In the western garden of the imperial palace, called ‘The Empress’s Garden’, Mariela Lucein was praying with her hands clasped together.

Known for her deep faith, she was the mother of the second prince Brayton, the sister of the former Duke Klaus, and Callian’s aunt.

“Is this terrible ordeal also Your will……”

The ends of her eyebrows were raised, and her clasped hands were tense.

Her fingers were slender and adorned with rings, and her nails were red.

Tameron, the only god of the empire, was the sole being she believed in and worshipped.

“Or if it is not Your will……”

Her briefly closed eyebrows trembled slightly.

When she opened her eyes a moment later, brown eyes the same color as her hair were revealed.

Those eyes were filled with pain, sorrow, and anger.

“Are You saying it’s a test from the devil?”

A hoarse voice continued.

At her feet lay a crumpled letter.

It was a letter exposing the series of events that had befallen the Klaus family and that Esika Klaus, the Duchess, was involved in all of it.

Mariela began to cry.

And in the midst of her tears, she suddenly shook her shoulders and laughed.

As if only she and the one true god Tameron existed in the world, she fell into a trance and muttered something for a while.

After a moment, Mariela spoke in a low voice.

“If the world is so full of evil, and only I, Mariela, Your servant, can stand against the irreverent devil’s minions……”

The eyes that had been full of negative emotions flickered.

Those eyes were filled with frenzied ecstasy.

“I will gladly prove my faith in You without sparing my body.”

**

Esika, dressed in clothes that the maids had discarded, went out to the bustling streets.

This was because she had received a message from Panix, whom Resban had introduced to her before. News that he had obtained a clue about Celikser’s book.

‘If I only had the formula for Celikser……’

She couldn’t help but have expectations.

The growth rate of martial arts would be much faster.

There would surely be many who would extend their greedy hands towards Klaus, who had been driven out, and Esika had to become stronger to protect her assets.

It is an eternal truth that the more one has, the greater the threats become.

‘It was worth raising those three.’

Although most of the maids and servants had packed up and left, Hemos and Cela did not leave the mansion.

Hemos made quality food even with the little food left and steadily supplied medicine.

Of course, since the remaining food was limited, Callian needed to sign the divorce agreement and sale contract soon so they could start the family anew. Well, she thought, he would make a decision by tomorrow.

She passed through the bustling streets and entered the outskirts of the underworld.

It was when she was walking, remembering the path she had taken with Resban before.

“…Well, who do we have here.”

A voice she had heard somewhere before rang out.

When she turned her head, a man who had been giggling with two women was pointing his finger at Esika.

Esika knew who he was.

Gaven Pelope. He was Callian Klaus’s friend.

Though friend was actually a thing of the past, anyway, he was a man of poor quality for a nobleman.

He approached Esika with staggering steps, his eyes seemingly intoxicated.

“Aren’t you Lady Klaus. Ah, I’ve heard the… tragic news about Klaus too. Yes, it’s really unfortunate. Truly……”

Gaven muttered with slurred speech, placing his hand on his forehead.

His voice didn’t sound sympathetic at all.

Soon, thump, Gaven lowered his hand and said to Esika.

“I hear Klaus has incurred enormous debts and needs money. You must be very worried too, my lady. Having married the wrong man……”

“……”

“To be on the brink of ruining your life, how… um… tragic is that. The fate of women is truly……”

Gaven, who had previously been formal in front of Esika, whether due to the effects of drugs or if this was his true nature, did not hide his lewd gaze.

“From the moment I first saw you, no, I mean, when I saw you recently on the day I broke off my friendship with Callian, I thought you were truly beautiful.”

“……”

“I wondered if you were a goddess descended from heaven. I was even jealous of Callian. But to see you wearing such dirty and shabby clothes… it pains my heart.”

Gaven thumped his chest a couple of times as if he truly meant it.

Esika spoke in a cold, hard voice.

“Thank you for empathizing with and feeling sorry for the tragedy of the Klaus family. Now, if you have nothing more to say, please step aside.”

“No, how can I have nothing to say? Having met such a welcome face in a place like this… how could I just let you go, my lady?”

