Jan entered the reception room connected to the bedroom with Kristine. On the table, there were numerous empty liquor bottles and crumpled poems that seemed to have been recited while smoking.

He buried himself on the plush sofa and lit the poem, blowing the smoke lazily.

“If the search of the Oswald mansion has been halted, there’s no need to go to such lengths, in my judgment.”

Exhaling the smoke, Jan spoke languidly.

At that moment, Kristine’s lips twisted as if they were drying up.

“Huh, judgment? You’re not conspiring with Stone again, are you?”

Jan’s eyebrows twitched.

“You…!”

Kristine snatched the poem from his hand and splashed it onto the table.

Sizzle.

The flames, fueled by the poem, flickered and extinguished on the marble table.

“The sound of rolling a bad idea reached here.”

“This… you… How dare you, you beast!”

Unable to contain his anger, Jan shouted furiously.

Simultaneously, over Kristine’s smooth and white face, a silver fur shimmered. The subordinate became more agile, and her fierce gaze became sharper. Then, the sharp and elongated fangs of a wolf, terrifyingly exposed, appeared.

“Ugh!”

Kristine’s transformation into a wolf was only halfway done. Yet, even with only half the change, Jan felt a chilling sensation to his bones.

Yes, he had forgotten. He had forgotten how cruel and dreadful a beast he was.

How many people he brutally killed on the battlefield in that inhuman form.

“Yeah, don’t forget, Jan Valencia. That I am a beast.”

From the throat of Kristine, who had taken on the form between a wolf and a human, a growling, ominous sound emanated.

The wolf tribe, who took the shape of a beast but used the language of humans.

People couldn’t tolerate their alien appearance.

They must have always felt threatened by those beings stronger than themselves.

So, they probably eradicated them like that.

Fortunately, humans were more cunning than beasts.

Knock, knock.

“Commander, we heard strange sounds. Are you okay?”

“Your Majesty, is everything alright?”

The Imperial Guard members outside the door asked, knocking.

“Nothing… is wrong.”

Groaning, Jan replied outside.

Meanwhile, Kristine returned to her human form.

“Foolish. I gave you enough chances, yet you wasted every one of them.”

Leaving a warning behind, Kristine turned and disappeared outside the door.

Even after he vanished from sight, Jan remained paralyzed by fear for a while.

“Darn it, April!”

Recalling the conversation he had with April a little while ago, Jan muttered dismally.

“Delaying the marriage is not allowed, Abamama!”

Of course, just a few hours ago, Jan had planned to follow Kristine’s advice. After suggesting to April to postpone the confrontation with Stone, he intended to sign the document approving the search of the Oswald mansion.

With clear evidence, capturing Stone would be unstoppable even by the nobility.
Moreover, if it is proven that the one known as the Silver Wolf is Stone, it would be a favorable turn of events. This might help suppress rumors about the Silver Wolf. In that case, Isabella and Duke Rodwell won’t be able to bring up the story that the Silver Wolf killed the former Emperor. After all, no one would believe such tales.

Letting go of Stone’s hand was regrettable, but what was gained was more significant, so it wasn’t bad at all.

However, April disrupted all those plans.

“Not allowed?”

“Have you not considered my reputation? The Vice Count and I breaking off the engagement already made us a laughingstock in social circles. But if the marriage with Viscount Oswald is delayed again, can you imagine what people will say?”

“Reputation and rumors tend to be forgotten with time.”

“It’s about my marriage. I don’t want to be manipulated according to Abamama’s will anymore.”

Jan looked at his daughter with an expression of bewilderment.

She had always been an obedient child, to the point where it was hard to believe she was the daughter of his forceful wife. It was the first time she had shown such strong resistance.

“April, you inherit the noble Emperor’s blood. With that position comes a corresponding sense of responsibility. Don’t forget that.”

Jan spoke authoritatively, trying to bend his daughter’s will.

However, April didn’t bow down but instead looked at him disdainfully.

“Abamama may have wanted it, but I never did.”

A look as if she knew all his flaws.

And that too, from the person he least wanted to reveal them to.

“What… What…?”

“Did you not know? How Abamama managed to sit in that position.”

Smack!

Unintentionally, Jan slapped April’s cheek. It wasn’t out of anger but out of shame. His face reddened from the embarrassment of having all his ugly intentions exposed.

Thud!

Falling awkwardly, April’s head hit the table.

“April, hey!”

Surprised, Jan rushed over and lifted his daughter up.

Blood was dripping down from her white forehead.

“I’m sorry. I must not have been in my right mind. How could I…?”

Jan apologized, wiping April’s blood away with his hand.