I did not eat the spicy pepper I received as a gift from Douglas.

I did shake the pepper in the crystal bottle.

Rattle, rattle.

While listening to the sound of dry grains colliding, I imagined Claudia.

‘The knight commander’s uniform will suit her like a picture. The long sword at her waist, the silver hair fluttering in the wind.’

The fact that I wanted to see Claudia was sincere.

I was curious about the real appearance of my favorite character.

Although terribly afraid, if it was a fate I had to face anyway, I didn’t want to avoid it anymore.

‘There was no mention of Claudia liking spicy food. Has the story changed, or was there a hidden setting in the original?’

Many things changed after I possessed Elizabeth.

Susan survived, and Douglas wrote the초히트 romance novel earlier.

I became the education officer instead of the empress.

But the love triangle between Douglas, me, and Claudia remained.

Claudia would be greatly disappointed if she knew he had gotten the pepper to give to me through himself.

In her eyes, I was just a villainess ruining Douglas’s life.

She might even want to execute the empire’s top casanova and femme fatale right away.

‘Love is this dangerous, everyone. Let’s only read about romance in books! Couple hell, single paradise!’

I felt like holding a picket protest in front of the imperial palace.

Not knowing my feelings, Douglas handed the book he had prepared to Franz.

“I found it in a used bookstore. I came despite the rudeness, thinking Your Highness would want to read it quickly.”

The blue leather-bound cover was engraved with the title ‘The Lost Prince and the Magic Paint’.

Franz rolled his lime-green eyes, trying to hide his joy while pretending to be composed.

“It’s a book not even in the imperial library. Well done, Marquis.”

“I also greatly enjoy the Lost Prince series. Did you know the author is both a novelist and a painter?”

“He’s also an excellent illustrator.”

“Though not popular with the public, he left behind many great works.”

Douglas led the conversation to match Franz’s level and interests.

Franz seemed captivated by Douglas, who was knowledgeable in many areas and unlike typical professors, not authoritative.

‘Didn’t you say you disliked him from his appearance? You’re getting along so well? There’s no need to worry about literature classes.’

The problem wasn’t Franz, but Douglas’s intense gaze directed at me.

As the book talk was wrapping up, Douglas asked for permission.

“Your Highness. May I speak with the Education Officer alone?”

Franz changed his expression as if he had never been laughing and chatting.

“The Marquis sure likes ‘alone’ a lot.”

“Have I asked before?”

“Anyway! If you have something to say, say it here.”

“Not even for a moment?”

“You don’t seem to know, but Miss Elizabeth hates leaving her post during work hours. Isn’t that right, Miss?”

Franz asked cutely.

He used honorifics even with Nikolai.

I wanted to smack Franz, who casually changed his speech depending on the situation, but I held back and responded kindly.

“Of course. I shouldn’t leave my post even for a moment.”

“Elizabeth.”

“Speak comfortably, Lord Douglas. His Highness will understand whatever you say.”

It meant don’t even think about saying anything Franz wouldn’t understand.

“May I take courage in your words that your tastes have changed? As Elizabeth knows, I am a foolish and frustrating man.”

The suffocating silence once again choked my throat.

Douglas was truly a good man.

Kind, warm, honest, and handsome.

Above all, he loved Elizabeth for all that she was.

How many men like that are there?

‘Nikolai pretends to be caring but suddenly becomes violent, seems tender but unexpectedly goes to meet a new woman? He’s not honest at all, and I can’t predict him at all. Plus, he’s full of prejudice about me!’

Resentment welled up again.

The embarrassment when Nikolai pushed away my hand remained as an indelible stain.

Rather than fading with time, it grew darker every day.

How could I erase this growing hatred like a poisonous mushroom?

Is it even possible?

“Elizabeth. Are you feeling unwell?”

Douglas asked, examining my complexion.

“I’m fine.”

“Please take it easy. I’m worried you might get sick.”

Douglas always thought from my perspective in any situation.

I didn’t want things to become awkward with him.

‘But I dislike incurring Claudia’s wrath even more. The only way to survive is to put up an iron wall…’

But if time allowed me.

If I had to live in this world until I became a gray-haired grandmother, could I meet another man like Douglas?

Would I grow old and die in this world without ever experiencing romance?

“Are you uncomfortable because of me?”

“Of course not. I’m glad to have such an excellent literature professor like you, Lord Douglas.”

“…Thank you.”

“If you need anything for the classes, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

It was a cutting remark meaning that anything outside of class was uncomfortable.

Understanding the hidden meaning, a bitter air settled on Douglas’s face.

“I’ve delivered the book, so I’ll be going now.”

Douglas stood up.

Franz welcomed it more than I did.

“You should leave quickly. We’re very busy.”

I glared at the ill-mannered little tyrant.

“Shouldn’t you say goodbye more politely, Your Highness?”

“What should I do?”

“You should also express your gratitude. Can. You. Do. That. Well?”

I spoke with gritted teeth.

I also showed my fist slightly.

Franz immediately adopted proper etiquette.

“Thank you for the book, Marquis Nettleton. I’ll see you in the next class.”

