“That is not the price for the magical item.”

‘He admitted to receiving something, but claimed it’s not a price? Have they become close enough to give and receive things without a reason?’

The empress, unaware of my inner thoughts, continued speaking incessantly.

“How could I demand a price for a gift of friendship?”

It was a reasonable statement. However… the empress in Casius’s eyes was different from usual.

The empress, who usually appeared so firm that nothing could faze her no matter what, had lost her composure from a moment ago.

She was different. Others might not have noticed at all, but his keen eyes did not miss it.

Her eyelashes trembled and her violet eyes shook faintly.

In the rippling waves, he himself was reflected.

Casius’s fingers tapped on the table as if swimming through the flow of time. Tok, tok−

‘She’s hiding something.’

There was no need to rush, as Tikan would soon find out the information anyway.

“Of course, it should be that way.”

What he had considered a trivial matter until a moment ago… now tangled and shook within Casius.

‘What in the world is the empress concealing?’

*

Only after seeing Casius leave could she finally breathe.

She attempted to subdue her turbulent and complex emotions through strengthened stone training, but to hell with training.

Her mind was entirely filled with Casius.

‘How did he even know that I was supposed to receive something from the prince?’

There was no particular reason to hide it.

However, she didn’t particularly want to inform Casius about that fact either.

If the identity of that object became known, it could cause misunderstandings.

That was why she had separately requested it from Prince Dilan that day, outside the meeting room.

Above all, it was not a price for a magical item, contrary to Casius’s thoughts.

In the first place, she had not asked for it with such a purpose.

It was a matter she had nothing to be ashamed of, but recalling Casius’s final expression somehow made her feel suffocated.

In reality, she had expected him not to show any reaction even if an affair rumor broke out, which made it even more so.

Casius and I were still only in that kind of relationship, weren’t we?

Yet he brought up the affair rumor first.

Honestly, at first, I secretly hoped.

The love manual mentioned methods to induce the other person’s jealousy.

Still, hearing the rumor that his wife was seeing another man, was he at least paying attention?

However, his following words were utterly disappointing.

Even after hearing that I was seeing another man, he only talked about national prestige. Wasn’t it as if he didn’t care whom I met or what I did?

The dryly uttered words about national prestige did not contain a single thread of emotion.

That fact was miserable in one way, and dismal in another.

If that was the case, why did he bring up the story about Prince Dilan… was it merely to trample on me?

In the midst of that, why did he suddenly suggest having lunch together?

‘Is it because he feels sorry for leaving that night of the coronation ceremony?’

But Casius should also know that what happened that night was strange.

If he properly investigated the truth of that night, rather than feeling sorry towards me, he should rightfully detest Snowfell who orchestrated this.

Then, I should be even more terrible.

But why did Casius’s feelings change?

‘Has he come to believe my story a little now?’

Although I reacted emotionally out of shock at that time, upon rational reflection, he may have realized that I was right.

The monster incident in Winterdell was handled according to my words, and in the meeting, I pointed a sword at Snowfell by proposing to introduce the infirmary system.

It must have become undeniable for Casius now.

So he has started to see me as Wolfdor, even if just a little.

In any case, it was a good thing that Casius had opened his heart, even slightly.

However, this much was insufficient. No, it was far from enough.

Those cold eyes seemed to view me as an alliance target rather than a loved one.

‘I need to draw him in more…’

It was only confusing, not knowing what aspect of me Casius was attracted to.

The face of Casius smiling long ago, saying I negotiated well, briefly flashed through my mind.

‘After all, did Casius like seeing me work?’

Then, should I just continue working hard in the future?

Thinking about it, I felt a bit wronged.

Falling for my working appearance, what a ridiculous reason.

But looking at it differently, it was a hopeful situation.

There would be no one more talented than me appearing.

A strange sensation of my body floating in the air swept through me as my insides swirled.

These phenomena had become more frequent lately. Even more so when I thought of Casius.

The fluctuations based on emotions were clearly causing the mana to stir through the strengthening stone.

‘Although it will still take more time to fully recover my mana…’

Compared to before, there was definitely hope. The power of the strengthening stone was truly amazing.

‘If only I had Bilrof’s heart in addition to this, I would have already fully recovered my mana…’

It was regrettable, but it couldn’t be helped.

I was still puzzled.

Casius must have continued the task of catching Bilrof in the mountains, but there was still no news.

