On the tenth day since Cain had not opened his eyes, the political situation in the kingdom changed drastically.

“Count Carelina has completely fallen from grace. His Majesty’s army has occupied the count’s residence.”

Nathan reported to Jane.

“So suddenly? Until recently, Count Carelina and His Majesty were on good terms.”

“The corruption issues of the Carelina family have surfaced. It’s at a level His Majesty cannot ignore.”

“Is that so? For such a matter, the press seems quiet.”

There was one newspaper that would pounce like a pack of dogs when nobles did wrong. Their silence meant the media was being controlled.

“It seems to reflect His Majesty’s intention to handle the matter quietly.”

As expected, Jane’s prediction was spot on.

Jane thought of Scarlet. She was likely to cause trouble soon, but with her family in ruins, she wouldn’t have the chance to do anything.

‘It’s like blowing one’s nose without using hands.’

While Jane felt relieved, the news that Helena had wiped out an entire family didn’t sound good at all.

‘Does this mean she’s merciless to anyone who offends her, loyal subject or not?’

The Hastings also had aspects that weren’t above board. Jane couldn’t help but worry about that part.

“Is there anything else I should know?”

“There is.”

Nathan’s voice lowered.

“The Rose Faction has begun attacking major institutions.”

“Major institutions, you mean public security offices?”

Nathan fiddled with the end of his eyebrow.

“Not just security offices. They’re targeting courts, libraries, all government-run institutions.”

“What about casualties?”

“Except for security officers, there haven’t been any serious injuries. But if this continues, casualties will mount.”

“Why is the Rose Faction suddenly causing trouble?”

“Well… they’re demanding the release of Augustus.”

Jane’s eyes turned fierce. Was this their idea of conviction, destroying public facilities used by many for the sake of one person?

“Is the security force responding actively?”

“They are, but because the faction moves in small, covert groups, we can only respond after incidents occur.”

It seemed like a real crisis was brewing. Jane sighed and buried her face in her dry hands.

Watching Jane’s distress, Nathan said,

“I wasn’t going to report this, but I thought you should know. Usually, the duke would resolve such matters.”

“Cain?”

Jane raised her head. Nathan nodded with a bitter smile.

Just how many tasks had he been handling? How had he endured such heavy responsibilities?

Jane’s mouth tasted bitter.

“That concludes my report.”

“Nathan, you always work so hard.”

Nathan smiled faintly at Jane’s words of gratitude.

“My lady, you should rest now too.”

“You’re right. I should rest too. By the way, what happened to Count Carelina and Scarlet?”

“Both their whereabouts are unknown. Shall I look into it?”

Wondering if it would burden Nathan, Jane nodded after considering the possibility of problems arising.

If Helena hadn’t separately imprisoned Count Carelina and Scarlet, if the two had secretly escaped, problems could arise at any time.

“Yes, understood. I’ll really be going now.”

‘So please stop giving me work.’

Nathan’s expression said.

Jane waved her hand in lieu of a farewell. While Cain lay still in bed, endless matters requiring attention kept arising.

Jane clutched her head as her temples throbbed, instead of the report.

She definitely needed to rest today. Just as she was about to leave the room.

“My lady, a carriage from the palace has arrived.”

Helena summoned Jane.

* * *

“Ah, what are you doing? Can’t you do it properly?”

Helena swung her foot. The maid massaging her feet fell hard on her bottom.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

The maid knelt immediately, unable to process the pain from her tailbone.

Helena clicked her tongue and gestured to a knight. Clank, as the knight approached, the maid’s face turned pale.

“Your Majesty, please spare me. Please spare my life.”

Helena rubbed her ear. Lately, many people had been begging her for their lives. Anyone watching might think she was a tyrant who killed indiscriminately.

She doesn’t kill if one doesn’t do wrong.

No, sometimes she doesn’t kill even if they do wrong. When they’re very useful.

“How noisy. Remove her quickly.”

The knight covered the maid’s mouth with his large hand and dragged her out.

Jane was outside. She bit the inside of her mouth hard upon seeing the maid being dragged away.

“If you’ve arrived, why not come in?”

Helena smiled brightly as if she had never been irritated. It was a different attitude from when she last called for Jane.

‘I must be careful.’

Jane knew that Cain called Helena an ‘old raccoon’. She was cunning enough to deserve such a nickname.

Jane clenched her fist tightly. As her nails dug into her palm, the slight pain sharpened her mind.

