1.

“Haa, haa…haa…”
She was losing her breath. She could feel her life slipping away.

However, she couldn’t give up. It couldn’t end this way. She was
kneeling on the floor, and she leaned on her sword to pushed her
body up. Please, just a li le more…

Before her very eyes stood the man who killed her father and brother
and hung their corpses on the wall as a spectacle for everyone. That
wasn’t all. Because of him, her sister, who was as lovely and as
delicate as a small bird, had been violated and died a miserable
death.

She had endured this living hell to survive this moment alone. All so
she could stab the enemy in the neck with her own hands!

However…even with that goal in sight, she didn’t have any strength
to hold on to her sword. Please, please, please! She hoped she could
drag him down to hell with her, for she was not afraid of death. As
she struggled to li the sword with all her might, she heard slow
footsteps coming towards her, and a chilling voice resounded in the
air.

“…A bitch like you did well to come this far.”

The sound of footsteps did not stop un l they came right up to her.
Before she knew it, she saw two sturdy feet standing tall even in her
lower field of vision. As she struggled to raise her head, her dim eyes
reflected his tall figure.

At first glance, he was a middle-aged man with an in mida ngly

muscular body and a shaggy beard, but he s ll appeared impressively
charisma c.

However, the man’s le arm had been hacked off. Blood constantly
flowed from his wound, but his condi on was much be er compared
to her own. Rather than losing an arm, the price she had to pay was
much greater.

The woman was one of the con nent’s top swordswomen for
decades. Nevertheless, she could not overcome the fact that the man
was praised as a genius.

Her whole body was nearly in ta ers and the floor was drenched
with her blood. However, her eyes glared at him in a murderous
spirit, as if she did not care about her wounds.

“By my hands…I will…kill you…”

“Not likely. Even if you were reborn, the outcome wouldn’t be any
different.”
She clenched her teeth. The man stole everything he had. She could
never forgive him.

“Aaaaah!”
She leapt up and dashed at him with her sword.

Urk!

With a hideous noise, a blade tore across her throat.

The last moment of her life passed very slowly. Beyond her shaky
vision she could dimly see her father and brother and her sister
Mirabelle.
‘…I’m sor…ry.’
It was the year 387 of the Empire of Ruford.

Elena, the highest level female swordswoman, died in the Ba le of

Huilena, unable to carry out her bloody vengeance.

Flash!

Elena opened her eyes.

Something was very strange.

The so sheets that surrounded her body and the warm sunshine
coming through the windows were a sharp contrast to the moment
she just experienced.

‘I…I must be dead.’

She closed her eyes bi erly. The anger at not being able to avenge
her family burned fresh in her heart, but when she came to her
senses she was lying in a completely different place.

At least it was more comfortable than the hell she had lived through.
She had never laid down in such a so bed since her whole family
was wiped out, and she had never slept deeply because of the
nightmares.
It was as if she had returned to the era of her youth before her family
fell into ruin.

‘It’s like I’ve gone back to the past…What?’

Elena scrambled out of bed. As she got up the large, cushiony
ma ress yielded under her. Although it would be hard for someone
who knew Elena to believe, as a youth her skin was sensi ve to touch
and she used only the finest ma resses.

However, she s ll felt a sense of dread.

“…This is impossible.”
Elena’s mouth opened like a fool as she looked at the room around
her. It was the room of her youth. The details were so perfect that it
was impossible for it to be a recrea on.

On one side of the wall were the lines she had drawn to measure her
sister’s height at seven years of age, then at ten and then at fi een.
Those li le le ers next to the lines were all her own. She couldn’t
imagine how this was happening.

A er si ng dumbstruck for a moment, Elena rose from the bed as if

she were possessed. She slowly approached the window and gazed
outside. As she overlooked the garden, she saw flowers blooming in
dazzling colours in the morning sun. She could never forget her
home. The scenery was unchanged from the past.

‘I miss this period of my life so much…am I being shown a fantasy

right before I die?’
Elena Blaise. She had always used her family name with pride.

Although she didn’t grow up in extreme extravagance, the Blaise

family had been around for many genera ons and lived in the south
of the capital city. The family were historically counts and served as
the Fourth Order of knights the royal court.

As the eldest daughter of the family she took care of her father on
behalf of her dead mother, as well as helped her brother become a
be er knight. Some mes it was also difficult to take care of her sickly
sister by herself while managing the Count’s affairs, but it was a
peaceful life and there was never much to complain about.

It wasn’t un l she lost everything later that she realized how happy
their ordinary lives were. She remembered the day when all her
misfortunes came at once. The last me she had looked upon the
garden there were no beau ful flowers, but dozens of red torches
coming into the castle in perfect order. It was like they were coming
closer to her, and she could not shake off her anxious mind even
when there was nothing there.

The terrible memories slowly returned, and Elena shook her head
then turned away from the window. As she looked back into the
room her eye caught a mirror hanging on the wall.

“Ah…”
Reflected in the mirror was a noble lady in a silk nightgown with
smooth blonde hair and skin as white as snow. Her eyes were red like
the finest rubies, and her straight nose and petal-like lips gave her
the appearance of a living doll.

That was her.

The last image of herself she remembered was very different from
the one reflected in the mirror. As she stared quietly at herself her
scarlet eyes trembled in surprise. It seemed far too real to be
considered a fantasy. Though her natural beauty had not completely
faded, she had never had such a fine figure during her career as a
swordswoman.

Since she decided to avenge her family and began to carry a sword,
she had cut off her long hair and had blisters on her hands from daily
hard prac ce. As me passed, her naturally gentle eyes became
venomous, and her milky skin became ghostly pale and lost colour.
Only a cold, hardened woman was le . However, even she could not
perfectly recreate the distant images in her memory, even if it were a
fantasy.

“…What in heaven’s name is going on?”

She touched her face with a perplexed expression. Suddenly, the
door opened. It was rude to enter another person’s room like this
without knocking, even more so if it was a woman’s room, and Elena
turned her head, frowning slightly.

As soon as she saw the person who came in, she completely froze.
Her scarlet eyes widened, showing her surprise before her trembling
lips could even speak.

“Big sister Elena!”

Mirabelle walked into the room, smiling more warmly than the
morning sun. It was like a dream. Elena forced herself to watch with
breathless a en on. Mirabelle had the same golden hair and dark
green eyes as her father. She was small and thin for her age due to
her sickly condi on.

Mirabelle lted her head briefly at Elena’s strange facial expression,

but Mirabelle soon smiled and happily looked up at her.

“You’re not gonna scold me for barging in, are you? If you’re going to
talk about manners, do it later. I have a real emergency right now.
You might be surprised to know this.”
Elena’s eyes began to wet when she saw Mirabelle singing like a small
bird before her eyes. Was this a dream? It had to be. Otherwise,
Mirabelle would not have appeared in front of her like this again. If
so…she hoped she would never wake from here.

Tears began to slip down Elena’s cheeks. Mirabelle was surprised to

see her crying suddenly.

“Sister? Is something wrong?”

Watching Mirabelle anxiously, Elena could not answer. She bit her lips
to stop the sobs rising up her throat and she wordlessly took
Mirabelle’s small body into her arms. She was afraid this moment
would go away forever if she made a sound.

Elena clearly remembered the last me she had seen her sister. It
was a pitch-black night, and her sister was surrounded by evil men
and she was screaming in a completely different voice than now.

“Sister! My sister Elena! Help! Help!”

There was the sound of Mirabelle’s nightgown tearing. Elena never
forgot those blood-curdling screams. It was a tragedy that happened
overnight in the Blaise Castle, the most peaceful place in the world.

It was her brother Derek who caught her running towards Mirabelle.
He whispered sadly but firmly in her ear, it’s too late…

If Derek had not shut Elena’s mouth and dragged her away, she could
have died there with her sister. How good would that have been, and
for a long me, she felt sorry for herself.

Her lovely sister. She regre ed that she couldn’t save her.
She hugged Mirabelle and shed silent tears. She would never miss
her second chance.

Nothing ma ered now, whether it was a dream or reality. Just seeing

Mirabelle again was everything.

Mirabelle looked at Elena’s tears with a troubled look, and she

immediately raised her hand and pa ed her older sister’s back.

“Don’t cry, sister.”

“Uh-huh.”
Elena could no longer hold in a sob and it burst out of her lips.
Mirabelle waited silently as she pa ed her sister’s back while Elena
let out all the grief she had endured in her life as a cold-blooded
female swordswoman. The comfort from that li le hand was so
warm that Elena could hardly stop crying.

But as the me passed, Elena’s composure gradually returned.

Mirabelle was s ll in her arms and the temperature coming from her
ny body was so real. Elena murmured to herself with an incredulous
look.

“…This isn’t a dream?”

Seeking to dispel the shade of doubt in her heart, she hurriedly
released her arm that had been hugging Mirabelle and grabbed her
sister’s small shoulder and examined her thoroughly. Mirabelle gave
Elena a worried frown.

“You’re having a hard me managing the Count’s affairs alone, aren’t

you? I didn’t know about that…I’m sorry that I keep whining about
things.”
“…What?”
Elena couldn’t help let her mouth drop open again a er seeing
Mirabelle speaking as if she were really there in front of her. This was
not a fantasy. Moreover, it was not even a dream. The Mirabelle in
front of her looked too alive for that.

Mirabelle con nued to speak with a gloomy face, as if she mistook

Elena’s dumbfounded look for being scolded for her immature
behaviour.

“It’s just the for the first me the crown prince, who had always been
away at the ba lefield, will show up at the ball. I really wanted to go
there with you…”

“The crown prince? Who?”

“What’s wrong with you today? The crown prince of the Ruford
empire?”
Elena’s head began to spin rapidly, but she hadn’t a clue as to which
crown prince Mirabelle was talking about. The Ruford Empire was
one of the largest powers on the con nent. In every respect, their
military was far superior to those of smaller na ons. From genera on
to genera on, the belligerent emperors of the Ruford Empire loved
war, and the founding myth of the empire even suggested that the
emperor had the blood of a dragon.

Only the 12th Emperor Sullivan of the Ruford Empire had a gentle
nature, and he helped develop an empire that cared more about
developing state affairs rather than war. Under him the empire that
was once obsessed with bloodshed came to prosperity. In order to
achieve this, it had been said that the previous emperor inten onally
chose the gentle-hearted Sullivan as his successor, different from any
other emperor. If that was true, it was a wise decision.
However, the problem was with Sullivan’s brother, Paveluc.

Paveluc was at first thought to become the next emperor, but in the
end, he was deprived of the throne by his brother Sullivan and
instead ruled over the small duchy of Lunen as a grand duke. Though
many people expressed concern because Paveluc had been born with
the nature of an emperor, Paveluc had kneeled and submi ed to his
brother.

For as long as a decade he didn’t show his claws. He waited for his
chance, then the traitorous brother eventually rebelled and won. The
Blaise family, who headed the Fourth Order of the Royal Family in the
course of the regime’s replacement, was also purged by Emperor
Paveluc.

That was the man that Elena wanted to kill all her life. Emperor
Paveluc, the 13th Emperor of the Ruford Empire.

‘…Damn it.’
Elena’s eyes turned cold as she recalled those unpleasant memories.
She remembered the sensa on of Paveluc cu ng her throat and she
brought her hand to her neck.

There had been many incidents before Paveluc ul mately succeeded

in his rebellion, but he could not install a crown prince because of his
disgrace for being a treasonous emperor. As far as Elena
remembered, there was only one official crown prince, but he had
been assassinated twenty years ago. Although he had made many
brilliant achievements in the ba lefield, he disappeared without a
single appearance in society. It was rumoured that he would become
the most brutal of all emperors, and if he were alive Paveluc’s
rebellion would have failed. However, he died before his official
debut to the royal family, so he was largely unknown.

So far no one else came to mind.

“A crown prince…did that mean the treacherous emperor eventually

used his force to put someone in that posi on?”
It was bound to happen eventually. The Rufford Empire was
extremely powerful, and even with a treacherous ruler he had
leverage to get what he wanted.

“What are you talking about, sister? That’s treasonous! If our father
knew that you had such a profane word in your mouth, you would be
in so much trouble no ma er how old you are.”
Mirabelle glanced around to see if anyone had overheard their
conversa on. Her cau ous demeanour filled Elena’s mind with
ques ons. She couldn’t figure out what this was all about.

“You’re being strange today. Of course, there is only one Crown

Prince of Ruford. Prince Carlisle.”
Carlisle? As soon as she heard the name, recogni on flashed into
Elena’s head.

Carlisle van Dimitri Ruford.

Who Mirabelle referred to was the prince who was assassinated

twenty years ago. Elena had a sudden realiza on, and it was if a
tangled silk thread unravelled all at once.

“Mirabelle, what year is it?”

“It’s year 367 of the Empire. Did you forget that, too?”
At that moment Elena was unable to say anything, as if she had been
struck by lightning. It was exactly twenty years in the past around the
 me of the crown prince’s death. And it was only year or so before
the royal family was destroyed.

Elena remembered it clearly. In the past, the crown prince was to

appear in society for the first me, and Elena was accompanied by
Mirabelle at the ball. At the end of the day however, they had gone
home without seeing him. It was only later that it was revealed that
the prince did not a end because he had been assassinated, then six
months later the royal family began to decline when it had been
revealed that the emperor had been figh ng a long-term illness.

Yes, she remembered now. Mirabelle had also rushed into her room
like this when she learned the crown prince was going to a end the
ball this me.

Today was…

Was it really that day? What had happened so far passed through
Elena’s head in a panorama.

‘I’m really back in the past?’

It was impossible to believe. How on earth? Why? A host of unsolved
ques ons arose. There was no one to ask, and no one to give an
answer.

She began to realize that this moment, which she thought was only a
fantasy, was in fact reality. She turned pale as if she had forgo en
how to breathe.

“Are you alright?”

Mirabelle held her older sister’s hand carefully, gazing at her with
anxious eyes. Despite such this small gesture, Elena was close to
tears again. It didn’t ma er how she got back to the past. Now there
was a real chance to protect her family she treasured so much. She
would never let such a future come again.

Elena gripped Mirabelle’s hand and spoke with a devoted whisper.

“This me, I promise to protect you. No ma er what happens…”

Mirabelle slowly nodded at her sister’s strong words. She was ac ng
strangely today. At first, she had thought Elena was under stress for
having to manage the Count’s affairs, but Elena had said some
unexpected things.

“Are you really okay, my sister?”

“Of course, especially when you’re in front of me like this. How could
I not be okay? This moment is for me…I cannot describe how much I
appreciate it. Thank you for being alive, Mirabelle.”
Mirabelle’s face flushed with embarrassment. She didn’t understand
why her older sister was ac ng this way, but she smiled shyly anyway
because it meant Elena loved her. The fact the Elena was the best
sister in the world would never change.

Elena leaned back, hugging Mirabelle ghtly, and looked at her

tenderly as if she was handling a fragile object. Elena couldn’t almost
bear to look at her, and her heart ached for the future that Mirabelle
didn’t know.

A thought suddenly came to Elena’s mind.

“Where is Father now?”

“You said yesterday that Father had urgent business today and he
wouldn’t be back un l evening.”
“Oh, did I…”
Elena gave her an awkward smile then thought carefully. In order to
avoid the same tragedy she had to do something at once. There
wasn’t much me le to change the future.

Should she run to her father and tell him about his future? Elena
immediately shook her head. It was doub ul whether he would
believe this outlandish story, which she found difficult to understand
herself, and even if he believed what she said, the Blaise family was
absolutely loyal to the royal family. Her father was a man who would
fight to the death rather than run away. Because of this, he had been
killed in his previous life by the Emperor Paveluc.

How could she stop Paveluc from becoming emperor? No one knew
it now, but the 12th Emperor Sullivan was suffering from a serious
long-term illness. The present emperor would die soon.

‘…Should I assassinate Paveluc before then?’

Even if she returned to the past and her skills with the sword did not
disappear completely, it would be necessary to train her body again
to peak physical condi on. She had failed in her original goal, but she
was s ll the one who pointed her sword at the infamous Emperor
Paveluc cut off his arm.

But even if the assassina on was successful…

The royal family would hunt down the person who killed Paveluc,
ignorant of his deeds. The Blaise family wouldn’t be able to avoid
responsibility. And if she failed…

She closed her eyes ghtly, not wan ng to even think of the
outcome. Although she did not want to admit it, she had worked her
whole life to kill Paveluc. Elena knew be er than anyone how strong
he was. She had already lost to him once. Was it possible to win with
this second chance? There wasn’t a guarantee that she would be able
to kill Paveluc this me while concealing her iden ty. She could not
risk the lives of her family against such a slim chance.

‘…I can’t afford to fail.’

Even if the worst possible outcome were to happen, she needed to
be able to ensure that the Blaise family survived, but a good plan
didn’t come to mind. Even though she had valiantly sacrificed herself
in her previous life, she was more ashamed that she could not
avenge her family’s deaths.

She had done everything that could be done alone. Now he needed
an assistant to give her strength.

‘If there was only someone who could help me…’

There was only one person that came to mind.

‘…Prince Carlisle?’
To her knowledge, he was supposed to die in a few days. But…what if
he didn’t die? The crown prince, son of the present emperor, would
be the biggest obstacle to Paveluc, even if Carlisle only accomplished
half of his achievements on the ba lefield. No, it would be very
helpful if the rumors about him were true. Furthermore, if she could
make him emperor he could stand in the way of Paveluc’s rise to
power.

She had to save Prince Carlisle, someone who should have died. It
would be a decision that would further shake the whole con nent.
The effects of it would be unpredictable. A er a moment’s hesita on,
Elena laughed at herself coldly.

‘I don’t care if the whole world drowns in blood. I only want to save
my family…’
She would walk with a smile down this bloodstained road. Elena
looked down at Mirabelle’s bright eyes and made a deep vow once
again.

She’ll save her this me. No ma er the cost.

2.

A er Elena made up her mind, she began to feel anxiety creep up on

her. The me when Prince Carlisle would be assassinated already
overlapped with the present. Although the exact me when he was
killed was unknown, she fortunately remembered the loca on as the
assassina on had been the most talked about event before the
rebellion.

There was no me to waste. It would be a disaster if she missed this

window of opportunity to save Carlisle’s life. Blaise Castle was
located in south of the capital, and it would take several days to get
to from here to there. She had to make haste as soon as possible.

“Our brother Derek is training now, isn’t he?”

“Yes, it’s always the same. If he doesn’t hold a sword for even a day,
he’ll probably get a rash.”
Mirabelle adorably stuck out her tongue and Elena looked at her
lovingly. Elena had missed her sister so much. She was anxious to
keep her eyes on her even more, but now she was in a hurry. She
stroked Mirabelle’s so hair and spoke to her sadly.

“Mirabelle, I have to go somewhere for a while.”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

“It will be a few days.”

“That long? I’m coming with you!”

Mirabelle clutched at Elena’s nightgown. Perhaps it was because
Mirabelle didn’t remember their mother, who had died early, but the
young girl had always hated being away from her older sister since
she was a child. Elena did not hate Mirabelle for following her like a
mother, and they had li le memory of being separated un l their
family had been destroyed in their previous life.

The decades of living without Mirabelle had been extremely lonely.

Elena wanted to indulge her sister and listen to everything she said,
but this wasn’t the me.

“I have to go alone…”
She quickly turned her head away. She had to be away for at least a
few days to rescue Prince Carlisle, but she couldn’t disappear for no
reason. This wasn’t a life when no one stopped her as a
swordswoman, no ma er what she did. She was the daughter of a
Count who had to tell everyone her every move.

A memory flashed through Elena’s head and gave her an idea.

“I have to go see Glenn, and you can’t travel that far with me.”

“Glenn?”

“Yes. I heard from her by le er a while ago, but I think I should go

there myself.”
Glenn was a baroness who lived on a rural estate and was a distant
rela ve of the Blaise’s. She loved both Elena and Mirabelle and,
although not a frequent visitor, would make sure to visit Blaise Castle
whenever she visited the south. Elena remembered that Glenn had
been very nervous preparing for her wedding. In Elena’s previous life
she had only a ended the wedding day to congratulate her, but now
she had to leave Blaise Castle under any pretext. Glenn, who had
been her good acquaintance since childhood, would make a good
excuse.

Elena glanced at Mirabelle’s face with apprehension, wondering if

her memory might have been wrong. Luckily, however, Mirabelle
spoke with a subdued look as if she already knew about Glenn.

“Do you s ll have to go there by yourself? If you’re worried, you

should send someone else…You can’t travel that far just to see if
something is up. Besides, this house is nothing without my sister.”

“In some ways, a wedding is the most important thing in a woman’s

life. I need to visit her myself.”

“But…”

“Glenn has a lot of hair and she worries about taking care of it every
day. If I go there in person, it will help her greatly.”

“…Tch.”
Mirabelle pouted in disapproval, and Elena sighed. If the future
didn’t depend on her saving Prince Carlisle, she would never leave
her sister’s side for a long me.

“My sister is too nice for her own good.”

Elena smiled faintly at that. She didn’t care if the world was stained
with blood for the sake of her family, so the word “nice” was far from
appropriate. It was impossible to es mate how much blood must be
shed by her hands to save the Crown Prince Carlisle, but Elena just
smiled innocently.

“I’ll bring you a present when I get back.”

“Really? I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Yes. I’ll pick something you like, so be pa ent.”

“Yay!”
As if she had completely forgo en her opposi on to Elena leaving,
Mirabelle smiled as bright as a flower that would soon bloom. Yes,
Elena wouldn’t mind being a demon of hell to protect this smile.

“Then you should wait at home quietly. When Father gets back, I tell
him I’ve gone to help Glenn’s wedding.”

“Okay. You have to come back as soon as possible, sister.”

“I promise. I just need to say goodbye to Derek and then I’ll leave
right away.”

“Already?”

“The sooner I leave the sooner I can come back.”

Mirabelle’s expression turned sullen, but then her face soon lit up
with an idea.

“Then I’ll ask the chef to make lunch so you can eat it on the way.”

“You don’t have to–”

“In the mean me go talk to Derek!”
Mirabelle le in as much of a hurry as she could, and Elena smiled
sadly to see her go. Mirabelle was a weak child who could never run
properly, and although she was seventeen years old, she was small
and thin for her age and looked only fourteen. Elena was worried to
see her run slowly, but felt moved at her efforts. When she saw this
bit of kindness, she couldn’t help but realize that she really was back.

A er a moment of gratefulness, Elena quickly came to her senses and

sat down at her desk. She planned to leave the house under the
pretext of helping Glenn’s wedding, but Elena wasn’t sure if she could
really visit her. She was planning to send Glenn to a master
beau cian just in case, and planned to let her know this in advance
so that she could avoid a difficult situa on later on. Elena wrote a
le er to Glenn about going to help with the wedding, then another
le er to the most famous hair salon in the capital city. The two le ers
were sent straight away, each bearing the seal of Count Blaise.

“Haaa!”
The strong smell of sweat and the sound of heavy breathing came
from inside a training hall. Unlike the large areas where the knights
trained as a group, Derek, her older brother and the next heir to the
Count, preferred this quiet, cozy place. He was absorbed in prac cing
his forms and was unaware of Elena’s approach. She observed him
quietly without saying anything for a moment.

“…My brother.”
For a long me when she had to survive alone, she had held a grudge
against Derek in a corner of her heart. Not only did he forcibly
prevent her from trying to save Mirabelle, but…

He died to save her.

Elena had been dragged out of the castle, leaving Mirabelle in

jeopardy, and Elena was so dazed out of her mind she couldn’t tell
whether it was a dream or reality. The cries of the servants filled the
air, and the smell of blood stung her nose. There were the footsteps
of the knights and the sounds of yelling.

Un l then, Elena was only the ordinary daughter of a count and

found herself helpless to this nightmare. Derek finally raised his hand
and slapped her. Her head jerked to the side with a loud smack. Her
cheeks, which had never been hit before, quickly turned red, but her
eyes widened into awareness. Derek spoke seriously, holding her face
squarely in both hands and staring straight into her eyes.

— Elena, I can buy you some me so you can escape. Don’t look back
and go to Arden. Our family’s safe house is there, so you must hide
un l you know what’s happening.
She didn’t fully understand what Derek was saying, but she nodded
at his fearsome eyes. There was the sound of approaching voices and
Derek pulled out his sword. He turned back to her and spoke again.

— Go. Go and survive, sister.

That was the last me she saw him. She watched her brother’s back
gradually get farther away, then she turned and began to run in the
opposite direc on. She didn’t do it to live. She was too terrified and
simply followed her brother’s commands. Through her haze of terror
she didn’t realize un l her dress her torn and her bare feet were
covered with blood that Derek, her dear brother, sacrificed himself.
She kept running through the pitch-black forest even though she
could hardly see anything. That dark night was the most terrible night
in all of Elena’s memory.

Only later did she iden fy the mangled bodies of her father and
brother hanging on the wall like a spectacle for all to see. When she
saw them she felt her blood drained out of her body. Not even a
scream came out of her mouth. There was only the sky and earth
were collapsing in on her. She wanted to follow her family, but she
was so angry and bi er that she couldn’t even kill herself. Her
brother had wanted her to survive.

Surviving was hell. It had been heavy and s fling to carry her family’s
deaths with her and she became resen ul at her brother for saving
her and sacrificing his life. As a ma er of fact, Derek had always been
scary and hard to deal with, and growing up as the heir of a Count he
was as blunt as his father. He rarely said thank you or sorry during
Elena’s childhood she wondered if all knights were like this.

And in the end, he had sacrificed himself without any special hero’s
death. Elena was unable to express either her gra tude and
resentment towards him, and what she wanted to say to him built up
to a mountain of words in her heart. Funnily enough, she didn’t
realized how much she loved him un l he died. She blamed him for
leaving her alone…

She had missed him as bi erly as she was angry at him.

“How long have you been there?”

Derek belatedly no ced Elena’s presence and interrupted her
thoughts in a low voice. She had to clear her throat before she
answered.
“Just a moment ago.”

“What is it?”
Elena’s heart warmed at his straigh orward style of speaking, unlike
in the past when she found it difficult to communicate with him.

“I’m going to be gone for a few days to help Glenn prepare for her
wedding. I just stopped by to say goodbye to my brother.”

“Yes. Be careful.”
Derek had an uninterested look in his face and he started to clean his
sword. Elena turned around, took a few steps, then stopped and and
looked at him again. She saw the both the present Derek and the one
from her previous life overlapped in her eyes.

“Brother.”

“…?”
He looked at Elena with surprise, as if the conversa on already been
over for him. Then, under the bright sunlight, Elena came into view
with her wavy blonde hair and scarlet eyes that shone like jewels.

“…I really wanted to say thank you.”

“What?”
Derek asked dumbfoundedly, but Elena only went on her way with a
mysterious look on her face. He lted his head. Elena seemed
different from yesterday. She was his precious sister, but they hadn’t
been very close. As he watched the growing distance between them,
he mumbled in a worried voice,

“By the way, she’s probably not taking enough guards.”

3.

A er mee ng with her brother, Elena went into the armory where
swords, bows, arrows, armor and all kinds of weapons were stored.
Ordinary people were restricted from entering, but fortunately there
was no place in the Blaise Castle where she couldn’t go.
Nevertheless, she avoided everyone’s eyes, and passed the neatly
displayed weapons and headed for the innermost part of the room.
She passed through a dark and narrow corner before arriving at
pitch-black suit of armor standing in lo y grandeur.

Elena knew how special that armor was. It was used by her mother
when Elena was s ll a child. The metal used to make the armor was
so expensive and so pure that even official knights couldn’t afford it.
It was only un l she became a swordswoman did she realize its value,
but it had been taken away before she could wear it.

As she gently placed a hand the armor her eyes moistened with
emo on. The cool, solid touch under her palm s rred her memories.
As a child she thought of the armor as her own, but a er her mother
died her father was against women learning sword figh ng. For this
reason she had never learned swordsmanship despite being born
into a family of knights. In the end she had to learn it it anyway.
Perhaps it was fate. A er recalling the past, she soon began placing
the armor into her large sack.

‘I know that Father misses Mother and cannot bear to use her
precious items, but I will use it to save him.’
Furthermore, her body was less physically fit than in her previous life
and she needed good armor to protect her.
A er finally placing the black helmet in the sack, she selected an
unused sword. It was the first one she had held since returning to the
past, but to her it was just yesterday. Her so , un-calloused hand
awkwardly gripped the solid handle, but her mind felt a strange
sense of perfect understanding. She was fortunate that her training
never le her.

Elena unsheathed the sword from the scabbard and saw her face
reflected in the sharp blade. The face of the woman was much
different than the cold swordswoman of the past, but the
determina on in her heart burned fiercer than before. Elena
brandished the sword in the air a few mes and mu ered to herself.

“…I’m only half as good.”

Her speed and power were limited in this untrained body. However,
she had swung a sword thousands or tens of thousands of mes, and
the ba les where she had risked her life was beyond count. No
ma er how weak and slow she was, she knew exactly where to swing
her sword. There were more mes where she had fought in dire
circumstances than in favorable ones, and she had become
resourceful in bad situa ons.

In one ba le their supply unit had been annihilated and they starved
for three days and three nights, while others fought crippled and
barely able to move. They survived every moment. A er persevering
like this for so many years, even her untrained body was not
diminished in ability. She concluded that while her power was
significantly lowered, she could overcome it to some extent with
experience and ins nct.

Elena finally sheathed the sword and placed it in her sack, tying it
with a knot that could not be opened easily. She suddenly realized
that carrying a huge sack by herself could a ract some a en on. It
wasn’t easy to shake off the mentality of being a hardened killer who
did everything herself, but now she couldn’t forget she part of the
aristocracy. A er leaving the armory and pu ng as much distance as
possible from it, Elena called out to a passing servant. The servant
approached her and Elena pointed to the large sack.

“Take this to my carriage.”

“What are all these large items, My Lady?”

“These are gi s for Glenn when we arrive.”

“That much? When Glenn sees all of this, she will be happy to see
you.”
Though size and weight of the sack was a li le unusual to be a gi to
a lady of nobility, the servant didn’t think much of it and did as Elena
ordered. Other luggage, such as dresses and other items, were
already taken care of by the other servants. When Elena confirmed
that everything necessary was loaded, she stepped up to board the
carriage.

“Hah, hah. Wait a second.”

Mirabelle held on to her skirt with one hand as she ran towards to
carriage while with her other hand she held a large picnic basket.
Elena paused at the sight of Mirabelle hurrying towards her, then
stepped down and hurried in her direc on.

“Mirabelle, be careful. You’ll get hurt.”

But Mirabelle did not slow down un l she was right in front of Elena.
She took in deep gulps of air and gave her sister a bright smile.

“I don’t want you to go without ea ng, so please take this.”

Mirabelle gave her the basket and as Elena took it confusion crossed
her face. The weight of it was too heavy for her to even contemplate.

“You’ve prepared so much in such a short me. It’s like a feast.”

“Did you forget the person that told me that ea ng well every day
would make me healthier?”
Elena became momentarily speechless. That was what she used to
say to Mirabelle, who always had grudges about ea ng.

Mirabelle realized that she was holding her sister up, so she quickly
pushed Elena into the carriage and spoke in a cheery voice.

“Go on and come back quickly. And don’t forget my present.”

A er being pushed inside, Elena wis ully looked through the window
at her sister.

“…I’ll be back.”

“Yes. Be careful, sister.”

The large wagon set off and Mirabelle waved goodbye. Elena held her
head out of the window un l and watched un l her sister
disappeared from view. She almost wanted to cry when she promised
that she would be back again. She couldn’t believe she had a place to
return to.

Elena suddenly remembered basket on her lap. She placed it on the

seat next to her and took out the food items one by one. Inside was a
generous salad with fresh le uce and chicken breasts, a ham
sandwich, boiled eggs, cutely decorated rice balls, and finely chopped
fruits. They all looked delicious to eat. Mirabelle’s lunch box seemed
to be endless feast of all of Elena’s favorite foods.

“…”
She neatly spread the food in the carriage, but she couldn’t bear to
eat it. Sophie, the maid si ng up front next to the carriage driver,
looked at her through the window anxiously.

“My Lady, are you all right?”

Elena was holding her face in her hands and appeared like she was
crying.

“…It’s okay. I just–I am a happier person than I thought…”

She had always missed these moments when her family was s ll alive
in her previous life. Her father, her brother. Mirabelle. How she had
wished hundreds and thousands of mes that they there were alive.
Now she was happier than her imagina on could even dream up.

“…How could I eat all of this food?”

Sophie replied, not understanding the preciousness of the food to
Elena.

“If you like, we can wrap it up again later.”

Elena nodded, rubbing her wet eyes with her palm.

“Yes…That will do.”

Her whole family was now alive. As long as that was, her happiness
would last forever. Now Elena was leaving so she could never lose it
again. She would be sure to change the future at all costs.

4.

Elena had planned to only bring a few people with her from Blaise
Castle. At least, that was what she believed un l the carriage stopped
for a rest. When she got out, she saw as many as six addi onal family
knights following her some ways away. Including the two men who
had been guarding the carriage, there a total of eight addi onal
knights escor ng her. When Elena expressed her surprise the lead
knight explained,

“They were sent by Lord Derek. He believes there weren’t enough

guards.”

“Derek, my brother…I see,”

she murmured, but her mind was turning. She could not rescue
Crown Prince Carlisle with all of these people with her. If she had
known exactly when and where he was assassinated she might have
been able to make use of the family knights, but all she knew was
where the crown prince died. She may have to stake out at the
loca on for a few days, and she couldn’t take a large entourage
there. She came up with an excuse that she was helping with Glenn’s
wedding, but with what excuse could she come up with for staying in
one place for so long?

That wasn’t all. Even if Elena managed to persuade some of the

knights to help her, she couldn’t reveal her abili es in front of them.
In fact, that was the biggest setback. She had lived her whole life as
an ordinary daughter of a count, and for her to suddenly reveal she
was an expert swordswoman? It would be, by all accounts, an
inconceivable thing. Elena didn’t want to explain this to her family or
other people.

Although she wasn’t ashamed to say expert swordswoman, she was

willing to cut down tens or hundreds of people down in the future
just to prevent the rise of Emperor Paveluc. The fewer people who
knew about it the be er. She wanted her family to be as safe and
ignorant as happy as possible. That way, she would be able to laugh
next to them as if she don’t know anything…
With that decision, she had to escape and complete her mission her
own. However, it was much more difficult to get away when the
number of escorts had drama cally increased.

‘…How do I do this?’
There were eight guards, a maid and a coachman. Ten people in all.
Even if a daughter of a count couldn’t go without an entourage, this
number was ridiculous. A rat could disappear without being caught
by anyone, but if a member of the family were to disappear it would
cause u er chaos. Was there a way she could deceive all of them and
disappear like smoke?

At the end of the day the group stopped at a luxurious inn they were
to stay for the night. Elena entered her room, concern furrowed on
her face. Sophie followed behind and closed the door behind them.

“Get some rest, My Lady,”

she said in a so voice.

It would take three days to reach the place where the crown prince
would be assassinated. She had to figure out how to get there
somehow.

The inn had the most luxurious ameni es and services, making it a
fine place to stay overnight for any noblewoman. In fact, it was
comparable to Elena’s room room back in Blaise Castle. However, her
mood was low. It didn’t ma er how comfortably she had spent the
night.

‘Why didn’t I think of this…’

She was the esteemed daughter of a count and she was expected to
act accordingly. However as me went by, she began to regret her
decision and concluded that spending the night at the inn was a
meaningless waste of me. She hadn’t thought of a way to find the
crown prince yet, but she had to plan as she goes. She hoped there
was a li le me le to look around.

If she had known she would’ve wasted me like this she would have
spent her precious moments with Mirabelle instead. She felt angry at
herself, but it was already beyond her control. What already
happened, happened, so Elena had to use the rest of her me as
efficiently as possible.

As soon as she got out of bed she did her morning exercise regimen
from her previous life, then prepared the armor and sword inside the
sack so that she could leave at any moment. Elena took a bath alone,
then was soon prepared to go out.

Sophie the maid, who was just wai ng outside for her master to
wake, knocked at the door so ly. She heard Elena’s voice in reply, as
if Elena had been expec ng her.

“Come in.”
Sophie walked into the room and her mouth opened in surprised
when she saw Elena completely dressed. Even though Elena was
diligent woman in everyday life, it was never to this degree.

“Ah–My Lady, you should have called for me when you woke up. How
long have you been awake?”
“You don’t need to take care of everything on your own while we’re
traveling. I brought you with me because I don’t like all of the mess,
but I can handle most things myself. You don’t have to worry too
much about it.”
Sophie looked at Elena with a confused expression. When Sophie first
le on this trip she thought she would have an increased burden
serving Elena by herself. While Elena was a delicate woman, she was
strangely more considerate today. Sophie spoke in a friendlier
manner without realizing it.

“Hold on, My Lady. I’ll hurry up and get you breakfast. The food at
this inn is famous and is said to be second only to an expensive
restaurant.”

“I’ve already eaten. Let’s leave right away.”

“What? Now?”
Sophie’s eyes widened in shock. It was s ll too early. Everyone would
have woken up by now, but she wasn’t sure if they were ready to
leave yet. Then Elena said something more shocking to Sophie.

“Tell the coachman not to make any stops from now on, and to keep
driving the carriage.”

“Huh? How are you going to sleep?”

“I can sleep in the carriage.”

Sophie forced her mouth shut and didn’t ask how Elena could sleep
in such an uncomfortable place. There was no reason for Elena to
explain why they had to rush to someone’s wedding prepara ons.
Sophie was just a maid who followed orders.
‘Well…if she gets uncomfortable she’ll say it,’
Sophie thought to herself reassuringly. She didn’t think that a lady
who had never been through hardship could endure such a journey.

“Yes, My Lady. I’ll go downstairs and tell them.”

Sophie hurried to the room where the knights were staying.

5.

On the third day of their journey Sophie realized she was completely
wrong. A carriage ride without any stops was so difficult that she
could hardly keep her breath. Meanwhile, Elena looked none the
worse. Elena was gracious enough to allow Sophie to sit next to her
inside the carriage, for which she was thankful for, but it barely
alleviated her discomfort.

‘How on earth can she stand this difficult journey?’

Exhaus on was wri en on everyone’s faces but Elena had not
complained. Sophie thought Elena wouldn’t have been able to
endure it.

Klak, klak.

Sophie gingerly nibbled on a piece of dried meat, her lips white with
mo on sickness. The food was terrible and even when she fell asleep
the swaying of the carriage never stopped.

“My Lady, why don’t we stop in town for food? If you eat spoiled
food, you may have stomach trouble….”
Elena froze when she heard Sophie words. A plan began to form.
While they had been speeding as fast as they could, Elena’s mind had
been filled with ques ons about how she could separate them and
move on her own. But the answer seemed to be right there. Elena
nodded in agreement with Sophie right away.

“You’re right.”
Sophie’s face cheered a li le bit when Elena agreed to stop by the
next town. She hurriedly opened the carriage window and spoke to
the coachman outside.

“Lady Elena wants to stop by the next town for a while.”

“Town? Understood,”
the coachman answered briskly, but he also couldn’t hide his relieved
expression. As soon as Elena given permission, the group headed for
the nearest town. Elena had been so insistent on making haste that
Sophie had expected to stop only for a short while then head back to
the road, when something unexpected happened.

Elena, who seemed fine just a moment ago, had a sickly expression
on her face.

“I think there was something bad about the food I ate. I don’t feel
well. I think I need to take a rest.”

“I told you, My Lady! This was too much.”

The hard journey had made Elena sick and her health had go en
worst during the trip. They quickly made accommoda ons at the
town and called the most well-renowned doctor in the area to see
Elena. The trip hadn’t been par cularly urgent from the beginning,
and the group had agreed to wait un l Elena’s health fully recovered.
Addi onally, the schedule had been extremely rough on them and
everyone was eager for rest.
No men were allowed in Elena’s room, and instead the knights took
turns guarding her door. Sophie, the only woman in the party, was in
charge of Elena’s care. She promised the knights that she would
inform them if Elena’s condi on worsened, then put a cold towel
over Elena’s forehead. Elena, pretending to be asleep in bed, pressed
down a self-sa sfied smile.

‘Yes, there is a way.’

She had first assumed she was bound to them, but in fact it was they
who were bound to her. Her health was their utmost priority. Upon
telling them she was ill, the knights could not leave town but none of
them could go in her room. They could stay for a few days un l she
was judged to be well.

However, there was s ll one person who would no ce if she

disappeared. Her maid, Sophie. If Elena could deceive her, no one
would else would no ce her absence. Elena opened her eyes and
spoke to Sophie si ng next to her bed.

“Sophie.”

“Yes, yes! I’m here, My Lady. Are you alright?”

“I have a favor to ask of you…”

“Please say it, My Lady.”

“There is actually someone around here who I love very much. My

condi on improved a er I saw the doctor, but I s ll can’t help but
feel sick.”
Elena let the lie easily flow out of her mouth. A story that appealed
to the maid’s heart might be the most effec ve.
“Oh! What do you mean?”
Sophie’s mouth opened in surprise at the unexpected revela on.

“I tried to let him go because our difference in status, but I can’t

forget his face a er all this pain.”

“Oh, My Lady…”

“I’ll only see him for a while, so will you keep it secret from the rest
of the knights?”

“But if something happens…!”

“Oh, but I don’t want to live without him anymore.”

Elena covered her face with her hands. Sophie looked at her
helplessly, unable to decide what to do. Elena remorsefully spoke a
line she had prepared in case Sophie needed a li le extra push.

“I’ll die if I don’t see him.”

“Don’t say something like that, My Lady!”

Elena had taken the line from a play she had seen in the theater a
long me ago. She could tell Sophie was star ng to waver a li le.
Elena took out a gold coin from her pocket and held it out to her
maid, hoping it would push her over the edge.

“Please take this as a reward for your help.”

Sophie’s eyes, which had been shadowed with embarrassment,
suddenly flashed with greed. She had hesitated at first since she
would be held responsible if it was found out that she let Elena leave
without telling anyone. But she couldn’t miss this opportunity of a
gold coin. Furthermore, if Elena began to think well of her, Sophie’s
life as a maid would be a success. Her internal debate didn’t last long.
“I cannot disobey you. But please come back soon.”
The benefits of taking a small risk were too good. Sophie’s face no
longer showed any hesita on.

“I cannot disobey you. But please come back soon.”

“Don’t worry, I will try my best. All the knights think I’m sick, so if you
make a proper excuse there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Yes, My Lady.”
Sophie nodded, and Elena reassured herself that this was the best
choice. She didn’t want any witnesses, but reality wasn’t so
accommoda ng. In fact, the easiest and most surest way would be to
kill everyone to keep their mouths shut, but she didn’t want to go so
far as murdering the people of the household. Overall, this was not a
bad result. Elena handed over the gold coin to Sophie.

“Then I look forward to working with you, Sophie.”

If anyone found out, she could disguise it as an escape to a secret
romance.

With Sophie’s coopera on, Elena was soon le alone in the room.
The me had finally arrived. She took out the black metal armor that
she had been hiding and put it on her with familiar mo ons. Finally,
she placed the black helmet on her head. She no longer looked like
the daughter of a count. There stood only a knight with a sharp
blade. Maybe this was her true form.

Elena murmured at the sight of the moon outside her room.

“…I hope I’m not too late.”

*
*

Elena pushed the horse as fast as she could. As she got closer and
closer to the loca on where the prince had died in the past, the
heavy smell of blood began to emerge. Soon she didn’t have to
wonder where it was coming from. There were as many bodies on
the ground as there were trees in the dense forest. Even Elena, who
was familiar with the ba lefield, grimaced deeply at the sight. One,
two, three… There were far too many bodies to be counted.

‘This looks like a war.’

Just looking at the bodies on the ground gave her rough picture of
how fierce the ba le was. The worst she had feared had happened,
but fortunately the remains remains seemed fresh. Moreover,
considering the scale of the ba le the crown prince seemed to have
been well-defended by many people. However, it was too early to
feel relieved. With fears rising that the crown prince might have
already died, Elena urged her horse to go faster.

Tadag, tadadag.

Fortunately, she soon heard the sounds of blades clashing.

‘Please, just be alive,’

she prayed desperately. She finally arrived at the scene where the
figh ng was taking place. It was not what she expected. She had
expected to see a fierce ba le between the prince’s guards and the
assassins who came to kill him. Instead there was only a lone man
surrounded by a dozen other men.
‘The dead bodies were the work of one person?’
It was hard to believe. But something even more incredible was
unfolding before her eyes.

“Ah…”
An involuntary gasp escaped from Elena’s mouth.

The lone man was surrounded by a dozen of enemy knights, but the
man didn’t seem to be fully human. He had fierce, slanted eyes, a
straight nose and sharp jawline–by all accounts he was handsome to
look at. But the skin from his right hand to his shoulder was covered
with hard, lizard-like scales and from his fingers were long, sharp
talons.

Her blood pounded in her ears.

For a moment she looked into his chilling blue eyes, and a forgo en
legend of the royal family came to her.

“The creature born between a dragon and a man becomes the

emperor of the Ruford Empire, and they will have absolute power for
genera ons.”

She thought it was just a story invented to make the emperor seem
special.

‘…The legend is real?’

6.
She was confused.

If the legend of the royal family was true, then Paveluc should also
have the characteris cs of a dragon in her final ba le with him, but
he s ll maintained human form even a er she had cut off one of his
arms. If the royal family really did have the blood of the dragon, there
was no reason to hide it. Rather than being treated with scorn and
contempt, the emperor would surely be feared as a god. Other
countries wouldn’t dare challenge the power of the Rufford Empire.

‘…Why?’
Why would he have to hide it? Why didn’t Paveluc appear like a
dragon in her past life, but Crown Prince Carlisle did? Or perhaps…

Or perhaps he wasn’t part dragon, but was a monster instead. Many

strange rumors had festered because the crown prince never made
an appearance. Elena stood frozen as she took in the scene.

Slash!

One of the enemy knight’s swords cut the crown prince’s side. As a
fountain of blood spurted from the wound Elena quicky came to her
senses.

‘I don’t care what the crown prince really is. He’s the first in
succession to the throne, even if he is a monster.’
None of this changed her plans. Now she was more curious than
surprised by the prince, but this was not the me to think about it.
She would dig up the secrets of the royal family later. At this
moment, saving Prince Carlisle was her top priority. Her past self
would have easily gone toe-to-toe with the assassins, but she
couldn’t do so in this condi on.
‘What should I do?’
She quickly looked around and saw some small explosives in the arms
of the dead bodies. Apparently the assassins had the inten on to
commit suicide as a last resort to take down the prince. There were
also as many horses wandering around as there were bodies lying on
the floor.

“…All right.”
Elena moved quickly with determina on. She collected several small
explosives from some of the bodies and picked up a crossbow lying
on the ground. She was be er with a normal bow, but it took more
much effort to pull a bow repeatedly and she wasn’t sure how many
arrows she could fire at her current strength. The crossbow’s trigger
launch was a more suitable weapon for her now. Although it wasn’t a
familiar weapon, Elena had never missed a target in her previous life.

“Haaa!”
With a crossbow in her hand, Elena began to ride her horse towards
Carlisle. At the same me, she threw some of the small explosives
she had collected.

Gagagagang!

They landed on the explosives in the arms of the dead assassins,

causing a chain reac on that led to a larger explosion. The loud noise
caused the assassins a acking Carlisle to sca er.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll go and find out.”

The carefully coordinated assassins were quick to react, but they
could not hide their shock at the sound of galloping from all sides. It
was the sound of horses running wild at the sound of explosives and
the resul ng fire. Because of the small stampede the assassins
couldn’t even guess who was coming from which direc on. Just then
there was a loud cry.

“Save the Crown Prince!”

At the same me, three arrows shot through the smoke created from
the flames and penetrated the hearts of the assassins.

“The enemy!”

“The prince’s backup has come!”

The sound of horses’ hooves thundered around them as the thick
smoke obscured their vision. Through the chaos she finally found a
gap between the assassins.

Tadadag, tadadag.

To them a black knight had suddenly appeared out of the smoke.

Everyone turned their heads in alarm. It was one. Only one was
coming out of the darkness. The crown prince’s assassina on squad,
which consisted of highly-trained knights, were overwhelmed with a
feeling of dread.

The knight wore black iron armor from head to toe, and the helmet
covering its en re face revealed only two eyes as red as blood. The
assassins fully prepared themselves for the oncoming charge led by
the black knight, but something was strange. Elena, who jumped into
the enemy’s territory alone, stayed only for the briefest of moments.
Carlisle’s blue eyes and Elena’s red eyes met.

“Your Highness, get on!”

With an urgent cry, Elena stretched out her hand out to Carlisle and
he took it without hesita on.
Taak!

Elena pulled him up, Carlisle used the tension to jump up and sit
behind her on the horse.

It happened in the blink of an eye. The assassins who were slow to

react quickly raised their voices.

“Stop them!”
Elena pulled out her sword and cut down those who were in their
way. However, it was difficult to escape safely because of the
disadvantage in numbers. This wasn’t a situa on were she could sit
down and nego ate with the enemy. Carlisle spoke in low voice
behind Elena.

“Give me the reins.”

It was a miracle that he was s ll conscious considering the large
wound on his side. His shirt was so soaked in blood that she couldn’t
even tell where the wound was. Even so, an extra hand in this
situa on would be enormously helpful.

“Here,”
she said briskly and handed him the reins. Having le Carlisle to
control the horse, Elena focused on ge ng rid of the assassins right
in their away. As they fled down the road, two arrows poured out
from behind like rain. Elena quickly cut down them down with her
sword, then took out the crossbow again. She turned herself so she
was facing backwards, then started shoo ng arrows at the pursuing
enemies.

Tang, tang!
One by one more of the enemy fell. She wanted to take a headshot,
but she aimed at the middle of their chests just to be sure she
wouldn’t miss. The enemy was finally becoming more distant.

Fwp!

One of the several arrows fired by the assassins landed squarely on

Carlisle’s back.

“Agh!”
He gave a cry of surprise and blood poured out of his mouth. She
looked at him in dismay, but Carlisle con nued in a steady voice.

“I can hold on. There’s no need to stop.”

“But–”

“Don’t look at me like I’m going to die soon.”

Elena bit her lip. She wanted to shout “You’re going to die today!”
but it wasn’t the me to argue with him. At that moment the most
important thing was the safety of the Crown Prince Carlisle. Whether
he just died back there or died here of excessive bleeding, the result
would be the same and her plans would amount to nothing. She
looked at Carlisle clenching ghtly at the reins despite the arrow in
his back.

“Then stay with me so I don’t have to worry.”

Carlisle gave her a ques oning look, but now wasn’t the me to have
a long conversa on with each other. Elena aimed at her crossbow
again at the persistent assassins.

7.
“Ha, ha.”
Elena heaved in deep breaths of exhaus on. This wouldn’t have had
a great of a toll on her in her previous life, but she wasn’t in peak
condi on anymore. When they managed to get to safety, Elena took
stock of Carlisle’s condi on. His face was very pale. She didn’t know
how he managed to hang on this long in his wounded state.

“Your Highness, come down. Let’s look at the wound.”

Elena got off her horse and extended her arm, Carlisle looked at her
as if she was being patronizing by helping him get off a horse like a
child. However, contrary to his piercing expression, Carlisle quietly
accepted her hand. He got off the horse then leaned against a tree,
pulling open his ragged clothes. His right arm, which was covered in
hard, lizard-like scales when she first saw him, was back to normal.

“Ah…”
It was as if the scales were never there, but Elena was not so naive as
to mistake what had happened. Carlisle immediately understood
what her brief pause meant.

“You’re wondering why this arm is now normal?”

There was some bi erness in his voice. Of course she wondered why,
but she knew that trea ng Carlisle was more important at the
moment.

“I’ll treat you first.”

Fortunately, Elena had carried medicine with her in case of
emergencies. It was a pity that she had not brought much because it
had to fit inside her Armor.

“This will s ng a li le, Your Highness.”

Carlisle’s blue eyes gazed cau ously at Elena as she calmly took out
the medicine. However, Elena looked at Carlisle’s large and small
wounds with confusion. There were more than just a few wounds
here and there. His body bore signs of deep scars, old scars. Carlisle
didn’t even make a sound as she touched his painful looking wounds.
This situa on must be very familiar to him.

‘…Fortunately, the crown prince’s achievements were not

exaggera ons.’
Come to think of it, this was the first me she had seen the crown
prince. One of the terrible rumors had said he was a large, hairy, and
ugly man. She didn’t realize he would actually be this handsome…

As she worked, she no ced his ght, hard muscles peeking through
the torn edges of his clothes. He looked rather like an ideal man. In
fact, his tall, handsome appearance was more akin a man who
par ed wild in the city than one who lived on the ba lefield.

However, he had a dangerous air about him. Even when he was

si ng on the ground his presence was so overwhelming, she couldn’t
easily find a weakness. Elena remembered what kind of empire the
Ruford was. A country obsessed with war. There were many words
for the emperors of the Ruford empire. The butcher, the bloody devil,
the conqueror…she felt that all of those words could apply to that
man who gave off that overwhelming aura. Elena glanced silently at
Carlisle, and he spoke to her in a sharper voice than before.

“I don’t think you’re from my army. What did you save me for?”
Elena thought over how to answer to this ques on. It hadn’t been
easy to rescue the prince, but now she found it even more nerve-
wracking to talk to him. S ll, she was determined to give him an
answer.
Elena hoped that Carlisle would con nue to survive long enough to
become emperor and defeat Paveluc. She was willing to risk
everything she had to help him. The road to make Carlisle emperor
would be difficult, and there was no way to know what other dangers
were lurking. She couldn’t let him know about it.

“…Your Highness.”

“Tell me.”
Elena had seen Carlisle’s power and accepted the fact that he might
be suited to being an emperor. She remembered the people who said
that Paveluc would not have been able to take the throne so easily
had Carlisle been alive.

Since Elena was born an aristocrat, she had to marry the man that
her father decided for her. In her previous life, her family was
destroyed and she was free from such du es, but that wasn’t the
case anymore. Elena now had to marry a man who would bring the
most benefit the Blaise family. If so…the man was si ng right in front
of her.

She looked at him up and down. He had a sharp jaw, a high nose, and
fierce-looking blue eyes. His black hair, darker than the night sky,
stood out against his milky white skin. She remembered the dark,
monster-like scales on his right arm, but fortunately it wasn’t visible
at the moment. Carlisle narrowed his eyes as Elena con nued to
silently stare at him.

“Well if–”
Carlisle was about to speak.

“I want to marry you.”

“…What?”
Carlisle’s composed expression instantly changed to shock. Elena
repeated herself once more.

“Please marry me, Your Highness.”

8.
“Please marry me, Your Highness.”
A look of shock fli ed across Carlisle’s face at the unexpected
proposal, but it quickly faded. His brow furrowed as he looked
seriously into Elena’s eyes.
“I don’t know what the rumours about me are, but I don’t like men.”
“P-pardon me?”
It was Elena’s turn to be flustered. Although she hadn’t expected him
to accept the proposal from the beginning, this was an en rely
unexpected response. Was there a rumor that Prince Carlisle liked
men?
No, wait, didn’t she look like a man now? Elena had forgo en about
her appearance. Only her eyes were visible beneath the black armor,
so it was natural for him to think she was man.
“Y-you misunderstand, Your Highness–“
“And even if I liked men, did you think we’d get married? You are so
naive.”
Carlisle’s face was twisted into a sneer. He was right. Even if he had a
taste for men, a marriage to a woman would be more beneficial for
him. Love and marriage were different for the royal family.
“I meant–”
“If you think I am going to marry someone despite the prophecy, you
are mistaken.”
Carlisle was not that young, but there was a reason why he had not
married yet.
It was because of a prophecy.
“The first person to marry the Crown Prince will spend their life in
solitude. They will live an unhappy life before dying a miserable
death.”
It was one of the things that made the empire so poli cally turbulent
before his death in the previous life. With such dark omens coming
down, no aristocrat wanted to marry his own daughter to the crown
prince. Not everyone believed the prophecy, but s ll no family dare
set their sights on marriage, likely because of the influence of the few
nobles who knew that the emperor was suffering from a serious
illness.
If the emperor would pass away, there would be no rela ves who
would support Carlisle’s claim as his mother was an obscure maid.
The crown prince’s fate was obvious if he could not keep the throne.
High-ranking nobles who expected him to be stranded had no reason
to be greedy for a marriage with a troubled crown prince.
There had been a empts by the emperor to connect Carlisle to a
good family, but the emperor only wanted a daughter from a
marchioness while the nobles had different self-interests. Even if a
princess from another country who did not know the details was
brought as a bride, the ominous prophecy would surely reach her.
There was only one way. Once Prince Carlisle completed his first
marriage with anyone, he could marry any other woman on good
terms. Elena was going to take a posi on that nobody wanted.
‘Will I be lonely and unhappy for the rest of my life if I marry the
prince?’
Elena did not believe in prophecies, and she had already spent her
first life already so alone and so unhappy. Now that her second
chance had arrived, she could bear any kind of suffering as long and
she could protect her beloved family. No ma er how unbearable of a
hell it was, it was nothing compared to losing them.
“What a ridiculous idea. Is that the payment for my life?”
Carlisle looked strangely terrifying as he gave her a mocking laugh. If
he wasn’t already weakened Elena might’ve pointed a sword at him
for her own ease of mind.
“Your Highness, if you laugh like that the wound will open.”
“Shut your mouth. Your voice is disgus ng.”
“Your Highness, listen to me–”
“I’m not going to marry you, I’m telling you.”
Elena wanted to fume at him when he interrupted her.
‘I saved a man who should have died…’
Despite her anger boiling beneath the surface, she spoke in a calm
voice.
“Listen to me first.”
“I’m dying from your cha er. How long are you going to stare down
at me?”
It was only then that she realized that she was looking down at
Carlisle who si ng on the ground. She hadn’t no ced because he
had an overwhelming sense of power around him. Elena immediately
stooped down.
“…Haaa.”
A low sigh escaped from the beneath her helmet. She didn’t think
Carlisle’s personality was pleasant from the start, but he was worse
than she had guessed.
‘He has no inten on of listening.’
She did not want to take back the offer. This wasn’t a marriage of
love, but of poli cs. The only thing she needed to do was to calculate
how much benefit he would bring to her. Prince Carlisle would be her
ace to change the future of the Blaise family. There was no other
reason to worry or hesitate.
Elena opened her mouth to speak again, staring straight at Carlisle
with calm eyes.
“Let me introduce myself.”
“Enough–”
Carlisle tried to speak up, but Elena was quicker. She li ed her hands
without hesita on and pulled off the iron helmet from her face.

Shhf.
As the helmet was gradually li ed, the cold eyes of the crown prince
grew larger.
Long blonde hair poured out like liquid gold and danced in the
moonlight. Beneath the helmet a pale, lean neck came into view,
followed by petal-like lips and a straight nose. Finally came her
scarlet eyes hooded by thick eyelashes. Carlisle froze solid.
“…You!”
There were was a strong contrast between the rough, black armor
worn by men and the pre y, doll-like appearance of the woman
underneath. The effect was breath-taking.
9.
“I am from the Fourth Order of Knights that have served the royal
family for genera ons.”
“…Elena Blaise. “
Elena was stunned to hear him say her name. He knew her? How?
Elena gave Carlisle a look of complete disbelief.
“You know me?”
She never foresaw this outcome. Prince Carlisle had been on the
ba lefield since childhood and had never appeared in high society.
There was no way he could have met her, who lived in the region
south of the capital city. She wasn’t like her father, the count, or her
brother, the heir… There was li le chance of knowing the eldest
daughter. It was more likely that a needle thrown into the sky would
fall on her head.
She looked at Carlisle with confused eyes, pondering the possibility
of a previous mee ng between herself and the crown prince. But she
just couldn’t figure out how he knew her name. In the meanwhile,
Carlisle’s surprised expression cleared and was replaced by his usual
mysterious, stoic face.
“How did you know I was in danger? And since when did you become
good at sword figh ng?”
At Carlisle’s sudden ques on, Elena calmed her confused head and
began organizing the responses she had prepared. She couldn’t give
him the truth, but she s ll had to give him a plausible answer. If she
told him she knew he was going to be assassinated here because he
was from the future, he would think of her as a madwoman.
“In my family…I’m not supposed to learn about sword figh ng. So, I
came out alone and happened to find the crown prince in danger and
helped him.”
“So, it was a coincidence? All of this?”
She could tell by looking at Carlisle’s eyes that he didn’t believe her.
Of course, he wouldn’t. There were many holes in her claim.
Everything was a lie. But she carefully planned her excuses, and on
top of that she was the one who saved his life–he could not be
suspicious of her even if there was doubt. If she had bad inten ons,
she never would have risked her life to save his. Elena’s ac ons spoke
more than any believable explana on. But s ll…
Carlisle nodded first before she could bring out her prepared words.
“Alright…if that’s what you say.”
“What?”
He wasn’t even willing to listen to her a moment ago, and his sudden
coopera on caught her off guard. Carlisle con nued speaking in a
so voice, while Elena looked on with a confused expression.
“I believe you.”
What? Why would he believe her? Elena was barely able to hold back
the ques ons that begged to come out of her mouth. This was a
good result no ma er what and she wouldn’t spoil the atmosphere
with unnecessary queries. The situa on would only become more
complicated if Carlisle decided to change his mind. Elena quietly
observed the man before her, while Carlisle seemed to be in a more
inquisi ve mood.
“Why did you propose to me suddenly?”
He said he wouldn’t get married, but now he was ac ng like it didn’t
even happen.
“You weren’t talking like this a while ago.”
“It’s different now.”
“How?”
“Because you’re Elena Blaise.”
“What?”
It was a completely unexpected answer.
“You didn’t answer my ques on so let me ask again. Do you know
me, Your Highness?”
“Don’t you know me?”
His eyes shimmered strangely. She had never seen the crown prince
in her life. She was sure her memory wasn’t so poor that she could
forget about such a handsome face.
“As soon as I saw you from afar for the first me today, I knew you
were the crown prince.”
“I’m not asking that.”
“Have we met before?”
“If it’s not in your memory, then the mee ng doesn’t exist,”
he replied vaguely, which only furthered her confusion. Elena paused
to think for a moment when Carlisle spoke up again.
“Now it’s me for you to answer my ques on. Why did you propose
to me?”
“Oh, that is because…”
Whatever the circumstances, the fact that Elena wanted to marry
Carlisle had not changed. Elena con nued in a calm voice.
“The Blaise family is a noble family. As a member of that family, I am
eager for the crown prince to succeed as emperor. I would be
honoured if I can add some of my meager strength to yours.”
It was such a cliche line. She sounded like a noblewoman with
ambi ons to marry upwards. It seemed like she wanted to make her
husband the emperor and become the highest woman in the empire.
“You wish for me to become the emperor?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Your family is nobility?”
“…Yes.”
There was no change in Carlisle’s expression, but Elena could feel
that he was unsure of something. She swallowed dryly. She wanted
go down on her knees and to hold on to his pant leg and beg him to
marry her. She was desperate.
In order to deal with King Paveluc, she needed to be placed in a
powerful posi on at Prince Carlisle’s side. He understood the poli cs
of the palace more than anyone, and she could come and go as part
of the royal family. If she didn’t stand by him, how could she save him
from danger every me? Prince Carlisle was supposed to have died
here. It was unclear how his survival would change the future.
What if he refused? She planned countless responses in her head
depending on his answer. Her brain felt like it could explode. Carlisle’s
lips, which had been ghtly sealed, finally opened.
“…I didn’t expect you to propose to me.”
“I am sincere when I say that I want to be your strength. Even if you
don’t want to get married, I pledge to stay by your side–”
“Who said I didn’t want to?”
“What?”
“I like the idea.”
“Wh-what, you approve?”
She stared at him doub ully as he parted his lips again. He was a
blue-eyed demon with a piercing expression.
“I accept your marriage proposal.”
There was a sharp intake of breath from Elena. It seemed that it
wasn’t a bad offer for Prince Carlisle either. By law the crown prince
was allowed to marry a woman from a family no less than the rank of
count, which was a close call for her. It was not easy to get married
into a higher-ranking family, but if one had to find a bride a woman as
skilled with the sword as Elena was not a terrible choice. Elena’s
heart thumped as she received the answer she wanted.
“Let me ask you this. You know about the prophecy regarding my first
bride. Do you have any regrets about your decision? And you know…I
could be a monster.”
Carlisle’s gaze headed towards his right arm. Elena’s brow furrowed
with worry but she hesitated to ask about it in detail. When she did
not respond, Carlisle spoke to her again in a solemn voice.
“Think carefully before you answer the ques on. This may be your
last chance to escape.”
Seeing Carlisle’s expression of loneliness, Elena sensed that it was not
yet me to dig up the secrets about him. There was no need to be in
a hurry. She would spend a li le more me later unraveling his
mysteries.
“I don’t care if you’re a monster.”
“Why? Do you really want to be an empress?”
“Yes. If you can become emperor, I can do even more than an
empress can do.”
Carlisle’s facial expression changed subtly, as if her answer was
unexpected.
“For example?”
“If you think that an empress is a posi on that I do not deserve…”
“I don’t think that.”
“What?”
“Don’t forget this. It was you who came to me.”
Elena felt strange when she heard Carlisle’s answer. He was looking at
her as if he was looking at prey, as if the chances of escaping had
already disappeared. Silence hung in the air as they faced each other.
Suddenly, she could hear the sound of horses’ hooves gradually
ge ng closer. Someone was coming this way. Elena quickly pushed
herself from the ground, preparing herself for the assassins that may
have followed them. Then came a cry.
“Your Highness! Crown Prince!”
“Where are you?”
She could see a flag flying in the distance from the direc on of the
searching voices. It was splendid flag with a golden border and in its
center had black dragon baring its teeth. It was the symbol of the
crown prince’s guard. Carlisle frowned in disapproval at his men who
had just appeared.
“…Late.”
“Your Highness, there s ll may be assassins mixed in with them,”
she said warningly.
“It doesn’t ma er now. My men are here.”
“But–”
“Because of our first mee ng you think I’m a weakling.”
Elena winced at his accusa on. He was not wrong. She was so
worried about his safety now she couldn’t afford to trust anything.
Carlisle casually picked up Elena’s helmet despite his injury.
“The man you choose to marry is not a weak man. Don’t worry about
anything and go. If you don’t disappear now, you’ll be caught. “
“Your Highness…”
“Try to hide your sword figh ng abili es as much as possible. It
would be safer. “
“…I understand.”
Elena agreed with his assessment. She could easily become a target if
her abili es were known. It was be er to act in the dark.
Even though she made to go, she s ll felt uneasy about leaving
Carlisle. Carlisle then took hold of the horse’s reins and pressed it
into her hands as if in a hurry.
“I’ll visit you in ten days.”
“Please…. take care, Your Highness.”
Elena forced herself to get on the horse then looked at Carlisle for
the last me. He stood completely s ll while his blue eyes gazed at
her. She finally tugged the reins of her horse and galloped away,
leaving him with a warning.
“Beware of the Duke of Lunen.”
Paveluc was a treacherous king that conquered the throne in the
future, but now he was a great duke over the duchy of Lunen.
Carlisle looked at the retrea ng figure of Elena on her horse, then
mumbled in a ques oning voice.
“Beware of my uncle? What ma ers to me now isn’t him…”
However, the person who could answer the ques on had already le .
Carlisle stood mo onless, un l she was completely out of sight.
*
*
*
Inside a splendid castle.
A white carrier pigeon skilfully flew into a corner of a room boas ng
a dazzling collec on of treasures from around the world. A
handmaiden carefully retrieved the le er from the bird.
In the center of the room was a luxuriously decorated sofa, and
si ng upon it was a middle-aged woman, a lady of grace from head
to toe. The woman wordlessly received it the le er and slowly read
the short passage. Suddenly, she crumpled the paper in her fist.
“…What a failure!”
Her voice of displeasure caused to handmaid to look up.
“Is there something the ma er?”
“It’s nothing, go back.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

The woman was Ophelia, the wife of the current emperor Sullivan
and the 12th empress of the Ruford Empire.
She was also Carlisle’s stepmother.
Ophelia watched the handmaiden disappear, then placed the edge of
the le er in the flame of the nearby candle. The words on the le er
gradually began to darken and burn.
Failed to assassinate Crown Prince Carlisle.
“Prince Carlisle, you will find it was be er to die there.”
10.
The wind gently caressed Elena’s face as she leaned her head against
the carriage window and watched the passing landscape. She had a
spectacular view of the lush forest in refreshing weather, but she was
in no mood to appreciate it.
A er saving Carlisle’s life, Elena had collapsed as soon as she entered
the inn. From the moment when she rescued him to the moment, he
had accepted her proposal, she felt as if her body was being torn in
all direc ons by a leash. It was hard on her poorly trained physical
condi on.
“…Haaa.”
She sighed. She recollected her conversa on with Carlisle, but
deciphering it was like falling into a maze. Why did he accept the
proposal? She had a clear reason to marry him, but the crown prince
himself had no reason to accept. With that handsome face, his skill in
the ba lefield, and the fact that he was the crown prince, he could
choose someone be er than Elena. When he first ques oned her for
saving his life, he didn’t seem to believe her very easily. Which part of
her did he like?
‘I have no idea what the Crown Prince is thinking.’
He had been disgusted with her un l she took of her helmet. Perhaps
it was because of incompa ble sexual orienta on because she looked
like a man in that armor? A variety of thoughts around in Elena’s
head. Their encounter had been brief, and she didn’t fully understand
his inten ons.
She remembered the image of him when she looked back at his
figure for the last me. Despite blood seeping through the white
bandages, what stood out in her mind was those blue eyes that
looked straight at her with an undaunted expression. She felt as if she
had seen them somewhere before. Had they really met in the past? It
was driving her crazy, but there was no way to find out.
‘That’s enough. Stop thinking about it. Everything went my way
anyway.’
Anything else could be forgo en. If Carlisle became emperor and
removed Paveluc from power nothing else was needed so long as her
family was kept safe. If she could make herself a princess, she could
assist him and eventually make him emperor. A er that, she didn’t
care whether she was banished out or not. No, maybe it was be er
to go back to her family. She was busy thinking about how to change
her future. It wasn’t too late to think about the details. As long as her
family was all alive, any life would be happier than her previous one.
‘He said he would meet me in ten days, so I’d be er be prepared
then.’
Sophie looked at Elena staring out of the carriage window, then
spoke to her in a careful voice.
“My Lady, you’re not s ll sick, are you?”
Sophie was the only one who knew that Elena had gone that night
without anyone else knowing. A er disappearing like smoke and
returning at dawn the next day, Elena had been in dazed state ever
since. She looked like a lovesick girl and Sophie was curious about
that night’s events, but she couldn’t ask her directly and instead
asked her in a roundabout way.
Elena no ced Sophie’s strangely shining eyes and knew her maid was
curious about her movements that night.
“Unnecessary curiosity only brings bad luck, Sophie. You’re a smart
girl and I know you know that.”
“O-Oh yes, My Lady,”
Sophie answered reluctantly, but she did not accept it from her
heart. Something must have happened to Elena that night, otherwise
there was no reason to skip Glenn’s wedding when they had been in
such a hurry in the first place.
A er returning back to the inn for a late night’s sleep, Elena suddenly
said she was not feeling well and wanted to return to Blaise Castle.
Not only did Elena not eat properly on the way back, but she just
stared blankly out the carriage window the en re me.
Who was the man that was keeping the young mistress away? Did
Elena happen to get caught up in the atmosphere that night? What if
she had a baby? Sophie’s mind ran wild with imagina on. Thanks to
this mysterious lover even Sophie’s mo on sickness was forgo en.
The two of them lost in their own worlds as the carriage quickly took
Elena and Sophie back to Blaise Castle.
“…Ah.”
A breath of fresh wind ckled Elena’s cheek. She turned her face
towards it and appreciated the endless array of trees passing by. The
clear cloudless sky and tranquil breeze made her strangely excited.
While her mind was caught up in her complicated thoughts, her heart
knew this road was headed back for the family. The thought of seeing
her father, her brother and her sister again made her smile faintly. It
was nice to have a place to go back like this. She would endure
thousands or even tens of thousands of trials to protect it.
*
*
*
As soon as the carriage arrived at the castle, the door opened and
Mirabelle’s voice rang out.
“Sister!”
Mirabelle ran towards Elena and flung herself in her sister’s arms
before Elena could fully disembarked from the carriage. They held on
to each other as if they had been apart for years, and Elena squeezed
Mirabelle ghtly and smiled.
“I’m home, Mirabelle.”
“Yes. I missed you so much.”
“Me, too. Anything happened while I was away?”
“Uh-huh. Father kept sending messages that was coming home, but
now he said he would really come home today.”
“Father…?”
Her father was always busy as the head of the Fourth Order of
Knights and most of the me he stayed at a residence in the capital
city to work there. Elena was in charge of the household at Blaise
Castle, while Derek was in charge of the knights belonging to the
family. In the past it was normal to not have seen her father’s face for
a long me, but the situa on was different now. From Elena’s point
of view she had not seen her father a er twenty years. There was a
pit of nervousness and excitement twis ng in her stomach.
“Then I guess I’ll pay special a en on to the menu tonight.”
Mirabelle spoke up confidently as if she had already made plans.
“I already asked the chef in advance to prepare father’s favorite fish
stew.”
Mirabelle’s proud and expectant look for praise was so cute that
Elena gave a smile and stroked Mirabelle’s hair with one hand.
“Well done. Now, can I leave the rest of the housework to you?”
“I have an older sister, I don’t have to do that.”
Elena felt a pang of guilt at Mirabelle’s innocent words. If Elena truly
married Prince Carlisle, then managing the Blaise household would
fall to Mirabelle. Elena swept Mirabelle’s hair again, her heart bi er.
Her li le sister s ll looked so young and fragile.
“Someday, if I get married, you will be in charge. So from now on you
should learn more about the housework.”
“Oh, that’s too far away.”
“No one really knows. Maybe one day I’ll fall in love with someone at
first sight and want to get married. Maybe you’ll do that too–”
“I’ll never do that!”
“I hope you’ll ge ng married, even if there’s no guarantee.”
“No! I’ll never have someone I love more than my sister!”
Elena looked at Mirabelle with a li le worry, but on the other hand
she was grateful for her sister’s kindness. Elena was overwhelmed by
the feeling that she was as important to her family as they were to
her.
“…Me too. I don’t think I’ll ever have someone more precious than
my family.”
“Oh, please. You have to say Mirabelle is the most precious thing out
of the whole family.”
Mirabelle’s point made her laugh. Her cute li le bird of a sister
always did. Elena took a step towards the castle, slowly taking
Mirabelle’s small hand.
“Let’s go inside now.”
“Yes, sister. Tell me how your trip was.”
“Ah, well…”
Mirabelle’s ques on reminded her of those long, arduous days in the
carriage. Elena had met with Prince Carlisle and fought off assassins,
but that was hardly a story for her.
“…Nothing special.”
Elena didn’t speak a er that. The servants, who had been wai ng for
their conversa on to be over, soon approached them.
“My Lady, where should we move the luggage from the carriage?”
“Move everything to my room.”
At her order, the servants held one of the large luggage trunks in
each hand in an orderly fashion. They followed a er Elena and
Mirabelle who were walking hand in hand. The pair was a beau ful
sight to behold.
Elena found adjus ng her mannerisms difficult as she had not lived
for a long me as a noblewoman, but she didn’t let it show on the
outside and walked gracefully. She was the beloved daughter of a
count and the woman who was in charge of the household, and she
had to keep her balance.
It was also important to understand the grievances of the people of
lower status and to not act overbearing. Since she was young, she
had been paying more a en on to this area since childhood. As she
played this role well in her past life, now the Blaise’ servants were
well organized and disciplined.
Mirabelle spoke again, swinging Elena’s arm.
“How was your trip, sister? Hmm?”
“Well, I don’t know. I had an upset stomach in the middle of it…”
Mirabelle had been curious why Elena had to return in the middle of
her trip. But Mirabelle’s reac on was a bigger storm than Elena had
an cipated.
“What? Did you eat something wrong?”
“I’m all be er now–”
“So that’s why you got home earlier than I expected. I’m going to call
the doctor and ask him to see you right away.”
“That’s not necessary–”
“Wait in the room, sister.”
Mirabelle brought in the most famous doctor in the south to see
Elena. Elena had a lot of work to do, but she was forced to lie down
in bed and rest un l sunset. The problem did not end here.
Something was happening elsewhere that she didn’t know about.
“Did I not ask you to put your life on the line? How bad did it get if
she had to come home?”
Unlike Mirabelle who had learned about the reasons of Elena’s early
return later, Derek had been briefed on what had happened in
advance. As soon as they arrived at the castle, the knights who
escorted Elena had to go through hell for failing to perform their
du es properly.
“I’m sorry, sir. From now on, I’ll risk my life…”
“It’s too late. Star ng now you will run ten laps around this training
hall then line up accordingly to who finishes first and so on.”
When Derek made up his mind no one could one make him budge. It
was a memorable event for those who trained and those who
watched them. Just like that Elena had been turned from a simple
young lady to someone they would risk their life for, all of which was
unknown by Elena.
As the day passed and night descended, Count Alphord Blaise soon
arrived at the castle.
11.
“Welcome, My Lord.”
All the servants stood in a line with the senior butler, Northman, at
the head of it. They all bowed respec ully as Alphord walked inside
his home. In reality Alphord didn’t really like this kind of grand
welcome, but Elena had also prepared this for her father in her
previous life. A er his long absence few new employees were aware
of his face, and Elena had thought of this as a way to give such a
grand welcome in her father’s honor.
And it was the same today. At the end of the long line, Elena,
Mirabelle and Derek stood wai ng for him. Elena cheeks were
flushed with joy at the thought of seeing her father for the first me
in a long me.
“It’s strange. No ma er how o en Father comes home, I feel like I
haven’t seen him in years.”
Elena smiled at Mirabelle’s astute words. From Elena’s point of view
her sister wasn’t completely wrong. When Elena began to see her
father’s approaching shadow, she hurried to dy her clothes.
“Mirabelle, do I look okay?”
“Yes, you look pre y. How many mes have you asked me that
today?”
“Oh, have I?”
Mirabelle lted her head at her sister’s unusually nervous demeanor.
When Mirabelle had heard that Elena became sick during her trip she
tried to make her rest all day, but Elena finally stood up and said, “I
can’t lie down anymore with Father coming.”
Elena had been ac ng very strange since. She wasn’t usually fashion-
conscious, but she had changed her dress several mes and kept
asking what looked good on her. Everyone envied Elena’s beau ful
appearance. And the envy of others was Mirabelle’s pride. She had
never seen a pre er woman in the world than her sister.
Despite Elena’s natural beauty, however, she was not very interested
in taking care of herself. It was the first me for her to pay a en on
to her appearance, which she had always been so embarrassed
about. If the occasion had been mee ng another man, then
Mirabelle would have thought Elena had fallen for someone…
Mirabelle could never have imagined that the man she was seeing
was their father, whom they hadn’t seen for a few weeks. Mirabelle
stared up at Elena with a look of curiosity, but could not discern her
thinking.
The sounds of Alphord’s footsteps became closer when finally, he
appeared. Though middle-aged, her father s ll retained his
handsome features. He stood tall and had dark green eyes like
Mirabelle. Thanks to his long career as a knight, he had a strong
physique, but at the moment looked like a gentleman with his coat
instead of his armor. He had the same stoic expression as Derek, but
his stubborn jawline bore a curious resemblance to Elena.

Elena became overwhelmed with emo on as she looked at her

father. The last image, she remembered was his cold body hanging on
the wall alongside her brother. The day Blaise Castle was invaded her
father was s ll not in the castle, so she wasn’t sure how exactly how
he ended up there. She was hiding in the place where Derek had told
her to, and was told there would be a le er from her father but she
never received it. Finally, a er finding the bodies of the family
members on the wall, Elena had to flee far away. She couldn’t stay in
Ruford Empire. She was curious about the contents of that last le er,
but now she would never know.
‘Well, it doesn’t ma er now what it is about. They’re all alive and
with me now.’
She secretly swallowed a happy smile looked up with clear eyes at
Mirabelle and Derek standing next to her. This will do. She won’t be
greedy.
At Alphord’s appearance Derek gave a short bow and Mirabelle li ed
her skirt to curtsy like a grown-up. Elena spoke with affec on thick in
her voice.
“Welcome home, Father.”
12.
“Welcome, Father.”
“Thank you,”
Alphord said curtly, then immediately strode towards Mirabelle. She
looked cutely up at him as she held the skirt of her dress and
Alphord’s stern expression gently relaxed. He gently pa ed his
daughter’s head with a large hand.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes, I’m doing well.”
“Did you feel any pain? “
“Sister took good care of me, so I feel much be er now.”
Mirabelle was the youngest child, and even her graceful way of
answering was as pre y as could be. Elena watched the two of them
talking before her father’s eyes turned towards her. She spoke in a
slightly shaky voice.
“I hope your journey wasn’t too difficult.”
Alphord nodded lightly. She couldn’t breathe for a moment. Her
heart was full. She had a father she thought she’d never see again.
“Have you taken a meal yet?”
“No. I suppose you were all wai ng for me because I arrived later
than expected. Let’s start with the meal. “
With that Alphord made to the dining hall first, followed by his three
children. He would o en arrive at the castle late at night and would
go to the dining hall as soon as he arrived. No one knew how special
this dinner was for Elena today. She walked quietly behind him as she
tried to hide the moisture forming in her eyes.
They arrived in the hall, the centerpiece of it which was a long table
covered in white tablecloth. The table was large enough to
accommodate twenty people, and it was neatly decorated with
candles and flowers. Before Alphord had arrived Elena had taken care
of the arrangements.
As usual her father was seated at the head of the table and Derek sat
on his right, while Elena and Mirabelle were seated on his le . The
servants began to bring in the food, and as soon as they finished
their plates the next course would come in. In the past when they
celebrated Alphord’s homecoming the family would enjoy dinner
because of Elena’s careful prepara ons, but tonight she had pulled
out all the stops. No one would say it, but the large table was so full it
looked prac cally miniscule underneath the huge feast. Mirabelle
mumbled “There’s something wrong” while Alphord and Derek
enjoyed their meal silently. It was Alphord who broke the familial
silence.
“Are you going to par cipate in this year’s sword figh ng
compe on?”
Everyone at the table knew he was talking to Derek. Derek hadn’t
been able to in the compe on in the capital city because of an
injury he suffered during a training session. Her father and brother
didn’t speak about it, but that she knew Derek had deep regret for
being able to par cipate.
“Yes, I’m thinking of going this me.”
“If you decide to par cipate, try and perform well.”
“I will.”
Maybe this was just how a conversa on between a father and a son
went. Elena pressed down a smile as she listened conversa on
between the two extremely similar men. In the past she felt
conversa ons between the two stern-sounding men were
uncomfortable, but now she simply smiled. As the meal went on,
Alphord turned his a en on towards Elena.
“You were to a end Glen’s wedding, weren’t you?”
“Ah, yes.”
“I heard you came home because you had an upset stomach on the
way. I know you’re trying to take care of others, but do not leave this
place. You’ve probably learned from this, but we need to learn how
to manage our own lives.”
“…Yes.”
“If Derek par cipates in this sword figh ng compe on, he may have
to live with me in the capital city in the future, and you will have
more du es here at home. Don’t pay a en on to any more
unnecessary things, and concentrate more on the housework.”
Elena paused as she held her fork. A er a moment she replied in a
subdued voice.
“Yes, Father.”
“I’m glad Mirabelle’s health is improving, but don’t forget that you
have to care for your sister all of the me.”
“…I will.”
“Your brother is the pillar of our family. He will follow my footsteps
later and lead the Fourth Order of the Knights of the royal family. As I
have said, women do well in the homes and with children. I don’t
expect much from you, but work hard on the housework un l you get
married.”
She heard this all the me in her previous life, but suddenly she
couldn’t figure out why these words weighed so heavily on her chest
now. Elena’s expression turned sullen, and Mirabelle burst open in
anger.
“Why is it only women are doing all the housework these days? Even
though Father opposes it, women can also prac ce sword figh ng
and have professional jobs.”
“Because those people don’t come from noble birth. You don’t have
to go to such trouble.”
“And can’t you just let sister choose her own marriage partner?”
“You’re talking nonsense. Elena, what do you teach your sister at
home?”
Elena glared at Mirabelle to stop. Then she answered to her father in
a so voice.
“I’m sorry. Mirabelle is s ll young.”
“Mirabelle, don’t take a er your sister.”
“…Tch.”
Even with Alphord’s firm tone, Mirabelle simply pouted her lips. If it
were Elena who did this she would have been reprimanded within an
inch of her life, but Mirabelle had never been scolded because she
was sickly and hadn’t been expected to live long. As usual, Alphord
stared at Mirabelle in a disapproving manner but quickly moved on
as if things were fine.
Since Elena’s childhood she had had a lot of responsibili es to fill in
her mother’s absence–the care of the family, the care of the family
men, and the care of her younger sister. It was all up to her, but she
had never been dissa sfied with her life. She was simply living out
her des ny. But tonight, she felt disappointment at what her father
had said… Perhaps she wanted to be recognized her sacrifice. She
had endured so much when her family had died in the future, and
there was some hope he could appreciate the tears and sweat she
had given for this family. She was just as capable as her father.
Elena swallowed a bi er smile. It was like a dream to have a meal
together like this. There was no end to human greed. She wanted her
family to be ignorant of the life she lived, but at the same me she
wanted to be rewarded? Elena laughed inwardly at her selfishness.
This was alright. She didn’t want any more than this. Elena swallowed
the lump in her throat and tried to be fine with her meal.
Dinner concluded with a brief chat with one another along with the
occasional cla ering of dishes. Finally, each family member dispersed
into their own rooms while Elena had to stayed behind in the dining
room to clean up. Although she did not work with her sleeves rolled
up, it was her job to distribute jobs and supervise the servants.
A er she finished her work and le the dining room, she saw a
steaming mug wai ng for her at a table. As soon as she saw it, she
knew immediately that there was sweet cocoa in it. It was the kind of
gi that Derek would some mes leave for Elena. Since she was a
li le girl, when she heard something that made her angry at a family
gathering, he would give her sweet cocoa. Perhaps the conversa on
at dinner was on Derek’s mind.
‘…I haven’t received cocoa in a long me. Why haven’t I recognized
my brother’s kindness before?’
She warmed her hands around the mug, and the comfort seemed to
seep into her thoughts.
13.
A er preparing for bed with the help of her maid, Elena stood in
front of her bedroom with the mug of cocoa in her hands. She sensed
that someone was inside and guessed their iden ty. She walked into
the room innocently when suddenly someone jumped out with a yell.
“Ha!”
Elena turned her head and saw Mirabelle making a scary face. Her
sister had probably been wai ng there for a while and Elena
belatedly wondered if she should act surprised, but then she realized
the ming was off. Elena placed the cocoa on a table.
“What are you doing here? I told not to enter my room without
permission.”
“Oh, what’s the big deal? …It’s just one me.”
Mirabelle’s voice so ened a mumble, and Elena’s mouth couldn’t
help but twitch. Mirabelle tossed a pillow at Elena.
“I was wai ng to sleep with my sister today.”
“Why do you want to sleep with me all of a sudden? You’re not a
child anymore.”
“But…didn’t what Father said hurt you?”
Mirabelle said with concern in her voice, but Elena shook her head
and simply stroked her sister’s hair.
“Not at all.”
“I think Father is the strictest on you some mes. He overlooks Derek
or me even when I complain all the me.”
“There was nothing wrong with what Father did.”
“It was wrong! I hate it when Father says things like that.”
Mirabelle’s anger made Elena’s disappointment melt away like snow.
She had no idea if Mirabelle knew that Elena had no hatred towards
their father, who had always supported her, even in her past life
when she wished for her father to treat her more kindly. She wished
her father shared the same warmth he had for her sister, and had the
same expecta ons he had for her brother.
Despite the the fact the me had turned backwards, the feeling
remained unchanged. Elena could feel it again. She really had
returned to the past. As a cold-blooded female knight, she had
forgo en what it was like to be the daughter of count. It was said
that loca on makes people, and while she had lived another life for
about twenty years, as the days went by she was slowly assimila ng
to the feelings of her current present. She didn’t imagine that she
would feel disappointment seeing her father alive and well…
But at this moment, all her remorse had melted away. The cocoa she
received and Mirabelle’s warm words made everything all right. Once
again she thanked God for having her family around her.
Elena climbed into bed first and pa ed the place beside her.
“Come here, let’s go to sleep.”
Mirabelle’s face lit up and she grabbed her pillow and jumped into
bed. It was just as sweet a sugges on to Elena as it was to Mirabelle,
who hadn’t shared a bed with her sister for a long me. Elena hadn’t
been able to sleep properly ever since returning to the past, worrying
that if she opened her eyes it would all turn out to be a dream. She
whispered to her sister so ly, feeling the weight and warmth of
Mirabelle filling the space next to her.
“Mirabelle.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Mirabelle’s voice was already thick with drowsiness. Elena wrapped
her arms around her sister and slowly closed her eyes.
“Thank you for being by my side, my sister.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t go anywhere now. I…I was so lonely.”
“Hehe, I’m going to leave without my sister.”
As she listened Mirabelle’s teasing voice, Elena was able to indulge in
a sense of comfort she had not felt for a very long me. For years she
had raised her sword in pursuit of revenge, and even when she had
returned the past she couldn’t fully leave the ins nct behind. She
soon fell into a deep sleep. As far as Elena remembered, it was the
sweetest sleep in the world.
*
*
*
“One, two…forty-nine, fi y.”
She was doing a muscular workout, holding on to a solid horizontal
bar that connected bedposts and li ing her body weight with only
her arms. It was a early morning, not yet sunrise, but a er arriving at
Blaise Castle she trained every single day. She may have saved
Carlisle this me, but there was no way of knowing the future
a erwards. There was so much she had to prepare in order to bring
down Paveluc. Among them, sword figh ng should be the most basic
skill. In her previous life, she had focused on escaping a er her family
was destroyed and didn’t learn it right away. If corrected, the me
she spent now she could be used in reaching a higher level than she
did in the past. Elena was determined to reach that goal.
“Ha.”
She finally released the horizontal bar with both hands, breathing
hard. When she landed on the floor she did not rest and immediately
went outside. Luckily, the Blaise’s were a family of had a lot of space
for physical training. Elena had chosen running as the most effec ve
training method that no one would feel suspicious about.

Tadag, tadag.
There was the constant sound of footsteps as the family knights
marched around the training ground. Some of them glanced
strangely at her when she had run this for three mornings straight,
but eventually they become familiar with her rou ne. She avoided
most of them by working out very early in the day.
Elena was running and breathing steadily when a long shadow came
up to her. Elena glanced sideways at the person approaching. It was a
handsome man with a tall, healthy body and a stoic expression,
running like a perfect specimen of a knight. It was her brother Derek.
Elena greeted him with a fur ve nod but didn’t stop un l she
reached her the end of her lap. Derek, who had been running beside
her, stopped and heaved in huge breathes next to her.
“What caused you to suddenly start exercising?”
14.
“What caused you to suddenly start exercising?”
Derek was told that Elena had started working out, but he thought it
wouldn’t be long before she quit. As the cherished daughters of the
count, Elena and Mirabelle had grown up sheltered like plants in a
greenhouse. Mirabelle was excep onally weak, and Elena to a
smaller extent. He thought Elena would quit at any moment, but she
exercised steadily for days, piquing his curiosity.
Now that he ran with her, he couldn’t help but see his sister in a
different light. She wasn’t one to quit overnight. She must have some
sort of strong will driving her.
“Fitness is important no ma er what you do. My dear brother may
not know this, but I can’t do the housework if my body is weak.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. Are you going to exercise more? I’ll go now.”
“Yes, but don’t overdo it. If you push yourself too hard at first, you
will hurt your body.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
Elena bowed lightly to Derek and went back into the castle, while he
looked proudly at her retrea ng figure.
*
*
*
As soon as Elena arrived to her room, she checked the ankle weights
on her feet. There were three small sandbags ed each slender
ankle. Even by sight one could tell they were of considerable weight.
Contrary to Derek’s advice, she was doing all she could to become as
fit as possible in a short amount of me. She would suffer from
severe muscle pain for several days, but she knew from experience
that this would eventually disappear. She looked at the ankle weights
and murmured to herself.
“…Should I add another one?”
Fortunately, the life of a noblewoman was remarkably simple, if
monotonous. Most of the noble young women would have breakfast,
lunch, then dinner, then spend the rest of their me improving their
appearance. Changing hairstyles, choosing dresses, or ge ng skin
care. Everything was centered around grooming oneself. The easiest
way for women to ascend in status was to marry higher-ranked men,
and there was no fiercer compe on than in beauty.
Elena’s case was unusual, as she personally managed her father’s
wealth. Normally a er marriage the wife would manage the
household, but since Alphord had not remarried it fell upon her.
Perhaps that was why she was mature for her age. A er calcula ng
her father’s salary, family spending, and other miscellaneous
expenses, she had a realiza on. Other aristocrats would normally
spend extravagantly, and it was understandable that the noblemen
wanted to marry off their daughters.
Furthermore, if the children failed to increase their status, most of
them ended up married in a class similar to their own. Then the cost
of extravagance invested since childhood was simply wasted. When
she looked at the other children in that way, she naturally saved
money and refused to a end social gatherings unless it was
necessary. Elena loved the extra me she had. A er she took care of
her family’s meals and did her du es as a hostess, she was le alone
and not interrupted by anyone.
A er morning exercises and basic tasks as usual, Elena sat down at
her desk in her office. A wave of emo on swept over this once lost
familiarity, but she was able to adjust to it quickly. She s ll didn’t
know if she was able to go to Glenn’s wedding, and there were many
documents that had piled up the past several days. She could have
dealt with it all at once, but for the moment it was important to build
up stamina, so she pushed herself a li le bit every day. It was when
Elena was mechanically examining the documents and stamping the
Blaise’s seal of approval that an invita on that caught her eye.
“This…when did this come?”
An red eagle stamped in the center of the white envelope was a seal
from a household Elena knew well. Marchioness Holland. The
emperor had posthumously bestowed the tle of Marquis to a man
who died in one of his wars. In some ways it was meaningless to have
a marchioness without a marquis, but in this case it was not so.
Marissa Holland, the wife of the man who died in the war, was
enjoying her posi on a powerful figure in southern high society. She
sent invita ons and personally held tea par es, and used the money
collected to help the underprivileged. They were gatherings anyone
would have to a end, even if they were less ac ve in society.
It had already been a week since Carlisle promised to visit her in ten
days. That would be three days from now, and the tea party was the
day before. She wanted to train as much as possible before mee ng
Carlisle again, and it was frustra ng to think that she should spend
her me in unexpected social events.
‘What did I do in my past life? Did I a end this tea party?’
She remembered the important events, but her two-decade old
memories were sparse on the smaller details. She wondered if she
had anything suitable for the tea party. She didn’t like to spend
money on luxury items such as dresses and jewelry, and o en
mended old dresses to wear. Elena like to live as simply as possible,
but she was aware she was s ll part of the aristocracy. If she looked
like a pushover it would only be natural for the Blaise’s to be ignored.
She had no desire to catch anyone’s eye at these gathering, but she
didn’t want to appear sloppy either.
“…I wish I didn’t have to do this.”
Despite her complaints about unnecessary work, Elena pushed her
chair aside and walked towards her dressing room. It had been a
while since she made an appearance in high society, but she hadn’t
forgo en what she was taught as a child. It was full of gossip and
cri cism. If she wore a dress that was behind in fashion trends, she
could only imagine what the other ladies would say.
‘There’s no need to be too flashy. I just need enough to a end.’
Just as Elena expected. all of her clothes in her wardrobe were too
old-fashioned. Not long ago when she was trying on clothes for when
she would meet her father, she realized she was in a miserable
situa on.
“…Haa.”
She couldn’t stop a sigh from escaping from her lips. There was a
squeak as the door to the room opened and Mirabelle poked her
head in.
“What are you doing, sister?”
Mirabelle was usually careful not to disturb her sister when she was
doing household work, but she became curious when she chanced
upon her sister going to the dressing room. When Elena saw the
image of cute li le Mirabelle, Elena answered her with a small smile.
“I received an invita on to a tea party, so I was looking for a dress to
wear.”
“A tea party?”
“The invita on must have come in a while ago and I found out too
late.”
“Well if it’s that important then I don’t think you have a dress to wear
to something like that.”
Mirabelle knew Elena’s simple life be er than anyone, so she didn’t
have to check the dressing room to know the state of her wardrobe.
Mirabelle wanted to nag her sister further but she kept her mouth
shut at Elena’s furrowed expression. Elena looked at her dressing
room and mumbled to herself.
“How long will it take to have one altered?”
Her dresses were out of style, but a couple of them seemed to be
worth wearing if a tailor could add some extra lace in the sleeves or
waistline. Mirabelle answered, shaking her head.
“There are probably so many orders for the crown prince’s debut ball
that it won’t be possible if the tea party is soon.”
“Really?”
“Remember the last me we ordered gowns to a end a ball? We
kept hearing that excuse why it was so slow to finish.”
Mirabelle’s words sounded similar to some other memory that
happened long of ago. Mirabelle was eagerly looking forward to
Prince Carlisle’s appearance and they felt like they had won a prize
when their gowns were finally completely. Elena didn’t answer this of
course, and Mirabelle looked at her strangely. Elena smiled
awkwardly and quickly responded.
“Oh right. You did.”
Mirabelle stared at Elena for a moment, then looked around the
dressing room that was too small to belong to a noblewoman.
“…Anyway, this is important.”
Although Elena wasn’t bi er, she couldn’t create from something
they didn’t have. Although the Blaise’s were not extravagantly
wealthy, she had never been short of money because of Elena’s
simple lifestyle. However, she could s ll be caught up in bad gossip if
she did something wrong. Elena took out the neatest-looking dress.
“Well, I can’t help it. It’s my responsibility for not being prepared.”
“No! I have a dress that was recently tailored. You can take the lace
off the dress and a ach it to yours.”
“Please, no. That will ruin your dress.”
“Oh come on, we can rea ach it again later.”
“But–”
“I don’t like it when people whisper about you. But in return there’s
something I want.”
“What is it?”
Mirabelle may look young on the outside, but she was a smart child
for her age. She hardly asked for anything which made Elena wonder
what she wanted.
“I’m coming to this tea party with you!”
“What?”
Elena was surprised by Mirabelle’s unexpected declara on. Mirabelle
was too frail and weak to go out. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to
make appearances in society, but rarely did so. Of course, it wasn’t by
her choice choice, but somehow it seemed a li le odd that Mirabelle,
who didn’t have much experience at par es, suddenly said she
wanted to a end.
“Why do you want to a end a tea party like this all of a sudden? If it’s
just to get some fresh air, I’ll take you to a fancier party, not a small
gathering like this.”
“Is Lady Selby going to be there too?”
“The party is hosted by Marchioness Holland, so she will be there
unless something unusual happens.”
“That’s enough for me,”
Mirabelle said resolutely, further sparking Elena’s curiosity. Did
Mirabelle not get along with Lady Selby? How could she have a
grudge against someone when she had been absent at social
gatherings? Mirabelle had received no a en on in society at present.
It wasn’t just her. Elena and the Blaise’s were never in the center of
a en on. She wondered what memory she had forgo en.
“What about Lady Selby?”
“Did you forget it already?”
Mirabelle didn’t elaborate any further. Elena tried to remember,
cas ng her eyes upwards for a moment. When she couldn’t recall
anything, she responded carefully again.
“…I don’t remember.”
“It’s okay. You don’t understand.”
“…?”
“But even if you forget, Mirabelle never forgets a grudge. Oh, yes.”
“…A grudge?”
This me Elena really looked curious, listening to her sister’s words
that were inappropriate for her.
Tsh–
Mirabelle pulled the dress from Elena’s hands.
“Anyway, I’ll take your dress and fix it. You get permission from Father
so I can go with you.”
With that, Mirabelle took her dress and le . Elena had some dim
memories of Lady Selby, but she couldn’t think of anything else.
Helen Selby.
She was the only daughter of Marquis Shelby and lacked nothing in
her life. She was admired for her beau ful appearance, slim figure,
and a good pedigree. In Elena’s previous life, many of the noblemen
had proposed to Lady Selby.

‘…What happened?’
Her memories were dim on Lady Selby as Elena had immediately fled
to another country beyond Ruford’s borders a er her family’s deaths.
Lady Selby might have married a man worthy of her. Only a er Elena
became a knight did she learn about the other nobles of Ruford
Empire so she could take her revenge on Paveluc. However, a
Marchioness Selby was not among the names she remembered. Was
it because Lady Selby hadn’t been a noble within the capital city?
There was no way for her to know now. However, when she
pondered on the name Helen Selby, she remembered a strange
scene. When she went to a large party with many people, there was
someone giving her a par cular look. She couldn’t figure out why, but
the feeling was ominous. She thought it was the beau ful Helen
staring at her with cold eyes.

TN: The new character’s name is Ellen but it’s too similar to Elena, so
I changed it to Helen.
14.
Knock knock.
That evening, Elena knocked on her father’s door at Mirabelle’s
request. Her father would only be at home for only a few days before
leaving for the capital again. This me would likely be the same. Her
heart was filled with longing for her father who she didn’t see o en,
but this was the first me she privately visited him since arriving back
in the past because she found it difficult to talk to him. Even now, she
felt like she couldn’t express her feelings honestly. If only she could a
li le bit more cute and charming like Mirabelle, or if she could live up
to her father’s expecta ons like her brother…
She clenched and unclenched her hands nervously. The gruff voice of
Alphord came from inside the room.
“Come in.”
At his permission, Elena carefully opens the door and stepped inside.
Alphord was si ng at a large desk with a tall stack of papers to one
side. She wasn’t the only one who had been busy. He probably had
more paperwork than her since he was always gone for long periods.
He glanced up at Elena, who was standing there silently, then opened
his mouth to speak first.
“What is it?”
She tried to recall what she had said to those familiar words, but
could not find a gree ng for her father. She had taken care of her
family since she was young and grew up clever and quick-wi ed, but
Alphord acted rather bluntly towards his family. She o en felt
mistreated about her father’s and brother’s behaviors, but somehow,
she ended up as the image of those two.
“I’m apologize if you’re busy. I came to ask you something. I want to
take Mirabelle to the tea party hosted by Marchioness Holland.”
“Mirabelle? No ma er how well she is doing these days, she may
have another seizure if you strain her. Try to a end these social
gatherings by yourself.”
As a family of pres gious knights, the Blaises valued power most.
They tended to think li le of the poli cs and gossip of society, and to
him Elena’s life was merely children’s play. Of course, Elena
understood that way of thinking having grown up in a knight’s family,
but she did not approve of neglec ng this aspect of society. They
should never take gossip lightly. The value of it was be er
understood by Elena, who had already lived through a life me once.
“Mirabelle must eventually lead a social life as a countess. She said
she wanted to go to the party herself. You know you can’t stop her
from going out forever. I’ll bring her back safely, so you can leave her
care to me.”
“Mirabelle is not healthy like you. You will put her at risk.”
“I’m worried about Mirabelle’s health too. But no ma er how weak
she is, you can’t raise her like a bird in a cage. I think you should
listen to Mirabelle for once. We’ll be very careful to come back.”
Elena wasn’t careless about her sister’s health. She wasn’t doing this
just as a favor to Mirabelle because she was mending her dress, but
because it was what her sister really wanted.
Alphord stared silently at Elena as he ruminated over her words, then
spoke to her with an inscrutable expression on his face.
“Elena, you’re not talking like yourself. Since when did you start
challenging me?”
Elena felt shamed by her father’s scolding. She couldn’t remember
what she was like to her father in the past. Did she say things like this
to him back then?
“I–”
Elena tried to explain with trembling eyes, but Alphord snapped at
her.
“Alright. If you want her to go so much, she can go.”
“Ah…Thank you, Father.”
“If something happens to Mirabelle, you will be held responsible.”
“…”
“This is the last me. As I’ve told you before, try not to go outside as
much as possible. A woman should keep an eye on the house un l
she gets married. “
“…Yes, Father.”
“I wasn’t going to tell you this un l I was sure, but you have a
proposal from House Morris.”
The words flashed like lightning in her heard. Since she was born into
nobility it was expected of her to marry someone chosen by her
parents, but she hadn’t heard of this in her previous life. Elena
ques oned him in a slightly shaky voice.
“A marriage proposal for me?”
“Yes, that’s why I’m concerned. You are old enough to get married. In
fact, you’re probably a li le late because to your mother’s death. I’m
going to decide your marriage before it’s too late.”
She wanted to ask him why he didn’t say this in his previous life, but
she seemed to already know the answer. One year from now, House
Blaise would be doomed. If so, chances were high that the
matchmaking had failed. Moreover, the conversa on revealed that
her father must have never heard told her in the past because he
didn’t mean to tell her from the start.
She didn’t know how other noblemen’s daughters reacted a er being
told that their parents had decided who they would marry. But
weren’t there two main reac ons? You wonder who your match is, or
you cry and scream that you do not want to get married.
Elena also wondered about the family name Morris. However, she
did not feel excitement, anxiety and grief like other ordinary noble
children. She had already decided to marry for her the sake of her
family anyway. She wished that her father would speak to her more
warmly, but she had no objec ons to otherwise.
“I understand. I know that you will make a good choice, but I s ll
want to marry to a posi on that would be the most beneficial to
House Blaise.”
“…Really?”
Alphord’s normally stern face fli ed with surprise. He had thought
she would be in tears at the thought of being separated from
Mirabelle. He didn’t expect her to give such a ra onal answer. But
the surprise did not end there.
“If possible, I want him to come from a family that’s a higher status
than marquis. If he’s a knight want him to be at least as good as my
brother in sword figh ng, and if he’s a merchant I want him be one of
the richest men in the empire. If not, then I want him high enough
that he can have private conversa ons with His Majesty.”
“Is that what you wish?”
She wished her future husband would handsome, caring and gentle.
“Yes. I don’t care about appearance, age or personality at all. Old
man, fat man. I hope that one of the condi ons I men oned will be
met.”

“…I see.”
Elena breathed a small sigh of relief at her father’s reply. The ideal
man she wanted was someone who was handsome and had a good
personality. It would be difficult if her father arbitrarily chose any
man. At least she firmly gave her opinion, and it was be er than
revealing her whole story. She would meet with Crown Prince Carlisle
in a few days, but if that marriage failed then she would have to meet
another man anyways.
‘…I don’t care if you don’t know. I’ll protect the Blaises, Father.’
She slowly turned to leave the room un l her father spoke again.
“Unlike you, Mirabelle is a delicate child. No ma er how far you go,
come back safely.”
She paused, but then she stepped forward as if nothing had
happened. Elena replied to him so ly, closing the door without
looking back.
“Good night, Father.”

16.
The next morning, Mirabelle guided Elena into her room with her
small hand. Elena’s eyes were closed as she blindly groped her way
forward, un l finally Mirabelle stopped.
“Tada!”
At the word, Elena slowly raised her eyelids and looked at the scene
in front of her.
Immediately hanging before her was the dress Mirabelle had taken
yesterday. For the most part it looked like her neat white and green
dress. The problem before was that the sleeves, waistlines, and skirt
were too plain, but now the dress she saw felt completely different
from that of yesterday. Lace was added to the sleeves and shoulders,
and a mesh with beads was added to the skirt to make it more
elegant. The lower neckline showed her bust, and the dress had been
modified to emphasize her narrow waist line.
Despite the short no ce, the modifica ons on the dress were almost
indis nguishable from that of a professional tailor. She felt her mouth
drop open in astonishment.
“You did this yourself?”
“Yes, I did the overall design, but the maid helped me a lot.”
“Incredible. I didn’t you know had this talent.”
She spoke from the bo om of her heart. Since Elena was a li le girl,
she had been completely illiterate when it came to fashion. She
always like the tradi onal and simple rather than dazzling and
glamourous. Instead of enjoying the a en on of others, she always
wanted to blend in rather than standing out, are there was not much
to boast about. From a dress to a tea cup, her selec ons were so
lackluster that Elena didn’t consider herself to be very feminine. She
couldn’t afford luxuries a er her family died anyway, but her tastes
were s ll the same when she lived as a noblewoman. She didn’t
expect Mirabelle to have this gi .
“Do you think I would look good in it?”
“Who do you think you’re talking to? You can tell just by looking at
it.”
Mirabelle said lightly.
“Do you want to study this?”
“No ma er what I think, Father will say that a woman should be
modest and stay home.”
Elena didn’t want to argue with her father, but she didn’t want to
restrain Mirabelle either. If Elena became a princess–then empress–
as planned then Mirabelle would not be so free in the future. But her
sister wanted to live more freely than anyone else. If Mirabelle
wanted a professional job, Elena was willing to give her all the
support she could.
“Father’s opinion is important, but you have to decide your life on
your own. I’ll help you if you want, so just tell me if you feel that
way.”
At Elena’s warm advice, Mirabelle nodded and a grateful smile spread
on her face.
“Yes, thank you, sister.”
“You’re welcome. I’m very grateful to you, Mirabelle.”
Elena’s dress was sa sfactory, although Mirabelle’s dress had to take
apart in pieces to provide the lace and the mesh. Elena felt a li le
guilty for having ruined Mirabele’s new dress to fix it. From the small
to the large, Mirabelle thought only of her. A warm happiness filled
her body.
“Heh. How embarrassing…”
Mirabelle scratched her nose, then pointed to the altered dress and
spoke again.
“Would you like to try it on?”
“Of course.”
Elena hurried to put on the dress with the help of her maid. She
thought it would be wonderful to wear a dress that Mirabelle create
herself from start to finish one day.
Chorreuk–
A er changing into the new dress and making the necessary
adjustments, the maid drew open the curtains of the dressing room.
Mirabelle’s mouth opened. In actuality Elena might have gone a li le
overboard with her praise, and while the dress was well mended, the
fact that the original dress was s ll out of style had not changed. But
as soon as Elena wore it it was transformed.
Sun-kissed blonde hair and clear pale skin made the dress mul tudes
of mes more valuable. The pale flesh of her cleavage enchanted the
viewer and the curves of her body cinched into a small waistline.
Mirabelle had only added a mesh with lace and beads to her dress,
but it made the dress feel more elegant than any other dress in the
world.
The dress was not important. The wearer of this dress, however, was
magnificent. As Mirabelle stared with fascina on, Elena spoke so ly.
“Is it weird?”
“Oh, no! It’s so pre y, sister! It’s the best!”
Mirabelle stretched out her arms and gave her two thumbs up. She
meant it without a hint of sarcasm. In fact, it occurred to Elena that if
Mirabelle hadn’t mended the dress, Elena might’ve thought the
original was perfectly acceptable. She gave a twirl in front of the
mirror and admired her sister’s crea on.
“It’s all thanks to the dress you made.”
“Someone might misunderstand if they hear you, sister. I only fixed it
up a li le bit.”

“No, I love it. This is Mirabelle’s first work, so I will keep it in the
future.”
Mirabelle felt a sense of pride as she saw Elena enjoying her dress.
Mirabelle didn’t know if she had some sort of talent, but seeing Elena
enjoy it so much made her want to make more. Burning in her heart
was the fresh discovery of a new talent.
Mirabelle’s gaze suddenly fell on Elena’s naked neck.
“Sister, do you have any necklaces? It would be nice to have
something to draw the eye to the collarbone.”
“I have a few, but I’m not sure if I have any that match,”
Elena said with an awkward smile. Mirabelle probably knew what
was in Elena’s jewelry box be er than Elena did. She s ll only had a
few jewels from their mother, and some she had bought for herself.
Mirabelle felt sorry for Elena, who was always saving money even
when they were not lacking.
‘…Big sister, you can be a li le more extravagant.’
Elena was such a lovely woman who could do with a few more
adornments, but she would s ll be more beau ful than all young
people at the tea party. Mirabelle smiled secretly to herself as she
remembered Helen, whom she had only seen once before.
17.
Before long, the day of the tea party luncheon had arrived. As it was
a charity event, Marchioness Marissa Holland kept it rela vely simple
instead of extravagant.
However, the ladies and gentlemen who a ended the tea party were
by no means common guests. As it should be. Marissa was a leading
member of high society in the south, and though the event was only
one small tea party, no one invited would have refused.
As the hour for the tea party approached, magnificent carriages
began to flow into the Holland estate. None of those present treated
the event casually and everyone was splendidly a red. High society
was a small group, but it was s ll a ba lefield.
Outdoor tables and chairs were arranged neatly under the shade of a
spacious garden, within it a tree that the Hollands boasted was
centuries old. The guests, one by one, began to flock here under the
guidance of the a endants as Marissa greeted them.
“I’ve heard rumors about this tree. It’s ancient, isn’t it? That’s
incredible, My Lady.”
“I’m fla ered. I thought you couldn’t a end today because you had a
cold, but thank you for coming to see me.”
“Not at all. My wife invited me to come with her and I couldn’t turn it
down.”
Becoming a pillar of high society, where real power lay, was not a
posi on that could only be gained by looking beau ful or having a
high posi on. Of course, both condi ons were necessary to some
extent, but it was not a tle anyone could have. Marissa was now
well over forty, and while she was rela vely a rac ve, she wasn’t
quite a stunning beauty. Marissa’s main reason for domina ng
southern society was her dignity. Her excellent leadership and
discernment what was right and wrong made her what she was
today, and many ladies had begun to follow her. The conversa on
around the southern social elite flowed around her smoothly.
As the me drew near for the party, most of the people who arrived
early were cha ng away. Un l then, Helen pretended to be looking
around the garden and waited un l almost everyone gathered. It was
only a er a sidelong glance did she determine it was me to move
into the scene.
Helen, the only daughter of Marquis Selby, was one of the three most
beau ful women in the region, with her dark blonde hair that flowed
like honey and smooth, unblemished skin. She also had brown, cat-
like eyes that matched her perfect heart-shaped lips. It was her
signature trademark, and when she wore red lips ck she would kiss a
ssue to create a picturesque heart shape. Her dress had been a
priority job for this party, a deep green that matched the color of the
garden. The unique color dress and the design was so ingenious it
would capture the eye of anyone.
Helen made sure she arrived later than the others and was naturally
in the center of a en on. Like the phrase, “The main character
always appears at the end,” the eyes that focused on her were the
ones she had waited for.
As expected, some of the young people gathered began to whisper
and point to Helen. She couldn’t hear what they said but she could
imagine their awe.
Where did she get that dress? Is this my first me seeing that kind of
gem? All it was sure to be words of praise for her. Helen could easily
read the familiar envy on their faces. Walking her way through the
crowd Helen approached Marissa.
“Thank you for your invita on. The garden is as beau ful as your
elegant figure.”
She thickly poured out excessive praise. Every ac on was carefully
calculated. As Helen had planned, Marissa spoke to her in a gentle
voice.
“Thank you for your words. You are always beau ful, but today you
are glowing.”
“Oh, I don’t know what to say.”
Helen blushed shyly. She seemed so humble on the surface in the
eyes of the other ladies. She had a good pedigree as the daughter of
Marquis Selby, and he had a beau ful appearance. Along with her
polite personality, Helen was the ideal aristocrat. Helen smiled like
the main character in a story as she basked in everyone’s a en on.
Tpp, tpp–
Steady footsteps were making their way towards them. Helen, who
felt she had accomplished the goal, was elated and indifferent to
anything else.
However, she soon realized that the eyes that were looking at her
were moving somewhere else. Helen turned her head in the
direc on the crowd was staring at.
“…Ah.”
Her mouth opened without her even realizing it. There were two
beau ful young women walking into the garden, their pure golden
hair flowing in the gentle breeze. One was a tall adult woman and the
other was s ll a girl. Both a racted a en on with their beauty, but
most of it fell on the older woman. Long blonde hair, skin like freshly
fallen snow, and jeweled red eyes. There were no ornaments on her
slim, long neckline, and the white and green dress seemed tacky to
Helen. In short, everything was well past fashion. The problem was…
Everyone was dazed. Just like the compliment Marissa gave Helen,
Elena seemed to glow herself. Helen knew very well who suddenly
appeared. A woman who always brought a en on to herself in a
moment like this.
It was Elena, the eldest daughter of House Blaise.
Helen’s eyes turned towards Mirabelle, who was affec onately
holding hands with her older sister. Though Helen didn’t remember
her face well, she could recognize her without too much effort.
Mirabelle didn’t have the same intense gaze as Elena’s scarlet eyes,
but anyone could tell she was her sister with her blonde hair and
facial features.

A er being momentarily distracted by the two sisters, Helen

hurriedly came to herself and looked around. Everyone was looking
at them with an awestruck expression.
Helen clenched her fists. Her manicured nails pierced the palm of her
hand, but she did not feel the pain. Helen’s eyes began to blaze
fiercely as she glowered at Elena.
‘…I was robbed again.’
It had always been this way. When Elena appeared, Helen was
outshined like a firefly in front of the sun. It was all the more
comparable because they both had blond hair. Elena’s hair was as
bright and as golden as if it was bathed in sunshine, while Helen’s
hair was as duller and closer to a light brown.
She felt the urge to take a hot cup of tea and throw it in Elena’s face.
She would destroy her somehow. She would do anything to get rid of
her completely.
18.
Marissa greeted Elena as she approached.
“Welcome, young lady. For a while I was worried that you might be
sick because I hadn’t seen you in some me. I’m glad you were able
to come today.”
Elena felt a li le guilty when she no ced Marissa’s disappointment,
and she gave a humble smile.
“I’ve always wanted to a end your par es, but as you know I spend
so much me managing the household. I’m glad to see you again
a er all this me.”
Marissa was well aware that Elena managed the Blaise household,
but she didn’t believe that Elena didn’t have me to a end her
gatherings. Marissa herself was also in charge of the estate of her
late husband, but she wasn’t so busy that she couldn’t a end par es
either. However, Marissa simply smiled and didn’t say such details.
“By the way, who is this cute young lady? Is she your sister?”
“Yes she is, Madame.”
Mirabelle, who was listening to the two women’s conversa on,
turned to greet Marissa.
“Hello, Madame. I’m Mirabelle Blaise. I am here with my sister.”
Although Mirabelle was s ll young, she was sure to grow up
beau fully. She may not have the same intense beauty as her sister,
but her lively aura spoke of great promise in the future.
“Oh, all of the Blaise children are simply beau ful. It’s a pleasure to
meet you, young lady.”
Somehow, Elena felt as if she herself had been praised. A er they
exchanged their gree ngs, a white-haired old man who appeared to
be a butler approached Marissa and whispered politely in her ear.
“Pardon me, My Lady. All the guests have arrived and we are ready
for the party. “
“Thank you, Jeffrey.”
Marissa looked back at Elena and Mirabelle in apology.
“This is a simple tea party, but I hope you enjoy yourselves. We’re
going to have a big ball next me, so please come and grace our
seats. “
“Yes, Madame.”
Marissa moved to the head of the table with a benevolent smile on
her face. Elena didn’t know if this was meant to be a small tea party
for close friends to gather, but there were more than twenty noble
ladies and young daughters. No ma er how small the event may be,
Marissa was a powerful member of the community, and the number
of people a ending would inevitably differ from the norm.
Marissa took the lead to greet everyone.
“Welcome, all. Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone for accep ng my
invita on. I feel wonderful because the weather is sunny, too. So now
let’s sit down and enjoy all the delicious refreshments together.”
Several ladies smiled at Marissa’s introduc on. To outsiders this may
not be a big deal, but one of the most important details about these
par es was placement. The closer to the host you were, the be er
the seats.
Elena took a table with Mirabelle at the far end of the garden. It
couldn’t be helped. Chairs were prepared in accordance with the
number of guests at each table, and Mirabelle had suddenly been
added when only one Blaise was expected to a end. To prevent this
situa on, the host had to be informed of the number of people
before a ending the party, but Elena had already responded too late.
Since Mirabelle could not sit in someone else’s seat, it was only
natural that they sat down somewhere else. Since Elena didn’t
ac vely a end social gatherings anyway, and there was also the
possibility of her not a ending and taking the seat. If she were a
powerful young woman, she could easily request inner seats in this
situa on, but the posi on of House Blaise in high society was not a
lo y one.
Elena didn’t feel disappointed– it was all rather expected. Marissa
had welcomed her anyway even Elena did not make many
appearances. It also occurred to Elena that perhaps this distant
corner was more suitable for enjoying the atmosphere with
Mirabelle.
However, earlier Helen had looked between Elena and Marissa with a
disgusted expression, and now Helen s ll was glowering at Elena
where she was seated.
Sarah, the daughter of Viscount Jenner, no ced that Helen was in a
black mood and quickly said something in a empt to appease her.
“Oh, look over there. Is Lady Blaise trying to fit in with the enemy?
No wonder the capital ignores southern society because of that
trend.”
In short, Elena was a disgrace to southern society. Helen jumped at
the opportunity to scratch her itch.
“Yes, that’s the style that I would wear only in the kingdom of
Carthenia.”
The Kingdom of Carthenia was the poorest country on the con nent.
Those who knew about fashion could immediately realize that she
meant Elena’s dress was unfashionable.
Normally, Helen’s nose was held so high she ignored the other young
nobles in lower ranks than she was. However, there were some who
wanted to get along with Helen because of her high posi on and
beau ful appearance. Sarah was one of those people. She hurriedly
opened her mouth at the chance to win Helen’s favor.
“Although she wears green like Lady Selby, she simply pales in
comparison.”
Helen covered her mouth and smiled as if she had honey on her
tongue. Margaret, the daughter Count Lawrence, was listening to
them quietly.
“Do you mean the dress of Lady Blaise? It doesn’t seem new, but isn’t
it adorned beau fully? I thought I should try remake my dress at
home instead of looking for something new too…”
Helen’s fine brow furrowed at Margaret’s foolish remarks. Helen
thought Margaret ugly and stupid, but she liked her status as a
daughter of a count. In addi on, Margaret’s face was so plain that
Helen had brought her along to emphasize her own beauty.
But that didn’t ma er right now. Helen hid her displeasure and spoke
with a thin smile on her lips.
“I had no idea that Lady Lawrence was this ignorant of fashion.”
“Huh?”
“What makes that so beau ful? You should have your eyesight
checked. If other people found out, no one would want to go to the
dress shop with you.”
“W-well…I mean…”
Margaret had a habit of stammering when she was flustered or
excited. Helen simply smiled. Margaret was even more in midated by
Helen, who was one of the leaders of style in the south.
Sarah watched Helen’s smiling lips and swallowed nervously. It didn’t
ma er what was right or wrong in the aristocra c world. Lady Selby
was a powerful woman.
Although Count Blaise was not someone to be ignored, his posi on
and wealth was very different compared to Marquis Selby.
Furthermore, the Blaises were house of knights, while the Selbys did
business in poli cs.
House Jenner, where Sarah was from, was under the strong influence
of the Selbys. When Sarah saw Margaret’s frightened expression, she
quickly clicked her tongue.
“I suppose Lady Blaise doesn’t even realize how embarrassing she is,
a ending a tea party dressed like that.”
“Well, if she doesn’t know how embarrassing she is…should we teach
her a lesson?”
“A lesson?”
Sarah’s eyes widened at the unexpected sugges on. But Helen had
already made up her mind. Margaret, who was quietly listening,
spoke up in a stammering voice.
“S-she was just talking to Lady Holland, maybe they’re friends–”
Helen firmly cut off Margaret’s noise.
“Do you think that Lady Blaise is closer to Marchioness Holland than I
am?”
There was no comparison between Elena, who rarely appeared in
high society, and Helen, who came from the powerful Marquis Selby.
Margaret’s face whitened.
“O-oh, no. I’m not saying that. I don’t know if…”
“If there’s anything you want to say, say it straight. I can’t stand
listening to your simpering today.”
“…Hic!“
Margaret’s hands leapt to her mouth. She was worried that Elena
and Marissa might be close, but Helen’s reac on frightened her into
silence. However, Helen only became more agitated when Margaret
took Elena’s side.

‘What about me…?’

So far Helen had tried to ignore Elena as much as possible, but she
felt like her head was about to erupt. She hated when people
compared them because they had blonde hair, but today the
comparisons stood out even more because they wore the same color
of dress.
Of course, Helen’s dress was far more beau ful, but it wasn’t
all. There was an overall harmony in Elena’s beauty. And Helen didn’t
want to admit it. All she could think of was that Elena wore the same
color of dress on purpose to embarrass her. It was impossible for
Elena to know, but that didn’t ma er to Helen. She was insulted. She
couldn’t forgive.
Helen had a sword hidden in her smile, and Sarah a empted to get
on her good side yet again.
“What lesson should we teach her?”
“Why don’t we try this?”
19.
Mirabelle pouted at first, but as the party progressed, she began to
enjoy herself with Elena. Un l they had arrived, she hadn’t known
they would end up seated at the far end of the garden. Although she
had already made an appearance in society before, she had almost
no experience of a ending a party. She didn’t know that Elena had to
no fy the host that the number of people a ending had changed.
However, Mirabelle wasn’t a fool that she didn’t know what it meant
to be si ng far away from the host. She a ended with the inten on
of crushing Helen’s nose, but from the seat arrangements she
couldn’t help but feel sullen.
A er Elena explained why they were si ng there, Mirabelle had
understood. Since she had never been among such a crowd before,
she felt happy to sit down and chat with Elena to herself. Elena
looked especially darling in Mirabelle’s dress, and it was a joy to see
the other ladies and gentlemen dressed up to the fullest as well.
At first, Mirabelle focused on how to get payback from Helen. Later
she felt more assured because she believed the people she saw today
would truly know who was more beau ful between Elena and Helen.
Mirabelle savored a bite of a chocolate-filled cookie from the table.
“Wow, this is so delicious.”
“You think so?”

“Yes. Let’s ask our chef to make these cookies when we get home
later,”
Mirabelle whispered cutely, and Elena couldn’t help but smile. She
wanted to buy a whole bakery for Mirabelle.
“Of course. Now eat as much as you like.”

“Yes, sister.”
Mirabelle’s smile caused a warmth to spread though Elena’s chest.
She never really enjoyed these kinds of social gatherings. But no
ma er the place, as long as there was her sister’s smile she would be
in heaven
Elena and Mirabelle sat at the far end of the tea party and enjoyed a
simple happiness of their own.
Ttubeog, ubeog–
Helen and Sarah and Margaret, the la er who had a frightened look
on her face, approached them. Sarah was the first one to speak.
“Hello, Lady Blaise. You don’t usually a end social gatherings. How
are you today? It’s so good to finally see you again.”
Elena wanted to spend more me with Mirabelle without
interrup on, but she couldn’t ignore another person whether she
wanted to or not. Elena gave a polite reply.
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
In fact, Elena couldn’t even remember who this young woman was.
Elena had lived another life for twenty years before returning to the
past. The faces of the young people who had li le to do with her did
not remain in her memory.
However, Helen’s face was instantly recognizable. Any pre y face
could have been memorable, but a colder look remained in her mind.
Unno ced by Elena and Mirabelle, Helen signaled to Margaret with a
glance.
Suddenly, Margaret yanked on the tablecloth, causing the teacups to
spill on the table. Fortunately the hot tea did not spla er in Elena’s
and Mirabelle’s direc on, but they had to sit in place and show a
slight sign of embarrassment.
“What are you doing?”
Margaret stammered out an apology with a pale look on her face.
“O-oh, this was a mistake…”
She looked fran c, and Elena spoke calmly as if it not to worry about
the issue.
“It’s alright. As long as the tea didn’t spill on us. Did you get burned?”

“I…I’m okay.”

“Well, no one was hurt.”

For some reason Margaret looked even more frigh ul at Elena’s calm
demeanor. Elena had acted composed because she thought
Margaret had simply made a mistake, but Margaret’s genuine
remorse made her look over the situa on again.
This was a table at the far end of the tea party. Elena and Mirabelle
were having fun in their own worlds, and the other people assigned
to their table had already moved on somewhere else. Presently,
there was only Elena and Mirabelle and the three other young
women, and no one was hurt.
Suddenly something strange struck her, but Helen spoke first with a
smile on her face.
“How about we refill a cup?”
It sounded like a polite sugges on to everyone. Sarah quickly brought
in a teapot from the back. She placed a new cup in front of Elena and
Mirabelle and immediately filled it up. Before Elena could say
anything, Helen spoke first.
“Miss Lawrence must feel very sorry, so let’s have a cup of tea
together as an apology.”
Helen called out to a servant to bring over the cup she had been
drinking from her table. She li ed her cup of tea in a graceful
posi on. Mirabelle stared at Helen, suspicious about the other
woman from the start. However, Mirabelle could not openly reject
the offer.
“You said it was alright, but Lady Selby insists on apologizing…I
suppose we’ll just have to accept it. Right, sister?”
Mirabelle said, her voice heavy with sarcasm, and Helen’s face
hardened. Watching it with sa sfac on, Mirabelle picked up the cup
that Sarah had filled. Elena just wanted to drink quickly and drop the
distrac ons. But then…
A sleeping memory had reawakened in Elena’s mind. She had
a ended this party before. Mirabelle was not with her at that me,
and she had worn her old clothes because Mirabelle hadn’t made
dress
Like a panorama, scenes of the past emerged of her drinking tea with
Helen. As soon as she took a sip there was a strong salty taste in her
mouth, but she couldn’t spit it out. If she did something wrong it
would offend Marissa. Helen had smiled as she watched Elena
swallow the salty tea.

At that moment, she saw Mirabelle bringing a cup of tea to her

mouth.
Hwiig!
Without any hesita on, Elena knocked away the cup she was about
to drink. The teacup fell to the ground and sha ered.
Wachachang!
The loud noise brought the party to a halt. The eyes of all the ladies
and young men turned to their table.
20.
Ch. 20 This Is The Beginning (1)
Helen couldn’t speak at the sudden focus of a en on.
At that moment Marissa’s hardened face came into her view. Helen
couldn’t forget that this tea party was hosted by one of the most
powerful women in southern society. She wouldn’t be the one to ruin
this.
While Sarah and Margaret were distracted by the unexpected
development, Helen quickly took note of the situa on. She didn’t
understand why Elena would knock away the teacup, but Helen
quickly improvised a new plan.
She was going to bury the Blaise sisters here. Mirabelle had dared to
mock her. The humilia on she received today was too much for her
to back down now, just a er she had added the salt as a trick.
At the sound of the teacup sha ering the party had turned dead
silent, but now murmuring voices began to fill the air. Everyone’s
a en on was turned to Marissa, who was approaching them to see
what had happened.
She arrived right behind Elena and was about to ask what was going
on when–
“…Heugg.”
Suddenly Helen dissolved into tears.
Sarah and Margaret looked the most embarrassed to see her cry.
Marissa’s face was set as she to look at Elena, Mirabelle, Sarah and
Margaret gathered at the table. It was no small issue that Helen, a
noblewoman, was crying at her gathering.
“What is going on here?”
Helen was the first to answer with a choked voice.
“Lady Lawrence spilled a cup by mistake, and I only asked Blaises to
drink tea together as an apology…heugg.”
Helen’s eyes were wet with tears as she covered her mouth with both
hands. Marissa rushed a handkerchief to Helen in an a empt to
soothe her.
“Oh, dry your tears, young lady.”
“Then Lady Blaise knocked the cup to the floor and it broke…I was–I
was so embarrassed and hurt…”
Helen accepted the handkerchief offered by Marissa and wiped her
tears away. Then she pretended to hold back her sobs and spoke
again.
“Lady Blaise, have I done something wrong?”
She clutched the handkerchief to her heart. The curious crowd
turned to Elena and Mirabelle. Marissa glowered at Elena, looking
colder than before.
“Lady Blaise, is this true?”
Sarah’s and Margaret’s expressions of worry turned to relief as the
situa on turned into an advantageous direc on. Only Mirabelle’s
face was anxious at the sudden change in mood.
“Um, sister….”
At Mirabelle’s shaky voice, Elena held her sister’s small hand. Then
Elena looked straight at Sarah, Margaret, and Helen in front of her.
The reason why she didn’t remember this incident immediately was
because she was s ll rela vely young here. In the future where she
experienced hardship a er her family was killed, the memory of
being tricked into drinking salty tea was laughably trivial. When Elena
worked as a mercenary, she was always at risk of poisoning and even
nearly died to it at one point. To drink this cup of salty tea was
nothing to Elena. If she had drank this alone, she would have laughed
over it. But…
But not with Mirabelle. She could never forgive Helen tricking her
beloved sister into drinking it. If she could wield her sword here,
Elena would have defeated them with her strength without a single
hesita on.
Then she would cut off at least one arm just to teach them a lesson.
However, this was high society, and Elena’s sword figh ng skills were
not of help. In this situa on she felt more comfortable with
strategizing and compe ng fairly with her skills.
Once again, Elena became disillusioned with society, but that didn’t
mean she would be as vulnerable as before. She knew all too well
that people’s words could be more frightening than knives. An eye
for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If Helen would use her tears to play
this game, Elena would deal with her the same way.
“What Lady Selby says is not true, Madame.”
At Elena’s calm answer Marissa opened her mouth curiously, but
Helen cut in before she could say a word.
“Not true? So I’m a liar?”
“It is true that we were going to have tea together, but it was not tea
we were given.”
Marissa, who was listening to the two women, could not help but cut
in.
“What in heaven’s name does that mean? Not tea?”
Helen’s face hardened in an instant. So it was true that Elena no ced
her plan from the me they spilled the teacups. But how did she
know? She could not understand how Elena knew the tea was salted
without drinking it. No ma er how hard Helen thought about it, she
couldn’t understand how she was caught.
‘She suspected that something was wrong, so she stopped her sister
from drinking it.’
She wanted Elena to be embarrassed in front of everyone before she
could prove her claim. However, if Elena already figured out her plan,
Helen was ready with another solu on.
‘This is the only way…yes.’
As people began to listen to Elena speak, Helen took a step back with
a resen ul look on her face. The evidence was in the teapot
containing the salty tea. If Helen pretended to mistakenly spill the
teapot on the floor, Elena would not be able to reveal the truth not
ma er how much she protested.
People loved gossip. Once bad rumors about the Blaises would
spread, it would be difficult to stop, regardless whether it was true or
not. Such was the game in high society, and Helen had the
confidence to play smarter than anyone else.
Furthermore, people’s hearts were weak at the sight of a crying
woman. Helen was the first shed tears, and she knew she was s ll
received more sympathe c a en on than Elena.
Helen took a step forward with a determined face, then pretended to
trip and fall into the table. And unlike Margaret’s awkward a empt,
Helen grabbed at the tablecloth with natural ease.
The teapot on the table shook and was on the verge of pping over
onto the ground.
Dululu–
Taag!
In a gust in wind, a chair skidded across the ground and the backrest
blocked the teapot from plunging to the ground. The teapot balanced
and stopped at the edge of the table.
Helen’s eyes widened at the drama c stunt. Her gaze slowly moved
in the direc on where the chair flew from.

There stood Elena with an impassive face. Those far away did not see
what had happened, but Mirabelle, Marissa, and Sarah and Margaret
saw it clearly with their own eyes. With the reflexes of a feline, Elena
had grabbed the chair next to her and thrust it towards Helen. Elena
couldn’t possibly have that kind of agility without professional
training.
But that was not the only surprise. Before anyone could say a word,
Helen raised her hand and simply knocked the precariously balanced
teapot over. Just before it made contact with the ground, Elena flew
like a flash of lightning and her hand shot out to snatch the teapot in
the air.
“I–I…!”
Helen was unable to speak, trembling with rage. Elena calmly poured
a cup from the teapot filled with the salty tea, her mo ons as
graceful as water.
“This is from the pot that was given to me and my sister. If there is
nothing in it, would you like to drink it yourself?”

Ch. 21 This Is The Beginning (2)

Helen’s mind raced as she tried to think of a way out of this situa on.
Refusing the cup, however, was tantamount to revealing that
something was in it.
She felt everyone’s ques oning eyes drawing in on her. She had failed
to destroy the evidence, and she had no choice but to drink it. Once
this was over she would take her chance again and break the teapot.
Helen accepted the teacup from Elena with trembling hands.
“Of course. There is nothing in it.”
She spoke smoothly, despite knowing how much salt was in it the
tea. Drinking it would be far from pleasant, but she couldn’t retreat
now. Helen closed her eyes and took a sip.
“Uub…ub!”
Helen tried to endure it, but she had been brought up as a delicate
and pampered noblewoman and could not tolerate something that
horribly strong. She spit it out of her mouth.
Helen hurriedly tried to wipe off the spilled salty tea from her bright
red face, but it was too late. She made an irreparable mess in front of
so many people.
“Hmm.”
Elena held her head elegantly as she looked at Helen. The crowd was
murmuring about them. It was part of Elena’s plan to pay Helen back
in her past life by giving Helen the salty tea, which Mirabelle was
about to drink. Elena predicted that Helen would try to get rid of the
teapot and blocked her a empt. However, even if salt was added to
the teapot it would be difficult to actually prove it was Helen’s doing.
Some may quietly suspect her, but if a culprit wasn’t actually
iden fied then the situa on would eventually be buried.
Elena wouldn’t lose so easily. Helen had to try and break the teapot
in front of everyone, otherwise it might have been difficult to drive
Helen into the corner she was in now.
Elena pretended to cover her mouth in surprise, just as Helen had
done.
“Oh, what could be in the tea? Didn’t Lady Selby say there was
nothing in it? It’s not a poison, is it?”
The single word rippled through the crowd greatly.
“Poison?”
“Surely not…”
The noise of the crowd grew louder, and Elena looked around with a
frightened expression.
“Lady Selby, I’m worried about your health. We should call a doctor.”
Marissa had a look of thunder, realizing that her tea party was
completely ruined. Her fury was directed towards Helen. If anyone
had seen Helen make several a empts to try and break a teapot, one
couldn’t help but think she was the culprit.
Helen’s face turned ugly the as she saw the de start to go against
her. Honor was as important as life to the nobility. If rumors flew
thick about what happened today, Helen wouldn’t be able to show
her face in southern society. Her a empt to ruin Elena had ended in
her own defeat.
Helen quickly pointed to Margaret standing next to her.
“What did you put in this?”
“What? W-well, that’s–”
“Did you use me to embarrass of Lady Blaise? I didn’t even realize…”
Helen wore an innocent mask as she lay blame on Margaret for her
crime. Margaret, already frightened, started to panic even more.
“W-what are you talking about? I only did what Lady Selby told me to
do–”
“I never said such a thing. This joke is too cruel, isn’t it?”
Helen quickly glanced at Sarah, asking for sympathy. Sarah no ced
her meaning and hurriedly backed her up.
“Yes, it was Lady Lawrence who asked us to go to the table where
Lady Blaise was si ng. It’s insul ng that she knocked over the
teacups on purpose.”
Helen relaxed as Sarah took her side.
Elena turned away from them as if they were no longer worthy for
her to deal with. The women had switched targets and drove their
weakest into a corner. Elena knew from the outset that Helen was
the mastermind, however, Elena did not bother to tell the truth. For
whatever reason, Sarah and Margaret had followed Helen’s
instruc ons and were also guilty.
Elena’s eyes turned back to her original posi on, and she saw
Mirabelle si ng there with a pale face. Elena spoke in a completely
different voice from when she drove Helen into a corner.
“Mirabelle, are you all right? ”
“Uh-huh.”
Despite her answer, Mirabelle s ll looked surprised by the events
that transpired. Elena wordlessly slipped her hand into Mirabelle’s to
reassure her.
This was a first for Mirabelle. Although Mirabelle did not have much
social experience, she couldn’t have imagined that there would be
something in her tea that she was unknowingly about to drink. Even
moreso, she remembered everyone’s look of contempt that was
directed at her. At that moment the hairs all on her body stood on
end, and she froze, not knowing what to do. Elena, however, had
dealt with the situa on with calm.
“…My sister.”
“Yes?”
“How did you know what was in that cup?”
Elena turned her head towards Helen, who was s ll a emp ng to
talk her way out of the situa on, then back at Mirabelle to answer
her ques on. Elena’s profile stood as elegant as a carved statue. A er
thinking for a moment, Elena answered in a so voice.
“…Secret.”

“Tsk.”
Mirabelle pouted at her answer. Then she flashed a thumbs up and
whispered to her quietly.
“That was so incredible.”
Elena seemed a li le different from the one Mirabelle knew so far,
but she didn’t say it out loud. Elena seemed even more amazing
when she was confident.
Elena gave a secret smile and leaned down towards Mirabelle.
“This is the beginning.”
She hadn’t imagined she’d change the future through an encounter
with a marquis’ daughter. However, from now on the enemy she had
to deal with was Paveluc, who would overthrow the emperor in the
future and rise as a treacherous king. To prevent such a path forward
for Paveluc, Elena could never be lacking in skill as a knight or as a
lady. She could do more than just weep like Helen if necessary. She
had to act more cleverly than anyone.
She suddenly remembered that Carlisle was supposed to visit her
soon. What was Carlisle thinking? Elena wished it was as simple
knowing Helen’s inten ons. With no answer, Elena sighed to herself.
Ch. 22 This Is The Beginning (3)
The day a er the tea party.
Helen’s and her accomplices’ deeds at the party soon became
widespread gossip in southern society. Rumor was it that Margaret
had forced Helen and Sarah into her scheme, but any level-headed
person knew the culprit was Helen. Margaret was such a shy
creature.
No one men oned it openly, however. Helen was backed by the
power of Marquis Selby. Elena’s name had also passed many people’s
mouths, but she refused to become involved in it. There was only
one thing she cared about.
It was how the Crown Prince would visit her.
‘He wouldn’t make an official royal visit to Blaise castle, would he?’
Both privately and publicly Carlisle and Elena had no contact with
each other, but an official visit didn’t make sense in many ways.
Prince Carlisle was a war hero and the heir to the throne, and his
movements were closely watched by the whole world. Addi onally,
all of society was in excitement for his first appearance at the ball.
Even in the southern part of the country, droves of carriages were
prepared to carry countless nobles to the capital. If he visited Elena,
he would surely draw a en on.
She simply waited for a message, but soon she became worried that
something had happened in the mean me.
“Get me a carriage. I have to leave for a while.”
Perhaps it would be be er to go out and give Carlisle a chance to
approach her. The maid standing next to her, Mary, answered
immediately.
“Yes, My Lady.”
A jealous look crossed Sophie’s face.
“I’ll help you get ready to go out.”
Elena glanced at Sophie. She was the maid who covered for Elena
when she went to rescue the crown prince. Despite the reward in
gold, Sophie had since begun to act arrogantly. Elena did not approve
of Sophie’s behavior.
“No thank you. Mary will take care of the arrangements.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Sophie shot Elena look of resentment, while Mary became busy with
the prepara ons. Elena ignored Sophie’s gaze and allowed herself to
be prepared with Mary’s gentle mo ons. Elena would have to
address Sophie’s a tude one day, but now her mind was occupied
with thoughts about Carlisle that she had li le me for anything else.
She didn’t know in what manner Carlisle was going to arrive, but
surely he would have a least one guard with him? She decided it
would be be er to make sure he knew where she was and meet him
outside. It would be safer than Blaise Castle where there were a
many eyes on the watch.
Elena hurried out of the castle and found the senior butler,
Northman, wai ng in front of a prepared carriage.
“There knights will be here escort you, so please wait–”
“I’m not going far, so I’ll go by myself today.”
“Ah, but My Lady–!”
Elena quickly loaded herself into the carriage and the coachman
turned around.
“Where to, My Lady?”
“To the main street.”
She had to go to the most crowded place where it would be easy to
find her.
*
*
*

A er arriving at the main street, the busiest one in the south, Elena
told the coachman to collect her again in the evening and sent the
carriage back.
Not long a er walking down the street, she no ced she was being
followed.
‘…Was my predic on, right?’
She hoped that if she wandered around the busy street for a while
Carlisle would appear.
The problem was, however, there were more than just one or two
followers. Why were there so many?
TN: I’m not 100% sure, but I assume she goes to the castle town
around or adjacent to Blaise castle
23 I Have A Condi on (1)
There was something strange about her having so many people
trailing her. She ducked into an alley so she could determine their
number, and her pursuers began to follow.
‘One, two, three…Seven?’
She had an ominous feeling. Carlisle would not have sent all these
people. She wondered if anyone had a grudge against her, and
Helen’s face emerged in her mind. Elena did not know if Helen would
go as far as to hurt her, but she was the only one who had reason to
resent her currently.
‘…How troublesome.’
Elena entered deeper into the alley where she could not easily seen.
She took out a small dagger from a leather strap on her ankle, hidden
beneath her large skirt.
‘I’ll soon find out who ordered them to follow me.’
It was a ma er of capturing and interroga ng her pursuers. The
process of extrac ng the truth wouldn’t be so clean.
This was the biggest city center in the southern region, but going off
the main road one could find a cool place even in midday. Ironically
enough, there was nowhere as dirty and ugly as in a wealthy area.
Elena slipped into a darkened alley without hesita on. She glanced
around and spo ed a suitable place to deal with her pursuers. She
made to move there when–
Hwiig–
A hand suddenly grabbed Elena by the shoulder and pulled her into
the darkness.
“…Eus.”
Elena immediately swung the dagger in her hand towards her
opponent. The sharp edge of the knife flashed in the gloom.
Tuug!
The other person swi ly captured her wrist to block her dagger as it
aimed for their neck. She heard a low voice in her ear before she was
able to launch the next a ack.
“Shh.”
It was a short word, but she had heard that voice before. Elena
stopped struggling. If her memory served her right…
As her eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness, her gaze
slowly moved upwards. Hard chest, broad shoulders, and a slender
neck. Her eyes rested at the man’s face. A sharp jawline and a
straight nose, and above it, pale blue irises that stared down at Elena.
It was as if the blue of his eyes were the only color in the world, and
they burned like flames.
“…Your Highness.”
It was Prince Carlisle.
As soon as she realized who it was, she no ced that she could feel his
warm breath on her forehead. His large hand s ll gripped her
shoulder, and he had enough height that she could only make eye
contact when she raised her head. She could feel the strength of his
body where they were pressed together. Elena’s breath caught at the
sudden contact.
She watched him as he carefully checked their surroundings. She felt
that he must have a purpose and waited pa ently. Then, a er the
brief silence–
“…Kgg.”
At the sudden sound of Carlisle’s so chuckle, Elena looked up at him
with a confused expression.
“This wasn’t the intent, but this isn’t so bad.”
He whispered in her ear, causing a blush to creep up her cheeks.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but please let me go.”
At her cold tone, Carlisle took his hand off her shoulder with a look of
regret.
“I didn’t plan to touch you, so please don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m a villain. You must have forgo en it already, but it was you
who pointed a knife at me first.”
She couldn’t argue with that. The blade was s ll dangerously close to
his neck. She didn’t know she would end at that posi on.
“I can’t help that you’re popular. As soon as you le Blaise Castle, you
had so many people following you.”
A er Elena entered the alley, she did hear the sound of footsteps
dogging her. But now there was no sign of anything at all.
“Do you know who followed me?”
“Let’s move for now.”
A er Carlisle finished speaking he moved away first, and she knew
that she was meant to follow. She walked behind Carlisle, and a er a
short distance they reached a shabby house. Carlisle seemed to have
planned a safe area for his mee ng with Elena. On the outside the
house looked quite ordinary, but the interior was neat and dy as if
was well-cared for.
Carlisle led her to the table and pulled out a chair so she could sit
down, then seated himself opposite of her. She didn’t know if it was
ingrained behavior, but he had excellent manners towards women.
“Is there anything else you want to know other than the iden ty of
the people who followed you? “
“Are you alright?”
“As you can see.”
He had an arrow in his back the last me they met. It was impossible
for that injury to have healed in just ten days, but Carlisle behaved as
if he had never been injured at all. It was if it was nothing more than
a daily rou ne to him.
Elena looked him over to assess his condi on then returned to the
subject.
“…How long have you been watching me?”
“Rather than surveillance, think of it as protec on since we last
parted.”
Although she had suspected that Carlisle would hire someone to
keep a watch on her, it was at a much earlier me than she expected.
It made her feel a li le uncomfortable to think of the eyes that had
been quietly shadowing her. However, since she decided to
eventually become empress, she knew it was inevitable.
“If you’re going to catch and torture the people who were following
me, I will personally–”
“You don’t have to do anything. I brought you here because some of
them were knights from your family. “
“What?”
Only then did Elena come think of the possibility that her family’s
knights might have followed her to protect her. If Carlisle had not
stopped her earlier, Elena might have raised a blade against them.
There may have been a situa on where blood had to be spilled to
keep her secrets. Carlisle had told Elena to cover up her abili es if
possible.
Enlightened of the situa on, Elena gave a small bow towards Carlisle.

“Thank you. Your Highness saved me from trouble.”

It was then.
Carlisle’s hand shot forward. He captured her chin in one hand and
li ed her head straight again.
“Don’t bow.”
“Oh, but–”
“Have you forgo en whose woman you will be? “
Elena stared straight ahead at Carlisle’s eyes. There was a curious
heat in them. They were a cool blue color, but they burned as hot as
a flame.
24 I Have A Condi on (2)
“You don’t have to bow to anyone in the future, including me.”
Elena remembered that the man in front of her came from one of the
most noble lineages in the en rely of the Ruford Empire. He was next
to become emperor. He wore his pride as easily as he wore his finery.
Elena pulled away from the hot hand holding her face and forced
herself to keep calm.
“…I see.”
“With the excep on of the knights from your family, there are my
men as well as men from Marquis Selby.”
Elena knew her suspicions were correct. However, it was hard to tell
to what end Helen had hired the men. Elena wasn’t easily defeated
by anyone, but she couldn’t guess whether their purpose was for her
own life or simply surveillance. In a word, it was annoying.
‘…She was the one who did the wrong thing, yet she dares to get
revenge.’
It was Helen who provoked her first. It was ridiculous to become
vindic ve just because things didn’t go the way one wanted.
Elena became lost in her own thoughts for a moment. Carlisle looked
at her, then spoke in a quiet voice.
“Anything else?”
“Like what?”
“If you have any more ques ons, you can ask me.”
“…I don’t know. Nothing comes to mind right now.”
Carlisle’s expression shi ed at Elena’s reply.
“Do you have any ques ons about your future husband?”
“Oh! There was one ques on I wanted to ask. We’ve never met
publicly before, but if we suddenly got married everyone around me
would think it strange. I need to create some stories that will
convince them.”
She was relieved that Carlisle hadn’t changed his mind about the
marriage. Now they should make haste with the wedding. She would
feel be er once she was married to him and was at the imperial
court.
“Yes. Other than that…you have no ques ons.”
“No. Well, for now.”
Carlisle’s forehead kni ed together. Elena only no ced the change in
his mood, but she did not know the reason for his displeasure. She
was sure he wasn’t expec ng her to ask trivial ques ons such as his
tastes, his personality, his likes and dislikes…
Carlisle seemed to have lost his words for a while, so Elena took the
conversa on.
“Firstly, I’d like to arrange the contracts for our marriage. Are there
any terms you’d like me to agree to?
“…When I see you, I feel as if I don’t need anything. But some mes I
feel an unbearable greed.”
“Ah…”
Elena didn’t know how to respond to that. Since their first mee ng,
Carlisle had some mes spoken to Elena with a strange affec on.
Once again she wanted to ask him if they had met in the past, but
thought he would deny it like last me.
And suppose that they didn’t know each other. Did that make any
difference? There was no way Carlisle could would be in love enough
to marry someone he just met. One of the most realis c hypotheses
formed in her head.
‘…Are you a philanderer?’
Carlisle was known to have lived on the ba lefield since childhood,
but in reality he might be the kind of man who steals the hearts of
women. Carlisle looked exactly the type. His face alone could make
women cry. Even Elena, who didn’t pay much a en on to other
people’s appearances, was some mes taken aback whenever she
saw him. If he became emperor he may have several women, but
even so, she did not want to interfere.
She wondered if they would love each other. As their marriage would
simply be a contract for mutual benefit, Elena did not intend to touch
on such personal ma ers if possible. However, she couldn’t allow her
husband to meet another woman at the start of their marriage. A
woman’s power in any family came from their husband’s full support,
and if the crown prince did not favor her, her tle would be in name
only. If possible, she needed the power gained from being the only
crown princess.
A er thinking over this briefly, Elena looked directly at Carlisle and
spoke again.
“If there’s nothing that comes to mind right now, think more about
what condi ons you want. In the mean me, I’ll tell you mine.”
Carlisle crossed his arms, cas ng interest in her words.
“Tell me.”
Facing his deadly blue eyes, Elena repeated her words in clear voice.
“Please act as if you love only me once you become emperor.”
“…Ha.”
Carlisle burst into a small laugh. Perhaps he had never thought of this
condi on. Elena stared unblinkingly ahead. From now on, if she had
to sign a contract she wouldnwring as much benefit from it as she
could. Bargaining for a few years of power was not enough; she had
to control longer periods as well. She had no inten on of
compromising.
“Why do you need that condi on?”
“Didn’t I tell you first? I hope you will become emperor. Likewise, you
said you had no complaints about me being empress.”
“You mean you want power?”
“Yes.”
Elena did not bother concealing her ambi on. She would be his
partner who would help him rise to the top and take down Paveluc.
“…Alright. I agree.”
Carlisle’s reply le Elena with an indelible joy.
“But I have a condi on.”
All contracts were a one-for-one exchange. Now that Carlisle
accepted Elena’s condi on, she felt inclined to agree to almost
whatever he wanted. Elena wore an encouraging expression and
Carlisle con nued in a so voice.

“People in poli cal marriages don’t always live together.”

“That’s right.”
“I want the real thing as well as the facade.”
Elena faltered for a moment. The nuance of this conversa on was
flowing strangely.
Carlisle con nued.
“I want us to share a bed.”
25 Call Me Caril (1)
“I want us to share a bed.”
She responded before she even realized it.
“I don’t like it.”
“Why?”
“Because…”
Elena bit her lip. It wasn’t something she didn’t think about. Just
because it was a poli cal marriage, it didn’t mean that they wouldn’t
share a bed. To solidify her power, it was best to give birth to a prince
who would inherit the throne in the future.
She knew it well. The problem was that Elena’s ambi ons didn’t
necessarily lie in solidifying her power as empress in and of itself. Her
goal was to prevent the destruc on of her family with Carlisle by her
side. It just so happened that becoming empress was the best way to
do so.
In aristocra c society, where scandals o en turned out to be true,
Elena had grown up with a rare innocence. A er her family died, she
never had me to be with men as she spent her whole life trying to
get revenge, and inadvertently never had any experience. Not even
that of a common love affair, and she had ins nc vely rejected the
idea of sleeping with anyone.
Kkuugeu–
Elena tried to force herself to think ra onally by clenching her first
hard under the table. She was the one who proposed a poli cal
marriage first, and Carlisle only raised a related issue that had to be
dealt with.
Now it was me to make a calm judgment rather than an emo onal
one.
“…This is not an opinion. Thinking objec vely, I don’t think now is the
right me.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It…it means I can’t live only as your woman. I don’t know why you
agreed to marry me, but I made this proposal because I wanted to be
the empress. Un l then, I don’t want to give up my sword figh ng
abili es.”
Carlisle listened in silence to Elena. She couldn’t read any emo on
from his expressionless face, so she tried further persuade him.
“Un l I become empress, I would rather act as your secret weapon
rather than your wife. I will not resent this decision, even if a child
born to another woman later becomes the crown prince. I’ll write it
in the contract if you want.”
She trained every day a er returning to the past. Elena would
become Carlisle’s sharpest sword. It would be Elena herself who
would stand at the vanguard of every war and cut down the enemies
that stood in his way.
The ordinary life of dressing up for him and wai ng for him to return
to bed at night was not suitable for Elena. She wasn’t intended to be
an empress. Carlisle, who had been listening quietly un l then, was
the first to speak.
“…Do you really want to become empress?”
At that ques on, she suddenly wondered what she looked like in
Carlisle’s eyes. She must seem like a puerile aristocrat. However, she
didn’t care if she risked her life for power or appeared as a crazy
woman, so long as she kept her family safe.
“Yes, I want to be empress.”
Carlisle listened to her answer and remained silent again. Elena
swallowed dryly. Any contract required mutual concession, and
though Elena was bargaining from a rela vely weak posi on, she was
s ll firm on her condi ons. From Carlisle’s point of view, it couldn’t
have been pleasant. Then he said something en rely unexpected.
“Because of you, there’s one more reason I should be emperor.”
“That means…”
“If that’s what you want, I’ll accept the offer. We won’t sleep
together.”
“Oh, thank you, Your Highness.”
Her face brightened. She had been worried what she would do if
Carlisle refused.
‘…Thank God.’
It was only for a moment that Elena was able to sigh in relief. Carlisle
s ll wasn’t done yet.
“Un l you become empress. Not a er that. Once you become the
empress as you desire, then live only as my wife.”
“Ah…”
Elena did not immediately respond to what he said.
She was in a marriageable posi on, and had chosen the person she
thought would be the most advantageous to her. In fact, this
marriage life was a future she hadn’t painted beyond Carlisle
becoming emperor. A er that, there was the possibility he could
meet other women and become indifferent to Elena. She could enjoy
a rela vely free life as an empress and end her life quietly. Or, Carlisle
could dismiss her from the empress posi on, or Elena could dethrone
him if he led a treacherous government and she could put someone
else in his stead.
She didn’t care what kind of future she would live in. But what
Carlisle now proposed was a future she had never given thought
towards so far. His words of living solely as his woman seemed full of
meaning to him.
Carlisle spoke as if he could tell what she was thinking.
“Do you not like it? If you’re using me to become empress–”
“No, I will. I will live just as your wife.”
As soon as the implica on came that she was “using” him, Elena
stopped thinking and answered quickly. Carlisle had already made
many concessions and was in urgent need of her protec on. Her
conscience pricked at her guil ly, but she hadn’t been able to give
any other answer. Carlisle had a look of sa sfac on, unaware
whether it was a reluctant choice or not.
The smiling look in his blue eyes faded.
“I told you, you some mes make me greedy.”
“…”
“I hope you will have my child. They would be lovely with blonde hair
and red eyes like you.”
“…What?”
Elena blurted out. It sounded like he could not love his child unless it
looked like her.
Carlisle smoothly changed the subject, as if he had no inten on of
explaining himself.
“You know, I’ve been trying to listen to a lot of your opinions.”
“Oh, yes. For that I am grateful.”
“I’ll tell you what I want from now.”
“Please do.”
It was me for Carlisle to offer his condi ons for the marriage
contract.
Elena swallowed dryly at the tension hovering in the air.
“Call me Caril.”
“E-excuse me?”
Elena opened her mouth like a fool. He wanted her to call him by a
pet name all of a sudden? Why?
Carlisle con nued with a smooth expression.
“You asked me to pretend to love you. But will you con nue to
address me so formally? I will be your husband, right?”
“Ah, but…”
Couples did not necessarily use pet names. In the aristocra c society
where poli cal marriages were common, many couples used
honorifics un l the day they died. A pet name, indeed, was an
in mate expression that could only be used for lovers.
More ques ons threatened to burst out of her, but she simply
nodded her head when she saw Carlisle’s determined look on his
face.
“Alright…I’ll call you that.”
Yes. It didn’t ma er if she called him Caril. She would gladly call him
dog shit if he agreed to her other condi ons.
“It may seem strange to others if I use a pet name from the
beginning, so I’ll act formally in outside situa ons. Please understand
this.”
“I’ll leave it to your judgment. But you can call me that when we’re
alone.”
“Yes, I…Caril.”
A picturesque smile drew on Carlisle’s lips. It was his first genuine
smile that didn’t seem to be a joke or a grim expression.
Elena stared dazedly at him for a moment, then soon came to her
senses.
‘…What was that?’

She didn’t know anyone who smiled like that just because they were
called a pet name. But he wasn’t done yet.
“We have every meal together. Unless you have other
commitments.”
That meant seeing him every day. Usually couples in poli cal
marriages end up taking their own meals, and did not o en meet
face to face unless it was absolutely necessary. Of course, in Elena’s
case, she intended to stay as close as possible to Carlisle to protect
him. But she never imagined that he would suggest it first.
“I see. I accept your terms.”
She immediately agreed as it wasn’t a bad deal, but she wondered
what he really wanted. A er a moment of contempla on, she spoke
again.
“Our contract is ge ng longer, so could you bring me a pen and
some paper?”
Carlisle stood up then placed a pen and paper on the table in front of
her. She carefully began to write down all of their condi ons.
For some reason it felt like a very long day.
26 Call Me Caril (2)
Sophie was seething. She was the one who covered for Elena when
she slipped out to meet her lover. Although it was true Sophie did it
for a gold coin, she didn’t know that she would be treated this way
a er protec ng Elena’s secret. Nothing had changed since they
returned from the trip. She thought her posi on would be increased,
but Elena had not given her any preferen al treatment.
‘She secretly snuck out in the middle of the night to sneak out to see
a man. She’s not afraid that I’m going to reveal her, is she?’
Sophie was unable to hold back her anger and roughly hung out the
washing. Mary approached Sophie with her washing in a basket.
“What’s wrong with you these days?”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Aren’t you being too rude to Lady Elena a er the trip?”
“Ha! Rude? Me?”
Sophie spat angrily. Elena couldn’t treat her like this. It was amazing
Sophie closed her eyes for Elena just for a single cold coin.
“Mary, don’t talk about things you don’t know. She’s the one that
owes me a debt.”
“What? Debt? Like you, I’m the one who’s indebted to Lady Elena.
Don’t act sorry for yourself and behave. I’m saying this for your
sake…”
“What do you know? You don’t know about her lover.”
“W-what?”
Sophie winced when she realized the words that inadvertently came
out of her mouth. However, she wouldn’t take it back. If nothing
changed in her current life, she did not have to keep it secret, and if
Elena suspected her, she would just deny it. There was no way to
prove that Sophie had started the rumor. If the price for the secret
had been a gold coin, which she already had, then there was nothing
to lose.
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“It was when we traveled to Glenn’s wedding. In the middle of the
night, Lady Elena went out to see a man and didn’t come back un l
morning.”
“W-what? Really?”
“Why would I lie to you? She told me personally there’s a man she
loves.”
“I can’t believe it…”
Sophie held a finger to her lips and looked at Mary, who had an
incredulous look on her face.
“I’m telling this only to you, so keep it to yourself. Okay?”
“Oh, I see. So she’s been doing this every night?”
Elena had only le once, but Sophie nodded.
“Yes.”
“Are you the only one that knows?”

“Yes, but Lady Elena doesn’t know that I know, so can you keep a
secret?”
“I can’t believe she would do something like that.”
“Again, you can’t tell anyone else.”
Sophie had repeatedly warned Mary to keep it to herself, but at the
same me she knew the rumors might snowball. Something
explosive could happen.
Sophie swallowed a smile, imagining Elena ge ng trapped in a
scandal.
She would pay for neglec ng her.
27 Are You A Philanderer? (1)
Terms of Contract
1. Act in love in public.
2. Do not share a bed un l a er Elena becomes the empress.
3. Use a pet name.
4. If there are no other commitments, have every meal together.
.
It was only a few lines wri en on a sheet of paper, but Elena knew
the immense weight of this contract on her future marriage. So far,
everything had gone the way Elena had wanted, but she s ll felt
tense as there were s ll no guarantees.
Elena finished wri ng on the sheet then looked up at Carlisle.
“By chance, we granted two favors from each other.”
Elena’s terms seemed fit for an arranged marriage, and Carlisle
wanted to appear as lovers.
Carlisle spoke in a low voice, his expression unreadable.
“Yes. If there’s anything else you want to add, tell me.”
“I said earlier that I wanted to be your secret weapon. To be more
clear, I want to create another iden ty, one that’s neither Elena
Blaise nor a princess.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want to create an alias as a knight and be your bodyguard at night–
”
“No.”
Carlisle refused flatly before she could even finish. However, Elena
wouldn’t give in easily either. The scope of her ac vity in her dress
was very limited, and Elena wanted to give strength to Carlisle not
just as a princess, but as a knight.
Moreover, she couldn’t risk taking her eyes off him for a moment,
fearing that he might be assassinated in her absence. There was not
much me before Paveluc rebelled. By then everything had to be
ready.
“I stand by what I said.”
“While I’ll allow use to use your sword to defend yourself in
unfamiliar situa ons, I am not asking you to don armor every night.”
“You know what my swordsmanship skills are like. Do you want to
waste my abili es?”
“I already said no.”
He spoke firmly. She felt a prick of guilt at how she drove single-
mindedly towards her goal, but this was all about making him
emperor. Although she had not been around Carlisle for a long me,
she already no ced that he did not easily change his mind.
‘…What should I do?’
She had a feeling that no ma er how ra onally she trued to argue,
he wouldn’t consent.
She remembered how he smiled when she called him by his pet
name earlier.
“Caril…please.”
She doubted if this method would work, but light in his eyes
unexpectedly started to shimmer.
“…I don’t want you to be in danger.”
The firmness is his voice had somewhat so ened.
Elena had never turned around a situa on like this in her life. The
mere idea of ac ng cute gave goosebumps on her arm, but if it
worked, she would do more than that.
She closed her eyes ghtly and opened her mouth to speak again.
“I know what you mean. But I want to protect you myself. Please,
allow me this.”
She placed extra emphasis on the word “please”, and her heart
pounded in an cipa on for his reply. Concern fli ed on Carlisle face
before it eased into something gentler.
“S ll…”
“Caril, please.”
Elena held her hands in a begging gesture.
“…Kgg.”
Carlisle’s sudden snort of laughter caused Elena’s eyes to widen. She
thought she may have been outwi ed.
“I’d like to tease you more, but you would likely get upset if I go
further.”
Elena clenched her teeth but spoke in a cool voice.
“You play with people.”
“No, I’m afraid I’ll want to do whatever you ask me. You may be more
dangerous than I thought. “
“If you really want to do me a favor, just agree to this.”
“I told you, no. I can’t allow you be in danger.”
Elena was star ng to become impa ent with Carlisle’s a tude. She
had been holding back so far.
“The first woman to marry you takes the risk of being unhappy.
Would it be so bad if you can allow me this much?”
“You’re saying I benefit more than you in this marriage?”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps. But it was you, not me, who wanted this wedding. Don’t
forget it was you who came to me that day.”
She had tried to appeal to his heart, but it did not work. If there was
no answer to charm and compassion, then the only way le was to
nego ate at a reasonable price. With no idea if it was going to work,
Elena played her hand.
“If you give me this condi on, I’ll do one thing you want in the
future.”
“….Anything?”
“Yes. Except for murder or anything else immoral.”
Carlisle’s finger started stroking his sharp chin.
She must have a racted his a en on more than she thought. She
hoped it was enough. Carlisle had nothing to lose. She didn’t know all
the variables that changed in this future, but it would be be er that
not ac ng as his knight.
“…All right. Just don’t stay far from me.”
“Yes. I’ll keep as close as possible.”
She quickly put a fi h condi on on paper before he could change his
mind.

.
5. Allow Elena Blaise to hide her iden ty every night and act as a
knight. In exchange, she will do one thing for Caril.
.
As he watched the le ers being wri en on the paper, Carlisle
murmured to himself.
“…The cost is high for this insurance.”
So many things large and small had been added.
Ch. 28 Are You A Philanderer? (2)
Quite some me had passed while they arranged their contract and
had their conversa on. Because Elena had given the slip to the family
knights, she was concerned that her family would be worried.
“Let’s just leave it as is, and when we need anything else we can
simply add to it. If we want to change anything, we both have to
agree to it.”
“Alright.”
At the bo om of the contract, Elena wrote that more content could
be added or removed with mutual consent. Most of what she
thought was important was already sorted out, so now they needed
to refine the details.
It was me to finally decide on the consequences that would result
from breaking the contract.
“What will you do if you cannot keep these terms?”
“Well…What do you want from me?”
In fact, the majority of the contract was in favor to Elena. There were
only two things on her mind: first, that she had to commit to
becoming Carlisle’s woman a er she was elevated to empress, and
second, that she would do one thing he wanted. Carlisle had no other
difficult condi ons, but Elena wanted to protect the contract.
“Speaking of which, I don’t know if I have anything that will sa sfy
you…”
“Hmm…then promise me one thing. That you will not hate me for
whatever I do when you can’t keep your promise.”
“What? That’s–”
“Don’t you have confidence?”
Carlisle somehow looked dangerous si ng across from her with his
arms crossed. Elena’s ins ncts were warning her. Something was
ominous. It was a simple condi on, but somehow she felt more
unse led than she would be risking her life. She didn’t resent him for
not giving any details, but her imagina on le her unse led.
‘What are you going to do?’
She pushed down her uneasiness and nodded.
“Alright. And no ma er what you do, I will not hate you.”
There was no chance that Elena would break the contract anyway.
Rather, she was more worried if Carlisle failed to abide by the terms.
“What about you, Caril? What will you do if you don’t fulfill your
contract?”
“Whatever My Lady wants.”
Elena thought for a moment, looking down at contents of the paper.
She made a decision in her heart then replied to him in an even tone
of voice.
“Put your life on the line for my family.”
“What?”
Carlisle looked astonished at her reply. It had to be from his point of
view. However, Elena was more interested in accomplishing her
original purpose instead of punishing him.
“I have a father, an older brother and a younger sister. Promise me
they won’t die before you, Your Highness. If you cannot keep that
promise, give up everything you have as a royal member of the
family.”
It was much more specific and frightening than the vague terms he
offered. She wondered about his willingness to accept them, but he
nodded idly.
“Of course.”
She decided to not ques on it. As has it been so far, Elena was been
busy wri ng things down before Carlisle changed his mind. From the
start, it was important to bring this contract in a more advantageous
direc on for her. It didn’t ma er what Carlisle was thinking.
She pushed the contract towards him.
“Please sign in the blank space below.”
Carlisle picked up the pen without hesita on and placed his signature
at the end of the contract. Somehow the sharpness of his script
seemed to fit his personality. When Elena finished signing at last, she
gave each of them a copy of the contract.
“Ah, we have to come up with a story to convince others of our
marriage. Why don’t we have our first mee ng as a dance?”
“Good idea.”
“Then, shall we make it love at first sight at the ball?”
Carlisle’s eyes li ed in amusement.
“That’s not bad.”
“Yes, I’m glad you think so. So next mee ng–“
“Are you going back home as soon as we’ve finished here?”
“The family knights are a concern. I’ll have to be back home in me.”
“It’s troublesome to keep mee ng at someone else’s place. It would
be be er to be wed as soon as possible.”
“Ah…yes.”
She wanted to get married quickly, too. But Carlisle’s tone sounded
as if he didn’t want to part ways just yet.
‘…Are you a philanderer, too?’
His voice had a casual lilt, but he seemed to know how to s r up a
woman’s heart. Did he habitually speak like that to other women
too? Elena shook her head carelessly at the thought.
“If you plan to a end the ball, then you must be going to the capital
city.”
“Yes, I will.”
“Then make haste. I also have to leave soon as I have some business
in the capital city.
“Yes.”
Elena had planned to move to the capital city as soon as possible so
she could protect Carlisle in case of danger. But then Carlisle said the
exact inverse of what Elena was thinking.
“I am anxious to leave you here alone. So I’ll see you again in the
capital as soon as possible. “
“…Yes.”
Elena didn’t know how to respond to his worried tone, so she gave a
simple reply.
When Elena made to get up, Carlisle stood up from his seat first. He
took the lead without saying anything and escorted her outside.
Elena quietly walked behind him in his care.
“I have someone to introduce you to before you go back.”
“Who is it?”
“One of my subordinates. His abili es are commendable. You need to
conceal your skills, so if someone follows you like today, let him deal
with it.”
“You don’t have to be so a en ve…”
“Anyone would do this for their future wife.”
Elena tried to refuse Carlisle’s excessive kindness, but he blocked her
with a single mo on. In the end, it was such a good offer that she
decided to accept it.
“Thank you. I won’t forget your kindness.”
“Make sure you don’t.”
Normally, one would humbly say that it was not necessary to do so.
An amused smile spread on Elena’s face.
For a moment it felt like Carlisle was hesita ng about something, but
soon the expression on his face cleared. Elena thought it must have
been a mistake and dismissed it.
It was then.
Before she knew it a man suddenly appeared before both of them.
At first sight he had dark blue–almost black–hair. His pale skin, stone-
gray eyes, and long fringe gave an air of gloominess about him. It was
a graceful yet ordinary face, something that didn’t catch her eyes at
first glance and could easily be forgo en. Elena’s ins ncts from a
life me past told her this man was as dangerous as a sharpened
blade.
He addressed Elena with a stony expression.
“How do you do.”
There was something very unique about his flat voice. Rather than a
knight who showed his face in the open, he was like an assassin
lurking in the dark.
“Say hello. This is Kuhn Kasha. This is my subordinate I told you about
earlier.”
“Hello, Sir Kasha. I hear you’ll be the one to protect me. I’m Elena
Blaise.”
“…”
Kuhn stared wordlessly at her. As far as first impressions went, he
seemed a li le arrogant.
There was a blunt sound. Carlisle had swi ly kicked him in the shins.
“Do it right. The moment you run from her side, you die.”
“I’ll keep it in mind, General.”
There was not even a grunt of pain from Kuhn Kasha, as if he was
accustomed to this kind of treatment.
A er hearing Carlisle’s chilling tone, Elena saw at him with different
eyes. He was completely different from when he spoke to her earlier.
Carlisle seemed to no ce her gaze on him and spoke up.
“There are some people under my command who don’t listen to my
words at mes.”
“Ah…I see.”
She wanted to say “Is that an excuse?”, but she thought it be er to
simply nod.
“At least it’s easy to become comfortable with his silence. We can’t
go into Blaise Castle, but Kuhn will s ll be somewhere nearby so you
can summon him if you need to.”
“I understand.”
Perhaps it was because Carlisle delivered a kick to his shin earlier,
Kuhn spoke up.
“Then I’ll call the carriage.”
Carlisle nodded silently. Despite his good looks, he seemed to have a
rough side, possibly from his me on the ba lefield.
As soon as the carriage arrived, Elena gave a brief farewell to Carlisle
before stepping inside.
“I’ll be leaving now.”
She was just li ing her feet to board the carriage when Carlisle held
his hand forward to help her inside. She accepted it as good e que e
dictated.
When it came me for their hands to part, Carlisle didn’t seem to
want to let go.
“…?”
Elena turned her head in puzzlement.
Carlisle was looking straight at Elena with deep eyes, then he slowly
pressed his lips on the back of her white hand. It was a common
gree ng among the nobles, but this was something different. This
was from a prince to a young noblewoman.
The area where Carlisle’s lips touched her skin seemed to burn.
Carlisle spoke to the stunned Elena.
“Stay safe.”
*
*
*

Elena’s body was flushed as she rode in the carriage. It shouldn’t be a

big deal, but she couldn’t get out of her head the fact that Carlisle
kissed the back of her hand. Kuhn had been watching the scene from
the side too, but he had not spoken a word. Carlisle was right about
his re cence.
“Is His Highness playful by nature? “
Carlisle had smiled at her pleas today, and had seemed to enjoy
teasing her by kissing her hand.
Kuhn, who had been watching Elena, replied in a low voice.
“In my assessment of the General, he is never playful.”
“Oh, I see…”
Somehow it was strange. It was as if he was only showing that side of
himself to Elena.
Ch. 29 How Long Has It Been There? (1)
Elena ordered the carriage to stop before she arrived at Blaise Castle.
She felt concerned that someone would see it and think it strange.
On the way to town she had instructed her coachman to pick her up
again in the evening, however, he might be surprised if she already
arrived home in a different transport. She also wanted to avoid the
possibility of explaining Kuhn to her family.
When Elena stopped the carriage, the du fully quiet Kuhn broke his
silence.
“Tie a red handkerchief to your window if you wish to summon me.”
“Then what happens?”
“I’ll come and see you.”
Elena’s immediate reac on was doubt. For one thing, she wondered
if he knew where her room was. She also had no idea how long it
would take for him to respond. If it took several days, he would be of
no use then. However, Carlisle had assured her he was a capable
man, and she was also curious about the extent of Kuhn’s abili es.
“Alright. If I need anything, I’ll place a handkerchief on my window.”
Elena did not interrogate Kuhn on how he would visit her. One might
wonder about her inten ons, but Kuhn only silently looked at her
with an unchanged expression. Compared to Carlisle, this man
seemed to have no emo on at all.
She shook her head, then climbed out of the carriage. Kuhn bowed
behind her in farewell.
Ttogag, ogag–
Elena began to walk alone towards Blaise Castle. Only the sound of
her footsteps echoed clearly in the dark street. She lost track of how
long she walked un l she looked up and saw entrance of Blaise Castle
lit up like day me. As she got closer she saw a group of people
gathered outside, including her brother Derek.
“…Brother? “
Derek rushed towards Elena when he saw her.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. What’s all this about?”
Derek looked her up and down to see if she was harmed, then
kni ed his brows.
“Where the hell did you go? And how did you come back? You know
how worried I was because the family knights lost you?”
“Ah…”
Only then did Elena realize the individual who assigned the knights to
follow her. She quickly turned her thoughts towards a suitable
excuse. She thought she might have worried someone at home, but
she didn’t expect her brother to be wai ng for her with the castle lit
up like this. If she came any later, surely the whole place would have
been turned upside down.
“I…I just wanted some fresh air so I wandered around the streets. I
didn’t even know the knights were following me, so I could I have
known that I lost them?”
“If you were just walking down the streets then how did they lose
you?”
“Because it was a busy area and there were so many people, right? I
don’t know what happened.”
She looked up at Derek with wide, innocent eyes. Derek didn’t
ques on Elena any further, and glared at the knights standing behind
him. Some of the knights looked put out, but they could not ask her
for the whole story.

“Did you all come out here because you were worried about me?”
“No. We were going to have extensive training tonight actually.”
The expressions on the knights’ faces turned to dust. Elena couldn’t
help it, but she burst out in laughter.
By all appearances, Derek was too embarrassed to admit he was
worried about Elena. She felt sorry for the knights that would have to
undergo the exercises, but Elena felt warmed that Derek was thinking
about her.
“…Thank you, brother.”
Derek’s stern expression so ened. He turned around and walked
back into the castle, speaking to Elena in a relaxed tone.
“It’s cold. Let’s not talk nonsense and go inside.”
Derek and all the family knights marched back into the castle. Staring
at their retrea ng backs, Elena’s face widened into a smile.
Ch. 30 How Long Has It Been There? (2)
When Elena entered her room, she found Mirabelle wai ng for her
inside.
“Mirabelle, were you worried about me, too?”
“Huh? Why would I be worried? Did something happen?”
At Mirabelle’s confused tone, Elena guessed that Derek had yet to say
anything to the rest of the family. That was a relief. She didn’t want
all of them to worry.
“No, nothing. I was only wondering because I was a li le late.”
“Well, it’s late, but it’s not that late. And what else is there to do
stuck at home? Some mes you need to go out into the air to relieve
stress. Though it would have been be er if you had brought me with
you.”
Mirabelle said the last part with some sadness. Mirabelle’s weak
cons tu on prevented her from leaving the castle much, while Elena
had been slipping out on her own and making various excuses to
meet Carlisle, from Glenn’s wedding to today’s ou ng.
In their previous lives the two had never been far away for long, but
a er returning to the past Mirabelle had been le alone more o en.
Elena dearly cherished her sister. Her heart longed to be with her, but
now Elena was forced to be away in the shadows. Then a er her
wedding with Carlisle, she wouldn’t have much me to be with her
anymore…
She spoke to Mirabelle, her voice heavy with regret.
“Shall we go out together next me?”
Mirabelle clapped her hands at Elena’s sudden depressed mood.
“Sister, you took the joke too seriously. Of course I love being with
you, but that doesn’t mean we have to be joined at the hip. You
know what I mean?”
“…Yes, I know.”
Elena went straight up to where Mirabelle was si ng and gathered
her ghtly in her arms. Mirabelle’s ny figure was smothered in
Elena’s embrace.
“Have I ever told you how much I love you Mirabelle?”
“Oh, that’s enough. This is embarrassing…”
Elena felt a warmth spread though her at having her family by her
side. She didn’t know how grateful she would be to have Mirabelle
here. Elena gave her sister another ght squeeze and spoke again.
“So what were you wai ng for me for?”
“I was wondering if we could buy some jewelry this me. If we buy it
now, you can wear it to the ball in the capital city…everything you
have is too old.”
“Jewelry?”
Only then did Elena no ce her opened jewelry box next to Mirabelle.
In the past, she had not been too fond of such trinkets and had less
than a dozen accessories during her previous me as a noblewoman.
The small jewelry box was bare enough to almost seem empty, un l
something inside caught Elena’s eye. It was a ring with a blue
gemstone bead. Most nobles loved to bedeck themselves in fine
jewelry; the bigger the gemstone, the bigger the self-importance.
However, this ring was a plain, slim band of silver with no fancy
ornamenta on other than a blue bead set in the middle. It was a very
simple and inexpensive.
As soon as Elena saw the ring, she approached it as if she were
possessed.
‘…Here it is.’
In her last life, she had never taken this ring off her body even for a
moment. A er her family died she fled from Blaise Castle, and for a
long me from Ruford Empire. She had to hide her noble iden ty and
had wandered around in desperate need of money. She sold the
dress she wore and the few accessories she had at that me.
It was this ring that she was unable to sell because it had li le value.
She remembered a conversa on she had with a jewelry store owner
at the me.
‘I don’t know what gem is set in this ring. I’d buy it if it were a cheap
sapphire, but I’ve never seen or heard of something like this before.’
Her need was desperate, and she had tried to sell it somewhere
where it had more value. Eventually, however, the ring was the only
memento she had to remember the me spent with her family by.
Ironically enough, the cheapest item was the thing she kept.
“How long has this ring been here?”
Elena murmured to herself.
“That ring is very old. It must have been ten years ago when I saw it.”
“Really?”
She was sure of was that the ring was not from her mother. Other
than that, she did not know how it ended up in her jewelry box.
‘Come to think of it, since when have I kept this?’
She couldn’t remember at all how she obtained it. In her last life, she
simply used it to remember her family by, and did not think where it
came from.
There was a voice that suddenly came to her mind.
— Keep it. I’ll come back for it for sure.
She knew the voice belonged to a beau ful young boy, and his tone
was grave with seriousness. Who on earth was it? No ma er how
hard she tried, she couldn’t remember anything else. She wondered
who had given it to her when she was young.
She stared silently at the blue bead, and with familiar ease, slipped it
back onto her finger. In the past, it had became rough and scratched
with use, but now the smooth surface was as unblemished as Elena’s
heart. She had missed it sorely.
She didn’t know how she got the ring, but now it would be used to
remind her of the days she was the lonely female knight.
“You’re going to wear the ring, sister?”
“Yes. It’s been a long me.”
“But isn’t it a bit plain? If you like rings, you can wear something
pre er.”
“No, it’s alright. I kept it for a long me, so it must be dear to me.”
Remembering the difficult past would help mo vate her in the
future. Mirabelle seemed concerned that Elena would be sa sfied
with the ordinary ring.
“But that’s one thing, and buying new jewelry is another. There’s a
new jewelry store that says they have a lot of excellent pieces.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“The maids told me.”
“Yes, I see. I’ll think about it. “
“Really? Really?”
Mirabelle was beside herself. Elena lived a life of austerity and
somehow saved even more money than she did in the past. However,
there was one important lesson she knew. You should spend money
when you have it. Money couldn’t be brought to the a erlife, so
enjoy it when you can.
More importantly, Elena had to create a first mee ng with Carlisle at
the ball, and she would need to pay special a en on to her
appearance. Fortunately, the dress had already been ordered, and
buying jewelry would be enough to complete the prepara ons.
“When will we go the jeweler’s? Can we go tomorrow?”
Mirabelle jabbered on eagerly, and a small smile formed on Elena’s
face.
“It’s late now, so I need to get ready for bed.”
“I see, I see. So, we’re definitely going? See you tomorrow, sister!”
Mirabelle gave a quick hug to Elena and said goodbye, and then
made a sharp turn towards her room. Elena gazed happily behind
her, then she li ed up a golden bell si ng on the table to prepare for
bed.
Ching-a-ling–
The bell was used by the nobles to call to the maids wai ng outside.
Elena was used to doing everything herself, but it might seem
unusual to others, so she tried to use the maids whenever possible. It
was crucial habit if she became a princess later on.
However, the usually prompt maid was late today.
‘…What’s going on?’
Finally the door swung open and Mary hurried into the room.
“D-did you call me, My Lady?”
Mary was stammering, unable to make eye contact. Elena sensed
something was wrong, so she spoke in a casual tone.
“What’s the ma er?”

“N-nothing! It’s nothing!”

Her strong denial aroused Elena’s suspicion, but Elena’s fa gue had
been gathering from working on the contract with Carlisle during the
day. As was rou ne, Elena turned her back to Mary so she could take
off her dress. Mary hurried to un e the sash on Elena’s waist, then
ventured carefully.
“My Lady, do you…do you have any more plans to go out tonight?”
“What does that mean?”
Elena turned her head sharply, and Mary shook her head in surprise.
“I’m sorry. I just don’t know how to prepare you for your midnight
ou ng…”
Elena’s eyes narrowed.
“This is the last ques on. What happened today?”
Ch. 31 The Future Has Changed (1)
“This is the last ques on. What happened today?”
“N-n-nothing. There was nothing…”
Mary’s voice withered under Elena’s steely glare. The maid’s mind
was haunted by Elena’s threat of “the last ques on”. Elena was a
fairer woman than most aristocrats, but that didn’t mean she was
weak-willed. Had Elena been mid enough for her employees to look
down on, it would not have been possible for the Blaise household to
have such a solid working system.
Remembering her promise to Sophie not to tell anyone, Mary broke
into a cold sweat, cursing her blabbering mouth.
‘I’m such a fool…’
Mary was never very good at hiding things, and it was easy to tell
when she told a lie. She was trying to find a way out of this situa on,
but it was obvious that Elena would find out about the gossip even if
Mary sealed her mouth shut. The rumors had already swept through
the household in a ma er of hours. Words of judgment flew faster
than words of praise.
Mary bit her lip then forced herself to speak.
“I heard it from someone else. E-e-every night you go to the bar to
meet a man…”
Mary was determined to keep Sophie’s promise for secrecy. The
maids always tried to be loyal to each other.
“…What? A man?”
Elena was stunned. She sensed something strange about Mary’s
behavior, but she didn’t expect it to be this kind of ridiculous rumor.
Who in the world…!
Soon, however, there was someone who emerged in her mind.
Someone who had been ge ng on her nerves lately, and the was
most likely suspect to come up with such an absurd story. When
Elena spoke, her tone was like shards of ice.
“Did Sophie tell you that? That I go to see a man every night?”
“Huh? O-oh, no. I heard it from someone else, not Sophie.”
“Who is it then?”
“It…it’s…”
Mary couldn’t answer and refused to meet Elena’s eyes. Before Elena
realized it, a thin sigh leaked out of the corners of her mouth.
‘…Haaa, that’s how it turned out.’
She had suspected that Sophie wanted a larger reward and knew she
should have addressed the situa on beforehand. She had let it go for
a while because of various circumstances, but now it seemed the
maid caused a whirlwind scandal. If it had been rumored that Elena
le for only one night on the way to Glenn’s wedding, Elena might
have managed it somehow. As it was, there was only one way to
move forward.
From what she heard from Mary, Elena was rumored to be leaving
every night to meet a man. That was bad news for a noble lady who
was not married yet. No, marital status did not ma er in this case
either. If any woman got caught up in such a controversy, even a
virtuous lady would be cri cized. The scandal would never quietly
pass by the gossipy members of high society.
Furthermore, Elena also planned to marry Carlisle soon, and the
rumor could even be more fatal. Carlisle was the crown prince, and
this could make a dent in the contract marriage. In order to avoid
ge ng caught by surprise, they had to be as neat as possible.
Elena rubbed her forehead with her hand, then spoke in a low voice.
“Get Sophie now.”
*
*
*
Elena waited for Sophie by a dark storage house outside of Blaise
Castle. She s ll wore her dress, which she had been about to remove
before she went to bed, as well as a large hooded cloak. The deep
hood shadowed her face and gave a menacing aura about her.
‘Did I make a mistake?’
She could have killed Sophie back then to keep her from speaking.
Sophie, the common maid, would have died, unable to defend
herself from Elena’s sword. No one knew about Elena’s abili es, so
she could not be accused of being a criminal.
However…
She couldn’t always have blood on her hands. She vowed to leap into
the pit of hell for the sake of her family, but if she took away the lives
of ordinary people who had no direct connec on to her family’s
deaths, she was simply a murderer. She knew she would have to spill
blood to prevent Paveluc’s rise to power, but it didn’t have to involve
the deaths of ordinary people.
So she tried to use money and power instead of murder. But the
results were disastrous.
Elena’s sensi ve ears told her several footsteps were ge ng closer.
And with the sound of footsteps, someone being dragged.
“Lady Elena! I didn’t start the rumor. Mary…Mary, did the bitch say
that? It’s all a lie. I’m innocent!”
Sophie was already crying in the distance before she even arrived in
front of Elena. But no reply was given to Sophie by the other servants
who were dragging her, nor Elena, who was waited with her arms
folded. Sophie wailed loudly again as she cowered in the oppressive
atmosphere.
“Help me! I didn’t do anything wrong. Please, let me live, My Lady!”
The servants who were pulling Sophie’s arms did not let go un l they
arrived in front of Elena. Sophie sank weakly to the ground and
collapsed into tears. Even in the dark Elena could see Sophie’s
blotched-red face.
“I really didn’t say anything, My Lady. Someone set me up. It must be
Mary. She set me up!”
Elena wordlessly listened to Sophie beg for innocence. Sophie was
completely mistaken. Mary had not said a word against her even un l
the end.
Elena knew Sophie was vain and o en lazy, but she didn’t know it
was to this degree. Elena regre ed not disciplining Sophie when they
returned from the trip. Of course, it wasn’t that Elena didn’t warn
Sophie at all, and she had told her not to indulge in unnecessary
curiosity.
‘Would it have changed if I had given her a stronger warning?’
In Elena’s last life, Sophie was a maid who worked for the Blaises un l
their demise. A er Elena fled the country, it was impossible for her to
know the maid’s fate. Had she turned a blind eye then?
Elena said nothing, while Sophie con nued to speak without
permission.
“My Lady, I swear to God I didn’t spread the rumor. Please trust me
only this once. Please help me.”
“…I…”
At Elena’s so voice, Sophie stopped crying and listened to her speak.
Elena slowly con nued.
“…I didn’t say I would kill you.”
“Oh, My Lady!”
“Leave. This is the best I can do for you.”

It was no use trying to gather spilled water. She could retaliate

harshly against Sophie if she wanted to, but even if she killed Sophie
now, she couldn’t undo the gossip that had spread. However, Elena
realized once again how difficult it was to act alone due to this
incident. She needed strength, and she needed it urgently. There was
so li le that a count’s daughter could do.
“I’m sorry, My Lady. Just one me, please forgive me just one me.
It’s cold and if you send me away, I’ll freeze on the streets.”
“I said that this was the best I could do for you. Be grateful that I did
not take the gold back. Go find another posi on. Now that you’ve
broken my trust, I cannot keep you in the household anymore.”
When Elena finished speaking she walked right past Sophie. Sophie’s
cry of anguish echoed long into the air, but Elena strode forward
without stopping.
Chapter 32 The Future Has Changed (2)
The next day.
As soon as Elena got out of bed, she ed a red handkerchief to the
window. She didn’t expect to be summoning Kuhn so soon. However,
she realized a great deal from Sophie yesterday.
‘…The future has changed.’
Sophie’s original path was to work for the family un l their deaths,
but a er Elena’s return to the past, the maid was dismissed shortly.
The past that Elena remembered and future that would unfold would
not be exactly the same. Even more so, the largest departure from
what she knew was her saving Carlisle’s life. How many years had
that changed? She had to know.
Rather than relying on memory, she needed to make a fresh analysis
of the imperial family. She would gather the informa on herself, but
yesterday’s incident made it difficult for her as a noblewoman to
move as freely as she desired. Furthermore, Helen’s men had
followed her in the streets, and for what purpose was s ll a mystery.
She thought it safer to keep her head down as much as possible.
Most of all, it was be er to stay indoors to silence the idle rumors. So
the correct course of ac on was Kuhn. She would use him to retrieve
informa on from the outside.
‘I hope he’s as capable as Caril said…’
A er glancing out the window, Elena turned her head around again.
She had a lot of work today as well.
A er comple ng her rou ne morning exercises, Elena summoned all
the servants of the household. They all packed into the widest central
hall. Elena stepped forward and scanned the faces of her employees
one by one, then spoke in an unfaltering voice.
“I heard an incredible rumor yesterday.”
At the men on of the rumor the servants avoided each other’s gazes.
Judging from their reac on, everyone seemed to know what exactly
what Elena meant. Elena didn’t intend to speak for long and
immediately got to the point.
“The person who spread those words against me was sent away
yesterday.”
Murmuring began to rise from the servants, but Elena li ed her hand
to command them to fall silent.
“Let me be clear. If you intend to con nue working for House Blaise,
don’t be fooled by this gossip. If this story comes to my ears again, be
prepared to leave.”
It was a warning, but the manner which she delivered it was s ll
dignified. For a moment everyone was as silent as a dead mouse,
then the senior butler answered in reply.
“Understood, My Lady. I was going to tell you myself but you handled
it well. If I see anything else like this, I’ll no fy you right away.”
“Yes, please. Report to me and I will dismiss them right there.”
“I’ll be sure to take care of it.”
Elena turned back and spoke in a clear voice to the servants, who
were looking back at her with anxious eyes.
“Now that I have clearly warned you, I will have no more mercy.”
The servants answered all at once, bending their heads.
“Understood, My Lady.”
A er Elena heard the chorus of affirma on, she nodded her head.
She didn’t want to make threats, but it was difficult to keep them
from talking otherwise. Furthermore, there were so many people to
keep quiet. She had to deal with it as much as she could before it
leaked outside. The servants s ll had their heads bowed down, and
Elena spoke to them again.
“You are all dismissed.”
As soon as her voice finished ringing in the air, all of the servants
returned to their respec ve du es. No one whispered and no one
was out of place.
The butler, who was watching quietly, turned to Elena.
“You have done well, My Lady.”
“Thank you. And thank you for your help. If anyone says anything,
please do as you said. I’ll leave it to you to keep the story from
spreading.”
“I will, My Lady.”
That was how the Lady Blaise started her day. A er a simple
breakfast, Elena sat at her desk, looking over the documents she
needed to take care of. Mirabelle wanted to go to a jewellery store,
so she had to look at their budget.

She also took the opportunity to dig out more informa on about this
world. Because House Blaise was not near the capital, there was no
informa on on the imperial family in the documents, but there was a
wealth of them on the southern provinces. She stared blankly at the
papers, then figured she could learn new things about the south that
she had never known about before.
Suddenly there was a knock on her door. She didn’t an cipate
anyone visi ng her at this me, and she answered with a puzzled
look on her face.
“Come in.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the door opened and a man
entered the room. He had dark blue hair and pale skin. It was Kuhn.
As soon as he entered Elena’s jaw dropped, despite the fact that she
had summoned him. It had been less than a few hours since she hung
the handkerchief. Above all, she couldn’t believe he was in Blaise
Castle itself.
“How…how did you get in?”
Ch. 33 I’d Be er Make Sure (1)
“How…how did you get in?”
Kuhn closed the door and approached Elena before answering. He
noted her surprise expression and spoke in a low voice.
“Infiltra on is my specialty.”
“W-what? You mean you snuck in here?”
“To be exact, I got a fake job as a food carrier. In a word, yes.”
Elena looked Kuhn with more surprise than before. House Blaise was
a well-known family in the empire who trained knights. The number
of them on the castle grounds was greater than that of any other
family. Even if he came into the castle in disguise, he had to steal past
all that security reach the room of the count’s daughter.
However, the breach was jus fiable in some ways. As Carlisle had
said, Kuhn’s abili es were excep onal. But what if Kuhn’s aim was
Elena’s life? Although Elena had her sword to protect her, as a
daughter of a count she was already in enough danger. She felt a chill
creep down her spine.
“Let me ask you one more thing. Sir Kasha, have you ever
approached someone this way and assassinated someone?”
“That’s…”
He formed his words slowly. What he said came as a shock, despite
the monotone sound of his voice.
“…That’s what I’m best at.”
Kuhn, who already seemed to have extraordinary abili es, was most
skilled at assassina on…
Elena had a headache for a moment, but this was to be expected.
When they first met, she thought he looked more appropriate as
assassin than a knight. Elena wondered what Carlisle was thinking,
but he was not there to answer her ques on. She spoke to Kuhn
instead.
“Let me ask you directly. If your mission was to assassinate me, can
you kill me in Blaise Castle and escape? What are your chances of
success?”
“There is a difference between infiltra ng a castle to have a secret
conversa on, and another for the purpose of taking another person’s
life. Each variable would need to be calculated exponen ally. And
within Blaise Castle, there’s not a very high probability of success.
Moreso, a er an assassina on it would be almost impossible for me
to live and escape.”
Elena smiled when she heard the answer.
“If you put that in a different sense, you can kill me if you risk your
life?”
Kuhn had no knowledge of Elena’s swordsmanship abili es, but there
s ll stood the chance of an successful assassina on a empt.
For the first me, Kuhn did not answer, and Elena took it as tacit
confirma on. How many assassins in the Ruford Empire could answer
like Kuhn now?
Kuhn Kasha. It was a name she had never heard of in her last life. She
envied how Carlisle had such a capable man.
“Let me ask you one last ques on.”
“You’ve already said you’d ask one last ques on.”
Kuhn’s expression remained inscrutable, but he calmly parried away
Elena’s repeated ques ons as if he felt uncomfortable answering
them. His observa on wasn’t wrong, but she ignored it and asked her
ques on anyway.
“Why are you answering my ques ons?”
She had not met Kuhn many mes, but she could tell his personality
at a glance. It seemed uncharacteris c of him that he would answer
to her. Kuhn answered in as dry a manner as before.
“The General told me to obey you uncondi onally.”
“Ah…”
This was new informa on for her. She didn’t expect Carlisle to pay
a en on to these details, but he was helping her out more than she
realized. She felt grateful to him. She didn’t completely trust him yet,
but she appreciated his services for her.
It seemed a li le strange that Kuhn kept calling Carlisle the General
instead of His Highness, but she soon let go of the thought.
“So you will do anything I say.”
Kuhn’s face twitched, but Elena carried on regardless.
“I’d like to ask a favor. Give me informa on about the imperial
household, as well as the power structure of the nobility in the
capital area.”
“…I understand.”
“Please do it as soon as possible.”
Kuhn paused to think for a moment, and then spoke in a quiet voice.
“Can I visit you at a later me? I only have a small window of me to
visit by day. I arrived a li le late because of it.”
Kuhn himself seemed to think his arrival was late, despite only
appearing a er a few hours a er she summoned him. Elena admired
Kuhn’s quick work.
“I don’t mind if you visit late. Please forward the informa on to me.”
“Yes, My Lady…”
Kuhn bowed, then le the room as so -footedly as he came in. She
looked back in silence, pleased with the work of this mysterious
young man. The enemy might be cunning, but she had Kuhn as an
ally. She praised Carlisle’s ability to a ract such people. Maybe he
was more talented than she thought. It was a good idea to proceed
with the contract marriage.
She turned back to the papers on her desk and began reading them
more carefully than before.
Ch. 34 I’d Be er Make Sure (2)
“We’re here, sister! Here!”
Mirabelle shouted as she pointed to the entrance of the new jewelry
shop. Elena could not help but smile at her sister’s excitement
“Be careful or you will fall.”
Elena hurried to where Mirabelle was ahead of her. A er Kuhn came
to visit, Elena finished organizing the documents then le to enjoy
the fresh air with Mirabelle. She had a mountain of work to do, but
she didn’t want to give up these hours with her family. All her
reasons for her suffering to was preserve this happiness.
Dharang–
The door of the jeweler’s shop opened with a clear, light sound of a
bell. Mirabelle inhaled as she stepped inside the building. Whether it
was new furniture or new goods, she always found the scent of a
shop pleasing.
Elena watched Mirabelle walk inside, then turned her head to the
fi een or so knights who escorted them. Derek had posted more
knights than usual a er that day when Elena went missing. Elena
didn’t refuse this me, knowing that Helen’s men might be following
them.
“Please wait here.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
At Elena’s command, the knights stood upright in front of the shop
without as much as a word. The were quite a sight with their
weapons held ght in their grip.
Elena followed Mirabelle into the jewelry shop, thinking that the
Blaise knights were not such a hindrance a er all. It was mostly dark
inside. However, the jewels in the cabinets were brightly lit, causing
them to shine. Elena looked around silently for a moment.
“What kind of jewel is that?”
She turned to the sound of Mirabelle’s voice, and saw a necklace
displayed near the entrance of the store. The pendant was studded
with a red jewel about the size of a thumbnail, which drew a en on
from afar. It looked like a ruby, but the depending on the angle of the
light it gave an unusual glimmer.
“You have a good eye. This is a necklace made of the finest diamond.”
The clerk speaking was wearing a neat black uniform. Judging by the
clothes, Elena could see how much effort the owner had put into this
establishment. Sooner or later, this place could become the most
famous jewelry store in the south.
“This is a red diamond?”
“Yes. It’s very rare for it to be this shade of red. Colored diamonds are
considered more valuable than white diamonds, but this one is of the
highest quality.”
“Ah…”
At Mirabelle’s admiring look, Elena looked at the necklace with fresh
perspec ve. She knew that colored diamonds were more valuable,
but she had never seen anything so vivid with her own eyes.
Mirabelle spoke again with a curious expression on her face.
“How much is this necklace?”
“The amount is wri en here.”
Elena caught her breath when she saw the price tag the clerk was
poin ng at. It was the equivalent of a year’s living expenses for
House Blaise. She knew that the prices of jewelry varied widely, but
this was beyond her imagina on. Mirabelle’s eyes widened at the
price.
Elena hurried to approach Mirabelle.
“What are you doing here? Let’s go further inside and look at other
things.”
“Oh, you’re here, sister?”
Elena smiled warmly when she approached Mirabelle. The quick-
wi ed clerk took note of Elena and greeted her.
“Welcome. I’ll show you inside. Please follow me this way.”
Elena and Mirabelle followed the clerk further into the jewelry store.
Just before that, she had trying to change the subject away from the
red diamond necklace, and the clerk seemed to pick it up. She didn’t
know for sure, but it would be rare even for an aristocrat to pay such
a price for a necklace.
Elena and Mirabelle were guided down a long corridor into a small,
luxuriously decorated room which contained a table and a
comfortable-looking sofa. It was common for nobles to relax and
drink tea in private rooms while they did their shopping. The size of
the room depended on to the posi on and wealth of the nobles as
well, and as Elena looked around she seemed to think the room they
were given was not normal.
“Is there anything you’re looking for?”
“Hmmm– I didn’t really have anything in mind, so please show me
everything.”
“Yes, madam. And what kind of tea would you like?”
Elena turned to Mirabelle.
“Is there anything you would like to drink?”
“I’ll have tea with milk.”
“Then I’ll have the same as well.”
“Yes. If you could wait here, please.”
The clerk went outside for a moment and then shortly reappeared,
carrying a considerable number of gemstones in his hand. With
familiar mo ons, he began to explain the gems he brought to the
table.
“If you like the gems we have here, we can custom-produce at item
for you, or can buy an already finished product. I’ll explain both, so
please let me know what you would prefer.”
The clerk was about to talk about the jewelry and accessories he had
just brought when–
Knock.
A man came in with a small tap on the door, and politely placed the
milk and tea on the table and le . A er a brief pause, the clerk
resumed his explana on.
“The most popular gem these days is topaz. This is topaz here, and
sapphire next to it, and this is ruby and diamond. In the latest
fashionable designs…”
This cleark was a fine talker. Even Elena, who had never done a lot of
shopping, felt he was easy to understand. The prices were detailed
below each item so it was not necessary to ask the cost for each one.
She felt more sa sfied when she could shop on a prepared budget.
Elena quietly listened to his explana on before speaking up.
“This yellow topaz. How long will it take to make the hairpin you
described earlier?”
“Oh, you mean bu erfly hairpin?”
“Yes.”
“It will take about a week.”
“We’re going to the capital soon, so could you deliver it there?”
“Of course. It costs extra for transporta on and may take a li le
longer.”
Mirabelle, who had been listening to the story, interjected.
“You want to decorate your hair with a bu erfly?”
“No. I thought it would look good on you actually.”
Mirabelle’s face turned red in an instant.
“Oh, no! We’re here to pick something for you. Why are you buying
me something all of a sudden?”
“I’ll buy something for me, too. But while we’re here, I’ll get
something for you.”
“You don’t need to…”
“When I went to Glenn’s wedding I said I would bring back a gi , but I
didn’t keep my promise. I was going to take this opportunity to
choose something this me. I want to buy it for you, so please accept
it.”
She gave Mirabelle a loving expression and pa ed her head. Before
coming here to the jeweler, Elena calculated all the money she had
saved. She wanted to buy Mirabelle anything before she officially
became married to Carlisle.
“But…”
Mirabelle was s ll about to refuse, but she closed her mouth at
Elena’s uncompromising gaze. When Mirabelle spoke again it was
with a small voice.
“…Thank you, I’ll cherish it.”
“Alright.”
Elena smiled and told the clerk to order Mirabelle’s bu erfly hairpin.
Mirabelle then piped up from her side.
“Let’s pick yours this me!”

*
*
Elena purchased a pair of emerald earrings Mirabelle had chosen for
her. It was a finished item that didn’t need to be customized, so the
clerk immediately packaged it. A er the purchases were finished,
Elena made to leave.
“Excuse me, but…you have a very unusual ring.”
“This?”
Elena realized that he was talking about the blue bead ring that she
had worn in all of her previous life. She thought he had been staring
at her hand since she walked in, and it seemed like her suspicions
were correct.
“If you don’t mind, may I take a closer look?”
There was no par cular reason to refuse, so Elena li ed her ring-
bearing hand forward. The clerk bent down and looked at the ring
with a keen eye.
“I’ve never seen such a kind of bead before. If you don’t mind, I’d like
to–”
“No, it’s not for sale.”
“Ah…yes.”
There was disappointment lurking under his smile. Elena already
knew the bead wasn’t common. Taking no account of the clerk’s
interest, she picked up the package with the emerald earrings.
“Mirabelle, how about we stop by the bakery before we head back
home?”
“Wow, really?”
“Yes. Let’s find something delicious like at the last tea party.”
Elena and Mirabelle walked out of the jewelry shop, holding hands
ghtly and pleasantly cha ng.
Dharang–
The door closed with the same nkling sound as when they came in.
However, there was a gaze at their retrea ng backs. The clerk stood
idly by the window, watching un l Elena and Mirabelle disappeared.
He was lost in thought as he stroked his chin with a severe expression
on his face.
“…It’s just too similar.”
His thoughts s ll caught on the ring, he walked into the innermost
depths of the jewelry shop. Unlike the fancy interior, the hallway
became increasingly bare. When he stopped at a point and turned to
a clock on a wall, something astonishing happened.
Kkiiig–
The wall opened, revealing a hidden area. The clerk spoke in a low
voice into the pitch-dark space.

“Tell this to your master. I found something similar to what you were
looking for.”
Then came an answer came from within the darkness.
“I will obey your orders.”
The clerk then turned his head, looking at the direc on where Elena
and Mirabelle had just been.
“…I’d be er make sure for anything suspicious.”
Ch. 35 They Look Amazingly Alike (1)
Days passed. Elena planned to head to the capital city before the
date of the ball. Carlisle had urged her to come quickly, and it was
natural for her to go where he was. She was also afraid something
would happen to him in her absence.
Before she could leave, however, she had made the final prepara ons
to make sure the household would run smoothly without her there.
It had taken her longer than expected to sort out the paperwork and
coordinate the employees, and Elena hadn’t been able to go to bed
un l near morning for the past several days.
“Mmm.”
Elena rubbed her s ff eyes and pushed herself out of bed. She went
to sleep very late last night, or in other words, early enough that the
sun was already rising out the window. She had another busy day
ahead of her, and she had no me to delay because she had to leave
for the capital with Mirabelle as soon as possible.
Tingling–
Elena rang the bell on the table and Mary entered the room.
“My Lady, are you awake?”
“Yes. I’m going to bathe right away, so please prepare.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Mary gently bathed Elena with her hands. Mary had been pale with
shock for a while a er Sophie was dismissed, but fortunately she
soon returned to normal. Perhaps she blamed herself for what
happened. It was a very different reac on compared to Sophie’s
resentment against Mary un l the end.
In any case, the rumors about Elena, which caused quite a s r in the
household, had died down in the past few days. The rumors didn’t
gain much trac on outside, and fortunately it didn’t spread to high
society and instead ended it quietly. Mary suddenly remembered
something.
“Oh, My Lady. The Count le for the capital last night. He said
something urgent came up.”
“…I see.”
As the head of the Fourth Order of the Knights, Alphord spent most
of his me at a mansion residence in the capital. This me though,
their schedules had aligned, and Elena and Mirabelle planned to
travel alongside him to the capital. It seemed that something urgent
had already taken their father away though. She felt sorry that she
missed the chance to be with him, but in his line of work it couldn’t
be helped.
She finally finished her morning prepara ons, then immediately sat
down at her desk to catch up on her work.
*
*
*
She immersed herself in the documents and took food and drink in
her office while me passed her quickly. It didn’t feel that way,
though, as she exercised every me she took a break. It was when
the room was silent, save for the scratch of her pen, when–
Knock knock.
There were a couple brief taps on the door. Elena li ed her head and
looked towards it. There was no reason for anyone else in par cular
to disturb her, so she had an idea to who the visitor was. However,
she spoke as if to a servant as a precau on.
“Come in.”
Then the door swung open with a slight creak, and the face of the
man she had been expec ng came into view. He had dark blue hair
and pale white skin. It was Kuhn.
“Welcome, Sir Kasha. Did you find out what I asked for?”
Elena was no longer curious as to how Kuhn infiltrated the castle, as
she had seen it before.
“Yes. Please take a look.”
Kuhn strode over to Elena and held out his report. He didn’t ask why
she wanted this informa on. Elena liked that about Kuhn. Of course,
his ability to get the job done was what she liked the most.
“Thank you for your work.”
Judging by the thickness of the stack, there was a wealth of
informa on contained within these papers and she quickly skimmed
through the contents. She took note of the overall state of affairs but
a few important details leapt out to her.
Kuhn’s report said that the most powerful person in Ruford Empire
was…
Empress Ophelia.
‘Oh my god…’
To Elena, this was a completely unexpected revela on. In her last life
she had li le interest in poli cs un l her family died. She had no
choice but to read carefully through the parts she had no prior
knowledge about.
Empress Ophelia grew her power while Emperor Sullivan was
confined to his bed. It was her that made it possible for Ruford
Empire to retain it’s strong imperial grip.
The Anita family.
A proud count family who had produced numerous successful
generals for the Ruford Empire, and had become powerful due to the
long war.
An even more astonishing detail was wri en below.
‘What? Is Paveluc is categorized as under the Empress’ force?’
She could not hold back a shocked laugh. Paveluc murdered Empress
Ophelia in the future, but presently they were allies. However, she
realized a crucial detail here. Paveluc was not in power from the
beginning. He was a parasite to Empress Ophelia and made a grab for
the throne when the opportunity was ripe.
Her eyes began to pick up speed as she read further. There were
more interes ng details that she didn’t know before. If you could
quan fy the power of the Ruford empire by the number ten, then
the emperor was three, the empress was four, and Paveluc was one.
And the other two…
Was the Kraus family. The name was recognizable by anyone, as
every soul in the empire had purchased at least one item with the
Kraus crest. It was a very well-established business. It was because of
their commercial presence that the perpetually war-driven Ruford
Empire remained afloat.
While the reign of Emperor Sullivan had made it easier for everyone
to live their lives, it was the Kraus family that made it possible for
people to buy goods for many years. While their wealth could not be
ignored, however, the Krauses were merchants and had li le interest
in the poli cal affairs of the empire.
Elena’s head turned side to side as she read quickly. Her aim was to
make Crown Prince Carlisle the emperor. At this point, the powers of
the current Emperor Sullivan were to be handed over to Carlisle, the
next in line. The easiest way to keep Empress Ophelia and Paveluc in
check was to gain the support of the Kraus family.
Elena li ed her head up in sa sfac on a er she looked over the
informa on Kuhn brought her. She would never have discovered
many of these details if she inves gated alone. She already knew that
Emperor Sullivan was in poor health, and this secret informa on,
which was only known to only a few of the top nobleman, was
included in the report as well, increasing Kuhn’s credibility.
“Well done. You brought so much informa on in such a short period
of me.”
“…”
Despite Elena’s rare praise, Kuhn did not show any sign of emo on.
She was familiar with his quiet nature and con nued.
“Does Prince Carlisle know all of this?”
“Yes.”
Elena felt pleased. Carlisle was more well equipped than she
expected. It was highly likely that the people were right in her past
life when they claimed that if Carlisle was not assassinated, Paveluc
would never have become emperor. Once again she felt fortunate to
be the one to hold Carlisle’s hand. Elena arranged the papers neatly
on her desk and con nued.
“I’ll keep this informa on and look at the rest later. I’m sure you
must’ve had a difficult me gathering all of this, but I’d like ask you
one more thing.”
“Please.”
“I want you to find out more about the Kraus family.”
Kuhn paused for a moment before replying so ly.
“I will inves gate them if you wish, but it’s difficult to get informa on
about the Krauses.”
“Is that so? Then please find out what you can.”
“I understand.”
Elena smiled faintly at Kuhn’s succinct reply. Another thought came
to her mind.
“You likely know this, but I’m going to leave for the capital soon. Will
you be nearby?”
“Yes. Protec ng you is my most important duty.”

“Then please bring informa on about Kraus even when we’re on the
move, as soon as you can.”
“Yes, My Lady. Do you have any more instruc ons?”
She was about to nod her head. Just then there was a knock on the
door. Elena and Kuhn turned to face the sound at the same me.
“Can I come in for a moment, sister?”
Mirabelle’s voice could be heard from outside. Elena and Kuhn
automa cally turned to the door, then turned back to look at each
other. She had to solve this, quickly.
36.
“Please wait a minute, Mirabelle.”
She felt troubled. Castle Blaise teemed with knights, and as long as
Mirabelle was outside it would be difficult for Kuhn to escape.
Sgg–
Kuhn silently pointed to the window of the room. She stared at him
not knowing what he meant, but it soon became clear when he
pulled a rope from inside his jacket.
“Ah…”
Before Elena could say anything, Kuhn secured the rope to the
window and leapt out fearlessly. Startled, Elena ran towards him.
Mirabelle, who had become impa ent, opened the door and stuck
her head inside.
“What are you doing? Are you busy?”
“Oh, no. Come in, Mirabelle.”
With Elena’s permission Mirabelle fully opened the door and entered
the room. Elena glanced back worriedly outside. Kuhn had already
reached the ground and he looked up at Elena with an indifferent
expression. When their eyes met in midair, Kuhn bowed his head as
usual, then he turned around and casually walked away. Elena
couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘He really is an unpredictable person.’
In a way, Kuhn was even more protec ve of his iden ty than Elena.
Mirabelle came to her side, looking out the window.
“Is something happening out there?”
Following Elena’s gaze, Mirabelle’s dark green eyes reflected the
image of Kuhn’s figure. Mirabelle pointed at the man with his finger.
“Oh! Sister, look at that man.”
Elena answered cau ously, glancing at the rope that was secured to
the window.
“What about him?”
“His hair is the same color as my teddy bear.”
“Oh, I see.”
Elena nodded, remembering Mirabelle’s toy. It was made with a
velvety material of a unique blue-ish black color, and was even more
precious because their late mother had given it to Mirabelle when
she was born. When she was young she couldn’t sleep without it.
“…They look amazingly alike. “
Elena and Mirabelle watched Kuhn’s figure gradually disappear.
However, Elena soon became nervous about the rope connected to
the window, so she quickly diverted a en on.
“But what brings you here?”
“Oh, I just wanted to ask what you’ll pack when we go to the
capital…”
Mirabelle spoke but she could not take her eyes off Kuhn’s back so
easily. She thought if her bear were alive, he would look just like that.
*
*
*
“Stay safe.”
Derek’s normally s ff manner was replaced with a worried expression
as he said his goodbye. At the entrance to the castle, Derek, the
butler Northman, and all the other servants came to see Elena and
Mirabelle off as they made to leave for the capital.
“We will come back in good health, so don’t worry,”
She spoke reassuringly to Derek, even though he added more than a
few knights to their party. She then turned to address the Northman,
who was standing next to Derek.
“Look a er the household while I’m away.”
“Please feel at ease. Thanks to your careful a en on, it will be in
good shape.”
“Then I’m glad. If anything should happen, please send me a le er.”
Mirabelle tugged at Elena’s hand as her farewell became longer and
longer.
“That’s enough. We’ll be here for days at this rate. What’s more,
brother is looking too worried.”
“S ll…”
“Come on, let’s go. We’ll get you a present when we get back!”
Mirabelle led Elena into the carriage and immediately waved to
Derek standing outside, and he gave a short nod.

“We should start before the day gets too late.”

Mirabelle spoke to the coachmen impa ently.
“You hear that? Let’s go.”
“Yes, young lady.”
The coachman snapped the reigns, and the carriage slowly began to
move forward. Mirabelle waved her hand un l Derek was out of
sight, and Elena replaced her last gree ng with a slight bow of her
head. As the horses gained a li le more speed, so did the beau ful
scenery passing outside the carriage window. Mirabelle, who rarely
le Blaise Castle, looked expectantly out of the window and
murmured to herself.
“I’m looking forward to traveling this far with you, sister.”
Elena had been working alone to save Carlisle, but now she was also
delighted to have Mirabelle with her.
“I’m sure it will be enjoyable. Let’s have a good me.”
She smiled contentedly, ignorant of what was wai ng for them in the
capital.
Ch. 37 No Other Answers (1)
As they traveled north from the warmer southern region, the
weather turned chillier. Elena fussed over Mirabelle, covering her
sister up in another layer of blanket as she lay in bed.
“How do you feel? Are you too cold?”
“No, I’m alright now.”
They were about halfway long between the south and the capital.
Because of Mirabelle’s weak disposi on, their journey was
significantly delayed even though they ini ally le in a hurry.
Mirabelle’s health was the top priority, so Elena ordered the
entourage to stop at an inn.
“I’ll raise the heat in this room, so you should feel be er in a li le
while. I’ll be going out soon, so stay in bed if you’re red.”
“Alright. I’m sorry you have to go alone.”
“Don’t worry yourself over it.”
Elena smiled and gently swept Mirabelle’s forehead. The jeweler sent
a message shortly a er they le Blaise Castle, informing them that
the hair ornament was finished sooner than expected and could be
delivered at the halfway point. Since there was no need to delay,
Elena made the appointment to pick it up today. She original planned
for her and Mirabelle to go out together, but Mirabelle was
weakened and Elena was only planning on a quick trip.
“Rest well.”
She pulled Mirabelle’s blanket up to her chin and stood up. The
mee ng place was not far from the inn, so she wouldn’t be long.
Dalkag–
She carefully closed the door to avoid disturbing Mirabelle’s rest,
then went to her room beside Mirabelle’s to retrieve the receipt for
the bu erfly pin.
However…
As soon as she entered her dark, unlit room, she sensed a subtle
presence. Elena held her breath and focused on loca ng the
intruder’s hiding place. Her scarlet eyes scanned across the area,
aligh ng upon a tall cabinet si ng next to a large window. Elena took
a step towards it. Suddenly a low voice of a man broke through the
pitch-black darkness.
“How did you know I was hiding here?”
It wasn’t exactly a ques on, but an observa on that she saw his
cover. As soon as Elena heard the voice, she recognized it as Kuhn
immediately.
“What are you doing hiding in someone else’s room?”
“I’ve been wai ng because you were gone for a while. But how did
you detect me?”
Kuhn seemed quite surprised that Elena discovered his posi on. She
hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to answer the ques on.
She didn’t think he’d be fooled by a false excuse.
“…Well, let’s leave it to Sir Kasha’s imagina on.”
Neither telling the truth nor a lie, she instead chose to make up a
story. Kuhn understood her not wan ng to elaborate on one’s
methods, and chose a simple response.
“…I see.”
He stepped forward from the darkness, the dim light from the
window silhoue ng his figure. He holding out the documents he
brought along.
“This is the informa on about the Krauses that you requested.”
“Thank you.”
Although she wanted to look at the report right away, she had a prior
engagement. She picked up the jeweler’s receipt from her desk, then
placed down the documents Kuhn handed her on the same spot.
“I have to leave for a while to pick something up. You don’t have to
follow me as it’s not far from here and I’ll be escorted by my knights.
Can you wait here un l I come back?”
“Do you have another job for me?”
“Not now, but I may a er I check the report.”
Kuhn looked worried for a moment, but then answered quietly.
“Alright.”
Kuhn agreed that his escort services were not needed with the Blaise
knights around. Most of all, he would save more me wai ng here
rather than going out and coming back, and he always had to keep a
certain distance from Elena as to not arouse suspicion from the other
knights. He could do as Elena requested. But…he could not an cipate
everything. Kuhn took out a hand-sized object from inside his jacket
pocket.
“What is this?”
“It’s a firework flare developed by the General. If anything dangerous
happens to you, light it. I already know the direc ons from here to
where you’re going. If the flare goes off, I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Elena took the flare with a puzzled look, and then looked up at him.
He seemed to have implied that he already knew her en re schedule,
but she admired his a en on to detail.
“I see. I’ll do so if it becomes dangerous.”
Elena carefully tucked away the flare.
“I’ll see you soon.”
“Return safely.”
At the end of Kuhn’s brief farewell, Elena hurried out of the room.
The appointed mee ng me with the jeweler was drawing nearer.
*
*
*
The sun completely sank below the horizon, blanke ng the streets
with a deep darkness and penetra ng even Elena’s room where Kuhn
stood quietly. He watched Elena through the window as she departed
with her knights. Finally, she gradually disappeared down the streets,
but Kuhn made no move.
Tick. Tick.
The second hand of the clock echoed loudly in the deathly quiet. This
was the usual silence for Kuhn. Un l suddenly–
Wachachang!
Kuhn’s eyes shi ed towards the sound of something breaking. If he
remembered correctly, it came from the room where Elena’s sister
was staying. It seemed obvious that she had broken something by
mistake.
‘…There is no reason for me to check.’
Kuhn’s principle was Elena. Her sister was not involved in it. He
looked out again with indifferent gray eyes, when another sound
came to his ears.
Seug, seug.
A dragging sound on the floor. And it was ge ng closer to Elena’s
room. Kuhn hid himself in the dark, just like when Elena first entered
in the room. The door swung open slowly, and the first thing that
came through was the sound of gasping breaths.
“Hah, hah…Older sister…”
Her voice sounded like it was about to fade out, and he could sense
her condi on was serious. He heard the sound of feet walking against
the floor. Before she barely crossed the threshold, her trembling li le
body completely collapsed onto the floor.
“Uh, sister…It…it hurts.”
Kuhn looked at Mirabelle lying on the ground. She looked like a small
animal. Was it because of her thin arms and legs? Just a small effort
seemed to wear her down, and she was so fragile she may die if she
was le una ended. A small bit of worry gnawed at Kuhn’s
conscience.
‘…Do I ignore her?’’
Kuhn was not responsible if Mirabelle died. He had witness death
countless upon countless of mes, and many by his own hands.
Death was not new to Kuhn, and he had become numb to it.
However, Elena knew that Kuhn was wai ng in this room. If Mirabelle
died, he might be falsely accused. He didn’t hesitate long.

Tubug, tubug.
He strode towards Mirabelle in an incredibly relaxed manner for
someone who had a sickly person in front of them. He didn’t
understand why. It wasn’t because he was scared of Elena’s
resentment that he was moving now. He could add that to a pile of
other people’s resentments, and it wouldn’t ma er. For some reason
he was reminded of a small wounded bird he saw on the streets one
day. He knew it was just a whim, but he couldn’t control himself. He
couldn’t say it was the right decision keep hiding in this room and
ignore the situa on.
“Where do you feel pain?”
Mirabelle was startled to see a man suddenly appear in the dark.
Earlier she had taken a short nap, and woken up with a stomach
ache. She tried to call the maid, but accidentally broke something
beside her. It was a noise louder than the sound of a bell, but no one
showed up in the room. She was forced to go to Elena’s room with
severe pain, and unexpectedly came across this mysterious man.
“Haah, hah…who…are you?”
Chapter 38 – No Other Answers (2)
Kuhn did not answer the ques on, and simply placed his calloused
hand on Mirabelle’s forehead. His hand was a cool relief against her
hot body.
“What can I do for you? Shall I call the maid? I can call a doctor, but it
will take some me.”
Mirabelle was more aware of her physical condi on than anyone
else. Her body was born weak at birth, not because of a special
disease. An obscure malady, was what people called it. It hurt, and
she had fallen. The pain was tearing her stomach and her body.
“There must be a painkiller somewhere in this room. First…”
Kuhn began to rummage through the room even before she finished
speaking. A er opening some drawers, he found the medicine and
brought a cup of water on a tray. Kuhn li ed Mirabelle by the
shoulder to raise her upper body, and she li ed the cup to her mouth
and swallowed down the water and the medicine. It was only a er
that did she properly look at the man suppor ng her. His dark blue
hair, pale skin, blank-looking eyes, and a s ff mouth gave her a very
cold impression.
“…My…teddy bear?”
Mirabelle was just about to make him out through her dim haze of
pain. He looked just liked the teddy bear that sat next to her bed.
“Do I have to bring it to you?”
Though Mirabelle was dazed, she felt momentarily annoyed. She
wasn’t asking him to bring her teddy bear. She was saying that it was
as if her teddy bear had come to life before her.
“I will call the maid and the doctor right away, so tell them to bring
whatever you want then. The bear is not something that’s directly
needed for treatment.”
“No, it’s not…”
Before Mirabelle could finish, he braced one arm on her back then
put another under her knees to li her up.
“Ah!”
Mirabelle let out a weak scream as her body was li ed up. Kuhn
ignored her response and laid her in Elena’s bed. He looked down at
Mirabelle, who was pale with pain, and spoke to her firmly.
“Now just–”
Before he could finish what he was about to say, he suddenly
s ffened. Mirabelle had reached out with a small hand to touch
Kuhn’s cheek.
“Are you really my teddy bear?”
The warmth and so ness of Mirabelle’s hand was the first he had
experienced in his life. In Kuhn’s emo onless gray eyes was a flicker
of embarrassment.
*
*
*
“How do you like it?”
The person who came to deliver Mirabelle’s bu erfly hairpin was
none other than the man from the jewelry store. Even though he was
a simple clerk, Elena didn’t expect him to meet her personally.
Perhaps the clerk no ced her uncertainty, and gave her a reassuring
smile.
“I came out for a business trip here.”
“Is that so?”
“Are you on your way to the ball in the capital? I hope this hairpin
suits the young lady I saw before.”
“Yes. Here’s the receipt.”
She had no inten on of making small talk, so she spoke to him curtly
and received the hair ornament that was handed to her.
“Are you leaving already?”
“I’m afraid must go back now that I’ve finished here.”
“I see. It’s a shame, as this place is well known for its sightseeing
areas.”
Their appointed mee ng place was a large shopping area that was
frequently visited by aristocrats. Nowadays, its various stores
brimmed with clothing, jewelry and general merchandise, all
contained in large building so that shopping could be done efficiently
in one place. The jewelry store in the southern part of the country
already had a chain store here. Some aristocrats had not yet adapted
to this new culture and patronized local stores, but this was
spreading like fashion among the younger genera ons. Elena, who
had already experienced the future, was already familiar with it.
“I’ll look around if I have the opportunity next me. Thank you for
delivering this here.”
Elena, having finished her business, rose from her seat. The clerk
smiled at her.
“My name is Batori Coven. I hope you will con nue to use our
jewelers in the future.”
With a slight nod to Batori, she walked past him out of the store.
There were more than just one or two shops in the large building, so
the long, flowing hallway was lit like daylight, even though it was
already evening. The shopping center was a entertainment area only
open to aristocrats, and the Blaise knights had no choice but to wait
outside. Elena hurried to leave the building.
Soon, however, she heard the strange, persistent sound of footsteps
behind her. She felt uncomfortable with someone following her, but
she ignored them for now. The knights of the family within a short
distance. Even if someone had followed her, she could catch up to
the knights quickly, so she increased her speed.
However, before the exit of the building, there were a few shops that
were closed and the lights darkened. The footsteps behind her were
gradually ge ng nearer.
Jubog, jubog.
She nervously increased her pace, when suddenly large hand caught
her back.

Hwiigg–
Elena whirled around and swung the sharp point hairpin towards the
other person’s head. There wasn’t enough me to pull out her
dagger from her ankle. Her opponent swi ly blocked Elena’s a ack
and then let out a small laugh.
“This is the second me now, isn’t it?”
A familiar voice was in her ear. She quickly li ed her head and saw
Carlisle looking at her with amusement shining in his blue eyes. She
was suddenly aware of his broad shoulders and a solid body. He
looked as brilliant as the last me she saw him in his perfect suit.
“Well, Your Highness, how was I supposed to…?”
Taking in Elena’s startled expression, Carlisle spoke in a low voice
again.
“I wanted to see you. I told you to come quickly.”
Ch. 39 A Short Night’s Ou ng (1)
“I wanted to see you. I told you to come quickly.”
Elena was struck dumb for a moment. He came that far from the
capital just to see her? How many days and nights did he ride on
horseback? Elena stood as frozen as a statue, her mouth gaping in
surprise.
“But how long has it been and you’ve already changed my name?”
“Oh, I was so surprised…”
Elena remembered the contract as her words trailed off. She had
forgo en she promised to call him by his pet name when they were
alone. She was about to apologize when Carlisle took a step forward
and redirected the conversa on.
“Where were you going?”
“I was returning to my lodging. My sister is wai ng for me.”
“Then let’s walk together.”
As released her hand he turned and strode ahead, Elena missed her
chance to apologize. It occurred to her for a moment that he already
knew her feelings, but she immediately shook her head. There was
no reason for him to be so considerate. Elena soon followed Carlisle’s
footsteps, opening her mouth to speak at a sudden thought.
“I don’t think we should go out together like this.”
“Why?”
“Officially, we have nothing to do with each other, Caril. And my
family knights are wai ng for me outside…”
“Are you worried that we’ll get no ced and be talked about?”
“Of course.”
“I’m curious what kind of rumors there would be about the both of
us.”
Elena stopped breathing for a moment. It was quite a compliment,
but whether his words were a joke or had some other hidden
meaning, Elena had to be the ra onal one.
“We decided that our first mee ng will be at the ball and that we’ll
fall in love at first sight. We can’t be seen by others before then.”
“…Seeing my fiancée’s expression is more difficult than figh ng a
ba le.”
Elena could sense a veil of disappointment in his voice.
“If you’re nearby, then I’ll stop by my room first before sneaking out
again.”
Elena’s spoke to him as if she were handing candy to a par cularly
fre ul child, and Carlisle replied with a chuckle and a small smile.
“I’d love for you to, but I don’t have much me and I have to go back
soon.”
“Didn’t you just arrive here? You have to leave already?”
“Your travel was slower than expected. It took me a while to get
here.”
Elena’s thoughts were churning at what to do. She couldn’t just send
Carlisle back when he already came this far. Carlisle looked down at
the profile of her thinking and spoke in a calming voice.
“I’m the one who came here without no ce. I didn’t mean force this
upon you, so it’s alright if you don’t want anyone to see us together
un l the ball. Un l we see your family knights…walking together will
do.”
His response was unexpectedly diploma c, causing Elena to look up
at him with surprise. It was difficult to understand why he came here
to see her amid such a ght schedule, especially when they would
see each other at the capital. How many days did he need to ride this
far to make this happen? Just to see her face for a few minutes? It
didn’t make sense to Elena’s head, but somehow it made her guilty
to refuse Carlisle. However, she could not take him before her
family’s knights.
A er a short moment of struggling internally, Elena halted her steps
and caught Carlisle’s arm. At her slightest touch Carlisle stopped
walking and stared at her, his blue eyes burning with a cold fire.
“I don’t like it when you touch me suddenly.”
Elena has ly withdrew her hand before answering. The light was
brightening as there were more open shops in this area.
“Come with me.”
Elena brought Carlisle to a store that sold miscellaneous goods, the
closest she could find.
Carlisle didn’t say anything else and was behaving more compliantly
then she expected, following her as she took the lead. He no longer
seemed offended by Elena’s earlier ac on. The expression in his eyes
remained gentle.
“Welcome.”
A clerk walked over to them and greeted them politely as they
entered the store. The man and woman were a beau ful pair. With
brilliant blonde hair, jewel-like red eyes and pale skin, Elena was a
stunning beauty by any measure. The same was true of Carlisle. He
was taller than most men, and he had a sculptured body full of
untamed majesty. Even from the way they were dressed, one could
tell that they were moneyed.
The clerk wore a bright smile at the appearance of the wealthy
clients.
“Is there anything you’re looking for?”
Elena glanced at Carlisle standing next to her then replied in an even
voice.
“Do you have a cloak large enough to cover one’s face? No pa erns,
just plain black.”
“Hmm? A black one?”
An expression of puzzlement flickered over the clerk’s face. So did
Carlisle’s, who was standing next to her. It wasn’t that noblemen
didn’t wear cloaks, but that they preferred expensive ones with
expensive animal fur or luxurious designs. The plain black cloak Elena
requested was more suited for wandering mercenaries.
“Well, I have them, but…”
“Then I’ll take one.”
Despite the clerk’s expecta on that only expensive items could be
sold, Elena and Carlisle hurried out with only one black cloak. Carlisle
glanced back at the surprised clerk then turned back to Elena.
“What are you going to do with this?”
“Just because Caril is the crown prince, doesn’t mean we can’t walk
together.”
“…?”
At Carlisle’s confused face, Elena held open the robe then swung it
around his tall shoulders. Their faces drew closer than expected.
Elena’s breath caught for a moment, but she quickly changed her
expression to something more casual.
“I won’t be sa sfied if we simply part like this. If you put this on and
hide your iden ty, I can be with you un l we get to the inn…How do
you like that?”

Only then did Carlisle understand her meaning and smiled. Then he
replied in a low voice.
“You want the crown prince of the empire to hide his face and
pretend to be someone else? I have never hidden myself in the midst
of my enemies.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that. Then…”
She didn’t want to be discourteous. She was about to correct her
mistake un l suddenly Carlisle leaned in a li le more, and their faces
becoming closer than ever. He took Elena’s wrist, pulling her upper
body towards his and speaking in a deeper tone of voice.
“So if you want me to wear this as the crown prince, at least place
the hood with your own hands.”
Ch. 40 A Short Night’s Ou ng (2)
She stared at Carlisle with a startled expression.
“Are you sure? If you’ve never hidden your iden ty and you don’t
wish to…”
“If you want me to hide my face, then I cannot refuse you.”
Elena wondered if Carlisle had some hidden agenda, but she didn’t
sense an intent to mislead her. And contrary to what he said earlier,
he also seemed to have decided to disguise himself under the cloak.
And somehow…
The two were close enough that they could feel each other’s breaths
at the slightest exhale. She was frozen on the spot, unable to move.
A er a moment’s hesita on, Elena decided to do as he wished, at
least to escape his simmering gaze. With faintly trembling fingers, she
grabbed the hood behind Carlisle’s neck and drew it over his head,
concealing his handsome face and only barely revealing his sharp
jawline. Carlisle was now disguised just as she originally planned, but
she didn’t realize she it would be by her hands.
“…Is that enough?”
The concealment of Carlisle’s intense blue eyes allowed her to
released her halted breath.
“I think so, Lady.”
Elena felt a blush spread up to the ps of her ears when he
addressed her in that way.
“Please don’t say that.”
“I thought I’d try pretend to be a slave gladiator who fell for the
daughter of the Count.”
The visible part of Carlisle’s face was caught in a sly smile. He seemed
to be following Elena’s example when created a se ng of love at first
sight at a ball. Despite his mischievous tone, however, his blue eyes,
dimly visible beneath the robe when he looked at her, were serious
and subdued. There was a peculiar heat in his gaze towards Elena.
“If the scenario were rule, I would have won every gladiator contest
for you.”
“…I am grateful for your words.”
Winning a gladiator contest was far from an easy task, but strangely,
his words did not feel like a joke to her. Elena was le confused.
Carlisle was an enigma c man. Every me Elena met him, her
curiosity about him seemed to grow. She s ll hadn’t figured out why
his arm turned into that of a monster’s. She s ll had a few other
ques ons as well.
“Shall we go then?”
Even when cloaked, Carlisle’s figure was darkly imposing.
“…Yes,”
She replied curtly, then headed again towards the exit of the
building. Neither side was one to talk much, and there was not much
conversa on le to be shared. This was only a short night’s ou ng of
them walking silently. Elena never had a night so strange.
*
*
*
“Who is this?”
As expected, the family knights were wary of Carlisle’s large, cloaked
appearance, and Elena blocked any ques ons they would have.
“I know him personally. We will travel together to the front of the
inn.”
Without listening to the knights’ responses, Elena opened the
carriage door and gestured Carlisle inside. Elena’s deferen al manner
made the knights reconsider speaking out. They could see the
stranger was a man, but because his face was hidden, they could not
iden fy which family he came from. The knights could not protest
easily at risk of disrespec ng someone of high rank.
A er a moment’s hesita on, the knights soon stepped away from the
carriage without a word. They couldn’t disobey Elena’s order, and the
carriage ride was only a short distance anyhow. It was determined he
was no threat to Elena’s safety.
The Blaise’s carriage was designed to keep conversa on inside, so
long as the window was not opened. However, Elena couldn’t help
but lower her voice as she spoke.
“Do you feel comfortable?”
“…Yes.”
The carriage somehow felt cramped with Carlisle inside. Was it
because of his long legs? The carriage wheels began to turn and
ra le as the carriage moved forward, and Elena looked straight at the
other passenger. His face was obviously concealed by the hood, but
she could feel his gaze res ng heavily on her.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“How did you know I was looking at you?”
“If you stare at me that hard, I can tell no ma er if you’re wearing a
cloak.”
“Really?”
Carlisle’s mouth curved into a mocking smile beneath the hood
before con nuing.
“We’re going to part again soon, so let’s talk more.”
“You seem to care about me a lot.”
“In my own way, yes, that’s true.”
“…Why?”
Elena needed to put an end to her curiosity. It was more than one or
two things about Carlisle’s a tude that made her feel suspicious, and
she knew there was something more between them than just a
simple contract marriage. She wanted to know why he was like this.
“You didn’t answer me last me, but I hope you’ll do so now. Have
we met in the past?”
Carlisle’s jawline seemed to harden at the forwardness of her
ques on. However, there was no other way for Elena to know if he
kept evading the topic, and Elena became genuinely curious as me
went by. She wondered if there really was a connec on she couldn’t
remember…
Carlisle spoke in a quieter voice than Elena.
“I’ll tell you since you’re so curious. You don’t seem to remember it,
but we did meet a long me ago.”
“Ah…”
She somehow felt doub ul at his answer, but at the same me it felt
like an important clue.
“When did we meet?”
“Well…I’ll let you know the next me I see you.”
“When is that?”
He seemed about to give an honest answer, but suddenly dodged it
at the last moment. Elena’s expression turned impa ent while
Carlisle simply smiled at her.
“Un l then, I hope all you will think about is me.”
“I’m sorry…?”
“I hope you will look forward to mee ng me again.”
Elena tried to suppress her frustra on. This man was a player. She
couldn’t believe he wouldn’t give her a proper answer a er all this…
Elena was about to say something else when the carriage drew to a
stop. There was a rapping sound from outside, and when she opened
the window, a knight addressed her respec ully.
“We’re here, My Lady.”
“Thank you…”
Elena closed the window again and turned towards Carlisle seated in
front of her. She knew the travel would be short, but they had only
exchanged a few words and arrived at the inn before she knew it.
“It’s already me to part. You must let me know the next me you
will see me.”
“…Of course.”
A er Carlisle’s reply, the two stepped out from the carriage. All the
knights’ sharp eyes were fixed on Carlisle, but he did not so much as
blink. Elena bowed her head to Carlisle.
“I’ll leave you now. Take care.”
Mindful of the eyes of the surrounding people, she only gave him a
brief farewell and turned and headed towards the inn. The Blaise
knights marched in perfect order in Elena’s wake. Carlisle only stood
there, staring at Elena’s retrea ng figure, then mumbled to himself.
“…Don’t bow your head to me.”
Carlisle tried his best to respect Elena’s desire to not be seen
together un l the ball. He had never restrained himself from doing
what he wanted, but if it was for Elena’s sake, it wasn’t a bad
tradeoff.
Only a er Elena disappeared completely from Carlisle’s sight did he
turn away, his footsteps echoing loudly on the deserted streets in the
middle of the night. He turned into a dark alley with only the moon
as a companion, when suddenly a few shadows appeared in the
seemingly empty street and approached the crown prince.
They were Carlisle’s own escorts.

