“If you don’t like it… should I extinguish it?”

At that moment, the clean scent of rosemary herbs wafted from the scented candle to the king’s nostrils.

“…Della.”

Instantly, the king’s dry lips involuntarily curved. The name he had kept in his heart emerged and spilled out.

Even if he longed for her, even if he regretted it, it was the name of someone he could never see.

“Mother.”

Simultaneously, a sigh of longing escaped from Marboro’s lips like a lament.

Wide-eyed, Laila alternately glanced at the king and Marboro. The king, who had been glancing at the scented candle for a moment, spoke to Laila.

“Leave it as it is.”

Relieved by the king’s much more relaxed tone, Laila took her place next to Marboro.

“If the tension and stress are relieved, it’s the fragrance your mother loved so much.”

For the first time at the king’s words, a gentle smile graced Marboro’s lips.

“Yes, even though I was young, I remember. The rosemary herbs filled the garden.”

As if encouraging him to continue the story, the king nodded his head. He, too, couldn’t help but smile warmly.

Both were sharing everyday stories about someone they both knew.

Marboro’s frozen heart began to thaw like the land welcoming spring.

His mother told the king that he loved him. However, Marboro couldn’t believe those words.

He thought it was his mother’s worry that her son might hate his father.

The king undoubtedly hated Marboro’s mother, who had been abandoned because she couldn’t produce an heir.

He believed that the king changed his mind after realizing that he was the king’s only bloodline.

However, Ellen’s scented candle magically brought out the memories of both.

Marboro, who exchanged tender memories about someone with the king, realized.

He understood his father.

Even as a king, there must have been many things he couldn’t do with his heart alone.

Simultaneously, the king’s feelings of hatred toward Ellen began to change.

Philip and Ellen might have divorced. It seemed unlikely that she would sit on the throne.

‘No matter how bad she is, it seems that the bloodline of the Renaud Duke’s family is not easily severed.’

It seemed okay to acknowledge her business.

While Philip and Ellen were spending sweet time in their own place, Enoch went to see the confined marquis.

The marquis was taken away by the knights, but he was not imprisoned. It was just that any possible escape had been blocked.

“Darn, darn, darn, darn.”

The very uneasy marquis muttered a single word, tearing at his nails until blood was drawn. Watching this, Enoch casually lifted one corner of his mouth and spoke.

“You’ve been through a lot, Marquis Onderra.”

“You!”

The confined marquis, seeing Enoch, jumped up.

“Did you come to see me?”

“That’s correct.”

“Can you please help me a bit!”

“What endless and bottomless thing are you talking about?”
“Aren’t you close to His Majesty the King? This incident should strengthen the king’s resolve against that woman’s scheme.”

In response to the marquis’s desperate request for help, Enoch smirked.

“I’d like to, but the current situation doesn’t bode well for the marquis.”

Enoch informed the marquis that after he was taken away, the king ordered a scented candle from Ellen.

“His Majesty? Th-that can’t be! His Majesty dislikes that woman.”

Enoch let out a bitter laugh.

Even he couldn’t figure out how this happened. Anyway, it felt like all his plans were falling apart.

Enoch’s plan.

If Marboro became the new king, the positions of the cooperating noble families would be solidified. Among them, the most prominent figure was undoubtedly Count Maurice.

Enoch was close to the versatile Philip. However, he himself had no outstanding abilities. Since he wasn’t the heir of a noble family, it was challenging to solidify his position.

In his thoughts, he recalled that Philip had filed for divorce.

Enoch knew Philip’s aspirations through several conversations.

Philip wanted a spouse who was clever and wise, enduring the hardships of a villainous wife. Although there was a glaring disparity between reality and his ideals, he was in a state of resignation.

But once Philip became the new king’s mentor, opportunities for remarriage would flood in like water.

Enoch decided to find a remarriage opportunity that matched Philip’s preferences.

Of course, it had to be a woman who listened well to Enoch. Only then could he manipulate Philip, who had fallen in love with his wife, from behind.

‘I’ll leverage Philip’s power to have the new king bestow separate honors upon me.’

He also wanted to capture the invisible power player.

But he couldn’t figure out where things had gone wrong.

Today, Philip didn’t even blink at Darina. Instead, he seemed to be fixated on his former wife again. At this point, suspicions naturally arose.

Perhaps Philip enjoyed playing with both sides.

‘In that case, should I make the villainess leave first? And if that doesn’t work…’

Various plans started to form in Enoch’s mind.

“Enoch Gongja, why are you just standing there? Say something.”

“Hmm! Anyway.”