Ileon glanced sideways at the knights. Jeremy’s knights would memorize every detail of this scene and spread the rumors outside.

Therefore, he could not simply leave these loyal supporting actors of this drama to die in silence.

“For confirmation, I had a brief conversation.”

Ileon replied with a warm, friendly smile.

“The woman famed for her beauty—why would she agree to become the Crown Prince’s mistress? Suspecting some ulterior motive, I approached her myself to find out.”

Someone could be heard swallowing hard. Whether it was one of the knights or Jeremy himself didn’t matter at all to Ileon.

Ileon stroked his chin and continued.

“But then, the woman said something surprising to me. She claimed she never wanted to become the Crown Prince’s mistress.”

At those words, fury flashed in the knights’ eyes. Just one sentence was enough to transform resentment into hatred.

“She said she was unjustly imprisoned on suspicion of attempting to assassinate the Emperor, and now, barely freed, she’s suddenly forced into being the Crown Prince’s mistress—she said it was unbearable.”

“…….”

“She even begged me for help. I admit I was surprised—she said that to someone she’d just met—but as I am loyal to the Crown Prince, I refused.”

Jeremy’s expression changed rapidly.

At first, rage. Then, resentment and betrayal.

“Are you telling me my mistress actually said that? That she didn’t want to be my mistress?”

“Why would I lie to Your Highness?”

Jeremy gritted his teeth. His violet eyes flashed dangerously.

He had already thrown every object within reach, leaving nothing left to hurl in his fury.

Unable to contain his rage, he grabbed his own hair and pulled.

Golden strands fell to the floor in clumps.

“Do you know where my mistress is right now, Duke?”

“Before coming to Your Highness’s palace, I encountered her. She seemed to be heading toward the residence where Duke Calypso is staying.”

Jeremy’s patience shattered completely. He grabbed Ileon’s collar and shouted at the knights.

“I’ll say this once. Go immediately to Dietrich’s estate and bring Celia back. If you value your miserable lives even slightly.”

The knights’ blood boiled with defiance toward Jeremy.

Seeing this, Ileon subtly shook his head at the knights, signaling them not to provoke the Crown Prince further.

“We… receive your order.”

The knights who had been clearing the room, along with those in the corridor, all departed.

“Duke, I must move my imperial coronation forward as soon as possible.”

“…How soon do you wish to proceed?”

“Set it for one week from now. And within that time, heal my face.”

Jeremy said this with a mad look in his eyes.

“If you do well, I’ll reward you handsomely.”

“Your Highness. Before that, may I offer one suggestion?”

“Speak.”

“If Your Highness appears in public with that face as it is, the people’s backlash will be severe. Until your face returns to normal, wouldn’t it be better to wear a mask?”

A mask. Jeremy quietly repeated the word.

The face he had briefly glimpsed in the mirror was something out of a nightmare. But if he wore a mask that fully covered his face, perhaps it would be bearable—at least until his face healed completely.

“Then, can you, Duke, prepare such a mask for me?”

Ileon bowed his head in reply.

“I shall.”

“That will be all. You may leave.”

At Jeremy’s dismissal, Ileon retreated without a word.

“Your Highness, do not worry too much. You have not only me, but also Her Majesty the Empress by your side.”

Jeremy said nothing.

The bait had been cast. Now, all that remained was to wait.

Ileon left Jeremy’s palace with light steps.

So… it had been this easy.

Was it all because his ancestors had foolishly sworn never to seize the throne, forcing him, their descendant, to endure such hardship?

What good was being called more imperial than the Emperor himself?

In truth, the throne belonged only to those with imperial blood.

‘Celia Brillion.’

Thanks to that woman killing the Emperor, everything had gone remarkably smoothly.

Beneath that beauty, enchanting enough to draw anyone in, lay a profound, immeasurable darkness.

How had she come to harbor such deep darkness?

Ileon left the Crown Prince’s palace and strolled through the garden where he had first spoken with Celia.

His flowing sleeves fluttered gently with his movements.

The garden, filled with roses and gladioli, was beautiful—clearly tended with great care by the imperial gardener.

Celia’s face, brightly smiling beneath the fireworks that lit the night sky, remained vivid in his mind.

—I belong to no one.

Yet, with no power to choose between cold or warm water, how could she still smile so radiantly?

If only she had taken the hand I offered, by now she would have been under my protection, living comfortably in my palace.

Ileon could not understand why Celia insisted on taking the harder path.

Thus, he had mixed truth with falsehood. In reality, Celia had not begged him for help—but he had manipulated the Crown Prince into believing so.

In a space with no branching paths, he decided to calmly watch how Celia would emerge.

As Ileon stepped deeper into the garden, someone appeared as if waiting.

“How did it go?”

