Manipulating people was thrilling and fun. Especially when a small, insignificant person manipulated a strong person who seemed impossible to control.

Two hearts truly connecting is a fantasy only found in fairy tales. Such things don’t exist in reality.

If there was a miracle in this world of one-sided relationships, it would be an unremarkable woman like Kaella controlling a great man like Peon.

Kaella watched Beatrice from afar as she attended the crown prince’s engagement ceremony eve. This familiar perspective of observing Beatrice felt somewhat different today.

In the past, she had looked at the socialite flower with envy and jealousy, but today she was viewing her with fresh eyes of curiosity.

Beatrice was the most spiteful and wicked person Kaella knew.

‘So that’s why it’s so fun.’

Tormenting others, deceiving people’s eyes to win their hearts – she had put her all into it. Before regressing, Kaella hadn’t understood Beatrice at all. If it were her, she would have married Peon.

If it were her, she would have supported Peon wholeheartedly. Despite claiming to love him so much and that he was the only one, why didn’t she actually devote herself while smiling coyly and whispering sweet nothings to Peon in front of Kaella? She had wondered.

Now she understood a little. Beatrice found it fun to manipulate people.

Last night, the broken man’s words to insignificant Kaella were stained with pain. While he was agonizing to the point of madness, she secretly delighted in hearing it.

She knew it was a terribly wicked feeling. But it was so fascinating and thrilling.

How could someone as worthless as Kaella torment the greatest man in the world so much? How could an ugly woman like Kaella receive such desperate looks from such a man?

It’s not you?

Thump, thump – her heart was still pounding, so Kaella clenched her fist.

“What’s wrong? Are you tired?”

As soon as she clenched her fist, Peon immediately reacted. He had always interlocked their fingers, but since last night he had switched to simply enclosing her small hand in his.

“Should we go sit down?”

It was so easy. Her heart would race with joy, but in the end there was a bitter aftertaste. It was amazing how her once cold husband had changed, but ultimately she saw herself desperately clinging to him. So how easy must Kaella have been for Peon?

“Why are you looking over there?”

Peon asked Kaella with displeasure as he followed her gaze.

Despite various unsavory incidents, Beatrice Lavalle was just leaving, not missing the perfect opportunity of the crown prince’s engagement ceremony eve.

She looked quite tired. Was she exhausted from receiving so much attention? Kaella would never know such a thing in her lifetime.

“Stop looking at things like that and look at me.”

“Why do you refer to a person as ‘that’?”

“You don’t speak informally to me and use honorifics, so why should I treat something that’s not even human like a person?”

She wondered why he hadn’t pointed out her speech earlier. After holding back for a few days, it seems Beatrice had gotten on his nerves. Or perhaps he simply couldn’t stand Kaella looking elsewhere. Either way, it was severe.

“That’s not logical at all.”

“It’s very logical.”

“Not at all.”

The eve ceremony was grand and beautiful, befitting an event Kaella had a hand in. If the eve was this impressive, how grand would the engagement ceremony be? Everyone was enjoying the eve with anticipation.

“His Imperial Majesty summons you both.”

There was a discreet call.

The Emperor himself hadn’t come to the eve ceremony, and now even the flower of high society Beatrice was gone. And now the Duke and Duchess of Lucenford were leaving too? Kaella’s eyes met those of Prince Elkanan of the Kingdom of Keruzhan, who was watching them intently from afar.

“It’s an urgent matter. Please come quickly.”

“Let’s go, Kaella.”

Peon whispered softly. Kaella controlled her expression as she walked.

What could it be? If even the crown prince’s engagement ceremony eve was like this, it appeared the Emperor greatly neglected the crown prince and slighted the in-laws from the Kingdom of Keruzhan.

‘This isn’t good.’

Moreover, the Duke and Duchess of Lucenford, classified as part of the Empress’s faction, were being urgently summoned. It was certainly not a good sign.

“Don’t worry, just look forward to it.”

As if reading her thoughts, Peon whispered softly. Look forward to it? What was there to look forward to? As Kaella’s puzzled eyes turned to him, he grinned. Peon rather enjoyed slipping away from the banquet hall.

The reason he had firmly held her small hand, which was difficult to even interlock fingers with, was because there were so many eyes on his wife.

Whispering eyes, curious eyes – there were many eyes, but the most irritating were the persistent gazes of men following his wife. He wanted to gouge them all out because they were bothersome, but he held back only because it would frighten Kaella.