“The Empress has no ced your absence. Where are you headed
now?”
“I must go back to the capital.”
Only then did Carlisle pull off the black cloak he had been wearing.
The cloudy moonlight revealed his chilling blue eyes and a profile
that looked as if someone with great skill had carved them. Carlisle
turned around and murmured in the direc on where Elena had
disappeared.
“…I already miss you.”
Ch. 41 …The Only Time (1)
As soon as Elena arrived at the inn, she was informed that Mirabelle
had lost consciousness and collapsed. It was clear that Mary had not
been expec ng the situa on and was bewildered at what to do.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me right away?”
“Well…I sent someone but they must have missed you, My Lady.”
“Did you call the doctor?”
“Yes, she’s already seen the doctor…”
“Which room is Mirabelle in now? Take me to her right away.”
Following Mary’s lead, Elena rushed to the room where Mirabelle
was. Nobles rarely ran, but Elena did not bother with dignity now.
Her heart pounded painfully in her chest at the thought of Mirabelle
ge ng hurt while she was away. The screams of Mirabelle being
defiled in her last life echoed loudly in Elena’s ears.
Bang!
She flung open the door and ran inside–
And saw Mirabelle lying on the bed breathing evenly. Elena gave a
gasp of relief.
“…Thank God.”
Fortunately, Mirabelle didn’t look like she was in pain. Elena
approached her sleeping sister, drawn to her like a magnet, and
gently brushed her hand against her face. Mirabelle’s warmth
brought tears to Elena’s eyes. Elena looked at her dear sister’s face,
anxious to find signs of any hurt when something that wasn’t
supposed to be there caught her a en on. It was a coat. The
blankets covering Mirabelle had mostly obscured it at first, but now
Elena could see her sister wearing the oversized piece of clothing.
Mirabelle clutched to it ghtly, and Elena had no choice but to ask
ques ons.
“…Where did this come from?”
However, a keen memory informed her of the owner of the coat.
Kuhn Kasha.
Why would Mirabelle have his coat? Elena turned towards Mary
standing behind her. Mary immediately no ced what Elena wanted
to enquire about and opened her mouth to speak.
“Well–!”
“Shh.”
Elena li ed her finger to her lips, then pointed to the door and
nodded that they should go outside. The two women quietly le the
room and only spoke a er they were some distance from it.
“Whose coat is that?”
“I don’t know. Actually…It was when I le to room to ask the inn clerk
to raise the hea ng that I heard that Miss Mirabelle had collapsed.”
“You heard? From whom?”
“I think it was an employee, but I was too busy to remember.”
A er listening Mary’s account, Elena remembered where she had
asked for Kuhn to wait for her.
“Was it my room where Mirabelle collapsed?”
“Yes, that’s right! It was in your room, Lady Elena. Maybe she went
there herself.”
“I see…”
Maybe it was Kuhn who helped Mirabelle when he saw her collapse.
But that didn’t solve the mystery why Mirabelle was wearing his coat,
or why she was holding on to it so ghtly. Elena would ask Kuhn in
person and find out. Before doing so, however, Elena had to confront
Mary.
“Mirabelle has a weak consitu on, and you le your posi on without
leaving someone to take your place. What if something more serious
had happened to Mirabelle while I was gone?”
“…I’m sorry, My Lady.”
“I will let this pass this me, but if this happens again, you must be
prepared.”
“Yes, My Lady, I will never leave Miss Mirabelle una ended.”
Mary’s face, too, was quite red-looking. Of course was Mary’s fault
that she le Mirabelle alone, but Elena knew that it was difficult for
the maid to a end to everything on her own during the trip. There
were a few other servants besides Mary, but she was responsible for
leadership and communica on. But despite Elena’s cold-hearted
reasoning, Elena couldn’t help but no ce Mary’s drooping shoulders
and her remorseful eyes.
“Mirabelle is very frail. I ask you to pay a en on next me.”
“Yes, yes! I will. I’m truly sorry…really.”
Mary was not par cularly quick or intelligent in her last life. However,
Elena kept her close because she was pure and kind-hearted. No
ma er how competent one may be at their job, Elena couldn’t keep
an opportunist who would change their posi on depending on the
type of situa on.
Elena wanted to allow Mary another chance, so she pa ed the
maid’s shoulder without saying anything another word. The intent of
her heart was conveyed to Mary en rely. Mary bowed her head,
moved by Elena’s warm forgiveness of her mistakes.
*
*
*
*
Elena returned to her room where she promised to meet Kuhn. The
room was s ll as dark as it was when she le , but Elena sense Kuhn’s
presence at once.
“…What happened to Mirabelle?”
Elena’s words seemed to fall in the empty blackness, un l the figure
of Kuhn slowly emerged from the shadows. He fixed Elena with a
curious stare. As usual Kuhn answered in his flat, businesslike tone.
“She collapsed in this room, so I helped her.”
“Why did you leave your coat?”
Kuhn’s normally distant eyes shimmered slightly. He quickly wiped his
emo ons before Elena no ced.
“She wouldn’t let go of it.”
“…Mirabelle?”
“Yes.”
Elena looked at Kuhn with an incredulous expression. Mirabelle may
seem like a li le girl, but she was never a bother to others. She
wasn’t the type Mirabelle grab Kuhn’s clothes and not let go.
‘…Was it because she was sick?’
Elena couldn’t know Mirabelle’s inner thoughts, so Elena simply had
make her best conclusion.
She took stock of Kuhn standing there in the darkness with his shirt
and no jacket. Somehow, she felt like she understood him a li le
more from this short encounter. Kuhn was not uncaring enough that
he wouldn’t help someone.
“I apologize in being late to give you my gra tude. Thank you.”
“…”
“Was it you who disguised yourself as an employee called the maid
and the doctor? Because of the swi treatment, Mirabelle was able
to get be er without any complica ons.”
“…It just happened. You don’t have to say that.”
“No, really, thank you very much. My sister is the most precious
person in the world to me.”
Mirabelle was all Elena thought about and would proudly tell anyone
that. When she heard that Mirabelle had collapsed a li le while ago,
it was if her heart had plunged to the floor. She only had one goal
when returning to the past. Peace for her family. For her father, her
brother, and Mirabelle. She would keep them from ge ng sick or
hurt.
A er a brief moment of silence, Kuhn unexpectedly spoke first.
“When will you look at the informa on about the Krauses?”
“I need to take care of my sister so finding me will be difficult. I’m
sorry to have kept you wai ng.”
“No, I understand. Then I will see you next me.”
Kuhn turned away with missing a beat, as if he expected her answer.

A sudden thought came to Elena’s mind as she watched Kuhn make

for the window.
“If something dangerous happens to my sister like today, please help
her.”
“…This is the only me.”
Leaving her with only that curt reply, Kuhn then swi ly opened the
window and disappeared from Elena’s sight.
Kuhn’s abili es were well known to Elena and she wanted him to
protect Mirabelle, but unfortunately Mirabelle was not his charge.
Kuhn had no reason to obey. Elena’s felt dejected, but at the same
me, she knew it was reasonable. She had to be sa sfied with what
Kuhn had done for her sister already…
Tonight all the rela onships were going in a completely different
direc on than Elena expected. She wondered how they would all
turn out.
Ch. 42 …The Only Time (2)
The first thing Mirabelle did when she woke up the next day was ask
about her mysterious savior.
“Sister, where is the man who looks like my teddy bear?”
“…What?”
“I mean the dark-haired man. Didn’t you see him yesterday?”
Elena feigned ignorance about Kuhn. There was no explana on she
could give her sister. She was unable to explain that he was a man
assigned by the crown prince to her, much less say that an outsider
stayed in her room late last night.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
Mirabelle’s face crumpled in disappointment. She already looked
quite sickly, but with her sullen expression on top of that Elena could
not help but feel a pang of guilt in heart.
“Why are you looking for someone like that?”
“…”
“Did you want to thank him for helping you?”
“…I told him not to go, but he le .”
Mirabelle clutched at the coat jacket around her. It wasn’t un l she
woke up, free from the fog of pain, did she remember what he
looked like. Before Mirabelle suddenly lost consciousness, she
recalled the last few words she had with him.
“I’m not a teddy bear.”
Anyone would be embarrassed if they were suddenly asked if they
were a teddy bear, but he replied with such a strange calm. Mirabelle
might have giggled if it weren’t for her condi on.
The man’s blue-black hair was astonishingly similar to the color of her
teddy bear’s. It was not a common color among the popula on.
Perhaps in her feverish haze she was desperate to see her bear come
to life.
“Let go of me, please. I need to bring someone else in.”
“It’s okay…Just stay here, please. It won’t be any good if the doctor
comes anyway.”
“You need to see a doctor.”
Kuhn made to pull away from Mirabelle’s grip several mes, but each
me Mirabelle pulled his coat even harder. She didn’t want to be
alone. She hated being le alone while in pain.
Kuhn could have easily pulled himself out of Mirabelle’s grasp, but he
seemed to be deba ng with himself with what to do. Kuhn looked
rather distant to Mirabelle, but it was somewhat comfor ng
compared to the looks of pity or sadness she was o en given.
“Don’t…leave me alone.”
“…”
“When I’m sick…I hate being alone.”
“…”
“It’ll be fine if you stay a li le bit…so please stay here…”
Each wave of pain that hit her was like the pain of death. At that
moment, she thought that she did not want to be alone when she
died.
But the man responded in a way that no one had responded to her
before.
“…Young Lady, the world is lonely.”
Those were the last words Mirabelle remembered. When she woke
up again, she wondered if it was dream. A man who looked like her
teddy bear was surreal indeed.
However, the coat clutched in her hands was not from a dream. She
had asked him not to leave, but her words had no effect. She felt a
small pang of sorrow.
*
*
*
In the home of Marquis Selby.
Helen frowned at the woman who had been brought in. She had
heard that this woman, who had been dismissed by the Blaises, had
had a hard me on the streets, but she didn’t realize she would be
this filthy.
‘If I had known she would look like this, I would have had her bathed
first.’
Helen quickly pulled out a perfumed-scented handkerchief and
covered her nose, and regally stood before the woman who was lying
prostrate on the floor before her.
“Is your name Sophie?”
“Yes, yes, My Lady! I am Sophie who worked at House Blaise.”
“But you were dismissed?”
“Oh, I…”
Sophie’s voice trailed off. She was forced to leave House Blaise as
punishment, and didn’t dare say anything in case Elena came for her
neck.
Seeing that Sophie was mute with fear, Helen tossed something from
her pocket. The nkling of gold coins echoed loudly on the floor, and
Sophie li ed her head in surprise and looked up at Helen. Helen
furrowed her brow upon seeing Sophie’s dirty face.
“This will be your reward depending on how you do. Now, I would
like you to answer whatever I ask in detail. Why were you suddenly
dismissed from of House Blaise?”
“I–I was kicked out because I learned that Elena would sneak out to
meet men every night. So she fired me to keep my mouth shut!”
Hearing Sophie’s indignant rage, a cruel smile twisted on Helen’s lips.
She already knew the rumors to some extent, but she had to find
Sophie, the witness to the event. Otherwise, she would not be willing
to pay such a large sum to the maid.
“Can you tell me everything later?”

“Oh, anything. You saved my life.”

“Ho ho ho, I’m looking forward to it.”
Helen already plo ed how to exact her revenge on Elena in her head.
How dare Elena embarrass her with the salty tea? Elena would repay
the humilia on Helen had suffered in the most severe way possible.
“Stand up. I don’t think there’s enough me to tell me everything you
know about Lady Blaise.”
Chapter 43 Am I Missing Something? (1)
Elena’s traveling party began journeying for the capital more slowly
than ever. Fortunately Mirabelle had recovered her strength a er
only a few days, but a er that one incident Elena was even more
cau ous than ever.
“I’m really feeling be er now, sister.”
“I know.”
“We can speed up a li le…”
“Don’t worry about anything else and cover yourself with the
blanket.”
It was always a good idea to keep Mirabelle warm, so Elena piled
another blanket over her in the carriage. Mirabelle simply smiled,
knowing she could not stop her sister.
Mirabelle’s hair was now decorated with the bu erfly hairpin. It
suited her be er than Elena imagined, and she felt a surge of
happiness whenever she saw how pre y her sister looked. But the
strange thing was…
Mirabelle felt much more grown up during this trip.
Although Elena couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, but
Mirabelle, who was small for her age, began to seem more mature.
Something changed about Mirabelle’s heart, but what it was unclear.
‘…I don’t think there was anything special about Sir Kasha that day.
Why?’
For a me Mirabelle kept asking Kuhn’s whereabouts, but Kuhn had
never men oned it as if he were oblivious about that night. But there
was something curious that couldn’t be dismissed. The face that
Mirabelle made when she placed the coat around the precious teddy
bear le by their mother. It struck Elena strangely. Mirabelle and
Kuhn were two people who would never cross each other’s paths in
any other circumstance. They were mismatched in status, age,
personality, anything. Mirabelle was such a gentle soul she would not
pluck a single flower, while Kuhn’s path was drench in blood. It was
not good that there was some accidental mee ng between the two,
and a kind of change seemed to have come over Mirabelle.
‘…Am I missing something?’
She knew she was worrying needlessly, but she didn’t want to make
light of it. She did not reveal the whereabouts of Kuhn to Mirabelle.
Mirabelle, who was quietly looking out the window of the carriage,
suddenly spoke to Elena.
“Look over there, sister. The white flowers are so pre y.”
Elena looked at the spot where Mirabelle was poin ng.
“They are very pre y.”
Suddenly, a wash of gra tude came over her as she remembered she
was living in a me she thought she would never get back. She had
already lost Mirabelle once. Even small, everyday moments were so
precious to her. So Elena and Mirabelle enjoyed their me in their
own li le word, cha ng in the carriage as it carried them to the
capital. And in those happy moments Elena some mes recalled the
words Carlisle le behind.
‘I wanted to see you.’
A man who couldn’t stand not seeing her in a short period of me
that he traveled all the way from the capital…
Did he s ll miss her? She was struck with such curiosity.
*
*
*
Elena perused the report on the Kraus family when they stopped to
take lodging. She also read several mes through the informa on she
received about nobles and the royal family in the capital city area. As
Kuhn had cau oned her, there was not much detailed informa on
that could be obtained on the Krauses. Inside the document was a
brief account of Count Evans, the most powerful man in the Kraus
family.
Evans Kraus. Although he was over sixty, he was s ll quick to
calculate profit and loss. A businessman to the bone, he was
reluctant to get into the poli cs of the Ruford Empire, preferring to
focus on his commercial ventures. There was nothing very helpful in
the report, but it was be er than nothing.
‘…I wonder if Caril knows what I’m thinking.’
If Carlisle also knew all this informa on, he would have wanted to
muster support from the Kraus family. But there must be a reason
why hadn’t.
Elena entertained the possibility that Kuhn might’ve concealed
informa on from her. Although she did not necessarily doubt Kuhn,
she could not solely rely on him. In a fraught poli cal field she could
not uncondi onally trust whatever she was given, and she would
need to confirm everything for herself.
‘There’s a lot to be done.’
For now, it was urgent that she and Carlisle meet at the ball and
officially become married, but there s ll many more mountains to
climb before he could be crowned emperor. She was calcula ng the
scenarios in her head when–
Knock knock.
She checked her watch and saw it was me to board the carriage.
“Are you ready, sister?”
At Mirabelle’s voice Elena began to roughly shuffle the documents on
her desk.
“Yes, I’ll be out now.”
Their journey had been slow, but a er some me they had finally
entered the capital area. Perhaps by the end of the day they would
reach their father’s mansion. When Elena emerged from her room,
she saw Mirabelle wai ng by her door.

“Oh, sister, about the gowns for the ball. Shall we stop by the dress
shop on the way?”
“The gowns? Are you wondering how they’re made?”
“Yes. I wish we had the dresses delivered to Blaise Castle, but I said
we’d pick it up at the capital in case they got wrinkled. And I want to
see how they look myself.”
Currently, all of the dress shops were swamped with orders due to
the royal ball. Luckily, Elena and Mirabelle had already ordered their
gowns quickly, and were informed they were already finished. Elena
nodded happily, as the dress shop was on the way to the mansion.
“All right, then.”
“I can’t wait!”
Elena boarded the carriage with her beaming sister. No ma er how
fancy the lodging was, it was finally the day when the monotony of
carriage and inns would be over. Her spirits were as high as
Mirabelle’s.
Chapter 44 Am I Missing Something? (2)
They did not arrive at the dress shop un l late a ernoon. Elena and
Mirabelle stepped out from the carriage and went inside.
Kkiggeu–
The first thing they heard when the opened the door was the busy
sound of a sewing machine.
Tatatatatatag.
Normally the work was done on the second floor as to not disturb
the visitors at the entrance, but the work had spilled out onto the
first floor due to the sheer number of orders. Anco’s Tailors was one
of the most famous shops in the capital area, and was where Elena
and Mirabelle ordered their dresses. Madame Mitchell, the owner of
the Anco’s Tailors, saw the visitors enter and hurried out to greet
them.
“Welcome, My Ladies. Are you the Blaises that sent a no ce in
advance?”
Mirabelle, who was already looking forward to the dress, answered
first.
“Yes, we’re here to pick up our order.”
“Come this way, please.”
Madame Mitchell had a smoothly impassive expression, but she
began to guide them inside as politely as possible. It was when they
walked through a corridor to an an que dressing room that they saw
two dresses hanging on mannequins.
“Wow.”
Mirabelle’s face was bright with awe. The dresses were tailored
perfectly to her order. The slightly smaller dress was Mirabelle’s, pink
and feminine and cute. Next to it was Elena’s dress, which was an
elegant deep blue. As they were custom-made, everything from the
cloth to the decora ons was tailored to perfec on. Mirabelle circled
her beloved dress and spoke with a pleased expression.
“I love it. You reproduced my order exactly.”
“You have a very unique eye for fashion. When I saw the finished
product, I was amazed. This is one of the most beau ful dresses ever
made in Anco’s Tailors.”
“Hehe, really? I only added a few more things to the design.”
Elena smiled as she heard Madame Mitchell praise Mirabelle’s sense
of style. Elena knew Mirabelle was good at making dresses, but she
was glad she not the only one to think that.
“Will you wear this when you a end the royal ball?”
“Yes, I’m going with my sister.”
“The gowns may be pre y, but it will be the beauty of the two of you
that will be no ced by everyone.”
It was the usual lip service, but Elena s ll appreciated the comment
towards Mirabelle. There was a brief pause, then Elena spoke to
Madame Mitchell.
“We’ll take it ourselves, so if you could please wrap it.”
“Of course. Please take a seat on the sofa and wait for a moment.”
As soon as Madame Mitchell moved away, a female employee
brought some charmingly decorated snacks and some fragrant tea. It
did not take long before the two dresses were carefully wrapped to
prevent them from becoming creased, then loaded into the luggage
compartment of the carriage by the coachman. A er the wait,
Madame Mitchell came in again.
“You’re all set.”
At her gesture, Elena and Mirabelle rose straight from their seats.
They were fa gued from their trip and were eager to leave.
“Thank you for your service.”
Madame Mitchell replied with a pleasant smile.
“Please come again.”
As Madame Mitchell saw them off, the young Blaises headed straight
to their father’s mansion, Mirabelle beaming the whole way back.
She was in love with her dress. By the me the sun had set and the
night had arrived, the carriage started to slow down and then
stopped completely. Soon a er, the voice of the servant Mary piped
up from outside.
“We have arrived at the mansion, My Lady.”
“Thank you.”
Elena gently shook Mirabelle who was dozing next to her, then
stepped outside. The exterior of the mansion she had seen another
life me ago came into view. It was bought by her father so had he a
place to stay in the capital when he worked. It was not a large and
grand place, but it was neat and dy and just to her father’s taste.
Elena’s as well.
“…It’s been a long me.”
Her last memory of the mansion was when she a ended the royal
ball in her last life, about twenty years ago. Elena reminisced silently
as Mirabelle stepped out of the carriage, yawning longly.
“Let’s go inside, sister.”
“Yes.”
As the two young woman made towards the mansion, they saw a
young man wai ng for them at the entrance. He had brown hair and
a dark suit, and his mouth split into a smile as he met their eyes.
“Welcome. This is my first me saying hello. I am Michael, the butler
to the mansion.”
“Ah…”
Elena’s mouth dropped open in surprise. They did not have a long
rela onship, but they had met and exchanged gree ngs just like this
in their past lives. Mirabelle looked up at Michael, then turned
towards Elena.
“Sister, do you know him?”
“Oh, no. I was just surprised to see someone standing there.”
She quickly covered up her reac on, and Michael replied with a look
of remorse.
“My apologies. I didn’t mean to startle you…”
“It’s all right, I’m just red.”
Elena returned Michael’s apology. Mirabelle spoke again with slight
curiosity on her face.
“I guess the butler changed since we last came here.”
“Yes. The former butler is elderly now and has re red to his
hometown. I’ve only been a butler for three months.”
“Oh, so we really don’t know you.”
Mirabelle murmured casually, and Elena pasted on an awkward
smile. Despite this being the second me she experienced this, she
had to pretend to be ignorant. Mirabelle glanced around the area.
“Our father is…?”
“The Count has le the mansion on urgent business. He ordered me
to serve you with all of my heart when you’ve arrived.”
Elena gave a sardonic smile at those words. Her father was not so
amiable as to order such a thing, but Michael was a very considerate
man even in his last life. Elena had no further ques ons, so she
brought the topic around somewhere else.
“Please show us to our rooms first.”
“I understand. You must be exhausted from your trip. We can go right
away. Please let me know if there is any inconvenience. Come this
way, please.”
At the guidance of the butler, Elena and Mirabelle made for their
respec ve res ng places. As in Blaise Castle, their rooms were close
and made it easy to visit each other. Elena was looking forward into
sinking into a so , warm bed a er such a long journey.
When she was ge ng reading to sleep, there was the muffled sound
of footsteps quickly approaching her room.
Jubug, jubug.
Tok tok.
There was a sharp rap on the door, then came the s ff voice of
Michael.
“May I come in for a moment, My Lady?”

“Yes. What’s going on?”

As soon as Elena’s permission was given, Michael entered the room,
his face filled with shame. He carefully opened his lips as Elena
watched him suspiciously.
“Today, you stopped by the dress shop and bought a dress for the
ball. Is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right. It was loaded on the carriage.”
“Well…”
Elena had an ominous feeling as she looked at the nervously shuffling
butler. Finally, Michael hesitantly spoke.
“…All the dresses were torn to shreds.”
Chapter 45 – I Just Need To Catch Them (1)
“…All the dresses were torn to shreds.”
She didn’t fully comprehend what Michael was saying at first.
“What?”
She was completely blindsided. She already knew that not all events
would flow the same way they did in her previous life, however, she
could not help but feel knocked off balance by something that she
hadn’t experienced before. What went wrong? Something changed
because this was different from her last life. The problem was, she
couldn’t even begin to guess the root cause.
“When I opened the carriage…”
“Let’s go to it immediately.”
Elena rushed ahead first, and Michael followed behind. Elena, who
could not have been that familiar with the layout of the mansion,
strode unques oningly towards the carriage, and Michael couldn’t
help but lt his head in puzzlement.
When they arrived, Elena examined the scene with hawk-like eyes.
There were two carriages that were used by the traveling party. One
was the carriage which Elena and Mirabelle arrived in comfortably,
and the other was the one that carried the luggage. The family maids
rode in the luggage carriage, and the rest of the men rode their own
horses. At present the coachman, the maid, Mary, and the knights
were standing around looking perplexed. Upon seeing them, Elena
addressed the group with a calm voice.
“What happened here?”
Mary was the first to answer.
“A er the you entered the mansion, I opened the carriage to move
the luggage…and the dresses were destroyed.”
Mary’s face was red, bri le under Elena’s gaze. Elena glanced at her
face then turned towards the nearby knights.
“Did you see anyone suspicious?”
“No, My Lady. We traveled straight from the dress shop to the
mansion, so there was no room for anyone suspicious to approach.”
Even Elena agreed. They hadn’t stopped once on their way here from
the dress shop. Lastly, she spoke to the coachman, who was standing
shuffling restlessly.
“Did you no ce anything strange when you were driving the
carriage?”
“Oh, no, My Lady. It’s like a real ghost.”
The coachman seemed to be terrified he would have to pay for the
damages. It was not easy for an ordinary man to afford a dress worn
by a noblewoman. But that wasn’t what ma ered now. It would be a
waste of money, and even if Elena had the wealth…
Now the problem was that it was be difficult to find another dress for
the ball. All the tailor shops in the capital were now full. Even if a
dress were to be ordered now, it would be impossible to meet the
deadline.
“…Haaa.”
A sigh couldn’t help but escape from her mouth.
It was then.
The coachman, watching Elena’s troubled look, hurriedly opened his
mouth as he suddenly remembered something.
“Ah, My Lady. There was something unusual.”
“What was it?”
“Well, we had four maids traveling with us. Mary sat with me up
front because she wanted some fresh air…”
Mary nodded affirma vely at his side. The driver stammered on as he
tried to recall his memory.
“There was a maid in the carriage you were traveling in, so there had
to be two maids in the luggage carriage. But today there was only
one girl.”
Mary, who was s ll listening quietly, noted that she also sensed
something strange.
“Come to think of it, Tilda asked to stay in the luggage carriage alone
because she was not feeling well.”
Because Elena was riding inside the carriage with Mirabelle, she
didn’t know who was on the coachman’s seat. Unusually there had
been two maids riding on the coachman’s seat on Elena’s carriage,
while Tilda was alone with the luggage. The full story had to come
from her.
“Where is Tilda now?”
Mary’s face turned white at Elena’s ques on. She seemed to come to
a damning realiza on.
“W-well…I couldn’t find Tilda, so the other maids went to look for
her.”
A er hearing this, Elena immediately knew who destroyed the
dresses without having to delve any further. House Blaise was a
family of knights. It would be difficult to sneak past the escort of
well-trained soldiers towards the carriage, unless the culprit,
however, was an inside woman.
“…”
As Elena remained silent, one the knights standing next to her spoke
up first.
“We’ll search the perimeter, My Lady.”
This was all planned out. The chances of finding Tilda were low, but it
was be er than nothing, so Elena nodded.
“Then please take care of it.”
“Understood.”
The knights exchanged glances with each other then quickly
sca ered. Elena couldn’t push down the acid feeling in her throat as
she looked at the wreckage of the dresses in the carriage.
‘…Who the hell was responsible for this?’
Tilda, a maid, could not have done this alone. Someone was moving
in the shadows behind her, but they were not easily seen. Elena
wondered if it was someone from a previous life. Since returning to
the past, she couldn’t think of anything she had done to incur
resentment against her.
Elena contemplated quietly for a moment, then turned to Mary.
“Did you no ce anything strange about Tilda while we were
traveling?”
“Not at all…”
Mary, whose words trailed off to a murmur, then suddenly li ed her
voice as if something struck her mind.
“Oh! She received a le er from Sophie a few days ago.”
“Sophie?”
Her memories of dismissing Sophie gradually emerged to the
forefront. Tilda and Sophie worked as maids together, and even if
one of them was fired, they s ll could have exchanged le ers. Elena
had a sense of foreboding.
“Tilda was the only one to receive a le er? What about the other
maids?”
“No, the other maids didn’t receive any. Tilda and Sophie were close
friends from the beginning.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. But it might not be important, My Lady.”
Mary s ll seemed to have a guilty conscience over Sophie, and had a
slightly embarrassed expression on her face. Sensing her discomfort,
Elena replied with slight nod of her head.
“I see. Don’t worry, I’ll figure out if it’s in any way related.”
“Y-yes!”
Mary’s expression turned bright again, and Elena looked away from
the torn dresses. Staring it at wouldn’t return to its original state. For
now, she had to think about how to handle this.
Elena raised her voice to speak to the rest of the people gathered
about her.
“We all had a difficult journey ge ng here. Go and get some rest.”
For the nobility, luxury good and displays of wealth were highly
valued. It would not be unusual for noblewoman to scream and cry in
this situa on, but Elena remained collected and calm. Michael, Mary,
and the coachman gathered here couldn’t hide their surprise.
“Oh, My Lady…”
“Mary, go get some rest.”
Elena turned away first, and everyone bowed their heads. Michael
alone followed Elena’s wake as she disappeared peacefully into the
mansion. Without turning her head, Elena spoke in a low voice to
Michael.
“Please contact Blaise Castle and search for a maid named Sophie
who was recently dismissed. Find out what she’s doing now in as
much detail as possible.”
“Yes, I’ll send word right away. Leave it to me, My Lady.”
Michael held his hand to his chest as if to reassure her to trust him,
and Elena simply nodded in return. The simple gesture was so
elegant that Michael couldn’t help but stare at Elena’s profile in awe.
As Elena made to her room, she wondered who was the culprit
responsible for the incident. She could have asked Kuhn to
inves gate, but in her experience, domes c affairs should be
resolved as internally possible. If she found out who the culprit was,
she would make sure they would never get away with it. She needed
a dress because she had to a end the ball, but she was even more
angry when she remembered Mirabelle’s smiling face.
‘…I just need to catch them.’
As they reached Elena’s room, Michael bowed more deeply than the
first me.
“Good night, My Lady.”

“Yes, and you too.”

A er she closed the door, she began to check if anyone was in the
room. Only a er confirming she was alone did she carefully unpack
the dagger and sandbag weights she wore on her ankle. She didn’t
always have the me to exercise, so she wore them as a second best
op on. Because of it, she was now much more physically fit than
when she first rescued Carlisle. She rubbed her s ff ankles for a
moment then hid the dagger and sandbags at her bedside. She had a
habit of sleeping with a sword beside her from her previous life, in
case of surprise a acks when she slept.
Elena walked to the window and took a red handkerchief, and then
ed it to the handle so it could be seen from outside. It was the first
me she had summoned Kuhn since he saved Mirabelle. There was
no guarantee that the signal would work at this mansion, but Elena
knew that Kuhn would come to her.
There was a lot of work for her to do in the capital. However, since a
major incident already happened on the first day, it was yet one more
problem among a pile of things to be solved.
Elena looked up at star-filled night sky and murmured to herself.
“…I’ll be busy again tomorrow.”
Chapter 46 I Just Need To Catch Them (2)
Elena’s predic ons proved correct. Despite a long search by knights,
Tilda was nowhere to be found.
A er Elena finished a simple breakfast, Kuhn appeared her room.

“What have you called me for?”

Kuhn’s sudden appearances were no longer surprising to Elena. She
calmly sat at her desk as she spoke to him.

“Do you know what happened last night?”

She didn’t feel the need to give any further elabora on. Kuhn replied
gravely, with no sign of surprise.

“Yes.”
There were great implica ons in that brief reply. Although she
already knew that Kuhn had excep onal abili es, he likely had many
eyes hidden away from her, and those eyes were probably under the
command Carlisle. She suddenly recalled something the crown prince
had said previously.

— Rather than surveillance, think of it as protec on since we last

parted.
No ma er how much she thought about it, the term “surveillance”
seemed more appropriate, but Elena decided to pass it over. A er all,
the posi on of the Crown Prince drew the a en on of many, and she
could expect this to a greater degree if she became empress later on.
It wasn’t a very pleasant no on, but she was prepared to handle it.
Despite that, she could escape their surveillance if she wanted to,
and perhaps Carlisle already knew that a er seeing her
swordsmanship abili es

“Then does the Crown Prince know about last night?”

“Yes. He likely received the report immediately.”

“It seems to me that my every move has been tracked.”

“…I will not comment.”
Kuhn avoided giving an exact answer, but anyone could see where
the flow of conversa on was headed. Elena was quiet for a moment.
She an cipated that her movements were being repor ng to Carlisle,
but she didn’t realize it would include incidents in her personal life,
such as the incident from last night. Of course, her life as a daughter
of a count was so simple there was nothing scandalizing for him to
know, and she wondered if he really cared about her that much.
At the same me, her curiosity about his last words grew.

— If you’re so curious, then I’ll tell you. You don’t seem to remember
it, but we met a long me ago.
As Carlisle intended, his words had never le Elena’s head for a single
moment. She was irritated with herself for falling for his words, but
she couldn’t help but wonder when she and Carlisle met. If she saw
him again, perhaps she would be able to get an answer. Elena wanted
to meet with him again as soon as possible.

“I’d like to make an appointment to see His Highness–

Before she could finish speaking, Kuhn whipped out a small slip of
paper and held out to her. Elena looked surprised, then cau ously
took it. It was a cket to a famous opera. She gave Kuhn a
ques oning look, and he explained it to her in a business-like tone.

“The General said to deliver this.”

“Deliver…?”
Elena looked again at the opera cket. Then the date and me of the
performance was this evening. Although she intended to meet him
anyway, this was much sooner than Elena expected, like someone
was wai ng for her to arrive at the capital. Elena had a moment of
stunned bewilderment, then Kuhn spoke to her once more.

“He says he’ll send a carriage to pick you up at eight o’clock this
evening.”
Ch. 47 You’re So Beau ful (1)
Opera was a popular pas me enjoyed by many an aristocrat. Elena
had a ended a few herself. Tickets commanded a broad range of
prices depending on the vantage point, with the price of a regular
seat almost equal to that of a commoner’s monthly wage.
Nevertheless, many aristocrats went to see the opera and
performances were o en sold out.
However, even without the high price, it didn’t make sense for Elena
and Carlisle to meet at such a place. Carlisle was aware that Elena
wanted to hide their rela onship before the ball, and she was curious
why he chose the opera. While it was a place where aristocrats
some mes gathered in private, regardless of their efforts they were
sure to bump into anyone from the entrance to their seats.
‘…What the hell are you thinking?’
Elena had not expected Carlisle to ignore her request to not be seen
together. If that was the case, she would’ve go en a robe back then
too.
As Elena was rumina ng over her thoughts, Kuhn, who was was
wai ng for her reply, opened his mouth to speak first.
“If there is nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
“Oh, wait one moment. Can you see if there’s a shop in the capital
city where I can get a dress?”
“I’ll find one if you wish, but you’ll see someone more suitable than
me who you can ask.”
“Someone more suitable…?”
Elena’s face turned to mild curiosity, and Kuhn elaborated.
“Yes. I’m talking about the General.”
“How does the prince know about that?”
Carlisle was known to have been on the ba lefield since he was
young, and he had only been in the capital for a short me. He didn’t
seem like the type of person to know anything about fashion or
dresses.
“You’ll meet and hear the story about the General in person. That’s
all I can say.”
Kuhn saved his words if he had no inten on of explaining anything
else. Elena knew she would get no more answers from him, so she
simply nodded her head. She would find out when she went to the
opera tonight.
“I’ll take my leave then.”
“Of course.”
There was no reason for Elena to keep Kuhn here any longer. As soon
as he was allowed, he disappeared out of the window in an instant. It
was all becoming very familiar to Elena.
She was finally le alone in her room. Elena let out a long sigh and
composed her thoughts again.
Kungkwang kungkwang!
She heard footsteps running towards her room, and suddenly the
door was flung open. It was Mirabelle who barged in without
knocking.
“Sister!”
Elena was about to scold Mirabelle for her rudeness un l she saw the
intense expression on her face.
“What’s the ma er?”
“I heard the dresses for the ball were completely ruined. Is that
true?”
“Ah.”
When Elena heard of the incident she didn’t men on it to Mirabelle,
worried that her sister wouldn’t be able to fall sleep. It seems she
finally learned about it.
“Mirabelle, you know…”
Elena began to sweat for fear of Mirabelle’s impending
disappointment. Elena briefly explained that the maid Tilda was
alone in the luggage carriage, and supposedly tore the dresses and
fled. Elena didn’t men on Sophie. The details surrounding her
weren’t clear yet.
“So what do we do now? Can we not go to the ball anymore?”
“It’s too early to say. Right now, I’m trying to find out it there are any
available dress shops that can take orders.”
“All the good ones are already filled. Is there anything else we can
do?”
Mirabelle’s feelings were understandable. They were here for the
royal ball, where the crown prince would make his first appearance.
The Blaises could not afford to show up with a humble appearance,
not when all nobility would be dressed in their finest array. It would
be be er not to go.
But Elena could not give up so easily, not when she had planned an
official first mee ng with Carlisle, and not when Mirabelle had been
an cipa ng the ball for a long me. It was a situa on where the two
of them were upset for different reasons.
Mirabelle then spoke remorsefully.
“I’m so sorry. You never got to wear such a pre y dress before…”
Her voice then rose in anger.
“Who on earth did this? It’s not possible that Tilda did this on her
own.”
“Just wait a while. Your sister is working on it.”
Elena approached her brokenhearted sister and gently stroked her
hair.
“We’ll somehow manage to a end the ball.”
“…Is that possible? “
Elena’s thoughts turned to Carlisle, whom she was supposed to meet
tonight.
“Well, I’ll try my best.”
There was a lot to se le with Carlisle next she saw him. She didn’t
know what he could do to help, but if the mee ng proved fruitless,
Elena would have to find another way. She glanced at the clock,
confirming the hour that Carlisle would send the carriage.
*
*
*
Time passed with light feet. Before long the clock was closing in on
eight o’clock, the hour when the carriage would arrive. By then, Elena
completed all her prepara ons to a end the opera. Although she
preferred to dress modestly, tonight she dressed as lavishly as
possible for the occasion. It s ll may not be as extravagant as other
noblewomen, but she made up for it with her pre y face.
To explain the sudden ou ng, Elena informed Mirabelle she was
going to look for a dress shop to complete a new gown. It was not
exactly wrong. She would ask about it when she met Carlisle.
Soon the clock struck eight o’ clock exactly.
Dulgulug, dulgulug.
A magnificent black carriage ra led to a stop in front of the main gate
of the Blaise mansion. Elena watched from the window, no ng that
Carlisle’s ming was as sharp as a knife’s edge. The coachman stood
up from the carriage and spoke to a servant, then the servant spoke
to the butler, who finally spoke to her.
“The carriage has arrived, My Lady.”
Elena was already aware and immediately headed outside.
“Thank you. Please tell my father that I’m out if he arrives.”
“Yes, My Lady. Stay safe.”
A er receiving a polite send-off from Michael, Elena approached the
black carriage. The coachman bowed to Elena and opened the
carriage door.
Tak–
A er safely confirming that Elena was on board, he closed the door
and soon the carriage set off slowly. The Blaise’s carriages were
certainly comfortable, but they could not even be compared to this
one. The ride was so smooth that Elena could not feel the wheels
turning at all. It was the most luxurious way to travel she had ever
experienced.
She recalled Carlisle riding with her in a Blaise carriage not too long
ago.
‘If he’s used to riding in carriages like this, then he must have been
uncomfortable.’
Elena smiled to herself. For some reason, it was hard to imagine
Carlisle riding in a carriage by himself. Even though he was the crown
prince who could ride one any me he desired, he seemed to be
more suited to riding a horse.
She didn’t know why was thinking of that.

‘Come to think of it, since when have I not been averse to seeing
him?’
She didn’t choose this marriage because she liked it. Theirs was a
contractual marriage because she had much to benefit from it,
excluding her own emo ons and interests.
However, for some strange moment all her thoughts turned towards
Carlisle. A smile spread on her face in an cipa on of seeing him. Was
it because he kept helping her? It was true that Carlisle’s abili es
exceeded her expecta ons, and he had been suppor ng her in many
ways.
‘Well, it’s be er than having an uncomfortable rela onship.’
Elena felt at ease. Any support was good, she thought.
Ch. 48 You’re So Beau ful (2)
A er a lengthy but comfortable carriage ride, she finally arrived at
the opera hall. The carriage door opened before Elena had to say
anything, and as soon as she stepped out her eyes widened at the
sight stretched out before her.
‘What…what is this?’
From where she had go en out of the carriage, she was surrounded
by large, black banners. She walked forward in amazed wonder.
Whililigu–
The banners moved along with Elena’s footsteps. When she looked
closely, she saw there were people surrounding her, holding their
banners and shielding her so no other aristocrats could see her.
There came a buzz of voices at the strange sight.
“Who is that?”
“Who is the person being honored?”
Elena could not iden fy the owners of the voices beyond the
banners. Now Elena understood why Carlisle felt comfortable
mee ng her here.
‘Caril was confident he wouldn’t show my face to anyone.’
Elena paused her footsteps, as she never imagined herself in this kind
of situa on. However, she would only draw a en on from other
people if she con nued to stay. At Elena’s hesita on, the bannerman
at the front of the encirclement spoke in a low voice.
“Please follow me.”
“…”
Elena wordlessly moved forward with the guidance of the
bannerman ahead. How many people could recognize Elena just by
the sound her voice?
‘Is he taking me to VIP seats?’
It was rumored that the VIP seats were a popular place for rich
aristocra c men to indulge in affairs. The cost of the opera was so
high that she couldn’t begin to guess where she was being taken to.
“Wait, is anyone in there?”
“Was that the princess of another country?”
She could clearly hear what the other aristocrats were saying outside
the shield of banners. However, Elena simply con nued to walk
forward, though her mind was overflowing with ques ons.
A er seeing the bannerman halt, Elena looked around to see where
she arrived.
“Ah…”
A gasp of exclama on escaped her mouth. She laughed that she
imagined herself at some VIP area, when in fact she was at the most
expensive box in the opera.
She had only seen the boxes from far away and this was her first me
being in one. There were only a few private boxes in the opera hall,
which were not reserved for purchase like other seats, but only
exclusively accessible by their owners. Only the very richest men in
the empire could afford them. As regular seats at the opera were a
commoner’s monthly salary, Elena could not even begin to guess how
much it would cost to buy a private box.
The bannerman who had guided Elena spoke again.
“Go inside.”
Elena recovered herself and she nodded and stepped inside. The
sound of the door opening was like thunder as an cipa on
heightened her senses.
Inside the room was Carlisle si ng leisurely with his arms folded. The
seats were placed in a shadowy area, so it would be difficult to see
them si ng there.
Carlisle slowly turned towards the door, no cing Elena had entered.
Their eyes met in midair, and she saw Carlisle’s blue irises glowing
faintly in the gloom. He was a hungry predator facing its prey.
There was a moment of silence. The door swung shut behind Elena
and her head turned reflexively towards the sound. Carlisle stared at
her for a moment then spoke first.
“I’m glad no one saw you tonight.”
“…”
“Something troublesome might have happened if they did.”
“What do you mean…?”
“It’s because you’re so beau ful. I would dig out the eyes of the men
who looked upon you.”
Elena’s face flushed. It was the first me she had heard such a
compliment.
“Thank you for saying that, but that joke is quite extreme.”
Carlisle smiled at Elena’s reddened face.
“Please, take a seat.”
Elena felt suspicious about all of this, but she had come this far and
couldn’t turn back now. She sat next to him at his request, but she
couldn’t shake off her unse led feelings.
“I don’t know about yourself, My Lady, but I’ve never been to a place
like this. I only know the ba lefield.”
“…”
“So I wanted to come with you.”
She didn’t expect him to invite her to the opera hall. She put her
thoughts in order then replied in a calm voice.
“Were these seats lent from someone you know?”
“No.”
It was a very short but firm refuta on. However, he seemed to take
the ques on in a different way.
“Do you dislike opera?”
“No, it’s not like that…”
Elena did not dislike opera, though a few members of the nobility
probably did. That wasn’t the problem though–the problem was that
they were in an inordinately expensive box. She don’t know how
much it cost, but even if she did she couldn’t pretend it didn’t bother
her.
“Then I hope we can watch more opera together in the future.”
Carlisle’s words seemed to imply that he bought this box by himself.
Elena was surprised that he would reveal such an important fact so
casually. It would be too much, even for the crown prince. He
couldn’t freely reached into the state coffers unless he was the
emperor.
Furthermore, Carlisle did not have much social influence, and it had
not been long since he went from the ba lefield to the capital.
Where he got a such huge sum of money was ques onable. She
couldn’t even understand why he spent so much money in a mee ng
with her. Money had many prac cal uses. If Carlisle were to become
emperor, he would need to save it for future.
“You spend too much money useless things.”
Carlisle fixed her a deadpan expression.
“I’m a man of high tastes.”
“It doesn’t ma er how high. How can you–”
“You said you didn’t want anyone know about us, so wouldn’t you
happy with these box seats?”
“That’s…”

There was nothing wrong with what Carlisle said, and she closed her
mouth. At Elena’s bewildered expression, his tone turned smooth.
“There’s one thing you don’t know.”
Elena’s eyes turned towards Carlisle si ng next to her. She was about
to ask what he meant, but Carlisle’s voice went ahead of Elena’s
ques on.
“When you look at me with those eyes, I want to give you
everything.”
Ch. 49 Now, Shall We Eat? (1)
“When you look at me with those eyes, I want to give you
everything.”
“…!”
His gaze was like a net in the air. Elena couldn’t move as if she had
been ensnared. She calmed her voice as much as possible, trying to
avoid his intense stare.
“Thank you for your kind a en on, but please don’t spend such a
large amount of money on future mee ngs.”
The two didn’t even meet for a date, and she couldn’t stand this
much extravagance.
Despite the seriousness of Elena’s tone, Carlisle only grinned.
“I’m just returning what you said. You do care a lot about useless
things.”
“But–”
Elena was about to refute, when she was interrupted by the sound of
musical instruments tuning on stage. The performance would soon
begin. Not wan ng to disturb Carlisle’s first me at the opera, Elena
stopped speaking. Carlisle recognized her silence.
“We’ll have the rest of the conversa on a er the performance is
over. “
“…Alright.”
She pressed her lips close. She didn’t know where to look, so she slid
her eyes towards the stage. She was worried about Carlisle si ng
next to her, but as she wordlessly watched the performance from her
vantage point, she realized that the box seats were indeed an ideal
space.
Although stage was brightly lit before them, it was unlikely that she
could be spo ed from where she was si ng. The chairs were pulled
away from the balcony and hidden in shadow, and the box itself
seemed to be in a blind spot to the crowd below. There were a few
other boxes located in the opera hall, but it was not easy to see them
from there either. Carlisle had in fact been paying a en on to the
small details when it came to Elena’s request to not been seen
together.
She suddenly remembered what Carlisle said the last me they met.
— In my way, it is true that I care about you.
What he said at the me was not untrue. Carlisle had done more
than enough for Elena, and he was so dedicated to her that she even
felt a li le uncomfortable si ng with him in this dark, narrow space.
Every single move he made, every li le breath he breathed, she
no ced. Her chin was propped on her hand as she watched the opera
in apathy, and she stole a sidelong glance in his direc on. For some
reason she couldn’t concentrate on the performance.
*
*
*
The curtain finally dropped on the opera stage. Carlisle had been
watching the performance with an indifferent expression throughout.
Elena spoke to him curiously.
“How was it?”
“It wasn’t as good as I expected. And you?”
Actually, it was a performance she had been wan ng to see, but now
she couldn’t remember what it was about. She had been unable to
concentrate.
“It…it was enjoyable.”
She lied. Unaware of her feelings, Carlisle smiled.
“If you liked it, then I am sa sfied.”
Elena suddenly felt as guilty as a child.
“Then let’s go to the opera o en in the future.”
“…But you said you didn’t like it.”
“But you said you liked it.”
He answered without hesita on, and she was le dumbfounded by
his reply. She couldn’t understand why he was trying to entertain her
apparent tastes.
Elena was about to say something else when Carlisle stood up first.
“We’d be er leave now to avoid the public eye.”
He was right. Even if they hesitated for a moment, the aristocrats
who finished watching the opera would flock the building’s halls. For
now, most of them were s ll in their seats, lingering on their
memories of the performance. It was impera ve to leave now to
avoid the rush of people.
“…Yes.”
She had a lot to say, but they couldn’t have a conversa on here. She
was about to rise from her seat to follow him when–
Sug.
Carlisle held his hand in front of Elena. She understood what he
meant without speaking. I want to escort you. There was no reason
to refuse Carlisle’s polite behavior, so Elena hesitated only for a
moment before gently placing her fingers in his palm.
In any occasion, Elena would take a man’s offered hand regardless of
who it was. Not for any par cular reason; it was simple courtesy.
But now she felt trepida on as Carlisle took her hand. Even Elena
could not understand why she felt that way all of a sudden. She rose
from her seat, holding on to Carlisle with a guarded expression.
“Let us leave, then.”
Under Carlisle’s graceful guidance, Elena le the box and headed
back to the carriage under guard by the bannermen. There were
already a handful of nobility loitering at the entrance, but they could
not see the faces of Elena and Carlisle. A murmur of conversa on
floated around them, wondering about the mysterious guests. Elena
did not intend to come here to be caught, so she boarded the
carriage as swi ly as she could.
“…Haaa.”
She breathed a sigh of relief inside the carriage. Looking at Elena’s
s ll nervous expression, Carlisle spoke in a low voice.
“You don’t have to worry so much about ge ng caught with me. And
even if we do we can make something up.”
“I know. But if possible…I want my family to believe that our
marriage was done out of love.”
Carlisle shot her a curious look, and Elena elaborated.
“If they find out it’s a contractual marriage…I’m sure they would be
worried.”
Mirabelle’s sweet face came to her mind. Then Derek’s, who
pretended to be blunt but cared about her more than anyone else.
She wanted to show them marrying for love was possible, and she
didn’t want to cause them unnecessary anxiety about her choice.

“You’ve made it this far, so you don’t have to worry. The royal ball will
be soon.”
Carlisle strangely seemed to be trying to reassure her, so she gave
him a faint smile.
Elena suddenly realized that the carriage had been heading
somewhere since they boarded. She gave Carlisle a ques oning look.
“Where are we going this me?”
“Let’s have dinner. Come to think of it, we’ve never had a meal
together.”
She nodded instead of answering. She had no inten on of opposing
Carlisle’s schedule, and their mee ngs before had always been brief.
It was not a bad idea to have dinner with him before they were
married.
And there was no be er place to have a long conversa on.
Ch. 50 Now, Shall We Eat? (2)
Elena expected to dine at a comfortable establishment, but the place
where she arrived with Carlisle far exceeded her expecta ons. They
were in a three-story building which was completely absent of any
other guests. She realized at once that Carlisle rented the en re
restaurant.
She could also see a circle of Carlisle’s men through the window,
guarding the area against any passerby. No ma er how delicious the
food would be, she thought she would find it difficult to swallow.
“Choose whatever you like.”
Carlisle casually handed her a menu, and she replied in a slightly
weary voice.
“Anything is fine.”
He gave her a look before immediately calling for the waiter.
“We’ll have the chef’s recommenda on.”
“Yes, understood.”
Elena watched the waiter dip his head and leave, and she wondered
if he was another one of Carlisle’s subordinates. Otherwise, she and
Carlisle wouldn’t be able to show their faces like this.
He slowly li ed his glass of wine and spoke.
“Don’t you like it here?”
At first glance it seemed an ordinary enough ques on, but Elena
knew not to take it lightly. Carlisle some mes interpreted their
conversa ons differently from what Elena did.
In this case, she had said she didn’t want them to be seen together
before the ball, but that somehow meant he could s ll meet terms
buying a private box at an opera hall or ren ng an en re restaurant.
She simply wanted to have a quiet mee ng in an isolated place.
A er a taking a moment to compose her thoughts, she addressed
him with a serious look on her face.
“I’ll be honest with you.”
“Go ahead.”
“This is all too much.”
She didn’t know exactly what Carlisle was thinking, but his reac on
was one of surprise.
“Which part?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
Carlisle repeated a er her, and Elena gestured to his men outside.
“I don’t think I can eat peacefully with those guards standing there
like that. And as I said in the opera hall, I can’t help but wonder how
expensive this place is.”
Carlisle simply chuckled at Elena’s seriousness. Not knowing what it
meant, Elena turned confused, but before she could ask Carlisle
spoke first.
“In other words, you think I’m too extravagant?”
Elena nodded at his conclusion. How did Carlisle pay for the box seats
and the restaurant? Was he really a playboy who spent enormous
sums of money on women? There were fi y thousands thoughts in
her head, and she could not relax and have a comfortable meal.
Carlisle had a smile on his face as he penetrated her thoughts.
“I see that My Lady is curious, so I will explain briefly. Do you know
how many ba les I won on the field? They are countless.”
“…”
“The puzzle is–where do all the spoils of ba le go?”
“…!”
As soon she heard Carlisle’s words, her eyes opened wide. It was an
area she never gave thought to before.
The spoils of war, of course, went to the empire. Normally they
would be sent to the Emperor, but no one knew how Carlisle handled
the transfer of wealth in the middle. She never thought the crown
prince would be one to intercept it for himself.
“I’m not that clean and innocent. Being born a prince is not always a
noble thing…When you’re born, you are part of the emperor’s
lineage. And from then on, the kind of family the prince’s mother
comes from is important as well.”
Elena remained silent. Carlisle’s mother was a humble maid. There
was a difference between the ladies-in-wai ng and the maids who
worked at the palace. The ladies-in-wai ng were composed of a
household’s noble wives or lovers, while the maids who did
household chores were humble commoners, like Sophie and Mary
who worked for House Blaise. Carlisle’s mother was such a maid, and
Carlisle became the crown prince without any outside poli cal
support.
She was familiar over the controversy in the Imperial Family over the
blasphemy of Carlisle’s maternal lineage. It was known to every
person in Ruford Empire, and Elena needn’t have lived a second life
to know of it.
“I have no support to lean on, and there’s no way I’ll let them take
the spoils of the ba lefield to the Imperial Palace. Don’t you agree?”
Carlisle spoke so nonchalantly that Elena felt a pang of sympathy.
Thus far she had only considered how she could use Carlisle to
protect her family, and had never given a single thought to how he
lived.
What kind of man was Carlisle? She wanted to know for the first
me.
In any case, Elena now fully understood why he was wealthy, even if
he wouldn’t back down on her objec ons. Since Carlisle had no
outside power to support him, he covertly amassed his wealth
through war.
“…I see your point.”
Carlisle took a sip from the wine glass he was holding, looking
strangely alluring as he did so.
“I heard from Kuhn. Someone destroyed your ball gown.”
“Ah, yes.”
She had been planning to ask Carlisle about that.
“The spoils are not always money, but jewelry and clothing.
Some mes you need some surrep ous ways to launder your
wealth.”
Now Elena understood why Carlisle was familiar with the subject of
clothing, as Kuhn had said.
She finally looked convinced, so Carlisle saw no need to explain any
further. He glanced at her plate of barely touched food and gave a
fur ve frown, then li ed his right hand into the air and snapped his
fingers. One of the men from outside came within an instant.
“You’ve summoned me, Your Highness.”
“Move your men so they’re out of sight. You’re disturbing my guest
from ea ng.”
“My apologies, I’ll take care of it right away.”
Elena’s face flushed, and she looked between Carlisle and the guard.
That was not what she meant earlier. It wasn’t that she didn’t want
to see the guards, it was that she didn’t want Carlisle to
unnecessarily indulge her.
Sassak–
At Carlisle’s command the guards disappeared from view of the
window. Elena was stunned silent, her lips trembling. Carlisle gave a
winning smile at the helpless Elena.
“Then let’s have a meal.”
A series of appe zing dishes began to stream out of the kitchen. It
occurred to Elena he might be more formidable than she thought.
*
*
*
Outside the restaurant.
The man who was stalking Elena at the request of House Selby could
not hide his excitement at the unexpected windfall.
‘This is a scandal between Lady Blaise and a wealthy aristocra c
man!’
He didn’t know who the man was, but a er observing them the spy
knew that the man was incredibly wealthy. This was the informa on
Helen had been wai ng for. He had been abused for not having any
valuable informa on the past several days.
The spy made to hurry and report to Helen, smiling at the prospect of
being paid in gold.
Shushushuk!
Suddenly, he fell from the tree.
“Ack!”
He could not even scream, and he choked with his eyes wide open.
Someone had driven a sharp dagger through his neck. The a acker
slowly emerged through the dim moonlight, staring down at the
dying man.
It was Kuhn. He spoke in a low voice.
“The General told me not to let you go any further.”
Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only

Kuhn quickly pulled his dagger from the spy’s neck.

Fushuuk–
Blood spurted from his neck and the body of the dead man toppled
to the ground.
Kuhn stared at the man’s back before murmuring again.
“This is the way we live our lives, so go without any resentment.”
Chapter 51 The Sharpest Sword (1)
The food brought by the the restaurant staff was the best on offer.
From appe zers to the main course, it all lavished the senses
exquisitely. The variety of foods was so great that some of the meat
and seafood were completely unknown to her.
Elena tasted everything, but she ate carefully so as to not show the
contents of her mouth as she chewed. Carlisle closely observed her
as she ate.
“You look beau ful when you eat, too.”
“…Eub.”
Elena choked on her mouthful. She quickly picked up her glass and
drank from it, calming her stomach.
“I appreciate what you’re saying, but…it’s uncomfortable if you keep
looking at me like that.”
“My eyes can only face you, so where else should I look?”
Elena couldn’t find anything to say. One would naturally look across
at the person they were dining with, but it was normal to avert one’s
eyes a er hearing this. She never expected his answer, let alone one
said so brazenly.
Instead of saying anything, she faced Carlisle looking straight at her.
Maybe it was me to start the conversa on. Dinner was coming to an
end, and now was the me to get some answers.
“Do you remember when you said you’d answer my ques on last
me?”
“…Ah.”
She couldn’t tell whether he didn’t really know or if he was
pretending. She wouldn’t be teased with his vague answer, so she
decided to confront him directly.
“According to you we met a long me ago. You said you would tell me
about it when we met again, so tell me now.”
She held his gaze unblinkingly, and Carlisle was unable to contain a
smile.
“Well, I have to keep my word.”
He murmured reluctantly as he placed down the fork he was holding.
“When I was thirteen, I saw you at the palace.”
“…The palace?”
She cast her mind back. She seldom traveled from Blaise castle in the
southern region to the distant capital, though one of her favorite
memories from a young age was going to the capital to visit the
palace. However, there was no sign of Carlisle in those few
memories.
Elena was quiet for a moment, then spoke to Carlisle wonderingly.
“…Is that it?”
“Then what do you want me to say?”
Elena was lost for words. It didn’t make any sense that he would be
so generous to her because of a chance encounter. She wondered if
she really did meet him in some dim, forgo en memory. It didn’t
make sense to have this kind of rela onship a er mee ng each other
at thirteen years of age.
Tonight, Carlisle already purchased a private box at an opera and
rented an en re restaurant for a private dinner. He also had given her
a highly skilled subordinate, Kuhn, and commanded him to obey
Elena’s every order.
No ma er how much she thought about it, these weren’t simple
favors for a contract marriage partner.
Elena needed him to explain.
“Did we really met when we were thirteen?”
“Yes.”
“So the day I remember was in reality the second me we met?”
“Yes. The day you saved my life.”
She was so stunned she almost accidentally knocked the table. None
of her ques ons were solved. Why on earth was Carlisle so good to
her?
She stopped trying to guess the answer to her ques ons. There was
only one way to find out for sure. She had to ask Carlisle himself.
“Please answer. Why are you being so generous to me?”
Carlisle was not simply dealing with someone who signed a
contractual marriage with him. At first she had wanted to see what
he would do, but as me went by she was more curious.
“We met once when we were thirteen, so it doesn’t make sense to
treat me the way you do.”
“No more clues.”
“But…!”
“You have to think about the rest yourself. Otherwise, it’s too much
damage for me.”
Damage? For what?
Elena’s eyes brimmed with ques ons. Carlisle replied in a reverent
tone.
“The first me I met you was the most memorable moment in my
life. I wish I could go back to it.”
Elena felt as if she had been struck on the head. Why did Carlisle
have such a powerful memory? One thing was for sure–no ma er
what kind of a mee ng it was, it was s ll clearly engraved in Carlisle’s
mind.
She had more to ask, but she bit her lip and held back. She didn’t
think he would tell her more if she asked him anyway.
Thirteen years old, at the palace.
There was no other clue, so she really had to find out for herself.
“…Alright. I’ll find out the rest according to the clues.”
“I look forward to it. “
Carlisle smiled contentedly at her reply. When the meal appeared to
be over, the waiter hurried over and began clear away the dishes
from the table. Then the waiter placed a several delicious-looking
desserts in front of them.
She stared the the desserts, thinking back on the conversa on she
just had with Carlisle.
“Don’t you have another ques on for me?”
“…?”
“The ball gowns. Don’t you need them?”
“Oh. Do you happen to know a dress shop where I can obtain them?”
She had been lost in her thoughts un l Carlisle interrupted her. Elena
looked at him expectantly, and Carlisle replied, the corner of his
mouth li ing up.
“No, I don’t think there are any available dress shops in the capital
city right now. They’re so full of orders that you’re unlikely to get a
dress made even if I force them to.”
“…I see.”
Elena’s mind turned back to worry again. She would find another
way, but even Carlisle said the task would be difficult. Bi erness
welled up in her throat when she remembered Mirabelle’s
disappointment. In the worst case, she would be forced to abandon
her official first mee ng with Carlisle.
“If you don’t mind, there is one way.”
“What is it?”
“Look for dresses that have already been made. Something slightly
different from your size, so it won’t be too difficult to make
altera ons.”
He was right. It would not be easy to find someone to make
altera ons, but it was not as demanding as crea ng a completely
new dress. And if there were no availabili es, the Blaise maids could
do it themselves. Last me, Elena had worn a dress made under
Mirabelle’s leadership for a tea party.
Even if altering a dress wasn’t too difficult, obtaining a dress to be
altered in the first place was. Most nobles preferred custom-tailored
clothes rather than ones already pre-made. Even the samples were
hung on mannequins could not be bought as a new product.
Premade or already worn dresses could be fetched at low-to-medium
prices, but the ones of decent quality would likely already have been
picked up by poorer aristocrats, even if the dresses had been worn a
hundred mes.
The royal ball. She could not afford to wear something inferior. Time
was extremely short, and finding a dress that wouldn’t bring shame
to House Blaise was difficult task.
“I’m sure you know this, but it won’t be easy to get an already made
dresses, either. “
“You don’t have to worry about it. I’ll get them for you.”
“…Really?”
Elena’s eyes widened. Come to think of it, Carlisle said he obtained
jewelry and clothing as spoils of war. She had assumed they were
different from something one would wear at a ball.
Carlisle no ced Elena’s uncertainty and con nued.
“I don’t like other people looking at you, but I don’t intend to
disappoint my woman.”
Elena paused, not knowing how to respond when he called her “my
woman.” But apart from the sen ment, his sugges on sounded
convincing. So far, Carlisle had never broken his word and trus ng
him hadn’t failed her yet. She had no other op ons anyway, so Elena
nodded.
“I would appreciate it if you could help me.”
Carlisle replied immediately, as if he an cipated her response.
“There is a condi on.”
“…Condi on?”
“Whatever I send, you can’t say anything against it.”
She felt uncomfortable about this vague condi on, but was not in a
posi on to refuse. She didn’t care what the dress was for the ball. As
long as she had one, she could carry out her plans and Mirabelle
wouldn’t be let down. A er mulling over it for a moment, Elena
nodded.
“Alright. No ma er what kind of dress you send me, I won’t protest. If
I don’t think it’s fit for the ball, then I might just not wear it.”
“I don’t mind. Then I’ll send someone to your residence as soon as
possible.”
“Thank you.”
She didn’t know what he was going to send her, but she was s ll
relieved.

Elena tasted the ice cream served with a more relaxed look on her
face.
Dulkung–
The guard, who briefly entered the restaurant at Carlisle’s call earlier,
reappeared. Carlisle’s brow furrowed slightly at his sudden
appearance, but spoke in a casual voice.
“I told you not to interrupt. What’s going on?”
The man quickly strode over from the doorway. He then gave a slight
bow to Carlisle, speaking in a whisper.
“Kuhn handled one rat, but he missed the other.”
Ch. 52 The Sharpest Sword (2)
It was at that moment a furious, frightening expression flashed
across Carlisle’s face. In an instant, the atmosphere darkened and
even Elena could not help but recoil. If this was what she felt at a
distance, the man repor ng directly to Carlisle must be experiencing
the full force of his aura. She felt a cold sweat threatening to drip off
her tense face.
Carlisle seemed to realize Elena si ng in front of him and quickly
erased the bloodthirsty atmosphere.
“…Who did you miss?”
“We caught a rat sent by the Marquis, but the one we lost is s ll
unclear.”
“Any casual es?”
“He seems to have considerable skill. I lost all the men who pursued
him.”
Carlisle’s temple visibly tensed. A short silence followed, then he
responded calmly.
“I see.”
“I’ll take my leave.”
He bowed deeply to Carlisle and le the restaurant again.
In her previous life Elena would have taken the role of guarding the
area, but now the posi ons had changed. She turned to Carlisle with
a concerned expression on her face.
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m…I’m only a li le uneasy.”
“…Why?”
“I’m afraid someone will touch you. If you get hurt and I can’t get to
you, I’ll go crazy.”
Despite his calm voice, there was an unexpected graveness to his
words. Elena froze in embarrassment for a moment, but then quickly
smiled at his ridiculous worrying.
“What do you think of me?”
“…?”
“You must have forgo en how we met.”
She picked up her dessert fork. She turned it in the air a few mes,
then suddenly flung it to her right.
Shhhhg–
It flew through the air.
Tung!
The fork’s nes struck dead center of a dart board. She didn’t even
take the me to properly aim or throw. Carlisle’s blue eyes widened
at the sudden display of skill.
“You shouldn’t mistake our posi on.”
Elena pointed her finger at herself.
“I’m the one who protects you.”
Elena’s hand then politely spread out to Carlisle.
“You are the one who’s being protected.”
Elena con nued, staring straight at Carlisle’s stunned expression.
“Who do you think is si ng in front of you, Caril?”
He shouldn’t be mistaken. The reason why Elena sat here voluntarily
in a beau ful dress was to be closer to Carlisle than anyone else. The
ul mate goal of their marriage was to protect the Blaise family, and
to do so, she would protect Carlisle from ge ng hurt or killed. He
should’ve been dead, but she saved his life.
“Do not forget. The sharpest sword you can wield is me.”
*
*
*
“Haaa, damn it…”
A man with a mask on his face sank to the ground, spou ng a low
stream of curses. Blood was trickling from a wound on his side, but
he had paid back his a ackers and slaughtered them all. He threw off
the heavy mask on his face when he saw that there was no one
nearby.
It was Batori. He had been watching Elena since their encounter at
the jewelry store in the south. Her ring was similar to the one he
needed to find.
“If the crown prince had died then, then there would be no need for
this mission…”
Batori hissed and covered his injured side with one hand. He needed
treatment as he had already lost a considerable amount of blood.
“…But no ma er how much I think about it, it smells suspicious.”
He had hunted down dozens of similar blue beads so far. Some were
earrings, some were necklaces, and some were even toy beads that
young children played with. He tracked all of them down, but in the
end, they were not what he was looking for. He wasn’t even sure if it
was real.
And this me…
Suddenly several men had appeared and tried to kill him. This was
the first me he encountered such an enemy.
“Elena Blaise.”
Batori recalled Elena’s pre y, doll-like face. He had a strange feeling
that if he tried to get closer, she would catch wind of him. He didn’t
think it possible for the young woman to no ce him, but he trusted
his ins ncts to keep his distance. It had saved his life many mes so
far.
Presently Batori was carrying out a mission given by Paveluc, who
controlled the Duchy of Lunen. His order was simple.

“Find the dragon’s magic orb that appears a common bead.”

Batori was dumbfounded he was when he was tasked the mission.
The dragon’s orb was a mythical object that could only have come
from the legend of the founder of the empire, who was said to have
the blood of a dragon. What’s more, the orb was small, smaller than
a fingernail. It was very different from what he imagined.
Strangely enough, the search for the woman was when Carlisle was
alive. Batori did not know the reason for his mission, but he had no
reason to refuse considering the generous compensa on he would
receive.
And now he had his first real clue to his mission, which so far had
been as fruitless as wandering through empty mists. The ring the
young woman was wearing…that was the prize.
“…I need to speak to him again.”
He had to report what happened here. Batori tore his coat and
wound it around his side, then stood up and walked the streets again.
This was no me to idle away. Those who pursued the scent of his
blood were very persistent.
TN: The Yeouijiu/Dragon’s Orb is a jewel/orb in eastern culture that is
said to bring omnipotence and power and grant one’s wishes. Quite
o en you will see eastern dragons depicted carrying such an orb.
Ch. 53 …I’m Weak (1)
Elena and Carlisle finished their meal then le the restaurant. She felt
a chill on her skin as she stepped from the warm building into the
cool night, and took a deep breath and savored the fresh air. Unlike
when they first arrived here, Carlisle’s men were nowhere to be seen.
However, she could s ll perceive them with her sharp senses.
“…Please.”
Carlisle opened the carriage door and helped Elena in as usual. He
had turned very quiet a er Elena had thrown the fork at the dart
board. There was an unreadable expression on his face, as if the
chaos of his thoughts le him unable to speak.
However, Elena pretended not to know how Carlisle felt. She was the
protector, not the to one to be protected. Regardless of his feelings, it
didn’t change the meaning of the word. If there was an arrow that
flew at him at this moment, Elena would throw herself in front of him
without any hesita on. There would be absolutely no confusion
regarding that.
Elena silently stepped inside the carriage.
Hiing–
A horse whinnied hotly into the air. Her heart yearned to run on
horseback on a cool night like this, not sit inside some stuffy carriage.
However, she had dedicated herself to the role of a noblewoman and
had to suppress her desires.
Elena glanced at the horse with longing eyes and then turn her eyes
back to the carriage.
Tak!
Carlisle shut the carriage door without saying anything, then strode
away from Elena.
“What…?”
She was about to ask about his mysterious behavior when he replied
with a nonchalant look.
“Don’t you want to ride?”
“Oh, I thought about it for a moment, but…”
“Then say so. You speak well, but some mes you express yourself
strangely.”
“…”
“Just tell me what you want to do, not what you have to do.”
It was a shocking statement for Elena, who herself had a strong sense
of responsibility. What she wanted most was to save her family, even
if that meant abstaining from everything else.
“I’m fine. No ma er how late it is, I can’t be seen out in the open
with you.”
Their iden es were hidden while they were in the carriage, but out
in the open on horseback was different. Carlisle and Elena could not
ride together to the mansion this way.
Carlisle ignored her and barked an order into empty air.
“Bring my horse.”
Then, amazingly, someone appeared from the forest, holding the
reins to a massive black horse, larger than any normal horse. Elena
could tell that it was a fine steed.
Carlisle mounted the horse with prac ced ease then held his hand
out to Elena.
“I’ve heard enough about why you don’t want to reveal our
rela onship. I promise I will never let your iden ty be revealed, so
take my hand.”
Elena hesitated. She was strongly against doing anything
unnecessary.
Carlisle sensed her uncertainty.
“My arm hurts, quickly.”
Carlisle astride a large horse wasn’t exactly the fairytale picture of a
prince on a white steed. But he had a much more dangerous allure.
His thin, slanted eyes pierced Elena, and his pitch black hair and tall
nose reflected the moonlight.
Her head hadn’t decided what to do with his proposal yet. But
despite the complicated thoughts racing through her mind…
She took his offered hand. While she had faith in his promise that
they would be unseen, it was also true that she longed to be on
horseback again. There was no reason to reject Carlisle’s offer to do
what she desired. However, she didn’t want a burden for nothing.
Carlisle, however, had no such thoughts at all, and smiled faintly as
soon as Elena’s hand was in his.
Hwiig–
Carlisle pulled her up, and Elena se led in front of him. The long skirt
of her dress made si ng a li le uncomfortable, but she loved this
wide open view that could only be seen from atop a horse.
Tadak, tadak.
The horse began to walk forward. Suddenly she felt something warm
around her shoulders, and when she turned her head she saw that
Carlisle had taken off his coat jacket and placed it around her.
“I’m alright. It’s not cold–”
“Keep yourself covered, though. Just in case someone sees you.”
The coat certainly wasn’t covering her face, but it was slightly be er
than exposing her full dress. She had started to refuse, but found that
he had a point.
“Yes, then…thank you.”
Carlisle seemed to have an cipated her answer. He spoke a er he
confirmed that Elena was warmly clad in his coat.

“Let’s run.”
Carlisle snapped the reins, and the horse began to gallop at a faster
speed. Elena smiled as the cool breeze whipped past her cheeks and
ears.
“Aren’t you scared?”
“Not at all. I want to go faster.”
“As you command.”
He urged the horse to go faster and faster. The freshness of the air
seemed to cleanse her body. She felt more gloriously alive than
before. She didn’t know how long it had been since she last hurtled
freely through a dark forest road.
Carlisle could not see Elena’s flushed face, but could hear her small
gasps of happiness she uninten onally let out. Elena savored the cool
breeze like she did when she was a knight.
Ch. 54 …I’ve Fallen (2)
She didn’t know how long they galloped through the woods, but it
couldn’t last long enough.
Carlisle pulled on the reins and the horse slowed its pace. As a result,
Elena was pressed up against Carlisle behind her. Elena looked down
to see the tendons on his forearms, and she realized that their bodies
were closer to each other than she thought.
“While I want to stay out in the fresh air, let’s move to the carriage
from here so we’re less conspicuous.”
“Alright.”
Strangely enough, she didn’t see even an ant on the dark forest road.
She found she had been enjoying the ride without fear of discovery.
She thought it was because of luck, except…
Soon she realized their solitude was only an illusion.
Sasasasag–
The sound of dozens of horses’ hooves moving through the grass
gained on them. The sudden noise alarmed her, but Carlisle spoke in
a reassuring tone.
“Don’t worry, it’s only my men.”
“…What?”
Elena was surprised. She knew that Carlisle would never let
themselves be discovered, but she didn’t realize that it would be
through the sheer force of so many men controlling the forest path
they were traveling through.
“You needn’t have done this…”
“I assure you, there’s nothing too great that I won’t do for you.”
So he said, but the scale of it was s ll overwhelming for Elena. Never
had she been treated so reverently. She had already lived a life me
of hardships once and was not accustomed to the luxurious
aristocra c life. But…she knew it was all for her.
“…Thank you.”
His reasons were s ll unclear to her, but she was not ungrateful.
“But you don’t have to do anything like this from now on.”
Carlisle had no sense in changing his mind.
“Just this once. I am doing this to hear words of gra tude.”
She couldn’t speak. Although she did not know exactly when, they
both planned to be wed as soon as possible. Carlisle would be her
husband. The thought that they would have many days in the future
together like this s rred something complicated inside of her.
It was then that the empty black carriage caught up to them from
behind, and the two dismounted horse and transferred to the other
transport. They rode along the dark, deserted road, and before long
they finally arrived at the Blaise mansion.
“Don’t step outside the carriage in case anyone sees you.”
“…Of course. The ball will be soon, so this may be the last me we
see each other before then.”
“Yes. Thank you for all your considera on so far.”
Her experience had been beyond a mere measure of one to ten.
Elena lowered her head in farewell, but Carlisle halted her.
“Do not bow to me. Now and in the future, you will be the only
person who will stand equal to my shoulders.”
“Even an empress cannot have higher authority than the emperor.
Even if I do not bow now, as emperor you will eventually have to
receive my respects.”
Elena intended to do all she could to help Carlisle reach the height of
power, and would not diminish his authority. Elena would treat her
husband highly so everyone would know to do so as well.
“As you say, I will have the highest authority. And I will be in the same
posi on as you.”
Elena gave Carlisle a ques oning look. It could be interpreted in some
ways, including that the emperor and empress shared the same
power.
“You are my future wife. If you bow your head, I will have to bow my
head as well. There is no need to be so deferen al with me from now
on.”
A er a moment of hesita on, Elena nodded. She couldn’t fully
understand Carlisle’s inten ons. In any case, if she becomes a
princess, and later an empress, there would be less reasons for her to
bow her head. If this was what Carlisle wanted, then Elena would not
object. She was his lady.
“…Alright. I will remember.”
Carlisle looked sa sfied with her answer. She touched the door
handle of the carriage and gave another farewell.
“Take care.”
“My Lady…good night.”
Elena glanced at him at his unexpected nicety, but she soon stepped
off the carriage and headed towards the mansion.
She suddenly remembered the warmth on her shoulders and realized
she le the carriage s ll wearing his coat jacket. A er a moment’s
thought, she turned around and saw the carriage was s ll there. It
was the first me she had ever looked back since she parted with
Carlisle. She could not see the inside of the carriage, but she had the
feeling that he was watching her. She paused, recalling the peculiar
heat in his icy blue eyes.
A servant who happened to pass by the entrance of the mansion saw
Elena and hurried to greet her.
“You’re back, My Lady?”
“Ah, yes.”
At the sudden appearance of the servant, Elena missed her chance to
return the jacket to Carlisle. A er a moment of hesita on, Elena
walked inside the mansion with it. All the way inside, she felt his gaze
following her.
Togag, togag.
Dalkag.
When Elena arrived in her room, the first thing she did was look out
the window. Carlisle’s carriage had disappeared, but then she shook
her head.
‘You’re s ll watching my back every me we part, aren’t you?’
Despite her curiosity there was no way to verify it. She shook her
head to throw off the thought.
She suddenly came to a realiza on about something. Carlisle’s men
were controlling the woods so that no one would witness Elena and
Carlisle riding together on horseback. Carlisle knew this, yet s ll
encouraged her to wear a coat to protect her iden ty from other
eyes. The reason why Elena didn’t refuse was because…
‘…I’ve fallen for it.’
Her belated realiza on threw her into u er amazement. Even a
senseless girl would realize that Carlisle was being too good to her.
Pulling off the coat, Elena looked at the place where the carriage had
been. She didn’t know why something remained in her heart.
*
*
*
The next day.
Mirabelle beamed when she heard Elena’s news.
“Really? So someone will give us dresses?”
“Yes. I don’t think I a custom dress can be finished on me, so I
decided to accept pre-made ones.”
“That’s alright. I thought we wouldn’t be able to go to the ball at all!”
Mirabelle’s smile was as pure as the sunshine in spring. Elena worried
that she would feel too indebted to Carlisle, but when she saw
Mirabelle smiling, she knew it was the right choice.
As Elena and Mirabelle cha ed together, Elena no ced that the
mansion had an unusual lively energy.
“What day is it today? Why is everyone so excited?”
“Oh, you didn’t know? There will be a fes val in the capital city
today.”
“Fes val?”
“Yes, you know the Flower Bridge, the one which had been under
construc on for a long me? It was completed recently and people
are coming out of the palace to celebrate.”
Mirabelle’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“There is a rumor that the crown prince will be there. The maids said
one could see his face before the ball.”
“…What?”
Mirabelle smiled, as if she had been expec ng her sister’s startled
reac on.
“What, were you curious too?”
Despite Mirabelle’s knowing expression, Elena was surprised for a
different reason.
The Flower Bridge.
It had collapsed in her last life due to poor construc on. The large
bridge that crossed the river represented a significant investment by
the Imperial Family, but officials took the money unjustly and built an
inferior construc on. Many people ended up hurt. Fortunately Elena
and Mirabelle were not there, but Elena didn’t forget the incident.
That dangerous place…
‘Caril’s going to be there?’
A deep sense of anxiety swept over her as she imagined the worst
that could happen.
Ch. 55
“I just remembered there are some papers I have to deal with
urgently. I’ll go back into my room and finish up.”
“Alright. Don’t work too hard, sister.”
Elena hurried back to her room. There was no guarantee that Carlisle
would appear at the Flower Bridge’s opening ceremony according to
Mirabelle’s story. The exact thing to do was to verify with Kuhn. At
the possibility of a threat to Carlisle’s safety, Elena ed several red
handkerchiefs on her window instead of the usual one.
As a precau on, she reminded herself of the loca on where she hid
the black armor in case she needed it. She had put a great deal of
effort in bringing it with her this far without being discovered.
Fortunately, the armor was so heavy and solid that it was stored
separately from the clothing luggage, otherwise Tilda might have
found it when she destroyed her ball gown. Elena was lucky to have
avoided that situa on. It would be bad news if the person who was
behind Tilda heard that Elena had strange metal armor.
Elena paced nervously by the window, hoping for Kuhn’s swi arrival.
She was sorely afraid that Carlisle would be put in danger again. He
was not supposed to be alive, and she wondered if the shadow of
death would a empt to strike him again.
As well as her family.
‘…No.’
Mirabel, Derek, and Father. She needed Carlisle to prevent their
deaths and protect her family. So far she had the contract marriage
to deal with Paveluc, but if Carlisle was gone she would be back at
the star ng point again. She couldn’t afford to go back when this was
her best chance. She would defend Carlisle by any means possible.
Even if des ny or God stood in her way, she would not let anything
threaten Carlisle’s life.
*
*
*
Fortunately it did not take long for Kuhn to arrive. Perhaps he
realized her urgency from the mul ple red handkerchiefs she had
hung.
For the first me Elena was glad to see this man’s expressionless
face.
“Why have you–”
“Are there any plans for the prince to a end the Flower Bridge
fes val?”
Elena quickly cut off Kuhn. He thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Yes, there is.”
“…Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. I remembering hearing it a some me ago. What is the
problem?”
He could not help but no ced Elena’s darkened expression.
Elena desperately wished it to be untrue, but now there was the
strong possibility that Carlisle would be involved in the accident.
There was only one way. He had to be prevented from a ending
somehow.
“Deliver this message to His Highness. Tell him to cancel hisplans.”
“…What?”
Kuhn ques oned her uncharacteris cally before he could stop
himself. It was simply too surprising to hear.
“I was told that the Flower Bridge bridge was poorly constructed.
Please tell him not to go. It would be too dangerous.”
Kuhn looked at Elena with disbelief. Then he carefully spoke to her
again.
“Are you serious?”
“Do you think I’ll say this as a joke?”
Kuhn s ll looked doub ul despite Elena’s grim expression, but he
simply nodded.
“If you say so, I will pass it on. But I can’t say what the General will
do.”
“Just deliver the message to him as soon as possible. And let me
know right away.”
“…I understand.”
Kuhn did not understand Elena’s reasons, but he did not ques on
anything more on what she claimed. Elena was not mistrea ng him.
She did not have to explain every single thing she said.
“I’ll take my leave.”
Kuhn dipped his head as usual, then moved to climb out of the
window. She could not help but interrupt again out of nervousness.
“As soon as possible, please.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Kuhn disappeared out of the
window. A er several experiences with him, Elena was confident in
his abili es and he was sure to bring an answer soon. She fervently
hoped that Carlisle would miss the fes val.
It was the safest way.
*
Time crept into late a ernoon. There was already a red glow on the
edge of the sky, signaling the sun’s descent. Elena sat mo onless in
the room as she waited for Kuhn. It was then.
Tak!
Someone’s hand was on the open window, which she le slightly ajar
to make access easier. In one swi mo on, Kuhn landed lightly into
the room. He had arrived in short me, as Elena had asked, but even
then me seemed to stretch out longly before her. However, she
couldn’t complain as she didn’t know Carlisle’s loca on.
As soon as she saw Kuhn’s face, Elena could not bear to wait any
longer and rushed to him.
“What did he say?”
“He says it is an event arranged by the imperial court and cannot be
missed. But he will listen to your advice and come back safely, so
don’t worry.”
“….”
“…My Lady?”
Elena was silent for a moment, and Kuhn repeated her name again.
A er a moment’s thought, Elena replied calmly.
“…I understand.”
“Are you sure?”
“If it’s unavoidable, then there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“No, I suppose not…”
Kuhn trailed off, not knowing what to say. Elena looked up at him
with ques oning eyes.
“Is there something wrong with my face?”
“…You’ve changed a li le. Like you’re going out to ba le.”
Elena smiled at Kuhn’s sharp observa on.
“Of course not.”
She walked straight to her desk and wrote down some words on a
white sheet of paper, then placed it in a envelope and sealed it with
the Blaise crest. Elena stood up and handed the envelope to Kuhn.
“I’m sorry for keeping you so busy, but please pass this on to the
prince.”
“You want me to give him this?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.”
Kuhn carefully tucked away the envelope, curious about Elena’s
sudden change in a tude.
As Kuhn was about to leave for his new task, Elena intercepted him
again.
“What me will the prince a end the fes val?”
“Nine o’clock this evening.”
“Thank you for telling me.”

“Yes.”
A er watching Kuhn’s flee ng disappearance, Elena turned back to
her room.
The best way to keep Carlisle safe was not to allow him near danger
in the first place. It would be ideal to cut the problem at the bud, but
barring that there was another alterna ve. That was what Elena was
doing now. She could never rest unless she kept Carlisle safe herself.
She strode towards the place where she kept her armor hidden. Once
again, it was me to go in disguise.
Ch. 56 It Could Be Dangerous (2)
The sun finally died beneath the horizon. The heavy, dark night found
Elena armored in black, much like the day she stole away to save
Carlisle. No one could iden fy her with her helmet, and it was
difficult to tell whether she was a man or a woman with her armor.
In her previous life, she would some mes conceal her golden blonde
hair by wearing a helmet to avoid being no ced by her enemies. It
was fortunate her past experience did not make her present situa on
uncomfortable at all. Figh ng with heavy armor was extremely
difficult and uncomfortable for the untrained.
Elena had already disguised herself once to rescue Carlisle. And
fortunately this me, this was not Blaise Castle in the south, but a
small mansion in the capital, where there were fewer knights in
comparison.
Taas!
Elena pressed her hand against the window frame and jumped, just
like Kuhn did. Although the armor was a li le uncomfortable, she was
flexible enough that she could creeped out of the mansion as sleek as
a cat. Elena carefully padded around to where there was no one in
sight.
’I’ve already calculated the route to the stables just in case.’
Elena stole a horse from the stable, then carefully pulled the horse
some ways away from the mansion. As soon as she determined she
was at a safe distance, she mounted the saddle and kicked the horse
with all her strength.
“Hyaaa!”
The horse then let out a short whiney and lurched forward.
Tadadadag, tadadadag.
The galloping hooves sounded at a rapid pace. The breeze didn’t feel
as cool as the me she rode with Carlisle because of her heavy
armor, but that didn’t ma er at all right now.
*
*
*
The Flower Bridge.
True to it’s name, the large bridge, which crossed a river, was
decorated with rose vines. Small lanterns do ed the area, making the
view a magnificent spectacle even at night.
On a hill overlooking the sea of people enjoying the fes val, Elena
stood alone in her armor. She was not as dazzled by the scenery
around her as everyone else. She quietly looked up at the night sky,
calcula ng how much me had passed.
It was then.
She saw a cloud of dust kicked up by horses approaching her from
some distance. There was the rumble of dozens of hooves striking
the ground. A man was at the head of the group, and his hair flying in
the wind was recognizable at a glance.
It was Carlisle. Blue fire burned hotly in his eyes, and his lips were
ghtly pressed. He was heading straight for Elena, releasing some
terrible energy.
He must have read her le er if he was here on me. Carlisle ordered
his royal guard to stop a li le distance away, then approached Elena
alone. He had seen her wearing armor once before, and recognized
her immediately.
As soon as he reached Elena, he quickly opened his mouth to speak.
“What’s the meaning of this?”
Carlisle fixed her with an icy gaze. Elena stared unflinchingly at
Carlisle before her.
“This?”
Elena deepened her voice to hide her iden ty. Carlisle held out the
le er she sent to him with his long fingers.
I’ll come to protect you. You won’t forget our contract, will you?
Below that were brief instruc ons on where to meet and what they
had to do when a ending the fes val.
She glanced at the le er then back at Carlisle, unmoved.
“Exactly what it says.”
It was clearly one of their terms of their contract, on the condi on
she would have to do one thing, anything, for Carlisle in the future.
“It’s number five on our contract. I disguise myself every night and
act as a knight.”
“That’s–”
Elena interrupted him.
“I will also keep the condi on that I will stay by your side as much as
possible, Your Highness.”
Carlisle’s face twitched at the men on of his tle. She no ced it, then
a empted to explain again.
“I can hide my iden ty with the helmet, so please understand.”
“…Alright.”
Carlisle yielded in a low voice, but his expression was s ll reluctant.
“But this is too early. There are more people who are a er me than
you think, and my presence may put you in danger. “
Although Carlisle could not see it, the corners of Elena’s mouth li ed
underneath the helmet.

“Well then, it’s me for me to play.”

It was that moment.
As if in response to Elena’s words, fireworks announcing the fes val
exploded into the sky.
Bang! Bang!
The explosions sent an array of colors sca ering on Elena’s black
armor. She spoke in a deep voice, her blood-red eyes shining in the
light.
“Even if the sky falls, I will protect you.”
Ch. 57 The Last Moment (1)
“Even if the sky falls, I will protect you.”
Carlisle could not find any words as he stood frozen as a statue and
stared at her. The fierceness of his eyes, however, could not hide how
unhappy he was with the situa on. Elena didn’t flinch at his gaze and
faced him squarely. This was the ul mate reason for their marriage.
To keep him close. To make him emperor.
Carlisle finally replied, speaking slowly.
“…What if I don’t want you to be in danger?”
His tone was serious, with no hint of levity. However, Elena had no
inten on of retrea ng. Her intui on told her that if she stepped back
now, she might not get the chance to protect him as a knight in the
future.
She knew Carlisle had a stubborn disposi on, so Elena had to carry
her will by other means. She felt rather sorry for exploi ng the one
weakness she had discovered so far.
“You mean you’re going to break our contract?”
“…Break?”
He repeated a er her as if he didn’t understand her, and Elena
replied in a low voice again.
“Our contract marriage. If you want to violate the contract, then I
have no choice but to accept it.”
As Elena had expected, the light in Carlisle’s eyes trembled in
uncertainty. Although she hadn’t figured out why he cared so much
about her yet, Elena was certainly not alone in wan ng the marriage
to happen. She was be ng on it. Unless she made this clear now,
Carlisle would con nue to hold Elena back in dangerous situa ons.
She didn’t intend to be sheltered like a plant in a greenhouse. She
had been one of the top knights in the con nent in her last life, and
now she could do even more with foreknowledge of the future.
“Do you mean to cancel our marriage if I don’t agree to your ac ons
now?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Carlisle tensed at her curt yet determined reply, and his expression
turned icy.
“……I never thought I’d feel so bad about you being so intelligent.”
They stared each other down, figh ng a silent war of will, neither
side refusing to yield an inch. But when Elena heard his last words,
she was confident she would be the winner of this fight. She did not
seriously intend to break up the contract marriage with him, instead
gambling on her intui on about Carlisle’s personality. She was sure it
would work. She didn’t know what she would do if it didn’t.
Fortunately, however, it was not necessary. Carlisle glared in silent
disapproval for a moment before finally speaking.
“…This is the last me I’ll hear such a threat.”
She nodded slightly instead of answering. She did not intend to break
the contract so easily, not with the situa on as urgent as it was now.
Carlisle didn’t know it, but he might get hurt on the Flower Bridge or
in the worst case, his life could be in danger.
“Don’t forget what you just said. Don’t stray far from my side.”
“I won’t.”
Carlisle glanced at Elena’s weapon with a complicated expression.
“As much as I allowed you this, it won’t be so easy in the future. Be
prepared.”
“…Yes.”
It was one of the things that bothered her since wri ng down the
contract. Gran ng one thing he desired could be a complica on in
the future, but for now, it was important she go as Carlisle’s guard.
She would worry about what happened later.
Carlisle strode towards where the rest of his men were wai ng,
speaking to Elena not as a noble’s daughter.
“Let’s go.”
She followed his footsteps, relieved. She was concerned that Carlisle
would treat her like her real iden ty, but fortunately he didn’t.
Elena followed him silently, her feet trailing his shadow. Un l now
she wasn’t concerned that the a en on of all of his men were
completely focused on her. As she was wearing armor and carried a
sword on her waist, they were nervous about a poten al a ack on
Carlisle. Some of them wore openly hos le expressions towards her.
When Carlisle returned with Elena behind him, one of the leaders of
the guard spoke out.
“Your Highness, why do you bring that disease?”
Carlisle’s blue eyes slid towards Elena then turned back again.
“…He’s my personal guard for today.”
The other man’s vehement protest died in his lips, and in shame he
had no choice but to put on a more doub ul look.
“We already have the guard, so why all of a sudden–”
Carlisle ignored him and interrupted as if he had no inten on of
answering his ques on.
“The talka ve one is called Zenard.”
“Y-your Highness!”
Zenard. He was quite a handsome man with dy silver hair and
turquoise eyes. His shirt was bu oned high on his neck, giving the
impression that he was a perfec onist. If Elena wanted to be part
Carlisle’s guard from now on, it was not a bad idea to know the faces
of his men. Elena spoke, pitching her voice low.
“My name is…”
She gave a rough introduc on, and Carlisle, no cing it, cut in.
“Len.”
Her eyes widened. It was a diminu ve of Elena. It was what her late
mother used to call her.
“Len, be careful not to get hurt.”
She s ll remembered her mother’s voice calling her name
affec onately. Elena did not approve of Carlisle’s introduc on.
Carlisle might have allowed her to call him “Caril,” but Elena had no
inten on of le ng him call her by a pet name.
The smile on Carlisle’s face simply deepened as he looked at her
obvious shock. Only Zenard, not aware of the situa on, gaped
between Carlisle and Elena and spoke out in u er amazement.
“Is that it? Are you saying he’ll be with us from now on?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said? From now on, Len is my escort.”
“We’re at an important moment here…and you’ll let in an unknown
person?”
Zenard gave broad, disapproving look. With so many people already
pursuing Carlisle’s life, it was not a good idea bring in an uniden fied
new recruit with the poten al to be a spy.
“Do not ques on my decisions.”
Carlisle spoke in a commanding tone, swi ly silencing Zenard’s
complaints. Zenard knew he could not overturn the prince’s decision,
so he protested in a meeker voice.
“I’m just…I’m worried about someone like this joining us besides
Kasha.”
Kasha? Not Kuhn Kasha?
Elena stared at Zenard, her eyes shining at the familiar name. She
never thought about how Kuhn was treated in Carlisle’s unit. Kuhn
didn’t seem well-liked, unexpectedly.
Carlisle replied, his emo on restrained.
“I said stop it.”
“…My apologies.”
Zenard stepped back and bowed lowly, while Carlisle mounted onto
his horse again. Carlisle briefly looked down at Elena then to one of
his other men.
“Give your horse to Len.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
He bowed his head respec ully, dismounted his horse and handed
over the reins to Elena. Then the man walked away and finished the
prepara ons to be on the move again.
Elena already had a horse, but since it was a waste of me to bring it
back to where they were she climbed the horse the other man gave
her.
Carlisle made a final remark towards her on horseback.
“Tell me whenever you run out of strength. I would be quite happy if
you quit.”
All the other men glanced at Elena, finding the prince’s words
completely incomprehensible. Elena did not reply, but moved her
horse to follow Carlisle. No ma er what happened in the future, she
would never give up guarding him.
It was then.
Boom! Boom!
Once again, gorgeous fireworks burst over the sky, then again and
again. Immediately a er Zenard saw the display, he pulled out a
pocket watch and checked the me.
“Your Highness, it’s me to join the fes val.”
“Let’s go.”
Carlisle took the lead and dozens of his men followed him.
Surprisingly, it was Elena who ended up directly behind Carlisle
despite his blistering pace. Zenard began to urge his horse onward
even more, shoo ng Elena a look of displeasure at her excellent
riding skills.
Ch. 58 The Last Moment (2)
The crowds parted as Carlisle and his guard made their way to the
fes val. One of the fes val organizers heralded Carlisle’s presence in
a loud voice.
“His Highness, Crown Prince Carlisle!”
In response, the crowd of subjects bowed their heads reverently like
an ocean wave. The number of people seemed endless. The sight
was nothing short of spectacular.
Elena, who was riding on horseback behind Carlisle, looked at the
prince with fresh eyes. She had not thought much of it before, but
His Majesty the Emperor was absent from public appearance due to
a serious illness. The people seemed thrilled to see the crown prince
directly in his stead.
The people cast awed gazes on the grand figure of Carlisle, who wore
his pride like a man who wore fi ng clothes. Everyone was thinking
the same thing.
‘…A man born to be an emperor.’
There seemed to be no other man more suited to the posi on. The
emperor was the apex predator at the top of the food chain. It was as
if Carlisle was born to stand above other people. If one were to meet
his blue eyes by chance, admira on would be the first emo on to
se le followed by envy.
Elena was following Carlisle at the long procession when a li le
further away one of his subordinates spoke.
“You, newcomer.”
“…”
She knew she was being called, but she didn’t reply. Swordsman,
whether mercenaries or knights, were a rough crowd. In the last
couple decades of her life she had mingled with such groups.
Now, the provoca ons seemed nothing more than childish. There
were usually people in any organiza on who liked to set the pecking
order among members. However, she had no inten on of building a
rapport with any of them in order to hide her iden ty.
“Hey, can’t you hear me?”
“I think he’s ignoring us.”
She did not turn her head, instead secretly direc ng her gaze at the
Flower Bridge. It would collapse today, and there should be clear
signs of structural weakness. No buildings or bridges simply collapsed
in a day without them. However, it seemed that someone in charge
was hiding the faults.
‘…We’d be er find them and evacuate everyone before the bridge
collapses.’
Elena’s primary mission was to defend Carlisle, but she wanted to
make sure no one else was hurt or killed if possible.
Elena was lost in thought un l suddenly a figure blocked her way.
When she looked up she saw a man towering over her.
“It’s Len, right? Is what we’re saying funny to you?”
The man had a thick, muscular physique.
“Ease off, Morgan. He’s so small you’ll knock him over if you hit him.
He was brought here by the prince himself, so don’t blind him on the
first day.”
Elena heard someone sneer, and it seemed that this gargantuan man
in front of her was named Morgan.
Elena was about to reply when there was a sudden commo on
ahead of them. A man was blocking Carlisle’s way to the Flower
Bridge. His sword was drawn from waist.
“Halt.”
His fine dress and jeweled sword seemed to indicate he was a highly
ranked knight from a wealthy family.
“You cannot pass without proper iden fica on.”
Only a limited amount of people were allowed entry into the fes val
space they were about to enter. Carlisle was already known to be the
Crown Prince, however, the deliberate denial of access seemed to be
an a empt to disgrace him from his official posi on.
Zenard, who stood right next to Carlisle, flushed with anger.
“What? You dare say this man is–!”
Before Zenard even finished talking, Elena swi ly sidestepped
Morgan and headed straight towards Carlisle.
And before anyone could say anything, her feet flew towards the
opponent.
Puk!
A swi a ack caused one of the knight’s knees to hit the ground, and
he raised his head in anger.
“How dare you–”
His words stopped in his throat.
Chaang.
Elena’s sword suddenly came into view of the bending knight.
Startled, he stumbled to his feet and li ed his own weapon.
“Do you know which House I come from?”
“No, I do not, but I do know you are a knight that drew your sword at
the Crown Prince. Apologize for threatening your prince, regardless
of your rank.”
Elena spoke coldly, unconcerned with everyone’s stunned gazes.
“Three seconds for you to step aside.”
The man broke into a cold sweat, afraid that Elena would strike in
one fiery moment. It had only been a plan to undermine the prince’s
status.

“Three…two…”
Everyone here knew what those word meant. At the end, her sword
would strike jus ce. Everyone’s breath was stopped.
Zenard stared in astonishment at Elena. This kind of bold judgment
and power didn’t come from any normal person.
Elena made sure everyone knew the consequences they disrespected
Carlisle.
“…one.”
It was the last moment of Elena’s countdown.
TN: One of Carlisle’s guards is named Megan, but I changed it to
Morgan.
Ch. 59 One To Ten (1)
“…One.”
It was the last moment of Elena’s countdown.
Jubug.
Carlisle stepped forward where the knight’s blade was pointed it
Elena. It was close enough to be within striking distance, and the
knight was taken aback that his sword previously aimed at Elena was
now pointed at the crown prince himself. Elena’s ins ncts told her to
knock away the sword immediately, but at that moment her body
had frozen.
The knight panicked and trembled as Carlisle came near and stared
indifferently down on him.
“Get out of the way.”
The knight was forced to stagger back. There was a sense of prideful
authority he dared not challenge.
Carlisle defiantly strode straight towards Flower Bridge. The knight
that stood aside suddenly realized the meaning of his indifferent
stare. Carlisle didn’t care about his behavior at all.
The knight took one step back a er another un l he completely
backed into a wall, completely overwhelmed. By Prince Carlisle
and…the unknown knight in the strange armor.
Elena stared coldly at the trembling man, then walked past him and
followed the prince. The crowd that they le behind was silent, the
scene vividly imprinted in their minds.
Carlisle confirmed that it was Elena who caught up to his side and
spoke to her in a so ened voice.
“…You always surprise me.”
Perhaps it was only natural. He already knew that Elena was a good
swordswoman, but it was the first me he’d seen her in ac on as a
knight. Right now Elena was a completely different en ty, from what
she wore, to the way she spoke and the way she stood. The moment
Elena donned the black armor she became the knight of her past life.
She stared at Carlisle’s back as he walked a step ahead of her.
“Your Highness. His blade could have gone for you neck.”
As she spoke, she recalled the scene again. Had the knight tried to
move his sword a li le earlier, Elena would have cut off his arm.
Carlisle had no idea how nervous she was, and she couldn’t help but
speak against him in disapproval.
“…It’s dangerous.”
Carlisle con nued forward without stopping.
“I’m not dead, so don’t worry.”
“…Don’t be so sure.”
Elena swallowed the words she couldn’t bring herself to say.
‘You died in the last life.’
Although she did not witness Carlisle’s death, she experienced the
world a er his disappearance. Her family was destroyed and Ruford
Empire had changed. It was everything that Elena didn’t want.
Carlisle li ed his right arm towards her.
“Didn’t you read fairy tales when you were a child? Monsters…aren’t
killed easily.”
Elena hadn’t seen it since the night she saved him, but she
remembered that Carlisle’s armed transformed into something scaly
and black and monstrous. Rather than a monster though, it seemed
more like a rep le…or a dragon.
Elena replied tersely.
“It may not be easy to kill you, but that doesn’t mean you have two
lives.”
“I’m afraid I can’t hear your words.”
Carlisle chuckled at Elena’s unbending manner. A er a short pause,
Carlisle spoke again.
“Did you really intend to kill the knight? From what he was wearing,
it looked like he belonged to the Imperial Family’s Second Order. It’s
led by House Anita, where the Empress’ birth father comes from.”
It sounded as if she would have been in a worse off situa on if she
killed that knight. His playful tone made her even more angry.
“…Shall I go back and just kill him then?”
For the first me, Carlisle roared in laughter in the street. She didn’t
understand what was funny, but his shoulders shook and he seemed
genuinely amused. He turned back to look at Elena.
“From one to ten, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
*
*
*
At present, there was a large celebra on taking place in the middle of
Flower Bridge. Only a select few were allowed to enter this area
guarded by the Anita Knight. Some were ordinary people who won
admission through a lo ery, but most present were nobles. There
was no chance in a class society would nobles and commoners
mingle and enjoy the fes val together.
Because of this, the area was divided between the outside and inside
of the Flower Bridge. The outside area was bustling with common
folk, while the atmosphere on the deck had a more leisurely
landscape with classical music flowing through the air. Elena was
unhappy with aristocra c culture, but the fewer the people on the
bridge, the slower it would collapse.
“Your Highness, please come this way.”
A man who appeared to be in charge of the fes val approached
Carlisle. Zenard, who was a li le behind, caught up to them. Not all
of Carlisle’s guards were permi ed enter; only Carlisle, Zenard and
Elena were now here. Carlisle was about to follow the man when
Elena, who had been standing behind him quietly un l now, spoke in
a deep voice.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I think I dropped something on my way
here. I’ll take a look around for a moment and follow you later.”
Of course it was a lie. She didn’t think he would allow her to be apart
from him, but she had to check Flower Bridge’s founda ons. When
she told him he would be his escort he asked that she not stray from
his side, but she prepared an excuse just in case.
“What the hell are you talking about…?!”
Zenard snapped at her with intense dislike, ignorant of her iden ty,
before Carlisle cut him off.

“Go then come back.”

Carlisle eyed Zenard cooly for a moment, but there was no reason for
Elena to pay a en on anymore. She nodded straightaway, then
jogged towards the head of Flower Bridge on before Carlisle could
say anything more. As the main fes val was located at the center of
the deck, the aristocra c fes val goers could not see either end of
the bridge. The construc on had already been completed, but the
public had not been allowed to pass the bridge yet.
She touched and examined the rose-decorated rails with her hands
and eyes. If the construc on was done poorly, there should be cracks
on the posts or some other evidence of weakness.
But somehow…everything looked fine.
‘…Strange.’
Ch. 60 One To Ten (2)
She stamped her foot hard on ground a few mes. She did not have
the experience of a bridge master, but the bridge seemed far too
sturdy to be shoddy construc on.
“I need to find evidence quickly…”
She wanted to drag Carlisle off the bridge, but if he insisted on
evidence her only proof was knowledge of the future. She had to find
something more convincing.
The best op on was for Carlisle to never appear on the Flower Bridge
in the first place, but that was already a failure. The second op on
was to quickly find evidence so she could evacuate Carlisle and
people on the bridge. She stood in place for a moment, straining to
grasp those dim memories.
“Who was it who…oh, yes!”
House Casey. A noble house who collected unfair profits in the
construc on of the bridge. The house once bore the lineage of
emperors, but their name had been widely condemned a er the
deaths and injuries from the bridge’s collapse.
It seemed that she had found a missing puzzle piece, and she was
sure she could find the evidence as well. The laborers of House Casey
could be witnesses to any suspicious working condi ons.
“Shall I go down the bridge first?”
There may be some laborers there s ll. If she met them, she might
find a clue. Time was scarce, and as soon as Elena made up her mind
she moved as swi as the wind.
Tadadadadag!
She rushed away from the fes val center towards the deserted
underbelly of the bridge. The revelers were laughing and cha ng in
ignorance, while Elena urgently hastened her steps.
*
*
*
A black night.
Unlike the colorful lights of the fes val on the deck, the lower part of
the bridge was a shadowy gloom. Elena was dismayed as she
watched the calm flow of the river.
“…Anyone?”
Although the bridge was completed, the laborers could not have
been withdrawn already; They should have been in the vicinity un l
the official opening of Flower Bridge. She clearly remembered
hearing such a story in her previous life. The laborers had struggled
un l to end to avert poor construc on. She had a feeling that her
memories were slightly different from what she knew, but she
couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
It was then that something caught her eye.
‘What is that?’
Something was a ached to the pier suppor ng the bridge. A closer
look revealed what it was.
‘…Explosives!’
Not one or two. There were everal of them on each of the huge piers.
She could not help but stare at it in a moment of confusion. In her
past life it was reported that the bridge had collapsed due to poor
construc on by House Casey. And for that reason House Casey was
completely destroyed. That meant…
‘Was it a decep on?’
If her memory served her correctly, the Imperial Household had
invested large sums of money to build the Flower Bridge, and it was
out of formality that Prince Carlisle was here. Someone must have
planted a trap to undermine the authority of the Imperial Family or
to destroy the Casey family.
‘…Who the hell!’
However, her thoughts did not last long.
Mysterious masked men in black were appearing one by one under
the dark bridge. She quietly approached them, her ears catching their
conversa on.
“We’ve a ached a few bombs, but we’re s ll short. We need to
install half the amount more to completely destroy the bridge.”
“Alright. Let’s hurry and finish up.”
They began to a ach more explosives with trained movements,
riding a rope that connected each of the piers. The dark river
dropped below them, but they showed no signs of fear. She slowly
picked up the crossbow she was wearing behind her back.
‘…Do they know who wants to destroy this bridge?’
She needed to found out who hired them, but first she had to
prevent the bridge from collapsing. Elena steadily aimed her
crossbow.
Pisyung! Pisyuyung!
Arrows flew from the crossbow one by one. The mysterious figures
shouted as the sudden a ack poured in.
“The enemy!”
“Watch out!”
She could see dozens of strange men moving through the dark.
Elena’s arrows flew from only one direc on, and she hid body behind
a pillar to protect her body as much as possible.
The men weren’t ordinary, but Elena wasn’t ordinary either. At the
slightest of exposure of the men, Elena’s arrows would go singing
through the air. The men judged that there would be no end to her
a ack if they kept hidden like this. Some had to sacrifice themselves,
but in the end nothing would change unless she was taken out.
Syung! Syung! Syung!
She saw a charge coming towards her, but she fired first against those
who were s ll a aching the explosives. It was cri cal that she protect
the bridge from being destroyed. She shot down all the men with the
explosives, then fired her crossbow at those who were approaching,
but failed to hit all of them.

Finally, dozens of men surrounded her. Their swords glimmered

dangerously in the moonlight.
“Who are you?”
“That’s my ques on for you.”
One of the men jeered at her.
“You will die without dignity for ambushing us.”
As the enemy was in close range, Elena had no need for her crossbow
anymore. She tossed it to the ground and drew her sword from her
waist. It had been a long me since she found herself in this kind of
situa on.
“Well, is it me for me to have fun now?”
The men didn’t see Elena’s mouth curving into a smile beneath her
helmet.
Ch. 61 This Is Who I Am (1)
“Haa, haa.”
Elena’s ragged breaths filtered through her helmet. There were more
men than she expected, and it was more difficult to capture a few
rather than indiscriminately killing them all. It would have been
impossible if this was her first me in combat in this life, but because
of her training, she fought be er than before. She was gradually
ge ng closer to her old skills, but it was s ll a long way to go un l
she reached her full poten al.
She ed up the unconscious culprits with some rope, then quickly
headed over to the bridge. The cap ves would be interrogated, but
first she had to removed the explosives from each pier before they
could be tampered with.
Ttubug, ubug.
Elena’s went back on deck and her eyes swept to the fes val site,
where she caught eye of Carlisle coming down a er exchanging some
pleasantries on the podium.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem too late. Carlisle’s eyes where fixed on her
as she hurried towards him, and when their eyes met in midair he
walked even faster.
“What have you been doing…?”
Carlisle halted. His brow suddenly creased.
“Why do I smell blood?”
She couldn’t help but be surprised at his acute senses. She had
washed as much blood from herself as possible at the river.
“Your Highness, I–”
The moment Elena started talking.
Hwiig.
Carlisle’s hand seized her wrist as he looked her up and down. His
eyes were frigh ully sharp, like beast watching his prey. She didn’t
know what he was doing at first, but then she realized that he was
searching for any injuries.
“It’s not my blood.”
It was only a er that did Carlisle’s fearsome energy abated some. His
tone turned dangerously low.
“Then whose blood? I lost you somewhere. Where the hell did you
come back from?”
“Well–”
Elena a empted to explain, but Carlisle interrupted her again.
“Are you sure you’re not hurt?”
Although she could tell he was trying to suppress the irrita on in his
voice, the emo on behind it seemed genuine. Maybe he really was
worried about Elena. What she did or why she was bloodied did not
seem to ma er to him before her safety. He would’ve taken off
Elena’s helmet and check her himself if he could.
Elena was silent for a moment at his behavior, then quickly came to
herself senses.
“I’m not hurt, so don’t worry. I have something more important to
say first.”
“…What is it?”
In the face of his disapproving gaze, Elena urgently whispered to him.
“There were some strange men a emp ng to bring down the Flower
Bridge. There are explosives under it, so we need to get rid of it right
away. I also captured some of the men and ed them up, so if you
could ques on them…”
Carlisle pulled away from Elena a er listening closely to her. Then,
Zenard arrived at just the right me, and Carlisle gave him some
orders.
“If you go under the bridge, you will find some cap ves. Remove the
explosives that’s been placed on the bridge, and interrogate the men
and find out who sent them.”
“What? Yes, Your Highness!”
Zenard was caught by surprise, but like an obedient servant his eyes
flashed as he quickly changed his demeanor and carried out the
orders. Elena watched him exit the fes val venue.
Hwiig–
Carlisle began to drag Elena by the wrist somewhere. She couldn’t
feel his grip for the armor, but she could his knuckles were white. A
nobleman ran up to Carlisle as he was walking away.
“Your Highness! Where are you going? You should enjoy the night of
the fes val. There are people I’d like to introduce you to–”
“Get the hell out of my way.”
“…What?”
The man’s face whitened. There was a terrible aura coming from the
prince.
Carlisle con nued towing Elena towards a secluded area of the
fes val where no lights were visible, leaving the nobleman behind.
The man was not the only one taken aback. Even Elena was surprised
under her metal helmet.
“Your Highness, what are you doing? If you treat other nobles that
way–”
“Why not?”
“They will say terrible things about you.”
“Do I need to care about that?”

“But–”
Carlisle whirled back towards Elena, his blue eyes hard as ice.
“You must have forgo en who I am.”
Elena lted her head, unable to understand his meaning. He turned
his face again and con nued in husky voice.
“There’s nothing I can’t do in this empire.”
It was the height of arrogance. However, Elena knew Carlisle. He was
not wrong. He was next in line to become emperor, and not mee ng
eye-to-eye with a single noble was not important. However, she
hoped that he would build outside poli cal support. If they didn’t like
him…
They soon arrived outside of Flower Bridge beyond the view of
everyone else. It was already a familiar area to Elena as she had
inves gated the area already. Carlisle stopped and slowly turned to
Elena. She could see his eyes glowing in anger in the dark.
‘…But why?’
Ch. 62 This Is Who I Am (2)
Elena could not understand why he was upset. Carlisle’s voice rose as
he spoke.
“Didn’t you promise you would stay by my side as much as possible?”
“Yes. With the condi on ‘if possible.’”
“If you wanted to keep your promise, you should have come to me
the moment you sensed danger.”
“I couldn’t do that. The bridge was going to collapse when all the
explosives were fi ed. Then the people on the bridge and Your
Highness would’ve–!”
Carlisle cut her off.
“What if you got hurt?”
Elena s ffened. He was right that the situa on was dangerous. But
Elena was confident she could stop them. She had frequently risked
her life in the past, and this life would be no different, from the
moment she promised to protect him. But all Carlisle pointed out
were the dangers.
“You’re smart enough to threaten me by asking me to give up on my
contract marriage.”
“…?”
“If you got hurt, you don’t understand how angry I would be.”
Elena paused. She hadn’t thought that far, but to be fair, she hadn’t
much me to think about it when she was busy saving Carlisle.
“…I understand what you’re saying. But if I didn’t stop them, your life
might have been in danger. Shouldn’t gra tude come first in a
situa on like this?”
“There’s a chance I may die, but just because a bridge collapses it
doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee.”
Something bi er surged in her chest. She never imagined he would
be so upset that he wouldn’t even offer a simple word of gra tude.
She would never make such a remark against someone who saved
her life, no ma er how worried she was.
“Yes, even if you survived, the countless people on the bridge–”
“You should think of me before you care about the countless people
on the bridge.”
“…?”
“I told you, if you get hurt, I could lose my mind…”
His gaze turned heavy and burned bright as daylight in the darkness.
His intense stare was fixed exactly on Elena.
“Have you thought about what I would do with them if you were
injured? I could rip off their limbs so they looked dead, but were s ll
alive.”
Elena was momentarily speechless.
He was serious. His calm voice u ered cruel words without
hesita on.
“Then if you die…what do you think I’ll do then?”
If injury alone could drive him to this terrible state, and she couldn’t
imagine what he would do beyond that. Carlisle con nued in a lower
voice.
“…The Ruford Empire may have to prevent me from becoming
emperor.”
Why? What on earth was he going to do?
Elena could not keep up with how Carlisle so easily brought up these
gruesome stories. She knew he worried about her, but this was
beyond ra onal. It may have been Elena’s fault that she went away
from his side without a proper explana on, but the contract had
already allowed her to act as knight. Now Elena’s mission was to
change her terrible future. The life of the family was on her
shoulders. No ma er how much Carlisle hated it, she would defend
him and make him emperor.
Elena replied in a calm voice.
“Caril…I want to be empress, and that is why I entered a contract
marriage with you. But that doesn’t mean I’m a doll wai ng for you
inside a gli ering palace.”
She called his by his pet name to soothe the atmosphere and
convince him to allow her to keep her contract term as much as
possible. Whether her heart was conveyed or not, Carlisle’s fiery eyes
seemed to so ened a li le.
“There are some things I understand about Caril, and some things I
don’t.”
But the point was…
“…This is who I am.”
Elena was not just a pre y noblewoman in a beau ful dress. She was
also a knight clad in armor who wielded a sword.
“I will wear this armor, whether you want me to or not.”
Suddenly, there was a loud popping sound coming from the direc on
of the fes val. Perhaps the end of the fes val was approaching.
A breeze s rred and sca ered red petals in the air, which began to
dance like snowflakes around Elena as she stood in her black armor.
The petals were the same color as her vivid crimson eyes shining
from beneath her helmet. The hard armor and red petals were a
contradic on yet harmonious at the same me.
A beau ful lady by day, and a cold swordswoman by night.
“…Don’t try to change me.”
Carlisle did not respond. He only gave her a complicated stare, but
there was no longer any anger in his eyes.
The two simply gazed at each other in silence. The murmur of the
river flowing in the distance was strangely not uncomfortable. If the
two people had kept parts of themselves hidden from each other
thus far, it was at this moment their layers had exposed themselves a
li le.
Carlisle’s hand was s ll holding Elena’s arm, and he suddenly pulled
her body to himself. She momentarily lost her balance from the force
of it. Carlisle embraced Elena’s head with his other hand. Her eyes
opened wide underneath the helmet while he whispered thickly in
her ears.
“Don’t get hurt.”
“…I’m not hurt. “
Carlisle seemed to have forgo en that Elena was never injured in the
ba le. Instead of a proper embrace, he cradled her head against his
chest. She couldn’t feel his touch because of her armor, but she
wanted to pull out of this awkward and uncomfortable situa on.
When Elena tried to return to her original posi on, Carlisle ghtened
his grip.
“Caril…”
“You are a very dangerous woman. You make me selfish.”
She wanted to ask what he meant. Carlisle’s voice returned with
more resolu on.
“…You won’t have to change, so please stay like this for a li le
longer.”
*
*
*
“Eugh–why is the weather like this?”
Helen disembarked from her luxurious carriage and gathered her
shawl about her shoulders. The coachman stepped from his seat and
gave a steep bow that was enough to break one’s back.
“My Lady, this is the weather of the capital.”
“I’ll get a cold before I a end the royal ball.”
Sophie tailed behind the grumbling Helen. Sophie had been re-
employed by the Selby family and was compensated generously. She
was quick to try to impress Helen more than anyone else.
“Lady Helen, please go inside. It will be terrible if you were to catch a
cold!”
“Yes. All of you, take my luggage. By God, I hope the cold won’t spoil
my beau ful dresses.”
Another maid appeared at Helen’s instruc ons. She was Tilda, the
one who had destroyed Elena’s dress and fled.
“Y-yes! Yes, My Lady.”
Tilda hastened to moved the luggage with a panicked expression on
her face. Helen headed for the mansion at a leisurely pace as the
servants were in a commo on about her. She walked across the
garden from where the carriage stood, glancing around and
mu ering uncomfortably.
“That old man…get me a nice mansion.”
It was an imposing mansion with a large garden, unlike the simple
Blaise residence. But even that could not compare to Helen’s castle.
Helen saw the butler run towards her, having belatedly received the
news that she arrived at the mansion. They had fallen far behind
schedule because of the long journey, and the butler hadn’t been
given proper no ce.
“Oh dear, My Lady, you have arrived?”
“Yes. Your recep on is rushed.”
“M-my apologies.”
The butler dropped his head and Helen sneered at him.
“I’ve dispatched a man, but I haven’t heard from him. Find out what’s
wrong.”
“Yes, My Lady!”
“And send someone to see if the Empress can receive an audience.”
“Yes, right away.”
Helen glided past the butler.
“Don’t just talk about it. Hurry up.”

“Y-yes!”
The butler hurried away to carry out the tasks she ordered. Soon the
urgent sound of footsteps faded away, and Helen serenely entered
the mansion. Now that the ball was close, there was a lot of work to
be done. Fortunately, Tilda tore Elena’s ball gown, leaving Elena
unlikely to a end. However, this alone did not quell her anger.
‘Lady Blaise, some fun things are about to happen.’
Helen’s smile gli ered as she remembered Elena at the tea party.
Ch. 63 Where Have I Seen This Before? (1)
A er preven ng a disaster at Flower Bridge, Elena returned to her
mansion. And for a while, she lived a life of ordinary noblewoman
again. There weren’t many things for Elena to do here like in Blaise
Castle in the south, but she s ll had household du es to fulfill. She
was restless at being so far away from home, but her fathered stayed
at the capital mansion for long periods of me so she thought to be
produc ve here.
It was good to be busy to distract her from her thoughts. Elena’s
mind wandered from Carlisle to the Flower Bridge fes val. His voice
s ll echoed clearly in her ears.
– …Stay like this for a li le longer.
Elena squeezed her eyes shut at the memory.
‘There’s nothing there. I’m just crazy…’
She could not easily refuse him, so she had done what he asked. Even
if she could redo the moment, she wouldn’t necessarily turn him
down coldly. Guilt s ll pricked her, however. Her rela onship with
Carlisle was nothing more than business. Although they were bound
together by a contract marriage, it was formed by mutual needs.
Elena wouldn’t turn sen mental when she had a family to protect.
‘Keep your head straight, Elena.’
She vowed not to lose her family again. There was no me to
entertain any other emo ons. It was impressive that she managed to
muster some anger at herself, but that was the end. No more.
She stood up from the desk where she was looking over some
documents, then li ed a small table at the end of the room with one
hand. It was the right size and weight for her to build the strength of
her arms, and when no one was present she would do repe ons by
li ing it up and down.
She heard knock. She put the small table back in place and spoke
calmly.
“Come in.”
It was Michael who entered.
“I’ve come to tell you something, My Lady.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“It’s about the maid, Sophie. The one you asked me to inves gate.”
Elena’s eyes shone as Michael said that name. Elena would find the
one who was behind the destruc on of her dress. However, contrary
to her expecta ons, Michael opened his mouth guil ly.
“Well…There is no trace.”
“No trace?”
Elena was not easily convinced. With the Blaise’s intelligence
resources, it should be easy to track down a mere maid. She assumed
the only setback would be the me it would take for the informa on
to be delivered all the way to the capital city.
“Where was the last place she was seen?”
“It seems she had a difficult me a er she was fired. I looked into it
and she lost all the money she had to gambling.”
Elena thought Sophie would use the gold coin she le her to se le
down somewhere, but it didn’t seem to be the case. Michael
con nued.
“She seemed to have stayed in the slums for a me with nowhere to
go, but one day some rough-looking men took her way. I haven’t
been able to confirm anything that happened a er that.”
“I see…”
Elena was lost in thought for a moment. If she correctly interpreted
Michael’s report, then someone took Sophie away to hide her from
the Blaise’s eyes, otherwise she wouldn’t have suddenly disappeared
like so. If Sophie was dead, then they should have found the body.
‘But who is responsible?’
Whoever it was, they wouldn’t have taken Sophie for no reason.
Further inves ga on would be required, but Elena realized one
important possibility.
‘…The person may be a noble of higher rank than I thought.’
She didn’t think she had made offense to anyone since she returned
to the past, but she could not make a hasty judgment. Some mes
Elena got involved in things even when she hadn’t done anything
wrong.
“I understand for now.”
“I am sorry that I could not complete what you asked of me. I’ll
con nue to track down the maid.”
“Yes, please. If you find any informa on, please let me know.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
It was near the end of their conversa on when–
Bulkug!
Mirabelle flung open the door and flew in the room.
“Sister!”
“What happened?”
Mirabelle pointed her finger out the door in a panic.
“Well…I think you should come out first!”
“What on earth is going on?”
She hurried a er Mirabelle.
That was how Elena, Mirabelle, and Michael arrived at the front of
the mansion and found the entrance was almost completely blocked
a cart bearing large gi s. Workers were carefully moving the boxes
into the mansion.
“What on earth…?”
Elena stood bewildered by the scene before her. Mirabelle had
already opened one of the ghtly sealed boxes, curious about the
contents inside. Instead of explaining, she quickly handed it to Elena.
It was cute wooden jewel case. Elena opened it with ques oning
look.
“Ah…”
Her mouth fell open. The box was choked with dazzling jewels in
different colors. If such a small box contained this much treasure, she
could not imagine what else was in store in front of her. Feeling
perplexed, Michael quickly approached the workers.
“What is this? Who sent it?”
“We don’t know. We’re just doing what we’re told. The person in
charge of delivery asked me to deliver this le er to Lady Blaise.”
Michael received a le er from them with a doub ul look, then he
returned to Elena and handed it over to her. Elena was once again
flabbergasted that these items had come to her. She couldn’t think of
anyone who would send her these things, even if she was connected
to her father. She quickly tore open the envelope.
Jjiiigeu–
There was a message inside with neat handwri ng.
[I hope you will like one of these dresses. Don’t forget our promise.]
Elena knew who it was at once. He sent her dresses for the ball just
as he promised. And…everything else too.
She speechlessly watched the workers transfer the enormous load.
She couldn’t believe the quan ty of it.
“Who is it, sister? Who sent you this?”
“Ah…well, I suppose there were a lot of people who said they were
going to send me dresses the other day.”
“What?”
Elena felt a cold sweat running down her back. Even Michael was
staring at her with a surprised expression.
Elena simply smiled awkwardly.

Ch. 64 Where Have I Seen This Before? (2)

Once she sorted out the items that arrived at the mansion, she
catalogued twenty dresses and five boxes of jewels. To prevent the
clothes from becoming creased they would be placed in the dressing
room, and in the meanwhile Elena opened the third jewelry box. She
rubbed her finger ps against her forehead.
‘…I cannot believe this man.’
She couldn’t afford to look una rac ve at the ball, but Carlisle’s gi s
were too much. As Elena ruminated with her headache, Mirabelle
was con nually singing her admira on as she arranged the dresses.
“Look, sister. It’s so pre y.”
She swooned at the vivid colors and detailed decora ons, alive with
unique designs. While she loved the dresses from Anco’s Tailors, it
couldn’t compare it to the dresses that arrived at the mansion. The
dresses made at the tailor shop were fit for any noble to wear, but
these were elegant costumes fit for any royal family member. They
were the proper amount of splendor as well. Too showy could appear
too tacky; too li le, too plain; but the aesthe c of the dresses were
perfectly balanced.
One dress drew a en on to the chest, while another had a rich hem
on its skirt. Mirabelle was stunned at the variety and murmured
wonderingly to herself.
“…So beau ful. It’s like they’re from the Freegrand Kingdom, the holy
land of fashion.”
Elena did not answer, unsure of the origin of the dresses. However, if
Carlisle met the Kingdom of Freegrand in ba lefield, then surely
these would be the spoils. He must be extremely wealthy having
acquired so many riches from war.
‘…Should I return them?’
The problem was that Elena and Mirabelle had nothing else to wear
for the ball. Furthermore, Carlisle gave her a condi on in exchange
for these dresses.
– Whatever I send, you can’t say anything against it.
Carlisle must’ve known her thoughts.
“…Huuu.”
Elena let out a frustrated sigh. Mirabelle, who was s ll soaking in the
gi s, pranced up to Elena.
“So who sent you all of these?”
“Ah, well…He’s so mid he doesn’t really like to reveal who he his.”
Elena managed to evade answering and smiled s ffly, while Mirabelle
replied with a radiant expression.
“I think he likes you!”
“…What? No way.”
“Huh? How do you know that? You don’t send all these dresses to
someone you don’t like.”
Mirabelle didn’t mean anything deep, but Elena realized a new
possibility. She appreciated that Carlisle was so nice to her, but she
never thought of it in those terms.
‘…Surely not.’
Whatever the rela onship, there was always a process to it. But there
was not much of a rela onship between the two. At best, he seemed
more likely to flirt with other women than choose to like someone
like her.
Perhaps he wanted to pay back a debt in the past? Elena chose to
lean towards that explana on. A er a moment of thought, Elena
turned her head and saw Mirabelle staring at her with lonely eyes.
Elena stroked her sister’s so cheek.
“You’re the only one I need.”
“Ah, really?”
“Yes. If Mirabelle stays with me like this now, I don’t need anything
else.”
“Heeeu–”
Mirabelle turned bright red as she smiled, and the sight of it tugged
on Elena’s heart so much she smiled a er her. This small happiness
will do. She would never give up on this life she had been given.
Mirabelle pointed to one of the unopened jewelry boxes.
“Shall I open it then put what’s in there away, too?”
“Yes.”
She hadn’t decided what to do with them yet, but they couldn’t
afford to leave such expensive jewelry lying around. Mirabelle
opened the box.
“Oh, sister!”
Elena turned at Mirabelle’s startled voice. There was a necklace with
a red jewel that caught their eyes. While the other boxes brimmed
with various accessories, this box cradled only one special necklace.
‘…Where have I seen something like this before?’
Elena lted her head as she looked at the vaguely familiar item.
Mirabelle con nued with a trembling voice.
“Isn’t this similar the red diamond necklace we saw at the jeweler’s,
before we le for the capital? “
“…What?”
Elena, who was not one to be easily surprised, found herself
surprised yet again in a single day. Her mouth fell open as she
recalled the price of a red diamond she saw at the jewelry store.
However, the red diamond set in this necklace was much larger. She
couldn’t imagine wearing such a costly thing around her neck. She
had lived her last life frugally, and while and she tried to enjoy luxury
when she could, this was too much.
‘I don’t know what else to do, but I can’t really accept this.’
A er Mirabelle le , Elena ed a red handkerchief on the window. She
didn’t e several of them like the me when Carlisle was in danger,
but…
As if to express her embarrassment, she ed two handkerchiefs to
the window.
Ch. 65 May We Enter? (1)
It was late at night when Kuhn arrived. He was more cau ous than
usual, as a man seen sneaking into the room of a noblewoman would
cause unwanted rumors. It was not polite to visit at such a late hour,
but consent was given in advance at the urgency of the two
handkerchiefs.
Kuhn quietly landed in the room and turned to close the windows.
Elena, who was just about to succumb to slumber, opened her eyes
at the slight disturbance. Her hand glided towards the dagger under
her pillow. Then she heard a familiar voice.
“It’s Kuhn. What did you call me for?”
Elena loosened her grip on the dagger and got out of bed. It was
impolite to receive a guest while lying down. However, Kuhn shi ed
his gaze politely as to not look at Elena in her nightgown, and when
she no ced she hurriedly slipped on a robe next to her bed. She went
straight to the point.
“I received the clothes and jewels that you sent me today. You know
about it, don’t you?”
“Yes, I know.”
“I will be forced to accept a dress for the ball, but as for the jewels–”
Kuhn cut her off.
“That’s not possible.”
He seemed to have an cipated her answer. When Elena tried to open
her mouth to speak, Kuhn interrupted her again.
“The General said that he would stab me in the neck if I took them
back.”
“W-what?”
Elena was shocked by the unexpected reply. She spoke again,
suspicion wri en on her features.
“Is that a joke?”
“Probably not.”
She doubted if Carlisle would really kill Kuhn, but Kuhn had answered
so seriously. Carlisle seemed to have read her mind. In fact, he also
made her promise from the start to accept the items he sent her.
‘…But how can I possibly do so?’
The cost of dresses and jewelry alone were enormous, let alone the
astronomical price of the red diamond necklace. She could not
accept such things without any reason.
“Then please tell the prince this. It’s too valuable for me to accept. I
will return the dress a er I use it at the ball, as I made a promise and
I must keep it. I hope you can take the jewels back though.”
Elena was insistent, but Kuhn replied with an unperturbed
expression.
“I’ll let him know. But the General said, ‘If she makes such a request,
tell her this.’”
“…What is it?”
“He said he would like to see you as a lady at the ball wearing the
dress and jewelry he sent you.”
Elena didn’t know why Carlisle wanted to give her such precious gi s.
Then suddenly she remembered what he told her last me they met.
— “I don’t like other people looking at you, but I don’t intend to let
my woman down.”
Was he saying that he wanted her to be crowned the Madonna of the
ball?
It was not honor bestowed at all balls, but in the case of the Imperial
Court there were ceremonies that selected the most beau ful
woman of the night. The chosen woman was rewarded with a ara,
and while the ara itself was more symbolic than monetarily
valuable, it was an honor coveted by many a young noblewoman.
There were even rumors in public that a humble woman crowned
Madonna could find a good match and ascend in social status. It was
why the tailor shops were paralyzed with work during ball season.
‘…There’s no possibility for me to be chosen for such a posi on.’
She had no expecta ons for herself from the beginning, and she
remembered who was chosen as the Madonna in her last life.
“I hope His Highness doesn’t expect much from me.”
“I cannot guess what he thinks.”
Elena con nued with more insistently.
“I s ll too much for me anyway. Please tell him to take it back.”
“I will give him the message, but the General is away from the capital
on urgent business. You may not be able to receive an answer before
the ball.”
“…I see.”
Elena’s face fli ed with anxiety. She worried when Carlisle was far
away from her. His life had been at risk at Flower Bridge, and she was
worried if something would happen again.
“The General said if you wouldn’t accept it un l the end, he told me
to tell you one last thing.”
“What did he say?”
“He said, ‘Keep your word.’ If you don’t, he won’t keep his word
either…”
Elena’s mouth opened in surprise even before Kuhn finished.
“No way.”
“That’s all I can tell you.”
Kuhn’s sterile, business-like manner forced Elena to bridle her anger.
It was useless to turn against the messenger.
‘…How unfair.’
That was the first thought that came to her mind. Carlisle was trying
to force her into accep ng expensive items, but from Elena’s point of
view, she couldn’t let herself become indebted to him. She also was
afraid that one day she would become used to his help. In her last
life, Elena lived a solitary life with revenge as her only goal. Relying
on others may weaken her. At first she liked that Carlisle was trea ng
her well, but now she felt trapped, and if she kept receiving
constantly, she would have to pay for it one day.
Elena replied in displeasure.
“I understand for now.”
There was no way to give everything back, even if she wanted to do
so. She was troubled by Carlisle’s remarks towards Kuhn, and the fact
she couldn’t talk to Carlisle in person before the ball. She resigned
herself into accep ng the dresses and jewelry. There was no other
way to a end the ball and meet him. She didn’t like it very much, but
she had no choice.

“If you don’t have any more orders, I will leave now.”
“Thank you for your work this late at night.”
Kuhn de ly bowed his head, then silently departed through the
window. She watched his figure disappear from view, then padded to
her bed and sat down. It was difficult to fall asleep again.
There was not much me le to prepare un l the ball. When the
me came, there would be much to do. First, she would officially
enter a rela onship with Carlisle; then, the wedding would be held as
soon as possible so she could become princess. Although this had
been planned from the start, many things changed around them
more than she thought.
Elena looked out the window towards the blanket of stars in the
night sky. Even in the black, their gli ering points seemed
excep onally bright tonight.
“…Good luck, Elena Blaise.”
She hoped she wouldn’t regret this life.
Ch. 66 May We Enter? (2)
Blaise mansion found itself busy the next day, as there were two
dresses to mend before the ball. The most passionate about it was
Mirabelle.
“Stand here for a moment, sister.”
Mirabelle began to measure Elena by hand. The dresses Carlisle had
sent were so beau ful it seemed to have reignited Mirabelle’s
inspira on to create. Elena had never seen her sister’s eyes lit with
such fervor, and Elena stared at her curiously.
“Would you like to study abroad in Freegrand?”
“What? Study abroad?”
Freegrand was most well-known on the con nent for fashion. And
unlike the Ruford Empire, which s ll balked at the economic
advancement of women, Freegrand was a free kingdom with no
discrimina on whatsoever in that respect. As a result, it was also a
place where many enterprising women gathered.
Mirabelle gave a surprised expression as if she never entertained the
idea before, but soon she smiled so ly and shook her head.
“Tui on is expensive there. And Father probably wouldn’t let me.”
“If you didn’t have to worry about tui on and if Father allows you to
go, would you do it?”
She couldn’t be honest about her circumstances with Mirabelle now,
but Elena would be able to pay the tui on as soon as she became
crown princess. No ma er what life her lovely sister may choose
lead, Elena hoped Mirabelle would be free do what she loved as
much as possible.
“Well…I haven’t thought about it before so I can’t say.”
“Think about it. I’ll do whatever it takes for you.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Mirabelle smiled in gra tude as she held a pin in her hand. Elena
warmed at her sister’s expression.
Mary, the maid behind them who was working the sewing machine,
turned to Mirabelle in haste.
“Young Lady, what do I do with this?”
Mirabelle headed straight over to inspect the jammed machine.
“Oh, this is…”
As Elena watched Mirabelle take charge in the mending of their
dresses, it occurred to Elena that Mirabelle looked quite like their
mother.
*
The rest of the day flew by as fast as light. Elena, Mirabelle and the
maids in the mansion worked together to complete the dresses in
me.
“It’s done, sister! Come and have a look.”
“Really?”
Elena followed Mirabelle into the dressing room in an cipa on.
“Ah…”
She couldn’t help but stare with her mouth open. Although she had
seen the intermediate process, it was her first me to see final
product of their labor.
“These are our dresses?”
Elena’s voice trembled and Mirabelle gave an enthusias c nod.
“Yes! Aren’t they beau ful? We didn’t do much to the overall design,
but simply made some adjustments to fit our shape. The originals
were already perfect, but I thought it would be be er to tailor them
to suit ourselves.”
“Mirabelle, this is so perfect.”
Elena’s exclama on brought a blush to Mirabelle’s cheeks.
“We all worked hard together. The results turned out be er than I
expected.”
Mirabelle was being modest, but she had created a complete
reinterpreta on of the style. Mirabelle’s dress was an unusual black
one, with a large ribbon around her neck and a luxurious gold pa ern
decorated at her skirt.
Elena’s dress was a lovely pink one. The shoulders were bare,
emphasizing her feminine allure, and there was rich layered skirt,
giving a floa ng and elegant feeling. She was sure the original dresses
they weren’t as perfect as this. With Elena’s slim figure and
Mirabelle’s pe te one, more parts of the dress were newly created
than expected.
“…It’s stunning.”
“Your dress was made to showcase the red diamond necklace,
especially given how priceless it is.”
Elena had temporarily forgo en about the necklace. She followed
with a startled look on her face.
“The necklace?”
“Yes, the one you’ll wear at the ball. Then I’ll try it some me, but not
now! I’ll take care of it even if it’s on loan.”
Mirabelle’s wasn’t wrong, so Elena nodded awkwardly. In truth she
didn’t have to go to the ball wearing the necklace, but she promised
to accept whatever Carlisle sent without complaint. Since she would
wear it only once anyway before returning it, she decided to accept
his sincerity and not worry too much about it anymore. They would
create a scene of love at first sight at the ball, and she had to look
beau ful to make it convincing as possible.
“You’ve done a wonderful job on these dresses. Thank you for your
efforts, Mirabelle.”
Mirabelle smiled happily and took her sister’s hand to pull her away.
“Now that we’ve finished the dresses, let’s get some skin care.”
“Skin care?”
“Of course! I want my sister to be crowned the Madonna of the ball.”
“I don’t think that’s possible…”
Despite Elena’s pessimism, Mirabelle only hurried her on.
“Come on, come on!”
“I get it.”
The two walked along smilingly.
*
*
*
The evening of the ball.
A great line of carriages streamed through the imperial palace’s
gates. One of them was emblazoned with the seal of House Blaise.
Dalgulag, dalgulag.
The carriages entered in order, un l at last the Blaise carriage arrived
at the entrance. A herald announced the names in a booming voice.
“The children of Count Blaise.”
When the herald’s voice died away, a servant opened the door of the
carriage. There was a red carpet from the carriage to the entrance of
the palace.
Elena’s foot gently dipped out onto the carpet.
Tuk.
The man with the invita on did a double take at Elena then dropped
the list he was holding. The crowd about them, thrilled by the
excitement of the ball, ceased all ac on to look at the woman
emerging.
Hair like molten gold and snow-white skin. An exquisite red diamond
necklace twinned with red jewel-like eyes. The young woman
emerged fully from the carriage, her mo on as supple as water and
wearing a dress so stunning it was enough to catch everyone’s
breaths. It was like seeing an otherworldly beauty.

Elena, who got out first, held her hand out to Mirabelle.
“Be careful when ge ng off, Mirabelle.”
The emergence of a new girl took people’s breaths again. Elena
turned towards the herald and found him staring at them.
“May we enter?”
“O-oh yes! Please come in.”
He appointed a servant to serve as their guide, and Elena and
Mirabelle soon entered the palace, holding each other’s hands
warmly.
Ch. 67 Blinded By Beauty (1)
The royal ball was held at Freesia Palace, which boasted the largest
ballroom on the imperial grounds. Elena and Mirabelle, guided by the
servant, passed a labyrinthine of splendid rooms, and already they
could hear the muffled revelry of the party. Another door guard was
posted at the entrance to the ballroom, and as he spo ed Elena his
eyes grew wide. The servant addressed him first.
“These are the two ladies of House Blaise.”
The guard was unable to take his eyes off Elena as he pulled open the
door.
Kiiiig–
The doors of the ballroom, as grand as the palace gates themselves,
slowly swung open to reveal the shining hall. Elena and Mirabelle
glided inside, capturing the eyes of the nobles and causing them to
whisper among themselves. It was the same for both men and
women. Those who did not no ce Elena at first were taken aback
when she passed them, and the buzz grew louder.
“Who is that young lady?”
“Oh, see that necklace. It’s a red diamond!”
“Where was that dress made?”
Just as at the outside of the palace, Elena’s shining appearance drew
in the excitement of the onlookers. Perhaps it was only natural.
Although Elena’s dress was simple, one could not help but admire the
quality of the work. From her dress to the jewelry gracing her body,
everything was finely curated to highlight her beauty. While other
women had splendidly a red themselves in the finest clothes for the
ball, it was Elena and Mirabelle who stood out in bold relief amongst
them all.
The sisters’ appearance quickly sent the ballroom flu ering with
cha er. The sudden influx of a en on pressed in from all sides,
embarrassing Elena as she headed to the corner-most part of the
room.
‘…I dressed carefully, so what’s wrong with me?’
She wondered if there was something on her face, but she trusted
that Mirabelle would have told her first. She had never received so
much a en on in her life.
Elena se led at the edge of the ballroom, ignoring the myriad of eyes
staring at her and picked up a glass of wine on a table. It was only
mildly alcoholic, so she did not have to worry too much and primly
took a few sips. Suddenly, she saw Mirabelle’s smiling face next to
her.
“Is the ball as you expected?”
Mirabelle had been looking forward to the royal ball and seeing
Carlisle all this me.
“Well, I don’t know yet, but I love that everyone’s looking at you. For
some reason it makes me proud of myself!”
Mirabelle beamed in enthusiasm, and Elena smiled at how cute her
sister was. If Elena was a beau ful rose, Mirabelle was delicate baby’s
breath flowers. Though the two were somewhat similar, Elena
immediately caught the eye, while Mirabelle had a more subtle
grace. But roses weren’t the only thing that were beau ful. Mirabelle
was s ll young, but when she matured she would surely become a
very beau ful lady as well.
Elena looked tenderly at her sister.
“It’s because of you. Thank you for making me look beau ful.”
“Hehe, you might really be the Madonna of the ball.”
“I’m not really expec ng it.”
“Tch, you don’t think so?”
While the two were pleasantly absorbed in their conversa on, a
familiar woman approached them.
“Oh, Lady Blaise. You look so radiant that I almost didn’t recognize
you.”
Elena’s eyes turned to the woman approaching. It was Marissa
Holland, the leading figure of southern society and the wife of the
late Marquis Holland. It had been a long me since she saw her last
at the tea party. Elena granted Marissa with a welcoming look.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Madame. “
“I also hastened to a end the royal ball. Many people came from the
south as well.”
Elena looked around, and indeed she saw some familiar faces. When
their eyes met, Elena gave a slight bow to the other noble children,
who also bowed their heads in recturn. Marissa turned to Mirabelle.
“And this young lady has become more beau ful the last me I saw
her. I felt it then, but I did not realize how truly beau ful the Blaises
were. Let me know if you have any secrets to share.”
Elena demurred at the compliment.
“I’m fla ered.”
“Yes, the Marquess is s ll beau ful.”
Marissa covered her mouth politely and smiled, then turned back
with some curiosity.
“But the necklace that you are wearing…It is a red diamond, is it
not?”
The one thing that noblewomen did not miss at gatherings were the
dresses and jewelry. Elena nodded simply, understanding it would be
a topic of conversa on. There was no reason to lie. Marissa also likely
already knew the type gem set in the necklace, but conversa on was
the hallmark of social circles.
“I see I am right. I can tell it’s a precious jewel. It suits you very well. “
While others might have wondered where Elena bought the necklace
or if she had received the gi from a man, Marissa didn’t make any
further remarks. She might have thought it rude to pry so deeply. It
was because of her wise nature the she was such a powerful figure in
southern society.
Elena answered abashedly.
“I’m pleased that you think it suits me. It’s actually a li le heavier
than I thought.”
Marissa smiled at Elena’s humble yet clever reply.
“Ho ho ho, young lady.”
While they were conversing with each other–
Chugchugchugchug.
A sound of steady marching, and soon the royal guard appeared on a
pla orm. Their appearance halted the ac vity going on in the
ballroom. The herald proclaimed in a booming voice:
“Their Majes es the Emperor and Empress have arrived!”
It signaled the appearance of Sullivan, the Twel h Emperor of the
Ruford Empire. He strode forward, bearing no signs of illness at all
other than a somewhat pale face. His illness was not known to many
un l the me of his death, and he did not look much different than
usual.
Sullivan entered the ballroom with a so and gentle air, as opposed
to the usual ruthless auras of the previous emperors. The assemblage
of nobles echoed in chorus,
“Hail to Their Majes es the Emperor and Empress! Eternal glory to
the Ruford Empire!”
Before he sat down, Sullivan addressed the many nobles gathered
here.

“I am happy to see so many of you present. Tonight we will officially

introduce our Crown Prince.”
Perhaps because of Sullivan’s pleasant way of speaking, the mood in
the ballroom seemed to brighten again. Next to Sullivan was a
middle-aged woman standing in regal pose. Though Empress Ophelia
was ge ng in age, she was s ll admired for her beauty.
“Your Majesty, you must be happy to have the crown prince back.”
However, Ophelia had sour look on her face.
“Yes, I feel relieved now that the man who will be the future pillar of
the Empire has returned.”
“I am glad to hear that your heart is at ease.”
On the surface, they appeared to be a harmonious couple. Sullivan
spoke to the nobles again.
“Now, let me introduce the Crown Prince, the star of today’s dance.
Come forward!”
The moment his words ended–
Ch. 68 Blinded By Beauty (2)
Tubug, tubug.
Carlisle strode steadily inside, dressed handsomely in a tailcoat
uniform. He took his place next to his father, Emperor Sullivan.
Everyone stopped breathing. So did Elena. She knew Carlisle was
a rac ve from the moment they met, but today he seemed to
overwhelm the room. His cold blue eyes showed no signs of
apprehension despite the a en on of the nobles on him, and his
expressionless face and proud arrogance only further served to s r
the hearts of women. Soon the numerous nobles spoke in unison.
“Hail the Crown Prince.”
Emperor Sullivan looked proudly at his son then turned to address
the room again.
“Everyone, please enjoy the ball!”
The music and conversa on resumed, and Elena caught sight of
Emperor Sullivan introducing Carlisle to the highest ranked nobles.
The prince seemed a li le different when viewed at this distance.
Elena soon caught snatches of gossip from other parts of the room.
“I didn’t know the Crown Prince would be so handsome.”
“I know, I could swoon.”
“Don’t you know the prophecy about the Crown Prince? The first
woman to marry him will be miserable for the rest of her life. “
“That’s why I’ll be his second wife, pig.”
All the young woman clamored together to babble over Carlisle, and
Elena could not help but feel a li le strange about his popularity. It
wasn’t just the other women. Mirabelle had a dazed expression on
her face as well.
“Wow, I expected the Crown Prince to be like a prince in the fairy
tale, but…he really is very handsome.”
Elena nodded s ffly at Mirabelle’s admiring words. Carlisle was more
popular than she expected. But aside from that, Elena was quite
relieved.
‘…Thank God.’
In her last life, Carlisle was assassinated before the ball. The grieved
Sullivan welcomed the nobles in a very different way than he did
now, and informed them he would not join in the revelry. She
remembered Mirabelle’s disappointment. Now, however, Carlisle was
here and had the a en on of the everyone. She felt a li le hopeful at
experiencing a future she changed herself.
Marissa, who was nearby, approached Elena again.
“There are many gentlemen today who would like to be introduced
to you tonight. Shall we head to the dance floor? I assure you the
men come from good families.”
Building personal connec ons were a must in aristocra c society.
Elena knew that Marissa’s inten ons were well, but she felt
uncomfortable leaving Mirabelle by herself. Marissa spoke again with
a smile, perhaps no cing her hesitance.
“The dance will begin soon, and we should find our partners.”
Many mes ballroom partners o en turned into lovers later. And the
more mes a lady was asked to dance, the more people paid
a en on to her. Elena recollected that she was asked to dance by
one or two men in her previous life, but again she refused as she
didn’t want to leave her sister alone.
Mirabelle seemed to know what Elena was thinking and pushed her
forward.
“Go on, sister! I’ll be watching from here.”
“But–”
She was about to speak when, suddenly, Marissa’s and Mirabelle’s
eyes widened in surprise. They were not the only ones. Everyone in
the vicinity turned to her with a stunned expression.
“…?”
Elena was about to ask what was happening, when all of a sudden
everyone bowed in unison.
“It’s the Crown Prince!”
She whirled around and saw Carlisle standing tall behind her.
“Ah…”
Elena was frozen as a statue.
Carlisle looked at the beau ful young woman before him, then
offered out his hand towards her.
“Would you like to dance?”
“…Huh?”
Elena was surprised at his unexpected request. Even more surprised
were Mirabelle and Marissa, their eyes looking as if they were about
to pop out of their sockets. Elena quickly pulled herself together and
took Carlisle’s proffered hand.
“Yes, Your Highness. It would be an honor.”
And so they made their way to the center of the ballroom. It was s ll
a li le early to dance, but the music changed as soon as Carlisle and
Elena exchanged bows.
The dance between Carlisle and Elena began in full view of the room.
Elena was taught the court dances when she was young, but Carlisle
had quite the ap tude for a man who spent his life on the ba lefield.
Carlisle drew Elena’s waist closer to him and he whispered in her ear.
“I thought you would’ve been taken from me if I was too late.”
“Of course, not…”
Even if she danced with another man, it would be an exaggera on to
say that she was taken. Ballroom dances were fully enjoyed even by
married people.
“I’ll tell you in advance. If another man dances with you, he will not
have a good life in the future.”
“…Why?”
Carlisle replied with a sly smile.
“Just keep it in mind.”
The two figures swayed beneath the great chandelier as if in a
pain ng. The other nobles soon stepped in with their partners and
began dance as well. Soon, the center of the ballroom was filled with
waltzing men and women, however…
Among the constella on of splendored nobles, the most breathtaking
were Elena and Carlisle. Everyone was blinded by the beauty of the
couple.

Ch. 69 I’m Jealous (1)

Elena and Carlisle were performing to an elaborate dance
masterpiece, but in the moments they were close to each other they
whispered in conversa on.
“Did you find out who tried to destroy Flower Bridge?”
The ma er had con nually eaten away at her since that day. She
could not ask Kuhn, however, as Elena the noblewoman and Len the
bodyguard were different people. That part of her iden ty was s ll
hidden from him.
Carlisle responded in a low voice as she approached him again on the
ming.
“Let’s talk about that later.”
“Alright.”
His answer was enigma c, but Elena simply nodded. Soon the music
ended, and so did the dance. Elena and Carlisle bowed to each other
as they did when they first stepped out to the floor. As she was about
to depart, Carlisle stopped her again.
“I heard a lady who said she would introduce you to other
gentlemen. Will you meet them, by any chance?”
She gave him an odd look.
“You don’t like it?”
“What will you do if I say no?”
“Then I won’t go. I have no inten on of doing something that you
don’t like.”
He gave a sudden look of surprise at her straigh orward reply, then
immediately drew a steady smile.
“…Your answer leaves me quite sa sfied.”
“My fiancé is right in front of me, so of course.”
“I like that word.”
Her words seemed to li his mood. She couldn’t understand him why
he would be content with such a thing, but she moved on so that
they stood next to a table. She felt the stares of the en re room on
them.
“Maybe we should keep each other’s company a li le longer?”
“Yes. We should show mutual a rac on. Then we can say we fell in
love at first sight as you planned.”
Elena agreed. That was exactly what she wanted. Then they could
proceed to the wedding as soon as possible.
“The one you were with earlier, was that your sister?”
“Yes, that’s right. Have you seen her?”
“She looks just like you.”
“Oh, she’s more beau ful than me. She’s also charming and very
good with her hands.”
Elena flowed with praise for her sister as if she had been wai ng for
the opportunity all night. Carlisle gave a small smile.
“Yes, she does take a er you.”
“A li le. Mirabelle is such a lovely girl.”
“You must be very protec ve of her.”
“Yes. She is very precious to me.”
She had a dreamy expression on her face. Carlisle looked at Elena
with some surprise, as he had never seen such a warm look on her
before. Then he mumbled in a low voice,
“I’m envious of her…”
“I’m sorry?”
Elena did not hear him for the noise of the crowd.
“What did you say?”
“…Nothing.”
She was a bit curious, but soon dismissed it. She was ge ng nervous
again at the thought of leaving Mirabelle to the unfamiliar clutches of
high society.
“I think I should go back to my sister soon.”
“Go ahead.”
The pair had been conversing in whispers. The curious nobles
gradually gathered around them, wondering if they were talking
about love. Elena spoke up, suddenly conscious of the surrounding
crowd.
“I swooned as soon as you walked in the room. I’ve never seen a man
as handsome as you.”
“…What?”
Carlisle looked perplexed at the sudden compliment, and Elena
quickly glanced at others in reply. Carlisle seemed to understand
what she meant, and she con nued without missing a beat.
“I’ve heard you’ve been at war for so long. Were you ever injured
badly?”
“…Uh.”
“Please tell me when you train. It would be a great honor to see you
with a sword.”
Elena widened her eyes in warning at Carlisle’s s ffness. The nobles
who were now secretly listening to their conversa on would be sure
to spread rumors soon. Rumors were abundant in society and o en
twisted from their original meaning, and the scandal between the
crown prince and this young lady was prime prey for them. Elena
needed to throw them some meat. The more widespread the
rumors, the be er. The only problem was that Carlisle seemed to be
struggling to follow her lead.
A young nobleman with a red flush on his cheeks approached Elena.
He shyly extended his hand towards her.
“If you don’t mind, may I ask for a dance?”
It wasn’t unusual for popular ladies to dance with several men during
the night, but she hadn’t been able to take the opportunity yet with
Carlisle was standing by her side.

“I…”
She was about to answer, but Carlisle spoke before her.
“No.”
It was only one word, but the magnitude of it was enormous.
Both the nobleman who asked for dance and the crowd of onlookers
secretly watching stared at Carlisle in surprise. Carlisle took Elena’s
hand in his, then con nued with a smooth expression on his face.
“The lady will only dance with me.”
The buzz amongst the nobles only grew even louder, and the young
man, embarrassed, le the scene. But it was Elena who was most
taken aback.
‘…Amazing. He really is good at this.’
Ch. 70 I’m Envious (2)
Only a moment ago Carlisle was as s ff as a stone, but when the me
came he played the role perfectly. The rumor would spread well
without any further trouble.
‘If that was a real conversa on…’
It felt quite hot under her dress all of a sudden. She tamped down on
her fantasies, and then spoke up so the others nearby could hear.
“Your Highness, if you’re thirsty, would you like a glass of wine?”
“Thank you.”
Elena and Carlisle glided away from the table and headed for a
rela vely emp er area of the ballroom.
“You’re good at this, aren’t you? Everyone believed it. I don’t think
there will be much to worry about. “
“…Yes.”
“You truly seemed jealous.”
Carlisle looked at Elena with some incomprehensible expression.
The two con nued to move place to place, deliberately making sure
they were seen together so the rumors would spread its wings even
further.
“I’m going to go to where my sister is–”
She began, but then suddenly froze in place, her words lodged in her
throat.
She had caught sight of the back of a familiar figure. Tall, broad
shoulders. Male, middle-aged, with an air of strength about him, and
his hair, which was white when last she saw of him, was now dark as
ash. The man let out a deep laugh, and goosebumps radiated
throughout her flesh at the sound. She could imagine his face and
shaggy beard without having to face him… His appearance entered
her head like a picture.
It was Paveluc, the man Elena had been hun ng down for decades to
avenge her slaughtered family. Her whole body trembled not with
fear, but with fury that had long lain dormant.
‘I cut off his le arm back then…’
Now his arm was in perfect condi on.
Dugun dugun dugun dugun.
Elena’s heart began hammering itself against her ribs as Paveluc
turned his head. Her purpose in life was revenge. The man she
wanted kill was standing right there in front of her.
‘…Pave…luc… ‘
She saw red, as if her blood would burst from her veins. There was
nothing more she wanted than to cut his throat on the spot. If
Paveluc died now, her dear family would never be in danger again.
Elena’s eyes swept around the area, seeking a weapon. She was
consumed by only one thought.
‘…Kill him.’
She couldn’t let the opportunity slip by. It would be be er for the
future to eliminate him right away. Elena’s complexion whitened as
she gradually lost her reason.
“–My Lady.”
She heard a voice calling out to her. Elena blinked dazedly to the
direc on of the voice.
“Elena!”
The sound of someone calling her name yanked her to her senses.
Carlisle was looking down at her with grave concern.
“What’s the ma er?”
“…Nothing.”
She shook her head, wiping the cold sweat off her forehead with the
back of her hand.
“Are you all right?”
“…Yes.”
Elena was fine. She forced her racing heart to calm.
For a moment she was tempted to kill Paveluc. When she considered
it ra onally, however, the risks were too great. If anything went
wrong, she would become a high-profile criminal for a emp ng to
assassinate a major figure within the Imperial Court. She couldn’t risk
her family’s life on a gamble. Rest assured Paveluc would be cut
down with her own hands, but not at this moment.
Elena clenched and unclenched her first to quell her bloodlust.
Something touched her cheek. She looked up and found Carlisle
cupping her face with a gentle hand.

“…Your Highness?”
“You don’t look well.”
His face was quite near as he lowered his head to look directly into
her confused eyes.
“Maybe you should get some rest.”
Carlisle took Elena by her slim wrist and began to lead her away.
Paveluc, who had been conversing with the other nobles, turned his
head to look at the commo on as Carlisle walked past him. Paveluc’s
black eyes were as deep as an abyss and as calm as the night sea. The
nobleman who had been speaking to him con nued.
“How sweet it is to be a young man. To come back from ba le and be
with a woman like that.”
There was a sneering tone to his voice. Paveluc stared silently at
Carlisle’s back and immediately asked,
“What family is the young lady from?”
“Well, My Lord, I’ve heard people whispering about her, and I believe
she’s from House Blaise.”
Paveluc’s eyes flashed at the word “Blaise.” He recognized the name
from Batori’s report.
“…House Blaise.”
*
*
*
“Where are you looking at, My Prince?”
At Empress Ophelia’s cri cal tone, Redfield, the second prince,
turned his gaze back to the other side.

Redfield Ger Khan Ruford.

The second son of the twel h emperor, born by Empress Ophelia.
“Nothing. There’s nothing interes ng.”
Redfield was a handsome young man with hair as red as sunset. His
luxuriously tailored suit hinted as his solid figure, and many women
were cas ng interested glances at him. As the second prince, he had
full support from House Anita, one of the largest and most influen al
families in the capital city. For that reason, he was an object of envy
to many noble children.
“Do not worry about useless things. Take this opportunity to
establish yourself more among other nobles.”
“…Yes, Mother.”
Despite his answer, however, he could not take his eyes off Elena’s
back as she disappeared along with Carlisle. Redfield stared at Elena’s
rippling blonde hair, and a gruesome smile formed on his lips.
Chapter 71 – Just Once (1)
Carlisle’s hand guided Elena away from the ambient noise of the
ballroom. She followed him wordlessly, and before long a beau ful
outdoor garden emerged before her eyes. She took in a breath of the
cool night air, and soon she felt her mind slowly returning.
She almost acted rashly. When she saw Paveluc alive in front of her
eyes, all the anger from her past life slammed into her instantly. Even
now, she could not forget the scene of her father’s and brother’s
bodies hanging on the castle wall. In that moment, her whole being
was saturated with blind rage.
Carlisle spied Elena’s s ll-shaking finger ps.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yes.”
“You don’t look well.”
“It’s nothing.”
Carlisle didn’t say anything more and just stood there silently. A er
se ling her thoughts, Elena spoke to Carlisle at last.
“Thank you for bringing me out here.”
If she hadn’t quickly regained her reason, she might’ve a acked
Paveluc.
“I would appreciate it if you would tell me why you looked so pale all
of a sudden. “
She didn’t answer, instead staring at the view before her. The
outdoor garden was dark, dimly lit by only the gentle moonlight.
Carlisle’s blue eyes shone like a wild beast even in this shadowy
place. He was her best chance. She didn’t have any idea what future
her decision would bring, but the die had already been cast and
Elena would make him emperor by any means.
However, that didn’t meant she completely trusted in Carlisle. She
doubted he would believe her absurd story, and he might treat her
like a crazy woman if she told it to him. She wouldn’t take the risk.
Furthermore, it didn’t make sense to tell Carlisle something she had
not even told her family yet.
“I just…I just felt dizzy all of a sudden.”
When she finished speaking, Carlisle reached out to her. The moment
she realized what was happening, Carlisle was already touching
Elena’s forehead and murmuring,
“…You don’t have a fever.”
Feeling self-conscious, she quickly drew back her head to avoid his
touch. Though she was distracted at the ballroom, she s ll clearly
remembered what he had done earlier. He had cupped her cheek
and lowered his head to look into her eyes.
“I don’t like to be touched.”
“So you want me stay s ll when you’re about to fall?”
She couldn’t see his furrowed brow in the dark, but the tone of his
voice told her enough. Elena had something else she wanted to say,
and she replied calmly enough.
“Also, I have not given you permission to call me by my name yet.”
She heard him call her “Elena” in the ballroom. She was also s ll
upset when he called her “Len” when she was serving as his guard.
He was crossing over the lines at his own will.
“…”
Carlisle said nothing for a moment, but his eyes, however, shone with
unhappiness. It couldn’t be helped; There was nothing pleasant
about what Elena said right now. However, she was determined to
take this opportunity to tell him her mind. There was nothing wrong
with what she said now. They were not real lovers–it was a
contractual rela onship.
Carlisle’s blue eyes darkened over. He replied, his voice subdued.
“…I’ll keep it in mind.”
Now that Elena had him alone, she wanted to finish saying
everything else she couldn’t say in the ballroom. Elena touched the
red diamond necklace she was wearing.
“This is too much, too. If you could take this back…”
“Have you forgo en the promise you made me? “
She had promised to take anything without ques on in exchange for
the dress.
“But the price of this necklace…”
“It was s ll promise. Didn’t Kuhn tell you? I said, ‘If she doesn’t keep
your word, tell her I’m not going to keep mine either. ‘”
“…”
If Elena was the one who protested at him a while ago, things were
now quite the opposite. Elena was unable to refute Carlisle’s words,
but she couldn’t con nue to feel indebted to Carlisle. She didn’t want
to get used to relying on other people either. This me, she needed
to be much stronger than before if she wanted to defeat Paveluc with
her own hands.
“I feel like I owe you more…that is why my heart is heavy.”
She honestly expressed her feelings, and Carlisle replied in a tone as
if what he was saying was obvious.
“Then pay me back.”
“…”
“If I give you one hundred, you only need to give me one back. I’m
not asking for you to give me as much as I give you. Just once…please
come to me first.”
Elena froze by a totally unexpected reply. The average person would
have listened to her by now and taken back the necklace. However,
Carlisle had the audacity to ask if she would repay him. His
expression also looked mournful. She didn’t think about this
development.
‘…What does it mean?’
Give him one thing back. She didn’t know what he meant to come to
her first. The more she thought about it, the more vague it was. Her
head was spinning fast, but somehow it was one answer.
‘You want me to pay you back in the end.’
She knew even in her last life that one could not get something for
nothing.
“I want to pay you back, but the price of this necklace is too
burdensome.”
A subtle heat seemed in shimmer in Carlisle’s blue eyes, as if
disappointed with her reac on. He opened and closed his mouth a
few mes, then finally managed to find the words of what he wanted
to say.
“No ma er what you say, I have no inten on of taking back what I’ve
given you.”
“But…”
“That was the deal. So, accept my gi without saying a word.”
Carlisle seemed unwilling to give an inch. She had promised. She was
forced to accept the dresses and jewellery he had given her.

“…Alright. Now that you’ve given it to me, I’ll make use of it when I
become crown princess. But I won’t express gra tude.”
At her words, Carlisle burst out laughing. She wouldn’t even say
thank you despite being given expensive gi s. She expressed her
dissa sfac on in her own way, and he didn’t expect to have such a
posi ve reac on about it.
“I don’t need pleasantries. They are with its righ ul owner.”
Carlisle seemed to think li le of the value of the precious items.
Somehow it was Elena was the one more preoccupied with these
things. It felt a li le unfair, but she made her decision.
‘I’ll use it all to make you emperor.’
She had li le use for luxury, but since he was insistent that she keep
the items, they could be put to use in her palace life. Or perhaps as a
fund to help Carlisle take the emperor’s throne, just like his other
spoils of war.
The emperor’s throne.
Seeing Paveluc today made her feel all the more determined to never
let him sit on the throne again. This me she would take what he
coveted the most, just like the way he took her dear family.
Ch. 72 Just Once (2)
TN: The links are to get around aggregator sites and will be taken
down in an hour. Thank you for your pa ence!
“That day, who tried to destroy Flower Bridge? Was it the Grand
Duke of Lunen?”
Paveluc currently ruled over the grand duchy of Lunen. But despite
Elena’s expecta ons, Carlisle shook his head.
“No, but you seem to think poorly of my uncle. The other me you
told me to beware of him.”
He spoke of the night she first rescued Carlisle. She nodded in reply.
“I believe that the he will eventually reveal his teeth and try to take
the throne.”
She couldn’t say that she knew the events of the future, but she
could s ll give him warning.
“Possibly. But he is not the biggest obstacle to me becoming an
emperor.”
“Then…is it the Empress?”
While she did not forget that the Empress was the most powerful
actor now, Elena placed heavier emphasis on Paveluc as he had taken
the throne in the future.
“Yes. It is the emperor’s second son and my brother Redfield that
threatens to take the throne now. The Empress and the Anita family
have a strong history.”
“Then they were the ones that tried to destroy the bridge?”
“I believe so. The Anitas are the only ones who can do so while
avoiding the eyes of the Imperial Family. I know it’s them, but it’s
hard to find evidence. We’re s ll interroga ng the men you’ve
captured, so hopefully something will turn up soon.”
“They seemed well trained. I’m worried.”
“We might have to manipulate the evidence.”
The Empress’s posi on was more powerful than she thought.
Although Elena already knew that because of Kuhn, she had a feeling
that the Empress would become a major obstacle in the future. In
her past life, Paveluc killed the Empress Ophelia. But would another
future unfold if she had not died?
Carlisle con nued in a subdued voice.
“Everyone’s a en on will be on you from this me on. Even more so
a er we announce the wedding. Just like the warning you gave me
before, I too will say something.”
Elena gave a faint nod. Carlisle’s low voice broke through her
brooding thoughts.
“…Beware the Empress.”
Carlisle’s eyes instantly turned sharp. She caught a glimpse of anger
lying beneath the surface, like a volcano poised to explode. Maybe
the Empress Ophelia would be the one who she would encounter
most a er becoming crown princess. While the emperor ruled the
empire, it was the empress who ruled the household. It was a power
that had been handed down only to the empress from genera on to
genera on.
‘I must be prepared for sure.’
Elena was not a prominent member of society and it would be
difficult to posi on herself. But Elena spoke firmly, reassuring him not
to worry.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll never get caught easily.”
At the same me, Elena made her vow to herself once again. Soon
a er she turned towards the brightly lit ballroom.
“Shall we go back to the ba lefield?”
It would s ll be awhile un l the ball would be over, and she was
worried about Mirabelle. Encountering Paveluc had thrown her off,
but at this rate the longer she stayed out here with Carlisle the wilder
would gossip would grow. This was already enough.
“Alright. Let’s go back.”
Carlisle held out his hand and Elena gently took it.
“This place doesn’t seem unfamiliar, somehow.”
Freesia Palace. She hadn’t been to many balls held by the Imperial
Court, but she felt like she had seen this place before.
As Elena looked around at her surroundings, Carlisle was watching
her profile quietly.
“I always thought the necklace would look good on you, but…”
“…?”
“I think it suits you be er than I imagined. “
Her cheeks flushed. She had so many ques oned about Freesia
Palace, but they instantly blew away like smoke.
“Anyone who wore this necklace would–”
“The red diamond resembles your eyes. No one else’s. That’s why it
looks so beau ful on you.”
His straigh orwardness le Elena at a loss of words. It was difficult to
find something to say a er someone complimented your beauty.
She moistened her lips a few mes and stared ahead, her cheeks too
red for her to face Carlisle.
*
*
*
When they returned, they found the ballroom was just as they le it.
There was a sea of guests enjoying themselves, and couples of all
ages whirled in the center. Several had moderately indulged
themselves with wine and were loud in laughter. As Elena entered
into the ballroom by Carlisle’s side, countless eyes turned to her once
again. This me she had completely regained her composure and
floated in gracefully.
“I’ll see to my sister now.”
“Call me if anything happens.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Elena fell off from Carlisle’s side and returned to where she had le
Mirabelle. There was someone there she didn’t expect at all.
“…Lady Lawrence?”
Margaret Lawrence. She was one of Helen’s friends that helped put
salt in her tea. Later Helen blamed Margaret for the crime, but
everyone knew that the mid Margaret was not the type of person to
do such a thing.
“Oh, sister!”
Mirabelle greeted Elena’s return with a radiant look. Fortunately, she
did not look bored and seemed to be enjoying herself.
“O-oh. It’s been a while, Lady Blaise.”
Margaret started stu ering at Elena’s appearance, and Elena glanced
between at the two ladies in turn.
“How are you two together?”
By the way the tea party turned out, things should not have been
amiable between them. Mirabelle quickly recognized Elena’s
meaning and explained.
“When Lady Lawrence saw me here, she came up to me and
apologized. So I decided to accept her apology.”
“It may be too late say this, but I truly am sorry.”
Elena nodded slightly at Margaret’s withered expression. Even if
Margaret apologized now, it would make li le difference. It was
widely gossiped that she was the one who had put the salt in the tea.
Some knew the real culprit was Helen, but as they couldn’t tell it to
her face, Margaret was the one who received all the blame. It wasn’t
reversible, but Margaret seemed sincere enough to come and
apologize first.
“I won’t think about it anymore, so please forget about it too, Lady
Lawrence.”
“Lady Blaise.”
Margaret gazed at Elena with a moved expression, and Mirabelle
looked between them contentedly.

Tang, tang, tang!

A bell rang out on the pla orm. The sound drew the a en on of the
room, and a man standing on the pla orm opened his mouth.
“This is what many of you have been wai ng for. Shall we announce
who are the candidates chosen as the Madonna of the ball?”
Elena had completely forgo en about it. The most beau ful woman
at the ball. It was me to found it who it would be.
Chapter 73 Madonna At The Ball (1)
The man standing on the pla orm seemed very accustomed to his
posi on, and naturally was selected to host the ceremony to select
the Madonna. He opened his mouth broadly to speak, holding a
sheet of paper as he pointed to a large ballot box.
“Thanks to your par cipa on, the vote for Madonna went smoothly.”
Elena looked at the paper in his hand in curiosity and Mirabelle
quietly explained.
“While you were gone they handed out ballots to each person. I hear
the lady over there is expected to be one of the candidates for
Madonna.”
“Oh, I see…”
Elena thought back to the ball in her last life. Her memory was dim,
but she seemed to recall vo ng on such a piece of paper in the past.
Elena nodded in understanding, while Margaret explained it to her
further.
“Since it’s an imperial event, they change the way we elect the
Madonna each me so it’s fair. Last me, I heard that you could
nominated yourself and people would line up a er you.”
“…That’s amazing.”
She didn’t know that the vo ng method changed each me, as she
had only a ended once in her last life. But no ma er what the draw
was, she already knew who the honor would be bestowed upon this
night. Elena glanced expectantly towards that young lady.
Yulia Necrensi.
The Marquis Necrensi’s family were highly reputed as members of
the nobility in the capital city. Yulia in par cular was a young lady
regarded as the Flower of the Capital City. It was no exaggera on to
say that Yulia’s fine clothing and jewelry led the fashion among
Ruford nobility. And in this ball, Yulia was the most beau ful in
Elena’s eyes. She had stunning feminine charm, and was called “A
beauty without a smile” because of her proud features. As she was
an intense point of interest among young nobles in southern society,
Elena had heard quite a lot about her.
The man on the pla orm spoke again.
“First, I will announce the three honored candidates!”
“Oooh–“
Many people whistled and cheered.
“The first candidate is Lady Yulia, the treasure of the Necrensi family
and the Flower of Society!”
Everyone applauded and congratulated her as if they knew it was
fate. However, Yulia stood up on stage with an indifferent expression.
“The second candidate is the pride of southern society. Lady Helen,
the only daughter of Marquis Selby!”
“Wow!”
Sarah squealed next to Helen. Sarah was part of the scheme to give
salty tea to Elena, and s ll appeared to be on friendly terms with
Helen. Sarah’s scream drew more eyes to Helen. The la er, who had
a sour look on her face, raised her head proudly and gave a sa sfied
smile.
“And the third and last candidate is–”
Elena looked puzzled as she listened to the host. It suddenly occurred
to her that only a single Madonna candidate was announced in her
last life. Come to think of it, why were there three?
“No one expected this hidden gem un l today! It’s Lady Elena from
House Blaise!”
Mirabelle whooped joyfully.
“Wow! I knew this would happen! Congratula ons, sister!”
“Oh, congratula ons Lady Blaise.”
Following Margaret and Mirabelle’s congratula ons, Elena could not
help but be amazed. She had already realized that the future
wouldn’t always flow in the same way, but she didn’t expect this to
happen. Many eyes turned to the shocked Elena. It seemed that yet
again she a racted the a en on of the nobility tonight. First for her
beau ful appearance, then when she was asked the first dance by
Prince Carlisle. Now she was nominated as the Madonna of the ball.
Perhaps she would be the woman that was most talked about a er
tonight.
“Come on, you three, up to the pla orm!”
Yulia, Helen and Elena ascended to the pla orm. From her vantage
point, Elena could see Mirabelle and Margaret looking at her
suppor vely. She also caught sight of Carlisle standing some distance
away. He was with Emperor Sullivan, who seemed to be deep in
in mate conversa on with the upper nobility. Perhaps Sullivan was
using this opportunity to ingra ate Carlisle further into imperial
aristocracy.
Carlisle, however, was looking towards the pla orm where Elena was
standing. She could feel his strong gaze from this distance, and she
swallowed dryly. The predatory look was in his eye again. Elena
always seemed nervous in front of Carlisle for some reason.
“Ah, His Highness is looking at me…”
Elena turned her head, and she saw Helen staring agog at Carlisle. It
seemed a bit strange, and Elena suddenly wondered,
‘Do they know each other?’
Helen no ced Elena looking at her, and she returned an icy gaze. She
whispered in a fierce voice.
“You’re not taking anything from me from now on.”
Elena was puzzled by the meaning of Helen’s words. She hadn’t taken
anything from Helen. But before she could respond, the host began
to proceed.
“Three beau ful young women in one place is enough to turn the
whole room blind. Isn’t that right?”
The nobles who were watching burst into laughter, but there was
truth to his words. The three different beau es seemed to glow
radiantly, as if a garden bloom of ten thousand flowers.
“These were the three young ladies who had the most votes. From
these three, select the one you think is the most beau ful of the
night.”
The host pointed to a small crown.
“The one who is chosen as the Madonna will receive this ara.”
Many young ladies coveted the ara not for its price, but it’s honor.
While Elena was looking at it, she heard a loud voice interrupt the
room.
“I would like to be the one to crown the Madonna, if that is
acceptable?”
From the direc on of the voice stood a handsome man, red hair
blazing like a sunset. Although she had only seen him only a few
mes in the distance, Elena was able to recall him without difficulty.
He was Redfield, the second prince of the Ruford Empire. He was the
one Carlisle men oned in their conversa on in the garden and was a
possible successor to the throne, supported by the Empress and
House Anita, the biggest threat to Carlisle presently.
‘Why did he suddenly…?’
It was the first me in the history of the ceremony that a prince had
ever crowned the Madonna himself. The host was taken aback at
first, but soon he bowed and spoke politely.
“Of course, Your Highness. It would be an even greater honor for the
Madonna chosen.”
He couldn’t refuse Redfield. There were few who could stand up to
him, knowing that the Empress and the Anita’s family were behind
him.
“Fantas c. So which of these three young ladies will wear the ara?”
He gave Elena a sly smile, and she couldn’t help but feel bewildered.
In the past she had not been nominated for Madonna, much less
expected to be crowned one like right now. Did all of this change
because of her? She felt a small panic at the thought. Too many
events were upset a er she saved Carlisle.
“All three ladies will turn around. Everyone else, place the rose
behind the one you think is the most beau ful. She who receives the
most roses will be crowned Madonna tonight!”
“Waaa–“
Some of the nobles responded excitedly, li ing the atmosphere in
an cipa on. The host lted his head in gesture of apprecia on then
gestured to a large mass of roses prepared by the servants.

“Please take the flowers from here!”

She saw a sea of people surge to take a rose. It was always enjoyable
to par cipate in imperial events. She a ended the same ball in her
last life, and she knew be er than anyone else.
“Let’s begin!”
At the host’s signal Elena, Helen and Yulia turned around. The sound
of countless footsteps reached their ears. Because the guests passed
each lady in order, it was impossible to tell which one had the most
flowers even by the sound of their feet.
‘…Will it really be me?’
She wouldn’t refuse the honor of Madonna, but she didn’t want
anything more to change from what she knew from her previous life.
“Oh! You’ve all picked someone completely unexpected.”
Each of the three young woman wore a different expression. Yulia
looked uninterested, Helen was hopeful, and Elena looked puzzled.
“Now young ladies, please turn around!”
Elena slowly turned around and looked at the roses in front of her.
Ch. 74 Madonna At The Ball (2)
“Congratula ons! Lady Elena from House Blaise is the star of
tonight!”
Applause burst forth from the crowd.
“Ah…”
Her jaw dropped open without her even realizing it.
Even at a glance, there were far more roses before Elena than Yulia
and Helen who were standing next to her. The expression of the
people who applauded also varied. Some looked jealous, others
looked bored, while others were took joy in celebra ng such events.
But the first thing Elena saw was Mirabelle’s expression of pure
happiness. Mirabelle yelled out loud, holding out both thumbs in
front of her.
“My sister is the best!”
Elena was so happy to hear her sister’s words and mouthed a “thank
you.”
Just as Redfield had said, he approached her while holding the ara.
She did not know his reasons for it, but she wordlessly accepted the
crown on her head.
“In my eyes too, Lady Blaise looks the most beau ful tonight.”
“…?”
The words he whispered caused her eyes to widen. If it was her
innocent younger sister saying this, she would think nothing of it. But
he was Redfield, the second son of the Emperor. It was rather
dubious of him to say this, unless he had an interest in her? But there
was one thing that she could not understand here.
‘Why on earth?’
There was no reason for him to be interested in her. Elena wore the
ara as she looked at Redfield with a complicated expression. He
raised the corners of his mouth and whispered in her ear.
“Dance with me next me. I’m be er than my brother.”
A sudden thought came to her. The reason why Redfield would pay
a en on to her…
‘Is it because of Caril? ’
Although they hadn’t announced their marriage yet, the pair had
been wandering all over the ballroom adver sing their rela onship.
Was that the cause for his interest in her? Elena’s scarlet eyes shone
in suspicion.
“I’ll send you an invita on to my party next me.”
He gave her a secret wink then strode down the pla orm, leaving her
frozen solid. She couldn’t make understanding of it and simply stared
at his retrea ng back. Helen, who had lost the tle of Madonna, also
descended from the pla orm, but not before leaving her a warning.
“Lady Blaise, laugh while you s ll can.”
They never had anything good to say to each other, but there was an
ominous air to her tone. A frown formed on Elena’s brow, while Yulia
looked at her with strangely shining eyes.
At last only the host and Elena were le on the pla orm. She was
distracted by the suddenness of events, but she returned her gaze
towards Carlisle at the far side of the room. His expression was fierce.
She guessed it was because of Redfield, but she didn’t come into this
posi on willingly.
‘…I couldn’t help it.’
Elena stood on the pla orm, complaining with her eyes. The host
next to her spoke in a bright voice.
“Well, how about a few words on what you’re feeling?”
“Ah, um…”
She was flustered for a moment before she composed herself.
“It’s an honor to be chosen as Madonna. I hope you will all con nue
to enjoy yourselves tonight.”
It was impeccable, but very short. In other cases the young ladies
would normally be emo onal and thrilled to tears, but Elena found
herself quite embarrassed.
“Oh, yes. So that’s the end of the event. Everyone, please enjoy the
rest of the ball just as Lady Blaise says.”
The Madonna ceremony ended successfully. Elena redly returned to
her seat next to Mirabelle.
“Wow! Sister! I loved it.”
Elena smiled at Mirabelle’s joyous innocence. Her happiness was her
only consola on.
“Thank you. It’s all because of you.”
“When we return home, I’ll tailor all the dresses to suit you.”
Mirabelle, in all her grand ambi on, was s ll so cute.
*
*
*
The ball came to an end and soon the nobles began to leave the
ballroom. They all went out like the de, and Elena, Mirabelle, and
Margaret waited together at the train of carriages. Elena spo ed a
carriage with the crest of Lawrence approaching first.
“Please watch your step when you go inside, Lady Lawrence.”
At Elena’s farewell, Margaret hesitated then spoke as if she made up
her mind about something.
“Lady Blaise.”
“Yes?”
“I think you should beware of Lady Selby.”
Elena stared at her. Margaret’s remarks had good reason but were
somewhat unexpected. She con nued, her voice trembling slightly.
“I-I’ve been feeling for a while that Lady Selby is very jealous of you.”
Mirabelle nodded in understanding.
“Yes. I feel that every me she looks at my sister.”
While it was true that the atmosphere between them at the tea party
was not good, Elena’s memories about Helen were vague now.
“Is that so?”
“You’ve quarreled with Lady Selby at every single party you went to,
and now you’ve forgo en all about it?”
Elena didn’t answer back. There was no such memory for her.
However it was true that Mirabelle seemed reluctant about Helen
from the start, and that the two did not get along well. Margaret
spoke carefully to the troubled Elena.
“Lady Selby may feel that…that the posi on of Madonna was taken
away by you. I think you should be careful for a while, as she is not
the type to lay s ll a er this.”
Margaret glanced at their surroundings as she spoke, in case anyone
was listening. That was how terrified of Helen she was. The innocent
Margaret had been punished for making the wrong friend.
“Thank you for your advice. I will be more careful in the future. “
“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave first. I’ll see you both soon. Oh, and
congratula ons again on being chosen as Madonna.”
Margaret curtsied then boarded her carriage. She waved her hand
out the window as she was carried away, and Elena and Mirabelle
waved back. The carriage disappeared from view, then Mirabelle
spoke with a grave expression.
“Lady Lawrence is right. Lady Selby has always been jealous of you,
so you should avoid her as much as possible.”
“…I will.”
She remembered that ominous feeling she felt in the ballroom
tonight. A familiar carriage was now approaching the two.

“Mirabelle, let’s head back now.”

“Yes, I’m red. Let’s go home and get some rest.”
“Do you feel sick? If you’re not feeling well, tell me right away.”
“I understand, Madonna.”
Elena chuckled at Mirabelle’s mischievous li le mouth. As Elena held
the ara in her hand, she suddenly remembered the strange way
Helen had said, “Laugh while you s ll can.” Elena shook the thought
off her mind. Worrying about things that didn’t happen yet wouldn’t
solve them.
Chapter 75 There’s Trouble (1)
It was Prince Carlisle who captured the most a en on a er the ball
by far. It was only natural, as it was his first formal appearance in high
society. Previously, Prince Redfield had been treated as if he were the
crown prince, but there was a new wind blowing among the nobles.
It also helped that Carlisle was extremely handsome as well, and
there was much talk among the ladies. And…
There was also interest in the rela onship between the prince and
the daughter of a count. The a en on on Lady Blaise burned hot as
well, for her beauty and fashion were so excep onal for her to be
chosen as Madonna of the ball. Elena, who had paid li le a en on
to the capital’s social circles before, emerged as the talk of the town.
She could feel many changes in the air from the day a er the ball.
“Here is another invita on for you.”
Michael had delivered hundreds of le ers to her already, containing
invita ons to tea par es, charity events and social gatherings. All of
them were asking for Elena’s presence.
“…I have so many invita ons.”
She had been to the ba lefield many mes in her last life, but this
was the first me she had received this kind of a en on. This
everyday rou ne was unfamiliar to her. She couldn’t imagine how
many more invita ons she would receive if this was the loot from a
single day.
When Mirabelle walked into Elena’s room to greet her good morning,
she was taken by surprise at the scene.
“Oh! Are all these invita ons for you?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. Being the Madonna of the ball is amazing.”
Elena smiled as Mirabelle bounded gleefully into the room and
looked at the towering stack of le ers. Elena was s ll trying to sort
out what to do. She couldn’t accept every single invita on, but she
knew it was important to a end these gatherings. Carlisle had
warned her of the Empress, and Elena knew this would be the best
me to establish herself within society as much as possible before
she became crown princess. However, she couldn’t tell which of
these invita ons was most important.
‘…There are so many things I don’t know.’
She could have Kuhn provide more informa on on high society in the
capital city, but she also wished she had some sort of helper to give
her advice. But since she had no such helper, she worried over the
invita ons by herself.
At last she managed to narrow them down to a few and expressed
her willingness to a end.
*
*
*
A few days have passed since then. Invita ons poured in everyday
un l the le erbox was fit to burst.
‘Is something wrong?’
She had been told that Margaret had come to the mansion to see
Elena. She had a foreboding feeling.
“Excuse me, My Lady. Lady Lawrence is wai ng for you now in the
drawing room.”
“Is she? I’ll be right down.”
Elena came out to greet Margaret despite the suddenness of her
visit. She already knew that Helen was the mastermind of the
scheme at the tea party, and now that Margaret had apologized
Elena no longer bore an ill will. Margaret had grown close to
Mirabelle, and Elena was interested in maintaining a good
rela onship with the other young woman.
Elena opened the door to the drawing room and saw Margaret
seated in front of an elegant table.
“Lady Lawrence, what brings you here without an appointment?”
She put on a welcoming face, but when she looked closely she saw
that her guest’s expression was darkened. Margaret rushed up to her
and spoke urgently.
“There’s trouble, Lady Blaise.”
“What?”
“There are many bad rumors about you in the social circles right
now.”
“Bad rumors?”
Elena was surprised. It had not been long since they arrived from the
south, and she had done nothing wrong to give rise to any such
gossip. Margaret con nued breathlessly as if she had rushed here.
“I came running to you as soon as I heard it from other people.
There’s a rumor that…”
“…?”
“I-it’s so foul that I don’t even know where to start…”
Margaret’s hesitance only further stoked Elena’s suspicions.
“Please tell me slowly. What kind of rumors did you heard about
me?”
“Th-the other nobles say the Lady Blaise is a whore who has a
different man every night…”
“What?”
“W-well, I don’t believe the rumor either. But now everyone is full of
gossip about it.”
Elena was stunned beyond belief. She didn’t mean it as boast, but
she had never even had rela ons with a man before. The spread of
such a rumor made her feel hugely embarrassed.
“What is the source of the rumor? It’s not possible that these words
could spread without any evidence. Who on earth is saying all this
nonsense?”
“Well…The evidence and the witness for the rumor are very clear.”
Evidence and…witness? Elena had had an ominous feeling since the
ball, and now she knew why. Those same rumors had spread about
Elena before.
Sophie.
On top of that, Elena knew that Sophie was connected to the
sabotage of her dresses.
“Could it be…the witness is my family’s maid?”
“Yes, that’s right! How did you know? A maid named Sophie is going
to all the gatherings and throwing abuse about you.”
Elena pressed her fingers against her temple. There was a thorn in
her mind since the day the dresses were torn, but now the situa on
seemed to have burst.
“Then who is taking Sophie to these gatherings?”
“I-it’s Lady Selby.”
Helen Selby. She had tailed Elena with her men since the tea party,
but thanks to Carlisle, Elena had slipped away without revealing her
iden ty. However, it was unclear how much she’d been followed
since then. She came out unhurt, so she thought li le of it and le it
alone. A deep sigh escaped from her mouth.
“…Haah.”
She calmed her palpita ng heart, then gestured Margaret to sit back
down again.
“Lady Lawrence, please sit down and tell me the rest.”
“Ah, yes.”
The two had been standing since Elena entered the drawing room.
They both se led into their seats and Elena rang a bell. There was a
clear nkling sound, and Mary hurried into the room.
“Did you call for me, My Lady?”
“Bring me two cups of green tea. Lady Lawrence, is green tea
alright?”

“Y-yes!”
“It’s a very rare and delicious tea. It looks like you’re in a hurry
because of me, but let’s have a cup first.”
“…Lady B-blaise.”
Margaret was moved. Few people could handle the ma er as calmly
as Elena. Not long ago Margaret herself was buried by rumors in
southern society, and she didn’t even dare take a step out of her
mansion. There were less rumors about it in the capital area, so she
started to go outside. Mee ng the Blaise sisters at the ball and being
forgiven also played a large part in her regaining her confidence, and
Margaret now had a deep respect for Elena’s ra onal a tude.
Soon a er, Mary brought in the green tea along with some luxurious
snacks at Elena’s request. Elena poured Margaret a cup of first, and
then took a sip herself. Her series of calm, graceful movements
seemed completely out of harmony with the situa on. Margaret
stared at her, before Elena spoke up again calmly.
“Now please speak slowly. How exactly did the rumor spread?”
Chapter 76 There’s Trouble (2)
A er listening to Margaret’s account, Elena was livid. The rumors
were incredibly detailed, as if someone made every effort into it.
Perhaps Elena had been followed for quite some me, as the story
was perfectly cra ed to her movements. Even to Elena’s ears the
rumors sounded plausible.
In reality she had only le once in the middle of the night to visit
Carlisle, but now she was branded as a woman who went to see a
different man every night. She had done her best to quickly shut
down the rumors at Blaise Castle, but Helen had secured several
more witnesses–not only Sophie, but a few other servants who had
heard the rumor as well.
That wasn’t all.
“And Lady Blaise…there is a man who claims he has bedded you.”
“…”
Elena clenched her jaw in order to hold back her surging anger.
‘…I can’t believe this.’
This rumor was more vicious and terrible than the one that first
spread in Blaise Castle. Soon this would become a full-blown scandal,
with Carlisle painted as another vic m of Elena’s seduc on. The
rumors would be difficult to handle when they planned to be wedded
as soon as possible.
‘What should I do?’
She wanted to prove that she had been honestly mee ng with
Carlisle, but if something went wrong, she might be discovered as his
bodyguard Len. Helen may not have intended it, but she had caught
Len in a trap as well. For example, it could not be revealed that Elena
and Carlisle were at Flower Bridge together. There were many
witnesses on the scene, and the only new face in the guard was Len.
If Elena recklessly insisted on the story, Helen may no ce a strange
inconsistency. Elena had to resolve this in a way that was not related
to Carlisle.
The hot flames in Elena’s chest seemed to soar, but she tried to
temper it with a cool head. For the moment it was more important to
handle the ma er than to succumb to her anger. If it was not
possible to collect spilt water, then it should be cleared away with no
trace.
However, a solu on did not come to mind. As was the case with
gossip in society, words of ill spread faster than words of praise. No
ma er how much Elena claimed the rumors were false, how much
could she really control people’s tongue? It was not easy to restore a
bad reputa on.
‘…No ma er how much I think about it, it’s impossible to resolve.’
She feared the worst. Margaret noted Elena’s hardened expression
and gingerly approached her.
“My Lady, are you all right?”
“…Yes. I just don’t know how to handle this.”
“I understand the feeling. I did not want to say this at first, but I had a
difficult me a er I was accused by Lady Selby. Don’t despair. It will
slowly be forgo en over me.”
Margaret’s words may have comforted others, but not Elena. Elena
had to marry Carlisle as soon as possible. Emperor Sullivan would die
in a few months, and the traitor Paveluc would a empt to take the
throne about a year from now. There was li le me to be caught up
in such rumors. Although Elena couldn’t hide her distress, she was
grateful for Margaret’s concern.
“Thank you so much for coming in person to tell me about this, Lady
Lawrence.”
“Of course. I was worried that Lady Selby was going to do something,
but I didn’t know what. If I didn’t remember what I suffered under
her I might’ve been fooled by the rumors too.”
While anyone might have been fooled by the rumors, Margaret had
judged it to be a lie in one stroke. Elena thought back to the day of
the tea party.
“I should have said back then that you were not the one who put the
salt in the tea.”
At the me it didn’t ma er to her who was the real culprit. Helen,
Sarah and Margaret all planned to give Elena the salty tea, which was
Mirabelle almost drank. Elena could not stand that fact. She was even
less forgiving then because in her previous life it was Elena who really
did end up drinking it.
Margaret waved her hands in protest.
“No! Though Lady Selby was the leader, I followed her as an
accomplice. If I were you I would never have forgiven me, but you
have a generous heart and for that I am thankful.”
The word “friend” suddenly came to Elena’s mind. In his last life, she
had never given this word even to the comrades she fought with. She
had no room le in her heart for it a er she lost her family, and
before that she never le the castle much, thus her rela onships
never went deeper than perfunctory gree ngs. She had never been
friends with a woman her own age before. Elena’s present situa on
was not the worst she had experienced, but this emerging
connec on in her life brought a new warmth.
“Lady Lawrence.”
Elena wore a rare smile that she did not o en show to others.
Margaret’s eyes widened at the sight. Elena con nued in a gentle
voice.
“…Thank you.”
*
*
*
Elena saw Margaret off when she finished speaking. Elena didn’t
want to spend too long with her when her present situa on was s ll
difficult. However, no ma er how hard Elena tried, she couldn’t think
of a way to put the rumors to rest. There was only one way.
‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’
The way to fight a rumor…was with another rumor. Elena’s red eyes
shone like blood.
“Don’t blame me for this, Lady Selby.”
It was she who touched the nose of a sleeping lioness.
Chapter 77 Top Secret (1)
Elena confirmed the dates of the social events she would a end and
checked the one that would happen the soonest. Her reputa on had
changed drama cally in the days a er the ball, but she had gave
them her word that she would go.
‘To prove my innocence…I have to make Lady Selby a liar.’
That was her best course of ac on. Her accusa on wasn’t untrue
either, as Helen was now spreading false stories about her.
‘To start, I need informa on about Lady Selby.’
Just as Helen had done, informa on would be her the trap. It was key
the Elena could gather as many witnesses and evidence against Helen
in a short amount of me.
‘Let’s start with when she tried to give me the salty tea.’
Elena would seem more credible if Margaret offered to tes fy on her
behalf, unlike Helen, whose witness was Sophie. Margaret was a
noblewoman, and as such would be considered more trustworthy
than a maid.
But that wouldn’t be enough. Just like the story of Elena mee ng
with a different man every night, there had to be something
tantalizing and provoca ve. Only then would the rumors would stop
at once.
A er thinking it over, Elena stood up and headed towards Mirabelle’s
room. Before entering, she knocked lightly on the door.
“Yes, come in.”
When Elena opened the door, the sound of the sewing machine at
work flowed out.
Tadadadadag.
With the help of a few maids, Mirabelle was devo ng herself to fixing
up the dresses that Carlisle had sent. When Mirabelle looked up and
saw who entered the room, she rose from her seat.
“What’s going on, sister?”
“There’s a social event in a few days and I was going to ask for a
dress, but you appear to already be working on one.”
“I already men oned at the ball that I’m going to refit the dresses for
you. And with so many invita ons coming in, I had an idea that you’d
need them sooner or later.”
Mirabelle was so charming that Elena couldn’t help but smile.
She was right. Elena had to be just as beau ful as everyone else at
the upcoming events. Appearances weren’t everything, but she
wouldn’t lower her standards either. And on that day…she would
turn the de on all the rumors spread by Helen.
Elena recalled the invita on to the soonest date. She didn’t know
how many nobles would a end, but it was clear that there would be
quite a crowd. With so many things to prepare, it was a relief that a
dress was one less thing on her mind.
“Then I’ll come back later, Mirabelle.”
“Yes, sister! I’ll let you know when it’s finished.”
“Yes, thank you.”
When Elena returned to her room, she immediately ed a red
handkerchief to the window. She judged Kuhn to be the quickest and
most secre ve way of gathering informa on compared to the Blaise’s
resources. She was never disappointed by the informa on he
brought.
As usual, Elena kept the windows open and waited for Kuhn to slip
past everyone’s eyes. She se led at her desk, pu ng the plans in her
head to paper. If her counter offense failed, the vicious rumors about
Elena might feel more true. She might not be able to do anything
about it at that point. Time was short, but she couldn’t leave any
holes in her plan.
‘Lady Selby…I will pay you back twice over what you’ve given me.’
She did not intend to sit s ll like a fool. Not a er her reputa on was
tarnished like this. Today, Elena was not a naive young noblewoman.
While it was true that she was less skilled in social poli cs than with
her sword, she wasn’t so so as to allow herself to be subjected to a
shameful deceit.
*
*
*
Elena’s momentum was building.
She asked Kuhn to collect informa on about Helen and bring it back
as quick as he could. Soon a er, she summoned Michael and ordered
him to set up an appointment with Countess Viviana.
Stella Viviana. She was a leading figure among the nobility and was
one of the most men oned names in Kuhn’s report of the capital city.
The reports were not Elena’s only source of knowledge, however. She
s ll remembered the name a er a shocking revela on in the future.
There was only one reason why Elena wanted to meet such a person.
She needed help from an influen al person in high society.
‘No ma er how much I target Helen’s weakness, people won’t
believe me easily.’
Elena was s ll unini ated to the capital’s social circles. She had no
connec ons, no one to listen to what she said, and with her image in
ta ers, she would likely be ignored and avoided by other nobles as
well.
‘I need someone else to spread the rumor that Lady Selby is a liar.’
She needed someone to back up her words, and for that, Stella was
the perfect choice. However, that woman’s nose was held as high as
her reputa on. She wouldn’t do Elena a favor so easily, and even
Elena no had idea if she would receive her. It had taken Stella a few
days to respond a er Michael visited her personally, and soon the
butler finally delivered the answer Elena was worried about.
“My Lady, I’ve heard from Countess Viviana…”
“Please con nue.”
“She says it’s too difficult to fit you into her busy schedule.”
A long sigh escaped from Elena’s mouth.
“…Huu.”
Elena hadn’t been able to sleep much because of the rumors. She
rubbed her finger ps against her s ff eyes and spoke again to
Michael, who was looking at her concernedly.

“Wait there for a moment.”

“Yes, My Lady.”
She went straight to her desk and began wri ng something down.
Then she placed the paper in an envelope, sealed it, and handed it
over to Michael. He took the envelope curiously.
“Give this to Count Viviana and ask her to make another
appointment.”
“She had already turned you down once…Will it be possible?”
At the butler’s doub ul expression, Elena answered determinedly.
“Yes. Maybe this me.”
She didn’t wish to use her knowledge of the future as a weapon so
soon. But now that the situa on has come to this, she had no choice.
She regre ed sending threatening le ers, but she was in no posi on
to wait any longer.
Ch. 78 Top Secret (2)
It had taken Countess Viviana several days to reply to her first
request. But this me it was different. Within hours of Elena’s second
le er, Michael returned.
“My Lady! Countess Viviana has requested to meet you soon!”
“Good.”
Elena was quite sa sfied with herself.
“But what did you say that suddenly made her change her mind?”
“Well…That’s top secret.”
Elena didn’t say anything further. In any case, Michael was more
pleased than curious that Countess Viviana’s high-nosed a tude had
changed so quickly. On his first visit he had been ignored by the
servants there, but on the second he was treated like a valued guest.
He wondered what caused the change, but he put his trust in Elena.
“Send someone to Countess Viviana and ask her if she can see me
today.”
“Yes, My Lady!”
Although Stella wanted meet soon, an appointment this same day
would s ll be difficult to secure. Michael followed Elena’s orders any
objec on. That was how much confidence he had in her.
‘If this is what she orders me…there must be a reason.’
This me Michael did not visit Countess Viviana herself, but rushed a
servant to deliver Elena’s request.
Night fell, and the servant finally returned with the message that
Countess Viviana would see her immediately. Elena prepared to leave
despite the lateness of the hour. With only a few more days le
before the social gathering, she needed Stella’s support as soon as
possible.
“I’ll be back.”
“Yes. Take care, My Lady.”
Michael saw her off as she boarded the carriage.
Stella had proposed to meet at a fancy salon called “The Secret.”
Elena knew of it. As its name suggested, it had a closed membership
system and was favored by high-ranking nobles as a place to have
private conversa ons.
Kiiiig–
The swi carriage bearing her towards her des na on halted.
“We have arrived, My Lady.”
“Thank you.”
The coachman opened the door and she stepped outside. She
glanced at the sign bearing the words “The Secret” before entering
the establishment. The atmosphere inside was gloomy, and the
corridors narrow. Seeing as she didn’t meet anyone in the hallway, it
seemed to be constructed so that visitors wouldn’t run into each
other easily. A faint smell of tobacco smoke scented the air. As she
followed the dark corridor, she finally came across a clerk standing
behind a desk.
“Do you have a reserva on?”
“Yes.”
“Who did you come to see?”
“I’m here to see Countess Viviana.”
The clerk gestured to Elena as if he had done this a hundred mes
before.
“Come this way, please.”
The employee seemed excep onally experienced and me culous.
She knew it was a secre ve establishment, but it there was more
thorough a en on to detail than she expected. The clerk guided her
inside the depths of the building, finally arriving at an an que door
which opened with only the slightest sound of fric on. Inside the
room was middle-aged woman seated rigidly in her chair. A er Elena
stepped inside, the clerk closed the door behind her. The two women
stared at each other.
“…”
“…”
It was Elena who first sha ered the silence.
“How do you do? I am Elena Blaise.”
“I know. You are the most talked-about person these days.”
Her tone was harsh, and her gaze was full of thorns.
“Let me ask you straigh orwardly. What you wrote to me…How did
you know?”
Elena couldn’t honestly answer that ques on.
“The ques on is not how I learned the secret of Countess Viviana,
but whether or not I tell someone about it. Am I wrong? “
The le er Elena had sent to Stella was brief.
[I know about your hidden son.]
Before Stella became a countess and a leading figure of society, she
lay with a man as a young woman and had secretly given birth to a
son. Stella’s parents thoroughly covered up the incident, and
Countess Viviana had married without anyone else having knowledge
of it. When the truth was revealed in Elena’s previous life, Countess
Viviana’s reputa on had plummeted. However, that was not the end
of the story. There was further tragedy a er that.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Yes.”
Elena answered unblinkingly.
“You will do something for me in exchange for my secrecy.”
<-Previous| TOC | Next ->
TN: Don’t forget, the contest period ends tonight!
And if you would tolerate with me a li le longer, dear reader, here is
an excerpt from my new project…
Remarried Empress
Navier was the perfect empress, however, the Emperor wanted a
wife, not a colleague. And so, the Emperor abandoned Empress
Navier and placed a slave girl beside him. That was fine, un l Navier
heard the Emperor promise the slave girl the Empress’ posi on. A er
much agonizing, Navier decided she would remarry the emperor of
the neighboring country.
Ch 1: I’m About To Be Removed From The Empress’ Seat
“I will accept the divorce.”
Am I the only one who had a faint smile on my lips when I said those
words?
Sovieshu looked down at me with a half-relieved, half-regre ul
expression. Was it a charade, or was it sincere?
Un l now I had been a good colleague and a perfect empress. We
had never fought — that is, un l he brought her along. He cast me
aside for his lover, but un l the last moment he’ll want to be a good
man and a good emperor.
Then there was my family and the great church which had approved
of our marriage, who insisted that I not step down from the posi on
of empress. He would certainly dislike the idea of going through a
tedious divorce trial against both of these groups.
He was that sort of man, and that sort of emperor.
“Your Majesty! This can’t be!”
Marquis Farang cried out and tried to run towards me, but he was
caught by the Emperor’s guards and barred from taking a step
further…
Marquis Farang and Countess Eliza, my defenders. I am thankful to all
of you.
I cast them a grateful glance then turned to the court minister.
“Empress Navier. Do you really agree to this divorce document
without any objec on?”
The court minister had a slightly angry voice. He wanted me to fight
and challenge the reason for divorce.
While the odds of winning the trial were none, it would cause a
scandal for the Emperor and his concubine as the people heard the
news. That was what the minister, my family and my friends wanted.
I shook my head. A divorce trial may hurt Sovieshu’s reputa on, but
my name may be scarred as well. It’s not that I had a moral problem,
but I might not be able to leverage the situa on if it became too
complicated.
“I accept the divorce.”
The minister closed his eyes gravely as murmuring broke out into the
room.
“And ask for permission to remarry.”
The moment I finished speaking, the mood changed completely. The
air s lled into a shocked silence and the minister’s eyes flew open.
Everyone glanced at each other, unsure of what they heard.
Sovieshu looked at me confusedly, a frown furrowing his brow. The
minister was in a daze.
“Empress Navier…remarry?”
Instead of answering, I stretched out my hand and pointed to one
place. As if on cue, a man wearing an embroidered veil that obscured
his face burst into pleasant laughter.
“Do I come up now?”
The silence was broken by the murmuring of the crowd again. The
man walked through the court and stood next to me. When he took
off the veil, Sovieshu lept to his feet.
“Navier! That man–“

“Is the one I will marry.”

The minister’s eyes looked hollow. I smiled and turned the man
beside me. He looked at me as if to say, “You expected this reac on,
didn’t you?”
Somehow, I had a pleasant feeling.
Even though it wasn’t revenge I desired.

Ch. 79 Isn’t That The Stench Of A Rag? (1)

“You will do something for me in exchange for my secrecy.”
A frown crossed Stella’s face.
“First, you must explain how you know this. I need to know if you’ve
already spread it to others.”
“If I did, wouldn’t you already know?”
Stella pursed her lips at Elena’s ques on. Her son was being raised by
a nanny as an adop ve child. Un l the biological father appeared in
the future, this fact could not be revealed. Elena con nued.
“I cannot explain how I came to know this because of the
circumstances. But if you do me one favor, I’ll keep my silence un l
the end.”
Stella con nued to look reluctant, but in the end it was a fight she
was forced to lose.
“…What’s the favor?”
Elena slid some documents she brought with her towards Stella. They
were a compila on of informa on about Helen. Stella slowly perused
the papers as Elena spoke.
“Please spread a rumor based on the informa on here.”
“…?”
“For a long me, Lady Selby has been jealous of me. This me, she
lost the tle of Madonna at the ball and is bent towards revenge. She
is good at lying. And…”
As Elena con nued, Stella’s eyes grew bigger, and she spoke up in
disbelief.
“You are asking me to spread false rumors?”
“Why do you think this is a false rumor?”
Stella lost her words for a moment. Elena con nued, her expression
cold.
“It doesn’t ma er what’s true in society. A er all, isn’t what’s
important the story that remains in the end?”
Elena had no inten on in explaining her misfortune in detail. Immoral
people did not reveal the truth. In society, truth was made by the
powerful.
It was the same now. Stella would never have been in her posi on if
she revealed the truth, and it was also the reason why she was here
before Elena. Elena had learned an important lesson as a female
knight in her last life.
‘A man without power cannot change anything. The truth doesn’t
always serve everyone.’
In her last life the Blaises were framed, and eventually her whole
family was destroyed. She dreamt of revenge un l her death, but she
died before she could take Paveluc’s head. Her life did not go as she
wished. In the end, anger and jus ce made no difference, and soon
she realized there were other methods that were cleaner and more
reliable.
Stella, who had held an impassive demeanor thus far, burst into
laughter for the first me.
“Ho ho ho ho–“
Her sudden outburst caused Elena to look at her ques oningly. Stella
didn’t bother to restrain her mirth, and she soon con nued in
amusement.
“I thought you were too young, but you have a good understanding
of how heartless society is. You’re right. What’s true doesn’t ma er.
It’s what we make that is real.”
“Then do we have a deal?”
A er a small pause, Stella nodded.
“Alright, I’ll do you the favor. This is not too difficult for me.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s too early to thank me just yet. Just one warning. If you don’t
keep your word and you reveal my secret, you will regret it.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Just like you did, My Lady, yes. You think you can order me around
by digging up a secret? Let me make this clear–you can’t.”
Elena nodded in agreement. Stella’s present posi on was different
from Elena’s, who was s ll a newcomer from the south. There could
be only one deal. Elena knew the reality. If she tried to further
blackmail Stella with this weakness, Stella would retaliate in a way
that Elena wouldn’t expect.
“The Flower of Society” was a tle that could only be earned if one
was beau ful. Instead, Stella’s reputa on as one of the most
powerful women in society was a culmina on of bi er power plays
with other nobles. Such a woman could never be manipulated so
easily. Stella had likely already done a thorough survey of Elena
before she arrived here. From what Elena had heard in the future,
the Countess was a formidable foe that could not easily be ignored.
‘In the last life…didn’t she kill herself?’
Elena stared at Stella si ng in front of her. The Stella today was a
lady of dignity. She was brilliant and clever, and if there was a
blemish in her life, it was that she met the wrong man. The father of
her secret son was, in a word, a lowlife. He associated with gamblers,
drunkards, and even drug users. There was no telling how such a
highborn lady and such a lowly man got involved before marriage.
‘But…there’s something else shocking about it.’
When Stella hidden secret came to light, she admi ed all her past
sins and chose to commit suicide, fearing the gossip would harm the
Viviana family.
It was a shocking decision. However, a er her death, her husband
Count Viviana was completely destroyed. He loved her with all his
heart and could not be swayed by the facts. It was later that Stella’s
hidden son grew up and staged a spectacular revenge against Count
Viviana.
About Stella…
Although she chose to kill herself, she was truly loved by her husband
and her hidden son. It was a tragic story in many ways, and later
became a very popular love story in the social circles. It was the story
of Count Viviana, a noble who loved his wife in a society where love
marriages were rare, before losing her to suicide.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
Elena shook her head.
“…Nothing.”
It was unknown to Elena whether the story would be repeated in this
life or if another story would unfold. But she was able to promise at
least one thing.
“I will keep my word. If you do this one thing, I will never tell anyone
about you.”

“I’ll trust you for now…Well, I’m not a very trus ng person, either.”
Stella gave a wry smile. Maybe she would keep an eye on Elena in the
future. Anyone who knew her secret couldn’t just be le alone.
‘I pray she doesn’t try to kill me.’
They acted courteous to each other now, but Stella could hire a
hitman a er she le this room. However, Elena was currently pressed
for me and could not worry about it for now. Moreover, a hired
killer could not touch the end of her hair. Elena spoke again, her
expression calm.
“Now, let me explain in detail exactly what I want.”
Ch. 80 Isn’t That The Stench Of A Rag? (2)
It didn’t take long for Elena to tell Stella of her plans, and soon she
returned to the mansion. Now all that was le was to a end the
party and confront Helen’s evil rumors.
Elena opened the door to her room. Most of the servants were now
asleep, save for Michael who waited for her by the doorstep. But she
sensed someone else’s subtle presence in the room.
‘It’s too early for the Countess to hire an assassin…’
Elena entered the dark room, wary of her uniden fied opponent. She
snapped on the lights and looked around.
It was Kuhn. She was a li le surprised by his unexpected visit.
“What are you doing here?”
Kuhn did not usually come unless she ed a red handkerchief to the
window. It was the first me he arrived before her even though she
did not call for him.
“The General wants to see you.”
“Me?”
The sudden proposal struck her as a strange. Of course they could
contact each other any me for business, but there was something
unusual about how Kuhn had waited so long at this late of an hour.
“Well, that’s fine. Right now?”
“No. The General is far away now, but he will come to the capital in
three days.”
Three days. She didn’t have me for him then. That was the day of
the party where she would confront Helen.
“My apologies, but please tell him that I already have something
scheduled for that day.”
“I will pass on your message, but I don’t think you will get a response.
He can’t be immediately reached at the moment.
She had heard that Carlisle was away from the capital, and wondered
what he was up to. She could ask Kuhn, but thought be er of the
effort. He would probably say, “You should ask the General directly.”
Elena wanted to finish this conversa on soon. She had had sleepless
nights because of the rumors, and was also exhausted a er her
mee ng with Stella.
“Let me know as soon as he returns, and we’ll reschedule our
mee ng.”
“…I understand.”
Kuhn looked a li le taken back, but had nothing else to say as he
could not contact Carlisle immediately. Finally, he gave a brief
farewell, saying it was late.
“Good night, My Lady.”
“You too. Be careful.”
As always, Kuhn disappeared silently into the darkness. A er
watching the scene for a moment, she prepared to go to bed.
*
*
*
The day of ba le finally arrived. Elena stood in front of the mirror
wearing an elegant dress as Mirabelle looked on with pride.
“Hehe, I did it myself, but it really suits my sister.”
“Thank you for a en on. I really needed your strength today.”
“Why? What’s happening?”
Mirabelle, who was li le involved in social gossip, was completely
oblivious about the rumors spreading about Elena. At her sister’s
curious look, Elena smiled.
“Nothing. I was chosen as Madonna at the ball and it would be silly if
I a ended another party in a shabby dress.”
“Oh, of course! Yes!”
Mirabelle’s innocent smile filled Elena with an indescribable energy.
This was all to protect her family. To maintain this happiness, Elena
would walk along any thorny path in the future. Elena slipped her
hand around Mirabelle’s slim shoulder and spoke in a low voice.
“Wish me luck, sister.”
“Yes, cheer up!”
With Mirabelle’s firm support behind her, Elena smiled and closed
her eyes. She would not take the slander lying down. Elena had a
family to protect. There was no me to hesitate.
*
This was her first social event a er the ball. Although she was
dressed just as beau fully then, the gazes on her were different from
that night.
Kkiigg–
As soon as she opened the door and entered the banquet hall, she
could feel everyone’s repulsive stares all over her body. Although
Stella had started spreading rumors about Helen, the abuse about
Elena had been more intense by far. She felt self-conscious by the
men’s encroaching gaze, but she kept her head upright.
At the center of the hall was the largest crowd, including two faces
that Elena was familiar with. Helen and Sophie. Elena had two plans,
as she was unsure whether they would a end or not, but she wanted
the pleasure to deal with Helen personally.

Next to Helen was Sophie narra ng loudly to the crowd.

“…so I went into Lady Elena’s room, and there was a man right
there!”
Ttogag, ogag.
As Elena strode towards Sophie, the nobles’ eyes turned towards her.
When Elena stood in the center of a en on, Helen no ced and li ed
the corner of her mouth. Then she held her finger to her nose and
said,
“Oh, isn’t that the stench of a rag?”
Chapter 81 Why Don’t You Tell Me (1)
“Oh, isn’t that the stench of a rag?”
The crowd ered in reply to Helen’s words. Not only did Sophie
stand beside Helen now, but Sarah as well. Elena remained
unflinching at Helen’s remarks. Her pride prevented her from
becoming openly agitated in this place. She clenched her fists
discreetly while wearing an indifferent smile.
“Hmm, I heard a frivolous sound somewhere. I heard that a girl
blinded by jealousy was trying to scratch me.”
Helen’s face flushed. No ma er who else heard the jibe, it was clearly
aimed at her.
“Jealousy. You think you know what you’re talking about?”
“I didn’t mean Lady Selby specifically, but you’re ac ng like you’ve
been stabbed.”
Elena demurely covering her mouth with her hand.
“You…!”
Helen’s cheeks turned crimson. Sarah raised her voice to capture the
other nobles’ a en on.
“Lady Blaise, I heard you can’t sleep unless you’re with a man. I
wonder who else you went out to meet last night.”
With the contents of the rumors in open field, people began to watch
with interested eyes, and more began to flock towards the drama
taking place in the middle of the room. Elena responded calmly.
“Who is spreading such rumors?”
Sarah spoke as if she couldn’t believe what she heard.
“Is it a false rumor? The maid who worked for House Blaise said it
herself.”
Elena gaze turned towards Sophie. Sophie had served House Blaise
for a long me, but now she acted as if she was a stranger. The
moment Elena’s icy gaze fell on Sophie, the maid’s body started to
tremble uncontrollably. She was reminded of the last me Elena
looked coldly down on her, and her conscience was stricken by the
lies she had made up.
However, smugness soon replaced her guilt. Even though Sophie was
sent away from House Blaise, she was doing even be er than before.
She wanted to make Elena regret that she didn’t value her. The fact
that she had done a terrible thing had already been forgo en in her
mind.
“I saw it with my own eyes. Lady Elena goes to see a different man
every night.”
Elena was shocked at how baldly Sophie lied to the crowd, but it
didn’t end there. The maid was rather enjoying Elena’s reac on and
her voice grew louder with confidence.
“Everyone in House Blaise already knows this besides me. There is
more than one witness.”
There was a growing buzz around them. Elena could clearly hear the
words the nobles were saying.
“I suppose the rumors really are true.”
“I couldn’t believe it at first, but it really is strange.”
There was one word that caught in Elena’s ear.
“…dirty.”
All the wicked eyes and malicious words were directed towards her,
each one like a barb. However, she pressed on, refusing to let herself
be in midated.
“Sophie, you were dismissed from the family and gambled your
money away. It must have been a difficult life. Who told you to lie like
this?”
From now on, it was a ba le of spirit where the niest falter meant
losing.
“No one told me to lie! I’m telling the truth!”
“A er you were fired you must have been haunted by the delusion
you made, and eventually came to believe it.”
“I…!”
Sophie was spu ering in resentment. A shadow appeared next to
Elena, and when she turned she saw that it was Margaret.
“H-how can anyone believe anything a maid says, especially when
people with low social status would lie easily for money?”
Helen’s and Sarah’s eyes widened at Margaret’s unexpected
emergence. The three were not strangers to each other. Had it not
been for the recent salt incident in southern society, they would
likely s ll have been friends.
“Lady Lawrence?”
Margaret was s ll in midated by Helen and could not meet her eyes.
However, Margaret pushed down her fear and responded without
hesita ng.
“I-it’s been a while, Lady Selby.”
Margaret was not accustomed to being in the center of a en on, but
she drew courage from the person by her side.
Although Elena had asked Margaret to come, she didn’t expect the
other young lady to arrive.
“Lady Lawrence…”
At Elena’s small voice, Margaret looked at her and gave a faint smile.
“I think I have to reveal the truth about the salty tea.”
Elena was grateful to Margaret for her courage. Helen cut through
the warm atmosphere between them.
“Why are you here, Lady Lawrence?”
“I-I’m here to prove Lady Blaise’s innocence. Lady Selby, I knew you
were mo vated by jealousy, but you’ve gone too far.”
“Ha, really?”
Helen gave a snort. Margaret used to always be such a mid li le
thing, but suddenly she was bi ng back a er Helen so generously
allowed Margaret to mingle with her. This was how she paid her
back?
“Lady Lawrence, something must’ve happened to your head. How
dare you say that to me–”
“Lady S-Selby, come to your senses! You used me to trick Lady Blaise
into drinking the salty tea at the tea party!”
A no ceable murmur of voices swelled at Margaret’s words. Helen
felt a sudden apprehension. While Margaret was a mid and
innocent girl, her family was not insignificant, and the words of the
daughter of Count Lawrence could not simply be set aside.
Helen’s voice heightened in humilia on.
“What kind of inven on is this? It was your plan, Lady Lawrence!”
Seeing that Helen was driven into a corner, Sarah quickly interrupted
the conversa on.
“Now you’re trying to pin the blame on Lady Selby. Did you plan this
with Lady Blaise? Your head is thicker than I thought.”
“B-but…it was Lady Selby who tried to trick her that day. Don’t
change those words!”
Sarah glared at her.
“Do you have any proof?”
“I-I…”
“Is there any evidence to what you claim?”
The incident had happened some me ago and quite a way aways
from the capital. Sarah li ed her nose in triumph.
Elena glanced at Stella, who had been quietly observing the
proceedings so far. Stella returned the signal, then stepped forward
and spoke in a languid voice.
“I’ve heard about this. Someone placed salt in Lady Blaise’s tea at a
southern party, correct? But I’ve heard that the real culprit was Lady
Selby…”

“Countess Viviana, what are you saying…!”

Stella con nued, covering her mouth with her fan as if she were
surprised.
“Oh, I’m afraid I can’t even speak.”
The ladies who were devoted Stella hurriedly spoke up in her
defense.
“Whatever Countess Viviana says is absolutely right. Has she ever
said anything wrong? I haven’t seen this Lady Selby much, but I don’t
believe she has any manners.”
“I know. I thought she was a good girl, but I never knew she would
contradict Countess Viviana like this.”
Helen’s face turned ashen. The area of their ba le was none other
than the social circles of the capital city high society. Stella was one
of the most powerful people in this room, and her words weighed
more than she could imagine.
“I feel pity for Lady Blaise. I’m afraid she was being set up.”
And as quick as that, the mood shi ed to favor Elena’s side.
Chapter 82 Why Don’t You Tell Me (2)
“It has to be true if Countess Viviana said that, right?”
“I’ve heard rumors from about Lady Selby recently. I heard she was
jealous of Lady Blaise, so she made up the story…along with the
maid.”
“Oh, I heard that too. So it is true, then?”
Even without exact evidence and witnesses, the words of an
influen al socialite could immediately turn the de. It was outcome
that Elena had been aiming for, made easier because of Margaret’s
presence. Margaret seemed a li le surprised herself. Elena gave her a
look of gra tude, and she returned a pleasant smile.
However, this was only the beginning of what Elena prepared for
Helen.
“Even at the royal ball, Lady Selby threatened me when she lost the
crown of Madonna.”
“When did I…!”
Helen tried to deny it, but her face colored. This was not a lie either.
She had said to her, “Lady Blaise, laugh while you s ll can.” But Elena
would do as Helen done and take it further.
Elena con nued with as docile as expression as possible.
“And once she said she was…she was going to destroy my face.”
“What are you talking about! When did I do that!”
Helen was spi ng flames, but Elena wasn’t finished.
“Not long ago, I was a acked by some suspicious men. My face was
almost scarred, but fortunately I was saved by some knights passing
by.”
Everyone’s horrified gazes turned towards Helen. Almost like a
madwoman, Helen whirled her head wildly around as she yelled.
“This is a sham! I never did that!”
“When I ques oned the men, they confessed that they were sent by
Lady Selby. We can bring the witnesses here if you want.”
This was the trap Elena set for Helen. In fact, the men Elena referred
to were the ones that followed her in the alley. They were witnesses,
and it was consistent with Helen’s schedule. Just as Helen
inves gated Elena’s movements and used it against her, Elena paid
her back in kind.
“Lady Blaise, I’ve not known you much, but you’re very good at lying.
Do you not have guilt for your words?”
Helen had no self-awareness of what she’d done, and Elena was
disgusted to see her so upset. Helen was the kind of person who
cared only for herself. Elena offered Helen her coldest glare.
“I’d like to return those words to you.”
“…!”
Helen’s eyes widened in realiza on before turning ferocious. She
realized that Elena had dug the same trap towards her. She mu ered
to herself,
“So we’re doing this now, are we?”
She fixed Elena with a dirty stare and spoke in a louder voice.
“No ma er what Lady Blaise says, there’s one fact that doesn’t
change! Every night she goes around to meet men!”
“A falsehood fabricated by Lady Selby because of her jealousy.”
“How could a falsehood have so many witnesses and evidence? And
even if I am jealous of Lady Elena, that is an unrelated ma er.”
The surrounding people were becoming more excited these
developments. The fight between the daughters of a Marquis and a
Count was thrilling to watch.
“That’s true. Just because Lady Selby did something wrong, it doesn’t
mean that all the rumors about Lady Blaise are false.”
In the end, it didn’t ma er to the nobles who did anything wrong.
Their only interest was in the fevered economy of gossip. Elena eyes
hardened at the unexpected turn of events.
‘Lady Selby only intends to keep bi ng away at me.’
She s ll had more to reveal about Helen, such as the torn dress. But
more and more, Helen was squeezing her ghter in her grip.
‘…Damn it.’
Curses hovered on the p of her tongue. Elena had overlooked a
crucial point. She tried to destroy the rumors by destroying Helen’s
credibility, but everyone acted more indifferent towards it than she
planned. It literally was of no consequence for those who had done
wrong. A li le reflec on on their parts would reveal to them that this
was all a lie by Helen, but they were not interested.
‘What do I do? If everyone really does believes the rumors…’
It would inevitably cause problems with her contract marriage with
Carlisle. As much as she tried to stop it, a cold sweat formed on her
body. What she had done should have been enough to destroy Helen
and restore her own image.
She desperately turned her head towards Stella for aid, but Stella
shook her head as if it was a lost cause. Stella could lend her
strength, but she could not make the rumors completely disappear.
Even Sophie’s words were enough to give Helen credibility.
Helen gave a wicked smile as she saw Elena’s defeated expression.
It was then.
Someone entered the banquet hall with steady footsteps. One by
one, everyone reacted with surprise at the unexpected visitor.
‘Who is…?’
Feeling a shi in the atmosphere, Elena turned towards where
everyone was looking.
“Hail his Royal Highness the Crown Prince! Eternal Glory to the
Ruford Empire!”
All those who no ced Carlisle’s appearance raised their voices to
greet him and then bowed, irrespec ve of their rank. For a moment,
Elena felt like she was in a completely different world. Everything
around her seemed to freeze in the air, while Carlisle was the only
thing that moved. He was striding straight towards Elena.
His blue irises burned with that mysterious heat that she always saw
in them. He stood in front of Elena and looked around.
“What are you doing here?”
Elena suddenly remembered that he wanted to meet her today, but
she had refused him.

“Your Highness, I–”

Carlisle interrupted her with a calm voice.
“Didn’t I tell you to reveal the truth to the other nobles?”
At the same me, he took her slender hand.
“Why don’t you say you were my woman?”
Everyone’s expression turned to surprise at his gesture. But it was
Elena who was most stunned. She blinked like a goldfish.
‘If things go wrong, my iden ty as Len could be compromised…what
is he doing? ‘
She didn’t think he would carelessly reveal her…
She could not tell what was on his mind.
Ch. 83 Everyone Listen (1)
“I heard someone talking about you. You should have been honest if
these rumors were spreading.”
Elena had just been about to ask, “What are you doing?” but she
swallowed down her words. She couldn’t understand where he was
going with this, but she would accept what he said with the
knowledge that he was on her side.
“Everyone listen.”
Carlisle fixed the room with a steely gaze.
“Elena Blaise is my woman.”
Carlisle’s voice rang clearly in the room, as everyone was holding
their breath. At his sudden announcement, the nobles swallowed or
gave a faint gasp of surprise. The truth about the rumor was moving
in an exci ng new direc on.
“Lady Blaise has been seeing me for a long me. I was planning to
keep it a secret before I officially announced it, but I didn’t expect
this nonsense to spread.”
Carlisle bore down the room with a reproachful glare, but Helen
shook herself to her senses and intervened.
“Then she cheated on you! There was a man who said he was with
Lady Blaise, and if you have doubts–”
Carlisle’s expressionless face moved towards Helen.
“Who told you that bullshit? “
Carlisle’s voice was dangerously low, but Helen’s only thoughts were
excitement over having made eye contact with him. At first she
inhaled in embarrassment, but soon she put on the most innocent
expression she could make.
“A viscount said–”
But Helen’s words did not last long. Carlisle issued a low order in the
direc on outside of the door.
“Bring it here, Zenard.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Zenard replied with a polite voice and strode into the party.
“Put it down.”
Zenard began unwrapping a cloth from a round object in his hands.
The object was released from its cloth binding and immediately fell
to the floor and rolled forward.
Tong, tong, tong…
It bumped into a stop at the leg of the table. What everyone saw–
Was a man’s head.
“Kkyaaaaaa!”
The party was instantly filled with high screams of the women.
Everyone, male or female of any age, had turned pale and watched
the scene with widened eyes. Carlisle’s calm expression was severely
out of place.
“Is this the man who said that?”
Helen stared at Carlisle with stunned shock, unable to answer. She
couldn’t have been ignorant of who he was. He was the nobleman
she had paid to pay false rumors.
“…Oh…oh my god…”
Helen was completely numb. Carlisle responded casually.
“Look carefully and answer. If there’s another one like him, then I’ll
do the same.”
The room, which once held the sounds of merriment, was now
engulfed in silence. The music had stopped long ago, and everyone
held their breath as they watched Carlisle.
Sullivan had reigned for some me now. Up un l then, the emperors
of the Ruford empire were war-loving, brutal, and unafraid to spill
blood. A er Sullivan was crowned emperor, the country had stayed in
rela ve peace. It was the first me that the young nobles had
experienced something like this, while the older ones had a darkened
face as they recalled the emperors of the past. For the nobility who
had lived most of their days through the quieter mes, Carlisle’s
ac ons had to be shocking.
No one said a word to Carlisle. His presence was overwhelming.
“How dare anyone defame my woman. If anyone wants to con nue
to talk about this rumor, come forward now.”
No one spoke up, fearing for their necks. As it was, with Carlisle as
the crown prince and Redfield as the second prince supported by the
empress, there was li le room to step out of line. The Ruford Empire
had been such a place since the beginning, and the bloodstained
history of the emperors proved it. The nobility were crushed to
silence.
“…Your Highness.”
A gentle voice broke through the tense atmosphere. All eyes turned
to its direc on.
And there stood Elena.
“You can stop now. They have learned the truth about the rumors.”
Only then did Carlisle turn away to look at her. His face looked calm
as usual, but Elena could see he was furious underneath the surface.
“You think this is enough? I won’t rest easy un l I find out who
started this rumor and tear them to pieces.”
Carlisle’s cool eyes immediately moved toward Helen, as if he knew
from the outset who was responsible. Then this may not be the end
of it.
Elena felt she should stop him. No ma er how many former Ruford
emperors would have spilled blood, she didn’t want Carlisle to turn
into a tyrant before everyone’s eyes. And if he was doing this because
of her, she wanted to stop it even more.
“That’s enough. I’m all right, Your Highness.”
Elena took Carlisle’s arm, and she could feel how solid he felt under
her hand.
With that gentle touch and warm body heat…Carlisle’s posture finally
loosened.
“Lady Blaise, you are my woman. And I hate when others touch
what’s mine.”
It was a warning for everyone to hear. Elena nodded in
understanding.
“I’m sure they all know. Don’t stay here anymore and come with me,
Your Highness.”
Carlisle furrowed his brow when she pulled on his arm, but allowed
himself to be lead away. Elena didn’t know it, but everyone was
looking at her with the same astonishment as when the man’s head
fell on the floor.
The butcher, the bloodthirsty devil, the conqueror–there have been
numerous words to describe the emperor of the Ruford Emperor, but
they had never heard of a weakness to a woman. They could hardly
believe there was someone that could take Carlisle away with such
docility when he looked ready to kill anyone in this room just
moments before.
Eventually, Elena and Carlisle disappeared from the room.
Kwang!
The door closed, but the room was s ll quiet as they tried to process
what had happened.
“…Heug.”
A sob broke the silence. Helen had burst into tears and was bi ng her
lips. She wiped her cheeks with both palms and looked up, her eyes
glazed with poison.
“…How dare she. I’ll kill her.”
Helen could not forgive Elena any more for this. Carlisle’s eyes had
met hers. He must have admired her beauty, but suddenly, Elena
took Carlisle’s arm and stole him away.
‘Disgus ng bitch, taking my man from me.’

Helen le the party shaking with rage, her two companions beside
her. Sophie ventured forward carefully.
“M-my Lady, what do we–”
Helen cut her off coldly.
“Shut up! You useless thing.”
Sophie and Sarah flinched at the sharpness in Helen’s eyes.
Ch. 84 Everyone Listen (2)
A er they were some distance away from the party, Carlisle, who had
been following her without saying a word, finally spoke up.
“How far are we going?”
“Ah…”
She halted and looked around. They were somewhere around the
grounds where the party took place, but this was Elena’s first me in
this area. She walked without direc on, and they ended up in a scene
where purple lavenders bloomed and a wooden bench was provided
for anyone who wanted to enjoy the view.
“Maybe I speak to you here?”
Carlisle nodded then gave orders to Zenard, who was following
behind them.
“Don’t let anyone approach us.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Zenard bowed his head then walked away at some distance. His
behavior was completely different from when she acted as Len the
bodyguard. He always looked disapprovingly at her then, but the
expression in his eyes now was one of envy.
Carlisle gestured with his eyes towards the wooden bench.
“Sit.”
As Elena approached the spot where he indicated, Carlisle took off
his jacket and draped it on the bench. She paused. She knew from
the beginning that Carlisle was extremely well-mannered, but the
look in his eyes now was not the same when he looked at other
people. Clearly there was some difference between the way he dealt
with Elena and other women.
‘This gesture isn’t just for me, surely.’
She thought it strange if this behavior was reserved to only herself, so
she shook her head and put her thoughts aside. That was not the
point now. She wanted to know how Carlisle made his way all the
way here.
“The rumors…when did you find out?”
“Not long ago.”
“Did you send Sir Kasha to me as soon as you heard? To make an
appointment?”
“Yes. And then I came right away.”
She couldn’t imagine that that was it. She knew he was furious now,
but how did he feel when he first heard the rumor? She paused for a
moment before speaking.
“Lady Selby corroborated the mes I was away from the mansion and
based her rumors around that. I was afraid that you would expose my
alibis–during the mes when I first rescued you, when we went to
see the opera, and when we went to Flower Bridge.”
Those were all the mes Len was in ac on. If someone knew this
they may start to piece together the evidence. However, there was
no change in Carlisle’s expression, as if he already knew.
“Maybe. But no one else would think that your swordsmanship skills
would be so good.”
“You should have told me in advance if you were going to reveal our
rela onship like this.”
She had put in so much work in preserving the story of the first
mee ng at the ball. She had sent Carlisle away when he met her
halfway between the south and the capital city, and he bought a
private box and rented out an en re restaurant to hide their
iden es. So far, the both of them had made the effort to give the
impression that their first encounter was in the ballroom. But today
Carlisle’s words had thrown everything into smoke. She was at a loss
how to explain this to her family.
“I was just trying to hide our rela onship, just in case my iden ty was
discovered…”
“That would be the ideal situa on. But if you have to choose
between revealing your true iden ty and our marriage, then of
course it would be marriage.”
“…Of course.”
“I don’t want your iden ty to be known, either. But will we let our
marriage break down just because of these ridiculous rumors?”
“…!”
Elena couldn’t find herself to respond. The breakdown of the
contract marriage would be the worst of all. That was why the
rumors that Helen spread were so painful.
“You should have asked me for help as soon as you heard the rumor.
You should have discussed how to handle this with me.”
“…”
She had never thought to ask Carlisle for help. She was s ll not
accustomed to opening her hands to someone in an emergency.
“…I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that.”
She didn’t give any excuses with her apology. The contract marriage
was not hers alone. The misconcep ons could have hurt Carlisle as
well.
“If you know something, tell me next me. I almost killed all the
nobles at the party for you.”
Elena could not see the joke of the man’s head rolling on the floor.
She shot him a serious look.
“Don’t do that. If you kill people recklessly, you might be cri cized as
a tyrant in the future.”
“Tyrant? Is that what you think I am when I deal with those who
torment my own? Is it not a punishment for the nobles who prey on
the blood of others?”
His words were full of meaning. In fact, the power of the Ruford
Empire came from military force more than anything else. Carlisle
con nued indifferently.
“And I don’t care what they call me. If they want to ruin your honor
and ruin our wedding, then I won’t forgive them.”
Carlisle had not known her long, but for some reason he was
absolutely convinced that the rumors about her were false. There
was not a sliver of a doubt. A thought suddenly dawned on her.
“The rumors…what would you have done if they were true?”
She knew that this ques on was ul mately meaningless, but she was
curious about his answer.
Carlisle’s eyes turned silently towards Elena. The instant she met his
gaze, a chill ran down her back. His blue irises were so cold.
“…I would kill them all. All the men who came into contact with you.”
“What if it’s not one or two?”
“I told you, I would kill them all. And if you don’t stop, I’ll kill all the
men on the con nent.”
Elena swallowed dryly. His answer was beyond imagina on.
” If I were the only man in the world, then perhaps you would look at
me then.”
“…Wouldn’t it be best to just kill the one person and let that be the
end of it?”
It was common sense. If you don’t like chea ng, you kill the person
yourself. It would be too difficult to deal with all the other men.
Carlisle gave a low chuckle then looked at her with an enigma c
expression.
“Me kill you? That’s ridiculous.”
Elena was dumbfounded by his comment. Carlisle killed the man who
gave a false tes mony, and almost killed the other nobility at the
party. And then he said he would kill every man on the con nent…
It was strange that the only one he would not touch was Elena.
“Well, I’m thankful that you’ll save me in any situa on. And because
of you, the rumors will die. But I am a li le worried who might be
suspicious of my iden ty later.”
“I don’t like it either, but it can’t be helped. But now I’ve done this
much, the story will soon be buried.”
She was impressed that Carlisle had thought this far ahead.
Some mes he acted so stubbornly, but other mes he was
me culous.
“Shouldn’t we have taken the opportunity to punish the person who
started the rumors?”
“This is enough for now. The rumors about me will disappear anyway,
and all that will be le will be the tarnished reputa on of Lady Selby.”
“…You are too trustworthy.”
Elena smile faintly. He didn’t seem to understand it yet, but she
didn’t make this decision because she was weak.
“And Caril is too emo onal. The Selby family is a powerful family. It’s
not good to touch them now.”
This was a fight between the daughters, but if Carlisle went a er
Helen then Marquis Selby would be forced to move in as well. That
wouldn’t help Carlisle. Now all of Elena’s choices were focused on
making him emperor.
“If you become the emperor, we can pay back the remaining debt
then.”
Only then did Carlisle understand Elena’s innermost thoughts. He
gave a look of defeat, then a er a moment he laid down with his
head on her lap. His sudden ac ons gave Elena a start.
“What…!”
“Give me your lap for a moment. I rode three days and nights to see
you.”

Elena didn’t know what to do, but eventually she looked down at
Carlisle’s face and saw that he had closed his eyes. She had never
looked at him up close before. Carlisle adjusted himself on her knee
and spoke in a low voice. She wondered if he really was drowsy.
“I’ll visit your family soon.”
Come to think of it, she would have to explain her rela onship with
Carlisle when she returned to the mansion. They would find out soon
regardless, and it was best if it they heard it from her first.
As she thought over what to say to her family, the sound of steady
breathing came from Carlisle. Maybe he really was red, and he had
fallen asleep right away. She put aside her complicated thoughts for a
moment and stared at his slumbering figure.
It was a relaxing a ernoon.
Ch. 85 This Is Incredible (1)
Just as Carlisle said, gossip of what happened at the party quickly
spread throughout high society. Unlike the current so -spoken
emperor Sullivan, the sudden, brutal appearance of Carlisle was the
prime topic among the nobility, compounded by the fact that he had
spent years in the ba lefield before appearing in capital society.
While there had been stories about the Prince Redfield, word about
the Imperial Household now was far different from the past.
Inevitably, Elena’s name became a topic of conversa on as well. The
revela on that she and Carlisle had been in a rela onship for a while
now completely destroyed any other rumors. Carlisle had even killed
the nobleman who tried to frame her. As a result, only the rumors
about Helen started by Elena remained, and recently people began to
make reference to Helen in a nega ve way.
“Why are you so jealous of me? You’re just like Lady Selby.”
“When was I jealous of you!”
This kind of conversa on was common among the aristocrats these
days, and it was said that Helen locked herself up in her mansion.
However, there was another issue that Elena had to concentrate on
just around the corner. She originally intended to tell her family that
she would marry Carlisle, whom she met at the ball…
But now it was out in the open that she had been in a secret
rela onship with him all this me. Mirabelle did not yet know that
Elena was secretly seeing the prince, however. The moment Elena
had to confess. They had never hidden anything from each other, and
she was nervous that Mirabelle would be upset with her.
Elena uncharacteris cally gave a dry gulp.
“Mirabelle, I need to talk to you for a moment…”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Mirabelle, who was si ng leisurely in her room, stepped out when
she heard Elena’s call. Mirabelle was the picture of sweetness, but
Elena could not smile at the scene. Her face s ffened.
“I have to confess something to you. It’s a li le bit too much to say
here, um…Should we move somewhere else and talk over a cup of
tea? “
“What? Why are you so serious, sister? “
Mirabelle was worried about her. Elena was normally more
straigh orward and didn’t usually talk in a roundabout way.
Mirabelle wordlessly followed Elena to an outside pa o table, and
they didn’t speak even a er Mary brought Mirabelle’s favorite milk
tea. Elena found herself not knowing where to begin. Soon the
silence became too oppressive.
“Mirabelle, drink your tea when it’s warm.”
“I will. But can you tell me what you want to say first?”
Mirabelle looked up curiously but Elena remained hesitant. Mirabelle
knew that her sister was struggling, so she pa ently took a sip of her
tea.
As Elena watched Mirabelle cup her tea with both hands and blow
gently on it’s steaming surface, she realized that this moment truly
was real. Her words really would lead to a marriage with Carlisle. She
had already made this decision in her head over and over, but this
was the first me that she would reveal it to her family.
“…Mirabelle.”
“Yes.”
“The truth is…”
Mirabelle tried to prompt Elena further.
“What is it?”
A er another moment, Elena answered with a ght voice.
“…I’m in love.”
Mirabelle blinked owlishly a few mes, then came to her senses.
“W-what?”
Her voice was louder than before.
“Actually…there’s a man I’ve been seeing for a while now.”
“Whaaaaat?”
Mirabelle’s mouth dropped open, before realizing her rudeness and
covering her mouth with both hands. For a moment there was
silence again. Mirabelle could not believe it. She suspected that Elena
was nervous about something, but she never dreamed that it was
because she was seeing someone. Elena hadn’t expressed any
interest in men or rela onships at all before. Of course, in reality
Mirabelle’s suspicions were not wrong, as Carlisle’s and Elena’s
marriage was one of convenience.
“‘A while now’…How long have you been seeing each other? No, no,
wait. Who’s the man?”
The moment was finally here for Elena. It was one thing to tell her
sister that she had been seeing someone, but was even more nerve-
wracking to tell her who it was.
“Well…”
“Is he in the capital city?”
“…It’s His Highness.”

