


    ¡°Scandal¡­?¡±


    ¡°Rumors that the Princess was drunk and harassed the innocent Young Lady after the Crown Prince broke up with you.¡±


    I frowned.


    It was obvious how much people had been talking about me. The face of the Crown Prince, ire, and those whoughed at me in sympathy with the false rumors made my teeth chatter.


    ¡°It¡¯s a hoax not worth correcting. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s really sorry.¡±


    Noah looked at me with a bit of surprise, as if my reaction was unexpected.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re an idiot, I doubt anyone would believe it.¡±


    ¡°As you say, my Lady. However, it seems that there are many people who agree with you.¡±


    ¡°Can you track down the source of the rumors?¡±


    Noah nodded without hesitation at my question. I was very pleased to see that he was morepetent than I had expected and could handle the job better. But apart from that, I still didn¡¯t feel good.


    I didn¡¯t realize that ire¡¯s social activities became even more active as soon as the rumors of my engagement being called off started to circte¡­.


    Isn¡¯t it too obvious?


    It was probably ire who started the rumor.


    She was also the biggest beneficiary of this scandal.


    ire was certainly involved in this event in no small part, and she seemed to be using the crisis that had befallen me as an opportunity to further solidify her position. I pondered for a while, then said as I ced my teacup on the table.


    ¡°I would like to make an additional request. It will be a little tricky, but not too difficult. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    Noah swallowed dryly, looking nervous.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. So there¡¯s no need to be so nervous.¡±


    I was trying to relieve the tension, but Noah¡¯s face became more rigid.


    I continued, not caring about his reaction.


    ¡°Start a rumor that the Crown Prince and I are getting along better.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    I continued with an indifferent look on my face.


    ¡°If possible, It would be better if the Crown Prince was embarrassed by me.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    ***


    Afterpleting his duties at the Duke¡¯s residence, Noah returned to the Hermes with a satisfied look on his face. He walked to his room, opened the door and tried to turn on the light. It was then that he heard someone¡¯s voiceing from inside the dark room.


    ¡°How¡¯s the princess?¡±


    Someone came into his room without its owner.


    But Noah didn¡¯t seem surprised, as if he was used to this kind of situation. He took off his coat without even looking at the other person with a disgruntled look on his face, and then turned on the light. Soon the dark and deste room was filled with bright light. As the lights came on, Noah could see the face of the person who was proudly upying the ownerless room. The man sat leaning against the couch with a weary face.


    He had broad shoulders, long legs, fair white skin and jet ck hair.


    His eyes, with their longshes, were deep and dark, and there was a hint of redness on his lips. The man¡¯s face was much finer and more beautiful than most women¡¯s.


    His hair swayed softly whenever the wind blew through the window. The man looked like a graceful nobleman, but on the other hand, he was arrogant and dangerous. Noah rxed the cravat that was clenching his neck as he struggled to breathe and replied with an indifferent face.


    ¡°She seemed to be quite different from the rumors.¡±


    ¡°Did you deliver the gifts well?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did she like it?¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was seemingly indifferent.


    But seeing as he had visited and waited in advance to hear a reply, he seemed interested somehow.


    Noah agonized for a moment, unsure of how to respond.


    When she opened the gifts, the look on the princess¡¯s face made it difficult to draw any conclusions. She kept her face expressionless from start to finish.


    Every once in a while, she showed a smile, but it was not a sincere, joyfulugh, but only a polite, created expression or a cold sneer that hung over her lips. But when she opened the gift, her gaze lingered on the box for a moment. It was difficult to say that she was just happy, but she seemed interested in the gift anyway and didn¡¯t show any signs of dislike.


    ¡®Is it safe to say that she liked it?¡¯


    Noah hesitated a bit, but concluded.


    ¡°She seemed pleased.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    A satisfied smile appeared on the man¡¯s lips.


    But he eventually asked with a strange expression on his face.


    ¡°What about the thing I asked you to do?¡±


    A faint tension shed across the man¡¯s face as he asked with a look of dissatisfaction.


    ¡°She agreed to see you.¡±


    The corners of the man¡¯s mouth gave a small twitch.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    He said casually, but his voice oozed a hint of satisfaction.


    Noah, who had been working closely with him for a long time, couldn¡¯t help but notice the small change. After the short conversation was over, the man walked out of Noah¡¯s room casually like it was his own.


    When Noah was finally able to rest alone, he changed into a light shirt andy down on the bed.


    Noah looked up at the ceiling and thought about the short conversation he just had.


    The man whom Noah just had the conversation with was the owner of Hermes and his boss.


    He was as arrogant, perceptive, and capricious as if he even put the sky under his feet. Noah knew he was fickle by nature, but his emotional ups and downs were as intense as they were today.


    Enemies were rare.


    This was also the first time he had shown personal interest in a client who visited Hermes.


    Noah thought of the face of the Princess he had seen earlier. Indeed, she was not only very beautiful, but also strangely attractive.


    She was cold and cynical that it gave him chills. Is there something between the princess and his boss that he doesn¡¯t know about?


    But even if his boss was interested in the Princess, she was the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e. And the Crown Prince was the only one who had a ce in her heart.


    The Princess loved her fianc¨¦ so deeply that even though he openly met another woman and hurt her, she was weak in front of him as if she had no pride.


    It was a fact that every noble in the capital knew. Seeing her today raised suspicions that the rumors seemed to have been inted by her appearance, which was slightly different from what he had heard, but in any case, the fact that she was the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e did not change.


    Imperial engagements were not easy to break. Especially since the Duke of Lilian was the Crown Prince¡¯s supporter, there was no way the Crown Prince would let her go.


    And since the Duke had spent a great deal of money for the Crown Prince, would not have wanted to break up the marriage either.


    Because if he did, he would lose what he had put in.


    Noah shook his head sadly as he thought of his boss¡¯s face.


    Noah had been watching him for years, but he had never seen him show such an interest in women. But now he was interested in a woman and even gave her presents to win her heart for a single encounter, but of all people, she was the Princess¡­.


    His boss was obviously a brilliant man, but there was no chance of his being with the Princess.


    After a few moments of contemtion, Noah quickly reached over and pulled the nket over him and closed his eyes.


    After pulling the quilt up to his chest, he struggled to shake off the thoughts that prevented him from sleeping.


    ***


    Time passed quickly.


    Days had passed since the messenger from Hermes visited.


    After Noah¡¯s visit, there was still no word from Hermes.


    My daily life at the mansion was as peaceful as ever. I called the nanny and the maids back.


    It was muchter than I had originally nned, but not for any particr reason. It was just that too many things were happening at once and I forgot about the maids. I didn¡¯t know what effect the hiatus was but the attitude of the maids changed drastically from before.


    There was. They were polite, cautious, and much more sincere than before. At least in front of me.


    The maids were quiet, and honestly, I wouldn¡¯t care if they weren¡¯t. I didn¡¯t care about spending time blushing with the servants in front of the important things. The Second Prince¡¯s victory banquet was just around the corner, and I didn¡¯t bother to attend any other gatherings or social activities.


    Therefore, I didn¡¯t have a chance to check if they were sessfully carrying out the additional requests I had made at the Hermes.


    Then I received a letter from the Crown Prince along with a gift.


    The letter said to wait for him as he woulde to pick me up in time for the banquet. The present that arrived with the letter was a dress.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Joan and Tien, who were standing beside me, eximed and quickly fell silent and averted their gazes when I stared at them.


    But I didn¡¯t think much about it, so I turned my attention back to the dress. The dress the Crown Prince sent was more gorgeous and beautiful than the one ire had worn that day in the banquet hall.


    Looking at it, it made me wonder if it had to do with what I said to the Crown Princest time.


    ¡°It really is a beautiful dress. Looking at the special embroidery, it looks like it was made in the royal pce. If the Crown Prince sees you wear it, he will be in awe.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Try it on, Young Lady. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll look great in it.¡±


    Tien looked at me with an expectant gaze.


    But I wasn¡¯t going to live up to their expectations.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to go out today, so why bother? Just leave it there. I¡¯ll wear it if I have to someday.¡±


    ¡°But ¡­¡­¡±


    A look of disappointment crossed Tien¡¯s face.


    Joan had a simr reaction.


    I sat down at my desk again, ignoring them.


    The pale purple dress was indeed gorgeous and fancy, which was clearly the Crown Prince¡¯s preference. However, Roxana¡¯s dressing room was full of simr dresses. Besides, the dress I had received as a gift from the Hermes¡¯ owner the other day was also gorgeous and well suited to my taste.


    Therefore, I wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the gift from the Crown Prince.


    Time passed slowly.


    I read a book in the afternoon and went for a light walk in the evening.


    When I was bored or lonely, I would have a cup of tea and a snack made by the cook.


    I spent so much time in boredom that before I knew it, the day of the banquet was approaching.


    ***


    I was up to get ready at dawn.


    I soaked in warm water with pre-dissolved bath salts and received a massage.


    After bath, I applied cold cream on my face and sat in front of the makeup table. As I did so, the maids carefullybed my hair.


    ¡°Should I raise your hair up? Or should I let it loose like I did at thest banquet?¡±


    ¡°What kind of makeup should I use?¡±


    ¡°Which essories do you want to wear?¡±


    ¡°The Crown Prince sent me a dress and a ne from the Western Regionsst year¡­¡­.¡±


    The maids were very eager to please my mood, as if they were trying to make up for the mistakes they madest time.


    I faced the girls with an indifferent look on my face, unconcerned.


    The atmosphere was more rxed than before, as the maids were quiet and I didn¡¯t have to deal with them harshly.


    No matter what thoughts each of them had in their hearts, as long as they did their job well and didn¡¯t show any signs of disrespect in front of me, I wasn¡¯t going to say anything.


    After they finishedbing my hair, one of the maids brought out a dress.


    It was the very dress that the Crown Prince had sent with the letter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it, Miss?¡±


    Tien looked at me with a nervous expression.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I can bring you another dress.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll wear it.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t too keen on the idea, but I had a hunch and decided to wear it.


    I finally finished dressing and took onest look at myself in the full-length mirror. My side hair was braided and my long hair was tied in the middle, then I put on the dress the Crown Prince had given me.


    It was the first light purple dress I had ever worn, and it enhanced Roxana¡¯s white skin. It added to the enchanting atmosphere.


    The dress itself had a subdued color, but the golden embroidery on the chest and the rich skirt made it look gorgeous.


    When I wore heavy trinkets and makeup, I looked morous and elegant, which I certainly hadn¡¯t before, and my current appearance was far from ire¡¯s that Roxana copied.


    The Crown Prince seemed to like the way I looked thest time he visited, but everything about ire and Roxana was different, starting from their looks to the atmosphere they exuded.


    If the person I had to face was the Crown Prince, he would probablyugh at me if I imitated ire in a ce where many people were gathered.


    I hate to admit it, but ire was definitely an outstanding beauty.


    Ever since she upied the Crown Prince¡¯s side, people had beenparing ire to Roxana.


    But how funny it would look if they were both dressed the same. It would be fortunate if Roxana could overpower re in a simr guise, but Roxana failed, and unfortunately I was not so sure either. But I guess being myself is much better than imitating someone else and beingughed at.


    I thought. So I dressed and decorated differently than before, but I didn¡¯t expect it to look this good.


    In fact, until a while ago I was worried¡­


    But when I looked in the mirror, I could see that my decision was right.


    My reflection in the mirror was so beautiful that I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off it. I thought I was used to the way I looked now, but when I dressed properly I waspletely surprised.


    I was very pleased.


    It was certainly worth getting up at the crack of dawn to dress so tediously.


    After the maids left, I sat down in front of the dressing table and looked into the mirror as I waited for the Crown Prince to arrive.


    ¡®The second Prince¡¯s victory banquet. ¡­I¡¯m sure there will be arge crowd there.¡¯


    The mixture of hostility and taunting stares that Roxana received, I had to receive from now on. I didn¡¯t feel good about the fact that I had to participate in something that I obviously knew was going to be bad but couldn¡¯t refuse.


    ¡®Since I¡¯m not the main character of today¡¯s banquet, should I consider it a blessing that all eyes will be on the second Prince?¡¯


    I sat still and waited, and before I knew it, the appointed time came. I saw a carriage presumably belonging to the Crown Prince stopped in front of the main gate. Soon after, the servant informed me of the Crown Prince¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Miss, the Crown Prince has arrived. You shoulde down now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±


    I sighed and stood up.

 Chapter 27

    Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince was waiting for me in the central hall on the first floor instead of in front of the main gate. I gave him a quick look over.


    ¡°I knew it.¡±


    As expected, the Crown Prince was wearing a banquet suit that seemed to match the dress I wore now. Seeing the same embroidery of gold thread engraved on the cor, it seemed that mine and his suit were originally made as a set.


    Whether it was the Crown Prince¡¯s own idea or the Empress¡¯ instructions, it was a good thing for me.


    In any case, if he and I were to appear matching like this, I am sure we would attract a lot of attention.


    My future would be determined by the direction in which people¡¯s attention would be directed today.


    Will I continue to be theughing stock of all, mocked and ridiculed by the people, or will I consolidate my position as the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e?


    Today¡¯s banquet was Roxana¡¯s return to the society and my debutante stage.


    So I wasn¡¯t going to let today be a disaster.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t something I could do on my own.


    People¡¯s perception of the Crown Prince depends on how he acts in the banquet hall.


    He yed a pivotal role.


    It was terriblyplicated to think that my future rested in the hands of the Crown Prince. I hesitated a bit and continued down the stairs.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    I called, and the Crown Prince turned around.


    He looked nervous, but as soon as he faced me, his face bloomed as brightly as a blossoming bud.


    He looked a little surprised and smiled gently.


    ¡°It suits you much better than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment, I really like the dress too.¡±


    I thanked him absent-mindedly, then nced at him. The Crown Prince wasn¡¯t dazed like before, but he still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off me.


    His eyes, which were a little bigger than usual, and his mouth, which was slightly open, really showed that his words were not empty words. When the Crown Prince met my eyes, he seemed a little embarrassed, coughed and held out his hand to me.


    ¡°Shall we go now?¡±


    I nodded, awkwardly raised both ends of my lips and ced my hand on his.


    I was escorted to the carriage by the Crown Prince.


    The carriage was very luxurious and the interior wasfortable, but it was suffocating to be alone with the Crown Prince in an enclosed space.


    I turned my head to the window and watched the scenery outside. It was ufortable at first, but perhaps because of the tension brought on by the two words, ¡°return to the social scene¡± and ¡°imperial banquet,¡± his presence beside me was surprisingly easy to forget.


    However, about thirty minutes into the carriage ride, the Crown Prince spoke with a nervous look on his face.


    ¡°Roxana, are you still thinking about that day?¡±


    His voice gradually became quieter and quieter, until finally it was inaudible.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I couldn¡¯t hear you because your highness spoke too quietly. Can you say it again?¡±


    The Crown Prince sighed and opened his mouth when I asked him inly.


    ¡°You are still mad at me?¡±


    When the Crown Prince finished speaking, he looked at me anxiously.


    I stared at him, wondering what he was talking about, and he spoke with an embarrassed look on his face.


    ¡°You used to call me by my first name. But these days¡­¡­.¡±


    His words reminded me of how Roxana had previously called the Crown Prince. She used to call him by his name.


    Both in public and in private, and the Crown Prince would ignore her every time.


    It was the same when he defended ire.


    People could only call the name of someone of higher status than themselves in intimate rtionships such as family or lovers.


    Since Roxana was his fianc¨¦, she was fully qualified to call him by his name, and the Crown Prince had allowed her to call him by his name sometime before.


    Since then she had called him by his first name in private as well as asionally in public. This was especially true in front of ire.


    ire was of low status and had a rtionship with the Crown Prince that was not officially recognized.


    As such, Roxana seemed to be a little obsessed with calling him by his first name.


    The fact that the Crown Prince, who had always been indifferent, noticed this minor change was astonishing.


    However, I thought it was not surprising that the Crown Prince would find it strange, since someone who had been overly stubborn on this issue had suddenly changed.


    Looking at the Crown Prince¡¯s current reaction, he seemed to think that my current attitude was a sign of dissatisfaction with him.


    However, ¡­¡­.


    ¡®Why is he suddenly bring this up?¡¯


    After thinking about it for a while, I found the answer.


    Unlike me, the silence in the carriage seemed to be very ufortable for the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Last time we met, you were angry that I couldn¡¯t answer your questions properly, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked while I was choosing my answer. I quickly replied,


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    He looked at me with suspicion.


    I was surprised that the Crown Prince, who had been so arrogant in front of Roxana, had changed so much. However, looking at him now, the only thing that changed was the attitude seen from the front. If he had really changed and was feeling sorry for me, he was the first one to say it now.


    There was no question of whether I was still angry. Perhaps what he wanted from me now was an answer that it was okay.


    I could tell from his expression. Not only now, but also in the future he would not be able to give me the answer I wanted. I looked at him again, knowing what it was that he wanted, and my mouth twisted spontaneously.


    ¡°To be precise, I gave up.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to ept it. His Highness will not be able to give me the answer I want anyway, so I have decided to make some concessions and adapt.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me with a worried expression.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask for any affection from Your Highness in the future, so I ask you to keep what you have to keep in moderation.¡±


    My words startled him.


    He frowned as if he had just heard a story he had never heard before.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I hope that His Highness understands your role of my fianc¨¦ properly, at least in public, because nothing good wille from us to show our bad rtionship publicly.¡±


    Before entering the banquet hall, I warned him again just in case.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s lips moved and he gritted his teeth, not knowing what to say.


    ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable with the title issue, I¡¯ll try again.¡±


    I added, pretending to be considerate.


    But this was entirely for my benefit. It would only be to my detriment if the theory of my disagreement with the Crown Prince were to recur.


    It would be the same for him anyway, so it wasn¡¯t a bad offer for him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry with me, and I know you want to hurt me. But that doesn¡¯t mean you have to say all those things.¡±


    The Crown Prince struggled to continue.


    Somehow his voice seemed to tremble a little. I looked at him oddly.


    ¡°!¡±


    The Crown Prince seemed to be shocked by my words and had a sad look on his face. He looked at me with that face, and he looked so desperate that I felt an instant urge to reach out and pat his head tofort him. I couldn¡¯t understand it.


    If I recalled the Crown Prince¡¯s attitude toward Roxana in the past, I thought he would be pleased with my suggestion¡­


    What can I say about this reaction now? ¡­¡­


    Doesn¡¯t it feel like holding onto a lover who notifies you of a breakup?


    I was troubled, but I could notfort the Crown Prince, nor could I respond to his words, so I remained still.


    What could I say at a time like this?


    I had no idea.


    I pondered for a while in the heavy and somber atmosphere, and finally decided to answer frankly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re offended by what I said, I apologize. So please rx. I never meant to hurt Your Highness.¡±


    This was true.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to be so hurt in the first ce.


    I still wondered if his reaction was real or fake.


    The Crown Prince still seemed to be in disbelief at my words, and I sighed before continuing.


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Despite my repeated requests for reconciliation, the Crown Prince still looked grim.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t understand. I thought you would be rather pleased with what I said.¡±


    ¡°You thought I would be pleased to hear that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face twisted even more at my answer. He looked at me with a look of iprehension and sighed deeply.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand why you thought of that¡­¡­¡±


    When I looked at him, the Crown Prince seemed ufortable and avoided my gaze.


    ¡°Anyway¡­ Let¡¯s pretend we didn¡¯t hear everything you just said.¡±


    The carriage came to a stop while I was thinking what to answer.


    The Crown Prince got out of the carriage first and held out his hand to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I was escorted by him as I entered.


    With each step I took, I could feel people¡¯s eyes following us.


    I took a quick nce to the side and saw that the Crown Prince, unlike the one in the carriage, his appearance as he walked with dignity was truly picturesque.


    It was beautiful. I took his hand and walked inside, and in no time arge crowd gathered around us.


    Their gazes at me were definitely different from thest time.


    Most of them tilted their heads or looked surprised, but the rest¡­It was just likest time. They stared at me, as if they were exploring my change in appearance. I was ufortable, but I tried my best not to show it.


    Still, the stares and whispered voices were getting on my nerves.


    It was still before the banquet began, and it was already this bad.


    I felt a littleplicated as I went back to the ce where it all began. Just then, from somewhere, I heard a woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I heard His Highness made up with the Princess. Is that true?¡±


    It was really strange.


    In a ce with so many people, and so much noise, my story seemed to be particrly catchy.


    Was my request for Hermes carried out well?


    What was all the fuss about again this time? I stood still and listened


    ¡°Reconciliation? Didn¡¯t His Highness prevent the princess from tormenting an innocent person? Isn¡¯t the word reconciliation outrageous when the two of them did not fight in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s not that they made up, it¡¯s just that His Highness forgave her.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Princess amazing, too? Even after going through such a situation, she¡¯s stuck next to His Highness again.¡±


    ¡°It must be that she has no self-respect or pride. How can she be so obedient if she¡¯s not like that. The Duke has done a really good job with his daughter¡¯s education. *A loach overflows all the water. I think it¡¯s true. The future of the Duke¡¯s family is really bleak because his only daughter is like that.¡±


    ***


    *It must be some kind of saying. I don¡¯t really know.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    ***


    Sponsored by Alexandra and Crissymac. Thank you ??


    ***


    As I looked around, trying to find a ce where I could hear the sound, I saw a group of people gathered around, ncing my way.


    There were a few familiar faces among them. I recognized their faces, they seemed to be from the Hanmihan family. I remembered seeing them conversing with ire a few times.


    ¡®Are they ire¡¯s followers?¡¯


    I looked at them silently.


    Then, I happened to make eye contact with one of them.


    When they noticed my gaze, they smiled awkwardly at me and left their positions, looking at each other.


    Recalling the conversation I just heard, it was difficult to maintain calmness but I tried to let it go.


    I looked to the side to see how the Crown Prince was doing, but he was drinking his wine with a really casual expression on his face.


    I wondered if he didn¡¯t hear the conversation or he heard it but pretended not to know. Maybe he heard it but didn¡¯t care. Or maybe maybe he didn¡¯t think he needed to care because it was not something that could harm him.


    There were so many people in the banquet hall, but I felt isted among them.


    I wondered if Roxana felt this way every day.


    It was unpleasant, but I tried not to show it, and I was terribly tired of wondering what she was thinking.


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    The Crown Prince was in the middle of a conversation with the person next to him, and when his eyes met mine, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and asked in a friendly voice.


    ¡°Are you ufortable?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired.¡±


    ¡°Is that really all? If you¡¯re not feeling well, I think you should see the court physician before the banquet starts.¡±


    He had such a casual attitude that one would think we had a very close rtionship by looking at us. The people around us were very upset at what they were seeing, but the Crown Prince didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°My lounge is not far from here, let¡¯s go with me and have a look¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine. Thank you for your kind words, but it¡¯s not something Your Highness should worry about.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked disappointed at my words, but he didn¡¯t force me any further. At that moment, the entrance announced the Emperor¡¯s arrival with a gorgeous trumpet sound. Turning my head, I saw the Emperor and Empress. They came walking slowly down the red carpet, looking as dignified as ever.


    When they eventually stopped right in front of me, I held my breath for a moment. I waited for them to pass by without incident, but the Emperor just stood there in front of me, motionless.


    I bowed lightly and I could feel their gazes were on me. I had no choice but to turn to them and greet them.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you both, Your Majesties.¡±


    ¡°Raise your head.¡±


    The emperor¡¯s low voice descended.


    As I lifted my head, my eyes met with a pair of blue eyes staring at me.


    I felt a chill run through my body the moment I met those eyes, which looked so much like the Crown Prince¡¯s, but not quite.


    The way he looked at me was nonchnt, but there was a dignity in his gaze that I could never have expected.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Young Lady? From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯ve been quite ill.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Does the Lady know that the Duke has made great achievements in the northwest region this time?¡±


    The emperor said in apassionate voice.


    I naturally did not know.


    Roxana was not interested in the Duke¡¯s work, and neither was I.


    But I answered with a calm face because there was nothing good about showing the truth.


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost your birthday. So I¡¯m going to give you a gift in addition to the gift that I will give to the Duke. So if there is anything you want, don¡¯t hesitate to let me know.¡±


    I opened my eyes wide in surprise at the unexpected words.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised by the emperor¡¯s words, the people around me had the same expression.


    ¡°I will do so, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern.¡±


    The Emperor nodded his head in satisfaction at my answer and took his seat with the empress.


    I was inwardly impressed.


    The Duke really do have a lot of power.


    Well, a while ago, Roxana had an ident in the banquet hall of the Imperial Pce.


    It was her own action to jump, but it was the Crown Prince who made it happen.


    Blood is thicker than water, so it was hard to know how the Duke would take it. Regardless of the truth, the world only knew that the Duke really cherished and loved his one and only daughter.


    However, it must have been difficult for the Emperor, who was supposed to encourage and praise the meritorious Duke, when his daughter was involved in a wrongful ident while he was absent for the sake of the country.


    Regardless of the circumstances, I was thrilled that Emperor stepped up and tried to make up for it.


    How should I use this great opportunity I¡¯ve been given?


    Shortly after the Emperor and Empress entered, the second prince, the main character of today¡¯s banquet, appeared.


    He knelt on one knee in front of the Emperor and Empress and made a bow.


    Unlike the Emperor and Crown Prince, he had mysterious silver hair and blue eyes.


    Unlike the countless infamous names that followed him, the second Prince seemed surprisingly quite docile.


    He seemed to resemble his mother, the Empress, more than the Emperor. He exchanged a few words with the Emperor in front of everyone, and then immediately left his seat. Soon the banquet began in earnest, and he, still without a fianc¨¦e, danced with the daughter of the family that supported him.


    The youngdy dancing with the second Prince was flustered, her face bright red.


    It was nice to see her so fresh and shy with an unconcealed smile on her mouth.


    ¡°Shall we dance now?¡±


    The Crown Prince held out his hand to me.


    Again, I didn¡¯t know what might have put the Crown Prince in a bad mood, but his face looked a little darker. cing my hand on his, he led me into the middle of the dance floor. A light but familiar melody was ying.


    I had never danced in my previous life or in this life.


    I was afraid I would make mistakes, but fortunately Roxana¡¯s body remembered how to move.


    After a short time of dancing, my body became ustomed to the music and my nervousness slowly eased.


    When the music was half over, I noticed something strange. It had been a while since the party started and I still didn¡¯t see ire.


    She was the type of person who would stand out even when she was standing still, so there was no way i didn¡¯t notice her.


    I thought there was no way ire wouldn¡¯t be attending such a big party¡­¡­. Is she trying toete, or is she trying to avoiding altogether? What¡¯s going on with the Crown Prince?


    I was pensive for a while. Before I knew it, the song was over.


    I returned to my seat again with the Crown Prince.


    We were resting for a while, sipping the drinks on the table, when someone called out to me.


    ¡°Princess Lillian, it¡¯s been a long time since I saw you.¡±


    I turned my head and looked to the side to see a gorgeously dressed girl standing there.


    She gave me a sad smile as she stared straight at me.


    ¡°How are you feeling? I heard you were hurt at thest banquet.¡±


    Her voice was gentle, but her tone was like she was probing me.


    Despite the beauty of her eyes, the way she looked at me was deeply filled with hostility.


    ¡°Where exactly did you hurt yourself?¡±


    ¡°Lady Flynn.¡±


    She paid no heed to my call.


    Dressed in a gorgeous yellow dress and adorned with feathers, Lady Flynn was as small and beautiful as a canary, but she was arrogant and disrespectful because she grew up preciously.


    In the past, Roxana also drew attention from many people for her arrogant attitude and rash words and actions like Lady Flynn, but at least she didn¡¯t approach them for no reason and started the fight first.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, some people witnessed the Princess jumping off the terrace herself during thest banquet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what the Young Lady is saying now. Why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m sure¡­¡±


    ¡°You must be mistaken. It was just a fever that caused me to fall ill.¡±


    When I cut her off and denied it to the end, Lady Flynn¡¯s face distorted.


    There were a lot of people in the Imperial Pce that day, so it was no surprise that someone had seen me climb on the railing myself.


    However, ording to Noah¡¯s report, the day was handled quietly with few acquaintances, and externally I was supposed to be sick with other reasons.


    Looking at the reaction of Lady Flynn now, she didn¡¯t seem to have seen it in person either. This kind of rumor must be properly caught from the start so that useless words do not spread.


    Since only few people knew something about it and there was no obvious evidence, I thought I should just leave it at that. But it didn¡¯t take long for me to realize that it was all an illusion.


    ¡°I think Princess knew better. Doesn¡¯t everyone know that the Princess was humiliated by the Crown Prince that day because you bullied Lady Dana?¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    My face stiffened for a moment at her words, and the smile that had been on her lips shed further.


    I forced myself to smile slightly. I looked sideways and saw that the Crown Prince seemed to be busy dealing with the people who were rushing in from a short distance away.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be aware of my situation, so it would be impossible for him to help. Moreover, now that the Emperor was right in front of me, it was impossible for me to swear like Roxana usually did.


    Moreover, the Marquis of Flynn was a very high ranking family in the empire, and the woman in front of me was his golden daughter.


    Lady Flynn fluttered her fan with a pleasant smile as she regained herposure again. It was really amazing that the Marquis had raised his daughter so well, even to the point of being persistent and relentless.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy enough with your family¡¯s business alone, but you took your time to worry about me¡­¡­¡­ Young Lady is very caring. She seems to have a lot of free time on her hands.¡±


    I replied nonchntly, and Lady Flynn raised a corner of her mouth. My reaction was nothing out of the ordinary. Come to think of it, Lady Flynn approached me from the beginning hoping that I would get angry.


    Probably hoping to embarrass me by making a scene again.


    Despite the fact that the Emperor and Empress were clearly present, if the same thing happened likest time, people would say that I disrespect the imperial family.


    This could also bring the entire family of the Duke into the picture.


    Probably because of the merits that Duke Lillian had established and the prestige of the duchy, I wouldn¡¯t be punished badly, but it would definitely have a fatal impact on my reputation.


    ¡°I heard Lady Flynn¡¯s family is running a new business recently. It seems that your new fur business is doing very well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. My first brother came up with the fur business.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Flynn?¡±


    Lady Flynn nodded with an arrogant expression.


    It was well known that the Marquis of Flynn had recently made a fortune from the fur business. For the nobles, newly fashionable luxury goods were an essential part of their conversation, so I knew about it from my servants.


    The maids told me that the contracts for the warehouses and shops had already been signed for the full-scale expansion of the business, and that the Marquis and his son were looking for investors.


    YoungMaster Flynn was recognized for his outstanding business qualities and many praised him.


    With his outstanding appearance and excellent abilities, he was the treasure and the pride of the Flynn family.


    It was said that he was very good to his only sister, so with such a kind and outstanding brother, Lady Flynn must be very proud of him now.


    I looked at her as she gained momentum, and spoke with an interesting voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny. I was going to talk to my father about the new business, too. I¡¯m also very interested in fur these days.¡±


    ¡°¡­..!¡±

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    ***


    Sponsored by JF. Thank you ??


    ***


    Lady Flynn opened her eyes wide and looked at me.


    Currently, in the Empire, the fur business was conducted almost exclusively by the Flynn family. However, if I were to join the business, it was going to be a different story.


    Now, Lady Flynn raised her head and looked at me dumbfoundedly.


    It was because she didn¡¯t know what was going on. The Flynn family was no match for the Lillian family in terms of power and money. The Marquis family would suffer a great deal of damage if I intervened their business.


    The Flynn family would be deprived of its leadership and might even have to step down.


    If the Flynn family suffer a great loss, would Marquis Flynn forgive his daughter?


    Even though the Marquis was her parent, the depth of a parent¡¯s affection and that of a sibling were not the same, so it was impossible to know how Young Master Flynn would treat her after she had ruined his business.


    Fortunately, after what I said, Lady Flynn¡¯s turned pale. It seemed she understood me at once.


    ¡°A moment ago, His Majesty said that if there¡¯s anything I want for my birthday, I can just tell him. Currently, when I look at Lady Flynn, I feel that I should have exclusive rights to a certain business.¡±


    ¡°¡­. !¡±


    Some of the nobles around her made a fuss.


    ¡°Such careless behavior¡­¡­.¡±


    Lady Flynn red at me sternly, her teeth clenched.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked with a cold face, as if he was there for sometime.


    ¡°Your Highness, the Young Lady¡­¡±


    Upon discovering the Crown Prince, Lady Flynn burst into tears.


    That imposing and arrogant figure who had made usations against me earlier had disappeared after a shadow of a second.


    The small, cute girl looked so pathetic as she looked at him with a sad expression on her face, her eyes full of tears.


    People could tell just from his attitude towards ire that the Crown Prince was usually calm and gentle.


    The Crown Prince was kind to everyone, regardless of their status, and many women adored him. I thought I could keep quiet this time, but with no ire, the situation was the same, only this time the person had changed.


    I felt a little tired, but I didn¡¯t show any sign of it and stood still, when the Crown Prince asked me.


    ¡°Roxana, your face is red, are you okay?¡±


    He looked concerned as he alternated between the ss of wine in my hand and my face. He acted as if he couldn¡¯t see Lady Flynn who was right in front of him. Seeing it, Lady Flynn¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Jeremy, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    I called his name in a gentle voice, not only Lady Flynn, but even the Crown Prince looked perplexed. He stared at me with a nk face and immediately held out his arm to me. It was meant to escort me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not feeling well, so don¡¯t overdo it. Let¡¯s take a walk in the garden for a while until you¡¯re sober. Just like before.¡±


    The Crown Prince spoke softly with a smiling face. Lady Flynn seemed to be invisible at this moment.


    Lady Flynn who had been watching the scene, fled with painful look on her face.


    She turned around to stare at me, and before I knew it, heavy tears had fallen down her face. The sight of her reminded me what I had heard had heard. That she also loved the Crown Prince for a long time.


    I heard that she was being considered as a candidate for the crown prince¡¯s wife until the engagement between Roxana and the Crown Prince was confirmed¡­. Hasn¡¯t she given up on him yet?


    It was then that I finally understood the cause of her strong hostility.


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    I was a little worried about her hurt expression at first, but she was the one who caused the trouble first when I didn¡¯t say anything. She deserved it.


    I ced my hand on the Crown Prince¡¯s arm and slowly made my way out of the banquet hall as he escorted me.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s gait was neither slow nor fast. He seemed to be concerned with the speed at which I was walking.


    ¡®Is he being considerate of me?¡¯


    Looking sideways, the Crown Prince had aplex face. I admired his side face, which seemed lost in thought. In terms of appearance alone, the Crown Prince was definitely close to my ideal type.


    However, perhaps it was because of my worst first impression, or perhaps it was because of the way I saw him in Roxana¡¯s memory, now I found the Crown Prince awkward and ufortable.


    However, when I saw him just now taking me by the shoulders and dealing with Lady Flynn, the unpleasant feelings I had felt while watching him were forgotten for a while.


    he recent change in the attitude of the Crown Prince may have had a significant impact. It would be perfect if it could remain the same in the future.


    But can I believe that people change so easily?


    The minute I stepped out of the banquet hall and reached the entrance to the garden, and there was no gazes from the people, I retreated my hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a break by myself and go back. Your Highness, if you are busy, you may go back first.¡±


    ¡°Good, I was just about to go get some cool air too. Let¡¯s go together.


    The Crown Prince replied usibly.


    ¡°By the way, what was going on just now? It looked like you two were arguing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean nothing?¡±


    The Crown Prince wrinkled his brow.


    ¡°There was a minor misunderstanding, so there was a small argument.¡±


    ¡°The way I see it, Lady Flynn was unterally picking a fight with you.¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve be a source of ridicule for all, this level of humiliation is to be expected. Before, they just talked behind my back, but now, they tantly do it in front of me, so I¡¯m just tired.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I said in a light tone, like I was joking.


    The Crown Prince became silent again, perhaps because what I said stimted his guilt.


    Eventually he said to me with a dark look on his face.


    ¡°If it happens again, you can tell me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, I will.¡±


    As I walked around the garden for a bit, looking around, I saw a servant running this way.


    The servant gave me a light bow and whispered something in the Crown Prince¡¯s ear. I couldn¡¯t quite hear what exactly he was talking about, but by the look on the Crown Prince¡¯s face, it seemed that something not good had happened.


    Gritting his teeth, the Crown Prince mumbled the name of the second Prince and quickly turned his head towards me.


    ¡°Roxana, I¡¯m sorry, but¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, go ahead. It seemed like something urgent hase up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cold, go back to the banquet hall first, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    After the Crown Prince left, I was alone.


    I was a little disappointed, but not particrly lonely.


    In fact, I thought it went well.


    I needed some time alone to collect my thoughts, and I needed a quiet ce to do that, rather than the crowded banquet hall.


    A quiet garden was more suitable for that. Besides, therge garden with its colorful flowers was very beautiful unser the white moonlight.


    As I quietly gazed at it, I almost forgot how much time had passed. As I walked alone in this way, I found myselfing to a somewhat remote ce. The gorgeous roses that had caught my attention was now out of sight.


    Instead, the simple wild flowers blooming on the grass floor made me feelfortable. However, perhaps because it was remote ce, no one was seen. It made me feel a little chilly.


    Feeling a little strange, I couldn¡¯t immediately turn around, so I stopped.


    I felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, even though this was my first time here. As I stood there tracing my memory, I finally remembered.


    I remembered that this was the exact spot where I had jumped. I raised my head and looked up at the space that slightly protruding from the wall of the building.


    Through the closed windowpanes, I could see the dazzlingly bright lights inside the banquet hall leaking out.


    I listened to the sound of a lilting musical melody pouring out from between theughter of the people.


    I felt a jolt of fear.


    Even though I was not looking down from above, but up from below.


    The distance from the ground to the terrace seemed considerable.


    In hindsight, I was lucky that I was not seriously injured after jumping from that height. At that moment, I heard someone¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Did you see His Highness¡¯ attitude just now? I heard His Highness was ashamed and went to apologize to the Princess. When I first heard it, I thought it was outrageous, but now I see it¡¯s not a hoax.


    ¡°Why the sudden change in attitude?¡±


    ¡°It seems that he is forced to listen to the Duke¡¯s mood.¡±


    While I was sentimentalizing the past for a while, I could hear people¡¯s voices from the upper terrace.


    Realizing that they were talking about the Crown Prince, I leaned my head back reflexively and looked up. There stood three familiar men, whom I had met many times in the banquet hall.


    Seeing that they were conversing in a rxed atmosphere, it seemed that they were still unaware of my presence.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I don¡¯t see Lady Dana today.¡±


    ¡°It seems that the Crown Prince is tired of her now. I think that¡¯s why he abandoned her. Well, shested a year.¡±


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t know which one will be abandoned yet.¡±


    The terrace was a private space, so it was extremely rude to open the door ande in where it already had a guest.


    Besides, the ss doors were quite thick, so the soundproofing was good, and even if you had a secret conversation on the terrace, there was no way others could hear it over the lively music in the back. Was that why people carried on controversy conversations without being afraid. They never thought there would be anyone eavesdropping from below.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Lady Dana has a low status, but she has a pretty face. In addition, she has a talent for attracting people.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why the Crown Prince fell for her?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s certainly worth falling for.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with either. So I would like His Highness to choose as soon as possible.¡±


    I listened to their conversation and found that the request I made for the Hermes was carried out sessfully.


    However, I felt more unpleasant than satisfied when I continued to listen to their low-grade dialogue.


    ¡°I seem to recall that you were very interested in Lady Dana. What are you going to do if she is really abandoned? Are you going to propose to her?¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? I¡¯m not going to marry a woman from such a humble family. Maybe a mistress?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    There was a loudugh and the clinking of cups from above.


    ¡°The Princess looks beautiful today. She¡¯s also from a good family, so it¡¯s a bonus. I saw her at thest banquet, I thought their engagement wouldn¡¯tst long. If she breaks off her engagement in disgrace, there should be no ce that will ept her any more, so if I can get her, it will be good for both of us.¡±


    They chatted for a while more and soon went inside as they felt the cold. I stayed in my seat and clenched my fist. My long fingernails pierced my palms painfully.


    ****


    *This story keeps talking about rumors and rumors, how many more chapters will the author stretch this out? I¡¯m losing my interest to be honest.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    ***


    Even if I had broken off my engagement to the Crown Prince, there was no way I would have married them.


    They werepletely ignorant. There were people everywhere who liked to talk behind their backs, just like they were now. Even if I set an example and punish them, they would never disappearpletely. Rather, it would only give people more excuses to speak ill of me.


    Compared to what Roxana had been through, this was nothing.


    If I can¡¯t calm my emotions and manage my facial expressions after something like this, it will be difficult to adapt to the social world in the future.


    Being criticized or gossiped about by people was of course something to bear if I decided to y a viin.


    But that thought didn¡¯t make the difort go away.


    With a bitter heart, I forced myself to walk away.


    Just then, my eyes caught sight of someone standing under a tree some distance away. ck hair, white face, it was that man I sawst time. He definitely made eye contact with me, but as I was struggling how to approach him, he silently walked away.


    If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, the way he was looking at me was somewhat pathetic.


    I never thought I¡¯d run into him when I was looking so shabby, of all times¡­.


    I felt miserable for some reason.


    Would he have thought that I pretended to be strong in the front but had no pride in the back?


    It wasn¡¯t surprising if he thought that way about me since I looked good in the eyes of the world by standing beside the Crown Prince obediently, even after what happenedst time. It was true. I thought I was pathetic too.


    Thinking about it made me ufortable, and I frowned. It was a particrly lonely feeling, as it had been ever since I fell into this world.


    I was on my way back to the banquet hall again.


    I saw someone standing on the terrace in front of me in the distance.


    It was the second Prince, with his mysterious silver hair and neat uniform. Not long after I saw him, the door to the terrace where he stood opened.


    Someone came in. I looked at her face and saw that she was the very same Young Lady who danced with him earlier.


    ¡°Are the two having a secret meeting?¡±


    The two of them exchanged a few words and then the Young Lady ran out, looking like she was about to cry.


    The second Prince, who was left alone, swept his hair with a tired face.


    As soon as I was about to take off my gaze and walk, thinking I should go back, I made eye contact with the second Prince who was leaning on the terrace railing.


    ¡± !¡±


    He looked at me and frowned ufortably.


    He then turned around and quickly exited the terrace.


    From the 2nd prince¡¯s reaction, it seemed that he had misunderstood me thinking I was deliberately trying to eavesdrop. After arriving at the banquet hall, I looked around, but the Crown Prince was nowhere to be seen.


    I was frustrated.


    ¡°He told me he¡¯lle back soon¡­¡±


    I went to the ce where I was with the Crown Prince earlier, took a seat and had some drink.


    Unlike what I expected, he did not return for a while, and after another hour, the servant sent by the Crown Prince said that he was sorry and he wouldn¡¯t be able toe.


    There was no need for me to stay here any longer since I had alreadypleted what I had nned and had secured the promise of an unexpected gift from the Emperor.


    I decided to return to the Duke¡¯s residence, thinking that it had worked out in my favor.


    Fortunately, the Crown Prince informed the servant in advance, so I was able to rest in the same spacious and luxurious carriage as I came in.


    Roxana always kept her seat until the banquet was over, unless there was something special going on, and the servants looked at me strangely when I left early.


    But I was exhausted and didn¡¯t feel the need to exin anything to them, so I went straight back to my room and lied down.


    Then Annie brought me a change of clothes.


    After washing my face and changing my clothes, I went to bed immediately.


    The second Prince¡¯s victory banquet ended like that.


    *TL: seriously, she met the ck hair man who helped her before but there was no expression from her or even the mere thought that she would run after him to say thank you? She wasn¡¯t even surprised? Didn¡¯t she look for him desperately to say thank you?


    ***


    The next day, I woke up in thete afternoon.


    Even though it had been a day, I still felt very sick from the previous day.


    I washed my face briefly with a tub of water brought by the servants, and then pulled the string beside my bed. Then the door opened and the nanny came in with a tray of food.


    ¡°Lady, did you sleep well?¡±


    She greeted me with a smiling face and ced a tray of food on the table. This was originally supposed to be Annie¡¯s job, but seeing that the nanny came in person, not anyone else, the situation seemed to be very urgent.


    Perhaps her son, whom she loved so much, was still in prison.


    In the meantime, her eyes were fixed on me, and with an air of displeasure that seemed to know no separation, I sent her away after finishing my meal roughly.


    The nanny looked somewhat annoyed and reluctantly stepped out of the room. After ate breakfast, I was leisurely drinking tea brought by the maids when someone knocked on my room door.


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s Stephen.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    When my permission was granted, the door opened without hesitation.


    I could see Stephen standing just in front of the door of my room.


    I cast a nce behind him.


    He wasn¡¯t alone.


    There were servants standing behind him with an ufortable faces.


    Stephen walked in alone, leaving her at the door.


    As soon as he closed the door, he began to speak.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with Lady¡­.¡±


    Stephen slurred his words and nced behind me.


    My maids were standing behind me.


    ¡°I need to speak with Stephen alone for a while, everyone please leave.¡±


    At mymand, the maids came out with anxious faces and looked at Stephen in turn, but soon they left withoutining.


    As they left and the door closed behind them, Stephen immediately spoke seriously.


    ¡°Do you remember thest time you asked me to investigate the nanny and Annie?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°As a result of the investigation, Annie is innocent. She was just doing her job. The question is rather¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean the nanny did it?¡±


    I said, cutting Stephen off mid-sentence.


    As expected that was what happened.


    ¡°Who came with you?¡±


    I asked, remembering the servants Stephen had ced outside the door.


    ¡°Witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Tell them toe in.¡±


    When I said that, Stephen brought them into the room. They walked in quickly, fidgeting as they looked at me.


    They stood in front of me with awkward faces as if they were about to be punished.


    What happened next was obvious.


    When Stephen asked, they each told me what they had seen.


    Then Stephen finally opened his mouth.


    He put in front of me a list of items that had disappeared from my room and how they had been disposed of.


    All the missing items were sold at auction, and the person who received the money from the sale of the items was the nanny.


    With these, the whole situation became clear. However, my mood remained rather somber.


    Annie, who kept her mouth shut when she was framed by the nanny, certainly seemed to have given up. Just now, the servants seemed to rely on Stephen, looking at me. I feltplicated when I personally felt that I was not trusted by them.


    ¡°Everyone leaves, except for Stephen.¡±


    The servants took note of my expression and quickly stepped out of the room.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Stephen hesitated for a moment, and then answered in a clear voice.


    ¡°If you know the truth, you should let her go.¡±


    Stephen gave me a clear answer. In my head I knew it was the right thing to do.


    Unlike the maids, the nanny had been taking care of Roxana since she was a baby, but I was still hesitant.


    Roxana truly cared for her nanny and thought of her as family.


    By the way, is it okay for me, who is not a real princess, to treat someone important to Roxana like that while pretending to be her?


    Ifit was Roxana, how would she have handled this situation now?


    ¡°Baroness Willis has already messed with her master¡¯s things on several asions, framing innocent people for her crimes. A few days ago, she almost caused one innocent maid to be beaten and thrown out of the house.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After hesitating for a while, Stephen¡¯s sharp words awakened me. Obviously, I slept enough and felt very tired even though I just woke up.


    ¡°All right, now leave. Good job.¡±


    As he left, the maids came inside carefully, looking at me. I went into the bedroom to collect my thoughts and pondered for a while. After a while, I finally came to a decision. Actually, I knew the answer from the beginning.


    I just needed time to collect my thoughts.


    When I opened the door and came out, the maids looked nervous.


    I gave them my instructions with a nonchnt expression.


    ¡°Bring the nanny.¡±


    ***


    Around the time when the maids cleared the table and made some new tea, the nanny came in. As soon as she came in, she sensed an unusual air current and signaled the maidservants with her eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Come here and sit down.¡±


    The nanny sat down across from me and took a sip of the tea that was ced in front of her, as if she was thirsty. I stared at her. Only a few days passed, but the nanny¡¯splexion was getting worse. Although she was barely able to keep a smile on her face, there was a hint of irritation on her face, and she seemed to have more gray hair.


    I sighed and took out what I prepared beforehand.


    ¡°Take it.¡±


    The nanny looked at me with suspicion.


    ¡°Miss, what is this?¡±


    ¡°That would be enough to pay off the debt that the nanny owed even after paying your son¡¯s bail.¡±


    The nanny¡¯splexion lit up instantly.


    When I pushed the pouch in front of her, the nanny quickly took it and opened it. For a moment, her brown eyes, which had been ck and dead, took on a different color. From the looks of it, she liked the gold coin in the pouch very much.


    ¡°Thank you, but why all of a sudden¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    The nannyter asked curiously.


    The look on her face showed that she was suspicious of my sudden fickleness. But she couldn¡¯t seem to refuse, and held the pouch in her hand tightly and didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say no. That¡¯s your severance pay. Thank you for all your hard work.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    My words froze in a sh. The nanny had a dazed look in her eyes.


    The servants also looked at us in surprise.


    ¡°I would like to speak with the nanny alone, everyone please leave.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this, youngdy? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden. I just can¡¯t understand it.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t understand?¡±


    The nanny flinched.


    She immediately stood up from her seat with her face twisted in frustration. The chair she was sitting on fell back with a thump.


    The maids were on their way out when they heard a loud voice and looked at me in surprise.


    ¡°Yes! I really don¡¯t know.¡±


    The nanny said with an attitude of not the slightest hesitation.


    I forced the maid to leave because I didn¡¯t want anyone else to hear what I had to say.


    Her face would fall to the ground if people found out that she had messed with her master¡¯s things and covered her sins with others.


    This was the least I could do for my nanny. However, since she was digging her own grave before the servants could leave the table, I had no reason to consider her situation any further.


    ****

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    ¡°Joan, please go downstairs and call Annie.¡±


    Joan was startled when her name was called.


    She looked at the nanny and soon left the room.


    Joan came back faster than I thought.


    Annie was with her, of course. Annie looked at the messy room and spoke to me with some surprise and a little stiffness in her voice.


    ¡°Miss, I heard you wanted to see me.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have something to ask you. Come here.¡±


    Annie could not readily enter the room even at my call. The reason¡­ was probably the nanny.


    Because from the moment Annie appeared, the nanny was sharply staring at her, as if Annie was an irreconcble enemy.


    ¡°Quickly.¡±


    I called again and Annie had no choice but toe and stand in front of me.


    ¡°Annie, tell me what you saw a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    At mymand, Annie hesitated for a moment, but soon spoke with difficulty.


    ¡°What I saw was¡­ Viscountess Willis was searching through the Lady¡¯s drawers.¡±


    The maids opened their eyes as if they were surprised.


    The nanny was silent, but I could tell she was in a state of great anger.


    ¡°At first I thought she was running an errand for the youngdy, but when her eyes met mine, Viscountess Willis shouted and said I was a thief. That¡¯s when the youngdy came in.¡±


    Annie¡¯s voice was small and slow, but her manner of speaking was firm and her meaning was clear. As soon as she finished, the nanny pped her on the face before I could stop her.


    ¡°Nanny!¡±


    I shouted, sincerely surprised.


    The nanny was still angry, but she was more energetic and even rougher than before.


    I grabbed Annie¡¯s wrist and made her stand behind me, then blocked the two of them so that the nanny couldn¡¯t get to Annie any further. However, as if my attitude further stimted the nanny, her face heated up red with anger.


    ¡°You! How dare you fool people with lies?¡±


    The nanny shouted, pointing at Annie.


    The nanny was certainly different from ordinary servants, as she was able to use loudly and proudly in front of her master even in a situation where her sins were revealed.


    In many noble families, there was often a deep bond between the nannies and the nobles¡¯ children, but the current nanny¡¯s attitude was certainly out of line.


    To people who didn¡¯t know what was going on, they would think that she was the owner instead. I was speechless by her overly cheeky attitude.


    But it wasn¡¯t the nanny¡¯s fault alone.


    Roxana had tacitly epted the fact that the nanny often behaved excessivelypared to the nannies of other families.


    Roxana relied very much on her nanny to take care of her instead of her parents from a very young age.


    Growing without affection was scarier than she thought. There were no parents ¨C or siblings ¨C who could be there for Roxana, so the nanny must have been irreceable and important to her, as she was lonely. However, there were some people in the world who did not appreciate and took it for granted, no matter how much they tried to help with favors.


    In my opinion, the nanny belonged to such people.


    ¡°Youngdy, you don¡¯t believe in the words of this vile thing, do you?¡±


    The nanny finished her question and looked at me as if seeking my consent. But she had no one on her side in this room, not even me.


    However, in the eyes of the already excited nanny, the reactions of the maids and surroundings who were whispering with astonished faces seemed to be out of sight.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where the essories are. I didn¡¯t see them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m sure the maid knows.¡±


    My head was throbbing. I tried to keep my voice as calm as I could without sounding angry.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the other day a wicked maid had gotten her hands on something in my room?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why do things in my room keep disappearing even if I change people? The only thing that hasn¡¯t changed in this room for years is me and the nanny.¡±


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    The nanny eximed with a reddened face, as if she had just been subjected to some great insult. I remained silent, unfazed by her.


    ¡°Stephen has already done all the research. I have proof and witnesses that the nanny has been stealing my items for years.¡±


    ¡°¡­.. !¡±


    ¡°So leave it at this point. If you make any more fuss here, I can¡¯t cut you anymore ck.¡±


    The nanny opened her mouth in a daze as I spoke.


    With eyes that wavered helplessly and a sense of bewilderment hidden within them, she seemed unable to find any more excuses.


    ¡°This is¡­ a ruse. You know this, don¡¯t you, youngdy? I¡¯m sure you know how the butler usually regarded me as a thorn in his eyes.¡±


    The nanny seemed to be trying to grab everyone around her and droop down like a mouse in a tight spot making ast effort.


    First Annie, then Stephen.


    If I let it go, there was no telling who would be next. I motioned to the maids in the room and Annie to leave.


    Everyone left and soon it was just me and the nanny in the room. I waited in silence until she calmed down. After a few minutes, the nanny, realizing that her lies were not working, said in a shaky voice,


    ¡°You¡¯re going to abandon me, the woman who raised you, because of one maid?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t because of Annie that I¡¯m kicking you out.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­.¡±


    The nanny stared at me with a look of iprehension.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that having bad people around can have bad effects. Do you remember you said that?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    The nanny¡¯s face distorted.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been more than a few days, and since the nanny said it directly, how could she have forgotten?¡±


    ¡°If you forgive me this once, I won¡¯t let this happen again.¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I do not trust the words of a liar. Nanny has been deceiving me for years now, how can I believe you anymore?¡±


    ¡°Lady, I¡¯ve been taking care of you since you were born. How can you do this to me?¡±


    People never change easily.


    When I saw her framing others even after her sin was revealed and eventually pouring out words of resentment toward me, I could see that the words were not wrong.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to say. Nanny, don¡¯t you remember how much I¡¯ve tried to be understanding of your situation so far?¡±


    I stared at the nanny with a disappointed look on my face.


    ¡°I was sad to see you not caring one bit about my illness, but I persevered. However, you deceived me and tricked others with lies. I can¡¯t believe this is only the result of trusting and believing in you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It won¡¯t happen again, so please, once and ¡­¡­..¡±


    The nanny knelt down on the floor with a thump. Roxana would not be able to see her kneeling on the cold floor and begging.


    Then again, I didn¡¯t really enjoy watching a woman older than me cry either.


    Tears streamed down her dark eyes. Her face as she looked up at me looked so sad and desperate.


    ¡°Get up already. It hurts my heart when the nanny does this.¡±


    Somewhat lightly, I took the nanny¡¯s hand and helped her up. Then I took off the ruby ne around my neck and put it in her hand.


    It was far more expensive than anything the nanny had ever taken before. This would be enough for a year¡¯s worth of living expenses.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay back the money you have borrowed so far, and you won¡¯t be able to get back the goods you secretly got your hands on because you have already sold them.¡±


    ¡°Lady¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°This is my payment for raising me until now.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    The nanny looked up at me in disbelief. I spoke softly to her.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve been fooled enough and helped enough. It¡¯s time for you to go.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The nanny stared at me for a moment, then turned around helplessly.


    Thest I saw of her face, it oozed more contemtion than anger or resentment.


    Before she closed the door and left, I said to her onest time,


    ¡°Thank you for everything. I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t know if it sounds funny for me to say these words in this situation, but I hope you have a prosperous life wherever you go.¡±


    Was thest word said in vain?


    The nanny paused for a moment and then went out without reply.


    I went and leaned against the back of the couch with my hand on my forehead. Honestly, judging by her behavior so far, my sending her away was too light of a punishment. I had just given a moderate punishment to an evil person, so why was I feeling so hazy?


    ¡°My Lady¡­¡±


    As I was deeply in thoughts, someone woke me up. I opened my eyes and saw Annie.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°¡­I just want to say I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Despite the fact that the nanny who had been badly treated her was gone, Annie still looked ufortable.


    I frowned at the sight of her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing wrong, so why are you looking like that? Did the nanny or the maids say something to you?¡±


    Annie quickly shook her head at my question.


    But I noticed something immediately.


    If the nanny had bumped into Annie on her way out, she wouldn¡¯t let Annie off. I sighed as I saw the red handprints engraved on Annie¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Your master is me, not them. So you don¡¯t have to care about them in the future. If they say something to you, make sure to tell me.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Annie raised her head and looked at me. Her eyes were filled with tears.


    ¡°You can go rest now. You¡¯ve worked hard so far. And I look forward to working with you in the future.¡±


    ****


    After the nanny was removed, the maids became more reserved in their attitude toward me.


    Not only did they be more serious, but they were also more careful in their behavior even when I couldn¡¯t see them. After I got rid of the nanny, Laura, and all those who had led the disturbance, I felt a real sense of peace.


    Annie was the one who changed the most.


    She had always been sincere, but she had definitely brightened up and be more loyal since the nanny was gone.


    If before she seemed to be quiet because it was just something she had to do, now she couldn¡¯t keep the smile off her face as she worked.


    Not only did she no longer look bad in the face of others, but most importantly, she was very friendly to me.


    I needed at least one loyal servant, so this change came naturally to me.


    I decided to ept it.


    I stopped reading the letters and invitations that came in daily for a while and was having some tea.


    One of the servants came and handed me an invitation that was sent from Hermes.


    I opened it cautiously.


    What was written inside was simple.


    It said the meeting would be at the annex of the Hermes three days from now. I immediately wrote a reply saying I understood and gave it to the servant.


    ¡°Lady, is something wrong? You don¡¯t look so happy. Are you worried about His Highness?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Annie asked anxiously, pouring some tea into my empty cup.

 Chapter 32

    It was true that I had my concerns, but they were not caused by the Duke.


    I wondered why Annie suddenly brought up the story of the Duke who was not here, so I looked at her and soon came up with a fact.


    ¡®Come to think of it, the date of the Duke¡¯s return is not too far away.¡¯


    Seeing that the Emperor had said in front of the people that I could tell him anything I wanted, it was clear that the Duke had once again made a merit.


    I thought it was great, but I didn¡¯t take great interest in it.


    I shook my head, then sat still and looked at the teacup in front of me.


    I could see the hot steam rising from the pale reddish tea water. I watched the scene closely and tapped the table top with a restless face.


    It had already been a few days since I attended the imperial banquet with the Crown Prince. Lately, my daily life has been excessively peaceful.


    The longer this peace hassted, the more anxious I have be, lurking in the corners of my mind. It was strange.


    ¡®If it¡¯s ire that I know, she won¡¯t let things go against her.¡¯


    She wouldn¡¯t just watch and wait. The ire I knew would have stepped forward to provoke me and prevent me from getting close to the Crown Prince, and she should have done so a few dozen more times.


    Did I misjudge ire?


    I thought for a moment, then quickly concluded that I did not.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯


    ire was quite persistent and wouldn¡¯t give up easily on what she had gained.


    The Crown Prince was also not a great man who could deal with ire easily. So there had to be some other reason for her not showing up now.


    ¡®What on earth is she up to?¡¯


    While I was contemting, Annie opened her mouth.


    ¡°Lady, I got a call to pick up the pendant I left for repair. I¡¯ll go there tomorrow. If there¡¯s anything else you want to order, please tell me know. I¡¯ll get it on my way back.¡±


    Thest time Annie was at a banquet with me, she picked up an unknown pendant, which was actually not very important to me. I had forgotten about it for a while because of other things, but now that Annie had mentioned it, I finally remembered.


    ¡°It took longer than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it did. When I visited, the craftsmanined that it was more difficult to repair because it was more borate than he thought, but he never said it would take this long. I really need to ask him about it when I see him tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not urgent anyway.¡±


    I thought of what I could do to defend ire, but time went by without finding a clear answer.


    In the meantime, before I knew it, the meeting with Hermes¡¯ Master arrived.


    The shopping district, where the festival had ended, was rtively quietpared to that time.


    I got on therge carriage and looked up at the building in front of me in my daily clothes.


    Thest time I saw a messenger from Hermese majestically over the gate of the ducal mansion, I realized that I could be interacting with Hermes¡¯ master.


    Externally, it looked like I was trading goods with Hermes, so I didn¡¯t need to hide it.


    Once inside, the servant led me to the back, as if he had been told about my visit beforehand.


    The annex was located some distance away from the main building. Unlike the vague main building, the white stone architecture of the annex was elegant and beautiful, as if it was the mansion of a great nobleman that had been scaled down and moved.


    It was really a gorgeous ce, as I felt thest time I saw it. When I went inside, I found the interior to be even more amazing. It was even more gorgeous than the main building I went to before.


    ¡®I know the Hermes is rich and noble, but I didn¡¯t expect this level¡­¡¯


    Inwardly, I thought that the master of this ce, the Lord of Hermes, must be a very luxurious person. I walked down the red-carpeted corridor and stopped at the top of an borately decorated hall.


    ¡°Yourpanion cannot go with you from here.¡±


    Again, the knights had to wait outside the door.


    There was no reason for them to dare inform Stephen or the Duke that I was looking for an unknown man, so this time I nodded, not really caring.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let the youngdy go to such a suspicious ce alone.¡±


    ¡°When youe to Rome, you have to obey Romanw. Please don¡¯t follow me. That¡¯s an order.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    I ordered the rebellious knights and then followed the servant. Whatever Stephen had instructed them to do, or perhaps they had been influenced by the removal of Laura and the nanny, the knights I brought with me this time were quite obedient and I was able to separate them more easily than before. The servant took me to a certain room on the third floor.


    ¡°The Lord is in here.¡±


    The servant took me to the front of the door, then turned away coldly, as if to say that his business was done. My palms began to sweat as I realized that behind this very door was the infamous Lord of Hermes.


    Roxana was second to none in terms of notoriety, but Roxana¡¯s notoriety was more of a bubble.


    I hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the doorknob.


    Turning an borate golden handle engraved with little birds, I saw the inside of the room.


    There was a crystal chandelier with dangling jewels on the ceiling, an borately embroidered carpet with shimmering gold threads on the floor, and an expensive looking masterpiece on the wall.


    The room was also full of other borate yet extremely ornate objects such as vases, sculpted statues, clocks, and treasured swords.


    I went inside to look around the room some more and eventually found another space that was hidden there.


    ¡°What is this ce?¡±


    There was another room inside the room.


    Seeing that there were no couches or tables to just sit in thisrge room, it seemed that the parlor was in the back of this room.


    The first was difficult, but the second was easy.


    Without hesitation, I pulled the handle of the door.


    As I expected, the room inside seemed to be the guest room.


    There was a sofa and table in the middle of the room where people could sit and talk.


    There was also arge desk and a bookshelf.


    Looking at it, it looked like an office. And there was already someone inside before me.


    ¡®He must be Hermes¡¯ owner.¡¯


    I stopped as soon as I spotted someone standing by therge window. It was a beautiful young man, the true identity of the rumored lord of Hermes.


    He was wearing a light shirt and ck pants with a white mask covering his face.


    There was an unapproachable atmosphereing from him even without any particr decoration. Through the slightly open shirt, I could see his white skin and his well-bnced, solid body.


    Broad shoulders, long legs, a dazzling appearance.


    He slowly turned his head toward me, probably in response to the sound of the door opening. Just then his hair swayed in the light breeze.


    Standing there with the sunlight pouring in through the open window, he looked like a person from another world.


    I looked at him as if I were possessed. Then our eyes met and he was the first to break the silence.


    ¡°Please have a seat.¡±


    It was only then that I came to my senses with the quiet voice that followed. I closed my open mouth and nodded.


    Then I went to the sofa and sat down. Then he sat on the other opposite side of me.


    I was confused.


    I clenched my fists to hide my confusion at the unexpected situation. He was wearing a mask that half-hid his face, but even the mask couldn¡¯t hide his outstanding beauty.


    His lips were beautifully shaped with a reddish tint, his jawline was sharp, his ck hair contrasted with his white skin, and the eyes behind the mask were deep and sharp.


    In the empire, people with ck hair and white skin were not an umon sight.


    I, however, recognized him at a nce.


    He was the very man who had reached out to help me the first day I fell into this world.


    My face was a little on the thicker side than most, but I was still a little embarrassed about this situation.


    I nced discreetly at the man with a deliberately nonchnt face. If he was Hermes¡¯ owner, he would of course know about my request.


    I looked for him to find out why he¡¯d tried to help me, but I never expected I¡¯d meet him in person like this.


    I wondered how foolish he thought I was in his mind and what expression he had on his face now under that white mask.


    If I¡¯d known I¡¯d be in this situation, I¡¯d have swallowed it no matter how much it bothered me.


    The regret of being a step toote washed over me, but there must be a reason why he suggested that we meet, too.


    ¡°Did you have any difficulties or inconveniences on the way here?¡±


    He made a formal greeting before talking about the main subject. Seeing that we met in the banquet hall, the man in front of me still seems to be a nobleman, but isn¡¯t it strange that a Lord wouldn¡¯t use honorifics for a Princess?


    In any case, seeing that he dared to appear in a mask instead of showing his face, it seemed that he wanted to hide his identity, if so, I should also follow the beat.


    ¡°Thanks to your consideration, I came safely.¡±


    I replied in a calm voice, barely keeping myposure, pretending that I was meeting him for the first time, and brought the teacup that had been ced for me on the table to my mouth.


    The tea tasted a little bitter, but the sweeter it got towards the end, the better it tasted. The taste was simr to what I had drank at the mansion, but the aroma was a little deeper and longersting, making it seem like a superior product.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what you would like, so I prepared ck tea. Does it suit your taste?¡±


    The man asked, took a few sips of tea himself, and ced the cup on the table. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything wrong with the tea, but I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at my own behavior.


    I couldn¡¯t believe I drank the tea given to me by a stranger in a room where all the escorts were not by my side¡­.It wasn¡¯t like this the time I visited. Was this some kind of trick?


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious. Where do they get it?¡±


    I ced the teacup on the table with a nonchnt look on my face.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re satisfied. I imported it from the East, but if you like it, I can tell my servant to prepare some more.¡±


    A few short conversations were exchanged and an awkward silence fell.


    After a few minutes of brief silence, it was the man who spoke up first.


    ¡°Noah told me the general story¡­ but is there something you¡¯re wondering?¡±


    I nodded reluctantly, a question that was difficult to answer.


    ¡°Why did you ask to meet me?¡±


    The mask hid his face, so I couldn¡¯t see what expression he was making. However, the eyes inside the mask were shining with interest.


    ¡°I heard that the princess was looking for someone. I think I know him. Can I know why you want to find him?¡±

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    The Lord of Hermes was more brazen than I thought.


    I was momentarily embarrassed by his usible words. But I was no stranger to shamelessness.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful, but I¡¯m also curious. If you are the Lord of Hermes, you should know a lot. Can you answer my questions, too?¡±


    The man erupted into a lightugh. Although I couldn¡¯t see it, I think he was smiling through his mask, with his eyes beautifully bent.


    ¡°Of course. If there¡¯s anything on your mind, just ask.¡±


    Unlike when I had first entered the room, the atmosphere had somehow be even more rxed. I hesitated for a moment and then asked, keeping my eyes on his mask.


    ¡°Why did he help me that day?¡±


    ¡°It probably was something he did without much thought.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I nodded with an indifferent face, my gaze glued to the cup of tea in front of me. The Lord of Hermes couldn¡¯t just turn a blind eye to people in distress like the Crown Prince had helped ire.


    Even though the other party acted without any intention, I found greatfort in that moment.


    ¡°Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The man smiled unexpectedly.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing that¡¯s bothering me¡­¡­¡­. ¡°


    ¡°Please ask.¡±


    When I slurred my words, the Lord of Hermes said with a smiling face.


    ¡°I definitely lost consciousness in the garden, but when I opened my eyes, I was in my room. The maid said she found me in the lounge. What happened after I fell?¡±


    ¡°Elvin Croix took the princess to the lounge, and the only person he met in the process was the Crown Prince. So you may rest assured.¡±


    I paused for a moment at his words. Then I looked at him with surprised eyes.


    ¡®The Grand Duke of Croix is the only Grand Duke in the Empire.¡¯


    Even if they were simr in terms of power, the Grand Duke of Croix was higher in rank than the Grand Duke of Lillian.


    The Grand Duke of Croix had no daughters, only three sons, of which Elvin Croix was the most famous.


    I heard that the Grand Duke of Croix was a good and gentle man, and that his two sons were handsome in appearance and had great abilities. However, his current wife was the second wife, and it was said that Elvin was the son of the first wife and the Grand Duchess.


    Unlike the other two sons who had steadily built a reputation for themselves, Elvin Croix didn¡¯t take part in much socializing, and caused trouble by associating with dangerous people.


    ¡®The troublesome and rumored man is running such a big organization behind the scenes?¡¯


    Frankly, I couldn¡¯t hide my surprise.


    ¡®So Hermes is also operated by the Grand Duke of Croix?¡¯


    My thoughts went from one to the other. After much deliberation, I posed the second question.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Elvin Croix doesn¡¯t attend many social gatherings, but why was he there that day?¡±


    ¡°The emperor is very fond of his troubled nephew. I guess the emperor was worried that if he dyed any longer, his nephew wouldn¡¯t be able to adapt to the social scene and would be weeded out.¡±


    Elvin spoke calmly as if talking about someone else¡¯s business. I btedly recalled that his mother was the Grand Duchess.


    She was the sister of the emperor. That meant that Elvin, who was of the imperial bloodline, was also a member of the royal family. Just the thought of those two words, ¡°royal,¡± made me feel rapidly tired.


    ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯re curious about?¡±


    Elvin smiled and looked at me. At first I tried to pretend that I didn¡¯t recognize him, but his tone was arrogant and a confident attitude, like he was introducing himself. I guess this meant that there was no point in wearing the mask anymore.


    Even more than that, being involved with the royal family was never a good idea. My personal curiosity was resolved, and when I met him in person, the Lord of Hermes was not a vainmoner. It was unlikely that I would be able to handle such a man easily.


    I had a strong feeling that if I continued this encounter, he would not be my hidden peer, but I would be his defeat.


    Deciding that it would not be desirable for me to be involved with him any longer, I drank all the remaining tea.


    ¡°I see. Thank you for the tea. ¡°


    I looked at my watch and about fifteen minutes had passed. Actually, it wasn¡¯t a very long conversation, but it seemed very long to me. I got up and walked over to the door. Elvin stood in front of me.


    As I turned the doorknob, Elvin reached out and gently held the door. Then the door I was about to open was closed again by his power.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    I looked at him as if asking what he was doing, he then opened his mouth.


    ¡°I forgot to tell you the most important thing. Always remember to look around. Situations are always changing.¡±


    It was a clich¨¦, but it was the most appropriate advice for my situation.


    ¡°I appreciate your advice. Then, bye¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°And one more thing. Please keep everything the princess saw today a secret.¡±


    ¡°What is it exactly that you are talking about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the answers I gave the princess today, but everything else.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s request was quizzical but not difficult. I nodded, not thinking long.


    ¡°Yes. By the way, is there any particr reason why I must do so?¡±


    ¡°Well, I just¡­ I don¡¯t want to tell you yet.¡±


    ****


    *Elvin¡¯s POV*


    Elvin tapped his fingers on the window sill as he watched Roxana cross the garden outside the open window.


    Soon after confirming that her appearance disappearedpletely out of sight, he put the mask he was wearing on his desk.


    After that, hey down on the sofa and recalled what he saw a while ago. A cold face and an icy voice.


    Her eyes, which had gone ck and dead, were now lit up again, and her ever-irritating demeanor seemed even more rxed.


    The childish leader had made up her mind not to do anything more, and Elvin was inwardly amazed to see her appear so unconcerned.


    Thest time he saw her, she looked like she was about to die, but in just a few weeks, she had changed drastically.


    After being insulted by her fianc¨¦, the Crown Prince, in the banquet hall of the Imperial Pce and fled the imperial pce in ridicule, the princess eventually made an extreme choice.


    He couldn¡¯t imagine her taking such an abrupt action, even until he saw her crying on the terrace alone.


    And when he saw her standing on the parapet with her shoes off, he thought that she had finally lost her mind, mad with shock.


    Still, he didn¡¯t think she would really jump until that moment.


    But the next moment, the body of the Princess leaned downward, and the moment he saw her, his body jumped without time to think.


    However, he acted toote, and the impending hand did not reach her, only scratching the empty air.


    She finally fell to the floor with a thud, and someone screamed.


    Soon, the people, who were wandering around, looking for a secluded ce for a secret meeting, happened to spot her and gathered around.


    He didn¡¯t really remember what happened after that.


    All that came to mind at the end was her white face, which was particrly pale under the moonlight, and the guilt of not having saved her, even though she could have been saved. He thought of her staring at her with her reddened eyes, covered in tears on her way down.


    His heart was still pounding thinking about it. After that, the Princess was confined to her house for a long time, probably due to the aftereffects of that day.


    He heard that she did not attend the banquets and small gatherings that she used to attend every day.


    But when he heard that she came to Hermes with a hidden identity looking for him, his curiosity was piqued. The princess was engaged to the Crown Prince, and he was by her side, and by his side was a clever lover.


    The Princess, who grew up as precious as a flowering nt in a greenhouse,peted with the daughter of Baron, but she was no match for her.


    Perhaps that was why the Princess lost her strength, wilted away.


    Her appearance reminded him of someone else. Elvin closed his eyes and thought about thest few years.


    Even though he met the princess a few times when he was a child, they were not close enough to be friends.


    It was ridiculous for him to pretend to be close to her for the first time in years and intervene in someone¡¯s love affair when she didn¡¯t even remember him.


    More time passed.


    The Princess and him were so different from one another that he rarely saw her, and more and more of her slipped from his mind.


    That was, until he met her again on the day a banquet was held at the Imperial Pce.


    At that time, the princess had changed like a different person.


    Her behavior was erratic, like a person standing on the edge of a cliff, very anxious and afraid.


    But the Princess he saw today looked like someone he had never seen before.


    People don¡¯t always remain the same, buttely she has changed like a stranger.


    She didn¡¯t seem as innocent as in her childhood days, but rather regal.


    Strangely enough, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    It was strangely annoying to watch her put up with the insults with a calm face under the terrace.


    The tree that he had thought was dry and dead was now blooming again.


    It was even more lively and gorgeous than before. He didn¡¯t know what on earth changed the Princess, but one more wise person does not have the ability to interfere with the great power already assembled in her.


    Therefore, it didn¡¯t seem like a bad change. The more distance between her and the Crown Prince, the better it was for his business.


    Elvin rang the bell on the table to call his aide.


    A few momentster, Noah entered the room, and when Elvin saw him, he asked with anguid look.


    ¡°When is the next imperial banquet?¡±


    ***


    The Crown Prince returned to his room after lunch with the Emperor.


    The Emperor and Empress were there, as well as the second Prince. Looking at that despicable fellow¡¯s face as he ate, his heart felt heavy as if he had eaten bad food.


    The Crown Prince ordered his servant to bring him some digestive medicine and sat down at his desk.


    After a while, the servant brought a small ss bottle of digestive medicine and the Crown Prince swallowed it all at once.


    However, drinking the medicine did not relieve even his frustration, so his brows furrowed and looked nkly at the pile of papers in front of him.


    He suddenly noticed something strange and asked his second-inmand who was standing nearby.


    ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t seen ire aroundtely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Should I check it out?¡±


    The Crown Prince frowned, as if he did not like his subordinate¡¯s answer.


    ire had always been very fond ofing and going to the Imperial Pce. However, it seemed that she was absent for a long time now. She sent him a letter a few days before thest banquet, and since that day he hadn¡¯t seen her once.


    Then a few days ago, she sent him a letter saying that she couldn¡¯t attend the banquet because she had caught a bad cold and was suffering from a fever.


    He hadn¡¯t heard from her since then.


    ¡°Could it be that something has happened?¡±


    The Crown Prince was troubled for a moment, then nodded.


    ¡°Send someone to Baron Dana¡¯s residence to find out what happened.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    The Crown Prince turned his stiff neck from side to side and stretched as he watched his subordinate go out to carry out his orders.


    He stretched and rxed his stiff muscles, picked up his pen and turned his gaze to the documents in front of him, trying to concentrate on political affairs again.


    However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not concentrate. He assumed that ire was the cause of the strange deja vu that was constantly pulling his nerves, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. The Crown Prince tapped his fingers on his desk and looked at the itinerary.


    As he did so, he suddenly thought of Roxana¡¯s face.


    Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t only ire whom he hadn¡¯t heard from since the banquet, but Roxana as well.


    When he thought of Roxana, he felt sorry because it reminded him of how he left her alone on the day of the banquet because of a problem with a new business he had been working on.


    ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to visit her after a long time.¡¯


    The Crown Prince waved the bell on his desk and called his servants.


    ¡°Get the carriage ready. We¡¯re going to the Duke of Lillian¡¯s residence.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    I was going through the letters and invitations, trying to arrange the dates. Stephen came to visit me. He stood in front of the door of my room, his face somehow firmer than usual.


    ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here to see you.¡±


    I frowned at the unexpected news. It was already the second time that the Crown Prince had suddenly visited the Duke¡¯s residence without prior notice.


    ¡®Does the Crown Prince think that we are in a friendly rtionship that there is no problem even if he suddenlye without an appointment?¡¯


    ¡°Lady, are you all right?¡±


    Stephen looked at me with a worried look on his face.


    He could see that I was not looking too good. But even though I was in a bad mood, the Crown Prince had came here himself, and as his fianc¨¦e, I had no choice but to see him.


    I told Stephen I¡¯d be right down, and then I sat in front of the dressing table.


    Then the maidsbed my hair with exciting faces and brought me a dress to change into.


    In their eyes, I still looked like a dead and immortal person to the Crown Prince. In the meantime, I couldn¡¯t understand why Roxana would make a big deal whenever she met the Crown Prince.


    There was also the appearance I had shown at the second Prince¡¯s victory banquet, so perhaps others saw us as reconciled and on good terms again.


    Despite the fact that the situation was settled the way I wanted, I wasn¡¯t happy. The reason for this was the Crown Prince.


    His recent sudden change in attitude and familiarity with me was not easy to adjust to, it was unfamiliar and awkward every time I saw him.


    ¡®What on earth is he thinking?¡¯


    The thought of the Crown Prince, who had shown more affinity for me than he should have, made my otherwiseplicated feelings even more unsettling.


    ¡®Of course, I don¡¯t know how long such an attitude willst¡­¡¯


    I sighed inwardly.


    ¡°His Royal Highness is very good with the Lady these days, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    Joan opened her mouth as she brushed my hair. Tien, who was beside her, chimed in.


    ¡°Yes, he is. It¡¯s the same with the gift he broughtst time, and the attitude he showed at the banquet¡­.he just paid a visit to the Duke¡¯s residence, and now he¡¯s here in person again like this. It seems that His Highness really cares a lot about the Lady.¡±


    If anyone had heard Tien¡¯s words just now, I would have been ridiculed by others again. After everything he put me through, we became a couple again. I must have no pride.


    I could tell that her intention was to make me feel better, but her exaggerated ttery didn¡¯t help much.


    After she finished with my hair, Joan brought me a dress. After changing with the help of the maids, I opened the drawer and chose essories. At that time, a silver pendant caught my eye.


    The broken chain had already been repaired, but the owner had not yet been found. Originally, I nned to bring it with me to Hermesst time, but the shock of learning that the Lord of Hermes was really the First son of the Grand Duke of Croix had struck me so hard that I had returned to the mansion preupied.


    How is it that this is in my drawer right now when the store owner said it would take longer?


    ¡°Annie, did you pick it up?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is there something wrong with the pendant?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    I lifted the pendant and ced it in my palm to observe it. The shining white sterling silver pendant looked very borate and expensive. Now that I thought about it, maybe the pendant didn¡¯t belong to the Crown Prince, but to the Grand Duke of Croix. (*I guess Elvin inherited the title Grand Duke)


    I think such precious thing was usually exchanged between family members or lovers. I¡¯ve heard that Grand Duke of Croix doesn¡¯t get along with his family very well, does he have a secret lover?


    ¡°Young Lady¡­¡±


    Joan¡¯s voice, tinged with impatience, woke me from my musings.


    I set the pendant down and reached into the drawer, grabbing something at random.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take use one.¡±


    I chose a pair of earrings with pale green emeralds in them.


    I went downstairs with a pair of small droplet earrings and a light ne.


    In front of the now familiar parlor, the knights were standing guard. I walked past them, opened the door and walked inside. There I saw the back of the Crown Prince sitting on a sofa.


    His wispy, bright golden hair looked very soft.


    He was sitting in his seat, not moving in the quiet room.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    There was no reply to the Crown Prince.


    Did he not hear me?


    I took another step closer.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    I called again, but still no response from him. There was no way that he didn¡¯t heard me call out twice in this quiet room. At this point, I thought something was strange, so I frowned and went to the seat opposite him.


    The Crown Prince was asleep with his arms crossed, leaning back against the back of the sofa and his head tilted at an angle. It took a little while for me to get ready so I guess he fell asleep while waiting for me.


    ¡®Should I wake him up or leave him as he is?¡¯


    While I was pondering, his second-inmand, who was standing beside the Crown Prince, shook him lightly by the shoulder.


    ¡°Your Highness, Princess Lillian is here.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s eyelids shook and he opened his eyes.


    The Crown Prince looked up at me, rubbing his eyes drowsily, as if he was still tired.


    The dark circles under his eyes indicated that he had been working hard.


    ¡®It¡¯s true that with the return of the second Prince increased the Crown Prince¡¯s work. It must have been tiring enough just to keep up with his busy schedule. Did he have time toe visit me like this?¡¯


    The Crown Prince seemed pitiful sitting there so quietly.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything at all about Your Highness¡¯ visit¡­ What bring you here today?¡±


    I immediately asked the main question.


    But at the Crown Prince¡¯s next words, I was at a loss for words.


    ¡°I want to see you.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    As I stared at him with a puzzled look on my face, the Crown Prince continued with an indifferent expression.


    ¡°I left you alone at thest banquet, so I was worried.¡±


    When the Crown Prince finished speaking, he pulled something out of his pocket and held it out to me. I looked at the white jewelry box resting on the palm of his hand.


    As I stared at it in silence, the Crown Prince opened it himself and showed me the object inside. Inside the jewelry box was a fluffy velvet cushion with an borately crafted sapphire ne on top.


    I took it out and ced it on my palm for closer examination. Dozens of jewels dangling from a thin tinum cord, I could see at a nce that it was a very expensive ne.


    ¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡±


    As I looked down at the ne with a strange look on my face, the Crown Prince took only the ne from it and handed me the jewelry box.


    I took it without a second thought and looked at him.


    While I was in a daze, the Crown Prince stood behind me.


    Soon I felt the cold metal on my neck, the warmth of a human body, and the tickle of the Crown Prince¡¯s fingers as they grazed my neck.


    He put the ne on me and said with a satisfied voice.


    ¡°It looks very good on you, as I expected.¡±


    Due to theck of a mirror nearby, I groped around my neck and looked down. I saw the ne that the Crown Prince had just given me on top of the ne I was originally wearing. The ne was gorgeous with a hint of blue in it, making it look very neat and clean.


    ¡°You said you wanted this before. I brought it as an apologize for what happened the other day. It looks good on you¡­¡­¡­¡­ What do you think? Do you like it?¡±


    It was an unfamiliar object to me, but I remembered seeing it at a nce in Roxana¡¯s memory.


    It was quite surprising that the Crown Prince remembered Roxana¡¯s words and presented such a gift. I thought for a while and answered.


    ¡°I like it too.¡±


    The Crown Prince raised the corner of his mouth, as ifhe was satisfied with my answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, it is time for you to go.¡±


    The man standing beside the Crown Prince said.


    The Crown Prince frowned at his words.


    ¡°Is it time already?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at the clock and sighed with a tired face. Then he looked at me and said.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I have to go now, but I will return at ater date.¡±


    Instead of stopping him, I nodded.


    Before leaving, the Crown Prince approached me and kissed me briefly on the forehead, like two lovers saying goodbye.


    When I stared at him, frowning, surprised by the Crown Prince¡¯s sudden action, he left his seat with a bitter expression on his face. After he left, I looked at the seat where he sat earlier with an ufortable feeling.


    ¡°What on earth did hee to do?¡±


    ***


    The Crown Prince leaned back and looked out the window.


    Thanks to the little nap he had taken earlier, his head felt much clearer than before. The thought of having to go back to the Imperial Pce to work again made him want to return to the Duke¡¯s residence.


    The view passed quickly through the window pane.


    He looked at the mansion, which was already starting to move away, and thought of Roxana¡¯s face earlier. When she received the gift he had prepared for her, her face did not look happy, but rather dazed and somewhat awkward.


    The Crown Prince felt bitter.


    Roxana¡¯s attitude towards himtely, and her reaction just now¡­¡­. It would take a little more time for things to return to the way they were before.


    But it wasn¡¯t bad to see Roxana looking at him with surprised eyes.


    The Crown Prince smiled softly as he thought of the face of his fianc¨¦e.


    ****


    ire sat on the couch, rummaging through the letters and invitations addressed to her, after a quick lunch in her room.


    ire¡¯s nanny had brewed some tea and brought her some cookies.


    They were the same ones she had had the day before when she invited thedies of the same age to have tea time. While she was having such a leisurely tea time, someone knocked on the door of the room.


    ¡°Youngdy,you have a guest from the royal family.¡±


    ire jumped up at the joyful news.


    She approached the window and looked out.


    It was then that she finally saw one of the imperial carriages parked in front of the gate. There was only one person in the royal family would be looking for her.


    The Crown Prince.


    ire was about to run out with a wee face, but stopped at the door and hesitated. She seemed to be agonizing for a moment, and soon ordered the nanny to do something andy back in bed.


    Then she said.


    ¡°Please tell him toe up to my room, for I am still too ill to receive guests.¡±


    ire pulled the covers up to her chest as she listened to the maid¡¯s footsteps moving away.


    In silence, the nanny cleared the table, filled a basin with water and ced a wet towel on ire¡¯s forehead.


    The nanny then excused herself, after she filled the table with tea and sweets.


    Soon, the creaking sound of shoes walking on the old wooden floor echoed loudly.


    The sound soon stopped in front of the door to ire¡¯s room, and soon she heard the servant¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Mydy, you have a visitor.¡±


    Instead of answering immediately, ire pulled the covers higher to her neck and turned over to the wall side. The thought of the Crown Prince just beyond the door was both gratifying and disappointing.


    After being rebuked by him at the imperial pcest time, ire did not visit the Crown Prince. It had been more than a week since she had not seen the Crown Prince.


    It was during this time that she heard the news that the Crown Prince and Princess Lillian were getting along again.


    Some even said that the Crown Prince took great care of her and showed affection.


    Princess Lillian was stupid and had a bad personality, and the Crown Prince disliked her back then.


    Of course, the Crown Prince was not the only one who disliked such a Princess. Knowing this very well, ire was anxious even though she knew it couldn¡¯t be true.


    However, the Crown Prince eventually came to her. Although she was offended by his behavior, which irritated her all this time, leaving her without a single letter so far, she still felt an even greater desire to see him. ire said in a weak voice.


    ¡°Pleasee in.¡±


    She heard the door open.


    Shortly after, she heard the sound of someoneing inside.


    But the footsteps stopped at the door instead of approaching ire¡¯s bed.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    ¡°Lady Dana?¡±


    The voice she heard was thick with bewilderment, and it didn¡¯t belong to the Crown Prince. Startled by the unfamiliar voice, ire hurriedly sat up and looked in the direction of the sound. There was a young nobleman with a familiar face standing there.


    ¡°Baron Cheston?¡±


    ire looked at Baron Cheston with a dismayed face.


    Baron Cheston was the Crown Prince¡¯s aide. But, why was he in her room?


    ire was perplexed.


    However, Baron Cheston also looked as flustered as she was. His eyes met ire¡¯s, and he turned away hastily, his face flushed.


    The young baron¡¯s innocent reaction made her frown, ire frowned as she btedly noticed her appearance.


    Lying on the bed in her nightgown, it was certainly not an appropriate appearance to be seen by others.


    The nanny, who came in one stepter with a tray of tea and simple snacks, looked surprised to see the situation in front of her.


    The nanny immediately grasped the situation and ced the tray in her hand on the table. She then pulled the coat that was hanging on the chair over ire¡¯s body to hide her pajamas.


    ire was embarrassed and angry about showing her embarrassing appearance to others. However, as a Baron¡¯s daughter, she couldn¡¯t be angry with the Crown Prince¡¯s aide, let alone the Crown Prince.


    Besides, she was the one who allowed Baron Cheston toe in.


    After calming her anger, ire adjusted her expression and said in a cheerful voice,


    ¡°You can turn around now.¡±


    Once her permission was granted, Baron Cheston coughed with an embarrassed expression.


    ire left him as he was, and walked over to the sofa and sat down. Then Baron Cheston sat down on the opposite side.


    The nanny poured the tea then stood beside ire.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ire asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m here by order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°His Highness didn¡¯te?¡±


    ¡°His Highness was too busy with his political duties toe in person.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ I see.¡±


    ire nodded with disappointment even though she tried to hide it. Baron Cheston had a servant bring in something. Soon after the servant brought the item, he held it out to ire.


    ¡°It¡¯s from His Highness.¡±


    The object that Baron Cheston brought was a bouquet of flowers.


    The bouquet was filled with precious flowers that the gardener of the Imperial Pce had taken special care of.


    The Crown Prince, remembering ire¡¯s love of flowers, had instructed Baron Cheston to give it to ire as a gift.


    The flowers that bloomed in the imperial gardens were often precious in variety and were exceptionally fresh and beautiful, iparable to the flowers sold in the market.


    However, since the flowers were the property of the imperial family, most of the people who were not members of the royal family could not have them even if they wanted to.


    However, despite the precious gift, ire was not happy in the least.


    Did the Crown Prince think that such a gift would make her feel better?


    ire couldn¡¯t help but feel sad because her heartless lover, who had never shown up to see her when she was sick, now sent someone else instead.


    ¡° Please say thank you to His Highness.¡±


    ire said without a soul. Unlike her usual lively appearance, Baron Cheston asked, feeling strange about her unusually weak appearance today.


    ¡°Um, ¡­¡­ Young Lady, is there something wrong? You don¡¯t look so good today.¡±


    ire narrowed her eyes and looked at Baron Cheston.


    There was a lot more to it than that.


    The gentle and attentive Crown Prince continued to neglect her these days. Despite the fact that this was the only thing that had changed, her daily life had not been going welltely. Lately, ire had refrained from any serious social activities, iming that she was sick.


    Because going to big events or banquets she needed a partner. Lately, the Crown Prince had been very busy, which made it difficult for her to even see his face let alone take her to a banquet.


    Therefore, it was not easy for them to spend time together as they used to.


    But then again, she couldn¡¯t avoid it forever. Moreover, some people noticed that the Crown Prince¡¯s attitude had changed and openly quarrelled with her.


    However, she couldn¡¯t say the truth.


    She and the Crown Prince were not on equal footing, and she was not his official lover. But if she was to express her dissatisfaction with the change in his attitude, who would side with her?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ire covered her mouth with a handkerchief and gave a small cough.


    Baron Cheston looked at her with an even more worried look on his face.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ire nodded in response to Baron Cheston¡¯s anxious question. Her eyes were red and her long eyshes were watery.


    Baron Cheston¡¯s heart became heavier when ire tried to answer that she was okay, although it didn¡¯t seem like it.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a mild cold. It was almost gone, but it was because of the cold water I was doused with yesterday.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Young Lady doused with cold water¡­.?¡±


    Baron Cheston looked at her suspiciously.


    At this, ire opened her eyes in surprise and smiled awkwardly. By all ounts she looked flustered, and Baron Chesterton frowned at her impression.


    ¡°It was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Who bullied Young Lady?¡±


    At Baron Cheston¡¯s straightforward question, ire¡¯s gloomy gaze fell on him, and perhaps fearing retaliation, ire seemed reluctant to reply. Beloved by the Crown Prince in social circles more than his fianc¨¦e, the Princess, ire¡¯s name was always a topic of conversation.


    Therefore, there were countless people who were jealous of or dissatisfied with ire, not only the Princess but also other people besides her.


    Standing out in the social world was a double-edged sword. It was all right if she had a high status and reliable backing like a princess, but ire was powerless to protect herself with her low status.


    She must have suffered a lot of humiliation in unnoticed ces.


    But pouring cold water on a sick person? That was clearly an outrageous act.


    Looking at the fragile beauty in front of him, Baron Cheston was even more heartbroken.


    He frowned and asked in a slightly excited voice.


    ¡°If Young Lady tells me who bullied you, I will tell His Highness and make sure it never happens again.¡±


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary. I don¡¯t want anyone else to be harmed because of me.¡±


    At Baron Cheston¡¯s determined voice, ire shook her head. When he gave her a pensive look, she added.


    ¡°I¡¯m really fine. It¡¯s just the way it always is.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Baron Chesterton sighed at ire¡¯s distressed demeanor.


    It was good to be nice to people, but it wasn¡¯t so good to be as soft hearted as the Young Lady in social circles. In social circles where people were arrogant and liked to look down on others, she had to be suitably ferocious to survive.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret from His Highness, so why don¡¯t you tell me what happened?¡±


    Baron Cheston asked in a kind voice, trying to soothe the gloomy-faced ire.


    Of course, he was lying when he said that he would keep it a secret from the Crown Prince.


    ire¡¯s heart was generous, even for what people had put her through, so he couldn¡¯t help but have to tell the Crown Prince about the situation.


    It hurt his conscience to deceive a pure girl, but Baron Cheston rationalized that telling the Crown Prince would be better for her. ire seemed to be troubled by his words for a while, but soon spoke cautiously.


    ¡°Yesterday, I attended a tea party hosted by Count Mnov¡¯s Young Lady. I was invited, but as soon as I arrived, I could immediately tell what purpose she had called me for.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone ignored me, taunted me. They told me that my future will not be smooth now that I have been abandoned by the Crown Prince. As I crossed the yard and headed back, someone upstairs poured a bucket of water on me.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t see who did it?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡±


    Baron Cheston frowned.


    Seeing his expression, ire spoke in a sad voice.


    ¡°I can understand Princess Lillian¡¯s hatred of me. However, no matter how much¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    It was a well known fact that Princess Lillian hated Young Lady Dana.


    But why was the Princess mentioned here? Baron Cheston was sincerely curious.


    ¡°Was the Princess there as well?¡±


    When ire shook her head, Baron Cheston asked even more suspiciously.


    ¡°Do you think that perhaps the Princess was the one who ordered that person to do it?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Can I know why you thought so?¡±


    ¡°Because Lady Mnov is a close friend of the Princess, so many Princess¡¯ friends there.¡±


    ire replied in a small but clear voice. Her voice was full of conviction. Hearing ire¡¯s words, Baron Cheston was lost in thought.


    He couldn¡¯t remember for sure if Lady Mnov was close to Princess Lillian.


    However, the Princess had always been mean to ire, and had never hesitated to pour wine over her head or raise her hand when ire didn¡¯t even do anything.


    It seemed a bit oundish at first, but it wasn¡¯t strange for ire to point to the Princess as the prime suspect of this incident.


    Seeing Baron Cheston¡¯s face grow darker, ire added.


    ¡°Really, please don¡¯t tell His Highness. His Highness is a kind man, and I think he would be worried if he knew that I was ill. I don¡¯t want him to worry about me when he is so busy.¡±


    When she finished speaking, ire smiled slightly, as if she was really okay. Baron Cheston looked at her with a sad face, and then drank his tea with aplicated expression.


    ¡°By the way, I want to ask you a favor¡­..¡±


    ¡°Please say it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, but it¡¯s my birthday soon. So I¡¯m nning to hold a small banquet, can you ask if His Highness cane?¡±


    ¡°When will the banquet be held?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen days from now.¡±


    Half a month from now would be just the right amount of free time, and the Crown Prince would be more than willing to ept.


    Baron Chesterton nodded without thinking too much.


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll let him know. We don¡¯t have much on schedule that day, so I¡¯m sure His Highness will be able to attend.¡±


    After Baron Cheston left, ire felt rxed, sitting on the sofa and drinking tea. She thought of the face of the young innocent Baron Cheston she talked to earlier andughed.


    Baron Cheston said that he would keep it a secret from the Crown Prince, but ire knew for a fact that he would tell the Crown Prince everything he heard today.


    Baron Chesterton seemed to like her, so if he could convey her words to the Crown Prince well, it would surely bring good results.


    The Crown Prince would suspect the Princess and sympathize with her. (ire)


    Just as it has always been. It wasn¡¯t too difficult to deal with an evil woman as foolish as the princess.


    So there was nothing to worry about.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    ¡°That happened?¡±


    The Crown Prince replied as he took off his coat and handed it to the servant next to him. He had just returned from the Duke of Lillian¡¯s residence, but he sat at his desk without resting.


    Baron Cheston nodded with an uneasy look on his face.


    He went to Baron Dana¡¯s residence at the order of the Crown Prince, and as soon as he returned, he came to report.


    He reported to the Crown Prince about what he had seen and heard today. However, the Crown Prince remained silent for a while, even after hearing everything. With a quiet face, he just looked down at the pile of papers in front of him. At his reaction, Baron Cheston cautiously looked at the Crown Prince.


    Usually, the Crown Prince cared for Lady Dana very much, and he had a righteous nature that could not stand injustice if he saw it.


    At thest banquet, when his fianc¨¦e, the princess, bullied the innocent Lady in front of everyone, he came forward and protected the victim, Lady Dana.


    At the time, there were not a few public opinions condemning the Crown Prince and Lady Dana because of the Princess¡¯ unexpected ident, but Baron Cheston did not think so.


    He was also present at the banquet that day, and saw the entire situation.


    When the Princess and Lady Dana met, the kind-hearted Lady Dana greeted the Princess first with a smile.


    Princess Lillian¡¯s expression became hardened from the moment she first spotted her, she immediately became angry and tried to raise her hands in a loud voice.


    It was certainly not amon situation and no one in the ce thought the situation was strange.


    For it was always the case that the highly spective Princess would torment the powerless Baron¡¯s daughter.


    Her notoriety was not only in social circles but also among the general public.


    It was hard to see how a daughter like the Princess could be born from someone as brilliant and honorable as the Duke of Lillian.


    Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for the Duke and his family, Baron Cheston didn¡¯t think someone like the princess would have the position of Crown Princess.


    The Crown Prince seemed to think the same way, seeing as how he spent more time with Lady Dana than his fianc¨¦e. But for some reason, the Crown Prince didn¡¯t say anything even after he finished listening to him. In the end, Baron Cheston couldn¡¯t stand it and asked.


    ¡°Your Highness, in order to know the exact truth, wouldn¡¯t it be better to send someone to Count Mnov to investigate what happened that day?¡±


    They didn¡¯t know the exact facts as they haven¡¯t yet investigated whether Princess Lillian ordered Lady Mnov to bully Lady Dana or not. But there must have been some reason for ire to say so, for she was full of certainty.


    So, Baron Cheston was sure he could find something if he investigated.


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    At the Crown Prince¡¯s answer, Baron Cheston looked at him with a surprised face.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to waste time and efforts at this busy time.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡°


    Baron Cheston was at a loss for words at the sudden change in the Crown Prince¡¯s attitude. But the Crown Prince didn¡¯t seem to want to deal with him any further.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve said all you have to say, you can leave.¡±


    The Crown Prince no longer looked at Baron Cheston, but turned his gaze to the papers.


    His hand, holding a pen, moved busily back and forth over the paper, and Baron Cheston had no choice but to turn away. But he stopped when the image of ire he had seen earlier came to mind.


    He pondered for a moment, then gathered the courage and asked cautiously.


    ¡°Your Highness, are you going to let it go like this?¡±


    ¡°That is my intention.¡±


    The Crown Prince answered in a casual tone.


    ¡°If we leave this matter as it is, something simr will happen next time. Perhaps next time it won¡¯t end with a ssh of water.¡±


    ¡°I also feel sorry to hear about ire¡¯s situation and circumstances. But didn¡¯t she already see the doctor and you already asked her about what happened?¡±


    ¡°But Your Highness¡­¡­.¡±


    The Crown Prince paused. He ced his pen on the table and stared coldly at Baron Cheston.


    ¡°But what? I really don¡¯t know who¡¯s the superior here. Baron Cheston, since when did you start questioning my orders?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked coldly. His sharp voice really revealed his displeasure.


    As soon as seeing the Crown Prince¡¯s displeasure, Baron Cheston became nervous and regretted what he said.


    Ever since the return of the Second Prince, the Crown Prince had been suffering from political affairs every day, and his nerves had be acute.


    At a time like this, he (Baron Cheston) should be as low as possible and be careful of his actions, because he might offend the Crown Prince.


    The cold demeanor of his usually benevolent superior made Baron Cheston feel as if he had made a terrible mistake.


    ¡°Baron Chesterton, you don¡¯t seem to like my decision.¡±


    The Crown Prince stood up with a displeased look on his face.


    Then, looking down at Baron Chesterton with a cold face, he asked.


    ¡°In order to search the Count¡¯s mansion and investigate the people within it, we must first obtain His Majesty¡¯s approval. Baron, what would you say to His Majesty about this?¡±


    At the sharp question, Baron Cheston was at a loss for words. The Crown Prince looked at his hardened face and said in an irritated voice,


    ¡°What do you think His Majesty will say when the Imperial Family sets out to investigate the exact circumstances and get to the bottom of the incident, assuming that ire was bullied by the youngdies of her age and got sick?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°And for the Count, if I bring in a group of soldiers to question his daughter, do you think he will stay still?¡±


    Count Mnov was a very proud man.


    As the Crown Prince said, there was no way he would get the Emperor¡¯s approval.


    And yes, if he took a group of soldiers to investigate the Count¡¯s daughter for the sake of a Baron¡¯s daughter, Count Mnov¡¯s mood would have been greatly offended.


    Of course, no other nobles, not even Count Mnov, would have epted the idea of someone searching through his residence.


    To the nobles, their homes were their personal space. No one knew what secrets were hidden in it until they searched.


    No one would like to have their private space invaded unnecessarily, because the more daring they were, the more they would be unwilling to let their secretse to light. Of course, there was a way to crush them with power, but he was unsure if it was usually possible.


    Now it was a situation where every single person was spared.


    There was nothing good about daring to offend the Count, who was on their side.


    ¡°I was not thinking clearly.¡±


    Baron Cheston said with a gloomy face.


    ¡°Of course, just because His Majesty doesn¡¯t approve doesn¡¯t mean that I can¡¯t search the Count¡¯s residence. I can mobilize soldiers and find out secretly.¡±


    The Crown Prince stopped speaking for a moment and stared at the glowing firece with downcast eyes.


    As he watched the wood burn ck, it was as if he was looking into himself. It was indeed a pity that ire went to Lady Mnov¡¯s tea party, went through the ordeal, and got sick.


