Nikolai, who had been examining every inch of my body, froze.

He seemed to have just discovered the stab wound.

“Bring the court healer here immediately!”

Nikolai ordered.

It was a calm and stern tone.

The killing intent contained within was extraordinary.

Even if a messenger from hell descended, it seemed they could not emit a more ferocious aura.

“I’m fine. I can get treatment when we return to the palace.”

“Nonsense. There’s blood on your dress.”

“I’m telling you, I’m tougher than I look!”

I pretended to be brave, showing off the muscles in my arms.

I wanted to ease Nikolai’s guilt somehow.

Maybe it was because the tension had eased.

Or perhaps because I was putting on an unnecessary show of bravado.

My waist bent in half as a dizzying pain washed over me.

“Ugh!”

“Elizabeth!”

Nikolai lifted me up with a face suddenly stricken with fear.

His scent enveloped my body once again.

I had already become accustomed to this man’s fragrance.

Just the contact between our bodies eased the tension and melted away the knots.

A childish whim I had never shown even to my parents slipped out.

“I don’t think I’m quite alright, Your Majesty.”

“Rest without worry for now. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Is that really okay?”

“No one can harm you now.”

Nikolai’s embrace was warm and safe.

Perhaps that’s why. Sleep came creeping in.

From the moment I was kidnapped, I had been longing to see Nikolai.

I hoped he would come running to save me from my predicament.

Though I could resolve it on my own, I wanted to be protected just once.

If it was Nikolai, that is.

‘No need to struggle alone anymore. Because Nikolai is by my side…’

I lost consciousness while muttering inwardly.

So I couldn’t tell Nikolai what I absolutely had to say.

[This is the timeline separator]

Marquis Pipe, wearing rings on all ten fingers, hunched his shoulders as he looked around the back alley.

His gesture of turning up his coat collar was full of irritation.

“Why did you want to meet outside? What if we’re spotted like this?”

Count Blackfold, who had been waiting for him, nervously groomed his black mustache.

“Don’t you know mansions and salons are even more dangerous? We can’t let others see us together.”

“Damn fools! They couldn’t even kidnap one girl.”

Unable to contain his anger, Marquis Pipe stamped his foot.

Count Blackfold’s eyes grew fierce.

“You should know it’ll all be Pipe’s fault if things go wrong.”

“It was Blackfold who suggested dealing with that woman through the Dark Guild!”

“If we had moved troops as Pipe wanted, we’d both be in prison by now.”

“Hmm hmm.”

“Have you forgotten we only reported a tenth of our forces to the emperor? That’s an even greater crime than kidnapping!”

Count Blackfold bore down on Marquis Pipe.

Marquis Pipe changed the subject with a sullen face.

“We should have followed Lord Leman’s advice. Damn it!”

“Speaking of which. I have a good idea.”

“Let’s hear it, Blackfold.”

“We’re not the actual parties to the bet, are we?”

“So?”

“Let’s pin it on Brenden’s side. He has the motive and the grudge.”

Marquis Pipe’s eyes widened at the suggestion to frame someone.

It was only for a moment before he smiled with satisfaction.

“You mean to completely bring down Marquis Brenden with this opportunity?”

“Brenden has tarnished the honor of the four great noble houses with his vulgar words and vile business. He even spouted nonsense about Simon being the empire’s strongest swordsman.”

“You’re right. To make a bet with all his fortune over a commoner girl. He should be ashamed. Tsk tsk.”

“If we move the House of Peers, we can bring down Marquis Brenden. It would also be good to subtly leak fake evidence about the kidnapping.”

“You mean to leave the aftermath to the emperor?”

“He’s crazy about that woman, so he’ll eagerly take the bait.”

“I wondered who wise Empress Cynthia takes after! She’s the spitting image of her father, Count Blackfold!”

“We must be careful what we say to Lord Leman.”

“Trust me. Aren’t we in the same boat?”

“Our friendship and prosperity will be eternal.”

Marquis Pipe and Count Blackfold shook hands warmly.

Marquis Pipe didn’t know.

That Count Blackfold harbored other schemes.

Count Blackfold also failed to guess.

That the Marquis Pipe he looked down on had already made separate plans to survive.

[This is the timeline separator]

That day I couldn’t return to the Canary Room.

It was because Nikolai insisted that the wound could worsen due to the shaking carriage.

I was to recuperate for a while in the VIP bedroom of the Emster company.

I only found out about this later.

When I came to my senses, everything had already been decided by imperial order.

“…Your Majesty?”

I sat up in bed.

Nikolai, who had been sitting in a chair beside the bed, approached like lightning.

“Don’t move. It hasn’t been long since your wound was stitched.”

He gently laid me back down.

His touch was so caring, he was like a professionally trained nurse.

If there were nurses as handsome as Nikolai, hospitals would be overflowing with malingerers.

“Have you been by my side this whole time?”

“That’s right.”

“Did you get any rest?”

“Drink some water first. Thirst is bad for your health.”

Nikolai handed me a cup of water without answering my question.

On the bedside table were simple snacks, painkillers, and disinfectant.

I also saw a wet towel and a basin of cold water.

‘Nikolai carried me in his arms, didn’t he? They call it a princess carry, right?’

My cheeks flared up.

My heart area felt ticklish.

I changed the subject out of unnecessary embarrassment.

“Has the healer left?”

