Before I could even answer to come in, the door opened. Immediately, a young man with golden hair and purple eyes, looking exactly like the empress, entered the room.

His gaze moved from the empress’s stern expression to the back of Celiya’s head sitting across from her. As soon as he saw the long silver hair showing her back, Jeremy’s face contorted.

“Mother, why did you call such a mere criminal? It will only dirty our eyes to look at her.”

The crown prince, Jeremy, looked down at Celiya with sharp eyes. The empress’s face remained hard and unyielding as she watched Jeremy.

The empress shouted at Jeremy as he strode towards her.

“Jeremy, I will call for you again later, so leave at once!”

She was a mother who always greeted him with a smile whenever he visited. Surprised by his mother’s unusual reaction, Jeremy hesitated for a moment.

“What’s the matter? Surely, that wench hasn’t been troubling you, has she?”

“…That’s not it.”

The empress had a feeling that if she let Jeremy and Celiya meet now, something bad would happen. Celiya hadn’t even drunk the poisoned tea yet, and she was extremely beautiful, even to another woman’s eyes.

So, they must not be allowed to meet. Until the rumors about that woman died down, and she eventually rotted away slowly in prison.

Unaware of his mother’s inner turmoil, Jeremy snorted and moved his legs. His slender legs, resembling those of a jaguar, glided smoothly.

“Your Highness, His Majesty has ordered her to leave…”

The empress’s maids called out to Jeremy with trembling voices. But Jeremy completely ignored their words.

Because he was the sole heir to succeed the throne and was unstoppable.

“Your reaction is so strange, I can’t leave like this, Mother.”

“!”

Jeremy had already come near Celiya. He tapped the back of Celiya’s head with his index finger.

“Are you the notorious criminal?”

“…”

Celiya didn’t even look at the owner of the hand pressing on the back of her head. As if provoked by this, Jeremy pressed down on Celiya’s head even harder.

“Answer me.”

He pressed so hard that the water in the teacup Celiya was holding sloshed, soaking her collar. Seeing this, the empress’s eyes darkened.

The first time, Celiya had spilled the tea by mistake, but the second time, it was her son’s fault that the poisoned tea was spilled. The empress called out to her only son in a soft voice, suppressing her anger.

“Jeremy.”

At the empress’s voice, Jeremy turned his gaze to her.

“Mother, are you taking this criminal’s side in front of me right now?”

“How could that be! I just…”

The empress barely swallowed the words, ‘I’m afraid you might fall for that criminal.’

At that moment, Jeremy lifted Celiya’s chin, forcing her to look at him.

“Let’s see that unlucky face they talked about…”

Jeremy trailed off as he confirmed Celiya’s face. He stared at Celiya with a dazed expression.

Her skin was as clear and white as snow. Her upturned eyes between thick lashes resembled a fresh forest, and her smooth forehead, straight nose bridge, and lips as red as if bitten by a rose formed a perfect harmony.

“…”

Jeremy’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he looked at Celiya. He had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life.

Until now, Jeremy had thought the man who spent his entire fortune just to see this woman once was a fool, and he also thought his father, who gave away the palace’s wealth without hesitation and finally brought this woman into his chambers, was a fool as well.

Now, he felt he could understand his father’s feelings a little.

His dead father had left behind something quite nice. The corners of Jeremy’s mouth turned upward. As if he had never been angry, he removed his hand from Celiya’s chin, narrowing his eyes at her.

“When you see the crown prince, you should greet me, shouldn’t you?”

“…”

Celiya deliberately put on a troubled expression and set down the teacup with little tea left. Then, she bowed politely to Jeremy.

“This criminal greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

Her gentle and soft voice matched her appearance perfectly. Jeremy was now half-sitting on the sofa, looking down at Celiya with a satisfied expression.

Seeing this, the empress clenched her fist tightly.

Jeremy’s gaze wouldn’t leave Celiya. His eyes moved from Celiya’s face to her collar, stained by the spilled tea.

The tea had fallen precisely on the sleeve covering Celiya’s wrist, clearly revealing her delicate wrist.

Jeremy rolled up Celiya’s sleeve and caressed her wrist.

“Oh my, you got hurt because of me.”

“…”

The skin was only reddened, not injured or burned. Jeremy must have known this, but he didn’t stop caressing Celiya’s wrist.

“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense that you could kill my father with these delicate arms. Don’t you think so too?”

Unable to watch any longer, the empress finally spoke.

“Jeremy, what are you doing in front of your mother?”

“I apologize, Mother.”

Contrary to his words, Jeremy’s face didn’t look sorry at all.