“His Highness? Who…Oh my!”

Mirabelle eyes widened even more. She inferred it was Carlisle as he
was the one that danced with Elena at the ball. Mirabelle stared at
her sister in disbelief as if to ask, Are you really da ng Carlisle?
Instead of answering, Elena slowly nodded.
“Oh my God!”
Mirabelle squealed and leapt from her seat and ran in a circle around
the table several mes. She thought they looked beau ful together
dancing at the ball…but she never imagined that the two would be
together. Her words were a scramble in her mind. Mirabelle forced
herself to calm and returned to the table and sat down. Her eyes
shone with curiosity.
“How long have you been seeing each other? Why didn’t you tell
me?”
Ch. 86 This Is Incredible (2)
Mirabelle’s ques ons le Elena in a nervous sweat. She had already
talked with Carlisle about their new love story, and she was perfectly
prepared this me. No ma er what, this had to be seen as a loving
marriage by everyone. It was the first term on the contract as well.
Pretend to act in love in public.
She didn’t want to worry her family, and Elena spoke the words she
had prac ced in the mirror.
“The prince didn’t want to reveal our rela onship. Since he had been
at war all this me, he had planned to come to the capital later and
meet our family…He had asked me to keep it a secret un l then.”
She felt bi er about having to lie to her beloved sister, but life
some mes had to go by in ignorance.
“Since when did you meet him?”
“I ran into him…It just happened. We didn’t see each other o en
because he was always so far away.”
“I’m a li le sad that you didn’t men on it to be.”
Elena felt a pang of guilt in her heart. This love affair with Carlisle was
a complete lie, but this situa on was real. She didn’t want to hide
anything from her sister as much as possible.
“…I’m sorry.”
Mirabelle’s disappointed expression melted away at the sincerity of
Elena’s words. They had been together for a long me, and they
didn’t need many words to understand each other. From Mirabelle’s
point of view, Elena must have liked Carlisle so much to keep the
secret to herself.
“So…was the Crown Prince the shy acquaintance who sent you the
dresses and jewelry?”
“…Yes.”
“Wow, that’s great.”
She had wondered how important this mysterious acquaintance must
be, but it turned out to be the crown prince.
“So he’s not just a handsome face. He must have deep feelings for
you, too.”
Elena nodded awkwardly and suddenly felt ashamed of her posi on.
It really felt like she was introducing the man she liked.
“How about you?”
“…What?”
“Do you love him too?”
“Ah…”
She paused for a moment, then quickly came up with her answer.
“Yes. I love him so much.”
Hearing this, Mirabelle felt no need to ask any more ques ons.
“Then that’s enough.”
“…?”
“My sister is in love. That’s what love is all about. Like there is only
one person in the world.”
“Y-yes.”
Elena nodded in agreement. Mirabelle then took Elena’s hands and
con nued on delightedly.
“Congratula ons, sister! The last me I saw him at the ball, I thought
he looked with great you…but yes, this is incredible!”
Elena was s ll on edge despite the cheerfulness of Mirabelle’s
response.
“Is…is that it?”
“Hmm? Is there something more?”
Elena thought that Mirabelle would be more upset, but instead she
seemed to be taking this too easily.
“I only need you to be happy. As long as you love the Crown Prince I
will be too!”
Though the situa on itself was fake, the warmth of Mirabelle’s heart
was real. A smile flickered on Elena’s features.
“…Thank you, Mirabelle.”
It may seem trivial to others, but Mirabelle always seemed to teach
Elena what happiness was. Because of her, Elena valued every
minute of this new life.
“Oh! I’m grateful you told me, but I don’t think this should be a secret
from Father…”
“Yes, I think it’s me to be honest with Father. It’s because I’m
thinking about marriage.”
“M-marriage?”
Mirabelle had only just found out they were seeing it each other, but
now there was talk of marriage? She was worried how their father
would react.
“Sister…”
Mirabelle once again gathered Elena’s hands.
“I’ll help you when you talk to Father.”
Elena smiled. In the aristocra c society where poli cal marriages
were common, she had no idea how her father would accept it
either.
“Thank you for your support, Mirabelle. I’ll send a le er and let
Derek know about it.”
It would take some me before a le er would reach him. If possible,
Elena wanted to tell him as soon as possible before the rumors in the
capital traveled south.
A er a long conversa on with Mirabelle, Elena sat at her desk and
began to pen her le er to Derek.
She did not know at the me the commo on this le er would cause
in the future.
*
*
*
Evening soon descended. Alphord, who lived mostly at the royal
quarters of the Knight’s Fourth Order at the Imperial Household, sent
a message saying he would soon visit the mansion. Elena knew this
was the me to reveal her rela onship with Carlisle. Maybe her
father was returning home a er hearing the rumors circula ng in
society.
“My father is coming home tonight, so please tell the chef to prepare
fish instead of meat.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
It hadn’t been long since Michael started working here, but he had
done an excellent job in helping manage the household du es. As
Elena watched the hard-working servants, she once again
strengthened her resolve.
‘…Stay firm.’
Telling Mirabelle about her rela onship was a walk in the garden
compared to telling her father.
Time passed, and Alphord was to arrive at the mansion soon. Elena
ordered all the servants to gather for a grand welcome.
Tadak, tadak, tadak.
Although Alphord was a knight, he usually rode a carriage even
though his preferred method of travel was by horseback. This me,
however, she spo ed her father racing towards them on a horse.

‘What’s the rush?’

Before the ques on even fully formed in her head, Alphord arrived in
front of the mansion in no me, and swi ly got off his horse and
came straight toward Elena. He had a terrifying atmosphere about
him.
“Welcome home, My Lord.”
Alphord ignored Michael’s gree ng and stopped short of Elena. Then
he yelled at her in a searing tone.
“Elena, what the hell have you been doing?”
Ch. 87 Today She Did Not Cry (1)
“Elena, what the hell have you been doing?”
Elena flinched in shock, but she understood what Alphord was trying
to ask. He wanted to know about the rumors spreading throughout
society. But she had another ques on.
‘What had he heard?’
It was unclear whether Alphord was asking about the false rumors
spread by Helen or a scandal involving Carlisle. However, if he had
heard the scandalous rumors about Elena, then he would have
rushed to the mansion much sooner than now. Given that this was
when he had shown up, it was likely he came a er hearing about
Carlisle.
‘…He doesn’t know all the rumors, does he?’
Perhaps he was indifferent about the other rumors, but came
running as soon as Carlisle was involved. Although her father was
blunt and did not express himself well, she s ll believed he had love
for her somewhere. She replied in her usual calm voice, hiding her
shaken gaze.
“Why don’t you come inside and have dinner first?”
“That’s enough. I’ll skip the meal for now. I want to listen to you
speak first.”
“…Yes, Father.”
She couldn’t disobey her father. She dismissed the other servants
before walking to his office with only her family. No ma er how
much Alphord, Elena and Mirabelle were the masters of the house, it
was not a good idea to have important conversa ons in the presence
of other servants. Anyone could listen in and eventually a terrible
story could spread, just what had happened with Sophie.
The family walked towards Alphord’s private office without saying a
word.
Dalkag.
Alphord opened the office door first and strode in. Elena made to
follow, but Mirabelle grasped her sleeve.
“I’ll go with you, sister.”
“This is fine. This is my problem, so it’s be er I have a quiet
conversa on with Father.”
“But…I’m worried.”
Mirabelle did not miss how Alphord arrived with a stormy temper.
She did not know the details, but she had already guessed that
Alphord had come back a er having heard something about Elena
and Carlisle. The chances were high that the conversa on would turn
south.
“Don’t worry. Just wait outside.”
It was Elena’s turn to smile. Alphord called out loudly from inside.
“What are you doing, not coming in?”
“Yes, Father.”
She quickly pa ed Mirabelle’s head before hurrying inside where her
father was wai ng for her. An expression of regret passed on
Mirabelle’s face before the door swung shut.
Alphord intently watched Elena as she came into the room, and
before going straight into the conversa on.
“Explain clearly what the rumors about you are.”
“I don’t know exactly what you’re asking–”
Kwaang!
Alphord slammed his fist on the mahogany table.
“I’m asking you about Prince Carlisle! If it’s true that you met with
him!”
“…!”
Elena stopped talking at the sudden burst of outrage. Alphord was a
knight of discipline who never shouted or did anything violent in the
house. Her brother Derek was the same. Elena, a swordswoman in
her last life, knew be er how difficult it was for people in their
profession to maintain a decent personality. For some reason or
another, most other swordsmen were eccentric and fierce, and the
taverns in the village were always crowded with mercenaries.
At first Elena couldn’t decipher their wild moods, but she gradually
came to an understanding as me went by. It was a feeling known
only to those who had blood on their hands. The more that you saw
death in ba le, the more you felt like your mind was falling apart.
Even the ever-composed Elena could not cool her emo ons and
some mes ran like a madman in the middle of the night. She had
witnessed so many deaths, not only of the enemies, but of all the
soldiers whom she had greeted only the day before. A mul tude of
thoughts would torment her mind. Would she die like them? Did the
people she kill have families? From the me she held the sword,
those words haunted her like a shadow. The dark feelings
accumulated in her mind, unsorted and unforgo en. Had it not been
for her firm determina on to avenge her family, Elena might have
been broken. That was her life in the past, and she wondered if her
father, the head of the Fourth Order of Knights of the Royal Family,
lived like that too.
‘…So don’t get upset.’
She tried not to be hurt at Alphord’s frustra ons.
“If you’ve heard the rumor–”
“Which one? The rumor about your conduct? Or that the Crown
Prince has cut off the head of another noble because of you?”
“…You know that too?”
Alphord’s comments meant that he knew about the vicious rumors
Elena had spread. S ll…he was more curious about her rela onship
with Carlisle.
“Ah…”
Elena was forced to sigh. She could feel some long-suffering feeling of
anger surging inside her. She had hoped there would be some
men on of Helen’s name from her father’s mouth so she could
explain where those bad stories came from. Her father didn’t want to
know anything about it.
‘…How could he be like this?’
The rumors that Elena went to see a man every night must have been
more than a father can bear. But how can he be more curious about
the Crown Prince than his daughter?
“Did you hear me? What is your rela onship with the Crown Prince?”
When she looked at him, it was like a knife cut a corner of her chest.
This sorrow… She wanted to deny what she was thinking, but she
also wanted to ask it to her father directly.
‘Do you s ll love me?’
She had always been behind Derek and Mirabelle, but she always
believed that her father felt love for her. For once, she wanted to be
in his broad arms and make him smile. Only once…She wanted to
lament how hard it was by herself…
Maybe this was something that was not allowed in Elena’s life.
“Elena!”
Alphord snapped at her again, and Elena answered in a quiet tone.
“The Crown Prince…”
She felt like she had a hole in her chest, but she soon hardened
herself. She could fake this. She had prac ced in the mirror dozens of
mes a er hearing that her father was coming back to the mansion.
She spoke without the slightest choke.
“We met each other a while ago. We came across each other by
chance and loved each other from the start, and we’ve been having a
secret rela onship since.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything when I said there was a proposal
from the Morris family?”
“Back then…I wasn’t sure what you would say.”
She only told her father about her ideal type of man in case her
contract with Carlisle was destroyed. Since most poli cal marriages
were decided by the head of household, she thought it was be er to
let him know what kind of man she wanted. What’s more, the
original plan was to have the wedding with Carlisle a er the ball, but
now the situa on had changed because of Helen.
Alphord fixed his daughter with a disappointed look.
“Did you not even think about marriage when you met with the
Crown Prince? In case you separated from him you should consider a
marriage that would elevate yourself.”
Elena couldn’t bring herself to answer at his reproach. She wanted to
ask him, “Do I need to marry someone just because I’m in a roman c
rela onship?” and “Do you know what era it is?”
But she did not. She was always stuck mute in front of her father.
‘…Why?’

She couldn’t help but ask herself, but then she swallowed down a
cynical smile.
‘Because I don’t want to be hated…’
Unbelievably, she couldn’t bring herself to say a word against her
coldhearted father. There was Derek, who would succeed this family,
and Mirabelle, who must always be protected…
‘…Look at me too, Father.’
Please love me a li le, Father. The words she couldn’t say hovered at
her mouth. Everything she had done was for this family, her father
included. Elena’s eyes turned sorrowful. Alphord was about to say
something more, when suddenly, the door banged open and
Mirabelle strode impa ently in.
Chapter 88 Today She Did Not Cry (2)
“Father! Aren’t you being too hard on her?”
Alphord’s brow furrowed with Mirabelle’s appearance.
“…You’re out of line, Mirabelle.”
Elena turned to Mirabelle and quickly shook her head. She didn’t
want Mirabelle to alienate herself from their father. Mirabelle,
however, did not heed Elena’s objec on and spoke her mind.
“My sister really loves the prince! Is it not enough to wish them a
happy rela onship?”
“Do you think one can be so light-hearted when in a rela onship with
the Crown Prince? If she wants to be married into the imperial family,
how much Elena loves does not ma er. It’s purely a ma er of
whether His Highness the prince wants it or not.”
Alphord’s voice had long since turned cold. Elena knew her father’s
expression well now. He was from a family of knights, and was one
who fought for the crown rather than had done housework. At the
moment Alphord was not talking as Elena’s father, but as a servant of
Carlisle, who would one day become emperor. And that was why
Elena was terribly upset…
Mirabelle spoke up again furiously.
“So what you’re saying that regardless of my sister’s heart, his mind
ma ers only? Would they be in a rela onship if they didn’t love each
other? She wanted to tell the family!”
Alphord looked at Mirabelle with an interested expression, then
turned to Elena.
“Is it true? Is he also interested in marriage?”
“…Yes. The prince said he’d come by the mansion in the future.”
Mirabelle hadn’t heard of this yet, and she turned towards Elena. For
a moment, both Alphord and Mirabelle’s eyes were focused on her.
“He said he wanted to say hello to the family in person.”
Mirabelle looked surprised for a moment, then gathered herself and
spoke in a triumphant voice towards Alphord.
“See, I told you. Why wouldn’t he want her?”
Elena turned to Alphord, leaving outspoken Mirabelle’s words. She
was more curious about something else.
“What is your opinion, Father? If I really were to marry the Crown
Prince.”
This was not a marriage to another noble, but to the imperial family.
What Alphord thought was very important. If he objected, no ma er
how much Elena would protest, she could not marry Carlisle. That
was the power of the head of a family among the nobles. There was
also that prophecy of misfortune to consider.
Alphord answered with no hesita on.
“Didn’t I say? If the wedding is what the prince wants, then you may
proceed. It is the duty of a servant.”
Fortunately he didn’t oppose, but apart from that, Elena’s feelings fell
to an endless depth. Alphord expressed no interest about his
daughter’s happiness, what kind of man Carlisle was, or how well she
was being treated. Alphord would have accepted this marriage, even
if Carlisle had a terrible personality. It wasn’t about whether she
wanted this man or not. Her father was a faithful knight even at this
moment.
“Now that we’re done talking, Elena and I will go back.”
Alphord hadn’t said they could leave yet, and Mirabelle’s comment
was the height of presump on. He spoke disapprovingly.
“Mirabelle, do you behave like that to your father? Do it again and
you’ll be in trouble.”
“…Huh.”
Mirabelle give a short huff, and then dragged Elena by her hand out
of the office. And so they walked down the hallway like that…
At one point, Elena was completely overwhelmed with emo on. She
felt a huge loss beyond words. It was not even comparable to when
Helen was spreading false rumors, and the blade deeply embedded
in her seemed to have torn the wound apart. Un l now, her only
purpose was to protect her family… and it felt like her purpose was
rejected. Feeling concerned, Mirabelle stopped halfway and looked
up at Elena.
“Are you all right?”
“…Yes.”
But contrary to what she was saying, Elena was trembling slightly.
“Sister, are you crying?”
Elena shook her head. She immediately leaned over and hugged
Mirabelle, who was shorter than she was. She desperately needed to
feel her sister’s warmth.
“…I’m not crying.”
On her heart were ten million cuts and she hadn’t cried…So today
she did not let her tears fall.
*
*
*
The days passed quickly. There had been many changes since Carlisle
and Elena were now officially in a rela onship. Once again Elena was
flooded with invita ons to various par es, and suddenly people who
had not been in contact with her began to ask a er her. The le er
she had sent to Derek brother should have arrived by now, and she
was paid careful a en on for his reply.
It was impossible to concentrate on that now, however. It was none
other than the day that Carlisle said he would visit the Blaise
mansion. Every corner of the mansion had been scoured by the
servants. In the early hour, Alphord did not leave to see the knights
and Mirabelle wore her best dress. No one said it, but they were all
an cipa ng the Crown Prince’s arrival.

The clock’s hand finally pointed to the promised me. There was a
ra ling noise, and Elena saw a familiar black coach entering the
mansion grounds. At the entrance to the mansion, the carriage
stopped and Carlisle exited and stepped down.
“Ah!”
Some of the servants let out an exclama on, while others stared with
their mouths agape.
He had a tall height and a solid figure. His face had a sculptural
handsomeness to it and his blue eyes contained a cold chill. He
looked perfect in every way, and his air of pride struck the female
spirit. The Blaise servants thought they had go en used to seeing
Elena and Mirabelle, but Carlisle was something else. Elena took a
few steps towards him when he arrived.
“Welcome.”
Carlisle gave a small as she approached to greet him.
“How have you been?”
Chapter 89 One Small Bud (1)
“How have you been?”
Carlisle’s visit to the Blaise mansion was sure to be gossiped about,
but it was best not to reveal as much as possible. No ma er the fact
that Elena and the prince were lovers, some noblemen would s ll
speculate why the crown prince would visit the Blaises himself. There
must be a group of people who would find a poli cal reason. For
now, it was best to keep Alphord out of the way and have it look like
that Carlisle was simply passing by. Everything needed a jus fica on.
Carlisle had requested this beforehand as well, and if it weren’t for
that, Elena would have found it harder to deal with her father’s
stubbornness.
“Why are your eyes look wet today?”
“…Don’t joke.”
Elena remembered how she felt like she had been stabbed
needlessly, but she soon straightened her face. Carlisle then stepped
back and smiled.
“I’m not being funny.”
For some reason Carlisle seemed playful and friendly today, a sharp
contrast to the me he brought a dismembered nobleman’s head at
the party. Elena had asked Kuhn once before–was Carlisle a playful
person? Kuhn then solemnly answered that he did not play games…
So it seemed that only Elena saw this side of him.
“My father is wai ng in the dining room. I stopped him from coming
out to meet you. This is an informal visit.”
Carlisle’s visit to the Blaise mansion was sure to be gossiped about,
but it was best not to reveal as much as possible. No ma er the fact
that Elena and the prince were lovers, some noblemen would s ll
speculate why the crown prince would visit the Blaises himself. There
must be a group of people who would find a poli cal reason. For
now, it was best to keep Alphord out of the way and have it look like
that Carlisle was simply passing by. Everything needed a jus fica on.
Carlisle had requested this beforehand as well, and if it weren’t for
that, Elena would have found it harder to deal with her father’s
stubbornness.
“This way, Your Highness–”
“If this is an informal visit, why are you calling me Your Highness?”
Elena couldn’t think of how to reply. This grand recep on not only
involved Alphord and Mirabelle, but all the servants as well. Elena
secretly glanced at the other servants’ faces and wondered if calling
the prince “Caril” would cause an issue. Carlisle smiled lightly as if he
knew what she was thinking about.
“What does the rest of them ma er?”
Most of the people working in the mansion were under the control of
the Blaises. Some mes a case like Sophie’s may appear…but that
didn’t ma er. They were supposed to be madly in love, both at home
and in public.
“Caril…”
She murmured his name, and a few of the servants nearby raised
their eyebrows. Very few people, except for the Emperor, the
Empress, and his brother, were allowed call the crown prince by a
personal name.
“Say it like that. You promised me that you would call me by my
nickname when we’re alone.”
One of the maids gave a small scream of “Kyaaa!” Carlisle’s words
sounded so roman c that it had come out uninten onally. Elena
turned her hot face away from Carlisle and made to lead him inside.
“I know. I didn’t forget my promise.”
She was supposed to call him Caril per the contract, but they had met
in so many official loca ons that the name did not s ck in her mouth.
Only a er hearing her reaffirm it did Carlisle look sa sfied.
“Let’s go.”
Then Carlisle followed Elena into the mansion.
“This way, please. I’ll show you to the dining room.”
She turned her head to look at Carlisle, and she saw the maids’ eyes
shining brightly. All servants felt the chemistry between Elena and
Carlisle was simmering hot.
Just before the couple entered the dining room they were le alone,
and Elena dropped her eyes.
“No ma er how much we pretend to be in love, saying that all of a
sudden somewhat embarrasses me.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re telling me to call you by an affec onate name in
front of others.”
“I only said what we promised.”
Elena was surprised to see Carlisle talk seriously as if he were not
ac ng.
‘…A playboy.’
But this me, it felt like this was not so bad. A er her conversa on
with her father, she needed Carlisle’s full support right now.
“Thank you.”
“…?”
Carlisle gave her a ques oning look, and she con nued.
“You have made good on your contract. Pretending to love me like
you do in front of others will help me out greatly.”
“Thank you very much.”
Elena gave a small smile to Carlisle. He paused for a brief moment at
the sight of it, but she didn’t catch his reac on. All her nerves were
on edge at the impending mee ng between Carlisle her family. As
she approached the door to the dining room, she stopped to look at
Carlisle again.
“Then I look forward to working with you.”
With that, Elena opened the door. She saw her father and Mirabelle
wai ng anxiously for them in the dining room, and Alphord abruptly
stood up and bowed deeply as soon as Carlisle came in.
“Hail the Crown Prince. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
Although it was a natural gree ng for the crown prince, it was not
one for mee ng a daughter’s lover. Carlisle walked towards Alphord
and raised the older man up.
“Please stand up. I feel burdened when I am greeted by my father-in-
law like this.”
“Your Highness…you don’t have to call me father-in-law.”
“Why? Won’t you allow me your daughter?”
“Please. Take her any me you want.”
Elena felt a s ng at how quickly her father’s reply came, but Carlisle
gave him a sa sfied look.
“You must keep that promise now.”
Carlisle soon sat down at the head of the long table. Normally
Alphord took that seat while Elena and Mirabelle sat at the side, but
now Carlisle sat at the head with Alphord on his right and Elena and
Mirabelle on his le . In a hierarchical society, everyone was seated
according to their status. Carlisle was none other than the crown
prince, and except for His Majesty the Emperor, there was no higher
posi on than Carlisle now.
“Anything you need, please tell me.”
“Something is missing from Lady Blaise.”
At Carlisle’s affec onate tone, Alphord’s and Mirabelle’s gaze
immediately moved to Elena. She smiled awkwardly.
“Enjoy the meal, Caril.”
“You as well.”
Alphord’s brows furrowed at Elena’s casual use of the name “Caril.”
He was worried that the nickname might be an act of disrespect, but
he saw the way the crown prince easily accepted it. Perhaps their
rela onship had already progressed to the point that they were this
affec onate. Alphord found this knowledge surprising and he glanced
at his daughter.
It wasn’t un l a moment later did Elena realized she had
inadvertently called Carlisle by his pet name, but by that me it was
already spilled water.
‘…We’ll have to show that we get along as much as possible. Isn’t this
be er?’
At last, the dishes prepared in the kitchen began to arrive. Elena had
been par cularly me culous about the menu choices.
“Let’s eat everyone.”
Only a er he started ea ng were the others allowed to touch the
food. Meanwhile, Mirabelle was staring at Carlisle as if he had come
out of a fantasy. Carlisle’s visit s ll seemed like a dream.
Chapter 90 One Small Bud (2)
Fortunately, the generous lunch ended in a pleasant atmosphere.
Carlisle was the same as before, Alphord was polite, Mirabelle was
calm, and nothing of huge consequence had happened. The worries
which kept Elena up the previous night seemed to be founded on
nothing.
“Your Highness, would you care for a game of chess?”
Carlisle nodded in reply to the proposal.
“Of course.”
The two men made to move to Alphord’s study. As a rule, women’s
and men’s gatherings were divided at par es. Men gathered together
to share conversa on on topics such as poli cs and economics, and
while the women gathered for news and family gossip. It was not
unusual for the sexes to separate a er the meal. Carlisle followed
Alphord, then turned back to look at Elena.
“I’ll be back in a while. I’ll see you soon.”
It was a simple farewell, but it was loaded with affec on. Elena
smiled awkwardly and nodded, while Mirabelle and her maids
pretended to swoon in the background. As soon as Carlisle exited
from the room, Elena was immediately hounded with ques ons from
Mirabelle and the maids.
“Sister, you’ve been calling him by a pet name this whole me!”
“The prince is so handsome.”
“You two look wonderful together!”
Elena was completely flustered at their enthusias c reac ons.
“Oh, it just happened–”
The maids kept jabbering away that Elena had no me to answer.
“Show the prince to your room later. We’ll bring you a delicious cup
of tea.”
“What are you talking about? We mustn’t disturb them! Try to save
those two some quality me.”
“Oh! I’m so excited!”
Elena le the maids to their gossip and slipped away. She had
prepared a rough outline of the story when she met Carlisle, but this
didn’t seem to be the right me to men on it. She le the room, and
Mirabelle quickly followed her.
“Sister!”
“Hm? Oh, Mirabelle.”
Elena turned her head to find her sister approaching her. Elena was
planning to go back to her room, but Mirabelle took her hand and
dragged her in a different direc on.
“What are you doing? Where are we going?”
“Shh! Follow me quietly, sister.”
Mirabelle glanced around and gestured at her to stay silent. As Elena
looked down with a ques oning look, Mirabelle replied in a whisper.
“Don’t you wonder what Father and the Crown Prince are talking
about?”
Elena’s eyes widened at the unexpected ques on. Of course she
wondered. To say otherwise would be a lie. She was worried about
what her father would say, and she worried what Carlisle would do.
Mirabelle smiled as if she understood Elena’s feelings.
“I found a place where you can secretly listen to them. Let’s go!”
“What? Really?”
With a puzzled expression, she allowed herself to be led by
Mirabelle’s hand towards the study. Unlike the first me she was
unexpectedly dragged away, Elena moved cau ously. Alphord held a
prominent posi on as the head of the knights, while Carlisle held
years of experience at the ba lefield. A clumsy approach would
easily reveal her.
Hwik–
She easily jumped the waist-high fence with one hand.
“Wow, sister. You’re amazing.”
Even to Mirabelle’s inexperienced eyes, Elena’s nimble moves were
something impressive.
Alphord’s study was located on the first floor, and the windows were
rela vely low and easily accessible. However, with its large windows
she didn’t have a place where she could easily eavesdrop unno ced,
and there was also no guarantee that they would talk with the
windows open either. However…
There was a small ven la on window for the book that always
remained opened, and was located in a secluded area. As she moved
through the path to approach the window, Elena stopped and looked
at Mirabelle.
“Mirabelle, you keep watch here. It might be too difficult for you to
see.”
While Mirabelle had brought her this far, it was likely that anyone
would no ce her footsteps if she came any closer. The window was
located higher than the others as well, and it was not easy for
Mirabelle to reach with her short stature.
“Alright. Tell me about it later.”
“Yes, I will.”
She was grateful to Mirabelle for finding this place for her sake. If
Elena wanted to eavesdrop she could have found a suitable place
herself, though not necessarily this one. But before she had no
inten on to do so, and thanks to Mirabelle her curiosity was stoked.
Sasak–
Elena approached the small window quietly and peeked inside the
study. Alphord and Carlisle were seated facing each other as they
played chess. Alphord was white, and Carlisle was black. The chao c
situa on on the board seemed to indicate a ght struggle.
“You’re be er at chess than I an cipated.”
“I’ve been working on a tac c, and I’ve never lost a game like this.”
Their voices were clear enough that it was easy enough to overhear
them. In case she could be seen, she lowered her head and listened
to them talk. However, no specific conversa on was forthcoming.
‘Was this really necessary? They’re only going to play chess.’
Elena was deba ng whether she should go back to Mirabelle when
Alphord’s stern voice cut through her thoughts.
“What do you think of my daughter? Please be honest with me.”
“You said you would give her to me. Do you intend to take back what
you just said?”
“No, but she’s…she’s not suitable to be a princess.”
Elena’s expression hardened and the ques on of “Why?” ran through
her mind.

“It is not for Lord Blaise to judge. I decide whether she can live up to
the posi on.”
Tak.
He set down a chess piece louder than before. Elena swallowed her
breath subconsciously. Indeed, Carlisle was fulfilling the contract
amazingly. This act could fool anyone.
“My daughter…do you care about her?”
“The word care is an understatement. I’m driven mad with desire
your daughter.”
Elena’s heart thumped wildly in her chest. Un l now, she couldn’t
consider his words to be completely true. But for this moment, even
Elena seemed to almost believe it.
“She is not just your daughter, but a crown princess. If you make such
disparaging remarks like now, I will not tolerate it even if it comes
from my father-in-law. I hope you don’t forget that from now on.”
Carlisle’s voice was like a spring breeze on Elena’s frozen heart. She
clutched a hand to her chest. This was a strange feeling. It was
something she had never felt in her past life or present life. It was as
if in her heart, which had been parched like a drought, a small bud
grew.
Ch. 91 Are You Nervous? (1)
Elena finally gave up eavesdropping on their conversa on and le .
She didn’t feel like she needed to hear anything more.
So far, Carlisle had helped Elena in numerous ways. He assigned Kuhn
to her, sent her dresses and jewelry, and stopped the rumors that
Helen had spread. She always thought he was a good choice as a
marriage partner. But this me, something was different. She really
felt like she was really being taken care of as a woman. She had never
felt this way, and it was strange to her.
“Oh? Sister, are you back already?”
Mirabelle looked at Elena curiously as she approached her. Elena
nodded, the numbness in her mind fading away.
I thought I would get caught if I stayed too long. They didn’t say
anything.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Let’s go back now.”
Elena took the lead, and Mirabelle followed behind. She had a
strange expression on her face.
“But sister…Why is your face so red?”
Elena quickly raised her hand to touch her cheek.
“…My face?”
“Yes. Did something happen?”
Mirabelle was anxious about her sister, but Elena shook her head.
“It’s really nothing. It…it must have been hot.”
“Eh?”
It was a cool windy day, but Elena just smiled awkwardly and
hastened her steps. Mirabelle followed with a ques oning look.
“Something’s strange…ah, wait for me!”
Mirabelle ran to catch up to her sister.
*
*
*
Elena was si ng in her room. She didn’t sleep well the night before
Carlisle’s visit, and she was exhausted. She was gathering her
thoughts and res ng, when suddenly a knock on the door
interrupted her. There were so many things to worry about over
Carlisle’s visit. She thought something might have happened, so she
hurriedly straightened her posture and answered.
“Come in.”
The door opened. She thought it would be one of the maids, but to
her surprise it was Carlisle who entered. Elena leapt from her seat.
She didn’t expect him to have already finished playing chess with
Alphord, but even so, he should’ve gone to the drawing room
a erwards.
“How did you–”
“They showed me to your room.”
“…!”
Her mouth opened and she s ffened. Perhaps it was a mischievous
maid who sent him. Although they were supposed to be lovers, it was
not their true rela onship and Elena was a li le uncomfortable with
his sudden visit. She remembered the conversa on she overheard
between Carlisle and her father earlier and couldn’t help but feel
more awkward than usual.
“Please, come in.”
It was rude to keep Carlisle wai ng at the entrance, however, so
Elena cau ously allowed him into the room. Carlisle then looked
around as he walked in.
“Is this your room?”
“…Yes.”
“It’s very simple.”
It was a brief compliment, but he wasn’t wrong. It must look frugal
for an aristocrat in Carlisle’s eyes.
“But it’s my style.”
“…Eh?”
Elena looked at him in surprise.
“Maybe because it’s your room. I like it for some reason.”
Carlisle glanced around. Her face felt hot again. To avoid being alone
with him, she hurriedly offered an excuse.
“Please have a seat. I’ll get you some tea.”
“No thank you. I’ve already had some with your father.”
Carlisle sat down opposite of her where she stood and stared at her.
“What are you doing? You should sit down too.”
“Oh, yes.”
Elena was forced to take her seat. The original plan was to take
control of the situa on with some tea, but even that had failed.
For a moment there only silence between the two. Carlisle had a
knack for making his opponents nervous, but this posi on was
par cularly uncomfortable.
“Why are you fidge ng so much?”
“Am I?”
“Are you nervous? Because I’m here to meet your family?”
He was exactly right, but that wasn’t the only reason. It was also
because of the way Carlisle had been so emo onally open to her
father. It was all done by the terms of the contract, of course, but the
words remained lodged in Elena’s heart, confusing her. A er a
moment of hesita on, Elena replied a beat later.
“No, it’s not that–
At her remark Carlisle gave a low chuckle. Then, he leaned his upper
body away from the chair towards her. Currently, the two were
seated facing each other with a small table between them, but as
Carlisle leaned over the presence of the table became meaningless.
The two were so close they could touch each other. As Carlisle
narrowed the gap between them, Elena reflexively leaned back. He
spoke in a low voice.
“Cute.”
Elena’s eyes widened. Such a word was reserved for a charming and
lovely girl like Mirabelle. Up un l now Elena had grown up listening
to other people say she was smart or reliable.
“What are you talking about–”
“You look cute when you’re nervous. Do you think I would harm your
family? It’s not like they’re against the marriage.”
There was something strange in the meaning of his words, as if he
would hurt them if they did. Carlisle’s face was ge ng nearer.
“Why do you keep coming so close?”
Elena was about to get up when Carlisle narrowed the distance even
more. Carlisle gave a small smile at her nervous expression.
“What are you thinking? I’m just trying to remove dust from your
hair.”
“Ah…”
“Where did you go when I was away? You didn’t have this on your
hair before.”
She suddenly remembered that she and Mirabelle went through a
narrow alley on the way to Alphord’s study. There was probably a lot
of dust because people did not go there o en. At that me she was
so absorbed that she didn’t check what had go en on her hair.
“I’ll do it myself.”
“Hold s ll.”

Carlisle’s long fingers touched her golden hair. His palm was thick and
rough from the ba lefield, but his fingers were very long and
delicate. The tendons on the back of his hand seemed strangely
a rac ve. Elena stared innocently at the floor, not knowing where to
look.
Seueug–
Carlisle brushed away the dust, but paused and looked down at her
trembling eyelashes. When Carlisle did not move at all, Elena raised
her eyes in curiosity. Their eyes met in midair. Carlisle’s blue irises
were right in front of Elena, burning with a mysterious heat.
At that moment, Carlisle’s large hand that was touching her hair slid
down to the back of her chair. He bent his arm, and their faces,
already so close, drew in even closer.
Are You Nervous? (2)
‘What? I thought he was taking dust off my hair?’
Elena’s red eyes widened.
Beolkeog!
There was a loud noise as the door opened and the sound of
women’s voices entered the room.
“Sister, would you and His Highness care for refreshments–”
She halted the moment she saw Carlisle and Elena. The room was
quiet as if it had been doused in cold water. To Mirabelle and the
maids standing outside, it looked as if the couple were about to kiss
each other.
“I’m sorry!”
Mirabelle yelped and went to scurry back outside to the maids. Elena
rose from her seat and pushed Carlisle away.
“No, it’s alright. Come in.”
Despite Elena’s invita on, no one stepped in. They seemed to think
they would get in the way. Behind Mirabelle’s back, the maids were
arguing quietly with each other.
“Ugh! I told you we shouldn’t go!”
“I didn’t know there would be a situa on like this…”
However, Elena felt too embarrassed to send them away and be le
alone with Carlisle. She didn’t want the others to misunderstand.
‘Why did he suddenly say he’d remove the dirt from my hair…’
Elena glanced wordlessly at Carlisle, the one who started this. In
contrast to Elena’s u er embarrassment, Carlisle was as calm as a s ll
lake. No, actually, he seemed to be really dissa sfied to be
interrupted so suddenly. Carlisle sat back in his original posi on and
spoke in a low voice.
“Just come in.”
There was a sense of pressure in his words, and Mirabelle and the
servants entered the room as if they had no choice. Elena sensed the
uncomfortable atmosphere and spoke.
“Please don’t misunderstand. He was just trying to get dust off my
hair.”
“Yes.”
Only Mirabelle nodded awkwardly along. Elena’s gaze suddenly came
upon the tray of refreshments Mirabelle was holding in her hand.
Carlisle said he didn’t care for tea, but the delicate-looking snacks
looked quite temp ng to her.
“Mirabelle, why don’t you join us? Show me what you brought here.”
A er a short pause, Mirabelle approached the table where the two
were si ng then put down the refreshments.
“I’m sorry that I interrupted you. I brought you some refreshments, if
you like.”
“You weren’t interrup ng.”
Mirabelle, however, was only looking at Carlisle. Carlisle looked at
Mirabelle’s face and recalled their mee ng at the ball.
“You are the Lady’s younger sister.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I saw you at the ball. Your sister had lots of praise for you.”
A blush crept up Mirabelle’s cheeks.
“I-I’m fla ered, Your Highness.”
A great load seemed to li off Elena’s mind when she saw Carlisle
speaking warmly to Mirabelle. While she expected the same from
other families, there was a par cularly strong desire that Carlisle
would not treat Mirabelle coldly.
“Sit down with us. I want to know the younger sister Lady Blaise loves
so much.”
“Ah…yes, Your Highness.”
Mirabelle’s face brightened at the thought of the three of them
si ng in Elena’s room and having friendly conversa on. Carlisle was
blunt but a en ve, and while Mirabelle was nervous at first she grew
more and more comfortable in talking. As a result, Elena was also
able to treat Carlisle naturally as well.
The three spent quite some me together before Carlisle rose up
from his seat.
“I have to leave now.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll see you off.”
Elena followed suit and stood up. Carlisle spoke to Mirabelle as she
followed them as well.
“Did you say earlier you wanted to see the palace?”
“Ah, yes, Your Highness”
“I’ll invite the two of you next me. I can show you around.”
“Wow, really?”
Mirabelle’s face flushed with joy. Mirabelle’s feelings could easily be
read on her face, and Carlisle smiled at her. Elena, who was watching
from the side, spoke first.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Nonsense. Your sister is also my sister-in-law.”
“Wow! How exci ng!”
Mirabelle grinned at Carlisle straigh orward reply. She couldn’t help
but be ecsta c that the crown prince of the Ruford Empire was now
her brother-in-law. She was also happy to see that Carlisle treated
Elena well and that they seemed to get along.
Elena looked at the innocent Mirabelle with a gentle expression,
while Carlisle stared at Elena. Suddenly, Elena and Carlisle’s eyes met.
Elena gave a look of gra tude, while Carlisle seemed to express that
it was nothing.
“Your Highness, please follow me this way.”
Elena guided Carlisle. Contrary to her worries, Carlisle’s visit to Blaise
mansion was a success.
*
*
*
Batori was pa ently standing by. He suffered a major injury when he
was pursued by Carlisle’s men, but had recovered much in a short
period of me. In front of Batori was the back of a leather chair, in
which a man was seated. The mysterious man spoke in a gruff voice.
“I believe your search was right. Given that the crown prince and
Elena Blaise are lovers, it is almost certain that the ring is the Dragon
Orb.”
Batori never once asked ques ons about his orders so far. He was
fine with only being paid anyway. But for the first me, he was
cap vated by an unbearable curiosity.
“My Lord, may I say something?”
There was no reply, but it was apparent that the mysterious man was
wai ng for him to speak.
“If you want to keep me in charge of this mission, please let me know
one thing. What on earth…what on earth is the Dragon Orb?”
Kkiiig–
The chair, which was facing away from Batori, was now turned to
him. The man’s iden ty was revealed, showing the man to have a
strong face with a black beard and dark eyes as deep as an abyss. It
was Paveluc, the Archduke of Lunen.
“You must have go en curious.”
“I apologize.”
“I’m leaving you Lady Blaise anyway, so you’ll need to know more.”
Batori swallowed at the sound of Paveluc’s gravelly voice. He was a
man who could be called a treasonous king.
Batori considered the current emperor of Ruford to be a fox in a
ger-free forest. One day, Paveluc would rise to the throne and
defeat Emperor Sullivan. If Batori could bet on Paveluc, he would
have bet an en re fortune. That was how fierce of an opponent
Paveluc was.
“Legend says that the dragon can use all kinds of mana with the Orb.
The Orb only appears to a boy who inherits the blood of the royal
family, who inherits the blood of the dragon.”
“…”
“But since they are not perfect, complete dragons, they are much
smaller in size and have limited abili es.”
Dragon’s blood? Was the myth of the Ruford Empire real? Batori
stared at Paveluc in disbelief, but Paveluc con nued without
stopping.
“The Orb, which had not appeared for genera ons, was thought to
be a legend, but it was revealed to Carlisle and he became the crown
prince. It doesn’t ma er if it’s just sick and red, but it bothers me to
hear it is annoying. “
“A er the Dragon’s Orb failed to appear for many genera ons, the
mythical jewel appeared to Carlisle, and so the humble boy became
the crown prince. I don’t care if it’s a myth, but I hear that it has a
troublesome ability.”
“A troublesome ability?”
“You can’t use it on yourself or your bloodline, but you can make a
wish for someone else.”
While speaking, Paveluc stroked his beard with one hand.
“Since the crown prince has given it to Lady Blaise, there is a good
chance that he made a wish for her. So keep an eye out for anything
suspicious.”
Batori could not understand Paveluc’s explana on even a er hearing
it. But as Batori looked into the man’s deep eyes, he knew it was not
a joke. And if Paveluc believed it so, it was certainly not something
Batori would dismiss lightly.
“If he made a wish for her sake, then it may have already come
true?”
“Yes. That is why I cannot guess what the prince would do with the
Orb.”
“I’ll keep a close watch on it.”
“There is no need to interfere in what they do. Just keep an eye on
what happens and report to me.”
“I understand.”
Batori didn’t fully understand the Orb’s existence, but it must be
important if Paveluc was so concerned. Batori was thrilled to know
about the hidden secrets about the Imperial Family.
“I’ll give you command of the Blood Assassins.”

“M-my Lord…”
Batori’s voice shook. It was a natural reac on to anyone who knew
who the Blood Assassins were. They were an elite group of killers
raised by Paveluc in Lunen.
“We need to know every single thing that has happened between the
Crown Prince and Blaise.”
“Yes, My Lord!”
At Batori’s reply, Paveluc turned his chair back again.
“Go.”
Batori bowed his head then le . Le alone in the dark room, Paveluc
remembered Elena at the ball and murmured to himself.
“…How troublesome.”
Ch. 93 I Am Happy Now (1)
Mirabelle had become enamored with Carlisle since his visit to the
Blaise mansion and kept asking Elena about him.
“Sister, when will you see him again?”
“It’s been a while since he stopped by, but it will happen.”
“Your rela onship isn’t a secret anymore, so you should go out on a
date. I’m worried you’re staying home too much.”
Mirabelle didn’t re of ac ng as the Cupid between them. It wasn’t
just Mirabelle either. Even the servants were completely absorbed by
Carlisle’s visit that day, and whenever the maids saw Elena they
would say things out of the blue like,
“My Lady, you and the crown prince look very good together.”
“…?”
At first she was startled by these casual remarks, but by now she was
accustomed to it. Carlisle had swept by them like a storm. Her
father’s reac on had also changed since the beginning. She didn’t
know whether it was because Carlisle was the crown prince or some
other reason, but he was certainly different. He didn’t say anything in
par cular to Elena, but the atmosphere allowed her to appreciate his
mee ng with Carlisle. She felt like she had made more progress than
before, even though she had only introduced the prince to her family.
Life returned to normal, and she found herself busy managing the
Blaise’s financial affairs these days. When the formal announcement
of her marriage to Carlisle would be made and she really would
become crown princess, the finances would be le to Mirabelle.
Elena was diligently preparing for that day, hoping to minimize the
stress and easing the transi on for Mirabelle to manage the
household.
Elena was si ng at her desk with her papers when Mary spoke up.
“Oh, it’s raining outside, My Lady.”
Elena li ed her head and saw that it was indeed star ng to rain. The
hour wasn’t late, but the sky was dark.
“Oh, I see.”
“I’ll check the mansion for any open windows and close them.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Mary stopped dying the room and le . Elena turned her eyes away
from the hec c stack of papers and watched the raindrops splash
against the window. Not too long ago it would have snowed because
of the cold weather, but the rain heralded the coming of spring.
‘…I hope it gets warmer.’
Mirabelle was sensi ve to the cold and was more comfortable during
the hot summers. But if someone asked Elena what was her favorite
kind of weather, she would say a rainy day just like now.
Tak, tak, tak, tak.
It was when she was staring outside and apprecia ng the sound of
the rain hi ng the window that she no ced someone rushing from
the garden of the mansion.
‘Who on earth is running so urgently on a rainy day?’
She was struck with a sudden curiosity. Mary, who le to close the
windows, now hurriedly came in the room.
“You should come out now, My Lady!”
“…?”
Elena gave her a ques oning look, and the maid con nued.
“Master Derek is here.”
“…What?”
The unexpected news forced her to leap up from her seat.
*
*
*
As Elena hurried down the hall towards the first floor, she saw Derek
with his raincoat on. Although she hadn’t seen him for a while, his
tall, disciplined body, short blond hair and blunt expression were just
as she remembered it.
“…Brother.”
Elena spoke in a so voice as she approached him. The image of her
coming down the stairs was reflected in his eyes as rainwater was
brushed from his shoulders.
“Master.”
Derek pushed away the butler’s hand when he saw his sister. She
came down the stairs with a single breath, and Derek reached her
quickly in a few strides of his long legs. She couldn’t help but wonder
as she looked into Derek’s eyes.
“Why are you here?”
“Do you expect your older brother to just stay s ll a er sending that
kind of le er?”
His voice was rougher than usual, and she could only guess how
terrible his mood was. Only then did Elena realize that Derek must
have felt betrayed by her secret love affair with Carlisle, just like any
other family member would feel.
“I’m…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you first. But I couldn’t say that I was
seeing him.”
“Who said I was asking? You are a grown woman and you’re free to
have a rela onship with any man you want.”
“…What?”
Elena was taken aback by Derek’s unexpected response. But his
words didn’t end there.
“Why…why the Crown Prince?”
“What do you mean…?”
Elena didn’t understand what he was talking about. Derek frowned
deeply.
“Don’t you know about the prophecy of the crown prince?”
It was only a er she recalled the contents of the prophecy did she
understand his anger.
[The first person to marry the Crown Prince will spend their life in
solitude. They will live an unhappy life and die a miserable death.]
She had momentarily forgo en about it. Mirabelle was the only one
in the family that did not know about the prophecy, as she was not
ac ve in society and had no chance to hear it from anyone. It was
fortunate in a way. If Mirabelle had known and opposed her marriage
to Carlisle, it would have been hell for Elena. Late in her past life, all
the people of the country knew about the rumor, but so far only the
nobles had whispered and not all the maids were aware of it. Elena
replied in a low voice as she felt the curious eyes of the servants
around her.
“Brother, I don’t think we can talk about this here.”
“Why? What’s keeping you from speaking here? Everybody should
know.”
It was an unexpected ambush. Derek really seemed to oppose her
marriage Carlisle. ‘Pass one mountain and come across another,’ she
thought to herself, and tried to reassure her brother with as calm as
expression and voice as possible.
“You’ve had a difficult journey, and you must change your clothes
first. The cold weather makes it easy to get sick.”
In her past life she wouldn’t have known how to manage this
situa on. Now she spoke so ly to the overemo onal Derek. She
understood that he simply cared about her.
“…!”
Derek’s expression hardened. Undeterred, Elena de ly took off his
raincoat, spla ering water on the marble floor.
“Butler, please take my brother’s raincoat.”
“Oh, yes, My Lady.”
Michael, who had been listening in on the pair’s conversa on, quickly
came up to Elena and took the coat. Then Elena turned towards Mary
who was next to her.

“Clean up the water so that someone doesn’t accidentally slip.”

“Y-yes, My Lady!”
Mary hurried away to bring out the cleaning supplies. Derek was
staring at Elena with a complicated expression, as if her disapproved
of the situa on, or was surprised by Elena’s changed image.
“I’ll show you your room myself. Wash yourself first and talk to me
later.”
“…I see.”
Elena smiled faintly despite Derek’s reluctant answer. Even on a rainy
day like this, her brother came to see her without stopping because
he was worried about her. Her heart could not help but so en. For
the first me in her life she couldn’t help but think that Derek was
cute when he was angry.
“Come this way.”
Derek only looked awkwardly at Elena, and allowed himself to be
guided to his room.
Ch. 94 I Am Happy Now (2)
Elena was relaxing in her room as she waited for her brother. She was
worried that if she spoke to him anywhere else, he would make a
fuss about Carlisle’s trust regardless of anyone else’s eyes around
them. She showed Derek to his room and instructed him to take a
bath then come to her room and make sure no one followed. She
prepared warm tea in advance for him, knowing he had traveled from
the warm southern part of the country to the northern cold.
Some me passed before Derek showed up at her door, divested of
his rain-soaked clothes. She stood up from her seat and greeted him.
“Welcome, brother.”
“…Thank you.”
Derek sat down across from Elena, his face s ll stern. Elena pushed
the warm tea towards him, and he furrowed his brow.
“Are you trea ng me like this because you’re afraid that I will oppose
your rela onship to the Crown Prince?”
“No, brother. I’m just sorry that you traveled all this way because of
me.”
“Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t come just because of you. There’s a
sword figh ng compe on to be held in the capital city soon, and I
came here partly because of that.”
“Yes, I know.”
Elena gave a faint smile. It seemed a weak excuse, but because Derek
said it, she had to believe him. He con nued in a serious tone.
“Is it true that you’re even thinking about marrying him?”
“Yes.”
“But why… If he is set on you, ask to be his second marriage.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Why?”
“I will be his crown princess.”
Elena expressed her intent calmly and clearly. Derek’s eyes couldn’t
help but tremble. He never thought his sister was this power hungry.
“Do you really desire to be crown princess?”
“It’s be er than being a concubine. And I don’t have the me to
watch someone else take the posi on. Brother.”
Accoun ng for the me she spent a er returning to the past, there
was a li le less than a year before Paveluc would become emperor.
Time was short for her to stop him and protect her family.
“I don’t understand. What if you become unhappy as the prophecy
says?”
“It will never happen.”
“How can you be sure?”
Derek’s frustra on was building, but Elena con nued on with a kindly
smile that did not suit the mood. The sight of it was so unusual that
even he was forced to hesitate.
“Brother, Mirabelle, Father…How can I be unhappy when I have you
all? Unhappiness to me would be to not have my family.”
Although they were hurt by her father’s coldness not long ago, they
were all a family nonetheless. And even when her father couldn’t
recognize her feelings, in her previous life she s ll spent countless
nights in tears remembering him. Elena’s family was hers, whether
they liked it or not. There was no knowing what power had turned
me back, but it must be a sign from God for her to protect them.
“What the hell does marriage to the Crown Prince have to do with
the family…?”
Derek mu ered as if he s ll couldn’t understand it, but it was s ll
important to Elena somehow. His s ff expression gradually so ened.
“You may not like him. But I’ve chosen this man, and I’ve chosen this
marriage. I want your blessing more than anyone else’s.”
“…Will you regret it?”
“Never.”
Derek was s ll reluctant, but he did not protest any further upon
seeing Elena’s determined expression. He quietly looked into her face
and spoke so ly.
“I want you to be happy.”
Elena’s throat clenched at her brother’s words. Suddenly, she
remembered seeing his broad back, blocking the enemies who had
invaded Blaise Castle. It was as if Derek had given this message to
Elena. I want you to be happy.
Elena replied with a sincere smile.
“I am happy now, brother.”
*
*
*
Derek hadn’t said anything about Carlisle a er his first day at the
capital. She was afraid he would bring up the prophecy again , but
fortunately he didn’t.
A few days passed. Carlisle sent a royal carriage to bring them to the
palace just as he had promised. The exterior of the carriage was
decorated with pure gold, and Mirabelle could hardly keep her
mouth closed.
“Wow.”
The two young ladies were now at the palace and walking through a
maze of gardens, guided by the royal a endants just like at the ball.
“Look at the pink flowers over there, sister. It’s incredible. They must
only bloom in the imperial palace.”
“Yes. I’ve never seen flowers like those before.”
As she was walking around, something suddenly came to mind.
“Oh, I forgot.”
“What?”
“I was going to return his coat.”
Elena s ll had the coat Carlisle had given to her when they rode on
horseback. On the day Carlisle visited Blaise Mansion, had she tried
to return it to him before.
— Your Highness. If you could wait here for a moment, I’ll give you
back the coat you gave me.
— No. I’ll come back for it next me. Keep it safe un l then.
— Ah…Yes, I see.
Strangely, Carlisle’s words seem to gnaw at her mind. It was like…like
she heard it somewhere before. She was lost in thought before she
realized it.
‘Where did I hear something like this?’
She puzzled over her memory, but it was as if it was obscured by a
deep mist. Mirabelle, who was walking by her side, suddenly spoke
up and pointed her finger at something.
“Sister, that statue is incredible.”
Elena’s gaze li ed towards the statue Mirabelle was poin ng to. It
was of a figure a large dragon with an orb, looking as if were about to
ascend into the heavens. The work seemed so alive that one couldn’t
easily forget it once they saw it.
“…Ah!”

Suddenly, a flash of light passed through her head. It was a very old,
faded memory. Elena hurriedly turned her head and looked around.
In the distance she could see Freesia Palace, where the ball was held.
Now she knew why this place was so familiar. Elena stood rooted to
the spot as if she were struck by lightning.
‘…I remember.’
She remembered the boy who gave her the blue bead ring.
— Keep it. I’ll come back for it for sure.
She didn’t know how she could have forgo en those blue eyes that
looked just like that bead. Those strange, heated eyes stared at her.
Ch. 94 I Am Happy Now (2)
Elena was relaxing in her room as she waited for her brother. She was
worried that if she spoke to him anywhere else, he would make a
fuss about Carlisle’s trust regardless of anyone else’s eyes around
them. She showed Derek to his room and instructed him to take a
bath then come to her room and make sure no one followed. She
prepared warm tea in advance for him, knowing he had traveled from
the warm southern part of the country to the northern cold.
Some me passed before Derek showed up at her door, divested of
his rain-soaked clothes. She stood up from her seat and greeted him.
“Welcome, brother.”
“…Thank you.”
Derek sat down across from Elena, his face s ll stern. Elena pushed
the warm tea towards him, and he furrowed his brow.
“Are you trea ng me like this because you’re afraid that I will oppose
your rela onship to the Crown Prince?”
“No, brother. I’m just sorry that you traveled all this way because of
me.”
“Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t come just because of you. There’s a
sword figh ng compe on to be held in the capital city soon, and I
came here partly because of that.”
“Yes, I know.”
Elena gave a faint smile. It seemed a weak excuse, but because Derek
said it, she had to believe him. He con nued in a serious tone.
“Is it true that you’re even thinking about marrying him?”
“Yes.”
“But why… If he is set on you, ask to be his second marriage.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Why?”
“I will be his crown princess.”
Elena expressed her intent calmly and clearly. Derek’s eyes couldn’t
help but tremble. He never thought his sister was this power hungry.
“Do you really desire to be crown princess?”
“It’s be er than being a concubine. And I don’t have the me to
watch someone else take the posi on. Brother.”
Accoun ng for the me she spent a er returning to the past, there
was a li le less than a year before Paveluc would become emperor.
Time was short for her to stop him and protect her family.
“I don’t understand. What if you become unhappy as the prophecy
says?”
“It will never happen.”
“How can you be sure?”
Derek’s frustra on was building, but Elena con nued on with a kindly
smile that did not suit the mood. The sight of it was so unusual that
even he was forced to hesitate.
“Brother, Mirabelle, Father…How can I be unhappy when I have you
all? Unhappiness to me would be to not have my family.”
Although they were hurt by her father’s coldness not long ago, they
were all a family nonetheless. And even when her father couldn’t
recognize her feelings, in her previous life she s ll spent countless
nights in tears remembering him. Elena’s family was hers, whether
they liked it or not. There was no knowing what power had turned
me back, but it must be a sign from God for her to protect them.
“What the hell does marriage to the Crown Prince have to do with
the family…?”
Derek mu ered as if he s ll couldn’t understand it, but it was s ll
important to Elena somehow. His s ff expression gradually so ened.
“You may not like him. But I’ve chosen this man, and I’ve chosen this
marriage. I want your blessing more than anyone else’s.”
“…Will you regret it?”
“Never.”
Derek was s ll reluctant, but he did not protest any further upon
seeing Elena’s determined expression. He quietly looked into her face
and spoke so ly.
“I want you to be happy.”
Elena’s throat clenched at her brother’s words. Suddenly, she
remembered seeing his broad back, blocking the enemies who had
invaded Blaise Castle. It was as if Derek had given this message to
Elena. I want you to be happy.
Elena replied with a sincere smile.
“I am happy now, brother.”
*
*
*
Derek hadn’t said anything about Carlisle a er his first day at the
capital. She was afraid he would bring up the prophecy again , but
fortunately he didn’t.
A few days passed. Carlisle sent a royal carriage to bring them to the
palace just as he had promised. The exterior of the carriage was
decorated with pure gold, and Mirabelle could hardly keep her
mouth closed.
“Wow.”
The two young ladies were now at the palace and walking through a
maze of gardens, guided by the royal a endants just like at the ball.
“Look at the pink flowers over there, sister. It’s incredible. They must
only bloom in the imperial palace.”
“Yes. I’ve never seen flowers like those before.”
As she was walking around, something suddenly came to mind.
“Oh, I forgot.”
“What?”
“I was going to return his coat.”
Elena s ll had the coat Carlisle had given to her when they rode on
horseback. On the day Carlisle visited Blaise Mansion, had she tried
to return it to him before.
— Your Highness. If you could wait here for a moment, I’ll give you
back the coat you gave me.
— No. I’ll come back for it next me. Keep it safe un l then.
— Ah…Yes, I see.
Strangely, Carlisle’s words seem to gnaw at her mind. It was like…like
she heard it somewhere before. She was lost in thought before she
realized it.
‘Where did I hear something like this?’
She puzzled over her memory, but it was as if it was obscured by a
deep mist. Mirabelle, who was walking by her side, suddenly spoke
up and pointed her finger at something.
“Sister, that statue is incredible.”
Elena’s gaze li ed towards the statue Mirabelle was poin ng to. It
was of a figure a large dragon with an orb, looking as if were about to
ascend into the heavens. The work seemed so alive that one couldn’t
easily forget it once they saw it.
“…Ah!”

Suddenly, a flash of light passed through her head. It was a very old,
faded memory. Elena hurriedly turned her head and looked around.
In the distance she could see Freesia Palace, where the ball was held.
Now she knew why this place was so familiar. Elena stood rooted to
the spot as if she were struck by lightning.
‘…I remember.’
She remembered the boy who gave her the blue bead ring.
— Keep it. I’ll come back for it for sure.
She didn’t know how she could have forgo en those blue eyes that
looked just like that bead. Those strange, heated eyes stared at her.
Ch. 95 I Promise (1)
“What are you thinking of, Your Highness?”
Carlisle was gazing moodily outside the window with his arms folded.
His blue eyes lost its focus and turned clear again, but he didn’t turn
away from the window as he replied.
“Just of old memories.”
Presently, Carlisle’s gaze was turned towards Freesia Palace outside
the window. He didn’t have many good memories of the place.
Perhaps it was only natural. He had a very unhappy childhood.
From the moment he was born, he didn’t stay at the palace, but was
raised at the maids’ quarters stayed because of his mother’s humble
origins. He had grown up not knowing that his father was the
emperor un l he was eight years old. Although he was the first son,
no one recognized him as a prince.
As a child, Carlisle’s mother was always apologizing to someone. Even
if the Empress threw a cup of tea at his mother, she had to bow down
and subject herself to the harassment and jealousies of other maids.
He couldn’t understand why his mother was this way when he was a
child…but when he grew older, he later found out it was for his sake.
And yet, his mother would always apologize to Carlisle too.
“I’m sorry, Caril. I’m sorry you have such a terrible mother.”
His mother suffered greatly to protect him. It must have been difficult
to safeguard the life of the boy without any maternal rela ves in the
palace, where plots and scheming were common. When Carlisle
thought about it now, he probably survived that far because nobody
cared about him.
“Caril, if anyone says something, just say you made a mistake. You
can’t even breathe a word against anyone.”
“No. Why should I do that when I didn’t do anything wrong?”
“The moment you are no ced by others, your life is over.”
“Mom, can we just run away together? I don’t want to live as a
prince.”
He meant it. He would abandon the posi on a thousand mes over if
he could only be with his mother. She answered him with a weak
smile.
“Caril, you cannot live like this. How precious is the blood that flows
in your body? Look towards the high places like birds flying in the
sky.”
He complained countless mes that he didn’t need riches, but his
mother has pretended not to listen.
The turning point in his life came without any warning. One day, the
Orb appeared in Carlisle’s body. He lay in bed for a week and
struggled with severe pain. There were no words to explain the way
his skin turned black then white again. It was only then that he
realized the change in his body meant that he was not a normal
human being. The sun and moon rose and set several mes before
the blue orb finished growing inside his body and separated from
him.
The moment he held the perfect bead in his hand, he met his father
for the first me. His father told him that the emperors had the blood
of the dragon. Carlisle thought he would retch. This wasn’t just the
blood of a monster…It was a curse. His mother was completely
wrong; The blood flowing through his body was never precious or
blessed. He could s ll remember clearly when Sullivan pa ed his
shoulder.
“You will succeed me, Carlisle. Your father believes in only you now.”
Soon a er, Sullivan declared to everyone that Carlisle would serve as
the crown prince. Carlisle’s life completely changed a er that. Like a
lie, Sullivan began to love him dearly, and in turn, the days he saw his
mother gradually declined. Then one day, his mother spoke to him.
“I need to leave the palace for a while. Your Highness, can you
manage on your own?”
“Where are you going? Don’t go.”
“I’ll be back. Just count on your fingers for ten nights.”
“No, don’t go. Mother!”
No ma er how much Carlisle cried and clung to his mother, she
turned coldly and le the palace. Since then, he folded her fingers
one by one, coun ng the nights by ten, but his mother never
returned to the palace. He realized at some point that she would
never come back.
He felt an aching loneliness. Although he lived in palace, his food
would o en be poisoned and he struggled with death several mes.
In front of him were smiling faces, but when he turned around, he
could not tell who was the enemy. Who was trying to poison him
behind his father’s back? The enemy seemed to be on all sides and
no one could be trusted. When he was alone and isolated, Sullivan
called him. Then he issued a final no ce.
“Carlisle, there’s no way to protect you here. Go to the border and
enter the war.”
“Father…I’ll die if I go there.”
“You are the child who has the blood closest to the dragon. How can
you die so easily? Follow your father’s decision. This is the best.”
My father was a madman, so obsessed with myths that he wouldn’t
look at the reality before him. Carlisle was only thirteen years old
when his father condemned him to die outside of the palace. What
were the odds that a young man who had never even held a sword
would return alive? Even if there were people eager to kill him in the
Imperial Palace, it would be much worse if he were away from his
father’s side.
“…Haaaa.”
It was a miserable life. He believed that he would live his en re life in
misery. Anyone who married such an unlucky person like him would
surely be doomed.
Carlisle felt no more anger, resentment, or sorrow. All he had le was
emp ness. His mother abandoned him at the Imperial Palace, and his
father was pushing him to a dangerous place, saying it was the only
way. The chances of survival were extremely slim, but he didn’t have
any desire to live anyway.
‘Everything. … It’s all because of this Orb.’
Carlisle looked down at the blue bead ring in his hand.
Before his mother le , she made him this ring so the Orb wouldn’t be
no ced, but he doubted it would be useful. He couldn’t use the Orb
for himself or for his family…
In those days even the maids working for the Imperial Palace did not
want to make eye contact with Carlisle. Rumors began to circulate
that his existence was unclean. The rumor was not wrong in Carlisle’s
mind.
“…The sky is so clear. “
On the day before he would leave for ba le, Carlisle hid himself in
Freesia Palace, the largest palace on the grounds, and looked up at
the blue sky. He was in a gloomy mood, but unlike his thoughts the
sky was clear. It didn’t ma er though, since nothing reflected
Carlisle’s mood in his life so far. He was under the sway of other
people. He was about to give up everything when–
Jabag, jabag.
He heard the sound of light footsteps. When he turned his head in
the direc on of the sound, a blonde-haired girl emerged through the
bushes.
“…!”
Carlisle was momentarily speechless. He thought it was a fairy. He
couldn’t believe there was such a beau ful human being. She had
golden hair, pale skin, and jeweled red eyes that stared right at him.
The moment their eyes met it felt like eternity.

“Are you a servant working for the Imperial Palace? I’m lost, where
am I?”
“…What?”
Carlisle’s eyes widened as she addressed him informally. Although he
didn’t care for it, everyone used the crown prince’s tle since he
ascended to the posi on. He didn’t answer, and the girl said so ly,
“Are you a lost child, too?”
At her ques on, Carlisle looked down at what he was wearing. He did
look quite scruffy, but he was leaving for the ba lefield tomorrow
anyway. He wanted to reveal himself, but at the same me he didn’t
want to hear the girl use his tle like everyone else. Although words
of respect came from everyone else’s mouths, their eyes and voices
were cold.
The girl before him spoke up again, her red eyes li ed sharply as if
she were offended.
“Why don’t you answer when people speak to you?”
When he saw this girl like a nine-tailed fox in the palace, he couldn’t
help but be surprised.
“Why should I answer your ques on?”
“Because…because servants have to obey the words of the nobility.”
Carlisle leaned back and responded in a flat voice.
“There’s a strike today.”
“What? No way.”
“Ask someone else for direc ons in the palace.”
“I’ve been walking around for ages, but I didn’t see anyone else.”
It was easy to get lost in Freesia Palace’s labyrinthine grounds
without a guide. The girl’s poor dress was a li le worse-for-wear, but
he decided that wasn’t any reason to do her a favor. The girl said
something else, but Carlisle closed his eyes and ignored her.
Then, at one point, it became quiet. Suddenly curious, he opened his
eyes and saw the girl si ng nearby and looking at the flowers. She
looked a picturesque image as she smiled pre ly at the flowers,
unlike the face she made when she was complaining earlier. She was
s ll beau ful before too, but he liked this a lot more.
“Is there something interes ng about the flowers?”
“Don’t talk to me. You won’t even give me direc ons…”
“I told you to ask someone else.”
“Tch, how am I supposed to find someone else here? I’ve been
walking around a long me and I only met you…I’m scared to be
alone.”
Carlisle chuckled how girl’s voice adorably became smaller and
smaller. It had been a long me since he met someone of his age.
Unlike the half-brother who always stared at him, she was a perfect
stranger.
“I didn’t know it was such a strange flower. You can find it all over the
palace.”
“Not where I live. Maybe this flower only blooms here…Have you
ever been outside of the palace?”
“… No.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
The girl looked surprised at Carlisle’s answer.
“Then have you ever gone to a bakery or an opera outside the
palace?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Wow–Charlie’s Bakery is really good. And children usually aren’t
allowed to go to the opera, but I saw it once because my mother took
me there. It was so grand and beau ful.”
“…”
Carlisle did not reply. It was a story of a world that he didn’t know.
When Carlisle didn’t say anything else, Elena sidled up to the boy’s
side.
“Then would you like to come with me?”
“…What?”
“I’ll take you to a fun place outside the palace.”
The girl’s bright expression dazzled him and Carlisle’s heart began
bea ng faster than usual.
Ch. 96 I Promise (2)
The girl con nued.
” My name is Elena Blaise. What’s your name?”
“…Nothing.”
“You don’t have name?”
When Carlisle closed his mouth again, Elena thought she must have
made a mistake.
“…I’m sorry.”
Carlisle didn’t turn down her pity. Despite his posi on as crown
prince, he deserved some sympathy. No one else felt sorry for him
because he was the prince and had the Orb, but he was only a
thirteen-year-old boy.
“Don’t worry. If I tell my mother about you, she’ll take you in. Why
don’t you work at our mansion if life in the palace is hard?”
“…I can?”
He desperately wanted to leave behind everything that was holding
him down and live his life as he pleased. His mother told him to gaze
high as a bird, but he just wanted to be free as one.
“Of course. So are you coming to my home? I’ll watch the opera with
you, and we can go to the bakery…I’ll show you a lot of other fun
stuff. Promise!”
Carlisle looked down at Elena’s outstretched pinky finger, then linked
it with his own. He almost burst into tears at that moment. He really
wanted to live that life with her.
“You should call me Lady from now on. I don’t know about the
Imperial Palace, but that’s how the servants call me at home, or
they’ll get in trouble. But I’ll let you to call me by my name when
we’re alone.”
“…I’ll worry about that later.”
“Tch, the strictness is different from what you’re used to.”
And so Elena and Carlisle spent all day exploring Freesia Palace.
When she saw Carlisle’s small cuts, she tore the hem of her dress and
bound them. He took her to a place only he knew and showed her
the statue of the dragon, then they went to the man-made lake to
splash their feet in the water.
Elena didn’t know it, but Carlisle was deliberately guiding her to the
deserted areas. He wanted this joy to last forever. But contrary to
Carlisle’s desperate wish, the me came when she had to go.
“Len! Where are you?”
A voice came calling for Elena. Soon there were also other voices
calling out, “Young lady!” and Elena suddenly realized where she
was.
“Oh! Mother! I think I’d be er go. I’ll talk to my mother right away to
come and get you.”
Elena stood up and made to return to her mother, but Carlisle
already knew. This was the end.
“Elena!”
“Hm?”
At Carlisle’s urgent call she turned back. He handed her the Orb ring
without any hesita on.
“Please take this.”
“What is this?”
“It’s a ring.”
“Ring? My mother said I shouldn’t accept things…”
Carlisle tried to explain, but the voices of those looking for Elena
were ge ng closer. He didn’t have much me to tell her the li le
details.
“This is…this is my memory of my mother. I can’t keep it, and I want
you to take care of it for a while. I want to you make me a promise.”
“Oh, yes.”
“Keep it. I’ll come back for it for sure.”
“Alright.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promise!”
Elena beamed, and a bi ersweet feeling welled up in Carlisle’s chest.
It was impossible to know if he would die when he le for the
ba lefield, and since he couldn’t use the wish on himself or his
family, he wanted to use it now.
‘My wish is…’
The Orb glowed faintly, as if reac ng to Carlisle’s mind.
– Tell me your wish, master.
A voice in his head spoke to him. It was his first me hearing it, but it
sounded strangely familiar at the same me.
Like he knew this would happen.
‘Save Elena Blaise from dying.‘
If he somehow miraculously survived the ba lefield and returned to
the palace, he wanted to keep the promises he made to her. He
wouldn’t leave in vain.
There was also the prophecy that his partner would live and die in
misery.
‘…Then don’t die.’
Elena suddenly stopped running towards the search party and turned
and waved at Carlisle. He smiled faintly at the sight and raised his
hand as well.
‘If I survive, I’ll come for you.’
At that me, he was not old enough to fully understand what it was
like to have a companion or to be married. Their mee ng happened
on a day he was only thirteen. He thought he might die soon anyway
and made the wish on a whim. But that simple day embedded in his
heart, never to be forgo en, and when Carlisle lived his life in hell, he
always thought of Elena.
The first me he killed someone, it was when assassin came to his
quarters…And at the moment his arm turned into that of a
monster’s. Whenever he felt pain and hardship, he turned his mind
to that special day. The promises Carlisle had to keep, the reason to
survive in hell, and the last stop he had to reach. It was his salva on.
‘…I’ll see you again alive. I’ll ask if you’ve been coming to see me or if
you haven’t missed me as much as I have you.’
The idea took root in him like plant. It grew strong in Carlisle’s heart
without sunlight or water, un l it was like a huge mass of greed.
Carlisle s ll clearly remembered the night when Elena first came to
rescue him in her black armor.
– Please marry me, Your Highness.
Who would have thought that although she had forgo en all about
him, she had asked to marry him on her own.
‘…Without knowing how I feel.’
A bri le smile spread on Carlisle’s face as he stared out the window
towards Freesia Palace. Zenard, who was standing quietly behind
him, interrupted him in a low voice with a report.
“Your Highness, Lady Blaise has arrived at the palace. I informed the
servants to take her this way, so they’ll be here soon.”
“I see.”
Carlisle was about to turn away from the window when–
Bang!
The door was flung open, and Elena strode in, completely flushed. At
the unexpected visit Zenard called out to her in a stu ering voice.
“M-My Lady–“
Behind her were servants rushing a er her.
“Your Highness, no–Caril, why didn’t you tell me? When we first met
in the palace, you didn’t tell me that you were the crown prince.”
Carlisle’s blue eyes widened in surprise, but soon a pleased
expression stole over his face. He barked and order to Zenard and the
servants standing by the door.
“Everyone out.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At his command everyone else quickly hurried away, and before long
there were only two people le in the spacious room.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Carlisle gazed at her for a long me, as if he were savoring her
presence. It felt like the end to a long journey before they finally met
each other.
“You remember me now?”

“If you just told me, I wouldn’t have had a hard me remembering.”
Carlisle felt joy despite Elena’s annoyed expression. In fact, even if
Elena had not saved him on that day, he would have come back and
proposed to her. Perhaps he was desperate to have her at all costs.
‘If I say that I want her, even if I have tear down the Blaise family that
she holds so dear…’
Would she run away?
Ch. 97 Come Here (1)
Elena didn’t like the way Carlisle deceived her, nor was she amused at
the pleased expression on his face.
‘You don’t know how much I’ve been looking for you…’
As a child, Carlisle seemed to be in danger of something, as if he
would suddenly vanish if she didn’t reach out to him. And so she
made that promise to him when they were young. When she
returned to the palace, she searched among the servants of similar
age and was disappointed she couldn’t find him.
‘Then this bead ring was given by Caril.’
She looked down at the ring with new understanding. It was the
same blue as Carlisle’s eyes, and the detail made her feel ashamed
for some reason.
“This ring, didn’t you say it belonged to your mother?”
“I did.”
“I may be late, but I’ll return it now.”
As she made to pull off the ring, Carlisle raised a hand to stop her.
“You keep it.”
“But–”
“I don’t intend to take it back now. You will be my princess anyway,
and it’s the same as me having it.”
Elena also had a sen mental a achment to the ring as a reminder of
her last life. But somehow it felt different knowing that it belonged to
Carlisle’s mother prior.
“Are you sure you want me to keep it?”
“I’m relieved that you have the ring. So I’d like you to keep at as close
to you as much as possible.”
“You’re relieved?”
“Yes. It’s hard to believe, but I feel like it’s some kind of talisman.
When something dangerous happens, it will protect you one me.”
She gave him a ques oning look at the vagueness of his words, but
Carlisle smiled as if he didn’t intend to explain.
“I have a few ques ons that I can ask you now. A er you le did you
come back to find me?”
Of course she did. She searched for Carlisle for days and days and
met with each of the palace servants. But Elena did not intend to tell
the truth.
“No. It was a promise from my childhood, but I quickly forgot it.”
She felt hurt at all the mes Carlisle lied and hid himself from her. In
the meanwhile, Carlisle’s expression turned bi er.
“…I see.”
There was a subtle change in the atmosphere, but Elena glanced over
it. It was strange to think that the child at that me was Carlisle. He
seemed a li le shabby before, but even then he was s ll rather good-
looking. However, his personality before felt quite different from the
arrogance of Carlisle now. At that me, he was small and delicate
enough to s mulate her protec ve ins ncts, but now she felt sad
that that boy had turned into a haughty and cruel young man. What
happened to Carlisle all those years? How did he grow up? She was
flooded with curiosity all of a sudden, but she had no idea if he
would answer if she asked him directly.
As Elena was staring at Carlisle, she was startled by a sudden
realiza on.
“Oh, that’s right.”
She had le Mirabelle outside when she came running to Carlisle.
Elena had wanted to see him immediately, but Mirabelle couldn’t run
with her, and so Elena had told her sister to wait. It was impossible
for her to forget her sister even for a moment.
“I just remembered that I le Mirabelle wai ng. I’ll be right back.”
“Of course.”
Elena rushed towards the door, then paused and turned back
towards Carlisle. He remained the same as usual, but at that moment
she thought again of her hidden memories of him.
“Caril…”
At her voice, Carlisle turned his blue eyes towards her. As their eyes
met in midair, Elena spoke so ly.
“Thank you for being so sweet to Mirabelle and invi ng her to the
Imperial Palace with me. Anyway…it’s nice to think we’ve met again
a er we grew up.”
Carlisle smiled back.
“I told you last me, if you’re thankful, just pay me back later.”
“I see. I’ll be sure to pay this debt.”
Elena granted him a faint smile and hurried back to where her sister
was wai ng for her. Carlisle stared at Elena’s gradually receding
figure. Soon a er, Zenard, who was wai ng outside, came back into
the room.
“Your Grace, shall I prepare a room for the ladies, as you said
earlier?”
“Yes.”
Elena and Mirabelle had arranged to view and stay overnight at the
palace. Elena had said, “I’ll live here when I get married, so it’s not a
bad idea to become familiar with the grounds. Mirabelle said she
wanted to see the palace as well.”
“…Sweet, huh.”
Carlisle smiled without realizing it, remembering what she had called
him. There are many words in the world to describe him, but the
word “sweet” was not one of them.
“You don’t know how dark I am.”
He was smart, not sweet. He wasn’t so ungrateful enough to hate
Elena’s family.
‘If you knew how much I wanted you, you would be surprised…’
Carlisle would be both an angel and a devil to have Elena.
*
*
*
Elena quickly followed her guide before remembering something
else.
‘Come to think of it, was Caril trea ng me so generously because of
that past mee ng?’
Un l now, she thought the reason for the treatment was because of a
past rela onship that she couldn’t recall. She assumed it was some
tremendous affair, even though she did not have any memories
related to him. On the contrary, their rela onship was very trivial. All
they did was meet as children and play together.
‘But…is that reason enough for him to be so good to me?’
It was true that Elena desperately searched for Carlisle at the me.
However, she did not ask around for months or years, and had given
up looking once she learned there were no servants like Carlisle in
the palace. It was inevitable, of course. She didn’t know anything
about him except his appearance. Although the brief encounter at
the me remained fond in Elena’s memory, it didn’t seem enough for
Carlisle to treat her the way he did.
‘What is it? Is there something else I don’t know?’
She thought she’d ask Carlisle if she had another chance.
It was then.
“Sister!”
Elena was in her own thoughts as she followed the servant, then she
realized she was where she parted with Mirabelle. She turned her
head toward Mirabelle’s voice, and saw her sister smiling brightly and
waving into the air. Elena returned the smile as soon she saw her.
“What were you doing while I was gone?”
“I’ve been looking around at the amazing things in the palace. Did
you have a good mee ng with him? What was the rush?”
“Oh, well…I just remembered something I had to tell him.”
Although Elena was scarce on the details, Mirabelle nodded in
understanding.
“Yes, there are stories that are only meant to be between lovers.”

“That’s not what it is.”

Elena yelled at her hotly, but Mirabelle just smirked. Ever since she
found out about Elena’s rela onship with Carlisle, Mirabelle enjoyed
making fun of her like this. Elena spoke quickly, her face flushed.
“The prince is wai ng, so let’s go and say hello.”
“Alright. Do you miss him already?”
“No.”
Elena’s cheeks reddened even more, and Mirabelle wordlessly
pressed down a smile. Elena had no idea that Mirabelle was making
more fun of her because she liked to see her so embarrassed.
And so the sisters strolled happily in the glorious palace gardens,
where the sun shone warmly.
Ch. 98 Come Here (2)
Elena took Mirabelle back to the room where Carlisle was standing
statuesque by the window. Elena was s ll struggling with the fact
that he was the child that she had met when she was young.
Carlisle slowly turned his head as he sensed their approached, and
his blue eyes landed on the two. Mirabelle’s face turned bright.
“Hello, brother-in-law.”
Elena let out a small gasp as her eyes widened at those words.
Carlisle looked surprised for a moment as well, but his expression
soon relaxed.
“Thank you. How are you?”
Mirabelle went to the comfortable sofa and sat down, and Carlisle
didn’t seem to mind the way she familiarly treated him. Only Elena
was s ll frozen at the situa on.
‘I knew Mirabelle was charming, but…’
This was beyond what she expected. Maybe Mirabelle was doing this
because she thought Carlisle was the man Elena loved, but Elena
couldn’t hide her embarrassment nonetheless.
“I asked your sister what snacks you liked. Should I bring them in
now?”
“Aaah, thank you, brother-in-law.”
Elena was surprised to see them talk in a friendly way, but she
eventually relaxed. Watching them like this made them really feel like
a family.
“Come and sit down, too.”
Mirabelle beckoned to Elena, and she approached. Naturally, she
tried to sit next to Mirabelle, but her sister blocked her and pointed
to Carlisle with her eyes.
“You should sit over there.”
“Ah…”
Elena needed to say something. Carlisle shi ed slightly to make room
for her.
“Come here.”
Her face burned. Elena repeated to herself several mes in her mind,
‘This is just an act.’
It was all the more embarrassing to do this in front of her dear
Mirabelle. From now on she had to show that her and Carlisle were
madly in love, on both in public and private. She schooled her
feelings and sat down next to Carlisle with a calm expression. This
was s ll awkward to her, but this was her place now.
There was the sound of knocking at the door, and when she turned
her head saw Zenard entering with a tray.
“Please enjoy.”
He placed the dainty cookies and hot chocolate on the table and le .
“I have prepared a puppet play for you to enjoy in the evening, so
you can come back at the Imperial Palace at any me.”
“Wow, really?”
Mirabelle looked at him in admira on, and Elena was surprised by
the unexpected considera on. Puppet plays were an expensive
pas me that only a few people enjoyed. Elena was about to deliver
her thanks to Carlisle when–
Bulkag!
Zenard rushed back into the room with an urgent expression on his
face.
‘What’s going on?’
Carlisle’s brow furrowed in concern at Zenard’s unexpected intrusion.
Zenard quickly approached the prince and whispered in his ear.
“The whereabouts of Kuhn, who infiltrated the Empress’ Palace, are
unknown.”
At that moment Carlisle’s expression turned serious.
*
*
*
Helen had been crying so much these days that her eyes were
swollen.
Then, when she had lost all mo va on and was deep in her grief,
something unexpected happened. The Empress asked to meet her in
person.
Helen rushed to the palace at the unexpected invita on. She had
wanted to meet the Empress when she first arrived at the capital, but
was denied under the pretext that the Empress was too busy. It was a
mystery why she wanted to see Helen now a er her reputa on was
in ta ers, but Helen had no reason to refuse.
‘That slu y bitch ruined my image.’
She suffered so many losses because of Elena, from the salty tea in
the south to the malicious rumors in the capital. Although Helen had
planned everything, the outcome was always in the wrong direc on
for her. Her image had fallen so low that she could no longer show
herself in high society. People thought of her as a wicked girl who
tried to ruin Elena’s face and spread false rumors out of jealousy.
Although Elena had embellished some of these details, it was mostly
true. Helen, however, was mor fied by the public revela on..
‘This is all because of Elena Blaise.’
If Elena had only accepted the harassment, Helen would not have
gone this far. But as Elena kept trying to stand up to her, it only made
Helen want to trample on her even more. Helen’s simple dislike grew
into poisonous, seething hatred.
‘Does she think I’ll stay down? I will curse her forever.’
Elena always took want Helen wanted the most. When Helen
remembered when she met the Crown Prince at the ball, she
clenched her teeth.
It was then that a maid approached her.
“Her Majesty the Empress has invited you in.”
“Yes.”
Helen walked into the palace with her posture held as straight as
possible. The Empress was seated on the highest chair, and Helen
performed a deep curtsy.
“Hail to Her Majesty the Empress. Eternal glory to the Ruford
Empire.”
“It’s been a long me, Lady Selby.”
The Empress smiled genially, her great beauty unchanged despite her
age. At the Empress’ gesture of affec on, Helen collapsed into tears.
“…Y-Your Majesty.”
“A long me ago, House Anita–my mother’s family–and House Selby
were joined in marriage. In a way we are like distant rela ves, but I
have been neglec ul of that fact.”
It was true that there was a marriage between the Anita and Selby
families, it was too far back to link Ophelia to Helen in any
meaningful way. But Helen nodded uncondi onally. In a way,
Empress Ophelia was the only one who could save her from this
situa on now. Ophelia was in the Imperial Palace…no, she was a
woman who was at the top of society.
“I’ve heard rumors about Lady Selby going around. But I don’t think
they’re true at all.”
Helen didn’t understand why Ophelia thought this, but she burst into
tears again. No one could defeat a woman who was crying.
“That’s right, Your Majesty. It’s so unfair. Heueug.”
Ophelia’s eyes narrowed slightly, but the ends of her mouth s ll held
a so smile.
“Is the one who framed you called Lady Blaise?”
“Yes, yes! That’s right!”
“I’ve been told that things have been going wrong, and now this has
happened. It has go en worse for Lady Selby. The truth is that if you
lose your place in society, you are harshly punished.”
“Heug, heueug…What should I do?”
In contrast to Helen’s downtrodden look, Ophelia had an ominous
expression on her face.
“As of today, I will appoint Lady Selby as my lady-in-wai ng.”
“…What?”
Helen was stunned. Powerful, married were usually appointed to that
posi on, and all the ladies Helen knew dreamed to have it. While she
would serve Ophelia, it wasn’t the same job as a normal maid. To be
a lady-in-wai ng meant that she would become Ophelia’s closest
aide. If that really happened…no one could whisper about Helen.
She quickly regained herself and bowed to Ophelia.
“Thank you so much! How can I ever repay this kindness…”
Ophelia’s eyes glimmered like ice, but when she spoke her voice was
s ll so .

“I caught a man stealing into the Empress’ palace today. There are
many people a emp ng to drive a wedge between me and the
Crown Prince and me these days. It seems to me that the Blaises
have no good effect on me either.”
“Your Majesty saw the Blaise’s deceit at once!”
“If you desire, Lady Selby, I’ll help you solve your injus ce.”
Helen’s face lit up at those words.
Ophelia, however, did not say that she disliked Elena directly. She
only said she Helen would help if she wanted it. Thus, if anything
went wrong, Helen would carry the en re blame on her shoulders.
That was the way Ophelia had operated in society for a long me.
Ch.99 How On Earth… (1)
‘What does it mean that Kuhn’s whereabouts are unknown?’
Because Elena was si ng right next to Carlisle, she uninten onally
overheard the words Zenard whispered. Kuhn’s expressionless
features floated into her mind.
‘Was he doing something dangerous?’
Elena’s expression hardened. However, Carlisle’s even more terrifying
aura was more than enough to make an opponent shrink.
Mirabelle, unaware was what happening, ventured forward
cau ously.
“Is there something wrong, brother-in-law?”
“…It’s nothing. Just like I said, go see the palace with you sister and
watch the puppet play. I’ll have someone show you around, and if
there’s any inconvenience, just let me know.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I have an urgent ma er to a end to, so I’ll take my leave first. Please
enjoy yourself.”
Although he swi ly concealed any trace of darkness, his face was s ll
like stone. Elena watched Carlisle rise from his seat and wondered
what happened, but she couldn’t ask in front of Mirabelle.
The sisters watched as Carlisle quickly le the room along with
Zenard, then Mirabelle turned to Elena with an excited voice.
“Heheh, I think he’s the best! I didn’t think I could send my sister to
just anyone, but the more I see him, the more I feel relieved.”
Mirabelle helped herself to the cookies and hot chocolate on the
table. Her love was reassuring to Elena, but on the other hand,
Carlisle’s sharp terse was stuck on her mind.
Elena immediately shook her head and dismissed any unnecessary
worries. She came here to visit the palace grounds with Mirabelle. If
she couldn’t help in any way, it was be er to focus what was right in
front of her.
“Wow. Imperial Palace cookies are so different. It’s so delicious. Go
ahead and try it.”
“Yes, I’ll eat plenty. If we run out, let’s ask for more.”
“Should we?”
As Elena saw Mirabelle smile and laugh, the unease in Elena’s mind
gradually faded away.
*
*
*
Carlisle seemed to have made many arrangements for their visit.
Elena and Mirabelle were free to roam around the grounds, and they
saw many species of rare flowers and trees, rippling manmade lakes,
and portraits of long-ago emperors.
That was just the beginning. Inside one of the palaces was a kind of
museum that held all kinds of rare artwork. There were also offerings
from other kingdoms and a collec on of unusual items not found in
the Ruford Empire. There were also many buildings on the grounds,
and they appreciated the variety of architecture and beau fully
decorated gardens.
Elena and Mirabelle were having a pleasant conversa on as they
arrived in front of another splendid palace. The servant, who had
been silently guiding their path, stood to block their way.
“Ah, you cannot go in here.”
Mirabelle gave him a ques oning look.
“Why? What kind of palace is this?”
“This is where Her Majesty the Empress lives, and you cannot enter
without permission.”
“Ah, really?”
She looked up at the palace in curiosity.
Deudeudeudeu.
There was an ornate carriage coming out of the palace. It was going
at speed, but a moment was all Mirabelle needed to catch a glimpse
of a familiar-looking person inside.
“…Lady Selby?”
Mirabelle murmured, and Elena looked over in curiosity.
“What do you mean? What about Lady Selby?”
“I was wondering if it was Lady Selby who was in that carriage.”
“Really?”
Rumor had it that Helen had confined herself to her mansion and did
not go outside. It wasn’t that Helen couldn’t go to the Empress’
palace, but there was something strange about those two people
who seemed to have no contact with each other mee ng at this
me. As Elena stared at the back of the retrea ng carriage, Mirabelle
spoke in a light voice.
“It might be wrong. Don’t worry about it.”
“Alright. Shall we go back then?”
The both of them turned away from the Empress’ palace, and spent
their me viewing many other rare and precious things. Seeing the
outside of the Empress’ palace was enough, and a er a long walk,
they were hungry and red. If Elena was this fa gued, and she
worried about what condi on Mirabelle was in.
“Shall we go back and have dinner and watch the puppet play Caril
told us about?”
“Yes. Let’s go, sister.”
There was nothing lacking in their perfect ou ng. Elena also was
extremely pleased to have spent this me with Mirabelle.
This was not the end yet, either. As soon as Elena and Mirabelle
returned to palace of the Crown Prince, the dinner prepared for
them seemed ready to break the table’s legs.
“Oh, sister, we’re alone…but that’s enough for about twenty people.”
“…I know.”
Even Elena could not help but let her jaw drop at the sheer amount
of food. From the appe zers to the desserts, there was nothing that
wasn’t the best the empire could offer.
She seated herself in a comfortable chair to watch the puppet play,
and Elena felt like she was in heaven. But…there was one thing that
kept dwelling on her mind.
‘…I didn’t see Caril.’
It seemed he was too busy to join them for dinner. She didn’t even
have the chance to secretly ask him what had happened. Although
being with Mirabelle made her happy, her worry over Carlisle was
like a splinter in her throat. Elena was not in a posi on where he
could let her know what was happening to him. To con nue this
happiness, he had to be emperor.
When the puppet play was over, Mirabelle burst into applause, but
Elena hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything else. They
wrapped up the day’s ac vi es and went to the rooms prepared for
them.
“Sister, I’m going to change into my nightwear and find you. It’s been
a while since we’ve done this, but can we sleep together in the same
bed?”
“I’m sorry, I’m so red that I’ll fall asleep soon. I’ll see you early
tomorrow.”
“Yes, alright.”
They waved their good nights to each other. A er watching Mirabelle
enter the room, Elena turned around and headed for Carlisle’s room
first. She hoped she could find someone who knew where he was
now. Fortunately, she came across the servant who had been their
guide that day.

“Hmm? Why are you out here, My Lady?”

“Show me where the prince is.”
“His Majesty cannot meet you because he is on urgent business–”
“Right now.”
Elena spoke firmly, her face stern. The servant flinched and answered
with a nod of his head.
“I-I understand. This way, please.”
Ch. 100 How On Earth… (2)
Carlisle’s room was far away from Elena’s. Elena and Mirabelle’s
quarters were in the most secluded and scenic area of the palace,
whereas the place Elena was now was closest to the training site for
soldiers.
Elena’s sudden arrival caused a crease to appear between Carlisle’s
brows.
“What are you doing here?”
“The day is s ll on my mind. What happened?”
Instead of answering Elena’s ques on first, Carlisle barked an order
towards the servant.
“Thank you. Go.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
With a bow, the servant le the pair of them.
At last they were alone. Carlisle spoke in a low voice as soon as he
confirmed that the servant had disappeared.
“Even though we’re in my palace, there are spies planted
everywhere. You should be careful where you go.”
“That’s why I came at this late hour.”
“…This hour?”
Carlisle’s s ff expression loosened for a moment, and he let out a
sigh.
“You say dangerous things. If you and I find ourselves alone in this
room, what do you think other people will imagine?”
“I know. There is no doubt about it.”
Carlisle’s gaze darkened.
“…You lack self-awareness.”
There was a sudden shi in the atmosphere, but Elena was more
concerned with what had happened earlier in the day.
“There’s only the two of us now, so tell me. Did something dangerous
happen to Sir Kasha?”
Carlisle responded naturally, as if he had no inten on of hiding it
from the beginning.
“One of the men you captured at Flower Bridge confessed that the
Empress was behind its a empted destruc on. But since she is the
suspect…tes mony is not enough. She’s so good at hiding her trail
that it was difficult to find any solid proof, so I ordered Kuhn to
infiltrate the Empress’ palace and manipulate some evidence.”
Elena wanted to say, “Isn’t that too dangerous?” but she held back.
Carlisle ordered it for a reason, and Kuhn accepted the mission. She
spoke calmly.
“So?”
“And now the whereabouts of Kuhn, who infiltrated the Empress’
palace, are unknown.”
Her face darkened. There were only a few possibili es.
“…There’s a good chance he was captured or killed.”
“If he’s alive, I’m going to save him the best I can before he dies. I’m
ready to move as soon as I know where he is.”
Elena realized that while she was enjoying her me with Mirabelle,
Carlisle had been busy searching for Kuhn. Although Elena wasn’t
extremely fond of the bodyguard, they had a smooth working
rela onship, and the thought of his death did not cheer her.
Furthermore, if Carlisle gave such a grave mission to Kuhn, it was
proof he had some trust in him. She didn’t want to lose anyone who
benefited Carlisle.
“…Please prepare armor for me.”
Carlisle frowned at her words.
*
*
*
Before Mirabelle changed into her nightwear, she wanted to soak
herself in the bathtub, which had warm water and spices and
fragrance and red petals. Her legs were a li le sore from walking all
day as well. Elena had been careful that Mirabelle wouldn’t overdo it,
but because of her condi on Mirabelle couldn’t help but feel winded.
When she saw the warm water in the bathtub, naturally she couldn’t
pass it by.
“You don’t have to prepare me. I can take a bath alone.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Mirabelle ordered the maids to wait outside. While she comfortably
allowed herself to be bathed by the maids back at home, it was
awkward to take off her clothes in front of strangers. She also
realized from experience that she would rather bathe alone if they
did not know how to touch her carefully.
“Lalala~”
She began humming pleasantly to herself as she started to undress.
Deolkeong!
There was a loud noise from the direc on of the bathroom window.
Mirabelle, wondering what could it be in the imperial palace, moved
slowly towards the sound. Suddenly, the window opened and a
person fell inside. The smell of blood overwhelmed her before she
could process what she saw with her eyes.
“Kyaaa!”
Mirabelle’s scream brought the maids running towards the door.
They turned the door handle roughly, but Mirabelle had already
locked it.
“M-My Lady, what’s going on?”
The urgency of the voice brought Mirabelle to her senses. The man
who suddenly appeared before her was seriously injured. And…he
had a head of familiar dark blue hair.
“…Bear?”
Kuhn li ed his head at the sound of her voice.
Their eyes met in midair.
Mirabelle knew at once he was the man she had met on the way to
the capital and who looked like the keepsake her mother had le her.
She hadn’t been able to find him no ma er how hard she looked, but
now he was suddenly in front of Mirabelle.
“My Lady, what’s going on–”
“N-nothing! A bug appeared and I yelled because I was surprised. It
flew out the window and I’m fine now.”
“Thank goodness. If you need us, call us right away.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Mirabelle stepped away from the door where she was talking to the
maids and approached Kuhn. She didn’t know where or how he got
hurt, but there was a copious amount of blood coming from his side.
“Are you alright?”
Kuhn blinked his eyes hazily at the ques on. He couldn’t muster the
energy to even speak.
“How on earth did you–”
Before Mirabelle could finish, there was another loud voice from her
door.
“We’re from the Empress’s palace. We’ve seen the man we’re looking
for around here. Let us in to search for a moment.”
“Th-this is the Crown Prince’s palace…”

“Kkyaaa!”
Mirabelle heard the screams of the maids from outside.
‘Who they’re looking for now is probably…’
Mirabelle’s trembling eyes turned towards Kuhn.
Kwangkwangkwang!
There were booming knocks on the bathroom door.
Ch. 101 She Wanted To Protect Him (1)
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The man outside the door yelled again.
“Why is this door locked? Who’s in there?”
“I-it is a valuable guest of the Crown Prince.”
“Open it.”
Tang, tang!
Mirabelle heard the sound of solid metal striking the door handle.
She tried to stay as calm as possible. Her heart thrummed in her
ribcage, but being nervous wouldn’t help. The first thought in her
head was, “How would I get past this situa on if I were Elena?”
There was no me to hesitate. Mirabelle quickly closed the window
where Kuhn had entered and pulled off the outer dress she was
wearing. Kuhn’s ash grey eyes trembled at her unexpected behavior.
Mirabelle helped the fallen Kuhn into the bathtub full of petals.
“Keueug…”
Kuhn grimaced as the water touched his wound, but he couldn’t
afford to care about such things now.
“Be pa ent if you don’t want to get caught.”
Kuhn’s expression seemed to change at her fierce determina on. As
Kuhn’s weight was added to the bathtub, the water sloshed over the
tub and washed the blood off the floor. That wasn’t enough,
however, so Mirabelle quickly took a handful of red petals from the
basket and sca ered them on the ground.
Kaang!
The sound rang louder than before, and Mirabelle closed her eyes
ghtly and took off her chemise.
Suddenly, the door flung open and several angry men burst inside.
Mirabelle covered her chest with her hands and looked at them with
her eyes wide open. Her rear was completely exposed, and the men
were forced to turn their heads quickly.
“Kyaaaa! Get out of here now!”
She screamed loudly, hunching to protect her body. It was disgraceful
that a noblewoman’s body be exposed to an u er stranger. The men
exchanged glances quickly, then exited the bathroom and slammed
the door shut. Then one of the men spoke in an urgent voice.
“Please dress yourself, My Lady. We have a mission to search this
place–”
However, there was another commo on before he could finish.
There was the sound of dozens of footsteps and the voices of other
men.
“Who are you? Did you all break in here knowing where you are?”
“We came under the orders of Her Majesty.”
“Ha. Even so, you must be bold to come here without the permission
of the Crown Prince. “
“What?”
Mirabelle crept silently towards the door and listened closely. She
heard someone pulling out their sword. Though she could not see it
with her own eyes, it seemed that someone was about to be cut
down.
Mirabelle could not hide Kuhn if they came into the bathroom. The
previous solu on was only temporary. She swallowed nervously.
“Stop! We will leave. But the Crown Prince will have to explain this
himself.”
“You’ll have to explain why you trespassed.”
“…Let’s go.”
Finally, she heard the sound of footsteps walking away. As she was
listening, the frightened maids hurried back towards the bathroom
door.
“Oh my word, are you alright?”
Mirabelle quickly barred the maids from entering through door.
“P-please don’t come inside. I don’t want anyone to see me like this.”
“I’m sorry, My Lady. Would you like me to call Lady Blaise next door?”
“No, she won’t sit s ll if she finds out about all this commo on. I’ll
tell her myself tomorrow.”
The maids bowed their heads automa cally. Mirabelle spoke again to
the maids outside the door.
“I want to be alone, so please leave the bedroom. And please don’t
let anyone in anymore.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
The maids hurried out of the room without saying anything else.
Mirabelle pulled on a robe lying in the bathroom, went out to the
main bedroom where the maids had le and then locked the door.
This was the only way to stop someone from going inside, as the
bathroom door handle was broken. It was only a er the click of the
lock did her tension subside somewhat.
“…Haaah.”
Mirabelle exhaled. When she looked down at her palm she saw that
it was trembling. Deceiving people with lies made her feel like her
heart was about to explode, but fortunately she was able to pass
unno ced.
A er taking a moment to calm down, she quickly returned to the
bathtub where Kuhn was si ng, almost unconscious. Mirabelle
quickly pulled him out, worried that he would die with his face as
pale as it was. The simple ac on of carrying the weight of an adult
male caused her en re body to sweat with exer on.
She managed to lean him against the bathroom wall, and Kuhn
weakly opened his eyes.
“…You don’t have to do this.”
Mirabelle had used all her power and energy to save him. Her
expression flashed hotly with anger.
“What if I didn’t do this? If I let you be captured by them, would you
come back alive?”
“It’s of no concern to you.”
“…!”
Mirabelle was speechless at Kuhn’s callousness. Despite the sudden
surge of grief, the fact remained that he would not have been safe
had he been taken away by the men.
‘Does he really want me to leave him alone in a situa on where he
might die?’
She didn’t understand. One was supposed to give thanks to the other
for saving one’s life.
Mirabelle shook her head and removed Kuhn’s coat to take a look at
the wound.
“Just…leave it alone.”
“I’ll judge it for myself. It would be more helpful for you to just kept
s ll instead of was ng your energy.”
Whether it was because of her words or because he didn’t have the
energy to answer her anymore, Kuhn stayed quiet.
Mirabelle managed to remove Kuhn’s shirt, revealing his firm
abdominal muscles. Because of his slim appearance, she was
surprised to see how he was solidly built underneath. His body was
covered with scars, but she was most curious when she saw what
looked like cigare e burns on his skin.
Without asking him anything, Mirabelle tore a strip of her white silk
nightgown and ed it around his wound. That was the only way to
stop the bleeding for now.
‘…I wish I could ask Elena for help.’
Mirabelle could do more with her sister’s assistance, like being able
to get some medicine for treatment. Under these circumstances,
however, Mirabelle could not tell Elena. Elena would never allow a
stranger to be near her sister, and she always hated being involved in
dangerous situa ons.
Furthermore, Mirabelle did not know why the man was being hunted
down. If he had bad inten ons towards Carlisle, it would make
Elena’s situa on very difficult. Of course, if that were true, Mirabelle
probably shouldn’t have saved him in the first place.
Yet…she wanted to protect him. No ma er what he did wrong, she
didn’t think she could stand seeing him die in front of her.

‘My only teddy bear…’

She hadn’t brought her bear to the palace, and it was si ng back at
Blaise mansion by her bedside, as always, wrapped in the coat that
Kuhn had le behind.
She was no longer a child nor suffering in pain, and she knew that the
man and the bear weren’t the same thing. The person before her just
happened to have the same hair color as her teddy bear.
And yet, she couldn’t leave him alone. She didn’t know why. She just
kept moving. She didn’t want to see him dragged away.
Mirabelle was confused by these feelings that she didn’t understand.
It was the first me she protected someone like this and hid it from
Elena.
‘When she was in a rela onship with the Crown Prince, was this was
what she was feeling?’
Her mind kept saying no, but her heart had no regrets about what
she had done. Mirabelle looked down at the pale face of Kuhn,
whose eyes were faintly closed.
Chapter 102 She Wanted To Protect Him (2)
“I’ll take care of Kuhn’s business myself, so you can go back to your
room.”
“But–“
Elena was having a brief argument with Carlisle over disguising
herself as Len.
The sound of someone pounding on the door interrupted the two.
Elena and Carlisle glanced at each other, then Elena quickly walked
behind the drapery of the bed to hide herself. If they were forced to
create an alibi that Elena was spending the night here, it would surely
spread widely throughout the Crown Prince’s palace by tomorrow.
Carlisle glanced at the bedside where Elena concealed herself, then
turned back to the door and responded.
“Come in.”
It was Zenard who hurriedly entered the room.
“I apologize, Your Highness. There’s an urgent report and I had no
choice but to–”
Knowing that he was with Elena, Zenard’s lengthened his excuses, but
Carlisle cut him off coldly.
“Get to the point.”
“The Empress sent a search party to our area. They entered without
permission. They said they were a er a man that broke into the
Empress’ palace, and it seems like they were looking for Kuhn.”
“So he must have escaped from the Empress’ palace. Where’s the
search party now?”
“We’ve expelled them, but they are s ll searching around for him.”
“…Those insolent soldiers.”
Carlisle’s eyes were like ice.
“Tell the spies you planted in the Empress’ palace to keep watch for
Kuhn, and bring all the other men at the outskirts of the palace and
organize a party. I’ll be there soon.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Zenard bowed and le the room, and Elena stepped from behind the
curtain of the bed.
“Are you s ll going to leave me out of this?”
“…I’d like to, if possible.”
“Well, if you can’t lend me armor, I’ll get it myself. I’ll do it my way.”
Carlisle hesitated at her words, and then con nued with great
reluctance.
“I see. Then I’ll give you some armor to wear. Just don’t leave my side
this me.”
“Don’t forget our contract, Caril. If you object to me being part of
your guard, I’ll find another way to do it. And that may not be what
you like.”
Carlisle opposed her every me she raised a sword, making her job
more difficult each me. They had already agreed on the contract,
and she had already explained herself on Flower Bridge. Elena had no
more pa ence to persuade him.
“I know you are capable. That’s what worries me.”
“…?”
“I am afraid you will end up taking on a job that’s as dangerous as
your abili es.”
“I am ready for it.”
“…I know. I understood the last me you said it. But please
remember what I say now.”
Carlisle’s blue eyes stared straight into Elena’s red ones. She listened
to him in spite of the darkness in the air.
“Don’t get hurt. If you are in danger, don’t look back and make sure
you are safe.”
“Then–”
She was about to ask what the purpose of being his guard was, but
Carlisle con nued in an even so er voice.
“I told you. If you get hurt…I might go crazy.”
He really didn’t know what would happen if she got hurt. It was
highly probable it would be like the me he had cut off a nobleman’s
head and brought it to a party.
Elena couldn’t do anything else but nod for now, if only to reassure
him.
“I understand. I’ll be careful not to get hurt.”
“Good.”
Carlisle gave her a faint smile, and Elena con nued.
“Just as long as you’re not in danger. Because as soon as you are, I
can’t help myself. Your safety is more important than anything to
me.”
Carlisle’s eyes widened slightly, and he turned his head away and
covered his mouth with one hand. Somehow his ears felt a li le red.
“…You say such sweet things so casually.”
“What?”
Elena was surprised at his reac on to her remark. When she thought
about it, she had said she would make him emperor because she
wanted to become an empress, but she never openly said that his life
was important to her. Elena debated with herself whether she should
explain herself more or not.
Carlisle, however, had no inten on of con nuing this lengthy
conversa on, and pointed to the wall opposite of Elena.
“There’s some armor over there, so you can choose something you
like.”
There was a strange tension in the atmosphere, but Elena nodded
her head.
“Alright, then–“
As she walked in the direc on he pointed, she somehow felt hot in
the face. She was embarrassed because he was.
‘…With just those li le words.’
Elena was unable to adjust to this sudden shi in atmosphere from
serious to strange.
She looked at the row of armor. Perhaps because his room was near
the training site, Carlisle’s armor was ready to wear. Elena chose the
smallest of them and placed a helmet over her head. She was
grateful she could hide the blush on her face.
*
*
*
Carlisle and Elena arrived at the outer area of the Crown Prince’s
palace, where Kuhn was believed to have last been seen. Zenard,
who had been wai ng there, quickly approached Carlisle and bowed.
“Who is this by your side?”
“You’ve seen him before.”
“From Flower Bridge…! Since when have you been inside the
palace?”
Carlisle glanced at Elena and spoke in a quiet voice.
“He’s been doing some secret business for me for some me. That’s
why he has to always cover his face.”
“Oh, I see.”
Zenard answered affirma vely, but his eyes were s ll wary. It had
been a long me, but Len was so different from Elena that Zenard
didn’t no ce.

‘You must hate me.’

It was when she was thinking about Zenard’s disapproving eyes did
she no ce dozens of the Crown Prince’s other men were
approaching. Among them was Morgan, a tall, powerful man who
tried to argue with her at Flower Bridge. He waved at Elena when he
no ced her.
‘What? I thought he’d start arguing again…’
The group moved quickly to Carlisle’s side and the leading man
reported to him.
“Your Highness, we searched southwest and we found no sign of
him.”
“Then let’s go northwest. “
Carlisle took command, and the others followed a er his lead.
Among them was Elena, who was right behind Carlisle.
Her red eyes gleamed beneath the helmet. It was the beginning of
the search.
Ch. 103 I Am Sleeping Now (1)
The Crown Prince’s palace was quite large. It wasn’t as vast as the
Emperor’s or Empress’ palace, but it was s ll the third-largest on the
grounds and boasted an impressive size.
Aside from the largest central building on the Crown Prince’s
compound, there were also various small and large buildings next to
it, such as training camps, stables, and the servants’ quarters. The
same was true of the accommoda on that Elena and Mirabelle had
been placed in. It was a quiet building far away from the central area
to provide the most comfort and relaxa on.

“Are some of the Empress’ men s ll on the grounds?”

Zenard, who was walking a step behind, answered immediately.

“Yes, they are.”

“Put more watchmen over there. They seem to be hiding, but if you
find them, take them away.”

“Then armed conflict is inevitable, Your Grace. The Empress won’t let
this stand. What are you going to say?”

“Do I have to explain myself?”

“…What?”
Zenard didn’t understand at all. Carlisle then replied quietly.
“Kill them all. If we don’t leave any evidence, they won’t be able to
prove that we’ve taken Kuhn in our custody.”

“But even without proof, she’ll know that you’re the one. Is that
acceptable?”

“It doesn’t ma er. They’ve already go en away with it too many

mes.”
Despite the violence in his words, Carlisle was relaxed as if he were
merely taking a stroll.

“…They’ll pay the price for recklessly intruding into my palace.”

“Yes, sir.”
Carlisle’s was more hard-willed than expected, but Elena didn’t speak
out against Carlisle’s judgment. From Elena’s perspec ve, as
someone who had been on the ba lefield numerous mes, Carlisle’s
mindset was that of an excellent general. Society was concerned that
this side of him was too cruel, but when he moved into situa ons of
danger like now, he excelled brilliantly. One should never
underes mate the enemy, especially on the ba lefield.

“I will go watch for the Empress’ men–”

Elena spoke before he could finish.
“I will go.”
Not only was Elena confident that she would leave no evidence, but
she knew she could get Kuhn out safely even if the other soldiers
found her first. The more important the task was, the more she
wanted to deal with it herself. Carlisle furrowed his brow, however.

“Zenard, you go.”

“Me?”
Zenard couldn’t hide his surprise when it was Elena who volunteered
to go.

“Don’t make me say it again.”

“My apologies. I’ll go right away.”

With a ques oning look on his face, Zenard quickly lowered his head,
then fell away from Carlisle’s company and disappeared. When he
was completely out of sight, Carlisle turned towards Elena, his icy
eyes flashing in the dark.

“…Len, you’re already trying to break your promise.”

Elena gazed at him, and she imagined he looked like a black jaguar on
the prowl, a bloodthirsty predator that kept its prey on edge. The
other soldiers following behind Carlisle momentarily lost their breath
at the pressure he was exuding.
Elena didn’t forget the promise she made.
“You can’t ignore me.”

“…?”

“I won’t get hurt by this kind of mission. I am your sharpest weapon.”

She had told Carlisle that she wouldn’t get hurt, and that she would
be as careful as possible. However, she was not so weak as to get
injured by such a mission.
The soldiers’ were astonished at Elena’s words. They had never heard
someone speak so confidently. It was not easy to praise oneself even
if you were overflowing with skill. Those who talked like this could be
divided into two main categories–Either you were really confident in
your skills, or you were a big talker…
A small smile spread across Carlisle’s as if he were in agreement with
Elena.

“S ll, stay with me tonight. I don’t want you to leave yet.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The two were completely casual in their conversa on, but the
soldiers behind them were not easily convinced. In this situa on, was
it true that Elena was the best of Carlisle’s men?
Everyone stared back Elena and Carlisle with inquisi ve looks.
Morgan, who was walking silently behind them, clapped his hands
together and murmured in a so voice that did not fit his big size.
“…Fantas c.”
*
*
*
The started to find small clues as they arrived in the northwest
direc on of the Crown Prince’s palace. It was when Carlisle and his
group were following a trail of bloodstains on some branches that
someone came towards Carlisle, pan ng.

“Y-your Highness. Someone from the Empress’ palace has formally

asked for permission to search your palace.”
A faint smile hung over Carlisle’s lips.

“A er she’s already infiltrated it?”

They have already expelled those who infiltrated the palace once.
And now that he had already sent Zenard to surveill them now, it was
too late for them to come and get permission.

“Your Highness, what shall I do?”

Carlisle dipped his head and touched his chin in thought for a
moment.
Swigswigswigeu–
They could hear the sound of movement through the forest. His
company consisted of highly skilled knights, and even the slightest
movement could not be missed.
Elena whispered to Carlisle.

“It seems like the Empress’ men are already in the vicinity.”
While Carlisle was searching for Kuhn, the Empress seemed to have
sent more forces. Besides the groups under Zenard’s command, there
were others in the palace. Perhaps they had also discovered Kuhn’s
trail, and were searching for the blood le in the area.
Carlisle’s eyes were steely. Then he spoke quietly.

“I am asleep now.”

“…What?”
The man who had run to report to Carlisle had an expression of
disbelief.

“I’m deep asleep and I cannot be woken. That means I am not able to
grant permission for the Empress’ men to search my palace.”

“Ah…”

“So now they are the men who trespassed the Crown Prince’s
palace.”

“…!”
The man listening to Carlisle finally realized what he meant and
opened his eyes wide. Elena was able to understand the prince’s
meaning as soon as he said the first words.
Officially, the Empress had to ask permission from the Crown Prince
to search his palace for the fugi ve, so Carlisle intended to delay his
permission as much as possible. Furthermore, those who infiltrated
the Crown Prince’s palace were uniden fied men, so they had an
excuse to capture and punish them.
Elena suddenly drew her sword from her waist.
Chaeaeng!
On this dark night, her sharp blade flashed in the so moonlight. The
other men in the back were confused at Elena’s sudden behavior.
Hwiiigue–
Elena immediately threw her sword into the forest.
Pusyuk.
It struck an enemy soldier that had been hiding. The sound of metal
piercing flesh confirmed that her aim was true.

“…Wow.”
There came faint praise from someone’s mouth. Elena turned and
calmly spoke to Carlisle.

“I will go and capture all the uniden fied men who have infiltrated
the palace.”
If the men followed them, they would try to escape. It wasn’t too
dangerous, and no one could seriously threaten her in one-to-one
combat.
Carlisle shot Elena conflicted glance, but soon nodded.

“…Go.”

“Yes, sir.”
A er this sparse exchange, she ran into the dark forest. As expected,
as soon as she moved she could sense the enemy sca ering on all
sides.
Carlisle turned towards his other men for a moment.

“What are you doing? Are you not going?”

“Yes, sir!”

A er Carlisle’s words, the other men followed behind Elena to

capture the Empress’ men. The sound of countless collisions of steel
on steel rang in the dark. Carlisle did not doubt that Elena could
capture all of the Empress’ men. Although he did not want to admit
it, with her ability he knew she wouldn’t lose them.
Carlisle was observing the ba le with his arms folded when he
suddenly realized there was s ll one person by his side. It was the
man earlier who informed him that the Empress wanted to obtain
permission to search the palace.

“You should go ahead and tell them I’m too deep asleep to get up.”
“Y-yes, Your Highness!”
He had been staring at Elena’s back and came to himself when the
prince addressed him, and then rushed away in a hurry. His mission
was to tell them that Carlisle was s ll sleeping.
Ch. 104 I Am Sleeping Now (2)
Kuhn, who had been briefly unconscious, began to s r. The first thing
waking thought that came to him was that his whole body hurt like
fire. Every muscle was in pain. Not only was he severely tortured in
the palace, but he had also used up his strength to escape.
“…Keut.”
He groaned as he li ed his upper body. From his side came a voice
like a singing bird.
“Are you alright?”
Kuhn’s grey eyes turned towards the unexpected voice, and
Mirabelle’s anxious face swam into view. As he looked into
Mirabelle’s innocent-looking eyes, all the events that happened
before passed him like a panorama. The young noblewoman took of
her dress and exposed herself for the sake of Kuhn. She was Elena’s
sister, and would soon become Carlisle’s sister-in-law, which meant
that their difference in status was too great for her to ever reach him.
And thus, Kuhn owed her a debt that he could never repay.
‘…Just let me go.’
He was not so helpless that he would give up his own life, but like so
many people he had killed, he knew one day he would die. It didn’t
ma er if that moment was today. If he struggled to live but died
anyway, it was inevitable.
Kuhn stared at her numbly, but she spoke to him with a voice full of
concern.
“Would you like a glass of water?”
“…I’m fine.”
He refused her drink despite the rawness in his throat. However,
when Mirabelle heard the way his voice cracked, she quickly le then
returned with a glass of water from her room, and carefully pped it
towards his mouth.
As things went on like this, Kuhn simply drank the water that
Mirabelle gave him. It was funny how a sip of water seemed to make
him feel more energe c.
A er he drained the cup, Mirabelle set the glass neatly aside. Come
to think of it, Kuhn was s ll lying in the bathroom. Maybe his weight
was too much for Mirabelle to carry, but his body was covered with
heavy blankets, so it was not cold at all. He felt slightly guilty
imagining Mirabelle heaving all those blankets inside.
“Your name…what is it?”
At her sudden ques on, Kuhn turned his head and looked at her.
There was something cau ous about her gaze. Or maybe she was too
curious that she didn’t know what to do. What was his name…
“I don’t want to tell you. As you can see, my job is very dangerous.”
He wasn’t wrong, and he didn’t want to con nue his rela onship
with Mirabelle any more. However, she had helped him, and if she
would receive a gi that would be it.
“I want to know. I promise I won’t tell anyone, so…can you just tell
me?”
“…”
A er a moment, he thought it wouldn’t make any difference if she
would never see him again anyway. He felt bad about being too
difficult on her a er she just saved his life.
“Kuhn…Kasha.”
He regre ed it as soon as he spoke. He should’ve have given her an
alias. Maybe his head wasn’t func oning properly because he was
injured.
“Kuhn Kasha.”
Mirabelle repeated his name. The words ckled Kuhn strangely, and
he forced himself to pull up his upper body. Mirabelle held him back
with a surprised look on her face.
“D-don’t move. The wound is too serious–”
“These injuries are common. And if you don’t go now, you and I will
be in trouble.”
However, something different had caught Mirabelle’s a en on.
“Those injuries…are common?”
Kuhn’s primary mission before he was assigned to infiltrate the
Empress’ palace was to keep by Elena’s side like a silent shadow. He
had Mirabelle’s face from a distance. He could tell at a glance that
she was a very bright girl like the sun. A type of person completely
different from himself.
He didn’t know if Mirabelle acted like this everyday, but Kuhn felt
troubled as her kindness and warmth was turned towards him.
“I’ll leave now.”
Kuhn staggered to his feet. It was not the first me that he had
overcome a situa on where he thought he was going to die like this.
He stumbled straight ahead, and Mirabelle quickly went to his side
and grabbed him by his arm.
“Can you really go on like this?”
“Yes, this is enough.”
He replied calmly as if he were used to this, and Mirabelle couldn’t
help but think how unfortunate this situa on was. She was looking
up at Kuhn with shimmering eyes. It seemed to contain feelings he
had never received from anyone. He spoke in spite of himself.
“…Thank you. “
Mirabelle’s eyes widened. Kuhn, who had finished talking, stumbled
out of the room. Mirabelle went a er him, and spoke to his
retrea ng back.

“Since I saved your life, can you grant me a wish?”

“…?”
Kuhn stopped walking and turned his head back.
“Please…let me see you one more me. When you’re well, come see
me. My name is Mirabelle Blaise.”
“…”
Kuhn ghtened his lips and turned away without answering.
Mirabelle stared sadly at him as he le .
Ch. 105 Remove Your Hand (1)
Elena was arres ng the Empress’ men who infiltrated the palace,
according to Carlisle’s orders. However, at some point, she could
sense someone following her. She stopped walking and turned
towards the person trailing her feet.
“Hey, why do you keep coming a er me?”
Morgan stepped away from behind a tree, smiling. He was so big that
even a large trunk couldn’t conceal him.
“Your name is Len, right? How did you know I was following you? I
thought I hiding myself.”
“Alright, just get to the point. Are you here to quarrel with me
again?”
Elena didn’t care for the pride of knights, but if he kept bothering her
about it, it would be interes ng to have a face-off to prove who was
stronger. Despite that Elena was a woman and had a smaller body,
she had her experience from her last life.
“Oh, no. I don’t want to pick a quarrel with you.”
“Then why do you keep coming a er me?”
Morgan shyly scratched the back of his large head.
“From what I saw of you from the bridge last me, I think you’re a
be er guy than I first thought.”
“…?”
Elena stared at him. Morgan con nued on with an embarrassed
expression.
“So let’s be friends.”
Elena did not reply, and he con nued on nervously.
“We’re all in the same family anyway. I work for the Crown Prince.”
He would probably devolve into gibberish if she le him like this, so
she nodded.
“…Yes.”
Morgan’s face lit up at her answer.
“Really?”
“…Huh?”
“Are we going to be friends from now on?”
They were not children playing, but it almost felt like he was holding
out his pinky finger to make a promise. Elena couldn’t help but smile
how Morgan’s gentle nature was so opposite of his appearance.
In her past life there were men who some mes acted charming and
sweet towards her, without recognizing her for her abili es because
she was a woman. It was only a er seeing in her ac on did they
come to respect her. Of course, Morgan didn’t know she was a
woman now, but…in this life, she was going to pretend to be a man in
order to hide her iden ty as much as possible.
“My name is–”
“Morgan, isn’t it?”
She remembered that someone called him that on Flower Bridge.
Morgan gave her a smile for remembering. It really didn’t match the
big guy at all, causing Elena to smile again. Suddenly–
Swig swig swig—
Someone passed nearby. They had not yet captured everyone who
trespassed on the palace. Elena immediately took a combat stance.
“Let’s talk later.”
Morgan nodded and stood by Elena’s back.
“I’ll take this opportunity to show you my strength, so keep your eyes
open.”
Morgan took out his main weapon, a heavy iron mace, and spun it a
few mes in the air. Elena could not help but glance over when she
heard the force of the wind. A blow from that would certainly knock
down a knight or break his weapon.
Elena’s mouth went upwards as she realized that her friend was more
powerful than she thought.
“Then let’s go catch the rats hiding.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Elena shot ahead like a cat, and
Morgan rushed forward with a heavy gait that seemed to make the
earth shudder.
*
*
*
Elena and Morgan walked out of the dark woods. The number of
enemy soldiers they captured together totaled seven, and all seven
were carried by Morgan alone. He had two on each shoulder, and the
other three he dragged on the ground by their collars. Because of
this, Elena was able to walk unburdened.
“You are really good, Len.”
Morgan didn’t miss his enemies easily, but he had a style of figh ng
meant to overpower one or two enemies in front of him. Meanwhile,
Elena’s moves were so agile and accurate that she managed to block
the escape routes and narrow the field effec vely. Morgan couldn’t
help but admire her skills.
“…We’re s ll a ways off.”
Although Elena had more physical strength and familiarity with a
sword than when she first returned to the past, she s ll hadn’t fully
recovered her peak skills. Her basic physical strength couldn’t reach
its full poten al without substan al training.
“Oh, have you fought with the prince? I hear some talented guys spar
with him…”
“Spar?”
Elena looked curiously at Morgan.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
“Then you’d be er avoid it as much as possible. Those who go up
against the prince tend to get seriously injured. On rainy days you can
hear them complaining about their injuries.”
She knew that Carlisle was not weak, but she had never seen him
wield a sword in person.
“Is Carlisle that strong?”
“Of course. Probably the strongest in our army. You don’t know
because you’re new and have never been to war. His Highness
doesn’t really acknowledge it. But some mes…even I’m terrified.”
Morgan’s voice trailed off, but his words stayed in Elena’s mind.
She began to imagine what Carlisle was like on the ba lefield.
Drenched in blood, defea ng dozens of enemies… She also
remembered the black scales that had appeared on his arm, and
imagined him holding up the enemy by their neck. His words flashed
across her mind.
– Let me ask you this. Do you have any regrets about your decision?
And you know…I could be a monster.
Caril had always called himself a monster, but she didn’t think he was
talking just about his arm. Why did it transform like that? She
lingered over these unanswered ques ons. She was lost in thought
un l the person she was imagining about spoke for real in front of
her.
“…You’re late.”
She glanced up, but when she looked around there didn’t seem to be
many other knights that had returned yet. She didn’t think they were
late, but she didn’t protest.
“They had go en away farther than we thought, so it took a while to
catch them.”
Morgan dumped the seven unconscious bodies onto the ground, and
immediately came up to Elena and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Len did good work–”
“Remove it.”
“What?”
“Your hand, remove it.”
Carlisle’s tone turned deadly, and Morgan glanced down to where his
hand was placed. His hand was only lightly touching Elena’s shoulder,
and this level of familiarity was common among knights. As they
fought together and camaraderie deepened, they way they would
touch each other would become more familiar too. When they went
out for drinks, they would even stumble around shoulder-to-
shoulder.
Before Elena could raise a ques on, Morgan quickly removed his
hand on Elena’s shoulder. Carlisle was emi ng such a terrible energy
that he looked like he would cut the offending limb if it remained on
Elena’s body any longer.
Elena stared right at Carlisle and con nued as if nothing had
happened.
“I don’t think we’ve captured all of them yet, so I’ll go back into the
forest and help the others.”
“Ah, me too–”
Carlisle cut off Morgan’s words.
“Why do you need to move with a partner? Morgan, you go alone.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I will return!”
A er a loud reply, Morgan rushed towards a direc on that had some
noise. As Elena stared at his back, she immediately lowered her voice
to speak to Carlisle.

“We’ll be out of here soon.”

“…You should praise me for being so pa ent.”
She looked at him with a surprised expression and unknowingly
shook her head.
Tatatataktak.
She saw Zenard coming to them from a distance. The fact that he
returned was evidence that something had happened and Elena kept
a close eye. Finally, he arrived, gasping for breath as he gave his
report.
“Your Highness, we found Kuhn.”
Ch. 106 Remove Your Hand (2)
As soon as Kuhn le the building where Mirabelle was, he was found
quickly by the Crown Prince’s men nearby. He didn’t know if he
would be taken to the Empress without Mirabelle’s protec on, but
he was safe now that Carlisle’s forces were everywhere.
Carlisle and Elena hurried towards Kuhn, who was in urgent need of
emergency treatment. Zenard gave his report and le to deal with
the rest of the Empress’ men.
“General…”
Kuhn tried to li himself to greet him, but Carlisle gently pushed
down on his shoulders.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
He didn’t seem to be answering honestly, but his response was calm.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“No. I apologize for not fulfilling my mission.”
“Don’t waste your thoughts and concentrate on ge ng be er now.”
Kuhn weakly dropped his head. Perhaps he had too much guilt for
not comple ng the mission. Meanwhile, Elena was standing behind
Carlisle, confirming with her own eyes that he was safe. At that
moment Kuhn’s gray eyes turned towards her.
“Who is this?”
Carlisle’s turned his head back towards Elena, then replied in a casual
voice.
“This is my bodyguard.”
Elena offered a light nod instead of answering. Kuhn knew Elena’s
voice, and it was possible he could recognize her if she spoke. She
didn’t want to say anything in front of him as much as possible.
“…I see.”
Kuhn stared at Elena in her metal armor with an unreadable
expression. He didn’t have the same a tude as Zenard, but Kuhn
didn’t seem to welcome her presence either.
‘No one welcomes you here.’
Suddenly, Elena remembered Morgan’s face. There was s ll a long
night to go, but she thought she should see him again if she had the
chance.
*
The next day, the sun rose without fail.
It was a busy morning for the Crown Prince. The Empress’ men had
requested authoriza on search the Crown Prince’s palace last night,
but Carlisle had been asleep and had not approved in me. The
Empress complained that she missed the intruder, but there was
nothing she could do about it. Her men that had been captured and
tortured were finally released as well.
Elena had not seen Kuhn’s drama c rescue from the palace, but she
was sure that he was recovering well out of sight. She thought that a
rumor about her secret late night mee ng with Carlisle would spread
widely throughout the palace, but there was no such talk and she
suspected that Carlisle had a hand in it.
In the end, the result was sa sfactory. But there was one thing that
she didn’t expect.
“What did you say?”
Mirabelle’s face was thin as if she had been unable to sleep last night,
and she con nued her explana on.
“Well…last night, some men stormed in and broke open the
bathroom door.”
“And they saw you in your underwear?”
“…Um.”
At Mirabelle’s hesita on, Elena sent her fist slamming into the table.
A wildfire was erup ng from her chest. She thought things were
going well last night, but it turned out to be wrong. How dare they
see Mirabelle’s body!
“Why didn’t you come to me last night?”
Elena had no choice but to say it. Even if Mirabelle had come, she
would have discovered that Elena was not in her room. Elena bit her
lip in frustra on while Mirabelle tried to put on a lighter face.
“It’s alright. I don’t care about that at all.”

“Then why didn’t you sleep well?”

Mirabelle couldn’t think of anything to say for a moment. Mirabelle’s
sleepless night was not due to her shame of showing herself to
others. She was more worried if Kuhn had managed to escape safely.
She also promised she would never reveal Kuhn Kasha’s name.
“I had to change my bed and it was a li le rough, but I’m really fine,
sister.”
“…Alright. I won’t worry about it.”
Elena tried to act fine, but her red eyes were streaming with anger as
deep as lava. She was thinking about the men they had captured last
night. She should have tortured them with her own hands and made
them pay…
She clenched her teeth.
‘I’ll find them and get my revenge.’
Ch. 107 I’m Just Too Bored To Let It Go (1)
The Empress Ophelia was seated on a chair with a backdrop of black
drapery. The lavishly decorated room was filled with thick clouds of
smoke, a fragrance made by Ophelia herself.
“It’s not something you should let go lightly, sister.”
The man before Ophelia was her brother Duke Cesare, head of the
Anita family. Most of the men born of Anita’s blood had red hair, and
his thick beard and sharp eyes gave an impression of a fierce lion.
“Then what should I do without smiling at this situa on?”
“Immediately see the Crown Prince to discuss the case. How dare he
torture your men. He should be severely punished.”
“That’s enough. The Crown Prince couldn’t authorize the search
because he was sleeping.”
Flames erupted in Cesare’s angry eyes when Ophelia recounted the
report brought by her subordinates.
“That is a joke! They are making excuses and openly playing tricks on
us.”
“Let it go. I knew the man was sent by the Crown Prince anyway. He
escaped and the prince would have covered for him somehow.”
The lightness of Ophelia’s a tude seemed only to inflame Cesare
even further.
“Sister…”
“Stop.”
Cesare’s mouth immediately snapped shut.
“It is amusing when I look at it. However…the Crown Prince seems to
have grown up more formidable than I thought. I didn’t expect this
from him.”
“What kind of low blood could grow up like this?”
Cesare grumbled as if he was dissa sfied with Ophelia’s praise for
Carlisle. The Empress, however, tapped the table lightly with her
fingers and mu ered in a low voice.
“I believed the throne would naturally go to Redfield if he captured
the Duke of Lunen, but the return of the Crown Prince was
unexpected.”
Cesare no ced her troubled face and quickly replied.
“We are s ll figuring out how to get rid of that pain of a prince. So,
sister. It is widely rumored that the Crown Prince will offer marriage
to Lady Blaise. Last I heard the Crown Prince personally visited Blaise
Mansion, so I don’t believe it’s a false rumor.”
“…Really?”
A poli cal marriage between Carlisle and Elena would mean that
Count Blaise would be directly obligated to the Crown Prince. So far,
the ominous prophecy had repeated impeded Carlisle’s rela onship
with powerful families, and there have been nobles who avoided
marriage with Carlisle because of Ophelia as well.
“Hmm–“
She con nued to tap on the table with her well-polished nails. Cesare
resumed with a confident voice.
“That’s why I have a plan in place to ruin the Crown Prince’s
marriage.”
“…That’s enough.”
“What?”
Cesare didn’t even have a chance to explain what he was going to do.
“Let it go. If they want to get married, let them.”
“What does that mean? Elder sister. While Count Blaise is not a
strong force, he leads the Fourth Order of Knights of the Imperial
Palace. We cannot ignore their military force–”
“This is be er than the Crown Prince joining forces with the Kraus
family.”
“…!”
At the men on of the Kraus family he turned quiet. The Kraus family
had a large commercial presence in the Ruford Empire. In the ght
struggle for power between the Emperor and Empress, Kraus could
p the scales in one way or the other.
However, Count Evans, the head of the Kraus family, had no inten on
of lending his strength to anyone. The Empress had already tried to
twist him to her side, but he did not budge, and the Emperor, of
course, must have tried every means to have him. Neither one could
lure Kraus to their cause, and they con nued their poli cal ba les
without him.
“If there’s any poten al match from the Kraus family…are you
thinking about the recently divorced Greta?”
“That’s correct.”
“If the Crown Prince’s first marriage is to be with her…”
At present, Greta was the only eligible person in the Kraus family that
could marry Carlisle. The rest were already married with two or three
children. The problem was that Greta was seven years older than
Carlisle, and her divorce was due to her affairs with other men.
Everything about her appearance, character, and social status was
anything but suitable for the crown prince of the country.
Ophelia, however, was careful for even one small situa on, and Greta
judged men by their appearance more than anyone else did. Carlisle
was so handsome that any woman would be a racted to him.
“By marrying he could become the emperor, so what does it ma er
what type of woman is beside him? If the crown prince has any
ounce of ambi on, even if she’s an idiot he’ll keep her by his side.”
“I see, sister. I didn’t think that far. But wouldn’t it be a problem if he
marries Lady Blaise? If the prophecy is resolved, many other women
would vy for the throne.”
The corners of Ophelia’s mouth crept upwards.
“It won’t be easy as you think.”
“…?”
“If the Crown Prince uncondi onally makes his first wife the Crown
Prince, it will be difficult to sign an alliance with other powers as a
way to guarantee his second wife’s status.”
In the Ruford Empire the first wife was considered the lawful wife,
and women who married a erwards were placed in a lower posi on.
If the crown prince wanted to marry another woman, the difference
in status between the first wife and the others was huge.
The more powerful the noble was, the less likely he would want his
daughter to enter a lower posi on. Furthermore, to make an alliance
with Carlisle meant to turn one’s back on Ophelia. Not many families
would allow their daughters to become a concubine with such a risk.
As long as the Crown Princess was taken care of, she could prevent
Carlisle’s power from expanding through marriage.
“You are me culous, sister. But isn’t it best not to have a princess at
all?”
“You know…the Emperor’s days are numbered. He is aware of the
fact and is keen for the Crown Prince to marry. That is likely why
invited him to return to the palace. Even if I stop him, sooner or later
the Crown Prince will find someone, and on that condi on I can
afford his marriage to House Blaise.”
“You’re right. The Blaise family is so loyal that they won’t change
sides. We’ll have to get rid of them anyway, so it’s not a waste.”
Ophelia smiled at the like-minded Cesare.
“You don’t have to look that far ahead. It will be over by the me the
Emperor dies.”

“Yes!”
“The Crown Prince will die before he even gets a proper second wife.
As soon as our Redfield takes the throne, the Crown Prince’s life will
be over.”
“…Keug keug.”
Cesare let out a pleased chuckle. Ophelia murmured in a low voice as
she imagined Redfield taking over the throne.
“If the Crown Prince had let himself die before he arrived at the
palace, at least he wouldn’t have to watch his wife suffer that fate…”
And if Carlisle and Elena had a baby during their short marriage,
Ophelia intended to kill it, too. Before Carlisle’s life was complete, his
wife and her child would die before his eyes. If the child was s ll in
the womb, Ophelia would tear Elena’s stomach. Carlisle would fall at
Ophelia’s feet un l the last moment of his life and beg for mercy for
his family.
Ophelia, however, would slowly kill each of the people involved, and
then finally take Carlisle’s life. Imagining his anguished cries seemed
to ease the suppressed anger in Ophelia a li le, and a smile spread
on her face.
Ch. 108 I’m Just Too Bored To Let It Go (2)
“If the crown prince wants Lady Blaise, let him. I think it would be
more fun to give him what he wants and then take it away.”
“Yes, my sister.”
Despite his expecta ons, Ophelia had no inten on to interfere with
Carlisle’s wedding. On the contrary, she hoped that Carlisle would be
happy on his wedding day, whoever he was with. That way it would
be worth seeing the miserable, wretched expression on his face
when that happiness is taken from him.
Ophelia stopped talking to Cesare and spoke towards a back room
which there seemed to be no one.
“Are you doing what I asked you to do?”
“Yes, Mother.”
From the darkness came the voice of the second prince, Redfield.
Since childhood, Ophelia locked up in the back room for any
wrongdoing and had him write down royal military tac cs. It was the
same as now. There was an incident and Redfield had a hard me
keeping himself under control.
“I know you like your women, and while you say you cannot help it,
you have to know how to control yourself before you become
emperor. Don’t you know be er than to force yourself on a young
lady of a well-known family?”
“I’m sorry, Mother. It’s always more entertaining when a pre y face
looks so defiant. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
Ophelia clicked her tongue. This wasn’t the first me they had this
conversa on. Nevertheless, Redfield’s appe te for feminine charms
had not been fixed. She used her influence to keep the rumors quiet,
but it could be dangerous if this went on any longer. He especially
had to be more careful now that Carlisle was back in the palace.
“I’m warning you, stay low for now.”
Cesare stepped in.
“My dear sister, when a man is s ll young, it is inevitable that his eyes
will turn towards a beau ful face. Please understand.”
“What’s the hurry? If he becomes emperor, he’ll be able to take any
woman he wants. But I cannot forgive another accident at this me.”
In the end, Cesare shut his mouth in face of Ophelia’s unyielding
a tude. Redfield didn’t care what the other two said. He could order
his servants to make it look like he completed his punishment. It
wasn’t the first me, and he knew how to get away from it by now.
Currently, the second prince was instead cura ng a list of nobles to
invite to his party.
The first name on that list was Elena Blaise. He stared at the name
with one hand res ng on his chain, and a cruel smile crossed his
handsome face.
‘You’re going to marry my brother?’
Redfield amused himself with his imagina on. While he heard
everything Ophelia and Cesare said, his view of Carlisle’s marriage
was a li le different.
‘I don’t intend to oppose the marriage, but I’m just too bored to let it
go.’
*
*
*
A er Elena and Mirabelle took breakfast in the palace, they returned
to Blaise Mansion. Under Carlisle’s orders, the two sisters traveled in
a colorful carriage decorated with pure gold, however, Mirabelle’s
thoughts were turned towards Kuhn, and Elena was s ll furious that
several men saw her sister’s body.
As they walked on the mansion pathway lost in their own thoughts, a
figure came up to meet them.
“Why are you not excited a er coming back from the Imperial
Palace?”
Elena looked up at the familiar voice, and saw Derek with his
customary stern look on his face. He looked as if he had been training
near the garden, and his face and body were covered in sweat.
“Brother…”
Mirabelle’s spirits rose at seeing her older brother.
“Are you s ll training here, brother?”
“How can I neglect even one day of training when the sword figh ng
compe on is near? I don’t like the look on your faces though. Did
something happen at the palace?”
Elena and Mirabelle glanced at each other. Both of them were lost in
their own thoughts and looking back, there was only silence and
awkward smiles in the royal carriage. Mirabelle shook her head at
Derek first.
“I had fun at the Palace. The Crown Prince was very nice to Elena.
You’ll find out when you meet him.”
“…Really?”
Derek had a doub ul expression on his face, but Mirabelle smiled
back and con nued.
“It would be quicker to just meet him than to say a hundred words.
From his eyes, I can feel a lot of affec on for her.”
Elena forced a smile Mirabelle’s unexpected words. She really didn’t
know if Carlisle looked at her like that, but the best thing to do was to
go along with it.
Derek simply nodded his head.
“Yes. As you say, I will meet him later.”
“…I wish I was looked at with that kind of affec on.”
Mirabelle murmured under her breath and Derek looked at her
curiously.
“What?”
“N-nothing! I’ll go inside first. I’m red from the long ride.”
“Go get some rest.”
“Yes. I enjoyed myself with you. Let’s spend me together again,
even if it’s not in the Imperial Palace.”
“Of course.”
Elena gratefully pa ed Mirabelle on the head. Mirabelle was
probably worried about Elena’s workload. Of course, Elena didn’t
mean to forgive those who saw her sister’s body.
Mirabelle first entered the mansion, and Elena turned to Derek.
“I’m going to go inside too, brother. Don’t push yourself too hard and
relax.”
“Alright. See you for dinner later.”
“Yes.”
Elena followed her sister inside. Michael, the butler standing by the
entrance, greeted her brightly.
“Welcome, My Lady.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes, but I have many invita ons for you, so please see to them later.”
“Ah, I will.”
He was holding dozens of envelopes in his hands, and she seemed to
have caught him when he was arranging them.
Among them, however, a red invita on stood out. They usually came
in plain white envelopes, but this one was elaborately designed. It
must have been an expensive envelope that was not readily available
on the market. Elena pointed towards it.
“Is that for me, too?”
“Oh, yes, My Lady. Would you like to see it now?”
“Yes, please.”
She was suddenly curious to know what kind of invita on was made
with such cra smanship. Elena opened the envelope of the red
invita on to confirm where it was sent from, but unexpectedly, she
saw that it was marked with a dragon seal from the Imperial
Household. She had just returned from the palace. She opened the
envelope, wondering who else would invite her there.
“Ah…!”
Elena’s mouth fell open.
[Sullivan]
Carlisle’s father, Emperor of the Ruford Empire.
Ch. 109 So Cute
Michael observed Elena’s shocked expression.
“Why the surprise? Who could the invita on be from…”
“Who brought this?”
“It was just an ordinary servant. What’s wrong, My Lady?”
“…Nothing.”
Elena folded the invita on again and placed it back the envelope. It
was not wise to disclose the iden ty of the person who sent the
invita on without confirming it first, and Elena saved her words from
Michael.
“Anyway, thank you. I’ll see to the rest of the le ers later, so place
them on my desk.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Elena put on a composed expression and headed to her room.
However, her mind was whirling storm beneath. She felt like she was
becoming entangled li le by li le with the imperial family. As
emperor of the Ruford Empire, Sullivan could have sent an official
edict from the palace, or have a messenger deliver it directly to her.
There must be a reason, however, for mailing out a common
invita on.
Elena’s first thought was that he wanted to see her personally, like
the way Carlisle visited Blaise mansion. If it wasn’t an official
invita on, then perhaps he wanted to do it in secret? She knew that
discussion about marriage would come up eventually, but she didn’t
expect Sullivan to reach out to her first.
Elena opened the door to her room and entered.
‘…It’s a pain.’
Whatever Sullivan’s inten ons were, she intended to share her
thoughts will Carlisle on this issue. Un l now she was accustomed to
ac ng on her own, but several of her experiences led her to conclude
that it was be er if the both of them solved problems together.
She made to e a red handkerchief to the window out of habit, but
then paused.
‘Ah, Sir Kasha is wounded now.’
He was probably recovering somewhere, and summoning him would
be useless. At the same me, she half expected him to show up too.
She imagined that he would come in nonchalantly and ask, “What did
you call me for?” However, while the bodyguard Len knew he was
injured, Lady Elena was supposed to be ignorant of his current
condi on. She wondered what would happen if she ed the
handkerchief as if she didn’t know anything, but she soon closed her
mind to it.
‘Just let him rest.’
If he really did show up injured, he would try to hide it. She placed
the handkerchief back in the drawer, then walked to her desk and
wrote a brief le er to Carlisle. Although there was li le chance of the
contents being read by anyone else, she kept the details vague just in
case.
Seugeu–
She sealed the le er for Carlisle in an envelope, then looked over at
the invita on sent by Sullivan.
For some reason her heart was restless.
*
*
*
The day a er Elena sent the le er to Carlisle, a visitor arrived from
the Crown Prince’s palace early in the morning. When Elena heard
the news, she hurried into the drawing room and saw Zenard wai ng
for her. He looked at her respec ully, very unlike when he was
dealing with Len.
“W-welcome.”
Elena pretended to greet him awkwardly, and Zenard replied with a
bright expression.
“Good morning, My Lady. I apologize if I’ve arrived too early.”
It varied, but some families o en got up around lunch me and
started the day late. The nobles who did not have to worry about
their livelihoods were not obliged to wake up diligently every
morning.
Of course, that was completely irrelevant to Elena. She woke up
earlier than her servants and exercised secretly every morning.
“No, it’s alright. I was also wai ng for your call.”
“Ah, I’m glad to hear that. His Highness requested that you come visit
him as soon as possible. What is your schedule like today?”
“I can leave right away. I’ll be back when I’m ready, so please wait
here.”
“I understand.”
Zenard gave a deep bow. It seemed an overly polite gesture coming
from a close associate of Carlisle to Elena, but he might have already
known that they were ge ng married soon. Of course, it didn’t
ma er to Elena since she had already told her family.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Elena hurried to her room. The date on Sullivan’s invita on was not
far away. The sooner she decided how to respond, the be er.
A er Elena finished preparing and came back to the drawing room,
Zenard escorted her to a carriage for the Imperial Palace. The
carriage went swi ly and arrived the palace quickly, and under the
careful escort of Zenard, Elena set foot into the Crown Prince’s
palace.
‘I think I’m ge ng used to this place.’
The magnificence of the grounds had ini ally overwhelmed her, but
she seemed to have adapted to it since her visit with Mirabelle. Elena
was a li le relieved, as she didn’t know how long she would come to
live here.
Zenard found Carlisle’s loca on from the other servants and guided
Elena to a private training area. The path leading up to the training
grounds were lined with a variety of large and small weapons,
including spears, swords, daggers and axes. The weapons were not
just decora ons to look at either; all hand finger marks and signs of
use. Elena looked at each one in detail and admired them.
Swig, swig, swiig–
There was a swishing sound in the air as they neared the training hall,
and soon Elena spo ed the source. Inside a spacious private training
hall was Carlisle was training alone with a sword…shirtless. Judging
by the amount of sweat dripping from his solid body, he must have
been going for some me. Every me Carlisle swung his sword, there
was the sound of his blade cu ng sharp through the air.
When Elena saw him, she imagined herself compe ng against him.
How she would stop him if he a acked that way, and how to break
through if he defended.
‘He’s more skilled than I thought.’
Even if she gained back all her power, she couldn’t say for sure who
would win. She already had a life me of experience and excelled for
her age, but Carlisle had already a ained a great level of ability as
well. She wouldn’t have believed his skills if she hadn’t seen it for
herself.
‘If he’s growing at this rate…’
Maybe Carlisle would later become a force beyond Paveluc. Elena
looked on at Carlisle in pure admira on. She herself had been highly
praised for her talent, but now that she saw Carlisle she was
humbled. Carlisle’s sword figh ng skills were overwhelmingly strong,
just as Morgan said. As she looked on enraptured by Carlisle’s figure,
Zenard bowed silently and le the training hall.
Eventually, Carlisle stopped prac cing and wiped the sweat off his
chin. Elena’s eyes were fixed on his wild appearance. The scene was
so breathtakingly sexy that she thought it was almost too indecent to
see.
Carlisle, already aware of Elena’s presence, turned his head towards
her direc on.
“You were looking at me so hotly that you didn’t even no ce the
sword.”
“Wh-what–”
Her face flushed, and Carlisle couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Only then did Elena realize that she was being teased. While she was
determined not to be made a fool by him, she couldn’t help but be
swayed by what he said.
“I was looking at you because I wanted to know what you were
doing, and nothing else.”
“Really?”
The corners of his mouth were s ll li ed up, and he wiped the sweat
of his torso with a towel. That look was deadly, so Elena turned away.
“I’ll be wai ng outside, so we’ll meet a er you get dressed.”
“It’s your husband’s body. You don’t have to come and go.”
At Carlisle’s grand words, Elena almost recited the contract
reflexively.
2. Do not sleep together un l a er Elena becomes the empress.
A er defea ng Paveluc, she wasn’t sure what would happen
between her and Carlisle, but she wouldn’t see his body un l a er he
became emperor. She had no inten on of being teased by him for
some me, so Elena spoke in a firm voice.”
“You can say that a er you take over the throne per the contract. I
grew up in a family of knights, so I’m very familiar with this situa on.”
“Then there’s even less of a reason to avoid me.”
Carlisle’s eyes turned cool, but Elena didn’t have me to get
distracted by this sideshow. She li ed her chin proudly and stared
directly at Carlisle. There were large and small scars on his torso, but
she couldn’t help but no ce how muscled his body looked. S ll, the
shameful one was Carlisle who was exposing his upper body, and not
Elena who was watching.
It was then that Carlisle wiped the sweat off his upper torso and
moved as if he would take off his pants.
“…Ah!”
Elena quickly turned around with a startled cry. This was too much. It
was true that the knights would bare their chests around the training
ground, but she had never seen them take off their pants. Moreover,
this was the first me that she had seen someone as sexually
appealing as Carlisle.
“What are you doing?”
“You’ve never seen anything like this before, have you?”
“…”
Elena bit her lip without realizing it. It was unfair that he kept making
fun of her, but Elena couldn’t find anything to counter back. When
Elena didn’t speak, Carlisle con nued in a sultry voice.
“I’m drenched in sweat, so I need to take a shower. You want to see
that too? I don’t mind. There’s nothing to hide from my future wife.”
“…It’s fine.”
She hurried out of the hall. She tried to act as calmly as possible, but
her steps were as quick as her pounding heart. She could hear
Carlisle laughing in the distance, and her face burned more than ever.
Carlisle stared at the area where Elena disappeared, his shoulders
shaking in mirth.
“…So cute.”
It was even worse that Elena was not aware how cute she was.
Although she was a woman who put on a tough appearance, she was
also very lovely. He didn’t mean to tease her to this point, but he just
couldn’t help it.
*
*
*
Thankfully, the next me Carlisle appeared before Elena he was fully
dressed. Their mee ng place was at his study, in the same area of the
palace where she stayed with Mirabelle.
“So what is it that you wanted to discuss with me? You’ve never
come to me like this before. Yesterday I was seriously considering
breaking into Blaise Mansion in the middle of the night to know what
was going on.”
He was saying very serious things that should not be considered. If
that happened, there would be all sorts of specula on between the
two in an already talka ve society. Her simple goal was to have a
normal wedding ceremony with no major incidents or accidents.
“Thank you for your pa ence. This is my problem.”
Elena presented the red invita on to Carlisle. He opened the
envelope immediately to confirm the recipient of the invita on and
frowned.
“Ha, it must have been a long me since he sent something like this.”
“Do you know why His Majesty sent it to me?”

“I can guess. He wants to see you without me there. If he sends a

public royal le er or a messenger, I might be able to a end with you,
so he did this li le trick on purpose.”
“…So, I’ll have to meet with him alone?”
“Yes.”
Elena started to feel concerned. She expected to meet with the
Emperor secretly, but she didn’t know his purpose was specifically to
avoid Carlisle. What would the Emperor want to say to her?
She was evalua ng the situa on when Carlisle spoke.
“Don’t worry. Just do as I tell you.”
Ch. 110 It’s Fine. It Was Only Once (1)
“Don’t worry. Just do as I tell you.”
“What?”
“To explain the current situa on, my father is somewhat desperate
for me to get married. As you know, other noble families are
reluctant to enter a marriage because of the prophecy. And of
course, the prophecy is not the only reason…”
Carlisle’s blue eyes flashed dangerously at the moment, and Elena
immediately understood the implica on. The Empress was
obstruc ng his opportuni es to get married as well.
“Anyway, I already met with my father and we formalized it. You
needn’t worry unnecessarily. I already informed him that I intended
to marry you.”
“Really?”
She never imagined that Carlisle would have already told Sullivan, but
a er a moment, she agreed it was beneficial for the wedding to
happen as soon as possible. Yes, this was even be er. She hadn’t
known where to begin regarding Sullivan and her rela onship with
his son, but now that Carlisle had already spoken to him, she could
say she was looking forward to the marriage.
“To tell you the truth, my father is extremely obsessed with the
founding myth of the Ruford Empire.”
“…Myth?”
Elena recalled the fairy tale which claimed that the emperor
inherited the blood of a dragon, and that his bloodline would wield
ul mate power.
‘He believes that?’
She thought it outlandish, but then she remembered that she herself
had seen the black scales on Carlisle’s arm that resembled a dragon’s.
“Perhaps my father wondered whether I made a wish for you?”
“…What?”
Elena was puzzled by this statement. Carlisle closed his mouth as if to
think over his words, then went on to explain.
“He believes the blue bead ring I gave you is the Dragon’s Orb.”
“What…what do you mean? How is that possible?”
“You don’t have to understand. It’s just supers on.”
Elena couldn’t make sense of his words, but she finally nodded. It
was crazy to think that the simple ring she had in her previous life
was the Dragon’s Orb.
“To keep the marriage going smoothly, all you have to do is say these
words to my father.”
“…?”
Elena stared at him ques oningly, and he went on.
“Say that I gave you the blue bead ring as a token of the proposal. Tell
him that I said the man who marries you will become the emperor of
Ruford Empire and bring about a great revival.”
It wasn’t long, so she could memorize it easily enough, but she
couldn’t help but wonder what he was talking about.
“…I’m not sure I understand this. Will those words really help keep
our marriage going?”
“Like I said, you don’t have to understand it. All you have to know is
that this way, our marriage will happen as soon as possible.”
Carlisle didn’t look like he was going to answer anymore ques ons,
but she knew by intui on that there was more to what he said. She
would repeat his words as promised, but she had a hunch that if she
met Sullivan, she might discover something she hadn’t known before.
To Elena, Sullivan was not a foolish emperor, rather, his poli cal
achievements were far greater than the blood-thirsty emperors
before him. Sullivan was smart, and he would not be obsessed with
the founding myth for no reason at all.
‘Does it have to do with Carlisle’s secret?’
Most of all, Elena wondered about the black scales on Carlisle’s arm,
but she knew he had no inten on of revealing his secret to her. She
was lost in her thoughts about this unsolved mystery when Carlisle
spoke again.
“No one else can know that I told you to say this. Just remember
that.”
“I will.”
Elena covered up her curiosity and nodded for the me being. If
Carlisle did not intend to tell her, Elena would find out for herself. If it
was a secret about the emperor, then it might have something to do
with Paveluc and some way of stopping him.
“I wonder, why did you come to me? Up un l now I thought that you
liked to work alone.”
“I believe it’s be er if we solve our problems together. By talking, I’m
sure we’ll be able to find out more informa on.”
If she had acted alone a er seeing Sullivan’s invita on, she wouldn’t
have obtained the extra counsel from Carlisle. Then things could have
gone wrong. She hadn’t even known before that Sullivan was already
aware that her and Carlisle intended to become married.
“I must compliment your way of thinking. Please share more of your
thoughts with me in the future. I wanted to explain my father to you,
but somehow it worked out easily.”
“Yes. I’ll come back to see you then.”
However, Carlisle’s tense expression did not loosen despite Elena’s
words.
“Is the date on the invita on two days from now?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be wai ng for you, so come see me straight away a er you talk to
my father.”
Elena didn’t know what it was, but something about Carlisle’s tone
reminded her of her older brother Derek. Was it because he was
trying to hide the fact he was worried? Elena answered with a faint
smile.
“Are you worried about me?”
“Of course. I can’t help but be concerned when I’m sending you to
my sly old fox of a father.”
Unlike Derek, Carlisle immediately expressed his feelings. Elena’s
smile broadened.
“I see. I’ll be here a er the mee ng. Don’t worry.”
Carlisle looked strangely at Elena’s smiling face, then carried on in a
low voice.
“Are you going back to Blaise Mansion now?”
“Yes. Now that we’ve finished our work, I should go back.”
“You’re going home so quick.”
“I won’t be able to see much of my family once we get married.”
Carlisle was struck by the sad tone in her voice. He schooled his
features into something more casual and replied.

“I’ll take you to the mansion.”

“Oh, you don’t have to—”
“You want to be with your family, but I want to be with you a li le
more. Give me this much.”
Elena was speechless. He wanted to be with her a li le more… It was
like something a real lover would say.
“Well…”
She was about to ask what he meant, when there was the sound of
approaching footsteps and someone coughing behind her. She
turned her head, and saw Zenard walking towards the entrance to
the study. Only then did Elena realize the situa on.
‘Ah, he was approaching and acted deliberately.’
Elena looked at Carlisle with an expression of trust. The way things
were going, their future marriage seemed to be fine.
Ch. 111 It’s Fine. It Was Only Once (2)
The couple rode together on horseback towards Blaise
Mansion. Lady Elena was in front, while Carlisle was seated behind
her. She originally intended to take the carriage, but that changed
when Carlisle suddenly offered to go on a horse. Elena was curious
about his sudden sugges on, but she liked riding and had no reason
to refuse.
‘Does he remember?’
The two had ridden together at fast speed at the night of the opera.
The sense of freedom she felt was s ll vivid in her mind. Tro ng
through the city was quite slow in comparison, but the wind was s ll
cool and she liked the open view from this height.
“Did you choose to go on horseback because of me?”
“Well, what do you think?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know if you would remember those trivial
things.”
“I remember everything about you. I’m s ll wondering if you’ll invite
me to the bakery like you did in the past.”
Elena hadn’t known then that the child she once promised to go to
Charlie’s bakery with was the crown prince.
— I’ll watch the opera with you, and we can go to the bakery…I’ll
show you a lot of other fun stuff. Promise!”
She didn’t realize that he would remember all that, and she turned
her head around to look at him.
Tuk–
Her cheek touched Carlisle’s chest. Their bodies were closer together
than she thought.
“Ah…”
Elena gave a small exclama on of surprise at the unexpected contact.
“What is it?”
“Oh, nothing. You really remembered all those details.”
Elena turned her head back again, and Carlisle replied in a so voice.
“I told you, I remember everything. So keep watch.”
His voice was husky in her ear. She could feel his body heat behind
her, and she flushed when she remembered the image of his naked,
muscled torso.
‘…Crazy, crazy.’
She shook her head to toss away the delusions in her mind.
While it wasn’t inten onal, the couple riding through the streets
caught the a en on of many. In any case, it was not a bad idea to
show this kind of open affec on.
*
The pair finally arrived in front of Blaise Mansion. Carlisle
dismounted the horse first, and was about to take Elena’s hand when
an unexpected voice rang out.
“Elena, what are you doing there?”
Elena turned her head towards the sound, and saw Derek staring at
them with an expression of disapproval on his face.
“Brother…?”
At that remark, Carlisle seemed to realize the other man’s iden ty.
There was s ll one other family member he hadn’t met yet. But
before Carlisle could speak, Derek strode over and reached out to
Elena. It meant one thing: for her to take his hand, not Carlisle’s.
Carlisle’s blue eyes flared. Elena hesitated over this sudden war of
nerves, but she could not ignore Derek’s hand in this situa on and
quickly took it. Her brother gently lowered her to the ground, then
turned towards Carlisle, who was as hard as stone.
“Elena, you can’t be escorted by a man you are not married to.”
A drop of sweat gathered on Elena’s forehead. No one could have
mistaken Carlisle’s iden ty. The horse they rode on was decorated
with the symbol of the imperial family. She quickly thought of a way
to alleviate the situa on somehow.
“Don’t be so rude. This is the Crown Prince Carlisle.”
It wasn’t un l then did Derek bow belatedly, pretending as if he had
not realized it was the prince before.
“Hail his Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Eternal glory to the Ruford
Empire.”
She had never known Derek to be so sly. Alford was overly concerned
with the prince’s status, while Derek treated him first like a suitor.
However, Carlisle was the crown prince of the Ruford Empire before
he was Elena’s lover.
Carlisle turned to Elena and addressed her first.
“Please call me Caril as usual.”
Derek’s face twitched slightly at the revela on that she called him by
a pet name.
“Ah…yes, Caril. I was going to introduce you.”
She anxious about Derek’s rudeness, but Carlisle was wearing a faint
smile.
“Are you her older brother?”
“Yes, I’m Derek Blaise, brother of Elena. How are you?”
Despite this superficial exchange of gree ngs, she couldn’t shake off
the feeling that she was watching a ba le between a dragon and a
 ger, each of them an equally immovable force. Elena hoped it was
only an illusion, but she cut in, hoping to end their mee ng early.
“Brother, Caril brought me back from the palace. When we’re done
saying goodbye I’ll come in, so please go ahead.”
“Don’t stay too long. I’ll leave now. Your Highness.”
She forced a smile. A er Derek disappeared, there was silence for a
moment. A dangerous glint was in Carlisle’s eyes, but surprisingly he
didn’t act as unpleasant as she thought.
“…Your brother doesn’t seem to like me very much.”
“Actually, he was a li le worried about me marrying you. If you’re
offended, I apologize for it.”
Carlisle shook his head lightly.
“It’s fine. It was only once…”
His words implied that he wouldn’t tolerate it a second me, and
Elena felt a prick in her chest.
“I was a li le nervous because everyone agreed to our marriage so
easily. But this makes me relieved.”
Before Elena could even ask why, he gave her a so smile.
“I was hoping that you were loved.”
Elena was momentarily speechless. There were so many implica ons
in what he said. Perhaps he was also aware of the sorrow she felt
about her father’s a tude towards her marriage. She was strangely
moved. Carlisle’s words sounded so warm, and Elena answered with
a faint smile on her lips.
“Yes. They are my precious family.”
*
*
*
The day of her mee ng with Emperor Sullivan finally arrived. She was
not to see him at one of the massive, elaborate halls, but at a
rela vely regular building.
Elena le the mansion looking as neat and elegant as possible,
nervous as the me Carlisle came to meet her father. When she
finally arrived at the palace in a carriage, there were several servants
wai ng for her at the entranceway.
Ttogag ogag–

She followed the servants down a pathway, and a beau ful annex
built at the center of a pond appeared before them.
“Just go this way.”
“Oh, yes.”
The servants pointed down a straight path, then disappeared from
her side. She didn’t come across a single soul as she was walking
there. The emperor seemed to have gone to some considerable
lengths for this mee ng.
When she finally arrived at the annex, she met the man who had
invited her there. Emperor Sullivan had a gentle expression and kind
eyes.
“Welcome.”
Chapter 112 Just Wait (1)
“Welcome.”
She immediately bowed her head before him.
“Hail His Majesty the Emperor. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
“Ho ho, such a formal gree ng between us.”
Sullivan spoke in an easygoing manner and gestured to a seat
opposite of him. He looked more ill than he did at the ball, but his
eyes were so and his gentle aura was unchanged.
“You must be red from your journey, so please, have a seat.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Elena quietly seated herself where he indicated.
The landscape architecture of the annex gave the impression of a
building floa ng on a pond, and the table before her was weighted
down with a variety of food, steam rising as if it had just been freshly
prepared. She didn’t know how far away the kitchens where from
here, but she knew it was not easy to set this enormous quan ty of
dishes in such a short me. This would be unthinkable in a typical
noble family’s home. This only served to make Elena feel a li le
uneasy, as Sullivan seemed to paying a great deal of a en on to her.
“I asked the chef to prepare a variety of dishes, but I’m not sure what
will suit your taste. I don’t have much, but please eat.”
“Thank you. I don’t even know where to start because all of it looks
so delicious, Your Majesty.”
“What, this? This is nothing to a member of the Imperial Family.”
There was an implica on to his words, but Elena smiled innocently.
And so the uncomfortable meal began. There were all kinds of rare
and exo c dishes, but her mind was so preoccupied with other things
that she could not concentrate on their taste. Sullivan, on the other
hand, was having a pleasant me.
“I hear you’ve been seeing Carlisle, is that right?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I was curious what kind of lady my son was seeing. So? Is my son
good?”
Sullivan’s ques ons were more ordinary than she expected, but that
only made her even more nervous. He wouldn’t send an invita on to
ask about trivial things.
“Yes, he is very generous to me and I’m very happy.”
“That’s good to hear.”
He took a slow sip of water, then fixed her with a more serious
expression.
“I hear that Carlisle is considering marriage with you, is that right?”
“Yes. It would be my honor to be his first wife, with your permission.”
“By your answer I assume you know about the prophecy, and that
your father is in favor of the marriage as well?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Elena immediately nodded. However, despite the confidence of her
answer, Sullivan’s expression turned dark. Unlike the friendliness of
his appearance when he first welcomed her, his features gradually
morphed into that of a ruthless emperor’s, as if to reveal his true
intent.
“I understand. I must commend you for your trust in Carlisle. But
there is another family bargaining for a match with my son.”
Elena’s eyes widened in surprise. She remembered what Carlisle said.
He had already told his father that he intended to marry her and that
she needn’t worry. Did Carlisle know about this? She wondered
which family offered the match, but what was more concerning now
was that Sullivan didn’t seem to favor her side.
“You needn’t worry. I’ll talk to your father Lord Blaise again. As you
know, the crown prince’s marriage cannot be rushed.”
“…Of course.”
“I have called you here not only because I was curious about the
woman that my son was mee ng, but because I’d like to ask you
something else.”
Sullivan’s tone was gentle, but there was a blade beneath his words.
So far, he wanted to ally Carlisle with a powerful family. Although
House Blaise was not lacking, their name couldn’t be depended on.
The emperor was not openly opposing her, but she could pick up the
subtle sugges on that she withdraw. She understood a li le why
Carlisle called his father a sly old fox.
“I have a ques on. Have you…have you received anything from
Carlisle?”
Elena remembered the blue bead ring she had received as a child
from Carlisle. She wouldn’t tell Sullivan that however, as she knew
she had to say the words Carlisle gave her. She slowly tucked her hair
behind her ear with her le hand, deliberately showing off the ring.
“Well, Your Majesty. I’m not sure what you mean.”
Elena remembered the blue bead ring Carlisle had given her as a
child, but she knew the words she had to say to Sullivan. She slowly
tucked her hair behind her ear with her le hand, deliberately
displaying the jewel.
As expected, Sullivan’s eyes started to tremble when his eyes fell on
that plain piece of jewelry.
“The ring…”
“Oh, this one. It was a present for me as a token of his proposal.”
“…Is that so.”
Sullivan’s expression changed as he spied the ring. She couldn’t help
but no ce that his eyes looked just like Carlisle’s fierce ones.
“Did Carlisle say anything when he gave the ring to you?”
“He gave me the ring, then a word of blessing that the one who
married me would become the emperor of the Ruford Empire and
bring about a great revival.”
Sullivan’s pale face suddenly flushed with excitement, and Elena
knew that her words had the desired effect.
‘Does the emperor really believe in such a myth?’
She s ll had more ques ons, but she had to focus on arranging her
marriage with Carlisle first of all.
“Is that what he said…”
In truth Carlisle had already made a wish with the Dragon’s Orb to
protect Elena from death, but when Sullivan heard Elena’s story, he
couldn’t help but think that the man who would marry her would
become emperor. In addi on, this man would bring about a revival of
the empire. It was a perfect reflec on of Sullivan’s ideals.
Sullivan suddenly looked at Elena with a very sweet expression. The
shade of doubt in him seemed to have been completely swept away.

“You must be quite the noblewoman for Carlisle to suddenly declare

that he wants to get married. I’ve been wondering where he had
been keeping the ring too, and he had used it quite precociously.
Haha.”
“Your Majesty, does this ring have any meaning? When he gave it to
me, it seemed like it was very precious.”
Elena slowly started ac ng on her own personal curiosity. From now
own, she would be straying from Carlisle’s instruc ons.
“Of course. It is so precious that you must care for it like you care for
your own life.”
“Is it really that valuable?”
“You may not believe it, but the ring allows Carlisle to make one
wish.”
Although his words sounded like nonsense, his gaze was intensely
serious.
Ch. 113 Just Wait (2)
Elena could not hide her bewilderment. Carlisle said Sullivan thought
the ring was the Dragon’s Orb. Sullivan, on the other hand, said the
ring would grant Carlisle’s wish. Although the two sides claimed
something different, they were subtly the same. Of course, it was
possible that the ring was the Dragon’s Orb, but it struck her that it
was limited to only one wish.
She quickly concealed her thoughts and spoke again.
“How unusual. That means whoever I marry will not only be crowned
emperor, but also bring about a great revival to the empire. It would
have been a fortune if it could grant more than one wish.”
“You will find out more when you become a member of the Imperial
Family. I was worried about finding a partner for Carlisle, but now I
can be at ease.”
Sullivan was trea ng her as if she was already his daughter-in-law
despite his ini al disapproval, and Elena was more curious rather
than flustered by his sudden change in a tude. Indeed, the advice
Carlisle had given her was right.
‘Isn’t it strange?’
In fact, Sullivan was just as intelligent as Elena had surmised. He
directed the conversa on in the way he wanted while expertly
concealing his inner thoughts, as expected of an emperor that had
long fought poli cal ba les. He would not cling to a myth for no
reason.
‘There’s something.’
Elena’s suspicions were growing. There must be a secret about the
imperial family that Elena did not know.
“My dear, I want you to do something for me.”
The sudden change of tle was completely awkward to her, but Elena
replied calmly without a change in expression.
“Please say it, Your Majesty.”
“Do not tell anyone that you received the ring from Carlisle or what
he said. At least un l the wedding.”
“It’s a good story. Why shouldn’t anyone know?”
“Didn’t I say? The ring will grant Carlisle’s wish. You should keep it to
yourself for now, as there should be no suspicions of corrup on.”
“But…”
Elena stretched out her word and stared at Sullivan. A er a short
pause, she decided to ask him directly.
“I can’t help but be curious, Your Majesty. The ring is a valuable token
of marriage given to me by the Prince, but could you please tell me
more about it? That way, I’ll know how to be careful.”
This kind of opportunity did not come by easily. She wanted to know
if there were any other secrets about this ring, and possible Carlisle.
Sullivan, however, only granted her a peculiar smile.
“You must be curious, my daughter-in-law. But un l you become part
of the Imperial Family, you must endure your curiosity a li le longer.”
“Ah…”
“Instead, I’ll tell you more once you are married to Carlisle and
become crown princess.”
Elena’s expression lit up at Sullivan’s promise, and he smiled
contentedly at her reac on.
“You look happy.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Please keep it a secret from the Prince as well. I’d
like to surprise him later.”
“If you like. You’ll need to know soon anyway.”
Elena’s heart leapt at the fact that this mystery would be solved
sooner or later. Not immediately, but if her marriage to Carlisle was
successful, she would finally learn about the strange black scales that
appeared on his arm.
“If you want to know, then you should hold the wedding as soon as
possible.”
Just earlier Sullivan had said such an imperial wedding would not be
decided so quickly. Elena con nued with a startled look.
“That means…”
“I’ll have to discuss it with your father again, but how about next
month?”
“…!”
It was sooner than she expected, and her eyes opened wide. She
knew that Sullivan’s impression of her gradually changed, but she
didn’t realize it would be this much.
“Why so fast, you ask?”
“O-oh no. If it’s about marriage to the Crown Prince, then the sooner
the be er.”
“Yes, I like your answer. Strike while the iron is hot. Let’s have the
wedding as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Elena could not conceal her sa sfied smile. Everything was going
more smoothly than expected. It felt so long ago that she and Carlisle
arranged their contract marriage, but now it felt like it was just
around the corner.
From noble family to imperial family. She expected there were s ll a
few mountains le to climb, but it had been solved quickly. Now all
that remained was to prepare for the wedding in such a short
amount of me.
Sullivan con nued with a faint smile on his face.
“Listen well to me, my dear.”
She was s ll unused to his abrupt change in a tude, but it didn’t
ma er anymore. Elena answered with a smile.
“Yes, Father.”
*
*
*
A er she parted with Sullivan, she quickly headed straight to the
place where Carlisle said he would wait. Her steps were as light at
her heart. Despite her long dress, she couldn’t help but walk faster.
Finally, Elena spo ed him. She could recognize his figure leaning
against the wall even when he was in shadow. Carlisle was staring
into the distance, giving off a dis nc ve arrogant air. Elena called out
to him.
“Caril!”
His blue eyes shi ed towards the sound of her voice. Strangely, even
in this simple scene Elena was elated. She quickly approached him
and seized his hand.
“The Emperor gave us permission to marry. He wants us to have the
wedding next month.”
Carlisle didn’t look surprised, as if he had been expec ng it. He
looked down at the hand she was grasping then looked back up
again.
“You must be very happy.”
“Of course. Aren’t you happy too? We’re close to our wedding now.”
As he stared into Elena’s bright face, Carlisle smiled faintly.
“You’re not happy from seeing me?”
His blue eyes shone in the gloom with a peculiar heat. It was a sad
color filled with longing.
“You’d be surprised if you knew what I was feeling.”
Elena stared curiously at Carlisle. Then, she realized that she had
taken his hand without even realizing it.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Elena released her grip on him, and Carlisle’s broad hand slipped
away from her slender fingers. The situa on reversed in a flash.
When Elena looked up at Carlisle with surprised eyes, she saw that
his eyes were darker than before.
“It’s fine for you to feel a bit happier. But rather than my hand, I
would prefer a hug instead.”
As if telling her to quickly leap into his arms, Carlisle fur vely
gestured at his own, broad arms by using his eyes.

His face was so brazen that Elena burst into laughter. If it was just a
moment ago, she really might have jumped to him in joy. She would
be a member of the Imperial Family, and could face Paveluc equally.
It meant so much to her. From now on Elena could act even more
influen ally.
“If you become emperor, then I really might hug you.”
“Then I’m going to have to be emperor, one way or another.”
Even with his playful words, Elena nodded with a determined
expression.
“Yes, just wait. I will make it for you.”
Elena would be the king-maker. Carlisle would ascend to the throne
by her own hands, and no one else’s.

Ch. 114 Some mes Thought Of That Memory (1)

Carlisle’s and Elena’s marriage was swi ly announced. Sullivan was
eager for his son to marry as soon as possible, and Alphord, Elena’s
father, had no complaint as he had already made his decision. There
was no movement from the Empress’ palace, and so the couple’s
wedding prepara ons proceeded smoothly.
Elena was determined to hold the wedding as soon as possible, but
there was a mountain of paperwork to be dealt with. A er the
official announcement, Mirabelle was the first person to come to
congratulate her.
“Haaa! Sister! Congratula ons!”
Elena’s heart warmed at the sight of her sister.
“Thank you, Mirabelle.”
“I suspected you might get married, but I didn’t expect it to be so
soon.”
“I suppose I was in a bit of a hurry because I’m late for my age.”
“Yes, come to think of it, the Crown Prince is marrying late as well.”
Elena felt a pang in her chest at the unexpected remark. At home and
abroad, many noble families had refused to match their daughters
with Carlisle because of the ominous prophecy. Mirabelle knew
nothing about it, and was naturally suspicious. Elena awkwardly tried
to explain.
“Well, that’s because–”
“The two of you must be des ned!”
“What?”
“He didn’t marry because he hadn’t met you yet. Your love is literally
des ned!”
Mirabelle clapped her hands, intoxicated by her fantasy, and Elena
breathed a sigh of relief.
It wasn’t true love, but she and Carlisle did have a connec on. She
met him as a child without realizing it, and he was the best card
Elena could choose. He was the perfect match. If there really was a
thread of fate connected to her finger, it would certainly be with
Carlisle.
She didn’t know if it was a thread of love, though.
“Did you talk about marriage when you went to see the Emperor?”
“Yes. We spoke over dinner, but I believe most of the arrangements
will be taken care of a er Father meets him. Though I didn’t know
the wedding announcement was going to happen today.”
While the exact contents of Sullivan’s and Alphord’s conversa on
would be unknown to her, she was sure they had a lot to discuss
regarding marriage into the Imperial Family.
Then there was the ques on of the dowry. In marriage among the
nobility, it was expected that the bride’s family would give the groom
a certain fortune. The wealthier the family was, the more inheritance
they received from their rela ves, allowing them to bring money,
precious metals, land, and slaves. The groom usually sought a woman
who could add to his wealth, and the bride also sought a family that
could match the amount she paid. This led to many poli cally
expedient marriages in noble society. As a result, the reality was that
a large dowry was required for a woman to marry a man of high
status, except in unusual cases.
Carlisle was the crown prince, and Elena had a headache as to how
much dowry to pay to the Imperial Family. Mirabelle was also well
aware of noble marriage culture, and she was worried for her sister
as well.
“You must be busy having to prepare everything. What should I do
first? Is there anything I can help with?”
“I don’t even know where to start… Perhaps we should hire more
people to work in the mansion for now.”
“Work?”
“I’m sure we’ll be very busy once the wedding prepara ons start in
earnest, and we won’t have enough people to work at Blaise
mansion then.”
“It will take more me and money to bring in the servants from the
south. It would be be er to hire short term workers.”
“Well, why don’t I leave that up to you and the butler?”
“Of course! That’s pre y easy!”
Mirabelle nodded enthusias cally.
A er they had returned from the palace Mirabelle had looked
gloomy for a few days, but now Elena felt relieved as her sister
seemed to have regained her sunny mood.
“Then tell the butler to put an adver sement for work in the
mansion.”
“I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll personally interview the candidates
myself and hire people who will do a good job.”
“Yes, I trust you. Thank you.”
Mirabelle beamed in reply, and then something came to mind.
“I understand that while everything else is important, what about the
wedding dress?”
“Right.”
While the wedding wasn’t exactly the grand event of the century, it
was s ll the day she would become the bride to Crown Prince
Carlisle. She could never look shabby in the eyes of others. Moreover,
the marriage could be seen as a way to resolve the prophecy, but
Elena never intended to be a puppet crown princess. It was not what
she wanted, and so it was important to show as much harmony as
possible with Carlisle. Once she formally entered the palace, she
would be sure to use her power.
Mirabelle thought to herself for a moment before she finally spoke
up.
“Do you remember Anco’s Tailors? Let’s start with Madame Mitchell.
There will be a lot of compe on to create your wedding dress, so
let’s consult on this together and decide.”

“I’ll leave it en rely up to you to choose my wedding dress.”

“What? I’m not even an expert…I’m just doing my best to help you.”
While Mirabelle looked hesitant, her eyes were full of figh ng spirit.
The sight of it was so adorable that Elena couldn’t help but smile. She
trusted Mirabelle’s judgment more than anyone else.
And so the bustling wedding prepara ons con nued.
Ch. 115 Some mes Thought Of That Memory (2)
“I met you once at a jewelry store in the south, My Lady.”
Elena found herself knee-deep in work, not only because of the
wedding prepara ons, but in finalizing the all documents for House
Blaise. Once Elena was married, the management of the household
would fall to Mirabelle. Although Elena started preparing advance,
she became very nervous once the wedding date was set. She
wanted to solve every singular issue so Mirabelle could smoothly
take over without any difficulty, and naturally Elena was driven to
overwork herself. As always, she was at a desk approving some
documents when–
Tak tak–
There was a faint sound coming from the window. When Elena
turned, she saw a face she didn’t expect.
It was Kuhn. He entered the room with his usual dry expression. She
never would have guessed he was injured from his present
appearance. His movements seemed slightly awkward as if he hadn’t
fully recovered yet, but he looked healthy enough.
She nearly asked if he was alright, but she remembered that she was
not supposed to know he was hurt. Elena looked at him innocently.
“I haven’t ed a handkerchief. What’s wrong?”
“The General asked me to tell you that the wedding venue has been
decided.”
“He could have sent a message through official means…”
The ques on of why Kuhn came here despite his injury remained in
her mouth, but despite her not asking, he answered naturally.
“I don’t know. He just told me to let you know as soon as possible.”
Perhaps Carlisle deliberately sent Kuhn to show her that he was well.
However, she felt that Kuhn could have rested a li le longer, and
there was no reason for him to return so soon. Unfortunately Elena
couldn’t even say that to him.
“I understand. Where is the wedding venue?”
“It will be held in Bellouet Square, the largest square in the capital.”
“I suppose it will be a public wedding if it’s not held in the palace.”
“Yes. It is the will of the Emperor.”
Even if the Crown Prince’s wedding were to be held within the
Imperial Palace, there would s ll be a massive gathering of nobles
and delegates from nearby kingdoms to celebrate the occasion.
However, an open wedding would a ract even larger crowds.
‘The Emperor likes a big plate.’
More guests meant a larger burden in wedding planning, but it was
impossible for her to reject it. Tradi onally, it was the groom’s family
that decided the wedding venue.
“I see. I’ll take that into account.”
She had another headache in deciding how to decorate Bellouet
Square, but that ma er could be considered later. Elena pressed her
fingers against her temple out of habit, then looked up at Kuhn and
spoke again.
“Did he say anything else? When I was at the Crown Prince’s palace I
asked him about something.”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard that some men broke into my sister’s room when we were
staying at the palace.”
“…!”
Kuhn’s shoulders flinched when he heard Elena’s words. Elena
no ced this unusual behavior, but it was so quick that she might’ve
misjudged it.
“I asked him to find out about the men from the Empress’ palace that
broke into Mirabelle’s room. Is there any informa on on that?”
“…Can I ask why you want to know?”
It was disrespec ul to ask about orders, but Elena decided it was it
within acceptable limits and answered.
“I wasn’t there for Mirabelle when they came in. I’m the older sister,
and I can’t just let that pass. I will deal them the appropriate
punishments.”
Kuhn hesitated uncharacteris cally for a moment, then con nued.
“Did you hear anything else from your sister that day?”
It was a ques on she didn’t expect. She replied with a curious look
on her face.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that if let me know what the situa on was like, it will make it
easier for me to find them.”
“Fortunately, nothing too serious. I don’t think she was dressed
properly when they came it. That’s it.”
“…I see.”
Kuhn replied with an enigma c expression on his face. Elena didn’t
intend to easily forgive the culprits, and she spoke up again.
“Even so, it is rude to intrude in a lady’s room. I don’t want this to
happen again, so please inves gate as soon as possible.”
“Understood. I’ll look into it right away and report back to you.”
Somehow, Elena sensed that Kuhn’s tone was sharper than usual, but
she nodded her head without thinking on it too deeply. Kuhn bowed
to Elena, as the both of them had work to a end to.
“I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes. Good health to you…and be careful.”
Elena’s words made him slightly suspicious, but he also thought li le
of it.
“Thank you. Then…”
As usual, Kuhn made his exit through the window. She watched him
disappear, then turned her head back to the papers spread out on
her desk.
*
*
*
Kuhn crept on the roof of Blaise mansion, taking care to silence his
footsteps as usual. Normally he would’ve moved more swi ly, but his
wounds hadn’t fully healed yet.
It was then.
A few Blaise knights began to approach in Kuhn’s direc on.
“…Oh no.”
He wouldn’t be fast enough to leave the perimeter, and Kuhn quickly
slipped through a window and into a room where no one would
sense his presence. The knights made their rounds about the
mansion, and as long as he waited a li le longer they would move
onward.
As Kuhn was wai ng, a completed unexpected voice spoke from a
nearby room.
“Is this the first person to apply for a posi on?”
“Yes, Young Lady. He has experience working for jewelry stores.”
Kuhn was drawn towards the direc on of the voice. He peered
through an open slit in the door and saw Mirabelle talking to the
butler, Michael. Kuhn recalled the words Mirabelle told him at the
palace.
— Please…let me see you one more me. When you’re well, come
see me. My name is Mirabelle Blaise.
It was as if she promised that she would wait forever for him. Maybe
that was why he some mes thought of that memory as he
recovered. But now Mirabelle was in her usual sunny mood, as if
what happened before had all been a dream.
‘You said you’d wait for me…’

Mirabelle’s expression was as if she had already forgo en about it.

But that was fine. There were no plans for him to appear in front of
her. In the future she would not be aware of him, and Kuhn would
only look at her alone.
Kuhn secretly watched Mirabelle’s smiling face a li le longer, then
quietly disappeared from where he had entered. There was no sign
that he was ever there, save for the breeze that slid through open the
window.
Unaware of Kuhn’s presence, Mirabelle and Michael con nued to
interview the job candidates for the mansion.
“Have we met before? What was your name again?”
The ques on was answered by smiling man standing opposite of the
two.
“I met you once at a jewelry store in the south, My Lady.”
He was a man who had already encountered both Elena and
Mirabelle. He first tracked down the bead ring to Elena, and now he
had a new order from Paveluc to keep an eye on her.
RotFK Ch. 116 A Closer Eye (1)
The social scene was dominated with gossip about Carlisle’s and
Elena’s marriage announcement. There used to be all kinds of dark
rumors about Carlisle’s me on the ba lefield, but now he had
a racted the interest of many young women since his appearance at
the ball. From his love affair with Elena to his sudden marriage
announcement, the public’s a en on was keenly focused on all the
drama c developments.
Aside from the massive public exposure, there were many smaller
happenings in the capital as well. Helen, for example, who had
almost been le to dust, had suddenly ascended as the Empress’
lady-in-wai ng.
Presently, Margaret was now visi ng Blaise mansion.
“I heard about your wedding, Lady Blaise. Congratula ons.”
“Thank you. Because of your help at the party I was able to silence
the rumors spread by Lady Selby.”
Margaret was abashed by Elena’s humble gra tude.
“Oh, that’s not really because of me. It was when the Crown Prince
showed up with the noble’s head that everyone had no choice.”
Though Margaret was nearly frightened to death at that me, she
couldn’t help but no ce Carlisle’s intense aura of charisma about
him.
“At first I thought the Crown Prince was terrifying, but when I looked
back…I think he did it all for you, Lady Blaise. I envy that you are so
loved.”
“Thank you. You will be even more loved by your husband.”
Margaret gave a shy smile at Elena’s warm words. Since the party,
Elena and Margaret had been exchanging le ers and had grown
close. There were many things that Margaret had to say, but she had
to speak of the most important now.
“Are you busy preparing for the wedding? I came here because what I
heard about Lady Selby. Do you know about her appointment as the
Empress’ lady-in-wai ng?”
“Yes, I just found out.”
“I wonder why the Empress would have Lady Selby by her side…I
came here because I was worried what will happen now that Lady
Selby is in power.”
Elena was also concerned about what further scheming Helen was up
to. It really must have been Lady Selby that Mirabelle spo ed in the
carriage the day they went to the palace.
And if the Empress and Helen really did meet, what would they have
talk about? Elena couldn’t shake off her unease.
‘I’ve never met the Empress formally, but somehow I have a feeling
of dread.’
She was already on her guard a er Carlisle had warned her about the
Empress. But even without it, she knew her rela onship with the
Empress was already troubled for some reason.
“Are you planning to return to the south?”
“Yes. I don’t mind staying in the capital, but there’s not much for me
to do here. I’m thinking of returning a er your wedding.”
The south wasn’t en rely comfortable for Margaret a er all those
bad rumors about her, but she had even less peace of mind in the
capital with Helen’s ascension as lady-in-wai ng. That was why
Margaret came to Elena to warn her for the last me before
preparing to leave. Although there was less cause for concern with
Carlisle by Elena’s side, there were s ll many spheres of society
where men couldn’t get involved. Margaret was worried about Elena
being le alone.
Elena sensed the sincerity of Margaret’s heart without her even
speaking.
“Lady Lawrence, would you stay in the capital for my sake?”
“What do you mean?”
“As soon as I become crown princess, I would like to appoint you as
my first lady-in-wai ng.”
“L-lady Blaise!”
It was perhaps the Empress who wielded the greatest power in the
Imperial Family, but that didn’t mean the crown princess could be
ignored.
The two women in the imperial family were capable of appoin ng
their ladies-in-wai ng and gran ng them permission to freely come
and go from the Imperial Palace. Compared to the ladies-in-wai ng
appointed by the Empress, the ladies-in-wai ng appointed by the
crown princess could be weaker in power. However, it was not a
posi on that could be overlooked.
Elena planned to create her own circle. She needed a woman of
intelligence and a woman of power, and–most importantly–a woman
she could trust. Capricious types could not be depended on, no
ma er how competent they were. Amid the fierce poli cal ba les of
the Imperial Court, Elena needed someone to be on her side more
than anyone else.
But trust wasn’t easy to find, and Elena’s future was a stake. For a
while now, she had considered making Margaret her first lady-in-
wai ng.
“When you become a crown princess, many ladies will want to follow
you. I’m only a countess, so how can I…”
“I don’t need strangers. I wish for Lady Lawrence to be by my side.
You are simple and kind and have more heart than anyone else, and I
admire that.”
Margaret’s eyes rounded at those unexpected words. Although
House Lawrence was a well-to-do family, Margaret did not get along
much with others because of her stammer and passive personality.
She was sa sfied when Helen, with her smile and cunning charm
around people, tolerate her and kept her around. Even though
Margaret was s ll ignored, it was be er than before.
Elena was the first person to express her apprecia on for Margaret’s
character and say, “I want you to be by my side.” Margaret was so
moved that tears began to overflow from her eyes.
“Lady Lawrence?”
Elena was alarmed at Margaret’s sudden tears and hurriedly took a
ssue from the table and handed it to her. Instead of taking it
however, Margaret clasped Elena’s hand and swallowed thickly.
“Heug, Lady Blaise. I-I’m so touched. No one has ever said that to me
before. Even if a man proposes to me in the future, I won’t be as
happy as I am now.”
“Don’t say that. Please don’t cry.”
Elena couldn’t help but feel embarrassed that she had reduced
Margaret to tears. That was even more warmly reflected in
Margaret’s eyes, causing her to sobbingly choke even more.
“Thank you, Lady Blaise.”
“Oh, don’t cry.”
Elena hurried to wipe away the traces of her weeping, but it hardly
stopped. For Margaret, this was the first me anyone had reached
out to her this way.
A er a long cry, Margaret dabbed her eyes and smiled a smile
brighter than had ever been.
“I’ll stay in the capital. When you become a princess, I’ll work harder
for you than anyone else. You will never regret making me your first
imperial lady-in-wai ng.”
Because of Margaret’s sudden outburst of crying, Elena was surprised
at the boldness of her answer. Elena could feel that Margaret’s
sincerity was true, however, and so she returned a gentle smile. Just
like before, Elena truly felt that Margaret was her first friend. A friend
who would hopefully stay with her for a long me.

“Thank you very much, Lady Lawrence.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for, Lady Blaise. Being a lady-in-wai ng
of the Imperial Court is a great honor to me. My father will be very
happy.”
“Then I’m glad. Let’s work hard in the future.”
Elena and Margaret smiled warmly at each other.
RotFK Ch. 117 A Closer Eye (2)
The sun disappeared below the horizon, and a dark night descended.
A er their long conversa on, Elena stepped outside with Margaret to
see her off before she returned to her own home.
“Take care.”
“Yes, Lady Blaise. If you need any help preparing for the wedding,
please call me any me.”
A er exchanging a bi ersweet farewell, Margaret climbed into the
carriage with steady footsteps. Elena waved un l the carriage had
disappeared from view, then she turned away to return indoors.
It was then.
Seugeu–
A shadow appeared behind Elena. She turned her head, and saw a
face she had never seen in the mansion before. It was of an affable
looking-man wearing a smile.
“Who are you? I’ve never seen you here before…”
She hadn’t been in the capital long, but she had a general idea of the
names and faces of all the employees. She was wary of this new
character.
He answered with a smile.
“Don’t you recognize my face? My name is Batori, from the jeweler’s
shop in the south. A young lady interviewed me and I was hired to
work here.”
“Ah…!”
She suddenly recalled where she had met this man. He must make
quite a fortune as a jeweler and a skilled salesman, and she couldn’t
help but wonder what he was doing working at Blaise mansion.
“You are a jeweler and you came to work here?”
“I was about to employed at a new store, but I was scammed in the
middle of it. For now I am in need of a job that provides
accommoda on and board. I’m happy to see you again a er our
mee ng in the south.”
As she studied Batori’s smiling face, the suspicion faded from her
mind. She had le it en rely to Mirabelle to hire new workers, and
her and the butler would have verified his resume beforehand.
Although Elena was in charge of managing the household, it was
necessary to leave the work to others to some degree. Elena finally
relaxed.
“I see. Welcome to the mansion. If you’re having any trouble, talk to
the butler. He should be busy preparing for the wedding. Please work
hard.”
“Leave it to me, My Lady.”
Batori clapped his hand to his chest as if to reassure her to trust in
him. With a sa sfied look, Elena turned away and returned indoors.
Batori, now le alone, looked at the direc on Margaret’s carriage
had disappeared.
“…The daughter of Count Lawrence.”
He could infer the family by the crest on the carriage. Elena was
closer to House Lawrence than expected.
From now on, he would keep an even closer eye on Elena.
Elena returned to her room. Just as she told Margaret, she needed
someone she could trust. The palace was, in a way, a ba lefield, and
she would be entering enemy territory controlled by the Empress.
Elena could not enter without any countermeasures. She was
vulnerable whenever she ate, drank, or slept. In short, it would be
dangerous for her.
‘I don’t want to contact the nanny if I can’t help it…’
No ma er how much she thought about it, however, she couldn’t
think of anyone more suitable than the nanny who raised her.
Because of her mother’s early death, Elena and Mirabelle had grown
up almost en rely by her hand.
The problem was that she was very old, old enough that she had
been the nanny for Elena’s mother as well. The nanny had finally
gone home years ago, worried that her health would be damaged by
the constant work. She wanted her to spend the rest of her life in
peace.
‘I haven’t seen her since we parted in my last life.’

A er the Blaise family was destroyed, Elena had fended for herself.
Only later did Elena anxiously search out for the nanny, but by the
me she managed to find her…the nanny had already passed away.
The white chrysanthemum flowers that Elena had placed in front of
her grave were s ll vivid in her mind, and Elena was filled with
emo on at the thought of seeing her again.
‘If I call her, I know she will come in a heartbeat. But I may cause her
to suffer for no reason.’
There were mountains to overcome in the path to in making Carlisle
the next emperor. As such, becoming Elena’s lady-in-wai ng meant
taking on a very important job. The thought of reaching out to a
woman of over sixty weighed heavily on Elena’s mind, but at the
same me she missed the woman who raised her so much.
“Shall I find out how she is doing first?”
She wondered if she was ill or well. A er making up her mind, Elena
sat down at her desk and began to write a le er.
Ch. 118 Somehow It Was Ominous (1)
The wedding was only fi een days away, and Elena found herself
swamped in the prepara ons. Presently, she was in a mee ng to
decide the kind of flowers to decorate Bellouet Square.
“You can use these white flowers as your main color, then use these
red flowers to draw the a en on towards certain points of interest.
It would look very beau ful, My Lady”
“…Right.”
“Or perhaps this yellow one–”
Her head throbbed from staring at the dozens upon dozens of
flowers before her. This flower was pre y, and that flower was pre y
as well. In fact, to Elena, who had li le interest in decora ng, they all
looked pre y. She found it difficult to decide the pre est among all
of them.
“…Huuu.”
Elena gave a low sigh, and the florist who had been commi ed to
explaining everything to her misunderstood the meaning.
“Is there anything you like? Then we can start again from the
beginning–”
“No!”
Elena strongly interrupted her. The sheer variety of flowers already
made it difficult to choose, and she didn’t want to think about
anymore.
“It’s hard to decide on the flower combina ons because they all look
beau ful.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Elena wished she could just pick anything, but the wedding ceremony
would be host to the envoys of many other kingdoms and even the
public. The pres ge of the Ruford Empire weighed heavily in her
mind.
‘What should I choose?’
Determined, Elena finally touched three of her favorite flower
combina ons. The first was a base of white flowers with a red rose in
the center, and the second was a bouquet of a variety of reds and
pinks. The third choice was purple lavender.
“For now, I like these three…”
“Oh, those are excellent choices. There are many other
combina ons, but all the flowers you choose are popular. Which one
do you like the most?”
This was the hardest ques on for Elena. Choosing three was easy
enough, but one?
It was then that Mirabelle entered the room, approaching Elena’s
side.
“Oh, are you looking at flowers for the wedding venue? I’m here to
ask you about your dress.”
Elena despaired at having more choices to make. There was not a
single detail about the wedding that did not pass her hands first.
However, Elena kept her head up as she spoke to Mirabelle.
“I like all three of these, but which one do you think is the best?”
“Well, they’re all pre y.”
“I think so too, but I have to choose only one from here.”
Even if she postponed the decision un l tomorrow, she would s ll
have to come up with an answer. It was be er to just do it now.
“Hm–“
Mirabelle tapped her chin, and all eyes went on her. She smiled
awkwardly at the a en on, then spoke carefully to Elena.
“You picked these three, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then what was your last choice?”
“The purple lavender.”
Elena pointed her finger to the flowers and Mirabelle nodded.
“Then take these.”
“They are the most beau ful to you?”
“No. But you tend to save your favorite thing un l the end. You
probably like these purple flowers the most.”
“…!”
Elena took second stock at her decision. White or red flowers were
classical choices for a wedding, but the last choice was her favorite.
Elena turned to Mirabelle with a ques oning expression.
“…How did you know?”
“Do you think I’ve known you for only a day? I know you!”
Elena couldn’t help but return Mirabelle’s smile. But purple flowers
were very unusual. It was not the color used in most wedding
venues.
“Wouldn’t it be too ostenta ous? There will be many people in
a endance, and I could choose something a li le more acceptable…”
“It’s your wedding, not anyone else’s. You choose what you like best.”
When Elena s ll looked hesitant, Mirabelle con nued more
determinedly.
“Sister, this might be the only wedding in your life. Decorate it the
way you want it and don’t regret it later.”
Mirabelle’s words touched her heart.
‘Only once in my life…my wedding.’
Life was short, and it was something she had forgo en because she
was burdened by so many other things. No ma er that she was in a
contract marriage, it was s ll a marriage that Elena might experience
only once in her life. The florist watched them quietly before deciding
to add in her own words.
“She’s right, and besides, the lavender flowers will look elegant and
luxurious when used properly. It’s not a bad choice.”
Elena finally made up her mind from their advice. She nodded,
poin ng to the purple lavender flowers she had picked last.
“Then decorate the venue with this.”
“Yes, you made a good choice. Then let’s look at the sample design
here and…”
The process wasn’t over, but strangely, Elena felt a lot lighter.
*
*
*
A er choosing the flowers and decora ons for the square, Elena and
Mirabelle were finally le alone in the room. Mirabelle quickly spoke
up as if her turn had finally come.
“We have es mates from various tailor shops, but Madame Mitchell
from Anco’s is the most ideal.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You’ll have to visit them soon for them to measure you and
show you the samples. If you don’t like them, I have another shop
picked as a candidate.”
“If you think they’re good, you don’t have to look around at other
places.”
“Just in case.”
Mirabelle was more thorough in wedding planning than Elena had
thought. Elena always saw her sister as a young girl, but now she had
mixed feelings because Mirabelle looked like a young woman now.
Elena hoped that even if Mirabelle would grow up to be a
respectable lady, she would remain her beloved sister. She gazed at
her with a bi ersweet expression, then spoke in a so voice.
“Thank you, Mirabelle.”
It was a long me ago when Elena lost her family and spent the
nights crying her heart out. It felt like a dream to see Mirabelle
mature now, and have a wedding celebra on with her family. She
had longed for those kinds of happy days with all her soul.
Mirabelle smiled shyly.
“It’s my sister’s wedding, and it’s only natural that I help. Thank you
for everything. When you are free, will you come with me to the
dress shop?”
“Yes. I wish I could have worn a wedding dress designed by you and
not someone else…”
Elena sounded regre ul, and Mirabelle couldn’t help but jump in.
“Ah, we can’t change your wedding dress, and I’m too young to
design a whole new one from the start.”
Even so, Mirabelle’s heart filled with disappointment as well. From
the tea party in the south to the imperial ball, Elena was always in
the center of a en on because of the dresses that had gone through
Mirabelle’s hands. Seeing Elena in those beau ful scenes made
Mirabelle realize that designing new clothes was fun and rewarding
to her. However, her skills were s ll far short of designing a wedding
dress.

‘…I’m afraid it can’t be helped.’

Worried that Elena would no ce her disappointment, Mirabelle
brightened her expression and shi ed the topic.
“Your dress is important, but what about the Crown Prince’s suit?”
“Haaah, it really is mountain a er mountain.”
Elena pressed her hand on her temples as if she had no answer. She
didn’t think wedding planning was this difficult. There were so many
choices ahead.
RotFK Ch. 119 Somehow It Was Ominous (2)
A er finishing all the primary wedding arrangements, Elena sat alone
in her room looking over the Blaise documents when–
Kkiiigeu.
The unlocked window swung open, and Kuhn casually landed inside
the room. Elena had been expec ng him.
“Welcome, Sir Kasha.”
“I came here to report on your request from the other day.”
“Did you find the men who broke into Mirabelle’s room?”
“Yes, but I don’t think you will need to do anything about it.”
“What does that mean?”
Kuhn answered, his expression blank but courteous.
“There were a total of eight men that went into Mirabelle’s room.
One of fell off his horse and was paralyzed, one was caught gambling
illegally, one had an arm cut off, another was a acked by an
uniden fied man–”
Kuhn informed her that in a short amount of me, all eight men had
each been involved in some kind of accident. It was difficult to
believe that it was not inten onal. Elena listened with her mouth
agape.
“…How is that possible?”
“They moved as one unit, and someone other than you had a
grudge.”
“That’s perfect ming for me.”
Despite the distribu on of vengeance, Elena s ll regre ed not being
able to punish them with her own hands. The other party must have
had their grudge the same me she had. She wondered who had
go en to them first.
‘There is no one else but me who could make them pay for what they
did to Mirabelle…’
Kuhn no ced that Elena’s expression s ll remained troubled.
“If it isn’t enough for you…shall I deal with them permanently?”
“While I am s ll resen ul, they have been punished enough. Let’s
move on from it.”
“I understand.”
Elena’s eyes fell on a spot of blood on Kuhn’s white sleeve.
Apparently his wounds hadn’t fully healed yet, and she looked at him
anxiously.
“Are you hurt?”
“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“Your sleeve…”
Kuhn followed Elena’s gaze at and replied in a casual voice.
“Oh, this is not my blood. I had to deal with some people recently.”
Watching him speak so calmly, Elena remembered that Kuhn was a
brilliant assassin. The ques on, “Shall I deal with them
permanently?” did not sound like an empty sugges on. In a way,
both Carlisle and Kuhn were similar in that respect.
Elena shook her head, and her thoughts turned to Carlisle. She
wondered how he was doing these days. She was knee-deep in
wedding planning and had not contacted him in some me.
“The Crown Prince…how is he doing?”
“He is the same as usual.”
His reply was curt, and Elena didn’t know what to say. Kuhn opened
his mouth again as if he realized that his answer was too short.
“Shall I tell the General that you want to know about his well-being?”
“There’s no need to. I just thought about him and wanted to ask.”
“Yes, I see.”
Kuhn’s answer was immediate and short.
“By the way, I see there are some new workers at Blaise mansion
these days.”
Elena nodded without any qualms, knowing that Kuhn kept a watch
on the mansion.
“Yes, that’s correct. I was worried there weren’t enough hands to
help with the wedding.”
“I see.”
Kuhn seemed to be delibera ng with himself for a moment, then
spoke in a low voice.
“Anyone suspicious?”
“Mirabelle and the butler would have thoroughly checked everyone’s
resume. Why? Is something bothering you?”
“No. I’m just keeping an eye out for any new people coming into the
mansion.”
He brushed aside her worries, yet his words le an impression on
Elena. She didn’t think there was an assassin that could touch her,
but Mirabelle was in the house. Fortunately, her brother Derek was
here as well, but it was safer not to have any dangerous people
around.
There were a few other concerning thoughts that snagged her mind.
Helen had once sent someone to tail her, and Stella Viviana could
decide to send an assassin to put to sleep any rumors.
“If you no ce anyone suspicious, please let me know.”
“Of course. You have my careful extra a en on, so don’t worry.”
“Thank you.”
When Kuhn finished saying what had to be said, he did not delay and
made to leave.
“If you have nothing more to say, I will go now.”
“I’ll e a handkerchief if I need you.”
“Understood.”
Kuhn disappeared silently through the window. Elena turned towards
her documents again, and not long a er there was an urgent knock
on the door. She looked up, puzzled.
“Come in.”
Michael rushed through the door, looking flustered. It was unusual
for him to look so harried that Elena could not help but wonder what
this was all about.
“What’s going on?”
Michael held out a red invita on to her. Since the announcement of
her marriage with Carlisle, she received dozens of le ers each day.
Another le er was nothing special. Elena gave Michael a ques oning
look, and the butler took a deep breath and quickly spoke.
“A man from the Imperial Palace came and passed this on to me.”
“The Imperial Palace?”
Not too long ago, Emperor Sullivan had discreetly delivered her a red
invita on.
‘The Emperor wants me to have dinner with him again?’
Elena opened the invita on to confirm the sender, but what she saw
was a completely unexpected name.
Second Prince Redfield. Ophelia’s biological son, the biggest obstacle
to Carlisle.

‘Why did he…?’

Another white piece of paper with a note was inserted in the
invita on, wri en by Redfield’s hand.
[I wanted to know the person who will become my sister-in-law soon,
so please accept the invita on. -Redfield]
She cast her memory back to the imperial ball, and remembered the
look and tone of his voice as he placed the ara on her head. What
was the feeling that she had?
Somehow it was ominous.
Ch. 120 Do I Have To Decide? (1)
Elena briefly considered Redfield’s invita on, and then made her
decision. Redfield and Elena could never be on good terms with each
other. When Carlisle became emperor, Redfield was one of the first
that had to be removed. If the opposite happened, the case would be
the same.
In addi on to not being able to fight openly, there was no reason to
a end a party in the midst of an already fraught poli cal ba le. Elena
had a foreboding feeling. She turned to Michael and removed the
invita on from her desk.
“Please inform him I am too busy with wedding prepara ons to
accept.”
“Ah, is it alright to ignore an invita on from the Imperial Family?”
So far, Michael had received many kinds of invita ons, but this was
the first me one was delivered to him directly from a messenger of
the Imperial Palace. Elena would soon become part of the family, and
he was worried that she might cause offense.
“I won’t change my schedule to a end. Even if it’s a party hosted by
the Second Prince himself.”
Redfield’s par es were extraordinarily exclusive. Many kinds of
rumors swirled about them, but a common theme was, “When you
a end a party he hosts, you know what heaven is.” Access was high
in demand for young nobles that wanted to experience a different
kind of fun. However, Elena had li le interest such entertainment,
even less so when Redfield was her enemy.
“Yes, My Lady. I’ll inform him that you cannot accept the invita on.”
“Thank you.”
Michael exited the room. Elena felt a sense of discomfort, but it soon
faded a er she declined the invita on. She didn’t have me to worry
about anything else and browsed through the papers on her desk.
*
*
*
The date arrived when Elena and Mirabelle stopped by Anco’s to see
the wedding dress. Elena, who had found herself neck-deep in
planning, was relieved to finally go outside.
“Ahhh–“
Elena took in a sa sfying lungful of air. She could sense that the
season was changing. Mirabelle, who was walking with her hand-in-
hand, smiled.
“Spring is coming soon.”
“I’m glad the weather is ge ng warmer.””I’m glad the weather is
ge ng warmer.””I’m glad the weather is ge ng warmer.”
Elena was concerned about Mirabelle’s health, but Mirabelle
interpreted her sister’s words in a different way.
“Me too. For a wedding at Bellouet Square, spring is be er than
winter.”
“I don’t mind the outdoors, but there are guests to consider too.”
“And while a wedding dress is beau ful, but it’s not prac cal at all.
You could easily catch a cold if you were standing outside wearing it.”
Mirabelle expressed more worry these days, and Elena smiled at her
sister’s sweet concern.
“Yes, you’re right.”
In the past, it was Elena’s responsibility to lecture Mirabelle, but now
that was changing li le by li le. Elena felt very proud to see her
sister grown up.
“Come to think of it, Mirabelle, you’re a li le taller now.”
“Oh, really? Thank goodness. I’m so short, I wish I were taller.”
“You’re s ll pre y and young.”
“…I don’t want to look young.”
For a brief moment, Mirabelle wore a somber smile on her face. It
was so different from her usual expression that Elena’s eyes couldn’t
help but widen. Her li le sister suddenly looked so mature. Elena
asked carefully,
“Is there someone you don’t want to look young for?”
“O-oh no, nothing like that!”
Mirabelle hurriedly waved her hands in denial, but Elena couldn’t
help but no ce her strange behavior. She fixed Mirabelle with a
suspicious stare.
“You must tell me if you have someone like that.”
“Tch, you had a secret affair with the Crown Prince…”
“It wasn’t like that!”
Her contract rela onship with Carlisle was far from the secret
romance Mirabelle was dreaming of. Furthermore, Elena couldn’t
imagine sending her precious sister to another man, no ma er how
rich, handsome, or desirable he was. She cherished her sister more
than anything in the world. Mirabelle smiled at the sudden
seriousness of Elena’s face.
“Alright, I understand. I can see the dress shop now. Let’s go in.”
Mirabelle tugged Elena’s hand forward. As usual, Mirabelle melted
away the dark corner of Elena’s mind.
Kkiigeu–
They opened the door that bore the signage “Anco’s Tailors,” and
when they entered they found Madame Mitchell wai ng for them.
“Ah, you’re finally here. Thank you very much for returning.”
Madame Mitchell welcomed them more respec ully than before,
and Elena also no ced the staff members lined up behind her. It was
inevitable that their treatment would change. On their last visit,
Elena and Mirabelle were simply the daughters of a Count, but now
Elena was about to become the Crown Princess of the Ruford Empire.
Elena gracefully returned Madame Mitchell’s gree ng.
“Thank you for welcoming me. Where can I see the sample wedding
dresses?”
Elena had li le free me, and so she went straight to the point.
Madame Mitchell, quick on the uptake, took the lead and answered.
“We prepared them in advance. Follow me this way.”
The sisters followed Madame Mitchell inside. The dress shop, with its
subtle ligh ng and an que design, was largely unchanged except for
a strange hush in the air. In the past, it was so busy that sewing
machines operated right at the first floor.
“Nobody seems to be here?”
“Yes. We decided not to accept anyone today because I’m hos ng a
very important guest. It’s quieter now, so please feel comfortable.”
The important guest she was talking about was obviously Elena. She
was unused to this kind of preferen al treatment, but she kept her
expression level. Crea ng the imperial wedding dress was a great
opportunity to let many nobles know about the Anco’s. The shop was
already famous, but this would be the opportunity to catapult onto
higher ground.
Madame Mitchell finally stopped walking when they reached the
innermost, most secluded room.
“Come inside, please.”
Madame Mitchell opened the door.
Ttogag.
The moment Elena stepped inside, she saw a person she never
expected to see here. She stopped dead, and Mirabelle’s head
popped out from behind her.
“Brother-in-law!”
Ch. 121 Do I Have To Decide? (2)
Elena could not hide her surprise as Mirabelle ran towards Carlisle.
He was seated on the couch with his long legs crossed and his usual
air of pride about him. It was a unique charisma only given off by the
Crown Prince.
“You finally arrived.”
“Yes, I came with my sister, but it seems you were here first.”
Mirabelle showed no signs of surprise of seeing him here. Elena was
the only one in the room who felt like she had been struck by a bolt
from blue.
“What are you doing here?”
Mirabelle answered before Carlisle could.
“I sent him a message today saying we were going to see your
wedding dress. I said that if he had the me, the two of you could
look together and choose, but I didn’t expect him to be here.”
Elena looked to Carlisle for confirma on, and he nodded.
“I had a free schedule today. I was curious about my bride’s dress.”
He could have given word to Elena at least. She looked at him, put
out.
“Next me, please tell me in advance.”
“I was planning to tell you when you contacted me. But for some
reason you never did.”
At his strange remark, Elena s ll harbored a feeling of doubt.
“Do you mean it?”
“Of course, I do.”
He denied it, but somehow, she didn’t believe it. Mirabelle was
gazing at them starry-eyed from the side.
“First, you should share your words slowly while looking at the
wedding dresses.”
At her words, Carlisle relaxed and smoothly pa ed the seat by his
side.
“Come here.”
There was a seduc on in every small gesture that he made. Elena
wasn’t the only one who felt the same way, and even Madame
Mitchell was standing red-faced behind her. Carlisle’s presence was
enough to thrill even a middle-aged woman. Elena hesitated for a
moment, but soon seated herself next to Carlisle. This was her place
from now on.
“Ah.”
Madame Mitchell fought to cool her red face and spoke again in a
polite voice.
“I’ll show you the five wedding dresses that we have prepared.”
That was more dresses than Elena expected.
“You already have five of them?”
“Oh, yes. Thanks to this young lady’s quick and precise orders, we’ve
been working as fast as we can. If you don’t like the five that we
have, we can create a new design.”
Mirabelle, who seated herself opposite of Elena, nodded.
“We don’t have much me un l the wedding, so I asked her to do
five designs that would suit you. If you don’t like them, then you
don’t have to sign the contract.”
Elena hadn’t expected this much progress, and she felt grateful to
Mirabelle for going beyond her expecta ons. There must be some
reason why her sister chose this place, even though they had
received es mates from several different shops. Anco would take a
loss from the four other dresses that weren’t sold, but they were
determined to be the ones to make the dress for the Crown Princess.
A er quickly understanding the situa on, Elena wondered what
dresses she had prepared.
“Let’s take a look.”
Madame Mitchell stepped up to a small stage and pulled the curtain
aside.
Chwaleuleuleugeu–
Five beau ful wedding dresses on mannequins were revealed to
them. Elena’s red eyes widened, and even Mirabelle let out a gasp of
admira on.
“Wow.”
The white dresses gli ered luxuriously, each bearing a different
design. One revealed the collarbone to emphasize feminine beauty,
while another boasted splendor with a generous skirt. And there was
even one so unlike the others with its mix of white and gold
embroidery.
Elena hadn’t a ended many weddings, but she had never seen more
beau ful wedding dresses than the five in front of her. It was
impossible to choose which was the best among the five. Madame
Mitchell felt proud a er seeing Elena’s and Mirabelle’s reac on. It
was the best work of her life. The dresses produced for the imperial
ball drew from popular designs, but these were unlike anything she
created. She felt proud of herself because she had made these
dresses with all of her heart, but when she saw their reac ons with
her own eyes, she felt more confident.
“They’re all so beau ful, though I can’t decide which is the best.
What do you like best, Elena?”
Elena could not readily respond to the ques on.
“I love them all.”
She tried to imagine herself wearing each dress at Bellouet Square.
Carlisle, who had been silent un l now, chimed in.
“I think we already have the answer.”
Everyone’s a en on turned towards him. Elena couldn’t help but
wonder which dress Carlisle preferred.
“Which one do you like best, Caril?”
“Do I have to decide that?”
Elena wasn’t the only one confused by his answer. Mirabelle and
Madame Mitchell turned to stare in curiously as well. Carlisle carried
on in a languid voice.
“I’ll buy everything.”
Elena’s and Mirabelle’s eyes widened at the same me. Madame
Mitchell was also stunned, but in a different way. Inside, she was
joyous enough that she could dance. She opened her lips in a
trembling voice.
“Well, Your Highness, that means…?”
“Thank you for making my bride’s wedding dress. Please wrap
everything that you’ve shown us and send it to Blaise mansion.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
Madame Mitchell looked happy enough to cry. Elena quickly
recovered and turned to Carlisle in a whispering voice.
“A single wedding dress will do. I don’t need five of them.”
“You like everything. Everything looks like it will suit you, and you can
wear it even when it’s not your wedding day.”
“But–”
Before Elena could protest any further, Carlisle turned towards
Mirabelle.
“What do you think, sister-in-law?”
“…Brother-in-law is the best.”
Mirabelle gave him a small thumbs up, and Carlisle couldn’t help but
smile faintly.

Presently accoun ng for everyone’s reac ons—Mirabelle was

impressed, Elena was embarrassed, and Madame Mitchell was
ecsta c. Among them, only Carlisle con nued on with an
unperturbed expression.
“Is there anything else you have prepared?”
Madame Mitchell thought it would end with the five dresses, and she
quickly pulled herself together.
“Yes, yes! The other one is only a drawing, but I’ll show you the
design now.”
Elena had already experienced it several mes, but the scale of
Carlisle’s wealth was truly beyond imagina on.
Ch. 122 You’re Looking Over There (1)
Carlisle wanted to purchase the rest of the designs including the
concepts, but Elena managed to stop him from doing so. However,
the five dresses were already bought. Elena had mixed feelings as she
observed Madame Mitchell’s overjoyed face.
“Please visit again.”
She le them with a hospitable farewell, and the three finally
emerged from Anco’s Tailors. Mirabelle had a far-off look, as if she
s ll hadn’t recovered from her experience in the shop.
“So you’ll choose one of those five dresses for your wedding day?”
“Yes, I will.”
Elena nodded. They had already bought this much, and there was no
need for further purchases. Carlisle interjected, however.
“There’s no need to be hasty with your decision. Let’s take a look at
everything else and so you can choose what you like.”
Elena was bewildered to see Carlisle talk so idly even a er this
massive purchase.
“Are you really going to buy just as much from the rest of the shops?”
“If you think it suits you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be for the
wedding day either. Consider it a personal gi from me to you.”
Wedding dresses were far more expensive than other dresses, and
more likely to be worn on the day of marriage rather than a ball or
party. Although all aristocra c women dreamed of a bespoke
wedding dress, prices were high as only a limited number of shops
could make them.
And yet Carlisle so casually invited her to look at more a er buying
five of them. No ma er how much Elena grew up as the daughter of
a count, this degree of wealth was alien to her. Elena pressed her
hand on her forehead.
“…There’s only one wedding, but there are too many wedding
dresses.”
“We can hold a few encore weddings if you wish.”
“It’s not like that. “
“I want to buy my bride anything. Do you not like that?”
“…!”
For a moment, Elena couldn’t find her words. She never expected
this kind of sweet remark from him. Mirabelle, who was standing
with the two of them, looked at them with envy as the surrounding
atmosphere turned warm and a flush crept up Elena’s cheeks.
“I appreciate your words, but this is too much. I’ll be seen as a crown
princess that spends extravagantly.”
It wasn’t a ma er of frugality, as excessive extravagance could cause
problems. In fact, refusing Carlisle was her way to protect her family.
If possible, she was determined to contribute to the Ruford Empire,
not drain it. Carlisle smiled.
“First, it doesn’t ma er what gi s I give you because they are
purchased with my personal fortune. Second, the Empire’s finances
are not so strained to cause collapse under this kind of luxury. And
third…”
That strange heat deepened in Carlisle’s blue eyes.
“I don’t want you to leave me because you got used to this luxury.”
Elena’s eyes widened. It sounded like if he could buy her heart, he
would pay any price. For a moment, the pair stared at each other in
silence. Mirabelle cleared her throat.
“Ehmm.”
Elena came to her senses and stared at her sister, who was wearing a
slightly embarrassed look.
“I apologize for interrup ng, but I think five dresses are enough. In
some situa ons, simply replacing the jewelry or the lace with a more
valuable material is enough to change the appearance. I can discuss it
more with Madame Mitchell.”
Elena nodded. She was not par cularly interested in dresses or
jewelry and didn’t have much knowledge in the field, and she did not
want to interfere with Mirabelle. And so far, her sister had done such
an excellent job that there was no reason to interfere.
“I’ll do as you say.”
Carlisle finally relented.
“Then if you need anything, please contact me.”
“Yes, brother-in-law.”
Mirabelle didn’t have any inten on of rejec ng Carlisle’s offer. When
Elena glared at her, she stuck out her tongue.
“And I’ll take the opportunity to make an exclusive contract with
Anco’s to see if we can buy more dresses for a lower price.”
Elena looked surprised at the proposal.
“What do you mean?”
“When you become crown princess, your wardrobe will become the
discussion of high society. I’ll talk to Madame Mitchell about that
exact thing.”
“Yes, in that case, I am happy.”
Mirabelle turned to Carlisle this me.
“When the wedding dress is decided upon, you’ll have to be fi ed for
your suit too.”
“Of course.”
She finally finished speaking with the both of them and stepped
back.
“Then I’ll return to Blaise mansion first.”
She was going to leave the two of them. Elena was reluctant to send
Mirabelle home alone.
“No, you don’t have to–”
“You’ve been so busy preparing for the wedding, you haven’t been
able to spend me with the Prince. You two should have a good me
on a day like this!”
Mirabelle smiled and moved away, and Carlisle responded pleasantly.
“I’ll see you next me.”
“Yes, brother-in-law! I’ll contact you again! “
Before Elena could say anything more, Mirabelle quickly moved to
the Blaise carriage. Elena stared at Mirabelle’s retrea ng back,
knowing it was useless to stop her. Carlisle then turned to Elena and
spoke in a so voice.
“Your sister is unexpectedly business-minded.”
She never thought of Mirabelle that way, and Carlisle’s assessment
caught her by surprise.
“Is that so?”
“If she runs a business, I will invest in it. I feel like I will never lose.”
Elena worried constantly about Mirabelle managing the Blaise
household, but it was true that Mirabelle exceeded her expecta ons
in handling the wedding planning. Yet in Elena’s eyes, her sister s ll
seemed such a delicate thing that a gust of wind could take her.
“But a business is tough. I don’t want Mirabelle to do that. I want her
to have a lovely life.”
Even if there was the blood of thousands or tens of thousands on
Elena’s hands, she wanted to make Mirabelle happy without her
knowing anything. Elena considered her whole family to be precious,
but she was the most protec ve over Mirabelle. If Mirabelle could
walk along a bright and warm path in the sun, Elena was sa sfied to
stay in the shadows of night. She would never let Mirabelle die
before her in this life.
Elena was gazing mournfully at the direc on of Mirabelle’s
appearance when–
Seueug–
Carlisle’s hand turned Elena’s chin towards him. She stared
ques oningly at the look of dissa sfac on he wore.
“You’re looking over there.”
“…Hm?”

“I’m so jealous that I can barely see straight.”

Elena tried to ask him what he meant, but before she could do so,
Carlisle took her hand and pulled her elsewhere.
“What are you doing? Where are we going all of a sudden?”
Carlisle glanced backwards.
“Anywhere. Where you can focus on me.”
Ch. 123 You’re Looking Over There (2)
Elena couldn’t help but smile at the place Carlisle brought her too.
Some mes she wished she could see what was inside his head. Elena
admired the river as it flowed serenely past them.
“What are we doing here?”
Presently, the pair were si ng in a small boat. The sunset created a
breathtakingly beau ful landscape around them, but she couldn’t
help but wonder the reason for this loca on, and looked towards
Carlisle.
“I told you. We were going to a place where you could focus only on
me.”
“Is that why we’re really here? Because there’s something important
that others shouldn’t overhear?”
Elena stared at him expectantly. They were the only two people on
this boat. It was the op mal place for them to have a secret
conversa on with each other, as all of Carlisle’s guards were watching
from the bank.
“Not at all. I just wanted us to be alone.”
“Some mes I wonder what you’re thinking…”
“Ask me.”
“…What?”
“If you have any ques ons, ask me anything. I’ll be honest with you.”
She immediately couldn’t think of anything to say, and simply stared
at him in front of her. The sun was slowly sinking behind Carlisle,
spectacular shades of red creeping onto the sky. It was then that
Elena really did realize that there was no one else around, and that
they existed alone. Maybe that was why the calm sound of the river
made her heart shiver. Elena finally opened her mouth to speak.
“What…what are you thinking now?”
“I’m thinking of living in a place like this.”
“This? What do you like about it?”
Carlisle’s eyes flickered. He put one arm on his lap and rested his chin
on the other.
“It’s small.”
“…?”
“It’s small enough that there’s no room to run away or look anywhere
else.”
“…It sounds a li le strange.”
“How do you interpret it?”
“That…”
Elena glanced at Carlisle as she spoke slowly.
“…you want to lock something up?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Carlisle let out an uncharacteris c
burst of laughter. He looked so joyful that Elena’s eyes widened.
“Your answer is always beyond my imagina on. Some mes I want to
know what’s inside your head. “
Well, it certainly sounded that way to Elena’s ears. A small space
where one couldn’t run away or avert their eyes. Elena felt uneasy
when he said it. Carlisle con nued with a smile on his face.
“But you’re wrong. I wouldn’t do that, but as I am rather greedy, I
want to obtain everything.”
What?
“That’s why I’ll wait. Un l it catches up with my heart which is so far
ahead.”
What on earth…
She stared at Carlisle, confused.
“I don’t understand what you mean. What do you want so badly that
you’ll wait un l then?”
Carlisle was about to answer, but then hesitated. It was Elena’s first
me seeing him like this.
‘What is he hesita ng for?’
Carlisle smiled faintly and con nued.
“I can’t say. It might run away.”
“…?”
“If I said those words, it might reject me. But as you know, I am a
greedy man…and I can’t handle rejec on.
Elena looked at him with an unsa sfied expression.
“You said you would honestly answer my ques ons. Why are you
stopping when I’m curious?”
“I am being honest that I can’t tell you.”
Elena was caught off guard by his answer. She didn’t think being
honest meant not revealing a secret, and it was only right to tell her
what it was. Despite Elena’s annoyed expression, Carlisle con nued
on in a good mood.
“If you really want to know, think about it again and guess the
answer. What do I want badly?”
“…Wait.”
This situa on felt similar to when Carlisle wouldn’t tell her about
their past. Elena reflected on the words she had just spoken with
Carlisle. Something he wanted to keep. But it might run away if he
talks. It was more than likely that it was a creature that could move
by its own will. Elena thought long and hard, then widened her eyes
in realiza on.
“…Don’t tell me.”
Carlisle’s face tensed.
“What is it? Is my guess wrong?”
Before she finished, Carlisle doubled over and burst into laughter.
“What is it? Is my guess wrong?”
“No, no. Your imagina on is much richer than I thought.”
“Then what is it? Tell me.”
Despite Elena’s repeated protests, Carlisle could not stop laughing.
Soon the red glow of the sun was falling behind them. To anyone’s
eyes, they looked like the perfect pair of lovers.
*
*
*
Michael was distressed by the fact that Mirabelle and Elena were s ll
absent from the Blaise mansion. Elena had just chosen lavender
flowers to decorate the Bellue e Square, but the florists had just
no fied him that they couldn’t supply them. And that was only the
beginning.
Several other shops had contacted them, informing him that they
suddenly couldn’t provide their services. Soon a er, a fancy mask and
a le er was delivered to Michael. It was sent back from Redfield, the
Second Prince of the Imperial Family. The eyes of the imperial
messenger were no ceably colder than when he first delivered the
le er at Blaise mansion.
“Please pass this on to Lady Blaise. And tell her that the Second
Prince insists on her appearance.”
Michael looked at the mask and le er with trembling eyes. No one
had to explain to him what was happening here. Redfield had to be
behind this sabotage.
‘…My Lady.’
It was unclear whether Elena would change her mind and accept the
invita on. It was en rely up to her.
Ch. 124 This Is Going To Be Fun (1)
Elena’s expression darkened a er returning to Blaise mansion and
receiving Redfield’s le er.
[It’s a pity that you’re too busy with wedding planning. I’d like to help
you a li le, so how about I make you some me? If you refuse again,
I have a feeling that things won’t go as smoothly.
Please don’t refuse this me. – Redfield]
Elena crumpled the le er in her fist, and Michael looked on in shock.
She ignored the butler’s reac on and tossed the le er into the trash.
“Ah, My Lady…”
“The Second Prince must find it amusing to look down on me like
this.”
All the shops abruptly said they wouldn’t be able to work, and the
le er pointed to one thing–If she didn’t accept the invita on right
away, Redfield would sabotage the wedding. Elena was
dumbfounded for how he dared pull off this insane stunt. This was
not just about Elena. It was also the first wedding of Carlisle, the
Crown Prince of the Ruford Empire. The Second Prince could not
openly threaten them, but Redfield s ll seemed determined to make
a demonstra on if she chose to ignore him. Most of all, Elena was
unhappy having to deal with these li le games by Second Prince.
‘I can’t even show this to the Emperor. No one while tes fy that it
was the Second Prince that made them do this.’
Redfield had the support of Empress Ophelia and the Anita family,
and not even Emperor Sullivan could lay a finger on his son. Elena
could not ques on a prince with evidence and witnesses.
‘If I tell Caril, he won’t sit idly…’
She had been with Carlisle long enough to understand his
personality. If he found out that Redfield tried to ruin wedding, he
would use extreme means to punish his brother, but that wasn’t an
appealing thought to Elena either. Redfield only made a slight
provoca on to force her to a end the party. If Carlisle got involved, it
would be an all-out war, and there was no telling what Redfield
would do. It would not stop at childish play. If the wedding ceremony
were to be further sabotaged, there would be li le me to fix it and
it would lead to trouble.
‘Why on earth is he invi ng me, anyway?’
A foreboding feeling shadowed her since she received the first
invita on, but she didn’t understand his strange behavior. Was it
simply out of curiosity because she was marrying Carlisle? Or was it
something else?
Michael looked at Elena’s troubled expression and spoke up carefully.
“What are you going to do, My Lady?”
“If he wants to see me so much…then I’ll have to accept.”
“Are you sure you want to a end? It seemed strange when the
message was sent again.”
Elena’s jewel-like eyes flashed at his words.
“I need to go. I need to know who he is.”
If Carlisle were to take over the throne, Redfield would ul mately
have to be cut out. Empress Ophelia’s and House Anita’s influence
were great, but without the fact that the Second Prince inherited
imperial blood, they were only a li le more powerful than the other
families. S ll, while Carlisle was crown prince, many nobles s ll
believed that Redfield would overthrow him and become emperor. To
remove the threat, they had to defeat the Anita family, overcome
Empress Ophelia, and finally face Redfield.
Suddenly, Elena recalled the words Redfield said to her at the ball.
— Dance with me next me. I’m be er than my brother.
Her lips curved in a smile. To her, Carlisle was already beyond Elena’s
expecta ons in every way. He was smart, bold and a skilled
swordsman. Carlisle was indeed her chosen man.
‘How about I see this Second Prince?’
Her red eyes fell upon the decorated mask sent by Redfield. He must
have wanted her to wear it.
*
*
*
Elena secured a red handkerchief to the window. She didn’t mean to
tell Carlisle about the wedding incident with Redfield, but she
wouldn’t keep the party secret.
It was the middle of the night. As usual, Elena sat at her desk
a emp ng to address the new complica ons regarding the wedding
planning. She sensed someone enter the room, and she looked up
from her work and no ced Kuhn.
“You’re here?”
Kuhn’s gray eyes gradually emerged from the dark.
“As I sensed last me, you have very good hearing.”
“So I do.”
Elena turned around. She could sense subtle Kuhn’s presence near
her, which was difficult for any ordinary person to do. Since she had
detected him in the past, it didn’t make any different that he was
caught now. Though mildly curious, Kuhn didn’t pry any further.
“Why did you call me?”
“I need to tell you something, and I thought a le er would take
longer to arrive.”
“Please go on.”
“The Second Prince sent me an invita on to his party. I thought over
it, and I decided to accept.”
“…That does seem suspicious.”
Elena nodded in agreement and con nued.
“I also mistrust the reasons for the invita on, but seeing as the
Second Prince invited me himself, there’s no reason to refuse.”
That wasn’t en rely true, but that was Elena’s approach for now. To
put it plainly, Carlisle wouldn’t allow her to a end the party
otherwise, and hos li es with Redfield could escalate. Although
Carlisle and Elena decided to consult with each other on certain
ma ers, she decided to take this on alone and discover what Redfield
planned for her herself.
‘I can’t always lean on Caril.’
She would not be a crown princess that sat around obeyed Carlisle’s
orders. He must remember that Elena was his sharpest sword that
would cut down the enemies in his path.
“Are you asking me to protect you at the party, My Lady?”
“I’d appreciate that. The Second Prince officially invited me, so I don’t
think he’ll hurt me…but just in case.”
There was not much that could directly harm Elena, but Carlisle
would most definitely refuse if she didn’t at least protect herself. She
was Lady Elena now, not Len the guard, and so she couldn’t simply
run around with a sword.
“I see. I’ll report it to the General and obtain an answer on what to
do.”

“Yes. Please do it as soon as possible.”

“Is something wrong?”
Elena glanced at the mask sent by Redfield.
“The party is very soon.”
“When?”
Elena answered the ques on with a faint smile.
“It’s tomorrow.”
She had already turned the invita on down once, so there was li le
me le . Kuhn’s expression quickly shi ed when he heard Elena’s
words.
Ch. 125 This Is Going To Be Fun (2)
Swiiiigeu–
Kuhn recovered himself and quickly slipped out from Elena’s room.
Time was running out, and he had to rush the message to Carlisle. He
was only a few steps away from the window when–
“…!”
Kuhn paused and looked back. There was a faint presence, and he
swi ly concealed his face with a mask he carried on him. Thanks to
Kuhn’s quick ins ncts, his opponent wouldn’t be able to properly
iden fy him. Kuhn was primarily an assassin, and he couldn’t risk
being seen.
Tadot!
He took a step towards the direc on he sensed the presence.
Whoever it was that had watching Elena’s room in the middle of the
night was now gone. Kuhn hurriedly checked the surroundings, but
there was no sign of anyone.
“…Did I miss them?”
Kuhn’s customary blank facade began to crease. There were not
many people throughout Ruford Empire who could make such a
clean escape from him. Whoever it was was highly skilled, and he
could not risk this person being near Elena.
“One more thing to report to the General as soon as possible.”
A er a so whisper, he disappeared from the scene like a shadow. He
was moving at such a high speed, that if one didn’t know any be er,
it was as if he simply disappeared.
When Kuhn was gone, a shadow emerged from behind a tree. There
was a crunching sound as the mysterious figure took a bite out of an
apple. The shadowy man was Batori, who was employed at Blaise
mansion under false pretences.
“…Who is he?”
Batori smiled in amusement. Such a brilliant man had come into
Elena’s room in the middle of the night. Batori had not foreseen this,
and his interest couldn’t help but be piqued.
“Perhaps he has something to do with the Crown Prince?”
Some me ago, several people a acked and seriously injured Batori
when he was tracking Elena’s bead ring. The other man must have
something to do with his a ackers and Carlisle’s men. Batori took
another bite from his apple and mu ered to himself wis ully.
“…I wish I could’ve seen your face.”
If he hadn’t restrained himself, he could have caught the other man.
Paveluc only ordered him to watch on Elena from afar, not interfere,
and so Batori hid himself before he could be discovered. He gave a
low whistle, and the corners of his mouth li ed up.
“Hwiyueu— Things are going to be fun.”
*
*
*
The next evening.
Elena dressed herself elaborately for Redfield’s party. Mirabelle
looked pleased with the gown she had chosen, and gave her sister a
thumbs up.
“Mm-hmm. Perfect!”
“Thank you. You don’t have to do this every me.”
“Not at all, I’m just having fun. I’m becoming more and more
interested in dresses lately.”
“Really?”
Elena looked delighted at her sister’s talent in design, while Mirabelle
scratched her nose in embarrassment.
“Anyway, be back soon sister. You haven’t had proper rest because of
all the wedding prepara ons.”
“Everything is fine thanks to your help. Most of what’s le are the
finishing touches.”
“It’s not a problem. The wedding date is soon, so be careful not to
get hurt.”
Elena smiled faintly at Mirabelle’s worried nagging and stroked her
sister’s hair.
“Yes, I’ll be careful.”
The two walked together to the entrance of the mansion. Michael
was wai ng by the carriage and bowed respec ully.
“Please come back safely, My Lady.”
Michael’s grim expression told Elena that he knew about the truth
about the blackmail, but she responded casually.
“Yes. I’ll see you when I get back.”
Mirabelle, oblivious to what was in store for Elena, looked on brightly
as she waved her hand.
“Enjoy yourself, sister.”
“I won’t be too late.”
When Elena finished saying her farewell, she boarded the carriage
emblazoned with the Blaise crest. It began to move forward, not
towards the Imperial Palace, but to a remote villa some distance
from the capital where the party was held.
Elena stared at the passing scenery. Suddenly, she remembered the
night she rode on horseback through the forest with Carlisle. She
couldn’t freely ride a horse like she used to, and a heavy regret
se led inside of her.
The journey took some me un l, finally, the carriage arrived at its
des na on. The coachman opened the carriage door, and Elena
tenta vely stepped outside.
“I’ll be wai ng outside, so call me when you’re ready to leave, My
Lady.”
“Yes.”
Elena gave a brief reply and walked forward; the mask sent by
Redfield in hand. The masquerade ball was a unique event where
everyone present concealed their faces. It wasn’t a large enough
gathering to call it a ball, but the purpose of the event was the same.
Everyone at the entrance was wearing a mask, and Elena
immediately put hers on before going inside and appearing in front
of everyone.
Ttogag ogageu–
The crowd’s eyes were riveted on Elena as passed them by with a
rich, plumed mask adorning her face. It seemed that she always drew
a en on even if nobody knew who she was. Concealing her face
could not suppress her beauty en rely.
And so, Elena entered the party hosted by Redfield.
Ch. 126 Trash (1)
This party was strikingly different from all the ones Elena had been
to. She had a ended many social events, large and small, but never
one with this much decadence and deviancy.
Normally, gatherings usually had a large hall in the center for people
to stand around and talk. However, there were more places for si ng
than standing here. Dozens of tables and sofas sca ered the room,
with small groups of people already mingling around them. By one
table, a masked man and woman were openly indulging in affec on
to each other, much to Elena’s embarrassment. It was a place where
only young people gathered, and it felt much less constrained than
an official event.
‘Is it because everyone is wearing masks?’
The ligh ng was dim as well, unlike the brightly lit chandeliers of the
halls. This was new to Elena, but everyone else seemed familiar to
this arrangement.
‘But…what is this smell?’
Ever since she walked in, a peculiar scent hovered in her nose. It
prodded at some buried memory, and Elena turned her head to look
for the source of the smell, but before she could inves gate, the
sounds of a man’s footsteps approached her.
Ttubeog ubeog.
She turned her head, and a man with fiery red hair came into view.
He was masked like everyone else, but she knew immediately who it
was.
It was Redfield. He seemed to recognize Elena immediately as well,
by the mask he had given her.
“Ah, you have arrived.”
Elena had spoken in informal language at court dances in the past,
but now she was more aware of her posi on of crown princess in the
future. The corners of her mouth li ed.
“You were very earnest in your invita on towards me, and I couldn’t
refuse.”
She made no men on of the wedding planning, and Redfield
responded with a faint smile.
“Welcome. I would have been very disappointed if you turned me
down again.”
It sounded like he would’ve con nued to sabotage the wedding, as
she suspected. Outwardly, the pair greeted each other with amiable
smiles, but inwardly they were tes ng each other, keeping their true
thoughts hidden.
“Shall I show you where I was at? I feel terrible keeping my future
sister-in-law standing here like this.”
“Please.”
“This way…”
Redfield stepped forward first, a smile beneath his mask. She
followed, no ng his golden tongue and the way he called her “sister-
in-law.” While Carlisle was occasionally mischievous, he was generally
straigh orward and said only what he wanted to say. Redfield was
nothing like him.
Redfield led her to a large private room, not to one of the tables in
the common space like she expected. There were a variety of rare
dishes spread out on the table, but there was no one else there.
“Please have a seat.”
Elena se led herself onto a chair.
“Didn’t you say you would take me to where you were, Second
Prince? But it looks like there’s no else here for the party.”
Elena didn’t hesitate to use Redfield’s tle when they were alone.
The masks were meaningless when they already knew each other’s
iden ty. Redfield gave a crooked grin, pulling away his mask and
revealing his handsome face. He fixed her with a burning gaze.
“I’ve arranged a private table with my sister-in-law. No one else
needs to be here, don’t you think?”
She didn’t agree. However, Elena answered calmly, schooling her
roiling emo ons.
“You asked me to dance when we last met at the ball.”
“Haha, we can always dance any me. Why? Would you like to have a
dance with me now?”
He seemed to find glee in playing with her. His glibness caused a level
of discomfort quite unlike Carlisle.
“No. I don’t think it’s necessary for us to dance.”
“Of course. Well, just not today.”
Redfield flashed a sly smile and picked up a bo le of wine.
“Would you like a drink?”
“No thank you. I’m not good at drinking.”
“How about just one drink? It has been a long me since we last saw
each other, and I’ll be disappointed if you don’t have at least one
glass.”
“…Then please.”
Elena held out the glass in front of her, and Redfield filled the vessel.
The peculiar smell was stronger in this room than outside. Elena’s
forehead tensed and she put a palm to it, while Redfield’s eyes
flashed at the gesture.
“Will you pour me a drink as well, sister-in-law?”
“I’m grateful for the glass you poured me, Second Prince, but it
would not look good in the eyes of others for me to do the same.”
“Haha, what do you think of your family?”
“It’s be er to be careful.”
Redfield con nued with a slight shrug.
“If you insist.”
He filled his own glass and drank first. When Elena tried to shake off
the blurriness in her vision, Redfield stared at her with concern.
“Are you unwell? There is water if you don’t want to drink.”
Redfield filled another glass with water for her. Elena stared at it,
thinking it strange that Redfield kept encouraging her to drink. She
answered without touching the water.

