Tak. Debir, who was walking ahead, grabbed Vanessa’s wrist and turned her around. Her neatly arranged red hair fluttered in the air.

“What are you doing?”

“Shh.”

Debir’s red eyes gazed into the distance at Vanessa’s palace. It was heavily guarded. His black eyebrows quirked up.

Instead of regular guards, the imperial knights were guarding the entrance. Even the imperial princess was there, wringing her long blonde hair. The entrance was in a commotion.

Seeing the princess, Vanessa’s expression also crumpled.

“Why is the princess at my palace…?”

“Vanessa.”

As much as the imperial family used mana, they were sensitive to the mana of others.

Especially the princess, who was more obsessed than anyone with revealing the mana within Debir’s body.

If they got too close, they would be discovered.

Being discovered didn’t matter, but it would make things bothersome. They had to move quickly.

“I can’t stay long, so listen carefully to what I say.”

As Debir spoke, Vanessa’s red eyes shimmered with transparent tears.

Vanessa gritted her teeth, and her trembling voice flowed out from between her red lips.

“Diana. My sister.”

At that gentle resonance, the dark red mana permeating his body stirred.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Let’s end it here for today and adjourn.”

The meeting, which lasted over 10 hours, finally ended.

Only a day had passed, but the solemn atmosphere felt draining. Even the seasoned nobles couldn’t endure it.

Everyone had to return to their assigned accommodations, recover their energy, and attend the banquet. To follow the agenda, they needed to leave the meeting hall quickly.

One by one, they left the grand meeting hall, and Rodrick was the last to rise from his seat.

“Rodrick Schwartz.”

The crown prince, who had stayed until the end, also stood up from his seat and descended from the high throne, accompanied by his aide.

As the crown prince, surrounded by a strange atmosphere, stepped down, Rodrick stopped his steps and turned to face him.

“Did you call for me?”

Rodrick, standing face to face with Crown Prince Asir, looked down at the prince’s eyes from a slightly higher position.

Ice-cold blue eyes clashed with golden eyes, their thoughts impossible to discern.

“Are you not showing proper etiquette?”

“…”

The golden eyes, concealing their intentions, narrowed gently. When he didn’t respond, the crown prince’s aide standing beside him frowned.

“This is disrespectful, Young Master Schwartz.”

“Address him properly. He is the acting head of the Schwartz family.”

As the crown prince’s aide stepped forward, Felice, who was standing next to Rodrick, interjected. The facade crumbled first on the crown prince’s side.

“That’s not the important matter right now…!”

“Enough. Did I allow you to speak?”

Asir glanced back, his gaze sharp, and the aide couldn’t move as if suffocating.

“I, I apologize… Hmph.”

The golden mana, used as naturally as breathing, paralyzed his tongue. The aide broke out in a cold sweat, and Asir smiled at Rodrick, leaving him behind.

“You didn’t answer my question, Lord.”

Rodrick’s gaze was quite disloyal. It was the opposite of his respectful attitude during the meeting. The crown prince pointed that out, and Rodrick calmly replied.

“Unless it’s an official occasion, is there a need for that, Your Highness? I have already shown proper respect.”

He meant that since he had shown respect in the meeting hall, that should suffice.

Understanding his words, the crown prince’s smile deepened, as sweet as honey. So intensely sweet that it left a bitter taste.

“As you said, I am someone who has disobeyed even His Majesty the Emperor’s orders.”

“And?”

“Do not expect too much from the Schwartz family, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

The words “crown prince” seemed to carry weight. Even the emperor, standing at the pinnacle of the empire, could not easily sway the Schwartz family. It meant that showing respect was up to Rodrick’s discretion.

“I see. I understand your intention. However…”

The crown prince, about to say he could handle such unruly behavior, closed his mouth.

One step. As Asir moved, the scent of death thickened. It was the pungent smell of blood that dominated battlefields, emanating from someone who had ruled over them.

