With a wide, smiling gaze, Hillstain Mathias strode briskly toward me.

I swiftly scanned left and right. I hadn’t yet strayed far from Killian’s castle, so the surroundings weren’t gloomily dark—but dense trees also meant I was unlikely to be easily spotted by anyone nearby.

Even under normal circumstances, I disliked facing this man—but especially not when I was feeling like this.

“Don’t come any closer!”

When I snapped loudly, Hillstain halted where he stood, letting out a small sigh as if wounded.

“Oh, I just got emotionally bruised.”

He was shameless, but today, unusually, Hillstain actually listened to me.

No—actually, he’d been quite obedient ever since I infused healing power into the pepper.

I simply hadn’t noticed before, because we’d never been alone.

Stopping four or five paces away, Hillstain let his soft silver hair sway in the night breeze, grinning slyly.

“What brings Your Grace here?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask you.”

Ah. Right—he’s the captain of the knights. But seriously, is he patrolling at this late hour?

Right in front of the Crown Prince’s castle? I turned my head slightly, scanning the surroundings again. The castle perimeter already had plenty of knights on patrol; no additional guard seemed necessary. It wasn’t as if the knight captain himself needed to personally monitor things.

“Lady Latieana, what brings you here?”

I looked back at Hillstain. Could he possibly have known I was coming?

“I was just leaving after paying my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Oh. I see.”

His expression showed no surprise. Of course—he already knew I was here.

“May I ask what you discussed?”

“No. Don’t ask, because I won’t answer.”

“Shall I take a guess?”

What?

“Not long ago, the High Priest visited Her Majesty the Empress. He secretly concealed the fact that Lady Latieana possesses full qualifications as the Grand Saintess. Killian was also present at that meeting, but pretended ignorance.”

Hillstain grinned broadly, lifting the corners of his mouth.

“Of course! I also pretended not to know. Since Lady Latieana dislikes going to the temple, I assumed—whatever your reasons—you made a reasonably sensible deal with the High Priest.”

“…….”

“So, what kind of deal did you come to make with Killian today?”

I pressed my lips tightly shut. Though his gaze appeared gentle, it carried a chilling edge.

“Don’t be afraid. Depending on your answer, I must decide whether or not to assist you.”

“What kind of decision?”

“I must report to Her Majesty the Empress. Who was the woman who entered the Crown Prince’s castle at this hour? Why did she visit? What conversation took place? Everything.”

It felt like I’d been struck on the head. Was the Empress really monitoring such details? How old is Killian anyway—still trapped under her thumb, under her control?

I had no intention of accepting Killian’s proposal, but repeating his words verbatim to Hillstain wouldn’t benefit me either.

“If you’re so curious, ask the Crown Prince directly. I’m leaving now—don’t bother me.”

As I turned away coldly, Hillstain casually stepped forward one pace.

“Isn’t the atmosphere here too perfect for that? Feels just right for a secret rendezvous, doesn’t it?”

Of course. I should’ve known—why else would he be unusually obedient today? What scheme is this man plotting now?

“Didn’t I tell you not to—…!”

I frowned sharply mid-sentence, then abruptly fell silent.

“…?”

Hillstain Mathias. The Empress’s most trusted confidant.

Quick to assess situations and perfectly attuned to the Empress’s capricious moods, he alone enjoyed her exceptional favor.

Both in the past and now, this man has always remained steadfastly by the Empress’s side.

To the extent that he digs up every detail of Killian’s private life to report back.

He likely knows better than anyone else what truly happened between Edan and Killian.

“Lord Hillstain.”

“Yes?”

“Come here.”

I lifted my hand toward him and crooked my index finger.

Surprised by my sudden shift in demeanor, Hillstain—who had been wearing a playful grin—tilted his head and quietly looked down at me.

“Are you toying with me?”

“Whatever it is, just come when called. Only one step forward.”

Looking briefly incredulous, Hillstain strode forward with his long legs and stopped precisely one step away from me.

“I’m perfectly fine with that. Even if I don’t know much else, I’m very confident in pleasing you… physically.”

Hillstain quickly bent down and seized my hand.

I swiftly pulled my arm away before he could kiss my knuckles and asked,

“You know everything, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“What happened between Edan and Lord Killian.”

“…….”

The endlessly light amusement in Hillstain’s eyes sank into heavy seriousness.

“Tell me. What happened between them.”

“What will you give me if I tell you?”

He never misses a chance to avoid losing out.

“What more could I possibly give you, Lord?”

Previously, I’d begged him to conceal my identity as the Grand Saintess—and in exchange, I gave him pepper. But now that I’ve begun potion-making at the temple, that’s no longer necessary. Still, I have no reason to concede.

“Well, it’s not strictly necessary… but you do know I’m aware of Lady Latieana’s power—and that I could forcibly take it anytime I wished.”

