BWG - 8

Presiding over the cabinet meeting was an incredibly bothersome and irritating task for Leonard.  

He had Eleanor, ripe and waiting, hidden away in his palace, yet here he was, forced to listen to discussions about policies and taxes. Just glancing at the attendees made him want to sigh in exasperation.  

Still, canceling a prearranged meeting wasn’t an option. Leonard was obligated to attend this gathering to deliberate on state affairs under the emperor’s command. His role was to steer the discussion in the direction the emperor desired.  

“The agenda, as previously communicated, concerns the issue of tax increases.”  

The finance minister awkwardly pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Immediately, the nobles erupted in protest.  

“Did His Majesty himself say that taxes must be raised?”  

“Yes, his will is firm.”  

As the minister began explaining the general outline of how the increase would be implemented, a sharp debate quickly unfolded between the high-ranking officials and the nobility. The meeting dragged on with no progress. With their personal fortunes at stake, no one was willing to back down easily.  

In the end, no conclusion was reached, and they moved on to the next agenda item. This time, it was an unexpected announcement that hadn’t been disclosed beforehand.  

“The next agenda item: His Majesty has decreed that the lake within the imperial palace is too small and insufficient to reflect the empire’s authority, so plans for its expansion have been proposed.”  

The meeting hall buzzed with shock. Those who had assumed the tax increase was due to depleted national coffers were visibly stunned.  

Leonard felt like dying of boredom just sitting there. Since the meeting would inevitably follow the emperor’s wishes anyway, why waste time with all this pointless talk? Among the members of the cabinet, there was no one left with the guts to oppose anything. Anyone capable of resistance had long since been co-opted or eliminated.  

As Leonard had predicted, the meeting devolved into a session of complaints.  

Occasionally, a noble would voice opposition, but no one dared to strongly resist. The only question was when and by how much taxes would rise—no one showed any signs of outright defiance. The discussion about the lake expansion followed a similar tone.  

The final agenda item proceeded more smoothly than the previous ones. It concerned the marriage of Princess Lucena. A brief discussion was held to review the terms sent by the neighboring Pelos Empire’s emperor regarding the union.  

Everyone congratulated the princess on her upcoming marriage and prayed for a prosperous imperial wedding. No one mentioned that the groom-to-be was over sixty years old.  

Of all people, Leonard was the most eager for Lucena to be married off as soon as possible.  

Though Lucena’s influence was minimal, she was still second in line to the throne, which made her somewhat burdensome. Thus, Leonard emphasized accelerating her wedding to take place immediately after the Crown Prince’s ceremony in the coming autumn.  

Lucena’s own will was nowhere to be found in the decisions made during this cabinet meeting.  

Leonard inwardly sneered at the fate of powerless princesses—it was simply the way things were.  

It wasn’t until the afternoon that Leonard finally had some free time.  

His steps back to the Crown Prince’s palace were light and carefree.  

The attendant serving him noticed Leonard’s unusually elated demeanor and swallowed nervously, dreading what might happen next.  

Leonard’s mind was already vividly picturing the scene. He had meticulously planned every step of how he would handle Eleanor.  

First, he decided to wear a mask to avoid catching any illness. Her face would also need to be covered well. Perhaps soaking a towel in water would provide better prevention, so he planned to tightly wrap her nose and mouth with it.  

Just imagining her pretty face contorting from suffocation sent a thrill through him.  

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t die—just enough to keep her alive. If her face turns blue, it might look amusing, but I can’t forget to let her breathe eventually. After all, I want to spend a long time with my beloved woman.  

Now that we don’t need to act reserved anymore, I should start with something a bit more challenging. Something unconventional.  

Yes, that sounds good. Eleanor was worried about premarital pregnancy, wasn’t she? She said it would be embarrassing if people found out. So, out of consideration, it’d be better to finish elsewhere.  

And while having sex, whipping her butt lightly shouldn’t worsen her condition, right? Not too hard—just a horsewhip or so.”  

One pleasurable thought led to another.  

But as he whistled and approached the palace gates, an unexpected situation unfolded before him.  

Out of nowhere, Princess Lucena had arrived and was arguing heatedly at the central entrance on the first floor. Accompanied by several guards and attendants, she stood in a standoff with Leonard’s royal guard.  

Seeing Leonard return, Lucena immediately stepped forward. Her anger was unmistakable. This aggressive side of his usually docile younger sister was quite unfamiliar to him.  

“Prince Leonard, I’ve been waiting specifically for your return.”  

A sense of trouble loomed.  

“It’s been a while, Lucena. What brings you here?”  

Though they lived within the same imperial grounds, the two rarely interacted.  

Leonard had always regarded her as insignificant—a trinket to be sold off at a high price once the time came. His disdainful gaze carried unspoken contempt.  

“I couldn’t stay silent after hearing some important news.”  

Lucena didn’t back down.  

Had the information from the cabinet meeting already reached her ears? News seemed to travel fast. Leonard brushed it off nonchalantly.  

“I’m not sure what this is about, but let’s go inside and discuss it calmly.”  

His irritation was already rising because she was delaying his path to Eleanor. This level of civility was the extent of his patience.  

But Lucena responded in a manner completely unlike the sister he knew.  

Chin raised, she spoke with fiery determination.  

“I heard that Eleanor returned with you. Since she’s no longer at the Roland estate, the only place she could be is here.”  

She hadn’t come because of her own marriage. Leonard was caught completely off guard.  

“What?”  

“There’s evidence that you’ve secretly hidden her here.”  

“How… how do you know that?”  

Realizing his slip-up, Leonard quickly clammed up. Lucena, quick to notice, pressed him further.  

“Your Highness, that’s a crime. How dare you hide the woman destined to be your wife without permission?”  

“That never happened.”  

“I heard it with my own ears. People have frequently been sent to Rubellon Hills to exchange letters with Eleanor. And three days ago, didn’t you personally visit that place?”  

His attempts to deny everything weren’t working as planned. He had forgotten just how close Lucena and Eleanor were.  

Lucena’s fragile, grief-stricken voice carried far.  

“And you even strangled Eleanor’s neck…”  

Unable to continue, Lucena staggered, overcome with sorrow.  

“It was just a minor scuffle. I didn’t strangle her. How could I harm my precious bride-to-be?”  

“A lot of people witnessed it, yet you deny the truth. They say you dragged Eleanor forcefully and shoved her into a carriage.”  

Leonard crossed his arms and glared at her with displeasure.  

This was why he had always kept an eye on Lucena. Even though she was a weak princess, she couldn’t be entirely dismissed. Forcing her away now would only invite greater repercussions later.  

If Lucena knew Eleanor was here, she likely hadn’t just heard vague rumors. Denying it further would be futile.  

The best course of action now was to placate Lucena and send her on her way.  

“I didn’t drag her here. Whoever reported to you exaggerated wildly.”  

“No one would fabricate such absurd lies out of thin air. Everyone who saw you at the retreat says the same thing.”  

The atmosphere demanded acknowledgment. Reluctantly, Leonard ran a hand through his hair.  

“Fine, Eleanor is resting here. But it wasn’t my decision alone to bring her here.”  

“What do you mean?”  

“The Duke of Roland approved it. He even met with Eleanor personally before leaving.”  

With that, Leonard successfully silenced Lucena.  

The Duke of Roland was the perfect excuse. If Eleanor’s legal guardian had permitted it, who could blame Leonard?

The extent of Leonard’s violent behavior at the retreat could be exaggerated or downplayed depending on how the story was framed. But one unchangeable truth remained: the Duke was on his side.

Lucena’s stubbornly raised chin still refused to accept his explanation. It seemed he would need to invoke the Duke’s name a little more to make her back down.

Just then, a crashing sound came from behind the palace building—on the opposite side where they were arguing.

At first, there was a loud shattering noise, followed by smaller, successive breaking sounds.

“What is that noise?”

Lucena tilted her head, listening intently.

“It’s probably the servants breaking something. But Lucena, Eleanor is fine, so you should go back now.”

“It doesn’t sound like just something breaking.”

Brushing off Leonard’s attempt to stop her, Lucena headed toward the source of the commotion.

“Wait, Lucena.”

Her face flushed with anger, the princess marched forward resolutely, ignoring Leonard’s words—a defiance she had never shown before. 

Though Lucena tried hard to maintain her bold exterior, her insides were trembling.

Just as Fertan and Eleanor were risking their lives to orchestrate their plans, Lucena had also steeled herself for this confrontation.

What Lucena had heard from Fertan was that Eleanor was locked away on the top floor. She had resolved to storm in, protest fiercely, and retrieve her. Though facing Leonard, who unnerved her, was daunting, she knew it was something she had to do.

But now, standing here without even seeing Eleanor and on the verge of being chased out of the Crown Prince’s palace, Lucena felt desperate. With each forbidden step she took, she bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, vowing not to retreat.

