Odette sneaked into the Imperial Palace using a method not much different from what Kasha and Leon had used before.

As goods from the Tyrot Merchant Group were being delivered to the palace, she hid among them and managed to get in. She then ran into an imperial knight she knew from before, and after threatening him, she found out that Simon had entered the Crown Prince’s palace.

“…It’s also thanks to that knight that I knew you were in this room. When I threatened him, he let me in without hesitation.”

“Threatened him?”

“…We’ve been acquainted before, so I know quite a few of his dirty secrets. If I carelessly open my mouth, that man would be immediately kicked out from the Order of Knights.”

A venomous glint flashed across Odette’s eyes as she spoke with a sniffle. Kasha actually felt relieved to see her like that.

She’d rather not have to pity a woman like Odette. Of course, Odette would probably hate receiving Kasha’s pity more than death itself.

At that moment, Odette glanced at Kasha and said,

“You know, that knight told me that if there’s anything I need to ask of His Highness the Crown Prince, I should tell you…”

“…? What does that mean?”

“Well, I’m not too sure either…. He just said that for today, probably just for one day, His Highness the Crown Prince will grant you anything you ask for.”

“……”

Kasha was so dumbfounded that she closed her mouth.

She could roughly guess what the knight was implying.

It seemed the Crown Prince had been crazed with lust and had dragged quite a few women into the palace to toy with.

For the one day he would play with those women, he probably coaxed them sweetly, granting their every wish. And of course, the next day, he would get rid of them without a trace.

‘So that look in his eyes earlier wasn’t my imagination after all.’

Recalling Nigel’s bloodshot eyes staring at her, goosebumps prickled across her entire body as if bugs were crawling on her skin.

‘How can they be so different even while being trapped under the same curse of the demon stone?’

Despite being seized by lust for such a long time, Leon, who hadn’t harmed a single person, truly possessed monstrous self-control.

“Hey, Kasha. I know too. That you don’t have good feelings towards me.”

Odette urgently opened her mouth then, interpreting Kasha’s silence in some way.

“Of course, it’s because you’re so gloomy and unsociable, but I was a bit too much back then…. I-I’ll apologize.”

Her tone stumbled as if apologizing for the first time in her life. Yet her way of thinking was still arrogant and self-centered as always. Odette had changed, but in some ways, she was still the same.

“So… Please ask His Highness the Crown Prince. To catch that bastard Simon for me.”

Kasha quietly stared at Odette’s face as she practically begged.

“Wh-what are you looking at?”

Odette turned her head, seemingly self-conscious about her face without makeup, but Kasha couldn’t care less about her shame.

“Odette.”

“What?”

“Run away quickly.”

“…What are you talking about? I’m apologizing and asking for a favor right now-”

“If you don’t want to die, run away quickly.”

Sensing an ominous atmosphere in Kasha’s voice, Odette abruptly raised her head. At the same time, a rhythmic noise reached the ears of the two women.

Someone was humming and approaching this way.

A few hours earlier.

“Wahhh, wahhhh.”

Holding a newborn baby whose face had turned bright red as it wailed, Simon sat inside the carriage in a state of panic.

‘Bring the child that Odette Tyrot gave birth to.’

The Crown Prince’s order was simple.

‘Approach Kasha Lyuschino of the Lyuschino Count family and seduce her.’

Over 2 years ago, that had been the first command given by Nigel, who was the 1st Prince at the time.

Back then, Simon had been seized by a sense of pride at being chosen.

It didn’t matter at all whether the Crown Prince’s orders were immoral or not.

Isn’t that what success is about? Spotting opportunities faster than others, trampling them, and climbing to a higher place.

Simon wanted success. He wanted to be recognized by everyone as an important person as soon as possible.

The third son born from the second wife of an insignificant marquis family. The implication of that was clear. Since he had nothing in his hands, he had to thoroughly survive on his own.

Fortunately, he had quite decent looks, intelligence, and eloquence. It was a combination that worked very well on some stupid and naive women.

It was also the result of thoroughly cooking one noble lady that he was luckily hired as a temporary administrator at the Imperial Palace.

He was assigned to the 1st Prince’s palace and took on trivial administrative tasks while nurturing his own ambitions in a way.

Although his work abilities were terrible, thankfully there were a few women in the 1st Prince’s palace who were easy to take advantage of.

Based on the information and help they provided, he was able to maintain his position without difficulty. Dreaming of the day he would catch the eye of the 1st Prince, who would one day become the Crown Prince, and take an important position in the empire.

However, his dream was spectacularly shattered along with the poisoning incident of Empress Anne. As the 1st Prince lost his standing and left for the Kazim Kingdom, the administrators of the prince’s palace were all dismissed as well.

‘Of all places, she had to get me a job at the 1st Prince’s palace…’

Simon resented the noble lady who had first arranged the administrator position for him and lived as he could for a while.

