It was Kasha’s sense of smell that first noticed they were approaching Nigel’s bedroom.

The stench of blood that had been piercing her nose since the moment they entered the Crown Prince’s palace. And the extremely nauseating, rancid, and pungent odor that was difficult to even guess what it was.

As they approached his bedroom, the smell intensified. It was so overwhelming that she felt like vomiting.

“Ah. Is the smell a bit unpleasant?”

Noticing that Kasha’s face had stiffened, Nigel chattered as if joking. He seemed to be in such high spirits that he appeared excited rather than just in a good mood.

“This smell is much more bearable for me. If I don’t do this, I want to strangle anyone who comes near me… Ah, well, you’re a bit of an exception.”

Due to the curse of lust, he couldn’t bear the stench emanating from humans, so he had covered it with the smell of blood. Kasha was stunned but didn’t show that she was shaken.

Because that human named Nigel would surely be delighted if Kasha suffered.

When she didn’t show much reaction, he seemed a bit deflated, but he didn’t stop walking. He seemed quite impatient due to his burning lust.

Nigel finally opened the heavy door wide after climbing the second-floor stairs with brisk steps and crossing the corridor.

“Welcome, Miss Kasha Lyuschino.”

As soon as she entered the room, Kasha stopped breathing.

Just how many people had died here? The room was filled with such a thick scent of blood that it was hard to breathe.

The carpet was stained red here and there as if they had given up cleaning it, and the luxurious furniture had dents and marks all over.

The huge four-poster bed in the center of the room originally had long curtains to cover all four sides, but it seemed they had been removed for cleaning, exposing the bed.

And that bed exuded the most horrible scent of blood in the entire room.

That was inevitable. No matter how many times they changed the sheets, it would be impossible to completely remove the blood that had soaked into the mattress and wood of the bed.

‘Demon. You’re just a demon.’

It felt like the resentment of someone who had died in this room, whose name or face she didn’t even know, was penetrating deep into her bones. Kasha glared at Nigel, swallowing her anger.

‘You’ve killed so many people to satisfy your filthy desires, yet you probably don’t even remember them.’

Just like the way he had trampled her and executed her death before the regression.

But of course, Nigel had no interest in her anger.

“How is it? Do you like it? You’ve finally entered my bedroom that you so desperately wanted. Why don’t you express your thoughts?”

Even as he babbled like that, pretending to be relaxed, his attitude of already starting to untie his robe showed impatience.

Pretending not to notice his gestures, Kasha deliberately started touring the bedroom from the direction farthest away from him.

She had to stall for time somehow.

“Indeed… your taste is very refined. Ah. Is this a tapestry produced in the Pejam region? I heard less than ten are made per year.”

“…Yes.”

Paying no heed to Nigel’s half-hearted reply, Kasha pretended to admire the tapestry while touching it. Next, she examined the golden display cabinet one by one, its corners broken and glass shattered here and there.

“Ah. These are carved plates produced in the Kazim Kingdom. I heard they are quite valuable.”

However, instead of readily replying this time, Nigel sneered at her as if finding it ridiculous.

“…How long are you going to stall for time like that? Do you think anything will change by doing so?”

“……”

Kasha didn’t bother to reply and quickly scanned every corner of the room.

‘It should be somewhere here…’

“What, do you think that Leon bastard will barge in here and save you?”

Hoping that it wasn’t noticed that she had unwittingly flinched at the name ‘Leon’, Kasha focused on the search without even turning her head.

On the silver tray atop the mother-of-pearl inlaid side table, there were several noticeable items. She quickly scanned them with her eyes. Clenching the hand that had been in her dress pocket since earlier with more force.

Fortunately, Nigel was too intoxicated by his own babbling to pay close attention to her actions.

“That bastard has already returned to the grand duchy. It seems he’s holed up in the mansion, treating his younger sister like a prized possession. Well, he may be rude and overstepping his bounds, but he’s not stupid, so he won’t come crawling back to his deathbed.”

“……”

Despite his provocation, when Kasha showed little reaction, Nigel twisted his lips in displeasure.

“Well, if he does come crawling back, he’s welcome to. I’ve gathered both the Capital Guard and the Imperial Knights around the Crown Prince’s palace right now, so if something happens, it’ll be fun. This spot is the best for observing the outside, so if you want to watch, I’ll open the window wide later.”

Seeing him continue to babble despite his burning lust at the moment, it seemed he was quite regretful that he couldn’t finish off Leon and had to let him go.

