Eventually, Dietrich reluctantly lay down on the bed.
Satisfied that Dietrich was lying not on the hard floor but on a bed, Celia soon fell fast asleep.
Dietrich gazed at Celia, who slept silently without even a breath, with an indescribable look in his eyes.
“…….”
Seeing Celia sleeping soundly, a memory surfaced—something his mother had once excitedly told him.
– Your fiancée is said to possess an astonishing ability. She can control others’ minds with a delightfully sweet floral scent.
Dietrich found himself envious of his unknown fiancée’s ability.
His own ability was not to harm people, but to heal them.
– Then why must I be engaged to her at all? Why did their king choose me as the princess’s fiancé? With such a powerful ability, surely she could protect herself.
His mother shook her head in response.
– No, you must protect her. Your fiancée is exceptionally beautiful and receives many men’s advances.
Dietrich didn’t care whether his fiancée was beautiful or not. Being told to marry someone he’d never met?
It didn’t sit well with him. Her existence felt like an obstacle blocking his future.
– A strong ability may seem like a blessing, but in some ways, it’s a curse. They appear so enchanting to others that they provoke intense desire in the opposite sex. Such powerful abilities often erode one’s own lifespan.
Now Dietrich understood why the king of that country had chosen him as the beloved princess’s fiancé.
– You told the King of Shan Kingdom about my healing ability, didn’t you? Wasn’t that supposed to be top secret?
Everything about it displeased him.
In the end, wasn’t he merely being used as a healing tool?
– You and that child are very much alike. In Inata Duchy, you are the only one who possesses the ability to heal wounds.
His mother gently embraced him, as if trying to soothe him.
– Please, when you meet her, treat her dearly. The two of you will understand each other better than anyone.
Where his mother’s words faded like mist, Celia lay asleep, her dense eyelashes lowered.
Dietrich quietly gazed at Celia’s form.
Back in the prison, when she had gently touched his cheek and used her ability, he hadn’t thought for a moment that she could be his fiancée.
No matter how extraordinary her ability, she’d been powerless against Abelon’s invading army—so he assumed she must have died in that war.
– There’s no need to worry. Our relationship won’t change just because you were once my fiancée.
That statement sounded less like words to Celia and more like a vow to himself.
He hoped desperately that this relationship would remain unchanged.
Because if she became irreplaceably precious to him, she would instantly become a fatal weakness.
Dietrich did not sleep.
No—more accurately, he couldn’t sleep.
[This is the timeline separator]Dawn arrived.
The visitor who came to Ileon early in the morning was truly unexpected.
Ileon, who always wore a calm smile, briefly showed a slightly awkward expression.
“What brings my one and only younger sister all the way here?”
Reina stared coldly at Ileon before her.
“Brother, what exactly are you scheming?”
“……I don’t understand what you’re trying to say, dear sister.”
“Do you take me for a fool?”
Reina slammed the desk with a loud bang.
Ileon watched with interest as her wavy pink hair floated briefly in the air before settling down.
“I told you countless times—leave Dietrich alone!”
“Why do you assume I’ve touched him, Reina?”
“The rumor is spreading through the streets that Dietrich disfigured the Crown Prince’s face! You orchestrated it all, didn’t you!”
Sharp as ever.
Ileon’s gaze fell upon the red dress Reina wore.
The dress, made of thin veils that fluttered in the air, was tied at the waist with a black sash.
Seeing it, a certain person immediately came to mind.
“Even after being humiliated like that, do you still cling to that man?”
“Brother!”
“Reina, the reason you can’t forget him is because he’s the one thing you’ve never been able to possess. Once you have him, you’ll grow tired of him quickly.”
Ileon smiled gently. Reina glared at him, her face flushed with anger.
“Do you think I’m some kind of trash like you?”
“Trash? You really don’t hold back with your words to your brother.”
Ileon grinned, his eyes crinkling with amusement, completely unperturbed.
“I heard our dear Reina went to Boutique Eclairean yesterday and slapped someone.”
Reina hesitated.
“The one you struck—were they from the Brillion family?”
“How did you know?”
“There’s no news in all of Abelon that doesn’t pass through my ears, my lovely sister.”
Ileon tilted his head, resting his chin on one hand.
“They dared to call me by my full name first!”
Ileon clicked his tongue disapprovingly at Reina’s excuse.
“I truly wonder, dear sister, why you exclude Dietrich from the ‘lowly scum’ you speak of.”
“Brother!”
Reina flared up and shouted.
“And when you want to step on someone, shouldn’t you do it from behind? Why step forward and openly make enemies?”
