“It’s been a long time since the previous education officer resigned. I was very relieved to hear that a successor had arrived.”

So that’s what it was about.

I thought he was making a pass at me.

“I never dreamed you would be such a beauty.”

“You flatter me.”

“I’m not just saying that! For a moment, I thought a goddess had descended…”

Simon blushed, seemingly embarrassed by his own words.

‘Even a handsome heir from a noble family has an innocent side. He must be popular with the noble young ladies?’

Of course, it had nothing to do with me.

Even the compliment about being pretty didn’t move me.

The goddess comparison was also cliché.

I wasn’t displeased, but it wasn’t my real face anyway, nor was it something I worked for.

“If you’re finished speaking, I’ll be going now.”

“Already?”

“I apologize for coming without notice. Let me apologize once more.”

I apologized with perfect etiquette and added grace.

Simon looked flustered.

“Lady Elizabeth. Just a moment!”

“What is it?”

“Have you not noticed anything strange? About His Highness lately…”

Simon trailed off. His face was full of concern.

I was glad there was someone else besides me who worried about Franz.

“So Lord Brenden knows about it too?”

“Of course. What have you observed, Lady Elizabeth?”

“He was pale and sweating. He also refused treatment.”

“This is serious. I must inform His Majesty.”

“Would you do that? It’s important to catch illnesses early.”

“Leave it to me. The Crown Prince is the future of the empire!”

Simon pounded his thick chest muscles.

Seeing his confident attitude, I felt I could relax a bit.

Even an indifferent father wouldn’t ignore the words of a swordsmanship instructor.

‘Simon seems like quite a good knight too. Though knights as perfect as Claudia must be rare, regardless of gender.’

A sharp pain pierced a corner of my heart.

My days as an avid reader were over.

Gone were the days when just thinking of my favorite character brought joy.

According to the original work, Claudia would start a revolution in half a year.

Yet I was in a position where I couldn’t even consider ways to prevent the revolution, let alone worry about staying in the imperial palace.

‘How can I change Franz’s mind? There are only 4 days left.’

Of course, there was a very simple method.

I could just seduce Franz with my demonic charm.

[This is the timeline separator]

Today too, stacks of documents piled up on the desk in the Emperor’s office.

Nikolai, continuing his tedious work, asked Careth:

“Why aren’t you reporting Elizabeth’s daily activities today?”

“Should I?”

“You’ve been doing it lately without being told.”

“I don’t know why I gave such useless reports.”

Careth truly looked like he didn’t understand.

For the past 5 days, Careth had been saying things without being asked.

Things like how Elizabeth was working day and night to persuade Franz, and how unreasonable Nikolai’s demands on her were.

“You were acting like Elizabeth’s spokesperson. What’s the reason for your sudden change in attitude?”

“There are many more important and urgent matters than Lady Elizabeth. Tax collection, troop redeployment, emergency budgets, and so on.”

“You used to call her ‘Lady Elizabeth’ even though she’s not the Empress.”

“If Your Majesty wishes, I will call her Lady Elizabeth again.”

“Never mind. Rather, does Elizabeth seem to have a chance?”

“It looks bleak. His Highness the Crown Prince dislikes her. He’s even banned her from entering the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“She’s too honest and direct. It’s understandable that Finch would dislike her.”

Elizabeth was different from Franz’s mother, Laila, in every way.

Vibrant red hair that exuded vitality versus delicate blonde hair like dandelion seeds.

Dark eyes that seemed to pierce the abyss versus blue eyes with a faint sadness even when smiling.

Though they were both strikingly beautiful women who captured attention, they were polar opposites in expressing emotions.

“Do your womanizing with other women.”

Elizabeth’s voice was still as cold as frost biting into his collar.

Every time she opened her mouth, Nikolai felt deeply pricked somewhere in his unconscious mind.

He was also disappointed in himself for being easily shaken and angered.

An honest woman who defied expectations in every way.

In contrast, Laila had only once revealed her true feelings.

“You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, Nicky.”

The night before she lost her life.

Laila confessed for the first and last time.

Nikolai, who was nursing her, couldn’t say anything in response.

At twenty-two, he felt his head would explode just trying to bear the reality of losing her and being left alone.

“Would you like to hear about His Highness the Crown Prince’s recent situation?”

“I ordered you not to report on that.”

“He’s only 10 years old. No nanny, and the position of education officer has been vacant for two months.”

“Finch is a strong child. He’s also exceptionally independent.”

He takes after me in that way.

Nikolai swallowed the words lingering in his mouth.

Franz was not his biological son.

Franz knew that too.

That was probably why he was uncomfortable with Nikolai, why he remained silent during their once-a-week dinners.

The baby who used to follow him around like a duckling had become a boy.

He shouldn’t miss him or regret it.

Nikolai decided to keep his distance from Franz.

He thought that was what Franz wanted.

‘If I hear news about Finch, I’ll just want to see him more. If I clumsily try to open his heart, the situation will only get worse.’

The baby who used to cling to his legs and laugh merrily was gone now.

Nikolai didn’t want to admit that fact. He couldn’t stop meddling either.

It was natural for Franz to avoid his fake father.

“If Lady Elizabeth fails to persuade His Highness, will you expel her from the palace?”

“Of course not.”

