Rellia muttered in a monotonous tone devoid of any inflection. It sounded so eerily ominous that Evelia no longer wanted to face Rellia.

“It seems like you’re on your way somewhere, and it looks like I’ve held you up needlessly. I was on my way to the pond myself, so it would be best if we just said our goodbyes here. Take care.”

It contradicted the answer she had given to Rellia’s previous question about where she was going. But she wanted to avoid Rellia, even if it meant lying.

She had only glanced at her for a moment, yet an ominous feeling enveloped her as if she had just encountered a massive storm. She didn’t want to ruin the elation she had felt just moments before.

Rellia didn’t respond, but Evelia hurriedly moved on. It was just as she was passing by Rellia’s side.

Rellia, who had been silent the whole time, spoke in a rigid voice.

“Your Highness, your face is glowing.”

Evelia stopped as if her ankle had been caught, and then slowly turned her head towards Rellia.

“Your Grace, what did you just say…”

“Quite understandable. The situation has changed completely overnight, so you’re able to smile happily even at such trivial weather.”

Evelia’s pupils quivered uncontrollably. Rellia’s words, in both tone and content, were undeniably sarcastic.

“Your Grace, you are being utterly disrespectful towards Her Highness!”

“Phelin.”

Evelia, who had Phelin guarding her from behind, decisively stopped him as he couldn’t help but step forward. She shook her head.

She knew what Phelin was thinking, but after all, their counterpart was Rellia of the Nett Ducal House. Phelin couldn’t just act rashly.

This was something she had to handle herself. Even if she was just a figurehead of a crown princess, and even if Rellia’s disdain was not just for a day or two, this was a public scene.

She couldn’t just let this go.

“Your Grace, you’ve gone too far.”

“Have I? All I said was that your face is glowing, and that’s going too far?”

Rellia chuckled, her eyes losing focus for a moment. Evelia felt as if her entire body had frozen. It was an extremely unsettling sight.

She couldn’t let this go on. Rellia’s cloudy and somewhat deranged face looked too dangerous.
“Seems you’ve forgotten everything I said last time. I believe I advised caution in your conduct.”

Evelia spoke in a stern tone. She thought it necessary to awaken Rellia’s consciousness this way. But far from coming to her senses, Rellia’s eyes started to be consumed by madness.

“Yes, Your Highness did say so to me. My behavior reflects directly on Your Highness the Crown Prince, so it would be wise to exercise caution.”

“Yet you remember that and still behave like this?”

Evelia narrowed her eyes, her expression resolute and composed. This only exacerbated Rellia’s already unstable mental state.

“You’re blaming me again today, Your Highness.”

“Your Grace.”

“Then speak, Your Highness. What more should I have done? What is it that you want from me?”

Rellia mumbled, half-lost to herself, boiling inside. Each time her gaze met Evelia’s, a rage so intense it felt as if her brain would melt surged forth.

Overlaid on Evelia’s face was that of Liurian’s. The face of the Empress overlaid next, and the sound of their laughter echoed in her ears like tinnitus.

It’s all your fault… Everything is ruined because of you. If only you hadn’t been there, if only you were gone…!!

Unable to restrain her overflowing emotions, Rellia glared fiercely at Evelia.

“What on earth have you done?”

“Your Grace, what exactly are you trying to say to me? Speak clearly so I can understand what you’re…”

“What have you done to influence not only the Crown Prince but also Her Majesty the Empress?!”

In a burst of unimaginable fury, Rellia roughly grabbed Evelia’s wrist. Instinctively, Evelia shook her off.

In that instant, Rellia’s nails dug into her wrist, leaving a wound. Though a tingling pain followed, Evelia could only stare at Rellia with an expression of numb disbelief.

“What have you done to influence both the Crown Prince and Her Majesty the Empress?”

Evelia was left speechless. She couldn’t comprehend what was being said.

Influenced the mind of Liurian and the Empress? What did she mean by “moved”? She could understand mentioning Liurian when they were spending happy times together, but she couldn’t fathom what was being said about the Empress.

With a deep sigh, Evelia narrowed her eyes once again. Clearly, Rellia was laboring under some sort of misapprehension.
All the more reason I had to restrain her. Even if it was just for show, I could no longer tolerate any betrayal toward the royal family as a member of the royal household.

I steeled myself and took a step toward Rellia. That was when I first shot her a sharp look.

“Enough is enough, Rellia. What on earth do you think you’re doing?”

An unexpectedly cold voice pierced my ears.