The maid spoke with a surprised expression, politely clasping her hands together.

“His Grace the Grand Duke ordered for meals to be served separately in the rooms, milady.”

Usually, they had breakfast together, so this sudden change to having meals delivered to their rooms made Olentia feel like Dimidius was avoiding her.

‘Last night wasn’t a dream but a real situation. He’s avoiding me after showing his face.’

It seemed he really disliked the face that resembled his father’s.

Olentia let out a deep sigh and dismissed the maids. She didn’t want to eat alone in the dining room, but she couldn’t turn away the meal that was already prepared.

As she mechanically chewed her food, Olentia thought about Dimidius.

What kind of pain did he endure in his childhood?

Last night, he seemed to open up to her honestly, but had he closed his heart again?

How could she open the door to Dimidius’s heart?

Suddenly, Olentia was startled. She found her own attitude of wanting to open his heart strange.

‘No, why am I doing this? It’s true that I feel sorry for His Grace, but… we only have a contractual relationship.’

As she was pondering deeply, Legalis Pulpa suddenly appeared before her eyes. He was wearing a bright-colored suit and looked down at Olentia. His gaze was quite blatant, as if his confession of love was true.

“What brings you here?”

Olentia looked at him with displeased eyes. She had no intention of letting it slide if Legalis spouted nonsense again.

Of course, she didn’t think the Empress’s wrongdoings were his fault. The attack in the prophetic dream might not have been the Empress’s doing this time. However, since there was a possibility of Legalis being a spy, she found herself being more wary of him.

Moreover, Dimidius’s voice last night, saying that the Crown Prince was out of the question, sounded so desperate that it made her resolve.

Seeing Olentia’s disapproving gaze, Legalis gave a hollow laugh.

“I came to bid farewell. I’m about to leave.”

Olentia rose from her seat and politely bowed to him.

“Have a safe journey, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I hope you’ll be careful on your way.”

“Yes, it was a very pleasant trip, thanks to you.”

Hearing his sarcastic remark, Olentia felt rather at ease. It was much better than him being affectionate and confessing his feelings.

As she watched Legalis’s retreating back, Olentia thought to herself.

‘It’s better if we don’t see each other again.’

After boarding the golden carriage, Legalis kept looking back at the Grand Duchy through the window. Olentia was nowhere to be found. She didn’t even come out to see him off.

He didn’t want to believe that his scheme had failed.

Since learning about the attack on the Grand Duchy five years ago, Olentia had turned cold and almost considered him an enemy. He found it absurd that she thought he had no responsibility for the Empress’s actions.

‘It’s not like I ordered the attack. Why is she treating me like this? It’s all because of that bastard Dimidius.’

Legalis gritted his teeth as he thought of Dimidius, the root of all problems. Just the thought of him gaining the throne with the help of his wife made anger boil inside him.

As Legalis’s mood continued to be gloomy, Dexter, who was sitting in front of him, spoke up.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, is something the matter? It’s strange that you suddenly decided to return, and there are marks on your neck…”

There were still faint hand marks on Legalis’s neck. He twisted his lips and glared.

“Something did happen. But the one who did this to me will be punished.”

Legalis thought that he had to get rid of Dimidius somehow. This time, he might truly align with the Empress’s will. The Empress had always been wary of Dimidius and fundamentally despised him.

Of course, there was also the option of killing Olentia instead of Dimidius. If she died, Dimidius would never gain the throne.

But for some reason, Legalis didn’t want to kill Olentia. Despite receiving all sorts of cold looks from her, he felt like he couldn’t take her life. He didn’t want that.

Olentia had to live and breathe to witness the process of Dimidius’s downfall. He hoped she would fully pay the price and regret trampling on his heart.

With a twisted mind, Legalis headed towards the Imperial Palace. Not wanting to see the Belial territory anymore, he drew all the curtains on the windows.

After watching Legalis leave through the window, Olentia headed to Dimidius’s office. If he was avoiding her, she intended to confront him directly.

However, only Killen was left in the office, and Dimidius was nowhere to be found.

Olentia ended up asking Killen about his whereabouts again.

“Where is His Grace the Grand Duke?”

At that, Killen abruptly stood up and took her downstairs to the first floor.

“His Grace is currently at the site where the northern gate is being sealed.”

As she followed him down, Olentia lifted her head.

“Oh, really?”

She was relieved that Dimidius had listened to her words. In the prophetic dream, the assailants had entered through the northern gate with vines, so if at least that gate was properly sealed, she thought she would feel a bit more at ease.

