“Really? If you think so, I can feel a bit more at ease.”

‘Why is he so fine? Considering Violet’s medicine should take effect by now, he should be feeling something wrong with his body…’

“What are you saying right now?”

“I said I could feel a bit more at ease thanks to the Crown Prince.”

A small wrinkle appeared on Evelyn’s forehead. Ian, who had been showing a relaxed attitude all along, suddenly showed signs of wavering.

Whether he looked angry as if he was holding his mouth shut, or seemed uncomfortable as if he was squeezing his eyebrows, he looked somewhere between angry and uncomfortable.

‘Why is he acting like that all of a sudden? Is the effect of the medicine only now starting to show?’

“I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling well, so I need to rest.”

“Then I should make way for you. Rest well, Crown Prince.”

Evelyn smiled slyly and stood up. Ian still looked strained, as if he was trying to endure some pain.

‘In the end, I’m sending you off with my own hands. Rest comfortably wherever Violet is, Ian.’
It felt like her nasal voice would involuntarily come out, so she had to control her breathing until she could escape from the study.

The sudden sound of the study door opening echoed. I thought it might be Lucas or Edwin, but to my surprise, it was Ian who entered.

“Ian? You said you wouldn’t come to the Knights today…”

Approaching briskly, Ian suddenly hugged me. While the sword he held in his hand rolled down with a clatter, his head dropped lifelessly onto my shoulder.

“Why? What happened?”

“…Just let me stay like this for a moment.”

Is it difficult because of inner thoughts and hallucinations?

“If it’s hard, you can come anytime.”

“Rose, I thought my mother had died of an inexplicable illness, but… I found out that’s not the case.”

His fingertips, which had been lightly patting Ian’s back, suddenly tightened.

If Violet didn’t die from an illness, does that mean it was murder?

“Then who…?”

“It’s the Empress of the Poinaris Empire.”

The Empress of the Poinaris Empire killed Violet, the Empress?

My chest sank, and my head became numb. I couldn’t come up with any words.

It felt like standing in front of relentless waves. I grabbed Ian’s clothes with groping hands, fearing that I might lose balance and fall.

“For the first time, I was about to draw my sword impulsively at the whispering words of hallucination. I came to you because I felt I couldn’t control this feeling if I stayed in the palace.”

“…?”

“That’s why those who have been cursed end up killing people. Gradually going crazy like this.”

I grabbed Ian’s face firmly. As I exerted force on my palm to lift his head, I saw his eyes shaking vulnerably.

I couldn’t dare to guess how confused Ian’s heart must be. But there was one thing I wanted to make clear.

“It’s not because of the curse or hallucinations. Even if it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to endure if I knew the person who killed my mother was in front of me. How could anyone stay still when someone killed their mother?”

Ian’s Adam’s apple trembled. His eyes, looking down at me, were clouded with a transparent light.

“Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Why should I be afraid of you?”

As I was about to add that there was no such thing, I narrowed my eyes for a moment.

Wait, Lilliana’s illness was also like Violet’s, an inexplicable cause…

“Ian, there’s something that may be hard for you to recall, but… when the Empress passed away, did she happen to cough up blood?”

“How do you know that?”
“My mother also passed away from an inexplicable illness. She suffered for a while, coughing up blood at one point… and not long after, she lost her life.”

Ian, who had been silently listening to my story, widened his eyes.

“My mother also passed away with symptoms similar to that.”

“It doesn’t seem like a mere coincidence. There must be something related to the Riley family.”

“It seemed like someone gave something to my mother. It was as if they were trying to feed me a faster-acting medicine than that. But there was nothing wrong with me, so they came to check directly.”

“What? Did the Empress also give you medicine?”

I quickly examined Ian’s expression. As I touched his face, he gently lowered his head and answered.

“I didn’t take any medicine. I learned about the Empress’s scheme at the banquet.”

“Really? Then are you okay?”

“Anyway, even if I take poison…”

“What?”

“No, never mind. Rose, your mother’s death might be related to the Riley family as well.”

The fleeting thought in my mind was just one. There might be one more person who knows the secret of the Riley family.

I have to meet Gael.

“Ian.”

“Please speak.”

“We need to go to the palace.”