In the end, Belia bowed her head and bid farewell to the emperor before turning to leave the office.

Then, a very soft utterance from the emperor behind her caught her ears.

“It would have been better if you had married Raoul from the beginning.”

Filled with regret, his voice made Belia pause for a moment, but she didn’t turn around.

Of course, the emperor knew it was too late for such a change now, so perhaps he just voiced his thoughts. He then gestured quietly to the chamberlain standing guard, signaling him to open the door.

As the chamberlain opened the door, Belia calmly left the office with her usual composed steps.

The long corridor of the central palace, covered with red carpets, felt even more burdensome today.

‘If the emperor has that attitude, the search team won’t be very enthusiastic about finding Kallid.’

So, it’s likely that no reports have arrived yet. Honestly, she had doubts about whether they were even sure that the negotiating team had headed to the Schpel region.

Belia hastened her steps toward the Second Prince’s palace.

Surely by today, there must have been some communication from Luness. Derek had mentioned that results would likely come within a few days.

‘Thank goodness for Havis’s help.’

She had promised to quickly confirm and communicate any information using the extensive search tools she had developed.

‘Please…’

She hoped there would be no response from the magical tools.

If there was no human form within the collapsed soil, Kallid must have safely avoided the accident.

Hoping earnestly, she turned around the last pillar in the long corridor.

Then, from behind her, a voice filled with laughter was heard.

It was Raoul.

“Belia.”

Belia threw a cold gaze at him when he called her.

“Haha. Please don’t look at me so coldly.”

He approached her, laughing in response to Belia’s hostile reaction.

“Why the expression on such a nice day?”

“…A nice day?”

At his freezing words, Belia let out a bitter laugh.

“Of course, I understand that you would feel uneasy about Kallid’s disappearance. Still, we’re doing our best in the search, so results should be coming soon.”

Doing their best?

Belia couldn’t help but smirk at Raoul, who shamelessly uttered words that didn’t suit him at all.

“In that case, why hasn’t the search team even provided a mid-term report?”

“There’s nothing good to report, Belia.”

“Don’t call me so informally. I’ve told you several times that you haven’t been granted permission to use my name.”
Belia, not hiding her disdain for him, took a step back from him. Then Raoul approached her more closely.

“Let’s go to my palace and have a little chat. We can have a drink together.”

“I’m sorry, but I have very busy matters to attend to, so that would be difficult.”

Belia, with a furrowed brow, flatly rejected his proposal. Upon this, Raoul took one more step closer and spoke to Belia in a very soft voice, audible only to her.

“You must be suspecting me a lot…”

His lips curled up as if he found it very amusing.

“Do you wonder if I’m the one who put Kallid in danger or not?”

In response to Raoul’s provocation, Belia chuckled. Even if she did suspect him, there was no need to reveal it now.

“The landslide happened because of heavy rain. How could Her Highness have put him in danger while she was at the palace?”

Belia laughed coldly, as if finding it amusing.

“By any chance, did you install something on the mountain?”

“Hahaha, interesting speculation. But I thought you might have noticed, though.”

Raoul grabbed Belia’s hand and pulled her forcefully, then kissed her on the hand.

“Kallid won’t come back now.”

Belia tried to pull her hand away in shock, but Raoul didn’t let go easily.

“What is this?”

“Belia.”

“It’s rude. Let me go.”

She tried to use force, but she still couldn’t free her hand.

What was he doing?

Belia raised her head, meeting eyes with Raoul.

‘Ah.’

Something was off.

The way Raoul looked at Belia was exceptionally fierce.

Possessiveness and a strange sense of superiority.

“Gold mine… demon extermination…”

Muttering incomprehensible words, Raoul smirked with a satisfied smile. Then, he approached Belia again. Belia took a step back, but Raoul didn’t stop.

As Belia, retreating from Raoul’s advance, reached the area near her waist, something caught and bumped into her. When she turned her head slightly, a large window and its frame became visible.

“Nowhere to run now, huh?”

Raoul, finding the situation amusing, moved his head slightly and asked, “What will you do now?” Before Belia could answer, Raoul’s face, approaching quickly, appeared right in front of her.

She noticed something strange.

Raoul’s gaze towards Belia had become exceptionally intense.

Lust, possessiveness, and a deepening sense of desire.

With one hand gripping the glass window, Raoul, keeping Belia trapped so she couldn’t escape, approached her closely again.

‘Hate it…!’

Belia raised her hand and slapped his cheek before his lips could touch hers.

To her, it meant nothing to provoke a prince. She just wanted him to let go.

However, reacting to Belia’s forceful strike, Raoul turned his head away and laughed while covering his eyes with his hand. Then, he wiped the blood from his lips with his hand.

“Is this… what Kallid taught you?”

His tone changed.

It was strange.

With an odd sense of unease surrounding her, Belia glared at him, breathing heavily.

“Huh? Belia.”

His gaze had definitely changed.

Arrogant and cold.

And that was a look Belia was very familiar with.

“No… It can’t be…”

Realizing something, Belia widened her eyes.
Looking at Belia in that state, Raoul, who wore a deep smile, reached out his hand. Then, gently brushing her trembling hair and cheek, he spoke with his mouth open.

“My empress.”