    And the fact that the person behind it might be his own fianc¨¦e.


    ¡®I thought she¡¯d be quiet for a while¡­¡¯


    Through this previous conversation, he was able to understand Roxana¡¯s position to some extent. However, that didn¡¯t justify all the times Roxana has insulted and sworn at ire.


    Moreover, original words can sound different depending on the situation and each person¡¯s position. As it turned out, ire¡¯s provocative words to Roxana didn¡¯t sound like she had any real or bad intentions.


    However, Roxana¡¯s case was a little different. She would act with obvious malice, hoping that the other person would be harmed.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t change if something came up, so ire was right, even if Roxana ordered someone to bully ire behind the scenes, it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    Unlike Baron Cheston, who looked more than a little surprised, the Crown Prince¡¯s face was nonchnt as he passed on his words.


    He was able to help ire from being bulliedst time.


    However, if the imperial family were to step in and dispatch investigators or release soldiers because of the extent to which she attended a tea party and was hosed down, it would rather invite ridicule. Since it was directly linked to the dignity of the Imperial Family, they could not move recklessly.


    Especially at a time like this.


    The Crown Prince sighed as he thought of the lovely fianc¨¦e he had seen during the day. Maybe this time it had nothing to do with Roxana, or vice versa.


    But the important thing right now was not whether she did it or not, because the date of the Duke of Lillian¡¯s return was fast approaching.


    He thought he woulde back around the end of the year, but it was earlier than he expected.


    When the Duke returned, he would find out that Roxana had an ident at the Imperial Pcest month. No, there was a high probability that he had already known.


    Roxana made no small amount of mistakes that day, but as the saying goes, ¡®arms bend inward,¡¯ so such an excuse would not work for the Duke.


    Thinking of the Duke¡¯s reaction already made him feel heavy and tired.


    There would be no need to add more anger to the beehive.


    It was better to let this one go for everyone¡¯s sake.


    It was right after he had barely quieted the rumor that Roxana and him had broken up. But now, the Baron wants him to officially offend the Duke of Lillian over something of this magnitude? Then there was the second Prince and the people¡­at this time of the year?


    The Crown Prince was adamant.


    His words would sound heartless, but they were all true.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Your Highness, I was just¡­¡±


    ¡°All right, get out.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked coldly at Baron Cheston¡¯s back and added before he left the room.


    ¡°Baron, your duty is to assist me, not to mindlessly interfere in every petty squabble between noblewomen. Do not forget that fact just because you have a sense of justice.¡±


    ***


    After my walk in the garden, I went back to my room and had a hot cup of tea with brioche freshly made by the family chef. The reddish ck tea had a very mild aroma and was sweet with sugar.


    As I enjoyed my leisurely tea time, I recalled the events of my visit to the Hermes.


    ¡°Elvin Croix¡­¡­¡±


    At first, I had expected him to be of a very high status, given his appearance.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t imagine that he was from a grand ducal family.


    Elvin didn¡¯t look much like not only the recent Grand Duchess, but also his two half-brothers, and even the Grand Duke of Croix.


    This would mean that he resembled his mother¡¯s family, but his mother, Princess Katarina, had been dead for a long time and I could not remember her face.


    Unlike the members of the Grand Duchy whose faces were publicly known, Elvin was mainly in the shadows and rarely engaged in social activities.


    So it was certainly a stretch for me to immediately think of him as Elvin Croix.


    Today, Elvin appeared before me in the form of the master of Hermes, and covered his face with a mask, but otherwise he made no effort to conceal his identity.


    Yet he asked me not to disclose anything to the outside world that would reveal his true identity.


    ¡°What is his ulterior motive¡­?¡±


    Finally, I found Stephen, after much agonizing.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    ¡°What has happened in the Grand Duchy of Croix in the past few years?¡±


    I thought that if I were to ask about the First son of Grand Duke Croix, it would be too obvious, so I asked a general question. But when I thought about it after I said it, it seemed a bit far-fetched. As expected, Stephen gave me a very strange look and asked me a question.


    ¡°Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I recently saw the Grand Duke of Croix, and suddenly I got curious: isn¡¯t the current Grand Duchess his second wife? What was his first wife like?¡±


    I asked just in case, but I heard many things.


    The first wife of Grand Duke Croix, Princess Catarina, was a close friend of Roxana¡¯s mother, Duchess Lillian, since she was young.


    The two women have been as close as real sisters even after they got married and started a family.


    When they were both alive, the Duchess Lillian and the Grand Duchess Croix also interacted with each other, and Roxana met Elvin many times when she was a child.


    However, both the Grand Duchess of Croix and the Duchess of Lillian died when their children were young, and the rtionship between the two families naturally ceased.


    Roxana was very young when Duchess Lillian passed away, so she couldn¡¯t quite remember if the two had been close friends or not. However, she had a rough idea of what happened afterwards.


    The Duke of Lillian, who had a reputation as a loving husband, could not bear the loss of his wife after her death, and volunteered to go to war and left the capital.


    And the Grand Duke of Croix¡­¡­¡­ Soon after, he remarried another woman.


    It was the very same woman who was now known as the Grand Duchess of Croix.


    The two women who served as the link between the two families both died, The Duke was on the battlefield, and the Grand Duke of Croix must have been busy weing his new wife.


    Roxana was left alone in therge mansion as she endured the loss of her mother. Elvin¡¯s situation must not have been so good either, as he had to receive a stepmother right after his mother died.


    I heard that the current Grand Duchess of Croix was a good woman. But for a child who has just lost his mother, it might not seem that way.


    The happy days were now in the past, buried beyond memory.


    We couldn¡¯t even face the reality of the situation, so what has passed was forgotten with time.


    It was only natural. After listening to Stephen¡¯s story, I left the room with a bitter feeling.


    I had no idea that we had such a connection with the Grand Duke of Croix¡­


    To be honest, I found it a little surprising.


    Elvin Croix, when I closed my eyes, I could vividly see him reaching out to me that day. The first son of the Grand Duke of Croix, when I heard about him through rumors, he was a very cold and bad person, but when I met him in person, he waspletely different from the rumors.


    To be honest, even if I had known him as a child, I haven¡¯t seen him for a while, and now he would be no different than a stranger.


    It was not easy to help someone you had no connection with, especially when the target was a stupid, evil woman who everyone was pointing fingers at.


    Of all the taunts and voices directed at me that day, Elvin was the only one who was willing to help me.


    When I walked back up the stairs to my room, I found Annie making the bed and opening the window to ventte the air in the room.


    She finished the work she had been doing when she found me and greeted me with a smiling face.


    I went over to the couch and sat down.


    Then Annie spontaneously poured a cup of tea for me.


    ¡°What would be a good gift for men?¡±


    Annie looked at me with confusion for a moment, soon asked with a bright face.


    ¡°Are you going to prepare a present for the Duke?¡±


    I was about to answer no, but pondered for a moment.


    Indeed.


    Since the Master was about to return from the battlefield with great credit, it made sense that a normal family would probably prepare a grand wee ceremony.


    If it was a banquet, the emperor would throw a big one, so I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it. That was probably why Stephen hasn¡¯t asked me.


    But that didn¡¯t stop me from feeling guilty about not doing anything. After the festival was over, the city was quieter than I expected, so I didn¡¯t have to wait in line likest time.


    I walked into a jewelry store where Roxana usually did business. The owner saw my face and happily came over.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, mydy, and you¡¯ve be even more beautiful in the time I haven¡¯t seen you. ¡°


    The owner of the store was a middle-aged man.


    He ran arge jewelry store and greeted me with a kind face.


    However, his slightly crooked wrinkled nose, pointy chin and long slit eyes gave me the impression that he was somewhat harsh.


    I asked him coldly, watching him rub his hands as he stared at me with greedy eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see something to give someone as a gift.¡±


    ¡°May I ask who you are giving it to?¡±


    ¡°Since my father ising home soon, I would like to give him a gift as a way tomemorate his victory in the war, what would be good?¡±


    The shop owner¡¯s face lit up when he heard me say that I was looking for a gift for the Duke.


    He kindly led me to a sofa and whispered something to the employee next to him.


    While the other employees served me tea and a proper snack, the employee who was instructed went into a corner room and immediately brought me something from there. The object that the employee brought was arge jewelry box.


    The ck jewelry box, borately crafted with shiny shells and gems, looked very expensive.


    The owner ced it on the table in front of me and opened it very carefully to show me what was inside. Inside the box were jewels so beautiful that I felt dazzled even just looking at them.


    The vivid colored jewels shone dazzlingly in the store¡¯s lighting.


    ¡°They¡¯re all newly brought in this time. I went through a lot of trouble to get them¡­. What do you think?¡±


    I looked down at them carefully. It was true that the quality of the jewelry was very good. Even though I didn¡¯t know much about jewelry, I could tell that they were valuable. The gems were all beautiful, but one gem in particr caught my eye, a very different gem.


    It was a beautiful dark green gemstone that was opaque, unlike the other gems that shone as clear as a ss ball.


    ¡°It¡¯s called jade. It was expensive and was brought from the East, but it symbolized health and good luck.¡±


    Here, the jade was called jade. For a luxury item like a gem, the rarer it was, the more valuable it became.


    In the empire, jade was a very rare gemstone, and it was treated as extremely valuable because there was no way to get it except by importing it from the east. The Duke probably had seen all the kinds of gems, so would it be better to prepare a rare gift?


    What¡¯s more, the jewel was extremely rare in that it had a white, faint glow that was iparable to any other jewel I had ever seen. I think this would be meaningful and fine.


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡±


    The shop owner looked a little disappointed at my assessment. But when I selected one of therge rubies nearby, his face immediately brightened.


    ¡°Give me this too.¡±


    After I finished my purchase, I went outside. It was still too early to leave, so I decided to look around some more before going home. First I stopped at an incense oil shop and bought some incense oil and bath salts.


    After that, I went from store to store and bought a hat decorated with feathers and a small pendant made of silver. I was almost at the end of the shopping street when I stopped. It was because I spotted a familiar face.


    ¡°Is that the nanny?¡±


    The brown hair, the familiar face, I was sure it was that person¡¯s nanny.


    And the woman with her was¡­.


    ¡°¡­ire?¡±


    As soon as I saw ire¡¯s face with the nanny, I went behind the building to hide myself. Fortunately, because the distance was a little far away, they didn¡¯t seem to notice my existence yet. I frowned.


    I don¡¯t know the exact situation, but the nanny¡¯splexion looked very gaunt.


    Even more so than thest time I had seen her, the day I sent her away.


    I couldn¡¯t understand it. Even if she was kicked out of the Duke¡¯s mansion, she was paid a huge severance package, so she shouldn¡¯t have to worry about paying off her debts or even living expenses for a few years.


    ¡°Could it be that something else happened during that time?¡±


    At that moment, ire held the nanny¡¯s hand in aforting way. The sight was very familiar.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The nanny was not an objectively good person, but she was still like family to Roxana.


    Ever since Roxana was a baby, she had been the closest person to take care of her. Not only that, when Roxana was in pain, she was there tofort her, and when something frustrating happened, she would get angry with her.


    The same was true when Roxana was troubled about the Crown Prince and ire. I don¡¯t know how much of it was genuine and how much was false, but it couldn¡¯t have all been false, all the things I had seen in those long years.


    Now I could understand why the nanny resented me for kicking her out. But knowing how ire was to Roxana, there was no way she would hold hands with her, let alone ¡­.


    ¡®There¡¯s nothing wrong with being careful.¡¯


    I thought for a moment, then quietly instructed the driver beside me.


    ¡°Listen to what those two are talking about and report back to me.¡±


    Before I could finish, I felt a presence behind me. Large shadows hung over me.


    ¡°What were you doing here?¡±


    The knights around me pulled out swords with rigid faces and took a wary stance behind me. I slowly turned my head with a stiff face.


    There was arge man standing there, tall and strong. He had mysterious silver hair, a brilliant face, and was the second Prince.


    Unlike thest time I saw him, the Prince was not wearing a uniform, but his normal clothes. He was just wearing a simple shirt and ck pants, and his elegant and neat attire gave him a different feeling from when he was at the banquet.


    ¡°I had no idea that the Crown Princess had a hobby in eavesdropping on people¡¯s words.¡±


    The Prince looked down at me, his eyes narrowed and searching. Seeing his face, I ordered the knights standing behind me to lower their swords. Then I turned to him and asked.


    ¡°What business do you have here, Your Imperial Highness?¡±


    ¡°I have an errand to run.¡±


    The Prince gave a brief reply and then looked at me and my back side alternately. He gave me an interesting look when he spotted ire and the nanny having a conversation a short distance away. Could it be that he noticed something?


    ire whispered something to the nanny and then quickly went away. I frowned, and the second Prince couldn¡¯t help but smile. Unlike me, the second Prince seemed to find this situation very amusing.


    ¡°If you have business to attend to, don¡¯t you have to go now?¡± (Roxana)


    ¡°There is no need to hurry. It¡¯s not an urgent matter anyway. What were you doing in a ce like this?¡± (Second Prince)


    The Prince stared at me with suspicion.


    With his smiling face and mischievous voice, he looked rather delinquent as I faced him in the narrow alley.


    His atmosphere waspletely different from the one I saw at the Imperial Pce; he looked like a different person.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­Were you following me?¡± (Roxana)

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    The second Prince¡¯s gaze slowly passed over me.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking right now, but it¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± (Prince)


    I said firmly.


    ¡°Misunderstanding?¡±


    The second Prince raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°I stopped by for a while because I had business to do, and there was a familiar face of the Crown Princess, so I just came to check it out.¡±


    I replied, trying to look as nonchnt as possible. The second prince didn¡¯t seem to believe me, but I didn¡¯t exin anymore.


    ¡°What do you mean Crown Princess? I¡¯m still engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince, but I¡¯m not married yet. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t call me that so early on.¡± (Roxana)


    I said, and the second Prince just blinked with a slightly surprised look on his face. As soon as he did, he apologized to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been rude.¡± (Prince)


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. But please lower your voice.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not convenient to call you Crown Princess, what should I call you?¡± (Prince)


    ¡°Young Lady. That¡¯s all. Now If you¡¯re done with what you have to say, please step aside.¡± (Roxana)


    I said to the second Prince, who still stood in front of me.


    ¡°If you are new to the path, may I show you the way?¡± (Prince)


    ¡°I was just about to leave, thank you very much, but I can at least do the job of finding the parked carriage by myself.¡± (Roxana)


    ¡°Is that so?¡± (Prince)


    I wanted to see what ire and the nanny were talking about when they met¡­ It was both awkward and ufortable, being interrupted in what I was about to do by an uninvited guest. Still, I put up with it because he was a member of the royal family and a powerful heir to the throne.


    But if he was going to stand there any longer, I wasn¡¯t willing to endure his rudeness either. Fortunately, instead of holding me back, the second Prince stepped aside.


    ¡°Thank you for keeping what happenedst time a secret.¡± (Prince)


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Before I waspletely out of the alleyway, his calm voice stopped me.


    ¡°Are you talking about thest time Your Highness had a secret meeting with the daughter of Marquis Kylon on the terrace?¡± (Roxana)


    The second Prince¡¯s face suddenly turned pale when I mentioned youngdy Kylon.


    Thest time I saw him, he didn¡¯t look too good. Could it be that he had a quarrel with her?


    I wondered, but since he seemed to want to keep the matter a secret, I didn¡¯t ask. Instead, I opened my mouth to reassure him who seemed anxious.


    ¡°If it¡¯s about that day, don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t have time to get involved in other people¡¯s love business, either.¡± (Roxana)


    However, instead of being relieved by my words, the second Prince firmly denied it with a nk face.


    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± (Prince)


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I stared at him in wonder, and he added with a stiff face.


    ¡°Youngdy Kylon and I are not in a rtionship ¡­¡­¡± (Prince)


    I don¡¯t know if it was an urate fact, but seeing he said it like that, perhaps I misunderstood, just like the second Prince said.


    So was it a one-sided feeling of Lady Kylon? Well, either way, it has nothing to do with me.


    ¡°Is that so.¡± (Roxana)


    When I replied with an indifferent face, the second Prince squinted.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe me.¡± (Prince)


    ¡°I do. I have no reason not to believe you.¡± (Roxana)


    The second Prince looked at me as if he was quite surprised by my answer, and then immediately burst into an amusedugh.


    I heard that he grew up not in the Imperial Pce but on the battlefield, perhaps that was why he looked cheerful and free.


    The stiff figure I saw at the Imperial Pce and the free-spirited figure of the present. I don¡¯t know which one was the real one.


    It was possible that both of them were fake.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± (Roxana)


    I grabbed the hem of my dress and slightly bent my knees to the second Prince.


    As I was about to leave, I saw him approaching, so I stopped.


    ¡°Do you still have something to say?¡± (Roxana)


    I stared at him, and he smiled.


    ¡°It was an honor to have a short conversation with the princess. See you next time.¡± (Prince)


    The second Prince bowed and lightly kissed the back of my hand as if we were in a ballroom. It was amon greeting among the nobles, but it made me feel a little strange.


    The ce where his lips had touched earlier felt hot, like it was on fire. The second Prince finished his goodbyes and went away. I also went back to the ce where the carriage was.


    On the way back, the knights¡¯ expressions were not cheerful. Before I got into the carriage, they bent down deeply and said to me,


    ¡°Miss, please punish me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    As I stared at them with furrowed brows, the knight at the front of the group said,


    ¡°We were unable to prevent someone from approaching the Lady even though we escorted her. We didn¡¯t do our job properly, so we deserve to be punished.¡±


    At the words of the knights, I finally remembered the situation from earlier and made aplicated face. Come to think of it, the second Prince passed through my escorts and approached me very naturally.


    I can¡¯t believe that there were several of them, but they didn¡¯t notice someone approaching them. The overwhelming difference in their abilities made me ufortable.


    It meant that if the second Prince had approached me with evil intentions, I might have been beaten defenseless. However, although the knights in my family were well trained, the second Prince was one of the most talented swordsmen in the empire.


    He was so good that the emperor directly gave him the treasure sword that had been handed down from generation to generation in the imperial family.


    In a sense, it was only natural.


    The battlefield was a bleak ce where hundreds, maybe even thousands of people could have died in the blink of an eye.


    In order to survive in such a ce for that long, he couldn¡¯t just rely on the abilities of others without developing his own abilities.


    Even if he barely maintained his life with the help of others at first, the experience umted through those countless battles could never be ignored.


    So it wasn¡¯t strange even if the knights didn¡¯t notice his footsteps. It wasn¡¯t something to me them for.


    ¡°Stand up now. Because the second Prince is superior, not because you arecking.¡±


    Imanded, patting the knight on the shoulder. They looked at me with great admiration. I climbed into the carriage with their burdensome gazes behind me.


    On the way back to the Duke¡¯s residence, the unexpected meeting with the second Prince kept lingering in my mind. I forgot about the nanny and ire for a moment.


    ¡°What did the second Princee to do?¡±


    ***


    *The nanny¡¯s pov*


    As soon as she got home, Viscountess Willis* mmed the door shut and calmed her trembling heart. (*the nanny)


    She looked down at the handkerchief still in her hand. Someone¡¯s initials were embroidered small on the bottom right corner of the handkerchief.


    The pale pink handkerchief belonged to none other than ire.


    The morning of the day before.


    When Viscountess Willis woke up, the room was strangely quiet.


    She sat up and looked around curiously, and eventually found a note on a drawer next to her bed.


    When she checked what was written on the note, Viscountess Willis¡¯ eyes widened. Then she immediately looked under the bed with a pale face and shaking hands like a crazy person.


    The entire box containing the severance pay she had received from Roxana was gone. She went to the trouble of hiding it in an inconspicuous ce just in case, but now¡­.


    She quickly ran out of the room and checked the other rooms. In the first room, she could see that her son had fallen asleep drunk. And in the second, her daughter¡¯s room, but it was empty.


    Viscountess Willis bit her lip as she recalled the contents of the note.


    A missing severance pay, a missing daughter, and a note left behind¡­¡­


    In the letter, in the handwriting of her daughter Sarah, she wrote that she was leaving the capital with her beloved so she asked not to look for her.


    The other day, her son Alec gambled with all the actual goods in the house, including the dowry the Viscountess secretly saved for her daughter, Sarah. And he came home lost.


    She was worried that the same thing would happen again.


    Sarah fled with the severance pay.


    Sarah¡¯s lover was probably amoner status mercenary that she had started dating a while ago. The Viscountess was against marriage because Sarah¡¯s lover was poor. But she couldn¡¯t imagine that her daughter would elope.


    She was so confused that she felt as if her eyes had gone ck.


    She immediately ran out of the house and hurried to look for her daughter.


    But in the end, she could not find Sarah, and she returned home after dark. When Viscountess Willis returned home, the house was very noisy.


    She heard something cracking and breaking in Sarah¡¯s bedroom, so she opened the door to check and found a terribly upset Alec inside.


    Broken things were lying around the room, and in his hand was the note left by Sarah that he had discovered this morning. Alec realized the whole situation.


    He left the house in a fury.


    The next day, a group of people came to the house.


    They were people from a gambling house that Alec frequented. They said that Alec owed a big debt yesterday and had beaten someone there, injuring him badly.


    The news came like a bolt of lightning.


    The people from the gambling house demanded the Viscountess to sell the house to pay off the debt, and the settlement.


    Her daughter disappeared, no more money left, and now the house was taken away.


    She felt hopeless.


    It would have been fine before.


    Now that she had nowhere to turn, she had no one to ask for help.


    The people from the gambling house gave her a deadline, I¡¯d she couldn¡¯t pay the money within that time, they couldn¡¯t guarantee Alec¡¯s safety.


    She felt like giving up everything, but she couldn¡¯t do that.


    The people in that world were very rough.


    As long as Alec was in their possession, his life would be in danger if she couldn¡¯t settle the debt.


    Now that her daughter was gone, shouldn¡¯t she protect the one child left?


    The first thing that came to the Viscountess¡¯ mind when she found reason was Roxana¡¯s face.


    Roxana kicked her out, but she (Roxana) had quietly covered up her (the nanny) mistake and not charged her with any crime.


    On top of that, Roxana even gave her arge amount of money that he would have no problem living with for the time being, even after he paid off all the debts.


    So Roxana probably would not turn away if she knew about her (the nanny) situation she (the nanny) was facing now.


    However, even if Roxana was willing to help, it would only solve the current problem. The situation thereafter would be problematic.


    A child could be scolded and whipped to change their habits, but the Viscountess couldn¡¯t do that with grown children. But Alec and Sarah¡¯s spending was out of control.


    Especially Alec¡¯s.


    Her monthly sry, other support, severance pay¡­. Everything was lost. No amount was enough.


    The old mansion was old so it couldn¡¯t make much money even if it was sold.


    When she sat on the street and cried in a deadlocked situation after she pulled Alec out with the money she got from selling the ne that Roxana gave her long ago¡­.


    ¡°Viscountess Willis?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    When the Viscountess raised her head at the familiar voice, there was a face as beautiful as an angel. Wispy, glossy blonde hair, and green eyes that shone so vibrantly that they seemed to have been transferred straight from summer greens.


    It was ire, the Crown Prince¡¯s one and only lover.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was possible from afar, but it is. From the looks of it, you¡¯re in a very difficult situation.¡±


    ire Dana was a person whom the nanny was very admired.


    ire was looking down at her with such a generous face.


    The thought that ire had uncovered her shameful part hurt herst remaining pride. Viscountess Willis tried not to deal with her, so she lifted her face with difficulty.


    ¡°Is it a problem with your children?¡±


    ire asked softly, smiling. She looked as if she knew everything.


    She squeezed Viscountess Willis¡¯s hand and said,


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think I can help you.¡±


    ire¡¯s words were full of meaning.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± (Viscountess)


    ¡°¡®Then there¡¯s nothing we can do. I didn¡¯t mean to coerce you from the start, so do as you please.¡± (ire)


    When the Viscountess refused, ire released her hand from my grip without regrets. Her rxed demeanor made the Viscountess feelplicated. Before leaving, ire said as she handed her a handkerchief for thest time.


    ¡°But if you need my help, you can alwayse to Baron Dana¡¯s residence. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± (ire)


    ire Dana was a rival with the youngdy the Viscountess served.


    Roxana hated ire terribly and despised her as a vulgar person.


    It was all tooplicated for ire to be so kind to her*. (*the Viscountess)


    ire found her sitting on the side of the road, crying, and approached her first.


    She approached her, handed her a handkerchief andforted her.


    She then told her she would help if the Viscountess ever needed help in the future.


    All of this out of simplepassion and kindness?


    It shouldn¡¯t be.


    It was just an assumption, but ire¡¯s way of speaking, it seemed like she already had some knowledge of the Viscountess¡¯ situation.


    Everything about ire was suspicious to Viscountess Willis.


    As a mother with a daughter herself, and as someone¡¯s wife, she didn¡¯t like ire being a parasite following someone else¡¯s fianc¨¦.


    She was also the biggest enemy of the youngdy she had raised with her own hands for a long time. epting ire¡¯s help was nothing short of betraying Roxana.


    Roxana had turned her back on her in the end, but it was also true that she had received a lot of help from Roxana so far.


    <i>¡®But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡¯</i>


    Viscountess Willis looked down at the handkerchief in her hand for a moment, then quickly tossed it to the floor.


    **


    When I returned to the vi, I sensed that there was something noisier than usual.


    Wondering what could possibly have happened, I grabbed a passing servant and asked him, and got the answer that it was because the head maid was back.


    I went straight to Stephen. I knocked on the door and went inside to find the two of them sitting on the couch, drinking tea and talking.


    The middle-aged woman sitting across from Stephen, she was the head maid.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s been a long time, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°Sarah.¡±


    I called her name awkwardly.


    The maid smiled at me in response.


    When I saw her smile, my mind became moreplicated.


    The head maid always said all the right things to Roxana.


    Roxana felt frustrated being with her.


    And the year beforest, there was an argument between the nanny and the head maid. When Roxana heard the news and went to the ce where the two were, the nanny was crying holding her cheek.


    The lump that had been building up between the head maid, who had always been unhappy with the nanny, and the nanny, who was always dissatisfied with her, exploded.


    The nanny who was soft like the tongue in her mouth and the head maid who was hard on everything.


    It was obvious whose side Roxana was on. Eventually, that day, the head maid left the Duke¡¯s mansion.


    She was sent down from her family home in the capital to the provinces to take charge of the affairs of the other mansions in the dukedom, and she was practically an outcast.


    After the head maid left, the behavior of the maids became more and more unchecked day by day. They often quarreled with the maids who pretended to be the owners of this house, and they quarreled with the nanny and were vicious.


    Roxana sent her away, who had been working in the mansion for a long time. She must feel unfair, so I assumed that she resented me to some extent.


    But the way she looked at me now was as warm as ever.


    Looking at her face, which was the same as before, strangely made me speechless.


    It had been a long time since I had seen her, and I wanted to say hello to her, but strangely enough, I couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave so you two can talk at ease.¡± (Stephen)


    Stephen spoke with a smiling face and stood up while I was thinking what to say.


    After he left, I sat down and the maid poured me a cup of tea.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Well, Krita is a nice ce too, though it doesn¡¯tpare to the mour of the capital. Thanks to your care, I¡¯ve been veryfortable.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    I sipped my tea and studied Sarah¡¯s face.


    When she made eye contact with me, she held my hand with a face that seemed really okay.


    ¡°I know you cared about me, youngdy. I¡¯m fine, so there¡¯s no need to feel guilty.¡±


    Ever since Sarah was kicked out of the mansion, Roxana gave various instructions to help her livefortably, as if she was concerned about her.


    Even so, it seemed unpleasant enough for Sarah, who was kicked out without any charges. But the look on her face was sincere.


    When I think about it, the head maid was one of the few people who truly cared about Roxana and gave her advice.


    Of course, that was what made Roxana ufortable.


    ¡°Thank you foring back. I look forward to working with you again.¡±


    ****


    There were no immediate noticeable changes after Sarah¡¯s return. However, the maids of honor were more careful about what they said and did than before, and it was the same for me.


    Sarah was a strict person, and her affectionate nagging sometimes made me tired. But my life certainly seemed to be more vibrant than before.


    After a simple breakfast, I looked around the garden and returned to the room. The atmosphere in the room felt more ufortable than usual.


    When I walked in, the maids saw me and panicked.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The maids handed me a letter that had just arrived. I epted it and looked at the envelope.


    The pattern printed on the white envelope was unlike anything I had ever seen before.


    <i>¡®Who sent this?¡¯</i>


    I looked at the back of the letter envelope with curiosity.


    In the lower right corner of the back of the envelope was the name ¡®ire Dana.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t recognize the Dana family¡¯s seal at first, but as soon as I saw the name, I knew.


    Why did ire, of all people, send me a letter?


    It was only natural that the maids were perplexed.


    The peaceful routine that had been going on for some time was slowly cracking and I could hear it in my ears. I sat down on the couch and opened the envelope to see what was inside.


    I felt Tien ncing at the letter, but I just let it go.


    Inside the envelope was a stiff card.


    With an elegant handwriting on a white sheet of paper, it said that Baron Dana was throwing a birthday party for ire and that I was invited.


    It wasmon for nobles to send me invitations to their own banquets, either because they wanted to tter me even if they weren¡¯t close to me, or because they thought it would be clever to get close to the Duke.


    However, no matter howmon it was, it felt different because the opponent was ire.


    However, no matter howmon it was, it felt different because the person I was dealing with was ire.


    Since she began to make a name for herself in society, the Dana family had often held banquets for various reasons.


    But they had never sent me an invitation before.


    <i>¡®What does she want¡­?¡¯</i>


    I thought as I looked at the invitation in front of me.


    This could simply be an attempt to provoke me, or it could be something they want to show me. If I were to ept ire¡¯s invitation and attend the banquet, that alone would attract a lot of attention.


    Roxana would never have passed up an invitation like this when she received it, she would have attended. She wasn¡¯t one to overlook such things, and she wouldn¡¯t want to miss the Crown Prince who would surely attend.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s official fianc¨¦e and unofficial lover would be all in one ce. This kind of childishsciviousness should be entertaining enough for people.


    It would draw even more attention to ire, and if anything happened, my name would be the first to be mentioned.


    ¡°What does it say, youngdy?¡±


    As I sat still and looked at the invitation in my hand, Annie brought the tea over and asked.


    ¡°Baron Dana¡¯s daughter is inviting me to her birthday banquet.¡±


    I put the invitation on the table and answered. It wasn¡¯t a big secret, and I didn¡¯t feel the need to hide it.


    Annie seemed surprised by my words, and the reactions of the maids were not very different.


    However, unlike Annie, who looked surprised and kept her mouth shut, the maids made a fuss in indignant voices.


    ¡°Why is she such a shameless woman?¡±


    ¡°Because of that woman, how badly was the youngdy humiliated the other day!¡±


    Joan knew she made a mistake, so she hurriedly stop talking.


    What she meant was that the Crown Prince was angry with me for ire the day I fell off the terrace of the Imperial Pce.


    Of course, what happened that day was not a good memory for me either.


    But now that time had passed, I could ignore it as appropriate. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like Joan was trying to say such a thing with bad intentions.


    Since I had behaved reasonably seriously after kicking Laura out, I could overlook this level of mistake for once. Since I didn¡¯t show any reaction, she sneaked up to my side, looking at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going, are you, youngdy?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­. What should I do?¡±


    I replied, lifting the teacup in front of me.


    ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t have to go.¡±


    Tien spoke crisply, a look of frustration on her face.


    Joan and Annie nodded.


    I could understand their reaction, since it was always Roxana who lost when she bumped into ire.


    I took a sip of my tea.


    With my carefree attitude, the maids seemed to want to say a few more things.


    But then the head maid came into the room, and that was the end of the conversation. Perhaps Sarah was still ufortable, the maids quickly parted, looking at each other.


    Left alone in an instant, I emptied the teacup cleanly. At first, a clear, pale green tea was sweet, but at the end, it tasted bitter. When I finished the tea, Sarah came over to me and cleared the table.


    ¡°Youngdy, eating too many sweets is not good for you. The cook says you eat less and less these days, and only snacks with no nutritional value, which you will regret when you get older. You have to take care of your body steadily from an early age.¡±


    I quietly got up from my seat with the birthday invitation to avoid her nagging and approached the window.


    Fresh air came in through the slightly opened window. I soon sat in front of my desk while enjoying the beautiful scenery from the window.


    My peaceful life was over now. Even though I didn¡¯t know what ire had prepared for me, I couldn¡¯t overlook it if it had anything to do with me.


    I put the invitation in the drawer and closed it.

 Chapter 40: Kneel 40

    Kneel 40


    At the same time, ire was also enjoying a leisurely tea time.


    The tea in front of her was made from precious medicines and dried flower petals that the Crown Prince had sent her when she had a cold.


    ire took a sip of the tea, looking at the yellow tulips in the vase by the window. The light brownish-yellow tea was sweet despite the fact that it contained no sugar, and had a faint floral aroma.


    With a satisfied look on her face, she put down her cup and picked up a cookie on the te. The cookies were warm and buttery, filled with nuts and grains.


    The cookies were not made by the head chef or the servants of Baron Dana¡¯s family. They were bought by ire¡¯s nanny from a famous bakery in town.


    ire took a bite of the cookie and liked it, eating it right away. As soon as she ate it, she took another one. Looking at the appearance, the nanny asked in a displeased voice.


    ¡°Youngdy, did you have to send an invitation to that woman as well?¡±


    The word ¡°that woman¡± the nanny referred to was in reference to Roxana. ire¡¯s nanny came from a civilian background and had been taking care of her like her real child since ire was a baby, and she seemed unhappy that ire had invited Roxana to a banquet that was supposed to be fun. Without looking at her, ire replied in an indifferent voice.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the woman usually mean to the Young Lady? What if she gets out of control again in the banquet hall and spoils the party?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I invited her because I hoped she would.¡±


    ire gave a small chuckle at the nanny¡¯s question.


    This banquet was different from the previous ones where she¡¯d only invited those who were close to her or liked her, but she¡¯d sent invitations to a variety of people.


    Since arge number of people responded that they would attend, this banquet would be big.


    At such an asion, it was a good thing for her if the Princess would make a scene again and ruin the banquet. At the second Prince¡¯s victory banquet, which ire didn¡¯t attend, many people were already upset just because the Princess appeared to be on good terms with the Crown Prince.


    Some people imed that the Princess had changed a lot.


    However, ire did not believe their words.


    People never change easily.


    ire was going to prove that fact at this banquet. It was a bit upsetting that such a fun party would be ruined. However, if there was something to be gained by it, it was definitely not a loss. Of course, if it was as usual, the Princess would do the same.


    ¡°But what if the Princess doesn¡¯te?¡±


    The nanny asked, still looking uprehending.


    ¡°She wille, I am sure. What happened to the things I asked you to do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The nanny replied.


    She took out a small box from somewhere and handed it to ire.


    ire¡¯s lips lifted in satisfaction as she looked inside the box.


    Inside the small, rugged wooden box was a handkerchief. The handkerchief seemed to have nothing special on the surface, but it was the same handkerchief that the Crown Prince usually carried.


    The handkerchief smelled of his favorite perfume, and the edges were delicately embroidered as only an imperial designer could do. Surely, the normal people would not be able to tell who it belonged to by looking at it.


    Even if there was no one in the empire who did not know the name of the Crown Prince, it was certainly rare to know what kind of handkerchief he carried around with him.


    Unless someone was very close to the Crown Prince and had a great interest in him. For example, his fianc¨¦e, Princess Lillian.


    ire patted the box carefully, as if it was very precious, then closed the box and gave it back to the nanny.


    ¡°Send it anonymously to Princess Lillian.¡±


    After receiving the box from ire, the nanny put it back in the drawer. Seeing it, ire rose from her seat.


    All the preparations were already done. Thest remaining key was whether or not the Crown Prince would attend. Baron Cheston said that the Crown Prince could attend.


    However, many days had already passed since Baron Cheston¡¯s visit but she hadn¡¯t heard any words from him since then. ire was nervous just to sit and wait.


    Just as ire was looking out the window and worrying, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Youngdy, you have a visitor.¡±


    ire made a strange face and frowned. It was a visitor who came unexpectedly without an appointment. She didn¡¯t feel very pleased.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    When ire¡¯s voice seemed to be annoyed, the maid replied in a muffled voice.


    ¡°She¡¯s a woman, but she didn¡¯t say her name, and she said that the Young Lady helped her before¡­¡±


    Then the maid held out the handkerchief in her hand.


    ¡°She said she came to return this to the Young Lady.¡±


    ire smiled when she saw her own handkerchief in the servant¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s Viscountess Willis. She¡¯se atst.¡±


    ***


    Yesterday the sky suddenly changed and it rained from dawn, but today the weather was fine. The sky was clear and cloudless, and there was a cool breeze, not too hot and not too cold. The smell of dampness on the ground, and the grass and flowers in the garden looked fresh with moisture.


    It was just the right weather to hold an outdoor tea party or a banquet.


    Today was the day ire¡¯s banquet would be held.


    The invitation clearly stated that the banquet would be at noon, but I got up early in the morning to prepare.


    With the help of the servants, I soaked in hot water infused with fragrant oil, received a massage, and applied a mask.


    After the bath, I sat down at the makeup table and looked in the mirror, my skin was white and clear with a hint of radiance. I had been eating and sleeping well so the shadows under my eyes had faded to the point where It was almost invisible, and my cheeks and lips were beautifully vibrant.


    When my makeup was finished, Tien went to get a dress, and Joan fixed my hair with a careful hand.


    As I watched as Joan curled my hair with an iron wand, I picked out essories I would wear today.


    After a while, when my hair was done, which I thought was a bit boring, Tien brought me the dress that I had picked out beforehand.


    The cream-colored dress had ruffles andce.


    I liked that it was appropriately morous and not too much. I also chose the shoes that matched the dress and the same hat.


    I wore a small pair of sapphire earrings and tied silk of the same color as the dress around my neck. After my preparations were done, I looked at my appearance once more in the mirror, and got into the carriage that was waiting for me on the first floor.


    Soon the carriage departed and the surrounding scenery passed before my eyes.


    I watched through the window as the carriage approached an unusual road. How long has it been?


    There was a ttering sound and the carriage shook violently.


    The chair I was sitting on was very fluffy and there were cushions around it, so I was not hurt.


    But even so, I couldn¡¯t help but be shocked.


    My bottoms that had touched the chair were tingling, and my arm that had hit the wall when the carriage shook was throbbing.


    ¡°Miss, are you all right?¡±


    The astonished knight asked me.


    I nodded to indicate that I was fine and opened the carriage door. When I got out and checked, I found that one of the wheels hade off and the whole carriage was tilted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lady. I checked the carriage before we went¡­but I don¡¯t know how this happened.¡±


    When the horseman said sorry with panic, the knight came over and said angrily.


    ¡°How can you not even do your job properly! How would you take responsibility if the Young Lady gets hurt?¡±


    I shook my head at the knight and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Stop it. If no one gets hurt, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take to fix it?¡±


    I cut the knight¡¯s words off in mid-sentence and turned toward the horseman. He hesitated for a moment, taking in the knight¡¯s expression, but then opened his mouth.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fix it right away because I don¡¯t have the parts right now. I¡¯ll have to go to the vige ande back, it¡¯ll still be roughly an hour or so ¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    The horseman looked troubled and slurred his words once more. His sorry demeanor made the knight¡¯s face redden as he suppressed his anger.


    ¡°How long will it take you to get to the vige?¡±


    ¡°An hour will probably be enough.¡±


    That¡¯s two hours total.


    It was not a short time, but when I thought about it, it was not that long.


    ¡°Okay then. Be quick.¡±


    I said to the horseman, and then approached the carriage again. I took out the seat cushions in the carriage, went to a nearby shady spot, spread it out and sat down.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back, My Lady.¡±


    The horseman greeted me, then mounted his horse and rode away. After he left, I was left with Annie and the two knights. Unlike Annie, who was standing beside me with an unconcerned face, the other two knights looked perplexed.


    ¡°What are you doing? Are you just going to stand there and keep doing that?¡±


    I asked, and the knights walked up to me with a grim expression on their faces.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take a while, so just rx.¡±


    When I said it again, they went and stood under the shade, as if they understood what I was saying.


    It would be a while before the horseman returned anyway, and it would take a lot more time than that to fix the carriage.


    After settlingfortably under the shade, I leaned against a tree and opened a book that I had brought in advance.


    I sat there and read for a while. As I and Annie were getting tired, I could see a carriage running towards us from afar.


    It was a ck carriage led by six horses, with the imperial seal engraved in gold on its surface. Because of this, even from a distance, I could tell at a nce that this was the carriage the Crown Prince rode in. The carriage, which was running at a high speed, gradually slowed down and soon came to a stop.


    The knights who were escorting around the carriage in which the crown prince was riding looked at my carriage and me alternately and made a surprised expression. I put on an unconcerned face, closed my book and stood up.


    ¡°Sir Joseph, how long has it been?¡±


    ¡°My Lady, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    I greeted the knight, who stood at the front of the line, first, and he finally, with a gasp, hurriedly greeted me with all the courtesy he could muster.


    The rest of the family did the same. I watched intently as the attendant opened the carriage door and reported something to the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Why is the princess in such a ce¡­¡±


    ¡°As you can see, there¡¯s a small problem with my carriage. Is the Crown Prince inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After thest check, I slowly walked towards the carriage.


    The knights just stared at me.


    From the look on their faces, they seemed to be unsure if they should stop me or not.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like we had arrived yet, but¡­ why the sudden stop?¡±


    As I approached closer, I heard a familiar voice through the slightly open carriage door.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    The servant, who was answering the Crown Prince, looked at me.


    ¡°There is a carriage blocking the road, and that carriage belongs to Princess Lillian.¡±


    The door of the carriage mmed open on when the servant¡¯s words finished and the Crown Prince walked out. He was elegantly dressed in a banquet attire and looked incredulous when he spotted me.


    ¡°Roxana? How do you know this ce¡­¡­¡­..?¡±


    The Crown Prince frowned.


    His expression and voice were not as warm as they usually were.


    Indeed. The Crown Prince would not have expected to meet me on his way to ire¡¯s birthday banquet.


    Now, judging from his attitude, he seemed to think that I was deliberately blocking his way.


    Actually, it was understandable that he would think that.


    The carriage blocked only one path at the perfect time, anyone would be suspicious. Actually, the Crown Prince was not wrong in his thinking.


    All of this was not a coincidence.


    They knew the Crown Prince woulde to this path beforehand.


    ire had personally invited me to a banquet, and she had something to show me.


    And it must have something to do with the Crown Prince.


    I wasn¡¯t going to be there, but that didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t going to sit back and watch them.


    ¡°There¡¯s a problem with the carriage. My driver has gone to call someone, but it¡¯s taking longer than expected. I wonder if something went wrong.¡±


    I replied with a calm face.


    The Crown Prince looked at me and the carriage behind me in turn.


    He finally realized that something was wrong with the carriage, and his stiff expression rxed as he approached me.


    ¡°You must have been frightened. I hope you are not injured.¡±


    The Crown Prince passed a strand of my hair behind my ear and asked with a worried look on his face.


    ¡°I was a little startled, but fortunately I was not seriously injured. But my arm is a little sore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send the pce doctor to the Duke¡¯s residence to take a look, just in case.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve inconvenienced an extraordinarily busy person over something so trivial.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re my only fianc¨¦e, so it¡¯s only natural for me to worry. It¡¯s not the least bit troublesome, so there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡±


    The Crown Prince stroked my head with a gentle hand. Goosebumps broke out on my arms, but I tried to lift the corners of my mouth up.


    ¡°By the way, where are you going?¡± (Crown Prince)


    ¡°Lady Mnov invited me to a tea party.¡± (Roxana)


    I took an invitation out of my sleeve and stuck it out.


    Perhaps it was my imagination, but the Crown Prince¡¯s expression seemed to darken for a moment.


    Was it because ire was not on good terms with Lady Mnov? Or did something happen with Count Mnov?


    I wondered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk in my carriage.¡± (CP)


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The Crown Prince got into the carriage first and offered his hand to me.


    I took his hand and got into his carriage.


    ¡°Roxana, are you and Lady Mnov on friendly terms?¡±


    Suddenly, I couldn¡¯t grasp the Crown Prince¡¯s underlying intentions in asking such a question out of the blue. I pondered for a while and then answered with the truth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a close rtionship with her, but I think she¡¯s a nice person.¡±


    ¡°A nice person? The Young Lady?¡±


    The Crown Prince wrinkled his brow in disapproval. I thought there was some problem with Count Mnov, but now I see that it was not the Count but his daughter.


    However, no matter how brave Lady Mnov was, she could not have done anything to offend the Crown Prince directly.


    Then again, was it ire? Lady Mnov was one of those people who tantly disliked ire.


    Instead of questioning the Crown Prince further, I broached another topic.


    ¡°Where were you going, Your Highness?¡±


    At my question, the Crown Prince¡¯s expression became even worse than it had been a moment ago.


    He hesitated, unable to answer easily. ¡®I met you by chance on my way to ire¡¯s birthday banquet.¡¯


    Obviously, it was not an easy answer to give in front of his fianc¨¦e. The Crown Prince seemed to doubt whether I really didn¡¯t know or pretended not to know. I added before he could open his mouth.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not too busy, can you take me to the top street?¡± (Roxana)


    ¡°Why do you want to go there all of a sudden?¡± (CP)


    ¡°I think it¡¯s toote to go to a tea party..¡­¡­¡­. I have something to find.¡± (Roxana)


    The way to the top street and Baron Dana¡¯s mansion, where the party was to be held, was in exactly the opposite direction. And since it was quite a distance, it would take a lot of time to get me there and back to the Baron¡¯s residence.


    ire would be worried and disappointed if the Crown Prince, who was scheduled to attend, had not shown up at the banquet hall. However, now that the second Prince has returned, the situation of the Crown Prince was not the same as before, so he would not be able to refuse my request.


    If the Crown Prince attended the banquet hosted by ire, it would not be heard by me.


    The excuse that he was busy was not epted because he was right here.


    That was why I knew the answer from the beginning.


    ¡°All right. Then let¡¯s go to the top street. But first, please wait a moment.¡±


    The Crown Prince got up from his seat, got out of the carriage and said something to the servant who came up to him. After receiving the Prince¡¯s instructions, the servant immediately put something behind him. He then rode off in the direction of Baron Dana¡¯s residence.


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a present for ire.


    Perhaps it was the fact that I was looking at it so openly.


    My eyes met again with the Crown Prince, who was about to board the carriage.


    Even if the Crown Prince were to give her a gift, it would be a good opportunity for ire to show off her friendship with the powerful heir to the throne.


    However, even this much was not a bad achievement.


    I faced him nonchntly and smiled. The Crown Prince also looked at me with a smile on his face.


    ¡°We should get going.¡±


    The Crown Prince got in the carriage again, and as soon as the door closed, the horseman shook the reins loudly.


    Soon the carriage began to move, and the scenery outside the window quickly passed by.


    ***


    Baron Dana¡¯s residence, which was always quiet, was crowded with people today. The normally deserted garden was decorated with flowers and candles, and there were dozens of tables set up on thewn.


    On each table, delicious food and desserts were ced beautifully.


    Baron Dana¡¯s family was not a wealthy one.


    However, Baron Dana was an ambitious and extravagant man. When he heard that the Crown Prince might attend the uing banquet, he invested arge sum of money.


    He organized a banquet.


    Of course, it was notparable to a grand banquet held by the great aristocrats, but because of the care taken, it wasn¡¯t too shabby for a banquet held in a baronial house.


    ire greeted people as she walked between the tables, as she was the host of the banquet.


    Today she wore a pale blue dress with a clear emerald ne. The dress was embroidered with several small flowers on the chest and hem of the skirt in silver thread. It looked very expensive, the fabric was high quality and the sewing was borate. The dress was sent to her by the Crown Prince, as she was holding a banquet to celebrate her birthday. ire was usually beautiful enough in simple clothes.


    But when she dressed up in fancy clothes, she was even more dazzling. However, unlike the fancy dress she wore, ire¡¯s expression was not very bright. She was conscious of people¡¯s eyes and deliberately smiled.


    However, as time went by, her mind became more and more nervous. In the banquet hall today, people from Count and Marquis families attended. Of course, they didn¡¯te just to celebrate ire¡¯s birthday.


    They must have heard the news that the Crown Prince wasing and came to meet him.


    It didn¡¯t matter at first.


    Whatever the reason, the more people there were, the more fun the party would be. But it had already been a while since the banquet started, and the Crown Prince still hadn¡¯t arrived.


    It was strange.


    It was already certain information that the Crown Prince woulde to the banquet.


    The Crown Prince himself replied that he would attend the banquet.


    ire asked the nanny who was next to her in doubt.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t His Highness arrived yet?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Did something happen on his way here?¡±


    ¡°How about Princess Lillian?¡±


    ¡°Right after the banquet started, I sent someone to Duke Lillian¡¯s residence, but there was no response.¡±


    Princess Lillian, if it was her nature, as soon as she saw the handkerchief, she would rush over to catch the Crown Prince and ire together. ire thought, frowning.


    She didn¡¯t know what Princess Lillian was up to, but it was clear that the Princess had captured the Crown Prince.


    ¡°His Highness won¡¯te. She wasted her time for nothing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There is no way that His Highness wille to this ce. No matter how much she¡¯s favored, she¡¯s just a Baron¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ire returned to her seat and quenched her thirst with a ss of wine on the table to soothe her burning feelings.


    She heard someone¡¯s voice in her ears.


    She turned her head to where she heard the sound, but there was no time to find out whose voice it was because of therge crowd and the fact that she was in this ce that was designed to show that the Crown Prince¡¯s favor directed at her still remained.


    The situation was getting worse and worse.


    ire secretly clenched the hem of her dress.


    ¡°Lady Dana¡¯s falsehoods are terrible. If I had known that His Highness would not being, I would not havee here.¡±


    This time, the voice was a little closer and clearer than the one ire had heard earlier.


    ire frowned and turned her head in the direction of the sound.


    There was a petite, pretty-faced youngdy conversing with the people around her. She was wearing a rather fancy dress, as if she were the hero of the banquet.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one who attended the banquet with impure purposes, but ire couldn¡¯t help but feel unpleasant.


    ¡°Shh!¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    Several of the people who made eye contact with ire warned the youngdy to be quiet. But the mboyantly dressed youngdy didn¡¯t seem to mind in the least.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if she hears me. I¡¯m a Count¡¯s daughter, why should I pay attention to the face of a mere Baron¡¯s daughter? Ladies, are you not angry? Lady Dana deceived us all¡±


    The youngdy made eye contact with ire and said in a taunting voice.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough time wasted. I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    After finishing her words, the youngdy turned her back and left in the carriage she had ridden here. People were buzzed by her rude behavior andck of politeness, but no one did anything to stop her.


    Rather, they just looked in the direction of where ire was and whispered to each other in tune with her words. Along with the youngdy, some people left the hall with disappointed or angry looks on their faces. Usually, when the Crown Prince was around, there were so many people crowded around ire, but now there was no one near her.


    A nobleman saw ire¡¯s face stiffen and handed her a handkerchief from his own pocket.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about those words. Just ignore them. It will be better for the youngdy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thefort.¡±


    ire took the handkerchief and looked at the person who had given it to her. The person who gave her the handkerchief was a young male aristocrat. He was the one who usually blushed as he stared at her.


    ¡®Who do you think you are?¡¯


    ire smiled at him. Then she wiped lightly around her eyes with the handkerchief and handed the handkerchief back to the nobleman again. His face flushed red.


    At that moment, the imperial attendant arrived at the mansion. With everyone¡¯s gaze on him, as soon as he got off the horse, he immediately approached ire.


    ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has asked me to deliver this directly to Lady Dana.¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    The imperial servant handed ire the jewelry box.


    ¡°The Crown Prince had a small ident whileing here, so he asked the Lady to understand that he could note in person and only send gifts.¡±


    ire opened the jewelry box in the middle of the crowd. In it was a bracelet on a soft velvet cushion.


    The bracelet was very borate and was iid with emeralds that were very simr to the color of ire¡¯s eyes. It was a gift from the Crown Prince, so needless to say, its value was very important.


    The people admired the Crown Prince¡¯s perspective and looked at ire with envy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve delivered the gift, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    ire grabbed the servant who was about to leave and asked with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Is His Highness okay?¡±


    It was not that the Crown Prince didn¡¯t want toe from the beginning, but he had an ident on the way and couldn¡¯te. The difference between the two was big.


    It was unfortunate that the Crown Prince could note in person, but with such circumstances, it could not be helped.


    Moreover, since he also sent such a fine gift, ire decided not to me him.


    ¡°His Highness is not hurt at all, so there is nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that¡­.¡±


    ire dropped her gaze with a worried look on her face. Her long golden eyshes quickly drained.


    Her reddened eyes, closed lips, and hands gripping the hem of her dress were straining and trembling greatly.


    The sight of the beautiful woman struggling to hold back her tears looked so pathetic and pitiable. The servant bowed to ire with a troubled face and left.


    When the servant left, people immediately crowded around ire.


    ¡°I thought the Young Lady only has a beautiful face, but she has a beautiful heart too. You don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so depressed. Today is a happy day.¡±


    Surrounded by people trying tofort her, ire managed to open her mouth.


    ¡°Ladies are right. Thank you for the constion. I¡¯m sorry that I seem to have spoiled the mood for no reason. There¡¯s still plenty of time left, so please have a good time now.¡±


    A youngdy, who was usually close to ire, changed the subject to evoke the mncholy mood.


    ¡°Lady ire, I don¡¯t think I saw those flowers in the garden earlier, did you buy them? They¡¯re really beautiful. Can I have some flowers when I leave?¡±


    ire dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief and answered in a deliberately cheerful voice.


    ¡°It was given to me a few days ago by the Crown Prince. Thest time I went to visit him at the Imperial Pce, I admired the beauty of the garden, and since then, His Highness has often sent them to me.¡±


    ¡°ire, have you ever been to the Imperial Pce to see His Highness?¡±


    ¡°What? Yes, I have. ¡­¡­Not often, but asionally. I couldn¡¯t go this month because I caught a cold.¡±


    ire blinked with a disappointed look on her face.


    ¡°His Highness is truly generous to Young Lady.¡±


    One of the female nobles said in a thorny tone. ire tilted her head, not sure what she meant, and thought of the Crown Prince, blushing wryly.


    ¡°His Highness is a kind person? Isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    People were rendered speechless by ire¡¯s innocent reaction.


    Under the strict control of the soldiers, the Imperial Pce was not a ce that even nobles could easily enter and exit.


    It was even more difficult for a noblewoman who had no reason tomute to and from the imperial pce.


    But how could ire, a Baron¡¯s daughter, casuallye and go to such a ce?


    Since she was favored by the Crown Prince from the beginning, she seemed to have no idea how great it was toe and go there at will. Everyone swallowed their saliva as they looked at the vases full of flowers, one for each table.


    The imperial family has always been the envy of the world, but the royal family and the pces they reside in have also always been of great interest to people.


    There were many people who wanted items used by the imperial family or items of the imperial pce, but exploring the imperial property could have been a felony.


    Even if it was just a single flower.


    No matter how much you wanted it, not everyone could get it and even if you had a lot of money, it was not readily avable.


    However, a number of items from the imperial family were found in an insignificant Baron¡¯s family. They were all sent by the Crown Prince.


    Looking at it now, the Crown Prince¡¯s affection for Lady Dana seemed quite deep. They thought ire had been abandoned because the Crown Prince and Princess Lillian were on good terms again, but after seeing it firsthand today, it was clear that this was not the case.


    As the mood sobered a bit, a nobleman in a dark blue coat picked up one of the sses of wine from a nearby table.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a toast, shall we? We¡¯re here to celebrate Lady Dana.¡±


    ire nodded again, a smile on her face.


    Then the nobles around her raised their sses with smiling faces.


    Soon there was a clear, lilting sound of sses clinking against each other along with joyfulughter.


    ***


    The carriage ran fast and stopped after arriving at its destination. Although I had expected it, I felt awkward as I was left alone with the Crown Prince.


    Annie, who came with me, did not ride in the same carriage as the Crown Prince, but rode with the horseman in the front. So it was just me and the Crown Prince inside.


    I tried to maintain a calm face, but it was a moment when I felt like I was suffocating from awkwardness. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long to get to the upper street.


    As the carriage doors opened, the Crown Prince, who was on the outside, stood up, dismounted first, and offered his hand to me. I took his hand and got out of the carriage and thanked him.


    ¡°Thank you for the ride. Your Highness, I can walk on my own from here. ¡°


    ¡°Roxana, by yourself?¡±


    The Crown Prince frowned as if he didn¡¯t like it. I wasn¡¯t alone, I was with Annie. Behind us were two of the family knights who hade with us on horseback.


    It was a small number of the servants that I brought with me, but we could easily rent a carriage from here.


    Since I wasn¡¯t going to a particrly dangerous ce, there was no need for an escort either. The Crown Prince, however, seemed to think differently.


    He took out a pocket watch from his pocket, checked the time, and let out a small sigh.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you go around without an escort at this time¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with me.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    To give me a ride to the upper street, then the role I wanted the Crown Prince to y was already done.


    ¡®Why¡­¡­¡¯


    I thought for a moment and shook my head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can easily get a carriage from here, and I won¡¯t be staying long. Aren¡¯t you going in the opposite direction of the Imperial Pce?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful enough for the ride here. I¡¯m not going to cause His Highness any more trouble. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to go.¡±


    When I finished talking and was about to leave, the Crown Prince caught me by the wrist. When I looked at him with a surprised face, he let go of my wrist and looked at me with a meaningful face.


    ¡°You¡¯re really doing this with me in mind?¡±


    From the way the Crown Prince was acting now, it seemed that he still suspected that my blocking his path earlier was intentional.


    But he didn¡¯t have any solid evidence to support his suspicion. As for me, I had already aplished what I had set out to do, so it was no problem for him to notice it now.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Crown Prince frowned, as if my answer seemed a little presumptuous. He stared at me for a moment with dark, downcast eyes, then quickly changed his expression and said softly,


    ¡°If it is truly for my sake, there is no need to refuse. I said I would stay because I wanted to follow you.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    In the end, I allowed him to apany me.


    ¡°That will be fine then.¡±


    Once my permission was granted, the Crown Prince looked pleasant and held out one arm to me. I knew that he meant to escort me, but I pretended not to see it and passed him by.


    As a result, the Crown Prince looked bitter, but instead of speaking to me further, he quietly followed me. I lied when I said that I was trying to go to Lady Mnov¡¯s tea party. But the story that I had business in the upper street was not a lie.


    A few days ago, I received a call from the jeweler that he had finished the work on the jewelry I had bought. It was the same ce where I had sent the pendant for repair the other day. I could have let the jeweler bring it to me, but I told him I woulde and get it myself.


    I like the peaceful life in the mansion, but I also wanted to see the city for the first time in a long time. However, my n to take a leisurely stroll and see the sights fell through when I allowed the Crown Prince to apany me.


    I quickly went to the jeweler and opened the door. As I pulled the door handle, the bell hanging above the door rang, producing a clear sound.


    Then a staff member came out from inside and greeted me.


    ¡°Where is Charles?¡±


    I looked for the owner, and the staff pointed with his finger to a door in the back.


    ¡°He¡¯s in there.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Roxana was the one who received special treatment, and the shopkeeper was not a diligent person to begin with. As was my habit, I was about to enter the back room where I was conversing with the owner the other day when I was interrupted by the staff.


    As soon as I looked at him curiously, the staff looked at me and exined with a troubled look on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There is a customer inside¡­. ¡°


    ¡°How long do I have to wait?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been at least fifteen minutes since the guests entered, so they should be out soon. ¡°


    ¡°Then let¡¯s sit down and wait. ¡°


    The staff led me to the hall¡¯s reception room after our conversation was over. The Crown Prince also quietly sat down on the sofa.


    While the staff prepared a cup of tea and a light snack for me to drink while I waited, I picked up a small booklet on the table to look at.


    I wondered how long it had been.


    Before the tea could cool down, the door to the back room opened and two people walked out.


    One was the owner of the store and the other one was¡­¡­¡­


    ¡°Grand Duke Croix?¡±


    I almost spit out the tea in my mouth when the unexpected person appeared. Looking at the dark hair, red eyes, and a face prettier and more delicate than most women¡¯s, I was certain it was Elvin Croix.


    Unlike thest time we met, I could see his face clearly because he wasn¡¯t wearing a mask. His face under the bright daylight felt different from seeing it under the hazy moonlight.


    I let go of the teacup in my hand and tried to regain myposure. Where I was now was a high-end jeweler, one of the best in the capital.


    Roxana wasn¡¯t the only one who interacted with this ce, and it was not at all surprising that Elvin, the Grand Duke, would visit here.


    In fact, if I were embarrassed to see him, it would seem even stranger.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Perhaps it was because I had been staring at him too long, my eyes met Elvin¡¯s, who was having a conversation with the shop owner.


    He looked at me and the Crown Prince alternately and immediately approached us. When I couldn¡¯t take my gaze off Elvin without loosening my tension, the Crown Prince soon noticed the wonder and turned around.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it? Young Lady.¡±


    Elvin naturally kissed my hand lightly in front of the Crown Prince. His lips only touched my skin for a short moment, but I felt the heat where his lips touched.


    I was speechless at his shameless attitude of pretending not to know me even though we met just a few days ago and drank tea together.


    Even so, how could he kiss the hand of a woman he did not know while her fianc¨¦ was standing right next to her?


    It was as if he didn¡¯t even care about the Crown Prince who was with me.


    It was a very rash act, but he was graceful and seductive. After we finished our greetings, Elvin let go of my hand.


    I awkwardly pulled my hand away.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we ran into each other here. What a coincidence.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Roxana and Elvin had been friends since they were very young.


    So, this was the first time Elvin and I had officially met and talked. In the first meeting, they were just together when I fell from the terrace, and in the second meeting, we just met in the garden and passed without a greeting. Finally, in the third meeting, Elvin was hiding his identity, so there was no friendship between us in the eyes of others.


    But despite that, Elvin¡¯s attitude toward me now was quite friendly. Unlike me, who was worried about how to treat him, he was very open-minded.


    ¡°Elvin Croix. What the hell is this? Can¡¯t you see me in your eyes?¡± (CP)


    While I was choosing an appropriate greeting, the Crown Prince asked sharply. At the voice full of displeasure, Elvin turned his head to the side as if he had recognized the Crown Prince¡¯s existence just then.


    ¡°Your Highness, long time no see.¡±


    Looking at it now, Elvin¡¯s face looked really arrogant.


    Elvin also has royal blood, so it may seem natural to him, but he had an arrogant atmosphere unique to the imperial family. Unlike his slightly raised lips, his eyes seemed to be looking down at everyone because of his cold eyes and tall height. He was both overwhelming and terribly beautiful, but he didn¡¯t seem to impress the Crown Prince.


    ¡°What are you doing to my fianc¨¦e?¡±


    ¡°I was just saying hello. I don¡¯t know why Your Highness is so agitated?¡±


    Was he mad at Elvin¡¯s attitude that seemed to ignore him? The Crown Prince contorted his face.


    And, on the contrary, Elvin maintained his cold face from start to finish.


    ¡®Aren¡¯t these two cousins? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of a bad rtionship.¡¯


    I was puzzled.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but looking at it now, it seemed that the Crown Prince and Elvin had a worse rtionship than anyone else. I couldn¡¯t understand the Crown Prince, who was easily aroused as usual, and the attitude of Elvin, as if he was deliberately trying to pick a fight.


    I sighed. Neither of us was a child, so we wouldn¡¯t have fist fights over these things, but more and more people¡¯s attention was focused on us. People looked at us with interesting or anxious eyes.


    Annie also had an anxious face.


    The shop owner, who was restless with a pale, tired face from a distance, was also concerned.


    As if worried that his own store might be in trouble, he looked like he was about to cry when our eyes met.


    He looked at me as if asking for help.


    It was the first time that arge, middle-aged man had looked so pitiful. Although I didn¡¯t know what had happened between Elvin and the Crown Prince, I couldn¡¯t stand by and watched as things got bigger.


    I put my hand on the Crown Prince¡¯s arm and squeezed it slightly.


    ¡°Your Majesty, there are many eyes watching. So please stop here.¡±


    I spoke in a low voice that only the Crown Prince could hear. The Crown Prince was very concerned about his face and reputation, so he would understand if I said this much.


    ¡°¡­ .¡±


    Fortunately, the Crown Prince closed his lips and said nothing more.


    However, his gaze, ring at Elvin, added to his ferociousness.


    As I stood next to the Crown Prince, I had the illusion of hearing the sound of his teeth grinding.


    Of course, Elvin didn¡¯t seem to care at all.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±


    Elvin nced at the Crown Prince with his indifferent face and greeted him dryly. He looked at me once before turning his body and said,


    ¡°Princess Lillian, I hope to see you again next time.¡±


    Leaving his meaningful words behind, Elvin left the shop.


    ¡°You cheeky child!¡±


    As soon as Elvin left, the Crown Prince looked at the door and let out a small cursing. His clenched fists were full of strength.


    He could see a lot of strength in his hands, clenching his fists on the table. Be kind to someone who is not even your lover in front of your fianc¨¦e¡­¡­kissed the back of her hand¡­


    Did the Crown Prince not realize that was what he always did to ire in front of Roxana?


    I looked at him with an expressionless face and looked away. I had just entered the store, but I was already feeling very tired.


    ¡°Crown Prince and Princess, it is an honor for you to visit us.¡±


    Turning away from the Crown Prince, I made eye contact with the owner of the jewelry store, who was frozen in the distance.


    As soon as our eyes met, he approached us with a bright smile.


    It wasn¡¯t the usual, natural,mercial smile, but an awkward expression full of strength. With a smile on his face, he looked sadly at the Crown Prince and me alternately.


    The Crown Prince took a sip of the tea on the table, still with a stiff face. The atmosphere was of course heavy when the Crown Prince, who was in the highest position, openly revealed that he was ufortable.


    With a troubled look on my face, I beckoned to the bewildered shop owner to bring what I had ordered.


    Seeing my signal, he left the ce as if he was running away, and came back with my belongings in less than a minute.


    Originally, he would have ordered the staff without moving himself, but seeing that the standard was tight, it was evident that he was more nervous than usual.


    The shop owner ced an elongated box and a small box about the size of the palm on the table, opened the lid and showed the contents inside. One was a small dagger studded with jade, and the other was a brooch studded with reddish-red rubies.


    The objects were very colorful and beautiful on the outside.


    The owner of thisrge and luxurious shop was a greedy man, but the goods boasted a certain quality. But because the Crown Prince next to me was concerned, I couldn¡¯t look at it for a long time and closed the box.


    ¡°Great job.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t just sell things, but you also do crafts?¡±


    When the Crown Prince, who had been sitting silently for a while, spoke for the first time and asked a question, the shop owner nodded his head proudly with a happy face.


    ¡°Not only do we work, we also do repairs. The pendant the princess entrusted to me a while ago¡­¡­ ¡±


    The shop owner was very pleased with the interest the Crown Prince had shown and spoke up. For a moment, without realizing it, I frowned. He talked too much. As I frowned, the savvy shop owner shut his mouth at once.


    I nced at the Crown Prince. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to care much about what the shop owner had to say. The Crown Prince¡¯s gaze reached the dagger lying on the table.


    ¡°Certainly not bad.¡±


    At the Crown Prince¡¯s praise, the shop owner, as if he had forgotten what had been a while ago, showed his pride in his store¡¯s excellent products with an excited expression on his face. Obviously, the jewelry in this store was of excellent quality and the workmanship was not bad. So Roxana used it habitually.


    However, in the Imperial Pce, countless treasures were piled up to be included in history books. The Crown Prince, who grew up seeing such things, could not have truly admired things in this shop. He was strangely sensitive before, but after the excitement subsided, he seemed to have regained his senses.


    It seemed like he was trying to lighten the mood, but if he said it with that intention, it would be half the sess. In any case, the heavy atmosphere has gotten much better by the Crown Prince¡¯s praise.


    But that didn¡¯t mean I want to stay here. In the end, the shop owner was the only one who was having a good time.


    ¡°Is this the first time you two havee here together? You two look good together.¡±


    This time he looked into my eyes and ttered me.


    It was ttery, but the Crown Prince, surprisingly, seemed to be relieved a little by those words.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    At the store owner¡¯s words, the Crown Prince made a satisfied face and the corners of his mouth were slightly lifted.


    ¡°We should leave. I think it¡¯ste.¡±


    After I instructed Annie to pack the things, I got up. The Crown Prince stood up quietly, and the shop owner saw us off with a sad face. When he left the jewelry shop, the Crown Prince¡¯s face no longer showed signs of displeasure. I thought he hated things like shopping, but seeing him quickly relieve his mood by saying nothing, I didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh.


    ¡°Is there anywhere else you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Think about it. There must be at least one or two more. Or is there a ce you¡¯ve always wanted to visit?¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s gaze looking at me seemed excited, was it my mistake? In the end, I got a little embarrassed and asked.


    ¡°Your Highness, aren¡¯t you busy?¡±


    ¡°Busy. Very busy. But I can spare this amount of time for you. And since we¡¯ll be busier in the future, we don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be able toe out together like this again.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s sudden change of attitude was certainly a good thing, but I was still not used to it. He yed the role of a sweet lover to ire while trying to be nice to me at the same time. Sometimes more than necessary. I was skeptical, but soon figured out why.


    ¡®Is it because of what I saidst time?¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t remember exactly when, but I asked the Crown Prince to fulfill his fianc¨¦¡¯s duties as I would not interfere in private matters. His strange change of attitude these days seemed to be due to that. Apparently, the Crown Prince thought that this was one of his duties as my fianc¨¦. I did hope he would change, but honestly, I didn¡¯t expect him to change this much.


    Did the return of the second Prince affect the Crown Prince, or the news of the Duke¡¯s victory?


    To be honest, I was a little surprised.


    ¡°If there is no specific ce you want to go, why not just walk together? I know a good trail.¡±


    While I was pondering inside, the Crown Prince made a suggestion. Even if the kindness offered by the Crown Prince was an obligatory act, there was no need to make the atmosphere worse by refusing to do so. Even if there was no sincerity, a pretentious kindness rather than discord would be nicer to me as well as to others. In the end, I walked with him a little more and went for a walk.


    The street scenery was very beautiful.


    On the path the Crown Prince guided, there were a lot of unknown wild flowers along with freesia, hyacinth, cosmos, and lillies.


    After walking for about an hour, we chatted lightly.


    We did not bring up topics that would make each other ufortable, and we enjoyed the peace that was precarious like fragile ice.


    After walking along the promenade, the Crown Prince made a very regretful face when I asked to stop and return.


    After the walk, we went back to where we first got off and got on the carriage.


    The carriage the Crown Prince rode on wasrge, but there was no separate luggagepartment. Since I couldn¡¯t even put the gifts I bought on the driver¡¯s seat, I put them next to my seat.


    Soon the carriage departed, and I felt the Crown Prince ncing my way.


    I looked out the window, ignoring his gaze, but the Crown Prince did not mind.


    ¡°Are those boxes amemorative gift for the Duke?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ?¡±


    ¡°Why did you prepare two? Usually, you can prepare just one.¡±


    What the Crown Prince said was half right and half wrong.


    One was a gift prepared for the Duke, but the other was not.


    The Crown Prince seemed to have noticed that too.


    Roxana and the Duke were not close. The present I prepared now was just a formal gift. The Crown Prince was well aware of that, so he must have said something like that. But the Duke was wealthy, so it was not surprising that I prepared another gift.


    ¡°Are they gifts for two people?¡±

 Chapter 44: The Crown Prince had quicker instincts than I thought.

    The Crown Prince had quicker instincts than I thought.


    His words hit the mark, and I hesitated for a moment before answering with an indifferent look on my face.


    ¡°I received an excessive gift and prepared to return it.¡±


    ¡°May I ask who you are sending it to?¡±


    ¡°I want to send it to someone I¡¯m grateful for.¡±


    ¡°A person you¡¯re grateful for?¡±


    The Crown Prince raised his eyebrows slightly at my answer.


    ¡°And who would that be?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked me.


    He didn¡¯t sound like he was asking me a question.


    He seemed really curious about who I was going to give the gift to.


    Do I have to answer?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    The Crown Prince looked a little surprised at what I said. He asked me with an awkward smile.


    ¡°Is it someone I know?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    I put on a nonchnt face and answered.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me who it is?¡±


    I wondered.


    Has the crown prince ever shown this much interest in Roxana?


    The Crown Prince asked me what seemed like an insistent question, but when I didn¡¯t answer anything, he quickly gave up and asked something else.


    ¡°What is your rtionship with Elvin?¡±


    ¡°Our parents were very close and I met him several times when we were children.¡±


    ¡°But that was when you were very young, and I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s been over ten years since the two families interacted.¡±


    I didn¡¯t deny it because it wasn¡¯t wrong. The Crown Prince looked at me as if he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Is that really all?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me strangely.


    ¡°What is your point?¡±


    When I frowned in displeasure, the Crown Prince gave a small sigh and said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what, but Elvin is not a nice person. So if he ever pretends to be friendly to you again, just ignore himpletely.¡±


    Elvin was moreplicated than he looked, and I had no idea what to make of him.


    At times he was up front and helpful, at other times he acted like a stranger, and at other times he was friendly again¡­


    Anyway, after I found out that Elvin was a member of the royal family, I didn¡¯t want to be involved with him anymore. However, Elvin was an opponent that could never be ignored, and I had no intention of pretending to be with someone for the Crown Prince.


    Besides, it seemed ironic that the Crown Prince, who was so averse to any interference between himself and ire, would say this to me.


    However, I couldn¡¯t easily say anything else today because I felt guilty about one thing.


    ¡°The wedding is less than a year away, so you¡¯d better be careful not to get caught up in a strange scandal until then. Always¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Don¡¯t forget your ce as Crown Princess.¡±


    ***


    The Crown Prince drove me to the Duke¡¯s residence and then left immediately.


    I quickly returned to my room and called a servant to tell him to send the brooch I had bought today to the Hermes in my name.


    After I changed intofortable clothes, Joan handed me a box saying it came for me. When I opened it, there was a handkerchief inside.


    At first I didn¡¯t notice it, but after a while I realized that it was the same one the Crown Prince usually carried with him.


    The handkerchief was sent anonymously around noon.


    I didn¡¯t receive it because at that time I had already left the mansion to go to Lady Mnov¡¯s tea party and the carriage got broken on the way.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s handkerchief¡­¡­


    There was only one person who bothered to send it to me.


    ire. I think I know exactly why she did this. First she sent me the invitation to her birthday party, now the handkerchief.


    ire¡¯s trick was childish and simplistic.


    However, if Roxana had discovered this, she definitely wouldn¡¯t let it go.


    She probably would have gone straight to the banquet to check it out.


    The scene she woulde to see there would be of close lovers, and people admiring their lovely appearance.


    Roxana had a childlike side, but the truth was that not many people would be able to resist such a scene.


    A pleasant banquet hall would have been ruined by the intrusion of an uninvited guest, and Roxana would have been condemned by the people. ire¡¯s technique was the same this time.


    It was so obvious and monotonous that it was almost boring. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something to be taken lightly, considering the malice contained in it and what it might have caused.


    But in the end, all of ire¡¯s preparations went to waste, because the Crown Prince couldn¡¯te. Besides, he and I walked around the crowded streets openly today, so perhaps tomorrow ire will notice that I was with the Crown Prince at the same time she was having the banquet.


    <i>¡®It should be enough of a return gift for the handkerchief.¡¯</i>


    I smiled, hoping that today would be a memorable enough birthday for ire. After changing clothes, I sat in front of the dressing table and took off my essories, and Tien asked me.


    ¡°Miss, do you want your meals to be served in your room today?¡±


    I shook my head and then went down to the dining room. Normally, I woulde down to the dining hall and sit alone at therge dining table to eat, which felt like a hassle, so I would eat in my room.


    Today, however, it wasn¡¯t the least bit bothersome.


    Perhaps it was because I remembered ire¡¯s twisted face.


    Even though the food was the same as usual, it felt extraordinarily delicious.


    ***


    The Duke¡¯s return was just around the corner.


    The servants were also busy weing the master who wasing back after a long absence.


    I was also busier than usual, though there was nothing special I had to do since I had prepared the gift for his return.


    This was because more invitations came to me than usual due to the spread of news that the Duke would return soon.


    Unlike Roxana, the Duke of Lillian had a good reputation and was respected by many people,moners and nobles alike.


    It was only natural that the nobles, with their various interests at stake, would try to make them look good, since the Duke made a great contribution this time.


    It was a typical day.


    I ate a quick meal in my room, took a walk in the garden, and then returned to my room. I read the letters and invitations addressed to me.


    There was an invitation sent from the imperial family. Unlike thest time, this time it was not the Crown Prince who invited me, but the Empress.


    The Empress and Roxana were not on bad terms, but when I received the letter, I instantly felt a sense of foreboding.


    <i>¡®What could there be that the Empress called me for?¡¯</i>


    I had a few ideas in mind, but I didn¡¯t know the exact answer. From the memories that came to mind, the Empress was very fond of Roxana.


    At thest imperial banquet, she had a benevolent face toward me.


    Even when Roxana¡¯s reputation had fallen to the ground, the Empress had never once med her.


    However, the first thing the nobles learned was to manage their facial expressions. And since they don¡¯t talk, it would be hard to know that they were thinking. This meant that the Empress was very thorough.


    My assessment of the Empress was in line with her external reputation. Her type of people were the hardest to deal with.


    They don¡¯t show it outwardly, but you never know what they are thinking in their hearts. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t feel safe. I wrote a reply to the Empress, saying that I would ept her invitation. Then I leaned back on the couch and asked,


    ¡°Have you heard any news about the nanny?¡±


    ¡°I have not heard any news yet. I heard that she sold her house, but I don¡¯t know where she is staying¡­¡±


    Tien spoke with a worried voice. I put on a nonchnt face and got up from my seat.


    Today was the day I had decided to go to the tea party hosted by Young Lady Evans. Although I didn¡¯t have a close rtionship with her, Roxana had conversed with her many times.


    Furthermore, the Duke of Lillian and Count Evans were of the same faction, so there was nothing wrong with being close.


    I went out in a light dress and a parasol in my hand to block the sun.


    ***


    As I entered Count Evans¡¯ mansion, a servant of the Count¡¯s family noticed me from the main gate and led me to the location of the tea party. The tea party was held in a fragrant garden full of different kinds of flowers.


    After a short walk, I saw arge number of people gathered around a white table with many delicious-looking treats.


    I could see several familiar faces among them, as well as some that I had never seen before.


    For example, Lady Flynn, who was sitting some distance away, looking at me with a cold face.


    I smiled and sat down in an empty seat. Actually, I came a littlete because I had to write a reply to the Empress¡¯s letter.


    I thought that was why I was thetest to arrive, but seeing that some seats were empty, I guessed otherwise.


    ¡°I was a littlete, wasn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No, though we all just arrived as well.¡±


    ¡°What Elly said is right. The party hasn¡¯t even started yet.¡±


    The pretty Young Lady, seated right next to me, whispered quietly with a kind face. Then the brown-haired Young Lady, who appeared to be her friend, added.


    Whatever the reason, they were very nice to me. A few of them didn¡¯t seem to like the fact that I attended this sitting. However, no one hade out to fight me yet.


    There was no need for me to make more enemies, unless I wanted to fight like hell.


    ¡°Lady, I thought you might not being, but I am honored that you are here.¡±


    The host of the tea party, Lady Evans, said. Despite her smiling face, she had the look as if she didn¡¯t like me.


    I also didn¡¯t like the fact that I and Lady Flynn were at the same ce. However, it was something I could do as much as I wanted to talk to someone I didn¡¯t like with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you for inviting me to this great event.¡±


    I greeted her formally and then, instead of continuing my conversation with her, I also greeted the otherdies who had expressed a liking for me.


    Young Lady Evans looked at me a little stiffly, as if her pride had been hurt by my colder than usual attitude, because I was deliberately trying to keep my distance.


    ¡°It seems that everyone who should be here has already arrived. Why don¡¯t you hurry up and start the tea party before the tea gets cold?¡±


    Someone started to say in the subtly hardened atmosphere. The people nodded in agreement with her words. Lady Evans, seemed to have the same idea. She loosened her hardened expression and said with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you all foring. I¡¯ve prepared these seats with great care, so I hope you all have a good time.¡±


    The tea party began with the words of the party¡¯s host, Lady Evans. Unlike banquets, which were held in a heavy atmosphere, the tea party was held in a lighter atmosphere, as it was a ce for like-minded people to meet and chat.


    The nobles who attended the tea party drank tea, ate treats and chatted. I followed them, drinking tea and chatting with the youngdies who showed interest in me.


    During this time, I was constantly being watched by curious eyes. They seemed to have something they wanted to ask me, but because of my position, they couldn¡¯t easily say anything.


    Even if that was the case with the others, I was quite surprised that Lady Flynn, who fought with me every time we ran into each other, kept quiet.


    Every time I met her gaze, she frowned as if she was dying from displeasure, then quickly averted her gaze and engaged in conversation with the others.


    It was hard to tell if she learned anything from ourst conversation, or if she was scolded by her family back home. Nheless, I feltfortable because I didn¡¯t have to deal with her anymore.


    The Crown Prince and I were rted through a simple political engagement, and the Crown Prince was not interested in Lady Flynn.


    Even if he broke up with me, there was no way that the Crown Prince would engage or marry her. In such a situation, unnecessary emotional entanglement was not beneficial to either of us and would only lead to exhaustion. I took a bite of the macaroon in front of me, hoping that Lady Flynn would also realize this fact soon.


    ¡°Sorry for beingte.¡±


    At that moment, I turned around involuntarily at the sound of a familiar, beautiful voiceing from right behind me. To my surprise, ire was standing there.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    ire was wearing a pale apricot colored dress with ruffles and bows on the chest and a wide brimmed hat.


    Although she was dressed in a simple outfit, her gorgeous and innocent appearance caught people¡¯s attention. From the moment ire appeared, I could feel people taking turns looking at her and me.


    She smiled beautifully at people and sat down. ire¡¯s seat was at the far end of the tea table in the most secluded spot.


    It was the most miserable seat in the house, but she smiled and sat down meekly without a hint of difort. At first the people seemed mostly perplexed by ire¡¯s appearance, but their gazes were soon tinged with curiosity.


    They stared at ire, then at me with interesting nces as if to see what my reaction would be.


    I just kept silent and took a sip of the tea in front of me calmly.


    I didn¡¯t need to do what they wanted in front of people who wished me misery. I deliberately put on a nonchnt face to avoid showing my emotions, but inside I was in a slightly surprised state.


    Lady Evans was bolder than I thought. I couldn¡¯t believe she invited me and ire to the same table.


    No one had ever invited me and ire at the same time before to a small gathering that wasn¡¯t a banquet to which many people were invited.


    ¡®Do you think that because we¡¯re in the same faction, you¡¯re untouchable? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good for you to dare to do this¡­¡¯


    I looked at Lady Evans. She was looking at ire with a cocky look on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re quitete. If I had known that you were incapable of keeping even the most basic timemitments, I would not have invited you.¡±


    Lady Evans ced the cup she was holding on the table with a clink. The formal smile on her face had already been erased, and her gaze on ire was cold and arrogant.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was my first time and the horseman was unfamiliar with the roads so we got lost on the way.¡±


    ¡°It seems that the horseman Lady Dana brought is very stupid, to have gotten lost for decades on a road that isn¡¯t thatplicated. Or maybe he didn¡¯t get a proper education.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°They say a servant is like his master, a servant who can¡¯t even do his own job properly and causes trouble. I can see the level of the Dana¡¯s family.¡±


    Lady Flynn said with a sneer and the few people around her startedughing as if they had heard a very interesting story.


    It was an obvious mockery.


    Of all the people currently seated, ire did arrive thetest, but looking at the watch, it wasn¡¯t thatte. At most, she was only twenty minutester than the time written on the invitation, less than five minutes behind me.


    Even if ire waster than me, she was still a guest who had attended by strict invitation.


    Therefore, Lady Evans¡¯ words were rude enough.


    From what I could see, she was deliberately trying to bully ire by making things difficult.


    This kind of ostracism and bickering wasmon in social circles. It must have been unpleasant and frustrating, but ire didn¡¯t frown. She didn¡¯t burst into tears as she had when the Crown Prince was in front of her. She did not change her expression as she listened to the words that were even worse than what Roxana had said in the banquet hall.


    People didn¡¯t even make the minimal effort to hide their hostility in front of ire.


    They teased and belittled ire and seemed to enjoy watching her reaction. ire seemed to be very used to this situation now, and seemed to be unaffected.


    At first, I wondered what the hell was going on.


    But I soon understood.


    When Roxana and ire confronted each other, people always spoke ill of Roxana and took ire¡¯s shoulder. That¡¯s why this situation now was very unfamiliar to me.


    The only reason they took ire¡¯s side was because she had the Crown Prince by her side. Of course, there were people who were burning for justice when they saw the foolish evil woman and the good beautiful woman suffering because of her.


    But not many people would have helped ire with such pure intentions. And at least none of the people invited by Lady Evans seemed to be trying to help ire.


    ¡®Oh well.¡¯


    ire pretended to be the lover of the Crown Crince with a fianc¨¦e simply because she was in his favor.


    However, there was no way the proud nobles would take it in stride.


    If many people hated me out of jealousy after I, a noblewoman, became engaged to the Crown Prince, it was normal for more people to hate ire, who had a low status and an illicit rtionship with the Crown Prince.


    Although the rtionship between the Crown Prince and ire was close, ire would have spent more time alone than the Crown Prince was by her side. It urred to me that ire would have had to experience this kind of taunting and neglect for a long time, unseen until now.


    Come to think of it, she had been mocked and made fun of since her first day in the society.


    It wasn¡¯t ire¡¯s fault that she was of low status. She was just a little unlucky.


    So it was unreasonable and unfortunate that ire was ignored and mocked by people because of her low status.


    Apart from that, I didn¡¯t feel any sympathy for ire.


    It¡¯s not like people you don¡¯t like suddenly seem different when they have unfortunate circumstances.


    Just as ire tried to take things from others and trample on others, both for the sake of greed and to survive in society, I was still only acting on my own behalf.


    The aristocraticdies with their fancy clothes and smiling faces, choosing only words that would hurt others, looked different and cruel in contrast to their cute young faces.


    I watched them in silence, and picked up one of the cookies in front of me.


    I took a bite of the cookie and the savory nuts and the buttery aroma spread sweetly in my mouth.


    ¡°Lady Dana, are you feeling okay?¡±


    Perhaps feeling sorry that ire was being bullied by others, or perhaps worried about the overly tense atmosphere, a Young Lady, who was sitting next to ire, asked in a gentle voice.


    ¡°I heard that you struggled for a while with a cold¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you for worrying about me. I¡¯m fine now. Actually, my nanny was worried about me because my fever didn¡¯t go down for days, but I got a precious medicine as a gift.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that¡­..¡±


    ¡°The medicine worked well, and I feel better than before thanks to it. If Young Lady needs it too, please let me know. I still have a lot left, so I¡¯ll send you as much as you need.¡±


    A cold destion flowed through the room.


    The atmosphere was even heavier than before.


    The Young Lady, who talked to ire, looked at me with a little awkward face. There was probably no one here who didn¡¯t understand what ire meant now.


    The Crown Prince has sent ire the medicine. ire wanted to show it off in front of everyone now.


    ire looked at me with an innocent face.


    While everyone else was perplexed, she alone was unconcerned as if she didn¡¯t know what the problem was. She looked deceptively adorable, even though I already knew that she was dark inside.


    Looking at her, I felt that there was no way the Crown Prince was out of the loop.


    I put on a nonchnt face and smiled at her.


    ire was startled, but she didn¡¯t take her eyes off of me. Unlike her innocent face, which seemed as warm as the sun, her eyes were insidious.


    That strange harmony caused a strange sense of rejection.


    I silently took a sip of the tea that had been ced in front of me.


    Despite my pretense of piety, the rtionship between the Crown Prince and ire remained close. The Crown Prince acted like a kind fianc¨¦ in front of me, but as expected, a human being was not going to change in an instant.


    So there was no reason to be surprised whether the Crown Prince sent someone to deliver the medicine or he sent it in person.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t me who was angry by ire¡¯s words, but rather Lady Flynn.


    ¡°Now that I look at it, it seems that Lady Dana can¡¯t even afford to get her hands on the medicine. Or are you saying that Baron Dana is willing to spend that much for his daughter?¡±


    Lady Flynn said as she put down the cup in his hand. Her hard lips, cold expression, and hideous gaze¡­.She now seemed to be barely able to repress her anger.


    ¡°Next time if you need anything, just let me know. I¡¯ll send you one of the things that have flooded my house.¡±


    Lady Flynn said in an arrogant voice, trying to be okay, but she looked ufortable and full of hate.


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m afraid I must decline.¡±


    ire declined gently with a smile.


    ¡°Are you ignoring my favor?¡±


    Lady Flynn chuckled absurdly.


    ¡°Of course not, I just don¡¯t want to bother Lady Flynn.¡±


    ire looked calm while dealing with Lady Flynn, who was much higher status than herself. I thought ire was wise.


    Lady Flynn said she would send medicine, but honestly, who knows if she would send medicine or poison, and now that I see Lady Flynn¡¯s face, I feel like she would really do that.


    ¡°Lady Dana got terribly sick. She¡¯s been sick for weeks. But you look very healthy.¡±


    Lady Evans, who had been watching the fight between ire and Lady Flynn, jumped in.


    ¡°It¡¯s been many weeks now, so I should be healthier.¡±


    ¡°Were you really hurt?¡±


    I cringed at the conversation, as if I had heard it somewhere before.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ire asked with a look of not knowing.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what I said. In fact, there was still a lot of talk among the people the other day.¡±


    Lady Evans helped Lady Flynn to attack ire, and Lady Flynn¡¯s hardplexion rxed a bit.


    Compared to her, ire¡¯s was . ¡­.


    ¡°If it was the other day, what exactly are you talking about?¡±


    ire asked in a calm voice.


    She looked unconcerned, but on closer inspection her face was a little more rigid than at first.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know or are you just pretending not to know?¡±


    The atmosphere was more deadly than ever, even though none of the people spoke out loud. The rest of thedies who didn¡¯t participate in the conversation looked very interested and drank tea or ate cookies incessantly.


    Lady Flynn, Lady Evans, and those who sympathized with them all seemed to have swords in their mouths.


    There was no Crown Prince here, and ire was alone, so there was no need to be wary, but their words and actions went too far.


    It was never a good look. However, there was not a single person here who would take ire¡¯s side.


    At this level, I felt I could understand what purpose Lady Evans had dared to invite me and ire, with whom she had no friendship, to her position.


    Tomorrow, rumors might spread that I had maliciously invited and called ire and bullied her.


    Perhaps she invited me with that intention all along. Right now, people looked at this situation and would think I was the one who ordered them to torment ire.


    It would naturally look that way to the Crown Prince, and it would also look that way to ire¡¯s followers. Those who disliked me and the Duke¡¯s political enemies would also speak ill of me for this.


    When ites down to it, people will turn on me because of my status as the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, even though it was Lady Evans who nned all of this.


    ¡®She¡¯s very clever too.¡¯


    ire was not the only clown on this stage that Lady Evans had prepared.


    I was also one of the spectators on the stage for the audience.


    At the same time, it was also an important tile to use as an immunity. Even if what happened today were to be an issue, the Crown Prince would me me.


    Also, I was going to be the one that people would talk about the most. Since they knew this, they used me as a shield and took their anger out on ire to the fullest.


    They already knew that they wouldn¡¯t be harmed in any way.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Lady Flynn and Lady Evans.


    I don¡¯t know whose mind the two of them came up with, but it¡¯s never pleasant to be taken advantage of by someone.


    Suddenly I lost my appetite, so I put down my teacup.


    I didn¡¯t even want to touch the delicious looking snacks in front of me anymore.


    I had no intention of siding with them. But I also didn¡¯t feel the need to stop them.


    Roxana¡¯s harassment of ire didn¡¯t happen a day or two, and it would be even weirder if I stepped up and helped her. With today¡¯s events, people may assume that I am a selfish person who leads or stands by injustice.


    But even if I were to step forward and help ire, it would seem I was trying to please the Crown Prince.


    Then people will either make a fuss that I have no self-respect, or they will try to find the hidden agenda behind my actions.


    Even if I do help, I will only be misunderstood and suspected rather than thanked, so why would I want to go through the trouble?


    In the end, no matter which way I choose, I cannot avoid people¡¯s condemnation.


    Being vilified for doing nothing was still something I wasn¡¯t used to and it was frustrating. Still, if I had to choose between the two, I would rather be an evil woman who torments an innocent youngdy than be a servile woman without pride who tries to please the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Rumors have been spreading among the peopletely.¡±


    ¡°Rumors?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone here has heard it at least once.¡±


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    The smile on Lady Flynn¡¯s mouth deepened as ire made an expression of not knowing what she was talking about.


    ¡°It¡¯s rumored that Lady Dana is staying at home so as not to show that she was abandoned by the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    I furrowed my eyebrows. Even ire¡¯s face hardened at Lady Evans¡¯s insult.


    ¡°Lady Evans, you¡¯re going too far. If you invited me to insult me, I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    ¡°What are you so angry about? I¡¯m just telling you what I heard.¡±


    ¡°I can stand it when you insult me. But it¡¯s outrageous, and I can¡¯t stand it when you talk nonsense about the Crown Prince.¡±


    ire eventually couldn¡¯t take it anymore and rose from her seat.


    The smile had gone from her face. However, her tone was calm and her behavior did not seem impatient.


    On the one hand, she looked amazing, remaining as calm as ever in the face of various insults.


    I averted my gaze and locked eyes with Lady Evans, who was sitting in front of me. She spotted me and looked at ire again, her eyes sparkling as if she had just discovered a prey.


    I frowned a little in difort.


    ¡°That¡¯s funny, Lady Dana. The Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e is standing still, what are you so passionate about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about. His Highness and I are just¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand your impatience, but isn¡¯t it a bit much to hold a banquet and deceive everyone by selling His Highness¡¯ name so that we woulde?¡±


    ¡°Deceive? It seems that there is some kind of misunderstanding. ¡°


    ¡°Lady Dana, it¡¯s a dirty trick. No matter how hard you try, it doesn¡¯t work, so are you trying to deny it now? ¡°


    At first, I was going to see how far this would go.


    When I was silent for a long time, they acted as if I was invisible. I was getting sick and tired of watching this conversation with no nutritional value. Just as I was about to give them a proper warning and leave the table, Lady Evans said,


    ¡°It must be hard for you, Lady Dana. You made a big deal to deny the rumors, but everyone knew His Highness was with the Princess on your birthday ¡­.¡±


    At the words of Lady Evans, ire nced at me.


    For the first time today, her expression wavered greatly.


    ire seemed to be in great shock when she found out what she didn¡¯t know, and she looked terribly confused.


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know? I feel sorry for you.¡±


    Lady Evans covered her mouth with a fan.


    Even without it, I could see how much her mouth was raised, hidden behind the fan. On the contrary, ire¡¯splexion became so bad that it couldn¡¯t get any worse. She stared at me with an angry face. She seemed to have yet to give up even though she was ignored by the Crown Prince.


    ¡°What Lady Evans just said is true?¡±


    ire asked me with a dazed look on her face.


    It was funny.


    ire and Lady Flynn were not only fighting over the Crown Prince who had a fiancee, but even trying to question me.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, do I have to exin to Lady Dana that I was with the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ire¡¯s eyes darkened.


    I could see her hand, which was gripping the hem of her skirt tightly, trembling finely.


    As her expression grew worse and worse, people chattered, not missing a moment.


    ¡°This is a sincere advice for the sake of the Young Lady, the Crown Prince is already gone so you¡¯d better find another way to live now.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Baron Delta recently divorced his wife and is now alone again, why don¡¯t you try to work things out with him? If you want, I can arrange a meeting for you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t enter the Imperial Pce as a Lady, but the Baron¡¯s wife would be quite possible.¡±


    The terrible insults continued, but they didn¡¯t seem to register well with ire.


    ¡°I¡¯d better be going.¡±


    ire stared at me, then said goodbye awkwardly with a stiff face and left.


    ¡°She¡¯s really cocky. Isn¡¯t she?¡±


    After ire left, the remaining people¡¯s attention was focused on me. The Young Lady, who had teased ire earlier about ¡°other ways of life,¡± whispered to me as she looked at me, as if she was trying to get me to agree with her.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The sky had been cloudy all morning, and before I knew it, rain was falling down.


    It looked like it would stop soon as the raindrops were not too heavy. But the tea party would have been ruined if they didn¡¯t set up tents in advance.


    I watched ire slowly disappear with her maid and opened my mouth coldly


    ¡°It¡¯s true. It¡¯s too much.¡±


    ¡°As expected, the Princess thinks the same.¡±


    The Young Lady¡¯s face brightened at my answer.


    I did not look at her, but turned my gaze toward Lady Evans. When her eyes met mine, she smiled, as if expecting apliment. I looked at her and said with a cold face.


    ¡°Lady Evans. I¡¯m well aware of your intentions when you invited me here. If I had known that this was the kind of seat I would not ept the invitation in the first ce.¡±


    Lady Evans looked flustered when she saw that my reaction was different than usual. She opened her mouth as if to excuse herself. However, I stood up before she could say anything.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d better go now too. Let¡¯s remember what happened today.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±


    Just then, a sharp scream came from the direction ire had disappeared.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I frowned. After the scream, there was a woman¡¯s voice asking for help. People began to buzz anxiously at the unexpectedmotion


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Shall we go check it out?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯d better do that.¡±


    Lady Evans and several otherdies left their seats and walked to the direction of the sound.


    <i>¡®Is this also nned?¡¯</i>


    I looked at Lady Evans, and I could see that she was also surprised and dismayed. It didn¡¯t look like an expression made up by a lie.


    Lady Flynn also had a strange look on her face. When her eyes met mine, she crumpled her face in displeasure and turned away. I took slow steps and followed the others to where the voice rang.


    There I found ire lying at the bottom of the stairs of a building a short distance from the garden. The one who screamed was ire¡¯s maid. What had happened in the blink of an eye, ire¡¯splexion was pale and her clothes were covered in dirt.


    A murmur erupted once from thedies who had discovered her appearance.


    ¡°Exin right away what the hell is going on.¡±


    Lady Evans asked with a stern expression towards the servant who was standing nearby with a hard face. However, it was ire¡¯s maid who answered.


    ¡°Someone pushed My Lady down the stairs.¡±


    Lady Evans wrinkled her face and shouted.


    ¡°That¡¯s outrageous! Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I saw it.¡±


    ire¡¯s maid shouted triumphantly, and people began to sneak a look at Lady Evans.


    Lady Evans¡¯ servants pushed ire down the stairs? That can¡¯t be true.


    I couldn¡¯t believe the words of ire¡¯s maid. No matter how stupid and arrogant Lady Evans was, there was no way she would do something like this.


    ire was a guest at the mansion, officially invited by Lady Evans. Moreover, since the ident urred at the Evans¡¯ mansion, she could not escape responsibility either.


    If there was a problem today, Count Evans would be solely responsible for it.


    Perhaps she knew this too, and Lady Evans¡¯plexion turned pale.


    She hesitated and ordered the other servants to call a doctor.


    The rain was getting heavier. People went up to the top of the covered stairs to take shelter from the rain. While Annie went to get an umbre, I stood there to see what was going on.


    Now there was something strange about this situation.


    ire didn¡¯t seem to be injured in any way, even though she just fell down the stairs.


    The behavior of the maid who was by her side was also somewhat unnatural in that it appeared to be exaggerated. It was at that moment that I caught sight of a carriage heading towards the main gate. The carriage, led by six horses, had arge imperial crest engraved on it.


    For a moment, the thought of ¡°bad luck¡± crossed my mind. I wondered why ire continued to endure the insults of thedies and didn¡¯t leave sooner but waited until now.


    ¡®I wish I hadn¡¯te to this party in the first ce¡­¡¯


    Well, there¡¯s no point in regretting it now, is there? In addition, I didn¡¯t know until I arrived that ire wasing today.


    Soon I could see people dressed in uniforms with the imperial crest engraved on them approaching.


    I blinked tiredly.


    Among the crowd, a person with a ck umbre approached me.


    The medal on his chest glowed darkly on his white uniform with its eye-catching gold thread embroidery.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    It was not the Crown Prince.


    At the unfamiliar voice, I wrinkled my brow slightly and looked at the front.


    Under the umbre, which was as ck as a crow¡¯s wings, I could see the second Prince¡¯s beautiful face. He looked alternately at me and ire, who was lying on the ground, and asked with a curious look on his face.


    ¡°What is going on?¡±


    At that moment, ire¡¯s maid cried out in a very unfair voice,


    ¡°It suddenly started to rain, so while I went to get an umbre, someone pushed My Lady down the stairs!¡±

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    The second Prince asked me, but ire¡¯s maid took over the reply. I understood her impatience and anxiety since the master whom she was taking care of was injured, but to dare to interfere in the dialogue between the Prince and the Princess¡­.


    ¡°Does that maid have nine lives?¡±


    The second Prince also frowned slightly, perhaps unpleasant.


    ¡°This woman is ¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a servant brought here by Lady Dana.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The second Prince said as he looked at ire, who was lying on the floor, drenched by the rain.


    ¡°In the meantime, let¡¯s move inside ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    I nodded.


    While we were talking, ire was still on the cold, rain-soaked floor.


    If we left her like that, even healthy people were going to get sick, and the second Prince had his servants send ire inside. The people were buzzing with anxiety as the situation became more serious with the appearance of the royal family.


    ire¡¯s maid followed her with a tearful face.


    ¡°One moment, please.¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    The servant looked at me as if to ask what was wrong.


    The servant¡¯s gaze on me was subdued but clearly hostile.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°My Lady has been bullied at the ce where she was formally invited, and she even had this ident. We still haven¡¯t caught the person who tried to harm her, so of course I should be by her side.¡±


    The servant said with a look of resentment on her face as she was aware of the second Prince by her side.


    The second Prince watched the situation in silence. He didn¡¯t show any particr reaction when he heard what the maid said.


    It was fortunate that it was not the Crown Prince who was here now, but the second Prince. Unlike the Crown Prince, who med the other party without any back and forth when it came to ire, the second Prince seemed calm.


    I turned my attention to the maid again. If ire was acting out, the odds of her being alone were slim.


    On top of that, the face of the maid looked very familiar.


    She seemed to be a follower of ire¡¯s since she brought her along almost every time. If that was the case, then there was a big chance ire¡¯s maid was also involved.


    So ¡­¡­ I couldn¡¯t just let it go.


    ¡°You said you were sure someone had pushed Lady Dana down the stairs. Do you have proof?¡±


    ¡°What? What kind of proof¡­?¡±


    ¡°It means either physical proof that can be proven, or someone who saw Lady Dana fall down the stairs.¡±


    The maid fell silent with a troubled look on her face, as if at a loss for words.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have any.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    The people looked at the maid and began to whisper.


    I turned my eyes numbly to Lady Evans. Lady Evans, who had been frozen and only looking at me, made a small movement when her eyes met mine.


    ¡°Lady Evans, since today¡¯s incident took ce in your house, it would be better for your family to take responsibility for the investigation. In the circumstances, the most suspicious person is this maid, so it¡¯s better to interrogate her.¡±


    Lady Evans nodded with a reassuring look at my words.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡±


    The maid, who was suddenly being treated like a criminal, eximed, her eyes wide with surprise. Perhaps she had never thought of being considered a suspect in this situation.