Despite her determined strides, her arms flailed awkwardly beneath rigid shoulders, and her trembling knees were barely concealed beneath her skirt.

Still, she had to keep moving. If she didn’t act, nothing would change.

The grand structure of the Crown Prince’s palace stretched far, requiring a long walk just to circle halfway around. Passing through the ornate sculpture garden in front of the palace, she entered the ordinary rear courtyard. Around the corner, patches of bare earth were visible where grass had worn away.

There, scattered across the ground, were broken pieces of furniture.

Not only wood fragments but also shards of glass littered the area. Dented silverware and mangled food lay grotesquely strewn about.

“Oh, over there.”

From the pattern of debris scattered in all directions, it was clear someone had been throwing things. Lucena quickened her pace, glancing around.

“Over here!”

A large piece of fabric fell from above—it was a curtain.

“Here!”

Following the cries for help, Lucena looked up.

At the very top floor, Eleanor stood swaying, her disheveled hair fluttering in the wind as she desperately waved both arms.

“Aah, Eleanor!”

Eleanor leaned precariously out of the window, struggling violently as if she might fall at any moment. Another object flew out of the window—this time, a pillow. She was throwing everything she could find inside the room.

Her cries for help were faint; she gasped for breath, unable to breathe properly. Her thin hands gripping the windowsill looked desperate.

“Princess Lucena, please save me.”

“It’s dangerous. Stay back inside.”

“The door is locked! Help…”

Eleanor didn’t retreat from the window. She wavered, looking down at Lucena with unmistakable desperation in her eyes.

As Lucena stood frozen, shocked by the scene, Leonard beside her was visibly flustered. His blank gaze shifted between the chaotic courtyard below and the window above, where Eleanor’s plight and his own crime intersected perfectly.

“You locked her up like a prisoner? Good heavens!”

Lucena trembled with rage as she glared at Leonard.

“It wasn’t exactly a prison…”

“She said the door was locked! You did lock her up, didn’t you?”

In his panic, Leonard began rambling in self-defense. His hastily fabricated explanations contradicted each other. At one moment, he claimed it was to calm Eleanor after she suddenly became agitated, and moments later, he suggested it was all some misunderstanding.

Amidst the argument, Eleanor’s exhausted body gradually stilled. Having thrown everything she could reach, she seemed to collapse from exhaustion, her head drooping lifelessly.

Whether from fatigue or unconsciousness, the movement at the windowsill finally ceased. Her tangled hair fluttered outside the window like a winter snowstorm.

Her pale fingers, clinging desperately to the doorframe, were ghostly white.

---

The process of returning to the Roland estate felt like a war.

Eleanor lay motionless on the bed, her pale face peeking out from under the blanket. Despite the summer heat, she felt chilled. This time, it wasn’t feigned illness—it was real.

When she had been locked up in the Crown Prince’s palace, she had resigned herself to the thought that Leonard would soon violate her. Though she had bravely spoken to Fertan, deep down, she knew she wouldn’t be able to endure physical intimidation for long.

Until Lucena arrived as her unexpected savior, Eleanor had been drowning in despair.

She couldn’t describe the relief she felt when she faintly heard Lucena’s familiar voice in the distance, seemingly arguing with Leonard. Unable to stay still, Eleanor threw every piece of furniture she could get her hands on to signal her captivity. She made as much noise as possible, and in her weakened state, the scene resembled a tragic princess trapped in a tower.

Their safe return home was likely thanks to Fertan. It was clear he had orchestrated Lucena’s intervention from behind the scenes.

Hidden puppet master, leader of the conspiracy.

These descriptions fit Fertan perfectly.

Once she lay down on her own bed, the taut nerves that had been stretched to their limit began to loosen. Soon, thoughts of the night’s mischievous hero crossed her mind.

“In a way, he’s truly remarkable.”

Thanks to him, Eleanor had narrowly escaped a dire fate.

Of course, this wasn’t the end. Leonard would surely escalate his torment. But they wouldn’t sit idly by either.

Eleanor sensed that Fertan’s plan was nearing its climax.

She had heard clearly that Count Ginédien, the Minister of War, had returned and that she herself had come back to the capital. Now that both key figures were in place, the spark could ignite at any moment.

Tomorrow? The day after? Or perhaps next month?

The exact date was unknown, but the sense of impending crisis pressed heavily on her.

After briefly closing her eyes, she woke to find night had fallen. Exhausted, she hadn’t noticed the passage of time. She knew she couldn’t afford to let her guard down like this.

What brought her back to attention was the sudden noise outside her bedroom.

A maid’s voice called out to her from beyond the door. Unfortunately, Evelyn, her trusted maid, hadn’t been able to accompany her from the Crown Prince’s palace. She needed to arrange for Evelyn’s return soon, but for now, another maid attended to Eleanor.

“Forgive me for disturbing your rest.”

“What is it?”

“Luggage has arrived from the palace. There are many valuables inside, so I thought I should ask what to do with them.”

“Ah, the luggage…”

When leaving Rubellon Hills, she hadn’t boarded the carriage alone. A baggage cart followed behind, carrying her basic belongings and clothing, thanks to the country manor’s steward who had hastily packed them.

The luggage had even been brought into the room where Eleanor was confined. Without it, she might have ended up borrowing clothes from the Crown Prince’s palace.

More importantly, the luggage contained something even more valuable than clothes: a portable safe.

Due to the aristocratic notion that noblewomen must always possess jewelry, Eleanor’s collection of trinkets and accessories followed her everywhere. Even as she wildly threw furniture out the window, she still wore a loose hairpin.

Thus, a small safe had naturally been included among the urgent belongings.

Under normal circumstances, no one would have touched the safe. Hidden within it, she assumed, rested the late emperor’s signet ring.

To Eleanor’s knowledge, her luggage had not been searched. During the hurried transfer to Leonard’s palace, there had been no suspicion cast upon the belongings of the Crown Prince’s betrothed.

“It’s fine to bring it in now.”

Eleanor gave her instructions to the maid without bothering to hide her exhaustion.

The luggage was brought into the bedroom without any suspicion, and the maids began unpacking it as Eleanor watched absentmindedly.

Once everyone had left and she confirmed she was alone, she opened the safe.

Inside the thick door of the safe were neatly stacked boxes of various sizes containing accessories. Everything was exactly where she had last placed it, including the double-layered box in the far corner that held the signet ring.

She opened the box to check its contents. The ring engraved with the emperor’s emblem and the handwritten certificate were intact.

Still, Eleanor didn’t fully understand why this particular item was so important to Fertan. If they were looking for objects symbolizing the late emperor, there were other, more impressive artifacts—like a crown or a helmet. Perhaps those were unattainable?

She opened the lid of the ring box and raised it to eye level to examine the ring closely.

“Then again, isn’t Fertan’s very existence itself proof of legitimacy? Technically, the current emperor is a usurper.”

This ring probably wasn’t intended to stabilize the imperial succession after the coup.

A nagging unease lingered, leaving her with much to ponder. She felt as though she was on the verge of understanding something but couldn’t quite grasp it.

The late emperor’s sudden death, the usurpation of the throne.

There had been many rumors of foul play, but the incident had been hastily covered up without proper investigation.

Of course, Eleanor also believed the emperor was the culprit. Intellectuals outside the court who knew about the event silently pointed fingers at the murderer in their hearts.

But without evidence, no one dared speak carelessly. Even if evidence existed, one would need the authority to challenge the emperor’s dignity. This matter required decisive proof to dethrone him.

“Decisive proof!”

That was what they needed.

As Eleanor stared at the golden ring gleaming before her, it seemed to whisper that it was the evidence they sought.

Though much of her reasoning relied on circumstantial connections, for now, the signet ring was the most plausible candidate.

Evidence of murder. A fairly credible hypothesis.

Deep in thought, she examined the ring. There were some stains from years of neglect, but she wasn’t foolish enough to casually clean an artifact of historical significance.

Her thoughts expanded further. How could she solidify these loosely connected speculations? Who could testify that this ring implicated the emperor in the late emperor’s death?

Someone who knew the exact circumstances surrounding the late emperor’s passing.

Someone close to the emperor during that mysterious period deep within the palace.

A sudden realization struck her like lightning. Someone so close that she hadn’t even considered them until now loomed large in her mind.

“Brother…!”

With the connection forming rapidly in her mind, she immediately thought of Edwin as someone who might know the details of the situation. But the more she thought about it, the more she sensed that Edwin’s knowledge wasn’t just passive—he might have been deeply involved.

Dark suspicions swelled into a towering giant. Though all of this was pure conjecture on Eleanor’s part, ominous thoughts kept surfacing unbidden.

What if Edwin had done something terrible back then?

She raked her hands through her hair in frustration. These paranoid thoughts were spiraling out of control.

At the time, Edwin had only been a teenage boy, one of many attendants serving the emperor. The palace would have been bustling with people.

“I need to find out.”

