The sincerity of my surging heart unconsciously put strength into the hand holding the knife.

“The biggest reason for wanting to bring down Snowfell is because of Your Majesty.”

Casius asked back with a snorting face.

“You’re going to cut down your family because of me. Is that what you’re saying now?”

His distinct blue gaze was full of puzzlement, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Love is originally a crazy thing. It’s not something you can do in your right mind.”

If I were in my right mind, would I be able to put my life on the line and act like this?

“Your Majesty also said that before.”

Casius, the day you left for the battlefield to get the Emperor’s permission to marry me.

The day you risked your life to save me and your family.

You, who became terminally ill in the time you returned.

Passing through those painfully dazzling days, I stand here again.

“I’m just like Your Majesty.”

Yes. I just made the same choice as you. I am.

Just like you were in the past, I became addicted to the love called a crazy game.

However, to Casius’ ears that knew nothing, these words seemed to sound quite argumentative.

His brow furrowed terribly, as if asking where I dared to mention Rachel with my dirty mouth.

“You talk as if you know love well.”

“If unrequited love is also love, I can say I know it well.”

When I winked at him, Casius turned his head with an uncomfortable expression.

If it were usual, Casius would have felt nauseous and jumped up from his seat.

But he endured his seat with the sole determination to bring down Snowfell.

In fact, from the moment he decided to use the Empress, this was a problem he had to endure.

Casius turned his head again after catching his breath and met eyes with Vivian.

Despite bringing up the story of Rachel and getting on his nerves, the Empress was calmly slicing steak.

Casius shook his head while swallowing a sigh inwardly, and suddenly stopped his gaze on the Empress’ shoulder.

The damn first night covered it again as an afterimage.

Although it was a dim night, the scars that shone clearly under the red light were perfectly disguised as smooth skin under the sunlight pouring through the bars.

Did she put on makeup or something?

Then does the Empress appear before me each time with such a disguised appearance?

On the night of the coronation, it was clear that the disguised skin of the Empress, whom he roughly pulled and touched, became useless.

Is that scar related to the Demon after all?

“Has the Empress ever seen a Demon?”

Why did he suddenly bring up the Demon story? He quickly racked his brain, but couldn’t guess his intentions.

It wouldn’t be good to say that I’ve seen a Demon here.

It was rare for a nobly raised young lady to see a Demon.

Especially if it was the Snowfell’s young lady, Vivian Snowfell, it would be even more so.

Putting down the knife I was slicing steak with, I met his gaze.

“No.”

Casius’ brow noticeably twisted.

It’s not because of the Demon? Did the Empress have a reason to hide it?

There was no such reason.

Given the Empress’ temperament, she would rather reveal it and try to gain sympathy, and there’s no reason to hide it.

It would be a better card to show that her relationship with Diarob is at its worst.

‘Did I guess wrong?’

Casius let out a hollow laugh.

If it turned out like this, there was only one answer left.

The Empress really had Ilachino disease.

‘Ilachino disease.’

Does that mean everything on the first night was an act?

Even the trembling eyes and body.

The more he thought about it, the more absurd and even disgusting it became.

All of that was an act.

It might be a funny thing, or rather fortunate.

What else was there to be disgusted about? He himself was obsessed with the idea of using this woman.

Rather, it would be much better now to be able to use her perfectly without any guilt.

After that, a rather long silence followed over the table.

When I took the napkin after finishing the meal, I saw that Casius’ plate was completely empty.

‘Was he waiting for me?’

I also thought that if I had known this would happen, I should have eaten a little slower.

If I could face him a little longer, share the same air, maybe, just maybe.

I would take up more of his heart.

That’s what the book said.

The more time you share, the more your heart grows.

‘If it were usual, he would have left long ago…’

“Are you done with the meal?”

“Yes. It was even better to be together until the end today.”

“You have a good appetite.”

“I often hear that kind of thing.”

“You don’t back down at all.”

