Chapter 18

[Last night, Duke Ivanstein appeared at Viscountess Roland’s party.

What greater honor could there be for the party of Viscountess Roland, who is famously unpopular in social circles!

That night, it was reported that the sight of people hurriedly returning after having left only seeing the face of the Reibritton Princess was quite spectacular.

Some might say such behavior lacked dignity, but that night was worth setting aside the etiquette we’ve lived by our entire lives.

Duke Ivanstein, from the moment he entered the party, didn’t speak with anyone—surprisingly, he didn’t even exchange greetings!—and spent time alone with the Reibritton Princess on the terrace, holding her hand.

What’s more surprising is that the princess’s lips were strangely swollen when she left the terrace as if she were escaping. And even more surprising, Duke Ivanstein’s lips had turned strangely red when he followed after her. As if the Duke had ‘devoured’ the princess’s lip makeup.

The princess left the party with Duke Ivanstein, saying she wasn’t feeling well—the Duke still hadn’t spoken to anyone!—. He followed her leisurely, licking his lips like a satisfied lion, according to the common opinion of witnesses.

It must be disappointing for Viscountess Roland, but Duke Ivanstein undoubtedly appeared at the party that night with the purpose of hunting the Reibritton Princess.]

“Ha.”

A small laugh escaped between Genoa’s lips as he read through the society paper.

“Everyone seems worried that I might devour the princess.”

He tossed the paper to Bane, who stood before him. Bane silently received it.

Thanks to the errand boys who moved busily since early morning, by now probably all the nobles in the empire would be reading the same society paper. Bane sighed quietly as he read through it. It contained what had happened while he was briefly away.

“It was reckless of you to attend Viscountess Roland’s party that night. Fortunately, since you ignored everything except the princess, people aren’t freely wagging their tongues, but if His Majesty becomes suspicious about this……”

“It’s true that I wanted to see the princess, but I didn’t go purely on impulse.”

“Then why.”

“Viscountess Roland said it, didn’t she? That the First Prince knows about Ivanstein’s dirty history.”

Bane’s expression hardened, but Genoa smiled broadly as if pleased.

“Even though the head maid confirmed that he holds my weakness, I needed to show that the First Prince, who had kept his mouth shut like a clam until now, has finally opened his heavy mouth and that his threats are working.”

“……”

Before putting the head maid in the basement, Genoa and Bane had learned from her that the First Prince held something that could be Genoa’s weakness. But even the head maid didn’t know if it was the weakness Genoa wanted.

So Genoa waited and waited. He had been holding his breath, provoking the First Prince as much as possible and pushing him into a corner until he finally played his best card.

“Look. The situation has turned quite interesting.”

At Genoa’s words, Bane continued reading the society paper he had handed over.

[Those who paid attention to the meeting of the Reibritton Princess, who had a scandal with the First Prince—I’ll call him this since he hasn’t received an official title yet—and Viscountess Roland, who is quite special to the First Prince, should now focus on something else.

The gossip that Duke Ivanstein seemed to have a special interest in the Reibritton Princess from before has been on everyone’s lips at least once, but now it’s time to weigh our tongues more heavily.

From now on, those of you attending parties should release the First Prince’s name that has been associated with the Reibritton Princess, and try mentioning the name Genoa Ivanstein alongside hers. You’ll be able to spend a party with wonderful conversations going back and forth.]

“Judging by the atmosphere, you’ll need to announce an engagement soon.”

Bane sighed and placed the society paper back on Genoa’s desk. Genoa was busily writing something on paper—scratch scratch scratch—and when Bane glanced at it, his face hardened even more than when he was reading the society paper, and he asked:

“What are you writing?”

“You saw it.”

“Then I’ll change my question. Why are you writing that?”

“To see if it looks good together.”

Genoa showed the paper he had been frantically writing on.

Amelia Ivanstein, Amelia Ivanstein, Amelia Ivanstein, Amelia Ivanstein……

On the paper, the princess’s name with the Ivanstein surname was written numerous times.

“But it doesn’t look good.”

Genoa frowned and tossed the pen onto the desk.

“The name Amelia goes best with Reibritton after all. Ivanstein is too ugly to be mentioned alongside the princess.”

“As far as I know, the princess hasn’t accepted your proposal yet.”

“I think she will soon.”

Genoa’s voice was full of confidence.

“The Princess clearly likes me.”

Joy. Pure joy from affection he hadn’t felt in a long time filled Genoa’s beautiful face. Almost blindingly so.

Bane fixed his gaze on his feet, feeling that if he continued to look at that expression, he might go blind.

Scratch, scratch.

Only the sound of Genoa folding the paper on which he had written the princess’s name quietly spread through the office. Bane broke the brief silence and asked:

“If the princess truly becomes the lady of the Ivanstein ducal residence, she must know everything about the family. Will you really tell the princess everything, my lord?”

“……Ah.”

Genoa pushed his chair back and moved his body toward the window. Through the office window, the entire ducal residence came into view. The magnificent and noble, beautiful Ivanstein ducal residence. Genoa’s eyes, which had been taking in that sight for a moment, sank insensitively.

“It’s just a worthless family. Does the princess really need to know everything?”

“Worthless……”

Bane shook his head, pressing his forehead with his hand.

That is your family.

Bane swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue.

Before he knew it, Genoa was holding a paper airplane in his arms that he had folded at some point and headed toward the window. Then he began to fly it with great care, as if aiming at someone outside.

“……?”

Bane’s face turned pale in an instant. Looking at the desk, all the papers with “Amelia Ivanstein” written countless times had disappeared. That meant those were exactly those papers. If someone passing by were to unfold and read them, who knew what the servants would gossip about.

Bane flung open the office door and rushed out, grabbing the butler who was passing by and shouted:

“We need to collect all of those right now!”

“Pardon? What are you……”

“All those things that shouldn’t be in the garden!”

Genoa pretended not to hear Bane’s voice, which was fading as he screamed, and continued to fly the paper airplanes. As he watched the paper airplanes flowing gently on the wind, oblivious to Bane’s distress, one of them hit someone’s forehead with a thud and rolled on the ground. A direct hit.

“Ah.”

The paper airplane had precisely struck the princess’s forehead. He could see a pretty red spot forming where the paper airplane had hit. The princess’s skin is clear and pale, so even such a small mark is visible. Even such a mark became a joy to him.

Genoa smiled and tapped on the office window. At that small sound, her gaze reached him.

“……Duke!”

The princess’s voice was faintly heard. Her lips moved daintily as she recognized him, looking extremely lovable. Genoa pulled up the corners of his mouth, applying strength to his relaxing lips, and pointed with his finger at the paper airplane the princess was holding.

The princess tilted her head for a moment, then, ah, she unfolded the paper airplane and looked at it.

“……!”

Had she seen that name written all over the paper? Seeing her round eyes and fluttering lips, Genoa finally couldn’t hold back his laughter and burst out.

The princess shouted something with her face flushed red as Genoa laughed dangerously, bending his waist out the window. But he couldn’t hear her.

In Genoa’s view, he could see her crossing the garden, almost running as she walked toward him.

“Haha.”

Genoa laughed and sank deep into the office chair again. He looked forward to seeing the princess rush into the office with heavy breaths and confront him after just a short wait.

“I hope she comes quickly.”

Though the wait would surely be brief, somehow his throat felt dry.

“Why are you doing this!”

Indeed, after not much waiting, Mel walked into the office with her face red as a tomato, fidgeting.

It was a thumping footstep, as if her usual elegant, feather-like gait had all been a lie. Seeing that it showed how agitated she was right now, Genoa smiled broadly.

“You told me  not to call your name, but you never said not to write it.”

“Isn’t that the same thing? And what’s with these paper airplanes?”

“It’s a new method of courtship.”

“But why this method……”

“Don’t you think it’s quite effective since it made the princess, who would surely avoid me for a while, come looking for me on her own?”

At Genoa’s words, Mel involuntarily recalled the kiss from the previous party.

“Ah, just a little more. Princess……”

A heated voice as if he was thirsting even during their brief separation. How heart-poundingly thrilling it had been in that moment when Genoa Ivanstein, a man who seemed capable of grasping anything in this world if he wanted to, desperately desired her.

“Did you sleep well, Princess?”

Genoa asked with a smile, as if knowing that Mel’s thoughts had stopped with her face about to burst from redness. Only then did Mel come to her senses and stammered a reply.