“No, thank you. I haven’t slept much because of the wedding

prepara ons, and I was feeling dizzy.”
“Oh, you should be more careful.”
“I only came here to see you briefly. If you have nothing else to say, I
would like to leave.”
Redfield held back a cruel smile at Elena’s unyielding manner.
“Would I have invited my sister-in-law here without something to tell
her?”
While she listened to Redfield speak, she kept trying to rack her brain
about that peculiar odor. It unse led her from the start, but her
suspicion grew as her body weakened.
‘…Where have I smelled it before?’
Ch. 127 Trash (2)
Redfield con nued to speak as she sorted through her memories.
“I called you here because I have a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“Yes. As you know, in the Ruford Empire it’s quite common for the
future genera ons of emperors to inherit the young, beau ful
concubines of the prior ones. Looking at it broadly, they’re all family,
and it’s not considered shameful.”
It was a history that Elena didn’t understand, but she nodded
because she knew there were such circumstances. Then Redfield
revealed his real inten ons.
“Either my brother or I will become emperor. And so, wouldn’t it be
be er to prepare a path where you can live nicely no ma er who
becomes emperor?”
“I don’t understand…”
“I mean that I become an emperor, it means I will take you–who has
married my brother–for myself.”
“…!”
Elena’s eyes widened. She never imagined that Redfield would dare
say this to her. He carried on with a leering expression.
“Why don’t you put yourself in my arms and cozy up to me? Hm? Not
just to dance. Judge who’s be er, my brother or me.”
Elena was so shocked that she was about to storm out. But the
moment she tried to get up, the room spun violently, and she forced
herself back in her seat. Redfield grinned.
“Did the drug finally work?”
At that moment, a dormant memory of a flower came to her.
The Payan flower. When it was burned, the person who inhaled it
would gradually lose their senses and fall into delirium. The dose
here was stronger than the original medicine. It did not fully drain
her energy a er short exposure, but she found herself barely able to
move.
“First, how about we share the burning affec ons between man and
woman, and then you can think carefully about my offer. Hahaha.”
Redfield reached out to remove the mask she was wearing.
Jjaag!
Elena struck his hand in one swi mo on.
Her emo ons flared up to such intensity that she couldn’t control her
strength. Redfield was staring at the place she struck him in surprise,
and Elena suddenly felt relieved at how lucky she was to have
Carlisle.
‘It was only a simple contract marriage at first…’
Before, she didn’t care about her poten al husband’s personality,
appearance, mind, or anything. The only thing that ma ered was
that the emperor’s crown was placed on Carlisle’s head. But what if
he were a man like Redfield? What if she had been forced to choose
Redfield and make him the emperor to save her family? If Carlisle
was this kind of man, would she s ll marry him?
There was only one answer, unpleasant as it was. She would do it.
She felt as if a bug crawled on her palm from when she briefly
touched Redfield’s hand. It didn’t ma er to her who she married
before, but Elena knew for certain that she didn’t want to hold
Redfield’s hand.
Paveluc was the last enemy Elena had to defeat. If she maintained a
favorable rela onship with Redfield, she could s ll have the chance
to survive if Carlisle was defeated. However…Carlisle was the be er
choice to make emperor, instead of complying with the Second
Prince’s dirty demands. Elena had wondered the kind of man that
stood between Carlisle and the throne, but now she knew exactly.
‘…Trash.’
Second Prince Redfield was the lowest of trash to use drugs on
women and force himself on them. Elena gazed coolly at him through
her mask, and he stared back at her in u er amazement.
“How did you do that? You shouldn’t be able to move–”
“Do what?”
She rose to her feet. It would have been impossible if she were an
ordinary, untrained aristocra c woman, but she was Elena. Although
she had less immunity from her last life and the drug slowed down
her ability to react, she was not so helpless that she could not deal
with Redfield before her. If she were that weak, then she could not
claim to be Carlisle’s sharpest sword.
‘I want to be rid of this place.’
She clenched her fist to stop herself from a acking Redfield. When
Carlisle was crowned emperor, Redfield would be the first one to be
removed.
“Listen carefully, Second Prince. I refuse your dirty proposal. If you try
such a shallow trick in front of me–”
Elena’s voice changed more than ever.
“–I’ll kill you with my own hands.”
At the end of her words, Elena swung around and walked away. In
either case, it was be er to leave the room where the scent
con nued to rise.
Before exi ng the room completely, Elena paused at an area where
Redfield couldn’t see her. With a sleight of hand, she collected a
sample of the powder and tucked it in her handkerchief, then finally
le the room with a perfectly steady gait. She would never let this
pass, and she intended to take this opportunity to inves gate the
party in detail.
Redfield had frozen in place the moment Elena stood up, but soon his
face purpled in fury. He just realized the humilia on he suffered.
“This, this–!”
Redfield raced out the room to catch up to Elena–
Kwadangtang!
He crashed into a waiter with a serving tray.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“My apologies.”
The waiter had dark blue hair and pale white skin. Knowing that
Elena was a ending Redfield’s party, some of Carlisle’s subordinates
had already infiltrated the staff to protect her. Including Kuhn.
Redfield cursed at the empty place where Elena disappeared.
“Damn it.”
*
*
*
Elena stepped straight out of Redfield’s party, hastening to get back
to the Blaise carriage.
Jeobeog jeobeog–
Someone unexpected was approaching her–someone with black hair
and chilly blue eyes. It was none other than Carlisle, with his
handsome face and his perfectly carved features.
“How did you…?”
As soon as she spoke, she realized that she was s ll wearing the
mask. Carlisle would pass by without knowing it was her, so she li ed
a hand to remove it.
Taak.
Carlisle stopped in front of her.

“You should have no fied me the day before. Don’t make me worry
about you.”
“How did you–”
Elena suddenly stumbled, unable to finish her sentence. She had
been repressing the effects of the drug all this me, but now it finally
caught up to her. Or perhaps it was because the tension li ed as soon
as she saw Carlisle.
Carlisle quickly grabbed Elena’s shoulders and frowned. She was in
poor condi on. He didn’t yell at her, but the anger in his tone was
evident.
“What happened?”
“No, I’m fine–ah!”
Before Elena could finish talking, Carlisle li ed her body up with both
his arms. Her eyes widened in surprise, but Carlisle pulled her close
in his embrace.
Ch. 128 It’s Not As Cold As It Was Before (1)
She felt embarrassed that Carlisle was carrying her like this, but she
wasn’t in a posi on to protest, as her condi on made it harder for
her to keep her balance. While effects of the drugs had been blunted
by her mental and physical training, she could not dull it completely.
The more me passed, the more her body felt like co on.
“Caril…”
She felt Carlisle looking at her. However, he did not move away and
adjusted his arm to support her be er.
“I’m sorry, but I’m so sleepy. Can I just close my eyes for a moment? “
“…Of course.”
Carlisle looked like he wanted to ask more ques ons, but Elena’s
drowsiness stopped him from doing so. Elena felt like she was
floa ng in the air.
Uninten onally, her thoughts turned back to the past. In her previous
life, there was no one for her to rely on, and even in this condi on
she would have made every effort to return to Blaise mansion alone.
She endured that lonely life en rely for the sake of revenge. As she
looked back, she remembered the many mes where she had no
idea how to fight for her survival. She opened her mouth and started
to mumble.
“A long me ago…I had frostbite on a very cold day.”
Her life became somewhat more bearable only a er she developed
her swordsmanship skills. Before, her life as a woman with no
abili es before was a painful and difficult me.
“My feet were numb and had large blisters, and the person next to
me told me he might have to cut my feet off.”
As he listened to Elena speak serenely of her severe experiences,
Carlisle responded, perplexed.
“Was your life as a noblewoman that difficult?”
Carlisle’s voice sounded like a dream in Elena’s ears. Elena con nued
on with a hazy look in her eyes, leaning her head across Carlisle’s
chest.
“But the funny thing is, my first thought was–would that free me
from my mission of revenge?”
Some mes the path she had chosen was so painful and demanding
that she wanted to escape from it. Her family’s death couldn’t be
undone, and more than once she wanted to give up her mission for
the sake of her sanity.
It was why she immediately no ced the scent of the Payan flowers.
There were many men in her previous life who tried to drug her with
it and rape her, and she would hold her blade against her palm so not
to lose her mind to its effects. Every night she slept with her sword by
her bedside. It was a hard life being best swordswoman on the
con nent.
“When they put the knife to my frost-bi en foot, strangely I realized
that outside the hellish ba lefield, I was nothing. The moment I gave
up my revenge, I would no longer be Elena Blaise.”
“…”
“So I thought it was be er to die than run away. Fortunately, I was
able to receive treatment later without having to amputate my feet.
But these days…some mes I think.”
Carlisle looked on at Elena’s babbling with disbelief, but even so, she
might not know what she was saying. He spoke in a so voice.
“…What did you think? “
Elena responded in a low voice with a self-mocking smile.
“Even if I had my revenge…I might be dead.”
To defeat Paveluc was Elena’s lifelong desire. But was there ever life
that existed a er that? There would be many changes in the Ruford
Empire a er he died, but she could think of nothing that could hold
her a en on. Even if she restored the Blaise’s home, her family was
already dead and gone. She may follow Paveluc to the grave a er she
destroyed him.
She despondent by the sudden thought. Even if she fulfilled her
mission, there was nothing else le for her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but don’t recklessly say you
want to die. That won’t happen unless I die first.”
She smiled at the convic on in his voice.
“I suppose it was because you weren’t there. Because you were
dead…”

“I was dead.”
Carlisle stared incredulously at Elena in his arms, but she didn’t seem
to no ce.
“I’m glad I met a partner like you. It’s not as cold as it was before.”
Carlisle gave her a ques oning look, but he cradled her closer in his
arms. She seemed afraid of the cold. Elena relaxed in his warmth
without realizing it.
“Thank you, then I’ll just…doze off.”
At the end of her words, she succumbed to sleep.
Carlisle’s arms were like a shield that protected her from everything
in the world, allowing her to dri off without her sword by her side. It
reminded her of the me when her mother would rub her back
gently.
Elena dreamt sweet dreams.
Ch. 129 It’s Not As Cold As It Was Before (2)
Banjjag.
Elena opened her jewel-like red eyes. She stared for a moment at the
unfamiliar ceiling.
‘Where am I?’
Someone answered from her side, as if wai ng for her to regain
consciousness.
“Are you awake now?”
Elena turned her head in the direc on of the leisurely voice. She
sharply inhaled at the view before her. Carlisle was lying right next to
her, his head propped on an elbow as he gazed at her with his
mysterious blue eyes.
Beol eog!
Elena bolted upright on the bed.
“…You look red. Do you need to rest more?”
Carlisle didn’t sound do ng at all. In fact, he sounded like he was
scolding his wife who came in drunk.
“Where am I?”
“My room.”
Elena’s mouth dropped open at Carlisle’s blunt reply. She tried to
figure out why she was brought here, and Carlisle seemed to
recognize her concerns and answered.
“Where should I have taken you? It wouldn’t have been good if we
were seen entering a hotel alone.”
“But Blaise mansion–”
Before Elena could finish speaking, Carlisle got up from bed and
handed her a steaming cup of tea.
“Drink.”
Elena took the cup, warming her hands as she took a sip. The drink
was warm and spicy on her tongue.
“What kind of tea is this?”
“Ginger tea. I prepared it in case you had frostbite.”
“…pub, kollog kollog.”
Elena choked on her ginger tea and started coughing violently.
Carlisle handed her a handkerchief and pa ed her on the back.
“Drink slowly.”
Elena vaguely remembered what she had said before she fell
unconscious. It had to be delusional ramblings from Carlisle’s point of
view, but she discovered that she was ensconced in a thick blanket,
and her feet were covered with so socks. He must have looked a er
her a er hearing about how she had frostbite.
‘…This is too much.’
Her head spun rapidly as she tried to think of an excuse. Elena had
finally stopped coughing, and Carlisle spoke first.
“Now that you’re up, explain to me what you said before you fell
asleep.”
“I…What did I say? I can’t remember.”
Elena feigned amnesia.
“You don’t remember? I don’t think you could describe something
like that so realis cally, unless you experienced it yourself.”
She struggled to keep a calm face, but inside she was inwardly
scolding herself.
‘How strong was the drug that the Second Prince made?’
It seemed strong enough to cause her to be delirious. A milder drug
would only have le her paralyzed, otherwise she wouldn’t have
babbled nonsense and fallen unconscious.
“You mean how I suffered when I was born into the Blaise family? I
was reading a novel before going to bed the other night, and I must
have felt empathy for the heroine.”
Elena forced herself to smile.
“So it didn’t really happen.”
“Of course not.”
Elena hurriedly shook her head. Carlisle’s tensed face loosened, and
he spoke in a so voice.
“Thank goodness. If you actually had been in that kind of trouble…I
would have been disturbed.”
She didn’t understand why he cared so much, but Elena was content
to have escaped the situa on for the me being. She almost threw
Carlisle into confusion for all her nonsense, and she gave a secret sigh
of relief.
“Now you must explain something else. What the hell happened at
Redfield’s party?”
“Oh, that’s…”
There was a fierce look in Carlisle’s eyes. She knew if told the whole
story, Carlisle would not sit s ll, but she determinedly stated the
facts.
“As I went inside I no ced a strange smell. I observed everyone
carefully, and the people there were consuming drugs.”
“Drugs?”
“Yes. I brought some of the powder just in case. I think you’ll find
something if you take a look at it. We should take the opportunity to
inves gate more in this party as well. From what I saw, there were
more than one or two suspicious things.”
Thankfully she escaped unharmed, but she was bothered by
Redfield’s offer for her, and few people in the Empire could stand up
to him. Carlisle stared at the powder in the handkerchief then looked
back at Elena’s face.
“I’ve always kept an eye on the par es, but it’s almost impossible to
get a lead because the guest list is very restricted..and somehow you
came back with a clue.”
His astute observa on caused her to sweat nervously.
“I think he let his guard down a bit because I’m a woman.”
She didn’t reveal to him that Redfield used the drug on her. Last me,
Carlisle beheaded the man that helped spread false rumors about
Elena. Redfield would eventually need to be dealt with, but she
thought it would be be er to keep it a secret for now, since anger
could cause one to make foolish and impulsive mistakes.
“Were you exposed to the drug when you obtained it? Is that why
you were in such a bad condi on?”
“Yes, that’s right. And…come to think of it, there was one
other strange thing.”
“What is it?”
“The Second Prince was in the same room and he looked fine.”
“…Perhaps he can neutralize the drug?”
“I don’t know exactly, but it may become more clear if we inves gate
what is in this powder.”
Carlisle nodded, but he didn’t look pleased at their progress. Sensing
Carlisle’s mood, Elena looked at him carefully.
“Why don’t you look happy? Isn’t it good if we can find the Second
Prince’s weakness?”
“I become afraid whenever you do things that other people can’t do
easily”
His words surprised her for a moment, but eventually she smiled. She
had heard it so many mes that she believed it. Carlisle was always
especially concerned about her ge ng hurt, but now she didn’t mind
the sen ment.
There was an old saying–A knight would put his life on the line to the
lord who recognizes him. A er her experience with Carlisle, she
realized the wisdom in those words. She would want to risk her life
for someone who would mourn her death as well.
“Don’t worry. I promised you that I would make you an emperor.”
A bi er smile grew on Carlisle’s face.
“I’m not concerned about that. What would have happened if you
had collapsed inside the party from the drugs?”
“Your men were disguised as servants, so what was the problem?”
Elena said it to reassure Carlisle, but he didn’t find it comfor ng.
“You worked hard, so get some rest now. You need to see a doctor
because you were exposed to the drugs.”
“It’s alright. I told Mirabelle I’d be in early–”
“I’ll get in touch with her.”
Carlisle stared at Elena then spoke again.
“Have some more ginger tea. When I heard you had frostbite…I was
quite surprised.”
Elena has ly corrected him.
“That wasn’t true.”
“I know, but s ll.”
Understanding that Carlisle was simply worried about her, Elena
smiled.
*
*
*
Elena saw the doctor then fell back asleep. Carlisle quietly stepped
out of the room where Kuhn was wai ng outside, and he handed the
powder to him.
“Find out what it’s made of and what it does.”
“Yes.”
Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only

“And don’t tell her there’s a suspicious target in Blaise mansion yet.”
Kuhn looked at Carlisle in surprise, but then answered in his usual
monotone.
“I understand.”
“If she finds out about this, she might do something more
dangerous.”
“Then what shall we do? We can’t let it go unchecked.”
Carlisle stayed quiet as he considered Kuhn in front of him, while
Kuhn stared back ques oningly at his intense gaze. Eventually Carlisle
replied, his voice lower than usual.
“I want you to enter Blaise mansion.”
Ch. 130 That Was How It Began (1)
“I want you to enter Blaise mansion.”
Kuhn’s eyes widened. He had taken on countless disguises in his work
in assassina on and infiltra on. However, this me was different
from when he set foot inside Blaise castle in the south. This
me…Mirabelle knew his face. Kuhn spoke, his voice so .
“As I told you before, General, the young lady of the Blaise mansion
has already seen my face. I don’t believe I’m the right person for this
task.”
Kuhn hadn’t told Elena, but he had already reported to Carlisle what
took place in the palace. Carlisle knew that Kuhn and Mirabelle had
already met each other.
“I know. She saved you, and you gave your name to her.”
“…I did.”
“She doesn’t know the fact that you’re my subordinate, or that
you’re taking ac on for the sake of Elena, so there are no problems.”
Kuhn couldn’t think of a reply. In fact, all Mirabelle knew was that
Kuhn was involved in dangerous work. Of course, any employer
would be reluctant to let that kind of character work for them, but as
Kuhn thought about it, he knew Mirabelle’s feelings toward him were
of goodwill, not distrust. She wished to meet him again. Mirabelle
was not likely to turn away Kuhn, even if she met him face-to-face.
A er considering it ra onally, Kuhn realized he had no reason to
refuse this job. He had infiltrated enemy posi ons in worse
circumstances–and yet somehow, he s ll didn’t want to do it. He
never thought he’d see Mirabelle again.
“General, I–”
Kuhn was about to refuse. Carlisle’s brow furrowed, and the prince
interrupted, changing his expression into a cool stare.
“Why are you avoiding the mission? If you really don’t want to do it,
capture the person who infiltrated Blaise mansion and bring them to
me as soon as possible.”
“…”
“They were good enough to conceal their presence and escape from
you. I’m sure you realize that I just can’t send anyone for this task.”
“…I understand.”
Kuhn fought down his reluctance and accepted Carlisle’s order. Kuhn
knew be er than anyone else how formidable his opponent was, and
the servants employed at Blaise mansion were the first suspects. Not
one person par cularly stood out to him, but that was only more
troubling. A er all, the most dangerous enemy was the one that
appeared to be a friend.
“I’ll go to Blaise’s mansion as soon as I assume a fake iden ty.”
“Good.”
Carlisle’s glare finally li ed. He glanced towards the word room
where Elena was asleep, a rare look of apprehension on his face.
“You haven’t forgo en my original order, have you?”
“Yes, General. I will put her safety first and foremost, no ma er what
happens.”
Carlisle had ordered Kuhn from the beginning to save Elena in an
emergency and leave behind anyone else. If Elena and Mirabelle
were ever in danger, Kuhn had to choose the former without
hesita on.
“If she resists, take her to me by force. It may be difficult for you,
but…”
Kuhn did not know why Carlisle’s words trailed off. It was easy for as
assassin like Kuhn to overpower a woman like Elena. Her ears were
more sensi ve than he expected, which aroused Kuhn’s suspicions
somewhat, but he was not privy to those details.
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
Kuhn knew how much Carlisle cared about Elena, not from some
detailed observa on, but because anyone who saw how Carlisle
survived on the ba lefield would no ce the change in him. Carlisle
would never have worn such a worried look before.
But that was how it began. Before returning to the Imperial Palace,
Carlisle had e que e instructors teach him how to treat women. In
the past, Carlisle considered women as inanimate objects, his
behavior towards them appalling. Even Kuhn had never seen the
prince treat women with any par cular sensi vity in all his days with
him.
Then suddenly, Elena appeared. Kuhn immediately no ced the
changes in Carlisle when he first introduced Elena to him. All Carlisle
worked towards was for her.
‘So he will send me further.’
Among the knights, Kuhn operated the best in the dark, and so he
was o en involved in assassina on or infiltra on of enemy posi ons.
However, he was mostly in charge of guarding Carlisle’s person. The
fact that Carlisle sent him to Elena revealed how much he priori zed
her safety.
Tabak tabak–

Carlisle’s and Kuhn’s ears picked up the sound of Elena moving about
the room. She had woken up again. Carlisle turned his head towards
the door, then gave an order to Kuhn.
“There’s not much me, so you must infiltrate the mansion as soon
as possible.”
“Yes, General.”
A er Carlisle finished speaking, he strode inside the room. As Kuhn
watched Carlisle’s urgently retrea ng back, he felt it again. He didn’t
know if Elena might accidentally summon a bloodstorm if she made a
mistake…
Kuhn had heard of it once in the past. On the back of a dragon’s neck
was a scale that had grown upside-down, and so it was called a
reverse scale, and was said to be the dragon’s weak point.
Kuhn felt as if he had found Carlisle’s reverse scale.
Ch. 131 That Was How It Began (2)
Elena recovered to full strength. In truth, the drain on her energy was
not so much the drug, but the fa gue accumulated from the wedding
prepara ons. A er a sound sleep, she woke up lighter and more
refreshed than before. Then, Carlisle brought up something
unexpected to her.
“What? What did you say?”
Elena’s eyes widened, but Carlisle con nued on idly.
“I said you don’t need to pay the dowry.”
“Is…is that possible?”
Marriages among nobles rarely came without dowry. When they
were, people gossiped, saying it was a marriage of true love. It wasn’t
necessarily wrong. However, no bride has ever not paid a dowry for
an imperial marriage.
“I already talked to my father. I’m telling you now so you won’t be
surprised.”
“The Emperor approved it?”
Although Elena didn’t know Sullivan very well, she observed him to
be a shrewd poli cian when they last met. It was hard to believe that
he would approve a wedding without a dowry, even if it was with the
Blaise family. Carlisle gave her a smile.
“My father believes that the Imperial Family would be ruined
otherwise.”
“Ruined? You mean…”
Elena’s gaze turned to the blue bead ring on her finger. Although
Carlisle and Sullivan claimed different things about the ring, it was
clear that Sullivan valued it extremely. If he really believed that the
man who married Elena would become emperor and revivor of the
Ruford Empire, he would never let that wedding go. Carlisle had
de ly exploited that part of his father’s psychology.
“Did you threaten him with what you said about this ring?”
“‘Compromise’ is probably a more appropriate word than ‘threat’,
but he wouldn’t waive the dowry otherwise.”
“But the Blaise family is not poor. We can fairly pay the dowry and
wedding ceremony requested by the Imperial Household”
“You would be surprised the dowry my father sought for.”
Elena looked at him, puzzled. Although Elena managed the finances,
her father had not clarified it to her.
‘Is the amount more than I an cipate?’
The Blaises held considerable wealth, and it seemed impossible that
even a princess dowry would drain their finances en rely.
Noblewomen typically wouldn’t worry greatly about it, but Elena’s
finance-minded approach wouldn’t let her set it aside. Her forehead
creased, while Carlisle offered his reassurances.
“You don’t have to worry about it.”
“How can I not worry? It’s a serious ma er if the Emperor requested
a high dowry.”
“That’s why I’m saying you don’t need it anymore.”
Carlisle’s proposal was temp ng, but she was unsure of the
approach. Perhaps House Blaise would appear cheap to other nobles,
and she didn’t know how the Imperial Family would tolerate that.
Carlisle had his elbows on his knees as he languidly studied Elena.
“Some mes you don’t listen when I speak.”
“I…No, of course I’m grateful, but the reputa on of my family is at
stake. I’m only being cau ous.”
“Don’t overthink it. At home and abroad, it will be rumored that my
love for you is so great that I turned down the dowry. There will be
no harm to your family’s reputa on.”
“…!”
It seemed too good to be true that he would turn it down. What he
offered so casually was unusual in the Imperial Court of the Ruford
Empire.
“…This is too good for me.”
“Yes, so I think you owe me another one.”
Elena felt like she was already deeply indebted to Carlisle. On top of
that, she felt uneasy about not paying dowry, but Carlisle simply
smiled.
“Just remember to pay me back later.”
But as Carlisle suggested, the appearance of a love marriage had
several advantages. Firstly, their rela onship would appear stronger
to others, and secondly, by not using the Blaise’s money, it was easier
to hand over financial control to Mirabelle. The benefits were so
temp ng that Elena was almost apologe c towards Carlisle.
“…Then I’ll accept it without reserve. I’ll never forget to pay you back
later.”
Although she was with Carlisle was for her family’s sake, a er the
marriage she wouldn’t be around to help her family as o en. Elena
had been part of the Blaise family all her life. She worried about how
her father, her brother, and Mirabelle would fare without her there,
and so selfishly, she could not refuse the burdensome favor Carlisle
offered her. Meanwhile, Carlisle answered with a sa sfied look.
“You don’t have to thank me. It’s all for you, a er all.”
“It seems like I’m the only one who benefits, isn’t it?”
“Let’s say that what benefits you benefits me as well. We’ll be
married soon.”
Elena heart so ened. Perhaps it really was me for her to be married
Carlisle.
“Let’s have dinner together before we go back.”
“It’s too late for that…”
“I won’t allow you to refuse. If you don’t want to walk from the
palace to your mansion, you should follow me.”
He grinned at her mischievously, and Elena felt the urge to rebel. She
was perfectly capable of returning home with Carlisle giving her a
carriage, but she couldn’t refuse a er the massive favor he had given
her. Finally, Elena agreed.
“…Alright.”
Carlisle’s smile deepened at her answer. It is almost as if he waived
the dowry just to create this situa on. Elena felt like she owed
another debt, and was slipping into the grip of a swamp called
Carlisle.
*
*
*
A few days later, and Carlisle’s and Elena’s wedding was to be soon.
Michael delivered Mirabelle some unexpected news.
“Young Lady, someone came in for an interview a er seeing the
no ce.”
“Interview? I think we’ve hired enough people already…”
“Then shall I send him back?”
Mirabelle thought for a moment and shook her head.
“No. But since he’s come all the way here, it would be more
appropriate if I turned him down in person.
Michael nodded at her judgment.

“Yes, My Lady. He’s in the drawing room on the first floor. Would you
like to see him first? I’ll join you right away a er I finish my work.”
Mirabelle and Michael usually conducted the interviews jointly.
Mirabelle did well without Michael in the end, and so there was no
immediate need for him to follow her anymore.
“Alright. I’ll go first.”
Mirabelle gave a cheerful smile and headed towards the drawing
room. It was unusually sunny today, and she matched her smile with
the weather. She hoped it would be just as beau ful during the
wedding. Mirabelle hummed to herself as she opened the door to
the drawing room.
Inside stood a man with his back towards the door, and Mirabelle
stopped breathing as she almost seemed to recognize his dark hair
and pale skin.
The man turned around a er hearing her come in, and she felt her
heart drop to the floor. It was Kuhn, the man who appeared in her
dream last night. He looked into Mirabelle’s green eyes, and spoke
with an impassive face.
“Hello. It’s been a long me, My Lady.”
Ch. 132 If That Is What You Desire (1)
“Hello. It’s been a long me, My Lady.”
“How are you…?”
Kuhn spoke in his usual composed manner, but Mirabelle was not
calm at all. A er par ng from the Crown Prince’s palace, she had
wondered when they would see each other again.
And now he was suddenly in front of her, asking to be an employee
of Blaise’s mansion. She had long imagined her reunion with him, but
she never thought it would be like this.
Mirabelle stood frozen, and Kuhn quickly walked forward in her
direc on. There was no reason for him to come close so suddenly,
and as their distance gradually narrowed, Mirabelle forgot how to
breath.
“…Heub!“
He completely passed by her and closed the door to the drawing
room.
Kkiiigeu–
Kuhn needed to keep their conversa on from leaking out. There was
only one reason he was here—To capture the unknown power that
infiltrated Blaise’s mansion and bring them to Carlisle. It was be er
to exercise cau on, even if there was no sign of other people in the
vicinity.
It was only then did Mirabelle realize that Kuhn approached her to
close the door. However, just being near to him caused a flush to
suffuse her face.
“Are you here because I asked to see you again?”
“Yes.”
It was a lie. He wouldn’t have appeared in front of her again if it
weren’t for Carlisle’s order.
“Thank you. Is your last injury healed?”
“I’m fine now.”
Kuhn’s reply was short, and Mirabelle didn’t know how to further the
conversa on at this unexpected mee ng. She had painted this scene
countless mes in her head, but now her mind was blank, and she
was anxious that he would leave again now that he kept his promise.
“The…”
Mirabelle’s eyes turned back to Kuhn as he spoke in a so voice.
“The injury made it harder for me to move my body the way I used
to.”
“What was wrong?”
“I was seen by the doctor, but I was told that full recovery would not
be possible.”
“Oh…”
Mirabelle’s expression turned sad. However, everything Kuhn was
saying was a lie. It’s purpose was to get him employed at the
mansion.
“So now I’m going to live a normal life.”
“So you’re…?”
“Yes. I’m here to keep my promise with the Young Lady and get a
job.”
Mirabelle’s eyes widened. She had worried that Kuhn would leave
her again. The pair silently stared at each other when—
Ttog ogeu.
There was a knock on the drawing room door, and the butler Michael
stepped in.
“My Lady, is the interview—”
Michael stopped speaking when he sensed the strange atmosphere
in the room. He stared at the two people inside. Mirabelle glanced
over at the butler who had just walked in, then turned right back to
Kuhn. A strong sense of will burned in her eyes.
“Butler.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve decided to hire him for our house.”
“What?”
Michael’s mouth dropped open. So far, all the employment contracts
had been made a er he and Mirabelle consulted with each other.
She had never made the decision by herself before, and moreover,
they already had all the necessary personnel. Mirabelle looked
towards Kuhn as she spoke.
“Don’t go anywhere else…I’d like you to work here at Blaise
mansion.”
Kuhn had not even presented a fake resume. He had gain Mirabelle’s
permission far quicker than he expected, and he gave her a bow.
“If that is what you desire.”
*
*
*
Elena’s wedding planning had already been disrupted once, and she
was rushed off her feet more than ever. She declined to make deals
with the shops that abruptly cancelled their contracts, and busied
herself finding replacements.
And finally, the prepara ons were all complete. All she had to do was
supervise it un l her wedding day and hand over management of
Blaise mansion to Mirabelle. A er not seeing Mirabelle for some
me, Elena managed to locate her sister.
“Mira…!”
Just as Elena was about to call out to her, someone else caught her
eye. Someone standing behind Mirabelle’s back.
‘…Sir Kasha?’
She narrowed her eyes, and saw the man standing behind her was
undoubtedly Kuhn. Elena had not been informed of anything, and
with her expression hardened, she hurried towards Mirabelle.
“Ah, sister!”
Mirabelle no ced Elena’s approach and greeted her, but Elena’s
fierce look did not go away easily.
“That person behind you…who is it?”
Elena spoke as if she didn’t know, Mirabelle quickly gestured to Kuhn.
“Oh, you haven’t met him yet, have you? This is a new employee.”
Mirabelle seemed excessively polite towards someone that was a
servant. Elena stared at Kuhn suspiciously, but realized that he had
concealed his iden ty to infiltrated Blaise’s mansion. Kuhn had
disguised himself as a servant in the south before. S ll, Elena looked
on in disapproval, but he turned towards her and bowed.
“My name is Kuhn Kasha.”
His ac ng was so convincing that he almost felt like a complete
stranger. She wasn’t pleased that he was inside Blaise’s mansion, but
she gave a nod as she couldn’t bring it up in front of Mirabelle.
“I see.”
Mirabelle, however, sensed the s ffness in the atmosphere.
“This is my sister. She will marry the Crown Prince soon and become
crown princess.”
“Is that so? Congratula ons.”
There was not a flicker of familiarity in his face. Elena had known
infiltra on was his specialty, but she hadn’t realized it was to this
extent. She had thought he was merely a taciturn person, but now
she realized he was an expert in hiding his emo ons.
She s ll didn’t know the reason for Kuhn’s presence, and gave him a
wary look. Her ul mate goal was to protect her family, and Mirabelle
was the one she wanted to protect the most. She was not content to
have an assassin wander around Mirabelle.
“What are you doing here, Mirabelle? I finally have some down me
and I want to spend it with you.”
“Ah, really?”
“Yes. Shall we have a cup of tea in the garden?”
“I’d love that. I’ll have Mary prepare the tea.”
“I have some rare tea gi ed to me as congratula ons for the
wedding. I’ve never had it before, so please join me.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful! Then I’ll go to Mary and…”
Mirabelle hesitated and stared at Kuhn, worried about leaving him
alone. However, Elena responded quicker. She urgently needed to
send Mirabelle away for awhile so she could talk to Kuhn alone.
“Alright, go see Mary now. I’ll be wai ng here.”
“Ah…alright.”
Mirabelle was forced to nod. She was worried about leaving Kuhn
and Elena alone together, but she knew Elena wouldn’t bother the
servants unnecessarily. Now that Kuhn was employed at Blaise
anyway, he had to get acquainted with the rest of the family
members. A er a brief pause, Mirabelle turned away. She decided
the sooner she le , the sooner she could go back.
“I’ll be back in a minute, so wait here!”
Mirabelle broke into a run, but because of her physical condi on it
was about the same speed as the average person’s walk. A er
Mirabelle disappeared from view, Elena addressed Kuhn in a low
voice.

“What’s going on here?”

“My apologies. I would have reported it to you in advance, but I’ve
been so busy since I started working here.”
“Who’s been working you like that?”
“The young lady.”
Kuhn spoke calmly, but Elena couldn’t help but look on wonderingly.
Mirabelle usually did not keep a servant near her. Furthermore, how
could she make Kuhn work that much?
Leaving aside the things that she did not understand, Elena turned
towards the real ques on. Mirabelle and Mary would be back soon,
but there was something she needed to know.
Ch. 133 If That Is What You Desire (2)
“Even if you were late repor ng it to me, why did you take this
posi on?”
“It was the General’s command. “
“The Prince?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Kuhn stared at Elena with a monotone expression. Carlisle had told
Kuhn to keep it a secret, and so he spoke his prepared words.
“You came close to danger at the Second Prince’s party. The General
ordered me to guard you more closely.”
“But that’s in the past. And His Highness knows that I don’t need a
guard this close—”
Elena paused. Kuhn didn’t know about her swordsmanship abili es,
so he wouldn’t understand what she meant. She exhaled. Kuhn,
sensing that something dissa sfied her, quickly con nued.
“The General was also concerned about the safety of your family. I
don’t believe it’s unreasonable to be prepared for any situa on.”
Carlisle had ordered only Elena be rescued in an emergency, but
Kuhn had to twist the truth in order to persuade her.
“My family?”
Elena thoughts mostly went to Mirabelle. Herself, Derek, and her
father were all trained in the sword, but Mirabelle be in considerable
danger if she was not protected. Elena didn’t think anyone would
harm Mirabelle, but she suddenly felt her hairs prick on the back of
her neck.
‘If anyone touches my sister…’
Just imagining it made her clench her teeth. A er medita ng on it for
several minutes, she finally nodded.
“If Sir Kasha will keep Mirabelle safe, then I will not complain about
your employment at Blaise mansion.”
“…I understand.”
Kuhn knew he was lying here. He didn’t mean to keep Mirabelle safe,
and added a few extra words.
“It’s not just the Young Lady. I will also look a er the safety of the
family members.”
“No, please pay special a en on to Mirabelle. She’s the most
vulnerable one of the family.”
Kuhn was forced to nod at Elena’s insistence.
“…I will.”
It was an odd situa on, that Carlisle cared about Elena, and Elena
cared about Mirabelle.
“But you’ve met Mirabelle before, haven’t you?”
“When do you mean?”
Kuhn was surprised by Elena’s words. She must have found out what
happened in the palace.
“You met Mirabelle when we traveled from the south towards the
capital.”
Kuhn had once saved a sick Mirabelle. He disappeared in her sleep,
but she had clutched ght to the memory of the man that looked like
her teddy bear. It was then that Kuhn realized what event Elena was
referring to.
“Ah, you mean then?”
“Is there any me besides that?”
“…No. The Young Lady hasn’t men oned it, so she likely forgot.”
Kuhn knew that Mirabelle remembered that mee ng, but there was
no reason to tell Elena the truth, and even if she asked, he would
only give it a vague explana on. Elena, however, didn’t press further,
as it had taken place a while back.
“I suppose so.”
As their heads and voices were lowered in close conversa on,
Mirabelle and Mary were approaching from a distance. Finally,
Mirabelle reached the pair, breathing heavily.
“What—what were you two talking about? “
Mirabelle’s eyes were full of curiosity, and Elena shook her head.
“I didn’t say anything. This is our first me mee ng so there’s nothing
for us to talk about.”
As Elena pretended to be oblivious, Kuhn nodded. To Mirabelle,
however, it looked like the two were having an in mate conversa on
from the distance, but she had nothing to say a er they denied it.
Mirabelle enthusias cally situated herself between the two.
Although she had never felt jealous of Elena, she would be
disappointed if Kuhn liked her be er. Elena and Kuhn stared at
Mirabelle between them, while Mary li ed up the picnic basket with
one hand and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the other.
“I’m not sure if we got everything because we were in a rush. Where
do you want to have tea?”
Elena cleared her thoughts and answered.
“The weather is lovely, so let’s go to the garden. Is that alright with
you, Mirabelle?”
“Yes, I like the idea.”
As Elena watched Mirabelle give her usual sunny smile, Elena erased
from her head the strange air she had felt. She was content that her
sister had someone that could keep her safe. Elena could overlook
the fact that an outsider infiltrated the mansion, as the benefits were
greater than the losses. She knew that more of Carlisle’s men were
watching the area as well, but she overlooked it for the sake of
Mirabelle’s security.
*
*
*
Kuhn was not able to go to his assigned room in Blaise mansion un l
the sun had fully set.
Kkiiigeu–
He opened the door and entered the room, to find another man
already inside. Kuhn had an cipated it, as the servants shared rooms
in pairs. The man was occupying the upper bunk bed when he looked
up at Kuhn’s entrance. He had a face that looked far too respectable
to just be a servant, and he was smiling.
“Hello. I suppose we’re sharing this room.”
“…”
Kuhn approached the lower bunk without an answer. Nevertheless,
the other man did not give in.
“Since we’re going to know each other for a while, we should share
our names.”
He extended his hand as if to ask for a handshake first.

“My name is Batori Coven. And yourself?”

Kuhn glanced at Batori’s hand and ignored it. Then he turned around
and spoke in a low voice.
“Kuhn Kasha.”
Batori smiled as if he were amused to hear the cold man speak.
Ch. 134 Don’t Run Away (1)
Kuhn’s employment at Blaise mansion began. He used to sneak inside
the mansion to protect Elena’s side, but now he was able to walk in
the open.
The advantages and disadvantages were obvious. He didn’t have to
worry about other people’s gazes, but it was difficult to move about
secretly because his face was known to the residents. Presently, Kuhn
was repor ng his status to one of Carlisle’s men, who had disguised
himself as a postman.
“Tell the General that the infiltra on was successful.”
“Yes, sir!”
Kuhn would have reported to Carlisle himself, but from now on he
had to communicate through le ers or through the mouths of other
people. It was best to communicate through Carlisle’s men as directly
as possible, as using a messenger or le er could risk exposure to the
outside world. Fortunately, he didn’t have to worry greatly about it;
Grocers, gardeners, interior decorators—there were hundreds of
visitors a day to the Blaise mansion, many of whom had already been
filled with Carlisle’s people. Otherwise, un l now, it would not have
been easy for him to no ce every me Elena hung a red handkerchief
on her window.
‘I thought the security would already be enough before the
wedding…’
But when a mysterious intruder suddenly appeared, their side had no
choice but to be put on high alert. There was a weakness in his
defense, despite his best efforts to secure the house as best he could.
‘In the end, it turned out like this.’
They were clearly limited when only surveilling the mansion from the
outside, but the reason why they didn’t infiltrate the mansion before
was because this was the Blaise residence. The home was o en
visited by highly trained knights, and with the Blaise’s formidable
informa on network, there was a high risk of ge ng caught. Above
all, the possibility that Elena would not let it pass could not be ruled
out. While she may know she was already under surveillance to a
certain extent, it was also different from infiltra ng the mansion and
knowing her every move. Every family had secrets that they wanted
to keep hidden.
‘Was it really only easy to enter because of the Young Lady?’
A er Kuhn spending several days construc ng a fake iden ty and
resume, Mirabelle had allowed him to work without an interview. It
seemed that Mirabelle had greatly influenced Elena on persuading
him to stay as well. It was a great advantage of course, but that
meant Kuhn had been trying to avoid Mirabelle at every turn.
It was when Kuhn was watching the postman rush back to deliver the
message to Carlisle—
Tadag tadageu.
There was the sound of footsteps, and someone suddenly appeared
by Carlisle’s side.
“What are you doing here?”
Mirabelle stared up at him with her shining green eyes. She hadn’t
allowed Kuhn to rest for a moment since he started employment, and
he felt like he was the one under strict surveillance.
“I was only standing here. What are you doing here?”
“It’s almost me for lunch, so I went looking for you*.”

(TN: Mirabelle uses “그쪽”, which is used with people you’ve just
met and you’re not sure how to address them, and people with
similar status)
Kuhn did not understand why she would go looking for him at meal
me. More importantly, Mirabelle’s tone was too polite for
addressing a servant. Kuhn face remained expressionless as he spoke
in a low voice.
“There is no need for hardship for my sake. Please address me just
like any other servant.”
“What shall I call you?”
“Just call me Kuhn.”
“Really? Can I really?”
She looked as if Kuhn had given her an amazing present. He found
her reac on a li le embarrassing. It was natural for the mistress of
the house to call out the name of the servant working in the
mansion. Kuhn simply gave his permission, and somehow Mirabelle
seemed overjoyed that he gave her his first name, not his last, even
though it didn’t have any special meaning.
Mirabelle carefully tested the name on her mouth.
“Kuhn?”
“…Yes.”
Kuhn responded with a grim look, but Mirabelle burst out into joyful
laughter. Then she leaned over and whispered to Kuhn with a gentle
voice like a spring breeze.
“Call me Mirabelle when we’re alone.”
“That’s not what I meant by allowing you to use my name. How could
a servant call their master by their first name?”
“It’s alright. I’ll allow it.”
Some mes Kuhn felt like he was talking to a wall. Mirabelle was the
first person to a ach herself to Kuhn’s life, despite his outward signs
of dislike. It wasn’t inten onal, but no one got close to Kuhn because
of his blank face and cold atmosphere. He thought it was more
comfortable that way, but now Mirabelle seemed to constantly be
knocking at his door. Kuhn replied, his voice colder than usual.
“I must decline. It is not polite for me to call a young lady by her first
name. “
“Alright. Just think about it later.”
Despite his flat refusal, Mirabelle didn’t seem to be willing to give
way, and was gently trying to encourage him. Kuhn didn’t say
anything more, as he felt it fu le to answer. Mirabelle con nued,
pulling at his sleeve.
“Let’s have lunch together.”
“Then I’ll make the prepara ons.”
“I’ve already prepared something for you, so please come along. First
you said you couldn’t call me by my first name because I’m your
master, and now you’re trying to ignore me?”
No ma er how gentle Mirabelle appeared, she was endlessly
persistent. Kuhn was quietly forced to answer.
“…I understand.”
*
*
*
Mirabelle and Kuhn arrived in the dining room where the family ate.
Fortunately, no one was inside, but Kuhn’s expression remained rigid.
It was strange to think of a servant ea ng with their master here.
Even more so, Kuhn did not want to draw any more a en on, as
already more and more people were aware of him because of
Mirabelle’s favori sm.
“Have a seat.”
Mirabelle seated herself first and pointed to the opposite chair.
However, Kuhn remained standing.
“Young Lady, it is not a good idea to treat a servant like this.”
“I decide what is right or wrong. Kuhn will sit there and eat the food I
have prepared.”
He had never served anyone so stubborn. He held back a sigh and
took a seat. Kuhn could not reject her request, no ma er how absurd
it was.
Soon a er they both sat down, bowls of stew made of chicken,
ginseng, jujube, and other nutri ous ingredients were placed in front
of them. The other servants carrying the food stared suspiciously at
Kuhn, but no one dared to open their mouths in front of Mirabelle.
“Please eat. I had it specially prepared for you because I was worried
about your injury.”
Kuhn stared at the bowl place before him. He had never eaten a
luxurious meal like this before. Even when Carlisle gave him some
medicinal ingredients to take care of himself, Kuhn had only ingested
them raw and never had cooked it like this.
“It’s one of my favorite dishes. I’ve had a weak body since I was born,
so I eat a lot of healthy food. This one’s my favorite out of all of
them.”
Kuhn simply nodded as he watched Mirabelle shyly speak. The
difference in their status was clear. He had never even tasted the
food that she enjoyed. Although his status was not so low now that
he worked for Carlisle, it did not change Kuhn’s humble origin.
Kuhn wordlessly ate a spoonful of the stew. The fragrant smell of
herbs and tender chicken caused his senses to salivate. Kuhn shi ed
uncomfortably as he no ced Mirabelle watching him with sparkling
eyes.
“How do you like it? Does it suit your taste?”
“Anything tastes good to me.”
He just answered unwi ngly “yes”, and he secretly grimaced
because he felt childish. Mirabelle replied with an innocent look.
“That’s a relief. I told the chef to prepare a lot of it, so please help
yourself.”
Mirabelle accepted his answer without hesita on. She was the
daughter of a count who had grown up in a loving environment, and
Kuhn was some mes puzzled on how to treat her, as she was so
different from him.
‘…But these days won’t last long.’
He was only here to capture the mysterious intruder. He only need be
pa ent before he would finally go back to his normal rou ne. There
was no reason to be wary. That was what Kuhn thought comfortably
to himself.
Ch. 135 Don’t Run Away (2)
Ever since then, Mirabelle dogged Kuhn’s footsteps constantly.
Currently, Kuhn was res ng in the shade a er raking the garden,
collec ng branches and cu ng firewood. It had been backbreaking
work. He no ced Mirabelle approaching him, and he moved away to
avoid her. He could lose her if he really wanted to, as she wasn’t a
good runner.
” Kuhn~ Kuuhn~”
Mirabelle was on him again like a chick a er its mother.
Kwadang!
She tripped over a stone and tumbled to the ground.
“Ah!”
Mirabelle glanced at Kuhn’s retrea ng figure before checking her
knee. Her gaze on him felt so desperate that Kuhn stopped walking
without even realizing it. Then he turned around and headed
towards where Mirabelle had fallen.
“Huh?”
She looked up in surprise when she no ced that Kuhn was suddenly
standing before her. Kuhn didn’t hide his speed, but Mirabelle
thought she must have blinked. Kuhn reached out his hand and spoke
in a dull monotone.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Mirabelle took his hand, and Kuhn li ed her up. The skirt of her dress
had a smear of blood. Perhaps she had skinned her knee.
“Why do you keep coming a er me?”
Mirabelle responded with a bright expression.
“Did you come back because I fell?”
“…”
Kuhn hesitated to answer. Mirabelle was the mistress, and Kuhn was
the servant. It would be mu ny to say no. However, she spoke before
he could reply.
“Thank goodness. You were s ll paying a en on to me. I was afraid I
was being a nuisance.”
Kuhn felt momentarily frustrated at Mirabelle’s remark. Of course she
was a nuisance. She was a fool if she couldn’t pick up his cues, but
she con nued on, unabated.
“Next me you walk fast, I’ll just fall down. I realized I can’t catch up
to you at my own pace.”
“Why do you want to catch me?”
“I want to talk with you like now, and eat meals with you—”
“Do it with the other servants.”
“I want to do it with Kuhn.”
“…Others would say it’s favori sm.”
“I don’t care.”
Mirabelle’s eyes were set. In contrast to her delicate appearance, she
was extraordinarily stubborn. Kuhn stared at Mirabelle’s injured knee
and then spoke.
“Is there not a wedding dress you have to work on?”
It was the only me Kuhn was free. Mirabelle was also very busy, and
she had to hurry to complete the dress before the wedding date
arrived.
“I do have to go back in a li le while. I just had a moment to spare.”
“Just rest and don’t force yourself to go out. Why would you come
here this when you’re weak?”
“If you’re worried about me, then don’t run away.”
“…Haaaa.”
Kuhn sighed. He didn’t have any other words to say. Suddenly, as
they were walking along, Mirabelle grimaced as pain shot up her
knee.
“Ouch.”
Kuhn glanced at Mirabelle.
“I’ll call the maid.”
“Oh, no. I’ll feel be er a er I sit down for a while. Where to sit….Ah!
There’s a bench over there”
Mirabelle pointed towards a solid stone bench. It was ornamental,
not made for si ng, but it would do in this situa on. Mirabelle took
a step towards it, when Kuhn stopped her.
“Please wait.”
“What?”
She soon understood what he meant. Kuhn walked towards the
bench and easily li ed it, then walked back and deposited it in front
of Mirabelle.
“Wow.”
Mirabelle’s mouth dropped. She knew how heavy it was, but the
slender-figured Kuhn had carried it without any difficulty.
“You’re incredible.”
Despite Mirabelle’s praise, there was not a flicker of recogni on
across Kuhn’s face.
“Sit down and rest.”
Mirabelle rested herself on the chair. The stone was hard against her
legs, but strangely, it felt warmer than any other chair. She looked up
at Kuhn.
“You are very kind.”
Kuhn looked at her disbelievingly.
“Kind? No…do you mean me?”
“Is there anyone else here?”
Mirabelle smiled. Kuhn might try to run from her reach, but in the
end he would always be caught by her. And so she kept chasing him
more.
‘Do you know my feelings?’
She looked up, the clear blue sky coming into view behind him.
Spring was coming soon. The lovely weather would be a perfect me
for a picnic.
“Why don’t we go on a picnic a er the wedding?”
“…”
Kuhn, unlike the sweet-minded Mirabelle, vowed to capture the
mysterious person in Blaise mansion as soon as possible.
*
*
*
Time fled by quickly, un l it was the day before Elena and Carlisle’s
wedding. Elena woke up early in the morning and pushed herself out
of bed.
‘It’s tomorrow.’
Only one more day. The long-awaited wedding would be here.
Ch. 136 I Can’t Stop Him (1)
The wedding date had loomed over Elena for weeks, and now it felt
strange to think that it would finally happen on the morrow. She
woke up in the morning, and then began to prepare herself for a day
of last-minute inspec ons. There was the pla orm the officia on
would take place, the aisle, the tables and chairs for the guests, the
lavender flowers, the decora ons—with more coming in the next
morning.
‘The recep on at the imperial palace is almost complete…’
A er the ceremony, the guests and nobles from foreign countries
would gather at the imperial palace for the recep on, and great care
was given to its prepara on.
‘Then I’ll have to review the menu.’
The crown prince’s wedding was so magnificent that there were
separate courses prepared for the wedding venue and the recep on.
Several chefs in the capital renowned for their cra smanship were
hired to prepare the food, and although the dishes had already been
decided, Elena found she couldn’t relax. Fortunately, due to Carlisle’s
help, the imperial chefs were mobilized as well, allowing the
prepara ons to con nue smoothly.
‘And again…’
A great deal of a en on had to be paid to the sea ng arrangements
as well. The arrangements were similar to the tea party in the south,
where those of higher status sat in the front rows. Elena had a great
deal of anxiety about it. She looked over the invita on list again,
no ng the layout of the nobles and foreign envoys and scanning for
any poten al mishaps. She was in a restless mood, but the
prepara ons were quite complete.
The wedding dressing that Mirabelle and Madame Mitchell had been
working on was the final item. Elena approved the design, but it was
Mirabelle that recommended the gold and white dress among the
five that Carlisle purchased. This wasn’t the wedding of the century,
but Mirabelle was determined to create the most beau ful dress that
anyone had ever seen far and wide.
‘With all this work s ll happening the day before, I don’t know how
the dress will turn out.’
Despite the incompleteness of the dress, strangely enough, Elena
was not worried. Was it because of her faith in Mirabelle? In truth,
Elena liked all five dresses she had seen in Anco’s Tailors without
having to modify them, but Mirabelle had vowed to work on a new
design to make it even more beau ful. Elena was more worried
about the strain on Mirabelle’s health.
“…Huuu.”
She watched the sunrise peek from out her window, then got up
from her seat to do her ritual morning exercises. It was be er to busy
the body to clear her swirling thoughts. It was a wisdom she had
gained from experience. She started face down on the floor, holding
herself up with one hand and pushing up and down.
“One, two—”
When the floor came up to her, she repeated the mo on. This may
be the last me she exercised in this mansion.
*
*
*
Elena came down for breakfast, and sat at the dining table with only
Derek for company. Mirabelle had sent a note saying that she was
too busy working on the dress to eat, and their father was presently
not at home.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”
At Elena’s usual gree ng, Derek gave a slight nod of his head and a
curt reply. The morning was no different from any other morning.
However, the stern-faced Derek stole a glance at his sister and
opened his mouth to speak again.
“Did—did you sleep well? I heard that women are nervous the day
before their wedding.”
“Ah, I’m fine.”
Elena smiled faintly and veiled her nervousness. She had already
lived through one life me, but this was her first me to be married
and her heart couldn’t help but tremble. Derek stared at her as if he
were reading her inner thoughts, and Elena raised her voice
awkwardly.
“You must be upset that the wedding has delayed the sword figh ng
compe on.”
“Doesn’t ma er.”
His reply was blunt, but Derek really didn’t seem to mind too much.
At that moment, Mary stepped into the dining room and greeted
them warmly.
“For today’s breakfast, I will serve food that will be easy to digest.”
Elena looked puzzled at the change of her usual diet.
“Porridge?”
“Yes, My Lady. It was specifically requested for you.”

“Ah …”
Elena turned towards Derek, who looked back with a casual frown.
“When did I make a special request? I only asked them to prepare
something that wouldn’t upset your stomach the day before the
wedding.”
He usually never made special requests from the kitchen. Derek, as a
knight, was taught by his father never to be picky about his food.
Derek really could eat anything without complaint. Even Elena, who
had lived with her brother for a long me, could not figure out what
he liked or dislike ea ng. This was the first me Derek had requested
something specifically from the kitchen. Mary, too, knew Derek was
not very expressive, so she nodded and quickly modified her words.
“Yes, I was exaggera ng a li le. Today, you only asked for food that is
easy to digest.”
Elena smiled at Mary’s quick response. The atmosphere was warm.
Elena’s opened her mouth to speak, but even then she could not say
the full extent of her feelings.
“Thank you, brother…”
She wished there was a be er way she could say thank you, but even
in this situa on Elena was embarrassed as well. Derek’s answer was
brusque.
“Eat before it gets cold.”
The breakfast the day before the wedding was different than usual.
Ch. 137 I Can’t Stop Him (2)
Elena, concerned that Mirabelle skipped breakfast to work on the
wedding dress, placed various easy-to-eat foods on a silver plate and
went straight to her room. No ma er how important the wedding
was, it was nowhere near as valuable as Mirabelle. Elena knocked on
the door, but the sound of the sewing machine con nued unabated.
Elena called out in a loud voice.
“Mirabelle, come out for a second.”
Elena heard the sound of footsteps thumping, and a er a moment
the door opened, revealing Mirabelle’s smiling face.
“Oh, you’re here?”
“You don’t have to work so hard to the point you skip meals.”
“But it’s my sister’s wedding, and I want to do my best.”
Mirabelle’s generosity was extraordinary, but Elena didn’t want her
sister to collapse from exhaus on. She held out the silver plate she
had brought with her.
“Eat a li le while you work.”
“Alright. Why don’t you come in and have a look?”
Elena nodded, and went inside the room with Mirabelle.
“Are you almost done?”
“Yes, I’m sorry that it’s so late. When the ar st’s spirit burns so
suddenly, it’s like your hands can’t stop, right?”
Mirabelle gave an apologe c smile, and Elena gave her own smile in
return. She was grateful to be in Mirabelle’s care.
“I hope you will like it. It’s not complete yet, but have a look.”
Mirabelle led Elena by the hand towards a mannequin. When Elena’s
gaze fell on the dress, her eyes widened and she stopped walking.
“Mirabelle, this is…”
She couldn’t bring herself to speak. Madame Mitchell had praised
Mirabelle as a genius, but Elena didn’t realize it was to this extent.
She couldn’t help but be in awe with the genius of her sister as soon
as she saw the dress.
It was stunning. Gold pa erns were delicately woven through the
fabric. Anyone who wore it, Elena or not, would instantly become the
most beau ful bride. Elena had a different sensa on from when she
first saw the dress in Madame Mitchell’s shop. She really did feel like
she was looking at a work of art.
“…This is incredible. How did you come up with this?”
Elena stared at the dress admiringly, Mirabelle looked relieved.
“It was only an idea, and Madame Mitchell’s help and experience
helped me a lot. It wouldn’t be complete without brother-in-law’s
financial help either.”
“Brother-in-law? You mean Caril?”
When the Prince’s name unexpectedly came up, Elena turned to
Mirabelle with wide eyes. Mirabelle began to explain slowly, looking
like a child about to be scolded.
“I wanted to make the dress more extravagant than it already was, so
the price of the materials was very high. Do you see how the skirt
shines?”
“Yes.”
“Actually…that’s all diamonds.”
“What?”
Elena was surprised to hear the truth behind the wedding dress. She
knew it was beau ful, but now she could not even imagine the cost.
The price could not be measured, not when the dress was jeweled
with precious diamonds. If any of them fell to the ground…
Elena touched her hand against her forehead.
“A diamond wedding dress…”
“I only imagined it and knew it would be difficult to make it into
reality, but brother-in-law encouraged me to try it out a er hearing
my story…and so I got away with it.”
Elena knew the vastness of Carlisle’s wealth, and she knew that it
would be difficult for Mirabelle to reject Carlisle’s offer. Elena just
didn’t expect Carlisle to make such a large investment in herself
when the marriage already came without a dowry.
‘This man…I really can’t stop him.’
It wasn’t just about the price. Carlisle seemed to deeply care about
the wedding. She was touched by his dedica on to it, whether she
said it was necessary or not. She kept receiving gi s from him one by
one, and now it seemed to overflow. Even a rock would eventually be
split by drops of water, and she couldn’t help but feel appreciated by
Carlisle.
“…Are you upset?”
Elena smiled resignedly.
“No, I have to thank him. I never thought I’d get to wear such a
beau ful wedding dress.”
“Yes, it will be the wedding of the century forever!”
Elena didn’t want anything so grand, but when she looked at the
wedding dress, she suddenly felt that those words would be on the
lips of the nobles.
“I’ll remove the diamonds and give them back to him a er the
wedding, so don’t worry too much about it.”
“Yes, thank you.”
She was relieved by Mirabelle’s words. Although Carlisle was not the
type to receive something back, Elena was determined to make him
take it this me.
“I’m sorry that I got the diamonds from brother-in-law without your
permission. He asked me to keep it a secret…and I want to make a
beau ful wedding dress. I did it because I was selfish.”
Elena smiled at Mirabelle’s apology. Her sister’s selfishness was for
Elena’s sake in the first place.
“I understand. You’ve worked so hard, li le sister.”
“Yes, congratula ons on your marriage.”
Elena opened her arms and ghtly embraced Mirabelle, and the
warmth of her sister melted away all the troubles in her heart.
Mirabelle then spoke up so ly.

“I will make you the most beau ful bride in the world tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
The tension slowly faded away from Elena’s body.
And so, the day before the wedding passed by quickly.
Elena received skin treatment at the mansion, and dinner was a meal
she could also easily digest. In the evening, Elena got into bed with
Mirabelle. They talked to each other late into the night; Perhaps it
was because they knew they could not easily do this again. Perhaps
they knew much would change tomorrow.
It would be a new beginning.
Ch. 138 Wedding Of The Century (1)
Elena found herself rushed off her feet the moment she opened her
eyes on her wedding day.
Star ng in the morning, her hair and makeup was styled by an army
of experts, and all the family’s maid servants were mobilized to help
her dress from head to toe. Mirabelle, as well as Margaret, who had
came to the mansion from afar, kept their a en ve eyes on Elena.
Finally, the prepara ons were complete.
“Oh my word!”
Margaret wasn’t the only one who was stunned. Many of the maids’
and experts’ mouths opened in surprise as well.
There was never a more perfect bride, and Elena had an ethereal
glow about her that didn’t seem to come from this world. She was
already pre y, but today she dazzled so brightly that everyone in the
room was held cap ve by her beauty.
“You look incredible, Lady Blaise. I’ve been to countless weddings,
but I’ve never seen such a gorgeous bride.”
Elena gave a faint smile at the lavish compliment.
“Even if you’re only saying it because it’s my wedding, I appreciate
the compliment.”
“I’m not lying. Ask anyone else, and they would have the same
answer. Isn’t that right, everyone?”
Margaret turned to room, and all the women enthusias cally
nodded.
“You’re so beau ful, My Lady.”
“The absolute best!”
As they all sang their compliments, Elena was swept up by a new
feeling of embarrassment and happiness. Her eyes turned towards
the young woman who had achieved all this and shouldered more
work than anyone else—Mirabelle. She was watching the scene with
a look of sa sfac on.
“It’s all because of you, Mirabelle. Thank you.”
Mirabelle answered with a bright smile and a blush of
embarrassment.
“But you’re a lovely model. No ma er how beau ful the dress was, it
wouldn’t look as good if it weren’t for you.”
The atmosphere warmed between them, when suddenly there was a
rap on the door. Mary was the first to get to the door.
“Who is it?”
Michael’s voice answered in reply.
“The master of the house is here.”
“Oh, yes. Just a moment.”
Mary rushed back and informed Elena that Alphord was wai ng
outside. As Elena had already finished dressing for the ceremony, she
looked round at everyone before speaking.
“Thank you for all your hard work since this morning. My father is
here, so please return to your du es. I will call you if I need any
assistance.”
The maids replied in a simultaneous chorus.
“Yes, My Lady.”
Margaret looked on at Elena admiringly. Even the most pres gious
noble families could not easily assert a hierarchy among their
servants. The maids had no reason to be loyal to the lady of the
house.
“Then I’ll be wai ng outside. Please let me know when the Count
leaves.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Mirabelle also asked Elena if she wanted to be alone with their
father, and when Elena answered in the affirma ve, Mirabelle made
to leave as well.
“I’ll go now then. I’ll see you later, sister.”
“Yes.”
When the room finally emp ed, Alphord entered. Though dressed in
a splendid suit, he wasn’t much changed. The elaborate costume
made him stand out more, but he s ll wore the solemn and heavy
look of a middle-aged gentleman.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes, Father. Don’t worry, I’m fully prepared.”
Alphord had never asked about Elena’s wedding arrangements, and
there was no me to talk about the dowry even a er it was omi ed.
For a moment, Alphord looked at his beau ful daughter in silence,
then pulled something out of his inner pocket. Elena looked down at
it ques oningly. In his hand was a red jewel box, which was opened
to reveal a pair of delicate pearl earrings. A memory flashed through
Elena’s head as she looked at them.
“Oh, this is—”
“Yes, it belonged to your mother. I heard that a bride should have
one old thing at her wedding. I kept it for a long me, as it was her
will to leave it to you.”
“Father…”
Elena carefully picked up the pearl earrings. Alphord looked on at
Elena with a remote expression before con nuing.
“From now on, you will no longer be a daughter of Count Blaise, but
the Crown Princess of the Ruford Empire. Maybe from this moment
onwards, I won’t be able to speak down to you.”
“…Yes.”
“You must behave as befi ng your posi on. Never bring disgrace to
your father’s name.”
A day like today…she would have liked her father to offer her words
of warmth, but she already knew his character too well. Elena
nodded.
“I’ll remember it.”
She would use her posi on as crown princess to prevent the death of
Count Blaise. She didn’t care if he didn’t know that. What was most
important was that she protected her family with her own hands.
Alphord did not place such a responsibility on her in the first place,
but she would carry this burden on her shoulders.
Alphord turned away and spoke in a low voice.
“I’ll see you at the ceremony.”
“Yes, Father.”
The mee ng between Count Blaise and his daughter was now over.
When the wedding ended, their rela onship would be of crown
princess and head of the fourth order of knights.
Elena, now alone, looked at herself quietly in the mirror and carefully
put on the pearl earrings. In the past, the items had been dear to her
mother. Elena felt a lump in her throat as she thought about her
mother wearing these same earrings.
‘If only Mother were s ll alive…’
Elena wished that she could have gone back to the past before her
mother’s death, and then possibly her mother could have given the
earrings to her. The memories of her mother were faded, but Elena
s ll remembered her fondly.
– Len, always follow the path you believe is right.
The words that her mother had le was deeply embedded in Elena’s
mind, serving as the driving force behind her.
Then, there was the sound of footsteps, and Mirabelle’s excited voice
came from outside.
“Can I come in for a moment?”
“Of course. What’s going on?”
Mirabelle flung open the door and bounded in cheerfully.
“The ara has arrived from the Imperial Palace!”
Tiaras were only given during weddings to a royal family or of high-
ranking nobles. Naturally, as crown princess, Elena received one as
well. Soon a er, Margaret came back into the room, her eyes shining.
Then, imperial messengers dressed in white uniforms marched
smartly towards Elena, then deeply bowed their heads.
“His Majesty the Emperor hopes you will accept this ara for the
wedding.”
The crown gli ered with innumerable clear gemstones. A messenger
bent his knee in a graceful moment and held out the ara towards
her.
“I accept it.”
The other messengers knelt before Elena and proclaimed in a loud
voice,
“Thank you, Your Imperial Highness. Eternal glory to the Ruford
Empire.”
It was the first me Elena had been addressed as “Your Highness.”
Elena was surprised by the tle, but the other two young ladies
gathered around her were even more amazed.
“Uwaaah—”
A er receiving such a welcome from the Imperial Family, Elena once
again remembered it was her wedding day. The final prepara ons
were complete.
Ch. 139 Wedding Of The Century (2)
Dalgeulag, dalgeulag.
Elena sat in a golden imperial carriage as it bore her towards Bellouet
Square. On either side, the streets were lined with revelers tossing
flowers towards the golden carriage. Elena waved her hand outside
the window, thanking her people.
When she finally arrived at the des na on, she was surprised to see
the square even more densely packed with people than she
expected. It was not difficult to navigate the path as everyone
respec ully gave way, but as she looked out to the crowds there
hardly seemed to be any place to move.
‘…I know it’s the crown prince’s wedding, but I didn’t realize there
would be this many people.’
Sullivan hadn’t made an appearance in a long me due to his illness,
but the crowds were a testament to how the people were interested
in Carlisle. As soon as she stepped off the golden carriage, she
headed towards the bride’s wai ng room with a final check on her
dress, her bouquet, and to place the veil and ara on her head.
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, even though she knew this
was a contract marriage.
‘Is it because this is my first me to be married?’
Although this wedding was for show, her thoughts raced through her
mind. She wondered what Carlisle was doing at the moment.
Supers on in the Ruford Empire had it that the bride and groom
should not see each other before entering the wedding hall,
otherwise bad luck would befall them. Elena wondered if Carlisle had
arrived safely and if his nerves were as stretched as hers was.
It was finally the moment. A uniformed knight came into the wai ng
room and spoke to one of the maids.
“It’s me now.”
The maid relayed the words to Elena, and she knew it was me to
appear on the stage. She gathered herself, and slowly walked out to
the aisle.
She could hear cheers in celebra on of the day’s wedding, and when
she stepped out, everyone’s eyes widened as Elena’s beau ful
appearance was revealed. The aisle was carpeted in white, and the
first person she came across was her father, Alphord, who was
wai ng to escort her to Carlisle. Elena took her father’s arm with
trembling hands, and walked down the aisle.
Ttogag ogag.
Classical music began to flow in pace with Elena’s footsteps, and the
appearance of the bride brought the guests standing from their
seats. The large square was filled with innumerable nobles and
envoys from foreign kingdoms. There were also the eyes of countless
people watching from outside the plaza. Their breaths were caught at
the bride’s stunning appearance…
Carlisle stood below a pla orm at the end of the aisle. He looked
striking in a black suit, the perfect image of a fairy tale groom.
Finally, Elena and her father arrived at before Carlisle.
Seueugeu.
Alphord spoke in a low voice, slowly handing Elena’s hand to Carlisle.
“I look forward to your kind coopera on, Your Highness.”
“…Yes.”
Carlisle stared so intently Elena through the veil that she couldn’t
help but flush. Then the pair, man and woman, walked together onto
the pla orm. It was so high it took quite some me to reach the top
where the officiant was wai ng. Meanwhile, Carlisle murmured to
Elena from the corner of his mouth.
“You’re more beau ful than I even imagined.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“They’re not empty words. Some mes I want to hide you away so
only I can only look at you. I can’t bear sharing you with others…”
Elena’s face, s ff from tension, turned red. Those were very sweet
words. Perhaps he was saying that today because he knew her heart
was shaking.
The wedding was officiated by one of the highest priests on the
con nent. His white hair, beard, and gentle smile on the corners of
his mouth gave him an air of benevolence.
“Before we begin, I would like to congratulate both of you on your
marriage. May God bless you and all who are here. Marriage is when
a man and woman meet and lead a family—”
Elena was only half-listening to the priest’s words when she glanced
at Carlisle, only to see that he was s ll watching her from the side.
‘Has he been only looking at me since we went down the aisle?’
In her head she couldn’t believe it, but something else told her it was
true. She felt a li le flustered at his fixed gaze, as if the groom was
helpless at the beauty of the bride. Elena felt she could melt from the
affec on that overflowed from his eyes. A er a while, she turned her
a en on back to the priest.
“Will the groom swear to respect, cherish, and love the bride
throughout all his life?”
Carlisle answered the ques on without any hesita on.
“I swear.”
The fatherly priest then turned towards Elena.
“Now I will ask the bride. Will the bride swear to respect, cherish,
and love the groom throughout all her life?”
“…Yes.”
“I hereby pronounce you man and wife. May God bless you both
forever. “
Elena sighed with relief that it was finally over, un l the priest spoke
for the final me.
“You may have the kiss of oath.”
Elena was so busy preparing for the wedding she had forgo en about
the kiss. She looked at Carlisle in surprise, but he was standing before
he with a far calmer expression than she expected.
His hands slowly li ed the veil over Elena’s hair. As her face was
revealed, a gasp rippled through the guest sec on. Carlisle’s burning
blue eyes slowly approached her. Knowing that this was inevitable,
Elena allowed the kiss and closed her eyes ghtly.
‘…!’
She felt Carlisle’s lips press heatedly against hers. She had thought it
would be a light kiss, and when she thought it was over, Carlisle’s
large hand suddenly fastened around Elena’s waist and neck. He
kissed her more intensely, almost as if he could devour her, and
Elena’s eyes opened in astonishment. Her heart was thumping in her
chest, and her world spun.
Finally Carlisle pulled away, and Elena gazed at his slender eyes. She
almost felt like her body was completely possessed by his gaze.
‘…My heart is going to burst.’
Kung kung kung kung kung.
The kiss was so breathtaking that she could hear her blood
thundering in her ears and feel her mouth ngling.
That was the first kiss she experienced in two life mes.
*
*
*
A young man si ng in a guest row blushed as he watched Carlisle
and Elena kiss.
“That’s quite heavy.”
His grandfather next to him did not respond, so he spoke again.
“What do you think, grandfather?”
“…What?”

“This marriage.”
“What do I think? I think that it has nothing to do with us.”
“But if the Crown Prince becomes emperor, won’t the poli cal
landscape change?”
“It doesn’t ma er.”
Harry, the young man who appeared to be in his late teens, was
selected as the heir to lead the Kraus family in the future. The old
man seated next to him was his paternal grandfather, Count Evans,
and the current patriarch of the family. Evans watched Carlisle and
Elena disinterestedly.
“It’s all the same, no ma er who is emperor.”
Ch. 140 You’re So Beau ful (1)
Elena was dazed. All thoughts of the crowds watching them
completely flew from her mind. The only thing that filled her field of
view were Carlisle’s blazing sapphire eyes.
A er a while, his lips, hot and greedy against her own, finally fell
away. Elena gazed at him in astonishment, while Carlisle wiped her
damp lips with his thumb. The gesture felt so natural that Elena’s red
eyes trembled.
‘What on earth…’
What was this man thinking?
Her numbed brain sha ered into a whirlpool of thoughts. Perhaps
Carlisle didn’t think a simple kiss was an op on, contrary to Elena’s
no on. Maybe he just thought a wedding was supposed to end in a
strong kiss. Or perhaps he decided he needed to display a convincing
love affair with her.
Elena tried untangle Carlisle’s psychology in her head, but there was
no way of knowing which theory was right. Suddenly, she
remembered what he had said the day they were alone on a boat
together.
— If you have any ques ons, ask me anything. I’ll be honest with you.
She stared at Carlisle with wide eyes, and spoke in a so voice that
was audible only to him.
“…What are you thinking?”
Carlisle’s eyes s ll burned with a warm heat. He gazed unflinchingly
at her.
“I want to do it one more me.”
“…!”
Elena’s eyes widened even more. She dimly registered the storm of
applause and cheers for the couple who had just shared their kiss of
oath.
“Waaaaaah—”
Soon there were popping sounds, and fireworks dazzled the blue sky.
When Elena looked towards the guest seats, she saw Mirabelle
whooping with a radiant look, her brother Derek wearing a conflicted
expression, and her father with his usual solemn face.
There were many others she also knew. Marchioness Marissa and her
close friends from the south. Stella, who was one of the most
influen al people in capital society, and Lady Yulia, who was the
Madonna of the ball in the previous life. Elena also spo ed Helen and
Sarah glaring at her.
Elena had to remind herself that today was her wedding. She felt as if
she had entered another realm for a moment, and then was dropped
back to reality.
Carlisle truly was a mysterious man. Even today, Elena felt possessed
by him like a ghost. Fortunately, her shaking heart began to subside,
and she quickly took control of her confused feelings and waved to
the crowd. She murmured to Carlisle from the corner of her mouth.
“I’ll allow you to kiss me once, but not twice.”
Carlisle’s forehead wrinkled at her words, then he laughed.
“My bride is so astute that it’s troubling.”
Elena blinked at his words. If she didn’t pull herself together, she
would be going at Carlisle’s pace.
‘I’m sure he’s a playboy.’
He seemed so skilled with women, while Elena, on the other hand,
had no experience and stumbled whenever a situa on caught her off
guard. However, it shouldn’t have to be this way, when they may be
doing more than kissing in the future. She didn’t want to be startled
by this level of touch. Moreover, she had allowed this kiss, and in this
situa on it really was unavoidable.
Elena set aside her thoughts of that searing kiss. She had many more
things to take care of.
‘Such as the Empress and the Second Prince…’
Elena’s vivid red eyes reflected the image of Emperor Sullivan and
Empress Ophelia, with the Second Prince Redfield si ng behind
them. There were s ll many enemies to face. And although he wasn’t
here, Paveluc would be the last.
Elena could never show weakness. There were countless enemies
who would rip her throat the moment she revealed the slightest
crack. From now on, she would begin to take the revenge that she
had failed to fulfill in her last life. This marriage was her first major
step forward.
Carlisle’s open hand appeared before Elena to escort her from this
point. She looked at his face and discovered that he was smiling, his
eyes so . She gazed at him curiously.
“You look happy.”
“You’re saying the obvious. Today is our wedding day.”
She didn’t know what it was like to be in a contract marriage, but she
didn’t mind his warm gaze on her. She took Carlisle’s hand, and they
slowly paraded through Bellouet Square. She glanced at Empress
Ophelia and Prince Redfield, then turned to look at Carlisle again.
“I feel happy having a partner like you, too.”
It was the same feeling she had a er Redfield’s party. She was lucky
to have chosen Carlisle. Many enemies stood in their way, but if they
walked together as they did now, they would overcome the most
challenging of adversaries. Carlisle smiled gently as he looked at the
will burning in Elena’s eyes.
“My bride says something very admirable.”
*
*
*
Elena and Carlisle were carried back to the imperial palace in a
carriage. The wedding was a performance, but now it was the start of
poli cs. Elena didn’t get to formally greet the guests in the morning,
but the recep on at the Imperial Palace was her opportunity to meet
the nobles and foreign envoys in person.
Upon arrival at the palace, she changed from her diamond wedding
dress into a simpler, more elegant gown, which alluringly revealed
her back.
Ttogag ogag.
Carlisle was already wai ng outside when Elena hurried to a end the
recep on. He looked carefully at Elena’s waistline and spoke so ly.
“This was not what I expected.”
Elena remembered Carlisle’s words at the wedding and responded
teasingly.
“Why? You don’t want others to look at me again?”
However, Carlisle’s expression was serious as he nodded.
“You know.”
Elena couldn’t help but chuckle. Somehow, this situa on was
amusing to her. Carlisle truly delivered his compliments seriously. He
probably wanted to dig out the eyes of the people who had seen her.
“Today is our first day of marriage. My husband shouldn’t interfere
with what I wear.”
Carlisle’s expression so ened at Elena’s playful tone.
“You look good in what you wear because you’re already beau ful.
You’re far more stunning than the dress.”
Elena blushed at the forwardness of his compliment. Carlisle lowered
his head towards her and whispered in her ear.
“But if you can, I only want you to wear it when you’re with me. Or
my eyes would white out in jealousy.”
“…?”
“If you’re with another man while I’m away, he won’t be safe with
you.”
Carlisle’s words sounded too bloodthirsty to be a joke. She
remembered something else Carlisle had said in the past.
—… I’ll kill them all. All the men who came into contact with you. If I
were the only man in the world, then perhaps you would look at me
then.
Carlisle had said that if Elena had an affair, he would kill all the other
men. Elena s ll remembered how strange it was when he said he
wouldn’t touch her. His words now felt a bit like that moment. He
wouldn’t interfere with what she wore, but he wouldn’t forgive the
men who looked at her.
She looked up at him.
‘…Is he playing with me?’
He had to be joking, and surely Carlisle didn’t desire Elena to this
excess. She smiled and answered lightly.
“Then in the future, you’ll be busy taking care of all the men I’m
seeing.”
“I guess I’ll have to keep a close watch on you today.”
Carlisle spoke in a pleasant manner, but there was a dark shadow to
his words. Elena was curious by it, but before she could think on it
further, Carlisle kissed the back of her hand.
“It’s all because you’re so beau ful.”

“Caril!”
She was not used to receiving these kinds of compliments from
Carlisle. Although marital respect was essen al in a rela onship,
royal men did not give more than necessary for fear it would
undermine their authority. For Carlisle to kiss the back of her hand
meant he respected her and was dedicated to her.
She looked on, speechless, and he con nued with a smile on his lips.
“Shall we?”
She came to her senses and finally nodded.
“Yes.”
It was me for the main characters to enter.
Ch. 141 You’re So Beau ful (2)
As Carlisle and Elena approached the hall, a guard gave a low bow
and opened the door.
Kkiiiigeu.
A pala al room came into view, lavishly decorated under Elena’s
direc on. Elena glanced around to check for any minor problems, but
everything seemed to be going as planned. The guests who already
arrived at the recep on turned their a en on to the arrival of the
couple, and the Emperor spoke first to greet them.
“My son and his wife have finally arrived.”
Jjag jjag jjag!
The crowd clapped and warmly congratulated the couple on their
wedding day. At the scene before her, Elena smiled and moved with
Carlisle toward Sullivan. Emperor Sullivan and Empress Ophelia sat at
the head of the table, and there was a vacancy beside them.
“You must have had a busy wedding schedule. Thank you,
sweetheart. Sit and rest for a while. “
“Yes, Father.”
Carlisle made a curious expression at the familiar way they addressed
each other, but Elena made no men on of it and wore a large smile.
If the wedding was a show, this was the theater stage. Elena wanted
to command confidence in her debut performance as a member of
the Imperial Family. Soon a er, Carlisle and Elena took their seats,
and Sullivan addressed the room.
“Well, then let’s begin.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! First is the delega on from the Kingdom of
Freegrand.”
A young ambassador stepped forward and gave a formal bow. Elena’s
interest was piqued at the men on of Freegrand. She was curious
about the other kingdoms as well, but Mirabelle had said she would
consider going to Freegrand to study design.
“It is an honor to stand before His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty
the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the Crown Princess. Eternal glory
to the Ruford Empire!”
The ambassador was a graceful and beau ful woman with her hair
ed to one side. Envoys were typically men, but Freegrand, as a free
and prosperous kingdom, in rare form had sent a woman to
represent their country. Perhaps it was because the kingdom was
known for their fashion, but the ambassador wore a smart uniform
instead of a gown, which captured Elena’s admira on.
“It must have been a long and difficult journey all the way here for a
woman.”
“Not at all, Your Majesty. Gender is not important. It is an honor to
meet with His Majesty the Emperor of the Ruford Empire. “
She spoke in a steady voice, then glanced at the others behind her to
signal them to bring forward the gi s.
“I present to you the most precious fabric from the Freegrand
kingdom. I hope that it pleases you, Your Majesty.”
“The Empress would prefer a fabric from Freegrand more than I do.”
Empress Ophelia answered with a so smile.
“It is s ll the Emperor’s property, no ma er how small the gi . If you
desire to gi it to me later, you have my gra tude.”
“Hahaha, I’ll keep that in mind, Empress.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

The conversa on seemed harmonious, but there was a subtle
discordant note to it. The ambassador then turned towards Carlisle
and Elena.
“To celebrate the wedding, we also offer gi s to the Crown Prince
and Crown Princess. Please kindly accept them.”
Fine fabrics were also carefully presented to the couple, which
seemed natural for a kingdom that had no special goods other than
fashion. Elena gave her gra tude, her expression so .
“Thank you.”
Was it because of Elena’s friendly bearing? For a moment, Elena’s
and the female ambassador’s gaze met in midair, but then the
moment broke as the ambassador stepped away. A young official
standing near Sullivan heralded the next guests.
“Here is the delega on from the Kingdom of Carthenia.”
There was no me to waste, as there were many delega ons from
various other kingdoms. The Freegrand ambassador backed away, to
be replaced by the ambassador from Carthenia, the poorest kingdom
on the con nent. In contrast to the unique uniforms of the Freegrand
delega ons, the envoys from Carthenia were dressed more
commonly.
“Hail to His Majesty the Emperor. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
The Carthenian representa ves also brought a gi to the Emperor, as
well as a gi to celebrate Carlisle’s wedding. The congratula ons
were a constant stream.
Ch. 142 Don’t Forget (1)
Before long, gi s were piled high from the representa ves of each
country. Elena no ced that enormous tributes were given to the
Ruford Empire, perhaps for various reasons, but not least as a
payment to not invade their kingdom. The Ruford Empire had been
part of countless wars, and had ravaged and defeated many countries
like a bloodthirsty demon. For the surrounding kingdoms watching,
the Ruford Empire was a symbol of fear, and no one dared to
challenge their military might.
The Empire was more peaceful under Sullivan’s rule, but Carlisle, the
current crown prince, seemed to have the bloodthirsty streak of
previous emperors. It was natural to be concerned whether the
violent history would be resurrected. Carlisle was be er known
among the foreign kingdoms rather than in the Ruford Empire, as he
had encountered the other kingdoms directly in the ba lefield. Elena
had these thoughts to herself as she watched the delega ons.
‘Is that why they keep looking at him?’
The delegates first looked towards Sullivan, but their eyes were
inevitably drawn towards Carlisle. They all had the same fear in their
eyes. For Elena, who had already lived one life, knew how Carlisle
was viewed by other kingdoms. They were the first to say that
Emperor Paveluc’s treason would have failed if Crown Prince Carlisle
were s ll alive.
Elena looked at Carlisle with new eyes. Feeling her gaze on him,
Carlisle shi ed his expression from indifference at the delegates to
amiable when he looked at her. He bent over slightly and whispered
in her ear.
“What are you thinking of, wife?”
His tone was playful, but Elena was flustered. Perhaps it was because
of the way he addressed her as “wife.”
The delegates looked on in astonishment at Carlisle’s sudden change
in mood, and Elena replied in a low voice.
“They’re all constantly staring at you, Caril.”
Carlisle’s expression turned steely, and he looked over them one by
one.
“You mean you don’t like them?”
Elena shook her head, trying to assuage Carlisle’s threatening tone.
“No, I’m just amazed. Everyone seems to know you very well.”
“Some may have seen me before, but the others…they may have
heard rumors.”
“Are the rumors frightening?”
Elena made a joke about what she already knew. Carlisle paused for a
moment, and replied in a deadpan voice.
“Of course not. I’m sure they’re talking about my generous
compassion…however, let me know if there is someone who is
gossiping about me.”
“Why? So you can deal with them?”
Elena already had a rough idea of what kind of past Carlisle had,
despite how indirectly Carlisle talked about it.
“Deal with them? I only want to just reason with them.”
Elena couldn’t hold back a laugh at his remark. The day Carlisle gently
admonished anyone twice would be the day she died.
The guests were astonished at the scene of the couple amiably
whispering to themselves. It wasn’t only the foreign ambassadors.
The nobles of the Ruford Empire no ced too, including Empress
Ophelia, who was si ng not far away. The Empress’ eyes glimmered
as if she had discovered something very interes ng.
*
*
*
Emperor Sullivan started to look more fa gued as the recep on of
the delegates con nued on, and he interrupted in a quiet voice.
“I need to rest for a while.”
Carlisle and Elena rose straight from their seats, and Carlisle spoke
first, his expression smooth.
“Let me see you off.”
” There is no need. This is your day.”
Sullivan turned towards Ophelia, who had been si ng wordlessly
next to him.
“I don’t feel well, so come with me.”
“Hoho, you don’t think I’ll do something wrong if you’re gone, do
you?”
Ophelia had a so smile, but her tone was churlish. Nevertheless,
Sullivan seemed accustomed to it.
“Not at all. I mean that you’re the only one that can take care of me.”
“I understand. We’ll leave together.”
Ophelia smiled as if she had no choice, then in a graceful mo on
stood up to support Sullivan. On the surface, the scene didn’t seem
strange at all, but the atmosphere was hos le. Elena bowed in
farewell to them.
“Go back safely, Father, Mother.”
Sullivan smiled back.
“Yes, enjoy yourself, sweetheart.”
Elena turned to Ophelia, but the Empress brushed past her. Carlisle
stared at the increasingly distant figures of Sullivan and Ophelia with
a cold expression.
Now that the Emperor and Empress were gone, the greatest
a en on turned towards Carlisle and Elena. She didn’t know if
Sullivan had intended it, but she wouldn’t waste this opportunity.
Now, no one would no ce the Emperor’s fa gue.
“I’m going to greet the people who came to see me from the south.”
Carlisle responded with a slight nod.
“Very well. Come to me when you’re done, and I’ll introduce you to
the people I know.”
“I will.”
Elena parted from Carlisle’s side, and she stepped down from the
head table and approached Marissa with a bright smile.
“Marchioness Holland, thank you for coming all this way to my
wedding.”
“Oh, Your Highness!”
Marissa had quickly accustomed to Elena’s new tle in a short
amount of me. As a model in southern society, she made no
mistake at all. Marissa and her close friends bowed.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
Elena wasn’t s ll unused to the gree ng, but she gave a gentle smile
without showing any outward signs of anxiety. The Blaise family was
from the south, and if Mirabelle were to return there in the future,
she would need the help of the southern aristocrats.
The Ruford Empire was divided into five regions—the south, the east,
the west, the north, and the central capital. It was natural for Elena
to start exer ng influence in the south, which was her home a er all.

“We were all amazed to see your wedding dress earlier today. If you
don’t mind me asking, where did you commission it?”
Dresses were a popular topic among noblewoman, and Elena was
prepared for this. She responded kindly.
“From Anco’s Tailors in the capital. My sister also has a talent for
design, and contributed many ideas.”
“Oh, you mean the young lady from before? So incredible already at
such a young age.”
Although Marissa was playing up the compliments, Elena covered her
mouth and smiled. Now that she had risen to a high posi on, it was
natural for everyone to try and fla er her.
Ch. 143 Don’t Forget (2)
The lady standing by Marissa looked at Elena wondrously.
“The wedding dress was the most extraordinary thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Ah! My husband had diamonds embroidered on the wedding dress.”
Elena inten onally boasted the value of the dress to the other
women, even though it was her nature to be reserved. The
noblewoman who had asked the ques on widened her eyes.
“D-diamonds? So it was all real jewels?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Oh my goodness!”
Marisa, who was listening from the side, looked at Elena with envious
eyes.
“You must truly have the love of the Crown Prince. I had heard
rumors that he requested to his father that no bridal dowry be
required.”
Elena could feel their eyes on her at the men on of that rumor, and
she tenta vely nodded.
“Yes, it’s all true. I am very grateful to him.”
The nobles’ doubt turned into surprise.
“The Crown Prince really must be a roman c.”
“I envy you, Your Highness. You two seem like a perfect match.”
Elena made herself smile as widely as possible, faithful to the role of
a bride happy to marry her true love. In fact, she never really like to
boast like this, and she wondered what it would be like to show her
true self to others. Happiness wasn’t about compe ng with anyone.
She believed that each person defined happiness differently, and that
being sa sfied with one’s life was the only way to live happily.
However, being the Crown Princess meant playing a different game
where she had to hide her true thoughts. Carlisle had to express
affec on towards her, and show that their financial resources were
not lacking. Wealth was power, and with so many dresses and
jewelry given to her by Carlisle, Elena now had a considerable
amount of personal wealth as well. From now on, she had to think
about how to use these assets effec vely.
“Marchioness Holland has been of great support to me. In return, I
would like to give you the precious fabric I received from the
Freegrand kingdom. I hope you will accept it.”
Wedding gi s given by foreign countries were, in all prac cali es,
tribute. They were wrapped up as gi s, but it was not the same as
one given by close acquaintance. The emperor could give such items
to the nobles who helped with the wedding.
“How could I accept something so valuable…!”
Marissa looked shocked as if she never could have imagined this
situa on. However, this was the true feeling of Elena’s heart. She had
grown up in the south, and was thankful for Marissa’s friendliness. At
the moment, Elena priori ze revenge over grace, but she wanted to
return her good feelings if possible.
“Please come to the palace wearing this fabric next me.”
“Thank you very much, Your Highness.”
Marissa looked around with an exuberant and dazed look, proud at
the extent of her rela onship with Elena. Hopefully it would be of
help to the south, and in any case, having a close rela onship with
the Crown Princess would be beneficial.
A er speaking with Marissa sufficiently, Elena took a step back.
“I’ll be going now.”
“Yes, yes, Your Highness!”
Elena accepted Marissa’s bow, which was more reverent than the
first, then walked away to meet the other nobles. Already, there was
energe c conversa on about the wedding dress she had worn
earlier. Elena looked on with a pleased expression, catching
intermi ent conversa on from the crowd, when an unexpected
figure came into view.
‘That’s—’
Helen, a beau ful young woman in a green dress. Elena had glimpsed
her si ng in the guest row at the wedding, so she was not too
surprised to see her at the recep on. More importantly, the Selby
family was quite powerful as well.
Elena stared at Helen for a moment, before the la er began walking
vaguely in her direc on, the click of her heels ge ng louder as she
neared. Helen, who looked drunk, widened her eyes as she spo ed
Elena, and her expression turned sour. Helen’s hos lity was obvious,
but Elena approached her without a care.
“It’s been a long me, Lady Selby.”
Perhaps she didn’t want to be cri cized, but Helen gave Elena a
respec ul gree ng despite her obvious reluctance.
“H-hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
“I heard that you became the Empress’ lady-in-wai ng.”
“Ah, yes. Right.”
Helen’s face was triumphant at the men on of “lady-in-wai ng.”
Elena spoke in a low voice, a smile on her face.
“You should celebrate. I thought you’d never be able to show your
face in society again, but this is like a lifeline.”
“…!”
“So I will warn you for the last me, hold on to that lifeline. If you try
to hurt me one more me—”
Elena stepped into Helen’s space and spoke in a voice barely above a
whisper.
“—I won’t let it pass.”
Elena was suspicious about Helen’s sudden appointment as a lady-in-
wai ng. Their rela onship was already stormy—Helen had accused
Elena of sleeping with different men every night, and Helen was
thought to be a villain who had tried to ruin Elena’s face out of
jealousy. Of course, the accusa ons against Elena were false, while
the ones against Helen were exaggerated.
But in the end, it was water under the bridge. As Elena had told
Carlisle at the me, it wouldn’t help Carlisle take the throne if
Marquis Selby was involved. If Helen kept provoking Elena, however,
Elena wouldn’t let it con nue any longer. Carlisle wanted to pay back
his revenge a er becoming emperor, but if Helen stopped now, Elena
planned to be more generous.
And so, Elena gave her final warning.
“Don’t forget my words.”
Elena offered a dignified smile, then turned her head and walked
away.
A moment later, Sarah, who had been watching breathlessly nearby,
came into sight. Sarah had been glued to Helen’s side since the tea
party in the south, and Elena recognized her face. Somehow, Sarah
seemed even more detestable than Helen. She hurried to bow her
head when Elena’s gaze fell on her, and the Crown Princess u ered
her own warning against her.

“You should look at the line and see which side is more profitable.”
Elena brushed past Sarah towards the center of the hall, and Sarah
stared at her back, her face s ff.
Chaeng-geulang!
Helen’s face was a furious red, and her glass had slipped from her
trembling hands. Broken glass fragments sca ered across the floor.
People were whispering and widening their distance from her, but
she didn’t no ce. Helen gri ed her teeth angrily.
Ch. 144 I’ll Only Say It Once (1)
The next person Elena approached at the recep on was Countess
Stella Viviana, one of the most important social figures in the capital.
Stella was a poten al enemy, as Elena had been forced to blackmail
Stella about her hidden son. It was because of this exploita on that
Elena was able to become crown princess, and she was uneasy about
it.
Elena easily found the countess, as she was the one with the most
ladies gathered around her. Stella greeted Elena with a radiant smile
when she no ced she was approaching.
“Oh, thank you for coming all the way here, Your Highness.”
Stella’s words drew the a en on of the other ladies, and soon a er
they all greeted her with a bow.
“Hail the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
Elena s ll found it awkward when everyone bowed to her this way,
but she returned the smile with no hint of discomfort.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I came to see the Countess Viviana,
and found you all here.”
“Oh goodness, I didn’t realize the Crown Princess was looking for me.
I’ll have a quick chat with her and join you other ladies again.”
Stella replied confidently, as if she were acquainted with Elena. The
other ladies smiled at the two of them.
“Yes, please return, Countess.”
“Congratula ons on your wedding today, Your Highness.”
The women gave their chorus, and Elena and Stella accepted their
words with bright smiles. They both headed outside the hall towards
to an open-air terrace. It was already sunset, and the cool spring
breeze blew pleasantly across their faces. They were they only two
souls on there, but Stella kept her polite smile on her face.
“What did you want to talk to me about, Your Highness?”
Elena was curious at how calm Stella remained, as if their last
mee ng had never happened. A er contempla ng how to begin the
conversa on, Elena decided to be straigh orward.
“I didn’t expect a warm welcome from you.”
“Is there any reason why I shouldn’t be glad to see you, Your
Highness?”
The ques on might have seemed absurd. Elena clarified herself, as
she wondered what on earth Stella was thinking.
“We didn’t leave the first mee ng on the best of terms.”
“You kept your promise to stay quiet, so I decided to forget it.”
At Stella’s reply, Elena understood once again that the most
dangerous opponents were not the ones who were outwardly
terrifying. The countess’ reputa on as a shrewd woman was not for
nothing. Stella already knew that open hos lity towards the Crown
Princess was not to her benefit.
‘But she can’t help but be wary of me.’
There was no way anyone would be comfortable having their with
having their deepest secrets exposed. Another saying crossed Elena’s
mind.
‘Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.’
Stella was keeping her enemy, Elena, closer. But so was Elena. She
couldn’t let Stella alone, but since the Countess had made no
movements yet, Elena couldn’t yet touch her. Elena tried to appeal to
her heart this me, but the countess was more skilled than she
thought, and she couldn’t help but admire the other woman. She
didn’t know if Stella would stab her in the back, but no rela onship
began with complete faith. Elena decided to keep Stella around for
now and, if possible, make her her ally.
“I worried that you may have your doubts about me, so I’m relieved
that you trust me.”
“Of course. There’s no one on this con nent who doesn’t believe in
the Crown Princess of the Ruford Empire. I also worried that you may
be reluctant about me, so I’m happy to hear that you trust me as
well.”
It was a pleasant remark with proper fla ery. If Ruford Empire were
as free as the Freegrand Kingdom, Stella could have made an
excellent ambassador in other countries. It was a regre ul waste of
talent. In any case, though Stella’s true inten ons were unknown, she
was not hos le to Elena.
Elena con nued with a so smile.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again. Please come to the palace some me
a er today’s recep on. I’ll send you an invita on personally.”
“Oh, it’s an honor, Your Highness.”
Both were feeling out the other while guarding their true inten ons.
And funnily enough, both of them were aware of it, but pretended to
not know anything.
A er the short conversa on with Stella, Elena headed inside the
recep on hall again. Stella followed her and then gave her a bow.
“I will see you later, Your Highness.”
“Yes.”
Stella parted with Elena and returned to her flock of noblewomen.
While Elena watched her walk away and considered who she should
meet next. Before she could make a decision, however, there was the
sound of footsteps moving closer to Elena.
Tabak tabak—
Elena immediately no ced them, but feigned ignorance as to not
arouse suspicion of her abili es. The sound of footsteps stopped, and
a voice spoke.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Your Highness.”
Elena turned around and saw the Freegrand ambassador before her.
“Oh, you are…”
“My name is Log Ashmore.”
Elena took in her neatly pressed uniform.
“Dame Ashmore?”
She was unsure if the ambassador was a knight, but she could easily
spot a swordsman’s posture.
“No, it’s just Log, Your Highness.”
Her permission to let Elena use her first name meant that she wanted
to be closer.
“Very well, Log.”
Elena accepted without protest. She was par cularly interested in
becoming acquainted with the Freegrand delega on, par cularly for
Mirabelle’s sake. At Elena’s use of her name, Log’s expression
brightened.
“I saw you at the wedding, and was truly blown away by your beauty,
Your Highness. The wedding dress was awe-inspiring as well.”
“I’m happy you think so. My younger sister contributed many ideas
towards it.”
“Ah, she is quite the talented one.”
Elena swelled with pride at Log’s compliment. Elena tried to restrain
herself because of her posi on as Crown Princess, but if anyone
praised Mirabelle, she couldn’t help but feel happy.
Elena smiled faintly, then spoke in a low voice.
“Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”
“Oh. I heard that you gi ed the Freegrand fabric from the delega on
to another noblewomen.”
Elena had promised it to Marissa. It seemed that the story had
quickly spread, and Elena nodded lightly.
“If I may, I would like to gi you another fabric personally, Your
Highness.”
“Me?”
“Yes, Your Highness. I hope you will enjoy it.”
Elena knew that in all kingdoms, gi s given to the state could be re-
gi ed to other nobles. However, a mee ng and promise of a personal
gi was completely different. Elena’s red eyes shone. Human
rela onships were quite simple, and poli cs could be easily be
summed up as “Give and take.”

‘Log wants to give me fabric, so what does she want to take?’

Elena wanted to know her inten ons, and so she accepted Log’s offer
and made sure they had the opportunity to speak again.
“I cannot possibly refuse your sincerity. Then I will make sure to call
you before you leave the Imperial Palace.”
“Yes, thank you! Your Highness!”
Log’s tense expression so ened to relief, and Elena watched her with
a curious eye.
Ch. 145 I’ll Only Say It Once (2)
‘Ah!’
Suddenly, Elena spo ed Mirabelle in the crowded room. Elena knew
her family a ended the recep on, of course, but hadn’t had the me
to seek them out yet. Elena gave her farewell to Log.
“I’ll see you again soon.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
A er receiving the ambassador’s bow, Elena immediately headed
towards where her sister was amicably cha ng with another
noblewoman.
“Mirabelle!”
Mirabelle’s head turned, and she gave a sunny smile when she
spo ed her older sister.
“Ah, sister—no, Your Highness!”
She quickly corrected herself and gave a small giggle. Elena found the
sight so adorable she couldn’t help but smile.
“Where have you been?”
“Oh, I’ve been talking with Glenn.”
“Glenn?”
It turned out that Elena knew the young woman next to Mirabelle.
Their cousin Glenn had freckles and thick red hair, and Elena had
once le Blaise Castle under the pretext of going to Glenn’s wedding.
“Oh my goodness, Glenn. It must have been a long way, how did you
get here?”
Glenn bowed her head and gave a smile.
“Hail the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
“You can omit such gree ngs between us.”
“I had so much help from the hairdresser you sent to my wedding. Of
course I had to a end my cousin’s wedding—No, I mean, Your
Highness’.”
For some reason, Elena found it heartwarming that her family had
not yet adjusted to her status. She was beyond happy to see her
family a er only mee ng poli cal figures.
“It must have been a difficult journey to the capital city. Did you both
have dinner?”
Elena played the older responsible sister among Mirabelle and Glenn.
For now, she could shed the preten ous image of the crown princess
and become the real Elena.
*
*
*
Carlisle had also been surrounded by a number of people, but soon
enough everyone gave him a wide berth and he was le to himself.
Perhaps it was due to his aura that no one approached him, un l a
lone shadow appeared by his side. Carlisle, sensing the presence,
turned his head and saw a familiar face.
It was Derek, Elena’s older brother.
“What are you doing here, Your Highness?”
Carlisle had once been given a cold recep on by Derek, but the la er
was in a very different mood now. Carlisle replied in a voice equally
as flat as Derek’s.
“I’m wai ng for my wife.”
Derek’s eyes shone brightly for a moment, but he con nued on
calmly.
“May I stand next to you for a while?”
“Make yourself comfortable.”
Carlisle, however, did not ini ate any further conversa on with
Derek, and neither did Derek with Carlisle. Derek might have come to
say something, but no words were exchanged between them.
And so silence passed. Neither man seemed uncomfortable standing
in what others would have called an awkward atmosphere. It was
only a er a long silence did Derek finally speak.
“…Your Highness.”
“If you have something to say, say it.”
“Take good care of Elena. Make sure she’s happy.”
Carlisle glanced sharply at Derek, but despite the prince’s predatory
expression, Derek con nued on calmly.
“If you do that, the Blaises will follow you for life.”
Carlisle smiled.
“The Blaise family is already an ally of the Emperor. What I hear now
is that if I make Elena unhappy, you might turn around.”
“…”
Derek did not deny it. He did not know what his father Alphord
thought, but those were Derek’s feelings. Carlisle understood the
inten ons behind his words and smiled. There was only one reason
why he would ask that.
“Listen carefully because I’ll only say it once. You don’t have to worry.
I will do my best to make her happy. “
“…Do you mean it?”
“I told you, I’ll only say it once.”
Derek frowned at Carlisle’s arrogant a tude. He didn’t expect the
prince to talk this way, but Mirabelle had said that if he looked into
Carlisle’s eyes, he would see how much the prince loved Elena.
Although Derek wasn’t sure what Carlisle felt at the moment, Derek
seemed to understand a li le about what his sister meant. A er a
few minutes of contempla on, Derek summarized his thoughts into a
short phrase.
“…You have my loyalty, Your Highness.”
Another smiled graced Carlisle’s mouth as he thought how Derek’s
loyalty was ed to Elena’s happiness. Carlisle glanced over at Derek,
who was standing next to him with blazing eyes. If it had come from
anyone else other than Elena’s brother, Carlisle would not have
tolerated this. Carlisle turned back to the front with an indifferent
look.
“I look forward to your loyalty.”
“You can depend on me.”
And so, unexpected rela onship was created between the two. Both
Carlisle and Derek stood together, not paying a en on to the fact
that the noblewomen around them were staring at the pair.
*
*
*
Redfield sat in the corner of the recep on hall wordlessly drinking his
win. Next to him was a group of young nobles, regulars at the par es
he hosted. If it weren’t for Elena covering her face at the masquerade
ball, some of them would have recognized her.
“Second Prince, didn’t you say the Crown Princess a ended the
party? She might know the secret—”
Redfield cut off their words as if he didn’t want to hear them.
“Of course not. Her me there was too short to no ce anything, and
even if she did, what can she do about it?”
“But—”
Kwang!
Redfield slammed his wine glass onto the table.
“Shut up. If you don’t believe me, deal with it yourself. My mother
and the Anita family are behind me, who would dare to touch me?”
“I’m sorry, Second Prince.”

Redfield’s face twisted a er hearing the apology. He didn’t mean to

leave Elena be a er their mee ng, but there was a me for
everything. Redfield had placed pressure on Elena’s wedding
planning, but if he had gone any further, his mother Ophelia would
have stopped him. The Empress had already ordered Carlisle’s
wedding to go through. At the very least, Redfield wasn’t stupid
enough to get caught. Un l then, he could deceive Ophelia and enjoy
himself.
‘Just wait, sister-in-law.’
Redfield’s repressed emo ons gave way to a despicable smile.
‘The more you resist, the more I want to take away.’
Ch. 146 Our First Night (1)
Elena, fa gued a er mee ng many of the guests at the recep on,
returned to the corner where Carlisle was si ng alone. Her eyes
were s ll fixed on Mirabelle and Glenn however, and when Carlisle
spoke he was no ceably annoyed.
“You leave the groom alone on the first day of marriage?”
Elena turned her gaze towards a disgruntled-looking Carlisle, but his
argument was flawed. Most of the people around here were anxious
to hear his every word, but the overwhelmingly hos le atmosphere
he was exuding kept them away.
“I thought you wanted to be alone. Isn’t that why you in midated
everyone away?”
“It’s true that I don’t want others to approach me, but that doesn’t
mean I want to be alone. I want to be with you.”
Elena was taken aback by his forwardness. Despite his petulance, he
did want her company a er all. Elena hesitated, then so ened her
expression.
“…I see. I didn’t realize you were wai ng for me. You said you wanted
to introduce me to some people, right? Shall we go see them first
before the recep on is over?”
The most important task she had at the recep on was to strengthen
their posi on as a crown prince and a princess. Carlisle smiled and
spoke in a quiet voice.
“Some mes I feel like I’m being trained by you.”
“Trained?”
“Yes. You talk in such a so tone, like everything will be alright.”
So he wasn’t expec ng things to turn out alright? Why? She stared at
Carlisle confusedly, but he rose from his seat without an explana on
and held out his arm for her to take.
“There’s only one important person we have to meet, and then we
can get out of here.”
Carlisle suddenly leaned in close to her, whispering so only she could
hear.
“…Tonight is our first night.”
Elena’s red eyes widened. The terms of the contract marriage stated
that they wouldn’t share a bed un l a er she became empress.
“What are you—!”
But before Elena could finish her retort, Carlisle took her hand with a
mischievous look and pulled her away. She belatedly realized that
Carlisle must have been playing a prank on her. Come to think of it,
just because it was their first night, it didn’t mean they would sleep
together.
‘…He scared me.’
Elena stared at Carlisle ahead of her. She was determined not to be
swayed by him, but she could feel as if she were falling into his pace.
And the bigger problem was…
She was gradually ge ng used to it.
*
*
*
Carlisle brought her to meet an elderly gentleman and a younger boy
who appeared to be his grandson. Elena looked at them curiously, as
she didn’t recognize them.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Lord Krauss.”
Elena’s eyes glimmered when she recognized the name. If she was
correct, the person before her was Count Evans, head of the Krauss
family, and his grandson Harry, his successor. Evans and Harry both
bowed respec ully.
“Hail the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the
Ruford Empire. “
Carlisle gestured them to raise their heads, and Elena calmly opened
her mouth to speak.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am—”
She almost introduced herself as Elena Blaise, but remembered that
she took her husband’s last name now. A er a brief pause, she
smiled and con nued.
“I am Elena Ruford, daughter of the Blaise family.”
Evans gave her a welcoming smile.
“Yes, Your Highness. I saw you at the wedding. I am Count Evans,
head of the Kraus family, and this is my grandson, Harry.
Congratula ons on your wedding once again.”
It was a right and proper gree ng. The noble socialites were a mere
trifle compared to this powerful merchant family, and Elena could
safely assume that Count Evans was an extraordinarily intelligent and
cra y man.
‘How can I bring him to Carlisle’s side?’
Count Evans was highly coveted in the poli cal scene. So far, he had
stayed his hand in the power struggle between the Emperor and
Empress, but it was clear that the balance would be pped to
whoever lured Evans to their side. He was simultaneously the most
desired ally and the most feared enemy.
Harry had been quietly watching Elena and Carlisle by his
grandfather’s side before he spoke up.
“Your love story has been passed around so much as to cause sore
ears. The Crown Prince not only gave the Crown Princess a diamond
wedding dress, but other young nobility have complained that there
was no dowry as well.”
Elena looked at Harry ques oningly, and he smiled as he explained.
“All the ladies compare the men with the roman c Crown Prince, and
the rest of the men were unhappy. “
“Ah…”

Elena understood Harry’s words perfectly. Carlisle’s popularity had

soared among the noblewomen lately, and the rest of the men were
feeling self-conscious.
A er a second evalua ng the situa on, Elena took Carlisle’s firm
forearm. Carlisle slightly s ffened at her touch, but his expression
didn’t change and no one else no ced.
“My husband has been quite generous to me. I truly appreciate him.”
Elena smiled as broadly as she could. She was able to recall the
details about the Krauss family without difficulty. Count Evans only
loved one woman throughout his life, and he lived alone without
taking another woman even a er his wife passed away. It was likely
Carlisle would make a greater impression if he was presented as a
devoted lover instead of a playboy.
Ch. 147 Our First Night (2)
Harry con nued pleasantly.
“I suppose the rumor was true, too. What was the proposal like, Your
Highness?”
Evans glanced at Harry for his ques on.
“Oh, it’s rude to ask such a thing. There’s no reason to pry for
personal informa on.”
Evans turned to Carlisle and Elena with a guilty expression.
“My apologies. He’s a curious boy, so please understand.”
Elena hurriedly shook her head.
“Not at all. It’s something that everybody is curious about. We can’t
hide it.”
Despite her outward relaxed appearance, however, she was
calcula ng inwardly on what to say. She had been deba ng how to
curry favor with Evans, and fortunately Harry’s interest in their love
story provided a golden opportunity.
However, she and Carlisle had never had a proper proposal as they
were bound by a contract marriage. For Elena, the moment was
when she saved Carlisle’s life and asked him to marry her, but she
needed a more plausible story that would sa sfy the people’s
fantasy.
“Hmm…my first inkling he prepared something was when I met with
him and found the place lit with a myriad of candles.”
Harry’s expression flickered with interest, in contrast to Evans’
restraint.
“It was a very beau ful loca on with man-made lakes to one side
and gardens on the other. From there, we walked along the path and
watched the stars in the sky…and at one point, he held out a ring to
me.”
Harry gave an involuntary exclama on.
“Oh—”
Roman c proposals were rare in aristocra c society where poli cal
marriages were common. Harry wasn’t the only one cap vated;
Evans seemed surprised as well, although he pretended not to be.
Carlisle seemed to be listening with the greatest interest, most of all.
“And then he told me…he told me I would be the only companion he
would ever have. And then he proposed. It’s somewhat embarrassing
trying to put this into words.”
Indeed, there was a slight blush on Elena’s face. She had to make up
something that had never happened, and she had begun to ramble.
Luckily, however, no one eemed to no ce something strange, and
Elena gave a sigh of relief. Contrary to expecta ons, Evans replied to
Carlisle first.
“Considering your history in ba le, I never thought there was such a
roman c side to you.”
Carlisle glanced at Elena and smiled faintly.
“It’s the same when everyone falls in love. What difference would it
be to me?”
The impact seemed even greater when Carlisle said these words
himself. He was playing his role be er than Elena expected.
Harry nodded approvingly.
“I didn’t know you would answer my ques on with such grace. Thank
you, Your Highness.”
“Not at all. I was only recoun ng what happened. Come and visit the
palace again some me. If you’re curious, I’ll tell you more about
horseback riding and sword figh ng.”
Carlisle’s brow furrowed gently, but Elena s ll had a so smile. Harry
nodded his head, as if he were quite pleased with the sugges on.
“Very well. I’ll visit some me if you don’t mind.”
“Absolutely. I’ll be wai ng for you with delicious food.”
Elena had already invited many people to the palace, but Harry
would definitely be the most valuable guest.
Meanwhile, Evans was staring at Elena with an unreadable
expression, and Carlisle glanced at the me.
“It’s me we take our leave. Lord Krauss.”
At his par ng words Evans bowed politely towards Carlisle.
“May we meet again, Your Highness.”
Harry followed a er him.
“Thank you very much, Your Highness.”
Carlisle ended the conversa on, but Elena couldn’t help but feel
disappointed. She had accomplished a decent amount for a first
mee ng, but she wanted to talk more. However, one had to
recognize when was the perfect me to withdraw.
“Well…I’ll see you again.”
Elena exited from the recep on hall s ll holding on to Carlisle’s arm.
There were s ll many nobles gathered at the party, but Carlisle had
decided they should leave a er mee ng with Evans. Elena had
already seen everyone she wanted to, and did not try to stop him.
And so they completed the wedding’s final act—the recep on.
*
*
*
Evans spoke to his grandson as he stared at the gradually
disappearing figures of Carlisle and Elena.
“Why did you ask that ques on all of a sudden?”
“Aren’t you curious, Grandfather? Is it really a roman c affair or a
poli cal one?”
“What does that have to do with us?”
“When the princess was talking, I was listening carefully.”
Evans did not cri cize him. Indeed he was surprised at Carlisle’s
roman c side, and Elena image wasn’t as bad as he thought. But that
was all. They were members of the Imperial Family, nothing more.
“Don’t go out of your way to be friendly to the royalty. You will be
thrown into unnecessary disorder.”
“Don’t you trust me? I’ll take care of it, Grandfather.”
A playful smile widened on Harry’s face. His mischievousness was
probably because of his young age, but he was not so immature that
he did not act without thinking beforehand. If he did, he would have
never been groomed as the next successor of the Krauss family. He
was a genius. Evans had deep faith in young Harry’s insights, so he
le him to take care of the ma er.
“Do as much as you like, as long as you do not harm the Krausses.”
“Yes!”
Both men now stared in the direc on where Carlisle and Elena
disappeared, different ideas swirling in their minds.
*
*
*
Elena suddenly realized that she was s ll clutching Carlisle’s arm and
quickly released him.
“O-oh…I’m sorry.”
“If you’re apologizing for holding my arm, don’t. Personally, I like it
be er.”
Elena glanced at him when she heard his playful tone. Come to think
of it, they had walked quite a ways away from the recep on hall.
“Where are we going?”
“Where are we going? We’re going to our bedroom.”
“…!”
She suddenly remembered that she had to share a bed with Carlisle
star ng from today. She did an cipate it, but it had slipped her mind
once wedding planning overwhelmed her. A er overcoming various
challenges one-by-one, now she felt like she was facing the final boss.
Her face darkened.
‘…This is serious.’
She had been mee ng people all day, and her whole body seemed
drained of energy. But one night with Carlisle…it was unlike anything
she had done today.
With a tense silence, Elena and Carlisle finally arrived at the bedroom
in the Crown Prince’s palace.
Kkiiiig—

Carlisle walked forward first and opened the door, and the room
came into view.
“…Ah!”
Elena’s mouth dropped open.
She had seen Carlisle’s room several mes already, but now it had
been transformed into the perfect honeymoon suite. Red petals were
sca ered around the room, a bo le of wine sat on a table, and even
the ligh ng seemed to be sugges ve.
Elena took the scene with wide eyes. Finally, Carlisle spoke, his voice
pitched low.
“Come in.”
What? Elena swallowed dryly.
RotFK Ch. 148 Good Night, My Wife (1)
“I-it looks well-prepared. It’s a shame about the red flowers
though…there are s ll many lavender flowers le at Bellouet Square,
and I would’ve had some delivered here if I had known.”
Elena rambled on the first words that came to mind as she took in
the red petals sca ered throughout the room. She didn’t want to let
Carlisle know she was nervous. Carlisle sank into a luxurious couch
with an indifferent expression and replied in a low voice.
“Was it lavender decora ng Bellouet Square? I didn’t know that.”
She couldn’t believe he en rely missed that prominent detail. Purple
was not a common wedding color.
“The lavenders were everywhere, didn’t you no ce? What were you
looking at in the venue—?”
Elena paused. A scene floated at the forefront of her mind, the
moment when Carlisle’s blue eyes riveted on her.
‘He must be joking…’
Elena’s red eyes glistened in astonishment.
“You didn’t know what I was looking at.”
“I…”
“If you’re curious, shall I tell you?”
Elena didn’t need him to tell her. His likely answer would be that the
wedding decora ons were unmemorable and he only looked at
Elena. Her face heated in embarrassment at the thought.
“Ah, never mind. It’s only flowers at the wedding ceremony.”
Elena hurried to reply before Carlisle could say anything further. He
no ced her sudden bashfulness however, and a smile tugged on the
corner of his mouth.
“How long are you going to stand there?”
“Ah…”
She suddenly realized that she had remained standing by the door,
and reminded herself that this marriage was a path she willingly
chosen. She relaxed the tension in her shoulders, and with a
determined look, went inside. The enormity of those few steps were
overwhelming.
Kkigeu—
She closed the door, and soon she was fully inside the room. A er
inhaling deeply, Elena turned as casually as she could and
approached the other end of the couch where Carlisle was si ng. He
observed her wordlessly, then picked up the bo le of red wine si ng
on the table.
“Do you want a drink?”
“…I’m fine.”
She briefly considered it, but then thought it wouldn’t be a good idea
at this me. Carlisle poured himself a glass and took a sip without
further comment. Elena couldn’t help but no ce how a rac ve he
looked as he did so, and kept stealing fur ve glances at him. Carlisle,
oblivious to her interest, emp ed his glass then spoke again.
“Please don’t be nervous. When I sense it…I get thoughts.”
“…!”
He seemed to have no ced the tension twis ng Elena’s mind despite
her outward calm appearance. With no par cular reply to give him,
she sat and listened as he con nued in a subdued voice.
“Try to hide it as much as possible from now on, even in this room. If
I sense an opening, I’ll want to penetrate it.”
The words that sounded like a warning could be interpreted in many
ways.
‘An opening…’
The condi on in their contract stated that they not sleep together
un l a er she became the empress. It was almost unreasonable to
expect for a man and woman to stay together and expect nothing
would happen between them.
Just because Elena was inexperienced about romance, didn’t mean
she was ignorant. Eventually, the me would come where she would
have to lay with Carlisle. But that couldn’t happen now. Before
Carlisle became emperor, she would be his weapon, rather than his
woman.
Eventually, the strange feeling that ran through her body subsided,
and she was able to recall what she had to do.
“Are you saying you can’t keep our contract?”
Elena spoke to him sharply, but Carlisle shook his head.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t have agreed to the contract otherwise. I
only meant…don’t make it difficult for me.”
Difficult? Why? Elena stared at Carlisle, and he smiled thinly.
“Some mes nervousness looks like an cipa on in someone else’s
eyes. And with an cipa on comes the desire to fulfill it.”
Elena raised her voice in protest.
“Nervousness and an cipa on are completely different!”
“I know. But don’t make such a displeased expression like you are
right now. If you do, it will make me want to tease you. And then it
might get to the point where it can’t be stopped…”
Why was it so complicated? Elena became less convinced the more
she stared at him, but his eyes were filled with a hungry stare.
“Since I’m upholding our contract faithfully, don’t forget the other
part of our agreement.”
“…!”
Their contract stated they wouldn’t sleep together un l a er Elena
became empress, but conversely, when she did become empress,
they would. Carlisle was clearly trying to get to that point now. Elena
paused before she replied.
“…I know.”
For now, she had a grace period. When Carlisle became emperor and
the survival of the Blaise family could be secured, then a completely
different future would unfold from the last one. She was not yet sure
what their rela onship would be like when that came. Saving her
family was her utmost priority now, so she could think about the rest
later.
‘I don’t have me to look at anyone else un l then.’
So far her plan had unfolded smoothly, but her happiness at the
present did not mean she had already forgo en the pain of the past.
The years of being a knight were long and harsh, and she was only
just a princess now. There were s ll many mountains to cross before
she could become empress.
Carlisle set the glass of wine back on the table.
“Alright. If you’re keeping your promise…”
Carlisle slowly rose from his seat, then retrieved a decora ve sword
hanging from a wall.
Srrung-
Carlisle swi ly drew the blade across his palm.
Ttug ug ug.
Blood started to flow down his hand, and Elena jumped from her seat
with a stunned cry.
“Caril!”
However, Carlisle’s expression remained calm. She was about to ask
what he was doing, but a er a moment it became clear.
Tog tog—
Carlisle allowed the blood to drip from his palm to the bed. There
was an old tradi on among imperial families to lay white sheets on
bed for the wedding night. Supers on had it that if the blood-
stained sheets were burned the next day, the bride would give birth
to a healthy child.
Elena was speechless. She stared at Carlisle with a conflicted
expression on her face, and he smiled first.
“You don’t have to say anything.”
Elena wanted to protest. There was no reason for him to do this. It
was only a formality, and it wasn’t like a marriage could be annulled
from the absence of virgin blood. And even there had to be blood, it
should have been Elena’s.
Her complaint welled up in her throat, but she couldn’t find herself
to say them. He really did care for her.
“…My debt keeps increasing.”
She had mixed feelings about him again. She had repeatedly pledged
not to be blinded by him un l the safety of her family was
guaranteed, but she felt Carlisle was slowly reeling her in.
Carlisle studied Elena’s conflicted expression and gave another
strange smile.
“I’m glad to hear that you feel more indebted.”
He seemed strangely happy in this situa on. Elena hurried to Carlisle
and took out a handkerchief, then wrapped it around his hand.
“I’ll treat it properly tomorrow.”
She made a despairing look at Carlisle’s wound without her even
realizing it.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“…What?”
“Like you’re worried. I’ll want to get hurt more.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“You…you want me to be worried about you?”
“More like I want your a en on.”
“Then you won’t have to worry.”
She replied calmly, and he looked curiously at her. A smile flickered
on her face.
“Don’t you know that my biggest concern is Caril?”
Carlisle’s blue eyes alighted at her words. His mouth twitched as if he
had no idea how to react to it.
“That sounds good to my ears.”
“Before I’m your contract wife, I’m a bodyguard responsible for your
safety.”
Carlisle’s smile faded away.
“I wish I hadn’t heard that.”
“…What?”
“You must be red, so go to sleep.”
Elena froze at Carlisle’s sugges on. She would sleep in this bedroom,
naturally, but where and how they would sleep had yet to be
decided.
‘What do we do? I don’t know if I should sleep on the couch…’
As Elena’s thoughts raced in her head, Carlisle strode towards the
couch and lay himself down without a word. The couch was long
enough to accommodate several people, but his legs were somewhat
cramped because of his height. Elena quickly recovered herself and
spoke.
“I’ll sleep on the couch. You’re too tall, and it would be inconvenient
for you to sleep there.”
“You sleep over there, and I sleep here. That’s not nego able.”
Carlisle raised his arm to cover eyes as if he would not allow further
argument.
She stood in place and debated with herself for a moment, but in the
end she decided she would not be able to force Carlisle to stand up.
She looked at the bed, which was far too large for a single person,
then forced herself to speak.
“Alright. Then I’ll wash myself first.”

“…Whatever.”
She had to remove her make-up and change into a nightgown before
going to bed, so she hurried to the bathroom.
A er a few minutes, the sound of water echoed throughout the
bedroom. Carlisle, who was lying on his back on the couch, tugged
the cravat from his neck.
“…I don’t think I can last un l I become emperor.”
Ch. 149 Good Night, My Wife (2)
A er a quick shower, Elena carefully stepped back into the bedroom.
The lights were turned down, and Carlisle was already dressed in
comfortable sleeping a re.
‘I washed as fast as I could, yet he’s already ready for bed.’
The room was luxuriously furnished with not one bathroom, but two,
each for separate use, as well as a powder room. Elena no ced that
Carlisle’s hair was damp, as if he had come out of the shower as well.
She couldn’t see his face, however, as his arm was s ll covering his
forehead.
‘This is isn’t as uncomfortable as I thought.’
Perhaps it was because Carlisle fell asleep first, but this was far less
nerve-wracking than she had imagined. She climbed into bed. Traces
of Carlisle’s blood were s ll on the sheets, but fortunately the bed
was large enough for her to lie down away from it.
‘…It’s strange.’
From now on, she would live here instead of Blaise mansion. She
became so lost in thought that she dri ed off to sleep without
realizing it. From wedding to recep on, her body had been worked to
the bone.
She vaguely registered someone stroking her hair very gently. The
hand touched her somewhat hesitantly, as if it were the first me it
had done so.
“Mmm.”
Elena turned in her sleep, and the hand stopped moving. Eventually,
her breath turned steady again as she relaxed, and a familiar voice
whispered in her ear.
“Good night, my wife.”
Her whole body felt like co on, and instead of opening her eyes to
see who it was, she finally succumbed to slumber.
*
*
*
Flash!
When Elena woke up, she opened her eyes wide. She dimly recalled
being disturbed in her sleep last night.
‘…What was that?’
She pushed herself out of bed, when her jaw dropped when she saw
the scene before her.
“Ah…!”
There were five large boxes overflowing with jewels that had not
been there the night before. It was as if a wealthy aristocra c family
had been plundered in overnight.
“What on earth is this…?”
She shook the remnants of drowsiness from the head, but the
incredible vision did not disappear. Elena looked around the room,
but there was no sign of Carlisle. She immediately rang the bell at her
bedside, and a maidservant entered the room.
“Did you sleep well, Your Highness?”
Elena opened her mouth awkwardly at the unfamiliar tle.
“What are these jewels here?”
“Oh, this is your return gi . I believe this is the most ever given in
Ruford history. Congratula ons!”
“Return gi …!”
A wedding tradi on that had escaped her memory returned to her.
Typically, women married into the Imperial Family usually had a large
dowry, so it was custom that the groom returned some of the money
a er the wedding night. It was more of a courtesy than a
requirement, and the value differed depending on how much he
loved the bride. As such, the majority of people evaluated the love
royal men had for their wife based on the jewels given. Not only did
Carlisle not accept a dowry from Elena, but he had given her the
largest return gi in the Ruford Empire.

The maid con nued on in amazement.

“Rumors about the jewels have already spread, and there are
countless nobles envious of you.”
“…I see.”
Elena nodded slightly, slowly pressing on her temples.
‘This man…!’
She sighed secretly, remembering Carlisle she had seen last night.
“Where is His Highness now?”
Ch. 150 I’ll Teach You
As she finished preparing for her first ou ng at the Crown Prince’s
palace, Elena made towards the private training hall where she was
informed Carlisle was. She received envied looks from everyone
during her short journey through the palace, as rumors already
spread that the Crown Prince bestowed her an enormous return gi
out of sheer love for her.
Ttogag ogag—
The knights at the training hall immediately bowed their heads at
Elena’s unexpected appearance.
“Hail the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
The gree ng was s ll unfamiliar, thought no longer disconcer ng,
and she nodded gracefully in acknowledgment. She had already been
here with Zenard, and the weapons lined on the walls no longer
made her feel awkward.
As she approached Carlisle’s private training hall, she heard the
sound of a sword cu ng through the air.
Hwig, hwiig!
She soon caught sight of Carlisle with his sword in his grip, and just
like before, he was not wearing a shirt. This me, however, she
wasn’t here to study his swordsmanship skills.
“Caril.”
He immediately stopped and turned his head, revealing to Elena his
blue eyes and the mysterious fever in them.
“Are you up already? I thought you would sleep longer. You looked
quite red last night.”
Despite Carlisle’s concern over Elena’s condi on, he was the one that
looked exhausted.
“I slept well enough. Don’t you ever sleep, Caril? You look worse than
usual. “
“Well, I suppose…”
She was sure he had fallen asleep first, and she looked at him
quizzically.
“Did you have any problems last night?”
“No. I…I just couldn’t sleep.”
It was strange that Carlisle, red as he was, didn’t get any rest, but
Elena brushed it aside. There was something else that was more
important. She drew herself up and looked squarely at Carlisle.
“I saw your return gi s.”
“I see.”
Carlisle stared at her casually, but Elena had a lot she wanted to say.
“Firstly, I appreciate the exaggerated rumors of our rela onship. I am
grateful for the inten on of your gi s.”
It was a good result, but she wasn’t en rely happy about it.
“But it’s too much of a burden for me to pay back.”
“Then place it as part of your debt.”
“I don’t want to owe you anymore. I don’t know how much I can pay
back, and it’s not my nature to keep receiving it.”
She was grateful for the eleva on of her pres ge at home and
abroad, but in her heart she did not want the return gi s. Carlisle
smirked.
“I’m not going to accept the gi s I gave you.”
“I’ve kept track of everything you’ve given me so far, and I cannot
make any more concessions. You’ve already given so much, so
please.”
Carlisle took in Elena’s stern expression, and then he burst into
laughter.
“Some mes I think how much easier it would be if you were like
other women and liked jewelry and dresses.”
Carlisle sheathed his sword, and walked towards Elena in his half-
naked state. She couldn’t help but no ce every ripple of his solid,
well-built muscles.
Seueug.
He stopped in front of Elena and looked down at her. Then, slowly, he
li ed his hand and carefully tucked a strand of Elena’s hair behind her
ear.
Was it an illusion, or was Elena’s heart pounding wildly? She looked
up at Carlisle with trembling eyes, and he con nued to speak in a so
voice.
“I wish you were a woman who I could interest with jewels, that your
eyes could be dazzled by wealth.”
“…What do you mean?”
“You’re too difficult for me.”
Elena thought that the conversa on was flowing in a strange
direc on, but before she pursue that thought, Carlisle con nued.
“I accept your opinion. We can’t fight on our full first day of
marriage.”
“…Really?”
Elena’s face brightened as he agreed with her. But Carlisle wasn’t
finished yet.
“Think of the return gi s as the cost to maintain the standard of
living.”
The cost to upkeep the crown princess’ lifestyle was quite large, but it
certainly wasn’t equivalent to the jewels Carlisle gave. Elena’s brow
wrinkled in a frown.
“No ma er how large the maintenance costs are, it’s not as much as
the return gi s.”
“Consider it a few years worth of payment.”
“But—”
“I don’t want to take back what I already gave. I believe this is a good
deal.”
Elena agonized over Carlisle’s decision for a moment. She an cipated
his usual stubbornness, but he had conceded more than she
expected. Carlisle wouldn’t let her return more anyway, and so she
decided to approach this another way.
“Very well.”
Carlisle looked surprised at the way she coolly answered, but she
wasn’t done.
“Instead, please calculate the exact value of the return gi s and
subtract them from the cost of living. That includes the diamonds
from the wedding dress. As you suggested, I’ll consider it a few years’
worth of payment.”
If she le Carlisle to make an es ma on, she was sure he would try
to pay her more again. When Carlisle replied, it was in a subdued
voice.
“…If that is your wish.”
“One more thing.”
“What is it?”
“Just as I’ve accepted your extravagant gi s, please do not refuse any
gi s I give you in the future.”
An expectant smiled li ed on Carlisle’s lips.
“Are you going to give me gi s?”
“I try to give back as much as I receive.”
“…I’m looking forward to it.”
Unlike Elena, Carlisle was quite happy to receive gi s. He nodded and
replied without any hesita on.
“I won’t complain about anything you give me, so don’t worry.”
“It’s a promise.”
“I’ll keep my word.”
A new promise was forged between the two.
Elena could not tell this to Carlisle directly, but she had already made
a decision a er receiving his return gi s.
‘I should start inves ng soon.’
She hadn’t planned this far from the beginning, but Carlisle’s
con nued financial support naturally made her wonder where to
spend all the money. She had realized that she knew the future.
Business wasn’t her primary skill, but she could invest in the ones
that she knew would be successful. Carlisle’s unexpected return gi s
was a great opportunity to begin.
‘Just wait. I’m going to increase our fortune.’
Elena wanted to give back to Carlisle more than he had given her, and
so she made him promise not to refuse her extravagant gi s. As such,
she was determined to organize a business plan based on her
memories in the near future.
“Is this our first disagreement since we got married? That’s
something new.”
“…Yes.”
She hadn’t placed deep meaning on this conversa on un l now, but
Carlisle looked at if from a different perspec ve.
“We’ll try to work our problems out as much possible in the future.”
“Yes, I agree.”
“Then wait for a moment, wife. Let’s have breakfast together.”
She paused at the word “wife”, but then she nodded. It was part of
their contract.
4. If there are no other commitments, have every meal together.
It was s ll unclear why he added this condi on, but it was what he
wanted. She was staring at the perspira on running off Carlisle’s
body, when an idea entered into her head.
“Caril.”
His gaze turned directly to her.
“It’s been difficult for me to train in Blaise mansion in secret. I heard
this is your private training hall. Can I use it?”
If she started training properly, she could restore her peak strength
from her past life. Carlisle thought for a moment and then answered.
“I don’t mind. However, many of my men come and go here. I can
order them not to come here without permission, but…”
His voice trailed off, and Elena strained her ears to hear him. Carlisle
smiled and looked at her fondly.
“Some may think it strange if you stay at this training hall for too
long. Some mes other women stop by, but they only stay briefly.”
“I see. I didn’t think of that.”
Elena placed her hand on her chin. She wished there was a place
where she could train as much as she wanted, but no other place
came to mind. Carlisle’s eyes glinted as if a thought entered his head.
“I have one way.”
“What is it? “
“You might disagree if I tell you, but I am certain it will work.”
“If it works as much as you say, then I won’t object. I don’t care what
it is as long as I have a place to train.”
In order to make Carlisle emperor, she had to use power in various
ways, but what she was best as was the sword. Killing was a
necessary skill, and it was urgent that she restore her capabili es as
soon as possible to respond to cri cal moments.
It was then.
Jeobeog jeobeog—
Elena and Carlisle, both excellent warriors, picked up the sound of
approaching footsteps. Carlisle took a step closer to Elena. It was only
a single step, but it felt monumental. Elena looked up at Carlisle
wonderingly, and when he spoke, his voice was lower and huskier
than usual.
“…Last ques on. It doesn’t ma er what the method is, right?”
Something felt off to Elena, but she nodded as she could never give
up prac cing sword training.
“Yes, you’re right—”
However, Carlisle quickly cut in.
“Then put your arms around my neck.”
“…What?!”
Elena’s eyes widened in shock as Carlisle’s lips collided against hers in
a fierce kiss. He moved his mouth against hers like a starving man,
and he grabbed her waist with both hands and li ed her, adjus ng
her body so that she was posi oned higher than him. The sudden
kiss was enough to scramble Elena’s mind.
She was far gone by the powerful kiss, and she had no me to
breath. At that moment—
U ug!
Zenard stopped walking when he saw the couple kissing hotly. His
face flamed and he immediately turned his heel to march straight
back outside. There was the sound of his distant voice shou ng at
everyone not to come inside.
Elena didn’t have me to pay a en on to that, however. She was like
Carlisle’s prey, unable to escape from his kiss.
A er several long moments, Elena started to feel the urgent need to
breathe. Carlisle pulled away, his lips more swollen than usual, and
she was able to take in a rough gasp.
“Haa!”
Elena stared at Carlisle dazedly, and he smiled mischievously.
“Breathe deeply, wife.”
“What…”
“If it’s rumored that we’re using the training hall this way, no one will
approach this place, and no one will ques on why you’re here.”
Ra onally, she understood what he meant. However, even though he
sought her permission first, he didn’t give her me to prepare her
heart. Elena had said that she didn’t care for the method, but she
somehow felt cheated by him.
Carlisle, who was staring at the confused Elena, once again put his
lips against hers. She was startled by the series of light pecks, and he
lowered his eyes and smiled sweetly.
“I’ll take this opportunity to teach you how to kiss and breathe at the
same me.”
*
*
*
The gatekeeper was standing guard at the entrance to the Imperial
Palace when he saw an old woman approaching. He immediately
blocked her way.
“Who are you?”
“I came here in a hurry to see someone.”
The gatekeeper took in the old woman in front of him. He was not
sure if she was an aristocrat, but she had a strange, in mida ng
presence. Her hair was pure white from age, but her eyes s ll shone
with vigor. The gatekeeper raised his voice.
“Who did you come to see?”
“I’m looking for Lady Elena Blaise.”
“That’s…!”

The gatekeeper recalled the grand royal wedding from yesterday.

Elena was one of the most spoken of names in the capital, and there
was not one person who didn’t know she was from the Blaise family.
The gatekeeper was unable to conceal his embarrassment.
“You mean you’re here to see the Crown Princess? Who did you say
you were?”
“Ah. She must have already go en married.”
The old woman’s deep eyes filled with regret, and she heaved a deep
sigh.
“Tell her it’s her nanny visi ng her. I’ve come a long way.”
Chapter 151 Test The Waters (1)
Elena’s mind managed to recover as she made her way out of the
training hall, but her racing heart wouldn’t calm.
Carlisle’s words s ll burned in her ears.
— I’ll teach you how to kiss and breathe.
Wasn’t it said that the first me trying something was difficult, and
the second me was easier? She wanted to ques on why Carlisle was
doing this all of a sudden, but she remembered she had allowed it to
happen.
‘…I can’t act shy like this.’
They were not married long, but already in macy was creeping into
their rela onship. Although they didn’t sleep together because of the
contract, they had already had two passionate kisses like an ordinary
couple. The heat of them s ll ngled on her lips. Elena shook her
head to dispel her imagina on.
‘I need to pull myself together.’
At this rate, she would be swept away by him, but she couldn’t allow
herself to. She s ll had so much to do to make Carlisle emperor.
Elena rested a hand on her pounding heart.
‘…Calm down.’
It was not a bad way to keep people from trespassing Carlisle’s
private training hall. However, no ma er how much Elena repeated
to herself “It was just a kiss,” her mind didn’t seem immune to this
kind of touch.
Elena gave a defeated sigh. She walked towards the direc on of her
room, when the maid from earlier this morning hurried up to her and
bowed.
“Your Highness, you have a visitor in the palace.”
“Visitor?”
Elena had invited many people from the recep on to come by, and
she wondered who among them it would be. The maid was quick to
no ce Elena’s thoughts.
“She says she’s Your Highness’ nanny…”
“What?”
Elena’s scarlet eyes widened at the unexpected guest.
*
*
*
Ttogag ogag!
Elena’s footsteps raced as quickly as her mind.
‘The nanny is here!’
Elena had sent a le er to the nanny asking her whether she was well,
but made no men on about the wedding or Carlisle. She didn’t
expect the nanny to come in person, but her heart was glad. The
nanny had filled the hole in the family a er the Countess died, and
raised the young Elena and Mirabelle since they were children.
Elena finally arrived at the parlor room.
Tak!
Just as she took hold of the doorknob, she suddenly remembered she
had a breakfast appointment with Carlisle. She had run away because
of the sudden kiss, and had probably le him wai ng without a
message. Elena turned back towards the maid who had been
following her right behind.
“Please tell the Crown Prince I have a sudden visitor and I cannot join
him for breakfast. We can dine together next me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid hurried away to deliver the message. Elena braced herself,
then opened the door to the parlor room.
Kkiiig—
In the lavishly decorated space was the nanny si ng primly in her
chair. She s ll had the same white hair pulled back in a ght hairstyle,
just like the nanny Elena had missed since her last life.
“Nanny!”
Elena abandoned her usual manners and rushed towards the nanny.
Upon seeing her former charge, the nanny gave a warm smile and
spoke in a kindly voice.
“Now a crown princess doesn’t run this way.”
But the nanny’s words passed through Elena’s ears. If one included
the memories of the past life, it had been about twenty years since
Elena looked at her nanny’s grave and laid white chrysanthemum
flowers on them. The excitement of seeing her alive almost brought
Elena to tears. She ran to her nanny and hugged her like she did as a
child.
“I missed you.”
“Well, now you’re behaving more like a baby.”
Despite her light scolding, the nanny soothingly pa ed Elena’s
slender shoulders. The small gesture seemed to melt away all of
Elena’s suffering and hardship like a magic spell. She clung to her
nanny for several long moments before looking up at her.
“But how did you get here? I was so worried about you that I didn’t
even tell you I was ge ng married.”
“Do you know how much regret I feel now? I feel as if I missed my
life’s pleasure in seeing you get married.”
Disappointment was evident in her wrinkled face.
“I was afraid that you might be in poor health. And you can see
Mirabelle’s wedding instead of mine.”
“I will not be alive then…”
“Don’t say that. Live with me forever.”
The nanny gave a so chuckle at her words.
“Yes, My Lady.”
The nanny held Elena’s shoulders back to study her.
“You truly are a mature woman. So beau ful. Your late mother would
have been very happy to see you like this.”
“…Would she?”
“Of course.”
Elena’s lips li ed upward at her praise.
“But how did you marry the Crown Prince? Was this your choice or
did the Count decide it?”
“Oh, that…”
Elena couldn’t tell her the full truth, so she narrated a false love story
about Carlisle. They ventured on other topics as well, and me
passed by quickly, as there was so much to talk about.
It was morning when the nanny arrived, and now lunch me was
already approaching.
Ttog ogeu-
There was a knock on the parlor room door. Elena turned towards
the sound and spoke in a calm voice.
“Come in.”
The nanny, who was looking at Elena, instantly changed her mood at
the arrival of a new person. The door to the parlor room opened and
a woman in a maid’s uniform entered. Elena had never seen her
before, but there were so many people working in the palace that
she didn’t know all their faces yet.
“Your Highness. The Empress has sent you a personal wedding gi .”
“Gi ?”
Elena looked on in wonder. The Empress had already sufficiently
congratulated them, of course, but she knew that Ophelia’s
rela onship with Carlisle was less than friendly.
“What did she send me?”

“A messenger from the Empress’ palace says it’s a rare plant that only
grows in the Sibena kingdom in the far south. If it’s tended to well, it
will grow pink flowers, which symbolizes harmony and fer lity.”
Elena had no protest to the gi . Such a rare plant could be
considered a gi of suitable sincerity, while not being too much of a
burden. A er thinking for a moment, Elena finally replied.
“Bring it here. Let me see it myself.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid bowed her head and soon returned to the parlor room with
a burly-looking servant carrying a large flower pot. Although the
plant had yet to bloom, its sweet scent filled the room. Elena did not
par cularly fancy sweet scents, but even this she found it pleasant.
She studied the plant with her eyes, then nodded when she saw
nothing outwardly wrong with it. She was with her nanny for now,
and could check it again later.
“It smells divine. Then in my room…”
However, the nanny’s face had changed drama cally once she saw
the plant. She had been watching without a word, but now she
interrupted in a calm voice.
“My Lady, is there a need to leave right now? Let’s place it here for a
while and enjoy the fragrance.”
It seemed a strange sugges on, but Elena decided to follow her
nanny’s example. It was not difficult to move the plant at any me.
Ch. 152 Test The Waters (2)
“Very well. Let’s keep the plant here for a while.”
“Ah…yes, Your Highness.”
The maid looked slightly taken aback, but she gave a look to the
servant, who placed the large pot on the table. The luxurious
atmosphere of the room seemed to li with the placement of the
single plant.
Before the maid le , she turned to Elena to speak.
“Please call me when you want to move the plant to your room.”
Elena nodded in reply, and the maid scu led away with a friendly
smile.
Kkiig, tak!
As soon as the maid gone, the nanny immediately stood up from her
seat and began to throw open all the windows. Elena looked
ques oningly at the nanny’s urgent behavior.
“The weather has been ge ng warmer lately, but wouldn’t it s ll be
cold if you open all the windows?”
“I won’t catch a chill, My Lady. But this plant’s fragrance…I have a
feeling that keeping it around will be bad for you.”
“…What?”
The nanny returned to Elena’s side again and opened her mouth to
explain.
“I’ve never seen it with my own eyes, but I’ve heard that some
fragrant plants from Sibena have a detrimental effect on the body.”
“Detrimental? What do you mean?”
“If a woman inhales the fragrance over an extended period of
me…she may find it difficult to get pregnant.”
“…!”
Elena was stunned. Pregnancy was not something that she thought
relevant to herself at the moment, as she and Carlisle would not
sleep together un l he became emperor in the first place. However,
that didn’t mean she wasn’t angry. The gi from the Empress was
truly wicked.
“…Ha.”
Elena gave a sharp laugh, but it was not one of joy. The palace was as
terrifying as she expected.
‘I was too sure of my safety.’
Elena had been so reliant on her sword and her ability to defeat
assassins that she thought it was not easy for someone to hurt her.
However, imperial power was not necessarily wielded with physical
force. The gi was a grim reminder of that.
“Thank you for warning me, nanny. The outcome would have been
terrible if you didn’t know about it.”
“I’m not too confident, but I like to be careful. I have already said this
to you, but ul mately it is a child that gives an imperial woman
strength. The woman’s ambi on must be focused on pregnancy. “
“…Yes.”
Although the nanny was thinking far into the future, the truth was
that Elena had never pondered on it deeply before. When the goal
was to make Carlisle emperor, it was useless to worry about anything
a er that.
But her nanny was never wrong. Once an emperor’s a en on was
naturally drawn to other women and he had many concubines, the
only thing le for the empress was to provide a successor. For this
reason, if Elena failed to get pregnant, she had no choice but to step
down as she grew older. The final victory of imperial women was to
give birth to the next emperor.
‘But…it shouldn’t ma er to me.’
Elena and Carlisle were in a contract marriage. Ul mately, Elena
wanted to protect her family, and Carlisle was the man she would
walk with to make emperor. She didn’t know if their rela onship
would change, but even if the two of them were indeed bound
together, Elena would take a step back in power. The thought of
figh ng with other concubines for Carlisle’s favor didn’t appeal to her.
‘If that happens someday…would Caril do the same thing with other
women as he’s done with me?’
She remembered Carlisle’s sweetly smiling face in the bedroom last
night, as well as the searing kiss they had shared this morning. The
moment was so vivid that she could see it just behind her eyelids if
she closed them.
It was strange to think that it would all be repeated with other
women.
Uggsin.
Elena pressed her hand against her chest as her heart throbbed
painfully.
‘Why do I feel uneasy?’
From the outset, she had suspected Carlisle was a playboy. She was
grateful enough that he wasn’t mee ng other women when she
spent so much me thinking about protec ng her precious family.
Elena s fled her pain and looked at her nanny in front of her. She had
been thinking of making the nanny her lady-in-wai ng since she sent
the le er, but now when Elena saw the nanny in person, she knew
that there was no one else be er. Determined, Elena spoke.
“Nanny, there’s something I’d like to ask you…I’m telling you this in
advance, but if what I ask you is too difficult, you can refuse it.”
“Do you want me to serve as your lady-in-wai ng?”
Elena blinked in surprise at her astute observa on.
“How did you know…?”
“It’s the privilege of being the one who raised you. I know what
you’re thinking just by looking at your eyes.”
“Is that why you came all this way?”
“Yes. Although you didn’t put it in your le er, I knew you would need
my help as soon as I heard about the wedding. I wondered what I
could do best, and I came to the conclusion that I could serve as your
lady-in-wai ng. Now, what do you think, Your Highness?”
The nanny smiled knowingly, and Elena felt her heart beat faster as
she was overwhelmed with gra tude. There were so many good
people in her life, and she wanted to protect them from dying so
they could remain by her side.
Elena cleared her throat and took the nanny’s hand, which bore the
evidence of age.
“…Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I had already made my prepara ons, and I was not
beyond staging a protest if you wouldn’t let me.”
Elena knew that her nanny o en joked to lighten the mood. Elena
choked back her emo ons and forced herself to smile.
“Promise me one thing. You should never work yourself more than
you can handle. Alright?”
“Yes, My Lady.”
They shared a warm feeling that only people who knew each other
for a long me could share. As Elena gazed affec onately at her
nanny, the rare plant from Empress Ophelia caught the corner of her
vision. Later in the a ernoon, she had to meet Emperor Sullivan and
Empress Ophelia. She’d like to thank the Empress for the plant she
just received.
‘First, let’s test the waters a li le bit.’
Ch. 153 …What A Wicked Man
Elena had no inten on of making a move at the moment, but now
that the Empress had, she couldn’t allow things to remain the same.
Elena slowly rose from her seat, her blood-colored eyes shining.
“The maid who brought the plant looks a li le suspicious to me.
What do you think of her?”
“I feel the same way.”
“Yes. There can be none of the Empress’ people here.”
I was sure that Carlisle already knew, but there was a mole hiding
among us. From now on, many things would change. I was the
mistress of this palace.
A er a moment’s considera on, I opened the door to the parlor, and
a maid who I recognized approached and quickly bowed to me.
“Is there anything you wish, Your Highness?”
“Get me Sir Zenard.”
“Ah! Yes, My Lady!”
As expected, the maid seemed to know who Zenard was. A er
several visits to the palace, he was the one Elena encountered the
most among Carlisle’s subordinates save for Kuhn. Zenard was one of
Carlisle’s closest aides and she was familiar with him, making him the
right person to speak to once she had just entered the Imperial
family.
As Zenard’s neat, white-haired appearance floated in her mind, she
calculated her future moves in her head one by one.
‘Now, shall we move on?’
*
*
*
Several minutes passed before Zenard arrived to the parlor room. As
soon as he saw Elena’s face, he bowed politely.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
“We will meet many mes in the future, so you can omit such formal
gree ngs between us.”
“Oh no. I must follow standards.”
While his stubborn tone was similar to Kuhn’s, there was s ll a
dis nc on in their personali es. Kuhn carried an air of indifference to
him, while Zenard was steadfast to conven on, and Elena knew not
to ask him again to skip the formali es. She nodded knowingly and
con nued.
“I want to meet the people that work in the Crown Prince’s palace. I’d
like to gather everyone together, and I can think only of you who
could do this.”
“Ah, is that so?”
He li ed his head proudly. In the past he had looked at Len with eyes
heavy with envy and burden, but his impression of Elena was quite
admirable.
‘The difference in his reac on when I am Carlisle’s guard and his wife
is enormous.’
Perhaps that was why there was a strange feeling of distance
between them. When Elena was a knight, Morgan was the only one
who treated her with a kind smile, contrary to his in mida ng looks.
She suddenly wondered if he was doing well, but she was pressed for
other ma ers.
“I would like you to arrange a place where I can introduce everyone
to my head lady-in-wai ng.”
“Ah…”
Zenard looked at the nanny standing next to Elena with new eyes.
The head lady-in-wai ng and the head butler always played a large
role on their master’s side.
The nanny, who had been keeping a quiet posi on next to Elena,
politely introduced herself first.
“Hello. I’m the nanny who had looked a er Her Highness when she
was a child. I’m honored to be the head lady-in-wai ng, so please
take care of me.”
“I look forward to working with you. As you may have already heard,
my name is Zenard. Please feel free to ask me for help any me in the
future.”
Sa sfied with each other’s gree ngs, Elena con nued.
“I’d like to take a look at everyone before I send my regards to the
Emperor. Is that possible?”
“Yes. I’ll have as many people as possible a end.”
“Thank you.”
Zenard gave another bow in acknowledgment. The final task was to
examine the plant Ophelia had sent. If it truly was poisonous to the
body, they could feign ignorance and disguise it as a weakness. Elena
would have assigned this to Kuhn, but he was s ll at Blaise mansion.
She pointed to the plant on the table and spoke to Zenard.
“This was a gi from the Empress. Can you find out exactly what this
plant is from the Sibena kingdom?”
“The Empress?”
Zenard’s eyes flashed. His suspicions also seemed to have been
aroused.
“I’ll take it right away and find out.”
“No, I’ll leave this plant where I pass by o en.”
“But if it’s dangerous—”
“All the more reason to.”
Zenard stare at her nonplussed, and Elena smiled and spoke quietly.
“With this, we will be able to find out who the Empress’ spies are in
the Crown Prince’s palace. They will lower their guard if I appear to
act careless.”
“…!”
He was stunned at her reply, then he spoke in admira on.
“You truly are a crown princess.”
Elena smiled sheepishly at his excessive praise.
Whether it was a favor or a grudge, one had to return whatever they
had received. This me however, she planned to act differently.
‘I don’t have to expose my claws yet.’
Elena needed to conceal her true intent and watch the Empress’
reac on. And if the opportunity came, she would strike first.
“I will go quickly and gather the servants of the Crown Prince’s
palace.”
“Yes.”
Zenard made to exit the room, but he suddenly stopped and turned
toward Elena with a cau ous look.
“Ah, Your Highness…”
“Speak.”
“I’ve threatened everyone to keep away from the Crown Prince’s
private training hall, so you don’t have to worry about anyone
interrup ng you.”
“…What?”
Elena blinked for a moment, and then her cheeks flamed as she
realized what he meant. She thought she glimpsed Zenard when
Carlisle kissed her this morning. It had completely slipped her mind
a er she received the plant from Empress Ophelia.
‘I can’t believe it…’
Outwardly she was calm, but inwardly she wanted to crawl into a
mouse hole and never leave. Other people might not give second
thought to their love affair, but Elena was so embarrassed that she
wanted to die. The nanny looked curiously at Elena.
“Training hall? What happened there?”
Thankfully, Zenard had the sense to shake his head.
“Nothing. I’ll take my leave now.”
Zenard le with a look of sa sfac on on his face, blissfully oblivious
of Elena’s feelings. Elena fanned her hot face with her palm, and the
nanny ventured with her ques on again.
“What happened at the private training hall?”
“…Nothing, nanny.”
Elena avoided her gaze and stared out the window. She may have a
place to train now, but she suspected that rumors of the two sharing
a passionate love life would spread far. She suddenly remembered
when Carlisle leaned down to whisper in her ear.
—…Last ques on. It doesn’t ma er what the method is, right?
It seemed that Elena s ll needed a lot of mental prepara on before
she could prac ce sword figh ng as much as she wanted. Her face
glowed red as she remembered the hot pressure of Carlisle’s lips
against hers.
‘…What a wicked man.’
*
*
*
Zenard quickly gathered all the servants that worked in the Crown
Prince’s palace. An assembly was expected with a new mistress in
charge, but it happened much sooner than anyone an cipated, as it
was only a day a er Elena rose to the posi on as Crown Princess.
Ungseong ungseong—
There was a rumble of feet as the crowd gathered, and Zenard
confirmed to Elena that everyone was present.
“We are ready, Your Highness.”
“Thank you.”
They were assembled at an open garden outside the Crown Prince’s
palace, as it was difficult to accommodate them all in one place
indoors. Elena slowly ascended the high pla orm Zenard prepared,
taking in the view of a larger crowd than she expected. The servants
all gathered their voices together in unison.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire!”
The voices sounded quite distant as everyone spoke together. Elena
turned her head to survey the group and spoke in a calm voice.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. From this day on I will manage the
palace, and I hope you will obey my will.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Then, I will introduce my chosen head lady-in-wai ng. From now on,
treat her as such.”
For the servants of the palace, the head lady-in-wai ng was their
immediate superior, who they would encounter more than the crown
princess. Everyone’s a en on turned to the aged woman as she rose
to the pla orm. She had a gracious air about her, but there was a
sense she was not to be trifled with either.
“Pleasure to meet you all. From today on, I will be the head lady-in-
wai ng. If you don’t break the rules, there will be no need for
embarrassment, so please do your part well.”
Everyone bowed to the nanny’s calm charisma.
“Yes, head lady-in-wai ng.”
Elena watched with a look of sa sfac on, and she studied each of the
servants’ faces gathered there. Some of them she had already met
several mes before. And…
She spo ed the face of the maid who brought her the plant to the
parlor room. Elena pointed towards the maid.
“What’s your name?”
“Oh, I am Asabe, Your Highness.”
“Very well, Asabe. I would like you to serve as my personal maid
star ng today.”
Asabe’s eyes widened in surprise, then she quickly lowered her head.
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
Elena kept her face outwardly smooth, but she had already secretly
exchanged glances with her nanny. Elena may be able to find out
more about Asabe and if she was secretly associated with the
Empress. If the maid was confirmed as a spy, it was not yet known
whether Elena would remove her, but the important thing was that
she could be useful one day.
‘Even though she may be a spy, it doesn’t mean I have to keep her
away. I can bring her closer to me and leak false informa on.’
To do so, it was urgent she find out who were her friends and who
were her enemies. It was likely that many of the servants here were
not only spies for the Empress, but of other nobles and even of other
kingdoms.
‘It’s impossible to not be watched at all…’
Elena quietly looked at all the servants gathered here.
‘…The more you figure out who your enemy is, the be er you can
make your move.’
First she would look into Asabe, the first to catch her suspicion. Elena
had taken her first step in her life as part of the Imperial Family.
*
*
*
In the Empress’ palace, Ophelia lounged in a high-backed chair with a
pipe res ng in her hand. A spiral of smoke dri ed in the air, when
someone approached her silently from behind.
“Your Majesty.”
Ophelia turned her head at the low voice. Cassana, her head lady-in-
wai ng, stood before her.
“The gi was delivered to the Crown Prince’s palace.”
“…Is that so?”
Ophelia’s reac on was muted, however, and Cassana spoke carefully.
“They didn’t no ce at all, so I don’t believe they’re the smartest
type.”

“We’ll see.”
“It’s a bit disappoin ng that she didn’t even no ce a simple gi .”
At those words, the corner of Ophelia’s mouth pped upward. She
wanted to test Elena’s reac on, and so she baited her with the plant.
The Empress could’ve tried something more elaborate, of course, but
for now a li le taste to celebrate the arrival of the Crown Princess
would suffice. If Elena didn’t no ce anything about the plant, that
was fine. It wouldn’t be good for Ophelia if Elena were to get
pregnant before Sullivan died. Ophelia wondered how they would
have reacted if they no ced the scheme quickly.
She placed her pipe back on her lips and relaxed, like a fisherman
wai ng for a fish to take the bait.
“…I look forward to seeing what the new family member will be like.”
Ch. 154 Mismatch (1)
A er introducing herself to the servants of the palace, Elena met up
with Carlisle to pay their respects to the Emperor and Empress.
Carlisle wore his usual formal clothes, save for a cravat around his
neck. She looked at him curiously, but then turned away as their eyes
met. She s ll felt a bit embarrassed a er their kiss at the training hall.
“Tie it for me.”
“…What?”
“I heard that other people’s wives do it every morning.”
“Who did you hear that from?”
“My subordinates.”
“Please ask one of the maids to do it.”
Carlisle’s brow furrowed at Elena’s rejec on.
“Why should I allow a maid to do it when my wife is perfectly
capable?”
“I…”
Elena paused, and breathed a low sigh. Then slowly, she admi ed her
inability.
“… I don’t know how to e it.”
Carlisle’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’ve never done it before?”
“There was no one for me to do it for. My father and brother are
knights, and they usually wear their uniforms.”
The knights’ uniforms had standing collars, so there was no reason to
wear a cravat. Even when her father and brother did have to wear
one, they would ask one of the maids to do it, not Elena.
Carlisle’s mouth gently li ed upwards.
“Then I can be your first.”
“…I really don’t know how.”
“It’s fine.”
“People might talk badly of me if they see an uneven cravat.”
“Then I’ll cut their throat.”
She was shocked by the casualness of his remarks. She couldn’t tell
how much of it was true and how much was a joke.
“We have to go soon.”
“What does it ma er?”
Carlisle’s response caught her off guard. She was about to refuse
again, but she knew the fu lity of it and took the strip of cloth from
Carlisle’s hand.
“I warned you.”
“I know.”
Carlisle slightly lowered his upper body, and she concentrated on
fastening the cravat around his shirt collar. When she looked up, she
saw that his gaze was fixed intently on her.
“…What are you thinking of?”
“Beau ful.”
His response came out of nowhere, and Elena widened her eyes as
she looked up at him. He spoke again, his voice like velvet.
“My wife is so beau ful.”
Elena’s finger ps felt shakier than before, and she suddenly became
aware of his proximity to her. His breath ckled her forehead. She
didn’t want him to no ce her burning cheeks, so she hurriedly
finished tying the cravat. It didn’t look as neat as a maid’s work, but it
was acceptable enough.
“It’s ready.”
Carlisle carefully stroked the cravat with a look of sa sfac on.
“I should have married you sooner.”
Elena alternated looking between Carlisle and the cravat, and spoke
with a perplexed look on her face.
“Because I did your cravat?”
“Yes. Maybe I’ll ask you to do it every morning.”
Elena some mes really wondered what was going on in Carlisle’s
head. He extended his hand towards her as a warm smile played
across his face.
“Let’s go then.”
*
*
*
Elena and Carlisle arrived at the Emperor’s Palace in me for their
mee ng. The guard gave a deep bow and opened a massive door
embellished with pure gold.
Kkiiieu—
Beyond the doors was a lavish interior, and si ng inside was
Emperor Sullivan, looking more sickly than before, and Empress
Ophelia, a picture of elegant beauty. Elena remembered the rare
plant she received from the seemingly generous Empress. Ophelia
was not someone to be underes mated.
“Kollog—welcome.”
Sullivan held back a coughing fit behind his hand as he greeted
Carlisle and Elena. A frown crossed Carlisle’s face.
“You look worse than before.”
“As you age, each day is different. There is nothing to worry about.”
Sullivan carelessly waved his hand, but Elena thought he did look
sicklier.
“How was your night at the Imperial Palace, my dear?”
Elena blinked and turned to look at Sullivan’s face.
“Thanks to the care of Father and Mother, there was nothing
lacking.”
It was a rou ne answer, but it didn’t seem to be the one he was
looking for.
“Yes, my daughter-in-law can say all kinds of lovely words. But is it
true that Carlisle gave you an enormous return gi ? The palace is
buzzing about it.”
Elena nodded as she recalled the small fortune Carlisle had given her.
She was s ll embarrassed about it.
“Yes. Carlisle cares about me very much.”
Sullivan smiled knowingly.
“Haha, it’s no use persuading my son otherwise, isn’t it?”
Hearing this, Ophelia answered with a honeyed smile.
“It’s a blessing when a couple gets along well.”
“Just like us?”
Ophelia’s eyes glimmered like a snake, but the look had disappeared
in an instant and no one no ced.
“Truly…it is a great blessing.”
However, Elena sensed something was wrong. Sullivan and Ophelia
looked amiable on the surface, but somehow it felt as if they were
treading on thin ice beneath them. Elena couldn’t quite put it into
words. She soon gave up trying to gauge their mysterious
rela onship, and instead intended to watch them for now.
“I received the flowers that you sent today, Your Majesty.”
Elena’s words caught Sullivan and Carlisle’s eyes, and she con nued.
“I hear that it is a rare plant only found in the Sibena Kingdom. The
blooming flowers symbolizes harmony and fer lity.”
If the plant was truly harmful, she had to make Ophelia say she was
the one who sent them herself, so she could not claim otherwise
later. The Empress’ eyes shimmered, but then she smiled and
casually answered.
“Yes. When I heard there was such a plant, I immediately thought of
you.”
“I don’t know how I could express my gra tude for sending me such a
gi . Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Elena hid her true inten ons, instead projec ng the appearance of a
simple-minded princess. Nothing would be be er than taking her
enemy off guard.

‘…It will be easier to make my move that way.’

Elena didn’t want the Empress to immediately be wary of her.
Ophelia’s influence was greater in the Imperial Palace, and Elena had
not yet established her own power.
An elegant smile graced Ophelia’s face.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you would like it so much. Would you like me to
plant them all over the garden of the Crown Prince’s palace?”
“…!”
RotFK Ch. 155 Mismatch (2)
Elena suspected this was a test to see if she knew the truth. If the
plant was truly harmful, she couldn’t allow this to happen. The smile
broadened on her face.
“There is no need, Your Majesty. No ma er how precious something
is, its value lessens when there’s many of it. I will cherish what you
sent me.”
“Very well. I’ll plant more of them whenever you desire, so just say
the word.”
Pointed daggers were hidden under their smiling faces. Carlisle
watched the scene with a curious eye and spoke to Elena in a barely
audible voice.
“I didn’t hear about the Empress sending a gi .”
Elena had asked Zenard to inves gate the plant, but she hadn’t told
Carlisle yet, thinking it wouldn’t be too late to talk about it a er the
results of the inves ga on. S ll, she suspected that Zenard might’ve
informed Carlisle at some point, but she had kept the knight busy
gathering the servants around the palace.
Elena looked awkwardly at Carlisle and replied.
“I had so much to do that I must have forgo en. I received a gi from
the Empress.”
“Whatever the news is, I hoped to hear about it first.”
Other people might not have no ced, but Elena detected a telltale
glimmer in his eyes that indicated he was in a bad mood. However,
Carlisle looked straight at Ophelia with no signs of displeasure.
“Anything that goes to my wife, even the smallest thing, goes through
me from now on.”
“Oh, are you already trying to protect her?”
Ophelia covered her mouth and smiled, but in spite of her teasing
gesture, Carlisle spoke unblinkingly.
“Of course. She’s my wife.”
It was true that Elena was his wife, but to lay his feelings so nakedly
before them was a bold gesture. Ophelia looked stunned for a
moment, then burst out laughing as if she had witnessed something
amusing. At the same me, a strange mood lingered around Sullivan
as he sat by and watched the situa on, his face as pallid as ever.
“You two must be quite busy on your first day of marriage. We can
finish here, then you can leave.”
“We are just ge ng acquainted with the Crown Prince and his wife,
and you are already sending them away, Your Majesty?”
Ophelia’s face was plastered with a sad smile, but everyone gathered
here knew it wasn’t genuine. Carlisle responded in a clipped tone.
“Our rela onship is different from what I know.”
The mood in the Emperor’s palace quickly turned ugly. Carlisle was a
man of characteris c arrogance and overwhelming spirit, even when
he was simply standing s ll. Most would recoil at the hint of
bloodthirs ness, but Ophelia’s spirit was also formidable. Although
the Empress had never learned to wield a sword, the Anita family had
produced many generals, and she met Carlisle’s cool eyes without so
much as a blink. It was Sullivan’s cough that cut through the strained
atmosphere.
“Kollog, kollog.“
His fit forced Ophelia and Carlisle to dampen their heated feelings.
Their expressions were s ll hos le, but Sullivan interrupted them.
“I need to get some rest. You may leave now.”
Carlisle shot Ophelia a cold look and immediately gave Sullivan a
bow. Elena, who had been watching the situa on, hurriedly spoke.
“Rest well, father.”
“Alright, my dear. Un l next me.”
It may have been a customary farewell, but Elena was sincerely
looking forward to her next mee ng with him. Before she was
married, he promised to tell her the secret of the blue bead ring he
gave to Carlisle when he was just a boy.
“Father, did you remember that you and I would have another dinner
together a er I became crown princess?”
Carlisle had dismissed the ring as just supers on, but Sullivan
believed in it and even declined the dowry from Elena. The ring was
the reason why the Emperor so easily accepted the marriage in the
first place. Elena wondered if there truly was a secret behind it.
Sullivan nodded with a faint smile on his face.
“Of course. I will keep my word to my daughter-in-law. I will see you
when I feel be er.”
“I’ll be awai ng you, Father.”
“Leave safely now.”
Elena bowed respec ully to Sullivan and Ophelia, then walked out of
the Emperor’s palace with Carlisle in a good mood.
Kwaang!
A er Elena and Carlisle fully stepped out of the palace, the golden
door closed again. Ophelia, however, was looking at the empty spot
with a look of displeasure. An air of strained silence hung over her
and Sullivan.
“Kollog, kollog.“
Sullivan covered his mouth as his body racked with coughs, while
Ophelia held out a handkerchief to him.
“You are in bad health, so please don’t strain yourself, Your Majesty.”
Sullivan accepted the handkerchief Ophelia gave and spoke with a
more serious tone than before.
“…Can you just follow my lead?”
He gave no explana on, but Ophelia understood it immediately. He
meant that he couldn’t groom Carlisle to be the crown prince if she
undercut him.
Ophelia smiled, cas ng her eyes away as if she knew nothing.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t say things like that,
Your Majesty.”
Sullivan and Ophelia had known each other for decades, and Sullivan
already knew that Ophelia was o en a snake with her words.
However, he didn’t understand what she meant. He shot her a
ques oning look, and she gave him his usual smile.
“Expressing your feelings when we have such a poli cal rela onship,
it really isn’t like you You shouldn’t convey your thoughts when you
have an upright image to maintain, Your Majesty. “
Sullivan’s expression darkened. In either case, the Emperor and
Empress were the two pillars that supported the Empire. There was
so much to lose if any of them backed away, and so for many years
that fought to take another inch from each other. There was no
difference…even un l now. They only kept in proximity to each other
to keep each other in check, and their affec on was simply show to
the Empire and to the other kingdoms. They were a couple who
never had a physical rela onship with each other in these long years.

As usual, Sullivan bore a gentle smile on his face.

“Yes. I feel weak because I feel like my last day is approaching. “
They looked at each other and smiled as if they were a loving couple.
It was such an old move now. Ophelia spoke with a radiant smile on
her face.
“Yes. A concession between the two of us, it really doesn’t fit.”
Chapter 156
Silence hung over Carlisle and Elena a er they le the palace. It was
only when they reached a fork in the path did Elena sha er the quiet.
“I’ll go this way. “
She turned away, when—
Tak.
A hand captured Elena’s wrist. She looked ques oningly back at
Carlisle, who responded in a firmer voice than usual.
“I don’t know what she gave you, but whatever it is, dispose of it
now.”
“If I dispose a gi from the Empress, there will be gossip. Don’t
worry, I have a plan in mind.”
“…You make me worry about you.”
“You needn’t be concerned about me.”
Carlisle’s eyebrows li ed at Elena’s over-confident answer, but she
refused to retreat. She knew Carlisle was worried, but he didn’t
understand her posi on right now.
“I am not a li le girl hovering at the water’s edge. Are you going to
be angry simply because I hadn’t yet told you about the Empress’
gi ?”
His jaw clenched, but he had nothing to say about it.
“Don’t forget our contract, Caril.”
It wasn’t as if she had made the decision so easily. A er receiving the
plant from the Empress, her first course was ac on was to come up
with a solu on, not to go running to Carlisle at the first sign of
danger. She didn’t come to the Imperial Palace to depend on him, but
to ul mately make him emperor and save her father, brother, and
Mirabelle. She couldn’t bear to lose them again in this life me. As
her heart became more desperate, so did the burden on Elena’s
shoulders become heavier.
“…Are you telling me to leave you alone, no ma er what you do?”
“I’m not saying that. I just want you to trust me.”
In less than a year, Paveluc would a empt to seize the throne. When
Elena had returned to the past, it was as if her blood dried up when
she realized that she had so li le me le . She threw herself into
doing everything she could for Carlisle—sword figh ng, power
games, living in the palace. Some mes, however, Carlisle’s
overprotec veness threatened to obstruct her path.
“…You’re mistaken. It’s not that I don’t believe in your ability. In truth,
I’ve admired everything you’ve done so far.”
Elena’s ruby eyes shimmered at the unexpected answer. She thought
he didn’t believe in her decisions, as he always tried to stop her every
me she tried to do something.
Carlisle con nued, his voice so .
“Trus ng you and feeling worried about you are different. The
Empress is known to be vicious and clever, both at home and abroad.
I can’t leave you vulnerable to her.”
“But if you’re going to be emperor—”
“Why the hell are you so obsessed with me becoming emperor?”
“…!”
Elena was struck dumb. Carlisle may be ignorant, but it was because
she couldn’t confess her mo va ons. She wasn’t sure how much he
would believe in a situa on that couldn’t be explained logically.
‘…I would be lucky if he didn’t see me as a madwoman.’
Elena didn’t answer, and Carlisle con nued on in a suspicious tone.
“I thought you wanted to be empress because you desired wealth,
but you have no care for it at all… I don’t understand why you want
me to become emperor.”
To her amazement, Carlisle seemed to have gleaned Elena’s thoughts
in all the me they were together. In fact, all of what he said was
true. She wasn’t greedy for wealth or power. What she wanted was
to protect what she had. No one knew how horrendous her past life
was, how she shivered in the bi ng winters surviving for days on a
piece of bread, with only one thought in her mind.
‘I want to see my family…’
She had spent those decades possessed with regret and anger. A er
experiencing a hellish life, she had a miraculous chance to turn her
fortune. She decided she had to change her future at all costs, no
ma er the pain and sacrifice.
“When you become emperor…I hope that someday I will be able to
explain it to you with a smile.”
Carlisle’s brow furrowed at the seriousness of her tone. So she
couldn’t tell him right now.
“You leave me with a big ques on.”

“Forget about it for now. What’s important is that I will support you
immensely in your path to emperor.”
Elena’s eyes and Carlisle’s complicated gaze met in midair.
Hwiiiingeu—
A warm spring breeze blew past them, and Elena raised her hand to
catch the stray locks from flying in the wind. Carlisle li ed his hand
and arranged her fine golden hair. It was a special gesture without
physical contact…
A strange feeling welled up within Elena. It was something that she
had never felt before in her life.
Ch. 157 The Name Of The Emo on (2)
…What is this?’
Elena stared up ques oningly at Carlisle’s finely sculpted face. His
hand came slowly down as he arranged her hair, then his fingers
traced her jawline. It was an ac on where she could barely feel his
touch, but nevertheless, a small ripple pulsed through her mind.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ll lose my anxiety over you.”
“…!”
“I cannot stand it if the Empress tries to harm you in front of me.”
“…Caril.”
Despite Elena’s so voice, Carlisle pushed forward stubbornly.
“I don’t understand what you’re thinking right now. But there is one
thing you are overlooking.”
“…What is it?”
“Your safety.”
“I care about that—”
“No, every me I’ve seen you so far, you seem to have no regard for
yourself. I won’t ask why you want to become empress anymore, but
remember this one thing. “
There was a deep emo on in Carlisle’s eyes that she could not
iden ty.=
“Without you…there is nothing.”
Kung kung kung.
The small ripple in Elena’s mind became a huge wave, and her red
eyes widened. She never thought he would say such words to her.
Elena was ready to jump into a fire holding a can of oil, but it was as
if Carlisle was telling her to cherish herself first.
“…”
She found it difficult to conjure up something to say. A er what she
heard so far, should she be angry with him? Should she try to stop
him from worrying unnecessarily? Or perhaps…
Should she say thank you?
Elena’s thoughts tangled in her head, and her expression hardened as
if she had been doused in cold water. Carlisle seemed to have
mistaken her expression, however, and he lowered his hand with a
bi er smile.
“I’ll see you at dinner later.”
It was part of their contract to eat a meal together every day. Carlisle
parted first, with a promise of a next mee ng.
Ttubeog ubeogeu—
She stood frozen on the spot, staring at Carlisle’s back un l he
disappeared.
‘…Why did he sound like that? ‘
It was not the first me Carlisle worried about Elena. This me,
however it felt different. He had said there was nothing without her,
and to her ears it sounded like, ‘You are more important than
anything.’
Perhaps that was too generous of an interpreta on. But whatever it
meant…it moved Elena’s heart.
Kung kung kung kung kung.
Her heart pounded in her ribcage. She didn’t know the name of the
emo on when Carlisle touched her hair, but she knew now.
It was “thrill”.
*
*
*
A er Elena’s wedding, the Blaise mansion was a hive of ac vity. The
one who found himself busiest of all was the butler Michael.
“Are you all set to enter the palace tomorrow?”
Mary answered with a vigorous nod.
“Yes.”
The wedding completed, some of the servants prepared to arrive at
the Imperial Palace to a end to Elena. O en mes when a noble was
married, they took familiar servants from their own families, and
Elena, as Crown Princess, would need more people to comfortably
take care of her.
‘The maids are almost ready…’
The list of maids going to the Imperial Palace had already been taken
care of by Elena. A few other servants, however, were not well-
acquainted with Elena, and she le it to Michael to choose those
who could be trusted. Michael didn’t think much of it, and told the
Blaise household they needed more assistance at the Imperial
Palace…
Kuhn, who had been employed a while ago, volunteered. Michael
remembered how Mirabelle’s face was like death when she found
out, and he pressed his fingers against his temple.
“What the hell is going to happen…”
Mary, who was standing opposite of Michael, widened her eyes.
“Hm? What did you say?”
“N-nothing….”
Michael confirmed that Mary was fully packed, then moved to check
another maid’s room.
“Rest well, Mary.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Michael finally le the small room.
Kkiig, tak!
The door shut with a loud click, and Mary turned to the luggage case
she had packed, a complicated expression on her face. She didn’t
have much, as she was given her daily necessi es by the family she
served.
“…Well.”
Mary heaved a sigh, and then pulled out the item she had secretly
hidden in the luggage case. It was a le er from Tilda that had arrived
unexpectedly last night. Tilda was Sophie’s friend, and was currently
in the employ Lady Selby. She had also previously worked for the
Blaise family for a long me.
“Why is she sending me a le er now?”
She hadn’t opened the envelope yet, and she wondered what was
inside. When Sophie had received a sudden le er from Tilda, Sophie
had torn Elena’s dress into pieces and fled.
A le er sat before Mary now. She was hesitant to read the contents,
but discarding it felt like ignoring the camaraderie they had built.
Mary considered telling Elena about it first, but she was worried it
would be a mistake.
‘Alright. I’ll just take a look at it, and I’ll tell her if it’s anything
strange.’
Fully resolved, Mary finally opened the sealed envelope.
Ch. 158 It Was Enormous (1)
It came as a sudden shock to Mirabelle when she found out that
Kuhn would leave for the palace. She had se led down her mind and
decided to go on a picnic with Kuhn, but now she felt as if everything
was falling apart.
“Kuhn, are you really going to leave for the palace?”
Kuhn replied immediately, despite the quiver in Mirabelle’s voice.
“Yes.”
Her clear, green eyes trembled even more at his answer.
“Why? Why would you go to the palace so suddenly?”
“It pays well…”
“Then I’ll pay you be er than the Imperial Palace does.”
“…”
Kuhn stared at Mirabelle’s determined face before a thin sigh
escaped from his mouth. He had failed to capture the rat hiding in
Blaise mansion, and now that Elena was married, the rat would
naturally follow her to the palace. Kuhn had to do the same. He had
to complete his original mission, but now an unexpected obstacle lay
before him.
‘What do I do here?’
Kuhn felt the stare of some maids as they walked past. Though the
maids were some distance away, his sensi ve ears managed to pick
up on their conversa on.
“Look, the Young Lady is with that servant again.”
“I know. I think it’s true that she’s in love with him.”
Mirabelle’s intense affec on had put Kuhn in the center of a en on
in Blaise mansion. He couldn’t help but sigh again.
“…Haaa.”
Mirabelle looked at him ques oningly.
“Kuhn? Oh!”
Mirabelle was about to open her mouth to speak when—
Tag, hwiig!
Kuhn grabbed her shoulders and quickly pushed her where no one
else could see them. She was quickly driven into a dark storehouse,
with a hard wall at her back and Kuhn’s face right in front of her. It
was an awkward posi on. Mirabelle’s eyes widened even further in
embarrassment.
“Th-this—”
“Shhh. Or other people will see.”
Kuhn’s low voice caused her cheeks to color, but she managed to
steady herself.
“What does it ma er if others see us?”
“They’ll gossip about a close rela onship between master and
servant.”
“The servants in my family don’t do that—”
“Everyone’s the same. Take my advice so you don’t get involved in a
scandal.”
Mirabelle’s face scrunched up as she reflected on his words, but Kuhn
only stared down at her with a smooth expression.
“….I’ll be more careful in the future.”
“Please keep it in mind. In any case, I’ll be leaving for the palace.”
“Why? Did I do something wrong?”
Mirabelle pouted at him like an abandoned puppy. Kuhn furrowed his
brow at the sight and swallowed the words he couldn’t say.
‘You’re the problem.’
The lady of the house could do no wrong to a servant, and she
couldn’t be cri cized for any mistakes she made. Such was noble
society, and such was the gulf between Mirabelle’s and Kuhn’s
posi ons.
“This rela onship with you is somewhat uncomfortable, Young Lady.”
In truth, Kuhn needed to return to the Imperial Palace to complete
his mission for Carlisle. Mirabelle’s behavior towards him had nothing
to do with him leaving, but it was a convenient excuse, even if it hurt
her. A er all, the rela onship between the two was only a fantasy
from the beginning.
Mirabelle’s face paled.
“My ac ons made you uncomfortable?”
“Yes. I don’t want people to stare and gossip about me, and I don’t
feel comfortable with someone who knows my past. I’d like to make a
fresh start in the palace, where no one knows me at all.”
That was the perfect, plausible reason. Kuhn thought it would be
enough, but Mirabelle turned out to be surprisingly stubborn.
“…I don’t like it.”
“…?”
“Even if you’re uncomfortable…stay.”
Kuhn looked surprised as if someone knocked him over the head.
“I’ll be more careful now that I know what the issue is. You s ll have
some me le on your employment contract, and…and I’ll give you a
raise, as I said. Oh! I can also make other tasks easier if you want.”
Mirabelle started to ramble, but it was a hopeless distrac on from
Kuhn’s point of view.
“…Young Lady.”
Mirabelle’s face s ffened as she knew what his so tone meant.
“You won’t be able to go anywhere unless I allow you. You are
contracted with Blaise mansion for a year.”
Kuhn was speechless. She wasn’t wrong, however. He had signed
exactly that on his contract.
“…So I will not send you. Don’t go.”
Mirabelle clutched at Kuhn’s collar in a childish gesture, a stark
contrast to the sternness of her words just before. She gave orders
like a noble and completely disregarded his thoughts, but she was
gripped with despera on. Kuhn looked alternately between her thin
hands and trembling green eyes.
He didn’t know what to do with this li le bird-like girl.
*
*
*
Batori was busy packing his things as he was selected to go to the
Imperial Palace. Instead of volunteering and arousing suspicion, he
had planned to arrange an “accident” for a servant so he could take
their place. Fortunately, a vacancy opened up without him needing to
do anything, and Batori was able to save himself the effort.
“Hmm, hmm~”
Batori was humming a happy li le tune to himself when—
Kkiiigeu.
The door opened and Kuhn entered into their shared room. The dark-
haired man looked rather gloomy today, but Batori greeted him with
his usual bright look.
“Hey~ Are you there?”
“…”
Kuhn sat down on his bed without a reply. Kuhn o en ignored
Batori’s a empt to talk to him, and so Batori was used to it.
‘I strangely like that he’s cau ous with his words.’
Batori could charm anyone, and was easily able to infiltrate as a
jewelry store clerk. It quite suited his ap tude. Ar ficial smile,
ar ficial ac ons, ar ficial conversa ons. Batori displayed
considerable skill in it, but he was strangely a racted to this man of
few words. It almost felt as if he had been searching for someone of
his own kind. Batori smiled at the thought.
‘If he infiltrated into Blaise’s mansion like me…it’s too obvious.’
RotFK Ch. 159 It Was Enormous (2)
In many ways, Kuhn who received Mirabelle’s love in abundance was
not someone worth suspec ng. Excellent assassins would conceal
themselves, so ac ng while laying everything bare like this was
impossible.
Batori con nued to speak Kuhn even though the other man didn’t
bother looking his way.
“I’ll be leaving for the palace tomorrow. It’s a li le sad since we’ve
go en along so brilliantly, right? “
Kuhn’s expressionless gray eyes blinked at the word “palace.”
“You’re the one going to the palace instead of me?”
“Was it your posi on that I replaced? The butler said there was a
vacancy in the palace and he asked me if I had any thoughts. I agreed
because of the higher salary.”
Batori once again deemed that Kuhn was not dangerous to him. If it
was for his personal purposes, there was no way he would’ve missed
an opportunity to infiltrate the palace.
‘It’s a useless thought. Him as the same kind is ridiculous…’
There was a murderous glint flashed in Batori’s eyes, but Kuhn did
not no ce. Batori smiled back and con nued in a cheery voice.
“Take care of yourself when we part and—”
Kuhn ignored Batori’s farewell commisera on. In truth, Kuhn didn’t
suspect Batori as a dangerous person either. Kuhn believed that if he
had le for the palace as planned, Batori would not have taken his
place and would have remained at Blaise mansion. The rat that Kuhn
was looking for wouldn’t rely on chance, and instead would have
used an accident to disguise his entry.
…But Mirabelle’s sudden interrup on had put a spanner in the works.
‘Do I have to ask for help from the General?’
If he couldn’t leave Blaise mansion on his own voli on, the last resort
was to seek assistance from Carlisle. He couldn’t remain stuck here
forever. Kuhn may be able to make a direct request to Elena, but he
couldn’t tell her that he was tracking an intruder and had made a
false promise to protect Mirabelle. The reason for Mirabelle’s
obsession mys fied him, but it was clear that she wouldn’t let go.
Kuhn pressed his fingers against his throbbing head.
‘…My heart was weakened.’
He should be going to palace, even if it meant speaking more hur ul
words to Mirabelle. But he couldn’t bring himself to. He scolded
himself internally for failing to make a sober judgment because of a
momentary feeling.
Batori’s words interrupted him from his thoughts.
“Oh, and I le my shampoo in the bathroom. You can use it if you
need it—”
Kuhn fell back on his bed with a thump. Batori kept talking as he
watched the other man prepare to sleep.
“Hey, are you listening to me?”
Kuhn silently turned his head away and buried himself under a
blanket. Ever since he came here, it had only been trouble.
*
*
*
The work in the Imperial Palace was making steady progress as Elena
planned. The nanny exceeded her expecta ons as head lady-in-
wai ng, and had organized the servants in a heartbeat.
Elena kept secret watch on Asabe, whom Elena suspected was in the
employ of the Empress. The flower’s aroma was poten ally harmful,
and so Elena had the plant placed in a dra y area and took extra care
not to be expose herself to it.
‘Do I wait?’
If Asabe was revealed to be Empress’s spy, or if the plant was
iden fied, Elena could make her move as soon as possible. Anything
could be used to a ack the empress.
As Elena briefly considered her plans, she suddenly looked up at
Carlisle ea ng his meal across from her. He was was overwhelmingly
handsome. He had an air of in mida on about him, but when his
deep blue eyes turned at her, she couldn’t help but swallow hard. His
straight nose, sharp jawline, and muscled neck all looked as if they
were laboriously sculpted by a cra sman. Even when Elena first met
Carlisle, she knew he was incomparable to anyone else.
‘Is that why—?’
Her heart was bea ng at the sight of a handsome man. Carlisle had
affected her from the start, and she tenta vely concluded that he
was familiar around women. He had been quite good to her, but…
‘I can’t have been the only one.’
Although she had never seen Carlisle with another woman, he had
quickly go en along with Mirabelle. And if Carlisle treated another
woman like he did Elena, it would be inevitable that she would fall for
him. He had even managed to turn the head of someone whose eyes
were fixed only on revenge.
‘At a me when I should be thinking about my family…instead I’m
feeling excited about my contract husband…’
On the one hand, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame. She
didn’t think she had any room le in her mind for frivolity, but
Carlisle had stolen her a en on…
Elena was in turmoil over these confusing and new feelings.
“If you stare with such a passionate look, even I might get nervous.”
“…!”
Elena’s red eyes widened. She had been staring at Carlisle’s face
without even realizing it.
“I—”
Elena tried to formulate an excuse, but Carlisle simply smiled and
looked at her as if she was the only beau ful thing in the scenery.
“That doesn’t mean you should stop looking.”
Carlisle interlocked his fingers and rested his chin on them.
“I don’t care how you look at me because I’m yours, but I’d like you to
eat as well.”
They she looked at him wasn’t near the same intensity as Carlisle’s
gaze now. As she stared into his penetra ng blue eyes, Elena felt her
heart beat faster again.
Dugeun, gugeun.
To have this feeling…
It was enormous.
Ch. 160 Stop Right There
Elena had been too preoccupied with the turmoil in her mind to eat
much, and Carlisle kept shoo ng her concerned glances. A er
finishing dinner, they both returned to their shared bedroom.
‘…Why was he looking at me so affec onately?’
She remembered how her brother would leave her a cup of sweet
cocoa a er her father became upset with him. It would never fail to
li her spirits whenever she drank it, but the feeling she had from
Carlisle’s gaze contained a deeper sweetness than the cocoa.
The problem was that nothing about Carlisle had changed; nothing in
his gaze, tone, and behavior.
What had changed what her acceptance of him.
‘Keep your head straight, Elena. Don’t you remember what you have
to do?’
The lives of her family members were on her shoulders. She had no
me to look elsewhere. However…she couldn’t help but feel an
a rac on towards Carlisle. She didn’t know when it started. At some
point, the emo on had embedded itself deep in her mind and
sprouted roots. If she looked back at him, she knew that her heart
would beat wildly.
‘I’m beginning to be aware of the opposite sex…’
Elena briskly shook her head. She had to sort this out before it
ghtened its grip on her. She needed to keep her distance from
Carlisle…
“Ah!”
Elena let out an involuntary gasp. When she looked up in the mirror,
she saw Carlisle staring right at her.
“W-what are you doing here, Caril?”
“You didn’t respond to me no ma er how many mes I called you.”
“Ah….”
She must have been too lost in thought to realize he had been calling
her. Carlisle, however, did not leave. He simply leaned against the
door frame of the powder room with his arms crossed as he stared at
her. Elena broke eye contact from him and opened her mouth to
speak.
“Well, you’ve checked in on me, so you may leave now.”
“What were you thinking about?”
Just a moment ago, Elena shook her head to shove away the
thoughts in her mind. Anyone would be curious.
“…It’s nothing.”
Carlisle looked at her doub ully, but fortunately he didn’t press her
further. He con nued to study Elena’s face for a moment, then
turned and strode away with his long legs.
“Whatever it is, it’s me to go to bed.”
Elena remembered they were married. It was impossible to stay away
from Carlisle while she tried to find her peace of mind. Under the
terms of the contract marriage, they had to face each other at every
meal, and then they would see each other again each me when
they went to bed.
‘…Please god.’
Elena dropped her forehead onto her hand.
*
*
*
A er she finished in the powder room, she took a few cau ous steps
into the bedroom, and saw Carlisle was seated languidly on the
couch wai ng up for her. His ordinary appearance felt different from
usual, even though he was unchanged.
Elena kept her voice casual as she spoke.
“You don’t have to wait up for me. If you’re red, you can go to bed
first.”
“It’s fine. I won’t ex nguish the lamps un l you come in anyway.”
“Don’t worry. I can see well in the dark and find my way to bed.”
“…I see.”
Carlisle didn’t object, and Elena was sa sfied that he accepted her
request. They would be able to sort out how to stay in this room.
Carlisle made to stand up from the couch, when Elena quickly raised
her hand to stop him.
“Why are you ge ng up?”
“The lights…”
“Oh! I’ll ex nguish them, so please lie back down.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Please let me do it.”
Carlisle looked at her ques oningly, but he finally relented and sat
back down on the coach.
Elena didn’t want Carlisle to come too close to her. In order to
ex nguish the lamps, he would have to come near the bed where
Elena was lying down, and her feelings might excite her again. Out of
sight, out of mind. While some contact was inevitable as a married
couple, she wanted as much distance as possible so she could regain
her composure.
“I’ll turn them off.”
She hurriedly ex nguished all the lights in the bedroom. She would
normally leave a bedside lamp on, but she wanted the darkness and
the illusion of sleeping alone. Sharing a bedroom with someone she
was star ng to see as a man made her feel awkward in many ways.
The bedroom darkened. Elena walked to the bed, avoiding Carlisle
and the couch as much as possible.
‘Don’t waste me thinking about him, and work on how you’re going
to live in the palace—Ow!’
Kudantang!
She was so preoccupied with avoiding Carlisle that her foot crashed
into an ornament.
She would never had made this mistake under ordinary
circumstances. Her vision and senses were keenly honed on the
ba lefield by the threat of a sword or arrow.
‘…I must look foolish.’
She couldn’t believe she had done such a stupid thing, and she
leaned down to hold her painful ankle. At the same me, her
frustra on welled up in her.
‘What the hell am I doing…’
In her last life, she didn’t have the luxury of individual sleeping
quarters in ba le, and had slept among men she didn’t know in the
barracks. It suddenly seemed ironic that she was trying so hard to
avoid Carlisle.
” …Haaa.”
Elena dragged her palm down her cheek in despondency.
Ttubeog ubeog.
She heard the sounds of footsteps in the dark. When she looked up,
she saw a dark silhoue e, with blue eyes shining dimly through the
dark. For a moment Carlisle looked like a wild animal, a jaguar
looking for its prey.
“Are you hurt?”
Just by his tone, she knew that he didn’t like her being injured. Elena
quickly hid her bruised ankle and replied in a nonchalant voice.
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”
“I don’t believe you’re fine.”
As he spoke, he walked closer to Elena. She hurriedly held out her
hand.
“Stop right there.”
Carlisle froze on the spot. Elena hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that.
She didn’t want to be so conscious of Carlisle anymore. In this
situa on where her family’s life was on the line, she had no me to
indulge in this new feeling.
“I’m fine, really. Don’t come any closer.”
Although it was obscured in the dark, Elena could almost sense a
smirk on Carlisle’s mouth.
“No.”
Carlisle’s footsteps resumed again. And then came his voice, lower
and huskier than before.
“I told you, if there’s ever a moment when you’re too conscious of
me, you have to hide it…”
Before she knew it, she realized that Carlisle’s long legs had brought
him close to her.
“…because I can’t stand it.”
“Caril!”
Before Elena could say anything, Carlisle’s arms came under her waist
and knees and abruptly li ed her into the air. No ma er how slim she
was, an adult woman was a heavy load. Carlisle seemed unburdened
however, and Elena looked up at him with a wide-eyed stare.
“How many mes are you going to say that, when you’ve already
broken two things at once?”
Carlisle walked towards the bed, carrying Elena in his arms. In the
short distance, Elena felt an oddly ckling, peculiar sensa on…
She was carefully deposited onto the ma ress. But it didn’t end
there.
Seueugeu.
Carlisle took Elena’s slender ankle from underneath her nightgown.
“Tell me if you’re hurt. I’ll call the doctor right away.”
She was startled by the heat of his skin on hers. Carlisle’s body
temperature was higher than she expected.
“You don’t have to call a doctor at this late hour. I’m fine.”
“I don’t believe that.”
Looking at Carlisle’s sharp eyes, she couldn’t help but feel once more
he was a man who crossed lines freely. The more she tried to avoid
him, the more entangled she became. Elena pushed away her
confusion before speaking.
“I’m fine, truly. I don’t want to be crowded when people come and
go. If I wake up tomorrow and it s ll hurts, then we can call the
doctor.”
Carlisle frown disapprovingly, but he relented.
“Be sure to.”
Carlisle hesitated for a moment, then pulled the blanket up to Elena’s
neck. She looked at him in surprise when he brushed his hand against
her forehead.
“It’s late, so sleep now.”
Finally, Carlisle turned away.
As Elena watched his dark shape walk away and then recline onto the
couch, she felt her thoughts became even more confused than
before.
This was a long night.
*
*
*
Zenard had been very busy lately.
He had gathered all the servants working at the Crown Prince’s
palace at Elena’s order, then was later scolded for not repor ng the
plant to Carlisle.
‘By the me I looked for him, the prince had already gone to the
Imperial Palace to visit the Emperor and Empress.’
Zenard though his treatment was unfair, but it couldn’t be helped.
For now, he focused on gathering informa on on the plant even into
this late hour. There was no deadline, but wanted to complete it as
soon as possible in respect to Elena.
‘She is a good match for the prince.’
When Zenard had first met her, he was stunned by her dazzling
beauty, and later, he came to admire her me culous character and
intelligence. Elena may not realize it, but Carlisle had changed
immensely since he met her. Knowing how Carlisle was like at the
borders of the Ruford Empire, Zenard could safely say that the prince
had become more human than before.
‘If the prince is to be as gentle as he is now, he will need as much
help from the princess as much as possible.’
The only thing that could put an angry beast to rest was beauty. An
uncharacteris c smile spread on Zenard’s face as he thought of the
crown princess.
Ttog, og.
There was a knock on Zenard’s door.
“Come in.”
One of Zenard’s men charged with gathering informa on entered the
room.
“We found what you were looking for. Please look over this report.”
Zenard immediately began looking at the material the man had
brought.
[Manera plant.
A rare plant that grows only in the kingdom of Sibena in the south.
If raised well, it will bloom pink flowers and is very aroma c.
Women, however, will become infer le if exposed to the fragrance
over a long period of me.]
Zenard was shocked at the passage he just read. He had an ominous
premoni on knowing that Empress Ophelia had sent it, but he didn’t
realize it would be to this extent. Elena had not men oned a single
word about this.

‘Does the Crown Princess know about this?’

Elena already knew that the plant only grew in the Sibena kingdom,
so chances were that she was not ignorant. Nevertheless, she kept
the plant… She was truly dauntless, and Zenard felt another wave of
admira on. However, another sentence caught his eyes.
[There is another plant called the Vanera, which is the Manera’s twin.
It is said…]
A serious light glimmered in Zenard’s eyes as he read the
informa on.
Ch. 161 Was It Too Late? (1)
Elena slept fi ully un l dawn. Countless thoughts swirled in her
mind, most of them about Carlisle.
‘When did it start?’
She opened her eyes to see sunlight filtering so ly through the
curtains. She cast her mind back to the me when the Blaise family
was destroyed, when she had run away from Mirabelle and Derek,
and the grief she felt when she saw her father’s dead body. The
memory used to replayed in front of her every me she closed her
eyelids at night. Not a day passed in her last life where she wasn’t
reminded of that hell.
‘But since when…’
When did she start having days when she wasn’t chained to those
terrible memories? Returning to the past seemed to have a greater
effect on her then she thought, as the bi er memories started fading
away into a nightmare that she didn’t want to revisit. She used to be
overcome with venom every me she recalled them.
‘My me is moving.’
In her last life, Elena spent years learning to fight and sharpening her
sword to take revenge against Paveluc. No ma er how much me
passed, her mind was always wrapped up in the death of her family…
But now, Elena’s heart flowed with me like a river, and Carlisle had
unexpectedly taken hold in her thoughts.
‘Is it alright to let this be?’
Just because she was star ng to see Carlisle as a man, it didn’t mean
she didn’t care about the safety of her family. Nothing changed from
the current situa on she was in. Ul mately, making Carlisle emperor
was her mission, and even if she couldn’t do that, she couldn’t leave
him to the mercy of Empress Ophelia or the Anita family.
‘Would this heart get in the way?’
Perhaps she should wait un l Carlisle was crowned emperor and she
achieved her goal at least…
A long shadow fell on Elena’s face, and she lted her head to see
Carlisle looking down at her.
“Why are you s ll lying down when you’re awake?”
“Oh, I was just thinking—”
Hwiig!
Carlisle didn’t even hear Elena’s answer as he tugged aside the
blanket to reveal her ankle.
Elena looked at him in surprise.
“What are you doing, Caril?”
“I’ve been wai ng for you to wake up.”
Carlisle’s eyes fell on her bruised and swollen ankle. He frowned as
he lightly rubbed her foot with his hand.
“Did you lie to me last night about not being hurt?”
“I’m fine. I’ll be be er soon.”
“I won’t believe you when you say you’re fine from now on.”
Carlisle called the maid wai ng outside and ordered her to bring a
doctor immediately. Though his voice was calm, the maid scurried
away quickly. The atmosphere emana ng from the prince was
terrifying.
Elena watched the scene from behind in wonder. A small injury like
this didn’t require this level of fuss, she wouldn’t even consider going
to a doctor for such an injury in her last life.
Some me passed before the doctor arrived to inspect her ankle.
“Ah, Your Highness. Fortunately, it’s not as serious as a fracture or
disloca on. Don’t move around too much and apply some ice. If the
pain isn’t severe, you don’t even need bandages—”
Carlisle, who was hovering closely, cut in.
“What do you mean the injury isn’t severe? You should do something
to keep her ankle in place.”
“She has bruises, but to have that degree of treatment—”
The doctor fell silent under Carlisle’s withering glare and swallowed.
“Are you saying that a er seeing the injury with both your eyes that
it’s not serious?”
“Oh, no. Your Highness. My lowly self prepared such a treatment in
the case of an unforeseen emergency.”
The palace doctor quickly pulled out some bandages from his bag,
and Elena couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. She didn’t think the
injury wasn’t serious enough for bandages, but she couldn’t disagree
with Carlisle in front of him. They had to project a picture of love, and
Elena did not intend to ques on Carlisle’s honor, no ma er how
trivial. She watched the doctor carefully bandage her foot, then
looked back at Carlisle’s face.
“Thank you, Caril. You care about me so much for even the smallest
thing.”
Carlisle li ed his eyebrows at her unexpected reply, but he soon
realized that she was conscious of the doctor nearby. He smiled and
raised his hand to touch Elena’s cheek.
“Don’t get hurt, my wife.”
Even though it was all an act, her heart flu ered at his words. She
started to realize she was losing control.
‘No one’s ever doubted me when I said I was fine…’
Everyone believed her when she said she was fine, even when she
was suffering. No one tried to uncover her hidden wounds like
Carlisle did. Carlisle stared at the bandages wrapped around Elena’s
ankle, then turned to the maid.
“Is the medicine ready?”
“Yes, Your Highness. It will help with the pain in the ankle. Shall I
administer it now?”
Carlisle glanced at Elena then shook his head.
“Not yet, medicine is not good on an empty stomach. Tell the chef to
serve foods that will promote healing.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid backed away and hurried out of the room as Elena gazed at
her overprotec ve husband. As either the eldest daughter of the
Blaise family or as a knight, she was never worried over. Carlisle’s
concern for her seemed to warm her body.

‘It feels good…’

She didn’t know how to express the feeling in words, but she was
touched by Carlisle’s care.
A thought struck her. To be able to stop her heart going to Carlisle…
Was it too late?
Ch. 162 Was It Too Late? (2)
Elena was res ng in the bedroom when there was a knock on the
door, and her nanny entered.
“What is it?”
“Sir Zenard is here. Shall I let him in?”
“Oh, yes, right away.”
The nanny smiled and stepped back outside. A moment later, Zenard
entered and bowed respec ully.
“Hail to the crown princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
“Welcome, Sir Zenard. Have you finished the research I asked for?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Before I explain it to you, please read the report
first.”
She accepted the report from Zenard and quickly skimmed it, then
paused in one spot.
[There is another plant called the Vanera, which is the Manera’s twin.
It is said that they look iden cal, and only scholars who study
Sibenian plants are able to dis nguish their fine differences.
The Vanera plant produces the same pink flowers, but unlike Manera,
which is harmful to a woman’s body, inhaling its fragrance is not
harmful.
Rather, the sweet smell of the Vanera flowers promotes health for
the mind and body of a woman…]
Elena’s forehead creased. Was the gi sent by Empress Ophelia the
Manera plant that caused sterility? Or was the Vanera plant that was
completely harmless? Apparently only a scholar from Sibena could
tell.
‘Why did the empress send me one of these twin plants?’
It was not yet clear whether it was a coincidence or if there was a
more nefarious intent. Elena brought her hand to her chin as she
thought over the informa on, then looked back at Zenard.
“I’ll need to confirm the contents of this report first. Thank you for
your quick a en on to this ma er.”
“Yes. As you can see, no ordinary person can dis nguish between the
two flowers.”
“Then we’ll need a botanist that knows of plants from Sibena.”
“I already brought in a scholar last night to iden fy the one you’ve
been given.”
Elena was impressed by Zenard’s swi ini a ve. She had met some
of Carlisle’s men several mes, Kuhn included, but she didn’t know
that Zenard had such amazing capability.
“It’s reassuring that the Crown Prince has a man like you by his side.”
“You are too kind, Your Highness.”
Zenard bowed his head at the compliment.
Elena meant it. The crown prince couldn’t act alone, and it was a
blessing that Carlisle had competent subordinates at hand.
“We can save a lot of me thanks to your quick work. What did the
scholar say about the plant?”
“…It is the Manera flower.”
Manera was the one that caused infer lity. It was not different from
her original suspicious, but the fact that there were twin plants
weighed on Elena’s mind. Would the Empress simply lie or say she
was mistaken? It would be convenient if Ophelia was the clumsy
type, but Carlisle had warned her she wouldn’t be that easy.
‘Then what on earth is going on?’
Despite her lingering discomfort, there was no way for her to find out
now. Zenard interrupted Elena’s thoughts.
“How do you intend to handle this?”
“I assume you reported this to Prince Carlisle. Did you tell him what
you told me?”
“…!”
His eyes widened. It was true that he had already gone to Carlisle
before going to Elena, as last me he had been scolded for delivering
his report late. Zenard was taken aback, but he was also impressed
that Elena casually no ced this informa on.
‘She truly is a crown princess.’
Every me he saw her confirmed to him that she was a perfect match
for Carlisle. Zenard looked at Elena with an enviable eye and bowed
his head.
“As you said, it’s true that I reported to Prince Carlisle first. He then
ordered me to do whatever you asked.”
” …Caril?”
Elena was so surprised that she inadvertently called Carlisle by his
pet name. She usually took care to refer to him by his formal tle to
establish his authority.
‘Is it because of what he said before?’
Elena had told Carlisle to trust in her, and this seemed to be his
answer. It wasn’t an excessive reac on, but it was support
nonetheless.
— I’m sorry, but I’m not going to let you down.
Despite his concern over her safety, he seemed to have trust and
confidence in her abili es. For him to leave this case to Elena despite
how worried he was… A faint smile spread on Elena’s lips.
“Your Highness?”
Zenard no ced the sudden change in Elena, who broke from her
reverie and looked at Zenard in front of her.
“Oh, I was thinking of something for a moment.”
Elena didn’t explain, but Zenard guessed that Carlisle was on her
mind. A er a moment, Elena con nued to speak with her red eyes
shining brightly.
“As long as we have the Empress’ weakness, we cannot let it go.”
“Those words…”
“I’ll have to set a trap, one so ght that the Empress cannot squirm
out of it.”
It was necessary to let the whole world know that Ophelia intended
to hurt Elena, and not allow her to easily make excuses.
“Among the ambassadors here to celebrate the wedding are from the
Sibena Kingdom, correct?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Please check if any of them have ever studied plants. “
“Ah…!”
Zenard seemed to put together what Elena was planning. She gave
him a meaningful look.
“And tell the ambassadors of all kingdoms that I will host a party as
gra tude for the wedding. Do it as soon as possible before they
return home. In the mean me, we shall send an invita on to the
Empress as well.”

The smile on Elena’s lips deepened.

“Let’s start by unveiling the Manera plant in front of everyone.”
If it was revealed that Empress Ophelia sent the flowers to Elena, it
would cause an uproar. Even the Empress could not stop the mouths
of the people from other kingdoms. This was the trap Elena had
woven. Zenard gave a deep look of admira on and bowed.
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
Ch. 163 I’ll See Soon
The ambassadors who wanted even the slightest connec on with the
Ruford Imperial Family could not refuse Elena’s invita on. All invitees
expressed their inten on to a end the party, and as the date loomed
the palace became increasingly populated. Because Elena’s ankle
made it difficult to move speedily, it fell to the head-lady-wai ng to
organize the servants and create as perfect as event as possible.
Plans were going smoothly, when there was a knock on Elena’s door.
“Come in.”
Asabe entered the room and gave a low bow.
“Your Highness. Lady Mirabelle from the Blaise family is here, as well
as the other maids and servants.”
“Really? I’ll go out myself.”
As Elena stood up on her bandaged ankle, Asabe quickly went to her
side to assist her. Elena’s injury wasn’t so severe that she was
immobile, but Carlisle was so insistent on her recovery that she
simply complied. Of course, her ankle was healing quickly thanks to
him.
‘Mirabelle will worry if she sees me like this.’
Elena swi ly headed out of the Crown Prince’s palace, her heart
li ing in an cipa on in seeing Mirabelle a er a long me. Elena
spo ed the familiar figures of the Blaise residents exi ng from the
carriage. When Mary saw Elena walking with Asabe’s help, the maid’s
eyes widened.
“My Lady!”
Mary hurried to Elena and looked at her anxiously.
“What happened to you? Did you hurt your ankle?”
“Yes, recently. It’s not serious, so don’t worry too much.”
“It looked serious because of the bandages. Well, you don’t have to
worry now that we’re here. I’ll work hard to lessen your
inconvenience.”
“That is reassuring.”
Elena gave a warm smile. She had thought she had been doing fine
so far, but seeing Mary’s familiar face made her feel at home. It
seemed that nobles did not usually take maids from their parents’
households.
Elena looked around in search of her sister.
“What about Mirabelle?”
“Oh, she should be here soon. There is a lot of luggage, so it was sent
ahead first.”
“I see. Some people should be here soon to tell you about your
accommoda ons and other things. Let me know if you need anything
else.”
“Yes, My Lady! Ah no, Your Highness!”
Elena smiled faintly at Mary’s confusion over her tle, then turned to
Asabe.
“Go to the head lady-in-wai ng and inform her that the maids and
servants from Blaise family have arrived. Tell her to give them special
a en on.”
Asabe, who was quietly watching the scene between Elena and Mary,
bowed her head.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Asabe le . She was a maid of the Imperial Palace, and was much
more well-groomed and polite than the average maid of a noble
family. Mary murmured in surprise,
“Maids from the Imperial Palace are different.”
Elena responded with a smile.
“They’re not that different. And you’re far more important to me
than the other maids.”
“Oh, My Lady…”
Mary gave Elena a moved look, then hesitated before con nuing to
speak.
“Um, My Lady—”
She was interrupted by another voice.
“Sister!”
A bright voice turned their heads. Mirabelle had disembarked from
another carriage, and was smiling brightly and running towards
Elena. Then, in a moment, she fell into the arms of her older sister.
Mirabelle’s physical touch made Elena’s face split into a smile.
“You’re here, Mirabelle.”
“Yes, sister. I missed you.”
A er a brief reunion, Elena turned her head back to the maid.
“Mary, what were you trying to say earlier?”
“Oh, nothing, My Lady. I’ll tell you later.”
“Very well. I’ll see you in a li le while.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Elena and Mirabelle turned and walked towards the palace hand-in-
hand. Another figure was watching them with a close eye.
“Hwii~”
Batori gave a low whistle as he watched the sisters’ disappearing
figures. Elena was closer to the family servants from home than from
the Imperial Palace. Batori was never under suspicion in Blaise
Mansion, and here in the palace he had even more free rein as a
servant of the Crown Princess.
‘I planned it this way from the beginning, but this is an excellent
posi on.’
Batori carried the luggage from the carriage, smiling as usual.
Mary stood there for a moment, staring at the backs of Elena and
Mirabelle, and then returned to her original posi on. There was no
one there to no ce how her expression turned gloomy.
*
*
*
This was the first me Elena and Mirabelle had seen each other since
the wedding, and they spoke to each other as if they had been apart
for years. Elena gave Mirabelle a tour inside the palace. Although
Mirabelle had already visited the place before, Elena was able to
show everything in more detail.
They se led in a luxurious parlor room while Elena told her sister
about the going-ons of the palace.
“What? Our nanny has become the head lady-in-wai ng?”
“Yes. She’s busy preparing for a party I’m hos ng, but before you go
back, please see her and say hello.”
“Of course. I’ve missed her so much…I never thought I’d see her
again like this.”
The nanny had played an important role in their lives, filling the hole
a er their mother died.
Mirabelle made an expression as if she remembered something, then
pulled out a stack of documents.
“Ah, sister. Here is a list of all the maids and servants. It also has
personal informa on about them, so keep it safe.”
“Yes, I will.”
Elena smiled and placed the papers on the table. When Mirabelle
spoke, it was with a more cau ous voice than before.
“It’s a slightly different list than the one I received from the butler. I
switched out one of the servants with another.”
“A servant? Why?”
Mirabelle answered Elena’s ques on with an awkward smile.
“I just wanted to keep him a li le longer because I’m so a ached to
him. So I want to ask for your understanding.”
As Mirabelle spoke, there was only one person that came to Elena’s
mind—Kuhn Kasha, Carlisle’s subordinate. Elena looked on
ques oningly.
“What is the name of the servant?”
“Kuhn Kasha. Do you remember him from last me?”
At Mirabelle’s sheepish reac on, Elena had a ght feeling in her
stomach. When she had been busy preparing for her wedding, she
had a suspicion that Mirabelle was nurturing feelings for Kuhn. More
importantly, Kuhn had said something to Elena that had bothered
her.
—The Young Lady has been working me hard.
Mirabelle was not the type to always keep a servant close to her.
Elena tried to speak as gently as possible.
“You must have become close to the servant Kuhn without me
realizing.”
“Uh-huh. Somehow…”
Mirabelle scratched her nose and smiled shyly. She had changed in a
short amount of me. Elena had accepted that Mirabelle would
mature as she grew older, but now it felt a li le different from that.
Presently, Elena did not know the details of Kuhn’s situa on, as he
had lied about promising to protect Mirabelle. From Elena’s point of
view, she considering asking Kuhn to ensure Mirabelle’s safety un l
she returned to the south.
‘It’s convenient to have Sir Kasha stay in Blaise mansion, but…’
When she heard Kuhn applied to work as a palace servant, she knew
that he would leave Blaise mansion. What Elena didn’t expect,
however, was Mirabelle complica ng ma ers by blocking him.
‘What is going on?’
She needed to verify Kuhn’s story with him later. Elena gave an
understanding nod to Mirabelle.
“Very well. If you want to keep the servant Kuhn, you may.”
“Ah! Thank goodness!”
Mirabelle whooped with glee, but was interrupted by the sound of a
knock. The parlor room door opened and the nanny walked in.
“Young Lady!”
Mirabelle leapt up at the sight of the nanny, then ran to hug the aged
woman.
“Nanny~”
Elena watched the joyful reunion. Mirabelle’s smile always magically
made her happy, and she wanted to protect that smile the most in
the world.
Time passed by and the day of Elena’s party finally arrived. She didn’t
want undue a en on, so she removed the bandage from her ankle
for the day and wore a strikingly lavish dress. The party would be
a ended by many people, from Empress Ophelia to the ambassadors
from various countries. Elena took me culous care, as this was her
first event hosted as crown princess.
Ttogag ogageu—
Elena spoke in a low voice to her nanny as she walked towards the
hall.
“Is there nothing suspicious about Asabe?”
“Nothing yet.”
“Very well, then we’ll watch a li le longer. She was the maid to bring
me the Manera plant a er all.”
“Of course. You can rely on me.”
Elena gave a faint smile. The nanny acted as if she were Elena’s hands
and feet, and exceeded the expecta ons of her posi on. It was hard
to imagine how Elena would have go en through palace life without
her nanny by her side.
“You’ve been working hard organizing the party, nanny.”
“Yes, the prepara ons went smoothly, so you can be at ease. And you
should call me ‘lady-in-wai ng’, Your Highness.”
“I’ll only call you nanny when we’re alone. I’m s ll more familiar with
that term.”
The nanny wore a tender smile, knowing that there weren’t many
people Elena could act as a child around.
Elena didn’t know what would happen once it was revealed to
everyone that the Empress had given Elena the Manera plant. It
would be a large stain on the Empress’ reputa on, unless there were
any unaccounted variables. Of course, that did not mean Elena would
loosen her grip on a dangerous opponent, like Carlisle warned her so
many mes.
‘But it won’t be easy to get out.’
Even the Empress could not slip away from this net. How would
Ophelia react in this situa on? While Elena knew the Empress by
word of her reputa on, this was Elena’s first direct confronta on
with her.
‘I’ll see soon.’
With her jewel-like red eyes shining brightly, Elena approached the
hall with her nanny following her footsteps. The people milling by the
entrance recognized her and bowed all at once.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire!”
Everyone’s voices came together in a loud chorus. With as much
composure as possible, Elena walked into the party.
Kkiiigeu—

The door opened before Elena’s footsteps. The brilliantly decorated

interior gradually came into view, followed by the ambassadors from
various countries, as well as Empress Ophelia seated at the head
table.
The servant standing by the door heralded Elena’s arrival.
“The Crown Princess of the Ruford Empire has arrived!”
Everyone at the party turned towards the entrance. Despite the
numerous eyes turned on Elena, she entered the party with an
undaunted and dignified look.
The secret ba le would begin.
Ch. 164 Knew It Would Happen (1)
Ophelia greeted Elena with a gracious expression when she entered
the room.
“You have arrived.”
When Elena bowed to her, she recalled the conflict between Carlisle
and Ophelia. Beneath the facade of virtue, there was poison in the
Empress’ smile.
But Elena was also formidable. She answered with a broad smile on
her face.
“Thank you again for accep ng my invita on.”
“You’re welcome. All the ambassadors from all over the world are
here, and one should support the crown princess, don’t you think?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
In truth, Ophelia would not easily tolerate a mee ng between the
ambassadors and Elena without her there. If Ophelia hadn’t been
invited, it was likely she would have prevented the party from
happening. She didn’t reveal it outwardly, however, and Elena was
grateful that Ophelia did not know her inten ons. Smiling and talking
with the Empress at a party was something Elena would have never
considered in her past life. She had been reluctant to engage in these
ar ficial pleasantries before, and so she found her current posi on
ironic.
Elena suddenly wondered if the smile on her face was as natural as
Empress Ophelia’s. Even if she didn’t have the Empress’ skill, perhaps
in me she would learn to wear a poisoned smile to trick her
opponent. It didn’t really match her personality, however…
S ll, she would try to do it be er than anyone else, if it meant
protec ng her family and Carlisle.
With her own smile that she prac ced in the mirror dozens of mes,
Elena approached a group of ambassadors, holding her head tall.
“Thank you all for coming to my party. Please enjoy yourself before
you return home.”
The ambassadors eagerly replied at the same me.
“Thank you for your invita on!”
“I’ll eat and drink as much as I can today. Ha ha ha.”
The sound of laughing and talking filled the room. Elena looked at
them with a sa sfied expression, then clapped lightly as a signal.
Jjag jjag!
Dancers emerged in synchroniza on to the center of the stage, all
dressed in airy, chiffon costumes to perform tradi onal dances of the
Ruford Empire.
“A group of famous dancers from the Ruford Empire will perform for
us today. I hope you will enjoy their performances.”
It was more common to have dancers at a large imperial ball rather
than a small party like this. The Ruford Empire’s dances were famous
for its splendor and beauty, but it was rumored they were rarely
performed.
Delegates from each country watched in fascina on as the dancers
move in ways they had never seen before. Their rich costumes
flu ered in the air, giving the appearance of goddesses descending
from heaven.
“Oooh—”
A sound of admira on came from the ambassadors. Ophelia looked
on with an interested expression, as if she hadn’t expected the
dancers.
“You are quite me culous. It hadn’t been that long since you’ve sent
out the invita ons, and yet you’ve already prepared a variety of
things to see in such a short me.”
“I thought of how I could promote the status of the Ruford Empire to
the ambassadors. I’m very happy to hear that you have a good
impression, Your Majesty.”
Ophelia’s eyes flashed in response to Elena’s answer, but Elena did
not no ce. Ophelia naturally con nued.
“S ll, a beau ful dance does not symbolize the empire. It may have
been around for genera ons, but what truly represents the empire
is—”
Elena answered before she could finish.
“Power.”
Elena’s and Ophelia’s gaze collided in midair. A smile spread
innocently on Elena’s face.
“I’ve prepared other things to match the status of the Ruford
Empire.”
Because Ophelia could ask what it was, the dancers disappeared
behind the stage, just as beau ful men and women in white uniforms
took their place. Their austere atmosphere was very different from
the graceful dancers just before, and the audience looked on in
an cipa on.
It was then.
“Haaa!”
There was a spirited shout, and a sword dance began. Such a
demonstra on would convey the military might of the Ruford Empire
to the ambassadors.
“This is the Ruford Empire, too.”
“The sword dance is flawless without any superfluous moves.”
Their compliments carried as far back towards where Ophelia and
Elena were si ng. Ophelia had an unpleasant look in her eyes, but
her mouth s ll held a benevolent smile.
“Yes, the Crown Princess has prepared it well.”
“Not at all. I s ll have a lot to learn from you, Your Majesty.”
Elena watched the stage as she feigned humility. It was finally me
for the main event. Some of the sword dancers temporarily held
aside their blades for a moment, while the others pulled out pink
flowers from their arms.
Hwiig!
They tossed the pink flowers into the air, and the wai ng sword
dancers cut the petals into dozens of pieces.
Swig, swig, swig.
The petals fell in the air like rain, and the ambassadors burst into
applause at the sight.
“Bravo!”
“The Ruford Empire is impressive.”

The sweet fragrance of the pink flowers sweetened the senses

everyone at the party, and Elena’s red eyes glistened as she watched
the pink petals dri slowly to the floor. These very flowers were the
ones that grew on the Manera plant, and the performances were
simply a means to draw a en on to them.
Sensing that it was the right me, Elena stepped forward, clapping
her hands just like the beginning. Then she opened her mouth to
speak to all those present.
“Wonderful. Please, let’s show our apprecia on for the performers.”
At Elena’s encouragement, the applause from all sides rang louder. At
that me, one of the ambassadors deliberately planted in advance
spoke up.
“Excuse me, may I ask you what these petals are? It smells so sweet.
Is it a flower that only grows in the Ruford Empire?”
Ch. 165 Knew It Would Happen (2).
Elena replied with a nonchalant look.
“Oh, this flower is from a rare plant that grows only in the Sibena
Kingdom. Her Majesty the Empress recently sent one to me as a
wedding gi , and I loved the aroma so much that I had to have it at
this party.”
The audience all nodded.
“I see.”
“It smells wonderful.”
However, whispering broke out from those from the Sibena kingdom,
dark expressions on their faces. Elena deliberately turned towards
them.
“Ah, yes, there are ambassadors from Sibena. What is the exact name
of this plant?”
“It’s—”
One of the ambassadors frowned in contempla on. Elena gave a
surrep ous glance towards the nanny before turning back.
“Oh, the flowers are so torn up that it’s impossible to iden fy even by
a Sibenian. I’ll show you the actual plant given to me by the
Empress.”
As soon as Elena finished, the nanny approached the ambassador
with the po ed plant. It was all according to plan. The closer Manera
plant came, the darker the expressions from the ambassadors from
Sibena. If the ambassador said the wrong thing, the Empress would
be in an unstable posi on. However, if he lied in open view of the
others, it was tantamount to taking the blame.
Although it was not hot in the hall, the Sibenian ambassador was
swea ng as if it were in a humid summer. He closed his eyes, then
spoke.
“W-well, it’s called the Manera plant. It’s difficult for many to
dis nguish it from its twin, the Vanera.”
“Then, among the twin plants, the Empress gave me the Manera.”
“Y-yes. That’s right.”
Some of the people began to murmur among themselves. Elena
pressed the ambassador again.
“I have heard that the flowers bring harmony and fer lity, correct?”
The ambassador of the Sibena Kingdom, while he did not wish to
reveal as much as he could, realized that there was no way out. He
had a defeated expression on his face as he spoke.
“Not…not at all. If you inhale this fragrance over a long period of
me, it can cause infer lity in women.”
“What? What are you saying?”
Elena turned to Empress Ophelia with a startled expression. Elena
wasn’t the only one, as the en re party looked at Ophelia with
amazement. Sending a plant that caused infer lity to the Crown
Princess was obvious in its intent to harm. Elena spoke with a look of
disbelief.
“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?”
This was the conclusion of Elena’s carefully prepared trap. It had
already been confirmed that some of the ambassadors to the Sibena
Kingdom could dis nguish the Manera and Vanera plants, and she
had staged a performance that would draw a en on to the flowers.
The nobles of the Ruford Empire may be under the Empress’
influence, and so she filled the hall with envoys from other kingdoms.
Under this plan, Ophelia would suffer a severe blow to her image.
Ophelia’s completely calm demeanor caused a sinking feeling in
Elena’s stomach, however.
‘Something’s wrong.’
But she couldn’t figure out what on earth it was. Elena quickly
recalculated everything in her head, when Ophelia’s voice rang
through the hall.
“Please don’t misunderstand me, Crown Princess. Someone must
have manipulated this to defame me.”
“…Defame?”
“Yes, I sent you the sweet Vanera flowers, not the Manera. And I can
bring a scholar from the Kingdom of Sibena here to prove it.”
“…!”
From the start, Elena thought it was strange that there were twin
plants. She frowned.
“With all due respect, Your Majesty, it would be difficult to confirm
the situa on with only one witness. How much can we trust one
scholar?”
“Don’t worry. Someone must be playing a trick to separate us, and I’ll
make sure to find out who.”
Ophelia spoke in a confident tone and called her lady-in-wai ng,
Cassana.
“Cassana, quickly bring the Sibenian scholar staying in the Empress’
palace.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Cassana rushed out of the party as the ambassadors exchanged
disturbed looks among themselves. Elena wanted to speak more, but
she couldn’t ignore Ophelia’s promise to bring a witness, as if the
Empress had prepared for this exact situa on.
Before long, Cassana returned with a middle-aged man.
“Hail to the Empress. Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the
Ruford Empire.”
The man approached and fell to the floor in a deep bow. Ophelia
spoke in a displeased tone.
“I ordered you to buy a Vanera plant to send it to the crown princess.
Now the others say it’s the Manera plant. What happened?”
“Your Majesty, it can’t be. What I sent was clearly the Vanera plant. I
swear my life on it. Can I see the plant myself?”
Elena was forced to nod, and the nanny approached the scholar with
the plant. As soon as the scholar saw the Manera, he shook his head
and spoke firmly.
“I didn’t send this, Your Majesty. Was there any opportunity for
someone else to switch out the plant?”
Empress Ophelia pretended to think.
“No. There’s no one in the palace who could…”
Her words trailed off, and she looked at Elena as if she realized
something.

“Who delivered this plant to the Crown Princess, by any chance?”

” …It was the maid Asabe.”
“Then let’s bring the maid here. You, fetch the maid Asabe from the
Crown Prince’s palace. Search the maid’s room thoroughly for
anything suspicious.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The palace guards le the hall. Whatever trap Elena had woven, the
Empress’ was far more elaborate and difficult to break.
‘It was as if she knew it would happen.’
Anxiety started to gradually squeeze Elena’s mind.
Ch. 166 Would You Like A Drink? (1)
Asabe was dragged roughly into the party by the palace guards, then
tossed face down onto the ground.
“Why did you call me here…?”
Empress Ophelia looked coolly down at Asabe.
“Tell me the truth. Did you replace the Vanera plant to drive a wedge
between the Crown Princess and I? If you are honest, I will spare your
life.”
“Wh-what? What are you talking about?”
Her eyes were filled with fear, as if she knew something was wrong.
One of the other guards, under the orders of the Empress, brought in
a po ed plant.
“I found this plant in the room of the maid Asabe, Your Majesty.”
Elena, who had been observing the situa on so far, was speechless.
Whatever trap Elena prepared for Ophelia, the Empress found a way
to squirm out. This couldn’t be a simple act of coincidence.
‘Was it all planned?’
This only made sense if the Empress had prepared for this in
advance. But why?
‘Did she want to test how I would react when I received the gi ?’
Elena’s red eyes trembled in incredulity. If so, Ophelia was a step
ahead of Elena and was assessing her. It would be dangerous if this
assump on were true. Elena couldn’t appear harmless if her claws
were shown too early.
Ophelia spoke to the scholar she summoned earlier.
“Look at this. Is this the plant that I wanted to give to the Crown
Princess?”
The scholar quickly inspected the flowers and nodded.
“Yes, Your Majesty. This is the Vanera plant I sent you. I painted the
pa ern on the pot myself, so I recognize it.”
Taang!
Ophelia pounded the chair with her first. In an instant, a deathly
silence gripped the room.
“How dare you change the plant? Tell me, who made you do it?”
Asabe looked up with a pale, trembling face.
“W-what do you mean? Your Majesty, I am guilty only of following
your orders. I only did what I was told…”
“Ha. You s ll can’t repent of your mistakes. Are you trying to frame
me, despite the evidence otherwise?”
Ophelia was speaking to Asabe, but Elena sensed the words were
meant for her.
“I don’t want to see your face anymore. Take her out and execute
her.”
Asabe’s eyes widened.
“P-please save me, Your Majesty! I was wrong! I really did only what
you ordered!”
Asabe begged loudly of her innocence as the guards dragged her
away, but it was fu le. Eventually her screams faded away, but it
lingered in the minds of those in the hall.
Kkuug.
Elena clenched her first. She never dreamed that the Vanera plant
would be found in Asabe’s room. If it weren’t the case, Elena would
have intervened, but she couldn’t come forward in this situa on. A
wrong step could lead to Elena being misunderstood in this drama.
Asabe was s ll a maid of the Crown Prince’s palace, and Elena had
kept her close to her side recently.
‘How dreadful… ‘
Ophelia had swi ly ordered an execu on without even ba ng an
eye. As Elena expected, Asabe had confirmed that she was a spy
planted by the Empress. It was incredible how the Empress so easily
tossed aside a human life.
‘Did the Empress find Asabe less valuable when she knew that I
suspected Asabe was a spy?’
It would be logical for the Empress to cut Asabe off before Elena
could glean any informa on from her.
Elena looked with new eyes at the woman si ng proudly next to her.
She realized why the Empress was considered one of two pillars that
supported that Ruford Empire, and she was far more competent and
dangerous than Second Prince Redfield.
No cing the tense mood of the ambassadors, Ophelia smiled calmly.
“Oh goodness, the mood of the party has been ruined. Forget about
what happened earlier and just enjoy yourselves. You there, why is
there no music?”
Opera music began to flow in the room. Elena wordlessly looked at
Ophelia and felt the defeat in her bones.
‘I lost this me…’
She couldn’t erase the feeling that she was playing in Ophelia’s palm.
*
*
*
Despite the incident from earlier, Elena’s party ended in great
success. Ophelia’s smile dropped from her face as soon as she was in
the Empress’ palace.
“I didn’t expect the Crown Princess to make it this far.”
Cassana spoke up from behind her.
“Yes. We underes mated the Crown Princess because she kept the
flowers in a place where she walked by frequently, but she’s more
clever than I thought. Not clever enough for the Empress, however.
You’ve won the game again.”
“…”
Despite the compliment, Ophelia did reply. That meant she was in a
bad mood, and Cassana knew from experience to not speak up in this
situa on.
Ophelia leaned back in her chair in contempla on, tapping the
armrest with her nails. Then she frowned, as if she was displeased
with the outcome of her thoughts.
“That bitch Asabe was stupid.”
“…Hm?”
Cassana looked on ques oningly, but Ophelia mu ered as if she were
talking to herself.
“Was she a fool that could only do what she’s told to do? When
things went the way it did, she should have said that it was the
Crown Princess that made her do it.”
Cassana swallowed dryly. In fact, anyone else in the situa on would
have been found guilty. But Ophelia denied it, and so everyone
believed her words. Cassana quickly nodded in agreement.
“Yes. It was a great opportunity to place the princess into trouble,
but unfortunately it was missed.”
Ophelia had sent the Manera plant to simply test Elena, and only
made evidence to prove her innocence, not to fight back. Asabe’s
execu on was originally part of Ophelia’s plan. However, the Crown
Princess’ plan was more effec ve than expected.
If Asabe had said “The Crown Princess told me to change the plants,”
the situa on would have been reversed significantly. And if Elena
tried to stop the maid’s execu on, Ophelia would have been able to
establish a connec on between the two. It wouldn’t be easy to falsify
proof that Elena bought the Manera plant, but Ophelia could at least
ins ll suspicion that Elena was an unscrupulous figure. However, the
young woman was smart enough not to let herself be caught by that
net.
Ophelia tu ed at the thought.
“Jjeut, I wasn’t thinking enough…”
Elena believed she had lost the party, but it didn’t flow the way
Ophelia intended either. Un l now, she hadn’t been serious about
Elena and never expected a plan this well executed. If Ophelia had
gone in without any prepara on, it would have been over for her.
“By keeping the Manera plant close to her to appear vulnerable…she
may be a difficult opponent a er all.”
Looking at Ophelia’s irritated expression, Cassana carefully opened
her mouth.

“This was just a light test, wasn’t it? We need to be more careful
when dealing with the Crown Princess.”
“She’s not the only one.”
“Oh? You mean…”
Ophelia’s eyes filled with a dark energy.
“There is Carlisle.”
The Crown Prince was already a formidable opponent by himself, and
he would be even more troublesome with Elena by his side. If only
Elena was simply a pre y face or frivolous love.
“…The ger may grow.”
Ophelia’s face crumpled as she remembered Elena’s beau ful face at
the party.
Ch. 167 Would You Like A Drink? (2)
Zenard reported details of the party to Carlisle. Carlisle, si ng quietly
in his study as he listened, gave a regre ul smile.
“I thought the plan would be a success given how carefully planned it
was, but the Empress managed to escape again.”
“When I heard the news that the maid Asabe was executed, I thought
it that was truly the Empress’ work.”
“That’s the way she likes to operate.”
Despite the care taken in Elena’s plan, Carlisle was not surprised by
the outcome. If Ophelia had been an easy opponent, he would have
defeated her already.
“Did you find any evidence that the Empress ordered the Flower
Bridge’s collapse?”
“We are working hard with the Casey family who built the bridge,
and we may have news in the near future.”
Carlisle was s ll dissa sfied.
“What are the components of the drug found at Redfield’s party?”
“I’ll find out exactly and keep you posted. We know it’s a drug, but
it’s difficult to find out the components of the strange powder.”
“They’re out of the ba lefield, yet they act like they’re out of the
war? Tell them to move fast, before I send them back to the
perimeter.”
Although Carlisle did not mean it completely, Zenard knew it wasn’t
en rely a lie either.
“Once we find everything out, the Empress won’t be able to escape
so easily anymore.”
Carlisle didn’t take those as words of consola on and laughed
bi erly.
“I need to become emperor quickly.”
“Haste makes waste, Your Highness.”
The commonplace saying was true for Carlisle’s situa on.
“Think of yourself in my posi on.”
“Is something wrong?”
Carlisle didn’t reply. Zenard thought he was a en ve to Elena’s and
Carlisle’s rela onship, but that wasn’t the case at all. Carlisle never
revealed to anyone that he was in a contract marriage with Elena,
and with his wife close by every night, no one knew how much
tempta on Carlisle had to suffer.
“Well. It’s not something I can explain in words. And…”
Carlisle remembered Sullivan’s increasingly frail face. He wouldn’t
necessarily call him a good parent, but he couldn’t completely ignore
Sullivan’s health either.
When Carlisle spoke, it was in a subdued tone.
“…I should be the one to take over the throne before he dies. “
As Sullivan’s health deteriorated by the day, Carlisle knew he didn’t
have long with his father. Before then, he wanted to grant Sullivan’s
wish. Carlisle was always eager to prove he could be emperor even
with his cursed blood.
Zenard studied the prince’s face, and when he spoke it was with
more cau on than before.
“…I’ll give an update to you as soon as possible.”
Carlisle rose from his seat with a slight nod of his head. It was already
quite late, and he had to go back to the bedroom where Elena was
wai ng.
As Carlisle was about to leave his study, another thought came to
mind, and he turned back to Zenard.
“Oh, I’ve been contacted by Kuhn, and he says he needs to leave
Blaise mansion.”
“Oh, yes.”
A look of displeasure fli ed across Zenard’s face at the men on of
Kuhn’s name. Only Carlisle knew of their uneasy rela onship with
each other.
“We’ll find the rat that had infiltrated Blaise’s mansion ourselves, so
tell Kuhn he can take more me off there. Since he promised to keep
my sister-in-law safe, he should stay there un l she at least leaves for
the south.”
“Yes, I will inform him.”
Although the two subordinates were bi er foes, they were not the
type to let their personal feelings interfere with work. When Carlisle
finished speaking, he turned his heel and le .
Kkiiieu—
Carlisle looked puzzled when the smell of aroma c wine dri ed out
as soon as he opened the bedroom door. No one but Elena could
enter this room at this me of night, and so he didn’t understand
why this smell was here.
Carlisle spo ed Elena si ng on the outdoor terrace, carefully nursing
a drink. Next to her were several empty bo les.
‘I thought she hated alcohol.’
She refused alcohol on their first night together, and he hadn’t seen
her drink much before either. Carlisle approached the table curiously,
and Elena turned her head when she heard his approaching
footsteps. She had already drank quite a bit, and her face was
flushed.
“What are you doing alone?”
“I was drinking—hic—drinking alone.”
Her slurred words revealed that she was even more inebriated than
he thought.
“You should have called for me if you needed someone to drink
with.”
“It’s not too late now. Come here with me…”
Elena con nued, waving the glass in her hand.
“Would you like a drink?”
Ch. 168 Playing Dirty (1)
“Would you like a drink?”
Carlisle, stunned by the offer, approached Elena and sat in front of
her. He cast a sidelong glance at the empty bo les before speaking.
“When did you start drinking?”
“I was only going to drink when you came, but you didn’t show up, so
I ended up drinking a li le.”
Elena handed Carlisle a full glass of wine. Carlisle wordlessly accepted
it without a word and downed it in one gulp.
“Don’t you think that’s more than a li le??”
He wouldn’t call that quan ty just a li le. Elena looked at the
offending bo les on the table.
“I’m just… I’m feeling rather upset today. Did you hear what
happened at the party?”
“Just about.”
“You warned me many mes to watch out for her, but I was too
confident.”
She refilled her glass as she spoke.
“I kept an eye on the maid Asabe. It’s ridiculous that a Vanera plant
came from her room. I don’t know if she really had it.”
“…”
“At the order of the Empress, the Vanera plant was discovered by a
guard. Now Asabe that has been executed, we can no longer uncover
anything about the incident.”
Carlisle quietly listened to Elena as she more freely spoke her mind.
“I was probably playing into the Empress’ hand in the beginning. I
only ended up revealing myself to the enemy.”
Elena gave a defeated sigh. She looked up at Carlisle, and he no ced
that her eyes were glazed and bloodshot.
“I look like a fool, don’t I?”
Last me she asked Carlisle to believe in her, and now she was upset
that she hadn’t lived up to his expecta ons. She should have been
more cau ous…
Carlisle, who had been si ng quietly so far, finally answered in a so
voice.
“I don’t know if this is comfor ng, but what you’ve been through
today, I’ve already experienced countless mes because of the
Empress.”
Elena’s eyes widened at Carlisle’s unexpected confession.
“If you are a fool, then I’m even more of a fool. You don’t have to
blame yourself. Your plan sounded good to my ears, and the only
miscalcula on was not realizing why the Empress sent twin plants.”
“Because of that, Asabe was executed today.”
“She was a spy the Empress planted anyway. We would s ll have to
get rid of her, but this way there’s no blood on our hands.”
Carlisle’s words eased Elena’s mind. She had been tremendously
burdened by the knowledge that her family may die if she failed in
her mission, but when she suffered defeat by the Empress, her fears
became crushing. What if she couldn’t change the future no ma er
how hard she tried? How much more cunning was Paveluc to win
against the Empress?
Elena’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The blame she placed on
herself was so heavy that she even drank alcohol, which she rarely
ever touched. However, in the end, it was not the drink that quelled
her anxiety, but Carlisle. His words seem to say to her, “It’s alright.”
Elena gave an unfocused smile at Carlisle.
“You’re so sweet…that I dislike it.”
For the first me, she considered that she would be be jealous if
Carlisle’s affec on turned to another woman. For him, he was simply
consoling Elena as a partner walking on the same path, but for her,
she was alarmed that her personal feelings were growing.
‘I thought I could stop my heart, but….’
Elena smiled disappoin ngly as she gazed at Carlisle’s handsome
face, which appeared blurrier than usual.
‘….I won’t let this man stop me.’
These new tempta ons could make her forget her duty. But she had
to admit it. She loved this moment with Carlisle.
“Sweet enough to dislike…words that are so contradictory that I don’t
know if it’s good or not.”
At his words, Elena raised her wine-filled glass without replying. She
couldn’t answer him, as she couldn’t really tell what her feelings
were either. She hated the way he looked at her with kindness, but
she also liked that he treated her warmly.
Suddenly—
Tak!
Carlisle swiped the glass from Elena’s hand, then pped the en re
contents in his mouth. Elena’s jaw dropped open.
“What are you doing?”
“You’ve had too much. From now on I’ll drink my por on.”
“I’m s ll fine…”
“Those are the words of a drunk.”
Elena bit her lip. The noblewoman Elena of the last life did not enjoy
alcohol, but when she lived as a female knight, she drowned herself
in strong drink a er strong drink. There were many nights she spent
in drunkenness because of the guilt she felt about being the sole
survivor of her family.
“I said we should drink together, not watch you drink alone.”
“That’s what I meant.”
“It’s too—too one-sided.”
“It’s too dangerous if you drink more here.”
“What?”
Elena looked at him dumbfoundedly, and when Carlisle smiled there
was a mysterious heat lurking behind it.
“You and I are the only ones in this bedroom together. What do you
think the danger is?”
Elena mulled over his words. No ma er how much she thought over
it, there was only one answer. In this closed environment, there was
only one thing that was a risk factor.
Carlisle.
“Hmm. What you’re trying to say is…Caril is dangerous? “
“Correct.”
A er his brisk reply, Carlisle refilled his drink and swallowed it. Elena
propped her chin on her hand as she watched his lean figure go
about the mo on.
“I don’t know if you’re dangerous. You said you would follow the
contract. And I know you’re a man who keeps his word.”
Carlisle gave a sardonic chuckle at everything he had to endure. He
looked up at Elena’s sparkling eyes, and when he spoke his voice was
deeper than before.
“My wife doesn’t know anything. Though you men on the contract,
it’s not just about sharing a bed.”
Elena looked up at Carlisle’s ques oningly. It was safe, and there was
no need for the two of them to have physical contact before he
became emperor. However, Carlisle con nued to speak as if he were
laughing at Elena’s idea.
“There’s plenty of things you can do even if we don’t go all the way.
So if you are too drunk and lose your inhibi ons, my self-control may
be compromised. I’m warning you in advance.”

