Dietrich, sensing the presence of others from afar, parted his lips.

He brushed Celiya’s saliva-slicked lips with his index finger. After pondering for a moment, he gently embraced Celiya.

Supporting her dry back with one hand and her slender legs with the other, he began to walk not towards the stable but into the imperial palace.

Celiya did not ask Dietrich where they were going or what he intended to do with her now.

Instead, she tightened her arms around Dietrich’s neck.

Dietrich paused briefly, then resumed his long strides.

A cool breeze blew, ruffling Celiya’s shimmering silver hair.

From their fierce and deep kiss, Celiya realized one thing.

Throughout their kiss, Celiya felt vitality coursing through her body.

It was as if gentle hands were soothing her broken insides, healing every part of her body.

Yet no medicine should work on someone with a terminal condition like herself.

‘Is it some kind of panacea? Dietrich must certainly have a healing-type ability.’

Celiya glanced sidelong at Dietrich.

His face, seen up close, was still dry, but his eyes seemed to have softened compared to earlier.

As he walked, Dietrich, perhaps finding Celiya’s silence strange, asked in a quiet voice.

“Why aren’t you asking anything?”

Celiya replied.

“Because there’s no need to ask.”

The fact that he didn’t refuse actions typical of lovers meant that she was more useful to him than necessary.

At last, she felt certain that he wouldn’t harm her recklessly.

Even if he needed her ability, his protection seemed somewhat excessive.

‘Even though he doesn’t properly know about my ability.’

“I’ll give it to you if you need it. My ability, I mean.”

Celiya said, closing her eyes in Dietrich’s arms.

“My ability can numb all senses of the target. By emitting a hyacinth scent, I can stop the five senses and all movement of people within its range. However, this ability comes at the cost of my lifespan.”

For a moment, ripples appeared in Dietrich’s eyes, but Celiya didn’t see this as her eyes were closed.

“That’s why I became terminally ill.”

Celiya revealed her ability because Dietrich had helped her several times.

Celiya omitted telling Dietrich about her true identity and the crucial fact that her ability was limited only to the opposite sex.

And although she realized that Dietrich also had an ability, she deliberately didn’t mention it aloud despite knowing.

Dietrich’s low voice brushed Celiya’s ear.

“You’ve been hiding it all this time. Why tell me such a thing now?”

“Why didn’t you reject my lips?”

Dietrich remained silent for a while, then answered.

“You looked precarious.”

What exactly looked precarious, he never revealed.

As knights began to appear near the Crown Prince’s palace, Dietrich carefully set Celiya down.

“If they ask where the Crown Prince went and why he’s only appearing now, say you lost your memory and can’t remember anything.”

Celiya nodded at Dietrich’s words.

Seemingly puzzled by Celiya’s docile nod, Dietrich narrowed his eyes and spoke.

“Give me your robe.”

As Celiya removed her robe, her white mermaid dress and the brand on her collarbone were revealed.

Seeing this, Dietrich’s brow furrowed deeply.

Rolling up the robe with somewhat rough movements, he informed Celiya of upcoming events.

“If you linger around pretending to know nothing, the knights will ask where you went last night. Then, tell them you were hit on the head by something and can’t remember anything from last night.”

“Will the knights believe me?”

“If they don’t, then use my name.”

Dietrich paused, then added.

“Ileon is currently staying at the palace, so something is likely to happen soon. Take care of yourself until then.”

Was this repayment for Celiya revealing her ability?

Dietrich began to slowly reveal things he had been hiding.

‘He’s just telling me because it’s a relationship of necessity.’

Celiya thought to herself. She tried hard not to harbor any expectations towards him.

“Celiya.”

Dietrich, with his back turned, softly called Celiya’s name.

“…See you later.”

With those final words, Dietrich, clad in black armor, walked away into the distance.

At that time, in Jeremy’s palace.

“How is it possible that no one has seen where my concubine went? Are you all daring to collectively deceive me?”

Jeremy glared at the knights standing by the door with bulging eyes.

The knights who had long served Jeremy were extremely perplexed.

Jeremy wasn’t particularly incompetent compared to the previous emperor.

Though he sometimes got heated, he wasn’t unintelligent and was skilled in speech, often easily winning others’ favor.

However, unlike before, Jeremy now showed signs of being unable to control his emotions and appeared anxious.

Deep in the knights’ hearts, a question began to sprout.

No matter if he was royalty, was this person truly fit for the throne?

‘It would be better if one of the Three Dukes became emperor.’

There was no need to even consider the Three Dukes.