“I’m honored, Your Highness.”

I thought that uncomfortable meeting would end there.

If Douglas hadn’t presented a thick yellow envelope.

“What is this?”

Something rattled inside the wax-sealed envelope.

“It’s an invitation. Will you accept it?”

“An invitation…?”

“You can read it and refuse. Though I hope you won’t.”

Douglas smiled, gently creasing his eyes.

It was a smile hard to push away.

He seemed to know that well too.

‘This man has definitely changed too. He’s subtly calculating.’

Though I didn’t know why he was upset, Franz’s face remained puffy even after Douglas left.

“He’s a man whose outside and inside are different. Such men are more dangerous. Are you listening to me, Elizabeth?”

Letting Franz’s voice go in one ear and out the other, I opened the wax seal stamped with the Nettleton family crest.

Of course, I intended to refuse.

‘There’s an invitation and a small container in the envelope? I wonder what this is?’

While fidgeting with the round, flat container, I unfolded the invitation.

Inside was content I couldn’t ignore.

As soon as Douglas returned, Susan came running.

“Did you meet Sister Elizabeth?”

Douglas patted Susan’s reddish-brown hair as if finding his welcoming little sister cute.

“I couldn’t talk much, but I delivered your invitation.”

“I also included a sample of the newly developed ointment! Do you think sister will accept my invitation?”

“Since I invited her as your patron, she might come? Let’s wait and see.”

“Can you win sister back with such a lukewarm attitude? We’re up against the world’s greatest casanova!”

“Such a young child saying things she shouldn’t.”

“I’m 16 too. Old enough to get married.”

“When did the cute little lady grow up to talk back?”

A faint smile never left Douglas’s face.

Susan still looked displeased.

“This is no time to be relaxed. You should marry Sister Elizabeth!”

“It’s not something that will happen just because I insist. I intend to do my best till the end, though.”

“You need to emphasize your strengths as much as possible. Did you mention that ‘The Empire’s Red Star’ Volume 2 is about to be published?”

“I was going to…”

“You forgot that? Foreign publishing rights have been sold, and it’s even being made into an opera, earning tons of money!”

Douglas shook his head with an embarrassed expression.

“It wouldn’t be a big deal to someone as wealthy as Elizabeth.”

“Oh, come on. I’m not telling you to brag about money!”

“Hmm?”

“You need to show that you’re not just a poor aspiring novelist like before! Don’t you know this much while writing romance novels?”

“Haha. I have my own thoughts, Susan.”

Susan gave her brother, who burst into a good-natured laugh, a look of disbelief.

“Can you really win sister back?”

“People aren’t things to be won. I don’t want to approach Elizabeth with that mindset.”

“You’re only saying proper things. Even at this moment, the tyrant is after sister!”

“As you know, Elizabeth isn’t someone easily attainable.”

“Isn’t he a breathtakingly handsome man you can’t forget once you see him? And he’s the emperor. Sister Elizabeth might fall for him too.”

“It’s rude to make assumptions carelessly. Refrain from doing so.”

Douglas admonished gently.

Susan puffed up her cheeks with air.

“I’m the only one who’s worried!”

“I’m saying this because I don’t think you need to worry too much.”

“What?”

“His Majesty and Elizabeth won’t be able to be together.”

“How do you know that?”

“Just wait a little. The day will come when I can tell you too.”

Several days passed quickly.

I took care of Franz’s overall life and inspected the newly replaced imperial palace servants.

I spent most of my free time in the imperial library.

Although I spent a lot of money on the information guild, information about the second divine object didn’t appear anywhere.

Nikolai had vanished without a trace since that day.

Even Careth didn’t give a satisfactory answer.

‘Even those who are seduced don’t reveal the whole truth. The more you force unwanted things, the greater the repulsion. The effect of the demonic charm also shortens.’

I copied the experiment results into my research notebook.

I occasionally used Morasynchia’s eyes to observe Franz.

Thanks to greatly increasing the security personnel and monitoring all food brought into the crown prince’s palace, no other threats were detected.

‘The emperor leaving the palace for a whole week… Did he really have urgent business? Maybe I misunderstood again for no reason.’

Perhaps because I had grown distant from Nikolai.

The burning hostility had somewhat subsided.

I tried to ignore the rising longing, thinking he must have his reasons he couldn’t tell me.

But then.

“His Majesty the Emperor has returned.”

The new servant Bill said.

Bill, who used to work in the harem, was an intelligent and diligent boy.

After receiving a wink full of demonic charm, Bill had become my faithful eyes and ears.

“His Majesty has returned?”

Franz raised his voice.

My face brightened as well.

If Bill hadn’t said those next words, I might have looked in the mirror to fix my disheveled hair.

“He brought a new empress candidate. The harem servants were bustling about busily.”

A heavy shock struck my head.

I don’t think I’d be this dumbfounded even if a stranger slapped me on the street.

‘So this was his urgent business? He went from eating skewers to finding a new woman? For a whole week?!’

The bewilderment soon turned to anger.

What should I do with this playboy bastard?