Simon trembled with his eyes wide open.

Marquis Brendan firmly gripped his son’s arm.

‘Don’t get involved with that wench! Just extort the compensation, won’t you?’

Is that what he wanted to say?

Simon bit his lip, suppressing his anger, and looked me over with contemptuous eyes.

“Fighting a weak woman is not chivalrous!”

“Speaking of chivalry while making excuses. How pathetic of you?”

“Pathetic? It seems you’re trying to provoke me, but it’s useless.”

“Are you really going to give up?”

“I’m just avoiding the trap of an evil woman. No one will blame me.”

Simon spat out his words.

‘Is this how you’re going to play it? But you’ll end up doing it whether you like it or not.’

I turned my back on Nikolai and looked straight at Simon.

I gave a masterful wink, narrowing my right eyelid.

The ability possessed by the original Elizabeth.

An irresistible charm that captivates the hearts of others!

Despite some limitations, seducing Simon was all too easy.

“One last request, Sir Simon. Please fight me, staking your entire fortune and family honor.”

I put on a pitiful expression like a flower drenched in a downpour.

I covered my mouth shyly with my hand, then blew a kiss.

– Smooch.

That’s when Simon’s gaze changed.

“I’ll do as you wish, Lady Elizabeth!”

Marquis Brendan swallowed empty air at Simon’s resounding reply.

His tone was also impeccably polite.

Nikolai, who had been expressionless throughout, raised one eyebrow.

Marquis Brendan shook the shoulders of his son, who seemed to have lost his mind.

“Simon! W-why are you suddenly acting like this?”

“Lady Elizabeth is not someone who would scheme such plots.”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Weren’t you the one who noticed that woman’s scheme?”

“How could a man of honor break his promise? If I run away from here, I won’t be able to hold my head up for the rest of my life.”

“Simon!”

“It was you, Father, who accepted the bet in the first place. As the head of the Brendan family, you must take responsibility.”

“You must have gone mad! Absolutely not! That woman is setting a trap!”

Marquis Brendan shouted with a face as red as a strangled pig.

But that couldn’t change the mind of Simon, who had become a slave to charm.

Nikolai opened his mouth for the first time.

“Since the person involved has agreed, let’s proceed as originally planned.”

“I am honored, Your Majesty.”

I lifted my skirt and paid my respects.

Simon also bowed with a disciplined movement.

Only Marquis Brendan was fuming.

“Please withdraw this, Your Majesty! How can a knight fight with a wench?”

“I have some doubts about that point as well.”

“Oh, Your Majesty! You finally understand my feelings!”

“Elizabeth must know this too. Tell me how you intend to compete.”

Nikolai asked me.

Though his tone was indifferent, his green eyes betrayed worry and concern he couldn’t fully hide.

‘Please trust me. I have a plan.’

Hoping my sincerity would reach Nikolai, I looked at Simon.

“We will compete in what Sir Simon Brendan does best.”

“I’m fine with adjusting to Lady Elizabeth’s preferences?”

“There’s no need for that. You’ve instructed the Crown Prince, so your swordsmanship must be the best in the empire, right?”

“I pride myself on having honed skills that do not shame the name of a knight.”

“Then a sword duel would be good.”

“Hmm. If Lady Elizabeth truly wishes it, I suppose I have no choice.”

Simon nodded his head like a docile lamb, looking dejected.

He seemed full of concern that I, who was to fight him, would lose.

A glimmer of light appeared on Marquis Brendan’s crumpled face.

“My son Simon is the empire’s finest swordsman! How could you possibly stand a chance?”

“You’re right. Even if the best knight wins against a frail woman, he’d only be criticized, wouldn’t he?”

“What are you saying now?”

“Isn’t that what Your Excellency said just moments ago?”

Marquis Brendan made an expression as if possessed by a ghost.

Simon also looked dumbfounded.

Nikolai was the only one who remained unfazed.

“Your Majesty. As Marquis Brendan fears, if an honorable knight of the empire duels with a mere woman, he will become a laughingstock.”

“Your words are correct.”

“Your Majesty. I request a proxy for the sword duel. Please grant me this.”

“Granted. Tell me who you will appoint.”

“Sir Claudia Roseroyce. I will stake my entire fortune on her victory.”

Claudia found it difficult to suppress the displeasure rising from deep within her heart.

It wasn’t simply because Elizabeth had designated her as a puppet.

‘How did she know I was in the archipelago? Could she have noticed that I dream of revolution?’

Claudia knew it was an excessive worry.

Elizabeth probably just intended to insult and use her.

To make a knight who lives on honor into a gladiator for a cheap bet.

It was truly like Elizabeth to not get her own hands dirty in dangerous matters.

“Douglas. Your former fiancée is dragging me into the mud.”

Claudia twirled the crystal wine glass.

Douglas only smiled faintly.

“Didn’t His Majesty give you the right to decide? Can’t you refuse if you don’t want to?”

“I’m very displeased just by the fact that my name was mentioned in what could be a love quarrel or a power struggle.”

“That’s understandable. But it could be beneficial for you too.”

“You mean I might receive a reward for helping that petty Emperor’s lover?”

