“Final request? If you’re going to say such things, I’ll leave.”

A hurt voice returned.

There was also a rustling sound.

Fearing Nisa might really leave, Elizabeth spoke urgently.

“I’ve been abandoned by His Majesty. There’s nothing to gain by staying by my side.”

“I will stay by Lady Elizabeth’s side until the end.”

“Don’t be stubborn, Nisa.”

“I didn’t choose a lady favored by His Majesty as my mistress. I chose the person named Elizabeth.”

“Nisa…”

“I won’t change my mistress again. So whatever you say is useless.”

At first, I thought Nisa was gambling.

But she had chosen a companion to share her future with.

She recognized and chose me as a person.

A sense of guilt for having to deceive such a Nisa burrowed deep into my heart.

‘I will surely repay your heart. Please forgive me for this moment…’

After gathering my inner thoughts, I lowered my voice.

“I’m not even His Majesty’s wife.”

“…”

“I’m tired of His Majesty too.”

Was I really tired?

It was just a calculated statement, but my heart felt trampled.

It always hurt that I couldn’t be his only woman.

No matter how intense the time we shared, no matter how sweet his gaze.

“Are you tired too, Lady Elizabeth?”

“It’s all because of His Majesty. What did he do while I was being pointed at as a villainess?”

“…”

“He didn’t even meet me. You watched from the side too, didn’t you?”

“I was resentful too, but…”

Nisa closed her mouth, unable to continue speaking.

“I want to be free now. I want to regain my former self.”

“Do you want to return to the time when you were called the queen of high society? Didn’t you throw all that away?”

“It was better than being trapped in the palace. I don’t want to suffer for a man who doesn’t protect me.”

“Lady Elizabeth…”

“Living quietly makes me miss the old days. The alcohol, parties, handsome men, everything!”

I was nervous that my awkward acting might be exposed.

Having lived as a homebody all my life, what parties could I possibly miss?

The Camellia party I experienced for the first and last time was stress itself.

After a brief silence, Nisa asked.

“What can I do for you?”

“There won’t be any danger at all. What you need to do is…”

“Your Majesty. How long will you keep Lady Elizabeth confined?”

Careth asked sarcastically.

Nikolai, who had been focusing on the pile of documents, raised his eyes.

“Even if it’s just the two of us, how dare you. Are you questioning the emperor now?”

“I’m asking respectfully.”

“Your gaze is too challenging. And your tone is prickly. Someone might think you’re Elizabeth’s elder brother or something.”

“Elder brother? That’s absurd.”

Careth turned his head abruptly.

Nikolai rubbed his eyes, as if not believing what he saw.

It was the first time Careth had blushed.

“What’s with that shy expression? It’s creepy.”

“Lady Elizabeth and I are not blood-related, nor do we have any particular connection. But can’t I still worry?”

Ahem, Careth cleared his throat and retorted angrily.

“It’s very strange for you to worry about someone in the first place.”

“I’m human too.”

“Right. More like a working machine.”

“I have never felt any affection for Lady Elizabeth, nor have I ever thought of becoming her elder brother. Nor have I thought of supporting her like an elder brother.”

“It was just a casual remark, why are you going on about it so long? Really suspicious.”

Careth’s earlobes were still red.

Nikolai furrowed his brow.

No one doubted Careth’s competence.

However, due to his excessively businesslike and cold personality, he rarely gained the trust of those around him.

Elizabeth was the only person Careth showed interest in besides work.

‘At first, he treated her like everyone else. But from some point, it changed. Is it because of Elizabeth’s charm? It’s doubtful that it worked on Careth.’

Sensing Nikolai’s gaze, Careth changed the subject.

“Your Majesty is the suspicious one. How long will you treat Lady Elizabeth like a prisoner?”

“Don’t you know? That I can’t let her go.”

“Rumors are rampant that Your Majesty has abandoned Lady Elizabeth.”

“Since when did you start paying attention to such baseless rumors?”

“Rumors become public opinion. Public opinion often wears the mask of truth. Especially when it comes to intimate stories like the emperor’s private life.”

Nikolai was well aware.

Though he pretended not to care, he was receiving reports on every rumor about Elizabeth without fail.

“What if Lady Elizabeth gets tired of Your Majesty?”

“Tired?”

“What woman could endure? A man who neither defends nor protects her.”

“…”

“Especially a special woman like Lady Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth was a woman who received the attention of many men.

People yearning for love overflowed around her.

Just imagining the swarm of bees gathering around a flower made Nikolai’s lips tighten.

