“How were you certain that I was not a poisoned cup?”

Esika stared at Resban for a long time in response to his words.

Then she opened her mouth and spoke in a clear voice.

“No. I wasn’t certain. No matter how brilliant the cup, you only know the contents once you drink. A romantic relationship and married life are different.”

Resban’s eyebrow twitched at the sharp answer that left no room for denial.

He said to Esika.

“Then, is the reason you chose to drink simply for revenge?”

“Because I’m already immune to all poisons.”

“…”

“I’ve built up a tolerance to poison, so I’m not afraid of any kind. The need to distinguish between a poisoned cup and wine only applies to ordinary people, I’m different.”

Resban felt like laughing at Esika’s response, which seemed not just confident but even shameless.

It would have been nice if she had answered that she was certain he wasn’t a poisoned cup,

Though disappointed, he found this side of her to be quintessentially Esika and thus enjoyable.

“Then even if I were to betray you, it wouldn’t affect you at all. Since you’re a woman immune to poison.”

At Resban’s words, Esika closed her mouth for a moment as if thinking about something.

And only after a while did she open her mouth.

“Well, I probably wouldn’t want to do that.”

“…”

“Don’t you already know the fate of those who have betrayed me?”

Resban felt a chill mixed with killing intent in Esika’s cheerful voice.

He certainly knew about the situation of one man who had betrayed Esika.

Thorough downfall and defeat, then abandoned by Esika, forced to live forever yearning.

Realizing what he had lost.

And Esika had whispered. The story of a villainess from long ago.

The unbelievable yet undeniable name of the villainess was Youngreung.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince is different from those foolish men. You’ve seen what I’m capable of.”

Resban’s eyebrow twitched.

It was a statement with no way out.

To tease her, he couldn’t cut his own flesh by becoming such a fool.

He felt like laughter was about to break through at Esika’s lively appearance.

“Even so, should I be curious whether Your Highness is a poisoned cup or not?”

Certainly, even if he were a poisoned cup, he could only become a mild drink before her.

The warlord of Tulessia would become a complete subordinate to invade her lips.

And he would never want her to spit him out.

“No.”

Resban reached out and stroked her delicate jawline.

The one and only special woman in the world.

But he didn’t hesitate to pick up on another thread of conversation, narrowing one eye.

With the same emotion as when he kissed her in front of Callian at the engagement party,

“…It was a worthless question. For you.”

He recalls Dokyoung’s expression when he conveyed his desire to become the emperor’s woman as Youngreung.

He didn’t know then.

That the man who would treat him most preciously was right beside him.

“…”

In fact, she could tell through experience whether he was a poisoned cup or not.

Two failures, one realization, and now his firm hand finally grasped.

“Do you trust me completely, Your Highness?”

Resban’s eyes darkened as he looked at Esika.

Clouds were covering the brilliant light of the sun.

“It’s a question without options. You made me realize that my heart is as hot as my head.”

Resban’s lips moved.

When he first encountered Esika at the lake of the Klaus mansion,

No, when he met Esika in the warehouse of Hasetsu,

Perhaps even before that, long before, Resban felt destined for Esika as if only she existed.

Only she could give the answer to the origin of this vague obsession and love.

“…I see your lips again.”

Resban tilted his head slightly and kissed her lips.

He could feel Esika’s sweet and fragrant breath.

Embracing her shoulders that trembled weakly, he invaded deeper into her.

He entangled Esika’s breath.

As the faint thirst was quenched, a deeper thirst welled up.

**

“Oh Tameron… Is this hardship also part of your grand will?”

The empress’s lips were drying up as she prayed with clasped hands.

Everything had gone completely opposite to the plan.

The vicious demon incarnate, Esika! She was threatening the empress’s future.

“But your servant will not succumb to the witch’s viciousness and will faithfully come to you, please bestow upon me wisdom and blessings.”

The empress’s lips were trembling, and her eyes were unfocused.

Soon after, as her emotions intensified and her breathing became rough, the empress opened the drawer of the side table and opened a small bottle containing medication.

And she began to gulp it down hastily.

Drops of the medicine trickled down her neck, leaving a trail along the empress’s lips.

She soon collapsed into her seat, staggering.