“May the Goddess’s smile be upon you. Did you call for me, Your Majesty? I would have come to see you if you had just said to come in, but I’m grateful that you even sent a carriage.”

Jane bowed deeper than ever before.

“It’s nothing to bring the wife of my loyal subject.”

The word ‘loyal subject’ deeply imprinted in Jane’s mind. She instinctively felt that Helena was trying to assign a task to the duke’s family.

That task was none other than.

“I hear those Rose Faction bastards are acting up again these days. Even though the duke put considerable effort into crushing them.”

“Is that so.”

Jane pretended not to know.

“Oh, is this talk uncomfortable? Does it remind you of Count Whitney?”

Honestly, in the past, her heart would sink at the mere mention of the Rose Faction. She wasn’t confident she could remain calm hearing her parents being slandered, and she feared being labeled as a Rose Faction supporter because of it.

But not now. It’s true her parents supported the Rose Faction, but their support didn’t cause many nobles and commoners to get hurt.

In Jane’s judgment, her parents bore more responsibility than their actions warranted.

So it wasn’t Jane who should be uncomfortable, but those who drove her parents to an unjust death and those who knew about it.

Like Helena, for instance.

“It’s fine, Your Majesty.”

“That’s good then. I was worried you might still be hung up on what happened 7 years ago. You’re quite a wise person. It’s good to see you’re not stuck in the past.”

What did she want to say by praising her? Jane’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s getting quite late, Your Majesty. I’m concerned that staying up too late might harm your health.”

It was a prompt to get to the point quickly if she had something to say.

“It’s nothing much. The Hastings ducal family needs to eradicate those Rose Faction bastards.”

“Your Majesty’s army has already…”

“It doesn’t look good for me to beat up my own citizens, even if they’ve rebelled against me. Especially when they’re not waging an all-out war.”

Her intention to use the Hastings as a scapegoat was clear.

“What? Don’t you like the Hastings getting a lot of criticism? You don’t need to worry about that part.”

“As the duchess, I can’t help but be concerned, Your Majesty. Also, the matter of dealing with the Rose Faction is not something I can decide on my own. Please reconsider.”

Jane bowed her head.

Helena looked down at the top of Jane’s head and smirked.

“My, I didn’t intend to say this much.”

Jane raised her head and their gazes met.

“Do you know why your family was crushed by me? It was all because of the Hastings.”

Helena dropped a bomb. However, timing was crucial for both bombs and gifts.

Helena’s bomb was a dud that wouldn’t explode for Jane, who had already heard all there was to hear.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Helena’s eyebrows twisted strangely at Jane’s unwavering response.

This wasn’t the reaction she wanted.

She wanted Jane to get angry, to rage, and then to beg her to eliminate the Rose Faction and the Hastings, rolling in the palm of her hand.

There was hardly any sense of resentment towards the Hastings.

‘Oh ho, could she be in love with Cain?’

Is she so blinded by love that she’s pretending not to know about her parents’ grudge?

It was very displeasing.

“Your Majesty, if you have nothing more to say, I’ll take my leave now. Regarding the Rose Faction issue, I’ll discuss it with Cain when he wakes up.”

Jane stood up before Helena even dismissed her. Annoyed by this impudence, Helena played her last card.

‘If you’re not on my side anyway, just get lost.’

“Joseph, the Hastings young master is not the duke’s biological son, I hear. That child’s birth father was particularly close to the Rose Faction.”

Jane was grateful she had already stood up and turned around. Otherwise, her shocked expression would have been completely exposed.

“Your Majesty, I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I already know everything.”

From the beginning, Helena believed Scarlet’s words. Few people lie in the face of death.

Nevertheless, she pretended not to know because the Hastings were useful. As an obedient dog, that is.

But what if the dog doesn’t obey well?

Then it should be driven out immediately.

“What do you think would happen if this fact became known to the world? It’s only a matter of time before the Hastings, who received respect and praise from the nobles, fall.”

Jane gritted her teeth. She couldn’t pretend not to know. Helena was speaking with certainty. She clearly had a reliable source of information. It was obvious she had confirmed the facts.

“What exactly do you want?”

Helena pondered deeply.

Jane, who had remained calm even at the mention of her parents, was now stirring, making Helena desire something greater.

“What I want.”

A deep smile spread across Helena’s face as she contemplated what to demand.