She couldn’t understand what kind of skinship he was talking about.

Did he mean kissing? However, the nuances he was talking about
seemed more obscene than that.
“What do you mean?”
Elena’s pure curiosity instantly brought a dangerous smile to Carlisle’s
lips.
“If you’re curious, do you want me to teach you?”
Ch. 169 Playing Dirty (2)
Elena swallowed the lump in her throat at Carlisle’s penetra ng gaze.
She wasn’t sure exactly what he was saying, but she had an idea that
something irreversible could happen. Elena shook her head as she
answered.
“No thanks.”
“…I see.”
Carlisle’s expression fell, and he moistened his dry lips with his
tongue. The sight of it was so ero c that it made Elena’s heart beat
faster.
Kung kung kung.
As she listened to the thrumming in her head, she realized that she
was quite drunk. The Carlisle si ng before her seemed more
handsome than usual. His black hair was a striking contrast against
his pale skin, and his long nose and firmly closed lips drew Elena’s
gaze like a magnet.
‘Does he look be er now because of my heart?’
She knew he had a handsome face since the start, but now she felt
excited whenever she looked at him. Perhaps the danger was not
Carlisle, but a drunken Elena. To Carlisle, she may be just a woman,
but to her, he was the only man that caused her to shiver.
‘Sober up before you make a mistake, Elena.’
Suddenly, she was alarmed at what she might do under the influence
of alcohol. The effects of it made anyone less inhibited, and she did
not want to be honest about her feelings without any
countermeasures. She was afraid of how Carlisle would take it, and
her shoulders were already heavy with burden.
Fortunately, her depression from the day had eased off a li le, and
she rose from her chair to recover her senses.
“I’ll take a short walk to sober up and come back.”
Elena stood up and started walking away from the terrace, then
stopped when Carlisle captured her wrist.
“You took the bandage off your ankle.”
“Ah…”
She hadn’t wanted to reveal any signs of weakness at the party, and
so she removed the bandages. She had been so busy that she had
forgo en about it—un l Carlisle pointed it out now. It hadn’t been a
serious injury from the start, but wearing high heels all day did make
it feel worse. Elena quickly made an excuse for fear that Carlisle
would worry over her if she told the truth.
“I feel well enough that I don’t need the bandages.”
“Really? Your ankle looks more swollen today.”
The physical change was so small that Elena couldn’t even tell by
sight, only by the feeling of pain. Carlisle’s ability to detect subtle
differences was incredible.
Elena hesitated for a moment, and Carlisle noiselessly entered the
bedroom. He was back out in a hurry with a bandage, and he
approached Elena again.
“Sit down. Don’t overdo yourself un l you’re be er.”
Carlisle pulled a chair and placed it behind Elena, and she seated
herself in it. Carlisle knelt before her and held her slender ankle, then
gently began to wind the bandage around it.
“Car—Caril….”
Startled by his posture, Elena made to rise in a hurry.
“Hold s ll.”
Carlisle’s firm voice blocked her movement, and Elena flushed in
embarrassment.
“What if someone sees you kneeling?”
“Kneeling to hold my wife’s ankle?”
“You’e the Crown Prince of the Rupert Empire. This behavior…
“It doesn’t ma er if I’m the crown prince. It’s my decision no ma er
what posi on I touch my wife’s ankle.”
Carlisle’s arrogant remarks were enough to set fire to Elena’s
confused mind. His alcohol-blurred image seemed to sharpen with
her emo ons, and she became so dizzy she couldn’t help it.
Kung kung kung kung kung kung.
Her heart pounded in her ears even louder than before, and her
blood boiled from his searing touch.
A few moment later, Carlisle finished wrapping the bandage, and he
li ed his head to smile so ly at Elena. His eyes were focused on her,
and the affec onate curve of his lips made her covet them at that
moment.
Elena unthinkingly placed her hands against Carlisle’s cheek. He
looked at her ques oningly as she firmly held his face.
Was it because of the alcohol? The feeling in her chest was exploding
like fireworks. Elena whispered to him with reddened cheeks.
“I…want to kiss you.”
Carlisle’s eyes widened momentarily. The world seemed to be
spinning more around Elena as her emo ons peaked, but she did not
intend to stop there. Li le by li le…
The moment when their lips were about to reach—
Teolsseog!
Her face went straight past his lips and landed on Carlisle’s shoulders,
and he reflexively caught her limp body so she would not fall over. He
had no choice but to ghten his hold on her. He could feel Elena’s
breathing on his shoulder.
Not long a er, a sigh escaped from Carlisle’s mouth.
“…Ha.”
Elena’s body felt so fragile that she could break, and she was so
pleasantly warm that he didn’t want to drop her for a second.
Despite her drunken state, her scent made him dizzy.
Carlisle held on to Elena as she slumbered on like a stone statue.
“You’re playing dirty, wife.”
*
*
*
The incident at the party kept the Freegrand delega on up un l late
at night. Today Log was wearing a uniform that men usually wore,
rather than a dress, and her hair was ed to one side. Her eyes were
bright with interest.
“Today’s incident made one thing clear. The Crown Princess’
rela onship with the Crown Prince is not an act, but of genuine
support.”
The man si ng right in front of her replied brusquely.

“I believe so as well. Judging by her hos lity towards the Empress,

she must have plans to place the Crown Prince on the thrones.”
The man who spoke was Isaac, another one of the Freegrand
ambassadors. He had a rough appearance about him, but Log kept
him close for his excep onal abili es.
“From the very first moment I sense that the Crown Princess could be
a match, but looking back there isn’t anyone else more suitable than
her.”
“Think carefully before you decide. What I saw today didn’t work on
the Empress.”
Isaac had a point. It was true that Elena was weaker than Empress
Ophelia, nevertheless, a deep smile broadened on her face.
“That’s why I’m needed by the Crown Princess. If there’s no shortage,
she won’t accept our terms.”
Isaac didn’t reply, but he had a strange look in his eye. He had some
agreement with Log’s words. She went on with a look of excitement.
“I can’t wait to meet her. We’re sure to be on the same side.”
Ch. 170 Take Responsibility (1)
The next morning, Elena woke up with a pounding headache. She
must have a hangover from drinking too much last night, and she
clutched her forehead with a groan.
‘When did I fall asleep?’
That thought didn’t last long, however. As soon as she opened her
eyelids, her breath hitched when she saw Carlisle’s face right in front
of her.
“What are you doing here?”
The pair of them had decided on the first night of marriage that Elena
would take the bed and Carlisle the couch. Since then, neither had
intruded on each other’s territory.
At this very moment, Carlisle was on the bed, his head propped up
on his hand as he watched her. The look in his eyes were both
stubborn and complicated.
“Did you just wake up now?”
“Were you wai ng for me?”
“Yes. I didn’t sleep at all.”
“Why—”
But Elena’s words did not last long. She was surprised to see Carlisle
so close to her, but soon memories of last night appeared in her mind
like a panorama.
‘I…’
Elena’s cheeks flamed.
‘…I was crazy.’
She had never go en herself blindly drunk in her last life. Perhaps,
out of depression from losing her family, she had never made a
mistake, even when she had a quarrel with someone. For the first
me in her life, she realized how dangerous drinking was.
—I want to kiss you.
Those were the words she said to Carlisle last night. She had already
kissed Carlisle twice already, but each me had a purpose. The kiss at
the wedding was inevitable, and the kiss at Carlisle’s private training
hall was meant to keep everyone else out. It was the first me she
ever wanted to kiss him for no reason.
‘Oh my God!’
She wished she could turn back the clock to stop herself. She was so
embarrassed she wanted to crawl into a rat hole, but unfortunately,
there was no place to hide. Carlisle had been close since the
morning, as if he were blocking all her escape routes.
‘I don’t want to remember anything.’
Cowardly as it was, she didn’t want to think about last night, but
Carlisle had silently watched her reac on as she recalled her
memories from the night previous. She had a feeling that if she
pretended to feign ignorance now, it would not work.
Carlisle looked Elena for another moment, then he turned and
poured a cup of water from a jug on the bedside table.
“Drink.”
It was not un l he spoke that she realized that her throat was
parched dry. She didn’t know how to react anyway, so to buy some
me, Elena took the cup and started drinking slowly. Carlisle’s
pa ence was short, however, and he didn’t wait for her to finish
drinking when he spoke.
“What you said to me last night—what did you mean?”
“Huh! What?”
Elena almost spit out her water. She could feel her heart racing in her
rib cage.
“Kiss me…”
“Oh, it was just a casual remark.”
“Casual?”
Carlisle’s brow furrowed in disbelief.
“I must have been quite drunk last night. I apologize deeply if you
were uncomfortable. It doesn’t mean anything, so please don’t
worry.”
Elena hoped her hasty excuse was enough. It was too late for her to
pretend she wasn’t aware of anything, and she couldn’t think of
anything else to say. It seemed to her that this was the only way to
calm the situa on. However, the more Elena spoke, the stonier
Carlisle’s expression became.
“So you only said it on impulse?”
“Y-yes.”
“Is that your habit when you’re drunk?”
“Yes, well, maybe…”
“So even if it wasn’t me that was with you last night, you would have
said the same thing to someone else. “
Was that what he thought? Elena swallowed nervously as their
conversa on started to turn in a direc on she didn’t an cipate.
Carlisle’s mood seemed to turn cloudier, but she couldn’t say, “I like
you now.” It was like a confession.
“I don’t drink much anyway, so don’t worry about it…”
“Don’t drink in my absence.”
She was forced to nod. She had fabricated a ridiculous drinking habit,
but that was her own fault.
“Alright. I’ll try my best.”
Only a er hearing her answer did Carlisle finally relax. He stared at
her with an inscrutable expression, then straightened her un dy hair
with one hand. When he spoke, his voice was so .
“You are a dangerous woman.”
“Oh, I’m sorry…”
What outrageous things did Carlisle hear last night? Elena had no
choice but to blame herself as he looked at her with a mysterious
fever in his eyes. She suddenly realized that the hand on her hair had
dri ed down to the back of her neck.
“…?”
She thought their current posi ons were a bit strange. She was lying
on the bed, while Carlisle was slightly leaning over her with his head
propped up on his arm.
“…Caril?”
In response to Elena’s puzzled voice, Carlisle replied in a lower tone
than usual.
“Do you s ll want it now?”
“What?”
“You said you felt like kissing last night.”
Another hot fever flushed on Elena’s face, but she did her best to nod
calmly.
“Now that I’m sober, I’m fine.”
But Carlisle’s face was s ll leaning in closer. As Elena stared up at him
with surprised eyes, Carlisle spoke again with a faint smile.
“Your desires may be gone, but I’ve been feeling that way since last
night.”
“Ah… “
“So take responsibility.”
Before she could say anything else, Carlisle’s hot lips covered Elena’s
own. Every me they kissed, Carlisle had always done it with reckless
despera on. She wondered if she would end up being devoured this
way.
Elena, lying on the bed, was unable to move back, and so she took his
kiss directly. A er a while she started to become dizzy from the lack
of air, and so she blindly grabbed his firm chest and hung on. Perhaps
for that reason, Carlisle’s kisses so ened, and the storm eventually
changed into something as sweet as ice cream. It was her first me
experiencing such a kiss. Luckily or not, no one disturbed the
newlyweds in their bedroom, allowing Carlisle and Elena to kiss each
other for a long while.
A er exploring each other for some me, Carlisle finally pulled away.
Elena heaved in deep lungfuls of air, and when she looked up at
Carlisle her cheeks were pink. He gently brushed her hair back before
speaking.
“It’s incredible. The more I kiss you, the hungrier I get.”
Elena felt cap ve by the deep, blue intensity of his eyes. Her heart
raced, and Elena realized once again how bad Carlisle was for her
heart.
Ch. 171 Take Responsibility (2)
The Selby mansion in the capital.
It was none other than Helen who brought the Manera and Vanera
plants, and had already known the Empress’ plans for them. Helen
felt giddy when she heard that Elena had been defeated by Ophelia
at the party with the ambassadors as planned.
“Ho ho ho, isn’t it amusing to see someone who doesn’t know their
place try to a ack the Empress?”
Sarah was seated across the tea table from Helen. They used to talk
to each other as equals in the past, but over me Helen spoke to
Sarah as a subordinate. Sarah didn’t complain about, however.
Though they were both nobles, their ranks were different.
“That’s right. Lady Blaise must be upset.”
“Oh, I wish I could tell everyone about this, but I have to keep it to
myself.”
Empress Ophelia’s strategy was secret, and so Helen was forced to
keep quiet. Of course, she was too impa ent to do that, and so she
bragged to Sarah, her closest aide.
Sarah spoke in a lowered voice.
“I think it was smart for Lady Blaise bring all the ambassadors
though. You should never let your guard down.”
“Tch, what a fool! What can she do? Anyone can think of that! She
only got this far by marrying the Crown Prince!”
Helen’s pleasant mood instantly changed stormy. Not unfamiliar with
Helen’s wild mood swings, Sarah quickly changed her words.
“Yes, you’re right. She made it all the way up because of the Crown
Prince. I just meant that we should plan things more carefully.”
“…Hmph.”
Helen huffed disapprovingly. She herself had been branded a villain
a er she suffered defeat at the hands of Elena. Had Helen not been
made a lady-in-wai ng of the Imperial Palace, she would not have
been able to show her face in society un l now.
And so, Helen began to fixate on Elena and despise her even more.
Sarah knew she had to be more careful.
‘I sensed it last me, but Lady Blaise is more formidable than I
thought.’
Sarah had her suspicions since Elena escaped from the trap Helen
had laid. Helen was more proud and arrogant than she was
intelligent, nevertheless, Sarah’s family was so poor and powerless
that they had to a ach themselves to a more well-known family to
survive.
Sarah remembered what Elena said to her at the wedding recep on.
— You should look at the line and see which side is more profitable.
A wry smile spread on Sarah’s face. Despite the fact that Elena had
become the Crown Princess, Helen s ll had more to offer. She had
the backing of Empress Ophelia. There was no reason to turn away
from Helen, an imperial lady-in-wai ng.
Moreover, Sarah had not built her friendship with Helen for nothing.
Helen began to lean on Sarah, and she enjoyed being in the middle
more than she expected. She gave a wry smile and pretended she
knew nothing.
“I heard that the Empress will push you to become the prince’s
concubine.”
“Yes, she will. Her Majesty will make me the second wife. Ho ho ho
ho.”
Helen’s face flushed as she imagined herself as a poten al bride.
Nowadays, Carlisle was the envy of all the nobles and gossip of him
was everywhere. His rela onship towards Elena was like out of a fairy
tale.
“Soon, there will be a party with the prince… Perhaps the first
impression between the two of you was not so favourable.”
“I have no choice but to go. The nasty thing ruined my image!”
Helen never called Elena by her royal tle, and Sarah smiled as if in
understanding.
“Then this is your chance. You should plan how you will meet the
Crown Prince.”
“I will. I won’t lose this me.”
There was a greedy glint in Helen’s eye.
In truth, any elaborate scheme Helen had ever worked on all came
from Sarah’s head. Helen was too emo onal to calculate such moves,
while Sarah solidified herself as a schemer.
Jalang jalang—
Helen looked at the sweets and empty cups on the table and rang a
bell. The door opened and Sophie came in.
“I think we’ll be here longer, so bring more tea and refreshments—
what? Sophie, are you s ll here?”
“Uhhh.”
A strange sound le Sophie’s mouth. In a fit of rage, Helen had cut
Sophie’s tongue on the day she failed to spread a false rumor that
Elena was a whore. Sarah looked on with a pi ed expression.
“Get out of this room right now! Where have all the other maids
gone? Dare they make a fool of themselves?”
Sophie had suffered long under Helen.
*
*
*
Helen’s maids were all severely punished. Sophie, who had been
living like a rat, was eventually ousted from the Selby mansion.

Tilda was so badly beaten that her calves were black from bruises.
She prayed, looking up into the night sky with a tearful face.
‘Mary, please, save me.’
The only hope she had le was her le er to Mary, who was s ll at
Blaise mansion. Tilda regre ed believing Sophie’s words and leaving
Blaise mansion. She was fortunate that Helen forgot she also
previously worked for the Blaises, and she would not have been safe
when Helen cut Sophie’s tongue. Now the maid was desperate to get
out of this hellish place as soon as possible.
‘Heug heug. Lady Elena, I’m so sorry’.
Though overdue, Tilda sincerely repented for her mistakes. Shameful
as it was, she hoped that Elena would save her.
Ch. 172 The Person We Chose (1)
Elena’s royal life eventually stabilized, and soon she sent invita ons
to several people as she promised at the wedding recep on:
Marchioness Marissa of the south, Countess Stella of the capital city,
Log Ashmore of the Freegrand Kingdom, and so on. Lastly was Harry,
who was considered the successor for the Krauss family.
Log’s reply came back first. Perhaps there was an urgency because
the Freegrand delega ons all had to return home…or perhaps the
ambassador had been keenly an cipa ng Elena’s invita on.
‘…What does she want to say to me?’
Elena had been curious ever since the ambassador said she would
give her a personal gi of fabric. Elena found Log strangely intriguing,
par cularly because the ambassador was the ideal woman Elena
dreamed of. Even in a woman’s body, Log looked impressive in a
smart uniform and a sword belted at her waist. This was not easily
done in the Ruford Empire, where women s ll had a difficult me
making their way through society.
‘If it can’t be me…then I want Mirabelle to live freely.’
She wished Mirabelle could fly as boundless as a bird without being
held down by anything. To do that, Elena would give her full material
and emo onal support to her most precious sister. A faint smile
spread on Elena’s lips as she thought of Mirabelle’s bright face.
There was a knock on the door, and the nanny entered the room.
“Dame Ashmore is here, Your Highness.”
“Very well. Let her in.”
As soon as Elena’s permission was given, Log entered the parlor room
and bowed deeply in gree ng.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal Glory to the Ruford Empire.”
Elena stood up from her seat and greeted her as well.
“Welcome. Have you been well?”
“Yes, I’ve been enjoying myself greatly in the Ruford Empire. Firstly,
I’d like to present my gi you—”
Servants wai ng outside the door brought in bolts of fabric. Elena’s
eyes widened as she saw the luxuriousness and quality of the
material.
“I was expec ng a gi , but…I didn’t realize it would be so much.”
“They are given with all my heart.”
Log smiled, revealing her white teeth. Her cheerful a tude pleased
Elena. It wasn’t just about the expensive gi s—the more Elena saw
Log’s confident demeanor and polite mannerisms, the more sa sfied
she was.
“Thank you. Because of this, I can make a variety of dresses.”
“It’s an honor to add to the beauty to the Crown Princess.”
Log wasn’t servile, but she was a good listener, and Elena suspected
she was well-versed in business. Elena inspected the fabrics then
ordered them to be taken to the dressing room. Soon a er, she
offered Log to sit across from her.
“Have a seat.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
A er the two se led down in their respec ve chairs, maidservants
appeared to place refreshments and snacks in front of them. Elena
gestured to one of the uniquely shaped sweets.
“This is one of the most popular delicacies in the Ruford Empire.
Please try it.”
“Thank you for your kind considera on, Your Highness.”
“Have you eaten yet? Let’s eat together before lunch.”
“I wouldn’t be so brazen to turn you down. Thank you for giving me
the honor of dining with you.”
So the two shared some everyday conversa on. Elena already
no ced that Log had something to say to her, but waited for her to
bring it up. When the ambassador finally thought the me was right,
she spoke in a lowered voice.
“I have something important to tell you, Your Highness. Would you
mind speaking alone?”
Elena pretended to be oblivious.
“Something to tell me?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Well, I wonder what it is.”
At Elena’s command, the nanny and the maids le the parlor room.
When only the two of them remained, Log’s expression turned more
serious.
“I have one thing to say. In the future, please secure a trade
agreement with the Freegrand Kingdom and Ruford Empire with our
leader.”
Elena’s eyes widened at the unexpected remark. But her surprise was
brief, and a moment later, she regained her composure.
“Shouldn’t you discuss this ma er with the Emperor? I don’t
understand why you’re telling me this.”
“The Emperor and Empress have already refused, to put it bluntly. I
cannot say for sure, but there are commercial powers already
involved in the poli cal struggles of the Ruford Empire. We cannot
even gain a foothold here.”
It was no exaggera on to say that business in the Ruford Empire was
already dominated by the Krauss family. Nevertheless, the Emperor
and Empress also held separate funds. It was difficult to create trade
agreements without already having connec ons at the top.
“So you brought this to me, the wife of the soon-to-be-emperor?”
“Yes. If you allow us, we will also help the Crown Prince rise to the
throne.”
Elena was surprised once more. It seemed as if Log understood the
circumstances of the Imperial family. The Emperor and Empress
fought secretly over who would succeed the throne, which would go
to either Crown Prince Carlisle or Second Prince Redfield. Of the two,
Log appeared to be be ng on Carlisle.
“Then shouldn’t this offer be made directly to the Crown Prince?”
“Oh, I don’t think the Crown Prince likes our leader very much.”
“Why?”
“I once ran into a combat unit led by the Crown Prince on the
ba lefield. We crossed the border without permission by mistake.”
Carlisle didn’t seem to recognize Log’s face at the wedding recep on,
but to her it was vivid as if it had taken place yesterday.
“He gave us our lives in exchange for handing over all the items we
had. When I saw him, I knew he would be the emperor.”
“And so you came to me in advance.”
At Elena’s observa on, Log smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“Yes, but it’s not exactly the Crown Prince we chose. It’s you, Your
Highness. If you can give us trading rights a er you become empress,
we will move as your people.”
Those were not bad terms for Elena. She needed a power to support
her, not something that was part of Carlisle, or the Blaise family…but
a secret force that was Elena’s only.
However, there was no reason yet that it should be Log’s leader,
someone from the Freegrand Kingdom. Elena needed to be careful
about this part. A er a moment to ruminate over it, she spoke again.
“What’s the name of your leader?”
“Ah, our leader’s name is Astar…”
Elena nearly dropped the teacup in her hand.
Juleuleugeu—
Hot liquid spilled over her fingers, but Elena’s surprise did not abate.
Astar. That was the name of Freegrand’s top delegate in the future.
Moreover, he was famous for his trustworthiness, and business with
them was always efficient and reliable. Elena, having lived in the
future, was more knowledgeable of it than anyone else.
“Y-Your Highness, are you alright?”
Log looked on in surprised concern, but Elena took no no ce of the
mild burn. She had fallen on incredible luck.
‘If it’s Astar, then I don’t have to hesitate.’
Elena had wanted to hang onto the issue first, un l Log’s sugges on.
Elena already amassed many jewels from Carlisle’s return gi that
she intended to invest in the future. Log’s proposal in many ways was
beneficial to her situa on now.
Without further hesita on, Elena nodded.
“Very well. If I become empress, I’ll give Astar exclusive trade rights.
In the meanwhile, help me un l Crown Prince Carlisle takes the
throne.”
Log looked surprised at Elena’s sudden agreement, but she nodded
as well.
“Yes. Thank you.”
“You have a contract with you, don’t you? I’ll place the crown
princess’ office seal on it.”
“…Your Highness.”
Log looked moved, and Elena con nued.
“There’s another thing. I’d like to make some investments, and I’d
hope you can hide my name.”
“Ah, what are you going to invest?”
“Firstly…”
She told Log about her investment plans, who listened with intensely
shining eyes. Their conversa on was much longer than expected.
Ch. 173 The Person We Chose (2)
Kuhn had sent Carlisle a message reques ng help to leave Blaise’s
mansion, and an answer soon returned.
Kuggiseu—
Kuhn crumpled the le er in his hand.
[Prince Carlisle considers you to be on vaca on, and orders you to
stay with Lady Mirabelle un l she returns to the south. – Zenard]
Kuhn and Zenard avoided seeing each other’s faces when they could.
It was no different this me, but what was wri en on the le er s ll
frustrated Kuhn.
‘…Vaca on.’
Kuhn had never taken a break since he joined Carlisle, except when
he was forced to rest for injuries. That was the way Kuhn wanted it.
He did not know how to spend me without a mission, and he felt
useless when he was si ng s ll.
‘General, why…?’
Un l now, Carlisle knew Kuhn’s ethic and made it possible for him to
return to work quickly. For him, a bloody ba lefield was the only
thing that made him feel alive.
Kuhn recalled something Carlisle had said to him a er he escaped
from the Empress’ palace.
— Force yourself to rest some mes. Don’t overwork yourself to
death.
At that me, Kuhn thought it was just a casual remark born out of
worry. But was it true? This me Kuhn felt driven into an
environment where he had to rest, whether he wanted to or not.
Kuhn looked around the empty bedroom, frowning. Batori had le
for the Imperial Palace, and their once shared quarters was now
quieter.
This oppressive silence…Kuhn hated it. If he didn’t get a chance to
move his body, he was a good as dead.
‘What the hell is one supposed to do in a place like this?’
He could disappear like a shadow from Blaise mansion, but now he
was bound by his promise with Elena and orders from Carlisle.
A headache pulsed in Kuhn’s head, and he grabbed his forehead with
one hand.
— You useless bastard! Go and die!
Somehow, old memories floated to the surface on his mind. Though
the event took place long ago, the voice sounded clear in his ears. His
heart clenched.
It was then.
Ttog og.
There was the sound of so footsteps, and then a few taps on the
door. There were not many who would knock carefully when visi ng
a servant. Kuhn looked towards the entrance, and a clear, familiar
voice spoke.
“Kuhn, are you in there?”
It was Mirabelle. She burdened him with kindness before, and now
she was speaking to Kuhn, who was trying to avoid the gaze of
others.
Kuhn s ll did not understand. Why did she go so far to take care of
him?
‘When did it start?’
Was it when he saved Mirabelle? Or was it when Mirabelle saved his
wounded self at the palace? In retrospect, all of their mee ngs took
place in unexpected circumstances. It was the first me in his life that
so many accidents coincided. Whether or not it was des ny, Kuhn
had never experienced such a thing before.
A er a moment, the door groaned noisily as it swung inwards.
Mirabelle looked sunny as always. Kuhn didn’t realize it, but the
unpleasant memories that came to his mind were swi ly fading from
his head.
“Oh? I thought you weren’t here because you didn’t answer.”
Usually, one would have shouted at Kuhn for not answering, but
Mirabelle did not treat him differently despite his status.
“I didn’t hear you call because I was thinking of something else,
Young Lady.”
Despite the obvious lie, Mirabelle believed his words without a
doubt. Lying like this was new and a li le uncomfortable, especially
when he lied so easily and she trusted him so fully.
Mirabelle stared at Kuhn with a warm gaze and asked him innocently,

“Would you like to go on the picnic that I told you about?”

Her ques on gave the implica on that he could reject her offer. But
could a servant of Blaise mansion refuse?
Kuhn gave himself a self-mocking smile. No ma er that he worked
under Carlisle, memories of his past slave self always haunted him.
He couldn’t forget his posi on even when he was disguised as a
servant. Kuhn, who had lived as a slave since he was a child, knew
be er than anyone else.
He dismissed Mirabelle’s offer of a choice and chose the answer he
thought had already been decided.
“Yes, Young Lady.”
Ch. 174 The Pain Was Good (1)
Mirabelle packed a picnic basket full of food, and headed to the
mountainside accompanied only with Kuhn. It was unusual that she
didn’t bring any other maids or servants, and the butler tried to
persuade her otherwise, but she made excuses about feeling too
crowded. In reality, she couldn’t talk freely to Kuhn if there was
anyone else. Kuhn was vaguely aware of the fact, but he pretended
to be ignorant.
“Wow, look at all the forsythia flowers here. They’re so beau ful.”
It was an idyllic spring day, and a warm breeze floated in the air.
Mirabelle kept expressing her admira on for the blooms, while Kuhn
looked on with a blank expression. He was not impressed by natural
landscapes. Flowers were just flowers, and trees were just trees. He
couldn’t understand why people admired the changing of the
seasons.
And so Mirabelle and Kuhn had opposite reac ons, but they did not
force their own opinions on each other. Mirabelle con nued to be
delighted, while Kuhn simply observed her. They were an unusual
combina on that didn’t match at all, but nevertheless, they weren’t
uncomfortable with each other.
Mirabelle pointed to a small bird si ng on a large branch.
“Oh, look over there. That bird is so cute.”
“Yes.”
Despite the bluntness of his response, Mirabelle smiled. They strolled
around the mountainside and took in the natural beauty of spring.
A er some me, they se led down on a blanket and unpacked the
picnic basket from Blaise mansion. There was an unbelievable
amount of food inside, and there was barely any room for them to sit
on when Mirabelle finished laying them out. When she finished, she
smiled at Kuhn.
“Help yourself, Kuhn.”
Kuhn knew from experience that he couldn’t refuse her, and so he
nodded and thanked her.
“Yes, Young Lady.”
No ma er how tasty the food he ate was, his expression remained
the same. He did not show his feelings out of habit. Mirabelle would
some mes stop ea ng to watch Kuhn, and though he felt a li le
awkward, he con nued to eat silently. No ma er who looked at
them, the combina on of the lovely young lady and a taciturn
servant was quite unusual.
They ended up ea ng half the food they brought, and Mirabelle
watched Kuhn as he quietly cleaned up.
“How does it feel to go out and have some fresh air?”
“What do you mean?”
“You were looking a li le depressed these days. Actually, I wanted to
bring some more food. Watching the scenery while ea ng delicious
food is the best way to relax.”
“…”
Kuhn had never properly relaxed before, and didn’t understand it
well. It was the first me in his life that he had ever had leisure. If it
weren’t for Mirabelle, Kuhn wouldn’t never have gone on a picnic.
What was clear to him, however, was that looking at the flowers and
listening to the birds did make him lose his uneasiness.
‘Has she been observing my mood?’
Kuhn o en wore an impassive mask, and it was difficult for others to
tell if he was happy or unhappy. Mirabelle, however, seemed to have
seen through his gloomy mood. The irony was that the cause of his
melancholy was Mirabelle herself, who prevented him from leaving
Blaise mansion.
Kuhn gave Mirabelle a curious look, and finished packing up the
picnic basket.
“What do you want to do next, Young Lady? Do you want to look
around a li le more? Or do you want to go back to the mansion
now?”
Their carriage was at the bo om of the mountainside. Kuhn had
driven it alone, and no one else was wai ng for them there. That
meant that Mirabelle could arrange the schedule as she pleased.
“Hmmm—”
Mirabelle gave a though ul look, when—
Uleuleung! Kwagagagang!
A thin bolt of lightning flashed in the sky. Dark storm clouds started
to creep into the clear blue.
“What?”
Mirabelle stared upwards with a confused look. Kuhn picked up the
picnic basket without hesita on, then hurried over to the seated
Mirabelle.
“We’ll have to hurry back. It’s going to rain soon.”
“Ah, yes.”
Mirabelle stood up with a look of regret. They could get caught in the
rain in the middle of the mountainside, and so the pair diligently
made their way down to where the carriage was located.
Unfortunately, heavy raindrops began to fall before they reached it.
Spring showers weren’t unexpected, but Mirabelle didn’t expect the
weather to be so capricious. Her breathing became more labored as
she trudged down the path.
“Ha, ha.”
She started to pale as her body chilled in the rain. At the sight, Kuhn
recalled the day when he first met Mirabelle and she had collapsed
to the floor in pain. He worried that it would happen again. He pulled
off his jacket and placed in on Mirabelle, and her pale lips li ed in a
faint smile.
“Thank you, Kuhn.”
“Are you alright?”
“Yes.”
Mirabelle acted as calm as she could, but Kuhn no ced that her
condi on was worsening. He tossed the picnic basket to the ground,
causing the contents to ra le inside, but he ignored and bent down
to offer his back to Mirabelle.
“Get on. We’ll get back as soon as possible.”
“I’m—heus—I’m fine— “
“Quickly.”
At Kuhn’s urging, Mirabelle replied in a fading voice.
“…I’m sorry.”
As soon as Mirabelle’s small body leaned against back, Kuhn rose up
and began to run forward. She was lighter than he expected, so much
so that he worried she would disappear. Kuhn wondered for a
moment at his unexpected feelings, but now was not the me to
contemplate it.
He hurried down the slope, and Mirabelle was amazed at the speed.
“Kuhn, you’re going really fast. It’s like a ride.”
Mirabelle’s voice was faint in his ears, and she was no ceably
shivering on his back. Kuhn spoke to her firmly.

“Hang in there.”
He took a deep breath and sped down the slope. Mirabelle clung
feebly as she was jostled on his back, and she swallowed her groans
of pain as to not worry him. She forced a faint smile despite the
agony that radiated from her stomach.
“What’s happening to me…”
Since Mirabelle was a child she had suffered from an unknown
disease, which was even worse as no one knew the proper
treatment. When the pain suddenly came like this, she felt like she
would die…
Well, if she had to pick a me and place to do so, this was a good
one.
“…I hope the road never ends.”
As long as she could be with Kuhn, the pain was good. She gradually
began to lose consciousness on his back, and could faintly make out
Kuhn’s voice yelling at her.
“Young Lady, you have to stay awake!”
Mirabelle wanted to answer his desperate cry, but she lost the ba le
to keep her eyes open.
Ch. 175 The Pain Was Good (2)
Mirabelle started to s r. How long had it been? Her eyes were s ll
closed and her vision was dark, but she could vaguely make out a
voice talking.
“She’s alive now because of the quick medical treatment. A li le later
and it would have been disastrous.”
Who was speaking? A doctor?
Another, more familiar, voice replied. It was the stern tone of her
father, Alphord.
“How the hell did you watch over Mirabelle while I was away? I can’t
believe you allowed a mere servant to accompany her outside the
mansion!”
Even without seeing his face, Mirabelle knew that her father was
terribly angry. Michael’s voice answered from somewhere nearby.
“I’m sorry, My Lord. It’s all my fault.”
Mirabelle wanted to get out of bed and explain that it was not the
butler’s fault. She had begged Michael to go on a picnic alone with
Kuhn.
The atmosphere in the room con nued to crackle, but fortunately, it
was Derek that now spoke to reassure his father.
“Stop it, Father. It’s not the butler’s fault. How could he change
Mirabelle’s decision? I’ll look a er her more carefully.”
“How long has Elena been married?”
“…Not long.”
“Very well, keep it a secret from her for now. If she hears that
Mirabelle is sick, she’ll come running back. Now that she’s the Crown
Princess, it’s not good for her to be involved in every detail of our
family.”
Alphord’s words about drawing a line with Elena struck a blow to
Mirabelle’s heart. Even if Elena was married and changed her last
name, she was s ll the eldest daughter of the Blaise family. Apart
from the fact that Mirabelle was sickly, Mirabelle didn’t like the way
she was treated differently than everyone else. In her eyes, Alphord
always acted more cold-heartedly towards Elena.
With that thought in her mind, Mirabelle fell into slumber once
again. Sounds dri ed in and out of her consciousness, from the
friendly voices of the maids wandering around, to the conversa on of
the servants outside the door, and the now familiar voice of the
doctor whose face she hadn’t seen yet. But none of them had the
voice that Mirabelle wanted to hear.
‘Where are you?’
Perhaps he had gone to the palace when she was unconscious? Did
her other family members punish him because they went on a picnic
alone? Numerous ques ons and worries twisted in her head, but
li ing her heavy eyelids wasn’t easy.
‘…I miss you.’
She missed Kuhn’s cool gray eyes. She wanted to hear the blunt
monotone of his voice.
‘Kuhn…Kuhn…’
A day a er Mirabelle fainted, she finally managed to open her eyes
properly. It was dark now, and only a dim candle lit the view. Even in
the shallow light, Mirabelle was dazzled and she had to blink her eyes
several mes to focus her vision. She turned her head to look around.
The first thing that caught her eyes was—
Her teddy bear si ng by her bedside. The velvety, dark-blue bear
was the same color as Kuhn’s hair. It was s ll clothed in the jacket
from when she first met Kuhn. However, it wasn’t her bear that
Mirabelle wanted to see right now…it was the man that the bear
reminded her of.
Mirabelle turned her head to take in more of the room, when a man
suddenly and silently appeared. The same one she had searched
many mes in her dreams. She stared at him with wide eyes.
“Do you feel be er?”
Mirabelle’s throat felt too sore to answer him, and she simply
nodded. Relief washed over Kuhn’s gray eyes.
At their first mee ng, Mirabelle had begged him to stay, but when
she opened her eyes again he had already disappeared. She didn’t
know what she would do if was gone again. At the moment, however,
she was relieved to see him at her side.
“…Kuhn.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
It was difficult for Mirabelle to form words with her dry throat, but
she felt she had to say this now. There was no other way to properly
express her feelings except to tell him.
“Kuhn…”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
When she called him again, Kuhn replied casually as always.

“…I love you.”

“What?”
Kuhn was thrown into sudden confusion. Mirabelle felt pleased that
she was able to cause a reac on on his usually expressionless face.
“What did you say just now?”
Mirabelle answered with confidence once again.
“I said I love you.”
Perhaps she had been harboring these feelings for a long me, but
she only realized it now.
“I don’t know when it started, but I’ve come to love you.”
Ch. 176 Because Of Him (1)
“….”
Kuhn didn’t say anything at Mirabelle’s unexpected confession. More
correctly, he didn’t know what to say. Kuhn simply stared at
Mirabelle’s pale face, his own as s ff as a statue.
‘What did she tell me now?’
He couldn’t comprehend it. How could a daughter of a count love a
man who had nothing to his name? Mirabelle was not aware of
Kuhn’s true iden ty. To her, he was a man who was involved in
something dangerous in the past, but was s ll low enough to work as
a servant in a mansion. No, even if she knew his true iden ty, their
differences were too wide to overcome. No nobleman would ever
allow their daughter to be with someone like him.
That did not mean Kuhn didn’t have advances from other women.
However, the words he had heard so far were, “I like you, do you
want to be together for a while?” or “Do you want to be my lover?”
No one ever confessed that they loved him.
The look of embarrassment faded from Kuhn’s face, and the blank
and impassive walls were rebuilt.
“Young Lady, do you know that women in the Ruford Empire take
their husband’s status?”
“Of course I know.”
“You know that as the daughter of a count, if you marry a baron who
is of lower status than you, then you will become a baroness?”
“Yes.”
“So you are aware that if you are with me, you will be the wife of a
servant?”
Mirabelle was not asking Kuhn to marry her immediately, but he
wanted to make a strong impression on her mind. The two of them
together were hopeless.
Contrary to Kuhn’s inten ons, however, Mirabelle replied with a firm
nod.
“Yes, but it doesn’t ma er. It’s not important if I’m a servant’s wife,
but if I’m Kuhn’s wife. “
Kuhn was at a loss for words. He was some mes taken aback by her,
but that was nothing compared to this. Despite the gauntness of her
cheeks, she was completely resolute.
“It’s alright if you don’t have anything. I can work hard.”
Un l now, Kuhn had assumed Mirabelle was like a frail li le bird, but
she had an unexpected resolve. She spoke words that no one else
could easily do. Some unknown emo on s rred inside Kuhn.
‘Is that why she’s kept me around?’
He didn’t know Mirabelle’s agenda, but now he understood. This
lovely girl loved with him incredible purity.
“Kollog, kollog.“
Mirabelle gave a few racking coughs, and he was broken from his
thoughts.
“Get some rest first, Young Lady.”
He turned away, when Mirabelle’s voice halted him.
“The answer to my confession…is it just a reminder of our
differences?”
Kuhn turned back to look at Mirabelle.
“That’s the most important thing, Young Lady.”
“If you were a noble, would our rela onship be changed in a be er
way?”
A flustered look flashed across Kuhn’s face, but it was soon gone.
Whatever freedom she imagined what not reality. Kuhn locked his
eyes with Mirabelle and replied coldly.
“Please think against it. I wouldn’t be listening to this uncomfortable
confession if I weren’t a servant.”
No ma er who heard it, it was a clear rejec on. Mirabelle’s clear
green eyes began to tremble in pain.
Kuhn turned away, seemingly unconcerned, and made towards the
window to leave. Mirabelle was s ll young and mistaken. Once she
was older, she would look back at this moment with regret.
Kuhn took a few steps forward, but he heard Mirabelle’s faint voice
behind him.

“…I love you, Kuhn.”

Kuhn’s feet paused at the confession, but he soon stepped forward
again as if nothing were wrong. Fortunately, the room was too dim
for her to no ce. This me, he answered without even turning his
head.
“I’ll pretend that I haven’t heard from you today.”
At the same me, Kuhn touched a desk clock lying on the table, and
he knocked it to the ground with a crashing noise. It startled the maid
who was dozing outside, and she quickly went into Mirabelle’s room.
“O-oh, Young Lady! Are you all right? Hold on a moment. I’ll call the
doctor!”
Then the maid realized Mirabelle was awake and hurried away.
Mirabelle, who had suddenly been distracted by the maid, turned to
the window again, but Kuhn had already disappeared.
Hwiiiingeu—
The wide open windows were the only evidence that he had ever
been there.
Ch. 177 Because Of Him (2)
Elena’s palace life was going smoothly. Few people knew that she
considered her party a failure because of her unsuccessful strike
against the Empress, but everyone else—both na ves and
foreigners—praised the colorful dances and lavishness of the event.
It was not the intended result, but it was s ll a favorable outcome.
Previously, Elena had chosen Margaret to be one of her ladies-in-
wai ng, and today was Margaret’s first day at the palace in official
capacity.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
Margaret gave a polite bow at the entrance, and Elena hurried over
to grab her hand.
“You can leave out such formali es between us.”
“Oh no, Your Highness, it is my honor. How have you been?”
Margaret’s manner of speaking was more formal than when Elena
was unmarried, but the lady-in-wai ng’s face was s ll so and
welcoming. Elena answered with a so smile.
“I am well. How are you, Lady Lawrence?”
“Very well. Nothing much has happened, except that I’ve been a li le
busy since everyone found out that I am your lady-in-wai ng.”
Margaret’s words reminded Elena of the me when her love affair
with Carlisle was thrust into the high society. She had been flustered
by the sheer volume of invita ons and the loss of her quiet social life.
Looking back now, it seemed a distant memory.
“Was there anything that made you uncomfortable?”
“No, not at all! Since I became a lady-in-wai ng, my family’s business
is doing be er, and my father is happy. I just wonder how I can repay
you.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Elena and Margaret strolled through beau ful landscaped garden.
Elena would normally receive visitors from the parlor room, but the
weather was so pleasant that she couldn’t stay in.
“Let’s have some tea together, Lady Lawrence.”
“Ah, thank you, Your Highness.
“You’re welcome. If you like, I can gi some to you separately, so
remember to take it later.”
A er Elena finished speaking to Margaret, she ordered Mary to bring
tea, and the maid hurried away to fulfill her order.
“How about we have tea at an outdoor table? Today I’ll show you
everything in the Imperial Palace.”
“It’s an honor, Your Highness.”
A happy expression spread on Margaret’s face, and the pair se led at
a table in the middle of the garden. Several minutes later, Mary
arrived and set down a tray of fragrant tea in front of them. Margaret
took a careful sip of her drink, and then looked at her cup in delight.
“Wow, this is delicious.”
“Isn’t it? I’m glad you like it.”
Elena had forgo en how enjoyable it was to spend me with the
right person. The two women’s conversa ons branched out into
various topics, from the happenings in the south to the wedding. The
atmosphere between them was pleasant, un l Margaret opened her
mouth suddenly as if she had remembered something.
“By the way, have you heard of the recent rumors in society about
the Crown Prince?”
“What rumors are you talking about?”
Elena looked at her curiously, and Margaret flushed. The lady-in-
wai ng paused to make a decision, then con nued on more seriously
than before.
“I don’t know if it’s right for me to say this to the newlywed Crown
Princess, but I s ll believe you should know.”
“What is it?”
“Well…there’s a rumor going around that the Crown Prince is seeking
a second wife. The gossip became even more intense a er his
marriage with you, and there are many noblewomen seeking the
posi on.”
“Ah…”
Elena was lost for words. She and Carlisle had been married and now
there was talk about concubines… However, the subject hadn’t
en rely slipped Elena’s mind. Carlisle only married late because of
the unfortunate prophecy, but now that it wasn’t the case anymore,
the families suppor ng Carlisle were pushing their daughters to be
his wives. Elena may be Crown Princess, but she was not part of a
great family, and another wife may be beneficial.
‘Yes, it was only natural.’
Carlisle, the emperor, was never the man Elena could have alone.
There would be a need to unify many forces in the future, and
marriage was one of the easiest ways to secure alliances. Of course,
Carlisle may not immediately remarry as he vowed to put Elena in
power as empress, but that was only a temporary measure. If Carlisle
could get a step closer to the Emperor’s seat by marrying another
woman, Elena did not intend to oppose him.
The thoughts in her head were perfectly ra onal…but her heart said
otherwise. The mere men on of such a rumor tore her to pieces and
made her chest ache.
“Your Highness, are you all right?”
Margaret looked at her worriedly, and Elena pasted a smile on her
face.
“I’m fine. If His Highness intends to marry again, I will not oppose
him.”
Elena kept her composure as cool as possible, but Margaret knew
be er. She took Elena’s hand and spoke in a kindly voice.
“Even if the Crown Prince takes a second wife, his heart will not leave
you. The last me I saw him at the party, I sensed it.”
“…Is that so?”
Elena smiled weakly. Margaret did not know that Carlisle and Elena
were in a contract marriage to sa sfy each other’s demands.
“I have a hard me saying this, but it’s important for you to know
who may come a er you. There’s a rumor in the social circles…that
Lady Selby is a er the posi on.”
The moment Helen’s name was men oned, Elena’s red eyes flashed
dangerously. Helen had already tried to trap Elena several mes, and
Elena had warned her that she would no longer tolerate another
challenge. Elena did not want to confront the Marquis Selby family,
but she would do so if she had no choice.
“I’ll have to find out more about it.”
She already had conflicted feelings about Carlisle taking another wife,
but Helen was an unacceptable choice. It wouldn’t be bad to have
the power of Marquis Selby on their side, but Helen was already on
the side of the Empress.
Margaret agreed, nodding her head vigorously.
“If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know, Your
Highness.”
“Thank you.”
If the rumors spread any further, many more women would try to
catch Carlisle’s eye. The next event was an official party that Elena
and Carlisle would a end. The young women were more likely to
make their move there. And if Helen wanted to be Carlisle’s wife, she
would be there too.
‘…I should be prepared.’
Elena didn’t want to accept anyone else as Carlisle’s wife. She
wouldn’t endure the pain in her heart unless the other woman was
truly helpful to him.
*
*
*
Elena and Margaret cha ed the hours away, but Elena couldn’t shake
the feeling of dread. From the moment she heard about the story of
another wife, she couldn’t concentrate on talking to Margaret
anymore.
Elena was s ll unse led even a er Margaret le , and she took out
her frustra on in Carlisle’s private training hall. Unlike the way she
secretly prac ced in Blaise mansion, here Elena was free to prac ce
her swordsmanship skills, and as a result her strength improved
significantly. At this rate, it would not be long un l she regained her
full strength from her previous life. That was a good thing, but…today
she had no mo va on.
Swiig, swiig.
Elena was garbed in simple clothes to more freely move about. Her
feet moved more nimbly than the dance performers. One could
describe it as beau ful, if they were unaware of the danger lurking
beneath the blade.
Elena’s head was empty as she automa cally moved through the
mo ons, when—
Ttubeog ubeog.
She heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Since she was hiding
her abili es, she halted her rou ne and looked at the entrance.
It was Carlisle that emerged, and he walked towards her with
efficient strides. He looked flawless again today.

“There you are.”

“…”
He seemed to have been seeking her out for some reason, but she
couldn’t find any words to say. She stared at him with a conflicted
expression, and Carlisle gave her a ques oning look.
“Is something worrying you?”
Elena almost replied back. It was because of him that she was being
driven mad…
Ch. 178 Her Own
She knew reasonably that it was not Carlisle’s fault if he chose
another woman as his second wife. Carlisle, like Elena, had made a
contract out of necessity, and he was s ll faithfully fulfilling his terms.
It was Elena’s fault that her heart was uncertain. They were married
before she realized that she liked him, and now she could see him
welcoming another wife before she even expressed her feelings
properly.
‘…I don’t like it.’
She tried to soothe her nerves countless mes. She didn’t want to
share Carlisle with anyone. Her greed for him crept up unexpectedly,
and she had not taken it into account when she first drew up the
contract. Elena’s mission was to protect her family and make him
emperor. Only then could Paveluc be eliminated and everyone’s
future changed.
‘Caril may never be my own.’
An emperor had to secure his posi on with many alliances, which
naturally led to marriage. It was unheard of for an emperor to marry
only one woman. Elena wrestled with the idea of wan ng Carlisle to
be emperor, but also having him solely as her own. However, no
ma er her heart’s protests, there was only one answer. Carlisle had
to become emperor. She simply needed a li le me to kill the
feelings inside of her.
Carlisle looked at her worriedly.
“If there’s anything wrong, tell me.”
“N-nothing…”
She couldn’t bring herself to confess that she feared him marrying
another woman. What would he say if she was honest with him? A
bi er smile spread on her face as she imagined it.
“Hmm.”
Carlisle gently stroked her chin with his hand. A er taking in her
troubled expression, he spoke in a low voice.
“Shall we talk over a drink?”
“…?”
Ever since Elena drunkenly said she wanted to kiss him, Carlisle had
been offering to drink with her. It was obvious he thought that kissing
was her drunken habit, but she couldn’t understand why kept making
this offer.
“I’m fine. I’m not distressed enough to need a drink.”
A small smile of regret passed Carlisle’s face at her rejec on.
“Call me whenever you need a drinking friend. I’ll drop everything.”
“Thank you for your words.”
Elena set down the sword in her hand, then picked up a bow and
arrow and stood in front of a target. She had used a crossbow before
when she saved Carlisle and had less muscle strength, but now she
was considering returning to her main weapon.
Hwiig!
Her shot landed dead center of the target.
Hwig! Hwig! Hwig!
Each arrow she let fly had the same result. Eventually, dozens of
arrows ghtly packed the center, and each subsequent arrows split
the wooden sha s. Meanwhile, Carlisle observed her prac ce with
an interested expression.
Elena pulled another arrow in the bowstring, and her worries about
Carlisle taking a second wife flashed in her mind. Her focused calm
seem to unbalance.
‘… Don’t be greedy.’
There was only one op on for her. She didn’t need to worry about
something useless—
Taang!
Elena was jerked out of her thoughts. She had pulled the bowstring
incorrectly, and it almost whipped onto her face.
In a flash, Carlisle shot to her side and covered her face with his
palm, preven ng an accident.
“Ca-Caril!”
Elena looked up at him in amazement, and he returned her a scowled
look.
“What were you thinking? You almost got hurt.”
“Is your hand alright? Let me see.”
Elena quickly took Carlisle’s hand and inspected it. Though his skin
was reddened, the injury was not deep enough to bleed or cut
through the bone. She looked up at Carlisle in relief.
“I’m sorry. I was thinking about something for a while…”
“Your beau ful face would have been scarred. Last me you already
burned yourself by spilling tea. How can I not be worried about my
wife?”
Elena had burned herself when she was talking to Log, and even that
minor injury was treated with the same care as her ankle. Of course,
if Elena had been cut by the bowstring this me, the injury would be
so severe she couldn’t a end the party. She couldn’t believe that she
let herself make such a clumsy error.
“I didn’t realize I would make a mistake.”
“I know.”
Carlisle con nued, gazing at the center of the target that was packed
with arrows.
“Normally you wouldn’t have made a mistake. Well, there are days
when monkeys fall from trees too, right?”
“…I’m sorry anyway.”
Carlisle saw no need for her apology. He stroked her hair and spoke
in a so ened voice.
“I don’t know what you’re worried about, but let it go. If it doesn’t
work, talk to me. I’ll make it whatever you want.”
She gave an involuntary smile. He didn’t even know he was the
source of her worries…
But one thing was clear. She was greedy, and she was incapable of
throwing away the greed that filled her heart. That was how much
she wanted him.
Elena took Carlisle’s injured hand and bent down on one knee, in a
gesture knights made when they formally gave their vows to their
lords. Although she was slender, an intense aura came out of Elena’s
small frame. She pressed her lips against the back of his hand, then
li ed her head and looked straight at him. Her deep red eyes fixed on
his without so much as a flinch.
“I’ll protect you from ge ng hurt again.”
Her feelings would not change, no ma er if Carlisle took another
woman as his wife. So she had to make concessions. She would place
Carlisle in the emperor’s seat, and be with him un l he didn’t need
her anymore. She didn’t know how long it will last, but if Carlisle
looked at her as kindly as he did now, she could live on with those
memories. There was only one path, but she was able to accept it all
again. For her and her family. She will make Carlisle emperor.
For a moment, Carlisle looked surprised at the spirit and resolve
emana ng from Elena. However, he leaned down as if he could no
longer endure it and hugged Elena’s small body.
“Oh.”
Despite Elena’s stunned reac on, Carlisle did not move. He squeezed
her ghtly, before speaking in a hoarse voice.
“Where have you learned such a wonderful words?”
“Y-you’re saying I learned them.”
“No ma er how much you make me fall for you, the difficult one is
you.”
“What?”
Despite Elena’s curiosity, Carlisle didn’t seem to be willing to explain
any further. Elena, who was pressed against his body, couldn’t help
but speak.
“Please let me go, Caril.”
At this rate, he would feel her rapidly bea ng heart. Even looking into
Carlisle’s eyes would cause her heart to go crazy these days. As Elena
was about to pull out of his arms, Carlisle breathed a sigh.
“Ah.”
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“The hand that was hit by the bowstring earlier hurts.”
“Does it hurt a lot? Let me take a closer look.”
“I can’t move.”
Despite his complaint of pain, he hugged Elena even more fiercely.
“So just wait a li le longer…”
In the end, Elena simply relaxed her body into Carlisle’s arms. His
solid chest and firm arms seemed to stand out sharply before her.
She could hear her blood pounding loudly in her ears as she leaned
her reddened face against Carlisle’s shoulders. That small gesture
alone was more powerful than any skinship.
*
*
*
Even since then, Carlisle kept complaining that his hand hurt.
Tak!
His fork slipped from his hand onto the table.
“My hand hurts too much to hold it.”
“Really? The doctor said it wasn’t serious.”
Carlisle gave a secret smile under Elena’s worried gaze.
“Some mes it feels be er, then it suddenly gets worse. But it’s not
serious, so I’ll get be er soon.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“S ll, I can’t eat now. I wish someone would feed me.”
Carlisle stared pointedly at Elena as he rested his chin on his other
hand. She blushed and looked around at the servants standing by in
the dining hall.
“That means…”
“If you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”
But as soon as that was over, Carlisle went back to spreading the
fingers out of his injured right hand.
“Oh, why does it hurt so much?”
Eventually, Elena rose from her seat and approached Carlisle directly.
She cut a piece of steak, placed it on a fork and held out to him.
Elena assumed he would take the fork with his good hand, but
instead he leaned down and took a bite. Her cheeks burned with
embarrassment as she fed him. However, Carlisle gave her a so
smile.
“It tastes be er when you feed me.”
“Is that possible?”
“Of course. If I can con nue to enjoy this kind of luxury, I don’t think
I’ll ever need my right hand again.”
Elena frowned, unsure whether he was joking or being serious.
“Don’t say that even in jest.”
“As you wish.”
Carlisle smiled gently and ate the food she offered him. Elena learned
something new today from feeding someone else—watching a man
eat was extremely a rac ve. Whenever Carlisle’s red lips open to
accept the food, she had to avert her eyes. He truly was bad for her
heart.
*
*
*
A er finishing her meal, Elena was res ng in her room when—
Ttog og.
She turned towards the door and replied,
“Come in.”
It was Mary who entered. She looked more serious than usual, and
Elena gave her a puzzled look.
“What’s wrong?”
“I thought I might need to speak to you.”
Mary held out two envelopes she had in her hand.
“When I first received this le er, I tried to ignore it. I thought I was
being tricked. But a second le er that arrived today changed my
mind.”
“Who is this le er from?”

“It’s from Tilda, who used to work for the Blaise family. She was the
one who tore your dress.”
Tilda’s face floated to Elena’s mind. Tilda also spent a considerable
amount of me working at Blaise’s mansion, and so Elena hadn’t
forgo en her.
“Is this le er from Tilda to you?”
“Yes, please read it yourself.”
With a determined expression, Mary handed the two envelopes to
Elena.
Ch. 179 Don’t Be Late
Elena accepted the envelopes Mary held out, opened the top le er
and began reading carefully.
[Hello Mary. It’s been a while. It may seem shameless for me to
contact you all of a sudden, but you’re the only one I can turn to. I
hope you will listen to me for old mes’ sake.]
Tilda’s le er began with the story of how Sophie tricked her into
betraying Elena, and detailed informa on of her work as a maid.
Elena’s eyes skimmed over the page as she read.
[Helen has a terrible temper and has cut off Sophie’s tongue. Please
tell Lady Elena that I need her help. I secretly overheard a scheme
Helen is planning at the party…]
The le er included the scheme Tilda overheard, included a plea for
Elena to remove her from the Selby household.
A er Elena finished reading the first le er, she looked up at Mary.
The kindly maid was the type who was easily taken advantage of
because of her caring personality. Elena was surprised that Mary had
been unswayed by Tilda’s words, and had given the le ers to Elena
instead.
“You didn’t tell me about this first le er because you thought it might
be a trick?”
“Yes, My Lady. I was afraid Sophie might have leaked fake informa on
to me, because she sent a le er just like this to Tilda.”
Mary was not wrong, and even if she had immediately brought the
first le er to Elena, the la er would have s ll been suspicious.
However, from Mary’s point of view, she was reluctant to let Elena
know that they were in communica on. Now that Mary brought the
second le er, however, it probably meant that it contained more
convincing content. Elena opened the second envelope and began
reading.
[Mary, I haven’t heard from you yet, so I’m sending you another
le er. Sophie was recently expelled out of the Selby mansion and
taken somewhere. Now I can’t sleep because I don’t know what’s
going to happen. I’ll write down more of what I’ve been hearing in
case you don’t believe me.]
If the first le er had been briefly commented on Helen’s scheme at
the party, the second le er was much more detailed about it. It was
also consistent with what Elena had recently heard from Margaret.
In summary, Helen planned to obtain an aphrodisiac with Sarah’s
help. Tilda’s second le er spoke more specifically how they went
about doing so. The plan was so brazen as to be ridiculous, but if it
succeeded, Helen would get the results she wanted.
Elena deemed these le ers unlikely to be a trap. The context fit, and
there was no reason for Helen to benefit by informing Elena this.
However, she could not draw a conclusion on this alone.
“I’ll have to inves gate myself to see if what the le er says is true.”
“Yes, I think you should, too.”
“It must have been difficult to ignore the le er Tilda sent to you.”
“No. It’s true that Tilda’s situa on is pi able, but…but I can’t betray
you.”
Elena smiled at Mary’s loyal answer.
“Thank you.”
Elena kept Mary around because she had a good heart, but Elena was
always worried that she was weak and easily influenced by others.
The maid seemed to have matured a li le without even realizing it.
To Elena, Mary now seemed a younger version of her nanny.
“I came to the Imperial Palace as your maid, and I have to lend you
my strength.”
“If this le er turns out to be true, I’ll get Tilda out of the Selby
family.”
“R-really?”
It was obvious that Mary felt sorry for Tilda. Elena offered Mary a
faint smile.
“Of course. When have you seen me lie?”
“No, you wouldn’t lie, Your Highness. Thank you so much!”
“You can tell Tilda later that it’s all because of you, Mary.”
“Yes, Tilda will be very grateful when she hears this.”
“Un l I’ve confirmed what’s on the le ers, you can’t tell anyone
about this, understand?”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Mary gave an enthusias c reply.
Elena immediately went about planning. Not long ago, she had made
an agreement with Log to join hands. This would be an ideal
opportunity to test the power of their leader Astar. Normally Elena
would communicate periodically to them, but she knew what to do
when she needed help immediately.
Elena turned towards Mary.
“Mary, I need you to do something.”
“Anything.”
“Go to the market and find a place called the Nei Store. I want you to
find a man named Isaac and take him here to the Imperial Palace.”
“A man named Isaac?”
“Yes. If you tell him I sent you, he’ll know. Say to him that I want
spring flowers.”
“I see.”
Mary nodded. It was a strange order, but she trusted Elena without
hesita on. In turn, Elena had asked Mary to do this task because she
trusted in the maid’s loyalty.
With Astar, there was a unique power available to Elena. She thought
it would be a good opportunity to see their skills and decide how to
use them in the future. She looked down at Tilda’s le er again.
‘If Lady Selby obtained an aphrodisiac, I can’t let her use it.’
Elena imagined what would happen if Helen’s plan was successful
and she spent a passionate night with Carlisle. A murderous red glint
flashed in Elena’s eyes. Perhaps someday there will be a second wife
depending on their needs, but…not yet…
Not yet…
*
*
*
The next day, Mary found the man named Isaac at the Nei store, and
brought him to the Crown Prince’s palace away from any spying eyes.
It was Elena’s and Isaac’s first me mee ng each other, having only
heard of each other through Log. The coarse-mannered man came in
with his usual rough stride, but when he faced Elena he bowed to her
politely.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
Elena gave a slight nod towards Mary.
“Good work, Mary.”
“Yes. Please have a comfortable conversa on.”
Mary finished speaking and hurried out. She wasn’t given any orders,
but Elena knew she would guard the entrance to keep people away
from the vicinity. Perhaps Isaac no ced the maid’s loyalty too, and
there was an interested glint in his eye as he watched her leave
before turning back towards Elena. She pointed opposite of her as
she spoke.
“Please have a seat.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Isaac se led himself into the offered chair. His demeanor had
changed, and so far Elena liked his personality.
“I’ve heard about you. This is our first me mee ng.”
“Yes. My name is Isaac Ford. Please feel free to call me Isaac.”
“I will, Isaac.”
“If you don’t mind, may I ask you why you called me?”
Isaac must be wondering why he was called to the palace.
Ever since Elena became Crown Princess, more and more people kept
trying to ingra ate themselves to her. She was impa ent when they
would drag out the conversa on with useless compliments, but Isaac
was neat and straight to the point. Her impression of him li ed a
li le higher.
“I think it would be quicker for you to read this le er first.”
She presented the le er from Tilda, and Isaac accepted the paper
and unfolded it. A er reading the le er in almost no me at all, he
opened his mouth to speak.
“Do you want me to inves gate the means which she purchased the
aphrodisiac?”
Elena blinked in surprise. In such a short amount of me, he had
figured out exactly what she wanted. Isaac was far more capable
than she guessed.
“Yes. If it’s true that she bought an aphrodisiac, then I need proof of
it.”
“Very well. I’ll find out and let you know right away.”
“When can you do it?”
“I believe I can bring you the exact results in three days.”
Elena was impressed that it could be done so quickly, and she looked
on in sa sfac on.
“Astar seems to have a fairly rapid intelligence network in the Ruford
Empire.”
“Well, we’ve been aiming for the Ruford Empire for a long me. It’s
hard to intervene because of the intense fac onal strife, but once
you start digging, you can get a lot of money.”
Isaac imitated a gold coin by making a circle with his fingers. It was
somewhat rude in the presence of the Crown Princess, but Elena was
not offended. In fact, she liked that he was honest about their
mo va ons. She smiled back at him.
“If I deem your work to be sa sfactory, I’ll be sure to make it worth
your me. “
“Oh, that’s good to hear.”
Isaac smiled broadly, showing his white teeth. They had a clear
purpose in their rela onship, and Elena wouldn’t have to waste me
on emo ons.
“So let’s see what Astar can do for me.”
“Well, I’ll be very busy. I’ll write a report and send it to you.”
“Very well. While you’re doing that, I ask one more thing.”
At the same me, she handed over a plain envelope she had
prepared beforehand. It had no royal seal, and Isaac accepted it
automa cally with a ques oning look.
“What is this?”
“This is a le er for Lady Jenner. Deliver it to her in secret.”
Sarah Jenner.
She was from the south, and Helen’s closest friend and lackey. Sarah
was also involved with the aphrodisiac scheme, and Elena could have
caught and punished her as well. However, Elena had different plans.
“This le er?”
Isaac turned over the envelope curiously. It was not an easy task to
deliver a le er to a noble firsthand without anyone else knowing.
Moreover, he had already checked the contents of the le er from
Tilda, and knew that Sarah was involved in the plot. What in the
world would Elena have to say to Sarah? His curiosity got the be er
of him.
“May I ask what this le er says?”
“I don’t have to tell you, but you’ll find out later.”
Elena seemed to want to keep her cards close. Isaac nodded in
regret, licking his lips. This second task wouldn’t be easy, but it
wouldn’t be as difficult as finding clues to the aphrodisiac.
“I’ll take responsibility for this as well.”
Isaac stood up from his seat and gave a bow. Elena watched him and
gave a warning in a low voice.
“Three days, don’t be late.”
Isaac’s head jerked up towards the beau ful face of the woman
before him. Although it was he who set the deadline, he knew that
failing to meet it would result in serious consequences.
‘I have to hurry.’
Isaac knew at first sight that Elena was a formidable woman.
Ch. 180 Should Be Mine (1)
Sarah was on her way back from her usual visit to Helen’s mansion,
but today, however, there were many beggars on the street crowding
around the carriage.
“Please help.”
“I haven’t eaten for two days.”
Sarah delicately pinched her nose with one hand, then leaned over to
speak to the carriage driver.
“Can’t you go a li le faster? “
“I’m sorry, My Lady. The beggars are blocking the road.”
“Ugh.”
She scowled, when suddenly—
Hwiig!
The carriage window opened and a hand burst in. Sarah was too
frightened to scream, and she froze as the hand dropped a le er into
the carriage, then quickly disappeared.
“Kya-kyaaa!”
Sarah finally let out a scream, but by then everything had already
passed. The driver looked back in alarm.
“What’s going on, My Lady?”
“That…”
Sarah pointed a trembling finger at the le er, but as her reason
gradually began to return to her, she realized that something was
strange. She had visited Helen’s residence countless mes, and never
before were there so many beggars in this alley. Why did they
surround her today? More importantly, the sudden intruder did not
hurt Sarah. The beggars likely weren’t beggars at all, and she had
been approached for some purpose.
‘Perhaps…’
She quickly came to herself, then looked outside the carriage
window. The beggars that surrounded them had sca ered, as if their
task was complete. Doubt turned into convic on. This was all a ruse
to deliver a le er to her.
‘Who sent the le er?’
Sarah’s confusion turned to scru ny. The driver, unaware of what was
going on, spoke with a worried voice.
“My Lady, are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. It’s nothing.”
Sarah picked up the le er from the floor and opened it. She first
began reading the le er with skep cism, but her expression
gradually darkened. When Sarah finally arrived home…
“My Lady!”
The servant was startled when he opened the door to the carriage.
Sarah was si ng inside, looking pale and completely exhausted.
Servants of the Jenner family hurried to help her, but she bit her
trembling lips and tucked the le er away.
What was inside…
No one should know.
*
*
*
The day of the party was fast approaching. As promised, Isaac
delivered the results of his work to the Elena a er three days.
Everything was going as planned, and all that was le was to draw
Helen into their snare.
Seueug, seueug.
There was the smooth sound of silk as Elena ed the cravat on
Carlisle’s neck. It was part of her daily rou ne now, and she was far
more skilled at it now than her first awkward a empt. She firmly kept
her gaze away from Carlisle’s piercing eyes as she worked, but he
spoke up in a low voice.
“Has there been a change in heart?”
Her cheeks suddenly turned pink in guilt. She spoke carefully, worried
that her feelings about him were wri en all over her face.
“Why are you suddenly asking me?”
Carlisle glanced at Elena’s dress and jewelry, which were far more
ornate than usual.
“You’re dressing up more beau fully than you usually do, but I don’t
think it’s for my eyes.”
“Ah…”
She realized what he was talking about. Carlisle’s observa on wasn’t
wrong: today, Elena put in tremendous effort to make herself look as
beau ful as possible. She wore rare and dis nc ve emerald jewels
that she had received from Carlisle, and chose the most striking dress
that Mirabelle had ever created. If Carlisle showed up at the party
now when there was talk of him taking a second wife, it was obvious
that everyone would look at Elena. She didn’t intend to be
discouraged in front of the other nobles.
“I…I’m not sure, Caril. But for women, a beau ful dress is like a
weapon in society.”
Carlisle gave a so chuckle.
“Everyone should be nervous to see you fully armed.”
Carlisle didn’t know that it was he who made her nervous. Dressed in
a handsome black swallowtail coat, he was guaranteed to catch the
a en on of all the women at the party. Elena wanted to stand in the
place where everyone else coveted—next to Carlisle. His right-hand
posi on was en rely her own.
“I’m finished.”
She smoothed over the cravat with one hand, and before she could
stop herself, she looked up in Carlisle’s eyes. She saw him looking at
her, a so smile in his gaze.
Dugeun, dugeun.
Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, but she managed to give a
calm smile in return. Every moment with Carlisle was like a gi . As
she cau ously admi ed her feelings, she was fully able to experience
the thrill.
“Why don’t we get some air a er the party?”
“Air?”
She looked at him curiously, and he replied in a gentle voice.
“You’ve never gone outside the Imperial Palace since we married.
You must be frustrated not having the chance to go out.”
“I don’t know…palace life is busier than I expected.”
But somehow, Carlisle managed to sneak his way into Elena’s heart.
“Think about it.”
Carlisle extended his hand to Elena, his face as handsome as ever.
Now that they were fully prepared, it was me to go to the party
venue. Elena gave a small nod and took his hand without a word. As
their pair exited the palace, Zenard, who was wai ng at the entrance,
heralded their appearance.

“Hail to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and Her Royal Highness
the Crown Princess!”
The people outside the palace gave way to them. Everyone bowed
and chorused loudly,
“Hail to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess! Eternal Glory to the
Ruford Empire!”
The voices swelled together as if it were a single loud shout, and
Elena and Carlisle slowly boarded the golden carriage. The journey
seemed quite noisy at first, but she gradually became accustomed to
it.
Elena stared at Carlisle’s profile. When she first met him, she
proposed to him to fulfill her own purposes…but now she hoped she
could be with him for a long me.
As if he felt her gaze, Carlisle turned his head from the window to
look into her eyes. He looked like an image from a dream, leaning on
his elbow as the warm a ernoon sun washed over him. His sapphire
blue eyes burned with a mysterious heat as he fixed his gaze on her.
“Don’t be too beau ful, my wife. If you keep staring at me like that,
I’ll want to take you away somewhere else.”
Elena couldn’t help but give a small laugh. He was looking at her so
sweetly it ckled her heart.
Ch. 181 Should Be Mine (2)
For Helen, today’s party was nothing less than a ba le. She had
prepared the aphrodisiac for Carlisle, but even then she had
beau fied herself as much as possible. A er all, she was nominated
as the Madonna of the ball, and although she had been
overshadowed by Elena, she was proud to be one of the belles who
represented the southern region.
Helen a red herself today in the finest dress ever made in the
Freegrand Kingdom. In addi on, she adorned herself in the most
expensive jewelry that she had, and completed her hair and makeup
at the most famous beauty salon in the capital. She was confident
that she was more exquisite than any woman at the party today.
Presently, Helen was in her carriage, mu ering to herself as she kept
checking her appearance in the mirror.
“I think it’s be er to change the hair decora on to the le .”
Helen had asked the beauty parlor to place it on the right, but now
looking at the mirror, she thought it be er placed on the le . She
was forced to call the maid si ng on the carriage floor.
“Come here and do my hair.”
“M-me, My Lady?”
It was Tilda who accompanied Helen to the party today.
“Who else would it be? Shall I ask the driver to touch my head?
Huh?”
“Oh, no, My Lady.”
When the carriage stopped momentarily, Tilda hurriedly moved from
the floor to the seat where Helen was si ng.
“How would you like me to do it?”
“Remove the ornament from here and switch it to the le .”
“Y-yes.”
Tilda carefully pulled off the hair ornament when—
“Ah!”
Helen gave a short yelp, then slapped Tilda on the cheek.
“Can’t you do it right? Do you know what day it is?”
“I-I’m sorry, My Lady.”
Helen’s sudden assault caused Tilda to fall to one side of the carriage,
but the maid quickly pulled herself up. She knew from experience
that if she didn’t do it properly, Helen wouldn’t stop there. Tilda’s
shoulders were tense as she touched Helen’s hair more carefully.
A few moments later, Tilda successfully changed the posi on of the
hair ornament. Helen studied herself in the mirror, and spoke to Tilda
without even looking at her.
“Tsk, if things go wrong today, it will be your fault.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Tilda had done everything Helen had asked for, but there was no
praise for the maid. Tilda tried to return to her original seat in the
carriage, when the carriage suddenly slowed as they neared the
party. Helen turned to Tilda with a ferocious glint in her eye.
“Sit on the floor and hide. I don’t want other people to see that
you’re in the carriage with me.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Tilda quickly lowered herself and hid from view from the window.
Helen glanced at the maid, then looked out towards the nobility
standing outside the party hall.
“Where is Sarah at this moment? I would look be er if she was in
front of me…”
Helen looked down at Tilda again with a frown.
“You, find Sarah and bring her to me.”
“N-now?”
“Hmm. You can go find Sarah’s carriage later.”
“Y-yes, I understand.”
“Don’t speak to me twice.”
As Helen’s irrita on flared, Tilda quickly shut her mouth. Helen hated
exchanging words with lower-class servants for any extended period
of me.
Finally, the carriage stopped completely. Helen rearranged the sneer
on her face and stepped out of the carriage with a gentle smile. Tilda
was accustomed to Helen’s moods, and withdrew in fear as she
looked at the lady’s retreated back.
Ttogag ogageu—
Helen was greeted by nobles from all sides as she entered the party.
“Oh, is that Lady Selby? She looks absolutely stunning.”
“Where did she get that dress? Oh my god, it’s so beau ful.”
No one would dare speak ill of the queen’s lady-in-wai ng. Helen
wore a proud smile on her face as she walked through the hall.
“It’s no use telling you were I got the dress. It’s so expensive it that
not anyone can buy it.”
Some people froze awkwardly at Helen’s words, but soon the nobles
smiled like proper society folk. As Helen sensed the eyes of countless
aristocra c men on her, her spirits soared.
‘Where is the Crown Prince?’
She wanted to show Carlisle this beau ful image of herself. Helen
was talking a solitary stroll through the party when—
Beolkeog!
The entrance door opened, and a man shouted in a loud voice.
“Their Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are here!”
All men and women in the room bowed down to greet Carlisle and
Elena as they entered the room. Carlisle was a grand sight, but Elena
even more so. Helen clutched at her bosom as she looked at Carlisle’s
handsome figure.

‘That posi on should be mine.’

It should be her next to Carlisle, not Elena. Carlisle and Elena looked
beau ful enough to make her jealous, but today Helen felt that she
wasn’t far behind. The amount of money she poured into her current
dress and jewellery was astronomical.
Helens’s heart pounded in excitement as she touched the bracelet on
her wrist, specially designed to pour aphrodisiac when it was turned.
And tonight…
She would make Carlisle her own.
Ch. 182 Do You Understand? (1)
Elena spo ed Helen the moment she entered the party. Helen was
wearing a more no ceable dress today, and so she stood out from
the crowd.
According to the intelligence Elena received, Helen would a empt to
give Carlisle an aphrodisiac. It was most certain that Helen would
wait un l the most opportune moment. She had the advantage of
being the only daughter of Selby Marquis, as well as having the
backing of Empress Ophelia, one of the two great pillars of the
Ruford Empire. If Elena couldn’t avoid the situa on, she would have
to deal with it as calmly as possible. And so, she bid her me un l she
would spring her trap.
‘I gave you my last warning.’
Elena didn’t intend to hold back this me. She had already looked
away once when Helen had spread rumors about her. Of course, she
was more concerned about the damage to Carlisle’s chance in
becoming emperor, but Helen was once again ac ng hos le towards
Elena without a trace of repentance. It would be foolish to let this
situa on repeat. Elena was going to trample the other woman under
her feet.
‘To do so…’
Elena would release the bait to trap her. For a moment, her red eyes
darkened over. Carlisle no ced her strange expression and looked at
her curiously.
“What are you thinking of, my wife?”
“N-nothing. I’m married and I’m at my first public event, so I’ll need
to introduce myself to the other noblewomen.”
“Go ahead.”
Even with Carlisle’s permission, however, Elena was reluctant to part
from him. She knew the moment she le him, Helen, but also
countless women, would descend upon Carlisle. When she hesitated,
Carlisle took a step forward, and she ins nc vely grabbed his arm.
“I…”
Elena turned speechless by her sudden ac on. She hadn’t intended
it, and she pulled her hand away, but Carlisle turned around. He
stared closely at Elena’s expression and soon gave a mischievous
smile.
“Can I take this as a sign that you don’t want to leave my side?”
Elena blushed at his joke. Even Carlisle seemed a li le surprised at
her reac on. She replied with a casual look, ignoring the heat on her
face.
“No, I was just…there was something on your clothes.”
Elena brushed Carlisle’s spotless sleeve, and then moved away. She
could not bear to look behind her, even though she could feel
Carlisle’s gaze fixed on her back.
‘…I can’t say it.’
She didn’t want to leave him alone with another woman for one
moment…
*
*
*
Carlisle was beginning to get annoyed. Everywhere in the party,
mul ple women constantly dogged his footsteps. He was interrupted
by an older woman stepping in his way and introducing her daughter.
The nobles never approached him much before, but now they came
upon him like hounds. He was feeling uncomfortable in this party,
and yet …
When he sensed someone’s gaze on them and turned around, he
found that Elena was looking at them. Her red eyes were sharply
raised as if she were unhappy…
Or as if she were jealous.
‘No way.’
This was too much wishful thinking.
However, the scenario repeated itself several mes, and Carlisle
couldn’t ignore Elena’s unusual behavior.
‘Don’t tell me…’
He couldn’t help but feel hopeful. His thoughts were filled with Elena,
when—
Dadadag, kuung!
A woman approached Carlisle and spilled the wine she was holding.
The ac on was so obviously deliberate that his brow furrowed.
“Oh my goodness, how could this have happened?”
The woman looked up at him helplessly, and Carlisle could barely
contain his already rising irrita on. However, he stole a glance
towards Elena. Again, she was staring in this direc on. What’s more,
her expression was far more serious than before.
‘…Why?’
Carlisle wondered why she would give such a look. He let the other
woman approach, curious about her reac on.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Please let me make it up to you. How
about I clean your jacket?”
Carlisle glanced at his wine-stained jacket and replied brusquely.
“Do it.”

The woman’s face flushed as permission was given.

“Would you please follow me for a while? There are so many people
here. I’ll take you to the room upstairs while I have your jacket
cleaned.”
It was not something done under normal circumstances, but Carlisle’s
blue eyes once again looked in the direc on of Elena, who nodded
gently.
“…Very well.”
The woman’s smile deepened at the answer. Her iden ty was Helen.
Ch. 183 Do You Understand? (2)
When the party was in full swing, Carlisle and Helen headed for the
room upstairs. She had prepared the place in advance so that they
wouldn’t be disturbed no ma er what happened here. She expected
to spend a very long night with him. Helen gave a secret smile at the
thought.
“Your Highness, will you please take your jacket off?”
Carlisle removed it without a reply. Helen swallowed hard as she
no ced his muscled form was hinted underneath his ght shirt.
“I’ll have it cleaned, so please wait here, Your Highness.”
She rushed outside the room with Carlisle’s jacket. Standing by the
front door was Sarah, holding a tray of tea she had prepared. She had
arrived at the party late and looked nervous, but Helen was so
excited that she took no no ce of it.
“I think the prince has fallen in love with me.”
“What?”
Despite Sarah’s confused reac on, Helen con nued on ecsta cally.
“Instead of ge ng angry when I spilled wine on him, he looked at me
in the eyes, and then…he followed me here.”
“I see.”
Sarah’s reac on was more muted than usual, but Helen’s mood was
soaring.
“Maybe I don’t even need to use what I’ve prepared.”
“So you’re not going to use it?”
“What are you saying! Of course with enough me he’ll come over to
me, but I want him tonight.”
Helen turned over her wrist, spilling the aphrodisiac from the jeweled
bracelet into the tea. Her eyes glistened greedily. Once Carlisle drank
this, it would be all over. He would lust a er her body like an animal,
and Helen would be the poor young lady who was forced to lose her
chas ty to him. At that point, Carlisle would have no choice but to
take responsibility. She had the backing of Marquis Selby and
Empress Ophelia, and Carlisle would not be able to refuse her. And
a er entering the palace, perhaps she could poison Elena and take
the posi on of Crown Princess one day.
‘It would be nice to have a child tonight…’
There would be no greater power than to bear Carlisle’s first child,
and made sure to eat foods that promoted pregnancy. She smiled
and took the tray from Sarah.
“You can go now. Keep an eye so that no one else comes here. Do
you understand?”
“Yes.”
Sarah gave a nod. At any other me, her lukewarm reac on would be
suspicious, but Helen simply smiled at the rosy future unfolding
before her eyes. She entered back into the room where Carlisle was
wai ng, holding the tea with a brightened look on her face.
The me had finally arrived. However, Carlisle was simply si ng on
an armchair looking bored. She admired the slender length of his
crossed legs, but he looked completely uninterested in her entrance.
She cleared her throat.
“Hmm mmm!”
Only at the noise did Carlisle’s blue eyes shi . He frowned at her and
spoke.
“Did you go yet?”
“What?”
“Come back when the cleaning is done. Don’t bother me.”
“…!”
She was stunned speechless by his cold reac on. She thought they
had a special connec on. Helen’s expression began to wrinkle slowly.
“Your Highness, if you knew who I was, you would be ashamed by
how I am being treated.”
An unfriendly light shone in Carlisle’s eyes.
“Who are you?”
“You’ve already met me and you’re pretending you’ve already
forgo en—”
“You want me ask who you are?”
Helen winced at the hos lity in his voice. Carlisle could easily catch
anyone’s eye, but standing in the line of his charisma was an intense
experience. Helen suddenly remembered the me he casually
appeared at a party with a man’s severed head. She had almost
forgo en about it.
“I, I…”
Helen was confused in how to answer. When her and Elena fought at
that party, she had faced Carlisle. She couldn’t believe that he had
already forgo en her. Before now, she assumed that she didn’t have
a large impression on him, but in reality she was completely
nonexistent to him.
Helen bit her lip before pu ng on a smile.
“I’m Helen Selby. I thought you’d be lonely wai ng alone, but I can
help you with that…”
Helen placed the silver tray on the table, and handed over the tea
laced with aphrodisiac.
“I prepared this as an apology for ruining your clothes, so please
accept this. I won’t feel relieved otherwise. I will take my leave if you
accept my sincere apology.”
Despite Helen’s meek demeanor, Carlisle’s stony expression did not
so en. However, he accepted the cup and slowly li ed it to his lips,
as he even found exchanging words with her annoying.
He paused before he took a sip and inhaled the scent of the tea.
Suddenly, his eyes turned sharp. His mouth twisted into a smile, and
when he spoke his voice was terrifying cold.
“You dare—”
But before he could even finish, the door to the room burst open.
Imperial guards streamed into the room, led by none other by Elena.
As if that weren’t enough, a large number of nobles had gathered
when they saw something was happening.
Elena observed Carlisle and Helen alone in the room, then addressed
the guards behind her.
“Arrest her.”
Helen’s eyes trembled violently.
“What the hell is this?”
“If you have any excuses, say it at interroga on room of the Imperial
Palace, Lady Selby.”
As soon as Elena finished speaking, the guards behind her rushed
over and grabbed Helen by both her arms. They also took the tea on
the table as evidence.
Helen began yelling hysterically.

“Let go of me! Don’t you dare! How can you do this to me?”
Elena stared at Helen with a cold expression and replied in a steel-
hard voice.
“I was informed that you placed a drug in the teacup. We’ll find out
what the ingredients are. However, you must realize that you can be
charged with murder even a emp ng such a plan.”
“M-murder?”
Helen’s eyes widened in shock. She had simply used an aphrodisiac.
Even if it was revealed that she had no inten on of murder, she and
her family could be destroyed at the hands of society.
“What are you talking about? I never intended to kill him. I
just…just…”
Helen was unable to connect her words, and Elena con nued to glare
down at her.
“Whatever your inten ons are, just trying to secretly place
something in the Crown Prince’s drink is enough to accuse you of
murder. Do you understand?”
Ch. 184 It Was Love (1)
“No! This is unfair! I was only using an aphrodisiac—!”
They had taken away the tea, but Helen had nothing to hide. The
onlooking nobles began to whisper among themselves a er Helen’s
startling confession.
“Oh my God, did you hear what she said?”
“Lady Selby tried to give the Crown Prince an aphrodisiac.”
Whatever the context, this was pure entertainment for the guests.
Tomorrow morning, the social circles would be awash with gossip
about the party. Helen spoke quickly, her eyes dar ng fran cally
around the room.
“Well, I was forced to!”
“By who?”
Elena stared at her coldly, and Helen racked her thoughts.
“It-it was Sarah! Sarah Jenner told me to approach the Crown Prince
this way—”
Ttubeog ubeog.
But before Helen could finish, Sarah slowly walked into the room.
There was a variety of emo ons playing on her face, but mostly fear.
Helen murmured to herself in shock.
“Y-you…”
Elena watched as Helen was taken aback.
“It was Lady Jenner that informed me that you would commit this
crime.”
“W-what?”
Helen’s eyes widened once again. She couldn’t understand why Sarah
would suddenly betray her. The fact that Helen had just placed
sacrificed Sarah for her own life had already been forgo en.
“You! How dare you set me up? You think you’ll ever be safe in this
palace?”
Helen screamed in rage, but Sarah didn’t respond, her expression
darkened. There was no need to exchange words anymore.
Elena deliberately allowed the scene to play out before the other
nobles. Only when this became known in society could punishment
be made more fairly. Elena achieved what she intended, so she
turned to the guards to give them an order.
“Take her to the interroga on room.”
In order to prevent an interven on from the Selby family or Empress
Ophelia, Elena had assigned an interrogator in advance. This me,
Helen wouldn’t be let off so easily. Elena was going to take this
opportunity to make her pay.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The guards began to drag Helen out of the room.
“Let go! Let go of me!”
Helen resisted with all her strength, but it was fu le against the
muscled guards. Soon a er, Sarah silently bowed to Elena and then
followed the group out the door. Sarah would tes fy against Helen as
promised. There was also plenty of evidence that Helen had secretly
purchased the aphrodisiac.
When the scene was over, the guests went back into the party,
whispering among themselves.
*
*
*
Before long, only Carlisle and Elena remained in the room. The door
was closed behind them, and silence hovered awkwardly in the air. It
was Carlisle who broke the silence.
“Did you know someone would give me an aphrodisiac?”
“…Yes.”
“Is that why you looked so angry?”
“What?”
She fixed him with a blank look, and he spoke again.
“You looked at me like you were jealous of other women.”
Elena couldn’t hide her surprise. Despite her a empts to hide her
inner thoughts, he seemed to have read her mind, and she gave him
a hasty reply.
“No. I was only watching just in case you needed my help.”
“…Ha.”
Carlisle gave a sudden low chuckle. His forehead was creased,
however, and his laughter was not a good one.
“I didn’t know that. I was imagining things.”
Elena couldn’t understand the meaning of his mu ered words, but as
soon as he finished speaking, Carlisle stood up from his seat and
strode towards Elena. His eyes seemed to burn in a heated stare.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this plan earlier?”
“No ma er how much I knew about the plan in advance, there is
nothing as certain as being at the scene.”
“What if I drank the drug?”
Elena quickly fished out a small glass vial that she had.
“Did you drink it? Then take this an dote quickly, just in case.”
Carlisle quietly looked between the an dote and Elena, his frown
deepening. He sighed and swept his hair roughly with one hand.
“I don’t know why I’m so angry.”
“I don’t know what this is about, but if I’ve upset you in any way…I
apologize.”
As soon as Elena finished speaking, Carlisle grabbed her slender
shoulders with both hands. He lowered his head and made eye
contact with her, his voice taking on a deep tone.
“…Elena.”
She was unused to him calling her by her first name, and her heart
began to race. A line had been drawn in the past, but it was her first
me realizing that hearing her naming coming out of someone’s
mouth could be so exci ng.
“What would have happened if you didn’t discover this plan in me?
What if I spent the night with another woman like a fool?”
Elena didn’t understand the purpose of the ques on. But if that were
to happen, there was only one path.
“…Then I would have to live with you having a second wife.”
Carlisle’s grip on her shoulders ghtened.
“Eut.“

Elena gave a faint gasp of pain, and the power in Carlisle’s grasp
suddenly melted away. He looked at her with an expression of regret.
“You won’t even get jealous if I bring in another woman?”
“…”
The ques on struck Elena dumb. Of course, she would jealous. She
grappled with it every day. She tried to persuade herself to be
sa sfied if her family were simply alive and Carlisle became emperor.
But it was hopeless…she couldn’t help the greed she had for him.
Ch. 185 It Was Love (2)
“Why is that important? The ques on should be: would they be
helpful for Carlisle as an emperor?”
His eyes darkened to a stormy blue.
“I will be emperor regardless. So don’t worry about anything else,
and just look at me.”
“…?”
“If I take any other noblewoman, you can drug me without my
knowledge, or you can torture me and make me a cripple.”
“…What?”
Elena widened her eyes, completely dumbstruck. Carlisle took in her
startled look and gave a bi er smile.
“You can be cruel to me if you wish.”
Elena was confused by his unexpected words. She didn’t want to be
the evil, jealous wife of the emperor.
“…I don’t know what you mean.”
Carlisle faced the bewildered Elena and spoke with a so ened
expression.
“I’ve told you once before, but I’m so greedy that even if you refuse
me, I won’t back down.”
She suddenly recalled the words he had spoken to her on the boat.
— If I said those words, it might reject me. But as you know, I am a
greedy man…and I can’t handle rejec on.
At that me, Carlisle asked her to guess what he desired, and she
replied that it was fish. But what was it truly? As she filed through
her thoughts, Carlisle cupped her face with both hands and drew her
closer. The distance between the two was now almost nonexistent.
Elena had the illusion that she was being sucked into his shining blue
eyes right in front of her.
“I clearly warned you. But it was you who came to me without fear.”
Another memory came to Elena’s mind, this me of when she first
saved him.
— Don’t forget this. It was you who came to me.
She forgot nothing. All the conversa ons she had with him came to
her one by one, un l it was like a dal wave, and gave her the
answer.
In the end, she couldn’t believe it.
‘…No way.’
Carlisle couldn’t be in love with her. They met each other when they
were young, but it didn’t make sense that an encounter so brief
could leave an impression so deep.
What did she have that she could give to Carlisle? He was a man of
wealth, good upbringing, and what was more, he was the crown
prince. He had a face that made many women prisoners of love.
Surely such a fatally a rac ve man wouldn’t turn his head for her.
Elena’s eyes widened.
“Caril, do you love me?”
“…”
Carlisle’s expression hardened briefly. His lips opened, but there was
no sound, and she quickly moved on with an embarrassed look.
“Ah, no, that’s ridiculous…”
She tried to turn her eyes away when—
Hwiig!
Carlisle’s broad hand captured Elena by the chin and moved her gaze
back at him, and she saw that his expression more serious than she
expected. The blue of his eyes were unfathomably deep, deep
enough to drown in them.
“What man would be generous to a woman he doesn’t even like? You
only realize that now?”
“…Ah.”
Elena’s jaw dropped open. Did he really act that way because he liked
her? She stood stock s ll, unable to believe the words that came
from his mouth.
“Since when did you start liking me? It doesn’t make sense. We were
so young when we first met…”
It was only natural that she didn’t realize that Carlisle liked her. From
her point of view, she thought his niceness was part of his
personality. She thought him a playboy who knew women’s minds,
and was jus fied in thinking that he had no special feelings for her.
“Why does that not make sense? I liked you from the first me I met
you.”
“But we met a long me ago and hadn’t seen each other in years.
And…and I was a count’s daughter. I could have already go en
married before I met you again.”
She couldn’t believe he held on to those feelings for years without
ever seeing her. Elena gave him a doub ul stare, but Carlisle smiled
faintly.
“It didn’t ma er to me. Even if you became the wife of another man,
I would have found you somehow and made you mine.”
“…”
“I would have come to you earlier, but at that me my life was in
danger.”
Carlisle’s long fingers slowly traced Elena’s eyes, then dri ed down to
her nose and then her lips.
“But no ma er how we met again…I would s ll be in love with you.
Though it was quite a surprise when you appeared to me in armor.”
“…How can you be so sure?”
“Everything about you is incredible. Your eyes, nose, lips are all so
beau ful that I can’t take my eyes off them.”
She blushed furiously. Soon Carlisle’s lips fell on Elena’s forehead. The
kiss was as light as a feather, but the touch seemed to burn her skin.
“Now that you know the feelings of my heart, will you run away?”
Although Carlisle’s mouth moved as he spoke, his eyes were
resolutely fixed on hers without so much as a tremor.
“I have no inten on of breaking my contract with you, but I don’t
intend to resent the day you and I got married because of a contract.”
And smile spread on Carlisle’s lips.
“Even if you run all the way to the end of the world, somehow I will
keep you by my side.”
It was almost a threat. But ridiculously, to Elena’s ears, it sounded as
if his possessiveness was whispering of des ny, of fate. No ma er
what she looked like or where she was, Carlisle would go to her. If she
had heard this in the beginning when she didn’t know him, she might
have tried to run away. Now, however, it was as if her en re numb
body was beginning to melt.
“My wife is mine.”
He spoke in a husky growl, and Elena couldn’t hold back any longer.
She quickly grabbed Carlisle’s back and pulled him to her. As his eyes
widened at her sudden ac on, she crushed her lips against his
without hesita on. His body froze in surprise, but Elena pressed
more insistently. A moment, and then Carlisle hungrily responded
back. They kissed and grabbed at each other, the heat rising between
them.
A er a few long, desperate minutes, it was the demand for air that
made them finally pull away from each other to catch their breath.
Elena looked up at Carlisle and spoke in a hoarse voice.
“I must be crazy.”
“What?”
“You are absolutely cute.”
Carlisle’s eyes popped open in surprise. At that moment, Elena
threaded her fingers between Carlisle.
“I’ll never run away from you.”
Carlisle replied in an uncharacteris cally tremorous voice.
“…Say it again.”
“I won’t run away.”
“Again.”
“That’s ge ng strange, isn’t it?”

“We can be a li le strange.”

“Car—heub!“
Carlisle swooped down and captured her lips again, as if he could no
longer hold himself back anymore. They indulged in each other for a
long me in that room. Elena felt as if she owned the whole world at
this moment.
Carlisle and Elena, and Elena and Carlisle.
It was a love without a shadow of a lie.
Ch. 186 This Is Enough For Now
The Selby mansion was in chaos a er Helen was arrested for
a emp ng to murder the Crown Prince. Marquis Oswald, her father,
burst to the mansion in the middle of the night, and roared at the
butler that was wai ng for him at the entrance.
“What the hell happened!”
“I-I’m sorry, My Lord. There seemed to have been a major incident.”
“Helen has caused trouble more than once, so just tell me what
happened.”
“Well…it appears that she purchased an aphrodisiac and slipped it in
the Crown Prince’s tea. I have heard from the maids recently that the
Empress would support Lady Selby to become the Crown Prince’s
second wife. She was excited about the arrangement.”
“She should’ve waited pa ently for the Empress’ move. What’s the
hurry to act on her own?”
At Oswald’s reprimand, the butler gave a low bow.
“I-I’m sorry. I should have kept a closer eye.”
“It doesn’t ma er. It already happened, and placing blame won’t
help now. First, we must make sure the palace interrogator is on our
side.”
The butler’s face darkened at his words.
“I tried to arrange it before you came, but…it’s too late.”
“Too late?”
“Yes. The Crown Princess had already designated an interrogator in
advance.”
“…Damn it.”
Oswald’s face crumpled. Normally the presence of an interrogator
was insignificant, but in such a situa on, they became a person of
incredible importance. Depending on who they were, evidence could
be manipulated and the treatment the accused received in prison
could be completely changed. Oswald spoke with increasing
irrita on.
“Are the evidence and witnesses already secured?”
“I’m s ll trying to find out all the details, but the young Lady Jenner,
who o en socialized with Helen, has turned traitor and become a
witness.”
“Tsk. That is why I taught her not to trust anyone. You can’t rely on
people with lower status, even if they are a noble.”
Oswald turned his heel and boarded his carriage. He needed more
informa on, but it was already clear that the circumstances were
unfavorable to Helen. He couldn’t waste more me yelling at people
in the mansion, and he urgently needed those who could lend him
their power. Oswald was not an influen al power in the south for
nothing. He excelled in his ability to judge the situa on.
“First, find out the total value of all the family’s assets. If things go
wrong, I may have to pour out all the wealth I have.”
The butler answered with a look of dismay.
“Yes, My Lord.”
As soon as Oswald heard his answer, he gave a low order to the
driver wai ng.
“The Empress’ palace, immediately.”
The carriage started again, and Oswald le one last message to the
butler.
“Cut off everything related to Viscount Jenner. Once this case is
finished, I’ll make them pay dearly for this betrayal.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
The butler bowed deeply in answer, and the carriage rode away from
the mansion again.
*
*
*
Elena was embarrassed that a er receiving such a passionate
confession from Carlisle, she had to sleep in the same space as him.
Their arrangement had become rou ne to her, and whatever
happened in the day, they would see each other in the evening. The
same was true a er sharing not-so-chaste kisses with him. She could
no longer avoid the feelings in her heart.
‘I s ll look red.’
She looked in the mirror in the powder room and touched her
flushed cheeks. She didn’t know how she survived kissing him to
returning to the Crown Prince’s palace. Carlisle had wordlessly taken
Elena’s hand in the carriage, and her heart beat wildly at his touch.
Dugeun, dugeun.
Just remembering the scene made her heart tremble as if she were
back in me. Even without any conversa on, she enjoyed si ng by
his side and studying his profile as his warm hands enveloped hers.
Was this alright? She was s ll scared of these new feelings.
‘He liked me from the very beginning.’
The thought alone made her face turn even redder. Elena leaned
over on the counter, covering her face with both her hands.
‘What can I do? I’m so happy I’m going crazy.’
She didn’t know if she could allow herself to feel this way. She s ll
had so much work to do…her family was not yet secure, and Paveluc
hadn’t been removed. However, she couldn’t control the emo ons
burs ng in her, and her heart reacted before her head.
Elena looked up and studied her crimson face in the mirror.
“…How can I look at him with this face?”
The words Carlisle spoke earlier echoed in her ears.
—Everything about you is incredible. Your eyes, nose, lips are all so
beau ful that I can’t take my eyes off them.
Elena collapsed over the counter again. She was going to die. She was
so happy.
*
*
*
It was a long me before she eventually le the powder room. She
had no choice, as her heart was thumping wildly just at the thought
of seeing Carlisle’s face again. Part of her wished that he was already
asleep so she wouldn’t have to confront him.
To her dismay, however, Carlisle was si ng on the couch wai ng for
her. He was the first to confess his feelings out loud, but he looked
completely calm, while it was Elena who found herself at her wit’s
end.
“I-I thought you were sleeping.”
“I can’t fall asleep when you haven’t come back yet.”
He spoke in a casual tone, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet his
eyes. She had barely go en her reddened face under control in the
powder room, and she quickly climbed into bed.
“It’s late, so go sleep.”
Elena planned to hurry and fall straight asleep, but Carlisle seemed to
have different ideas. He looked at her for a moment, then suddenly
got up from the couch and approached her. He hadn’t done this
except for the me she had sobered up, but the situa on was
different now in the middle of the night instead of morning.
“What are you doing?”
Her voice trembled, and a faint smile played on his languid face.
“I want to sleep with you tonight.”
Elena’s eyes widened. This was too fast. She could feel her heart leap
at his sugges on. Just because she was a racted to him, didn’t mean
that the heavy burden on her shoulders disappeared. She didn’t
intend to do her wifely du es un l Carlisle became emperor. For now,
she was supposed to be his weapon. That hadn’t changed at all.
“You can’t.”
Despite her stern refusal, the faint smile on Carlisle’s face turned
playful.
“What are you thinking? I just want to sleep by my wife’s side.”
“…!”
Elena realized that she was ge ng ahead of herself. Heat poured
from her face in embarrassment, and even without looking in a
mirror she knew that her face was even redder than before.
Meanwhile, Carlisle reached the opposite side of the bed where
Elena lay.
“I will never do anything you don’t want. As I said before, I have no
inten on of breaking our contract.”
“Then why all of a sudden…”
“Not all of a sudden. I’ve always coveted being by your side.”
Carlisle spoke like a gentleman, but his blue eyes shone dangerously
like a beast of prey. He was like a devil temp ng her into something
sweet, before she would realize that she was entangled in his trap.
“When I wake up, I will think that what happened today will be a
dream. So let me sleep by your side only for tonight.”
Elena couldn’t find the words to reply, but she also wanted to be near
him. It would be easy to say yes, but his presence was sure to throw
her into even more confusion.
As Elena appeared to be agonizing with herself in silence, Carlisle
took the opportunity to speak again.
“There’s no reason to think for so long. If you’re that worried, you
can just accept it. Right, my wife?”
Carlisle didn’t wait any longer and crawled into bed next to Elena.
The bed dipped under his weight, causing Elena to become startled.
“Wait—”
She stared at him wide-eyed, and Carlisle grinned at her brazenly.
“No more.”
Elena was stunned, as this was the first me she had seen him so
strongly demanding, simply for the mere fact that he wanted to sleep
next to her. Her already red face seemed to heat up even more.
‘What if I feel good in this situa on?’
She wondered why she felt so happy to have Carlisle nearby.
Eventually she closed her eyes, and he sidled up next to her. They lay
awkwardly in silence.
Suddenly, Carlisle’s arm wriggled underneath her neck. Her eyes flew
open to look at him.
Kung kung kung kung kung.
Her heart was racing madly at the sudden touch. Carlisle didn’t stop
there, and he lted his head in the direc on Elena lay, staring into
her eyes.
“How can my wife be so beau ful?”
The so ness of his voice caused Elena’s mind to spin, and with his
other arm, he pulled her waist closer to him. She could feel his solid
torso muscles almost as if he were naked. That wasn’t all, however.
Dugeun, dugeun, dugeun, dugeun, dugeun.
Carlisle’s heart was bea ng even harder than hers. He spoke in a
murmured voice.
“This is enough for now….”
Elena’s whole body was so tense that she couldn’t li a finger. She
could no longer dis nguish whether the thrumming she heard was
Carlisle’s heart or her own. She squeezed her eyes shut.

‘ …I might die.’
At this rate, her heart might actually explode. Simply being in
Carlisle’s arms made her feel as if she were walking on clouds. The
problem, however, was that she was ge ng more addicted to this
feeling. She had never known such happiness existed in the world,
and simply breathing in the same space as him was overwhelming.
“I…I feel like I’m suffoca ng.”
His arms immediately loosened around her.
“Did I hug you too hard?”
“No, my heart was bea ng too fast.”
Carlisle’s forehead creased. As if he could no longer bear it, he
wrapped Elena’s slim body with his arms again and hugged her more
ghtly.
“Don’t be too honest, my wife. I’ll go crazy.”
Ch. 187 The Choice Is Yours (1)
The inves ga on regarding Helen was steadily progressing.
Everything went smoothly as planned, with Elena making careful
arrangements so that Helen could not escape.
Standing before Elena now was Sarah, who finished tes fying earlier.
Sarah bowed deeply with a cunning smile on her face.
“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
Elena indicated Sarah take the opposite chair with a glance.
“Have a seat.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Sarah tensed at Elena’s chilly demeanor, but she outwardly kept on
her smile. Sarah had been firmly caught in Elena’s net, which was
why she betrayed Helen overnight.
It all began with a single le er that described the various crimes that
the Jenner family had secretly commi ed. It also provided the details
in which Helen obtained the aphrodisiac, proving that Sarah was an
accomplice to the plot.
At the end of the le er, Elena made two demands.
[There are two condi ons for keeping all this silent.
First, tes fy that Lady Selby bought the aphrodisiac. Second, obtain
the an dote and bring it to me.
The choice is yours.]
If the contents of the le er were to be made public, it was des ned
to be a fatal blow to the Jenner family. In addi on, the Jenner family
was considerably less influen al than the Selby family, and there was
no one to save Sarah if she were connected to the scandal.
It didn’t take long for Sarah to make her decision. She chose to betray
Helen without looking back.
Sarah had hidden in the party venue hallway, secretly handing over
the aphrodisiac-laced-tea to Helen, then going straight to Elena to
inform her so she could bring the guards in on me. Sarah was now a
parasite dependent on Elena to survive, whether she wanted to or
not. All the aid the Jenner family received from Marquis Selby was
immediately cut off, and the Crown Princess was the only one who
could protect her now. As such, Sarah was forced to ingra ate herself
with Elena.
“I caught a glimpse of Lady Selby as I was giving my tes mony. She
deserved what was coming to her.”
“Yes.”
Sarah was briefly taken aback by Elena’s brusque reply, but she
quickly composed herself and deepened her smile.
“Lady Selby was foolish to ignore the Crown Princess. Your Highness
had taken this great opportunity to show her your power.”
“…”
There was no change in Elena’s expression, and Sarah shivered
inwardly.
‘Is that it?’
Sarah pped her head in thought. Her family was rela vely poor, and
had lived in the mercy of more powerful families. So far, Sarah’s
sweet-talking had always worked with the young nobles, but Elena
was not responding the way she expected. Sarah looked on in
confusion, while Elena opened her mouth to speak.
“I don’t intend to forgive Lady Selby for what she’s done. Anyone
who helps her will not get away easily.”
Sara stopped thinking and quickly nodded.
“It’s all because of your brilliance, Your Highness.”
“Yes…In the mean me, you’ve been performing well, Lady Jenner.”
“Of course. I serve as your hands and feet not only in the present, but
in the future as well, Your Highness.”
Elena put on a thin smile as she observed Sarah pivot her posi on as
quickly as ever.
“I look forward to it.”
Elena rose from her seat first, signalling the end of the conversa on.
“Lady Jenner, let’s meet again another me. I’m not feeling well, and
I should rest.”
It was a clear invita on for Sarah to leave. Sarah was slightly
impa ent that the conversa on didn’t flow as smoothly as she
intended, but considering that she and Elena had been enemies up
un l now, it was natural that they would not open to each other
easily.
S ll, Sarah couldn’t retreat back to nowhere. Now that Helen was
gone, Sarah had to collect the benefits for siding with Elena. Sarah
didn’t say anything, however, as it was foolish to show off her
inten ons now, and so she plastered on a fake smile.
“I’m sorry that you’re not feeling well. When I return home, I’ll send
you some remedies.”
“I’m fine, but thank you for offering.”
“Of course. Now that I’m on your side, I care for your well-being.”
She wanted to remain safely on the same side. Elena was able to
penetrate the hidden meaning right away, although Sarah didn’t
realize that she no ced.
“I will see you again.”
Judging it was not necessary to stay any longer, Sarah stood up and
gave a bow.
Elena stared at Sarah as she walked outside. Elena’s feelings were too
complicated to express in a word. She was not fully trus ng of the
other young woman who once bullied her, but in order to gain power
in society, she needed someone who was cunning, unlike Margaret.
Elena wasn’t completely comfortable with Sarah, but instead of
punishing her, she decided to take advantage of this fair-weather
friend.
‘It’s true that this is easier with the help of Lady Jenner.’

She couldn’t trust Sarah, but she couldn’t help but wonder which of
yesterday’s enemies would be on her side in the future.
Elena walked silently, and the nanny fell to her side.
“Where would you like to visit, Your Highness?”
“….Where is Lady Selby being held?”
She had a ques on she wanted to ask Helen herself.
Ch. 188 The Choice Is Yours (2)
Helen was locked away in a shadowy and dreary dungeon. The
interrogator was ordered not give special preference even if she was
a noble, and treated her the same as other criminals. A emp ng to
kill the Crown Prince was a severe felony.
Ttogag ogag—
As Elena descended the basement stone stairs, various thoughts
passed through her mind.
Elena and Helen had never been entangled in their previous lives,
and Elena could barely recall the other woman. Mirabelle claimed
that Helen had harassed Elena several mes, yet Elena found it
perplexing, even a er having lived through the future. How did Helen
come to bear such a grudge against Elena?
Elena finally stopped in front of a cell with cold steel bars. Inside was
a woman, chained, her once-beau ful looks spoiled and disheveled.
Her dress had become frayed and her hair ma ed from her me in
prison.
Helen li ed her head when she heard Elena’s footsteps, and their
gazes met in midair. Helen’s glare turned venomous as soon as she
recognized Elena.
“Hoho, did you come here to laugh at me?”
Helen disregarded any pretense and taunted Elena openly. Elena paid
no regard, however, as she hadn’t come here expec ng to be treated
with any formality.
“You look like you’ve gone through a lot.”
“Hmph. Can’t you see it with your own eyes? You’re the one who put
me through this, Elena Blaise!”
Helen screamed at her furiously, but Elena didn’t so much as blink.
“My name now is Elena Ruford, not Elena Blaise. No ma er your
crooked words, you’re the one who put yourself through this.”
“What?”
“I gave you a final warning at the wedding recep on to never cross
my path again.”
“…!”
Helen’s eyes widened as she recalled the conversa on that day. Elena
con nued in a calm voice.
“I am not one to tolerate ill ac ons towards myself. Did you expect
me to be gentle when you provoked me?”
“What the hell is wrong with that? You’re the one that started this!”
Helen screamed at her in bi er despera on. This was what Elena was
curious about. Why did Helen hate her so much?
“What wrong have I done to you?”
She didn’t know how Helen would reply, and in truth Elena was so
busy defending her family that the other woman hadn’t entered her
mind. Helen replied immediately to Elena’s ques on.
“You’ve always stolen away everyone’s a en on even in southern
society. If I hadn’t suffered so much from the start, I wouldn’t hate
you as I do now. I’m the daughter of Marquis Selby! I’m not like you,
a daughter of a count!”
Elena didn’t expect this to be the only reason, and answered Helen
with a look of surprise.
“Is that really it? Lady Selby, what reason is there to envy me? Not
only do you come from a good family, you are a beau ful woman.”
“Yes! I deserve to be admired everywhere! But you dare stand in my
way! If you had le the Crown Prince alone, he would have loved
me!”
The iron chains jangled as she struggled against them.
Elena didn’t reply. She couldn’t make heads or tails of Helen’s
reasoning. Helen had wealth, a family who loved her, and could have
married into a good posi on and lived a happy life. And yet, she
couldn’t stand Elena being ahead of her at all.
‘ I’ve never thought of her name in the future, but now I understand
why…’
Helen would have been jealous of anyone who had more than she
had, regardless whether it was Elena or not. Elena only happened to
be the target of her envy in this life me.
“…For the first me, I feel sorry for you.”
“What?”
Helen’s eyes flashed daggers at Elena’s expression of pity. Helen had
been the envy of many, but no one ever told her they pi ed her. She
lashed out in rage.
“You think you’ll be safe trea ng me like this! It’s easy to think you’re
the princess, but I have the Empress and the Selby family behind me!
If you think this ends here, you’re wrong! Do you understand?”
Cheolkeodeong, cheolkeodeong!
The chains clanked noisily as Helen pulled against them even harder.
Elena stared silently at Helen’s struggle and immediately turned
away. Helen screamed at Elena’s retrea ng back.
“If I get out of here, I’ll destroy you somehow! Don’t you dare think
you can do this to me and think you’ll be safe! I’ll make you crawl
under my feet!”
Elena exited the dungeon without looking back. All she felt was pity.
*
*
*
The same me in the Empress’ palace.
Oswald’s face was haggard. He knew the odds were against Helen so
far, but the further he dug the more he realized how severe the
situa on was. No ma er how much gold he offered, no one would
dare to help him. They saw the situa on was hopeless.
When Oswald spoke, it was with a grim look on his face.
“Isn’t it too harsh to accuse my daughter of a empted murder when
she simply used an aphrodisiac?”
He was clearly agitated, but Ophelia lay comfortably on a long sofa
with a pipe in her mouth as usual.
“She had done so without fear.”
Oswald clenched his teeth. He knew that Ophelia had plans to make
his daughter Carlisle’s wife, but he couldn’t antagonize her now. At
the moment, he needed Ophelia’s help more than anyone else’s.
“Your Majesty, set aside the punishment for later and save my
daughter first. Is she not beau ful?”
“She is indeed, and I took her in as my lady-in-wai ng, but how has
she served me? Your daughter would make a fool of me.”
Oswald had already come to the palace earlier in the night, then
returned again when he found no other way. In his despera on, he
hurriedly pulled out a check.
“Please reconsider, Your Majesty. The Selby family will never forget
this grace.”
Ophelia snorted as she looked at the amount wri en on the paper.
“Did you think you could persuade me with only that?”
“Y-Your Majesty…!”
Oswald’s offer was by no means small, and could support a family for
several years.
“It’s not that I don’t wish to help you, but she doesn’t have a hope in
hell. How can I save a ger that is already caught in a trap?”
Oswald’s face darkened at the con nued rejec ons. Ophelia gave him
a glance and con nued.
“There is only one way. Get rid of the root.”
“W-what…?”
A smile sprang up on the corner of Ophelia’s mouth.
“Bring me the Crown Prince’s head. When Redfield becomes
emperor, you will be appointed as the first official.”
“B-but…!”
Oswald’s eyes widened at the shocking sugges on. Ophelia casually
drew a breath from her pipe and blew white smoke into the air.
“Make your choice. Let her die.”
Ophelia’s eyes flashed like a snake’s.
“Or…give me the Crown Prince’s head.”
Ch. 189 Tonight, We Will
Elena spent days mulling over what to do.
She had received a clear confession from Carlisle, but she hadn’t
given him the same in return. He might already have some idea of
Elena’s feelings, but there was a difference in his candid words and
Elena’s ambiguous ones. Now ma er how embarrassing it may be to
tell him her feelings, she didn’t want to remain in this ill-defined
state. She wanted to give him an equally heart-pounding confession.
“Where would be a good place?”
She wanted to go somewhere with a li le more atmosphere to
impress Carlisle. She wondered what expression he would make a er
she confessed to him.
Since returning to the past, Elena only ever focused on defea ng
Paveluc, not giving much thought to what she would do a erwards.
Un l now. A er Carlisle became emperor and the threats were
eliminated, she imagined herself living a happy life by his side. She
had once seen their rela onship as contractual, then it grew to
something more, and when she fully realized the feelings of her
heart, she vowed to stay with Carlisle un l he no longer needed her.
Now that she knew that their desires were aligned, there was no
need for further divergence.
‘Can I be this greedy?’
Nothing was organized yet. Empress Ophelia and Paveluc were s ll
alive and had their sights set on the throne. Elena didn’t want to put
off being honest with Carlisle anymore.
I love you the same way.
A er a moment of hesita on, Elena gathered up her courage and
opened her mouth to speak.
“Caril…”
Carlisle, who had been silently ea ng opposite of Elena, li ed his
head to look at her.
Not long ago, Elena hadn’t understood what that flame in those cold
blue eyes were. But now she knew. The passionate heat in them was
reserved only for her, a reminder that his heart was hers.
“Do you have me this evening?”
“What is it?”
“You asked if I wanted to go out and get some air. It’s been a long
me…I would like to go out.”
“Very well. Is there anything in par cular you want to do?”
“No, but I’ll work out the schedule so you don’t have to worry about
it.”
Elena’s words caught Carlisle by surprise.
“You’ll do it yourself, my wife?”
“Yes, if you would allow me.”
“I can’t object to anyone you want.”
Carlisle offered a gentle smile. In the past, Elena thought that Carlisle
liberally gave these smiles to other women and scolded herself for
harboring unnecessary fantasies, but in truth he really only smiled
this way for her.
Elena’s heart began to pound again. Nowadays, just looking at
Carlisle would do that to her, as if there was some fault with her
heart. She was embarrassed that she was unable to express these
uncontrollable feelings, and she glanced down quickly, hoping that
Carlisle wouldn’t no ce the heat on her face. She cut her food
methodically and placed it in her mouth. Carlisle studied her for a
moment before speaking.
“Do you have something planned?”
“What?”
“I don’t want to leave because you look beau ful when you eat.”
“…Kollog.“
Elena choked on her food. Carlisle was even more flirta ous lately,
and she didn’t know how to react now that she knew he was not
ac ng. In the past, his words would have easily passed her by, but
now she became hyper-aware of everyone else around them. She
was unused to receiving so much affec on.
Elena spoke, her cheeks colored.
“From now on, you’re forbidden to say that I’m beau ful.”
“Why?”
Carlisle looked at Elena in confusion.
“If you keep saying that…I don’t think my heart can take it.”
She bit her lip and swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat.
Then she con nued in a curt voice.
“So don’t, please.”
Carlisle grinned at Elena’s reddened face.
“My wife is the most beau ful woman on the con nent.”
“…!”
He escalated it even further. He fixed Elena with his piercing gaze and
spoke in a low voice.
“I’m looking forward to tonight’s date.”
He always had a mischievous streak, but now Elena found herself
drawn to it like a moth to flame.
That was even worse.
*
*
*
A er making dinner arrangements with Carlisle, Elena was kept busy
with prepara ons. Carlisle had said he was free this evening, but she
understood be er than anyone that finding free me in the Crown
Prince’s demanding schedule was rare. Another opportunity wouldn’t
come by so easily, and so tonight, she had to confess her feelings.
Elena requested the services of Isaac once again, and he arrived at
the palace with a box containing a ring.
“Please take a look. This is a ring made with the finest ruby, just as
you ordered, Your Highness.”
She nodded as she inspected the ring in the box. As it was a man’s
ring, its design emphasized simplicity rather than glamour. There
were no other gems besides the brilliant red jewel set in the center,
but the ring itself was made of pla num and of excep onal make.
“This is exactly what I wanted. I’m sa sfied.”
She wanted to give Carlisle as hear elt a gi as when he had given
her a blue bead ring a long me ago. He had masculine hands, but
they were s ll long and pre y. She wanted to see a ring on one of
those elegant fingers, to mark that he was hers.
‘I never dreamed I would give anything like this when we had the
wedding…’
Imperial marriages did not involve the exchange of rings like common
marriages did. In an imperial lifestyle, countless jewels came and
went, and a single token was considered insufficient as an expression
of love. Women were expected to wear different jewelry at each
social gathering, and the more jewels a woman had, the higher her
status.
Of course, there were other ways to give tokens of love, but as
Carlisle and Elena were under contract, they did not feel the need to
do so. They already proved their love publicly, and there was no
reason to give a gi that no one would know about. It was different
now, now that their rela onship had evolved far beyond the
superficial.
Isaac looked curiously at Elena ‘s warm expression as she turned over
the ring in her hands.
“I am pleased that you like it, but may I ask why you requested our
services instead of directly ordering through the Imperial
Household?”
There was no reason to hide it, so Elena explained.
“It’s a surprise. It’s possible that the person might no ce if I ordered
it through the Imperial Household.”
“Ah…is it a gi for the Crown Prince?”
“Yes. It’s for my husband.”
Elena paused a er she answered the ques on.
Husband…
“Thank you, Isaac.”
“Not at all. Let me know whenever you need me.”
Duty fulfilled, he rose from his seat and gave a bow. Then, he stopped
and looked at Elena.
“Ah, Your Highness.”
Elena looked up at him, and saw that Isaac had a peculiar expression
on his face.
“You said I would find out later what the le er to Lady Jenner was
about.”
“Yes, I said that.”
“Assuming that the situa on had gone as you had planned, I can
guess what you wrote down.”
Elena was surprised that Isaac was s ll curious about it. What was he
going to say? There was an interested glint in her eye, and Isaac
bowed more deeply.
“I’m impressed. Personally, I think you made the best choice you
could in the situa on.”
The opportunity to eliminate an enemy did not always come, but
Elena had chosen instead to turn Sarah to her side, even when they
had never been on good terms. With the most sober judgment, Elena
made the situa on favorable to her. It was more difficult to accept an
enemy as an ally than it was to defeat them, and Isaac had to admit
that Log had good ins ncts. He was curious above Elena’s next move.
‘Presently, the Ruford Empire is divided between the Emperor and
Empress. Excluding them, Grand Duke Lunen and Crown Prince
Carlisle a ract the most a en on. But somehow…my heart goes to
the Crown Princess.’
They had only met twice, but despite that, Isaac found himself
inexplicably drawn to Elena’s character. She had the kind of
leadership where one would trust and follow her to the end.
Elena gave a smile.
“Thank you for your compliment. Please take care of my future
requests.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Isaac bowed deeply once more. If Elena’s judgment remained as
discerning as it was now, Astar may gain even more advantage than
expected.
For some reason, he believed his hunch.
*
*
*
As Carlisle and Elena went out for the night, a spy planted in the
palace immediately delivered the news to Marquis Selby.
[The Crown Prince and Crown Princess are going out.]
“Tonight, we will kill the Crown Prince.”
An old butler, who had long been in the service of Marquis Selby,
turned grim a er hearing those words. This decision could bring ruin
to the family.
“My Lord, are you sure you want to do this?”
“I’ve made up my mind.”
Helen’s charge of murder was too severe. Even if only she was
punished, it was bound to affect Marquis Selby, and supporters of the
Crown Prince were already showing signs of staying away from the
Selby family.
In the event Oswald managed to keep the family alive and find a
successor among his other rela ves, he would s ll not want to stand
by the Crown Prince. They had crossed a bridge that could never be
uncrossed, and Oswald vowed his loyalty only to the Empress. His
posi on had been neutral before, but now he wanted Redfield to
become emperor more than anyone.
He was cornered, and he had to accept the Empress’ offer before it
was too late. If he successfully killed the Crown Prince, the Selby
family would ascend to the top, and Helen could be freed from
prison.
The butler looked on anxiously.
“If it goes wrong, the consequences will be even more severe, My
Lord.”
However, Oswald remained as convicted as ever.
“It won’t go wrong.”

He was s ll alive, and he had a large number of soldiers secretly on

the move. He had selected only the best of them to form a secret
unit, and hired extra assassins with money given by the Empress.
Dozens of men only waited now for the order to cut off Carlisle’s
neck.
There was a mad glow in Oswald’s eyes.
“I will never fail.”
The butler remained troubled, but he wasn’t in a posi on to oppose
his master’s decision. He gave a deep bow.
“I understand. I will prepare for whatever you need.”
Ch. 190 Best Gi
Even a er Isaac’s visit to the palace, Elena remained busy with
further prepara ons. Not only did she have to work out the details of
the date, but she was taking painstaking care to select her dress
tonight, far more than with any party or event so far.
Elena turned to Mary, who was helping her with her fi ng.
“How about this? Does this look alright?”
“Of course. All of the dresses you tried so far are beau ful.”
“I’m glad that they are…”
Elena peered at herself in the mirror.
“…but tonight I want a look that can’t easily be forgo en.”
Carlisle complimented her every day for looking beau ful, but
tonight she wanted to give him a memory that years from now he
would remember with stunned apprecia on.
Mary gave a quiet smile.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so me culous, Your Highness. You
seem even more nervous than the wedding.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes. Are you looking forward to going on your date?”
Elena’s cheeks colored. She couldn’t bring herself to deny it. It was
the first me she and Carlisle would go out together since she
realized her feelings for him.
“Is it that obvious? That’s embarrassing…”
Mary’s smile widened at Elena’s honest words. It wasn’t o en that
she saw Elena look this happy.
“Why? Wouldn’t you prefer to be more honest with the Crown
Prince?”
“I do have something to tell him tonight.”
She couldn’t say to Mary that she was in love, as the maid long
believed they were already so. Elena con nued, poin ng to another
dress on a hanger.
“I’ll try that on, too.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Mary picked up the dress Elena indicated. For the first me in Elena’s
life, she experienced the dissa sfac on of being unable to choose
what to wear, and went through a dozen dresses before making a
final selec on. A er finishing with hair and makeup, she looked
around and studied herself in the mirror again.
‘I wish a were a li le pre er…’
It would have been a shocking statement to anyone who would have
heard her say that. Her flowing golden hair, clear skin, and ruby eyes
would turn anyone’s head. She had almost a doll-like perfec on to
her, but Elena had never paid much a en on to her appearance
before. However, love could make one do anything. She wanted to be
the most beau ful person in the world to Carlisle’s eyes.
Mary approached her from behind and spoke.
“The Crown Prince has arrived.”
“Very well.”
She surrep ously tucked the ring box away and stepped out.
Ttogag ogag—
As the couple were not going on official imperial business, their
departure was a quiet affair. Carlisle stood in front of a plain carriage
wai ng for Elena, but he himself looked so handsome that even an
ordinary vehicle somehow seemed luxurious.
“Caril.”
Carlisle looked up, his blue eyes widening when he spo ed her. His
gaze was fiery as she approached, and when she arrived he spoke in
a husky voice.
“You’ll make things more difficult for me if you become any more
beau ful.”
“…?”
“What if I want no one else to look at you?”
Elena smiled gently at the possessive longing in his words.
“You don’t have to worry what other people see. You already said
that I was yours.”
For a moment, Carlisle froze. Then he burst out laughing, covering his
forehead with his hand.
“…My wife dominates me more and more.”
However, Elena didn’t hear him clearly.
“Hm? What did you say?”
“Nothing. I’m looking forward to tonight.”
He chuckled and held out his hand to escort Elena to the carriage. As
she took his hand, Elena ran the schedule in her head again and
became even more excited with an cipa on. Tonight, she would give
him a ring and confess to him the true feelings of her heart. Carlisle
would smile warmly at her, and say there was nothing more he could
wish for.
Carlisle safely escorted Elena into the carriage before boarding
himself. He took his seat, then looked at her with tender eyes.
“Where to?”
“First, let’s go to the opera house.”
*
*
*
Elena and Carlisle were seated together in a box at the opera house.
It was in mate, luxurious, and—most of all—private.
As the opening performance began, Elena opened her mouth to
speak in a so voice.
“This performance is the same one I saw with my mother when I
went to the opera for the first me.”
“I see. So holds a lot of meaning for you.”
“Yes. This was the performance I wanted to show you when we were
children.”
“…!”
Carlisle’s eyes widened. They had only met briefly, but their
childhood encounter remained vivid in his mind. He had repeated
their conversa ons countless mes in his head when he fought in the
hellish ba lefield.
— Of course. So are you coming to my home? I’ll watch the opera
with you, and we can go to the bakery…I’ll show you a lot of other
fun stuff. Promise!
Since then, Carlisle had longed to watch the opera with Elena and
stroll around the streets freely. He turned his eyes back to the stage
with a peculiar look on his face.
“Yes. You did say that.”
Elena looked at Carlisle seated next to her and con nued.
“Yes. Tonight I’m going to fulfill the promises I made to you.”
“That means…”
“When this opera is over, let’s visit Charlie’s Bakery together.”
Carlisle turned to her with mild surprise.
“The bakery s ll exists?”
“Yes. The bakery is so popular that they have stores in the provinces
as well as the capital. The man who ran the bakery at the me passed
away, and the business is now run and named a er his son Charles.
Their bread is something to boast about.”
A so smile played across Carlisle’s face as he listened to her speak. It
wasn’t his usual smile, and Elena remembered that he did not forget
the conversa on they had as children.
‘He must have gone through as many hardships on the ba lefield as I
did.’
In the beginning, she had suffered harshly as a woman on the
ba lefield with no proper skills. Maybe Carlisle wasn’t so different. It
was hard to imagine how much he experienced before he was even
an adult. She wished she could return to their childhood and protect
Carlisle from the suffering and hardships of the world. But she
couldn’t. It was in the past.
But that didn’t mean she could do nothing at all. They could s ll start
from the beginning. With that in mind, Elena planned their night out
together accordingly. Although she would be late in expressing her
feelings, she wanted to be honest with him.
‘…I love you too.’
Her feelings weren’t unrequited. If he said to her “I love you”, she
could reply “I love you, too.” A tender ache started to form in her
chest.
“Can I lean on your shoulder?”
Carlisle looked at her in surprise, and then his gaze so ened.
“You don’t need to ask for something obvious.”
Elena smiled at the sparkling heat in Carlisle’s blue eyes. His feelings
were directed only to her.
With his permission, Elena gently leaned her head against Carlisle’s
shoulder. It was solid and broad, but it was the most comfortable
place in the world. As Elena was watching the opera—
Seueueg.
Carlisle’s large hand cupped her face, and he lightly pressed his lips
against her forehead. Elena looked up at him in wonder, and he
smiled.
“Tonight is the best gi .”
She didn’t express it in words, but she had the same feeling.
She secretly fingered the ring case. The night wasn’t over yet.
*
*
*
The same me.
The news of Carlisle’s and Elena’s ou ng was not only passed on the
Marquis Selby, but the Empress as well. She received news faster
than anyone else in the Imperial Palace. Her lady-in-wai ng, Cassana,
leaned down to whisper in Empress Ophelia’s ear.
“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince’s carriage has departed.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Will Marquis Selby follow?”
“It’s good if he does, and it doesn’t ma er if he fails.”
A venomous smile crept on Ophelia’s mouth.
“Now that Helen is involved in a murder a empt of an Imperial
Family member, the Selby family is also ge ng weaker. They will be
to my advantage un l they’re no longer useful.”
Helen was beyond even the rescue of the Empress now, as Helen’s
a empts to administer the aphrodisiac were too obvious. Ophelia
could have so ened the punishment, but she had no interest in
dirtying herself in the crime. Using Helen’s father, Oswald, brought
her far greater gain, while Helen acted as a shield. It was for this
reason that Ophelia made her a lady-in-wai ng. Ophelia was pleased
that her pieces were falling into place.
Cassana nodded, as if she understood the Empress’ goal.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Then we’ll just have to watch.”
“Carlisle’s death will be the most desirable outcome, but if the plan
fails, Marquis Selby will take full responsibility.”

“You mean…”
“Send more troops, but do not alert Marquis Selby. If it appears that
the Crown Prince is slipping from his grip, have them assist.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Oswald’s forces were already substan al, and the addi on of the
Empress’ men would further bloat their numbers. Ophelia did not
want to miss the sa sfac on of the Crown Prince crying in agony.
A sly smile spread across her lips.
“I hope Carlisle’s neck falls before me tonight.”
Ch. 191 Have You Already Forgo en?
A er the opera, Elena and Carlisle moved to the city center. At
Elena’s orders, the carriage came to a stop in front of an
establishment with a sign that read, “Uncle Charles”. It was a popular
bakery o en frequented by crowds, but tonight it was empty. Elena
had rented the place for the evening. The bakery’s sales were so high
it that it had taken a large amount of money to monopolize them for
a few hours.
Ttubeog ubeog.
Elena and Carlisle strolled towards Charles’ Bakery, and Carlisle
peered curiously at the quiet store.
“Did you prepare this for me?”
“Yes. I don’t mind a lot of people, but I think it’s easier to relax this
way together.”
Most aristocrats sent their servants out to buy bread from famous
bakeries so the aristocrats could enjoy them in the leisure of their
own home. A sudden appearance of the Crown Prince in front of the
crowds would cause quite a disturbance. Elena had given this trip a
lot of forethought, and Carlisle couldn’t manage to suppress his
smile.
“I didn’t expect you to pay so much a en on to detail.”
“Last me we went to an opera, you rented a whole restaurant.”
“Well, I’ve always wanted to do the best for you.”
Elena felt heat surge on her face at Carlisle’s casual confession. She
was completely unprepared, and tried to soothe her burning chest by
hurriedly grabbing Carlisle’s arm and leading him into the bakery.
“Let’s go in. You can’t admire the bread before you taste it.”
Carlisle followed Elena’s lead, and his gaze fell to their intertwined
hands. He smiled, and covered his face with his other hand.
Ttalang—
A sweet nkling sound rang as they entered inside. Spread out before
them was a vast buffet of various breads and pastries. Elena released
Carlisle’s hand and picked up a tong and a tray.
“Take anything you wish. Personally, I like the croissants, cream cakes
and cheesecakes over there.”
Carlisle nodded, but instead of pulling away on his own, he simply
followed behind Elena and placed the same foods she chose on his
own tray. A er they selected everything they wanted to try, they
both sat down at a table.
“You picked all the things that suited my taste.”
“I’m more curious about what you enjoy ea ng.”
Elena didn’t know how to respond and simply nodded.
Strange…there was a shiver in her heart again.
She took a delicate forkful of cheesecake and placed it in her mouth.
The cheese dissolved into a smooth, velvety texture on her tongue,
and as she smiled, Carlisle smiled back. A er finishing the
cheesecake, she decided to move on to the mouthwatering cream
cake.
Suddenly, Carlisle’s hand shot out, stealing some of the whipped
cream on the side of her mouth. Then he licked the cream off his
fingers.
“…!”
Elena froze and stared at Carlisle with wide eyes. He looked back at
her and smiled like a sa sfied predator.
“This cream is the best one here.”
Elena blushed to the roots of her hair.
*
*
*
Later in the night, they found themselves by a quiet lakeside. Elena
had ordered that dozens of floa ng candles be placed on the lake,
but the effect was even more breathtaking when she saw it with her
own eyes. The water was as s ll as a mirror, reflec ng the gentle light
of the candles and the twinkling stars against the ebony sky. Carlisle
looked at the lake with stunned surprise.
“My wife seems determined to impress me tonight.”
“I’m glad you like it. Well…would you like to take a walk?”
Carlisle nodded, and they went on a gentle stroll in the cool night air.
There was the occasional sound of the water rippling in the wind.
‘…Where should I start?’
She couldn’t help but wonder where to begin. She should tell him
when she started liking him? Or should she say that she wanted to be
with him even without a contract? Her thoughts weaved in and out
of her head without any par cular structure. Her heart was pounding
so heart she feared that it would leap out of her rib cage. Elena
swallowed hard, then opened her mouth to speak.
“Caril…”
She wondered if he would no ce her hesita on.
“Tell me, my wife.”
Elena closed her eyes ghtly.
“To be honest—”
Sseeeeg!
She did not finish her words. There was the sharp whistle of wind,
and Carlisle quickly pulled Elena to his arms and flung them to the
side.
Swig! Swig! Swig!
In an instant, dozens of arrows pierced the ground right where they
were standing a moment before.
Carlisle’s and Elena’s heads whipped in the direc on where the
arrows came from, and they saw dozens of shadowy figures coming
towards them from the darkness. She knew by intui on the moment
she saw them.
‘Danger!’
She pulled up the skirt of her dress and unsheathed the dagger ed
to her ankle. Carlisle also went to work quickly, pu ng his fingers in
his mouth and whistling loudly.
“Hwiiig!“
There was a sound like drumbeat on the ground, and Carlisle’s large
black horse came galloping towards them. Carlisle’s bodyguards, also
aware of the threat, shot from the their hiding places to face the
oncoming enemy. They were highly skilled, but it soon became
devasta ngly clear they were outnumbered. There were ten of
Carlisle’s men against what looked to be about seventy.
Chang! Chaang!
The two sides clashed, and a fierce ba le between the assassins and
imperial bodyguards ensued. One of the bodyguards shouted
towards Carlisle.
“Escape, Your Highness!”
Carlisle gri ed his teeth, but there were too many assassins coming
for him to stay. A large ambush like this was almost expected during
war me, but this was unheard of right in the heart of the capital. If it
were, he would not have gone out with only ten guards.
There was no me for that now, however. Elena was with him.
Carlisle jumped up onto his horse and reached his hand out.
“Quickly, my wife.”
Elena quickly took Carlisle’s hand and flung herself onto the horse.
While the guards were buying them me, they had to make their
getaway as fast as possible and hope for the swi arrival of
reinforcements. One of their knights would have gone to the palace
to alert them of the a ack. The horse carrying the couple rushed
forward.
Tadag, tadag, tadag!
The horse’s hooves thundered on the ground, and a loud cry came
from the enemy.
“Get them! The prince is escaping!”
The imperial guards held back the enemy forces as best they could,
but their numbers were too small. The assassins would be a er
Carlisle in short me. Carlisle urged the horse as fast as he could.
“They’re likely a er me. I’ll drop you somewhere out of sight, so go
to the Imperial Palace and bring backup troops.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
She refused him, and immediately tore the skirt of her dress so it
wouldn’t hamper her movements. She wished she had a proper
weapon, but as always, danger came without warning. Carlisle
frowned as he caught glimpse of Elena’s smooth calves.
“Why won’t you listen to me?”
Elena gripped the dagger in her hand, her only weapon.
“I’m not leaving you.”
She suddenly felt an ominous chill run through her spine. This was
just like the me when she first rescued Carlisle. He should have
been dead then.
She gri ed her teeth. If she lost Carlisle here, she wouldn’t be able to
cope. Even if she didn’t need him to save her family, his safety was
s ll her priority.
Elena’s eyes flashed determinedly, and she held on to Carlisle’s broad
back.
“There’s something I haven’t told you yet. So don’t get hurt un l I do
so.”
“Your safety is more important than mine.”
Elena didn’t miss the worry in his tone, but she smiled.
“Did you forget already? I’m your sharpest sword.”
Tadadadada!
She could hear the assassins’ horses gaining on them. Elena twisted
her head to look back, then whispered warningly in Carlisle’s ear.
“If it comes to worst, leave me first. You know I can last longer than
the other knights.”
“…That’s ridiculous.”
Carlisle simply drove the horse on faster. The chasing assassins
wouldn’t easily catch them, but they had proper weapons in their
hands that Elena did not have.
“Damn it! Caril, arrows!”
At Elena’s urgent cry, Carlisle quickly banked le .

Swiiig!
Several arrows flew past them. Elena could strike back if she had her
bow, but now she only had one small dagger. The best she could do
was take out one assassin by throwing it, and she decided it was
be er to keep the dagger on hand just in case. Elena turned back to
Carlisle, but kept an eye on the assassins coming a er them.
“We can only rely on your riding skills now.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Elena yelled to him the direc on of the arrows coming from behind,
and Carlisle would immediately dodge to avoid them. A mistake from
either of them would have deadly consequences, but they were in
complete synch as if they had trained together. For now, Elena’s
sharp eyesight and Carlisle ability to ride like hell kept them alive.
Ch. 192 I…Love..You
Both were able to successfully evade the enemy forces longer than
expected.
Swiig! Swig!
However, the number of assassins in hot pursuit gradually swelled to
several mes more than before. Arrows were coming from several
direc ons at once now, and making it difficult to evade.
“Caril, watch out—!”
No sooner had Carlisle dodged le , another arrow flew in the air
right at them.
Hiiiiing!
An arrow struck Carlisle’s horse, and it twisted sharply and reared up
its front legs, tossing its riders onto the ground. Carlisle quickly
covered Elena’s body and rolled them away.
Tak tak tak tak!
Several arrows struck the ground where they had been moments
earlier. A er safely dodging all the a acks, Elena raised herself up
and clutched her dagger. Her dress was torn and dir ed from her
tumble to the ground, but no one ridiculed her appearance. Waves of
fierce energy was radia ng from her.
“Caril, let’s get rid of some of the men on horseback. If we drag our
feet here, more of them will come a er us.”
Carlisle rose from the ground as well and pulled his sword from his
waist.
“At your command, my wife.”
No more words were needed. Carlisle and Elena rushed at the group
of soldiers closest to them at the same me. Carlisle was ruthlessly
efficient, targe ng the enemies’ vital points to quickly dispatch them.
Elena was similarly making quick work with her dagger, appearing in
front of the enemy in a blink of an eye and slashing their throats.
Together they took down three or four people, and their eyes blazed
with such bloodlust that the remaining assassins were forced to slow
down their approach. It was then.
Tadadadada!
The sound of dozens more horse hooves began to ring in the air. It
was too early for Carlisle’s reinforcements to have arrived, and the
sound was not coming from the direc on of the Imperial Palace. That
meant that more assassins were coming their way.
Carlisle pushed off one of the dead men from his horse and climbed
on.
“Elena!”
She knew what to do without any further communica on, and she
pushed off another dead man from his horse and clambered on.
“Hyaaa!”
At Elena’s cry, the two horses leapt forward and galloped on. A single
horse would have been slowed down carrying the both of them at
the same me. Despite their new advantage, however, the new
pursuers seemed different from the assassins from before, and their
clothes were embroidered with conspicuous golden flowers on their
shoulders. It was strangely more ominous. Elena couldn’t put it into
words, but she knew that these new soldiers were far more skilled.
Elena wasn’t the only one; Carlisle’s expression turned grim as he
saw them.
“We need to split up.”
“What do you mean?”
“If we stay together, the forces will concentrate in one place. We
need to split up and meet up again later.”
She didn’t like this plan. Even if Carlisle and Elena split up, the enemy
would likely pursue only the Crown Prince instead of dividing their
forces. Elena’s posi on as crown princess was meaningless once
Carlisle was removed, and they had no heirs anyway. As the situa on
became more dire, she realized that Carlisle was only trying to
protect her.
“If you say that again, I’ll be very angry.”
She had told him the first me she met him—I will be the one to
protect you. She had no inten on of breaking that vow.
“Caril, I’ll be dead before I leave your side.”
Carlisle’s expression turned grave, but a faint smile played on his lips.
“I’d love to hear such roman c words somewhere other than this
situa on.”
“I’ll keep it in mind. But if there’s someone that has to escape first, it
has to be you.”
“…I didn’t hear what you just said.”
The pair of them smiled at each other. Even in the face of death, they
looked at each other clearly as if through a mirror. Each of them
cared about the other more than anyone else.
Elena and Carlisle were riding fast in the wind, when suddenly a s ff
rope appeared between two large wooden pillars.
‘How is this here!’
There was no me to avoid it, and their horses collided with the rope
and went down.
Kwadang!
Carlisle and Elena were tossed from their rides. Elena rotated herself
in the air, but couldn’t avoid a hard crash into the ground.
“Ugh!”
Pain shot through her body, but she quickly li ed herself up. Several
men with the embroidered golden flowers swam into view, as if they
had been wai ng for them. Elena spoke first.
“Who are you?”
She couldn’t iden fy them as their faces were masked, but one of the
men spoke.
“I wondered if you would come this far, but we were lucky.”
The man ignored Elena’s ques on, and Carlisle stared him down with
his icy blue eyes.
“You were wai ng for us to run right here?”
“Yes. The further you were the harder it would be to kill you. We
were controlling the route to the palace just in case.”
Elena’s eyes darkened. There were more assassins in wai ng for them
then, and they seemed to have predicted the route in which they
would make their escape. She wondered who was pulling the strings.
Empress Ophelia, or perhaps Paveluc?
There was no me to get answers for that now, as the assassins who
had been chasing them were arriving at the scene. Some were the
ones that a acked them at the lake, while the others had the
uniden fiable gold flowers on their shoulders.
‘We have to get out before more come.’
Elena glanced at Carlisle to see if he had the same idea.
They couldn’t wait any longer, and they immediately jumped forward
in different direc ons.
Chaeng! Chaeng! Chaeng!
There was the sound of weapon clashing on weapon as they fought
their way out fiercely. It would have been difficult if Carlisle was
alone, but he had Elena’s unexpected explosive force by his side. The
soldiers underes mated her ability, and several of them fell to her
blade.
The ba le drew on, and someone arrived to whisper to the man who
had exchanged words with Carlisle and Elena earlier.
“The Crown Prince’s reinforcements are close.”
“That’s faster than expected.”
“What should we do?”
The man narrowed his eyes, but he had a mission to complete.
“…Take him out with arrows.”
“What about our allies figh ng against the Crown Prince?”
“It doesn’t ma er. We’re here to kill him at any cost.”
“I understand.”
On command, several men quickly gathered and pointed their bows
at the center of the ba le.
Seuseuseueu—
Elena whipped her head around when she heard the sound of arrows
being notched, and saw that the enemy was aiming at Carlisle.
‘…I have to stop them!’
She flung her dagger and immediately took out one of the bowmen.
Without stopping, she took away a weapon from an assassin in front
of her and knocked down another one. However, it was impossible to
overpower so many men in such a short me.
The arrows were about to let loose, and Elena made a run towards
Carlisle. Her body moved ins nc vely before she could think. It
wasn’t about saving Carlisle so she could save her family. She just had
to save Carlisle.
Dadadadag!
Her heart pounded in her ears as she willed her feet to fly faster
towards Carlisle, but me seemed to move by sluggishly.
Pusyug!
An arrow meant for Carlisle flew through the air and struck her back.
She went down like a petal falling to the ground, and her eyes met
Carlisle’s in midair.
“…Elena.”
Carlisle’s blue eyes widened. This was the first me she had ever
seen him so shocked.
Finally, Elena’s body crumpled to the ground. Her back burned where
the arrow pierced her flesh. She had been hit with arrows several
mes in her past life, but this was the first me she felt this kind of
excrucia ng pain. She looked down at herself and saw dark red blood
dripping out of her.
‘…Is it a poison arrow?’
She coughed, and blood spewed out of her mouth.
Suddenly, there was the roaring sound of dozens of horses. A voice in
the distance yelled out to them.
“Your Highness! Are you alright?”
Just by hearing the voice, she recognized who was leading the
support forces.
‘Thank God…’
If Elena fell here, Carlisle would be le alone in danger. Thank
goodness the reinforcements arrived in me. The ba lefield turned
into confusion as the bowmen shot their arrows at the arriving
forces, and Carlisle took the chance to rush towards them and cut
them down. He hurried to where Elena had fallen, and gathered her
in his arms.
“Wake up! You can’t pass out!”
Carlisle’s face swam in her vision. She didn’t know he could look like
this. His expression looked right about to crumble.
“Caril…”
Blood trickled from the side of her mouth.
“Shh. You’re fine. Don’t talk.”
“Don’t make that face. I’m not fine.”
Despite Carlisle’s a empts to reassure her, his expression grew
darker and darker.
‘I’ve only…just reached it.’
She had tried to honestly express her feelings, but danger threatened
them before she was able to do so. Somehow, fate always seemed
treat Elena more harshly. She struggled to form the words she
wanted to say.
“I…I don’t think I’ll go, Caril. But if I’m wrong…save my family.”
“All right, all right. Don’t say anything.”
She li ed her hand and touched his cheek, smearing some of her
blood on his face.
“There’s something I haven’t said yet. I wanted to say…”
“You can say it to me later.”
There might not be another chance. If this was their last me
together, she wanted to tell him now. Tell him that she shared the
same passionate feelings as he did, feelings that she couldn’t control.
She coughed up more blood, but she forced her mouth to move.

“I…love…you…”
There were so many things she wanted to say, but this had to do.
Carlisle eyes widened at her sudden confession. She had hoped that
he would give her a bright smile, but his eyes were filled with cold
despair. Something black started to spread across his face, but then
her vision went dark. She couldn’t dis nguish whether what she saw
was an illusion or reality.
Her hand slipped from his cheek.
“Aaaaaaah!”
Carlisle’s desperate cry rang in her ears before she finally lost
consciousness.
Ch. 193 Hold On
Ophelia’s mood as she waited for news of Carlisle’s death soured as
more me went by. No reports came in, although it had been hours
since Marquis Selby le for the mission. Cassana shi ed
uncomfortably, then spoke to the Empress.
“Your Majesty. I’ve sent someone to check on the situa on, and they
will bring news soon.”
“…”
Ophelia did not respond. As it was now, a delay likely meant that
their assassina on a empt had not gone as planned. She couldn’t
figure out why yet. Selby Marquis had amassed a considerable force,
and Ophelia had sent addi onal troops as well. The chances of such a
failure were slim, and even in that event, a report wouldn’t come in
so late.
‘What the hell happened there?’
There had been a thorough inves ga on of Carlisle’s sword figh ng
skills and number of guards he had taken with him. A er sending
assassins a er him for years, she naturally amassed large amounts of
data on his ability. Unless the ambush was leaked beforehand, it
would be impossible for Carlisle to survive.
‘…Unless someone else got involved that I did not expect.’
Carlisle was as persistent as a cockroach, but even she didn’t know
how even he could return from the ba le…
The atmosphere around Ophelia turned foul, and her eyes gleamed
like a snake.
Beolkeog!
The door was suddenly flung open, and Cesare—Ophelia’s younger
brother and head of the Anita family—stormed inside, looking like an
angry red lion.
“Sister.”
At Cesare’s call, Ophelia looked at him and demanded answers.
“Tell me. It must be bad seeing as you’re here instead of a
messenger. What happened?”
“They’re…”
Cesare uncharacteris cally seemed unable to find his words. Then he
shouted angrily.
“They’re all dead!”
“…What?”
“I just came back a er seeing it with my own eyes. They were all
wiped out.”
“Every man there?”
“Yes, my sister.”
Ophelia was in stunned disbelief. Failure was possible, yes, but a
complete massacre? That wasn’t possible. No ma er how quickly
Carlisle’s reinforcements arrived, it didn’t make sense. However,
contrary to Ophelia’s thoughts, Cesare’s answer remained
unchanged.
“I didn’t believe the messenger, so I went there and saw the bodies
piled up like mountains.”
Kwaang!
Normally a figure of calm, Ophelia hit the arm of her chair
impa ently.
“How is that possible?!”
“Given that the bodies appear to be torn apart with the claws of a
beast, perhaps the blood lust…”
Cesare trailed off, and glanced at Cassana standing next to Empress
Ophelia. It was not something he could speak of to even the closest
of aides. Cassana sensed her intrusion and quickly spoke.
“I’ll leave you to speak freely. I’ll be wai ng outside.”
At those words, Cassana took all the other maidservants outside the
room, and soon it became quiet again. Cesare gave a cau ous glance
around, but no one else was in the vicinity. With the two of them
alone, Ophelia first spoke with a s ffened expression.
“Even the blood lust would not give him that much strength.”
“That’s what I’m curious about. Damn it. The dragon’s blood is
strong. It keeps him persis ng.”
“He does not have the ability to control it at will…so why did that
power reveal itself now?”
Ophelia looked on in displeasure. As empress, she knew that dragon’s
blood flowed through Carlisle’s veins. Because of that extraordinary
power, Carlisle became the crown prince and was able to cheat death
several mes.
Ophelia was not a fool and con nued to consider it into her
calcula ons when she deployed her assassins; and while Carlisle was
a monster, it didn’t mean he was immortal. However, it was not easy
to accept failure once again.
“…Something strange.”
There was something different from the previous mes and tonight.
Something more that Ophelia didn’t know.
“Are there no survivors?”
“None, my sister.”
“I don’t care how, but find a witness one way or another. If you can’t
find out, buy off one of Carlisle’s people. There must be something.
Something I don’t know…”
“Very well. Leave it to me.”
Ophelia gradually calmed her nerves and rolled her head. A er this
catastrophic failure, it was likely she would be traced next. Now, it
was me to throw out the Selby family as a meat shield.
“First, get rid of evidence of any connec on with the Selby family.
Don’t let anyone know we were involved in this.”
“Yes, sister.”
At Cesare’s reply, Ophelia pressed her fingers against her temple.
“We need more informa on about Carlisle again.”
Ophelia opened her eyes again with bloody intent.
“Don’t fail twice.”
At her words, Cesare gave a deep bow.
“I will make a plan, sister.”
*
*
*
These were the words that were most repeated to Elena in her last
life.
— Leader, if you live like that, you will die one day.
She was unflinching in the face of death. The only reason she
survived was to repay the blood of her family. When she closed her
eyes, she could hear Mirabelle’s scream, and when she ate, Derek’s
and her father’s body wavered in front of her vision. There was not a
moment of comfort for her. Life wasn’t worth living.
Her skills on the ba lefield earned her a vicious reputa on, and
when the opportunity came, she was formally knighted in a country
that was an enemy to the Ruford Empire. Although she had worked
as a mercenary for years, she hadn’t had the opportunity to hold her
sword against Paveluc’s neck.
Elena pushed herself hard, and she rapidly ascended up the
knighthood ranks. That was a massive achievement in and of itself,
but she s ll wasn’t sa sfied.
— Leader, did you stay up all night?
Elena always stayed at the training center, to the point where she
forgot where her sleeping quarters were. Almost every night she lay
awake. To fall into a deep sleep meant less me training with a
sword, and even when she overworked her body, she refused to
collapse.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she always went back to that final
night at Blaise Castle. Red torches flickered in its hallways, and shouts
of alarm echoed through its halls. In her imagina on, Mirabelle
would scream to her for help.
—Sister! Elena! Help! Help me!
Elena could not save Mirabelle even in her dreams. No ma er how
hard she tried, her brother Derek led her out the city, and she was
forced to abandon her precious sister. Derek’s last words were always
the same.
— Go. Go and survive, sister.
So she had to escape.
Escape and endure the bi er curse that was life. She had abandoned
Mirabelle, and Derek sacrificed himself. Revenge, resentment, and
regret cycled through her over and over again. It was such a memory
that, however long had passed, it had never faded.
— Can she smile? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile.
Elena didn’t smile. How could she, when everyone she loved was
dead? Just living and breathing was already hell for her, and her only
faith was in killing Paveluc. When she looked back, some mes she
would think,
‘Did I want to get rid of the guilt of surviving alone?’
She realized now that even if she killed Paveluc in the past, the guilt
would con nue to haunt her. If fact, she didn’t care if she lost her life,
as long as she could save her family now. She would make that choice
a thousand mes over, because the worst part was…
‘To be le alone again.’
Elena did not want to experience the same hell twice, so she vowed
to die before her family no ma er what. Perhaps her death by
poisoned arrow was the ending she had been hoping for. She risked
her life doing something for her family, and she got to die before
them.
‘But…’
The last hazy image of Carlisle’s blue eyes appeared in front of her.
She s ll remembered his expression of despair, as if he had lost the
whole world. His scream penetrated her heart.
— Aaaaaaah!
Carlisle, who never lacked in anything, looked like he would collapse
on her death. If she was gone, she worried that he would spend the
rest of his life in sorrow.
She didn’t want that.
‘…I don’t want to die.’
She wanted to stay with Carlisle a li le longer if she could. She
wanted to make him happy, and to be happy by his side. Par ng from
him now would only make things worse.
As Elena grew more desperate for life, she started to feel a burning
pain on her back. It was so severe that a thin moan came out of her
mouth.
“…Uuun.”
She opened her eyes, but her vision was too blurry to dis nguish
anything. Suddenly, several voices sounded urgently in her ear, but
there was only one that she latched on to.
“Damn it! She’s hur ng! Is this the right way to do it?”
It was Carlisle. She could clearly hear the terror in his voice.
“Y-Your Highness, this is the only way.”
“If she can’t get up a er this, I’ll kill everyone. Whatever you do, save
her!”
Zenard’s voice of reassurance spoke up behind Carlisle’s shou ng.
“Calm down, Your Highness. The doctors are trying their best.”
“Best? If anyone talks about just trying, I’ll cut their throats first. I
don’t care about the process, just bring results!”
The present situa on was so tense that it didn’t seem unusual if he
even stabbed someone. But the ice-cold atmosphere sha ered when
Elena gave a ny groan.
“…Ah.”
Someone grabbed Elena’s hand. Her vision wasn’t quite clear, but the
hot touch alone proved that it was Carlisle.
“…Elena, if you leave me, I won’t forgive you.”
Carlisle’s tone was forceful, but strangely desperate.

“Hold on.”
She wanted to open her eyes and look at his face, but a sharp pain
shot through her like lightning and she screamed.
“Aaaagh!”
As her agonized screams became louder, she could hear Carlisle in
front of her. Although it was she who was in pain, it was like Carlisle
was hur ng more.
Elena lost consciousness again.
Ch. 194 Whatever The Cost (1)
Elena dri ed in and out of conscious, waking up with pain in her back
and then blacking out again. Her eyes were closed more o en than
they were opened, and was difficult to tell how long it had been since
she had been struck by the arrow. During the moments when she
was awake, she vaguely registered Carlisle’s firm grip on her hand. No
one had to tell her, but she knew he remained steadfast by her side
for every moment. A sense of comfort soothed its way into her heart
and seemed to give her strength.
“…Eum.”
Elena struggled to open her heavy eyelids. For the first me, she felt
the pain in her back was bearable. She blinked a few mes to clear
her foggy vision, and the first thing she saw was…
Carlisle.
She could see his sleeping profile as he sat by her bedside. He was
holding her hand ghtly, as if he would never let go.
‘…He’s been by my side all this me.’
During the moments when she cried out in agonizing pain, she knew
that it was his hand that held hers. Carlisle already looked thinner
than when she saw him last, but he s ll appeared as handsome as
ever to her.
Seueug—
Elena raised her hand and gently stroked Carlisle’s hair. His eyes
flu ered at her touch, then opened, their gazes mee ng in midair.
Carlisle stared at her as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing,
and Elena offered him a weak smile.
“Did you sleep well?”
She spoke as casually as if nothing had happened, and Carlisle looked
almost afraid to shake himself from his dream. When he spoke, it was
with an uncharacteris c tremble in his voice.
“E…lena?”
“Yes. Did I worry you too much?”
Carlisle leapt up from his seat and placed his hand on her cheek as he
examined her.
“Are you alright? Are you s ll in a lot of pain?”
“It’s bearable.”
However, Carlisle didn’t seem at all convinced by her answer.
“Wait here.”
Carlisle stood up, walked towards the door, and roughly pushed it
open.
Kwaang!
Elena made out the sounds of people ge ng up from their seats in
the hallway, and Carlisle spoke in a loud voice.
“My wife is awake. Come in quickly and check her condi on.”
The people outside chorused at the same me,
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Then in the blink of an eye, several doctors entered into the room
and crowded around Elena’s bedside to inspect her. She had a feeling
there was just as much commo on when she had been unconscious.
*
*
*
Several days passed a er Elena awoke, and her condi on gradually
improved. At first, she had been unable to stay awake for long
because of the powerful drugs administered to her, but today her
head was clear as she watched a doctor apply medicine to her
wound. One of the doctors, who always asked about her condi on,
spoke to her in a bright voice.
“How do you feel, Your Highness?”
“I’m fine.”
“Heaven has given us a miracle. Thank goodness. We had been
unable to find the an dote for the poison.”
Elena was curious about this strange detail. The arrows were aimed
to take Carlisle’s life, and it must have been difficult to obtain a
poison with no known an dote. What kind was it?
“If you couldn’t find an an dote, how did you treat me?”
“We used another powerful poison with opposite effects. Have you
heard of figh ng poison with poison? It is a method of treatment
from the east.”
“Is that why I was in so much pain?”
The doctor nodded his head somberly.
“That’s right. It must be painful for the body to fight the drugs alone.
There is a very low chance of success, but you managed to survive—”
Elena’s bare back was exposed for the treatment, and curtains were
drawn around the bed to give her some privacy. She couldn’t see
outside, and no one could look inside. However, she heard a voice
from behind the curtain interrupt the doctor’s words.
“How long are you going to babble? If you’re done with the
treatment, finish up.”
It was Carlisle’s voice. Elena’s condi on was now stable, but Carlisle
remained by her side every moment he could. He had been out
earlier, and she hadn’t no ced his return.
His sudden interrup on seemed to have also surprised the doctor,
whose face quickly turned pale and his finger ps started to tremble.
He looked as if he had been terribly threatened.
“Are you alright?”
“Y-yes, Your Highness. I’ll finish up soon.”
Strangely, all the doctors who were trea ng Elena seemed frightened
of Carlisle. Something must have happened while she was
unconscious.
‘But what?’
There was no way for her to know, and she was sure that no one
would explain properly if she asked them anyway.
The doctor quickly closed the medicine bo le and wrapped fresh
bandages on the wound. When the treatment was complete, he
helped dress Elena in her nightgown and then pulled open the
curtains.
Chaleuleuleug—
Standing right behind them was Carlisle with a coldly expressionless
look on his face. The doctor was startled, and he hurriedly gave his
report.
“Th-the treatment is complete, Your Highness.”
“How is my wife’s condi on?”

“The danger has passed, so there’s nothing to worry about. I’m afraid
that she’ll have a scar on her back, however.”
Carlisle’s brow furrowed at this piece of news. The doctor, sensing
Carlisle’s darkened mood, began to tremble worse than before.
“… I see. Go.”
“Thank you!”
The doctor immediately bowed and hurried out of the room as if
someone were trying to catch him.
Ch. 195 Whatever The Cost (2)
Elena stared at the doctor’s back before she turned to Carlisle.
“Are you not busy?”
“Not at all.”
However, a voice piped up from the door where the doctor had just
le .
“Your Highness, it’s Zenard.”
Carlisle glared at Zenard standing by the entrance, but he replied.
“Come in.”
“Hail to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the
Ruford Empire.”
Zenard greeted them formally as usual, then handed over a stack of
documents to Carlisle.
“Your Highness, this needs your approval today, so please look over
them.”
Elena had watched this scene play out several mes before. Carlisle
refused to be separated from the now-conscious Elena, and so his
subordinates would o en bring his work to him. Carlisle gave a
fur ve glance towards Elena, then accepted the papers and quickly
flipped through them before handing them back to Zenard.
“Proceed as it is.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Elena lay in bed, staring at Carlisle’s figure.
“I’m much be er now, so you can go out and do some work.”
Zenard’s expression no ceably li ed at her words, but Carlisle
snapped back as if her sugges on wasn’t worth considering.
“No.”
“I’ve been awake for days now, and the doctors say I’ll be fine.”
Carlisle’s blue eyes flashed fiercely.
“That’s because you don’t know the hell I experienced during those
three days you were unconscious. I won’t go yet. Be pa ent and I’ll
take care of you un l you can fully walk.”
The despera on in his voice made Elena speechless. Carlisle hadn’t
said anything about who a acked them or how he intended to
punish them. Her only job as pa ent was to rest, but she was
concerned whether Carlisle could stay with her for so long.
Ttog og.
There was a tap on the door, and Carlisle stood up to open it.
Standing outside was a maid with a tray in her hands.
“I-it’s me for Her Highness to eat.”
“Give it to me.”
Carlisle took the tray and returned to Elena’s bedside. He o en fed
her, insis ng that too many people coming in and out of the room
would disturb her rest. Elena didn’t know what to do with such
behavior. Carlisle blew at the bowl of hot porridge and addressed
Zenard without looking at him.
“Go.”
Zenard quickly bowed.
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll visit you later.”
Rather than stopping there, Zenard also bowed to the bedridden
Elena.
“I pray for your swi recovery.”
“Thank you.”
A er giving his par ng words, Zenard le the room. Carlisle looked
intently at the porridge cooling in the bowl, then scooped up a
spoonful and held it out to Elena.
“It may be hot, so eat carefully.”
“You don’t have to do this anymore.”
She hadn’t been able to sit properly un l recently, but now she was
able to raise herself from bed. She was not so helpless that she
couldn’t eat a bowl of porridge by herself. However, Carlisle just gave
a low chuckle.
“I’m not saying you can’t eat. I’m doing this just because I want to.”
“…!”
Elena had never considered that before. She s ffened slightly when
Carlisle drew near with the spoon, before eventually opening her
mouth carefully and ea ng the porridge. It was embarrassing for her
to be treated like a li le child. From a young age, it was always Elena
who cared for her weak sister Mirabelle.
Carlisle watched Elena as she ate.
“Eat and get be er.”
“I will.”
A smile played on Carlisle’s lips.
“You’re good at what you say.”
He spoon-fed her un l the bowl emp ed. She ate as much as she
could, knowing that he would worry if she didn’t eat properly. He set
aside the bowl and carefully cleaned her mouth with a napkin.
Happiness.
Even this li le rou ne became precious to Elena. In contrast,
however, Carlisle’s expression was subdued.
“…I thought I’d lost you this me.”
“Don’t worry. This person’s life can’t be cut off so easily.”
She didn’t like the heavy atmosphere, and so she tried to inject some
levity into it. Carlisle’s expression only grew more serious.
“Don’t risk your life for me, my wife.”
“I can’t. I’m—”
“I know, you’re an excellent knight. But not anymore. I’m not sure I
can go through this again.”
Elena didn’t say it out loud, but she already had a vague no on that
Carlisle was deeply unhappy. He always hated it when she was in
danger, even when he had been trying to accept this side of her.
Elena sat up straighter and took Carlisle’s face in both her hands.
Their gazes locked onto each others, and she spoke in a steady voice,
facing Carlisle directly.
“I’m not risking my life for you because I’m a knight. Caril. If it were
me that was about to be hit by that arrow, wouldn’t you throw
yourself to save me?”
“I…”
“My body ran as soon as I saw you were in danger. I’m not trying to
protect you because of a previous contract we made. Now I—”
She took in a shuddering breath. This was the confession she made
when she thought it would be the last me.
“—I want to protect you because I love you.”
Carlisle’s eyes widened with shock. Un l now, she had always told
him she wanted him to be emperor. But even if that weren’t the case
now, she would s ll protect him.
“If it were to happen again, I would do it over for you. And it’s the
same in the future. I won’t turn away even if there are tens of
thousands of dangers.”
Carlisle’s expression ran through a gamut of emo ons: happy, angry,
sad, and happy again. Elena embraced Carlisle’s larger body without
a word. There was a twinge on her back, but she bore through the
pain.
“…I love you.”
She spoke her hear elt confession again.
Carlisle buried himself deeper in her arms as if he couldn’t hold
himself back anymore.
“I hate that you’re in danger because of me, but then you give me
this.”
“Were you that worried about me?”
“…I thought I would go out of my mind.”
That alone seemed to convey Carlisle’s feelings towards her. Elena
slowly stroked his back.
“I’m sorry for your hardship.”
Carlisle quietly buried his head on Elena’s shoulder. The moment he
thought she died, he had so much anger in him that he wanted to
destroy the whole world. When Elena’s eyes opened again, he vowed
to do whatever he could so it stayed that way.
Strangely enough, when he heard Elena’s confession, he felt as happy
as a fool. He almost wished that Elena was a woman who couldn’t do
anything without him.
But Elena was not such a woman. She wouldn’t remain quiet in his
arms where he could keep her away from any danger. The woman
Carlisle fell in love with was far too strong for that. But her confession
that she would never leave him alone was u erly mad…

‘I can’t repeat the same situa on again.’

Carlisle’s closed eyelids slid open. His icy blue gaze now had a cruel
glow to them.
‘…I want to be emperor as soon as possible.’
There was only one way to protect Elena, who risked her life to
protect Carlisle. He had to get rid of all the dangers that threatened
them.
Whatever the cost.
Ch. 196 Time To Finish Playing House (1)
Batori had been living in the Imperial Palace and serving Elena for
some me when he was secretly issued an order.
[Find out what happened the night Carlisle was a acked.]
A er reading over the contents of the note, he placed it in his mouth
and swallowed it. He then swept his chin with one hand in thought
and murmured to himself.
“…Hmm. This is unusual.”
Even before he read the note, he had already been monitoring
Elena’s movements and knew of the ambush planned for her and the
Crown Prince. Empress Ophelia and Paveluc were close allies, and so
Batori already figured out how many troops were to be dispatched
on the mission.
‘How did the prince get back alive?’
While Elena may have survived, he was certain that Carlisle should
have fallen. In the end, Elena was injured, and Carlisle returned to
the palace without nary a scratch on him. What did this mean?
“Something is bothering me.”
Batori had an unerring ins nct, and his gut told him that he was
missing something important this me. Something simple that was
easily overlooked.
His pondering brought him no results, so he stood up scratching his
head. First, he had to find a witness from the reinforcement unit that
was sent to support Carlisle.
‘I saw a person move to the Empress’ side, and I can’t be too late to
report it to the Duke.’
Empress Ophelia and Paveluc maintained friendly rela ons both
publicly and privately, but that was not necessarily the truth.
Informa on was another form of power, and Batori did not intend to
lose to anyone.
A knight making his way to his quarters caught Batori’s eye, and the
spy quickly plastered on his usual smile.
“Hello? May I ask where you’re headed?”
*
*
*
Mirabelle got up from bed and decided to make a long-an cipated
visit to the palace. She knew her sickness worried her father and
brother, but she couldn’t tolerate staying cooped up inside any
longer. Besides, she hadn’t seen her sister Elena’s face in a long me.
“Huh? I can’t meet my sister now?”
Mirabelle had come to the palace with cheerful expecta ons, but her
heart sank as the nanny looked down at her with a regre ul
expression.
“I’m sorry, but she’s not feeling well.”
“What’s wrong? Is she hurt?”
“Well…no, but she has a cold, and she asked if you could visit later
when she is feeling be er.”
The nanny had no choice to but deceive Mirabelle. Those with deep
intelligence networks in the Imperial Palace knew that Elena was
injured from a surprise a ack, but otherwise, the story was not
widely known.
Even the Blaise family was completely unaware of the news. Elena
did not want to cause unnecessary anxiety to her family about her
condi on, and asked the nanny to delay the mee ng for another
me.
Mirabelle looked on in puzzlement.
“You mean she has a cold in this warm weather?”
“Yes. It’s not impossible to catch one in the summer.”
“Yes, but…”
Mirabelle turned cres allen. There was so much she wanted to say.
Her gaze fell on Kuhn, who was standing just a short distance away.
She had wanted to talk to Elena about her newly realized feelings for
him, however, she had no choice but to come again at a later date.
“Alright. Tell her to take care of herself, and I’ll come visit her again.”
“Yes, Young Lady. Her Highness has missed you greatly. I’ll send
someone to fetch you as soon as she gets be er.”
“Yes…thank you.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Mirabelle plodded back towards Kuhn, and he looked at her in
curiosity.
“I thought you were going to meet Her Highness?”
“Oh, my sister has a cold, so I can’t see her today.”
“…Cold?”
“Yes.”
Suspicion s rred inside Kuhn. It wasn’t impossible to catch a cold at
this me of the year, but Elena wouldn’t so easily turn away her sister
from the Imperial Palace.
A er a moment’s considera on, Kuhn’s gray eyes darkened.
‘Did something happen?’
Kuhn was officially on vaca on, and had not heard any news from the
Imperial Palace. The original plan was for him to return a er
Mirabelle went back to the southern region, but it was delayed due
to her illness. Mirabelle didn’t seem at all eager to go south anyway.
‘Is it because of me?’
Recently, she had given him an earnest confession of love. She was
s ll young and naive about the world, and was even willing to give up
her noble posi on to be with him.
Since then, Kuhn avoided Mirabelle in the mansion when he could.
He only accompanied her today for the simple fact that she was
coming to the palace.
There was no path open for them. Kuhn couldn’t accept Mirabelle’s
heart. Carlisle was his master, and Mirabelle was only the sister of
the woman he had to protect. There was a high wall between them
that could never be crossed, and no one would ever bless their
rela onship. It was best to dissuade fantasies of a rela onship before
Mirabelle was hurt or Kuhn was abandoned…
Mirabelle looked up at Kuhn walking silently beside her.
“What are you thinking about, Kuhn?”
“…Nothing.”
He pushed away thoughts of Mirabelle in his mind and turned them
back to Elena. No ma er how much he considered the informa on,
something didn’t add up.
“Young Lady, would you return to the mansion first?”
“What? Me first?”
Unlike the day when they went on a picnic alone, this me Mirabelle
had a carriage driver and several servants wai ng outside for her. It
wouldn’t ma er if Kuhn was gone for a while.
“Since I’ve been away for a while, I’d like to meet up with previous
acquaintances to check up on something.”
Mirabelle couldn’t hide her curiosity.
“What’s going on all of a sudden?”
“It’s hard to explain in detail to a young girl. It’s personal.”
At Kuhn’s sharp reply, Mirabelle didn’t press any further.
A er a pause, she looked up at him with eyes like an abandoned
puppy.
“Will…you come back to the mansion?”
For some reason, Kuhn hesitated. Mirabelle seemed to know that he
could leave any me he wanted. Perhaps it was a woman’s intui on.
“…Yes. I’ll come back.”
“Can you promise me?”
Mirabelle asked him with the intensity of a hear elt swear.
“I promise.”
He nodded and smiled clearly.
“Alright. Come back safely when you’re done.”
Kuhn’s heart was troubled by how she so easily trusted him with just
a few words. Although he didn’t intend to break his promise to return
to the mansion, he could lie at any me.
He never had qualms about it before, which served him well as a spy,
but for the first me…the word “guilt” entered into his mind.
Mirabelle felt Kuhn’s intense gaze on her, and she lted her head at
him.
“…Kuhn?”
He did not respond. He gave Mirabelle a formal bow as usual.

“Travel safely.”
Mirabelle stood and watched Kuhn as he turned and began to walk
away. It was far from the first me that she had seen him do so, and
the sight of it was familiar to Mirabelle’s eyes.
“I shouldn’t get used to this.”
It looked a lot like a par ng, and her heart became depressed.
For some reason, an anxious mood gripped her.
Ch. 197 Time To Finish Playing House (2)
A er Kuhn parted from Mirabelle, it was not difficult for him to
gather some informa on and find out that Elena had been injured by
a poison arrow.
Despite his long absence, his sources s ll existed in the palace.
Carlisle and Elena had been ambushed when they were out, although
no other informa on was available aside from Elena’s injury.
‘Why is there nothing about the number of enemies or how the
General escaped safely?’
Someone must have stemmed the flow of informa on, and if Kuhn, a
subordinate of Carlisle, could not find it, then it must have been
blocked by Carlisle himself.
‘…But why?’
Kuhn couldn’t help but wonder, so he sought out a source nearest to
Carlisle besides himself.
‘I suppose there’s only one person that can explain this in detail.’
It would be Zenard.
Ttog og—
Kuhn knocked on a door, and a low voice answered from inside the
room.
“Come in. “
As Kuhn entered the room, he caught sight of the silver-haired man
rummaging through a desk full of papers. The man looked up to see
Kuhn’s entrance, and his face hardened.
“You…what are you doing here?”
“I heard that the Crown Princess was injured. What happened?”
They didn’t make direct eye contact with each other and only spoke
words that were absolutely necessary.
Zenard loathed Kuhn for a simple reason: his lowly origins. Zenard
couldn’t tolerate the fact that two people of vastly different social
standings could have an equal conversa on. For the knights that
came from aristocracy, Kuhn was an object to be rejected and
despised, with Zenard being the most forward about it.
Zenard frowned as if he disliked Kuhn’s presence in his office, but for
the me being he set aside his personal feelings. Issues related to
Carlisle were far more important.
“A short me ago, the Crown Princess was struck by a poisoned
arrow. The Crown Prince witnessed it. Because of that…he became
uncontrollably powerful.”
Zenard explained it in vague terms, despite the fact that there were
only two of them in the room.
That did not mean Kuhn didn’t understand, however. Despite
Carlisle’s best a empts to conceal his power, some of his
subordinates knew of it, including Kuhn and Zenard. On the
ba lefield, they saw Carlisle’s right arm transform and unleash a
terrible destruc ve power.
However, that was already known to Kuhn, so he didn’t understand
why Zenard was speaking with such ambiguity.
“Is that it?”
Zenard’s expression darkened. He recalled the night Carlisle caught
and murdered dozens upon dozens of assassins. Many panicked and
tried to flee because of Carlisle’s terrifying strength, but he did not
let slip single one. He slaughtered every person there, as if he loved
to kill.
At that moment, Carlisle was not human. It was the most fearsome
Zenard had ever seen him.
If Carlisle hadn’t heard Elena’s moan confirming that she was actually
alive…Zenard had no idea how he would stop Carlisle at the me.
“It was different from usual. He was in shock when the princess fell,
and the black scales…”
Zenard spoke again slowly, his fingers poin ng to his chin.
“It came all the way up to here. There were some on his face too.”
Up un l now, Carlisle’s muta on had been limited to his right arm.
Kuhn was surprised, as he had never heard of that many scales
sprou ng before.
But Zenard’s words did not end there.
“I realized then that the more he is transformed, the greater his
power. Most of the assassins were torn to pieces by his own hand. I
killed the rest myself, to stop any witnesses from spreading rumors.”
Kuhn nodded in understanding, but the frown on Zenard’s face only
deepened.
“I wasn’t going to say this, but how long are you going to be fooling
around in Blaise mansion? My dislike for you is no secret, but you
need to come back quickly.”
“…I understand.”
“I don’t know what will happen if another situa on like this arises.”
“…?”

“Prince Carlisle lost all his reason and almost a acked our troops.”
“From our side?”
“Yes. I’ve made sure that Carlisle’s power is kept secret, but I’m afraid
that if it goes out of control, he will end up a acking our allies.”
They couldn’t leave themselves defenseless if Carlisle a acked both
enemies and allies with indiscriminate force. Zenard couldn’t handle
him alone, so it was necessary for Kuhn to return as soon as possible.
Regardless of personal grudges, Kuhn was the most skilled among
Carlisle’s men.
“Very well. I’ll end my vaca on.”
At that moment, an image of Mirabelle floated to Kuhn’s mind. Her
expression was deeply sincere as she made her confession.
—I said I love you. I don’t know when it started, but I’ve come to love
you.
Whether Kuhn wanted to or not, it was me to finish playing house
with Mirabelle.
Ch. 198 There’s No Need To Be Bi er (1)
Carlisle rarely stayed separated from Elena since her injury. Because
she had long been confined to her bed, today he carried her to a
private garden to get some fresh air.
“Ca-Caril, set me down. Someone might see.”
Her cheeks were hot as she kept glancing around, but Carlisle ignored
her protests.
“So what if they see?”
“I’m not a child, and it’s embarrassing if you carry me around like
this.”
“My wife is too shy. No one will blame a husband and wife going out
together.”
The servants wouldn’t say anything to them, but Elena was sure they
would gossip behind their back. Those who served in the Imperial
Palace were human a er all, and wouldn’t be able to resist a bit of
chit chat about their masters’ private lives.
“S ll…”
Carlisle replied to Elena’s con nued doubt.
“Don’t worry. If anyone says something offensive to you, I’ll punish
them severely.”
He didn’t sound like his was joking, and she gave a disapproving
frown.
“You can’t gain your subordinates’ loyalty if you punish them too
harshly.”
“People’s hearts are evil, and we don’t know if they are truly loyal.
Obedience comes before loyalty.”
Carlisle was not wrong; objec vely speaking, it was a standard belief
for a reason. As Crown Prince, he did not have the luxury to easily
place his trust in people.
However…Elena was worried about his occasional violent nature. She
wanted to show him that the bloody conquest of emperors past was
not the only path for him, and poli cs could be beneficial to his
people. That was Elena’s small wish.
“You are right, but always remember to be kind. That way, more
people will be there to support you if you get into trouble later on.”
Carlisle grinned at her words.
“Are you worried about me?”
“Of course. You occupy most of my worries.”
“Whatever they are, I like that you worry about me.”
At the same me, he stopped at a table in the middle of the garden.
He sat down on a chair, and with great strength adjusted Elena so
that she was si ng on his lap.
“Oh!”
Elena gave an exclama on of surprise, and he looked at her, savoring
her figure.
“In fact…I once thought that if I was not going to be loved by you,
then I would rather be hated.”
“Really?”
“I wanted your mind to be full of me, no ma er what emo ons you
felt.”
Carlisle’s feelings were different from those of ordinary people. Elena
couldn’t define it in a word, but he certainly did not express his
affec on the way others did. She even discovered something new
about it.
‘When Caril doesn’t act cute at all, I think he’s even more cute.’
In other words, probably only Elena saw him that way. From an
objec ve standpoint, Carlisle’s ac ons were not par cularly
a rac ve, but she did not mind his greed. She was happy that those
intense blue eyes were directed only towards her.
‘Maybe I’m strange too…’
Elena smiled happily as she immersed herself in thoughts of Carlisle.
Feeling somewhat exhausted a er being outdoors for some me
now, she leaned against his broad shoulder and spoke in a lazy voice.
“It worked. Now I spend most of the day thinking about you.”
Carlisle stared at Elena’s golden hair gleaming in the sunlight. Despite
her sickly pallor, her eyes were bright, and he stroked Elena’s hair
with a careful hand.
“And I’m madly in love with you. Stay by my side for a long me.”
Elena sensed a faint note of despera on in Carlisle’s words. He
seemed sick with worry ever since she had been hit by the arrow. She
knew that if she had been in his posi on, she also would have been
just as frightened if Carlisle were about to die.
“I will. I’ll be here for a long me.”
Despite the confidence in Elena’s answer, Carlisle only gave a rueful
smile. There was no guarantee that Elena would never get hurt, not
when the road ahead of them was so dangerous.
“Unless I die, I will likely become emperor. But it’s up to you to decide
what kind of emperor I will be.”
“…?”
“You know more than anyone how selfish and aggressive I am. I am
hardly a saint. So I need you by my side…”
Elena raised her head again to look at Carlisle’s face. No one had ever
told her that they needed her like this before. When she thought
about it now, that was the way it had always been with him.
A feeling swelled in her chest. She was so happy.
“It’s sweet.”
Elena smiled and cupped Carlisle’s face with her slender hands.
“A man who cannot be without me…”
While Elena didn’t realize this about herself, her beauty could
cap vate any man in the world. Carlisle momentarily gripped her
hand as if he couldn’t hold himself back, but soon his hold loosened.
His brow furrowed as he looked at her.
“You need to gain some weight. I feel like I’ll break you if I hold you
too ghtly.”
Elena burst into laughter at his words. It was true that she had lost
some weight, but she wasn’t so fragile that she would snap by his
hand.
She didn’t hate his words, however. Her chest warmed at the thought
of his tender treatment towards her.
“I won’t break, so you can hold on to me ght.”
“Don’t provoke me, my wife.”
Carlisle gazed intently at the bandages on Elena’s back and con nued
in a low voice.
“…I’m already barely restraining myself.”
Elena understood his meaning and smiled faintly.
There in the lush garden of the Crown Prince’s palace, they basked in
the early a ernoon sunshine. Not much had changed, but Carlisle felt
a warmth seep in him that seemed to come from another world. He
embraced Elena quietly and spoke in a gentle voice.
“Did you forget something?”
“Forget?”
Elena thought back on recent events to try to understand what he
was talking about, but nothing came to mind. Ever since her injury,
she had simply been confined to bed rest.
“I don’t know.”
At Elena’s reply, Carlisle quietly took a small box out of his pocket. He
opened it and revealed a simple ring studded with a single red ruby.
“Ah!”
It was the ring Elena prepared to give to Carlisle. She picked up the
box with a surprised look.
“Did you forget my present?”
“But how did you—”
“I found it in your dress. I knew it was mine at a glance.”
Elena flushed. She was ready to give it to him now, but she was too
embarrassed to say the words.
“How are you so sure it’s yours?”
“It’s a man’s ring.”
“Yes.”
“So it’s mine, of course.”
Elena smiled at his unchanged a tude.
They had a similar conversa on before, when she s ll didn’t
understand his way of thought. She had asked him what he would do
if she was unfaithful to him, and he replied without any hesita on.
— …I would kill them all. All the men who came into contact with
you.
— What if it’s not one or two?
— I told you, I would kill them all. And if you don’t stop, I’ll kill all the
men on the con nent.
Though his passion was sweet, the words themselves were quite
gruesome.
— If I were the only man in the world, then perhaps you would look
at me then.
Elena looked up at Carlisle endearingly and spoke again.
“If this is another man’s ring, would you kill that person?”
“Yes. I would make it a painful death.”
For a moment she thought, what should I do with this man? His
words were crazy, but she was drawn to his expressions of extreme
affec on.
Carlisle’s eyebrows li ed when Elena didn’t answer, and he spoke in a
quieter, more curious voice.
“It’s not really another man’s ring, is it?”
Elena couldn’t hold back anymore and hugged him, but then her back
suddenly twinged in pain.
“Ah!”
Carlisle looked at Elena in concern.
“Are you alright? You should be more careful.”
“Then stop doing things that are so endearing.”
Carlisle stared at her with an uncomprehending expression.

“If not you, then who else would I give this ring? Of course, I bought
it for you. I wanted to give you an incredible confession that night.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. Anything you say makes me
happy.”
“It’s the same with me.”
Elena took the ring out of the box, then carefully slid it on his le ring
finger.
Carlisle stared at the jewel on his hand, and soon his face broke into a
smile. The corners on the edge of Elena’s mouth also couldn’t help
but li at his pleased reac on, and she leaned in to kiss Carlisle’s lips.
They pulled apart and came back together repeatedly, their
exhilara on building like fire un l they were blissfully dizzy with
happiness.
Ch. 199 There’s No Need To Be Bi er (2)
Carlisle reluctantly parted from Elena a er she went to bed for a nap.
There was an important ma er from Zenard he needed to a end to.
Ttubeog ubeog.
Carlisle’s steady gait seemed to bear more purposeful authority as he
headed towards the dungeon. When he arrived, he found Zenard
wai ng for him at the front of a cell with thick iron bars. Zenard gave
a deep bow as he approached.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
“You didn’t touch a hair on him like I ordered?”
“Yes. I brought him in good condi on.”
“Very well.”
A er the brief exchange, Carlisle entered the cell to see Oswald
Selby, who was ed up in chains.
When it was discovered that Marquis Selby was behind the prince’s
assassina on a empt, the marquis immediately tried to flee the
country. It was Carlisle’s men that caught him and brought him back
to the palace.
As soon as Oswald saw Carlisle enter the cell, he looked up with a
pi ful expression.
“Y-Your Majesty, I’m not the culprit. You know I’m not. Looking back
now, I was only blinded because my daughter was in danger. I’ll
tes fy before everyone. So please, please…spare my life.”
Carlisle was unmoved by Oswald’s desperate begging.
“Your Highness, believe me. It was the Empress. The cunning woman
tricked me into trying to kill you.”
Even with his confession, Carlisle only listened on with apparent
disinterest. Oswald paused in a brief moment of confusion, and it
was then that Carlisle spoke.
“Are you done with your final words?”
“Y-Your Highness!”
Oswald’s eyes flew open in fear, but Carlisle had no inten on to
entertain him anymore.
“Do you want me to tell you something? The official report says that
you’re s ll on the run. No one knows you’re being held in this
dungeon, and you will not be brought for trial.”
“W-what…?”
Oswald had assumed that Carlisle’s face was smoothly
expressionless, but when he took a closer look, he found he was
wrong.
Carlisle had a look of terrible rage.
Oswald recoiled in fear as the prince slowly began to approach him.
He was so terrified that he couldn’t even move his mouth to speak.
“And your tes mony? I don’t need that.”
Ttubeog.
Carlisle came one step closer.
“Even without it, I have plenty of bait to catch the Empress.”
The distance between them closed with every word.
“There is no need to be bi er. Everyone involved will die like you.”
Oswald’s face turned ashen.
“P-please.”
“I’ll kill you now. I’ll make it as painful as I can.”
Soon a er, Oswald’s screams rang through the dungeon.
“Aaaagh!”
Zenard, who was standing outside the cell, glanced inside. He had
expected this when Carlisle ordered him not harm the marquis.
“He should have killed himself before the prince arrived…”
*
*
*
Elena, who was taking a nap in her room, opened her eyes earlier
than usual. She wasn’t the type to sleep for a long me, and the
more her condi on improved, the less she needed to sleep.
When she opened her eyes, she no ced that Carlisle was not beside
her. She lted her head in wonder.
‘Where did he go?’
She soon dismissed the thought, as she knew that he had a busy
schedule. There must have been something urgent he had to a end
to.
Elena quietly got out of bed, when the nanny, who had come to
check in on her, approached her in a hurry.
“You’re awake now?”
“Yes. I must be ge ng be er because I’m not sleeping as long.”
“What a relief. Oh! As you were sleeping, a messenger from the
Emperor had arrived.”
“The Emperor?”
“Yes. If you are able, the Emperor wants you to come by today.”
“Ah…”
Emperor Sullivan’s summons s rred up memories in her.
He had promised to reveal the secrets of Carlisle’s blue bead ring the
next me they met. Perhaps then she would find out about the black
scales on Carlisle’s body as well. It was only because of the Emperor’s
poor health that their mee ng had been delayed.
He was asking for her now though…
That meant she would find out about the secrets of the ring today.
Ch. 200 The Dragon’s Orb (1)
Elena hadn’t yet fully recovered, but there was no telling when her
next chance to meet Sullivan would be. She rose urgently from her
bed.
“Help me get ready.”
“Are you sure you want to go? You’re in no state to be moving about
right now…”
“I need to meet him.”
Elena was determined to find answers. Sullivan and Carlisle made
varying claims about the blue bead ring—Carlisle had said the ring’s
ability to grant wishes was simply supers on, but Sullivan thought
otherwise. He even permi ed their marriage because of it. She didn’t
think that Sullivan would believe something so outrageous without
cause.
What was more, the black scales on Carlisle’s body gave her reason
to believe that perhaps the ring had hidden abili es that Elena didn’t
know about.
While it was not clear whose claim was true at this point, there was
one thing she could say for certain.
‘If it’s dangerous…Caril might not tell me.’
It wasn’t that she was distrus ul of Carlisle, but he was clearly averse
to anything that might put her in danger, even to the point where he
tried to divert Elena to a safe area several mes when they were
chased by assassins.
But Elena needed to know. Especially if Carlisle might be in jeopardy.
‘I’ll protect you.’
She vowed never to leave Carlisle’s side, even if she had to stare
down tens of thousands of dangers. The site where the poisoned
arrow struck her s ll hurt terribly, but she would take any injury for
him countless mes if it meant keeping him alive. The agony of her
loved ones leaving her first was far more painful. She wouldn’t be le
alone anymore…
Elena quickly began to prepare for her visit, a determined glint in her
eye.
*
*
*
If one saw Elena walking towards the Emperor’s palace, they never
would have guessed that she was suffering any injury at all. Although
she could not properly ghten her corset because of the wound, her
waist was straight and her expression was that of serene calm. She
had also chosen a brightly coloured dress to hide her pale
complexion.
Elena pushed forward with a stately gait, ignoring the throbbing pain
in her back. Any hint of weakness, and the Imperial Family’s enemies
would immediately take advantage of it. Informa on travelled fast
enough that others may be aware that she was injured, but she
didn’t have to reveal how serious it was. Showing everyone that she
was healthy would suppress any unnecessary gossip.
Elena finally arrived at the prearranged mee ng place. When the
head butler saw her, he hailed her arrival.
“The Crown Princess has arrived!”
There was a hacking cough from inside the room, then Sullivan’s
voice replied.
“Kolog, kolog. Come in.”
Permission given; the head butler bowed lowly to Elena then opened
the door for her.
“Please enter, Your Highness.”
Elena gave a passing nod, then went inside the room. Strangely, all
the curtains were drawn across the windows, leaving the room in
darkness. She took in the gloomy surroundings curiously, then moved
closer towards Sullivan lying in bed.
“Ah…”
Sullivan’s face looked far more gaunt than it did before. The disease
seemed to have advanced to the point it where it was now clearly
no ceable.
Elena spoke in a worried voice.
“Father, are you ill?”
“Even if I’m lying in bed while my daughter-in-law is here, there is no
need to worry. It will be as if nothing has happened a er I take a
sleep.”
“Yes, you should.”
Elena tried to speak op mis cally, but she knew from her last life
that Sullivan had died from a long-term illness. For a while she hoped
that his death might be changed since Carlisle was now alive.
Unfortunately, Sullivan’s illness only seemed to con nue its
destruc ve progression.
“Are you feeling be er?”
“Yes, Father. I am much be er now, so you don’t have to worry.”
Her arrow wound hadn’t healed yet, but she didn’t want to cause
unnecessary anxiety to her already sick father-in-law.
Sullivan nodded contentedly at the news, then reached out his hand
to her.
“Sweetheart, help me up.”
“Yes, Father.”
Elena took his hand and carefully helped him out of bed. With her
help, Sullivan managed to stand and limp towards a wall. He leaned
himself against a nearby table as the meager task took its toll on him.
“Do not forget what I’m about to tell you.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Kolog kolog! Turn the picture frame three mes to the le and four
mes to the right.”
“…?”
She looked at the picture he was indica ng, a framed pain ng of a
black dragon ascending to the sky. Because of the empire’s founding
myth, there were many emblems and artworks of dragons found
around the Ruford Imperial Palace. She wondered at Sullivan’s order,
but for now she did what she was told without a word.
Kkiiig kkiig—
The frame moved as Sullivan requested, but nothing changed. She
glanced back at him, and he gave her the next instruc on.
“Finally, turn the candles ck on the wall to the le .”
Elena turned the an que candles ck. It was then.
Kuleuleuleung!
There was a clunking sound, and an impercep ble seam in the wall
split open and separated from each other. Without Sullivan’s
guidance, she never would have guessed there was a secret space
hidden in the Emperor’s room.
A smile played on the Emperor’s face as he looked at Elena’s stunned
expression.
“Not even the Empress knows about this.”
“…It’s incredible.”
She suspected there may be secret passages in the Imperial Palace,
but this was more sophis cated than she expected. For her to enter
one that was connected to the Emperor’s room was even more
remarkable.
“Normally, I would only tell the son who would inherit the throne.
Carlisle detests this kind of thing, however. I’m afraid he will try to
close this if he finds out about it.”
“Then is this a place only you know, Father?”
“No. I cannot be sure, but perhaps Archduke Lunen also knows. I
know that my father, the former emperor, taught him several things
with the inten on of handing the throne over to him.”
“…I see.”
Paveluc now ruled the Duchy of Lunen. That meant he knew the
secret of the imperial family for a long me.

Elena’s heart pounded as she realized that that secret now lies before
her.
“Father, what is the purpose of this room?”
Elena was well aware of Carlisle’s character. He was stubborn, but
never thoughtless. If Sullivan tried to hide this from his own son, it
must be for a good reason.
However, Sullivan only smiled, his pale face glowing in the dark.
“Let’s go in and I’ll tell you.”
“…Yes, Father.”

Ch. 201 The Dragon’s Orb (2)

Elena had already come this far, and she had no intention of
retreating.

Once again she supported Sullivan’s frail body and they stepped into
the secret space. Fortunately, the pain from her wound did not bother
her severely.

Their footsteps echoed as they descended the gloomy underground

passage. At the bottom of the steps, they arrived at a place that
looked like a cross between a museum and a treasure vault. The walls
were covered with eerie paintings and geometric patterns, and in the
center of the room stood a statue of a dragon.

Elena took in her surroundings in awe.

“This is…”
Sullivan quietly finished her sentence with a remorseful expression.

“This is where the Ruford family’s secrets are kept.”

Elena’s eyes turned to the blue bead ring she was wearing. She
wondered what massive secret this little ring could contain.

“What do you think of the ring?”

“I was told at a jewelry store that the gem was very unusual.”

“It’s not only that.”

There was a dark gleam in Sullivan’s eye, and when he spoke his voice
was grave.

“It’s not just a bead…It’s called the Dragon’s Orb.”

“…!”
If Sullivan weren’t talking in such a serious tone, Elena would have
thought that he was joking with her. She remembered something
Carlisle had said before.

—My father believes that the blue bead ring I gave you is the
Dragon’s Orb.
She thought it was absurd then, but the words “Dragon’s Orb” were
embedded in her heart.

‘Is this bead really the Dragon’s Orb?’

She wasn’t easily convinced, and the ring was completely ordinary in
all the years she kept it in her last life. Even if Sullivan’s words were
true, there was no reason for Carlisle to give such an invaluable item
to Elena when they were children.

As if sensing her doubt, Sullivan spoke again.

“You don’t believe it?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t. To be honest…it’s so sudden that I don’t know

how to process it.”
Sullivan nodded in sympathy.

“It is understandable. This is the first time you’ve heard a story like
this. But listen to my words carefully; the power of the dragon has
been passed down generation to generation in the Imperial Family,
just as the myth says.”
Elena had already witnessed the transformation on Carlisle’s body, so
she knew that was true. However, she couldn’t fully erase her
skepticism.

“Then why don’t you speak of it? If the other kingdoms knew, they
would be more afraid of the Ruford Empire.”

“That’s because not all the offspring have the dragon’s power. It is
only manifested in a few select boys of the Imperial Family.”
“So when the dragon’s power was passed on to Carlisle…that meant…”

“Yes. That is why Carlisle was made the crown prince.”

If that was true, it explained how Carlisle, who showed no special
outward signs, caught Sullivan’s eye and was made the heir to the
throne.

People whispered that it was because Carlisle was the eldest son, or
that it was because he was the son that was most favored by Sullivan,
but…the truth didn’t seem like that.

“Father, what exactly is the power of the dragon?”

Despite her doubt earlier, Elena couldn’t help but express curiosity
about the story. The more she considered Sullivan’s words, the more
she wanted to know.

Sullivan gave her a knowing look and then spoke.

“A part of the body transforms into a dragon and the person gains
immense power. Another ability is to create a dragon’s orb, but it is
extremely rare and not many have done so.”
Elena recalled the black scales on Carlisle’s arm. When she had first
seen them, her immediate thought was that it looked like a dragon’s.
She glanced down wonderingly at her ring.

“Can this ring…really grant one wish?”

“Yes.”
She found herself gradually starting to believe his words, but that only
opened up even more complications. Sullivan had been misled by
Carlisle’s false wish on the ring. Carlisle had told her:

– Say that I gave you the blue bead ring as a token of the proposal.
Tell him that I said the man who marries you will become the emperor
of Ruford Empire and bring about a great revival.
But he never made that wish to Elena. If the bead truly was the
Dragon’s Orb, as Sullivan claimed, then Elena did not know what
Carlisle’s true wish was. Considering that he had given the ring to
Elena, there was a strong possibility that it was about her.

‘What wish did he make in his childhood?’

Her mind swirled in confusion, but she couldn’t tell Sullivan what she
knew. In any case, he strongly believed in the lies that Carlisle
instructed her to deliver to him. She could only wonder what was true
or false.

“If what you’ve told me so far is true, and you’re reluctant to let
outsiders know this, then why did you tell this to me?”
A small smile spread on Sullivan’s face at her question.

“You have a quick mind. Good question. Some of the Imperial Family
may already know what I’ve told you so far. But no one else knows
what I’m going to tell you from now on.”
This only aroused Elena’s curiosity even more. Why would he say this
to her?

“There is only one reason I would tell this to you and no one else.”
Elena gave a hesitant nod.

“Because there is something you need to do for the child that will
carry on the dragon’s blood.”

“Something…I need to do?”

An ominous feeling came over her. Then suddenly, her eyes were
drawn to the eerie paintings in the room.

One of them depicted a man kneeling before a black dragon on the

ground. Blood flowed from the man’s lips as he devoured something
he held in his hands.

‘What is he eating?’
She suddenly realized that the scene depicted in the painting differed
from the widely known myth of the founding of the country.
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[The one born between dragon and man will become the emperor of
the Ruford Empire, and will have absolute power for generations.]

As it was known, a blessed child born from the loving union between a
dragon and human would become the emperor.

But the scene she saw was…monstrous.

A heavy silence settled in the room as Elena grappled with this new
information. Sullivan’s expression was grave as he opened his mouth
to speak.

“And so…”

Ch. 202 The Curse on The Imperial Family (1)

Sullivan’s expression was grave as he opened his mouth to speak.

“And so…”

Elena’s neck tensed as she waited for his words. Somehow, she felt a
sense of foreboding from what she was about to hear from Sullivan.

“…To obtain the power of a dragon, human blood is needed.”

But Elena didn’t immediately understand him.

‘Human…blood?’

She gave Sullivan a searching look, and he continued his words.

“You don’t understand what this means yet.”

“No.”
“Let me explain. A boy who inherits much of the dragon’s blood
begins to manifest physical signs around the age of ten. The signs
vary, but in Carlisle’s case, his whole body turned pitch-black and then
pale again.”

Upon hearing that, Elena understood that Carlisle truly did have the
blood of a dragon. Although she still didn’t fully trust in Sullivan’s
words yet, everything that she had wondered about lined up—the
black scales on Carlisle’s arm, Sullivan’s sudden consent to the
couple’s marriage.

Elena decided to listen further to the emperor’s words. She could

make a judgment after she heard everything.

“When does one need human blood?”

“There’s no need for worry. They don’t have to keep feeding on blood.
It only takes seven to ten days to wake up one’s ability, and it needn’t
come from a living human being. The child may try to resist, but
eventually the need will overwhelm them and they’ll be soaked in the
craving of blood.”

The more Elena heard, the more horrified she became. Sullivan
seemed to be speaking from experience, and if her guess was right,
then he was talking about Carlisle.

In her mind’s eye, she imagined Carlisle as a young boy, hungrily

devouring red blood. A chill shivered in her heart. When she spoke, it
was with a colder voice than before.

“That’s not what I meant. Why is something as sinister as human

blood needed to awaken such a blessed power?”

“That it is a blessed power is correct…but the process of obtaining it,

not so.”

“Those words—”
Sullivan interrupted Elena and pointed to one of the paintings.

“What does this look like?”

She studied the macabre-looking scene and spoke in a cautious voice.

“The dragon…it looks like it’s dead.”

“And?”

“A man is eating something in front of the dragon’s body.”

“You see well.”

Sullivan looked satisfied, but Elena was still unsettled. She did not
misinterpret the painting, but she still didn’t understand what it
meant.

“The man who first founded the Ruford Empire was a skilled dragon
hunter. After studying dragons for many years, he discovered a secret
that only our family knows.”

“…?”

“The source of a dragon’s magic comes from its heart.”

As soon as Elena heard those words, she grimaced.

‘Surely…’

She wondered if her suspicions were correct, but she waited for
Sullivan’s last words. He gave a calm smile at the sight of her anxiously
trembling red eyes.

“Yes, your feelings are correct. If you remove the heart of a dragon
that is still breathing and eat it, you will absorb its power.”

“…!”
She was as stunned as if someone had struck her on the head. She
had believed the myth that a child born between the union of human
and dragon would have special abilities.

But that wasn’t the truth. The man in the painting looked consumed
with greed as he ate the dragon’s heart. In order to satisfy his hunger,
he did not hesitate to cross the line into a sinful act.

“Because of that, the dying dragon left a curse on our family. Anyone
who inherits its blood would be consumed with madness and a thirst
for blood.”

Elena’s eyes widened to the point where they could not widen
anymore.

She remembered how the previous emperors conquered other

kingdoms and created a history of blood and war. According to
Sullivan, it was because of the dragon’s last curse.

Goosebumps pricked on her flesh. This was completely different from

what Elena had known.

“So you’re telling me that human blood must be fed to a child?”

“Yes. The more power is inherited from the dragon, the stronger the
craving of blood. And if something is wrong with the body, one must
be fed blood as well.”

“…”

“Do you know what Carlisle said when he was a child?”

“…?”

“He said he was a monster. Ha ha ha.”

Sullivan gave a sardonic chuckle, but Elena wasn’t amused at all. She
remembered what Carlisle had said to her.
—Let me ask you this. You know about the prophecy regarding my
first bride. Do you have any regrets about your decision? And you
know…I could be a monster.

The first time they met, Carlisle had said these words with an
expression of loneliness on his face.

— Think carefully before you answer the question. This may be your
last chance to escape.

Not only that, but he had spoken disparagingly of himself.

—Didn’t you read fairy tales when you were a child? Monsters…aren’t
killed easily.

Elena had replied, wondering why he had said it.

—It may not be easy to kill you, but that doesn’t mean you have two
lives.

—I’m afraid I can’t hear your words.

She understood now why Carlisle called himself a monster. He

despised the blood that coursed through his body.

As Elena recollected her interactions with Carlisle in the past, Sullivan’s

voice turned to displeasure.

“To say he’s a monster, it’s absurd.”

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Sullivan seemed to have a completely different viewpoint from

Carlisle.
“He cannot appreciate the blessing that’s been given to him. No
matter how much I desire it, I cannot have it for myself.”

Sullivan’s face was despondent. Having that power did not

unconditionally make one heir to the throne, but Sullivan, however,
immediately made Carlisle the crown prince as soon as he discovered
his ability.

It was because…

“Father…do you truly want to be like that?”

Ch. 203 The Curse on The Imperial

Family (2)
His eyes widened momentarily in surprised. Soon after, however, he
regained his composure and answered softly.

“You are very quick, my daughter-in-law.”

A faraway expression came on his face as if he were remembering the
distant past.

“I’ve been told many times since childhood that I inherited less of the
dragon’s blood because of my gentle personality. Ironically enough, I
was able to rise to the throne for that reason. And yet…I’ve always
been envious of Archduke Lunen.”
Sullivan seemed to genuinely envy his older brother’s strength.
Perhaps that was why he named Carlisle as his heir, as he bore no
resemblance to his weaker self.

In the past, Elena had heard that the previous emperor chose Sullivan
over Paveluc, in order to continue the prosperity of the Ruford Empire
down a path other than war. Now as she listened to Sullivan’s words,
the rumor did not seem wrong.

‘Does he feel inferior because of his father?’

Although Elena couldn’t fully understand Sullivan’s feelings, his rise to
the throne enabled the Ruford Empire to make many advances. It was
an undeniable fact.

‘I’m sure he would be devastated if he finds out that Paveluc would

eventually take over the throne.’
Sullivan was ignorant that, in the near future, Paveluc would attempt
to destroy the imperial family and take the crown for himself. Elena
wouldn’t allow that to happen again.

However, the thoughts in Elena’s head remained tangled in a

complicated net. She no longer thought of Sullivan’s beliefs as mere
superstitions, and, assuming that Carlisle and Elena would have a son,
she would have to give the child human blood.

There was a horrible feeling in her stomach as she imagined herself

feeding that child with her own hand.

‘…Father thinks it a blessing, but this is a curse on the imperial family.’

Although the couple would not immediately have children, this
wouldn’t be an easy matter to approach. Elena suddenly recalled
something else Carlisle had said a long time ago.

— I hope you will have my child. They would be lovely with blonde
hair and red eyes like you.
She had wondered whether Carlisle could only love a child if it looked
like her, but what she knew now gave her a more ominous
perspective.

As Elena stood there in a brooding silence, Sullivan once again spoke

with a solemn voice.

“Carlisle tends to think poorly of his lineage, but you shouldn’t do so.
Because of the dragon’s power, the Ruford Empire has grown strong
and never lost a war with another kingdom.”
Sullivan was right as well. When it came to military power, many
kingdoms could not even reach the foot of the Ruford Empire.
“If something happens to me, please keep this secret space safe and
protect the bloodline in the future.”

“…”
Elena finally understood why Sullivan told her the secret of the
Imperial Family. However, she found it difficult to give him a reply. She
closed her eyes tightly then opened them again.

“Father, you must understand that this is sudden and

overwhelming…please give me time to think.”

“Very well. This all must be quite a shock. If you have any further
questions, I’ll be happy to answer them.”
He wore his usual smile on his pale, gaunt face. However, it was now
difficult to hide that Sullivan was now dealing with a comrade who
shared the same secret. Elena was at a loss at how to accept this and
what to do in the future. Among her many worries, she remembered
the lonely look Carlisle made when he once called himself a monster.

‘How terrified Carlisle must be when he realized all this as a child?’

For some reason, it was pained her to imagine it.

Elena left the Emperor’s palace with conflict in her heart. Sullivan’s
health hadn’t allowed for a long visit, and they said their farewells as
soon as they left the secret room. She wasn’t feeling well herself from
the arrow wound, though she showed no outward sign of discomfort.

As Elena strode through the grounds lost in thought, a voice called

out to her.
“Where are you going in that condition?”
She turned her head at the familiar voice, and saw someone briskly
walking towards her.

It was Carlisle, looking incomparably handsome with his dark hair,

luminous blue eyes, and sculpted features. Elena smiled as he
approached.

“Are you here to pick me up?”

“Of course. I thought you were sleeping, but you weren’t in your room.
I was suddenly summoned by my father to the Emperor’s palace,
saying I was to escort you.”

“I’m not a child, and you don’t have to.”

“You’re not well, so don’t go about simply because he calls you there.”

“He’s not just anyone. He’s my father, the emperor of the Ruford
Empire.”
Carlisle’s expression remained resolutely stubborn.

“He’s not your father…”

Carlisle’s voice was dangerously low. Elena looked up to see a heat
burning in his eyes.

“Even if it’s God, I can’t allow it.”

“…?”

“I cannot tolerate anyone forcing my wife to move when she’s unwell.”

Elena froze for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. Indeed, Carlisle
was such a lovely man.

His expression softened at the image of Elena smiling.

“Is this such a funny story?”

“Yes. Though I’m more happy than amused, to be precise.”
Carlisle grinned and reached out his hand, and Elena immediately
knew the meaning. She had taken his arm numerous times, but until
now they had no memory of walking hand-in-hand together. One
might not consider it important, but to Carlisle and Elena, the subtle
distinctions were understood between them. They had been sure to
display an outward appearance of love because of their contract
marriage, but they had never done such little things as lovers in
private.

Seueug.

Elena took Carlisle’s hand with no hesitation. There was no need for
special words between them.

They ambled at an easy pace, quietly holding each other’s hand. She
wished for this moment to last for a long time. Despite the warmth of
the emotions washing over her, however, Elena had many questions
she wanted to ask Carlisle.

‘Did he intend never to tell me that the ring was the Dragon’s Orb?’
Carlisle had deliberately hidden the truth from Elena, and now she had
uncovered his secret without permission. Everyone had something
they wanted to conceal. She was hesitant about digging up his
wounds, but she knew she could not procrastinate on this. More
importantly, this was something Elena must know about.

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“…Caril.”
Caril responded with a soft smile.

“Speak to me, my wife.”

As she took in his perfect profile, Elena forced her lips to move.
“What did you wish for on the Dragon’s Orb?”
Carlisle’s footsteps suddenly halted. It was a question that could only
be asked when someone knew the secret of the Imperial Family.

His expression stiffened, and he looked at Elena with uncharacteristic

dread in his eyes. He spoke in the barest whisper.

“…How do you know?”

Ch. 204 You Are Such A Fool (1)

“It doesn’t matter how I heard the story. How long were you planning
to keep it from me?”
Carlisle couldn’t give an answer to Elena’s question. He didn’t want to
lie. He hoped that he would never have to tell her the ugly truth about
himself.

“If you’re asking that question, there is only one person who could
have told you about it.”
It was easy to guess that it was his father Sullivan, who Elena
happened to return from a meeting with. Carlisle knew more than
anyone about Sullivan’s obsession with the bloodline, and how the old
man would do anything to keep it alive.

Carlisle looked at Elena with darkly hooded eyes.

“Let’s move on. There may be ears listening nearby.”

“…Very well.”
They continued to walk again, but this time in silence. They could
sense each other’s feelings without the need to exchange words.

Elena had many questions about the Dragon’s Orb and the Imperial
Family…

And Carlisle was not happy to answer any of them.

*
*

They finally arrived at the door Carlisle’s office. Security was tight, and
it was the best place to have a private conversation. They entered the
room, and Carlisle invited Elena to sit down.

“You must be tired after going out with your injury. Don’t tell me that
you’re not, and don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Thank you for your concern. But don’t worry, I’m fine.”
Carlisle hesitated for a moment and then followed with a nod of his
head.

“…Would you like anything to drink?”

“No thank you.”

No matter how delicious the drink, she was not in the mood for it.
Carlisle sensed her state of mind and simply sat down.

“Very well. You want to know what I wished for on the Dragon’s Orb?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know what you heard, but you don’t have to worry about it.
After seeing you hurt, I wondered if it worked.”

“You made a wish related to me.”

“As I said before, as a child I wanted to go with you to all those places.
Even if you were to become the wife of another man, it would be only
possible if you were alive.”

“So that means…”

A thought suddenly struck her. Carlisle had confessed that he liked her
from the start. The ominous prophecy about his first wife dying a
miserable death must have been on his mind.
‘Surely…’
Realization slowly dawned on her, and her red eyes widened in
disbelief. Carlisle continued speaking, oblivious of what was going on
in Elena’s head.

“I prayed to the Dragon’s Orb to keep you from dying.”

“Ah…!”
Elena was thunderstruck. She had always wondered, how did she get
back to the past? Now, for the first time, she had her answer. She
thought someone had given her another chance, but she never
dreamed that it would be connected to a boy she had only met once.

Carlisle looked at Elena’s shocked expression and continued to speak.

“Even so, don’t put yourself in dangerous situations. As I said, I don’t

even know if it works.”
He voiced his concerns to her, but Elena didn’t even hear it. There was
something else more pressing.

“Caril, we only met once. Why did you make a wish to save my life?”
She could not understand his mindset. Why would he use a wish to
protect a girl he only met that day? He could have wished for
anything, but he chose only one thing: for Elena to be alive and not
dead.

Carlisle smiled back.

“It’s true that I was too young to be overly concerned about what wish
I made. But I have never regretted it.”

“…Caril.”
Her throat tightened at the knowledge that Carlisle had loved her all
this time without her even knowing it. He had told her he liked her
from the start, but this was the first time she understood it with her
heart. It was love beyond measure.
“You…you are such a fool.”
Carlisle lifted his eyebrows at her. She did not stop there, continuing
to say what she wanted to say.

“You should have made a better wish that could have helped you. My
life is—”
Elena’s breath hitched and she stopped speaking. Carlisle, who was
watching her, spoke with a faint smile.

“Don’t say that your life is worthless. Because you’re everything to

me.”

“Really, you stupid…”

Elena’s voice was thick with tears. She had no idea about this until
now, and it would have been unfair if she had gone on not knowing
how much he cared for her.

‘If I tell him, will he believe me?’

She had an entire past where her family died and she alone survived,
dedicating her entire life to exacting vengeance against Paveluc. It was
a lonely hell, and she died without ever achieving her goal.

And then, like a miracle, Elena was given new life…

It was all because of Carlisle’s wish on the Dragon’s Orb. A portion of

the prophecy came to mind.

[The first to marry the Crown Prince will spend their life in solitude.
They will die a miserable death.]

Elena had never considered it before, but the prophecy described her
first life. She had spent it in solitude and then suffered a miserable
death, unable to avenge her family in the end.

Elena’s head spun from all the information she learned today. It was as
if all the unsolved mysterious in her life had been answered.
However, the most important thing was that Carlisle loved Elena, and
Elena loved Carlisle. The curse on the Imperial Family, the myth of the
dragon, the wish-granting Orb —many hidden truths were found, but
it all paled in comparison to the feelings they had for each other.

Carlisle looked at Elena with a tense expression.

“You must have more questions.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well. About how my arm mutates into something like a monster, and
how much power I can use with it.”
Carlisle’s voice grew lower and deeper.

“What if we have a son, and the blood of the dragon flows through
him strongly like me? Don’t you wonder?”
Of course she did. She wondered whether the physical changes to the
body were dangerous, what they would do if they had a boy child, and
whether they could break the curse.

But first Elena wanted to say something to Carlisle, who still bore the
shadow of hurt in his eyes.

“Stop calling yourself a monster. You are my husband.”

“…Do you really mean that?”

Both relief and disbelief played across Carlisle’s face. Elena answered
with a firm expression.

“Of course I mean it.”

“But didn’t you hear everything? How my ancestor stole this power,
and the terrible thing we must do to maintain it…?”
His expression twisted in pain.

“Do you want me to tell you about the day when I was thirteen and I
first drank blood? Or how horrible it was to instinctively enjoy the
taste?”
Carlisle seemed to deliberately raise questions meant to disparage
himself. Elena looked at Carlisle with calm but steady eyes.

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“Do you want me to point to you and call you a monster?”

“…!”
When the word “monster” left Elena’s mouth, Carlisle’s eyes widened
as if in pain. Elena continued as if she had expected it.

“You’re delusional if you think there’s something wrong with you. I

don’t care if you’re a monster.”

“What?”

“Whether you are a monster, a person, a dragon, or anything else, the

fact that you are my husband does not change. I’m not the kind of
woman you think I am.”

Ch. 205 You Are Such A Fool (2)

Carlisle looked surprised to hear these words, but Elena’s sincerity was
true. He had an inclination to think poorly of himself, but from the
very beginning, Elena vowed to walk the road needed to save her
family, even if it was a bloody one. Whether Carlisle was human or not
didn’t matter. What was most important was that her husband was the
man she loved.

Carlisle looked at her in stunned amazement.

“…I never imagined you would say this to me.”

“Then listen carefully, because I will say it only once. When your right
arm changes, I worry most about your well-being—!”
Elena didn’t get a chance to finish speaking, as Carlisle abruptly stood
up from his seat and pulled Elena into an embrace. Her eyes widened
as she was wrapped in the cradle of his arms, and though she couldn’t
see his face, she felt him slightly trembling beneath her. Carlisle
murmured into her hair.

“…Thank God.”
The sheer intensity of Carlisle’s relief was conveyed in those simple
words. Elena raised her hands to hold his waist and buried her head
into his solid arms.

“Did you think I’d have second thoughts because of a child who’s not
even born yet? Or did you think you could avoid me over such a
matter?”

“Yes, I was worried about that.”

“You are such a fool…”

The unholy actions of Carlisle’s ancestor who devoured the heart of a
living dragon were difficult to comprehend, but if there was a situation
where Carlisle would die…

Elena would surely cut out the heart of a living dragon without a
single moment’s hesitation. The depth of her love for Carlisle was so
great that she would be a sinner for him.

“Please explain the other things slowly. But the important thing is that
you are healthy.”
Carlisle hugged Elena ever more tightly. He had been afraid that she
would turn away from him once she discovered the truth, but now he
understood the enormous fortune he had finding a woman that was in
love with him regardless.

The shadow in his life chased after him no more.

*

Get the full chapters and artwork from ShainaG Translations or Crystal
Crater’s Patreon.

That day, Elena heard more explanations from Carlisle.

Firstly, he had incredible power when his right arm transformed, but it
wasn’t Carlisle’s ability to control freely.

Secondly, during the transformation, he would sometimes lose his

sanity. It didn’t happen every time, but was risky in its own way.

If Carlisle had been born an ordinary child he would not be in danger,

but on the other hand, it was the dragon’s power that saved him in
times of crisis.

‘It is fortunate in some ways.’

It was strange to think that the dragon’s power protected Carlisle
during those long years without Elena. It would be enormously
advantageous if he could completely control of his ability, but it would
be difficult.

‘Most importantly…’
There was no precedent for a dragon-blooded boy to not drink
human blood, and it was impossible to know the symptoms of
abstaining from human blood and giving up the power. In the worst
case scenario, one could be driven to madness. Although the couple
did not yet have a child, it was certainly the imperative to find out
more.

“Hmm.”
The doctor’s hum broke Elena from her thoughts. He had been
checking the wound on her back before speaking to her with a bright
expression.

“Your Highness. I’ve heard that you’ve been working hard lately, but
fortunately the wound is healing well.”

“Good.”

“Yes. Nevertheless, it’s important to stabilize your mind and body.”

“I will.”
The doctor finished applying the medicine and changed the
wrappings on Elena’s wound. When the treatment was over, Elena
dressed back into her nightgown and the curtain was pulled aside. It
was then she noticed the nanny waiting for her by the bed.

“What is it?”

“Ah, well…”
The nanny did not answer immediately, and the doctor gave a bow to
Elena.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“Thank you.”
After the doctor disappeared, the nanny opened her mouth reluctantly
to speak.

“You have a visitor here to see you.”

“A visitor?”
After hearing the news of Elena’s injury, several close friends had sent
her their greetings and gifts. Margaret, one of her ladies-in-waiting,
gave her a letter saying she would visit when Elena felt better, and
Stella, a socialite from the capital area, had sent her well-wishes. Elena
had even received a flower basket from Astar.
‘…Who else?’
Elena couldn’t think who else would come to find her. Perhaps Marissa
from the south?

“A young man named Harry came to visit from Count Krauss.”

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“…!”
Elena’s red eyes widened at the unexpected name. Out of all the
families that could benefit Carlisle the most, Krauss was the most
favorable, and Harry was the promising young man that was said to
be the next heir. She remembered seeing him at the wedding
reception and inviting him to visit the palace.

Elena hurriedly stepped out of bed.

“Bring him to the parlor room right away. I’ll get ready now.”
The nanny looked at her in astonishment.

“I had already advised you not to push yourself when you went to the
Emperor’s palace.”
Elena ignored the nanny’s complaint and headed to the dressing
room.

“Come help me dress.”

Ch. 205 You Are Such A Fool (2)

Carlisle looked surprised to hear these words, but Elena’s sincerity was
true. He had an inclination to think poorly of himself, but from the
very beginning, Elena vowed to walk the road needed to save her
family, even if it was a bloody one. Whether Carlisle was human or not
didn’t matter. What was most important was that her husband was the
man she loved.
Carlisle looked at her in stunned amazement.

“…I never imagined you would say this to me.”

“Then listen carefully, because I will say it only once. When your right
arm changes, I worry most about your well-being—!”
Elena didn’t get a chance to finish speaking, as Carlisle abruptly stood
up from his seat and pulled Elena into an embrace. Her eyes widened
as she was wrapped in the cradle of his arms, and though she couldn’t
see his face, she felt him slightly trembling beneath her. Carlisle
murmured into her hair.

“…Thank God.”
The sheer intensity of Carlisle’s relief was conveyed in those simple
words. Elena raised her hands to hold his waist and buried her head
into his solid arms.

“Did you think I’d have second thoughts because of a child who’s not
even born yet? Or did you think you could avoid me over such a
matter?”

“Yes, I was worried about that.”

“You are such a fool…”

The unholy actions of Carlisle’s ancestor who devoured the heart of a
living dragon were difficult to comprehend, but if there was a situation
where Carlisle would die…

Elena would surely cut out the heart of a living dragon without a
single moment’s hesitation. The depth of her love for Carlisle was so
great that she would be a sinner for him.

“Please explain the other things slowly. But the important thing is that
you are healthy.”
Carlisle hugged Elena ever more tightly. He had been afraid that she
would turn away from him once she discovered the truth, but now he
understood the enormous fortune he had finding a woman that was in
love with him regardless.

The shadow in his life chased after him no more.

Get the full chapters and artwork from ShainaG Translations or Crystal
Crater’s Patreon.

That day, Elena heard more explanations from Carlisle.

Firstly, he had incredible power when his right arm transformed, but it
wasn’t Carlisle’s ability to control freely.

Secondly, during the transformation, he would sometimes lose his

sanity. It didn’t happen every time, but was risky in its own way.

If Carlisle had been born an ordinary child he would not be in danger,

but on the other hand, it was the dragon’s power that saved him in
times of crisis.

‘It is fortunate in some ways.’

It was strange to think that the dragon’s power protected Carlisle
during those long years without Elena. It would be enormously
advantageous if he could completely control of his ability, but it would
be difficult.

‘Most importantly…’
There was no precedent for a dragon-blooded boy to not drink
human blood, and it was impossible to know the symptoms of
abstaining from human blood and giving up the power. In the worst
case scenario, one could be driven to madness. Although the couple
did not yet have a child, it was certainly the imperative to find out
more.

“Hmm.”
The doctor’s hum broke Elena from her thoughts. He had been
checking the wound on her back before speaking to her with a bright
expression.

“Your Highness. I’ve heard that you’ve been working hard lately, but
fortunately the wound is healing well.”

“Good.”

“Yes. Nevertheless, it’s important to stabilize your mind and body.”

“I will.”
The doctor finished applying the medicine and changed the
wrappings on Elena’s wound. When the treatment was over, Elena
dressed back into her nightgown and the curtain was pulled aside. It
was then she noticed the nanny waiting for her by the bed.

“What is it?”

“Ah, well…”
The nanny did not answer immediately, and the doctor gave a bow to
Elena.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“Thank you.”
After the doctor disappeared, the nanny opened her mouth reluctantly
to speak.

“You have a visitor here to see you.”

“A visitor?”
After hearing the news of Elena’s injury, several close friends had sent
her their greetings and gifts. Margaret, one of her ladies-in-waiting,
gave her a letter saying she would visit when Elena felt better, and
Stella, a socialite from the capital area, had sent her well-wishes. Elena
had even received a flower basket from Astar.

‘…Who else?’
Elena couldn’t think who else would come to find her. Perhaps Marissa
from the south?

“A young man named Harry came to visit from Count Krauss.”

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“…!”
Elena’s red eyes widened at the unexpected name. Out of all the
families that could benefit Carlisle the most, Krauss was the most
favorable, and Harry was the promising young man that was said to
be the next heir. She remembered seeing him at the wedding
reception and inviting him to visit the palace.

Elena hurriedly stepped out of bed.

“Bring him to the parlor room right away. I’ll get ready now.”
The nanny looked at her in astonishment.

“I had already advised you not to push yourself when you went to the
Emperor’s palace.”
Elena ignored the nanny’s complaint and headed to the dressing
room.

“Come help me dress.”

Ch. 206 A Storm Will Come Soon (1)

As soon as Elena finished dressing, she moved straight to the parlor
room where Harry was waiting. It was his visit that Elena had long
looked forward to. No matter how agonizing the pain, she would do
whatever it took to make Carlisle emperor. Nothing would be better
than to bring the Krauss family to her side.

When she arrived in front of the parlor room, a maid waiting outside
pulled open the door for her.

Dalkageu—

Harry’s head turned at the sound, and when he noticed Elena he

bowed deeply.

“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”

“It’s good to see you again. It’s the first time since the wedding
reception, yes?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Harry gave a composed smile. He was still a young man, and had an
air of precociousness about him that he didn’t have before at the
reception. He casually brushed a speck of dust from his shirt.

“Please have a seat.”

“Thank you.”
Harry sat quietly at the chair Elena offered him. His demeanor was
more relaxed compared to Count Krauss’ strict self-control, but on
closer inspection, Harry’s movements were not ungraceful. He
appeared a sound, well-educated successor to the family.

Elena studied Harry for a moment before beginning the conversation.

“How are you? You’ve matured more since I last saw you.”

“I’ve often heard such praise lately, although I’m an ugly squid next to
the Crown Prince, I’m sure.”
Elena gave a small laugh at his cheeky joke. Harry was indeed a
handsome young man with an impressive pedigree, and he had a
charming personality that likely made him popular among his peers.

A smile spread across Harry’s face as he spoke.

“Thank you for welcoming me despite the suddenness of the visit. I

will have to depart for another kingdom soon to learn about business,
and any other time is difficult for me.”

“Not at all. I had given you permission to come anytime. It’s

impressive that you’re learning about business already.”

“It couldn’t be helped. My grandfather strongly insisted.”

Despite his grumbling voice, he had an air about him as if he knew not
to take his intensive education for granted.

“So will you be gone from the Ruford Empire for long?”

“No, it’s not as if I’ll be away for years studying abroad. It will only be
several months.”

“Are you leaving with Count Krauss by any chance?”

“Yes, I’ll be going with my grandfather.”

“…”
A few months was no short period of time. From Elena’s perspective,
she suspected that Paveluc would begin his rebellion soon. Now that
Carlisle was alive today, however, it was unclear how events would
change, and there was the potential that Krauss may side with Paveluc
and the Empress in the future.

Krauss’ absence now was a vital piece of information, and perhaps a

stroke of luck. If the Krauss family wasn’t on their side, they had to be
on no one’s side.

‘While I’ve been trying to get to Count Krauss, it turns out he’s going
to be leaving the Ruford Empire soon.’
She felt relieved that a situation where they would be enemies was
averted.

As Elena mulled over this information, Harry carefully studied her pale
complexion, then spoke.

“I heard a story that you were attacked on an outing. I’m glad to see
that you don’t look severely hurt.”
Elena’s red eyes flashed. It wasn’t unexpected that the Krauss family
had vast intelligence networks, but to say this out loud was another
thing. Elena smiled innocently, wondering what Harry’s ulterior motive
was.

“So you know. I was lucky not to get hurt badly.”

“Is that so? I’ve heard that the arrow caused quite a serious injury to
your back…”

“…!”
Elena was caught by surprise, but she remained outwardly calm.

‘…How did he know?’

She had heard that Carlisle kept details about the assassination
attempt strictly secret, from the number of enemy troops to how they
died. Harry did know that Elena was wounded by an arrow, however.
Her head began to cool.

‘The Krausses don’t know everything. But how did information about
my injury leak outside the palace?’
It hardly surprised Elena that there were spies in the Imperial Palace,
and while a few nobles knew that she was injured in the first place,
they did not have any detailed information about the type or severity.

The Krauss’ information network was truly impressive, and more

impressive still was that Harry casually came to Elena knowing all this.
He had already calculated this meeting knowing she had a serious
injury.
‘…That’s not a normal bet, either.’
She shouldn’t underestimate Harry, as young as he was.

Sensing Elena’s wary gaze, Harry hurriedly clasped his hands and
spoke in an apologetic voice.

“Please don’t misunderstand. The rumors are not so bad.”

“It’s fine. I tried to cover up my injury because I didn’t want to cause

worry, but you already knew.”

“That’s as much as I know. If you don’t mind, however, would you

allow me to make some guesses?”

“…Try it.”
Harry was starting to come around to the point. Elena had wondered
why he brought up the topic of the ambush.

“Judging by the location of the wound, did you take the arrow for the
Crown Prince?”
Typically, when one was shot by an archer, one was hit at the front or
side. An arrow could strike the back when one was running away, of
course, but considering the circumstances that Elena was injured and
Carlisle unscathed, another assumption could be made.

It was pure conjecture, as Harry said, and the truth was only known to
the involved parties.

‘Why is he curious about this?’

From her position, it was a completely unexpected question. She
stared for a moment at the young man in front of her. She had no
idea the intention of his question, and whether to tell the truth or
lie…or perhaps yell at him for his impudence.

Of course, she wanted to keep as close relations with the Krauss family
as possible, so she was reluctant to choose the third option.
‘Just because he knows about my arrow injury, doesn’t mean he knows
about my sword fighting abilities.’
Even if she had no knowledge of fighting, almost anyone could run
fast enough to save their husband.

After a brief internal debate, Elena made her decision. After all, she
had been trying to display her close relationship with Carlisle, and she
didn’t have to lie and hide about it. It didn’t matter if someone knew.

“Can you promise to keep it to yourself?”

Harry replied with no hesitation.

“I promise.”

“Very well. The truth is…yes, I took the arrow meant for His Highness.”

“Ah!”
Harry’s eyes glittered in satisfaction that he guessed right. Funnily
enough, it made the youthful Harry look more his own age. Elena
smiled.

“Why are you curious about this?”

“You have spoken to me honestly, and so I will answer you honestly. I

have never seen such loyalty in the Imperial Family.”

“…?”

“Which Imperial couple would throw themselves into danger for their
spouse?”
Harry did have a point. Despite Sullivan’s and Ophelia’s outward
appearance of harmony, in truth their relationship was fractured.

Harry looked closely at Elena and then spoke in a low voice.

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“Personally, I like you, Your Highness.”
Elena cast him an incredulous look, and he hurriedly corrected his
words.

“Oh, not as a woman, but as a leader of the Ruford Empire. You inspire
someone to believe in you.”
There was no reason for Harry to say this to Elena, so it was probably
truthful.

“Then if you like me, why not support the Crown Prince for the
throne?”
She decided to be direct. If Harry’s statement was true, the Krauss
family didn’t have to remain neutral. At those words, however, Harry
waved his hands hurriedly.

“If I was the head of Krauss family, I can make that decision, but you
know I have no power yet.”
Elena gave a faint smile. Harry already knew how to use his
youthfulness to extract himself from awkward conversations. His
ability to redirect the flow was incomparably outstanding for his age.

‘I don’t know what else, but Krauss has groomed a capable successor.’

207 A Storm Will Come Soon (2)

Elena nodded in acknowledgment. Harry’s words were not wrong.

“Indeed. Then please deliver the message to your grandfather.”

“He is too stubborn to listen, but it is true that I personally support

you.”
Harry smiled and retrieved something from the inner pocket of his
jacket. In his hand was a lily-shaped brooch studded with glittering
jewels. Elena studied it curiously.

“This is…?”
“This is my gift to you. It’s not much, but if you show this brooch to
any of the Krauss leadership, you can reach me anywhere.”
As he stated, it was not a particularly unique item, but that didn’t
mean it was worthless. It was a symbol that he would be there for her
in a moment of need. Elena could not hide her surprise as she
accepted the flower brooch.

“I never expected a gift. Thank you.”

“Please think of it as a reward for answering my questions today.”

Although Harry was still softened by youth, Elena was grateful to build
a close relationship with him, even if it was not necessarily a political
one. She didn’t understand his sudden generosity, but she wouldn’t
turn it away.

“I’ll never forget that you gave me this gift.”

If Carlisle became Emperor, Harry had Elena’s favor. And that was
good enough for Harry.

There was a fierce battle now, and everyone wanted the support of the
Krauss family. When the winner was decided, the family may have to
change their position completely, which was why they couldn’t be
defeated by anyone.

Harry spoke with a satisfied smile.

“I felt it from the beginning, but you and I are alike in many ways.”
*

After the meeting at the Crown Prince’s palace, Harry returned to his
carriage. Elena had offered to see him at the door, but he refused on
the basis of her injury.

Kkiigeu—
Harry stepped into the carriage and sat down comfortably.

“Did you get bored waiting? Let’s go now.”

Sitting opposite of Harry was another man. His name was Mikelo, a
Ruford scholar in his mid-thirties who served as teacher to Harry.

Mikelo looked at the young man with a worried look.

“Did you really give the brooch to Her Highness?”

“Yes.”

“Your grandfather will yell at you if he finds out.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Young Master…”
Harry chuckled over Mikelo’s needless worrying. The carriage started
to move, and Harry murmured quietly as the palace gardens passed
them by.

“You taught me that nothing will change unless one takes action.”
As a matter of fact, Harry did not intend to express his direct interest
in Elena until just a short time ago. It was true that he liked her, but it
could cause a political fight the moment he revealed it.

Then, he had come across some interesting news. Elena had been shot
by an arrow, and the location of the injury piqued his interest. Curious,
Harry deemed it possible that Elena had taken an arrow meant for
Carlisle.

As he mulled over his thoughts, an involuntary shiver ran through his

body. His grandfather Evans had taught him this: The Imperial Family
were selfish people who understood nothing but their own self-
preservation, and Harry should never let them talk their way out of
anything.
But Elena was a different creature, a woman who risked her life for
someone else.

‘I did what I could do. It’s not direct help, so it doesn’t matter if other
powers know.’
The only danger to Harry was that Evans might scold him. His other
problems could be blamed on the fact that he was still young and
immature. He had made his careful calculations, and decided to hand
the brooch to Elena.

Paveluc, Redfield and…Carlisle.

Everyone had to take a bit of gamble sometimes. There was no

knowing which one of them would become emperor, but if Harry had
to bet on someone, it would be on Elena.

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‘Your Highness, today’s information and brooch was all I could offer. I
hope you will survive, and that I may see you again when I return to
the Ruford Empire.’
He understood why his grandfather Evans did not trust the Imperial
Family, but he found himself gradually drawn to Elena without any
ostensible reason. She may not realize it, but she was starting to be
noticed by a growing number of people.

Harry looked up into the bright sky and murmured to himself.

“…A storm will come soon.”

The heavens were so clear that anyone would know his words had a
different meaning.

It had been reported that after Elena was struck by an arrow, Carlisle
had begun to gather troops from the battlefield. It was obvious where
Carlisle’s anger would be headed, and Harry and his grandfather were
leaving the empire under the pretext of Harry’s education. Soon, there
may be a huge battle for the throne.

And whoever wins will become the emperor of the Ruford Empire with
unlimited power.

Ch. 208 Please, Don’t Go (1)

After Kuhn’s meeting with Zenard at the palace, he made to clear up
his life at Blaise mansion as quickly as possible. There was no time to
delay with the possibility of Carlisle losing his sanity once again.

Kuhn had been ordered to stay on vacation until Mirabelle returned to

the south, and he could not disobey Carlisle’s orders without
preparing a replacement. Kuhn had promised to protect Mirabelle for
Elena as well. While keeping that promise wasn’t part of his mission,
he did not want to create an uncomfortable situation.

‘Is this enough?’

Kuhn planted his replacement in Blaise mansion so Mirabelle wouldn’t

be left unprotected. It was true that Carlisle’s ambush caused Kuhn to
hasten his departure from Blaise Mansion, but Mirabelle’s extended
stay at the capital made it difficult for him to remain as well. He could
not truly complete his mission, but it was a situation that Carlisle and
Elena had to understand.

‘But why do I feel like I’m forgetting something?’

Although Kuhn completed his arrangements to leave Blaise mansion,

he had the uneasy feeling that there was something he overlooked.
No matter how hard he puzzled over it, however, he couldn’t recall
anything else to take care of.

Kuhn set aside the idea from his head and prepared for the last
remaining task. He had to tell Mirabelle that he was leaving the
mansion.
‘…I don’t know how it will go this time.’

Before, Mirabelle had stubbornly refused when Kuhn expressed his

intention to re-enter the Imperial Palace as a family servant. But the
circumstances were different now. This time his decision would remain
unchanged, and it would not reflect her opinion at all.

And…it was the best farewell Kuhn could have.

It was early evening and the sun was beginning to dip below the
horizon. The mansion hallway was illuminated by a red glow, but Kuhn
walked towards Mirabelle’s room without even turning his eyes
towards the window. He arrived in front of the door and knocked.

Ttog ttog.

A voice answered from inside the room.

“Who is it?”

Kuhn answered in his usual monotone.

“…It’s Kuhn.”

Udangtangtang.

There was crashing sound from inside the room. Kuhn was puzzled by
the sudden noise, and Mirabelle’s voice replied from beyond the door.

“P-please wait a moment.”

Kuhn could dimly make out Mirabelle’s footsteps pattering around the
room with his heightened sense of hearing. He waited there until he
was granted permission to enter. In general, male servants did not
often enter their master’s room, and unless he was required to carry
heavy objects for her, he refrained from being here as much as
possible.

He realized that he had never knocked on Mirabelle’s door to ask for

permission to go inside before. Today was his first time. The fact that
this would also be a goodbye did not suit the situation much—just
like Mirabelle and Kuhn.

Kuhn gave a wry smile as he watched the dying sunlight touch the
door, lightly at first, before turning into a rich red hue. In a way, it was
like seeing a flower bloom. Mirabelle’s face entered Kuhn’s mind.

‘She’ll grow up soon.’

Although she looked young now, in time she would mature into a
splendid woman. Kuhn wouldn’t be able to see her growth, but there
was one thing he was sure of.

‘…She will be dazzling.’

When he had escorted Mirabelle to the Imperial Palace to visit Elena,

he had watched Mirabelle from behind, sometimes catching glimpse
of her warm, bright smile that was unique only to her. While Elena was
beautiful, her sister Mirabelle would also grow up to be breathtaking.

By then, Kuhn’s existence would be completely forgotten. Even if he

could appear in front of Mirabelle, his background was far too poor
for her to talk to him.

Today would be the last time.

The last time she would annoyingly recommend him delicious dishes,
or drag him somewhere where she wanted to go, or…or for her to
look into his eyes and smile at him.
Today he would return to his original quiet life. Somehow he didn’t
feel as happy as he had expected.

Kuhn was lost in thought for a moment, when the door finally opened
and Mirabelle poked her head out.

“Kuhn, why are you here at my room?”

“I have something important to tell you.”

“Please come in.”

