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His complexion wasn’t the best because of what had happened recently.

He had lost more weight, dark circles under his eyes, and his pupils were bloodshot.

The empress closed her lips at the sight.

His emaciated face was full of distress instead of the confidence that had always been present.

She was angry and forgot about it for a while, but her son was probably the one who was most heartbroken.

“ha…….”

The empress put her hand on his forehead as if her head hurt, and sighed deeply.

Her son, the Crown Prince, was a good child who had never done bad things when he was young.

He listened to his mother wholeheartedly and did not rebel once. His mother was heartbroken because of her heartless husband and a fox-like mistress.

He devoted to his studies even though he was disappointed in his indifferent father, and consoled his pitiful mother.

She had no idea such an upright child would grow up to this rotten man.

The disappointment and betrayal were as great as the expectations were high, but the two had been very close.

The sight of pain on her emaciated son’s face weakened her heart as well.

“It is said that Princess Lillian visited the second Prince’s palace the other day. Do you know?”

The empress asked with a very tired face.

At her words, the Crown Prince’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.

He raised his head and looked at her, his face in disbelief.

A look of shock was evident in his beautiful blue eyes.

“Why did Roxana go there?”

“It must be one of the two. Either she wants to get back at you, or Payne is seducing her.”

“What? What did that lowly Payne say to Roxana?”

The Crown Prince asked ferociously.

His voice intensified towards the end.

His sea-blue eyes glowed darkly with hatred and jealousy for his half-brother.

“How would I know?”

The empress clicked her tongue and replied.

She also tried to get people to find out, but she couldn’t plant people in the palace because the second prince was so cunning and suspicious.

She knew how much the two Princes hated each other.

The Empress, worried that the Crown Prince might be more upset, said in a defeated voice.

“You’re tired, so go back and take care of yourself for the time being. Sort things out with Lady Dana. At least don’t meet her or let her visit until you have the power of the emperor.”

“Yes. Then rest well, mother.”

The empress looked at the Crown Prince rising from his seat with a gaze full of disbelief and added.

“Take my words seriously. If you see her just one more time, you will see your mother’s wrath. Do you understand?”

***

Even after the duke left the room, the blank feeling did not go away.

When I first decided to break off the engagement, I thought it would be better if Payne didn’t get into trouble with the Crown Prince.

Since Payne had been helping me, the Crown Prince’s fiancée, his reputation must be affected.

I never meant to get closer than necessary.

And that thought was still the same.

However, Payne’s power was at a level that could not be ignored.

In addition, since the Crown Prince was out of the equation, that was the only option left.

Payne’s power was already strong, but the duke’s power could not be ignored either.

If the two forces were to face each other, nothing would be gained and only losses would be incurred.

So it was better to avoid a collision with him as much as possible.

Unlike our uncomfortable first meeting, Payne had been friendly and kind to me from some time on.

So I assumed we were thinking the same thing.

But that was my complete misjudgment.

Was this the identity of the anxiety I felt from time to time?

I frowned as I remembered the events of the day.

Did Payne know the emperor’s intentions or not?

‘He couldn’t have been unaware.’

I laughed.

For some reason, I thought Payne’s attitude towards me today was a little different.

Besides, if it wasn’t him, why would the emperor suddenly step in and try to decide the marriage?

The emperor was a person who cared about his image more than anyone else.

I didn’t know why he would do something like this.

“My lady, what is this whistle? It looks pretty. Where did you get it from?”

I turned my head to Annie’s voice.

Standing near the dresser, she was holding something small with a silver string in one hand.

It seemed I had left it somewhere unintentionally after returning from the imperial palace.

“It was given to the young lady by His Highness the 2nd Prince, so handle it carefully.”

Tien, who followed me today, gave Annie a small notice.

Then Annie carefully put down the whistle, with a surprised expression on her face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that, and I carelessly touched it…”

“It’s fine. Put it in any drawer there.”

Annie wrapped the whistle around the velvet cloth with great care and put it in a drawer.

Tien left the room after clearing the teacup from the table, and Annie went down to run other errands.

At that time, Joan approached and asked with a puzzled face.

