The Empire had its eyes set on Glisia.

Although it could have easily conquered it with military force, it waited to build justification.

The Emperor used them as payment for accepting Wilboyer, and this visit was like an ultimatum to Glisia.

The Empire also took advantage of the critical condition of Wilboyer’s second son. Wilboyer willingly allowed themselves to be used, knowing this.

They desperately want Glisia to fall.

Yet when Ormia, a member of Glisia’s royal family, spoke of invasion, Liam held his breath.

It sent chills down his spine as she spoke calmly, as if knowing the future.

But that’s not what’s important right now.

Ormia’s time to stay here was short.

“Alright, if you can save my brother, take him to the Empire by any means. If there’s no other way, even kidnap him.”

“That would make things difficult by escalating the situation.”

“No matter how much of a divine bles-”

Liam swallowed the words he was about to say naturally, like her epithet.

He had seen and felt her blessing. Now she wasn’t the enemy Beltoa, but hope to save his brother.

“No matter what, she’s royalty. Would the king really agree to send a princess?”

“We’ll have to make His Majesty allow it.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed at the arrogant words.

Ormia took a sip of tea.

“Do you have a plan?”

“Wait for His Majesty to make his move until I send a signal.”

Liam lightly tapped the table with his finger.

He felt frustrated. Everything from Ormia’s scent wafting from behind him to her presence bothered him.

It would be easier if they could talk face to face.

He wanted to see what expression she had while speaking.

“If the Empire wants me first, His Majesty will never send me. So it needs to appear as if His Majesty decides to send me first, and the Empire reluctantly accepts.”

The greedy Beltoa. Would a king who becomes ruthless without hesitation give up what’s his?

As if reading Liam’s doubts, Ormia continued.

“It won’t take long. I need to arrive in the Empire before autumn comes.”

He understood why autumn without asking.

His brother’s death.

His heart, which had been elated by the divine blessing, turned cold at the ruthless future.

“My plan is…”

Ormia’s plan, explained in a low voice, was clear.

Liam listened coldly. It felt like a bitter medicine unpleasantly sticking to the roof of his mouth.

“I’ll leave first.”

“Is that also an ability of the princess?”

Liam asked as he heard the soft sound of a chair being pushed back.

After asking the question himself, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, afraid it might be true.

“The foresight to know who I am and when my brother will die.”

“The future may change since I’ve moved things, but I know up to age 22.”

“Age 22?”

“It’s a blessing bestowed by God.”

Her voice, which had been speaking indifferently, trembled slightly.

There is a royal family member with abilities and blessings. It wouldn’t be strange if there were others with different powers, but she felt quite alien.

Without realizing it, Liam looked at Ormia.

On the other cheek that wasn’t visible when he sat down, there was a small linear scar.

It was a scar he hadn’t seen at the banquet.

For Liam, pain had been a constant part of daily life since he first manifested his ability. When it became unbearable, he endured with the medicine given by the Emperor. The subsequent withdrawal symptoms were, to put it roughly, hellish.

It was a continuous exercise in endurance.

No matter what he did, the pain never left him.

But what was this sensation now?

Liam sat in the reception room of the annex, looking down at his palm.

Right now, he felt not a trace of pain.

‘This is my body.’

His shoulders were always stiff from enduring the pain. He had no energy to think of anything else. His nerves were on edge, sensitive to the slightest stimuli and sounds.

It wasn’t just the pain that had disappeared.

His body was in such peak condition that it almost seemed too good to be true. A vigor incomparable to the Emperor’s medicine coursed through his body. It was almost frightening.

And he acutely felt why Glisia’s dukes were so devoted to the royal family.

Could he really give up this intoxicatingly perfect state?

Could he return to the previous state of constant pain?

“Did something happen?”

Marx Benum, with his collar buttoned up to his throat even in the annex used exclusively by the Empire’s delegation, sat across from Liam.

Marx noticed the change in Liam.

“You look like a man in love. Met a good woman?”

Liam hid his expression by rubbing his face at the curious gaze.

“Glisia is a special place for the Wilboyers after all.”

Though they could be called close friends, it wasn’t enough to mention meeting Princess Ormia.

When the Wilboyers left Glisia and settled in the Empire, the Emperor of Ethersia elevated them to the rank of Grand Duke.

And he married Liam’s father to his niece, incorporating them into the imperial family.

It wasn’t a one-sided favor. The Emperor shrewdly used the Wilboyers as the Emperor’s dogs.

He gave medicine to the Wilboyer family, who couldn’t receive God’s blessing, and tightened the leash so they couldn’t escape.

Even living as imperial citizens, they couldn’t feel at ease knowing the malicious intentions.

The Crown Prince, in particular, was a malicious person.

“Duke Bersi contacted us. He wants to negotiate.”

