“You also know, right? That Blertheus was fragile since childhood due to his weak health.”

“Yes.”

Because of that, there was no one in the empire who didn’t know that the Empress had fought hard for the Second Prince.
“Even if it were the command of the Crown Prince instead of the Empress, it would have been the same. And originally, if she could have bound herself to the royal palace, she would have done so earlier. With such thoughts, Lena stared at Blertheus with a determined gaze.

“Yeah, even if you’re a duchess, I can’t casually imprison you in the palace. But, you know, Lena.”

He lowered his gaze as if he felt sorry for her.

“It seems like you can’t be called a duchess anymore, what should we do about that?”

“…What are you talking about?”

She had no idea about what was happening outside the palace right now. Blertheus continued speaking with a sigh-mixed voice, as if he were genuinely concerned, someone who didn’t know would misunderstand that he was truly worried about her.

“Exactly. It means that the marriage between you and the duke will soon be invalidated.”

‘Marriage invalidation?’

Lena was confused about whether she had heard correctly.

While the wedding was hastily arranged, they had followed every condition required by imperial law for a legal marriage.

A marriage sworn to the gods being invalidated—was that even possible?

Lena blinked her eyes, unable to understand the Crown Prince’s words.

“Is that so? We had a legal wedding according to imperial law…”

“Yeah, that imperial law.”

He approached Lena and continued speaking.

“According to that imperial law, your wedding with the duke will be invalidated. Do you remember the priest in the temple who served as a witness for your wedding? Well, the virtuous Cork Viscount family, which has recently caused a stir in the empire with the main role in a human trafficking case.”

“…Nonsense.”

Lena was well aware of the Cork Viscount family. A noble family that she respected and admired.

How could a nobleman like that be involved in human trafficking? It was undoubtedly false.

“…Are you really doing that? Blaming such a notorious thing on Viscount Cork.”

“If that’s the case.”

With an attitude that admitted his guilt so confidently, Lena burst into laughter as if she were amazed.

“Why go to such lengths? What do you gain from doing that?”

In response to her question, he answered with a face that seemed to say, ‘Why do you ask the obvious?’

“You.”

“…”

“I gained you.”

Unbeknownst to Lena, his touch, which was now brushing through her hair, exuded a strong possessiveness.

“You’re insane.”

“Maybe.”

Lena couldn’t comprehend the man’s strange obsession. They had only encountered each other a few times by chance.

Even if he claimed to have fallen in love with her at first sight, did it make sense to show such intense obsession?

To go to any lengths to have her?

Lena met Blertheus’s gaze, a mixture of incomprehension and a bit of disdain in her eyes.

Perhaps he also understood the meaning conveyed in Lena’s eyes. The man’s face, which had been smiling, suddenly froze cold.

“What’s with that look?”

Then, the hand that had been brushing through Lena’s silver hair grabbed it tightly between his fingers.

“At least, you shouldn’t look at me like that, right?”
“I haven’t lived to obtain what I want by harming others like you.”

“Sure about that? On a subject with an incomplete memory.”

“…….”

Due to the hair he clenched, Lena’s eyebrows twitched as her scalp became itchy. It had always been like this, his attitude that seemed to claim he knew her very well for a very long time. Lena found that attitude irritating. When Lena, unable to endure, was about to question him, the moment she was about to ask, a single sentence he uttered froze her entire body.

“Shall I help you?”

‘This voice… Could it be.’

Blertheus’s voice and the voice from her dream overlapped.

“You…”

“Do you remember now?”

No, there’s no way. It was an event that happened a whopping 400 years ago. That man couldn’t be in that ancient past….

However, unlike the denial in her mind, Lena’s hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

“You wanted that man. So, you held my hand.”

“…….”

“Do you still not remember? What you sacrificed in exchange for that.”

“…Sacrifice?”

“You killed them. The people of the Fermannance family.”

At Blertheus’s words, Lena’s fists turned white.

“…Lies.”

“Poor Lena. No, maybe the poor one is the duchess. Destined to die again because of the woman you love.”

She couldn’t move her limbs as if her entire body were coated with thick wax.

‘Dying again this time?’

Did that mean, because of her, Belige would die in the past and the present?

“…What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t forgotten. The curse that has been passed down in the Fermannance family.”

‘Surely not.’

She needed to leave this place quickly.

So she wouldn’t have to hear such absurd nonsense, why?

As if not hearing the cries of her heart, Blertheus let out a low laugh.

“If you’re with me, the curse of the duchess will be fine. Well, I guess you weren’t thinking such a peaceful thought. Then, you’re too naive.”

“…What are you saying now?”

“The duchess will die. Because of you.”

It was a phrase she never wanted to hear.

Blertheus supported Lena, whose body almost collapsed for a moment.

“I can tell you how to break the curse of the Fermannance duchess.”

“…A way to break the curse?”

“Yeah, I’ll save the duchess. For you. But in return, you have to give me what I want.”

Then, Blertheus whispered in Lena’s ear.

“Very easy.”

As if revealing something very secret.

“Choose me.”

It was like a whisper of the devil.