‘Should I give up on that now?’

The next council meeting was already approaching.

Once that day passed, the corpse of Bilrof brought from Rosemary Mountain would become useless, so Casius would also stop the search.

With a heavy heart, I was immersed in training when Marianne entered. Just by seeing her not-so-good expression, I could guess what happened.

“His Excellency has arrived.”

I thought I wouldn’t be able to leave the territory for a while…

‘Has he already finished his work?’

I had to acknowledge Duke Diarob’s ability to handle the aftermath.

As I nodded, it didn’t take long for that bastard’s footsteps to echo in the space.

*

I could roughly guess the nonsense Diarob would spout.

‘Since Snowfell faced a counterattack, he will grumble and try to confirm if I properly spent the night of the coronation ceremony.’

Perhaps he would even furiously blame me for Snowfell’s counterattack.

It was I who urged spreading the rumor about monsters in Winterdell.

However, the Diarob I faced said something unexpected.

“Confirm it.”

At Diarob’s command, the person who followed behind him came and sat in front of me.

‘What is this?’

The red robe wrapped around his entire body and the cumbersome gold accessories made the man look terrifying.

The bastard glanced at Diarob once, then took out something from his bosom.

‘A magical tool?’

I couldn’t tell exactly, but I sensed an aura of mana overlaid with evil from the object the man took out.

My level was weak, so I could only detect faint vibrations, but it was clearly not an ordinary object.

As he took off his cloak, the face that had been shadowed finally revealed itself.

The man, who appeared to be around my age, had distinctively dyed purple hair.

The silver-gray eyes below it shone with a sharp feeling, strikingly resembling Diarob.

“Have you already forgotten how to greet your elder brother?”

A chill ran down my arms at the sight of the man curling up one corner of his mouth.

‘Elder brother? Is he Snowfell’s hidden eldest son?’

The Snowfell family was known to have only one son, Viodel Snowfell. He would be Vivian’s elder brother.

Viodel had been secluded in the territory and rarely showed himself in public.

Because he even skipped the debutante, strange rumors followed him a lot.

‘I remember they said he was sick or had an ugly appearance.’

Although I saw him for the first time today, his face resembling Diarob had an aggressive impression but was undeniably handsome.

If he had attended social events, those rumors would have been quelled instantly.

I saw him for the first time, but he didn’t seem particularly lacking as the rumors suggested. The fact that Diarob hid him out of shame also seemed to be false.

‘Was he hiding his son for another reason?’

In any case, it was clear that Viodel was Snowfell’s successor.

Judging from Diarob’s moves so far, he intended to raise his daughter Vivian as the empress, so it would be natural for his only son to become the successor in the future.

While I was sorting out various thoughts, a greedy aura flickered on the man’s expressionless face.

Diarob, positioned behind him, looked at me with a displeased face and ordered,

“Hold out your arm.”

“Why my arm…”

“You don’t need to know. Viodel, start right now.”

The man called Viodel immediately grabbed my arm.

“Let go!”

As if not hearing my words, Viodel roughly pressed my arm.

I cried out because of the pain in my pulled arm, but the bastard paid no heed and lifted the cuffs.

“What are you doing right now?”

Viodel’s brow furrowed as he looked at my arm.

Soon, his sharp gaze rose to meet mine.

Judging from his startled, enlarged pupils, it seemed Vivian did not originally speak in this tone.

“You dare to speak informally to me?”

“…”

“Now that you’ve become the empress, do you look down on me?”

His sarcastic voice pierced sharply.

It was obvious what kind of treatment Vivian had received while living, even without looking.

Diarob had no particular restraint even after seeing this sight. No, he rather rebuked in a cold voice.

“Stop making a fuss and do as your elder brother tells you!”

If we’re both his children, why is he treating us like this?

As I was filled with questions, Viodel, supported by Diarob, gripped my arm arbitrarily with flashing eyes.

“You spent a night with that emperor bastard, didn’t you?”

I clenched my fist under the opposite sleeve of the seized hand.

After all, what happened on the night of the coronation was clearly Diarob’s scheme.

No matter what, it’s too much. Even this bastard knows about it.

I felt a shameful sensation, thinking that there were no secrets in this damn imperial palace.

However, that was only a foretaste until now.

“Then we should check. Whether you’re carrying the imperial heir or not.”

“…!”