As the tip of Deringer’s knife touched her thigh, a sharp pain spread, awakening a groggy consciousness. A muffled moan escaped between Adel’s lips.

“Sigh…”

Despite clinging to the determination not to lose consciousness, Adel, unable to bear the growing weight, eventually collapsed to the floor.

‘I need to regain consciousness…’

Fortunately, it seemed the effects of the sleeping fragrance had subsided as the smoke that hazed her vision cleared, and her sight gradually became clearer. However, it was precisely when she was barely holding onto the fading edge of consciousness that the voices of people conversing outside reached her ears, and the firmly closed entrance door creaked open. The sound of someone’s footsteps resonated in her ears as it reached the ground.

“Are you all ready?”

“Yes. Both the Grand Duchess and the Third Prince seem to have lost consciousness.”

As the conversation outside was heard, a man, seemingly the leader among several men, smiled satisfactorily upon seeing the two people lying weakly.

“Indeed, the effect of the sleeping fragrance imported from the East is excellent.”

Having sent away all his subordinates, the man approached the table first. He lightly touched Rainian’s face, who had lost consciousness, as if tapping.

Rainian, lying on the table with closed eyes, showed no reaction as if dead. The man found a water jar overturned near his head and laughed, kicking the jar.

“Rainian, acting smart but looking pathetic. Falling for such a trap.”

To ensure safety, before the start of the hunting competition, Adel had secretly ordered someone to release an anesthetic into Rainian’s water jar.

As it was said to be so powerful that it could even make elephants from the East faint, Rainian falling so lifelessly was not unreasonable.

“Now, since Rainian’s side seems worry-free… shall we go check on the condition of our Grand Duchess?”

The man, convinced that Rainian had completely lost consciousness, approached Adel, singing a tune, and kneeled down beside her.

“Oh, lying on this cold floor like this… What a humble situation…”

As the man momentarily lifted his body, Adel, surprised, suppressed the sound that was about to burst out by biting her teeth.

In the current situation, where the man’s identity and intentions were unknown, she couldn’t act hastily. She closed her eyes, pretending to have lost consciousness, and tried not to show any reaction.

“It would be better for you to lie on a simple bed. In many ways.”

The man, who had placed Adel on a wooden bed on one side of the log house, gently smoothed her disheveled hair, stroking her soft cheek.

“The Grand Duchess’s skin is unbelievably soft.”

With a voice that seemed intoxicated, the man whispered into her ear. Adel shivered all over as the man’s sticky breath touched her. Trying to endure this disgusting situation, she bit down harder on her teeth.

‘I have to endure… I feel like I’ve heard this voice somewhere.’

Trying to recall whose voice this disturbing voice belonged to, Adel focused her attention. From the man’s words, it was apparent that he knew Rainian well and was familiar with her as well.

“All because of that damn Grand Duke… Do you know how much trouble I’ve had because I couldn’t properly catch your hand once?”

The man’s touch, which had been lingering on her cheek, gradually descended along her jawline.

“Lisandro’s woman, unlike any other… This fair skin, incomparable to even precious porcelain from the East. Truly the epitome of Upieter’s beauty.”

‘…!’

In the man’s whispered words, a face of someone suddenly came to her mind.

Nice to meet you. Meeting the Grand Duchess like this, I think I might understand what they mean by the epitome of Upieter’s beauty.
It was the face of the Second Prince that she had seen during the recent diplomatic ceremony with the Lisandro Imperial Family. The voice of the Second Prince, who gazed at her with impure desires, was unmistakable.

‘This can’t be true! If this man is really the Second Prince…’

This was not a simple matter. It was a situation that could escalate into a diplomatic issue between the two countries.

Adel was aware of the rumors that the Second Prince was fond of women, thanks to information from Ophelia. Ophelia had even warned her not to be alone with the Second Prince, emphasizing that he had a particular interest in her.

Fortunately, there had been no special occasions for Adel to encounter the Second Prince until now, but…

‘Could he really go to such lengths…!’

Her complexion darkened even more. Adel pondered how to escape this situation. Meanwhile, the Second Prince’s touch was becoming increasingly unbridled.

The Second Prince began unbuttoning Adel’s high-collared shirt, part of her riding attire. As each button came undone, her corset, which encased her shapely chest and slender waist, was revealed.