Then one day, 1st Prince Nigel, who had left for the Kazim Kingdom, unexpectedly came to find him.

‘Do you want success?’

‘Huh? O-of course…’

‘Good. Then will you do a job for me?’

‘Wh-what kind of job?’

‘Don’t worry about that. It’ll be something you’re very good at.’

Nigel, who smiled while saying that, seemed much more confident than before.

‘If this goes well, I will become the Crown Prince, and with that achievement, you will be able to rise to unimaginable heights. I have great expectations for you.’

Of course, he didn’t completely believe those words. But in any case, he had no other options at the time.

Besides, the task Nigel ordered him to do was indeed something he was very good at, just as he said.

Kasha Lyuschino. Capturing the heart of a gloomy and naive eighteen-year-old girl.

Simon disliked Kasha at first sight. Her unkempt appearance from not properly taking care of herself, her constantly stooped posture that made it hard to even make eye contact. Her indifferent and lifeless expression as if she had no interest in anything in the world.

It was also really unpleasant how she stayed in a fairly nice room and buried herself in books all day long, despite being a lowborn adopted into a noble family.

‘What does His Highness the Prince intend to do with such a worthless woman?’

He even had thoughts that he might be falling for Nigel’s absurd games.

But since he had nothing else to do anyway, he began hovering around Kasha Lyuschino and launching insincere displays of affection.

‘You’re reading Mantes’s epic. I’ve also read all the poetry collections published by this poet. Haha.’

At first, Kasha would blankly stare at his such actions as if she had no interest at all before turning away. But he didn’t give up and endlessly approached her.

Several months passed like that. At some point, Kasha stopped pushing him away as if she had given up and began quietly enduring his presence.

Kasha, whom he observed by her side, was a very lonely woman. And once Simon got an opportunity, he very cunningly exploited her loneliness.

Pretending to give compliments while chipping away at her fragile self-esteem was also a very effective method.

‘You look really pretty today. Oh my. But Kasha, that kind of hat is out of fashion and none of the ladies these days wear it anymore….’

If he slightly criticized her appearance, Kasha’s face would redden and she wouldn’t know what to do.

‘Well, it can’t be helped. Next time, make sure to get my approval before going out. I’ll check for you. But you’re not really going to go out like this, are you? These days, noble ladies are very sensitive about fashion, so I’m worried you might hear unpleasant things if you go out….’

‘Th-then I’ll just stay home. I don’t want to embarrass you for no reason….’

Kasha was that kind of woman. Innocently exposing her belly without even knowing the other person was crushing her, revealing all her cards – a naive and boring woman.

‘S-Simon.’

That small, pale face that would blush with joy whenever he tossed her compliments like dangling a carrot.

When she looked at him with adoration, he felt a sense of intoxication and even sadism. He became shameless as if he had truly become a great person.

So, as if delivering the command of a god, he confidently relayed Nigel’s orders to Kasha. He exploited her abilities while blatantly demeaning her.

So that she would be content staying in a inferior position. So that she would never threaten the superior position Simon himself was experiencing for the first time in his life.

Finally, as Nigel rose to the position of Crown Prince, everything was going smoothly.

Kasha was innocently dominated by his cunning manipulation, and Nigel trusted him.

If everything had gone according to plan, he was supposed to take an important position in the imperial family that Nigel would inherit and live a life revered by everyone. If everything had stayed the same.

But in an instant, everything changed. No, only one thing changed.

Kasha Lyuschino.

That woman who changed like a completely different person and cut him off decisively.

‘Simon Blanche. Shut your mouth and get lost. Before I pour this freshly brewed tea over you.’

Starting with such an outrageous remark, Kasha increasingly headed to places out of his reach without hesitation.

She showcased magical tools in front of the empire’s nobles, won over the noble Holy Knight Leon, and eventually even left on the Grand Demon Beast Expedition.

No longer stumbling over her words and holding her head high, Kasha seemed like a different person. Like another person… she shone, dazzlingly.

And Simon’s life, in contrast to hers, gradually sank into a cesspool.

Even marrying a crazy woman like Odette was because of Kasha.

At first, he maintained a relationship with Odette to find a way to drive a wedge between Kasha and Leon.

But at some point, the Crown Prince gave an unexpected order. This time, it was to seduce Odette and infiltrate the Tyrot Ducal family.

Of course, it was better than being cast aside by the Crown Prince and becoming homeless.

But unlike Kasha, Odette didn’t even treat him like a human being.

‘If you don’t like it, then quit! Do you think I want to marry you, you stupid bastard?’

‘Don’t call my name and get lost! I don’t even want to see your face!’

Being the son-in-law of the ducal family was just a nice facade, and his father-in-law didn’t entrust him with a single proper job.

Even the servants subtly showed their disregard for him. In a word, Simon was treated as a good-for-nothing even here.

“S-so I had no choice. I had to use even you.”

Simon muttered with a distorted face, looking at the newborn baby wailing its lungs out in his arms.