The atmosphere in the Crown Prince’s palace was tense from the morning. This was because Frederick’s mood was extremely bad after checking the morning newspaper.

The article contained news that Demian had busted an illegal slave auction and exposed Duke Grant, who had dabbled in evil black magic.

“Demian Vandermir, that son of a bitch……”

Unable to contain his rising anger, Frederick grabbed a nearby vase and threw it.

The servants held their breath, not even daring to scream. When he expressed his anger physically like this, they had to stay quiet as much as possible so as not to upset his mood.

“I was too lenient, and now he’s trying to climb all the way to the top. How dare that worm who doesn’t know his place dare to challenge me.”

The sound of grinding teeth leaked through Frederick’s clenched jaw. He never imagined he would lose his closest confidant, Duke Grant, in this way.

He had been properly beaten by Demian. That fact was too much for his pride to bear.

He threw objects over and over while thinking of Demian, stomped on the debris, and slapped the cheek of a servant who dared to try to stop him.

It had been a while since he had acted this violently. Usually he pretended to be calm to maintain his dignity as the Crown Prince.

After venting his anger in a near-rampage for a while, Frederick finally calmed down when his aide visited.

After briefly ordering the messy office to be cleaned up, he moved to the reception room.

“I am here to see Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Report.”

“Yes, understood.”

The aide answered tensely to the immediate order that skipped even greetings. The content he was about to report did not seem likely to smooth the Crown Prince’s furrowed brow.

Carefully watching Frederick’s extremely sensitive expression, the aide cautiously opened his mouth.

“Among the evidence collected by the authorities from the illegal slave auction, there were no ledgers or key confidential documents from the top of the Dom. The same goes for the list of evidence submitted by Lord Vandermir. Just in case, we sent people to search the guild office, but they were not found there either.”

“So are you saying those things grew legs and ran away?”

“Ah, no. The guild leader must have taken or disposed of them… or the Red Hawk Knights must have stolen them.”

At those last words, Frederick frowned. With a headache coming on, he massaged his temples and said in a sharp voice:

“Where is the guild leader imprisoned?”

“About that… He was locked up in the underground prison on the west side of the Imperial Palace, but he escaped at dawn today.”

Brandon had secretly escaped by bribing a low-ranking knight guarding the prison, and was currently in hiding.

A tracking team was quickly dispatched, but rumors were already circulating that he had crossed into another country.

Frederick closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger that was surging again. The veins on the back of his clenched fist bulged.

“Go and catch that bastard right now.”

“I will obey your command, Your Highness.”

The aide stood up abruptly and bowed deeply as he answered. Then he politely paid his respects before hurriedly going out. He seemed afraid of incurring wrath if he stayed any longer.

Left alone in the reception room, Frederick sank into thought.

‘Did Demian Vandermir take those things, or not?’

He had already heard news that the Red Hawk Knights had thoroughly turned over the guild office when they busted the illegal slave auction.

On top of that, considering that he had presented Duke Grant’s black magic bomb contract as evidence, the probability that he had taken them was high. After all, his transaction records would be top secret.

Frederick sighed, holding his forehead, feeling troubled at the thought of important documents being in Demian’s hands.

‘It would be troublesome if the contents of the ledgers or documents were made public.’

He needed to eliminate Demian Vandermir before that. Anyway, for Frederick, Demian’s very existence was displeasing, so it would be a welcome task.

‘How should I get rid of him? Should I frame him for treason?’

There was no more convenient crime for disposing of a political enemy.

But Frederick soon discarded that method. If he immediately branded Demian as a traitor, his wife Arasila would also be disposed of along with him.

‘I need to bring down only Demian Vandermir so I can take Arasila for myself.’

Although they had become almost strangers now, Frederick still had not given up his feelings for Arasila.

At that moment, a servant came to the troubled Frederick and politely handed him a letter.

“This is from the Vandermir ducal family.”

“I see. You may go.”

Frederick checked the letter that had arrived at such a coincidental timing, with a slight frown.

His expression gradually changed subtly as he impassively read the contents that began with formal greetings.

「Your Highness, do you remember the oath of loyalty I swore to you 5 years ago?

I and our Vandermir ducal family will serve you loyally until you become the esteemed Emperor.

So please give my precious son Oscar, who will succeed me, a chance to work for Your Highness as well.」

The Duke of Vandermir had written earnestly until the end, asking for an opportunity for his eldest son. It was a touching love for a child whose reputation was plummeting endlessly due to an illegitimate child scandal.

‘Oscar Vandermir… He shouldn’t be bad to use.’

Frederick smiled slightly at the clever move that suddenly popped into his head.

‘Yes… In the long run, that wouldn’t be bad either.’

He called the servant again and began to write something.

Arasila inquired everywhere to find a man named Sian Mondor. However, no matter how much she searched, no one knew that person.

She even asked the Grand Duchess of Kistan, but she also shook her head.

“I’ve never heard of a family named Mondor in the Grand Duchy. My acquaintances say the same. He could be a foreigner, so you should look more broadly.”

“Yes. Thank you, Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”

On the way back after parting with the Grand Duchess, Arasila let out a deep sigh. Even the Grand Duchess, famous for her influence in high society, didn’t know.

At this point, it was questionable whether Sian Mondor was even a real person.

‘Is Sian Mondor actually Sian and Mondor? Or does it mean something else, not a person’s name?’