He was speaking indirectly—but his meaning was clear: if he chose, he could seize someone like me right this moment.

But I simply scoffed at him.

“Are you prepared to die for saying that?”

Do you really think Edan would let you live if you laid a finger on me?

At my derisive words, Hillstain finally burst into a resigned chuckle, as if surrendering.

“Where shall I begin?”

He stretched his long arm and grabbed a handful of my hair, fluttering in the night wind.

“Should I start with Her Majesty the Empress driving them apart? Or how they both fell for her manipulation?”

The Empress orchestrated the rift?

Seeing my widened, trembling eyes, Hillstain smirked and released my hair.

“It’s not a complicated story.”

As he naturally began walking, I followed behind him.

“There were always wars, large and small, near the seemingly peaceful Empire. When Princess Ciela was still merely a princess, she was sent as a political bride to Lord Killian. The kingdom under threat of war was small and powerless—their only asset was their pretty little princess.”

“But if it was a political marriage with Killian, it was destined to happen anyway… Why did rumors spread that he was rejected?”

“Because he genuinely was rejected.”

“I heard the two of them loved each other.”

Hillstain, walking ahead, slowed his pace and came to walk beside me.

“Feelings like that don’t matter. What matters is that Her Majesty the Empress didn’t approve of their relationship. Officially, it appeared Killian was rejected—but it was the Empress who broke off the marriage. A princess who was merely pretty but otherwise insignificant would never satisfy the Empress’s standards.”

“So Princess Ciela saying she disliked the Crown Prince…”

“Was a lie.”

The Empress threatened Ciela into claiming she loved Edan—driving a wedge between the brothers to break off the marriage.

If Ciela displeased her, why not simply crush her with raw power? Why go to such lengths…?

“Was that lie directly ordered by Her Majesty the Empress to Princess Ciela?”

Don’t jump to conclusions. I must verify each point carefully—this is my chance to learn the truth.

Hillstain nodded at my question, asked while I’d even stopped walking.

“Yes. She threatened to annihilate the kingdom if Ciela refused.”

“How is that logical? Even if they didn’t marry, the outcome would be the same!”

“Hence,附加 conditions were added to frighten her. If Ciela pretended to love Prince Edan and stepped aside, the Empress promised to protect her kingdom—even without marriage.”

“Ha….”

I was speechless. She fell for such a clumsy, transparent threat?

Seeing my exasperation, Hillstain added further explanation.

“It’s been over five years. Now, Lord Killian stands firmly as Crown Prince—but back then, things were different. Most imperial dealings and diplomatic relations between kingdoms operated entirely under the Empress’s network and influence.”

“But even so…!”

Killian doesn’t particularly adore his mother, Empress Henzela. Though she’s sown discord between him and Edan since childhood, their secret meetings prove he never fully submitted. Even if he couldn’t openly rebel then, wouldn’t Killian have found some way if he’d spoken honestly?

“What could Princess Ciela have known? Beautiful and virtuous enough to become the Crown Prince’s fiancée, she was still just a powerless princess, raised pampered in a small kingdom. She easily believed the lie that unless she obeyed, not only would her kingdom fall—but Killian’s future throne would be handed to Duke Edan.”

“But the Empress never intended to make Edan the next Emperor!”

“Yes.”

At my fiercely blazing glare, matching my rising anger, Hillstain smiled serenely.

“That was also a lie.”

Lie upon lie. My lips began to tremble.

“Anyway, that’s how it began. Of course, Lord Killian didn’t suspect Duke Edan from the start—he immediately saw through Ciela’s claim of loving Edan. It was that poorly executed. The problem was that Princess Ciela didn’t stop there—she committed an outrageous act.”

“You don’t mean… she stripped and entered Edan’s room?”

Hillstain looked slightly surprised.

“You know quite a lot.”

Because I heard it directly from the Crown Prince.

“Lord Killian was suffering from the fever of a devastating first love. In my opinion, I doubt he’ll ever love a woman that deeply again. He was ready to mobilize every knight in the Empire if it meant lifting her kingdom.”

And yet, the woman he loved so deeply claimed to love Edan.

While staying utterly silent about the Empress’s role.

So even knowing it was a lie… he still felt betrayed by Edan?

“Lord Killian isn’t a fool. But even if it was a lie—if the woman who claimed to love his younger brother, not him, was caught leaving that brother’s room half-naked in the dead of night… wouldn’t anyone lose their mind?”

We had不知不觉 walked all the way to the pergola near the garden.

“And their relationship isn’t ordinary. They may be brothers with good rapport…”

Hillstain stepped inside the pergola, leaned his shoulder against a pillar, and turned to face me.

“Since childhood, everyone around Killian constantly whispered into his ears: ‘That bastard prince Edan will someday stab you in the back.’ Every single person—hundreds, thousands—murmured it as if brainwashing him.”