What in the world is going on here?

Kisa’s mind went blank at the shocking sight that was hard to believe even after seeing it.

Why was the princess kissing Gabriel here?

Moreover, Gabriel, who initially seemed to be trying to break free by twisting his body, soon embraced the other’s waist, suggesting it wasn’t just the princess who desired this act.

‘Wait, what about Seyerd?’

Wasn’t Seyerd the one Gabriel loved?

Was Seyerd not the one he had promised to meet here?

Kisa stared blankly at the passionate kiss between the two for a while before suddenly coming to her senses.

Regardless of the reason, this was not a scene for others to casually watch.

Turning her gaze away from them, she tried to quickly leave this place.

But her legs were trembling, making it difficult to walk properly.

It seemed her body had gone weak after the unusual sprint and then learning such a shocking truth.

Kisa unknowingly sank to the floor.

In the annex, quiet except for the absence of people, only the explicit sounds created by the princess and Gabriel flowed.

There were two people kissing, but it was Kisa’s face that flushed with heat.

Having grown up in a conservative environment all her life, Kisa had naturally never experienced a kiss herself, and this was even the first time she had witnessed others doing it up close.

An inexplicable, strange feeling along with a sense of guilt from overhearing the private affairs of people she knew swirled inside Kisa.

Just as she was about to force herself to get up, thinking this really wouldn’t do, the kiss finally ended.

After catching her breath for a moment, the princess exclaimed triumphantly.

“See? You say no, no, but as soon as there’s a little opening, you pounce like a dog! What? Leave me? Study abroad? You can’t go. How dare you think of going somewhere so impudently?”

Kisa was startled by those violent words.

It was a side she had never seen in nearly a decade of long association with the princess.

The Arta Debon Sorby that Kisa knew was somewhat willful and tomboyish, but fundamentally kind and elegant.

She was a person befitting the status of royalty.

“Have you already forgotten who took you in when you returned after failing to study abroad and were living like a worm, swindled by some stupid theater owner?”

She was never someone who used such insulting expressions and a tone that looked down on others.

“Who clothed you, sheltered you, and made you look human? There’s a limit to repaying kindness with enmity. You’ve become so arrogant just because you have some meager talent.”

She was the generous princess who had smiled and forgiven even when an inexperienced court lady who had just entered spilled tea on her dress.

“You just need to stay by my side until I get tired of you, bark when I tell you to bark, kiss when I tell you to kiss, and play the violin a bit when I tell you to entertain. Is that so difficult?”

The illusion of “the princess I secretly admired” that existed within Kisa shattered to pieces.

She had now seen Arta’s true face.

“I, I don’t want to live like that.”

At that moment, Gabriel, who had been silent until then, protested to the princess in a trembling voice.

“Princess, there was a time when I thought I could endure it because I loved you. But I still want to go out into the wider world. I want to do more music in Octava.”

However, it didn’t have any effect on the princess.

“Fine, do that music you love so much. But not Octava. Stay in this country where I am.”

“There are limitations here. And wasn’t it you, Princess, who told me not to think about becoming more famous?”

“Isn’t that obvious? If you become famous, it only increases the chances of this relationship being exposed to the world. My mother already told me to stay quiet until marriage.”

“…Did you say marriage? How cruel of you. Are you telling me to just suck my thumb and watch from the sidelines as you get married? And just entertain you innocently whenever you want?”

The princess’s mood seemed to improve somewhat at Gabriel’s sorrowful question.

“Your jealousy is quite cute. It’s presumptuous, but I’ll let it slide. But that’s as far as it goes. You know very well that your role is not to be my husband. Were you so stupid that you couldn’t even understand that?”

“I… don’t want to live like that. I’m going to Octava to start a new life.”

Although Gabriel declared with quite a resolute attitude, the princess merely sneered.

“You act all pure, but you’re so ungrateful. Have you already forgotten all the favors I’ve bestowed upon you?”

“I, I am grateful for that. If it’s about money, I have some saved up, so I’ll pay you back.”

“Do you think you can repay it with that measly sum?”

“Then I’ll definitely pay you back later. If you don’t like that, I’ll borrow money from Duke Hilan to pay you back.”

“What? That guy would lend you money?”

“The Duke said if I ever have any financial difficulties, I should tell him—”

“Seyerd Hilan, that son of a bitch.”

It was a curse filled with hatred, as if she wanted to chew him up and kill him right then and there.

