Although Elise’s family lost everything and died while leaving the capital, it wasn’t Emperor Victian IV’s fault.

Duke Hailis committed embezzlement several times, with the most terrible being the embezzlement of funds meant for relief centers. By intercepting money destined for relief centers in plague-stricken areas, too many people died.

Duke Hailis’s crimes warranted execution, but Emperor Victian IV’s heart softened, and he only stripped him of his title and sent him into exile.

‘So you thought it was our fault. You thought the death of the Hailis family was entirely our fault.’

Just how long had Elise been harboring that knife in her heart?

No, that’s not what’s important.

‘Will I be brainwashed? Will I someday lose myself, forget what happened to my family, and worship Elise like a god?’

Ranian thought it likely.

Recently, he had started feeling glad whenever Elise appeared. There were many moments when he prayed for Elise to appear quickly.

‘I will… end up moving for Elise’s sake. Using black magic with the demonic energy filling this place, I’ll do whatever Elise wants.’

No.

Ranian would rather be tortured for life than work for Elise. But on the other hand, he also wished to do anything to escape this torture rack and be free.

Ranian wept, lamenting his helpless situation, and his sobs greatly pleased Retrochica.

Retrochica could see from Ranian’s weakness that he was slowly being molded according to her intentions.

Although it took longer than expected due to Ranian’s strong resistance and will, he was gradually crumbling. By the time spring passed after the new year, Ranian’s hair had turned white with pain and anguish.

On a truly beautiful day in June, Ranian smiled submissively at the image of Elise created by black magic.

“My lady… please save me… My lady, please rescue me.”

Retrochica also smiled.

“Heheh. Heheheh. Now I can finally teach you something. Bugs. This is your new name.”

Retrochica said, caressing Ranian’s scarred arm.

“It means insect.”

+++

Back to November 1578.

The carriage returning to Gania was enveloped in silence.

Elise tightly gripped her trembling fingers with her other hand while watching Lucas’s expression. Lucas was glaring at the curtains on the carriage window with a look that seemed ready to explode at any moment.

When they came to Canta, they had pulled those curtains wide open to view the streets. But now, no one thought of opening the curtains and looking outside, not knowing what kind of gazes might fly in.

‘Still… the fact that he let me ride in the same carriage means he’s not too angry with me, right?’

Roxiana is alive.

The forest that she had barely managed to clear away engulfed Elise once again. It felt as if she had been thrown into a dense forest full of dark green trees with no way out.

‘How, how is she alive? She didn’t even have a slave’s brand.’

Roxiana’s attire, which she hadn’t paid attention to at the time, came to mind. The luxurious coat and the pure white dress hidden beneath it. Even from afar, one could tell how valuable they were.

‘She was smiling…’

Roxiana didn’t look troubled. She looked no different from when she was staying at the Ider Palace.

Elise bit the inside of her cheek, hating it terribly, feeling angry and jealous.

‘How can you be so fine? When all your family is dead, when the Ider Palace is no longer yours, when you’re not a princess anymore! How can you be so fine?’

Grand Duke Ratean came to mind. And the knights standing guard over her.

‘She was a slave…’

She had definitely branded her. She had made a deep wound so it couldn’t be erased and poured ink into it. And then sold her off. So Roxiana should have been crying, lamenting her situation as a slave to some perverted old man.

But Roxiana wasn’t crying, nor did she look shabby. Her straight back and eyes shining steadily forward were exactly the same as when she was a princess at the Ider Palace.

Princess Roxiana Franche, loved by all, bright and cheerful. Princess Roxiana Franche, always smiling brightly, surrounded by wonderful people.

Jealousy flared up like a flame.

“What are we going to do about all this!”

The sudden shout broke Elise out of her reverie. Elise looked at Lucas, startled.

“Your Highness…”

“How are you going to solve all this now? This is all because of you! Huh? What kind of mess is this!”

Lucas pounded the sofa with both fists. Elise swallowed dryly and stared blankly at the enraged Lucas.

Lucas reached out as if finding such an Elise pathetic and frustrating. His hand roughly grabbed Elise’s coat.

“I did everything you wanted, Elise. Killing the entire Franche family, throwing them into the well, it was all what you wanted! But what is this? Why is everyone blaming only me? It’s what you did!”

