Erphia nervously paced back and forth in the room.

“Your Majesty, please do not worry too much. Surely His Highness will understand your sincerity.”

Erphia’s maid said as she offered her tea.

“Really? The duke must have spoken well to Jeremy, right?”

“Certainly he would have.”

“But where on earth is that Ben? I can’t find him anywhere no matter how much I look.”

Erphia bit her lower lip. She felt that even tearing Ben’s limbs apart would not ease her frustration for driving her into a corner.

Erphia was completely unaware that Jeremy had blocked all information about going to the empress’s palace.

“Your Majesty, if you are very concerned, why don’t you go see His Highness right now?”

“…”

However, when it came to actually facing him, she felt an instinctive aversion.

No matter that he was her own son, Jeremy’s ruined face was too horrific.

At the same time, Dietrich’s face came to mind.

Red eyes beneath straight eyebrows. A sharp jawline and high nose bridge.

Shoulders dropping at right angles and a large, solid build with lower body like a horse’s…

Erphia’s breathing grew rough.

She couldn’t believe he had betrayed her.

At this time, he should have been groveling at her feet and barking like a dog.

Her plans going awry and falling apart was all because of Celiya. That witch-like creature must have wagged her tail and given openings to the prominent men of the empire.

Otherwise, there’s no way a seasoned person like herself would have been driven into a corner.

Just imagining Dietrich and Celiya together made her feel like she was sinking into a quagmire.

She couldn’t let such a lowly thing bewitch him, who perfectly fit her ideal type.

She needed to tame him to fit her body when he was untouched by anyone else’s hands.

She had planned to wait until Jeremy ascended to the throne, but due to continuous stress, Erphia’s patience was reaching its limit.

Blinded by desire, Erphia shook her head and said to her maid.

“No. Let’s go to Dietrich’s mansion.”

The maid looked puzzled but soon complied.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’m just curious how he’s doing.”

Erphia put on a red dress that revealed her cleavage and painted her lips red.

When she tightened the corset, her waist looked slim and her chest voluptuous.

Satisfied with her reflection in the mirror, Erphia left the palace with her maids.

However, knights outside the castle stopped her from leaving.

Erphia glared at the knights in disbelief.

She knew some of the knights’ faces well.

They were knights from Jeremy’s palace after all.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“…His Highness the Crown Prince ordered us to prevent Your Majesty from leaving the palace.”

At the knights’ resolute words, Erphia’s face turned deathly pale.

“Jeremy said that?”

“Yes. He ordered us to keep you from taking even one step out of the palace.”

“…!”

Erphia’s hands trembled slightly.

“I am Jeremy’s mother! How could Jeremy do this to me? And even if he did, do you think you can stop me? I am a member of the Gredrick ducal family before being the empress.”

The knights glanced at each other’s faces.

“Your Majesty the Empress. We apologize, but we cannot let you pass.”

Erphia tried to leave the palace recklessly, but was blocked by the knights’ hands.

“Are you not afraid of Duke Gredrick’s wrath?”

At the mention of Ileon, the knights hesitated.

Erphia felt her insides twist even as she said it herself.

Clearly she held the power in the imperial palace, but it seemed Ileon was the real power behind the throne.

Just then, a heavy voice landed in her ear.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

Erphia raised her head and looked towards where the voice came from.

There stood Balt.

Duke Balt of the Portman family.

“…Why is Duke Portman in the imperial palace?”

“There is nowhere in all of Abelon that I cannot go.”

Balt let out a chuckle.

It was truly a bold statement, but no one could say anything.

Opposing the Three Dukes was like rebelling against God.

And how could mere knights defeat a Swordmaster?

“…I heard you were abandoned by your son.”

At Balt’s words, Erphia glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

“Who spread such rumors? It’s all nonsense.”

“Well. Anyway, hang in there.”

Balt raised his clenched fist.

“Fighting!”

With those words, Balt gradually moved away.

Thump-

Erphia’s legs gave out and she collapsed on the spot.

Celiya had a dream.

In the dream, hundreds of small snakes appeared.

Snakes of various colors tightly coiled around Celiya’s body, flicking their tongues.