Even as her eyes shook unfocused, the corners of her lips twisted in ecstasy.

“Ah… I see you. Oh Tameron.”

And after staying like that with a smile for dozens of minutes, as the drug’s effect wore off, the empress staggered to her feet again.

Her eyes were red, and her eyes were full of joy.

“The glory of Tameron… shall come upon all the earth…”

A moment later, the door opened, and two men in black clothes bowed their heads to the empress.

The empress was still muttering, but as this was not uncommon, they began their report without concern.

“Your Majesty the Empress. As you ordered, we met Callian Klaus… but something unexpected happened.”

The empress had sent someone to Callian to mean that he should get his mind straight.

The reporting man’s voice was bitter.

“Yuri Anesis didn’t write a statement saying that Esika Klaus was possessed by a demon, did she? So we took that, but when Count Klaus saw my wife’s handwriting, his face turned white. And he refused to testify about the witch. Even when I asked what was wrong, he just trembled with anger…”

The empress couldn’t understand why Callian had become angry and left after seeing Yuri Anesis’s handwriting.

Anyway, if he had no intention of getting his mind straight, there was no need to support her nephew.

“It’s all useless…”

“Pardon…? Your Majesty?”

“In the end, that end will be ruin.”

The corners of the empress’s lips were twitching.

She seemed to be going more and more insane.

**

“It seems the empress will gain a new card instead of losing the grand duchess of Heinz.”

In the reception room of the mansion, Esika was having tea with Lady Merhin.

Lady Merhin, who had become one of the central figures in the social circles of the capital, quickly provided Esika with news about the whereabouts of her enemies.

“A new card?”

“Yes, Princess Astia. They seem to have figured out her whereabouts. She’s expected to arrive at the palace in time for the national wedding ceremony.”

Lady Merhin spoke with concern, her expression serious.

Esika listened to her story while elegantly taking a sip of tea from her cup.

“She’s one of the royal family members who survived the war, isn’t she? It was known that she was alive, but at some point her whereabouts became unclear… And then it was revealed that she had succeeded in livestock farming in the Maroun plains.”

“…”

“I hear her husband is a merchant with excellent skills. They’re raising horses, cattle, and sheep efficiently utilizing a vast area of land, and their annual income reaches 300,000 ling, so it’s a better match than lower-ranking noble families. Of course, if His Majesty had found out about Princess Astia’s whereabouts earlier, he would have looked for a different match…”

A faint smile lingered on Esika’s lips.

One of the reasons for guiding the princess to the Maroun plains was also to launder the status of her husband, who was of commoner knight origin.

It was beyond expectations that he was doing quite well in business due to his good skills.

Lady Merhin continued, as if it was somewhat fortunate.

“It’s good for us that the princess is already married. The empress has the right over the princess’s marriage, so she would have looked for a son-in-law for Princess Astia in a way that would expand her influence. But we should be wary just because Princess Astia is returning.”

In the end, the empress sits in the highest position among the women in the palace.

For Astia to adapt to the palace, she will need the empress’s arrangement, and if Astia ends up watching the empress’s mood like the previous grand duchess, she will become Esika’s enemy.

Now that the grand duchess has broken off her engagement, the empress will do her best to tame Astia.

Lady Merhin’s concern seemed to be keeping this in mind.

“I look forward to it.”

But Esika had a relaxed expression as if she had no such worries.

“Pardon?”

Lady Merhin couldn’t understand Esika’s attitude.

Esika always sees several moves ahead, and although the princess’s appearance should be a factor to be tense about, she didn’t seem to mind at all.

To Lady Merhin, who was looking at her with curious eyes, Esika said.

“Let me give you one hint… When you recognize her face, you’ll be surprised.”

“Me… myself?”

Lady Merhin pointed to herself with an expression of incomprehension.

Recognize her face… Does that mean they’ve met before?

“That’s how it is. That’s all for the hint.”

Esika cut off her words with a pleased expression.

No matter how much she thought about it, she had never met the princess.

But Esika had never been wrong in what she had said so far.

“A sister-in-law isn’t always a welcome presence for women.”

The scent of black tea was sweetly tickling her nose.

Esika took another sip of the warm tea.

“It’s different when she’s on my side.”

An emerald ring was on her finger.