    ¡°How can I believe you? Maybe you hurt Lady Dana and pretend you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not! How could I do such a thing to My Lady?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find out something when we investigate.¡±


    Perhaps she didn¡¯t expect such a situation, the maid¡¯s face went nk.


    She looked around with a nervous face and turned her gaze to the second Prince.


    ¡°Your Highness! It¡¯s unfair.¡±


    The maidined through tears.


    With a scared face with tears, the maid shouting, ¡°It¡¯s unfair,¡± looked very pitiful.


    However, there was no change in the expression of the second Prince at the sight of her. His appearance seemed a bit calm, which was not a bad thing for me.


    If it was the Crown Prince who was here, things would be different now.


    I said mockingly.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the only one who was with Lady Dana before and after the ident happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s really unfair, you can tell us in detail what¡¯s going on during the investigation and cooperate to catch the criminal. Your Highness, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    I looked at the second Prince. He nodded with an amused look on his face.


    ¡°You have a point. Take her away.¡±


    When even the trusted second Prince turned away from her, the maid looked desperate. Soon, by order of the second Prince, the servants took ire¡¯s maid away.


    I stared at the scene.


    I don¡¯t know how they will treat the maid who tried to cause damage to Lady Evans.


    Maybe they would never treat her warmly.


    Whether it was Count Evans or Lady Evans, neither of them were gentle and calm. Who knew what would happen during the interrogation process.


    However, if an ident were to ur during the interrogation process, the entire responsibility would fall on Count Evans.


    It had nothing to do with me.


    It may have been cruel to the maid, but she brought it on herself in the first ce.


    ire was lying in her room and wouldn¡¯t really know what was going on now. However, I was curious to see how she would react when she woke up and realized that her loyal maid had been taken away as a prime suspect.


    The sky grew darker and darker.


    The rain, which I had expected to stop soon, showed no signs of stopping.


    As time went by, the rain intensified.


    The parasol didn¡¯t help much after all. It was soaked by the rain and was already ruined.


    When the second Prince saw me, he quietly tilted the umbre toward me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. My maid has gone to get the umbre and will be right back.¡±


    ¡°Use mine until then. The umbre is big enough to cover the two of us.¡±


    Unlike what he said, the umbre wasrge, but not enough topletely cover the two of us.


    Because he tilted the umbre too far in my direction, the second Prince was almostpletely covered by the rain.


    I noticed that one of his shoulders was getting wetter and wetter.


    Fortunately, Annie came back from the carriage with an umbre.


    When Annie saw me and the second Prince together, she looked a little surprised and held the umbre out to me. I looked at the second Prince and asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home now. What do you intend to do, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go home, too, now that my business is done.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well then, goodbye.¡±


    ¡°One moment, please.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    I turned around with a strange look on my face, and the second Prince held out his arm to me, the one that wasn¡¯t wet from the rain.


    ¡°¡­I will take you home.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    I asked with a nk look on my face, to which the second Prince replied skillfully.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a situation where the culprit who tried to kill Lady Dana still hasn¡¯t been caught yet? He might be dangerous, so I¡¯ll take you.¡±


    Even the second Prince must have noticed that there was something wrong with the current situation.


    If someone tried to kill ire intentionally and the culprit has not been caught yet, the second Prince¡¯s side would be the safest.


    I was grateful that he didn¡¯t me me like others, but to escort me home?


    Couldn¡¯t he see the knight behind me? I pondered for a moment, then ced my hand on his arm. A satisfied smile appeared on his lips.


    I climbed onto the carriage he hade in, escorted by the second Prince. The second Prince¡¯s carriage was distinctly different from the Crown Prince¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t visibly fancy, but it was elegantly neat and refined.


    While I sat on afortable chair, the second Prince lightly wiped the water from his head and clothes and then sat down.


    As I sat across from him, I could easily see his soaking wet hair and clothes. A little concerned, I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and handed it to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault you¡¯re wet. Please wipe it off with this.¡±


    The second Prince smiled softly as if to say thank you, then used the handkerchief I had given him to wipe the moisture from his face and hands. I felt the same way when I saw him before¡­ he certainly had a beautiful face. The well-defined forehead, the high bridge of the nose, the sharp jawline. White skin, deep eyes.


    And his silvery hair was wet, giving him a strangely sexy atmosphere. I caught sight of the second Prince¡¯s white neck, which had appeared due to some of the top buttons of his uniform being undone.


    Looking at him, I felt as if I wasmitting a crime. Despite my intention not to look, I kept looking. Then I involuntarily turned my head away.


    ¡°I will wash the handkerchief and return it to youter.¡±


    ¡°All right. But may I ask why you¡¯re here?¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if he didn¡¯t answer, but the second Prince spoke more honestly than I expected.


    ¡°His Majesty ordered something. Originally, the Crown Prince was supposed toe, but the schedule suddenly changed, so I came instead.¡±


    So that was what happened after all. If the person who was there earlier was not the second Prince, but the Crown Prince, the situation would have been very different from now.


    However, it seemed that ire hadn¡¯t heard about the change in the person visiting the Evans¡¯ residence today.


    The thought of ire copsing in pity and the Crown Prince getting angry on her behalf made me ufortable and I frowned a little.


    ¡°Are you disappointed that I came instead of the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    At the unexpected question, I turned my head and looked at the second Prince.


    ¡°¡­Are you disappointed that the Crown Prince did note?¡±


    One side of my mouth naturally twisted in an unpleasant misunderstanding.


    ¡°Not at all.¡± I answered coldly.


    I nced at the second Prince, wonderingter if I had offended him with my insolence.


    The face of the second Prince looking out the window was somewhat pleasant. Perhaps things were worse between the Crown Prince and the second Prince than I had thought. Come to think of it, the deeper the feud between me and the Crown Prince, the better it was for the second Prince.


    So his reaction now was probably natural.


    The second Prince smiled strangely when his eyes met mine. I couldn¡¯t understand what he was thinking right now. When I returned home, the servants looked at the second Prince¡¯s carriage and the imperial knights he had brought with him with surprised eyes.


    ¡°Well then, take care. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thank you for giving me a ride.¡±


    ¡°Yes. See youter.¡±


    The second Prince greeted me politely and then left. I gazed vaguely at the carriage he was riding in, and returned to my room.


    ****


    The rain, which I expected to stop soon, continued until the next day.


    It had been raining all morning and finally stopped in the afternoon.


    The dark clouds had cleared and the sky was exceptionally clear.


    I sat by the window in the warm sunshine and drank tea.


    A cool breeze wasing in through the open window.


    I emptied my tea cup and looked out the window.


    The garden smelled of clear earth, and puddles of water had collected where the rain had fallen heavily. As I sat still on the couch, Tien walked in and looked surprised when she saw me.


    ¡°Youngdy, why are you so rxed? We need to get ready early now so we can arrive without dy.¡±


    At Tien¡¯s nagging, I had no choice but to get up from my seat. Today was the day the Empress had summoned me to the Imperial Pce.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    As the birth mother of my fianc¨¦, the Crown Prince, the Empress took no small interest in me. She cared about him greatly.


    The Empress was originally busy managing the inner pce, so she attended gatherings and banquets.


    However, Roxana rarely attended meetings hosted by her.


    That was why today¡¯s meeting was special.


    Why would the Empress invite me at this time? I didn¡¯t have a very good feeling about it. As I meekly sat down in front of the dresser, Tien touched my hair as Joan brought me a dress to wear to the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Youngdy, wear this ne.¡±


    Tien ced the ne that the Crown Prince had given me the other day on the table. It was the first time I had been invited by the Empress, and I was as nervous as she was. However, when I saw the maids of honor chatting with each other, even more nervous than I was, I was rather calmed by their appearance.


    I wore a dark blue dress with a sapphire ne and earrings, and a wide-brimmed hat. I then put on a pair of light gloves and held acy parasol in my hand.


    When I went downstairs, I found that a carriage had already arrived and was waiting for me. It was a gift from the imperial family.


    I rode in the carriage with the imperial knights escorting me.


    The horseman swung the whip once and the carriage began to move forward. As I gazed through the closed ss window at the scenery outside, I thought back to yesterday.


    ire had conspired with her own servant to entrap me.


    In the process, many people, including Lady Evans, were about to be harmed along with me. However, I think it was probably me that ire was targeting from the beginning. In the end, her n was foiled by the second Prince. And the only one who was taken away was the maid.


    But I couldn¡¯t put the annoying thought out of my mind. It must have taken ire a while to realize how the job had gone after all themotion.


    As far as I know, Baron Dana can¡¯t afford many servants.


    Besides, ire¡¯s maid had been handling her business for a long time.


    If ire cared about her, she would probably visit the Crown Prince by now and ask him for help to get the maid out.


    But since the job was already finished and all the people on site were scattered, the Crown Prince could not hold me responsible any longer.


    Of course, his behavior was always unexpected to me, so I wasn¡¯t sure how he would behave for ire this time.


    I didn¡¯t want anything ¡°unexpected¡± to happen anymore.


    Besides, if I remembered the cocky maid¡¯s attitude towards me yesterday in front of the second Prince, it was impossible to overlook this time.


    The maid dared to try to frame me.


    But to be released after only one day, isn¡¯t that a very easy and light punishment?


    I had no intention of letting the maid go so easily.


    The carriage that had been running for a while stopped when I awoke from my reverie. As I stepped out of the carriage, I was greeted by the attendants who were waiting for me in front of the castle gate.


    The servant led me to the West Pce, where the Empress lived.


    I could not take knights with swords into the pce, so I had to leave the knights who hade with me outside.


    I was apanied only by Annie and walked slowly along with the imperial servant. On the path leading to the West Pce, roses and lilies were arranged in a regr pattern.


    Arge artificial pond in a corner of the garden was filled with fish in gorgeous colors.


    Standing in front of the pce, I finally tensed and stiffened at the thought that the Empress was in there.


    I followed the servant into the Imperial Pce. A little further in, past the white stone building, several nobledies, including the Empress, had arrived and were chatting among themselves.


    As soon as I spotted them, they also spotted me. I made eye contact with one of them. She bent the corners of her eyes and smiled gently. Her gaze was kind and friendly to me.


    ¡°Princess Lillian.¡±


    The Empress called out to me. I greeted her, trying to keep up with the rest of the crowd.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see the Empress.¡±


    ¡°Please take a seat here.¡±


    The Empress pointed to the vacant seat next to her. It was a bit of a burden, but I had no other choice. I meekly sat down next to the Empress. The servant spontaneously poured tea into my cup.


    As I took my seat, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to me. The number of people gathered for the tea party was small, but except for me, the rest were all members of the Empress¡¯s entourage. So naturally I had to be nervous.


    I brought the teacup to my lips and tasted it. I may have been mistaken, but the tea tasted very simr to what I drank at Hermes.


    As I pondered for a while, thinking of Elvin¡¯s face that I had met a few days ago, a nobledy sitting across from me asked,


    ¡°Does the tea suit your pte?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s good. Try this too.¡±


    I nodded, and the Empress smiled. I did as she suggested and took a bite of the snack in front of me. It looked delicious, and the fancy shaped snack was not too sweet, and had a luxurious taste.


    They said that the new imperial chef was outstanding, and they didn¡¯t seem to be just talking.


    ¡°What do you think? Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Empress. And I¡¯m honored to be here today.¡±


    ¡°I thought you had a pretty face, but you have a beautiful voice too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡±


    The Empress¡¯s face as she gazed at me was filled with greatpassion.


    Today, she looked like apletely different person than she did when I saw her in public.


    The Empress who treated me friendly felt like a kind but ufortable rtive adult. All of them, including the Empress, who were now gathered at the table, were very friendly to me and the tea and snacks prepared for me were marvelously delicious.


    However, my mind was rather more ufortable than it would have been in a banquet hall full of people.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite. We¡¯ll be a family soon.¡±


    I nearly spat out the tea in my mouth at the casual words of the Empress. Roxana and the Crown Prince were already engaged and were nning to get married next year. I already knew this, but I was prepared to do something about it, and after hearing about it from others, I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment.


    However, I seemed to be the only one here who was surprised by the Empress¡¯s tant attitude. While I was trying to keep a smile and calm down my surprised mind, the Empress continued.


    ¡°To be blessed with such a fine wife. Jeremy is a lucky man.¡±


    In the Empress¡¯s mind, it seemed that my marriage to the Crown Prince was already a foregone conclusion.


    ¡°The Princess is beautiful and the Crown Prince is also outstanding, so it¡¯s a blessing for them both. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m already looking forward to it. I wonder how grand the wedding will be next year.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯sing up soon, so I¡¯ll start preparing my formal attire.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early for formal wear?¡±


    ¡°No. Only six months left. It¡¯s better to prepare early and wait than to preparete and be overwhelmed by the schedule.¡±


    The otherdies naturally added in. I chuckled awkwardly and silently brought the teacup to my mouth. Unlike earlier, I couldn¡¯t taste the tea.


    Unlike yesterday, the sky was cloudless and the weather was sunny. The air was cool because it had rained the day before, but not so cool that it felt chilly in the warm sunshine.


    In the peaceful atmosphere, friendly words came and went, the party continued with different thoughts. The nobledies were kind to me and the Empress took good care of me.


    But the Empress¡¯s attitude towards me was so burdensome that I feared she might have taken the snack I had just eaten.


    ¡°I have summoned you today, Princess, because there is something I wish to discuss with you.¡±


    The Empress, who had been talking meaninglessly for a while until the warm steamy tea had cooled, finally cut to the chase. I looked at her, unperturbed by the anxiety of not knowing what her next words would be.


    ¡°Next month will be the princess¡¯s birthday. I would like to hold a birthday banquet for you at the Crystal Pce, what do you think?¡±


    The Crystal Pce was located in the imperial Pce, and although the building was not made of crystal, it was as shining and beautiful as its name implied.


    It was often used by the imperial family to host important banquets and events. However, there have been only a few times when it has been opened for this purpose and not for the royal family.


    The Crown Prince and I were engaged, but we hadn¡¯t married yet.


    Therefore, I was not a member of the royal family. So it was out of line for me to hold a birthday party.


    Perhaps the Empress was worried about the rumors between me and the Crown Prince the other day? Or was it because of the news of the Duke¡¯s victory?


    I didn¡¯t know the exact reason, but judging from the Empress¡¯s attitude today, she seemed to want to proceed with the marriage as soon as possible. From the beginning, the Empress was kind to me, and her face was full ofpassion as she looked at me.


    But from the beginning, the Empress did not care about my reaction. She didn¡¯t even seem to think that I would reject her questions. Her attitude was very simr to the Crown Prince¡¯s arrogant attitude.


    I did not immediately know whether this attitude of the Empress would benefit me or bring disaster. But this time, it would bring about no small amount of change.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow the Empress¡¯s will.¡±


    I bowed my head slightly.


    It was not easy to correct prejudices once they had been engraved in people¡¯s minds. Despite the change in appearance, many of them were still hostile. It was like ire¡¯s maid yesterday.


    It was quite unnatural for a maid to behave in such a cheeky manner in front of a Princess.


    From this point of view, I think this was a good opportunity for me to change people¡¯s perception. It would allow me to imprint in their minds once again the prestige of the Duke of Lillian and our ce in the world.


    There was no special way to refuse the Empress¡¯s favor, so it was better to take advantage of what was avable as much as possible.


    ¡±I hope you can reply quickly. Then I¡¯ll send someone to the Duke¡¯s residence so I can discuss it with him.¡±


    The Empress smiled in satisfaction. It took a while, but the tea party was over nheless. One by one, thedies left their seats. I also got up to leave. The Empress stopped me.


    ¡°Princess, why are you in such a hurry? Is there something you are busy with?¡±


    When I hesitated and couldn¡¯t answer easily because I didn¡¯t understand her intention, the Empress asked softly.


    ¡°If you are not too busy, why don¡¯t you take a walk with me and then go back?¡±

 Chapter 49

    It was very ufortable and tiring to receive the Empress¡¯s attention in the midst of so many people.


    For this reason, I wanted to avoid being left alone with the Empress. I pondered for a while and then told her the truth.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but¡­I would like to visit His Highness while I¡¯m at the Imperial Pce.¡±


    The Empress¡¯s face brightened, as if she liked my answer.


    ¡°Oh I see. You should go now. If you want, you cane visit me anytime. I¡¯ll have a good tea ready for you.¡±


    The Empress said pleasantly.


    ¡°Yes, I will. Empress, I will take my leave now, please have a good rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I greeted the Empress with a smiling face and stepped away.


    But I would never go looking for the Empress on my own to have tea with her.


    I already knew the way, but the attendant the Empress assigned to me politely and kindly to show me the way.


    He led me all the way, and I walked with ease.


    When I arrived in front of the East Pce where the Crown Prince was staying, I sent him back.


    He told me where the Crown Prince was, and left quietly.


    I went to the Crown Prince¡¯s office.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    The knights guarding the front of the Crown Prince¡¯s office looked at me awkwardly when they saw me. Inside the office, I heard two voices, as if the Crown Prince was talking to someone.


    ¡°Is His Highness inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But ¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine.¡±


    As I tried to open the door to go inside, the knights stopped me. I frowned and asked them.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a guest inside.¡±


    In their eyes right now, I seemed to be a rude and insane person who had no basic courtesy and annoyed the Crown Prince by visiting him.


    It was not wrong.


    But I didn¡¯t like the way they looked at me, treating me like I was trouble.


    ¡°I know that. So why aren¡¯t you moving?¡±


    When I said coldly, with a deliberately unpleasant look on my face, they moved away, looking as if they had no choice.


    I quietly grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. I saw the two figures inside.


    ¡°My maid is innocent.¡±


    ire said.


    Herrge eyes were filled with tears.


    It seemed so pitiful and true when the beautiful womanined with tears. On the other side of ire, the Crown Prince was sitting.


    He looked a little surprised when he spotted me.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s reaction caused ire to turn to me a littleter.


    Perhaps it was because she remembered what happened yesterday, but there was a hint of anger and resentment in her eyes as she stared at me.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A strange silence fell over the room.


    I could see the steam still rising from the tea kettle in front of them.


    I thought I waste because the tea party had gone on longer than expected, but fortunately it was not thatte. I looked at the Crown Prince and spoke with an indifferent expression.


    ¡°It seems that I have interrupted you.¡±


    The Crown Prince then stood up with a panicked look on his face.


    ¡°No¡­..You didn¡¯t disturb me at all.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked troubled and slurred his words.


    He looked very ufortable with this situation now. He frowned with a puzzled expression.


    The Crown Prince seemed to be hoping that ire would excuse herself. But despite his gaze, ire did not move from her seat.


    The Crown Prince sighed tiredly at the sight of her.


    ¡°By the way, Roxana, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I was having tea with the Empress. So I thought I should drop by and thank you for the gift you sent me. But I think I picked the wrong day toe.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­..¡±


    The Crown Prince seemed to have nothing more to say when I mentioned the Empress.


    ire¡¯splexion also darkened rapidly. She gazed at the ne on my neck and bit her lip.


    Was it the ne, or was it the mention of the Empress that had provoked her?


    I was strangely amused, albeit disgusted, to see ire expressing such hostility in front of me, with no intention of hiding it.


    As far as I know, the Empress was not on good terms with ire. The Empress seemed dissatisfied with ire¡¯s attachment to the Crown Prince.


    But ire wanted to be close to her. The Crown Prince¡¯s favor alone could be of much benefit, but people still took ire lightly and ignored her.


    Because of this situation, with the power of the Empress, who was a powerful socialite, would be perfect for ire.


    As far as I know, ire made numerous efforts to win the Empress¡¯s favor by sending letters and gifts, but I heard that she was ignored every time.


    The Empress did not make the slightest effort to look at ire, even in public. In fact, I heard that the Empress was so displeased with ire that she didn¡¯t even take her seriously.


    She was born as the legitimate daughter of a prestigious family and became the Empress, so naturally ire did not catch her eyes.


    ire was of too low a status to be dating the Crown Prince.


    Besides, re¡¯s family was Baronial and would be of no use to the Crown Prince in the future. It was also the reason why the Crown Prince started dating ire and people saw him and talked about him behind his back.


    ¡°Were you and Lady Dana perhaps talking about something I¡¯m not supposed to hear? If that¡¯s the case, I was too careless.¡±


    The Crown Prince immediately denied my words, shaking his head.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. ire, if you¡¯re done with what you had to say, go home.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ire looked surprised and quickly rose from her seat. She opened her eyes wide and looked at the Crown Prince as if he was being ridiculous.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me what to do with my maid yet.¡±


    There was already a full sign of annoyance on the Crown Prince¡¯s face. However, ire did not retreat, whether out of concern for the safety of the maid who was currently being held captive or her pride.


    Eventually, the Crown Prince sighed and then turned his head towards me again.


    ¡°Roxana, while you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll ask you something. I heard that you were there yesterday when the ident happened.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s gaze on me was not filled with anger like before.


    Nor was his tone of voice loud.


    However, the fact that he was now here to receive ire¡¯sint and turn the arrow on me was enough to hurt my pride and make me feel unpleasant.


    Except for the first day I fell into this world, this was the first time the three of us hade together like this.


    However, looking at the Crown Prince¡¯s current demeanor, he had not changed at all from that day. It wasn¡¯t too surprising, but it didn¡¯t feel good.


    I sighed and straightened up to correct his words.


    ¡°To be exact, I was there with otherdies and went out because I was surprised by the scream after the ident. Why do you ask such questions?¡±


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t see anything that day?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me with aplicated gaze.


    Hearing him, he was not only suspicious of me, he was convinced that I was involved in what happened.


    He seemed to want me to be honest and admit my mistake now.


    However, I had neither the intention nor the reason to do so.


    I had nothing to do with what had happened yesterday at Count Evans¡¯ residence. I had nothing to do with the fact that ire had copsed at the bottom of the stairs, let alone the fact that I had teased, ignored and insulted her.


    Of course, even if I had intended to hurt ire, there was no way I would have disclosed that fact here.


    ¡°Now that I look at it, it seems that Your Highness suspects me after hearing Lady Dana¡¯s words and is trying to pursue me. I¡¯m curious, so I have to answer.¡±


    I said deliberately with a stiff expression.


    When I showed my displeasure, the Crown Prince looked troubled. But he neither apologized nor retracted his words.


    ¡°I was with the otherdies all that day and never once left my seat. If you don¡¯t believe my story, send someone to check it out.¡±


    I red at the Crown Prince with a cold face.


    The Crown Prince finally had no choice but to apologize to me with an apologetic look on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant to ask. I just wanted to ¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    I cut him off mid-sentence and said coldly p.


    ¡°If you still have unanswered questions, send them formally to the Duke¡¯s residence.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯splexion turned white.


    He had no intention of raising this problem from the beginning, so he was quite perplexed by what I just said.


    Duke Lillian had made a great achievement this time, and the people respected him.


    The Emperor also showed his respect.


    Furthermore, the Emperor personally offered a gift to me, the Duke¡¯s daughter, in public showing how satisfied the Emperor was with what the Duke had achieved.


    If the Crown Prince med me for a trivial matter that happened when I was with otherdies, and asked me to take responsibility for it, it was a treatment that disregarded Duke Lillian, and furthermore, it hurt the emperor¡¯s reputation.


    No matter how much the Crown Prince cared and favored ire, he was in the middle of a chaotic time with the return of the second Prince.


    There was no way he would do such a foolish thing at this time of confusion. The Crown Prince had a difficult time with the Emperor from an early age.


    In order to protect his position, he should not take any more actions that would make the Emperor hate him.


    ¡°Since Your Highness suspected me, I¡¯ll investigate this matter to prove my innocence.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    The Crown Prince opened his eyes wide in surprise. I pretended not to see it and continued calmly.


    ¡°The only person who saw the scene of the ident that day was the maid, so perhaps if you interrogate her, she will tell us something.¡±


    ire¡¯s face went pale.


    ¡°I believe you, Roxana. So there¡¯s no need for you to take on such a hassle because I offended you.¡±


    The Crown Prince said in a gentle voice that seemed to soothe me.


    However, I was more than adamant and had no intention of retreating.


    ¡°Does Your Highness really believe me and want me to back out of this, or are you worried that I will harm the maid and that Lady Dana will be hurt by it?¡±


    ¡°No, Roxana. What I meant was¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then Your Highness should stay out of this. I will handle the job very ¡®fairly¡¯ this time.¡±


    ¡°All right. Do as you wish. I will leave it to you.¡±


    The Crown Prince said as if giving up.


    He tried to smile, but he looked frustrated.


    However, I was satisfied because I got the answer I wanted. Now this matter was out of his hands.


    If there was anything unfair or suspicious, there was no more way out for the maid. Even if the maid did not confess to the end or there was no relevant evidence, she could still be punished with a crime under the pretext that she didn¡¯t serve her master properly.


    Thus, the maid would meet a bad end no matter what.


    But this was only an example.


    I still couldn¡¯t forget the scene when the ident urred at Count Evans¡¯ residence.


    I could still clearly see her hateful gaze andnguage, the way she interrupted the conversation between the second Prince and me, ncing at me and trying to use me of sins.


    Even if ire, her Master, was favored by the Crown Prince, it did not increase her status as a maid.


    Besides, I was the future Crown Princess. There shouldn¡¯t be aparison between me and a Baron¡¯s daughter.

 Chapter 50

    In other words, the maid¡¯s disrespectful attitude yesterday opened my mind. ire and even her maid looked down on me, so if I let this go lightly, it would happen again.


    So I was going to look into this matter and punish those involved severely to make sure it wouldn¡¯t happen again. There was nothing wrong with just having to deal with it myself instead of borrowing someone else¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Well then, Your Highness, I¡¯m going to leave now, I have a new job that will keep me busy for the time being.¡±


    That was enough for today, as the Crown Prince had at least made a promise that he would leave the maid¡¯s matter to me. ire¡¯s gaze became even steeper as she looked at me as if she was unhappy with the Crown Prince¡¯s decision.


    I stared at her with a cold stare, the edges of my lips slightly raised.


    ¡°Lady, why do you seek to entrap and persecute the innocent?¡±


    The corners of ire¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red as if she was really upset. I asked, looking at her like that with a numb face.


    ¡°Lady Dana, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My maid is innocent of any wrongdoing. The person who pushed me down the stairs yesterday was not my maid.¡±


    ¡°Many people know that Lady Dana has a beautiful heart, but you should learn when to step up and when not to.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ire frowned.


    ¡°Even though the maid has been by your side for a long time, you shouldn¡¯t cover for her when she does something wrong. No matter how kind hearted Lady Dana is, trying to insist on her innocence like this is a bit much, I must say. Is there some other reason why you¡¯re trying to protect the maid so much?¡± (Roxana)


    There were certainly many suspicious things about the ident that happened yesterday.


    It might look as if someone had been sent to kill ire. Even if the party who had caused it had not been there, it was still possible that that person had the power and means to manipte people behind the scenes.


    I fitted the criteria because I had a grudge against ire.


    And people knew that.


    But now that there was no evidence anywhere that I had ordered anyone to hurt ire, plus the fact that even the Crown Prince, who was on her side, had let go of her hand, there was nothing she could do.


    The only thing she could do was to hold on to this incident and let people see me as a ¡°wicked woman¡± who only believed in power and bullying people.


    Roxana¡¯s reputation was already bad enough as it was, so one more minor charge wouldn¡¯t make much difference.


    ¡°That¡¯s just spection. The Princess continues to try to pin the crime on an innocent person. My maid is innocent.¡± (ire)


    By all ounts, ire¡¯s demeanor today was strange.


    ire was usually calm and patient. She knew when to step back and Roxanna was always troubled when dealing with her. But today, ire was like a different person. She was easily excited, easily expressed her emotions.


    She didn¡¯t even try to listen to the Crown Prince¡¯s words.


    This meant that ire was emotionally cornered. It was not only the capture of the maid that made her lose her self-control. Recently, ire has experienced no small amount of change as a result of my actions.


    ire pretended to be calm, but in reality, she was not. I turned to ire with a calm face and said.


    ¡°The knights from the imperial family and Count Evans investigated thoroughly, but the most suspicious person was your maid. Isn¡¯t it natural to suspect the most powerful person as the culprit? Besides, the maid has alreadymitted the crime.¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    ire¡¯s face was as beautiful as ever.


    However, her brow was furrowed and she didn¡¯t look as soft and gentle as she usually did.


    ire¡¯s stare at me with a hint of venom in it reminded me of the ck eyes of a snake.


    I looked at her and said calmly with a gentle smile.


    ¡°It is only natural to hold the maid responsible for the problems caused by her inability to take good care of her master.¡±


    ¡°When did the Princess be so concerned about me? I was the party in question, and it was someone else who pushed me that day¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°ire!¡±


    Eventually, the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t take it anymore and raised his voice.


    His angry rage surprised me a bit, and ire seemed more surprised.


    ¡°Leave now.¡±


    The Crown Prince said firmly.


    His gaze at ire was filled with warning.


    The tears that had been pooling in both of ire¡¯srge eyes eventually flowed down her white cheeks as the Crown Prince decisively gave her the order to leave.


    ire turned and walked out and bit her lip.


    The sight of her frail body trembling and shaking looked so pitiful to see. ire had a look of regret on her face, but it seemed more like resentment and embarrassment.


    Today was the first major humiliation she had ever experienced.


    ire was low in status, but arrogant.


    She always ignored Roxana. Up until now, when the three of them met in one ce, the Crown Prince always sided with ire, not her fianc¨¦e Roxana.


    Today, however, was different. Earlier, the Crown Prince took my side and not ire¡¯s, and it was she, not I, who retreated in defeat. Not only was she leaving without aplishing a single thing she had hoped for, but it was the person whom she usually ignored the most made the oue of it all.


    For ire, who thought so highly of herself, today would be a good memory that she would never forget. The higher her vanity, the more she would be ashamed to admit her defeat and retreat. I said in a worried voice as I stared at her before ire left the room.


    ¡°Lady Dana looks perfectly fine for someone who fell down the stairs, but you should still report to the doctor just in case.¡±


    ire¡¯s gaze turned to me. The Crown Prince may not know the meaning of my words right now, but ire would understand.


    Perhaps that was why her face was a little stiff. As I looked at her, I added a few words with a smiling face.


    ¡°From what I saw, the injury may not be to your body, but to your head.¡±


    Upon hearing me, ire paused and stared at me for a moment, then quickly turned her body and stepped out of the room. After she left, the Crown Princes and I were the only ones left in therge room.


    ¡°Then I will leave now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡±


    There was no reason for me to remain here any longer, since I had achieved what I wanted. I greeted the Crown Prince and was about to leave immediately, but he held me back.


    ¡°I will be ready in a moment. Let¡¯s go for a walk together for the first time in a while. ¡°


    Earlier, I not only annoyed the Crown Prince¡¯s favored ire, but I even threatened him, believing in the authority of the family.


    I had a feeling that he was trying to me me for what I did earlier for which he held me back, but from the look on his face, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.


    If the Crown Prince had been able to endure my irreverence and ovee it, I should be able to suppress my displeasure and smile beside him as well. As before, I think pretentious friendship is better than quarrels.


    Soon there would be two grand banquets in the royal household, and there would be no gain to fight with him.


    ¡°I will wait outside then.¡±


    When I agreed, the Crown Prince looked at me with a slightlyplicated expression and nodded. After seeing him put the heavy coat he was wearing on a hanger and go into the back room, I stepped out.


    I pushed the doorknob and stepped outside to find ire standing in front of it. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t left even though it had been a while, it seemed that she still had something to say to me.


    When ire tried to approach me, Annie blocked her. I told Annie to step aside and faced ire.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a minute.¡± (ire)


    ¡°You¡¯re still rude, aren¡¯t you? First of all, it¡¯s polite to greet your superiors.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have to put on a pretentious smile because there was no one here to protect ire anymore.


    Annie was nervous about what ire might do to me. But this was an unfounded fear. This was the Imperial Pce and there were many people.


    If she tried to harm me, Duke Lillian¡¯s only daughter, in public, she would be heavily punished.


    If I were to be severely injured or died, then she would not be able to die beautifully even if the Crown Prince did everything in his power to protect ire.


    ire has never had the courage or ability to do anything more than ying tricks with her three-inch tongue before. So I had not the slightest reason to be afraid of her now.


    I walked around a bit to find a ce that wasn¡¯t crowded. It was not easy to talkfortably in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s pce. As I took the lead, Annie and ire followed me. After a while I stopped at the end of a back hallway.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s guards were standing far away, but at this distance they should not have been able to hear what I was saying.


    ¡°Are you happy that things are going like this?¡±


    ire asked. She seemed to be asking about the maid, but her words seemed to carry a lot of meaning. Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help butugh. The Crown Prince was Roxana¡¯s fianc¨¦ long before ire appeared in society.


    However, ire now dared to act like someone who had been robbed of her position in front of me. I didn¡¯t like the Crown Prince romantically, so there was no need to be angry, but I was puzzled. Instead of pointing out ire¡¯s attitude and getting angry, I opened my mouth with a pleasant face.


    ¡°Is there any reason why I shouldn¡¯t be happy? The weather is nice, the Empress is good to me, and the Crown Prince has been sweet to metely.¡±


    ire¡¯s face became twisted. Her face immediately flushed red as she saw through the mockery in my words. ire gritted her teeth, finding it difficult to control her emotions. I looked at her and continued.


    ¡°The Emperor asked me to tell him anything I want for my birthday present. What do you think I should ask?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ire was silent for a moment as the Emperor was mentioned. For her, who had to be wary of the Crown Prince and could not reach the Empress, the Emperor was someone whom she couldn¡¯t dare to look at.


    How she was angry and frustrated in front of Lady Flynn before, she could easily handle the mention of the Emperor better than I thought she could.


    A few momentster, ire opened her mouth again.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my maid who pushed me down the stairs.¡±


    ¡°I know that. I knew from the beginning that you conspired with your maid. Perhaps by now, His Highness the Crown Prince may have guessed.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    ire¡¯s eyes widened with a look that said it couldn¡¯t be. After shedding her gentle and soft mask, ire¡¯s true face was hideous. I couldn¡¯t help but feel pity that the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t see this face right now.


    ¡°You seem to think very highly of your maid, but even if the culprit is someone else, it has nothing to do with me. Your maid will be punished no matter what.¡±


    ire lowered her gaze down as if she had given up.


    I don¡¯t know what she was thinking, but her face looked veryplicated now.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that an innocent person had to suffer because of the master¡¯s mismanagement.¡±


    Getting a little bored, I turned away from her and looked at the sky. I stayed in the imperial Pce longer than expected because it was already getting dark outside.


    The red sunset gave off a golden glow, and the flowers and grasses blooming in the garden were tinged with sunset.


    I frowned while looking at the scene.


    ¡®Was it my imagination? I think someone is there¡­¡­.¡¯


    I think I saw a figure from the bushes, but it disappeared so quickly that I couldn¡¯t be sure what it was that I saw.

 Chapter 51

    ¡°I must have underestimated you. I didn¡¯t know before that you were so clever.¡±


    ire stared at me, her gaze unfocused. She called me by a different name than before, perhaps because she thought there was nothing more to hesitate about. But there was something else that bothered me more than her rude words. Earlier, ire¡¯s face had looked like that of someone who was agitated.


    Now, however, she looked very calm. But she couldn¡¯t hide the hatred glowing with an eerie light in her gaze. What ire had just said was so out of courtesy that I could punish her if I want to take issue with this.


    But now that we were alone, who would believe me if I called it into question?


    So instead of pointing out ire¡¯s arrogance, I smiled lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Then, I¡¯ll be on my way. I don¡¯t know how I got over the crisis by ident this time, but I don¡¯t know if such good fortune will befall the Princess next time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of y you¡¯ll prepare next time, but since you¡¯re so confident, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    After the short conversation, we each took a step in opposite directions.


    I quickly left the building and went to the garden. I walked a little further through a chest-high wall of grass and saw arge tree. I may have been mistaken, but I seemed to have made eye contact with someone who was standing here earlier.


    ¡°Who are you looking for so desperately?¡±


    I turned my head to the sound and saw Elvin standing there. Today, he was wearing a white shirt and a dark blue coat with low saturation. The cor and edges of the coat were borately embroidered with gold thread.


    The vest he wore inside was also embroidered with gold thread, making him look very gorgeous. It was the first time I had seen his face in such bright light, and I felt a little nervous. The red light from the sun dyed his profile a red color.


    He had white skin, straight eyebrows, a high nose, a sharp chin, slightly long and sharp eyes, and red lips.


    It was true that Elvin¡¯s appearance was something to marvel at.


    And the atmosphere overwhelmed people. Even though it wasn¡¯t the first time I saw him, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him.


    However, his behavior was like that of a stray cat. He was unpredictable. He came to visit me when I hadn¡¯t invited him.


    Come to think of it, he and a cat looked a little alike. Of course, with his tall, elevated shoulders, he looked more like a lion or leopard than a small, cute cat. Elvin slowly walked towards me with a smiling face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the person you¡¯re looking for is the Crown Prince. Could it be that you were looking for me?¡± (Elvin)


    ¡°I just came to check because I think I saw someone suspicious.¡± (Rox)


    ¡°A Princess without a guard? You¡¯re brave. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do that.¡±(Elvin)


    It was not an action that I had thought about deeply.


    I immediately denied Elvin¡¯s words inwardly.


    However, I felt a little embarrassed, as if my true intentions had been exposed and I was trying to hide them.


    ¡°Why were the Lord in the same ce? Were you waiting for me?¡±


    I tried not to y with the tone that seemed to tease me, so I asked back.


    But Elvin nodded casually.


    I immediately regretted saying those words. I felt even more embarrassed when he admitted it honestly.


    I was a little flustered.


    But Elvin continued on, unconcerned about my reaction.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know we¡¯d reunite this soon. By the way¡­ Are you here to meet His Highness?¡± (Elvin)


    ¡°I have a few things to take care of.¡± (Rox)


    Elvin stared at me, his eyes narrowed.


    When my eyes met his, I naturally flinched, as if I were a mouse in front of a cat.


    ¡°I heard that there was a small ident at the Count Evans¡¯ residence yesterday. Is what you have to deal with rted to yesterday?¡± (Elvin)


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t something that the Lord would be interested in. It was just a small ident.¡± (Rox)


    ¡°Is that so?¡± (Elvin)


    It was a searching question, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he already knew. Since he was the head of the Hermes of information trading, there was no reason to be surprised that he knew what happened yesterday.


    ¡°May I ask what you and Lady Dana talked about?¡±


    ¡°Has the Lord been waiting to interrogate me?¡±


    When I pointed out that Elvin had crossed the line, he fell silent.


    ¡°Of course not. If my question was rude, I apologize.¡±


    Unlike his polite demeanor, Elvin¡¯s gaze was still mischievous.


    ¡°Is this the fourth time the Lord and I have met like this?¡±


    Today, Elvin¡¯s attitude toward me was that of a friend. However, this was only the fourth time he had appeared in front of me as the Grand Duke of Croix, including the first day I fell into this world.


    The number of times I had encountered Elvin was not very many. He and I had exchanged a few words of greeting, but it was nothing special. When I pointed it out, his smile faded a bit.


    But he immediately smiled brighter than before and shook my hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t introduced myself properly. I¡¯m Elvin Croix.¡±


    Elvin kissed the back of my hand briefly.


    Something warm and soft fell over the thin gloves after a few moments of touching. We were not even at the banquet hall, what was he doing now?


    But when I took my hand back, he looked unconcerned. Looking at his calm face, even my remaining anger disappeared.


    ¡°It¡¯s the fifth time, to be exact. But I¡¯m honored. I didn¡¯t know that the Princess had counted every single time she had run into me.¡±


    I wrinkled my brow and red at Elvin.


    ¡°That sounds like something someone would misunderstand if they heard it. It seems that the Lord is not even afraid of being used of having an illicit rtionship with the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡±


    I pointed out Elvin¡¯s boldness that he didn¡¯t even care about the Imperial family. Nevertheless, he still looked down at me with a calm face.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m afraid. But if it¡¯s worth it, I have to take a certain amount of risk.


    I thought the Crown Prince was the best when it came to unpredictable behavior, but now I thought differently. When I first saw him, I thought he was good and weak-minded. With Elvin, I thought he was a man of deeppassion and unfathomable depths. But now he seemed like a very light person in terms of rationality, perhaps because he was a cousin to the Crown Prince. Or was it because he has helped me, or because of his outstanding appearance?


    Unlike when I met the Crown Prince, I did not feel unpleasant. But he was still suspicious.


    When I met him at Hermes, he hid his face with a mask to conceal his identity, but now he came to the Imperial Pce and proudly revealed that he knew me¡­. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was trying to hide his true identity or if he was just trying to be found.


    ¡°Since when have you two been so close?¡±


    It was then. I didn¡¯t know how long he had been here, but the Crown Prince was not too far away, looking at us with a twisted face. His cold, stiff face was filled with difort. He was unhappy with the current situation.


    ¡°Time¡¯s up, so I¡¯ll be on my way. I hope we can talk longer next time.¡±


    When the Crown Prince approached, Elvin looked at me and said his goodbyes. Then he walked past the Crown Prince. Elvin¡¯s attitude toward the Crown Prince of the country was very rude and arrogant.


    For an attitude towards the crown prince of the country he belonged to, Erwin¡¯s attitude was overly rude and arrogant. The Crown Prince¡¯s face twisted as his pride was hurt.


    ¡°Arrogant b*stard¡­.¡±


    The Crown Prince clenched his teeth so hard that I could hear it. I watched him with amusement. If I had to say, I was closer to the Crown Prince than Elvin. However, I remembered that earlier the Crown Prince had pointed an arrow at me in response to ire¡¯sint. Every time he stood in front of ire, he trampled on his fianc¨¦e¡¯s pride and honor. There was no reason why I couldn¡¯t act like him too.


    Sure, it was a little different this time, not because I embarked on it, but because a third party has that perspective. It was rather a good thing that I could see the Crown Prince being indignant even if I didn¡¯te out directly.


    ¡®Elvin Croix.¡¯ I smiled as I thought of his face.


    It was not yet known whose side Elvin would be on. But after what he had just done, I developed a bit of a liking for him. Apart from the Emperor, who else besides Elvin could really be capable of insulting the Crown Prince that much? The Crown Prince was angry, but he calmed his anger faster than before.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He still seemed to be in a bad mood, but with a smiling face he held out his arm to me. His smiled looked certainly unnatural. But I didn¡¯t care and silently ced my hand on his arm. The Crown Prince took me to a garden at the back of the East Pce.


    There were several gardens in the Imperial Pce, but this one was a little special, unlike the others. There was a collection of rare varieties of flowers that could not be seen outside. These were all rare and even a single flower was of great value.


    Therefore, not only were people not allowed in and out of this ce, but if the gardener damaged the flowers, he would surely be severely punished. I have always loved to look at flowers. Under the care of the gardener, the flowers, strictly controlled, formed a harmony. It was the first time in my life that I saw such a beautiful scene.


    ¡°You look very happy.¡±


    I was admiring a kind of rare purple flower for the first time when I noticed the Crown Prince¡¯s voice.


    ¡®Did I give off too much good feeling without knowing it?¡¯


    I took a step back to manage my expression. But it seemed toote.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because you like the garden. Is it because of Elvin?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked. There was a hint of doubt in his voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what Your Highness is talking about.¡±


    When I denied it, the Crown Prince looked even more suspicious.


    ¡°What exactly is your rtionship with Elvin?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard that question before. The answer I will give you is the same as that time. I am not rted to him in any way.¡±


    The Crown Prince wrinkled his brow at my answer. My answer seemed to frustrate him.


    ¡°Then why did Elvin say¡­.¡±


    The Crown Prince fell silent, not concluding his words. For some reason, his expression was worse than before.


    I didn¡¯t want to argue with him unnecessarily when he was already in a bad mood. He kept his mouth shut and said very little, as if he was unhappy about something.


    I also didn¡¯t talk to him first or try to warm up the atmosphere. So naturally, the atmosphere afterwards was cold. We walked silently for a long time. The garden was still beautiful, but it was no longer visible in my eyes.


    ¡°My servant can take you home.¡±


    The Crown Prince said to me after our walk was over. After a while, his expression became a little calmer. I couldn¡¯t tell if his anger had subsided or if he was suppressing it.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I declined his favor at once and climbed into the carriage.


    ¡°It was fun to see the garden. Then, Your Highness, see you next time.¡±


    After my greeting, the carriage started moving. Then I nced at the Crown Prince through the window. But he was looking down, so I couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly. The carriage drove fast. I looked out the window and saw that the setting sun had turned the golden fields red.


    The sky was a mysterious mixture of red and blue, and there was already a crescent moon in the sky. It was early evening. When I returned to the mansion, there was white smoke rising from the chimney as if food was being prepared in the kitchen.


    As soon as I returned, I went to see Stephen. I told him about the events of yesterday and today. Then, I had Stephen to bring in the maid at the Count Evans¡¯ residence.

 Chapter 52

    From what I saw today, ire seemed to be very protective of her maid. She seemed to be a little obsessed with her beyond what I felt was necessary.


    Was ire such a kind and generous person? Or did she have a different intention?


    Of course ire wasn¡¯t a good person, but she might be the type of person who was good at what she did.


    Because even bad people have a certain amount ofpassion and righteousness in them.


    But I decided to prepare for the unexpected situation.


    ¡°If the knight brings Lady Dana¡¯s maid tomorrow, you can question her. She might know other important things.¡±


    I had faith in thepetence of the knights of the family. But in fact, it didn¡¯t matter if they didn¡¯t get any information from the maid.


    ire was clever, but the power she possessed was not enough to threaten me. The only thing she could do was either rely on the favor of the Crown Prince or provoke me into embarrassing myself. Now, however, both cases were impossible.


    The Duke of Lillian was the current emperor¡¯s trusted god, and many people were praising him for his great achievement this time.


    There was no way that the Crown Prince would threaten me, the Duke¡¯s daughter, because the Duke of Lillian was more powerful than ever before.


    No matter how much the Crown Prince favored ire, there was no way he would take care of her by creating something that would jeopardize his position.


    The only reason why he had been able to ignore and neglect Roxanna until now was because she endured and tolerated him alone instead of telling the Duke about all the insults.


    Of course, if Roxanna was hiding it, there was no way the Duke wouldn¡¯t know about it, but he hadn¡¯t said anything yet. I was actually in a bit of a confused state.


    ¡®What does the Duke think of Roxanna?¡¯


    Roxanna was the Duke¡¯s only daughter.


    The three got along quite well until the Duchess died.


    It was true that the Duke¡¯s attitude was a bit ambiguous, for what parent in the world would hate their own child? Even if the Duke cared about his daughter and loved her, there was no way he would honestly forgive her for breaking off the engagement.


    After Roxanna had forced Duke Lillian to side with the Crown Prince, the family had mobilized a huge amount of money to pay for his services. So If I were to break the engagement, everything would be in vain.


    Moreover, the struggle for the throne was not that simple.


    Originally, when a new emperor ascended to the throne, a new era would be opened.


    The old would be reced and those who stood on the other side would be oppressed. Thus, there were countless families that disappeared in the course of history.


    I tried to establish a friendship with the second Prince, just in case.


    It wasn¡¯t easy, since we stood on different sides, but unlike when we first met, the way the second Prince treated me now was more favorable. Of course, there was nothing I could say with any confidence yet.


    The current situation was changing rapidly, and many people were showing unexpected behavior.


    Of all of them, the most unpredictable was still¡­¡­¡­.


    Grand Duke Croix.


    I thought of Elvin¡¯s face as I was tying my hair.


    Thest time I was in a jewelry store, I bought a brooch. I didn¡¯t know when I¡¯d give it to him, so it was still left on the dresser.


    The battle for the throne was still in progress, and now was the most intense. Theposition of the war for the throne could change at any time until aplete winner was decided.


    Looking at the current situation alone, the Crown Prince¡¯s side seemed to have the upper hand.


    However, there was a possibility that apletely unforeseen variable might appear.


    For example, someone like Elvin.


    I decided to wait and see a little more and formte countermeasures.


    ***


    ¡°Lady Dana.¡±


    ire was happily greeted by the nanny who was waiting for her in her room when she returned.


    ¡°Lady, have you met the Crown Prince? What did he say?¡±


    The nanny may have asked innocently, but her words provoked ire¡¯s barely maintained reason. ire approached the window and threw the vase onto the floor.


    Crash!


    The vase, which was made of white porcin with small yellow flowers in it, hit the floor with a rumbling sound and shattered. The maid, who was cleaning the room, was surprised by the sound and opened her eyes wide and looked this way.


    It was then that the nanny realized that ire was in a bad mood. The nanny frowned at the maid and motioned for her to leave.


    If her master was in a bad mood and she was in in sight, she could end up in a somewhat terrible situation. Knowing that her master was not as gentle as she appeared to be, the maid bowed and quietly slipped out of the room.


    Even after the maid had left, ire didn¡¯t seem to be relieved. With her shoeless feet, ire stepped on the flowers that had fallen on the. Then she sat down on the bed and asked with a tearful face.


    ¡°Nanny, how could His Highness do this to me?¡±


    At ire¡¯s question, the nanny looked at her with a frustrated expression.


    ¡°What happened at the Imperial Pce?¡±


    The nanny asked, but ire didn¡¯t reply, just stared at the ground. Herrge eyes were filled with tears before she knew it. The Crown Prince would no longer visit her unless she went to him first. And he and the Princess got along quite well now.


    When she heard it, she thought it was fortunate that she did not attend the banquet under the pretext of being sick. The Crown Prince loved her (ire), but he couldn¡¯t help but be wary of the Princess.


    So she tried to understand. But even so, it was awful that he didn¡¯t show up for weeks when she was in pain. She put up with it and moved on. The Crown Prince had always been busy, but after the second Prince returned home, he was tormented by even more work.


    She was disappointed, but she understood.


    She had to bear with it because she had a high ranking and good lover. However, she could not forgive the fact that the Crown Prince had left her to visit the Princess.


    Now that she thought about it, the word ¡°busy¡± was just an excuse, and the real reason why he hadn¡¯te to see her before was for the sake of the Princess. It was unbearable to remember the Prince who was angry with her and the arrogant Princess with her smart words.


    ¡°I want to be alone, please leave.¡±


    ¡°But ¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Just leave me alone, please.¡±


    ire¡¯s voice was sharper than usual. The nanny was worried, but after hearing her determined order, she had no choice but to leave. ire, left alone in the room, wrapped her arms around her and trembled.


    Earlier, she was barely able to maintain herposure in front of the Princess. But now that there was no one here, she had no reason to hold back her anger. Just then, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°I told you not to let anyone in!¡±


    ire, offended, screamed at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    It was the voice of the nanny from earlier.


    ¡°Viscountess Willis hase to see you.¡±


    The nanny said in a slightly troubled voice.


    ¡°Tell her to go home, I¡¯m not in the mood to see anyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will tell her that.¡±


    ire refused coldly, but changed her mind just before the nanny was about to leave.


    ¡°No, wait. Tell her I¡¯ll be right there and meet me in the parlor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    As the nanny¡¯s footsteps moved away, ire checked her appearance in front of the mirror. The corners of her eyes were a little red, but not significantly so.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡¯


    ire wiped her tears with her handkerchief and went to the parlor. Her maid was being transferred to Duke Lillian¡¯s residence today.


    The maid might be able to trick the Princess, but she might reveal the matter to the Duke. The thought that Roxana might find out that she had her nanny (Roxana¡¯s nanny =Viscountess Willis) with her made ire angry again.


    Viscountess Willis was closest to the Princess for a long time, watching over her. There was probably no one in the world who knew the Princess better than she did.


    It was for this reason that ire had offered her hand to Viscountess Willis first. Her own family was not wealthy. Her father, the Baron, was a stingy man, so he was reluctant to spend money on his daughter.


    But to get one person on her side, she needed a lot of money. So ire had to get rid of some of the dresses and jewels she had received from the Crown Prince to make money.


    But if the maid confessed and Roxana found out ire had her abandoned nanny. She didn¡¯t have much. Even so, she had to spend a lot of money on Roxana¡¯s nanny.


    Baron Dana¡¯s mansion was notrge. Compared to other aristocratic mansions in the capital, it was of a shabby standard. Because of this, ire arrived at the parlor quickly, even though she walked quite slowly.


    She opened the closed door and stepped inside. Inside the parlor, there was nothing special that could be called furniture, except for a table and a sofa in the middle of the room. There were not many ornaments decorating the room, and even those were old and shabby.


    Because of this, the guest room at Baron Dana¡¯s was not a nobleman¡¯s mansion, but rather the room of an affluentmoner. And in it sat a middle-aged woman with the shabbiest of clothes and an exhaustedplexion.


    ¡°Lady Dana.¡±


    Viscountess Willis greeted ire with a gentle smile. However, Viscountess Willis was not as graceful as she usually was, and she seemed to be in a hurry.


    Her gaze revealed a hint of nervousness.


    ire walked neither fast nor slow and took a seat opposite her.


    ¡°I said I wanted to find the whereabouts of your daughter, who ran away. Fortunately, someone has seen her. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think I can help you anymore.¡± (ire)


    Viscountess Willis¡¯s face twisted into a strange expression for a moment. However, she smiled awkwardly and looked at ire.


    ¡°But Lady, you said you could help¡­.¡±


    ¡°At the time I was sorry to hear about your situation and made every effort to help you. But now the situation has changed.¡± (ire)


    re didn¡¯t even order the maids to bring the tea to entertain the guest. Today ire was cold towards Viscountess Willis. She was the opposite of the kind and gentle person she usually was. Viscountess Willis could not understand. She had never done anything of the sort.


    But why would Lady Dana suddenly change her attitude and embarrass her like this?


    ¡°Yesterday, at Count Evens¡¯ residence, someone tried to harm me.¡± (ire)


    ire looked up and faced Viscountess Willis. The only thing that showed on Viscountess Willis¡¯ face was her wonderment.


    She looked as if she couldn¡¯t understand why ire was saying that. There was no sign of concern on the Viscountess¡¯ face even though the person who had helped her almost suffered a big deal.


    A person who knew shame and ingratitude would throw out a few words of concern. The woman in front of ire was selfish and only knew her own children.


    That was probably why Princess Lilian abandoned her nanny. ire stared at Viscountess Willis with suppressed disgust.


    The Princess was there, too. While I was lying there after my ident, the Princess pointed to my maid as the culprit and took her away without any evidence.¡±


    Only then did Viscountess Willis understand the situation and look pale.


    ¡°The maid was the only one who made any effort to protect me on the spot. The maid who the Princess dragged away was like my sister who had been with me for a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    ire spoke in a very sad voice, and slumped down to hide her tears.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m so sorry that happened to you. Please don¡¯t be too heartbroken.¡±


    Viscountess Willis awkwardly handed ire a handkerchief.


    ire took it with a depressed look on her face.


    Viscountess Willis¡¯s gaze at ire, who suppressed her grief, was full of anxiety.

 Chapter 53

    Viscountess Willis was very unhappy with the situation. However, she just couldn¡¯t me ire.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­.Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Viscountess Willis patted ire lightly on the back with an awkward touch. It was an insincere constion.


    There was not a bit of the arrogance she once had as Roxana¡¯s nanny. Viscountess Willis, who had beenforting ire for a while, suddenly caught sight of her own reflection in the window pane.


    ¡®How did I end up like this¡­¡¯


    Facing her own shabby reflection, Viscountess Willis gritted her teeth and lowered her gaze.


    Her status was higher as a Viscountess than a Baron¡¯s daughter, ire Dana.


    However, looking at the current situation, the position was the exact opposite. That was why she had to bow down even in front of this lowly person. It was a long time ago that she had despised ire so much.


    Having been abandoned by Princess Lillian, she had no more power.


    It was tragic and hurt her pride.


    Her jaw naturally tightened as she thought of Roxana¡¯s face, the one who had shunned her so coldly despite having been raised by her all her life.


    ¡°Viscountess Willis, I can¡¯t let this go. The Princess has taken someone very dear to me, and I must bring one too.¡±


    When she heard ire¡¯s words, Viscountess Willis felt a chill in her heart, but ire¡¯s next words were enough to shake her to her core.


    ¡°I have just heard that the Princess has recently taken one servant to be her trusted maid, do you know about this?¡±


    Speaking of the servants that had been following Roxana aroundtely, it had to be Annie, thatmoner. Because of that lowly servant girl that the Viscountess got kicked out of the Duke¡¯s mansion.


    The Viscountess didn¡¯t know what ire was nning, but if she could use human hands to get rid of that vile thing, it would be good for her. No one would be interested in what happened to a meremoner¡¯s status servant. So she didn¡¯t need to worry about what would happenter.


    ¡°Well, it looks like the person Lady Dana is referring to is Annie.¡±


    Afterpleting the calction, Viscountess Willis did not hesitate to answer.


    ¡°She was amoner, and she used to be a servant who took care of all the chores. I was worried at first because she was an orphan and poor, but she was quite diligent in her work.¡±


    As she spoke of Annie, the Viscountess had the unconcealed hostility in her eyes.


    ¡°She did chores for several years, buttely she became Princess Lillian¡¯s trusted maid. From what I saw she was a jealous person, so it doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to let her go.¡±


    Viscountess Willis emphasized that Annie was an orphan and that she was close to Roxana. Along with that, they were secretly trying to get rid of Annie.


    There was a rumor that a maidservant was responsible for the misfortune of the nanny who had been taking care of the Princess for a long time. Apparently the rumor was true.


    It was certainly worthy of indignation if the Viscountess, who was supposed to be of very high rank in the ducal family, was humiliated in such a way because of a mere maid.


    ¡°I need the Viscountess¡¯s help this time. If you help me, I will tell the Crown Prince to find a way to help you.¡±


    Viscountess Willis¡¯s face looked perplexed and troubled for a moment.


    ire was trying to use her (Viscountess) hands to handle the job this time while she was going to sit and watch the show with pleasure. Viscountess suddenly felt humiliated.


    Viscountess Willis had no desire to be involved in such a disgusting affair. However, ire was much more cunning and clever than she had thought. And seeing as how ire was willing to take advantage of her, she (ire) must have looked down on her (Viscountess).


    However, when ire even mentioned the Crown Prince and asked him to help her, it was not easy to refuse. After pondering for a while, Viscountess Willis came to a decision.


    ¡°What can I do to help you?¡±


    She had lost Roxana and she needed a new way to live. So maybe this would be a unique opportunity. If she could get this job done right, she could get a new rope named ire.


    How would people react if they found out that Lady Dana, who was known to be a good and kind person, was plotting something like this behind the scenes? Even if ire tried to throw her (Viscountess) away after this job was done, the Viscountess had ire¡¯s weakness, so ire wouldn¡¯t be able to get rid of her easily.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard. ¡°


    ire smiled with a satisfied look on her face. She instructed the maid by her side to bring the items. The maid immediately brought out one very fine jewelry box. It contained a bracelet with a brilliant green gem in the center.


    It was a gift from the Crown Prince for her birthday the other day. The bracelet was so expensive that Baron Dana could not get it even if he got rid of everything in his house.


    ¡±Young Lady, this is¡­?¡±


    Viscountess Willis looked at ire with a strange look on her face.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful? It was a gift from the Crown Prince to me on myst birthday.¡±


    When the Crown Prince¡¯s affection for ire was directly confirmed with her own eyes, Viscountess Willis was a little unsettled. If it was before, she would have made a mildly snide remark about this and made a fuss with Roxana.


    But now she found herself standing by the side of the one whom Roxana detested the most, helping to hurt the person by Roxana¡¯s side. Until recently, the Viscountess could never have imagined that this would happen.


    It was ironic, really. But there was no going back. She didn¡¯t want this to happen, but there was nothing she could do for her children. Her mind made up, Viscountess Willis looked determined. Seeing that her face had be serious, ire raised her small lips.


    ¡°The Crown Prince said that in the near future the Imperial Family will invite all the nobles to a banquet. I will lose my bracelet on the spot.¡±


    Viscountess Willis remained silent and only listened to ire¡¯s words. Her expression was bing more and more anxious.


    ¡°If there is a disturbance, someone will testify. It¡¯s about a maid who fearlessly stole a bracelet given to a Young Lady by the Crown Prince.¡±


    Viscountess Willis¡¯s face hardened for a moment. ire was bolder and more cunning than she had expected. Imperialw was strict, so if a maid was found stealing in the Imperial Pce, she would be severely punished.


    Not only would it incur the Crown Prince¡¯s wrath, but he would also question the fact that the Princess¡¯s servant had stolen ire¡¯s bracelet. This was not only plunging the servant whom Roxana cherished into the abyss, it was also damaging Roxana¡¯s reputation.


    Viscountess was naturally not keen on ruining one person¡¯s life and putting the Princess she had raised with her own hands in the lurch. Noticing that Viscountess Willis was distressed, ire added,


    ¡°This is the fifth time the Viscountess has visited me. If this job turns out to be a sess, I intend to actively help you. Because we are both on the same boat.¡±


    Viscountess Willis eventually nodded. ire was right, she was already in the same boat as her. Roxana would never forgive her if she found out that she had interacted with ire, whom she hated so much.


    From the moment she (Viscountess) received the handkerchief and visited Baron Dana¡¯s residence, there was only one option. ire stood up with a look of satisfaction on her face, unlike when she had just entered the room.


    ¡°I trust you will find the means at your disposal, Viscountess, for you are wise.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Count Evans is quite upset about all this. Young Lady Evans has been grounded and is under house arrest in her room and is very upset about the whole thing.¡±


    I sat on the couch and listened to Stephen¡¯s report about the ident at Count Evans¡¯s residence. Those who were alone at that time or those who could not prove their alibi clearly became suspects and were investigated.


    Count Evans had to make the inevitable sacrifice. No one knew yet who that target would be. However, the Crown Prince seemed to have been intensely angry about the incident, so whoever was seen as the culprit would be heavily punished.


    I clicked my tongue in my mind when I saw that the Crown Prince really didn¡¯t seem to be interested in finding out who was behind this. Shrimps were the only ones who eventually became victims of the whale fight. After all, it was only the powerless who were sacrificed.


    It was frustrating from their point of view, but it was inevitable. However, as someone who was involved in the incident, I was not happy to see such a regrettable loss of life.


    ¡°What about the maidservant, is she still talking nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I was going to tell you about that.¡±


    A hint of confidence appeared on Stephen¡¯s face. I knew the oue well enough without having to ask.


    ¡°As you say, Miss, the maid confessed that she was the one who pushed Lady Dana down the stairs. ¡°


    ire¡¯s maid was stubborn at first, insisting on her and ire¡¯s innocence. However, this was the Duke of Lillian¡¯s residence. It was one of the few ces where the Crown Prince¡¯s authority would not work. Indeed, the servants of the Duke of Lillian were very capable, and they eventually led the oue in the direction I wanted.


    ¡°Did she say anything else? ¡°


    ¡°No, My Lady.¡±


    Stephan replied curiously.


    ¡°Thank you for your time. Tell the investigator you got a confession from the maid.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡±


    After Stephen left, I sat in front of the mirror and brushed my hair, thinking. The fact that the maid didn¡¯t say anything else either meant that she really didn¡¯t want people to know, or that she was trying to keep her secret with ire.


    If it was the former, it was fine, but if it was thetter, it was a shame. I don¡¯t know how loyal she was to ire, but ire wouldn¡¯t be able to get her maid out of this.


    Even if the maidter changed her testimony, she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape punishment anyway.


    I couldn¡¯tpletely put ire away for good, however, that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t just let it slide. I was going to cut off ire¡¯s limbs (*limbs =ire¡¯s trusted servants) to warn her. It wouldn¡¯t be just the maid alone who would suffer the damage. I finished my thought and put down theb in my hand.


    As I took the hair clip from beside it, my eyes suddenly met with my reflection in the mirror. The Roxana I had seen in my memory had a face full of shadows and a gloomy look in her eyes. But the woman in the mirror now had a beautiful, unfathomable face.


    She had a cold stare and slightly lifted lips that seemed to contain a sneer. I felt a bit strange and alien. I was not a priest or a saint. Naturally, I would not forgive those who tried to harm me without hesitation.


    However, I was a little shaken by my own actions of sending others to their deaths with impunity.


    Is this really the right thing to do?


    Eventually, a small ck box caught my eye. I thought about it for a while, then reached out and opened the box. Inside was Elvin¡¯s pendant. The pendant had long since been repaired, but I still hadn¡¯t found the owner.


    I reached out and took the pendant. I felt the cold metal against my hand and instantly realized something. I put the pendant back in the box and called Annie. Then I gave an order as I gave her the box.


    Tomorrow, go to the Hermes and deliver this. Tell them it was picked up at the lounge in the Imperial Pce, and ask them to find the owner and return it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡±


    Annie nodded quietly and took the box . As I watched Annie, I called her again.


    ¡°One moment.¡±


    Annie looked puzzled.


    I turned my attention to the box in her hand. In my mind, I remembered the image of the Crown Prince and ire together that I had seen today. I took back the box from Annie.


    ¡°On second thought, I¡¯d better go there myself.¡±

 Chapter 54

    The Grand Duchy of Croix.


    As summer approached, the sun was rising early despite the dawn. The dawn air pouring in through therge open windows was especially refreshing.


    Elvin entered the room with the lights off. No sooner had Elvin furrowed his brow at the lingering fumes of smoke in the room than something flew towards him.


    crack!


    Something fell behind the seat where Elvin had been standing a moment ago.


    It made a crashing sound as it hit the floor. The object was a crystal ashtray.


    Elvin ducked out of the way reflexively, but he was almost hit in the face.


    If it had hit him in the head, he would have been seriously injured. The butler, who was watching the situation, was so surprised that his mouth fell open.


    When he saw that Elvin was not injured, he quietly patted his chest. It was a dangerous moment for Elvin, but instead of surprise or anger he stared at the other man with a nk expression.


    ¡°What brings you to my room?¡±


    ¡°Where did you wander off to again until this hour?¡±


    The owner of the voice that barely contained his anger was the Grand Duke of Croix. His gaze at Elvin was filled with anger.


    ¡°I¡¯m a littlete because I had something to do.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s calm answer caused a blue streak to appear on the Grand Duke¡¯s forehead.


    As a father, he couldn¡¯t help but worry because the eldest son of the family was constantly out doing oundish things every day. He had no idea what Elvin was doing every day, and it was a regr urrence for him to be away from home for several days. Even if he sent someone to follow him, no one could tell where Elvin went or what he was doing.


    Elvin¡¯s attitude, which was this way every time, made the Grand Duke feel that his patience was running out more and more. If he was still docile, anyway.


    He always went out, creating rumors.


    It was enough to bring disgrace to the family.


    What parent in the world can just stand by and watch?


    ¡°What happened a few days ago? Is it not enough for you to go out every day, and now you do whatever you want?¡±


    The Grand Duke hoped that Elvin would attend the banquets and get to know the other nobles. That way, when he inherited the family in the future, he would be able to get help from many people. Although connections were very important in the aristocratic society, Elvin did not like to be in such a position.


    But somehow, he had recently attended a series of big banquets.


    For a while, the Grand Duke was relieved that Elvin had finallye to his senses, but then an ident happened shortly after. A few days ago, Elvin had attended a banquet and had gotten into an argument with a few nobles.


    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t hit each other, but the atmosphere at the time was acrimonious. The people who had argued with Elvin were some nobles and were not much to look at.


    However, one of them was a cousin of the current Grand Duchess of Croix, and the incident was immediately brought to the Grand Duke¡¯s ears.


    The Grand Duke was really embarrassed to see his wife¡¯s face. Besides, how could he give up his title to the eldest son who would cause trouble every day?


    The Grand Duke¡¯s patience was already at its limit.


    ¡°I was just giving them a little warning.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying that they picked a fight with you first?¡±


    The Grand Duke¡¯s voice, as if in pursuit, oozed deep disbelief.


    ¡°I saved your neck from flying off, and now you are once again making light of it and tricking people. You seem to have several lives!¡±


    The Grand Duke touched his forehead, feeling a terrible headache. As for him, not only did he not understand his son¡¯s words, he didn¡¯t want to understand them.


    ¡°How long? Is this how it is? Are you going to live a pathetic life?¡±


    The mood became increasingly stern.


    As he watched the two men, the palms of the butler¡¯s hands were damp with cold sweat before he knew it. Grand Duke Croix and Young Master Elvin.


    As rich as they were, their rtionship was more estranged than others.


    Elvin¡¯s attitude towards his own father was certainly irreverent. Both father and son had hard personalities, and when the two were at odds, the servants couldn¡¯t even breathe.


    The butler¡¯s heart always thumped in his chest whenever he saw this dangerous rtionship between father and son. Then, from somewhere, he heard a gentle woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t scold him too much. I¡¯m sure Elvin had his reasons.¡±


    The owner of the voice was the Grand Duchess of Croix, who was famous for being wise andpassionate. The Grand Duchess was still as beautiful as ever, even though she was already in her middle age. She had a flower-like face that could not bepared to any of the younger women, with the added softness that was peculiar to her.


    Her appearance softened the Grand Duke¡¯s stiff face.


    ¡°Your father and I were worried when you didn¡¯te home for several days. It is with disappointment that I say this, and I hope you will keep it in mind.¡±


    The Grand Duchess¡¯s face was calm as she looked at Elvin, and her eyes were full of love.


    Looking at the way the Grand Duchess was treating Elvin now, who could have thought that she was his stepmother?


    This was the reason why she has a good reputation among people and why many of them praise her.


    Not only was she beautiful and gentle, but she even took care of her husband¡¯s children.


    She was quite different from the popr prejudice that a stepmother would be wicked.


    ¡°Elvin, have you eaten? If not, why don¡¯t we all eat together for the first time in a long time? I¡¯ll tell the head chef to make a special dish.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Why worry about him? Looking at his shiny face, it looks like he¡¯s eating well on his own.¡±


    ¡°Elvin, don¡¯t pay too much attention to what your father says.¡±


    The Grand Duchess¡¯ words gradually softened the Grand Duke¡¯s face.


    The Grand Duke didn¡¯t actually mean what he said. The Grand Duchess was well aware of his feelings and softened the atmosphere with kind words. However, Elvin¡¯s gaze at the two of them was endlessly cold, as if he was looking at an uninteresting and boring y.


    ¡°Elvin ? Wait¡­..¡±


    Suddenly, the Grand Duchess extended her hand towards Elvin.


    Elvin rejected and involuntarily shook her hand. Then for a moment the atmosphere became awkward.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I startled you. I saw a string on your hair and thought I¡¯d take it off for you¡­¡­..¡±


    The Grand Duchess of Croix held her hand with a bitter look on her face, as if hurt by Elvin¡¯s actions. The rims of her eyes were slightly red. Then, suddenly, the Grand Duke pped Elvin on the cheek harshly.


    Smack!


    Erwin¡¯s head turned to the side.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    The startled butler gave a short scream. He plucked up the courage to interrupt them.


    ¡°Please.¡±


    A distinct finger mark formed on Elvin¡¯s clear, white skin. Blood was also smeared on his beautiful, red lips.


    ¡°Why are you so rude to your mother!¡±


    ¡°I only have one mother.¡±


    Elvin said in a cold and indifferent voice. His eyes were as cid as ever.


    ¡°How long are you going to act like an immature child?¡±


    The Grand Duke¡¯s face was red with anger. He had three sons. While the other two sons were both serious and polite, the eldest, Elvin of all, was always the one who made trouble.


    Since the family was still alive and well and wealthy, they were able to disregard Elvin¡¯s random line of trouble as a minor adolescent aberration and let it slide.


    However, if there was one thing that the Grand Duke could not stand, it was the fact that Elvin was not polite to his family.


    Especially when Elvin was not being polite to his stepmother as he was now, the Grand Duke could not stand it. Again, he had a moment of anger and raised his hand to Elvin, but as he looked at his son¡¯s swollen cheek and bloodied lips, regret overcame him.


    ¡°Elvin, are you okay? Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll call a doctor.¡±


    The Grand Duchess looked surprised and took out a handkerchief from her pocket. She tried to wipe the edge of Elvin¡¯s blood-soaked lips with the handkerchief. Then she lowered her hand again, as if she remembered what happened earlier.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t need a doctor. I¡¯m a little tired, but unless you have something to say, would you like to leave now, or would you prefer that I do?¡±


    Elvin spat out with a cold face.


    There was no change in his expression, as if the wound on his face didn¡¯t hurt. However, Elvin¡¯s gaze, looking at his parents, was oozing with deep disgust.


    There seemed to be a sneer on his slightly raised lips. In the end, it was the Grand Duke of Croix who raised the white g this time as well, saying, ¡°No parent in the world can defeat their child.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    The Grand Duke walked out of the room with an angry look on his face. This time, he didn¡¯t know when or where Elvin would have another ident if he left. So it was much better to keep him in the house rather than the other way around. As soon as the Grand Duke and his wife left, the door to Elvin¡¯s room was shut tightly again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you not to let anyone in my room without my permission, but if this happens again, your leg will be broken. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, young master, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    The Grand Duke touched his forehead once more at the sound of his son¡¯s voiceing from the door of the room.


    He grieved, thinking of histe wife who had died of illness long ago at the sight of his rude son. She was a carefree woman, growing up under the love of her parents.


    It wasn¡¯t bad, but she had an arrogant and selfish temperament that was unique to the royal family. His wife was innocent and transparent, but Elvin was cold hearted with an unknown depth.


    Apparently, Elvin had inherited his dead wife¡¯s tendencies.


    But he was certainly not like her.


    Elvin was also much more arrogant and selfish than she was.


    When he was little, he wasn¡¯t as bad as this, but his head got a little bigger, and one moment he becamepletely twisted. His oldest son had never wanted to talk to him. However, he couldn¡¯t whip a child who had grown up. Every time the Grand Duke looked at him, his heart always felt heavy.


    ¡°Tsk! A stubborn boy! Who the hell does he look like?¡±


    Grand Duke Croix sighed as he looked at the closed door of Elvin¡¯s room. He looked quite tired today. The Grand Duchess patted him on the shoulder and gave him a gentlefort.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Elvin will understand our feelings one day.¡±


    ¡°I have no face to look at you. Please give my regards to your cousin.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Grand Duchess nodded with a gentle smile. She didn¡¯t show any signs of being offended by what happened a while ago. As a result, the Grand Duke¡¯s gaze toward her became softer.


    ¡°I¡¯m always thankful and sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me. We¡¯re family and it¡¯s only natural.¡±


    ***


    A day passed.


    The sky was still dull, despite the sun hanging over the mid-sky. This was due to the fact that it had rained once in the morning. Still, it didn¡¯t seem to be raining again as I watched the sun graduallye up. There were puddles of water here and there on the floor, but fortunately not enough to affect my going out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The carriage started rolling.


    Looking out the window, I could see a strong ray of sunlight shining through the clouds. As the clouds began to clear, the clear, bright spring scenery revealed.


    The sky was gradually regaining its previous blue hue after the rain.


    This morning, the investigators visited the Duke¡¯s residence and transferred the maid.


    It seemed that the Crown Prince did not intend to make a big deal out of this, and the odds were that it would probably end quietly.


    But I wasn¡¯t going to let it end that way. Eventually, the carriage stopped on the upper street likest time.

 Chapter 55

    I looked up at therge building in front of me. Just as when I hade here before, the gatekeepers guarding the entrance had solemn expressions with their stocky physiques.


    The intimidation they exhaled made the passersby shrivel up in mischief and fear. The faint-hearted would back away right away at the sight of the intimidating building and the gatekeepers guarding its front.


    What brought you here?¡±


    A gatekeeper asked. I said quietly, holding out my identification.


    ¡°I have a new request.¡±


    ¡° I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t ept any new requests today.¡±


    The gatekeeper said with a troubled look on his face. At that moment, my eyes met Noah¡¯s, who was just passing through the garden. He was overjoyed to see me and came closer.


    ¡°Lady, why are you here today?¡±


    ¡°I have a new request.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Let¡¯s go in first¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re not open today. ¡°


    Wondering, Noah stared at the gatekeepers for a moment. Noah was polite and kind enough to be a burden.


    But from his demeanor towards others, he didn¡¯t seem so gentle. It seemed that Noah¡¯s status was quite high within the organization, and the gatekeepers who were looking at him seemed to be at a loss.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. But we can¡¯t treat our important guests who came all the way here like this. ¡°


    Noah ushered me into a fancy tea room in the main building.


    The only furniture in therge room, decorated with luxuries, was a bookcase and a disy cab on one side, and a table in the middle.


    However, thanks to the ornaments ced here and there, it didn¡¯t feel deste at all. Eventually, a man who looked like a servant brought us some tea and snacks. The servant ced a cup in front of me and Noah respectively.


    Then he took a teapot and poured hot tea with steam rising into the cups. Seeing him, I remembered thest time I visited the ce. After taking a sip of the tea, I immediately mentioned my main purpose ofing here.


    ¡°I want to meet the owner.¡±


    I saw the look of trouble on Noah¡¯s face. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded.


    ¡°Okay. Can you wait here for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nodding, Noah greeted me politely and left the room, closing the door behind him. I was kind of puzzled as I looked at the seat where he sat.


    I could be wrong, but Noah¡¯s face looked so sad just now.


    ****


    Noah knocked on the door of the room with a stiff face. Then he heard an indifferent voice from inside.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Noah pulled the doorknob carefully, looking more nervous than usual. The atmosphere in the room was quiet and still, which gave him a strange chill.


    It was as if the voice he had heard earlier had been a false image, and there were no signs of movements.


    Just then, he heard the sound of a book being turned a short distance away. Noah turned his head to the sound. There was Elvin.


    He was sitting on the couch, reading a book with his long legs stretched out. He was the very picture of a nobleman. Even if Elvin wore light clothes and acted like a ruffian, he couldn¡¯t hide the fact that he was the son of a noble family from a good background.


    But now, Elvin¡¯s white, beautiful cheek was bruised and his red lips were ripped.


    At first nce, it was definitely a wound that had been caused by someone hitting him.


    At dawn today, Elvin came in with a wound that would make you raise an eyebrow just by looking at his face.


    Noah wanted to pursue what was going on, but he didn¡¯t have the courage to do so. In fact, he didn¡¯t even have to ask, just a little thought would have given him the answer. Because there was only one person in the world who would dare to hit Elvin. The Grand Duke of Croix.


    It was obvious even without seeing what had happened between the father and son.


    The Grand Duke, dissatisfied with Elvin¡¯s usual behavior, probably couldn¡¯t contain his anger and raised his hand.


    However, Noah was still able to understand some of the Grand Duke¡¯s feelings. If he had a son who was as indifferent as his superior, he would be angry more than once or twice.


    ¡®Still, it¡¯s outrageous to make someone¡¯s face like that! His handsome face!¡¯


    Elvin had no idea what Noah was thinking in his mind.


    Noah cursed the Grand Duke in his mind and cursed Alvin once, who still didn¡¯t seem to have touched the precious medicine bottle he had brought to him.


    Earlier today, when Noah saw his face, he suggested to Elvin to go see a doctor to get treatment, but Elvin refused at once. Elvin was not interested in taking care of his wounds, not to mention that he had no thoughts of hiding or concealing them.


    He acted as if nothing had happened to him.


    However, today his mood seemed to be particrly sharp, Noah carefully opened his mouth as Elvin looked at him.


    ¡°The Princess hase to see the Master.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s fingers, which had been flipping through the pages, stopped moving for a moment.


    ¡°Who came?¡±


    Elvin looked up and raised his eyebrows as he stared at Noah.


    ¡°Princess Lillian is here to see you.¡±


    Noah¡¯s face was a little ted when Elvin showed interest.


    It was not normal for Elvin to show an interest in anything.


    Noah prayed that Elvin would meet the Princess and she couldfort his wounded heart.


    Elvin seemed pensive and was silent for a while.


    Soon after, he replied with a casual look on his face.


    ¡°Say I¡¯m not avable and send her back.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Noah was both surprised and shocked.


    He was confident, but now if he came back and told the Princess that answer, how embarrassed would it be. But on the other hand, he could understand Elvin¡¯s feelings. Surely, how could he show his face like that?


    As arrogant as he was, it would be a blow to his pride. Elvin turned towards the book in his hands again. His appearance was fine, but what was inside must be different. Noah inwardly felt sorry for him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell her.¡±


    Noah closed the door and quietly left the room. The sound of his footsteps became distant and soon inaudible. Elvin put his hand on his chest out of habit. As he did so, he soon realized that there was nothing there and lowered his hand again.


    ***


    ¡°The Master is not avable right now.¡±


    Noah, who had left the waiting room, returned shortly after. Looking at his darkplexion, things didn¡¯t seem to work out.


    ¡°Is that right? Then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can youe next time? If it¡¯s urgent, please tell me instead. I¡¯ll deliver it to the Master on your behalf when hees back.¡±


    Noah said with an apologetic look on his face.


    Where was Noah¡¯s confident expression that I saw earlier, and why is he so depressed now? The suspicion was raised whether his Master was really out of his seat.


    But when I saw Noah¡¯s dejected face, she didn¡¯t want toin.


    It was a waste of time to walk all the way here, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    In fact, it was only my fault foring without informing him beforehand. I took the box out of my pocket and handed it to Noah.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Noah lifted the box with a curious look on his face.


    ¡°I picked it up at thest Imperial Pce banquet, but I haven¡¯t returned it yet because I don¡¯t know who owns it, so please find the owner. This is a request fee.¡±


    Eventually, Noah¡¯s eyes widened a little as he checked inside the box.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. I have a favor to ask you¡­¡­ ¡°


    ***


    ¡°The Princess left.¡±


    Noah said.


    His voice was haunting.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe and report every little thing like that.¡±


    Elvin replied with a tasteless expression. His voice was indifferent and his gaze still cold. Unlike the words, however, Elvin gently turned his head and looked out the window.


    He could see a group of people exiting the building in the distance. By far the most prominent among them was Princess Lillian. Her pale light blonde hair shone silver in the sunlight . Elvin stared at her without saying a word.


    ¡°And then¡­Princess Lillian brought this.¡±


    Noah pulled out the box he had in his pocket and handed it to Elvin with a gloved hand. Elvin¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he opened the box.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know who the owner is, so she¡¯s had it all this time. She asked to find the owner and gave me a lot ofmission fees.¡±


    The object in the box was a pendant. Elvin always wore this pendant around his neck. He never let it leave his body, except when he had to take a bath.


    However, about a month ago, during an imperial banquet, he lost the pendant. I waste and called people to search for it, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t find it.


    He thought that one of the pce people might have picked it up, but he didn¡¯t realize that the Princess had it. Elvin was not a very extravagant person or a person who cared for things. There was another reason why such a person especially cherished the pendant.


    The pendant had originally been given to Princess Catarina by the Empress when the Princess married into the Grand Duke of Croix as a bridal gift. And Princess Catarina had given this precious object she had inherited from her mother to her son before she died.


    Princess Catarina was the first wife of Grand Duke Croix and Elvin¡¯s mother. So the pendant was a memento of histe mother. Knowing this, Noah looked at Elvin¡¯s face. Now that the object he thought he had lost was safely returned to him, perhaps his emotional wounds would be healed a little.


    What¡¯s more, since the person who returned the precious object to him was the Princess, her kindness and thoughtfulness might make him feel even better about her.


    ¡°The Princess had this?¡±


    Elvin¡¯s voice was somewhat vague, and Noah couldn¡¯t guess what he was thinking right now. Noah was a little disappointed, but he answered without showing it on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen such a kind and generous youngdy who would even pay to find the owner of something that someone has lost. ¡°


    Despite Noah¡¯s excessive praise, Elvin gave him a casual look, as if he was unaffected. Instead of responding to Noah¡¯s words, Elvin took the pendant and observed it carefully. It was a sterling silver chain, and none of the stones, even the one iid in the middle, were scratched or marred.


    It looked as if the person who had it had taken very good care of it. And when he picked up the pendant, he noticed something else sparkling under it.


    It was a men¡¯s brooch, delicately crafted with a neat and elegant design. A red ruby engraved in the middle caught his eye. At that moment, a hint of mystery shed through Elvin¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Did the Princess say anything else?¡±


    Elvin asked.


    Noah couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment as he showed no sign of being moved. He had thought that the day of spring would finally arrive in the dark building¡­ Noah sighed deeply in his heart and answered.


    ¡°There was one.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Elvin asked, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°She asked to start a rumor about the truth of what happened. She said that Lady Dana tried to attack Lady Evans by conducting a selfposed y, but the Crown Prince knew it and used power to cover it up.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s mouth agape slightly. The Princess¡¯ actions were increasingly out of his expectations. Noah continued.


    ¡°The maids who were brought in as suspects continue to insist on their innocence, but the investigators refuse to listen, so only Lady Dana¡¯s maid was taken by Princess Lillian.¡±


    The imperial family restrained the nobility the most, but what the imperial family feared the most was the public mind. By using the people¡¯s mind, the Crown Prince would not be able to overlook this time as well.


    At first nce, the Princess¡¯s request this time was aimed at Lady Dana. However, if something like this happened, the one who would lose the most was the Crown Prince.


    Elvin thought that there was no way Roxana wouldn¡¯t know about that fact. Should he say that she was bold because she was trying to manipte the Crown Prince by using the public¡¯s mind?


    Or should he say that she was vicious because she was trying to cause excessive damage with a petty grudge? On top of that, she was trying to do this by using someone else¡¯s hands.


    Apparently, she knew Elvin and the Crown Prince were not on good terms, so she was trying to bring Elvin into the y.


    ¡®In what sense should I take this?¡¯ (Elvin)

 Chapter 56

    Elvin took the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea. However, his sunken gaze was not on the teapot, but on the void. He seemed to be agonizing over something.


    As a result, Noah¡¯splexion became even worse. He was worried that the tea water would overflow and destroy the carpet. The carpet, red with fancy embroidery of gold and silver threads, was a very expensive one, newly brought in from Persia.


    But a mere carpet was not enough to put him in a good mood. Fortunately, Elvin stopped just before it spilled. Noah breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Elvin looked at his overfilled teacup and left his seat without touching it.


    He quickly remembered that there was another person there besides him and turned his head.


    ¡°Get out of here.¡±


    Elvin ordered coldly.


    ¡°What should I do with the request?¡±


    ¡°I will take it. I must thank you for finding my lost items.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t difficult to spread rumors among the people. But on the other hand, it was a big risk.


    If it was discovered, many people would be decapitated. But since the master had already made the decision, Noah couldn¡¯t argue. Noah quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Elvin went over to the stove and threw in some firewood.


    The bonfire, which had almost gone out, began to burn again when it touched the wood. Elvin looked at the scarlet mes undting with gold and thought of someone¡¯s face.


    ¡°*You¡¯re smarter than I thought.¡± (*You=Roxana)


    Elvin muttered to himself. A thin smile appeared on his lips for the first time today.


    ***


    A rumor began to spread among the people.


    The rumor spread fast from mouth to mouth.


    Incidents and idents happen every day, but this one was a little special. Because it was rted to the royal family.


    It was rumored that the Crown Prince was involved in the recent ident at the Count Evans¡¯ residence.


    It was said that Princess Lillian had called together a group of her closest friends at the Count Evans¡¯ residence to deliberately bully Lady Dana, and that Lady Dana, who had a grudge against her, had staged the incident herself. Lady Dana¡¯s lover, the Crown Prince, let this incident slide for her sake, even though he knew the truth.


    The people were angry and disappointed by this incident.


    There were mixed opinions among the nobles. The matter was brought up in disgrace among the people and damaged the reputation and good name of many people.


    From Princess Lillian, Lady Dana, to the youngdies who attended the tea party, and even the Crown Prince¡­. No one was left out.


    However, it was by far the Crown Prince and ire who were the most talked about among the people. Although the aristocrats had secret lovers, the existence of an ordinary mistress was unfamiliar.


    They were also considered to be very unclean. In fact, the name re Dana was well known among the nobility, but the people did not know much about her. Not to mention the fact that few people in the general poption knew about Lady Dana, but many didn¡¯t know that the Crown Prince had a hidden lover.


    This was because the rtionship between the Crown Prince and ire was only ¡°unofficial¡±. Moreover, his fianc¨¦e was the Duke of Lillian¡¯s only golden jade.


    The fact that the Crown Prince had the support of Duke Lillian was so unknown to everyone. Most people thought that since he had a powerful future wife, there was no way he could look elsewhere.


    Among the people who could not see the two of them in person, the fact that the Crown Prince had a lover was treated like a false rumor.


    This time, however, many people began to get upset.


    People wanted to know about the Crown Prince¡¯s lover in the rumor. They felt an increasingly great interest in the Crown Prince¡¯s lover, who was beautiful in appearance.


    But their interest wasn¡¯t so positive.


    People cursed at ire, calling her a source of trouble. It was sly and vulgar when an unmarrieddy caused a ruckus by seducing someone else¡¯s fianc¨¦ in an immoral way at a young age.


    They had poor quality conversations, wondering about the means by which ire had firmly won the Crown Prince¡¯s heart.


    It could be said that the damage ire had suffered in this matter was also enormous, but the more she had, the greater the damage of losing it.


    The imperial family was the envy of the people, and the royal family was respected by many.


    The Crown Prince was also the only legitimate son of the Imperial family, and he seemed to be a very honorable person. Not only did he have a clean bloodline, but he also had a gentle nature and a fair and righteous character that earned him the favor of many people along with his status. However, the fame and reputation that the Crown Prince had built up so far was greatly shaken by this incident.


    He was rumored to have been involved in obscenesciviousness even before he ascended the throne, and lost his honor and fairness.


    People said that the Crown Prince was swayed by a mere Baron¡¯s daughter and left his fianc¨¦e, the Princess.


    It was a full three dayster that this bad rumor, which had begun to spread around the private homes, crossed the walls of the Imperial Pce and reached the ears of the Crown Prince.


    ***


    ¡°How dare they say such nonsense!¡±


    The Crown Prince was so angry that he broke his tea cup. The aide who reported this to him was quite surprised, but he could not dare to express it.


    The Crown Prince was usually a gentle man and did not treat those under him recklessly. In all the years the aide had assisted the Crown Prince, this was the first time he had seen him so angry.


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    Obeying the Crown Prince¡¯s order, the aide hurried out of the room.


    The Crown Prince, left alone, sat down again, suppressing his anger.


    His clenched fists were strong and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.


    A false rumor had spread, the people were upset, and the Second Prince¡¯s forces took the opportunity to start a fuss. The second Prince had returned from a long absence from the battlefield, and the return of the Duke of Lillian was just around the corner.


    It would be nice if he could order the soldiers to punish and monitor anyone who spoke of this, but he couldn¡¯t keep everyone¡¯s mouth shut in that way.


    Furthermore, if they were to be controlled in such a strict way, people wouldin, and the Second Prince¡¯s forces would not remain silent.


    This situation was very unfortunate. The fact that the rumors had spread so quickly made it seem as if someone was deliberately spreading malicious rumors.


    The Crown Prince guessed who was behind this and the first thing that came to his mind was the face of a person.


    ¡°Roxana¡­.¡±


    Roxana usually hated ire, and was dissatisfied with this incident. With the Duke of Lillian as her backer, she was fully capable of doing something like this.


    The Crown Prince, who suspected that she might have done it, quickly shook his head. Roxana was not the kind of person who would do such things behind the scenes.


    Most importantly, what would she do this for?


    The people who suffered the most from this incident were him and ire, but the next person who was vilified was Roxana. People called Roxana a ¡°stupid evil woman¡±.


    Although it was less than the damage done to ire, Roxana was also vilified anyway.


    It wouldn¡¯t have a huge impact, though, thanks to the notoriety she¡¯d built up before.


    Although the awkwardness still remained, the Crown Prince soon got rid of his suspicions about Roxana. Now he and the Princess were in the same boat.


    So there was no way that Roxana would embarrass him by spreading such ugly rumors behind his back. The Crown Prince kept the suspicions in his mind under wraps and turned his gaze elsewhere.


    ¡°I knew it, Payne* ¨C it¡¯s that guy¡­¡­¡­..¡± (*Payne is the second Prince)


    ***


    As it got hotter and hotter, the roses that had been in full bloom in the garden began to wilt one by one. The fountain in the middle of the garden spouted out water that was cool to look at. The small sculpture of an angel in the middle of the fountain still had a bright smile on its face even under the intense sunlight.


    As I sat on the couch to rest from the heat, Tien brought me a cold sweet tea with candied strawberries along with a peach tart.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    It was very cool to see the ice floating faintly in the water ss. I sipped the fruit tea and picked up the newspaper. The newspaper had an article about the Crown Prince¡¯s hidden lover, not the recent ident at Count Evans¡¯ mansion.


    The ident that happened at the Count Evans¡¯ residence might be important to the parties involved, but the subject that the public was most interested in was by far the one about ire. Much of the content has been omitted to please the royal family, and it has also been purified.


    However, the content of the article was that the rtionship between the Crown Prince and ire had been going on for a long time, and it was unusual.


    Of course, it was true that I was affected by this incident as well.


    But what difference would it make if I was already soaking wet and had to take on more water?


    More importantly, I now had a clearer picture of Elvin¡¯s attitude. Looking at himmitting this kind of harm to the Crown Prince as if it was nothing by my request, he was certainly not on the Crown Prince¡¯s side.


    ¡®So you are on the second Prince¡¯s side?¡¯


    ***


    *The writing of this novel and the repetition of things mentioned really scratch my nerves lol. This chapter basically repeated the same thing that had already been mentioned in many chapters before. And one more thing, Roxana knew that Elvin and the Crown Prince don¡¯t get along. She saw it and said so herself many times, but now she said it was certain that Elvin was not on the Crown Prince¡¯s side¡­.. really¡­. Ok I¡¯m doneining. For now.

 Chapter 57

    While I was lost in thought, Tien, who came close to me, looked at an article in the newspaper and spoke with a gloomy face.


    ¡°It seems that a lot of bad things have been happeningtely. The Crown Prince deserves what he gets. But the Lady stay still and still get involved¡­I really don¡¯t know how many people are going to suffer because of that one woman.¡±


    Tien looked sincerely disappointed. It was a natural reaction, since the maids didn¡¯t like ire either.


    The only ones who benefited were the second Prince who kept quiet.


    ¡°Who cares?¡±


    ¡°Is the Lady not worried? If the Crown Prince loses his throne because of this¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t listen anymore, so I put down the newspaper I was holding in my hand and warned Tien.


    ¡°Tien, stop right there. All angeres out of your mouth. If anyone hears you just now, nothing good will happen, so you¡¯d better be careful from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be careful in the future¡­¡­.¡±


    Tien replied with a dejected look on her face.


    However, Tien¡¯s concern was natural from her point of view.


    Her future as the Empress¡¯s maid was right under her nose, but if things getplicated and the second Prince takes over the throne, many problems will arise.


    The maids were on the same boat as me.


    If my status increase, they would rise with me, and vice versa.


    I covered the newspaper with a nonchnt face and took a bite of the peach tart.


    A pleasant sweet taste filled my mouth. At that moment, the quiet first floor suddenly became noisy.


    Before I could order Annie to go and find out what it was about, the excited-looking Joan opened the door and jumped in.


    ¡°Miss, His Excellency has returned.¡±


    I jumped up in surprise. As a result, the table shook and the teacup on it fell over.The tea spilled onto myp. The maids came running in surprise at the sight of my messed up dress.


    ¡°Miss, are you alright? Did you burn yourself?¡±


    Annie asked with a worried look on her face as she used a dry towel to wipe the tea stains on my skirt.


    I asked with a puzzled look on my face.


    ¡°¡­my father is back?¡±


    Joan nodded without taking her eyes off my skirt.


    ¡°Yes, but are you okay?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still some time left before hee back, right? But, why already?


    I asked in a panic.


    ¡°What?¡±


    A puzzled look came over Joan¡¯s face at my question.


    I walked to the window and looked down. There was a group of knights there.


    The person at the front of the group was riding a white horse with shiny hair. The horse was walking slowly with its head arrogantly raised, and the person on the horse wore a stiff uniform.


    I could tell at a nce that he was a soldier, as a rough and intimidating atmosphere emitted from his body.


    Under the intense sunlight, his light golden hair was pale. It was Duke Lillian, Roxana¡¯s biological father.


    ¡°He must havee home early after hearing the news that the Lady was ill. Or he came home for your birthday.¡±


    Joan looked at me and asked with a strange look on her face.


    ¡°Lady, aren¡¯t you going to go down?¡±


    Seeing the suspicious look on Joan¡¯s face, I finally kept my mouth shut.


    As a young girl, Roxana waited anxiously for the return of her one and only family, excited every day when the Duke¡¯s return date approached.


    But the Duke returned just for a short while, and soon went off to the frontier again. In this way, as time passed, disappointments began to pile up, and the father and daughter became more and more estranged from each other.


    Roxana, too, when she had grown a little older, gradually stopped waiting for the Duke.


    When she became more ustomed to her father not being in the mansion than being in it, she would react indifferently to the fact that he had returned.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other, so of course I have to go downstairs.¡±


    I replied to Joan¡¯s words and looked out the window again.


    The sky was beautiful without a cloud, but it didn¡¯t do my heart any good to watch it.


    The return of the Duke had already been foreseen, but it was earlier than expected. My heart pulsed wildly with anxiety and fear as I was going to meet him, still unprepared.


    If the Crown Prince and ire were disgusting, then the Duke was the person I least wanted to face. No matter how estranged Roxana and the Duke were, he was still Roxana¡¯s biological father.


    Perhaps that was why she feltpletely different from when she faced her nanny or Stephen. The parent-child rtionship between Roxana and the Duke was very estranged and they were indifferent to each other.


    I don¡¯t think if that¡¯s true, but I felt suffocated with anxiety when I thought he might notice something strange about his daughter.


    ***


    ¡°Your Excellency, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Stephan greeted him cautiously, and unlike usual, the Duke seemed to be in a bad mood.


    He was giving off a menacing energy with his body, as if he couldn¡¯t control his anger. The knights who followed him from behind also quietly scanned the Duke¡¯s face.


    Looking at the atmosphere alone, they did not seem to be those who returned with cheers after a series of victories.


    ¡°Where is Roxana?¡±


    The Duke asked coldly.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s in her room.¡±


    As soon as Stephen finished his reply, the Duke passed by him. His steps seemed unusually impatient today.


    After the loss of his wife, there was only one person left in the Duke¡¯s life. For him, enduring the loss of his wife was too much of a struggle.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to be in a ce where traces of his wife remained, so he volunteered to go to war. By the time he realized how foolish it was and how much it would hurt his daughter, she had already grown up.


    The years that had already passed had created a thick wall between the father and daughter. Everything was his choice and he knew himself that this situation would happen someday.


    He knew it and pretended not to know it. He just ran away in cowardice. Leaving his young daughter alone. He was not the only one who suffered from the loss of his family.


    He never considered the feelings of his daughter, who had to feel like losing all her parents in a moment due to his foolish behavior. Everything was his own selfish choice. So he couldn¡¯t even me anyone.


    The Duke could have done anything for Roxana. He agreed to the marriage with the Crown Prince for one reason only: Roxana¡¯s wish. However, he had almost lost his precious daughter because of his decision.


    When he heard that Roxana fell in the Imperial Pce and didn¡¯t wake up for several days, his heart sank. To top it all off, when he heard the news that Roxana¡¯s fall might not have been an ident but her voluntary choice, it was as if the world was about to copse.


    He wanted to lead an army to the imperial pce immediately and putting the sword on the Crown Prince¡¯s neck. He was still disgusted with himself. Fortunately, Roxana woke up safely.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t make the wounds she had suffered go away. It didn¡¯t feel good enough to kill either the ungrateful Crown Prince or his concubine. But instead of revenge, which he could have done at any time, he wanted to make sure Roxana was okay first.


    He didn¡¯t feel rxed until he saw with his own eyes that his daughter was safe and sound. How painful it was to get from the frontier to the mansion. In fact, the Duke hurried along the road so fast that several horses died of exhaustion during the march.


    He walked into the house with a frustrated look on his face. Just then, someone came down the stairs.


    ¡°Are you here?¡±


    I greeted the Duke with an awkward look. Duke Lillian looked at me and was momentarily stunned.


    The youngdy he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time had changed a lot from before. The atmosphere that had been mncholy and nervous was gone. However, a cold and cynical atmosphere emitted from her.


    It was as if he was looking at someone else. It felt unfamiliar. But the most important thing was that his daughter was safe.


    ¡°Roxana, let¡¯s talk for a moment.¡±


    The Duke looked at me with aplicated face. I thought for a moment then nodded. The Duke walked into the parlor with a mixture of relief and sadness on his face. I followed him nervously.


    ***


    The door to the parlor closed.


    The two of us were alone in the room.


    I walked up to the sofa and sat down, and the Duke silently took the seat across from me. The Duke was middle-aged, but still looked magnificent, as if years didn¡¯t matter.


    As expected, blood was thicker than water.


    The daughter resembled her father. They both had blond hair and golden eyes.


    However, the atmosphere they had waspletely different. Roxana was emotional and clumsy. Unlike her haughty appearance, she had a strong impulsive tendency and was very emotional.


    Because of this, those who knew Roxana ignored her behind her back, while those who didn¡¯t knew her feared her infamy.


    However, the Duke in front of me was just cold. There wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of Roxana¡¯s mood. The Duke bowed his head and said nothing for a while.


    Silence reigned in the room. In the suffocating atmosphere, I tried to observe the Duke¡¯s expression. After a while, the Duke finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°Roxana, I have called you here to apologize.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    I felt puzzled at the unexpected words.


    But the Duke¡¯s face remained serious.


    ¡°¡­I know it¡¯s probably toote, but I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sure none of that would have happened if I hadn¡¯t left you alone.¡±


    Roxana thought of the Duke as an indifferent father.


    The Duke¡¯s attitude towards his daughter was obviously too heartless, as he would not give her the slightest attention or affection, so it was as if he had abandoned her, firmly.


    I got the feeling.


    But on the other hand, his behavior was a little strange today.


    If it was true that he really didn¡¯t have the slightest affection for his daughter, he could have done whatever he wanted and just let it go.


    However, he was willing to stand by the Crown Prince for Roxana¡¯s sake. Thanks to that, the Crown Prince¡¯s forces, which had been at an inferior position, were able to gain a dangerous advantage in the battle for the throne.


    Joining the struggle for the throne was a very dangerous move that could involve the entire family.


    If they seeded, they could gain a lot of profit, but if they failed, the entire family could be shaken. The Duke must have felt the same way, so he must have stayed quiet.


    Not only that, but he has consistently helped the Crown Prince at the expense of great damage for him. To be honest, I couldn¡¯t understand all of the Duke¡¯s actions. He left his daughter alone for far too long to say that he loved her.


    Because of this, Roxana had to spend her childhood alone and in dire need of her parents¡¯ care. However, now that I saw him, I was convinced.


    The Duke was showing his emotions for the first time in front of Roxana. As if he had taken off his mask, the first emotions that appeared on his face were regret and guilt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    At the Duke¡¯s words, I carefully search his expression. Despite the calmness of his voice, his face was contorted in pain.


    As if to prove the daughter¡¯s resemnce to her father, the Duke¡¯s face was very simr to Roxana¡¯s.


    Perhaps that was why?


    The Duke¡¯s current appearance brought to mind the image of Roxana, who had suffered alone before.


    Eventually, the images of both of them ovepped, and I felt a surge of unknown emotions.


    The Duke¡¯s appearance as he was struggling to suppress his emotions was very pitiful to see.

 Chapter 58

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡±


    The Duke apologized endlessly to me.


    The end of his voice gradually cracked.


    When I saw that figure, my throat felt dry.


    I was kind of thirsty. A harmonious family was what Roxana had longed for. But now she was no longer in this world. The person who should be here right now was her, not me. Suddenly, my heart felt heavy. It was not enough for me to take someone else¡¯s ce and rece it, but instead I was enjoying everything that should have been hers. The Duke sat in front of me, bowed his head, and apologized endlessly. Seeing that scene made my heart ache.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I moved my lips.


