“This is truly a tragic day, Father.”

Elaina said, looking at Melvin with a face as cold as ice, even when she smiled.

“In the end, you have no substantial evidence or witnesses. Unlike His Highness the Prince and I.”

“Elaina!”

The absurdity of Elaina ultimately betraying him was incomparable to the emotions he felt about Sinclair’s brazen scheme.

How dare you.

How dare you!

You wench!

You of all people!

Sparks flew from Melvin’s eyes as he glared at Elaina.

“I think we’re done here, Melvin.”

Sinclair, who had been listening to their conversation, opened his mouth with a snicker.

“There are many interesting laws in Edenbell. Especially regarding the imperial family.”

“Your Highness, this is truly a misunderstanding! I swear I never had any such intention…!”

“Shall I have them all beheaded?”

In an instant, the faces of the Aswald family members all turned pale without a trace of color.

All except one, Elaina.

“Or perhaps hanged?”

Sinclair, who was much taller than Melvin, looked down at him and said,

“It seems to me that you have a secret hobby. Something very filthy and dirty.”

“Pardon…?”

“You look the part.”

“……”

“I’ve heard that those who have indulged in all sorts of perverted tastes feel immense pleasure even when they’re being hanged and their neck is being squeezed.”

“What… do you…”

“I’ve always been curious about that. What kind of face do they make to elicit such words even in death? Do they reach climax instead of a dying scream?”

Sinclair said, his eyes sparkling as if he had a truly scholarly curiosity.

“And I thought you could perfectly satisfy my curiosity. Don’t you think so? My dear Melvin.”

Sinclair asked with a bright smile.

His voice was filled with sincere delight, so despite the brutal words that kept pouring out, the atmosphere did not grow heavy.

At the sight of Sinclair, the faces of the people gathered showed a subtle mix of feeling sick and fearful of his madness.

And Elaina silently stared at such Sinclair.

With a very quiet face.

“I… am truly… wronged. There must be some misunderstanding. No… what I mean is…”

“Are you believing everything that stupid, worthless wench says?!”

Leila blurted out, clenching her fists.

No matter how reckless she was, Leila couldn’t help but feel fear toward Sinclair.

But ridiculously, more than that fear, she didn’t want to admit the fact that she had been bested by the incompetent Elaina Aswald. Her pride was hurt more than anything else.

To Leila, the most important and noble thing, something that should never be violated, was that very useless pride.

Specifically limited to Elaina.

“Leila!”

Melissa screamed in shock, but Leila didn’t stop.

“She may talk big, but in the end, it’s all sophistry! How dare a vulgar wench who hasn’t even received proper education pretend to know anything!”

“Stop it, Leila!”

“The reason Father tried to send that wench to Duke Hank was the same! Because no one would take in a crippled idiot!”

“Is that so?”

Sinclair asked with a chuckle.

“If what you say is true, then Duke Hank must be a truly excellent person. Don’t you think?”

“That’s right. Father knew that fact, so he was willing to send Elaina away with peace of mind! Not sold for a large sum of money!”

“While it’s a bit off-topic, you have a point.”

At Sinclair’s unexpected affirmation, Melvin’s fingertips trembled.

Because he knew Sinclair Butler was not someone who would utter such words in vain.

“Then, I will personally send a carriage to the great Duke Hank this time.”

Sinclair said with a haughty smile.

“There’s someone who fits the conditions you just mentioned perfectly. Other than Elaina Aswald.”

“What do you…”

“You.”

“……”

“Leila Aswald.”

Leila, who failed to properly understand Sinclair’s meaning, showed a slightly dazed expression.

“Stupid, vulgar, and frivolous. Also, it seems to me that you have a problem here.”

Sinclair tapped his head with his index finger as he spoke.

“Since Duke Hank is truly excellent, your father will be able to send you away with peace of mind too, right?”

“That… That’s…”

“How about it, Melvin? Quite a tempting offer of goodwill, isn’t it?”

“……”

“And on second thought, executing you by beheading or hanging seemed a bit hasty.”

Melvin looked at Sinclair with a gaze full of confusion, not knowing which beat to follow. And Sinclair continued with a smirk.

“As I said earlier, such executions would provide you with the greatest joy, right? Without any price to pay at that.”

“Pardon…?”

“So, I changed my mind a little.”

Suddenly, an ominous silence fell. In that silence, Sinclair slowly reached out and grabbed Melvin’s collar.

Melvin’s short and plump body, like a fat mouse, was lifted into the air without being able to struggle properly.

Lifting Melvin with one hand like that, Sinclair spoke to his face in a flat voice.