Kuhn normally would have turned down entering her private room,
but this was his last day, and so he nodded.

As he stepped inside, he found the space cutely decorated with warm

colors. It was a world of a difference from his own sparse, bleak room.

A teddy bear sitting at her bedside caught his eye. He had never
noticed it before; when he had entered Mirabelle’s room after she
collapsed at the picnic, the room was too dark to make out any
details.

The teddy bear had the same unusual color as Kuhn’s hair. He
suddenly remembered the first words Mirabelle had spoken when she
first saw him.

— …My…teddy bear?

Something stirred inside Kuhn as he looked at the plush toy. Mirabelle

followed his gaze and realized where he was looking at.

Dadadag!

She rushed to the bedside to block the teddy bear from view, her face
flaming in embarrassment.

“D-did you see it?”

“What do you mean?”

“No, if you haven’t seen anything…”

“The teddy bear? Or my clothes that the bear is wearing?”

“…!”

Mirabelle’s face turned redder than before.

Kuhn remembered the night he first met Mirabelle. She had been on
the ground, whimpering in pain from her illness.

— Don’t…leave me alone. When I’m sick…I hate being alone. It’ll be

fine if you stay a little bit…so please stay here…

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He had put her in bed, but she wouldn’t let go of his jacket. Kuhn had
hesitated. He easily could have made her let go, but her words had
hooked into his mind. He left her the coat that the teddy bear was
wearing now, looking like Kuhn did from that night.

She really did like him. His chest tightened.

‘…What is this feeling?’

There was a ticklish sensation in his heart.

Ch. 209 Please, Don’t Go (2)

He was confused by this unknown feeling. Mirabelle gave a small

cough in an attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“What are you here for?”

“Oh, I…”

Kuhn’s tone quickly turned business-like. The fact that he would say

goodbye to Mirabelle remained unchanged. His allegiance was to

Carlisle, and he had to return to his side before anything bad

happened.

“Oh, wait!”

Mirabelle interrupted him and pointed to a fruit bowl on the table.

“It’s not dinner yet, right? Let’s talk slowly over some fruit.”

Mirabelle didn’t know what Kuhn was about to say, but she knew he

would leave the room as soon as he finished. Kuhn was that kind of

person, so perhaps some fruit would prolong his visit.

“No, it’s fine—”

Kuhn knew that if he hesitated now, he would not be able to say what

was needed to be said. There wasn’t much time, and he had to leave

Blaise mansion as soon as possible.

Gathering the resolve in his heart, Kuhn spoke, his voice coldly flat.

“I’ve come to say that I’m going to quit working at Blaise mansion.”

“…What?”

There was an uncomfortable pause. Soon after, Mirabelle’s dark green

eyes began to shimmer in anxiety.

“Oh, did I make you uncomfortable by asking you to eat fruit? I’m

sorry. This won’t happen in the future.”

“No, it’s not about you. I can’t work here anymore because of personal

circumstances.”

As soon as she heard the word “personal circumstances”, the first

thing that came to mind was her visit to the Imperial Palace. Kuhn had
told her to go home alone that day, saying he had something to

attend to.

“What’s the personal circumstance?”

“If I tell you what it is, will you still try to stop me?”

“…Then if I don’t ask, will you stay?”

“I can’t.”

“…”

Mirabelle bit her lip. She didn’t want him to go.

“But what if…what if I would never allow you to leave?”

Mirabelle was in charge of running the Blaise household. She was not

yet as skilled as Elena, but thanks to her lessons, she managed it

without too much difficulty. If Mirabelle decided that Kuhn could not

leave, then that was that. Of course, she didn’t know that she couldn’t

capture Kuhn by any force, or that he could slip away as silently a

shadow. A conflicted expression crossed Kuhn’s face.

“You can’t. According to my employment contract, I simply have to

pay a penalty.”

His contract stated that if he could not uphold his obligations, he

would have to pay an amount ten times his salary. Mirabelle suddenly

wondered where Kuhn had obtained such a large amount of money.

“Kuhn, no…are you trying to do something dangerous again?”

Mirabelle did not know Kuhn’s past, but she knew that he sometimes

put himself in great peril. She remembered how she saved him when

he collapsed in her bathroom at the palace, bleeding out onto the

floor.

Even if Kuhn wasn’t returning to dangerous work, he was still the type

to think of his life as insignificant…

Mirabelle shook her head firmly.

“Then it’s even worse. Don’t ever go back to dangerous work again.”
“It’s my job, and it’s my choice. By forcing me to stay any longer,

you’re trapping me.”

Kuhn’s harsh tone left Mirabelle speechless. He was not wrong. Kuhn

was simply doing his duties, and Mirabelle was acting like a child by

forcing him not to go.

Mirabelle’s green eyes filled with tears. Nothing was more miserable

than to be kept by a person that one didn’t like. And yet, what was

worse for her was the thought of Kuhn disappearing from her side.

“Yes, I’m just trapping you. But you know why I hold on to you so

tightly.”

“I…”

“I like you. I love you. Even if Kuhn is uncomfortable with me, my

feelings can’t help but get stronger.”

This time it was Kuhn who was left speechless. Sometimes Mirabelle

expressed her feelings so straightforwardly that it embarrassed Kuhn.

“Don’t go. I’ll do whatever you want. Just stay by my side, please.”

Mirabelle’s voice was thick with tears, and Kuhn’s looked at her with

mixed emotions.

“Don’t say that. You know the two of us can’t be together.”

“I don’t believe it. Why not?”

“Our statuses are different…”

“I’m the daughter of a count, and if you find my family burdensome,

I’ll throw everything away. I’ll take care of you so you don’t have to

worry anymore.”

“…Young Lady.”

“I don’t need much. Just stay with me.”

Hot tears slipped down Mirabelle’s cheeks. As Kuhn watched, his chest

felt like it was tearing. But he could not accept Mirabelle’s heart.

“Stop complaining. It won’t work.”

“Why not?”

At her question, Kuhn’s face turned bleak.

“You will eventually grow to hate me. You will regret that you chose

me over your status, your property, your family. “

“Never!”

“I don’t have the confidence to let myself be abandoned.”

Mirabelle’s wet eyes widened. From her point of view, his rejection

wasn’t because he hated her.

“I can’t hold your hand when you go through that. I’m sorry.”

He was about to turn away, when—

Deobseog!

Mirabelle grabbed Kuhn’s sleeve in desperation. She knew if she let

him go now, she would never see him again. No matter how miserable

or pathetic she looked…if she let Kuhn walk away, she might really die.
She begged to him with tears streaked on her cheeks.

“Please, don’t go.”

“Young Lady…”

“How can I let you go? I love you so much…”

“…”

“Kuhn, just once again…”

“…I’m sorry.”

Kuhn could no longer watch Mirabelle shed bitter tears for him.

Taak!

He raised his hand and struck Mirabelle in the side of her neck. She

fell unconscious and collapsed, and Kuhn caught her body before she

reached the floor.

He carried her to bed and tucked her in. Even when she was

unconscious, tears continued to leak out of her eyes.

‘Don’t cry, Young Lady. I’m not worth it.’

Kuhn looked at Mirabelle’s face for a moment and brushed the tears

from her eyelashes. The soft texture of her skin against his fingers was

not something he would easily forget.

Kuhn turned and saw the teddy bear by the bedside. The bear really

did resemble him.

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“I’m sorry, but I have to leave you now.”

Kuhn looked down at Mirabelle and murmured softly.

“Be happy, Young Lady.”

It was a heartfelt wish. He hoped that she would live happily in her

bright world. He did not want to drag her down to the blood-stained

pit of his life.

Ch. 210 I’ve Returned (1)

Kuhn was an orphan. He had never seen his parents as a child, so he

probably was an orphan.

He was a slave as well. A brand on his shoulder marked him as such,

and at that time, he was called slave ninety-five.

— Slave ninety-five, try again.

Kuhn was trained in a famous assassins’ guild from an early age. At

that time, there were perhaps hundreds of slaves of similar age who
were trained like Kuhn. A dozen of children would die a day from the
harsh training, and a dozen more would be brought in to replace
them. With such a quick turnover, Kuhn could never remember the
boy sleeping next to him.

However, Kuhn was not a slave at the assassins’ guild from the start.

The earliest memory Kuhn had was of being a slave to a little girl. And
that little girl had a sociopathic curiosity.

— How hot would it be if I put this cigar on your body?

The girl’s favorite pastime was to have her servants hold Kuhn while
she pressed the hot end of a cigar against his chest. She always smiled
when she saw Kuhn writhe in pain.

—I told you that my shoes must always be polished. Did you forget
that?

— I-I never heard that order…

— Talking back really will get you into trouble.

The young lady always hurt Kuhn for his mistakes. At first he thought
his punishments were dispensed unfairly, but later he realized that she
did this purely for entertainment. She would abuse Kuhn even if she
did not have the reason to do so—she simply enjoyed his look of
resentment.

— These bugs are so gross. Hmmm…I wonder why they taste like?

Dozens of bugs were forced down Kuhn’s throat.

— How dare you glare at me like that? Lock him up in the shed and
don’t give him food for three days!

Whenever something went wrong for the girl, she would take out her
anger on Kuhn. There was little chance he could escape this life.

One time, she pressed a hot cigar on his skin as usual, and Kuhn,
thrashing from the heat and fear, tore the girl’s new dress.

Jjiiigeu—

The sound of her dress being ripped was louder than thunder to
Kuhn’s ears.

— Kkyaaa! How dare you ruin my dress?

The girl wailed and went to her father to complain, her cheeks
dripping with tears. The father ended up buying the girl a new dress
with the money he received from selling Kuhn to the assassination
guild.

That was the last of the most comfortable slave life Kuhn ever
remembered.

While he suffered vicious abuse from the little girl, he never felt the
threat of death as closely as he did in the assassinations’ guild. Each
day was like walking on thin ice, and the slightest slip-up could spell
doom. Young boys weren’t very useful; they weren’t good for hard
labor, and they took up a lot of time and food before they reached
adulthood. As a result, young male slaves were considered cheap and
relatively disposable. The cost of treating injuries for slaves was
deemed too expensive for the guild, and the instructors were cruel
and pitiless.

Kuhn knew he had to follow the instructor’s words, or else he would

die. It wasn’t an exaggeration, and more than once a boy came back
as a cold body.

And so, Kuhn did everything the instructor told him to do to survive.

— From now on, only one in seven of your group can escape from
here alive. There will be no food until there is one left.

At that time, Kuhn lived without thinking. He only moved when the
instructors told him to move, and killed when they told him to kill. He
was simply an empty puppet that moved on command, and it never
occurred to him that something was deeply wrong with this life.

As time went by, Kuhn grew older and gradually began to draw
attention for his outstanding skills. Against all odds, he graduated
from his hellish training, then began to take assignments from the
assassinations’ guild.

[Baron Koldeu’s butler. Male in his 30s. Make it look like a natural
death.]

Mission complete.

[Top government official of Haruk. Male in his 50s. After his death,
retrieve his confidential documents.]

Mission complete.

[Viscountess Brica. Woman in her 20s. Make it look like she was
assaulted by burglars.]

He never failed. As a result, he received the highest number of

assignments from the guild.
Kuhn’s last mission was this.

[The Crown Prince of Ruford Empire. Kill by any means and methods.]

Only the elite talents were selected to attack the barracks where
Carlisle was sleeping. There were about twenty assassins in total, and
with this number, a high-rank noble would die without even the birds
and mice noticing.

Carlisle wasn’t too old at the time, and therefore wasn’t classified as a
difficult opponent. If the assassination was successful, the reward
would be so high that many people were assigned to the mission to
guarantee its success.

Kuhn, the youngest of them, took his surveillance role outside the
barracks and readied himself for any enemy backup.

The rest of the team drew out their weapons and slipped into the
barracks where Carlisle was sleeping.

— Aaaaaagh!

A terrible scream split the air.

At first, Kuhn thought it was Carlisle’s voice, but then he soon realized
several people were screaming. Sensing something had gone awry,
Kuhn fled towards the barracks. At that moment, he thought that the
plot had been leaked and an ambush had been waiting for them.

When Kuhn arrived at the scene, however, there was only one person.
The young man’s hair, darker than the night sky, fluttered in the wind
as he looked at his enemies with cold, pale blue eyes.

Kuhn was staggered by that single look. It was not an emotion that
could be described in words, but he understood why that young man
was a prince. Carlisle was different from the others, and at first sight
Kuhn knew he was superior to anyone.
What was immediately urgent, however, were the black scales on the
young man’s right arm. Kuhn watched as Carlisle used that monstrous
arm to grab a man and tear him apart. He moved quickly and
efficiently, as if from practiced experience.

— A monster!

About half of the men were quickly disposed of, and the rest lost their
nerve and began to flee. Carlisle lunged after them, while Kuhn was
the only one from the group who pulled out his sword. At that
moment, Carlisle’s blue eyes flashed in the night as he whirled at
Kuhn.

— …You’re not running.

Kuhn still didn’t know exactly what Carlisle meant then.

And so, they began to fight each other to the death. Carlisle was the
strongest opponent Kuhn had ever faced. He fought like his life
depended on it, but in the end, he was forced to suffer a defeat like
the other assassins.

— Haa, haa.

Kuhn’s heaved in his last breaths. He felt the cold, scaly touch of
Carlisle’s hand on his neck and knew it was over. His eyes closed as he
awaited the final blow…no pain came.

He opened his eyes. Carlisle was staring straight at him. Kuhn spoke in
a rasping voice.

— Kill me quickly.

— I’m curious to know, so answer me before you die. Did you

intentionally buy time to save your colleagues?

Kuhn didn’t notice that the rest had fled while he was fighting Carlisle.
The other assassins had seen the prince’s terrifying strength. Kuhn
already knew that they would abandon him, but it didn’t matter as he
wasn’t fighting to save them.

Kuhn looked up at Carlisle with his emotionless gray eyes and replied.

— If I fail the mission anyway, I will die. I didn’t see the purpose in
running.

— But everyone who ran away from me will live just a little longer.

Carlisle’s words were not wrong, and since all the assassins here were
the best from the guild, it was likely that Carlisle couldn’t kill all of
them anyway.

Kuhn hadn’t even considered that. It was ingrained in him since he

was a young boy that failure meant death. He lived a life without any
other driving purpose, and Death was simply a constant companion.

This was the moment now. Kuhn spoke in a weakened voice.

— What does it matter to struggle just to live a little longer?

— It doesn’t. I was just trying to save your colleagues by killing them

painlessly…but I change my mind.

For some reason, Carlisle gave a dark grin.

—I think I’ll be the one damaged if I kill someone who already wants
to die.

Carlisle released his choke hold from Kuhn’s neck, who coughed and
heaved in a rasping lungful of air.

—You’re my hostage until I find and kill all the men who ran away.

Carlisle then took Kuhn’s right arm and crushed it with his hand.

Ttudududug!
The sound of bones twisting and cracking sounded in the air.

— Aaaaahh!

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Kuhn screamed as pain rocketed through his body, and he looked up

with unseeing eyes. Carlisle then spoke in a deeper, more
commanding voice than before.

— Consider this an informal punishment. I won’t kill you, but I’ll give
you pain that will make you wish you were dead.

Kuhn repeated the words in his head. Carlisle was insane…

That was Kuhn’s first meeting with the Crown Prince.

Ch. 211 I’ve Returned (2)

Carlisle kept Kuhn as his hostage after that, and Kuhn spent his time
studying the prince. The fact that Carlisle was brutal and intelligent
was an understatement. He was a man of towering charisma. True to
his word, Carlisle hunted down the rest of the fleeing assassins and
killed each of them. He had no intention of sparing those who
intended to slit his throat.

As Kuhn saw his comrades die, he too felt his time left in this world
was numbered. But he didn’t feel sorry for himself. He just waited until
it was his turn next.

And yet, Kuhn felt a certain pleasure at seeing Carlisle destroy the
assassinations’ guild as well, the place where Kuhn was forced to train
and survive in his childhood. Only later did he realize that the satisfied
feeling in his gut was vengeance against those who had made him
suffer. Carlisle had disposed of almost all the guild members, and
there were only a few runaways left.

One day, Carlisle spoke to Kuhn in a nonchalant tone.

—Considering the brand on your back, you must have been a slave.
How did you become an assassin?

There wasn’t anything for Kuhn to hide, so he briefly explained how he

once served an abusive young girl, and how he had accidentally tore
her dress. After that, he was sold to the assassins’ guild.

Carlisle smiled as if he found amusement in that story.

But that night…

Carlisle took Kuhn back to the mansion where he served as a slave. He

never realized how much resentment he held for that place. The
young girl was older now, and was in an important position at the
head of the family. Kuhn had a good idea what Carlisle intended for
him.

Carlisle unshackled Kuhn’s chains for the first time since he captured
him, then threw a sword at him.

Kuhn looked on suspiciously, and Carlisle replied in a flat voice.

— What are you doing? Not taking your revenge.

For the first time, Kuhn did not hate spilling blood with his own hands.
The world had changed a little after Carlisle captured him. Kuhn had
lived as a puppet for years, but now he was beginning to understand
what it was like to be alive.

On the way back from taking his childhood revenge, Kuhn asked him a
question.

—Did you bring me here because of my story?

— No. The weather was nice and I wanted to go out for a night’s
stroll.

At Carlisle’s vague answer, Kuhn smiled for the first time.

—What’s your name?

— Slave ninety-five.

—No, you don’t have a name other than that?

—…

Kuhn gave no answer, so Carlisle spoke again.

— If you don’t have one, choose something you like. It’s hard for me
to call out to you otherwise.

Kuhn thought for a moment, then answered without difficulty. It was a

word he had heard before.

— Then call me Kuhn.

— Kuhn? That’s too unsophisticated. Why that name?

—I’ve heard it before. Somewhere it means light…

There was nothing more inappropriate for him than the word light.
However, whenever he was locked in a dark room, he would look up
towards the sun. Kuhn had had dreams about that warm, shining light.

—Very well, Kuhn…it sounds good. Do you have a surname?

— Isn’t that too much for a slave? Do I need a surname?

— Choose or else I will.

Kuhn swallowed a swear, and spoke the first word that came into his
mind.
—Then I’ll take Kasha.

—Kasha? The surname of the family that owned you?

—Yes. It’s where my memories started anyway.

— You are an odd one ….

Carlisle didn’t say anything more about Kuhn’s decision. As they

wandered through the streets at night, Carlisle spoke up once again.

— Kuhn Kasha.

— …Yes.

— Would you like to serve me?

Kuhn, who was walking behind Carlisle, stopped. Carlisle glanced back
at Kuhn and spoke in a casual voice.

— You’re not a slave. You will be an employee. I will give you titles
and a salary according to your ability.

—… Are you being serious?

— Haven’t you seen me so far?

Kuhn was convinced by those words. Carlisle was a man who didn’t
know how to joke.

For Kuhn, a former slave, this was an extraordinary opportunity. There

was no reason to hesitate, but he found himself unable to give a
prompt answer. Carlisle stared at Kuhn for another moment and then
walked forward again, speaking without looking back.

— If you don’t want it, go now. There’s nothing more I have to say.
There was not a shadow of doubt of the path Kuhn had to take. There
was no guild to return to. He had believed that his life would be over
sooner or later, but Carlisle seemed to have no intention of taking it.

Kuhn’s internal debate did not last long, and he caught up to Carlisle’s
retreating back.

— I owe you my life. I’ll pay you back.

— Very well.

It was the beginning of the two men’s journey down the same road,
and Kuhn served only Carlisle since then. He hadn’t the smallest regret
for living and breathing for Carlisle. Kuhn didn’t need much, other
than a single phrase at the end of every mission.

— Thank you.

That was all the reward in the world.

Kuhn returned to the Crown Prince’s palace and stood in front of

Carlisle’s office. Mirabelle’s tears tugged at his heart, but he forced
himself to simply walked forward.

Ttog ttog.

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He knocked on the door, and a voice came from the room in reply.

“Come in.”

Permission granted to him, Kuhn opened the office door and stepped
inside. Carlisle looked surprised to see him, and Kuhn gave a curt bow.

“I’ve returned.”
Where he belonged.

Ch. 212 I’m Worried That I’m Happy (1)

Carlisle stared at Kuhn, who had returned to the palace without notice.

“I know that my sister-in-law is still in the capital. Why did you come
back from your vacation?”

“The break was long enough. And I had too much work here for me to
stay at the Blaise mansion.”

“Everything is proceeding fine without you. There are no grounds for

worry.”

Carlisle had a blasé air of indifference, but Kuhn ignored it. This wasn’t
meant to be a friendly conversation anyway. He ignored Carlisle’s
words and continued in his usual flat voice.

“I assigned a reliable placement for the young lady before leaving. You
won’t have to worry about anything that will endanger her.”

Carlisle gave a resigned nod.

“Very well. It’s late, so you can return to work tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

Kuhn was about to leave now that the conversation had ended, but he
noticed that Carlisle was alone his office in this late hour. The prince
always was when there was something on his mind.

“What are you thinking of?”

Carlisle smiled faintly as he rubbed the ring on his left hand.

“I’m worried.”

“If there’s something concerning you, I’ll lend you an ear.”

Kuhn sensed that Carlisle had something on his mind. Carlisle didn’t
mention it, but Kuhn knew Carlisle had given in to the monster and
lost his sanity during the attack.

But the words that came out of Carlisle’s mouth were not what Kuhn
expected.

“Well, what if you’re so happy that it worries you?”

“…”

“Have you ever felt that way? The things I’ve been longing for have
come true.”

“…”

“It’s hard to take in because my dreams are happening before my

eyes. It’s almost unreal…”

Carlisle had spent countless nights thinking about Elena, like the
moment when they met at the Imperial Palace, and the promise of
what they would do when they met again. His dreams, of course,
included a fantasy of being loved by her. He wanted to have
everything about Elena, and he wildly, frantically hoped that one day
her feelings would catch up to his.

And such a moment came. Elena smiled at Carlisle and confessed her
love for him. She had even risked her life for his sake, and he
understood was what it was like to be loved. Reality was incredible.
Even after Elena discovered the terrible secrets he wanted to hide, she
still looked at him with warmth in her smile.

“Kuhn, you understand that this happiness…it never lasts for us.”

Carlisle’s blue eyes penetrated the deep darkness. Since he was born,
he had never had his way. He never wanted a dragon’s power, nor did
he want to be a crown prince. Everything he did want was taken from
him—his cherished mother abandoned him, and his own father had
unceremoniously abandoned him to the battlefield. After that, it
wasn’t that Carlisle didn’t want to contact Elena after he first met her.
He was not ready yet, and he wanted to keep her from danger.

Though Carlisle may appear to be wealthy other people’s eyes, Carlisle

had always lost much of what he wanted.

‘…And I almost lost my wife.’

The moment he saw Elena fall from an arrow meant for him, he
thought his heart would burst. He would never allow the world to dare
take Elena from him. His fury was beyond words.

But his fear far surpassed his fury. He was afraid that yet again he
could never have what he wanted. He couldn’t bear to lose Elena.

Carlisle stroked the ring on his left hand as if in habit. It was almost
something he could be happy about.

Kuhn, who had been standing there in silent concern, finally spoke.

“Are you saying that you’re afraid that the happiness will end?”

“Yes.”

“Then why don’t you let it go before it disappears?”

“If it was as simple as that then I wouldn’t be pondering over it.”

Carlisle gave a faint smile.

“It’s because I feel like I’ll never let go. In the end we might end up
sinking together because of my feelings.”

Even though it would be better if Carlisle was alone, he wanted Elena

to hold his hand until the end. He would be content with his life if hers
was the last face he ever saw when he took his final breath. Yes, even
if Elena asked him to drink a lovely poison, he would do so happily.
But if it was something that puts Elena in danger, that was a different
story. That was unacceptable no matter what.

Who knew that something that made him so happy could also strike
dread into his heart.

Kuhn shook his head as if he found Carlisle’s words too difficult to

understand.

“I’m not sure how to respond.”

“It’s fine. I think I picked the wrong person.”

Carlisle rose from his seat. It was late, and he had to return to the
bedroom where Elena was waiting. He walked towards the door, then
he turned his head suddenly and looked back at Kuhn, who was
standing still behind him.

“If you have anything that worries you… don’t run away from it.”

Kuhn was still puzzled by this conversation, but he replied.

“You said you were afraid. If so, you should avoid it if you can.”

“Sometimes you can’t do that. You have to forge ahead even if you’re
afraid … It’s time to grab it with your hands.”

Carlisle touched the ring he had been absentmindedly playing with. It

was true that he was afraid of losing Elena, but he couldn’t bear to
simply watch it happen. He would eliminate all risk factors before
anyone touched her.

Carlisle walked forward again, when Kuhn’s voice stopped him.

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“Well, General, I think for me…it’s too late.”

Carlisle turned around to look at Kuhn, who then gave a deep bow.

“Good night, General. I’ll see you again tomorrow.”

“…Yes.”

Kuhn didn’t say another word, and Carlisle walked forward again. Both
men understood the darkness each of them held in their hearts. They
didn’t have to wonder what they had to say to each other.

Ch. 213 I’m Worried That I’m

Happy (2)
Carlisle naturally assumed that Elena was resting in the bedroom or
already asleep. It was the right thing to do, as her arrow wound hadn’t
completely healed yet. Contrary to Carlisle’s expectations, however,
Elena was nowhere to be seen, despite the late hour.

Carlisle frantically searched the bedroom before summoning a maid to

ask about Elena’s whereabouts.

Ttubeog ttubeog—

Carlisle’s swift footsteps echoed in the large palace halls. He didn’t like
the place where she was now.

Sswiiig!

There was a sharp sound of wind as Elena’s arrow hit the bullseye.
There were already a dozen other arrows embedded in the target, and
her sword was out as if she had been practicing with it.

Carlisle’s eyes flashed in disapproval.

“What are you doing here, my wife?”

“Ah, Caril. Are you here to find me? It must be late already.”
Elena set down her bow and tried to look contrite. Carlisle walked
behind her to inspect her back, worried that the wound might have
been aggravated and started bleeding into her bandages.

Elena spoke with a reassuring voice.

“You don’t have to worry. I’m fine.”

Fortunately her bandages were clean, but Carlisle’s brow crinkled in
dismay.

“It’s not fine. What the hell are you doing here practicing with your
injured body?”

“I…I thought when I had the free time, I should improve my skills.”

“You can stop. Do you know how much worry you’ll cause me?”
Carlisle lifted Elena without further comment. She looked surprised,
but did not push him away. She had already been in Carlisle’s arms
several times, and had subconsciously adapted to it. A broad smile
spread across her face.

“Are you going to carry me to bed?”

“I’ll tie you to it as well.”

“Well, I’m not so easily captured.”

Carlisle chuckled at Elena’s playful words, but then his expression
turned solemn.

“…Don’t make me worry. You can’t stress your body until your wound
is healed.”
Elena fully understood Carlisle’s feelings, but she was too restless to
simply lie still.

“I’m sorry to have troubled you, but the tournament will be soon.
That’s when the Imperial Family would gather, and I’m uneasy about
it.”
The tournament was the one Derek had long been training for. It
would have been held much earlier, but it was delayed due to
Carlisle’s and Elena’s sudden marriage.

The tournament was periodically held in the capital, and it would bring
together all members of the Imperial Family—Emperor Sullivan,
Empress Ophelia, Second Prince Redfield, and Grand Duke Paveluc.
But could the event proceed without any incident? What’s more,
Carlisle wasn’t saying anything, but she had seen some suspicious
movement from him. It was like the calm before the storm.

Carlisle glanced down at Elena in his arms.

“I suppose I still don’t have much faith in you. Just listen to me and
rest until the wound is healed.”

“Then let me know what you’re up to.”

“…When you are healed.”

“If you don’t tell me anything by then, I might die in curiosity.”

At Elena’s words, Carlisle’s eyes darkened momentarily.

“Don’t joke about that. I still have nightmares about you being struck
by an arrow and falling in front of me.”

“Ah…”
Elena was speechless. The reason she was so aggressive in her training
was to make Carlisle emperor. She also had her duty to protect her
family, but she also had a strong desire to do it for Carlisle. However,
she hadn’t fully understood what was going on in his mind.

Elena lifted her hand to stroke Carlisle’s cheek, and he tilted his head
towards her touch. She spoke in an apologetic tone.

“I see. I’ll try not to worry you as much as possible.”

“I’m glad.”
Carlisle stared down at her with a soft gaze.

“Never forget, you are the only person in the world who can hurt me.”
Carlisle had never paid attention to what other people thought about
him or said behind his back. However, he could not easily pass by
even the smallest thing about Elena. To him, Elena’s injuries hurt more
than they did, and he gave weight to her words more than anything
else.

“I’m a fool when it comes to my wife. You’re the only one who can ruin
me.”
There was nothing about Elena that was insignificant to Carlisle. Her
small joys were his bursting happiness, and her wounds were
intolerably painful. All the more so not only because she was the only
love he had, but because they had exchanged their hearts. It made
everything both sweeter and more heart-wrenching. Because of a
single woman named Elena, Carlisle seemed to soar into the sky
several times a day and then plummet to the ground.

Elena grinned and pinched Carlisle’s cheek.

“I know. Only I do that.”

As the pair carried on in conversation, they finally arrived in the

bedroom. Even though there was a fair amount of distance from the
training room to their bedroom, Carlisle showed no signs of tiredness.
Elena glanced towards the bathroom.

“You can set me down.”

“To bathe?”

“Yes. I’ve been sweating, so I’ll have a wash.”

“You’re injured, so call the maids for assistance.”

“It’s alright. I don’t want to wake up the maids if they’re already
asleep.”
Since she had been a knight for decades in her last life, it was easier to
do it herself than to borrow someone else’s hand. Such experiences
had eroded some of her aristocratic thinking.

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Carlisle carefully lowered Elena to the floor. He stared at the bathroom

door for a moment, and then spoke.

“…Can I help you?”

Elena didn’t process the meaning at first, but soon enough her face
turned bright red. She patted Carlisle’s shoulder and hurriedly spoke.

“It’s alright. I can do it myself.”

Carlisle watched Elena hurriedly disappear into the bathroom, and he
looked back at their exchange. He made the offer because he thought
she would have difficulty washing alone, but Elena’s shyness drove
him even crazier. They agreed not to sleep together until Carlisle
became emperor, but as the days passed, his self-control seemed to
wear down even more.

Carlisle looked down at his hands. The feeling of her weight in his
arms remained.

“…At this rate, I might not do it even if she allowed it.”

Ch. 214 …Not Yet (1)

The tournament was hosted in the capital every four years, and was a
large event for the Imperial Family. The interest and love the subjects
had for the monarchy was enormous, and the knight who would win
the competition was an enormous draw as well. There was a large
festival where not only knights from various families and regions
participated, but numerous prospective knights who wanted to make
a name for themselves as well.

As the day of the tournament grew closer, the capital city of the
Ruford Empire began to flood with crowds. The number of knights
from each province and those who came to see them was beyond
imagination. Among them was Paveluc, who came from the Duchy of
Lunen to observe the matches.

“Make way for Grand Duke Lunen’s arrival!”

Paveluc’s procession was magnificent in scale. He was at the head

atop his horse, followed by an impressive train of knights. They were
elites experienced in war, and had an atmosphere as sharp as a well-
forged blade. The people of the Ruford Empire welcomed him like a
war hero and bowed to him deeply. Paveluc had been expected to
succeed the throne since a young age, and his image was far more
revered than that of the other Imperial Family members.

Upon arriving in the capital, Paveluc headed for the palace. The palace
had readied itself to welcome him after receiving the message of his
arrival.

Emperor Sullivan was seated at the head of the dining room, with
Empress Ophelia placed next to him. On a lesser seat sat Second
Prince Redfield, and on the left side of the Emperor were Carlisle and
Elena.

“Kollog, kollog.“

Sullivan’s face was pale as he coughed hoarsely.

Beolkeog!

Suddenly, the entrance door opened and Paveluc strode into the
dining room. He knelt before Sullivan with a broad smile.

“Hail to His Majesty the Emperor. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”
While Paveluc was the elder of the two brothers, he immediately was
subservient when Sullivan rose to the throne. It was the natural order
for the ruler and ruled. Sullivan was the emperor, and Paveluc was the
servant.

Sullivan smiled gently as he spoke to Paveluc.

“Your greetings are too much. It must have been a difficult journey to
the capital.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. I brought you a little something on the way
from Lunen.”

Paveluc gave a glance backwards, and several servants waiting outside

came carrying a wealth of treasure that exceeded the tributes of other
kingdoms. A look of surprise crossed Sullivan’s face.

“Kollog, why did you bring so much?”

“Consider it my sincerest honor. I hope you’ll be happy to accept it.”

Paveluc bowed deeply as he expressed his gratitude to Emperor

Sullivan. Elena couldn’t help but admire Paveluc inwardly as she
watched the scene. Because Paveluc hid his claws, Sullivan had no
reason to expel him.

That didn’t mean Sullivan did not have suspicions about his brother,
however. Although the emperor appeared to smile, he was extremely
wary about his brother’s arrival at the capital. Paveluc hid his ambition,
and while Sullivan and the rest of the Imperial Family welcomed him,
the court was not a place to judge someone by their outward
appearance.

Now that Elena was part of the Imperial Family, she clenched her teeth
and she forced herself to remain calm at Paveluc’s appearance.

‘…Not yet.’
Unlike in her previous life, he was not the only enemy she had to face
now. Her red eyes flickered towards Ophelia and Redfield sitting
across from her. Carlisle hadn’t said anything to Elena yet, but she
knew it was likely that the Empress planned the ambush on them.

‘I’ll have to repay her.’

It was polite to give back to someone as much as one received, and

even better if it was several times more.

Elena swallowed her feelings of contempt and looked towards Paveluc

with as much indifference as possible. Meanwhile, Sullivan asked
Paveluc to take a seat.

“You had a hard time getting here. Have a seat. This is a small family
dinner, so help yourself.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Paveluc lifted his head and took the seat Sullivan indicated. If Sullivan
was at the highest level, Paveluc was at the very bottom. Not only was
he ranked below Redfield, but he also sat the farthest away from the
emperor.

Paveluc smiled calmly and took his seat with a hint of enmity. Only
Elena, who knew that Paveluc would attempt to take the throne and
become an emperor, could see his hidden smile.

“You’ve been away from home for so long. Is there anything special
you want to eat?”

“What do you mean, Your Majesty? My home is in the Duchy of Lunen

now, not the Imperial Palace.”

“Hoho, is that so?”

As an emperor who knew politics, Sullivan would attempt to probe his

opponent’s intentions. However, Paveluc remained calm and relaxed.
Although there were no swords nor shields, this dining room was like
a battlefield.

Elena knew she had to get used to this uncomfortable meal, and
poked her salad with a fork. Carlisle stopped her from the side, and
turned to the maid standing behind her.

“I asked that porridge be prepared for my wife.”

“Oh, my apologies, Your Highness. I’ll fix it right away.”

The maid turned pale at the thought of making a mistake at such an

important gathering. But not everyone cared about the status of the
maid; All of them had their eyes on Carlisle’s face. A flush spread
across Elena’s cheeks.

“I’m fine, Your Highness.”

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“No. You don’t have to inconvenience yourself.”

Redfield stifled a smirk. Carlisle ignored him, and when the porridge
was brought to the table, he stirred it to make sure it was the right
temperature before handing it to Elena.

It was an affectionate gesture to anyone who saw it. In fact, when

Elena viewed her relationship with him through the lens of the
contract marriage, she would have praised him greatly. Now, however,
the thoughts she had now made her feel hotter than those calculated
displays. Elena replied with a smile.

“Thank you.”
Carlisle smiled and went back to his plate. Sullivan looked tired,
Ophelia had a subtle sneer, and Redfield gave an amused smile. So
did Paveluc, and he stared at Carlisle and Elena with awakened
interest.

Ch. 215 …Not Yet (2)

Carlisle stared at the table with an impassive face and spoke.

“Even if I don’t say anything, everyone in this room knows. Not long
ago, my wife was wounded in an ambush.”

No one answered, but as he said, everyone knew. In fact, they all had
their suspicions about the culprit, but it was an awkward topic to point
out over a family meal.

Ophelia spoke, her voice dripping with sincerity.

“I have heard rumors about it. The criminal, Marquis Selby, escaped? I
can assist the Crown Prince with the search, if he desires.”

Everyone already knew that Ophelia was the main culprit, and her
words were nothing short of teasing. Carlisle gave a stony smile.

“That’s not necessary. I only bring this up because…”

Carlisle’s eyes shone coolly for a moment. It was so eerie that even
Ophelia, who was facing him, swallowed dryly.

“…Regardless of rank, what do you think about cutting off the necks of
the people involved in the assassination attempt, and hanging their
heads on the street?”

Redfield’s smirk immediately dropped at Carlisle’s words. He realized

that Carlisle was openly talking about Ophelia. A strained silence hung
uncomfortably in the air, before it was broken by Carlisle speaking to
Sullivan.
“It is a crime to kill or attempt to kill the crown prince. Please allow
this punishment, Your Majesty.”

Sullivan’s eyes flickered involuntarily towards Ophelia, and he

answered with a gentle smile as if he knew nothing.

“Very well. The proper justice must be given to anyone that tries to
touch a hair the crown prince, of course.”

Carlisle replied with a satisfied expression.

“Thank you.”

No one spoke after that. Everyone was busy doing calculations in their
heads.

Meanwhile, Elena glanced at Carlisle with a look of surprise. Although

he sometimes had a tempestuous personality, he seemed to have a
grasp on politics. It would not be easy to find evidence that the
Empress was the culprit, but it would make it difficult for her to
escape. Elena wouldn’t be satisfied until the suffering was repaid. It
seemed the same way for Carlisle.

It was Sullivan who broke the silence at the table.

“Elena. A few days ago, I heard that—kollog— a knight from your

family could potentially win the championship. Is that true?”

Sullivan acted even more affectionate towards Elena after he taught

her the secrets of the Imperial Household, and he only looked a
certain way at the comrades who shared the same secret. Elena
nodded, pretending not to know.

“Yes, it’s my older brother. I’ve heard that he’s been excellent with the
sword since childhood, but I don’t know much about fighting. I’m sure
he would be flattered to be considered a potential winner.”

Sullivan smiled at Elena’s humble answer.

“Yes, you must be proud of your brother. Please tell him I’m cheering
for him as well. If he wins for the Blaise family, I’ll be sure to reward
him handsomely. Kollog kollog.”

Elena answered with a joyful nod of her head.

“On behalf of the Blaise family, thank you, Father.”

The awkward silence at the table resumed after that. After everyone
finished eating, Sullivan invited Paveluc to stay at the palace for a
while.

*
*
*

After the dinner, Ophelia returned to the Imperial Palace. She sat in
her chair, her mood foul after Carlisle provoked her so openly.

‘Was it an empty threat? Or did he find proof?’

She could not grasp what Carlisle’s intentions were, but she needed to
be careful. Even a rat, when cornered, would bite back at the cat. Ever
since Elena had been injured, Carlisle was on sharp alert.

After furiously running through the information again in her head, she
gestured for Cassana. The lady-in-waiting saw it and quickly
approached the Empress’ side.

“You called me, Your Majesty.”

“Call Cesare into the Imperial Palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

They had to review the evidence again in case of the unlikely event
that a connection was found between Marquis Selby and Ophelia. She
had also heard that the marquis had fled to another kingdom, and he
had to be found and forever silenced. At the sudden thought, Ophelia
spoke again.

“Is Helen Selby already disposed of?”

“Before Marquis Selby escaped, Lady Selby was sentenced for life in
one of the most notorious prisons. It’s known as the harshest in the
country…”

Cassana paused and gave a smile.

“We plan to take care of her with poison. Any connection to you will
be completely cleansed, Your Majesty.

“Well done. Once the hunt is over, we eat the hounds.”

Both to the public and to private conversation, the reason for the
Selby family’s destruction was because of Helen’s greed and Oswald’s
rebellion. However, it was Ophelia that carefully orchestrated it all.
Helen had to be removed to prevent any possible leaks— dead
prisoners did not speak, after all.

Then there was something else she had to turn her attention to now.

“Who are the knights most favored to win the tournament?”

“There are three likely candidates for the championship. There’s Lord
Wickley from House Anita, Lord Joel from House Lunen, and Lord
Derek from House Blaise.”

“House Blaise…”

Ophelia could not ignore powers from the outside. With the marriage,
Elena had complete support from both Carlisle and the Blaise family.

Ophelia tapped her finger on the arm of her chair, and a steely glint
shone in her eyes.

“I’ll have to prune the tree before it grows any larger.”

“Your Majesty?”

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“How many knights die in the tournament?”

“Quite a lot, I’ve heard, Your Majesty.”

“Then there’s nothing wrong with just one more, is there?”

The corner of her mouth tipped upwards. She had to prevent Derek
from winning the championship and prevent the Blaise family from
gaining more power.

The cleanest way to do that was to kill Derek during the games.

Ch. 216 You Don’t Know Anything About My Wife (1)

It was the day before the tournament. Derek had said he wanted to
visit Elena in person before the games, and while her injury wasn’t yet
fully healed, she was able to move more comfortably than the time
Mirabelle came to visit. Elena also hadn’t seen her brother since the
wedding, and she missed him dearly.

And so, Elena hid her back injury as she waited for the time when
Derek promised to visit.

Ttog ttog.

Elena looked toward up at the sound, and a maid opened the door
and entered.

“Your Highness, Lord Derek has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The maid knew that Elena had been anxiously waiting for her brother,
amd she hurriedly bowed her head and stepped back out again.

Elena’s heart lifted in anticipation as she smoothed out the skirt of her
dress. She hoped that Mirabelle was able to come with him so that all
three siblings could be reunited.

The door to the parlor room opened once more, and Derek entered.
His broad shoulders and tall, muscular body were evidence of his
training as a knight. Elena stood up from her seat and beamed when
she saw him.

“Brother.”

But Derek’s reaction was faster. He bowed politely at Elena.

“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal Glory to the Ruford Empire.”

“You don’t have to give such formal greetings when we’re alone,
brother. Come here and sit down.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Derek was distantly polite, but the warmth in his eyes couldn’t be
missed. While his quiet personality did not change overnight, Elena
was able to read the affection in his mood without words.

“How have you been?”

“I’m well. It’s a monotonous life as usual. How have you been? Is life at
the Imperial Palace difficult?”

“Don’t worry about me. The Crown Prince has taken great care of me,
as well as the nanny, so there isn’t too much trouble.”

“I came here to greet the nanny too. I have to thank her for taking
care of you.”
Elena smiled at her brother’s concern for her well-being, but then she
noticed that Mirabelle wasn’t with him.

“Mirabelle isn’t here today. Is she sick?”

“Don’t worry, she’s not. But nowadays, Mirabelle is…”

Derek paused as he recalled his youngest sister’s current state.

Mirabelle had been desperately searching for Kuhn, using all the
resources of Blaise’s information network. Surprisingly, however, not a
shadow of Kuhn could be traced. It was strange that their network
couldn’t locate a simple servant’s residence, and Derek sensed
something was out of the ordinary about it.

Mirabelle was hellbent on finding Kuhn’s whereabouts, which was why

she didn’t come to see Elena today. A touch of worry crossed Derek’s
mind, but then he smiled and spoke to Elena as if there was nothing
to worry about.

“Mirabelle is suddenly busy from managing the household. I’ll make

sure she comes next time.”

“Oh, I see.”

Elena’s mood turned disheartened. She regretted not being able to

see Mirabelle during her last visit, and had hoped that they would all
be together today. Sadly, the time was not right. Despite Elena’s
disappointment, however, it was only natural that Mirabelle would get
busier as she got older and took more responsibilities. Elena forced a
smile on her face.

“Say hello to Mirabelle for me, and let her know that she can visit
whenever she has the time.”

“I will.”

“By the way, the tournament will be soon. How are you feeling?”
Elena knew that Derek had long been preparing for the competition,
especially since he could not participate four years ago due to training
injuries. Neither her father nor brother said anything at the time, but
she knew that they harbored disappointment over it.

‘In my last life, this tournament was never held…’

Back then, the Empire had been struck with the death of Crown Prince
Carlisle, and then Emperor Sullivan shortly after. Soon afterwards,
Paveluc’s rebellion had overturned the Empire, and in the meantime,
there was no spirit to hold a tournament.

‘I hope this time Derek can show his skills.’

When Sullivan asked about Derek’s abilities at the family dinner, Elena
had spoken humbly as to not draw attention, but in truth her brother
was incredible. In the past, she couldn’t determine how good he
actually was, but now she had the knowledge to measure his abilities.
If nothing surprising happened, then Derek was strong enough to
even win the tournament

“I’ve practiced a lot, so I feel confident. You don’t have to worry about
me.”

“I’m glad. As long as you do your best, I’m happy.”

A faint smile drew across Elena’s lips as she expressed her sincere
support. Derek hesitated uncharacteristically for a moment, and then
his next words were carefully spoken.

“In fact, I’d like to ask you a favor during the tournament.”

“What is it?”

“If I go to the final round, may I ask for your handkerchief, Your
Highness?”

“Ah…!”
Elena understood his meaning at once. In the tournament, the knights
would participate in three different preliminary games, and their
scores were summed up to rank them. In the first game, each knight
would shoot twenty arrows to display their archery skills. The second
game was a horse race, and the goal was to reach the finish line in the
shortest amount of time. The third involved separating contestants in
groups by random draw, in which cooperation, leadership skills, and
tactical ability were evaluated.

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Only the ten best-performing knights were allowed to remain. From

then on, the would fight one-on-one matches in an arena where
everyone watched, and the final winner would be declared the
champion. These last rounds sometimes varied, and this year the
knights would fight in mounted combat. There were no restrictions on
what weapons the knights could carry, but long spears and lances
were more efficient on horseback than short swords.

In any case, only the last ten knights who made it to the final round
were entitled to ask the lady of their choice for a handkerchief.
Though not a requirement, many knights considered receiving a token
from a favored lover a kind of rite of passage. It was a chance for the
knights prove themselves to their lady, and was often a romantic
scene for the women. It was said that the knight who won the
championship and the lady who had given him her handkerchief
would fall in love.

But Derek requested this honor from Elena, and no one else. She
couldn’t conceal her embarrassment at the unexpected request.

“Thank you, but why don’t you ask a young woman that you like
instead of me?”
“I don’t have anyone like that. My highest goal would be to fight for
the honor of the Crown Princess more than anyone else.”

Ch. 217 You Don’t Know Anything About My Wife (2)

Elena was grateful, of course, but even though she was family, she
didn’t want to take away this opportunity for Derek to be involved
with someone else.

Sensing Elena’s hesitation, Derek spoke again.

“If my request was unreasonable, then I take no offense if you refuse.”

“What will you do then?”

“I don’t need a handkerchief from any other woman. I don’t mind

participating without one.”

It wasn’t against the rules of course, but Elena was worried that Derek
would be the only one that didn’t have a good luck token. She yielded
to his request and finally nodded her head.

“Very well. If my brother truly wants my handkerchief, I’ll give it to you

at the arena.”

Derek’s expression subtly lifted.

“Really?”

“Yes. I would be honored for my brother to accept my handkerchief.

Though I might cause the other ladies to become jealous.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. That’s not going to happen.”

Elena gave a soft chuckle at Derek’s answer. He didn’t realize his

immense popularity with women, and Elena felt somewhat sorry for
the ladies that had a secret infatuation with him. Derek was a man
who would never notice a woman’s feelings unless she directly
confessed to him.
“His Majesty the Emperor said he would personally cheer for you. If
you win the tournament for the Blaise family, you will be highly
rewarded.”

“I’m grateful for his words.”

In truth, what Elena wanted the most for her brother was for him to
simply be safe. Whether it was in an arena or a battlefield, accidents
happened when one took up the duty of the sword. She looked up at
Derek with warm eyes and spoke in a soft voice.

“I wish you good luck, brother.”

At her words, Derek’s suddenly got up from his seat and fell to his
knees before her. Elena was startled by his sudden move, and he
looked up at her with a determined expression.

“The reason why I want to win is because of you, Your Highness.”

“…?”

“Not just this one time. In the future, I will fight for my sister, the
Crown Princess, a member of the Blaise family.”

“Brother…”

“I had made up my mind since you told me you wanted to marry the
Crown Prince. I will be your strongest ally, and no one else.”

Derek was already loyal to his family and the Ruford Empire, although
he had his reservations about Carlisle. But the moment Elena became
a crown princess, the depth of Derek’s feelings changed. When Elena
chose Carlisle, Derek also became the prince’s faithful ally.

All of it…it was for Elena. In the future, the Blaise family would
continue to grow in power and become the pillar that supported
Elena.
“So please tell me anything. No matter how difficult your request may
be, I will do it for your sake, Your Highness.”

Elena’s eyes began to grow moist at her brother’s words. The memory
of him rushing towards the enemies at Blaise mansion that night so
she could escape flashed in her mind.

‘Are my brother’s eyes the same as then?’

She looked at Derek’s strong eyes, and thanked God in her heart for
her family. She smiled as she held her brother’s rough hands.

“…Thank you, brother. You have truly helped me.”

Carlisle remained busy in his office. He had put off some work due to
Elena’s injury, and recently began catching up on it. His eyes were
fixed on the documents before him, and he was speaking in a low
voice to Zenard standing across from him.

“Are you sure you have the evidence?”

“Yes. The Casey family has proof that it was the Empress that
attempted to destroy Flower Bridge.”

“What about a witness from Redfield’s party?”

“It was difficult to find the guest list for such a secretive event, but I
managed to persuade a noble, whose fortunes have recently been
declining, to give me information.”

“We finished investigating the components of the drug. Are you ready
to prove it in front of everyone?”
“Yes.”

While the Empress was working to wipe away evidence, Carlisle was
preparing to snatch her by the collar.

Carlisle signed the document he was looking at and spoke again.

“Have you also secured Lady Selby?”

“Yes. Since you’ve sentenced her to life imprisonment, we’ve been

waiting for the Empress to make a move. You don’t have to worry
about it.”

Tak. Carlisle closed the documents with one hand and massaged his
temple with the other. He hadn’t mentioned Marquis Selby’s death to
Ophelia at the family meal. He needed to distract her gaze until all his
preparations were finished.

“The soldiers on the periphery need to be kept as secret as possible.”

“Yes. But with so many people, there may be leaks.”

“Make sure there isn’t, but I suppose that’s to be expected.”

Carlisle stood up and put on his coat. He had yet another matter to
attend to.

“‘The day’ isn’t until the end of the tournament. Do not forget it.”

“Understood. I will make sure it will proceed smoothly.”

After the competition, Carlisle would set off a figurative explosion of

everything he had been investigating to bring down the Empress. He
would exploit her greatest weaknesses and ensnare her in a net that
she could not escape. Armed conflict was inevitable, and Carlisle was
fully prepared for it. If everything went as planned, it would only be a
short time before Carlisle took over the throne.
Before Carlisle completely left his office, he suddenly stopped and
looked back at Zenard.

“Ah. As I said before, don’t let Elena know as much as possible.”

“Are you worried that Her Highness may make things worse?”

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Carlisle chuckled at his remark.

“You don’t know anything about my wife. Elena is remarkable. You

don’t have to worry.”

“What?”

Zenard looked at Carlisle in confusion, but the prince didn’t care to

explain anymore. He continued his step forwards.

“Let’s go.”

Ch. 218 The Opening Of The Competition (1)

The highly anticipated tournament finally begun. The largest stadium

in the empire attracted numerous participants, and tens of thousands
more spectators to watch them. Seats were arranged by hierarchy,
with commoners filling up the ordinary seats, while the nobles sat on
the upper deck overlooking the stadium.

The most exclusive box was reserved for only the Imperial Family, and
among them included Emperor Sullivan, Empress Ophelia, Second
Prince Redfield, and Grand Duke Paveluc.

Everyone was in attendance, and they all looked down at the arena
with eyes shining with excitement. That also included Carlisle and
Elena. Elena’s sharp eyes managed to pick out Derek among the
assembly of knights.

‘…Brother.’

Fortunately, Derek had his usual calm, and he had no sign of nervous
tension. Elena cheered for him inwardly.

It was then that the tournament host’s voice echoed loudly in the air.

“Now let’s begin the first game, archery. All knights in the first group
must stand in their designated positions.”

As the host’s voice announced the start of the games, all the
spectators’ eyes turned to the knights in the arena. Not one was left
out, and there were a considerable number of people waiting for their
turn to shoot their arrows. It was difficult to discern who was who
among the crowd of participants.

Anyone who failed to land at least fifteen out of twenty arrows were
automatically eliminated. From then on, extra points were awarded
depending on how close to the center of the target their arrows
landed.

“Let’s begin!”

At the host’s signal, the first knights in line let loose their arrows in
unison.

Ssssaeaeg!

The sound of arrows slicing through air reached the audience stands.
Most of the arrows hit their target, but some of them were wide.
Eventually, several of the participants were eliminated.

Finally, it was Derek’s turn to step up. Elena watched with her hands
folded over her chest as he lifted his bow and calmly fired his first
arrow.
Swiiig!

His arrow pierced the target. It was a bullseye. Although it was only a
single shot, Elena’s face brightened.

Derek fired his remaining shots with effortless grace, packing the
bullseye with arrows. Elena looked at the judge overseeing Derek and
read his mouth.

“Perfect score.”

Elena breathed a sigh of relief. Carlisle, who was watching her closely,
smiled.

“Do you see something good, my wife?”

Elena flushed at the fact that she was so noticeable, but she gave him
a small nod.

“Yes. It’s the knight I’m cheering for the most.”

Although she didn’t say Derek’s name, Carlisle already had a clear idea
who she was referring too. He couldn’t help the sliver of jealousy that
stuck in him at her remark.

“If I had participated, would you have supported me like this?”

“Of course. In fact, I would support you even more.”

Elena replied without hesitation, and a smile crossed Carlisle’s face.

“I think my wife knows me too well now.”

“Of course. Who would I be if I didn’t know my husband?”

Elena’s eyes softened as she laughed playfully. Carlisle was being

possessive, but even his jealousy at her brother was cute.
“If you cheer for me like you’re doing now, then maybe I’ll have to
take part in the tournament if I get a chance later.”

“Really?”

Although Imperial Family members were not barred from competition,

they usually abstained because they were considered too valuable to
the Empire. But Carlisle wasn’t a man to jest.

“With your support, there’s nothing I can’t do. All you have to do is
look at me with those beautiful eyes.”

The corners of Elena’s mouth twitched, and she slightly tilted her head
towards him and whispered in his ear.

“I will…and I would participate for you, too.”

Carlisle’s eyes inadvertently flickered towards the archery competition

taking place in the arena, and he gave a faint smirk.

“You’d hit all the targets.”

Carlisle was familiar with Elena’s proficiency with the bow. Even from
this distant vantage point, she could easily hit all the targets. No one
else knew it, but the Crown Princess was far superior in ability than
anyone else in this tournament right now.

Carlisle looked back at Elena with an admiring expression.

“It’s hard for me to resist you.”

Ordinarily, Carlisle, a man, would have competed for the

championship and shared the glory with his lady. But now, he
imagined Elena winning the tournament with her own abilities and
sharing the glory with him.

He gave a faint smile at the idea.

*
*

A short break was declared at the end of the archery competition, and
in the meanwhile obstacles, were installed for the next trial. The
number of knights participating had been cut down to about three-
quarters of its original number.

The next competition was a racehorse, but a far more dangerous

version with the various traps and obstacles that could cause serious
injury. The large number of participants were divided again into
groups, and only those who won first through fifth place could
proceed to the next round. The starting line was arranged so that
about thirty knights could race at once. When all the preparations
were complete, the host of the event spoke to the crowd again.

“The archery competition before was just a warm-up, wasn’t it? Going
forward, we will compete with full force. At the signal, race towards
the finish line. Now! Ready!”

The riders’ eyes shone with steely determination at the host’s words.

3, 2, 1…Ppiiig!

As soon as the signal went off, the riders took off like a stampede. The
sound of hooves thundered in the arena, and enthusiastic cheers and
whoops rang from the stands.

Meanwhile, Derek silently watched the race as he waited for his turn. It
was then that he overheard a loud voice not far away.

“Lord Wickley, you got a perfect score at the archery competition,

didn’t you?”

“That’s amazing. You’ll definitely be the winner of this tournament.”

A group of knights were gathered around Lord Wickley and praising
him. For some, the purpose of the tournament was not to win, but to
simply to test their limits, or just to take part. Others wanted to talk
about the potential winners, just like now. Their noisy voices continued
in an endless stream.

“The other favorites to win are Lord Joel from Lunen and Sir Derek
from Blaise, is that right?”

“Neither are a match for Lord Wickley.”

“No, Lord Joel made a name for himself at the Duchy of Lunen, but I
don’t understand why Sir Derek is picked as a favorite.”

Derek decided to move somewhere else when he heard his name

mentioned. It was a waste of time to listen to what people said about
him.

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“Derek? He’s the princess’ older brother, so he’s being tossed around
as the winner.”

Derek’s footsteps stopped. He slowly turned his head and looked at

the person who spoke. It was Lord Wickley, a large man with bronzed
skin and a long scar in the middle of his face, giving him a tough
appearance. At his words, the men around him laughed in response.

“Hahaha. That’s true.”

“Well, if he’s the princess’ older brother, then I’m sure he’s getting
some help.”

Instead of walking away from them, Derek turned his heel and
approached the group.
Ch. 219 The Opening Of The Competition (2)

Ttubeog ttubeog.

As Derek drew straight towards the group of knights, their eyes turned
towards him. He stopped in front of them with a cold stare, and spoke
in an authoritative voice.

“It’s not just princess, but Her Highness the Crown Princess. If you say
that again in front of me…I’ll kill you.”

He didn’t care what anyone said of him, but he couldn’t tolerate

anyone who disrespected Elena. One of the knights suddenly looked
shame-faced when he recognized Derek.

“Oh, it’s Lord Derek.”

Everyone suddenly flinched in fear, but only Wickley seemed unfazed,

and he continued on with even more bravado.

“Are you the princess’ brother?”

Derek’s brow furrowed. He had told them that he wouldn’t tolerate

Elena not being called by her respectful title.

“…You ignored my warning.”

Waves of cold anger radiated off of Derek, but Wickley didn’t so much
as blink. At that moment, the atmosphere turned bloody, and Wickley
stared at Derek with a challenging grin.

“So what? What kind of amateur like you do to someone like me?”

Wickley grinned, showing off his yellow teeth as if to provoke Derek. If

they weren’t already in the tournament, Derek would have
immediately challenged him to a duel. He wasn’t in a hurry, however,
as he already had a good chance of fighting Wickley today.

“Don’t get eliminated. I’ll end you myself.”

Derek’s voice was as hard as steel, but Wickley brushed it off as an
empty threat.

“Try me if you think you’re good enough. If you lose, don’t go crying
to the princess like a child. Kekeke.”

“…”

Derek didn’t deign him with a response, but that only served to drive
Wickley even more. He continued taunting Derek, and mimed slitting
his throat with his thumb.

“You’re the one who’s going to have to watch your neck. I’ll make
mincemeat of you in front of everyone. You should look forward to it.”

Derek answered back with a wry smile, as if he found Wickley’s taunts

amusing.

“A frightened dog barks more loudly. Bark as much as you like.”

“Y-you…!”

Derek turned and moved away, ending the conversation. He heard

Wickley yell at him again, but Derek ignored him. There was no need
for a verbal fight anymore. They could settle this with their abilities
later.

‘Lord Wickley…’

Derek had heard the name before. Lord Wickley was one of the
favorites to win the tournament, and he represented the Anita family,
where the Empress was born in. Derek had heard the Anita family and
Carlisle’s forces had frequent conflicts. Although the fighting had
calmed down a little recently, the Anita family was determined to
crush Carlisle in any way they could.
Derek hardly lost his composure, but it was as if a flame had been lit
under him. He glanced in Elena’s direction, and murmured to himself
with newly forged will.

“… I have another reason to win.”

Soon after, the horse race with Wickley’s group began. His riding
abilities were already superior to everyone else’s, nevertheless, he
deliberately slowed down and knocked down the riders in second and
third place. There was no rule stating he could not do so. And so,
Wickley took first place score in not only archery, but horse racing as
well, earning the highest possible score.

Derek followed suit, as his riding skills led him to a first place win by a
long distance.

The games progressed to the tactical match. Groups were chosen by

random draw, and the task was to display cooperation and leadership
among themselves. Two groups would be pitted against each other,
and the losing team would be eliminated. A judge also supervised the
event and scored each individual on how much they contributed to
the team.

The names were drawn by the host, and as such, all eyes were on him.

“Derek Blaise, group three.”

When Derek’s name was called, he walked towards his group

members, his mouth set in a determined line.

“Wickley Tai, group five.”

Derek’s eyes had remained on Wickley since the horse race. Wickley
was cheered on by those in the fifth group as he entered their circle.

After most of the knights’ names were called, a name of interest was
spoken aloud by the host.

“Joel Sainer, group eight.”

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Joel was another strong favorite to win from the Duchy of Lunen. Even
those who were not particularly interested in the participants knew
about him.

After this trial, the finale of this year’s tournament would be one-on-
one mounted combat. Even with the hours of archery, horse racing,
and tactical battles, the heated excitement on the stands would not
abate.

It was then that the host shouted loudly into the air.

“Let’s start the final game, the tactical match!”

It was the last step before going into the final rounds of the
tournament. Derek had perfect scores so far, and was highly likely to
be selected as one of the final ten knights.

Ch. 220 It Will Be Fun From Now On (1)

Derek took stock of his team members. The total number of people in
his group, including himself, was fifteen. Unfortunately, the group was
largely made up of support archers than defended from behind, rather
than offensive knights who attacked at the front lines. Any direct clash
would leave them vulnerable.
The man next to Derek spoke.

“I wonder which group is going up against ours? I hope the teams will
be as similar as possible.”

Derek inwardly agreed that it would be easier if they went up against a

team of defensive knights as well. They had to avoid an aggressive
one as much as possible, as a frontal assault would be difficult for
them to cope with.

The host spoke with a booming voice again.

“All the knights have been drawn. Now we will choose which groups
will face each other.”

The drawings started, and a thrill of anticipation shivered through all

the knights. Group three’s match up quickly came.

“Group three will face…oh, group six!”

At the host’s words, Derek’s eyes turned towards group six. Then
suddenly, his face darkened.

‘…No luck.’

Group six was a powerful team full of muscular knights. This was the
last thing Derek wanted. He gave an involuntary sigh, then looked
back at his team members with calculating eyes.

‘Including me, we only have four offensive knights.’

Group six, on the contrary, group six had at least ten of them.

“It’ll be hard with group six as our opponents.”

Indeed, it was the worst match up anyone could think of, as if lady
luck had completely turned its back on them. This was the last game
right before the one-on-one battles, and one could not afford to be
injured here.
Derek remained quiet as he assessed the situation. There were only
four offensive knights on Derek’s side that had to deal with other
group’s ten. Group three was mostly made up of long distance
support archers, so they could only hold an advantage of group six
was as far away as possible. Derek’s team would crumble if group six
managed to close the distance. Therefor, the key was to keep group
six as far away as possible.

Derek addressed his team members.

“We haven’t fought yet, so let’s not lose our morale yet.”

One of the knights answered with a slightly hopeful look.

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?”

“I have a plan, but I’m not sure how effective it would be. But now that
we’re here, shouldn’t we do our best?”

Everyone nodded at his words. While the combination of knights in

group three wasn’t favorable, none of them took a negative attitude
about their situation.

Derek looked on at the group in satisfaction. No matter how skilled a

team’s members were, it would collapse quickly if they all didn’t work
together. He continued to speak carefully to his group.

“If anyone else doesn’t have another opinion, then I’ll tell you my
plan.”

The men gathered around him, and Derek used a branch to draw their
movements and explain his strategy with as much detail as possible.
As he and his members huddled in concentration, the matches
between groups one and four, and two and eight were held.

Group eight had Lord Joel from Lunen, and they won an
overwhelming victory for their team. At the moment, that made Joel
the only knight to have a perfect score in all the categories, and was
the only one guaranteed to move on to the final rounds.

“Now come forwards, groups three and six!”

At the call, all the knights of the respective groups came forward. For
the tactical game, simple camps were established on each group’s
side, and the goal was to capture the flag of the opposing team.
Derek’s team was given a red flag, and the opposing team was given a
blue flag.

Group three exchanged glances with each other. Laid out before them
were fifteen swords and fifteen bows for the knights to select. Almost
all of them chose bows, except for the four that used swords as their
primary weapons. They had decided that it would be expedient to
choose the weapons they were most skilled at.

The spectators couldn’t help but look on in wonder. Although group

three had the advantage of long-range weapons, some thought there
should be more sword-wielding knights, otherwise, there was no way
to stop the opposing team from barreling through them. Some of the
crowd whispered among themselves, “Group three seems to have
given up already.” Then the host spoke once more.

“The match between groups three and six will now begin! Everyone
ready!”

The tension between the two groups mounted as they waited for the
signal. The host waved the flag in his hand and shouted out,

“Start!”

Kungkungkungkungkung!

It was as if the sound of drums rang out in the arena. Derek and a
small number of knights rushed towards the enemy camp.

“Ahhhh!”
Group three gave a loud battle cry as they immediately leapt into
assault. Group six was taken by surprise, as they expected to take the
initial strike while group three went on the defensive. A knight from
group six shouted loudly.

“Don’t let them enter the camp!”

At that moment, group six blocked their opponent’s advance, and the
two groups collided into each other’s. There were shouts as swords
clashed and clanged against each other. Group six was unprepared for
the strike, but they had the advantage in numbers. It was then—

Hwiiiiig.

A streak of arrows flew in the air from group three, and the knights
from group six scattered in confusion.

“Arrows! Get away!”

The knights either hid themselves behind pillars or knocked away the
arrows with their swords. However, that was only the beginning, and
more volleys began to rain down on them. Group six had a relatively
small number of arrows in comparison, and were weaker in fighting
long distances. One of the knights of group six yelled to the other
men.

“We have to deal with the archers from group three.”

“But…”

Derek’s team now seemed to have an opening. The volley of arrows

from his group caused group six to fall into confusion, and several
knights had already been incapacitated. The group six knight who had
been giving orders to his team turned ashen.

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“…Damn it.”

Group three was by far the weaker of the two, but a swift, preemptive
attack had given them an early lead. They had made the team’s
defense into a more favorable offense. Now, the group six knights
were caught in the fire, and several had already been injured.

In the midst of the chaos, Derek bolted into through the line of the
enemy camp. The game was won by the team that captured the
opponents’ flag first. From the start, group three had aimed for a swift
victory with a surprise attack.

Group three cheered loudly for their leader.

“Lord Derek, run!”

Ch. 221 It Will Be Fun From Now On (2)

The group six knights tried to chase Derek down like madmen.

“Stop him! You must stop him somehow!”

Derek reached the support archers at the back, but there were not
enough of them to take him on head-to-head. He forged his way
through, and thanks to his plan, the rest of group six was too injured
and in too much disarray to wall him. It was the perfect tactic for
group three to use as many archers as possible and sustain as little
injuries on their own.

Paas!

At last, Derek yanked the enemy’s blue flag high into the air.

“Uwaaaa—”

A loud shout came from the audience as group three snatched an

astonishing victory from the favored winners.
Each of the knights were scored by a judge, and he announced the
results.

“…Derek Blaise, group three. Nine points.”

Derek received one point less from a perfect score, even though he
had led a disadvantaged team to victory. The group three knights who
heard the ruling began to protest.

“Why doesn’t Lord Derek have a perfect score?”

“No way.”

Some of those present knew that the judge had ties with the Anita
family, and they couldn’t help but frown. However, the judge
continued onward brazenly.

“If anyone opposes my ruling once more, I will deduct points from
them.”

The knights looked resentful, but they bit back their dissatisfaction.
Before anything could get worse, Derek stepped forward.

“I’m fine, don’t worry. All of us in group three worked hard.”

Although his perfect score was unfortunately broken, he was still more
than likely to be one of the ten final competitors in the tournament.
While some might be jealous of the fact, all the knights in group three
rushed to Derek in unison and congratulated him.

“Lord Derek is worthy to be one of the final ten knights!”

“If you win, I’ll buy you a drink!”

Even Derek, who was usually so stoic, couldn’t help but brighten at all
the congratulations he received.

“Thank you all.”

Group three held on to each other’s shoulders in a show of support.
The people watching from the stands also cheered on with good
spirits.

The tides had turned for group three.

Afterwards, the match between group five and nine began. All the
members of group five were powerful, but Wickley outshone them all.
As expected, group five began to overpower group nine at the start of
the game. As Wickley rushed towards the enemy flag, he struck down
all the men who were unfortunate enough to be in his way.

Chaaaag!

Red blood spilled onto the arena ground, and the crowd gasped in
shock. Injuries were to be avoided as much as possible, although
casualties were not penalized. However, it was rare for anyone to cut
another down intentionally.

Wickley’s mouth tilted in a grin as a knight fell at his feet. The man
didn’t move afterwards.

“Ah, I made a mistake.”

Everyone looked at Wickley stunned surprise, but he confidently

strode forward and lifted the enemy flag. The result was a victory for
group five, but no one shouted in celebration. Only Wickley’s laughter
rang in the heavy silence of the area.

The judge of the competition, who had been wordlessly observing the
match, opened his mouth to speak.

“Wickley Tai, group five. Perfect score.”

As expected, Wickley was a favorite to win and would move on as one

of the final ten knights.
The remaining matches took place, and the knights were all scored.
The total scores were all calculated, and the knights that would move
onward were announced.

Naturally, Derek’s name was included.

Regardless of the scores the judge gave, however, the ones who made
the strongest impression in everyone’s minds were Wickley and Derek
alone.

***

Cassana approached Ophelia, who was watching the games from the
best seat in the stadium.

“Your Majesty.”

At Cassana’s voice, Ophelia glanced sideways. The lady-in-waiting

leaned deeply towards the Empress’ ear to whisper to her.

“I’ve made all the arrangements as you ordered.”

“Is that so?”

A wicked gleam lit up in Ophelia’s eyes. Her gaze moved towards

Derek as he walked back to the waiting room for the final round.

“It will be fun from now on.”

She couldn’t give her gift to him in the arena where everyone was
watching. It would be too easy to notice a lethal poison. Even Ophelia
would not do a thing amid the noise of Marquis Selby’s assassination
attempt.

And so, Ophelia prepared something that could never be traced. It

wouldn’t kill Derek for sure, but it would be enough to cause him to
drop from the competition, as she intended. It didn’t matter to her
whether he forfeited the match because he felt unwell, or if he was too
stubborn to do so and ended up getting killed or injured. Whatever
the result was, Ophelia achieved her goal.

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As she watched the empty space where Derek once was, she
murmured to herself in a deeply satisfied voice.

“…Yes, I’m looking forward to how much fun this will be.”

The smile on Ophelia’s lips deepened.

Ch. 222 There Was Only One Way (1)

Elena walked toward Derek’s waiting room with a light spring in her
step. Several maids tried to follow her, but Elena dismissed them for
fear of them disturbing Derek before a major match.

There was only one reason why Elena went to visit Derek now. As she
had promised him before, she would give him a handkerchief she
embroidered herself just before the final match. It had taken several
sleep nights to complete, and she hoped that it would bring him good
luck this day.

Ttog ttog.

She knocked on his waiting room door, but there was no reply. She
leaned in and called his name.

“Derek?”

Kwadantang!

Elena heard a crash from inside. Startled, she pushed open the door
and rushed into the room. Lying half-fallen to the floor was Derek,
wearing his metal armor.
“B-brother!”

She hastened to lift her brother up, and when Derek spoke it was with
a hoarse whisper.

“Oh, you’re here, Your Highness?”

“What on earth happened to you?”

“There…there was something in between the armor.”

Derek weakly held up a thin silver needle to her. Normally the armor
was placed on right before the match, but he had wanted to be
prepared in advance and put it on quickly.

At first Derek felt a small sting, but then a few moments later it
disappeared. Fortunately he didn’t feel any pain, but then his
movements started to become sluggish, as if he were slowly becoming
paralyzed.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think it’s life-threatening. My movements are

slower though.”

“Who on earth did this to you?”

Elena gritted her teeth. She could not send Derek to the stadium like
this. The competition had to be as fair as possible, and she didn’t want
to risk his life.

“Brother, I don’t know who did this treacherous thing to you, but you
should forfeit the match.”
“That’s impossible.”

“Brother!”

Derek was unmoved by Elena’s anguished cry. If he dropped out

before he fought against Wickley, he would look like he was running
away in fear. Derek could report that someone touched his armor with
malicious intent, but there would still be people that would whisper of
his cowardice. Derek was far more determined to prove his skills so no
one could disrespect Elena anymore.

Elena looked over her brother in uncertainty.

“Don’t be stubborn, brother. This could have been a fatal disaster. It’s
a good thing we discovered this before the match started.”

“Don’t worry. The fact that this was in my armor meant that someone
wanted me gone more than anything else. I can’t give them what they
want.”

“But…!”

Elena tried to protest, but Derek only smiled faintly and took the
handkerchief from her hand. As she looked at her brother’s
determined expression, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to change
his mind. It was a Blaise family characteristic to be headstrong and
stubborn.

She watched as Derek struggled to raise his body, and then she made
up her mind.

“I’m sorry, brother.”

“…What?”

Taak!

Elena struck Derek at the back of his neck, and he immediately lost
consciousness. Elena quickly caught him before he could hit the
ground, and then sat him down and leaned him against the wall.

‘I can’t let my brother fight in a match where he may be killed.’

If Derek wasn’t going to give up, then Elena had no choice but to stop
him. However, it would be a problem if Derek did not forfeit himself
voluntarily. If anyone noticed his absenteeism, someone who surely
come in to investigate, and then Derek would insist on participating
just as before. Elena couldn’t let her brother walk out into the trap that
someone had laid out for him.

There was only one way. She had to participate in the match in place
of her brother. Derek would be kept safe, as well as render the
saboteur’s plan worthless.

‘I don’t know who did this, but I’ll teach them a lesson.’

Elena’s red eyes gleamed with a cold light. For a moment she
considered asking Carlisle to take her brother’s place, but someone
might notice something suspicious. Either way, it was illegal for her or
Carlisle to fight in Derek’s place. If the saboteur’s purpose was to
prevent Derek from competing, then Elena wanted to proudly take the
championship for Derek herself. She could not leave such an
important matter to someone else.

Elena’s mouth was set in a determined line. The room was equipped
with leather garments of different sizes, and so she was easily able to
change out of her ceremonial dress and tuck it away in a hiding spot.
Fortunately, all the knights would be in full metal armor at this part of
the tournament, and no one would be able to tell the difference
between Elena and Derek. It also helped that the arena and the stands
were widely separated for safety purposes, and it was impossible for
any of the spectators to identify Elena unless they were in very close
proximity.

Seug—

Elena mounted the helmet on her head. Only her red eyes were faintly
visible through the visor. Fortunately for her, no one else entered
Derek’s waiting room.

She made her final preparations, when there was a sharp rap on the
door, and then a voice.

“Lord Derek, it’s your turn to go.”

“…”

Elena remained mute as she opened the waiting room door and
emerged to the hallway outside.

“Oh, you’re ready. Follow me this way.”

She nodded silently, and followed the man to the stadium outside.
She kept her distance from him to make sure that he wouldn’t notice
the difference between her and her brother.

When Elena had completely gone, a face quietly emerged in the

corridor. It was Batori, the spy who always wore a smile like a mask.
His recent investigation into the assassination attempt led Batori to
monitor Elena’s movements more than usual. He knew that Elena had
come here to give Derek her handkerchief, but a strange detail caught
his attention.

‘Hm? Why did only Lord Derek come out? I saw the Crown Princess
enter the waiting room…’
There was no reason why Elena had any unfinished business inside.

‘…Strange.’

As he turned over this information in his head, he had a sudden

twinge of suspicion. He rushed to the waiting room, only to find—

Derek lying unconscious in the corner. Batori stiffened in shock at the

unexpected scene. A moment later, he managed to pull himself
together, then looked back in the direction where the armored figure
had walked out.

“So she walked out in the armor…’

The suggestion was too ludicrous to believe, but a piece of

information that he had looked over suddenly popped out in sharp
detail. Allegedly, the Empress had sent assassins to kill Carlisle, yet the
Crown Prince was fine while Elena was injured by an arrow.

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The piece that had been missing suddenly fell into place.

“Don’t tell me…”

Batori froze with astonishment, unable to carry his words to the end.
An unbelievable hypothesis formed in his mind.

Elena was a knight of extraordinary ability. And she was hiding it.

Ch. 223 There Was Only One Way (2)

Elena observed the other matches from the side. As they were the final
ten knights, all of them fought with great skill.
‘This won’t be easy.’
She had not yet fully recovered from the arrow wound on her back. If
she didn’t overdo it in the beginning she would be fine, but it might
hamper her later. The only way to avoid the worst possible scenario
was to win each match as quickly as possible.

The upcoming battles were simple tournament-style matches where

the winner moved up and the loser was eliminated. There were a total
of ten knights, so Elena had to fight three or four matches.

‘That man stands out…’

At the moment, Wickley was completely dominating his opponent. It
looked to be a tight match, but Elena knew that Wickley could have
won a while ago and was deliberately toying with his opponent. After
the knight was worn down, his face darkened as he realized what
Wickley was doing.

‘Is he going to forfeit after all?’

Elena watched the scene with narrowed eyes. The knight turned to the
referee as if he couldn’t endure the battle any longer.

“I—”
Puk!

A sharp spear pierced the man’s shoulder before he could even get a
word out. Wickley was strong enough to even pierce armor, and blood
started to spurt from the knight’s shoulder.

“Aaaagh!”
The knight fell from his horse, screaming in pain. The referee watching
from the distance turned towards Wickley.

“He was about to forfeit. Was this necessary?”

Wickley simply gave a shrug.

“Was he? I didn’t know.”

The referee looked doubtful because of Wickley’s unapologetic
attitude, but Wickley hadn’t violated any rules. At the time, it wasn’t
clear whether the other party had forfeited, and soon the referee
declared the winner.

“The victor is Lord Wickley!”

Other injuries had occurred during the competition, and it didn’t
matter much to the spectators. A thunder of applause rang in the
stadium for Wickley’s victory. Some murmured among themselves
about the cruel nature of his win, but it was not considered an official
problem anyway.

Wickley, having won his first match, exited the arena with a bold
swagger in his step and he glanced towards Elena. He grinned,
showing his yellow teeth. She couldn’t help but notice that his smile
bore a current of provocation.

‘What? Does he have a bad relationship with my brother?’

Elena was puzzled, but she soon smiled back beneath her visor.

‘…Fun.’
It had been a long time since she faced the tension of a fierce battle.
Her blood tingled in anticipation of fighting as a knight again.
Although her condition wasn’t the best due to her injury, she wouldn’t
let that hold her back.

As she watched Wickley walk away, she heard the host announce the
next fight.

“Next up is Lord Paul Dayed, and Lord Derek Blaise!”

“Ooooh!”
Much of the crowd was expecting Derek’s fight, and there were loud
shouts coming from the stands. Elena stood up from her seat and
climbed onto the horse that Derek was supposed to ride for mounted
combat.

Now it was her turn to fight her first match.

*

Carlisle’s worry grew when Elena did not return from giving Derek his
handkerchief.

‘Where the hell has she been?’

Her brother’s match was up next, and she had been anticipating it the
most. Carlisle couldn’t wait any longer, and he was about to summon
a servant, when—

Chaleuleuleuleug!

Kwadangtang!

A loud clash caused Carlisle to pause and look towards the arena. As
soon as the match began, Elena had aimed for her opponent’s chest
with her lance, and the opponent was quick to change the direction of
his horse to avoid it.

But that’s exactly what Elena wanted.

She swiftly rotated her lance in midair and struck her opponent on the
shoulder with the momentum.

Kwaang!

The sound of metal clashing on armor was enough to fill the stadium.
Elena followed up with a series of attacks, causing her opponent to
lose balance on his horse.

Hwiiig—

The spear was so fast it was like a whip.

Taaaaang!
The knight, unable to withstand another blow, finally toppled from his
horse. He tried to pull himself up quickly to make up for the
disadvantage, but it was too late.

Seueg—

The tip of Elena’s lance touched the opponent’s Adam’s apple. The
knight weakly lifted his hands and he spoke with a defeated
expression.

“…I surrender.”
Never had a match been decided in such a short amount of time. The
grace and power that Elena displayed was vividly embedded in
everyone’s mind. There was a moment of stunned silence, and then a
thunderous cheer broke out from the stands.

“Wow!”
It was a short but intense game, and the crowd leapt up from the
stands and whooped. Elena’s red eyes slid towards the referee. He was
just as astonished as everyone else, and he coughed and finally
shouted out the judgment.

“T-the victor is Lord Derek Blaise!”

The cheers bursting from the stands did not abate even when the
match was over. Elena lifted back her lance with a smooth motion,
then slowly exited the stadium on her horse.

Carlisle had been watching the scene intently.

‘Has he been holding back his skills? The previous matches were good,
but this time…’
Carlisle sat in his seat, mulling over what he saw. As he watched the
knight leave the stadium, the knight turned towards him, and he
caught a glimpse of red eyes. A sudden realization rushed into
Carlisle’s head.
‘Could it be…’
The distance made it difficult for him to see, but those eyes looked
familiar to him. He knew what Elena looked like in armor as well, and
while others might not notice the small differences between her and
Derek, it was glaringly obvious to Carlisle. He also knew that Elena’s
abilities were far superior to anyone else’s, and it was strange that she
hadn’t come to see Derek’s game. Moreover, the knight had wielded
the the lance with great skill.

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‘Someone with a weaker arm usually uses that kind of technique. The
momentum can deal a stronger blow than a direct attack.’
Elena was an excellent knight, but nevertheless, as a woman she was
relatively weaker to a man. Naturally, she would attack with a style
suited to her physical capabilities.

If Carlisle’s guess was true, then it was likely that Derek had been
compromised.

Carlisle suddenly stood up from his seat. If the knight was indeed
Elena, he was both immeasurably proud and worried for her winning
the match when she hadn’t fully healed yet.

‘…I really can’t take my eyes off her for a moment.’

Ch. 224 Do You Have A Handkerchief? (1)

The final rounds of mounted combat were the biggest draws of the
tournament. Although the previous three games were enjoyable to
watch, it was never as tense as the final battles fought between the
ten most skilled fighters of the empire. The stands were filled with
cheers as the crowd called out the names of their favorite knights.

“Lord Derek, look here!”

“Come on, Joel!”

“Lord Wickley, go win!”

Since the start, the crowds had heavily cheered for Wickley, Joel and
Derek. Now that all three had moved on from the first round and only
five knights remained, it was time to find out who was the strongest.

The host spread his arms wide and addressed the stands with a
sonorous voice.

“The next match will be fought by two knights who are favored to win.
Lord Joel and Lord Wickley!”

As if it were a trick of fate, Wickley and Joel were chosen to fight each
other in the next round. The crowd looked excitedly amongst
themselves, saying “It’s like a final game.”

Elena allowed herself to relax somewhat. The competition would be

much easier if either Joel or Wickley were taken out.

Wickley brushed past Elena, and then looked back at her.

“You managed to make it. Does it annoy you that you’re only here
because you’re the princess’ older brother?”

“…?”

Now that Wickley had spoken to her, she was able to make a rough
guess of what happened before.

‘Did my brother not want to give up because of something Wickley

said?’

Her face hardened behind her visor, knowing the hidden truth. Weekly
continued to smile maliciously at her.

“You hold false courage, but just wait. I’ll knock Joel down first, and
then I’ll crush you.”
Wickley left her with those mocking words and headed for the arena.
Elena, who had been tight-lipped up until this point, finally spoke.

“…It remains to be seen who will be crushed. Don’t lose if you want to
fight me.”

She deepened her voice as much as she could, but it wasn’t a

convincing imitation of Derek. However, Wickley didn’t notice and
cackled derisively.

“Isn’t that what you told me earlier?”

Elena didn’t know it, but Derek had said something similar.

— Don’t get eliminated. I’ll end you myself.

Wickley recalled Derek’s words and laughed once more.

“Just go back to the princess and cry at her knee. It will be a lot faster
than beating me. Hahaha.”

Wickley turned and headed back to the area. He would never know
that the person wearing Derek’s helmet was Elena herself.

She smiled as her eyes blazed fiercely.

“Yes. Maybe I’ll deal with you quickly.”

Everyone watched the match with heightened enthusiasm, but Elena’s

head was far cooler and calculated. She had simply aimed to win the
tournament, but Wickley’s words made her more serious and
determined than before.
Swaeaeaeaeaeg!

Wickley’s lance shot towards Joel, but Joel dodged and made his own
swift counterattack. This was a spectacular match to anyone who
watched, but uncertainty stirred in Elena’s mind.

‘They fight with remarkable skill.’

Objectively, it was undeniable that Joel and Wickley were both

excellent knights. However, while Wickley appeared to be fighting as
hard as he could, Joel didn’t seem to be responding with relatively
strong attacks. It was as if he had no intention of winning against
Wickley in the first place.

‘Surely not…does Paveluc want to hide his power even in the

competition?’

Elena’s gaze traveled to the seats where the imperial family members
were sitting. She saw Sullivan, whose face looked noticeably pale and
gaunt in the daytime, and Ophelia, who wore a strange smile. Elena
shifted her eyes, and she saw Paveluc looking down at the arena with
a blank-faced expression.

‘If Lord Joel from Lunen wins, then the Emperor would have even
more reason to keep an eye on Paveluc.’

Sullivan would not be able to overlook the fact that a knight from
Lunen would be the strongest in the Empire. From the very beginning,
Paveluc had allowed his knight to do well enough to compete, but not
to win.

“…Ha.”

Elena forced a humorless laugh. Paveluc was indeed a clever man.

The match between Joel and Wickley began to flow just as Elena
expected.
Swiiiiig!

Wickley’s lance flew towards Joel. It was a fully avoidable attack when
taking into account Joel’s skills, and Elena had a brief moment of
certainty that he would not allow himself to be seriously injured in this
tournament. However, Joel did not avoid the attack and was struck by
Wickley’s weapon.

Kwaaaang!

The lance punched through the armor, and blood spurted from Joel’s
lips. He slightly tilted his head to look towards the imperial seats.
Paveluc gave him the slightest nod, as if in approval.

Elena watched them secretly exchange glances, then turned away as if

she didn’t want to see anymore.

“Wow!”

“Lord Wickley is the greatest!”

The spectators cheered and stamped their feet, completely unaware

that the match had been thrown. Joel had controlled the flow of the
fight so that it would still look exciting to the common people, and it
was likely that most of the knights were unaware of the manipulation
as well. Only Elena, who knew of Paveluc’s secret ambition, could see
that the outcome of the match had long been decided before it even
began.

‘As for who touched Derek’s armor…the likely culprit is the Empress.’

By most accounts, the winner of the tournament was likely to be either

Wickley, Joel or Derek. If Joel didn’t plan to win in the first place, then
the saboteur had to come from the Anita family, who supported Lord
Wickley. Elena looked up towards Empress Ophelia with bright red
eyes.

‘Did the Anita family win the last tournament?’

The Anita family had a reputation for producing great knights and
outstanding generals for the Ruford Empire. However, the current
head of the family, Cesare, did not have the same military and combat
skills, and the same was true of Second Prince Redfield. Perhaps it was
for this reason that Ophelia was trying to compensate the Anita
family’s power by winning the tournament.

Well then…

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A faint smile crossed Elena’s lips.

‘I’ll have to interrupt.’

The more Elena watched the competition, the more determined she
was to win. She suspected it was Ophelia who sent the assassins to
ambush Carlisle.

This would be Elena’s opportunity to pay back the massive debt.

Ch. 225 Do You Have A

Handkerchief? (2)
The matches continued. Elena fought several more battles, and the
pain in her back grew worse. She grimaced as she rolled her
shoulders.

‘…I can’t let the battles stretch out.’

At last, there was only one match left—the one against Wickley, as
expected.
Elena was sitting at the waiting bench, when she heard swiftly
approaching footsteps. She turned her head, and found that the
person walking towards her was none other than Kuhn.

‘Why is Sir Kasha here?’

Before she could figure out the answer, Kuhn stopped in front of her
and spoke.

“Are you Lord Derek?”

She gave a slight nod instead of speaking. She had to be careful
around other people, but even more so with Kuhn. He addressed her
in a low voice.

“The General—ah, excuse me— the Crown Prince wants to see you.
Could you spare a few minutes before the last match?”
Elena blinked in surprise.

‘Did Carlisle realize who I was?’

She suspected that he did. That didn’t matter. The situation forced her
to fight in Derek’s place, and there was no reason to deceive or avoid
Carlisle.

Elena gave her answer by standing up silently. Kuhn looked at her in

puzzlement, wondering why she didn’t say a word in reply.

“Follow me, please.”

Elena slowly followed Kuhn to a place she had never been inside the
stadium. The distance wasn’t far, but it was a luxuriously decorated
area with a completely different atmosphere from where the matches
were held.

Dalkag.

Kuhn opened the door for her when they arrived at the destination.
Elena’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw the room inside. She
would never have guessed that such a palatial-looking room was
housed inside the stadium.
Carlisle lifted his head at the sound of their arrival. His and Elena’s
eyes met in midair, and Elena noted that her husband’s face was
exceptionally stiff. He already seemed to recognize her, and he spoke
to Kuhn without moving his gaze away.

“Leave.”

“Yes, General.”
Kuhn bowed deeply and left the room, leaving only Elena and Carlisle
inside. When Carlisle spoke, it was with a tone of displeasure.

“We don’t have much time, so take off your armor. I need to check the
damage on your back.”
She suspected her recognized her, but she was surprised at how
quickly he acted.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Ask me that question when I don’t recognize you. How could I not
know my own wife?”
A faint smile played across the corners of Elena’s mouth. Carlisle
approached her and pulled off her helmet, revealing her bare face
without any makeup. She still looked absolutely beautiful to him. He
remembered the time when she first appeared in armor and saved
him.

“I know what you’ll say, but I have to play the final match.”

“I know. Your brother was lying in the waiting room, and I had him
secretly taken for emergency care. You won’t have to worry.”

“Really? Is he alright?”

“He’s fine, although temporarily paralyzed. He’ll make a full recovery

with some time.”
Elena’s heart lifted at the news. She had been deeply worried that
Derek had been poisoned with some unknown substance. However,
she was still pretending to be him, and had been forced to suppress
her anxious state of mind.

“I could suggest that someone else take your place…but I’m sure you
would refuse.”

“Yes. I don’t want to leave my brother’s position to anyone else. He

represents the Blaise family.”

“…I knew it.”

Carlisle looked reluctant, but he stopped short of protesting. He
helped remove more of the armor Elena was wearing, and she looked
at him with a questioning expression.

“Why do you want to look at the wound?”

“I need to see how damaged it is, and I’ll give you pain medicine so
you can hold out until the match is over. You’ll be more comfortable
that way”

“Ah…”
She took off her upper body armor, turned around, and showed
Carlisle her backside. Carlisle’s expression turned brooding as he saw
the grim wound before him.

“This may not be your intention, but I feel like my limits are being
tested frequently these days.”
Carlisle began to apply the medicine he had brought, causing Elena to
grit her teeth in pain. She could feel the slight trembling of his
fingertips, and she held back her moan even when the area he
touched was painful. For some reason, the thought of causing Carlisle
worry seemed to hurt her more.

He finished applying the medicine with efficient speed, then began

bandaging her wound again.

“I warn you, if you let that bastard Wickley harm a hair on your head,
I’ll jump into the arena and snap his neck.”
“C-Caril…”
The stadium would be in an uproar if that happened. Elena supposed
Carlisle had made a joke, but one could never know from the tone of
his voice.

“Don’t get hurt, and come back to me.”

She felt the gentle touch of his fingertips on her wound, and she
turned around to look at him. She sensed from his expression that he
was holding back something he wanted to say. He obviously did not
want to send her into danger, but in order to respect Elena’s wishes,
he kept his mouth closed. Elena’s heart swelled with love that he
would do such a thing for her.

“Thank you for trusting me. I’ll be careful not to get hurt.”

“…I didn’t realize that our conversation earlier would come true.”
She remembered the words they had exchanged at their seats.

— If you cheer for me like you’re doing now, then maybe I’ll have to
take part in the tournament if I get a chance later.

—I would participate for you, too.

They had no idea that their words would come true so soon. Elena
looked at Carlisle with a faint smile. He may not like the present
situation, but she was happy with the trust she received from him.

A thought suddenly crossed Elena’s mind.

“By the way, Caril…”

“…?”

“Do you have a handkerchief?”

*

*
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Wild cheers rang deafeningly from the stands in anticipation of the

championship match. Before Elena entered the arena, she tied the
handkerchief she received from Carlisle at the end of her lance.
Originally it would have been Elena’s handkerchief, but now it was
Carlisle’s. Others may believe that it was Elena’s, but she knew the
truth.

‘For Caril’s sake…’

Accepting someone’s handkerchief before a fight meant fighting for
their honor. Elena smiled as the delicate cloth fluttered at the end of
her weapon. The traditional roles had been swapped; usually it was a
man that fought, and a lady that offered the token.

However, that didn’t matter at the moment. What was important was
that Elena would fight a duel for Carlisle. And she never wanted to
lose such a fight.

“It’s time for the championship match! Knights, enter the arena!”
With the host’s voice and the crowd’s cheers pouring through the
entrance, she made her way towards the arena. The sunlight cast long
shadows behind her, causing her appearance from behind to look like
a painting.

Ch. 226 …I Won’t Lose (1)

“The winner of this match will be the champion of the tournament.

Who will the goddess of victory smile upon?”
Because it was the last match, the host gave a longer introduction to
the crowd than usual. The audience in the stands were on their feet,
and were shouting at the top of their lungs for the knights they
supported.
“Derek! Derek! Derek!”

“Wickley! Wickley!”
The stadium was filled more intense fervor than ever. At the challenge
of facing her first difficult opponent in a long time, Elena felt her
sleeping instinct slowly start to wake up. With only a split second to
react in battle, the wrong choice between attack or defense could
spell death. After a few games of life and death, it became like a drug.
However, experiencing the moment of the battle was a thrill unlike
anything else.

Despite Elena’s rising anticipation, she calmly looked at Wickley across

from her, proudly standing beside his horse. Wickley had a muscular
physique even compared to other men, and so when he stood up
straight, his form looked considerably different from Elena’s slim one.

‘The pain medicine has made this easier, but I’ll be at a disadvantage if
that battle drags out.’
If she fought with Wickley directly, she would be forced to use more
energy with her relatively weaker muscles. She had to control the flow
of the match to her favor.

“Knights, please get on horseback.”

At the host’s signal, Elena mounted the horse that was prepared for
Derek. When she turned her head, she noticed that Carlisle was
watching her closely with a fierce expression. He really did look a
moment’s away from leaping into the arena himself. She was here for
Derek of course, so she wouldn’t let it happen. However, the thought
of it brought a warm smile to her face.

‘…I won’t lose.’

Now and in the future, Elena would not lose a fight for Carlisle.

Hwiig!

Elena swung her lance atop her horse. The wind blew through the
handkerchief, causing it to point in Carlisle’s direction. She had done it
intentionally, and Carlisle understood the gesture immediately. He was
meant to believe in Elena and wait.

A smile crossed his mouth, but his brow was furrowed in a frown. For a
very brief moment, Elena’s and Carlisle’s eyes met in midair, their
feelings coming across each other wordlessly.

When all the match preparations were complete, the host continued.

“At the signal, begin the final match.”

Kung kung kung kung.

The sound of drums rang in the air, thundering like the collective
heartbeat of everyone in the stadium.

Elena looked at Wickley from across the arena. She could see the
confidence in his eyes between the slats of his helmet.

Ppiig—!

When the signal went off, Wickley and Elena charged at each other at
the same time.

Tdadadadadag.

The harsh sound of hooves thundered on the dirt, and two lances
clashed in the air.

Chang! Chang!

Dozens of attacks and counter attacks were exchanged in the blink of

an eye. The audience could barely contain themselves at the incredible
display of skill.

Wickley’s spear shot furiously towards Elena’s side.

Kaaaang!
Elena noticed it quickly and rapidly struck it away. Wickley’s attacks
grew in speed in power, and Elena’s red eyes shone brightly as she
took in her opponent’s every minute movement.

If it weren’t for the fact that the battles were fought on horses, Elena
would have been able to use her slender body to dodge more freely
and attack from unexpected angles. She had far less flexibility and
agility on a mount. That didn’t mean she would inevitably lose, but she
did have to work with one less advantage.

‘Well, I can’t complain because I was able to hide the height difference
between Derek and myself.’
It was almost impossible to notice on horseback, so mounted combat
could not be regarded as a complete drawback.

‘The problem is when we’re forced to strike each other…’

The more such attacks came, the worse it was for Elena. She didn’t
have the same muscle mass and brute force as Wickley, and whenever
their lances struck each other’s, she started to feel pain in her back.
Although the medicine had numbed the pain somewhat, the longer
she fought, the more it grew.

‘…I don’t have much endurance left, so I’ll have to end this as quickly
as possible.’
Elena blocked an attack with her lance, and she searched for an
opening to strike back. Wickley then spoke in a voice that was audible
only to her.

“You’re better than I thought. But it’ll be another hundred years before
you can beat me.”
Elena kept calm in the face of his taunt, and replied back with gritted
teeth.

“I look forward to what you’ll say when you lose to me.”

“You cheeky bastard!”

Kwaang!
Wickley used his strength to push down on Elena’s lance. Elena
pushed back upward as hard as she could, and then swung her lance
to the side to redirect it.

At this point, an observation lit Wickley’s head. When Elena made a

strong attack, she would swing her lance to use the momentum, and
when he tried to directly attack her, she avoided it.

‘He has less strength, so he must have been injured during the
tournament.’
Wickley usually won his battles with overwhelming force, and as a
result, his opponent’s strategies were fairly obvious. None of them
actively evaded his attacks as much as Elena, but he intuitively noticed
that she was afraid of his power.

‘Then I’ll fight even harder.’

Wickley began to aggressively attack Elena with more cold confidence.
They had both displayed their own style of combat to each other, and
were now trying to hunt out each other’s weaknesses.

Kwagagang!

Wickley’s lance struck heavily against Elena’s. She was unable to

withstand his strength, and her slender body shook slightly. He soon
felt that victory was near.

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‘Strange…his body looks smaller.’

But he didn’t care about every little detail. What was imperative right
now was to win the competition.

Ophelia made no mention of hiding a paralyzing needle to Derek’s

armor, but she had summoned Wickley before the match.
— Kill Lord Derek on the field if possible.
Wickley was going to follow her orders.

‘I didn’t like it at the start, but now I think this is a great opportunity.’
Wickley grinned, raised his lance, then slammed it down. Elena had no
choice but to lift hers to stop the attack again. Wickley was planning
to push through by force, then bury his weapon into Elena’s neck.

“Last words!”

Ch. 227 …I Won’t Lose (2)

With a loud cry, Wickley thrust his spear violently towards Elena.

At that instant, she leveraged her feet against the horse’s torso, and
somersaulted in the air like a sleek cat. What Wickley planned to be
the final blow only passed through empty space. His heavy
momentum caused him to lurch forward, and left him open for a
counterattack.

‘Damn it!’
Weekly turned quickly toward Elena with widened eyes. But it was too
late.

Elena landed on her feet on the horse’s saddle, and struck Wickley
with a powerful blow from the lance in her hand.

Kuuung!

The weapon struck Wickley’s body directly, and his heavy mass was
thrown off the horse.

Kwadang tang tang.

Clouds of dust rose as his body rolled on the ground, and when he
stopped, he looked up at Elena with disbelieving eyes. She was
looking at him from above and pointing the tip of her lance at him.
Any foolish move would mean that he would stop breathing
immediately. Wickley spoke in a trembling voice.

“Y-you forced me off my horse?”

During the match, Elena had avoided the head-to-head confrontation
he initiated, and any hits that she took shook her body.

Then out of nowhere, Elena had exquisitely executed her

counterattack, as if she had been waiting for that exact moment. What
was more, the strength and power behind her weapon was no less
than his. How on earth…

Elena looked at him in the eye and spoke in a deepened voice.

“You fell for my trick.”

It was true that she feared Wickley’s brute strength, but that was not
to say that she didn’t know how to handle him from the start. By
appearing weaker, it only made Wickley even more eager and reckless
to attack her.

Elena could hear the sound of Wickley grinding his teeth. She lifted
her mouth into a smile behind the metal helmet.

“It’ll be a hundred years before you can defeat me.”

With the outcome of the match decided, the spectators at the grand
stadium all leapt to their feet and roared with excitement.

“Wow!”

“Derek! Derek! Derek! Derek! Derek!”

Derek’s name filled the massive stadium. From this day on, he would
become a celebrity in the Ruford Empire. The host shouted with
excitement.

“Your champion is Derek Blaise!”

Thousands of people cheered and applauded. However, Elena’s eyes
turned towards Carlisle. A smile was evident on his face, but she could
see the frown set between his eyes. Elena glanced at his handkerchief,
tied to the end of her weapon, and soon smiled back at him. She was
about to run towards Carlisle, when—

“Son!”
A familiar voice shouted from the audience stands. Elena turned her
head and saw Alphord and Mirabelle looking at her with flushed faces.
Although they hadn’t called out to her during the battle for fear of
hindering her, they kept their eyes glued on every single move more
than anyone else.

Alphord called out to her again, visibly moved.

“Well done, my son.”

For a moment, Elena felt a tugging sensation to run and see her
family. However, she held herself back. Alphord and Mirabelle would
easily see up close that it was not Derek behind the helmet.

Elena stiffened at the praise. It was meant for her brother, not her—
but then her heart started to pound, and before she knew it her foot
lifted in start of a mad dash towards her father. She just wanted to be
recognized by him just once.

‘…Father.’
Her family suddenly looked wide-eyed, and then Elena felt someone
grab her hand. She turned around and saw Carlisle right beside her.
He lifted her hand into the air and shouted loudly amid the cheers.

“Congratulations on today’s victory, Lord Derek.”

“Your Highness…”

“Let’s go in and have a toast.”

Carlisle placed his hand on Elena’s shoulder and led her off the field.
The Crown Prince’s congratulatory attitude towards her made the
audience and her family cheer louder.

Elena whispered to Carlisle, grateful that he had saved her from her
mistake.
“…Thank you.”
Carlisle smiled and complimented her back.

“Good work.”
But he continued.

“But don’t ever think about doing this again next time.”
He surreptitiously pulled back his right sleeve, and Elena’s eyes
widened as she noticed a smattering of black scales on his arm.
However, his gaze was soft as he spoke.

“I nearly turned the tournament into a bloodbath.”

Elena froze momentarily, then burst into laughter. She could see how
worried he looked, and she smiled softly behind the visor.

“That’s terrible. I’m so happy that you were worried about me.”

The private box where the imperial family members sat was sharply
divided. Sullivan was overjoyed to see the winner of the tournament
come from the Blaise Family, while Ophelia’s expression was too foul
to hide.

Cassana, who was standing behind Ophelia, looked embarrassed and

unsure of what to do. Conscious of the crowd around her, Ophelia
tried to project outward calm, but it was clear that the moment she
returned to the palace that she would explode.

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Paveluc stared at the arena closely with his arms folded. The outcome
of the tournament had been very interesting, and Derek Blaise’s skills
in particular were beyond his expectations.

‘The Crown Princess’ older brother…’

Paveluc was thinking hard, when a servant appeared silently beside
him.

“My Lord.”
Paveluc glanced to the side, and the servant leaned in to whisper in
his ear.

“I have a message from Batori. He says he needs to report something

urgent.”

“Is that so?”

A curious expression crossed Paveluc’s face. It was the first time Batori
contacted him unexpectedly.

Ch. 228 How Are You Two Together? (1)

The tournament ended with an enthusiastic and captivated audience.

Paveluc left the stadium and arranged a secret meeting place at
Batori’s request. When he heard the spy’s report, he was stunned.

“You’re saying that the man that was Lord Derek today…was the
Crown Princess?”

“Yes. It may be difficult to believe, but I saw with my own eyes Lord
Derek lying in the waiting room. The only person that had been alone
with him was the Crown Princess.”

“…Ha.”

Paveluc gave a sharp bark of laughter. Unlike his smiling face,

however, his eyes were still dark and cold.
“So the reason why she was injured during the ambush was because
she was defending Prince Carlisle.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

It was certainly an incredible story. Even though the Blaise family had
served as knights for the Imperial Family for generations, it was
surprising there was a woman among them as skilled as she was.
While Ruford Empire did not allow women’s advancement into the
military, it didn’t make sense that the family would hide the daughter’s
skills.

However, while more questions were raised for Paveluc, other riddles
were being solved. He carefully pondered this new information,
murmuring to himself in a low voice.

“…It’s unclear if Carlisle made a meaningless wish on the Dragon’s

Orb, but he has reaped an unexpected harvest.”

Although it wasn’t clear whether Elena’s fighting abilities were due to

the Dragon’s Orb, she did wear it as a ring. Paveluc might have made
a crucial mistake without knowing this information. Knowing the
enemy’s secrets was vital to winning.

Paveluc nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Very well. It was beneficial to have you on this job.”

“Thank you, My Lord.”

“No one knows you’ve noticed this?”

“No.”

“That’s better.”
A deep smile creased Paveluc’s mouth. Elena would be reclassified as
one of Carlisle’s most dangerous allies, and the advantage of surprise
would be no longer hers.

Batori carefully spoke.

“Do you wish for me to inform the Empress?”

“That’s not necessary.”

Paveluc answered quickly, and Batori glanced upwards. The duke

continued with a strange smile.

“I must wait until either the Empress or Crown Prince are taken out.
The Ruford Empire rests strongly on them, and I cannot confront two
powerful forces at once…thus, they can weaken each other by
fighting.”

The Empress may stand to lose if she didn’t know Elena had a secret
strength.

“You mean…”

“I may be holding the Empress’ hand now, but it’s no matter to me if

Carlisle wins their little fight.”

In Elena’s first life, Ophelia’s and Paveluc’s alliance was established

only because Carlisle died first. However, Paveluc didn’t care if Ophelia
had died instead, as long as any Imperial forces weren’t turned against
him.

Batori gave a deep bow.

“Yes. I understand.”

“We should keep this secret to ourselves. Even if the last one standing
is Carlisle, he will still prove useful.”

Paveluc looked down at Batori with a pleased expression.

“Tell me your wish. I will generously reward my servant.”

“If My Lord says so…there is one thing.”

Paveluc looked expectantly into his eyes, and Batori quickly nodded
and shouted in a loud voice.

“When you are crowned emperor, please make your loyal servant into
a general!”

It was not possible for a non-noble like Batori to become a general of

the Ruford Empire, not unless the heavens and earth opened up.
Paveluc’s rebellion would be a drastic change of the status quo. It was
likely that many of today’s nobles would be purged of their positions,
while new people would rise up to take their place. Batori did not want
to miss this opportunity.

Paveluc gave a moment’s thought, and then he smiled.

“Very well. You know I don’t look down on ambition.”

“Thank—”

Before Batori could express his gratitude, Paveluc’s voice continued.

“But I hate those who don’t know their own place. If you make similar
contributions in the future, I will give you a position above even that
of a general.”

“…!”

In short, Paveluk was telling him to continue putting in the same

amount of effort. It wasn’t a definite promise, but Batori could clearly
see the possibilities. When Batori understood what Paveluc said, he
fell to his knees.

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“I will never let you down, Your Majesty.”

Paveluc’s eyes glimmered at the title Batori addressed him with. He

slowly stroked his dark beard.

“I hope so. For now, continue to monitor the Crown Prince and Crown
Princess and report to me.”

“Yes. I am your loyal servant.”

Ch. 229 How Are You Two Together? (2)

With the tournament over, Elena took off Derek’s armor and quickly
changed back into her dress. She headed towards the safe room
where her brother was resting. Thanks to Carlisle’s secret transfer,
Elena was able to safely go to Derek’s side without being noticed by
anyone else. Not long after she arrived, her brother began to stir in his
bed.

“…Uhmm.”

Elena quickly approached him, her eyebrows knitted in anxiety.

“Brother, are you all right?”

Derek’s eyes opened a slit, and he peered at Elena in confusion.

“Your Highness? Oh, the match…!”

Derek remembered that he had lost consciousness and quickly tried to

sit up. However, Elena grabbed her brother by the shoulder and tried
to coax him back down.

“Don’t worry about the tournament.”

“How long have I been asleep? I have to get ready—”

“The tournament is already over.”

“…What?”

“And the winner is…is you, brother.”

He looked at her disbelief, and Elena spoke again.

“I…I ordered someone to take your place.”

“Y-Your Highness.”

Derek spoke in an uncharacteristically shaky voice. His expression was

contorted as if he couldn’t believe the events that were explained to
him.

“How did you find someone? What will you do if anyone finds out? It’s
a violation of the rules for sometime to compete in another’s place.”

Elena frowned inwardly as she listened to her brother’s reprimand. He

was a man of integrity, and would probably have been satisfied with a
death in the battlefield. Derek was honorable to a fault.

Elena was different however; she could not lose Derek over something
like honor. If he wouldn’t forfeit from a life-threatening tournament,
then Elena was forced to stop him from competing.

“You told me you would be my most powerful ally.”

“…”

“You said you would fight for me in the future. Are you going to throw
away your life just because of a tournament?”

“…Your Highness.”

“I want you to live. Please…stay by my side.”

In Elena’s previous life, Derek had sacrificed himself so she could
escape. Many years afterwards, she blamed her brother for leaving her
to survive by herself. Derek was the kind of man who would want a
righteous death, and selfishly, she could not allow it to happen again.
She would never lose a single family member.

“This may not be how you wanted to win. But please…don’t leave me
alone.”

“…”

“I don’t want you to die an honorable death. Live your life and give me
your strength.”

Derek listened to Elena’s words in silence, before finally speaking

slowly.

“…I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

Elena’s heart sank. He seemed to be apologizing for not being able to

do what she asked of him. However, his words continued from there.

“Even though I pledged to serve you, my foolish thoughts diverted me

from my promise.”

Power had a dark side to it, like the flip side of a coin. It was politics
that could motivate someone to deceive, tear down, and even kill
others, and Elena stood in the center of the Imperial Palace’s secret
wars. Derek would not hesitate to do evil for Elena’s sake, but he had
arrogantly been distracted by defeating Wickley and increasing the
reputation of the Blaise family.

If something had gone wrong, Elena would be left alone. Their father,
Alphord, was a man more loyal to the Imperial family than the Blaise
family, and Mirabelle was too young to depend on. Only Derek could
give his strength to Elena right now. He criticized himself for
forgetting the fact even for a moment.
“You made a questionable decision before the match.”

“Brother…”

Elena’s red eyes trembled, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of
Derek’s mouth.

“I did not win the championship on my own, but if this is your wish, I
will be happy to follow you.”

Elena’s throat tightened with emotion, and her eyes grew moist.

“I will live and protect you until the very end. You can lean on me in
your journey through this thorny road.”

It must have been difficult for an honorable man like Derek to accept
this, but he looked at Elena in understanding. Tears slipped down her
face, and she smiled gratefully.

“…Thank you, brother.”

After Derek regained his energy, he returned to the stadium where

Alphord was still waiting for him. Elena watched from a distance as
Alphord proudly congratulated his son, then she turned and walked
back to her carriage. Derek could have come out of this tournament
injured or dead, but luckily she was able to prevent it.

“…Eugh.”

She stopped walking. The pain in her back was even more aggravated
because of the battles. She had hid it from both Derek and Carlisle,
fearing that they would worry over her.
‘I’ll call the doctor to check the wound when I get back.’

Carlisle would fuss if he found out the wound worsened, so she would
get it treated in advance as much as possible. Elena braced herself
with a sharp inhale and walked quickly again.

“Your Highness.”

Elena turned around, then saw Kuhn approaching. She had been
informed that he recently transferred back to the Imperial Palace, and
she had already met him earlier when she was disguised as Derek.
Kuhn bowed his head towards her.

“You were informed about my return, but it’s the first time we’ve met
in person again.”

“Yes. How was your time at Blaise mansion?”

Kuhn paused at Elena’s question, then responded with a composed

look.

“…It was well.”

“Ah, where is His Highness? He said he would return to the palace

first.”

“I came to talk to you about that. The General is currently…”

They were walking and talking together when—

Kkiiig.

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Elena heard the sound of the carriage door open. She sensed that
someone else was sitting in the carriage behind her, and when she
turned around, she saw Mirabelle staring at her and Kuhn.

For some reason, Mirabelle wore an expression of shock. Maybe

Mirabelle had been waiting for her. Elena put on a welcoming smile.

“Mirabelle!”

Mirabelle’s spring green eyes, however, were intertwined with betrayal

and devastation that Elena had never seen before.

“How…how are you two together?”

Ch. 230 You Don’t Have The Right To

Say That To Me (1)
“How…how are you two together?”
Mirabelle used every resourced she could to find Kuhn, when all this
time he was by Elena’s side. Suddenly, she remembered that he had
wanted to enter the palace as Elena servant. Was there a connection
between the two that she didn’t know from the start? Come to think
of it, Mirabelle had first met him at the lodging Elena reserved for
them. The suspicion in Mirabelle’s mind gradually grew into
conviction.

“The person that made Kuhn leave me was elder sister Elena?”

“What are you—”

Elena stared at Mirabelle incredulously. She suddenly realized that
there were other people around them, which included the nanny, the
maid who came to attend her, and the guards. She looked around and
spoke in an authoritative tone.

“I would like to speak with Mirabelle privately.”

Everyone around her bowed at her command.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The escorts moved away at a certain distance from Mirabelle, Elena
and Kuhn. Although not explicitly ordered to, they also kept other
people clear of the area. It was only then did Elena look back at
Mirabelle with a more composed expression.

“Mirabelle, I don’t know what you’re talking about, so please explain it

to me.”

“You should answer my question first. Did you know Kuhn before I
did?”
Mirabelle’s expression tensed. It was the first time Elena had seen her
little sister so angry. While Elena pretended not to know Kuhn when
he came to Blaise mansion as a servant, in truth she knew him well
before Mirabelle did. It was another in a pile of secrets, including her
contract marriage and her previous life.

Elena found herself unable to answer, when Kuhn spoke up.

“Young lady, it’s nothing like that. Her Highness did not pull me out of
Blaise mansion. I came here on my own volition.”
Mirabelle’s eyes trembled even more. Kuhn, who usually displayed
little interest in other people, suddenly took Elena’s side. It was clear
that there was something between Elena and Kuhn.

“I didn’t speak to you, Kuhn. Tell me the truth, sister.”

The two most important people in the world to her—Elena, her most
precious sister, and Kuhn, the man who had taught her what love
was—were standing before her, denying their secret betrayal.

Elena had no idea why Mirabelle was being so confrontational, but she
had no choice but to answer honestly.

“It’s true. I’ve known Kuhn for a while now.”

Mirabelle’s expression sank as she heard the confession directly from
her sister’s mouth.
“Why were you dishonest with me?”

“It’s because His Highness—”

“Is it because you like Kuhn?”

“What?”
Elena stopped mid-sentence. While Mirabelle might have suspected
some form of connection between her and Kuhn, Elena never
dreamed that it was romantic.

“You think I like Sir Kasha?”

“Yes. Do you enjoy lying to me without me knowing anything? You

always do. You never tell me what’s really important. If you weren’t
thinking about getting married, you would have kept Carlisle secret
until the end.”
Mirabelle was upset that Elena always kept secrets from her, not only
about her relationship with Carlisle, but about all her work. Mirabelle
was always the last to find out about it from the mouths of other
people. While she always spoke to Elena before anyone else, her older
sister never did the same. All the heartache of being left out finally
exploded out of Mirabelle.

Elena’s eyes turned towards Kuhn standing next to her. He had never
mentioned a single word to Elena about this.

“Have you two been going out together without me knowing?”

Kuhn shook his head with a confused expression.

“…No, Your Highness.”

“No?”
Elena thought that no matter what man asked for Mirabelle’s hand,
they would never be enough for her precious younger sister. It was
even more undesirable for Mirabelle to meet someone in Kuhn’s
profession. But what she didn’t like more than that…
Kuhn kept a blank expression in front of Mirabelle’s devastation.

“Surely…Mirabelle, do you like him?”

Elena’s red eyes widened in surprise, then she turned her head sharply
towards Kuhn. For a moment, it was as if a fire had risen within her.
Elena couldn’t let Mirabelle be hurt at any cost, and had suffered
tremendous hardships on her own to protect her. The fact that
Mirabelle would recklessly give her heart to someone distressed Elena
greatly.

“Mirabelle, are you a fool? Why would you desire someone who
doesn’t care for you?”

“…Huh?”
Shocked tears started to stream from Mirabelle’s large, doe-like eyes.
Elena’s chest tightened at the sight of it, but her anger only continued
to mount.

“What are you lacking for you to be crying over a silly thing!”
Elena’s voice rose to a shout, her blood pounding loudly in her ears.
Mirabelle looked at Elena with resentful eyes.

“You don’t have the right to say that to me.”

“Mirabelle…!”
Mirabelle turned heel and fled, leaving Elena and Kuhn alone. As Elena
watched her younger sister run away with her face in her hands,
Elena’s heart shattered into a million pieces. The wound on her back
was aching like hell. Had she let her emotions turn her irrational?

“…Ugh.”
Elena clutched her chest in pain, and Kuhn looked concernedly at her.

“Are you all right?”

“How can I be alright? How…”

She couldn’t understand why Mirabelle loved Kuhn. She had meant to
turn her anger towards Kuhn, as the human mind did not always react
the way one wanted to. Mirabelle’s affection for Kuhn, and his
disregard of it, was not a matter for Elena to intervene. What Elena
had done wrong was beating down the person she cherished the most
and making her cry.

“Ah…”
Elena doubled over in agony. It was worse than being stabbed with a
sword. She didn’t know if the pain in her was because of the wound or
a sore heart. Kuhn looked at her in alarm.

“Please wait here. I’ll call someone.”

“No, I…”
Elena was about to refuse, but Kuhn interrupted.

“And I’ll bring the Young Lady back.”

Kuhn’s gray eyes turned in the direction where Mirabelle disappeared.

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“I’ll explain to the Young Lady myself what I haven’t been able to say.”

“If this is because of me…”

“No. I’m saying it because I want to.”

Kuhn stared at the distance a moment longer, then soon turned back
to Elena. Somehow, his eyes looked darker before.

“Please let me take care of this with my own hands.”

“…”
In the end, Elena finally nodded.
Ch. 231 You Don’t Have The Right To
Say That To Me (2)
Elena felt like she would collapse at any moment, so she immediately
returned to the palace in the carriage. The doctor inspected her back,
informing her that her condition may have worsened. Before he could
treat it however, she ordered him out of the room. She then shut the
bedroom door and ordered no one else to go in.

Ttubeog ttubeog—

After receiving the news of Elena’s state, Carlisle pushed all his work
aside and headed for her bedroom. He first spotted the nanny and
maid standing worriedly outside the door.

“What the hell happened?”

The nanny gave a troubled glance towards Elena’s room.

“We don’t know, as she hadn’t said a word. She met Lady Mirabelle
after the tournament, and I believe something bad happened between
them.”

“I see. Everyone, leave.”

The servants bowed nervously.

“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”

After everyone was dismissed, Carlisle entered the bedroom.

Kkiig—

When he opened the door, the first thing that he noticed was that
there were no lights on. Elena had never done this before. Carlisle’s
concern grew.

“Wife…”
Before he could say anything else, he heard a faint sob. His footsteps
stopped. On the bed, he saw Elena lying with the blanket over her
head, and he quickly moved towards her side.

“What are you doing here?”

Carlisle carefully pulled away the blanket, revealing Elena’s tear-
stained cheeks. Her eyes were red as if she had been crying.

“Elena…”
Carlisle couldn’t find it in himself to speak as he watched tears
continue to stream down her face. She bit her lip to hold back her
sobs, but it was a futile effort.

“…Caril, heug.”
Elena couldn’t even begin to express how special Mirabelle’s existence
was to her. In her last life, she missed her younger sister to the point it
felt like her bones were crushed.

In this life, Mirabelle had always supported her when their father
didn’t, and was always there when Derek was absent. Mirabelle was
the pillar that supported her for so long, but Elena had never done the
same. Not only did Elena not stay with Mirabelle when she was
needed, but Elena had reduced her sister to tears.

“I’ve been so selfish. I didn’t even know what was in Mirabelle’s

heart…”
Carlisle held Elena’s face in both hands and wiped away her tears with
his thumbs.

“You, selfish? You need a new definition of sacrifice.”

“No, I had no idea what Mirabelle wanted. I just thought I had to

protect her, but I couldn’t help her when she needed it.”

“My wife…”

“Mirabelle has always brought me comfort, but I tried to force my

opinion on her without even knowing it. I just wanted her to choose
the right path for her heart. What if I’m doing the same thing my
father did to me?”
It was already enough for Mirabelle to harbor feelings for Kuhn by
herself, but Elena had tried to stop her instead of supporting her.

Carlisle gazed at Elena’s crying form, and then immediately wrapped

his arms around her. He rubbed her back soothingly with the palm of
his hand.

“Whatever it is, don’t blame yourself. Everyone knows how much you
care about your sister.”

“You’re only saying that because you see me as beautiful.”

“Well, maybe. You’re the only one I can see.”

Carlisle didn’t deny it. Anything Elena did was lovely in his eyes.

“Caril…”

“I know you care about your family terribly. You’ll be able to fix this. If
you reconsider your actions, things may change.”
Carlisle was right. Tears never accomplished anything. If one did
something that they regretted, it was important to make sure they did
not do it again.

Elena settled herself in Carlisle’s arms, and she murmured to him in a

soft voice.

“I’m sorry. I must look so foolish right now…”

“You do, which is why in this situation, I’m supposed to hold you.”
Elena felt a little relief from the sadness that shook her body. Carlisle’s
presence was as comfortable as a warm fire.

“…Thank you.”
When she met Mirabelle again, they would have an honest talk.

After a while, Elena’s tears abated. Carlisle looked at her calmer form.
“I am greedy when it comes to you.”

“…Hm?”

“You are my only wife, and yet you cry like this for someone else other
than me.”

“I…I can’t help it. My family is more important to me than anything

else.”
A bitter smile flickered on Carlisle’s face.

“….I want to be the only one in your mind.”

Elena, who still had tears clinging to her cheeks, replied with a faint
smile.

“Are you jealous?”

“Very much so…but it’s alright.”

Carlisle’s hand reverently stroked Elena’s cheek. It was just as gentle as
the way he touched her back.

“You don’t have to give up everything for love. You have me, and I’ll
take care of everything else. If you want to protect your family, I’ll help
you, and if you want to reconcile with your sister, I’ll help you too.”

“…Caril.”
Elena’s eyes moistened again at Carlisle’s confession.

“This is new to me. I want to make you happy.”

Carlisle’s hand, which brushed against Elena’s hair, carefully came
down and covered her cheek.

“I am very possessive, you know. But I’m doing my best and repressing
my dark instincts for you. So…”
Carlisle’s long fingers touched the tracks of her tears.

“…Don’t cry too much.”

Elena tipped her head upwards at Carlisle. She understood the earnest
desire he had for her, as she felt it with the same intensity. In a way,
while Carlisle’s desperate want for her affection was cute, it seemed to
have evolved into something more mature.

It was also a change for Elena. This time, she thought it was touching
that Carlisle would act with her happiness in mind. It was as if she had
the most powerful ally in the world by her side.

Though the tear marks on her cheeks remained, she smiled.

“Don’t worry. I don’t think I’ll cry much by your side.”

“This is…”
Mirabelle woke up, touching a hand to her aching forehead.

She struggled to remember the events that happened before she

passed out. After her fight with Elena, she had fled from the stadium.
She had run away blindly, not wanting anyone to see her, before
realizing that she had walked into an alley.

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She suddenly sensed footsteps behind, but it was too late. Several
suspicious-looking men blocked the exit from the alley, their eyes
gleaming greedily at the dress and jewelry she was wearing.

— Do you think she’ll fetch a good price?

— Kekeke, you know. It was the tournament I was looking forward to

today, but we’ve come across a windfall.
Mirabelle, sensing danger, had stepped back, and then tried to run
away in the other direction. She only got as far as a few steps, before
the men quickly narrowed the distance. They pushed a harsh-smelling
handkerchief to her nose, and it was then that she had lost
consciousness.

“No…”
Mirabelle tried to move, but her hands were bound behind her back.
She didn’t want to imagine it, but if her intuition was right…

She had been kidnapped.

Ch. 232 Hidden (1)

Kuhn watched as Elena returned to the palace in her carriage, then

immediately went to the area where Mirabelle had disappeared.
However, when she was nowhere to be seen, so he thought she might
have gone back to the Blaise mansion. After receiving a report that
she had not done so, Kuhn started to sense that something was wrong
and began a search.

Tatatak!

Kuhn’s footsteps eventually found their way to an alley. After

investigating the area, he found a witness that informed him that they
had seen several suspicious-looking men here. However, there was no
other trace of the men after this. Kuhn swore when he spotted
decorative beads on the alley ground.

“…Damn it.”

If his memory served him right, those were the beads that were on
Mirabelle’s dress today. All sense of reason suddenly rushed out of
him, and he saw red at the thought of Mirabelle in danger.

One of Kuhn’s men finally arrived. Because of Kuhn’s fast speed, it had
taken a while for the man to catch up.
“What should we do?”

“First, go inform the General and Her Highness about the kidnapping
of the Young Lady Blaise.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kuhn then turned away, and the man looked at him confusedly.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll start first and track her down.”

“More information will arrive if you wait a little longer. I don’t know
where you’ll even head alone…”

“We don’t have time to wait. If I question all the people who passed
by this alley, I’ll find something. “

“Aren’t there too many people for that? There were already large
crowds because of the tournament.”

As such, large numbers of delinquents would come to target the

nobles. Although the higher nobility had their guards to protect them,
lesser nobles were sometimes robbed of their valuables. There were
also other nefarious organizations that kidnapped young nobles and
demanded ransoms, or took them to other kingdoms to sell at high
prices. It was not easy to rescue the victims once they were taken.

Kuhn became even more restless, and wanted to see Mirabelle safe as
soon as possible. He walked quickly through the alley.

“If we comb through this area for her whereabouts…something will

have to come up.”

He remembered the night he had accidentally run into Mirabelle at

the Imperial Palace, and she had taken off her dress to deter the
knights looking for him. Kuhn had later found the knights who had
seen her naked body, and carried out his punishment. At that time, he
considered it a simple payment for her saving him.

Now, however, Kuhn’s heart burned too fiercely to make the excuse
that Mirabelle’s importance rested on the fact that she was Carlisle’s
sister-in-law. Kuhn’s throat tightened, afraid that harm had come to
her. Ever since he left Mirabelle alone at the Blaise mansion, he had
been suffering from some unknown pain. Now was the peak of that
anguish. It throbbed and rushed tempestuously through his chest.

‘She has to be safe. If she’s not…’

At that moment, Kuhn’s gray eyes clouded with darkness, and then he
disappeared in a blink of an eye.

The man’s mouth opened without him realizing it. Kuhn’s skills were
incredible, but it was the first time the man had seen him so coldly
furious.

“…With the way things are, I wonder if he’ll slay them all.”

Kuhn did not hesitate to kill when it was part of his duty, or if he
deemed it necessary, but he was not the type to take a man’s life for
no reason. At this moment, however, it seemed he would not choose
to exercise calm judgment.

The man shook his head of useless thoughts, then quickly moved on
to deliver his report to Carlisle and Elena. They had to find Mirabelle
as soon as possible.

Mirabelle sat huddled with her head against her knees. She had no
idea where she was. The area was lit only with a dim light, and she
guessed she was held in a basement storage room somewhere. A
large, rusty cage—one that looked like it was for large animals—
barred her in, and her hands were bound behind her back.

All she could do now was focus on the occasional voices of the men
outside. From what they said, they seemed to be demanding ransom
for her from Blaise mansion.

“…Haaa.”

She was so stupid. With her situation so dire, she couldn’t help but
feel remorse flood over her.

‘I don’t know the details, but if Elena was hiding her relationship with
Kuhn from me, I’m sure there was a reason…’

At the moment, Mirabelle felt regret for all the terrible things she said
to her sister. Elena had undoubtedly always put Mirabelle first.
Mirabelle hated that Elena wasn’t always honest with her, but she
knew that Elena wouldn’t want her to worry. However, anger still
stirred in Mirabelle’s heart.

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‘In truth, the one I’m most angry about…is myself.’

Because she had been frail since an early age, she had always needed
more attention and care from others.

— What a poor little girl. She’s old enough to run around, but she can
only stay in her room.

— Did you hear? She may not even live until twenty.
Mirabelle was grateful that they cared for her, but she could never
escape those pitying expressions. Because she could collapse at any
moment, she had lived a life of being monitored and protected by
others. It was not an ideal life.

Ch. 233 Hidden (2)

Mirabelle was especially uncomfortable whenever her father was

concerned.

— Elena. Mirabelle is your younger sister, so it is your duty to take

care of her.

That was always her father’s habit. From the time Mirabelle was born,
she had always been a heavy burden to Elena, regardless of her
intentions. Instead of hating Mirabelle, however, Elena embraced and
protected her with all her heart. Mirabelle wanted to repay her sister,
especially for all the times she was younger and didn’t listen to
discipline.

—I want to play outside, too! Hm? I’ll come back after a minute.

She just wanted to run through the gardens to her heart’s content,
just like any child her age. But because of this, she would get a high
fever at night, and then their father would scold Elena.

—Father, it wasn’t her fault. I’m just tired from going outside. Please,
don’t punish Elena.

Despite Mirabelle’s efforts to stop the blame, it was of no use. As a

result, she stopped complaining and learned her place. She smiled all
the time so people wouldn’t worry, and she wouldn’t have to endure
their gazes of pity. She forced herself to look brighter without anyone
else asking her to. Although she was unable to step out of Blaise
mansion and socialize, she laughed and pretended to be fine. She
didn’t want any more sympathy when things couldn’t get better for
her anyway. Mirabelle believed that this was the only way she could
protect herself and her family.

The first person to not look at Mirabelle in pity was Kuhn.

—…Young Lady, the world is lonely.

Kuhn was the first one to speak with such a sentiment to her. Usually
when she was sick, everyone exaggeratedly comforted her and told
stories that were ridiculously cheerful. Kuhn may have been cold, but it
was the first time she had been treated differently.

Because of that, the memory of Kuhn remained etched in Mirabelle’s

heart. However, Kuhn was mistaken. He didn’t need to be alone. In the
eyes of Mirabelle, he was a servant who had done dangerous work in
the past, meaning that he had to be protected even more. Although
Kuhn was unwilling to her affections, Mirabelle took care of him in her
own way, doing things like offering him delicious food.

‘It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t care. Really.’

But at some point, she became so happy taking care of him that she
couldn’t stop. No matter how far Kuhn tried to distance himself from
her, she thought he needed constant attention. It was why she tried to
track down Kuhn after he left Blaise mansion. She wanted to help him
if he was in danger.

Mirabelle knew that he hadn’t opened her heart to her…but she might
have dragged him down without even realizing it.

‘I was an ignorant fool. And now…there’s nothing I can do.’

She was sick of her own helplessness, and the fact she still caused as
much worry as she did when she was younger. It was heartbreaking
for her to realize that her good intentions could have been a burden
to Kuhn. Her eyes began to fill with hot tears.
‘I’m angry at myself, but the worst part is…even if I turn back the clock,
there is no other way for me.’

Kuhn had no interest in Mirabelle. That meant if she did not pursue
him, a relationship could not even be started. And yet, she felt so
happy around him that she could die. So what should she do? Should
she have kept out of the way? She missed Kuhn so much and wanted
to get closer to him.

Elena’s words flashed through her mind.

—Mirabelle, are you a fool? Why would you desire someone who
doesn’t care for you?

It was true. Mirabelle was foolish enough to give her heart to

someone who had no interest in her. She bit her lip and swallowed
back her tears.

‘…He doesn’t need me now.’

Kuhn was no longer a servant in need of her care. He was a man who
could look after himself without her.

‘But…I hate it.’

She wanted Kuhn to need her. If he was in trouble, she wanted to be

in a position where she could go and save him…

However, wanting Kuhn for herself only made her even more pathetic.
In the end, it was useless. He was already beyond her reach.

Mirabelle squeezed her eyes, and unbidden tears streamed down her
cheeks.

‘What should I do? I don’t know. Should I put up with these emotions
that feel like they would burst out of me…?’
To make matters worse, she didn’t know how she would escape her
imprisonment. Regret, fear, anxiety…although her thoughts were a
tangled jumble in her head, there was one emotion that dominated
her.

‘…I want to see him.’

If this was the last time she would see anybody she knew, she wanted
to look on Kuhn with her own eyes. She had fallen in love with him so
recklessly that she didn’t care about her pride. Titles and wealth had
no meaning to her, and as long as she had him, she could endure any
hardship.

Sadly, however, Mirabelle had to survive this alone. She rested her
head her knees and did her best to hide her tears. In these extreme
circumstances, she could see her thoughts more clearly than ever
before. Even the parts that had been missing.

“…Kuhn.”

Suddenly, there was a terrible scream from beyond the bars, and her
head jerked up.

“Aaaagh!”

“Please spare me!”

Then came the dreadful sound of sword cutting through flesh and
breaking bones. Surprised by this sudden turn of events, Mirabelle
watched the tightly locked entrance with wide green eyes.

‘What’s happening?’

Soon after, the sharp smell of blood reached her nose.

Kungkungkungkungkung.

Mirabelle’s heart pounded rapidly against her rib cage.

Kwaang!

With a loud sound, the doors of the basement warehouse burst open.
The light behind the doorway momentarily obscured the person’s
face, but a second later she recognized who it was. He had pale skin
and dark blue hair.

It was Kuhn.

“Kuhn, how—”

Mirabelle’s eyes widened to their limit. She had wanted to see him one
more time, and here he was before her, like a wish.

However, the Kuhn standing there was very different from the one she
had known. The sword in his hand dripped dark red blood, and his
clothes were stained red from his unknown victims. He was the image
of a demon that had emerged from hell.

He observed the surrounding area, and when he spotted her, he

began to approach the cage with a steady gait. His face was splattered
with blood, and he spoke to the shell-shocked Mirabelle.

“I’ll answer any questions you have.”

The closer Kuhn got, the stronger the smell of blood. Mirabelle was
too stunned to do anything, but Kuhn spoke casually as if this
situation were familiar to him.

“My specialty is in infiltration and assassination.”

“Kuhn…”

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“Let me introduce myself formally. I am Kuhn Kasha, under the
command of General Carlisle.”

Cheolkeong!

Kuhn broke the iron bars where Mirabelle was trapped with his own
blood-drenched hands.

Then he continued, staring at Mirabelle with lonely, gray eyes.

“This is what I was hiding from you, Young Lady.”

Ch. 234 I Wish You All The Best (1)

“This is what I was hiding from you, Young Lady.”
Mirabelle’s mouth was opened in fright. All she knew was that Elena
and Kuhn were somehow connected, but this was the first time she
had details of the nature of his work. This was exact confirmation of
the danger of his profession, which she could only vaguely guess at
before.

‘If he’s one of Carlisle’s men…does this mean he’s been serving Elena
too?’
Mirabelle wasn’t naive enough to not understand what the blood on
his clothes meant. The differences between an assassin and an official
knight were sharply divided. Knights would kill in a fair battle, but
assassins would kill when given any order. Knights were often of noble
birth, while assassins were looked down in contempt for coming from
low birth, and their work was usually associated with deceit.

Mirabelle’s dark green eyes gradually regained their reason. She

stared at Kuhn’s bloody clothes.

“Are…are you hurt?”

Kuhn’s footsteps paused for a moment, but he approached Mirabelle
again. When he got close enough, he cut the ropes binding her hands.
“…Yes. I’m glad that you’re alright.”
When he leaned in close to Mirabelle, she noticed the beads of sweat
on his forehead. He must have rushed here urgently.

For a moment she wondered if he worried about her, but then she
soon dismissed the thought. It was likely he had come here because
she was Elena’s sister and Carlisle’s sister-in-law. However, Mirabelle
was still grateful that it was him who came to her rescue and not
anyone else.

Kuhn quickly took Mirabelle’s delicate hand and led her through the
cage. After being completely freed from her cage, she was able to look
at him face-to-face.

“…Thank you for saving me.”

“Please thank the General and Her Highness later. They mobilized
every single soldier to find you.”
In truth, it was Kuhn who quickly discovered Mirabelle’s abductors,
and rushed here as soon as he confirmed the information. Mirabelle
nodded, realizing that her guess was not wrong.

“I will, but…thank you for coming here in person.”

“I just followed the directions from above.”

Kuhn answered in a stiff reply, and Mirabelle hesitated before she
spoke again.

“…I suppose so. Is that why you went to Blaise mansion?”

“Yes. Her Highness could not tell you anything about me.”

“…I see.”

“Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t want the two of you to be

estranged because of me.”
“I understand. It would have been impossible for Elena to tell me
about you. I’m also sorry what I said to my sister.”
Kuhn gave an inward sigh of relief.

“Is there anything else you want to know?”

“…Will you answer everything?”

“If it’s possible. I can’t give you any confidential information.”

“I’m not curious about that. Only…”

Kuhn stared at Mirabelle in slight puzzlement, but she only wanted to
know one thing.

“When I confessed, you mentioned our difference in status. After

this…what answer would you give to me?”
Kuhn was still not a social match for Mirabelle, but he was not as lowly
as a servant. Because his status was somewhat more elevated,
Mirabelle wondered if his answer to her confession would change.

Kuhn’s reply was still cold.

“…Do you still not see why I am not suitable for you, Young Lady?”
It was more of a question than an answer, but it was enough to
convey Kuhn’s intentions. There was not much difference in eligibility
between a low servant and an assassin.

Mirabelle hung her head in dismay. That was the answer that robbed
her of her last hope. She couldn’t even count how many times she lost
the same man.

Kuhn stared at her subdued form before speaking again in a low

voice.

“We’ll wait here for the other knights to arrive. And please note that
Blaise mansion has not yet been informed of your kidnapping.
However, Her Highness is very concerned about your safety, so you
will be sent to the Imperial Palace. That is all.”
Kuhn coolly turned around. Mirabelle looked at the back of his head,
realizing in her gut that this might be the last time she saw him. She
had no reason to pursue him anymore.

Kkuug—

Mirabelle’s small hand urgently caught Kuhn’s sleeve. He didn’t shake

her off, and he turned back to look at her. She was so relieved…yet her
heart ached at the thought she may never see him again…

Tears formed unbidden in Mirabelle’s eyes again. She didn’t want

Kuhn to see, so she kept her head down. It was best not to cry, but she
could not stop the tears from flowing. She stood frozen as they
slipped down her chin.

“…Young Lady.”

“I’m sorry. But I still didn’t understand it when you were a servant, and
I still don’t understand it now. Why can’t we be together?”
All she cared about was his heart, yet Kuhn kept speaking as if they
could never be together. No matter what his feelings were, the end
was already fixed for him. Yet Mirabelle was prepared to give up
everything if she had to. The problem was that she could not be alone
in this.

“There is one thing I understand clearly. When I let go of you, our

relationship will be broken.”

“…”

“If I bravely walk towards you ten footsteps, and all you do is step
back…there’s no progress between us.”
Love was not a solo endeavor. Even if Mirabelle had love enough for
the both of them, if Kuhn did not accept it, she would be nothing
more than a mere nuisance.

“I don’t know what I look like to you, but…I’m serious. I like you for
who you are.”
Mirabelle lifted her head. She looked straight at his face for what was
possibly the last time. Kuhn’s gray eyes were trembling slightly.

“Whether you are a servant for Blaise mansion…”

She didn’t want much from Kuhn from the start. She just wanted Kuhn.

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“Or an assassin with endless blood on your hands…”

She didn’t know how to put this feeling of love into words. Kuhn had
filled up her own heart.

“…No, I don’t care if it’s worse than that. Even if you’re a slave, my
heart won’t change.”
Mirabelle had pretended not to know, but another servant had seen
Kuhn bathe, and they told her about the mark of slavery that was on
him. She knew everything about Kuhn, and still loved him. She
couldn’t stop the urge to keep running after him.

Meanwhile, Kuhn’s gray eyes widened in surprise. He didn’t expect her

to know about his past.

“How did you know?”

“It doesn’t matter to me at all. So let me ask you one more time. Will
you hold my hand?”

Ch. 235 I Wish You All The Best (2)

“…Young Lady.”

“If you have any feelings for me at all, please be brave this time.
Please.”
At this moment, Kuhn once again realized how much he was really
loved by Mirabelle. He never dreamed of receiving such a pure
affection from anyone. It was true that he had taken her heart lightly,
but for the first time, he considered that she really would sacrifice
everything she had for him.

The pain in his chest, which had plagued him as he worried about
Mirabelle’s safety, was no longer there. Instead, his heart was
pounding. Her words…made him happy.

However, he was afraid to take her hand. Kuhn’s gray eyes dimmed as
he recalled an old memory.

— How dare you touch me! Don’t you know your place?
The young girl who abused Kuhn was a noble, just like Mirabelle. He
continually imagined the day Mirabelle would change her mind and
abandon him. It wasn’t intended, but he instinctively wanted to
protect himself so he wouldn’t get hurt by anyone.

‘…No, the Young Lady wouldn’t do that.’

However, he couldn’t forget that he was born as slave 95. No matter
how much Mirabelle pledged her heart to him, there was still one
question that tormented his mind.

‘Can a slave really be loved?’

Mirabelle was a noblewoman. If she wept over her choice later, Kuhn
couldn’t do anything. She would no longer smile, and the lips that
once spoke of love would speak words of resentment. Mirabelle was
warm like the sun, and he wouldn’t stop that from changing. It would
be better for her to meet a nobleman who suited her, so she could live
as bright and happily as she did now. She was a precious young
woman who was fundamentally different from the filthy and lowly
Kuhn.

Kuhn clenched his fists. Mirabelle asked him to be brave, but it felt
more like ugly selfishness.

‘…The world with the Young Lady has to be as beautiful as can be.’
Kuhn could not walk down that path. He was a coward.
Mirabelle stared at him with nervous expectation, and he answered in
a low voice.

“…I’m sorry.”
At his answer, tears slipped out of Mirabelle’s green eyes. She did not
let out a sob, biting her lip to hold back her emotions. Kuhn spoke
again in an attempt to console her.

“You’ll soon forget someone like me. You won’t even remember me.”
Mirabelle tried to hold back her crying as much as possible and
replied in a stiffened voice.

“You don’t know how this will end, but you talk like you already know
the answer.”

“Time is…is like that.”

“I wish I could be like Kuhn. But I don’t think I am. So I’ll…I’ll wait until
these feelings die down.”
Kuhn paused at Mirabelle’s unexpected reply.

“If you have the courage to hold my hand later…come back to me at

any time. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Kuhn now understood that Mirabelle would no longer chase him. If he
didn’t have the courage…then it was over between the two of them.

Seuleuleug—

Mirabelle’s small hand let go of Kuhn’s sleeve. She brushed her tears
away, then raised her head and looked directly at him.

“I’ll let you go. I won’t blame you if you don’t come back. Wherever
you are…”
Mirabelle smiled with tears in her eyes. She still looked beautiful to
Kuhn.

“…I wish you all the best.”

*

Mirabelle climbed into the carriage and returned to the palace where
Elena was waiting. Mirabelle tried to look as natural as possible, but
the people around her gave curious looks at the tear tracks on her
cheeks. Although it was reported that nothing had happened to her,
there were rumors that she had been kidnapped and harmed cruelly.
Mirabelle forced herself to hide it. Not crying was the best thing she
could do.

The carriage stopped, and the friendly driver opened the door.

“We have arrived, My Lady.”

“Thank you.”
As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, she saw Elena running
towards her. Although Elena was wearing a full-skirted dress, she
rushed towards her sister with abandon. Just from the expression on
her face, Mirabelle knew that Elena worried about her terribly. One
might have assumed that it Elena that was kidnapped, not Mirabelle.

“Mirabelle…!”
At the sound of her sister’s voice, Mirabelle’s tears that she had been
trying to hold back burst out like a dam. Elena arrived in front of her
and looked at her desperately.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt? Why are you crying? What happened?”

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“Heueug, sister.”
Tears streamed constantly down her face, and she hugged Elena.

“Sister, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. I’m sorry, too, Mirabelle.”

“Euaang—”
Mirabelle completely broke down. No matter how hard she tried to
cut it away, it wouldn’t leave.

Her feeling of first love.

Ch. 236 Division Of The Heart (1)

Elena brought her sister inside the palace. Mirabelle couldn’t stop
crying to the point she was dizzy, and Elena sat quietly next to her in
comfort. Elena had already been informed that nothing terrible had
happened to Mirabelle when she had been held captive. That meant
that her grief was currently linked to…

— Please let me take care of this with my own hands.

Elena did not know what happened between Kuhn and Mirabelle, but
she knew he had arrived there first and rescued her sister. If Mirabelle
came back in tears, it was evident that the conclusion was not a good
one.

‘I wished I could have helped her somehow…’

There was nothing she could do in the middle. She couldn’t get
involved in the relationship, but as she watched Mirabelle sob in pain,
she felt as if she were burning inside as well.

Finally, Mirabelle cried herself to sleep. Elena sent a message to

Carlisle that she would be sleeping with Mirabelle tonight. Carlisle
accepted without saying much, knowing that Mirabelle had been
kidnapped, and there was nothing to worry about if she and Elena
were together.

Eventually, night fell. Mirabelle, who had been fast asleep on the bed,
blinked her eyes open, then slowly pushed herself up. Elena glanced
up and lowered her book.

“Mirabelle, you’re awake?”

“Ah, yes.”

Mirabelle looked around, dazedly blinking her eyes.

“This is…”

“It’s a guest room in the Imperial Palace. I informed Blaise mansion

that I’ll be with you tonight.”

Mirabelle nodded. Her eyes were still swollen from crying. If she
entered the mansion like this, she would be questioned about what
happened. Elena closed the book she was reading.

“If you feel more awake now, how about something to eat?”

“Ah, yes…please.”

“Make sure you eat a lot. That way you’ll feel energized.”

Elena rang the bell on the table to summon the maid waiting outside.

“You called, Your Highness.”

“Bring some dinner. Well, what would you like Mirabelle?”

“Oh, I don’t really…”

Mirabelle’s voice trailed off into a mumble, and Elena spoke up when
she remembered something.
“Ah, you like healthy chicken porridge, don’t you? Do you want to eat
that?”

Mirabelle stiffened. A bowl of chicken porridge with ginseng, jujube

dates, and other nutritious ingredients was one of her favorite dishes.
It was why she once treated it to Kuhn at Blaise mansion. She felt
inwardly bitter at the sudden memory, but she kept her face calm and
shook her head.

“No, I…I don’t want to eat that. Anything is fine except chicken.”

“Very well. Then I’ll have seafood prepared instead of chicken.”

Elena instructed the maid to bring a meal made out of the freshest
seafood ingredients, including abalone and octopus. When the maid
left to deliver the message to the chef, Elena and Mirabelle were left
alone in the room again. Elena looked at her sister and smiled.

“How about we take a short walk in the garden and then come back as
soon as your dinner is ready?”

Mirabelle noticed that Elena was trying to take care of her as usual.
She was probably worried about why she had been crying. Mirabelle
was grateful for Elena’s unfailing love.

“You can ask me anything you want. I’ll answer it.”

Elena smiled faintly and responded in a warm voice.

“I have no questions about anything. I am grateful that you came back

safely. When you feel better, you can tell me anything you want.
There’s no need to force yourself.”

Mirabelle could feel the love in Elena’s words, and Mirabelle’s heart,
which had seemed hopelessly overwhelmed in her longing for Kuhn,
seemed to ease a little.
“Mirabelle, do you have any questions for me? If you do, please don’t
hesitate to ask.”

“No, I don’t either. I heard some information from Kuhn, and I trust
you even if I don’t know what’s going on.”

Mirabelle wondered if she had judged Elena too harshly. Elena smiled,
feeling the faith her sister had in her.

“Alright.”

Mirabelle and Elena did not have to speak to fully understand each
other. It partially was due to their trust in each other, but mostly it was
from the love they shared when they grew up together.

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Just then, a knock echoed in the room. The guest room door opened,
and the maid appeared again.

“Dinner is ready, Your Highness.”

Elena’s expression softened and her eyes turned towards Mirabelle

lying in bed.

“Shall we eat then?”

“Yes, sister.”

Ch. 237 Division Of The Heart (2)

Elena and Mirabelle finished their dinner in a cozy and intimate
atmosphere. Afterwards, they took a brief walk in the garden, then
returned to the room to lie down in the same bed and sleep. Mirabelle
wore a comfortable nightgown, and she whispered softly to Elena.
“Sister…”

“Hmm?”

“Do you remember asking me if I wanted to study abroad in the

Freegrand Kingdom?”

“Of course I remember.”

“I…I want to go.”

“Really?”
Elena was surprised by Mirabelle’s decision. Meanwhile, Mirabelle
continued on determinedly.

“I thought to myself, ‘There’s nothing left for me to lose if I throw

away my nobility and family fortune.’“
Mirabelle thought she could do so for the sake of Kuhn’s love. She
realized, however, with nothing she was helpless. She believed she
could start over from the beginning, but she needed financial income.
While her feelings towards Kuhn were genuine, she realized that she
was not prepared to support a relationship.

“You may not say it, but…I don’t know many things about the world.”

“No, Mirabelle! That’s not true!”

Elena raised her voice in protest. It was not Mirabelle’s fault that she
was born sickly. Elena had always done her best to protect Mirabelle,
as there were many terrible people in the world that would use her
innocence and kindness to their advantage. It was because of
Mirabelle’s pure soul that Elena was saved whenever she strayed off
the path alone.

A faint smile crossed Mirabelle’s lips.

“I thought you would say that. Thank you…but I want to be someone

who proudly does my part.”
She wanted to decide her own path, and take responsibility for her
own mind and choices.

“To do that, I need to be recognized for my own ability, even if I don’t

have the title or fortune of the Blaise family.”

“…Very well. If that is what you wish, then the next year or so—”

“No, I want to leave the Ruford Empire as soon as possible.”

“…What? So soon?”

“Yes. I’ve already made up my mind, and I’m just wasting time here. I
just need to get Father’s and brother’s permission.”

“But if you go abroad and then fall sick…”

“At this point, I’m afraid that I’ll never leave Blaise mansion.”
Even more so, Mirabelle might try to find Kuhn again if she didn’t
leave soon. She wanted distance between them, so if there was any
chance that she missed him, she couldn’t go to him easily.

“I’ll talk to Father when I return to Blaise mansion tomorrow. I hope

you can help me get his permission.”
Elena looked at Mirabelle with a pang in her chest. Her little sister had
matured incredibly in one day. In any case, she hoped that Mirabelle
would nurture her talents and go to the Freegrand Kingdom to study.
Elena finally gave a nod.

“Alright. I’ll help you get father’s permission. I know someone from the
Freegrand kingdom, so I can arrange a meeting.”
Elena had met Log Ashmore at the wedding reception, and could
introduce the delegate to Mirabelle.

“Thank you, sister. In fact…I didn’t think you would say yes so easily,
but I truly appreciate your understanding.”
“I feel strongly about this. I will support you in any way possible so
you can walk your path.”
Mirabelle felt tears prick her eyes, and she scrubbed them with the
back of her hand. Kuhn wasn’t around, but she had her dear Elena to
comfort her.

“And because I’m bold enough, I have to ask you for just one more
thing.”

“You can say anything, Mirabelle.”

“Don’t hate Kuhn.”

“…!”
Elena blinked in surprise. Although she harbored some dislike towards
Kuhn for hurting her sister’s heart, she didn’t expect that Mirabelle
would act the complete opposite. Elena looked at Mirabelle with
confusion on her face.

“Why do you ask me that?”

“He’s the man I love.”

Mirabelle’s voice was thick with emotion, and Elena couldn’t help but
smile at the conviction in her tone.

“…Alright, I understand.”
Mirabelle smiled with embarrassment through her tear-filled eyes.

“Thank you. I know you’ve always had to carry a heavy burden for me.
I’ll try to pay you back.”

“What are you talking about? You’re like a gift to me.”

Elena sacrificed immensely for Mirabelle, but the pure happy
memories far outweighed the dark ones. Mirabelle felt like the tears
would burst from her again, and she quickly embraced Elena to hide
them.

“…I will write to you often, sister.”

“Of course. I will write to you every day, too.”
They smiled at each other as they made their promises. It had been a
long day, but at least, at this moment, they could hold each other.
They finally fell asleep in the warmth of each other’s bodies.

At the same moment, Redfield was the host of another secretive, sin-
filled party. As always, only those with exclusive invitations could
attend.

The splendid hall was filled with a haze of white smoke, as a result of
various exotic plants being burned. The effects varied depending on
the combination of ingredients. The one floating around the room was
a powerful stimulant that would take guests to paradise in the
shortest amount of time. With the addition of strong alcohol,
everyone at the party was in a highly drugged state.

“Look at Lady Serena over there. She received an invitation and came.”
Redfield turned his gaze towards the young woman. His eyes raked
over the curves of her body and her innocent appearance, which made
only made her a more appealing target for him.

“Of course. What bitch ever refuse my invitation?”

At Redfield’s arrogant tone, the nobles seated next to him began to
agree quickly.

“You’re right.”

“I’m already excited. First, the Second Prince will enjoy her, and then
pass her on to us.”
It was a common form of entertainment among Redfield’s group of
friends. He would invite a young woman who had been pointed out to
him, and he and his group would take turns violating her.
The aftermath didn’t concern Redfield—the victim was usually scared
and covered up the incident herself, but if she tried to reveal the truth,
he could simply use his family name. While all those present were
children of powerful members of society, no one was more powerful
than the one backed by Empress Ophelia. As such, invitations from
Redfield were coveted by those young nobles who wanted power, and
because of this, secrets usually didn’t leak out.

Redfield tipped his mouth upward in a grin.

“You know I don’t sleep with the same woman twice anyway. I’ll throw
her over to you after.”

“Yes!”
At that moment, Serena stood up, stumbling like she was drunk. The
white smoke in the air was also affecting her as well.

Redfield, sensing that it was showtime, stood up with a leery smile.

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“Let’s go, then.”

Redfield narrowed his distance to Serena with a confident gait,
when—

Belkeog!

The door to the hallway burst open. To the shock of the guests,
dozens of knights poured through the entrance and began to
surround the room. Redfield let out a scream of rage.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?! How dare you come here!”
His question was answered by the last man who entered through the
doorway. He had black hair and cold blue eyes, and the perfect noble
features that captured everyone’s attention.
“What is this? Is this your filthy lair?”
It was Carlisle.

Ch. 238 The First Trap (1)

Redfield eyes widened at Carlisle’s sudden entrance.

“C-Carlisle…!”
Carlisle gave a dark chuckle of amusement.

“How rude that you don’t address me as elder brother.”

Redfield’s mouth twisted into a sneer.

“Yes, brother, how did you know about this place? I don’t know where
you got the information, but do you really think you can arrest me?”
Carlisle gave a languid reply to sneering Redfield’s remarks.

“Correct.”
Redfield blinked as if he misheard.

“…What?”
Carlisle, however, did not have any interest in speaking to him
anymore. He commanded the knights in a low voice to prevent
anyone escaping.

“Arrest everyone.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The knights began to move in on the party guests, and there were
shrieks of horror as the young nobles were seized. Redfield whirled at
Carlisle in an unsuppressed rage.

“Don’t think my mother will stay still if you dare arrest me!”

“Of course she won’t stay still. I don’t want her to.”
An enigmatic smile played on Carlisle’s face.

“Take them all away.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”
The knights shouted in unison, then dragged the nobles away.
Redfield and his group caused a commotion as they struggled to fight
back, but eventually they were overwhelmed by the trained knights.

As the room began to clear, Carlisle narrowed his eyes at the rising
smoke from the burned incense.

“Take those.”
At his command, the remaining knights began to carry away the
evidence.

This was the first step of Carlisle’s plan to destroy the Empress.

And this was the first trap.

Ophelia was verging on paranoia since the end of the tournament.

Despite using poison to paralyze Derek, he managed to win an
overwhelming victory with incredible skill. The championship title that
was long held by the Anita family was now taken by the Blaise family.

The Empress was in the clutches of a grim mood, but this was just the
beginning of her problems. She pressed her hand against her
forehead.

“So where on earth did they find the evidence that we tried to destroy
Flower Bridge?”
Cesare answered with a grave expression.

“The captured men who were supposed to destroy the bridge must
have confessed.”
“We can just pretend it’s a ridiculous conspiracy.”

“Not only that. Remember the plan to replace the materials with ones
of poorer quality?”

“…”
Ophelia did not respond, but the memories came back to her vividly.
The Emperor contracted the Casey family to build the bridge, and
Ophelia decided to sabotage the project. Her initial plan was to
change out the materials needed for the construction. She would then
use the collapse of the poorly built bridge to destroy the reputation of
Emperor Sullivan and the Casey family.

The Casey family was observant, however, and noticed unusual activity
and inspected the materials and construction themselves. Ophelia’s
first plan had failed, and she eventually changed her strategy to
destroy the completed bridge with explosives.

Ophelia’s expression grew increasingly dark, and Cesare continued on

hesitantly.

“They must have gathered evidence that we were trying to replace the
building materials. The purchases could be tracked—”
Kwaang!

Ophelia’s fist struck the arm of the chair, and Cesare flinched.

“S-sister…”

“What the hell were you doing all this time? You uselessly provoked
Carlisle’s forces when you should’ve taken care of this!”

“But I was too busy to—”

Cesare cowered under Ophelia’s fiery gaze, looking like a dog with its
tail between its legs.

“…I apologize.”
Ophelia was beside herself with fury, but she couldn’t waste time and
energy taking it out on Cesare. What she had to focus on now was
immediately solving this problem. Ophelia clenched her jaw and
forced herself to stay calm.

“If it gets out that we tried to destroy Flower Bridge, we’re finished.”

“Only one leg had collapsed, so is it a serious problem?”

A deep crease formed on Ophelia’s brow. Her brother had no grasp
how precarious their situation was.

“What would people say if they found out I tried to sabotage the
Emperor? More importantly, if the bridge had collapsed and people
had been injured, public opinion would turn on us.”

“What does it matter what trivial commoners think?”

“This is why I can’t trust you with the important things.”

Ophelia massaged her temples, pained by her brother’s ignorance.
She continued her explanation in a low voice.

“As individuals, it is true that the commoners have no power at all. It’s
a different scenario if the majority are united against a common
enemy. Just as how gossip in society elevates the image of nobility, it
can later come back as a sharp blade.”
Cesare was unconvinced by her words, but he kept his mouth shut.
Ophelia herself also gave up the idea of educating Cesare anymore,
and fell back into silent planning. Although the situation was dire, it
was not completely impossible to resolve. It was important to mitigate
as much damage as possible.

A little later, Ophelia spoke.

“I must convene the nobility soon. We have to come up with a

statement that the culprit was someone other than me.”

“Yes, sister.”
“The National Founding Festival will be soon, and the people’s eyes
will be directed towards the Imperial Family. If we don’t resolve this as
quickly as possible, we will be disgraced.”
Soon there was to be a celebration of the founding of the Ruford
Empire. Thousands of nobles from different regions had gathered at
the capital for the annual celebrations. In addition, the Imperial Family
and numerous officials would gather together to discuss politics in
commemoration of the founding day of the empire. This year, the
capital was more crowded than usual, as the day of the tournament
and National Founding were close together.

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“Fortunately, the nobles will not turn their backs on us at this event.
After that, let’s resolve everything one by one.”

“Yes, sister. I will summon the nobility as soon as I can.”

“…Yes.”
Ophelia felt a sense of foreboding of things spiraling out of her
control. However, she wouldn’t let this all fall apart, so she steeled
herself for the coming challenges.

Suddenly, Cassana burst into the room and shouted in a loud voice.

“Your Majesty! There’s trouble!”

Ch. 238 The First Trap (1)

Redfield eyes widened at Carlisle’s sudden entrance.

“C-Carlisle…!”
Carlisle gave a dark chuckle of amusement.
“How rude that you don’t address me as elder brother.”
Redfield’s mouth twisted into a sneer.

“Yes, brother, how did you know about this place? I don’t know where
you got the information, but do you really think you can arrest me?”
Carlisle gave a languid reply to sneering Redfield’s remarks.

“Correct.”
Redfield blinked as if he misheard.

“…What?”
Carlisle, however, did not have any interest in speaking to him
anymore. He commanded the knights in a low voice to prevent
anyone escaping.

“Arrest everyone.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The knights began to move in on the party guests, and there were
shrieks of horror as the young nobles were seized. Redfield whirled at
Carlisle in an unsuppressed rage.

“Don’t think my mother will stay still if you dare arrest me!”

“Of course she won’t stay still. I don’t want her to.”
An enigmatic smile played on Carlisle’s face.

“Take them all away.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The knights shouted in unison, then dragged the nobles away.
Redfield and his group caused a commotion as they struggled to fight
back, but eventually they were overwhelmed by the trained knights.

As the room began to clear, Carlisle narrowed his eyes at the rising
smoke from the burned incense.
“Take those.”
At his command, the remaining knights began to carry away the
evidence.

This was the first step of Carlisle’s plan to destroy the Empress.

And this was the first trap.

Ophelia was verging on paranoia since the end of the tournament.

Despite using poison to paralyze Derek, he managed to win an
overwhelming victory with incredible skill. The championship title that
was long held by the Anita family was now taken by the Blaise family.

The Empress was in the clutches of a grim mood, but this was just the
beginning of her problems. She pressed her hand against her
forehead.

“So where on earth did they find the evidence that we tried to destroy
Flower Bridge?”
Cesare answered with a grave expression.

“The captured men who were supposed to destroy the bridge must
have confessed.”

“We can just pretend it’s a ridiculous conspiracy.”

“Not only that. Remember the plan to replace the materials with ones
of poorer quality?”

“…”
Ophelia did not respond, but the memories came back to her vividly.
The Emperor contracted the Casey family to build the bridge, and
Ophelia decided to sabotage the project. Her initial plan was to
change out the materials needed for the construction. She would then
use the collapse of the poorly built bridge to destroy the reputation of
Emperor Sullivan and the Casey family.

The Casey family was observant, however, and noticed unusual activity
and inspected the materials and construction themselves. Ophelia’s
first plan had failed, and she eventually changed her strategy to
destroy the completed bridge with explosives.

Ophelia’s expression grew increasingly dark, and Cesare continued on

hesitantly.

“They must have gathered evidence that we were trying to replace the
building materials. The purchases could be tracked—”
Kwaang!

Ophelia’s fist struck the arm of the chair, and Cesare flinched.

“S-sister…”

“What the hell were you doing all this time? You uselessly provoked
Carlisle’s forces when you should’ve taken care of this!”

“But I was too busy to—”

Cesare cowered under Ophelia’s fiery gaze, looking like a dog with its
tail between its legs.

“…I apologize.”
Ophelia was beside herself with fury, but she couldn’t waste time and
energy taking it out on Cesare. What she had to focus on now was
immediately solving this problem. Ophelia clenched her jaw and
forced herself to stay calm.

“If it gets out that we tried to destroy Flower Bridge, we’re finished.”
“Only one leg had collapsed, so is it a serious problem?”
A deep crease formed on Ophelia’s brow. Her brother had no grasp
how precarious their situation was.

“What would people say if they found out I tried to sabotage the
Emperor? More importantly, if the bridge had collapsed and people
had been injured, public opinion would turn on us.”

“What does it matter what trivial commoners think?”

“This is why I can’t trust you with the important things.”

Ophelia massaged her temples, pained by her brother’s ignorance.
She continued her explanation in a low voice.

“As individuals, it is true that the commoners have no power at all. It’s
a different scenario if the majority are united against a common
enemy. Just as how gossip in society elevates the image of nobility, it
can later come back as a sharp blade.”
Cesare was unconvinced by her words, but he kept his mouth shut.
Ophelia herself also gave up the idea of educating Cesare anymore,
and fell back into silent planning. Although the situation was dire, it
was not completely impossible to resolve. It was important to mitigate
as much damage as possible.

A little later, Ophelia spoke.

“I must convene the nobility soon. We have to come up with a

statement that the culprit was someone other than me.”

“Yes, sister.”

“The National Founding Festival will be soon, and the people’s eyes
will be directed towards the Imperial Family. If we don’t resolve this as
quickly as possible, we will be disgraced.”
Soon there was to be a celebration of the founding of the Ruford
Empire. Thousands of nobles from different regions had gathered at
the capital for the annual celebrations. In addition, the Imperial Family
and numerous officials would gather together to discuss politics in
commemoration of the founding day of the empire. This year, the
capital was more crowded than usual, as the day of the tournament
and National Founding were close together.

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“Fortunately, the nobles will not turn their backs on us at this event.
After that, let’s resolve everything one by one.”

“Yes, sister. I will summon the nobility as soon as I can.”

“…Yes.”
Ophelia felt a sense of foreboding of things spiraling out of her
control. However, she wouldn’t let this all fall apart, so she steeled
herself for the coming challenges.

Suddenly, Cassana burst into the room and shouted in a loud voice.

“Your Majesty! There’s trouble!”

Ch. 239 The First Trap (2)

As soon as Ophelia came up with a solution for one problem, another

one appeared like unkillable vermin. Her face wrinkled in a scowl, and
she snapped at her lady-in-waiting.

“What is it this time?”

Cassana hurried inside, her face pale.

“It’s about the Second Prince…”

“What about Redfield?”

“He was arrested by Carlisle during a party!”

“What?!”
Ophelia could not suppress her anger any longer and leapt to her feet.
Cesare’s eyes widened in disbelief as he turned towards Cassana.

“What are you talking about? What’s the reason for the Second
Prince’s arrest?”

“He was under suspicion for illegal drug use…”

“What? Drugs?”
Cesare’s face turned ugly. Neither Ophelia nor Cesare spoke, knowing
full well the nature of Redfield’s parties. It was impossible not to. More
than once, it fell upon Empress Ophelia to silence the nobles who tried
to come forward because of Redfield’s proclivities.

Ophelia’s face flushed with rage. It was rare for her to ever lose her
composure.

“I had cautioned him, and yet…!”

Ever since Carlisle returned to the Imperial Palace, Ophelia repeatedly
warned her son to keep his head down. She was furious that he kept
disobeying her and participating in activities that would threaten their
family’s stability.

“What should I do, sister?”

Cesare looked up at Ophelia’s clenched fists and hard eyes. He knew
this was serious. Ophelia had gathered this much power for Redfield’s
sake. If he could not succeed the throne, then her current influence
would crumble to dust. The Anita family had produced a great number
of generals before, but it was nothing compared to the absolute
power of the emperor.

Ophelia barely managed to hold back her surging anger.

“…Did you find out where Redfield is being held?”

“We don’t know the exact location yet, but witnesses say he was
dragged into the Crown Prince’s palace.”
At Cassana’s words, a cold light shone from Ophelia’s eyes.

“Cesare.”

“Yes, my sister.”

“Gather all your forces immediately and search the Crown Prince’s
palace.”
It was a more aggressive than expected, and both Cesare and Cassana
looked at Ophelia with startled expressions. However, the Empress
continued on as if she already made up her mind.

“Use any means to enter the Crown Prince’s palace and bring Redfield
back to me.”
Her son’s capture by the Crown Prince was enough to shake the
Empress’ influence. While some plans required a slow unfurling, there
were other times where one could not yield.

Such was a time. Redfield could never be surrendered under any

circumstances.

After a brief pause, Cesare bowed and answered with a loyal shout.

“I will obey you!”

*

As Elena woke up at dawn, she sensed a strange air surrounding the

Imperial Palace. Mirabelle was still asleep, but Elena’s senses were
more acute than a normal person’s. She looked around warily as a
murderous intent seemed to press in on the walls.

Seueug—
Elena opened the window in the guest room and looked outside.
Through the dark, she saw hundreds of torches in the distance moving
in perfect unison. It was a scene that reminded her of Blaise Castle in
her last life. Something extraordinary must have happened.

Elena hastily changed from her nightgown into a dress. She left the
room silently and gave orders to the maid at the entrance, who jerked
awake from her doze.

“Call Mary and the nanny to the guest room. Tell them that Mirabelle
shouldn’t be disturbed and should stay asleep.”
The maid seemed surprised by Elena’s sudden appearance, but she
immediately answered with a bow.

“Ah, yes, Your Highness.”

Those were the two Elena could trust Mirabelle to while she was away.
Elena continued again in a low voice.

“Send someone to Blaise mansion as soon as it’s light, and tell Derek
to pick up Mirabelle from the palace.”
It wasn’t immediately clear how perilous the situation was, but
Mirabelle needed to return home. In case of any danger, Derek would
be able to bring her to safety.

The maid quickly gave another bow.

“As you command, Your Highness.”

With Mirabelle’s safety secured, Elena then moved to Carlisle’s office.
In a situation like this, he was likely not asleep in their bedroom, and
was either in his office or at the front of command.

Elena’s guess was right, and when she opened his office door, he
found his head bent towards Zenard in deep conversation.

“Caril.”
Carlisle glanced up at her appearance, then looked back at Zenard.

“Do as I told you and leave now.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”
Zenard bowed to Carlisle and then to Elena, then disappeared from
the office in the blink of an eye. When only the pair of them were left,
Elena turned towards Carlisle with a serious look.

“What on earth is going on?”

Carlisle looked relaxed in the face of Elena’s worry.

“Are you awake already? You may sleep more.”

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“I can’t sleep when there are people everywhere.”

“So there are.”

Carlisle gave an easy grin, and Elena became even more confused.

“I know you’re hiding something from me. Now tell me, what are you
up to?”

“I tried to cover it up as much as possible because of your injury, but

now that the plan has been put into motion, I can’t hide it anymore.”
Carlisle held out a document that said “Confidential” towards Elena.
She took it with a questioning glance, and Carlisle continued.

“Read it. I’ll explain as you go.”

Ch. 240 This Is Incredible (1)

“Read it. I’ll explain as you go.”

Elena looked down at the documents Carlisle presented to her. To her

surprise, it was all detailed information about powerful substances.

[Ingredients for the creation of drugs

Payan flower—has the appearance of a beautiful yellow flower. When
burned, its smoke causes hallucinations.
2. Senly stem—blue flower that maximizes the effects of the Payan
flower.

3. Terico—inhaling it causes one’s senses to become dull, and can

cause paralysis when combined with certain other ingredients…]

Elena’s eyes scanned over the documents, then she looked up at

Carlisle in confusion. Among them, the Payan flower was what she
scented when she went to Redfield’s party.

“This is…”

“Yes. Do you remember the powder you took from Redfield’s party?
Those were the exact ingredients. Give or take a few others.”

Elena’s hands holding the papers began to tremble. If a connection

could be drawn between Redfield and this information, it would strike
a severe blow to Empress Ophelia. That meant that Carlisle would be
one step closer to the throne.

Elena had guessed that the powder would prove its use someday, but
she never expected it to be so soon. Even for an experienced scholar,
it would be difficult to extrapolate the exact ingredients of the powder
in such a short amount of time. She looked up at Carlisle with an awed
expression.

“Now with this…we can finally take advantage of the Second Prince’s
weak point.”

“Yes. That was why earlier tonight, I raided Redfield’s party. He is now
being held captive in the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“Wh-what?”

Elena’s red eyes widened, and she turned her gaze towards the open
window where the torches could be seen.
“So those people…”

Carlisle gave a casual nod.

“I’m sure your prediction is right. The Empress will send those soldiers
to retrieve Redfield from my custody.”

“…!”

She couldn’t believe that all this had happened while she had been
asleep.

“Caril, aren’t you being too reckless.”

Carlisle didn’t reply, instead simply handing her another document.

She flipped through the papers he had given her. There was detailed
information on how the Empress tried to destroy Flower Bridge.
Elena’s eyes widened again, and Carlisle smiled as he replied.

“This is a rare opportunity, so one must move swiftly to seize the

opportunity.”

“…Caril.”

She looked at Carlisle in pure admiration. Her shock that this all
happened without her knowing wore off, and she couldn’t help but
respect not only her husband’s brilliance, but his daring and drive as
well. Actions that appeared impulsive at first were carried out only
after thorough calculation.

“How did you prepare all of this? I mean…I can’t think of anything else
to say except that this is incredible.”

“It’s all because of you. You were the one that obtained Redfield’s
drugs, and you were the one that prevented Flower Bridge from
collapsing. Those were all your achievements.”
It was true that Elena was the starting point. She did have an
advantage of knowing what events would come in the future, but it
was Carlisle’s ability that was able to refine the information and use it
as a springboard for attack.

“Tell me. This is not the end you prepared, is it?”

Carlisle answered with a meaningful smile.

“Your eyes can’t be fooled. You’re right—it’s impossible to destroy the

Empress with only that. So I tried to make it a little more dramatic.”

“If it’s dramatic…”

“I’m going to use the National Founding Day. It will be very soon.”

Elena gave a soft sound of exclamation. The National Founding Day,

when all the nobles would gather, was the perfect place to reveal
Empress Ophelia’s scheming and atrocities. Ophelia would somehow
try to pin the blame on someone else again, and Carlisle had to move
swiftly so she could not play her hand.

“Firstly, keeping Redfield in the Crown Prince’s palace is simply one

piece of the plan. The rest will unfold at the holiday, so please bear
this a little longer.”

If they had to wait for the National Founding Day, that meant they had
to keep Empress Ophelia at bay in the meanwhile. As time passed,
Ophelia was more likely to become more paranoid and aggressive,
and at this rate, armed conflict between the Empress’ soldiers and
Carlisle’s men would be inevitable. Carlisle likely had a contingency
plan, but…it would be better to stop Ophelia’s soldiers without
bloodshed if possible.

Elena stayed in silent thought for a moment before speaking.

“If you want to safely contain the Second Prince until the National
Founding Day…I think you’ll need my strength.”
“No.”

Carlisle responded immediately, brushing away the issue as if it wasn’t

worth discussing.

“Why not?”

“Do you think I’d let you hold a sword again after what happened at
the tournament? I can’t allow it this time, no matter how much you
want to.”

Carlisle’s brow was furrowed in determination, and Elena’s expression

loosened.

“I don’t mean like that…”

Elena did not intend to stop the soldiers with physical force. However,
she felt a lump in her throat. She paused before speaking again.

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“…Are you worried?”

“Don’t ask questions you know the answer to.”

“That makes me happy for some reason.”

Carlisle stared at her in wonder. Elena gave a disarming smile and

spoke in a gentle voice.

“I feel so loved.”

Ch. 241 This Is Incredible (2)

At Elena’s words, Carlisle rose from his seat and walked up to Elena.
He touched her cheek with one hand and whispered to her in a gentle
voice.

“You have to say it right. It’s not just love, but an outpouring of so
much love. Can’t you see I’m drowning in it for you?”

Elena’s heart pounded as she stared at Carlisle’s fiery blue eyes in

front of her. She knew she had a lot of work to do. At the same time,
Carlisle’s touch made her body burn like a woman’s.

“So just stay back for once, and watch what I do. All I need from you is
praise that I have done well.”

“…”

“Ah. If you don’t want to say it, then perhaps a slightly better reward.”

Carlisle’s finger traced Elena’s lip. She looked at his darkened eyes,
and realized without words what he wanted. Her mouth was dry as she
spoke.

“When you say it like that…”

Hwiiig—

Elena swiftly wrapped a hand around Carlisle’s neck and pulled him
towards her. She pressed her lips against his, and his eyes widened
momentarily in surprise, before he responded back with the same
amount of enthusiasm.

Carlisle wrapped his hands around Elena’s slender waist and pulled her
towards the desk. There was a crash as something fell off the desk and
onto the floor, but neither of them cared. They kissed each other long
and desperate, until they finally surfaced for air, breathing hard. Elena
cleared her throat, but her voice was still hoarse when she spoke.

“I just remembered to say…being a knight isn’t my only talent.”

Elena was an elite soldier, true, but before that she was a high-ranking
woman, the Crown Princess of the Ruford Empire.

“As soon as dawn breaks, I will send invitations to society’s ladies to

come to the Crown Prince’s palace. The number of eyes watching here
will naturally increase, so the Empress will not be able to break
through the palace easily.”

There wouldn’t be as much attention as the National Founding Day,

but if there were rumors that the Empress was trying to assault the
Crown Prince’s compound, there would be questions why. Then it
would become known that Redfield was being held by Carlisle, due to
charges related to drugs. Carlisle wanted to spread the truth, while
Ophelia wanted to hide it, leaving her unable to make a move.

From the beginning, Elena planned to use her status to attract public
attention, rather than use her sword. Carlisle’s eyes brightened at the
plan.

“That’s a good idea. My wife can really do anything.”

Elena blushed faintly and smiled. They had been kissing each other
hotly just a moment ago, and so their faces were near each other.
Carlisle stared down at her eyes with a heated expression.

“It’s not just me that deserves praise, but my wife as well.”

“Is that so—?”

Before she could finish, Carlisle leaned in and pressed his lips against
hers again. He peppered her with playful bird kisses and whispered
sweetly in her ear.

“So one more time.”

Carlisle once again gave Elena a deep kiss under the pretext of an
award. Elena was briefly taken aback, but she soon put wrapped her
hands around Carlisle’s neck with a pleased look.
*

As soon as the sun rose, Elena sent invitations for a dinner party at the
Crown Prince’s palace. It would be held that very same evening.
Because of the suddenness of the event, numerous maids and
servants were striding up and down the halls, frantically preparing for
the guests.

Carlisle decided to hold off the Empress’ soldiers outside the

compound, while Elena did her best to prepare for the dinner party.
She scanned the list of guests, then she paused at the name “Countess
Viviana.”

“How many people will attend the surprise event? It would not be an
exaggeration to say that it all depends on her.”

Stella Viviana. A towering social figure in the capital, a woman who

walked on the path of misery because of the son she had in wedlock.
Elena, who had knowledge of the future, blackmailed the countess
with knowledge of it. Although they had somewhat become friends
after several exchanges, Elena had never really been able to guess
what Stella really thought. Elena hoped that Stella was on her side, but
her loyalty was uncertain.

“Will she attend the dinner party?”

If Stella knew of the standoff with the Empress’ soldiers, she may
refuse the invitation. And if Stella, one of the most influential people in
society, did not come, the number of people attending the dinner
party was likely to drop significantly as well.

The nanny looked worriedly at Elena before offering her counsel.

“You have done everything you could, Your Highness. It is up to the
will of Heaven now. Do not worry about outcomes you cannot
change.”

Elena gave a faint smile and nodded towards her nanny.

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“Yes. I have no choice but to wait for the results.”

It would be a waste of time to think about things that were no longer

in Elena’s hands. She cleared the thoughts that floated in her mind,
and turned her attention to preparing for the dinner party.

At the time, Elena did not know of the unexpected guest that would
come.

Time flew by in a flash.

Ch. 242 Why Are You Helping Me? (1)

Mirabelle finally awoke, and when she heard of Elena’s dinner party,
she offered her help. She scrutinized Elena’s wardrobe before making
a decision.

“Why don’t you wear this dress tonight?”

The selection of Elena’s dress would be just as important as the dinner

itself. There was no time to tailor a new dress, but it was crucial for the
Crown Princess to appear immaculate in social events. No matter how
high a position Elena held, she could not afford for the nobles to
whisper behind her back if she was dressed poorly. No other place
was more fashion-conscious than high society, and she attracted more
attention than anyone else.

She carefully studied the dress Mirabelle had chosen.

“This?”

It was a radical departure from what Elena usually wore. The dress was
a vibrant purple, and had a distinctive skirt made up of layers upon
layers of tulle.

“Yes. I’ll adjust this part here to make it look better. Take a look,
sister.”

With a few of Mirabelle’s modifications, the dress took on a greater

sophistication and elegance. Elena stared at the scene before her, and
she couldn’t help but make a sound of admiration.

“Mirabelle, this dress is truly unique.”

Mirabelle had an exceptional talent for design, but she still blushed at
her sister’s praise.

“Do you like it?”

“Of course. You chose it.”

The dress was fashionable and individualistic, meant to stand out and
make a statement, rather than be quiet and elegant. Elena had
assumed selecting the perfect outfit for tonight would be difficult, but
Mirabelle had chosen something exceptional. Elena replied with a
gentle smile.

“Thank you. I won’t have to worry about the dress anymore with your
help.”

“It’s only fair between us. I owe you so much.”

A faint smile crossed Mirabelle’s lips, but her eyes were still pools of
sadness. The shadow of Kuhn still loomed in her heart.

Elena meant to say something about it, but then she bit her tongue.
For now, it would be best to leave Mirabelle alone.

“Please try out the dress, sister.”

“Yes. Just one moment.”

Elena entered the fitting room and put on the dress with the help of a
maid. A few minutes later, the curtain was pulled away, and Mirabelle’s
green eyes suddenly widened. She clapped enthusiastically when she
saw her sister’s stunning appearance.

“I thought it would look good on you, but it’s more amazing than I
expected. You’re beautiful.”

Elena turned towards the mirror. Mirabelle’s compliments were true; it

was as if this dress was made just for Elena. She looked even more
ethereal than usual, and she smiled in satisfaction.

“Yes. I like it even more when I put it on myself.”

Elena’s and Mirabelle’s pleasant conversation was suddenly

interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Enter.”

The door opened, and a maid came inside, who bowed before giving
her message.

“Your Highness, Lord Derek from Blaise mansion is here.”

It was time for Mirabelle to go back. Mirabelle stood up with a slight

expression of regret.

“I have to go back now, sister.”

“Wait one moment, Mirabelle.”

Elena pulled out a letter she had written in the midst of preparing for
the dinner party. Mirabelle accepted the envelope with an inquisitive
look.

“What is this?”

“A letter to Father. I wrote about your wish to study abroad.”

“Oh, sister…”

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to change Father’s mind with this, but if he
doesn’t accept, I’ll pay him a visit myself.”

Mirabelle’s eyes began to fill with emotion. She knew how busy Elena
was today, and was touched that her older sister managed to find the
time to take care of her.

“I thought it would be better to write it down first before speaking to

him in person. Show it to him when you return to the mansion.”

“…Thank you, sister.”

Mirabelle stepped forward and wrapped her sister in a hug, and Elena
returned an encouraging smile.

“You already said ‘thank you’ earlier.”

“There is no way to express my feelings other than this. Thank you

very much, sister.”

“Now, I want you and Derek to go home safely.”

“Yes. I hope your party will be a success, too.”

The sisters embraced each other tightly again and then let go. They
smiled at each other one last time before parting ways.
*

The dinner preparations were complete. A first-class chef had finished

preparing the lavish banquet despite the extreme time pressure, and
the banquet hall in the palace was decorated luxuriously. Elena
greeted the ladies who entered the hall one-by-one.

“Welcome.”

The guests would reply in enthusiasm.

“Thank you for inviting me, Your Highness. You look even more
beautiful today.”

“I’m flattered. How’s your daughter doing? I heard she debuted a

while ago.”

“Oh, thank you for remembering that.”

Elena was having light conversation with each of the arrivals, when
another voice called out to her.

“Your Highness.”

Elena turned her head towards the familiar voice behind her. It was
Margaret, one of her ladies-in-waiting, and she smiled in greeting.

“I intended to arrive first, but I’m sorry to say I’m a little late.”

“No, you are still quite early.”

“I wanted to be the one to come here first and help you.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your loyalty.”

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Elena and Margaret exchanged friendly greetings and moved towards

the other arrivals. Margaret’s role was to keep the flow of conversation
going on next to Elena, making it easier for Elena give individual
attention to each guest.

Soon after, Elena saw a group of women approaching the entrance. In

the lead was a single woman, and it was apparent that a very
influential figure had arrived. Elena finished her current conversation
with ease, then approached the new guests. Soon, it was possible to
see the woman that was in the lead.

‘For that person to be here…’

It was Lady Yulia, the flower of the capital. She was not only the
daughter of the prestigious Necrensi family, but also a famous woman
in the Ruford Empire, known for her fashion and striking beauty. Elena
had briefly encountered her at an Imperial Ball.

Although Elena sent Yulia an invitation to the dinner party out of

formality, she didn’t expect for the other woman to actually attend.
Her appearance was a complete surprise.

Chapter 243 – Why Are You Helping Me? (2)

Yulia approached Elena first, who was standing with a questioning

look on her face.

“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”

Yulia gave a respectful bow, followed by the rest of the ladies. Elena
hurriedly recovered and placed a smile on her face.

“Thank you all for coming, despite the sudden invitation.”

Many of the women replied with “Not at all” and “Of course I would
come when the Crown Princess invites me”. Meanwhile, Yulia looked
up at Elena and spoke.

“You have such a beautiful dress. Your Highness has a wonderful

sense of fashion, don’t you think, everyone?”

As Yulia offered up her praise, the rest of the young women piped up
in agreement.

“Yes, Her Highness’ dress is unique and beautiful.”

“I’ve never known that purple could be so pretty until today.”

It was monumental to be recognized directly by Julia, and by

tomorrow, perhaps the whole of society would be full of talk about
the dress. Sooner or later, purple dresses might be displayed in
countless costume rooms. Yulia’s influence on the fashion industry
was enormous, but Elena could not help but wonder about her
motives.

‘Why are you helping me?’

The pair had never been close. Even if Yulia really did like Elena, there
had to be a reason whys he complimented her.

However, more guests started to arrive, and it was impossible to have

an intimate conversation. Elena would have to try to find another
opportunity to talk to her again, but for now, she had to concentrate
on greeting the arrivals. Elena gave Yulia a soft smile.

“Dinner will be soon, so please go inside. I hope everyone will enjoy

themselves tonight.”

All the ladies answered simultaneously, including Yulia.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The group of ladies disappeared into the banquet hall, chattering
away. Elena stole a glance at Yulia’s retreating back. She remembered
the woman’s nickname—”The beauty without a smile.”

Margaret, who had been quietly standing next to Elena, sensed

something strange and spoke up in a small voice.

“Your Highness, do you know Lady Necrensi?”

“…No. I only met her briefly at the Imperial ball.”

“That’s strange. Lady Necrensi doesn’t often attend parties, and she
usually doesn’t go out in public.”

Elena gave a slight nod of understand at Margaret’s words. In any

case, the minimum number of guests had been satisfied due to Yulia’s
appearance. Elena no longer had to worry whether enough people
would attend the party.

Suddenly, Margaret gave a gasp of surprise next to her.

“Your Highness, over there…”

Elena turned her head in the direction of Margaret’s gaze. Stella and
her followers were now arriving. Yulia had already solved Elena’s
troubles, but she was still grateful Stella’s appearance.

Elena gave Stella a warm welcome at the entrance.

“Welcome, Countess Viviana.”

The dinner party started off in success, and the presence of powerful
and influential figures in society would now offer her a great
advantage. The gathering of this amount of people in a short time was
testament to Elena’s social ability.

***

Kwaang!
Ophelia’s fist slammed onto the table.

“What? What do you mean that the Crown Princess is hosting a

dinner?”

In response to Ophelia’s anger, Cassana nodded her pale face.

“Yes, Your Majesty. A great number of ladies gathered to attend a

dinner at the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“Ha. What a nerve!”

Ophelia knew Elena’s intentions at once. At present, the Empress’ and

Crown Prince’s soldiers were fighting outside the compound. Despite
her soldier’s attempts to break through the line, Carlisle had far more
troops then she expected.

‘I heard that the Crown Prince was gathering troops from the
periphery of the battlefields. This must have been his plan.’

Ophelia could choose to push more aggressively, but her movements

were paralyzed by the attendance of nobles at the dinner party.

‘If I move in now, they will tell everyone that they have Redfield in
custody.’

Any rumors spread would be potentially harmful against Ophelia’s

plan. She may be justified in attempting to rescue Redfield, but the
ultimate goal was to make her son emperor, and preserving Redfield’s
dignity and honor trumped everything else. Ophelia was not in a
position to act rashly.

“…I don’t like this.”

Elena appeared a frail and naive kitten in the beginning, but Ophelia
sensed the Crown Princess’ claws after the twin plant incident. Elena
was more clever than she accounted for. It was too late to regret that
she did not stop Elena’s and Carlisle’s marriage earlier, and deep
frown creased the Empress’ forehead.

“Pull back the troops surrounding the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“What? Ah, yes, I understand. Until how long should I tell them to
wait?”

“We need to observe the situation more, so don’t act recklessly until I
give another order.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

However, Ophelia was not finished yet.

“Send a message to Cesare. Tell him to summon the nobility. This

cannot be put off any longer.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

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Cassana hurried to deliver Ophelia’s orders. Until now, Ophelia

planned to use her soldiers to bring back Redfield as soon as possible,
but she was forced to revise her plan.

Ophelia sat in quiet thought by herself, and her eyes flashed like steel.

“…Prince Carlisle. If you think you can destroy me just from this, you
are mistaken.”

She wasn’t called the pillar of the Ruford Empire for nothing. If she
couldn’t get Redfield back by the sword, then she’d make it so that
Carlisle would be forced to release Redfield himself.

A wicked smile played across Ophelia’s lips.

Chapter 244 – Thank You Very Much

After all the guests arrived, Elena finally began the commencement of
the meal. She stood up from the head of the table, holding her wine
glass and thanking all those who gathered here tonight.

“Thank you all for accepting my sudden invitation. The food has been
specially prepared, and I hope you will enjoy it.”

She lifted her wine glass, and everyone else lifted theirs in response. It
was a graceful way for the ladies to elegantly communicate without
hitting each other’s glasses. Elena smiled and made her closing
comment.

“I hope everyone will have a good meal.”

Several of them called out “Yes, Your Highness!” and soon after, the
room fell into comfortable conversation. Numerous servants
appeared, carrying plates of food and setting them before the guests.

“Oh, isn’t this from Restaurant Shelly?”

“Really? I haven’t been able to make a reservation because it’s always

full.”

The main chef today was from the most well-known establishment in
the capital. However, even the chef hesitated at cooking at such short
notice for a dinner party. It was through Carlisle’s efforts that he had
been able to procure the chef for her.

— I’ll do anything for my wife.

Elena recalled Carlisle’s mischievous grin, and a smile came to her lips
without her even realizing it. Compliments began to spread among
the nobles during the various courses.

“Oh, I can feel the juices in my mouth.”

“The meat is divine.”

The popularity of the food among the guests caused Elena’s mood to
rise. The nanny quietly approached Elena from behind and spoke.

“I have an important message.”

Elena nodded slightly, and the nanny leaned in closer and whispered
in her ear.

“The Empress’ troops around the Crown Prince’s palace have been
withdrawn.”

It had gone just as planned, and Elena smiled from indescribable joy.

“Thank you. Now try to get some rest.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The nanny withdrew after delivering her message. Elena lifted her fork
and knife and continued to enjoy her meal like the other women. The
food looked delicious, and when she placed it in her mouth, it flowed
richly down her throat. Everything was going smoothly, and she was
able to enjoy her dinner with ease.

***

After-dinner refreshments included dessert and tea. Elena was

engaged in light conversation with the guests, when she noticed Yulia
leaving the banquet hall and going to the terrace alone. She had been
wondering about the woman’s goodwill towards her throughout the
evening.

Elena did not suffer curiosity for long, and she politely excused herself
before following Yulia towards the terrace. Once Elena was outside,
the revelry of the banquet hall faded away, and the terrace was
comfortably peaceful.

“Lady Necrensi.”

At Elena’s voice, Yulia looked back.

“Oh, Your Highness.”

As Yulia bowed her head to pay her respects, Elena drew closer.

“Why are you out there? You haven’t spoken to anyone in the banquet
hall.”

“I don’t enjoy interacting with people very much.”

Yulia did not get the nickname “The beauty without a smile” for
nothing. She had a reticent nature and wasn’t as involved with the
social chess game, but with her stunning looks and fashion sense,
many young ladies followed her as an icon.

“You accepted my invitation despite that.”

“Oh, that’s…”

For a moment, Yulia’s proud face showed a slightly embarrassed look.

Elena tried to phrase her next words as politely as possible.

“In truth, I did not expect you to accept my invitation. Moreover, your
praise for my dress was intentional, correct?”

“…”

“May I ask why you did that?”

Whatever Yulia’s intentions, everything she had done helped Elena,

and Elena was curious why. Yulia demurely lowered her eyes.
“If you noticed, Your Highness, then I won’t hide it. The reason I did it
was because of a friend…but I cannot name them.”

“Friend?”

Elena was inwardly surprised by Yulia’s answer. She never expected it

would be connected to a friend of Yulia’s.

“In truth…”

Yulia hesitated for a moment, but soon took a deep breath and
continued.

“The Second Prince invited me to his party. However, I never liked

being around many people, so I never went.”

An ominous feeling stirred in Elena’s stomach. She had been to

Redfield’s party before, and knew what it was like. However, she
continued to listen to Yulia’s story without interrupting her.

“The Second Prince’s parties are very popular, and my friend truly
wanted to go. She asked me to come with her. I said no. If I had
known what would have happened, I would have followed her…and it
is still my greatest regret not having done so.”

Elena felt numb as she asked her next question.

“What happened?”

“My friend became drunk…and was raped by many men.”

“…!”

Elena’s eyes widened in shock, as Yulia’s face crumpled at the pain of

the memory.

“My friend went to the Empress to tell her story, but the Empress
threatened to destroy her family if she spoke.”
Elena knew Redfield was scum of the earth, but he was more
contemptible than she thought. Elena herself had only been able to
avoid danger because of her hidden skills as a soldier. Her hands
tightened into fists.

“Then, in the middle of the night in my father’s study, I heard that the
Crown Prince’s and the Empress’ soldiers were fighting. Later on I
received your dinner invitation, and I could guess what your plans
were.”

“…I see.”

“I can’t change much…but I want to stop the Second Prince from

inheriting the throne somehow. That’s why I came here to add my
strength to you, Your Highness, no matter how small it may be.”

Elena clasped Yulia’s hand, which had been trembling during the time
she told her story. Yulia’s hands were cold. Elena didn’t know if it was
because of fear of the Empress, or distress from recalling those
memories, but…the important thing was that it had taken the woman
tremendous courage to come here.

Elena looked into Yulia’s eyes and spoke in a warm voice.

“Your presence at the dinner was of enormous benefit. I heard the

news that the Empress’ soldiers withdrew. I know that telling your
friend’s story must have been difficult, so thank you.”

Yulia nodded silently, her eyes full of emotion. Elena could imagine
the guilt she was experiencing, and Elena herself could still remember
the burden of Mirabelle’s death in her last life. Elena was able to
sympathize with Yulia’s feelings even more now.

“Leave the rest to me. I will take advantage of this opportunity.”

Yulia thought that her actions did not deserve that much praise.
Although Elena had been trying to comfort her, Yulia only became
even more overwhelmed, and she spoke in a tearful voice.
“…Thank you very much.”

Elena could sense that Yulia’s hands felt a little warmer.

“When I first saw you, I had a good feeling, even though I didn’t know
why. And the dress you’re wearing tonight is beautiful. I mean it.”

Yulia’s voice was choked with emotion, and Elena looked a little
embarrassed.

“Thank you for saying that. In truth, my sister chose my dress for me.
I’m sure she’ll be happy when she finds out that Lady Necrensi praised
her.”

Upon hearing this, Yulia only ended up crying even more. Elena pulled
the woman towards her and embraced her weeping form. Tears
streamed down Yulia’s cheeks, and she murmured in Elena’s arms.

“Thank you, Your Highness. Really…Thank you.”

She felt she had done nothing to deserve this kind treatment.
However, she was greatly comforted by having someone listen to her
personal story.

And so, Elena hugged Yulia until her tears ceased.

***

The dinner ended in grand success. Although it was the first time
Elena and Yulia had a proper conversation, they felt as if they had
formed a deep bond with each other. Elena saw her off at her carriage
so no one else would see that she had been crying.

Afterwards, Elena said farewell to the other guests one-by-one. Before

she knew it, the final group of ladies approached, headed by Stella at
the front.

“We will be leaving now, Your Highness.”

“Please wait a moment, Countess Viviana.”

“…Yes?”

Stella looked at Elena with a puzzled eye.

“I would like to have a private word with you before we go.”

“Why, I’m honored, Your Highness.”

Stella gave a radiant smile, but Elena could sense that it was not
heartfelt. The reason was obvious—Elena knew about Stella’s secret
son. Elena wanted to keep Stella on her side, but their relationship was
only held by threat of blackmail. Elena also kept her guard around
Stella, concerned that the countess may just decide to tear her down
and cover up her secret altogether.

And yet, Elena had a change of heart after speaking to Yulia. While
this wasn’t true with everyone…gaining someone’s sincere trust was a
powerful tool. Stella had already helped Elena several times, including
tonight. Elena wanted to at least offer her some genuine counsel. The
countess’ future may be bleak…and only Elena knew of it.

Stella looked backed towards her followers.

“You all may go back first. I will talk with Her Highness privately.”

The ladies who stood behind Stella looked downcast.

“If it is not urgent, we can outside the palace for you, Countess
Viviana.”

“Yes. We don’t want to go alone in the carriage without you.”

Stella answered with a coolly straight face.

“I’m tired too, so I’ll return to my mansion after I finish speaking with
my friend, Her Highness. It’s late, so it’s better to part here.”
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“If that is your wish. I will have a tea party at my mansion soon, so
we’ll see you then.”

“Yes. I’ll meet you then.”

Stella separated from her followers and approached to Elena.

“Follow me, please.”

Elena and Stella moved to a quiet place where they could talk alone.

Chapter 245 – You’re Different From The Empress (1)

Elena and Stella moved to a quiet place where they could talk alone.
After entering the room, Stella cast Elena nervous glance.

“May I ask why you wanted to see me privately, Your Highness?”

“There’s no reason for alarm. You have helped me greatly…and I

wanted to say thank you.”

When Elena had returned to the past, vicious rumors spread by Helen
were rife in society, and she had no one to turn to for help. Elena was
forced to blackmail Stella about her secret son and make her
cooperate. Elena and Stella’s first encounter was not a good one.

In anticipation of a long conversation, Elena sat down first and

gracefully gestured to the seat across from her. Stella sat down as
well, looking relieved that she had not been called for a serious
reason.

“I see. It’s only natural for me to support the Crown Princess, so words
of thanks are not necessary.”
“Countess Viviana. I don’t know how to say this, but I want to repay
you and offer you my sincere counsel.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“…Why won’t you speak of your hidden son?”

“…!”

Stella’s expression hardened like steel. She thought Elena had brought
her here to offer her gratitude, and Stella instantly raised her walls at
the mention of her son.

However, Elena believed this was the best way. The biological father of
Viviana’s son would soon appear, and in another reality, Stella had
chosen to take her life instead of burdening the Viviana family. That
alone was a tragedy, but what followed was even more grief.

Stella’s husband mourned her deeply, and the secret son, who missed
his mother, dreamt of revenge. Soon afterwards, they would both be
at each other’s throats. Elena wanted to do anything within her power
to avoid such an outcome.

Despite the sincerity of Elena’s actions, Stella only looked on with a

cold glare.

“I don’t believe you need to be involved in this, Your Highness. You

must have forgotten your promise to keep my secret until the end.”

“I don’t mean this as a threat—”

“If you want something, say it honestly. I don’t like listening to

roundabout explanations.”

Stella completely misunderstood Elena’s intentions. From the

countess’ point of view, she felt threatened that Elena would reveal
the secret that she wanted to keep hidden the most.
Elena swallowed her sigh, and continued more carefully than before.

“Please do not misunderstand. My intentions are honest, and I don’t

want you to make a choice whose outcome you’ll regret.”

“…”

Stella continued to look suspicious, but Elena continued to say what

she had prepared.

“Please consider it. There is no secret in this world that remains

eternal. If someone finds out, how will you handle it?”

“That is for me to worry about.”

“Yes. You may even choose to commit suicide to save your honor. But
have you ever thought about your family that you will leave behind?”

Stella looked momentarily taken aback, but she soon smoothed out
her expression.

“Because you asked me, Your Highness, I will answer. Wouldn’t it be a

happier ending if I were gone? My husband will get a new wife, and
my son will be able to live more freely than he does now.”

“Don’t you love the both of them enough not to do that?”

“…!”

Stella’s eyes trembled. Count and Countess Viviana had oft been
spoken of in society as having the ideal romantic marriage. Elena knew
better than anyone that that was true, as she had known it from the
future.

“Please think about it again. Do you really believe that your husband
will forget you so easily? Maybe your son wants to live his freedom
with you.”

“…Have you done further investigations into me and my family?”

“No. This is something anyone can think of without an investigation. I
know it’s not easy, but don’t forget that you can still be honest when
the last moment comes.”

This was the best advice that Elena could give. If she said she knew
what would happen in the future, her credibility would evaporate into
air. Whatever decision Stella later made, it was her choice. All Elena
could do was tell her that it was better to choose life over an easy
death.

“Countess Viviana, you are loved more than you know. I know your
situation well, and this is my counsel.”

Stella stared at Elena, at a loss for words. She expected the princess to
follow up with a threat that her future would be miserable unless
some demand was fulfilled, but Elena’s words ended there. The fact
rather embarrassed the intelligent Stella.

‘…Is she being truthful?’

It was almost impossible to believe, but Elena genuinely did seem to

care for Stella’s well-being, and Stella was able to imagine an outcome
she never thought of before. If her husband and son couldn’t get over
her death…then even worse things may happen. She loved her
husband and son with all her heart.

‘Until now, I thought I could just disappear…but their grief may not
end even if I die.’

Before Stella became a countess, she had grown up in a strict

household, and she drifted away from her family in an act of youthful
rebellion. The first time she became drunk, she conceived her son. Her
family tried to get rid of the child, but she held onto him in an act of
defiance. Eventually, Stella was able to find protection for her son, on
the condition that he be kept hidden and that she marry the man
chosen by her parents.
Her marriage to Count Viviana was a political one, but she fell deeply
in love with her partner. From then on, Stella carried a dreadful guilt in
her heart. She could never be honest with her husband, and she could
never be a proud mother to her son. If it came to worst, Stella vowed
to carry the sin alone.

That was, until Elena spoke to her, breaking down her resolution.
Doubt gripped the countess, but she could feel the sincerity in Elena’s
words.

“Your Highness…you’re different from the Empress.”

Until now, Stella had seen Elena as a clever and formidable enemy. If
Elena had not married Carlisle and become Crown Princess, the
countess would have done her best to kill her. However, harming an
Imperial Family member was a steep crime, and she was not in a
position to place a knife in Elena’s back whenever she pleased.

Elena smiled at her and responded.

“‘Different from the Empress’…is that a compliment?”

“Well…”

Stella, a towering social figure in society, knew Ophelia’s methods

better than anyone else. The Empress was the type that hid a dagger
behind a smiling face, and one was wise not to make her an enemy.
Naturally, Stella assumed Elena would be like Empress Ophelia in the
future.

And yet, Elena had given Stella counsel without benefit for herself. If
Elena were like Ophelia, she would have used the information to cut
Stella down to the bone.

“I can’t quite describe it, but I can say this for sure. The Empress takes
advantage of fear in her enemies, but you, Your Highness…you change
people’s hearts.”
To Stella, Elena’s honesty drew her in like a magnet.

“I don’t know if that is a compliment.”

“For me it is. For the first time, I want to be on your side, Your
Highness.”

Elena’s red eyes widened in response to Stella’s words. She was

relieved that the countess was not offended, and that she finally found
sympathy with her. Elena allowed a soft smile to grace her lips.

“Your words imply that our relationship hasn’t always been honest. I’ve
heard subtle nuances in your speech, but this is the first you’ve said it
outright.”

“I won’t deny it. I wasn’t completely supportive of you.”

In response to Stella’s very candid answer, Elena burst out into a

chuckle. They pair had met and spoken with each other several times,
but now was the first time they faced each other properly. Elena felt
fortunate to have gathered her courage and approached Stella first.
She truly sensed that Stella was on her side now.

“I didn’t know Countess Viviana had such an exciting personality.”

“I didn’t know Her Highness was this kind.”

The two of them faced each other and laughed. Soon after, however,
Stella wore a more serious expression.

“I won’t forget the counsel you gave me today, Your Highness. But I
will do my best to keep my secret hidden. If the worst comes to
happen, I will make the difficult decision then.”

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Elena answered with a nod.

“I understand. Whatever your choice, I only wish you the best.”

She meant it. She hoped that Stella would have a happy ending.

The countess answered with a smile.

“This may be a better relationship than I expected.”

Chapter 246 – You’re Different From The Empress (2)

At the same time, Ophelia had summoned a meeting of her closest

followers. She sat in the highest seat in the room like an emperor, with
Cesare standing by her side. The nobles gathered there were lined up
before the two, and the scene was reminiscent of a discussion of state
affairs.

“Your Majesty. With all due respect, is it true that the Second Prince is
in custody for drug charges?”

Although Ophelia attempted to hide that information long as possible,

she could not cover everyone’s eyes and ears. She had intended to
retrieve Redfield before rumors spread, but the effort had stalled
because of Elena’s dinner party. The Empress knew she would be
faced with difficult questions from the nobles.

‘Just like hyenas…’

While some gathered before her were unfailingly loyal, most of the
nobles’ allegiances were more fleeting. However, there was only one
reason why they continued to support Ophelia—she still wielded
immense power. When rumors spread that Redfield was held captive,
they wanted to ascertain the truth of it.

Ophelia may try to stop the spread of rumors, but even she could not
hide it from those who knew the truth. It was better to clarify the
situation rather than cause further anxiety, and she kept an expression
of tranquil calm as she answered.

“Yes. Redfield is currently in the Crown Prince’s palace.”

A stunned murmuring suddenly broke out from the nobles. Cesare

yelled at them in a loud voice.

“Silence! You are before Her Majesty the Empress!”

A silence fell over the room. Ophelia continued with a smile gracing
her lips.

“You all know that the Emperor is gravely ill. This is Prince Carlisle’s
attempt to take over the throne.”

One of the nobles spoke up.

“So Second Prince Redfield is not under suspicion of drug use?”

“Whether or not that is true is irrelevant. Why would Prince Carlisle

keep Redfield in custody without officially processing the case?

It is because he is attempting to undermine Redfield.”

Ophelia neatly evaded the facts and slowly set about stirring up the
nobles. The nobles started murmuring again, this time with the
expected response.

“Isn’t that severe?”

“We need to recover the Second Prince now.”

Ophelia observed them, and spoke again at the right time.

“I’m sure you’re knowledgeable about the dictatorships the Empire
has suffered under. From this incident, can you imagine what would
happen if Crown Prince Carlisle took the throne?”

The nobles hadn’t forgotten that many of the previous emperors had
written history in blood.

“If Prince of Carlisle becomes emperor, what would he do first?

Perhaps many of you here would not survive.”

“…!”

Everyone turned pale. Ophelia declared it openly—it was too late to

change ships. The nobles who had heard her speak no longer
wondered about the stories of drugs, and their focus now was only
saving Redfield.

Judging that the atmosphere was ripe at least, Ophelia said what she
ultimately wanted to say.

“We must protest to His Majesty the Emperor, and have him stop the
atrocities being committed by Crown Prince Carlisle. Even if Redfield is
guilty, justice should be administered fairly. It is against Imperial law
that he be imprisoned in a private space.”

Ophelia’s words were true, but she also made sure to bribe all the
judges as well. When Redfield’s release was secured and he was
placed under formal investigation, everyone in the system would
already be working for Ophelia. Then Carlisle could never reveal the
truth. Carlisle keeping Redfield contained would only worsen opinion
against him, and doubt would shift from Ophelia to Carlisle.

The nobles, now convinced by Ophelia, were eager to bring their

protests to Emperor Sullivan.

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“As soon as I leave, I will tell the Emperor to have the Second Prince
released.”

“The Crown Prince should be punished for not following the law. This
is not the way things are done.”

This was exactly the reaction Ophelia was aiming for. Now Carlisle
would find himself trapped.

‘What are you going to do now, Prince Carlisle?’

Ophelia raised her lips in a victorious smile.

Chapter 247 – The First Trap (1)

Those who had been gossiping about Redfield’s alleged drug use now
turned their sights to Carlisle. Despite the worsening opinion, Carlisle
remained unyielding. No one could get Redfield out of the Crown
Prince’s palace against his will, not even Empress Ophelia with her
many soldiers. And so, Redfield remained trapped in the palace. After
several days, the National Founding Day arrived.

Elena was meticulously tying Carlisle’s cravat as usual. The situation so

far didn’t seem favorable to him, but she never asked him a single
question about it. That was the extent of how much she trusted in
Carlisle’s judgment. He had said he would blow the doors open at the
National Founding Day, and she could only guess what would happen.

Upon seeing Elena’s serious expression, Carlisle gave a soft smile in

attempt to lighten the mood.

“What are you thinking so hard about with such a cute face? Are you
worried about what will happen today?”

“…”

“Well, many things may change depending on today’s outcome.”

She glanced upwards at his face, and he continued on in a softer
voice.

“What will you do if something terrible happens to me?”

Despite his question, his gaze was confident. After ruminating on it for
a moment, Elena replied in a casual voice.

“I don’t know. Perhaps I shall cut off the neck of the Second Prince?
Then he wouldn’t be able to take the throne.”

Carlisle gave a low chuckle at Elena’s words. He lowered his eyes and
stared at her with a penetrating gaze.

“That’s just like you. But if you do that, the Empress will place many
charges against us and have us both executed.”

Killing the Second Prince, who had not even been formally convicted,
would be a great risk to Carlisle, and an all-out war against Ophelia
may force him to step down. Overthrowing the Imperial family by
military force meant scorched earth tactics—he would not only have
to remove Redfield, but Emperor Sullivan as well. If Carlisle tried to
have Redfield killed in a half-hearted manner, he would only be
further from the throne. Elena was aware of that as well.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t do anything for you.”

Carlisle’s blue eyes trembled slightly at her unexpected show of

support. He smiled faintly and brushed his fingers against her pale
cheek.

“Don’t worry. There won’t be trouble. If this goes to plan, then soon
you’ll hold your side of the contract you made a long time ago.”

“The contract…”

The memory suddenly came to her head.

— When you become empress as you desire, live only as my wife.

It was one of their agreements when they made their contract

marriage. They wouldn’t sleep together until Elena became empress,
which meant that the moment Carlisle took the throne, the pair would
truly be coupled.

Elena’s heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t know why, but there
was always a lingering heat in his eyes whenever he backed away from
kissing her. She didn’t understand why he only came into their
bedroom only when he was exhausted—it was all because he was
doing his best to keep his word with her.

“On my coronation day, I’m thinking of burning the couch first.”

Elena’s cheeks turned pink. Since the wedding, Elena slept on the bed,
while Carlisle took the couch. She understood his implication.

“Do what you want. At that time…you won’t need a couch anyway.”

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Elena suddenly felt embarrassed at the words that left her mouth, and
her ears burned. Carlisle wasn’t the only one hoping for such a
moment. More than anyone else, Elena hoped for the days when
Carlisle would become emperor and she could keep her family safe.
She hadn’t given the contract details much consideration…but when
everything was finished, she would live just as Carlisle’s woman.

“Don’t forget what you just said.”

Carlisle stared at Elena with bright eyes, and carefully kissed her
forehead as if to seal a vow. Despite the softness of his lips, his mouth
felt as hot as when they fiercely kissed.
Elena looked up at him, and Carlisle cupped her cheek, her body
feeling warmer than before.

“Hold on. I’ll be there for you soon.”

Chapter 248 – The First Trap (2)

Ophelia was determined to have the showdown at the National

Founding Day today, as Carlisle continued to refuse to release
Redfield. Public opinion favored Ophelia. However, no one had the
ability to forcibly disperse Carlisle’s soldiers—no one except for the
Emperor of the Ruford Empire. And so, Ophelia planned to pressure
Sullivan at the National Founding Day, where many nobles would
gather.

Cesare followed behind Ophelia’s footsteps, and murmured to her in

an urgent voice.

“Sister, I have been informed that the Crown Prince will be present
today as expected.”

“Yes. He wouldn’t miss this.”

Each year on the celebration of the nation’s founding, the Imperial

Family and numerous nobles would come together to have a
discussion on the state of the nation. Since Redfield’s detention,
Carlisle had been absent from public appearances, but he would be
unable to avoid facing the judgment of the people now. Ophelia’s
eyes gleamed like a venomous snake.

“…I must clearly show who has the advantage in front of everyone.”

She was determined to make Carlisle pay the price of taking her son.
As Ophelia approached the conference hall where the ceremony was
to be held, she covered her true intentions with a benevolent smile on
her face.

“All hail Her Majesty, Empress Ophelia of the Ruford Empire!”

The herald at the entrance loudly announced Ophelia’s arrival. All the
nobles in the hall bowed to her and greeted her with one voice.

“Hail to Her Majesty the Empress! Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire!”

Immediately behind her stood a procession of her followers, headed

by her brother Cesare and her head lady-in-waiting Cassana.
Numerous other prominent ladies-in-waiting were filed behind them,
giving testament to the power and dignity of the Empress.

Ophelia grandly took her seat next to Sullivan, who was sitting at the
head of the table.

“Kollog, kollog. You’re here?”

Sullivan had a pallid complexion, and Ophelia furrowed her brow in

false worry.

“Your Majesty, you look unwell today.”

However, she smiled inwardly. Sullivan’s condition may get even worse
if she went through with her plan today. He would be forced to watch
what she had planned for Carlisle.

A wide smile spread across her lips, and she looked straight ahead and
watched the vast array of nobles arriving. Among them, a few nobles
had given her a secret nod. Many who had already gathered here
were on her side.

It was then.

“Hail to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of the Ruford Empire!”

Ophelia’s eyes naturally moved to Carlisle’s and Elena’s entrance. As

soon as she saw who was following them, her expression hardened.

‘How can this be?’

The women who stood behind the Crown Princess were all well-known
celebrities of high society. The first to appear was Margaret of Count
Lawrence’s family, who had been serving as Elena’s lady-in-waiting.
She was followed by Yulia of Marquis Necrensi’s family, the flower of
society and the trendsetter of the capital.

That wasn’t all—Countess Stella Viviana was there was well. When the
young women who admired Yulia and Stella were put together, the
procession behind Elena was quite impressive.

‘…When did this growth happen?’

Elena’s position in society was considerably stronger than Ophelia

guessed. Even the Empress, who had lived in the capital far longer,
could not attract those women to her side, yet somehow they were
following the Crown Princess. Ophelia’s eyes narrowed.

‘I have to remove her before it’s too late.’

Fortunately, she would be able to destroy Carlisle at the National

Founding Day, and then she could set her sights on Elena.

When everyone was seated, the time for the meeting began. Despite
the Emperor Sullivan’s obviously sickly pallor, he spoke in a strong,
dignified voice.

“Kollog, then let’s start the meeting.”

The first issue on the table would normally have been concerns about
the lives of its citizens or recommendations about neighboring
countries. This time was different however. A nobleman opened his
mouth to speak.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I’d like to say something.”

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss state affairs openly and
honestly, and Sullivan answered without hesitation.
“You may speak.”

“Are you aware that the Second Prince is currently being detained in
the Crown Prince’s palace? Surely laws must be followed in the Ruford
Empire, and this is going too far.”

As soon as the topic was brought up, other nobles began to add their
words as if they had prepared it beforehand.

“I agree. I don’t know if the allegations are true, but this is a matter of
fair investigation and due process.”

“Even the Crown Prince is not above the law.”

Cesare, who was keeping a watchful eye, exchanged glances with

Ophelia. She gave him a slight nod, judging that it was the right time,
and Cesare himself spoke up.

“The nobles have given numerous complaints to Your Majesty

concerning the Second Prince. Why have you not responded?”

Sullivan coughed roughly into his hand before replying.

“Kollog, kollog. I have been investigating what has been happening.”

“Are you trying to protect the Crown Prince? No matter how

formidable he may be, if one breaks the law, one must pay the price.”

In response to Cesare’s words, the eyes of the knights of the Anita

family began to burn with the spirit of determination. In an instant, the
mood inside the hall changed.

For his finishing act, Cesare pulled out a sheet of paper. It was a
petition signed by other nobles expressing the same sentiment, all of
them agreeing that they wanted Carlisle to be punished.

“Here is a petition demanding the Crown Prince’s punishment. Please

do not ignore it, Your Majesty.”
Cesare did his task as he promised Ophelia, and proudly walked in
front of Sullivan and offered the petition. Given that it was the
National Founding Day, the issue was impossible to ignore. Cesare
turned to throw Carlisle a triumphant grin, but then he stopped.

‘…What?’

Carlisle was watching the proceedings with a languid expression, even

as the tide was turned against him. Anyone who saw him would think
that he looked…bored.

Cesare glanced backwards to Ophelia, and ominous feeling rising in

him. Ophelia watched Carlisle with a grave expression, as if she sensed
something was wrong.

“Crown Prince, explain yourself.”

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There was a shrew glimmer in Carlisle’s eyes. He gave a low chuckle

and spoke in a mischievous tone.

“A petition…I was looking forward to seeing what you would do, and I
have to say that I’m a little disappointed. Is that all?”

“Wh-what?”

Cesare’s face flushed red in embarrassment, while Carlisle continued

to gaze around in a relaxed manner.

“Is it my turn to show you what I’ve prepared?”

Chapter 249 – Feeling Trapped (1)

“Is it my turn to show you what I’ve prepared?”

At the same time, Carlisle’s eyes turned towards Zenard, who was
standing by the entrance and waiting for his orders.

“Bring him in.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Zenard gave a low bow and immediately brought in Smith, the head
of the Casey family. As soon as he entered, he gave his greeting to the
Imperial Family.

“Hail to Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress. Eternal glory to the
Ruford Empire.”

The man’s sudden appearance set of a wave of murmuring in the

conference hall. Smith, however, acted as if he took no notice of it,
and simply strode forwards next to Cesare and handed a file to
Sullivan.

“What is this?”

“You are aware that Flower Bridge was constructed by the Casey
family. These documents are proof that Her Majesty the Empress tried
to destroy the bridge.”

The buzz in the conference hall grew ever louder, and Ophelia’s
expression darkened as she watched the situation unfold. She
suspected something would happen once Smith appeared on
Carlisle’s side, but it was not easy to rectify things as they were
happening all at once. Ophelia spoke, attempting to stem the
accusations against her before the mood soured against her.

“Your Majesty, this is someone’s trap.”

Smith spoke in protest.

“There is evidence that Her Majesty attempted to replace the bridge’s

building materials to compromise it. So far, that evidence is not yet
unequivocal…but we know that some time ago, someone tried to blow
up Flower Bridge.”

Sullivan, who was listening to the two, spoke up.

“Did someone confess to it?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The men captured confessed to following the

Empress’ orders.”

Ophelia’s brow lifted sharply at Smith’s reply. She would not let herself
roll over and lose.

“I have tens of thousands of followers because of my position as

empress. While it is my responsibility to manage them properly, there
is no guarantee that they acted on my orders.”

She had already planned to place responsibility of the incident to

another noble, but avoiding suspicion was not easy, and she had to
resolve each issue one by one. She was supposed to be dealing with
Redfield at the moment, not the Flower Bridge. However, she
maintained her composure in the face of the accusation.

“I request that you reinvestigate the incident at Flower Bridge. It is a

great shame at the Empress’ name is spoken in such a disgraceful way.
But for now…”

She looked around at the nobles gathered in the conference hall and
spoke with authoritative strength.

“I believe we should settle the matter about Second Prince Redfield

first, not the one about me.”

Ophelia turned her attention back to Carlisle. Regardless, an

investigation of the Flower Bridge would take time to complete.
Several nobles rushed to agree with Ophelia.
“Her Majesty is right. Rather than questioning the Empress, whose
guilt is not certain at the moment, it is imperative that the Crown
Prince be punished for illegally detaining the Second Prince.”

“Your Majesty, please continue!”

Carlisle gave the nobles a cold glare.

“The crime of not officially investigating the Redfield…should I explain

why?”

Ophelia and the nobles looked in astonishment towards Carlisle. An

ominous feeling hovered over the Empress’ mind.

‘Does he have a reason? What does he have that he thinks he can

confidently prove in front of everyone?’

Facing Ophelia’s stunned gaze, Carlisle calmly spoke to Zenard once

again.

“Bring me Second Prince Redfield.”

A moment later, Redfield was dragged into the hall by several knights.
Upon seeing her son, Ophelia stood up from her seat furiously.

“Prince Carlisle! What is the meaning of this!”

“M-mother…
Redfield’s expression melted into relief upon seeing his mother.
However, that wasn’t the end of it. Right behind him, other men were
bringing in the various herbs and drugs that Redfield favored at his
parties. The room’s eyes couldn’t help but turn to them.

Carlisle gestured to the evidence and spoke again.

“These are the illegal drugs that Redfield uses at his parties.”

Cesare burst out in anger.

“There is no proof of that!”

“Of course there is.”

Carlisle had made thorough preparations, and handed over his own
documents to Sullivan.

“This is a list of all the drugs that Redfield has used. If you’re curious if
they work, then we can mix up a few and burn them here.”

Carlisle’s cool blue eyes slid toward the spectating nobles in the
conference hall.

“Well, we may be able to identify which nobles are resistant to the

drugs.”

While Redfield inhaled the same drugs as everyone else at the party,
he would have developed a resistance to it be able to experience its
pleasurable effects. Those who encountered it for the first time would
lose control of their limbs, or even their consciousness. If the
substances were burned here and any noble was shown to have a
resistance to it, it was likely they may have enjoyed the drug together
with Redfield. Carlisle’s words caused some of the nobles to stiffen.

Ophelia was more stunned than anyone else. She was skilled at
producing and mixing various drugs and poisons. Her son had the
same skills as well, and she knew better than anyone that isolating the
ingredients of a mixture took considerable time and resources. She
expected Carlisle had some small amount of conviction, but she never
expected damnable proof.

Ophelia did not know the most important fact so far—that Redfield
had invited Elena to a party some time ago, where she had stolen a
portion of the powder.

‘…This is not to plan. This one may be difficult to get out of.’
Ophelia was aware of the disaster that was about to befall her. Cesare
also noticed that things were getting worse, and quickly retaliated
against Carlisle.

“Suppose the Second Prince was using illegal drugs. Why did the
Crown Prince proceed to act on his own?”

“Good question.”

Carlisle faced the entrance again.

“Bring in the witnesses.”

First, several knights entered the hall, carrying a partition that one
could not see through. They placed it in one corner of the room, and
then veiled woman began to enter the hall in a line. Sullivan looked on
at the curious scene.

“Who are they?”

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“These are the victims who had been invited to Redfield’s parties. They
only agreed to speak if their identities were hidden. It will not be
disclosed in public.”

Elena, who had been silently observing the proceedings, began to

look on with even more interest. Perhaps one of the witnesses
entering the conference hall was Yulia’s friend. Yulia was sitting
nearby, and Elena took her hand. The young lady’s eyes slowly turned
towards Elena.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Yulia nodded, comforted by Elena’s warm touch, then turned back to
face the front with a more intense look than before.

Chapter 250 – Feeling Trapped (2)

The witnesses stood behind the partition and recounted their stories
from Redfield’s party hall.

“At one point, my mind became fuzzy and I couldn’t keep my balance.
Then, as if the Second Prince was waiting for the opportunity, he r-
raped me. He even passed me around to other men…”

Redfield turned purple in the face.

“Lies! This is a conspiracy by Carlisle!”

The woman replied with a noticeably anger-hardened voice.

“Don’t you remember? You told me I should be grateful to accept the

seed of the Second Prince.”

The testimony caused the room to fall into shocked silence, as if

everyone had been doused with cold water.

“Th-that’s false. It’s meant to trick all of you.”

Redfield continued to claim innocence, but everyone in the room was

not eager to defend him from the accusations. The evidence Carlisle
presented was too clear to be able side with Redfield.

“The reason an official investigation was not conducted was because

the witnesses were reluctant to reveal their identity. I was forced to
hold the Second Prince in custody until all would be revealed.”

“No matter the excuse, one cannot allow an arbitrary investigation!”

Cesare attempted to find fault with all of Carlisle’s words, but the
prince continued calmly with not a hint of a tremble in his voice.
“The opinion of Lord Anita is not important. I’m sure none of the
victims here are your family.”

Redfield could not touch his relatives, so the victims were naturally
from other noble families. Carlisle lifted his eyes towards the nobles,
his voice carrying strongly across the room.

“I would not advise just standing by and seeing these victims as

someone’s else’s daughter. One of them behind this partition may be
your own.”

“…!”

The nobles who had sided with Ophelia suddenly became mute.
Because the faces of the victims were not revealed, the nobles were
forced to use their imagination. Every man may be indifferent to
another man’s suffering, but when it came to their own family, they
became protective. It was because of this that Carlisle decided to
obscure the victims’ faces. A few courageous women wanted to step
forward to ensure the Redfield was punished, but it was decided that
it was more favorable for the victims to remain unknown.

There were a number of reasons why Carlisle detained Redfield in his

palace. One was to distract Ophelia and have her obsess over the
condition of her son. Because Carlisle intended to attack her by
multiple angles, he needed to draw her attention away from his other
plans as much as possible. Redfield’s detention was also a clear
message to the nobles that Carlisle’s position was far stronger.

And…Carlisle’s plan worked. Ophelia’s blood drained from her face. It

was not possible for her to claim Redfield was innocent.

‘…I was struck.’

Ophelia lacked a counterattack to Carlisle’s words. She knew in the

worst case, witnesses would appear, but she did not anticipate that
they would cover their faces. By doing so, each noble was inflicted
with doubt, fearing that one of the victims was their daughter.

Sullivan, who had been silently watching the proceedings, finally

spoke in a low and strong tone.

“Needless to say, the Second Prince’s crime is clear.”

“No, Father! I didn’t do anything wrong—”

Redfield tried to restate his innocence, but Ophelia signalled him with
a small shake of her head to stop him from talking. It was
disadvantageous to insist that he committed no crime at this point.
Now it was important to lighten Redfield’s guilt somehow. Ophelia
lifted her head imperiously and prepared herself for what was to come
next.

“Your Majesty, no matter the severity of his wrongdoing, Redfield is

the Second Prince. Why don’t you take the time to consider his
punishment instead of deciding what to do here?”

At her words, Carlisle let out a sharp bark of laughter.

“I believe you just said that not even a prince was above the law.”

Those were Cesare’s words. His face turned red in anger, but he stood
there without saying a word.

Everything had gone according to Carlisle’s plan, and he played his

final card.

“Your Majesty, do you remember what you told me the other day?”

Sullivan gave him a questioning look.

“What do you mean?”

“You said that if the culprit who sent assassins after me were caught,
then I could cut their throats.”
“Kollog. I did.”

“The prime suspect in the incident is Her Majesty the Empress.”

Everyone’s eyes turned towards the Empress at the same time. Her
eyes widened in stunned disbelief.

“What on earth are you talking about now, Crown Prince?”

“You know that Marquis Selby was named the mastermind of the plot.
But recently, someone attempted to poison his daughter, who was
being held in prison at the time.”

Ophelia remembered a conversation she had with her lady-in-waiting

Cassana.

— We plan to take care of her with poison. Any connection to you will
be completely cleansed, Your Majesty.

— Well done. Once the hunt is over, we eat the hounds.

Ophelia naturally assumed Helen had been removed from the picture
by now. But…

‘…Did it fail?’

She never imagined that Carlisle knew about it.

“The investigation regarding Lady Selby’s attempted poisoning has

already been completed. We discovered what the poison was, and
traced it back to its source. Everything points back to Her Majesty the
Empress. If the Empress was not connected, she would not have tried
to poison Lady Selby.”

Carlisle smirked lightly. He knew Empress Ophelia better than anyone

else. He used bait to distract her from knowing that he had amassed a
mountain of evidence before her, before using the opportunity to
strike.
“Ah…”

Ophelia began to panic when all her schemes began unraveling before
her. She was already accused of attempting to destroy Flower Bridge.
To make matters worse, she was suspected of being involved in
Carlisle’s assassination. Redfield was also in trouble for serious charges
against him. She could not respond to the wave of accusations levied
against her.

Ophelia was mute, and Sullivan made his final decision.

“Begin an investigation regarding the Empress today.”

The nobles gathered there were astonished at the unexpected turn of

events. Most had bet on Ophelia’s victory today, but Carlisle had
neatly drawn her into his surprise trap.

When Carlisle spoke, it was with a solemn expression.

“As the one who has investigated these matters so far, I have a favor
to ask of Your Majesty.”

“Speak, Crown Prince.”

“There are many things that will need to be discussed before justice
can be administered. However…”

Carlisle’s eyes gleamed in triumph, like a predator close to its prely.

“Please remove Redfield’s right to succession today.”

Ophelia, who had kept her mouth firmly shut, suddenly burst out into
rage.

“Th-that’s preposterous!”

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All the nobles stared at Sullivan with stunned eyes. Although the
formal investigation would take time to be conducted, the sins of
Ophelia and Redfield were already certain. Sullivan nodded, then
spoke with a firm voice as if he already made his decision.

“As of now, all claims to succession held by Second Prince Redfield are
no longer valid.”

Small, stunned gasps rippled across the room.

But that wasn’t the end. Sullivan’s words continued.

“We will soon have a coronation to formally pass the throne to Crown
Prince Carlisle.”

Chapter 251 – A Shocking Development (1)

“We will soon have a coronation to formally pass the throne to Crown
Prince Carlisle.”

That made Carlisle the final victor. Many of the nobles who followed
Ophelia paled, but they could find no reason to oppose Sullivan’s
orders.

“Your Majesty! Redfield is your son! This is too much.”

Although Ophelia raised her voice in objection, Sullivan answered with

a steady voice, having already made up his mind.

“Escort the Empress to the palace so she may rest.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Several knights marched towards Ophelia and stood around her. They
did not lay their hands on her, but they would do so if she did not
comply willingly.
“Please come this way, Your Majesty.”

Ophelia ground her teeth in resentment, but she stood up and

stepped forward, knowing that resisting was an effort in futility. Cesare
followed her with a face of contempt. Seeing that he would be left
alone, Redfield cried out with a frightened expression.

“M-Mother!”

Ophelia and Cesare, however, did not look back, and finally
disappeared from view. Sullivan turned his eyes towards his second
son.

“Kolog, kolog. The Second Prince will be held in custody until there is
a formal trial. Let us deliberate more on what to do then.”

“Father, I’m sorry, I did wrong. Please forgive me just this once…!”

Redfield attempted to rush towards Sullivan, but a barrier of knights

captured and restrained him. He was dragged out of the conference
hall, begging and screaming for mercy.

A deathly silence had fallen over room as the Anita family crumbled
before everyone’s view. Sullivan looked around at the nobles with his
sunken eyes and addressed them again.

“Is there anything more to discuss while we’re gathered here to honor
that nation’s founding?”

“…”

It was impossible for anyone to speak after what had just happened.
When the room remained silent, Sullivan raised himself from his
throne with a heavy sigh.

“Then let us end this year’s national memorial meeting.”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty! Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire!”

The hall echoed with the loud voices of nobles, then Sullivan walked
out the exit with restrained, but dignified, steps. Standing to one side
of the corridor was Carlisle, and Sullivan turned towards him and
whispered to him in a soft voice.

“Well done.”

Sullivan did not know everything that Carlisle had been planning.
However, when the nobles had been demanding Redfield’s release,
Carlisle had quietly come to Sullivan and requested some time to
speak at the assembly. Sullivan suspected that Carlisle had prepared
something, but he performed much better than he expected.

However, the outcome was not completely favorable. Just as Ophelia

had said, Redfield was still his son.

Sullivan made to walk past Carlisle, but he suddenly stopped.

“Carlisle.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Kolog, kolog. Don’t hate Redfield too much…he is your brother.”

Carlisle’s cool blue eyes turned towards his father.

“…That is why he still has his life.”

Redfield and Carlisle were only half-brothers by blood, but it was still
the same blood. Sullivan himself tried to avoid killing his own brother
as much as possible. Carlisle was aware of that fact, and so he
restrained himself in honor of his father. He would only choose to kill
Redfield if it was unavoidable. As long as Sullivan was alive, Carlisle did
not intend to take Redfield’s life.

Sullivan touched Carlisle’s broad shoulder with one hand.

“Yes. Kolog, kolog. I have deprived Redfield of the right to succession,
so spare him if you can.”

“Well…I’m not so sure everyone is happy that he’s alive.”

Carlisle’s eyes turned in the direction where the victims had stood
earlier.

“He had committed grave sins.”

Just because Redfield was Carlisle’s brother, it didn’t mean he would

be punished lightly. Sullivan shook his head as if he didn’t want to go
to such extremes.

“Just spare his life…I do not wish for any more.”

“If that is Father’s will, then I will use it as a guide.”

Carlisle did not commit to a promise, but Sullivan knew it was the best
he could do. He understood his son’s militant nature better than
anyone else. He was also more envious of Carlisle than anyone else.

“The coronation—kolog—will take place as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Father.”

Sullivan’s condition had continued to deteriorate. He sensed his body

would soon give out, and so he planned to give the throne over to
Carlisle before he passed away. If he did not smoothly hand over
succession now, bloody conflict would likely erupt in the Ruford
Empire in the vacuum of power. And so, he seized the opportunity
that Carlisle provided him, even if Ophelia and Redfield were hurt in
the process. When Sullivan thought about the distant future, he knew
it would be crucial to make a firm decision here.

“Later—kolog, kolog—come and see me.”

“I will.”
Sullivan’s eyes caught sight of Elena approaching. Carlisle would soon
become Emperor, and her face was alight with joy. Sullivan looked at
her with a soft gaze, then turned back to Carlisle.

“I will see you later.”

Sullivan turned his heel and left the corridor so the couple could talk
comfortably.

Elena quickly approached Carlisle. She glanced at the Emperor’s

retreating back and looked back at Carlisle.

“Did I interrupt?”

“No, we finished speaking.”

A somber expression was fixed on Carlisle’s face, but Elena continued

on with enthusiasm.

“You were incredible earlier. I had a few moments where I was

nervous, but today I witnessed what a great man my husband is.”

The honesty of Elena’s praise caused Carlisle’s lips to lift into a soft
smile.

“…I’m happy to receive your compliments.”

“Of course. Didn’t any else say the same to you?”

“Well, perhaps…”

His words trailed off, and he soon gave a bitter smile. Few people
dared to utter a compliment to Carlisle. Those would normally be
given by someone of higher or equal status to him. His subordinates
were just limbs for him to command, and the words of nobles were
not of praise, but flattery. Elena’s words were the only ones he could
rely on.

“…No one else can judge my actions as Crown Prince.”

Carlisle simply took responsibility for his own actions. No one else
could judge right or wrong about it; such was the unconditional power
of the Crown Prince.

Elena sensed a loneliness in Carlisle’s words. She couldn’t express it

exactly, but she understood his feelings. She was the eldest daughter
of the Blaise family, and always lived a life of sacrifice and
responsibility. However, her memories were not filled with much
praise. She just did what she needed to do.

She took Carlisle’s hand and took him to an empty corner where there
was no one else around. The corridor was starting to crowd with
thousands of nobles as they were leaving, everyone buzzing with
anticipation about the upcoming coronation ceremony. She had
hidden the two of them behind a pillar, and she peered around at
their surroundings. Carlisle gave her a quizzical look, but he did not
stop her.

Elena then turned around, stood up on her toes, and patted his head,
as if she were complimenting a child.

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Seueug, seueug.

Carlisle’s blue eyes widened in wonder, and she gifted him a warm
smile.

“Good work. You worked hard, didn’t you?”

“…”

“I’ll praise you more in the future. Thank you. Because of you, you
have made my long-held wish come true.”
Chapter 252 – A Shocking Development (2)

Elena’s goal in life was to keep the Blaise family safe. Now that Carlisle
was soon to become emperor, she would be able to accomplish
everything she had longed for. She would protect her loved ones, and
take her revenge on Paveluc, which she had failed to do in her last life.

Carlisle was surprised by the sudden determination on Elena’s face,

and he couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across his lips.

“Do you know how weak a man is to praise?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The more I taste it, the better I want to do. And—”

Hwiig!

Carlisle took Elena by the shoulders and pushed her against the pillar.
Their positions were immediately reversed, and Elena was trapped as
Carlisle loomed over her. An atmosphere of danger crackled in the air,
and he leaned his head in close towards her.

“…You saying it in such a lovely voice makes it hard for me to bear.”

“Oh?”

Elena looked at him with rounded eyes. Although they were in a

deserted part of the corridor, she didn’t know how long it would be
until someone passed them by. Carlisle didn’t seem to care at all,
however, and he kept his deep blue eyes fixed on her.

“Caril, what if someone walks by—?”

“Are we doing anything wrong? They’re free to look.”

“But…”
“If they make you feel uncomfortable, then I can dig out the eyes of
the ones who look at you.”

“…What?”

Elena stared up at him in shock, and Carlisle gave a dark chuckle.

“Although the last thing they would see is a beautiful woman, so I’m
afraid they’ll only keep thinking of you.”

“…Caril.”

At her troubled tone, he took another step closer to her. He was so

close that his hot breath tickled her nose. His searing gaze seemed to
penetrate her right into her soul.

“I told you. You keep testing my patience.”

Carlisle carefully lifted a lock of her long, golden hair, then pressed a
kiss against it, keeping his eyes fixed on her as he did so. Elena’s
breath caught at the sheer sensuality of his gesture.

“You best be prepared. The coronation will soon happen.”

***

That night, Ophelia moved silently towards the palace where Sullivan
was staying. She had to make up for what happened at the conference
hall somehow.

‘…The more time passes, the more disadvantageous of a position I will

be.’

If Carlisle were to be coronated, it would be completely over, and

there was no other path Ophelia could take. Redfield’s succession to
the throne had to be restored by any means.

‘It doesn’t matter how bad the deal is. If I hand over the throne to
Carlisle like this, the Anita family will end.’
Ophelia was determined to give up anything Sullivan demanded, as
long as he restored her son’s birthright. She was ready to swallow her
pride and beg on her knees before him.

She stopped in front of Sullivan’s door, her eyes shining brightly. The
Emperor’s head butler recognized her, and he hesitated for a moment.

“Your Majesty…”

“What are you doing? Inform the Emperor I am here.”

Even if Ophelia would later have to pay for her crimes, she was still the
Empress of the Ruford Empire. The butler could not stand in her way,
and he finally announced her presence.

“Your Majesty, The Empress is here to see you.”

There was no reply from inside Sullivan’s room. Ophelia thought the
lack of response was strange, but she was impatient to meet him. The
butler turned back to Ophelia.

“His Majesty has been unwell and must have taken his rest early. If you
come back when it’s light tomorrow—”

“Get out of the way. I have something important to say to him.”

“B-but—”

The butler blocked her from entering the room, and Ophelia threw
him her most vicious glare.

“Do you really wish to die?”

Never before had an inferior acted this way to Ophelia. This alone was
proof of how much Ophelia’s authority had plummeted.

“I may seem like a toothless tiger now, but I can still kill a rat or bird
behind closed doors. Think carefully before you act.”
In response to Ophelia’s terrible threat, the head butler bit his lip and
stepped aside. With no further obstacles in her way, she quickly
opened the door and entered Sullivan’s room. Her demeanor changed
instantly, and she spoke in a gentle voice.

“Your Majesty.”

There was still no response. Confused, she carefully approached the

bed where Sullivan was lying. Her view of him was obscured by a thin
curtain.

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“Your Majesty, I must speak to you—ah!”

Ophelia reached out to Sullivan, but then immediately snatched her

hand back when she felt the cold temperature of his body.

‘Surely…’

Ophelia’s eyes grew impossibly wide. She approached Sullivan again

and carefully pressed her finger under his nose. There was no hint of
breath.

Sullivan had passed away. It was a shocking development.

Chapter 253 – I Won’t Miss This Time (1)

Ophelia stiffened when she realized that Sullivan was dead, but then
she exhaled a deep breath as she realized that she was the only one
who knew. This could be a new opportunity for her to exploit.

‘I must think calmly.’

Ophelia came to Sullivan, intending to beg him to reinstate Redfield’s
birthright, even if she had to give up her life. There was no guarantee
he would allow it.

But now, Sullivan was dead. And only Ophelia knew. A thrill of
exhilaration ran down her spine.

‘…This is a chance granted by the heavens.’

She quickly recovered, then approached Sullivan’s desk. On a sheet of

paper she wrote “Restore Redfield’s right to succession”, then marked
it with the Emperor’s seal. It had to appear as if the letter was written
before he died.

She knew that would not be enough. Carlisle nor the Emperor’s allies
would not stand for it. There were still several charges against her and
Redfield, and punishment was not easily avoidable. Carlisle’s evidence
was too compelling, and the throne couldn’t remain empty for long.
There was only one way.

‘Tonight, I will kill Carlisle.’

A cold glow glimmered in Ophelia’s eyes when she made her decision.
When Carlisle died, the next successor to the throne would be
Redfield, once the document was revealed. Once her son became
emperor, he would be forever immune to any accusation of crime, and
his and Ophelia’s sins would be forever buried.

