Aisha wore a truly bewildered expression, but Karaaf spoke very seriously.

“Living like a saint is incredibly tiring. It’s much easier to live as a villainess by the tyrant’s side. If you can’t handle it, I’ll teach you how to become a villainess step by step. It would undoubtedly be helpful for Bannet to learn.”

“Surely, you’re not referring to being a villainess like earlier, pouring perfume on your head?”

“Well, you know. If we don’t do that occasionally, the leeches won’t stay away.”

“Leeches…”
As Aisha muttered in confusion, he casually spoke, “Well, anyone daring to ignore the empire’s flower and butterfly is undoubtedly a leech.”

Aisha let out a despondent laugh once again. His logic seemed unbeatable.

Karaaf finally relaxed his expression and chuckled, saying, “Watching the Empress, my mother, who always scolded me, comes to mind. I thought I was doing well, but she always thought I was wrong and punished me.”

Strangely, every time he talked about his childhood, Aisha felt a pang in her chest, leaving her at a loss for words.

In contrast, Karaaf looked unbothered, smiling subtly at Aisha.

“But that’s not bad. I’m quite an attention-seeking patient when it comes to butterflies.”

Aisha couldn’t help but join him in laughter now.

After a while, Aisha stopped laughing and said, “Your Majesty, there is something I’d like to discuss.”

“What is it?”

“Since I feel you might get angry if I secretly investigate as before, I’d like to seek your permission in advance. I want to learn more about another flower in the capital.”

Karaaf’s eyes widened. The relaxed atmosphere changed in an instant.

To prevent him from being shocked, Aisha quickly added, “I think there might be a connection between him and the curse on Your Majesty’s body. Killing him wouldn’t provide any useful information, so I’ll investigate first and report back.”

Although she spoke casually, memories of the moment he killed Sonia’s informant in the underground warehouse flashed in her mind, making her heart race.

This time, Karaaf remained silent for quite a while.

As the silence in the room deepened, Aisha became increasingly anxious.

Finally, he opened his mouth and uttered a single word, “…Empress, alone?”

“Yes. It would be nice if Your Majesty could accompany me, but if you do, he might think strangely and not tell the truth. Maybe he doesn’t even know he’s a flower.”

Making a reasonable point, Karaaf nodded slightly.

In a place where most people couldn’t be honest about the Emperor, Karaaf’s expression seemed embarrassed. Seeing this, Aisha also felt a bit heavy-hearted.

The man she was about to meet might have been the one who could replace the Emperor.

This fact magnified his anxiety and pain.

“I trust the Empress… but if that man approaches the Empress with malicious intentions… so, if he forcefully tries to convert himself when the Empress is vulnerable…”

He couldn’t continue his words, but Aisha could easily guess what came after.

Unable to maintain eye contact, he seemed like a young boy, withered in front of his formidable mother.
Clearly taller and better-built than me, he somehow looked pitiful and delicate, like a small flower. Aisha lightly placed her hand near his chest, where the crescent moon pattern was engraved. When Karaf, slightly surprised, looked at her, Aisha looked straight into his eyes and said seriously, “Concern yourself not, for I will experiment solely with the Empress’s body for the flowering method.”

Upon hearing this, Karaf finally chuckled, raised his head with a smile, and asked, “Experimenting with my body? Just hearing it makes my heart race.”

Aisha blushed intensely and said awkwardly, “I-It’s not what you’re thinking, as you probably already know.”

“…I see. I’ve failed a lot.”

Suddenly, he became sullen, like a flower withering. However, Aisha, feeling embarrassed, turned away from him and spoke sternly, “And the rose scent from the Empress’s body might be quite toxic, so I don’t know if it’s good for my mental and physical health.”

Upon hearing this, Karaf’s face showed an even greater shock. Aisha calmly closed her eyes and said, “So wait. Until I find the flowering method.”

“…Got it. I won’t disturb you.”

Karaf left the room, causing a mess in his wake. Watching him, Aisha secretly wiped her chest and sighed. At least it seemed he wouldn’t harbor ill intentions or attempt forced intimacy.

At that moment, Jakal was sitting across from the village chief, engaged in a mental battle. After a deep sigh, the village chief, with his white hair and piercing black eyes, placed his index finger on his temple and stared at Jakal.

“Speak your purpose first. Why do you demand that information from me? Saying it’s for the safety of Rikaon seems a bit excessive, and I still can’t fully trust you. How can I be sure that you won’t betray us after obtaining this information?”

A piercing question. Jakal momentarily closed his mouth and organized his thoughts for an answer. However, the village chief didn’t give him time to think, immediately asking, “Is it for revenge against the Emperor?”

“To reclaim the butterfly.”

The village chief’s eyebrow slightly raised. “Reclaim it?”
However, the village chief didn’t give him time to think and immediately asked bluntly, “Is it for revenge against the Emperor?”

“To reclaim the butterfly.”

The village chief’s eyebrow raised slightly. “Reclaim it?”