But with Kasha’s continued silence, Nigel’s patience finally ran out.

He finally sat down on the bed, flapping his untied robe, and ordered,

“Come here right now! Don’t forget what you promised in exchange for letting them go!”

If she didn’t obey him any longer, he would surely call the guard knights and resort to force.

‘I haven’t found it yet…’

Kasha, who had clenched and released the hand in her dress pocket, slowly took her hand out and turned around. She tried to maintain a calm expression as much as possible and slowly walked towards the bed.

The closer she got, the more clearly she could see Nigel’s gleaming eyes filled with delight.

Kasha tried not to show her rising nausea as she approached the foot of the bed. But then, something rolling under the bed caught her foot. Kasha quietly bent down and reached under the bed.

What she grasped and pulled out was a folding fan. A luxurious folding fan with the laurel, the symbol of the imperial family, embroidered in gold thread and jewels densely embedded in each rib.

However, more than half of the silk fabric covering the ribs was stained with blood, and the ring where decorations were originally attached was pitifully broken, revealing a sharp edge.

“Is this… Your Highness’s item?”

Nigel, who had been furrowing his brows as if to say ‘what now’, waved his hand dismissively upon seeing the folding fan.

“Ha, so that’s where it fell. It’s an item I had custom-made along with the crown to wear at my coronation ceremony. I was wondering where it went, but it was tucked away in that corner. I’ll have to give the room cleaners a good scolding.”

“Custom-made… along with the crown…”

Kasha repeated his words once more. The moment she imagined the crown, a strong premonition struck her mind. Kasha pressed her pounding heart and spoke as gently as possible.

“It’s a very… precious item. I’ll put it back in its original place. Should I place it next to the crown? Where is the crown?”

“Just leave it and come here. I’m getting tired of your antics.”

But contrary to his words, his body was twitching as if it would pounce on Kasha at any moment.

“Just let me put this back first−”

Yank.

Suddenly, Nigel’s hand reached out and grabbed the sleeve of Kasha’s dress.

“What are you trying to do now? You think you’re special because I indulged you a little?”

“That’s not it−”

But before Kasha could finish her words, Nigel roughly pulled her and pushed her down on the bed.

“Wait, Your Highness. Just a moment!”

“Shut up. If you want to admire the crown, I’ll let you do it later to your heart’s content, so for now, shut up and do as I say.”

With those harsh words, Nigel slowly lowered his face towards Kasha. Despite the chills from feeling his weight and approaching breath on top of her body, Kasha gritted her teeth and endured his gaze.

The soft, cloud-like sensation of the bed enveloping her body. And at the same time, the horrible scent of blood seemingly clinging to every corner of her body and penetrating her mind.

It was as if the dying moments of the people who had perished helplessly on this bed without even being able to resist were ringing in her head.

The ceiling painting that filled her vision beyond Nigel’s face looking down at her would also be the same scenery they saw in their final moments.

“This is fun indeed.”

Nigel muttered as he stared at her eyes, mesmerized by her gaze that refused to avoid his despite trembling.

Once he had a taste, he suddenly buried his face deep in Kasha’s hair and took a deep breath, inhaling greatly. In an instant, Kasha’s entire body stiffened with a repulsive feeling that made her shudder.

“Indeed… Indeed. This is it.”

Judging by his trembling body, he seemed to be feeling quite thrilled.

Looking at Nigel’s neck that filled her view, Kasha briefly contemplated. Whether she should just bite it off.

‘…No, there’s no need for that.’

There was only one reason why she wasn’t resisting or attempting to escape right now.

It was the same reason why Leon had readily let her go with Nigel before his eyes.

‘Because… Nigel, you absolutely.’

Right then, Nigel raised his head that had been buried in her hair. His eyes were now almost rolled back with desire.

“Heh. It’s my life’s regret that I can’t show this sight to that Leon bastard.”

Nigel sneered like that and prepared to fully pounce on Kasha. He hastily took off his cumbersome robe and tossed it aside.

It was when he leaned his body towards her with a snicker.

“……”

His heavily panting breath suddenly quieted. For a moment, only silence lingered in the vast bedroom.

“Wh-what is this…”

Nigel abruptly sat up and hurriedly moved his hands.

But even that rushed movement completely stopped as Kasha slowly sat up. He hastily grabbed the robe he had tossed aside and covered his front. His flustered expression was evident.

“What, things aren’t going as planned, Your Highness?”

Nigel’s face turned bright red as if it would explode when he noticed the clear mockery in Kasha’s calm tone.