“You, D-Duke?”

“I slept well too.”

Mel looked at him with suspicious eyes.

Was he really sleeping well even though she wasn’t visiting his bedroom? But no trace of fatigue could be found on Genoa’s face.

“Your insomnia…… Is it completely cured?”

“Thanks to you, Princess.”

“But I no longer visit your bedroom.”

“That’s a bit unfortunate, but if my insomnia returns, will you come again?”

“……No.”

Genoa clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

Surprisingly, from the moment he acknowledged his feelings for the princess, accepted them, and resolved to bind her to his side forever, sleep came to him. It was a change that occurred when he thought that the princess would always be here, by his side. In the end, it remained unchanged that her existence helped Genoa fall asleep.

“Let’s get engaged, Princess.”

“……Duke.”

“I’m not asking you to become the Duchess of Ivanstein. I’m asking you to be my fiancée.”

“I don’t understand the difference.”

“You must know. Please consider it, Princess.”

Genoa approached Mel and smoothly took the paper airplane from her hand.

Amelia Ivanstein.

Though he had written it himself, why did the Ivanstein letters placed next to Amelia’s name look so awkward? He still didn’t like it.

“Did the princess read today’s society paper?”

“……Yes.”

“Then our conversation will be faster. Because the princess would know why I’m proposing engagement.”

“Did you go to the party aiming for this?”

“You have a face that wouldn’t believe me even if I said it was an unexpected outcome.”

Mel touched her stiff lips with her hand. When she glanced at Genoa, he was still looking at her with a softly smiling face. While voicing her refusal, Mel worried that he might be hurt by her continued rejection, but it seemed her concerns were unfounded.

“The imperial nobles need something right now. At this point when the emperor has changed, they need something to stabilize them in this most unstable period.”

“Are you saying that my engagement to the Duke can provide stability to the nobles?”

“Yes. It’s the union of me, called the emperor’s dog, and the princess. His Majesty will now have two pillars: Ivanstein and Reibritton.”

“……The imperial authority will be stabilized.”

Mel nodded.

Since it would appear as if the emperor had embraced Reibritton, the nobles would realize who the true master of the empire was during these unstable times.

Even those who still couldn’t let go of their attachment to First Prince Rihast would eventually accept it and quickly seek other ways to survive. Just an engagement. That alone could bring many advantages.

“But there are still other royals in Reibritton besides me. They won’t let me represent Reibritton.”

“That’s right. Looking at how they’ve joined hands with the First Prince, they certainly won’t think they’re maintaining their lives and status thanks to the princess.”

Mel nodded.

Unlike the original plan to make Reibritton completely part of the empire, now that the royals had agreed to cooperate with the First Prince’s rebellion, the emperor could no longer point his sword at Reibritton.

“His Majesty plans to invite them to the imperial palace.”

“……That’s too dangerous!”

“He said he wants to completely end the war. He’s trying to prevent the current chaos by guaranteeing Reibritton a period of non-aggression.”

“……”

Mel bit her lips repeatedly.

She knew what the royals were thinking through Crown Princess Rowse. They intended to switch her with the real princess. They were even considering betraying the First Prince. So if the emperor extended his hand, they would likely take it over the First Prince’s, which was clearly a dangerous gamble, as the emperor could guarantee safety.

If that happened, the Reibritton royals would be saved, but Mel……

“Then I……”

“You don’t need to worry. You will be completely protected within Ivanstein. If you don’t want to, we can also block any meetings with the royals.”

Genoa comforted her as if he knew what she was worried about. He seemed to have judged that a family who had imprisoned her in the palace and fled was worse than nothing.

In reality, Mel had wished for Reibritton’s complete destruction and subjugation to the empire, so she could accept Genoa’s proposal even if she couldn’t be fully satisfied with it. But……

“I’ve let you live with a status beyond your station, what a glorious thing this must have been for your vulgar life.”

Mel looked at Genoa’s face. She could now read affection in his eyes that had once only looked at her coldly. Genoa looked at her as if he had returned to the past, unconsciously seeing her as the Mel of old.

Her heart began to race wildly with a sense of crisis. Every time Genoa’s sincerity reached her, Mel’s lifeline continued an increasingly precarious tightrope walk.

That beautiful face had once been stained with the wound of betrayal in the past. Mel didn’t know that face. But soon, very soon…… Mel would be able to see that face.

Mel.

Among the countless “Amelia Ivanstein” names written on the paper airplanes he had thrown, only one piece was real. All the others were fake. When Genoa’s lips sweetly held Amelia’s name, Mel’s vulgarity wallowed in the mud.

‘Ah.’

She swallowed the despair welling up inside her and sighed inwardly. Mel wasn’t ready to let go of this glory yet.

* * *

At Count Peruis’s mansion in Reibritton.

“Haha, it’s not even funny.”

First Prince Rihast, lying comfortably on the sofa as if this were his own home, flipped through the society paper and then threw it behind him. Adelian, the crown prince of Reibritton who was drinking wine in front of him, frowned at his vulgar attitude.

“What news is there from the empire?”

“The kind of news that gets published in these society papers, just trivial gossip.”

Rihast laughed and drank straight from the bottle while still lying down. He showed no intention of observing etiquette despite Adelian’s presence.

Having grown accustomed to his behavior, Adelian swallowed a sigh and nodded to the attendant standing behind him. The attendant then picked up the paper Rihast had thrown away and brought it to Adelian.

“……The imperial nobles seem to be enjoying themselves quite a bit. They appear to have already forgotten the First Prince.”

The society paper covered the trend that had spread among the imperial nobles after Viscountess Roland’s party. It said that applying makeup to make lips slightly swollen and red had become a way for noble ladies to boast about their marital harmony. Moreover, terraces at every party venue were fully occupied, and there was a shortage of workers because construction was underway to expand party venues and build more terraces.

The paper stated that the princess had now fully established herself as the queen of social circles in the empire. With just two parties, she wielded this much influence, and they were looking forward to what kind of wind she would bring if she became the Duchess of Ivanstein.

“Ha. As if.”

Rihast mocked Adelian’s words and put down the wine bottle, straightening his posture. Finally facing him directly, Adelian leaned his upper body forward and asked:

“How can you be so sure? The empire doesn’t even care that you’re here right now.”

It was a question about whether he had been completely forgotten in the struggle for the throne. Despite the clear provocation in his words, Rihast laughed.

“Everyone must be desperate to stabilize the throne. The princess is just a convenient card to use in that game. Besides……”

Rihast snatched the paper from Adelian’s hand. Then, waving it in front of Adelian’s eyes, he said:

“All of this is only possible because the princess is still maintaining her status.”

“……So what does that have to do with your rebellion and our restoration?”

Adelian swallowed his rising irritation.

While Rihast was comfortably playing around in Reibritton, he had squeezed out all of Reibritton’s remaining forces and stationed them in Peruis County. It meant that Reibritton’s future depended on the man before him, who looked as if he were soaked in alcohol.

“It seems my brother will come asking for reconciliation. He’s used his head well.”

As Rihast spoke, one of Adelian’s subordinates burst through the door without observing proper etiquette.

“Your Highness! A letter from the Raon Empire’s emperor has arrived!”

Adelian jumped up from his seat and snatched the letter his subordinate handed him. His hand trembled slightly as he tore open the sealed letter. Rihast watched Adelian, who was acting urgently as if he had thrown his dignity far away, with a smile and gleaming eyes.

“This is……!”

“What does it say? Is, is it a warning that they’ll resume the attack?”

The sound of Adelian’s subordinate swallowing saliva in tension was particularly loud. But Adelian couldn’t blame him. He felt like he might do the same, unable to maintain his dignity.

“It invites the Reibritton royals to the imperial palace. To formally discuss the end of the war.”

“……That means, Your Highness!”

“The emperor intends to end this war!”

Adelian read and reread the letter with an incredulous expression.

From any perspective, this war had been advantageous to the Raon Empire. In fact, Reibritton’s actual power had long since passed to the empire. To the extent that the empire could completely take over Reibritton just by finding and beheading the royals who had abandoned their pride and honor and fled the royal palace.

The kingdom’s nobles behaved cooperatively toward the imperial army, trying to naturalize into the empire in a war whose outcome had already been decided, and the Reibritton royals rapidly lost power. Even in Count Peruis’s mansion where they were staying now, the royal army was barely holding on by finding and eliminating Count Peruis’s messengers who were trying to inform the imperial army.