Following Killen, she soon found herself near a grassy area in the north after circling the Grand Duchy. Workers were demolishing a gate hidden by the grass.

Dimidius was standing with his arms crossed, watching the gate being destroyed. He was wearing his usual white bauta mask and looked as solid as ever, unlike someone who had collapsed the night before.

Olentia swallowed and approached him.

“Your Grace, are you feeling better?”

She thought she had asked quite kindly, but Dimidius slightly turned his head to look at Olentia and spoke coldly.

“I’m fine. I received enough divine power last night, so you don’t have to worry about it for the time being.”

It was clear that he was pushing her away. Dimidius could be businesslike at times, but he never used such a cold tone. He must have been angry about her removing his mask last night.

Olentia moved a bit closer to him and gently grabbed Dimidius’s right arm.

“I thought it might help if I touched your face instead of your hand. If you didn’t like it, I apologize. Okay?”

It was the first time she had apologized so nervously. Honestly, it was true that she had removed his mask because she wanted to see his face. Of course, after learning the complex reason behind Dimidius wearing the mask, she only felt sorry.

Dimidius remained silent. He was just watching the scene of the gate being destroyed. Dust and powder were flying everywhere around the gate.

Olentia fidgeted her feet. For some reason, she couldn’t bear the anxiety. She was worried that Dimidius might refuse to look at her like this.

Then, Dimidius’s low voice was heard.

“My heart is a ruin like that crumbling gate, milady. So don’t come close to me.”

Hearing him say his heart was a ruin made her heart ache. How many houses had been built only to be shattered, contrary to expectations? Olentia swallowed dryly and looked up at him. The red eyes in the eye holes of the mask looked so weary.

‘I want to comfort him. I want to hug him.’

Suddenly having such thoughts, Olentia was startled and let go of Dimidius’s right arm. She almost retreated from him. She couldn’t let him misunderstand like that.

Olentia stood firmly in front of Dimidius with her eyes wide open. She hoped his gaze would be entirely focused on her.

She made up her mind and spoke to Dimidius.

“You’re going to destroy the gate and rebuild the wall, right? So you can also build a new house in your heart, Your Grace. That house will never become a ruin.”

‘I’ll help you. I want to help you.’

Olentia almost let out the voice of her heart and inhaled sharply. Her heart was pounding extraordinarily.

‘Do I like Dimidius?’

It seemed like she was facing this question head-on for the first time.

If she liked Dimidius, it would be a breach of their contract. She had once sworn to him in the garden of the Odor estate that she would never love him. Moreover, in order to avoid following Saint Daphne’s prophecy, it would be troublesome if she developed a love-hate relationship with Dimidius.

‘So it shouldn’t happen. This relationship will end in four months anyway. What’s the point of getting attached?’

While Olentia’s heart was in turmoil, Dimidius quietly observed her for a long time and then uttered cold words.

“It’s dangerous here at the construction site, so please go back.”

It meant she should get lost.

In the end, Olentia left the site, fuming. The sound of the gate being demolished could be heard from behind, as if it was the sound of her heart crumbling.

‘What’s the use of saying nice words? When he reacts like that.’

Unable to control her anger, Olentia was walking along the path when she spotted the head butler, Alfred. She had something she wanted to ask Alfred, so she thought it was a good opportunity. Olentia called out to him.

“Head butler! I have something to ask you.”

Alfred politely bowed and then spoke.

“Yes, milady. What is the matter?”

“About the previous Grand Duke. Are there any remaining portraits of him? I thought there would be at least one in the Grand Duchy, but I haven’t been able to see any.”

She wanted to see with her own eyes how much Dimidius and James Belial resembled each other.

Alfred made a slightly troubled expression and then took Olentia to the very top floor of the Grand Duchy. It was Olentia’s first time climbing so many stairs, so she exhaled roughly.

“Is it really at the very top?”

Alfred clasped his hands politely and answered.

“Yes. Most of them were burned, but there is one left at the top.”

“Why, why were they burned?”

“That… it would be better for you to ask His Grace the Grand Duke directly, milady.”

Seeing the head butler’s reluctance to speak, she thought it would be the same no matter who she asked in the Grand Duchy.

As she climbed the monstrous stairs, Olentia thought of Dimidius. She wanted to know all of his pain and fear.

Even though she knew she had to stop, she couldn’t cease her actions.