It was early morning when Schuler and Glen visited the Crown Prince’s palace.

“You should be getting enough rest, and I feel guilty for bothering you like this. But I thought you should know……”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Sinclair left a brief reply and got up from the bed. But the pain didn’t seem to subside even after taking medicine, as he let out a small groan.

Elaina, who had been silently watching Sinclair, carefully extended her hand.

And helped him sit up leaning against the headboard. Sinclair didn’t seem to like even that, but he didn’t forcefully push away Elaina’s hand. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s in front of Schuler and Glen.

“But why do you look like that?”

Sinclair asked, looking at Schuler and Glen.

And for good reason, the two looked quite disheveled. Schuler had an extremely exhausted face, and there were even bloodstains on his neck and shoulders visible beyond his collar, as if he hadn’t washed them off yet.

Moreover, Glen looked like someone who had been rolling around here and there. His white clothes were completely stained with dirty soil, to the point where it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they were entirely spotted.

“First, just before the ceremony yesterday, I went with Sir Glen to the underground waterway of the temple. Because Sir Glen said he heard someone’s scream.”

At last, Schuler slowly parted his lips.

“And there, we found these.”

What he carefully held out were clothes covered in blood.

It was an obvious act. They must have planned to drug the lion to make it mentally unstable, then familiarize it with the owner’s scent before attacking directly.

Well, it was always one of the things that could happen to me. Such an absurd and childish scheme causing an accident…

Sinclair looked at the clothes with such an indifferent expression, then suddenly froze his face coldly.

Then he snatched the clothes held in Schuler’s hand.

……What Sinclair was glaring at was Elaina’s dress, torn to shreds.

“……”

A rough wave passed over Sinclair’s face, which had been calm without any change in expression. He glared at the clothes with golden eyes full of anger, then gritted his teeth, and finally gripped them with all his might.

His large hand with blue veins protruding trembled.

‘Why?’

Why was he so angry?

Even while showing no interest in his own clothes?

And Elaina soon realized. The situations where Sinclair acted completely differently from what he said were all related to her safety.

Doubt seeped into Elaina’s blue eyes as she stared at Sinclair.

“……There were several corpses and broken chains in disarray, as if they had been attacked and killed in the meantime. So we rushed straight to the sanctuary, but couldn’t prevent you from getting hurt. I’m truly sorry. We should have checked in advance……”

“No, that doesn’t matter now. It’s already happened.”

Sinclair said in an ice-cold voice.

“What happened after that?”

“……I went back to the underground waterway with Sir Glen. But something completely unexpected was happening.”

Schuler muttered, sighing heavily as if he still couldn’t believe it.

“Were they killing?”

Sinclair asked.

“The maids who stole the clothes, the soldiers who guarded the temple, the knights who transported the lion. And all the priests, without exception.”

“Yes…… Your words are correct, Lord Sinclair.”

Glen sighed and answered.

“I was thinking of bringing even one person. It was obvious that they would rush to testify about what they had heard and seen that day if we just guaranteed their lives.”

That’s why we ended up like this. Trying somehow to bring at least a witness.

But the result wasn’t good.

“……And not long after, the Emperor’s and Hister’s knights began swarming in like bees. As if they were checking whether things had been completed well.”

Schuler continued.

“We barely caught one maid and tried to drag her out somehow, but they came at us even shooting arrows. The maid died on the spot with her chest pierced through.”

“Was she a maid belonging to the Crown Prince’s palace?”

“Yes. I remember seeing her a few times. She must have been planted by Hister’s side. I’m truly sorry, Lord Sinclair.”

“Whether you brought a maid, a soldier, or a priest, it would have been useless. So you don’t need to be sorry. Rather, it’s good you lost her.”

“Pardon?”

“Because Hister’s will is also the Emperor’s will.”

Elaina hesitated.

“There’s nothing the Emperor can’t cover up in Edenbell. Everyone should know that.”

Schuler and Glen wore devastated expressions.

“Have the maids belonging to the Crown Prince’s palace sorted out again. Except for those two serving Elaina, whom I specially appointed after thoroughly examining their status and conduct in the imperial palace.”