“Is it, is it really true?”

The subordinate stammered in disbelief. The letter Adelian was holding clearly bore the seal of the Raon Empire’s emperor. A mysterious, shimmering seal blessed by the archbishop that could never be forged. This was certainly the seal of the Raon Empire’s emperor.

Just as Adelian was about to nod and answer his subordinate’s question.

“Haha, how naive.”

Rihast, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two, couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“……!”

“……!”

Only then did Adelian and his subordinate realize that they had momentarily forgotten who was present.

“Do you think the empire would so easily let go of prey that has come into its mouth?”

The imperial prince who couldn’t acknowledge his brother’s throne and dreamed of rebellion, the First Prince Rihast who needed this war more than anyone else, was right beside them. They had forgotten that. Adelian admitted that he had made a mistake in his excitement. He shouldn’t have confirmed this letter in front of Rihast.

The mistake already made was painful, but Adelian gathered his thoughts, which had been clouded by excitement, and spoke:

“This is a letter with the emperor’s seal. Since it was the emperor’s side that proposed to discuss the end of the war, this carries the same weight as certification under continental law.”

Continental law was a body of legislation agreed upon by all the nations of the continent. Letters bearing the seals of emperors and kings—the heads of each country—were validated under this law. To violate them meant breaching continental law itself, obligating every nation to cooperate in punishment.

The seals of each realm had long upheld trust in diplomacy and trade, secured under the provisions of continental law. To break it was to become a public enemy of the entire continent.

“But what’s the use of believing in continental law, when it couldn’t even judge the empire’s absurd justifications?”

“……”

But Adelian could only bite his lips without offering any rebuttal to Rihast’s words.

Never invade another country without a just cause. Do not wage war for conquest. This was the continental law, but the Raon Empire had openly violated it.

“The Reibritton Princess insulted the empire’s emperor, so we will punish that crime.”

Despite knowing that this one justification—an old emperor’s desire for a young and beautiful princess—was a pathetic reason, not a single country that upheld the continental law extended a helping hand to Reibritton.

“My brother does have a weak side that fears bloodshed, but in the end, he too pretended not to be interested in the throne, pretended not to desire power, but as soon as the late emperor’s will appeared, he immediately backed Ivanstein and planted his behind on the throne.”

Rihast, gritting his teeth, slammed his fist with bulging veins onto the table.

“Even though he had prepared by coordinating with the nobles behind my back……”

The image of Rudrich looking at him with a detached expression, like a priest, and regarding him with pity, was still vivid in his mind.

“You will surely become a strong monarch. But the empire now needs stability, not expansion. I hope you can look around you, brother.”

Son of a bitch.

Rihast swallowed curses about Rudrich, inwardly condemning even his own father. He had been careless, thinking those words meant Rudrich acknowledged him as emperor and was stepping back.

While he had briefly focused on the Reibritton Princess, thinking he would make Duke Ivanstein completely his dog, Rudrich had been working behind the scenes to recruit neutral nobles and quickly succeed to the throne as written in the will.

That was why Rihast had been unable to make any moves and had appeared to step back under the pressure of public opinion, atmosphere, and Ivanstein.

“It means that although Rudrich is weak, he’s not one to let go of benefits that fall into his hands. If we just stay still, the Reibritton Kingdom will nicely fall into the empire’s hands, so what benefit would he gain by personally saving the royals and ending the war?”

“That’s……”

“Think about the princess. That woman who’s sticking to Duke Ivanstein and whispering in the emperor’s ear to capture all of you and behead you.”

“……!”

As if only just remembering her presence, Adelian’s eyes widened. Rihast stared at that face and spoke with conviction:

“If I were her, I absolutely wouldn’t want to see Reibritton rebuilt. Would she want to return to the kingdom that imprisoned her alone to die or be nicely captured by the old emperor?”

“Then is the First Prince’s intention to reject this proposal?”

“Why reject it? Where else would you find such a good proposal?”

“Are you playing word games with me now?”

Adelian’s voice lowered as he became displeased, coldly glaring at Rihast.

Unlike Rihast, who could live the rest of his life as a respected elder of the imperial family with a suitable title from his brother the emperor if he gave up his rebellion now, this was a matter of country, power, and life for Adelian. Moreover, thinking about that lowborn who might be whispering Reibritton’s destruction in Duke Ivanstein’s ear made Adelian’s stomach turn.

‘If only my consort would return quickly to confirm that the princess in the empire is that slave.’

Adelian bit his lip and glared at Rihast. He had no desire for the kingdom’s fate to change dozens of times a day based on the words of a foreign prince, especially a rebel.

Adelian intended to cooperate with Rihast moderately. If he became emperor, that would be ideal, but if he couldn’t completely win over Duke Ivanstein, Adelian would discard him mercilessly.

“I never intended to go into enemy territory without any certainty. I just need to let the continent know that the emperor still recognizes Reibritton’s independence and respects the royals.”

What was important to Adelian was announcing the royals’ continued existence. This would check the movements of nobles trying to naturalize into the empire out of fear and help him find and embrace nobles willing to bet their families on the possible return of the royals.

“Good idea. Then do that.”

Tired of Rihast’s attitude that seemed indifferent either way, Adelian pressed his head and asked:

“Ha, what exactly are you thinking?”

“Be wary of enemy territory, and take what you can from that invitation.”

“How……”

“Take your army with you, to the empire.”

“……!”

Adelian’s eyes widened in surprise. While he was speechless, Adelian’s subordinate shouted first in an astonished voice:

“Are you saying to wage war now?”

“Weren’t we already doing that?”

Rihast sneered, pulling up one corner of his mouth into a smile.

“Duke Ivanstein has merely left the battlefield, but how can you think the war is over like this?”

“……If you take Reibritton’s military now, Duke Ivanstein will draw his sword and roam the battlefield again. Immediately. Moreover, the emperor and imperial nobles won’t stand by and watch……”

Adelian’s concerns were natural and sensible. But Rihast answered calmly without changing his expression.

“I know the secret of the Ivanstein ducal family. What’s there to worry about?”

“I don’t know how significant this secret is, but it doesn’t seem enough to allow an army to meet the emperor. Especially since Duke Ivanstein still remains the emperor’s dog.”

“Then watch and see. Whether Reibritton’s army can cross the Raon Empire’s border or not.”

Rihast picked up a pen lying on the desk and handed it to Adelian. As Adelian took it reflexively, Rihast gripped his hand tightly with the pen and whispered coldly:

“Request the emperor. Say you don’t trust them and will come with your army. Say that as a sign of good faith, the empire should not make any military preparations. Say you’ll only come if they permit this.”

“……”

“I’ll show you an empire that can’t refuse that proposal.”

* * *

“Consort!”

“Your Highness!”

Rowse buried herself in Adelian’s arms, whom she had missed, and poured out her tears bitterly. Adelian’s face showed impatience as he stroked her back.

Though it would be a gentleman’s virtue to wait until she calmed down, he didn’t have time now to fully receive Rowse’s sorrow. Whether to accept the emperor’s invitation would depend on what came out of Rowse’s mouth.

“Consort, is that slave really the one in the empire?”

“Your Highness, how could you ask me this when I’ve just barely returned to Reibritton…!”

“What use is there in unnecessary greetings when you’re already standing safely before my eyes? The matter is urgent, so please don’t feel hurt and answer my question!”

Rowse’s tightly closed lips trembled. The tears that had welled up in her eyes dried quickly.

The disappointment she felt when Adelian had ordered her to go to the empire without any hesitation to determine whether the Reibritton Princess was the real Amelia or a slave hit her again.

Rowse pushed Adelian away with both hands.

“Did Your Highness not worry about me at all after pushing me into danger?”

“Why wouldn’t I worry? But now that I’ve confirmed with my own eyes that you’re safe, there’s no need to worry anymore.”

Adelian tried to soothe her with a sweet tone, noticing that Rowse was deeply upset. But once offended, Rowse’s mood was not easily appeased.

“I almost died! Viscountess Roland, that crazy woman, held a knife to my neck! How will you punish this? How dare a mere mistress to me, the future queen of Reibritton…!”

“Enough!”

Adelian could no longer contain himself and burst out in anger. He had never raised his voice at her before.

Rowse stepped back in surprise, bringing both hands to her chest. Her heart pounded wildly, and hiccups escaped between her lips.

“Y-Your Highness……!”