“If you dislike it, I will correct it from now on.”

Casius finally made an exasperated expression. It also looked like a face that was tired of it.

His stiff face barely relaxed after a moment.

In that state, he kindly corrected my words.

“Correction is what a subject says to a ruler.”

Ah, correction. The habit from my time as an aide came out without me knowing.

As he said, this kind of word wouldn’t be used much between a married couple.

Fortunately, Casius continued without any special reaction.

“There’s no need to correct it. It’s much better to see you retort without backing down than crying and whining.”

If you only listen to his words, he seems like a rather affectionate male protagonist from some novel, but his lips were completely hardened.

Only then did I notice Casius’ unnatural movements one by one.

‘Is he acting right now?’

Of course, others would never have noticed.

The stiffly spread lips, the subtle trembling of the eyelids, the oddly misaligned pupils…

It was subtle but definite change.

A lover who had been watching him by his side for a long time couldn’t miss it.

But what would he gain by acting in front of me?

Ah, did he at least acknowledge my usefulness?

I could only let out a hollow laugh as I pondered whether to be happy or sad about this.

It was absurd to be happy with just this much attention.

While complex emotions were entangled, he got up from his seat.

It was regrettable, but holding him back here seemed to have the opposite effect.

But he stopped abruptly as he was about to pass by me.

When I turned my head, blue eyes fluttered close to me.

It was as if clear and beautiful waves were approaching and breaking towards me.

“Don’t overwork yourself and adjust your schedule well.”

“Pardon?”

What is it? What did I eat wrong today?

As soon as I had that thought, Casius poured cold water.

“I don’t want to see articles reporting about the Empress collapsing from overwork and the incompetent Emperor.”

“I’m not particularly overworking, so you don’t have to worry.”

“The Empress’ proposal seems to be overworking.”

I was so focused on rumors today that I didn’t even think about work.

“Did you see the proposal I submitted this time?”

His expression facing me twisted ambiguously.

“It was quite a sight.”

‘What’s the reason? Was there a problem with the proposal?’

Or does he simply dislike me being involved in government affairs?

‘Was everything he did well for me today just a prelude to bring up this topic?’

“The Empress is designated as the head of the Rosemary tourism project.”

“Yes. As you saw.”

“What if I refuse?”

I was a little, no, very surprised.

This was an issue that had to be decided by looking at the contents of the proposal.

But suddenly he says he refuses? Above all, I had made a perfect proposal that I couldn’t back out of.

“Was there any problem with the proposal?”

“Even if there isn’t, I’ll make one if I want to.”

“That means there wasn’t any.”

Casius’ eyes stared straight at me.

His face close to me seemed to suck me in. The slightly furrowed expression took my breath away.

“Rather say something else. How can you possibly want that position?”

“If it’s not me, Evelina will take that position.”

“So what. Are you thinking the Empress is better than Evelina for that position now?”

His tone was tinged with an amazed atmosphere, as if asking where such confidence came from.

After all, I am Vivian ‘Snowfell’.

As long as the blood of Snowfell flows in my body, it means I can never be welcome in Rosemary.

Of course, the family might be okay since they don’t have memories of their previous lives, but it was the same in this life too.

I’m a strong suspect of what might have happened to Rachel, and I’m in a position of having practically taken the position of Empress.

It would be a hardship just to see me.

It was clear that Casius was thinking the same thing.

My thoughts wavered little by little.

I wanted to be of more help to my family and the Empire by borrowing that position, but was that really the right thing to do?

But I couldn’t back down easily.

“You think there is no flaw in my proposal, right?”

“Forget about that proposal and rather ask for something else.”

One thing was clear from him suggesting this much.

Casius really liked my proposal.

It wouldn’t be good to go against his will any further here.

Since I already submitted the proposal, Casius would handle the rest well too.

Of course, Bashvir would do something behind the scenes, but that would be worth using in its own way.

The decision was made quickly.

“Then please grant me one other request.”