Even Dietrich, who had recently received a duke title as the Imperial Knight Commander, was a consideration.

If he truly raised a rebellion, there would be almost no one within the palace who could stop him.

If they openly revealed such thoughts while a member of the royal family was still alive, their heads would surely roll.

“Get out of here. I’m sick of seeing your faces.”

Jeremy waved his hand, issuing an order of expulsion.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard from afar.

“Your Majesty, we’ve found her!”

At the knight’s shout, color returned to Jeremy’s face.

“Bring her to me immediately.”

As Jeremy was about to leap out of bed and walk towards the door, it happened.

“Ugh!”

Jeremy collapsed on the spot, groaning in pain.

“Y-Your Majesty, are you alright?”

The flustered knights moved to support Jeremy. Jeremy pushed away the arms of the knights supporting him and shouted.

“M-my face hurts as if it’s been stabbed by a knife!”

At this incomprehensible outcry, the knights could only look at each other’s faces.

There wasn’t even a trace of injury on Jeremy’s face. Not only was there no stab wound, there wasn’t even a scratch visible.

On the other hand, Jeremy was in such agony he felt like he was going mad.

His head spun, and it felt as if someone was carving out parts of his face with a knife.

“Aaaaaargh!”

At the sharp scream, the knights didn’t know what to do. Despite having no visible wounds, Jeremy seemed to be in genuine pain.

Seeing his pale lips and unfocused eyes, the knights belatedly realized the seriousness of the situation.

“I’ll call for the royal physician right away.”

One knight hurriedly ran out of the room.

Jeremy had slumped down, continuing to complain of pain.

Suddenly, the skin on Jeremy’s face began to melt like liquid.

“Huh…?”

The knights made strange noises.

The epidermis of the skin on Jeremy’s face peeled off and flowed down to the floor like water.

Jeremy, too preoccupied with enduring the pain, failed to notice this.

On the other hand, the knights who saw Jeremy’s face couldn’t help but gasp.

This was because Jeremy’s eyes, nose, and mouth were grotesquely distorted after his skin had peeled off.

His forehead was where his eyes should have been, and his eyes were where his nose should have been. His nose was off to one side, and his mouth, which should have been above his chin, was on his cheek, making him look no different from a monster.

Jeremy, breathing heavily, looked at the knights staring down at him with shocked expressions.

Unaware of his own appearance, Jeremy frowned at the knights’ reactions.

“Is my pain so amusing to you?”

The knights were unable to give any response, as if their mouths were glued shut.

“Your Majesty, I’ve brought Celiya Brilleon.”

At that moment, the knight who had gone out returned with Celiya.

Simultaneously, Jeremy felt the stabbing pain in his face melt away like snow.

Jeremy rose from his seat and approached Celiya.

“Why are you so late? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you?”

The knights were too busy averting their gaze, unable to look at Jeremy’s hideous appearance.

In contrast, Celiya gazed at Jeremy before her with calm eyes.

“Whose help did you receive to escape from my bedchamber?”

“I don’t understand what Your Majesty is saying. I can’t remember anything from last night.”

“Did that bastard tell you to say that? Dietrich, that son of a bitch?”

It was Jeremy, with his skin completely peeled off, reaching out his arms towards Celiya in a hideous state.

“I don’t remember anything. After someone hit me on the head.”

Celiya said as Dietrich had instructed her to.

“Don’t play dumb! So, did you spend the night rolling around with that vulgar thing?”

Seeing Jeremy who couldn’t be reasoned with, Celiya looked disgusted.

“I’ll have to make a special cage for you, you ill-mannered one. That’s the only way to keep you from flying away from my side.”

The sight of the ugly Jeremy clinging to the beautiful Celiya was enough to chill even the thick-skinned knights to the bone.

Celiya took a step back, avoiding Jeremy’s hands that were trying to embrace her.

Jeremy’s eyes bloodshot at Celiya’s rejection.

“You are my concubine, yet you dare to reject me now? How long do you think your beauty will last?”

Celiya looked straight into Jeremy’s eyes.

“I never wanted the position of concubine.”

“You should be bowing your head to me just for placing someone of your lowly birth in the position of concubine. You don’t know your place.”

Jeremy took one step closer, matching the distance Celiya had retreated.

“Do you really believe that Dietrich fellow will protect you? Don’t forget that that bastard couldn’t even protect my father, the Emperor.”

Jeremy laughed ominously. The knights stood frozen like statues, their mouths tightly shut.

Celiya’s calm voice continued.

“Your Majesty, how about looking in a mirror first?”