‘She must have been as beautiful back then as she is now. When she smiled with her crimson hair flowing, any man would have been mesmerized.’

The veins on the back of his hand bulged.

Even though it was in the past, he wanted to find and eliminate all those who had looked at Elizabeth with greedy eyes.

It wasn’t even easy to suppress the rising murderous intent.

What a selfish heart this was.

Nikolai had given up nothing.

So he confined Elizabeth.

He couldn’t even tell her the reason.

Consumed by the primal desire not to lose her, he arbitrarily controlled her life.

His late father’s dying words, to never do something like love, flashed through his mind again.

“There are even calls for Lady Elizabeth’s execution.”

“Are you saying that’s my fault too?”

“Your Majesty’s silence invites various interpretations.”

“I can’t reveal anything about the Netherflower.”

“You can’t hide it forever either.”

“…”

“Didn’t Cardinal Arkanso say it too? That she might possess the divine object of Morasynthia.”

“…Did I tell you about that?”

Nikolai’s eyebrows twitched.

Careth closed his mouth.

Nikolai had met with Arkanso privately.

Normally he would have brought Careth along, but Arkanso had requested everyone else be dismissed.

Anxiety, suspicion.

Or perhaps fear.

A sensation difficult to pinpoint gripped the nape of his neck.

“Careth. Answer me.”

Careth was the only person Nikolai had trusted and relied on since his days as crown prince.

He was a trusted friend, a colleague who handled difficult tasks together.

In the imperial palace rife with all sorts of politics and schemes, he was a loyal subject who never spared bitter advice, and a brother to whom one could entrust one’s back completely.

‘If Careth were to betray me…’

Nikolai squeezed his eyes shut.

Just imagining it felt like his insides were being torn apart.

The longer Careth’s silence stretched, the more terrible speculations stabbed at Nikolai.

“Why are you getting so serious? I merely overheard Your Majesty’s sleep talking.”

“…I talked in my sleep?”

“I’ve been meaning to tell you. Please don’t doze off in the office.”

“I dozed off?”

“What if someone other than me had heard?”

Careth nagged like a strict tutor.

Was it really sleep talking?

Or was it a poor excuse?

The spark of suspicion, once ignited, did not easily die down.

He confirmed once again how weak a human he was.

Whatever answer Careth gave, he wanted to believe it.

Because he didn’t want to lose him.

Because it would be too lonely without him.

Reason coldly rebuked Nikolai.

‘Careth knows all the top secrets. If Warden’s clutches have reached Careth, the empire is in danger. Start investigating, Nikolai.’

He didn’t want to suspect Careth.

Careth was that kind of existence to Nikolai.

The same was true for Elizabeth.

An existence that must be kept by his side no matter what risks.

The long deliberation ended.

“We need to confirm if Elizabeth possesses the divine object. And why Arkanso tried to deliver the oracle to her.”

“Will Lady Elizabeth answer willingly? There must be a reason she’s kept it hidden until now.”

“I have things I couldn’t say either. There were reasons I had to hide them.”

“Are you planning to confess everything?”

“That’s right.”

‘I will confess everything. The Netherflower, the wolf, the mission I carried out, and my late father’s last words. More than anything, I want to confess my desire for Elizabeth.’

He had no idea where to begin.

He could only hope it wasn’t too late.

First, he had to make it clear that he wasn’t really a playboy.

That he had never slept with any of his many empresses.

Should he even reveal that he had no experience with women?

His head ached from a problem he had never considered before.

A 28-year-old virgin.

It made him feel too much like a novice.

Especially since Elizabeth was once called the queen bee of high society.

Could he at least hide the fact that he had no experience with women?

Wouldn’t human nature take care of some technical issues?

‘How pathetic. Deciding to confess and immediately planning to lie.’

She was the first woman he had ever wanted to possess.

He wouldn’t regret it even if he gave his life.

He had barely suppressed the urge to throw everything away.

She was the only woman he wanted by his side for life, the only woman he wanted to protect forever.

Every time his greed for Elizabeth surged, he gritted his teeth.

He cut off the desire that spread like wildfire.

He kept telling himself that he wasn’t worthy of having her, that he had to endure for her sake.

‘When Elizabeth said she was leaving, everything became clear. That no matter what, I can’t let her go.’

What was the way to hold onto Elizabeth?

What was she most worried about?

There was no more time to hesitate.

“I will confess everything and propose to her.”

Nikolai declared.

Careth’s eyes widened.

“Propose? Surely not…!”

“I will appoint Elizabeth Emster as Empress of the Hartmann Empire.”