Prince Norton, eager to leave, tried to conclude the situation by anticipating the future meeting of the two women.
“I don’t like it. What if sharks come out in the lake?”

Sharks in the lake? Is she joking?

In response to Melanie’s words, both Prince Norton and Logi simultaneously opened their mouths and stared at her.

“Hahaha, are you serious about that?”

Princess Lyselia also laughed, mocking Melanie.

“Why?”

“Sharks in the imperial lake? No way.”

“None?”

Melanie asked, pressing further.

With an expression that seemed to say, ‘I don’t want to mix words with someone so clueless,’ Princess Lyselia sharply retorted.

“Of course not. They’ve already been filtered out!”

“…”

“…”

Melanie’s slightly stunned face at the princess’s assertive tone, and the frozen faces of Logi and Prince Norton, left them all staring blankly.

‘These two are really strange! Seriously strange.’

Logi also wanted to leave this place quickly.

She began to pick up her scrolls and knee blankets to put them in a basket but accidentally dropped a scroll.

Prince Norton picked up the fallen book.

“Oh, thank you.”

Logi extended both hands to him.

While smiling at her and handing over the book, Prince Norton casually unfolded a section of the book and raised an eyebrow.

“Divine Sword?”

Logi was startled by the words Prince Norton mumbled quietly.

“I… Your Highness, do you know the ancient language of the Parcha Empire?”

Hoping it wasn’t true…

The drawer where I hid the magic potion bottles was slightly ajar.

On the dressing table, a pouch containing the magic potion bottles was on display.

I rushed to the dressing table and grabbed the pouch.

What’s this?

Part of the pouch was slightly damp.

I quickly opened the pouch’s entrance and checked the magic potion bottles inside.

Damn!

Among the three magic potions I received from the ‘Confident Night’ clinic, one of the cork stoppers was open.

‘That rascal isn’t human, really!’

I clenched the entrance of the pouch with one hand and approached Prince Tessler.

He opened his mouth nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.

“Just wanted to take a look.”

“What on earth are you doing!”

Since there were attendants waiting outside the bedroom, I couldn’t raise my voice as much as my anger.

Prince Tessler, taking advantage of that fact, responded leisurely.

“I’ve never seen what a magic potion bottle that removes burn scars looks like, so I thought I’d take it out and see…”

“What… How did you know it was behind the dressing table drawer?”

I asked, gritting my teeth.

Then he pulled something the size of his palm from his chest.

It was two connected silver bars. At the end of the bars, a transparent bead was attached, and inside it, liquid swirled.

“If you put the magic potion you’re looking for and a location-tracking potion into these two beads, it will find the place where those ingredients are. It serves as a kind of detector.”
After Prince Tessler matched his lips to the bead, he put the silver detector back into his pocket.

I wouldn’t feel this disgusted if he had at least threatened me with a stern face.

Seeing him smiling while making threats twisted my insides.

A despicable and petty child.

If I had known, I would have strangled Magician Big’s neck for more magic potions on the day of the clinic! No, even if I did that, he would eventually find them.

I mentioned that the magic potion I drank in the ‘Confident Night Clinic’ treatment room the day before the wedding was roughly a three-week supply because of its relatively large volume.

The magic potions I received had a smaller volume, with the effect lasting about a week per bottle. The timing for burn scars to reappear varied slightly from person to person.

I had drunk one of the four magic potions from the clinic this morning, and it was also time to take it again. Plus, I felt a high temperature on the right burn scar last night, so it was necessary to have some on hand.

Now I had only two magic potions left.

“I don’t know what I did wrong. I thought I was faithfully performing my duties.”

I asked as calmly as possible, but my eyes were already bloodshot.

“You’re doing your role very well…”

Prince Tessler marveled, sweeping his eyes up and down my body, but his expression quickly hardened.

“However, there’s a confusing part for me.”

“What do you find suspicious?”

“I mean, that place where you stayed temporarily instead of Lyselia, slowly becoming greedy for that place. Because of that, did you start to look good to the Emperor? So, has the ruthless Emperor begun to feel affection for the Empress? Something like that.”

I don’t know how many times I had to swallow curses while listening to Prince Tessler’s words.

You’re grasping the wrong thing.

Rinelle Gadyon Edpa Emperor.

I want to sleep by that man’s side, be hugged by him calling my name, enjoy the ridiculous jokes with a serious and deep voice, and wait for his laughter. That’s why I gradually started to want more from him. It’s not because the Empress’s position is greedy, you idiot.

“It’s unfair. To recklessly touch our deal conditions based on mere suspicion.”

I wanted to respond to Prince Tessler with the same mocking smile, but not even a sneer came out.

“So, just in case, did you leave two?”

Prince Tessler, with his weak heart, mumbled something incomprehensible as if he had nothing to do with it.

“That potion, why not get another one from Magician Big? Relax your eyes, Empress.”

Yeah, it’s a good idea to get another magic potion from Magician Big. So, it’s over.
“If that’s the case, why bother doing such a thing? The warning is too weak. I have a ominous premonition that something else is at play.”

“Oh, it’s a rich morning. After an unjust warning, I receive advice too.”

Prince Tessler laughed at my words, then looked at me with a slightly awkward expression.

His expression seemed so artificial that it felt like the hairs on my head were standing on end.

“I can’t trust a man’s heart. But there’s something even less trustworthy. Want to know what it is?”

It was a question I didn’t want to ask, so I didn’t bother.

When I tilted my head to look at him, the prince spoke again.

“A man’s eyes. These eyes.”

Prince Tessler emphasized by tapping the side of his own eyes with his fingers.

“What are you talking about?”

“If Emperor Rinelle sees the true appearance of Empress, will he still give a foamy kiss with such an affectionate gaze?”

“…”

“It would be fortunate if you don’t foam at the mouth in surprise.”

He chuckled.

He almost asked if my burn scars were that grotesque.

“Originally, you have to meet someone who loves your true self. The masquerade party will eventually end.”

Prince Tessler’s words felt sharp and bitter, like a blade cutting into me.

Without realizing it, I found myself imagining Rinelle’s face, surprised by my burn scars.

“During the masquerade party, enjoy it to your heart’s content. However, when the party is over, come back home.”

As if his arms were my destination, the prince spread them out like wings.

He’s fooling around.

“Wasn’t the Deputy Empress free once her duties were over? I’ll decide where to go.”

Knock, knock.

Just as Prince Tessler chuckled at my words, we heard a knock on the bedroom door.

Startled by the knocking sound, the prince and I exchanged glances.

I sent a quick look to Prince Tessler, signaling him to hide anywhere.

In the few seconds of confusion, as I hesitated, the bedroom door clicked open.