“Diana Beatus is my woman. You already knew that and tried to match the prince with Diana, didn’t you?”

If the crown prince had made up his mind, the entire empire would have already known about the prince and Diana. However, the imperial family remained silent. Even when Rodrick sent the courtship letter.

Their purpose from the beginning was to provoke the Schwartz family. The crown prince dangled the prince and Diana as bait. Now, how will you act?

“Let me ask you, Your Highness. How will you compensate for your rudeness?”

As the bloodlust intensified, the crown prince’s golden eyes sparkled with intrigue.

Matching the prince with the youngest daughter of the Beatus family was a whim. It didn’t matter if they actually married or not, and it was good to gauge the Schwartz family’s reaction either way.

Seeing such a response was immensely enjoyable.

The weapon for the battlefield now looked different. Rodrick’s every action held a different purpose.

“Lord, do you like chess?”

That crazy bastard. Felice, who had slightly retreated behind his brother, muttered inwardly as he glanced at the crown prince.

A chill ran down his spine at the expression that seemed to be looking at a new toy.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Why can’t I enter?”

“It is the order of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“I’m asking why I can’t enter an empty palace without even an owner!”

The knights blocking the entrance were repeating the same words like parrots.

This was the perfect timing, as Vanessa Beatus, who would be attending a tea party, was absent. The princess, who considered Vanessa Beatus the crown prince’s weakness, wanted to examine the room.

Surely, there would be stone tablets installed by the crown prince in various places.

If they belonged to the crown prince, the intensity of the curse would be stronger. I’ll use that. But before I could make a move, I was blocked at the entrance.

“Oh, isn’t it you, elder sister?”

“Raid?”

At the appearance of the dim-witted prince with light wheat-colored hair and light golden eyes, the princess looked at Prince Raid irritably.

“What brings you here?”

“Huh? I just came to greet the future crown princess…”

“Don’t you know it’s the period of the grand meeting?”

“What does that have to do with this?”

When he looked at her blankly, as if he didn’t understand the connection, the princess hit her chest in exasperation.

“Her Majesty the Empress has gathered the mistresses for a tea party! So the future crown princess isn’t here either!”

“Then, why are you here, elder sister?”

The princess, who had been speaking heatedly, coughed and averted her eyes.

“I came to escort the future crown princess, but we must have missed each other. Since it seems she has already left, I’ll be on my way too.”

Prince Raid, who had bowed his head towards the departing princess, stiffened his expression.

There’s something going on. After glancing at the knights blocking the entrance, Prince Raid also turned to leave.

“I wanted to check on Lady Vanessa’s condition for the young lady’s sake, but I guess it won’t work out.”

I wanted to gain some favor with Diana, but I’ll have to postpone it for another opportunity.

“I don’t think Her Highness the Princess is aware.”

A subordinate who had approached at some point spoke to Prince Raid.

“Indeed. Lady Vanessa didn’t attend the tea party. Our elder sister doesn’t know that.”

Either her sight and hearing have become dull to the point of ignorance, or she’s in a hurry as if being chased by something.

“We should investigate what’s going on. I wonder if Lady Diana will like it.”

The subordinate walking behind him slightly frowned.

“Your Highness, that person is the one Lord Rodrick has proposed to.”

“I know. But who knows? If I keep doing things to gain her favor, I might not become her husband, but I could become her lover. Or even a concubine or mistress would be fine.”

“…”

The subordinate wanted to ask if he had gone mad, disrespectfully. However, thinking of his lord in such a way felt sinful, so he silently followed behind.

[This is the timeline separator]

The empty palace where the prince and princess had disappeared. Not long after, Vanessa returned, using illness as an excuse.

Wham! The serene silence of the space was instantly shattered by the commotion.

Hearing the unusual noise, the knights standing guard outside quickly entered the palace.

Vanessa was breaking every utensil and porcelain she could get her hands on. Expensive glass shattered, and priceless famous paintings were mercilessly torn.