“My lady, wouldn’t it be okay to marry the 2nd Prince?”

As I looked at her, she said with an embarrassed face.

“The 2nd Prince is gentle and handsome. He’s brave on the battlefield, and also dignified, graceful, and delicate. Besides, unlike the Crown Prince, he has no other woman…”

She seemed to have a very good opinion of Payne and continued to praise him for a long time.

“But the lady doesn’t seem to like him very much.”

Joan looked at me and added.

This time she got it right.

She was always sharp in the odd part.

“Right.”

I nodded meekly.

In the past, when I had a misunderstanding about the duke, I tried to avoid him and adapt to the marriage talk with the Crown Prince.

When I think of that time, I still get dizzy.

As Joan said, compared to the Crown Prince, I liked Payne more.

But that was when I didn’t know what the duke was thinking.

Not now.

All circumstances were subject to change, and the marriage of nobles was decided by others, such as family solidarity and harmony or financial reasons.

But luckily I was on the lucky side.

As the daughter of a powerful and prestigious family, Duke Lillian cared for his daughter, so the case was different from those who had no choice in the first place.

I would never again be caught up in a quarrel over imperial power and used as someone else’s political means.

“Although the lady is kinder to the 2nd Prince than to the Crown Prince, there doesn’t seem to be any difference in how she treats other people. Is it because of him?”

At Joan’s words, I paused and looked at her.

“What are you talking about?”

“Even if you like it a lot, you never wear the same accessory more than once. The same goes for those sent by the Crown Prince or the 2nd Prince. But you have been wearing the accessory Young Master Croix gave you for a long time.”

I was about to say that’s not true, but when I heard her next words, I remained silent.

“The same with the flowers Young Master Croix sent. Instead of throwing away the dry flowers, you had it framed.”

“…”

“You might think it’s presumptuous… but when I saw the two of you together, I thought you two looked really good together.”

Joan said in a calm voice, not as loud as she usually was.

“I said enough. Please have a good rest, Lady.”

When Joan turned off the light, the room went dark.

White moonlight illuminated the room through the window.

Lying on the bed, I turned my head to look at the red lisianthus hanging on one side of the wall.

Whenever I looked at the dry flower, for some reason, I felt better and smiled.

‘Friend…’

For some reason, a corner of my heart felt ticklish, and I inadvertently touched the necklace.

Touching the necklace when anxious was a new habit that I had from some time ago.

The touch of the metal was obviously cold, but it felt warm as if someone’s warmth remained.

“Are you going to make other friends while I’m away?”

“I do not know. I might.”

“It can’t be helped, but while I’m gone, if the princess gets closer to her new friend, I’ll be very sad.”

Looking up at the ceiling, I remembered the day I last saw Elvin. How would he react if he found out about today (The marriage order from the emperor)? I was curious, but at the same time worried.

“Couldn’t friendships change while we’re apart? I’m worried.”

“I believe it’s out of sight out of mind.”

At my words, Elvin laughed and replied casually.

“I’ll have to work harder when I come back to make up for the time I’ve been away.”

However, the saying ‘Out of sight out of mind’

did not apply only to me.

***

The night was deep.

Inside a dark room, a woman sat with her head buried in her lap, her hands and feet bound, like a prisoner.

She was a middle-aged woman, but she looked older than her actual age, perhaps because of her hardships.

Her gray hair was dry and her bare hands were rough.

She finished sewing today and was on her way to deliver her work when she was kidnapped.

She had been caught without knowing why, she should be resentful and scared, but she did not show any wonder on her face.

Her pupils were deeply sunken and she seemed resigned, as if she knew something.

As if she was expecting a day like this to come.

Footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, and soon after, three people entered the room.

A young man with dark black hair and two men dressed as servants but with swords at their waists.

The young man looked around the room and met her eyes as she sat crouching in a corner.

While the man was calm, the woman lowered her head with a frightened face as if she had seen a ghost.

“Long time no see.”

Her eyes widened at the unfamiliar yet somehow familiar voice of the man.

She shuddered and tried to shrink her body smaller.

The sound of footsteps came closer and closer, then completely stopped.