    Repeatedly opening and closing.


    It was Roxana who had to forgive the Duke, not me.


    What I say to him now is probably an act of deceiving both the Duke and Roxana.


    But¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sorry too.¡±


    I took a handkerchief from my pocket and handed it to the Duke.


    The Duke looked at me with a slightly surprised face. When our eyes met, I raised the corner of my lips awkwardly to signify that I was fine. Then, a knock was heard outside.


    ¡°Your Excellency, can I bring in tea and snacks?¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    As soon as the Duke¡¯s permission was granted, Stephen entered. He put the te of milk tea and croissants on the table and left the room again.


    As Stephen left, another silence descended in the room. The atmosphere was still awkward, but it felt better than before.


    ¡°What happened to you and the Crown Prince?¡±


    The Duke asked me with aplicated face.


    ¡°The rumors said it was because of the Crown Prince, you¡­.¡°


    ¡°That day was an ident. People talk weird about me tripping while drunk.¡±


    I interrupted the Duke¡¯s words and answered hastily. Fortunately, the Duke did not question me further, despite my weak excuses.


    ¡°I only believe in your words. So whenever you want¡­.¡±


    The Duke looked at me without finishing his sentence. I wondered what he was going to say afterward, but I couldn¡¯t ask because of the atmosphere.


    ¡°Anyway, he¡¯ll pay the price for tormenting you.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°He has to take responsibility. He will get down on his knees in front of you and apologize.¡±


    Looking at the Duke now, memories of the past shed through my mind. It was like seeing my father angry on behalf of me, who came back crying after being bullied by a ssmate.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    A smile came to my lips when I remembered my father, who always protected me from behind. In an instant, the figure of my real father and the figure of the Duke in my memory ovepped. However, he was Roxana¡¯s father. Not my real family.


    ¡°But I will take care of this. So it¡¯s okay.¡±


    A sad smile spread across the Duke¡¯s face at my words.


    ¡°Okay¡­.¡±


    The Duke might be able to use the power of the family to pressure the Crown Prince to apologize. But this wasn¡¯t very good.


    It was only unpleasant to receive an insincere apology, but this rather would create an opportunity for political opponents to catch our weaknesses.


    I sighed inwardly.


    It was only now that I had a clear understanding of the Duke¡¯s attitude and knew I could use him. But I didn¡¯t want to. In this world, the more I meet and interact with good people and receive unpaid favors, the more ufortable I feel.


    It was difficult because the kinder to me, the more reluctant to take advantage of and involve them.


    I stood up, trying to keep a smile on my face.


    ¡°Then I will go back to my room. See youter at dinner. It seems that the chef put a lot of effort into today, and I am looking forward to it.¡±


    ***


    After I came back to my room, I was lost in thought for a while and didn¡¯t say anything. All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind. I reconciled with the Duke, but my heart became moreplicated. He had told me.


    <strong>¡°I only believe in your words. So whenever you want¡­¡±</strong>


    I was curious about the content behind what he was about to say.


    ¡®Did the Duke want to say something rted to the breakup of our engagement?¡¯


    Would it have been better to ask? I thought seriously, then shook my head.


    It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to use the power of the duke to break the engagement. But if that happens, it will definitely harm the family. I had already be attached to the people here. Unless it is unavoidable, I do not want innocent people to suffer harm because of me.


    If it was really possible to break up the engagement, then the reason must be the mistake made by the Crown Prince, not me.


    As it is now, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to make it like that.


    ¡°Miss? You don¡¯t look good. What did His Excellency say to you?¡±


    Joan asked me with a worried face.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that. Can you bring me a ss of water?¡±


    Joan looked a little puzzled, but then went downstairs to run my errand. Tien and Annie were still in the room, but they didn¡¯t talk to me.


    I sat on the sofa and leanedfortably on the backrest.


    After a while, Joan came back with ice water. I drank a cup of cool water and sat at my desk to check the invitations and letters that came for me.


    When evening came, Stephen came to call me for dinner with the Duke.


    The meal prepared by the chef was very good and very luxurious. It was clear that a lot of effort was put into preparing it.


    With the Duke¡­It was still awkward. The Duke and Roxana lived in a state of estrangement for a long time. The Duke was not my father, so I couldn¡¯t approach him and be friendly.


    It must have taken a long time for this awkward atmosphere to dissipate.


    ¡®Maybe it won¡¯t work out for the rest of my life, but there is a saying that the beginning is half the time.¡¯


    I had a good harvest today, so I was satisfied with this.


    I finished my meal with the Duke in such an awkward atmosphere.


    ****


    A few days have passed.


    Because the return of the Duke was earlier than expected, my schedule was a little off.


    After waking up early in the morning, taking a bath, and sitting in front of the dressing table, the maids were busy moving. While Joan and Annie were fixing my hair, Tien brought a dress to change into. My gaze at the dress paused for a moment. The elegant yet refreshing look was simr to the dress I usually wore, but it was strangely different.


    What Tien brought was a pale blue-white dress.


    ¡°Miss? If you don¡¯t like the dress, can I get another one?¡±


    What Tien brought was a gift given to me by the Lord of Hermes before.


    ¡®I put it in my closet and forgot about it for a while¡­ .¡¯


    I pondered for a moment and answered.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll wear it.¡±


    Tien¡¯s expression brightened at my answer. Until now, I didn¡¯t feel like attending big banquets very often, but Roxana¡¯s wardrobe wasplicated and not very practical. It probably wouldn¡¯t be easy to find a better option than this in Roxana¡¯s wardrobe. It was something I had already received, but wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to just keep such nice clothes without wearing it?


    I changed my dress and stood in front of the mirror. The pale bluish dress matched Roxana¡¯s white skin very well. Age-appropriate, bright, and sophisticated embroidery was eye-catching.


    Finally, I left the room wearing a bracelet and ne that matched the dress. As I went down the stairs, the Duke, who had already been prepared, was waiting for me on the first floor.


    ¡°Did you choose that dress yourself?¡±


    The Duke asked me.


    It was a slightly difficult question to answer.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    This dress was sent by Hermes, so it was a gift from Elvin. But I couldn¡¯t tell the truth, so I ended up telling a lie.


    ¡°It suits you very well.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s words made me feel ufortable, as if my lie was caught. Fortunately, however, the Duke did not pursue further.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go now.¡±


    Before getting on the carriage, the Duke reached out to me. With his help, I got on the carriage with ease.


    I could see the Duke trying to be friendly to me, albeit clumsily. He listened to me at no cost, and I have no doubts because Roxana is his daughter.


    The Duke was obviously a good man.


    However, he was also clumsy as it was his first experience of bing an attentive father in his life. How will he react when he finds out that someone else upies Roxana¡¯s body, the daughter he cared so much about?


    Just thinking about it for a moment made my spine shiver. In an instant, I made eye contact with him.


    He frowned slightly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Are you sick?¡±


    Golden eyes very simr to Roxana¡¯s turned towards me.


    The Duke¡¯s face was full of concern. For a moment, my stomach churned. Tried to put on an okay face.


    I made an effortless expression on my face.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just a little bit dizzy. I guess I have motion sickness. I¡¯m better now, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t hold back and tell me. I will stop the carriage right away.¡±


    I was troubled when the Duke reacted seriously to the excuses I made haphazardly. The main character of today¡¯s banquet was the Duke, no matter what anyone said.


    The emperor personally held a banquet for the first time in a long time, but if it was dyed because of me, it would not be good for the Duke.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine now. Really. I¡¯ll let you know if I¡¯m ufortableter.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­okay. If you feel any difort, just tell me.¡±


    The carriage drove quickly and arrived at the Imperial Pce.


    As I got out of the carriage, people split on both sides like a miracle of Moses. It was definitely different from when I entered alone.


    People looked at us with curious eyes. Until now, it was simr to usual, but their gaze was favorable and contained a light of envy and respect.


    I nced at the Duke walking by my side. He had a very cold impression, so it was not easy to approach him without considering his status or prestige.


    That kind of atmosphere made Roxana more difficult, but it was definitely reassuring to be next to him.


    ¡°The Duke of Lillian and Princess Lillian are entering.¡±


    I took a slow step into the banquet hall. Roxana did not know much about the battlefield, and neither did I. So I didn¡¯t really know how great the Duke¡¯s retribution had been. However, when I looked inside the grandly decorated banquet hall, I could see how satisfied the emperor was with him.


    ¡°Your Excellency, Princess, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. You shine even brighter today.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mean to be in the eyes, but today I was with the Duke, so I also received people¡¯s attention.


    It was a little different from my expectation that I would be able to avoid trouble if I was with the Duke. Only today, people were especially kind to me, and their attitude was uniformly very polite.


    But the Duke got busy dealing with the crowds that soon came in. I took a few steps away and quietly raised my ss. At that time, the chambein announced the entering of the imperial family.


    ¡°The Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the Second Prince will now enter.¡±

 Chapter 59

    Soon after, the royal family appeared. The emperor and the empress were at the front, and the Crown Prince and the second Prince walked in right behind them. The Crown Prince looked unexpectedly fine. He was still dignified and elegant.


    However, if you look closely, you can see that the light under his eyes is a little dark blue. I looked at them and met the eyes of the second Prince. As I bowed my head slightly to greet him, he nodded quietly.


    Today, the second Prince was wearing a white uniform and a blue cloak draped over one shoulder. A silver brooch and medals on his left chest gleamed in the light.


    ¡°Annie, if you go to the wagon, there will be a long wooden box. Can you bring it to me quietly?¡±


    At my words, Annie nodded her head with a dignified face.


    ¡°Yes. Lady, wait a minute. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Come to think of it, Roxana usually only took her maids with her to banquets.


    So, it must have been the first time Annie hade to the Imperial Pce.


    Perhaps the splendid imperial pce was amazing, seeing her twinkling eyes with curiosity, I thought it was a good idea to bring her. However, I was worried for a moment that she might make a mistake or get lost because she was nervous.


    ¡®Should I have sent Joan or Tien?¡¯


    I pondered for a moment, then shook my head. Annie was already far away and was leaving the banquet hall.


    ¡®She¡¯s worked hard all this time, so when Ie back, I should give her a reward.¡¯


    There were a lot of people in the banquet hall today, and there were many familiar faces. All the nobles of the capital had been invited, and ire was also there. She was beautiful today.


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the neat yet lovely appearance. Even without the Crown Prince, ire didn¡¯t seem lonely because there were a lot of people around her.


    There were alsodies who sometimes blushed looking at her.


    ire looked very fine. When I saw her, I felt a little sad inside.


    I looked away from ire before making eye contact with her. Soon, a melody flowed through the hall and the full-fledged banquet began.


    ¡°Roxana.¡±


    The Crown Prince approached me, who was standing quietly alone without dealing with people.


    ¡°You are exceptionally beautiful today. You seem to be improving day by day. Do you have any secrets?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡±


    I answered in a dry way.


    ¡°Crown Prince.¡±


    Suddenly, the Duke approached us and stood before me. His voice was hard and his face was cold.


    ¡°Duke, did you win another victory this time? Congrattions.¡±


    The Crown Prince sent congrattions with a nonchnt face.


    ¡°Thank you. And there is something I want to discuss with Your Highness.¡±


    The Duke responded with a cold face. The Crown Prince made an anxious face.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I heard that a lot had happened while I was away. As for the unsavory rumors circting recently..¡­ .¡±


    As the Duke showed his dissatisfaction, the Crown Prince did not say anything as usual. He sent me a look that said ¡®help me¡¯ with a difficult expression.


    But I did not feel the need to help the Crown Prince. So I pretended not to see his rescue signal and stood still. The atmosphere became awkward on its own.


    ¡°Can you exin what happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    At the Duke¡¯s interrogation, the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t say anything with an awkward face. If he had a conscience, he wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything.


    How could he say he had an affair with another woman while relying on the duke¡¯s prestige and neglected his fianc¨¦e? After a moment of silence, the Crown Prince raised the corner of his lips awkwardly.


    ¡°It happened because of a misunderstanding. Rumors spread by those who have nothing to do.¡±


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not true either.¡±


    The Duke was cynical.


    He didn¡¯t seem to believe the Crown Prince¡¯s words at all.


    ¡°I will be waiting for Your Highness toe and exin soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Although it was clear that his pride had been damaged, the Crown Prince did not express much of it. But I could see his face stiffened.


    In an instant, the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes met mine. He looked at me and said,


    ¡°Roxana, I have something to tell you for a moment, but it¡¯s a little too much here¡­.¡±


    The Duke blocked him once again.


    ¡°What do you want to do with my daughter?¡±


    The Duke looked down at the Crown Prince with a displeased face.


    ¡°What¡¯s strange about me being with my fianc¨¦e? Duke, you seem to interfere with your grown up daughter too much.¡±


    The Crown Prince said, barely keeping a smile on his face. The Duke didn¡¯t show any respect for the Crown Prince either. Because of that, today the Crown Prince had to crumple his pride several times in front of many people.


    Well, it was his business, and it was nothingpared to the atrocities he¡¯smitted¡­ The Duke tried to block the Crown Prince¡¯s approach as if I was in great danger.


    He was overprotective. It was good to let others know that the rtionship between the Duke and I have improved, but it was a little too much. Also, I was curious about what the Crown Prince was trying to say.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back after a while.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not that far away, so it¡¯s no big deal. Then I will go.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go far. And take some knights with you.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face hardened even more. The Duke finally put the two knights he had brought with me.


    I followed the Crown Prince to another seat.


    Every time I took a step, I felt people¡¯s eyes following me.


    It was definitely a slightly different look from when I was with the Duke.


    ¡°When did you and the Duke be so close?¡±


    ¡°I think he was very surprised to hear that I was injured. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wishing for a long time. After all, he¡¯s my family.¡±


    Surprised at myself, considering the Duke as a stranger and using him whenever I needed it.


    But if I recalled the Crown Prince¡¯s actions so far, shouldn¡¯t I need a shield like this? My stomach churned for a while, but I opened my mouth with a nonchnt face.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you had something to tell me earlier?¡±


    The Crown Prince hesitated, then opened his mouth.


    ¡°Recently, there are bad rumors circting in the capital. I¡¯m concerned.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you wanted to say?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    When I asked with a cold face, the Crown Prince looked at me with a slightly bewildered face.


    ¡°What do you want me to do, Your Highness?¡±


    The Crown Prince frowned.


    ¡°Someone said, ¡®Your Highness abandoned me and is going to make ire the Crown Princess?¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    As I spoke in a low voice, the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes instantly widened. His face was contorted.


    ¡°How dare they! Who said such nonsense¡­ ¡°


    I raised one corner of my lips.


    ¡®Nonsense¡­.. Is it really nonsense?¡¯


    Of course, the words I had just said a while ago were only made up to check about the Crown Prince¡¯s reaction. However, considering the actions of the Crown Prince so far, it would be good if someone said it. It was impossible for someone to ept a person of low status like ire as the Crown Princess in a proud imperial family.


    It was a thought.


    But the Crown Prince said differently.


    ¡°Roxana, no.¡±


    The Crown Prince grabbed my wrist.


    For a moment, I tried to shake off the hand that was holding me unconsciously.


    But he didn¡¯t let go. The knights tried to approach us with a surprised face.


    In an instant, the atmosphere became brutal.


    I looked up at the Crown Prince. Rather, he had a face that looked like he had been hurt.


    His blue eyes seemed to be asking why I said that to him. I shook my head towards the knights who were taking a stance that seemed to rush this way at any moment.


    No matter how great the Duke¡¯s power was, the man in front of him was the Crown Prince.


    This was the pce.


    The image of the Duke¡¯s knights threatening the Crown Prince in the Imperial Pce was never good. Even far away, there was an emperor and the empress. I looked down at the Crown Prince¡¯s gloved hand, which was still holding my wrist.


    Coincidentally, it was the same area where I was previously caught and bruised.


    I frowned, recalling bad memories of the past.


    ¡°Your Highness, It hurts. Let go of me.¡±


    ¡°Roxana, I never thought of that¡­¡±


    At that moment, someone grabbed the Crown Prince¡¯s hand, which was still holding my wrist. Finally, the Crown Prince¡¯s hand fell from me.


    It was Elvin.


    Then, Elvin also released the Crown Prince¡¯s hand.


    I touched my throbbing wrist because I had been held on for a while. There was a red mark, but the pain was not severe.


    ¡°Elvin Croix¡­?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at Elvin with a surprised expression on his face, then frowned.


    I was equally surprised. Of course, today, Elvin was not wearing a mask.


    The white face contrasted with the ck hair looked unusually cold. The Crown Prince asked in a voice full of displeasure.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re talking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I disturbed you. But I also have business with the princess.¡±


    Elvin was still arrogant and rude. His mood today was exceptionally cold. He had a smiling face. But the cold expression on his face and not the least pleasant look made him look like an angry man.


    ¡°What do you want with my fianc¨¦e? Is it urgent enough to interrupt the middle of a conversation like this?¡±


    I could also see the blue tendon on the Crown Prince¡¯s forehead. The arrogant Crown Prince met the wrong person today, and there were only cases where he kept losing his dignity. So it wouldn¡¯t be strange if his patience had run out by now.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re talking.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Crown Prince clenched his fists at Elvin¡¯s hidden meaning as if he was making fun of him.


    Elvin passed him indifferently and nced at my wrist.


    For some reason, it felt as if the spot his gaze touched was hot as if it was on fire. And the Crown Prince looked at my red wrist.


    Blue eyes were dyed with a bewildering light. The Crown Prince then apologized to me with a look of regret.


    ¡°I made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done. It¡¯s not something that happened once or twice.¡±


    I lowered my sleeves and hid my wrist with an ufortable face. The Crown Prince closed his mouth and lowered his gaze. I left him like that and turned to Elvin.


    ¡°Young Master Croix, you said you have a business for me. May I ask what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s not a big deal, but the princess found my lost item, so I want to say thank you.¡±


    Then I found a silver pendant hanging from his neck. Seeing that he even came to say thanks, it seemed like a very important object to him. After all, it must have been something he had that day.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just returned the things I picked up to the original owner.¡±


    ¡°I will greet you separately soon. And the clothes¡­¡­ ¡±


    Elvin¡¯s eyes met the dress I was wearing. It was the dress I received from the Hermes, but in fact, it was sent to me by Elvin.


    ¡°It suits you very well.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Elvin looked straight into my eyes and said it.


    Perhaps it was because I knew the arrogant nature of ttery, which didn¡¯t seem like it would even shake me. Even though it was the shortest and most dry of all thepliments I heard today, I instantly felt strange.


    ¡°Then I will leave. Please have a good time.¡±


    After a short greeting, Elvin left immediately.


    ¡®What the hell did hee here for?¡¯


    I had a nk face.


    It felt like a storm had passed. After Elvin left, I recalled the existence of the Crown Prince who still remained.


    ¡°A fox¡­..¡±


    The Crown Prince muttered quietly.

 Chapter 60

    Perhaps because of Elvin¡¯s visit a while ago, the Crown Prince¡¯s expressionpletely hardened.


    However, he did not argue with me as before as if he knew his mistake.


    ¡°Is your wrist okay? Let¡¯s call the royal doctor for treatment¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince asked me in a worried voice. It was obvious that he was trying to manage his expression, but it didn¡¯t seem to work.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. From now on, please be more careful. There are many eyes around.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Crown Prince answered without strength with an apologetic face.


    ¡°Elvin¡­ Have you two been seeing each other?¡±


    I frowned slightly at his next words.


    ¡®Well then.¡¯


    He just couldn¡¯t let it pass.


    ¡°No.¡±


    I tantly lied. Since the opponent was the Crown Prince, I didn¡¯t feel any guilt.


    ¡°Then what was the conversation about a while ago?¡±


    ¡°I just identally picked up what Prince Croix dropped and returned it to him through someone else.¡±


    This time it wasn¡¯t a lie, it was the truth.


    But the Crown Prince still seemed suspicious. Well, if I thought about it, it was an insincere answer.


    But there was no reason for me to exin to him who had ire as his mistress.


    ¡°If all your questions are answered, I will leave now.¡±


    As I was about to turn around after I finished speaking, the Crown Prince caught me again. Perhaps he was more aware than before, this time the wrist he was holding didn¡¯t hurt. When I stopped and looked up at him, he let go of my wrist.


    ¡°Do you still have something to tell me?¡±


    I no longer felt the need to keep a smile on my face, so I asked coldly.


    ¡°I know I don¡¯t have to say this to you, but I want to be sure. My fianc¨¦e is you. No one can take your ce.¡± (CP)


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Iughed.


    The Crown Prince¡¯splexion darkened when he recognized the sneer in my words.


    ¡°A while ago when I passed by Lady Dana, I saw her bracelet was very unique and beautiful.¡±


    ¡°¡­.. !¡±


    The Crown Prince opened his mouth as if to say something, and then closed it. He was probably thinking of excuses.


    Well, what else could he say?


    He just gave a present to his lover for her birthday.


    Compared to the things that the Crown Prince had done casually so far, it was a trivial matter.


    But while I was standing there just a moment ago, as I listened to ire and the bracelet she received as a gift, I feltplex emotions.


    The Crown Prince who whispered sweet words in front of me but gave precious gifts to ire as soon as he turned around, or ire proudly showed off the gifts she received from the Crown Prince in front of me¡­ . Both were absolutely disgusting.


    Clearly, if Roxana had been there earlier, she would have been unable to hold back her anger and would have been violent again.


    After that onemotion, the same thing always happened over and over again.


    Despite the fact that the victim was Roxana, she would have been stigmatized as a vicious viin by people¡¯s gossip again. Seeing ire who was protected by the Crown Prince and had people¡¯s pity every time, I wondered what Roxana would think.


    In the end, when I think of Roxana, who had copsed after being scorched, an unknown emotion churned from deep in my heart.


    My heart ached.


    Roxana was pitiful, the Crown Prince was detestable, and ire was disgusting.


    ¡°I have tried a lot to understand Your Highness so far. But the result is always the same.¡±


    ¡°Roxana, I¡­.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to make excuses. Apologies too. I won¡¯t take it this time.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    At that time, the atmosphere in the hall changed and the court musicians yed their instruments. A soft melody flowed through the hall, and people¡¯s eyes turned towards us. The Crown Prince hesitated a little, but as if he was conscious of people¡¯s gaze, he reached out to me.


    ¡°Everyone is waiting. We should dance one song.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I am not feeling well today.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then you don¡¯t have to do it.¡±


    The Crown Prince awkwardly took back the hand that was extended to me with a slightly embarrassed face. Since I openly refused the dance he asked for, it meant that I didn¡¯t show any respect for his face. It was easy to see how much more people would talk about today¡¯s event.


    Rumors will circte between me and the Crown Prince, and some may be delighted with the rumors of the breakup of the marriage.


    For example, someone like ire or Lady Flynn¡­¡­


    But now it didn¡¯t matter. Because of spreading rumors of the Crown Prince and ire¡¯s affair, I no longer had to be alone in the mud.


    ¡®I have decided not to be the future empress, so I don¡¯t need to care about the Crown Prince anymore.¡¯


    To be honest, I had never thought about entering the pce before.


    But now I know.


    If I were to be the Empress, I would be the most honored woman in the Empire except for the Crown Prince¡¯s mother.


    If that happens, I will gain power and honor that cannot bepared with the status of a duke¡¯s daughter.


    But entering the Imperial Pce was a double-edged sword. The Crown Prince didn¡¯t love me, so I couldn¡¯t count on his protection.


    And ire¡¯s existence cannot be ignored. If I be an empress, I will have great power, but the only true owner of the imperial pce was the emperor. In his realm, the imperial pce, an empress who was not favored could sometimes be in a worse position than a concubine favored by the emperor.


    In addition, the Imperial Pce was a dangerous ce that could not bepared with ordinary noble families. Do I want to go into such a ce and feel like walking on thin ice every day? For someone who doesn¡¯t even love me?


    No matter how stupid I was, I couldn¡¯t do such a thing. And I had no desire whatsoever for the things in the imperial pce.


    The life in the Duke¡¯s family was already full of abundance.


    In addition, there were many servants in the mansion who listened to me, as well aspetent butlers, cooks, and gardeners.


    Roxana considered herself unhappy in this mansion, but she was free and prosperous.


    However, entering the Imperial Pce was a different story.


    Every single thing I do will be restricted, and all rules and manners will suffocate me.


    One small mistake will have a huge impact and will eventuallye back as a big storm.


    So in conclusion, I had no intention of entering the Imperial Pce. The only thing I was concerned about was the process to go through for the breakup and the things after that. Having confirmed the attitude of the Duke, the breakup may not be as difficult as I thought. However, even if the breakup was sessfully concluded, the work behind it was moreplicated and demanding, so I had to pay attention to it.


    ire always came to Roxana with a smirk and turned her world upside down.


    If looking at it that way, ire¡¯s spection was also significant.


    Of course, she would want to be the Crown Prince¡¯s only lover. Actually, it would be the same for anyone other than ire.


    The desire to possess the one you love alone.


    The imperial family wouldn¡¯t ept it, but¡­ If ire bes the Empress, what will happen then?


    The rtionship between Roxana and ire went wrong from the start and is now irreversible. If the Crown Prince bes emperor and ire is still by his side¡­ Just imagining it for a moment was terrifying and I shuddered.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    When I returned to my seat, the Duke narrowed his eyes and looked me up and down.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Crown Prince¡­ ¡­ No, what did he say to you?¡±


    ¡°It was nothing special. He was just apologizing to me.¡±


    ¡°Is that really all?¡±


    The Duke looked at me suspiciously. His gaze was full of concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bear with it. Even if His Highness, or whoever your opponent is, tell me if you¡¯re having a hard time again. Father will take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I nodded meekly.


    Still, the Duke¡¯s worried gaze did not fall from me.


    Somehow Iughed. In the eyes of others, I was a foolish and vicious viin, but in my parents¡¯ eyes, I was only weak and pitiful.


    The music flowing in the hall changed several times. After standing for a long time in high shoes, my feet started to hurt little by little.


    ¡®There is still a long way to go before the banquet is over¡­ .¡¯


    I looked around, walked over to the Duke and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a break in the break room ande back.¡±


    ¡°Take the knights¡­.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the Imperial Pce. There are guards all over the ce, so it¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    I hurriedly cut the duke¡¯s words and said to make him feel at ease.


    It was cumbersome and inconvenient to carry several people with me every time I go anywhere. Since the knights were people of the Duke, even if that was not the intention, I felt as if my actions were being monitored one by one, so it was annoying. At my words, the Duke thought about it for a moment, and then said.


    ¡°Then take the maids with you. If anything happens, scream right away.¡±


    It was absurd.


    ¡®I¡¯m not a five-year-old kid..¡¯


    But knowing that all these wordse from the hearts of parents who care about their children, I couldn¡¯t refuse and nodded my head.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As the Duke said, I took Joan and Annie into the break room.


    There were already people inside.


    It was the young Lady Flynn and her crowd.


    The moment I opened the door without thinking and stepped inside, there was a strange silence in the room. But after a few seconds, the rest of the girls, with the exception of Lady Flynn, greeted me with smiles.


    ¡°Princess, long time no see. You have be more beautiful while we haven¡¯t seen each other.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get that dress? It suits you well. It looks expensive, but if I can afford it, I would like to buy a simr one.¡±


    Several pairs of eyes turned to me.


    ¡®If I leave right away as soon as Ie in, it¡¯ll look weird.¡¯


    I sighed inwardly, answered with a smile on my face, and sat down.


    ¡°I got it as a gift, so I don¡¯t know where it came from.¡±


    A look of disappointment crossed the faces of the young girls at my words.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been to all the shops in the capital, but I¡¯ve never seen such pretty clothes. The sewing is sophisticated and gorgeous¡­.. .¡±


    One of them pped her hands with a bright face as if she had realized something.


    ¡°Ah, did you receive a present from the Crown Prince?¡±


    In an instant, Lady Flynn¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    She raised the teacup with a calm face as if she had not heard our conversation. However, I could see that the fingers holding the teacup had a lot of strength in it.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s not the case.¡±


    I answered in a sarcastic but casual voice. After the sweetmentary, they were wary and quietly brought up the subject.


    ¡°Did the princess see the bracelet that Lady Dana wore on her wrist today? It looked like she was trying to brag about it because it was a gift from the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Even if I put iron tes on my face, I won¡¯t be able to do it like her. She really is shameless, isn¡¯t she?¡±

 Chapter 61

    I drank the tea in front of me, pretending to ignore the look in the Young Lady¡¯s eyes as if she was asking for my consent.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this all due to the fact that she (ire) didn¡¯t receive a proper home education?¡±


    ¡°Thest time a banquet was held, I went to Baron Dana¡¯s mansion and found it to be very small and cramped, no different from amoner¡¯s home.¡±


    The atmosphere turned cold for a moment. The youngdy nced at me as she spoke. She seemed to be worried that I wouldn¡¯t like her saying that she went to ire¡¯s birthday party.


    But when I remained silent, she continued to talk again, watching my face.


    ¡°They say you can tell a lot about a child by looking at their parents. Thest time I saw the Baron, he didn¡¯t seem to be in his right mind either.¡±


    Some people tried to scold ire for messing with me, while others simply spoke ill of her.


    Right now, the people around Lady Flynn were bad-mouthing ire in front of me, but if I wasn¡¯t here, they would surely talk about me.


    These kinds of people were everywhere I went, so I didn¡¯t mind too much. However, these girls were so unkind.


    Because they didn¡¯t know that every time they opened their mouths Lady Flynn¡¯splexion would get harder and harder.


    ¡®If you knew this was going to happen, I would have gone somewhere else. Next time, let¡¯s go straight to the terrace.¡¯


    I was looking for a fluffy sofa and regretted my choice toe into this cave unintentionally. I sat for a while and then left my seat.


    ¡°Are you leaving already?¡±


    ¡°If I stay too long, my father will look for me. I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    Fortunately, there was no one to catch me.


    Before I left the room, I made eye contact with Lady Flynn. Come to think of it, besides the Crown Prince, there was another person here who would not be cured no matter how many warnings I gave her.


    Whatever it was that might have put her in a bad mood again, Lady Flynn silently red at me. I closed the door behind me.


    It was then that I saw someone¡¯s familiar silhouette across the hallway. It was Viscountess Willis, Roxana¡¯s nanny.


    The nanny hurried somewhere with an anxious face. Then she disappeared soon after. It was not clear whether the nanny saw me.


    I was a bit surprised at first, but soon remembered that she was also a noblewoman and coulde to as many banquets as she wanted. Either way, it was no big deal for me to run into her, so I turned my head away. That was when it happened.


    Someone called out to me from the direction from which the nanny had just emerged.


    ¡°Miss?¡±


    It was Annie.


    ¡°I went back to the banquet hall, but I couldn¡¯t see you, so I looked around. I came here just in case and you were here. This is the box you mentioned, right?¡±


    Annie quietly held out something to me. It was the wooden box in Annie¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Oh, I sent her on an errand a while ago.¡¯


    Annie¡¯s forehead was covered with sweat. I felt a little sorry for her, thinking about how she had wandered around looking for me.


    I took the box from Annie and checked to see that it contained a present for the Duke.


    ¡°You got it right. Thank you for your hard work. Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    I handed her the box again and stepped out to walk back to the banquet hall. My legs didn¡¯t hurt from sitting, but I was more mentally exhausted¡­


    When I returned to the banquet hall, I found the Duke standing in the same ce as before, conversing with the emperor.


    Instead of going to him, I settled in a moderately unnoticed ce.


    ¡°Youngdy, look over there.¡±


    Joan whispered quietly, just loud enough for me to hear.


    I turned my gaze and saw ire.


    ¡°I bumped into one of the servants earlier, and I must have dropped it. If you found something, please contact me¡­..¡± (ire)


    A sullen looking ire was surrounded by many people and was beingforted.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t look good¡­.¡¯


    Perhaps it was because of the Duke¡¯s scowl, but there were certainly fewer of them than usual.


    However, their murmurs grew louder and louder.


    ¡°ire, please don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back to that spot you were at earlier, just in case?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say what¡¯s really lost, but if it¡¯s something else¡­¡±


    Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt as if they were looking at me.


    A momentter, my eyes met with one of the people in the crowd. When his gaze met mine, a man next to him poked him with his elbow.


    After that, I couldn¡¯t make out what he was saying because he was whispering. Eventually, ire gave a slight nod and left the banquet hall with a pitiful look on her face.


    ¡°Why did they look here? Rude. People who hang out with Lady Dana are on the same level.¡±


    Joan frowned, her face full of difort.


    Apart from the fact that she usually thought lightly of Roxana, her words seemed to be filled with pride for Princess Lillian.


    ¡°So far they¡¯ve been talking about the Lady without knowing their position. Why don¡¯t we learn all their faces and speak to His Excellency?¡±


    Tien also responded to Joan¡¯s words. They used to think less of Roxana, but now they seemed to care for me.


    Even though things had changed a lot in those days, in my eyes there was no difference between the maids and them. That was the reason why I trusted Annie these days.


    Because she was the only one who has been there for Roxana from the beginning, unlike them who change their faces depending on the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a child and you want me to go to my father with every little thing?¡±


    ¡°Little things?¡±


    Joan asked with a strange look on her face. If It were the real Roxana, she would have gritted her teeth and gotten angry, but I wasn¡¯t her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time these things happen, but you suddenly make a fuss today.¡±


    The expressions on the faces of the maids looking at me became a little strange at my answer.


    ¡°My thoughts were short. I was just concerned for the Lady.¡±


    Tien nodded. Joan¡¯s eyes were also full of wonder. A hint of sympathy drifted into their gazes, as if they were looking at a child born prematurely.


    A little ufortable, I turned my gaze elsewhere, averting my eyes from the girls. Then my eyes met with the Crown Prince who was looking at me.


    He was chatting with the nobles over drinks. He was acting as if he was a stranger to ire, perhaps he was afraid of the emperor or Duke¡¯s presence.


    He may be the next emperor, but in my eyes, he was just too smart for his own good. I quickly averted my gaze, but I could still feel the Crown Prince looking at me for a while.


    No one had gone so far as to ask me for my first dance, since I had refused the Crown Prince¡¯s request for a dance.


    ¡®I suppose I can rest now.¡¯


    But it didn¡¯t take long for me to realize that it was entirely my illusion.


    ¡°Congrattions, youngdy. The Duke won another victory.¡±


    ¡°You must be so proud. Your father is such a great man. I¡¯m really jealous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really proud of him as an imperial citizen. Let¡¯s have a meal someday¡­¡±


    This was due to the fact that people were trying to stick to me and use their praises to get connections to the duke¡¯s family. From a distance, the Duke was still conversing with the emperor, and before long, drinks were in their hands.


    The Duke¡¯s face was expressionless as usual, but the mood seemed joyful as I saw a hint of satisfaction on the Emperor¡¯s face.


    On a day like today, I kept a wry smile on my face as I tipped my cup, chatting with those who approached me. After a few drinks like that, my face became flushed.


    I wasn¡¯t drunk yet because I had moderated myself, but it looked like I shouldn¡¯t drink more here. I went into the terrace, looking for a suitable ce to rest quietly without people.


    Sure enough, a breath of cool night air cooled the heat on my face and calmed my head.


    ¡°Annie, can you leave the box with Joan and bring me a cup of water?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Annie replied briskly, as she always did, and then hurried off. Her small, skinny back looked very reliable.


    Watching her, my lips lifted up. I put my hands on the railing of the terrace and looked down. I could see the flowers blooming in the flowerbed just below.


    The smell of the flowersing up from the first floor was very fragrant. The inside and outside of the building were separated by a thin ss door, like apletely different world. Unlike the morous and bustling inside, the terrace was quiet and peaceful.


    ¡°Lady, it¡¯s dangerous. And if you fall¡­..¡±


    Unlike me, however, the maids looked uneasy. Joan, who was particrly weak, looked as if she was about to scream. It reminded me of my own crash at the Imperial Pce banquet hall the other day.


    ¡°Last time you were drunk and fell.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not drunk now.¡±


    It was true. And it didn¡¯t matter because I fell that day wasn¡¯t because I was drunk. But the maids, who didn¡¯t know that, still looked uneasy.


    My feet started to ache again after wearing the high shoes for so long. I sat down on the parapet. The wind was just blowing and my hair tickled my cheeks.


    It was a peaceful time.


    I could hear the faint sound of music through the ss door. The same was true for theughter of the people outside. How long has it been?


    The drunkenness subsided when I was exposed to the cool night breeze. Even my face, which had been hot, regained its original temperature. But Annie still didn¡¯te back.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be taking this long.¡±


    I began to worry a little more about the dy. There were many reasons why a high status noble would normally bring an experienced maid to a banquet hall. But Annie was sincere, meticulous and serious, so she shouldn¡¯t cause any problems.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s strange.¡±


    Joan also nodded her head in wonder.


    ¡°I hope she didn¡¯t have an ident on her way here. She might be struggling with a bad-tempered aristocrat or drunkard.¡±


    Tien added with a worried look on his face. If such a thing happened, Annie was amoner, so it would be difficult to deal with.


    ¡°Do you want me to go and look for her?¡±


    Joan asked carefully when she saw my darkened expression.


    ¡°Okay. Go find out why she¡¯s noting yet.¡±


    Joan nodded and left. A few momentster, Joan returned with a puzzled look on her face.


    ¡°Lady, it¡¯s trouble. Annie has been arrested for stealing Lady Dana¡¯s bracelet.¡±

 Chapter 62

    ¡°What?¡±


    I doubted my ears for a moment.


    ¡°Did you see something wrong?¡±


    Tien also had a face that she couldn¡¯t understand. Joan frowned.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±


    ¡°I went to the break room, and there were people gathering so I looked inside to see what was going on, and there, Annie was caught by the knights and was being investigated.¡±


    Joan looked at me and added.


    ¡°I just came back to inform thedy, so I don¡¯t know the details. But there were a bunch of people there and someone saw Annie picking up the bracelet. Oh My Lady, where are you going now¡­ ?¡±


    Joan called me with a bewildered face.


    But I left the terrace without looking back.


    ¡®You really don¡¯t leave me alone for even a moment.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t believe Annie stole ire¡¯s bracelet. It wasn¡¯t just because I believed in Annie.


    When Joan returned with aplex face, I immediately had a gut feeling that something had happened. When I saw ire with a gloomy expression on her face, the sense of dread I felt was not just an illusion. Indeed, ire was extremely tenacious.


    What kind of foe did she have against Roxana in her previous life?


    ¡°Lady, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Joan and Tien hurriedly followed me. Seeing that the banquet hall was still peaceful, themotion did not seem to have spread much.


    ¡°Where should I go?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡±


    After leaving the banquet hall, I saw a group of people as Joan guided me.They were so busy looking around the room that they didn¡¯t even notice anyone approaching.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    As soon as they saw me, different emotions appeared on the faces of the people present.


    Embarrassment, anxiety, curiosity, interest, exhration, etc¡­


    I entered the room with a hardened expression on my face. The first thing I saw was ire¡¯s face. There were people who had gathered tofort her, who had a confused face. And there was hostility in their gaze upon me. I nced at them once with a sullen face, then turned my gaze to the front.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Princess, that is¡­¡­ .¡±


    The guards in the room froze when they saw me. They exchanged nces at each other with troubled faces.


    I saw Annie standing behind them. Annie¡¯s arms were tied with a rope, and seeing that her eyes were red, she seemed to be barely holding back her tears.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask what happened? Why did you tie up my maid like that without my permission?¡±


    When I asked again coldly, the guards reluctantly released the rope tied to Annie¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I was interrogating the maid for stealing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an interrogation¡­. Ignoring the procedure like this.¡±


    I looked around once.


    Many people have already witnessed this situation, so the spread of the words must have been instantaneous. Surrounded by people, ire was a pitiful victim no matter who looked at it.


    Indeed, I knew nothing about this incident, but the eyes of those who looked at me were full of fear and hatred.


    ¡°There¡¯s evidence and witnesses¡­..¡±


    ¡°While all these people were gathered here and conducting the interrogation, I didn¡¯t hear anything. Does His Majesty know about this?¡±


    At my words, the look on the guards¡¯ faces became very tired.


    They had very troubled faces from the moment I entered the room. It must have been because seeing the princess and the next Empress was more important than helping the Baron¡¯s daughter, who was known as the Prince¡¯s lover.


    ¡°Of course, if someone hasmitted a crime, they should be punished. However, we must address this issue. Rather, what is the evidence and witnesses?¡±


    ¡°Someone saw that maid secretly stealing Lady Dana¡¯s bracelet¡­¡­ ¡±


    One of the guards carefully spoke.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    At that moment, a familiar face popped out from the crowd.


    ¡°The nanny.¡±


    I looked at the nanny with my lips raised coldly. Unlike before, she looked very shabby. I hadn¡¯t seen her for a while and she seemed older.


    The nanny averted her gaze and sighed softly.


    ¡°I saw it. This maid was hiding the bracelet in the firece.¡±


    A murmur broke out at once.


    People took turns looking at me and Annie with strange eyes.


    The nanny¡¯s testimony made the situation even more unfavorable, but not surprising. To be honest, I had a bad feeling from the moment I saw her. That said, I didn¡¯t know that the nanny would do this¡­¡­.


    ¡°Annie, you tell me. Is that true?¡±


    As I was making eye contact with Annie, I suddenly felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    I¡¯ve been through something simr before. At that time, Annie¡­¡­


    ¡°I swear I¡¯ve never seen anything like a bracelet.¡±


    I knew it.


    I sighed inwardly, relieved.


    If Annie couldn¡¯t resist the pressure around her and made a false confession, people would think I was the one who ordered her to steal the bracelet.


    ¡°Lie. I saw it, too. Since earlier, this maid has been wandering around the break room, snooping around.¡±


    As soon as Annie finished speaking, a young man standing next to ire added a testimony. Seeing that he was even doing that in front of me, he probably wasn¡¯t the type to cling to power. Either he has a strong sense of justice, or he was blind in love with ire. There was no change in the fact that neither of them was able to tell the difference between heaven and earth.


    ¡°It is my fault. Aftering back on an errand, the Lady was away, so I went to look for you, but I didn¡¯t know that such a misunderstanding would arise.¡±


    ¡°I know the Princess cares about Miss Annie, but you don¡¯t have to wear a stigma just to cover up the maid.¡±


    It sounded like he was genuinely worried about me.


    Absolutely disgusting. The nanny was Roxana¡¯s closest aide for a long time and was known to have retired with honor externally.


    People seemed to wonder who I would side with between the nanny and the maid.


    ¡°Now that I see it, the Princess is very generous. You even lied like that to protect the maid who stole. I don¡¯t understand it.¡±


    Many people were present at today¡¯s banquet, but many of the duke¡¯s enemies were also present. The man who threw sarcastic remarks towards me now seemed to be a person of such a family.


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s lying? Young Master¡¯s words seem to mean that I¡¯m using force to take the side of the maid¡­¡­Why do I do that for one maid?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps you¡¯re worried that the maid will say useless things during the investigation?¡±


    ¡°Mydy is not like that. Please refrain from making baseless assumptions.¡±


    Joan, who could not stand it, warned the man with an angry face. I looked at her with a surprised face, and then turned to the nanny.


    In the world, there are people who appreciate and give thanks when they receive grace, but on the other hand, they look at it differently and pay it back ungratefully.


    The nanny belonged to thetter.


    She had no conscience or shame.


    Tomit such a thing again with no sign of remorse. She was a very moral person, but she had crossed the line.


    That was it. At this point, there was no reason to worry about her face anymore. Already she had betrayed Roxana, and on the contrary, I realized that I had been overly generous.


    ¡°There¡¯s evidence here. Lady Dana¡¯s bracelet was found inside the firece in the room the maid entered. How are you going to exin that?¡±


    A pair of malevolent eyes turned towards me.


    At those words, I looked around and found a bracelet lying on the table. The bracelet had ashes melted on and lost its original shape and was distorted.


    ¡°This ce is open to anyone, so why is it so specific about my maid? Did you actually see her throw the bracelet into the firece?¡±


    ¡°No¡­..¡±


    ¡°I saw it. Her behavior was suspicious, so I followed her and saw her throw something into the fire. Now that I think about it, I think it was a bracelet. I definitely saw it with my own eyes.¡±


    The nanny came out again.


    With her confident voice, the suspicion in the eyes of those who watched Annie grew even stronger.


    ¡°Are you saying, after all, there is only the nanny who¡¯s the witness?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If there is anything suspicious, it should be investigated. But I don¡¯t think my maid is the only one who needs to be investigated.¡±


    A look of dissatisfaction appeared on the faces of the people.


    They seemed to think that I was using an absurd force to set fire to themselves.


    ¡°That¡¯s really coincidental. Last time, the nanny was caught by me while falsely using the maid of stealing and was kicked out. In my eyes, it¡¯s very simr to then and now. What do you think?¡±


    At my words, there was a quiet silence in the room as if cold water had been sprinkled on it. The nanny looked at me with her eyes wide open in disbelief. I think it was quite a shock to her that I mentioned it.


    ¡°My nanny had deceived me for a long time, but she was given severance pay without any punishment. It¡¯s something that an ordinary noble family would never have imagined.¡±


    Roxana would not have been able to do this to the nanny whom she truly trusted and depended on.


    Contrary to how she looked, Roxana had a lot of affection.


    ¡°I know the nanny was upset with me about it. But is she so resentful? I mean, on the day of my father¡¯s return banquet, would she ruin the banquet with such a nonsense lie and damage my reputation?¡±


    ¡°Lady, what are you talking about?¡±


    The nanny said with a puzzled face.


    Perhaps because there were many eyes, she did not raise her voice like thest time. But, as if it was unfair, she cried. Some were agitated at the sight.


    The rest seemed to be getting more and more confused about what the situation was. ire sat a step away and looked around as if it had nothing to do with her.


    ¡®I guess it has nothing to do with her whoever is taken away anyway.¡¯


    It was tolerable for them to gossip with each other in front of me, but seeing ire, the culprit of everything, caused my stomach to churn. It was then.


    ¡°Can I say a word too?¡±


    ¡°Young master Croix?¡±


    I looked at him in surprise as he approached me.


    ¡®Since when has he been here?¡¯


    Elvin naturally stood by my side. When he appeared, the atmosphere in the room became as quiet as a mouse had died.


    ¡°How did the Young master here¡­.?¡±


    A nobleman approached and talked to Elvin, pretending to be friendly, but he didn¡¯t even look at him. Embarrassed by it, the nobleman blushed, but did not show any signs of anger in front of him.


    He just hid himself from the crowd again with an embarrassed face. The eyes of those who looked at Elvin were full of curiosity and fear.


    It was a slightly different feeling from the way he looked at me before. Even though they both had a bad reputation, I could tell that Roxana and Elvin, who were friends, were quite different.


    ¡°What I saw is a little different. Earlier, while I was resting in the garden on the first floor, the maid handed the bracelet to thedy over there. Unfortunately, it seems that they did not know that there were people around.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    The person Elvin was pointing to was not Annie, but ire¡¯s maid. When everyone¡¯s attention turned to her, ire¡¯s maid opened her eyes wide and was greatly embarrassed. She didn¡¯t know what to do and looked at Elvin for a moment with a very unhappy face. Then she lowered her gaze and wept.


    The nanny also had a puzzled expression on her face. She was reckless in front of Roxana, but she didn¡¯t seem to have the courage to do that in front of Elvin.


    ¡°I swear I never did that.¡±


    The maid made a small plea in a trembling voice. With a face that looked like she was about to burst into tears.


    ¡°My maid was with me all the time. Could it be that the Young master saw something wrong?¡±


    At that moment, ire spoke in a soft voice.

 Chapter 63

    ¡°Are you doubting my eyes?¡±


    Elvin raised his lips coldly. When his eyes met hers, ire took a step back with a frightened look on her face. People around looked at her with sympathy. Elvin had nothing to do with this. All he did was testify of what he had seen. But at first nce, it seemed that the strong Elvin was tormenting the fragile ire. It was never in a good shape to look at. Because of that, the eyes of people looking at Elvin became strange.


    ¡°It¡¯s already dark outside, so maybe the Young Master saw it wrong. There is no special evidence¡­ ¡­ ¡±


    The young man who was standing next to ire took a lot of courage and spoke. However, upon receiving Elvin¡¯s cold gaze, he immediately shut his mouth and hid behind the people. It looked really pathetic. But it wasn¡¯t wrong. I¡¯m grateful that Elvin came forward, but in fact, he didn¡¯t have any evidence either. Maybe it was because Elvin¡¯s reputation wasn¡¯t very good, so people didn¡¯t believe him at once.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that innocent, shouldn¡¯t you be investigated and proven?¡±


    Elvin took something out of his pocket and held it out to the guards with a nonchnt look on his face. The guard epted the item that Elvin was giving him, and made a puzzled face. He politely looked at the object in the palm of his hand.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe what I say, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to check it out yourself.¡±


    People¡¯s eyes turned to the object ced on the guard¡¯s palm. It was a button. A in button with a rough and monotonous shape.


    ¡°I just picked up something that had fallen in the garden, but I might as well check who it belongs to. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    At Elvin¡¯s words, people¡¯s eyes turned to the nanny and ire¡¯s maid.


    The nanny had a puzzled face, but the maid¡¯s face was pale. She unconsciously tried to hide her arm from view.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know things would work out this easily.¡±


    I spoke coldly to the guards standing there with stupid faces.


    ¡°What are you doing without catching and checking?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Yes!¡±


    The guard, who came to his senseste, went up to the maid and knelt her down on the floor. Then the maid¡¯s body was searched. The button was just like the ones on the maid¡¯s clothes. And they could find a mark where a button had fallen off the end of the sleeve. It was evidence to support Elvin¡¯s words.


    Needless to say, it was far more reliable than the testimony of a liar.


    ¡°I thought it looked suspicious, but I never expected to witness such an interesting sight.¡±


    Elvin scoffed.


    The murmur among the people grew louder and louder. They weren¡¯t stupid either, so they seemed to have guessed roughly how things were going.


    ¡°If the maid was never absent, does that mean that Lady Dana was also with her?¡±


    ¡°After Lady Dana entered the banquet hall, she stayed with us the whole time.¡±


    A Young Lady, with a round and cute impression, opened her mouth.


    Her gaze at Alvin gleamed with fondness. As his gaze turned to her, she blushed. She seemed shy, but she continued.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t really remember if the maid was with her the whole time. I don¡¯t think I saw her for a while in the middle¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Young Master Croix stayed in the banquet hall briefly at the beginning of the banquet, and after that he stayed elsewhere.¡±


    The young man added to the youngdy¡¯s words.


    People¡¯s eyes turned to ire and her maid.


    I looked towards the nanny.


    She had her head bowed, so I couldn¡¯t see her expression. However, there was a lot of strength in her hands that grabbed the skirt of the dress.


    ¡°Now I know for sure who is right.¡±


    The young man intervened, looking at Elvin¡¯s eyes.


    In a banquet hall full of people, it was difficult to find people who care about an ordinary maid.


    So, no one could refute ire¡¯s words earlier. Now things seem to have sorted out.


    I looked to the Young Lady, who had the courage to help resolve the situation.


    Her gaze still didn¡¯t seem to fall from Elvin.


    I nced at Elvin.


    He still had no expression on his face, but when our eyes met, he flinched for a moment.


    I passed him and stood in front of the nanny.


    She looked up at me with aplicated face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know anyone else, but I didn¡¯t know that the nanny would do this to me. I don¡¯t think I need to look after the nanny any more.¡±


    I said with sincere regret.


    ¡°Lady, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    A bted regret spread in the nanny¡¯s eyes. She reached out to grab my sleeve, but as I backed away, the nanny¡¯s hand only stirred the air.


    ¡°Lady¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to do that on purpose. I¡¯m just envious of what the youngdy does for a mere maid, and I get angry¡­¡­.¡±


    The nanny¡¯s eyes looking at me became anxious.


    Her face, stained with bted regret and fear, looked very old.


    She looked very pitiful enough to feel sympathy.


    I lowered my body a bit, so that I and the nanny were at eye level.


    ¡°Nanny.¡±


    A glimmer of hope spread across the nanny¡¯s face when I called. But I had no intention of living up to her expectations.


    ¡°Have a good time in jail. Who knows? If you confess to the truth, your sentence might be reduced a little.¡±


    Nanny¡¯s eyes widened. It was as if she didn¡¯t expect these words toe out of my mouth.


    I didn¡¯t care and continued.


    ¡°You¡¯re not directly involved in this. That¡¯s myst mercy for a nanny.¡±


    After I finished speaking, I turned around. Suddenly, I felt a gaze, and when I looked to the side, there was Elvin. He was looking at me with an unknown expression. There seemed to be a hint of praise in his gaze. Elvin didn¡¯t look away even though our eyes met.


    Feeling ufortable, I turned my head first. Looking at ire, she was also talking to the maid in question.


    ¡°Why did you do that? Have I ever treated you badly?¡±


    In ire¡¯s hand, there was a bracelet that had melted in the fire and distorted. She didn¡¯t mind getting her hands and dress dirty with ashes. She had a very upset face as she held the bracelet as if it were very precious.


    ¡°If you have anyints with me, you can just say it. Why are you doing this behind my back?¡±


    ire asked the maid with a tearful face.


    A trembling voice on a face full of betrayal.


    She looked very pathetic, as if she had been hurt by the betrayal of the maid. The maid, who heard ire¡¯s words, did not say anything and bowed her head.


    ¡°Lady Dana, I have to escort the criminal, can you please step aside?¡±


    The guard asked in a stern voice.


    ire said with a resigned face as if there was nothing she could do.


    ¡°Take her.¡±


    It was a typical tail cut.


    Although it is an obvious masterpiece, ire¡¯s outstanding acting skills were always admirable.


    How people would react to this was unknown.


    ire dropped the tears she had been holding back. Then those around herforted her.


    But not everyone was stupid.


    ¡°Lady Dana, didn¡¯t you say you were always with the maid?¡±


    Joan asked in a sharp voice. Her voice was neither too loud nor too low. However, it was enough to catch people¡¯s attention and revive the extinguishing fire. People¡¯s eyes turned to ire.


    ¡°I really thought so. Earlier, when there were a lot of people, I was distracted, but I think that was probably what happened then.¡±


    ¡°No matter how irresponsible a person may be, is this something that can be overlooked if you say you did not know? Because of your lies, my Lady even got a ridiculous misunderstanding.¡±


    The way people looked at ire was quite different from before.


    It was full of doubts, and there were some who expressed their hatred openly.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t know either. My maid would do this to hurt me. I apologize on behalf of my maid. I am truly sorry for letting the princess get involved in this.¡±


    ire walked in front of me and slowly knelt down.


    Some of the people looked a little surprised at this. ire¡¯s apology seemed sincere, and when I looked down, her face was pure. Certainly, she exuded a strange atmosphere that stimted people¡¯s hearts. If someone who didn¡¯t know the situation looked at it, it seemed like they might think of me as a viin who bullied the pitiful weaklings.


    ¡°I also can¡¯t believe that a mere maid could do this on her own. If something suspicious is revealed, you should take her away and investigate. Why are you standing still?¡±


    Elvin opened his mouth slowly. Contrary to thenguid face and the bored voice, his gaze was cold and overwhelming. The guards who received his gaze started to move in a hurry.


    Thepassion that had been on the people¡¯s faces as they looked at ire a moment ago waspletely erased. Their fear of being hated by Elvin was greater than the sympathy for the beauty in front of them.


    ¡°There are a few things we need to check, soe with us, Lady Dana.¡±


    The guard spoke to ire with a solemn face. Their attitude was still polite but firm. ire took turns looking at Elvin and me with a surprised expression.


    However, Elvin¡¯s expression remained the same throughout. His expression, looking at ire, was supremely cold. Her innocent face didn¡¯t seem to have any effect on the man in front of her.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ire lowered her gaze as if resigning and nodded her head. The tip of her nose and eyes that turned red all of a sudden seemed to swallow the resentment. At this, some people around ire flinched slightly. There will be many people who wille forward for ire besides them. But now she was locked up in iron bars and was being investigated.


    ¡®Well, it will be only for a while.¡¯


    Sooner orter, the prince on a white horse will use his hand to save her. For some reason, the memories of the past passed by one by one. It hasn¡¯t been long since I fell into this world. However, the incidents and idents that I have experienced so far were at a level that cannot be said to be small.


    ¡°Princess, we have made a mistake. I also want to apologize to the princess¡¯s maid.¡±


    The guards apologized to me.


    As I nodded, they said to Annie with an awkward expression.


    ¡°A while ago ¡­ I¡¯m sorry for what happened.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was unavoidable.¡±


    ¡°I have a few questions to ask, it¡¯s just a procedural check, nothing else. So I hope you don¡¯t feel too burdened.¡±


    The guards¡¯ attitude towards Annie was very polite and careful, whether they were looking at me or not. I watched it for a moment, then turned to look elsewhere.


    ¡°Just a second.¡±


    I stopped the guards who were dragging ire.


    They stopped meekly and looked at me with puzzled faces.


    I approached them. ire opened her eyes and looked at me.


    I raised my hand high towards her and pped her face with all my might.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ire¡¯s cheeks turned to the side with a clear sound. She looked at me in disbelief. Her gaze was ferocious, as if she had forgotten to act out of surprise.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that you¡¯re innocent in this situation.¡±


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    The young man shouted with a reddened face. He was the one who had been by ire¡¯s side until now. I said without looking at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time someone under you has been taken away. Isn¡¯t it strange? How long has it been since your maid made her own y at Count Evans¡¯s residence?¡±


    ire didn¡¯t say anything. She just had tears on her face with no words. But there were not many who sympathized with her anymore. As I listened to the people¡¯s whispering, I continued.


    ¡°I wonder how long you n to live with the help of others. Then good bye. I hope we don¡¯t see each other for a while, at least.¡±

 Chapter 64

    The situation was quickly settled once those involved were taken away. The people who were watching, also scattered.


    I looked at Elvin, who was still in the room.


    ¡°Thanks for your help, Young Master Croix. The problem was solved easier.¡±


    ¡°I was worried that I would interfere, but I¡¯m d it helped.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®interfere¡¯? I won¡¯t forget today and will repay you.¡±


    ¡°What will you do to repay me?¡±


    I was speechless for a moment because I didn¡¯t expect Elvin to grab the tail in this way just after making a conversation? Come to think of it, I had received a lot from him so far.


    However, Elvin had a higher status than me and had superior abilities.


    Since he had arge organization, there were also a lot of talented people and wealth under Elvin. Whatever I could give to Elvin, he might already have it.


    ¡°Is there anything else you would like?¡±


    In a cold aristocratic society, there was no way he could help others without any purpose. In the meantime, I had received a lot of things from him, and on the one hand, I¡¯ve been wondering why he had been helping me. It feltplicated to think that I could finally hear the reason. However, unlike me who was serious, Elvin still had a light face.


    ¡°It was a joke, so you don¡¯t have to look so serious.¡±


    Elvin looked at me with a smile on his face.


    The curled corners of his eyes were like a crescent moon. I was momentarily stunned. Even when he was expressionless, I thought he was already very handsome, but his smile was even more outstanding. Even now, looking at his temperament to attract people, Elvin was one step ahead of ire. If he had been born as a woman, or if his personality had been a little more docile, courtships would have flowed endlessly into the Grand Duchy of Croix.


    ¡°The gift was well received. I liked it very much. The person who picked it seems to have a very good eye, did you choose it yourself?¡±


    If it was a gift, he must have been referring to the brooch delivered through Noah some time ago.


    ¡®Obviously it came with a pendant.¡¯


    It was then that I found the pendant on Elvin¡¯s neck. But the brooch was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°I just picked what I rmended, and I¡¯m d that you liked it.¡±


    I struggled to keep a smile on my face.


    I knew he wasn¡¯t the type to be conscious of others, but doesn¡¯t he care if people will listen?


    Even though there was no moremotion, there were still other people in the room. It was not good if people knew that I and Elvin exchanged gifts in private.


    I narrowed my eyes and looked at Elvin. He still had a calm face. However, there was no reason that the owner of arge organization was so ignorant of it. I didn¡¯t know if it was intentionally making me ufortable or if there was some other hidden political intention.


    ¡°Then I will leave first. Have a great time.¡±


    For some reason, it was ufortable to face Elvin, so I said goodbye. Evin nodded with a slightly disappointed face.


    ¡°May the princess have a good time too.¡±


    I left with the maids and Annie. After I left the lounge and walked a little down the hallway, my mind calmed down a little.


    ¡°If she* was kicked out for stealing, she should be able to be a little quiet. Even if she had a grudge against Annie, how could she solve it this way!¡± (*she=the nanny)


    Joan murmured in anger.


    Tien also frowned and nodded, as if agreeing with her words.


    ¡°She hurts the Lady too. She¡¯s really toxic! Why didn¡¯t I know before that Viscountess Willis was such a vicious person?¡±


    ¡°It must have been that she was good at acting. Even if she casually med others for her sins, she¡¯s been eating well and living well for years. She was that kind of person in the first ce.¡±


    I stopped in a quiet ce without responding to the words of the maids. It was quiet around the open corridor and there was a garden right next to it, so the scenery was nice. I came to my senses btedly while looking at the bushes with unknown red flowers. It was then that I decided to look back.


    There was one other person besides the maids who were angry over the previous incident.


    Annie has been following me quietly since before. The person who was surprised the most was Annie, but a lot of things happened and I actually forgot about her.


    ¡°Annie.¡±


    Feeling sorry, I looked at Annie with a soft gaze. Annie couldn¡¯t look at my face. Her body was shaking a little as she stood still with her head bowed.


    ¡°Are you okay? If you¡¯re sick, it¡¯s okay to go somewhere quiet and rest for a while. I¡¯ll assign someone to you, so there won¡¯t be any problems like before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to be so considerate to me. After all, I am just a maid.¡±


    Annie¡¯s face was still full of fear.


    If the false usation against Annie wasn¡¯t removed earlier, she would have been taken away as a thief. I did not know how they would punish those who stole from the Imperial Pce. If the severity was heavy, they might cut off her wrist, or wounds that would not be erased for life during torture, or she could have died.


    Anyone would be afraid to think that such a catastrophe had almost happened to them a while ago. I looked at Annie with a sad face.


    ¡°You must have been very surprised. I was not careful and you almost got into trouble.¡±


    ¡°No. If it wasn¡¯t for the Lady, I¡¯d be¡­¡±


    As if reminiscing about what had happened earlier, Annie¡¯s face, which had been pale, grew even whiter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the work of Viscountess Willis. If it wasn¡¯t because of me, she wouldn¡¯t have done this.¡± (Annie)


    ¡°Why are you apologizing? There are other people who actually sinned.¡±


    I was genuinely puzzled and asked.


    Annie was silent for a moment. I noticed that the corners of her eyes were a little red. But I could not offer constion hastily.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to find someone as good as the Lady in the world, so I¡¯m truly happy to serve you.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t that good. As I myself knew that fact, I felt somewhat warmed by Annie¡¯s praise.


    ¡°Today, your ttery is too much. If other people hear it, they willugh at me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not ttery. The Lady is a very good person.¡±


    Annie tly denied my words.


    ¡°The Lady saved my life, so I will be loyal to you for the rest of my life.¡±


    Annie suddenly knelt in front of me.


    The maids also had bewildered faces, but I was also greatly surprised.


    If other people see this scene now, they will think she¡¯s taking a knightly oath. I had never heard of a maid taking such an oath.


    But now Annie¡¯s face was serious and determined. I looked down at her with aplicated gaze.


    ¡®It wouldn¡¯t hurt to have at least one loyal close assistant, but¡­¡­ Can I trust her?¡¯


    Trusting someonepletely required a lot of determination.


    Annie was clearly a sincere and honest person. Even Roxana¡¯s lifelong nanny betrayed her easily and stabbed her in the back. So I wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust Annie, whom I had just known for a while.


    ¡°Can I believe that now?¡± (Roxana)


    The woman who took care of me when I was a child, who is now deceased, always said one must return the favor. If we don¡¯t, is there any difference between a human being and a beast?¡± (Annie)


    Annie¡¯s expression was much better than before.


    She looked straight into my eyes.


    Annie¡¯s eyes were brighter and clearer than ever. It was a little different from the way she always politely lowered her head.


    Because of that, I could get a glimpse of the seriousness contained within.


    It was against etiquette for the servants to make direct eye contact with the owner. However, I did not intend to point out her politeness in this situation.


    ¡°The youngdy has helped me many times, so repaying the grace for the rest of my life will not be enough. I will live the rest of my life for you.¡±


    ¡°There is no need for such a grand oath. You live your life for you but you can¡¯t betray me. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I swear to heaven. If I betray you, I have broken my oath to God, and I will never die well.¡±


    Hearing Annie¡¯s strong vow, the maids looked a little awkward. I also felt burdened.


    But it was better to be certain than to be swayed to and fro with a vague mind. We¡¯ll, I¡¯ll have to watch a bit more to find out.


    ¡°Get up now.¡±


    Annie gently brushed her knees and got up from the floor.


    We moved on again. Annie had a calm face.


    She seemed at ease, with no signs of surprise or fear anymore.


    Compared to her, the maids looked somewhat awkward and ufortable.


    But I was so absorbed in other thoughts that I couldn¡¯t care about them.


    ¡®Elvin Croix, what is he thinking?¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t quite understand it.


    He showed up to help me every time there was trouble.


    Is there someone who is that good in the world?


    Moreover, I heard that Elvin wasn¡¯t such a benevolent person. If coincidences continue, it¡¯s normal to have doubts, but with Elvin, I already¡­.


    ¡°By the way¡­.¡±


    Suddenly, Joan looked at me and spoke.


    ¡°I saw earlier. Young Master Croix is really different from the rumors.¡±


    I paused for a moment at Joan¡¯s words.


    ¡°His appearance is outstanding and I think he has a good personality. As expected, rumors are unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°I know. At first I was scared when I heard the bad rumors about him, but I guess it was all just rumors. In the end, it was good that he helped us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hundred times better than those rumors. What do you think, Lady?¡±


    Joan looked at me and asked.


    I know it was unintentional, but I needed to be careful about what I said in the Imperial Pce. But before I opened my mouth, Tien, who was chatting with Joan, spoke first.


    ¡°Joan, I know you¡¯re a chatterbox, but be a little more careful. This is the Imperial Pce. If your words get into other people¡¯s ears now, nothing good will happen to the Lady, and only bad things will happen to you.¡±


    Tien looked around and gave a little attention.


    Then Joan looked around with a surprised face as if she was concerned about her surroundings just now. Then, after confirming that there was no one around except us, she made a relieved face.


    ¡°By the way, Lady, why did Young Master Croix pick up a button that the maid dropped and keep it with him? As far as I know, he has mysophobia. By any chance, he¡­¡±


    Joan blurred the end of her speech with a suspicious face.


    ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯


    I frowned.


    As Joan said, it was really strange.


    ¡®Even if it was suspicious, why did he pick up a button dropped by someone else and keep it?¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t shake my doubts.


    I thought about it for a while and then self-helped.


    As incidents and idents ur every day, it seems that my suspicions have grown too much without me realizing it.


    No matter how brilliant and quick-witted Elvin was, there was no way that he knew this was going to happen from the beginning and kept that button as evidence.


    Joan looked around and whispered.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t pick up Lady Dana¡¯s maid¡¯s button because he likes her, did he? Then they can meet naturally with the excuse of giving it back.¡±


    I was an idiot for thinking deeply about Joan¡¯s words even for a moment.


    I shook my head. Tien, who was walking next to her, also looked at Joan with a pathetic face.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be. If he wants to meet her, he could have asked her to dance and sent a letter. Why would he pick up the maid¡¯s button?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­.¡±


    ¡°And what did I say about Lady Dana? That woman is sneaky.


    No one would like a fox like that, except for some stupid men.¡±


    Tien sighed and shut her mouth as if she realized her mistakes btedly.


    As if surprised by what she had said, I finally burst intoughter as I watched her look around with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°What did you say to me earlier? You better be careful with your words. If the Crown Prince heard what you just said¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. So be quiet.¡±


    Tien turned her head with an angry face.


    Her earlobes were red from embarrassment. Annie was still walking quietly behind me.


    As amoner, it was definitely difficult for her to get along with the maids who were nobledies.


    But I guess Annie was thinking the same thing.


    ¡°Then is it really a coincidence?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t think so, is there any way to exin it? How could he know this will happen and keep the button in advance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a coincidence or not. But what¡¯s important is that the wicked are punished. Maybe people will realize something about this. It should have removed her bare face properly this time.¡±


    I looked forward again and thought.


    Elvin and ire? No matter how I thought about it, it was an inconsistentbination.


    Since Elvin was very smart, he could see ire¡¯s obvious tricks in his eyes. Unlike the Crown Prince, ire¡¯s soft and good acting would not work on Elvin. There didn¡¯t seem to be any interest or liking in Elvin¡¯s gaze, looking at ire earlier.


    ¡°Anyway, Joan, how crazy are you? Let¡¯s think. If someone like him who doesn¡¯t like to be bothered dared to do something like this¡­¡­.¡±


    Tien looked at me. I was momentarily anxious.


    ¡°It must be for our Lady.¡±

 Chapter 65

    Tien continued.


    ¡°Last time the youngdy was injured, there were rumors of him running to help. It calmed down quickly, though.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡­ .¡±


    Joan nodded as if she understood.


    ¡°It¡¯s nonsense. If you¡¯re only going to say such useless nonsense, you¡¯d be better off not saying anything at all.¡±


    Unable to listen any more, I alerted the maids and walked away. What would Elvin think if he had heard that? I wonder if he wouldugh at me saying that I overestimated myself. Just imagining it made me embarrassed.


    ¡°Lady, aren¡¯t you going back to the banquet hall?¡±


    ¡°If I go back, I¡¯ll just stand there, so I¡¯ll walk a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Should I bring yourfortable shoes?¡±


    Annie asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t be walking long.¡±


    I walked slowly along the road with my eyes fixed on the floor.


    Roxana was beautiful.


    She was a beautiful woman with gorgeous features.


    However, in terms of appearance alone, she was not as special as Elvin.


    I¡¯ve never seen anyone more beautiful than Elvin.


    It was a little difficult to understand that such Elvin fell for Roxana¡¯s appearance. It didn¡¯t make sense to fall in love with one¡¯s identity, family, or sexual orientation. I too wondered why he helped me, but now I couldn¡¯t ask. At that moment, the footsteps of the maids suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Lady, in front of you¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡±


    I stopped walking with a puzzled face and raised my head.


    The Crown Prince was there.


    From the look on his face, he seemed to already know what had happened a while ago.


    ¡°Roxana.¡±


    Meeting the Crown Prince was not in my n.


    But there was no reason to be surprised.


    This was the Imperial Pce, the Crown Prince¡¯s territory.


    There had been such a bigmotion earlier, so there was no way it wouldn¡¯t have gone into his ears.


    ¡°Speak with me for a moment.¡±


    Although I didn¡¯t want to, I couldn¡¯t avoid it. And didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so there¡¯s no reason to avoid him.


    ¡±Yes.¡±


    When I nodded, the Crown Prince took the lead and stepped forward.


    As I walked, I found the garden where I took a walk when I came to the imperial pcest time.


    it was a ce only the royal family could go in and out.


    That was why no one was around.


    I left the maids at the entrance and the Crown Prince stopped a little further inside.


    ¡°Why did you call me?¡±


    I asked calmly.


    ¡°Why did I call you? Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s voice was low and cold.


    I stared at him coldly and silently.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    The Crown Prince, who met my eyes, burst outughing.


    He seemed to be trying to contain his anger.


    But I was not in the mood to ept the Crown Prince¡¯s anger now. I knew he was angry about ire¡¯s being caught, but it was his own business. Shouldn¡¯t it be me who should be angry about it?


    But seeing the Crown Prince who seemed to havee to use me¡­I thought that people really don¡¯t change.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    I finished speaking and turned around without waiting for his reaction. I tried to go back to the banquet hall, but the Crown Prince grabbed me by the shoulder and turned me around.


    The maids who were watching had faces that looked like they were about to start screaming at any moment. I stopped and looked at the hand on my shoulder and frowned. The Crown Prince controlled his power, so it wasn¡¯t painful, but it was unpleasant.


    ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    At my words, the Crown Prince gently withdrew his hand.


    ¡°If you have something to say, do it. But if not, I¡¯ll just go back. If I¡¯m away for too long, people will think it¡¯s weird. My father will be concerned, too.¡±


    My words did not work for the Crown Prince. So I brought up the Duke. It may seem childish and frivolous, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. The Prince, who saw me as an easy person and acted recklessly, still had to watch out for the Duke.


    ¡°Is it so difficult to talk for a moment?¡± (CP)


    The Crown Prince distorted his expression as if displeased.


    ¡°Or do you not want to talk to me anymore?¡± (CP)


    I looked at him silently.


    ¡°You have changed so much.¡± (CP)


    During the conversation, the prince¡¯splexion changed several times. He seemed angry, then he seemed puzzled, and now he looked a little sad.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even imagine how surprised I was when I heard that there was an ident in the break room earlier. I was worried. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get hurt again likest time.¡± (CP)


    I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t hee to ask about ire? If not, what is he here for?¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t understand more and more why he was holding on to me or what he was trying to say.


    ¡°Your Highness was worried about me? Why?¡±


    I was stunned for a moment and asked, genuinely puzzled.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡± The Crown Prince asked me back with a look of iprehension.


    ¡°Am I really the one you were worried about?¡± (Roxana)


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± (CP)


    The Crown Prince frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯re being strange. Is it so suspicious that I care about my fianc¨¦e?¡± (CP)


    fianc¨¦e¡­


    I soon realized what he was saying and was convinced.


    My existence was essential for the Crown Prince to ascend to the throne. So, it was only natural for the Crown Prince to worry about me.


    The Crown Prince sighed. He faced me and grabbed my shoulders.


    It was a much softer and more careful touch than before.


    ¡°I can see what you are thinking. Don¡¯t think of useless things. The only person I love is you.¡±


    I looked at the Crown Prince with surprised eyes.


    However, the Crown Prince¡¯s face was serious.


    It didn¡¯t seem like he was lying. However, I could not believe everything he had said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe me.¡± (CP)


    ¡°That¡­¡± (Roxana)


    The Crown Prince lowered his hand. He looked disappointed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot these days. So I try to do better, but it¡¯s not easy.¡± (CP)


    While I was contemting what to say, the Crown Prince continued with a bitter face.


    ¡°The guards, who were rude to your maid, I ordered them to be demoted and punished. Measures were also taken to prevent the spread of rumors. Let me know if you want more.¡± (CP)


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be by your side when things happen like before.¡± (CP)


    ¡°!¡±


    I looked at the Crown Prince with a more startled face than before. The white moonlight fell on his head.


    The arrogant atmosphere surrounding him was no longer visible. He looked pitiful. The night air and the scent of flowers all around made people¡¯s minds dizzy. Perhaps because of that, the Crown Prince looked a little different.


    Somehow it felt unfamiliar and strange.


    ¡°I was relieved when I heard that you were okay, and I was offended when I heard that you were with Elvin. I was upset when I heard Elvin helped you again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be close to him. I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t trust you. You can¡¯t trust Elvin. Next time, if you run into trouble, ask me for help.¡±


    I bit my lips. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t find anything to say, so I kept quiet.


    ¡®Is the man in front of me really the prince I knew?¡¯


    It was really surprising.


    ¡®If a person suddenly changes, you wonder if it¡¯s time to die, is it possible that he has an incurable disease?¡¯


    I observed the Crown Prince with suspicious eyes.


    But apparently he was fine. He held out his arm to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. If you arete, you may not be able to see the award ceremony.¡±


    The Crown Prince seldom said the right thing.


    I nodded and ced my hand on his arm.


    We left the garden and entered the corridor again.


    I could feel the maids looking at us with happy eyes. It was ufortable, but I walked with the Crown Prince without showing any expression.


    It didn¡¯t take long to get back to the banquet hall. The hall was peaceful as if themotion had not yet spread. I don¡¯t know if it was the Crown Prince¡¯s skill, but it seemed that the situation was controlled better than I expected. After he took me to my seat, he went back to his seat. He talked to people with an indifferent face as if nothing had happened.


    As he was doing that, the Duke came up to me and asked.


    ¡°You arete. Did something happen?¡±


    It seemed that what had happened in the break room had not yet reached his ears.


    ¡°But I definitely remember going out alone, but how did youe back with the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°It just happened.¡±


    ¡°Are you not going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°I just ran into him while walking alone. He was on his way back to the banquet hall, so we just walked together.¡±


    I looked around.


    Elvin was nowhere to be seen in the banquet hall.


    Perhaps he was somewhere else or returned earlier.


    I was surprised at myself as I unconsciously looked for him. Embarrassed, I picked up a drink ss.


    Drinking something cold seemed to calm my mind. The cocktail I picked up was fruity and sweet without bitterness. It certainly calmed me down if I drank something cold.


    At that moment, the imperial attendant approached the Duke and whispered softly. The Duke nodded quietly, looked at me and said,


    ¡°It looks like it is about to begin. I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Soon after, the award ceremony began.


    The Duke climbed onto the podium in the attention of the people. The emperor and empress were standing there. The emperor spoke to the people with a gentle face.


    ¡°Everyone knows that Duke Lillian made a great contribution to this war, right? I would like to take this opportunity to praise and reward him for his work.¡±


    The emperor awarded the Duke a medal.


    There were also several close associates who contributed to this achievement.


    ¡°Duke Lillian, you did a great job. Because of you, I and the people can feel at ease. I hope that you will continue to work hard for the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Your Majesty.¡±


    The emperor personally ced the medal on the Duke¡¯s chest with a satisfied face.


    After that, several attendants came from somewhere with severalrge boxes. Inside one of the boxes was a brilliant gold and silver treasure. It was a gift from the emperor. Soon after, the Duke came down from the tform.


    The gold coins in the box shimmered in the light of the chandelier. People looked at the Duke and the treasure alternately with envy. The Duke returned to his majestic appearance, receiving nces that alternate between envy and jealousy.


    ¡°Here you go. This is a gift I prepared for you. I chose it after a lot of thought, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    I handed the sword that I had prepared in advance to the Duke.


    It was very luxurious withrge and small gemsvishly embedded in the sheath. The Duke epted my gift with a bewildered face. Soon after, a look of satisfaction spread across his face.


    ¡°Your eyes are truly outstanding. This is the first time I have ever seen such a beautiful and colorful treasured sword.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the jewel embedded in here jade? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen jade like this. Jade symbolizes health and good luck. The princess is very filial.¡±


    ¡°The Duke must be very proud of having such a beautiful and profound daughter.¡±


    At the ttery of the people, the corners of the Duke¡¯s lips slowly rose.


    ¡°Thank you. I love it.¡±


    ¡°I am d to hear that you like it. I was worried that it won¡¯t be to your liking.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? You gave it to me. I¡¯ll cherish it.¡±


    The gift was preparedpulsorily without any intention. But seeing the Duke happier than I expected, I felt guilty.


    ¡°The Princess¡¯s eyes are excellent.¡±


    The emperor, who was approaching me in no time, said:


    I was very surprised on the inside, but instead of expressing it, I bowed my head and showed a normal face.


    ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡±


    ¡°Raise your head. Princess, have you thought about what you would like to receive for your birthday present?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is one thing I want, but..¡­ Can I think about it a little bit more?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do not worry. Your Majesty, it won¡¯t take long.¡±


    I looked at the Crown Prince talking to people from a distance. Feeling his gaze, he turned his head towards me. I looked away


    before my eyes met his.


    Then the second Prince, who was standing next to the emperor, met my eyes.


    ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯


    While the emperor had a conversation with the Duke, I left, unable to participate in their conversation.


    At that moment, arge shadow fell in front of me.


    ¡°Why are you alone on a day like this?¡±

 Chapter 66

    ¡°Second Prince.¡±


    I lifted my head and looked up at the man in front of me.


    Dressed in a neat and wless uniform, he looked down at me with a smile on his face. The tail of his eyes, which went down slightly and looked gentle, was folded into a half-moon shape.


    Contrary to his pretty face, his wide shoulders and tall height were intimidating.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. How have you been, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth living except that I¡¯m busy with work. I¡¯m a little tired, but my capital life is definitely better than my battlefield life.¡±


    ¡°I see. I am d that you are doing well.¡±


    Despite my blunt reaction, the second Prince did not seem to have any intention of going back. He quietly sat down next to me. I could feel people nce at the two of us sitting next to each other. The second prince¡¯s gaze was also felt asionally. Even if I tried not to care, I couldn¡¯t help it. In the end, I couldn¡¯t stand it and asked.


    ¡°Second Prince, do you have any business for me?¡±


    ¡°That.¡­ ¡±


    The second Prince was bewildered for a moment, and then took something out of his pocket. It was a small box.


    ¡°This is¡­.¡±


    When I looked at him with a puzzled face, he answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s the handkerchief you lent mest time.¡±


    Btedly, with a bewildered face, I epted the small box the second Prince had given me.


    Come to think of it, I vaguely remember thest time at Count Evans¡¯ residence I lent him a handkerchief because he was wet.


    ¡°I forgot¡­. Anyway, thank you.¡±


    I opened the box and looked inside.


    Inside was a washed handkerchief, folded neatly. And there was a pair of earrings on it.


    The jewels embedded in the snow-white tinum earrings were bright blue.


    Therge sapphire, reminiscent of the blue eyes of the second Prince, was very expensive at first nce.


    iI was a little perplexed, but I tried my best to keep a calm face.


    ¡°Second Prince, I cannot receive such a precious gift.¡±


    I closed the box again and held it to him.


    However, he had a strong will.


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s your birthday soon. It¡¯s a return gift for lending me the handkerchief. It¡¯s not expensive and I have no use for it.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­¡±


    ¡°Please ept it.¡±


    It was in front of many eople.


    If time went on like this, strange words would surelye out again.


    I had to be conscious of people¡¯s gaze, and I couldn¡¯t hurt the second prince¡¯s pride. In the end I thanked him to finish things quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the gift.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s a littlete, but congrattions on your father¡¯s victory. Then have a good time.¡±


    Fortunately, the 2nd prince withdrew.


    After he left, I had to feel the hot gaze of many people for a while.


    In particr, the jealous gaze of young girls was almost piercing the back of my head.


    I once heard that the second Prince was very popr in social circles, but now I see that it was true.


    He left me with a lot of trouble, and he looked carefree.


    He must have acted without much thought, but I had a strong foreboding that I would be tired for a while because of today¡¯s events.


    As time passed, the night grew deeper and the banquet ended. I got into the carriage with my exhausted body.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    Feeling someone¡¯s gaze, I turned my head out the window. It felt so chilly that it gave me goosebumps in my arms.


    There were many people there, but there was nothing unusual about it.


    Was it because of my mood?


    I turned my head back to the front with a sullen face.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The Duke asked me with a puzzled face. I shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ***


    ¡°You came back earlier than expected.¡±


    When Elvin returned to the Hermes, Noah greeted him.


    Elvin draped his coat over the back of the sofa. Then he sat down on the sofa. Noah took his coat and hung it on a hanger. Elvin turned his head and nced at his own reflection in the window.


    After that, indifferently instructed.


    ¡°Send someone to Viscount Willis. She is now imprisoned in the Imperial Pce.¡±


    Recently, Elvin had someone keep an eye on the Dana¡¯s mansion. Thanks to this, he found out that Viscount Willis, Princess Lillian¡¯s nanny, visited and interacted with Lady Dana. There must have been some reason for the meeting of two people who did not get along at all. As expected, the meeting between the two had a purpose to frame someone.


    ¡°It is not easy to infiltrate people into the Imperial Pce. Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    Noah said in a slightly dissatisfied voice. Recently, Elvin has continued to intervene in the affairs of the princess. He had never liked to meddle in other people¡¯s affairs. The rtionship between Alvin and the princess seemed to be quite close. Didn¡¯t he receive a gift from the Princess?


    At that time, Noah thought that spring had finallye to him, but it turned out it was an illusion. There was no change between the Princess and the Crown Prince.


    Elvin was helping the Princess from behind without showing any regrets. If so, isn¡¯t it the case that he only does good things for others?


    He (Noah) understood his master¡¯s desire to go out for the woman he loved. It could be clumsy because it was his first time, but his master would be able to win the beauty that way. When Noah reached this point, he became dissatisfied with the Princess. He thought she had feelings for Elvin too, but she was just getting help.


    ¡®Is it not like ying with the man¡¯s heart?¡¯


    To be honest, it was true that it was difficult to find someone like the Princess, but his master was outstanding too. Evenpared to the Princess, if she excelled, his master was excellent, and he nevercked anything. His character was outstanding, his influence was high, and he was overflowing with wealth. If there was one w, his arrogance and pickiness was a bit of a problem. But who in the world is wless?


    It will be difficult to find a better groom than his master in the Empire.


    ¡°You are already busy with your work, so you don¡¯t need to worry about trivial things. Viscount Willis has already been abandoned by the Princess.¡±


    Noah added bluntly. Elvin nced at him like that and gave an order indifferently.


    ¡°Send someone anyway, or increase the guards. I think someone will get rid of her soon.¡±


    No matter how dissatisfied Noah was, he could not disobey his superior¡¯s orders. Noah couldn¡¯t help but nod his head.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ****


    Inside the prison.


    ire was crouching down.


    The weather outside was hot, but at night it was cool. Not to mention the dark inside the prison where there was no sunlight.


    During the day, the humid and hot air made her chest stuffy. And at night, the cold energy permeated her body. A haystack in a corner and a thin nket covered by prisoners couldn¡¯t keep the cold away.


    ire stared nkly at the floor with a confused face.


    Her n for today was perfect.


    However, everything went wrong when Young Master Croix intervened in the middle. He had a heartless and cold personality. Rumors had it that was so cold-hearted about other people¡¯s affairs that even if he saw injustice in front of him, he wouldn¡¯t interfere.


    However, his intervention today ruined all the preparations. The reason he intervened in this matter was probably because of the Princess. ire wasn¡¯t sure how, but there was definitely something between the two.


    She couldn¡¯t believe that the Princess could possess that cold young master.


    ire realized she had underestimated Roxana once more. At that moment, the sound of someone sick was heard from the other room.


    ¡°Ummm¡­¡±


    In the room opposite ire¡¯s, Viscountess Willis was imprisoned.


    Together with the maid, she became a prime suspect and was interrogated. However, due to her old age and frailty, she could not hold out for long and fainted. The guards threw Viscountess Willis into the cell at random. It had been a while since then, but now she seemed to havee to her senses.


    ¡°Here is¡­ ¡­ ¡±


    Viscountess Willis blinked and stood up.


    She frowned at the fiery pain she felt all over her body. The interrogation was conducted in a very cold and stiff atmosphere, and severe torture was also conducted in between.


    The imperial investigators who interrogated had no mercy in their hands.


    The pain she felt all over her body right now was due to that.


    ¡°Are you awake now?¡±


    ¡°Lady Dana?¡±


    Viscountess Willis was happy to find ire standing in the cell.


    The distance from her was a little far, but it was a greatfort to find a familiar person in a strange and fearful ce.


    She plotted things out with ire and endured harsh interrogations and remained silent for ire.


    If she betrayed her in the middle, the alliance would end at that moment.


    After all, Lady Dana was the Crown Prince¡¯s lover, and soon he would help her.


    Eventually, her eyes became ustomed to the darkness and her vision brightened. Viscountess Willis realized that ire was also imprisoned in a cell just like herself.


    Viscountess Willis, who discovered this, darkened herplexion.


    ¡°Is the Lady imprisoned too?¡±


    Viscountess Willis asked curiously.


    ire¡¯s face hardened, noticing the strange impression in her words.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ire nodded coldly.


    Her gaze on Viscountess Willis also became cold at the same time.


    To ire, what Viscountess Willis just said meant why the Crown Prince wasn¡¯ting to save her.


    It sounded like a mockery.


    But there was nothing ire could say.


    Up until now, if anything happened to her, the Crown Prince did not stand by and always helped. She had no doubts that it would be the case this time as well.


    But hours had passed since she was imprisoned, and there was no news from him.


    The maid, who was brought along after the incident, was in a different room because she was amoner. At first nce, the guard¡¯s resourcefulness was so cruel and heinous that the maid was already in a state of disrepair.


    Judging by her (the maid) condition, she probably wouldn¡¯tst more than a few days.


    ire almost vomited at the first brutal scene she had ever seen in her life.


    Fortunately, there was no evidence anywhere that she had anything to do with this.


    There would be nothing wrong with it as long as Viscountess Willis or the maid didn¡¯t involve herself with useless words.


    However, there was no guarantee that the two would not betray her. It was still okay, but the situation could change at any time. So ire wished the two of them would die. Then she would be clear.


    ¡°What did the Crown Prince say?¡±


    Viscountess Willis asked without notice. ire¡¯s face hardened even more.


    But it was dark all around and Viscountess Willis, already anxious, did not see ire¡¯s expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen, so please wait a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Has His Highness not spoken to you yet?¡±


    ire couldn¡¯t say anything.


    Viscountess Willis¡¯ eyes trembled with anxiety at her silence. Viscountess Willis walked up to the iron bars and grabbed them with her hands. Then she asked ire with a distorted face.


    ¡°Is it possible that the Crown Prince doesn¡¯t know what happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be sitting in the cell like this.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a day since things happened and we became like this. But you¡¯re already making a fuss?¡±


    ire coldly cut off Viscountess Willis¡¯ words.


    At the sound of ire¡¯s cold voice, Viscountess Willis shut her mouth and looked at her.


    For Viscountess Willis, who had beenpletely abandoned by Roxana, now ire was the only one she could rely on.


    Lady Dana was unlikely to get out of prison on her own, but if there was the Crown Prince behind her, it wouldn¡¯t be that difficult.


    However, after ire got out of the prison, there was a high possibility that ire would pretend that she didn¡¯t know anything and abandon her (Viscountess) too. If so, she (Viscountess )would not die alone.


    Viscountess Willis swore to herself.

 Chapter 67

    Inside a spacious and luxurious room decorated in gold. The Crown Prince was sitting on a chair. It was dawn and the outside was colored with a twilight light. It was still time for everyone to sleep. But the light in his room was still on. The Crown Prince turned over the documents with a tired face. At that moment, an attendant entered the room. The Crown Prince asked indifferently, without even looking at him.


    ¡°Did you get the job done?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Make sure to clean up the mess.¡±


    ¡°Yes. of course.¡±


    Even after finishing the report, the servant did not leave the room and hesitated. The Crown Prince¡¯s gaze became sharp.


    ¡°If you have something to say, say it. Don¡¯t stand there to bother me.¡±


    The prince said in a harsh voice. Recently, the Crown Prince was sensitive and people were careful not to offend him. The servant looked at him and opened his mouth carefully.


    ¡°Is that really what Lady Dana did?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a day or two that ire went to the Imperial Pce. As a result, most of the courtiers in the Imperial Pce knew her face. Regardless of gender, many of them were fond of ire, who was sweet and pretty.


    However, he couldn¡¯t believe the gentle lookingdy was used of framing the Princess and was imprisoned.


    The servant could not hide his curiosity.


    ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡±


    The Crown Prince put down the papers he was holding in his hand with a displeased face. The servant, who met his eyes, quickly bowed his head when he seemed annoyed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I said useless things¡­¡±


    ¡°If you know, then leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After the servant left, the Crown Prince was left alone in arge room.


    He picked up the paperwork again and looked at it for a while. But when he started working again, he couldn¡¯t concentrate.


    It was because his mind was confused. He finally put down the papers and leaned back on his chair. There was a sharp pain in his shoulder and back. After the recent return of the second Prince, it had been like this. He didn¡¯t even have time to sleep properly because he had to deal with the pile of work every day. Due to the tight schedule, he couldn¡¯t go anywhere. He frowned and rubbed his right shoulder with his left hand.


    ¡°ha¡­.¡±


    He let out a heavy sigh. Then, someone¡¯s voice came from outside the room.


    ¡°Your Highness, I heard you called. May Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    When permission was granted, a man entered the room. He was Baron Cheston, a secretary close to the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t found it yet. But I think we will find it soon.¡±


    ¡°Not yet?¡±


    At the boss¡¯s rebuke, Baron Cheston bowed his head with an expressionless face. A look of annoyance crossed the Crown Prince¡¯s face.


    ¡°The date of the banquet is not far away. Have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No matter what you do, be sure to get it. It doesn¡¯t matter how much it costs.¡±


    ¡°Yes. All right. By the way¡­Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Baron Cheston hesitated and asked.


    ¡°Are you going to leave Lady Dana as she is?¡±


    It was already the second time he heard this question.


    The Crown Prince frowned.


    ¡°This incident also reached the ears of the emperor. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t.¡±


    He clenched his teeth, remembering the day¡¯s events. The emperor was not stupid.


    Hearing the report, he knew the full story of this incident, and called the Crown Prince to warn him quietly. In such a situation, the Crown Prince could not use his power to get ire out.


    All he could do was take care of things so that things wouldn¡¯t get bigger.


    ¡°ire passed this time. I¡¯ve been so generous all this time. I definitely gave a warning. If the warning doesn¡¯t work, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to experience it once to realize it.¡±


    The imperial prison was a difficult ce for a fragile noble girl to endure.


    Lady Dana was imprisoned in such a ce, but the Crown Prince seemed too calm. The calm appearance of the Crown Prince made him wonder if he was the same person he had known so far.


    It wasn¡¯t just his attitude towards Lady Dana that had changed. Under his gentle face, his eyes were bing more and more cold and ruthless.


    As a result, the royals working in the Imperial Pce were very ufortable these days. Not long ago, a pce servant made a small mistake in front of the Crown Prince. The servant was severely punished and kicked out.


    After that, the courtiers of the Imperial Pce killed their footsteps, lest they offend the Crown Prince¡¯s moods.


    Baron Cheston could understand some of the Crown Prince¡¯s feelings.


    While suffering from heavy workload, the forces of the second Prince continued to cause problems. If these days continued, it was natural for people to be sharp and sensitive.


    ¡±Yes. I¡¯ll find the item you said as soon as possible and bring it to you. It probably won¡¯t take too long.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it should be. Then leave.¡±


    After Baron Cheston left, the Crown Prince was left alone.


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯m really going to die like this.¡±


    He looked outside and the sun had already risen. The prince rubbed his eyes with a tired face.


    He picked up the papers again. After a while, I looked at the clock and saw that it had passed 2 am.


    It looked like it was going to rain because it was covered in dark clouds. Then he opened a drawer, took out a bottle, and put 2 pills in his mouth. It was prescribed by the royal doctor and it had medicinal effects to recover from fatigue and replenish energy. As he tried to close the drawer again, he noticed something and stopped.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince took something out of the drawer and looked at it. The identity of the object was none other than a handkerchief.


    An eagle was embroidered in the center of the handkerchief, and roses were embroidered on the edges. It wasn¡¯t as sophisticated and excellent as the embroidery of the imperial bedroom maids, but it wasn¡¯t bad.


    The eagle symbolized the imperial family, and the flowernguage of the rose was love.


    The night he first met ire, the garden viewed from the terrace was full of red roses.


    So, the embroidery on the handkerchief had meaning and was full of sincerity. The handkerchief was a gift from ire on his birthdayst year. Baron Dana was not wealthy, and he was stingy with his daughter. As a result, ire was not in a position to prepare an expensive gift.


    So, she could only prepare a gift with sincerity. At that time, ire gave him the handkerchief and was very embarrassed and ashamed. But he liked her gift. More than a precious jewel bracelet prepared by his fianc¨¦e.


    Isn¡¯t it really crazy? A Young Lady brought only a handkerchief as a present for his birthday, the Crown Prince of the Empire. An unknown smile spread across the Crown Prince¡¯s lips as he recalled that day.


    The eyes were bitter because they were simply reminiscent of pleasant memories and soaked in sentimentality.


    Obviously, that day, ire had a happy face when she heard his thank you. Her smile that was so pure and clean like a spotless child remained in his memory. However, on the same day, he could not remember what kind of expression Roxana had. The Crown Prince looked down at the handkerchief with aplicated face, then put it down in the original ce and closed the drawer.


    Then he turned his gaze back to the paperwork. Only the sound of flipping paper filled the silent room.


    ***


    It was cloudy in the morning, and then it rained in the afternoon. It was supposed to cool off the heat.


    It was not a hot day today, so Tien poured hot tea. Then, Joan, who had left the room, returned. Contrary to her usual lively appearance, she was quiet now. Somehow she had a nk face and her eyes were blurry. She wasn¡¯t like that until she left the room to bring more snacks earlier, so I couldn¡¯t figure out what had happened in between.


    ¡°Lady¡­¡±


    Joan came up to me.


    Her eyes were gloomy and her face looked nk as if she had lost her mind.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did something happen?¡±


    Tien noticed the strangeness and asked with a puzzled face.


    Joan looked at her for a moment, then looked back at me.


    She seemed hesitant, but then spoke up.


    ¡°Viscount Willis has passed away¡­¡±


    Annie opened her eyes wide, and Tien covered her mouth with her hand.


    Joan looked at me worriedly. A few secondster, understanding her words, I asked with a nk face.


    ¡°The nanny is dead?¡±


    Joan nodded her head, confirming.


    Tea water overflowed from the teacup I was holding in my hand. Somehow, my hands were shaking.


    I put down the teacup to hide the trembling.


    Then I took out a handkerchief and wiped my wet hands.


    The facial expressions of the maids were not good either. The atmosphere in the room had subsided since morning. The death of an acquaintance seemed very heartbreaking. I felt the same.


    ¡°She was found hanged in prison. A suicide note was also found. Life in prison seems to have been quite difficult.¡±


    Joan¡¯sments made me even more disturbed.


    I was an extremely ordinary person who lived an ordinary life. When I heard that someone rted to me had died, I couldn¡¯t help but feel nothing. Even if it was something that had already been foreseen, and even if it was self-inflicted. The moment she entered the prison, I guessed I knew she would not be able to get out easily. However, I really didn¡¯t know that the stubborn and arrogant woman would end her life so quickly. Until yesterday, when I thought of her, who framed Annie with a fine appearance, my mind becameplicated.


    ¡°What about her funeral?¡±


    ¡°She died as a criminal without paying the price for her crime, so she was cremated right away without a funeral.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­.¡±


    I nodded my head reluctantly.


    Tien looked at Joan with a puzzled face.


    ¡°But how do you know all that? Are there already rumors that the Viscount Willismitted suicide in prison?¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­.¡±


    I too was puzzled and looked at Joan.


    Did what happened inside the Imperial Pce spread so quickly? It was difficult to understand unless someone intentionally spread the rumor.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Joan shook her head.


    Tien asked with a more puzzled face.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a rumor, how the hell did you know that?¡±


    ¡°I went down to the first floor a while ago and heard a man from the imperial family talking to the butler. It looks like he came to ask what to do with the cremated remains.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Originally, the body of a criminal would have been thrown away after cremation.


    Although it ended badly, the rtionship between Viscount Willis and Roxana was as deep as it was old. The imperial family who knew about it seemed to have taken care of it. Then, Stephen knocked on the door.


    ¡°Lady, this is Stephen. May Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    When my permission was granted, the door opened and Stephen entered.


    After the Duke returned, he, as the butler, became even busier. There must have been a reason why Stephen hade to me directly.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°His Excellency asked you to dine with him this evening if you¡¯re not busy.¡±

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    I pondered for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss, I¡¯ll pick you upter.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything else to order?¡±


    Stephen looked at me with a puzzled face.


    I thought for a moment and then asked.


    ¡°How did you decide to dispose of the remains of Viscount Willis?¡±


    Stephen¡¯s expression shook for a moment at my question.


    ¡°How do you¡­¡±


    Joan, who flinched at Stephen¡¯s questionable voice, had a sullen face.


    She tried to keep a calm face and stood silently in an unnoticed ce.


    Stephen immediately bowed his head with a troubled expression.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything because I didn¡¯t want to upset the Lady. I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you, so please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Stephen raised his head slightly and looked at me.


    His gaze was very cautious, as if he was worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hide since you already know. This morning, Viscountess Willis hanged herself in prison. It was already toote when the guard found her.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t surprised because it was something I knew.


    But there was one thing I was curious about.


    ¡°I know that the nanny has two children. Where and what are they doing?¡±


    ¡°I went to the Willis¡¯ residence to deliver the remains, but no one was home. The child is said to have run away, and thest time he was seen at a bar a few days ago is unknown.¡±


    Stephen watched my reaction and spoke carefully.


    ¡°The investigator, who was suspicious of the mess in the house, confirmed that he had borrowed money from close friends and ran away from debts.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ It¡¯s really amazing. There¡¯s no other dog¡¯s mess.¡±


    The harsh words came out of my absurd mind.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    Stephen, Annie and the maids looked at me in amazement.


    I was embarrassed and shut my mouth.


    But it was still astonishing.


    ¡®I know the family is a mess, but I didn¡¯t know it was this much.¡¯


    The nanny did a lot of bad things to the people around her.


    But only for the children.


    She did her best for her children and always sacrificed herself.


    But they didn¡¯t even know that their mother had died.


    Suddenly, my mouth went dry, and I frowned.


    ¡°We have released people to find his whereabouts, but it seems to have been deliberate and nned from the beginning, so it may take some time.¡±


    ¡°Where are the remains of the nanny?¡±


    ¡°I keep it just in case.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°How do I deal with it?¡±


    The nanny¡¯s daughter ran away from home, and her son deceived people and went into hiding.


    To her, there were only two people in her family, but even that was unknown.


    If I turned a blind eye, the remains of the nanny would have been thrown away randomly.


    ¡°She¡¯s already dead, so what more to me? Think of the past and bury it in a sunny ce.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will.¡±


    ¡°Then go ahead.¡±


    Stephen greeted me and left the room.


    After he left, the atmosphere in the room was somber.


    Joan, Tien, and Annie, all three seemed to be in their own thoughts.


    I looked over the table.


    The tea water, which had been steaming up, had cooled down.


    I pondered for a moment, then got up.


    ¡°Bring my coat.¡±


    ¡°Lady, are you going for a walk? It¡¯s raining outside.¡±


    Joan asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°The air is cold. If you get rained on in this kind of weather, you might catch a cold.¡±


    ¡°Annie is right. If you¡¯re feeling frustrated, wouldn¡¯t it be better to go to the study as usual? Or is it an attic? Drinking tea from a high ce overlooking the scenery will calm your mind a little.¡±


    Annie and Tien also seemed to want me not to go out.


    But there was one thing I wanted to check.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going for a walk. Prepare the carriage. I have a ce to go for a while.¡±


    ***


    ¡°They did cremation without giving a chance to do an autopsy?¡±


    Elvin asked coldly.


    The knight kneeling in front of him reported with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t have time to work because they handled things so quickly.:I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t do what you ordered properly. ¡°If you punish me, I¡¯ll take it willingly.¡±


    Elvin was speechless.


    The longer the silence, the worse the knight¡¯splexion.


    Elvin seemed to be thinking about something.


    A few minutester, he spoke.


    ¡°If it¡¯s already toote, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. You don¡¯t have to worry about it any more. Go back.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    His master was a cold-hearted man.


    It was great luck to be able to pass without receiving any punishment even though he failed the mission.


    The knight left the ce quickly, just in case Elvin might change his mind.


    Alvin, who was left in the room, approached the window with an unknown expression.


    He looked down at the raining scenery outside with cold eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s faster than I thought.¡±


    The Princess¡¯s nanny, the Viscount Willis, hanged herself in prison.


    The maid of Baron Dana¡¯s daughter, who was taken with them, also could not stand the interrogation and died.


    It was clear that the Crown Prince had his hands on this.


    No matter how much the Crown Prince and the Duke were watching, only Lady Dana shouldn¡¯t be excluded from the case.


    Therefore, the possibility was blocked before the two people who were taken together spoke useless words to involve Lady Dana.


    There was no surer way to shut a person¡¯s mouth than death.