‘The pattern engraved when we pledged allegiance to the emperor.’

Various jewels poured out.

‘It became connected to Diana. Through that, Diana’s mana gives us strength.’

Not only utensils but also dresses were torn apart.

‘I can use mana like the imperial family with that power. And you.’

I.

“Cast curses through emotions.”

Ha. Damn it. The misfortunes that befell the women who had entered the crown prince’s bedchamber were no coincidence.

Vanessa roughly swept back her disheveled red hair with her white hand.

“Lady Vanessa!”

Just then, the door swung open.

“What is the meaning of this!”

Seeing the devastated living room and bedroom, the knights were stunned.

“What in the world…”

“Have you forgotten who I am?”

Vanessa tilted her head at the knight’s disrespectful attitude. The knights closed their mouths under her piercing gaze. The one who stepped forward as a representative answered.

“You are the future crown princess.”

“Yes, that’s right. But you knights entered my bedchamber without even knocking. How rude.”

Slung. Vanessa crossed the room like flowing water and drew two decorative swords hanging on the wall. She naturally gripped a sword in each hand.

“You won’t complain about receiving punishment, will you?”

“Put down the swords, Lady Vanessa.”

The warning was given only once. The knights simultaneously drew the swords at their waists and confronted Vanessa.

“Your manner towards a lady is atrocious.”

Clang! Swords clashed against each other. Despite the difference between real swords and decorative ones, there seemed to be no difference to those engaged in combat.

Her movements were unhindered even in her voluminous dress.

With elegant motions as if performing a sword dance, she stabbed at the knights’ vital points.

It wasn’t difficult to deal with them as they weren’t wearing armor. If they weren’t the emperor’s direct knights, there was a chance of victory.

Through Debir, her strength had temporarily returned, and she smiled. Finally, she felt like she could breathe. In a completely serene state, she could use her usual strength.

If her emotions changed, she would draw upon Diana’s mana, which was dangerous, but there was no choice for now.

Just wait a little, Diana. I’ll find a way somehow.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Aaah!”

The head maid and maids, who had returned after the tea party ended, rushed into the future crown princess’s palace.

Sensing something amiss in the wide-open palace, they felt their hearts stop at the sight before them.

“La- Lady Vanessa!”

Someone’s blood had soaked into her red dress, dyeing it even redder.

In the space where everything was destroyed beyond repair, the knights lay unconscious, drenched in blood as if dead.

She stood there with a perfect posture, like a highly blooming poisonous flower.

As the maids’ trembling eyes focused on the knights, Vanessa chuckled.

She hadn’t killed them. She couldn’t kill the sons of high-ranking nobles. If things escalated, it would be troublesome, so she had only made them bleed and faint. With a clear mind, such thoroughness had also revived.

Despite her pale face, her beauty was more radiant than ever. The lady, who had single-handedly dealt with the knights, even seemed to be in a good mood.

“Your Highness.”

Amidst the chaos, her voice clearly dominated the space. Attention focused on Vanessa.

“The eldest daughter of the Beatus family, Vanessa Beatus, has gone mad.”

“Pardon?”

“Mad enough to be confined in a detached palace, I say.”

Debir had said.

‘So try to avoid encountering the crown prince as much as possible. No, avoid encountering any of the imperial family. They will provoke your emotions.’

‘Wait. What happens if my emotions become agitated?’

‘Diana could die.’

She hadn’t known that Diana had been suffering all this time. She didn’t ask Debir how he knew that.

After saying those words, Debir said he would infiltrate the emperor’s secret labyrinth to break the pattern. For the first time, Vanessa used a title to address Debir.

‘…Elder brother. Be careful too.’

And so, the siblings parted ways. To do what each of them had to do.

“What are you all doing?”

The poisonous flower, blooming as splendidly as to captivate one’s gaze, smiled.

“Not informing Her Majesty the Empress of this matter.”

The smile of the one standing above was so noble.