As shock brought tears to her eyes again, Adelian gripped her shoulders firmly and shook her.

“Don’t you understand how important this situation is to me? How can you act so disappointingly! This is not the time for such useless arguments!”

“But!”

“I have no need for a queen who cannot see the bigger picture. So behave wisely, consort! There’s nothing good for you in disappointing me right now.”

The sharp voice was not that of the Adelian she knew. Because his patience had never been pushed to such extremes before, Rowse saw Adelian’s true face for the first time today. His weak, real face that had lost composure and couldn’t look around due to fear taking precedence.

A similar disappointment crossed Rowse’s face. To think the man she had decided to devote her life to was only this much.

“……The one in the empire is indeed that lowborn slave. I confirmed it myself.”

“I knew it!”

Adelian’s face instantly lit up with joy. Having heard what he needed from Rowse, he immediately turned away. Rowse hurriedly grabbed him and said:

“You need to be careful, that slave has noticed that we haven’t found Amelia yet!”

“Who says we haven’t found her?”

“What? But before I left for the empire, you clearly said you had lost Amelia’s trail in Singliton……”

Rowse blinked her eyes for a moment and parted her lips. This was not an elegant action. Adelian briefly furrowed his brow and cleared his throat. Rowse finally managed her expression and asked again:

“Don’t tell me you found her?”

Adelian silently pulled up one corner of his mouth in a smile. Seeing his confident face, Rowse covered her mouth with her hand.

“We’re bringing her here now. So Rowse, my consort. Do you understand what you need to do here?”

“……I’ll go greet her myself. I’ve been missing that child anyway.”

“Great! However, there shouldn’t be any imperial people at a reunion with a beloved family member who caused our separation.”

“Of course.”

Rowse’s eyes shone with determination.

Yes, let’s forget the hurt for now. Reclaiming her position was more important than anything else right now. She would postpone pointing out Adelian’s inconsiderate attitude until after that.

Rowse thus suppressed the disappointment engraved in her heart.

“That’s it, consort. That’s how you can become my queen.”

“……”

Rowse stared for a long time at Adelian’s back as he walked away, already disregarding her and urgently discussing matters with his subordinate.

* * *

Meetings where people argued over their respective interests were always bound to have fierce verbal conflicts.

Especially in meetings attended by the emperor, there were often shouts so intense that mediation became difficult. This was because if one could persuade the emperor, the benefits would be greater than anything else.

The emperor’s recognition, cooperation, permission, requests, and trust became power. To obtain these, nobles expressed their opinions without yielding an inch, presented evidence for their views, and even displayed subtle pressure and tricks as skills to be proud of.

“This is directly related to the empire’s safety, Duke. It absolutely cannot happen.”

“But inviting the Reibritton royals to end the war is the wisest approach at this point in time. If you truly intend to stop the war.”

“Are you objecting to the end of the war? This is a decision made by the imperial family. If you’re told to follow, then follow.”

“The blood shed to claim Reibritton hasn’t even dried yet. If you knew that the poor imperial citizens are still rotting on the battlefield without their bodies being recovered, you wouldn’t speak so easily of ending the war.”

“Duke Ivanstein!”

The central meeting, attended only by nobles holding key positions among the central aristocracy, was filled with such intense scheming that one wouldn’t notice if their nose was cut off right in front of them. This was because only those with extraordinary power and ability were gathered there.

In this central meeting, all nobles except Duke Ivanstein could only watch the fierce debate unfold with their mouths agape, unable to make any statements.

“I hunted down the Reibritton royals like rats. I find it incomprehensible that you think they would accept Your Majesty’s hand of reconciliation without any suspicion.”

“I have decided to rule the empire with mercy and justice. Saving the Reibritton royals and returning the kingdom’s autonomy to them will be my first step as emperor.”

“What Your Majesty is doing now is not mercy and justice, but merely the arrogance of a dull monarch who offers up the blood and sweat shed by his own people.”

“Mind your words, Duke. Have you forgotten that this ‘dull person’ is your lord?”

“With Your Majesty acting like this, I’m likely to forget soon.”

The nobles widened their eyes in disbelief as they watched the two men raising their voices, because the person Duke Ivanstein was arguing with was the emperor himself.

The ’emperor’s dog’ was baring its teeth at its master.

A situation that had never been recorded in any imperial history was unfolding before their eyes—the Ivanstein ducal family opposing the imperial family’s opinion. Those attending the central meeting today could rightfully say they were witnessing a historic moment that would likely remain legendary.

‘How could Ivanstein……?’

The ducal family wasn’t called the emperor’s dog for nothing. The Ivanstein ducal family had always simply carried out orders in response to all the emperor’s opinions, never questioning or arguing about his intentions. As if it were their destiny to follow when commanded.

“If you’re going to invite the Reibritton royals, you’ll have to agree to their request to be armed. Otherwise, you absolutely cannot invite the Reibritton royals to this imperial palace.”

“Are you suggesting that this imperial court should allow enemies to come armed with their army? Isn’t that no different from openly inviting them to invade the imperial palace and occupy the empire!”

“Then order me to march out and bring back their heads. That will be the safest and fastest way to invite them to the imperial palace, Your Majesty.”

“I said I want to stop the war, Duke Ivanstein!”

Duke Ivanstein absolutely refused to yield to the emperor’s opinion and even sneered, which enraged the emperor.

The meeting that had begun in the morning continued without conclusion even after the sun had set. Only after exhausted participants earnestly requested to suspend the meeting could the nobles finally return to their mansions.

The next morning, all the empire’s society papers began publishing articles about this debate.

[The Emperor’s Dog Bares Its Teeth at Its Master!]

[Does Duke Ivanstein No Longer Recognize the Emperor as His Lord?]

The confrontation between the emperor and Duke Ivanstein remained intense afterward. Duke Ivanstein insisted on completely conquering the kingdom, while the emperor persisted in peaceful coexistence.

This standoff, where neither side would yield, was finally resolved when the emperor, provoked by Duke Ivanstein’s statement that “if peaceful coexistence is truly possible, then allow them to enter imperial territory with their army as they demand, to prove the emperor’s claim,” angrily agreed to the proposal.

Thus, the Reibritton royals would head toward the empire with their army.

The imperial court completely excluded Duke Ivanstein from the peace treaty preparation process, and as if in retaliation, Duke Ivanstein sent his private soldiers to the imperial border where the Reibritton royals had passed, threatening them from behind.

Throughout their journey to the empire’s center, the Reibritton royals sent letters to the imperial court protesting Duke Ivanstein’s threats. The emperor sent First Prince Rihast to appease the Reibritton royals and requested him to mediate the friction between Duke Ivanstein and the Reibritton royals.

Once First Prince Rihast joined the Reibritton royals, the number of letters they sent to the imperial court noticeably decreased. The nobles felt that the imperial throne was becoming somewhat stabilized as they watched the First Prince faithfully carrying out the emperor’s orders.

“We will hold a grand banquet to welcome our guests from Reibritton. Duke Ivanstein is so dedicated to the empire that he’s focusing all his attention on protecting the borders, so he need not attend this banquet.”

The emperor firmly stated that Duke Ivanstein could not attend the banquet for the Reibritton royals. As if in retaliation, Duke Ivanstein announced his engagement and said:

“The Princess who will become the mistress of the Ivanstein ducal family wishes to abandon the Reibritton surname. Respecting her wishes, I will not invite anyone with the Reibritton surname to my engagement ceremony.”

Clearly, not inviting them to an engagement ceremony that would be held while the Reibritton royals were staying in the empire meant that Ivanstein would not recognize Reibritton.

The nobles now faced a crossroads. Should they choose the newly ascended but still imperfect emperor, or Duke Ivanstein who held all the real power in the empire? Which event should they attend and which should they skip?

The Raon Empire, which should have been united under the emperor, slowly began to sink into confusion.

* * *

Although the butler helped from the side, managing matters related to welcoming guests to the mansion had now become Mel’s responsibility. People now sought her permission when visiting the Ivanstein ducal residence, as if she had already become its mistress.

“There’s no……, end to this.”

Mel sorted through the invitations flooding into the mansion with a troubled face.

After society papers covering the debate between Duke Ivanstein and the emperor spread throughout the empire, the ducal residence became so filled with all kinds of invitations and letters that the smell of ink was more intense than in a printing house.

The society papers unanimously analyzed Duke Ivanstein’s expression, tone, voice, and every single word he used, publishing them as headline news on their front pages.