    Elvin sent his own person to stop this from happening, but it was toote.


    However, the knight was not to me.


    In the imperial court, even their own people were not allowed to act freely.


    There were many eyes around, and, if discovered, he would have to face a terrible death. It was enough risk to hide.


    That was why Elvin didn¡¯t care much about the failed mission.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Elvin muttered as he recalled the appearance of ire he had seen the day before. She was just one of the many aristocraticdies. She belonged to the lowest rank and possessed nothing. He couldn¡¯t quite understand why the Crown Prince went this far for her.


    The struggle for the throne was now more intense than ever.


    At a time like this, there was no reason for the Crown Prince to go against the Duke or the emperor. Elvin could not understand those who were so blinded by love to do foolish things such as the Crown Prince or his own father, the Grand Duke of Croix.


    The two were simr in many ways.


    It was the part where they looked away from their loved woman, or they have poor eyesight.


    At least his stepmother, the Grand Duchess, was smart and always had a thorough personality.


    On the other hand, Lady Dana wascking in many areas.


    She was wearing a gentle mask, but she turned out to be clumsy and cunning.


    All of a sudden, Elvin¡¯s eyes sank as he recalled Roxana¡¯s face.


    Would the Princess be heartbroken over the death of the nanny who raised her, or relieved by the death of the traitor?


    It was something he didn¡¯t know until he met her in person.


    However, when he thought of her in trouble, somehow, his mood subsided.


    Then, outside, Noah knocked on the door.


    ¡°Princess Lillian hase to visit. What should I do?¡±


    Elvin had thought she was going to find him.


    Recently, the number of visits by the Princess to the organization has been increasing more and more.


    Whenever something happened, she came to make a request and returned.


    He didn¡¯t know if she trusted the organization more than the duke¡¯s employees or if there was another reason.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her toe so soon.¡±


    When there was no immediate answer, Noah became puzzled and asked again.


    ¡°Should I respond?¡±


    This time the answer came right away.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯lle down soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will tell her then.¡±


    Noah¡¯s footsteps faded away.


    Elvin paused as he looked at the mirror hanging on the wall before leaving the room.


    There was still a slight bruise on his cheek.


    It was cumbersome to put powder on his face every time you meet someone.


    Elvin picked up the silver mask he had left on the desk.


    The tip of his lips turned slightly upward.


    It was a minor change that even Elvin himself didn¡¯t notice.


    ***


    ¡°Please wait a bit.¡±


    The servant at the Hermes guided me to the annex and then disappeared.


    I looked at the teacup in front of me.


    The steaming tea was apanied by borate refreshments next to it.


    I had already visited here several times.


    Whether it was because they treated her like a regr, but every time she came, the people here seemed to be getting more and more polite.


    The refreshments served were also better.


    It was satisfactory for the guests.


    As I sat quietly enjoying the refreshments, not long afterward, someone came in.


    ¡°What brought you here today?¡±


    Elvin walked slowly with his long legs and sat down on the opposite seat.


    His skin, which contrasted with his shiny ck hair, was as white and clean as porcin.


    He wore a mask today.


    Since we already knew each other¡¯s identities, I wondered what the use of that was.


    However, he may have strange tastes that other people were not aware of, so I decided to pretend not to notice and respect his choice.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you woulde in person¡­¡±


    ¡°Since a distinguished guest hase, it is only right for me, the owner of the organization, to greet her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such an honor. I¡¯d like to request an investigation¡­.. Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    I asked, puzzled.


    From the moment he entered the room, Elvin¡¯s gaze was on me.


    Even though it may seem like a natural thing because there were only the two of us in the room, his gaze was definitely tenacious these days.


    It was as if he was observing my expression.


    I fumbled with my hand, wondering if there was something on my face.


    Seeing that, Elvin shook his head with a smile on his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you. But is it the investigation of Viscountess Willis?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡±


    I was a little surprised that Elvin already knew why I hade.


    He was smarter and more quick witted than I thought.


    In addition, the information power was significant.


    Elvin was an opponent that could never be underestimated.


    I couldn¡¯t figure out why he was always helping me.


    I asked, thinking I was lucky that I didn¡¯t have Elvin as an enemy.


    ¡°Did the nanny, or Viscountess Willis, reallymit suicide?¡±


    I asked with a serious face.


    Elvin was silent for a moment then answered.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t suicide, are you thinking that she was murdered? The security of the Imperial Pce is stricter than any other ce. So may I ask why you thought so?¡±

 Chapter 69

    ¡°No matter how difficult the interrogation was, there was no way that she would have taken her life before the oue of the trial. So it¡¯s strange¡­¡±


    ¡°You seem to havee here with some certainty, but was that just a feeling?¡±


    Elvin asked curiously.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°The nanny is not a person to give up so easily. But the suicide note said that she had bribed the maid andmitted it on her own.¡±


    Beforeing to the Hermes, I remembered the contents of the will I had checked from Stephen in the mansion.


    The nanny cared for her children until the very end.


    At the end of the will, it was written that she was also sorry.


    Blinded by jealousy and resentment, she was ashamed that she had done something beyond her control, and since the verdict was clear, there was no longer any hope and she was going to end her life.


    This was the part I was most suspicious of.


    ¡°If it were a nanny I knew, there would be no way that she would confess so easily, and she would not want to die alone. At least she would have tried to bring in at least one person with her.¡±


    ¡°You know her very well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve known her for years, so it¡¯s natural.¡±


    I replied with a nonchnt face.


    But while I was speaking, I felt like he had something to say.


    ¡°What is the reason for keeping such a person by your side?¡±


    ¡°Still, she¡¯s the one who raised me. Even if she¡¯s a bad person in the eyes of others, I can easily dismiss her. But I didn¡¯t know she could point the tip of a sword at me after all.¡±


    ¡°The Princess seems to have a lot of affection. But you look calm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it for the private conversation. I don¡¯t have that much time today.¡±


    I cut off Elvin¡¯s words with an ufortable face.


    He was a tougher opponent than expected.


    Fortunately, Elvin no longer bothered me with useless words.


    But he didn¡¯t even answer my questions right away.


    ¡°I will ask you onest question. What would the Princess do if Viscountess Willis did notmit suicide?¡±


    Elvin narrowed his eyes and looked at me.


    He seemed to be observing my reaction.


    A pair of bloody eyes passed me by, and my spine felt cold.


    Even though I had not heard the answer yet, I felt like I already knew.


    ¡°Well. Let¡¯s think about it after hearing the answer.¡±


    ¡°It is not that difficult to tell the inside story. But it might be better not to hear the truth that you can¡¯t bear. The more you know, the sooner you die.¡±


    Elvin warned me with dangerous words.


    I swallowed dry saliva.


    ¡°It may sound like something that doesn¡¯t apply to Princess, but the fact is that the more you know, the more dangerous it bes, regardless of your rank.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s face as he spoke was serious and solemn.


    ¡°Thanks for your concern, but I can do it with that much money.¡±


    ¡°Then I will tell you. Viscountess Willis did notmit suicide. She¡¯s been murdered. And she is not the only one who has died.¡±


    ¡°What else do you mean?¡±


    When I opened my eyes and looked up, Elvin continued.


    ¡°The maid of Baron Dana¡¯s daughter, who was taken with them, also died during the interrogation, unable to withstand the harsh torture. But we will have to investigate to find out what the truth is.¡±


    Even while speaking of someone¡¯s death, Elvin¡¯s expression did not change.


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable that two people involved in the same thing died overnight.¡±


    I emptied my teacup and got up.


    Elvin with a puzzled face grabbed me.


    ¡°Is it okay if I don¡¯t tell who is behind it?¡±


    ¡°Because the more you know, the sooner you die?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡±


    Elvin made a rare bewildered face. Seeing him like that, Iughed without realizing it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Because I think I know who did it anyway.¡±


    I took a small bag out of my pocket. Then I put it on the table.


    ¡°Thank you for today. This is amission fee.¡±


    ¡°I am not taking any money for this quest. It will be the same in the future.¡±


    Elvin looked down at the table with a subdued gaze. Then he pushed the sack towards me again. The Grand Duke of Croix was a very wealthy family, and Elvin was the eldest son of such a family.


    In addition, he was the owner of therge organization, the wealth would have piled up to overflowing. But wouldn¡¯t a merchant sell things and not get paid?


    I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°What do you mean? You mean that you won¡¯t ept my quests in the future?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that.¡±


    Elvin immediately denied it.


    I became even more puzzled.


    ¡°Instead, there is one thing I wish for. If the Princess agrees to my request, I will not receive anymission from the request.¡±


    It was an outrageous proposal.


    But I had money too.


    Instead of answering right away, I thought seriously.


    I wondered what he was up to, but because he was the other person, I was worried about what kind of request he would make.


    ¡°Can I decide whether to answer or not after hearing it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then it doesn¡¯t matter. What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°If the Princess allows, I would like to have a closer rtionship.¡±


    I doubted my ears for a moment.


    I wonder if I may have heard it wrong.


    But Elvin¡¯s gaze on me was sincere.


    My brain went white.


    For the first time, I felt fortunate that no one was listening in the room right now. Because Elvin didn¡¯t seem to care at all how his words might sound to others.


    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯


    I thought there might be other political intentions hidden in Elvin¡¯s words. But in this situation, there was only one thing to say. I suddenly remembered the conversation the maids had yesterday.


    I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible, but¡­


    ¡®¡­¡­. Maybe, maybe not.¡¯


    I soon calmed down.


    There was no flutter of excitement or affection in his gaze looking at me. It seemed like a pure childish curiosity, nothing more and nothing less. I quietly waited for his next words.


    ¡°For example, friends.¡±


    I heard the answer, but I couldn¡¯t understand more and more.


    ¡°Why? Is there something to be gained by being friends with me?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to get something?¡±


    ¡°If not, why¡­¡±


    ¡°The Princess seems to be trying to find the reason for my actions from thest time.¡±


    Elvin said in a cold voice.


    I was speechless for a moment, as if reprimanded.


    Contrary to his dull expression, his eyes were cold.


    Is he offended by my words?


    Indeed, anyone would not feel good if they helped others with a good heart, but the other person doubted their intentions and questioned them.


    But everyone, not just the Crown Prince, said the same thing.


    The Young Master of Croix was cold and heartless.


    I don¡¯t believe what they say.


    At least Elvin was a good person to me.


    But he always treated me differently, so I couldn¡¯t help but doubt his intentions.


    At least today, I wanted to go back after hearing that answer. Otherwise, I would not be able to sleepfortably.


    ¡°I apologize if I offended you. But today you have to exin why. Why do you keep helping me? For what? Simplepassion?¡±


    At my words, Elvin¡¯s mouth opened and then closed again.


    He looked down at me silently for a while. Then, in a questioning voice, he asked me again.


    ¡°Must there be a reason?¡±


    I was speechless for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s not, then I¡¯m curious.¡±


    ¡°So am I.¡±


    I looked at Elvin, wondering what he was talking about.


    ¡°As I watched, I got curious. Then I thought I wanted to get to know the Princess. That¡¯s all. I don¡¯t want anything from the Princess or have any special purpose. Is the question answered now?¡±


    Not all questions werepletely answered.


    But it was somewhat understandable.


    He said that, so I couldn¡¯t doubt and question him any more.


    As I nodded, Elvin¡¯s expression became lighter.


    ¡°Since you did not turn down my proposal, I understand that you have epted it positively. Then go back carefully.¡±


    Elvin stood up without giving me a chance to say no.


    I looked at the ce where he disappeared with a nk face and then got up.


    ***


    Fortunately, I was able to return to the Duke¡¯s residence before the sun went down.


    After changing my wet clothes and drying my hair with a towel, Stephen came to pick me up. I followed him down to the dining room.


    When I entered the spacious dining room, the Duke had already arrived and sat down.


    ¡°Are you here? I heard you went out. Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. I have something to buy for a while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve just arrived, so sit down.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I sat down at the ready seat.


    The dining room was decorated with gold candlesticks and roses.


    A white tablecloth was spread on the wide and long table, and all kinds of seafood wereid out on it.


    It was too luxurious for two people to eat.


    Even if ten of the knights with great appetites came, it seemed that they could not eat them all.


    Looking at the richly decorated table, I felt as if my missing taste had returned a little.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    I took the fork and knife ording to the etiquette.


    Then, I cut the steak in front of him into bite-size pieces and put it in my mouth.


    The duke¡¯s chef cooking skills had already been sufficiently verified.


    However, no matter how good the food was, I couldn¡¯t enjoy it properly.


    Every corner of my heart felt stuffy and ufortable.


    ¡°You don¡¯t eat well today. Could it be that the food does not suit your pte?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Could it be?¡±


    The Duke looked at me suspiciously.


    Then he asked carefully.


    ¡°Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look good. Have you heard the news?¡±


    The Duke coughed then looked into my eyes.


    ¡°You must have heard it.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Instead of answering, I smiled bitterly.


    Viscountess Willis brought the trouble on herself.


    It was not even worth sympathizing with¡­ I thought so in my head, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about Viscountess Willis.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I nodded with a calm face.


    I also didn¡¯t want to worry about the nanny anymore.


    She betrayed Roxana and put her in a corner until the very end.


    She almost ruined one person¡¯s life by framing others and setting a trap.


    So it wasn¡¯t even worth sympathizing with.


    But when I thought of the nanny, my heart was still shaky.


    Who knew that the end of her high-status would be so lonely?


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. To put such a person by your side. I feel pathetic that you felt relieved after that. I don¡¯t have an eye for people, so you must have suffered a lot.¡±


    Perhaps it was because I fell from the Imperial Pce was a great shock to the Duke, and since his return, the Duke paid great attention to me.


    Even though he was clumsy, I could see that he was doing his best to do well.


    It seemed that he was moving further and further away from the cold and indifferent father in Roxana¡¯s memory.


    I had a strange feeling.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s me who kept her by my side even though I knew she was that kind of person.¡±


    I forcibly pulled the corners of my lips up to smile. After that, I lifted the fork again and put the cut meat into my mouth.


    ¡°The food is delicious. The chef must have paid a lot of attention.¡±


    As I changed the subject, the Duke looked at me with aplicated gaze. But when I became ufortable, I stopped talking about it.


    ¡°Your birthday ising soon.¡±


    As if the Duke was trying to evoke an ufortable atmosphere, he changed the subject.


    ¡°Is there anything you want?¡±

 Chapter 70

    I pondered for a long time at the Duke¡¯s question.


    But it was not easy to answer.


    My life right now was enough to say it was overflowing.


    Living in a spacious and luxurious mansion, I ate gourmet food every day, and possessed an abundance of money and jewels.


    I wasn¡¯t greedy.


    But if there was something I wanted, I could get it easily, so what more could I ask for?


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really want anything¡­¡­¡±


    When I couldn¡¯t make a decision easily, the Duke said,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted a tiarast year?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    At the Duke¡¯s words, I nodded and swallowed the bitterness.


    When Roxana said that she wanted a tiara, it wasn¡¯t just a desire for jewelry.


    The crown was a representative object that symbolized the imperial family.


    What she really wanted was a seat next to the Crown Prince.


    In the end, the Duke fulfilled the wishes of his only daughter by taking on many impossible tasks.


    He would probably be willing to give me anything I asked for.


    ¡°Since you were young, you liked shiny and colorful things, so would you like jewelry? If jewelry is toomon, would you prefernd or buildings?¡±


    I was taken aback by the excessive gift, so I hurriedly stopped him.


    ¡°I think jewelry would be good.¡±


    In a situation where I was already enjoying all kinds of luxuries with other people¡¯s money while eating free food, it was too much to receive such things.


    ¡°Okay. If there¡¯s anything else you¡¯d like to have, let me know.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    I nodded my head with a smile.


    After eating, I grabbed my stomach and returned to my room.


    Instead of going straight to bed to digest, I sat on the sofa and read a book.


    But none of the letters in the book caught my eye.


    Then, Stephen knocked on my door.


    ¡°Lady, it¡¯s Stephen.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°I just finished the funeral of Viscountess Willis. The ashes were well buried in a sunny ce near her house, and a monument was up.¡±


    ¡°Good work. It must have been inconvenient because it was raining outside. You must have worked hard.¡±


    ¡°It was fine. Then I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    After Stephen left, I looked into the burning firece.


    Because of the rain, the air was humid and the sky was darker and gloomier than usual.


    It was a gloomy atmosphere.


    The death of a person was unpleasant.


    Even if it was someone I didn¡¯t get along with.


    Above all, the fact that the Crown Prince was behind the death of the nanny came to me terribly. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but how many people in the Imperial Pce can boldly use their hands like this? The nanny had raised Roxana for a long time.


    Their bond was strong, and at one time Roxana treated her like family.


    However, the Crown Prince casually killed his fianc¨¦e¡¯s nanny for ire¡¯s sake.


    I felt even worse when I remembered the Crown Prince who told me he loved me with a sincere face at the Imperial Pce the other day. What would Roxana do if she found out about this?


    For the first time, I felt fortunate that Roxana was not in this world.


    If she had known that her dearest fianc¨¦ had killed a person whom she considered family for his mistress¡­.


    At least, it was clear that she would be more shocked than I was now.


    My stomach churned when I thought about it.


    I felt hot and nauseous.


    I went to open the window, thenid down on the bed.


    The ceiling in front of me seemed unreachable today.


    I already knew that some nobles considered human life like a fly.


    Even more so with the Imperial family.


    But actually feeling what I knew in my head waspletely different.


    I closed my eyes with a tired face.


    Somehow, it didn¡¯t seem like I could fall asleep easily tonight.


    ***


    Imperial pce.


    When everyone was asleep, the dim light of themp hanging on the wall illuminated the hallway.


    The sound of someone¡¯s footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway.


    He was walking with a smallmp in one hand.


    After a while, he saw a light leaking through the gap in the slightly opened door and stopped with a puzzled expression on his face.


    ¡°Chief, are you not sleeping yet?¡±


    Ellen, the deputymander of the Knight Order led by the 2nd Prince, opened the door and asked.


    ¡°What happened? I thought you left.¡±


    The second Prince looked at him for a moment, then with a calm face he turned his gaze back to the pile of paper in front of him.


    Calm silver hair, white skin, a fine face and long eyshes cast long shadows under the light.


    The appearance of the second Prince, who concentrated on his work in neat clothes, was so beautiful.


    But Ellen, who had seen it every day for several years, was not impressed.


    It was already midnight, but his superior was still the same as he had been a few hours ago.


    He was already familiar with the second Prince¡¯s monstrous stamina, but couldn¡¯t he rest a little when he got back to the capital?


    Ellen made a tired face.


    ¡°I left something behind. By the way, is the document you¡¯re looking at rted to the work you ordered during the day?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The second Prince meekly nodded his head.


    A document in his hand was written about Viscountess Willis.


    ¡°Why are you working so hard on something with no ie? This small thing can¡¯t shake him (the Crown Prince) anyway. It¡¯s nothing more than a love affair.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you came back because you forgot something? If you¡¯re done, go home. But from the way you meddle, it seems like you still have energy left. If that¡¯s the case, go run a fewps at the training ground.¡±


    The 2nd prince was annoyed by the meddling of his subordinate.


    However, Ellen, who had been with the second Prince for a long time, did not care.


    He pretended not to hear and said,


    ¡°Despite how hard life in prison is, it is certainly suspicious that two people involved in the same incident die so quickly. But even so, there is no evidence.¡±


    The second Prince frowned.


    Ellen was right.


    There was no physical evidence.


    He searched the prison several times to see how thorough the culprit was, but couldn¡¯t find any traces of it.


    Since the body had already been burned, an autopsy could not be performed.


    ¡°Oh,e to think of it¡­ there was one survivor. Lady Dana?¡±


    Ellen said in a voice that seemed to realize something.


    ¡°If she was locked up in the opposite room, she might have seen something. How about interrogating her?¡±


    Suddenly, the eyes of the second Prince became cold.


    As Ellen said, if Lady Dana had witnessed this, she would be the only witness.


    However, the influential person behind this incident was the Crown Prince, and he must have done this for her sake.


    However, Lady Dana wouldn¡¯t openly confide in the truth.


    Of course, there were many ways to get her to open her mouth.


    On the battlefield, there were hundreds of ways to torture prisoners of war to reveal their secrets.


    If only one of them were used, Lady Dana would be forced to reveal what she knew in less than half a day.


    However, as Ellen said, it was not a good way to use energy to work on a job that had no ie.


    Moreover, he had the subordinate in charge of this case investigate the truth of this incident¡­


    The second Prince lowered his gaze with aplicated face.


    He always had a cold face, but he wasn¡¯t really that kind of person.


    How would the Princess react when she finds out about this, who was trying to protect even a maid of amoner status?


    Recalling the Princess¡¯s reaction, the second Prince became confused.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just cover this up.¡±


    ¡°Yes? But you¡¯ve been looking into it for over half a day. Now that we have all the clues, isn¡¯t it a waste?¡±


    ¡°Lady Dana is the Crown Prince¡¯s mistress. That¡¯s why he intervened in this matter. You might get caught for touching something you shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    Ellen made an iprehensible face.


    ¡°You have invested a lot of time in the middle of your busy schedule and give up so easily?


    He couldn¡¯t quite understand his boss¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Get out of here. Otherwise, I think you want to work overtime.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going. Then you go to sleep.¡±


    At the serious threat, Ellen quickly ran away.


    After he left, the second Prince, who was left alone in the room, finally took off his coat and turned off the lights in the room.


    He took off his uniform and changed intofortable clothes.


    Then he walked into the bedroom attached to the back of the room.


    The room had dark blue curtains and a wool carpet on the floor.


    The furnishings were all high-end, but there were only a few things he really needed.


    Except for the portrait of the empress on the wall and a few swords, there were no luxuries to be found.


    The room was spacious and neat, but it looked deste and somewhat lonely.


    The second Princey on the bed and looked up at the ceiling.


    The high ceilings were dotted with star-shaped gold carvings.


    As he gazed at the quietly shining pieces in the dark, he suddenly remembered someone¡¯s face.


    Princess Lillian, her eyes were dark and vivid.


    Duke Lillian was the Crown Prince¡¯s biggest support base.


    If he found out who was behind this incident and was disappointed and had a conflict with the Crown Prince, it would be good for him (2nd Prince).


    But he didn¡¯t feel like doing that.


    Rather, he wished that the Princess did not know about this even more.


    Why?


    The Princess and him had nothing to do with each other.


    He couldn¡¯t understand himself.


    However, when he remembered the Princess who kept her seat at the banquet hall with a pale face, a corner of his heart became ufortable.


    The second Prince frowned.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out why he was feeling this way.


    ****


    The night grew deeper and deeper.


    There was no moon to be seen in the sky dyed with ink.


    It wasplete darkness.


    Late at night, there was one other person other than the second Prince who could not sleep.


    It was ire.


    In the imperial prison.


    ire was crouching in the cell.


    At the entrance, there was a te with the food she left behind.


    It was a sandwich and soup.


    The simple food tasted ordinary, but in prison, it was a huge feast for the soul.


    Perhaps the other prisoners in the prison would open their eyes wide and try to jump at it.


    However, more than half of the food remained untouched, and there were a lot of insects on it because it was not removed quickly.


    It had only been a few days, but ire¡¯splexion was very haggard.


    Her big, round, cute eyes were red because she couldn¡¯t sleep.


    Her hair was messy, and the clothes she was wearing got dirty from living on a dirty floor. She looked down at the floor and blinked. Then, when her eyes slowly closed, she pped herself on the cheek with a ttering sound.


    ire was doing her best not to fall asleep. At the same time, in order not to look ahead. To be precise¡­ She was trying not to look at the iron bars on the other side. (*the other side was where the nanny and the maid died)

 Chapter 71

    Viscountess Willis was dead.


    Her death was what ire had hoped for.


    The moment she saw the body of Viscountess Willis, she was delighted. Then, rather than being happy, fear took precedence. It was the first time she had seen someone¡¯s corpse in her life.


    This was never pleasant.


    It was hard to believe that a person who was alive a few hours ago turned into a cold corpse, and she had been facing that corpse in the dark for hours.


    There was a smell of filth pouring from the hanging Viscountess.


    When left in that state for several hours, insects took charge and an unpleasant stench was added.


    Seeing the horrific sight, ire screamed for hours.


    But the guard did note until her voice was gone.


    Because of that, she was left in the same room with the hanging body for a long time.


    Even now, when she opened her eyes, the image of the helpless body of Viscountess Willis hanging in the air was in front of her.


    If she fell asleep, the people who killed her seemed likely to visit again.


    So she hadn¡¯t been able to sleep to wink.


    She was sleepy like crazy, but she had no choice but to keep her eyes open.


    But now it was the limit.


    At that moment, she heard the guards walking from the other side of the hallway.


    ¡°In the end, the maid died. Two people died in one day. It¡¯s a pity.¡±


    Said the man with short hair and a chubby body.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t itmon for people to die during interrogation? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re new here, but you suddenly feel sorry for them?¡±


    At his words, the skinny man made a puzzled face.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you sad? The maid¡¯s face looked pretty too. It¡¯s unfortunate to die at such a young age.¡±


    With those words, the skinny man looked at the chubby man with a meaningful gaze.


    The chubby man turned his head away from the gaze of his colleague.


    Seeing him like that, the skinny man said.


    ¡°Now that I see it, you must have liked the maid. When amoner touched the duke¡¯s daughter, she must have been prepared to die somehow.¡±


    Hearing the guards¡¯ conversation, ire paused.


    The maid in their conversation now must have been her own maid.


    ¡®After Viscountess Willis, Ellie also died?¡¯


    ire was terrified.


    But as the excitement subsided and reason gradually returned, an idea came to her mind.


    Viscountess Willis did notmit suicide.


    She was murdered.


    Who killed her?


    After a little thought, the answer came.


    ¡®The Crown Prince.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t give up on her.


    In the first ce, she (ire) wasn¡¯t brought in as a criminal.


    She was used, but now that all the witnesses were gone, there was no way to prove her guilt.


    There was now that could keep an innocent person imprisoned.


    So it would be a matter of time before she would be released.


    ¡°After all¡­ His Highness can¡¯t abandon me.¡±


    ire muttered in a determined voice.


    The light of victory shed in her eyes.


    If the Princess found out about this, how would she react? If she found out that her fianc¨¦ ordered the killing of the nanny who raised her for another woman¡­


    A smile shed across her bloodshot red eyes.


    A pair of eyes twinkled in a strange light in the dark prison.


    ***


    The sun was shining down on the green trees.


    On the clear sky, white clouds moved slowly with the wind.


    A light breeze shook the purple curtains.


    Joan opened the curtain and Tien poured the tea.


    It was a peaceful afternoon.


    While sitting still and drinking tea, Stephen knocked on the door.


    ¡°Lady, this is Stephen. May Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    When my permission was granted, the door opened and he entered.


    In Stephen¡¯s hand was a letter.


    After the Duke¡¯s victory banquet, the number of invitations and letters that flocked to me doubled.


    Earlier, Annie had already brought a basket of invitations and letters to me.


    ¡°There are more?¡±


    Looking at him with a puzzled face, he handed me the letter.


    ¡°It was sent by the Empress Dowager.¡±


    For a moment, my face stiffened.


    I slowly reached out and epted the letter.


    On the outside of the clean white envelope was the seal of the Empress.


    ¡°Here, Lady.¡±


    Annie, who came closer to me, handed me a paper knife.


    I epted it and opened the envelope.


    ¡°Lady, what is it? What did the Empress say?¡±


    Joan asked with bright eyes.


    Tien was also curious.


    Contrary to me, the maids seemed honored and delighted by the empress¡¯s interest.


    There was nothing special and there was nothing to hide in particr, so I answered docilely.


    ¡°The Empress Dowager is asking me to enter the pce once more. There are things to discuss about the birthday party.¡±


    The maids¡¯ eyes brightened even more.


    ¡°The Empress is a difficult person to make friends with because she is a picky person, but seeing that she asked to meet the Lady again, I think she likes the Lady.¡±


    Joan continued speaking in an excited voice.


    ¡°How exciting. Ordinary people don¡¯t even have a chance to meet her like this, Lady, you shouldn¡¯t miss this great opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Is this a good opportunity?¡±


    As I looked at her, Joan continued to speak with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Yes, very good. If you get close to the Empress, you will be braver when the Lady enters the pce next year. It will definitely help youter before you get married.¡±


    ¡°Will it?¡±


    Iughed at the words of the maids.


    Joan said something right, but it was all useless.


    Because I had no intention of entering the Imperial Pce.


    Joan asked with a puzzled face at my strange reaction.


    ¡°I thought it was a good opportunity, but the Lady doesn¡¯t look very happy¡­. Did anything happen at the Imperial Pce thest time the Empress called you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so don¡¯t think about it.¡±


    I replied indifferently to Joan¡¯s words, and then turned my gaze back to the teacup in front of me.


    Then I suddenly remembered that there was another person and raised my head.


    Stephen, who was standing there, met my gaze.


    His eyes were full of wonder as he looked at me.


    He must think that I was strange to have an unusual reaction.


    But I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°I have one more question for you.¡± (Stephen)


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to make a donation to Triton. This time, it seems that we are starting a new trade business between other continents.¡± (Stephen)


    I frowned.


    If it was Triton, it was a ce run by the Crown Prince.


    The Crown Prince, feeling anxious about the return of the 2nd Prince, undertook new business to achieve remarkable results.


    His own Triton organization was also very busy.


    However, the results of working hard and doing well were not very good.


    ¡°Is that the nonsensical business n I sawst time? I knew it was too risky, so I decided not to proceed.¡±


    Roxana supported the various businesses of the Crown Prince in the name of the family.


    It was a form of quietly pouring donations from behind without informing others.


    However, the Crown Prince¡¯s business has not been going well in recent years.


    As a result, the family suffered great losses for several years.


    I pondered for a moment and said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t force the family to lose money because of an ugly fianc¨¦. Tell them to stop investing. We don¡¯t have to spend money on impossible things. Not even a penny or two.¡±


    A look of surprise crossed Stephen¡¯s face at my words.


    He looked at me nkly for a while.


    When our eyes met, Stephen nodded as if he had juste to his senses.


    ¡°I will do as you order.¡±


    ¡°Ok, thank you.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything else to order, I¡¯ll leave then.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Go. You always have a lot of work.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Then have a good rest.¡±


    Stephen bowed politely and left the room.


    The teacup on the table was already empty.


    While Joan cleared the table, Tien said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done it before, so I don¡¯t know much about marriage, but Joan is right. Lady, being close to Her Majesty will help you in teh future.¡±


    There was sincere concern in her eyes.


    I looked at Tien for a moment and then nodded reluctantly.


    ¡°I know, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°There really isn¡¯t much time left now. The dress should be finished soon¡­¡±


    Joan said with a worried face.


    ¡°I ordered it just in case, but the imperial family will send the Lady a nice dress too, so what are you worried about?¡±


    When Tien spoke, Joan immediately nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Well, I suppose so. When will the dress arrive? It shouldn¡¯t be toote to pick up matching essories.¡±


    I turned my head away as I watched the maids talking.


    ****


    A few more days passed.


    Eventually, the date the Empress called me came.


    I got up early, dressed calmly and elegantly, and got in the carriage.


    When I arrived at the Empress Pce, unlike thest time, the only person waiting was the Empress.


    I walked over to the tea table where the refreshments were set and greeted her.


    ¡°I see Your Majesty the Empress. It is an honor to be invited.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too formal. Come here and sit down.¡±


    As I greeted her, the Empress patted the seat next to her with a benevolent smile.


    ¡°Then excuse me.¡±


    As I sat down, the attendant poured tea into the teacup in front of me.


    When the teacup engraved with golden roses was half full of scarlet tea, the Empress spoke.


    ¡°Are there any inconveniences or concerns these days?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be honest with me.¡±


    ¡°I cannot trouble the Empress with my trifles. I appreciate the warm hospitality of the Empress, but I am really fine.¡±


    The Empress was kind to me, but I couldn¡¯t get close to her.


    At my words, which seemed to draw a boundary line, the Empress let out a small sigh.


    ¡°I fully understand the frustration. Princess, when I just entered the pce, I was the same age as you. At that time, my situation was worse than yours. There were already many women by His Majesty¡¯s side.¡±


    The Empress made aplicated face as if reminiscing about the past.


    There was a sad look in her eyes.


    There was a bitter smile on her red-painted lips.


    It was apletely different atmosphere from her dignified and cold appearance when she stood in front of people.


    ¡°It is very difficult to be the emperor¡¯s only woman. No matter how much I block it, it doesn¡¯t go my way. Some women even gave birth to his children.¡±


    The Empress suddenly grabbed my hand.


    Contrary to her face, which looked older than her actual age because of her heartache, her hands were very fine and soft.


    ¡°But in the end, I am the only one left with His Majesty. My son will be emperor, and I have nothing more to hope for.¡±


    I frowned while silently listening to the Empress¡¯s words.


    I felt the pain in the gripped hand getting stronger and stronger.


    Cold, pointed rings and long, sharp nails pressed painfully against my skin.


    Without realizing it, I raised my head and looked up at the Empress.


    Then my eyes met hers.


    ¡°The Empress is the highest position a woman can ascend. You don¡¯t have to worry about food and expenses for the rest of your life, and you will enjoy iparable wealth, honor, and powerpared to when you were a noble girl.¡±


    The Empress still had a benevolent face.


    But there was a serious warning in her gaze.

 Chapter 72

    Perhaps it has been a long time since she lived as a member of the royal family, and she was deeply immersed in the atmosphere unique to her royal family.


    Most people would have no choice but to obey her words as she was the Empress.


    I swallowed dry saliva.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m old enough to wish for nothing more, but Jeremy is different. As his mother, anything that stands in the way of the child must be cleared. For that, I can do anything.¡±


    The empress¡¯s gaze at me suddenly softened.


    She released the hand that was holding mine and looked at me with a warm gaze.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve been holding on to you for too long. You can go.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go back. The tea was good.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to stay there any longer, so I got up right away.


    Then, as I was about to say goodbye, the Empress caught me once more.


    ¡°Ah, Princess. Since you¡¯re here, stop by the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce like you didst time and see his face. I think he¡¯s having a hard time these days. You need to help each other at times like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I will see him another day. I have an appointment with my father today.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Empress narrowed her eyes and looked at me.


    I struggled to keep a calm face.


    Fortunately she didn¡¯t hold me any longer.


    ¡°Then I can¡¯t help it. Go ahead. And from now on, you should often stop by and have a chat with Jeremy. Jeremy seems to be having a hard time these days, but people tend to feel grateful to the person who connects them at times like this.¡±


    ¡°I thank you for your advice. So I¡¯m leaving now. Have a good day.¡±


    The way back.


    I saw a group of people.


    ire was seen being supported in the middle.


    She was almost unrecognizable at first because of her disorganized appearance.


    But looking back, it was clear.


    ire¡¯splexion looked pale and haggard and her outfit was very messy.


    Her hair was disheveled and looked like she had no energy.


    ¡°Lady, that woman must be¡­¡­¡±


    Soon my maids also found ire.


    Tien said, frowning.


    ¡°She looks like Lady Dana.¡±


    ¡°What, really! I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    At Joan¡¯s raised voice, the other side noticed our presence and lifted their heads.


    ire also lifted her head and looked my way.


    Our eyes met.


    Her eyes slowly widened.


    Soon, a deep hostility filled her gaze, and she raised the tip of her lips.


    It was an unpleasant smile.


    There was no reason to avoid them, so I slowly approached them.


    ¡°I see Princess Lillian.¡±


    The courtiers who were supporting ire were surprised by my appearance.


    But they greeted me politely.


    I turned to ire, leaving them behind.


    Until then, her gaze was solely on me.


    ¡°It seems that a lot has changed since we haven¡¯t seen each other for a while. But there still doesn¡¯t seem to be any progress. You still don¡¯t even have basic manners.¡±


    When I looked at her, ire bit her lip with her head bowed.


    Red drops of blood formed on her dry, pale lips.


    ¡°Lady Dana, what are you doing? Without greeting the Princess¡­¡±


    The courtiers next to her whispered softly.


    ¡°¡­I see the Princess.¡±


    The sound of ire grinding her teeth seemed to be audible in my ears.


    I bent down to her level.


    As I got closer, a stench wafted from ire.


    ¡°You look awful.¡±


    I took a handkerchief from my pocket and threw it in front of ire.


    Of course she didn¡¯t pick it up.


    ¡°Lady, what are you going to do if you get dirty? Don¡¯te near her.¡±


    Joan opened her eyes wide and hurried to stop me. ire said nothing, but Joan¡¯s words made her ears a little red.


    ¡°By the way, Princess, where are you going? Have youe to see the Crown Prince? What to do? You will have to wait a while for the political meeting to end.¡±


    ire raised her head at the courtier¡¯s question and looked at me.


    ¡°No. No need to. I¡¯m here today for other business.¡±


    At my words, the royal courtier made a puzzled face.


    ¡°I went to see the Empress a little while ago. Lady Dana, don¡¯t you wonder what Her Majesty the Empress told me?¡±


    At my question, ire¡¯s gaze became fierce.


    When I looked at her, I felt as if sparks were flying from her eyes.


    I raised the tip of my lips calmly, even as I received her eerily vicious gaze.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing good to know.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy, I¡¯ll get going now.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please go ahead.¡±


    I left ire¡¯s malice-filled gaze behind and headed towards the duke¡¯s mansion.


    ***


    Time flew by quickly and it was the day of Roxana¡¯s birthday.


    I woke up early in the morning and was taken care of by the maids.


    Even before sunrise, I soaked my body in the perfume water and received a massage.


    An unidentified pack of medicinal herbs was applied to the face.


    After that, the maids broughtrge towels to wipe my wet body and dry my hair.


    After suffering for a few hours in a dreamy state, I was able to start full-scale decorating.


    As I was sitting in front of the mirror with my hair being brushed by the maid, Stephen knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    After my permission was granted, Stephen, who had an unusually kind face today, came in with some servants.


    ¡°Good morning, Lady.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°A gift from the imperial family has arrived.¡±


    Stephen beckoned and the servant apanying him carefully brought a jewel box.


    ¡°It was sent by the Crown Prince.¡±


    The servant set the jewelry box down on the table.


    When I opened the white mother-of-pearl jewelry box, there was a ne, a bracelet, and a pair of earrings that appeared to be a set.


    I took out the bracelet and ced it on the palm of my hand.


    A blue jewel hung from a thin tinum string shimmered in the light.


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the water drop-shaped transparent sapphire shining brightly. At first nce, it must have been a very expensive item.


    ¡°Is this the only one sent from the Imperial Family?¡±


    ¡°No. There are more.¡±


    Stephen said with a smile on his face.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°This was also sent by the Crown Prince.¡±


    Another servant carefully put down the box he was holding in front of me.


    The servant slowly opened the box.


    There was a tiara in it.


    Bright and luxuriously dazzling.


    From ancient times, the crown could be said to be a symbol of the imperial family and their exclusive possession.


    So, just because you had a lot of money or a high status, it wasn¡¯t something anyone could use. If someone with great influence wants to wear the crown, the imperial family will be wary of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a servant bring the dresster.¡±


    While I was distracted by the tiara, Stephen said.


    Momentster, he left the room and a servant brought a bulky box.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    When he opened the box, the maids were amazed.


    The white dress with a subtle golden tint looked very dazzling, with embroidery that the tailor of the imperial pce would have embroidered one by one.


    In particr, it was very noticeable that hundreds of small pearls were threaded on the skirt. I had already checked it a few days ago, but looking at it now, it was definitely a luxurious and beautiful outfit.


    It was no exaggeration to say that the tailor suffered days and nights to make this one dress.


    After changing clothes, getting my hair done, and putting on all the essories, a person arrived from the imperial family.


    ¡°The Crown Prince hase to pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡±


    I got up slowly and walked outside.


    As I went down to the first floor, I saw a familiar figure. The Crown Prince was wearing an outfit that seemed to match with me today. His blue eyes and sapphire brooch went very well together. The same was true of the white uniform, which had a bright and neat atmosphere.


    However, his expression darkened as he looked over my head.


    Maybe he didn¡¯t see the tiara he gave me.


    ¡°Roxana.¡±


    The Crown Prince held out his hand to me with an awkward smile.


    I grabbed his hand.


    Then he brought his lips to the back of my hand.


    Something moist and warm touched the back of my hand for a moment and then fell.


    It was an unpleasant feeling.


    I had to try not to frown for a moment.


    ¡°Happy birthday, sincerely.¡±


    The Crown Prince lifted his head and gave a dazzling smile.


    I also raised the corners of my lips in response.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince.¡±


    It was then.


    Suddenly, the Duke appeared and blocked us.


    ¡°Duke¡­..¡±


    The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow awkwardly.


    The atmosphere hardened in an instant.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up my fianc¨¦e.¡±


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve wasted your time.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°What should I do? I didn¡¯t know you wereing, so I decided to go with my father.¡±


    The Crown Prince made a nk face.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face hardened at my words.


    He had an awkwardly twisted face that was difficult to manage.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault that I didn¡¯t contact you in advance¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see youter at the banquet hall.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s carriage went ahead, and I and the Duke¡¯s carriage immediately followed.


    I looked out the window and admired the scenery passing by quickly.


    The embarrassment the Crown Prince experienced today was insignificantpared to the humiliation Roxana had suffered.


    Still, looking at that stupid face now, I felt as if I had paid him back a little.


    ¡°Hmm! Hmm!¡±


    As I was looking out the window, the Duke coughed.


    It seemed he had something to say.


    I turned my head and looked at him.


    When our eyes met, the duke pulled out an envelope from his pocket.


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡­?¡±


    Inside the envelope the Duke gave me was a single sheet of paper.


    It was a deed of transfer of a gold mine.


    I opened his eyes round and looked at him in amazement.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be an adult soon, so it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to take care of it.¡±


    Even if it was my birthday, to give me a whole mine was too much.


    I couldn¡¯t help but admire the wealth of Duke Lillian once again.


    And in spite of the Duke¡¯s boldness.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Is it true that you really liked it? You don¡¯t have a very good expression, did you think a dress or jewelry would be better? Or if you want anything else, just tell me.¡±


    ¡°No. I like it. I¡¯m just a little surprised.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m d.¡±


    Soon the carriage stopped.


    From outside I could hear people talking.


    First, the door of the carriage on which the Crown Prince was in front opened.


    The whispering between the people grew louder.


    Soon after, the door of the carriage on which me and the Duke had ridden opened.


    The Duke got off first and I got off the carriage with his escort.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on us.


    However, this was something I had gotten used to by now.


    I crossed the Duke¡¯s arm and walked down the red carpet.


    I could see the Crown Prince standing a little further away.


    The Duke asked.


    ¡°Are you worried about the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    I slowly raised the corners of my lips as I looked elsewhere.


    I shook my head and folded his arm more tightly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 73

    The Crown Prince, who was walking a short distance away, turned and looked at my head several times. He seemed to have something to say, but held it in.


    I walked forward, ignoring his gaze.


    We entered the banquet hall.


    The banquet hall was decorated very splendidly, as the imperial family paid extra attention to it.


    ¡°The Crown Prince, Duke Lillian, and Princess Lillian are entering!¡±


    The loud voice of the servant drew the attention of those who had already entered the room.


    It was a banquet for the future Crown Princess held at the Crystal Pce, so there were a considerable number of people.


    I walked under the escort of the Duke, and the Crown Prince also entered with us from the side.


    People were puzzled by the fact that I was escorted by the Duke rather than the Crown Prince.


    But no one dared to ask, and they were just chattering from the side.


    ¡°Why did the Princess enter the pce with the Duke instead of the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°Until a while ago, I thought the two had a good rtionship.¡±


    ¡°A lot has happened in the meantime. But it¡¯s strange that this engagement has continued until now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t strange if they broke up. At thest banquet, the rtionship between the two of you didn¡¯t seem too bad, but maybe really soon¡­¡±


    Ady sighed in surprise.


    Then one of the older gentlemen sitting next to her immediately shook his head.


    ¡°Then there is no reason for the three of them to enter together. His Excellency must have made concessions for his daughter he hasn¡¯t seen in a long time.¡±


    ¡°The Viscount is correct. His Majesty made the Crystal Pce a banquet venue because of the Duke¡¯s service. He must take into consideration the recent closeness between the Duke and his daughter.¡±


    People whispered, but I could hear their conversation clearly in my ears.


    Perhaps the Crown Prince also heard it.


    I nced at the Crown Prince.


    He still had a casual face.


    However, if I looked closely, his earlobes were a little red.


    His lips, which had a beautiful smile, were awkwardly stiff.


    I looked straight ahead again.


    Soon after, the royal family appeared one after another.


    The Emperor and the Empress, the second Prince, and the Crown Prince standing next to me.


    After all the royal family entered, the banquet began.


    A soft music flowed through the luxurious hall.


    ¡±Let¡¯s dance to a song. Everyone is waiting.¡±


    The Crown Prince held out his hand to me.


    Today¡¯s banquet¡¯s main character was me.


    And the only person who could dance with me for the first time was my fianc¨¦, the Crown Prince.


    Eventually I took his hand and went out to the center.


    One hand held his hand and the other was ced on his shoulder.


    Since we had to be close together to dance, I felt his gaze over my head.


    ¡°Was the gift delivered properly?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to not like the gift?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked in a dismayed voice.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then, why aren¡¯t you wearing the tiara I sent? You wear other things. It was quite difficult to get that tiara.¡±


    ¡°It was too much of a gift, so it didn¡¯t seem right for me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too much. I prepared it for you.¡±


    The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and looked at me.


    I faced him.


    Our eyes met for a few seconds.


    The Crown Prince said helplessly.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I was expecting you to wear it. Next time, I¡¯ll prepare a bigger present that you¡¯ll like.¡±


    The Crown Prince today was the most beautiful I had ever seen.


    He was kind to me and I really liked the gift he sent me.


    But thinking that he was still seeing ire behind my back, I wasn¡¯t pleased.


    It was terrifying to see his face after learning that he had ordered to kill Roxana¡¯s nanny for ire.


    Finally, the song stopped and our duty ended.


    ¡°Roxana, wait a minute.¡±


    As I was about to return to my seat, the Crown Prince caught me.


    As I looked at him with a puzzled expression, he looked at me with deep eyes.


    In the next moment, his lips lightly touched my forehead and then fell.


    I heard people cheer.


    As I looked at him with amazement, the Crown Prince smiled with aplicated face.


    ¡°Roxana, happy birthday. Enjoy your day.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ His Highness is really romantic. I envy the Princess.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re a really good pair.¡±


    The moment the Crown Prince kissed Roxana¡¯s forehead, people were amazed and admired at the same time.


    ire watched the scene and quietly bit her lip.


    After staying in prison for a while, her weak body had not yet recovered.


    She lost more weight and herplexion was pale, arousingpassion in the viewers.


    Today, ire stood quietly in a corner, in an unobtrusive, modest outfit.


    Because she didn¡¯t want to stand out.


    But the moment she saw the Princess enter in her dazzlingly morous dress, an unknown emotion swelled from the depths of her heart.


    Today the Princess was beautiful, and she had a strong father and a dazzling fianc¨¦ by her side.


    ire stared at Roxana and the Crown Prince for a while. Then she couldn¡¯t watch anymore and moved to another ce.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Princess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful today.¡±


    As ire walked, she heard people in the distance ttering the Princess.


    It was very annoying.


    ire grabbed the hem of her dress. Then, someone grabbed her shoulder.


    ¡°Lady Dana.¡±


    ire turned her head, and there was a young man with a familiar face standing there.


    It was Count Frein¡¯s son.


    Although notparable to the duke, Frein was an influential family.


    Count Frein was a close associate of the emperor, and the Countess Frein had a great influence in the social world. The second son of such a family, Young Master Frein, was of those who had a crush on ire.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    At the sincere concern of the young man, ire¡¯s stiff expression was released.


    After thest incident, many people have left her side.


    The Crown Prince also neglected her.


    She wasn¡¯t able to see the Crown Prince because he said he was busy every time.


    In such a situation, someone¡¯s unchanging kindness warmed her heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Yourplexion isn¡¯t very good, do you need a doctor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been taking the medicine, so it¡¯s good. I¡¯d like to walk a little, but can you help me to the garden? I think I¡¯ll get a little better if I get some air¡­¡±


    ire said weakly with her hand on her forehead.


    The young man¡¯s expression was full ofpassion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°Then please.¡±


    ire leaned slightly against him.


    The young man¡¯s face turned a little red.


    He made an effort to pretend that nothing happened.


    He walked very slowly in consideration of ire, but they arrived quickly because the garden was close.


    The garden was quiet because of the crowds in the banquet hall.


    ¡°Thank you for taking me.¡±


    ire sat down on the bench.


    Except for the sound of running water from the fountain in the distance, the surroundings were quiet.


    The young man asked, hesitatingly.


    ¡°How about when youe back?¡±


    ¡°I can go back alone.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m frustrated too, so I wanted to go for a walk, but it¡¯s good. We¡¯ll sit down a little longer and go back together.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that because of me. Before¡­ I was just dizzy for a while. It¡¯s okay because I can go back alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ire drew a line.


    The young man pondered a little, then nodded his head.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    It was also not what he wanted to be framed for flirting with the Crown Prince¡¯s woman.


    Although he was concerned about ire, the role offorting her was not his.


    Young Master Frein eventually left the garden.


    But he couldn¡¯t go far and wandered around.


    It was dangerous for a woman to be alone in a deserted ce at ate hour.


    In the distance from the banquet hall, there were bright lights and noises.


    There was a clear contrast between the banquet hall, which had a friendly and lively atmosphere, and the deserted garden where darkness fell.


    Eventually, he went back to ire¡¯s ce.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, she was still there.


    ire was sitting on the bench with her head in hisp.


    Her slender shoulders were shaking slightly.


    ¡°¡­Youngdy?¡±


    Young Master Frein stiffened in surprise.


    ire lifted her head at his voice.


    Tears filled her pretty face.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid to go back to the banquet hall. I was forced toe because of my father, but I didn¡¯t want toe at all.¡±


    ire cried and said in a trembling voice.


    She barely endured in front of others, and then copsed when she was left alone.


    Young Master Frein, who watched ire as she revealed her weakness, contorted his face in bewilderment.


    ¡°Does the Young Master really think I conspired with Viscountess Willis to harm the Princess?¡±


    ¡°No. I believe in Young Lady¡¯s words. It¡¯s not what the Young Lady did. Right?¡±


    ¡°Right. I didn¡¯t. Investigation revealed that I had nothing to do with it, so I was released. But people don¡¯t seem to believe it. They still look at me suspiciously.¡±


    The eyes of the young master who looked at ire were filled withpassion.


    The world was cruel, and the aristocratic society was constantly gued with conspiracies, incidents, and idents every day.


    It was not a day or two for a powerless person to get caught up in such incidents and idents.


    He took a deep breath and gave his sincere advice.


    ¡°Young Lady, just being kind in everything is not a good thing. Sometimes you have to think of yourself first. You almost got framed for trying to protect your maid.¡±


    ¡°I know. But she would have died if I turned away. I know that but how can I pretend not to know.¡±


    ire wiped her tears with a handkerchief as if she had calmed down a bit.


    The corners of her eyes and nose, which had turned red, were very pitiful.


    Her long, watery goldenshes and her green eyes, as clear as ss beads, made her look like a fragile herbivore.


    Young Master Frein, unconsciously reached out his hand to wipe ire¡¯s eyes, withdrew his hand right away.


    ¡°I understand the Young Lady¡¯s innocence. Don¡¯t worry too much. The truth always prevails.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s reassuring. Thank you for the words. But you saw it in the banquet hall earlier. Who will listen to me? Sometimes I really envy the Princess.¡±


    ire lowered her gaze with a sad face.


    It would have been better if she was angry or jealous.


    The Young Master was even more heartbroken at ire¡¯s reaction, which seemed to have given up.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    ***


    ¡°I said too many useless things. Please pretend you didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± (ire)


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    At ire¡¯s request, Young Master Frein nodded his head with a serious expression.


    ¡°Shall we go back now?¡±


    ***


    ¡°To the Princess who celebrated her birthday!¡±


    Someone in the crowd shouted congrattions and raised a ss. I also toasted people with sses. Even though the alcohol was weak, it was a bit bitter because it was alcohol.


    The atmosphere in the banquet hall grew more and more ripe. There were already people everywhere with their faces burning red from drunkenness. I stood there for a while with a smile on my face, then quietly escaped the crowd.


    ¡°Princess, would you like to dance a song with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to dance with her too.¡±


    ¡°Please follow the order. I will be the first¡­¡±


    As soon as I fell away from the duke¡¯s side, the dance requests flooded in.


    Just when I was in a bit of trouble, someone approached me.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Princess Lillian. It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve met like this, but you¡¯re more beautiful than the rumors.¡±


    As he approached me and talked to me, the people around me scattered.


    Thanks to that, I also felt a little morefortable.


    I looked at the man in front of me.


    Soft brown hair, blue nted eyes.


    He was the third son of the Grand Duke of Croix, with a striking stature.


    ¡®Elvin¡¯s younger brother¡­¡¯


    Elvin and the rest of his brothers had different mothers.


    Still, they had the same blood from their father, so how could they not be so simr?


    It was amazing.


    ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence that we met like this, would you like to dance a song with me today?¡±


    The third young master of Croix knelt in front of me.


    Then he reached out his hand to me.


    Many eyes turned towards us.


    I lightly ced my hand on top of his outstretched hand.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    His curious gaze followed me throughout the dance.


    I looked down and looked away.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s unfair?¡±


    The young master whispered in a small voice.


    I looked up at the unexpected remark.


    Then, our eyes met.


    He had a friendly smile.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Crown Prince and Lady Dana. Is there anyone who doesn¡¯t know that their rtionship is unusual?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking that.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend to be okay on purpose and you can be a little more honest. No one will me the Princess for that.¡±


    At this point, I was puzzled.


    That was why the third young master of Croix, who had no friendship with me, suddenly approached me.


    ¡°It would be a lie if I weren¡¯t upset. But is there anything I can do? So I just have to endure it.¡±


    ¡°I have a way for the Princess to get back at them, but do you want to hear it?¡±


    I nodded, and the young master smiled with satisfaction. His gaze at me was stealthy.


    The song ended in a timely manner. The moment I walked back to my seat, the young master said,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a lover, too?¡±


    Surprised, I stopped and looked at him. But he still looked calm. I hesitated a little and then walked again. Then he followed me.


    ¡°You mean that I should be the same person as the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°No. How can it be the same? But if you think about how much the Princess had suffered because of Lady Dana¡­¡±


    All the words whispered in my ear while pretending tofort me, the handsome-looking young master, were sweet and very seductive to listen to.


    I pondered for a moment and answered.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I like the young master¡¯s suggestion. The Crown Prince was the first to have an affair, so I should also have a lover.¡±


    ¡°Then, have a drink with me today¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m a little busy today.¡±


    ¡°Then when is it convenient for the Princess?¡±


    ¡°I think it will be difficult to find time in the future.¡±


    The young master frowned. With a face of iprehension.


    ¡°What? But¡­¡±


    ¡°I like the young master¡¯s suggestion, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can meet anyone. I won¡¯t forget the advice you gave me today. Thank you. Goodbye.¡±


    While conversing with the young master, my eyes met with Elvin, who was standing a little further away.


    I didn¡¯t see him earlier, so I thought he didn¡¯te to today¡¯s banquet.


    Since when has he been standing there?


    ¡®Did he hear my conversation?¡¯


    My face quickly turned hot in embarrassment.


    I pretended not to notice the stare that was obsessively following me and walked away.


    In order not to appear to be running away, I deliberately moved neither fast nor slow.


    But soon I heard footsteps following me.


    ¡°I heard the Princess was thinking of getting a lover. I never knew before that the Princess had such an open mind.¡±


    His voice was full ofughter.


    I shut my eyes tight.


    ¡®He heard it.¡¯


    My face grew hotter and hotter.


    I went to the garden where there were as few people as possible.


    All of a sudden, the sky was getting dark, and fireworks were embroidered over it.


    I stopped and looked at Elvin.


    Every time fireworks exploded in the ck night sky, his beautiful face was dyed colorfully.


    When our eyes met, he raised the corners of his lips.


    ¡°So¡­ who are you going to choose?¡±


    ¡°Whoever it is, it has nothing to do with the young master, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s a pity.¡±


    What does he mean?


    Of course what I said was a joke.


    Suddenly, even though we were outdoors, it felt like the space we were standing in was very narrow.


    That¡¯s why my heart felt a little nervous.


    Somehow, the weather seemed a little warmer.


    ¡°This is my present.¡±


    Elvin, who approached closer, held out a jewelry box to me.


    When I epted it and looked at him, Elvin said with a calm face.


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    I opened the jewelry box with a frown on my face.


    Inside was a dazzlingly colorful bracelet.


    The tinum simr to the color of my hair was studded with brilliant diamonds.


    ¡°If I stay any longer, I¡¯ll be held up. I¡¯m busy so I¡¯ll leave first. Happy birthday.¡±


    With that, Elvin disappeared quickly.


    I nced at the bracelet in my hand and put it on.


    The bracelet matched well as if it was made for me especially.


    ¡°Lady, as expected, the young master of Croix¡­.¡±


    ¡°Joan!¡±


    When Joan spoke, Tien, who was by her side, stopped her. Noticing the maids, I lifted my head. I looked around and luckily no one was around.


    It felt ufortable.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    It was when I had just returned to the still noisy banquet hall.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Someone¡¯s brief scream was heard, and then my dress became damp.


    A little startled, I looked to the side and saw a spilled cup and a fallen servant.


    Perhaps she fell and spilled the cup on the table.


    Red wine was dripping down on the table.


    At the same time, the skirt of my dress was in a state of disrepair.


    ¡°Oh, Miss, there¡¯s a stain on your clothes¡­¡±


    Joan hurriedly pulled out her handkerchief.


    With an upset face, she carefully wiped the wine off my skirt.


    But there was no way the stain would disappear.


    The hem of my dress was messed up with red stains.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, people had not yet noticed the smallmotion in the corner.


    ¡°Princess, Princess, I¡¯m really sorry. I never did that on purpose. Someone tripped me¡­¡±


    The servant who made the messy stain on my dress trembled like an aspen with a white face.


    She looked very pitiful.


    ¡°You said you were tripped?¡±


    I looked behind the servant.


    Several people were standing there.


    They looked at me with curious eyes.


    But as soon as our eyes met, they hurriedly avoided their gaze.


    ¡°Who tripped her?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, she stumbled on her own and fell.¡±


    Said the man who was in a position where he could not have done it.


    He was suspicious, but he was excluded from being a suspect because he stood far away. But his eyes were full of joy.


    ¡°If you made a mistake and tried to avoid responsibility by ming others¡­¡±


    ¡°She has no sign of reflection and no conscience. I can¡¯t just let it go.¡±


    Each time the people spoke, the servant¡¯s face grew more pale and scared.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse. It was the truth.¡±


    Looking at the servant¡¯s expression, she didn¡¯t seem to be lying.


    ¡°What about this? The fine dress is a mess.¡±


    A youngdy came with her fan folded and said,


    His face was familiar, but I didn¡¯t know her name.


    As I tried to remember where I had seen her, she continued.


    ¡°Even if you try to remove these kinds of stains, it won¡¯te off, but it¡¯s a big deal. The precious dress became a waste.¡±


    Contrary to the sad voice, her eyes were curved in a half-moon shape and she had a smile on her face.


    ¡°Princess, did you bring any other clothes to change into? The daughter of the famous Duke of Lillian cannot walk around wearing clothes like this. How much less¡­ Even Miss ire, who is just a Baron¡¯s daughter, is formal.¡±


    At the end of the youngdy¡¯s gaze, ire stood.


    ¡°Obviously, that dress was also a gift. If it were me, I would never havee to today¡¯s banquet wearing it. How can a person be so brazen¡­¡±


    ¡°While the princess is away from her seat, it is clear how much she flirted¡­¡±


    A few people around, led by the youngdy, added a few words.


    Hearing what they were saying, it seemed that they tried to fuel my anger.


    Because of them, themotion was growing more and more.


    It was then that I remembered where I had seen the youngdy in front of me.


    She usually followed ire and ttered her.


    ¡®There is no way that a young girl from a Baron family who¡¯s nameless can hold her head up in front of a Princess and say these things without a reason¡­¡¯


    It felt a little strange to say that it was simply due to the servant¡¯s mistake.


    I looked around.


    Then, btedly, I found young master Frein, who was watching the situation here with his eyes shining in the crowd.


    A smirk appeared on his lips as he looked at me.


    ¡®It¡¯s him. The mastermind.¡¯


    Those who simply tried to seek power could not do this in a big setting with the presence of the Duke and the emperor.


    It must have been because of passion.


    Come to think of it, I saw ire with him earlier.


    He was a passionate young man who wanted to take revenge on the evil woman who bullied the girl he was in love with.


    It was obvious that they were happy and hoped for my misfortune.


    However, no princess could make a fuss at the banquet hall where even the emperor attended. Perhaps even if the real Roxana was here, she would have had no choice but to put up with it, too.


    I nced at the servant, who was still lying on the floor.


    Her forehead was glistening with sweat.


    The frightened eyes were now staring at the floor as if resigned.


    It was a natural reaction from the servant¡¯s point of view, as she had dirtied the dress of a notorious Princess.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The Duke came and asked.


    He frowned as he looked at my dirty dress and the servant who was lying on the floor.

 Chapter 75

    ¡°What happened?¡±


    When the Duke appeared, the people quickly dispersed.


    But some quickly changed the color of their faces and spoke up.


    ¡°This servant here has been acting rudely and has soiled the princess¡¯s clothes.¡±


    At someone¡¯s taunts, the servant became even paler. She waspletely drained of blood and looked like she was about to copse.


    ¡°She ruined the banquet on this happy day, so you should not pass it up and punish it heavily.¡±


    The Duke ignored the people and turned his gaze to me.


    ¡°Roxana, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go to the lounge for a while.¡±


    ¡°The stain on your clothes¡­¡±


    Joan opened her mouth carefully.


    ¡°Actually, I brought another dress from her just in case, how about changing into it?¡±


    I had to keep my seat, but I couldn¡¯t keep the messy dress on.


    I nodded right away.


    ¡°It would be better to do what Joan said. I¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Go ahead.¡±


    Before heading to the lounge, I looked at the servant, who was still lying in front of me, and said,


    ¡°Go now. Don¡¯t get in the way like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    At my words, the servant raised her head with a bewildered face.


    Her eyes were still full of fear.


    ¡°Go to a ce where I can¡¯t see you. Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    When I threatened once more with a frown on my face, the servant finally straightened her knees and stood up.


    Then she bowed down to me, apologized, and left as if running away.


    I also took a step.


    ¡°Young Master Frein.¡±


    Instead of heading straight for the lounge, I approached Count Frein¡¯s son, who was standing at the entrance.


    He looked surprised when I approached him and spoke to him.


    His gaze on me was full of hostility.


    ¡°I have something to talk to you, can you spare me a moment?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Come with me for a little while.¡±


    I moved to a less crowded ce.


    At the words that sounded like my orders, Young Master Frein followed me with dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Does the Princess have something to do with me?¡±


    It was a voice full of annoyance.


    I also didn¡¯t want to talk to him for a long time, so I brought up the subject right away.


    ¡°Are you the one who made the servant tripped?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re saying this to me, but it has nothing to do with me. Don¡¯t use the wrong person.¡±


    ¡°My maid said earlier that she saw you with Baron Dana¡¯s daughter. What did you talk about?¡±


    ¡°Am I obligated to answer you?¡±


    At first, I thought he was a little perplexed, but then Young Master Frein answered tantly.


    I was convinced of his hostility the more we talked.


    ¡°Recently, the Count¡¯s financial condition has deteriorated a lot, right? I heard that the Count is in a lot of trouble because his new business is suffering from financial difficulties. What would happen if someone stepped up and interrupted at a time like this?¡±


    My words must have pierced his sore corner.


    His expression deteriorated rapidly.


    ¡°When your family falls, you will never be as proud as you are now. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    I took a ss of wine from a passing servant.


    Then I slowly reached out and poured it on him.


    He opened his eyes in surprise and shouted at me.


    ¡°Now what is this¡­!¡±


    ¡°You better stand in line. I am not as nice as Lady Dana, but I have a pretty good memory.¡±


    Young Master Frein looked at me with his mouth tightly shut.


    But he said nothing more.


    I left him like that and headed straight to the break room.


    ¡°Lady, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°What kind of person is he? He can¡¯t say anything in front of you, and rudely from behind¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. How childish. He¡¯s only at that level, so he¡¯s probably chasing after Lady Dana. It¡¯s really pathetic.¡±


    Joan and Tien spoke in anger-filled voices.


    ¡°Joan, where¡¯s the dress you brought as a spare?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Wait a minute. I left it in the carriage, if you rest for a moment, I¡¯ll get it right away.¡±


    Joan ran out to get the dress.


    While I was looking at her, someone stopped in front of me.


    ¡°Princess¡­¡±


    I frowned and slowly lifted my head.


    There stood apletely unexpected figure.


    ¡°Your Highness, Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°Wipe it with this.¡±


    The 2nd Prince handed me a handkerchief.


    I hesitated a little, then took his handkerchief.


    The handkerchief smelled the same as the perfume from him.


    I wiped the wine off the dress with the handkerchief.


    ¡°By the way, what happened a while ago? Just likest time¡­Incidents and idents keep happening.¡±


    ¡°Being branded as a viin who torments innocent people, some people with a sense of justice just can¡¯t let it go.¡±


    The second Prince looked at me with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t think so?¡±


    I tried to wipe the stain on my dress, but the liquid had already soaked in, so I couldn¡¯t wipe it off.


    There were red stains left on the brightly colored dress, which was unsightly.


    I said I was going to change the dress anyway, but I still didn¡¯t feel very good.


    ¡°If Your Highness had seen it, you would know. Even if they swear behind my back, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know that the Princess is not like that.¡±


    It was a voice full of confidence.


    As I became puzzled, I raised my head and met his eyes.


    It was then.


    I saw the Crown Prince approaching from afar.


    ¡°Roxana.¡±


    He frowned when he saw me and the second Prince together.


    ¡°Brother..¡±


    ¡°Why are you with Roxana?¡±


    ¡°We met by chance and were talking to each other.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re done, go ahead.¡±


    The Crown Prince said rudely like he did with Elvin.


    He looked at the second Prince up and down with a very displeased face.


    It was arrogant and overbearing.


    Nevertheless, the 2nd Prince nodded his head without a hint of displeasure, as if familiar with this situation.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go. Have a good time.¡±


    Before the second Prince walked away, he looked at me and said.


    ¡°Princess, happy birthday.¡±


    At those words, the Crown Prince¡¯s face became cold.


    He clenched his teeth as he looked at the back of the second Prince.


    Then he felt my gaze and turned to me.


    ¡°From Elvin to Payne. You two seemed pretty friendly, huh?¡± (*Payne is the second Prince¡¯s name.)


    ¡°He¡¯s not even close enough to be called friendly.¡±


    ¡°You are not telling the truth again? Now it seems that my fianc¨¦e has a lot of secrets.¡±


    It felt like there were thorns in his words.


    I pretended I didn¡¯t hear and walked without a word, looking straight ahead.


    ¡°What are you going to do with that outfit? Come to my pce and rest while waiting for the courtiers to bring your new clothes.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but it¡¯s fine. My maid went to get my spare dress, so she¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Atst I reached the front of the lounge.


    I looked at the Crown Prince and asked.


    ¡°I am going to rest for a while in the break room and then go back. what are you going to do, Your Highness?¡±


    It was lengthy the way I said it, but it was basically telling him to go away.


    He couldn¡¯t have not understood, but the Crown Prince spoke with a calm face.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired too, so I¡¯m going to take a little rest and go back, so I think we can go back togetherter.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much. You even make such a tired expression. Do you hate me and feel ufortable while talking casually with Elvin and Payne?¡±


    The Crown Prince made a sad face.


    Without realizing it, my emotions seemed to show on my face.


    But I didn¡¯t feel the need to hide anything, so I asked him.


    ¡°Are you going to go if I tell you I¡¯m ufortable?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The Crown Prince answered nonchntly and pulled the doorknob.


    Then, naturally, he went inside.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, the lounge was empty.


    He sat on the sofa and I sat opposite him.


    Tien, who followed, looked at me and the Crown Prince with an anxious face.


    I looked at the watch with an ufortable face.


    The Crown Prince, on the other hand, leaned on the sofa in a veryfortable position and closed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been suffering a lot too, so I¡¯ll take a little rest and go back. So don¡¯t show your dislike. I¡¯m hurt too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s attitude toward me was sweeter and more friendly than before. Sometimes he was considerate, but sometimes he was sly. It was even more terrifying to think that he had killed the nanny who raised Roxana behind her back.


    Does he really feel no guilt?


    Perhaps he felt my gaze and the Crown Prince opened his eyes. Then his gaze touched my wrist.


    ¡°But what is that bracelet? It¡¯s definitely something I haven¡¯t seen before, but who gave it to you?¡±


    ¡°I got it from a friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend?¡±


    His lips hardened.


    But he didn¡¯t seem to want to ask any more questions.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The Crown Prince nodded his head with an unknown expression.


    For a while his gaze stayed on the bracelet on my wrist, not letting go.


    It was an ufortable time.


    Fortunately, Joan was back soon after.


    When she entered the room, she was surprised when she saw the Crown Prince with me.


    ¡°I see you, Crown Prince.¡±


    The Crown Prince nodded his head lightly.


    I said to him,


    ¡°I have to change clothes, so would you please leave?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The Crown Prince got up and went outside.


    Joan ced the box on the table and opened the lid.


    Inside was a purple dress.


    I was momentarily stunned.


    This dress was given to me by Hermes¡¯s owner a while back.


    ¡°Why did you bring this?¡±


    I asked Joan.


    ¡°The youngdy has white skin and a mature atmosphere, so I think dark colors like this would suit you well.¡±


    Joan answered with a puzzled face.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, would you like to get some other clothes to change into?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. It didn¡¯t mean that I didn¡¯t like it. Help me take off this dress.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    The dress sent by the imperial family was as morous as it was difficult to put on and take off.


    With Joan and Tien¡¯s help, I got changed and stood in front of the mirror in one corner of the room.


    ¡°Oh my gosh¡­ Miss, it looks so good on you. The clothes were changed but you look like a different person.


    you get along really well. My clothes have changed, but I feel like a different person. How long have you been spoiling such pretty clothes?¡±


    ¡°The Hermes¡¯s owner definitely has a great eye. I definitely remember seeing itst time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be buying the Lady¡¯s clothes from the Hermes from now on. I think it suits you better than tailor-made clothes.¡±


    I looked in the mirror with admiration. It blended well with the gorgeous features and created a noble atmosphere.


    Dark purple was a color that could make a person look aged. However, it suited Roxana¡¯s white skin and overwhelming atmosphere very well.


    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    Then, a knock was heard outside.


    ¡°Is it much longer? I think it would be better to go back now.¡±


    Hearing the words of the Crown Prince from outside the door, I looked at the clock and it was true that I was absent for a long time.


    Anyway, as long as I was with the Crown Prince, I couldn¡¯t restfortably. When I opened the door and went outside, the Crown Prince was waiting in front of the door. He looked at me and widened his eyes as if surprised.

 Chapter 76

    ¡°Roxana?¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s mouth opened, but he fell silent for a while.


    Eventually he said with a frown on his face.


    ¡°I thought you were someone else for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Is that apliment?¡±


    ¡°You look beautiful now, but personally, I think I liked it better before.¡±


    The Crown Prince said with a slightly sad face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I didn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re not beautiful now. But I think the dress you wore earlier suits you better.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    It seemed as if the Crown Prince was trying to change what I wore.


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    As I walked forward, I heard footsteps behind me.


    The Crown Prince quickly caught up with my steps with his long legs.


    I could feel the gaze from the side, but I didn¡¯t look back.


    As I entered the banquet hall, people¡¯s gaze turned towards me.


    Maybe it was because of my mood, but the way they looked at me seemed a little different from before.


    I passed them and headed straight to the Duke.


    Fortunately, the Crown Prince did not follow.


    ¡°You¡¯re here. Your dress¡­.¡±


    The Duke looked at me with slightly startled eyes.


    At that moment, the emperor, who was standing a little further away, approached and said,


    ¡°She¡¯s grown up a lot since I haven¡¯t seen her. I thought she was someone else for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I see you, Your Majesty.¡±


    The emperor smiled kindly at me.


    ¡°Princess, haven¡¯t you decided on the wish I saidst time?¡±


    ¡°Actually, there is one thing I would like to ask of Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I would like to request an investigation into the case of Viscountess Willis, who recentlymitted suicide in the Imperial Pce Prison.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s face hardened a little at my words.


    ¡°I told you to say what you want, but I didn¡¯t know you would say this.¡±


    The Emperor stared at me.


    He even spoke in a soothing tone.


    ¡°An opportunity like this doesn¡¯te easily. But you¡¯re going to use it for someone else? For someone who¡¯s already died?¡±


    ¡°The nanny betrayed me, but she was with me for a long time. I hope there wasn¡¯t any resentment at the end.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who dares to use their hands on sinners in the pce. Does the royal guard look sox in the eyes of the Princess?¡±


    ¡°Roxana.¡±


    When the Emperor revealed his uneasy feelings, the Duke pulled me behind him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, forgive me. My daughter made a mistake because she was still young.¡±


    ¡°No. Duke, I¡¯d like to hear why the Princess thought that way.¡±


    The Emperor softened his voice again.


    Considering the achievements the Duke had made, the emperor seemed to have overlooked my bluntness.


    ¡°The nanny was a venomous person. But she was not the kind of person who would leave her children behind like that. I was suspicious of that, but I didn¡¯t think of anything else.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Since I told you personally you could make any wishes, I have to take responsibility. But I ask you one thing. If there was another cause behind the death of the sinner, what would you do?¡±


    The Emperor narrowed his eyes.


    I was suffocated by the feeling of oppression I had experienced for the first time.


    ¡°I have no intention of doing anything. I just want to know the truth.¡±


    ¡°Is that really all?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I nodded my head without thinking for a long time.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll investigate soon and report the results.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude.


    The emperor raised the corners of his lips with a frown on his face.


    ¡°Duke, your daughter is very clever.¡±


    After the emperor left, the Duke asked me with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Roxana, what you said to His Majesty a while ago¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought it was strange from the beginning. Then, after reading the nanny¡¯s will a few days ago, I became more and more convinced that the nanny might not havemitted suicide.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that someone encouraged her?¡±


    The Duke looked at me with a worried face.


    Perhaps he was worried that there were dangerous people around me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m sorry I did this without consulting you in advance. But I won¡¯t cause any harm to our family.¡±


    The Duke sighed.


    He then looked at me and said in a stern voice.


    ¡°I have no intention of stopping whatever you are doing as long as it does not endanger you.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s gaze at me softened again at the gentle answer.


    He patted me on the shoulder with aplicated face.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been a smart kid since you were little. I trust you.¡±


    I felt his words were sincere rather than empty words, which made it even more ufortable.


    I smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The banquet ended after a long time.


    I stayed with the Duke until almost the end of the banquet, and was only able to return home at dawn.


    On the way back, I dozed off in the carriage.


    As soon as I returned to my room with the help of the maids, I waspletely exhausted.


    Lying on the bed in a dreamy state, I could feel Annie removing my makeup and taking off my clothes.


    But I was so tired that I didn¡¯t even want to open my eyes.


    The next day, when I woke up, the sun was already in the middle of the sky.


    It was muchter than usual.


    The maids also looked more dazed than usual due to the aftermath of yesterday.


    While everyone looked tired, only Annie was healthy and full of vitality.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    I looked at the two boxes on the shelf curiously.


    One was a tiara sent by the Crown Prince.


    It was pretty because I knew what it meant, but I didn¡¯t use it on purpose.


    And the other one¡­..


    ¡°It was sent by the Second Prince.¡±


    Annie answered in a bright voice.


    Instead of following me to the banquet yesterday, she arranged the presents that hade for me.


    Thanks to the merits of the Duke, this birthday was more prosperous than ever.


    Because of that, Annie looked busy as if her work had not yet beenpleted.


    I slowly opened the box in front of me.


    Inside the box was a pair of silver earrings studded with light water-colored jewels.


    It was not as shy and conspicuous as the gift from Elvin or the Crown Prince, but the neat and elegant design drew attention the more I looked at it.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty. Put it in order.¡±


    I put the earrings back in the box.


    Then I looked elsewhere.


    Then I found a bracelet on the dressing table.


    It was given by Alvin.


    When I think of yesterday¡¯s conversation, my face warmed without realizing it.


    I turned away and picked up a fan nearby.


    Then Joan asked with her puzzled face.


    ¡°Lady, are you hot?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little hot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange. The weather is cool today, so I think it¡¯s fine, but if it¡¯s hot, should I open the window?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That would be nice.¡±


    ¡°Then wait a minute¡­¡±


    Joan got up and went to the window.


    As she opened the window, a cold wind blew in and rain poured down.


    The sky was darker than usual, and it was raining all of a sudden.


    ¡°Lady, are you really hot?¡±


    Tien looked at me worriedly.


    I couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ***


    ¡°Your Highness, Lady Dana hase to visit. Should I tell her that you will not be able to meet her because you are busy again this time?¡±


    The servant asked.


    The Crown Prince was sitting at his desk as usual, looking at the documents.


    Lately, he had been avoiding his beloved Lady Dana.


    He would make excuses and refuse to meet her, so it was natural for Lady Dana to be upset.


    The servant thought it would be the same today.


    But the answer he heard was different from usual.


    ¡°Tell her to wait in the parlor.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Then I¡¯ll send her back¡­What?¡±


    The servant opened his eyes and looked at the Crown Prince.


    The Crown Prince still didn¡¯t take his eyes off the papers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a little bit, so tell her to wait. Do I have to say this many times for you to understand?¡±


    The Crown Prince said in a dissatisfied voice.


    ¡°No.¡±


    The servant hurriedly bowed his head, answered and left.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    When the servant went to see ire, who was waiting with an anxious face.


    Today ire was wearing a bright yellow dress.


    Her bright and innocent atmosphere made her look more attractive.


    Today, he felt a little lighter because he didn¡¯t have to see a beautiful woman disappointed.


    ¡°The Crown Prince said to wait. He wille soon when the work is done. So why don¡¯t you have a cup of tea in the meantime?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Okay.¡±


    ire answered meekly.


    The servant took her to the parlor and then quickly left the room.


    In the spacious parlor p, ire was left alone.


    Soon several maids came in, gave her delicious refreshments and tea, and then left again.


    It was in that state for a long time.


    ¡®Why aren¡¯t youing?¡¯


    ire bit her nails with an irritated face.


    Recently, the Crown Prince did not want to meet her.


    But today, for some reason, he told her to wait in the parlor.


    It was only one meeting, but it has to be so hard.


    It was a moment when the difference in status became evident.


    At the same time, it also meant that the heart of the Crown Prince was different from before.


    Another hour passed.


    Finally, impatient, ire went out of the room and asked a servant who was passing by the hallway.


    ¡°I have an appointment with His Highness, can you find out when he¡¯ll be done?¡±


    The servant looked ire up and down once. ire¡¯s visit to the Crown Prince and returning without meeting him was already widespread in the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce.


    He thought it was a simr situation today and made a sullen face.


    ¡°Please wait. If you havee with an appointment, His Highness wille soon.¡±


    It was a very unpleasant conversation. Not long ago, the courtiers of the Imperial Pce were kind to her. But these days, the way they looked at her seemed to be dealing with uninvited guests.


    Clearly different from before, ire bit her lip secretly. She remembered an incident not long ago when she had just been released from prison.


    At that time, the royal servants sent by the Crown Prince hade to pick her up. On her way back home with their support, she met the Princess. Their attitude towards the Princess and her was very different. Things around ir were getting worse and worse.


    ***


    ¡°Your Highness, won¡¯t you go see her?¡±


    The servant came and asked.


    The Crown Prince took his eyes off the document and turned his gaze to the watch.


    He looked at the time and noticed that a lot of time had passed.


    He then looked a little annoyed.


    ¡°What about ire? Is she still waiting?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been almost two hours already.¡±


    ¡°I made her wait too long. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The Crown Prince put down the papers he was holding in his hand and stood up.


    On the way out of the parlor, he saw a familiar figure in the distance through the window.


    It was Elvin.


    The ce he was headed was the passageway to the Imperial Pce. Seeing that the emperor¡¯s attendant was next to him, it seemed that he had been called by the emperor again this time. The Crown Prince frowned at once.


    ¡°Hees and goes to the imperial pce as if it¡¯s his own house.


    I can¡¯t understand why the emperor wraps up such a jerk just because he¡¯s pretty.¡±


    The Crown Prince turned his head away and walked, then stopped his steps.


    He then narrowed his eyes and looked towards Elvin.


    Today Elvin was wearing a creamy cravat with his ck overcoat.


    The brooch on his chest was exceptionally gorgeous and sophisticated, making it very noticeable.


    The Crown Prince paused for a moment.


    Then he stared at it.


    Elvin¡¯s brooch looked familiar as if he had seen it somewhere.

 Chapter 77

    ¡°Is it because of my mood? I definitely saw it somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    The servant asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    The Crown Prince moved the steps he had stopped with with an uneasy face. After walking for a while, he entered the parlor where ire was waiting. She sat on the sofa and waited with an anxious expression.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ire, who found the Crown Prince, got up immediately. As she wasing closer, she then stopped, weeping with tears in her eyes. She was a lot more cautious than before. Seeing that, the Crown Prince¡¯s heart weakened.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working, so I¡¯m a littlete. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lately, the Crown Prince had been neglecting her and sometimes seemed to try to keep his distance.


    Even at the Princess¡¯s birthday banquet, he didn¡¯t even give her a single nce, even though they were in the same room.


    But now his voice was as sweet as before.


    Eventually, ire dropped the tears she had been holding back.


    ¡°I missed you.¡±


    ire approached and gave him a soft hug, and the Crown Prince stroked her hair.


    ¡°Crying like a child. You¡¯ve be more childish since we haven¡¯t seen each other.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m worried that Your Highness hasn¡¯t been looking for me for a while¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop crying.¡±


    The Crown Prince took out his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.


    ire epted it and wiped her eyes.


    ¡°Sit down for now.¡±


    The two soon sat down.


    The tea cups on the table and the tea in the teapot had long since cooled down.


    ¡°The tea is cold. I¡¯ll get a new one. Are there any snacks you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t have an appetite these days.¡±


    ire shook her head and responded helplessly.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°These days, my parents keep talking about marriage.¡±


    ¡°Well, ire, you¡¯re old enough.¡±


    The Crown Prince was more calm than expected.


    ire¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at his reaction.


    She bit her lip.


    She then came down to the floor and knelt down on her knees.


    ¡°Help me, Your Highness. I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked startled as ire suddenly knelt on the floor.


    Large tears fell from her eyes.


    ¡°My father wants me to marry an older man who is almost twenty years older than me. Young master Percy has already sent me a bunch of gifts a few days ago.¡±


    The Percy was not so great, but it was an influential family.


    The Count was an old man over sixty, and he had a son who was not married until he was forty years old.


    Count Percy¡¯s son suffered burns in an ident when he was a child, which burned one side of his face, which resulted in blindness in one of his eyes.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t because of the big difference in age, she didn¡¯t want to marry a one-eyed man with a hideously distorted face.


    ¡°I only have Your Highness. I don¡¯t like anyone else. I begged that I really didn¡¯t want it, but I think my father has already made up his mind. If it goes on like this¡­ it¡¯s really irreversible.¡±


    ire¡¯s voice was very desperate and terrified.


    Naturally, she looked very sad and afraid. The Prince looked down at ire with aplicated face.


    ¡°Baron Dana? That¡¯s awful.¡± (*Baron Dana is ire¡¯s father.)


    ire lifted her head slightly and looked at the Crown Prince¡¯s expression. He was calmer than expected.


    ire was upset, but instead of expressing it, she bowed her head again and hid her expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll never marry Young Master Percy.¡±


    The Crown Prince said firmly.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, get up. If this happens again, let me know.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Now stop crying and have a snack and rx.¡±


    The Crown Prince summoned a servant and had the imperial chef prepare new refreshments.


    His demeanor was as kind and friendly as before.


    The atmosphere after that was soft.


    It was like going back in time.


    However, during the conversation, the Crown Prince seemed to be thinking differently at times.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ire did not eat the refreshments brought by the maid, but looked towards the Crown Prince, who did not answer.


    He sat still, bringing the teacup to his lips.


    He seemed to be thinking of something.


    ire called the Crown Prince once more.


    ¡°Your Highness, are you okay? If you¡¯re tired, should I leave?¡±


    At that moment, the focus returned to the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes.


    He shook his head as if it was okay.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    The Crown Prince answered without sincerity and put down the teacup.


    The half-remaining tea in the teacup was reddish.


    Like the jewel embedded in Elvin¡¯s brooch he saw earlier.


    In an instant, the memory from a while ago shed into his mind.


    On the day of ire¡¯s birthday banquet, he went to the jeweler with Roxana.


    Then the Crown Prince remembered where he had seen the brooch before and opened his eyes wide.


    <strong>¡°Is this a gift for someone?¡± (CP)</strong>


    <strong>¡°I received an excessive gift and prepared it as a gift in return.¡± (Roxana)</strong>


    <strong>¡°Can I ask who you¡¯re giving it to?¡± (CP)</strong>


    <strong>¡°I¡¯m going to send it to someone I¡¯m grateful for¡­¡± (Roxana)</strong>


    He recalled the conversation he had with the Princess, his fianc¨¦e, that same day.


    She did not answer his question to whom she would give the gift to.


    Now he knew why.


    It wasn¡¯t that Roxana didn¡¯t have an answer, it¡¯s that she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡®Ha! Was it like that?!¡¯


    The Crown Princeughed.


    ire looked at him with a puzzled face.


    ¡°I have a ce to go, so I need to leave first.¡±


    The Crown Prince raised his lips sullenly.


    ire tried to smile instead of holding onto him, as he looked very upset.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Crown Prince rose from his seat without any regrets.


    Then he quietly left the room.


    ire, who was left alone, looked at the empty seat opposite.


    Then she distorted her expression and bit her lip.


    ***


    I was enjoying tea time leisurely.


    The moment I took a bite of the macaron from the famous bakery that Tien had bought, the door opened and Joan, who had gone to run an errand, returned.


    She gave the bad news with a dark face.


    ¡°Lady, the Crown Prince hase to visit.¡±


    Suddenly, my appetite dropped, and I put down the snack I was holding in my hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of His Majesty¡¯s visit, but he said that he came again this time without contact¡­¡±


    I went to the window and looked out.


    Indeed, as Joan said, I saw a carriage with the seal of the imperial family parked near the front door on the first floor.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on again this time?¡±


    ¡°Lady, the Crown Prince¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look very good. And His Excellency is away¡­..¡± *(His Excellency is Roxana¡¯s father)


    Joan was worried that the atmosphere on the first floor wasn¡¯t very good.


    There were a few things that came to my mind.


    One of the things that I had instructed Stephen not long ago.


    <strong>¡°Did you know by any chance that we stopped sponsoring the business?¡±</strong>


    If the astronomical subsidy that came in periodically was suddenly cut off, it would certainly be difficult for the Crown Prince.


    However, I was the first to change the ns and proceed with the work without telling him.


    From an investor¡¯s point of view, it was impossible to pour wasted money into something that has a clear oue.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just for that reason that the sponsorship was cut off.


    ¡°Lady, what should I do?¡±


    Joan asked with an anxious face.


    ¡°Tell him that I won¡¯t see him today because I¡¯m not feeling well.¡±


    ¡°Yes? But¡­¡±


    Joan cried at my words.


    When I didn¡¯t say anything more, she left the room with a helpless face.


    I wasn¡¯t too worried.


    I had no reason to warmly wee an uninvited guest who hade without an invitation.


    Besides, no matter if he was the Crown Prince, at this point when the Duke was back in the capital, he wouldn¡¯t make a fuss in the Duke¡¯s residence.


    Joan, who had gone down to deliver the news, returned shortly thereafter.


    ¡°The Crown Prince said that he can¡¯t leave even more because of that. He¡¯s worried about his sick fianc¨¦e. So he won¡¯t go until he sees the Lady¡¯s face and check your condition ¡­.¡±


    Joan said in a crawling voice as she looked at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is about.¡±


    ¡°Lady, what should I do?¡±


    Joan asked with a frightened bunny face.


    ¡°Tell him I have a highly contagious flu and can¡¯t see anyone. I have already taken medicine and fell asleep, soe back another day.¡±


    If I said that, he should understand and leave.


    But I soon realized that I had underestimated the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Roxana.¡±


    The door to my room opened and the Crown Prince entered.


    He seemed quite angry.


    ¡°Annie, go tell my father that His Highness hade.¡±


    I quietly instructed Annie, who was next to me.


    She nodded her head slightly with a serious face.


    I put down the book I was reading and got up from my seat to face the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s going on? You came to the unmarried Lady¡¯s room and opened the door without permission.¡±


    ¡°I was told you slept early after taking the medicine¡­ Did I receive the wrong message?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me alternately and the seat I had been sitting in for a while.


    ¡°I just woke up.¡±


    When I responded calmly, the Crown Prince looked at me with an absurd gaze.


    ¡°Is this really like this?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Highness visit without a notice first? If you wish for hospitality, make an official appointment ande another day. I¡¯m a little tired today.¡±


    ¡°No. Talk to me today. I¡¯m trying not to misunderstand. So say anything.¡±


    The Crown Prince said in a firm voice.


    ¡°I can understand roughly why you are doing this. But my decision doesn¡¯t change.¡±


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m doing? And yet you¡¯reing out so tantly?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this because I cut off the sponsorship of your business?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Crown Prince frowned.


    ¡°Your Highness is forcing me to make sacrifices. Why should I invest such a huge sum in an impossible task?¡±


    The Crown Prince didn¡¯t say anything as if my words were poignant.


    ¡°If things go well, all the credit go to you, and if things go wrong, I¡¯ll lose all thhe money.¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden? It seems like you¡¯ve be a different person sincest time.¡±


    The Crown Prince asked me in a dismayed voice.


    ¡°Because there was a change of heart.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you have a change of heart. Isn¡¯t it because you got another man?¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    I doubted my ears for a moment.


    He had no interest in Roxana and he was the most arrogant Crown Prince.


    Then he acted as if he was a husband suffering from his wife¡¯s betrayal.


    But the dog with the dung scolds the dog with the chaff.


    Of course I didn¡¯t have another man.


    Even if there were, the Crown Prince had no right to criticize me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know on what grounds Your Hignhess is insulting me so much. To mention one more thing, the reason the Duke helped you because you were my fianc¨¦.¡±


    The atmosphere became more and more sharp.


    The maids protected me from the Crown Prince with their bloodless faces.


    Annie¡¯s face was nowhere to be seen.


    It seemed that she had gone out to carry out the order I had given her to summon the Duke.


    I moved forward slowly, leaving them behind.


    ¡°Because Your Highness seems to have forgotten about it for a while.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me now?¡±


    ¡°Did my words sound like a threat? If Your Highness felt that way, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask anything from Your Highness. I¡¯m not begging for love.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me with a puzzled face.


    ¡®I¡¯d rather Your Highness beg me for something.¡¯


    I swallowed the back words.


    Even if Roxana had the upper hand now, if she said these words, she would not be able to avoid the charge of contempt of the imperial family.


    ¡°From now on, like before, I will not force my family to suffer damages for Your Highness¡¯s sake. Even if the engagement is broken, there is nothing I can do about it.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.


    I looked at him coldly.

 Chapter 78

    There was a silence.


    The atmosphere in the room was infinitely subdued.


    ¡°Breakup¡­? How can you say that so easily?¡±


    After a few minutes of silence, the Crown Prince asked me with an incredulous expression. His eyes were full of betrayal. He seemed genuinely hurt by what I said. I couldn¡¯t understand him. Actually, I didn¡¯t want to understand any more. Then, it suddenly became noisy outside. I asked the servant.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll check it out.¡±


    The servant returned quickly less than a minute after leaving the room.


    ¡°His Excellency is back.¡±


    The time the Duke returned was sooner than expected.


    Contrary to expectations, he was not far away, or he was already on the way back.


    Either way, it was good for me.


    Thanks to the Duke¡¯s early return, it was easy to expel the uninvited guest who entered my room without permission.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired and want to rest. Would you please go home today?¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll leave today. I guess I got too excited and said a lot of things I shouldn¡¯t say to you. Let¡¯s talk again after the excitement has subsided.¡± (*excitement in this situation is more like anger, loss of temper.)


    The Crown Prince seemed to think that I talked about breaking up because I was not in my right mind.


    I wanted to correct it right away, but the time was not yet.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see you off because I¡¯m not feeling well. Then I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    The Crown Prince hesitated for a moment at my words, then left the room.


    ***


    ¡°Sir, you have to hurry.¡±


    Annie said.


    With those words, the Duke gave more strength to the hand holding the reins.


    On his way home from work, he ran into Roxana¡¯s maid.


    The maid said the Crown Prince hade to the mansion, but he didn¡¯t seem in a very good mood.


    After he heard those words, he frantically swung his whip.


    The thought of nearly losing Roxana kept shing through his mind.


    He could not repeat the same mistake.


    The Duke clenched his fist tightly.


    When he arrived at the front of the mansion, he saw an imperial carriage parked in front of the main gate.


    The Duke strode into the building with an angry face.


    There were several imperial knights.


    When they saw the Duke, they bowed their heads in bewilderment.


    ¡°I see the Duke.¡±


    The Duke red at them once with a cold nce, and walked past them.


    As he was going up the stairs, he met the Crown Prince who wasing down from Roxana¡¯s room.


    ¡°Duke.¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince.¡±


    The eyes of the two collided.


    The Duke¡¯s face became colder.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t very good either.


    He raised the corners of his lips awkwardly with a worried face.


    ¡°Because of the next schedule, we won¡¯t be able to talk much. Next time I will set a date and visit you formally. Let¡¯s have a cup of tea together then.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness doesn¡¯t have to bother with that. From now on, I hope that there will be no sudden visits like this without a message.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s attitude toward the Crown Prince was cold and determined.


    To the Crown Prince of his own country, that attitude was rude.


    But he (the Duke) was also a powerful man with no formidable opponents.


    On top of that, the Crown Prince borrowed the Duke¡¯s power to help him with many things, so he (CP) couldn¡¯tin.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sure.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, then.¡±


    The Duke greeted him without sincerity, then passed the Crown Prince and went up the stairs.


    The Crown Prince, who was left behind, stood there for a while, then moved his steps.


    ***


    I approached the window with a cold face.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the Crown Prince was seen walking through the front door towards the gate.


    Just in time, the Duke returned.


    ¡°I just came across the Crown Prince. Did everything go okay?¡±


    I turned my head and looked at him.


    The Duke looked at me with a worried face.


    Annie, who was drenched in sweat, was also with him.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have acted out in front of you again, would he?¡±


    The Duke asked in an angry voice.


    Although angry, he naturally used the word ¡°he¡± for the Crown Prince of the Empire.


    It would certainly be a source of trouble if anyone heard it.


    But it could not be stopped.


    If I answered ¡®yes¡¯, the Duke was ready to attack the imperial pce at any moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There was nothing special. His Highness misunderstood something, so we were just talking about it.¡±


    Even with my words, the Duke did not release his hard expression.


    ¡°Toe here without a message, he must think Duke Lillian¡¯s residence is some kind of a yground. I¡¯ll instruct the Knights to increase their security. From now on, no one cane in and out without a prior appointment like today.¡±


    The Duke looked out the window with a frown.


    The carriage with the Crown Prince had already left.


    Seeing that there was no one, it seemed that he had already gone far.


    I pulled the curtains and smiled at the Duke.


    ¡°I would like that. By the way, I have something to tell you. Can you spare a moment for me?¡±


    ¡°As much as you want.¡±


    After a while, Tien served tea and refreshments.


    I grabbed a teapot and poured tea into the Duke¡¯s teacup.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The Duke brought the teacup to his lips.


    Seeing this, I also drank my tea.


    I then gave orders to the maids and Annie who remained in the room.


    ¡°I have something to discuss with my father, so everyone go out.¡±


    At my words, the maids and Annie had puzzled faces.


    But without objection, they quietly left the room.


    ¡°Yes, Lady. Then please talkfortably.¡±


    When only the two of us were left in the room, the Duke asked as if puzzled. Also, what happened earlier?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Rather, father, do you remember what I said to His Majesty at the banquet a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°You mean that you asked him to re-investigate the matter concerning the Viscountess Willis?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Right.¡±


    I graciously admitted it.


    ¡°When the nanny died, it was very suspicious. I thought it was strange, and when they investigated, it was not only the nanny who was dead.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°All those involved in the incident died in one day. Except for one person.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s expression became serious.


    ¡°I think the Crown Prince killed all the witnesses for Young Lady Dana, including the nanny. If the investigation turns out to be true¡­¡±


    I stopped talking and looked at the Duke.


    Of course, his expression wasn¡¯t good.


    I bit the soft flesh in my mouth.


    ¡°Still, the nanny was the one who raised me. The Crown Prince killed her casually for the sake of Lady Dana. I can¡¯t be with someone like that for the rest of her life, can I?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The Duke didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll put a knife on my back. It¡¯d be better to cut the kite as early as possible, for the sake of the family.¡±


    In an instant, I felt the warmth in my hand.


    The Duke was holding my hand on the table.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to try to persuade me. Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I¡¯m on your side. I¡¯ll do whatever you want. I¡¯ll support you from behind.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s words warmed my heart somehow.


    I bit the soft flesh in my mouth to hold back my tears.


    After calming down a bit, I opened my mouth with difficulty.


    ¡°Thank you. I will do my best not to cause any damage to the family.¡±


    ***


    The Duke left the room with a nk expression on his face. As the door closed, his face darkened.


    Stephen asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Sir, what the Lady said makes you look¡­¡±


    The Duke licked his lips. Then he asked in a heavy voice.


    ¡°Stephen, has there been anything strange about Roxana these days?¡±


    ¡°If anything is strange¡­¡±


    ¡°Meeting strange people or going to strange ces.¡±


    Stephen made a face of iprehension.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but is there anything wrong with the Lady?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. However¡­¡­.¡±


    The Duke frowned.


    Recently, Roxana has changed like a different person.


    At first, he only thought that she had grown and changed as she went through many things. But it wasn¡¯t easy for a person to be like another person overnight. As she changed, Roxana was overly smart and surprisingly she knew a lot. He didn¡¯t mean she was stupid before.


    But it was certainly a wonder. The Duke of Lillian was nothing more than the goose thatid the golden eggs. It was the same for the Crown Prince as well as for others. It would be a big deal if anyone was to approach Roxana and manipte her for impure purposes.


    The Duke ordered Stephen with a serious face.


    ¡°Find out who Roxana has been close withtely.¡±


    ***


    The Crown Prince did not return to the Imperial Pce until evening.


    He went to the Duke¡¯s residence to ask about the brooch, but he didn¡¯t ask what he wanted to ask.


    He was afraid of what kind of answer woulde out of Roxana¡¯s mouth, who had changed so much.


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Upon entering the Imperial Pce, the attendant greeted him with a respectful attitude.


    The Crown Prince passed him and went straight to the office.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    Baron Cheston, his secretary, stood at the door and looked surprised when he saw the Crown Prince.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± (CP)


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± (Baron)


    Baron Cheston looked into the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes as he was hesitant to answer.


    The Crown Prince, feeling ominous again by the Baron¡¯s attitude, sighed and said.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡±


    The Crown Prince pulled the doorknob before Baron Cheston could speak.


    The moment the Crown Prince opened the door to the office, a differentndscape was unfolding.


    As if someone had turned his office upside down, the Crown Prince¡¯splexion quickly hardened as he saw the cluttered scenery in the room.


    ¡°Who did this?¡±


    It was a stupid question in the first ce.


    While the owner was away, there was only one eldest who dared to search the Crown Prince¡¯s office.


    ¡°While Your Highness was away earlier, the men sent by His Majesty came.¡±


    Baron Cheston answered in a crawling voice.


    The Crown Prince clenched his teeth.


    His face turned white from anger.


    Baron Cheston, who watched the scene, remained still with an anxious face.


    ¡°Why did he suddenly do this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote to report, and you haven¡¯t figured out the situation yet¡­What the hell are you doing?¡±


    At his rebuke, Baron Cheston bit his lips with a bitter face.


    The Crown Prince looked at him with a cold gaze and then looked out the window.


    From where his gaze reached, he could see a pce with a high, pointed roof in the distance.


    Previously, the 2nd Prince¡¯s mother, the Empress, lived there, and now it was the 2nd Prince¡¯s Pce.


    ¡°It seems that Payne (2nd Prince) did his tricks. No matter how urgent it is, toe out like this.¡±


    The Crown Prince clenched his fists.


    This time, it was a little different from the usual method of the 2nd Prince.


    But no one else would benefit from doing this.


    The Crown Prince remembered the face of the second Prince and sharpened his teeth.


    ¡°It is clear that blood cannot be deceived. Payne is a child of a princess from a small country infested with barbarians, who seduced the emperor with her body with the excuse of a tribute, and earned her the throne.¡±


    Contrary to the calm voice, the content inside contained a deep malice that stung the skin.


    Baron Cheston¡¯s eyes widened at the excessive venom.


    ¡°You crouch in the front and stick your sword in the back like this. Payne, that bastard¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll pay back for what you have done today.¡± (*The CP thought the second Prince was investigating him, but it was Roxana¡¯s request to the emperor)


    He (CP) never expected this to happen while he was away.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s pce was his own territory, and his office was one of the most private of them all.


    There were books and documents with a lot of information written in them.


    No one in the world could exist without a single speck of dust.


    The higher the status and the more possessions, the more so.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s position could not be as clean and noble as it appeared.


    Of course he left no traces of himself, but rtively recent things could have been left behind.


    The Crown Prince quickly shook his head.


    But without looking around his room, it was impossible to know what the men sent by the emperor had found.


    At that moment, the emperor¡¯s servant approached from afar.


    ¡°I see the Crown Prince.¡±


    The Crown Prince tried to hide his anxiety and asked with a calm face.


    ¡°What did youe here for?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty has ordered me to bring Your Highness.¡±


    The Crown Prince forcibly raised the corners of his lips. However, avoiding it was not inevitable.


    In the end, he replied in a resigned tone.


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±

 Chapter 79

    The Crown Prince entered the room, changed his clothes, and left.


    On the way to the Imperial Pce, his expression was never bright.


    When he arrived in the audience chamber, the gatekeeper with his solemn face opened the door.


    ¡°His Majesty is waiting.¡±


    At the words of the servant, the Crown Prince clenched his fists.


    Cold sweat was glistening on the palms of his hands.


    He went inside nervously.


    In a luxurious room adorned in gold and red, the Emperor sat on the throne with an expressionless face. The Crown Prince walked towards the front of the stairs where he was.


    ¡°Father, I heard you called.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Emperor replied in a hard voice.


    He was usually a strict father, but his voice was unusually cold today.


    The Crown Prince swallowed dry saliva.


    The Emperor must have noticed something. But the Crown Prince had no idea what it was.


    ¡°Do you know why I called you?¡±


    The emperor threw a document on the floor. The Crown Prince looked at it with a puzzled face. The document contained information about Viscountess Willis. He bowed his head to hide his bewilderment.


    Soon after, the Emperor ordered.


    ¡°Bring them in.¡±


    At the Emperor¡¯s order, the knights brought two men from somewhere. Their faces were covered with sacks, and their hands and feet were tied with ropes. Seeing that their bodies would covered in blood, it looked like they had been tortured.


