Marianne visited Evelina again after being persuaded by her.

“I see you’ve changed your mind?”

“…..”

“Well, it must have been an offer you couldn’t refuse.”

“…..”

“Still, I like how long you hesitated? I would have been disappointed if you’d come right away.”

Evelina smiled and nodded, and a servant placed a medicine bottle in front of Marianne.

“What will happen if I take this medicine?”

Marianne’s voice trembled terribly.

Evelina’s gaze, accompanied by a smile, slowly turned and fixed on Marianne.

“You will become unable to bear children.”

Marianne had been constantly agonizing over this issue for the past few days.

When she opened her eyes, Her Majesty the Empress who had always been by her side was there, and when she closed them, her sick younger sibling appeared vividly.

It was Marianne’s desperate wish to no longer have to watch her sibling writhe in terrible agony.

Her sibling had been bright and obedient since childhood.

The child who had witnessed the family’s downfall from a young age matured beyond their years.

Marianne was always busy earning money and couldn’t pay attention to her sibling’s small changes.

Because of that… by the time she realized her sibling had been bitten by a demon beast, the symptoms had already progressed significantly.

Her sibling, not wanting to burden their struggling sister, couldn’t bring themselves to reveal that they had been bitten by a demon beast.

By then, the disease that had already progressed to the bone was diagnosed as incurable.

Of course, she had heard that there was a miraculous medicine in some distant foreign land that could save them.

However, obtaining such a thing was out of the question for her.

In a life that was already struggling just to maintain a livelihood, finding the vast sums of money and information needed was an impossible task.

Her sibling, who had been given a death sentence, only smiled and pretended not to be in pain even when they were.

They were the kind of child who would act normal even while sweating profusely.

To such a Marianne, Evelina whispered a sweet proposal.

“If you accept the offer, I’ll take all measures to save your sibling.”

Two people were placed on the scale in Marianne’s mind.

Honestly, it would be a lie to say she wasn’t wavering.

Her sibling’s life and her lord’s infertility.

If she didn’t accept this offer, her sibling would lose their life.

On the other hand, if she accepted, her lord would suffer from infertility, eventually unable to bear an heir, and would have to retreat to the back palace to live out a miserable life.

‘Even so, if one had to choose between the two, wouldn’t people undoubtedly choose the former?’

Marianne’s thoughts leaned to one side.

“I’ll do it.”

“You’ve made a wise decision.”

Evelina placed an envelope on the table.

Inside was a large sum of money that would keep Marianne’s sibling alive.

“This is an advance payment. It should be enough to keep your sibling alive for now. The rest depends on how you handle it.”

Marianne’s usually steadfast eyes trembled aimlessly.

Watching this calmly, Evelina continued speaking.

“When you’re done, bring me Vivian’s hair.”

“…..”

“You need to bring evidence for me to trust you and proceed with the work, don’t you?”

Evelina’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.

.

.

.

Marianne stared at the medicine Evelina had given her for a long time.

For several days, even while holding this medicine, Marianne couldn’t easily move.

‘Just one more day… No, just a few more days… After I see my sibling one more time…’

The hand that her now grown lord had extended for her sake, the favors bestowed by that hand, tormented her heart.

Her Majesty the Empress had turned a blind eye to her thievery.

She realized this fact one day when she discovered Her Majesty the Empress carefully examining the fake ring she had brought.

At first, she thought she would be fired or severely beaten.

But her lord not only refrained from beating her but even showed her kindness.

Even amidst the many precarious situations that Lord Diarob would surely be guarding against, Her Majesty the Empress protected her.

She allowed her to see her sibling in consideration of her circumstances and even provided financial assistance…

Countless scenes swirled in Marianne’s mind.

She had sworn loyalty to such a person.

It was when Marianne was wavering greatly that she received a message from her sibling.

With that small note, Marianne rushed to where her sibling was, sweating cold.

Throughout the journey, though anxious, she kept telling herself that everything would be alright this time too.

Her sibling had always faced crises and had endured them well.

But.

Her sibling’s terrible screams began.

Screams clearly different from before filled the space.

With each desperate scream that shook the room, her sibling gasped as if their breath might stop at any moment.

The child she loved more than anything was dying… so cruelly.

All she could do for such a sibling was to bring a healer.

The healer delivered even more desperate news to her.

“It seems there’s really not much time left.”

Her sibling begged her, wailing.

“Please kill me…”

“…..”

“It’s my last request.”

Marianne resented herself for being unable to grant even that final wish.

After administering painkillers, her sibling barely stabilized, but their life was truly coming to an end.

Marianne, having witnessed all of this, was out of her mind.

Returning in such a state, Marianne finally stood before her lord.

With an emaciated body, she brought tea.

Unaware that her lord’s gaze had fallen on her trembling hands.

*

“Take this to your sibling.”

The voice that had been buzzing like a vibration focused on the word ‘sibling’, and Marianne’s senses returned.

Her dazed gaze properly focused on objects.

Inside the case Vivian opened was a golden ring-shaped medicine.

Looking at Marianne, who couldn’t continue speaking, Vivian smiled freshly.

“It’s medicine for your sibling. If they take this, they’ll be alright.”

“How did Your Majesty…”

Marianne’s body swayed terribly.

