“I’m sorry, but I don’t enjoy social gatherings, so I’ll just accept the congratulatory sentiments in my heart.”

Siron gave a light nod and quickly disappeared outside.

The nobles of the imperial faction, who were blankly watching his figure, sublimated their embarrassment at being rejected into curses towards Siron.

Frequent condolences towards Bashvir also continued incessantly.

In the midst of that, he, who had greatly cared for his image, looked at the empty spot left by Siron and mumbled curses.

‘How can he not know his place? I included him in the group even though he’s just a guy who’s stuck in the Scribes’ Building, and what? Since he’s like that, Rosemary still hasn’t grown up, tsk!’

*

Casius, who had returned to the Imperial Palace, recalled the Empress in the council chamber.

As if she had prepared again today, her manner of speaking clearly was no different from before.

On top of that, an even more absurd scene was added.

The purple substance the Empress handed to him at the last luncheon was none other than… a Bilrof lure.

“If you sprinkle this on the ground, Bilrof will definitely appear this time.”

Even after seeing those confident eyes, he didn’t believe it.

Even though the Bilrof capture had failed before, he wondered with what intention she was offering this strange substance again.

Casius’s thoughts were soon interrupted by Tikan’s voice.

“Your Majesty the Empress’s lure played a big role.”

Right. That was the problem.

The fact that the Empress helped with Rosemary’s affairs, and with his affairs.

“Did you tell Rodgo to find out about it?”

“Sir Rodgo also says it’s a drug he’s seeing for the first time.”

To think it’s a drug that even Rodgo, who has worked as an imperial mage for a long time, has not seen.

“Ah, and he said there’s mana contained in the drug.”

“Mana?”

Mana… It wasn’t a particularly strange issue.

Because he had already guessed that the Empress had mana.

The large hand that picked up the preserved burnt leaf spun it around and around.

His thoughts also swirled rapidly, as much as the increasing number of rotations.

According to Tikan’s report, she was frequently visiting the Scribes and the Imperial Grand Library, investigating something.

Now, her movements made sense.

It was clear that she had started developing this new drug right after the previous Bilrof hunt had ended in failure.

‘Why?’

Now, he could somewhat understand the fact that the Empress was at odds with his family.

But there was no need for her to go out of her way to move for Rosemary.

Even going to the trouble of developing a drug.

‘Is it all a ploy to bring down Snowfell?’

If that was all it was for, she could have supported Winterdell.

Honestly, for Diarob, it would have been more infuriating for her to support Bashvir.

Even so, did she think it wasn’t right to support Winterdell?

Numerous questions rose within Casius.

But those questions, as usual, could not find clear answers.

“I don’t know what the Empress is thinking.”

There was only one thing he could guess.

That the Empress and he might be heading towards the same destination.

Tikan also had the same thought as his lord.

The woman who threw her body for his lord, bloomed flowers for her father in the Scribes’ Building, carried the blood of Snowfell, and wished for her sister’s well-being.

The Empress was a person who was hard to understand.

However… since saving his lord at the hunting festival, Tikan had developed a bit of sympathy in addition to the debt of gratitude he felt towards the Empress.

The Empress, who was nothing but resentment for taking his sister’s place, was changing into a different form in Tikan’s heart.

Tikan had already found an answer that his lord couldn’t find.

“I think Her Majesty the Empress loves Your Majesty a lot.”

Love is originally something that paralyzes reason and makes the impossible possible. That was Tikan’s conclusion that there was no other answer to the Empress’s eccentricities.

And there was ample evidence for it.

The Empress’s actions, where her body moved before her thoughts, were something that was absolutely impossible without love.

Though he was also curious as to where that blind love came from.

“I don’t know why though.”

Liking someone as indifferent as his lord was truly a difficult thing.

Tikan couldn’t even begin to guess at what point the Empress had come to risk her life.

At that moment, Casius quietly recited.

“She said it’s because of my face.”

At Casius’s self-deprecating words, Tikan couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

But seeing his lord’s serious face, he immediately stopped laughing.

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

For a moment, silence flowed in the space.

In that silence, Casius thought of the Empress.

Suddenly, the words the Empress had said flashed through his mind like lightning.

She had asked for the heart when they saved the Bilrof.

‘Ah, could it be because of that.’

He thought she had some strange hobby of collecting monster hearts… but thinking back on it, the story was different if she was a mage.