    ¡°Take off their head covers.¡±


    Soon their faces were revealed. They belonged to the Knight Order under the Crown Prince¡¯s control. Not long ago, he gave them the order to get rid of the imprisoned witnesses.


    Only then did the Crown Prince know what the emperor had called him for.


    ¡°Prince, did you instruct them to kill two prisoners in prison using your own authority?¡±


    Asked the emperor.


    A question, but not a question.


    He already knew everything.


    The Crown Prince immediately knelt on the floor.


    ¡°¡­Father, I was wrong.¡±


    The Crown Prince knew his father¡¯s personality better than anyone.


    He hated lying and deception the most.


    Now that all the circumstances were revealed, it would have caused even more anger if he (CP) denied the truth.


    The charge of deceiving the monarch was unforgivable even for the Crown Prince himself to bear.


    So he¡¯d better admit his mistake and ask for forgiveness now.


    ¡°Did you think that you have already ascended to the throne? This seat is not yours yet.¡±


    The Emperor looked down at the Crown Prince with a cold face.


    His gaze was too cold and unkind to be looking at his own son.


    ¡°You ordered the killing of the criminals under investigation and even fabricated evidence disguised as suicide, even if you were an emperor, you shouldn¡¯t have done it.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You know?¡±


    the Emperor scoffed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you did wrong.¡±


    The Crown Prince bit his lip at the subsequent rebuke.


    ¡°You were possessed by a Young Lady, a mere Baron¡¯s daughter, and ruined the honor of the imperial family, and you got the Duke¡¯s resentment. And when that wasn¡¯t enough, you even stepped on my tail. You were addicted to a mere love game, hated by the people, and handled the job poorly.¡±


    A voice as cold as ice was lodged in the Crown Prince¡¯s ears.


    The Emperor, who had a kind smile in front of the people, was actually more cold than anyone else.


    A person who could throw away even his own blood and flesh at any time.


    When the Crown Prince stood in front of him, his whole body stiffened as if he had be a mouse in front of a cat.


    He was like that when he was young, and he was still the same now.


    ¡°If a foolish and inexperienced person like you inherits the throne, the future of the empire will be bleak.¡±


    The Crown Prince raised his head with surprised eyes.


    Then, when his eyes met the emperor, who had a cold gaze, he immediately bowed his head again.


    ¡°Please forgive me this once.¡±


    ¡°You are not my only son. It¡¯s nice to see my own blood inherit the throne, but if you can¡¯t see the right answer, it¡¯s probably right for someone who is better at it to inherit it.¡±


    ¡°The seat is¡­ mine.¡±


    A repressed voice leaked out from between the Crown Prince¡¯s tightly closed teeth.


    ¡°Ha! Pathetic guy. The only thing you have is you¡¯re lucky enough to be born as my son. How long are you going to hold on to only the skirt of the empress?¡±


    The Emperor clicked his tongue in a pathetic voice.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face turned red.


    He chewed the soft flesh in his mouth.


    The taste of fishy blood quickly filled his mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at you anymore, so just leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please rest well.¡±


    When the Crown Prince came out of the audience chamber, the servant who was guarding the door opened his eyes in surprise.


    ¡°Crown Prince, there is blood on your lips¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince realized his condition only then and saw his own reflection in the window.


    There was light blood on his lips.


    ¡°I will bring the royal doctor.¡±


    ¡°No. There is nothing to make a fuss about.¡±


    Irrespective of the fussy servant¡¯s reaction, the Crown Prince took out a handkerchief with a nonchnt face, wiped his lips, and walked away.


    When he left the Imperial Pce, his expression waspletely distorted.


    There were wrinkles between his messy, wrinkled brows.


    The Crown Prince immediately returned to his office.


    In his view, a decorative cab simr to his height caught his eye.


    He stretched out his hand.


    Then, with force, he pushed the cab and knocked it over.


    Expensive ceramics and sculptures inside were shattered with a loud noise.


    ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Baron Cheston heard the sound outside the door and came in, startled.


    He looked at the messy room and widened his eyes.


    There were fragments all over the ce, and the Crown Prince was standing in the middle.


    His gaze was ferocious, and he was full of killing intent he had never felt before.


    ¡°Your Highness, what the hell is all this¡­¡±


    Baron Cheston was instinctively frightened and took a few steps back.


    In the next moment, a piece of ss the size of a palm flew towards him.


    Fortunately, the ss fragment missed Baron Cheston by an inch. Instead, the ss piece hit a servant who had ran inside after hearing themotion.


    ¡°Arhhh!¡±


    The maid fell to the floor with a short scream.


    Red blood flowed from her forehead.


    Baron Cheston swallowed his scream and looked down at her.


    Fortunately she wasn¡¯t dead, as she was groaning in pain.


    Everyone around seemed surprised, but no one showed any signs of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting. Get that out of my sight right now.¡±


    The Crown Prince gave orders in a calm voice.


    At hismand, several of the courtiers carried the fallen maid out of the room. Then they brought the mop and cleaned the floor quickly.


    The Crown Prince sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa.


    Baron Cheston looked at his back with aplicated gaze.


    ¡°What are you doing? If you¡¯re all done, get out. I want to be alone, so no onees in until I call.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your Highness, I will not disturb you, so restfortably.¡±


    Baron Cheston hesitated a moment before leaving the room.


    His boss was originally a just and benevolent character.


    But now he was like a different person.


    It was surprising and terrifying, but at the same time understandable.


    It was unknown what he heard from the Imperial Pce, but seeing the Crown Prince so angry, it must have been something to do with the 2nd Prince.


    There must have been some talk about the throne.


    Baron Cheston sighed heavily, staring at the closed door, and then left.


    ***


    The sunset light fell into the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince, left alone, closed his eyes.


    He remembered the image of the maid he had seen earlier.


    The red blood that flowed from her forehead and wet the floor¡­


    He knew he had taken out his anger on an innocent person. But he couldn¡¯t control his boiling anger.


    It was intolerable to hear abusive remarks or scolds.


    But there were two things he couldn¡¯t stand.


    It was rted to the throne and the second Prince.


    The emperor was an indifferent father who never even gave him a warm nce, let alone a hug, even when he was young.


    However, even like that, there was often warmth in his eyes when he looked at the humble Empress and her children.


    Sometimes, he even gave praise to people.


    As a child he himself had worked relentlessly to get his father¡¯s attention.


    But no matter how hard he tried, the emperor never looked at him.


    The Crown Prince couldn¡¯t understand it. What did heckpared to Payne? (Payne= the second Prince)


    Then, one day, there were people who dared to stick with Payne over him as the enemy of the imperial family.


    Then the Empress (the Crown Prince¡¯s mother) sent him (the second Prince) to the battlefield.


    To die on the battlefield was the most honorable death, so it could be seen as a generous treatment.


    However, Payne did not die on the battlefield and returned alive.


    With a majestic appearance that was weed by everyone with a big banquet.


    The Crown Prince clenched his teeth.


    If only he could turn back time, he would have killed the tiger cub before it had grown up and exposed his ws.


    The Crown Prince looked out of the window and looked at the second Prince¡¯s pce in the distance. His sea-blue eyes gleamed insidiously.


    ***


    I looked up at the building of the Hermes that I had grown ustomed to.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you inside.¡±


    The gatekeepers guarding the front of the building recognized my face and naturally guided me inside.


    As I sat quietly in the room, Noah entered.


    ¡°Princess, long time no see.¡±


    Noah had a friendly smile as usual.


    ¡°The Princess seems to get more beautiful every time I see you. Do you have any special secrets?¡±


    His sly tone and ttery remained the same.


    ¡°I would like to make a request.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait a minute. I forgot to serve guests.¡±


    Noah called a servant and ordered tea and refreshments.


    Then he looked at me and said with a sorry face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If you wait a little bit, our Lord ising soon. It won¡¯t take long, so would you like a cup of tea while waiting?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯te to see your Lord today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it came.¡±


    Noah had a happy face when he saw the servant who had just returned.


    It looked like he wasn¡¯t listening to me at all.


    Shortly thereafter, the servant set down a tasty snack and tea on the table.


    Then Noah poured tea into my teacup.


    Reluctantly, I picked up the cup and took a sip of tea.


    Not long after, I could feel another person entering the room.


    Of course I thought it was a servant, but there stood Elvin with his face covered with a mask.


    ¡°Are you here now?¡±


    Noah got up when Elvin appeared.


    Then Noah looked at me and greeted me.


    ¡°Then I will leave. Please talkfortably.¡±


    After Noah left the room, it was just me and Elvin.


    He casually walked over to the seat opposite me where Noah had just been sitting and sat down.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even expect it, but it¡¯s nice to see you like this.¡±


    ¡°Are you ming me foring without contact?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be. It literally meant nice to meet you. It¡¯s the Princess, you are always wee.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s good.¡±


    I lifted her head and looked at Elvin.


    Today, he was wearing a splendid outfit, different from what I sometimes saw.


    He seemed to have just returned from going out.


    I don¡¯t know where he went, but he looked noble no matter what he wore. At that point, I thought that the mask was really useless.


    Perhaps because he was staring at him too closely, he asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    At my answer, Elvin tilted his head.


    Then he raised the corners of his lips as soon as he realized something.


    ¡°Is it because of this?¡±


    He touched the mask he was wearing with his long fingers.


    ¡°Well, it seems like you already know everything, so there¡¯s no need for such a cumbersome thing.I don¡¯t want to deceive you any more.¡±

 Chapter 80

    Elvin raised his hand and slowly lowered the mask he was wearing.


    Soon his face, as beautiful as a painting, was revealed.


    He took it off so easily.


    I don¡¯t know why he was wearing it in the first ce.


    ¡°You¡¯re not surprised either.¡±


    ¡°Unless I was a child, Master Croix, it¡¯s difficult to be deceived by such a poor disguise.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not going to show up in person anyway.¡±


    I was at a loss for words at the somewhat inconsistent words.


    Contrary to myplicated mind, Elvin seemed very calm.


    He reached out and took a leisurely bite of a cookie.


    Somehow, it looked absurd.


    ¡°Young Master seems to trust me very much. Seeing you reveal your secrets so easily to someone you haven¡¯t seen in a while.¡±


    Elvin lifted his head and looked at me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that I might tell others that the veiled owner of the organization is none other than Young Master Croix?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you will. Are you going to talk?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I raised the corners of my lips slowly.


    Elvin burst intoughter.


    He smiled leisurely when I looked at him with a puzzled face at the unexpected reaction.


    ¡°Even if you do that, I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s me who suggested that we be friends first. If I want to be close with the Young Lady, I¡¯ll have to ept that. If not, how can I trust you?¡±


    He said that, but he must have prepared a n.


    And I, too, had no intention of talking about what Elvin wanted to hide.


    Because there was no need to make such a dangerous person angry. There was no benefit from doing that.


    ¡°It was a joke. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone. Rather, the Young Master said he wanted to be friends with me. Why me?¡±


    ¡°I grew up lonely from a young age, so I don¡¯t have anyone I can be friends with. After my mother passed away, I was alone all the time.¡±


    Elvin lowered his gaze and pretended to be pitiful.


    For a moment I almost fell for it because of his handsome face, but now I knew it was nonsense and he knew it too.


    ¡°If you want to find someone who wants to be friendly with the Young Master, the banquet hall is filled with them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not real friends.¡±


    ¡°Then what does the Young Master think a real friend is?¡±


    I was genuinely curious and asked.


    To my question, Elvin was silent for a while.


    Seeing him silently in thought, he seemed to be genuinely troubled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never really thought about it deeply ¡­ Sharing worries, drinking tea together, going for a walk? Let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡±


    ¡°Is it any different from right now? I think you can do that with other people.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important to be closer than others.¡±


    Elvin looked at me and raised the corners of his lips.


    I frowned as I looked at the red smiling lips.


    Was wanting to get closer to me just a whim or did he have other ns?


    I had no idea what the hell he was thinking.


    ***


    Stephen was waiting for me when I returned from meeting Elvin.


    He handed me a letter from the imperial family.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°The letter was addressed to the youngdy, and it was sent from the imperial family. It must have been sent by His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    I opened the letter in my hand with a nervous face.


    Inside it was written a simple message to visit the Imperial Pce within a few days.


    Perhaps he was going to give me an answer to my birthday wish.


    I dressed neatly and I got into the carriage calmly to go to meet the emperor.


    As the pce drew closer, my heart grew more and more anxious.


    When I looked out the window, the sky was dark for some reason and it looked like it was going to rain at any moment.


    Before long, the carriage reached the Imperial Pce and I got off the carriage.


    ¡°Your Majesty is waiting for you, so you can follow me.¡±


    A servant with a face I saw for the first time led me to the Imperial Pce.


    The path to the Imperial Pce was unfamiliar.


    The magnificence and luxury was iparable to the Crown Prince¡¯s pce or the Duke¡¯s residence.


    As soon as I thought about meeting the emperor alone, my body became tense and stiff.


    ¡°His Majesty is in the audience chamber.¡±


    I stopped in front of arge arched door.


    ¡°Would you mind waiting here for a moment?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Lillian has arrived.¡±


    The door opened not long after the servant delivered a message to the inside.


    Soon after, a room decorated with a proper mixture of white and gold was revealed.


    The interior, which looked grand but sacred and neat, felt like a temple rather than an imperial pce.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    When I hesitated to go inside, the servant who was leading the way turned around with a puzzled face.


    I took a step reluctantly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The room was spacious and I followed the directions of the servant.


    As I continued walking along the red carpet, the emperor was waiting for me at the end.


    ¡°Princess, are you here now?¡±


    The emperor greeted me as he sat on the throne.


    On either side of him were knights in neat uniforms.


    Their faces were all solemn with a harsh atmosphere.


    The emperor had a benevolent face.


    However, because he was the emperor of a great empire, he certainly had an unparalleled dignity.


    I stiffened if I had been thrown in front of arge beast.


    I felt the urge to leave this ce immediately.


    ¡°Roxana Lillian, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Lillian, sees Your Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Raise your head.¡±


    The reason the emperor chose the audience chamber and sat on the throne to greet me must have been to intimidate me.


    I raised my head proudly and faced him.


    ¡°I have called you today to inform you of the oue of what you requestedst time.¡±


    I silently listened to what the emperor had to say.


    ¡°You suspected that the prisoner was murdered rather thanmitting suicide in prison. Now that I think about it, you certainly had confidence. Who leaked the information to you?¡±


    I covered my mouth in amazement.


    Then, I bit the soft flesh in my mouth to not make it obvious.


    I tasted fishy blood, and at the same time my eyes became blurred.


    ¡°Did you mean that the nanny did notmit suicide, but was murdered?¡±


    ¡°Princess, answer the question.¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t see.


    I couldn¡¯t see the emperor¡¯s face, nor the knights with swords lined up behind him.


    I bowed my head with an anguished face, trying to swallow my sorrow.


    ¡°I was raised from a young age by the nanny, no, Viscountess Willis. There was no blood rted, but I treated her like my blood. She was like a mother to me until Viscount Willis abandoned me first.¡±


    With my head bowed, all I could see was the cold floor.


    However, I could feel the emperor¡¯s gaze over my head.


    I grabbed the hem of my dress tightly.


    ¡°But Viscountess Willis deceived me for her children. Then she died.¡±


    ¡°Therefore?¡±


    ¡°As you may not know, but Viscountess Willis¡¯ children recently had problems. She was more stubborn than anyone else and had a strong motherly love. She would never kill herself and left her children behind.¡±


    ¡°Is that all there is to the suspicion that someone had killed the prisoner?¡±


    The emperor was not a fool, and deceiving him was harder than I thought.


    But seeing him try to question me in this way, he didn¡¯t know either.


    Then¡­¡­.


    ¡°Actually, while I was visiting the Crown Prince a while ago, I happened to hear a strange conversation. I didn¡¯t hear it properly, but I thought I heard the names of Baron Dana¡¯s daughter and the nanny.¡±


    In an instant, a cracking sound was heard from the emperor¡¯s side.


    Because I was bowing my head, I couldn¡¯t see the emperor¡¯s expression, but I could tell that he was angry now.


    ¡°I hoped it wasn¡¯t, but now that this has happened, I can¡¯t help but believe it. His Highness got rid of the witnesses for Lady Dana¡¯s sake. That¡¯s where Viscountess Willis got involved.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    The emperor graciously acknowledged it.


    ¡°I asked youst time, but what are you going to do now? Even if you know the truth, is the answer the same as back then?¡±


    What isthe probability that the Emperor will kill me if I give an answer that he does not like here? As far as I know, the emperor cared more about the eyes of others than anyone else. Besides, the Empire still needed Duke Lillian.


    Since I had already delivered the news to the Duke that I wasing to meet the emperor, nothing would have happened.


    So the emperor wouldn¡¯t hurt me and be the Duke¡¯s enemy.


    Threatening me with the knights in this room right now was probably just a warning.


    Fortunately, I already knew the answer the Emperor wanted.


    ¡°I know what Your Majesty is concerned about. Don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of making this matter public, and bringing the work of Viscountess Willis to the lips of the people. That defiles the name of the dead. That¡¯s not what I want either.¡±


    ¡°Princess, do you really think so?¡±


    Unconsciously, I raised my head and looked at the emperor, who was looking at me with suspicious eyes.


    ¡°It is not good for my reputation or for my family to continue to talk about unsavory things with this kind of useless gossip.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s a great answer.¡±


    The emperor had a satisfied face, as if he was pleased with my answer.


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±


    I forced a smile.


    In my mind, I wanted to bring this incident to a sunny spot and expose the shamelessness of the imperial family to the world.


    But if that happened, even the emperor would not sit idly.


    The most important thing for me was breaking up with the Crown Prince.


    Since I got the most important cause for my breakup, I was able to negotiate the rest at a reasonable level.


    When I left the audience chamber and looked out the window, there were dark clouds in the sky.


    It didn¡¯t look good from the start, and it ended up raining.


    On the way through the corridor to return to the duke¡¯s residence.


    A familiar voice was heard from a distance, mixed with the sound of rain.


    ¡°Pretentious bastard.¡±


    When I turned my head, I saw two people standing in the garden next to me.


    It was the Crown Prince and the second Prince.


    The two were in a confrontation.


    The Crown Prince looked very angry.


    On the other hand, the second Prince looked calm.


    But the atmosphere wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡°I can¡¯t quite understand what Your Highness is talking about.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning on sticking to that reason to the end?¡±


    In an instant, the Crown Prince hit the second Prince on the face.


    And immediately he kicked the second Prince¡¯s shin hard.


    It was too one-sided for a quarrel between brothers.


    Even though he could have avoided enough, the second Prince was epting the violence.


    Without a single scream or moan, with an expressionless expression.


    The figure looked pretty familiar.


    Then, the second Prince turned his head toward me, perhaps because he felt my gaze.


    While my body stiffened in panic, someone grabbed me from behind.


    My body was instantly hidden behind a pir.


    Arge shadow was cast in front of me.


    I looked up and saw Elvin¡¯s face.


    At first, I was surprised and stunned.


    But I was soon able toe to my senses.


    Realizing that the distance between us was too close, I pushed him away.


    But Elvin didn¡¯t even move in the slightest.


    He asked me with a yful smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get caught if you push me away. I don¡¯t mind, but will you?¡±

 Chapter 81

    At Elvin¡¯s words, I had no choice but to close my lips again and remain still.


    A second passed as slowly as a minute.


    It was inevitable for two people to hide behind the pir, and I was almost locked in Elvin¡¯s arms.


    I btedly found a brooch on his chest.


    The brooch with a red ruby in the center was a gift from me.


    Why?


    Perhaps it was because the space was small, and my chest was stuffy, and my face felt hot for some reason.


    ¡°If anyone sees what we are doing right now, they might misunderstand.¡±


    ¡°Does it bother you?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re going to misunderstand, let them. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Elvin replied calmly.


    Looking at his seemingly innocent face, it seemed that I was the only one feeling ufortable in this situation.


    I btedly regretted that I had refused the servant¡¯s guidance earlier and said that I would go by myself.


    If so, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    But regretting it didn¡¯t change anything.


    Humans are animals of adaptation, and the difort and embarrassment I felt at first quickly got used to it.


    Instead, boredom came.


    I raised my head and looked at Elvin.


    With his lips closed, his expressionless face looked very cold.


    ¡°¡­Did you just help me?¡±


    ¡°Because there is nothing good about being caught up in knowing theplicated family history of the imperial family.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s eyes turned to me.


    As we got closer, the difference in height between us became real.


    Roxana wasn¡¯t short on her stature either, but she was about two heads shorter than him.


    Thinking about how he helped me a while ago, Elvin was quite thoughtful and considerate.


    I answered, avoiding his gaze.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°What is this? It¡¯s natural to help friends when they have difficulties.¡±


    How long is this ¡®friend¡¯ excuse going tost?


    ¡®People might think we¡¯re old friends.¡¯


    After taking off his mask, Elvin seemed even more brazen. How many minutes has passed since we were in that state? Frustrated, I twisted my body slightly and looked behind him.


    The Crown Prince and the second Prince were nowhere to be seen. I looked around, but it was the same.


    ¡°It looks like they¡¯re gone now.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Elvin stepped back behind her with her sad face. I wondered if he really didn¡¯t know that the two Princes were gone. As he moved away from me, the warmth faded away and the surroundings became colder. The temperature seemed to have dropped a lot because of the rain. As the wind blew, my body trembled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go now. Thank you.¡± As I was about to leave after saying goodbye, something fell on my shoulders. It was the coat that Elvin was wearing.


    ¡°I¡¯m done with my business, too, and I¡¯m about to go back, so I guess we can go together.¡±


    ¡°If anyone sees it, they¡¯ll think it¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t want to cause any more trouble, so it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Wran into each other and we¡¯re on our way back, so that¡¯s why we¡¯re here together. It¡¯s not wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s troublesome to be caught up in another scandal.¡±


    I handed the overcoat that was hanging over my shoulders back to Elvin.


    Then he epted it with a bitter face.


    I felt a sense of guilt at the sight.


    ¡°Then I can¡¯t help it. You go first. I¡¯ll go in five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Then¡­¡±


    After bowing my head slightly, I left.


    As I walked, I could feel Elvin¡¯s gaze from behind until I turned a corner.


    It felt kind of ufortable.


    ¡°Lady, why are you sote? It¡¯s even raining.¡±


    As I came out of the entrance of the Emperor¡¯s Pce, Joan grabbed the umbre and rushed towards me.


    She grumbled as she tilted the umbre toward me.


    ¡°I grabbed a passerby and asked him, and he said that the meeting ended a long time ago, and I wonder if something happened. I was worried. Nothing happened, right?¡±


    Joan looked at me with a look of concern.


    ¡°Yeah, nothing happened.¡±


    ***


    The second Prince¡¯s pce.


    ¡°Prince, what is the matter? Who dares ¡­¡­.¡±


    When the 2nd Prince returned, his lieutenant, Ellen, looked at him with surprised eyes.


    The second Prince passed him and sat down in front of his desk.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a wound on your face, but it¡¯s no big deal?¡±


    Ellen clenched his fist in response to the second Prince¡¯s indifferent reaction. There was a bruise on one side of the cheek of the 2nd Prince, who had been fine until they finished training earlier. There was a bloodstain on his lips. He must have been hit from somewhere.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the Empress¡­ Is it the Crown Prince?¡±


    Ellen asked in an angry voice.


    Under the Empress¡¯s checks and the Crown Prince¡¯s jealousy, the second Prince grew up with difficulty.


    The only recourse to the emperor was his heartless father.


    As a result, the second Prince lived as an abandoned Prince and was ignored even by the courtiers, who were merelymoners.


    Countless scars were carved on his body.


    Most of them were obtained from the battlefield, but the rest were obtained while in the Imperial Pce.


    Unlike Ellen, who was angry, the second Prince had a calm face.


    The second Prince nced at Ellen, and then with a calm face he turned to the papers on the desk.


    ¡°I must have told you to be careful with your mouth in the Imperial Pce. Am I that easy going to you?¡±


    At the Prince¡¯s warning, Ellen bit his lip.


    ¡°¡­I will bring the royal doctor.¡±


    Ellen went out and the 2nd Prince looked at the documents for a while and then raised his head.


    He remembered what happened in the garden earlier.


    He stumbled upon the Crown Prince and tried to pass by.


    But the Crown Prince was not willing to let him go.


    He knew that he (CP) hated him from the beginning, but today, something seemed to be going against the Crown Prince¡¯s mood.


    And he (CP) seemed to suspect that it had something to do with him (SP). (*SP=second Prince)


    He (CP) even hit him (SP) in the face in public without any guilt, he (SP) couldn¡¯t help but be angry as a human being.


    However, if he (SP) looked at the recent steps of the Crown Prince, the end of this tedious fight was not far off.


    The rtionship of the Crown Prince with Duke Lillian, who was the second Prince¡¯s biggest obstacle, was slowly fading, so if he (SP) kept that gap open, he (SP) would be able to handle arge burden.


    Not only that, but recently, the Crown Prince was doing a lot of things because he was in a hurry.


    Looking at what he (CP) and the people under him were doing, trouble was bound to arise sooner orter.


    Payne (SP) was determined not to miss that moment.


    He (SP) had endured it all his life, and there was nothing he couldn¡¯t endure for a few more years.


    ¡®What I saw earlier¡­¡¯


    As he was with the Crown Prince earlier, he felt a gaze from somewhere and looked at it.


    Apparently, someone was there.


    The human shadow quickly disappeared behind the pir.


    It was such a fleeting moment, but it certainly wasn¡¯t a mistake.


    The fluttering hem of the dress and the long, wavy blonde hair¡­


    As he was immersed in thought, the door opened and he felt a sense of poprity.


    When he came to his senses, Ellen and the doctor he had brought were standing there together.


    ¡°No¡­ Prince, your face¡­¡±


    The doctor that Ellen brought was a young man newly appointed this time. He had deliberately chosen someone who was not of the Empress¡¯s people and brought him here.


    The young doctor was unfamiliar with this kind of thing and had a surprised face. But he soon looked at the atmosphere in the cold room and hurriedly bit his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯ll examine the wound for a moment.¡±


    The young doctor approached the second Prince with a nervous face. To him, the second Prince called the forerunner was a very fearful and respectful person. But there was a wound on his face. Of course he didn¡¯t get it on the battlefield and he must have been hit by someone. But who dares to touch the Prince¡¯s body?


    He wondered if he had been hit by the emperor, but he did not know the exact answer. Even though he was curious, he did not dare show his curiosity.


    With a serious face, the doctor checked the wound on the second Prince¡¯s face.


    Fortunately, his injury was not serious.


    It was enough to heal quickly after applying apress and medicine.


    However, since the patient was a war hero that the people were passionate about, the doctor couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.


    The knight¡¯s gaze was staring at him as if piercingly from the side also yed a part.


    After the examination with a careful face, the young doctor retreated.


    ¡°Your Highness, are there any other ufortable ces?¡±


    The second Prince shook his head indifferently.


    LIt¡¯s not scratched or torn, so you don¡¯t have to worry about scarring. I¡¯ll leave the medicine behind, so please apply it twice a day.¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡±


    ¡°Call me again whenever you need it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    When the royal doctor was about to leave, Ellen also tried to go out.


    Then the 2nd Prince summoned him.


    ¡°Ellen, you stay. I have something to tell you.¡±


    Ellen stopped his steps and turned back with a puzzled face.


    After bowing politely, the doctor left the room.


    Soon the door closed, leaving the two of them in the room.


    The second Prince¡¯s expression was deeply subdued.


    At the same time as his expressionless face and his serious voice, Ellen¡¯s face also became serious.


    He asked the second Prince.


    ¡°Your Highness, what do you want me to do?¡±


    After all, the 2nd Prince was also a human being, and there was no way he wouldn¡¯t have been angry about what happened today.


    Ellen himself couldn¡¯t tolerate it either.


    Was it something he was going to order about the Crown Prince? Or the empress?


    Ellen waited nervously for the second Prince¡¯s answer.


    ¡°See if Princess Lillian had entered the pce today.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ellen was puzzled at the words in apletely different direction than he expected.


    he couldn¡¯t understand it.


    Why is the Princess popping out all of a sudden?


    Maybe she did something disrespectful to the second Prince today?


    Maybe she really did, given her notoriety.


    He heard she was stupid and vicious.


    Of course, people said that she had changed recently, but people¡¯s personality wouldn¡¯t change easily.


    Didn¡¯t people say that they get along with each other?


    The Crown Prince and his fianc¨¦e, the Princess, must have been there with the second Prince.


    ¡°Answer.¡±


    At the second Prince¡¯s voice, Ellen woke up from his thoughts.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll see to it.¡±


    The 2nd Prince nced at him like that and gave an order.


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    Ellen walked out of the office andmented.


    Duke Lillian was a rare talent.


    However, he heard that his daughter, the Princess, had a disposition like an immature child.


    Because of her, the Duke of Lillian was involved in the struggle for the throne and joined the Crown Prince.


    In the end, the Duke had be an enemy of the second Prince.


    In order to win the throne, the first enemy to be eliminated was Duke Lillian, the Crown Prince¡¯s most reliable supporter.


    In war, the only thing that followed the loser was death.


    And the chance that the Crown Prince would win in this battle for the throne was very small.


    Originally, a soldier¡¯s life depended on whichmander he chose.


    The Duke of Lillian, knowing it all, chose a dangerous path for his daughter.


    The cost would have been more horrendous than expected.


    Ellen sympathized with the Duke inwardly.


    They were going to fall together because of the wrong parenting of his daughter.


    But even though it was sad, nothing changed.


    Ellen shook his head, remembering the Duke¡¯s face.


    ***


    When I returned to the mansion, the sun had already set.


    After changing my clothes, Annie brought me an invitation while I was sitting on the sofa resting.


    It was an invitation to the annual charity event held by Marquis Flynn.


    Marquis Flynn¡¯s attitude toward me was hostile, but the Flynn was an influential family in the Empire.


    There was a close rtionship with the duke, and the rtionship was not bad.


    I asked, and handed the invitation back to Annie.


    ¡°Is my father going too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think so. His Excellency asked if the Lady would attend?¡±


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯m going. It¡¯s natural, since I attend every year.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Then I¡¯ll tell him that.¡±


    Annie nodded with a smile on her face.


    She then asked me.


    ¡°By the way, Lady, your face looks bright today. Did something good happen in the imperial pce?¡±

 Chapter 82

    I stopped at Annie¡¯s words.


    And I looked in the mirror on the other side.


    Did I look happy like she said?


    I frowned as I recalled what happened in the Imperial Pce today.


    No way.


    Looking back, there was nothing that made me feel good.


    I was threatened by the emperor and witnessed the conflict between the Crown Prince and the second Prince.


    Come to think of it¡­


    As I recalled what happened today, I realized btedly.


    Again this time, with the help of Elvin, I overcame the crisis.


    He always showed up to help when I needed it.


    And from some point on, I, too, naturally epted Elvin¡¯s help.


    ¡°Did I say something wrong¡­?¡±


    Annie looked at me with a cautious expression.


    It seemed that my expression didn¡¯t look very good to her. I felt ufortable again. But unlike before, the mood subsided.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    When Annie left, Tien brought hot tea. She set the teacup in front of me.


    ¡°It¡¯s ginger tea. It¡¯s good for warming up, so go ahead and drink it, Lady. I also brought honey here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I picked up the mug and took a sip of the steaming tea. The spicy ginger scent mixed with sweet honey gave the body a warm feeling.


    ¡°It seems that Marquis Flynn has prepared well this time. I¡¯m already looking forward to seeing how great things wille out of this event.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is. It will be simr to what they do every year.¡±


    At a charity event, Marquis Flynn would put out rare items every year. And then they auctioned off the items and donated the profits. It was fun for customers to participate in the auction, and it was fun to watch even if you didn¡¯t participate in the auction.


    It was enough to satisfy the vanity of the Marquis, as he could show off his wealth and pride at the gathering of key figures.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited,dy? I heard that the Crown Prince and the second Prince also attended this event. It seems that the imperial family is also paying attention to this event, so of course there will be a lot of guests, right? Should I order a new dress?¡±


    Joan, who came to my side, chattered.


    As I sat still and listened to the maids, I suddenly noticed something different from the morning.


    There was a vase that I had never seen on the window sill, and in it were beautiful fresh flowers. The reddish petals looked so fresh that if you touched them, they seemed to drip with water. Looking at where my gaze was, Tien said as if she remembered btedly.


    ¡°Oh,e to think of it, a person from Hermes came earlier. He said it is a rare breed of flowers that was newly imported this time, and it is only for special guests. I¡¯ve heard roughly that a flower is worth ten gold coins.¡±


    It was not known for sure if it was sent by Elvin or Noah or someone below him.


    But it was definitely a luxurious gift.


    It was definitelyvish and pretty, but it was so expensive as if it was made from gold.


    I couldn¡¯t understand it.


    Elvin said he wouldn¡¯t ept money from me from now on no matter how many requests I made, and then he sent a gift like this.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. It looks like a variety I haven¡¯t seen in the garden. What¡¯s the name?¡±


    Tien smiled brightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Lisianthus. You may not have seen it, but there are some in our garden.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°The Lady didn¡¯t recognize it because the ones in the garden are different from these. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a deep red color. It¡¯s a new breed, so it definitely feels different.¡±


    Joan also looked at the vase and admired it.


    ¡°At first, I thought that Lisianthus was supposed to be put together with other flowers, but it¡¯s amazing how gorgeous and pretty even if they are by themselves like that.¡±


    As me and Tien stared at her puzzled face, Joan made a ¡®why¡¯ face.


    ¡°A bribe or information? What does all that mean?¡±


    ¡°Did the Hermes send flowers to the Lady as a bribe when they heard that Marquis Flynn is going to hold a charity event? Because if the Lady wears their dress, the Hermes¡¯s reputation will increase. The dress is definitely beautiful but it¡¯s already a bribe attack.¡±


    It was a truly absurd idea of Joan. She said this was probably because she was amoner and didn¡¯t know the status of the Hermes and its wealth.


    Did Elvin even know that he got this kind ofment? He probably couldn¡¯t even imagine it. I was truly grateful that he was not here now.


    ¡°Lady, maybe the Hermes¡¯s owner is a woman. Or she¡¯s a high-ss person who¡¯s met a lot of women.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    I was genuinely puzzled and asked.


    ¡°Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to understand women¡¯s feelings so well. But it¡¯s a little strange.¡±


    Joan crossed her arms with a serious face.


    ¡°Last time was a dress, this time it was the flowers, they are just too expensive to send as a sign to continue doing business with them. Even if the scale of the organization isrge, it is just a business for ordinary people.¡±


    Joan frowned.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s really strange. I think it¡¯s too much to wrap it up with the words that the Hermes¡¯s kindness is good. Could it be that they have other conspiracies? Maybe¡­.¡±


    Joan¡¯s face grew more serious as she continued her words. Her thoughts always steered in unexpected directions.


    ¡°Seeing that they have been sending precious gifts sincest time, doesn¡¯t the Hermes¡¯s owner have a different heart for the youngdy?¡±


    I don¡¯t know if I should call it smart or absurd, but she always had her own logic.


    Most of it was close to nonsense, but sometimes it felt sharp.


    That¡¯s why I sometimes get confused whether Joan¡¯s brain was good or bad, and now was the time.


    Joan looked at me as if asking for consent.


    But she continued to speak even though she didn¡¯t get an answer from me.


    ¡°They have good service, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with that, but they are ignorant not knowing their ce¡­. Hmm¡­ What do you think, Lady?¡±


    ¡°Joan, you¡¯d better stay as quiet as possible from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Why¡­?¡±


    Joan had a puzzled face.


    I warned her once again.


    ¡°In the future, when there is a banquet hall or other people, don¡¯t say anything other than necessary words. It¡¯s an order.¡±


    Joan looked at me with her unhappy face.


    She then turned to Tien, who was beside her, as if she was asking for help.


    But Tien got up from her seat, ignoring Joan¡¯s pleading gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring some refreshments to go with the tea. Earlier, I noticed that the chef was baking the pumpkin pie, it must be done by now. I¡¯ll get some before it cools down.¡±


    Tien left her seat as if running away from a difficult situation, and Joan returned to her seat.


    Seeing her mouth sticking out, she must be dissatisfied with my order.


    She was quite diligent. She also had a lot of talent and skillful hands.


    But whenever she opened her mouth, it¡¯s like a time bomb, so it¡¯s a big deal.


    I turned my head again and looked at the Lisianthus.


    The red flowers in the crystal vase boasted their beautiful appearance.


    As I was looking at the deep and vivid red petals, I suddenly remembered someone¡¯s face.


    Maybe because I knew the sender, I thought that flowers and their owners resemble each other.


    Especially splendid and dignified.


    It was not unusual to exchange flowers with friends, but it was the first time I received flowers from a friend. When I first found out that Elvin was the eldest son of the Grand Duke of Croix, I obviously tried to distance myself from him. But somehow, I hade to this point.


    ¡®My friend¡­¡¯


    I remembered Elvin¡¯s face when he looked at me today. It felt more and more deviated from the n I had initially made.


    ***


    The Crown Prince¡¯s pce.


    Today too, the courtiers were very nervous.


    The sound of things breaking could be heard in the room where the Crown Prince was staying.


    The Crown Prince, who was the owner, was in a bad mood, so everyone couldn¡¯t breathe much and walked cautiously.


    Baron Cheston, who hade to deliver the papers, also stopped in front of the door and hesitated.


    He couldn¡¯t easily knock on the door with his clenched hands raised.


    But he had to because of work.


    Baron Cheston, pondering in front of the door, finally knocked carefully.


    ¡°Your Highness. May Ie in?¡±


    At that moment, the sound from inside stopped.


    There was no sound from inside for a while. Anxiety crossed Baron Cheston¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re busy, I wille backter.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened with a squeaking sound from the inside.


    Baron Cheston was stunned by the scene inside the room that was finally revealed.


    The Crown Prince liked to be neat, and because of that, his room was always neat and tidy.


    But now the room was in chaos as if a storm had swept through it.


    Fallen furniture and broken objects in the dimly lit room¡­


    And the Crown Prince standing in the middle was like a ghost.


    The white skin that looked unusually pale today and the expressionless face, but his gaze was full of madness.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The Crown Prince said with a cold face.


    Behind his back he could see pieces of furniture and broken pieces rolling on the floor. The Crown Prince walked naturally as if nothing had happened and sat down on the sofa. He shook the bell on the table and called his attendant.


    Baron Cheston swallowed dry saliva with a nervous expression on his face.


    Just like Baron Cheston, when the attendant with a very nervous face entered the room, the Crown Prince gave the order.


    ¡°Bring some refreshments.¡±


    After thest emperor¡¯s call, the Crown Prince seemed to be getting worse and worse.


    It also meant that he was mentally in a predicament. It was raining, so the sky was dark and the air was humid. Perhaps because of that, the atmosphere in the room was especially gloomy today.


    Outside, the sound of heavy rain continued to pour, and with each step, fragments of something were trampled on and crushed.


    Even though it was a ce Baron Cheston set foot in every day, he felt alien and ufortable.


    ¡°Your Highness, excuse me for a moment.¡±


    The room was too dark to have a conversation, so Baron Cheston carefully turned on the light.


    As the interior became brighter, thendscape in the chaotic room became more visible.


    He barely swallowed the scream.


    Baron Cheston sat across from the Crown Prince, looking at his countenance.


    ¡°Do you remember not too long ago you conducted trade as a trial at the organization?¡±


    The Crown Prince nodded his head.


    ¡°Of course, is the result back now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, tell me. What was the result?¡±


    Despite the Crown Prince¡¯s cold gaze, Baron Cheston raised the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Sessful.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There was nothing wrong with the product and the local response was very good. If it continues like this in the future, there is nothing more to hope for.¡±


    Just then, the servant, who had gone to run an errand, returned.


    He quietly set the tea and snacks on the table and walked away.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    The Crown Prince held up the teacup with a happy face.


    Contrary to him, the second prince was popr among the people who were not aristocrats.


    In order to obtain the throne, the support of the nobles was important, but the public sentiment was also important.


    Because of that, heunched a new business to capture the public¡¯s heart.


    It was a matter of importing textiles from the kingdom of Petanya, which bordered the Empire.


    The fabric woven from nts only found there was strong and had good heat retention.


    It could produce arge amount at a time and the price was cheap, so if it seeded, the quality of life of the people would be greatly improved.


    But there was one problem.


    The kingdom of Petanya was excellent in culture, but it was a closed country.


    Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the road was rough and there were pirates and thieves.


    Of course, he sent mercenaries to serve as escorts because of that, but he could not bepletely relieved.


    As the expected profit wasrge, the risk was also greater than that.


    However, the first trade, sent as a trial, was sessfullypleted.


    The first start was good.


    ¡°The trade has been sessfully concluded, but there is one problem. The Duke of Lillian stopped sponsoring this time.¡±


    Baron Cheston paused for a moment as he saw the Crown Prince¡¯s face hardened as he spoke.


    He seemed to want to ask what happened, but the look on his face made it impossible to say anything. Baron Cheston paused for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°We need to find a new sponsor, but it will be difficult right now, right? It is impossible to find a sponsor in the name of the imperial family¡­.¡±

 Chapter 83

    The Crown Prince didn¡¯t say anything.


    He had a thoughtful face.


    ¡°It costs so much money for trade sent as a trial, but it will cost a lot more money to start a business in earnest in the future.¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡±


    The Crown Prince raised his head.


    Seeing his cold expression, Baron Cheston stiffened automatically.


    Now, facing the cold eyes, he remembered the miserable appearance of the maid he sawst time, his heart beating fast.


    Baron Cheston managed to calm down and open his mouth.


    ¡°The best way is to persuade the Princess to start sponsoring again. It was because of the Princess that the duke family started sponsoring Your Highness, and in my opinion, the Princess has a great influence on stopping the sponsorship.¡±


    ¡°Therefore?¡±


    The Crown Prince raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°Anyway, unlike the Duke¡¯s appearance, he cares for his daughter greatly, so the Duke will listen to the Princess to sponsor again.¡±


    He (Cheston) felt sorry for using the Princess too much, but the Duke was the Crown Prince¡¯s power.


    If the Crown Prince wins the fight, they will toast together; if the Crown Prince fails, they will fall together.


    Since they were on the same boat, it was natural to help.


    ¡°Any other alternative?¡±


    Baron Cheston suggested the easiest and fastest way, but for some reason the Crown Prince didn¡¯t seem to want to ept it.


    It was iprehensible, but if the Crown Prince disagreed, he had to find another way.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t get the duke¡¯s sponsorship again, we have to find a new one.¡±


    Baron Cheston did not mention Princess Lillian any further in order not to offend the Crown Prince.


    Still, the Crown Prince¡¯s hard expression did not go away.


    It seemed that the rtionship with the princess these days was worse than before.


    The prestige of the duke was higher than ever because of the achievements he made, but even so, the attitude of the duke was too different from before.


    He (the Duke) was obviously dissatisfied with the Crown Prince¡¯s love affair with Lady Dana, but wasn¡¯t he overly disrespectful to the Crown Prince of the country?


    It was the duke who risked his life and made a contribution on the battlefield, but the Crown Prince who did nothing but benefited the most.


    Recalling the cold and arrogant princess he had seen in the banquet hall, Baron Cheston frowned.


    ¡°Anyway, this work focused on cause rather than profit, so I¡¯ll talk to the vice minister.¡±


    ¡°I am amazed by the wisdom of Your Highness. Obviously, if we use government funds, we can get more attention and we don¡¯t have to worry about the financial problems.¡±


    Baron Cheston nodded his head thoughtfully.


    But there was one problem.


    ¡°But if we get government funding to support it, it will be more difficult. In addition, if things go wrong, we should hear the people¡¯s grievances. Isn¡¯t the risk too high?¡±


    To Baron Cheston¡¯s concerns, the Crown Prince answered firmly.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll have to make it work.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Oh, by the way, Your Highness¡­ I have something to tell you.¡±


    Baron Cheston hesitated, unable to get his words out easily.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    When the Crown Prince showed his dissatisfaction, Baron Cheston spoke up with difficulty.


    ¡°The Princess Lillian was at the Imperial Pce earlier. I found out that she had been to the Imperial Pce a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Roxana? I didn¡¯t hear anything from my mother.¡±


    ¡°She must havee to see the Emperor.¡±


    The Crown Prince had a puzzled face.


    ¡°What did Roxana do with my father?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it is possible that it was the Princess, not the Second Prince, who uncovered the case of Viscountess Willisst time.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡±


    The Crown Prince firmly denied it with a stern face.


    ¡°If you knew, you would have told me.


    It was a reaction the Baron couldn¡¯t understand.


    Baron Cheston made a frustrated face.


    ¡°Your Highness, I understand your desire to believe in the Princess, but you must not believe too much. There is a possibility that the Princess may have held a grudge against your affection for Lady Dana and confessed it to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°If the princess knows the truth about the Viscountess¡¯s death, you should be prepared. In the future, it is safer to observe the princess more carefully and prepare in advance¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince put down the teacup he was holding in his hand with a loud crack.


    Surprised by the sound, Baron Cheston flinched.


    ¡°Allright, get out.¡±


    The Crown Prince ordered coldly.


    Upon receiving an ice-cold shout from his boss, Baron Cheston realized he had been talking too much.


    He felt bad that the Crown Prince did not know his loyalty, but he was more worried than that.


    There was an old saying, if a woman bears a grudge, there will also be frost on May and New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Besides, wasn¡¯t the princess so fierce of jealousy?


    How would she react if she knew the Crown Prince killed her nanny to get Lady Dana out of prison?


    They should not ignore the possibility that the princess had already known the truth and that she harbored a grudge.


    But the Crown Prince seemed to want to trust her, so it was really frustrating for Baron Cheston.


    ¡°All right.Your Highness, what you just said about the princess¡­ I made a mistake. I¡¯m just saying this out of concern, so I hope you don¡¯t get too angry.¡±


    Baron Cheston stood up.


    However, as if he was still ufortable, the Crown Prince did not even look at him once.


    Baron Cheston said onest time before leaving the room, looking towards the Crown Prince.


    ¡°But, Your Highness, knowing ahead of time and preparing for it are two different things.¡±


    The Crown Prince didn¡¯t say anything until the end.


    His gaze at the teacup on the table was deeply subdued.


    Well, it was only natural that his heart wasplicated.


    It would be painful for anyone to think that his fianc¨¦e, whom he believed in, had stabbed him with a knife from behind.


    Baron Cheston made a sad face.


    ¡°Then restfortably.¡±


    He looked at the Crown Prince onest time and bowed before closing the door.


    ***


    ¡°Lady, are you still feeling bad?¡±


    Annie asked with a worried face.


    Herplexion darkened because she had been awake all night nursing me.


    Seeing her looking at my condition first with dark blue shadow under her eyes, I felt sorry.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little bit better now.¡±


    I got up slowly.


    Then, I roughly put the wet towel on my forehead into the basin next to it.


    The day I went to the Imperial Pce at the emperor¡¯s call, I caught a cold.


    My body has been shaking since the day before yesterday, but yesterday I suddenly had a fever and was dizzy, so the doctor was called.


    Fromst night to dawn, I had no energy because I had been sick all night.


    After taking the medicine and sleeping for a few hours, I felt a little better now, but if I had known that I would suffer like this for a few days, I would have epted Elvin¡¯s coat then.


    Recalling the memories of that day, I regretted it btedly.


    It was raining all day, so the air was cool even in summer.


    Annie put more firewood in the firece and Joan brought water to wash.


    After I finished washing, brushing my teeth, and changing clothes,Tien came into the room with breakfast.


    ¡°Lady, I talked to the chef and brought some hot soup and bread, can you eat it?¡±


    The smell of freshly baked bread and savory soup stung my nose.


    Until yesterday, I had no appetite, but now I feel hungry by smelling the food.


    It seemed that my taste had definitely improved.


    Joan lifted me up while Tien put the food on the table.


    ¡°Lady, the more sick you are, the more you need to drink. This will give you energy and help your body heal faster.¡±


    A look of tiredness appeared on the faces of the maids because they took care of me while taking shifts.


    However, I could see that they were trying to keep bright appearances without showing tiredness in front of me.


    I picked up a spoon and scooped out a spoonful of soup.


    The food was all delicious and suited my pte very well.


    But the more I ate, the more I missed home-cooked food.


    I miss the faces of my family.


    But now that I thought I couldn¡¯t see them all, my eyes got hot.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    Joan, who was opposite me, looked at me with concern.


    Btedly, I captured my emotions and expression.


    ¡°Are you still very sick?¡±


    Joan asked me worriedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll call the doctor right now, so wait a minute.¡±


    She quickly got up from her seat with a serious face.


    ¡°I¡¯m really okay, no need to call the doctor.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    In an unexpectedmotion, Annie and Tien looked at us with puzzled faces.


    Just then, the duke knocked on the door from outside.


    ¡°Roxana, is it okay if I go in?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Come in.¡±


    The door opened and the duke entered with Stephen.


    He looked at my face and paused for a moment.


    The Duke was usually so expressionless that it was difficult to read his emotions, but for a moment, worries seemed to pass over his face.


    I felt something was strange, so I looked in the mirror and immediately understood why.


    My face was pale, my eyes were red, and myshes were wet.


    It was a face that had been crying until now.


    I felt embarrassed.


    I naturally wiped my eyes with my fingers.


    ¡°Are you here? Good morning.¡±


    The Duke seemed to ponder for a long time what to say, and then spoke with difficulty.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think I¡¯m almost all better now.¡±


    ¡°Please refrain from going out for the time being. Don¡¯t overdo it so you don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I came to see if you¡¯re okay, so I¡¯ll leave now. Restfortably.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Duke walked out of the room.


    ¡°Lady, take good care of your body and rest well.¡±


    Soon after him, Stephen greeted me and left the room.


    ¡®What the hell did youe here for?¡¯


    After the meal, Tien cleared the table.


    When I looked out the window, it was raining again.


    Annie quickly closed the window to prevent rainwater from entering the room.


    Meanwhile, Joan brought a te of fresh apples.


    Then she sat next to me, peeled the skin, and handed it to me with a fork.


    ¡°Lady, you are so sick, can you go to the event on the weekend? I think you should just rest at home¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    After answering, I took a bite of the apple.


    As the cool and sweet fruit juice spread in my mouth, I felt better.


    ¡°Lady, that Duke also said earlier that you should not go out for a while and should rest.¡±


    ¡°I have work to do. The sooner I do this, the better.¡±


    Joan made a puzzled face at my words. But instead of exining more, I looked at the calendar. It¡¯s summer and the rainy season hase, but it will get chilly in a few weeks.


    Now that more than half of this year had passed, I feltplicated.


    Next year, Roxana was also old enough to have hering-of-age ceremony, and there was no turning back then.

 Chapter 84

    ¡°Stephen, do you think Roxana is having a hard time?¡±


    The Duke put down the tea he was drinking and asked.


    Stephen raised his head in surprise at his words.


    The Duke¡¯s face was full of concern.


    Seeing him like that, Stephen thought about how tofort him.


    ¡°A child who had never shown tears but cried and fell ill for several days¡­.I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s good to break up the engagement.¡±


    The Duke, who always maintained hisposure in the battlefield between life and death, and in front of the emperor, was also an ordinary person in front of his child.


    Stephen understood the Duke¡¯s concern for his one and only child, but he was too worried in his own eyes.


    ¡°The engagement was what the youngdy wanted, and this is also the case with this breakup. It¡¯s all because she wants it, so there¡¯s no need to worry. And the Crown Prince¡­.¡±


    Stephen could not finish his words and kept his mouth shut.


    As a person who has been watching the Crown Prince¡¯s atrocities by Roxana¡¯s side, if he opened his mouth now, he would surely make a mistake.


    He licked his lips, barely finding the right words offort.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. She¡¯s a wise and strong woman, so even if there is pain, she will definitely get over it.¡±


    ¡°How easy is that? Roxana was affectionate from a young age and her heart was soft. How much thought and hardship must such a child go through alone before she decides to break up?¡±


    The Duke frowned with an anguished face. Roxana¡¯s breakup with the Crown Prince was also what he hoped for.


    However, when he saw his daughter struggling with the real situation in front of his eyes, his heart ached.


    But it was not possible to shake her daughter¡¯s decision.


    The Duke looked at the family portrait hanging on the wall.


    Inside therge frame were himself, his wife, and the young Roxana.


    Unlike then, now his wife had passed away and he was old.


    Roxana, too, has grown into a finedy.


    But in the eyes of her parents, no matter how old she was, she was nothing more than an immature child.


    What¡¯s more, Roxana was still young, not evening of age.


    As her parents, it was natural to worry.


    ¡°What happened to what I ordered you to investigate?¡±


    ¡°The youngdy has been attending fewer parties and tea parties than before. Hermes is where she has recently started visiting.¡±


    ¡°Hermes? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°It is located on the upper street.¡±


    At Stephen¡¯s calm reply, the Duke made a dissatisfied face.


    ¡°If it¡¯s the upper street, it would be dangerous, but what is she doing in such a ce? If she needs anything, she should call someone to the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s not the case, people from Hermes often visit the mansion. They usually bring new dresses and jewelry, and the quality is pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything particrly suspicious?¡±


    The Duke was still in doubt.


    ¡°There is one thing. Thedy has met the owner a few times, and she traveled alone there.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Duke immediately jumped out of his seat and got up.


    ¡°Why did you report that just now?¡±


    ¡°Sir, don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Stephen said, holding a kettle and pouring more tea into the Duke¡¯s empty cup.


    ¡°Now, next year the Lady will be an adult. While you couldn¡¯t see her, she has changed a lot. So, how about you trusting her a little more?¡±


    A grown child would one day leave the arms of their parents.


    No matter how precious it was, it was impossible to hold on to it forever if it was truly for the sake of the child.


    But it took mental preparation to ept it.


    The Duke raised the corners of his mouth with a bitter face.


    And he sat down again.


    He took a sip of the tea that Stephen had poured.


    Because it was colder than before, the bitter taste seemed to be particrly strong.


    ¡°Stephen, you¡¯re right. But¡­ that doesn¡¯t mean I can just stay still and watch bad men approach Roxana.¡±


    The Duke ordered again with a calm face.


    ¡°Find out about the man.¡±


    ***


    Time passed slowly.


    I ate, then took medicine and went to sleep.


    Today I sat still, looked out the window, drank tea and read a book.


    Thankfully, I was able to walk around safely on the day of the event thanks to a few days of rest.


    ¡°Your Excellency, Miss. We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Said the driver.


    Then the carriage came to aplete stop and the door opened from outside.


    The duke got off first and then extended his hand to me.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    With his help, I got off the carriage.


    Upon entering the mansion, the changed interior and elegant decoration caught my eye.


    Marquis Flynn made quite a bit of money in the fur business, and it seemed that the mansion waspletely renovated.


    It was more luxurious thanst year, so I could guess how much wealth he had umted through this event.


    ¡°Are you feeling okay? You should stay home and rest¡­¡±


    The Duke often looked at me with a worried expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor tell you to rx because you¡¯re not fully recovered yet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a cold. I took a few days to rest and I¡¯m fine now. If it hurts, I¡¯ll tell you right away. Okay?¡±


    I put more force on the hand that was holding the Duke¡¯s arm.


    The Duke shook his head with a look of disapproval.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The inside of the banquet hall was brightly decorated with seasonal flowers and various decorations.


    There were white tablecloths on the tables scattered throughout, and gold candlesticks shed on them.


    The roses carved on the candlesticks were so exquisite that it was as if they were hardened by applying gold on a living flower.


    When I looked around the banquet hall, there were already many people inside.


    The Crown Prince and the Second Prince had already arrived and were talking with people.


    Looking at the two, I remembered a scene I had seen at the Imperial Pce a few days ago.


    ¡®Is his face okay?¡¯


    Involuntarily looking towards the 2nd Prince, I made eye contact with him.


    Instead of avoiding my gaze, he stared at me.


    He looked like he had something to say, but he didn¡¯te.


    Being poke on the side, I slowly turned my head back to the front.


    ¡°Your Excellency, Princess, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you since thest banquet.¡±


    Soon, people flocked to us as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nice to see you two together.¡±


    ¡°I know, right. I¡¯m envious of your harmonious appearance. My child is not docile and only makes trouble, and I am worried whenever she goes out, but the princess is more mature and elegant.¡±


    ¡°Well, Roxana is just like the Duke, so you must be proud. Smart and calm. I admire her.¡±


    I could see the corners of the Duke¡¯s lips slowly rising at people¡¯s ttery.


    As far as I know, he hated ttery.


    But looking at him these days, the credibility of that statement was questionable.


    ¡°By the way, next year, the princess will marry the Crown Prince. I¡¯m really sorry you have to send her away. If I had a daughter like her, I would keep her for the rest of my life.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s expression quickly hardened at the words that someone had inadvertently brought out.


    ¡°Marry. Madam, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Are you talking about the wedding of the Crown Prince and the Princess next year? If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t that something everyone knows?¡±


    ¡°As for the marriage, it has only been talked about, nothing has been confirmed. So, I hope you don¡¯t talk about things you¡¯re not sure about.¡±


    People exchanged nces with puzzled faces.


    The Duke reacted negatively to the wedding next year, so sooner orter new gossip will arise.


    As the atmosphere became colder, thedy who spoke up looked at him with a bewildered face.


    It was meant to be apliment, but it was a very difficult situation because it was like touching the heart of a lion.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see that your rtionship with your daughter is really strong.¡±


    Someone spoke to relieve the stiff atmosphere.


    It¡¯s an obvious ttering remark, but the mood has definitely improved as the others shed.


    ¡°Looking around the venue, it seems that the Marquis paid a lot of attention. I¡¯m looking forward to this year as well.¡±


    While the duke was dealing with the people, I sat quietly a little further away.


    The n was to hide behind him and keep quiet.


    However, contrary to the thought of wanting to restfortably, people soon flocked to my side as well.


    ¡°Princess, you look beautiful today. Your hair and dress go very well together.¡±


    goes really well with the hair up and the dress.¡±


    ¡°Princess, I have brought in some masterpieces this time, and I hope you will give it your opinion.¡±


    ¡°My mother is very interested in flowers, and she was able to find rare varieties of flowers this time in a foreign country. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to have a tea party in the garden, but if you have time¡­¡±


    The attention that was pouring in all at once made my head dizzy.


    Normally, I could have endured it, but today I was not feeling well, so my stamina was very exhausted.


    Unlike banquets, which usually start in the evening, charity events begin at lunch and run into thete night.


    Contrary to what I had confidently told the duke earlier, my energy quickly disappeared.


    I got motion sickness from riding the carriage for a long time and the speed was not good.


    I stood there, barely keeping a smile on my face.


    ¡°Lady, here.¡±


    Joan, who was standing next to me, handed me a ss of cold drink.


    After drinking it, I felt my stomach was calming down.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I thanked her and unfolded the fan in my hand.


    I certainly seemed to have cleared my head after cooling my fever.


    ¡°I was disappointed that people who used toe often didn¡¯t reply even if I sent invitations these days. If you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s drink tea together soon. Just like before.¡±


    A Young Lady, whose face was familiar, said.


    It was a youngdy who could be said to have a close rtionship with Roxana.


    But after I entered Roxana¡¯s body, there was no interaction.


    Last time, she followed Lady Flynn around, but now Lady Flynn was not here, and she came to me to make acquaintances.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when the timees.¡±


    It was an ambiguous answer.


    Drawing the line without going against the etiquette.


    At my answer, she put on a disappointed face.


    ¡°Princess, it was my first time seeing you at thest Imperial Pce banquet. I wanted to say hello back then, but I couldn¡¯t. Do you remember me?¡±


    A cute youngdy in a pink dress asked me with her eyes shining.


    Contrary to her cautious look as if she was looking into my eyes, her gaze on me was full of anticipation.


    ¡®Have we met before?¡¯


    I hurriedly recalled my memory.


    Come to think of it, I remember seeing her at a tea party held at the Count of Evans.


    She was one of the few people who showed me friendliness.


    ¡°We met earlier at Count Evans¡¯ residence. Ellie¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Right. I¡¯m Ellie Hazel. But I didn¡¯t know that the Princess remembered my name.¡±


    Count Hazel was a family that was on the rise recently.


    Like the Duke Lillian, the Count was the same imperial faction, but was the power of the second Prince.


    ¡°Miss Hazel, how are you?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay with Princess, please feel free to call me Ellie.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Ellie, do you have anything to say to me?¡±


    ¡°Actually, when I saw youst time, it was a pity that I didn¡¯t have a long conversation. I¡¯ve always been hoping for opportunities toe, but I didn¡¯t have the courage to talk to you.¡±


    Ellie blushed in embarrassment.


    She hesitated for a long time, as if it was not easy to get her words out.


    She then asked with difficulty.


    ¡°Princess, we are having a party in our family soon, can you pleasee and brighten up the party?¡±

 Chapter 85

    ¡°It is not a difficult request. Unless something special happens, I will definitely go.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±


    At my answer, Ellie smiled very satisfied.


    And then she disappeared with her fast footsteps.


    Even after Ellie left, there were many people around.


    One of them looked at my wrist and said,


    ¡°Princess, the bracelet on your wrist is a design I¡¯ve never seen before. Where did you get it if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m curious too. If it¡¯s not rude, can you tell us?¡±


    The bracelet was a gift from Elvin on my birthday.


    When I first saw it, I thought it was too shy, but when I put it on, it went well with any outfit.


    ¡°I got it from a friend, so I don¡¯t know where he bought it. But I heard that there were a lot of good things at Hermes.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s Hermes¡­ Well, the goods there are of great quality. Although the price is high.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is expensive, it is well worth the investment if it is worth it. I¡¯ll have to go there sometime soon.¡±


    I looked at the noble girls talking with excitement.


    ¡®I¡¯ve received so many things from Elvin, so when the opportunityes, I should give this kind of favor, right?¡¯


    After introducing Hermes to the vanity aristocratic girls, the sales would increase to some extent.


    Suddenly, I wondered when Elvin¡¯s birthday was.


    Since I had received a gift on my birthday, I must prepare a return gift.


    At that time, the entrance side became noisy.


    In an unexpectedmotion, I turned my head towards it.


    At first, it was obscured by people, so it was hard to see.


    But soon, ck hair was visible through them, revealing a beautiful face.


    It was Elvin.


    ¡®Perhaps if I mentioned a tiger, it woulde too.¡¯


    The people of the Grand Duchy of Croix hade early, but I didn¡¯t think he woulde because I couldn¡¯t see him.


    It was quite a surprise.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the first time the Croix has attended such an event?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, the invitations were sent every year, but they never attend, so I don¡¯t know what the wind was blowing.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, the Young Master of Croix has been attending almost everyrge banquet recently held. Maybe¡­ is it because of marriage?¡±


    After that, I turned my head and looked at Elvin.


    Then I made eye contact with him.


    Instead of saying hello, Elvin looked away, pretending not to acknowledge me.


    ¡®What¡­?¡¯


    I was the first to draw a line with him, who always approached first to talk to me.


    So I shouldn¡¯t say anything to his behavior, but somehow I felt sad.


    I looked towards Elvin once more and then looked away.


    Standing with a clearly expressionless face, he looked cold.


    Nevertheless, Elvin has always attracted people¡¯s attention.


    I didn¡¯t know it until now, but now I saw the young girls ncing over there and blushing.


    The reason was unknown, but a corner of my heart suddenly became ufortable.


    ¡°Young Master Croix had already celebrated hising of agest year. But he¡¯s not even engaged yet, so now the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess must have felt nervous.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s for that reason. When did the Young Master ever listen to others?¡±


    The Young Lady, who spoke, looked around for a moment and lowered her voice.


    ¡°Honestly, the fact that the Young Master did not have a good rtionship with his family was so open that everyone knew. There must be some other reason.¡±


    Elvin talked with others without giving a nce to his family.


    It wasmon to be with family, but the way he behaved now made it seem like he was a stranger.


    Well, he¡¯s always been like that, so it¡¯s not surprising.


    I nced towards the Grand Duke of Croix, Elvin¡¯s father.


    He looked like he was holding back his anger.


    The Grand Duchess had a sad face, and Elvin¡¯s half-brothers, two young men, had troubled faces.


    It may be an illusion, but the expressions on their faces that were hidden in it seemed somehow happy.


    Now that I saw it, the rtionship between Elvin and the people of the Grand Duchy was worse than I thought.


    It seemed that the Croix had a lot of secrets.


    ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±


    I went to the terrace.


    Leaning on the railing, I looked down at the gardenndscape.


    Several people were gathered in a quiet corner of the garden.


    It was a group of ire and Lady Flynn who could not be seen in the banquet hall.


    I thought that ire would definitelye to a big banquet like this.


    Moreover, the Crown Prince also attended today¡¯s event, so even more so.


    I was wondering why I didn¡¯t see Lady Flynn earlier, but it seemed that they had gathered here out of sight.


    She was watching from behind as people mocked ire, covering her mouth with a fan.


    She looked down at ire with a dissatisfied expression on her face, but her eyes were full of joy.


    ¡°Lady Dana, you look exceptionally simple in your attire today. Unfortunately, no one seems to be giving you a dress anymore.¡±


    Someone in the crowd said mockingly.


    With that said, I looked at ire again and realized something different from usual.


    Her attire was unusually modest than usual.


    After getting close to the Crown Prince, she used to wear expensive dresses for some time, but now her appearance seemed to have returned to the past.


    Perhaps I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought of that, so another youngdy spoke up.


    ¡°Everyone is so mean. She looks good in my eyes. Seeing this reminds me of the first time I saw Lady Dana. At the time, I really only thought she was a maid who someone brought.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Lady Dana will find a new sponsor sooner orter. I heard that not long ago she received a proposal from Count Percy¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°Count Percy¡¯s son¡­Please. No matter how blind you are to money.¡±


    The youngdy had an astonished face as if she couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that too. She¡¯s a Baron¡®s daughter, and if she became a Countess, it would be a step higher in the social world, but unfortunately things went awry and it was canceled. It¡¯s sad for her.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, the Baron made a wise decision. It would have been toote by then if his daughter was getting too old and was abandoned but looking for high ces.¡±


    Said the youngdy, who wasvishly adorned with all kinds of jewels. She folded her fan and brought it to her lips.


    Then, with a face full of ridicule, she continued.


    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t be so heartbroken. Sooner orter you will find a new husband again. Well, there is no guarantee that there will be a better person than Count Percy¡¯s son at that time.¡±


    That was then.


    As soon as she finished speaking, a light friction sound resounded.


    There was a moment of silence in the ce.


    The Youngdy, who was pped by ire, covered her cheek with her palm with a bewildered face.


    She seemed unable toprehend what had just happened to her just now.


    ¡°No, how could that be!¡±


    Another youngdy eximed.


    ¡°Youngdy. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°No, how did this happen¡­¡±


    Everyone present was bewildered and angry.


    However, considering the tension of the conversation a while ago, it was not very surprising.


    The youngdy, who was pped on the cheek, remained silent, butter became angry.


    ¡°How dare you, a Baron¡¯s daughter¡­..do you know who I am!¡±


    The youngdy who was hit on the cheek raised her hand to ire, but the hand did not reach ire¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Youngdy. What are you doing now?¡±


    The Crown Prince suddenly appeared and grabbed the youngdy¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Crown Prince¡­!¡±


    The youngdy whose wrist was caught by the Crown Prince looked astonished with wide eyes.


    ¡°What are you all doing? Several against one person.¡±


    The Crown Prince asked in a cold voice. There in the open, ire and her tormentors stood, trembling.


    It had nothing to do with me anyway, so I decided to watch it with a light heart.


    ¡°Youngdy Flynn, did the Marquis teach you to treat guests this way? It¡¯s disappointing.¡±


    At the Crown Prince¡¯s rebuke, Lady Flynn had a face that looked like she was about to cry.


    ¡°Your Highness, you are mistaken. This¡­..¡±


    Her face, which had previously looked cruel, has changed to that of a frightened child.


    She seemed quite afraid to be hated by the Crown Prince.


    Then whether or not this happens in the first ce.


    Well, in the end, she deserved it.


    When ire met her ally, her eyes reddened as if she was sad.


    But in my eyes, she seemed calctive.


    The Crown Prince wrapped his arm around her shoulder.


    ire had a pitiful face as she hugged him like a pitiful heroine.


    I turned my head and looked at the Crown Prince again.


    The youngdy, whose wrist was grabbed by him, was pale and scared.


    It was clear that her wrist was hurting, but she couldn¡¯t even express it properly because she was in front of the Crown Prince.


    Perhaps she deserved it, but seeing her being tormented by the Crown Prince and ire reminded me of Roxana.


    Perhaps because it looked familiar, I suddenly felt pity.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t want to get involved in something that had nothing to do with me.


    ¡®I should go back in.¡¯


    I looked towards the Crown Prince and he was busy taking care of ire.


    Then he looked up as if he felt my gaze.


    It was already toote to dodge, so I faced him proudly.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face, who found me, was colored with embarrassment.


    To his surprise, he rxed his hands.


    Thanks to that, the youngdy¡¯s wrist was released.


    She wrapped her other hand around her wrist with tearful eyes.


    Then the other young girls came to her andforted her.


    The Crown Prince continued to look upward without saying a word, and soon the others noticed something strange.


    ire was the first to notice and raise her head.


    She looked at me with amazement, then sneered.


    And that smile soon disappeared, and her face turned sad again.


    It was a fleeting moment, but I definitely saw it.


    A triumphant smile appeared on her face.


    There was murmur between the people.


    I stayed quiet without making a sound, but it all went to nothing.


    However, the reaction of others did not seem to catch the eyes of the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Roxana, now this is¡­¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at me with a sorry face.


    I turned around with a cold face.

 Chapter 86

    The Crown Prince¡¯s POV.


    Earlier.


    ¡°Your Highness, can you spare me a moment of your time? I have something to tell you.¡±


    ire said quietly.


    She had something to say, so she asked the Crown Prince toe out the back of the building.


    Seeing that she had a badplexion, it seemed that something happened again this time.


    When the time of the appointment came, the Crown Prince arrived at the ce and saw a group of young girls there.


    They were mocking and tormenting ire.


    It seemed that it was a mistake to choose a sparsely popted ce for the meeting ce.


    It was very ugly to see the noble girls acting all innocent in front of people but behaving like this from behind.


    ire, with her thin body like a willow branch, endured the pouring insults.


    It was very upsetting to her like that.


    Why did this always happen to her?


    The Crown Prince went straight to ire and grabbed the woman¡¯s wrist, who was about to p her.


    At that moment, the youngdies were bewildered at his appearance.


    They didn¡¯t seem to know that someone was watching.


    The noble girls who changed their attitude like flipping their palms ording to the opponent in front of them, was disgusting.


    ¡°Does Lady Flynn was taught to treat guests this way? It¡¯s disappointing.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you are mistaken. This¡­.¡±


    Lady Flynn looked at him with a crying face.


    Embarrassment, shame, bewilderment¡­.a myriad of emotions on her face.


    He knew from the beginning that Lady Flynn was the leader and had often tormented ire.


    He didn¡¯t know why she kept bullying ire.


    Every time they met, she blushed with shyness, but how could he not know?


    He knew her actions but decided to let it go many times as he had never caught her act red handed.


    Considering the loyalty that her father, Marquis Flynn had shown in the past, the atrocities of his daughter,dy Flynn, was overlooked.


    But this time seeing the bullying with his own eyes, he was very displeased.


    She needed a warning so she wouldn¡¯t act recklessly like this in the future.


    Then, suddenly, he felt a gaze from somewhere.


    He felt a presence from above and raised his head.


    His fianc¨¦e stood there where he thought no one was.


    ¡®Roxana¡­?¡¯


    The timing was not good.


    He rxed his hand that had been wrapped around ire¡¯s shoulder.


    But it was already toote.


    ¡°Roxana, now this is¡­¡­¡±


    Roxana turned away with a cold face.


    She left without him having time to give an exnation.


    It felt like twisted knots were getting tangled more and moreplicatedly.


    He needed to exin, but he couldn¡¯te up with the right words to say. Frankly he shouldn¡¯t need an excuse because he was just helping someone in trouble.


    But Roxana would not understand.


    It was a difficult situation.


    ¡°ha¡­¡­.¡±


    The Crown Prince paused in his seat, pondering, and exhaled heavily.


    In any case, he shouldn¡¯t have left Roxana like that.


    As he was about to step away to pursue her, ire spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, so go see the princess.¡±


    He then remembered the existence of ire, who was by his side at that moment.


    He looked at her with an apologetic face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Then I¡¯ll go first, let¡¯s talk about what we didn¡¯t finish next time.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ire smiled sadly.


    But he couldn¡¯t afford tofort her.


    Then he walked away.


    When he met Roxana¡¯s eyes a little while ago, recalling her cold gaze, a corner of his heart automatically became cold.


    He headed straight to the banquet hall where Roxana would be present.


    Duke Lillian was talking to people.


    But Roxana was not by his side.


    Although he had been looking for a long time, Roxana was nowhere to be seen in the short time she left.


    She was not in the banquet hall, nor the garden and other ces.


    ¡®Where the hell did you go?¡¯


    In the end, the Crown Prince had no choice but to return to the banquet hall without any ie.


    However, as time passed and Roxana did not return, he became increasingly anxious.


    Suddenly, he remembered that Elvin was also present at today¡¯s banquet.


    The Crown Prince looked around the banquet hall.


    Neither his fianc¨¦e nor Elvin was seen.


    Elvin didn¡¯t usually show up at parties or banquets.


    Even if he attended, he quickly disappeared somewhere, leaving his absence for a long time or returning early.


    However, these days, he appeared frequently as if he were stamping his attendance.


    Was it a coincidence that the two disappeared together?


    The Crown Prince frowned.


    He moved his steps again and instructed the knight by his side.


    ¡°Quietly find out where Roxana is and with whom she is and report it to me.¡±


    The knight disappeared to fulfill the order.


    The Crown Prince left the banquet hall.


    For some reason, his chest tightened.


    He left the noisy ce and walked haphazardly down the hallway.


    Then he saw a man and a woman standing on the other side of the hallway.


    The distance between the man and the woman was very close, and they looked friendly.


    It was Roxana and Elvin.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face hardened quickly when he saw the two of them.


    It was hard to tell what they were talking about, but the atmosphere seemed friendly.


    Contrary to the usual expressionless expression, there was a yful smile on Elvin¡¯s face today.


    A faint smile appeared on Roxana¡¯s lips as she looked at him.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s heart sank when he saw that smile towards someone other than himself.


    It was the most beautiful smile he had seen in a long time.


    The two looked back if they also felt his gaze.


    The moment their eyes met, the smile on Roxana¡¯s face was scattered like smoke. Without the slightest sign of embarrassment, she turned to the Crown Prince with a calm face. The Crown Prince was perplexed for a moment.


    Roxana¡¯s face looking at him looked colder than the water of a pond in the middle of winter.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Augh came out.


    In an instant, an unknown rage surged.


    ¡°What were you two doing here?¡±


    ***


    Roxana¡¯s first pov.


    Earlier.


    Just as I was just getting out of the terrace, I encountered the 2nd Prince.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here, and I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Second Prince, is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I have something to tell you, would you like to walk with me?¡±


    I pondered for a while and agreed.


    I was thinking of staying friendly with the 2nd prince, and I was curious as to what he¡¯ll say.


    ¡°Tell my father that I¡¯m going for a walk.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    While Joan was puzzled, she went to the Duke to faithfully carry out my orders.


    The 2nd Prince held out an arm to me.


    I put my hand on his outstretched arm.


    We left the banquet hall.


    ¡°Wait.¡± (Roxana)


    The 2nd prince looked at me with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Why?¡± (2nd Prince)


    I looked in the direction I was walking and if I went that way, there was a garden.


    The Crown Prince had just been there, so if we went that way now, I might run into him.


    ¡°I heard people talking earlier that the recently built ss greenhouse is quite impressive. If we go now, there will be fewer people and it will be quieter, so it would be a better ce to have a conversation.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go there. Do you know which way to go?¡±


    I nodded and turned around.


    Then the second prince followed me.


    As I entered the ss greenhouse, I could smell the flowers¡¯ fragrance.


    The vermilion sky was visible through the open windows, and under it, colorful flowers such as roses, hydrangeas, and lilies were in full bloom.


    Second to the beautiful scenery, the quiet and uninhabited one was more suitable for conversation than the garden.


    I gently lifted my head and looked at the second prince.


    It seemed that his wound was already healed, his face was intact without a single scratch.


    Soon the sun began to set.


    The whole world was dyed red.


    Red light was cast in the greenhouse made of all ss.


    Seeing the flowers dyed in the same color as the sunset, it was very beautiful and elegant.


    I turned my head and found lisianthus blooming on one side of the garden.


    There were many varieties, from white to pink to purple, but the colors were pale and faint. There was nothing as dark red as the gift from Elvin.


    ¡°Do you like lisianthus?¡±


    The second prince asked because I had been staring at it for too long.


    ¡°I like it. I just realized it just now.¡±


    I was just answering about the flower, but somehow I felt awkward.


    I looked away from the lisianthus, and looked elsewhere, and found a strange-looking flower.


    Although it looked simr to a lily, the petals were patterned and the color was orange, so it was very conspicuous.


    ¡°What is the name of this flower?¡±


    ¡°It is a tiger flower.¡±


    ¡°Is that what it is called?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s tiger lilies.¡±


    I asked the question without much thought, but unexpectedly, the answer came back immediately.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°The princess seems to be very interested in flowers. What flowers do you like the most?¡±


    ¡°In general, I like them all. Roses, hydrangeas, cosmos, plums, violets¡­ but you know a lot about flowers. The second prince seems to like flowers too.¡±


    ¡°Not very much.¡±


    ¡°Then how¡­ Did you learn about flowers when you were in the army?¡±


    At my question, the second prince couldn¡¯t stand it andughed out loud.


    I stood silently until he calmed down.


    Now I realized it was a bit of a stupid question.


    But was it so funny that heughed so hard?


    After a while, the second prince found me standing there with a silent and dissatisfied face.


    Then he answered honestly with an apologetic face.


    ¡°The military briefly teaches the difference between poisonous and medicinal herbs, but not about flowers. I was able to answer your question because the same kind of flowers are blooming in my pce garden.¡±


    The garden was usually managed by the royal courtiers, but it reflected the taste of the owner.


    For example, the Crown Prince was a person who liked neat and unified things.


    For this reason, there were no special flowers in the garden of the Crown Prince, except for roses and tulips.


    The gardens of the Empress Pce were much more splendid than the garden of the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce, and the types of nts they grew were diverse.


    However, I had never visited the garden of the 2nd Prince.


    After a brief conversation now, I could see that all kinds of unknown flowers were blooming in his garden.


    Also, the garden of the second prince seemed to have a distinctly different feel from the other gardens of the Imperial Pce that I had visited.


    I wondered if the second prince might have another side that I didn¡¯t know about, and what his pce looked like.


    But he didn¡¯t like it much while growing unusual flowers in his garden that were not often grown in the homes of ordinary aristocrats?


    Wasn¡¯t this a contradiction?


    I was suddenly puzzled and looked up, and the second prince seemed to have read my thoughts.


    ¡°I heard it from the royal family who raised me when I was young, but unlike me, my mother seemed to like flowers.¡±


    It was a calm voice, but his face seemed sad.


    Her mouth had a bitter smile.


    His dry gaze contained longing and resignation.


    ¡°She used to take care of the garden and grow nts, but she didn¡¯t find it particrly enjoyable. Well, it¡¯s all a thing of the past.¡±

 Chapter 87

    The second prince lowered his gaze and gently touched the flower in front of him.


    It was a gentle and careful movement, as if he didn¡¯t want to hurt the petals.


    It seemed true that admiring flowers and caring for them were his hobby, and it seemed very familiar and natural.


    I heard that his mother died when the 2nd Prince was a baby.


    I couldn¡¯t say anything as I looked at him squatting alone in front of my eyes, imagining the little child longing for his deceased mother.


    I wouldn¡¯t be able tofort his past with any words.


    ¡°I think I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I know that it¡¯s a hobby that doesn¡¯t suit you. I can¡¯t me you forughing at me.¡±


    The second prince looked embarrassed, as if he had felt sorry for it btedly.


    ¡°I will notugh. It¡¯s an elegant hobby.¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t really mean it, but it¡¯s nice to hear it. But will you keep what I just said a secret? Everyone willugh when it¡¯s known to the troops.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that if you want. But growing flowers is impossible if you¡¯re impatient and not delicate. So I¡¯ve never tried it, but it suits you.¡±


    I reached out and touched the yellow flower.


    All the flowers in the garden were full of life thanks to the good sunlight and good maintenance. I apuded the gardener¡¯s hard work inwardly, and I looked back to the second prince. He was looking at me withplicated eyes.


    ¡°You said you had something to say to me. What is it?¡±


    The second prince hesitated as if it was difficult to speak.


    When he felt uneasy about the prolonged silence, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Not long ago, there was a case where one prisoner died and the othermitted suicide by hanging in the Imperial Pce Prison. The princess must already know that.¡±


    I paused.


    It was clear that he was referring to Viscountess Willis.


    It was surprising that even the 2nd prince knew about it, but what was his intention to bring it up now?


    It was very suspicious.


    ¡°I thought it was suspicious, so I investigated it separately and found that the prisoner was not killed but was murdered, and that the Emperor also found the culprit.¡±


    The second prince did not call the emperor or the Crown Prince as his father or brother.


    I could tell how distant he was with his family. But it wasn¡¯t my business to care. I quietly waited for his next words.


    ¡°The Crown Prince thought I was the one who reported the matter to His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    In an instant, I remembered the image of the Crown Prince, who violently hit the second prince with an angry face, and the second prince, who was patiently quiet.


    My mouth dropped open and my eyes widened.


    ¡®Then that was¡­He was misunderstood and being hit because of me?¡¯


    The second Prince looked at me with a calm face.


    There was no sign of reproach or annoyance.


    But it made me feel even more guilty.


    Did the Crown Prince be Roxana¡¯s enemy too if he knew?


    Upsetting both of the powerful heirs to the throne was not a good thing.


    Fortunately, looking at the attitude of the second prince today, he did not seem to me me or hate me.


    I sincerely apologize.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You have suffered damage because of me. I have nothing to say even with ten mouths.¡±


    ¡°Did I say the Princess did something wrong? It was because I had bad luck that day. I didn¡¯t mean to make you apologize, so there¡¯s no need to be so sorry.¡±


    As I continued to feel sorry even when he said it was okay, the second prince added,


    ¡°It didn¡¯t happen once or twice anyway, and the wound was healed quickly. I just wanted to say that the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince are not good people, so be careful.¡±


    Thest time I saw her, I could tell plenty, but I was surprised to hear it directly from the 2nd prince.


    ¡®Did he grow up being beaten by the Crown Prince like that since childhood?¡¯


    I lifted my head and looked up at the 2nd Prince.


    Even with the same sea color, his pale blue eyes, which had a different feeling from the emperor¡¯s or the Crown Prince¡¯s, seemed exceptionally warm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I have the ability to protect myself. If someone touches me, I¡¯ll pay them back.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    The second prince smiled a little at my confident reply.


    But he wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    ¡°Anyway, be careful. Always bring an escort with you, and if there¡¯s anything strange, talk to your father. It may feel cumbersome, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with being careful.¡±


    ¡°I will carefully listen to the advice of the Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Payne.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Not knowing what to say, I opened my eyes and asked, the second prince added with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s my name.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Prince Payne.¡±


    At first, I was perplexed because I couldn¡¯t understand his intentions.


    But I guess I chose was probably the right answer.


    The 2nd Prince, no, Payne, raised the corner of his mouth with a happy face.


    I called his name in the moment of catching off guard, but I immediately regretted it.


    How dare I call the prince¡¯s name without knowing my position.


    If anyone listened, it could be a problem.


    ¡°The Princess said she was sorry. Then could you please do me a favor?¡± Payne asked.


    He said it was fine a while ago, but he changed his mind in a few minutes.


    To be honest, I felt sad.


    I felt sorry that Payne, who had nothing to do with it, was involved, but wasn¡¯t it the Crown Prince¡¯s fault?


    But why was he using people¡¯s guilt in this way?


    I didn¡¯t see it that way, but it seemed that he also had the blood of the imperial family.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it once.¡±


    As I made a worried face, Payne reassured me with a look of not to worry.


    ¡°It will not be difficult, so there is no need to be so scared already. If you¡¯re not busy, could you stop by my pce soon?¡±


    I looked up in surprise and he added calmly.


    ¡°Appreciating flowers is fun, but usually boring. When I watch it on my own, sometimes I feel lonely.¡±


    It was a kind of excuse.


    I thought seriously.


    It wasn¡¯t difficult, but it was a request that I was hesitant to answer.


    I was the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and Payne was his half-brother.


    The two brothers didn¡¯t have a good rtionship. Like water and oil.


    I had no reputation to be damaged any more, but perhaps it would be a good opportunity to rify my rtionship with the Crown Prince.


    ¡°You can watch it with someone else. Why me?¡±


    I asked with suspicion.


    As if he didn¡¯t expect to ask such a question, Payne didn¡¯t answer right away.


    ¡°Does the second Prince also want to be friends with me?¡±


    At my question, the second prince widened his eyes.


    And then he smiled softly.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I intended to do. But, has anyone, besides me, ever asked the princess like this before?¡±


    Elvin¡¯s face shed through my mind.


    I shook my head when I realized that I had said too much.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Naturally, the second prince did not seem to believe me.


    ¡°Anyway, I will tell you frankly what you will find out after today. Perhaps you already know, but I am going to break up with the Crown Prince.¡±


    I finished my speech and looked at Payne¡¯s reaction.


    He showed no sign of surprise.


    I guessed, but his reaction made it clear that he already knew.


    ¡°In such a situation, if the two of us meet, people will think it¡¯s strange and cause a stir. Aren¡¯t you afraid that you will be used of ying with your brother¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡±


    Payne¡¯s power was on par with the Crown Prince¡¯s, even including Duke Lillian.


    Was he trying to recruit me topletely separate the duke and the crown prince?


    But considering Payne¡¯s near-perfect reputation and image, there was more to lose than gain.


    ¡°What does it have to do with people talking? If I were afraid of that, I wouldn¡¯t have invited the Princess in the first ce. I don¡¯t care. Of course, it is something that the princess must allow.¡±


    If I wanted to abandon the Crown Prince, the only option left was Payne.


    In such a situation, he reached out his hand first, so I could not refuse.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be grateful for the invitation.¡±


    ¡°Good. We need to schedule an exact date, so I will send you a letter through the servant soon.¡±


    As I nodded, a satisfied smile spread across Payne¡¯s lips.


    He nced at the clock on the wall and said.


    ¡°Now we need to go back. The auction will start soon. Marquis Flynn boasted that there were many exquisite objects at this auction. It¡¯s a pity, but if we dy any longer, we¡¯ll miss out on a good spectacle.¡±


    ***


    On my way back to the banquet hall with Payne, we ran into Elvin walking down the hallway.


    I made eye contact with him.


    Would he pretend like he didn¡¯t know me this time too?


    While I was contemting whether to say hello or not, Elvin approached us first and spoke.


    ¡°I see you, Second Prince.¡±


    He said hello to Payne, but his gaze was fixed on me.


    Elvin, who acted as if he had nothing to do with the Crown Prince, spoke to the second Prince in a different way. He seemed more friendly.


    ¡°Elvin, I didn¡¯t expect to see you in a ce like this, but it¡¯s nice to see you here.¡±


    Payne was speaking with a friendly face without a single hint of displeasure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the wind was blowing, but I heard you often attend banquets these days. His Majesty must be pleased too.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Are you courting ady or something?¡± (*because Elvin showed up at banquets often now so Payne thought perhaps he was courting someone.)


    At Payne¡¯s question, Elvin frowned as if displeased.


    There was a hint of annoyance between his brows.


    ¡°Do I have to answer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you. But if there¡¯s nothing else, will you please step aside?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that would be difficult.¡±


    Elvin looked at me again.


    ¡°Princess, I have something to tell you. It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    There was little time left for the auction to begin.


    But it wouldn¡¯t take long¡­.


    I thought for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Second Prince, but would you please go back first?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I will go first.¡±


    Payne looked hesitant. But he obediently walked away.


    After he left, it was just the two of us in the hallway.


    asionally people passed by, but they didn¡¯te towards us.


    ¡°Have you made a new friend already? It seems that I¡¯m not enough for the Princess.¡±


    Elvin said in a voice that seemed disappointing.


    However, contrary to his words, his face, which had be soft, seemed full of yfulness. His eyes danced with teasing merriment.


    ¡°When did the Princess be so close to the Second Prince? I¡¯m jealous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a funny joke. But whoever hears those words now may misunderstand it.¡±


    ¡°I was serious, did that sound like a joke to the Princess?¡±


    When I looked at him, Elvin slyly avoided his gaze.


    I had no way of knowing whether his words were sincere or not.


    The atmosphere became a little awkward.


    I asked with a sullen face.


    ¡°What you wanted to tell me¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡­.¡±


    A look of embarrassment crossed Elvin¡¯s face.


    What was he trying to say? I became nervous at the hesitation that was not like him.


    Elvin looked down at me with a subdued gaze.


    After a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°I just wanted to say goodbye to the Princess before I leave.¡±

 Chapter 88

    I was momentarily stunned.


    ¡°Goodbye?¡±


    Elvin¡¯s face was still gloomy.


    Looking at him, I could tell that I didn¡¯t hear it wrong.


    As a rule, a family should have the eldest son, so there was no way for Elvin to leave the Grand Duchy of Croix.


    But didn¡¯t he say it with his own mouth about leaving?


    ¡®What¡¯s going on with his family?¡¯


    I really didn¡¯t know.


    Elvin seemed to have a bad rtionship with his family.


    But wasn¡¯t this kind of notification too sudden?


    ¡°What do you mean saying goodbye¡­.?¡±


    My voice trembled a bit because of bewilderment.


    Elvin¡¯s eyes widened as if puzzled by my reaction.


    But soon a smile spread across his lips.


    ¡°Are you sad that I am leaving?¡±


    ¡°A little. May I ask what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been looking for for a long time, and now I¡¯ve found it. If I could postpone it, I would, but they say it is not in good condition¡­¡­¡±


    Elvin¡¯splexion darkened as he continued his words.


    Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t look like it was going well.


    When their eyes met, he spoke again with a nonchnt face.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to the countryside for a while.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I felt sad for some reason.


    When Elvin told me he wanted a friendship, I thought he couldn¡¯t be a real friend.


    considered it


    But at the announcement of his departure, a corner of my heart already felt empty.


    They said we wouldn¡¯t know how our clothes would get wet in the drizzle, and as we had been seeing each other, I seemed to have grown attached to him.


    ¡°While I am away, you can find Noah if you need anything. I have ordered him beforehand, so he will do his best to help the princess.¡±


    Elvin looked down at me with aplicated gaze.


    He then pulled out something wrapped in a luxurious fabric from his pocket and held it out.


    ¡°Take it.¡±


    I made sure that no one was around and epted the item he gave me.


    I didn¡¯t know what was in it, but it was a little heavier than it looked.


    I opened it slowly and looked at Elvin with surprise.


    ¡°What is all this?


    What was wrapped in a thick velvet cloth was a hairpin, a ne, and a bracelet, a total of three ornaments.


    The ne had a simple design that wouldn¡¯t stand out even if you wear it on a regr basis, but it had small jewels embedded in it and the workmanship was exquisite.


    The hairpin and bracelet looked splendid and expensive were what Roxana usually wore.


    ¡°I can¡¯t receive a gift like this on any day.¡±


    I hesitated, then wrapped them up in the cloth and handed them back to Elvin.


    But he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of getting it back.


    ¡°This is a break-up celebration gift. I want to congratte you now, because I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be in the capital at the time that happens.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    I realized that it was a stupid question right after asking.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising that Elvin knew about my breakup with the Crown Prince In advance, as Payne had been expecting it.


    It was only natural for him to notice, as I had so far entrusted many things to his organization.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of wedding or engagement gifts, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of a gift to celebrate a breakup.¡±


    ¡°Is it strange? Then I¡¯ll give it to you as amemoration of our friendship.¡±


    As I felt every time, Elvin¡¯s spending was too generous to ept.


    No matter how wealthy he was, I had never seen anyone who would buy so much jewelry like this.


    Even my fianc¨¦, the Crown Prince, had never delivered gifts to Roxana so often.


    If he was doing business for the sake of money, there would be nothing left.


    So, did Elvin¡¯s overflowing fortunee from the Grand Duke¡¯s family?


    Suddenly, I wondered if the Grand Duke knew of his son¡¯s extravagant spending.


    He probably didn¡¯t know.


    No matter how wealthy the Grand Duke was, if he knew, he could not let his son throw gold nuggets on the roadside.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you too generous? It might be my assumption, but you might go bankrupt giving me expensive gifts like this.¡±


    I was seriously concerned.


    But Elvin struck back with a light smile as if telling me not to worry.


    ¡°Are you worried? It is an honor for the princess to be concerned about me, but I am giving this as a friend, not as an owner of the organization.¡±


    He looked at me tenderly and added.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that because I¡¯m not doing this to anyone else.¡±


    Did he know or pretend not to know? He was sometimes overly kind, and his words were overly sweet.


    If he whispered such misleading words with a gentle face, most people would not fall for it.


    ¡°This is not just ordinary trinkets. Give me a moment, I will show you how to use it.¡±


    Elvin held out his hand.


    With a puzzled face, I handed over the items I had received from him again.


    Then he took out the bracelet from inside.


    ¡°Hold your hand out for a moment.¡±


    When I reached out my hand with a bewildered face, Elvin took off the bracelet I was wearing and put the new one on.


    ¡°If you push this part here, a hidden dagger wille out. It¡¯s small, so it won¡¯t have much effect on people, but it¡¯s still useful if you¡¯re in trouble.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s actions were as fast and natural as flowing water, and I didn¡¯t even have time to stop him.


    I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist and admired it. No one would have expected such a vicious weapon under its splendid appearance.


    Elvin then took out the ne and stood behind me.


    Suddenly, I felt a thin, cold ne string touching my neck.


    ¡°There is a whistle at the end of the ne. I deliberately picked a thin, inconspicuous one, so keep it with you all the time if you can.¡±


    Thest one was the hairpin.


    After helping me to put on the ne, Elvin came back to the front.


    A woman¡¯s hairpin was in his hand this time.


    Because of his beautiful features and his friendly atmosphere, I did not feel ufortable at all, even though he was holding a splendid woman¡¯s jewelry.


    The hairpin was a design that noble girls would like, and it was decorated with gems and fake flowers made of fabric.


    However, if you look closely, the tip of the pin was sharp and pointed, enough to injure a person.


    It was so borately crafted that it was a weapon with purpose, but it looked like a real ordinary hairpin.


    Of course, it would not wither and wouldst longer than fresh flowers.


    Elvin slowly raised his hands. He seemed to be trying to put it on my hair.


    At his nearness, his male scent and clean skin hovered in the air.


    I could feel his gaze reaching right over my head. I stood still and stared straight ahead.


    As I was doing that, I saw a firm chest in front of my eyes.


    On the left side of the dark wine-colored vest was the brooch I gave him.


    I stopped breathing for a moment. For my heart threatened to rage out of its cage.


    The hand that touched my hair was full of hesitation.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t hard, the work of inserting the pin was not finished even after a long time.


    He was perfect and excelled in everything, but Elvin showed his clumsiness for the first time that he had never done anything like this before.


    After a while, Elvin took a step back. He looked pleased as we looked at each other.


    Of course it wasn¡¯t perfect, but the effort he had been concentrating on for a while was imaginable, so I decided to leave it alone.


    I could always ask Joan to fix it again. I reached out and touched my head.


    I felt the cold touch of the pin that Elvin had inserted a while ago.


    The touch of it was obviously cold, but somehow I felt warm.


    ¡°Thank you, but why are you giving me such a gift all of a sudden? It¡¯s not just jewelry, it¡¯s all things that are used for self-defense.¡±


    ¡°If you look at what¡¯s going on inside and outside the Empire these days, things might happen sooner orter. The capital is safe, but there¡¯s always danger lurking beneath.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s words seemed to imply something.


    I asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°What do you mean? Have you heard something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. It¡¯s just my guess. I¡¯m just hoping it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Elvin said lightly, as if nothing special. But I felt uneasy. Come to think of it, Payne also warned me to be careful earlier.


    The Empire was strong and more peaceful thanks to the Duke and Payne¡¯s efforts to have it under control.


    Neighboring countries had been quiet and the war had just ended, so for the time being, it seemed to be safe.


    In addition, the imperial castle, where the emperor resided, would be protected by the imperial guards even in the event of a problem. And there was Duke Lillian. But there must have been some reason for Elvin to say that. I had to watch out for things outside the empire, not just the imperial people. I was already tired of thinking that danger was everywhere.


    ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s nothing wrong with being careful.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I nodded meekly. Elvin continued giving me serious advice.


    ¡°When going out, even if it is cumbersome, always bring an escort and carry all the things I¡¯ve given you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep your words in mind. But you¡¯re acting like you will nevere back. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Elvin raised the corners of his lips.


    Unlike me, who was serious, his expression was easy and light.


    ¡°How¡¯s that possible? I¡¯ll be back within this year, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Wait, this year?


    Looking at my surprised face, Elvin with a pleasant smile.


    ¡°Seeing that the princess misunderstood, I think my exnation was insufficient.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t tease me from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Well, but it sure feels good to have the Princess worry about me.¡±


    With his calm and rxed reaction, I could be sure that Elvin did it on purpose.


    He had been teasing me from the beginning.


    When I saw Elvin¡¯s smiling face, my body stiffened.


    I looked at him, trying to remain calm.


    Of course, my facial expressions weren¡¯t very good.


    ¡°Have I offended the Princess? I¡¯m sorry for causing any concern.¡±


    ¡°Not much. Think as you please. You¡¯re free to have illusions.¡±


    ¡°I thought the Princess was worried. Is it really just my illusion?¡±


    Having experienced his famously bad character once, I could see why people shun him.


    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t know that the princess thought so much about me. Had I known, I would have tried to find another alternative instead of going to the countryside myself.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t answer him anymore because of his yfulness, so I ignored his words and walked away.


    I heard footsteps from behind.


    Although I was walking at a fast pace, he followed without difficulty using his long legs.


    Of course, in the meantime, he didn¡¯t rest his mouth.


    ¡°Is the Princess going to make another friend while I¡¯m away?¡±


    ¡°Well, I might.


    ¡°It¡¯s something I have no control over, but if the princess gets closer to her new friend while I am away, I will be very upset.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    I responded with no sincerity.


    ¡°While we¡¯re apart, won¡¯t our friendship change? I wonder.¡±


    ¡°It is said out of sight, out of mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to work harder when Ie back to make up for it then.¡±


    As we got closer to the banquet hall, I could see more and more people gathered. Apparently, the auction had not started yet.


    Looking at the clock on the wall, I still had a few minutes to spare.


    ¡°Young master Croix.¡±


    When I turned around, Elvin stopped talking. I asked, looking at his bewildered face.


    ¡°When exactly are youing back?¡±


    ¡°The earliest will take about a month, and it may be half a year, maybe more the longest.¡±


    It was much shorter than I expected when I first heard about it, but it was still a long time.


    ¡°Did the Grand Duke allow it?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°No. Anyway, be careful.¡±


    One advantage of being with Elvin was that I didn¡¯t have to deal with annoying people approaching.


    Thanks to that, we were able to talk quietly while we were together. But there was troubleing. I saw the Crown Prince approaching this way with a hard face from afar. Looking at his face, he looked like a husband who had caught the inappropriate scene of his wife¡¯s affair. The sound of his footsteps in the empty hallway seemed to signal the beginning of war.


    ¡°What were you two doing here?¡±


    ***


    *Not gonna lie, this chapter is the best out of all the boring chapters. Love Elvin and Roxana¡¯s yful interaction.

 Chapter 89

    ¡°We met by chance and were chatting.¡±


    Elvin replied.


    Then the Crown Prince looked at me this time.


    ¡°Now you don¡¯t even acknowledge me or greet me.


    Roxana, are you bing more and more like Elvin because you¡¯re hanging out with him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seeing the Crown Prince.¡±


    After my reluctant greeting, the Crown Prince¡¯s expression worsened even more.


    His gaze searched around me.


    ¡®What are you looking at?¡¯


    I remembered the existence of the hairpin that Elvin had ced on my hair earlier.


    Other than that, there was a bracelet and a ne.


    I thought that the Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t recognize the small change in the degree that the essories were changed.


    But looking at that expression, it was clear that he knew.


    Just as the Crown Prince was about to speak, Joan walked up to us from afar with an urgent expression.


    ¡°I see the Crown Prince.¡±


    She greeted the Crown Prince first.


    Then she looked towards me.


    ¡°Lady, who is next to you¡­?¡±


    Joan recognized Elvin and was surprised.


    When I gave her attention with a wink, she quickly regained herposure and spoke her original purpose.


    ¡°Lady, His Excellency is looking for you. The auction will start soon. He¡¯s worried because you haven¡¯te back after a long time.¡±


    I turned to the Crown Prince who stood in silence.


    ¡°Your Highness, did you hear it? My father is looking for me. As a daughter, I can¡¯t help but go. So if you have something to say, we¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    ¡°Wait. I still have something to say.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I also have something to tell you. See youter at the fountain after the event.¡±


    I turned around without hesitation.


    As I was about to return to the banquet hall with Joan, Elvin caught me.


    ¡°Princess, wait a minute. You dropped this.¡±


    He held out something wrapped in cloth.


    It contained the bracelet I was originally wearing before he gave me a new one.


    The Crown Prince looked at us with a re, wanting to know what was going on.


    ¡°I almost forgot. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just returning what you dropped. Then I¡¯ll go. Enjoy the rest of your time.¡±


    ¡°All right. Goodbye.¡±


    After leaving a brief greeting, Elvin disappeared.


    Thinking that I wouldn¡¯t be able to see him for a while, I felt a bit sad.


    On the other side, the Crown Prince¡¯s hot gaze was felt.


    I ignored him and entered the banquet hall.


    ***


    ¡°His Excellency is already inside.¡±


    The auction was held in a separate room inside the banquet hall.


    Joan whispered quietly as I went to find a seat.


    ¡°Lady, it was Young Master of Croix earlier. I thought I saw you left with the second Prince¡­¡­ what happened?¡±


    ¡°We met by chance.¡±


    ¡°By the way, from whom did you get the bracelet and the hairpin? What¡¯s the hair? Did you do it yourself?¡±


    Instead of answering, I handed her the bracelet I was holding in my hand.


    ¡°I have this.¡±


    Joan opened the cloth with her puzzled face and checked what was inside.


    She still had a lot of questions to ask, but didn¡¯t ask any more, knowing I wouldn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the terrace or the lounge first. I¡¯ll fix your hair.¡±


    Before entering the venue, as Joan said, we headed to the terrace.


    ¡°Stand for a moment.¡±


    While Joan touched my hair, I checked my reflection in the ss.


    It looked like she had my hair part in half and the hairpin secured at the top.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it.¡±


    After fixing it, it feltpletely different from before.


    Compared to earlier, it was better because she had good dexterity.


    However, when I recalled Elvin¡¯s hand that had been concentrating for a long time to insert the hairpin, I thought his efforts had gone to waste.


    When I went back inside, the auction had already started.


    Looking around, I saw the Duke sitting at the top.


    A little further away, the Crown Prince and the second prince were also seen.


    Unknown where she went, ire was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°You arete. Have you been with the second Prince until now?¡±


    As I sat down next to him, the Duke asked.


    His expression was full of suspicion.