It was understandable that Edwin, who had served the emperor, avoided discussing the circumstances of that time. But now, she had a compelling reason to confront him.

Approaching him blindly wouldn’t yield answers. She remembered how awkward it had been when she’d casually broached the topic last time and gotten nowhere. This time, she needed a different approach—one that would prevent him from evading the question.

She stared at the antique ring, picturing her stiff, businesslike brother in her mind. Though she reminded herself not to jump to conclusions, Fertan’s warning echoed in her thoughts.

Edwin wasn’t a good person—a feeling she had instinctively sensed all along.

No, surely not.

Her heart wavered between denial and affirmation.

Edwin had no reason to harm the late emperor. His position as an attendant in the emperor’s quarters was likely due to their father’s good relationship with the late emperor. Their father had been kind at home and a respected noble in the court.

Still, nothing was certain, and her suspicions about Edwin continued to grow. She resolved not to jump to conclusions.

She had to confront Edwin about this.

She would do her best to uncover the truth, but he might lie. Trust between siblings was minimal, making her even less confident in his honesty.

“How can I get Edwin to reveal what he hasn’t said?”

Ordinary methods likely wouldn’t work.

“I’ll need special tactics.”

Even if she couldn’t make him confess outright, she wanted to have a conversation where subtle hints would suffice.

Edwin, the Duke of Roland, was a seasoned politician who had seen it all. Treating him like any ordinary head of household in his thirties would be a mistake. He was one of the empire’s top power brokers and a member of the cabinet—a man with the cunning and experience of someone in their sixties or seventies.

It wouldn’t be easy. To shake him, she would need to be exceptionally clever.

“Maybe a bit of shock is necessary.”

Eleanor sank deep into thought, considering various shocking tactics.

Before her lay the heavy, thick ring, like bait waiting to be used.

No matter how much she thought about it, nothing else compared to this. It was sure to startle Edwin. Even if he didn’t recognize it immediately, a small hint about the ring’s significance would surely unsettle him.

Even if he had no connection to the events 17 years ago, as a former attendant to the late emperor, wouldn’t he at least feel some regret?

Eleanor fervently hoped so. She found it hard to imagine Edwin reminiscing about the past with a wistful expression, but amidst her growing dark suspicions, this was her best hope.

---

Edwin came to Eleanor without her having to wait long. It was obvious he had much to say about the incident at the Crown Prince’s palace.

When she heard his approach, she steadied herself and composed her demeanor. As Edwin entered the room casually, he caught sight of her rummaging through a console drawer.

Her movements were natural as she pulled out a small jewelry box.

“What’s that?”

Until the moment Edwin failed to recognize the box, Eleanor still hoped he was merely a bystander in the past. If he lamented the late emperor’s passing and explained the events to her in detail, she wouldn’t ask for anything more.

She traced her fingertips along the gold trim of the box before slowly opening the lid.

From a specific angle, she gazed calmly at the contents of the jewelry box.

“This? I bought it from a jeweler recently.”

Her tone was nonchalant.

With fluid motions, she slowly turned the box toward Edwin.

A mix of obligation to unravel the secrets tied to the ring and fear of Edwin’s reaction overwhelmed her. Her heart raced with anxiety. Hiding her dry lips behind a faint smile, she asked:

“While preparing for the wedding, I came across it while browsing jewelers. What do you think, Brother?”

Behind her cheerful gaze, she scrutinized Edwin carefully. Knowing he wouldn’t speak easily, she searched for hints in his smallest expressions.

“Well, Brother?”

Glancing at the box, Edwin noticed the weighty, masculine design of its contents.

She extended the box slightly to show him. Only then did his expression begin to change dramatically.

Always cold and composed, his face suddenly froze like ice. For a brief moment, his cheek twitched, but soon his eyes retreated beneath heavy lids, hiding his emotions.

Edwin approached awkwardly, like a wooden puppet. As he drew closer to the point where he could vaguely make out the engraving on the signet ring, his expression grew even stiffer.

“That… that’s…”

Like a ghost, he reached out his hand.

She couldn’t let him take it. Eleanor firmly gripped the box and placed it on her lap.

“Why are you so surprised?”

With wide, innocent eyes, she looked up at him.

It was still hard to determine what exactly had caused Edwin’s shaken demeanor. Perhaps it was simply the memories resurfacing. But his reaction seemed far removed from mere disapproval of an impractical signet ring for a Crown Princess’s wedding gift. Clearly, he recognized the object and was hiding something.

“Where did you get that?”

“One of the jewelers who visited our house recommended it. But, Brother, why are you acting so strangely? You look odd.”

“Let me see it for a moment, please.”

He swung his arm forcefully, as if trying to seize the box by force.

Startled, Eleanor clutched the box tightly to her chest.

“Aah!”

Her shrill scream pierced the air.

Edwin flinched, surprised by his own aggressive advance. At least he wasn’t as unhinged as Leonard. Seeing his sister panic, he didn’t push further to forcibly take it from her.

“I’m sorry. I was just so shocked when I saw that ring.”

“Shocked? Why?”

“That’s a ring the late Emperor used to wear.”

Finally, Edwin’s tightly sealed lips began to part. This was the perfect opportunity.

“I heard that too. But did His Majesty actually wear the signet ring himself? That’s surprising.”

The era of using seals on official documents had long passed; signatures were now the norm. Occasionally, seals accompanied major announcements or declarations, but those used formal stamps rather than rings like this one.

Thus, there was no need to wear such a ring daily. Nowadays, few nobles even bothered with signet rings.

“His Majesty cherished that ring deeply. It was crafted by the finest metalworker of the time—far more beautiful than any ordinary gemstone ring.”

Now that she thought about it, the certificate had mentioned something similar. Edwin clearly remembered the late emperor’s ring and relayed the story without apparent falsehoods.

Eleanor nodded, feeling a slight sense of relief.

“The jeweler said this piece had been passed around as stolen goods before ending up in his hands. He thought selling it to me, who would soon become part of the imperial family, would be fitting.”

As Edwin quickly shut down again, Eleanor probed cautiously with a subtle question.

“But how did you know it was lost, Brother?”

“...”

“Did you see it before? When did you last see it to react like that?”

This was a leading question. Eleanor herself didn’t know how the ring had ended up in her possession—it might not even have been lost. The fact that something meant to remain in the palace was now circulating outside was merely conjecture on her part.

Edwin’s fists clenched and unclenched, trembling slightly at the wrist.

Something was definitely off. She had never seen Edwin’s face turn so pale. His deliberate, measured breathing failed to mask his unease. Observing the slow rise and fall of his chest, she tried to gauge his emotions.

Her earlier thoughts about Edwin being better than Leonard were shifting. Perhaps they simply employed different methods?

Even if he didn’t rush to snatch the ring, his cautious nature suggested he’d find another way to take it from her eventually. The calculated tension in his demeanor hinted at patience—he was biding his time.

This was her only chance. She had to extract as much information as possible.

“Brother?”

She pressed for an answer.

“I didn’t know the ring was missing.”

“Ah, I see.”

“And I recall telling you everything about my time serving the late Emperor was strictly confidential… Your constant curiosity puts me in a difficult position.”

Edwin’s stern expression made it clear he wouldn’t divulge anything further.

He truly was no ordinary opponent. While Leonard’s cruelty was overt, Edwin’s subtlety made him harder to read. Had she not grown accustomed to his habits over the years, she might have given up entirely by now.

Just then, he sharply tilted his head to one side—a gesture reminiscent of someone with anxiety.

Having observed Edwin’s habits closely, Eleanor caught the fleeting movement. It was something he occasionally did when anxious. Clearly, he felt cornered but was struggling to hide it.

When she absentmindedly fiddled with the ring, Edwin tilted his head again.

She needed to press harder. There was no turning back now.

Bracing herself, Eleanor attempted a move she rarely dared to try.

Pretending to act indifferent after Edwin cut off the conversation, she nonchalantly spun the ring box in her hand, handling the late emperor’s seal as carelessly as a child.

“Hmm... I guess so.”

Casually, she touched the ring.

Then, she slipped it onto her pinky finger—the finger traditionally used for signet rings. The thick band dangled loosely, too large for her finger.

She anticipated Edwin’s horrified reaction.

There were two possible responses: if he scolded her for disrespectfully handling the emperor’s ring, that would confirm her suspicions. Any other reaction—like shock or fear—would suggest otherwise.

Fertan had once warned her never to touch the ring. At the time, she hadn’t intended to wear it, so she dismissed his words casually. Looking back, though, there must have been a sinister reason behind his warning.

A poisoned ring?

That was her first thought.

But confusion lingered. Fertan clearly cared for her—would he give her something lethal to wear? It didn’t add up.

Still, she summoned her courage. With shaky confidence in Fertan’s intentions, she resolved to reel in the big fish that was Edwin.

“Eleanor!”

Edwin lunged toward her, his face deathly pale.

“What on earth are you doing?”