Arasila, who had been racking her brains, stopped her carriage in the bustling area. She felt she needed to walk the streets and get some cool air, as it was too stifling inside.

‘These days, the confession potion research isn’t going well either. Everything’s not great except for becoming the successor of the Magic Tower.’

It wasn’t easy to research a flower that had gone extinct decades ago. There was little data, no samples, and none of the three people involved had been particularly interested in botany before, so it was difficult.

As Arasila was walking, looking straight ahead, feeling unsettled by the current situation where good and bad luck had come simultaneously.

“Oh? Lady Vandermir?”

A familiar voice called her from behind. Arasila turned her head in confusion and then opened her eyes wide.

Eric, holding a few books in his arms, approached her with a welcoming face.

“What a coincidence to see you here. Have you been well?”

“Ah, yes. Are you on your way back from the bookstore?”

“Haha, that’s right. I heard a scholar I like published a new book. So I came to buy it myself.”

Eric smiled brightly. With his gentle features, he exuded a soft and mild atmosphere like Iris.

Suddenly thinking that her sister was meeting someone similar to herself, Arasila glanced at the books.

, .

‘…Well, he has unique tastes.’

These were titles she wouldn’t read even if paid to do so. Suddenly remembering that he was a scholar, Arasila asked lightly:

“What exactly did you say you do, Mr. Roberts?”

“I’m a botanist. Until last year, I taught related subjects at the academy, but now I’m focusing on personal research.”

“Ah, I see.”

Arasila nodded. No wonder he was holding plant-related books. She continued with an appropriately sociable response:

“That’s amazing. I’ll always hope your research goes well.”

“Yes, thank you. Congratulations on being designated as the successor of the Magic Tower.”

“Thank you.”

The two exchanged brief greetings and parted ways. However, Arasila, who had been walking deep in thought, suddenly turned around.

“Just a moment, Mr. Roberts.”

The long legs that had been walking leisurely stopped. She quickly closed the not-so-distant gap and stood in front of Eric.

“Yes? What is it?”

Eric looked at Arasila with a surprised face. He never imagined she would suddenly follow and speak to him again.

“What are you currently researching?”

“Now? Um, I was exploring rare plants but finished that last month, and I’m currently wandering around looking for a new topic. Why?”

“Then, how about researching the Dilai flower with me and my juniors? I’d like to recruit you.”

If Eric, a botanist, joined the research, they could solve the difficulties they were facing due to lack of knowledge about flowers.

Until now, she hadn’t thought about it because there were no relevant people around, but encountering Eric like this made her realize they needed a promising botanist.

“We’re thinking of making the extinct Dilai flower bloom again. Aren’t you interested?”

Arasila asked again. Faced with this unexpected proposal, Eric blinked slowly and then said with an excited face:

“Of course I’m interested as a botanist! A plant that disappeared from the world is coming back. There’s nothing more thrilling and joyful than that.”

“That’s great. Join me, Mr. Roberts.”

“I really welcome it. I look forward to working with you, Lady Vandermir.”

Eric extended his hand first to offer a handshake. Arasila responded with a smile.

“I look forward to working with you too.”

The two agreed to set a formal appointment later to discuss more details and finally parted ways completely.

Having unexpectedly recruited her sister’s lover, Arasila returned with lighter steps. She was satisfied that at least one of her worries had been lessened.

That evening, Arasila told Demian about what had happened today during dinner.

“On my way back from seeing Her Grace the Grand Duchess of Kistan, I happened to meet Mr. Roberts.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I didn’t know, but he’s a botanist.”

Demian listened to her words with an uninterested face. Since he had little interest in Eric, none of the information related to him was intriguing.

As he was neatly cutting smoked lamb and bringing it to his mouth, he paused at the next words he heard.

“So I’m thinking of working together with Mr. Roberts from now on.”

Work together? On what? Demian’s expression subtly hardened. He recalled the image of the two quickly becoming friendly at the birthday party.

Of course, since Eric was Iris’s lover, it wasn’t romantic jealousy, but instead, a different kind of jealousy arose.

He, as a husband with a time limit, had fewer and fewer days to be with Arasila, but that man didn’t. That thought was the reason.

Come to think of it, not just Eric, but everyone except Demian would be like that.

Suddenly realizing that he was the only one with a set end to the relationship, Demian’s mood sank and he unknowingly asked somewhat sharply:

“What do you mean by working together?”

“On the research I’m currently doing. I was in desperate need of botanical knowledge.”

“Didn’t you say you just met him for the first time recently? Won’t it be uncomfortable?”

“It’s fine. He might even become family later.”

The madam who introduced Iris and Eric was a famous matchmaker in the capital. Moreover, since her mother had introduced them, they were clearly dating with an implicit premise of marriage.

Arasila, who had always been more obedient than herself, and her sister, who had grown up as a perfect noble lady, expected that she would eventually marry according to her parents’ wishes, so she didn’t doubt their relationship at all.

Rather, she thought Eric, who was similar in appearance and atmosphere, suited her very well. She felt even more at ease because he seemed like a good person even from a brief encounter.

‘…So Mr. Roberts’ future is at least to be your family.’

Demian swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue and covered his mouth with a water glass.

He was irritated that he couldn’t control himself from acting petty again and again.

“Oh, more importantly, I actually have something else to tell you.”