Could a rugged man’s smile be this beautiful?

His smile drew a perfect line as he covered his eyes with his black leather-gloved hand.

He was overwhelmed by pure joy. Her actions, always defying expectations, awakened an unfamiliar sensation that tingled to his fingertips.

“Ah. Diana.”

His eyes, peeking through his slightly parted fingers, were alluring. Diana stepped back hesitantly as she gazed into his deep blue eyes of unfathomable depth.

This man. He may look like a predator, but hasn’t he been disregarded all this time? To smile so happily after hearing all that.

She looked at Rodrick with concern and made a reasonable suspicion.

His father’s words seemed to have been uttered more than just once or twice.

A cursed one destined to die anyway. It seemed that the madness passed down through generations in the family was expected to manifest in one of the brothers.

A role destined to disappear anyway? But what to do? I need to live with you.

“Diana.”

Her pink eyes looked at him as she felt the touch of the leather glove on her cheek. The corners of his mouth were still raised, showing no signs of coming down.

“Is this your answer to my proposal?”

Suddenly, she had such a thought. How could someone who built such an iron wall change like this?

She couldn’t help but be suspicious when his expressionless face, which had been full of displeasure, crumbled. After all, this man had no attachment to life.

“Rodrick, do you want to live?”

“…Well.”

As expected. Right?

“But I’d like you to live.”

Her long eyelashes fluttered as she felt his thumb gently caressing her cheek. He’s sincere. This man is not lying.

The dark red, swirling curse slowly absorbed into her through his hand.

“…”

The madness he experiences is vicious and cruel. He said he had to endure pain that felt like his whole body was screaming, unable to suppress the urge to kill.

Would he be at peace while she was absorbing the curse? Is that why his attitude has become so gentle? Either way, it wasn’t bad for her.

No, it’s very good.

“Is that so? I’d like you to live too.”

“So, did you go to see the Duke?”

Hmm, I was going to bring up the engagement to Duke Schwartz.

Since the proposal was mentioned, it seems we’ll get married. Of course, I could always refuse later.

I even boldly said we’d live together for a hundred years. I was aware it was an impulsive statement. But what could I do when I was angry?

I kept getting upset as they talked about his death.

“That’s right. I need you, and your family’s power too.”

“You need my body more than me. You like touching me, don’t you?”

Diana raised her gaze slightly and lifted the corner of her mouth haughtily.

“So, do you dislike it?”

“How could I?”

Honestly, she had no thoughts of marriage. Even in her previous life when she wasn’t sick, she thought she’d do it when the time came.

Was she optimistic? If her match didn’t appear, she didn’t have to do it.

But, he appeared just like that?

And in the same situation, a perfect man with a terminal life who even feels a sense of kinship.

With this appearance and this body, he’s even good at fighting. His voice is nice too. Consideration? You can tell by how he takes care of his younger brother. There are no scandals since he avoids women like the plague.

Hmm, husband material approved.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Diana, who had been resting her cheek in his large hand, grabbed Rodrick’s chin.

“Is it okay for me to desire you?”

His lips deepened, seemingly slightly surprised by her sudden words.

“As much as you want.”

Do as you wish. His words were muffled between their touching lips.

Wow. Chills. Felice, who had just left the office, shuddered as he saw the couple’s actions.

No matter how much he respected and loved his brother, he didn’t want to see his own sibling like this.

Felice retreated quietly, careful not to disturb them.

Sister-in-law, please just give birth to a nephew quickly. So he can inherit the family head position. Fighting!

Felice clenched his fist again, cheering for Diana.

“Ah-”

“Ahng-”

Noel, following Diana’s lead, opened his mouth wide and took a bite of the macaron, wearing the happiest expression in the world.

Sitting on Diana’s lap, Noel swung his floating legs happily.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes!”

Diana, smiling as she looked down at the child, was displaying an elegant demeanor.

“My lady, shall I bring more tea?”

She raised her hand at the tense maid.

At her gesture to leave, the maids and servants bowed deeply and left.

Rodrick, who had been watching her elegantly crafted appearance with interest from across the room, uncrossed his legs.

In reality, the maids had trembled at the sight of Rodrick sitting prominently in the room, but they also recognized Diana, who exuded no less grace than Rodrick, as a presence not to be ignored.

Those of lower rank didn’t even know her name or which family she belonged to.

This was because Duke Schwartz, who had investigated the Beatus family, found their concealment of her absence suspicious and controlled the information for her safety.

A lady whose family and name were unknown. They could have treated her like an outsider, but the direct acknowledgment from the family head had a strong impact.

Along with the family head’s order to serve her without lacking, they thought she must be a high-ranking noble based on her demeanor.

“Do you like the room?”

“Yes, thank you, Rodrick.”

As his prospective fiancée, she had moved to the room next to Rodrick’s.