His thunderous shout echoed through the vast room. He dashed forward so forcefully that her chair wobbled, knocking the empty jewelry box to the floor.

“Hurry and take it off! Are you trying to kill yourself?”

Caught off guard, she panicked.

“Ah, you startled me.”

The emperor’s ring precariously hung on her finger. As Edwin reached out to snatch it away, Eleanor quickly hid her hand within the folds of her skirt.

Carefully removing the ring while wrapping it in her dress, she clenched her fist tightly inside the bundled fabric to prevent him from taking it.

“Why are you suddenly talking about dying?”

Wide-eyed, she feigned surprise at his unexpected remark.

But beneath her calm exterior, her mind was spiraling into despair.

“Didn’t you do something strange? I panicked and... just blurted out nonsense.”

His awkward attempt to backtrack revealed more than he intended.

Edwin had unwittingly exposed his second predicted reaction—one that starkly revealed his true colors. In his agitation, he inadvertently hinted at his close connection to the late emperor’s death.

She could now make a vague guess about the ring’s condition. It likely posed a deadly threat if worn.

As Eleanor clutched the ring tightly under her skirt, Edwin scolded her harshly.

“I’ll keep that item safe.”

“No, I bought it intending to return it to the imperial family. I’ll bring it with me when I enter the palace as the Crown Princess.”

Eleanor firmly rejected him. By deliberately invoking her status as the future Crown Princess, she drew a line he couldn’t cross.

Though Edwin technically owned the Rolands’ wealth, he wouldn’t dare claim ownership over a relic of the late emperor.

---

Before falling asleep that night, Eleanor fretted over what to do with the signet ring. Edwin’s unsettling demeanor made her fear he might try to take it from her at any moment.

He didn’t seem like the type to give up easily. Her unease grew when unfamiliar servants began suspiciously lurking around her bedroom.

She hadn’t let go of the box since receiving it and even brought it to bed with her. She placed it under her pillow and spent the night tossing and turning, pretending to sleep. If she had the chance, she would’ve liked to switch the box for something less conspicuous, but with so many eyes on her, she couldn’t risk opening the safe in the middle of the night.

The next morning, Edwin’s carriage departed the estate early. Judging by his formal attire, it seemed he was heading to the palace.

Edwin often visited the palace anyway—it could have been for a routine meeting or an audience with the emperor. 

But the timing felt too coincidental to Eleanor. With her suspicions about the past growing stronger, she wondered if Edwin had gone to discuss the ring with someone.

‘Now’s not the time to sit by the window daydreaming. I need to resolve this ring issue quickly.’

There was nowhere in the house to hide it. Playing hide-and-seek like a child wasn’t the right answer. Burying it under a flowerbed in the garden and praying it wouldn’t be found was far too foolish.

In the end, the only solution was a covert escape.

While escaping from the top floor of Leonard’s palace would have been impossible, slipping out of her own home undetected was at least feasible. Even if Edwin had instructed the servants beforehand, their vigilance wouldn’t match that of the imperial guards.

With no one to help her, she had to act alone. But today, the maids kept coming in and out of her room more frequently than usual. It was clear she was being watched.

Eleanor waited for an opening. Just as a maid briefly left and before other servants arrived, a rare moment of solitude presented itself.

The opportunity came suddenly. Seizing it, she moved swiftly.

Grabbing the signet box and a small pouch of money, she tiptoed through the hallway. Passing through the servants’ entrance, she opened the small gate hidden behind the wall. The sound of the iron latch sliding open felt like thunder to her ears.

From that point on, she didn’t look back.

She ran wildly across the open fields and thickets. Her weakened lungs and frail body made it hard to pick up speed, but she pushed herself as far as she could go.

Her mind raced ahead while her body lagged behind. No matter how hard she panted, she couldn’t run faster than a brisk walk. At any moment, she expected the servants to chase after her—those same servants who treated her kindly yet would forcibly return her to the mansion.

Ahead, a road where carriages passed appeared.

Her pounding heart raced even faster. This was where the real challenge began.

Though she had planned a methodical escape that relied less on luck, fate now played a critical role. If a carriage belonging to someone who recognized her passed by, it would all be over. The area was densely populated with high-ranking nobles’ estates, so caution was essential. Every time a fancy-looking carriage approached, she hurriedly hid herself.

After a while, a small cargo cart pulled by a single horse passed by.

“Wait! Please stop for a moment!”

She knew how dangerous this was. A noblewoman in her nightclothes stopping a random carriage—she could easily fall victim to harm. But she had no choice. Steeling herself like someone confronting a wolf to escape a tiger, she waved her arms frantically.

The cart stopped.

---

“Well, well, miss. What brings you here?”

An elderly man with a rustic accent looked up at her through drooping, wrinkled eyelids.

Thank goodness. After a streak of bad luck, she’d finally caught a break. Eleanor explained her situation vaguely and asked for help.

“Please, let me ride with you. I barely escaped from kidnappers, and I don’t know what to do.”

Slipping him some coins, she climbed aboard, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. Half the battle was won. The kind-hearted old man driving the cart agreed to take her wherever she needed to go.

She chose a random inn far from the Roland estate and, upon arrival, paid the man extra to run an errand for her. She handed him a hastily written letter addressed to the front desk of the Bluewing Hotel.

Less than half a day had passed since she’d hidden in the inn like a mouse when someone came to retrieve her. And what a welcome sight it was.

“Hey, Liam! You’re alive!”

Overjoyed, she threw her arms wide open in greeting.

Liam smiled awkwardly, his face still marked with bruises.

“Did you think I was dead, my lady?”

“My brother said you must have died back at Rubellon Hills.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, overcome with emotion.

She had worried endlessly about what might have happened to him during her own perilous ordeal. With no way to check on his well-being until now, she felt immense guilt—and gratitude that he was alive.

“I’m so glad. Truly, I am.”

Liam bowed deeply, expressing his heartfelt emotions without words.

“The imperial guards were threatening, but thanks to Lord Fertan’s people, I managed to escape safely. My concern was for you, my lady.”

Under the cover of night, they moved to a secure location—a quaint villa nestled on the outskirts of the city.

Finally stepping into a place where she could relax, Eleanor felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had escaped both Leonard and Edwin unscathed, and the jewelry box containing the ring remained safely in her possession.

Her long-tensed body finally relaxed, and she collapsed onto the bed, quickly falling asleep.

A warm pair of lips pressed lightly against her forehead. As if afraid of breaking her, they approached cautiously, brushing against her skin like a whisper. A soft sigh escaped between those lips, tickling her hair and causing her eyelids to flutter.

“Mmm, Fertan…”

Only one person could caress her so tenderly. No one else had permission to touch her, so the sensation and warmth were uniquely his.

“I come back from running errands, and there’s a woman who’s secretly claimed my bed.”

His low whisper followed the movement of his lips as they gently grazed her forehead.

Fertan lay beside her. Though he had been careful not to disturb her while she slept, as her eyes gradually cleared, he wasted no time pulling her close. His strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, and his long legs entwined with hers.

“What audacity, to sneak into the bed of a notorious rogue of the night like me. Once you’re beneath me, you’d better be prepared for the consequences.”

It was all playful banter. By now, she knew his tricks well.

While his words were rough, his actions were achingly gentle.

He buried his nose in the nape of her neck, inhaling deeply. His lips trailed along her neckline, kissing softly and sucking lightly. His sharp nose pressed firmly into her skin, moving toward the back of her ear, where he let out a low groan.

The muscles in his arms tightened around her, slowly pressing her closer.

At first, he seemed content to hold her sideways, but soon he flipped her over. Eleanor found herself momentarily straddling him before being pinned flat beneath him. Rolling this way and that, he kissed her collarbones one after the other, savoring her presence.

It was clear how overjoyed he was to see her. If he had a tail, it would have wagged furiously.

Eleanor, caught up in the moment, felt her body respond instinctively. It was a fleeting instant where letting her guard down could lead to surrender. Before her defenses melted completely, she forced herself to address the matter at hand.

“I brought the ring. It seemed like Edwin was trying to take it from me.”

“Edwin?”

Pushing him away slightly to create some distance, she handed him the signet box, which she had carefully wrapped in a handkerchief. Without even glancing at its contents, Fertan placed the box on the bedside table.

Though he could have asked for details, he only reacted briefly to Edwin’s name before refocusing entirely on Eleanor. His gaze lingered on her like sticky honey, unwavering.

His long fingers traced her cheek delicately.

“Eleanor, are you hurt anywhere?”

She blinked slowly, silently conveying that she was unharmed.

“Have you eaten?”

Bringing up food in this situation felt oddly out of place. Pouting slightly, she didn’t respond. He clicked his tongue lightly.

“You haven’t. I thought as much.”

“I’m not hungry. There’s something more important…”

“Nothing is more important than your current condition. First, eat, then rest, and then we’ll talk.”