“Please hold on a little longer, Princess. We can see the end now.”

The butler, with eyes as dark as death, was helping her. Even spending an entire day reviewing invitations together would not be enough. Even the butler, who had initially sorted invitations skillfully, now showed undisguised fatigue with empty eyes no different from Mel’s.

It would have been nice if the head maid were here, but unfortunately, she was likely still fighting for survival beneath this mansion.

“Have you heard anything about why the Duke is opposing His Majesty the Emperor?”

“The Duke doesn’t discuss political matters with me. My priority is always to manage the mansion and assist the Duke.”

“But you’re the one who serves Duke Ivanstein most closely within the mansion. I really want to know, even just a little bit, why this situation has occurred.”

“……”

The butler looked at Mel with wavering eyes, hearing her voice filled with genuine curiosity about why she had to endure this hardship, not trying to uncover any political information.

“……From what I’ve gathered, he seems to be conscious of the First Prince.”

“Really?”

Mel turned her gaze back to the letters and invitations, lost in thought.

Genoa had said he wanted to hear an answer from the First Prince. The First Prince, preparing for rebellion in Reibritton, desperately needed the support of the Ivanstein ducal family. But Genoa had no intention of providing it. He planned to solidify the current emperor’s throne.

He had said that his engagement to the princess was clearly meant to stabilize imperial authority. Yet looking at these society papers, he acted as if he wanted to confront the emperor. If this was behavior conscious of the First Prince, then Genoa was currently conveying through this appearance that Duke Ivanstein was being swayed by the First Prince.

‘The First Prince definitely knows something. What could it be?’

Mel suddenly wondered why he was putting in so much effort despite having the power to immediately suppress the First Prince’s rebellion.

Could it be important enough to risk deteriorating relations with the emperor?

Given how instrumental Genoa had been in helping the current emperor ascend to the throne with just a will, this confrontation would clearly have a massive impact on imperial authority. The flood of invitations and letters already engulfing Mel was proof of this.

‘I see movements trying to make the young master the leader of the noble faction.’

The imperial nobles in the empire lived without enjoying many benefits compared to nobles in other countries because Ivanstein, who held all the real power and influence in the empire, remained the emperor’s dog.

However, through this confrontation, for the first time in history, Duke Ivanstein seemed unlikely to remain the emperor’s dog, so some nobles sought to change the flow of power through this opportunity.

‘This must be the result of some conversation between His Majesty and the young master……How does he plan to stop the First Prince’s rebellion?’

Having already noticed the First Prince’s rebellion, it would barely be enough for the imperial family and nobles to unite against it. There was nothing good about showing this confrontational appearance, but for Mel, who remained quietly sitting in the mansion, it was difficult to properly grasp the current situation.

The butler abruptly handed something to Mel, who was lost in thought with a serious face.

“Princess, would you look at this? I think you should check it.”

“This is……”

Mel took the letter the butler handed her and examined it. Her face hardened terribly when she confirmed the name written on the envelope.

“To my beloved jewel Amelia, from Amelia.”

To Amelia from Amelia. It was like an expression written to oneself. Almost like a code.

“It’s clearly addressed to the princess, but the ability to write the princess’s name in a letter like this means……”

“Only royalty.”

Not only calling a royal’s name but even writing it on paper was not allowed without special permission. Only fellow royals or those of higher status, like imperial family members, were free to do so.

“But there’s no royal seal. You should consider the possibility of impersonation.”

“They must have lost it. They were too busy fleeing the royal palace in panic.”

“……”

So busy that they even committed the madness of locking up their own daughter, the princess, in the royal palace to buy time. The butler didn’t voice the thought that crossed his mind as he rose from his seat.

“I’ll give you privacy. Please check it comfortably.”

“Thank you.”

Normally, the butler should have remained to check it together, but Mel was now the person who would become Ivanstein’s lady. His duty was to assist his superiors, and now Mel had been added to that list.

It appeared to be an unsettling letter. Judging by Mel’s terribly hardened expression, it was clearly something she didn’t want others to see. The butler tactfully left the room while discreetly observing Mel’s condition. He noticed her hand holding the letter was trembling.

‘I should report this to my lord.’

The butler returned to his room with this thought, intending to send a letter to Genoa, who was away.

“……”

Mel listened to the butler’s footsteps fading away. When she no longer sensed his presence, she got up and locked the door. No one should enter this room while she checked this.

Mel slumped down on the bed but only fidgeted with the letter in her hand, unable to easily open it. She could tell who had sent it just by the handwriting on the letter.

‘So they finally found her……’

Amelia Reibritton. The Reibritton crown prince had finally found the true owner of this name.

“I expected this anyway. That they would find her somehow.”

Mel comforted herself. This was something she had prepared for since Crown Princess Rowse appeared before her. There was no need to be flustered now.

“Hoo.”

After a short deep breath, Mel slowly opened the letter.

[Hello, my little Amelia.

I’ve never been proud of you in my life, but this time, I want to tell you.

You’ve done well.

I didn’t know you would prepare a place worthy of the name Amelia like this, surviving in a place where I sent you to die. How could you not give me any hint while doing so well?

I was quite upset, but I decided to understand, thinking about how desperately you must have wanted to live.

Ah, how merciful I am. I can’t wait to see your grateful face.

But there’s one thing I’m curious about. About your precious treasure.

You acted as if you could give up your life for it, so why aren’t you looking for it? The Ivanstein people who were following us must have been sent by you. But at some point, they let us go.

Could it be that the moment you decided to become Ivanstein’s person, your treasure lost its value?

In the end, you can’t help it either. But I still understand you. You might be greedy. That’s right.

But my Amelia. Excessive greed brings trouble, and I don’t know how to manage that.

While it might be a shining treasure to you, it’s just a mere stone to me, so deciding what to do with it has been my daily concern lately. Since it seems to have lost value to both you and me now, those around me say it would be good to dispose of it.

Still, since it was once precious to you, I’m writing this letter to ask your opinion first. I hope you don’t forget that even this is an honor for you.

Well, what shall we do?]

After reading the letter, Mel closed her eyes and leaned deeply into the sofa.

‘So they didn’t cross over to the Eastern Continent.’

It had been a while since she’d heard news of her mother. The content was close to a threat, but perhaps it was for the better. If they chose Mel’s mother as a means to pressure her, they would have to keep her mother alive until their plan to switch Amelia and Mel was realized.

“Haah……”

They were in the empire. Both the real Princess Amelia and Mel’s mother. She knew this and was prepared, but she now truly realized that the end had come right up to her chin.

Mel rang the bell on the sofa table. Lin, who had been waiting outside the door, entered and asked:

“Did you find it?”

“Could you call Sir Bane for me?”

“He should be at the knights’ training ground right now. I’ll go get him!”

“Yes, please do.”

While waiting for Bane, Mel rose from the sofa and approached the window. The Ivanstein ducal residence spread out beyond the window was as peaceful as ever.

Genoa liked to see Mel looking at the Ivanstein ducal residence like this. The way she took in every detail of the mansion’s panorama made it seem as if Mel was preparing to embrace Ivanstein at any moment.

Even the mansion’s servants could see that this man, who could have anything he wanted in this empire, was excited by such a small action from her.

‘……If I prove I didn’t betray him, would it lessen the young master’s sense of betrayal?’

What she had been certain of before gaining Genoa’s heart had now become blurry. She could no longer predict his reactions at all.

‘If I’m switched with the real princess, will the young master be able to tell?’

If Genoa couldn’t distinguish between Amelia and Mel, perhaps Mel could escape the empire with her mother and regain the freedom she wanted.

For Amelia to completely switch places with Mel, she would need to know about everything Mel had done and all the incidents in the empire so far. So while learning that, Amelia couldn’t harm Mel, and she couldn’t harm Mel’s mother, who was a means to control Mel. Mel needed to use that window somehow to escape the empire. Of course, she had the ability to do so.

The problem was that she detested the method to her core.

“You called for me.”

“Welcome, Sir Bane. I called you because I have something to ask. Lin, could you bring some tea?”

Mel sent Lin out first. With her gesture, the quick-witted Lin closed the door again without saying anything. She probably wouldn’t return until Bane left her room.

Bane’s face stiffened slightly, sensing the unusual atmosphere.

“What’s the matter?”

“Please look at this first.”