“Yes, understood. But then…… will you let this incident pass just like this?”

The expressions of Schuler and Glen looking at Sinclair were full of doubt.

Of course, his words weren’t wrong, but at least the Sinclair Butler they knew wasn’t of such a docile personality.

“No.”

And Sinclair muttered with a heavily sneering face.

“I’ll pay them back. Twice over.”

“……”

“In the most horrific way I can imagine.”

It was fine that they targeted me. I didn’t care. That was all the Emperor and Hister knew how to do anyway.

But Elaina was an exception.

……How dare they, not knowing their place, pull this kind of stunt?

And to Elaina at that?

Sinclair’s golden eyes flashed coldly.

“The situation is not good, Hister.”

The Emperor, looking very tired, began speaking as he looked at Hister sitting in front of him.

“……That’s why, why did you do such an absurd thing? Didn’t you just give Sinclair an opportunity for nothing!”

Despite his father’s scolding, Hister maintained the same expression as usual. He wasn’t intimidated at all, nor was he cowed.

“At this rate, you’ll be in danger, Hister!”

The Emperor said in an anguished voice, unable to hold back.

“Sinclair…… who knows what that bastard will do to you……”

“He’ll try to do something, I suppose.”

Hister, who had been quietly listening to the Emperor’s words, parted his lips with a snicker.

“Something much worse than what I did.”

“That’s why, why……!”

“But even then, if something happens to the Crown Princess, he’ll run to her like a dog. The most important thing to Sinclair is that cripple.”

“……What?”

The Emperor paused slightly.

“I heard from Mother once. You know, when Sinclair was going out almost every day saying he would find the Empress’s body.”

Although the Emperor frowned slightly at the mention of the Empress after a long time, Hister didn’t stop there and continued speaking.

“It’s the wench he met then. And that hideously lame foot became that way because of my brother.”

“……Elaina Aswald?”

“Yes.”

Hister smirked.

“You saw her stand in front of the lion, didn’t you, Your Majesty? Elaina Aswald is Sinclair’s only weakness and shame.”

Whether it was guilt for ruining her leg, or love. He guessed it was one of those two.

Also, if it was the latter, Elaina could be utilized very well.

And at the moment the lion pounced on them, Hister realized.

That Sinclair’s feelings were both of those things.

“So, are you saying we should shake Sinclair by getting our hands on the Crown Princess?”

The Emperor asked.

“How on earth.”

“When hunting, don’t the methods change depending on what animal you’re trying to catch?”

The same goes for our work. Hister smiled.

“To catch Sinclair Butler, using Elaina Aswald is best, and to catch Elaina Aswald……”

Hister paused for a moment, then gestured ahead while looking forward.

A knight who had been waiting in advance opened the reception room door, and not long after, Melvin and Leila, father and daughter, stepped inside.

“……I think these people would be most suitable. Don’t you think?”

The Emperor seemed a bit surprised by the sudden situation, but he didn’t show it much.

Melvin and Leila, who had already approached the Emperor, paid their respects with courtesy, and Hister smiled brightly.

“We will become Hister’s people by any means necessary, Your Majesty.”

“……”

“Even if it means killing my daughter with my own hands, without fail.”

“Especially this one seems quite determined.”

Hister’s pale, long fingers pointed towards Leila standing next to Melvin.

Although Leila, who had suffered hardships, no longer had any of her previous glamour……

Something that wasn’t felt before could be seen in Leila’s brown eyes, which closely resembled Melvin’s.

That is, a strong killing intent.

And anger.

“……I know everything about Elaina Aswald, Your Majesty.”

Leila’s lips moved in an eerie voice.

“What hurts her the most. And what’s the easiest way to break her. Everything without exception.”

“……”

“Breaking Elaina down was my lifelong task, not missing a single day.”

By now, even madness-like emotions were seeping from Leila’s face. Hister looked at it very satisfactorily, and said as he shifted his gaze back to the Emperor.

“Aren’t they excellent servants?”

While grinning very ominously.