His stubborn attitude was unyielding.

“But it’s urgent.”

“No. You need to fill your stomach first.”

Fertan finally called a maid and had her quickly bring some food and prepare water for washing.

He didn’t change his position, lying side by side on the bed, regardless of who entered the room. The hand gently stroking her back resembled that of a mother cradling her child, but the gaze from his wide-set eyes was unmistakably that of a man in heat.

“If you keep looking at me like that, it’s hard for me to hold back.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your eyes are begging me to hold you. It’s already turning me on.”

Unbelievable. She was just looking at him without any thought.

As expected, Fertan, the playboy, hadn’t changed. His thick, swollen lower body was now pressing against her lower abdomen. His long, erect cock struggled hotly between their entangled bodies.

“I wasn’t thinking anything like that. What kind of time is this?”

“They say people get more excited during crises.”

“Not at all.”

“It makes sense. Right now, just a kiss would make me lose it.”

“Fertan, can we talk first?”

Just then, a knock on the bedroom door interrupted them. Fertan sat her on his lap and got up.

“No, not yet. You need to eat first.”

He urged her to fill her stomach with the hastily prepared, steaming mushroom cream soup until she finished it all.

As if determined not to let her bring up the urgent matter, he rambled on about trivial daily affairs. He explained that this villa belonged to a trustworthy merchant but was originally his, and he had transferred the title back just in case.

Only after feeding her three large pieces of steak did he finally stop pestering her.

He had thrown the signet ring into his safe without even looking at it. It was clearly an important item, but his lack of interest was baffling.

Was it boldness, or just eccentricity?

Or did he already have an idea of what was coming?

Even after finishing the meal, the main conversation didn’t begin. They moved to the room where the bath was prepared, and he dismissed the surroundings.

He tenderly held Eleanor’s shoulders. The warmth of his palm seeped through the thin fabric of her nightgown. Fertan smiled pleasantly as he began to undress first.

“It’s our first time bathing together. There’s so much we haven’t done.”

Eleanor raised an eyebrow coyly but didn’t refuse his hands untying the knot at her chest.

“I never said we could bathe together.”

His mischievously grinning face was that of a born troublemaker. The faint wrinkles on the bridge of his nose appeared and disappeared.

“Come on, between us.”

“What kind of relationship do we have?”

“Soon, you’ll accept my proposal.”

His shamelessly stretched lips quickly stole a kiss from hers. When had his previous request for her to become his empress transformed into a proposal? It wasn’t entirely wrong, but she remembered it more as a negotiation, almost a political alliance.

“I can’t accept that kind of proposal.”

Trying to brush it off? No way. Besides, she hadn’t yet decided what to do about him.

Fertan laughed loudly, revealing his white teeth.

“Is that so? You’d know the details if you’d dated someone. I’m still a bit inexperienced.”

Eleanor clung to him as they stepped into the large bathtub.

She watched Fertan enter the water after her and was startled.

A shadow quickly passed over her head as he leaped over the edge of the tub. His legs, covered in muscles, looked like those of a horse, bulging and uneven. His erect cock stood out prominently at the center of his body.

When he spread his legs wide, she couldn’t look away.

The crimson, upright shaft of his cock and the round testicles below looked like swollen balls. The area deeper than his testicles was dark and hard to see. As he quickly lowered his legs, the obscene parts were hidden.

The bathwater sloshed, rapidly rising in level. Fertan pressed close to her.

“Even if you drool, I’m not giving it to you.”

She must have been caught glancing at his crotch. She pretended not to understand.

“Huh?”

“My decision remains unchanged: no sex until you’re better. I want you to feel amazing while I’m inside you. I don’t want one-sided lust where I just get off while you pass out or worse. I hate that kind of sex.”

“…….”

His wet hand gently brushed through her hair. The kiss pressed against her temple carried the weight of his restrained desire.

“So eat well and get healthy quickly.”

Fertan began washing her body. He shampooed her hair and lathered soap on her skin. Despite claiming he’d never been in a relationship, his movements were as skilled as an expert’s.

After cleaning himself, he pulled her between his legs and held her close.

“You’ve been through a lot to get here. Just rest deeply. Don’t think about anything.”

This man, who lifted and carried her, had already immersed them in their own world within the bathtub. Despite the significant upheaval and even today’s escape, Fertan was so captivating that he made her forget it all, even if just for a moment. He had completely drawn her in.

“The ring, it’s something that can’t be taken, right? I’m still not sure if taking it and running was the right decision.”

“You did well. Really… It was a wise decision, and Eleanor, you always do everything exceptionally well.”

“Don’t joke.”

“How does that sound like a joke? Don’t people around you acknowledge you like that?”

She pursed her lips instead of answering, finding it hard to agree.

“So rest here now. You’ve done your part.”

His thick lips descended. They were moist and seemed slightly swollen from the water.

His lips, tilted and slightly parted, pressed against hers. His tongue, without hesitation, eagerly licked at her as if he’d been waiting.

Behind the curve of her buttocks, something hotter than the bathwater moved insistently. His firm hand pulled at her white lower abdomen, and his heated, rock-like cock rubbed obscenely between their bodies.

There was no time to explain the events she’d been through. She needed to share her suspicions about Edwin, but her mouth was too busy kissing. The slippery mucous membranes of their tongues danced back and forth between their sealed lips.

Fertan expressed his desire for her to let go of both body and mind through his actions.

The heated touch felt good. His firm, broad chest was perfect to lean against.

She wanted to empty her mind and simply receive the pleasure he offered.

Just for a moment, just for one night.

Their lips parted briefly as they struggled. The suction sound was obscene.

“Haah, do it… please.”

Despite his firm refusal, Eleanor spread her legs. Her submerged buttocks wriggled enticingly.

She rubbed against his thigh below her twisted knee. His thick thigh muscles flexed. Her body floated slightly with the water’s movement. The obscene parts, unable to make deep contact, needed something to hold onto.

“I don’t mind losing consciousness.”

She pulled his hand down to cover her vulva. His uncomfortably erect cock poked at her lower back from within his body, which she used like a chair.

Eleanor turned her head to look back at him.

His bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes, soaked with water, glared at her as if to devour her. She clenched her jaw tightly, letting out a pained groan. As her gaze fell to his chin, the small Adam’s apple protruding from his neck surged violently.

She bit down on his provocatively swaying Adam’s apple, as if taking a large bite out of an apple.

“Ha!”

She felt the man’s trembling body all over. His excited state was quite pleasing to her eyes.

Fertan couldn’t return her smiling gaze, his eyes crinkled. His hands, which had been around her chest in an attempt to embrace her warmly, unconsciously gripped her breasts tightly.

He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, speaking in a deeply submerged voice.

“Hoo... Fine, you win.”

Fertan slipped his arms under her back and knees, lifting her up with a surge of strength. With a “whoosh,” water cascaded off their bodies like a waterfall. Small puddles formed with each long stride he took.

He kissed her obsessively, as if nursing a grudge, thrusting his tongue into her mouth like a cock. Then, in the next moment, he sucked her small tongue as if trying to pull it out.

Their faces remained pressed together as they were laid down on a soft surface—a wide sofa.

One of his hands lightly caressed her back like a dance, while the other opened wide, grabbing her breast. He roughly kneaded it, his fingers sinking deep into her flesh.

His lips slid down to her heaving, swollen chest. Fertan glanced up at her, his eyes shining with a decadent light, as if asking her to look at him.

He twisted her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Only one tip stood out prominently on the smooth, round mound.

His sensual lips sucked on the nipple.

“Hnn...”

That simple act sent a jolt of pleasure through her. Her legs trembled.

After briefly sucking on her nipple, he released it. The flesh, wet with water and saliva, gleamed in the night light.

“Ellie, I feel like I’m going to die.”

“Why, why?”

“My cock is about to burst. What should I do?”

He sighed deeply in frustration, lowering his head further. After kissing her delicate navel, he traced a line of kisses down to her vulva.

He lifted Eleanor’s thighs, spreading her legs wide. His chin and cheeks touched the area around her groin.

Without lifting his head, Fertan pushed his nose between the two rounded mounds in front of her vulva. He inhaled roughly through the narrow gap. Feeling a little embarrassed, she twitched her lower back. Seeing her reaction, he raised the corner of his lips in a mischievous smile.

But instead of stopping, he became even more intense. He sniffed around, poking his nose everywhere, as if a dog searching for a hidden bone.

“Ugh, you’re so mean...”

Her small fist landed lightly on his shoulder.

Fertan seemed even more excited after being hit. He searched for her erect clit with his face, rubbing his nose and nostrils against it.

The sensitive area brushed against his soft, smooth skin. A tingling sensation spread through her body.

The kisses became more wanton, crossing the line of mere sensuality. He kissed her open, red inner lips, making soft “smack” sounds. The feeling of his lips clinging and then releasing made her shudder.

“The taste... the smell... ha, it’s killing me.”