“As expected.”

“Yes, they intend to buy time.”

They had drafted expected proposals that Beltoa might show on the way to Glisia.

The king, who had been refusing invitations until now, wouldn’t suddenly change his behavior, and the Empire had been building justification knowing it would be refused.

The Emperor intended to use the Wilboyers, elevated to the Empire’s elite, as the ignition point. So this visit was just nominal.

The invasion had already been decided, and it was only a matter of time.

“We were planning to spend the winter in Glisia, but the urgent matter is Wilboyer. What should we do?”

Kyler Wilboyer, the second son of the Wilboyer family.

It’s not a secret that the second son is critically ill if the eldest son, Liam, had to urgently join the delegation.

“We wait.”

Marx’s eyebrow rose sharply at Liam’s heavy answer.

Though he hid his impatience, Liam’s demeanor, which had been tense throughout the journey to Glisia, had changed.

“Let’s see how long they play with us.”

“Heh, you really have a bad personality.”

Marx laughed pleasantly at Liam’s cruelty, showing composure even with a family member’s life at stake.

“Bring some alcohol here. If we’re in Glisia, we should try their specialty liquor made with holy water.”

Vengeance and ruthlessness are virtues of a good dog.

Loyalty can change at any time, but those with a purpose are easy to use and don’t spare themselves for revenge.

Marx poured drinks into Liam’s glass.

Since demanding a divorce, Jeffrey had been returning to the mansion before dinner.

He acted the part of a caring husband, mindful of people’s eyes, but that only lasted two days.

The evening after meeting Liam, after an awkward dinner, he headed to the garden instead of his room.

The night made me feel more alive. The intense scent of flowers and grass was a daily occurrence I hadn’t appreciated before.

I had created my own shackles and only cared about others. I was raised that way, couldn’t escape, and didn’t think to escape.

I was young and pitiful. And foolish.

I could have just abandoned it.

I could have just let go.

“What did you do wrong to grovel before such a child? They say they’ll maintain your title. Just divorce her.”

The conversation flowed out through the window.

The people of the Olan family were gathered in Jeffrey’s study.

“Elena! Are you thinking straight? Divorce in the Olan family! What do you think people will say if Jeffrey divorces? They’ll truly believe Jeffrey did something wrong and was divorced by the princess.”

“Mother, don’t worry. They’ll think he couldn’t stand such a X. People will understand.”

“Divorce is out of the question.”

Jeffrey, who had been listening, said firmly.

“If we divorce, Duke Haiman will abandon the Olan family.”

“That’s right, when Jeffrey married the princess, how sympathetic were people towards the Olan family. They were favorable and tried to help. They highly praised the Olan family’s spirit of sacrifice. Divorce is unacceptable!”

“Mother, rumors are rampant that the princess demanded a divorce! It’s already over!”

“Elena, you’ve always been quick to give up since you were young. Jeffrey, why don’t you take this opportunity to spend a night with the princess? You’re husband and wife. Women never forget their first man.”

“Mother! How can you tell him to embrace the princess! He doesn’t even get excited!”

“Then what should we do?”

“We need to make the divorce as if it never happened, but there’s no way.”

When Jeffrey answered irritably, Madam Olan exclaimed.

“That’s it. Make the princess admit her mistake in front of everyone, that she wrongly suspected her husband. Make her apologize.”

“Oh, that’s it! Say it was all a misunderstanding on the princess’s part!”

“That’s right, that’s it. Elena!”

They were excited as they plotted their scheme.

They didn’t even care if I might hear. I had only been helplessly victimized by them until now.

“That would be perfect, but would the princess do such a thing unless she’s crazy?”

“We have to make her do it.”

“Yes, Jeffrey. We can push the narrative that the princess has delusions of infidelity.”

“We are three people. If the three of us say the princess behaved strangely, who will people believe? Will they even believe the princess’s words?”

Leaving Madam Olan’s laughter behind, I headed to the garden.

The excited night breeze blew, tossing my hair.

“They really are consistent.”

I believe in the saying that human nature is evil.

People pushed others into corners to survive, blamed only others, and poured out resentment.

They acted strongly towards the weak, and if someone had less power than them, the hierarchy was reversed.

They behaved exactly the same in my first life.

Back then, they drove me to appear strange for my obsessions, took away the dignity maintenance fees that came to me, and confined me to the house.

The mansion’s servants only watched.

They pretended not to see me cowed by Madam Olan’s tyranny, and nothing from the mansion leaked outside.

No, perhaps reports did reach the duke’s family or the king, but they didn’t intervene.

“Stay strong.”

It won’t work this time, but.

I closed my eyes, savoring the fragrant lilac scent carried on the wind.

It’s a fragrant night.

And Madam Olan unfailingly repeated what she had done in my first life.