“Your Highness…”

“Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness! Stop that damn ‘Your Highness’ nonsense! Instead of calling me, come up with an answer to solve this problem!”

Lucas felt like he was going mad with anger.

It was all Elise’s doing. He just wanted to get his hands on Canta’s crown, but Elise had persuaded him to kill everyone and throw them into the well to leave no heirs.

Elise was the one who committed those terrible acts, so why should he alone be blamed?

−”Oh my, Crown Prince. That’s cheating. Trying to push all the blame onto a powerless woman like that. It’s too pathetic to do such a thing. Though you’re already overflowing with patheticness.”

Floyd’s leisurely voice clung to his ears and wouldn’t leave. With just a few words, he had made Lucas into someone deserving of death.

Those gazes the gathered people had given Lucas. Those looks of contempt and shock, as if looking at something more horrible than a monster.

Even though he tried not to think about it, those looks he had never received before clung to him and wouldn’t let go.

It was Elise’s doing. It was really this woman’s doing.

Lucas glared at Elise, who was looking at him as if terrified.

The woman who had only seemed pitiful and lovely until now felt terrible. Even the tears welling up in her eyes were no longer endearing.

‘Why did I…’

She was an obvious woman.

An obvious woman who uses her beauty and tears to twist men’s hearts. He had sneered at those who fell for such women and were ruined, but now he had become exactly like that.

‘Compared to her, Roxy…’

She was beautiful.

Even in that situation, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Her skin shining clearer than the white dress, her straight and elegant posture, the gentle smile spread across her small face.

He couldn’t believe he had chosen this woman instead of that woman.

Even if he had killed everyone, even if he had taken Canta’s throne, he should have kept Roxiana by his side instead of selling her off. He should have told her that sparing her life was his consideration and made her his Crown Princess.

Then Roxiana would have thanked him and followed him for life.

It was Elise who suggested branding Roxiana as a slave and selling her off.

“It’s all your fault!”

If it weren’t for Elise, he wouldn’t have committed such terrible acts.

“It’s your fault, Elise! Yet I’m the one being blamed. Tell me, how are you going to solve this? Huh? Use that smart head of yours!”

At Lucas’s pressing voice, Elise looked like she was about to burst into tears, but she barely held back. It wasn’t sadness but anger that made her blood boil.

‘Why is it all my fault?’

She had merely hinted at it.

How about killing them all and throwing them into the well? What if we make Roxiana a slave and sell her off? Aren’t you curious about what expression she’ll make?

She had just mentioned it casually, like passing remarks. It was Lucas who actively pursued it, saying it was a good idea, it would be fun, let’s do it.

‘Besides, as soon as we arrived in Canta, I said we should retrieve the bodies of the Franche family. How can he blame everything on me when he couldn’t even do that properly and let Grand Duke Ratean snatch them away! It’s because he’s incompetent!’

Elise thought of Floyd.

His robust physique, his friendly and cheerful attitude, the decadent beauty that emanated when he sat quietly in a corner.

He was like the sun incarnate. The morning sun, the afternoon sun, the setting sun – all were embodied in that one man.

After seeing Floyd, Lucas’s appearance, which she had thought was the most handsome, seemed unremarkable. His not-so-large build and pale face looked shabby.

‘Why did I… If I had known earlier, I would have chosen the Grand Duke…’

But it wasn’t time to regret her choice. She hadn’t gained anything yet, and rather than when she was staying at the Ider Palace, she had nothing and only debts. If Lucas abandoned her now, it would be the end.

Elise carefully contained her boiling anger and irritation, and while caressing Lucas’s thigh, she said in a pitiful voice:

“You’re right, Your Highness. It’s all my fault. Your Highness tried to stop foolish me, but because of my stubbornness, things turned out like this. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

As Elise obediently admitted her fault, Lucas’s expression softened a little.

“Your Highness always handles matters wisely, but because of me, things have turned out like this, and I, this foolish and ignorant me, don’t know what to do. I wanted to be of help to Your Highness…”

Clear tears rolled down Elise’s cheeks. Lucas watched as a tear gathered on her chin and then dropped, before speaking.