Looking down at his heaving shoulders, she gasped for breath.

Perhaps because it was a rare encounter, she felt extremely sensitive. Just the touch of his lip membrane circling her vulva made her flinch.

Fertan’s touch felt both distant and close. They weren’t openly dating, nor were they just physical partners. For various reasons, she was only in his arms occasionally, which only intensified her unfulfilled physical desires.

“More, ha...”

Perhaps that was why she still felt unsatisfied, even as she ruffled the hair on the head buried in her lower abdomen. She didn’t tell him to stop, even as her breasts were misshapen from his touch.

Fertan’s mouth sucked her vulva deeply. He made sloppy “slurp” sounds, licking her with his tongue. He swallowed the fluid flowing from her vagina as if drinking juice. The sofa cushions were now sticky with his saliva and her vaginal fluids.

A long, thick finger penetrated her small opening. His lips remained pressed against her erect clit. After pushing his finger all the way in, he sucked on it with force. Her small clitoral flesh was pulled up with the suction.

Two fingers now filled her. Slightly bent fingertips gently stimulated her inner walls. His lips lovingly brushed her outer lips, and his tongue moved quickly, like an animal devouring its prey.

His hand, which had been massaging her breasts, now focused on the end of her rounded mound. He pressed her nipple with his thick thumbprint. When the nipple sprang back up, he flicked it sharply with his fingernail.

The sting was so sharp that a moan escaped her lips. Instinctively, she covered his hand with her own.

“Ha, huh.”

His touch, stimulating her inner walls, quickened. He shook her up and down, stirring the bumpy inner walls, then pressed his fingertips together at the prominent curves.

“Ha.”

When she reacted, he increased the pressure on the same spot.

“You like it here, don’t you?”

He asked with lips glistening with her fluids. As their eyes met, he deliberately stuck out his tongue and licked her vulva. The sight of her red flesh writhing was disturbingly lewd.

His hooked fingers moved in and out of her narrow passage without pause. He spread and narrowed her inner walls with the intensity and speed that would most excite her.

Her legs, draped over Fertan’s shoulders, twitched and swayed in the air. Her inner thighs brushed against his ears. His mouth, which had been sucking on her vulva, moved to cover her groin and thighs with kisses. There was a sharp temperature difference between her hot ears and the cool air swirling between her legs.

The warmth of her flushed ears felt pleasantly close, as if he were clinging to her.

“Uhn, Fert...”

Releasing her breasts, which he had been holding onto obsessively, he spread Eleanor’s legs wide. He looked up at her flushed, disheveled face.

“Ha, what should I do? I want to bury my cock inside you right now.”

His hand, buried in her vulva, plunged deeper with a “thwack.” She cried out, twisting her hips.

“I want to fuck you properly, not just play with these half-assed hand tricks.”

His thick, long fingers, almost resembling a real cock, churned inside her. She let out a long, whimpering sound, feeling the electrifying shivers. She rubbed her fluttering legs against his cheeks.

He flicked his wrist with a hooked finger. The strangely angled motion triggered a series of shivers.

The insertion was powerful, and the withdrawal was swift. The soft inner flesh seemed to cling to his skin, threatening to tear away. The rhythmic “thwack, thwack” sounds were loud, just like during intercourse. Her insides, savagely thrust into and forcibly pulled out, churned.

Each stroke sent a jolt of electricity through her. Her entire body seemed to light up and then go dark.

Her abused vulva and urethra tingled. The unbearable sensation gathered near her genitals.

The tingling sensation felt ominous, similar to the urge to urinate.

“Haa... St-stop, huh.”

Fertan didn’t stop. He scraped her insides as if digging with a shovel. With a slightly bent finger, he rubbed and pulled her sensitive spot, making it sound.

The sharp, tingling sensation pressed on her clit and urethra simultaneously. Unable to bear the shivers, she tried to close her legs. But Fertan showed no mercy, bracing himself with his shoulder and pressing her down with his hand. No matter how much she hit him, it was no use.

“Hoo, you’re so cute...”

The sharp, tingling sensation finally reached its limit.

“Ah, no... no, uhn.”

A powerful stream spurted from her opening, arcing far and wide, soaking Fertan’s chest.

Each time he added a flick to his wrist, a large amount of fluid gushed out. It was completely different from the small amount of moisture that usually seeped from her vulva. The fluid splattered everywhere, making it clear that it was different from anything she had released before.

Fertan looked slightly surprised but continued the motion until the flow stopped. He stuck out his tongue and tasted the fluid that had splashed on his lips. What was he doing? She wanted to be angry, but embarrassment took over. Her face flushed red, and she was at a loss for words.

Finally, his hand, which had been inside her, came out and cupped her still-contracting vulva.

“It’s okay, Ellie, it’s not a mistake.”

“But this...”

“It tastes and smells different. It has a very sensual smell.”

He lifted his exhausted body and laid it on top of her, their bodies entwined. She found herself sitting on the sofa in a suggestive position, amidst the mixture of bathwater and various bodily fluids.

Come to think of it, the scent was indeed different. It was slightly fishy, almost like the smell of plain water.

“Fertan, what exactly did you do?”

Her feeble attempt at a reprimand was ineffective. He rumbled in his throat, murmuring.

“I’d only heard about it, never actually seen it before.”

“What is it?”

“Something that sometimes happens during sex. Should I do it again next time?”

“N-no way!”

His wicked chuckle was disturbingly sensual.

“It was an enjoyable experience, but if you don’t like it, I won’t do it.”

Fertan’s chin, still smelling of the sour scent of her vulva, which he had kissed passionately, was turned away. Instead, he returned to the bath, where the water was still warm, and washed her disheveled body again.

She was so exhausted that she wanted to go straight to bed. Leaning on Fertan felt as comforting as lying down.

He carefully dried her washed body with a towel. When he dried Eleanor’s wet hair, his expression became exceptionally serious. Even when she told him it was fine to leave it, he insisted on doing it himself, so she eventually gave up and let him.

Sitting on a stool, she watched Fertan through the mirror as he meticulously patted her hair dry, strand by strand. It was only now, belatedly, that she realized how unfamiliar and strange this felt.

When had this mischievous man become so close to her?

Sharing a destiny and accepting him as her partner were two different things. Although she was supporting Fertan, placing Eleanor’s future with the underdog Imperial faction, she still hadn’t committed to being his in any definitive way.

To be precise, even though she had almost made up her mind, she hadn’t had the chance to be honest with him.

The choice of becoming Empress or attaining another position after the rebellion was settled only existed in her thoughts.

She also hadn’t confessed her deep feelings as a woman. It was difficult to casually mention that Fertan was the only man she had truly accepted. It wasn’t an easy thing to say.

He was an exceptionally good person and a good man. Even a simple gesture of recommending lotion made her heart flutter.

She gazed up at this handsome man.

When would be the right time to tell him? She wondered inwardly.

Ideally, she wanted to confess on the most beautiful day, in a moment filled with blessings and good fortune. Perhaps he already anticipated her answer from her expressions, but he might still be waiting for her to say it in words.

“What are you thinking about?”

Fertan leaned down, resting his chin on her neck.

“Nothing.”

“Your eyes say otherwise. Are you thinking about falling for me?”

His presumptuousness would make even the most heartfelt confession disappear.

Even though his gentle breath tickled her ear, and even though it made her chest feel fluttery, she couldn’t bring herself to agree with him.

“No! Aren’t you the one who’s fallen for me?”

“Of course. Easygoing me has wanted to be Ellie’s dog from the start. I’d even lick your feet.”

What was he saying he’d become, and what would he lick? She turned her head and glared coldly at his absurd words.

Fertan, in high spirits, lightly kissed her neck.

“Not just your feet, but the back of your shoes too.”

“I won’t kiss that mouth.”

She played along with his playful banter, and Fertan continued with his jokes.

“Oh, then just your feet.”

Their lighthearted bickering continued until her hair was completely dry. The feeling of his fingers parting her hair was so pleasant that she wished this moment would last forever.

However, her thoughts couldn’t linger solely on the pleasantries. She knew that an unavoidable fate awaited them, and they couldn’t just idly chat forever.

He had allowed her to rest briefly, hoping to ease her worries, but it was merely a temporary measure. They had things to do.

Fertan quickly noticed her troubled expression.

“I told you not to overthink. Let’s make a rule. Until I ask you first, Ellie, you’re not allowed to think about anything else.”

“There are so many urgent matters right now, and you call them mere ‘other thoughts’?”

She couldn’t understand why he was trying to stop her. They should be rushing forward.

“Our overly enthusiastic Lady Eleanor might go off on her own to handle everything again.”

“Isn’t that the right thing to do?”

He lightly shook his head and pulled out a small vial from somewhere, handing it to her.

“This is the antidote to the medicine that made you act sick all this time.”

“Oh, the antidote.”

Indeed, there was no point in continuing to play the role of a terminally ill patient. Eleanor took the vial and drank it on the spot.