“To spare your life, but make it painful for the rest of your days.”

“Ugh… Ack…”

“That’s more fun, isn’t it? Right?”

Sinclair smiled with satisfaction.

“But you don’t have to worry too much about Leila Aswald. I’ve decided to bestow a very special, huge favor.”

Sinclair’s gaze then turned to Leila.

“Regardless of the disposal of your parents, you will become Duke Hank’s seventh concubine, recognized even by Melvin Aswald as truly excellent. I promise you that very clearly.”

Leila, who was at a loss for words after being tricked by her own scheme, made a short “Ack” sound.

“This should be a happy ending for everyone, right? Melvin.”

“Your Highness!”

It was Melissa who burst into tears, kneeling at Sinclair’s words.

“I’m sorry. I boldly engaged in futile acts without knowing my place.”

Melissa begged like a fly, rubbing her hands together.

“I will gladly accept any punishment. So please… spare Leila…”

“Right. You want me to send Leila to Duke Hank to be his concubine?”

“No! That’s not what I meant!”

Tears welled up in Melissa’s eyes, which were monstrously large.

“I can’t… send Leila… to such a place…”

Melissa’s pronunciation was muddled with moisture, making it difficult to understand properly.

“Forgive… Please forgive us… I will dedicate my whole life to atoning. With all my heart…”

But Sinclair’s reaction was only cold. Realizing that fact, Melissa quickly changed her target.

She crawled like a dog and approached Elaina, who was standing and looking at them.

Then, she grabbed Elaina’s damaged leg and began to beg as if pleading.

“Elaina… Please… Forgive us…”

“……”

“You must have had many grievances with us. No matter how long it takes… I will apologize until you can accept it. I truly mean it. So…”

But Melissa’s words could not continue any further.

Because suddenly, there was a thud from behind her.

It was the sound of Sinclair slamming Melvin into the wall.

“Ugh… Ack…”

Melvin groaned and clutched his head, which had been properly smashed against the wall, but even that pitiful action didn’t last long.

Because Sinclair grabbed his holy hair roughly.

“You saw it clearly, Melvin.”

There was no trace of the earlier smile on Sinclair’s face as he glared at Melvin as if to kill him. Only razor-sharp murderous intent and anger could be felt.

“That’s what you should be doing now. Crawling like a dog and begging like a fly.”

“Ugh…”

“Before my patience truly runs out while entertaining your insane wordplay.”

“……”

“Shall I have all three of you dismembered and crushed beyond recognition?”

…As you know, that’s something I’m very confident in.

Sinclair’s golden eyes flashed ominously as he spoke.

And Melvin instinctively realized.

The only thing he could do now. The only thing he had to do.

“I apologize…”

Melvin lowered his head deeply and spoke in a powerless, loose voice as if uttering his last words.

“I apologize… Your Highness…”

“……”

“Your Highness is absolutely right… I boldly engaged in such acts… without knowing my place… even though I clearly knew Elaina had become the Crown Princess…”

Melvin sobbed.

“And Elaina… I’m truly so… sorry…”

As soon as Melvin finished speaking, Sinclair rose to his feet.

“From today, confine them all to the mansion, Schuler.”

Then he turned to Schuler and said,

“Until I give permission, they cannot go anywhere or meet anyone. If they violate my order, behead the three of them on the spot. You know what I mean.”

“Yes.”

The moment Schuler answered, Sinclair strode up to Elaina. Then he held out his hand to her.

“Now, let’s attend to our own business.”

[My guard knight will come to pick you up, so just keep that in mind. You left some things at the mansion anyway, didn’t you?]

Elaina belatedly realized what Sinclair meant by “business”.

She silently looked down at the large hand held out in front of her, slightly splattered with Melvin’s blood.

A crazy prince, the scoundrel Sinclair Butler. The shame of Edenbell. Trash like an evil spirit that wouldn’t die no matter how much he was driven to death.

But regardless of his intentions, he was the only person helping her, both when she was kidnapped by that damn Duke Hank and at this very moment.

Her blue eyes, filled with Sinclair, rippled like the sea.

“Yes.”

With a short answer, Elaina slowly reached out her hand.

“Let’s do that, Sinclair.”

Then she took his hand.

At her name that had subtly become more intimate, with the honorific dropped, Sinclair smiled.

And he began to walk with her toward the mansion.

Subtly matching Elaina’s pace, which was much slower than his.

Thus, Elaina took steps without hesitation, even while limping. Stepping on Leila’s hand as she lay tied up, stepping on the hem of Melissa’s expensive dress, and stepping on the puddle of blood Melvin had shed.