Mel handed Bane the letter sent by Amelia. Bane’s expression gradually hardened as he read the letter she had given him with a dubious face.

“Now they’ve come close enough to send me a letter like this. The real princess.”

“……!”

Mel approached the stunned Bane and urgently asked:

“Have you found the entrance to the basement?”

“……Not yet.”

“I told you about that space in the study. I thought you could easily locate the entrance in the western garden using a telescope……”

“Finding the remaining entrance isn’t easy to begin with. Moreover, as my lord’s friction with His Majesty has intensified recently, his visits to the imperial palace have decreased, making it even harder to seize an opportunity.”

“Haah.”

Mel shook her head and let out a deep sigh.

It was giving her a headache. She thought she could find the basement entrance much faster with Bane’s help, but nothing was easy when it came to the secrets of the Ivanstein ducal residence.

“I didn’t expect it to be easy. But to think there would be no progress like this……”

Bane narrowed his brow and averted his gaze, feeling as if Mel was blaming his incompetence. He certainly wasn’t being helpful to her.

“What is this treasure mentioned in the letter?”

“……It’s probably my mother. I told you before. The real Princess is holding my mother hostage.”

“……!”

Mel smiled bitterly at Bane’s surprised face.

“But isn’t it fortunate in a way? Thanks to the real Princess coming to the empire, I can be under the same sky as my mother.”

“Now in the empire……”

Bane’s heart began to race terribly. It wasn’t simply because of the puppy love he had tried to forget and struggled to erase.

[A total of six people escaped from the royal palace during the bombing: two elderly women, three knights, and one young maid. After changing clothes in a civilian house near the side gate of the royal palace, they mixed with the refugee procession and headed south of the kingdom.]

[It seems there was a straggler among the group. The number of people changed after passing through the forest near the border.]

It was because of one piece of information he had handled on Genoa’s orders without informing Mel.

The thing very precious to Mel that the identical-looking maid had stolen. The real Princess who had tried to escape to the Eastern Continent from Singliton. A straggler. This one fact that Mel didn’t know constricted Bane’s heart. He had a bad feeling.

‘If I tell her this……’

Bane imagined what would happen if he revealed this information that was completely disrupting his mind to Mel. If the straggler in that information was Mel’s mother. What would happen to Mel, who had been continuing this terrible charade, deceiving Genoa in order to save her mother?

“……I’m thinking of doing this.”

“What?”

Mel’s voice broke Bane’s contemplation.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

Mel waved her hand in front of Bane’s eyes, wondering what he had been thinking about while she was talking.

“I-I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I need to see the young master right away. I want to move up the engagement date.”

“What?”

“The engagement. The one we said would be held when the Reibritton royals arrive at the imperial palace.”

Bane widened his eyes in disbelief at Mel’s words and asked:

“You want to move the date forward?”

“Yes.”

The Raon Empire’s imperial family had decided to hold a grand banquet to welcome the Reibritton royals as soon as they arrived at the imperial palace. All nobles of the empire were invited to the party. Except for Genoa Ivanstein. And Genoa had set that day as the date for his and Mel’s engagement ceremony.

Invitations with the names of Duke Ivanstein and the Reibritton Princess side by side had been sent to all nobles of the empire. They were at a crossroads, having to choose between the emperor’s banquet hall and Genoa’s invitation.

“I know the real Princess’s personality well. She’ll think this position is hers, and she won’t just stand by and watch me, who isn’t the real Princess, hold an engagement ceremony.”

“So you’re saying you want to draw out the real princess now?”

“I need to confirm that my mother is safe first. And I also need to separate the Reibritton royals from the real princess.”

“But if that happens……”

“I know. Sooner than expected, I won’t be able to continue this fake princess act. Whether the young master recognizes the real princess or not.”

Mel’s face showed determination. Looking at that face, Bane couldn’t open his mouth. He couldn’t bring himself to say that perhaps her mother might not be with the real princess.

* * *

Mel repeatedly raised and lowered her hand in front of the door of the Duke’s study with a tense face. Only now did she realize that the times she had sought out Genoa first were few enough to count on one hand.

“Shall I knock for you?”

“No, no, it’s fine. Just a little longer……”

Refusing the butler’s offer, Mel took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. After several attempts, she finally knocked, and Genoa’s emotionless voice called from inside the study, telling her to come in.

When Mel carefully opened the door and entered, Genoa wasn’t looking her way. He was focused on examining several documents, flipping through them attentively. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Genoa like a halo. His hair sparkled like sunlight on the sea.

“Leave it and go.”

He spoke without looking in her direction. He seemed to have mistaken her for someone else. His voice was quite sharp, like someone whose nerves were on edge.

Mel carefully stepped forward and replied.

“I haven’t brought anything, so I have nothing to leave.”

“……?”

Genoa slowly raised his gaze. When his eyes met Mel’s standing at the door, they widened, and his beautiful pupils gleamed.

“Princess.”

He smiled, his eyes curving gently, and brought his hand to his chest. Pushing aside the documents he had been reviewing, Genoa gradually rose and approached Mel, saying:

“You surprised me.”

With his long legs, he strode over in an instant to stand before Mel and extended his hand. Mel placed her hand on his.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Because you rarely come to find me first.”

Genoa’s voice, as he naturally led Mel to the sofa in the study, somehow seemed excited.

“Shall I have tea brought in?”

“No, it’s fine. I won’t be talking long……”

“If it were a simple matter, you wouldn’t have come to see me personally, so what is it?”

When Genoa rang the bell on the sofa, a servant entered as if they had been waiting and elegantly set out tea and light snacks. Seeing Genoa’s intention to prolong their conversation even if she had come for a brief matter, Mel smiled slightly.

Since Genoa had actively expressed his feelings toward her, she sometimes found him cute. In the past, she wouldn’t have dared to entertain such thoughts.

This was partly because the wall of status between Genoa and Mel, who had been a slave, was impossibly high. But also because Genoa at that time was, how to put it…… Like a well-honed blade, even when smiling softly. He seemed not to offer his presence even when beside her, and even when together, his thoughts seemed directed elsewhere.

“If I don’t do this, it’s hard to spend time with my precious fiancée.”

Saying this, Genoa placed a teacup in Mel’s hand. His attitude, as if he were serving her, left Mel speechless for a long time. She simply stared at the tea swirling in the cup.

“So, what brings you here? Why did you come to find me personally?”

“If I said I wanted to see you, would you like that?”

Genoa laughed with a deflating sound and answered.

“Like it? I’d be ecstatic.”

“……”

“But looking at your face, it doesn’t seem like you came to make me ecstatic.”

Mel bit her lip firmly. Though she didn’t know what expression she wore, she was clearly tense enough for him to notice her resolute determination.

“I want to hold the engagement ceremony earlier than planned.”

“……Hmm?”

Genoa tilted his head slightly and asked.

“You haven’t fully accepted this engagement yet, Princess. Didn’t you need more time to prepare your heart?”

“You will use this engagement for political purposes, right?”

“That’s my intention.”

Genoa admitted plainly, as if trying to ease Mel’s burden. Since she wasn’t yet ready to accept him, he provided various reasons for his desire for her. As if he had noticed that she was gradually growing to want him while pretending to rely on those reasons.

So Mel decided to be a little more honest in this moment. Because she didn’t have much time left to desire Genoa.

“I somewhat dislike having my engagement used for political purposes.”

“……!”

“So, what I’m saying is that I too have had a long-cherished romantic dream.”

At Mel’s words, Genoa blinked slowly, then raised his hand to her forehead. Then he asked in a puzzled voice:

“Are you ill?”

“What?”

“You wouldn’t say such things to me.”

“What do you mean?”

Looking at the confused Mel, Genoa sighed dejectedly.

“It sounds as if you’ve truly accepted this engagement as your own.”

“That’s……”

“If you’ve spoken without thinking, you’re being quite cruel to me.”

Genoa lowered his hand from her forehead and covered Mel’s eyes as she looked at him. Her lips, quivering in confusion, were cute, but thinking of the annoying words of rejection that might come from those lips, he wanted to silence them with a kiss.

The princess’s eyes and voice, her fingertips she hadn’t fully withdrawn, the temperature of her gaze that always followed him—all these had become certainties to the perceptive Genoa.

The princess liked him.

Though he didn’t know what was putting on the brakes in her mind, telling her it couldn’t be.

‘I thought I could wait.’

To think her reason for wanting to advance the engagement ceremony was merely for this.