“Your cough will gradually subside, and your breathing will become easier. In about three or four days, the symptoms will be almost gone. You’ve worked so hard.”

“It’s not hard work. I just did what I had to do.”

“And I’m sorry for making you go through such difficult things.”

“We agreed not to talk about that. The wedding was more meaningful to me.”

He carefully dressed her in a nightgown and then led her to the bed.

Even after going to bed, her mind was clear. After facing the reality with Edwin, she had managed to sort out a lot of her tangled thoughts. Although her body was exhausted and her heart was uneasy, her mind was sharp. It felt like she was neatly arranging all the records she had kept in her spacious bookshelf.

They intertwined their four limbs in an ambiguous position, somewhere between an embrace and an arm pillow. She couldn’t physically push away Fertan, who had stubbornly tucked his arm under her neck. His shoulder was thick, making her head tilt, but she pretended to give in and stayed still.

While she was absorbed in various thoughts, his dark eyelashes closed first.

He must have been tired. He must be busy, running around so much these days.

Earlier, after sending a message from a shabby inn, she secretly hoped he would come in person. But Liam coming instead meant that Fertan had something urgent that prevented him from taking the time.

She gently traced his facial features, careful not to wake him. She lightly touched his sharply defined jawline with her fingertips. She only looked at his thick eyelashes. She had no intention of waking the tired man.

His neck, temptingly prominent, moved slightly.

“Seriously, you test my patience every time.”

Judging by his calm voice, he hadn’t fallen asleep.

But it was a little funny. Wasn’t his behavior on the sofa a bit excessive to talk about patience?

A silent laugh escaped Eleanor’s lips.

“You’ve already done all sorts of things.”

His dark pupils slowly appeared beneath his shadowed eyes.

“I haven’t. It’s not sex unless I bury my cock deep inside you, all the way to your womb, and cum.”

He was back to his usual self, suddenly saying such things. It wouldn’t be Fertan without his lewd bedroom talk. It made her heart flutter.

“That’s absurd. That’s a bit of a stretch.”

“Why is it absurd? When a male and female mate, nothing else but ejaculation is considered mating.”

Fertan propped himself up on his elbows and lowered his head over her face.

His usually decadent look became even more sensual. His half-open eyes were filled with unfulfilled desire.

“Well, you’re right, you haven’t.”

“That’s not what I meant. The focus isn’t on me, it’s on Eleanor.”

He lightly bumped his forehead against hers.

“Just now, when I saw you leave so quickly, I felt a bit... like I wasn’t fulfilling my role as a man properly. I’m supposed to satisfy you fully.”

“……?”

“In fact, isn’t that true? As a man, it’s my duty to ensure the woman I embrace is sufficiently fulfilled, right? Every time you beg for more, I feel like my heart is collapsing.”

Her gaze gradually cooled as she watched him ramble on aimlessly. He really was an odd man. She had known he was obsessed with physical intimacy, but seeing him wallow in self-pity was somewhat amusing.

Arguing back would have been pointless. He was someone who rarely maintained a serious atmosphere, and without being asked, he began passionately expounding his beliefs about the importance of sex.

Even when she told him to stop, Fertan’s unnecessary monologue dragged on. He talked about how he needed to do this and that for her within the limits of his stamina, using terms related to sexual techniques she didn’t understand, all while making plans to himself.

---

“What did you just say? That it doesn’t seem to be tuberculosis?”

Leonard’s whip came down sharply. The thin strands of the whip struck the royal physician’s shoulder with a crackling sound.

The doctor, who had come to report Eleanor’s diagnosis, was suffering an unexpected assault. Though he had hesitated before entering the palace, dreading delivering the truth to the eccentric crown prince, there was no way around reporting it. As soon as Leonard realized the truth, he flew into a rage.

“Explain yourself again. How could such a misunderstanding occur?”

The physician, who hadn’t done anything wrong, clutched his throbbing shoulder and groaned in pain as he answered.

“It… it wasn’t a misunderstanding. Lady Eleanor deceived—”

“What?”

Stammering under Leonard’s murderous glare, the doctor barely managed to get the words out.

“I believe… she deceived Your Highness and those around her.”

Leonard exhaled sharply, finding it hard to believe.

“Deceived? You mean it was all fake?”

His voice was sharp and piercing.

Before hearing any detailed explanation, Leonard exploded. Swinging his whip wildly, he broke it and then proceeded to throw everything he could get his hands on in the office. In the chaos, both the doctor and some nearby attendants were injured, unable to dodge in time.

“Continue,” Leonard commanded, shattering a glass window with a crash.

“The test results are markedly different from those of an ordinary patient. However, the symptoms presented similarly to tuberculosis.”

“So?”

“There seem to be two possibilities. Either it’s an entirely different illness, or she’s faking it.”

“You’re saying she feigned illness.”

“I am deeply sorry.”

After smashing everything he could, Leonard leaned against the armrest of a torn sofa, exhausted. Breathing heavily, he glared at the doctor as if accusing him of a crime.

“How is that even possible? What method could she have used to deceive everyone?”

“She likely manipulated something that could mimic symptoms. I’m not sure what kind of drug might exist, but in my opinion, it’s definitely not tuberculosis.”

“So you’re saying Eleanor took some drug you don’t know about?”

“It’s merely speculation.”

Leonard let out a hollow laugh toward the empty air. He was too stunned to speak.

He knew Eleanor wasn’t thrilled about marrying him. Her face often stiffened whenever he approached, and he had never seen her make that expression for anyone else. He vaguely assumed her dislike bordered on revulsion.

But Eleanor’s feelings didn’t matter. Just as the owner of ornamental jewelry doesn’t need to know its emotions, she was merely a possession destined to belong to him. Leonard loved her deeply and had no intention of ever letting her go. The only meaningful emotion between them was his.

She wouldn’t be able to resist him, and eventually, she’d smile for him. Perhaps some disciplinary work would be necessary to transform her reluctant smile into the radiant smile of a beautiful doll.

Still, it was surprising that Eleanor had resorted to such blatant tactics. If she had faked illness to delay the wedding, it was something he absolutely couldn’t overlook.

“Is there anyone who might know what this drug is?”

The royal physician kept his head bowed, his face red with suppressed anger. Unable to protest against the crown prince’s unjust treatment, he swallowed his grievances silently.

“I humbly apologize, but I do not know.”

He refrained from mentioning that foreign doctors or wandering pharmacists might know something. It wasn’t his duty to speculate beyond his expertise, so he held his tongue.

Leonard’s cold glare bore into the doctor.

Far from subsiding, his anger only grew more intense, becoming unbearable.

What mattered more than identifying the drug was the fact that Eleanor had taken it to avoid marriage. For now, knowing it was a difficult-to-identify substance was enough information to extract from the doctor.

“But tell me, could a noblewoman like Eleanor really obtain such a peculiar drug on her own?”

“Excuse me?”

The startled doctor questioned him, but Leonard hadn’t asked expecting an answer.

“A refined and upright noble lady like her—how could she possibly pull off something like this, hmm?”

“I… I don’t know…”

Leonard muttered to himself, almost ignoring the doctor.

“Exactly. It doesn’t make sense, does it?”

“……”

“Unless someone helped her, that is.”

Flicking his fingers irritably, he lifted the corners of his lips in a sinister smile. Restless, he paced back and forth, grinding shards of glass under his boots with a grating sound.

Leonard’s increasingly dark thoughts swirled around Eleanor and her supposed secret lover.

That man must have encouraged her. Some insignificant nobody from an obscure family. Whoever he was, he must have enticed Eleanor and given her the strange drug.

He had ordered his intelligence network to capture the man, but they reported he had vanished without a trace. After manipulating Eleanor, he must have gone into hiding like a rat, controlling her from afar to create this mess.

Leonard couldn’t recall the man’s name—it was too trivial to remember.

“Roberto… Adam Roberto, wasn’t it?”

The doctor was busy looking for an opportunity to escape the office.

“Um, I’ve told you everything about Lady Eleanor’s test results. May I take my leave now?”

The more Leonard thought about it, the angrier he became at Eleanor.

How dare she think she could escape from my grasp? Don’t I love her enough? After reluctantly letting her leave the palace, I was so heartbroken I beat my chest in frustration.

Crushing the glass beneath his feet absentmindedly, he remained trapped in his own train of thought.

But she was currently at the Roland estate, surely lying quietly in bed. Once she showed signs of recovery, he would immediately set a date for the wedding…

“Crap! Come to think of it, she’s not even sick!”

Leonard abruptly stood up, so lost in thought that he forgot the meeting with the doctor wasn’t over. Suddenly raising his head, he widened his field of vision.

Eleanor, who had never been ill, was probably lively and well by now. Perhaps she was even rolling around with that contemptible worm somewhere, doing unspeakable things.

This wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

I need to go and retrieve her now.