Celiya used her ability to escape.

As the scent of hyacinth spread, the snakes coiled around Celiya’s body went limp.

As she tried to shake off the snakes and get up, a huge shadow loomed before her.

It was a giant black snake, its body dozens of times larger than Celiya’s.

The snake’s bright yellow eyes glinted sharply, its body covered in black scales.

Celiya used her ability with all her might.

Her stomach churned and blood gushed from her mouth.

Hiss hiss.

The snake made a sound as it flicked its tongue.

The snake, in the form of a serpent, smiled widely at Celiya and spoke in human language.

– Princess Anastasia.

Celiya’s eyes flew open.

The bright sunlight mercilessly stabbed her eyes, which had been engulfed in darkness.

When she got up, her whole body was drenched in sweat.

It was truly an unpleasant dream.

She must have had such a dream because of all the bad things happening one after another.

Celiya rubbed her face dry.

She looked at the bed, but Dietrich wasn’t there.

‘He must have gotten up first.’

Just as she wondered where he went, noisy sounds from outside the mansion came through the open window.

“I heard the news. It seems my elder brother has troubled you a lot. Let me apologize on his behalf.”

At the unfamiliar woman’s voice, Celiya leaned against the window to observe the situation outside.

A young lady with curly pink hair was talking with Dietrich in front of the mansion.

“There’s no need to apologize.”

“Why don’t you understand my feelings? I came because I was worried.”

“I don’t understand why you would worry about me.”

“…Why do you dislike me so much! Surely, you haven’t actually found someone you like?”

The young lady sniffled as if upset. While that sight was a bit pitiful, Celiya felt an inexplicable sense of ease.

‘…Ease?’

Celiya tilted her head, unable to understand what she had just felt.

At that moment, Dietrich’s eyes met Celiya’s on the third floor.

Unlike his gaze at the young lady in front of him, his eyes looking up at her were gentle.

“Yes. I’ve found someone I like. So please don’t come to me anymore.”

Celiya’s earlobes turned red at his words, enunciated one by one while looking up at her.

‘Is he really crazy? How does he intend to handle the aftermath of saying that?’

Celiya shook her head and abruptly closed the curtain.

Reina looked blank, seemingly surprised by Dietrich’s words.

Belatedly, Reina followed Dietrich’s gaze up to the third floor, but Celiya had already hidden herself.

“Is that woman you like Celiya Brillian? Is she staying in the mansion with you?”

Dietrich silently smiled. Seeing him smile as if just thinking about it was lovely, Reina felt her heart sink.

“I don’t want any harm to come to my lady.”

“…”

“Well then.”

Dietrich turned and entered the mansion.

Reina stood there for a while like a soulless person, then left while huffing.

Celiya scolded Dietrich.

“What were you thinking, telling such a lie?”

“…”

After staring at Celiya for a while, Dietrich opened his mouth.

“Isn’t it better than telling others that you and I are like a dog and its owner?”

“That’s not it. I’m still the Crown Prince’s concubine. If word gets out about what you said…”

“Don’t worry.”

Dietrich wiped the beads of sweat from Celiya’s forehead and added.

“I have the power to protect you.”

Dietrich’s words were true.

He was a Swordmaster, and the current imperial family had lost the hearts of the people.

While Jeremy was a member of the imperial family, Dietrich had powerful military strength.

Among his subordinate knights, there were even those like Anderson who wanted to enthrone him as the new emperor.

Of course, with the Three Dukes firmly in place, there was no chance of him becoming emperor.

However, it was possible to depose a problematic crown prince.

“I hear the Crown Prince has gone mad since his face was ruined. He’s immediately slaughtering his knights and maids when he’s in a bad mood.”

“…”

“Before Ileon deposes the Crown Prince, I’ll drag him down first.”

Dietrich’s eyes shone sharply.

“But to carry out the perfect plan, I need your help.”

Celiya nodded without needing to think. How much had Dietrich helped her so far?

“Tell me anything. I’m fine with using my ability.”

“No. You don’t need to use your ability.”

Celiya tilted her head.

Dietrich whispered softly into Celiya’s ear.

“…Can you do it?”