The Empress clearly needed it to obtain mana.

‘We’ll know if we watch.’

“You properly preserve the Bilrof’s corpse.”

“The corpse, you say? Have you developed a new hobby?”

Seeing Casius’s furrowed brows, Tikan shouted an apology and stood his ground.

Casius’s order was given once more on top of that.

“Tell them to take care of preservation as well, since we’ll be taking the heart tomorrow.”

“The heart, you say?”

Tikan blinked his eyes and soon grasped his lord’s intention.

“Is it because of that old saying that grinding and drinking a Bilrof’s heart is good for men?”

“Good for men?”

“Why, didn’t you say that before? Could it be that that place is uncomfortable these days?”

Tikan’s gaze fell on Casius’s that place.

As Casius’s eyes shone fiercely, only then did Tikan’s gaze lift.

Sensing his lord’s embarrassment, Tikan was about to turn around, but he added in a low voice.

“It’s not something you should be ashamed of at all. Because that’s an important issue.”

Even when faced with Casius’s fierce gaze again, Tikan didn’t easily give up and moved his mouth today.

“So, I’m saying.”

As if he was going to say something very important, Tikan paused, and Casius stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, as if to say, let’s hear it.

While Casius was looking at Tikan, Tikan added carefully, his eyes shining.

“I heard the Bilrof’s heart is very large.”

“And?”

“Can’t you give me some when you take out the heart?”

The corners of Casius’s eyes gradually curved.

Soon, a playful smile was added on top of that.

“Why… are you opening your eyes like that?”

Casius approached Tikan step by step in an overwhelming manner, as if all the charisma from the council chamber had disappeared.

Tikan, who retreated backwards, soon hit his back against the wall with a thud.

“Why, why are you doing this?”

Tikan, who had become one with the wall, unfortunately couldn’t find an escape route and was trapped by Casius’s arm.

“To the point of needing a Bilrof’s heart, it’s serious.”

“…Pardon?”

Casius’s blue gaze, which had shifted down slightly, fell on Tikan’s precious place.

Tikan’s hand, not knowing what to do with his body in awe, was respectfully clasped together.

“No. You don’t need to go that deep….”

“No. I can’t help but pay attention when my loyal subordinate is unfortunately lacking in strength down there.”

“If you don’t like it, you can just say you don’t like it, why are you doing this?”

Tikan pouted and quickly escaped from Casius’s arm as if running away.

Casius, who laughed with a chuckle, casually asked.

“Do you have a young lady in your heart?”

“If I do, will you set me free?”

“No. I think I’ll be jealous if someone else enters the heart of my loyal subordinate who knew no one but me.”

The look on Casius’s face as he uttered those words was extremely serious.

“What jo-, joke are you making sound so serious?”

“I never said it was a joke though.”

Shocked by the leisurely tone, Tikan quickly ran away, saying he had something to do that suddenly came to mind.

The reverent and disciplined movements seen in the council chamber had long since disappeared.

A smile played on the corners of Casius’s eyes as he watched Tikan’s back.

While Tikan had left to preserve the Bilrof’s heart, Casius lay down languidly.

Tikan’s words flowed into his mind.

‘The Empress loves me.’

In fact, he too had guessed it vaguely, no, more than that.

The meaning behind the Empress’s trembling whenever her gaze fell on him, her blind devotion, and her actions of trying to protect him even at the cost of her own body.

He didn’t want to admit it.

Because if that feeling was pure white, it would be a dangerous red poison to him.

In fact, if he too made up his mind to become a perfect bastard, there would be no problem.

*

He stepped outside and moved his feet aimlessly.

The place his steps had somehow reached, even rejecting the escort of the knights following behind, was the secluded rear gate of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

‘Why is the door handle up?’

This space could only be seen by a special designer.

Himself and the person he allowed, Rachel Rosemary.

It was a space for just the two of them.

The quite luxurious space created for secret romance was now his alone.

Because Rachel Rosemary was no longer by his side.

For quite a long time after she disappeared, Casius couldn’t find this space.

Because if he came here, it felt like he would have to confirm once again with his eyes that Rachel was not there.

Like that… today, he finally came to this place. Like a sinner.

Leaving behind the oddity formed by the upturned door handle, he grabbed and pulled it.

A white light spread and the vine leaves disappeared smoothly, revealing a space that opened only for him.

And inside, where he had entered like that… a woman was sitting demurely.