“Prepare for an outing. I’m heading to the Roland estate immediately.”

As soon as he made up his mind, Leonard stormed out of the office. His attendants scrambled after him in panic, and there was no time for basic preparations—they headed straight outside the palace.

Impatient as always, Leonard couldn’t wait for the carriage and instead rode a horse himself. With just a few guards and attendants, he galloped directly to Eleanor’s family home.

The entire Roland estate was thrown into chaos. Edwin, rushing out to greet the crown prince, couldn’t hide his flustered expression.

“Where’s Eleanor?”

Leonard cut straight to the chase, ignoring any formalities. He strode into the first-floor hall as if it were his own home, an act of extreme rudeness even for a crown prince.

“How dare you arrive so suddenly without notice?”

Edwin offered a greeting tinged with complaint, but Leonard paid him no mind.

“Where’s Eleanor? I need to see her immediately. Lead the way.”

He gestured impatiently for Edwin to go ahead.

But Edwin dragged his feet, moving slowly behind him. There was no sign he intended to lead Leonard upstairs to her room.

Edwin stood stiffly, hands clasped in front of him.

“Your Highness, allow me to escort you to the drawing room first.”

Though Leonard had initially planned to rush directly to her bedroom upon arrival, the tense atmosphere made him relent. He assumed Edwin’s rigid demeanor indicated displeasure at this unexpected visit.

“Hmm, fine. Hurry and send for Eleanor to come down.”

After dismissing everyone else from the drawing room, Edwin still stood rigidly in place, making no move to fetch her.

“Why? Has something happened?”

“Your Highness...,” Edwin began, his voice heavy with unease.

The tone was ominous. Something was clearly wrong.

But Leonard could endure for now. As long as he could have Eleanor, he didn’t care about much else. Once she was back in his palace, he would lock her away and thoroughly discipline her until his anger subsided.

Even if this caused friction with the emperor, he had no intention of letting her go this time.

“First, bring Eleanor and then we’ll talk.”

He wiped the sweat forming on his palms against his knees and pressed Edwin again.

Still, Edwin didn’t budge. Instead, he bowed his head and spoke carefully.

“Eleanor…,” he paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

“Eleanor is not here.”

“Not here? What do you mean? Where did she go?”

“She’s disappeared.”

Leonard asked repeatedly, thinking he must have misheard. Disappeared? That was impossible. How could she vanish from her own childhood home? It didn’t make sense.

A sharp pain shot through the back of his head, as if his blood were rushing in reverse. Clenching his teeth, he tried to suppress his rising fury while asking about any remaining possibilities.

“Did she step out briefly? She has a few close friends—did you check with them?”

“We’ve looked everywhere, but there’s no trace of her.”

“What about hiding somewhere in the house?”

He pressed further, grasping at straws, but the only response was grim reality.

“That girl… she likely slipped out of the house secretly.”

Edwin shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Tch!”

The anger Leonard had been holding back erupted violently. His insides burned like embers, and he couldn’t—and didn’t want to—contain himself any longer.

Leonard lunged forward, grabbing Edwin by the collar. The force of his movement caused both men to stumble. Pushing Edwin backward, he slammed him against the wall with a heavy thud.

It was like a bull charging blindly, its snorts resembling those of a frenzied beast.

“How dare you let my Eleanor escape?”

His strained voice cracked with intensity. His fist, gripping Edwin’s coat, turned white-knuckled as it trembled uncontrollably.

Though Leonard was shorter and slimmer than Edwin, he threw himself into the confrontation with reckless energy. But if Edwin retaliated, Leonard’s aggression might easily backfire.

Even in his shock, Edwin maintained composure, gently gripping Leonard’s wrist.

“Please calm down, Your Highness.”

“Do you think I can stay calm right now?”

“I understand your feelings completely. Eleanor couldn’t have gone far. We’ll find her soon—I just ask for a little patience.”

“How do you know whether she went far or stayed close?”

Leonard’s bulging eyes glowed with madness. His voice scratched like broken glass as he screamed accusations.

“What if Eleanor ran off with that bastard’s help?”

In a fit of rage, Leonard swung his fist.

No matter how unruly the crown prince acted, Edwin, a duke in his own right, wasn’t about to take a beating quietly. Annoyance boiling over, Edwin blocked the predictable punch with his forearm and shoved Leonard’s grip away.

“Where could someone like her possibly go? That Adam fellow had nothing to his name either. If they’re both penniless, they won’t last long.”

Pushed back, Leonard stared at Edwin in disbelief.

Frustration at being unable to vent his anger physically twisted his face into an ugly sneer. His trembling jawline darkened under the strain.

“You underestimate my Eleanor.”

“That’s not my intention.”

“My woman isn’t so weak. She wouldn’t abandon her plans just because of money troubles.”

Edwin said nothing. Though he’d confidently claimed earlier that they could retrieve her, deep down, he wasn’t so sure.

“The doctor told me Eleanor wasn’t sick after all.”

“What? What are you saying?”

“She deceived everyone. She faked her illness.”

“But multiple doctors examined her and all agreed it was tuberculosis.”

“She disguised it using some strange drug, apparently. My royal physician is highly skilled. Whose word should we trust?”

“Why would Eleanor do such a thing…?”

Leonard leaned in aggressively, shouting.

“She ran off with that damn bastard!”

His behavior was anything but sane.

Edwin had long observed Leonard’s precarious mental state. He knew the crown prince’s erratic tendencies were often overlooked to avoid scandal. Any suggestion of mental instability would tarnish the imperial family’s reputation.

While outwardly loyal, Edwin kept his true thoughts hidden, enduring Leonard’s tirades and tantrums as best he could.

“When we find Eleanor, she’ll need to be reprimanded severely. If she fabricated an illness, as her brother, I’m deeply ashamed to report this to Your Highness.”

“I’ll handle her punishment myself. That’s why you must find her.”

“Understood. We’ll find her.”

Exhausted from his outburst, Leonard finally collapsed onto the floor. After hearing the doctor’s diagnosis of feigned illness, he had spent the entire day raging, leaving him utterly drained.

His frail arms, too weak to sustain even his anger, sprawled limply on the ground.

“Lord Roland, why didn’t you report Eleanor’s disappearance to me sooner?”

“She vanished yesterday, and we spent the night searching inside and outside the estate. We planned to inform you tomorrow if we couldn’t find her by today.”

Edwin sighed in frustration. But there was little they could do immediately about her disappearance.

“It’s best to keep this matter quiet for now.”

He forced the words out through gritted teeth.

“Yes, I’ll ensure discretion.”

Eleanor’s defiance irritated him. The more she resisted, the more entangled things became. Far from falling into his grasp, she seemed to slip further away, gnawing at his nerves.

The crown prince, accustomed to obtaining everything he desired, found Eleanor to be the sole exception. Though he had coveted her for years, interference from the imperial court and the Roland family had kept her out of his reach. He had been pressured repeatedly to wait until after their marriage to consummate their union.

“What’s so wrong with premarital relations these days? Why should I be the only one denied?”

It was truly an absurd situation. If Eleanor were to bear a royal heir prematurely, it would jeopardize the dignity of the imperial family. Even the emperor’s subtle suggestion to exercise restraint had held Leonard back.

But in reality, he had sown his seed with countless mistresses. Whenever a child was born who couldn’t be officially acknowledged, he would dispose of the mistress and send the child away for adoption in some distant place. This had happened multiple times already.

He had endured and waited until the wedding was just around the corner—

And then, out of nowhere, she supposedly fell ill, or so he thought. And now there was another man involved?

He had long known Eleanor wasn’t an easy woman to handle, but the feeling of her slipping through his fingers was far from pleasant.

‘Despite all her flaws, I’m still willing to take her as my bride! Me, Leonard!’

With any other woman, the engagement would have been called off long ago. A prolonged illness usually disqualified someone from becoming part of the imperial family.

But even when the emperor opposed the marriage during council meetings, Leonard had actively pushed forward, determined to see the wedding through. No other fruit tempted him like the luscious prize that was Eleanor.

Even when he learned about her dalliance with that worthless man, his reaction hadn’t changed. Furious, he had berated her harshly, even attempting to strike her—but failed. All he had managed to do was bring her to the palace, and even then, not a single scratch marred her skin.

‘Eleanor, just you wait until you come back.’

Leonard’s sole desire was to possess Eleanor. He had no intention of canceling the marriage, nor did he plan to harm her.

A little punishment, sharp enough to leave an impression—that would suffice.

As he was carried out, unable to support himself, he muttered curses under his breath at the woman who had abandoned him. Over and over, he repeated his futile plea for her return.

“I love you. Do you hear me? I love you, Eleanor.”

His face darkened, head drooping like a corpse.

To an outsider, he might have appeared lovesick, pining for a lost lover. But to those familiar with Leonard’s cruel tendencies, he looked like a madman consumed by his own unchecked fury, convulsing in rage.