Genoa felt his mouth go dry. His composure disappeared, and an urgent thirst returned. This thirst he felt lately was more intense than the insomnia that had once tormented him. It was a thirst that seemed it would only fully disappear once he possessed the princess.

With each kiss he placed on her, the thirst was slightly relieved, like placing a wet cloth on dry lips, and he had been gradually losing his patience.

“Do you know how impatient you’ve made me just now?”

The princess’s innocent behavior, tickling his palm so vulnerably without knowing the danger, was pulling taut Genoa’s reason, which he had barely managed to restrain. He had almost devoured those lips and climbed on top of her.

“……I only suggested moving up the engagement date.”

“See? You have quite a cruel side.”

Genoa lowered his hand. Seeing Mel’s eyes tinged with confusion, he laughed emptily.

What an interesting woman.

He was quite satisfied with his choice to push forward with their engagement.

“Duke Ivanstein.”

At that moment, Mel reached out and took his hand. The string of reason he had pulled taut almost loosened sluggishly for a moment, causing Genoa to open his eyes wide.

“My desire to move up the engagement isn’t without political reasons. But……”

“But?”

“To be honest, I also selfishly want our engagement to be completely our own. This is true. I didn’t intend to play with your feelings, but……”

Mel bit her lip firmly, her eyes looking as if she might cry. She seemed to have just realized that acting this way without accepting his heart could give him false hope.

Her dismay was so evident that Genoa overlaid her hand with his other hand to comfort her.

“I understand completely, Princess. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you like this; I was impatient.”

“……”

“This engagement is entirely advantageous to me. I am infinitely lacking before you, so I wanted to bind you to Ivanstein as quickly as possible, before you realized that.”

“Have you never thought that the phrase ‘lacking’ sounds awkward when describing yourself?”

“A little? But it’s true.”

Mel narrowed her brow, seemingly displeased with Genoa’s self-deprecation. Perhaps thinking she found his words hard to believe, Genoa contemplated for a moment, like someone who had made a decision, then spoke.

“There’s something I want to show you and a story I want to tell you.”

“What……”

“If you still want to advance the engagement ceremony after seeing and hearing this, then we will.”

Genoa rose from his seat. As he naturally pulled Mel’s hand, which he was holding, she too stood up inadvertently.

“You’ve been there once before, haven’t you?”

“Where……”

“The western garden.”

“……!”

When Mel froze in surprise, Genoa gently stroked her shoulder as if to tell her not to do that, and continued.

“Shall we take a walk there together?”

* * *

Mel and Genoa walked in step without saying a word. The western garden in broad daylight felt extremely unfamiliar. Sunlight, shaken by the wind, shattered against tree branches and poured down like rain. For a forbidden place in the Ivanstein ducal residence, it looked too beautiful and peaceful.

‘Come to think of it, I always moved only at night.’

This was probably why the western garden felt so unfamiliar to her.

Mel tried not to be conscious of Genoa walking beside her. But she couldn’t help glancing at him occasionally.

‘What does it mean that he brought me here?’

Genoa knew that Mel had entered the western garden through the head maid. Nevertheless, he hadn’t asked her anything about it until now. Perhaps he had been waiting for her to speak first.

Or maybe he didn’t care what she had seen here. It was the highest form of trust Genoa showed her—he who never relinquished even the smallest doubt, even when he had grasped and fully controlled everything about the other person.

“Princess.”

“……!”

At Genoa’s call, Mel visibly started and looked at him. Genoa burst into laughter at her bodily expression of tension.

“I’m not going to eat you. Calm down.”

“……It’s not that I’m afraid, you just called me suddenly.”

“I understand.”

He looked into Mel’s eyes, grinning as if amused, then continued.

“I don’t know how much you know about the Ivanstein ducal family, but I know you find it quite suspicious.”

“That’s……”

“You don’t need to deny it. It’s true. From the mansion’s enormous size to the forbidden garden, the tower, and the basement. You would have naturally learned that this isn’t an ordinary family while staying here.”

Mel guessed what Genoa was trying to say. He was about to tell her about the shameful aspects of the Ivanstein ducal family. He was going to reveal the family’s truth, which had been kept deeply hidden, to the princess who hadn’t even properly accepted his proposal yet.

“……”

Mel’s face froze in shock. Had Genoa’s feelings grown to this extent?

She knew what Ivanstein’s secret was. She knew how terrifying and cruel a history this place had repeated, having seen and experienced it herself. So the very fact that Genoa was trying to bring this up with the princess was bound to shock Mel.

“There are many things I haven’t been able to tell you. Things I’ve kept to myself until now for fear you might become frightened and run away.”

Genoa carefully led Mel somewhere, skillfully pushing through thickly grown grass. A space all too familiar to Mel appeared before her eyes.

“This is……”

It was the cabin where Mel and her mother had stayed. It was also where she had witnessed Genoa sleeping, crumpled on an unsightly bed. She had never imagined she would be standing side by side with Genoa, looking at this cabin that contained the most intense, fierce, and also happiest moments of her life.

“Everyone wonders where my insomnia began.”

Genoa continued speaking without taking his eyes off the cabin.

“It probably started here. Everything did.”

“……!”

Mel’s eyes shook violently. Genoa slowly turned to look at her, quietly observing those eyes. His gaze seemed to search beyond her for someone in a distant memory. She could easily guess whose face he was looking for.

“Mel.”

That name came from Genoa’s lips. That name she thought would never be called by him again……

“You being abandoned at the Reibritton royal palace was all because of that child.”

“Why……”

“Because you look alike.”

He raised his hand to Mel’s face, then slowly stroked her cheek with his finger.

“That child died in a lowly and wretched state, while the princess in the portrait was noble and excessively splendid. Enough to twist my insides.”

“Wasn’t the attack on Reibritton due to the late emperor’s will?”

“Ah, on the surface, yes.”

“What do you mean by ‘on the surface’? What……”

“None of the emperors of the Raon Empire could have their own will. From when this country was a kingdom until now as an empire, no one has ever possessed it.”

Mel, unable to understand Genoa’s words, blinked slowly. He smiled benevolently, as if understanding, and continued.

“Only the current emperor can be called a true emperor, the only one who has escaped from Ivanstein’s shadow.”

Mel could instinctively sense something chilling in Genoa’s words. This wasn’t the history of Ivanstein that she knew. Genoa was now speaking about an Ivanstein that Mel didn’t know.

“Wait……”

Don’t listen.

Her intuition was warning her. She felt that if she heard the words coming from Genoa’s mouth now, she would never be able to turn back. Mel clearly wouldn’t be able to handle it. Especially not Mel, who was wearing this false identity.

“Ivanstein is not the emperor’s dog. The imperial family was Ivanstein’s dog. The result of placing only extremely obedient ones who were carefully selected.”

But Genoa mercilessly whispered the truth about Ivanstein into Mel’s ear. While gently caressing her shoulders that had stiffened in surprise, he examined even her trembling eyelashes. He applied pressure with his hand to pull her a little closer.

“Ivanstein had no need to disobey the emperor’s orders. The emperor’s will was Ivanstein’s will, and Ivanstein’s will was the will of this country.”

“Why, why such……”

“Why volunteer for such trouble, you ask?”

Genoa took his eyes off Mel and looked at the cabin.

“Perhaps they wanted to remain rulers even if the country changed or even collapsed.”

“……”

Mel’s mind spun dizzily. She felt as if her head was spinning from vertigo. Genoa’s words seemed both comprehensible and incomprehensible.

She didn’t know where to begin understanding, why he was telling her these stories, or what those deep eyes of Genoa, looking at the cabin, were pleading for.

Mel couldn’t tell. The only thing clear was that although his face appeared normal, somehow Genoa seemed on the verge of tears.

“Duke.”

Mel tugged at Genoa’s clothes. He easily followed her pull. Mel carefully embraced him. Because of Genoa’s height, she had to stand on her tiptoes, but she could just about place her arms around his shoulders.

“I won’t run away. I’ll listen. Calm down and tell me.”

“……!”

Genoa, held in Mel’s arms, froze in his awkward posture. After blinking for a moment, he relaxed his stiffened body with a long breath and nuzzled his cheek against Mel’s shoulder. Patting him like this, Mel knew that what she had just said was exactly what Genoa needed.

‘How could I betray this person?’

To Mel, Genoa was a substantial person. He was someone so noble she couldn’t dare approach him, and also someone so capable that she thought the help she gave would only occupy a very small part of his life.