    ¡°No. I met a friend in the middle. It¡¯ste because I forgot the time as we talked for a while.¡±


    ¡°I see. Anyway, from now on, don¡¯t go alone. I think I¡¯ve said this before, but if it¡¯s too much to bring escorts, take your maids with you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The duke¡¯s nagging continued for a long time.


    I nodded my head moderately, thinking that it would be longer if I argued.


    ¡°You always answer well.¡±


    The Duke looked at me with a helpless expression.


    ¡°Wherever you go and what you do, that¡¯s fine as long as you like it. But don¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡±


    This time, it was not easy to answer.


    Somehow, as if my throat was clogged, words could note out easily, so I nodded my head a bitte.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    On the podium, Marquis Flynn was personally presenting old masterpieces.


    It was difficult to understand because the exnation wasplicated with terms I didn¡¯t know well.


    However, the paintings seemed quite expensive even to me, who was not familiar with art.


    The painting sold for ten thousand pounds.


    Considering that an ordinary house in the capital costs ¡ê50,000, it was a huge sum. (*I don¡¯t think it used ¡°pound¡± in this period of time, but that¡¯s all I got.)


    After the first painting, there were many expensive objects that could be seen in museums or exhibitions.


    Various kinds of precious objects, such as paintings, statues, ceramics, and ornaments, appeared one after another and were sold.


    It was my first visit to the auction house, so I was initially interested in the sight I saw for the first time in my life.


    As time passed, it became more and more boring.


    But it couldn¡¯t be skipped.


    The most important event still remained.


    The servant brought the next item and ced it on the table.


    Unlike the previous ones, it was covered with a dark cloth.


    The marquis smiled with satisfaction as he received attention and questions from the people.


    Then he reached out and removed the cloth that was covering the object.


    A tiara was seen on top of a soft velvet cushion.


    The tiara wasvishly encrusted with jewels, and the craftsmanship was very delicate and gorgeous.


    People were amazed at the sight.


    However, only one person was unable to fully appreciate it and was hardened.


    ¡°This tiara, which was a gift from thest of the now vanished Grand Duke of Baillette¡¯s family when he proposed to the Grand Duchess, was coveted by many after her death, but was lost for over a hundred years.¡±


    From the moment the tiara, which was covered with a cloth, was revealed, the Crown Prince¡¯s expression was a mess.


    He was barely holding it in to be conscious of people¡¯s gaze, but I could see how embarrassed and angry he was.


    ¡°It is a very precious item with many legends. It was donated by none other than Princess Lillian.¡±


    Marquis Flynn looked at me and added.


    As soon as he finished speaking, someone raised his hand and shouted.


    ¡°One hundred thousand pounds!¡±


    ¡°One hundred and fifty thousand pounds!¡±


    ¡°One hundred and eighty thousand pounds!¡±


    ¡°Two hundred thousand pounds!¡±


    ¡°Three hundred thousand pounds!¡±


    Every time people raised their hands, the auction price skyrocketed.


    I was a little scared.


    Then, the Crown Prince raised his hand and said:


    ¡°A million pounds.¡±


    There was a moment of silence in the hall.


    Soon, people murmured as if on fire.


    To see a tiara the size of a palm being sold for the price of a castle, I too could not hide my surprise.


    ¡°If no one is willing to pay more than this, I will win the bid.¡±


    After the Crown Prince, no one raised his hand any more.


    The auction house, which had been overheated with the heat until a while ago, became quiet in an instant as if it had been covered in cold water.


    Aside from his ability to pay a huge sum of ¡ê1 million, the Crown Prince stepped forward because no one dared to steal his belongings.


    In the end, the tiara returned to its owner¡¯s arms once again. (*it¡¯s the tiara the CP gave Roxana but she refused to wear it, now she auctioned it.)


    Throughout the event, the Crown Prince showed his displeasure.


    Because of that, the people around him were sitting on a cushion of thorns.


    Someone talked to him to loosen up the atmosphere, but after seeing the opposite effect, no one dared to continue.


    Before the auction ended, I got up.


    But the Crown Prince, who was watching me, also quietly got up.


    ¡°Where are you going again this time?¡±


    The Duke asked me with a worried face.


    ¡°I have some unfinished business with His Highness. I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    I quickly left before the duke caught me again.


    However, as he advised, I did not forget to take the knights to escort me this time.


    While I was talking with the Duke, the Crown Prince came out and was waiting for me at the door.


    When our eyes met, he walked forward without saying a word, as if to follow him.


    ¡°Lady, did you see the Crown Prince¡¯s expression earlier? I am worried about it.¡±


    Joan, who had been following me, whispered anxiously.


    ¡°He looked serious. You gave away his precious gift, he must feel bad. Let¡¯s just skip today and talk to him again when his anger is over¡­¡±


    I left her and walked away.


    ¡°Lady, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Joan followed me as I walked after the Crown Prince without making a loud noise.


    ***


    We finally stopped when we reached a ce where no one around.


    The Crown Prince looked back at me.


    Theplex emotions were seen in his blue eyes.


    ¡°What happened to the tiara? Why is the gift I gave you up for auction?¡±


    ¡°They donate the proceeds for a good cause, so of course we should help. Before I was a noble, I couldn¡¯t stand still as an imperial citizen.¡±


    The Crown Prince scoffed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know before that you thought of people that much. I¡¯ll return the tiara to you and make sure you keep it with you this time.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°Are you disappointed with me about what happened earlier? I helped ire.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t disappointment only when there is expectation in the first ce?¡±


    He looked at me like what nonsense I was talking about.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anything, so I wasn¡¯t disappointed. Got an answer? Just do it as usual. I think I¡¯m morefortable with it now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After a brief silence, he spoke in a stifled voice.


    ¡°If you want to criticize others, why don¡¯t you look at how you behave before you speak?¡±


    I looked at the Crown Prince to see what he was saying.


    His expression was not only serious, but also quite sad.


    ¡°The brooch you gave to Elvin, I pretended not to know while I knew it. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary now. I¡¯ll ask again. What¡¯s the rtionship between you and Elvin?¡±


    When I looked at him coldly without answering, the Crown Prince clenched his teeth.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t let it slide likest time. I must get the correct answer today.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell youst time? I have nothing to do with the young master of Croix. No matter what our rtionship is, Your Highness has no right to interfere.¡±


    ¡°You are the Crown Princess. You will be the Empress in the future. If you keep going like this¡­ I will consider breaking up the marriage.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Crown Prince opened his eyes wide as if he had heard something unbelievable.


    ¡°What did you just say¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what Your Highness desires, then I must obey your will.¡±

 Chapter 90

    ¡°You can easily say the word ¡®breakup¡¯pared to before.¡±


    The Crown Prince clenched his teeth.


    He seemed to have been hurt by my words, but he looked to be more surprised and angry than that.


    Even though he was the one who mentioned the break up.


    But I looked at him without saying a word because it was cumbersome to point out that fact.


    He then asked as if he could not understand what I said.


    ¡°Why are you doing this to me? It¡¯s not just ire, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not just because of Lady Dana. But are you asking because you really don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Crown Prince did not hesitate at all, and immediately nodded his head.


    The corners of my lips rose crookedly at his brazenness.


    ¡°Tell me the person who helped ire escape from prison. When you send the assassin to the prison to kill my nanny for her, were you not even prepared to face the consequences?¡±


    The Crown Prince was silent for a moment.


    A few minutes of silence passed.


    When I revealed that I knew the secret, our rtionship was over.


    I waited silently for what woulde out of his mouth.


    Apologies, excuses, regrets?


    Either way it didn¡¯t matter.


    It had already gone too far and there was no way to return.


    ¡°Was that really your thing, Roxana?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked me with a shocked face.


    But I was even more surprised by his reaction.


    ¡°Is that all you have to say? You have killed for Lady Dana¡­.and you¡¯re asking me that?¡±


    This time, the Crown Prince kept his mouth shut, as if he couldn¡¯t find what to say.


    I took a white envelope from my pocket and handed it to him.


    He reluctantly epted the envelope with an anxious face.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It is a break up letter. Considering our past, I think it would be better to deliver it directly than to have someone notify you.¡±


    Engagement and marriage were different but one break up could solve the problem of two.


    Ever since I came to this world, this was the most I had aplished.


    I could have sent a letter of break up right after asking the duke¡¯s permission, but I had to wait to pick a day with a lot of people like today.


    During the conversation, something shook behind the Crown Prince.


    As the sun went down and it became dark everywhere, the shadow of a person reflected in the moonlight was flickering.


    It was as if someone was listening to our conversation.


    The ce where we were standing was away from the building where people gathered.


    As it was a remote ce, there was no one in sight.


    It was suitable for secret conversations and meetings.


    There was only one pair of shadows visible now, but it was impossible to know how many more there were around.


    In the eyes of others, everything would appear to be a coincidence.


    In addition, they wouldn¡¯t talk recklessly since it¡¯s rted to the imperial family, but soon many people would know.


    And there was no way the 2nd Prince¡¯s forces could ignore what could be the Crown Prince¡¯s weakness.


    ¡°A break up letter¡­? Am I hearing it right?¡±


    The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s right. I would appreciate it if you deal with it within this month at thetest.¡±


    The envelope crumpled when he tightened his hand.


    The paper that I had been working on for several days was crumpled up in a mess.


    However, it didn¡¯t matter if the Crown Prince burned the paper right in front of my eyes.


    Because I could send it again.


    What¡¯s important was my decision, and I could send back several copies of that kind of paper.


    ¡°Roxana, how could you do this to me?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked with a face full of betrayal.


    ¡°Now why did you ask me toe here? Wasn¡¯t that what Your Highness wanted too? You met with your lover behind your fianc¨¦e¡¯s back¡­With whom you want to be with¡­¡±


    The Crown Prince clenched his teeth.


    And he tried to approach me.


    Immediately after that, the Duke¡¯s knights, who had been standing like statues, blocked his way.


    ¡°It¡¯s rude. How dare you block the Crown Prince?¡±


    He warned in a low voice and his escort was outraged.


    But he brought only one escort, and there were three knights on my side.


    So it didn¡¯t look very threatening.


    ¡°Crown Prince, please forgive the rudeness. I¡¯m sorry, but His Excellency has given an order to stop anyone who tries to approach the Princess more than necessary.¡±


    I was worried that there would be another uproar this time, but the fight didn¡¯t happen.


    Ignoring them, he looked at me and said in a sincere voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one I want to be with, Roxana.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s expression was desperate.


    But I could not believe the crocodile¡¯s tears.


    I sneered coldly.


    ¡°Who would believe that? Even if it is true, it has nothing to do with me now. Because I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s face hardened visibly, like a crack in a mirror.


    He looked precarious as his white skin was turning pale, as if he would copse at any moment.


    ¡°I will leave first.¡±


    I turned away slowly, leaving the stunned Crown Prince behind.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s voice, which seemed to be iprehensible, fell slowly and heavily behind me.


    ¡°Viscountess Willis had already betrayed you. So why are you so angry?¡±


    I froze for a moment.


    I doubted my ears, wondering if I had heard it wrong.


    However, when I turned around, the moment I saw his unshakable eyes¡­ I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°Now¡­ Your Highness, are you confessing that it was for me that you killed the nanny who raised me?¡±


    The Crown Prince lowered his gaze.


    His long eyshes and half-covered eyes flickered for a moment.


    But he soon looked straight at me and said:


    ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯spletely not.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­!¡±


    The words that came out of his mouth were absurd and surprising. But this time, I was speechless and horrified.


    ¡°Are you talking sanely?¡±


    Then, a little movement was heard behind a tree a little away. It seemed that it was not only us who visited this ce for a secret meeting.


    ¡°Who is there?¡±


    Just then, I saw a pair of a young man and woman approaching from afar.


    When they found me and the Crown Prince, they bowed their heads in surprise.


    ¡°I see the Crown Prince and Princess.¡±


    The Crown Prince nodded his head without saying a word.


    Our conversation was interrupted and it seemed that the Crown Prince had something else to say, but it was difficult to talk in front of others.


    As the atmosphere became awkward, the man said with a puzzled smile on his face.


    ¡°Perhaps we interrupted your conversation?¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at the two with a cold face in continuous silence.


    The atmosphere grew heavier.


    A look of trouble was added to the face of the man who asked the question. I quickly spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I was about to go back anyway. I hope you have a good time. I¡¯ll see you next time if there is a chance.¡±


    I left before the Crown Prince caught me.


    I didn¡¯t look back, so I couldn¡¯t really see what his expression looked like.


    Perhaps It was nothing good.


    I set out in the hope that the couple left behind would not be the subject of the Crown Prince¡¯s anger.


    ***


    ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°That¡­..¡±


    The Crown Prince asked.


    The man was speechless.


    He came all the way here while looking for a quiet ce for a secret meeting, but he didn¡¯t expect to see the Crown Prince and princess fighting.


    Judging by the atmosphere, they seemed to be arguing quite seriously, but at the point when their eyes met, we couldn¡¯t go back without greeting¡­¡­


    It was a really difficult situation.


    In the end, he approached and greeted them, but it must have been the wrong choice.


    The man nced at the Crown Prince.


    Then, seeing his fierce expression, the man swallowed.


    Suddenly, a cold sweat formed on his forehead.


    ¡°We were admiring the moonlight because it is exceptionally beautiful tonight.¡±


    Instead of the stiff man, the woman answered.


    Her gaze at the Crown Prince was full of envy.


    Because of his noble and pure blood, his face was handsome and sweet.


    He would be wless if it weren¡¯t for Baron Dana¡¯s daughter, who was always attached to him.


    Seeing that the Crown Prince had taken a liking to a low ss status like ire, she (the woman) might have a chance for herself.


    Recently, the Crown Prince had been trying to distance himself from Lady Dana, and it seemed that his rtionship with the Princess was not very good either.


    If the seat next to the Crown Prince was vacant, there would be now in the world that she wouldn¡¯t be the second Lady Dana.


    ¡°Certainly quiet and secluded is suitable for viewing the moon. The sky is also clear. But it¡¯s a shame that it¡¯s more bleak than I thought.¡±


    She replied shyly with a blushed face.


    With a smile on her lips, she asionally nced at the Crown Prince with a subtle gaze.


    The face of the man next to her deteriorated as the woman tried to seduce the Crown Prince.


    He met her for the first time today, and he didn¡¯t like her that much, so there wasn¡¯t much to lose.


    He was offended, but it wasn¡¯t something he couldn¡¯t understand since his opponent was the Crown Prince.


    But now, the Crown Prince would not fall for such a trivial temptation.


    Not only that, but he looked furious.


    It seemed that the woman didn¡¯t notice, but when the princess left earlier, the Crown Prince¡¯s expression looked as precarious as ss on the verge of breaking.


    It was very foolish to provoke him like that.


    ¡°You can leave.¡±


    The Crown Prince responded as if he was annoyed.


    ¡°If I go back to the banquet hall now, it will be in full swing and noisy. It¡¯s a nice evening, so would you like to enjoy it together before returning to the banquet hall?¡±


    The woman asked with bright eyes and anticipation.


    A slight contempt shed in the man¡¯s gaze.


    It was the first time she, a daughter of a lower status aristocrat, had seen the Crown Prince this close, so she seemed excited.


    That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t understand the atmosphere.


    The man was only worried that sparks would ignite on himselfter because of her.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me? Just go.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s voice was as cold as ice.


    At the end of his voice, there was a hint of irritation that could not be hidden, and his gaze was deadly.


    Feeling the chill, the woman hesitated and stepped back.


    Her whole body froze in fear, and she grabbed the man¡¯s hem and hid behind him.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, then we will leave.¡±


    After the man greeted the Crown Prince, he took the woman, who was stunned, and disappeared somewhere.


    The Crown Prince looked at their backs and headed towards the direction he had heard noises before.


    There were scattered leaves all around, and there were traces of the grass being trampled on.


    It was clear that someone else had been there a while ago.


    But that someone had already disappeared into an invisible ce.

 Chapter 91

    ¡®It would have been toote to get her again.¡¯


    The Crown Prince looked down at him with aplicated gaze. Then, his knight shouted from a distance.


    ¡°Your Highness, we have captured the suspect.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t there already one who had heard the conversation a while ago? The Crown Prince was about to faint in anger. He turned angrily towards the sound. A middle-aged man and woman were in the hidden bushes.


    ¡°What were you doing here like a rat?¡±


    They flinched at the sight of the Crown Prince¡¯s deadly gaze.


    ¡°We just¡­¡±


    A man and a woman who were close together with their messy clothes, what could be the reason why they were together in a ce where it was rare to be alone at night?


    ¡°Is it adultery? It¡¯s vulgar.¡±


    The Crown Prince was cynical.


    Both faces of the couple turned red.


    They were judged, but fear and anxiety were greater than shame.


    Even if it was unintentional, they were caught listening to the conversation between the Crown Prince and the princess, so there was no excuse in this situation.


    Then the conversation was¡­.


    ¡°We won¡¯t tell what we heard and saw here today.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not good for us for people to know that we¡¯re here today too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You can rest assured that we¡¯ll never go anywhere and talk about it.¡±


    The woman spoke and poked the man next to her with her elbow.


    The Crown Prince scoffed.


    ¡°Rx? You should be worried. You dare to listen to the conversation between the Crown Prince and the Princess, yet you are still alive.¡±


    The Crown Prince spoke bluntly, but the middle-aged lover took a deep breath at the words ¡®still alive¡¯.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t hear anything. But how can I tell others things I haven¡¯t seen or heard?¡±


    The woman kept herposure as much as possible.


    At that, the Crown Prince raised the corners of his lips, smirking.


    ¡°It must be so. Otherwise, not only you, but also your family will not be safe. If you don¡¯t want your whole family to live a hellish life with neither dying nor living, you better keep your mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±


    The couple nodded in fear.


    They were well aware that the quarrel with the princess made the Crown Prince angry.


    But they couldn¡¯t believe it when evil words came pouring out of the mouth of the Crown Prince, who had a reputation for being merciful and just.


    ¡°Go. I don¡¯t want you to show up anywhere in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    It was clear that she hated the prince, so the woman burst into tears.


    She didn¡¯t know what the Crown Prince was thinking.


    As long as the Duke¡¯s side decided to break the marriage anyway, it would be only a matter of time before the news of the breakup became known.


    The woman led the man out of the room quickly.


    After the two left, the Crown Prince looked around slowly.


    Now that he looked carefully, there were many ces to hide around.


    Was it a coincidence or intentional that Roxana chose this ce for the conversation?


    He thought it was probably thetter.


    The Crown Prince lowered his gaze, looking at the floor.


    He seemed to be thinking of something.


    He quickly turned around and spoke coldly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ***


    Ten more minutes after the Crown Prince disappeared, a different couple walked out from behind the wall.


    The woman¡¯splexion was pale, and the man¡¯s face was dull.


    Unlike those who had encountered the Crown Prince earlier, these two did not seem like they were in a romantic rtionship.


    ¡°I thought I was going to get caught earlier, but thank you for your help. I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    The woman nodded towards the man and left.


    She seemed to want to get out of this ce as soon as possible as she walked hurriedly. She entered the hallway, wary of her surroundings, lest anyone else appear again.


    Then, someone grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°Sarah, why did it take you so long to get some air? You didn¡¯te back, so I thought something else had happened.¡±


    When someone touched her, Sarah was startled, as if she had been burned by fire.


    When Sarah was terrified as if she had seen a ghost, Lady Mason, who had caught her, widened her eyes in amazement.


    She asked in a puzzled voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Sarah pondered for a long time, then pursed her lips.


    But she eventually shook her head with a pale, tired face.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not nothing. Tell me. Are you sick? Or maybe something¡­.¡±


    Lady Mason grabbed Sarah¡¯s hand tightly with a worried face.


    Her gaze at Sarah was filled withpassion.


    Sarah was recently betrayed by her lover and lost her parents.


    After being betrayed by her lover she trusted, she recently returned to the capital, and all that awaited her was the disgraceful death of her biological mother, the Viscountess Willis.


    When she came back, she stayed in her room for a while.


    In order to rejuvenate her former life and elevate her depression, she went to the auction today with Lady Mason.


    She was cautious at first, but then she calmed down.


    But when she went out for a short walk, she didn¡¯te back after a long time.


    Just as Lady Mason was concerned about what might have happened, Sarah came back.


    She didn¡¯t know what had happened, but Sarah looked very shocked.


    ¡°Tell me. Worry is halved if you share it.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Sarah looked at Lady Mason with aplicated face.


    They had known each other since childhood, and Lady Mason helped her several times in difficult situations.


    Lady Mason was the only one who greeted her warmly when Viscountess Willis was imprisoned in the prison and she was used of being the daughter of a criminal, with everyone turned against her.


    But would it be okay if she divulged this secret to others?


    Recalling the conversation she heard earlier, the Crown Prince had killed a person for his lover.


    It was true that her mother had done her wrong, but it was never a mortal sin.


    At first, she med the princess for throwing away her long-time loyal servant and eventually leading her to her death, but the true culprit was someone else.


    However, both the Crown Prince and the Princess were in high positions that she could not reach.


    That¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t been able to do anything until now, and it was still the same now that she found out the truth.


    Up until now, she had only felt fear, but as she went out to a bright and crowded ce, the fear began to subside little by little.


    Instead, resentment, anger, and revenge filled its ce.


    Sarah bit her lip.


    She had no power to avenge her mother.


    So she had no choice but to borrow someone¡¯s power.


    At the same time, the Lady in front of her, unlike herself, had a good family and a ce in society.


    Lady Mason was very much loved and treated with great respect in her family.


    In addition, her father, Count Mason, was the second Prince¡¯s subordinate and had been trying to get the two together.


    So what was a better opportunity than this?


    Sarah grabbed her two hands holding her tightly so as not to let go.


    ¡°Eileen, I have a request. Can you help me just this one time?¡±


    ***


    The second Prince Pce.


    Early in the morning, someone knocked on the office door.


    It was Count Mason.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    As soon as the permission was granted, the door opened, revealing the scenery of the room.


    Payne was sitting at his desk, processing his papers with a pen in one hand.


    As the white morning sun poured through the window behind him, his calm silver hair shimmered in the light.


    A picture-like appearance was added to the monotonous and deste room, making it not boring at all.


    ¡°Count, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Payne raised his head, nced at his opponent, and then turned his gaze back to the papers.


    Count Mason hesitated, unable to speak easily.


    The 2nd Prince was a difficult person to approach, feeling a wall somewhere.


    Due to his long battlefield life, the noble status of a prince added to the atmosphere that was imprable.


    Standing in front of him, people naturally shrink without being threatened.


    But he hated wasting his time with useless things.


    Count Mason opened his mouth with a trembling heart.


    ¡°Last evening, my daughter said that she heard a conversation between the Crown Prince and the Princess by the fountain in the garden of the annex of the Marquis of Evans. At first, I thought it was nonsense, but it would be good to check it anyway.¡±


    Count Mason¡¯s voice grew more and more gloomy towards the end.


    He believed his daughter¡¯s words, but he had a tendency to think that it was premature to visit the second Prince without any evidence.


    ¡°Keep talking. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    He did not reproach the source of the business, but Payne¡¯s gaze remained on the document.


    Count Mason swallowed his dry saliva.


    ¡°Your Highness, do you know a woman named Viscountess Willis, who recentlymitted suicide in prison?¡±


    Payne¡¯s fingers stopped at the familiar name he had heard before.


    He fixed his gaze on the papers and nodded his head with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°I heard about it.¡±


    ¡°Viscountess Willis did notmit suicide, she was murdered. It is said that it was also ordered by the Crown Prince. Lady Dana was imprisoned in her prison, so he killed the Viscountess for her sake. If it were true, wouldn¡¯t it have a big impact when the truth was revealed? If used well, it will be of great help to us.¡±


    Count Mason paused for a moment and looked into Payne¡¯s eyes.


    But Payne was not moved by this shocking news.


    He showed no dissatisfied reaction, such as givingpliments or giving away awards, and, of course, he didn¡¯t show the slightest surprise as if he knew about it.


    Count Mason was a little disappointed.


    However, there were two pieces of news from the beginning that he would pass on to the second prince.


    The Count opened his mouth, hoping that the next news could catch the prince¡¯s attention.


    ¡°I have one more piece of news to tell you. It is said that the Princess unterally notified the Crown Prince of her breakup.¡±


    The second prince, who showed a detached attitude to everything, seemed to be surprised this time.


    He then put down the papers he was holding in his hand and lifted his head.


    ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    As Payne showed interest in the news he had brought, a smirk crossed Count Mason¡¯s face.


    The second prince was a strong candidate for session to the throne, but he didn¡¯t seem to have deep confidence in him yet.


    So, if he caught his eye on this asion, he wouldter be the emperor¡¯s henchman.


    Count Mason continued to speak with a nk expression on his face.


    ¡°You need to check it out. Everyone knows that the rtionship between the two of them has not been smoothtely. Isn¡¯t there a case where she came to a banquet with her father instead of the Crown Prince?


    There were many other signs.¡±


    While listening to Count Mason¡¯s story, Payne¡¯s expression did not change.


    The breakup of the Crown Prince and the princess was already foreseen.


    And yesterday, he heard a hint, or even a definitive answer from the Princess herself.


    So what Count Mason said was probably true.


    He didn¡¯t know it would be this fast.


    Payne remembered Roxana¡¯s face he had seen yesterday.


    As he recalled her, a light smile appeared on his lips.


    However, it was such a subtle change that even Payne did not notice.


    ¡°Your Highness, are you listening?¡±


    Payne woke up from his thoughts at the sound of Count Mason¡¯s call.


    ¡°How far have you been talking?¡±


    While listening, the second Prince¡¯s gaze was directed elsewhere. When Payne seemed to have lost interest in his story, Count Mason was impatient.


    He spoke patiently, trying to keep hisposure as much as possible.


    ¡°At the charity event, Princess Lillian donated her rare tiara and put it up for auction. Because of that, she was praised by many for being generous, do you remember that?¡±

 Chapter 92

    ¡°It just happened yesterday, so I didn¡¯t forget it. But what about that?¡±


    A moment ago, Payne¡¯s eyes, which had been soaked with thoughts, contained warmth.


    However, when he woke up from his thoughts, his expression looked cold as usual.


    Count Mason was puzzled, but did not express it.


    Because there were more important things to do now.


    ¡°I found out that the tiara was purchased by the Crown Prince with arge sum of money for the princess¡¯s birthday. The princess gave away her birthday present from the Crown Prince.¡±


    Count Mason paused for a moment and watched Payne¡¯s reaction.


    He had a thoughtful face.


    Count Mason kept on talking about his investigations before his interest waned.


    ¡°It is fortunate if it was done after asking for permission, but the Crown Prince paid arge sum to get it back. Isn¡¯t it obvious what happened?¡±


    ¡°Right. Who else knows about that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my daughter and I grounded her. But why do you ask..?¡±


    Count Mason asked suspiciously.


    Payne looked at him and said calmly.


    ¡°Bring her tomorrow. I need to ask her something.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Count Mason didn¡¯t know if it was a good thing Payne had asked him to bring his daughter.


    The fact that the Prince willingly set aside time to meet with him showed that he was interested in this work.


    If he called his daughter to check, perhaps the Prince didn¡¯t believe what he said.


    He thought at best, but as soon as he heard the news he ran to report.


    He was upset, but there was one bigger problem.


    His daughter was beautifully grown, but she was naive and clumsy.


    The 2nd prince was polite and kind to everyone.


    Because of his beautiful appearance, his status as a prince, and his courteous attitude, he has no fiancee unlike the Crown prince, so his poprity among unmarried aristocraticdies has skyrocketed.


    However, the second prince was not as meek as was known.


    He was cold-hearted and showed no mercy when it came to business.


    If Eileen, Count Mason¡¯s daughter, makes a mistake in front of the second Prince¡­.


    A cold sweat formed on the Count¡¯s forehead just by imagining it.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Unable to disobey the prince¡¯s orders, Count Mason reluctantly nodded his head.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be tea because I¡¯m busy with a lot of work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡±


    Payne stood up to see the Count off.


    ¡°Count, you worked hard today. Be careful going home. Let¡¯s meet another day.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Then I¡¯ll leave now. Rest well, Your Highness.¡±


    After Count Mason left, Payne sat back down and looked at the papers with aplex expression.


    He sat for a few more hours after that, then lifted his head.


    It was morning when he looked out the window, and the sun was already rising in the middle of the sky.


    The sun rose high in the sky, scattering golden brilliant rays.


    It was a brilliant gold color reminiscent of someone.


    Payne stared out nkly for a moment, then woke up to the sound of a servant knocking on the door outside.


    When he opened the door, the emperor¡¯s servant stood in front of him.


    He looked at Payne and bowed his head politely.


    ¡°I see you, Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver the message from His Majesty that if you¡¯re not busy, His Majesty wants to have lunch with you.¡±


    These days, the number of times the emperor had called him had increased significantly.


    It was one of the factors that sharpened the Crown Prince¡¯s nerves recently.


    The emperor did not look at him even when he was a child.


    He was a heartless father, and he immediately realized that it was unreasonable to expect a close rtionship of blood and flesh from him.


    However, for some reason the emperor showed more interest in him these days.


    This meant that he himself has be useful to him. As a child, he would have rejoiced and looked forward to seeing his father. However, he had already grown up to hope for his parents¡¯ affection. He went through a lot, and those expectations and emotions were fuzzy. Payne looked down at the servant and said in a lowly voice.


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll see him soon.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll deliver your message.¡±


    ***


    A day had passed.


    Today was an exceptionally sunny day.


    The sky was clear without a single cloud and the sunlight was strong.


    Under the hot and dazzling sun that could almost blind your eyes if you looked at it, the imperial pce was showing its majestic majesty as usual.


    ¡°The Second Prince is waiting inside.¡±


    Eileen, guided by the attendant, cautiously entered the room.


    In the parlor, Payne hade first and was sitting.


    He had white, transparent skin and a fine face, and his eyshes seemed to be longer than women¡¯s.


    He had a prettier face than a woman¡¯s, and his shoulders were wide and his legs were long.


    The moment she saw him, she stopped and was stunned.


    The Crown Prince and the 2nd Prince, were all the imperial members so outstanding?


    Just then, a breeze blew through the open window, gently swaying his mysterious silver hair.


    The sight of the 2nd Prince sitting at the table and drinking tea was so beautiful that it was hard to believe that he was a human.


    It was as if she had seen an angel who had just descended upon the earth.


    But the moment their eyes met, contrary to her fantasies, she knew the Prince wasn¡¯t a gentle Angel.


    ¡°I see you, Second Prince.¡±


    Eileen was polite, and she bowed her head gracefully.


    Today, she couldn¡¯t find her usual sassy and lively in herself.


    The day before, she had been warned by her father, Count Mason, to be careful.


    Count Mason was worried and anxious that Payne had called Eileen.


    But even if he was anxious, he had no choice but to obey his order and send his daughter.


    Fortunately, Eileen heeded her father¡¯s warning.


    She was trying to remain as docile and polite as possible, as advised by her the day before.


    ¡°Lady Mason, you must have been surprised by the sudden call, but thank you foring this far without turning down.¡±


    ¡°No. Rather, it¡¯s my honor, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve already heard from your father why I called you.¡±


    Eileen paused for a moment.


    But she soon nodded her head with a calm smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and have a cup of tea and talk.¡±


    At that, she lifted her head and walked slowly.


    She sat quietly in the prepared seat opposite Payne.


    Today, Eileen wore a bright pink dress and tied the same color silk around her neck.


    With cute pearl earrings, and her hair was braided in a gentle yet charming style.


    She woke up early in the morning for a private meeting with the prince and put a lot of effort into dressing up.


    Her light brown eyes were lively and her cheeks were flushed pink, and she looked very lovely.


    She gracefully lifted the cup and took a sip of her tea.


    The ck tea was soft and sweet, probably with sugar and milk, and the cookies that came with it looked cute and appetizing.


    She felt a little bit better when she thought that the 2nd Prince had prepared for her.


    ¡°The tea smells good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±


    ¡°Cookies look delicious, too. Do you like tea or cookies, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I eat anything.¡±


    Payne replied indifferently.


    Unlike Eileen, he did not seem to have the slightest will to continue the conversation.


    Seeing the second prince from afar and seeing him up close were quite different.


    Having talked to him, he was very different from the other nobles in the capital.


    He was on the battlefield for a long time, so his social life wasn¡¯t long, so it exined his hard manners.


    Eileen carefully lifted her gaze and looked at Payne.


    Then she made eye contact with him.


    The eyes of the second prince looking at her were neither warm nor cold.


    There was a painted smile on his lips, but his eyes were indifferent.


    His soft voice was kind, but there was still a sense of distance.


    Eileen was a little disappointed at this, but she did not express it.


    ¡°Certainly, the Imperial Pce Chef is different. I envy you to be able to taste these snacks every day. It would be great if our house had such a great cook.¡±


    ¡°If the snack is to your liking, I¡¯ll tell the chef to make plenty, so you can take some home.¡±


    Payne said in an indifferent voice.


    Eileen opened her eyes wide with genuine joy at those words nheless.


    It was true that snacks were delicious, but what was more enjoyable was the consideration of the second prince.


    ¡°Really? If so, I¡¯m not going to say no. Thank you.¡±


    If she was dignified, she should have refused.


    She felt a little embarrassed, as she seemed overly fond of a few pieces of sweets.


    But she soon found herposure and smiled.


    What was so important to her?


    She didn¡¯t have to care about other people¡¯s eyes as she was the only one in this room with the second Prince.


    Of course, if her father saw this spectacle, he would nag her for being ill mannered and thoughtless.


    However, how could she refuse the Prince¡¯s sincerity?


    Eillen¡¯s lips lifted slightly as she thought she would brag to her friends about today¡¯s meeting.


    However, the time of rejoicing did notst long.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste any more time, so I¡¯ll get right to the point. Yesterday, I heard that at a charity event held at Marquis Flynn¡¯s, you saw the Crown Prince and Princess Lillian talking in person. Can you borate on what it was once again?¡±


    Payne asked with a calm face.


    Eileen¡¯s expression hardened a little.


    Apparently, her father told the Prince that she ¡®directly¡¯ heard the secret conversation in person.


    However, it was at the request of her old friend Sarah to speak to the Prince on her behalf.


    Eileen thought it was not a bad idea at the time, and she said it was no problem, so she dly agreed.


    But now that the 2nd Prince was in front of her, she feels a little bit unsettling.


    Would it be better for her to tell the truth now, or would it be better for her to hide it until the end?


    ¡°Youngdy?¡±


    Payne asked in a puzzled voice.


    Eileen was in trouble for a moment, but Payne¡¯s voice woke her from her thoughts.


    The pair of blue eyes looking at her were as cold and transparent as ice.


    That made him look scary.


    If he found out that she had deceived him, the second prince would definitely be offended.


    Perhaps he would get angry and wouldn¡¯t want to see her again.


    However, she would be able to get closer to him if the words she was about to say were helpful to him.


    After all, the important thing was the content in it, not who heard it.


    ¡°I was going out for a walk to get some air, and I happened to see the Crown Prince and the princess together. Even from a distance, the atmosphere seemed serious.¡±


    After setting aside her troubled thoughts, Eileen began to confide in everything she knew to the best of her heart, as she had practiced beforehand.


    ¡°The Crown Prince questioned the Princess about the tiara he had gifted her as to why she put it up at the auction. After the two of them quarreled, the Crown Prince inquired about the fact that the princess presented Young Master Croix a brooch.¡±

 Chapter 93

    Payne¡¯s hand that was putting down the teacup stopped.


    He frowned with a suspicious face.


    When the 2nd prince showed signs of agitation for the first time while listening, Eileen made an anxious face.


    She was concerned that he might have noticed something strange about her in the story.


    But luckily he didn¡¯t say anything.


    Without asking anything, she continued.


    ¡°The Princess exined that she had nothing to do with Young Master Croix, but the Crown Prince did not believe her. Then there was talk of breaking up the engagement, and the princess said that she would obey the Crown Prince¡¯s will. Oh, there was also the story of Lady Dana. During that time, it seems that the two of them often quarreled over the fact that the Crown Prince cared about her.¡±


    Eileen lowered her voice in the middle and said in a whisper.


    ¡°The most surprising thing is that the Princess said that the Crown Prince had killed Viscountess Willis to get the daughter of Baron Dana out of prison¡­¡±


    The conversation went on for a long time. Eileen repeated what she had heard from Sarah as close to details as possible.


    After hearing everything, Payne had sunken eyes as if he was thinking of something.


    When he didn¡¯t say anything, Eileen wiggled her fingers awkwardly.


    The silent spacious room was filled with only the sound of the clock¡¯s second hand moving.


    Eileen nced at Payne, who was sitting opposite her.


    The face of the 2nd prince immersed in thoughts was so beautiful that once seen, no one could not forget it.


    People tend to be more beautiful when viewed from a distance than when viewed up close.


    Because the closer you get, the more ws you can¡¯t see from afar wille to light.


    But he was quite the opposite.


    His skin, as white and transparent as snow, was clean with no blemishes even from a close up, with a high forehead and a straight nose.


    If there was one regrettable part, it was that she could not appreciate that figure as much as she would like.


    While waiting for Payne to speak, she drank her tea and ate the snacks.


    ¡°By the way, was the Crown Prince alone without an escort?¡±


    A few minutester, Payne asked curiously.


    Eileen was almost taken by surprise at the unexpected question.


    ¡°I think there probably was.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that she knew for sure, but it was the Crown Prince so there must be an escort somewhere.


    She nced at Payne, wondering if he thought something was strange. Fortunately, his expression was not different from before.


    ¡°Do you remember how many there were?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I didn¡¯t really pay attention to the people around me because I only looked at the two of them, the Crown Prince and the Princess¡­¡±


    Eileen answered while keeping her expression as calm as possible.


    Outwardly she looked fine, but on the inside she was very nervous.


    Would she have been better off just answering haphazardly?


    No, but if it turned out to be false, it would be more difficultter on.


    She now wished Sarah was here instead.


    She regretted not asking Sarah more closely about what happened yesterday.


    ¡°Well, it could be.¡±


    Payne narrowed his eyes.


    Contrary to her words, Eileen, who read the suspicion in his gaze, had a cold sweat running down her back.


    He asked her a few more questions.


    It was trivial questions such as where she stood when she listened to the conversation, and whether she was not caught overheard overhearing the conversation.


    To prepare for such a situation, she called Sarah yesterday in advance and inquired in detail, so she was able to answer without difficulty.


    However, as the conversation continued, Eileen¡¯s back and palms became damp with sweat.


    ¡°I will ask you onest time. When the Crown Prince and the princess were talking, was thedy alone?¡±


    This question could not be easily answered.


    But, seeing that Sarah didn¡¯t say anything about it, she must have been alone.


    At that time, she didn¡¯t know whether Sarah was alone or not.


    She was alone when she left the banquet hall, and she was alone when she returned.


    Afterpleting her calctions, Eileen answered without procrastinating.


    ¡°Yes. I was alone.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Pain raised the corners of his lips humbly.


    It was the first light smile, but it didn¡¯t look like he was in a good mood.


    The second prince she saw at the banquet hall was kind to everyone.


    He was young, handsome, promising, and had a clean rtionship with women, so she fell in love with him from the very beginning, but she was not the only one who showed interest in him, but he was polite and courteous, and he resolutely drew a line with everyone.


    Nheless she had high expectations when she was called to meet him today.


    But the more they talked, the more disappointed she became.


    She looked at the attitude of the second prince toward her, and it seemed that he had no interest in her at all.


    And she had a strange conviction that it would never happen again.


    ¡°Youngdy, do you know what kind of punishment the crime of deceiving the royal family by falsehood is?¡± Payne asked coldly.


    At his words, Eileen panicked for a moment and forgot to manage her facial expressions.


    Startled, she lifted her head, and his and her eyes met.


    The moment she met his cold gaze, she felt a chill that seemed to freeze even to her heart.


    Her body stiffened and her spine shivered as if she had been thrown into arge beast cage.


    She avoided his gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Prince is talking about¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that the Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t have had any escort by his side. You were so close that you didn¡¯t get noticed? Do you think that makes sense?¡±


    Finally¡­ she got caught lying.


    Eileen felt her head go white.


    She thought she was well prepared and she wouldn¡¯t be found out.


    Even if she was found out, she had not expected that the second prince would question her so fiercely.


    She was so scared and anxious that she felt like she was about to cry.


    ¡°Even now, if you tell the truth, everything will go unnoticed. So I hope you will answer the truth from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Okay¡­¡­.¡±


    When Payne said that he would let the matter go, Eileen answered in a crawling voice.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you made up everything you¡¯ve heard before, but from whom did you hear it?¡±


    Since she was caught anyway, Eileen couldn¡¯t make the second prince angry with additional lies.


    Sarah asked her to keep it a secret, but¡­¡­


    There was nothing she could do in this situation right now.


    Eileen confessed quickly.


    ¡°I heard from a friend. Even if she tells people herself, they wouldn¡¯t believe her, so she asked me to tell what she saw, so I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±


    ¡°So who is that friend?¡±


    ¡°Viscountess Willis¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Viscountess Willis¡¯s daughter?¡±


    Payne frowned.


    ¡°Yes. Viscountess Willis¡¯s daughter. She known that not long ago her mother hadmitted suicide in prison as a sinner.¡±


    ***


    ***


    ¡°She¡¯s such a bold woman.¡±


    After Payne and Eileen finished talking, the knight guarding the front door came inside.


    It was the second prince¡¯s lieutenant, Ellen.


    He watched Eileen exit the imperial pce through the window on the first floor.


    Even from afar, her steps were hasty, and herplexion pale.


    He felt a bit of sympathy as he remembered her earlier steps as she ran away with her eyes reddened.


    ¡°Well.¡±


    ¡°She dared to deceive the Prince, so it is certainly not a big deal of courage. Still, she looked like a young child¡­¡±


    Ellen sighed in a sad voice.


    Contrary to popr belief, the 2nd Prince was a very cold and hard-headed person.


    He was a fearlessmander on the battlefield of life and death.


    It would have been difficult for a young girl who had grown up sheltered to handle him.


    ¡°Did you scare her too much?¡±


    Ellen¡¯s gaze at his boss contained a slight rebuke.


    At that, Payne shook his head.


    ¡°What do you mean? I think it is enough that she was not charged with the crime of deceiving the royal family by lying.¡±


    ¡°I wish you could have said something better.¡±


    Ellen said as if trying to convince him.


    Payne did not understand.


    ¡°As I always feel, you be overly generous when you return to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. The military and the social world are different.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so sad about it, you go after her andfort her yourself.¡±


    Payne shook his head and sat down at the desk waving the bell.


    Then the attendant came in from outside and cleaned the table where they had sat and drank tea a while ago.


    Meanwhile, he opened the drawer and pulled out the seal from inside.


    Ellen nced at his boss who started working again, and clicked his tongue.


    ¡®How can he be so carefree? I mean, he still doesn¡¯t have a lover, let alone a fiancee?¡¯


    The 2nd prince was tormented by work day and night, but he never showed any signs of being tired.


    It¡¯s only on the battlefield that you don¡¯t know when the enemy will attack, so you should be nervous, but it was not now that he had returned to the capital.


    Was he going to marry his work?


    Even though he could leave that kind of work to the subordinates.


    He wouldn¡¯t have a chance to meet anyone at this rate, even if there were plenty of women.


    ¡°The Marquis of Kylon has sent an invitation to Your Highness to attend theing-of-age ceremony for his daughter next month. Do you intend to go?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Payne answered with his eyes fixed on the paperwork.


    Although he had already expected his answer, Ellen sighed inwardly at the answer that came out immediately without thinking about it.


    He did not give up and asked one more time.


    ¡°They seem to be looking forward to youring. Why don¡¯t you try visiting once?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not going. Because I don¡¯t want to make people have vain expectations.¡±


    Payne said sternly.


    His voice was unmistakable.


    Seeing that, Ellen was even more frustrated.


    Marriage is indispensable for the royal family who has the right to inherit the throne.


    Since a powerful authority can receive a lot of help from his wife¡¯s family, is there any alliance in the world that is as strong and appropriate as a rtionship entangled by betrothal?


    Like the Crown Prince and Duke Lillian, for example.


    At present, the best partner for an arranged marriage was the daughter of Marquis Kylon, and the second prince¡¯s reaction has always been cold.


    The prince already held hising-of-age ceremonyst year.


    Nevertheless, he had no lover or fianc¨¦e tied to a marriage affair he had yet promised a future.


    Rumors had it that he had a hidden lover.


    Only if that was true. He refused to date anyone.


    He never mentioned marriage, let alone an engagement, and was consistently indifferent, so it was doubtful whether he could get married like this.


    The good news was that the Princess broke up with the Crown Prince, so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about power imbnce for the time being.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell them you¡¯re noting.¡±


    Payne caught Ellen as he was about to leave after finishing his duties.


    ¡°Wait a minute. I have a job to entrust to you.¡±


    When Ellen turned around with a puzzled face, Payne said bluntly.


    ¡°Find Viscountess Willis¡¯s daughter and bring her to me. And one more thing, Princess Lillian and Elvin Croix, find out what kind of connection there is between them.¡±

 Chapter 94

    Ellen had a confused face.


    ¡°Are you talking about Princess Lillian and Young Master Croix?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Payne answered calmly.


    He had a thoughtful look on his face as if he was thinking of something.


    The subdued gaze containedplex signs that could not be described.


    Ellen was even more confused after hearing the answer.


    He had heard that there had been an affair between the two before.


    Contrary to rumors, however, there was no contact between the Princess and Young Master Croix.


    Except that their parents were close friends when they were very young.


    At first, no one could not understand why such an indifferent and cold-hearted person as the young master would go all out to help Princess Lillian.


    But it made sense if they were childhood friends.


    The reason he helped the princess was probably because of old times¡¯ sake.


    It was hard topletely understand, but there was no other reason to exin it.


    But now that the second prince asked to investigate the rtionship between the two¡­ was there something else?


    Ellen nodded and answered, hiding the doubts in his mind. ¡°Yes, I understand. I have some work left, so I¡¯ll just leave. Please rest well.¡±


    ***


    Soon the sun was setting.


    The sky was colored with a twilight light, and a crescent moon suddenly appeared. As the sun began to set, the lights of the shops went out and the doors were closed and the people started to leave one by one.


    The festival was over at once, and as evening came, the street quickly became quiet.


    In the back of the alley, where there were few people, children were gathered.


    The children¡¯s attire was shabby and very old.


    Some children were barefoot without shoes.


    Not only did they look scruffy as if they hadn¡¯t washed for a long time, but they were all thin as if they hadn¡¯t eaten properly.


    Normally, no one would have cared about the children.


    But today, for some reason, a man stood among them.


    He was dressed in a ck robe and the hood was pressed down to cover his face.


    His clothes were neat and his shoes were clean, so he didn¡¯t look like a slum dweller.


    The man gave the children a few coins and said something.


    ¡°Do not worry. That¡¯s what we specialize in.¡±


    The child who took the coin had twinkling eyes.


    His clothes were messy, but his eyes were bright in the dark.


    The man stroked the boy¡¯s head once and got into the carriage.


    The carriage he rode into the upper street after running for a while and then stopped in front of a certain building.


    The carriage came to aplete stop, and he scrambled down and entered the building.


    He walked through a long hallway and opened the door to a room that looked like an office, and inside, someone was sitting at his desk.


    It was Noah.


    Hisplexion was haggard, and next to him was a pile of unfinished papers.


    He looked up at the man with a tired face and asked.


    ¡°Did you have a good trip?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The man took off the robe he was wearing only after entering the room.


    His face was revealed in the yellowmp.


    The man was the same man with Sarah who had overheard the conversation between the Crown Prince and Roxana a few days ago.


    He grumbled in a disgruntled voice.


    ¡°It is certainly surprising that the Crown Prince killed and silenced the people for his government, but is there any reason for such a rumor? If the Empress Dowager or the Crown Prince finds out, they will not remain still.¡±


    He nced at Noah, who didn¡¯t answer, and added.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the risk too high? Why would you want me to do something like that¡­ the master of Hermes said he doesn¡¯t even ept money.¡±


    It was already rumored within the organization that Elvin had told the princess that he would not ept her service money.


    The Duke of Lillian was one of the wealthiest families in the Empire, and his daughter was known for being extravagant and vain.


    So when the man first found out she had visited the organization, he was thrilled with the idea that he was going to make big bucks sooner orter, but he quickly realized that his expectations were in vain.


    In addition, the tasks that the princessmissioned wereplicated and mixed with risks.


    He was even more dissatisfied when he had to do jobs without knowing what was going on.


    Every time the Princess came to the organization, the master would deal with her directly.


    Since the rtionship between the two seemed unusual, there were some bets on whether the princess would abandon the Crown Prince and choose Elvin.


    The man thought thetter was right.


    But if the Princess broke up with the Crown Prince, he had already lost his bet.


    It was unfair that he lost the bet and wasted money, but it was natural for him to feel annoyed because he had to take on the cumbersome overtime work.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too bad for us? Did the Crown Prince do anything wrong to our master?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you need to know. We just have to do what we¡¯re told.¡±


    Noah paid attention to the man¡¯sint with a stern voice andmented inwardly.


    He never uttered it out of his mouth, but he knew well that the princess was firmly in Elvin¡¯s heart.


    Such a cold and indifferent person was unusually generous and delicate to her.


    At first, Noah wondered if it was necessary to go through so much trouble for the sake of another woman. But the princess had notified the Crown Prince of the breakup of the marriage.


    Maybe she had foresight and was noticing that things woulde this way, or maybe ¡­¡­


    Was the master involved in the breakup?


    Noah shook his head.


    He felt tired just thinking about it, so he decided to stop thinking. He was concerned about his master, and at best he wouldn¡¯t listen to his advice anyway.


    So, it was pointless to continue worrying about this.


    ***


    ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes, and when I woke up, my whole body was drenched in cold sweat.


    It must have been a bad dream, but when I woke up, I couldn¡¯t remember what it was.


    I could still feel my heart beating fast.


    Chasing the light and turning my head, I saw the sun rising out of the window.


    The morning airing in through the open window was clear and refreshing.


    ¡°Lady, why haven¡¯t you slept a little longer but woken up already?¡±


    As I got up from my bed, Joan, who had juste in, walked up to me with a surprised look on her face.


    ¡°I slept enough.¡±


    My body was heavy because I had trouble sleeping. But I felt so bad that I didn¡¯t want to sleep any more.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you a meal.¡±


    ¡°I will eatter. I have no appetite now.¡±


    ¡°The more sick you are, the more you need to take care of yourself. That way your body will heal faster.¡±


    Joan said with a worried face.


    At the same time, Tien, who wasing in with the washing water, responded.


    ¡°You have to take the medicine after a meal, so even if you have no appetite, try a little.¡±


    I nodded my head as it was pointless to argue.


    After going to the charity event, I had a fever again andy in bed for a few more days.


    Many people had to suffer because of the wind.


    Annie and the maids, as well as the Duke and Stephen, came to see my condition from time to time.


    Fortunately, when I woke up today, the headache that had been bothering me for days was gone.


    But the maids looking at me were still cautious.


    ¡°By the way, I thought you were all better until yesterday, but now I see that yourplexion is very bad. Maybe I should call a doctor.¡±


    Tien said.


    Joan went to get breakfast as she made the bedding.


    Meanwhile, I headed to the bathroom.


    When I got out of the shower, breakfast was already on the table.


    I grabbed a spoon, drank a few drops of clear soup, and picked up the newspaper next to it.


    There was some gossip in the newspaper.


    On one side, there was also a short story about my discord with the Crown Prince.


    It seemed that rumors of what happened at the charity event had already spread.


    There was no mention of the fact that I notified the Crown Prince of the breakup of the marriage or of his atrocities.


    It may be that he didn¡¯t know because he was confined to the mansion now, but he seemed to have been quiet so far.


    Less than a week had passed since the charity event at Marquis Flynn¡¯s, so there was no need to be in a hurry.


    Even if there were no rumors, if the news of the breakup spread, reporters woulde to cover the story.


    Of course, there would be various versions from those who couldn¡¯t control their curiosity before that.


    After all, I had done all I had to do, so I would just sit back and wait until the time came.


    ¡°Is there still no reply from the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°No. As directed by the youngdy, I wrote and sent the divorce papers again, but there has been no news yet.¡±


    Joan looked at me and added.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, so let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡±


    I slowly turned to the next page of the newspaper.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten any reply yet?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    After a short breakfast, I got up.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing to rush. But it¡¯s not going to be resolved if we keep pushing time.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Tien nodded as she cleaned the empty dishes.


    Joan, who was most startled by the news of the breakup of my marriage, began to express her dissatisfaction and spoke ill about the Crown Prince.


    ¡°The Crown Prince will be fine as long as he is there. He had been taking care of that woman so far, but the youngdy asked him to break up the marriage, so will things be resolved if he pretends not to know?¡±


    ¡°Even so, His Excellency is upset about that. It seems that he will be entering the pce to attend an audience with His Majesty sooner orter¡­ Maybe when that timees, even the Crown Prince will not be able to help it.¡±


    ***


    ¡°The princess was ill again?¡±


    At the empress¡¯s question, the servant quietly nodded her head.


    The Empress looked down at her and frowned and clicked her tongue.


    She sighed as she touched the flowers in the vase next to the window.


    ¡°What was the illness this time?¡±


    ¡°The princess has caught a cold.¡±


    ¡°A cold? In this kind of weather?¡±


    At the words of the Empress, the servant looked out and saw that the sun was shining bright and there was no cloud in the sky.


    Perhaps she wasn¡¯t expecting an answer in the first ce, as she looked down at the purple petals and sighed.


    ¡°Perhaps her body is weak.¡±


    ¡°The soon-to-be Crown Princess is not in good health, so His Highness must be very concerned.¡±


    The woman sitting at the table put down her teacup and said.


    The Empress looked back at that moment as if she remembered her existence.


    She was a beautifuldy with brown hair.


    She had a flower-like face with a pretty figure, and an elegant and virtuous aura added to her, so she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off her.


    ¡°In the past, I was weak, so I often suffered from colds. It used to worry people around me. At such times, having someonefort you by your side is a great help. When I was sick, my husband stayed by my side all night. I was really grateful for that.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the Grand Duke of Croix?¡±


    The Empress asked with a surprised face.


    Then the Grand Duchess of Croix smiled softly.


    A look of shyness appeared on her face, perhaps recalling the memories of that time.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She was not young anymore, but she was undoubtedly


    as beautiful as one.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine.¡±


    The empress blinked her eyes as if she did not believe it.


    The Grand Duke of Croix had a reputation for being cold and indifferent.


    And when she met him, he was indeed cold and arrogant.


    No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t imagine such a man would watch and nurse his wife all night.


    But looking at the woman in front of her, she seemed to understand a little.


    It would be hard to find a woman as beautiful and tender as the Grand Duchess anywhere else.


    She was smart and quick-witted, so it was natural to be cherished.


    Even the empress herself a woman, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the lovely Grand Duchess.


    ¡°The time has alreadye. I have an appointment with my husband, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    The Grand Duchess of Croix stood up after looking at the clock on the wall once.


    ¡°I had a good time thanks to Your Majesty. It will be a pleasure if you call me again next time.¡±


    ¡°I have received a good present. The tea was very good and fragrant.¡±


    ¡°I am d that you liked it. Let me know when the tea leaves run out. We will have someone send it to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you always.¡±


    ¡°No, the pleasure is all mine. Then I¡¯ll leave. Rest well.¡±


    The empress looked thoughtful for a moment, as if thinking about something.


    She then immediately instructed the attendant by her side.


    ¡°Call the Crown Prince.¡±

 Chapter 95

    The Crown Prince looked at the tiara on the cushion without a word.


    The jewels embedded in the tiara were shining brightly with the lighting.


    After staring at it for a while, he frowned and instructed as if he was displeased.


    ¡°Put it out of sight right now.¡±


    A while ago, Baron Cheston visited.


    He looked at the tiara and cried out loud and was expelled by the Crown Prince.


    The tiara was obviously sent by the Crown Prince as a birthday present for his fianc¨¦e, the princess, but it was not known why he had it again.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Knowing that the Crown Prince was in a bad mood, the servant answered meekly and held out his hand toward the tiara.


    But before the servant¡¯s hand reached the tiara, the Crown Prince stopped him.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Just leave it alone.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡±


    The servant had a puzzled face as he didn¡¯t understand why the Crown Prince changed his mind.


    Obviously, the Crown Prince was displeased with the tiara in the room.


    ¡°I want to be alone, so everyone gets out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    The servants in the room politely bowed their heads and left the room.


    The Crown Prince, left alone, sat down at the desk with aplicated face.


    After reading the report for a while, he stood up as if he could not stand it.


    He felt as if there was a heavy stone on his chest, and suddenly even breathing became ufortable.


    He couldn¡¯t concentrate on anything else.


    He slowly walked towards the closet.


    The tiara stored over the clear ss caught his eye.


    A small crown adorned with tinum, rubies, and pearls was coveted by all.


    Needless to say, the value was precious, and even the Crown Prince himself had a hard time finding it.


    But the owner said she didn¡¯t want it, so it was like an abandoned thing.


    It cost more than two castles to find this small crown.


    Even if he wanted to sell it again, who would pay the price of two castles to buy it?


    Even if it was re-sold, it would be a huge loss.


    ¡°Your Highness. Lady Dana hase to visit.¡±


    A servant¡¯s voice was heard outside the door.


    The Crown Prince woke up from his thoughts and looked towards the door.


    He approached and opened the door, where the servant and ire were standing.


    ¡°I see you, Crown Prince.¡±


    ire greeted him with a smile.


    Her face was like a flower, and her dark green eyes that seemed to contain greenery were full of vitality, and her pink lips and peach-colored cheeks were supremely lovely.


    ¡°ire, what are you doing here?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked curiously.


    Looking at the slightly frown on his forehead, he seemed to be a little displeased because his alone time was interrupted.


    ¡°Do you not remember what you saidst time? You told me toe because I was given a nice tea as a gift.¡±


    The Crown Prince quietly looked back at his memories.


    As he recalledst week¡¯s memory, he couldn¡¯t remember very well, but he seemed to have said something like that.


    ¡°I did. I was just about to rest, so I¡¯ll go to the parlor.


    I have something to organize before that, so please wait.¡±


    While the Crown Prince went to organize the papers, ire nced into the room through the open door.


    A small ss doom was ced in the decorative cab located in the middle of the room.


    And inside it was a gorgeous tiara that was dazzling just looking at it.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ire was captivated for a moment by the beautiful object that she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of.


    She didn¡¯t know about the tiara because she wasn¡¯t there when the auction was going on.


    Unlike the banquet hall, the number of people allowed in the room where the auction was held was limited, and she, the daughter of a low-ranking nobleman, could not enter.


    Therge and small jewels embedded in the tiara shone brilliantly.


    Now that she looked closely at the tiara, it was not only gorgeous, but also had a dignified appearance.


    She had never seen such a beautiful and sophisticated object in her life.


    If she could have such a thing, it wouldn¡¯t be a waste of giving away everything she had.


    The Crown Prince found ire btedly and made a puzzled face.


    She was staring at a certain ce, as if possessed by something.


    Where his gaze reached the ce, there was a tiara.


    He presented it to Roxana, but she rejected it and now he had it once again.


    As he recalled the memories of that day, he felt suffocated as something hot burned in his chest.


    The Crown Prince took out a ck cloth nearby and covered the ss doom.


    After that, he closed the door and stepped out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ire looked at the closed door with a puzzled expression on her face.


    He didn¡¯t like anyone in his office, so ire had never been there before.


    She felt disappointed as she could no longer watch the tiara.


    Couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, ire asked as they were on their way to the parlor.


    ¡°Your Highness. I noticed earlier that there was a tiara in the room¡­¡­¡±


    When the tiara was mentioned, the Crown Prince¡¯s expression hardened for a moment.


    However, it was a fleeting moment that ire did not notice.


    She continued to speak in a voice of admiration.


    ¡°I have never seen such a beautiful thing. I heard that next month is the Empress¡¯s birthday. Is it a present for the Empress?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The Crown Prince answered with an expressionless face.


    If it was usual, ire would notice his difort and stop asking. However, she couldn¡¯t help it today.


    ¡°If not, whose tiara is it?¡±


    At her question, the Crown Prince had a bewildered face.


    But he responded coldly, as he had soon found hisposure.


    ¡°It has no owner.¡±


    ire had a nk face at the Crown Prince¡¯s blunt answer.


    There was only one person who made him look like that.


    Princess Lillian.


    Besides, it was a woman¡¯s tiara, if it wasn¡¯t for the Empress, then who could it belong to?


    When she realized that it was for the Princess, her displeasure soared.


    She struggled to keep her forced smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that it¡¯s so beautiful and left unattended without an owner. But which craftsman made that tiara? At first nce, the borate and delicate craftsmanship seemed special.¡±


    ¡°Why do you keep asking about it? ire, you must be very interested in that tiara.¡±


    ire, whose conscience was stabbed by the Crown Prince¡¯s words, paused for a moment.


    She was worried that he might think she was greedy, but seeing that there was no displeasure in his gaze as he looked down at her, she smiled bashfully and crossed her arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing. I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful crown before.¡±


    ire¡¯s face, looking at him with twinkling eyes, was lovely.


    The Crown Prince smiled and stroked her hair.


    Yes, this must be a typical woman¡¯s reaction. The Crown Prince thought.


    Everyone likes what they don¡¯t have. Roxana, on the other hand¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s not yours, so don¡¯t be greedy for what you can¡¯t have. If you need jewelry, tell me. I¡¯ll get you something else.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ire forced a smile.


    His words now seemed to draw a line, saying that she and the princess were different.


    Why couldn¡¯t she have it?


    She couldn¡¯t understand it, but she couldn¡¯t ask the prince about such a thing, so she stopped talking.


    She tried her best to pretend to be calm and keep the smile on her face, but that couldn¡¯t hide her stiff face.


    ***


    The two arrived in the parlor and sat down on the soft sofa.


    Then the maid brought in pastries topped with fig jam and ck tea.


    The smell of freshly baked sweet desserts in the room made the atmosphere that had been tense softer.


    The maid took a teapot and poured tea into the teacups withvender paintings and gold frames.


    At that time, the empress¡¯s attendant came to visit.


    The Crown Prince asked with curiosity.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty has asked to bring the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Why all of a sudden?


    The Crown Prince frowned, puzzled.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Highness.¡±


    A tired look appeared on the Crown Prince¡¯s face.


    He sighed and said.


    ¡°I get it. Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    The Crown Prince got up from his seat and looked towards ire.


    She said it was okay with an understanding smile on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll have to put off drinking tea untilter.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Crown Prince hesitated as if he felt sorry for leaving her alone.


    ire said in a soft voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me. Your


    Highness go ahead and go. Her Majesty will be waiting for you. If you¡¯rete because of me, Her Majesty will not be pleased.¡±


    A look of regret added to the Crown Prince¡¯s face at her words.


    The Crown Prince knew that the Empress hated ire.


    It also made him upset for a long time.


    ¡°If Ie back soon, let¡¯s have dinner togetherter.¡±


    ¡°I am looking forward to it. Then I¡¯ll be waiting patiently, soe back quickly.¡±


    ire said in a charming voice.


    The Crown Prince looked at her like that for a moment, then turned and left the room.


    ****


    ***


    Eventually, the servant summoned the Crown Prince.


    The Empress beckoned as she sat down at her table.


    Then the maid poured tea and ced it in front of her.


    The Empress looked at it, and she gracefully raised the teacup.


    The Crown Prince also sat across from her.


    After the Empress savored her tea, she raised her head and looked at the Crown Prince.


    She then asked with curiosity.


    ¡°Yourplexion is not looking good today. Is there something going on?¡±


    Today the Crown Prince looked somewhat emaciated.


    It was dark under his eyes and his gaze was sunken.


    The blue eyes had a dark tinge, and the whites were red.


    Seeing that his chin had also be slimmer than before, it seemed that he had lost weight.


    The Empress looked at the Crown Prince¡¯s condition with a worried face.


    At this, he groaned to himself.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Let¡¯s see.


    The Duke of Lillian abruptly stopped sponsoring when he needed a bill, the auction of the precious tiara that he gave Roxana as a birthday present, and the fact that arge part of his slush fund was exhausted to retrieve it again. There was a case where he was informed of the breakup of the marriage when the wedding was less than a year away.


    And that Roxana and Elvin had a suspicious rtionship¡­


    However, none of these could be reported to the Empress.


    The Crown Prince lowered his head slightly, hiding his expression, and answered with a blunt tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry because nothing¡¯s going on. It¡¯s probably just because I didn¡¯t sleep well because I had a lot of work yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Work is good, but you have to take care of yourself. Wasn¡¯t it a precious body to lead the country in the future? I¡¯ll send a doctor to check you out.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    The Empress looked down at the Crown Prince without saying a word for a moment.


    Her gaze as she looked at her only child was full of affection.


    She then spoke in a worried voice.


    ¡°Princess Lillian was sick again this time. She seems to have caught a cold. Did you know?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I heard it too.¡±


    The Crown Prince paused for a moment, then nodded his head with a nonchnt face.


    He looked down at the teacup on the table with aplicated expression.


    ¡°If nothing special happens, go to Duke Lillian¡¯s residence by the end of today. Does it make sense not to see her even once when she¡¯s your fianc¨¦e?¡±


    The Empress put down the teacup she was holding in her hand and said.


    At those words, the Crown Prince opened his mouth as if trying to say something, but then stopped.


    He nodded his head slowly with a sunken expression.


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

 Chapter 96

    Just as the Crown Prince was about to get up, the Empress spoke.


    ¡°I heard Lady Dana came a while ago.¡±


    The empress¡¯s face was calm as she said so.


    Contrary to her face, the Crown Prince¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to get married in less than a year. Until then, take care of your actions.¡±


    The Empress lifted her gaze and looked at the Crown Prince silently.


    The Crown Prince was ufortable.


    The Empress brought the teacup to her lips with a rxed expression. The still warm tea had a slight bitter taste. Then in a low voice, she warned.


    ¡°As you know, Princess Lillian is the strongest and best rope you can hold. So don¡¯t ever miss it.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Can¡¯t find anyone? Does that make sense?¡±


    The Duke asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°I tried to infiltrate people to find out, but the boundaries are stricter than I thought. Bribery doesn¡¯t work¡­¡±


    Stephen answered with a stern expression.


    A cold light was added to the Duke¡¯s gaze.


    In a short time, Roxana became like a different person.


    She was smarter and more determined than ever before.


    The Duke was delighted with his daughter¡¯s transformation, but on the one hand, he worried that someone might be manipting her from behind.


    He thought the owner of the Hermes organization, where Roxana visited, was very suspicious.


    So he had someone investigate, but the answer he got back was quite absurd.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t the Duke¡¯s knights prate the security of the organization run by a handful ofmoners? It seems that the military is loose in its discipline. I can¡¯t believe that they can¡¯t even aplish a mere task of that magnitude.¡±


    There was a bit of anger at the end of the Duke¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Sir, this is very strange. In my opinion, that owner is very suspicious.¡±


    Stephen looked at the duke and added.


    ¡°He¡¯s been running the organization for several years, but no one knows his face, and his subordinates are very skillful.¡±


    Stephen¡¯s face was full of curiosity as he continued to speak.


    He thought lightly at first, but the more he investigated, the more suspicious it became. There must have been a reason why the owner of the organization hid his identity like this.


    He remembered Roxana¡¯s face.


    What kind of person was she meeting?


    The Duke¡¯s expression was much more serious than that of Stephen¡¯s.


    Seeing that the organization¡¯s owner hid his identity so thoroughly, it was clear that it was hard to reveal it.


    He may be a criminal or a spy of an enemy country.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t, the Duke couldn¡¯t just wait and watch such a suspicious person approaching his daughter.


    It was fortunate that nothing had happened so far, but thinking about the fact that the two of them had met each other several times already made his heart ache.


    The Duke frowned and gave instructions coldly.


    ¡°If he has nothing to hide, there would be no reason to be so wary. Find out more.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°And if anyonees from the Hermes, report it to me first.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will.¡±


    ***


    After lunch, I walked around the flower garden and returned to my room when Annie handed me a letter.


    ¡°Lady, it was sent by the Second Prince.¡±


    I could feel the gaze of the maids following her words.


    Ignoring their curious gaze, I opened the envelope.


    Inside was a letter with folded paper.


    When I opened the paper, there were dried flowers inside.


    It was strangely harmonious as there were yellow violets and white mist flowers together.


    ¡°It dried up nicely. It would be pretty if we put it in a frame.¡±


    Joan, who suddenly came to my side, said with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Shall we do that?¡±


    Annie asked.


    Nodding my head reluctantly, she rummaged through the drawers with a smile on her face.


    While she found a frame of a suitable size and ced the flowers sent by the second prince in it, I read the letter enclosed with it.


    The letter was written with a formal greeting and the date and time of a meeting.


    After I wrote a reply saying I understood and gave it to Annie to send it.


    Before she left, she ced the picture frame with the flowers on the shelf.


    ¡°I thought he would be rough because he lived on the battlefield for a long time, but I didn¡¯t know the 2nd Prince had such a delicate side.¡±


    Tien said as if she liked the dried flowers, lightly touching the ss part of the frame.


    Joan nodded her head as she took a bite of a cookie.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a part that¡¯s unexpectedly delicate. But,dy.¡± Joan, having swallowed the cookie bite, suddenly turned her gaze to me.


    She looked at me with twinkling eyes.


    ¡°What does this mean for the second prince to send flowers to the youngdy? The second prince isn¡¯t interested in thedy, is he?¡±


    Joan¡¯s words were always bold.


    I warned her many times, but she was still the same.


    If she talked like this in crowded ces, I would probably not be able to hold my head up for the rest of my life.


    ¡°I know, right. I¡¯m curious too. Violets and mist flowers are both rted to love in their flowernguage. So, as Joan said¡­. It¡¯s something you never know.¡±


    Tien, who had been quiet until now, said in a calm voice.


    At each of her words, Joan became more and more motivated to think she had gained support, and she chimed in with her guesses.


    ¡°Come to think of it, the gaze of the second prince on the youngdy has never been unusual before. On the day of thedy¡¯s birthday banquet, I saw the second prince looking at the youngdy with my own eyes. She was very beautiful that day, so I understand if the second Prince¡¯s interest.¡±


    Even if I ignored it, Joan¡¯s nonsense continued.


    The more she talked, the more excited she seemed to be, the more her voice grew louder.


    ¡°Did he fall in love that day? No, maybe it was before that. He didn¡¯t fall in love at first sight, did he?¡±


    ¡°Even if you like flowers, not many people memorize the flowernguage. Moreover, wild flowers like violets are even more so.¡±


    Joan shook her head with determination.


    ¡°In my opinion, it is definitely intentional. How could the sender of the gift not even know that much?¡±


    She retorted sharply. But her subsequent words were absurd.


    ¡°He¡¯s been on the battlefield for a long time, and hasn¡¯t even been engaged yet. He is not meeting anyone, so he must have expressed his feelings in such a careful way.¡±


    ¡°After all, thedy broke up with the Crown Prince, so it¡¯s not bad for her to be close with the Second Prince.¡±


    Tien quietly added.


    I looked at her withplicated eyes.


    Tien had a calm personality for her age. But when did she be like Joan?


    Unable to listen any longer, I got up and went to the window.


    A vase was ced by the window, and beautiful red flowers were ced in it.


    Lisianthus, sent from Hermes, still did not lose its beauty with a splendid and elegant disy.


    However, there were withered petals in the middle, and the leaves and stems were a little dry.


    It was a natural process. But I felt a little bitter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring a container.¡±


    Tien stood up looking at the petals that had fallen on the floor.


    Joan asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Why? We can just get new flowers. There are plenty in the garden.Of course, these are more expensive than others, but they are still only flowers, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Joan looked at me, asking for consent.


    Tien pretended not to hear her.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to dry it before it withers,¡± she said. ¡°That way we can see it all the time.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Joan immediately picked up another cookie with a sullen face as I didn¡¯t agree with her.


    Then, Stephen came and asked.


    ¡°Lady, are you all right?¡±


    For some reason, hisplexion didn¡¯t look good.


    His gaze at me was full of suspicion.


    I didn¡¯t understand, but I answered casually.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to be careful for the time being just in case. Don¡¯t forget to take your medicine after meals.¡±


    Perhaps it was because I said the same thingst time, but I was sick again. Stephen didn¡¯t seem to believe me.


    ¡°I will. Don¡¯t worry too much, I won¡¯t forget it.¡±


    I nodded gently, and Stephen was silent for a moment, then spoke again.


    ¡°The Crown Prince is on the first floor. When he heard that thedy was ill, he came to visit. The Duke said you didn¡¯t have toe down to see it¡­.what should I do?¡±


    I was surprised that he had brought a doctor in the daytime to check me out, and then came back within a few hours, but again, there was a reason.


    If the Crown Prince came again without notice, how should I interpret this?


    Maybe he didn¡¯te here to give me the answer I was looking for.


    After all, the breakup papers were sent, so there was no need to face him.


    Besides, if the duke was dealing with him on my behalf, I didn¡¯t have toe forward.


    I didn¡¯t need long to answer.


    ¡°Tell him that I won¡¯t be able to see him because I¡¯m not feeling well. And from now on, he doesn¡¯t need toe in person like this. It would be better if he gave an answer to the engagement cancetion.¡±


    ***


    Inside the room, decorated in purple and gold.


    In the middle, there was a table and a sofa, and there were two men sitting facing each other.


    Behind each of them stood knights in uniform.


    Except for the two guards of the Crown Prince, the rest were knights of the duke.


    The well-trained knights radiated ferocious momentum, and even without words, people could feel the pressure of the Duke alone.


    The air in the quiet room was cold and there was a strange tension.


    Then, a maid brought refreshments.


    With her trembling hands she set down the teapot, teacups and te of snacks on the table.


    The Crown Prince took a sip of the tea served by the maid with a forced smile.


    He could feel several pairs of hostile gazes on him.


    As if to prove the saying that users tend to resemble their masters, it was very annoying that the knights standing behind the duke were disrespectful like their masters.


    They did not look at the prince of the country to which they belonged, but as if they were looking at an intruder or an enemy army, they were full of caution and a subtle hostility.


    If there were such knights in the pce, he would have ordered them to be imprisoned and whipped to death.


    It was absurd and unpleasant for even a single knight to show such an attitude, but the Crown Prince decided to put up with it today because he wasn¡¯t here to argue about that.

 Chapter 97

    ¡°Crown Prince, why did youe today without notice?¡±


    The Duke asked coldly.


    There was an open expression of unpleasantness on his face.


    The Crown Prince struggled to keep his smiling face.


    ¡°I came here because I was worried about Roxana being sick.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to, and you came without being invited.¡±


    Stephen, who had just entered the parlor, approached and whispered into the Duke¡¯s ear.


    The corners of the Duke¡¯s lips rose slightly at his words.


    He turned his head and looked back at the Crown Prince.


    ¡°My daughter is not feeling well, so she says she can¡¯t afford to see anyone.¡±


    ¡°You mean she is that sick?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your concern.¡±


    The duke replied in a cold voice.


    The Crown Prince scoffed.


    Everyone knew that the duke loved his daughter.


    If Roxana¡¯s condition was really bad, he couldn¡¯t be so carefree.


    But what to do?


    He (CP) couldn¡¯t even get through those knights and go up to her room to check it out.


    ¡°Your Highness, once the engagement cancetion is officially over, I hope that you will refrain from calling my daughter¡¯s name so freely. If other people hear it, they may misunderstand it.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s smile hardened at the words the Duke added.


    However, he quickly picked up the teacup with a calm face.


    ¡°Cancetion? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I understand that the engagement cancetion papers have been sent and Roxana has already told Your Highness. And yet you¡¯re going to pretend you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, I have something to say with Roxana on the matter.¡±


    ¡°If there is anything left to say, you can tell me.¡±


    The Crown Prince removed a smile from his face.


    Now that he came here, it was meaningless for him to maintain the pretense any longer.


    He said coldly, raising the corners of his lips.


    ¡°I felt it every time, but you are too meddling in your grown daughter¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°Before theing-of-age ceremony, I can¡¯t say that she¡¯s all grown up.¡±


    When the duke responded with a calm face, the Crown Prince said sarcastically.


    ¡°For that matter, the two of you have been apart for a long time. From my memory, Roxana was very lonely because of that.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s face hardened.


    As Roxana grew up, not being by her side was a thorn deep in his heart.


    In the meantime, she remained alone in the capital and suffered unpleasant things and almost died.


    The Crown Prince raised the corners of his lips crookedly and continued with a mocking voice.


    ¡°Last winter, when Roxana fell ill and you, her father, was not with her.¡±


    The Crown Prince looked at the Duke and sighed in regret.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how sad it was to see her sweating in a cold sweat with her face as white as a nk sheet of paper. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    The Duke got up from his seat abruptly with a stiff face.


    ¡°Just go back. It¡¯ste.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unpleasant. I¡¯ve been here for a long time, but you kicked me out after I spoke the truth. How does the Duke treat guests like this?¡±


    The Crown Prince put down the teacup with a ttering sound.


    Still sitting, he frowned and looked up at the Duke.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s gaze was cold and arrogant, as he thought he no longer needed to hide his hostility.


    Perhaps that was his real face now.


    ¡°If Your Highness felt offended, it would be my fault. Feel free to hold me ountable if necessary. But you can¡¯t meet Roxana. It will be the same in the future.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my words yet.¡±


    The Crown Prince clenched his teeth.


    Hold him responsible!


    He had already heard simr words several times from Roxana¡¯s mouth.


    Given the duke¡¯s prestige, he (CP) knew that he would not be able to punish him.


    It made him (CP) feel twice as unpleasant to hear what he had heard from Roxana from the Duke.


    ¡°It ismon for lovers to have quarrels. But, does it make sense to treat the marriage talk like a kid¡¯s prank, and that it happens so suddenly and unterally? Beyond ignoring me, this can only be seen as an attitude of ignoring the imperial family.¡±


    ¡°I understand that Roxana continued to give Your Highness many chances. But the one who had taken those chances for granted was you.¡±


    The duke looked down at the Crown Prince with a gaze that didn¡¯t seem worth dealing with.


    Roxana gave him many opportunities to make it right.


    She was the one who forgave even her ugly father, who abandoned her for many years.


    Such a forgiving woman had decided to end the engagement, how much she had been hurt by the Crown Prince¡¯s atrocities?


    There was no end to the Crown Prince¡¯s atrocities the Duke had heard from his aide, and when he just heard the story, he (Duke) felt a pang in his heart that he could not immediately visit him and behead him (CP).


    The thought that Roxana had been humiliated by a man who was still only that small made him feel hot in his chest.


    ¡°Let me be clear right now. We, the Lillian, will no longer involve in the fight for the throne in the future. So take my word and leave.¡±


    The duke¡¯s attitude was so strong that even as a Crown Prince could not do much.


    Even at this point, the Crown Prince thought that it was Roxana¡¯s fault that she didn¡¯t show her face.


    If he stayed any longer, and she wouldn¡¯te down, he would lose face.


    Eventually, he got up reluctantly.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll leave today.¡±


    Today? He woulde back again?


    The Duke said with a frown.


    ¡°Roxana wanted to be engaged, but now she wants to end it because she doesn¡¯t like it anymore. Even if it is called parental greed and excessive interference, it cannot be helped. So, I hope you don¡¯t waste your time on things that have a set oue.¡±


    At that, the Crown Prince stopped.


    With a stern expression, he took a few steps and stood in front of the Duke.


    He then said in a whisper.


    ¡°Duke, you should know that I too have a lot of patience. What do you think will happen if it bes known that the woman who will be the Crown Princess met another man and even exchanged gifts?¡±


    The Duke¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡°¡­Exchanging gifts?¡±


    He didn¡¯t believe everything the Crown Prince said, but the possibility that his daughter might have a hidden lover ignited anxieties in his heart.


    But ife to think of it, there must have been a reason for her sudden change.


    Perhaps it was because of that reason that she suddenly changed and wanted to break up with the Crown Prince.


    Because of the new lover?


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the owner of Hermes.¡¯


    The Duke, conscious of the Crown Prince standing right in front of him, struggled to hide his anxiety and said with a calm face.


    ¡°If you insult my daughter without proof, would you be willing to pay the price, Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°The evidence is overflowing. I know there are many bracelets, nes, hairpins, brooches.


    Duke, if you don¡¯t believe me, ask your daughter yourself.¡±


    ¡°As Your Highness said earlier, it is not possible to intervene and crack down on my grown daughter¡¯s actions one by one. Was it not Your Highness who did sin against her and betrayed her trust in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you mean you¡¯re just going to let Roxana meet such men?¡±


    The Crown Prince certainly seemed to know something.


    The Duke grew increasingly anxious. But he couldn¡¯t express this.


    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be better than to be by your side?


    And whoever my daughter chooses will be better than now, so I don¡¯t want to get involved.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you chose Elvin? How can you be so sure she¡¯d be better off with him than me when his parents, the Grand Duke, can¡¯t even handle him?¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    The Duke¡¯s eyes went wide as I¡¯d he couldn¡¯t believe what he heard.


    He quickly captured his expression, but the look of shock was evident.


    Seeing him like that, the Crown Prince said sarcastically.


    ¡°Really, I thought you knew a little about it because you weren¡¯t surprised, but I guess you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ***


    The sun began to set.


    Dark clouds began to form in the sky, and the sun quickly disappeared.


    Soon it started to rain.


    In an inn room a little far from the capital, someone lit a fire.


    Elvin took off his cloak, handed it to the man who appeared to be his servant, and sat down.


    He lifted his head and looked outside in the rain.


    Then he found a vase on the window sill and stared at it thoughtfully as if he was thinking about something.


    The servant epted the cloak from Elvin, and hung it on a hanger.


    Then he looked towards him.


    Elvin was sitting near the window, looking at the vase with red flowers in it.


    His white face, which looked a little pale, was dyed with the scarlet light, and his red eyes, which seemed only cold, appeared warm.


    Even though he had been watching him for years, every time he saw him, he was always so elegant without losing his dignity.


    Even a man like him was amazed.


    But now the faint smile on Elvin¡¯s face was something he had never seen before.


    His smile so far had been all about formality, cynicism, or ridicule.


    But now, warmth and affection were felt in his gaze, and his lips were raised softly.


    The servant was amazed. Did his owner have a smile like that?


    As the usual sharp atmosphere was lifted, a gentleness that had never been seen before was added to his beautiful face, and the servant couldn¡¯t take his eyes off him even more.


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡±


    Then, someone knocked on the door from outside.


    Elvin said without looking at the source of the sound.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    After Elvin¡¯s permission was granted, the door opened and a man entered the room.


    He looked at Elvin and bent one knee.


    ¡°Captain, I have something to report.¡±


    The man was dressed in in clothes, but had a sword around his waist.


    At first nce he looked like a mercenary, but his attitude and manner of speaking showed that he was a trained knight.


    He was working as a servant at Hermes.


    And he called Elvin captain.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Elvin said with anguid face.


    When he woke up from his thoughts, his appearance was cold as before.


    There was nowhere to be found the gentle atmosphere of a while ago but coldness and arrogance.


    ¡°Grand Duke of Croix was very angry that the captain had left without a word. He was furious and said that if you didn¡¯te back soon, he wouldn¡¯t let it go this time.¡±


    ¡°If nothing special happened, then leave it. From now on, there is no need to disclose such trivial things. Anything else?¡±


    The servant once again admired the courage of his master.


    The Grand Duke (Elvin¡¯s father) also had an unusual personality, but it seemed that he could not surpass his master.


    ¡°The recent movement towards the Petanya Kingdom has been unusual. It is said that riots have already begun in various parts of the kingdom. Maybe¡­ sooner orter, war might break out.¡±

 Chapter 98

    After the man finished speaking, he raised his head slightly to observe Elvin¡¯s reaction.


    Elvin asked after a moment¡¯s silence with a thoughtful face.


    ¡°Is His Majesty aware of this?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know yet.¡±


    ¡°Then, send the letter and report it right away.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will.¡±


    After the man left, Elvin sat down on the sofa.


    It was true that the emperor cherished him as his nephew.


    It was said that when the princess, who was Elvin¡¯s mother, the emperor¡¯s only sister, was alive, the rtionship between the siblings was very good.


    At times the emperor seemed to pay more attention and affection to Elvin than to his own children.


    But basically, all the people of the imperial family were heartless.


    The emperor was so cold-hearted that he would just watch as his own son fought in deadly battles.


    Why would he (Emperor) care about his nephew?


    Because Elvin was worth using. It was for this reason that the emperor was particrly generous with Elvin.


    The emperor often called Elvin to the imperial pce to discuss difficult matters with him.


    At first, the emperor was just trying to test him.


    However, after learning that his nephew was smarter and more brilliant than he thought, he began to pay attention to him in earnest.


    Elvin amassed his wealth at Hermes, and with that wealth he built his own knightly order.


    For others, they would not have been able to achieve so much in such a short time.


    The emperor noticed early on and helped, but he didn¡¯t do much to test his abilities.


    The emperor¡¯s help was just to put a little bit of firewood into the roaring me.


    Elvin¡¯s expression darkened a little while looking at the firece.


    It was because of his memory of a few days ago.


    He said that he would be upset if the Princess got closer to her new friend. At that time, he said it as a joke, but there was sincerity in it.


    ¡®When did they be so close?¡¯


    Recently the Princess and the second Prince seemed to have gotten close.


    Suddenly his mouth felt dry and his heart felt ufortable.


    Elvin frowned and gave the order to the servant.


    ¡°Tell everyone. Tomorrow before dawn, get the job done and go back as soon as possible.¡±


    ***


    ¡°The Crown Prince has just left.¡±


    While I was resting, someone knocked on the door.


    When I opened the door, there stood the Duke.


    ¡°Can Ie in for a moment?¡±


    As he sat down on the sofa, Tien served refreshments.


    She poured tea into the empty teacup.


    The duke didn¡¯t say anything until then, as if he was still in thought. Seeing his darkplexion and subdued gaze, he must be in a bad mood.


    This made me a little anxious too.


    The ufortable silence was unbearable, so I picked up one of the cookies Tien brought with the tea and ate it.


    It was very delicious because it had apricot jam on top of the fragrant buttery scent.


    Just as I was about to feel better savoring the taste of the sweet cookie, the Duke opened his mouth with a heavy expression.


    ¡°That bracelet¡­ it¡¯s something I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s gaze reached the bracelet on my wrist.


    It was from Elvin.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s hanging on the end of that ne? Isn¡¯t that a whistle for self-defense? It¡¯s very borately made. At first nce, you might think it¡¯s just a simple jewel.¡±


    The ne was also given by Elvin.


    He gave me these and always told me not to take them off my body.


    At first nce, it was simple and light in weight, so it was not inconvenient to wear them daily.


    Because of that, it seemed that it had be a habit to wear them at home as I continue to do it.


    I didn¡¯t do anything bad, but I felt guilty for some reason.


    I took a sip of tea while maintaining a casual smile.


    ¡°Roxana, are you dating anyone other than the Crown Prince these days?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I instinctively denied and looked at the Duke in amazement.


    Why did he suddenly ask such a thing after meeting the Crown Prince?


    Did the Crown Prince say anything?


    He must have.


    Somehow, from the moment the Duke entered the room, hisplexion was not good, and it was strange when he asked about my essories.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The Duke¡¯splexion darkened even more at my answer.


    He nodded his head with a bitter face.


    Then he got up from his seat as if he had finished talking.


    ¡°Then rest well.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s attitude today was certainly strange.


    The cause was probably the Crown Prince.


    Somehow, his broad back seemed a little slumped today.


    I pondered for a moment, looking at his back as he left.


    ****


    The Duke who left the room stumbled in shock.


    Then Stephen quickly supported him.


    ¡°Sir, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Duke put one hand on his forehead and took a step.


    Stephen followed him from behind, worry etched on his face.


    The Duke who returned to his office was different from usual.


    He sat down in his chair, a thoughtful look on his face, without even thinking about looking at the papers piled up on the desk.


    He apparently had suspected that the owner of Hermes had something to do with Roxana.


    The thought of losing his daughter to a mysterious, unknown person made him upset.


    But now the worry was real.


    The word ¡°mountain beyond the mountain¡± was used at this time.


    The notoriety of Elvin Croix that the Crown Prince spoke of was something he had also heard of.


    He also had a number of nobles who had been humiliated by him.


    He had a deep, arrogant and cold personality.


    They said that he¡¯s disrespectful to his parents, that he feared no one and nothing in the world, that he did not know how to care for women or sympathize with anyone.


    The Duke had also seen him several times.


    He could not judge everything about a person just by seeing him a few times from a distance.


    But seeing the Grand Duke could not do anything about his son, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess.


    No matter who Roxana was dating, it was less of a problem if it was just a casual meeting without marriage, but she, too, would be an adult in a few months.


    She was soon of the age she would get married and she needed to be a little more careful.


    His future son-inw must have a straight-hearted and docile personality.


    He should be a sensitive, kind and warm-hearted person.


    Being too low was not good, but being too high wasn¡¯t good either.


    People should look inward rather than outward, but the appearance should not be bad either.


    The most important thing was that he should treat Roxana with sincerity and be faithful.


    The Crown Prince dared to treat her badly, having a mistress even while engaged to Roxana. Elvin wasn¡¯t a good option either.


    ***


    My expectation of waiting a few more days was exactly right.


    Rumors began to circte that the Crown Prince was deceived by beauty and killed innocent people and silenced them.


    ording to the rumors, he was a fool like no other in the world, and ire was a siren.


    Well, the rumors were exaggerated, but it was not entirely wrong.


    Everything was self-sufficient.


    After getting off the carriage with Tien¡¯s help, I saw the now familiar scenery of the Imperial Pce.


    One of the Knights, who was standing a short distance away, saw me and came to greet me.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is April.¡±


    The knight who introduced herself as April was also one of the knights belonging to the second Prince, and a familiar emblem was seen on the chest of the uniform.


    She had her long hair tied high and a sword around her waist.


    ¡°The Second Prince ordered me to bring the princess, so please follow me. I will guide you to his Pce.¡±


    When ites to the Imperial Pce, Roxana had visited countless times, and she was familiar with it, as I had also been here a few times.


    But today, as I was going to the ce for the first time in my life, the road was unfamiliar and I was a little nervous.


    Knights in uniform were guarding the entrance to the pce.


    They looked at me and bowed their heads politely.


    ¡°I see you, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Greetings.¡±


    I nodded my head slightly and passed them.


    This was the pce where Payne¡¯s mother, the Empress, lived.


    And he also grew up in this pce from an early age.


    Although the name, owner, and interior appearance had changed from the Imperial Pce to the Second Prince pce, I heard that the garden remained almost the same even after many years.


    When I closed my eyes, I could imagine the sight of a beautiful woman leisurely strolling through the garden.


    I followed Sir April for a little walk and saw Payne¡¯s figure.


    At about the same time I found him, he also found me and walked this way. Today, Payne was out of uniform, and in its ce he wore a white shirt, ck pants, and a light overcoat.


    It was a different look from the neat uniform he usually wore, looking more rxed and gentle and softer than usual.


    ¡°I see you, Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°Did you have any inconvenienceing here?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your attention, It was fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared tea, so shall we sit down and talk?¡±


    There was arge flower tree in the corner of the garden, and when the wind blew, the pink petals fluttered about like a painting.


    A white tea table was ced under the shade of the tree, and the table was full of cute, colorful delicacies.


    They looked tasty and had a wide variety.


    I picked up the egg tart on the nearest te and put it in my mouth.


    The pleasant sweetness spread softly in my mouth.


    ¡°Do you like sweets?¡±


    Payne looked at me and asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I have invited anyone to the garden. I¡¯m d it¡¯s a nice day.¡±


    I raised my head and looked up at the sky. Clearly, as Payne said, the sunny weather was good. It was the perfect weather for a walk while admiring the flowers.


    ***


    In front of the old brick house, an incongruous colorful carriage stopped. And a prettydy came down from inside. Eileen rushed to the front door and knocked.


    ¡°Sarah, are you in there?¡±


    There was no answer from inside.


    Eileen knocked on the door with patience and called her once more.


    ¡°Sarah, are you in there? If so, please open the door.¡±


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t in vain.


    Suddenly, the door opened and Sarah, who looked haggard, walked out.


    ¡°Eileen.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s gaze on Eileen seemed


    The way she looked at her made Eileen feel a little squeamish, but now was not the time for her to question that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I came here without notice,¡± she said. ¡°I have something to ask you.¡±


    Sarah hesitated for a moment, then nodded her head.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Eileen nced over Sarah¡¯s shoulder.


    The fire was not properly lit, so the gloomy interior was visible.


    The narrow and shabby house could not bepared to that of the Count¡¯s, and it seemed too lonely considering she lived alone.


    On top of that, dust was piled up as if it had not been cleaned up well.


    Eileen¡¯s face hardened a little.


    It was a ce she never got used to.


    Still, back in the day, when Viscountess Willis was alive, it seemed like a home for people, but now it was not.


    She hesitated, reluctant to step inside.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    When she didn¡¯t hear the sound of following footsteps, Sarah looked back with a puzzled expression. Eileen forcibly raised the corners of her lips and said with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

 Chapter 99

    ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯ll bring tea.¡±


    As Sarah turned and tried to go to the kitchen, Eileen hurriedly caught her.


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t bother.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°No tea. Sit down.¡±


    Eileen said with a friendly smile.


    Sarah reluctantly sat down.


    ¡°Did something happen while we didn¡¯t see each other? Did someonee¡­?¡±


    Sarah¡¯s face hardened when Eileen asked.


    She looked down at the floor without saying a word with a subdued gaze.


    Recently, a rumor had spread in the capital.


    It was said that the Crown Prince sacrificed innocent people for his mistress.


    It was unbelievable that he killed two people to hide the crime the mistressmitted.


    People usually think of the Crown Prince¡¯s fame and reputation, and at first they did not believe it, but when the rumors grew out of control, they criticized them.


    Of course, Viscountess Willis was nobility, notmoner, and she was not innocent.


    However, ordinary people did not know the details of what happened that day, and rumors tend to be falsified from mouth to mouth.


    After all, what did the truth matter so much?


    People already saw the Crown Prince and ire as evils and evils wouldn¡¯t tell between right and wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep the secret.¡±


    Eileen took Sarah¡¯s hand and said.


    ¡°But I couldn¡¯t help it either. The 2nd Prince was fiercely questioning me, so in order to protect my family¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t care, so don¡¯t take it too seriously.¡±


    Sarah said with a bitter expression.


    A few days ago, a member of the imperial family paid her a visit.


    Eileen had broken her promise.


    The imperial official asked Sarah a few things.


    His demeanor was polite, but his voice and gaze were sharp.


    When she thought of that moment, her heart was still pounding.


    This incident left a fatal w in the reputation of the Crown Prince, who was usually praised for being just and gentle.


    Judging from the timing and circumstances, it was clear that it was the second prince¡¯s order.


    The more rumors spread and the more people criticized the two, the more exhrating they felt, but the more fearful they became.


    So, when the imperial official came, Sarah was terrified.


    It was fortunate enough that it was the person of the second Prince who came, not the Crown Prince¡¯s.


    If it was the Crown Prince¡¯s men, Sarah thought she would suffer a silent death like her mother.


    There was a small problem in the middle, but in the end it was revenge for the two people who killed her mother.


    She wasn¡¯t displeased with Eileen, but even if she was, what could she do to a daughter of a high ranking noble?


    ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±


    Eileen said with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯te early for some reason. The apology was dyed because of that.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Sarah asked with a slightly puzzled face.


    ¡°Because my father ordered me not to go out.¡±


    Eileen¡¯s face darkened as she recalled the memories of the past few days.


    Her lies to the second prince were eventually uncovered, and her father, Count Mason, found out about it.


    Count Mason, who had always loved his daughter dearly, this time showed a very determined attitude as if he was very angry.


    It was a felony that Eileen deceived the second prince with a shallow lie, which had soon been revealed, and could lead to the demise of the entire family.


    Fortunately, the 2nd Prince only warned her and didn¡¯t impose her punishment, which allowed the incident to pass, but Count Mason kept her inside her room to prevent further idents.


    And he ordered a stay-at-home order for half a year.


    Of course, although she was now freed to move around like this.


    ¡°That¡¯s bad. But is it ok for you to go out like this?¡±


    As Sarah asked with a worried face, Eileen gave her a bitter smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡±


    When Eileen was grounded, her mother, Countess Mason, persuaded the Count with earnest words.


    Count Mason loves his daughter deeply and was sad to punish her. Eventually he lifted the ban.


    But he warned sternly.


    Next time, if she had another ident, then she would be banned from leaving the house infinitely instead of half a year.


    Eileen had never seen her father so cold and harsh on her in her life.


    At that time, when she recalled the incident, she was still amazed.


    She looked at her toes with a gloomy face, and then she raised her head and asked, recalling her original purpose ining here.


    ¡°Have you met the second prince?¡± (Eileen)(*after meeting with Eileen, the second prince met with Sarah)


    Eileen¡¯s face came to life again, and her gaze brightened.


    However, her droopy eyebrows gave a hint of nervousness, and her clenched lips looked as if she wanted to say something.


    Sarah hesitated for a moment, then nodded her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but I¡¯ve seen him.¡±


    ¡°What did the Second Prince say?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything. He asked a few questions, but none of them were special.¡±


    Eileen was a little disappointed, and asked again.


    ¡°Do you remember exactly what he asked?¡±


    ¡°He just asked a few questions about what kind of conversations went on between the Crown Prince and the princess¡­ Oh, and by the way, he asked about Princess Lillian. I said I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Eileen narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Why did the 2nd Prince ask such a question¡­¡­¡±


    Her expression softened as she btedly recalled the fact that Sarah¡¯s mother, who had just died, had worked for many years as the princess¡¯s nanny.


    But the suspicion remained the same.


    The breakup of the Crown Prince and Princess Lillian seemed certain.


    But why did the second prince show interest in her?


    Eileen licked her lips, suppressing her displeasure.


    She hesitated, but eventually she couldn¡¯t stand it, and asked.


    ¡°Did he say anything about me?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Sarah gave an answer with a puzzled face, but faithfully answered.


    Eileen¡¯s face hardened at her words.


    She tried to hide her expression, but she couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment.


    ¡°Why are you asking that? Eileen, maybe¡­?¡±


    Sarah looked at her with a slightly startled face.


    ¡°Do you like the Second Prince?¡±


    Eileen¡¯s face instantly heated up.


    She looked like a girl who fell in love for the first time.


    But herplexion soon darkened.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so don¡¯t guess. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    Eileen spoke coldly and got up from her seat.


    Sarah stared nkly at her, not even thinking of stopping her.


    She couldn¡¯t keep up with her change of emotions, which was unusually capricious today.


    Usually, Eileen tended to be impulsive and capricious, but this was not the case.


    It was clear that her attitude was strange today because of the second prince.


    Perhaps¡­


    Sarah looked at Eileen¡¯s back as she left with a nk face.


    The second prince had no fianc¨¦e yet, but everyone who knew that the Marquis Kylon had an eye on him for a long time.


    Marquis Kylon was a well-established nobleman and his power was not to be ignored. And he wanted his daughter to marry the prince.


    Eileen was also a high-ranking noblewoman and a daughter of Count, and she had a cute appearance and a bright and cheerful personality, so she was not a bad match for the second Prince.


    However herpetitor, Marquis Kylon, had a very cruel nature, contrary to what was known.


    When the second prince returned splendidly, announcing the victory, many people coveted him because of his splendid appearance and achievements.


    Among them were some active women.


    However, they quietly disappeared from time to time.


    Later news came that some of them had broken legs, some had burns to their faces, and some were blind.


    Some people were suspicious of this, and they were suspicious of the youngdy, Marquis Kylon¡¯s daughter, but everyone knew her noble and warm personality.


    After so many years, the only woman left with the second prince was Young Lady Kylon.


    Already, most people seemed to think she would be the second Prince¡¯s future wife.


    At a banquet she once attended, Sarah identally overheard Lady Kylon talking to her maid.


    Then, she knew for sure.


    The rumors¡­ were true.


    Unlike Princess Lillian, Lady Kylon was a true viin.


    Her mischief didn¡¯t stop at the frivolous level of pouring wine on people¡¯s dresses or flirting.


    She was more cruel and vicious, but no one ever suspected her, so she was meticulous and smart.


    ¡®Would she be all right?¡¯


    Although Sarah resented Eileen a little, she didn¡¯t wish Eileen harm.


    Sarah had a worried face as she looked at the closed door.


    ***


    Even after getting into her carriage, Eileen¡¯splexion was still dark.


    Obviously that day, the second Prince had a cold attitude towards her, but she herself did not forget him.


    Was there anything else in the world as changeable as the human heart?


    When he first found out her lies, she was terrified, and she was locked up in her room, feeling sad thinking about it.


    But the 2 princes she saw up close, once seen, he was unforgettably beautiful.


    With mysterious silver hair and clear eyes like ss beads, he was cold like the morning mist, but he had a mysterious and elegant figure.


    Even now, when Eileen thought of his cold attitude toward herself, her heart was stuffy and depressed.


    She knew that the second prince had no interest in her.


    But, since when did marriage between nobles involve love?


    This was especially true for the imperial family who was at the center of the struggle for the throne.


    She had hated them all her life, but in thest few days she changed her mind.


    Knowing that the second Prince might marry Lady Kylon, Eileen tried to give up, but the human heart didn¡¯t work as she intended.


    Moreover, it had been several years since the daughter of Marquis Kylon liked him, and the 2nd Prince already held hising-of-age ceremonyst year.


    However, the engagement had not yet taken ce¡­


    For things to happen, it would have already been done.


    So she (Eileen) still had a chance.


    After finishing her thoughts, Eileen raised her head with a brighterplexion.


    Soon after, the carriage began to move.


    She stared at the fast-moving scenery outside silently.


    Then the maid who apanied her spoke up.


    ¡°Lady, look outside! It¡¯s so pretty, the river is dyed golden.¡±


    At the maid¡¯s words, Eileen looked outside.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Suddenly, the sky was dyed red and arge golden sun was rising. Everywhere was dyed golden as the sun spread its golden brilliance.


    Eileen frowned as she recalled what Sarah had said earlier.


    She (Eileen) was resentful that the 2nd Prince had shown interest in Princess Lillian.

 Chapter 100

    Whenever a cool breeze blew, the petals on the trees fell like rain on the wind.


    The sight of the pink petals fluttering in the wind was spectacr.


    ¡°Recently, the number of foreigners has increased significantly in the capital. I heard that there are more things to see on the streets, especially theater and circuses. Have you ever been there?¡±


    Payne looked at me with a smile as he spoke.


    My reflection was reflected in his finely curved eyes.


    I replied with a nk smile.


    ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t know because I¡¯ve been confined to my house for the past few days.¡±


    The refreshments on the table were delicious, and it was rxing to see the beautiful scenery in front of me.


    I silently watched Payne drinking his tea.


    I couldn¡¯t hide my wonder.


    While the Crown Prince was also busy and soaked in fatigue, there was no way that Payne would be this idle.


    The fact that he invited me, whom he knew for a short time, to chat and watch flowers, was discerning.


    I thought that Payne invited me to his pce today because he had something to say.


    However, he kept talking about mundane things. I couldn¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°Can we take a walk?¡±


    I knew it.


    It was clear that he was about to speak seriously.


    After we finished our tea, we walked through the garden.


    I turned my gaze to the side and looked at Payne.


    Did he really invite me to go flower watching?


    I was puzzled, but as I walked through the garden, the initial difort was quickly forgotten.


    ¡°You asked me before what my favorite flower is. Then, what kind of flower do you like the most?¡±


    ¡°I like pear blossoms the most.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, I thought there were many simr-looking trees, but are they all pear trees?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hear an answer, so I turned around and saw Payne with a nk face.