“Elizabeth wouldn’t use you like that without any thought. She plans several moves ahead.”

“Based on what?”

“Let’s just call it a hunch.”

“The hunch of the world’s most pitiful man, I see.”

Douglas was still in love with Elizabeth.

Not only did he love her, but he also defended her selfish actions and even praised her.

Even though his friend Claudia was chosen as the sacrificial lamb.

A dry desert wind blew through the gaping hole in her chest.

Gritty sand filled her head.

She wanted to spit out the grinding sand, but the invisible grains only kept increasing.

Just like her sad, unrequited love for Douglas.

“Douglas. You know what I’m contemplating, don’t you?”

“…You mean treason?”

“We should call it revolution.”

“Is it really a revolution? The empire is peaceful. His Majesty isn’t as dissolute as the rumors say.”

“You’ve become a lackey of the imperial family after teaching the Crown Prince.”

“Radia. It seems you’re the one trapped in confirmation bias.”

“What did the Emperor do while children in the slums were starving to death? He’s just making bets surrounded by Elizabeth’s skirts, isn’t he?”

“I’m not defending the poverty policies, but poverty can’t be solved by the Emperor alone. Shouldn’t we first examine the systems created by those who share power before cursing the monarch?”

“Let me ask one thing to the loyal subject. The Emperor halved the budget for defending the southern border when he should be strengthening it. What will he do if the Warden declares an invasion war?”

The southern border was a dangerous region with constant conflicts with the Warden Kingdom and frequent pirate appearances.

Even stationing the most elite knight orders and army wasn’t enough, yet Nikolai cut the southern border budget.

The large-scale troop movement also happened because of that.

“When our knight order returns to the archipelago, only beggars dragging rusty swords will swarm the Inted archipelago.”

“His Majesty must have had some thoughts on this.”

“Douglas. I like your kindness and purity, but right now you’re neither kind nor pure. You’ve just lost your judgment, blinded by love.”

Knowing it was harsh, Claudia didn’t stop.

Douglas asked back with a bitter face.

“If I truly loved Elizabeth, wouldn’t I be at the forefront waving the flag of revolution?”

“What do you mean?”

“Because if the Emperor falls, I might have a chance.”

“…!”

“Sometimes I imagine. What would happen if the man who protects and monopolizes Elizabeth disappears? Could I have her? Wouldn’t she want me too?”

Claudia couldn’t say anything.

Douglas had a fierier look in his eyes than she had ever seen before.

Even Claudia, with no romantic experience, could sense

that it was the flame of desire.

A man’s possessiveness.

Also that she would never gain even a piece of his heart no matter how much she circled around him.

“Radia, there might be stories of great knights like you defeating tyrants and villains. Then couldn’t there also be stories of reborn villains changing the world?”

“You’ve read too many novels, Dougie.”

“Maybe so. But I keep cheering for that unbelievable story.”

“Cheering?”

“That villainess might have had her circumstances too. She might have originally been a good person. Or she might have changed into a good person.”

“You want to believe in Elizabeth that much?”

“It’s not that I want to believe, I do believe. Even if she did something unbelievable, I’ll believe in her. Because I swore to.”

Douglas was smiling with a happy face.

For a woman who had become another man’s possession.

Savoring his vows for her.

He didn’t know that each of his words became sharp daggers piercing Claudia’s heart.

He probably didn’t even care about such things.

It was a perfect defeat that she could neither get angry at nor resist.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Claudia made up her mind.

‘I’ll fight as Elizabeth’s proxy. I’ll take up my sword and go before the tyrant and villainess. If an opportunity arises, I will never let it slip…’

I was just about to lie down on the bed.

“What will you do if Claudia rejects your proposal?”

Nikolai, who had suddenly snuck into the canary room, asked abruptly.

I smoothed the front of my nightgown with calm hand movements.

I wanted to applaud my adaptability for being able to stay composed even when a strange man barged in late at night.

“Good evening, Your Majesty. The moon is bright tonight.”

“Cut the greetings.”

“What are you dissatisfied with? Didn’t you agree to leave it to me?”

“Simon is skilled. He’s quite different from those who throw their weight around just relying on their family name.”

“That’s fortunate. He’ll have to admit defeat gracefully if he fights Claudia as an equal.”

“Apart from Claudia, there are hardly any knights who can defeat Simon.”

“And?”

“If you choose another knight as your proxy, you might lose.”

“Is that why you came sneaking in like a thief cat?”

A cool night breeze flowed in through the half-open window.

Nikolai closed the window with an embarrassed face and drew the curtains.

The space was perfectly sealed off.

Just with that, the air surrounding us became dense.

Nikolai at night was completely different from Nikolai during the day.

When was it that he gazed coldly as if looking at an inanimate object?

His two eyes, intent on not missing even a single hair on me, boiled hot like lava.

“I’m worried about you.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

His low voice penetrated the sound of my heartbeat.

His voice, somehow sad and plaintive, made a corner of my heart feel like it was melting.

“I’m anxious because of you.”

Nikolai reached out his hand.

Before those fingers could touch my lips, the strength left my knees.

I plopped down on the soft bed.

That’s when he cast a dark shadow over me.