Even now, there was no shortage of gazes falling on Kaella’s radiant face.

Of course, that included the bastards who had approached Kaella to greet her by the Ener River. Peon finally released Kaella’s hand that he had been holding all along, and instead pulled her waist closer.

“There are too many people.”

So we need to stay close. He deeply inhaled the fragrant scent of southern roses as he escorted her politely, but at a distance only a husband could approach.

Peon led Kaella towards Soleil Palace as if going for a stroll. To Kaella, the atmosphere in the imperial palace seemed very strange.

Count Horhen was nowhere to be seen, and she hadn’t seen her father when leaving the banquet hall either. The strange flow in the palace meant the Emperor was being capricious again.

“I said there’s nothing to worry about.”

Kaella leaned in close to Peon and whispered.

“Not at all.”

Could she trust her husband who responded so affectionately just this once? No, Kaella did not believe easily.

Trust ultimately manifests as expectations built on experience, but in Kaella’s experience, there was nothing positive to expect from this man. So she had to steel herself.

To calmly accept it even if the Emperor went mad and tried to kill her and her father. And to not be shocked or feel betrayed even if Peon suddenly abandoned her.

‘It’s all meaningless anyway.’

Kaella repeatedly muttered words like a calming spell as she looked at the Soleil Palace, which was always chilling just to see. It’s all meaningless.

The fleeting joy, the newly discovered thrills – it’s all meaningless, so don’t cling to it or have regrets. Empty your mind and don’t feel emotions.

“Please enter right away.”

They were guided not to the audience chamber, small reception room, or study, but to the Emperor’s bedroom. The chamberlain Count Horhen, who had been lingering by the doorway, brightened and bowed his head upon seeing the ducal couple.

“You’ve arrived. Please come in quickly. Thank you for coming so promptly.”

Count Horhen opened the door without the Emperor’s permission from inside the bedroom, and gestured for them to enter quickly.

“His Majesty has collapsed.”

At the count’s quiet words, Kaella reflexively looked up at Peon. He met her gaze briefly as he walked inside. The Emperor was lying on the bed, with Duke Ostein, who had arrived earlier, sitting beside him.

Seeing that sight, Kaella’s heart sank, contrary to her earlier resolve. Her father was alone with the Emperor again. He could have died while she was unaware.

“The Empress has disappeared!”

“But Your Majesty, I just checked. Her Majesty is still here.”

“Lies! It’s all lies!”

The Emperor was trying desperately to sit up. Duke Ostein, who had been restraining him, reluctantly supported the Emperor.

“Oh, Hyperion!”

As if Duke Ostein deemed it futile to reason with him, the Emperor brightened upon seeing Peon.

“I greet the eternal sun of the empire.”

Peon bowed his head respectfully, and Kaella curtsied. The Emperor, whose complexion had worsened considerably, leaned on his brother and breathed heavily. He clearly wanted to speak but could barely get the words out.

“What happened? Are you alright?”

“It’s nothing. I just didn’t sleep well last night. Hyperion, your mother has disappeared.”

“Her Majesty is still lying in her chambers, Your Majesty. Weren’t you the one who collapsed?”

Duke Ostein spoke repeatedly, as if frustrated.

“That’s not the issue, Peon. Come closer. Adeo, help me up.”

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t do this.”

Duke Ostein struggled to support the Emperor, unable to stop him from trying to get out of bed, but also unable to help him.

Peon strode over and prevented the Emperor from tumbling forward as he stretched his trembling legs out of bed.

“You must not get up. Please lie down.”

“Hyperion, your mother was taken away.”

The Emperor tried to shout, but now no sound came out no matter how hard he strained. He urgently grasped Peon’s arm with shaking hands.

“Please sit down for now.”

“Your mother was kidnapped and you…! Heartless boy, the urgent matter now is… Urgh.”

The Emperor tried to burst out in anger at the calm force pushing him back into bed, but ended up groaning and relying on that strength.

“You’re saying Mother was kidnapped?”

“Yes!”

The Emperor was in a terribly agitated state despite his gaunt appearance. His eyes rolled wildly and he broke out in a cold sweat, too frantic and fearful.

On top of that, he kept insisting the Empress had been kidnapped, so it was understandable that Count Horhen kept anxiously calling for the royal physician to come in.

“Her Majesty is still lying down. But His Majesty has been saying this ever since he woke up. He won’t believe us no matter how many times we tell him. The royal physician says it’s a temporary condition that will pass with rest, but…”

“I am perfectly sane!”