    Perhaps because of my puzzled expression, he gave me an awkward smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. By the way¡­ that bracelet and ne are self-defense weapons. Did you get it from Elvin?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.


    ¡°You two seem pretty close.¡±


    ¡°There have been a few asions where I have been helped by him. I haven¡¯t known him for a long time, but I think he¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Aplex look shed in Payne¡¯s eyes.


    But the next moment, he asked me again with a nonchnt face.


    ¡°It will soon be autumn. There will be a hunting festival, and I wonder what rare animals will be released this time.¡±


    ¡°I know, right.¡±


    I mechanically nodded at Payne¡¯s words.


    Then he looked ahead again.


    Having said that, I was curious again.


    Come to think of it, where was Elvin now?


    He said he was leaving, but he didn¡¯t say where or when he was leaving.


    I couldn¡¯t ask because he didn¡¯t seem to want me to know about it.


    I should have asked. Now I regretted it.


    I did not know if he had already left or if he was still in the capital.


    But the thought of not seeing him for a while made me feel sad.


    Somehow I missed his pretty eyes and yful voice.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    Payne¡¯s voice woke me from my thoughts.


    As I turned to look at him, he was watching me with puzzlement.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What did you say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just asked what kind of animals you like.¡±


    I thought about it for a while, then answered anyway.


    ¡°I like foxes. Because it¡¯s cute.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±


    After a few more casual conversations, Payne spoke.


    ¡°I saw the Duke enter the pce this morning.¡±


    Today¡¯s entry into the pce was not an audience, but a call from the emperor.


    I had no way of knowing why the emperor had suddenly summoned the duke at this point.


    However, when I remembered the dark expression on the servant¡¯s face when he came to speak to the duke, I felt anxious.


    ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡­.¡¯


    I turned my gaze to the side.


    A face as cold and clear as ss caught my eye.


    Payne was themander of the Imperial Knights, so if something really happened, he would know.


    I thought for a moment and then asked.


    ¡°Do you know why His Majesty called my father?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Duke tell you?¡±


    A look of concern shed in Payne¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Perhaps His Majesty will issue an order to dispatch troops today.¡±


    ¡°Dispatch troops? Is he leaving again?¡±


    I frowned.


    The duke used to stay longer on the battlefield than in the capital.


    So, I already knew that he would leave again one day.


    However, it was strange that the emperor issued an order to dispatch troops not long after he returned.


    Suddenly, I remembered what he said thest time I saw Elvin.


    Something was going to happen?


    ¡°Are you sad to hear that your father is leaving again?¡±


    ¡°A little bit. But what¡¯s really going on?¡±


    Payne saw my dark expression and added.


    ¡°I was told to increase the number of guards and strengthen security, so it should be fine. It won¡¯t be a big deal, so don¡¯t worry too much. However¡­¡­.¡±


    Payne¡¯splexion darkened.


    He removed the smile from his face and spoke seriously.


    ¡°There are suspicious people roaming around the capital these days, so be careful, princess.¡±


    Elvin said the same thing to me. Now Payne¡­


    It was already the second time I had heard this warning.


    I tried to raise the corner of my lips, but my anxious mind did not calm down.


    Payne pulled something out of his pocket and held it out.


    When I looked at him with a puzzled face, he said with a shy face.


    ¡°It¡¯s a self-defense weapon. But I didn¡¯t expect the princess to have something of the same type.¡±


    What Payne held out was a small, elongated, silver whistle.


    A thin string of the same color was tied to the end.


    ¡°The most important thing is not to get into trouble. Take several escorts with you when you go out and don¡¯t go to dangerous ces.¡±


    After thinking about it for a moment, I epted.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    We walked a little further and stopped at the entrance of the 2nd Prince¡¯s Pce.


    Payne called for a carriage, and I stood still and waited.


    Within minutes the carriage arrived and he held out his hand to me.


    ¡°Allow me.¡±


    Just as I was about to refuse, a courtier approached and whispered something into Payne¡¯s ear.


    Then hisplexion deteriorated rapidly.


    It seemed that something urgent had happened.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. So go ahead.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not that urgent, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    At Payne¡¯s words, the courtdy¡¯s eyes widened.


    She seemed to want to refute something, but closed her mouth.


    Then, a man dressed as a knight approached and said.


    ¡°Your Highness, I will escort the Princess, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Payne seemed to hesitate for a moment, then looked at me with a sad face and asked.


    ¡°Can you visit me again next time?¡±


    I looked at him without saying anything at Payne¡¯s embarrassed question.


    Next time?


    However, seeing a slight impatience in his gaze at me, I reluctantly nodded my head.


    ¡°If the opportunity arises, I will.¡±


    ***


    On the way back.


    The attendant, who sat in the driver¡¯s seat in charge of the guide, held the reins and continued to talk with excitement.


    ¡°It is the first time that the 2nd Prince has invited an outsider for a private meeting. The princess may not know it, but the inside of the garden where the tea table was prepared was a favorite ce for thete Empress when she was alive. It¡¯s a ce where no one can enter without permission even though I¡¯ve served him for years.¡±


    Then, theplexion of the knight who was with him worsened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    He sent a warning nce at the attendant.


    Only then did the attendant shut his mouth.


    Looking at his eyes, the knight seemed to disapprove of me.


    After possessing Roxana¡¯s body, I could recognize that kind of gaze right away because it was familiar.


    However, I too was a little ufortable with the words the attendant had spoken.


    Finally, the carriage arrived at the duke¡¯s residence.


    When I got out of the carriage, they greeted me politely and started the carriage again.


    On the way from the imperial pce to here, there were more than ten escort knights assigned by Payne.


    Including the duke¡¯s knights I took with me to the imperial pce, there were twenty of them.


    Even the crown prince didn¡¯t have that many escorts around, so it could be said that I received a special treatment.


    I felt ufortable with being treated excessively.


    ***


    ¡°If either the 2nd Prince or the Crown Prince¡¯s are both lost in beauty¡­¡±


    Ellen muttered with a disapproving expression.


    At his words, the attendant pulling the carriage looked back at him with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Yes? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    The attendant made an iprehensible face.


    For whatever reason, the 2nd Prince¡¯s second inmand seemed to have trouble with something, so it was best not to poke him.


    The attendant looked straight ahead and did not speak again.


    ¡®Princess Lillian came to visit and the two of them walked in the garden together.¡¯


    Ellen couldn¡¯t hide his surprise at the servant¡¯s words earlier.


    Princess Lillian. Wasn¡¯t she the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e?


    From the standpoint of serving the second prince, Ellen could not understand.


    What could be good about being close to a woman with a bad reputation?


    Even though she had broken up with the Crown Prince¡­


    Seeing it with his own eyes made him even more curious.


    The second prince¡¯s attitude towards the princess was gentle and considerate.


    To others, he always seemed to draw the cold line, but when he was with the Princess, he seemed more carefree.


    It was something Ellen had never seen before.


    Somehow, he thought it was strange that the second Prince was interested in the Princess more than necessary from before!


    If he was going to meet a woman, wouldn¡¯t it be much better to go with the Marquis of Kylon¡¯s daughter, who had a pretty face and a good reputation?


    Ellen stared at the void with a displeased expression.


    The distant scenery of the duke¡¯s residence caught his eye.


    He frowned once more, then looked ahead again and pulled the reins.


    ***


    As I entered the foyer, Stephen greeted me.


    ¡°Mydy. How are you?¡±


    ¡°My father?¡±


    ¡°His Excellency has not returned yet.¡±


    Looking out the window, the sun was already setting.


    He left early in the morning but still hasn¡¯t returned. It seemed like there was a lot to talk about.


    ¡°His Excellency sent you a message earlier. It looks like he will bete, so I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to keep the dinner promise today¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It can¡¯t be helped if he¡¯s busy with official business. I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯ll go up now.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please rest well.¡±


    I went up to my room and saw flowers hanging in the shade.


    Because the windows were left open for venttion, fresh air filled the room.


    I changed my clothes and went down to the dining room to eat.


    After the sun had set and I was ready to sleep, the Duke returned.


    ¡°Roxana, may Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tien opened the door at the voice of the duke in front of the door.


    The duke entered with a more tired face than usual.


    ¡°Are you ready for bed? It seems I interrupted you.¡±


    ¡°No. What did His Majesty say?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you visited the 2nd Prince today.¡±


    The Duke smiled bitterly and went to sit on the sofa.


    ¡®He changed the subject.¡¯


    Suspicion arose, but I did not show it and sat down across from him.


    Annie then brought hot tea.


    For a while the duke was silent.


    It was the first time I had ever felt so awkward and ufortable with him since I knew his true feelings for his daughter.


    ¡°Did His Majesty order you to leave?¡±


    ¡°Where did you hear the news?¡±


    The duke looked at me with a surprised expression as if I had hit the target.


    He thought for a moment, then he smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Did His Highness the 2nd Prince tell you?¡±


    When I nodded, the duke¡¯splexion darkened.


    ¡°When did you be so close with the 2nd Prince?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a close friend.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Young Master Croix?¡±


    When I raised my head and looked at the duke with a puzzled face, he turned away with an apologetic expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s reaction seemed a little strange today.


    He looked at me and continued.


    ¡°The breakup will be finalized before dispatch. I want to stay longer by your side, but the situation is serious. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    The duke looked at me with a face filled with apologetic expression, then lowered his head.


    He hesitated for a while before speaking again.


    ¡°Today His Majesty asked about your hand in marriage with the 2nd Prince.¡±

 Chapter 101

    ¡°What did you say just now?¡±


    For a moment, I wondered if I had heard it wrong.


    The duke spoke once again with a dark face as if to confirm death.


    ¡°His Majesty wants you and the 2nd Prince to get married.¡±


    His voice fell heavy in my ears one syble at a time.


    I frowned at thepletely unbelievable news.


    ¡°Why did His Majesty suddenly¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that either.¡±


    The Emperor had no interest even when the Crown Prince and Roxana were engaged in the first ce. Even after the breakup was known, he wasn¡¯t interested.


    But suddenly he wanted Payne and I to get married?


    The marriage arrangement with the Crown Prince was what Roxana wanted and obtained directly, so her decision was justifiable.


    But if the emperor ordered it, the story would be different.


    To disobey the imperial order was to rebel against the imperial family.


    It was not an easy task for the duke either.


    ¡°His Majesty asked if I knew about your rtionship with the second Prince and I replied I didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s the truth. The second Prince is cold on the outside but gentle on the inside and the Emperor saw that he was close to you, so he requested this marriage.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The second Prince is a person who knows justice and loyalty. He¡¯s single and has no women issues.This marriage doesn¡¯t look too bad to me.¡±


    It was as if my brain had be jumbled up, and not a single word of the Duke¡¯s words came to my ears.


    I heard the words, but I couldn¡¯t understand them at all.


    ¡°Besides, since His Majesty brought up the subject, I thought I had talked to you beforehand¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live in the imperial pce.¡±


    The Duke sighed and continued.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll tell His Majesty. Do you have someone you like?¡±


    I should have answered no right away, but for some reason I was speechless.


    The Duke¡¯s darkplexion lessened.


    ¡°It seems that there is. Is that person Young Master Croix?¡±


    The duke looked at me with a suspicious gaze.


    His eyes were golden, just like Roxana¡¯s.


    His gaze at me was soft with strength. It was enough to tell me he knew the answer.


    The thought of how he knew did not leave my head.


    ¡®Could it be¡­ the Crown Prince again.¡¯


    Recalling the time the Crown Prince visited the duke¡¯s residence a few days ago, the hand that I clenched naturally became stronger.


    ¡°Ever since you were little, you had a clear distinction between what you liked and what you didn¡¯t like. I understand what you mean.¡±


    The Duke saw my dark expression and said in a soft voice as if to reassure me.


    ¡°Roxana, if you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t worry too much, because even if it¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s orders, I¡¯ll stop it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°But give up on Young Master Croix. He has a high status and is good looking, so you can be tempted, but he is not a good person. He is colder and more heartless than the Crown Prince, so he will surely hurt you if you stay by his side. I cannot let you be with such a person.¡±


    A look of pain shed in the Duke¡¯s eyes.


    I could see what he was worried about.


    But he didn¡¯t know the truth.


    Elvin was a much better person than what others said.


    However, the words to defend him that were up to the tip of my throat scattered like smoke when I saw the duke¡¯s face full of pain.


    ¡°I said I would support whatever you do, but not this time. The experience of almost losing you once is enough.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Your Highness, may Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Ellen cautiously opened the door and Payne greeted him, sitting at his desk.


    Ellen was speechless for a moment at his calm and rxed attitude, as usual.


    ¡°Did you take good care of the princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. By the way, Your Highness, I overheard the chatter of the courtiers on the way, and they said that the Emperor said something strange to Duke Lillian today.¡±


    Ellen looked at him and said cautiously.


    Payne answered in a calm voice.


    ¡°You mean that His Majesty discussed the princess¡¯ marriage with me to the duke¡­¡±


    ¡°You knew?¡±


    Ellen asked, his eyes widened.


    However, he soon narrowed his eyes with a face that realized something.


    His eyes were full of shock and suspicion.


    Payne spoke calmly.


    ¡°Of course I know. It¡¯s what I asked for.¡±


    Ellen couldn¡¯t believe it even after hearing Payne¡¯s words. He knew the second Prince liked the Princess, but marriage?


    The shocking news rendered him speechless.


    Payne didn¡¯t change hisplexion even as he watched him stare at him with his mouth open like an idiot.


    Ellen finally came to his senses and asked with a shocked voice.


    ¡°Your Highness, what on earth were you thinking? And why did His Majesty¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish talking.


    The more he thought about it, the weirder it got.


    The emperor, who cared about his image, agreed to the proposal of marriage between the second Prince and the Princess even before the cancetion of the engagement between the Crown Prince and the Princess was finalized?


    The picture of two brotherspeting for the same woman did not look good.


    Even if there were many dissolute people in the imperial family, this kind of love affair was just the right spark for others to talk about.


    In addition, the emperor was not a soft and affectionate father who would listen to his children under any circumstances, so this situation was even crazier.


    ¡°I n to formally propose to the Princess soon, so be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did the princess agree to it?¡±


    ¡°Well. It¡¯s been a while since the duke left the pce, so she probably knew by now.¡±


    Payne was born into the royal family, and his life was threatened every moment, so he could not afford to wish for anything else because he was so desperate to survive.


    He had wanted to have many things in his life, but he couldn¡¯t have anything.


    As he grew up little by little, he gradually gave up.


    Even he wasn¡¯t trying to obtain the throne simply because he didn¡¯t want it. He had no choice but to fight to live.


    But now he got what he wanted for the first time in his life.


    It was worth it. Ellen felt Payne¡¯s calm attitude raised his blood pressure.


    He had a hard time epting this sudden situation.


    He frowned in displeasure.


    ¡°I cannot understand Your Highness¡¯ sudden decision. Aren¡¯t there many other ways to get Duke Lillian¡¯s attention?¡­¡±


    ¡°Ellen, stop talking.¡±


    Payne warned with a cold face.


    For a moment, Ellen froze.


    ¡°If I were going to use the Princess as a political means, I would have chosen another means.¡±


    Payne added.


    He seemed to have already made up his mind, so he wouldn¡¯t hear no matter how much persuasion.


    Ellen said in a weak voice as if resigned.


    ¡°Anyway, isn¡¯t this too sudden?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°How about taking your time and thinking about it slowly?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not allowed.¡±


    Payne made a bitter face at Ellen¡¯s words.


    A gloomy expression shed in his gaze.


    If he waited, he would have no chance.


    Perhaps he was alreadyte.


    So while he was forced to resort to shortcuts, he wasn¡¯t sure if this was the best option.


    Payne recalled the ne of the princess he had seen today.


    It was given by Elvin.


    It was the first time he knew what jealousy was.


    It was a strange thing that he had never imagined before, but on the other hand, it was bitter.


    And he hadn¡¯t known before that the princess¡¯s face as she thought of Elvin could be so warm and lovely.


    Even when she was with him, he knew she was thinking of someone else.


    She didn¡¯t seem to be aware of it herself, but at that time, the princess¡¯s face was dazzlingly beautiful.


    Her sparkling eyes were slightly curved, with the corners of her mouth raised slightly, and her flushed cheeks were lovely.


    She was so beautiful that he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her, and his greed grew even bigger, but at that time, she seemed to be in a ce he couldn¡¯t reach.


    He felt as if he was staring up at a high light in a mire where no light could reach, longing for it.


    It seemed close, but he couldn¡¯t reach it if even if he stretched out his hand, and that light, warm and dazzling like the spring sun, shone on someone else, unfortunately.


    ***


    The Empress¡¯s Pce.


    The empress paced the room with a very angry face.


    Nervousness could be seen in her steps, and her brows were furrowed.


    The sun had already set outside and the cool wind was blowing in from the open window, but she was fanning herself with a fan studded with red jewels as if to cool off the heat.


    Her clothes were beautiful and neat, but her usual rxed and gentle appearance was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy¡­he can¡¯t do this. The lowly thing¡­¡±


    The empress spoke in a sharp voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s so vulgar that a young woman is already bewitching the man and causing trouble. It¡¯s better to cut the buds that will be a problem early. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Theplexion of the Crown Prince, who was standing opposite her, deteriorated at the harsh words she spat out.


    She was an empress who usually kept herposure on most things, but this time, she couldn¡¯t stay calm.


    The Duke of Lillian was the strongest rope that the Crown Prince could hold.


    However, if the marriage arrangement was canceled, that tie would have been severed.


    In addition, since he had a grudge against the Crown Prince, it would be even worse.


    These days the power of the second prince was stronger, this was never a good thing.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s infidelity was revealed to the world, and public opinion was boiling that he fell for a mere woman and killed innocent people.


    There was a strong public opinion about this incident even among the ministers, as if the duke had used his hand in this matter.


    He could mess up the great country that they had worked hard for a long time.


    Because of a woman of low status who was in a dishonorable rtionship with her own proud son.


    ¡°It¡¯s not once or twice that I¡¯ve pretended not to know that you¡¯ve been ying with that lowly thing. Because I wanted you to realize and sort things out for yourself. But if I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have just stood by and watched.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed¡­¡±


    The empress turned her head towards the Crown Prince.


    Looking at her only son, her eyes were filled with anger and disappointment unlike before.


    ¡°Jeremy, I never dreamed that you, no one else, would betray my expectations like this.¡±


    The Crown Prince listened quietly to the empress with his head bowed the whole time.


    Because even though he had ten mouths, he had nothing to say.


    But the sight made the Empress even angrier.


    He turned his fianc¨¦e, a princess, into an enemy for his mistress, and killed a prisoner in prison.


    Of course, one of the criminals was the nanny who raised the princess, so the princess, who had endured countless insults and ugly rumors for several years, eventually notified him of the breakup.


    When she thought of the Lady Dana who tricked her docile son, she felt disgusted.


    Her heart ached when the Crown Prince fell for such a woman and created the current situation.


    Her anger intensified.


    If this had been known right away, it might have been possible to deal with it before the rumor spread.


    However, he did not even tell her about what he did, and in the end, she found out about this incident only after rumors had already spread.


    It was toote now, and it was not easy even if she used her power.


    ¡°I have warned you several times before. But the warning doesn¡¯t work, so I can¡¯t help it now.¡±


    The empress folded the fan she was holding in her hand with a snap.


    Her eyes shone darkly.


    A look of uneasiness crossed the Crown Prince¡¯s face.


    ¡°Surely, if I had to kill that woman (ire) to make youe to your senses, and as your mother, I would be willing to risk blood on my hands for the sake of my son¡¯s future. Coincidentally, since she has a low status, it¡¯s even easier. It¡¯s nothing serious to get rid of one of the baron¡¯s daughters.¡±

 Chapter 102

    The empress was a person who would actually do what she said.


    At her words, the Crown Prince raised his head in amazement, revealing his face under the bright lights.


    Hisplexion wasn¡¯t the best because of what had happened recently.


    He had lost more weight, dark circles under his eyes, and his pupils were bloodshot.


    The empress closed her lips at the sight.


    His emaciated face was full of distress instead of the confidence that had always been present.


    She was angry and forgot about it for a while, but her son was probably the one who was most heartbroken.


    ¡°ha¡­¡­.¡±


    The empress put her hand on his forehead as if her head hurt, and sighed deeply.


    Her son, the Crown Prince, was a good child who had never done bad things when he was young.


    He listened to his mother wholeheartedly and did not rebel once. His mother was heartbroken because of her heartless husband and a fox-like mistress.


    He devoted to his studies even though he was disappointed in his indifferent father, and consoled his pitiful mother.


    She had no idea such an upright child would grow up to this rotten man.


    The disappointment and betrayal were as great as the expectations were high, but the two had been very close.


    The sight of pain on her emaciated son¡¯s face weakened her heart as well.


    ¡°It is said that Princess Lillian visited the second Prince¡¯s pce the other day. Do you know?¡±


    The empress asked with a very tired face.


    At her words, the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes widened as if they would pop out.


    He raised his head and looked at her, his face in disbelief.


    A look of shock was evident in his beautiful blue eyes.


    ¡°Why did Roxana go there?¡±


    ¡°It must be one of the two. Either she wants to get back at you, or Payne is seducing her.¡±


    ¡°What? What did that lowly Payne say to Roxana?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked ferociously.


    His voice intensified towards the end.


    His sea-blue eyes glowed darkly with hatred and jealousy for his half-brother.


    ¡°How would I know?¡±


    The empress clicked her tongue and replied.


    She also tried to get people to find out, but she couldn¡¯t nt people in the pce because the second prince was so cunning and suspicious.


    She knew how much the two Princes hated each other.


    The Empress, worried that the Crown Prince might be more upset, said in a defeated voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re tired, so go back and take care of yourself for the time being. Sort things out with Lady Dana. At least don¡¯t meet her or let her visit until you have the power of the emperor.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Then rest well, mother.¡±


    The empress looked at the Crown Prince rising from his seat with a gaze full of disbelief and added.


    ¡°Take my words seriously. If you see her just one more time, you will see your mother¡¯s wrath. Do you understand?¡±


    ***


    Even after the duke left the room, the nk feeling did not go away.


    When I first decided to break off the engagement, I thought it would be better if Payne didn¡¯t get into trouble with the Crown Prince.


    Since Payne had been helping me, the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, his reputation must be affected.


    I never meant to get closer than necessary.


    And that thought was still the same.


    However, Payne¡¯s power was at a level that could not be ignored.


    In addition, since the Crown Prince was out of the equation, that was the only option left.


    Payne¡¯s power was already strong, but the duke¡¯s power could not be ignored either.


    If the two forces were to face each other, nothing would be gained and only losses would be incurred.


    So it was better to avoid a collision with him as much as possible.


    Unlike our ufortable first meeting, Payne had been friendly and kind to me from some time on.


    So I assumed we were thinking the same thing.


    But that was myplete misjudgment.


    Was this the identity of the anxiety I felt from time to time?


    I frowned as I remembered the events of the day.


    Did Payne know the emperor¡¯s intentions or not?


    ¡®He couldn¡¯t have been unaware.¡¯


    Iughed.


    For some reason, I thought Payne¡¯s attitude towards me today was a little different.


    Besides, if it wasn¡¯t him, why would the emperor suddenly step in and try to decide the marriage?


    The emperor was a person who cared about his image more than anyone else.


    I didn¡¯t know why he would do something like this.


    ¡°Mydy, what is this whistle? It looks pretty. Where did you get it from?¡±


    I turned my head to Annie¡¯s voice.


    Standing near the dresser, she was holding something small with a silver string in one hand.


    It seemed I had left it somewhere unintentionally after returning from the imperial pce.


    ¡°It was given to the youngdy by His Highness the 2nd Prince, so handle it carefully.¡±


    Tien, who followed me today, gave Annie a small notice.


    Then Annie carefully put down the whistle, with a surprised expression on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that, and I carelessly touched it¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Put it in any drawer there.¡±


    Annie wrapped the whistle around the velvet cloth with great care and put it in a drawer.


    Tien left the room after clearing the teacup from the table, and Annie went down to run other errands.


    At that time, Joan approached and asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Mydy, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to marry the 2nd Prince?¡±


    As I looked at her, she said with an embarrassed face.


    ¡°The 2nd Prince is gentle and handsome. He¡¯s brave on the battlefield, and also dignified, graceful, and delicate. Besides, unlike the Crown Prince, he has no other woman¡­¡±


    She seemed to have a very good opinion of Payne and continued to praise him for a long time.


    ¡°But thedy doesn¡¯t seem to like him very much.¡±


    Joan looked at me and added.


    This time she got it right.


    She was always sharp in the odd part.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    I nodded meekly.


    In the past, when I had a misunderstanding about the duke, I tried to avoid him and adapt to the marriage talk with the Crown Prince.


    When I think of that time, I still get dizzy.


    As Joan said,pared to the Crown Prince, I liked Payne more.


    But that was when I didn¡¯t know what the duke was thinking.


    Not now.


    All circumstances were subject to change, and the marriage of nobles was decided by others, such as family solidarity and harmony or financial reasons.


    But luckily I was on the lucky side.


    As the daughter of a powerful and prestigious family, Duke Lillian cared for his daughter, so the case was different from those who had no choice in the first ce.


    I would never again be caught up in a quarrel over imperial power and used as someone else¡¯s political means.


    ¡°Although thedy is kinder to the 2nd Prince than to the Crown Prince, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any difference in how she treats other people. Is it because of him?¡±


    At Joan¡¯s words, I paused and looked at her.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Even if you like it a lot, you never wear the same essory more than once. The same goes for those sent by the Crown Prince or the 2nd Prince. But you have been wearing the essory Young Master Croix gave you for a long time.¡±


    I was about to say that¡¯s not true, but when I heard her next words, I remained silent.


    ¡°The same with the flowers Young Master Croix sent. Instead of throwing away the dry flowers, you had it framed.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You might think it¡¯s presumptuous¡­ but when I saw the two of you together, I thought you two looked really good together.¡±


    Joan said in a calm voice, not as loud as she usually was.


    ¡°I said enough. Please have a good rest, Lady.¡±


    When Joan turned off the light, the room went dark.


    White moonlight illuminated the room through the window.


    Lying on the bed, I turned my head to look at the red lisianthus hanging on one side of the wall.


    Whenever I looked at the dry flower, for some reason, I felt better and smiled.


    ¡®Friend¡­¡¯


    For some reason, a corner of my heart felt ticklish, and I inadvertently touched the ne.


    Touching the ne when anxious was a new habit that I had from some time ago.


    The touch of the metal was obviously cold, but it felt warm as if someone¡¯s warmth remained.


    <strong>¡°Are you going to make other friends while I¡¯m away?¡±</strong>


    <strong>¡°I do not know. I might.¡±</strong>


    <strong>¡°It can¡¯t be helped, but while I¡¯m gone, if the princess gets closer to her new friend, I¡¯ll be very sad.¡±</strong>


    Looking up at the ceiling, I remembered the day Ist saw Elvin. How would he react if he found out about today (The marriage order from the emperor)? I was curious, but at the same time worried.


    <strong>¡°Couldn¡¯t friendships change while we¡¯re apart? I¡¯m worried.¡±</strong>


    <strong>¡°I believe it¡¯s out of sight out of mind.¡±</strong>


    At my words, Elvinughed and replied casually.


    <strong>¡°I¡¯ll have to work harder when Ie back to make up for the time I¡¯ve been away.¡±</strong>


    However, the saying ¡®Out of sight out of mind¡¯


    did not apply only to me.


    ***


    The night was deep.


    Inside a dark room, a woman sat with her head buried in herp, her hands and feet bound, like a prisoner.


    She was a middle-aged woman, but she looked older than her actual age, perhaps because of her hardships.


    Her gray hair was dry and her bare hands were rough.


    She finished sewing today and was on her way to deliver her work when she was kidnapped.


    She had been caught without knowing why, she should be resentful and scared, but she did not show any wonder on her face.


    Her pupils were deeply sunken and she seemed resigned, as if she knew something.


    As if she was expecting a day like this toe.


    Footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, and soon after, three people entered the room.


    A young man with dark ck hair and two men dressed as servants but with swords at their waists.


    The young man looked around the room and met her eyes as she sat crouching in a corner.


    While the man was calm, the woman lowered her head with a frightened face as if she had seen a ghost.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    Her eyes widened at the unfamiliar yet somehow familiar voice of the man.


    She shuddered and tried to shrink her body smaller.


    The sound of footsteps came closer and closer, thenpletely stopped.

 Chapter 103

    The man¡¯s face was illuminated by a dim scarletntern carried by a servant.


    ¡°Raise her head.¡±


    At themand, one of the servants stepped up to the woman and forcibly pulled her chin up.


    The moment she encountered a pair of red eyes looking down at her, she froze.


    ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    Elvin asked her.


    Light returned to the woman¡¯s eyes, which had been dimmed by the low, cold voice she heard.


    How could she not know?


    The boy, who had been exceptionally pretty since he was young, had grown up before she knew it and had be an imposing young man.


    The boy¡¯s appearance became more prominent as he grew up, but his childhood innocence and yfulness were nowhere to be found.


    His gaze looking down at her was so dark and overwhelming like an abyss.


    ¡°Looking at your expression, you seem to have recognized who I am, but why are you silent? Did you be mute?¡±


    ¡°Why did youe all the way to the countryside?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know why I came. They said you were dead, but you¡¯re alive, and I didn¡¯t know you had been hiding all this time. It took me years to find you.¡±


    Elvin lit a candle.


    The room became brighter and the faces became clearer.


    The middle-aged woman was dressed in shabby clothes and she had an unremarkable appearance.


    Her haggard face looked older than she actually was, but on closer inspection she retained the pretty face of her youth.


    ¡°Isabel, you look very old. You definitely weren¡¯t like this when you were my mother¡¯s maid, but you must have suffered a lot to look like this. I wouldn¡¯t have recognized you if I just ran into you on the street.¡±


    Elvin¡¯s voice was tinged with light mockery.


    The woman worked as ady-in-waiting for the grand duchess of the royal family, and then as a maid doing chores in the countryside, her situation fell into hell overnight.


    Isabel was both embarrassed and afraid.


    She feared that the new wife of the Grand Duke of Croix would know that she was alive and that she would try to silence her so she had been living in hiding miserably.


    The fact that the grown young master came to find her meant that he already knew something.


    This was the moment she had been looking forward to the most for years and hoped would nevere.


    Elvin looked at Isabel with a subdued gaze and instructed the servant.


    ¡°Let go.¡±


    The servant let go of the woman¡¯s chin and she fell to the floor.


    Isabel lowered her gloomy face to hide her trembling gaze.


    Elvin looked at her with a cold gaze.


    ¡°The day my mother died, I heard that you were by her side all day. Tell me in detail what happened that day.¡±


    Isabel took a deep breath.


    When she closed her eyes, it was as if she had gone back to the past.


    A couple was walking in the garden.


    The woman was very beautiful with her docile expression, and the man was outstanding and full of dignity.


    Beside them was a little boy who looked like the woman, and the woman¡¯s belly was full.


    And in the high room, the Grand Duchess looked down at them, covering her coughing mouth with a handkerchief.


    As she removed the handkerchief from her mouth, the white handkerchief was stained red.


    And then she jumped out of the window of her own room.


    Excluding the servants in the garden, the first to discover the body of the Grand Duchess was her young son, Elvin, who had just returned home.


    ¡°Young master seems to already know, so I won¡¯t hide it anymore. After His Excellency brought his mistress home, the Grand Duchess became more and more restless and heartbroken.¡±


    Isabel paused. Herplexion had deteriorated to the point where it couldn¡¯t get any worse.


    She hesitated for a moment, but then she spoke again with a miserable face.


    ¡°That day, the woman bribed someone to mix the Grand Duchess¡¯s food with a drug that obscures her mind, and lied that the young master had died in an ident on the way home.¡±


    After her words, Isabel closed her eyes tightly.


    She couldn¡¯t bear to lift her head.


    She felt more afraid than relieved, even though she had told the truth, which she had long buried in her heart.


    It was because of the young man in front of her.


    ¡°Everyone who was involved in it or knew the truth is dead. The mistress silenced them. I survived because I noticed earlier and ran away.¡±


    After learning how his mother had died, Elvin waspletely silent. The room was deadly quiet and heavy, only the sound of breathing was heard.


    Only the sound of the second hand of the clock hanging on one wall echoed through the room.


    Isabel felt as if she would suffocate at any moment in the dense air in the room.


    A few minutester, Elvin nodded calmly.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    His voice was calm and there was no particr emotional agitation.


    But he couldn¡¯t be truly indifferent.


    Recalling the image of the past, Isabel felt like a stone had been ced on her chest, and her heart felt heavy.


    ¡°One more thing. Was it you who mixed the drug with my mother¡¯s food?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. Thatdy-in-waiting is already dead.¡±


    ¡°How did you know the information?¡±


    ¡°I was standing outside the door then. I¡­ I didn¡¯t know that woman could be so vicious.¡±


    A look of pain crossed Isabel¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I havemitted a mortal sin against the young master and the Grand Duchess. This sin cannot be repaid even in death. If you punish me, I will ept it sweetly. But make that evil woman pay for her crimes.¡±


    ¡°I thought so even if you didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    Elvin responded coldly, without any emotion, and turned around.


    He ordered the men to lock the door and keep an eye on Isabel so that she would not escape, and then exited the building.


    This ce was bought from a local aristocrat¡¯s vi as belonging to the Hermes organization.


    He didn¡¯t have to worry about running into anyone else.


    Elvin walked slowly through therge garden.


    A pendant made of white silver hung around his neck as usual.


    Hisplexion was dark and his gaze was deeply sunken.


    His imposing and expressionless face was bathed in the cold moonlight, and he looked as lonely as the empty night.


    ***


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡±


    A loud sound of something falling to the floor was heard, and one of the servants screamed.


    The blood that flowed from the corpse with its limbs bizarrely broken stained the green grass red.


    Elvin, who had just returned home from his swordsmanship lesson, ran towards the sound.


    The room of the Grand Duchess of Croix was on the third floor.


    It was not a very high floor, so if you¡¯re lucky, you might not die if you fall.


    But, of course, the flower bed under the window was covered with a sharp fence made of bars.


    Elvin stood right in front of the body.


    The face of his mother, who always had a gentle smile, was covered with tears and had an unknown expression as if she was smiling.


    What was so unfair was that she died without even closing her eyes.


    A sickness had been cast over her bright and lively face for some time, but she was still beautiful.


    But now, her blood-stained face looked so terrible that one could believe it was once beautiful.


    ¡°Young master, don¡¯t look!¡±


    Immediately, servants came running and covered Elvin¡¯s eyes, but it was toote.


    He had already seen something he shouldn¡¯t have seen, and the memory of that day was still vivid even now, nearly ten yearster.


    Everyone said that the death of the Grand Duchess of Croix was a suicide, but he always had doubts.


    After his father brought his mistress home, his mother fell ill from neglect and heartbroken, and her health began to deteriorate.


    However, she was worried about her son, who would be left alone when she passed away, and feared that he would lose his things to the illegitimate son, and tried to keep her ce in the midst of her illness.


    But in the end, the Grand Duchess of Croix passed away, and it was Elvin¡¯s birthday that day.


    She had prepared a nice birthday present the day before and looked forward to it, but shemitted suicide that day for unknown reasons.


    Even if everyone believed the absurdity, Elvin was no fool.


    However there was no clear evidence.


    But he put in a lot of effort for a long time, he finally found the witness and heard the truth of the day.


    It seemed that the fog that had obscured his vision for a long time lifted, but the truth was too cruel for him to bear.


    Elvin lifted his head and looked up at the sky nkly.


    Stars were shining in the dark night sky prettily.


    The sky was dark like this and the moon was bright the night he said goodbye to the princess at the residence of the Marquis Flynn.


    Her luscious tinum-colored hair was as soft to the touch as silk, and smelled so nicely.


    Her white face reflected in the moonlight was beautiful, and unlike her nonchnt expression, her cheeks had slightly blush were lovely.


    That day, she was obviously sad to hear that he was leaving.


    The emotion in those beautiful eyes was definitely ¡®disappointment¡¯.


    How precious to witness her emotions like she cared about his departure.


    The thought of herforted his lonely cold heart.


    ***


    Over the past few days, the sky had changed from hot to cold on a whim, and today the heat seemed to have reached its peak.


    On a day like today, people refrained from going out and rested at home unless there was a special asion.


    As a result, even during the day, the streets were quiet and the vegetation was dry with heat.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ire was sitting in her room, biting her nails.


    Herplexion was dark and she seemed to have lost weight.


    After the incident, Baron Dana was furious that ire had disgraced the family and put her under confinement in her room.


    Except for three times a day when her maid brought her meals or came in to clean, she was alone in her room all day.


    She had no contact with her nanny, and all the maids who brought her meals or came in to clean were strangers.


    The Dana family was not as wealthy as other nobles in the capital, so there were not many servants they could hire.


    Nevertheless, the fact that ire was unfamiliar with the maids¡¯ faces proved that Baron Dana was willing to go all out to iste his daughter.


    As if they had been instructed by him, the maids did not speak to ire, and they just went about their business in silence.

 Chapter 104

    Baron Dana was greedy, but cowardly, so he was uneasy about ire being close to the Crown Prince.


    However he was pleased when ire was favored by the Crown Prince. But as soon as the mishap happened, he immediately changed his color and treated his daughter this way.


    It was clear that he had a grudge against the Crown Prince for intervening in the marriage he arranged for irest time.


    He was a man whocked the slightest conscience as his father, or as a human being.


    It had been several days since ire had been ced under house arrest, but she had not received any contact from the Crown Prince.


    She would like to think it was because of his circumstances, but as time went on, she began to think that maybe it wasn¡¯t.


    He had always had a good reputation, but this had taken a toll on him.


    If the crown prince med her for this and wouldn¡¯t want to see her anymore¡­.


    ire bit her lip.


    ¡®This time again because of her!¡¯


    She threw the teacup from the table violently, thinking of Roxana.


    The teacup hit the wall and shattered.


    ire looked at the broken pieces scattered on the floor, then turned her head away.


    It was clear that this was Princess Lillian¡¯s doing.


    She was a woman who mercilessly clung to the Crown Prince while enduring all kinds of humiliation and insults.


    She was stupid and scandalous, but she had the Crown Prince in the palm of her hand.


    The princess was valued to the Crown Prince.


    But she suddenly broke off the engagement, how could the duke ept it?


    He wouldn¡¯t just throw away the enormous fortune he had spent to make his daughter the empress, and if he behaved like a wolf while standing at the pinnacle of the battle for the throne, the family would be in danger.


    So it must be that this time was a ploy topletely separate him from the royal family.


    How could the Princess do something like that as the crown prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e?


    From the unteral notice of breakup to bad rumors.


    The princess¡¯ actions were like putting a knife in the crown prince¡¯s back.


    Perhaps she was truly stupid, but this incident opened an irreparable chasm between her and the crown prince.


    One day this humiliation would surely pay off.


    But ire couldn¡¯t do anything right now because she couldn¡¯t even step out of her room.


    She couldn¡¯t even ask for help from anyone, even sending a letter was impossible.


    The thought of Roxana walking around proudly in her absence made ire unbearably distressed.


    Then, through the window, a luxurious carriage stopped in front of Baron Dana¡¯s residence.


    And then a woman got out of it.


    A middle-aged woman, she was wearing a demure dark green dress that came up to her neck.


    His clothes were neat but ssy, his face looked stern, and his gait was dignified.


    There was an aura unique to her appearance.


    ire widened her eyes.


    She seemed to think about something for a moment, then she hurriedly approached the window.


    ire watched the people who got off the carriage enter the house and she slowly raised her lips.


    Did she know that ire was in confinement


    by the baron, and did the Crown prince send someone to help?


    Hope sparkled in her eyes.


    How long had it been since then?


    After about enough time for her cup of tea to cool down, a knock rang out.


    There was the sound of furniture being removed from outside the door, and then the door opened.


    ¡°Mydy, I brought you a meal.¡±


    A maid went into the room.


    ire watched her as she set the table.


    The Dana family wasn¡¯t wealthy, but this maid was working for her family anyway, so it seemed that she wasn¡¯t in a good position.


    ¡°While you¡¯re here, clean up the mess there and go.¡±


    At ire¡¯smand, the maid nodded calmly.


    The maid prepared her meal and tidied up the messy room.


    While tidying up the messy dressing table, the maid paused for a moment.


    ire caught the maid¡¯s gaze on the jewelry on the dressing table.


    ¡°Do you like that bracelet?¡±


    The maid hesitated with her answer.


    Perhaps it was because of Baron Dana¡¯s instructions that she should not talk to the youngdy.


    ire moved closer to her and picked up the bracelet, which the maid had set her eyes on.


    The maid didn¡¯t know what to do, and she lowered her head in embarrassment with a flushed face.


    ¡°You can take it if you like. I recently received a much better new one from His Highness the Crown Prince. I no longer want this one so I¡¯ll give it to you. Of course, I¡¯ll keep it a secret from my father.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    The maid finally cave in and asked.


    ire slowly raised the corners of her lips.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    If the maid only worked here for a short time, there would be no such thing as loyalty to the family or the owner.


    Doing chores like this would be for money anyway, so it was easy.


    More than anything else, the bracelet looked valuable.


    ¡°Instead, I have a favor to ask of you. Let the guest who just arrived know that I¡¯m trapped.¡±


    ¡°Mydy, but that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The maid¡¯s hesitation made ire even more nervous.


    She spoke in a cold tone.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t ept my offer now, I¡¯ll scream and tell people that you tried to steal my things. In that case, you¡¯ll be kicked out without a penny. And you¡¯ll have to pay for stealing from your master before that.¡±


    ¡°But I never did¡­!¡±


    ¡°Of course not. But will father believe me, his daughter, or will he believe you, a maid?¡±


    The maid shut her mouth with a sullen face.


    ire looked down at her with a cold gaze and asked.


    ¡°If you are whipped while your limbs are tied, you might be crippled. Surely you don¡¯t want that.¡±


    A cold sweat broke out on the maid¡¯s forehead.


    She had heard from the people in the mansion that thedy she was supposed to serve was very gentle, but now she knew it was just a facade.


    She knew that the nobles wouldn¡¯t value the lives ofmoners, but she didn¡¯t expect that she would experience something like this after only a few days working here.


    However, if the owner insisted, even if it was unfair, the helpless servant had no choice but to obey.


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°If you understand, then do what I say. If you help me, I¡¯ll give you a bigger reward if I can get out of this house.¡±


    ire looked at the closed door and clicked her tongue.


    ¡°A lowly thing.¡±


    ***


    The day was bright.


    After washing up, I sat down at the dressing table, where Joanbed my hair. Meanwhile, Annie brought my dress and Tien opened the jewelry box. Since I wasn¡¯t going to a banquet today, I didn¡¯t have to put a lot of effort into dressing up, so the time to decorate was much shorter than usual.


    Today was the day to go to the imperial court.


    I had visited the imperial pce many times, but it was the first time I had set foot in the courtroom.


    The duke would be by my side, but the tension could not bepletely relieved.


    ¡°Mydy, it suits you well, but the dress looks too in. Wouldn¡¯t another dress be better?¡±


    Joan said in a slightly worried voice.


    The ck dress was dark in color and had few decorations, giving it a modest feeling.


    Since I usually enjoy wearing colorful clothes, this dress was different.


    But I had no intention of changing.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll go like this.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to a party, so this is enough. On top of that, I¡¯m in a situation where a breakup is going to be officially decided. Shouldn¡¯t I look a little pitiful to match the mood?¡±


    The maids went silent at my words.


    At today¡¯s trial, I had to look as pitiful as possible.


    The more I did, the bigger the Crown prince¡¯s fault would seem.


    It would be a lie if it wasn¡¯t selfish, but it was not just for personal revenge.


    Because if things went wrong and I had to pay him at least alimony in exchange for breaking up the marriage, there would be nothing more unfair than that.


    ¡°Mydy, are you ready?¡±


    Just as I had just finished getting my hair done, Stephen asked from outside the door.


    Instead of answering, I opened the door and went outside.


    ¡°I have a carriage waiting. When you¡¯re ready, pleasee down.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Going down the stairs, I nced at Stephen.


    His face looked as calm as ever.


    ¡°Stephen, there¡¯s something I want to ask¡­ Are you the one who intercepted the letters sent by the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°Mydy, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Stephen looked at me with a puzzled face.


    The Crown Prince or his letters hadn¡¯t done anymore after thest time he came here. I was d because I didn¡¯t want to engage in meaningless arguments with him.


    But wasn¡¯t this peace like the night before the storm?


    Knowing what kind of person he was, he wouldn¡¯t just give up easily.


    I was worried that the crown prince might be up to something else.


    However, the truth was easier and simpler than expected.


    It wasn¡¯t that the crown prince didn¡¯te, it was that he couldn¡¯te.


    Because of the Duke.


    When it was time for him to leave for the battlefield again, I would certainly be sad.


    ¡°I just asked because I was curious, so if you find it difficult to answer, you don¡¯t have to. It must have been what my father ordered. I have no intention of prying or ming.¡±


    I could feel Stephen staring at me from behind.


    I continued walking and said.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    I rode in a carriage with the Duke.


    The northern pce, where the judge was located, had a particrly deste and dreary atmosphere. When I got off the carriage and looked at therge gray-white building, my palms began to sweat.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±


    The duke looked at me with a slightly worried expression and asked.


    ¡°A little bit.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to be afraid of. I¡¯ll be by your side, so don¡¯t worry about anything.¡±


    Strangely enough, my heart immediately felt at ease when I faced the golden eyes that looked just like Roxana¡¯s.


    I nodded slightly at him, then looked ahead again.


    It didn¡¯t suit the current situation, but I could feel the tip of my lips rising slightly without knowing it.


    However, the smile on my lips was erased as soon as we entered the building.


    At therge arched door right in front of me, I had no choice but to stop.


    It was because of the person standing in front of me.


    ¡°Roxana.¡±


    The Crown Prince called my name in a soft voice.


    ¡°I see the Crown Prince.¡±


    His face hardened as I greeted him with a calm face.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so hard to see your face, I thought you were sick with a serious illness, but I¡¯m d you look so fine.¡±


    He said sarcastically.


    It seemed that the Duke told him I was sick and asked him to stay away.


    It was something I didn¡¯t even know about until this morning, but I couldn¡¯t reveal it.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±


    When I answered casually with a faint smile on my face, the Crown prince¡¯s face became even more contorted.


    Before he could say anything more, the Duke stood in front of me.


    The trustworthy figure blocked the view, and the Crown prince was covered.


    ¡°Your Highness, if you have something to say, say it to me.¡±


    ¡°Duke, get out of the way. I was talking to Roxana, not you.¡±


    Just then, an attendant approached from across the hallway, looked at us, and bowed her head respectfully. The attendant said to the duke.


    ¡°Your Excellency, before the trial begins, His Majesty would like to see you separately.¡±

 Chapter 105

    ¡°His Majesty called me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Duke.¡±


    The attendant responded with a bowed head politely.


    ¡°Roxana, will you go with me?¡±


    The reason why the emperor called the duke was probably to discuss political affairs.


    But before I could say no, the attendant quickly interrupted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but His Majesty only called you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The duke frowned.


    However, the servant still kept hisposure with his head down.


    There was still time before the trial began.


    However, he hesitated, unable to take a step easily, as if he was concerned about me being left alone.


    Then, the servant opened his mouth again to encourage him.


    ¡°Your Excellency, His Majesty is waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go inside first. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Keep the guards with you. I¡¯ll be back soon, but if anything happens, call me right away.¡±


    The duke nced at the Crown Prince, not at me.


    He must have said it with him in mind.


    At this, the Crown Princeughed incredulously.


    Soon after, the duke followed the attendant with a disgusted face, and I too tried to go inside with the knights he had left behind.


    But the Crown Prince stopped me.


    ¡°Are we not done talking yet?¡±


    The duke¡¯s knights immediately stood in the way between him and me.


    Then, the Crown Prince¡¯s escort knights shouted, ready to draw their swords at any moment.


    ¡°Outrageous! How dare you stand in front of His Highness the Crown Prince!¡±


    It was simr to before, but the situation was different.


    The imperial pce was different from the duke¡¯s residence.


    We couldn¡¯t fight armed battles in the imperial pce anyway, so putting aside the fact that our knights were outnumbered, nothing good would happen if we made a fuss in the prince¡¯s realm.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    As soon as the Crown Prince raised his hand, his knights retreated.


    He came slowly and stood in front of me.


    ¡°Really. Are you going to go all the way?¡±


    The Crown Prince asked me with aplicated face.


    ¡°Your Highness must be aware that we havee too far to turn back, right?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not toote. We¡¯re young, so there¡¯s plenty of time to right the wrongs of the past.¡±


    Right the wrongs?


    Considering what he had done so far, wasn¡¯t he too shameless for those words toe out of his mouth?


    ¡°Your Highness is right. But once the trust has broken, it¡¯s hard to mend. The person is gone and she won¡¯te back.¡±


    After hearing my words, the Crown Prince was silent for a while.


    I was getting tired of dragging this out.


    He stared at me, and I did not avoid his gaze.


    A few minutester he sighed and said.


    ¡°I apologize for what happened to Viscountess Willis. I misjudged. But don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯re giving up too much because of the one person who betrayed you?¡±


    ¡°I am not talking about Viscountess Willis.¡±


    At my words, suspicion filled the Crown prince¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Then who are you talking about?¡±


    He asked but I couldn¡¯t answer.


    I thought of Roxana at this moment.


    She did not give up her expectations of the Crown Prince until the end.


    Even though she knew he deceived her.


    Even if he favored ire and treated Roxana badly, even if he insulted her, Roxana hated ire, but she had never hated the Crown Prince.


    ¡®She is foolish, but she must have loved him deeply.¡¯


    Just as a baby bird that has just hatched from her egg follows her mother, the Crown Prince was such a being to her.


    Even if she gave everything she had, she couldn¡¯t bear to let go even after hearing countless insults by him.


    Perhaps if it were Roxana who was here instead of me, she would have forgiven the Crown Prince once more.


    I could hear him grinding his teeth.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even try to hide it anymore. How did ite to this?¡± (CP


    ¡°Because there is no need for fooling ourselves.¡± (Rox)


    ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯ve been waiting for this. Were you having fun while deceiving me?¡± (CP)


    Who was he to talk about deception?


    ¡°In terms of deceit, how can Ipare to Your Highness? It¡¯s good to be clean with each other, so let¡¯s break off the engagement by agreement. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you think about reputation, money or otherplex issues?¡±


    ¡°What if I can¡¯t ept it?¡±


    ¡°I am afraid it¡¯s not entirely up to you. This is myst consideration for Your Highness. After all, the annulment is possible only by one party¡¯s decision. However, Your Highness must know who is at a disadvantage when it is dragged out to trial.¡±


    The Crown prince opened and closed his mouth several times, but he couldn¡¯t say anything.


    The small spasm of the muscles in his face gave me a rough idea of how angry he must be.


    ¡°Roxana, I never knew you could talk so well before. Alright, let¡¯s break up. It¡¯s no use holding on any longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it as apliment. Then I¡¯ll assume the agreement is over and let¡¯s go in first.¡±


    ***


    ¡°His Majesty is inside.¡±


    At the words of the attendant, Duke Lillian made a puzzled face.


    Since the emperor had called him, he expected to go to the meeting hall or the office, but this was a ce he had never been to.


    Suspicious, he went in and saw a woman sitting inside.


    It was the empress.


    ¡°Duke, you¡¯re here.¡±


    The Empress asked as the door opened.


    ¡°Was it the Empress who called me?¡±


    The duke asked coldly.


    There was no particr exchange between him and the empress.


    The Empress took care of internal affairs of the pce so there was no path crossing between them.


    However, Duke Lillian¡¯s gaze toward the empress was not kind.


    She was the birth mother of the Crown Prince.


    He wondered what the empress wanted to have called him here, especially right before the trial began.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think that it was suspicious.


    Plus, the thought of leaving Roxana and the crown prince behind made him feel even more uneasy.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The empress nodded her head in acknowledgment.


    ¡°I apologize for the mistake my son made. But should we cancel the engagement because of the children¡¯s problems? It¡¯s not toote, so let¡¯s forget about the annulment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that would be difficult.¡±


    Despite the duke¡¯s resolute refusal, the empress maintained a gentle smile without showing any displeasure.


    However, if you look closely, her mouth was a little hardened.


    ¡°Are you saying you disagree?¡±


    ¡°My daughter has a strong will. I would do anything for that child.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s gaze and voice were resolute without the slightest wavering.


    The empress let out a small sigh and continued.


    ¡°It is an undeniable fact that your family has supported and helped the crown prince so far. I know that the crown prince hasn¡¯t been his best. I am also a woman, how can I not understand that feeling? He¡¯s been careless all this time.¡±


    She added in a serious tone.


    ¡°I swear on my name that this will never happen again. When the crown prince ascends the throne, your family¡¯s hard work will not be forgotten. If it ends like this, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste of what you contributed so far?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? However, it is impossible to pick up water that has already been spilled. I believe that the Empress will understand my feelings as you¡¯re also a parent. I think the conversation is over and I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±


    Despite sharp warnings and gentle persuasion, the duke¡¯s intentions did not change in the slightest.


    The empress could only keep her eyes open as the Duke closed the door and left the room.


    As soon as the door closed, the gentle smile on her face was all erased.


    The Empress clenched her fists with a hardened face.


    Her sharpened fingernails stabbed her palms deeply, causing a stream of blood to flow.


    ***


    Not long after I sat down, the solemn atmosphere and a sharp impression entered the Supreme Court.


    As soon as we were seated, the trial began in earnest.


    Unlike ordinary trials, today¡¯s trial had very few observers.


    It was probably because of the crown prince¡¯s image.


    ¡°Then, the trial of Roxana Lillian, the eldest daughter of Duke Lillian, and the Crown Prince, Jeremy Clyce will begin.¡±


    Our counselor handed over a bundle of documents to the Supreme Court Justice, who was in charge of the trial today.


    The judge read it carefully and then spoke in a hard tone full of authority.


    ¡°Princess Lillian, please get up.¡±


    When I got up from my seat, the Supreme Court judge asked me.


    ¡°I will ask you this for the first andst time. Do you have any regrets about the fact that you asked the crown prince to annul the marriage? You will have to answer carefully as irreversible consequences will be determined by your answer.¡±


    I could feel the Crown prince¡¯s gaze piercing me.


    I answered with a calm voice, ignoring his gaze.


    ¡°Yes, Your Honor.¡±


    This time he looked at the Crown prince and asked.


    ¡°Would His Highness the Crown Prince ept this decision?¡±


    I turned my head towards the Crown prince and met his eyes.


    Naturally, there were no more good feelings left in his gaze at me.


    He exuded such a hideous aura that the people sitting around him had cold sweat on their foreheads.


    Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t my business.


    ¡°I will ask you again. Does His Highness the Crown Prince ept this?¡±


    ¡°I ept it.¡±


    The judge hit the wooden board with a gavel.


    ¡°Then I approve of the annulment.¡±


    As the Supreme Court Judge¡¯s voice fell heavily, the hall became silent in an instant.


    It felt like time had stopped.


    Soon, however, a murmur was heard from the observer¡¯s seat, and only then did the stopped time seem to flow again.


    The annulment ended more easily and quickly than expected.


    As if he thought about the image of the imperial family, he did not disclose the things submitted as a reason for the annulment.


    The audience was small and everyone knew the content anyway, so it wouldn¡¯t have a big impact, but it was a little sad to think of Stephen, who stayed up all night preparing for today.


    Well, thanks to the thorough preparation of the material, even the crown prince epted it without dragging it out.


    ¡°Since it was done under an agreement between the two, there is no need to pay alimony.¡±


    The ill-fated rtionship was finally over.


    After the Supreme Court Justice adjourned, I got up from my seat without looking at the Crown Prince.

 Chapter 106

    ording to thew, the duke, who had been sitting away during the trial, came right up and said:


    ¡°Good job. Let¡¯s go home now.¡±


    Contrary to his strong presence, his gaze was restless and watchful.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go home¡±, this one word from the duke brought a peace of mind that had never existed before. I also didn¡¯t know when I naturally came to regard the duke¡¯s house as my home.


    ***


    Royal pce.


    ¡°Is the Crown Prince inside?¡±


    The attendant¡¯splexion turned pale at the empress¡¯s question.


    After returning to the room after the trial, the sound of something breaking and smashing was heard in the Crown Prince¡¯s room for a long time.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time it happened so the servants were used to it.


    However, when the Crown Prince was very angry, they must not even make eye contact with him.


    It was like a kind of unwritten rule that had arisen among the courtiers in the Crown Prince¡¯s pce after a maid¡¯s head was injured by an object thrown by the Crown Princest time.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    The empress asked in a sharp voice.


    The attendant was sweating profusely.


    The one standing in front of him now was the empress of the country.


    She was not a very gentle person either.


    She also seemed to have something going on, seeing the anger on her face.


    Unable to handle the empress¡¯s anger, the attendant eventually reluctantly replied.


    ¡°Yes. His Highness is inside.¡±


    As soon as the attendant had finished speaking, the empress opened the door without hesitation.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    The empress¡¯ eyes went wide.


    She frowned as she looked around the messy room.


    The topiary was overturned and the mirror was broken.


    Shards of broken ss were scattered on the floor.


    And the Crown Prince was asleep on the sofa.


    His arm was hanging limp on the floor, and the liquor from the overturned bottle was staining the carpet purple.


    At first, she was puzzled, but the moment she found the prince lying on the sofa, the empress¡¯s face darkened.


    Shemanded the attendant with a face in disbelief.


    ¡°Wake him up right now.¡±


    Upon hearing the empress¡¯s order, the attendant drew in a breath.


    He approached slowly with a nervous face and called out to the Crown Prince in a small voice.


    ¡°Your Highness, wake up. Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.¡±


    There was no reaction from the Crown Prince.


    The empress¡¯s brow narrowed.


    The attendant turned on the light in the dark room and called out to him once more.


    ¡°Your Highness, please wake up now. Her Majesty the Empress is here.¡±


    Fortunately, the Crown prince¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    Just woken up and feeling woozy, he was in a bad mood.


    He couldn¡¯t adjust to the sudden pouring light, and he frowned.


    ¡°What is all this? It¡¯s terrifying to think what other people will think when they see it!¡±


    The empress yelled in amentable voice.


    The Crown prince btedly found the empress in front of him, hurriedly stood up with surprise.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    He had just woken up and his hair was a mess and his face looked as if he hadn¡¯t slept in days.


    In addition, his clothes were disheveled, and his usual well-groomed appearance was no where to


    be found.


    It was as if she was seeing someone else, so different from the proud son she remembered.


    The empress felt pain to see more of her son¡¯s pathetic figure.


    She closed her eyes and turned her body toward the door.


    ¡°I have something to discuss with you. It seems impossible to have a proper conversation here, so follow me.¡±


    ***


    The Crown prince sat down on the sofa and lowered his gaze.


    He had a well-groomed appearance as usual, but hisplexion was very dark. It was the first time in his life that his pride had been so crumpled.


    Recalling the day¡¯s events, he bit the tender flesh in his mouth. The taste of blood filled his tongue.


    ¡°Princess Lillian is gone now so you have to find a new wife.¡±


    The empress said in a calm voice.


    ¡°From my point of view, the Marquis Flynn¡¯s daughter would be suitable.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The Crown prince raised his head with a surprised face, and asked with a hard expression.


    The empress said in a calm voice as if her son¡¯s expression was insignificant.


    ¡°Since you are an adult now, it¡¯s naturally to marry. You had been waiting for Princess Lillian to reach adulthood all this time, but now it¡¯s all useless.¡±


    Less than a day had passed since the annulment, and hearing these words before the wounds had healed made the Crown prince feel as if his heart was burning.


    The empress¡¯ words were like pouring salt on his wounds.


    But she continued with a calm face.


    ¡°Since you have lost Princess Lillian, you need to find another family that will solidify your position as soon as possible. It may not be as good as the Duke of Lillian, but for now, among families with daughters of marriageable age, Lady Flynn is the best.¡±


    ¡°This is uneptable.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    The empress raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°I said I won¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because of the princess?¡±


    The Crown Prince didn¡¯t answer anything.


    But sometimes silence was a more certain answer.


    ¡°You foolish thing. Give up now. You can¡¯t afford to sulk. After talking with the Duke, he will not change his decision.¡±


    ¡°It is not like that.¡±


    The Crown prince denied in a low voice.


    Contrary to hisanswer, however, his face looked confused.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not something that can be decided all of a sudden in one day. Since you don¡¯t seem to like Lady Flynn, let¡¯s find out if anyone has better terms and then we¡¯ll talk again. Leave.¡±


    The Crown prince rose from his seat with aplicated expression.


    After he left, the empress held the teacup to her lips as she gazed at the Prince¡¯s empty seat.


    Her maid, Mrs. Elliott, came to her side.


    ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t worry too much. His Highness wille around. Right now, he¡¯s in shock at the loss of his fianc¨¦e, but sooner orter, he will understand and follow Your Majesty¡¯s deep intentions.¡±


    A long-time aide, her thoughts were the same as the Empress¡¯s.


    The empress sighed through her dark face.


    ¡°The Duke of Lillian is a duck thatys golden eggs, but depending on how you use it, it can be poisonous to us. Why should you pretend to like the Duke at a time like this¡­¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a big deal if the princess harbored a grudge and liked the 2nd prince. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to use your hand before that happens?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t think of that. But right now, the power of the Duke of Lillian is skyrocketing, so how can I do it? If I touch it wrong, it¡¯ll be big trouble.¡±


    The empress put down the teacup she was holding in her hand.


    Her gaze shone darkly.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s watch a little longer.¡±


    ***


    The morning was bright.


    After lightly filling my stomach with simple food, I soaked in a warm bathtub.


    I woke up early in the morning to attend Payne¡¯s birthday party, and after being decorated for several hours, I came to my senses and it was around noon.


    ¡°Mydy, try on this dress here.¡±


    Annie brought a red dress from somewhere.


    It was a dress with a rich skirt and revealing the shoulders and neckline.


    After changing, I sat back down at the dressing table and Joan took out a jewelry box and put it on the table.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to wear these earrings with this dress? Come to think of it, I remember seeing prettier essories in the jewelry box of thete madam. I¡¯ll go and get it right away.¡±


    Thedies-in-waiting were usually loud, but today it seemed to be particrly severe.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a main character of today¡¯s banquet, isn¡¯t it too much?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Everyone is sure toe dressed up fancy, but this should be enough. You¡¯re attending the second prince¡¯s birthday party today, right? Maybe he¡¯ll marry¡­¡±


    ¡°Annie, just go there.¡±


    Annie nced at me and smiled again and said with an excited face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But even if that¡¯s not the case, it¡¯s the first banquet thedy attends after breaking off her engagement with the Crown Prince. Everyone must be paying attention to the youngdy, and I don¡¯t want anyone to look down on her.¡±


    ¡°Annie is right. No matter what happens, it is important to control the initiative. At times like this, you have to decorate it even prettier.¡±


    Today, Tien¡¯s face looked particrly solemn and serious.


    It was understandable.


    The duke was very busy for a while, as if trying to finish everything before leaving the capital.


    Thanks to his own initiative, the annulment proceeded swiftly.


    He demanded it strongly, so neither the empress nor the Crown prince could help.


    Now the Crown prince and I had beplete strangers.


    The bad rtionship with him hade to an end.


    Of course, I would continue to run into him as long as he stayed in the capital.


    ¡°Lady, how about wearing the ne sent by His Highness the 2nd Prince?¡±


    Tien asked cautiously.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A few days ago, an invitation to the second prince¡¯s birthday party arrived from the imperial pce.


    The attendant also brought me a nice topaz-encrusted ne and earrings, saying they were sent by Payne.


    I tried to reject it and send it back immediately after receiving it, but I couldn¡¯t because the stubborn attendant left the ce as if he were running away.


    ¡°Mydy, that would be nice. I¡¯m sure everyone will envy you. If the youngdy shows up wearing the jewelry gifted by the 2nd Prince, the Crown Prince will surely feel sick to his stomach.¡±


    ¡°How can people find out if it¡¯s a gift from the 2nd Prince, when it¡¯s not even written on the jewel? Lady, it would be appropriate to put this pin on that dress.¡±


    The pin Joan took out of the jewelry box, like the ne and bracelet I was wearing now, was given to mest time by Elvin.


    ¡°Mydy, what would you like to do?¡±


    Tien asked me.


    ¡°Return the present sent by the 2nd Prince.¡±


    ¡°Yes? But¡­¡­¡±


    Tien made a visibly surprised face.


    I said once more firmly.


    ¡°Send it back.¡±


    ***


    When I went down to the first floor, the duke was waiting for me, already prepared.


    We drove in the same carriage.


    Upon arriving at the imperial pce, many people had already gathered.


    As soon as I got off, I felt the attention of the people around me to the point where it was burdensome.


    ¡°The Crown Prince won¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, at the banquetst time, it felt like the duke was strangely drawing a line with the Crown Prince. At the time, I thought it was simply because he was displeased, but now I understood the situation.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s true that the two broke up?¡±


    Now, without any secrets, people talked freely.


    Ignoring the gossiping, I entered the banquet hall, but the members of the royal family were still nowhere to be seen, and ire wasn¡¯t here either.


    ¡®She hasn¡¯t arrived or couldn¡¯te?¡¯

 Chapter 107

    Roxana was very wary of ire.


    And it was the same for me too.


    Even as a Baron¡¯s daughter, she caused a lot of trouble for Roxana.


    It was not good for me if ire continued to be by the Crown Prince¡¯s side.


    So, I tried to separate the two for any possible threat.


    But now my thoughts had changed.


    It was not only ire who could harm me.


    The Crown prince too, no, he was more dangerous than her.


    If he ascended the throne with a grudge against me, it would be a disaster for the duchy.


    So¡­ what could be worse than two people who could be a threat gets together.


    ¡°Princess, long time no see. I heard you had a cold, are you feeling better now?¡±


    A youngdy approached and asked.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re all healed, but now that the days are getting colder, you need to take good care of yourself. But, by any chance, what happened with the Crown Prince¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her words, a loud trumpet sounded from the entrance.


    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, the Crown Prince and the 2nd Prince are entering.¡±


    Everyone looked at the door in unison.


    Soon after, the emperor in a red cloak with a crown on his head appeared, and the empress in an elegant purple dress with a crown on her head as well.


    Behind them, the Crown prince in a banquet suit and Payne in a white uniform were walking in.


    The Crown prince looked around as soon as he entered the banquet hall.


    As if he was looking for someone.


    Perhaps his target was me.


    I knew that the Crown prince would be quite angry right now.


    But it was not my business.


    Anyway, he couldn¡¯t make a fuss in a ce like this.


    It was because the emperor was present, and many eyes were paying attention to him because of the recent events.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped if we met again or exchanged words.


    But I wasn¡¯tfortable with it.


    Even though I solved a big problem, another problem was still waiting to do its worst.


    I brought the fan to my mouth and nced at Payne.


    He was collected and calm, as always.


    My heart felt all the more frustrated when I remembered how not long ago the emperor brought up my marriage with him to the duke.


    ¡®What the hell is he thinking?¡¯


    The emperor sat down on a high tform and spoke in a soft voice.


    ¡°Payne,e closer.¡±


    Payne approached slowly and knelt down in front of the emperor and the Empress.


    The two were not close, but like a military-vassal rtionship.


    The emperor looked at him with a pleased expression and beckoned.


    Then, the attendant standing behind brought out a long box.


    ¡°This is a gift from me, so open it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Payne carefully opened the box in front of everyone.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Admiration erupted from people¡¯s mouths.


    What was in the box was a sword.


    Lapiszuli was embedded in the handle of the sword, giving off a brilliant light, and when the scabbard was pulled out, the exposed de emitted a white light.


    Even I, who knew nothing about swords, could recognize that it was a famous sword.


    When Roxana was taking the empress lessons, she had heard a glimpse of the innumerable treasures in the imperial storeroom.


    If I was not mistaken, what was in front of me now was a treasured sword passed down through generations in the imperial family.


    ¡°I see¡­ It¡¯s a treasure.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Several other people, including myself, recognized the treasure and eximed in admiration.


    Payne also seemed a little flustered.


    ¡°It is too much for me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not. Compared to the achievements you have made, this sword is nothing much. Besides, you are my son, so you deserve that sword. With that sword, protect the empire from now on.¡±


    ¡°I will abide by Your Majesty¡¯s will.¡±


    ¡°Now get up.¡±


    Payne ced the sword on his waist.


    The elegant white uniform and the sword worn around his waist matched him perfectly.


    People alternately looked at Payne and his sword withplicated eyes.


    There was a mixture of envy and admiration in their gazes.


    Since the emperor had shown how much he valued Payne by bestowing such precious treasures in front of everyone, his status would rise even higher after today.


    I nced at the Crown prince, who had been standing there silently for a while.


    His expression was as dark as his rtionship with Payne.


    His face, devoid of any trace of emotion, was hardened and white as a sheet of paper.


    The empress also didn¡¯t have a good expression either.


    Judging by the tightness of her facial muscles, it seemed that she was struggling to keep her emotions in check.


    ¡°Come to think of it, you too are now of the age to be married.¡±


    The eyes of the people in the banquet hall turned to one ce at the emperor¡¯s words.


    Standing there was a youngdy wearing a dress as bright as a flower with a soft impression.


    It was a familiar face.


    ¡®The daughter of Marquis Kylon.¡¯


    I had heard rumors that the daughter of Marquis Kylon was unintentionally appointed as the second Prince¡¯s partner.


    The family of Marquis Kylon could be said to be the head of the nobility that followed Payne, and their prestige was high.


    Even Marquis Kylon¡¯s daughter had a pretty face and, unlike Roxana, had a good reputation, so she was a worthy candidate.


    However, even after several years, no word came out from Payne¡¯s side, and there was no full-fledged marriage discussion, so the rumors gradually faded.


    However, since the emperor himself mentioned the wedding in front of people, it was like pouring oil on a dying ember.


    People now heard the emperor¡¯s words and seemed to believe that the two of them, Payne anddy Kylon, would finally get married.


    It was natural to think so, and I would have assumed the same if I didn¡¯t know about the mention of marriage the emperor had with the Duke.


    The emperor clicked his tongue in regret.


    ¡°Tsk, you already had aing-of-age ceremonyst year, but you haven¡¯t even gotten engaged yet, let alone married. I haven¡¯t paid much attention to you with the excuse that I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°I am okay.¡±


    ¡°You are okay, but I am not okay. Since you were born into the royal family, marriage is a duty, not an option.¡±


    Payne silently looked down at the floor, lowering his gaze.


    The Emperor looked at him and shook his head.


    ¡°Well, I guess now you have an idea. But don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about it. Enjoy your special day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Payne stood up.


    When he came down from the podium, the banquet began in earnest. He stopped and looked around the banquet hall. Even though he was looking elsewhere, I could feel the gaze directed my way.


    ¡®Couldn¡¯t be¡­¡¯


    I tried to look away, but I could feel himing toward me. A murmur among the people began to grow louder and louder.


    ¡°Princess Lillian, may I have a dance with you?¡±


    Payne held out a hand to me.


    I heard a buzz around me, and at the same time I felt surprise and astonished nces.


    It was understandable because the emperor just mentioned about the second Prince¡¯s marriage.


    However the gazes were also hostile.


    It was to the point where I felt as if my back was being pierced by people¡¯s stinging eyes.


    The main character¡¯s first dance request on his birthday had a special meaning.


    Usually, in the case of unmarried ones, they asked for a dance with their promised or arranged opponents.


    I didn¡¯t know if it was the emperor¡¯s idea or Payne¡¯s, but this time I had no choice but to move like a puppet ording to their intentions.


    Because, no matter how high-ranking I was of a ducal family, I would not dare refuse the request of the prince who was celebrating his birthday.


    I gritted my teeth and put my hand on top of his outstretched palm, trying to raise the corners of my mouth.


    ¡°I met the servant sent by the princess earlier.¡±


    Payne said in a low voice only I could hear.


    His face looking at me was a littleplicated.


    ¡°Fortunately, it seems to have gone well. It seems that there was a mistake when the birthday person sent a present instead.¡±


    ¡°Did you not like the present?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter if I like it or not.¡±


    Payne hesitated for a moment before asking.


    ¡°Are you mad?¡±


    The corners of my mouth twisted of their own ord.


    Was I mad?


    Wasn¡¯t it more strange that I didn¡¯t get angry when I was caught off guard and got hit in the back of the head?


    ¡°Does my opinion matter?¡±


    ¡°Of course it matters.¡±


    Payne said in a firm voice.


    I narrowed my eyes and looked at him.


    His face was serious and somehow desperate.


    I wanted to ask right away if such a person would want to marry me without my consent.


    However, since I decided to keep peace, there was only one option left for me.


    I swallowed the words that reached the tip of my chin and sighed inwardly.


    ¡°I like friends and allies. But I have no desire to be beyond that.¡±


    Payne opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it.


    He lowered his gaze with a sad face.


    ¡°That was not my intention.¡±


    There was a hint of regret in his pale blue eyes.


    I faced Payne with a calm face.


    He didn¡¯t even make a simple denial to my words.


    So, it was practically epted.


    ¡®Should I believe that?¡¯


    I looked at him with distrustful eyes, and he let out a small sigh.


    ¡°It happened¡­ I should havee and apologized, but I waste because I didn¡¯t have time after that day. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I thought maybe we could be good friends, but it seems I was mistaken.¡±


    Payne looked at me and added.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that His Majesty would speak up so suddenly.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying it was His Majesty¡¯s own decision and not yours?¡±


    Payne¡¯s eyes widened slightly at my words.


    I frowned.


    I looked at him with an unwavering gaze, and his face became more troubled.


    Just in time, the song ended.


    He stood still and did not move.


    His face looked a bit dazed and contained a bit of bitterness.


    ¡°Are you going to stay still?¡±


    When I whispered in a small voice that only he could hear, Payne started walking as if he came to his senses.


    I went back to my seat.


    And Payne naturally walked beside me.


    Because of that, we seemed to be going back to our seats together.


    I could feel people ncing in our direction, full of curiosity.


    But fortunately, they didn¡¯te close to us. Thanks to that, we were able to have a quiet conversation.


    ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡±


    ¡°There is something misunderstood, Princess. Could you please give me a minute?¡±


    Then, a person came towards us.


    ¡°Roxana, how are you?¡±


    The Crown prince asked.


    His blue eyes were burning with something fierce.


    Looking at the crookedly raised lips and narrowed brow, one could see how moody the Crown prince was feeling right now.


    ¡°I see the Crown Prince.¡±


    The Crown prince stood in silence for a moment, as if at a loss for words.


    Then he red at Payne, who was standing next to me.


    ¡°Move. I have something to say to Roxana.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t. I also have something to say to the princess.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say to her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Crown prince frowned.


    His gaze at Payne was so sharp, it seemed like he could kill a person with a look.


    ¡°What did you say just now?¡±

 Chapter 108

    The air around them became chilly in an instant.


    The atmosphere seemed unusual, so people stood back and watched without interfering.


    The Crown prince strode and stood in front of Payne.


    He was ready to seize his cor and throw a punch at any moment.


    Suddenly, the memory of the Crown prince swinging his fist at Payne¡¯s face in the garden came to mind, and a corner of my heart felt cold.


    ¡°His Majesty is present. Please keep your cool.¡±


    When Payne mentioned the emperor, the Crown prince¡¯s gaze at him became even more ferocious.


    ¡°Do you trust your father and dare to show your authority in front of me?¡±


    ¡°I was just telling the truth.¡±


    Payne replied calmly.


    Contrary to his impably polite attitude and calm expression, his gaze looking down at the Crown prince was cold.


    Suddenly, the Crown prince¡¯s gaze grew colder.


    He took a step closer and raised the corner of his mouth wickedly.


    ¡°You and your mother have the habit of coveting other people¡¯s things.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    I frowned at the excessive insult.


    There seemed to be a contrast between the Crown prince, who poured out harsh words in excitement, and Payne, who did not get angry and maintained his calmposure even after hearing such insults.


    People also felt the same thing, but the gaze at the two people was different.


    ¡®Has he forgotten that it is a public ce?¡¯


    The Crown prince¡¯s words and actions were rude and disgusting.


    His voice was not loud, but I heard him clearly.


    If so, there was no way that Payne, who was next to him, wouldn¡¯t have heard either.


    I moved my gaze to the side and looked at Payne, and he was unbelievably calm.


    ¡°Are you done talking?¡±


    ¡°Before, I thought you just had no pride, but I didn¡¯t realize that you were hiding such a sinister inside. I was fooled. But there will be no next time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Your Highness is talking about.¡±


    Payne said with an expressionless face.


    However, no matter how broad-minded and good-natured he was, there was no way he would feel nothing after hearing such an insult.


    The Crown prince looked at me and said,


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Then how will you exin your actions just now?¡±


    ¡°If you say my action just now, does it have anything to do with asking the princess here to dance?¡±


    ¡°Should I give you some advice? A man should know his position. I warn you, stay away from Roxana.¡±


    As I was about to open my mouth because I couldn¡¯t listen anymore, Payne beat me to it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What? What did you say now?¡±


    The Crown prince¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°The princess is not your property. It¡¯s up to her to decide who she gets close to.¡±


    Payne added, looking in my direction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°In addition, as far as I know, the two of you have broken up. You have nothing to do with the Princess anymore.¡±


    The Crown prince remained silent at the bitter truth.


    He red at Payne without a word.


    His gaze, intent on killing him, was extremely menacing, and he clenched his jaws, grinding his teeth.


    I looked at the Crown prince indifferently and spoke atst.


    ¡°I have nothing more to say to Your Highness. To point out one more thing, I don¡¯t have any rtionship with you any longer.¡±


    ¡°How could you say that? The time we spent together won¡¯t disappear just because we broke up.¡±


    ¡°Should I even care about that when I was abandoned by you?¡±


    A murmur rose among those who heard what I said.


    The Crown prince looked at me as if in shock.


    His dark blue eyes were full of curiosity.


    ¡°What? What do you mean? The breakup was not what I wanted. I¡¯m sure you know that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about¡­¡±


    The Crown prince stopped talking and suddenly frowned. He bit his slightly parted lips, as if he thought of something.


    ¡°You seem to remember now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it, you should know. You were the person who sent me the breakup letter as if you had been waiting for it, Roxana.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if Your Highness meant it or not. Besides, I think that¡¯s enough for a long time of being together unhappily, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The Crown prince questioned me with a puzzled face.


    ¡°You demanded the breakup and now me me?¡±


    ¡°Then, should I have stayed and been unhappy?¡±


    ¡°It was a mistake of the past.¡±


    He said in a timid voice.


    Instead of anger, his voice, which diminished towards the end, was thickly tainted with regret.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    Disappointment shed in his eyes.


    Just a moment ago, he acted without the slightest awareness of his surroundings. He was not himself today.


    He asked with a resigned face.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I know how lousy and disrespectful it is in the eyes of others to forcefully hold on to a long-overdue rtionship.¡±


    The Crown prince¡¯splexion darkened, as if he knew that I was talking about him.


    I left him like that and slowly turned around.


    ***


    The Crown prince looked at Roxana, who was moving away, with a nk face.


    She wasn¡¯t moving fast, but he had the illusion that he wouldn¡¯t be able to catch her even if he chased after her.


    When he came to his senses, she had already disappeared into an invisible ce.


    He was only focused on Roxana. Everything around him seemed to disappear. Payne was no longer there.


    It was evident that he went after Roxana.


    The Crown Prince resented it btedly, but there was nothing he could do.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Marquis Flynn.¡±


    The Crown prince looked at the man in front of him with a tired face.


    He approached him casually, as if he hadn¡¯t sensed the ufortable atmosphere.


    ¡°Your Highness, the Triton Company has achieved great results again this time. Thanks to Your Highness, the lives and quality of the people have greatly improved, and people are moved by Your Highness¡¯ outstanding insight and deep heart.¡±


    After themotion passed, the banquet hall seemed to have regained peace.


    Marquis Flynn chattered happily with a smile on his face.


    The Crown prince did not react, but the conversation flowed naturally as the nobles around him agreed to the conversation.


    ¡°Recently, I see a lot of foreigners on the streets.¡±


    ¡°It must be because of the Crown Prince¡¯s trade. Thanks to that, there are many things to see and the streets have be richer. Merchants say they like it very much.¡±


    ¡°But there are also downsides. It is said that the streets are congested, doubling the work of the security forces. I can¡¯t even dare to go out without an escort these days.¡±


    Marquis Flynn said with a heartyugh.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been managing the guild for decades, but His Highness has made more achievements in thest year than I¡¯ve done in my entire life. This is why I think geniuses can¡¯t be beaten.¡±


    The Crown prince watched them silently, not participating in the conversation.


    None of their words were heard in his ears.


    Feeling frustrated and burning inside, he called a passing attendant to stop him and snatched a ss from the tray he was holding.


    As the strong liquid went down his throat, it left a burn in its wake. But it did nothing to soothe him.


    He turned his head and looked in the direction where the emperor was.


    The emperor was conversing with Roxana¡¯s father, the duke, from a distance.


    Thanks to that, they didn¡¯t seem to hear themotion from this side.


    However, it was the same that he did not know what they were talking about.


    These days, the number of times the emperor¡¯s calls had decreased significantly.


    On the other hand, Payne started going in and out of the imperial pce even more brazenly.


    Didn¡¯t the emperor even give a treasure trove passed down from generation to generation in the imperial family to him (Payne)?


    He (Payne) was undeserving to have received such a precious gift, giving him a concubine¡¯s offspring.


    The Crown Prince was not stupid enough to not know what the emperor¡¯s attitude meant.


    ¡®First father, then the duke, and this time even Roxana¡­¡¯


    If he didn¡¯t like Roxana being close to Elvin, he hated her being close to Payne even more.


    And when he saw Payne revealing his ck heart by asking her to dance earlier, it was hard to resist wanting to jump out in front of her.


    A poor woman (Payne¡¯s mother) had stolen the husband from his mother and a father from himself.


    And now after the woman died, her son (Payne) threatened his ce by taking away his things one by one.


    The Crown prince clenched his fists.


    His nails pricked painfully in his calloused palms from training in his swordsmanship.


    A stream of red blood ran down his palm.


    ***


    I left the banquet hall and crossed the hallway.


    Fortunately, the Crown prince did not follow.


    Payne called me from behind.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    I slowly looked back.


    ¡°I thought we finished talking. Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Do you feel ufortable and dislike me because I force you into a marriage you don¡¯t want?¡±


    It was pitiful to see Payne watching me cautiously in the dark.


    He had an expression of a child seeking the affection of his parents, so unlike his big frame.


    Unlike his strong appearance in the banquet hall, he looked very weak now.


    I made up my mind and answered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m happy about it.¡±


    Payne nodded his head with a bitter face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sad, but it¡¯s the result of what I did, so I have to ept it. But I still have something to tell you. If the princess is ufortable, we can go to a quiet ce and talk.¡±


    Contrary to his sorrowful expression and voice, it seemed like a demand that rejection would not be tolerated.


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what I am going to tell you?¡±


    Payne¡¯s words seemed to suggest something.


    Was there something else I didn¡¯t know about?


    Ominousness prevailed.


    Eventually we headed to apletely deserted ce.


    I was relieved only after taking a careful look around and making sure no one was there.


    It would be difficult if someone saw us and started spreading rumors.


    For example, I cast aside the Crown Prince and seduced his half brother.


    It was terrifying to even think about.


    It might be an overthinking, but it wasn¡¯t unreasonable considering what had happened so far.


    ¡°Princess? What are you thinking about?¡±


    Payne looked at me with a puzzled face.


    Realizing that my actions seemed a little suspicious, I cleared my throat in embarrassment.


    I asked with a straight face.


    ¡°Your Highness said you had something to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Payne nodded his head calmly.


    ¡°I want to offer you a deal.¡±


    ¡°A deal?¡±


    ¡°As you saw earlier, the princess should roughly predict what my position in the imperial family will be like. I need you to live.¡±


    I slowly raised my eyebrows.


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    Payne widened his eyes in surprise.


    I looked at his surprised face and continued talking calmly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Your Highness the 2nd Prince trusted by His Majesty above and loved by the people below? The number of ministers who follow you is not small, and you have the military authority, so who would dare to touch you now?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you continue to put up with the Crown Prince¡¯s actions, but it¡¯s your business so I won¡¯t ask. But why fold?¡±


    I was genuinely curious and asked.


    ¡°There are others besides me. Unlike me, there must be plenty of women who would be happy to ept Your Highness¡¯ proposal right now.¡±


    Payne remained silent.


    His gaze wasplicated, but it was infinitely friendly.


    After a few moments, he slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t be without you. So please give me a chance.¡±


    I opened my eyes wide.


    Payne took one of my hands and slightly lowered his head to make eye contact with me.


    ¡°I swear to you that I will not have mistresses for the rest of my life, and I will be faithful to you. I will do my best to fulfill my responsibilities and obligations as yourpanion, and to do whatever the princess wishes for.¡±

 Chapter 109

    His confession rendered me speechless.


    I had roughly guessed what Payne would say.


    But hearing his deration shook me.


    He looked straight into my eyes with sincerity.


    But time changes many things, and none of them are as changeable as the human heart.


    ¡°You know what I wish for?¡± (Rox)


    ¡°Anything. Anything I can do, I will try.¡±


    ¡°It is not difficult. What I want is to no longer be involved with the imperial family. I have no desire to enter the imperial pce.¡±


    The Crown prince and Roxana were once on good terms.


    However, as she fell in love with him, their rtionship ended in tragedy.


    Of course, Payne might keep his word.


    But it was impossible to fully trust him.


    And now that I had no emotional baggage, there was no need to marry someone I didn¡¯t love.


    You can¡¯t bet your life on uncertain things.


    Entering the imperial family was as glorious as it was dangerous.


    At my words, Payne¡¯s face turned pitiful.


    However, as if he had already expected my answer, he did not show signs of disappointment.


    After a few minutes of silence, he looked at me with aplicated gaze and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the Emperor will not let it go so easily.¡±


    ¡°What does it mean?¡±


    I frowned.


    Payne said with a calm face.


    ¡°I think the Princess knows about the Grand Duchess of Croix who died a decade ago.¡±


    You will know too.¡±


    Of course, I knew.


    Because Elvin¡¯s mother, the Grand Duchess of Croix, had a close rtionship with the deceased Duchess Lillian (Roxana¡¯s mother).


    I didn¡¯t know what Payne was going to say, so I waited in silence for his next words.


    ¡°Because of that incident, a big wall was created between the Grand Duke of Croix and the imperial family, and the Grand Duke also retired from politics and is currently managing only the territory. Because of that, the power of the Grand Duke¡¯s family has greatly declined and is not the same as before.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Just in time, the Duke of Lillian is strong and has wealth, honor, and even military power. From the point of view of the imperial family, there is no chess piece as good as that of the Duke of Lillian, so there is no way His Majesty will let go.¡±


    ¡°You mean your proposal was to help me?¡±


    Instead of denying it, Payne added with a bitter face.


    ¡°If things were a little better, I would have found another way. However, His Majesty is concerned that a rift will widen between the imperial family and the duke¡¯s family due to the princess breaking off the engagement with His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    My heart was beating wildly and fast.


    At first, I thought it was just for the purpose ofpletely suppressing the crown prince by using Payne¡¯s marriage with me.


    The most iprehensible thing was that the emperor, who cared about his image, brought up the marriage conversation first, which was sure to cause great confusion.


    But now that I heard Payne, I understood.


    ¡°Even if the Duke doesn¡¯t have other intentions, the Emperor is always suspicious. In addition, the Duke has enough power to threaten the imperial family. Sooner orter, His Majesty may try to suppress the Duke.¡±


    He looked at me silently and sighed lightly.


    ¡°The best way to stop this is for me to take over the marriage.¡±


    Every single word of Payne¡¯s words fell heavily on my ears.


    For a moment, it felt like my eyes were going far away.


    The duke was obviously a good father.


    He did not, like other nobles, use his daughter¡¯s marriage to benefit his family.


    However, just because the duke was not like that, how could I be sure that others were not like that too?


    The Duke¡¯s authority was high, but it was a double-edged sword.


    Didn¡¯t they say that an angr stone is easy to hit?


    In addition, the duke¡¯s status was certainly high, but it was not that there were no people higher than him in the world.


    Like the emperor, for example.


    I was a fool for being relieved that the engagement was over.


    I thought I was out of the wind, but it turned out that I was still in the middle of a violent storm, and if I took one more step from where I was standing, I would be swept away and thrown into the unknown.


    ¡°I understand what Your Highness said. But you did it unnecessarily. You don¡¯t have to make such sacrifices because of me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a sacrifice.¡±


    Payne denied my words with a firm voice.


    I looked at him with amazement.


    Two warm and soft eyes were looking straight at me.


    ¡°It was also my wish to have the Princess by my side.¡±


    It was dark all around and the moon was bright.


    A gust of wind blew the branches and it rained flowers.


    Like that night when I said goodbye to Elvin.


    My strongest feeling at this moment was longing.


    I was stunned at the thought that came to my mind at this moment.


    I closed my eyes for a moment then lifted my head, and Payne was looking at me with a serious expression.


    Reading the puzzled look on his face, I asked calmly.


    ¡°Why me? It seems that the 2nd Prince can achieve what you want without the support of the Duke.¡±


    ¡°The reason is simple. Because I like you.¡±


    A breeze carrying the scent of flowers made my hair flutter and tickled my face.


    I looked at Payne in disbelief.


    Unlike before, I could see that his earlobes were slightly red.


    It felt like my brain was going nk.


    ¡°I know things are out of order.¡±


    Payne¡¯s voice woke me from my thoughts.


    Only then did I realize what I had just heard.


    The nk mind slowly began to return.


    But I still couldn¡¯t think of what to say, so I kept my mouth shut.


    ¡°I am not asking for an answer right away. I know it¡¯s unreasonable to expect a good answer in a situation like this. But¡­ I want you to know that I meant what I said.¡±


    A bitterness crossed Payne¡¯s gaze at me.


    ¡°People will think it¡¯s strange for us to stay out thiste. Your father wouldn¡¯t like it. So let¡¯s go back.¡±


    His lips raised as if nothing had happened.


    However, the disappointment in his eyes was notpletely hidden.


    It seemed like he had a hard time managing his expression.


    I nodded with a heavy heart. In the end, I couldn¡¯t say anything to him.


    ***


    Returning to the banquet hall, the emperor and the duke were still having a conversation.


    They were discussing something with serious faces.


    Other ministers, including the chancellor and Marquis Flynn, were also nearby.


    Although the emperor had a gentle expression, there was always an unapproachable aura flowing from him.


    He looked my way as if he felt my gaze.


    In his sharp gaze, there was a coldness unique to the emperor.


    When his eyes met mine, my body stiffened as if arge snake was coiling itself around it.


    My heart was beating wildly.


    Eventually, the emperor turned his head again as if nothing had happened.


    My palms soon became damp, and I almost dropped the fan I was holding.


    ¡°Mydy, are you okay?¡±


    Seeing my poorplexion, Tien came over and asked.


    ¡°I am not feeling well. I¡¯m tired, so tell my father that I¡¯m going back first.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Okay.¡±


    Tien nodded her head with a worried face.


    While she went to tell the duke, I took a seat.


    If she was concerned, Joan asked cautiously.


    ¡°Mydy, are you not feeling well? Shall I call the doctor?¡±


    ¡°No. I am just tired.¡±


    I did not know in what spirit I returned home.


    When I entered the room and sat down on the bed, Joan was worried but helped me take off the ufortable dress and change into my nightgown.


    ¡°Mydy, are you very tired? You¡¯ve been looking nk since earlier. Did His Highness say something to thedy by any chance?¡±


    She asked in a worried voice.


    The maids were far away when Payne and I were talking, so they couldn¡¯t hear what we were talking about.


    It was cumbersome to exin and I didn¡¯t want to let others know about this.


    And most of all, I was so tired that I just wanted to rest.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so don¡¯t worry about it. I can do the rest myself, so everyone leaves.¡±


    I undid my updo hair, took off all the decorations, and tied it back up low and loose.


    When I finished washing my face andy down on the bed, I couldn¡¯t even lift a finger.


    Standing for a long time in high shoes and ufortable clothes was physically exhausting, but the mental fatigue was even more severe.


    Payne had a caring personality and he made me feelfortable being with him.


    But after hearing his confession, I could no longer look at him the way I used to.


    All the while I had been with Payne, I never thought he would fall in love with me.


    I thought he was trying to get close to me for power. I had no idea that Payne would have such feelings for me.


    While interacting with Payne, I prioritized stability and calcted the benefits to the family, not considering his feelings.


    Since I was like that, I thought Payne was like that too.


    ¡®Is it causal retribution?¡¯


    However, Payne wanted the marriage without asking me, so I didn¡¯t like it.


    Even if it was going to happen anyway, it was disrespectful and unpleasant.


    I had no intention of sacrificing for my family.


    Even if I were criticized for being selfish, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    After all, I was betrothed to the crown prince, and Payne was a brother who shared his blood.


    Even if the family affairs of the imperial family wereplicated, it was iprehensible to mymon sense for an older brother¡¯s fianc¨¦e to be a younger brother¡¯s fianc¨¦e.


    White moonlight came through the window and illuminated the room.


    On one wall hung bunches of dried lisianthus.


    The fresh flower had lost its vitality and was dried to be preserved, so it looked like it would crumble at any moment if I touched it.


    The colorful red petals also changed color.


    It meant that a long time had passed.


    ¡®Half a year¡­?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a long time ¡­But now¡­ it felt far too long.


    My heart suddenly felt tight, so I stopped thinking and closed my eyes.


    ***


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Noah sat down at his desk and groaned.


    The night was already deep and it would be dawn in a little while, but there were still piles of papers in front of him.


    But he was worried about something else.


    It was because of the report of a subordinate who had been to the imperial family for his mission.


    Feeling a headache, Noah put his hand on his forehead and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°His Highness, the 2nd Prince, has proposed to the princess.¡±


    The rtionship between Elvin and the princess obviously seemed unusual.


    At least it seemed clear that he had a special regard for the princess.


    But while he was away, what on earth happened?


    Elvin was not only outstanding in his appearance, but also in his noble status and high in his own abilities, and he was even trusted by the emperor.


    Noah oftenined about him being cold, but in honesty, it was rare to find such an outstanding boss.


    It would be hard to find such talent in the empire.


    However, a person matching Elvin¡¯s talent had now appeared.


    ¡°Sir, what should I do? Should I report to the master?¡±

 Chapter 110

    A man in a ck knight¡¯s uniform asked.


    Noah was startled and waved his hand.


    ¡°I will take care of it. Go.¡±


    ¡°Yes? But¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Just go.¡±


    At the firm order, the man left the room with a displeased face.


    He himself was not of low rank, but how could he go against the order of the master¡¯s aide.


    Left in the room, Noah was troubled with a serious face.


    In his hand was a secret letter.


    Elvin¡¯s current location was a rural vige close to the border.


    It was the emperor¡¯s secret order to organize the rebels rampaging around the border area as there had been recent suspicious movements.


    This job was very risky and he needed to be cautious.


    However, if Noah told Elvin the news about the Princess now, it would only add to his worries.


    Besides, Elvin was far away anyway, so even if he knew this, there was nothing else he could do.


    Before Elvin left, there seemed to be something between the princess and him.


    However, the marriage was ordered by the emperor and the second Prince confessed his love.


    It was too sweet a temptation not to fall for.


    So, how could there be guaranteed that the princess would not change her mind while Elvin was away?


    Noah resealed the Emperor¡¯s secret letter, put it in the envelope, and took out a piece of paper.


    Then he paused while writing a report to Elvin on the big and small things that had happened in the capital.


    It was because he had not yet made up his mind whether to report the news of the marriage of the princess and the second prince.


    ¡°The timing is not good.¡±


    He shook his head and sighed.


    Why did this happen while Elvin was away?


    If the 2nd prince was the light, Elvin was the shadow.


    Unlike the 2nd Prince, who was liked by many for his gentle personality and kind attitude, Elvin was notorious for being ruthless and arrogant.


    In addition, the 2nd prince moved in the sun and received cheers, but Elvin hid his identity and worked in the shadows.


    Normally, there were noints, but today Noah felt particrly dissatisfied with that.


    In a way, the two were simr, but very different, from their high social status to their painful family affairs and to doing dangerous things.


    The second prince was a young hero and unlike anyone else, he had a good character, so Noah respected him as a citizen.


    But he couldn¡¯t help but be greatly disappointed by this.


    Until now, Elvin and the second prince had never collided with each other, so there was no grudge between the two.


    But, while Elvin was away, the second Prince was trying to marry the Princess.


    It was still unknown which of the two men the princess would choose.


    However, under normal circumstances, she would choose a nice and friendly person.


    When he thought of Elvin, who always had a cold face but had a rare smile while choosing a gift for the princess, he felt even more pity.


    Noah picked up the pen again and started writing.


    The mission was important, but this job was also important.


    In addition, before Elvin left, he earnestly asked Noah to help the Princess if something happened or if she came to the organization.


    But what should he do about this important news?


    ***


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ire shouted sharply.


    She looked thinner than before, but she was still beautiful.


    The maid didn¡¯t know what to do and lowered her head.


    ¡°Marry?¡±


    The maid opened her mouth with an anxious expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but when I went down to the first floor earlier, I overheard the baron discussing the marriage of thedy with the guests.¡±


    ire couldn¡¯t contain her anger.


    Her own father, Baron Dana, was truly incorrigible.


    He tried to sell her to an old and ugly nobleman for money, but was prevented by the crown prince.


    However, he did it again as soon as a gap opened between her and the Crown prince.


    ¡°Which family did they say this time again?¡±


    ¡°Name is Baron Mikhail.¡±


    At the maid¡¯s words, ire frowned.


    She had never heard of that family before.


    It must be an insignificant family in a rural area.


    Still, it seemed they had enough money, seeing that Baron Dana was about to marry her off.


    ¡°My father is very persistent.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The maid bowed her head without answering.


    ire looked down, lost in her thoughts.


    The first maid was gone, and she was still in confinement.


    The ce of the missing maid was reced by another, and no news was heard from the crown prince.


    She felt strange and bribed another maid. She gave the maid her things and instructed to deliver a note, but that maid quit that day.


    ire was extremely furious. Because the maid took her things and quit without delivering the note.


    She couldn¡¯t calm her rage at the thought that she had been fooled by a lowly woman of meremoner status.


    She said her maid was suspicious, who immediately quit after her things were missing from her room.


    Baron Dana was very strict and treated his servants in a very harsh way.


    ire deliberately emphasized that a very expensive item was missing, so the Baron searched for the maid.


    Perhaps the maid would soon regret it bitterly and suffer greatly.


    Perhaps she will have to live crippled for the rest of her life, or perhaps she will not be able to bear it and die in the middle of a severe punishment.


    A cold sneer crossed ire¡¯s lips when she remembered the treacherous maid.


    But now recalling her own situation, she awoke from her thoughts.


    The maid in front of her still stood there with her eyes down.


    When she looked up, she could see the fight in her glowing eyes, but she looked very docile now as she stood there with her head down.


    Besides, perhaps because she was still young, she was easy to coax, unlike the other maids who were wary of even talking to ire.


    ¡°I have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been locked up for so long, it¡¯s kind of frustrating. Will you get me a copy of the newspaper the next time youe?¡±


    ire schooled expression and spoke in a soft voice.


    She looked terribly lonely and sad.


    ¡°Yes. Okay.¡±


    The young maid replied, looking at ire pitifully.


    ¡°You have to keep this conversation a secret from other people. It doesn¡¯t matter to me, but I¡¯m afraid I might harm you if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Mydy, thank you for your concern. I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,e here. I have something to give you.¡±


    Looking at the puzzle faced maid, ire calmly took out a small ne from a drawer.


    At the end of the ne was a small piece of gold the size of a pinky fingernail.


    It wasn¡¯t very valuable, but it should have been enough to satisfy the young maid.


    ¡°Thank you for the trouble. If you listen to me, I¡¯ll give you something better next time.¡±


    ***


    The maid kept her promise.


    Over the past few weeks, ire and the young maid have grown quite close.


    When ire gave the maid a few of her pennies or the asional silver coin, the maid became even more delighted and ran her errands dutifully.


    Most of it was simple.


    It was like eavesdropping on a conversation going on in the newspaper or at the baron¡¯s residence.


    ¡°Is this true? The Crown Prince and Princess Lillian annulled their marriage?¡±


    ire asked with an incredulous face.


    The newspaper in her hand crumpled in a mess in her hands.


    The maid nodded her head and asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s true. Aren¡¯t you happy,dy?¡±


    It was already an open fact that ire was the Crown prince¡¯s secret lover.


    Unlike the princess who had a strong family backing, the crown prince was overly generous with ire¡¯s status.


    However, now that things had turned out like this, she was able to have the Crown Prince all to herself. But why wasn¡¯t she happy?


    ire¡¯s expression contorted even more at the maid¡¯s innocent question.


    Happy?


    A light of contempt shed in her gaze at the maid.


    It was definitely something to celebrate since she got rid of the thorn in her eye.


    However, she herself knew why the crown prince had been unable to let go of a stupid and vulgar woman like the princess.


    It was because of the Duke of Lillian¡¯s power.


    In order for the crown prince to ascend the throne, he desperately needed the support of the Duke.


    But now that they went separate ways, what would happen in the future?


    ire looked down at the newspaper with a sunken face, then folded it up and put it on the table.


    Then she took out a gold ne from a drawer.


    ¡°Good job. You did well, so you¡¯ll be able to do the job well this time too, right?¡±


    Seeing the maid¡¯s eyes widen, ire smiled.


    ¡°Go to the Hermes. I can¡¯t fail this time, so I need to find a proper guild. It doesn¡¯t matter the cost.¡±


    ¡°Mydy, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I must see the Crown Prince in person.¡±


    ***


    Arge falcon soared through the clouds at high speed.


    As soon as it found something, it slowed down the speed, circled, and lowered itself.


    A group of people on horseback lined up under the sky with hawks.


    They were dressed as servants, but some wore swords around their waists.


    Judging by the dangerous atmosphere exuded from his body, he did not look like an ordinary servant.


    In the lead, Elvin with a solemn expression rode a shiny ck horse.


    He wore a gorgeous uniform with gold thread, and a brooch hung on his chest.


    A deep and vivid red jewel embedded in the middle of the brooch gave off a brilliant shine depending on the angle.


    The hawk spread itsrge wings outstretched so as not to collide with the ground and flew in a nimble and graceful manner.


    People raised their heads at the loud pping of wings.


    Elvin also looked up and saw a hawk flying overhead.


    He ordered by pulling the reins.


    ¡°Everyone, stop.¡±


    He held out his one arm.


    Then the hawk flew leisurely andnded on his arm.


    Elvin casually opened the small barrel tied to the hawk¡¯s ankle.


    It contained two notes.


    One must have been sent by the emperor and the other by Noah.


    Elvin first opened the message sent by the emperor, then frowned.


    His face was full of displeasure.


    ¡°Master, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    The servant next to Elvin asked.


    ¡°I have work to do. Find an inn, rest, and leave early tomorrow. Don¡¯t waste time, finish quickly and go back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Looking at Elvin¡¯s expression, it seemed that something unusual had happened.


    Before leaving again, he opened the second note.


    Hisplexion changed once more.


    Seeing his expression, the servant took a deep breath. A chilly silence passed.


    As Elvin radiated murder with a cold face, the people around him did not dare to breathe deeply.


    Even the best shooters felt the pressure, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange if a weak person was scared.


    A few minutester he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Leave now. Finish it as quickly as possible and return to the imperial pce.¡±


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