‘…I must move quickly.’

A large number of troops were stationed around the Crown Prince’s

palace; Carlisle was untouchable there. For her plan to succeed, she
had to draw him out from his walls. Ophelia did not have the power to
summon him…but Sullivan did.

She glanced back at the entrance where the Emperor’s head butler
was on watch. She deliberately shouted loud enough so he could hear
her words through the door.
“Your Majesty! Please, forgive me just one time. I’m sure Redfield is
also reflecting on his actions.”

She moved around the chairs and created noises to make it sound like
Sullivan was alive.

“If you wish to punish me, then I humbly accept it. Just save Redfield’s
life.”

Ophelia sharply pinched her thigh. As it turned black and blue, painful
tears streamed down their eyes and she let out a sob.

Some time later, Ophelia opened the door. The butler looked
surprised to see her tear-stained face.

“…Butler.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“His Majesty requests that you call the Crown Prince. I believe His
Majesty wants to discuss the matter regarding Redfield.”

“Ah, really?”

He thought it strange that Ophelia, not Sullivan, would deliver the

order, but he found it difficult to speak against the crying woman.

Ophelia turned her glare towards him.

“What are you doing just standing there?”

“A-ah, yes.”

“His Majesty says he’ll go to the Northern Palace where it’s quiet, so
tell the Crown Prince to meet him there.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

It was not until the butler left that Ophelia breathed a sigh. Behind the
Northern Palace was a high cliff. It was a relatively secluded area with
spectacular scenery, but the reason she chose it was to prevent
Carlisle from slipping through her grasp easily.

‘I won’t miss this time.’

Ophelia spoke to another servant standing at the entrance.

“I am feeling dizzy, so call Cesare and tell him to come here. If I stay in
this state, I may faint.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“As quick as possible.”

At Ophelia’s command, the servant hurried away. While Ophelia could

leave by herself, someone else might go inside the room and realize
that Sullivan was dead. He had to be hidden until everything was over,
and so Ophelia decided to have Cesare brought to her.

She looked towards the Emperor’s guards in front of the door and
spoke to them.

“I must speak further with His Majesty, so do not enter.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

All those standing at the entrance bowed to Ophelia’s orders.

***

The atmosphere at the Crown Prince’s palace was as vibrant as a

festival. Sullivan had announced that Carlisle would soon be coronated
emperor, and all the servants and knights drank a toast in celebration.

As did Carlisle and Elena in their room.

Clink!
Their wine glasses touched each other in the air. Elena had a broad
smile on her face as she sipped her drink, which tasted exceptionally
sweet on her tongue.

“The Emperor has only announced your coronation today, but many
gifts have already arrived from the nobility.”

“They’re pleading for their life. Many who wrote their names in the
Anita family’s petition not be sleeping easily.”

Now that Carlisle’s victory had been assured, it is only natural that
many of Ophelia’s followers would switch alliances. Carlisle and Elena
looked at each other and smiled at the same time.

Elena, who was savoring her wine, suddenly turned more serious.

“I have something to tell you, Caril.”

“What do you mean?”

He looked at her curiously. Elena inhaled a deep breath. She had yet
to tell him that she once lived another life before returning to the
past. After first, she concealed it from him because she thought he
would find it unbelievable. After learning about the Dragon’s Orb,
however, she was certain that he would understand her more than
anyone else. Nevertheless, it was still a secret for a reason…

Elena did not know how events would change if Carlisle knew about
the future. It may make things even more complicated. Some events
had repeated themselves, but there were many other twisting detours
with drastic outcomes—such as the fact that Carlisle was now alive.
That alone had massively changed the course of history. Elena
believed that her warning about Paveluc was enough. She would
confess to him once Empress Ophelia was dealt with and Carlisle
inherited the throne.

All things considered, this seemed to be the right time now.

“The truth is—”

Elena was about to speak, when she was interrupted by a sudden

knock on the door. Carlisle frowned at the disturbance, but Elena
spoke up to see what was going on.

“Come in.”

With Elena’s permission given, the door opened and a maid entered.

“Your Highness, the head butler from the Emperor’s palace is here to
see you. He says His Majesty is looking for the Crown Prince.”

Elena’s and Carlisle’s eyes met in midair at the unexpected summons.

Elena nodded first.

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“Have the butler enter.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Carlisle threw a suspicious look towards the maid and murmured

towards Elena in a low voice.

“Why at this time of night?”

“I don’t know. But it must be important if it’s a late call.”

Chapter 254 – I Won’t Miss This Time (2)

Although there was little doubt that Ophelia and Redfield had
committed serious crimes, it was not yet determined what
punishments would be imposed. Sullivan and Carlisle would continue
to keep an investigation open until then, although the Emperor’s
rapidly deteriorating health was a cause for concern.
Kkiiig.

The Emperor’s chief butler walked into the room.

“Hail to the Crown Princess and Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the
Ruford Empire.”

“Welcome. Has anything happened to Father?”

The butler shook his head.

“No. He’s had a bad cough recently, but it has been quiet tonight. He’s
in as good condition as he ever was. There is no need for worry.”

Elena sighed with relief. This time, it was Carlisle who spoke.

“Why is he looking for me?”

“Ah…Her Majesty the Empress came and pleaded to the Emperor on

behalf of the Second Prince. I believe His Majesty would like to discuss
the matter with you.”

He reported exactly what he had heard from Ophelia. Carlisle gave a

quick nod of acknowledgment.

“Very well. I’ll be there soon.”

“Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty requested that you meet him at the
Northern Palace?”

“Northern Palace?”

Carlisle looked momentarily puzzled, but then he gave another nod.

The Northern Palace was a remote, quiet place, surrounded by
beautiful scenery. He assumed that his father wanted to talk in private.

“I’ll take my leave.”

The head butler bowed deeply and then left the room. Carlisle turned
towards Elena.

“What were you just saying?”

“Never mind. Go see His Majesty and I’ll tell you later.”

It would take a while for her to explain the full story of how she had
returned from the past, so thought it better to set it aside for now.
Carlisle threw her an intrigued look, but Sullivan was waiting, and he
was forced to stand up from his seat.

“Very well. I’ll listen to your words when I get back.”

He stepped towards the door. Elena watched his retreating back, when
a spontaneous thought crossed her mind.

“Caril.”

Carlisle stopped and turned at her call, his eyes lit by a mysterious
blue glow.

“May I come with you to see Father as well? It has been a while since
I’ve last spoken with him. There is something else I want to speak to
him about.”

She wanted to talk with him more on the ancient curse on the Imperial
Family. In the future, she didn’t just intend to keep the curse at bay—
she was determined to break it. Sullivan, who considered the curse to
be more of a blessing, would not be happy about it, but Elena was
determined to do so.

Carlisle gave a satisfied nod. There was no reason for him to hesitate,
as at the National Founding meeting, Sullivan had asked him to visit
with Elena.

“It’s better if you come with me.”

“Yes. Let’s go together.”

Elena smiled as she rose from her seat and walked towards Carlisle. He
held out his arm towards her, and she accepted it.

***

The entire palatial compound was so large that the Northern Palace
was not in comfortable walking distance from the Crown Prince’s
palace. Carlisle and Elena took a carriage instead. Elena peered out the
window as the scenery passed them by.

“The grounds look exceptionally beautiful tonight.”

The view was breathtaking. Perhaps it was the work of Mother Nature.
No matter the skill of the palace gardeners, they could not create a
scene as stunning as this.

Despite her admiration, however, her mind was heavily occupied by

the day’s events. If Carlisle became the emperor soon, Elena would be
able to achieve everything she had been longing for.

“Is that so? In my eyes, you’re the one that’s most beautiful.”

Elena turned her head towards him. He looked completely unbashed

at giving such candid compliments. His blue eyes, which usually held
the fierceness of a predator, were soft as they looked towards her. It
was an expression reserved only for her, and she felt a gentle thrill.

“…Yes. I have a man in front of me who is more pleasing to look at

than the scenery.”

Carlisle blinked, as if he did not expect Elena to challenge him in a

game of compliments. He gave an amused chuckle at her
competitiveness.

“Just from hearing that, I would do anything for you.”

Elena suddenly remembered when Carlisle pushed her against a pillar
and kissed her hair. She flushed to her roots, and her reaction caused
Carlisle’s laughter to increase.

“It’s so obvious what you’re thinking, and it’s driving me crazy.”

“No, wait—”

Carlisle grinned and leaned it towards her, when the carriage made a
small jolt as it stopped. He frowned in disappointment, while Elena
found relief in calming her frantically beating heart. She had been
tense ever since remembering that her and Carlisle would share a bed
after his coronation.

The carriage driver opened the door, but Elena turned to Carlisle first.

“Next time…I don’t think my heart would be able to stand it.”

With those words, she looked at him with a red cheeks before
stepping out of the carriage. Carlisle covered his face with his palm
and mumbled to himself.

“…That only drives me crazier, my wife.”

Carlisle exited the carriage after Elena, and the pair made their way
towards the Northern Palace. The cool night air brushed their cheeks,
making their quiet stroll more comfortable.

But the peace didn’t last long. At that moment—

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Swig! Swig! Swiig!

As soon as they entered the grounds, countless unidentifiable men

emerged from all sides.
Seogeog!

The servant who was guiding them was cut down by a blade. Carlisle
quickly took grasp of the situation. It was not normal to be attacked in
a place where the Emperor summoned him. His blue eyes hardened
like steel.

“Who the hell are you?”

Chapter 255- If Today Is The Last Day (1)

“Who the hell are you?”

“…”

The men did not speak, and their only response was to lift their
swords together in preparation of an attack. Carlisle stepped in front
of Elena to shield her.

“We have to get out.”

“I agree.”

Elena was about to rush back towards the carriage, when—

Hiiing!

Several men had already surrounded the carriage, and they cut down
the driver and horse with their swords. Part of Elena’s vision went
black as the large animal collapsed to the ground. Due to the
Northern Palace’s isolation, no transportation meant that they were
effectively stranded. Elena and Carlisle did not expect to be ambushed
in the Imperial Palace, and did not have a single guard with them.

“Elena!”

Carlisle cried out to her, and Elena turned her head as he tossed her a
sword.
Taat!

She caught the sword and rushed back to Carlisle’s side, before facing
the men again. Elena’s fluid skill and expert stance momentarily
confused the assassins, but they soon regained their reason, and with
a loud cry, they rushed towards the pair.

Steel flashed in the night, and as Carlisle and Elena fought, the
disadvantages piled up on them. There were too many men blocking
them to be able to make their escape. No matter Carlisle’s and Elena’s
elite skills, they still had physical limitations. In the end, they would run
out of stamina and the hoard of troops would overwhelm them.

Elena took further stock of the situation. The fact that there was an
ambush prepared in the place where Sullivan called them likely meant
he was in trouble.

“What happened to Father?”

Carlisle’s eyes darkened ominously at Elena’s question, but he

remained focused on the immediate problem in front of them.

“Let’s think about getting out of here first.”

There was a squelching sound as Carlisle drove his sword into a man’s
chest and then pulled it out. The body collapsed to the ground and
blood gushed into the air. Because Carlisle and Elena were fighting off
so many men at once, their clothes were soon soaked dark red with
blood. Carlisle gritted his teeth.

“I wanted to avoid this if possible, but I have no other choice.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“It’s not a great plan, but follow me. I’ll break through the path, so
watch my back.”

“Understood.”
Carlisle was far more familiar with the terrain and layout of the
Northern Palace. She followed his rapid footsteps and protected his
back. The assassins were hot on their heels, determined to end Carlisle
no matter what.

“Ah!”

As Elena blocked off three of the assassins, one of them managed to

cut her right arm with their sword. Although the damage was minimal,
she couldn’t afford an injury when she was constantly moving. The
wound wasn’t deep, but blood dripped down from her limb. Carlisle
glanced at her injury and grimaced silently.

Tadag tadag!

Carlisle and Elena grunted as they simultaneously fought to keep the

assassins at bay and flee towards their escape route. If they
failed…they may both lose their lives here.

Chaaang!

Carlisle blocked a sword headed straight for Elena, then spoke to her
with a dark expression.

“If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have brought my wife. ”

Despite the danger before them, Elena gave a smile small at the fact
that Carlisle would speak something so heartfelt at this time.

“What do you mean? Without me, your chances of surviving would

have been halved.”

Survival seemed bleak at this point, but without Elena here, Carlisle’s
death was almost inevitable. Elena’s red eyes shone like blood.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“Don’t say that. If it comes to worst, I won’t hesitate to let you survive.”
“No.”

Elena had already survived alone in her last life, and Carlisle’s words
affected her more than he realized. She never wanted to suffer
through such a lonely hell again.

“If today is your last day, I will go with you.”

It was only a little while longer that Carlisle would become emperor. It
would be devastating to die the moment before they reached their
goal, but she did not intend to carry on. If Carlisle would fall here, then
she would fall in the very same spot.

Carlisle gave a grim chuckle.

“…Then I must accept your decision.”

Both were quick to repel another enemy attack after their brief
conversation.

At last, the two arrived at a dauntingly high cliff. Elena’s eyes widened
as she looked at the drop below.

“Caril, this is—”

“I told you, it’s not the best option. But we don’t have any other
choice.”

Carlisle’s gaze hammered home of the severity of this decision.

Jumping off a cliff was not much better than being killed by assassins,
but she didn’t have the time to say it.

Swiiiig!

Chang! Chaang!

It was getting harder to repel the enemies’ attack. The wound on her
right arm had deepened, and her arm was starting to feel numb as
blood flowed freely from it. On top of that, the assassins were
emboldened once they saw that their prey was trapped by the cliff.
Elena quickly glanced over to Carlisle.

‘Caril wants me to survive, but it’s not me that’s supposed to live and
plan for the future. I have to stall the enemies so he can escape.’

Elena was only a pawn in Carlisle’s path in becoming emperor. It was

he that had to survive and find the culprit who sent the assassins, and
become emperor to deal with Ophelia and Paveluc. Despite the
determination of Elena’s heart, however, her arm started to fail.

‘…A little more.’

The sound of metal rang in the wide empty air as Elena parried
attacks from every direction.

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Swiiiig—

In a gap between the assassins, a sword flashed furiously towards

Elena in an angle she could not avoid. She tried to block it with her
sword, but her right arm throbbed in pain and she missed her timing
by a millisecond.

‘No…!’

Elena knew that there was no way to avoid the attack. She clenched
her eyes in preparation for the sword that would skewer her body.

Suddenly, Carlisle’s arms grabbed hold of Elena’s body. The sword ran
into Carlisle’s side, and as it pulled out, blood spouted like a fountain.
The scene seem to happen in front of Elena’s eyes as if in slow motion.

Chapter 256 – If Today Is The Last Day (2)

“Ca-Caril—!”

Elena’s eyes widened in shock, but Carlisle forced a faint smile despite
his pale complexion.

“I will never allow you to be hurt in front of me.”

“Ah!”

Carlisle collapsed against her, and she supported him with one hand
and dealt with the men with her sword with the other. She needed to
examine his wound immediately, but there was no time to spare.
However, she already knew that his wound was lethal without even
having to look at it.

“For God’s sake, what were you doing?!”

Hot tears of resentment sprung up Elena’s eyes. Carlisle was still

leaning on her for support, but he blocked the furious attacks coming
from his side with his other arm.

“It’s better than watching my wife getting hurt.”

Carlisle’s life was more important than Elena’s, and thus, the assassins
were far more tenacious in their pursuit to kill him. But he had no
regrets. Elena wanted him to live, and Carlisle wanted her to survive.
The sincerity of their hearts were communicated to each other without
having to express it in words.

“You’re so stubborn.”

“As are you, wife.”

At last, at the very edge of the cliff, Carlisle and Elena stood facing
each other. Elena had lost all power from her right arm, and Carlisle
was constantly bleeding from his side. If they jumped off the cliff now,
their chances of surviving were almost none.

And yet, strangely…

Elena was not afraid, knowing that she would not be alone. Carlisle
was gazing at Elena, not a shadow of fear in his eyes.

At this moment, death would not be so bad.

The assassins rushed forwards for another attack, and the pair threw
themselves over the cliff without any hesitation.

Hwiiiiing—

Elena closed her eyes as her body fell endlessly through the air.

***

Ophelia had been enraged to hear that Carlisle and Elena leapt off a
cliff in the Northern Palace grounds.

Kwaang!

She pounded her fist on the table and shouted in an enraged voice.

“What is it that you’re saying?! You should have brought Carlisle’s

neck before me!”

At Ophelia’s outrage, Cesare responded with an embarrassed

expression.

“Please calm down, sister. The reports indicated that they were already
fatally wounded when they jumped, so they couldn’t have survived.
We are still searching the cliffs to find their bodies, so please be
patient.”
“It would be a complication if Carlisle is alive. Furthermore, it is
impossible to remove the soldiers stationed in the palace without
proof of his body. There will be a revolt.”

While Cesare believed that Carlisle and Elena were most certainly
dead, Ophelia did not. She had to plan for the worst. Ophelia and
Redfield would be in a more dire situation than before if Carlisle
survived and took control of the soldiers in the palace.

“No. If Carlisle’s body is not found by morning…then I must turn to

Kelt Kingdom for help.”

The Kelt Kingdom was a powerful nearby country, second in might

only to the Ruford Empire. With their assistance, it would be possible
to remove Carlisle’s soldiers from the Crown Prince’s palace—but the
only problem was the payment.

Cesare’s expression also darkened when he heard the name Kelt.

“If you use them, they will certainly demand a large price.”

It was also dangerous to draw the power of other kingdoms during a

crisis of succession. The Kelt soldiers who came into the Ruford Empire
may not stand down after their mission was over, but Ophelia had no
other options.

“If they don’t accept payment in gold, we may have to give up some
of the Ruford lands.”

“S-sister!”

Ophelia’s decision surprised Cesare, but her face was set.

“Without their help, Redfield would not be able to become emperor

anyway. What does land matter if we’re dead?”

If she handed over Ruford land to another kingdom, the people

residing there would be enslaved and tortured for life. Public
sentiment would turn against her, but she would have to live with it. It
was a better option than allowing Carlisle to take control of the
Empire.

“I will write the letter. If Carlisle’s body isn’t found by dawn, quickly
deliver my message to the Kelt Kingdom.”

“Yes, sister.”

Cesare nodded with a hardened expression.

“For now, gather all the troops you can and surround the Crown
Prince’s palace. Keep close watch, and do not let even a single ant
leave the grounds.”

“Understood.”

“Bear in mind, if Carlisle’s soldiers come across news about the prince,
there may be a revolt, so nip it in the bud before it grows. If Carlisle’s
body is not found, keep the palace under siege until the Kelt soldiers
arrive. Then we can kill them all.”

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Cesare swallowed dryly at the brutality of Ophelia’s command. It

would take several weeks for the Kelt soldiers to arrive at the Ruford
capital. Not one soul could be allowed to enter or leave the Crown
Prince’s palace during all that time.

Ophelia looked up at the dark night sky.

“Move quickly. When the sun rises, I will inform everyone of the
Emperor’s death and his restoration of Redfield’s right to succession.”
Ophelia did not intend to waste this chance that heaven had granted
her. Cesare answered her orders with a deep bow.

“Leave it to me!”

Chapter 257 – Die Together (1)

The next day, everyone in the Crown Prince’s palace was confined to
the place. Everyone had been excited by the prospect of Carlisle
becoming emperor, but the mood had taken a sudden turn. Zenard,
who had belatedly found out about the Empress’ soldiers, attempted
to resolve the situation, but was faced with only threats when he tried
to leave. His expression turned grave, and he murmured to himself.

“Where the hell is he?”

Carlisle and Elena had disappeared overnight. A maid had confirmed

to him that they both went to see Sullivan, but there had been no
news of them since. Furthermore, all the entrances to the Crown
Prince’s palace were completely blocked, and no outside information
was available. Zenard stared at Kuhn in frustration before opening his
mouth to speak.

“How do we get out? We need to know where His Highness is.”

“…It will be difficult.”

Although Kuhn could move by stealth, there was no means of escape

when soldiers surrounded the entirety of the grounds and watched
every conceivable exit. Anyone leaving would become a pincushion of
arrows from the archers stationed around the place. A deep frown
crossed Zenard’s brow.

“Damn it. We may have no choice but to wait.”

Without Carlisle to give them orders, it was impossible to conduct a

counterassault, and the palace remained in a state of confusion. As
they waited, however, they did not realize that Ophelia was slowly
seizing control of the palace.

Outside, the death of Emperor Sullivan was officially announced to the

empire. With his last will, Redfield’s succession to the throne was
restored. The noble families allied with the emperor were deeply
suspicious of sabotage, but without Carlisle, there was nothing they
could do.

Ophelia planned to make Redfield emperor as soon as possible. The

balance of power within the palace was changing rapidly.

***

Inside another room in the Imperial Palace.

Paveluc had not yet returned to the Duchy of Lunen after the
tournament, choosing instead to remain in the capital. He had quickly
learned what happened at the National Founding council, and knew
that Carlisle was the final victor.

But in the space of one night…the victory was overturned.

Carlisle and Elena had suddenly disappeared, and Redfield’s

succession, which was once considered a dead hope, was revived.

‘…What an amusing turn of events.’

His eyes gleamed brightly and a grin spread below his beard. The
servant before him continued to relay his report.

“It is possible that Crown Prince Carlisle has fallen by the Empress’
hand. Batori may have more information, but the Crown Prince’s
palace is completely blocked.”

“Yes. Well, if the Empress still hasn’t released Carlisle’s body, it’s likely
that she hasn’t confirmed his death for herself.”
“Yes. I also have a request from the Empress that you provide support
troops for her. How will you respond?”

“I refuse. Tell her that I only brought a few soldiers to the capital with
me. That’s excuse enough.”

Although Ophelia was the dominant chess master in this game, it

didn’t mean that Paveluc would bow so easily to her will.

“I expect that the Empress will elevate Redfield to the throne, but we
must not relax until Carlisle’s body is found.”

“I understand, My Lord.”

“The balance is as delicate as walking a tightrope. One must be patient

to find weakness, and one wrong move can irreparably ruin years of
planning.”

If Carlisle was indeed dead, then the soldiers in the Crown Prince’s
palace were needed to suppress Ophelia’s power. On the other hand,
if Carlisle was alive, then it was wisest for Paveluc to simply wait until
the prince took down the Empress himself. In either case, Sullivan was
still dead. That meant the throne was empty, and it was ripe for the
taking.

“…My brother’s death has left me despondent.”

The unexpected news of Sullivan’s death left had changed Paveluc’s

mood. The servant looked up at him carefully.

“Are you sad about the death of the Emperor, My Lord?”

“Of course. I wished to have killed him with my own hands, but he
selfishly left this earth first.”

The servant widened his eyes in surprise, but he soon blinked and
quickly recovered.
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Paveluc had never considered himself to be less than a ruler, but

Sullivan was the first person to give him a taste of humiliation. Paveluc
desired to prove himself by killing Sullivan before their father’s eyes.
That would prove who the true emperor was. But now, all of his
objects of resentment were all dead, and not by his hand. Paveluc held
a deep regret for it, but fortunately he still had some victims to play
with. Carlisle and Redfield both had their eyes on succeeding the
throne.

“Yes…I hope that this terrible fighting is over as soon as possible.”

Paveluc didn’t care who the winner was; he would grant them all a
miserable death anyway. The time was drawing near for him to reveal
his hidden ambitions.

Due to Sullivan’s unexpected death, Empress Ophelia, Archduke

Paveluc, and Crown Prince Carlisle were all moving towards the throne
in earnest. All their forces were anxiously searching for Elena and
Carlisle for their own self-serving reasons.

Chapter 258 – Die Together (2)

“Mmm.”

Elena opened her eyes. The cave ceiling had become a familiar sight
over the past few days.

Elena and Carlisle had leapt off the cliff, ready to die. They fell into the
raging river below, and Carlisle desperately held on to Elena when she
lost consciousness from the impact. This had saved her life, and the
two hid themselves deep in a cave in the mountains. Both were too
injured to march back to the Imperial Palace, and had not even the
strength to lift a hand against a single enemy. As soon as they
confirmed that they were far away from the assassins, they decided to
make temporary camp.

Now awake, Elena walked outside the cave. She saw that Carlisle had
taken off his coat and was fishing in the river. He was wearing a
makeshift bandage torn from her dress, and his wound was
healing under a concoction of herbs that she had harvested.

Carlisle gripped a wooden harpoon in his hand. He was exceptionally

skilled with the weapon, and from that they had been able to have a
few modest meals. Camping life was not too difficult, as they both had
the experience and resourcefulness from their time on the battlefield.

Chaaag!

Carlisle’s harpoon swiftly struck the water. When he lifted it up, a fish
was skewered on the tip. Elena stared at the wonderful sight. Carlisle,
noticing her presence, looked over his shoulder and spoke.

“Awake?”

“Yes. I told you that I’d be the one hunting today. You’re hurt, and you
need more rest.”

Elena had suffered a cut on her right arm, but Carlisle’s stab wound on
his side was far more severe. He flashed her a grin.

“I woke up first, so don’t worry.”

“Even so.”

She gave him a pleading look, then moved on to find her own task to
do.

“I’ll start the fire, so rest easy.”

“Very well.”
Elena gathered several dry branches, lit a fire, and skewered the fish
Carlisle had caught and roasted them on the fire. Carlisle presented a
browned, crisp fish to Elena first.

“Eat.”

“Thank you.”

Elena gave a soft smile as she accepted a fish from Carlisle. She had
never imagined this kind of life with him, but it suited them well. She
wondered what it would be like if they were an ordinary couple—
would they have such a primitive life? In some ways, she liked this
simple cave more than all the luxuries of the Imperial Palace. At least
here there were no assassins after their lives, and their heavy
responsibilities didn’t burden their shoulders. Even though their
situation was far from relaxing, Elena felt a calm serene.

“When everything is all done…can we spend life like this?”

Once Carlisle took the throne and they defeated Ophelia and Paveluc,
Elena felt that she would be able to truly rest. Carlisle glanced up at
her question.

“You must truly like this life.”

“Yes. Well, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Elena’s face was calm as she spoke, but Carlisle noticed a happiness in
her tone.

“If that is what you want, then I’ll make it so.”

“But what about you, Caril? Wouldn’t those days be tedious?”

“Not at all. Sometimes I think…I think that it would be alright to not be

the emperor, as long as I was by your side.”
Elena looked at Carlisle in amazement. He gave her a faint smile and
replied.

“Why? Is it surprising?”

“…A little.”

Carlisle was the crown prince—the throne was his birthright from the
beginning. She didn’t expect him to be so open to the idea of a simple
life.

“That’s how dangerous you are to me. Sometimes I feel that I don’t
need anything else except you.”

Elena’s throat tightened at his words. She already knew this, and knew
that he had risked his life many times for her sake. He had not only
taken the attack meant for her at the cliff, but he had saved her from
being swept away from the strong river. His actions spoke loudly
enough to her.

“I’m happy that you think so, but don’t risk your life for me again.
You…you will be emperor.”

Elena longed for a life free from any threat and responsibility, but she
did not forget the reality facing her. She couldn’t let Carlisle throw
away the throne for her fleeting wishes.

Carlisle fixed her with a serious gaze as he spoke.

“It doesn’t matter where I stand. I am your husband no matter what.”

“…”

“Glory and honor without my wife is nothing to me.”

Their eyes met. It was as if they had returned to the moment on the
cliff, and their minds were in perfect agreement. If they had to die
together, then that would be enough.
“Caril…”

Elena’s voice was soft with emotion.

Pat, pat, pat.

Suddenly, heavy raindrops began to fall from the sky. Startled, Elena
looked upwards, and saw that the sky had darkened with gray clouds.
Carlisle also looked up.

“Let’s go into the cave. It will be awhile before it lets up.”

“Yes.”

The two quickly gathered their roasted fish and headed for their
shelter. However, the pair was soaked by the sudden downpour.
Carlisle, now inside the cave, looked out into the falling rain.

“I’m glad we ate before it started raining. It will cover our tracks, and it
will throw our pursuers off our tracks.”

But Carlisle’s words did not last long. He had turned his head, and
Elena’s water-soaked figure came into view. He completely froze, while
Elena looked at him questioningly.

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“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

Carlisle hastily turned his head to the other direction. Elena furrowed
her brow in confusion, then realized her current state. Her dress was
torn in various places, and her curved silhouette was visible from
beneath the soaked fabric.
“Ah!”

Elena hurriedly crossed her hands to cover herself, and a fiery blush
rose to her face. For the first time, there was an awkward silence in the
cave.

Chapter 259 – I Love You (1)

Carlisle sat on the cave floor, deliberately keeping his eyes away from
Elena.

“I won’t look at you if you don’t want me to. Don’t worry. You can take
off your wet clothes. Otherwise, you might catch a cold.”

The air had started to feel chilly from the rain. It was true that she
could catch a cold, and at this moment, it was imperative that they
recover their physical condition as soon as possible.

Elena bit her lip. It wasn’t easy to put his advice into practice. Even
though Carlisle wouldn’t look at her, she felt awkward taking off her
clothes in the same space as him. He seemed to sense her hesitation,
and he spoke reassuringly to her again.

“I will keep my promise. Do not worry.”

Elena hesitated for a moment, but she didn’t have any other options.
She slowly peeled off her soaking dress with a trembling hand. The
cave echoed with the sound of the fabric shifting. Elena spoke, trying
to replace the awkward atmosphere with some conversation.

“When I first signed the contract, I didn’t know you had such chivalry.”

“…I do my best. I have no intention of losing my wife, so I will wait.”

Elena glanced towards Carlisle, his back firmly towards her. She was
only in her underwear now, but it was possible that he was even more
embarrassed than her.
After a moment of internal agony, Elena finally spoke.

“…I don’t mind if you look at me.”

“You see me as a saint. This is a limit of my patience. I’m not sure I can
hold back if I look at you.”

Carlisle had been constantly striving to keep his promise while in the
same bedroom as Elena. She understood his struggle better than
anyone else.

“I don’t think you understand what I mean.”

Carlisle’s back flinched, but he didn’t say anything else. However, Elena
had already given her all his heart. They had been bound by their
contract, but now…

Everything seemed perfect. The only difference would be the time

anyway.

Carlisle spoke in a subdued voice.

“Do you truly understand what you’re saying? If you tempt me just
once…you may regret it.”

“I won’t regret it. When I fell off the cliff…I could only think how
unfortunate it was to have never been held close by you.”

Elena and Carlisle were not strangers in facing death. Carlisle’s path to
the throne was highly dangerous. Anything they wanted could not
afford to be put off later. Before she died, Elena wanted to have a
proper bond with Carlisle.

Despite the distance between the two, she could see the tense
muscles of his neck. When Carlisle spoke again, his voice was tighter
than before.
“…I will ask one last time. Will you regret it?”

They were only in a cave. There was no soft bed, and there were no
maids to attend to them. Having their first time together here would
be uncomfortable in many ways. Carlisle didn’t care where it
happened, but he wanted to give Elena a better place.

“I regret nothing I have done with you. It has been the same in the
past, and will be so in the future.”

After hearing her answer, Carlisle couldn’t hold himself back any
longer.

Hwiig, Carlisle’s head turned towards Elena. As his heated blue gaze
fell on her wet body, the air started to spark with tension. He stood up
from his sitting position and strode towards her, then, without
warning, he fiercely crushed their lips together.

“Mm!”

Carlisle’s mouth sucked in Elena’s soft lips, and he pulled her body
towards his solid, muscled torso. They kissed like it would be their last
time together, but it was only the beginning. When Carlisle pulled
away, his voice was hoarse as he spoke.

“I’m sorry, but I might not be able to control myself.”

“Isn’t this already showing self control?”

Carlisle gave a frown.

“Don’t encourage me. I really think I might break you.”

Carlisle cupped her face with both hands and hungrily devoured
Elena’s lips again. Then, he lay her down where she had placed her
clothes. He wasn’t wearing much, and he shrugged of his jacket, while
Elena pulled off her remaining undergarments.
Before she knew it, Carlisle busied himself sucking red marks on her
newly exposed skin. Everywhere his lips touched seemed to burn her
flesh. He paused to stroked her reddened cheeks and spoke.

“I heard it hurts at first. I may not be able to hold back, so tell me if

you are in pain.”

“Somehow, I’m nervous.”

“…It’s not just you. I’ve never experienced this before.”

“You were never with another woman?”

“I told you, I fell in love with you from the start. Once there’s a woman
I love, I don’t want to touch anyone else.”

There was a note of surprise in Elena’s red eyes. Carlisle appeared far
too smooth to have no experience with a woman. Perhaps he had
read her mind, and he gave a wry chuckle.

“Have you seen me? You are my first everything.”

“…Caril.”

“You are the only one in the world that can monopolize me…”

He gazed at her with an expression of deep love.

“…and only I can have you, my wife.”

His confession seemed to melt her body, and she looked up at him
and smiled. Carlisle’s intense love for her never scared her anymore,
and her body was eager for him. She lifted her upper body and kissed
his lips. It broke his tenuous hold on reason, and they traded
passionate kisses.

When their lips parted to allow them to catch their breath, Elena
confessed the deepest emotions of her heart.
“I love you, Caril.”

“I don’t know if you know—”

Elena looked up at him confusedly, but his gaze was tender.

“I always love you more than you do.”

Carlisle’s lips touched Elena’s forehead, then went downward to trace

the shape of her nose, before finally settling on her lips again. Every
touch was an act of love.

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“And I promise. I will love you more than you until I die.”

Elena couldn’t contain a broad smile. Unsurprisingly, Carlisle had said

that Elena did not know how much her loved her. Yet, she knew. He
would love her without any condition, and it was enough to make her
heart tremble at the fact that something in the world could be so
certain.

The first time Carlisle entered her, she felt like the whole world was
burning around her from his heat. He moved more slowly, and, tears
slipped out of Elena’s eyes, unbidden. Over time, however, her cries
took on a different tone. Carlisle gazed remained steady on hers as
her body trembled. From his face, his every touch, love seemed to
overflow like waves. Although they didn’t speak, their bodies told each
other what their hearts held dear.

Outside, the downpour persisted, but the sound did not reach their
ears. The only thing they knew of in the world was each other.
Chapter 260 – I Love You (2)

Cheep cheep cheep!

Elena woke up to the sound of birdsong. The rain had stopped, and
water dripped steadily from the cave entrance. As sunshine poured
into the dark cave, Elena found that she was in Carlisle’s arms. She
turned carefully to look at him, and realized that one of his arms was
tucked beneath her head, and the other was wrapped around her
waist.

‘Ah…’

The memory of last night came to her head, and she turned bright
red. She had never seen Carlisle’s face this close before. She had
shared a bedroom with him, but he had always slept on the couch,
and he was usually the first one to wake up and wait for her.

‘…He looks so handsome.’

She let out a small chuckle. Carlisle’s vulnerability in his sleeping form
was so different from his towering charisma. His fierce eyes, tall nose,
tightly sealed lips, and jawline were the same as before, but softer
somehow. Perhaps Elena was the only one who had seen him that
way.

“It’s fortunate that you’re alive.”

She had almost given up several times in her last life. Nevertheless,
she had endured because of her fighting abilities, which became even
more helpful after returning to the past. After seeing Carlisle after
their first time together, she suddenly felt rewarded for her effort and
hardships. Love, a feeling that was once only a word, now overflowed
in Elena’s mind. She was happy to have lived again and met Carlisle.

It was then.
Carlisle’s hand, which had been gently resting on Elena’s waist,
suddenly tugged her closer.

“Ah!”

Her face ended up buried against Carlisle’s solid chest. He tilted his
body to close any space between them, and Elena spoke in a startled
voice.

“Were you awake?”

“No, I just woke up. Though I had my eyes closed for a moment
because I felt you looking at me.”

“Why…?”

“I thought you would be embarrassed if I got up. I didn’t know you’d

make such a cute sound.”

Elena had been absorbed in Carlisle’s sleeping face, but she suddenly
became self-aware that she was naked beneath him. She couldn’t
ignore the burning heat of his skin against her own.

“It’s not late yet, so close your eyes.”

“What was that you said? It’s fortunate that I’m alive? Where in the
world did that cute idea come from? Hmm?”

Carlisle gave a mischievous grin, and Elena flushed red again.

“Nothing. I was just muttering to myself…”

“It’s unfair if you make such cute noises when I’m still sleeping, my
wife.”

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. She wanted to get up
in embarrassment, but he was unwilling to let her go.

“…I want to stay with you and do nothing for a week.”

Elena didn’t say it, but her lower back was aching from the activities
they did last night. Carlisle had refused to let her go, and if they spent
a week like last night, she did not know how to be able to handle it.

“For me, I’ll refrain.”

A teasing smile flirted on Carlisle’s lips.

“That’s worse than giving candy to a child and then taking it away.”

“It’s—ah.”

She had tried to move, then gave a small cry as pain shot through her
back. Carlisle wrapped his jacket around her pale body.

“Very well. I’ll take care of you today. Lie down and rest.”

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Carlisle gently kissed Elena’s eyes to soothe her. Afterwards, he stood

up, and Elena could clearly see nail and bite marks patterned on his
back. Her eyes widened at the vire.

“Caril…”

She could not bring herself to finish her sentence, her voice heavy
with regret, but he simply looked back at her and smiled.

“Oh, this? These are my medals.”

Elena closed her mouth and didn’t say anything. As she saw traces of
her eagerness on his skin, she blushed to her neck in embarrassment.

Chapter 261 – Time To Act (1)

Carlisle and Elena spent several more days in the cave to avoid their
pursuers. It was humble living compared to life in the Imperial Palace,
but their days were happy as long as they had each other. If it weren’t
for the urgency of their situation, they might have even lingered there
longer.

However, their duties called to them. Although they did not know the
exact status at the Imperial Palace, they knew that all was not well.

“Are you ready to leave now?”

“Yes. I’ve cleared away all traces that we’ve been here, so no one will
be able to track us easily.”

Neither had fully recovered from their wounds just yet, but they were
well enough to travel. Their shabby living circumstances could not
dampen the couple’s inherit beauty and charisma either—when Elena
and Carlisle stood side-by-side, they looked like a painting from a fairy
tale story.

“Shall we?”

Carlisle gave a small nod. Elena gave the cave one last regretful look
before turning away. It was where she had her first time with Carlisle.
The memory would not be easily forgotten.

Carlisle, sensing Elena’s thoughts, spoke in a soft voice.

“Are you sad?”

“For some reason, a little.”

“You don’t have to be.”

Carlisle clasped Elena’s hand and took one step forward.

“I’ll preserve this cave and turn this place into a cottage.”

“…Really?”
As she walked behind him, she blinked her eyes in surprise. Carlisle
gave a simple smile in reply.

“Of course. Who do you think I am?”

“I…”

“There’s nothing that the emperor of the Ruford Empire cannot do.”

The scene where Sullivan declared that Carlisle would be crowned

emperor floated back to Elena’s mind. No matter what was happening
at the Imperial Palace now, Sullivan had already named Carlisle as his
successor.

“There is no need to worry. The throne is mine, unless I die. I won’t

give it up to anyone.”

At his confident tone, Elena gave a small smile. Somehow, her steps
felt a little lighter than before.

‘I know. I won’t forget.’

There was still a long path ahead of them. What remained unchanged,
however, was that Elena would be his most powerful ally in this thorny
path.

“I promised to make you emperor.”

It seemed that it was time for her to play.

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***

Elena’s and Carlisle’s first job was to find Elena’s contact for Astar,
leader of the delegation of the Freegrand kingdom. They needed
information on the current situation in the Imperial Palace, but going
to a noble family may reveal their activities to the Empress, and the
distance was too far in any case. Meanwhile, Astar had branches in
several places. It was far more trustworthy than going to the nobles,
and the pair set their destination.

Soon after, Elena and Carlisle found themselves in a small parlor

waiting for Isaac. Carlisle glanced around with a look of surprise.

“I didn’t realize that you were in contact with Astar.”

“I had decided I needed an independent power to move around. I had

agreed to give him exclusive trading rights when I became empress.”

“Exclusive trading rights?”

He lifted his eyebrows. He was unaware that Elena had forged a secret
deal behind his back. Carlisle looked skeptical, but Elena tried to
reassure him with a serious look.

“I wanted as few people to know about it as possible, and so I didn’t

tell you. Although granting exclusive trading rights are not easy…but I
knew I would have that kind of authority if I became empress.”

Carlisle soon smiled and nodded.

“You’re right. I can even offer better terms if it’s necessary.”

“Do you understand what you’re saying?”

“I believe you made the decision for my sake. And, as you said, you
get their help in return.”

That was proof of how much Carlisle trusted in her. Elena was pleased
to receive his recognition, as she was a knight before she was his wife.
It was a powerful advantage to have a hidden ally unknown to anyone
else, especially in a situation as dangerous as now. Elena offered
Carlisle a light smile.

“First, let’s find out what has happened in the Imperial Palace, then
discuss our moves afterwards.”
“Very well.”

As Elena and Carlisle were speaking, there was a knock on the door,
and Isaac appeared, breathing hard. It was obvious that he rushed all
the way here.

“I was surprised to hear from you all of a sudden, Your Highness.”

Isaac glanced up at Elena first, then saw Carlisle sitting next to her.
After a stunned moment, Isaac hurriedly bowed his head to the prince.

“Th-the Crown Prince of the Ruford Empire—”

Carlisle held up his hand to stop him.

“I’m trying to keep a low profile, so skip the greetings.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Isaac abandoned pretense and sat opposite the two without wasting
any more time. He fixed them with a serious stare.

“The two of you were missing. Can you explain how you came to see
me?”

Elena nodded at Isaac’s caution. Before she and Carlisle could get the
information they want, they had to explain what happened
beforehand. The puzzle pieces would fall into place, and the story
would be completed.

“You likely heard what happened at the meeting on the National

Founding Day.”

“Yes. His Majesty the Emperor had declared that Prince Carlisle would
be coronated.”

“That evening, Emperor Sullivan summoned Prince Carlisle, but we

were ambushed at the Northern Palace. We barely escaped, and we
went out to seek your leader Astar.”
“…So that’s what happened.”

Isaac nodded as if he understood what was going on. Elena couldn’t

contain her curiousity.

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“What I want to know the most is what happened to Emperor Sullivan,

and what the state of affairs is like at the Imperial Palace.”

“The situation is not very good…”

Carlisle was sitting as still as a statue, and Isaac continued.

“The day after the National Founding Day, it was formally announced
that the Emperor had passed away.”

“What?”

Chapter 262 – Time To Act (2)

Carlisle’s voice was low as he spoke.

“…What was the cause of death?”

“Chronic illness. I believe those were the results of the official autopsy.
Of course, you’ll have to confirm the details for yourself later on.”

Carlisle cast his mind back to several nights ago. He recalled that
Ophelia had come to talk to Sullivan about Redfield, and then Sullivan
summoned Carlisle to speak to him on the matter. If Sullivan were
alive then, then he would have been waiting at the Northern Palace.
But because he did not appear…it was likely that Sullivan was dead
before that.
The criminal must have known Sullivan’s death first, then pretended to
be the Emperor and set up the trap. Carlisle’s best guess was that
Sullivan passed away shortly after the meeting.

“…So someone must have found out about my father’s death early on
and lured me into a trap.”

Elena nodded in silent agreement. She had calculated various

scenarios in her head as well, and this seemed the most likely
outcome. Isaac spoke again.

“And one more thing. Redfield’s succession to the throne was restored
soon after the announcement of the emperor’s death.”

Carlisle’s expression turned into a dark scowl.

“Who would dare to do such a thing?”

“There is a document bearing the Emperor’s seal restoring the Second

Prince’s succession.”

Carlisle gave a light snort. He no longer had to wonder who the culprit
was. It was easily Empress Ophelia’s doing, given the timing of
Sullivan’s death, as well her motives for murdering Carlisle and
restoring her son’s position to the throne.

However, it was still unclear whether Ophelia killed Sullivan or

accidentally found him. The official investigation concluded that the
Emperor’s death was from chronic illness, but Ophelia had sent
assassins after Carlisle yet again. His eyes flashed with anger. Although
he did not say a word, the atmosphere in the parlor room became
heavy from the deathly chill emanating from him.

Elena spoke this time.

“What happened to the Crown Prince’s palace? There are many

soldiers there.”
“The Empress has completely blocked access to the palace. No one
can go in or out.”

“…It would be difficult to send news there.”

It was clear that Empress Ophelia had laid the place under siege to
prevent information about Carlisle and Elena from reaching there. If
so, many people in the palace would not even know that they had
been missing. Elena pressed her lips in a thin line.

‘…This is worse than expected.’

They had relatively few outside forces, as the majority of Carlisle’s

soldiers were in the palace. It would be a huge disadvantage for them.

Finally, Carlisle spoke again.

“I see. Is there anything else I should know?”

“No, Your Highness. That is all.”

Carlisle then turned to Elena.

“My wife.”

“Yes, tell me.”

“…I wish to be alone for a while.”

Carlisle looked as calm as a pond on the outside, but that didn’t mean
he wasn’t angry. Elena saw the cold blue flame in his eyes. She could
only guess at what he was feeling about the news of Sullivan’s death,
and she gave him a sad nod.

“Very well. I’ll leave you for a moment.”

Carlisle needed time to be alone with his emotions. Elena stood up
silently, and Isaac followed suit. The door closed, and Carlisle was
finally left alone.

Elena’s mind was a whirlwind of thought. Although she knew that

Sullivan died from her previous life, she didn’t expect it to happen this
early in this timeline. Her heart was heavy with regret, as she could
save Carlisle and her family from death, but she was helpless in
stopping Sullivan’s disease.

‘Couldn’t I have done anything more?’

The memory of Sullivan looking affectionately upon her caused a

lump to form in her throat. Isaac gave a careful look towards Elena.

“Is there anything else you need, Your Highness?”

“Ah…”

Elena blinked into awareness. Carlisle must be feeling more grief than
anyone, but he outwardly tried to remain as composed as he could.
The situation for them right now was difficult.

“I’ll write to my family informing them that Crown Prince Carlisle is

alive. We should mobilize the power of the nobles soon as well.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Isaac’s eyes glimmered in admiration of Elena’s decisions. But her

words did not end there.

“Sell all the land I have invested in as well.”

“Ah, all of it?”

Isaac’s eyes widened in surprise. Elena’s foresight into the future had
allowed her massive returns in her investments, and it was time to tap
into her secret war chest she had stored for Carlisle.

“I believe it’s the time to use it soon.”

“Understood.”

“Do you have the brooch I told you to keep last time?”

Isaac nodded, remembering the lily-shaped brooch embroidered with

brilliant jewels.

“Yes. I have kept it secure for you.”

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It was the brooch that Harry had given to Elena. If she needed to
contact him, she would do so with the brooch. Because it wasn’t
meant as an ornament for a dress, she had given it to Astar for
safekeeping in the worst of situations, and if something unexpected
happened, she could use it anytime.

Elena’s face was set as she spoke.

“Deliver the brooch to the Krauss family and tell them I request a
meeting.”

Elena and Carlisle had to return to the Imperial Palace before Empress
Ophelia took complete control. Various options were open to them,
but now was the time to finally bring the Krausses to their side.

Chapter 263 – There Are Many Similarities (1)

“Understood. I will try to get everything

Elena nodded with a satisfied smile at Isaac’s prompt attention to

duty. He gave her a pen and paper, and Elena wrote a message for the
Emperor’s nobles allies that Carlisle was alive and well. She turned her
attention to composing a letter for her family next, but she scrapped it
several times. She felt it was not enough to deliver them simple news.
In her last life, Paveluc had destroyed her family and seized the throne.
This time, as long as Elena and Carlisle were safe, she would ensure it
would never happen, but she always had to consider the worst in
mind. Carlisle and Elena could unexpected be killed or injured at any
moment.

Elena finished composing her letter for the noble families instead,
then handed it over to Isaac.

“Secretly inform the allies listed here that the Crown Prince is still alive.
I’ll

Isaac gave a respectful bow.

soon as you finish writing it. For now, I will deliver your message to
the noble families you have indicated.”

“I look ”

Once again Isaac bent at the waist, then hurried away.

Elena contemplated blank white sheet of paper in front of her for a

few moments, before setting pen to paper. The recipient of the letter
would be her father, Alphord. She wrote of how she and Carlisle were
safe, and that the troops needed to be moved soon to stop the
Empress. Then finally, she wrote her last request.

[For urgently ask that you send Mirabelle to the Freegrand Kingdom
to study abroad. The situation in the Ruford Empire may soon turn
chaotic.]
Elena had always intended to help Mirabelle as much as she could, but
now there was no better time to send her sister to a safer place. Her
father and brother were in no position to leave the country as part of
the Fourth Order of the Imperial Knights. Rather than try to avoid an
unfortunate future, Elena would try to fight back, but her heart could
rest easier if she could protect at least one family member. And so,
Elena managed her best.

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***

Time flew by swiftly as Elena made her preparations. She knocked on

Carlisle’s bedroom door, carrying medicine and bandages, and a voice
replied from within.

“Enter.”

Permission given, Elena carefully inside. Carlisle seemed to have

already anticipated her appearance. He looked much more relaxed
than before, but Elena was able to see the subtle changes in his
emotions.

“You’re seriously injured, and

Carlisle undid several buttons without hesitation, then crossed his

arms and pulled off his shirt. It was a brazen action, and soon his hard
abs and tight torso came into view. Elena become momentarily dizzy
at the sight. His slim waist was still wrapped by the makeshift bandage
made from Elena’s dress.

She lowered unwound the torn cloth.

Seug, seueug.

The wound was finally revealed, and she frowned deeply as she saw
the angry red flesh. It was worse than she expected.
“It must hurt a lot.”

Despite his injury, however, Carlisle’s expression remained unchanged.

Even Elena had forgotten for a while that he was hurt. His injury was
hers too, and her heart throbbed at the sight of her wounded
husband.

Sensing her worry, Carlisle lifted a hand and stroked her hair in gentle
reassurance.

“It’s alright. It would be far more painful to see you get hurt.”

At his warm tone, Elena looked up at his face. She was touched.
Although he must be heavily burdened by Sullivan’s death, Carlisle still
felt a deep concern for her. She hurriedly broke eye contact with him
and took out the medicine she brought.

on his wound, but he did not flinch. Elena watched his face carefully
for any sign of pain, but he showed no hint of discomfort. Finally, she
meticulously wrapped the wound in clean bandages, feeling a little
more secure in Carlisle’s condition.

“It’s all finished.”

Elena stood up, and Carlisle pulled her into his arms. She was
surprised by his unexpected gesture, but she lifted her hand and
rested it on his back. Perhaps he needed some warmth and
reassurance today.

“Is the wound on your right arm treated?”

“Yes. I had it done before I came here so you wouldn’t worry.”

“Good. I should have paid attention to you first. I’m sorry.”

“Not at all. After hearing the news about your father…it’s natural to be
confused.”
Elena knew from her last life how it was like to lose family members.
Of course, she couldn’t read Carlisle’s mind, but she could guess at the
grief what he was feeling. Before she could say a word of comfort,
however, Carlisle spoke first in a calm voice.

“You don’t have to worry too much

Although Carlisle was Sullivan’s firstborn, Carlisle grew up in the

maid’s quarters with his mother until the Dragon’s Orb emerged from
him. He had a lowly birth, and if Carlisle had not inherited dragon’s
blood, Sullivan would never have recognized him as his son. Carlisle
understood that very well. He hadn’t had a good memory since he
became Crown Prince either. His mother abandoned him and left the
palace, and he was sent away to the battlefield after countless
assassinations threats.

“My father didn’t like always seeing me. Perhaps it was because I
strongly inherited the curse of the dragon’s blood, and my power
outstripped almost anyone else’s.”

Elena listened silently to Carlisle. There was some unknown, bitter pain
in Carlisle’s voice.

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“I was never allowed to complain. In my father’s eyes, I had everything.

At first, his expectations weighed on me, but soon it became obvious. I
began to resent him when I saw him, like a poison eating away at me.”

From the start, the two were not given the time and space share any
affection. Carlisle was sent away as a child and couldn’t see his father
again after he became an adult. Perhaps there was always some
resentment in Carlisle’s mind against Sullivan. They had something of
a mixed relationship, and the only thing Carlisle could do for Sullivan
was to inherit the throne as he intended. And so, Carlisle wanted to
prove to Sullivan as much as possible that he could be emperor before
he died. It was because of this that Carlisle decided to spare Redfield’s
life, but only as a last resort.

That was all. Carlisle’s and Sullivan’s relationship could not be defined
as either hot or cold.

“I didn’t realize until Father was dead that I wanted his praise.”

His eyes were heavy with regret, and he gave a self-mocking laugh.

Chapter 264 – There Are Many Similarities (2)

Carlisle let out a low, self-mocking laugh. But Elena could not even
bring herself to smile. She herself had a strict upbringing in Alphord’s
household, and she had always desired to be recognized by her father.
Although hers and Carlisle’s circumstances were not the same, she
could empathize with his situation.

“It’s alright. While I cannot show my father that I inherited the throne, I
don’t want to simply sit here and mope.”

Elena lifted her head from Carlisle’s shoulder and studied his eyes. This
was the first time she looked at him since he started telling his story.
He didn’t look as aggrieved as she expected, but she could sense a
grief hidden behind his smooth veneer. To him, pretending to be fine
may be better than crying, but she was saddened to see him suffer
silently.

“Caril, sometimes…sometimes I wished that I could be someone who

could cry loudly. I always hid my emotions, even when I felt like I
would burst.”

Carlisle looked carefully down at Elena as she continued.

“I see so many parts of you that are the same as me. But you don’t
need to hold up a facade…if you are sad, don’t hold back.”
Elena wished she could give him greater consolation, but this was the
best she could do. She watched him for a moment, and then hugged
him, their positions completely reversed from earlier. She murmured
into his hair in a soft voice.

“I will stay by your side for a long time. I will listen when you want to
talk, and I will praise you when you have done good work.”

At her words, Carlisle let out an amused chuckle and he gripped her
tightly in return.

“That is all I need, my wife.”

Elena felt a little insecure at her frail attempt of comfort…but Carlisle

smiled all the same. He closed his eyes and leaned comfortably into
the warmth of her embrace.

***

Elena and Carlisle moved into a temporary residence prepared by

Isaac. It was simple lodging, but they did not complain so long as the
Empress did not find them. Anywhere they stayed was more
comfortable than the natural caves they had been in. Carlisle was
surprised to hear all that Elena had been up to.

“You’ve already informed the noble families of the news.”

“Yes. Here is a list in case you want to look over it. I’ve only chosen a
select few, so tell me if there’s anyone else you wish to add.”

Carlisle skimmed over the paper Elena handed to him, then shook his
head.

“No, these are all sufficient.”

“I’m happy that you approve.”

Elena gave a casual smile, but Carlisle’s surprised look did not fade
away. That wasn’t all that she had done. Not only had she contacted
the Krauss family, but she had greatly increased the wealth Carlisle
had given her several times over.

“It’s not easy to create such wealth in such a short amount of

time…my wife is incredible at everything.”

“I have my knowledge.”

Elena knew what would happen in the future, and thus had a general
idea of which businesses were emerging and which products were
popular. With even stronger application of her wealth, the amount she
could make was astronomical.

“What’s the knowledge?”

He smiled at her playfully, but Elena’s red eyes turned grave. In truth,
she had been trying to tell Carlisle about her past for some time, but
the ambush had interrupted her. Now seemed like a good time for a
second honest attempt.

“Caril. I’m going to tell you something, and please don’t be shocked.”

“Is it the secret knowledge? I’ll listen intently.”

Carlisle’s expression was light with humor, but Elena’s muscles were
tense. She kept fingering the blue bead ring he had given her. It was
the first time she had spoken to anyone about this.

“…I died once.”

“…?”
“And you should have died the night I came to rescue you. In my
previous life, it was Lord Paveluc that had taken the throne and
destroyed the Blaise family.”

Carlisle’s blue eyes widened as Elena spoke. However, he did not

interrupt her.

“Only I survived, and over the years I learned to fight so I could take
revenge for my family. When I finally confronted the Duke of Lunen, I
lost.”

“…Do you mean he killed you?”

“Yes. But then I woke up, and found that I had returned to the past.
Perhaps you had been curious before—how could I be so skilled with
fighting? How could I reap such great returns on investments in such a
short period of time? It was all because I once experienced the future.”

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Carlisle stared silently at Elena, his brows furrowed in conflict. It was a

shocking tale to anyone. Elena squeezed the finger with the ring on it,
and continued to speak with a stronger tone than before.

“I believe I returned because of the wish you made on the Dragon’s

Orb as a child. You saved my life. That’s why I…”

Carlisle’s wish for Elena had massively changed the course of their
lives. Most miraculously of them all, they finally met again.

“I am in front of you.”
Chapter 265 – This Wasn’t Enough (1)
Carlisle’s and Elena’s gazes were fixed on each other’s, deep emotions
knotted between them. When Carlisle said nothing, Elena spoke up
impatiently.

“Please say something.”

A moment, and then he finally spoke.

“I was trying to organize my thoughts.”

“…Do you believe me?”

“Of course. I had made that wish, and there is no reason for me not to
believe it.”

“What are you thinking?”

At that moment, Carlisle’s blue eyes turned as dark as a storm’s.

“I’m thinking about the fact that it was the Duke of Lunen that dared
to kill you.”

“Why—”

“No matter that it happened in a different life, he cannot be forgiven.”

Carlisle reached out slowly to cover Elena’s soft cheek. The storm in
his eyes had calmed, but now it was filled with sorrow and regret.

“How dare he touch my wife. Even if I tear him to pieces with my own
hands, it will not be enough to satisfy my anger.”

His sharp words were a counterpoint to his gentle touch, but they
sounded as sweet as honey to Elena’s ears. Even though Carlisle had
the Dragon’s Orb, it would still be difficult for anyone to accept her
story. He did not question why she only revealed this now, seeming to
understand all her hardships without her having to explain it in detail.
Elena could not help but be moved, and a faint smile traced her lips.

“I knew that your father wouldn’t live long. He died much later in my
last life, but I knew it was likely of chronic disease…I’m sorry I couldn’t
tell you before.”

Carlisle hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

“No. If that was his life span, then you couldn’t have changed it.”

“Still…I’m sorry. At least I could have given you time to say good-bye.”

Elena lowered her head, but Carlisle smiled and tilted it upwards.

“You did know the future.”

“Caril…”

“But don’t blame yourself over nothing.”

The more he tried to absolve her of responsibility, the guiltier she felt.
She wished she could have changed something. However, she had
already massively diverted the timelime, and there was a limit to what
she could do. And yet, her heart still ached for Carlisle.

Sensing her regret, Carlisle held Elena’s face with both hands and then
pressed a light kiss on her lips. She looked momentarily startled, and
he pulled back and gave her a smile.

“When we return to the palace, we will visit my father at his grave.”

“…Yes.”

“If there’s something you need to say to him, then go and tell him. I’m
sure Father doesn’t hold you responsible for his death either.”

“Do you think so?”

“Of course. He had already been suffering from disease for years, and
he would have known that he did not have long to live. No one
blames you for Father’s death, so stop blaming yourself.”

Elena nodded weakly. Carlisle cupped her cheeks again and gave her a
heavy kiss. It was far more passionate than the peck a moment ago,
and she found herself light-headed and blushing red. Carlisle pulled
back, and she could see the danger reflected in his eyes.

“…Caril.”

“If there’s anything else you need to tell me, put if off for later. I don’t
want to think anymore tonight.”

Elena knew what the heat in his eyes meant. She had been with him
many times since their first night together in the cave. Carlisle skillfully
peeled away the top of Elena’s dress and whispered in a rough voice.

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“So I need your help.”

“…Ah!”

She reddened even further, but she couldn’t stop herself from
shamelessly trembling in anticipation. She closed her eyes tight as
Carlisle’s lips dragged from her neck to her collarbone, then
downwards even further. She placed a hand on his broad shoulder
and murmured in a low voice.

“Take me to bed, please.”

The fire in Carlisle’s eyes seemed to flare even hotter. He lifted her
into his arms, and Elena couldn’t summon another rational thought.
Chapter 266 – This Wasn’t Enough (2)
The next day, Carlisle and Elena welcomed the morning together. After
Elena began her story last night, she told Carlisle everything else she
knew about the future. What was regrettable was that many things
had changed since then, and the information she had was not of much
use now—there was no way she could have predicted Sullivan’s early
death, nor of the ambush attempt. However, Carlisle still gave Elena a
grateful smile, though his eyes contained a deep hurt as she
recounted the pain she experienced in her last life.

“You have suffered so much, my wife.”

“It’s alright. I’m in a better place now.”

Her expression softened.

“I have you by my side this time. Perhaps one of the reasons I came
back was to meet you.”

She had believed that her only purpose for her return was to save her
family, but now she was also reunited with Carlisle. If she truly had
died in her last life without meeting him, she would never have known
what love was, and left this world with only bitterness in her heart.

Carlisle couldn’t contain a pleased huff, and his face was flush with the
same happiness as Elena.

“How dare you say such beautiful words?”

He tilted his head and peppered small kisses across her face. His touch
was light at first, but his kisses grew hungrier by the second, and Elena
was forced to block his mouth with her palm. Her cheeks were pink
with embarrassment, but she managed to stall him for a moment.

“Wait, I still have something to say.”

The heat in Carlisle’s eyes slightly cooled, and he smiled at her.

“Very well. Go on.”

He pulled away regretfully, and she continued on with a clear voice.

“I have to tell you the current information given to me by the head of

Astar.”

She told him how the noble houses aligned with the previous emperor
were pleased to hear that Carlisle was safe, and they would gather
their forces and support him immediately. Elena could also
considerably boost their forces by hiring mercenaries with her
business profits. However, that was still insufficient. In order to deal
with Empress Ophelia, and then Paveluc afterwards, the power of the
Krauss family was needed.

After explaining each point, Elena finally spoke her opinion.

“Just in case, we need to bring the Krauss family to your side.”

“Hmm. Although Count Krauss may appear pliant, he is a very

stubborn person. It will not be easy to secure an alliance with him.”

Not even the Emperor or Empress could caused the man to shift.
Many powerful figures coveted his influence and resources, but in the
end, they decided it was better for Krauss to stay neutral, rather than
try force his hand and unintentionally turn him into an enemy. In any
case, Count Krauss preferred to stay away from the squabblings of the
noble courts.

“There is no guarantee that he can be persuaded, but I will try my best

before the other nobles convene. I can’t give up without at least
trying.”

Carlisle smiled in admiration of Elena’s ambition. Despite her slim

figure, she towered even the most massive of war generals. In
Carlisle’s eyes, the feminine and beautiful Elena was far more powerful
than anyone he had ever known on the battlefield.
“Very well.”

When Carlisle granted his permission, Elena’s face quickly turned to

that of a knight with a purpose.

“Leave it to me. I’ll do my best.”

As the two were devising their plans for the future, there was a knock
on the door. Impatient for news, Elena looked towards the entrance
and quickly replied.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Isaac entered the room. He bowed to both of
them and spoke in a polite voice.

“I apologize for interrupting at this early hour. When I delivered the

brooch as ordered, the young master of the family sent an answer.”

“What was the answer?”

“He seems to have been travelling near the Ruford Empire. He asked if
he could meet you tomorrow evening, and set a time and place.”

Harry, as clever as he was, wasn’t ignorant of Elena’s current situation.

He likely prearranged a safe place for them to meet.

Elena turned expectantly to Carlisle for his opinion, and he nodded in

affirmation. She looked back at Isaac, her face set in determination.

“When and where shall I meet him?”

This time, it was Elena’s turn to bring Krauss to her side.

***

Harry sent Elena a carriage that would bring her safely to the
appointed meeting place. The head of the Krauss family had never
chosen sides, and never made enemies of anyone. Elena didn’t think
they would attempt to ambush them, but she equipped various
weapons on her being just in case.

As she boarded the carriage, none of Krauss’ men realized that she
had several small daggers tied to her ankles, nor that she had
expertively hidden a small explosive. She did not intend to be taken by
surprise this time.

Carlisle wanted to accompany Elena to the meeting, but she insisted

that she act alone. There was only one reason why—Carlisle was the
man to become emperor. Now was the time to make a request of the
Krauss family, and Elena would not allow Carlisle’s honor to be
tarnished by a potential rejection.

‘I will be the one to protect him.’

It was a promise that remained unchanged from the beginning.

Meanwhile, Carlisle was uneasy letting Elena go by herself, and he
warned that if he did not hear from her in two hours, he would rush to
the meeting place himself. She smiled at the icy expression on her
husband’s face. It was a little amusing that he was the one so
concerned about her, and she became even more determined to not
let him down.

Elena stared at the scenery passing by through the carriage window.

Outwardly she had a leisurely demeanor, but inside her head she was
busy thinking of how to persuade the Krauss family to her side.

She finally arrived at the meeting place, a small mansion that the
Krauss family often used as a vacation home. Harry was waiting for her
outside, and he graciously opened her carriage door himself and
greeted her.

“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

“Yes. I was worried that you’d be gone for a while, but I was glad to
hear from you right away.”
“Of course. I was not too far from the Ruford Empire, so I was able to
come here straightaway.”

Harry’s demeanor was livelier than before, and Elena smiled at him in
satisfaction. He seemed a bright and sensible boy. Harry led her into
the mansion.

“Please follow me, Your Highness.”

She walked behind him, and he looked back at her with a curious
expression.

“What can I do for you? Have you ever thought about—”

“I wish to see Count Evans.”

Harry’s brows lifted at her response. However, he had guessed that

would be one of her requests, and he continued on calmly.

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“I had wondered what you would ask for, Your Highness. My

grandfather may not give you assistance in your affairs, but…it’s
possible that you can at least meet him.”

Elena was secretly worried that Harry might turn her down. Fortunately
for her, he accepted, and she smiled inwardly. Harry suddenly changed
the direction of his footsteps.

“Follow me this way, please.”

Without any further explanation, he guided her to the head of the

Krauss family, Count Evans. Contrary to many people’s assumptions,
Carlisle’s primary enemy wasn’t Ophelia. While dealing with the
Empress may seem more urgent now, Paveluc was patiently waiting to
draw out his claws. With two powerful enemies before Elena, she
needed more power to safely secure Carlisle’s ascension to the throne.

Elena’s eyes shone as sharp and as bright red diamonds as she moved
forward.

Chapter 267 – If I Had To Bet (1)

Harry guided Elena away from the original destination, and brought
her to a small detached house a little ways away. He knocked on the
old wooden door and announced his presence.

“I’m here, Grandfather.”

“You rascal! Why are you here sudden?”

An angry snarl answered from inside. Elena looked towards Harry in

puzzlement, and he looked back and gave her a wink.

“I ignore my original schedule and dragged him here. That’s why he’s
in a bad mood.”

“Ah, I see. So it was for my sake…”

“Please do not worry. I gave you that brooch for this very purpose.”

As the two spoke in hushed tones towards each in front of the door,
Evans’ harsh tone rang out again.

“What on earth are you whispering about there? You were supposed
to meet the Crown Princess at the villa, so go see her there.”

Harry glanced at Elena mischievously, and answered his grandfather in

a sly voice.

“I’m here with Her Highness, Grandfather.”

There was a beat, and then a reply of disbelief.

“What?”

Harry cheekily spoke up again.

“So please open the door.”

Before Harry even finished speaking—Beolkeog! The door flew open,

and the elderly, white-haired Evans walked out with a flustered
expression. When he saw Elena, he quickly rearranged his features and
bowed.

“Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”

“Greetings, Count Evans. This is the first time we’ve seen each other
since the wedding reception, hasn’t it?”

“Yes it is, Your Highness. I apologize for my rudeness.”

“Not at al.l It was I who suddenly requested a meeting.”

Hearing this, Evans glanced at his grandson standing next to Elena. His
eyes were stern, and Elena suspected that Harry might be in a bit of
trouble later. Harry, however, was smiling as if he didn’t care.

“I’ll leave you alone so you can have a quiet conversation.”

A deep frown was creased on Evans’ forehead, but he could not

decline the Crown Princess when she was standing on his doorstep.
Such had been Harry’s plan all along. If he had asked permission from
his grandfather in advance, Evans might have refused to meet Elena.

“Please come in, Your Highness. I regret that I wasn’t able to prepare
for your visit. Please excuse my humble manners.”

“Not at all.”
Elena stepped inside the small outbuilding, leaving Harry behind. The
door closed, leaving her alone with Evans. He guided her to a seat,
then settled himself in the chair opposite of hers.

“What kind of tea would you like? Sometimes I come here to organize
my thoughts. Please wait a moment.”

“No tea, thank you. I will not dwell long for conversation, and will get
straight to the point.”

Elena did not have the luxury for leisurely conversation. Carlisle had
said that if he did not hear from her in two hours, he would come here
in person, not to mention there was still other work to be done. Elena
didn’t intend to waste any more time.

“And your point is…”

“Please lend your support Crown Prince Carlisle.”

“…!”

A look of stunned surprised crossed Evans’ face. Although Elena had

said she would get straight to the point, it was an excessively
straightforward demand. No one had ever spoken to Evans this way.
His expression quickly changed into something more serious.

“The Crown Prince should have come to speak about something so

important…”

“Carlisle is currently the only heir acknowledged by the late Emperor.

Do you mean for a man of his stature to come and beg to Count
Krauss?”

“Oh, you misunderstood me. I didn’t mean that. If that is what it

sounds like, I will apologize again.”

Evans switched his words quickly. But inside, he was quite surprised. In
truth, in order to gain his favor, even an emperor had to beg–but
Evans would never express that publicly. It was unusual, of course, for
an Imperial family member to ask favors from a noble, but Evans had
received many such requests. Even Empress Ophelia promised him
whatever he wished as long as Redfield was made Emperor. Evans’
eyes narrowed in thought.

‘…This is not an ordinary wager.’

Evans had heard much about Elena through Harry. His young
grandson had gushed about the princess, and Evans suspected that
Harry was secretly supporting her. However, Evans still had no desire
to get involved in royal matters.

‘It will all be the same regardless of who becomes emperor. The
tyrant’s blood flows unchanged through the Imperial Family of the
Ruford Empire.”

In his eyes, it would be the same whether Redfield or Carlisle took the
throne.

“With all due respect, Your Highness, I must ask you one thing.”

“Please.”

“As you have said, I cannot expect the Crown Prince to come here and
ask for my favor. But what do I make of the Crown Princess sitting
before me?”

It was a cutting remark that pierced the core. He wanted to know why
Elena had come in Carlisle’s place. Evans expected Elena to be taken
aback by his question, but she only offered a gracious smile.

“I am in a slightly different position from Crown Prince Carlisle. As the

wife, and I can do all the dirty work for my husband, and even get my
hands in mud.”
In short, Elena’s face was largely irrelevant to raising Carlisle’s prestige.
While Elena came to see Evans in person, she had a firm determination
that she could not bring Carlisle to this position. Anyone who heard
her would know how much she loved her husband.

A note of displeasure flitted across Evans’ face.

“…You two make a good couple, as I saw at the wedding reception.

But what does the Crown Prince think of all this?”

That was a rather meaningful question, but Elena answered without a

tremor in her voice.

“It doesn’t matter what he thinks. I act on my own free mind.”

“If so, then let me say a few words to you, Your Highness. Once the
Crown Prince takes the throne, he will take in other women. Can you
say the same thing then?”

Evans was not the type who showed his true thoughts, but his
question was meant to upset and offend Elena. There was no knowing
what love was like for wild, tyrannical men.

‘Even if Her Highness’ heart is true, she will eventually be betrayed.

The Imperial Family is the kind to throw everything away for power.’

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From the start, Carlisle and Elena played the part of a good couple in
front of Evans. The count was pleased, but he soon came to the
conclusion that it couldn’t last. The men of the Ruford house, famous
for their cruelty with each generation, were incapable of loving
anyone.
Elena replied with no hesitation.

“I do not know why you asked this, but I will answer. I believe in his
love as much as he believed in mine. It doesn’t matter if he accepts
other women. If he does, it will be a decision made with the utmost
consideration.”

“…”

Evans found himself unable to refute her reply. It was flawless. The
true love she had for her husband was displayed in her short answer.

Chapter 268 – If I Had To Bet (2)

Evans studied Elena with a heavy frown in his eyes. Elena, however,
simply continued on.

“Let’s return to business. You would have a great advantage if you

were on the Crown Prince’s side.”

“…I don’t know. Will I?”

“Of course. The Empress is struggling to survive, and Second Prince

Redfield will never claim the throne.”

“Can you guarantee that for sure?”

Elena remained composed and gave him a calculated stare.

“Then let me ask you. Who do you think has the best chance of
winning this fight?”

“That’s…”

Evans’ words trailed off. There was a strong chance that Carlisle would
take the throne. If he was alive and could command his troops, then
Ophelia’s forces would likely be neutralized. Elena continued on.
“As you know, Crown Prince Carlisle is the only successor that the
Emperor has acknowledged. My husband has a royal claim, and more
importantly, he has extensive military experience. Do you not believe
that he can retake the soldiers from the Crown Prince’s palace?”

“No, of course…the Crown Prince will inherit the throne.”

Evans considered Elena’s argument to be well-founded. Of course,

even if he had a different notion in his head, he could not openly
express it here.

“Then let me ask you one more question. How long do you think you
will last if Crown Prince Carlisle turns against you?”

“…!”

It was a clear threat. If Evans did not help now, then Carlisle would not
forget the slight when he took the throne.

“You are quite bold. Then let me ask you my own question. What
would you do if I supported the Second Prince instead?”

“Do as you wish. But if Crown Prince Carlisle succeeds the throne as
fate intended, you will have to deal with him later.”

Evans pressed his lips tightly at her answer.

Elena had been in deep thought on her carriage ride here—what

words should she say to turn Krauss to her side? She had taken a
belligerent approach, even though no one else had dared so, afraid to
turn one of the most powerful men against them. After long
contemplation, however, Elena was able to come to a conclusion.

‘Count Krauss does not want to choose sides in this fight. Even if he
doesn’t like what I said, it is unlikely that he’ll turn to another power.’
If Elena’s guess was right, she had nothing to lose. Even if Evans
rejected the offer, it did not necessarily mean that he would turn to
Ophelia, and would continue to remain neutral as before. In addition,
Evans already knew that Harry and Elena would meet at this villa. He
could have leaked her location to Ophelia, but it appeared that he had
not done so. Elena wasn’t sure if all her assumptions were right, but
she would take the risk to win an advantage she thought was reliable.

A frown was creased on Evans’ lips. Elena took note of his conflicted
expression and spoke again.

“This is a battle that Crown Prince Carlisle will win either way. So
please aid him and strengthen his victory even further. If you do so,
the Imperial House will not forget your contribution.”

Elena’s brazen confidence left Evans speechless. Even now, the head of
the most powerful business family in the Empire was having a difficult
time against Elena.

***

In the end, Evans did not give Elena a definite answer, simply saying
he would give her his reply in the future. Just as Elena left, Harry
entered the house to meet with his grandfather. Evans pulled his eyes
away from the window and looked at Harry walking in without
permission.

“What is it now?”

Evans scowled at him, irritable that his grandson had arranged a

meeting without asking him first. Harry, however, was unfazed by his
grandfather’s temper.

“What do you mean? Is it not normal to see your grandson?”

“…”
Evans had intended to give Harry a good scolding after Elena left, but
even now he had no time for that. The Crown Princess’ request
weighed heavily on his mind instead.

“…She is quite unusual in many ways.”

“I understand why you don’t want to be involved in this fight for

succession. But you’ve seen it for yourself. She is truly in love with the
Crown Prince.”

“…”

There was one lone reason why Evans continued to distrust the
Imperial Family of the Ruford Empire.

Decades ago when he was still young, Sullivan’s father, the former
emperor, had taken the woman Evans loved. Had she had lived
happily ever after, Evans would not have held a grudge, and resigned
himself to giving up his lover. However, the emperor soon abandoned
her. For that, she took her own life.

Since then, a deep hatred for the Imperial Family was rooted deep in
Evans’ heart. He believed that the cold-blooded men of the family
could never learn to love. The relationship between Carlisle and Elena
was difficult to believe, that is, until he had seen Elena for himself.

‘Given how truly devoted the Crown Princess is to the Crown Prince,
their relationship can hardly be shallow.’

Evans’ long-held grudge seemed to waver in the face of their love. He

realized that he had hated the entire Imperial family from the actions
of a single man. Evans looked conflicted, and he opened his mouth to
speak.

“…Regardless of the couple’s relationship, that is no reason for the

Krauss family to be involved in this fight.”
Despite the firmness of Evans’ voice, Harry gave a small laugh.

“As you said, Grandfather, it doesn’t matter to us who becomes

Emperor. In that case, wouldn’t it be interesting just to walk on the
side of the Crown Princess?”

Evans stared shrewdly at his son. He had never given that perspective
much thought before, but as he pondered on it, he found that Harry’s
words were quite tempting. Evans recalled the words Elena had left
behind.

— I believe in his love as much as he believes in mine.

Clearly, Elena was a breed of woman not often found in the Imperial
Family. She boldly threatened Evans, and even waved away the notion
of obedience to her husband. Harry looked on at his troubled
grandfather’s face.

“Tell me the truth, Grandfather. What do you want to do?”

Evans’ eyes deepened. He had to come to a decision soon, whether to

decline support and quietly bury the topic, or come forward and lend
his aid in the fight for succession.

Since the beginning, there was still not much difference between
Redfield and Carlisle in Evans’ eyes. He did not even fear Carlisle’s
potential tyranny. But this time…there was another interesting player
in the game.

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‘If the Crown Prince and Crown Princess ruled the Empire, would
anything change?’
Perhaps the Ruford Empire’s history of blood could be rewritten. So if
Evans had to bet on someone…it would neither be Redfield nor
Carlisle, but Elena. After a few minutes of thinking, Evans spoke in a
low voice.

“…Whoever I choose, I will not tell you.”

“Oh, come on, Grandfather.”

Harry huffed at his grandfather’s manner, but Evans’ secrecy made

Harry feel anxious.

Chapter 269 – Day Of Decision (1)

A gathering of the late Emperor’s allies was quickly decided upon.

With Ophelia in control of the Imperial Palace, Carlisle had to return to
his position as quickly as possible. The time for them to fight back had
to happen soon, and the situation would change drastically depending
on whether Carlisle could gain control of the Imperial Palace, or if
Ophelia was able to install Redfield as emperor first.

Several of Carlisle’s key allies began to arrive at the prepared meeting

place. The gathering was of utmost secrecy, and information was kept
on tight lockdown to prevent any leaks.

Finally, everyone arrived. Carlisle stepped into the room, followed by

Elena at his side, her long golden hair flowing behind her.

“Hail to the Crown Prince. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”

The voices of the nobles rang together in a quiet but strong chorus.
Carlisle made his way to the front of the room with his usual stately
gait. Ever since the death of Emperor Sullivan, he was now in the
highest position of the Ruford Empire, and had to carry himself as
such. Lord Smith from the Casey family spoke first.

“We are relieved to see that you are safe, Your Highness. You had
been missing, and we worried that—”
But Smith’s words did not last long. He stopped speaking when he
saw someone else enter the room right after Carlisle and Elena. The
crowd’s eyes widened at the newcomer and they began to murmur
amongst themselves.

The man who entered was Evans, the head of the Krauss family. He
was not wearing a robe like everyone else, and his white hair was
completely on display. Anyone could recognize him at a glance.

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“Why is Count Krauss here…?”

“Has he decided to support the Crown Prince?”

There was a great range of opinions among the nobles about Evans’
intentions at the meeting. Carlisle lifted his hand in the air, and the
curious murmuring died down.

“The Krauss family has decided to lend their strength to me.”

The faces of all the nobles suddenly turned into a mixture of surprise
and glee. Never had anyone been able to secure the support of the
Krauss family. If it was true that he would lend his power to Carlisle,
the chances of winning the throne had grown exponentially. All the
nobles began to speak out at the same time.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

If Krauss was on their side, they were more than happy to prematurely
celebrated Carlisle’s ascension to the throne.

Meanwhile, Elena watched the scene in satisfaction as morale amongst

their allies increased. Although she had bet on Evans, she had doubts
that he would throw his support to them. To her incredible surprise,
however, Evans contacted her after their meeting, stating his
endorsement for Carlisle. She didn’t know what caused him to make
the decision, but she would not question the result.
Elena’s and Evans’ eyes met in midair, and Elena gave a slight nod of
approval. Lord Smith of the Casey family spoke again.

“We have nothing to worry about now, Your Highness. If we gather

the soldiers we have and combine it with the strength of the Krauss
family, we’ll be free to invade the palace.”

Presently, all the Imperial Palace soldiers were under the control of
Empress Ophelia. Even with Carlisle’s leadership, it would not be easy
to break through the palace. With Krauss’ support, however, the task
was more than possible.The other nobles did not know it, but Elena
also had a sizable amount of funds to hire a mercenary army.

Carlisle spoke in reply.

“I have given much thought to it.”

There were sure to be many casualties if Carlisle attempted to return

to the palace and Ophelia’s forces confronted him directly. However,
inside the Crown Prince’s palace were Carlisle’s people. They only
listened to Ophelia’s orders because she was in charge, but they
would side with Carlisle once they knew he was there. If after all that
Carlisle ended up being overwhelmed by Ophelia’s forces, however,
then it would be a devastating loss.

Carlisle and Elena had numerous conversations on how to tackle the

problem, and they finally decided on a plan. Carlisle glanced at her,
and she unfolded a large sheet paper in her hands.

Chwaleuleuleug—

The paper was long enough to reach the ground when it was fully
unfolded. Elena turned to addressed the room.

“This is a map of the Crown Prince’s palace.”

With a practiced gesture, she hung the map on a pole and spoke to
the room in a commanding voice.

“The sections I’ve marked here with a red cross are the channels that
run into the Imperial Palace grounds.”

The palace had a water system that flowed into several rivers, and
some were deep enough for humans to dive in. They were the perfect
passages to sneak inside. It would be difficult to go unnoticed, but
about a dozen men could infiltrate the passages, provided that the
Imperial soldiers were sufficiently distracted by a battle.

“While the main troops fight at the entrance to the Imperial Palace, a
select few elite soldiers will infiltrate the palace via the water system.
The aim is to release the soldiers inside the Crown Prince’s palace.”

A noble who had been silently listening spoke up.

“If we fail, won’t there be many casualties? We should use this strategy
in a battle where we have a better chance of winning.”

“He’s right. It may be better to just focus all our best forces to
penetrate the entrance from the front.”

Elena had been anticipating this question, and she gave the answer
she prepared beforehand.

“Of course. But how we win is just as important. If we lose too many
soldiers in the process of reclaiming the throne, we would be at a
great disadvantage.”

Ophelia may only be thinking of crowning Redfield as emperor, but if

the fight became so big that both sides lose…Paveluc was waiting in
the wings to strike. Elena’s red eyes darkened.

‘If at any time Caril’s forces are vulnerable, Paveluc would swoop in at
the opportunity.’
Elena had already lived one lifetime, and knew Paveluc’s ambitions for
the throne better than anyone else. Carlisle was also on heightened
alert after hearing of Elena’s previous life. While it was urgent to
defeat Ophelia in front of them, they also had to take Paveluc’s
involvement into consideration.

“There are more soldiers in the Crown Prince’s palace than you think. If
we free them, it will save us more time and lives than simply focusing
on breaking through the outside.”

The doubt began to fade from the nobles’ expressions and they began
to nod their agreement to the plan. There was nothing incorrect about
what Elena said.

“I am in favor of Her Highness.”

Surprisingly, the first to offer Elena their words of support was Evans.
He continued on in a decisive tone.

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“I didn’t expect this kind of operation, but it’s well-conceived. If we

succeed, it will be a great victory.”

Bolstered by Evans’ endorsement, the nobles began to murmur their

approval of Elena’s plan. Carlisle missed his moment when he was
supposed to speak, but his eyes shone with pride for his wife.

With the approval of the majority, it was decided that they would
attempt to infiltrate the Crown Prince’s palace. Elena began to lay out
the details of the mission.

“Let’s begin by the number of troops each family can contribute.”

And so, Elena began leading the strategic meeting with the Ruford
nobles. She did not realize it, but she had slipped easily into the same
role as a knight in her last life. Despite her slight, unintimidating
appearance, the nobles watched in respectable awe of Elena’s
presence.

Chapter 270 – Day Of Decision (2)

The time of the battle was soon upon them. It had been decided to
execute the plan as soon as possible to mitigate any unexpected
variables, and as a result, Elena and Carlisle crammed weeks worth of
planning into only a few days.

Now, the time was nigh. They would know who would take the throne
after the battle tonight.

Elena was dressed for stealth, garbing herself completely in black and
covering her face with a mask. She looked up at the new moon in the
night sky and murmured in a low voice.

“Soon, even the moon will be at its darkest point. I will infiltrate the
palace, then leave the rest to you.”

In contrast to Elena’s light gear, Carlisle was dressed in heavy metal

armor and a red cloak, all the dignified trappings of a general in
command of the battlefield.

“…I’m not happy sending you out there.”

“Well, it’s been decided upon already.”

The soldiers in the Crown Prince’s palace were needed to end the
fighting as quickly as possible and minimize loss of life. To do so, the
palace had to be breached, and Elena was well-suited for the task
when Carlisle could not move himself. No one was more resourceful
or had better combat skills that Elena. Carlisle had been forced to
accept the plan, but he couldn’t stop himself from worrying about the
risk.
He looked up at Elena with a heavy expression, his chest aching with
regret.

“…Ever since I saw you fight, I was afraid that this day might come.”

He had always feared that Elena would be put up to a dangerous

mission. He tried to stop her from lifting a sword in any situation
possible, but even he was forced to accept her ability. That did
nothing to ease his worries, however.

“Don’t forget your promise to me. You pledged to stay by my side for
a long time.”

Elena lifted her head and tried to look confident, understanding how
worried her husband was for her.

“Don’t worry. I will release the soldiers from the palace and then join
you.”

“Don’t get hurt. Don’t try to do something you think you won’t be
able to do. Can you promise me that?”

“Yes. Take care of yourself too.”

Caril gave an apprehensive nod, but there was no more time for
hesitation.The faint, thin crescent moon was gradually fading away,
shadowing the land in darkness. Elena could not miss this moment of
opportunity.

Carlisle steadily pulled himself up to his horse, then looked down at

Elena.

“The battle will take place as soon as I arrive at the entrance of the
Imperial Palace.”

“Yes. I’ll keep track of the time and make my move.”

Carlisle gave one last forlorn glance at Elena’s face and her bright,
determined eyes. Then, with trembling lips, he gave his parting
farewell.

“…I’ll see you soon.”

Hwiig—

Carlisle turned his horse and headed straight for the Imperial Palace
gates. Already waiting for him there were soldiers from the allied
nobles, the Krauss family, as well as additional mercenaries from Elena.

Elena stared at Carlisle’s retreating back before turning away. There

was no time for sentimental feelings now. The outcome of the battle
rested heavily in her hands now.

Ttubeog ttubeog—

She strode towards the other elite soldiers chosen for the task, and a
dozen pairs of eyes hidden by the dark forest turned towards her.
Elena was their team leader today. She looked up into the night sky
and spoke in a quiet voice.

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“In ten minutes, we break into the palace.”

“Yes, leader.”

“Remember, if anyone blocks our way…”

Elena’s red eyes slowly turned back at the soldiers.

“…cut them down.”

Chapter 271 – Definite And Quick (1)

The number of casualties from today’s battle would be determined by
how quickly they could release the troops from the Crown Prince’s
palace. Elena’s skill was needed to minimize the loss of forces, and
there was no time to hesitate. When the time came, Elena finally
opened her mouth to speak.

“Let’s go.”

At her words, the elite soldiers raised themselves from the ground and
dove into the river. Elena followed after with a splash, swimming deep
into the river bottom. Hidden there was a passage that a grown man
could barely squeeze through. Elena was the quickest to make it there,
and she pushed through with strong strokes.

After swimming for some time, and she quietly and carefully broke
through the surface of the water. She blinked her red eyes as she lifted
her head up and took in the scene. The Imperial Palace grounds were
around her.

“Emergency!”

“Hurry up and move!”

The air rang with shouts, and the Imperial Palace soldiers were
urgently rushing about. Their attention seemed to be focused on a
battle happening elsewhere—likely Carlisle’s doing.

The rest of Elena’s team silently emerged from the water, and she
gestured to them with her hand. Only the elite from each family was
chosen for this task, and their movements were deadly silent and
agile. None of them, however, were as experienced as Elena.

Determining the timing to be right, Elena moved forward, and the rest
of the soldiers followed her like a shadow. Now that they had made it
inside as planned, they had to release Carlisle’s forces as soon as
possible, while avoiding detection by Ophelia’s soldiers. If they were
discovered, a fight could waste them precious time and lives.
***

The area outside the Crown Prince’s palace was in a state of confusion
because of the sudden night raid. Relatively few Imperial Palace
soldiers had been stationed at the entrance to the Imperial grounds;
most of them surrounded the Crown Prince’s palace, in order to
contain Carlisle’s soldiers inside. Those at the entrance were caught off
guard by the sudden assault, and a messenger hurriedly rushed
towards the Crown Prince’s palace.

“My Lord, please hurry and send reinforcements to the entrance.”

Lord Danny was head of the Fifth Order of Knights, and currently in
charge of monitoring the Crown Prince’s palace. He looked back at the
messenger with an expression of disbelief.

“How many enemy troops are there to give you so much trouble?”

“I don’t know. There were so many soldiers that I couldn’t even count
them…at this rate, they’ll break through the entrance.”

“Very well. I’ll send over troops now.”

The messenger looked on with a worried expression.

“My Lord, you’ll need to think about how you’re going to allocate your
forces. If you send all of them, the ones inside the Crown Prince’s
palace may break through.”

After a moment of thought, Danny gave a nod of agreement.

“It’s important to protect the Crown Prince’s palace, but that doesn’t
mean I’ll abandon it completely. I’ll send half the troops for now, then
make further decisions depending on how the fight develops.”

“Yes, My Lord!”
The commander turned towards his troops, and immediately
dispatched half of them.

***

Inside the Crown Prince’s palace.

The people trapped inside sensed something strange happening. They

had no knowledge of Carlisle’s whereabouts or status, so they quietly
stayed in place. That didn’t mean they did nothing, however—here
too, the soldiers were vigilantly watching for news of what was
happening outside. From a distance, they had noticed forces clashing
outside the Imperial Palace walls.

“What should we do, Sir Zenard?”

At the moment, several key figures had gathered together at the

highest wall with the clearest view outside the palace. Zenard watched
with shrewd eyes as Imperial Palace troops peeled away from the
Crown Prince’s palace.

“I don’t know. It’s unusual that they’re moving suddenly, but I can’t
make a judgment without more information.”

Kuhn, who was also present at the meeting, gave a small nod of his
head.

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“There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. It could be a trap.”

The Empress’ soldiers had threatened to kill them if they left the
palace. Unless they wanted to fight a battle, it was safest to stay inside
for now. However, they couldn’t stay like this forever, and they needed
to come up with a plan…
Zenard’s expression was dark.

“…Let’s watch a little longer.”

Chapter 272 – Definite And Quick (2)

Elena and her elite team finally made it to the Crown Prince’s palace
amid the chaos. They managed to avoid any confrontation with the
Empress’ soldiers, and arrived on time as planned. The problem now
was going forward.

“Leader, there are more of the Empress’ soldiers here than expected.”

Elena nodded as she surveyed the scene. She expected more troops
would be diverted to the Imperial Palace gates, but there were still a
great number of them guarding Crown Prince’s palace.

‘What should I do with this?’

She gripped a letter handwritten by Carlisle. The original plan was to

use the letter to convince the soldiers inside to move…but that
method would take far too long. It was difficult to get past the
Empress’ soldiers, but the key was to quickly deliver the letter to the
people inside the palace to open the door. She could never do it if she
couldn’t prove Carlisle was the sender.

‘That would take time…’

Elena just needed to talk to the people inside the Crown Prince’s
palace even briefly, or at least deliver the letter Carlisle wrote.
However, there were too many of the Empress’ soldiers surrounding
the Crown Prince’s palace, and Carlisle couldn’t stall at the front gate
forever. In short, Elena and her elite troops had to somehow remove
the army of the Empress’ soldiers, an impossible task for a team of
only a dozen.

‘It wouldn’t just take time…if something goes wrong, then there’s a
greater chance of failure.’
She already had a contingency plan for the worst case scenario, but
she wanted to avoid this method as much as possible. However…there
was no other choice. Elena’s red eyes glimmered in the darkness as
she made up her mind.

“Leader, what shall we do?”

At the question, everyone’s eyes turned towards Elena. She scrutinized

the entrance of the Crown Prince’s palace then looked back at her
team.

“Simply waiting here will make no difference, so we move.”

“But how?”

“We cannot change the plan now. If we distract the enemy, we can use
the opportunity to open the palace doors.”

Everyone’s expression turned grave at her words. Her suggestion was

the quickest method, but the most dangerous. Failure to distract the
enemy or taking too long to open the palace gates would lead to
everyone’s deaths. However, no one spoke a word of objection, as
they knew how imperative it was to release Carlisle’s soldiers as soon
as possible.

“Then we’ll split into two groups, one to distract the guards and the
other to infiltrate the gates—”

“No.”

Everyone looked at her in surprise. She gazed at her team with fierce
determination.

“All of you will distract the soldiers. I’ll break through the gates alone.”

“But there are too many soldiers to do that.”

At present, there were fifteen soldiers stationed right at the entrance
of the Crown Prince’s palace, made up of five groups of three. If Elena
appeared, they would all descend on her in no time and make quick
work of her.

“I can handle them by myself. Just keep the rest of the reinforcements
from coming.”

“…!”

The team was stunned by Elena, unsure what to make of her brazen
confidence. All those gathered here were the greatest soldiers
recognized by their families, but none of them could handle fifteen
enemy knights at solely by themselves.

However, Elena never made a decision out of arrogance of her own

ability, but out probability of success. The soldiers continued to be
surprised as they realized that Elena was not bluffing, and she
continued on calmly.

“All of you pair up and spread out as widely as possible. That way
you’ll be safer and can survive longer.”

They could greater help each other out when they were in team pairs,
and the longer they endured, the safer Elena would be. With enough
time, Elena would open the palace gates, and all of them would live.
Otherwise, the only other outcome was complete destruction by the
Empress’ forces.

“Understood.”

The soldiers all answered simultaneously, and Elena lifted her chin and
spoke in an authoritative voice.

“There’s no more time to hesitate. Let’s go now.”

The soldiers swiftly paired up with each other and then disappeared
from the site. If anyone else had happened to glimpse them, they
might have mistaken them for a ghost.

As the soldiers dispersed, Elena looked calmly at the Crown Prince’s

palace gates. Everything depended on how quickly she could open
them. Soon after, a man’s scream rang out in the night like a signal.

“Aaaagh!”

Elena’s teams were in action, and the Empress’ soldiers were suddenly
besieged by attacks coming from various sides. For a moment, the
battlefield was like hell. The night was drowned in the sound of
swords crashing and arrows zinging in the air. Elena took her chance,
and slipped towards the gates with her sword unsheathed.

“Who’s there?”

As Elena closed in on the gates, the group of fifteen soldiers stationed

there rushed forward to intercept her.

Hwiig!

Elena swung her sword and cut down a soldier on her right. She then
turned into a somersault to avoid a frontal attack, then smashed her
foot into her opponent’s face. The soldier immediately collapsed to
the ground.

Elena took care of the soldiers with ruthless efficiency, and in no time
at all, the fifteen soldiers all lay on the ground before her. Anyone who
saw her would have dropped their jaws at the display of power.

Such was the case of the people watching the situation from up the
high wall of the Crown Prince’s palace. They were completely deprived
of speech as they processed the sudden appearance of a talented
fighter.
“S-Sir Zenard, th-that man is…”

The person couldn’t bring himself to complete his sentence. Even

Zenard and Kuhn, who were masters of combat, stared at the
mysterious figure with astonishment.

Elena stood at the palace gate and looked upward, her victims lying at
her feet. Her red eyes were directed at Carlisle’s men looking at her.

It was then. She pulled off her mask without hesitation.

Hwiig!

Elena’s golden hair poured out from her head covering in waves.
Underneath was her pale skin, high nose, and red lips.

Elena’s face, which seemed an amalgamation of all the beauty of the

world, was revealed to the outside.

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For a moment, the world was plunged into silence. Soon after, a loud
cry shattered it like glass. Zenard was the first to recognize Elena, and
he yelled at his men.

“It’s Her Highness! Open the palace doors now!”

Kkiiig—

Elena looked at the large palace gates opening before her. Revealing
her identity was more definite and quick than delivering Carlisle’s
letter.

Chapter 273 – To Reclaim The Throne (1)

As soon as Elena entered the Crown Prince’s palace, she shouted up at
the stunned soldiers staring at her.

“Help the rest who came with me!”

“Ah, yes, Your Highness!”

Archers from behind the parapet wall shot down arrows to protect the
soldiers dressed like Elena.

Syuung! Syung!

At last, the elite soldiers were safely able to enter the Crown Prince’s
palace without a single one losing their lives. As soon as they arrived,
however, they looked surprised at seeing Elena’s identity.

“M-my god.”

“The leader…was Her Highness?”

From behind the shocked figures, the key figures descended hurriedly
from the palace wall. Zenard stammered in surprise.

“Y-Your Highness…since when?”

Elena looked at the figures gathered around her.

“Some people know already me, and others don’t. Before I married the
Crown Prince, I was a secret knight named Len.”

“…!”

Most had never met Len, but Zenard and Kuhn had when she
concealed her identity with a helmet. In particular, Zenard had been
openly hostile towards Len, and his expression immediately paled.

Elena hadn’t intended to reveal it, but there was no faster way to get
into the palace. Not to mention, Ophelia must have already heard
about her combat abilities after she fought off the soldiers at the cliff.
Therefore, she decided that she had no reason to hide it.

Elena looked back at the people gathered around her and spoke
quickly.

“The important thing now is that His Majesty is fighting a battle

outside the Imperial Palace. We need your strength to take over the
grounds as soon as possible.”

Zenard replied with an astonished expression.

“What? His Majesty?”

Zenard was not the only one surprised at the unexpected news.
Everyone else looked at each other with wide eyes.

“The previous Emperor is dead, and the Empress is in control of this

place. We almost fell to the Empress’ hands. We are now fighting with
our noble allies to enter the Imperial Palace, so we must open the
gates for him.”

It was a brief explanation, but enough to give the others a grasp of the
current situation. The soldiers of the Crown Prince’s palace knelt down,
including Zenard and Kuhn.

“Understood, Your Highness!”

Everyone’s voices rang out as one. It was time for the soldiers of the
Crown Prince’s palace to assemble.

***

Carlisle had not yet broken through the gates of the Imperial Palace.
The palace had been designed to withstand a long siege, and despite
Carlisle’s impressive army, it was still less than sufficient.
Paas!

Carlisle’s steel sword pierced the neck of an enemy soldier, who

gurgled blood and collapsed bodily to the ground. Smith from the
Casey family swiftly came to Carlisle’s side.

“It won’t be as easy to get through those gates as we thought.”

“I thought so too. It’s too well defended to simply break through.”

“We have the upper hand for now, but if we don’t get those
reinforcements, we’ll take heavy casualties.”

Carlisle’s eyes turned towards the firmly closed gate, and he spoke in a
steady voice.

“…Just wait. My weapon is moving.”

“What?”

Smith didn’t understand the meaning, but Carlisle had no intention of

explaining, instead swinging his sword at the enemies.

‘You can’t get hurt…’

Carlisle’s faith in Elena was strong, but worry gripped at him. He didn’t
doubt that she would complete her mission, but he was afraid she
might get hurt in the process.

‘…If anyone makes you bleed, I will make them pay.’

Already Elena had been injured because of Ophelia’s trap, and she had
previously lost her life from Paveluc’s sword. Carlisle had not forgotten
that. Once he took the throne, he would certainly repay the debt, and
inflict upon Ophelia and Paveluc a hundred times more pain than
Elena suffered.
‘Does she remember what I told her? What kind of emperor I am is
entirely in her hands.’

The more blood Elena lost, the colder the Carlisle’s heart became. If
Elena died at all…the Ruford Empire would have to repent for turning
Carlisle into the emperor. His dark blue eyes flashed upon the
thought.

‘…Come back to me, Elena.’

She had to be safe to keep Carlisle’s brutal nature asleep and hidden
from the rest of the world.

The battle continued to rage fiercely outside the Imperial Palace walls,
when—

Keuleuleuleuleung!

There was loud noise, and stunningly, the palace gates slowly began
to open.

Tak, tak, tak.

A cloud of dust was stirred up from the ground, and someone began
to emerge.

The first thing one noticed was golden hair as bright as the sun. It was
followed by contrasting dark clothes, and a face beautiful enough to
stop anyone in their tracks. Elena arrived on the battlefield like a
goddess of war.

Soon after, Carlisle’s closest aids, Kuhn and Zenard, appeared by her
side. Behind them, they led more soldiers. The men trapped inside the
Crown Prince’s palace had arrived. The opening the gate was
tantamount to Carlisle’s victory.
“Raaaaah!”

Many of Carlisle’s soldiers roared in battle lust as they rushed forward,

while the Empress’ soldiers turned ashen. With everyone’s attention
on the fighting, Elena sprinted past the soldiers them and ran straight
to Carlisle’s side. She looked him over worriedly.

“You weren’t hurt when I was gone, were you?”

Carlisle grinned at her concern.

“That was what I was going to say.”

Carlisle observed her maskless face.

“…You revealed yourself?”

“It couldn’t be helped. I thought it was the quickest way to get into
the palace.”

“Did you get hurt?”

“No. Just as promised, I came back safely.”

Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief and he cupped Elena’s soft cheek.

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“Well done.”

The people from the Crown Prince’s palace had learned about Elena’s
identity, and while the soldiers fighting at the Imperial Palace entrance
did not know what had happened. But everyone’s thoughts were the
same. The couple looked incredible together. They stood shoulder to
shoulder, towering figures looking ready for battle.

Carlisle turned towards the wide open gate.

“Let’s go.”

It was time to reclaim Carlisle’s throne.

Chapter 274 – To Reclaim The Throne (2)

Ophelia could not keep up with the sudden flood of dire news.

[The soldiers in the Crown Prince’s palace have been released.]

[The main bases of the Imperial Palace have been taken over.]

[The Imperial Palace gates are open.]

She had expected a tough fight, but she didn’t expect to be

overwhelmed. Although Ophelia was born into a family that
historically produced great generals, she herself had no experience in
battle. She had overestimated the difference in power between her
and Carlisle, and found it difficult to navigate the constantly changing
battle conditions.

‘I could have made Redfield emperor with just a little more time!’

A few days more, and she could have pushed the nobles to the
coronation ceremony. But Carlisle ruined everything, just when she
was only one step to victory.

‘…I should have killed him from the start.’

Ophelia loathed Carlisle’s existence since the beginning. She loathed

his mother, a mere palace maid who conceived a son before she did.
Sullivan, for a time, did not even pay attention to Carlisle, and the
mother would always prostrate herself before Ophelia. Until Sullivan
appointed Carlisle Crown Prince all of a sudden.
‘He gets in the way of everything.’

Everything that had not worked out for Ophelia was all because of
Carlisle, and she was determined to deliver him the miserable death
he deserved. She didn’t want to see him as heir to the throne, and
whenever Carlisle showed off his intelligence, Redfield was inevitably
compared to him. Ophelia would not be satisfied until Carlisle’s blood
was spilled on the floor before her.

Carlisle kept on surviving, however, and continued to hold on onto

Ophelia’s ankles until the very end.

‘Was it the Crown Princess who saved Carlisle thus far?’

Ophelia had been informed of what happened on the cliff, and

discovered that Elena was secretly a woman of battle. Ophelia had
doubted the news when she heard it at first, but as she mulled over
the information, she realized it was possible that her plans were foiled
because of Elena.

‘It can’t end like this. I’m going to kill the both of them with my own
hands somehow.’

A cruel gleam blazed in her eyes. Redfield, who was sitting next to
Ophelia, looked at his mother nervously.

“M-Mother, since the palace gates are open, shouldn’t we flee?”

“Yes. Firstly—”

Ophelia was about to answer, when suddenly—

Bang!

The door burst open and Cassana rushed inside.

“Your Majesty, there is great trouble.”

“What’s going on here?”

“This just came in—”

Cassana handed Ophelia the paper she was holding. Ophelia’s and
Redfield’s eyes flew towards the message.

[Cesare, head of the Anita family, has died.]

Ophelia’s eyes widened and her body crumpled, and Redfield

reflexively held up her body and spoke hastily.

“We need to get out of here quickly. What if we’re found here too!”

Ophelia turned on Redfield with a look of fury.

“You’re thinking of running away just from news of your uncle’s

death?”

“I—”

Redfield couldn’t answer, and Ophelia shook her head in frustration.

Redfield didn’t have to be as smart as Carlisle. If her son had just half
the intelligence, she wouldn’t be so angry.

Ophelia stared at the paper with grief-stricken eyes, then dropped it

to the floor. There was no time for idle sentiment. Redfield was right; if
they did not leave the area as soon as possible, they might be
captured and killed by Carlisle.

“Did you bring what I told you to prepare?”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

She quickly showed the garments she was holding in her arms. They
were the uniforms worn by the maids and servants of the Imperial
Palace. Cassana had hastily retrieved them, and not only was it dirty
and shabby, it also stank and was stained with blood.
Ophelia grimaced at the clothing, but she quickly picked them up and
held one out to Redfield.

“Hurry up and change.”

“Mother! This is a dress worn by servants! How can I dress like this…?”

“If you want to live, wear it fast!”

“That, that…!”

Redfield looked stunned by Ophelia’s unyielding stance, but he had

no other choice considering Cesare’s death. Under these
circumstances, the both of them could not escape from the palace
with any dignity. At least if they were disguised as servants, they could
slip past any searching eyes.

Ophelia quickly changed into the clothing, and even she bit her lip
when she saw herself reflected in the mirror.

‘…I was not going to be humiliated like this.’

Ophelia, born from the powerful Anita family and ascended to the
position of Ruford Empress, had never found herself in a position so
humbling. Dressed only in dirty clothes and no jewelry, she felt like
she would explode at the injustice of it.

However, she suppressed her seething mind and spoke in a steady

voice.

“Cassana, take us to the Grand Duke of Lunen.”

Redfield flinched in surprise.

“Mother, you’re going to ask Grand Duke Lunen for help?”

“Yes. It will not be easy for us to get out of the palace by ourselves
anyway. Our last remaining hope is to entrust ourselves to him for a
while.”

“That’s a great idea, Mother!”

Redfield’s face lit up with joy. Ophelia shed her imperious air for a
moment and looked at Cassana with vulnerable affection. She handed
the lady-in-waiting the jewels she had just taken off.

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“Cassana, there will be no other path for you if I die anyway. If you can
safely take us to Grand Duke Lunen, I will not forget your services.”

Cassana replied with a gentle nod of her head.

“Yes, Your Majesty. You can trust in me.”

Cassana took the lead and looked around, and Ophelia and Redfield
followed closely behind.

Ophelia did not notice the smile on Cassana’s lips.

Chapter 275 – The New Emperor (1)

Paveluc’s current place of stay was at the very edge of the Imperial
Palace. It had been assigned to him by Sullivan, and even then the
tensions between the two brothers was evident. Ophelia hadn’t been
concerned about Paveluc’s whereabouts as she focused on the power
struggle with Carlisle. Now that she required his help, however, she
needed to seek him out immediately. She wished she didn’t have to
stake her life on him, but there was no time for regrets.
‘Grand Duke Lunen cannot refuse my request. He has supported
Redfield until now, and if he turns me away, he will lose a valuable
ally.’

Ophelia nodded reassuringly to herself, remembering the respect that

Paveluc had always shown to her. No matter how much she
considered it, Paveluc was the only one she could depend on now.

Tabagtabageu—

Finally, Ophelia and Redfield arrived at the building Paveluc was

staying. Fortunately, Cassana seemed to be familiar with the
geography of the place, as she had worked in the palace for many
years. The three discreetly maneuvered their way through the chaos of
the fighting and reached their destination.

Cassana went up to the guard stationed outside Paveluc’s quarters

and whispered to him.

“Tell him Her Majesty is here.”

The knight glanced at Ophelia and Redfield standing behind Cassana.

Ophelia’s face grew hot at the callous behavior of the knight. She was
used to standing in the center of attention in splendid appearance,
but she suddenly felt a sense of embarrassment at wearing such
ragged clothes. Usually when people looked at her, it was either one
of two emotions—fear or awe.

Now the guard was looking at her as if she were something trivial, and
for the first time in Ophelia’s life, she learned what it was like to be
unimportant.

“Wait here. I’ll report it to the Lord and let him know.”
Not so long ago, the knight would have let Ophelia inside first and
then would go to Paveluc. Now, however, the knight left them waiting
there.

Ophelia clenched here teeth in anger. She could not stand such
disrespect. Power was a terrifying force; she had soared to great
heights as empress, but then overnight she had become not much
more than a fugitive.

The knight reappeared and spoke in a curt tone to Ophelia.

“The Grand Duke has allowed you to come inside.”

Cassana smiled in approval then turned to Ophelia.

“Thank goodness. Please enter, Your Majesty.”

“…Yes.”

Ophelia walked inside, the servant outfit she was wearing somehow
making her feel smaller. Redfield silently followed behind her with a
terrified look.

Kkiigg.

When the door opened, the first thing one noticed was Paveluc seated
proudly at the head of a table. That position was normally reserved for
Ophelia. However, Paveluc did not show any signs of giving up his
seat to her.

‘So it’s like this…!’

Ophelia inwardly seethed with fury, but she could not critique
Paveluc’s disrespectful behavior when she was the one coming to ask
him for help. She schooled her features as much as possible, then
spoke in an unassuming voice.

“It’s good to see you again, Grand Duke Lunen.”

“…I’m in a very bad mood. Tell me what you came for.”

Ophelia flushed. Never had Paveluc acted so arrogantly towards her

before, but she was unable to voice her displeasure. She was in a more
disadvantageous position before him. For the first time, she realized
what it was like to be at the mercy of another person.

Ophelia continued, her lips slightly trembling.

“Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience. I’ll not tarry long here, so I’ll
get to the point.”

Paveluc didn’t answer, simply looking down at her with his black eyes
that were as deep as an abyss. However, Ophelia did not come to this
place without any hope.

“I ask that you get Redfield and I outside of the Imperial Palace. If you
keep us safe for a while, I will give you whatever you want in the
future.”

“…Why would I listen? You have nothing to give me.”

Anyone would think so, but Ophelia had a secret weapon.

“If you give me a little time, I have a way to keep Prince Carlisle in
check.”

“By what means?”

Ophelia didn’t want to reveal every single one of her intentions, but it
was crucial to keep Paveluc satisfied. She needed to do whatever it
took to get out of the Imperial Palace, even if she had to throw away
her entire hand.

“I had requested assistance from the Kelt Kingdom to deal with the
soldiers from the Crown Prince’s palace. I didn’t know it would turn
out like this, but…if they join up with your forces, we will have a good
chance of victory. If Redfield becomes the Emperor—”
“…Kggg.”

Paveluc’s snort of laughter stopped Ophelia dead in her tracks. She

blinked in shock at his reaction, and Paveluc spoke in her place.

“Is using the Kelt Kingdom the only thing you could come up with
with that head? If you win that way, you’ll only be left with half the
empire. You foolish woman.”

Kelt Kingdom soldiers demanded a steep price, and even if Ophelia

used them, it would not be a perfect victory. Not only had Carlisle
brought the late Emperor’s allies together, but he also had the highly
coveted Krauss family on his side. Logistically, it was impossible to
completely take back the Ruford Empire from Carlisle’s hands, even
with the help of the Kelt Kingdom. To Ophelia’s frustration, however,
she saw no other way.

“If you had acted competently in the first place, this wouldn’t have
happened. Shouldn’t you at least have dealt a lethal wound to
Carlisle? And now you come here to beg and expect me to patronize
you?”

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Paveluc was acting like a completely different person from what

Ophelia knew of him, and she intuitively sensed that something was
wrong. She took a hesitant step backwards, when the door suddenly
slammed close behind her. She whirled around reflexively, and saw
Cassana standing by the door so no one could leave.

“You…!”

Ophelia stared at Cassana with a look of shock. Not once in her life
did she doubt the lady-in-waiting’s allegiance. Cassana had served her
for many years after all. For the first time, however, Ophelia was
suspicious Cassana’s identity.

An amused smile played on Cassana’s face as Ophelia glared stiffly at

her.

“Ho ho ho, have you noticed now?”

Chapter 276 – The New Emperor (2)

“How dare you betray me?”

“Your Majesty, betrayal? That is something you say to someone who is

on the same side. I had served Lord Lunen since the beginning.”

“What?”

Fear crept up Ophelia’s spine. It was hard to believe that Paveluc’s

spies had been around her for so long. Redfield, who was quietly
watching the situation unfold, trembled in fear.

“M-Mother…”

Ophelia now understood that coming to Paveluc for help was the
worst possible choice she could have made. However, the deed was
now irreversible.

Paveluc slowly approached Ophelia and drew his sword from his waist.

“I was wondering about the status of the Kelt Kingdom, so thank you
for coming to tell me about it before you died.”

“G-Grand Duke Lunen, think carefully. It will either be Carlisle or

Redfield who will be emperor—”

“Can you still not see the situation? Why do you think it is only those
two who can claim the throne?”
“…!”
Ophelia’s eyes flew open in shock. She had missed what was at the
heart of this, but suddenly, the motivations of Paveluc’s words and
behavior became stunningly clear. The man had been keeping his
claws hidden while dreaming of treason.

“Why do you think I am not fit for the Emperor’s seat?”

He grinned meaningfully at her as he slowly approached, and Ophelia

began to shout in a terrified voice.

“S-stay your sword. I’ll do whatever you say.”

“Then beg. Convince me.”

Ophelia quickly knelt to the floor, terror rising to her throat. It was the
first time she had ever put herself below anyone.

“If you can’t, then…not Redfield! Please.”

“Hmm.”

In contrast to Ophelia’s panic, Paveluc was leisurely stroking his dark

beard with one hand. After a moment of thought, he smiled.

“It’s better to just kill you.”

“L-Lunen, you—gaaaak!”

Chwaaaag!

Paveluc’s sword neatly separated Ophelia’s neck from her body. Blood
spurted from the neck, and the body soon lost strength and collapsed
to the floor.

Paveluc stepped on her back with one foot and wiped his sword on
her maid’s outfit.
“I had wanted to bring down that high-nosed expression for a long
time. Well, it wasn’t a total loss. She had given me information about
the Kelt Kingdom.”

It was an undignified death for Ophelia, who was once called one of
the two pillars of the Ruford Empire. Paveluc’s gaze slowly turned to
Redfield.

“A-aaaagh!”

Redfield’s legs gave way beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground.
His pants were wet as if he urinated in them. Pavel Luke mumbled,
frowning.

“Tsk, and they were going to make him emperor.”

He swiftly assessed that Redfield was not a threat to his plans. The
Second Prince had come here solely because he was Ophelia’s son.
Redfield clasped his hands and pleaded for his life.

“P-please spare me, Uncle.”

Redfield, once so arrogant, had devolved into a sniveling boy. Paveluc

and Redfield had never considered each other as blood. It was a fact
that didn’t have to be spoken. The Grand Duke gave a low chuckle of
amusement.

“Is it just a matter of seeing your mother die with your own eyes for
you to beg me?”

“I-I want to live…”

“Yes. It’s too much of a waste to kill you like that.”

Redfield’s face flushed in shame. Paveluc looked up and shouted for

the knights.

“Hey out there!”

Cassana opened the door, and dozens of knights rushed inside. They
saw Ophelia’s headless body lying on the floor, but did not so much
as bat an eye.

“You called, My Lord!”

“Take Redfield away. Show him what the most painful death in the
world is.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Redfield’s face turned as white as a sheet at Paveluc’s words. As the

knights seized Redfield’s arms and began to drag him away, Redfield
screamed into the night.

“Uncle! Please spare me! I will be useful! Aaaagh!”

As Redfield wailed loudly, Paveluc picked his ear disinterestedly.

“Cut out his tongue first.”

“Understood.”

The knights finally disappeared with Redfield. Paveluc then turned to

the remaining soldiers.

“Are we ready to leave the palace?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Let’s hurry up while it’s still calm here. There is no reason to stay in
the palace anymore.”

The winner of the fight between Carlisle and Ophelia had been
decided. It was an overwhelming victory that Paveluc did not want
most, and he would be busy making adjustments to his plan.

As he stepped outside, he suddenly turned around and looked back at

Ophelia’s corpse on the floor.
“Bring that. It will be useful later.”

“Yes, My Lord!”

Paveluc slipped away quietly through the turbulent battlefield of the

Imperial Palace.

***

A large group of nobles in armor were gathered in the largest hall of

the Imperial Palace. They all the victors that had contributed in taking
back the palace that day. The hall was filled with voices as they
regaled stories of the battle with each other.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!”

Suddenly, there was a voice announcing Carlisle’s entrance, and

everyone turned and bowed as a show of respect.

Kuuuug!

The sound of shifting metal armor as they bowed resounded

majestically.

“Hail the Crown Prince. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire!”

Carlisle proudly stepped inside. Right next to him was Elena, dressed
in black light gear, followed by Zenard and Kuhn trailing like shadows.

In fact, the topic most talked about by the nobles was Elena’s
unexpected performance. They knew she was a member of a knight’s
family, but none had even had a hint that she possessed such
outstanding fighting capabilities.

With everyone’s attention on them, Carlisle and Elena walked through

the room. Carlisle’s confident footsteps echoed on the floor, until it
finally stopped right before the golden throne. He looked at the
throne for a moment, then turned around and seated himself
naturally.

According to standard practice, the crown prince could not sit in the
emperor’s seat before the coronation ceremony. However, no one
spoke one word of protest.

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“Congratulations, Your Highness!”

Once again, the celebratory voices of the nobles rang in the hall.
Indeed, the emperor of the Ruford Empire had been decided, and
would not change even if the sky fell now.

Carlisle looked down at the assembled nobles, the position befitting

him as well as a well-crafted suit of armor.

“Then let’s begin the meeting.”

Today marked a new birth of the Ruford Empire. It was the first day.

Chapter 277 – A Hidden Enemy (2)

Everyone came out of the meeting exhausted. Even after fighting a

large battle at the Imperial Palace, they had to face Carlisle’s
overwhelming personality, which was not easy to endure. After
Sullivan’s death, Ophelia’s rule of the Ruford Empire had caused many
problems. While Carlisle was terrifying, he ruled fairly.

It was late evening when the nobles dispersed from the meeting. Elena
stepped out before Carlisle did, and was breathing in the cool night
air.

“Your Highness.”
A familiar voice stopped her in her tracks, and she looked backwards.
It was her father, Alphord, whom she had not seen in a very long time.

“…Father.”

Even though she hadn’t encountered him on the battlefield, it was

likely that he had been present in the fight. She looked at her father in
surprise at the suddenness of the meeting. Alphord repeatedly closed
and opened his mouth as he struggled to find the words to say.

“Now that you’re the princess, you should call me Lord Blaise, not
‘Father.’”

“Ah, I’m not used to it yet…”

Elena smiled awkwardly as her words trailed away. Although she cared
deeply for her family, she was married now, and did not see her
family’s faces as often as before. The last time she had seen her father,
it was a brief encounter at the tournament, but she had kept her
identity hidden.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been well, nothing special. I came to find you to give you an
answer to your letter.”

Elena remembered that she had written to her father about Mirabelle
studying abroad.

“Do you mean about Mirabelle?”

“Yes.”

Elena then nodded, her face slightly tense. If Alphord opposed

Mirabelle’s study abroad, she would have to think up an answer in
response. However, Alphord’s reply was completely different from
what she anticipated.
“As you have suggested, Your Highness, I thought better to send
Mirabelle abroad for her safety until the Empire is stabilized.”

“That means…”

“Yes. When you were missing and confusion ensued, I quickly sent
Mirabelle to the Freegrand Kingdom not long ago. She said she would
write to you as soon as she got there. Now that I’ve come across you, I
wanted to tell that to you.”

Elena didn’t think it would be easy to persuade her stubborn father,

but so far the current confusion in the Ruford Empire seemed to work
in her favor. An irresistible smile came to her lips.

“I regret not being able to say goodbye to Mirabelle, but I’m glad that
she’s left to study abroad.”

“…”

Alphord did not reply. He still seemed uncertain about sending his
youngest daughter away. However, Elena felt a little more relaxed now
that her sister was safe, especially since she hadn’t dealt with Paveluc
yet.

Elena’s mood lifted and she spoke.

“You made a wise decision. Not only for Mirabelle’s safety, but
because it was what she wanted.”

“…Yes.”

Despite his affirmation, there was conflict in his eyes. He gazed at

Elena with an enigmatic expression and ventured on carefully.

“However, Your Highness, I recently heard a strange story from the

other nobles.”

“What do you mean?”

“Everyone says that you are an excellent fighter…what on earth do
they mean?”

Elena blinked in surprise. If she thought about it, it was only natural
that Alphord wanted to know.

At the moment, revealing her identity was a spontaneous decision so

she could release the soldiers from the Crown Prince’s palace.
Moreover, she had no reason to hesitate, as Ophelia had already
found out about it.

Elena did not calculate this particular situation however. She looked
uncharacteristically sheepish as she attempted to explain herself to her
father.

“Well, since my mother was a knight, I wanted to learn sword fighting

too. You know I once begged you for lessons when I was young.”

Alphord simply stood there and quietly listened. His blunt stare and
stony expression only served to make Elena feel even more nervous.

“And so…I did everything in secret. I learned just by watching, so I’m

not that good.”

“…So the rumor is exaggerated?”

“Yes, a little…I guess so.”

She desired to be recognized by Alphord, but she couldn’t reveal her

true skills. There was a great difference between learning
swordsmanship for self-defense and being good enough to kill a
dozen enemies at once.

More importantly, Alphord, the head of the Fourth Order of Knights of

the Imperial Family, would know that her current ability was not
something one learned just by watching and practicing. In order to
explain it properly, Elena would have to reveal everything about her
previous life, something she was not prepared to do to him. She was
scared how he might react to that.

“But I heard—”

As Alphord was about to speak, he was interrupted by Carlisle’s voice

coming out of the meeting hall.

“My wife.”

At Carlisle’s call, Elena immediately turned her head.

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll be right there.”

Elena rushed to make an excuse to avoid a difficult situation.

“I have to go now that my husband is calling me. I will see you again.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

He looked ready to say something else, but he didn’t stop Elena. She
went to Carlisle’s side, leaving Alphord behind.

Carlisle, who was standing at a distance, recognized Alphord’s face,

and he turned towards Elena.

“Ah, you were with Father-In-Law?”

“Yes. But for now, I just want to leave this place.”

Carlisle didn’t understand why, but he nodded and strode ahead. She
fell into step beside him.

Alphord watched their backs retreat from a distance.

***

Paveluc left the palace with his servants from the Duchy of Lunen, but
that didn’t mean his influence was completely gone. Batori had
remained as a servant of the Crown Princess. In his hand was the last
order Paveluc had left him.

[Kill the prince.]

It would be difficult to assassinate the man who would soon officially

become emperor. If Batori succeeded, however, he was promised
reward beyond his belief.

Batori stared intently at the paper, then placed it in his mouth and
swallowed it so that no evidence remained.

“…It’s time to do my job.”

Though humble in appearance Batori was, he was a man of

unparalleled ability. There were many reasons why he followed
Paveluc, but the biggest was because he wanted to rebel. If the sky
was changed, he could wash away his old identity. He recalled the
words Paveluc had spoken to him.

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— If you succeed, I will give you a position as great as a general.

To achieve the future that Batori wanted, he would start by monitoring

Elena’s every move.

“I will be general…”

The smile on Batori’s lips broadened. It was a difficult task, but not
impossible. All the members of the Blood Assassins that Paveluc had
given to him long ago had secretly infiltrated the Imperial Palace.
Batori had prepared for this very moment.
Carlisle’s assassination was both a dangerous mission and a golden
opportunity.

Chapter 278 – A Hidden Enemy (2)

Everyone came out of the meeting exhausted. Even after fighting a

large battle at the Imperial Palace, they had to face Carlisle’s
overwhelming personality, which was not easy to endure. After
Sullivan’s death, Ophelia’s rule of the Ruford Empire had caused many
problems. While Carlisle was terrifying, he ruled fairly.

It was late evening when the nobles dispersed from the meeting. Elena
stepped out before Carlisle did, and was breathing in the cool night
air.

“Your Highness.”

A familiar voice stopped her in her tracks, and she looked backwards.
It was her father, Alphord, whom she had not seen in a very long time.

“…Father.”

Even though she hadn’t encountered him on the battlefield, it was

likely that he had been present in the fight. She looked at her father in
surprise at the suddenness of the meeting. Alphord repeatedly closed
and opened his mouth as he struggled to find the words to say.

“Now that you’re the princess, you should call me Lord Blaise, not
‘Father.’”

“Ah, I’m not used to it yet…”

Elena smiled awkwardly as her words trailed away. Although she cared
deeply for her family, she was married now, and did not see her
family’s faces as often as before. The last time she had seen her father,
it was a brief encounter at the tournament, but she had kept her
identity hidden.
“How have you been?”

“I’ve been well, nothing special. I came to find you to give you an
answer to your letter.”

Elena remembered that she had written to her father about Mirabelle
studying abroad.

“Do you mean about Mirabelle?”

“Yes.”

Elena then nodded, her face slightly tense. If Alphord opposed

Mirabelle’s study abroad, she would have to think up an answer in
response. However, Alphord’s reply was completely different from
what she anticipated.

“As you have suggested, Your Highness, I thought better to send

Mirabelle abroad for her safety until the Empire is stabilized.”

“That means…”

“Yes. When you were missing and confusion ensued, I quickly sent
Mirabelle to the Freegrand Kingdom not long ago. She said she would
write to you as soon as she got there. Now that I’ve come across you, I
wanted to tell that to you.”

Elena didn’t think it would be easy to persuade her stubborn father,

but so far the current confusion in the Ruford Empire seemed to work
in her favor. An irresistible smile came to her lips.

“I regret not being able to say goodbye to Mirabelle, but I’m glad that
she’s left to study abroad.”

“…”

Alphord did not reply. He still seemed uncertain about sending his
youngest daughter away. However, Elena felt a little more relaxed now
that her sister was safe, especially since she hadn’t dealt with Paveluc
yet.

Elena’s mood lifted and she spoke.

“You made a wise decision. Not only for Mirabelle’s safety, but
because it was what she wanted.”

“…Yes.”

Despite his affirmation, there was conflict in his eyes. He gazed at

Elena with an enigmatic expression and ventured on carefully.

“However, Your Highness, I recently heard a strange story from the

other nobles.”

“What do you mean?”

“Everyone says that you are an excellent fighter…what on earth do

they mean?”

Elena blinked in surprise. If she thought about it, it was only natural
that Alphord wanted to know.

At the moment, revealing her identity was a spontaneous decision so

she could release the soldiers from the Crown Prince’s palace.
Moreover, she had no reason to hesitate, as Ophelia had already
found out about it.

Elena did not calculate this particular situation however. She looked
uncharacteristically sheepish as she attempted to explain herself to her
father.

“Well, since my mother was a knight, I wanted to learn sword fighting

too. You know I once begged you for lessons when I was young.”

Alphord simply stood there and quietly listened. His blunt stare and
stony expression only served to make Elena feel even more nervous.
“And so…I did everything in secret. I learned just by watching, so I’m
not that good.”

“…So the rumor is exaggerated?”

“Yes, a little…I guess so.”

She desired to be recognized by Alphord, but she couldn’t reveal her

true skills. There was a great difference between learning
swordsmanship for self-defense and being good enough to kill a
dozen enemies at once.

More importantly, Alphord, the head of the Fourth Order of Knights of

the Imperial Family, would know that her current ability was not
something one learned just by watching and practicing. In order to
explain it properly, Elena would have to reveal everything about her
previous life, something she was not prepared to do to him. She was
scared how he might react to that.

“But I heard—”

As Alphord was about to speak, he was interrupted by Carlisle’s voice

coming out of the meeting hall.

“My wife.”

At Carlisle’s call, Elena immediately turned her head.

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll be right there.”

Elena rushed to make an excuse to avoid a difficult situation.

“I have to go now that my husband is calling me. I will see you again.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

He looked ready to say something else, but he didn’t stop Elena. She
went to Carlisle’s side, leaving Alphord behind.
Carlisle, who was standing at a distance, recognized Alphord’s face,
and he turned towards Elena.

“Ah, you were with Father-In-Law?”

“Yes. But for now, I just want to leave this place.”

Carlisle didn’t understand why, but he nodded and strode ahead. She
fell into step beside him.

Alphord watched their backs retreat from a distance.

***

Paveluc left the palace with his servants from the Duchy of Lunen, but
that didn’t mean his influence was completely gone. Batori had
remained as a servant of the Crown Princess. In his hand was the last
order Paveluc had left him.

[Kill the prince.]

It would be difficult to assassinate the man who would soon officially

become emperor. If Batori succeeded, however, he was promised
reward beyond his belief.

Batori stared intently at the paper, then placed it in his mouth and
swallowed it so that no evidence remained.

“…It’s time to do my job.”

Though humble in appearance Batori was, he was a man of

unparalleled ability. There were many reasons why he followed
Paveluc, but the biggest was because he wanted to rebel. If the sky
was changed, he could wash away his old identity. He recalled the
words Paveluc had spoken to him.

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— If you succeed, I will give you a position as great as a general.

To achieve the future that Batori wanted, he would start by monitoring

Elena’s every move.

“I will be general…”

The smile on Batori’s lips broadened. It was a difficult task, but not
impossible. All the members of the Blood Assassins that Paveluc had
given to him long ago had secretly infiltrated the Imperial Palace.
Batori had prepared for this very moment.

Carlisle’s assassination was both a dangerous mission and a golden

opportunity.

Chapter 279 – Change From The Past (1)

Carlisle’s coronation took place immediately, as the emperor’s seat

could not remain empty for long. The ceremony was quickly organized
and held within the Empire’s largest cathedral. The High Priest
oversaw the proceedings, and all the nobles of the Ruford Empire
gathered in one place to watch the rare generational event.

Ttubeog ttubeog.

Carlisle and Elena walked side-by-side on the carpeted aisle, making

their way towards the emperor’s seat where the High Priest stood. The
priest then crowned Carlisle and Elena in turn, in accordance to the
customs of the Ruford Empire. His voice echoed throughout the
grand, high-ceilinged cathedral.

“This marks the ascension of the thirteenth emperor, Emperor Carlisle

van Dimitri Ruford.”

The moment Carlisle was declared the emperor, the nobles bowed
and shouted in unison,
“Hail to their Majesties the Emperor and Empress! Eternal Glory to the
Ruford Empire!”

Elena watched the scene before her, emotions rising up to her throat.
In her last life, the throne was occupied by Paveluc after his rebellion.
This time, however, Carlisle had proudly recovered it.

She glanced at the man next to her. Her gaze lingered over his rich,
dark hair, his sapphire blue eyes, his straight nose, and his tightly
pressed lips underneath. Carlisle’s stature was above everyone else, as
much as his flawless appearance.

And this beautiful predator…

Was Elena’s.

Carlisle turned his head as if he felt her gaze on him. As their eyes met
in midair, Carlisle’s fierce eyes softened into a smile. Elena’s heart
soared at this very moment. Despite all the pain and hardships she
had suffered through, in the end it was worth it to be by Carlisle’s side.
She kept her gaze fixed on him and mouthed a phrase.

‘I love you.’

At her spontaneous confession, and faint smile broke across Carlisle’s

lips as if he couldn’t contain it.

“I love you too, my wife.”

***

After the ceremony, a magnificent banquet was held in celebration of

the coronation, but Carlisle swiftly returned to their bedroom after
making the minimum necessary greetings with the guests. Elena was
slightly bewildered as she followed him. The servants nearby
respectfully bowed at their approach.
“Hail to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress. Eternal glory to the
Ruford Empire.”

Carlisle cut the greeting and spoke in an authoritative tone.

“Don’t let anyone near the bedroom until tomorrow.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Elena looked at Carlisle curiously.

“Why are you—”

“Do you not know? We don’t want anyone else to see us past this
point.”

Carlisle stole a glance at Elena, then he continued in a subdued voice.

“I want you to know that I’m struggling to hold myself back right
now.”

“…!”

Elena blushed hotly at his remark. Now she realized why he was
rushing to the bedroom. Carlisle burst out laughing when he saw the
color of Elena’s face change dramatically.

“…Sometimes I can read your thoughts on your face so easily that it

drives me crazy.”

“Caril! You!”

Carlisle bent slightly at the waist, then immediately lifted her up by her
waist and shoulder. She was startled by his sudden behavior.
“W-what if people see—”

“I’m at my limit now. I blame my cute wife.”

Carlisle eagerly carried his wife to their bedroom. The moment the
door closed, he set her down and immediately pressed his lips against
hers. It was a wet kiss, as if he were trying to quench a terrible thirst.
Carlisle’s behavior seemed so desperate that Elena almost felt like she
was being devoured by him.

She didn’t know when they had reached the bed, but the next thing
she knew, she felt the soft touch of mattress against her back. She
responded to Carlisle’s touches enthusiastically, when her eyes
suddenly fell on an empty space where the sofa used to be.

“Caril, since when did you remove the sofa?”

“I told you, I would burn the sofa as soon as the coronation was held.”

“You meant it?”

“Of course. I’m a man who doesn’t know the meaning of jokes.”

Carlisle grinned and kissed Elena gently on the forehead.

“Tonight, it’s my turn to spend a hot night with my wife, just as we

signed on the contract.”

“But we already…”

Contrary to their initial agreement, they had already had their first
time together in a cave. Not only that, her stamina was depleted from
the long day. Carlisle pulled back and spoke with a serious expression.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the first time or the second. A contract
is a contract, so are you prepared to fulfill it?”
“I…”

She wanted to declare him a cheater, but Carlisle reacted faster and
covered her lips with his own. Now that he knew her weakness, he
could play her body more easily than the first time they were together.
Carlisle’s caresses was so persistent that Elena shivered from head to
toe.

She peered at him through half-hooded eyes. Carlisle smiled like a

satisfied predator and growled.

“I’ve been wanting to have my wife since the coronation.”

“Hm, you need to focus on separating work.”

“These days, I can understand the minds of emperors who would

destroy a country because of a single woman.”

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“What are you saying…?”

Elena looked at Carlisle with a bashful expression, and he smiled softly

and leaned forward to gently kiss her eyelids. Carlisle was so warm
that Elena couldn’t bear it, and her heart tickled like a spring breeze.

There was no further conversation between the two. The rest of the
night was very long…and Carlisle did not let Elena go even once.

Chapter 280 – Change From The Past (2)

It had been a month since Carlisle was crowned. Elena, in the

meantime, had immersed herself in the late honeymoon. More than
once, when their eyes would inadvertently meet, they would go
straight to the bedroom. Elena, who usually woke up early in the
morning for her exercises, now oftentimes found herself rousing much
later from the deterioration of her discipline.

This morning, Elena woke up late again as usual, and she looked into
the mirror as she dressed for the day. Suddenly, she remembered a
conversation she had with Carlisle in bed last night.

— Carril, you should restrain yourself a little. It’s embarrassing to see

the maids cleaning up here lately.

— Look in the mirror, my wife. How can I hold back when what I see is
so beautiful?

A wicked smile played on Carlisle’s ace, and Elena’s cheeks turned

pink.

She studied her appearance in the mirror. Her hair fell in golden waves
over her shoulders, her skin had a warm glow, and her red eyes shone
as brilliantly as jewels. Even in her eyes, the person she saw in the
mirror was the face of someone beloved.

Mary, who was busy combing Elena’s hair, looked curiously at Elena as
she started to blush.

“Is there anything wrong, Your Majesty?”

“N-nothing. I’m just…a little embarrassed for some reason.”

Mary was about to ask another question in reply to Elena’s vague

answer, but suddenly the powder room door opened and the nanny
entered.

“Your Majesty the Empress. Harry of the Krauss family is here.”

“Yes. I’ll be out in a minute. Show him to the parlor room.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Today was the day Elena promised to have lunch with Harry in return
for helping arrange a meeting with Evans. After Mary hurried to finish
her hair, Elena stood up from her seat and looked at herself in the
mirror. This face was so different from her past self. She was happy
now. This was the face of the real Elena.

She entered the parlor room a few minutes later, and Harry rose from
his seat and bowed politely.

“Hail to Her Majesty the Empress. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”

“Thank you. Now please sit comfortably.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Harry seated himself opposite of Elena and gazed at her with a

studied expression. Elena spoke first.

“Do you have a preference for lunch today?”

“I appreciate anything you give me, but if you’re asking for my

preference, I prefer meat over seafood.”

When Harry voiced exactly what he wanted, Elena’s mood subtly lifted.
Ever since she became empress, the most common word she heard
was “Yes.” She was troubled by the constant appeasement from
others, but she found it refreshing that Harry was comfortable being
honest with her.

“Good choice. Please do not hesitate to express your mind in the

future.”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. It’s my specialty.”

Elena smiled and rang a bell on the table. A maid waiting outside
entered the parlor room and bowed.
“Yes, did you call me?”

“Have the chef prepare a steak lunch for today.”

“I’ll inform the kitchen right away, Your Majesty.”

The maid bowed again and disappeared from the room. Now that the
two were alone again, Elena turned back to Harry.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t expressed my gratitude towards you.

Thank you for helping me to convince Count Krauss.”

“Not at all. My help was minimal, and it was you who moved my
grandfather’s heart.”

Elena did not know of Evans’ past, nor when he decided to change his
mind, but she knew that Harry was being overly modest.

“Without your small help, I wouldn’t even have gotten a chance to see
Count Krauss in the first place. I never forget my debts, so let me know
if there is anything you need later.”

“Haha, now that you mention it, I won’t turn you down on that offer.”

Harry gave a small laugh, and Elena smiled faintly. Since taking the
position of empress, everyone around her always tried to flatter her.
She felt she couldn’t share her thoughts easily with anyone, but seeing
Harry after a long time was like a breath of fresh air. She looked at him
in gratitude, then opened her mouth again as a sudden thought came
to her.

“Oh, do you know anything about the Duchy of Lunen these days?”

Harry’s face darkened at the question. During the first month of

Carlisle’s accession to the throne, the Duchy of Lunen had been
attempting to break away from the Ruford Empire and be recognized
as an independent state. Their justification was that Carlisle was a
corrupt son who cruelly murdered his parents and brother, using
Ophelia’s body as evidence. Because of this, the Duchy of Lunen was
the largest concern that occupied Elena’s thoughts.

“Everything I know, I’m sure you already know. I’ll tell you if I hear
anything new.”

“…Very well.”

While Elena had returned to the Imperial Palace and spent her days in
happiness, Paveluc always lingered in the back of her mind like a
shadow. Because he had not been properly taken out yet, an incident
could happen at any moment. At the thought of it, the light in Elena’s
eyes momentarily dimmed, but she quickly smoothed it over and
spoke brightly again.

“How is your grandfather these days?”

“Doing well. He’s hale and hearty.”

As Elena and Harry engaged in small talk, their lunch soon arrived. The
maids moved diligently and set various dishes before them.

Elena finished her simple appetizer, then went on to the next course
and cut a piece of steak.

“…Urk.”

A sudden rush of nausea swept through Elena, and she covered her
mouth with one hand. These moments of sickness had become more
frequent of late. Elena looked up apologetically at Harry.

“Sorry, I haven’t been feeling myself…”

The smell of cooked meat almost made her want to hurl. Harry looked
at her anxiously.

“Your Majesty, I don’t know if I should say this…”

“Tell me, it’s fine.”

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“…Are you pregnant?”

“What?”

Elena looked at him in astonishment. She wracked her head, and

realized that she hadn’t had her monthly blood. Her mouth slowly
opened in shock.

‘Surely…’

Elena’s gaze fell on her still flat stomach.

Chapter 281 – My Only Wife (1)

At the Imperial Palace hall.

As usual, a large group of nobles gathered in one place to discuss the

small and large happenings of the Ruford Empire. There had been a
recent increase in the number of meetings, due to the actions of the
Duchy of Lunen.

“They keep spreading rumors about His Majesty. We need to swiftly

take action.”

“Yet the Grand Duke appears credible, and the rumors of treason
spread among the people will not easily die down.”

Carlisle was sitting on the throne and staring wordlessly at the restless
nobility. He had planned to invade the Duchy of Lunen as soon as he
assumed the throne, but Paveluc had cleverly spread malicious rumors
about Carlisle, preventing an attack. Although Carlisle was far more
powerful in terms of military force, trampling on the Duchy of Lunen
would only confirm the rumors in the peoples’ minds. Presently,
Carlisle’s position was paralyzed, and several other nobles were
opposed to military action as well.

‘He might have predicted me to not strike Lunen, but does he intend
to wage an all-out war with me when I’m already the emperor?’

Carlisle was determined to kill Paveluc after hearing about him from
Elena’s last life. The Grand Duke had finally bared his claws, as he had
no reason to hide his ambition any further.

Carlisle couldn’t exactly pinpoint when, but since he claimed an

overwhelming victory against Ophelia, he knew that Paveluc must also
be planning meticulously. Carlisle had the upper hand at the moment,
and it would not be easy to beat him. However, that didn’t make the
young emperor’s situation any less difficult.

‘…It would have been convenient if he had just died quietly.’

Carlisle tried to immerse himself in his own thoughts for a moment,

but there was a constant stream of voices that distracted him. He
opened his mouth to speak.

“Stop.”

The room suddenly fell silent at once. Carlisle looked down at the
nobles.

“Let’s stop arguing outside the topic. No matter what the Duchy of
Lunen does, what is unchanged is that a disastrous collapse may
happen sooner or later.”

The nobles seemed alarmed by Carlisle’s grim remarks, but he wasn’t

finished yet.

“The only thing that’s important now is deciding when, where, how
and when to bring them down.”
The method would still be decided on, but the end result did not
change. Carlisle intended to erase Lunen from the continent. Paveluc’s
life had to be taken, of course, and Carlisle did not want to leave
traces of the state.

The reason was simple—he had no reason to leave a name that would
bring upon his wife bad memories. Upon the execution of Paveluc, the
Duchy of Lunen would be renamed.

“We do not need discussion on how to undo the false rumors spread
by Lunen. We need to talk about taking it out in the quickest and
cleanest way possible.”

Smith of the Casey family spoke up carefully.

“But Your Majesty, if you start a war without dealing with the false
rumors, there will be some people who will end up believing it. It will
later bring stigma to future generations.”

“I don’t care what anyone says after my death. I’ll not allow anyone to
say a word against me while I’m still alive.”

It was the height of arrogance, yet the powerful charisma he

emanated caused the hall to turn quiet again. Evans, who had been
silently listening to the proceedings until now, spoke up for the first
time.

“Your Majesty, there is still reason for faith. Why don’t you take this
opportunity to take a second wife?”

The noble’s turned their eyes towards him at his suggestion. Evans
continued his explanation.

“The Count Max family is situated on the periphery of the Duchy of

Lunen. Paveluc will not move if you grow your current troops with
them.”

At this point, several nobles began to nod in agreement with the plan.
“If you take a second wife, you will be able to turn the peoples’
attention to the wedding, and well as gain the powerful military
strength of the Max family.”

When Evans finished speaking, words of admiration poured it from the

nobles. It was a well-conceived plan, and Carlisle marrying into the
Max family would solve several problems at once. Moreover, since
there was no successor to Carlisle yet, there were growing calls among
the nobility for him to produce one.

“That’s great. Count Krauss, how did you think of that?”

“Your Majesty, I believe you should do as Count Krauss suggests.”

The nobles gave their encouragement, but Carlisle’s face was as cold
as a stone. The nobles gradually began to hold their tongue when
they sensed something wrong and Carlisle did not speak.

A hush fell over the hall, and the emperor gazed at the crowd with
darkened eyes.

“…I have been asked that several times lately. I already gave my
answer, but it will make it clear once and for all, so listen.”

An aura of bloodthirst seemed to hang in the air, and the nervous

swallow of the nobles was audible.

“I have no intention of having anyone else on my side save the

Empress.”

Everyone’s eyes widened at Carlisle’s declaration. So far, no emperor

has had one wife in the history of the Ruford Empire. Smith finally
shook himself to his senses and spoke.

“Y-Your Majesty, about the issue of succession…if anything happens to

Her Majesty…”
“What’s the problem? There is a flood of people wanting to take the
throne.”

The nobles were shocked at Carlisle’s dismissive attitude. The Ruford

Empire’s lines of succession was a hereditary one. If the parents were
nobles, it was only natural that they would pass on their wealth, title,
and territory to their children. Therefore, the more wealth people had,
the more important it was for them to have a successor.

However, the young emperor did not seem to care whether he died
without a successor. It was, indeed, beyond anyone’s imagination.
Carlisle continued on in a casual voice.

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“I won’t tell you twice, so remember it well. As long as I’m the

emperor, she is my only wife. If she dies…there will be no other
empress.”

Everyone’s mouths were open, but no one had the courage to refute
him. Carlisle, who remained calm despite the bombshell
announcement, grinned.

“But Count Krauss’ suggestion is not a bad one. Even if it’s not by
marriage, we should win the support of Count Max.”

Carlisle rose from the throne, a signal for the end of the meeting. He
stepped outside, leaving his last words for the nobles who were still in
shock.

“You are all dismissed.”

Chapter 282 – My Only Wife (2)

Kwaang!
The door to the chamber closed, but no one uttered a word. Suddenly,
a low laugh broke the heavy silence. It was Count Evans. He mumbled
to himself, his expression strangely joyful.

“…His affection burns true.”

Evans suggestion was the best solution, but he wanted to test

Carlisle’s loyalty Elena. Even he had been surprised by the results. He
remembered the words that empress had spoken to him in the past.

— It doesn’t matter if he accepts other women. If he does, it will be a

decision made with the utmost consideration.

What a wonderful couple. A faint smile of surprise flickered on Evans’

face.

‘I don’t think anything will ever happen to Her Majesty.’

Who would have imagined that the blood-hungry emperor of the

Ruford Empire would be so devoted to a single person? Evans
wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes.

Perhaps it was a good decision to choose Elena’s side and make

Carlisle the new emperor.

***

Elena found herself in a state of shock when she realized she might be
pregnant. She had used contraception ever since she returned to the
palace, but not during their first time in the cave.

‘Did it happen then?’

Of course, contraception did not completely prevent pregnancy either.

She shook her head.

‘Let’s not jump to conclusions yet.’

Elena had already called a doctor in secret to see her, but a pregnancy
could not be confirmed simply because she missed her monthly
blood. Instead she used a special pregnancy test that only existed in
the Empire, and the results would come out a day later.

Elena wrung her fingers nervously, but she tried to stay as calm as
possible. There was nothing else she could do right now.

It was then.

Kiiig—

Elena turned her head at the sound of the door opening, and saw
Carlisle striding in.

“Caril…”

He closed the door, and he held something out towards her. It was a
handful of wildflowers.

“What is this?”

Elena accepted the wild flowers with a surprised look, and Carlisle’s
eyes were soft as he spoke in a warm voice.

“I saw it on the way, and thought you might like it.”

“Did you pick it yourself?”

“Of course I would give you flowers picked with my own hands.”

“What emperor does that?”

A teasing smile played on Elena’s lips. She imagined Carlisle leaving

his guards behind to discreetly pick the flowers himself. He leaned in
and kissed her forehead gently.

“I wanted to make you smile like this.”

Eventually Elena could not hold back anymore, and she let out a peal
of laughter. Her mind had been a whirlwind of confusion as of late,
but Carlisle’s appearance made the agony go away. She was happy to
know that her potential child would have such a lovely father.
Although Paveluc was not yet destroyed, a baby would be an
overwhelmingly joyful experience.

She was about to reveal that she might be pregnant, but Carlisle
spoke first.

“I might have to leave the palace for a few days.”

“Is something wrong?”

“I’ll have to visit Count Max in person.”

“Ah!”

She nodded in understanding. Winning the family’s alliance would be

vital in their campaign against Paveluc.

“It’s a tight schedule, so we can’t go together. Stay in the palace for

now and relax.”

“I will.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say she wouldn’t be able to follow

anyways because she might be pregnant.

“When are you going to leave?”

“I’m just saying goodbye to you now, and then leaving right away.”

“…I see.”

“I’ll return before the flowers wither.”

Elena changed her mind about telling him about her possible
pregnancy. She would find out about her status tomorrow, but by
then he would already be gone. She didn’t want to confuse Carlisle’s
mind with inaccurate news when he was so far away. Instead she
offered him a smile.

“Stay safe, Caril.”

It would only be a few days anyway. If Carlisle was paying an official

visit to Count Max, he would have an excess of guards to protect him.
She couldn’t imagine that anything could happen on such short
notice.

Carlisle hugged Elena’s slender waist, his eyes filled with sadness, and
he laid his head on her shoulder.

“…I’ll see you soon.”

“Alright, Caril.”

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Carlisle gave a soft chuckle.

“I’m worried that I can’t stand missing you.”

Carlisle held her for a moment longer, then soon released her from his
arms.

“I’ll be back, then.”

Elena gave a small nod. As Carlisle turned around, she thought that he
looked less bright than before, but she thought it was just a regret for
their parting.

Chapter 283 – Before The Flowers Wither (1)

The sun rose the next morning. Elena muttered her annoyance as the
rays fell on her eyes, but she got up early and waited nervously for the
results of the pregnancy test. She barely managed to keep her
breakfast down. Fortunately, the doctor knew of her restlessness, and
rushed to see her and report the result as soon as he confirmed it.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

“Ah…”

“You are with child! You can go and tell the Emperor the good news.”

Elena nodded with a dazed expression. She had suspected that she
was pregnant, but was still a little shocked to hear the results. She
subconsciously laid a hand on her abdomen.

‘…Is there really a child in here?’

A strange feeling she could not put into words coursed through her.
Was she amazed or scared? It was a complicated emotion that could
not be defined.

In the end though, she did not hate it. Although it was unplanned for,
there would be a child born between herself and Carlisle. Nothing
made her happier than to carry the child of the man she loved.

The doctor spoke again with a brightened expression.

“I’ll go and tell everyone the good news right now.”

“Oh, please don’t. The Emperor has left the Imperial Palace for a while,
so I’ll tell him in person later. And I think it would be a good idea to
inform the nobles later as well.”

“Ah, of course. I wasn’t thinking. I will gladly follow your wishes, Your
Majesty.”
As Elena looked at the jovial doctor, her mind began to ease and her
rational thoughts returned.

“Until then, please keep my pregnancy secret from everyone.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll prepare some healthy medicine for you once I
go back.”

“Very well.”

“Then I’ll take my leave and leave you to rest.”

“Thank you for coming all this way.”

As soon as the doctor left, Mary and the nanny, who had been quietly
listening to the conversation in the background, burst into excitement.
The nanny was the first one to cry, and she spoke in a thrilled voice.

“I’m overwhelmed with a thousand emotions. Oh, to have seen you

grown up and finally become pregnant.”

Mary applauded in joy.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty. I had a nice dream last night, and I

knew that something good would happen.”

In face of their excitement, Elena responded with an embarrassed

look.

“Thank you. But please keep it a secret between us.”

Mary and the nanny replied at the same time.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Elena wondered if Carlisle would be as happy as these two once he

heard the news. Although he did not express it outwardly, he did not
want to pass on the family’s cursed blood onto a child. He once said
that he wanted their child to look like Elena, but to put it another way,
he didn’t want a child like himself.

‘…I want to have a child that looks like Caril.’

She would be very happy if she had a boy with the same beautiful
blue eyes as Carlisle. However, there was still one problem to be
solved first. If the boy inherited much of the dragon’s blood as Carlisle
did, then at around the age of ten years old…he would have to be fed
human blood.

And even if Elena’s child was born normally…they could not escape
the perpetual yoke of the responsibilities of the Imperial Family.

Elena wanted to break the curse as completely as possible, but she

had no idea where to start. She had planned to conceive only after she
had investigated and broken the curse. Now that she was with child,
however, she had no choice but to hasten the schedule.

After a moment of reflection, Elena swiftly stood up from her seat.

Mary looked at her in surprise.

“Your Majesty, you are pregnant now, and you have to move more
carefully.”

Not to be outdone by Mary, the nanny quickly responded.

“Mary is right. You should also take more care on how you walk from
now on.”

Elena offered a faint smile at their concern.

“I understand. I’ll be more careful.”

Elena went to her desk and sat down, and the nanny quickly brought a
blanket and placed it on her lap.

“You should keep your stomach warm.”

“I’ll bring you hot tea, Your Majesty.”

Mary hurried out to make tea without Elena asking. As Elena watched
the two of them, her heart swelled. When the baby was born, there
would be so many people to love them. Thoughts of the curse
momentarily faded away from her mind. What was important was that
the child deserved to be loved.

Elena turned back to her desk, picked up her pen, and wrote a letter to
the leader of Astar.

[I have heard rumors of a tribe that serve dragons.

I hope you’ll find more about them.

Where do they live, and is there any way to contact them?

Because it’s a time-intensive matter, I will also ask the leader of Krauss
the same task.

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I will greatly reward whoever brings me answers first.]

If she used both Astar and Krauss at the same time, then there was
almost nothing she couldn’t find on the continent. Hopefully, she
would be able to get a response sooner than expected.

‘…I hope I will have results.’

For the first time, she will come to understand the tribe that
worshipped the sacred dragons like gods. Although they were a
mysterious and secret culture, perhaps she could get some
information if she contacted them.

One by one, Elena took care of each task.

Chapter 284- Before The Flowers Wither (2)

Several days passed by quickly. Elena’s morning sickness was getting

worse, but there was no significant change in her appearance yet.

However, her inner thoughts were not as calm as she looked

outwardly. She wanted to see Carlisle as soon as possible, tell him the
news of her pregnancy, and feel the embrace of his strong arms. Mary
was able to sense Elena’s anxiety without her having to speak it out
loud.

“His Majesty the Emperor is now on his way back to the Imperial
Palace. He’ll arrive by tomorrow, but if you want to see him sooner,
why don’t meet him ahead?”

“Meet him ahead?”

“Yes. If we arrive in advance where the His Majesty will pass by, you
will see him by tonight, not tomorrow.”

It was a good suggestion. A day’s difference might not seem much,

but Elena was eager to shorten the waiting time. Before Carlisle left, he
jokingly asked her to endure the wait, but his words had a note of
truth to them. This seemed to be the utmost that Elena could tolerate.

‘How did I live without Caril before…?’

Looking back on it now, it seemed a long time ago before she met
Carlisle. Elena nodded firmly at Mary, a smile spreading across her
face without her even realizing it.

“Yes, let’s go meet His Majesty.”

“Do you miss him a lot? I notice that you look at the wildflowers in
that vase everyday.”
Mary seemed to be lightly teasing her, but Elena couldn’t quite refute
her. Elena was waiting for Carlisle to return before the flowers
withered. She blushed and answered in a low voice.

“Yes, you’re right, Mary. Let’s go and see His Majesty.”

“Hehe, yes! Then I will send a messenger to tell him in advance that
you’ll meet him.”

Elena would have liked to surprise him, but it was safer to give him
notice. She nodded.

“Do that. Why, you’re a veteran after living in the palace for a long
time now.”

“Of course. If I want to keep serving you, I must do my best.”

“You are.”

Elena smiled at Mary’s passion and attention to detail.

And so, Elena, Mary, and a dozen knights set out of the palace to meet
with Carlisle.

***

To return to the Imperial Palace from the Max family’s northern

residence, one had to make their way through a road with high cliffs
on either side. It was the fastest shortcut. Carlisle was scheduled to
pass this way today, and Elena was travelling near the cliffs to meet
him. It was a spontaneous outing that hadn’t been planned in
advance.

Elena’s carriage rattled as it wove through the path, under the

protection of the knights, and all passersby on the road bowed.
Elena’s sharp ears manage to catch several pieces of conversation.

“Didn’t Her Majesty come by earlier?”

“Well, it must be a long procession.”

The voices faded, but Elena peeked out of the window. Perhaps some
of the guards had gone ahead to secure the path.

Upon arriving at the fairly isolated meeting point, the knights set up
tents so Elena could rest comfortably. Elena smiled as she stepped
into her cozy lodging.

“You have all done well. I can wait here.”

“You’re welcome. Please rest, Your Majesty.”

The guards bowed and left, and only Elena and Mary remained in the
tent. At first, Elena intended to stay inside until Carlisle arrived, when a
wave of nausea roiled through her stomach.

“Uub!”

Elena clapped her hand over her mouth even though she hadn’t eaten
recently, and Mary gave her a nervous pat on the back.

“Your Majesty, are you all right?”

“I’m fine, you don’t have to worry—Ugh!”

“Have some water, Your Majesty. I think you need to lie down—”

Elena shook her head, although her face was as white as a sheet.

“No, I think I’ll feel better if I get some fresh air.”

Ever since she became pregnant, she became sensitive to the air, and
the tent felt quite stuffy. Mary nodded hastily at Elena’s request.

“Alright then. Shall we go for a short walk around here?”

“Yes.”
When Carlisle would arrive, he would be anxious if he saw Elena in this
state. Elena and Mary took two of the knights with them.

As they walked down the quiet road, it began to grow dark. Elena
studied her surroundings, as it was her habit, and assessed the terrain
of this area was quite dangerous.

‘It’s a narrow road between the cliffs, so if someone attacks from

above, they’ll be vulnerable.’

An attack wasn’t likely, of course. They were not too far from
the palace, and if anyone gathered here without authorization, they
would be noticed. Elena was simply taking in the terrain and thinking
of how she could use it.

Sugunsugun.

She picked up the faint noise of conversation from somewhere. It was

coming in a completely different direction from the tent, so it was
probably not her knights.

An ominous feeling fell over Elena. Mary, who was walking by her side,
also noticed the sound, and she turned towards Elena questioningly.

“What? There—”

“Shhh.”

Elena raised a finger to her lips. Mary nodded quickly and covered her
mouth with both palms. The two knights with them were also on alert,
and exchanged hand signals with each other. Elena suddenly
remembered the people on the road that had said, “Didn’t Her
Majesty come by earlier?” She couldn’t ignore the suspicious fact.

‘…Just in case.’

Elena, Mary, and the knights approached the direction of the voices
with silent footsteps, and the conversation grew clearer in their ears.
“The Emperor will pass through this place soon, so everyone move to
their positions.”

“It was easier than I thought, as our leader had infiltrated the Empress’
family servants. No one found out we were moving this way.”

“Family servants directly serve the Empress, so it’s easy to gain trust.”

Elena’s head began to spin.

‘What does that mean?’

She couldn’t figure out who they were referring to. And what exactly
were they planning to do here?

One thing was for sure—they were after Carlisle.

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‘We have to inform the others quickly.’

Elena’s and the knights’ eyes met in midair. They exchanged quiet
nods, in signal it was time to return to their tents. They slowly backed
away, when—

Snap.

Mary stepped on a branch on the ground. Alerted, the mysterious

men whirled in their direction with terrifying expressions.

“Who’s there!”

Chapter 285 – One Thing Holding Her Back (1)

“Who’s there!”
Mary’s face whitened when she realized her mistake. But it was already
too late. Their location was no longer hidden. Elena’s two guards
quickly pulled out their swords and rushed towards the assassins with
a loud battlecry.

“Raaaaah!”

The assassins stood up at the sudden attack, and one of them let out a
comment.

“…Looks like rats.”

Elena swiftly pulled a small dagger from her ankle to protect herself
from the assassins starting to rush towards them. Mary stood behind
Elena with a shocked expression, her voice quivering as she spoke.

“I’m sorry, because of me—”

“Mary, you have to stay close to me, or I can’t protect you.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Mary did not want to be a burden, and with tears in her eyes, she tried
to stick by Elena’s side as much as possible. Elena quickly took count
of the men coming towards them.

‘One, two, three…seven.’

They were more than she expected. More importantly, inferring from
the assassins’ conversation earlier, there was the probability of another
group nearby.

However, the biggest problem was…all seven of the assassins looked

to be elite fighters.

Chaang!
Elena blocked an attack with her dagger and knocked back her
opponent with a swift kick. At the same moment, her opponent
crossed his arms to blunt the attack.

Dozens of steely attacks and counter attacks were exchanged in the

blink of an eye. Elena knew even from this short amount of time that
the men would not be easy to take out.

It was then.

“Gaaaah!”

A sword ran clean through one of her guard’s stomach, and he fell
weakly to the ground. While her knights were also well-trained, they
could not overcome the disadvantage of much smaller numbers. Elena
wanted to help them, but she herself was in a tight spot.

As one of the assassins grabbed Mary, Elena whirled around in a flash.

Swiig!

She jumped in the air with feline grace, struck the assassin’s chest with
a powerful kick, and plunged her dagger into his neck. Elena rushed
towards Mary and held her up.

“Mary, you go ahead and warn the others.”

“Y-Your Majesty?”

“I’ll take care of this. Quickly now.”

Mary bit her lip reluctantly, but she knew it was no time to argue and
started running in the direction of the tents. Several of the assassins
noticed her fleeing and tried to follow her, but Elena blocked their
way. As she took quick stock of her surroundings, she noticed that
both of her knights were already dead on the ground.
Elena gritted her teeth and glared coldly at the men before her. The
number of assassins, who initially numbered seven, had now been
reduced to four. They also looked confused by Elena’s extraordinary
fighting abilities.

“She’s troublesome.”

Their expressions were twisted in displeasure, while one of them

checked the time and spoke with a troubled look.

“We’ll miss the Emperor at this rate. We can’t delay any longer.”

“Damn it.”

They spoke in secret code between themselves, then one looked

towards Elena with an irritated gaze.

“…Let’s go.”

Elena could not help but wonder what their mysterious coded words
meant.

“What are you—?!”

But Elena’s words did not last long. The four men exchanged glances,
then scattered in different directions, leaving her alone.

‘…What?’

Although they ran away, it didn’t appear like they had lost their will to
fight her. It seemed more like they had more pressing matters to deal
with…

There was also a chance that Elena would follow them, but what was
so urgent that they would go despite that? Elena racked her thoughts
to figure out the answer.

The only reason they would move so quickly was because of Carlisle.
With her red eyes shining brightly, she quickly tracked down the
assassins.

‘They won’t escape me.’

***

She arrived at the place where the assassins went, and Elena’s mouth
fell open at the scene before her.

‘…No way.’

Elena stood at the highest point on the cliff. Below her she saw large
boulders tied together with rope so they could be released onto the
road at any time. She finally realized their plan. They planned to crush
Carlisle just as he was going through the pass. There were many large
boulders so he could not even begin to escape them.

Another person at the scene caught Elena’s eyes.

‘That man…’

It was a man with fiery red hair and a charming smile, and she vividly
remembered saying hello to him at Blaise Mansion. As soon as she
recognized it as Batori, she knew who the “family servant” it was that
was mentioned.

‘Is he a spy?’

Elena’s face darkened when she realized that an enemy had been
hiding under her nose all this time.

One of the assassins that Elena had fought approached Batori and
said something in his ear. Soon after, Batori burst out laughing and
shouted loudly enough that anyone could hear him in the cliffside
quarry.
“Your Majesty, are you here somewhere? Then find a good spot. I’m
going to show you the Emperor’s death. Hahaha.”

Elena clenched her fist without realizing it. She was fortunate that she
had discovered Batori, but on the other hand, this had happened
because of her carelessness. Batori took advantage of his position as a
family servant, banishing any suspicion about his trustworthiness.

‘I have to stop him by any means.’

Now that she had discovered that Carlisle’s life was in danger, she
couldn’t just sit back and watch. She hoped the other knights would
arrive as soon as possible, but she would be forced to act by herself if
they were too late.

Elena looked on at the situation with nervous eyes, when another man
rushed over the cliff and reported to Batori.

“The Emperor is near.”

Batori gave orders to all the nearby Blood Assassins, his eyes glinting
with ambition.

“Get ready.”

“Yes sir!”

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They all swiftly moved to their positions.

Tadadadadadag!

Elena could no longer hide herself, and she leapt out of her hiding
place. She mentally selected the best place to target—it was where the
largest boulder was tied up, and several other boulders were secured
to it. A wide grin split on Batori’s face when he saw her.

“I was going to deal with the Emperor first, but you just can’t let it
stand, can you?”

“You dare let me go? Let me tell you this, you’re going to regret
letting me come here.”

Chapter 286 – One Thing Holding Her Back (2)

Elena’s eyes flashed like red diamonds, and she slowly raised her
dagger and pointed it at Batori. It is true that her enemy was well-
prepared. However, for all the boulders to come down simultaneously,
a person had to push each of them at the same time, otherwise there
would be gaps. Three of the assassins had already died, and any
empty spaces would be disadvantageous to them. They likely thought
taking Carlisle’s life was more urgent than risking a fight to kill Elena.
However…

‘It will be their most fatal mistake.’

As Elena witnessed this scene in person, she would never allow it to

happen. Batori responded mockingly to Elena’s confident attitude.

“Do you know how many people we have? No matter how well you
can fight, you cannot stop us.”

The Blood Assassins, formed by Paveluc, were a group of the most

ruthless and skilled fighters on the continent. It was unlikely that Elena
could stop them when they were all gathered together, and was why
Batori and the assassins weren’t intimidated even when she
discovered them.

In the end, however, Elena grinned.

“Who said I would stop you?”

“What…?”

Before Batori could even process her words, she threw the dagger in
her hand.

Swiiiig—

The blade cut through a rope securing one of the boulders. The
boulder swayed for a heart-stopping moment, then began to roll
down the cliff with a thunderous noise. It was loud enough for anyone
to hear from a distance.

Batori suddenly realized her plan and turned deathly white.

“Th-this…!”

The smile on Elena’s lips broadened. Since she knew Carlisle’s

entourage would soon pass here, they would almost certainly retreat if
they saw a falling boulder ahead of them. Elena timed her move
perfectly to warn Carlisle.

Batori’s face flushed with rage, but Elena gave a casual smile.

“What are you going to do now? The Emperor will now know that this
road is dangerous.”

Batori whirled towards his men.

“Everyone release it now!”

The timing wasn’t right, but if Carlisle hadn’t gotten off the road yet,
there was still the possibility to trap him. At Batori’s command, his
men began to move quickly, and they began to release the boulders
down the cliff.

Kwatatatatatang!

Elena swiftly moved into action. To protect Carlisle, he still had to

prevent as many rocks from hitting the road as much as possible.
“I won’t let you!”

She leapt towards them and tried to stop them as best she could. At
the same time, she paid attention not to stray too far from where the
largest boulder was secured. It had the greatest probability of
hurting—or even killing—Carlisle if it reached him.

Chaeng! Chaeng!

The sound of blades crashing echoed throughout the cliff side.

Elena held her breath as she staggered back and looked down at the
drop below. Batori stared at her from higher up, his usual cat-like
smile on his face.

“Your Majesty, I’ll ask you another question. How are you going to get
out of here now?”

She couldn’t let Carlisle get near here, or else he wouldn’t be able to
escape. Elena needed her escort knights now, but even that wouldn’t
guarantee her victory if they arrived. For the first time, she could not
answer any of Batori’s words.

“…”

From the moment she met Batori, she had become complacent. It
would take someone’s sacrifice to stop him from killing Carlisle, and
that sacrifice would be herself.

Batori stared down at her, his face silhouetted darkly from the sun
behind him.

“Get her.”

The assassins had given up on dropping the boulders and rushed

towards Elena in unison.

‘I won’t take this lying down.’

Elena quickly swung the dagger in her hand.

Syugsyugsyug!

Her swift attack broke up the line of the Blood Assassins. She danced
into a gap and quickly stabbed her blade into anyone who got into
her vicinity.

“Kaag!”

With a short scream, one assassin fell to the ground spurting blood.
She didn’t stop there, and began cutting through the Blood Assassins
one by one. Batori’s face contorted in anger. He had been hoping for
a quick victory.

‘This is beyond imagination.’

He had heard rumors of her incredible power. Even so, it was

impossible to believe that she was holding her own against a group of
the most highly trained fighters in the world.

In the end, however, the disadvantage in numbers caught up to her.

An assassin approached her from behind and struck her on the back.

Peog!

“Ugh.”

She lost her balance, but she tried to carry on the fight. Someone
kicked her ankle and she collapsed to the ground. Immediately, six
swords crossed over her neck. Despite the sharp edge against her skin,
Elena lifted her head up and glared at Batori.

Batori had lost his smile, and his face was twisted in anger. Elena had
ruined all his prepared plans, and he didn’t like the way she looked at
him.

He strode slowly towards her and lifted his hand.

Jjaag!

He struck her strongly on the cheek, and Elena’s head whipped to the
side. Batori, breathing roughly, looked around at the remaining
assassins.

“We will take her hostage. Be prepared to see him.”

Batori smiled back at Elena and continued.

“If you say I’m useless, I’ll kill you in an even more brutal fashion than
the Second Prince. Don’t bother to beg for your life…I won’t listen.”

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It was a considerable threat, but Elena gave a faint smile. She had
thought about the worst possible scenario. Rather than burdening
Carlisle, Elena would choose to commit suicide without hesitation.

However, there was one thing now holding her back.

‘My child…’

The child growing in Elena’s stomach would never see light. Batori
turned his heel and gave a command to his subordinates.

“Let’s return to the Grand Duke.”

Chapter 287 – Please Be Safe (1)

Carlisle swiftly ordered his entourage to retreat after a boulder had

suddenly fallen off a cliff ahead of them. There were a few other
dangerous moments of falling rocks, but fortunately for Carlisle and
the others, they remained safe. Zenard, who was riding next to Carlisle,
exhaled in relief.
“That was a close call. Fortunately it had fallen ahead of us, or we
would have been in trouble.”

Carlisle stared wordlessly at the cloud of dirt rising from the boulders.
The narrow path was now blocked, making it impossible to get
through.

“…Strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“Rocks don’t fall like this. Not unless someone is trying to target me.”

“It does appear to be more than a coincidence, but wouldn’t the rocks
fall on top of us as we were passing through?”

“That’s why it’s strange.”

Carlisle stared at the road with a suspicious look. An ominous feeling

lingered in the back of his mind.

“The place I’m supposed to meet my wife is a long distance from isn’t
it?”

“Ah, yes. Her Majesty wouldn’t have been harmed.”

“…Good.”

Carlisle turned away from the rocks and spoke to the other knights.

“Hurry up.”

Because the shortcut in front of them was blocked, they had to take a
much longer detour than originally planned. Carlisle rode away at a
fast pace, unable to find the words to voice his unease.

***
The sun set behind the horizon and the land was blanketed in
darkness. It was quite late when Carlisle and his party arrived at the
place where they would meet Elena. When they rode into the
encampment, the first thing Carlisle saw were knights urgently rushing
around with torches, and the fear in his mind surged against his will.

As soon as the commander noticed Carlisle’s arrival, he ran towards

him.

“You’re here, Your Majesty?”

“What is going on?”

“Well…Her Majesty ran into some unknown men, and we haven’t been
able to find her since.”

Carlisle’s eyes blazed at the news.

“How long has she been gone?”

“Well, it’s been a few hours…”

“You’re only telling me this now?”

At Carlisle’s furious outburst, the commander dropped to his knees.

“I beg your forgiveness, Your Majesty.”

Carlisle didn’t respond to him, instead issuing an order to Zenard

instead.

“Find her, now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Zenard was familiar with the dangers of Carlisle in a temper, and he

immediately organized a search party made up of Carlisle’s and
Elena’s knights. Another knight returned from his search and yelled
out to the camp.
“I found something suspicious!”

The news drew everyone’s attention at the same time. Carlisle stared
at the knight with wide eyes.

“Where is it?”

The knight looked taken aback to be suddenly addressed by Emperor

Carlisle, but he soon answered clearly.

“There’s signs of a battle on a cliff a little ways away from here—”

Carlisle cut him off as if there was no need to hear more.

“I will go there directly. Show me.”

“Y-yes! Your Majesty, this way…”

Carlisle and his party swiftly rode towards the area the knight
indicated, before finally arriving at the top of a cliff. On all sides,
several large boulders were secured by ropes. It was easy to surmise
that some of the rocks that had fallen off the cliff originated here.
Someone had indeed been after Carlisle’s life.

‘Did…did she stop this?’

He imagined Elena fighting here alone, and a dark feeling mounted in

his heart. He felt gratitude towards her, but the strongest emotion that
filled him was savage rage towards his enemy.

‘How dare they touch Elena…’

Carlisle forced his anger back and focused on investigating what was
left of the fierce battle. There had to be a clue that could help find her.

It was then that a small dagger caught his eye, the one that Elena
wore for self-protection.

Pas!
Carlisle kneeled and pulled out the dagger that was embedded in the
rock. He straightened himself up just as Zenard appeared at his side,
looking at him in concern.

“Your Majesty—ah!”

Zenard did not have the chance to finish his words. As he approached,
he saw that Carlisle’s right arm was turning darker and darker, and
gleaming black scales were sprouting on his skin.

Zenard tensed when Carlisle turned around. The Emperor’s eyes were
as icy as a blizzard, and the air around seemed to chill from his cold
fury.

“…Get ready to move all the soldiers.”

At the same time, he crushed Elena’s dagger in his scaled hand as

easily as if it were paper.

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“We look for Elena, even if we have to scour every inch of the Ruford
Empire.”

Carlisle’s dark blue eyes followed the blood spots on the cliff.

“If even a single drop of this is her blood…whoever did this will regret
being alive.”

Zenard knew not to do anything that would tip Carlisle over from the
brink of reason. He hurriedly bowed his head.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Chapter 288 – Please Be Safe (2)

Elena’s hands and feet were bound by ropes and a bag was placed
over her head, restricting her limbs’ movement and obscuring her
sight. She lost sense of where she was being taken, and for how long
they had been traveling. It was impossible for her to estimate how
many days it was since she had been captured.

“Kollog.”

She coughed drlyy through her gag. Batori offered her nothing except
water throughout the journey, and her physical strength declined day
by day. Her situation was hopeless. Even though her life was as fragile
as a candle against a strong wind, Elena continued to worry about the
child in her stomach.

‘I hope there’s nothing wrong with the baby.’

If it had grown large enough to start moving, she may be able to

guess that it was still alive, but for now there was no way to know that
she was pregnant except for the morning sickness. She wanted to save
the child at all costs, even if she had to give up her life, but there was
no way to do so when their lives were connected.

‘Just a little more time…’

The less Elena knew about her situation, the more likely something
could go wrong. However, she wouldn’t give up her baby until her
very last breath. She whispered to herself that it was possible to
escape, and resolved to endure.

After stopping at what she assumed was their destination and finally
taken to some unknown room, Elena felt a hand shove her into a seat.

“I delivered her to you.”

The soldier’s reply was greeted by a deep, rough voice.

“Very well.”
The moment Elena heard the voice, the hair on the back of her neck
stood on end. She knew that voice by instinct.

‘…Paveluc.’

She did not know where she was, but she guessed that Paveluc was
standing right in front of her. He had to be the one that planted the
spy Batori.

She heard the other soldiers leave the room, and the blindfold was
torn from her eyes. She blinked as she finally regained her sight after
what felt like a long time, frowning as she did so. Paveluc’s smiling
face focused into view in front of her.

“So now we meet, Your Highness. No, or should I call you Your
Majesty now?”

He roughly pulled away the gag from her mouth as well. Elena’s jaw
ached like hell, but she threw Paveluc an angry glare. He looked down
at her with mock concern.

“I thought Batori would be quite harsh bringing you here, but it looks
like you still have some vitality.”

“…What are you going to do to me?”

In response to her question, Paveluc stroked his neatly groomed

beard, a smile playing on his mouth. Despite his relaxed behavior,
however, his eyes were as black and as cold as stone.

“Well. Since I missed the opportunity to kill the Emperor, how about I
carve out your eyeballs to stop that impertinent look you’re giving
me.”

His voice had a joking lilt, but Elena knew not to take him lightly.
Killing people gave him pleasure, and he wasn’t the type to not follow
through on his words. She knew this well from her last life. However,
Elena looked straight at him and allowed herself a small, taunting
smile.

“What do you want, only my eyes?”

Paveluc’s expression twitched. Elena seemed undaunted, despite the

fact that she was helpless before him.

“What, is that not enough for you? Then why don’t I mess a make of
your pretty face before I remove your eyes? If I hack it with a knife, no
one will admire your looks anymore. It would be quite fun to show it
to you in a mirror.”

Elena’s firm expression remained unchanged. Feeling provoked,

Paveluc continued on.

“It’s easier to break a woman than you think. How about being raped
by several men in front of the Emperor’s eyes? Even if you live, you
would never be able to return to your old life…”

Paveluc broke into a smile, as if he found the scenario entertaining.

Elena listened quietly to his terrible words, but she could not stop the
trembling of her fingertips.

This was Paveluc. A man who knew where an opponent’s weakest area
was and how to strike it. On the surface Elena’s emotions appeared
unchanged, but Paveluc could sense that she was furious. He grinned
and gave a dangerous murmur.

“Are you scared now?”

Elena clenched her jaw without realizing it. If begging could change
the outcome, she would have done so a hundred times. However,
Paveluc was a monster who enjoyed breaking his opponents before
killing them. Knowing that, Elena did not want to look weak in front of
him. No matter what attitude she took, Paveluc would do as he
pleased.
“Let me make this clear.”

Elena finally spoke, and Paveluc looked on with an interested

expression.

“Whatever you do to me, you will suffer a hundred times worse than
that before you die. I promise. ”

She remembered how Paveluc killed her in her last life. The cold touch
of the steel blade was still as vivid as if it happened a moment ago.

But this life was different. If she survived here, she would be able to
avenge herself…and if she didn’t, she had faith that Carlisle would do
it in her stead.

“Is that a curse?”

Paveluc laughed scornfully, and then his face hardened.

“You’re a cocky one.”

Pak!

He slapped Elena on the cheek with one large hand. One wasn’t
enough.

Pak! Pak! Pak!

Elena’s head jerked in every direction as she took each one of

Paveluc’s fierce blows.

Kwadangtang!

The chair toppled over from the force of his hits, and Elena, who was
tied to it, fell as well.

“…Keus.”
Blood trickled from her mouth. The metallic taste stained her tongue,
and she remained too stunned to form a coherent thought. Paveluc
delivered a swift kick to her stomach.

Pak!

Elena felt intense pain in her stomach, and was not able to hold back
her fear for the first time.

“W-wait…”

She wanted to beg him to not hit her stomach, but she gritted her
teeth, knowing that if she showed such weakness, he would hurt her
even more. She curled up as much as she could despite her bound
state, hoping to protect her stomach.

She endured several kicks like this, before Paveluc stopped and neatly
brushed away her hair. He spoke in an insultingly casual voice.

“I originally planned to kill you, but now that I met you in person, I
change my mind. You could be useful when dealing with
Carlisle…perhaps he would lose his mind if I hung your neck on the
wall.”

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He tapped her reddened cheek with his toes. Elena looked at him with
a venomous stare, and he chuckled. He continued on.

“So, Your Majesty, if you want to survive, you should know your place.
Otherwise…I’ll feel regret if I have to do something to you.”

Elena clenched her teeth again, holding back the pain. She didn’t
know whether the blood on her was from Paveluc’s assault on her, or
from her biting her teeth. The only thing she could think about was
the baby in her stomach.

‘Please be safe…’

Her mental and physical energy spent, she could no longer hold on to
consciousness and blacked out.

Chapter 289 – Starting The War (1)

The next time Elena opened her eyes again, she was in a dark jail cell
with only one window the size of a hand span. Her prison did not have
open iron bars, but was completely closed off cell with solid metal
doors. Her stomach gave an unpleasant rumble, and she pressed her
hand to it.

‘…Baby.’

She had not eaten properly in some time, and because she was beaten
harshly by Paveluc, she was also in pain. She feared a potential
miscarriage. Fortunately, Elena did not find any traces of blood on her
lower body. Of course, she couldn’t confirm that her baby was alright
based on this alone, but she felt instinctively that her child was still
alive.

‘Did you endure it too? My amazing child.’

Tears formed in Elena’s eyes as she cradled her stomach. She wished
she could see her baby so she could shower it with praise, but there
was no other way to express her feelings. If she were alone, would she
know? If the child was safe, she absolutely could not give up. Even if
she faced the most severe torture, she had to endure the best she
could.

“…Ugh.”

Elena raised herself up and gave an involuntary groan of pain. She

spied a bowl of thick porridge sitting in front of the tightly closed iron
date. There was no warm steam coming from it and seemed to have
been neglected for a long time, but that didn’t matter to her at the
moment. She picked up the bowl and hungrily scarfed down its
contents. A short time later, it occurred to her that the food might be
poisoned, but that didn’t seem likely.

‘If he wanted to kill me, he wouldn’t have locked me up like this.’

She tried to eat more, but swallowing proved difficult. Her stomach
seemed unused to taking food after a long time, but she had to eat to
survive. Long-term starvation during pregnancy was dangerous, and if
the chance to escape came, she had to be in the best physical shape
possible.

Elena forced herself to steadily eat the porridge, when—

“Eub!”

Her stomach turned, and she clapped one hand over her mouth.

‘…If they see I have morning sickness, they might think it’s strange.’

Elena had not been aware she was with child in the early stages of her
pregnancy, but now that she was captured, she did not know what
would happen. Carlisle was the new Emperor of the Ruford Empire
now, and this child was the only one to continue his bloodline. Paveluc
might use it as his own pawn. In the worst-case scenario, he might
allow Elena to give birth to her child and then take it away. He may
raise the child in opposition to Carlisle and use it as a puppet until it
had the power to seize the throne.

And even if Paveluc didn’t remove Carlisle, the child was the natural
successor to the Empire. Elena’s capture while she was pregnant was
Carlisle’s biggest weakness.

Taat.
Elena set the now-empty bowl back in front of the iron door. As she
sat on the cold stone floor, the memories of her last life flashed in her
mind. Somehow, this felt just like the days when she was deeply
lonely.

‘The past several months feel like a dream.’

Her loneliness gnawed at her heart, and the happy days after she
returned to the past felt like a dream from long ago. It was a miracle
for her to see her dead family again and to be so deeply loved by
Carlisle. Living such a happy time made her too selfish.

“…In the beginning, my only wish was to save the Blaise family.”

A self-mocking smile drew on Elena’s lips. Then at some point, she

dreamed of a rosy future where she lived happily with Carlisle and
their child by their side. Before, as long as just her family was safe, she
would easily throw away her life.

Now she was a coward. She was afraid that she would never see
Carlisle again.

‘I should have done more before he left for Count Max.’

She should have made him stay a little longer when he said goodbye
and hugged her, and at least given him a last kiss. Now remorse and
regret filled her heart.

She missed him. She imagined Carlisle’s soft gaze that he directed
only to her, and the whispers of love he would press gently to her ear.

She missed him so much.

“…Caril.”

Elena leaned forward and rested her forehead against her knees. Just
saying his name seemed to cause a wailing in her heart.
***

Wajangchangchang!

There was a loud crash in the Carlisle office. This was a frequent
occurrence since Elena disappeared a few days ago, and no one in the
Imperial Palace was surprised anymore. Carlisle sucked in a rough
breath to calm his feelings, and Zenard looked at him worriedly.

“I’m sorry. I believe there was a group that seized Her Majesty and
crossed the border…I couldn’t catch them beforehand.”

Kwaang!

Carlisle slammed his scale-blackened arm on the desk, and the

mahogany wood cracked underneath the force. The desk was yet
among a number of broken items in the office.

Ever since Elena disappeared, Carlisle’s right arm had remained in its
black and scaly state, and he struggled to control its strength. It was
only a small demonstration of how deep his anger was.

Carlisle rested his head into his scaled hand. It was obvious that
whoever took his wife planned to assassinate him. The trap they laid
for him was so dangerous that he would have died if not for Elena
stopping them. Such people then captured her, someone who would
not let herself be easily taken. The thought seemed to sear his
thoughts like crazy.

“It’s been several days since Elena disappeared. I can’t wait any
longer.”

He didn’t want to think about it, but…it was possible that Elena was
already dead. And even if she was still alive, it was unlikely that she
was receiving kind treatment as a hostage. The words that Mary said
kept floating in his maid.
— The truth is, Her Majesty is pregnant. She wanted to tell you when
she met up with you…heug, heug.

On hearing this revelation, Carlisle stood frozen. Although he was

concerned about the child, he was more worried about Elena’s
condition than anything else.

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‘In inevitable circumstances…I can give up the child. As long as Elena is

retrieved unharmed.’

If he was forced to choose between the two, he would choose Elena

with no hesitation. However, now that Elena and their child’s life were
linked together, the decision was even more painful. He thought
about how she could be suffering while she was pregnant at the same
time. And yet, it was unclear whether Elena was either alive or dead, or
where she was injured. A deep darkness settled in Carlisle’s eyes.

“Summon the nobles.”

“You mean—”

“We will invade the Duchy of Lunen.”

Chapter 290 – Starting The War (2)

“But, Your Majesty, we still have no exact evidence that Grand Duke
Lunen kidnapped her.”

It was true that there was no physical evidence that Paveluc was
responsible, but he was the greatest suspect ever since Elena told
Carlisle of Paveluc’s plot in the last life. More importantly, the incident
took place in the Ruford Empire. It was impossible for anyone to
exercise such influence and power unless they were the Grand Duke.
At the moment, Carlisle refrained from rushing into combat, worried
he would threaten Elena’s safety if he started a war. But there was no
reason to wait anymore, and there would be no further investigation.

“I don’t need proof. If anyone objects to my order, I’ll cut them down.”

“Y-Your Majesty…”

A reasoned justification was no longer important to Carlisle. Thus far

he tried to handle the issue as cleanly as possible, but now it didn’t
matter to him how much blood was spilt to get back what he wanted.

“I will go and see for myself if Elena is in Lunen. If I don’t find her
there, then we’ll scour the whole continent like this.”

It sounded as if he didn’t care whether he drowned the entire

continent with blood in his search to find his wife. Zenard swallowed,
knowing that the Emperor did not give empty threats.

“Your Majesty, you have to stay calm in a situation like this—”

“Do I not look calm?”

A faint smile flickered on Carlisle’s lips. He didn’t look angry,

nevertheless, a chill ran down Zenard’s spine at the sight of it.

“I’m in a very rational state right now.”

He glanced at his right arm which was covered in black scales.

“I won’t be able to save her if I’m not calm. If I succumb to my anger, I

won’t be able to think clearly.”

That was the only reason why he hadn’t gone mad. As long as there
was the faint hope that Elena might be alive, he had to remain sane
more than anyone else.

But if…
Someone really hurt Elena…

For a moment, a murderous spirit rippled enticingly through Carlisle’s

whole body.

“I just hope there won’t be a situation where I have to take revenge.”

At that point, Zenard felt he had no choice but to sympathize with

Carlisle. The continent could reach its darkest era if Carlisle really took
out a blade of revenge. Zenard had witnessed much of Carlisle’s
ruthlessness in battle, but he sensed something ever more terrifying
simmering beneath Carlisle’s facade.

If Carlisle exploded…

The flame would be huge. And after what Carlisle ordered, Zenard had
no choice but to jump into the pit.

He bowed low to Carlisle.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll gather the nobles and call for a strategy
meeting now.”

Carlisle nodded, his eyes as black as coal. He murmured to himself in a

low voice.

“I’ll show him what happens when someone dares touch my wife.”

***

At present, Paveluc was in a private meeting with a general from the

Kelt Kingdom. The general’s name was Aegi, the highest ranked
general from the foreign nation. He had a small build, but anyone who
fought him would never consider him diminutive. His vast military
achievements for the Kelt Kingdom spoke for themselves.
“I will ask you straightforwardly. How do you plan to pay for the Kelt
soldiers, who will bleed for the Ruford Empire in your fight for the
throne?”

This was the problem Paveluc and the Kelt Kingdom had to solve
before they came to a formal agreement. Paveluc responded without
hesitation.

“As you know, General, it is impossible to take full control of the

Empire without killing the Emperor.”

“…”

Aegi did not respond, but he agreed with Paveluc’s words.

“I don’t want to draw out this conversation for too long, so I’ll be
honest. If you kill the Emperor, I will give you the land to the south
that borders that Kelt Kingdom. If you fail, I will give you one-tenth of
my dominion.”

Aegi was a little surprised at the following words. It was a perfect deal
for him. There were certain conditions he was prepared to accept, but
Paveluc had appealed to him greatly from the start.

‘…Should I bargain a little more?’

He considered it for a moment, but then dropped the idea. As he

expected, the rumors he heard about Paveluc were true. He was an
extremely intelligent man, and he would not have offered the deal to
Aegi without intense forethought. As Paveluc said, he wanted to cut
out as many inefficiencies in negotiation as much as possible. He must
have already considered that Aegi would negotiate for more, and
there was no guarantee Paveluc would change these terms. Paveluc
already offered a more than generous compensation.

Aegi’s eyes gleamed as he considered the deal for the moment.

Because Paveluc was straightforward, he would be as well.
“…Good. Let’s not waste our time with useless talk. If you reward the
Kelt Kingdom as you say, then we will help you.”

A small smile spread across Paveluc’s face. As Aegi surmised, Paveluc

had no intention of making concessions over his initial offer. If the
general wanted more, the results would have been the same. Paveluc
was already bitter at risking so much of his own land, but it was the
only way to defeat Carlisle.

Paveluc reached out his hand towards Aegi.

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“I look forward to working with you.”

Aegi nodded firmly, and took Paveluc’s hand without hesitation.

“I assure you, we will do your best to take the Emperor’s life.”

And thus, the forces of the Kelt Kingdom, which Ophelia planned for,
went to Paveluc’s hands.

It was the beginning of a new war.

Chapter 291 – I Can’t Wait

As Carlisle prepared to invade the Duchy of Lunen, he was given news

that a large number of Kelt troops had been transferred to the
rebellious state. There was an increase in active military movements
between both areas, too numerous and large to escape the
intelligence network of the Ruford Empire. Carlisle frowned when he
heard the report.

“…He’s also been busy scaremongering and spreading rumors about

me.”
Paveluc was planning something. Now Carlisle had a rough idea of
what he was up to.

‘He planned to ally with the Kelt Kingdom and take the Empire from
me…’

It was a bold move. Without the Kelt Kingdom’s support, Paveluc did
not have the power to usurp Carlisle, who had already taken the
throne. However, joining forces with Kelt did not mean guaranteed
victory against Carlisle; if they faced each other head-on, a battle
would likely be more advantageous to Carlisle. However, the playing
field was now more evened.

‘I’ll teach them how foolish it is to even come up with such a plan
against me.’

Carlisle did not care about Paveluc’s increased troop strength. If their
military strength was equal, then victory rested on each commander’s
ability to lead the battlefield. There was no chance that Carlisle would
lose there—from a young age, he survived threats of assassination in
the palace, then grew up as an adult on the battlefied. His experiences
and achievements in war were not exaggerated.

However, there was only one problem: If he took command and

waged war, he would never be able to leave his position. In other
words, he could not go freely to save Elena. The agony of it was a
thorn in Carlisle’s mind.

‘Who can replace me?’

Delegating the important task to anyone else made him feel uneasy.
Furthermore, when the war began in earnest, his enemy may try to use
Elena’s life as leverage against Carlisle. He couldn’t leave his wife’s
safety to anyone else.

Carlisle breathed out a tired sigh, and pressed a gloved hand to his
throbbing temple. He had taken to wearing a glove over his right
hand to hide the black scales. He didn’t care who stared at his arm,
but now he couldn’t afford any questioning gazes.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

“Come in.”

With Carlisle’s permission granted, the door opened, revealing Kuhn.

He approached Carlisle and handed him some documents.

“I searched for all the potential places where Her Majesty could be
held, just as you ordered. After considering the many possibilities, I
narrowed it down to three places.”

Carlisle looked carefully at the documents Kuhn handed over. Kuhn

continued to explain.

“The first is the castle in Lunen, and the second is his private residence.
And finally, the Blood Assassins headquarters.”

“Which is the most likely one of the three?”

“I can’t guarantee it, but I would say the Blood Assassins are the most
suspicious.”

“Has anyone seen Elena in Lunen so far?”

“I’m not sure. I have sent my spies there, but she’s somewhere that
can’t be found easily. That’s why I believe it’s more likely that she’s
being held by the Blood Assassins.”

Carlisle nodded. If Paveluc kidnapped Elena, he would keep her close

by in the Duchy of Lunen, otherwise, his prize chess piece would be
vulnerable if he left the task to another kingdom. Furthermore, it
would also enable Paveluc to use her to his advantage at any time.

A knock suddenly interrupted the two men’s conversation. Carlisle

turned towards the door in slight puzzlement.
“What is it?”

The voice of a servant was heard from outside.

“Your Majesty, Count Blaise is here. What should I do?”

Carlisle lifted his eyebrows at the unexpected guest. He realized that

he was not the only one immensely worried about Elena.

“Let him in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The door opened, and Alphord and Derek entered Carlisle’s office.
Kuhn greeted them with a slight bow of his head.

Alphord and Derek did not know Kuhn’s identity in the beginning, but
now they were aware he infiltrated Blaise mansion as a servant. The
situation could have turned sour, but the Blaise men accepted it in the
end, as it was authorized by Elena and Carlisle. That didn’t mean,
however, there was no discomfort between master and servant.

Alphord gave a nod of greeting towards Kuhn, then bowed to Carlisle.

“Hail to His Majesty the Emperor. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”

“So what’s going on?”

“I wanted to ask you something regarding Her Majesty.”

“Tell me.”

“…I ask you to deploy the Fourth Order of Knights, led by myself, to
save her.”

Alphord was the head of such an order, and was one that Derek,
winner of the tournament, was also a part of. In short, Elena’s family
wanted to rescue her themselves. Carlisle briefly considered the
unexpected suggestion.
“…”

Carlisle gave no answer, and Derek, standing next to Alphord, looked

on with an earnest expression.

“We beg this of you, Your Majesty. If you have already sent someone
else then we cannot stop you, but we want to save the Empress as
much as possible.”

Derek had also been grieving since Elena’s disappearance, and his
complexion was pale and unhealthy. After a brief silence, Carlisle
immediately replied with a nod of his head.

“…Very well.”

It occurred to Carlisle that Alphord and Derek would be the right

people to take his place and lead the rescue mission, as he knew they
were just as determined to save Elena as much as he was. However,
the situation was still not reassuring.

“Thank you deeply, Your Majesty.”

Derek’s expression noticeably lifted, but Carlisle continued on with a

solemn face.

“So far, there are no eyewitness reports of Elena in Lunen, so I have

not been able to determine an exact location. It’s important to make a
quick decision on the people you will bring. Remember, your first
priority is Elena’s safety…under any circumstances.”

At that, Derek looked at Carlisle with a renewed loyalty. It was evident

that Carlisle cared deeply for Elena’s well-being.

Kuhn, who had been listening quietly to them so far, spoke up.

“If you’ll excuse me…I want to join in saving Her Majesty as well.”
Carlisle turned to Kuhn with a questioning look. He could not help but
wonder why Kuhn would do so, when the assassin was usually so
indifferent to others.

“Why?”

“I have a debt to pay to Her Majesty.”

Kuhn once hid his relationship with Mirabelle to Elena. He wanted to

make things even on this occasion…

And while he did not express it, Kuhn’s thoughts still lingered on his
last moment with Mirabelle. Every time he closed his eyes, he
remembered how Mirabelle looked at him with a tearful expression as
she held his hand and begged him to stay. He wanted to keep her
precious sister, Elena, from disappearing.

Carlisle did not know Kuhn’s motivations, but he nodded in

affirmation.

“Very well. I was going to suggest it anyway, and there’s no one better
than you to infiltrate Lunen.”

“Ah…”

Kuhn was a little confused by the fact that Carlisle had already chosen
him, but he soon nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

Carlisle turned to the three men, his voice serious.

“As you may know, I cannot go save Elena myself, and the Kelt forces
are allied with Lunen.”

More than anything, he wished to rush to Elena’s side and save her
himself. For her safety, however, it was more important for him to win
the war. Elena’s value as a hostage was to suppress Carlisle’s power,
but if Carlisle lost the war, Paveluc will no longer have any reason to
keep her. Carlisle had to remain a threat in order to keep her alive.
Since the outcome of this war could be directly linked to Elena’s
safety, Carlisle had to carefully consider every minute detail.

“In addition to you all, I will carefully select the best men in the Ruford
Empire. So…”

Carlisle took a momentary pause.

“Take care of Elena… Please.”

Alphord, Derek, and Kuhn answered simultaneously with determined

faces.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

***

Elena remained locked in her prison. Beyond the window, the sun rose
and fell several times. She thought that Paveluc or Batori would come
to torture or taunt her, but her time was spent in grateful loneliness.

The mood outside her cell seemed active, as the sound of people
moving outside her window did not cease. Some of it seemed like the
steady marches of people being trained.

‘…Is Caril safe?’

Elena had done her best to stop the cliff ambush, but she wasn’t able
to stop all the rocks. She was afraid that there was a chance that
Carlisle might be injured. Once Elena’s worry latched on to something,
she could not let it go.

It was then—

Deuleuleug.

The bottom of the iron door slid open and a man’s voice spoke.
“Your food.”

A bowl was roughly pushed in through the opening, causing it to spill

some of its contents. Elena grimaced and accepted the food. Batori
had given her nothing to eat on the way here, but after she was
imprisoned in her cell, she was fed once a day. It was a small fortune.
It hardly filled her, but at least she didn’t starve to death.

Her stomach gave a rumble, and Elena stroked it carefully and spoke
to her child.

‘I’m sorry, baby. Please hold on.’

She was constantly worried that something might go wrong with her
child. She wanted a good environment and good food for her child
more than anything else, but under the current circumstances, she
couldn’t be greedy. Elena ate her bowl until it was clean. Ironically, but
not eating too much, the severe morning sickness seemed to subside
a little.

‘It’s quieter now than I expected…but Paveluc will never leave me

alone like this for long.’

Although it seemed that he put her existence on hold for a while,

eventually he will try to use her. She had to escape before then.

Seueug, seueueu.

Elena took the end of the metal spoon and ground it against the stone
wall. Occasionally the jailer would take the spoon back with the bowl,
but sometimes he missed it. If he forgot to take the spoon again, she
would add it to her collection. So far, she had hidden three spoons.

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‘There isn’t much time. I have to escape before my stomach shows.’

As time went, her baby bump would become more obvious, and her
body would become heavier. It would also be easier for Elena to move
about when the baby was still small.

Elena wiped the sharpened end of the spoon on the edge of her shift,
then she stuck it out of the small window and looked around.
Normally the windows were too narrow and high to see through, but
by using the spoon as a mirror, she could see a little more of her
surroundings. These days, she used it to monitor the movements
around her at opportunity she could. She needed to find out how
many people patrolled the area and how many stayed here. Thanks to
this, she also discovered that her present location was quite high. She
didn’t quite have an escape plan yet, but…

‘I simply can’t sit around and wait for someone to rescue me.’

That was not Elena’s way. Her red eyes were still shining.

Chapter 292 – Only One Chance (1)

A tense cloud of war hung over the Ruford Empire and Duchy of
Lunen. Lunen was a small state beneath the greater empire, but now it
regarded itself as a completely independent country. Paveluc had
secretly been preparing for this event, and with the powerful forces of
the Kelt Kingdom now inside Lunen, there was no reason to ally
themselves with Ruford anymore.

Cheogcheogcheog.

Inside Lunen castle, dozens of knights marched on patrol. Near a

dungeon, a man emerged from the dark entrance. The guards near
there were suddenly alerted.

“You there! Identify yourself!”

The knights were tense in preparation for the war. They pulled out
their swords and pointed it at the man, who raised his arms
immediately.

“I’m the servant that brings the meals to the dungeon.”

He walked slowly towards the knights as he spoke. The bright

torchlight revealed his freckled face, and the first knight who shouted
at him spoke again.

“This isn’t the time when meals are distributed. Why are you
wandering around here?”

“The person in charge of the meals complained of stomach ache. He

didn’t get the bowls back in time, so I went to do the job instead.”

There was a pile of bowls next to the dungeon entrance. The knight
stared at the servant disapprovingly, then finally lowered his sword.

“…I’ll let you go just this once. Don’t let me catch you here around this
time again.”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

The knights returned to their patrol. The servant watched the men
disappear around the corner, and returned to the entrance where the
dishes had been gathered. The gloomy-eyed and freckle-cheeked man
was Kuhn, disguised as a completely different person.

‘…The number of bowls and prisoners I checked are the same. Then
the Empress must not be here.’

Kuhn had infiltrated the Lunen castle under Carlisle’s orders. In order
to save Elena quickly, it was urgent that he locate her.

‘The only place left now is Blood Assassin’s headquarters.’

The headquarters was his first pick, but he deemed it too difficult to
infiltrate, and so he decided to check the other locations first.
However, it seemed that the Blood Assassins remained the only option
left.

Kuhn recovered the dishes and returned them to the kitchens with an
expressionless face. In fact, it was he who caused the servant for food
redistribution to have diarrhea.

After Kuhn completed his work, he slipped back out of the castle. He
returned to his secret residence inside Lunen and wrote down a brief
report of what he learned. Next to him were several trained carrier
pigeons. He tied the note to one of the bird’s legs with a practice
gesture, then opened the window wide and sent it out.

***

The carrier pigeon arrived at Carlisle’s location near the border. After
reading the note, Carlisle realized that Elena was likely being held at
the Blood Assassin headquarters.

‘…No matter how skilled Kuhn is, it will be difficult for him to infiltrate
it by himself.’

They needed to locate Elena and get her out, but under the present
circumstances it seemed impossible. Carlisle stared at the note with a
grim expression, then quickly lit his lighter and held it to the corner of
the paper. The note burned into ash at his fingertips and the smoke
danced in the air. Carlisle dropped his hand and turned back around.

Before his eyes were hundreds of handpicked men lined up behind

Alphord and Derek. As the leader of the Fourth Order of Knights and
with no shortage of experience or age, Alphord was in charge of the
rescue operation.

“I was hoping for good news, but unfortunately, there is still no

confirmation where Elena is. The highest probability is that she is
being held in the Blood Assassin headquarters, so you will take control
of it first.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The men’s voices rang together as one. If an outright war broke out,
Elena’s safety may be threatened, and so Carlisle was determined to
rescue her before it happened. At present, his own soldiers were at the
border, completely prepared to wage battle with Lunen. Meanwhile,
Carlisle planned a secret rescue mission to get Elena out first.
However, no matter how secretive he tried to be, and with so many
people moving, it was possible they could be found out. Timing was
important, and the window of opportunity opened to them was short.

‘…I hope Elena is where we expect her.’

An attack on the Blood Assassin’s would blow their cover at once, and
if Elena was not there, they would waste the precious little time they
had. Carlisle stared at the men gathered in front of him with eyes as
sharp as a hawk’s. It was difficult to entrust Elena’s life to others, no
matter how skilled they were. But all of them would risk their lives to
save her. He wouldn’t show his nervousness…and he had no choice
but to put his faith in them.

Alphord seemed to read Carlisle’s thoughts, and he spoke to the

Emperor in a reassuring voice.

“We will surely bring the Empress back safely. Don’t worry.”

“…Yes. Go before it gets too late.”

Everyone nodded and chorused out in one voice,

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“I will not return alive without Her Majesty!”

For the first time, Carlisle’s stony expression loosened at their

passionate determination.

“I wish you all the best.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

It was finally the beginning of Elena’s rescue mission.

Chapter 293 – Only One Chance (2)

Elena collected six spoons in her prison so far. She inspected each of
them, their handles sharpened like blades, and a smile of satisfaction
spread across her mouth. With these, she could subdue four men in an
instant. She picked up one of them and used it to spy on the outside
as usual.

Hwaaaag—

She could see the reflection of a large fire on a building far away. For
the fire to shine on the spoon, the flames had to be huge.

‘What? What happened?’

Elena tried to observe her surroundings as much as she could.

Tatatatatak.

She heard people running around, and the image on the spoon was
blurred as people moved about. With her sharply-trained ears, she
also picked up the sound of someone shouting urgently.
 “The Blood Assassins’ headquarters are under attack…get
reinforcements…hurry!”

She couldn’t hear everything, but she caught enough to understand

what was happening. Her eyes turned bright at the astonishing news.

‘The Blood Assassins are under attack? Inside Lunen?’

Elena did not know they worked for Paveluc. Batori was a spy that
infiltrated Blaise mansion, and he had brought her as a hostage. That
meant that the attackers at the cliff at the time were the Blood
Assassins.

‘…I don’t know where I’m imprisoned, but it’s not too far
from that Blood Assassins building.’

At that same moment, another realization struck her. If someone was

invading Lunen, it was likely because they were rescuing Elena. She
turned towards the building with longing eyes.

“Caril…”

She had hoped that he was desperately searching for her, but now
that she saw this with her own eyes, her heart couldn’t help but skip a
beat. If they really came to rescue Elena, and they really attacked the
building with the Blood Assassins…then it was almost cruel, bad luck
she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn’t know exactly
where the rescue was, but for it to succeed, she had to get over there.
 ‘…This is serious. What should I do?’

She wanted to yell out the window, but she was too far away for them
to hear. There was no other way to signal to the soldiers that she was
trapped here. With such a large fire, a large number of Lunen troops
would naturally flock to the Blood Assassin’s building. If that
happened, the rescue forces would be forced to retreat. Elena could
not miss this opportunity.

She touched her flat stomach. The gradual passage of time was a
great strain on her. Each day she lived in fear whether someone would
notice she was pregnant, or if the pregnancy would take a bad turn.

‘I have to figure something out.’

She couldn’t just sit here anxiously wringing her hands. Suddenly, she
heard dozens of footsteps outside marching towards her cell. She
thought about what Paveluc would do once he found out that Carlisle
sent the rescue troops.

If it was Paveluc…

He might have her killed as an example, or he would move her deeper

into hiding so that she could never be found. Whatever choice Paveluc
made, if Elena’s guess what right, she may have a moment to escape.

She hurriedly concealed the sharpened spoons in her clothes. She had
practiced this scenario dozens of times in her head, and she did not
hesitate one second. Elena watched the iron door with a wildly beating
heart.

Kwaang!
The rusty iron door opened with a creaking sound, and a dozen
soldiers appeared to collect Elena. As she watched them, she felt a
glimmer of hope.

“Drag her out and let’s go!”

Two soldiers behind him stepped forward. Elena analyzed the situation
in a split second.

‘Should I attack them now?’

However, she did not know anything yet about her surroundings. If
there were more soldiers she didn’t see and take account of, her
escape attempt could very well fail. When she was brought to this
place, she had been unconscious.

‘…I have to be careful. I only have one chance.’

Furthermore, it was not a good idea to overstretch herself while

pregnant. After a moment of thought, she concluded that the time
was not yet ripe. She stood still as the two soldiers bound her wrists
tightly with a rope. One pushed her forward roughly.

“Walk.”

She glared at them, but soon began to follow the men out of the cell.
The hallway outside was narrower than she thought, and there were
about five or six iron doors next to where she was locked in.
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‘This must be a place to incarcerate people, but where on

earth is this place?’

Elena’s red-eyed eyes swept over the dozen soldiers that were
escorting her, their faces tense and grim.

‘…And where are they taking me?’

There were still too many unknown variables, but one thing for sure
was that she had little time to act. She had to signal her location
before Carlisle’s reinforcements retreated.

Chapter 294 – That’s Not What It’s For (1)

Elena wasn’t the only one that noticed the fire and activity around the
Blood Assassins headquarters. Paveluc was the first person to receive
the report that Carlisle’s army had managed to sneak into Lunen and
launch an attack in the middle of the night, and the Grand Duke was
able to reasonably infer that their goal was to save Elena. There would
be no reason to attack the Blood Assassin headquarters otherwise. If
anyone wanted to inflict damage on Paveluc before the war, it would
be most effective to attack the castle or a military location, not the
Blood Assassins.

‘…How surprising.’
It was an unexpected move by Carlisle. Paveluc had prepared for this
situation of course, but he never thought it was much of a probability.
When he stayed at the Imperial Palace, he witnessed and heard
rumors about Carlisle’s and Elena’s relationship. It was why he had not
yet killed Elena; as a hostage, she was far more valuable. But Paveluc
didn’t realize Carlisle’s attachment to her would be to this degree.

‘I thought politics would be mixed in their relationship…but

perhaps he really does care about the Empress.’

It was already clear that the Ruford Empire and the state of Lunen
would soon go to war. Carlisle moved quickly to save Elena before a
full-scale battle broke out, which meant that she was an
extraordinarily precious person to him. A smug, satisfied smile spread
across Paveluc’s mouth.

‘Did I catch a bigger fish than I realized?’

In fact, when his assassination attempt on Carlisle failed, he was so

furious that he intended to kill Elena. Once Paveluc saw her
determined red eyes glaring at him, however, he became intrigued
and eventually changed his mind. No one had shown such a
commanding presence in front of him. Even the proudest, most
arrogant noble would grovel for their lives, such as Ophelia and
Redfield did. But Elena…she was different. It was providence that he
decided to keep her alive.

Men tended to think highly of themselves. For Paveluc, women were

merely tools to support stronger men, and he had believed that
Carlisle thought the same as well. There were other men who were
humiliated at the thought of being lesser than a woman. Paveluc
wasn’t sure what category Carlisle fell in, but…
A funny idea flashed across his mind.

‘If Carlisle were to choose between the Ruford Empire or the

woman Elena…what would he choose?’

Carlisle couldn’t be foolish enough to choose Elena, but Paveluc

wondered how the emperor would react when the moment came.
Paveluc spoke to a servant.

“Update on the Empress?”

“Yes. I sent the men as you ordered, and they will cut off one
of the Empress’ arms and bring it back.”

“Good. I’m looking to see how Carlisle will respond.”

Carlisle had invaded his territory, and Paveluc intended to repay him
generously. Paveluc ordered Elena to be moved to a secret place
where she could not be found, and ordered his men to cut off one of
her arms. Then he’ll send Carlisle a little present…

He smirked and stroked his bard as he imagined Carlisle’s reaction.

Beolkeog!

A soldier burst into the room with a harried look on his face.
 “My Lord, we’re in trouble!”

“What’s going on?”

Paveluc’s brows furrowed at the soldier, who wheezed his report

without even taking a moment to breathe.

“There’s another army coming from the border, led by

Emperor Ruford.”

“Wh-what?”

Paveluc jumped up from his seat. He knew that the enemy’s soldiers
had been gathering at the border as of late, but he didn’t expect
Carlisle to launch a preemptive strike so quickly.

‘I can’t be…he must be launching an attack inside and

outside at the same time to save the Empress.’

Paveluc had shown little interest in the soldiers at the border. No

matter how many of Carlisle’s men infiltrated Lunen, it would be
difficult for the Ruford Empire to mount an extended campaign, and
Paveluc could take them at any moment.

If war was imminent, however, Paveluc’s troops would be spread too

thin. At the moment, it was more urgent to stop the large army
moving through the border, rather than the smaller one that had
already infiltrated Lunen. Paveluc ground his teeth.

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“…Carlisle.”

Paveluc could not let this go any further. Carlisle seemed so desperate
to rescue Elena…but Paveluc would never surrender her. He took a few
short strides and put on his armor.

“Hurry up and bring me the Empress’ arm. I will go directly to

the border.”

“Yes, My Lord!”

The soldiers around him bowed in unison.

Chapter 295 – That’s Not What It’s For (2)

Elena was being dragged by the Lunen soldiers with both her hands
tied, and she found out that her prison was in a tower.

‘I don’t believe this place is used much, but would Carlisle

know to come here to save me?’
Surely he must have carefully considered the various areas in the
vicinity where she might be held. If he was wrong however, that meant
Paveluc was prepared for him. Elena thought a patrol around the
prison would indicate this was a place of importance, but currently
there seemed to be no one outside.

‘…Perhaps it was on purpose.’

If the Blood Assassins headquarters were a secret place, it would fall

within Carlisle’s expected target. But no one would expect her to be in
the abandoned tower. Paveluc cleverly imprisoned Elena in a place
that was both close to the Blood Assassins headquarters, but also no
one cared about. Even if Carlisle sent troops now, they wouldn’t be
able to search for her for long.

Tubug tubug.

Elena subtly turned her head to observe her surroundings as she

silently walked forward. There was no way to tell how many soldiers
total were in this building. Because they were pushing her along,
perhaps they were trying to transfer her to a more secretive place.
That would only make it more difficult to escape in the future.

What Elena needed was a fire as big as the one on the Blood
Assassins’ building to attract attention, but that was almost impossible
for a lone person. While there were torches and burning materials in
the place, there were still all the guards to deal with.

‘Let’s think, Elena.’

No one suspected her of keeping track of the outside world with a

spoon. Because of this, she was fully aware that someone had invaded
Lunen to save her, and that now was her chance to escape. There was
a great deal of a difference between knowing that and not.

‘I wish there were flares…’

A long time ago, Kuhn gave her a flare to use in a dangerous situation.
She had never used it, and she didn’t have it on her in any case. She
looked around at the dozen soldiers escorting her, when an object
caught her eye.

‘That’s…!’

She noticed that one of the knights was carrying a small bomb. Her
eyes swiveled around to the others, and saw that they were carrying
bombs as well.

Elena’s red eyes flashed. Now that her fighting ability was revealed,
Paveluc would not send weaker soldiers to guard her. Elena needed to
avoid fighting them as much as possible, but if she could get her
hands on one of the explosives…

‘But my hands are tied.’

This would be much easier if both her hands were free. She had to get
away before they got too far away from the Blood Assassin’s building.

Elena stumbled deliberately. As she was about to topple over, a soldier

grabbed her shoulder and straightened her.
 “Walk straight.”

“…Ugh.”

Elena collapsed to the floor, believing that this was her opportunity.
No one caught her fall this time, but it didn’t matter. It was their
carelessness that Elena was after.

“Hey, get up.”

A soldier glared at her, and Elena looked up with an expression of

fatigue, and shakily pushed herself to her feet. She got closer to the
soldier with the bomb, and deliberately stumbled over him.

Tak!

The soldier reflexively caught Elena by the shoulder.

“Are you out of your mind?”

The soldiers weren’t suspicious that she repeatedly stumbled around,

as she was a fragile woman and her hands were bound, and she posed
no threat to them anyway. And that was exactly the fatal mistake she
hoped that they made.

Seueug—

Elena rose up, clutching the small explosive in her hand. The soldier
immediately noticed something strange, but she was much quicker
than that. In the blink of an eye, she leapt backwards and gracefully
landed some distance away from the soldiers.

“What are you doing—?!”

The soldier’s face widened in shock at first. Elena immediately

prepared to set off the stolen bomb, but then the soldier started
laughing.

“Do you think you can handle all of us with just that?”

Even if Elena threw the explosive, it was in clear view and most of
them could sufficiently dodge it. Some of them may get injured, but
the rest would be able to subdue her afterwards. However, Elena
smiled at their hubris.

“This bomb is not for that purpose.”

“What?”

The soldier’s mouth fell open, but he didn’t have time to process what
happened next. Elena tossed the bomb in the air, and delivered a swift
jump kick to propel it outside the window. A split second later, the
bomb exploded, releasing a red roar of flame into the dark night sky.
She had planned to use the explosives as a signal, not as a weapon.
Carlisle’s men nearby would be able to notice it.
 “Th-this…!”

The soldiers’ faces turned red with anger as they realized Elena’s
intentions. They pulled out their swords and surrounded her.

“I don’t know how you know that there’s troops nearby, but
do you think you can last until they arrive?”

“I held back because I thought you would scream, but now it

would just be easier to cut off one of your arms here.”

Elena pulled out a sharpened spoon she had hidden as the men slowly
approached her. From now on, the question was how long would it
take for the reinforcements to arrive to help Elena.

***

‘That’s…’

It was Kuhn who noticed the signal and guessed that it might be from
Elena. A bomb going off in a fight was not unusual, but this one was in
the middle of the air. He pivoted his heel and rushed towards the
direction of the signal, when a dark figure fell from the air, blocking
his way.

A familiar voice then spoke.

 “Hey. We’ve met before.”

Beneath the faint moonlight, Kuhn could make out the outline of the
man blocking his way. It was Batori, the servant at Blaise mansion who
always smiled. Kuhn also knew that Batori had disappeared from the
Imperial Palace the same time as Elena, so he had his suspicions that
the red-haired man was involved in the incident. Kuhn answered in a
low voice.

“Was it you who infiltrated Blaise mansion?”

“I didn’t know you were the Emperor’s subordinate. You

somehow felt the same as myself…I knew my instincts were right.”

Kuhn looked away and measured the distance of the previous blast.

“If you don’t want to die, get out of my way now.”

“Why, where are you going? Do you think that signal is from
Her Majesty?”

The smile on Batori’s lips deepened. And at the same time, a terrible
life sprang up from Batori’s veiled eyes.
 “Don’t you dare burn the Blood Assassins headquarters and
run away like this. ”

At that moment, numerous members of the Blood Assassins appeared

behind Batori. They had a vicious energy to them, like wild beasts
salivating while hunting for their prey. Kuhn merely glanced at them,
his face still impassive.

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“…”

Syuk syuk syuk!

The shadows surrounded Kuhn immediately. While Batori was with the
Blood Assassins, Kuhn was the finest assassin selected by Carlisle in
the Ruford Empire.

“I just wanted to deal with you later because I didn’t have

time.”

A twitch convulsed on the edge of Batori’s smiling mouth.

Chapter 296 – You Shouldn’t Have Touched Her (1)

It was Lunen where Batori and Kuhn faced each other. Anyone could
see that Batori had the home field advantage in this fight, as more
Lunen reinforcements would eventually arrive. Batori gave Kuhn an
acid stare.

“You think you’re in a position to have such a big mouth?”

Despite Batori’s provocation, however, Kuhn’s demeanor remained

composed.

“Do you think you can hold us down with the Lunen soldiers or
the Blood Assassins?”

“…What?”

“My men and I are the elite unit of the great Ruford Empire. You’ll
be dead before your reinforcements arrive.”

Kuhn was not afraid to fight in the middle of enemy territory. The
soldiers that infiltrated Lunen were highly skilled and handpicked by
the Emperor to rescue Elena. No number of Blood Assassins could
hope to win against them.

Batori ground his teeth at the man’s bold impudence.

“Then I’ll see for myself if you have such ability.”

“Be my guest.”

Batori made a gesture, and the Blood Assassins behind him dashed
forward. Despite their numbers, their swift footsteps did not leave a
sound. The Ruford soldiers showed no fear, and Kuhn confidently held
his ground.

Chaaang!
The two forces clashed, and Kuhn gave a short command to his
nearest support.

“Tell the other units the signal we just saw.”

Hopefully, there were troops nearby that could go ahead of Kuhn and
secure Elena’s safety as soon as possible.

“Understood.”

The man bowed and immediately peeled away from the fight.
Suddenly—

Hwiiig!

Kuhn instinctively twisted his body, and Batori’s sword flashed at the
spot where Kuhn was just a moment before. Batori’s eyes glistened at
Kuhn’s cat-like maneuver.

“How dare you look down at me.”

“As you can see, I can avoid you without even looking.”

The edge of Batori’s mouth twitched at Kuhn’s taunt.

“You used to be less mouthy in the past. When did you get to be
this bad?”

“Don’t pretend to be friendly.”

Chaang!
Batori’s attack was too quick for the eye to follow, but Kuhn blocked it
as if he had read the other man’s mind. Since both were assassins,
their fighting styles were much more stealthy and quick than the
average knight, meant to precisely target their opponent’s weak spot.

Paas!

Kuhn delivered a swift kick to Batori’s chin. The other man rotated his
body to absorb the attack, then he stepped back at a distance,
swearing as he wiped blood from his mouth.

“That’s pretty good.”

“…”

Kuhn’s face was determinedly blank, and he did not deign Batori a
response. It was Batori that spoke again.

“Why don’t you join my side?”

“No thank you.”

“Don’t you think it will be better if we join forces? Anyone who

has ever been targeted by us has never lived.”

Batori was admittedly impressed by Kuhn’s incredible abilities. Perhaps

because they were the same kind of fighter, Batori could keenly see
the skill behind Kuhn’s every move. Assassins, unlike ordinary knights,
specialized in silently and quickly taking lives. Kuhn would be even
more intimidating in the shadows, as Batori was.

Kuhn frowned at the other man.

“You talk a lot of nonsense.”

 “I liked you from the beginning.”

It was true. Batori had a good feeling ever since he first met Kuhn. He
pointed his sword at Kuhn in preparation for an attack.

“It’s really a waste that I’ll have to kill you then.”

Chang! Chaang!

Batori delivered blow after blow, but Kuhn blocked each one and
swung his sword at Batori. But Batori was also not easily beaten. In the
blink of an eye, their swords clashed a half dozen times. Between that,
Kuhn spoke.

“If we don’t kill you anyway, we’re going to be killed. What’s the
point?”

Batori smiled at Kuhn’s way of thinking.

“You’re just like me. Unfortunately, we’re not on the same

side…and I need you to die here. I wish I didn’t have to leave you as an
enemy.”

“That is if you can kill me.”

Kuhn thrust his sword, but Batori countered it, forcing his weapon
sideways.

Kuhn and Batori were engaged in a battle decided by a hair’s width of

a difference in ability, but not so for the others around them. The
Blood Assassins were slowly falling to the ground one by one. Just as
Kuhn claimed, the elite soldiers of the Ruford Empire were far
superior. They could not linger long in Lunen though, and the Ruford
soldiers began to surround Batori. It soon became a one-sided fight.
Puuk!

Someone’s sword cut through Batori’s side. Another sword flashed

from a different direction and pierced him. Unable to withstand
attacks from multiple sides, Batori was forced to fall.

“Heog heog.”

Batori breathed roughly through his mouth, a smile on his face as he

stared at Kuhn. Despite the grin on his mouth,a sadness in his
expression could not be hidden.

“…I could have achieved more.”

Had it not been for Elena’s interference, he could have succeeded in

assassinating Carlisle. Paveluc would have been crowned emperor and
Batori would have the future he wanted. Now that he met his death in
a place he never thought possible, he could not help but feel bitter.

Kuhn walked over to the weakened and helpless Batori. The man lifted
his head, but he smiled as usual.

“I’m glad you’ve beaten me now, but if the masters we served

changed positions, it would turn out different.”

“I know.”

“Good. I don’t know what it will be like at the end, but at this
moment, you were stronger.”

“…”
 “Do you have any intention of saving me? I don’t have any sense
of loyalty, but you can make the offer I made you…”

“You shouldn’t have touched her.”

“Wh-what?”

Swiig.

Kuhn held up his sword to Batori’s neck and delivered the last words
he would hear from another person.

“Her Majesty the Empress.”

Seogeog!

Kuhn’s blade cut Batori’s throat. Blood spurted from his mouth, but he
made an effort to speak.

“I didn’t want to live like this…one day you will die just like me…”

He took his last living breath and his body collapsed sideways. Kuhn
turned around with an expressionless face and replied in a low voice.

“I know.”

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Death has always been near Kuhn since he was very young. Whenever
he killed someone, he imagined that he would die just like that. But
these days…
Death actually scared him a little.

He stared at his blood-stained sword, and immediately looked up to

see the elite Ruford soldiers in front of him. He opened his mouth and
spoke in a level voice.

“I’m going to find Her Majesty where I saw the signal.”

The most important thing right now was to find Elena, and there was
not much time left.

Chapter 297 – aYou Shouldn’t Have Touched Her (2)

Elena was engaged in her own fierce battle, but her hands were both
tied and she had no proper weapon. She had the spoons she
sharpened in prison, but it had its limitations. Not only did she have a
limited amount of them, they were hardly deadly.

Swiiiig!

But Elena never missed a weak spot.

“Ugh!”

Elena drove a sharpened spoon handle into the neck of a soldier who
tried to grab her. Blood spurted from his mouth and he collapsed, and
the other soldiers turned at her furiously and shouted in an angry
voice.

“You bitch! Once we catch you, it just won’t be one arm that gets
cut off!”

Tadag tadag.
Elena heaved wild breaths as she fled. It would be useful if the
reinforcements in the area could arrive soon, but there were not many
options available for her to stall the Lunen soldiers.

‘I was imprisoned in that direction, so the flames I saw in the

spoon came from—’

She did not have time to finish that thought.

“Ugh!”

A Lunen soldier had thrown a rope at her as if he were catching a

beast, and the noose tightened and squeezed her neck, forcing out a
choked gasp. Her escape was suddenly halted, and the soldiers swiftly
surrounded her and pinned her down. They approached her with
angry looks.

“I’ll cut off the Achilles’ tendon in both feet so she won’t run away
again.”

He couldn’t kill a hostage as valuable as Elena, but Paveluc wouldn’t

mind if they maimed her. Until now, the soldiers could not shoot her
with arrows, and they wasted more time than they expected. Even
when Elena’s hands were bound, she avoided their attacks with ease.

Elena quickly searched for a spoon hidden in her shift. If her

calculations were correct, it was her last one. Her thoughts swirled
wildly in her head as she teetered at the brink of death.

‘What do I do? How do I use it most effectively?’

If she tried to cut the rope from her neck, she would most likely be
caught again, and could only kill one more enemy.

But she could not give up. It wasn’t just her life that she had to save.
She clutched the hidden spoon in her hand, and at the same, a soldier
holding a sword moved towards Elena’s feet.

At that moment—

Hwiiiig!

Another sword appeared from nowhere and struck the one the soldier
was holding, stopping the attempt to cut Elena’s Achilles tendon.

Elena’s and the Lunen soldiers’ eyes widened in surprise, and they all
turned their heads towards the direction of the attack.

Tatatatak!

Dozens of knights rushed inside, stirring up a cloud of dirt and dust. In

the middle was a middle-aged man who looked very familiar. He had
blond hair and dark green eyes set in a hard look.

‘…Father.’

It was Elena’s father, Alphord, the head of the rescue operation. The
Lunen soldiers, stunned by the unexpected arrival, soon came to
themselves and quickly lifted their swords to capture Elena. This time,
however, Elena moved the spoon she was holding in her hand and
stabbed the palm of the knight nearest to her.

“Ugh! This bitch!”

She tried to run past the man, but the other soldier holding the rope
yanked her back.

“Ack!”
Elena gasped as her body was dragged back, when suddenly—

Swiiiig!

An arrow from Alphord’s soldiers flew in the air and severed the rope.

“Haaa!”

Elena sucked in deep breaths of oxygen and rolled her newly freed
body away from the Lunen soldiers.

This time, a dozen arrows flew as a volley from Alphord’s men. This
time, it was an attack to keep the Lunen soldiers away from Elena.

Pas! Taas!

The knights tried to parry the arrows and recapture Elena, but
Alphord’s men arrived before that.

“Guard the Empress!”

As more of the Ruford knights rushed in, the Lunen knights, now
outnumbered, began to flee with a look of resentment. They had no
choice but to retreat for now, but they would soon get fresh
reinforcements and try to track her again.

“Kollog, kollog.”

Elena sat on the floor and coughed dryly, her body feeling weak and
exhausted. Alphord knelt down on one knee and removed the rope
from her neck, then took off his cloak and covered her shoulders.
 “Are you alright, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. It’s all because you showed up in time. His Majesty is not
hurt, is he?”

Alphord paused when he saw that Elena worried about Carlisle first
before her own safety. It was only a moment though, and Alphord
soon replied.

“…His Majesty is fine.”

“Thank God. I was beside myself with worry about him.”

Alphord stared at Elena with an unreadable expression, before

changing the subject.

“Your Majesty, can you stand? Let’s talk on the way back. It’s
still not safe until we’re out of Lunen.”

“Alright.”

Alphord stood up and extended his hand, and Elena took it and lifted
herself up. He supported her and put her on his horse, then spoke in a
commanding voice to the soldiers all around him.
 “We’ve achieved our goal, so we’re leaving! Inform the other
troops!”

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“Yes, sir!”

Because they had blown their cover, they were in a place of immediate
exposure to the Lunen soldiers. Hence, Alphord’s men would light a
blue signal when they found Elena.

Pusisisisig!

Blue smoke began to rise up the night sky. Alphord climbed up on his
horse behind the exhausted Elena.

“Let’s go!”

Chapter 298 – Beyond His Power (1)

At the border, Carlisle was waging a fierce battle with Grand Duke
Lunen’s forces. It was long hours later when the fight ended and each
side retreated for the night. In the meantime, Carlisle gathered each of
his major generals and organized a strategic meeting to continue their
push inwards into Lunen. He was clad in dark metal armor as he stood
in front of a table with a map.
 “If this war drags on, it could last months or even years. But
in terms of time, we have the advantage. I don’t believe the Kelt
soldiers would be so happy to stay in Lunen for so long.”

The generals nodded in agreement.

“His Majesty the Emperor is right.”

In some aspects, war was akin to a long-distance marathon. The first

one to give up was bound to lose. Wars required not only great
military power, but extensive supply routes and a large war chest. If
the Kelt soldiers abandoned the Duchy of Lunen, Paveluc’s remaining
forces had little chance to survive, let alone win. Carlisle was keenly
aware of that. Every small advantage he could grab could lead to great
victory.

“The envoys I dispatched should have arrived at the border

of the Kelt Kingdom by now.”

“Oh, did you send a delegation?”

The generals were surprised at this unknown piece of news. It seemed

that Carlisle had already reached out to the Kelt Kingdom to end the
war as soon as possible.

“I threatened that if the Kelt soldiers continued to help the

Duchy of Lunen, they will pay later.”
 “What? You sent a threat? Not a conciliatory message?”

The generals looked at the Emperor with startled expressions.

Common sense dictated that the Kelt Kingdom was helping Lunen at a
price, so it was right for the Ruford Empire to lay on the table an
appropriate counter-offer for their withdrawal. Carlisle, however, was
not one to follow precedent.

“Even if we offer something as a reward, it will be difficult to

break their contract with Paveluc. On the contrary, they can leverage
that in their favor.”

“That’s true, but…”

“If the Kelt Kingdom receives my threat, it should cool down

ambitious talk among their leaders. There is no guarantee that Lunen
will win.”

The presence of Carlisle in the battlefield, who demonstrated an

extensive and notorious military record, should also sway their
thoughts. The surrounding countries were familiar with that fact that
Carlisle was a brutally effective commander.

“Now that I have planted fear in them, perhaps they’ll

reconsider. General Aegi might just change his mind about this whole
affair in Lunen.”

The general nodded at Carlisle’s words. The Emperor’s logic was

flawless. Carlisle spoke again, his blue eyes shining.
 “Now let’s make them squirm.”

He had a simple strategy, but it was a sharp one designed to strike

fear people’s psychology. By now, winning in battle was like a second
nature to Carlisle.

He immediately pointed to several areas on the Lunen map, then all

the way to the Kelt Kingdom.

“First, blockade these areas. General Aegi will see through

my intentions, but his soldiers will be demoralized when they realize
they cannot freely return to the Kelt Kingdom.”

Every soldiers’ heart was the same, no matter what country they came
from. They wanted to claim victory and return to their hometown with
pride. No one set off to die in another country.

“You’re incredible, Your Majesty.”

“The rumors about His Majesty are not exaggerated.”

Carlisle did not blink despite the wealth of compliments.

“If there are no questions, return to your respective camps

and get ready to move the troops.

The generals, already adapted to Carlisle’s decisive character, looked

at him with bright eyes and answered loudly.
 “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You may leave.”

After the meeting, the generals rushed back to camp. Now that the
battle lines were drawn, they would begin to organize their forces in
detail.

Even after everyone disappeared, however, Carlisle did not leave. He

now turned his thoughts on putting pressure on Lunen.

This was the only thing he could do to help Elena. As the battle on the
border grew fiercer, Paveluc would be forced to focus his attention
and troops in that area. That would make it easier on the elite knight
who had gone in to save Elena. With that tactic, Carlisle had planned
to further increase Elena’s chances of rescue.

‘And in the worst-case scenario…if they fail to rescue

her…she will be kept alive to keep negotiations open with me.’

If any such situation occurred, the only way to ensure Elena’s safety
was for Carlisle to keep the upper hand. He looked down at the scales
on his arm, which sprouted from his surge of emotion.

‘…Please stay alive.’

He recalled his wife’s face in his mind’s eye. While being held hostage,
she may be subject to injury or unimaginable torture. Once he rescued
her, there was no guarantee that she would look the same.

But that didn’t matter one bit. Carlisle just needed Elena to be alive.
Even if her face was disfigured, even if her limbs were torn, he did not
think of her any less.

‘Whatever she looks like, she will always be beautiful in my

eyes.’

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There were many reasons why Carlisle fell in love with Elena. Her
beautiful face; her red, jeweled eyes that seemed to pierce his soul
every time she looked at him; her graceful neck; and her thin and
delicate fingers. When she held a sword she was like a dancer, and
when she aimed an arrow at a target she was breathtaking. And when
she was shy, she was so cute…

There were too many reasons for him to count, but now she was on
the brink of disappearing. What never changed was his feeling of love
towards her—that was beyond his power. And so…he wanted her to
be alive.

“…Elena.”

Carlisle murmured her name like a prayer, then he slowly closed his
eyes and thought about her face. His heart burned with longing and
anxiety, but now…the only thing holding him together was the hope
of saving her.

Chapter 299 – Beyond His Power (2)

Paveluc was in a foul mood. The battle at the border was going
horribly. Elena was supposed to be his contingency plan, but he just
received news that she escaped.

Kwaaang!

Paveluc slammed his fist on his desk.

“…Nothing can go wrong.”

According to his original plan, Paveluc would have sent Elena’s

severed arm to the border as a warning to Carlisle. His expression
contorted with fury at the failure of his plan.

Ttog ttog.

There was an urgent knock, and the voice of one of his subordinates
came through the door.

“It’s about General Aegi, My Lord.”

“Come in and report.”

With Paveluc’s permission, the messenger entered the room and

spoke.

“One of General Aegi’s spies has reported that the road to the
Kelt Kingdom is blocked. The troops are losing morale, and the
General wants to set a deadline in fighting the war.”
 “Ha. How amusing that he so confidently declared he would take
Carlisle’s life, and now he’s already got his tail tucked between his
legs.”

Nevertheless, the Kelt Kingdom’s sudden loss of nerve was a great

blow, and Paveluc couldn’t let them pull out of the campaign. The
withdrawal of Kelt troops would leave Lunen vulnerable to utter
defeat.

“Currently, there is no single kingdom that can challenge the

Ruford Empire. If we miss this opportunity, you can tell General Aegi
that the Kelt Kingdom will never be able to overthrow the Ruford
Empire forever.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“I’ll go to the border where the General is now. Have my men

follow me, and leave the minimum number of troops in the capital.”

“Understood.”

At the moment, the Lunen generals, along with General Aegi, were
fighting hard at the border. Paveluc was certain that his presence
would make all the difference, and as soon as he joined them, he
could tip the scales in their favor. But before that…

There was one more thing to do.

‘I simply just can’t let my valued guest leave.’

Paveluc, his face set, took a long walk outside the dark castle.
Hundreds of men were beginning to gather outside, and soon there
would be thousands of troops ready to move from the capital city
towards the border.

Paveluc walked confidently ahead of them, murmuring to himself in a

low voice.

“Well…I guess I have to hunt the rabbit myself.”

He may have lost Elena, but she wasn’t out of Lunen’s borders yet. In
addition, they were both heading in the same direction, and Paveluc
did not intend to let her slip away again. She was more trouble than
she was worth, and it was better for him to kill her with his own hands
instead.

Above all, he wouldn’t allow Carlisle to get what he wanted. If Carlisle

ever got Elena back, it would only be her cold corpse.

Paveluc had no intention of allowing Elena to fall into anyone else’s

hands. It was better to take care of one’s own problems. The corner of
Paveluc’s mouth lifted in a smile.

“I will harshly punish those who dare invade Lunen.”

***

At present, there were three units sent to rescue Elena, led by Alphord,
Derek, and Kuhn, respectively. They succeeded in rescuing Elena, but
they could not let their guard down until they escaped Lunen’s
borders. The Ruford soldiers managed to slip into Lunen secretly, but
now the entirety of Lunen was on the lookout for them.

Elena, who now regained some of her strength, turned to her father
with a questioning look.

“Father, won’t Derek and Sir Kasha join us?”

 “The greater the number of people moving together, the more
attention it will draw to us. We’ve already coordinated our
movements.”

“…I see.”

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The elite Ruford knights were the best on the continent, but there still
had to be a limited number of them to sneak into Lunen. Their capture
would only amount to a few hundred soldiers.

From the beginning, the units planned to move separately to deceive

their enemies. All three would move as if they rescued Elena, so Lunen
would never really know which one had Elena and which one were
decoys. Alphord omitted these details when he spoke to Elena, but
she could make an educated guess on their strategy.

‘Everyone is worried.’

More people than she expected risked their lives to rescue her. She
hoped that Derek, Kuhn, and the others would be as safe as possible…

Elena had no choice but to pray in her heart.

Chapter 301 – Only After One Life

For days, Alphord’s troops travelled nonstop, and Elena had not
gotten off the horse even once. Alphord turned to his daughter in a
concerned voice.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m fine. You can’t slow down just because of me.”

She hadn’t been able to sleep well, and any simple meal she took was
on horseback. She already suffered through difficult prison life,
and moreover, she was pregnant. Alphord learned that his daughter
was with child before the mission, but he did not press Elena on the
subject, knowing it was better to not waste time and get caught by
their enemies.

“Just endure it a little longer. It’s not that far now.”

“Yes, th—I see.”

She was about to thank him for his concern, but she hastily changed
her words. She didn’t think her father would welcome this kind of
affection. As of late, Alphord had been paying her more attention than
usual, but she knew his personality did not change overnight, and she
didn’t want to undo this arrangement. She was satisfied enough with
what she had.

A moment later, a man approached from behind and addressed

Alphord.

“My Lord, I have something to tell you.”

The man was Martin, a faithful servant of Alphord’s. Alphord glanced

at Elena, then turned back to Martin and spoke in a quiet voice.

“Let’s talk in private.”

“Understood.”

The two slowed their horses and fell behind the procession. Elena
narrowed her eyes in curiosity, but she let them go without saying a
word. Alphord was the leader of this unit, and it was his prerogative to
exchange private information she didn’t know about.

After Alphord distanced himself from Elena, he turned to Martin with a

serious expression.
“What is it?”

“Grand Duke Lunen’s forces are drawing near.”

“Is that so…”

“What should we do, My Lord? They will reach us soon.”

The creases on Alphord’s face deepened. Shortly after his unit rescued
Elena, he heard that Paveluc dispatched a large number of troops to
track her down. Alphord did not tell Elena this for fear of causing
stress on her already exhausted body, but he had heard no word from
the other two units. Frequent, consistent contact was not easy, and he
worried if something happened to them. Perhaps even without
communication, Kuhn’s and Derek’s troop were doing their best to
save Elena until the very end.

Alphord’s face set in determination.

“We’re not far from the border anyway. If we can buy some time, we
will be able to successfully deliver Her Majesty.”

“Then we’ll select the other soldiers who’ll risk their lives.”

“No.”

Alphord shook his head firmly. Such a trick would not be enough to
fool Paveluc. It was certain that the Grand Duke knew Elena was here.

“I will remain.”

“M-My Lord…!”

Martin’s eyes widened in astonishment at Alphord’s declaration.

However, the man already seemed to have made up his mind.

“If I move, Paveluc will be under the illusion that Her Majesty is with
me. And if we want to hold the enemy off a little longer, it should be
with someone good with a sword… No matter who else I consider, I’m
the only one that can do it.”

“Her Majesty won’t allow it.”

“So don’t tell her.”

“My Lord…”

Alphord looked at Elena, who was faintly visible in the distance. When
he spoke, his voice was stronger than before.

“I am going to save Her Majesty, the Empress of the Ruford Empire. I

will also save my daughter’s life…so don’t say a word.”

“I understand…”

Martin gave a reluctant nod, as he was already familiar with Count

Blaise’s stubbornness.

“But I still need men to move with me, so we’ll split the troops in half.
Everything must be carried out without Her Majesty’s knowledge.”

“…Yes, My Lord.”

“And I ask one more thing of you.”

Alphord pulled out an elegant black envelope. The moment Martin

saw it, he immediately knew what it was. Each year, the knights of
the Fourth Order wrote a will. It was a unique tradition unknown to
anyone else. If one were to partake in a high dangerous mission and
then died, it was customary to deliver the letter to the family. Alphord
had written a letter this year.

Martin shook his head and refused.

“No. I will follow you.”

“What do you mean? You must stay here to protect the Empress.”
“My Lord, I…”

“Are you going to disobey my order?”

“…No.”

He lowered his head submissively, and accepted the letter with

trembling hands. Meanwhile, Alphord’s face was as calm as a pond’s
surface.

“After I leave, pass it on to Her Majesty later.”

“Yes…I swear on my life.”