Having inherited his mother’s personality, Jeremy could well understand why she didn’t want to show Celiya to him.

Just as the empress was picky about men, so was Jeremy about women.

Until now, Jeremy, who thought he was asexual because he hadn’t found a single woman to his liking, was certain he wasn’t asexual after seeing Celiya.

“This is really too much. How could you try to keep this interesting thing all to yourself, Mother?”

Unlike Jeremy, who looked pleased, the empress felt great despair as she gripped the armrest of the sofa.

Jeremy even went so far as to take out a handkerchief from his chest and personally tie it around Celiya’s wrist.

“You got hurt because of me, so keep this.”

Celiya was inwardly mocking Jeremy, who was now being kind after pressing down on her head earlier.

‘…Well, this works out well for me.’

It’s much easier to deal with someone who likes you than someone who harbors ill feelings towards you.

Even if the reason was somewhat impure, it was easier to handle than if he disliked her from the start.

The empress was trying to harm her, and Jeremy, the crown prince, had become interested in her. Celiya weighed the pros and cons this situation would bring her.

The conclusion came quickly.

“Thank you, Your Highness. I will cherish it.”

Celiya smiled brightly at Jeremy as she finished speaking. Her green eyes curved, and her red lips that looked like they would taste of sweet fruit juice formed an arc, which Jeremy stared at with a dazed expression.

Jeremy had completely fallen for Celiya.

Dietrich was waiting outside the empress’s palace for Celiya, who might come out at any moment. A gentle breeze swept across his smooth forehead.

The knights kept glancing at Dietrich’s expression.

“…He doesn’t look to be in a good mood, does he?”

“Just keep your eyes forward. If you don’t want to die.”

The palace knights both respected and feared Dietrich. This was because Dietrich was not one to easily show his emotions, and he was merciless to those who disobeyed his orders.

The execution of a knight who had served Dietrich for four years and recently disobeyed an order was known to all knights.

Dietrich couldn’t care less whether the knights gossiped about him or not. What was important to him now was that Celiya showed no signs of coming out even after a considerable amount of time had passed.

Dietrich’s eyes narrowed.

About four hours ago, Jeremy entering the palace had bothered him. Before entering the empress’s palace, Jeremy had picked a fight with Dietrich as usual.

−What business does a mongrel bastard have at my mother’s palace?

−Her Majesty the Empress called for me. I was ordered to bring Celiya Brillion along.

−Hmph, a criminal and a dog bastard. Truly a well-matched pair, aren’t they?

When Dietrich showed no particular reaction, Jeremy clicked his tongue in displeasure and entered the palace.

Dietrich looked up at the sky. The sun had already set completely, and a red sunset was dyeing the sky crimson.

“…”

With his keen senses, Dietrich felt someone coming out of the palace. The sound coming from afar was exactly that of two people.

Dietrich slowly turned his gaze.

“I thought you had left, but you were still here?”

It was Jeremy’s arrogant voice. And the woman receiving his escort was none other than Celiya.

When Dietrich looked at Celiya, Jeremy defensively stepped in front of her, blocking Dietrich’s view.

“Like father, like son. Aren’t you staring too openly at my woman?”

My woman? Wasn’t she a criminal just a moment ago, and now she’s my woman?

‘What on earth happened in there?’

Dietrich was utterly baffled, but he didn’t show it outwardly.

And Celiya was just as bewildered.

Jeremy had ignored the empress’s words and taken her to another room, then sat her on a sofa and rambled on about various things.

Most of what he said was close to self-praise.

How great he was, how he would protect her when he became emperor, how he had never seen a woman as beautiful as her, and how there was absolutely no way she could have assassinated the emperor.

Why not stay at his palace instead of Dietrich’s mansion?

When the empress barged into the room, they moved to another room, and then to yet another.

They moved rooms several times like this. The empress, seemingly tired, stopped entering the rooms, and Celiya continued to listen to Jeremy’s boasting.

She had never met a man so forceful and talkative before.

“…I appreciate your offer, but I don’t wish for Your Highness and Her Majesty to grow apart.”

When she uttered these insincere words, Jeremy expressed his disappointment but told her to let him know if she ever changed her mind, and even said that his birthday celebration would be held soon, so she must attend.

Despite Celiya’s insistence that it was fine, he was personally escorting her out, which was the current situation.

‘When did he even see me to call me his woman? This is ridiculous.’

Celiya found Jeremy, who showed no intention of letting go of her hand, amusing.

Jeremy’s forcefulness didn’t end there.

“This won’t do. Celiya, from today on, you’ll stay at my castle.”