There was no trace of emotion on Johann’s face. Only the stern gaze filled with crimson eyes revealed his displeasure.

“Wasn’t the saint’s partner the Crown Prince?”

“Duke, you also knew?”

The saint widened her eyes.

“Yes, currently my partner is Prince Carlos. It’s all thanks to His Majesty considering my situation with few acquaintances in the Empire.”

With her long eyelashes lowered, the saint formed a sad smile around her lips.

“But… I had no intention of that.”

Lowering her voice, the saint approached Johann. As she swept her bright blonde hair behind her ears, her pure and clean neck became prominent.

A rich fragrance of lilies intensified. Johann’s vision turned reddish as he looked at the saint.

‘Johann. You must survive. Promise me.’

The overwhelming stench of blood, the soaring flames as if they would devour everything. His ears felt stuffy, and his throat seemed to tighten, as if he were choking.

Memories overwhelmed his entire body.

‘Johann Blancchat. Do you know what burning pain feels like? I wish you could die, feeling your flesh burning. You’re so lucky. You can survive without experiencing such pain. In that regard, your family was very unlucky.’

Johann clenched his fist with force. He wanted to destroy everything around him instantly. The violence suppressed by the screams of his family prompted him.

“Johann?”

The saint called Johann’s name in a subtle voice. Johann’s red eyes stared at the saint’s face with intensity.

‘As expected.’

Stella hid her joy and formed a graceful smile.

‘Truly, he instinctively recognized who his real companion is.’

Duke Johann Blancchat seemed confused. Between the imposter who coveted the borrowed position and Stella, who should rightfully receive the treatment as the real wife.

‘But everything is predetermined. I will save him.’

Johann could no longer swallow his hatred.

Unnoticed by Stella, a large hand of a man suddenly appeared. It seemed to tighten the opponent’s throat.

‘Kill that woman.’

In the moment his hand moved as if to break Stella’s neck.

“That’s enough.”

A voice with a firm attitude. Though seemingly nonchalant, a strong hand from someone restrained Johann’s hand.

Orteka Jaesang smiled with apparent ease, placing his hand on Stella’s shoulder.

Johann’s ruthless gaze turned towards Orteka Jaesang. With a gentle expression, he was the venomous snake of the Emperor, ruthlessly punishing the Emperor’s enemies.

“I apologize, Duke Blancchat.”

Unusually, Jaesang politely bowed his head to Johann, lowering it deeply.

“I’m sorry, but it seems the saint momentarily forgot about having a partner for the party. She occasionally shows such immature behavior because she grew up so elegantly in the temple.”

Words that gracefully belittled the saint, spoken with a seemingly nonchalant attitude but carried strength.
Johann furrowed his stern eyebrows. It was an unexpected attitude for an emperor’s confidant, given the importance placed on the relationship with the temple.

‘This must be what the Emperor ordered.’

Orteka Jaesang spoke warmly, as if sympathizing with Johann’s feelings.

“The saint’s partner is His Highness the Crown Prince. It has been decided. If the Duke overlooks the saint’s mistake lightly, I will take her away, and she will be thoroughly instructed in the court manners of the palace.”

Stella responded sullenly to Jaesang’s words.

“…Even if you hadn’t said that, Duke, and I were conversing quite well. We were becoming friends without any ulterior motives.”

“I am not your friend.”

Johann warned with a sharp tone. Unintentionally, a savage intent was revealed.

“I told you, Saint.”

Jaesang cautioned Stella in a low voice, patting her shoulder. While it seemed like he was protecting her, in reality, Jaesang was threatening her.

“Be mindful. Especially to Duke Blancchat, a distinguished guest of the royal family.”

Stella couldn’t act freely.

Johann felt disoriented between the deep resentment he felt and his relationship with Estelle.

He had thought of killing her.

Since that day when he could do nothing, he had yearned for merciless revenge on all his enemies.

So, he had tried to kill her. However, there had never been such intense hatred as now.

‘Who is this woman, after all?’

A woman who stirred deeper hatred in Johann than anyone, even more than Libertan.

His head began to ache again. But Johann didn’t mind the pain. He ignored the saint and walked away.

More than this woman right now, he had learned something new.

‘What I truly seek.’

Johann’s goal had always been the same. To kill the enemies who had destroyed Blancchat.

‘Estelle…’

Estelle was different from those enemies.

Even if he could mock the dead Yesstella, his deceased daughter, he couldn’t lay a finger on Estelle, who had become his wife.

Johann headed towards the room where Estelle was waiting without looking back. He had longed for this moment since leaving the room.

But now, this moment he couldn’t see immediately felt like hell.

He needed Estelle.

Too desperately.

“B-Blancchat Duke!”