“Then what do you intend to do?”

“I’d like to see her beg just once.”

“Pardon?”

“I want her to prostrate herself at my feet and plead desperately. Like other subjects.”

Elizabeth had only shown such a demeanor to Nikolai once.

On the terrace when they first met at the Camellia Party.

When she realized Nikolai wasn’t infatuated with her, she turned pale and fell to her knees.

‘She trembled like a hamster. It was quite cute.’

Deep wrinkles formed between Nikolai’s brows as if carved with a chisel.

Cute? What was he thinking?

He shook his head vigorously, as if that could erase the word that had appeared in his mind.

‘She’s just an arrogant woman who doesn’t know her place. Cute? Nonsense. Besides, she had a man she was engaged to.’

He glanced at the divine object carelessly lying on the desk.

His fists clenched every time he thought of that Douglas fellow.

“I will marry Elizabeth right here!”

Even harder to bear was Elizabeth’s defense of him.

“Lord Douglas is not a trivial man. He was just trying to keep his promise to protect me at the risk of his life.”

Crack.

The fountain pen Nikolai was holding snapped in two.

Black ink flowed down the back of his hand, but he was busy ruminating on Elizabeth’s actions.

‘How dare she defend that man in front of me? If you love him so much, why did you break off the engagement? Are the two of you up to something?’

Nikolai had investigated everything about Elizabeth.

He confirmed that Elizabeth had ruthlessly abandoned Douglas, and that Douglas had been unilaterally pursuing her.

But Nikolai’s mind was filled with images of ‘lovers clinging together and whispering words of love.’

In his imagination, Douglas wasn’t a scrawny novelist, but had the face of a beast dreaming of revenge.

‘He must be resentful about being excluded from the top five noble families. He might be using Elizabeth. With that naive and innocent face!’

If not, how could he dare to utter such nonsense about marrying a woman chosen by the Emperor?

The more he thought about it, the more detestable the man seemed.

Elizabeth had asked to add a clause about not involving those around her.

There was no law saying Nikolai couldn’t modify the contract.

‘You did it too? So will I.’

As soon as Careth cleared away the broken fountain pen pieces, Nikolai opened the box containing the divine object.

Inside, an old copper monocle glinted with an eerie light.

“Summon Marquis Nettleton. If he doesn’t comply, you may arrest him.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Tomorrow would mark the end of the week Nikolai had given me.

Franz was still avoiding me.

I had resolved to survive by any means necessary.

I was prepared to dirty my hands, to live as a villainess.

Even so, using demonic charm on Franz was impossible.

‘Wink and blow kisses at a 10-year-old boy? How could I face Franz begging for my attention?! I can’t ruin a child’s life!’

I clutched my head with both hands.

Even if only in name, I was trying to become Franz’s education officer.

How could I act as a teacher while using such wicked tricks?

It was difficult to break down the last conscience of a Confucian girl.

While I was stuck unable to do either, a servant came to find me.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has collapsed.”

“Collapsed? Is he very ill?”

“Fortunately, he soon regained consciousness. But he refuses to receive treatment.”

“Can’t we force him somehow?”

“He’ll probably smash the furniture again. He might even threaten the healers.”

“Lord Simon must have petitioned. I guess His Majesty ignored it again!”

How could they neglect a sick child like this?

Can he even be called a father, no, a human being, after doing this?

If I only knew what illness it was, I wouldn’t feel so frustrated.

I gnawed on my thumbnail nervously before rushing to the main palace.

[This is the timeline separator]

“You want me to steal the divine object of the Nettleton marquis family?”

Careth frowned as if in disbelief.

“We need to hurry!”

“Why should I, the Minister of Internal Affairs, commit theft?”

“I’m just asking to borrow it for a moment!”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear this criminal conspiracy.”

“Careth. Are you refusing my request?”

“This is uncomfortable. I remember asking you to call me by name, but…”

His response was brusque, almost cold.

He wasn’t like this when we met last time.

Even without being asked, Careth had happily taken care of trivial matters.

The current Careth was too rational and cool-headed.

‘Does the effect of demonic charm have an expiration date?!’

Goosebumps rose on my forearms.

I had only thought about seducing, not what came after.

The original work didn’t have detailed information about Elizabeth’s abilities either.

I wasn’t particularly curious about it.

I just accepted it as the setting for a villainous supporting character.

Looking back, there were some questionable points.

‘The original Elizabeth must have used her demonic charm on everyone regardless of age or gender. If everyone was seduced, how could bad rumors spread? She should have been surrounded only by devotees?’

If the demonic charm wore off naturally over time?

They must have felt strange and unpleasant like Careth.

After all, they would have been wagging their tails at Elizabeth against their will.

‘Is that why she went to parties every night? To seduce them again before the effect of her demonic charm wore off!’

The original Elizabeth easily gained the love of others.

She didn’t need to worry about the complex problems of human relationships.

People who genuinely cared for her, like Douglas or Susan, were rare.

On the other hand, the number of people who avoided her or gossiped behind her back must have gradually increased.

The more she used her demonic charm, the more empty Elizabeth must have felt, and the more attention she must have craved.

I grasped my fading consciousness.

The original setting wasn’t important right now.

“Just tell me where the divine object is, Careth. I’ll take care of the rest myself!”