“……”

Esika frowned, but Gaven spoke with a face that showed no awareness.

“Seeing that you’ve come all the way to this underworld, it seems you’re here to borrow money or sell something, but I can provide that kind of pocket change.”

His eyes scanned Esika up and down.

It was a moment when Esika understood why Callian had been so wary just from seeing Gaven and her talking.

It’s only natural that scoundrels who cling to their friend’s wife wouldn’t trust each other.

“If you’d just stay with me for today… I’ll empty this pocket for you. You can’t even imagine what’s in here.”

Gaven, who had been pointing at the middle part of his pants, reached out his lecherous hand to grab Esika’s.

However, Esika ruthlessly swatted his hand away as soon as it came close.

Then Gaven began to grumble as if displeased.

“Come on. Klaus is already ruined, why are you being so harsh? Well, you must have come to this alley with a purpose, but isn’t it better to trust your husband’s friend than to have your weakness exposed to some strange guy? Don’t be like this……”

Perhaps he’ll only come to his senses if he sees blood.

She didn’t bring her sword today, but subduing such a fool would be easier than blowing her nose.

It was the moment she was internally sighing.

A sharp dagger flew from somewhere and pierced Gaven’s palm.

It penetrated halfway through the back of his hand.

It was at such an incredible speed that even Esika was startled.

Gaven, who had been standing dazed for a moment, looked at his hand and began to scream.

“Aaargh! Aah!!”

The women who had been waiting for Gaven behind him also screamed in surprise at the sight of the dagger stuck in his hand and fled into the dark alley.

“Oh my! Kyaak!!”

The sight of blood gushing from the hand with the dagger stuck in it made one cringe.

“What is this! My hand! My hand!!”

Gaven was screaming at the top of his lungs.

Esika felt someone approaching from behind.

It was obvious who it was. The fact that even she couldn’t detect his approach and that he attacked quickly and accurately meant that he was an incredibly skilled master.

Gaven saw the approaching man wearing a black robe, and also noticed another dagger in his hand.

“Huu… huuk… sa… save me…!!”

Instinctively feeling that not just his hand but his life was in danger, he turned his body without looking back and started to run away.

“Uwaaargh!!”

Of course, there was no attempt to grab Esika or ask her to run away together.

Only drops of dark red blood remained as traces on the ground where he had left.

Esika slowly turned her body.

And she faced him, who had somehow come close enough to touch.

A cool fragrance drifted to her nose on the wind.

For some reason, her heart sank at the intense gaze under the robe.

As he lowered the hood of his robe, Resban’s cold eyes and high bridge of the nose were revealed.

“……”

He had the same rigid and nonchalant expression as before.

A man whose emotions were unknowable, difficult to fathom.

Esika, meeting Resban’s gaze, felt a stinging pain in her throat.

She wanted to say something, but words wouldn’t come out.

Resban simply stared silently at Esika.

“……”

That day, Esika had rejected Resban’s heart.

Resban had asked for her heart, but Esika couldn’t respond.

Esika had never thought that choice was wrong.

She had decided never to love anyone again.

But why did her heart ache so much when she saw him?

“…The places that man touched.”

At his low voice flowing from his lips, Esika’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

Resban was asking. Concern and worry were slightly evident in his intense gaze.

As if inquiring about something truly precious.

After a moment, Esika’s lips moved.

“…There aren’t any.”

After a brief silence, Resban frowned and muttered lowly.

“If there were any places he touched, I was going to cut off those parts in the same way.”

It certainly wasn’t an empty threat.

When he reached out to Esika, he had pierced Gaven’s hand with the dagger without hesitation.

A faint, bitter smile appeared and disappeared on Esika’s lips.

The feelings arising towards him were different from her feelings for the emperor in her previous life, or her feelings for Callian before she regained her memories.

She had expressed her feelings to them without hesitation, but even the slightest expression to Resban was several times more difficult.

Her heart was pounding heavily, yet there was a strange sense of guilt that seemed to surge from her bones. This couldn’t be expressed in any way.

But all she could say now was this.

“Thank you.”

Resban did not accept Esika’s thanks, only staring at her.

As if he had more to say.