“Wake up. Do you really think it’s pure goodwill that he’s not only sending you to study abroad but also willing to give you money?”

“Please don’t say that. The Duke is my benefactor.”

“What benefactor now? You were the one crying and begging me not to marry him before.”

“…”

“Anyway, he’s deliberately approaching you to upset me. Earlier, he was so persistent in keeping me in the reception room to prevent me from coming to you. What a black-hearted bastard.”

As if Seyerd’s existence fueled the princess’s anger, she shouted again in an enraged voice.

“Enough, so hurry up and get out of this damn place! Did you think I couldn’t come here if you just stayed put? Quickly go to Seyerd, that son of a bitch, and tell him. Say you don’t need to study abroad or anything!”

Gabriel remained silent.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and go tell him!”

“…No.”

“What did you say?”

“I’m going to Octava. No matter what you say, Princess, that decision won’t change.”

Kisa thought the princess would flare up like fire, but her tone was unexpectedly calm.

“Are you serious about that?”

“I am serious.”

“I’ll ask you one more time. Are you serious?”

Gabriel couldn’t answer that it was serious to the second question.

Slap! Before his answer could come out, the sound of flesh hitting flesh came first.

“I, I’m sorry.”

Gabriel apologized with his spirit somewhat broken, but Arta was merciless.

Slap!

“Say it. That you’re serious.”

“…I am serious.”

Slap!

“I told you to say it.”

Slap!

“Where did all that confidence from earlier go?”

It was Gabriel who was getting slapped repeatedly, but Kisa’s face felt stinging.

Her heart was pounding rapidly, cold sweat was flowing, and her legs felt weak.

She was afraid of the princess. She was so afraid of the princess who easily despised, mocked, looked down on, belittled, and even used violence against others.

Someone overlapped with the image of Gabriel helplessly suffering from her tyranny.

Kisa barely stood up on her trembling legs.

Although she was really scared, the thought that she had to do something took hold of her.

Just as she was about to take a step with the intention of stopping the princess, some force restrained Kisa.

Someone who had come behind her without her noticing grabbed her arm and turned her around.

Kisa was about to call out that person’s name reflexively, but a large palm covered her mouth.

Seyerd. It was Seyerd.

He glanced briefly in the direction of the princess and Gabriel, then shook his head while meeting Kisa’s gaze.

It seemed like a look saying it would be better not to intervene.

Why was Seyerd here?

Kisa pondered such a question with her mind that wasn’t working well.

The interior of the annex was cleaner than expected.

It seemed the servants of the duke’s household quite frequently swept, wiped, and maintained the furniture.

That’s probably why Seyerd had led Kisa here.

Seyerd, who had entered the reception room closest to the entrance, first calmed the trembling Kisa.

“Kisa.”

“…”

“Kisa.”

“Oh, yes?”

He gently grasped the tips of Kisa’s fingers. His warmth spread to her cold fingers.

“It’s alright now. Don’t worry.”

“But Gabriel…”

“She’ll stop after a few slaps anyway because her own hand will hurt more. The princess isn’t that tough. But Gabriel is different. If we’re comparing, he’s probably much healthier than the princess.”

“You, you seem to know surprisingly well?”

“I can tell roughly by looking at their physique. Though he’s on the thin side, you can see quite a bit of muscle even through his clothes.”

“…But he’s still human, so it must hurt to be slapped.”

“Of course it does. But if you had intervened then, the situation would have gotten worse.”

“Why is that?”

“Kisa, who’s already earned the princess’s dislike by being engaged to me, personally stepping in for Gabriel would be like pouring oil on the fire. She might not do anything too harsh to you, but she’d torment Gabriel even more.”

Thinking about it, it made sense.

In her shock, she hadn’t thought that far, but Seyerd was indeed rational as always.

That’s why there was one point she couldn’t understand.

“Couldn’t you have saved him, Seyerd?”

“Pardon?”

“Couldn’t you have saved him if it was you, Seyerd?”

If it was him, he could have dissuaded the princess and taken appropriate measures to prevent Gabriel from being hit more.

But he didn’t do that. Why?

“I’m not trying to blame you. I just…”

As Kisa was struggling with how to convey her thoughts, he tightened his grip on her fingertips that he was holding.

“You’re right, Kisa. I could have protected him. I could have even sent the princess away on the grounds of causing a disturbance.”

Their gazes intertwined.

“But why should I do that?”