Her precarious body, nearly losing balance, clearly revealed her desperate longing for her sibling’s salvation.

“I asked Prince Dilan to get it, so the efficacy should be certain.”

Marianne blinked her eyes as if trying to grasp the situation.

Having finally come to her senses, she steadied her swaying body.

The situation rapidly unfolded in her mind.

Even for Her Majesty the Empress, she must have had to humble herself to obtain this medicine.

All for someone like her who had done such a terrible thing.

On top of that, Her Majesty the Empress’s voice overlapped once more.

“Now you won’t have to worry about your sibling anymore.”

Tears welled up in Marianne’s eyes.

It took a long time for the blurry tears to dissipate.

*

Marianne’s appearance, weeping to the point of near fainting, crossed with numerous emotions.

She kept bowing her head, saying thank you over and over again.

Even when told it was enough, she showed no sign of stopping.

After a long while, she wiped her tears and took out a medicine bottle from her bosom, placing it on the table.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t forgive me.”

“…..”

“I betrayed Your Majesty the Empress.”

Betrayal? Contrary to Marianne’s words, the medicine bottle she took out contained a clear liquid swirling inside.

Afterwards, Marianne confessed Evelina’s instructions for a long time, unable to even make eye contact with me.

As I listened to her words, I understood her feelings.

Even if I were in Marianne’s situation, I would have chosen my sibling too.

So I couldn’t blame her for making such a choice.

To be more precise, it was rather unexpected that she made this choice.

It means that Marianne has chosen me over her own sibling now. Why.

“But why didn’t you put that medicine in?”

“When I thought about what Your Majesty had done for me… I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Then what’s this betrayal you’re talking about?”

Marianne burst into tears and said.

“Because I hesitated. Because for a moment, I thought about doing such a terrible thing to Your Majesty the Empress.”

When I hugged her as she wept, the body in my arms trembled finely.

Marianne wiped her tears in a short moment and looked up at me.

“We must inform Your Majesty that Evelina tried to do this, and not only remove her from the position of advisor but also bring down the Wintertel family.”

Marianne’s gaze was filled with determination.

“With the evidence, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Marianne clutched the medicine Evelina had given her in one hand.

“If we don’t reveal this now, who knows when she might try something like this again.”

I agreed with Marianne’s words as well.

To go behind my back and manipulate my close aide to do such a thing.

Evelina was more chilling than I had thought.

If we use this trap, we could completely eliminate her.

But to reveal this, Marianne would have to come forward.

If that happens, Marianne won’t be safe either.

Despite surely knowing this, Marianne’s expression was full of resolve.

“I’ll confess.”

“…..”

“I can do anything for Your Majesty the Empress. And…”

Eyes filled with firm determination looked directly at me.

“I’m going to die anyway.”

Die anyway?

“What do you mean by that?”

Her downcast eyes, seemingly resigned, were moist.

“Lady Evelina will never leave me alone.”

Indeed, if it’s discovered that she had taken the Empress’s lady-in-waiting and done such a thing, Evelina would be finished.

It was easy to predict that she, knowing this better than anyone, wouldn’t leave Marianne alone.

However, my thoughts were different.

“Evelina won’t do that. As long as you don’t betray her, you’ll still be useful to her.”

At least until the day I step down from the position of Empress, Evelina will keep Marianne in this position.

“Not betray her? But I’m Your Majesty’s person.”

Marianne’s eyes trembled as if bewildered.

“Of course you are. But in front of Evelina, you can act as if you’re her person.”

“But then I’ll have to do what Evelina instructs.”

“That’s exactly what you should do.”

“What?”

“We’ll use that to our advantage.”

Marianne seemed to understand my words in a moment and covered her mouth.

Passing by her, I moved my steps.

My steps stopped abruptly in the space where lush wigs were placed. Among the beautiful wigs, I grasped a blue wig that matched this hair color exactly.

After stroking the soft texture once, I plucked a single strand, and a blue hair wrapped around my hand.

After applying a drop of the medicine placed on the table, I grasped the hair in my hand, and magic enveloped its surface.

Fortunately, the effect of training seemed to work, and the desired energy was overlaid on the hair without any particular problem.

“Give this to Evelina.”

Marianne took the hair with a dazed expression and looked alternately at it and me.

“Why are you letting Evelina, who did such a thing, go?”

“Do you think Evelina didn’t consider the possibility of you betraying her when she called you?”

Marianne rolled her eyes and then looked at me straight, as if realizing something.

“You mean…”

“Even if you testify, it won’t have any effect.”

As far as I know, Evelina is a thorough person. She certainly wouldn’t have made such a foolish plan.

Marianne let out a small sigh with a face as if she had been hit on the back of the head.

Marianne, who muttered the answer in a low voice with a sullen expression, soon put the hair in her bosom with a grave expression and stood up from her seat.

*

Watching Marianne’s receding figure through the window, I felt troubled.

‘How difficult must it have been for Marianne to weigh her sibling’s life against me?’

Not only that, but now she’s prepared to die for my sake.

I wasn’t unaware of what that feeling meant.

My heart throbbed deeply.

As complex thoughts rippled, the sound announcing lunchtime echoed through the space.

Not long after, Casius entered the room as usual.

Sitting down in front of me, he looked markedly different from before.