“Aaagh!”

A dying scream resembling that of a beast was heard from the inner forest.

Mixed with the sound of thunder, it was impossible to discern whether it was Farnese’s scream or someone else’s.

Katharine flung open the door to go to the adjoining room, intending to look out the window.

At that moment, what filled her vision was not the cool corridor, but an unidentified man wearing a robe soaked through with rain.

“Uh…”

The first thought that came to mind was that he didn’t seem to be another of His Majesty’s knight guards.

Then who is this man?

As the warning light named crisis lit up in her head, Katharine instinctively took a step back, drawing in a short breath.

Sir Antonio, who noticed the intruder a beat late, widened his eyes and immediately drew his sword as he rushed over.

“Young lady!”

As soon as Sir Antonio moved, the mysterious intruder roughly pulled Katharine’s arm.

Then a sharply honed blade came to her nape.

Sir Antonio had no choice but to hesitate and stop his actions.

“What a cowardly and base man, to take a defenseless woman hostage. Remove your hat and show your face proudly!”

Sir Antonio spoke with heaving breaths, but the unidentified man let out a small snort as if it was absurd.

However, seemingly not wanting to reveal his identity, he refrained from uttering a word until the end.

Katharine calmly looked for an opening without trembling.

But the man was no ordinary person.

As soon as Katharine prepared to counterattack, he sensed it as if by magic and restrained her body even more forcefully.

“…”

The intruder jerked the flashing blade and gestured with his chin towards Antonio.

If you don’t discard your weapon and back off immediately, this woman’s life cannot be guaranteed.

There was no one in this place who failed to notice the meaning of such a threat.

“Sir Antonio. I’m fine, so please go out and attend to His Majesty. Surely something must have happened.”

“Don’t say such nonsense, young lady!”

“It’s alright. This man won’t harm me. He wants something else from me.”

Isn’t that right? Duke Astor.

Katharine raised her head, calling his name with a confident voice.

His hand pressing on Katharine’s shoulder tensed slightly.

From beneath the deeply pulled-down hat, an indecipherable smile leaked out from within the dark shadows.

“As expected, I can’t beat Miss Katharine.”

At the moment of hearing his cheerful voice, it felt as if this was all a mischievous show and prank, but Astor was still firmly embracing Katharine as if he had no intention of letting go.

Astor asked as if surprised.

“How did you know it was me?”

“The last time I staggered and fell on the balcony, you supported me. If I didn’t notice the exact same sensation I felt then, it would be strange, wouldn’t it?”

“Ah… Oh dear. I guess I unnecessarily displayed my chivalrous spirit then. I keep saying I’m too righteous for my own good.”

“You must have come to capture me on Charlen Riche’s orders.”

It’s obvious.

Baron Astor being a trusted servant of Rose, it wasn’t particularly surprising that Charlen would entrust him with a mission.

Moreover, the emperor of a neighboring country entering a secluded neutral zone with only one or two knight guards and no watchful eyes.

He must have judged this to be the first and last opportunity to assassinate Farnese without anyone knowing.

It was frustratingly disappointing.

From the moment a knife was placed at her throat, Charlen had already made an irreversible mistake.

“This is why I said I don’t accept favors from untrustworthy people. Duke Astor. I’m glad I didn’t drink the wine you offered. What if it had been poisoned?”

“It’s a shame I can’t be friends with Miss Katharine. But everyone has priorities, don’t they? For me, advancement is more important than loyalty to Miss Katharine. There are no personal feelings involved at all.”

Astor spoke while meticulously tracing Katharine’s nape with his fingertip, as if searching for a specific point.

She let out a small snort.

“Advancement? I see that the small rewards you get from wagging your tail at Rose and being loyal to Charlen are so important to you.”

“I want a high title and social status, and I want to make a lot of money. The things Miss Katharine has naturally enjoyed and possessed since birth. Not being picky about means and methods for the sake of ambition. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that at all.”

“But the wealth and honor you gain at the end will be empty. No one will remain around you, and your heart will become endlessly hollow.”

“I see. Thank you for the advice. But now it’s time for you to quietly fall asleep. I’m in a bit of a hurry, you see…”

No sooner had Astor’s words ended than a short but intense shock pierced the back of her neck.

Like a machine stopping its operation in an instant, her consciousness was cut off immediately without even feeling pain.

‘I’m sorry.’

It seemed like she heard such words at the end.

When she came to her senses, she was in an unfamiliar room where sunlight was brightly shining through a window overlooking a clear sky.

Katharine looked around with a dazed mind as if she had taken cold medicine.

“Where on earth…!”

Katharine came down from the bed as if rolling off.

When she opened the window, cool air wafted in, revealing the dizzying high walls of a tower.

