Though his daughter, Milia had always been foolish and greedy.

There were many times when she tried to gain advantage by putting her child forward, but to think of the crown prince.

“If it’s Empress Your Majesty’s will, I’ll make an effort to gather the will. Then, will Your Majesty choose the woman to sit in that place?”

With the Duke’s permission, Milia’s eyes sparkled as she smiled softly.

Everything she did would seem like it was for her son, for the royal family.

The citizens of the empire might be initially hostile, but if Nathaniel, who inherited the power of the dragon, were to take a concubine, they would agree. Their passion for Nathaniel exceeded imagination.

‘And that child will wither away watching her husband embrace another woman.’

The imperial palace was a place where the crown princess could not live without knowing anything.

It was the imperial palace that blocked the breath of a lively girl and slowly killed her.

In there, Jaina was too bright.

‘I don’t like it.’

She disliked it from the beginning.

The naive and pure actions seemed to mock her rotten and jealous past self.

Milia, with her decaying, jealous, and hateful interior hidden, quietly opened her mouth.

“I’ll send a mature child to sit in the concubine’s position.”

Breakfast time.

Nathaniel looked straight into my face and cocked his head.

“Are you sick?”

“Huh? No, not at all.”

Saying that, I quickly bowed my head to hide my face.

No wonder, for not sleeping properly these past few days, my face was a mess.

Worry is the root of all illnesses.

Even the dull Nathaniel noticed, so I still have a long way to go to be a spy.

“You are really so honest that it’s a flaw.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

My voice shrank for no reason.

I tried to act confident by straightening my back, but I still looked awkward.

I didn’t even know whether the breakfast was going into my mouth or nose.

“Okay, I’m full! So, have a good day at work today.”

I was about to jump up from my seat and head outside when Nathaniel grabbed my wrist.

Although it was a light grab, I staggered because I was caught off guard.

Nathaniel gently held my shoulder and let me lean against him.

“What’s the matter?”

He quietly looked down at my eyes.

His face seemed full of discontent.

I avoided his gaze by rolling my eyes.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

“A walk?”

“Yes. I have something to talk about.”

After a moment of hesitation, I nodded.

Nathaniel opened the door first and walked ahead.

I followed him through the corridor to the garden.

The garden behind the crown prince’s palace was more freeform than the other perfectly maintained gardens.

‘No, I must speak clearly. It’s not freeform, it’s just neglected.’

What was once a walking path was now overgrown with weeds.

Where on earth was he going? Nathaniel went inward, further inside.

“Nathaniel, how far…!”

“We’re here.”

They arrived at a vast lake.

He had never dreamed that such a place existed within the castle.

“Sit here.”

“Oh, yes…”

Nathaniel kindly placed a handkerchief on the rough rock.

It was the very handkerchief with an embroidered baby dragon I had given him a long time ago.

‘He still has it.’

I thought he would have thrown it away by now…

My heart tingled.

For some reason, I thought it was because Nathaniel seemed kinder today.

“You have something to say to me?”

“Excuse me?”

I blinked my eyes as I looked at him.

Wasn’t it Nathaniel who said he had something to say?

“Nathaniel, you said you had something to say.”

“You’ve been circling around me every day like a hungry puppy, watching for my mood.”

“No, a puppy? How can you say something so harsh?”

“Is it not so?”

Nathaniel’s eyebrows raised.

That meant he was very irritated.

But I hesitated to ask outright.

“Hmm…”

“When did you start noticing me?”

“I, I notice you a lot!”

“Speak quickly. There’s no time.”

I hesitated for a moment but finally asked with difficulty.

“It’s about your late mother.”

“Mother?”

Nathaniel’s face was surprised at the sudden word.

I nodded and slowly chose my words.

Trying hard to pick ones that wouldn’t hurt him too much.

“I want to know about the disease she had. If it’s too uncomfortable, you don’t have to tell me.”

“The disease my mother had…”

Nathaniel seemed to ponder for a moment, then looked at me and said,

“It was literally an incurable disease. Without knowing the cause, we couldn’t find a treatment, and we could only watch as her body slowly deteriorated.”

I was choked up at the sight of Nathaniel showing a bitter smile.

What on earth did I do to him?

I dug into his wounds for my own purpose.

I felt so shameless and pathetic.

“I’m sorry. For bringing up such unnecessary talk…”

Would this apology be enough?

Nathaniel shrugged his shoulders and slumped down beside me on the grass.

“Well, it’s not a good memory. It was the first time in my life I realized I couldn’t do anything.”

In the end, I had to hang my head low.

I couldn’t say anything more.

My apology seemed too shallow, and I had nothing more to say.

Nathaniel’s large hand playfully tousled my hair.

“Don’t be so down. My mother and I weren’t as close as you think.”

“Really?”

I raised my head to meet Nathaniel’s eyes.

For a moment, I felt like my breath stopped.

His red eyes looked even darker and colder today.

And beyond them, dark emotions were swirling.

“Do you know how I found this place?”

I shook my head at his playful smile.

Even though Nathaniel was smiling, he looked desolate somehow.

My heart started to beat faster.

For some reason, I felt like I had touched a part of him that should not be touched, and my body stiffened with tension.

“My mother hated me.”