That’s why Mel didn’t know that Genoa could lean on her like this. Because she didn’t know, the secret hidden in a corner of her heart stabbed her more sharply.

“Your kindness resembles that child. If you weren’t the princess, I’d think that child had grown up and was standing before my eyes like this.”

“……”

That fact hurt unbearably. Mel held her breath and continued to embrace Genoa quietly.

“I first met that child when I was facing the trial to become the heir of the Ivanstein ducal family……”

She could feel how sincere Genoa’s feelings toward her were to bring up this story, and how much that precious heart had grown in volume. Listening to the story about her past self flowing from Genoa’s lips, Mel felt like she would suffocate from the gradually rising sense of guilt.

* * *

Genoa had grown up preparing his whole life for the hell he would face if he entered the testing ground. Some might call it hell enough when blood brothers send assassins to each other and attempt poisonings.

“Huff, huff, huh……”

Genoa leaned against the wall, gasping for breath in exhaustion, not even thinking to wipe away the blood trickling down his chin. Blood had splattered all over his face and even gotten into his eyes, turning his vision red. He blankly thought it was for the better.

“Gurk, gack, s-save me…… Huk! Urrrgh.”

At least he couldn’t clearly see his brother being crushed and sucked into something right before his eyes.

“I wanted to save you too, fuck—”

He closed his eyes, spitting out vulgar words he had never uttered in his life. If he had been a moment later, it would have been Genoa being sucked into that incomprehensible device and dying.

Even after experiencing the traps hidden throughout the basement to the point of tedium, new ones kept appearing. They meticulously devoured his brothers one by one.

The one devoured this time was the first young master, the eldest son of the current Duke Ivanstein, who could be considered Genoa’s strongest rival. He was tall, showed exceptional talent in swordsmanship, and above all, demonstrated outstanding political skills that even the current Duke Ivanstein admired.

How many brothers had died without even entering this testing ground due to his schemes? He was even the one who killed Genoa’s mother. He had poisoned her by deceiving Bane’s mother, who served Genoa’s mother.

Because of this, Bane’s mother ended her life as the servant who had poisoned her mistress. Genoa made one promise to Bane, who seemed to have inherited his mother’s guilt and anger.

“If I enter the testing ground, I will surely kill the first with my own hands.”

Humans easily became powerless against things they couldn’t control with human strength. The skills, knowledge, and social tactics they had cultivated to survive until now were of no help in the testing ground.

The first had been the one who persistently evaded all of Genoa’s attempts to eliminate him before entering this place. When he died so futilely, so unsightly, Genoa wanted to abandon half of his will to live.

Terror.

His body trembled with terror at the realization that neither his boasted genius, eloquent speech, nor captivating appearance worked here.

“Whew……”

Genoa took a deep breath, trying to calm his trembling body. Still, he had survived for now. He was alive at this moment. In this basement, they had each become mere beasts, having to move nimbly by instinct to survive.

Genoa forced strength into his wobbling legs. Though he felt like he might collapse forward at any moment, he gripped the wall with his hand and steadfastly walked forward. He was the only one who knew a safe place in here. He had gambled by pretending to be poisoned and drastically losing weight for this.

“I crawled through the passage. I wedged weapons and food throughout that passage. It was probably made to ensure minimal fairness for those with small builds and little strength.”

The passage Mel had told him about. That passage, which the child had crawled through before the test began, was safe. Of course, after a certain time, smoke would spread through the passage, so he couldn’t stay there indefinitely.

From what Genoa had observed, after someone was eaten by a trap, there would be a period of calm with no smoke coming from that area.

“……”

Genoa followed only familiar paths, searching for the passage that should be somewhere. In the midst of this, a brother he encountered clung to him with eyes that looked about to cry.

“Let me come with you, me too!”

“Get lost.”

“You bastard! Let’s stay together!”

Someone driven mad with fear was seeking human warmth. At first, they had all been busy hurting each other and acting individually, but after learning that traps lurking throughout the testing ground could slice people like meat, brothers occasionally appeared wanting to act together like this. The first, who had just died, had also cited such reasons in wanting to accompany Genoa.

After a trap devoured someone, it remained quiet for a while. The first, who had survived by sacrificing others until now, had this time targeted Genoa. Of course, instead of the target, it was the first who ended up being devoured.

“What do you think you can do to me? And what do you think I might do to you?”

The fear of being left alone. The terror that surpassed the fear that Genoa might harm him was evident in his brother’s eyes. Genoa took out a dagger he had kept inside his clothes and held it to his brother’s neck.

“I won’t say it twice. Get lost.”

“……!”

The dagger pressed close to his neck still had dried blood on it. The dagger began to soak again with his brother’s warm blood.

“You…… you’re exhausted.”

His brother, who had keenly noticed Genoa’s condition, narrowed his eyes. Applying more pressure to the dagger at his neck, Genoa answered in a cold voice.

“I still have enough to kill you.”

“Fine, I’ll leave. Just tell me who just died.”

“……”

Looking at his brother who was attempting to negotiate even with a dagger at his neck, Genoa laughed coldly. Such pathetic tactics were actually reassuring. The feeling that survival could be guaranteed just by using one’s brain. It was the stability that came from knowing human reason still worked.

Perhaps Genoa’s brother was also trying to hold onto his sanity in this survival competition where everything else became useless.

“The first.”

So Genoa, in quite a generous mood, told him what he wanted to know. This was after calculating how his opponent would react to such generosity. However, his brother’s face strangely went blank upon hearing Genoa’s answer.

“……It’s over.”

“What?”

Wavering pupils, trembling corners of his mouth, facial muscles convulsing with ecstasy. His face was gradually being dyed with joy. This was not a reaction that could come from the death of the first alone, who was the competitor to be most wary of after Genoa.

“How many have died here so far?”

The total number of Genoa’s brothers sent into the testing ground, including himself, was ten. Genoa quickly calculated the number of deaths he had witnessed and those he had learned about through others.

“……!”

Having finished the calculation in an instant, Genoa swung his dagger. With a clang, his brother was pushed back. In his hand was an axe, like Genoa’s, with dried blood on it.

“You and me, and the seventh. Only the three of us are left.”

“……”

“Now that the first is dead. Only three remain!”

His brother’s face was dyed with madness. Hope of survival flashed across his face.

“Come any closer and I’ll kill you.”

He threatened Genoa, swinging his axe in the air. His glance checking for an escape route suggested he was thinking of fleeing.

“You, kill me?”

Genoa mocked his brother’s pathetic threat.

He was quite skilled at wielding an axe, a brother who had shown talent in swordsmanship comparable to the first even before the test. But he, who wasn’t even the first, was no match for Genoa. Even though Genoa had crazily lost weight and was exhausted.

“Even if I die, I think I can at least leave you crippled.”

Showing his teeth in a white grin, his brother cackled.

“Then the seventh would easily kill the crippled you and become Genoa Ivanstein.”

“……”

Genoa flicked the blood off his dagger and nodded. His brother then ran in the opposite direction without looking back.

“While I kill the seventh, please die somewhere!”

He shouted these cursing words at Genoa.

Genoa raised his middle finger at the back of his brother’s head, then cleanly turned around and began searching for the passage again.

Only he knew about the existence of the passage here. Even if someone else had discovered it, they would already be dead.

“Ah, found it.”

After searching here and there, Genoa finally found the passage Mel had mentioned. Bending his tired body and crawling inside, the tightly fitting space gave him a moment of relief.

“……Mel.”

Genoa closed his eyes for a moment, calling the name of Mel who had brought him this relief.

In that narrow gap where that child had once crawled, he searched for any warmth that might still remain.

“……”

How much time had passed like that? Genoa opened his eyes, finding the long-quiet passage strange. It was oddly silent. There were no screams, no sounds of traps activating.

Recognizing that such peace was most dangerous, Genoa began crawling through the passage again. When a fork appeared inside the passage, there was a small gap through which one could see outside. This too was something Mel had told him about.

As Genoa crawled for a long while, he saw something different from the items Mel had left.

“But young master, I found a hole that seems to connect to that place. There’s a hole in the tree in front of the cabin……”

Mel’s words echoed in his head.

“I’ll find a way to send it to you there. It’s definitely the Ivanstein mansion’s……”

“……map.”

Genoa, completing Mel’s words echoing in his mind, reached for the map before him.