“They’re on standby in another room.”

“I’m causing trouble for so many people. It’s not even a serious wound.”

I neatly closed the front of my silk robe.

A thick bandage was wrapped around my wound.

The pain wasn’t severe.

It was just a bit stiff when I moved.

“You fainted, and you say it’s not a deep wound? The wound was this big!”

Nikolai raised his voice.

I wondered how big of a wound it was.

The space between his fingers was only about 1cm apart.

That’s all I was stabbed?

No wonder it was bearable.

I felt embarrassed for making such a fuss.

Nikolai seemed to think differently.

He squeezed his eyes shut as if he had never seen such a terrible injury.

“The blood stain was the size of a coin.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“You almost lost your life and you say it’s fortunate?”

“Who dies from a wound like that?”

“…What?”

Nikolai’s gaze changed in an instant.

Fearing I’d be scolded all night, I apologized right away.

“I’m sorry. My thoughts were short-sighted.”

But it was no use.

Nikolai crossed his arms and unleashed a barrage of scolding.

“You dared to provoke the kidnappers? Talking about a hundred million gold.”

“That was unavoidable…”

“No matter how fearless you are, that’s too much! What were you trying to suffer by even suggesting smuggling to those guys?”

“You heard that far? But I…”

“Don’t think about making excuses. I heard everything you did from beginning to end.”

Nikolai pressed on with a terrifying momentum.

I swallowed dryly, recalling the fallen criminals.

Surely, he didn’t kill them all.

“Are there any people left who can confess?”

“One mistake is enough. This time I will definitely uncover the mastermind.”

“You kept the kidnappers alive?”

“I only kept them alive until they can be executed according to proper procedures.”

Nikolai answered primly.

I applauded in welcome.

“Well done! I forgot to ask you not to kill them recklessly.”

“Do you think I’m some kind of murderer?”

“You’re much more dangerous than that.”

This time Nikolai didn’t deny it.

The emperor was the master of the empire and the law itself.

If he had evil intentions, it was natural that he would be far more dangerous than a mere criminal.

“Elizabeth. Why are you defending the kidnappers?”

“Who’s defending whom? I just don’t want Your Majesty to be treated as a tyrant because of me.”

“Are you saying my honor is more important than your life?”

“Your infamy is already widespread, so we should manage it at least this much.”

I spoke lightly, as if I would float away like a feather if blown.

It would be nice if Nikolai took it that way.

His eyes looking at me sank into a deep blue-green.

“Honor and such are all useless things. Please consider your safety as the top priority.”

“Of course my life is the most precious.”

“Then why do you keep taking risks?”

Blue veins bulged on Nikolai’s fists.

I looked away from him as he barely suppressed his anger.

“Because I don’t want to be treated as a villainess.”

“I’ll eliminate all those who call you a villainess.”

“The more you do that, the more people will call me a villainess.”

“Was that why you approached the escaped prisoner Owen Black?”

I swallowed empty air.

I didn’t know he knew that far.

He shrugged as if it was no big deal, reading my inner thoughts.

“It’s nothing to be surprised about. He confessed it himself.”

“Owen did?”

“He said you tried to protect him when you were kidnapped?”

“…What?”

“He was tearing up calling you his lifesaver. It was an unseemly sight.”

“Why is that unseemly?”

“Unseemly indeed!”

Deep wrinkles etched between Nikolai’s brows.

I bit my lip, overwhelmed with dismay.

‘He has reason to be angry since I secretly contacted a traitor. I was planning to persuade Nikolai along with Franz. What do I do now? I need to have Owen reinstated.’

I tried to explain how useful Owen was as a talented individual.

But Nikolai’s muttering once again far exceeded my expectations.

“Seducing another man without permission… It’s unbearably unpleasant.”

What is he talking about now?

I blinked a few times before asking.

“What do you mean by seduction?”

“If not seduction, then what? That Owen fellow was already in a state where he’d give his life for you.”

“You’re not displeased because he’s a traitor?”

“What treason?”

“?”

“The former empress trampled on a promising painter. There are more than a few victims whose lives were ruined because of the former empress.”

“You investigated Owen?”

“Did you think I’d leave alone a guy hanging around you?”

His attitude was brazen, as if he had done what needed to be done.

Normally I would have grabbed the back of my neck, but I couldn’t miss this golden opportunity.

“Owen is a genius painter. Franz would be very happy if you invited him as an art professor.”

“His observational skills are quite useful.”

“What do you mean by observational skills?”

“It was thanks to him that we were able to track the carriage. He perfectly remembered the carriage shape, wheel size, and even the build of the masked criminals.”

Owen was attacked and collapsed.

To remember the kidnappers’ appearance and the carriage shape in that situation.

It was nothing short of amazing.

“If it weren’t for you, Owen would have died on the spot. It’s natural to treat you as his lifesaver.”

“He just got involved because of me. I wouldn’t blame him for resenting me.”

“That’s that, and this is this.”

Nikolai answered curtly.

It seemed he didn’t care either way since Owen had been helpful.

His interest was not in Owen, but in the real culprit behind the kidnapping.

“Once we arrest the Dark Guild broker, all the crimes will be revealed.”

“Will they really talk?”

“We’ll have to trust the torture experts in the underground prison.”

“You already have a guess, don’t you?”

“…”

“You know who targeted me, right?”