He judged it safer that way. It was to prepare for any potential spies or assassins.

‘Please protect us siblings. It seems that the Beatus family has kidnapped and imprisoned us.’

When she said the culprit was someone from her family, Rodrick fell into thought for a moment. No one knows about her absence.

Then wouldn’t it be alright to keep her here like this?

He had such a crazy thought that he could keep her in the castle under the pretext of protection.

“What about the Black Rose? What happened?”

Black Rose was a slang term used in the back alleys. It was a means to meet the information organization controlled by her eldest brother, Debir Beatus, the villain of this novel, in the underworld.

“No, I couldn’t meet them.”

“What about the Imperial Palace?”

“There were no special movements.”

Information was lacking. They couldn’t recklessly return to the family in a situation where they didn’t know who the culprit was.

Now that the situation of her body being sick had disappeared due to Rodrick, she needed to grasp the current situation of her siblings first.

Where would they be standing now?

Would they be running towards the original story?

She was moving regardless of the original story. So wouldn’t some variable have occurred for them too? She could only think vaguely.

“It’s confirmed that my sister is in the Imperial Palace, right?”

“Yes, I heard she’s receiving direct education from Her Majesty the Empress at the Imperial Palace.”

She couldn’t bear to see her sister die miserably, betrayed by love.

Even now, thinking of her sister she saw in her dream-like state made her heart ache as if it was being torn apart.

She wouldn’t let things flow according to the novel. But the information was blocked. Why?

“Is there a possibility that your siblings kidnapped you and confined you in the Black Forest?”

“…”

It wasn’t entirely impossible. There had been virtually no interaction between the siblings at some point. But would there be a reason for that?

Even without her siblings taking action, she was the youngest princess who didn’t appear publicly. It meant she wasn’t an obstacle to them.

“I think we’ll have to check that directly.”

But she didn’t think her siblings were the culprits. They were the only ones she wasn’t in an antagonistic relationship with in the family.

But we should check. Yes, now that she can move her body healthily, it’s time to move directly.

“Rodrick, discreetly release the information. That the youngest of the Beatus is in the north.”

There’s no need to hide particularly. If they can’t come this way, we can make them come here.

Since the information is blocked, we set a trap to catch the person who will release the information.

“Alright. I’ll do as you wish.”

Diana, who had fed another macaron to Noel, smiled as she licked the cream off her finger.

“Have you found her, Miss?”

The woman sitting in the luxurious reception room exuded a presence no less impressive than the splendid interior decoration.

“Yes, you’re three minutes late.”

“I apologize. I will correct it.”

Without even looking at the knight who bowed with his hands behind his back, she lifted her teacup, caressing it seductively.

Vanessa Beatus. With her brilliant red hair and red eyes, she was called the rose of high society, with a beauty no less overwhelming than the Crown Prince’s.

Her red eyes shone alluringly under her upturned eyes.

“The youngest?”

She asked her well-built knight with a languid gaze.

“Her whereabouts are unclear.”

“I’m sure I told you to take her to a safe place. What should I do about this? Hmm?”

Crack. The handle of the teacup broke, unable to withstand the force.

The knight, who knew his master’s temperament better than anyone else despite her elegant mask, swallowed hard. He hurriedly reported what he had found out.

“It seems Lord Debir intervened midway.”

“Elder brother?”

“However, his whereabouts are also unclear.”

Vanessa dropped the broken teacup onto the plush carpet and dusted off her hands.

“Sigh. Where has everyone gone?”

“Do you intend to leave the duke’s family as it is?”

Currently, the Beatus family was in a state where all direct lineage members were absent. A fat fox was playing king in a den without a lion. It wasn’t an immediate problem.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Our Beatus isn’t so easily trifled with.”

It meant she could hunt the fox anytime. This wouldn’t have happened in the first place if the eldest son, Debir Beatus, had properly inherited the family head’s seal.

She brushed back her red hair that had fallen in irritation at her brother’s sloppy handling of affairs.

“If Lady Diana returns to the family on her own, wouldn’t that be a problem?”

“Ha, Diana?”

Vanessa snorted. Diana was the one who had perfectly accepted and carried out all kinds of Beatus education. She just disliked going outside, but her abilities were no less than her other siblings.

“If that child has a brain, she won’t move easily.”

The knight bowed his head again, saying he had misspoken.

“I’ll move on my own, so you confirm whether the youngest is alive or dead. If she’s alive, locate her position and report immediately. And while you’re at it, find out about my brother’s whereabouts too.”

“Understood.”

As the knight opened the door and left, a maid entered as if touching a baton.

“My lady. His Highness the Crown Prince is looking for you.”

“I see. Tell him I’ll be there shortly.”

At the Crown Prince’s summons, concern clouded Vanessa’s beautiful face.