“Then let’s do it tonight. There is no need to drag this out.”

At the same time, Alphord’s dark green eyes shone with a determined
light.

“Start the preparations right away.”

“…Understood.”

Martin bowed his head, then turned his horse away to begin the
coordination of the troop transfer. The unit would be divided into
two—those who would escort Elena to the border, and those who
would remain behind with Alphord and face Paveluc.

No matter how experienced or strong a knight was, each one was

afraid of death. However, because they were the elite men of the
Ruford Empire, they all accepted their orders with no hesitation. They
had given their vow to the Emperor that they would not return unless
Elena was safe.

***

Soon, night had fallen.

Tadag tadag.
Elena dozed in her seat, her father’s coat wrapped around her like a
blanket. She had to find every small way she could to rest during their
unceasing march. After a time, however, she dimly realized that she
hadn’t seen her father in a while, and she deliberately roused herself
awake.

“Where’s Count Blaise now?”

Martin, who was riding next to her, avoided her gaze and answered
quietly.

“He’s patrolling the area.”

“I haven’t seen him in a while. What if something happened?”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. He will probably be back soon.”

“Is that so…?”

She looked at him dubiously, but she didn’t press further. As Martin
said, her father may have gone ahead to scout, and the aide didn’t
look particularly worried.

They rode on in silence. Martin seemed conflicted, and he spoke to

Elena in a cautious voice.

“Your Majesty…”

“Speak.”

“I think I should go check on the scout team. Will you read this letter
after you cross the border?”

“Letter?”

Martin pulled out a black envelope, and Elena looked curiously at it.
An ominous feeling stirred at the back of her mind.

“Whose letter is that?”

“It’s from the leader. He asked you to read it later, not now.”

“…It’s from my father.”

Why? Elena remembered the day when her father died in her last life,
and she discovered he had left a letter for her. She wasn’t able to
obtain it, but…Alphord must have a message for her. Just like now.
Elena had written to her father several times about Mirabelle’s study
abroad, but he had never written a reply. It was troubling for Elena to
suddenly receive a letter from Alphord at this moment.

Elena took the letter and tore it open. She never intended to read it
later. Martin looked at her in surprise and tried to stop her.

“Y-Your Majesty, you have to read it later—”

“I’ll read it now.”

She threw him a stubborn glare, and he withdrew submissively. Elena’s

eyes flew over the page.

[If you’re reading this, then I have come to my end.

But do not be sad.

I labored for the Ruford Empire all my life, believing that it is the way
for our family, and more importantly, you.

I live without shame, and I have no regrets.

No matter what death I face, live your life in happiness, not revenge.

This is what your father wishes.

Stay safe.]

Elena knew that she had never received a letter in her last life.
To come across something so difficult, so heart wrenching, would
have been seared into her soul. The contents of this letter was not
confirmed until one lifetime later.

A single phrase stood out to her: Do not live life in revenge. Maybe it
was because Elena once lived only for revenge against Paveluc. But
that was not what Alphord really wanted. He just wanted her to live in
happiness.

‘What would have happened if I had received this letter in my last life?’

This may not have stopped her burning desire for vengeance against
Paveluc, but at least she would know that Alphord prayed for Elena’s
happiness.

A tear spilled from Elena’s cheek onto the paper.

It was certainly a letter written by Alphord. It was sparse in phrasing,

but she felt his heart reach through his words. She remembered how
strict her father had been on her since childhood, but once she
received this letter, she felt the sadness in her heart melt away like
snow.

It was just Alphord. A stubborn and blunt father who expressed his
affection in his own way. The scars he left on Elena couldn’t be
disguised as affection, but the feelings he had for her were of genuine
love. When Elena realized it, she couldn’t help but cry.

‘Really, you’re too much, Father.’

She hated that her father had suddenly gone off without a word to die
for her sake. Her father…she couldn’t let him go yet. She still hadn’t
been recognized by him, and she never heard him share a word of
warmth yet. However, this letter alone was not enough to satisfy her
sorrow.

Elena hurriedly wiped her tears.

“Tell me honestly. Where is my father now?”

“That’s…”

Martin flinched and avoided answering, and so Elena raised her hand
in the air. At her gesture, the knights stopped their horses. Before it
was too late, Elena wanted to tell Alphord the answer to his letter that
she had never received in her previous life. She opened her mouth
once again, her red eyes shining.

“I command you as Empress of the Ruford Empire. Where is Count

Blaise now?”

***

Alphord galloped fiercely in the opposite direction of Elena and led his
men toward Paveluc’s troops. Paveluc fell for the trick; because
Alphord was Elena’s father and the head of the Fourth Order
of Knights, Paveluc assumed that Elena would be with him. Paveluc
never imagined that Alphord would risk leaving her side.

Chaaang!

Thousands of soldiers surrounded Alphord’s men and drew their

swords. Paveluc looked around for Elena, but when he saw that
she was not there, he realized that he had been deceived. He frowned
at first, but then he threw his head back to let out a bark of laughter.
The very sight of it was an eerie display.

“Oh dear. I never thought you’d risk your life to deceive me. Why are
there so many of you willing to die for the Ruford Empress?”

Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Alphord lifted his sword

with a calm face. As his last act, he had to buy as much time as
possible for Elena.

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“Now you know. You lost Her Majesty forever.”

Alphord’s provocation caused a cold smile to spread on Paveluc’s face.

He looked as if he were the devil of Hell.

“Yes, I know. But you’ve also prepared for what’s about to happen,
yes? Now…you won’t go back alive.”

At the same time, Paveluc pointed his finger at Alphord’s men.

“Kill them all.”

Chapter 302 – Don’t Die

Alphord’s expression turned grim as he looked at Paveluc leaving with

his escort of soldiers.

‘Did my attempt fail?’

Alphord had abandoned all expectations of surviving from the

beginning. He knew all too well that he couldn’t win, but that didn’t
mean he would die in vain. His ultimate goal was to rescue Elena, but
he also hoped to deal a severe blow to Paveluc. If Alphord and his
knights could take him out, there would be nothing better. Even if the
odds were slim…the final goal was to kill the traitor.

It was a massive stroke of luck when Alphord saw Paveluc enter the
battlefield, and Alphord quickly arranged a plan with a few of his men.
If two of them could restrain Paveluc, Alphord could strike the grand
duke with a fatal blow.

Realistically, Alphord did not view the plan with a high chance of
success, as Paveluc was not one to be killed by such an attack. In the
end, he only ended up with an injury to his hand, but…

‘I suppose…I should be satisfied with just that.’

It was a pity that only one hand was obtained in exchange for
Alphord’s and his men’s lives, but it wasn’t too bad if the hand was
Paveluc’s.

Alphord knocked down an enemy with his sword, but an attack from
the side caught him by surprise.

“Aagh!

Before he could check the wound, another enemy soldier rushed at

him.

Kang kang!

Alphord tried to push through the bodies of men and run towards to
Paveluc, but the battlefield was packed with enemies. He cast his eyes
around to assess the current situation. There were about eighty Ruford
knights in the beginning, and now they were down to only ten. And
that number continued to decrease.

Eight, seven…now three.

At that moment, a spear struck Alphord’s shoulder. He staggered

back, just as another enemy soldier rushed at him. His vision blurred
before him, but he gritted his teeth to keep focus. With all his
strength, he slashed at his opponent’s neck. At the same time, the
enemy’s attack landed on him, and blood spurted from his forearm.

“Haa, haa.”

He barely had enough strength to even lift his sword. Nevertheless,

Alphord straightened his back and faced the battlefield. He was the
leader of the Fourth Order of Knights of the Ruford Empire. He always
lived by the sword, and fought for the palace. Because of that…

‘I’m taking down one more person with me.’

Alphord kept swinging his sword. Even though he felt no sensation in
his hands, and he was so exhausted that he couldn’t even see
properly, his blade danced and spun in the air.

Suddenly, a sword was lodged in Alphord’s flank. He stumbled at the

fatal attack.

Not even a beat later, another long spear shot towards him and
stabbed his stomach.

Peoeog!

Alphord’s body fell backwards and hit the ground. He shuddered for a
few moments, and then went limp.

“You son of a bitch…”

The enemy soldier was heaving deep breaths and sweating profusely.
It had been a terrible fight indeed, and the red color on Alphord’s
blond hair was evidence to its ferocity. Another soldier came up to
him.

“What happened?”

The soldier who had struck Alphord with a spear nodded at the body.

“He’s dead.”

The other soldier nodded at hearing the report, and he saw Paveluc
approaching them.

“How is your hand, My Lord?”

The bleeding had already been stopped, and the wound was covered
in bandages. Paveluc replied in a dismissive voice.

“I’m fine, so don’t make a fuss.”

Paveluc looked at the bodies of the fallen Ruford knights strewn on
the battlefield, including Alphord’s. The soldier next to him reported
the situation immediately.

“I confirmed that they’re all dead.”

“Is that so?”

Paveluc regretted that he wasn’t the one to tear Alphord apart in

payment for his injured hand, but that was not the immediate
problem.

“I’ve been fooled by their decoy, so the Empress must have crossed
the border.”

“Yes…it’s likely she’s not in Lunen anymore.”

Paveluc’s face tightened in anger, and the soldier stiffened next to

him. However, Paveluc didn’t have the luxury to vent his rage on
something that was already beyond his control. There was other
business to attend to.

“We’ll have to change our initial plans. Take all the remaining troops
and go to the border. Make it appear that I’m with you. I will go to the
Kingdom of Jenar with a small group, so we can move quickly.”

“Kingdom of Jenar?”

“Yes. There’s a private conversation I need to finish with them.”

It would be difficult to reverse the current unfavorable situation, even

if Paveluc went into battle himself. He needed to get to Jenar. Carlisle
was able to fend him off in a far greater capacity than he expected,
and Paveluc’s window to victory was rapidly closing. Above all, the Kelt
Kingdom was becoming nervous and almost ready to abandon Lunen.
Paveluc could not let this persist.
It was why he had to make another choice—the Jenar kingdom. They
had long coveted land from the Ruford Empire, and had secretly
contacted Paveluc several times and expressed their willingness to
help. Just as with the Kelt Kingdom, however, it was a high price to
pay for allies. Paveluc refused them…until now. Such was his
desperation.

He turned towards the soldier.

“Remember, no one knows I’m heading for Jenar.”

“Yes, sir!”

But there was something they did not know.

Alphord was thought to be dead on the ground, but his fingers

twitched slightly.

***

Elena personally led a group of forty knights and began to trace

Alphord’s path. Numerous Lunen soldiers had crawled the landscape
in search of Elena not that long ago, but now the way ahead of them
was relatively clear. They must have assumed that she crossed the
border. It had gone as planned. Because of that, she would be able to
reach Alphord’s location easily.

“Ah…”

But the battlefield was already in ruin. The dead bodies of the Ruford
knights were scattered everywhere, laying in their pools of blood.
Elena’s red eyes, which were always bright, had darkened in despair.

‘…Father.’

Before her eyes flashed the sight of his body hanging on the castle
wall in her last life. She had made numerous promises to save him this
time…but she failed again.
All of Elena’s efforts seemed to have disappeared like a frail bubble
against a strong wind. Hot anger rose in her chest. There was also
grief and sadness…but anger most of all.

Martin approached Elena’s side and spoke carefully.

“…Your Majesty.”

“I have to find my father. So that I can retrieve the body…”

“Very well.”

Martin issued an order to find Alphord, and the knights quickly began
their search among the hill of corpses.

Elena desperately searched for her father like a madwoman. Tears

pricked her eyes. If she didn’t do anything right now, she would simply
collapse to the ground.

‘Father, father…papa.’

She hadn’t referred to him as “papa” since she was a small child. He
had always been hard on her, and she was resentful of his short letter
that told her to “live happily”. He wasn’t quietly reliable like Derek, nor
was he lovable like Mirabelle, but she wanted to save him all the same.

‘To be happy…I need Papa. My family has to stay with me.’

She had missed her family so much during her last life. She had spent
countless nights soaking her pillow with tears as she remembered her
father.

When she returned to the past, however, Alphord was too cold for her
to get close to. She couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth to him in
fear of being ignored.
A pang of regret stabbed her heart. Would it have been a different if
she reached out to Alphord first? Just to say “I love you”, even just
once…

She couldn’t stop her tears, and her vision blurred before her. It was
then.

“Your Majesty! I found him! Over here!”

Elena’s head jerked up at the loud cry, and she raced towards her
father’s location. When she arrived, she found that, miraculously, he
was breathing shallow breaths.

“Father!”

At Elena’s cry, Alphord spoke in a faint voice.

“Too dangerous…why did you come back?”

“Don’t speak. Your injuries are too severe.”

Elena pressed hard on his wounded side. She had to stop the bleeding
immediately. Or maybe it was already too late. Her eyes were so full of
tears that the image of her father was blurred. He struggled to speak,
an urgent look on his face.

“Kollog, Your Majesty…listen to me.”

“Father, talk later. Your wound is still open.”

“Paveluc is heading to the Kingdom of Zenar to seek

support. Kollog. His procession to the border is false…tell this to His
Majesty.”

The Lunen soldiers had quickly moved to another location after they
defeated their enemy, and their haste enabled Alphord to slightly hold
his breath. He had overheard Paveluc’s plans, and he clung on in
hopes of telling someone about it. His tenacity was what kept him
alive. He wasn’t pleased that Elena had taken such a risk and come
back, but on the other hand, it was a relief to tell her the truth.

Alphord’s expression relaxed in accomplishment of his final mission.

“Don’t be too late…don’t fall into Paveluc’s trap…”

“Yes, Father. You don’t have to keep speaking now.”

“Take care of yourself…”

Alphord’s head dropped in finality.

Elena bit her lip and fought back the tears that threatened to burst out
of her. She pressed hard on Alphord’s wound and yelled at the others.

“Quick, we have to stop the bleeding!”

A medicine to stop bleeding was hurriedly passed to her, and she

uncorked it and poured the whole bottle onto Alphord’s wound. She
tore a strip off the clothes she was wearing, and bound the injury
tightly. Under these poor conditions, it was the best she could do.

“Please…please don’t die. There are so many things I haven’t told you
yet, Father.”

Elena lowered her head. She had given him all the emergency
treatment that she could. Dazed and staring at her father’s seemingly
lifeless body, she held a trembling hand to his face.

Ssaeg ssaeg.

Very faintly, she felt him breathing. It was broken and weak, but it was
there. Elena burst into tears.

‘God, thank you.’

Alphord was not out of the woods yet, and he was still in danger of
dying. It was a miracle that he was still alive now. He had to see a
doctor and get proper treatment before it was too late.

“…Haaah.”

Elena dropped her head into her hands, before lifting her head up
again and looking at her blood-stained palms. Alphord was not yet
dead, and her sworn enemy was still alive. She had to wake up now.

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‘Paveluc is trying to get help from the Jenar Kingdom.’

When Elena had been moving towards the border, she had learned
that Carlisle’s and Paveluc’s forces had already clashed. Paveluc’s last-
minute attempt to gain another ally meant that Carlisle must be
winning. If Paveluc’s plan was successful, however, Carlisle’s advantage
could quickly evaporate.

‘…I have to stop Paveluc.’

Alphord had told her to relay the information to Carlisle, but Paveluc
would already be at Jenar by the time she did so. Then it would be too
late.

Elena had to think of something to protect her loved ones. She had to
find a way to save her father from the brink of death, and help Carlisle
who was fighting for his life on the battlefield.

Chapter 302 – Don’t Die

Alphord’s expression turned grim as he looked at Paveluc leaving with

his escort of soldiers.
‘Did my attempt fail?’

Alphord had abandoned all expectations of surviving from the

beginning. He knew all too well that he couldn’t win, but that didn’t
mean he would die in vain. His ultimate goal was to rescue Elena, but
he also hoped to deal a severe blow to Paveluc. If Alphord and his
knights could take him out, there would be nothing better. Even if the
odds were slim…the final goal was to kill the traitor.

It was a massive stroke of luck when Alphord saw Paveluc enter the
battlefield, and Alphord quickly arranged a plan with a few of his men.
If two of them could restrain Paveluc, Alphord could strike the grand
duke with a fatal blow.

Realistically, Alphord did not view the plan with a high chance of
success, as Paveluc was not one to be killed by such an attack. In the
end, he only ended up with an injury to his hand, but…

‘I suppose…I should be satisfied with just that.’

It was a pity that only one hand was obtained in exchange for
Alphord’s and his men’s lives, but it wasn’t too bad if the hand was
Paveluc’s.

Alphord knocked down an enemy with his sword, but an attack from
the side caught him by surprise.

“Aagh!

Before he could check the wound, another enemy soldier rushed at

him.

Kang kang!

Alphord tried to push through the bodies of men and run towards to
Paveluc, but the battlefield was packed with enemies. He cast his eyes
around to assess the current situation. There were about eighty Ruford
knights in the beginning, and now they were down to only ten. And
that number continued to decrease.

Eight, seven…now three.

At that moment, a spear struck Alphord’s shoulder. He staggered

back, just as another enemy soldier rushed at him. His vision blurred
before him, but he gritted his teeth to keep focus. With all his
strength, he slashed at his opponent’s neck. At the same time, the
enemy’s attack landed on him, and blood spurted from his forearm.

“Haa, haa.”

He barely had enough strength to even lift his sword. Nevertheless,

Alphord straightened his back and faced the battlefield. He was the
leader of the Fourth Order of Knights of the Ruford Empire. He always
lived by the sword, and fought for the palace. Because of that…

‘I’m taking down one more person with me.’

Alphord kept swinging his sword. Even though he felt no sensation in

his hands, and he was so exhausted that he couldn’t even see
properly, his blade danced and spun in the air.

Suddenly, a sword was lodged in Alphord’s flank. He stumbled at the

fatal attack.

Not even a beat later, another long spear shot towards him and
stabbed his stomach.

Peoeog!

Alphord’s body fell backwards and hit the ground. He shuddered for a
few moments, and then went limp.

“You son of a bitch…”

The enemy soldier was heaving deep breaths and sweating profusely.
It had been a terrible fight indeed, and the red color on Alphord’s
blond hair was evidence to its ferocity. Another soldier came up to
him.

“What happened?”

The soldier who had struck Alphord with a spear nodded at the body.

“He’s dead.”

The other soldier nodded at hearing the report, and he saw Paveluc
approaching them.

“How is your hand, My Lord?”

The bleeding had already been stopped, and the wound was covered
in bandages. Paveluc replied in a dismissive voice.

“I’m fine, so don’t make a fuss.”

Paveluc looked at the bodies of the fallen Ruford knights strewn on

the battlefield, including Alphord’s. The soldier next to him reported
the situation immediately.

“I confirmed that they’re all dead.”

“Is that so?”

Paveluc regretted that he wasn’t the one to tear Alphord apart in

payment for his injured hand, but that was not the immediate
problem.

“I’ve been fooled by their decoy, so the Empress must have crossed
the border.”

“Yes…it’s likely she’s not in Lunen anymore.”

Paveluc’s face tightened in anger, and the soldier stiffened next to
him. However, Paveluc didn’t have the luxury to vent his rage on
something that was already beyond his control. There was other
business to attend to.

“We’ll have to change our initial plans. Take all the remaining troops
and go to the border. Make it appear that I’m with you. I will go to the
Kingdom of Jenar with a small group, so we can move quickly.”

“Kingdom of Jenar?”

“Yes. There’s a private conversation I need to finish with them.”

It would be difficult to reverse the current unfavorable situation, even

if Paveluc went into battle himself. He needed to get to Jenar. Carlisle
was able to fend him off in a far greater capacity than he expected,
and Paveluc’s window to victory was rapidly closing. Above all, the Kelt
Kingdom was becoming nervous and almost ready to abandon Lunen.
Paveluc could not let this persist.

It was why he had to make another choice—the Jenar kingdom. They

had long coveted land from the Ruford Empire, and had secretly
contacted Paveluc several times and expressed their willingness to
help. Just as with the Kelt Kingdom, however, it was a high price to
pay for allies. Paveluc refused them…until now. Such was his
desperation.

He turned towards the soldier.

“Remember, no one knows I’m heading for Jenar.”

“Yes, sir!”

But there was something they did not know.

Alphord was thought to be dead on the ground, but his fingers

twitched slightly.
***

Elena personally led a group of forty knights and began to trace

Alphord’s path. Numerous Lunen soldiers had crawled the landscape
in search of Elena not that long ago, but now the way ahead of them
was relatively clear. They must have assumed that she crossed the
border. It had gone as planned. Because of that, she would be able to
reach Alphord’s location easily.

“Ah…”

But the battlefield was already in ruin. The dead bodies of the Ruford
knights were scattered everywhere, laying in their pools of blood.
Elena’s red eyes, which were always bright, had darkened in despair.

‘…Father.’

Before her eyes flashed the sight of his body hanging on the castle
wall in her last life. She had made numerous promises to save him this
time…but she failed again.

All of Elena’s efforts seemed to have disappeared like a frail bubble

against a strong wind. Hot anger rose in her chest. There was also
grief and sadness…but anger most of all.

Martin approached Elena’s side and spoke carefully.

“…Your Majesty.”

“I have to find my father. So that I can retrieve the body…”

“Very well.”

Martin issued an order to find Alphord, and the knights quickly began
their search among the hill of corpses.
Elena desperately searched for her father like a madwoman. Tears
pricked her eyes. If she didn’t do anything right now, she would simply
collapse to the ground.

‘Father, father…papa.’

She hadn’t referred to him as “papa” since she was a small child. He
had always been hard on her, and she was resentful of his short letter
that told her to “live happily”. He wasn’t quietly reliable like Derek, nor
was he lovable like Mirabelle, but she wanted to save him all the same.

‘To be happy…I need Papa. My family has to stay with me.’

She had missed her family so much during her last life. She had spent
countless nights soaking her pillow with tears as she remembered her
father.

When she returned to the past, however, Alphord was too cold for her
to get close to. She couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth to him in
fear of being ignored.

A pang of regret stabbed her heart. Would it have been a different if

she reached out to Alphord first? Just to say “I love you”, even just
once…

She couldn’t stop her tears, and her vision blurred before her. It was
then.

“Your Majesty! I found him! Over here!”

Elena’s head jerked up at the loud cry, and she raced towards her
father’s location. When she arrived, she found that, miraculously, he
was breathing shallow breaths.

“Father!”

At Elena’s cry, Alphord spoke in a faint voice.

“Too dangerous…why did you come back?”

“Don’t speak. Your injuries are too severe.”

Elena pressed hard on his wounded side. She had to stop the bleeding
immediately. Or maybe it was already too late. Her eyes were so full of
tears that the image of her father was blurred. He struggled to speak,
an urgent look on his face.

“Kollog, Your Majesty…listen to me.”

“Father, talk later. Your wound is still open.”

“Paveluc is heading to the Kingdom of Zenar to seek

support. Kollog. His procession to the border is false…tell this to His
Majesty.”

The Lunen soldiers had quickly moved to another location after they
defeated their enemy, and their haste enabled Alphord to slightly hold
his breath. He had overheard Paveluc’s plans, and he clung on in
hopes of telling someone about it. His tenacity was what kept him
alive. He wasn’t pleased that Elena had taken such a risk and come
back, but on the other hand, it was a relief to tell her the truth.

Alphord’s expression relaxed in accomplishment of his final mission.

“Don’t be too late…don’t fall into Paveluc’s trap…”

“Yes, Father. You don’t have to keep speaking now.”

“Take care of yourself…”

Alphord’s head dropped in finality.

Elena bit her lip and fought back the tears that threatened to burst out
of her. She pressed hard on Alphord’s wound and yelled at the others.

“Quick, we have to stop the bleeding!”

A medicine to stop bleeding was hurriedly passed to her, and she
uncorked it and poured the whole bottle onto Alphord’s wound. She
tore a strip off the clothes she was wearing, and bound the injury
tightly. Under these poor conditions, it was the best she could do.

“Please…please don’t die. There are so many things I haven’t told you
yet, Father.”

Elena lowered her head. She had given him all the emergency
treatment that she could. Dazed and staring at her father’s seemingly
lifeless body, she held a trembling hand to his face.

Ssaeg ssaeg.

Very faintly, she felt him breathing. It was broken and weak, but it was
there. Elena burst into tears.

‘God, thank you.’

Alphord was not out of the woods yet, and he was still in danger of
dying. It was a miracle that he was still alive now. He had to see a
doctor and get proper treatment before it was too late.

“…Haaah.”

Elena dropped her head into her hands, before lifting her head up
again and looking at her blood-stained palms. Alphord was not yet
dead, and her sworn enemy was still alive. She had to wake up now.

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‘Paveluc is trying to get help from the Jenar Kingdom.’

When Elena had been moving towards the border, she had learned
that Carlisle’s and Paveluc’s forces had already clashed. Paveluc’s last-
minute attempt to gain another ally meant that Carlisle must be
winning. If Paveluc’s plan was successful, however, Carlisle’s advantage
could quickly evaporate.

‘…I have to stop Paveluc.’

Alphord had told her to relay the information to Carlisle, but Paveluc
would already be at Jenar by the time she did so. Then it would be too
late.

Elena had to think of something to protect her loved ones. She had to
find a way to save her father from the brink of death, and help Carlisle
who was fighting for his life on the battlefield.

Chapter 302 – Don’t Die

Alphord’s expression turned grim as he looked at Paveluc leaving with

his escort of soldiers.

‘Did my attempt fail?’

Alphord had abandoned all expectations of surviving from the

beginning. He knew all too well that he couldn’t win, but that didn’t
mean he would die in vain. His ultimate goal was to rescue Elena, but
he also hoped to deal a severe blow to Paveluc. If Alphord and his
knights could take him out, there would be nothing better. Even if the
odds were slim…the final goal was to kill the traitor.

It was a massive stroke of luck when Alphord saw Paveluc enter the
battlefield, and Alphord quickly arranged a plan with a few of his men.
If two of them could restrain Paveluc, Alphord could strike the grand
duke with a fatal blow.

Realistically, Alphord did not view the plan with a high chance of
success, as Paveluc was not one to be killed by such an attack. In the
end, he only ended up with an injury to his hand, but…

‘I suppose…I should be satisfied with just that.’

It was a pity that only one hand was obtained in exchange for
Alphord’s and his men’s lives, but it wasn’t too bad if the hand was
Paveluc’s.

Alphord knocked down an enemy with his sword, but an attack from
the side caught him by surprise.

“Aagh!

Before he could check the wound, another enemy soldier rushed at

him.

Kang kang!

Alphord tried to push through the bodies of men and run towards to
Paveluc, but the battlefield was packed with enemies. He cast his eyes
around to assess the current situation. There were about eighty Ruford
knights in the beginning, and now they were down to only ten. And
that number continued to decrease.

Eight, seven…now three.

At that moment, a spear struck Alphord’s shoulder. He staggered

back, just as another enemy soldier rushed at him. His vision blurred
before him, but he gritted his teeth to keep focus. With all his
strength, he slashed at his opponent’s neck. At the same time, the
enemy’s attack landed on him, and blood spurted from his forearm.

“Haa, haa.”

He barely had enough strength to even lift his sword. Nevertheless,

Alphord straightened his back and faced the battlefield. He was the
leader of the Fourth Order of Knights of the Ruford Empire. He always
lived by the sword, and fought for the palace. Because of that…

‘I’m taking down one more person with me.’

Alphord kept swinging his sword. Even though he felt no sensation in
his hands, and he was so exhausted that he couldn’t even see
properly, his blade danced and spun in the air.

Suddenly, a sword was lodged in Alphord’s flank. He stumbled at the

fatal attack.

Not even a beat later, another long spear shot towards him and
stabbed his stomach.

Peoeog!

Alphord’s body fell backwards and hit the ground. He shuddered for a
few moments, and then went limp.

“You son of a bitch…”

The enemy soldier was heaving deep breaths and sweating profusely.
It had been a terrible fight indeed, and the red color on Alphord’s
blond hair was evidence to its ferocity. Another soldier came up to
him.

“What happened?”

The soldier who had struck Alphord with a spear nodded at the body.

“He’s dead.”

The other soldier nodded at hearing the report, and he saw Paveluc
approaching them.

“How is your hand, My Lord?”

The bleeding had already been stopped, and the wound was covered
in bandages. Paveluc replied in a dismissive voice.

“I’m fine, so don’t make a fuss.”

Paveluc looked at the bodies of the fallen Ruford knights strewn on
the battlefield, including Alphord’s. The soldier next to him reported
the situation immediately.

“I confirmed that they’re all dead.”

“Is that so?”

Paveluc regretted that he wasn’t the one to tear Alphord apart in

payment for his injured hand, but that was not the immediate
problem.

“I’ve been fooled by their decoy, so the Empress must have crossed
the border.”

“Yes…it’s likely she’s not in Lunen anymore.”

Paveluc’s face tightened in anger, and the soldier stiffened next to

him. However, Paveluc didn’t have the luxury to vent his rage on
something that was already beyond his control. There was other
business to attend to.

“We’ll have to change our initial plans. Take all the remaining troops
and go to the border. Make it appear that I’m with you. I will go to the
Kingdom of Jenar with a small group, so we can move quickly.”

“Kingdom of Jenar?”

“Yes. There’s a private conversation I need to finish with them.”

It would be difficult to reverse the current unfavorable situation, even

if Paveluc went into battle himself. He needed to get to Jenar. Carlisle
was able to fend him off in a far greater capacity than he expected,
and Paveluc’s window to victory was rapidly closing. Above all, the Kelt
Kingdom was becoming nervous and almost ready to abandon Lunen.
Paveluc could not let this persist.
It was why he had to make another choice—the Jenar kingdom. They
had long coveted land from the Ruford Empire, and had secretly
contacted Paveluc several times and expressed their willingness to
help. Just as with the Kelt Kingdom, however, it was a high price to
pay for allies. Paveluc refused them…until now. Such was his
desperation.

He turned towards the soldier.

“Remember, no one knows I’m heading for Jenar.”

“Yes, sir!”

But there was something they did not know.

Alphord was thought to be dead on the ground, but his fingers

twitched slightly.

***

Elena personally led a group of forty knights and began to trace

Alphord’s path. Numerous Lunen soldiers had crawled the landscape
in search of Elena not that long ago, but now the way ahead of them
was relatively clear. They must have assumed that she crossed the
border. It had gone as planned. Because of that, she would be able to
reach Alphord’s location easily.

“Ah…”

But the battlefield was already in ruin. The dead bodies of the Ruford
knights were scattered everywhere, laying in their pools of blood.
Elena’s red eyes, which were always bright, had darkened in despair.

‘…Father.’

Before her eyes flashed the sight of his body hanging on the castle
wall in her last life. She had made numerous promises to save him this
time…but she failed again.
All of Elena’s efforts seemed to have disappeared like a frail bubble
against a strong wind. Hot anger rose in her chest. There was also
grief and sadness…but anger most of all.

Martin approached Elena’s side and spoke carefully.

“…Your Majesty.”

“I have to find my father. So that I can retrieve the body…”

“Very well.”

Martin issued an order to find Alphord, and the knights quickly began
their search among the hill of corpses.

Elena desperately searched for her father like a madwoman. Tears

pricked her eyes. If she didn’t do anything right now, she would simply
collapse to the ground.

‘Father, father…papa.’

She hadn’t referred to him as “papa” since she was a small child. He
had always been hard on her, and she was resentful of his short letter
that told her to “live happily”. He wasn’t quietly reliable like Derek, nor
was he lovable like Mirabelle, but she wanted to save him all the same.

‘To be happy…I need Papa. My family has to stay with me.’

She had missed her family so much during her last life. She had spent
countless nights soaking her pillow with tears as she remembered her
father.

When she returned to the past, however, Alphord was too cold for her
to get close to. She couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth to him in
fear of being ignored.
A pang of regret stabbed her heart. Would it have been a different if
she reached out to Alphord first? Just to say “I love you”, even just
once…

She couldn’t stop her tears, and her vision blurred before her. It was
then.

“Your Majesty! I found him! Over here!”

Elena’s head jerked up at the loud cry, and she raced towards her
father’s location. When she arrived, she found that, miraculously, he
was breathing shallow breaths.

“Father!”

At Elena’s cry, Alphord spoke in a faint voice.

“Too dangerous…why did you come back?”

“Don’t speak. Your injuries are too severe.”

Elena pressed hard on his wounded side. She had to stop the bleeding
immediately. Or maybe it was already too late. Her eyes were so full of
tears that the image of her father was blurred. He struggled to speak,
an urgent look on his face.

“Kollog, Your Majesty…listen to me.”

“Father, talk later. Your wound is still open.”

“Paveluc is heading to the Kingdom of Zenar to seek

support. Kollog. His procession to the border is false…tell this to His
Majesty.”

The Lunen soldiers had quickly moved to another location after they
defeated their enemy, and their haste enabled Alphord to slightly hold
his breath. He had overheard Paveluc’s plans, and he clung on in
hopes of telling someone about it. His tenacity was what kept him
alive. He wasn’t pleased that Elena had taken such a risk and come
back, but on the other hand, it was a relief to tell her the truth.

Alphord’s expression relaxed in accomplishment of his final mission.

“Don’t be too late…don’t fall into Paveluc’s trap…”

“Yes, Father. You don’t have to keep speaking now.”

“Take care of yourself…”

Alphord’s head dropped in finality.

Elena bit her lip and fought back the tears that threatened to burst out
of her. She pressed hard on Alphord’s wound and yelled at the others.

“Quick, we have to stop the bleeding!”

A medicine to stop bleeding was hurriedly passed to her, and she

uncorked it and poured the whole bottle onto Alphord’s wound. She
tore a strip off the clothes she was wearing, and bound the injury
tightly. Under these poor conditions, it was the best she could do.

“Please…please don’t die. There are so many things I haven’t told you
yet, Father.”

Elena lowered her head. She had given him all the emergency
treatment that she could. Dazed and staring at her father’s seemingly
lifeless body, she held a trembling hand to his face.

Ssaeg ssaeg.

Very faintly, she felt him breathing. It was broken and weak, but it was
there. Elena burst into tears.

‘God, thank you.’

Alphord was not out of the woods yet, and he was still in danger of
dying. It was a miracle that he was still alive now. He had to see a
doctor and get proper treatment before it was too late.

“…Haaah.”

Elena dropped her head into her hands, before lifting her head up
again and looking at her blood-stained palms. Alphord was not yet
dead, and her sworn enemy was still alive. She had to wake up now.

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‘Paveluc is trying to get help from the Jenar Kingdom.’

When Elena had been moving towards the border, she had learned
that Carlisle’s and Paveluc’s forces had already clashed. Paveluc’s last-
minute attempt to gain another ally meant that Carlisle must be
winning. If Paveluc’s plan was successful, however, Carlisle’s advantage
could quickly evaporate.

‘…I have to stop Paveluc.’

Alphord had told her to relay the information to Carlisle, but Paveluc
would already be at Jenar by the time she did so. Then it would be too
late.

Elena had to think of something to protect her loved ones. She had to
find a way to save her father from the brink of death, and help Carlisle
who was fighting for his life on the battlefield.

Chapter 303 – Trojan Horse

Elena took a calming breath and organized her thoughts, then turned
to Martin beside her.
“Find out if Paveluc’s procession is heading towards the border. If
what my father says is true, they may be moving as conspicuously as
possible to cover up the fact that Paveluc is not there.”

It wouldn’t be difficult to confirm if Paveluc had been publicly seen.

With the war underway, the people of Lunen were naturally interested
in Paveluc’s actions, and the nearby towns would be filled with talk
about him. Martin replied with a determined nod.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll confirm the news, then we’ll cross the border
immediately—”

“No. If what my father says is true, we will not return to the Ruford
Empire.”

“What? But—”

Martin blinked in surprise, but Elena’s face was set.

“If the Duchy of Lunen, the Kelt Kingdom, and the Jenar Kingdom are
brought into an alliance, they will be too powerful for Ruford to stop
alone.”

It was a dangerous risk that they could not afford. The Ruford Empire
could manage Lunen and the Kelt Kingdom, even if they were
formidable enemies, but the involvement of the Jenar Kingdom could
easily tip the scales the other way.

‘Even if Carlisle controls the battlefield now…he may lose in the end.’

And they wouldn’t just lose—they would suffer total defeat. Not only
would the Ruford Empire territory be picked away by their enemies
like vultures, their people would become slaves.

This was not ideal for Paveluc either. He would also have to pay
tremendous rewards for both the Kelt and Jenar kingdom for their
services. However, this seemed to be the strategy he settled on, as if it
was the only way to bring the current Emperor to his knees.
Elena turned back to look at Alphord’s face, which was so pale that he
looked close to death.

‘Even though I was lucky enough to save Father now…what then?’

She didn’t know who would get hurt next time. Lying here in her arms
could just as easily be Derek, or Carlisle. During a long war, there was
no guarantee that they would be safe. The only way to make sure her
family remained alive was to end this conflict quickly.

And Elena realized that the fastest way was…

Killing Paveluc herself.

Martin spoke up again, looking unconvinced.

“What will you do if you don’t return to the Ruford Empire?”

“We’ll have to stop him.”

“What?”

Martin’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer, but Elena continued

calmly.

“There must be a reason why Paveluc is secretly traveling to Jenar.

Perhaps he’s trying to ally with them to defeat the Ruford Empire. By
the time we report this to the Emperor…it will be too late.”

“But how can we…”

“Have you ever heard of a Trojan horse?”

It was a mythical story about a people who snuck into enemy territory,
doing so by tricking their enemies to open the gates.

Elena thought that her position was not much different from the story.
Paveluc believed that she crossed the border, but in truth, Elena was
still in Lunen. She intended to escape to the Ruford Empire, but now
she was in prime position in Lunen territory without anyone knowing.
The game board had changed drastically.

“Think about it. According to my father, Paveluc is headed towards

Jenar without anyone else knowing. That means he would have only
taken a small number of troops so he could move discreetly.”

“I suppose so.”

Moreover, Paveluc may not even consider the fact that his plans had
leaked. Elena’s red eyes glistened sharply.

“Now that I’ve learned that Paveluc is traveling with limited protection,
I cannot let him go.”

“Then Your Majesty…”

Martin’s eyes widened in realization. Elena gave a firm nod.

“If this is all true, now is the perfect time to assassinate Paveluc.”

She had only about forty people with her, but Paveluc’s forces would
not be that much different in size.

Elena couldn’t let this chance slip away from her.

If she didn’t stop him now, Paveluc would continue to raze a path
towards throne, and anyone in his way would be in danger. It was no
different for the child growing in Elena’s belly. One day, maybe even
this child’s life would be threatened by Paveluc. Elena may find
temporary safety in fleeing to the border, but greater danger would
always lurk and hunt them down.

Elena had to protect the people that were important to her…and this
time, she wanted to end the source of her great misfortune here and
now.

‘I won’t lose anyone in this life.’

If Elena was wrong, she may end up risking the child in her belly, but
avoiding the situation wouldn’t make her safe either. She couldn’t let
Paveluc bring the Jenar Kingdom into this war, which in turn would
threaten Elena and her child. For the sake of the future, she could not
turn away.

“As soon as we confirm that Paveluc’s false procession is heading

towards the border, we will pursue the road to the Jenar Kingdom.
Some will stay with me, and the rest will bring my father to the Ruford
Empire as quickly as possible.”

Martin couldn’t help but marvel at Elena’s initiative. Not everyone had
such keen judgment and daring determination. Elena was an empress
and a wife, which meant that she had to be protected. But nothing
more. She wouldn’t hide in the safety of her troops, but instead would
lead them confidently into the battlefield. Failure meant that they
would all die, but no one spoke a word against Elena.

Martin, his strength newly resolved, set his face in determination.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Elena lifted her head high as she addressed the knights gathered
around her.

“I know you must all be exhausted. I am as well. But as you all have
heard, it is no exaggeration to say that victory in this war rests in our
hands now. To protect the citizens and the people important to us, let
us be the one to end this.”

Kuung!

The forty or so elite knights simultaneously knelt together on the

ground.

“Yes, Your Majesty! Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire!”

Though their numbers were not many, their fighting spirit was that of
a group a hundredfold their size.

They carried out Elena’s orders, and went to nearby towns to

determine whether Paveluc’s procession was headed towards the
border. They discovered that although a great parade of soldiers had
crossed through the streets, Paveluc did not show his face.

There was no more reason for Elena to hesitate. Elena and her troops
flew like the wind in pursuit of Paveluc.

***

Just as Elena instructed, only two knights were left behind to transport
the injured Alphord back to Ruford Empire.

What the knights didn’t expect were several medicine men, who had
come from nearby to collect herbs, coming across the field of dead
bodies.

“O-oh, what on earth happened here?”

The Ruford knight was slightly uncomfortable at the men’s

appearance, but he soon responded calmly.

“There was a battle here.”

“Ah! There had been a lot of talk about finding the Ruford Empress
lately, so I suppose that’s why.”

The knight nodded.

“Yes. If you don’t want to get caught up in anything, then keep

moving.”

The knight spoke as curtly as possible, and hurriedly transferred

Alphord into a carriage they had taken from a nearby town. The men
watched them with a questioning look.
“But why are you trying to take that dead body? It isn’t even a Lunen
soldier.”

“…!”

A medicine man was far too observant for his own good, and the
knights glanced at each other in search for what to say.

The battlefield was littered with dead bodies from both Alphord’s and
Paveluc’s armies. Because the Lunen soldiers were all dressed in the
same uniform, the medicine man could see at first glance that
Alphord was the enemy. A thousand thoughts crossed the minds of
the knights.

‘Do we have to kill them?’

It was only the two of them that were there to move Alphord. If their
whereabouts leaked, they alone could not fight off a significant
number of enemy soldiers, and Alphord’s life could be endangered.
They also had to move cautiously as to not expose Elena’s mission to
assassinate Paveluc.

As the knights hesitated to give an answer, the medicine became

increasingly suspicious. Suddenly, an idea came to the mind of one of
the nervous knights.

“Ah, this one. We have orders to recover his body so that it may be
hung on the wall.”

“Aha, I see.”

The medicine men nodded as if they were convinced. However, one of

them spoke again with a curious look.

“So, is the body of the Ruford Empress in the carriage?”

While the knights were not pleased at the glee of their empress’
supposed death, they gave a nod to avoid any suspicion.
“Yes.”

“Ah, then I want to see it just once—”

The knights’ faces suddenly turned furious, and the medicine men
took a step back and hastily changed their words.

“N-nevermind. I was just speaking randomly.”

“Y-yeah, we’ll see them at the wall later.”

As the frightened men stammered their apologies, the knights silently

climbed onto the driver’s seat.

“Hyaa!”

The reins snapped, and the carriage set off at a brisk pace. The
medicine men muttered in shame as they watched the carriage leave
from behind.

“Tch, I wish I saw her. I heard that the Ruford Empress was beautiful.”

“Why do you want to see the face of a dead body? Stop it.”

The medicine men went back on their way.

***

Some time after, Derek arrived at the battlefield. Not a living soul was
there, but evidence of a fierce battle remained. He had been informed
by a soldier that Elena had planned to rescue Alphord. By the time
Derek arrived, however, Alphord and Elena were gone, and hundreds
of bodies soaked the landscape with blood.

‘What happened?’

It was unclear to him whether this was caused by Alphord or Elena.

Derek hurriedly turned towards his troops.
“Find out what happened here.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Derek’s men began a search of the area, and soon enough they came
across several medicine men picking herbs not far away. The knights
were shocked when the men informed them what had happened.
They took the men with them and dragged them before Derek.

“No, why are you doing this to us?”

A man yelled indignantly, but the knights firmly ignored his protest.

“Tell him what you said earlier.”

“I didn’t say—”

“Quickly!”

At the knight’s sharp bark, the medicine men cried out in fear, and one
of them told exactly what he heard from the soldiers they saw before.

“We heard there was a battle here. And we saw two knights bringing
the bodies of the enemy leader and the Ruford empress to the wall.”

“…What?”

The blood drained from Derek’s face. The Ruford Empress…that meant
Elena. And the enemy leader obviously meant Ruford. Derek’s mouth
fell open in disbelief.

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“No…impossible. Did you see the bodies with your own eyes?”

“Oh, I’m sure. I saw them carrying a bloody body into a carriage.”
“It can’t be—”

All words fled from Derek. Elena had come to save their father, and
both of them had died. Derek trembled as if he had been struck by
lightning.

This war was going in a direction that no one expected.

Chapter 304 – We Finally Meet

As Elena pursued Paveluc towards the Kingdom of Jenar, she recalled

the last battle she fought in her last life.

The Battle of Whirlena.

It was a battlefield where Elena painstakingly planned an operation to

kill Paveluc. She was confident she could win. Every advantage was in
her favor, and her sword fighting abilities were at their peak. And yet…

There, Elena was beheaded and killed by Paveluc. She would never
forget those final moments.

Compared to then, Elena was in a worse position now. She hadn’t

slept well recently, and neither had much to eat. While she was much
stronger than when she first returned to the past, she wasn’t confident
enough to say that she could beat Paveluc.

But there was one significant change—the situation now was more
urgent than ever before.

‘…I can’t lose.’

In the past, she had hunted down Paveluc to extract her bitter
revenge, but she was the only potential casualty. This time she had
people who were important to her—people that were living, and
people that she had to protect. The difference was enormous. Elena
couldn’t die here.
She and her troops continued to sweep every path from the state of
Lunen to the Kingdom of Jenar. At last, Martin approached her with an
urgent look on his face.

“Your Majesty, we have finally located Grand Duke Lunen.”

“Where is he?”

Elena’s jewel-like eyes suddenly flashed in the night. It was finally time
to settle the decades-long grudges.

***

Elena spotted Paveluc’s party from a distance. As expected, he and

about fifty or so soldiers were swiftly moving towards the Kingdom
of Jenar. Normally they might have been too quick to catch up with,
but they were unaware that another group was in hot pursuit.

That didn’t mean Elena was left with much time. Only a little longer,
and Paveluc would soon be at the Jenar Kingdom. She had to kill him
before then.

One of her knights approached from behind and gave a report.

“I scouted the terrain as you ordered, Your Majesty. The roads ahead
are only forest roads.”

“Thank you.”

When she finished speaking, the knight gave a respectful bow. Time
was short, but their movements had to be careful.

Elena mentally mapped out what actions she should take, and she
soon made her decision. She looked towards her knights and spoke in
a calm voice.

“From here on out, we’ll sneak ahead into the forest. There aren’t
many Lunen soldiers, so we can confuse and scatter them
while concealing our numbers. It will give us an advantage in the
beginning of the fight.”

Tracking Paveluc up to this point had been an exhaustive journey, and

it wouldn’t be easy for the Ruford knights to overtake him.
Nevertheless, now that victory of the war depended on the Ruford
knights, the increased impossibility of the task only made them more
determined to succeed.

Elena’s plan was clever as well. It was easier to surprise a smaller

group of enemy soldiers, and the Ruford forces could remain well-
hidden within the trees. The uncertainty of an invisible enemy was far
more terrifying than an open battle. If the Ruford knights could
remove as many of the soldiers away from Paveluc as possible, they
had a better chance of killing him.

Martin gave a quick nod of admiration.

“That’s a good plan.”

Elena looked around at the knights she had become familiar with in a
short period of time.

“Until they get near us, we’ll attack them with arrows as much
as possible. Once the battle inevitably moves to close combat,
however…try not to get hurt as much as possible.”

Elena not only worried about the success of the operation, but of the
knights’ lives as well. The men looked at her in silent surprise. She
opened her mouth to speak again, making eye contact with each one
of them.

“Let us all return alive.”

Her words held many meanings. It bore Elena’s ultimate wish.

In the past, she once thought of her life as disposable. She would
easily sacrifice one person to stop all misfortune.
But not now.

She would live and return to her family. Her dream was to spend a
long and happy life with them.

Kuung!

The knights bowed their heads simultaneously to express their deep

gratitude to Elena.

***

The forest darkness pressed in on all sides of the soldiers who

traversed it.

Paveluc and his men traveled swiftly with minimal rest. Their
destination was not long now, and so they forewent stopping for the
night. One of Paveluc’s men looked worriedly at him.

“My Lord, is your wound alright?”

“There is nothing to worry about. I won’t die from this.”

Paveluc had suffered an unexpected injury, but he continued the

difficult journey without any proper rest. His men’s concern was
natural, but getting to the Kingdom of Jenar was of greater
importance. Paveluc’s wound would heal in time, but losing the war
was irreversible.

“Let’s hurry. I’ll have to finish talking with the Kingdom of Jenar before
General Aegi loses any more of his nerve.”

It hurt Paveluc’s head to think how much Jenar would demand, but he
had to reach a deal as soon as possible before returning to the border.
It would soon be obvious that he wasn’t there.

“Yes, My Lord!”

The subordinate then turned to bark orders to the rest of the soldiers.
“A little more speed—!”

But then.

Swiiiiig!

Puuk!

Before he even finished speaking, an arrow embedded itself though

his throat.

“Keueug!“

He gave a gargled choke and rolled down from his horse, before
landing bodily on the ground. Dead.

Paveluc and his men were momentarily stunned by the sudden attack,
but half a second later, they rose up and snapped into battle mode.

“The enemy! Get in formation!”

Many of the soldiers encircled Paveluc to guard against hail of arrows

flying towards them.

Tas! Taas!

The soldiers who couldn’t block the arrows with their swords, blocked
it with their bodies. Paveluc was confounded as a flurry of attacks
poured around him and his men. It was as if someone had been
waiting for them.

‘Who the hell…’

Jenar hadn’t been in his plans from the start, and had only been a last-
minute decision. Even if information had been leaked, no one could
have pursued him in such a short amount of time. The immediacy of
the attack meant that the enemy was already in Lunen, not from any
other country.
‘Impossible. Where did these people come from?’

However, Paveluc didn’t have time to speculate. The invisible assassins

were taking out his soldiers one by one. In the pitch-black darkness,
he couldn’t figure out how many enemy soldiers were there, or where
they were hiding. Perhaps that was what they planned all along.

Paveluc gritted his teeth in anger and then shouted.

“Set fire to a tree to light up the forest! Locate where the arrows are
coming from and destroy the enemy!”

Paveluc’s soldiers quickly obeyed his orders, and threw their torches to
set the forest on fire.

“Fire at will!”

Because the forest was dense with trees, even a small flame grew to a
fierce blaze. Paveluc’s quick plan banished the darkness and helped
the soldiers determine the direction of the arrows, and they rushed
towards the enemy. Nothing was more disadvantageous than a
continuous volley of arrows.

Chaeng! Chaeaeng!

Paveluc’s soldiers and the enemy clashed. Paveluc determinedly pulled

out his sword. Although his left hand was injured, fortunately he was
right-handed. He shouted into the burning night air.

“Find those rats and kill them all! If they don’t come out from their
hiding places, set the forest on fire to drive them out!”

“Yes, My Lord!”

Although the fires were bad for both sides, Paveluc was concerned
because he only had a few soldiers.

Suddenly—
Hwiiiig!

A sharp arrow flew towards Paveluc at an unexpected angle.

Kaaang!

Paveluc struck it down with his sword, but another arrow flew towards
him again as if the mysterious enemy had anticipated it.

This was no ordinary skill. Paveluc sensed it as he blocked a succession

of arrows.

Unlike a battlefield with a large number of enemies, this person

seemed to be moving as an individual, and they had particular interest
in Paveluc’s life. He realized that if he didn’t stop them, an arrow
would eventually find its mark.

“That way! Find the enemy hiding there!”

“Yes, My Lord!”

The soldiers close to Paveluc rushed in the direction he pointed. The

sound of swords clashing in the dark rang in the air.

Kaang! Kang!

But soon arrows began flying towards Paveluc again.

Siiiiiig—

Paveluc sensed that all the soldiers he sent were dead.

‘Who the hell has this ability?’

The soldiers he brought with him were the strongest in Lunen.

However, it was clear they were not as good as the mysterious figure
attacking him now.
Paveluc resented the injury on his left hand, but he could not continue
to leave this battle to his subordinates. His opponent was a powerful
one, and he had to be the one to get rid of them.

Paveluc looked in the direction where the arrows came from and
spoke.

“I’m going there.”

“Yes, My Lord. I’ll follow.”

Five soldiers total followed Paveluc as he strode ahead.

Swiiiig!

There was another whistle in the air, an arrow embedded itself in the
center of a soldier’s forehead. Paveluc’s guards went from five to four.
His mouth twisted, but anyone could tell it wasn’t a happy smile.

He held out his hand towards a soldier and spoke in a grim voice.

“Your torch.”

“Y-yes!”

The soldier immediately handed his torch to Paveluc, who took it with
his bandaged left hand. Another arrow flew towards Paveluc.

Piiiiii!

Taaag!

Paveluc blocked it once again with the sword in his right hand, and
then he tossed the torch in the same direction of the arrow. The torch
arced in the air before striking a tree, causing a greater fire. It revealed
the face of the person hiding in the darkness.

They had yellow hair that shone like the sun, fair skin, and delicate
features like a doll.
Paveluc was so surprised that his eyes widened in shock, but he soon
gave a perverse smile.

“So it was you that was after me, Empress Ruford.”

He had foolishly assumed that she fled to the border. He never

anticipated her turning around to take his life.

Elena spoke in a low voice, looking straight at Paveluc.

“We finally meet.”

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Since returning to the past, Elena encountered Paveluc several times,

but she always had to hide her desire for vengeance. This was the
moment where she finally faced him.

Elena had spent countless nights dreaming of Paveluc—and now it

was time to make it a reality. She aimed at him with her bow.

“Let’s end this today.”

Elena had already died by his hands once…

She had no intention of dying again.

Chapter 305 – I Have To Go Back

Paveluc stared at Elena with a wry smile.

“I see that you are quite a talented fighter, but to think of killing
me…don’t you think those aspirations are too high?”

Not only was he an excellent commander, but he was one of the most
powerful swordsmen on the continent. He had never been defeated
in combat. Elena was well-aware of the fact, but her gaze was
unbroken as she stared ahead at Paveluc.

“We’ll compare the long- and short-term ones.”

Elena already knew how dangerous Paveluc was from a lifetime ago.
But that didn’t change her mind. No matter what happened
today…she was going to win.

Swiiiig—

She let loose her arrow. It veered in an arc, heading for one of the
soldiers near Paveluc.

Puuk!

It pierced the soldier’s neck, and the soldier fell to the ground with
a gurgle. The arrow had taken an unexpected trajectory, and Paveluc
realized that the soldier had been her intended target.

Even the most skillful of knights could not cope with multiple enemies
on their own. Elena’s goal was to whittle down the number of
Paveluc’s guards first, and Paveluc’s face contorted with fury.

“Surround that bitch so she can’t get away! Show her what the price is
for attempting to take my life!”

“Yes, My Lord!”

She couldn’t stop every one of Paveluc’s men with her arrows, and
they would eventually catch her before she killed them all.

The other battles raged around them. Paveluc had to quickly defeat
Elena to avoid further loss of his guard, and assist the other soldiers. If
he were lucky to capture Elena, he could force the other Ruford
soldiers to surrender.

Tadadadadag!
Three of Paveluc’s soldiers pushed forward to surround Elena, but she
sidestepped them and fled with feline-quick movements. The night
was dark, and the moment she was past the glow of the raging fire,
she vanished from sight.

Paveluc realized that this was all going according to her plan.

‘We’re still playing in the palm of her hand.’

Paveluc ran forward to close the distance, beckoning the soldiers in

the direction where Elena disappeared.

Piiiing—

Another arrow shot out of the darkness and took the life of
another soldier. The number of Paveluc’s 0guards decreased from
three to two.

But Paveluc remained unperturbed. While she kept dodging away

from him, there was a limit. He spoke through gritted teeth.

“You will soon regret not running when you had the chance.”

Finally, the two soldiers, including Paveluc, managed to corner Elena.

Her beautiful face was illuminated in the flickering light.

Swig! Swig! Swiiiig!

Out of nowhere, dozens of arrows began to rain down on Paveluc.

“My Lord! Watch out!”

The soldier rushed to protect him. Because of this, Paveluc managed

to escape several arrows, but one of them pierced his left shoulder.

“Agh.”

He gave a short groan of pain, and he whirled around to look at

his surroundings. Until now, he was only focused on hunting Elena,
but now more archers were aiming for him from the dark. Paveluc’s
expression turned grim.

“The empress…was the bait.”

Elena confidently stared down at him.

“It’s too late to notice now.”

This was Elena’s true plan. In the beginning, Paveluc had about fifty
troops with him, with Elena had some forty knights. However, she was
able to conceal her smaller numbers in the darkness of the forest.
Most of the Ruford knights clashed head-to-head with Paveluc’s
soldiers, while five remained as archers.

She knew she could use herself as bait and draw his attention away
from her archers. He would not have fallen for her trick if he saw her
out in the open, but she lured him by weaving in and out of darkness.
While Paveluc was a man of terrifying strength, his hubris let him
become too confident of his skills. Elena’s plan was executed perfectly.

“As I said, you have to look at both the long- and short-term views.”

Power was not the only thing that a soldier had to have, as battles
were fought in various conditions.

Sswaeaeg! Sswaeaeaeg!

Another volley of arrows streaked through the trees. Paveluc grabbed

the body of a soldier who had already died for him and used it as a
shield.

Paveluc then let out a howl of laughter. The scene of him smiling right
before his death, backlit by hellish flames, was horrific.

“…Yes, you’ve been using your head.”

Paveluc had overlooked one fact. The war would not end if he
captured Elena, but if he died here, it was all over. The enemy’s goal
had been to kill Paveluc above all else.

However, Elena herself had overlooked one fact as well. Because she
was bait, she was in the range of Paveluc’s attack.

Paveluc issued an order to his one last guard by his side.

“Torch everything.”

“My Lord…!”

“If this will be where I die, then I refuse to go alone.”

Hopefully, the fire would keep the enemies away, and if his plan failed,
then we would take everyone here to Hell with him instead. Nothing
would stop him now.

The soldier sensed Paveluc’s intentions, and he bowed deeply.

“…Understood, My Lord.”

Elena quickly drew her bow and aimed at the soldier, but Paveluc
moved much faster.

Hwwiig—

Kwajijijig!

He swung his weapon, shattering Elena’s bow. She quickly tossed the
broken weapon aside and drew her sword from her waist, but it had
limited range, and she was forced to stay closer to Paveluc than she
would like. She was vulnerable to the arrows flying towards him as
well. The Ruford knights tried their best not to shoot Elena, but she
was forced to deflect some that came her way.

Swig swig swig!

More arrows forced both Elena and Paveluc to escape. Meanwhile,
the soldier risked his life and set fire to the surroundings. The fire
started out as a small crackle, but the unfettered flames soon grew
into a roaring wall of redness and heat.

Keuleuleuleung!

A large tree, its foundations weakened by the fire, fell to the ground
with a mighty crash. At some point, the soldier who carried out
Paveluc’s orders was no longer visible. Perhaps he had been taken out
by an arrow.

“Kollog, kollog.”

Elena covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stop the smoke
from entering her lungs. Billows of black clouds filled the sky. The
smoke obscured the archers’ vision, and no more arrows were fired for
the moment.

‘Where is Paveluc?’

She couldn’t let him get away. She had to kill him here before he
could reach the Jenar Kingdom.

Suddenly—

Ssaeaeaeg!

Elena instinctively lifted her sword and blocked the surprise attack.

Kagang!

She saw Paveluc’s face, as well as his sword glinting menacingly in his
right hand. He continued a series of frenzied attacks, forcing her back.

Tang! Taang!

She barely managed to fend them off, when she heard several voices
calling her from afar.
“Your Majesty, are you all right?”

It didn’t come from the direction of the archers.

Both Elena and Paveluc knew what it meant. It was likely the Ruford
knights that had defeated the rest of Paveluc’s troops, and they were
now searching for Elena in the flames.

Paveluc’s face was one of unconcealed disgust.

“I won’t be beaten by a little girl like you.”

To Paveluc, Elena was merely a tool used by Carlisle. Never in his life
did he think a woman would pose such a threat to his existence.

Elena glared fiercely at Paveluc and answered back.

“I planned to kill you with my own hands from the start.”

It was then that Paveluc realized that Elena bore a deep resentment
for him.

“Why do you have a grudge against me?”

“You took away the people I care about.”

Chaeaeng!

Their swords collided, sending sparks in the air. Elena’s red eyes
reflected the burning flames as she stared at Paveluc’s pitch-black
orbs.

“People you care about? Did I kill someone else close to you besides
your father?”

“No, not now. But I am here to prevent such a future.”

Elena’s words were incomprehensible to Paveluc, but he did not

bother wasting time with further questions. The world was filled with
people who had grudges against him, and the Empress was merely
another one in the line.

“I don’t intend to die alone. If this is my last breath, then I’ll take you
with me. Carlisle seems to be in love with you, so I hope he will be
tormented with grief for the rest of his life.”

His sword whirled like a violent storm. Even though Elena’s allies were
nearby, the flames made it impossible for them to approach. Paveluc
could make quick work of her if she wasn’t careful.

“Ha!”

Elena struggled to parry each of Paveluc’s attacks. If she didn’t do

anything soon, eventually she would perish with him in the fire.

But she didn’t want to die. She wanted to return alive—she wanted to
be with her family and her baby and Carlisle!

The last words Paveluc said to her in her last life flashed through her
mind.

— Even if you were reborn, the outcome wouldn’t be any different.

No, he was wrong. This life would be different from the last.

Swiig!

Elena did her best to focus her attacks on Paveluc’s injured left side.
No matter how powerful he was, his left side was now vulnerable.

However…

Peoeog!

He delivered a strong kick to her slim body, and she staggered back
and fell. He slowly advanced towards her, while she struggled to push
herself up with her sword.
“Haah, haah…haah.”

Elena’s breath came in shallow gasps. Paveluc was right in front of her,
but she had no more strength left to even lift a finger.

She had endured this arduous journey and came all this way. However,
her physical limit was depleted.

But Paveluc wasn’t in peak condition either. Blood streamed from his
left shoulder where the arrow had pierced him.

His footsteps stopped in front of Elena, and he raised his sword high
in the air.

“Now I’ll send you to Hell!”

Swiiiiig!

His sword swung downwards.

At that moment, Elena remembered how he had killed her in her last
life. He had beheaded her then. Events were playing out the same way
as they did them. Except—

Elena gritted her teeth and rolled her body in the other direction.

Swig—

Paveluc’s sword cut through empty air where Elena’s neck was a
moment earlier. She gripped her sword determinedly, and thrust
upwards, piercing Paveluc’s throat.

“Urk!”

Paveluc immediately raised his right hand in an attempt to kill Elena

again, but she gave a strong cry, and drove her sword forwards.

“You go to Hell!”
Her blade slid clean through the other side of his neck.

After a moment, his body slowly toppled sideways. He collapsed to

the forest floor, his eyes open and unmoving.

Elena finally killed Paveluc.

“Haah haah.”

She sank to the ground, heaving in smoke-filled breaths.

It was all over. She finally succeeded in taking revenge in this life. Now
the Blaise family and Carlisle will be safe.

The flames towered around her. She didn’t have any energy left to
escape.

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‘I have to go back…’

She imagined Carlisle’s blue eyes looking kindly at her. Despite her
determination to live, her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier.
Instinctively, she could feel that this was the end.

‘My baby…’

She wanted to see Carlisle and tell him how their child had done so
great…

Eventually, Elena’s body collapsed onto the forest ground.

Chapter 306 – Do Not Lie To Me

Elena wanted to move, but her body was too weak. She knew that if
she lost consciousness here, she would die.
‘No, please. It can’t end here.’

She lay on the ground as she struggled to stay awake.

From this point on, she would grow old with Father, Derek, and
Mirabelle. She would see her siblings get married and hug her
beautiful nieces and nephews.

The baby in her belly would also grow up to be a healthy child, and
they would live happily together with Carlisle.

The dream was right in front of her, and it couldn’t end here.

‘Please…please…’

She tried to lift up her body, but it felt as heavy as soaked cotton. In
her ears, she could hear a voice calling out to her from a distance.

“Your Majesty, where are you?”

Elena recognized the voice immediately. It was Kuhn. She wondered

how he got here, but she found it even more surprising that there was
still someone around to save her. The surrounding area had already
been engulfed by flames, and everyone would have already burned to
death.

Nevertheless, Kuhn did not give up his search.

“Your Majesty, please answer!”

She could hear the voices of other soldiers from far away. Elena felt a
ray of hope. If only she could yell, she could tell them she was
here…and she might be able to come out alive.

But time was running out swiftly. If she ended up trapped in the ever-
growing inferno, there was no way for anyone to reach her.

‘They need to know I’m here…somehow.’

She wanted to scream loudly, but she didn’t have the energy to do so.

‘What should I do? Is there no other way?’

Her strength was rapidly fading, and she weakly turned her head. Her
broken bow came into view. She couldn’t shoot any more arrows with
it, but that didn’t mean it was useless.

“Ugh…”

Elena grasped the bow, then hit it as hard as she could against
Paveluc’s sword.

Tang! Tang! Tang!

Her signal for help rang out in the fiery air. It wasn’t particularly
booming, but she hoped it echoed far away enough for it to be
noticed.

It was then.

As if Elena’s desperate wish had reached him, a man soon appeared in

the smoke not too far away. He had a handkerchief pressed against
his mouth, and he had pale skin and dark blue hair.

“Your Majesty!”

Kuhn’s usual composure broke, and he stumbled towards Elena.

“Forgive my rudeness.”

It was normal for him to touch Elena’s body under these

circumstances, but Kuhn still kept his manners out of habit. She
wanted to say thank you, but she could barely rasp out a breath from
her dry lips. Kuhn lifted her with all his strength, and she hung limply
on his back.

“I found her! Everyone get out of here!”

The thick smoke obscured everything in the vicinity, but several voices
yelled back in reply.

“Yes, sir!”

The flames were more intense in the area where Kuhn found Elena,
and he took a few readying steps backwards, before dashing forward
into a running jump. He flew over a fallen burning tree before landing
bodily on the ground.

At the same time, Elena glanced back at the clearing where Kuhn had
pulled her from. Paveluc’s body was engulfed in flames. She
shuddered at the thought she too would have been burned if Kuhn
had arrived just a little bit later.

‘…Thank God.’

Elena once again said a prayer of thanks. The tension in her body
loosened, and her eyelids slipped close. She mentally spoke to her
child in her belly.

‘You’ve been through so much. Because of you, I was able to endure

all this way.’

Each time Elena wanted to give up, the thought of her child pushed
her forward. The child had come so suddenly and was unplanned, but
she now felt as if its presence was meant to lead her here.

When Kuhn finally found safety from the flames, he gently lowered
Elena from his back. His voice trembled with concern for her.

“Stay with me, Your Majesty. Are you alright?”

She managed to crack open her heavy eyelids and nodded lightly.
Kuhn looked visibly relieved.

Elena relaxed, then finally fell into unconsciousness. She could now
sleep in peace.
Hopefully she would see Carlisle soon. She missed him.

***

Derek’s unit spent a long time in Lunen searching for Elena’s and
Alphord’s dead bodies. Derek wanted to recover them and return
them to their rightful place the Ruford Empire.

Not long afterwards, however, they learned that a large number of

Paveluc’s troops were heading towards the border, and Derek’s unit
was forced to return to the main area of conflict. The pain of losing
one’s family was great, but Derek had to report to Carlisle.

Tadag, tadag.

Derek and his men arrived at the Ruford camp, their expressions
somber. A soldier from the camp rushed up to him.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Yes…where is the Emperor?”

“He’s on the battlefield. Do you wish to inform him you’re here?”

Carlisle had been anxiously waiting for news about Elena, and he
would likely put everything aside upon hearing of Derek’s return.
However, Derek found himself incapable of meeting face-to-face with
Carlisle.

Derek…didn’t save Elena. Before his departure, everyone involved in

the rescue mission vowed not to return alive without her. Derek did
not forget his pledge, and so after he did his duty and reported the
truth to Carlisle, he intended to die a heroic death on the front lines.

Derek’s expression was grave when he spoke.

“No. I’ll go see him myself.”

“I’ll guide you to him.”

Derek nodded weakly, then followed the soldier into the battlefield.
There, a fierce war was raging between the Ruford and Lunen soldiers.
From afar, Derek was able to spot Carlisle in the mass of violence; it
wasn’t hard, as the Emperor was a glorious figure, riding atop his
powerful steed and slashing his gleaming sword. Derek sensed he was
an inspiring figure among the Ruford soldiers, as their leader did not
spare himself from combat.

The soldier who guided Derek looked hesitant.

“His Majesty is fighting…”

“I’ll go down there myself.”

“Ah—”

Before the soldier could finish speaking, Derek urged his horse to a
full gallop towards Carlisle. As he entered the battlefield, enemy
attacks rushed up at him from all sides.

Swig! Swiig!

He slashed at the Lunen soldiers, gradually fighting his way towards

Carlisle, and the distance gradually narrowed between them.

It was then that Derek spotted a Lunen soldier sprinting towards

Carlisle from behind, the soldier’s large spear aimed directly at the
Emperor. The soldier gave a fierce cry.

“Die!”

Carlisle whirled around, but before he could react, Derek blocked the
attack instead. Derek swung his sword, and a large slash appeared on
the enemy’s chest, causing blood to spurt from his body. The soldier
collapsed to the ground, dead.

Kuuuung!
But for Carlisle, that didn’t matter. His blue eyes lit up as soon as he
recognized Derek, the first one to arrive from the rescue mission. Only
news of Elena mattered to Carlisle now.

“Where is my wife?”

He forewent any other questions and went straight to the most

important topic. His eyes darted around in search for Elena, who
might be nearby.

Derek hadn’t the heart to speak. He had lost his father and sister in
one night. Nothing could be changed. As Derek looked at Carlisle, he
sensed that the Emperor would be grieved by the news of Elena as
much as he was. No, perhaps even more.

“Where’s my wife?”

“…We’ll go back and talk, Your Majesty. It’s dangerous here.”

It was not something Derek could share in the middle of a battle. He

intended to deliver his report back at camp.

But Carlisle did not have the patience to wait. He was trying to seek
answers from Derek, but the other man kept evading his questions,
and a sliver of fear wormed its way into Carlisle’s mind.

Carlisle’s face contorted in anger, and he yelled at Derek.

“Where is she, I ask!”

“…Your Majesty.”

“Answer me.”

“Her Majesty the Empress…is dead.”

Kung.
Carlisle’s heart dropped to the ground. He looked at Derek in
disbelief.

“What…what are you talking about?”

“I’m sorry. She could not be saved. She was rescued from her
imprisonment in Lunen…but on the way back here…”

The blood drained from Carlisle’s face. He stared unseeingly ahead

with hollow-looking eyes.

“She’s dead…?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t complete the mission, Your Majesty.”

“Don’t lie to me. Until I see it with my own eyes…I won’t believe it.”

Derek continued to gaze sadly at Carlisle, who was in a state of severe

denial.

“It’s true. There was a battle between Grand Duke Lunen and our
knights, and there were eyewitnesses who said they saw the body of
the Empress and my father. I checked again, but…it’s all true.”

Carlisle’s heart began to pound wildly when he heard those words.

Kungkungkungkungkungkungkung

It was like a drumbeat that reverberated through his whole body. His
ears rang, his head felt like it would split, and his legs were ready to
give way under him.

“…Elena’s no more?”

He wanted to get angry at Derek’s nonsense words, but he knew all

too well that Derek wouldn’t lie.

Carlisle could not comprehend that Elena was really dead. But what if
it really was true? Now he would never see her anymore. He would not
hear her voice call his name, nor would she give him a bright smile. If
he closed his eyes, he could still imagine her face—but he could never
touch her.

Carlisle stood as frozen as a statue. Derek knew exactly what emotions

were currently running through the Emperor.

“My deepest regrets for the news. This place is dangerous, so we have
to—”

But before he could finish speaking, Carlisle grabbed his own chest
and gave a painful groan.

“Ugh.”

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It was at that moment.

Carlisle’s right arm swelled alarmingly, tearing his sleeve and glove. In
the blink of an eye, black scales shot up his right arm and spread
throughout his body, reaching up to his face.

It was the first time the dragon mutation had reached this far. No
matter who witnessed it, Carlisle clearly did not look human.

Derek’s eyes widened at Carlisle’s sudden transformation.

“Your-Your Majesty…”

Chapter 307 – The Most Triumphant Moment

Carlisle did not hear anything that was said to him. It wasn’t just his

hearing that failed to process—his eyes were open, but he couldn’t

see, and his mind was numbly blank.

He was left alone in a world without Elena. It was an intolerable pain

beyond endurance itself. A terrible cry tore from his throat.

“Raaaaagh!”

An inhumane scream roared from deep within his body. Zenard, who

was running towards them from nearby, widened his eyes when he

saw Carlisle’s transformation. He turned towards the frozen form of

Derek and yelled at him.

“Lord Derek, get out of the way!”

“What?”

Derek’s head jerked towards Zenard, and at the same time, a Lunen

enemy soldier ran towards Carlisle with a sword.

“Emperor Ruford! Take this!”

The soldier did not make it far. Carlisle caught the man’s neck with his

black-scaled arm.

“Kkkkg!”

The soldier uselessly scrabbled at Carlisle’s hand in an attempt to

escape, but Carlisle squeezed the man’s throat. The man’s eyes bulged

grotesquely as he choked. After a hideous sound, the Lunen soldier

finally went limp and died.

The sheer ruthlessness of the display caused those in the vicinity to fall

into horrified silence. There was a dramatic difference between Carlisle

earlier and Carlisle now. Even the air around him seemed to sink from

the dark aura around him.

Carlisle snarled, and his eyes hardened as he stared down his other

potential victims. It was terrifying. Even Derek was stunned to the

point of immobility, and Zenard was forced to grab him and drag him

away.
“You’ll die if you’re near him. We have to get away as much as

possible.”

“What the hell was that…?”

“I’ll explain later. Everyone, get away from the Emperor!”

Paas!

His warning came too late—Carlisle darted forward, and in a single

slash, another Lunen soldier died before he had the chance to raise his

sword.

Not a single creature could stand in front of Carlisle and live. His wild

blue eyes had already lost their reason.

“Aaaah! S-save me!”

Carlisle’s clawed hand ran straight through the fleeing soldier’s torso.

He wrenched out his hand again, and the soldier’s body tumbled to

the ground.
Carlisle grinned and licked the enemy’s blood off his arm. It was as if

he were—enjoying himself. He was there, and not there at the same

time.

Zenard had only seen him like this once before, when Elena almost

died of a poisoned arrow.

‘His Majesty has gone mad with bloodlust again. But it’s worse this

time.’

Carlisle’s monstrous mutation was easily visible from a distance. From

Zenard’s experience, the greater the transformation, the stronger the

power. This very moment was the greatest power Zenard had ever

witnessed.

‘…No one can stop him. We have to get away now.’

Zenard yelled at any of the Ruford soldiers that could hear him.

“Get away from the Emperor!”

But his cry did not reach everyone. The Ruford soldiers stood frozen in

stunned awe at Carlisle’s dragon-like appearance. Carlisle’s eyes slid

towards them, and he growled and charged towards them. It did not

matter to him whether the people in front of him were from Ruford or

Lunen. He was driven by a mad obsession to kill anyone who blocked

his path.

But at that moment.

“Caril, stop it!”

Somewhere, a clear voice rang in the air.

It was a voice that Carlisle knew. A voice that his heart pined for. He

could cry just from hearing the sound.

But his charge did not stop.

‘Elena is dead. They took Elena from me. I’ll kill them all.’

His only desire was to kill. Kill everyone.

Even if he killed all the soldiers here, his anger would not be satiated.

No, even if he burned the whole world, the chasm in his heart could

never be filled. He would never be able to wake up from this anger

and despair. His blood pumped hotly in his veins, and if he didn’t do

anything right now, his whole body would burn.

The violent emotion had awakened the cursed blood of the dragon.

From a distance, Zenard’s voice rang out as he tried to stop someone.

“Stay away from him! Getting near him is suicidal!”

Carlisle raised his hand to strike the Ruford soldiers, when suddenly—

Walak!

A small, warm body held his back.

His instincts told him to immediately kill whoever was holding him,

but a familiar scent caused him to stop.

“I’m here, Caril. That’s enough.”

Carlisle slowly turned his head towards the voice. The first thing he

saw were long, blonde locks fluttering in the wind. Then he saw fair

skin, crimson lips, a straight nose, and thick lashes. Beneath them were

jewel-like red eyes that looked up at him.

He thought he would never see her again.

It was Elena.

For the first time, recognition flickered behind Carlisle’s rage-filled

eyes.

“…E….lena?”

“Yes. I’m back, Caril.”

Elena’s eyes filled with tears as she pressed herself more firmly against

him.

Carlisle’s body stiffened. He was completely stunned. Derek clearly

told him that she was dead. Was this an illusion? A dream?
His head swirled in confusion. But soon he thought, what did it

matter? Elena could be a ghost or a fantasy, but he was happy that

she showed up in front of him.

Perhaps the grim reaper that came for Carlisle would leave him one

last happy moment.

Carlisle turned around, and held Elena’s body so tightly that there was

not a gap between them. He leaned his head against her shoulder.

“…Why are you so late?”

He was hell-bent on destroying the world that had taken Elena from

him. He wanted to bring ruin to everything, and eventually even

himself. It was suffering enough when Elena was kidnapped, and he

couldn’t confirm for himself whether she was alive or dead. He

couldn’t eat, sleep, sit down, or think. It was as if his lifeblood drained

from him with every second of her absence.

Carlisle held her fragile body with all his might.

“I don’t care what you are right now. Don’t let go. Don’t ever leave my

side again.”

“I won’t. I’ll stay by your side and never fall away.”

Elena looked up and looked into Carlisle’s face. She then touched his

chin and smiled brightly.

“I missed you.”

Carlisle’s brow furrowed at her long-awaited appearance, and he once

again locked her in his arms.

“…Me too. I would have died from missing you.”

The black scales began to recede from his body, leaving behind

unblemished, pale skin.

Seueug—

Zenard sighed with relief, and lowered the sword he was pointing at

Carlisle. He had worried that Carlisle would not recognize Elena in the

midst of his bloodlust. This was a miracle. It was impossible to stop

Carlisle’s madness, but this was the first time that his rage had

evaporated so quickly.

Once again, Zenard realized how precious Elena was to Carlisle. He

smiled at the pair of them. Today might have been the worst day…

But it was changed into the most triumphant moment.

***

After everything had settled, Elena and Carlisle returned to the

barracks, and Elena explained how she had arrived here.

Kuhn was the main reason why. When he heard that Elena set out to

save Alphord, Kuhn was just a step behind Derek’s unit. Derek arrived

at the scene of the battle first, and he saw the medicine men and

believed his father and sister to be dead.

Meanwhile, Kuhn’s unit came across the Ruford knights transporting

Alphord, who was injured, but still very much alive. Kuhn arranged for

the impatient Alphord to see a doctor in Lunen, then hurried to help

Elena in her mission to kill Paveluc. Because of this, Alphord had not

yet arrived, and was being treated secretly across the border.

Since Kuhn’s unit did not suffer large losses, and were able to track

Elena’s group. It was why they were able to get to her quickly and save

her from the flames.

Carlisle was initially confused by the story recounted to him, but after

calming down and listening to Elena, understanding and reason

gradually made its way back to his mind.

“I’ll be sure to reward Kuhn generously.”

“Yes. It was because of Sir Kasha that I was saved from the crisis.”

“But on the contrary…I have to reprimand you, my wife.”

Elena looked puzzled at Carlisle’s sudden change in tone. He

continued on in a serious voice.

“Why did you go after Grand Duke Lunen when he was headed for

Jenar? What if something went horribly wrong?”

“I had no choice. If I let Paveluc go, then everyone would be in

danger.”

Even Carlisle could not reprimand Elena on her choice. But it was a

dangerous one. It was terrible to think that he could have lost Elena in

an unforeseen accident. He never wanted to experience the despair he

just felt earlier.

“I know that was the best choice you could have made, my wife. But

don’t make the same choice twice. From now on, your safety comes

first.”

To Carlisle, Elena preceded himself, the Ruford Empire, the Blaise

family, and the child in her belly. She was his first priority.

“Keep your promise to me. You decided you would live as my woman

when you became empress. You cannot get hurt. You cannot get sick,

and you cannot even die.”

Carlisle lifted his large hand to stroke Elena’s cheek.

“If something happens to you, I’ll die too.”

A glimpse of Carlisle’s change a little earlier enabled Elena to fully

understand his meaning. She replied with a slight nod.

“I know. I won’t put myself in danger anymore.”

Carlisle lifted his eyebrows doubtfully at her, but he pulled her back

into a tight embrace.

“…This is the last time I’ll believe you when you say that. If you do it

again, I’ll have you tied to me.”

Elena burst into laughter. After a moment, she looked up at him and

gave him a playful smile.

“Are you serious?”

“Do you think I’m joking?”

“No. But if I don’t like it, I won’t let you.”

“…”
Carlisle didn’t have an answer for that. He could never deny his

beautiful wife anything she wished, and he had no choice but to lose

to her. He scowled in disapproval.

“You know me too well.”

Elena couldn’t help but smile at his grumbling tone.

Soon after, she unwound her arms from his shoulders and laid a hand

on her flat stomach. A child was growing inside there.

“I hadn’t had the chance to tell you, but I’m pregnant.”

“…I know. After you disappeared, I heard it from your lady-in-waiting.”

“Ah, that must have been Mary.”

Elena gave a nod of understanding. Carlisle stared at her stomach,

then lifted his eyes back up to her face.

“Are you in pain? In truth, I don’t know much about children, but I will

learn from now on. It’s our baby.”

Carlisle placed a careful hand on Elena’s stomach, and she felt his

longing in his touch. She looked up at her husband with tender eyes.

“I was worried that you might hate children. But seeing you welcome

the child makes me feel at ease.”

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Carlisle despised the cursed blood flowing through this body, and if it

weren’t for Elena, he hadn’t intended to leave behind another

generation. Elena was deeply relieved that Carlisle was happy about

her being pregnant. He smiled back at her.

“I don’t know if it’s because of you, but…I can’t deny a child born

between you and me.”

His hand left her stomach, then slipped upwards to her graceful neck

where he drew her close.

Carlisle’s lips touched Elena’s forehead. She looked up at him, and a

genuine smile broadened across Carlisle’s mouth.

“I love you.”

Chapter 308 – So Lovely

News of Paveluc’s death took some time to spread. Both internally

and externally, it was believed that he was currently leading an army
towards the border.

As soon as his death became known, the war quickly ended.

The first to abandon the campaign was the Kelt Kingdom, as they had
no reason to continue the war without Paveluc. Without the Kelt
Kingdom’s support, the state of Lunen was forced to surrender under
Carlisle, and was brought back under the control of the Ruford Empire.
Although Paveluc—the main instigator of the rebellion—had died, all
of his supporters would be duly punished.

Carlisle organized all this as quickly as possible, then led his soldiers
back to the Imperial Palace in the capital post-hate. It was for one
reason: His wife was pregnant.

Carlisle and Elena sitting next to each other in a gleaming carriage

that was rapidly headed towards the capital. Soft cushions were
placed on the seats for Elena’s comfort, but Carlisle continued to fuss
over Elena like a mother with a sick child.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“I’m fine.”

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

“I just had lunch.”

“But you should be eating a lot when you’re pregnant. If you’re

hungry, tell me immediately, alright?”

Knowing that she couldn’t stop him, Elena replied with a smile.

“I know. You don’t have to worry over me too much.”

Even in the early stages of pregnancy when she was deprived of

proper food and sleep, Elena remained strong until now. Compared to
her time in prison, this was truly heaven. Carlisle kept asking if she was
lacking in anything, but she couldn’t help but feel overly pampered.

“Don’t say that. If there’s anything you need, just tell me. It is my
greatest pleasure to give you anything you want.”

Carlisle leaned over and stroked her forehead. Ever since their reunion,
he used every moment available to feel her warmth in his arms or
touch her, as if to reassure himself that she was still by his side. Elena
gave a faint smile every time she felt his gentle touch.

“You’re already here next to me. What more could I want?”

Carlisle’s brow crumpled, but a moment later, he tried to suppress a

teasing smile.

“When you say that, I almost want to take out my liver and gallbladder
for you.”

Carlisle cupped Elena’s face with both his hands, then kissed her—on
her forehead, nose, cheek, lips. His hot mouth tickled her face, and
Elena’s head shook as she giggled.

“That’s ticklish, Caril.”

She looked cutely up at him with pink cheeks, and he almost wanted
to devour her… but Elena’s health was the top priority, and he lowered
his hands again.

His wife was with child, and they couldn’t have a passionate skinship.
A constant desire burned through Carlisle’s skin, but he held it back,
fearing that Elena’s body would be overwhelmed.

“Don’t look so cute, my wife. It’s…it’s painful for me.”

Carlisle smiled, then pecked Elena’s cheek for the last time and settled
back into his seat. His voice was a soft murmur as he spoke.

“I can’t wait until the baby is born.”

Elena nodded understandingly at Carlisle’s words.

“Neither can I. I can’t wait to hold our child in my arms.”

Carlisle had a different reason in mind, but Elena gave a chuckle, as his
idea wasn’t a bad one either. He wanted to touch Elena because he
loved her, yet at the same time, it was because he loved her that he
didn’t touch her.

There was a knock on the carriage door. Carlisle turned his head,
where someone’s presence was obscured by the closed window
curtains.

“It’s time for Her Majesty’s health tonic.”

As of late, Elena took a daily tonic for pregnant women. Because

Carlisle was so concerned about Elena’s health, he made sure that she
took her medicine and reported it no matter what.

“Stop the procession. We’ll start again after she takes her health
tonic.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At Carlisle’s order, not only did the carriage stop, but the entirety of
the column marching outside. Elena was flattered that her husband
cared so much about her, but she couldn’t help but be embarrassed.

The carriage door opened soon after, and a maid arrived bearing the
tonic. Carlisle took the bowl, then scooped the tonic with a spoon.

“Here.”

Elena had done this several times already, but her face still turned
beet-red.

“I can drink it myself. My hand works fine, and you don’t have to
spoon-feed me, Caril.”

Carlisle had a light, mischievous smile on his face.

“You’re saying that today? Because I’m not going to give in.”

“If you keep doing this, other people will—”

“If you don’t like me spoon-feeding you, then how about I use my
mouth? Actually, I’d prefer it that way.”

Carlisle’s blue eyes squinted with laughter, but Elena understood at

once that he wasn’t joking. He wasn’t the type to suggest things he
didn’t mean. However, Elena had been almost killed by a poisoned
arrow once, and she felt stronger than she did then.

In the end, Elena opened her mouth with an “aah”, and Carlisle gave a
wry smile.

“My wife knows me too well.”

He scooped the tonic with a spoon and carefully placed it in Elena’s

mouth. She accepted the drink like a baby bird as she glanced furtively
up at him through his lashes. Her heart swelled to see the Emperor
feeding her with a careful expression on his face.
How could she describe this feeling? The mere fact that Carlisle was by
her side turned every moment into a happy one. She couldn’t say this
out loud though; if he knew about this, he would act more like this
from now on.

“Hmmm. I taste it every time, but it’s too bitter.”

“Is that so?”

Carlisle glanced at the nearly empty bowl, then suddenly leaned in

close to Elena. Then, with his tongue, he swiped the liquid that clung
to her lips.

Elena looked startled at the sudden kiss, but Carlisle continued to

stare at her in a casual manner.

“Yes. Just as you said, it’s too bitter.”

“What—”

“Of course, it tasted sweet to me because of your lips.”

Blood rushed to Elena’s face, and her naked reaction broadened

Carlisle’s smile even further.

“That kind of face only makes me want to tease you more.”

“…What face?”

“This lovely one.”

Once again, Carlisle drew Elena’s body towards him, and he planted a
soft kiss on her eyes. Her heart felt like it would burst from her
husband’s constant affection. Each moment was almost too sweet to
bear.

No matter how much time had passed, the only man who made
Elena’s heart beat like this was Carlisle.
And so it would be for the rest of her life.

***

When the sun set, the procession stopped again. They had planned to
travel quickly to the Imperial Palace so Elena could relax, but Carlisle’s
concern over Elena’s physical condition slowed their schedule.

After the troops made camp, a few soldiers approached the imperial
carriage and gave a brief report.

“Your Majesty, camp is ready.”

“I see.”

Carlisle stepped out of the carriage first and reached for Elena. She
took his hand, and walked carefully down the steps. As soon as Elena’s
feet touched the ground—

Hwiig!

Carlisle swooped her up in both arms and carried her bridal-style. It

happened in the mere blink of an eye. Elena opened her mouth in
surprise as she jerked her head towards Carlisle.

“C-Caril…”

“I think it’s safer for me to carry you to our tent, just in case you fall.”

“It’s only a short distance, so I’ll be fine. I might be too heavy.”

“Do I look so weak that I can’t carry my wife?”

Of course not. It wasn’t the first time Carlisle held her in his arms like
this, and she knew how safe she was in his embrace.

However, the gazes of the surrounding soldiers would naturally fall on

them. Their eyes seemed to be envious, but…Elena was embarrassed
to be the center of such attention. They also stopped the procession
so she could take her medicine, and there were rumors that Carlisle
was spoon-feeding her. Elena felt that being carried around like this
was too much, even if she was pregnant.

“I’m afraid other people will stare at me.”

“I dare them to.”

Although his reply was short, Elena grasped the nuance behind it. She
knew his personality well, and gave a small laugh. She could read
Carlisle’s thoughts without him having to say much.

“You’re enjoying this.”

“My heart wishes to do more for you.”

“No more. This is just too much.”

“Considering what you’ve been through, nothing is enough. I want to

do everything so you needn’t even lift a finger. Just allow me this.”

Elena had been kidnapped when she was pregnant, and her body had
suffered many hardships. She did not have the heart to tell Carlisle
that she was also violently beaten by Paveluc, but Carlisle seemed to
have some idea. While Elena was satisfied and grateful for her current
state, Carlisle wanted to more than make up for past hurt.

They arrived at their tent, and Carlisle carefully deposited Elena on

their bed. He got down on one knee, then took off the shoes she was
wearing. Her eyes widened at the unexpected gesture.

“Get up quickly! What if someone sees you?”

“As I said earlier, please allow me this.”

“But…”

“What’s wrong with a husband taking off his wife’s shoes?”

If they were an ordinary couple, then it was possible. But Carlisle was
the emperor of the Ruford Empire. He couldn’t kneel in front of Elena
for any reason. He had done it before, but he was only a prince at the
time. If he was seen by anyone else now, it would undermine his royal
authority.

Elena hurriedly reached out and caught Carlisle’s cheek. She looked
straight into his eyes and spoke in a firm tone.

“I feel the same as you. But I don’t want anyone to see this and have a
reason to cut you down.”

Carlisle only grinned at her reply.

“You might not know it, but your husband is so scary that no one
would dare talk about me that way.”

“I may not know as much as you, but I’m not one to be lax.”

“That’s fine. Who cares what they say?”

“There’ll be rumors that you’re blinded by a woman…or something like

that.”

There was already much talk after the soldiers had seen the black-
scaled Carlisle on the battlefield. Elena didn’t want to add more fuel to
the gossip.

“I’m not doing anything wrong.”

He neatly laid her shoes on the floor, then leaned forward and kissed
Elena’s knee.

“Whether I’m kneeling in front of my wife, standing upright, or walking

shoulder-to-shoulder, it won’t change the fact that I’m your prisoner.”

“…”
Elena was momentarily speechless. She had worried about Emperor
Carlisle’s reputation after the war, but she didn’t realize that his words
would evoke such marvelous feelings in her. They really were too
sweet…to the point where it felt like her body would melt.

Carlisle resumed speaking, his blue eyes glowing hotly as he stared at

Elena.

“You saved my life, and it’s unfair for you to say no to me. You are
obligated to accept as much love as I give you.”

“…I might not be able to adapt if this arrangement changes later on.”

“Are you worried things will change? Then don’t worry. I will do even
better in the future.”

At those words, Elena couldn’t hold back anymore, and she threw her
arms around Carlisle’s shoulders. Even when he was emperor, he
hadn’t changed at all since he met her. No, that was wrong—he was
becoming more thoughtful as time when on. She didn’t know that
such a kind man could exist. It was as if he was born to capture her
heart.

“Don’t keep saying things like this. I feel like I’m going to cry.”

Elena knew inside that all of her hardships so far led her to this point.
The rosy future Elena had always dreamed of was not far away.

Everything was for this moment with Carlisle.

Elena closed her eyes, unable to contain the overwhelming happiness

inside her, and she held his body. Carlisle also had a blissful smile as
he hugged her back.

Then, a familiar voice from outside broke the moment.

“Your Majesty, there’s something I need to tell you.”

It was Zenard. When Elena tried to unwind her arms from Carlisle’s
body, Carlisle only tightened his grip on her waist.

“If it’s not urgent, come back later.”

“A-ah, yes. There is a letter for Her Majesty the Empress, so please tell
me later when you have time.”

Carlisle’s brow furrowed at Zenard’s unexpected reply. He turned

towards camp with a displeased look on his face.

“Who sent it?”

“It’s from the heads of Krauss and Astar.”

When their names were mentioned, a memory suddenly slipped in

Elena’s head. She had asked them to do something for her before she
was taken to Lunen.

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It was related to the child in Elena’s stomach.

It was about the clan that served the dragons.

Elena beamed at his confession of love.

Carlisle, Elena, and their child. Now it seemed that the only thing left
for them was to live happily from now on.

The thought of a future different from a grim old life made Elena’s
heart soar.

Chapter 309 – No Matter What

Carlisle shot a glance towards Zenard standing outside, and Elena
gave a nod of her head and answered.

“I think I should look into it.”

Carlisle looked regretfully at Elena and kissed her on the forehead.

“…It’s hard to get you all to myself.”

She could not help but smile at the longing in his words. After the war
with the Duchy of Lunen, Elena and Carlisle spent many leisurely hours
alone as they traveled. She found it silly that he expressed
dissatisfaction at every small disturbance, yet she found it endearing
at the same time.

Carlisle released Elena from his embrace and spoke in a soft voice.

“Bring the letter.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With permission given, Zenard stepped into the tent. He noticed

Carlisle’s resentment, however, and quickly apologized.

“I seem to have interrupted your private time. I’m sorry.”

“You should be.”

Elena quickly poked Carlisle in the ribs for his remark, then turned
towards Zenard.

“Thank you. These are the letters I’ve been waiting for.”

“Not at all. It was delivered to the Imperial Palace first before arriving
here, so they are late. Please take that into consideration, and let me
know if there’s anything you need.”

“I will.”
Zenard handed the two letters to Elena, bowed politely, and left the
tent. She watched Zenard’s retreating figure, then soon looked down
at the envelopes, where the seals of the Krauss and Astar families were
stamped on them respectively. Her heart was in her throat, and she
was nervous to check the contents.

‘I hope it has some good information in it.’

Overall, it didn’t matter if she couldn’t remove the curse from the
Imperial Family. She loved Carlisle so much that her feelings towards
him weren’t affected by it, and she also considered the child growing
inside her to be precious. Apart from that, however, her heart
lamented over Carlisle’s unhappy childhood and the hatred he carried
for the black scales.

And so, Elena wanted to remove the curse as much as possible. If their
child were to inherit it, it would be quite painful for Carlisle as well.
She didn’t know how much guilt he would feel passing on the curse to
his own child.

As she stared moodily at the letters, Carlisle, who was watching her
from the side, gave her a questioning look.

“What kind of letters are those?”

Elena was interrupted from her bleak thoughts, and she raised her
head to look at Carlisle. His blue eyes were filled with worry, and her
gaze couldn’t leave his perfectly sculpted face. It was the face of the
man she loved, the one she imagined over and over whenever times
were difficult.

She held the letters in her hand, then pointed to the bedside where
she was sitting.

“Come sit down here.”

Carlisle’s expression hardened suspiciously, but he sat down where

she indicated without complaint.
“What is it?”

“There’s no reason to be nervous. I just thought it would be a good

idea to talk this over with you before I opened these letters.”

“Yes. You can tell me anything.”

Elena couldn’t help but smile as Carlisle waited expectantly for her
story.

“In truth, as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I made a request to

the heads of the Krauss and Astar families. There is a tribe that
worships the sacred dragon. Maybe you’ve heard of them.”

“…”

Carlisle’s expression turned guarded. He always withdrew when he

heard stories about his cursed blood. He stared at Elena for a moment,
then lowered his eyes and looked at her stomach.

“You wouldn’t have to worry if it weren’t for me. I’m sorry…”

“No, don’t say that. I don’t want you to apologize from now on.”

Elena grasped Carlisle’s hand, which was much larger than hers. His
hands were roughened and calloused from years of holding a sword,
but to Elena, they were strong and friendly. Warmth bloomed at where
they touched, and she continued.

“No matter the contents of these letters, I will do my best to break this
curse. But don’t misunderstand. Even if I do this for you and our child,
it doesn’t mean that I dislike you. Even if I can’t find a way to end this
curse…it won’t change anything.”

Carlisle’s eyes swam with complicated emotions, but Elena’s gaze was
steady as she looked straight at him.

“I love you. No matter what you are.”

She slowly raised her hand to cup his perfect face.

“Even your scales look impressive to me.”

Carlisle remained silent for some time. However, he did not look as
conflicted as before, as if a heavy burden had been relieved from his
mind. He looked up at Elena with a tender gaze and smiled. She was
the only one in the world that ever saw him look like this.

“You are quite the incredible woman, my wife. I didn’t think I could be
any happier, but here I am.”

Carlisle took Elena’s hand that was on his face, and pressed his lips
against it as he looked at her.

“I’m glad that I met you. And I’m glad that you are the woman I fell in
love with.”

A soft smile glimmered on Elena’s lips.

“I feel the same way. And you don’t know how grateful I am to carry
the dragon’s blood with me after I was kidnapped.”

Elena endured many physical hardships while in the early stages of

pregnancy, and even ended up riding on horseback and fighting
Paveluc. The child never would have survived the difficult journey if it
were weak.

“A normal child wouldn’t be able to bear it. I believe our child is

healthy because they resemble you, and so they stayed with me until
the end. Because of that, I could never give up.”

Even if she killed Paveluc and ended the war, Elena didn’t think she
would smile as she did now if something went wrong with the
pregnancy. She was immeasurably grateful that the child in her
stomach was still safe. Carlisle replied with a smile.
“It seems that the little thing already understands its filial duty to its
parents.”

Elena gave a small chuckle, then waved the two envelopes in her hand.

“So, shall we take a look?”

“Alright.”

At last, Elena opened the envelope with Krauss’ seal on it and pulled
the letter out. Elena and Carlisle both read the letter at the same time.

[To Her Majesty the Empress.

I’ve learned about the tribe you inquired about.

It was very difficult to locate them, as they are vagrants that don’t
remain in one place for a long time. Once they move locations, it’s
unknown where they go next, thus contact is difficult.

However, currently they are residing close to the Ruford Empire, so

please reply quickly if you want to contact them.

I will do my best.]

Elena’s expression brightened. She had prepared for the worst

outcome and expected they might not be able to find the tribe, but
her plan seemed to be yielding results. Carlisle also seemed pleased.

“Now let’s read the letter from the head of Astar.”

“Yes.”

She opened the letter from Astar next. It contained additional

information about the tribe.

[The tribe that you inquired about had suffered from a severe drought
in the kingdom they lived in last year, and life is very difficult for them.
As the head of Astar, we know what food and medicines they want.

If you wish, we can prepare the goods and contact them.]

In summary, Krauss knew the location of the tribe, while Astar gave
information on how to bargain with them. Indeed, they were the most
resourceful people in the empire. A smile broadened across Elena’s
face.

“I promised to give a generous reward to whoever gave me the most

information, but I might have to reward both.”

“Go ahead. Ask Astar to prepare the items the tribe wants, and we can
ask Krauss to be a go-between so we can meet.”

“Yes, that’s a good plan.”

Elena gave a vigorous nod. Carlisle looked at her expression of delight

then glanced back to the letters.

“Since the tribe’s location changes frequently, shall we meet them first
and then return to the Imperial Palace afterwards?”

“Ah, that’s true. It will take a lot of time to stop by the palace and then
come out here again.”

What’s more, the letters arrived at the Imperial Palace first before
being rerouted to Elena, which had already eaten up their time. More
importantly, the more her baby grew, the more difficult it may be to
act. Elena wanted to meet the tribe as soon as possible and find out if
there was a way to break the dragon’s curse.

Carlisle, still looking at Elena, spoke in a low voice.

“If that is what you wish, let me help you from now on.”

“Really?”

“As I said before, it gives me great pleasure to serve you.”

“Thank you. It’s reassuring to hear that you take action.”

Carlisle grinned at the remark.

“Then I will live up to your expectations. I’ll prove to you how capable
your husband is.”

In truth, Carlisle hadn’t even thought about removing the curse. There
was no reason for it. No matter how wretched the ability, the previous
emperors had let the bloodline continue because of its power.

But not Carlisle. He never liked the fact that he had dragon’s blood in
his veins, but he believed things would never change even if he broke
the curse.

Now that Elena was pregnant with their child, he had a change of
heart. He didn’t want his curse to be transferred to the child. But
Elena’s wish was the most important reason.

“In the beginning, I would have said it was impossible to remove the
curse. But now that there might be a way, I just can’t walk past it. So
don’t worry, I’ll solve it.”

His words were the height of arrogance, but since Carlisle was the one
who said it, it felt natural. He was the Emperor of the Ruford Empire.
He would dig up every detail of the dragon’s curse, even if it took him
years to do so. Elena nodded happily.

“Yes, I believe you. But as I said, I don’t care if it’s impossible. We’ll just
do as much as we can.”

“Yes.”

He leaned forward and kissed Elena on the forehead.Then, he raised

himself up from the bed with new resolve on his shoulders.

“Don’t bother writing while you’re pregnant. Your wrist will hurt.”
“Ah, well—”

“I’ll tell Zenard to reply to them. We’ll also redirect the procession so
we can stop by the tribe’s location.”

As usual, Carlisle did thorough work. Elena smiled and gave a nod.

“Alright.”

“Let me take care of this from now on. You should stay in bed and get
some rest.”

“Yes, I will.”

Carlisle looked at Elena as if he wasn’t ready to leave her side yet, but
he soon exited the tent. Elena smiled in contentment as she watched
him leave. Carlisle had offered himself to her, but she felt like she had
gained a thousand troops and horses.

***

Contact with the tribe happened quickly.

Once again, Elena witnessed the thoroughness and accuracy of

Carlisle’s work. He exchanged information with the two family heads,
coordinated the goods the tribes wanted, and directed the procession
to the area where the tribe was staying. Fortunately, it wasn’t too
much of a detour from the Imperial Palace.

At last, Elena, Carlisle and thousands of soldiers arrived in a dense

forest of natural beauty. Through Krauss’ arrangement, several
tribesmen in unusual dress were waiting for them at the meeting
place. The most noticeable of them was a white-haired old man.

Seugeu—
Carlisle was on horseback, and when he raised his hand, the army of
soldiers stopped in place at once. It was just a small display of how
well-disciplined the Ruford soldiers were.

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Ttagag, ttagag.

Carlisle approached the tribesmen on his horse and spoke in a clear

voice.

“Are you the tribe that worships the dragons as gods?”

The tribesmen already knew that the Emperor of the Ruford Empire
was coming, so they pressed their hands together like a prayer as a
greeting. The white-haired elder stepped forward and answered.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Chief Chanatha.”

Chapter 310 – God’s Blessing

Carlisle and Chief Chanatha exchanged greetings as Elena watched

from inside the carriage. Finally, she rose from her seat and stepped
outside, and Carlisle walked over to her with a worried look.

“You should rest inside.”

“No. I wish to talk to him in person.”

Knowing that it was pointless to argue, Carlisle got off his horse and
held out his arm to escort Elena to the meeting place. The
tribespeople were awed as the Emperor’s intimidating atmosphere
softened at the Empress’ presence.

“I heard that you would come to this place. Are you Their Majesties
the Emperor and Empress of the Ruford Empire?”
Chanatha was an ancient man with a mysterious air around him, and
while he was polite, he was not servile.

When Elena arrived in front of them, she replied with a nod of her
head.

“Yes. I am the empress of the Ruford Empire.”

“Then you are a very precious guest. Despite your pregnancy, you
traveled all this way here. Thank you for coming.”

Chanatha pressed his hands together and gave a deep bow. Elena’s
eyes were bright with interest. As of this moment, she wasn’t showing
yet.

“How did you know I was pregnant?”

“Call it a gift of blindness. As I grow older, I sometimes see things that

are otherwise unseen.”

Only then did Elena notice that Chanatha’s pupils stared ahead
unfocused. She thought it interesting that her pregnancy was noticed
by someone who could not see.

“May I ask why two esteemed persons such as yourselves came to see
our tribe?”

Elena glanced backwards at the thousand of soldiers that

accompanied them. She couldn’t speak about the curse in front of so
many people, and she dropped her voice.

“I’d like to discuss this in a private place.”

Chanatha nodded in understanding. A personal visit from the Emperor

and Empress of the Ruford Empire was never a casual affair. Chanatha
turned and pointed to a hut inside the forest.
“It’s a humble and shabby place, but I’ll take you inside, if you don’t
mind.”

“Of course.”

Elena was eager to speak, and Carlisle, who was listening from the
side, spoke in a low voice.

“Zenard.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Zenard came to his side at once. Then, after receiving his orders from
Carlisle, he turned to the procession and pointed to the best troops.

“You there will escort His Majesty, and the rest will wait here.”

“Yes, sir!”

The soldiers Zenard designated marched forward with a loud reply,

while the rest stood as still as statues. The tribes people watched the
display with interest, while Carlisle took Elena’s hand.

“Be careful not to fall.”

It was as if Elena was the only person in Carlisle’s eyes. Anyone who
saw them would notice that the entirety of Carlisle’s being was
devoted only to Elena.

An unexpected thrill shivered down Elena’s spine. Despite the

situation, it was enjoyable. When did she start to have this feeling? For
her, her husband was a man sweeter than any chocolate in the world.

“Yes, thank you.”

Elena took Carlisle’s hand with a radiant smile.

***
Only Chief Chanatha, Elena and Carlisle entered the hut. The rest of
the soldiers stood guard outside, but they remained some distance
away so they couldn’t hear any conversation. Chanatha offered Elena
and Carlisle the cleanest spot in the small abode.

“Please have a seat.”

“Thank you, Chief.”

When the three were seated, the chief once again spoke.

“Now, can you tell me why you visited our tribe?”

“We came all the way here…because I want to know about the
dragon’s curse.”

As Elena spoke, she stole a glance towards Carlisle. He didn’t say a

word, even though the story was relevant to him. He gave an
imperceptible nod of his head, as if to tell her it was alright.

“Curse? The curse of the Great Dragon can vary depending on who
you ask, so I can’t give you a clear answer from only that.”

“Well…”

Elena paused to choose her words. She wondered where to start. She
didn’t want to reveal the full details of the Ruford royal family as much
as possible.

While she hesitated, Carlisle spoke first.

“A human greedy for power ate a living dragon’s heart. His

descendants were cursed by madness and a thirst for blood.”

“Th-that…!”

Chief Chanatha did not look like a man who was often surprised, but
he trembled in shock at Carlisle’s words. For a tribe who worshiped
dragons as god, it was a terrible and blasphemous story to hear.
Carlisle continued without regard.

“Is there a way to break the curse of the last dying dragon?”

Chanatha managed to still himself, and he shook his head.

“If there is, it won’t be easy. The combination of hatred and revenge
makes the curse stronger.”

Elena, who remained quiet so far, spoke.

“If there’s anything you know, please tell me. Not all descendants are
cursed, but it does appear to apply to children who have strongly
inherited the power.”

“Do you mean…a human can have the power and curse of a dragon at
the same time?”

“Yes.”

“…Interesting.”

Chanatha stroked his chin meditatively.

“Then, is there anything that awakens the ability?”

“I heard that when a child manifests the dragon’s power, the child
craves human blood and must drink it. But will the curse go away if
the child doesn’t drink blood?”

Chanatha shook his head slowly.

“If it is as you say, then the power and curse are two sides to the same
coin. Giving up one side may mean the child may not live.”

After the imbibement of blood, as one’s abilities became stronger, so

did the curse. If one tried to suppress the dragon’s power, the curse
may become stronger. There was no guarantee that the curse would
disappear if one attempted to contain the power. Without knowing
how the power and curse were intertwined, it was dangerous to judge
or act recklessly.

Elena’s expression darkened when she heard the chief’s words.

Meeting the tribe was the easy part, but the more they talked, the
more she realized that lifting the curse was not an easy task.

‘…My baby.’

Elena’s hand subconsciously stroked her stomach. She wanted to

remove the curse from her child as soon as possible. But if she
couldn’t…it wouldn’t change the fact that she loved it all the same.

‘Whatever you are, your mother’s love won’t change for you.’

Sensing someone’s gaze on her, Elena turned her head and saw
Carlisle’s handsome face. She gave him a faint smile and took his
hand.

In the past, only her father, Derek and Mirabelle could be called her
family. But that changed now. Carlisle and their child were precious to
Elena. She never expected to be so taken in by them.

“It’s too early to give up. Just trust me, and I’ll find a way.”

At his resolute vow, Elena nodded with a happy smile.

Chanatha observed the trust and contentment between the couple

with his unseeing eyes. Where he usually saw darkness was a rainbow
of brilliant light. The curse that Elena and Carlisle had asked about was
terrible, but the emotions between them were completely different. In
Carlisle, he sensed an inky darkness and strength, and Elena, a good
heart and the selflessness to sacrifice herself for others.

The child in Elena’s stomach was also extraordinary. It was an abstract

feeling to Chanatha’s blind eyes, but his instincts had never been
wrong.
‘…Even if I could help, I don’t believe it’s the right thing to tell him.’

The family was cursed for taking out the heart of a dragon. Indeed,
Chanatha wasn’t even sure if he could lift the curse.

“Is there anything else you can tell us?”

“I…”

Chanatha was about to speak worriedly, when he suddenly sensed a

bright blue glow hovering in his eyes like a firefly. He opened his
mouth with a look of surprise.

“Do you have something in your hand?”

“My hand?”

Elena looked curiously downwards. The Dragon’s Orb ring that Carlisle
gave her as a child rested on her finger.

“Ah, this ring…or should I call it the Dragon’s Orb?”

“D-Dragon’s Orb? It emerged from the one who was cursed?”

“Yes.”

“Can you show me?”

Elena slipped the ring from her hand and handed it to Chanatha. The
chief took the ring with a pious gesture. He was amazed as he sensed
the faint but pure blood of a dragon.

‘How could a human make this?’

This was absolutely impossible. Of course, it wasn’t a perfect Dragon’s

Orb, but no human had the ability to create such an object.

The image of a cursed man gradually disappeared in Chanatha’s mind.

It was true the ancestor had sinned in claiming the dragon’s power in
such a blasphemous way, but the descendants were still of dragon’s
blood. Chanatha wondered if he should reject the descendants, or
worship them like dragons as well.

What was clear, however…

It was no longer necessary for Elena and Carlisle to worry about the
curse. The origins of it were terrible, but the family were now
descendants of a dragon. If so, Chanatha no longer had any reason to
hide what he knew.

“Thank you. Here.”

Chanatha stretched out his trembling hand and returned the Dragon’s
Orb to Elena’s palm. He then slowly opened his mouth to reveal the
truth.

“I cannot guarantee this will solve the curse. But there is an old legend
that has been passed down in our tribe since long ago.”

Elena and Carlisle listened attentively to this unexpected story.

“A dragon and a human fell in love, and a child was born between
them. But people who were jealous of their relationship set up a trap,
which led to the misunderstanding that the human companion had
cheated on the dragon. So the dragon left a terrible curse on his
human companion.”

“A curse…?”

Chanatha’s expression turned complicated.

“Her body would rot and decay until death.”

“Oh…”

Elena’s mouth fell open upon hearing the terrible curse. Chanatha
continued his story.
“Later, the dragon found out about the misunderstanding and wanted
to remove his curse. He then obtained the Zamida fruit to save her.”

“Zamida fruit?”

This was the first time she’d heard of the fruit. But Carlisle, who was
listening quietly, seemed to know about it.

“It’s a fruit from the tropics. I’ve heard it’s difficult to find.”

“Yes, that’s right. Zamida, in another language, means ‘god’s blessing’.

Legend has it that it is a fruit closely associated with dragons, and that
eating it will remove a curse.”

It was unclear if eating the fruit would really break the Ruford royal
family curse. However, Elena’s expression lifted upon having obtained
such a valuable piece of information.

“Thank you. You have been very helpful.”

“Not at all. However, it won’t be easy to bring the Zamida fruit to the
Ruford Empire. It is said the plant bears fruit only once every ten years,
and it is sensitive to the environment—”

Carlisle cut in.

“There’s no need to worry about that. Who do you think is sitting in

front of you?”

Chanatha bowed his head as if convinced by Carlisle’s words. If

Carlisle, the Emperor of the Ruford Empire, wanted something, he
would get it.

“I know it wasn’t easy to meet us, Chief. Thank you very much for your
time today. Once we obtain the fruit, may I send someone back if I
have questions? ”
Chanatha hesitated for a moment, but he soon nodded in acceptance.
He also wondered if this curse would lift.

“Yes. But you will have to tell me how it works.”

“Yes. We have also prepared some goods as a gesture of goodwill,

and I hope it will help your tribe prosper.”

“Thank you. I’ll accept the offer without refusing. In truth, my tribe has
been suffering from a severe drought last year.”

“Of course.”

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When the three finished their conversation, they rose to say goodbye.
Elena spoke first.

“Thank you very much for today. I’ll see you again.”

“Yes. I hope you will give birth to a healthy child.”

As Carlisle and Elena stepped out of the hut, warm sunlight fell upon
them. The weather was as clear as the feeling in their hearts. Today
was the first day they had the hope to remove the curse.

Elena turned her head to look at Carlisle, and she saw that he was also
looking at her. They smiled happily at each other.

Chapter 311 – If I Am With Him (1)

After meeting with Chief Chanatha, the military procession marched

towards the capital as originally planned. Crowds flocked the city to
welcome their return.

“Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!”

Enthusiastic cheers poured out in celebration as the soldiers paraded
through the streets. Some of the Ruford people had initially sided with
Paveluc, but when they learned that he had sold parts of the Empire to
the Kelt Kingdom, the people became betrayed and angry. Land and
slaves were usually offered as tribute when another kingdom was
involved in the struggle for the throne. Since the damage was left to
the people, Paveluc’s support had quickly plummeted. The crisis was
averted when Carlisle and Elena took victory, and the people were
joyous.

Finally, the dazzling carriage carrying Carlisle and Elena stopped at the
entrance to the palace. When the carriage door opened, Carlisle
stepped out first, then held out his hand for Elena. The appearance of
the Emperor and Empress drew out loud cheers from the crowd.

“Waaaaaaah—”

Carlisle, oblivious to the celebrations around him, picked up Elena in

both his arms once again, then walked to the Imperial Palace, the
crowd still applauding and shouting wildly behind them. Carlisle spoke
as he headed forward.

“You can relax now that we’re at the Imperial Palace.”

“Yes, I will.”

“I’ll be in charge of the investigation, so don’t worry about the curse

and just focus on your recovery.”

The meeting with Chanatha gave them a big clue on how to move
forward, but that was only the beginning. They had to find the Zamida
fruit first, and then see if it could lift curses just like in the legend. It
would take time to go through so many parts.

“However…”

“I will regularly report my progress to you. You’re pregnant now, so

please rest easy.”
He was truly concerned about the injuries Elena sustained in the early
stages of her pregnancy. She understood his worry, and she gave a
nod.

“I know. This curse won’t be solved overnight anyway, so I’ll do as you

wish.”

Carlisle’s expression softened with relief, and he leaned his head

towards Elena. He lay a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Thank you for understanding me.”

“But of course. I know you’re worried about me.”

They were used to showing affection like this now, but those in the
Imperial Palace were amazed. No emperor had ever acted like this
before.

“G-greetings to His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the

Empress. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire.”

Each of the palace servants gave them a respectful bow, then stepped
away to give them a wide berth. Elena was a little embarrassed by it,
but she smiled when she saw Carlisle’s warm blue eyes staring at her.
Rather than being ashamed by him, she basked in the tenderness of
the moment.

Normally she would have asked him to set her down by now, but
when she did not protest, Carlisle looked at her in slight surprise.

“You didn’t ask me to put you down. I thought you didn’t like
attracting attention.”

“Not necessarily. It’s true that I worry about undermining your

authority, but I can’t hate being in your arms. It’s just…”

Her words trailed away, and Carlisle looked at her curiously.

Color flooded her cheeks, and she dropped her voice.
“I just don’t want the others looking at me when I’m so happy. It’s
embarrassing if my face is different from usual. I don’t want my
feelings towards you to be out in the open…”

Elena, who was trying to explain her reasons, stopped talking when
she realized what she was saying. She felt Carlisle’s arms tighten
around her body, and when she looked up at him, a wide smile split
his face.

“It was for that cute reason?”

“I just worry I can’t control my facial expressions in front of you.”

Elena blushed and gave a nervous smile. Carlisle then nodded in reply.

“You’re right. You can’t show that face to other men besides me.”

Carlisle repositioned her so that her face was hidden inwards, and held
her more strongly than before.

“Only I get to see you, your lovely eyes, your lovely face…all of it.”

The smile on Elena’s face brightened. These ordinary days were the
epitome of perfect bliss. She couldn’t find the words to describe the
warm spring breeze blowing through her heart.

As Carlisle and Elena gazed affectionately at each other, a voice called

out to them.

“Heug, Your Majesty.”

Elena, who was still tucked in Carlisle’s arms, turned her head in the
direction of the tearful voice. She saw the faces of Mary and her
nanny, whose shocked expressions were decorated with wet cheeks.

For a long time, Mary had been blaming herself for putting Elena
in danger. If Mary hadn’t stepped on the branch when they
encountered the assassins, the Empress would not have
been kidnapped. Now, Mary was immensely grateful to hear of Elena’s
survival.

Elena looked at Mary’s and her nanny’s tear-swollen faces, then turned
back to speak quietly to Carlisle.

“Please set me down here, Caril.”

Carlisle looked a little reluctant, but he carefully lowered her down

without a complaint. Elena approached Mary and the nanny, leaving
her husband behind. Mary spoke with a thick voice first.

“Welcome back—heug. You don’t know how relieved I am. Every night
I prayed for your safety. I am sorry…truly.”

Elena gave a small smile and lightly held Mary’s shoulders.

“There’s no reason to apologize. I’m happy that you’re alright. I was

worried that you might have been captured when running away.”

“Heueug, Your Majesty.”

Mary burst into uncontrollable sobbing. The nanny delicately wiped

her tears from her face, then spoke with similar emotions.

“I was worried when I heard you suffered while pregnant…but you

don’t seem to be hurt anywhere.”

At the nanny’s concerned words, Elena released her arm from Mary
and hugged the nanny standing next to her. Soon, the three of them
ended up in a close embrace. Elena looked at the group, and
soothingly rubbed her hands at their backs as they cried.

“Now that I’ve returned, you can both stop crying.”

But Elena’s words made only Mary and nanny cry even more. Elena
looked back at Carlisle standing behind her, looking a little
embarrassed.
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Carlisle merely stared back with a displeased look. It didn’t matter that
Elena was with other women—he didn’t seem to like that she was
hugging other people. The reason for his discontent was so obvious
that she couldn’t help but laugh.

At that moment, Elena realized that she had returned to what she
considered home. This once was a very strange and awkward place
when she first set foot in the Imperial Palace and married Carlisle…

Now, it was a place for her to rest.

Elena looked at all the people who welcomed her, and then closed her
eyes.

She felt comfortable here.

Chapter 312 – If I Am With Him (2)

***

Before Elena knew it, several months had passed since the war
with Paveluc. After the first trimester of her pregnancy, her stomach
began to noticeably grow round, and she began to feel the baby’s
movements inside of her.

So far, she had only thought about pregnancy in an abstract way.

Now that she was experiencing it herself, she realized how enormously
difficult it was to bear a child. Anytime she experienced pain, Carlisle
was immediately by her side. Though their relationship had started
out as a contract, Elena was once again grateful that this man was her
husband.

Chyalalalalageu—
Elena pushed aside the curtain, and came out of the fitting room
wearing an unusual blue dress. The fabric was a unique material not
readily available on the market, and the color was reminiscent of a
deep ocean or blue sky. The detailing on the dress was so exquisite
that anyone could see that the dress was specially designed for Elena.
If it weren’t for her rounded belly, one wouldn’t even notice that she
was pregnant at all.

Mary’s eyes sparkled in admiration.

“Wow, the dress suits you so well. Is it a gift from Lady Mirabelle?”

“Yes. I sent her my measurements, but even I didn’t expect it to fit so

perfectly…”

Elena was delighted that Mirabelle made a dress just for her, and she
turned around to examine herself in the mirror.

After Elena had returned to the Imperial Palace, she and Mirabelle
often wrote letters to one another. Elena hadn’t seen her sister in
months, but after receiving the dress, she could tell how vastly
Mirabelle had improved.

A warm smile grew on Elena’s face, when Mary noticed someone and
hurriedly bowed.

“Y-Your Majesty, you’re here?”

Elena’s eyes naturally slid towards the entrance of the dressing room.
There, Carlisle was coolly leaning against the wall, looking
overwhelmingly handsome in a black tuxedo. Elena gave him a smile.

“Since when were you here?”

“Just now.”
Mary quickly bowed to them, then hurried outside the dressing room
to leave the couple alone. Elena studied herself in the mirror again
and addressed Carlisle.

“How do I look? It’s been a while since I made a public appearance,

and I’m a little nervous.”

Today was finally the celebration day of her pregnancy. The party was
to take place in the Imperial Palace, and had been delayed
several times. Carlisle approached her slowly and spoke.

“You’re beautiful. You ask questions which are too obvious.”

“I know. But you always say that I’m beautiful, so I don’t trust you.”

Carlisle’s eyes softened, and he took Elena’s hand. He brushed his lips
against the back of her hand, his breath hot against her skin as he
spoke.

“But it’s true. I’ve never seen a woman more beautiful than my wife.”

Elena’s cheeks turned red at his surprising words. She couldn’t tell him
no. Even if what he said wasn’t true, his words made her happy.
However, he seemed to notice her doubt.

“I mean it.”

Elena smiled and nodded, knowing that there wasn’t anything she
could do to change his mind.

“I know.”

“How are you feeling? Will you be able to attend the party?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Tell me if you’re tired. We can postpone the party, or we can just

forego it entirely.”
“No. We’ve been putting it off because you’ve been worried about
my condition. If we postpone it any longer, I’ll have already given birth
then.”

There were many people who wished to congratulate the Empress on

her pregnancy. Since the child was likely to be the only one to carry on
Carlisle’s bloodline, it was likely to be heir to the throne, regardless of
gender.

“I’ll allow the party, but let me know if you have even the slightest
discomfort.”

“I know. I’ll tell you if it’s too difficult for me, so don’t worry.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

Carlisle looked relieved after her answer. He straightened his posture

and held out his arm to Elena.

“Shall we go then?”

She gave him a soft smile. Carlisle obviously disliked parties, but he
would join hands anywhere, even if he had to walk through Hell.
As long as he was with Elena, he would always be happy.

“Caril…”

He turned towards Elena. His blue eyes shone warmly in the sunlight,
and she spoke in a tender voice.

“I love you.”

His eyes widened at her sudden confession. It was not new; they had
confessed their love to each other several times before. But whenever
Elena said those words to him, it was as if the whole world stopped.
Then, a smile spread across his face. No matter how much time had
passed, he would always feel bliss around his wife. This time was no
different.

“This is a problem.”

“Why?”

“I’ve been falling more and more in love with you, and I can’t seem to
get you out of my head.”

She smiled and gave a sweet smile in present.

“There’s no such thing.”

“I prepared a present for you today. Please look forward to it.”

She gave him a startled look, as any present he gave her was always
beyond what she expected.

“What did you prepare?”

“You’ll see when you get there.”

“….Ah!”

Elena suddenly flinched and grabbed her stomach, and Carlisle looked
at her worriedly.

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“What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

“Yes. The child gave a kick.”

“Well, then I’ll have to punish them when they’re born for bothering
their mother.”
“That’s enough. They don’t know anything.”

The two of them laughed and chatted as they walked to the palace’s
banquet hall. From behind, they looked like a comfortable pair.

Chapter 313 – Do You Like It?

Many people gathered to celebrate Elena’s pregnancy. After the war

with Paveluc, the Ruford Empire had become the most powerful
country on the continent. The number of envoys from various
countries and Ruford nobles was staggering, and the hall was abuzz
with people laughing and talking.

“Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of the Ruford Empire.”

A loud voice announced the presence, and the towering door opened.
Carlisle and Elena appeared together. The Emperor stood tall in an
elegant black tuxedo, and beside him, the Empress showed off her
beautiful figure, which, were it not for her rounded stomach, was
unbelievable for a pregnant woman. At their appearance, the people
in the hall spoke with one chorus.

“Hail to His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress. Eternal
glory to the Ruford Empire.”

As the royal couple strode into the hall, everyone bowed their heads
in respect. The two sat at the head of the table and looked upon the
party with pride. Carlisle addressed the hall in a loud voice.

“Today is a joyous occasion to celebrate the Empress’s pregnancy, so

please enjoy yourself.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Carlisle’s devotion to Elena had once been the widespread topic of

rumors, but now there was no one on the continent that didn’t know
how beloved his wife was to him. As soon as Carlisle sat down, he
immediately studied Elena next to him.
“Let me know if you feel too crowded.”

“I’m fine. You must already be tired walking a few steps here.”

Elena smiled at him in reassurance, and he stroked her cheek with his
fingers and smiled back. Because she hadn’t been in public for some
time, many people in the party had never seen such a smile from
Carlisle before. The warmth in it caught several people’s breaths.

Despite Carlisle’s doting concern, Elena felt very excited about the
lavish party, as it had been quite some time since she attended one.
The chief butler approached Carlisle and Elena and spoke quietly.

“Your Majesty, many people have brought gifts to celebrate their

pregnancy. May I start the gift ceremony now?”

“Of course.”

Elena replied with a happy nod. Under the direction of the chief butler,
the names of those who brought gifts were called in order. The first to
stand before Elena and Carlisle were the envoys from the Kelt
Kingdom.

“My sincere congratulations on your pregnancy, Your Majesty. This is a

wild ginseng from our Kelt Kingdom. I hope you will have a healthy
delivery.”

Since the death of Paveluc, the Kelt Kingdom had been the most wary
of the Ruford Empire, and rightly so. Elena received the rare gift with a
polite expression.

“This is a precious gift. I accept it.”

Elena’s manner was polite, but she didn’t treat them warmly. It was
subtle, but there was a sense of distance between them.
The Kelt envoy gave a servile smile and tried to offer a few more
words to Elena, but then he hurriedly left after seeing the expression
on Carlisle, who was sitting next to her.

Marchioness Marissa Holland came up to see Elena next. She was the
noblewoman that had often been kind to Elena in the Southern
provinces.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty. I’m so happy to hear that you’re
pregnant. I have prepared a gift of lemons, a special produce from the
south. Just in case you want to eat some fresh fruit…”

Although the Imperial Palace had lemons, the lemons grown in the
south were especially juicy and sour. Elena, who had grown up in the
south, thought that other lemons didn’t taste as good. Elena answered
with a bright expression.

“Thank you. I’ve been wanting to eat lemons from the south. I love
your gift, Marchioness Holland.”

Marissa’s face colored at Elena’s praise.

“I’m glad to hear that you like it, Your Majesty.”

” Come to think of it, the dress that you are wearing today is made
from the fabric I gave you at the wedding reception.”

“Oh, I am honored you recognized it. I believe today is a good day to

show off the gift I received from you, Your Majesty.”

“It suits you very well.”

After exchanging a few friendly words from each other, Marissa

returned to her position. She was not the only one waiting. There were
countless nobles who wanted to give her expensive presents and
make an impression. After Elena had received a dozen gifts, Lady
Margaret approached.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy, Your Majesty.”

For the first time, Elena stood up and held out her hand towards her
friend.

“I heard that you were busy with your marriage preparations to

Marquis Coleman. Congratulations to you, too. After seeing you every
once in a while at just the Empress’ palace, it’s nice to see you here
too.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I’m also glad to see.”

“I’ll be sure to attend your wedding, too.”

“Heug, Your Majesty…”

Margaret’s wedding was close to Elena’s last month of pregnancy, but

she couldn’t help but thank Elena’s willingness to attend. Margaret’s
eyes were wet with emotion as she looked at Elena.

Two more women stepped up behind Margaret. It was Stella, a

popular socialite in the capital, and Yulia, the flower of society.
Margaret, Stella and Yulia, gathered together, were Elena’s ladies-in-
waiting. Stella spoke as if she were secretly envious.

“Your Majesty, isn’t Lady Lawrence so beautiful?”

“Yes, I know.”

From the side, Yulia nodded mischievously. The bright expression on

her face was much different from her previous cold, cynical look.
These three women were the Empress’ closest aides, and were the
ones Elena opened her mind to at the palace. Elena smiled brightly
and welcomed Stella and Yulia.

“You’re all here too.”

“Yes. How can we miss the celebration?”

Stella presented a jewelry box to Elena.

“This is a precious jewel that I received from my parents when I was

married. I hope it will please Your Majesty.”

Yulia, standing next to her, held out a beautifully wrapped hat.

“I’ve made a hat for you to wear when you go out. I’m worried that the
sun will burn your white skin, so please use it when you go outside.”

A hat made by Yulia, a fashion leader in the capital area, was

incomparable to anything sold in an ordinary dressing room. Elena
smiled cheerfully as she accepted their gifts.

“Thank you. I’ll cherish it all.”

Margaret, who had missed out on giving her gift because of the other
two’s arrival, hurriedly glanced next to her.

“Your Majesty, this is what I’ve prepared…”

At her words, a servant stepped forward, bearing a heavy fur coat in a

child’s size. Elena’s child would be born in the winter, and it was made
in advance. Margaret’s thoughtful gift brought a smile to Elena’s face.

“I couldn’t ever imagine a gift like this. Thank you again.”

“Not at all, I’m very happy that Her Majesty is pleased.”

Margaret scratched her nose and smiled innocently. As Elena lingered

for a while with her ladies-in-waiting, the chief butler stepped forward
to interrupt carefully.

“Your Majesty, shall I ask the others to delay?”

“Ah…”

Elena was about to reply, but Carlisle, who had been quietly watching,
spoke first.
“That’s enough. Let’s take a break. Leave the gifts that haven’t been
received today.”

The butler nodded at Carlisle’s order.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The number of gifts was far too many to accept for a pregnant woman
to accept one-by-one anyway.

“It’s been a long time since you and you ladies-in-waiting have
gathered in one place, so please talk more comfortably.”

Margaret, Yulia and Stella seemed to envy Elena for her husband’s
careful consideration. The three ladies-in-waiting answered at the
same time.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

But Carlisle’s eyes were still focused on Elena. He lightly stroked her
cheek and spoke in a soft voice.

“But don’t leave me alone, my wife.”

“I know.”

The three ladies-in-waiting watched the sweet atmosphere between

Carlisle and Elena. Finally, Elena and the other women moved to a
place where they could talk quietly among themselves. Margaret
blinked as if she suddenly remembered something.

“Your Majesty, did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“Ah, come to think of it, it’s not a good story for a pregnant empress
to hear, but…”

“Tell me, it’s alright.”

“Do you remember Lady Jenner?”

Elena gave a slight nod. There was no way she could have forgotten
how Sarah Jenner had tried to harass her. Still, Elena released Sarah
without any punishment as a reward for testifying of Helen’s
misdeeds.

“I heard that the Jenner family was completely ruined.”

“What happened?”

Because the Jenner family was particularly wealthy, Sarah spent time
around the more famous children of high society. However, her family
wasn’t poor enough to be ruined overnight.

“I heard that Lady Jenner was scammed under the pretext of

marriage.”

“Scammed?”

Elena looked at Margaret in disbelief. In Elena’s memory, Sarah was

one to quickly calculate profit and loss. It was hard to believe that she
had been cheated. Margaret also seemed to agree with the idea.

“Rumors suggested that a prince of a kingdom lied about his identity

and proposed to Lady Jenner. The Jenner family didn’t know he was a
swindler, and poured all their money for the marriage… Now they’re
nobles only by name.”

” I see…”

Elena remembered Sarah to be the cunning type. She thought that she
might fall for a trick someday, but she didn’t expect that she would be
frauded this way. Elena fell silent for a moment as she remembered
the last time she saw Sarah. As maids came in with food, Yulia spoke.

“Your Majesty, did you eat yet?”

“No, not yet…”

“I thought so. I’ll tell the maids to bring you food that you can eat, so
please wait here.”

“No, you don’t have to.”

Elena declined, but Yulia stood up smiling.

“Don’t worry. Just chat with the others for a while.”

“Ah! I’ll help you too.”

Margaret hurried after Julia, and they disappeared among the crowds
of esteemed guests. Elena and Stella were left alone, and Stella
opened her mouth to speak.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to say something to you…and I think I’d

better take this opportunity.”

“Is something wrong?”

Stella’s expression turned serious, and Elena looked at her

questioningly. Stella continued in a low voice.

“After this party, I plan to be honest with my husband about my

hidden child.”

“…!”

Elena’s eyes widened at Stella’s unexpected confession. So far, the

Countess had been extremely reluctant to reveal her deep secret.
However, her face was set as if she had already made her decision.

“I’ve been thinking a lot since I spoke with you the other day.
Although I’m still afraid… I think this would be the best.”
Having experienced the future, Elena knew that the choice Stella made
now was more welcome than any other choice. Elena nodded
sympathetically.

“That’s a good plan. I’m sure Count Viviana will understand.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. You two are known as lovebirds in the social circles.”

A warm smile broke through Stella’s cool facade.

“Your Majesty, what are you talking about? Are you saying you don’t
know who the true lovebirds of the Ruford Empire are?”

“…!”

It wasn’t until Elena heard her words that she realized that the most
recent popular couple were herself and Carlisle. As Elena turned red,
Stella’s laughter grew.

Yulia and Margaret, who had left to get food, came back with two
servants carrying two full trays. Elena’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Why did you bring so much food?”

“Of course the Empress should have this much food.

Please, help yourself. That way, you’ll be healthy.”

Elena gave a grateful smile. She looked at the three people near her:
Stella, Yulia and Margaret. In her last life, she couldn’t particularly call
them friends, but not anymore. Unlike the days when she felt lonely
even when always at a fancy party, she now had people with whom
she could open her heart. Feeling a different kind of warmth from the
last life, Elena beamed.

“Thank you. I’ll eat well.”

***
Elena spent her time joyfully with her friends, before returning to the
emperor’s and empress’ seats. Carlisle had a look of slight boredom
on his face, and she returned to him worriedly.

“Were you waiting for me?”

“Not at all. I’m not cut out for parties.”

As he spoke, a vague smile spread on Carlisle’s face after seeing Elena.

He was a man with extreme temperature differences in the absence of
his wife.

“Shall I wrap up as soon as possible and get back to you?”

“No. Now that you’ve seen many other people’s gifts, it’s time to see
what I’ve prepared.”

Elena had briefly forgotten about Carlisle’s promised gift. She worried
what kind of gift he had prepared.

“What did you prepare…?”

“What did I prepare? It is a gift given with sincere congratulations on

your pregnancy.”

As Carlisle smiled and raised his hand into the air, Zenard, who was
waiting nearby, approached from the side. Elena looked on in half-
curiosity, half-worry. After a moment, Zenard shouted out loud.

“Attention, everyone!”

The noisy hall fell silent. The people’s attention turned towards
Zenard, and he slowly spoke.

“This is an official declaration. As of today, the name of the state of

Lunen will disappear completely from the continent. It’s new name
is…the state of Elena.”
Murmuring broke out at the unexpected announcement. Of course,
Elena was the most surprised. She turned her head towards Carlisle
and spoke in a trembling voice.

“C-Caril, this is…”

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“This is my gift to you, The state of Elena is yours.”

Elena’s mouth fell open in surprise. He always liked to give grandiose

gifts, but this was truly beyond her imagination. To reorganize the
state of Lunen into Elena meant more than just money or power—her
presence would long be recorded in Ruford history. Carlisle leaned
over and kissed his stunned wife’s cheek.

“Do you like it?”

“Really…I can’t stop you.”

Elena pulled Carlisle’s shoulder towards him in a hug. It was an

enormous gift, and she couldn’t be happier. The state of Elena. It
erased Paveluc and Lunen from history, and a new future was born in
their hands.

Chapter 313 – Warm Spring Days

Not only did Elena become the Empress of the Ruford Empire, but she
was also the first duchess of the Duchy of Elena. It was a tremendous
honor to have a principality named after her. As a result, everyone
began to see her in a different light. After Carlisle, she was clearly the
most powerful person in the Ruford Empire.

Despite this, her daily life remained mostly unchanged. She entrusted
someone else to manage the principality, and was still focused on her
future child. The nanny watched Elena make baby clothes, and then
spoke.

“You can leave that to me.”

“No. I want to do this with my own hands. Anyway, this is just a little
extra to what you make.”

The nanny smiled, and stroked one of the baby clothes on the table
that Elena had already finished.

“This reminds me of the Countess, for some reason.”

“My mother?”

“Yes. Even in the past, she always wanted to prepare for the baby
herself, just like you.”

“…Really?”

She paused in her sewing and looked at the nanny. It was the first
time they’ve ever talked about the past like this. Elena’s mother had
died so long ago that her memories of her were limited.

“Is there anything else? I wonder what Mother was like when she was
pregnant.”

The nanny’s eyes were far away as she reminisced.

“When she was pregnant with Master Derek, she suffered from severe
morning sickness. Fortunately, when she was pregnant with you, I
remembered she ate and slept well. She probably liked that you were
a gentle child.”

If Elena had heard this story in the past, she would not have fully
understood it. Now, she empathized with her mother completely.
While she never saw her mother’s pregnancies, of course, she could
clearly imagine it.
“I’m glad I wasn’t too hard on my mother.”

“Haha, well, as I said, you were a gentle thing. The last time your
mother was pregnant, it was with Mirabelle. The pregnancy was so
difficult that she couldn’t even step out of bed.”

“She suffered a lot with Mirabelle?”

Elena had a vague memory of her mother being pregnant, but she
didn’t know the details at the time. The nanny replied with a smile.

“You may not be able to imagine it now, but Mirabelle was a

troublemaker in your mother’s stomach.”

“I never knew that Mother went through so much hardship.”

Elena smiled faintly and stroked her round belly. She wondered what
kind of child was growing inside. Until now, Elena was someone else’s
daughter, but now she was the parent of a child. She still didn’t quite
process it yet. Later, when the child is born, she may well pass out
when they make eye contact with her.

Her mother, whom she missed, probably felt the same way. If her
mother was with her now, she may be able to tell Elena more… All
there was now was the feeling of her mother’s absence.

“…I miss you, Mother.”

Elena gave a little murmur, and the nanny smiled warmly, and took
Elena’s hands with her own deeply wrinkled ones.

“Among your siblings, you resemble her the most. You have the same
beautiful face and strong personality. Don’t forget that your existence
is because of her love.”

“Nanny…”
“Your mother may not be with you, but she will always be watching
you.”

Elena’s nose started to feel stuffy at the unexpected words the nanny
gave her. Now that Elena had a child to love, she could imagine that
her mother would have looked at her in the same way in the past.
Elena became even more choked up, and she looked up at her nanny.

“You have to stay with me for a long time, nanny. You raised my
mother, took care of me, and now you must watch my child grow up.”

“That is also my wish.”

Elena and the nanny exchanged mutual looks of affection. Elena felt
grateful all over again. This was a different future in which her nanny
could be with her in this life. The happiness that Elena risked her life
for was now safe by her side.

“Talking brings up many other memories. The Count fell in love with
the Countess at first sight and passionately pursued her.”

“Father?”

Elena’s eyebrows lifted in disbelief. It was unimaginable, given

Alphord’s blunt nature. The nanny gave a knowing smile.

“The Count’s personality was the same at the time, but he was
incredibly sweet in front of his wife.”

“Really? Well, I think it was like that in my childhood, too.”

“They looked so wonderful together then… When your mother died

first, the Count was deeply grieved.”

Elena nodded in agreement. She knew that her father had never
forgotten about their mother. If Elena had been in her father’s position
and had lost Carlisle, the hole in her heart would never be filled. Elena
spoke in a low murmur.
“Is Father better yet?”

Alphord had yet to return to the Ruford Empire due to the severity of
the injuries he suffered from Paveluc. As soon as Elena arrived at the
Imperial Palace, she had prepared the most skilled doctor with the
best medicines, and sent the doctor to Alphord.

After hearing about their father, Derek went to Alphord to take care of
him, and occasionally wrote to Elena updating her on their father’s
condition. Although she did not see her brother’s face, she knew he
was worried.

It was then—

Ttog ttogeu.

There was a knock on the door, and the voice of a servant speaking
urgently.

“Your Majesty, I have news for you.”

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Because there hadn’t been urgent news recently, Elena looked at the
door with a puzzled look.

“What’s going on?”

“I hear Count Blaise is back in the capital.”

“What?”

The unexpected news surprised Elena. Even the nanny was shocked as
well, and their widened eyes met in midair.

Chapter 315 – Warm Spring Days (2)

***

As soon as Elena heard that Alphord had returned, she hurriedly

prepared to leave for Blaise Mansion after having not visited for a long
time. The procession that followed her was quite massive, and she had
a large number of guards and attendants that cared for her while she
was pregnant.

She finally arrived at Blaise Mansion. Derek, who had already heard
the news, was waiting for her at the entrance. She stepped off the
carriage and greeted her brother.

“Brother.”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“You should have told me in advance that you were arriving at the
capital with Father.”

“Well…Father was reluctant to tell you the news, because he didn’t

want to worry you while you were pregnant. Still, please understand
that we contacted you after arriving at the mansion.”

Elena was familiar with Alphord’s stubbornness, and had a rough idea
of what Derek went through. She replied with a nod.

“I understand what you mean. Where’s Father?”

“I’ll take you to him.”

Derek took the lead and guided her to Alphord’s room. Because she
was now at Blaise Mansion, there was nothing that could endanger
her, and the escorts remained at the door.

Finally, it was only Elena and Derek alone inside. The latter slowed his
footsteps and spoke in a careful voice.
“I had misrepresented the news about your death, and it could have
caused a major accident with the Emperor. Once again…I’m sorry.”

“No, it was an honest mistake then. The Emperor understands

everything, so don’t worry about it anymore.”

She was rather concerned that Derek was still hung up on it. In her
eyes, it wasn’t his fault at all. If Elena had been in his position, she
would have thought the same thing.

“The important thing is that you and Father are safe and sound. And
as a result, the war resulted in a great victory.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Don’t judge yourself based on one incident alone. Because of the

strategic movement of your troops, Father and I had been able to
avoid Paveluc’s pursuit for a long time.”

“…”

“This is late, but you risked your life for me… So thank you very much.
Brother.”

At Elena’s words, Derek’s footsteps slowed to a halt, and she stopped

and looked at her brother. For a moment, they stared at each other in
silence. Elena’s gaze conveyed exactly what she thought of her
brother, and conversely, how much Derek cared about her. She
offered him a soft smile.

“You probably don’t realize how much I rely on you.”

At that, Derek immediately fell to one knee like a perfect example of a

knight.

“If you are ever in any danger in the future, Your Majesty, I will run to
you. And then…I will certainly save you.”
Derek had pledged this countless times to her. Even if he didn’t say
anything else, the true emotions of his heart were passed on to Elena,
and she nodded and gave a radiant smile.

“Thank you again, Brother.”

***

Kiiiig—

After Derek took her to Alphord’s door, Elena went into the room
alone. There she saw her father laying in the dim light. It was a miracle
that he was alive, but it broke her heart to see the bandages wrapped
around him because he couldn’t be completely healed.

She stood in place for a moment as she stared at her father’s figure
lying on the bed.

“Who’s there? Please bring me some water.”

Alphord’s hoarse request caused Elena’s eyes to turn towards the

glass of water on the table. She gently picked up the glass and held it
out to him, and his eyes widened upon seeing who she was.

“Your Majesty…”

“Do you feel alright?”

Alphord attempted to raise his injured body rather than answer

Elena’s question. Startled, she hurriedly pressed her father back into
bed.

“You can omit the greetings. One wrong move will reopen your
wounds.”

“How can I, as a servant of Your Majesty, lie down when you enter?”
Elena swallowed a wry smile. Alphord was the ever-loyal knight, but he
didn’t know how to be a loving father. Elena didn’t come here as an
empress; she came here as a worried daughter visiting her sick parent.

When Alphord treated her only as an empress, she felt a chasm

between them. She thought they had become closer on the
battlefield, but now it felt like they were back to square one. Had it
been in the past, Elena would have hidden her disappointment and
pretended to be fine. But now…she would not.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Father. It is known all over the world that the
Empress of the Ruford Empire is a daughter of the Blaise family.
Would you make me a cruel empress who makes her injured father
bow?”

“…!”

Alphord’s dark green eyes trembled slightly at Elena’s words. He had

never considered this before. Elena had been hiding her feelings from
him for a long time, and he never intended to be hated by her. Until
now, she believed he would love her if she became an obedient
daughter.

However, Alphord did not know what made Elena grieve this way.
Communication between them had disappeared. Only recently did
Elena realize it. So she vowed to express her feelings more frankly the
next time she met her father. And that time was now.

“I hope you don’t call me ‘Her Majesty’ too much. As you know, there
aren’t many people who call me Elena anymore. Sometimes I just want
to be Elena, not the empress.”

“…”

“So, can you call me by my name when we’re alone?”

“…Very well, Your Majesty.”

When Alphord replied with an honorary title, he glanced at Elena with
a wry look. It was an unfamiliar expression to Elena, and she stared at
him without realizing it. Alphord spoke again, apparently
misunderstanding her expression.

“…I’ll occasionally call you Elena.”

The moment she heard his words, it was as if a huge weight had been
lifted deep from her heart. It was only a tiny change, but at the same
time, a world-shifting one. Elena’s and Alphord’s relationship did not
change overnight. Like Alphord’s blunt personality, Elena’s secretive
nature didn’t disappear instantly. But very slowly, things would
certainly be different.

Elena carefully adjusted Alphord’s rumpled blanket, then spoke.

“Get well soon, Father. I have so many things to say.”

She hadn’t even told him that she had returned to the past with a new
life, or that she had become an excellent knight. She couldn’t imagine
how he would react once he heard the whole story, but one day she
intended to be wholly honest.

“If you have anything to say, please do so. I’ll be waiting.”

Upon hearing that, Elena returned a bright smile.

“Then I’ll have to tell you this first.”

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Elena took Alphord’s roughened hands and squeezed it warmly. He

looked at her in puzzlement, and she spoke.
“Thank you so much for staying with me. From now on, you should
live a long and healthy life. You should also hug your first grandchild
soon.”

“Ah…”

Alphord’s eyes slid to Elena’s rounded belly, and an irresistible smile

split across his face. Though he already knew that his daughter was
pregnant, this was the first time he had confirmed it with his own eyes.

Elena smiled happily at him. Somehow, it felt like this warm spring day
would really remain.

Chapter 316 – A Normal Day

As time passed and Elena’s due date approached, she frequently felt
sharp pains in her stomach. In addition, headaches and dizziness were
common, so people hovered around Elena’s vicinity for any possible
situation. As such, Carlisle’s concern for her only increased. He
completed the minimal amount of work for the day, then went to his
wife’s side.

“How are you? Are you feeling well?”

Elena smiled faintly as she lay in a soft bed.

“Yes, don’t worry. Recently I called a doctor because of stomach pain,

but he said I was fine.”

“How can I not worry? If I knew you would suffer like this…I would
have been against the pregnancy.”

“Shhh, the baby’s listening.”

Despite Elena’s comments, Carlisle glared disapprovingly at her round

stomach. The child had been putting Elena through a lot of stress as
of late. He had heard of many cases of sickness and death during
childbirth. Carlisle settled himself next to Elena’s bedside, his
expression troubled as he stroked her face.

“I never want to see my wife suffer again. Whatever the gender of the
child, they will be my successor.”

A daughter would be difficult due to the low social advancement of

women in the Ruford Empire, but that mattered little to Carlisle. It was
better to change imperial law rather than watch Elena suffer.

In any kingdom, the emperor routinely had many children, and the
most distinguished of them all was named the heir. But Carlisle had no
intention of taking in another wife other than Elena, and he did not
want her to go through another pregnancy. Their child would be the
next emperor, whether girl or boy.

Elena suddenly winced and held her belly with both hands.

“Ah.”

“Wait.”

Carlisle stood up and was about to summon a doctor, but Elena

grabbed his sleeve with one hand and shook her head.

“I’m fine. The doctor said it was a natural symptom at this stage and
nothing to worry about.”

“But…”

“The pain will soon fade. You know that, Caril.”

Just as Elena said, Carlisle had seen Elena go through these phases
before. The pain naturally disappeared each time, so it was useless
calling a doctor unless there was some abnormality.

Carlisle sat himself next to her, looking more pained than she was. He
gently rubbed her hands in feet in hopes of easing her tension.
Fortunately, Elena’s pain did not last long, and soon after her
expression relaxed again.

“Thank you.”

“…I wish I could give birth instead.”

At the seriousness of Carlisle’s face, Elena burst out laughing. He

didn’t know how much his words meant to her. Carlisle truly was a
lovely man. Because he was by her side, she could endure any
hardships that came her way.

“Have you thought of a name for our baby?”

“I have since the last time you asked me about it.”

“What is it?”

“Serena.”

“That’s a girl’s name, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I want her to be a beautiful girl that looks like you.”

As he spoke, Carlisle’s blue eyes glimmered with a warm light. He

wore a wonderful smile as he looked at his wife’s face.

“But you should also consider a boy’s name, too. That’s too feminine
for a son.”

“If it’s a boy, I’ll go and think about it then. Or you can just name the
boy.”

She shook her head at Carlisle’s radically different attitude towards

daughters and sons. He wanted a daughter who looked like her from
the start, while Elena wanted a son that looked just like him. After a
moment of reflection, Elena spoke.

“If the baby’s a boy…what about naming him Crow?”

“Crow?”

“Yes. There’s a Ruford Empire legend that tells of a bird that never
dies. If this child is a boy…well, he has endured many difficult
hardships while in my stomach, so it seemed suitable.”

Carlisle gave a nod.

“That’s a good name. Very well then.”

“Don’t you think you’re agreeing too fast?”

At Elena’s teasing words, Carlisle chuckled and kissed her cheek.

“No. I like everything you do.”

Elena couldn’t help but smile faintly. Then, unbidden, a yawn came out
of her mouth. Carlisle quickly noticed her exhaustion and laid her
body down more comfortably.

“If you’re tired, rest. You were tossing and turning last night too.”

“Yes. I feel sleepy all of a sudden.”

Elena lay on her bed, looking up at Carlisle with her hazy eyes, and this
time he kissed on her forehead. His expression was full of special
affection.

“I’ll stay with you until you wake up. Have a good sleep, and then you
can eat whatever you wish for dinner.”

“Alright.”

“Good night, my wife.”

Carlisle’s voice rang pleasantly in her ear, and she closed her eyes into
a long and comfortable sleep. She felt very warm and happy…like she
was walking on clouds.
***

Another month passed by in a flash. After going through several

periods of pain, Elena’s real delivery date arrived.

“Aaaagh!”

A cry of pain came from Elena’s mouth. She’s been poisoned, hit by an
arrow, and stabbed by a sword before, but she had never experienced
pain like this. The whole world seemed to whirl before her eyes. The
midwife, who was in charge of the delivery, cried out from the side.

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t lose consciousness! Give more strength!”

“Aaaagh!”

Elena wanted to obey the midwife, but her body hurt so much that she
found it difficult to command it. As her period of labor grew longer, so
did the worry on the nanny’s and Mary’s face. However, their worries
paled in comparison to Carlisle, who was waiting outside the room.

Ttubeog ttubeog.

Carlisle couldn’t remain still and was pacing restlessly. A terrible

energy was emanating from him, and Zenard was concerned that the
Emperor’s fragile sanity might snap and he might go into another
rampage.

Kwaang!

An impatient Carlisle struck a table with his fist.

“It’s already been an hour. When is the baby coming out?”

Zenard hurriedly tried to calm him down.

“It depends on the mother, but some childbirths take a long time.
Please wait a little longer…”
But before Zenard could even finish speaking, there was another
scream from the room.”

“Aaaaah!”

Carlisle’s face paled when he heard the scream. It sounded like

something had gone wrong with Elena. He yanked the cravat from his
neck.

“Let me in. Something might happen to the child. But my wife is not
allowed to get hurt.”

“I-I understand.”

Carlisle looked ready to storm in the room if Zenard hesitated a

second longer, so Zenard quickly called a maid so he could speak to
the midwife.

If Carlisle had to choose between the child and the mother, he would
choose Elena unconditionally. Carlisle’s usual proud expression was
hardened with tension, and it was the first time anyone here had seen
him with such impatience.

As Elena’s screams grew, his tolerance began to thin. He couldn’t wait

any longer. Just when he felt that he was at his limit—

“Waaaaah!”

At last, a child’s wail broke out. Carlisle heard the sound and couldn’t
stand it any longer, and immediately burst into the birthing room.
Several maids were diligently scurrying about, as various items needed
for childbirth were scattered around the room. It was a dizzying sight,
but amid this organized chaos, Carlisle’s eyes fell only to one person.

Elena was laying on the bed covered with sweat, and he quickly
approached her. He wiped her forehead and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“You did a great job.”

Elena replied with a faint smile to let him know she was alright. The
nanny sidled up to him, carrying a bundle of white blankets.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty. You have a healthy son.”

The baby already had a head of thin, black hair. He was a boy who
looked exactly like Carlisle. The nanny held the child out to Carlisle,
but he simply stared at the baby, motionless. Elena looked at him in
puzzlement.

“…Caril?”

At that moment, she could read the fear in Carlisle’s blue eyes. He had
spent his entire life believing that the dragon’s blood that coursed
through him made him a monster. But when he saw the child who
looked just like him, he seemed scared.

The child’s tightly closed eyelids began to open. He had one blue eye
that resembled Carlisle, and one red eye that resembled Elena’s. The
newborn boy had unusual eyes that took after both his parents.

Different babies had different times when they would first open their
eyes, but this was quite soon after a birth. Carlisle’s stiffened
expression finally relaxed. He had a realization when he looked at his
new son; while the boy mostly resembled himself, he was a child of
Elena’s.

As if possessed, Carlisle slowly took the child from the nurse’s arms,
and stared at him with widened eyes. Elena was relieved to see Carlisle
calm so quickly. Carlisle held the baby out to Elena, and spoke with a
faint note of pride.

“See? Our child.”

At his words, Elena nodded with a light smile. The child looked
healthy. He looked just like a combination of both his parents. It was
an unspeakably moving scene for her.
This was the day Crow Walter Ben Ruford was born, to be recorded as
a member of the Ruford Empire in history.

***

Crow grew rapidly. He was only three months old when he turned over
in bed by himself, surprising Elena. He seemed to grow a little faster
than other children, which made her both happy and worried at the
same time.

“Crow, did you have a good time with your nanny today?”

Elena held her child and waved his little arms in the air. The more
Crow grew, the more he resembled Carlisle. With each passing day,
her affection for the child grew.

As she was taking care of him, she heard someone approaching. She
turned her head in the direction of the sound, and saw Carlisle walking
towards them.

“Caril, you’re here?”

“Why are you watching Crow? Leave it to the others.”

Elena wished to take care of Crow as much as possible, but Carlisle

was still worried that her body was hurt. She replied with a smile.

“I didn’t want to leave him to the nanny.”

“Still, don’t hold the child carelessly. If you don’t do it properly, your
wrist will hurt.”

Carlisle quickly took the Crow from Elena’s arms. Elena, who lost Crow
in an instant, smiled as if she couldn’t help it.

“Some people say Crow’s special. It’s only been three months since I
gave birth, and now he can hug.”

“No, you need to rest more. You’re frailer than others.”

That was a false sentence, considering her excellent skills as a knight.
However, she didn’t mind that Carlisle looked at her like that, and she
had a ticklish feeling in her heart.

“You’re calling me weak…”

Elena chuckled, and Carlisle approached her with Crow in his arms and
kissed her eyes.

“And don’t take care of Crow too much. There is one more man here
who desperately wants your love.”

“Please refrain from excessive skinship in front of the baby, Your

Majesty.”

Elena’s tone turned joking, and Carlisle grinned.

“Well, he should know who his mother is. If it weren’t for our child,
would you allow me in your arms?”

“Are you jealous?”

“…A little.”

Carlisle grinned and kissed Elena’s face again, this time raining light
kisses on her face. Elena gave a peal of laughter.

“That’s ticklish.”

Carlisle whispered in her ear as he looked at her bright expression.

“Who was it that told me to avoid excessive skinship?”

It was then.

Crow, who was huddled in Carlisle’s arms, gave a little babble.

“Oaah.”
Carlisle and Elena were shocked. Elena spoke first with wide open
eyes.

“Did you hear that?”

“I did.”

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“Oh my god, our Crow said something!”

Elena hurriedly brought her face close to her baby’s.

“Crow, try again. Hm? ”

Carlisle looked unhappy about losing her attention, but he finally gave
a soft smile. Like his beloved Elena, a child whose eye resembled hers
was more precious to Carlisle than anything else in the world.

A very ordinary day was drawing to a close again. For both of them,
happiness was not a faraway dream anymore. If the three of them
remained a family together like this, it would always be a happy day.

Chapter 317 – Given Another Life

When the Ruford Empire was completely stabilized, the soldiers who
made great contributions in the battle against Paveluc were
rewarded handsomely. The list of awards had already been confirmed,
but it was only recently that all payments were completed.

Firstly were Alphord, Derek and the elite soldiers who infiltrated Lunen
to save Elena, and they all received an increase in position and salary.
In addition, all those who died during the war were buried in the
Ruford Empire’s Patriot Cemetery in honor of their deaths.
Zenard solidified his position as Carlisle’s right-hand man, however, it
was Kuhn that had the most dramatic rise in status. He served well as
Carlisle’s subordinate, but he was always looked down on by the fact
that he was a humble slave and assassin. Carlisle formally bestowed
upon Kuhn the title of baron along with a few territories, freeing him
from the stigma. Although the title Kuhn owned was relatively low, the
land he owned was equal to that of any other territory, and it was
likely that his rank would continue to go up. The nobles would react if
Carlisle rewarded Kuhn too high of a title at once, so the Emperor
remained prescient. Kuhn, who had always been hidden in the
shadows, had now proudly established himself as a nobleman.

Finally, Carlisle confirmed that all compensation was completed.

“I took care of it according to your will. Do you approve?”

Elena, who was sitting beside him, smiled and nodded.

“Yes, I’m very pleased.”

“I’m glad. I was a little surprised that you wanted to give Kuhn a title.”

Carlisle would have considered it even if Elena didn’t ask about it, but
he never expected her to bring it up in the first place. Elena looked at
the report confirming that Kuhn was made baron, and replied in a
quiet voice.

“…I didn’t want to interfere between the two if possible, but I wanted
to relieve their burdens.”

Elena did not know everything that happened between Kuhn and
Mirabelle. While Mirabelle still seemed to like Kuhn, neither of which
seemed to be willing to make a move. That was why Elena wanted to
break down the barriers between the two. If they wanted to be with
each other, they could approach each other with a lighter heart. Of
course, it was up to them to decide what kind of ending they would
have.
Carlisle looked at Elena questioningly.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s someone else’s love story. Do you want to know what it’s about?”

Carlisle answered with a single shake of the head.

“No. I’m already busy with my love life.”

At the same time, Carlisle reached out from his seat and pulled
Elena towards him. It was hard to believe that she had recently given
birth to a child, given the slimness of her waist. She smiled, knowing
that she couldn’t stop Carlisle.

“You haven’t even finished your work yet.”

“I don’t have anything urgent left to do. And with Crow, we don’t even
have enough time to be alone anymore. We should enjoy our time
together like this.”

Elena insisted on caring for Crow for herself and never intended to
leave him entirely in the hands of anyone else, so she didn’t see
Carlisle as often as she liked. She embraced her husband’s shoulder
with a small smile, understanding that their time together had been
dwindling recently. He was the man who made her realize that she
was loved at any unexpected moment. Now that she was by his
side…she was so happy.

The couple luxuriated in each other’s quiet presence, when they were
interrupted by a child’s cries and the sound of urgent footsteps.

“Waaaah!”

It did not go unnoticed to Carlisle’s and Elena’s sensitive ears.

Carlisle let Elena go, and Mary’s voice rang from outside the office
door.
“Your Majesty, the Prince is looking for you—”

Before she could finish, Elena quickly opened the door and went
outside. This wasn’t the first time Crow cried for his mother’s presence.
She held the crying child in her arms and spoke in a friendly voice.

“Why are you crying, Crow?”

“Waah, uh, uh.”

Crow stared up at Elena’s face with tear-filled eyes, then soon gave a
wet smile. His red and blue eyes shone mysteriously. Mary bowed her
head in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t interrupt your break.”

“Not at all. I told you to bring Crow anytime he wants me. I’ll put
him to bed now, so you can return to work.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Mary bowed back out of the office. Carlisle came up from behind her
and took Crow from her arms.

“You’re still a little one, and you’re already causing trouble.”

“He can’t help it. He’s still a little child.”

Carlisle held Crow up in the air.

“That’s why I tolerate you. When you’re a little bigger, it’ll be foul to
hog your mother like this.”

Crow waved his arms happily at him..

“Papa, Papa—”

It was as if he recognized Carlisle as his father, and Carlisle’s eyes

brightened as he looked at his child. Elena smiled, seeing father and
son with the same look on their faces. It was now a familiar scene of
their family.

***

One night.

Carlisle had told Elena to meet outside the Imperial Palace, and the
appointment time was quite late. Elena was puzzled by the request,
but she put Crow to bed, then headed out of the Imperial Palace with
her guards.

When she arrived at the meeting place the servant told her, she found
Carlisle waiting for her. His figure, astride on a horse and glowing in
the faint moonlight, was as majestic as ever. Elena approached with a
glimmer of a smile.

“Why did you ask to meet at this late hour?”

Carlisle cast Elena a warm glance, and spoke in a soft voice that he
reserved for only her.

“Meet? I’ve been wanting to get some fresh air with you for a
long time. You’ve been taking care of Crow lately, and hadn’t the
chance to leave the palace lately.”

Carlisle made a gesture, and a servant nearby pulled an immaculate

white horse towards Elena. It was a magnificent creature.

“You used to love riding horses. Shall we go together?”

“Of course.”

Elena’s mood lit up at Carlisle’s suggestion. As he said, most of her

time had been occupied caring for Crow, and it would be great to feel
the wind again. She mounted her horse, and Carlisle pointed to a
direction.
“Let’s go this way. Wouldn‘t it be fun to just run, and see who is
faster?”

“Well, no matter how good you are, you can’t beat me.”

She added a confident grin to her reply.

“Well, it won’t be easy for you to beat me, either.”

“There should be some reward for winning. What should it be?”

“Whatever it is you wish, tell me.”

“Very well. Let’s agree to the condition of the winner.”

They exchanged playful glances with each other. Carlisle spoke first.

“Shall we go then?”

“Yes!”

At a mutual signal, both Elena and Carlisle snapped their reins, and
their horses shot forward at incredible speed.

Tatatatatag!

Elena smiled as a cool breeze whipped around her body. It was

indescribably refreshing. This wasn’t the first time she rode a horse
alongside Carlisle, but it was always a thrill to experience. Suddenly, a
scene unfolded before her eyes.

“This is…”

From a certain point onward, thousands of candles lit up like red

carpet along the path where they were running. It was a
breathtaking sight. As a result, Elena naturally slowed down.

“What is this, Caril?”

Carlisle, who was galloping next to her, gradually stopped as well.

“How about a short walk?”

“Oh, yes.”

Elena nodded with a slightly curious look. Little did she imagine
Carlisle prepared for such an event.

As Elena hurriedly got off her horse, she could see a beautiful lake
situated next to an endless flower garden. It was a gorgeous location.
As she looked around, she suddenly remembered something.

— I went to the place I promised to meet with His Highness, and it

was all decorated with candles.

That was what Elena had said once before.

— It was a very beautiful place with a lake on one side and a garden
on the other.

She soon remembered where she had said this. When Harry had asked
if she had been proposed to at the wedding reception, she had quickly
made up this story. Her eyes widened when she realized this was the
same place she had fabricated.

Carlisle smiled softly and pointed towards the night sky with his finger.

“The weather is clear tonight, so you can see the stars.”

That reminded her of her other lie.

— From there I walked with His Highness and saw the stars floating in
the sky…and then he gave me a ring.

Of course, a proposal was not complete without a token of love.

— He told me I was the only one for him, and he proposed. It’s
embarrassing to talk about this.
Her face heated up as she recalled those words. She couldn’t believe
that Carlisle remembered a lie so old. Her voice trembled faintly as she
spoke.

“How did…how did you remember?”

“I never forget anything you say, no matter how small.”

Carlisle pointed to the lake sparkling beneath the moonlight.

“It took a while to build this man-made lake. There was no place in the
Ruford Empire that you described.”

Of course. This place was a lie that she had made up on the spot.

Carlisle, who was walking slowly, stopped completely and took a small
ring box out of his arms. The box opened with a small click, and inside
nestled a woman’s ring designed in the same style and shape Elena
had given Carlisle a long time ago. Her face turned red, and Carlisle
spoke in an earnest-roughened voice.

“Will you stay by my side forever, as I do now?”

Elena’s heart pounded wildly in her ears, but she replied as casually as
possible.

“This is not a proposal. We are already married and have our child
Crow.”

“This is more important—not because it’s a proposal of marriage, but

a proposal to spend our lifetime together.”

Carlisle smiled and continued in a low voice.

“Marriage and Crow have nothing to do with winning your heart. That
doesn’t make you love me.”
Love was not a requirement for marriage, and having children did not
naturally lead to a loving husband. Even though Carlisle already
married Elena and they had a child, he was still trying to win her love.

“Caril, you really…”

The sweetness of Carlisle’s words threatened to overwhelm her. Never

had she heard anything so touching in her life. She was so grateful for
his love that she could burst into tears. Carlisle stroked the area
around her reddened eyes and smiled.

“Don’t cry. I wanted to see you happy.”

“But…I’m so happy, how could I not cry?”

“Still, I’d like you to smile if possible, because I like your smiling face
the most in the world.”

“Eu, really…”

A sob unintentionally came from her mouth, but she soon spread her
lips into a smile. Happiness filled her entire body. Carlisle slowly slid
the ring on her finger and gently pressed a kiss against it. Elena,
unable to hold back anymore, jumped forward to hug him.

“I will stay with you until my final breath. If there is another life after
this one, then I will love you too.”

For Elena, it was her second life. But if she was given another life, she
would still love Carlisle without hesitation. In response, Carlisle smiled
blissfully in her arms. She wished this moment would last forever.
But it was also good that it stopped. She never doubted that the days
ahead would be happier for them. At the thought, Elena delicately
wiped her moistened eyes.

“Oh, it turns out we don’t know who won the race.”

“I’ll accept whatever you want, so simply say it.”

“Tch, there’s no such thing.”

With a small smile, Elena let go of her arm holding Carlisle, and briefly
took a look around their beautiful surroundings. Tiny candles lit their
path endlessly towards their future.

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They didn’t have to go back yet, and the night was still long.
Elena smiled.

“Shall we resume the race?

Carlisle nodded and returned a small smile.

“As you wish.”

The two agreed with each other and climbed back onto their horses.
Both Elena and Carlisle rushed forward at the same time. They smiled
at each as their hearts fluttered freely in the breeze. Despite the thick
darkness of the night, the road ahead of them was bright. Like the
happy future of Elena and Carlisle.

Chapter 318 – The Teddy Bear And The Lady (1)

“…Euugh.”

Mirabelle, who was sleeping in bed, opened her eyes in a cold sweat.
The sound of heavy breathing escaped her lips even though she had
already emerged from the dream.

“Haah, haah.”

She brushed her arm against her damp forehead and looked around.
The room was still dark. Ever since she left the Ruford Empire to study
in the Freegrand Kingdom, she had had countless nights like this.
She turned to the familiar toy tucked next to her bed. It was a teddy
bear that was an unusual bluish-black color, and was wearing a large
jacket meant for a man. It was the last gift her mother had given her,
but it also reminded her of someone else. The bear was the exact
color of a certain person’s hair, and wore the jacket of that very same
person.

‘…Kuhn.’

Mirabelle mentally repeated the name that she could not say out loud.
Even when she closed her eyes, she could see him beneath her eyelids.
She even remembered the words she said to him.

— I’ll let you go. I won’t blame you if you don’t come back. Wherever
you are…I wish you all the best.

It was true that she let Kuhn go that day, but the words she spoke
were clearly a lie. Because she never let him go. Three years had
passed since Carlisle became emperor of the Ruford Empire, since
Paveluc died from the rebellion, and since Crow was born. Even after
more than three years of separation from Kuhn, Mirabelle’s heart
longed for him. He continually appeared in her dreams and prevented
her from having a good night’s rest. She hoped this longing would
gradually disappear, but strangely, it only deepened every day.

Mirabelle pushed away her blanket and raised her upper body.
Though she was a delicate girl, the maturing of her womanly figure
was evident beneath her nightgown.

She sat on her knees and stared at the teddy bear. She hoped that
Kuhn was happy, like the last farewell she left him. Truly.

But sometimes…

She wished he was unhappy. She wanted him to come back to her.

After a moment, Mirabelle inwardly scolded herself for even thinking

of such an idea, and went back to wishing for Kuhn’s happiness.
Three years later, Mirabelle still had trouble arranging her feelings
regarding Kuhn. She spoke in a low mutter.

“Today…I had a dream that you completely forgot me and passed by

me like a stranger.”

While she waited for her emotions to die down, Kuhn probably
already forgot about her. But there was nothing she could do.
Mirabelle looked at the teddy bear with a sad smile.

“Would you come if I waited…?”

Ironically, even in a dream, that did not happen. Mirabelle understood

it was hopeless. Still, this was all she could do.

***

Presently, Mirabelle was an aspiring fashion designer in the

Freegrand Kingdom. Although she started as an apprentice, she soon
rose to prominence and was now leading the fashion world with every
outfit she made.

As Mirabelle worked a sewing machine, a maid approached.

“My Lady, Master Harry Krauss has come to see you.”

“Really? Please let him in.”

Mirabelle quickly put aside the dress she was making and stood up
from her chair. Krauss and Freegrand have been dealing with clothing-
related businesses ever since she came to study here. As a result, she
naturally became close to Harry, who was similar in age to her.

Kkiig.

The door opened and Harry came in. He, too, had grown out of his
boyish looks, and had a slender, masculine face. In fact, Harry was very
popular in the social circles, as there was nothing he lacked, including
family, ability or character.

Harry greeted Mirabelle with a playful smile.

“How have you been?”

“Very well, thank you. I know you traveled far away for work, so I
didn’t expect you to come in person. ”

“The timing was right, so I stopped by to see you.”

“Have a seat. Do you want some tea?”

“Not at all. I only need to look at your face.”

“…?”

Mirabelle couldn’t find the words to reply. Unlike her, however, Harry
calmly went to the table and spoke again.

“All the dresses commissioned from you were sold at a higher price
than expected. Well, the dresses are in style in the Freegrand
Kingdom, so it’s natural.”

At the same time, Harry took out a coin purse and set it on the table
with a heavy sound. Mirabelle approached the table and checked the
contents of the purse. Her eyes widened when there was more money
in it than she thought.

“You made this much profit?”

“There were many ladies who wanted to wear the dresses you
designed.”

Harry spoke in a modest tone, but no matter how many people

wanted a dress, he never would have made this much profit without
his business skills as well. Mirabelle couldn’t hide the joy in her face.
“Thank you. Because of you, I can prepare next season’s clothes
without any worries.”

“You’re welcome, but there’s something else I’d like to ask.”

“Tell me, what do you want?”

“I would be honored if you would accept my request for a date today.”

“Oh, don’t joke.”

Mirabelle tried to playfully pass it over, but the expression in Harry’s

eyes turned serious.

“If I said this was not a joke, would you take it seriously?”

Mirabelle couldn’t hide her embarrassment. If Harry had made this

offer to another woman, she might have danced with joy. His pedigree
was excellent after all.

But Mirabelle didn’t feel that way. There was someone else she
couldn’t forget. She smoothed her expression and spoke in a level
voice.

“You’re the successor to the Krauss family, so you must constantly be

getting requests from social circles. Why are you saying that to me?”

“Well, you’re in no position to talk. You’re the sister-in-law to the all-

powerful Emperor of the Ruford, and the beloved sister to the
Empress.”

“Shh! Someone might hear you.”

Mirabelle’s eyes darted around the area to see if anyone was listening.
In truth, she hid her identity in the Freegrand Kingdom and worked
under the pseudonym of “Belle”. If she didn’t, a large number of
Freegrand nobles would have already come to her house and
bothered her.
Since childhood, Mirabelle hadn’t socialized much because of her
weak constitution, and very few people knew of her face because she
went abroad. Nevertheless, she still ended up with countless marriage
proposals.

“I won’t deny that your background is appealing. But that doesn’t

mean that’s the only reason why I want to meet you. I like everything
else about you as well.”

Mirabelle was already an attractive and charming young woman

herself. She had a pure aura about her, and she had matured enough
to start catching other people’s eyes. In addition, she had outstanding
talent as a designer. Harry liked it all—Mirabelle’s personality,
appearance, talent, background.

However, Mirabelle’s expression remained unmoved in face of Harry’s

sincere confession.

“I…I still like to work.”

“You know you can’t just do designs here forever.”

Because Harry and Mirabelle were both nobles, they could not escape
their duty of marriage. It was a fact that both knew without having to
say it. Realistically, the two were a perfect match for each other, but
Mirabelle was unable to accept the offer. She already had someone on
her mind.

“…I’m sorry.”

In face of Mirabelle’s unmoving refusal, Harry was forced to retreat. It

would only be more difficult if he pressed any further. He responded
in a light voice.

“Very well. Just tell me if you change your mind. If I may say so myself,
I am an excellent man.”

“…”
“I must go now. There’s someplace I have to be right away.”

Even in this situation, Harry was always busy. Mirabelle gave a nod. It
would only be more awkward to continue this conversation anyway.
Harry stood up first, and Mirabelle rose to see him off.

“Thank you for selling my commissioned dresses as well. You must be

very busy, and thank you for coming here in person. ”

“Not at all.”

After a final farewell, Harry strode out of the mansion. Mirabelle stared
at his increasingly distant figure, then turned away. She went back to
her room and sat at her sewing machine. Her heart tightened as she
recalled Harry’s words.

Harry was definitely a perfect man. If she married him, she would be
guaranteed a stable future. She would not only have wealth, but
respect throughout her entire life.

However, Harry was not a man who made her heart beat. Mirabelle
knew that. Harry seemed like the most obvious choice, but there was a
hole in her heart that couldn’t be filled by him.

‘…Girls like bad boys.’

Mirabelle smiled at the sudden thought. Then, as always, she went

back to work to forget her longing for Kuhn.

***

Mirabelle’s fragile constitution did not change completely while she

was abroad. One day she would be bedridden, and another day she
would be wholly devoted to work.

Then, one day.

A maid approached Mirabelle, the latter who was deeply focused on
transferring a design from her head to paper.

“My Lady, there’s a man here from the Ruford Empire.”

“Man? Ah!”

A thought that had been lost in the business of her mind suddenly
surfaced. For the past three years, Elena regularly sent supplies each
year. Mirabelle refused at first, but like clockwork every year, Elena
always sent fur and difficult-to-obtain medicines before winter came.

‘Is it already that time?’

Come to think of it, it had been quite cold lately. The first snow of the
season would be soon. Mirabelle nodded to the maid.

“Put the luggage in the room, and provide warm food to the party
who endured a difficult journey to get here. I’ll greet the man in
charge myself.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

The maid obeyed swiftly, as she had also become familiar with this
annual custom. Mirabelle returned to her desk and went back to
sketching on the paper. Only the sound of the pen scratching filled
the room.

Before long, there was a tap on the door. Mirabelle thought it was the
maid with further news, or perhaps the leader of the party that
brought the supplies.

“Yes, come in.”

The door opened and someone stepped in. Mirabelle was about to
stop what she was doing and put down her pen, but before she even
could even lift her head to see the person, she heard a voice that she
had long missed.
“It’s been a long while.”

Thud.

Mirabelle’s heart dropped to the ground. Her heart immediately

recognized the person without him having to introduce himself.
She slowly lifted her wide-eyed gaze to the person in front of her.

There stood a foreign man who looked out of place in this room,
watching her. His shock of bluish-black hair stood in contrast to his
pure white skin.

Kung kung kung.

Mirabelle’s heart started beating even faster than ever. Her pen
unknowingly slipped from her fingers and rolled onto the floor.
She struggled to force a word to leave her mouth.

“…Kuhn?”

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“How have you been?”

At Kuhn’s casual greeting, Mirabelle still doubted whether she was still
in real life. Kuhn coming to see her…was everything she had dreamed
of.

He began to walk towards her desk.

Kung kung kung kung kung kung.

Mirabelle’s heart drummed madly at the sight. Having gone three

years without seeing him, she thought she might have forgotten a
little bit about him. But as soon as she looked at his face, she knew.
Despite the distance and time, he had not changed one bit.
Chapter 319 – The Teddy Bear And The Lady (2)

Kuhn walked towards Mirabelle, then stopped at a close distance.

Mirabelle, who was watching the scene with a stunned expression,
pinched her thigh with all her might to make sure she was not
dreaming. She grimaced and gave a cry of pain.

“Ah!”

Kuhn looked at her in surprise.

“Are you all right?”

“Ah, yes! I’m fine.”

Only then did Mirabelle belatedly realize what she had done. She must
look like a crazy woman hurting herself out of nowhere. This
important moment could have been ruined because of her.

But she couldn’t help it. This didn’t seem real. Kuhn standing in her
room… It seemed like a fantasy that would blow away like dust before
her. Mirabelle was forced to confirm that it was real. The only problem
was that once she had done so, she wanted nothing more than to
disappear into the ground in embarrassment.

‘What should I do? Does he think I’m weird? I don’t know where to
look.’

But she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She dreamed so much about
Kuhn that this didn’t feel real. Mirabelle’s face burned with shame. She
awkwardly cleared her throat and pretended to act casually.

“So…how have you been so far?”

It was a simple, courteous question. But it was a different question she

wanted to ask.
Did you come because you missed me? Do you finally have the
courage to hold my hand?

Already, her head was full of expectations that he would end her wait.
If Kuhn answered that way, she would have no regrets dying at this
moment.

Finally, Kuhn moved his thin lips.

“I came to the Freegrand Kingdom for business, and Her Majesty sent
along some supplies with me. Here is a letter from Her Majesty the
Empress.”

Kuhn formally took out a white envelope, and Mirabelle accepted it

silently. She felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on
her head. Her hopeful expectations were immediately dashed. Reality
and her imagination were completely different. This was not a dream,
but real. Kuhn only came here under command, and he had no desire
to see her for himself. He was only present because Mirabelle wanted
to see the man delivering the supplies, and that man happened to be
Kuhn. That was all.

Mirabelle stood as frozen as a statue for a moment as she controlled

her bitter emotions.

“I see. Oh, I’m late, but congratulations.”

“…?”

“I heard you became a baron. I hadn’t had the chance to congratulate

you in person until now.”

“Thank you.”

Mirabelle had already heard that Kuhn became a baron some time
ago. Although it was a low position, that fact that he became a
nobleman did not change.
So, once upon a time, Mirabelle had high hopes. If the reason Kuhn
pushed her away was because of the difference in social status, then
he might return.

But quite a while had passed since then. Kuhn had rejected Mirabelle
because of a difference in status, but later she realized that it might
not be the reason all. He simply had no feelings for her, and refused
her confession in a way to not hurt her feelings.

But Mirabelle smiled as if it was alright. She wasn’t a little girl who
would toss away her entire heart anymore.

“There’s a guest room for the person who brings the supplies every
year. You may stay there until you return to the Ruford Empire. If
you’re not comfortable here, you can ask the maid for other
accommodations.”

“Not at all. I have to return to the Ruford Empire tomorrow, so I’ll

spend one night here.”

“Very well. If you need anything, tell the maid.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Kuhn bowed modestly to Mirabelle like he always did, then walked out
of the room. He seemed to glance at the designs on her desk before
he turned, but Mirabelle dismissed it as an illusion. He wasn’t
interested in her. Mirabelle couldn’t draw out fantasies in this
situation.

Kkiiig, deolkeong!

As soon as the door firmly closed shut, Mirabelle lost all her strength
and collapsed onto her chair. It was a very short meeting, but she
realized so many things in a short period of time. Kuhn really didn’t
have any feelings for her, and her wait wasn’t likely to end. The
thought of it broke her heart, but…
‘Still…it was good to see his face.’

She knew there was no hope, but she enjoyed seeing his face for the
first time after three years. This was how it always ended with Kuhn.
That was fine, though. There was no happy ending, and while her love
was one-sided, it was good to experience it.

‘…I’m glad.’

It was a real relief that she did not get caught up by her foolish
whimsies. She could be around Kuhn for one night. He wasn’t here for
anything special, but she could enjoy his company for a while. But
even after a long night of pain…that alone couldn’t stop her
excitement.

***

That night, Kuhn and Mirabelle had dinner together. It was not polite
to have Kuhn eat with the servants now that he was a noble.

She stared across the table to look at him. She never thought she
would have a meal with Kuhn in this mansion. They had only eaten
together once before, when Mirabelle gave him a healthy meal of
chicken. At the time, Kuhn had said:

— Young Lady, it’s not good for you to share a table with a servant.

Later, she understood how uncomfortable she made him, and vowed
never to force him to eat with her again. But now this unexpected day
has come.

Kuhn probably didn’t like being stared at, so Mirabelle lowered her
gaze and ate normally. The dining room was so quiet that the only
sounds were the occasional clacking of silverware. It was Kuhn that
broke the silence first.

“For some reason I thought there would be a chicken dish, but my

prediction was wrong.”
“Ah, tell me if there is something you wish to eat.”

“No. I guess I was just remembering what you served me before.”

Mirabelle realized that Kuhn also recalled that memory. But that was
probably just coincidence. That was a difficult time, so he probably
just remembered it even more.

“Then I’ll ask the chef to make it tomorrow to save those memories.
It’s been a long time since I had a guest, so the chef must be
wondering what to make.”

Mirabelle rang the bell on the table with a gentle smile. A maid posted
outside came into the dining room.

“Yes, My Lady.”

“Please tell the chef to prepare a healthy meal made from chicken
tomorrow.”

“Chicken? You don’t eat chicken.”

At the maid’s words, Kuhn glanced suspiciously at Mirabelle. He

seemed to remember that the chicken dish was one of her favorite
foods from the past. Mirabelle answered with an indifferent look.

“Not for me, but for the Baron.”

“Ah! I understand, My Lady.”

The maid gave a polite bow, then scurried out the room. Mirabelle
and Kuhn were alone again, and the latter made a questioning look.

“You don’t eat chicken anymore?”

“I don’t. My preferences must have changed when I got older. You

don’t have to worry about it. Anyway, I know you would be happy to
eat delicious food like before. And…I also apologize for any
inconvenience I gave you last time.”
As a child, Mirabelle looked at the world with a pure lens. She didn’t
care that Kuhn was a servant. With a later perspective, she realized
that she must have made him uncomfortable.

Kuhn replied in a soft voice.

“It’s alright. It’s already in the past.”

Mirabelle responded with only a slight smile. She couldn’t say she
didn’t eat chicken because of her memories of that time.

***

After Kuhn and Mirabelle finished eating dinner, they headed to their
respective rooms. Unfortunately, the two were headed in the same
direction, so they walked side-by-side for a while. Meanwhile,
Mirabelle inwardly thanked the universe for this small accident.

The pairs’ footsteps echoed in the hall. She listened to the sound and
slowed down a little more. She wished that this path was a little
longer.

Tuk, tuk, tuk.

A soft patter echoed against the window, and Mirabelle turned

towards the sound. White snow was starting to fall outside, and she
unintentionally let out a murmur as she witnessed the scene.

“Oh, it’s snowing.”

Kuhn, who was walking next to her, paused and looked out the
window. The snow drifted like glowing petals against the dark night
sky.

“Yes, it’s snowing.”

There was a note of melancholy in his tone, and Mirabelle gave a

smile. Kuhn was the same as he ever was. He was like that when they
went on their picnic together, and showed little interest in the natural
landscape. But Mirabelle was greedy to show him more. She believed
that scenes from nature made people feel relaxed, and she wanted to
crack Kuhn’s shell a bit. Of course, her feelings for him had not
changed.

“Winter is really coming. It’s getting colder.”

Mirabelle nodded her head and began to walk forward again. Then,
Kuhn shrugged off his coat and dropped it over her slender shoulders.

Seueug—

Mirabelle’s footsteps suddenly halted. His jacket was warm. His body
heat soaked deep into her skin as well as her heart…

She looked up at Kuhn, and he spoke in his neutral voice.

“You might catch a cold, so be careful.”

Why? Mirabelle felt like tears would burst from her at any moment.
This wasn’t a new feeling, but she rediscovered it all over again—Kuhn
was a man who could make any moment special. His act of
meaningless kindness made her as happy as if she owned the whole
world. She was so joyful at this moment, and at the same time so sad…

Mirabelle managed a weak smile.

“…Thank you.”

A complex expression crossed her face, and Kuhn looked at her

strangely. Mirabelle wondered at the meaning, but she missed the
opportunity to ask him when he started moving again.

The pair continued their silent stroll, until they finally reached the
guest room where Kuhn would stay overnight. There, a vicious-looking
man was waiting impatiently for them.
“You’re here now?”

He spotted Kuhn and quickly approached.

“What’s going on?”

“We have to move our schedule forward. There is urgent news from
the Ruford Empire.”

The man held out a piece of paper. Kuhn looked at the contents and
nodded.

“I see. Tell everyone to pack immediately.”

“…!”

Mirabelle’s eyes rounded at Kuhn’s unexpected decision. She thought

he would stay at least one night. He was supposed to sleep in the
mansion, and then tomorrow she would see him eat chicken. But her
wish was shattered.

“Do you have to leave right away?”

“Yes. I need to return as soon as possible.”

“Ah…”

In the meantime, the vicious-looking man already disappeared to

carry out Kuhn’s orders and inform the others to pack. Kuhn opened
the door to his room, where his luggage still remained unopened. He
didn’t need to pack like everyone else.

Kuhn walked back out of the room with his luggage, and turned to
Mirabelle who was standing by the door with a blank expression.

“Let me escort you to your room.”

Mirabelle’s mouth was bursting with so many things to say. She
wanted to see him a little more. She wanted to keep him here if she
could. But in the end, the word that left her mouth was short.

“…Yes.”

The road that Mirabelle hoped for had ended forever. The distance
from the dining room to Kuhn’s room, and then from there to
Mirabelle’s room, was everything she could have. It almost made her
angry.

When they arrived at Mirabelle’s door, Kuhn gave a polite bow.

“Thank you very much for today. I hope you are healthy as always.”

“Yes. And Kuhn…take care of yourself.”

“Then dream well, Young Lady.”

Mirabelle had yet to decide how to say goodbye to him. She was at a
loss at what to do at this sudden separation, and Kuhn had already
sharply turned away from her. As she looked at his cold back, she
pressed her lips together to hold back the tears that threatened to
escape.

‘When can we meet again?’

That was what she wanted to say.

‘You didn’t forget what I said I was waiting for, did you? You didn’t
forget my confession?’

She was still in love with Kuhn. She was still waiting for him. There
were so many words that she wanted to say, but they all jammed at
her mouth that, in the end, she could not say a single one.

She was afraid that she might be a burden to him… And, like before,
she was afraid to hold on to him in fear of holding him back. As a
woman who loved Kuhn, she didn’t want to bring any more harm
upon him. However…she could not suppress the desire to see him.

“…Heug.“

Eventually, a cry broke out from her lips. Only after Kuhn completely
disappeared could Mirabelle sit on the cold floor and cry as much as
she wished. The feeling of a broken heart was the same as before.
Even after all this time, it hurt to the point of death.

“Euheug, this is truly bad.”

She couldn’t even wipe the tears that flowed shamelessly from her
eyes. Then, through her blurry vision, she noticed a neat handkerchief
in front of her. She looked up and saw someone was holding it. As
soon as she identified who it was, she was so surprised that she
couldn’t even remember why she was crying.

It was a man with dark blue hair and pale skin. It was Kuhn, the man
that had just left her earlier.

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She thought he had gone completely, so she could not understand

why he was in front of her.

“Please let me ask you something.”

Kuon looked at her with an uncharacteristically complicated

expression.

“Are you crying because of me?”

A final tear slipped from Mirabelle’s eyes as they widened in

amazement. Wh-what? Mirabelle had no idea how this happened.
Chapter 320 – The Teddy Bear And The Lady (3)

“Why are you…”

Despite Mirabelle’s puzzled expression, Kuhn only repeated his words.

“Please answer. I asked you if you were crying because of me.”

Of course it was because of Kuhn. She cried because she despaired to

see him go. But Mirabelle could not bring himself to answer honestly.
Kuhn might move further away from her if he knew her real feelings,
so she shook her head.

“No, I’m not crying because of Kuhn. There’s just dust in my eyes…”

“You can curse at me for being bad.”

“No, I said it was dust.”

“You want me to believe that?”

“I’m telling you, I’m fine, so you don’t have to worry.”

Mirabelle knew she was making ridiculous excuses, but she couldn’t
step back. If Kuhn discovered the foolish feelings she harbored, he
really may not want to see her again.

But that too made her sad. Nothing hurt more than never being able
to see him again. Even if her heart was shredded into a thousand or
ten thousand pieces…she would still miss him.

Kuhn looked at Mirabelle and sighed.

“Here—”

He wiped the tears off Mirabelle’s cheeks with the handkerchief he

had offered. Although Kuhn’s touch was meant to console her,
Mirabelle’s eyes overflowed again, but she bit hard on her tongue to
swallow them back. No matter what happened, she couldn’t cry in
front of him. Her effort was so hard that her lip started to bleed, and
Kuhn spoke in a soft voice.

“You were honest before, so when did you start hiding your feelings?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Very well. If the Young Lady does not want to answer, then I’ll let
myself be deceived.”

It was as if he was implying the Mirabelle of the past was better than
the one now. A sense of unfairness bubbled up inside Mirabelle. Was
that true? It was as if her heart was being squeezed. She felt bitter as
she cowardly tried to understand the feeling inside her.

“If…if I said I cried because of you, what were you going to say in
reply?”

The hand that was wiping away her tears with a handkerchief suddenly
stopped. Kuhn seemed to find it difficult to look in her eyes, so she
smiled vaguely and continued.

“See…that’s why you don’t ask difficult questions in the first place.”

Mirabelle spoke firmly in conclusion, and Kuhn gazed at her with his
gray eyes.

“My Lady…you must be mistaken.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t think you like me.”

“That’s the problem.”

“…?”

Mirabelle looked at Kuhn questioningly. Mistaken. That didn’t make

any sense. She thought back a moment…
As the thought deepened, Mirabelle’s eyes began to tremble.
Something was wrong. It sounded like he had feelings for her. But it
couldn’t be. Kuhn broke up with her and never contacted or saw her
afterwards. Even after reuniting again with her after a long time, he
was distant from her.

‘No, wait…’

Was he really distant at all? During dinner, he mentioned dishes from

the past, and afterwards he gave his jacket to her without hesitation.

Even now…

He had come back for Mirabelle.

She frowned as she laid out these events in her mind. Kuhn looked at
her confusedly at her sudden reaction.

“How should I interpret your facial expressions?”

“You don’t like me. Don’t…don’t confuse me anymore. Do you know

how torturous it is to have hope?”

For the first time, Mirabelle spoke out against him. But, for the first
time, a small smile appeared at Kuhn’s face when he heard those
words. Even that tiny reaction was monumental considering his usual
expressionless face. It was even more special for Mirabelle, who loved
him.

“Kuhn…?”

Mirabelle stared in surprise at the smile on his lips.

“How long have we been apart? I’m taken aback when I look at you
because you look like a mature woman.”

“What is…”
This conversation was moving in a direction she didn’t expect, and her
tongue felt numb. Although Kuhn looked the same as ever, from his
point of view, Mirabelle must have changed a lot. She might have
been a naive young girl in the past, but anyone could see she was an
elegant woman now. Mirabelle managed to continue with a trembling
voice.

“If you keep doing this…I might misunderstand.”

“Don’t you know yet? Why do you think I’ve come all this way?”

“It was on business…”

“Yes. There was a job in the Freegrand Kingdom, and I volunteered to

do it. I also took charge of the supplies sent by Her Majesty.”

“Surely…”

“Yes, it can’t be a coincidence, can it?”

Mirabelle’s eyes widened at his confession. It was so profound that

she doubted whether she interpreted it correctly. No matter how hard
she thought about it, there was only one correct answer.

“Does that mean you wanted to see me?”

“Yes. I came all this way here for you.”

“…!”

Mirabelle covered her open mouth with her hands. Her eyes brimmed
with tears that threatened to spill over once more.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry again…”

But the tears she shed were silent. She never thought that her love
would be requited. She never expected a happy ending.

But things turned out differently.

As she blinked, her tears began to fall. They weren’t tears of sorrow
like a while ago, but tears of joy.

“Why didn’t you tell me straight from the beginning?”

“You may not have been waiting for me.”

“So if my heart was settled, you would have given up?”

“Yes. I thought it would make you happier, if possible.”

“How can that be? I…I can’t be happy without you.”

In the three years she hadn’t seen Kuhn, Mirabelle had learned many
things. A person didn’t literally die when a love was over—it was just a
time when they breathed but didn’t feel like living. If she was asked
what she wanted most in this world, she would be able to answer
without hesitation.

It was Kuhn. The only one Mirabelle desperately wanted the most in
this world was Kuhn. And now that earnest desire had come true. It
was a happiness that she thought would never come into her life. Her
tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks.

“It’s not a dream…”

Kuhn carefully brushed Mirabelle’s cheeks.

“No. But it’s like a dream.”

“It would be unfair if this was a dream. If I woke up tomorrow and this
was a fantasy, I’d truly resent God.”

“Don’t worry. It won’t happen.”

Upon hearing his answer, Mirabelle immediately launched her body

against Kuhn to hug him. They fell back and collapsed on the floor,
but Kuhn never pushed Mirabelle away from his arms. His hand, which
had been wandering in the air without knowing what to do, sank
gently over Mirabelle’s shoulder. The faint touch made Mirabelle cry
louder than before.

This was beyond description. It was a happy moment.

***

Three years ago, Kuhn was unexpectedly granted the title of baron.
Considering his origin as a slave, it was a tremendous elevation in
status. Outwardly, it was a reward for his contributions in winning the
war, but he realized that it was Carlisle’s and Elena’s personal
consideration. They provided him a path for him to go to Mirabelle.

‘…Young Lady.’

His only desire was to be devoted to her. As soon as he became a

noble, the feelings he had suppressed so far burst forth. Wasn’t it
possible for him to stand proudly next to Mirabelle now? He didn’t
have to hide his heart anymore, right?

The greed that has been hidden deep inside his heart quickly grew.
And so, Kuhn wanted to run to the Freegrand Kingdom where
Mirabelle was and speak to her honestly. The truth was, he liked her
too. Ever since he first met her, she never left his head. He was just
afraid to hold her hand.

But Kuhn’s absurd idea did not last long. One day, he happened to
hear a conversation between two aristocrats.

—Did you hear? There’s a Blaise girl who hasn’t married yet.

— Her Majesty the Empress and her sister have a great background.

—Yes. I hear that not only is the girl the Empress’ younger sister, but a
precious one at that. Many nobles are trying to get close to the
Emperor and Empress.
—It didn’t use to be the case, but the Blaise family is powerful now,
even if I can’t put a name to that girl.

— Of course. There are so many noblemen out there who want to

marry that lady now.

— Dammit, why don’t I get in line?

—You? Wake up, haha.

It was a conversation spoken jokingly between aristocratic men, but it

made Kuhn realize many things he had never thought of before.
Mirabelle was not an ordinary aristocratic girl, but the Empress’
beloved sister. Not only that, but Mirabelle was also a young lady who
grew up like a sheltered plant of the Blaise family, who was now
regarded as a prestigious clan.

‘If I proposed, would the Blaise family accept it?’

Mirabelle might repeat her words and say that nothing else mattered
as long as she had Kuhn. But Kuhn didn’t want her to abandon her life.
That was why he didn’t take her hand in the past.

‘…No matter how hard I try, the distance between us hasn’t narrowed.’

Even if Kuhn was a noble, Mirabelle was not a noble lady who could
easily be overlooked by others. He thought he had been getting a
little closer, but she was still as distant as the sky. The best he could do
would be to make her the wife of a lowly baron.

But…strangely, he did not want to give up. Hope was so cruel that
once he embraced it in his heart, he could not live without it. Kuhn
had nothing more to offer Mirabelle other than his position, so there
was only one way left. He had to become a man suitable to her.

‘You don’t know…but you have the talent to push me to the limit.’
Mirabelle had a knack for seeing him for what he wasn’t. When he was
with her, he kept envisioning a life different from his own.

And so, for the next three years, he collected wealth and made many
great achievements. He wanted to be a man that deserved to stand
next to Mirabelle. Then he would finally ask the Blaise family if she
could be his wife. Of course, it couldn’t be done in just three short
years. Kuhn, however, would continue to increase his position, as he
was no longer a dark assassin, but a confident knight.

He then decided to see Mirabelle. In his original plan, he would hide

his feelings and let go of them if she didn’t wait for him. He believed
she would be happier that way.

But when he met Mirabelle in person, Kuhn seemed to have reached

the end of his own patience. He was happy to see her. He realized it
when she said she no longer ate chicken. When he covered her with
his jacket. When she cried with a smile on her face. Every moment he
spent with her was an unbearable temptation.

At the final moment when he decided to walk away, he heard her faint
cries. A surge of emotion welled up in him.

‘I was glad that she was doing well, but I thought she must have
forgotten a lot of the past memories if she was treating me so
casually. If I said that I was happy to see her crying…how would she
react?’

Kuhn smiled softly and leaned his head into Mirabelle’s shoulder. Her
sweet fragrance that he once dreamed of tickled his nose. Mirabelle
was not alone in this moment of happiness. To him, her presence was
like his salvation. Kuhn closed his eyes in contentment as he held her
in his arms.

***
Unfortunately, Mirabelle’s and Kuhn’s joy was short-lived. They were
holding each other when they heard a searching voice.

“Where are you, Captain?”

“We are all set to leave.”

With their calls getting closer, Mirabelle looked up from Kuhn’s arms.

“…Do you have to go now?”

“Yes. But I’ll be back here soon after I finish my urgent work.”

It seemed like a dream, but Mirabelle smiled.

“It’s a must.”

“I promise.”

Mirabelle regretfully untangled herself from Kuhn, and Kuhn stood up

and helped Mirabelle from the floor. At that moment, the members of
Kuhn’s party arrived.

“Ah! The Captain is over there.”

“Come quickly, Captain.”

Kuhn gave one last glance towards Mirabelle and turned away.

Taak!

Suddenly, Mirabelle grabbed Kuhn by the wrist. Confusion flickered on

his face, before Mirabelle cupped his jaw, lifted herself to her toes, and
pressed her lips against his. When she pulled away, Kuhn looked at
her with a startled expression. Mirabelle, meanwhile, resumed her
composure.

“I’ll wait. If you’re going to be late, then don’t worry, I’ll go to you
myself.”
Kuhn briefly glanced at Mirabelle’s appetizing lips before looking up
at her eyes again.

“Where did you learn that?”

“Do you think I’m still a child? I’m twenty now.”

A small smile spread across Kuhn’s lips. Then he turned towards his
party and spoke in a low voice.

“Wait a moment.”

Before anyone could say anything, Kuhn grabbed Mirabelle by the

waist and kissed her deeply.

It was not the simple pressing of lips that Mirabelle did a little while
ago, but a passionate kiss shared between adults. Mirabelle’s legs
gave out as soon as the heat overtook her, but Kuhn firmly supported
her with both hands. Soon, Kuhn eased away, and spoke in a whisper.

“That is a goodbye kiss.”

Mirabelle looked up at Kuhn with a dazed expression. Her cheeks were

as red as a rose. Kuhn’s eyes softened as he looked at her.

“If you want, I can teach you more later. But that’s it for today.”

Kuhn released Mirabelle then looked up, and saw the servants
watching in astonishment. As he walked towards them with his usual
expressionless face, a loud voice called out to him from behind.

“D-don’t forget to teach me!”

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A faint smile crossed Kuhn’s face. The party, sensing the hot
atmosphere between Kuhn and Mirabelle, cheered and celebrated.

“My goodness! Congratulations!”

“Wow! I can’t believe you two are together. You both look wonderful.”

Whistles and applause poured out towards the two. It was a pity that
they should be separated as soon as they confirmed each other’s
feelings, but happiness remained embedded in Kuhn’s and Mirabelle’s
faces.

One the winter night of the first snowfall, the couple’s relationship
began.

Chapter 321 – [Side Story] A Typical Political Marriage (1)

As usual, one could find Derek brushing up on his sword fighting in

the training hall. He practiced constantly to keep his vow to protect
Empress Elena. He would never let anything as dangerous as Paveluc
happen again, and if it did, he would take care of it with his own
hands.

Hwiig hwiig.

Derek’s sword cut fiercely through the air, when one of his knights
approached him.

“The commander is waiting for you outside.”

At those words, Derek’s swordplay halted. It had to. The one that he
called commander was his father, Alphord.

“…What brings him here?”

“I don’t know. I told him that you were training. What will you do?”

Alphord was the commander of the Fourth Order of the Imperial

Knights, and Derek was a leader of a group within it. No matter that
they belonged to the same Order; there were not many occasions
when the commander and a group leader interacted in the same
space. Derek and Alphord did not run into each other unless it was a
special occasion, and they both accepted this as normal. It was the
first time Alphord visited Derek since the latter joined the Fourth
Order.

‘What brings him here all of a sudden?’

What’s more, Alphord did not directly come into the hall to see Derek.
Given that a message was given through a subordinate, Alphord likely
wanted a private visit. The suddenness of it was a mystery from
Derek’s point-of-view, but he would soon find out what it was anyway.
He lowered the sword in his hand and replied.

“I’ll be ready soon, so please bring him to my office.”

“Yes, sir.”

The knight bowed and quickly left to carry out the order. Meanwhile,
Derek strode in another direction. He had to change his sweat-soaked
clothes before meeting Alphord.

***

Derek arrived at his office with fresh clothes, and Alphord was already
sitting and waiting for him. Derek spoke politely to the commander.

“What brings you here?”

Derek was just as straightforwardly blunt as his father.

“I’m here to talk about your marriage.”

“Marriage?”

“Yes. You need to get married soon. How long are you going to stay
single?”
“I…”

Derek’s words caught in his throat. He knew something important

might be brought up, but he didn’t expect it to be about this.

“It’s already quite late for you. Considering the rest of the family, you
should start your own family soon. You are the oldest son, so don’t
think about getting married later than Mirabelle.”

“…”

Derek hadn’t the heart to contradict his father. After Elena and
Mirabelle found their partners, he vaguely considered that he had to
get married as well. Elena was married and now the Empress of the
Ruford Empire, and Mirabelle was currently dating Kuhn. Among
them, Derek was the only one left.

“Are there any prospects?”

“Yes. The Morris family daughter is good.”

“If it’s the Morris family…”

“Before Her Majesty married, the Morris family previously proposed to

her.”

Derek nodded. The family name was familiar to him.

“I’ve met them a few times, and the Morris family are suitable in-laws.
Their daughter is old enough to marry, so please see her.”

The fact that Alphord, who rarely gave praise, complimented the
Morris family meant that he was quite impressed with them. Derek
wasn’t inclined to get married immediately, but he had no reason to
refuse. Meanwhile, Elena and Mirabelle found their own respective
loves before a family match.
Derek was different. He had never met a woman that thrilled his heart,
nor did he have a hidden lover. Perhaps it was because of his
responsibility to lead the family, but he thought of simply marrying
the woman that Alphord chose. Now that time had come.

“…”

But as Derek hesitated to answer, Alphord, watching him, responded

in a quiet voice.

“I already almost died once saving the Empress. And that was not the
only time. I’ve risked my life several times when living as a knight.
Derek, you are no different from me. Start a family before it’s too late.”

It was sincerely given advice, from one reticent knight to another.

“…I understand. I will meet the young lady of the Morris family
according to your wishes.”

Meetings arranged by families were not always simple, but as long as

there were no major problems, it was safe to say that the marriage
would happen. Derek wasn’t worried about that anymore. He had
already made up his mind, and he was determined to get married.
Alphord looked satisfied at the resolution in Derek’s face.

“Yes, that is a good decision.”

“If you make an appointment…”

“There is already one. The date is tomorrow, and you can have lunch
together.”

Derek couldn’t speak for a moment. He realized that Alphord would

have pushed for the meeting, regardless of his answer. Derek let out
an embarrassed chuckle. It didn’t matter anyway. It was something he
had to live with as a noble.
Alphord, having accomplished his task, checked his pocket watch and
stood up from his seat.

“The meeting place was already decided, so make sure you’re

prepared and not late. I must go now.”

“You’re going already?”

“I promised to teach Prince Crow swordplay today.”

As gruff as Alphord was, he broke everyone’s expectations and

completely doted on his grandson, to the point that he would die for
Crow. Derek was already accustomed to this, and he replied with a
nod.

“Very well. If you see Her Majesty, please give her my regards.”

“I will.”

After Alphord left the office, Derek sat down at his spacious desk. He
already made a decision, but it didn’t completely register to him yet.

“Marriage…”

The word was still unfamiliar to him.

***

Derek donned a well-cut suit and waited for the appointed time as
given to him by Alphord. A servant informed him that the Morris
family carriage had arrived in front of the Imperial Knights residence
where he stayed. He thought that the Morris’ would simply inform him
where to go, and was surprised by the carriage. But that didn’t matter.
The important thing now was to see the woman he would potentially
marry.

Kkiig—
Derek was about to enter the presumably empty carriage, when he
saw a maid sitting inside first. She was an impressive beauty with soft
brown hair and large, clear eyes like a cat. When their eyes met, the
maid bowed to him first and introduced herself.

“Hello. My name is Jeanne. Lady Morris has sent me in her stead.”

“Lady Morris?”

“Yes. The lady is so shy that she sent me to ask you questions instead.”

Derek’s expression stiffened a little. He wondered how shy Lady Morris

must be to ask a maid to do this for her.

Jeanne seemed to notice his reaction, and responded.

“I will only accompany you on your way to the meeting place. If you
wish for me to leave because of my low status, I’ll move to horseback.”

“No, please stay.”

Derek answered briefly and boarded the carriage without hesitation.

He didn’t understand Lady Morris’ behavior, but he would have to go
along with it. She was probably wondering about him just as much as
he was.

As Derek settled himself in the seat across from Jeanne, he felt her
studying him with close eyes. He looked back with a curt expression.

“Didn’t you say you were going to ask me questions?”

“Ah, yes… So, when did you start learning how to use a sword?”

“I don’t remember. The nanny said I learned to use a sword before I

learned to use a spoon.”

“You must have been very young.”

The carriage began to move forward slowly, and there was a clattering
sound as the wheels started to roll. Lady Morris must be really curious
about Derek, as the questions Jeanne asked him in the carriage were
endless.

“How tall are you?”

“187 centimeters.”

“And your birthday?”

“July 10th.”

“If you had a child, which would you prefer, a son or a daughter?”

“It doesn’t matter, but I want them to be the best they can be.”

“What if the lady says it’s difficult to raise children?”

“Then I suppose it can’t be helped.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I’ll help out as best I can, but if it’s too difficult, then we should stop
having children. That’s what I meant.”

Jeanne’s expression shifted as if she were weighing his response.

“I heard that you are popular with women…”

“That’s incorrect information. I don’t recall anything like that.”

“…Is that so?”

At the same time, Jeanne gave a faint smile. Derek glanced at her
because she was so pretty, but that was all. The maid resumed her
questions again.

“What kind of person do you want?”

“I’m not sure, but someone who I can start a family with.”

“What is your greatest concern?”

“The Blaise family and the Imperial Household.”

“What is your greatest goal?”

“To protect Her Majesty the Empress. I want to be a strong support for
my sister.”

“…I see.”

Jeanne nodded, then posed another question.

“Do you have any questions about Lady Morris?”

“No.”

“None?”

“No. I will see her and judge who she is for myself.”

“…”

At the end of his sentence, Jeanne’s expression changed subtly. It was

a complicated mix of emotions that was impossible to identify as a
single one. Derek peered out of the carriage window.

“Can I ask you another question?”

“…What is it?”

“Where are we going now?”

“A restaurant. The lady said she wished to have her first meal with you
outdoors. The elders of the Morris family wanted to invite your family
directly, but seating would be difficult. We should arrive any minute
now.”
Derek nodded his head and gazed out of the window again.
Meanwhile, Jeanne studied his profile and asked no further questions.
The quiet atmosphere was a completely different mood from earlier.
The sudden silence made Derek a little curious, but perhaps the time
for speaking was over. He had already answered so many questions
that it would be a good idea to think up questions of his own for Lady
Morris.

The carriage finally halted in front of a famous restaurant. When Derek

arrived at the promised location, he opened the carriage door and
stepped out. At the restaurant entrance stood a woman in a fancy
dress. Her plain, freckled face seemed out of place against her
beautiful garments. She seemed to be waiting for someone, and when
she realized that Derek was here, she blinked and approached him.

“Ah, I-I’m from the Morris family. We’re supposed to meet today…”

Derek realized that this was the woman he had been in conversation
about. He walked straight to her and gave a polite bow.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Derek Blaise.”

He took her hand and was about to kiss it when—

Tak!

A touch stopped him. Derek looked around and saw Jeanne, the maid
he had been riding in the carriage with.

“What—”

Before he could finish talking, Lady Morris opened her mouth in a

startled voice.

“Ah, My Lady!”

Derek’s head began to spin at the strange turn of events. Jeanne

explained in a soft voice.
“I’m your real partner today. Let me give you a formal greeting. My
name is Jeanne Morris.”

Derek looked at the woman before him, and the woman he thought
was Lady Morris.

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“What on earth is this?”

“As you said a little while ago, I too wanted to judge for myself who
my husband would be. I was planning to hide my identity until the
end, but I changed my mind.”

“…?”

“I like you.”

Derek’s eyebrows lifted at her words. Out of all the things that
happened so far, this was the one he least understood.

Chapter 322 – [Side Story] A Typical Political Marriage (2)

Derek had many things to say about the trick she had pulled, but in
the end, his curiosity won over.

“Since when did you like me?”

He wasn’t convinced. All he did was answer Jeanne’s questions on the

way here. She smiled and replied.

“Well, how should I say this? Normally, one would get angry at this
situation. I tried to deceive you after all.”

She was right. Jeanne pulled the wool over his eyes, but Derek was
more curious as to why.
Jeanne looked around, conscious of the attention that was being
drawn towards the two from other onlookers, and she spoke again.

“I believe our conversation will take longer, so why don’t we go inside

the restaurant?”

Derek nodded at her suggestion. They had more to say than what
could be said at the front of a restaurant. Before Jeanne went inside,
she looked apologetically at the woman who wore the fancy dress on
her behalf.

“Thank you for listening to my favor. Please go inside the carriage and
rest.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

The woman nodded calmly. The real maid seemed to be the one
disguised as Jeanne. As Derek stared at the two women, Jeanne first
stepped into the restaurant.

“Shall we go in then?”

The pair was about to walk into the large entrance hall together, when
a restaurant employee stepped in their way.

“I’m sorry, but you cannot enter the restaurant with a maid.”

The employee must have mistaken Jeanne as a maid brought in by

Derek. The more upscale restaurants only allowed nobility inside, so
the employee’s behavior was only natural.

Only then did realize that Jeanne was still wearing the maid’s uniform.
She always came in and out of this place with ease, and never thought
about her dress. Furthermore, she had no intention of revealing her
identity at first, so she had not planned for this.

“Ah, well…”
She blushed in embarrassment and was about to explain herself,
when—

Seueug.

Derek quietly pulled off his suit jacket and placed it over Jean’s
shoulders. He was taking care to make sure that others couldn’t see
her maid’s uniform anymore.

“She’s my fiancée.”

Derek was identifiable as a noble at first glance, and no further

explanation was necessary. The employee bowed and stepped back.

“My apologies. Let me show you inside”

Jeanne, with the jacket wrapped around her shoulders, looked at

Derek with a puzzled expression. Her cheeks were slightly pink.

“…Thank you.”

“Not at all. You were not in the wrong.”

Fiancée. That wasn’t necessarily an incorrect description, since

marriage was being considered between their two families. But this
was the first time Derek introduced someone as such, and Jeanne was
the first to hear it. An awkward atmosphere settled between the two.
Meanwhile, the employee who guided them inside the restaurant
spoke.

“The window seats are all currently full, so those who do not have
reservations will be seated at the center. Is that alright?”

Jeanne answered.

“I have a reservation, so please check.”

“Yes, I see. What is your name?”

“It is Jeanne Morris.”

Upon hearing her name, the employee bowed his head as if to

apologize for his mistake earlier. Afterwards, Jeanne and Derek were
led into the enormous dining room of the restaurant.

***

The table Jeanne reserved had the best view in this luxurious
establishment. The pair was seated at the table, and they continued
their conversation as they started on the appetizers.

“Firstly, I apologize for my attempt to deceive you. I’m sorry.”

“I would have found out later anyway, but don’t you think that was a
little reckless?”

“Of course I did. But I couldn’t help it. I wanted to know what kind of
man I was going to marry.”

“So did you find out a little about me?”

Jean nodded unhesitatingly at Derek’s question.

“Yes. More than I thought…”

At the same time, her eyes fell to the jacket on her shoulders.

“…You are kind.”

Derek replied as if he didn’t understand.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing. It’s too short a time to get to know
anything about me.”

“Not exactly. You didn’t treat me rudely as a maid. You were not
disrespectful, abusive or rude.”
Though her words were vague, Derek caught on to her meaning.
There were many noblemen who inappropriately touched pretty
maids.

“The time we have to meet before marriage is very short. I was afraid
that my partner would hide behind a friendly mask in front of me.”

After hearing that, Derek could see why Jeanne made this effort. Just
as she said, she wanted to know exactly the man she was going to
marry.

“I’m glad that your questions about me were answered…but I don’t

know who you are yet.”

“Of course. It would be unfair if I was the only one who knew about
you, so I’ll answer any questions you have.”

“…?”

“My height is 165 centimeters, and my birthday is on October 15th. I

have never really thought about my own children, but I want to make
as many siblings as possible. Since I was little, I have always envied a
crowded family.”

Derek listened closely to what she was saying. Jeanne’s answers were
based on the question she asked Derek in the carriage.

“I want a man who respects me. And my main concern is not to regret
this political marriage.”

“I see.”

“I don’t know if this is my goal, but I want to live as Jeanne Morris

forever.”

Derek looked at her in puzzlement.

“…I don’t quite understand.”

“Getting married will increase my responsibilities. That is inevitable, of
course, but that doesn’t mean I can’t live as myself anymore.”

“Is that what you think?”

“Yes. When I marry you, my name will change from Jeanne Morris to
Jean Blaise. But I don’t want to disappear. If I become someone else’s
wife, someone else’s mother, I still want to be me.”

Her face was serious. Derek fully understood her intent now. Her
words were profound to him in a way, as he was also afraid of change
after marriage as well.

For the first time, Derek thought he understood a little of who Jeanne
was. He had guessed this after she revealed her disguise as a maid,
but she was not the type to leave her fate in the hands of others. A
strong woman who forged her own future… Derek wasn’t repulsed by
that kind of woman. His sisters were the same.

“I promise you one thing, no matter what. Just because you marry me,
it doesn’t mean you have to change a thing about yourself.”

Derek wouldn’t change overnight after his marriage either, and he

wouldn’t ask his wife to do something he wouldn’t do.

“If we get married, then I will live a life of mutual support with you. We
are not meeting to give up something, but to fill each other’s gaps.”

Jeanne didn’t respond immediately, but even without words, her

feelings were evident in her expression. She was deeply moved by
Derek’s words. It wasn’t until now that she realized that he was the
man she had been hoping for. She didn’t want to be forced to change
when she was married. She wanted to find a way to be happier with
each other.

“I didn’t expect those words from you. In fact, the Blaise family is so
powerful that I was worried what to do if you had a bad personality or
expected me to change…but you’re not like that at all.”
Derek smiled at the honesty of her comments.

“You were different from what I imagined as well.”

Jeanne smiled, and continued on casually as if they were having a

daily conversation.

“Shall we get married? Of course, our families are already talking to

each other regardless, but I’d love it to be you. ”

“If it’s with you…then I think it will be alright.”

“I’m glad you agree. I’m happy that you’re my fiancé.”

“That’s an undeserved title.”

Jeanne held up her wine glass.

“Shall we toast to it?”

“Alright.”

Derek soon lifted his glass of wine as well, and their glasses clinked in
the air. A faint smile spread on Jeanne’s face.

“To our happy future.”

***

The marriage between Jeanne and Derek happened quickly. Since the
marriage was arranged by families and the parties had little
opposition, it was only natural to speed up the preparations. The
wedding date, wedding hall, and much more were settled swiftly. Only
three months had passed since they met when they had their
wedding.

“Congratulations, Leader.”

“Live happily!”
Derek was surrounded by guests that poured him their
congratulations. There was considerable interest in Empress Elena’s
brother and the oldest son of the Blaise family getting married. Derek
was dealing with the crowd of guests when a servant approached.

“It’s time to start the ceremony, My Lord.”

“Is it already?”

“Yes. Follow me this way, please.”

Jeanne’s father, Count Morris, had difficulty walking from a limp he

obtained from a battle of conquest. Thus, Derek and Jeanne would
walk down the aisle together.

Derek followed the servant and entered the back of the wedding hall,
and waited for his bride to appear. After a few moments, a beautiful
woman approached his side. She was an elegant figure in a stunning
white wedding dress, and even the normally expressionless Derek was
taken aback. He had never seen a woman so lovely…

He couldn’t pull his eyes away from her as he spoke.

“Are you nervous?”

“A little, but…I’m fine. I’m going to walk down the aisle with you
today.”

Derek smiled at her words.

“You say beautiful words.”

“I mean it. I feel very lucky to have you as my life partner.”

“I hope I can live up to that expectation. As a knight and as your

husband, I will work hard to stay by your side forever.”

“I am the same. I will help you lead the Blaise family, and will help you
fulfill your dreams in the future.”
“I feel reassured.”

“Our goal is to make each other happy.”

At Jeanne’s words, the couple smiled at each other at the same time.
Just then, a bridal march played to mark the start of the ceremony. A
servant standing outside hurriedly approached them.

“You may enter now.”

Derek nodded carefully and took Jeanne’s delicate hand.

“Shall we take the first step?”

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Jeanne smiled and nodded.

The two entered the hall, and the air seemed to glow around them.
Derek was dressed handsomely in a black tailcoat, while Jeanne was in
an immaculate white wedding dress. They looked a perfect match.

As they walked down the aisle, uniformed knights lined up on both

sides drew out their swords one by one. The seated guests included
Elena, Carlisle and Crow, as well as a matured Mirabelle and Kuhn
standing next to her.

The grand wedding ceremony began in an atmosphere of celebration.

Everyone, including Alphord and Jeanne’s family, looked on with
emotion.

It was a perfect day for a new beginning.

Chapter 323 – [Side Story] Child of the Dragon (1)

Crow had a dream. A black dragon roared out before him, bleeding.
Its cry sounded so sad and desperate that even Crow wept upon
seeing it.

『I curse you. I will never forgive you who coveted my power and
dared to cut out my heart.』

The dragon’s eyes were red with blood as he poured out a fury of
angry words at Crow. This was the first time the five-year-old boy
faced such hatred, and he was frozen on what to do.

The boy stood there, while the dragon’s wounds continued to gush
fresh blood. Before long, it had stained the entire floor.

“Hey, are you hurt?”

『Keueg, of course! It‘s all because of your filthy people…!』

But the dragon didn’t finish his words. It was because Crow had
scurried forward on his small legs and touched the dragon’s wound
with his tiny hands.

“Oh, that must hurt. How did you get hurt so badly, Mister?”

『…』

“Let’s go see my mother later. There isn’t anything she can’t do, and
she’ll make all your wounds better.”

『…Very well.』

The dragon’s forehead, which was already creased, seemed to furrow

deeper into a frown. Crow just wanted to release the dragon from his
anger, but he was afraid he might have offended him.

“Hey, if you were hurt because of me…”

Crow stood up on his feet, then bowed down before the prostrate
dragon.

“…I’m sorry.”

Crow learned how to apologize like this from Elena.

“Mother told me that if I did something wrong, then I should ask for
forgiveness, so the other person can stop feeling bad.”

The dragon stared speechlessly at Crow with its clear eyes.

He muttered to himself in a low voice.

『I can’t believe this child came from that psychopath.』

“Huh? What did you say?”

『That’s enough. Boy.』

“But your wounds…!”

『I’m tired of dealing with you.』

At the end of the dragon’s words, the floor collapsed beneath Crow’s
feet.

“Aaaah!”

Crow fell into an endless darkness.

At some point, he opened his eyes and found himself in his

room again. He looked at the familiar ceiling in confusion.

“What was that? That Mister looked hurt, and I felt like I really touched
him…”

Crow naturally looked down at his palm, then started when he saw a
small bead starting to emerge from his flesh.
“Aaaaah!”

He had been fine yesterday, but he screamed when a brilliant blue orb
began to push out from his skin. The odd thing was, he didn’t even
feel a bit of pain on his body.

Tadadadadag—

Beolkeog!

Crow’s scream had summoned the maids outside. At the front of the
group was Mary, who had served Elena since Blaise mansion.

“What’s going on, Your Highness?”

Crow looked tearfully at Mary from his bed.

“M-my hand.”

When Crow raised his hand, the small orb in his palm emerged fully
and dropped to his bed. Mary and the rest of the maids looked on in
astonishment.

***

Crow became frightened at the sudden change in his body.

Meanwhile, Carlisle and Elena ran to their son when they heard
the news. Carlisle had a tight-lipped expression on his face, and while
Elena was similarly troubled, she worked on calming Crow down.

“You must have been very surprised, Crow.”

“Mother, I was scared… Am I weird? The maids looked at me like they

were surprised.”

Elena looked sorrowful as she hugged Crow tightly.

“No, you’re not weird. You’re just a little more special than others.”
“Really?”

“It’s like a gift that only you can get. This little thing will make your
wish come true later.”

“Really?

“Yes. And what did I say about what we should do with precious
items?”

“You said we should cherish it.”

“Yes. This is a very precious thing to you, so don’t freely talk about it
or tell anyone else, alright?”

“Yes!”

Crow replied with a brave nod. Elena released him from her arms and
looked lovingly at him, then spoke to her little Crow in a friendlier
voice.

“Remember, it will grant your wish, so don’t use it recklessly and

decide carefully.”

“I will, Mother. But I already have a wish.”

“Can you tell me what it is?”

“I’ll marry you when I grow up!”

Carlisle, who was listening quietly from the side, gave an amused
chuckle.

“Your dream is too big, son.”

“Why? Father, is it not possible?”

“Of course not. Your mother is already mine, no matter how much you
want her.”
“Tch…”

Crow pouted his lips in disappointment, and Elena nudged Carlisle in

the ribs.

“You can’t say that in front of a child.”

“It’s true. You can’t make wishes on your own blood relatives anyway,
and you must be honest and not expect anything.”

“That’s how it is. Crow, when you grow up, you’ll meet a woman who
is much prettier than me.”

“There is no woman in the world who is more beautiful than my wife.”

Elena laughed and shook her head. The heavy mood had lightened
a bit. Crow stared at his parents as they looked at each other with
affectionate eyes.

There was a tap on the bedroom door, and the nanny’s voice came
from outside.

“Your Majesty, the Prince’s meal is ready.”

“Yes, please take Crow.”

With permission given, the door opened and the nanny came in.
The nanny had raised Elena’s family for two generations. She was
already too old to take care of Crow herself, so she only supervised
the maids. Crow ran over as soon as he saw his nanny.

“Nanny!”

“Yes, Prince. Are you hungry?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go eat.”
The nanny took Crow’s small hand with a gentle expression, and the
child toddled along on his short legs. Before leaving the room, the
nanny bowed to Carlisle and Elena, then headed to the dining hall
with Crow.

It was a normal day for Crow. He ate breakfast in the morning, then
had his royal lessons afterwards. A strange thing revealed itself when
he was taking a nap.

‘…Hot.’

Crow felt feverish as if he were ill. The heat seemed to choke him.

‘No, I think I’m thirsty, too.’

At first he thought he had a fever, but as time passed, his mouth felt
dry as well. However, it was a sensation that felt different from
wanting to drink water. Crow felt confused.

It was then that he heard Elena’s voice through the open door.

“Even though Crow is mature compared to other children his own age,
he’s still only five years old. Why did the Dragon’s Orb manifest
so soon? Isn’t it supposed to appear at around ten years of age?”

Crow could tell that she was talking about him. Elena was not alone in
the next room, and Carlisle’s voice answered shortly afterwards.

“I’ve contacted the chief, so don’t worry too much. I was hoping the
dragon’s abilities would be suppressed by eating the Zamida fruit…but
I didn’t know that my son would inherit the blood mostly strongly.”

“Considering how soon the Dragon’s Orb appeared, I think that’s the
most likely explanation.”

Crow could tell how upset his mother was just by the sound of her
voice. Carlisle spoke comfortingly to her.
“The good news is that it’s not the same as when I got the Dragon’s
Orb. I suffered a week of agony, and our son simply obtained it
overnight without any problems.”

Crow brooded over what Carlisle and Elena said.

The Dragon’s Orb. It was a phrase he only heard in fairy tales.

However, with his young mind, he couldn’t understand what the
Dragon’s Orb had to do with him.

“Why do Mother and Father keep talking about me and the Dragon’s
Orb?”

Crow racked his head in confusion, while Carlisle continued to speak.

“Most importantly, our son came to this state without having to

consume human blood. It’s a good thing he hasn’t displayed any
unusual symptoms yet.”

“Of course, we can’t be too hasty in our judgment…but it keeps

bothering me that Crow is only five years old. He’s still too young to
handle it.”

Crow grew more anxious as he listened to their story. Just this

morning, Elena had said he was special…

‘Is there something wrong with me?’

He was afraid that he was the only one who was different.
The shocked faces of the maids as the orb fell out of his hand was
seared in his head.

“Heu, Mother…”

Crow was near the verge of tears, and was just about to get out of
bed, when—
He saw that his feet, poking out from beneath his pajama pants, were
black. He looked on in astonishment, and reflexively reached out to
touch them. They were covered in scales that were as hard as steel.

Like…like he was a monster. Crow froze as he saw his changed skin.

It was at that moment.

“Wait, I think I heard something.”

Crow had murmured for his mother earlier, and the sound of Elena’s
footsteps came close. Crow’s eyes filled with fear. He was terrified that
Elena and Carlisle would look on at his transformation in
disappointment, and goosebumps popped all over his body.

‘Th-they might hate me.’

He was still young, but he could somewhat make out the situation.
Elena was worried about his condition, while Carlisle was relieved that
nothing was wrong…so far. Crow instinctively knew that his parents
would be upset if they saw him.

Kiiig—

Crow quickly dove under the covers and pretended to be asleep

before the door fully opened. His heart beat wildly in his chest.
Not long ago, he had wet his bed and tried to hide it from the maid.

After Elena quietly checked on Crow, she went back outside again.
Crow heard Carlisle’s voice before the door fully closed.

“Is he awake?”

“No. I think I heard wrong.”

“Yes, well, let’s keep a close eye on him…”

Finally, the door clicked shut. Crow lay in the dark room, trembling
with fear.
“Mother…Father…”

His lips trembled as he tried to hold back his tears. He couldn’t

tell anyone. He had already turned into a monster.

***

When Crow’s nap time was over, a maid came to wake him up.

“It’s time to get up, Your Highness.”

Crow, already awake, pretended to open his eyes and got out of bed.
The only difference was that this time, he was wearing socks.

“Oh? Your Highness, did you sleep in your socks?”

“Uh, yes. My feet were cold.”

“Is it uncomfortable for you to sleep barefoot…?”

“I want to go to the bathroom.”

“Ah! This way, please.”

The maid hurriedly brought him to the bathroom. Fortunately, she

didn’t bring up the socks again, and Crow gave a secret sigh of relief.
As soon as he stepped back outside, however, his breath caught.

“Heog.”

The maid looked in confusion at his rigid behavior.

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“What is it, Your Highness?”

But Crow didn’t speak. There was a tantalizing smell pressing on him
from all sides. He didn’t notice it when he was alone with the maid in
the room, but when he came out to where there were more people, it
hit him like an elephant.

It was the smell of people. The pulse of red blood underneath the skin
of the living. Crow snarled like a small beast of prey.

“Keueue…”

The thirst, which he thought had subsided in him, rose like a tidal
wave.

Chapter 324 – [Side Story] Child of the Dragon (2) [END]

There was something strange about the sudden change in Crow’s

demeanor, and the maid peered at him closely.

“Are you alright, Your Highness?”

But Crow’s eyes were only fixed on the maid’s neck.

Dugeun, dugeun, dugeun.

The red blood pumping underneath her skin made him feel greedy.

‘I want to drink.’

Only one thought occupied his mind. Just as Crow’s reason faded and
he was about to tackle the maid, a voice called out to him from
behind.

“Crow.”

A scolding voice spoke, and Crow turned back. There Carlisle stood
with a fierce look. The maid belatedly realized the Emperor’s presence
and hurriedly bowed her head.

“Greetings to His Majesty.”

Carlisle stared at Crow as if the boy was guilty of something,
and spoke in a low voice.

“How long has Crow been like this?”

“What? What do you mean…?”

“That’s enough.”

Carlisle gave up on extracting further information from the maid, then

turned to Crow. He seemed to know what Crow was hiding. The boy
was terrified.

‘W-what should I do?’

But Crow’s worries were useless. Carlisle left his escorts behind him
and picked up Crow’s small body.

“Son, there is something we have to talk about as men.”

Crow looked up in Carlisle in despair, worried that he might be in

trouble. Carlisle walked forward with his son in his arms, and issued an
order to his escorts.

“I have something to say alone to Crow, so leave.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

And so, Carlisle took Crow somewhere.

***

Carlisle went inside a room. The palace was so large that there were
countless unused spaces, and this was the nearest one.
After confirming that no one else was here, Carlisle released Crow
from his arms. He looked at his son and spoke in a serious voice.

“Tell me honestly. When did it start?”

“Father, I, uh…”

“Since when did you start feeling the thirst for human blood?”

“…!”

Carlisle really did know about his condition. Crow’s eyes immediately
began to fill with tears.

“I’m sorry, Father.”

At the same time, Crow pulled off his shoes and showed his scaly feet
to Carlisle.

“When I woke up from a nap my feet suddenly changed like this. And
when I came out, the people smelled good, and it was hard to hold
back.”

Carlisle carefully listened to Crow speak. Fearing his father’s presence,

Crow cried even more.

“Uwaaah—”

Carlisle rubbed Crow’s back to settle him.

“Why didn’t you tell me or your mother right away?”

“I’m sorry. I thought you would be like this.”

Carlisle’s face hardened. It was as if Crow had hit some sensitive spot.

“…You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Papa, why am I different from other people? I’m afraid I turned into a
monster.”

Carlisle stared at the Crow for a moment without answering. Then, he

raised his right arm and struck it hard on the desk.
Kuuuung!

A crash rang out that sounded as hard and as heavy as iron. The loud
noise startled the young Crow so much that he stopped crying.
Carlisle rolled up his sleeve, revealing a black arm. He couldn’t control
his abilities freely, so this was the only way to show Crow the scales.

“…Hic.”

Crow stared at Carlisle’s scales with wide eyes. They were the same as
the ones on his feet.

“You’re not the only one, Crow. If you’re a monster, it’s because you’re
my son.”

“P-Papa…”

“Do you hate being like your father?”

“No. I like Mama and Papa the best in the world.”

Carlisle patted his son’s small head.

“As do I. I didn’t explain this to you yet because you’re too young, but
I didn’t think you’d find out all on your own.”

“Papa…you don’t hate me for looking like this?”

“Of course not. You’re my son.”

“…Hehe.”

Crow smiled shyly and wiped away his tears. If Carlisle and Elena
continued to love him as they did now, nothing else mattered.
Carlisle smiled faintly as Crow looked up at him cutely.

“There was a time when I hated myself for this. But now I’m glad.
Because I inherited this blood, I was able to meet your mother.”
“Really?”

“Yes, your father saved your dead mother once.”

“What?”

Crow looked surprised to hear that his mother had died, and Carlisle
hurriedly corrected himself.

“Forget what I just said. The important thing is… I would be born a
hundred or a thousand times like this just to meet her.”

Crow stared at his father with his pure, innocent eyes, as if trying to
understand his words. Carlisle looked at his scaled black arm with an
emotional look on his face.

“So I appreciate this now.”

Carlisle turned to Crow with a soft gaze.

“Crow, you are the fruit of our love. I believe this power will help you
one day, like it did me.”

Crow smiled back.

“Thank you, Papa. I love you.”

His sweet words drew a faint smile on Carlisle’s lips.

“Yes, I love you, too, son.”

Crow and Carlisle looked at each other and smiled with the same
expression. Anyone could see that they were father and son.

It was then that the door burst open. Carlisle’s and Crow’s heads
jerked towards the entrance, and they saw Elena standing there,
breathing hard. She looked like she had ran all the way here.

“Haa, haa. What happened to Crow?”

“How did you know?”

“I heard from the maids that you disappeared somewhere with

only him. I came straight here because I worried that something had
happened.”

“News travels fast. Crow started feeling thirsty for blood, so I took him
away where there were no people.”

At those words, Elena rushed towards her son and frantically looked
him over.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yes, Mama. I’m fine.”

“You should have told me first when you started feeling those urges.
What if your father found you too late? Well?”

Elena’s worried tone gradually turned into a scolding, and Crow

glanced at Carlisle for help. However, Carlisle shrugged as if to say, I’m
sorry, but your mother is the scariest person in the world for me too.

***

After the busy events of the day, Crow, exhausted, fell asleep next to
Elena and Carlisle. Once again, he met the black dragon in his dream.

“Mister?”

Crow tried to approach the dragon first, but the latter didn’t respond.

『…』

However, Crow could see that the dragon was observing the black
scales on his feet. The boy sat down next to the dragon and talked
about what happened that day. Although the dragon didn’t say
anything, Crow knew he was listening.
“So my mom gave me a big scolding.”

For the first time, the dragon answered in a rumbling voice.

『That is not the end of your potential power. Well, of course, that’s
because you ate someone’s heart.』

“What did I eat?”

Crow’s innocent expression made the dragon sigh and shake his head.

『…Very well, then let’s not speak of it.』

“But, Mister, can I be stronger?”

『Yes.』

“How?”

『Well….』

The dragon was about to answer, but then he caught himself and
frowned.

『You expect me to teach you?』

“Well. Not now, but maybe later.”

『I won’t teach you.』

“Then later.”

In face of Crow’s optimism, the dragon’s scaly brow crinkled even

further. But Crow didn’t care and went on telling stories about himself.

“Mister. I can’t actually eat carrots, but this morning at breakfast…”

As Crown regaled the dragon with his stories, his body gradually
started to become transparent. He instinctively felt that it was time to
part from the dragon again.

“Well, Mister, I hope your wound is healing quickly. See you later.”

Crow waved his hand and said goodbye to the dragon. Just before the
boy’s body disappeared completely, the dragon mumbled in a very
small voice.

『…Alright.』

Crow’s eyes widened at the noticeable change in the dragon’s

attitude. The idea that he could be close to the dragon made him
smile. At the time, Crow did not know how miraculous it was to
communicate with the dragon in his blood…

And the incredible power this bond would grant.

The story of Crow Walter Ben Ruford, one of the wisest emperors in
the history of the Ruford Empire, began now.

***

After talking for a long time to the dragon, Crow’s mind slowly began
to return to reality. Elena’s and Carlisle’s were talking near him.

“I’m so glad that eating the Zamida fruit made Crow lose his thirst for
blood.”

“Since we’ve been feeding it to him as a child, we can see the effects.”

Carlisle’s words drew a smile from Elena.

“Chief Chyanatha said he would come here in person. He must be very

curious about Crow’s condition.”
“Yes. Both the curse and power coexisted inside of me, but with the
Zamida fruit, Crow will just be left with tremendous power.”

“Come to think of it, that’s true.”

“I’ve already experienced how unbearable the thirst for blood is. But
Crow produced the Dragon’s Orb without human blood, and he’s
been holding up. At this rate, the curse may indeed end.”

“That’s great, but…it still rests heavily on me that you suffered.”

“You’re next to me now, and that’s all that matters.”

Crow could hear Carlisle’s body shifting around.

“You are the greatest reward of my life. All I need is you.”

Crow lifted a heavy eyelid as he heard his father’s warm voice.

Through his blurred vision, he saw Carlisle kiss Elena’s cheek.

“Hmm, Mama?”

Elena hurried over when she heard her son call. She gently rubbed his
back, and it felt so pleasant to Crow that he buried his head further in
his pillow. When he fully opened his eyes, he saw Elena smiling beside
him, while Carlisle had a slightly grumpy expression. Crow spoke
through a sleep-muffled voice.

“What were Mama and Papa talking about?”

Carlisle answered the question in a low tone.

“About you.”

“About me? What did you say?”

Carlisle came near and ruffled his hair, and laughed at the adorable
sight.
“My son may be a greater man than I thought.”

“Wow, really?”

Crow smiled happily, and Elena spoke with a gentle smileon her face.

“Does Crow want to be a great person?”

“Yes! I will become a wise emperor and receive a lot of praise from my
people, and be a good son to my Mama and Papa!”

“Really? To do that, you have to listen to your teacher and study hard.”

“Yes!”

Elena smiled at Crow’s answer. At that moment, Crow got out of bed
and began to search the pockets of his jacket. Elena looked at him
questioningly.

“Crow, what are you looking for?”

“Just a minute, Mama.”

He rummaged through his pockets for a while, before he finally found

what he wanted. He handed a piece of white paper to Elena and
Carlisle with a bright expression. They unfolded the paper, and saw a
picture that Crow had drawn himself. He pointed to the largest person
in the drawing.

“This is Papa.”

Then he pointed at a woman who looked like a princess.

“This is Mama.”

Finally, Crow’s short finger pointed to a small child between the two.

“And here I am. This is a picture of my family living happily together.”

Elena looked between the drawing and her son with indescribable joy.
Although Crow’s drawing skills were juvenile, the warm emotions
poured into the picture moved her.

“I didn’t know that my Crow draws so well. You’re good enough to be

a painter.”

Elena’s praise made Crow smile, and he scratched his nose in

embarrassment. His adorable, child-like gesture made the smile on
Elena’s lips widen.

“Yes, we will live together like in this picture you drew.”

Elena dropped a gentle kiss to Crow’s forehead.

“I love you, son.”

Crow snuggled deeper into his mother’s arms.

“I love you, too, Mama.”

Carlisle watched the two of them, and spoke.

“You’re leaving me out?”

“Come here, too.”

Elena extended her other arm which was not holding Crow, and
Carlisle laughed and drew the both of them into his embrace. The
three of them hugged each other with identical expressions of
happiness on their faces. Crow lifted his head, and saw that his
parents’ faces looked the same as the one in his picture.

“Tch, I’m jealous because Mama and Papa are so happy together.”

Crow wanted to sleep with his parents every night, but when he had
grown a little bigger Carlisle set him down and spoke in a serious
voice.
Parents needed time alone.

Crow wasn’t allowed to tell Elena because it was a secret between

men, but Crow continued to pout his lips in resentment.

“I want a little brother or sister, too.”

Carlisle smiled at Crow’s words, then glanced at Elena’s face.

“Son, then I don’t think you should be here tonight.”

Elena shoved Carlisle in the ribs.

“You can’t say that in front of a child.”

Carlisle burst out laughing at Elena’s embarrassed expression. Then he

kissed her cheek lightly and whispered in her ear.

“It’s true, my wife.”

At the sweetness of the atmosphere between the couple, Crow

reached out and gave a cry.

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“Me too, kiss me too.”

Carlisle and Elena chuckled at the same time, then bowed their heads
together to kiss Crow’s cheeks on each side. Crow’s red-and-blue eyes
squinted in happiness.

The three of them were a happy family together, just like in his
drawing.
The end.