Then the familiar sight of the Khan Palace could be seen far across the lake, and only then could Katharine somewhat comprehend the situation she was in.

“I was worried because you hadn’t woken up for a long time.”

Someone entered with the sound of a lock mechanism clicking open with a dry metallic sound.

It was the uniquely lazy and arrogant footsteps that she could recognize without having to look up to check who it was, having heard them hundreds and thousands of times before.

“I tried to decorate the room beautifully so that you could wake up pleasantly, do you like it?”

“I’ve overestimated you all this time.”

Katharine continued with a face still not recovered from the shock.

“I didn’t know you were such a base human being, even to this extent.”

“It’s no use trying to provoke my anger with such harsh words now. Katharine. I’ve decided to be a generous person, at least in front of you.”

“A generous person?”

Katharine touched her forehead, which was flushing hot with exasperation.

“Not even a bird in a cage, how can you say such shameless words while confining a person in a tower?”

“Confining? It seems there’s been a misunderstanding. Look around.”

Charlen spread his hands with a puzzled expression.

“A bedroom furnished to avoid even the slightest inconvenience. Fresh air comes in through the wide-open windows, sumptuous feasts are prepared three times a day, and soldiers are diligently standing guard to protect you. If anything, this is princess treatment, how can you call this confinement?”

“Enough, let me out of here right now. Otherwise, you’ll really regret it.”

“Why? Is Emperor Farnese going to lead his knights and invade the Khan Palace? How frightening.”

Charlen took something out from his bosom and threw it.

With a sharp metallic sound, a broken sword spun on the floor before coming to a stop.

A familiar handle pattern.

And it was clear what that object was, with someone’s blood hideously dried on it, without having to ask.

Katharine couldn’t take her eyes off the blade as she moved her lips.

She barely managed to squeeze out her voice and said.

“What… is this?”

“What else could it be? It belongs to the man who fled to his home country, leaving you behind.”

“You’re saying His Majesty left me and went to the Renel Empire?”

Nonsense.

“My subordinates came and reported so. Naturally, in the end, the emperor valued his own life more than you. I told you a hundred times. To Emperor Farnese, you are nothing.”

An indecipherable smile appeared on Charlen’s lips.

“We’ve finally found our rightful places. Katharine.”

Charlen took Katharine’s hand with a satisfied sigh.

Intense disgust welled up in Katharine’s eyes, which had become noticeably sickly in just a few days.

“Let’s start our love again, just the two of us, in this quiet tower where no one will look for you.”

“Did you enjoy your vacation, Astor?”

As if trying to erase several worries lingering in her mind, Rose deliberately entered the reception room, greeting cheerfully.

Astor, who had been standing quietly by the window with his hands behind his back, turned around and smiled back.

“Yes, Your Majesty the Queen. I had a very rewarding ‘vacation’.”

“Don’t speak so vaguely, tell me in detail. As you can see, I can’t go out much since entering the palace, so I’m curious about the outside world.”

“Well… There’s nothing special. I took a walk in the cypress forest, unintentionally did some sword training, and even had a sort of courage test.”

Rose’s eyebrows curved.

“What are you saying? Did you really go on vacation? I thought you’d been sunbathing on the warm beaches of the Ram Kingdom. This is boring.”

“Unfortunately, there was no time for sunbathing, but I did spend some dangerous time with a pretty young lady.”

“This man, really.”

“Of course! Compared to our noble queen, she was like a pebble rolling on the street. You know my heart, don’t you?”

Astor returned to his usual self, playfully flattering.

Rose let out a light laugh as if she would let it slide just this once, but she closely observed Astor’s complexion from the corner of her eye.

An inexplicable strange shadow was gloomily covering his entire face.

The day he suddenly said he wanted to go on vacation, when he had always been busy following her around.

Some servant had said they had glimpsed him having a long conversation with Lord Charlen in the Jasmine Palace.

There would be no reason for him to have such a long conversation with his wife’s attendant.

And in elder sister Katharine’s quarters, no less.

“By the way, I haven’t seen Lord Charlen much these days. Where on earth is he all day?”

“He must be busy. In many ways.”

Astor answered in a meaningful tone.

Strangely, his voice was tinged with a bit of irritation, hesitation, and subtle disgust.

Rose slowly rolled her eyes.

“I should go find him and offer some help. You know where Lord Charlen is now, don’t you, Astor?”

“I do know, but are you really sure?”

“About what?”

To Rose, who tilted her head, Astor added as if talking to himself.

“Sometimes it’s better not to know uncomfortable truths.”

“Uncomfortable truths…?”

“But if you’re curious, I’ll tell you. Where His Majesty the King has been lately.”