The Emperor burst out shouting at Count Horhen’s worried words, then broke into severe coughing.

“Please drink some water, Your Majesty.”

Duke Ostein quickly brought a glass of water.

“I will listen carefully to everything you say, Your Majesty. So please drink slowly and speak.”

Peon waited as the Emperor gulped down the water. Outwardly, he was acting quite affectionately and kindly.

Everyone knew the Duke of Lucenford had a very cold and calm personality, so this level of solicitous care for the Emperor was quite friendly. But to Kaella’s eyes, it wasn’t.

‘Didn’t he just force him back onto the bed?’

The Emperor was also tall with an imposing physique. He had a large frame and was tall, but Peon had clearly pretended to support him while actually pulling him back into bed. The Emperor didn’t realize this as he clutched Peon’s arm and cried out.

“Hyperion, hurry, hurry and find your mother. That cursed evil dragon took the Empress away!”

His hoarse voice, having barely managed to drink the water, was devoid of reason.

“Why, why do you say the Empress is here? Why? Didn’t I say your mother disappeared?”

The Emperor insisted stubbornly, confused by the gazes looking down at him. Peon quietly gazed down at the Emperor, then pulled back the blanket again.

“Bring an attendant to carry His Majesty or fetch a wheeled chair. He’s so worried, we should all go together to check on Her Majesty.”

The Emperor, who had already been making a fuss about going to the Empress, tried to nod but felt dizzy and clutched his head.

“The Empress… Evelyn…”

As the Emperor groaned and called for the Empress, Peon’s side profile while waiting for the attendants to move was very familiar to Kaella. There was no expression, no emotion.

The Guardian of the North stood like a stiff, cold wall. She tensed slightly at her husband’s heartless demeanor that she had seen for 4 years. Her heart began to stir with anxiety again.

‘I want to see his eyes.’

For the first time, she felt the urge to check if his eyes were still clear. If dark energy was swirling in them, Kaella knew exactly what she needed to do.

Just as a corner of her heart was starting to feel desolate, Peon turned to look at her. While all attention was on the attendants supporting the Emperor, he also examined Kaella as if checking on her.

His eyes, which had been cold towards the Emperor, warmed the moment they fell on her. The whites of his eyes were clean without a single blemish or bloodshot, and his purple irises were clear.

“Shall we go?”

Peon pushed the wheeled chair himself. As is typical in castle or palace layouts, the Empress’s chambers were on the other side of the Emperor’s. That distance was too close. The Empress must have felt suffocated. Was it because of Peon that she didn’t commit suicide?

Kaella unconsciously brought her neatly folded hands to her lower abdomen. If she had gotten pregnant a little sooner, and if that child had survived, could she have endured forcibly?

Kaella, who had never held a child in her arms, would never know. Unaware of such things, she joined the procession to prove whether the Emperor’s words on this night of the engagement ceremony eve were true or delirious.

“I barely held it with a magic tool, but it got scorched. It’s exactly like when the Empress collapsed.”

The Emperor was divulging confidential information about the magic tool room that he would never have revealed under normal circumstances. That’s how extreme his anxiety and desperation had become.

“The evil dragon, that bastard must have played some trick!”

“Your Majesty.”

Peon simply let the Emperor ramble on, then stopped in front of the Empress’s bed and drew back the bed curtains.

“Mother is sleeping peacefully right here, isn’t she?”

The Emperor blinked his eyes.

“This seems to be the magic tool you mentioned.”

He looked down at the magic tool placed at the head of the bed.

“It’s not scorched at all. Look.”

The magic tool, which resembled a well-crafted paulownia wood box like a music box, was quietly spinning and sparkling.

Kaella gazed at the Empress’s serene face. She felt a bit envious of the Empress, who was still unaware of this commotion and sleeping away from her husband. The way the world works is too harsh and tiring.

“E-Evelyn?”

“Yes, isn’t she right there?”

The Emperor, with bloodshot eyes, fumbled across the bed and pulled out the Empress’s hand.

“I-I can’t grasp it? It’s cold!”

“Please calm yourself. You’re holding it, aren’t you?”

The Emperor fumbled and firmly grasped the Empress’s hand. The gesture looked not so much pitiful as ugly and creepy.

The eternal sun ruling the Crania Empire was not in his right mind. Everyone was silently exchanging those words in the air. At that moment, Kaella suddenly looked up. Peon was looking at her.

Didn’t you say it was set on fire?