“You know what? Of all the people I’ve met, you’re the most despicable trash imaginable.”
“Want to know why you can’t have Dietrich?”
Reina growled continuously, glaring at Ileon, who remained utterly unshaken by her curses.
Yet, curiosity flickered in her eyes—hope peeked through her angry expression.
Ileon found it utterly amusing.
“Because among the things he needs, you possess absolutely nothing. Reina, you hold no value or usefulness to him.”
“Why do you always speak like that? Have you ever even known real love? You’re just a sinister trash, plotting schemes behind that smiling face.”
“Love is utterly useless in life. Especially one-sided love, like yours.”
Reina’s face twisted. Ileon knew very well how much jealousy and greed his sister harbored.
Scratch her lightly, and she reacts instantly.
At that moment, someone else came to mind—a certain woman who, no matter how gently he tried to coax her with kind words, refused to budge.
Behind her fragile, almost breakable face lay a strong heart.
He’d only seen her for a few days, yet she lingered constantly in his thoughts.
-Celia Brillion.
Then she must be eliminated.
Along with Dietrich.
Reina tilted her head, puzzled by Ileon’s sudden silence.
“Why are you acting so strange all of a sudden, Brother?”
“Reina.”
Ileon called her name softly.
“The Dietrich you adore so much seems to have already given his heart to someone else.”
At Ileon’s words, Reina’s pupils trembled.
“What? Who is it?”
“A girl they call the Angel of Brillion. Even I’ve seen her—she’s truly beautiful. The Crown Prince seemed displeased, so she’s been staying at Dietrich’s estate. Not even newlyweds live together like that.”
Ileon closed his eyes and rose from his seat.
Reina grabbed his arm.
“Wait—after saying such awful things, where do you think you’re going?”
“I’ve been assigned to oversee the Emperor’s coronation preparations. It’s hectic. Please leave now.”
Ileon issued an outright dismissal.
“Where is Dietrich? If you’re lying to me, you’ll die.”
Ileon chuckled and ruffled Reina’s pink hair.
Enraged, Reina stood up.
Ileon smiled gently, closing his eyes.
“If you wish, I’ll tell you. From the palace, go left and keep walking—that’s where Dietrich’s estate is.”
Without hesitation, Reina headed toward the door.
“Shall I escort you?”
“No, I’m fine.”
With that, Reina stormed out of the room.
Though Ileon had just played the part of a considerate older brother to his blood-related sister, in truth, Reina was nothing more than a tool to him.
A fortunate girl, born into the direct bloodline of the Gredrick Dukedom, raised indulgently and spoiled.
She was sharp-witted, but aside from that, utterly ordinary.
“Please be a useful card for your dear brother.”
Ileon murmured to himself. His silver hair, nearly gray, swayed at his waist.
Just before leaving the room, he pulled a mask from inside a drawer.
Creak.
It was a plain golden mask, unremarkable except for the fact that the eye holes were slightly off-center.
Holding the mask, Ileon calmly stepped out of the room.
[This is the timeline separator]The Crown Prince’s Palace.
“The origin of the ruby is a secret auction site.”
“…Then the buyer’s name should be recorded at such an auction.”
“Everything—the date the auction is held, who attends—is kept secret. I couldn’t confirm that detail. This is all I barely managed to uncover.”
Jeremy roughly grabbed the reporting knight by the collar.
“Are you mocking me right now? Why are you so useless!”
“…I apologize, Your Highness.”
“If you’re going to apologize, then don’t do anything worth apologizing for!”
Shouting furiously, Jeremy snatched the knight’s sword and swung.
With one stroke, he severed the knight’s leg.
“Gah!”
Thud!
The knight, suddenly legless, writhed on the floor, screaming in agony.
“It’s a useless leg anyway, so it doesn’t matter if it’s gone. Don’t you agree?”
Jeremy looked down at the unconscious knight with a face flushed in ecstasy.
Seeing such twisted pleasure on a disfigured face was utterly grotesque.
The aide, watching with a heavy heart, remained silent, anxiously observing Jeremy’s mood.
The knights around him were no different.
“What are you standing there for? Remove that thing immediately.”
Jeremy gestured with his chin, treating the unconscious knight like unwanted trash to be cleared away.
Whether he had always been this cruel, or whether his disfigurement had driven him to this state—
Regardless of the reason, he had completely lost the loyalty and trust of those who served him.
The knights clenched their jaws tightly as they supported the wounded man.
Jeremy shouted at their backs.
“Bring my concubine before me today without fail. If not, you’ll end up just like him.”
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