Ileon asked without turning around.

“When he reached the harbor, he noticed he was being followed and changed course, but I made sure to cut off his escape completely.”

“He was once a first-class knight, but age catches up with everyone.”

Ileon smiled contentedly, his eyes narrowing.

“And the ruby I gave him?”

“He clutched it tightly in his hand—didn’t let go even in death.”

“Excellent.”

Ileon’s subordinate looked puzzled, unable to grasp the meaning.

Instead of answering, Ileon plucked a single red rose blooming in the garden and held it in his hand.

The petals crumbled in his palm, scattering in the wind.

But when the wind stilled, the petals fell straight to the ground. Ileon, gazing down at the fallen rose petals, gave an order.

“Celia Brillion. Investigate everything about that woman.”

“….”

“Every record before she entered the imperial palace. Where she was and what she did before joining the Brillion family.”

“I obey my master’s command.”

“In the end, I didn’t get to see Duke Calypso at the banquet.”

Gabriel looked up at the towering imperial palace with a face full of regret. Hariel patted her shoulder and said.

“Surely, even the stone-hearted Duke Calypso would’ve fallen head over heels if he’d seen you.”

“Mother, really.”

Gabriel smiled and hugged Hariel’s arm.

“By the way, judging by how much she’s gained weight, Celia must’ve been eating well and sleeping well. How fortunate that the Crown Prince took her in.”

“It’s truly pitiful. The Crown Prince doesn’t treat her as a proper consort but more like a toy to amuse himself with.”

Gabriel twitched her cheek.

The mother and daughter had not returned to their viscounty after last night’s banquet.

Instead, they had stayed at the most expensive inn near the palace, slept in, and now leisurely wandered the capital’s streets.

Unlike their remote viscounty, the capital, where the imperial palace stood, was full of sights.

As they walked through the lively streets, Gabriel spotted a boutique with a pink signboard reading “Eclairean” and excitedly cried out.

“Mother, this is the boutique I told you about! Even the noble ladies of the Gredrick dukedom have their clothes custom-made here.”

“Oh my. Then let’s get one made for us too.”

Chattering happily, the two entered the boutique.

Tinkle—

“Welcome, honored guest…”

The Madam of Boutique Eclairean, hearing the bell on the door, began her greeting, only to falter upon seeing Gabriel and Hariel.

“My apologies, but Eclairean only serves designated clients. Even those clients must have prior appointments—otherwise, entry is strictly prohibited.”

Gabriel pulled out a pouch from her robe, brimming with gold coins.

“What about now, Madam?”

Gabriel, having earned this money by practically auctioning Celia off to men, spent without hesitation.

“If the amount is insufficient, I can pay even more.”

“….”

“Could you at least show us a dress?”

The boutique owner, whose eyes bore traces of time, began to waver—torn between her strict rule and a sum of gold equivalent to years of profit.

Eclairean was a boutique favored by the noblest of nobles, an elite establishment.

She poured her soul into crafting one-of-a-kind garments tailored to her clients’ exacting tastes, personally overseeing every step from measuring to tailoring—each dress taking anywhere from one month to half a year to complete.

Though her reputation was high, the lavish materials she used to uphold that reputation meant the actual profit she earned wasn’t substantial.

How could she, after building such a reputation, break her own rules and accept just anyone for the sake of gold?

After a moment of thought, the owner spoke firmly.

“I’m sorry, but I suggest you try another boutique.”

Being the owner of a renowned boutique, she knew of several other respectable ones.

“If you walk straight down the main road to the right, there’s a white brick house covered in ivy—the owner there is quite skilled.”

Her words did not reach Gabriel.

“It’s not another place I want. I want my dress made here, at Eclairean.”

Beside her, Hariel lifted her chin arrogantly and spoke.

“Madam, do you even know who my daughter is, to refuse her dress order?”

“…I do not.”

“My daughter is the famous Angel of Brillion.”

The owner’s expression stiffened.

The Angel of Brillion. The first love of everyone.

She had heard of the legendary beauty, but the face before her—her eye color, hair color—differed too greatly from the portraits she’d seen.

“Are you truly claiming this noblewoman’s daughter is the Angel of Brillion?”

“That’s right. Making her a custom dress would be far more profitable for you.”

Hariel shamelessly pretended Gabriel was Celia.

But Gabriel, more perceptive than her mother, quickly corrected her.

“Mother is joking. The Angel of Brillion isn’t me—it’s my one and only younger sister.”

“…I see.”

The owner’s expression softened with understanding.

Gabriel didn’t show it, but inside, she was furious.

Wherever she went, she lived in Celia’s shadow.

She had to get a dress made here—just to soothe her own wounded pride.

Then, something caught Gabriel’s eye.