“But I ignored Miryu’s feelings and became friends with Diana. If I hadn’t become friends with Diana, Miryu wouldn’t be suffering like this. Please understand Miryu, who was angry because of my mistake.”

Moisture gathered in Diana’s eyes when our gazes met.

“Estelle, that doesn’t make sense at all. Why would you…”
“I’m sorry, Diana. I liked how you approached me honestly regardless of my reputation. So, stop. I went against Miryu’s request.”

Diana covered my mouth with a choked expression, unable to utter a word. Crown Prince Hessen also took a step back with a bewildered expression.

Isabella, the queen who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke up.

“…Duchess Blanshet, it’s not the Duchess’s fault.”

“But if I hadn’t acted recklessly, Miryu wouldn’t have made a mistake with the Royum royal family.”

I intentionally used the expression ‘acted recklessly’ to remind the queen of Miryu’s ‘mistake.’

Miryu’s trembling hand, which I held, couldn’t be still. Miryu belatedly stammered with lips that turned blue.

“Your Majesty, this is, it’s not like that.”

But her words couldn’t continue.

‘Of course. What else can she say?’

Right now, Miryu can’t deny that my words are lies. She has already been caught lying. If she tries to act innocent, all the words that come out of my mouth will become the truth.

‘Getting annoyed, huh?’

As I struggled to hold back tears, I hugged Miryu as if unable to resist.

“Sorry, Miryu. I was wrong. I should have been more considerate of my only friend…”

And as if sobbing, I buried my face in Miryu’s shoulder. Diana, who had left her seat, called me in a moist voice.

“Estelle, that’s not Estelle’s fault. Rather…”

Hessen interrupted the agitated Diana.

“Diana, stop it.”

“Oppa, you should do something! She’s the woman Oppa brought saying he loves her!”

“That’s…”

The sibling fight intensified like a wildfire. When Miryu, with teary eyes, asked in a small voice,

“What’s your intention?”

“Intention? It’s just a misunderstanding.”

I lowered my eyebrows in a very disgusting way and brought my lips close to her ear. Then, with a faint smile, I whispered.

‘Even a short laugh can be more irritating than a long tirade.’

When I raised my head, the muscles on Miryu’s face trembled uncontrollably. Looking at her face gave me a very satisfying feeling.

‘Yes, get even more irritated.’

I made Miryu worry even more disgustingly.

“Why, Miryu? If my apology isn’t enough…”

Miryu suddenly couldn’t hold back her anger and pushed me away as if recoiling. I stumbled back like a pitiful female lead.

“Ouch!”

Hessen and Diana, who were fighting with each other, looked at us in surprise. Diana rushed straight to me.

“Estelle! Are you okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I was just surprised…”

“If it wasn’t for Estelle’s apology…”

Miryu, with a pained expression, glanced at Hessen. Hessen shook his head slightly.

“I told you to stop, Diana.”

“But isn’t that…”
“Saeunni! Now resorting to violence, even attacking the person trying to comfort you? Do you have no shame at all?”

“No, I[Dash]”

“Quiet.”

Queen Isabella slowly rose from her seat.

“There’s nothing more to see. I have already made up my mind.”

Although Miryu approached Queen Isabella on her knees, there was no sign of hesitation in Queen Isabella’s gaze.

“From today, all the promises between Juti Viscountess and the Royum Kingdom are null and void. You should know where the responsibility lies, too.”

“Oh, Your Majesty!”

“Don’t call me that way. Who says you’re my daughter?”

Despair filled Miryu’s eyes.

Even Hessen nearby and Diana, who had been scolding Miryu and taking care of me, were frozen in surprise at the queen’s decision.

Clap! Queen Isabella lightly clapped her hands.

“Bring Juti Viscountess, who has nothing to do with the Royum Kingdom, even her belongings, here from outside. All belongings considered as belongings of the Viscountess should be sent to the Viscount’s residence by the end of the day.”

Leaning on Diana’s shoulder, I looked at Miryu, who could no longer cling to me.

‘Now that Queen Isabella, acting as the king’s representative, has made a decision, marriage seems impossible.’

Currently, Juti Viscountess, where Miryu resides, is maintaining her current lifestyle with the support of the Royum royal family.

The funds and influence that Miryu used in social activities so far were also provided by the Royum Kingdom.

But it wasn’t a friendly separation, and she had to break up because of her one-sided mistake.

‘Goodbye, Miryu.’

She would fall as high as she had risen.

Johan sat elegantly on a black sofa with his legs crossed. He asked the man in a black mask who was flipping through documents.

“What about the investigation into the Sleeping Princess?”

“After investigating patients affected by the Sleeping Princess, we were able to collect some strange legends.”

“What is it?”

“The legend was that the Sleeping Princess was a punishment from the gods, brought down in anger towards humans. I will organize the details and report separately.”

“Punishment from the gods?”

John rested his chin on his hand expressionlessly.

‘Is that legend true?’

At the moment, Johan recalled the last words the demon left behind.

‘Give her the cookie.’

Could it be that the illness Estelle was suffering from had something to do with the demon? Numerous possibilities increased the range of his thoughts.

‘But there’s no time to check all that.’

Estelle’s lifespan was at most one more year.

‘I need to find another way.’
Johan asked the masked man,

“What about the investigation into the one who spread rumors about Estelle?”

“If you go down to the guild headquarters now, you can check the results.”

“Got it.”

It was the moment Johan nodded his head and stood up.

“Oh, my lord. There’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“It seems that Duchess Blanchett visited another information guild.”

Johan’s expression turned fierce in an instant.

“For what reason?”

“Well, that’s… until that…”

There was no lack of clues. On the day when he asked what she wanted to do with the Royum Kingdom, Estelle said to Johan,

“Let me handle it myself.”

“Don’t do anything?”

“Help from Johan is great, but I want to try doing it on my own first. If it doesn’t work, I’ll ask Johan for help.”

At that time, Johan felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding. However, Estelle, a terminally ill patient with only a year left to live, and he wanted to grant her any wish she had.

“Is it difficult, after all?”

Especially, looking at those eyes that bent with a playful charm, his thoughts came to a halt.

So, Johan smilingly gave permission to everything. After all, he couldn’t harm Estelle no matter what he did to the Royum Kingdom.

“…It’s just because of what happened last time.”

But an eerie unease kept creeping in.

“Find out right away. Everything my woman requested, what she intended to do, all of it.”

Johan threatened the guild member with a lively gaze.

“If necessary, even annihilate that guild.”