There was only one path to atonement.

Although her one life could not substitute for countless others, there was nothing else she could do. Ludvian threatened Ariel with her parents. She did not know until then. The fact that her parents had already passed away. While repeatedly leaving the palace to meet her parents and getting caught, that day she sought out Ludvian with the determination to settle things once and for all.

But there, she lost even the slightest thread of hope.

[Lord Ludvian, the princess escaped again today and was caught. Shouldn’t we tell her that the King and Queen of Letiana are dead?] [We should tell her… But first, let’s deal with the people we passed information to.] [They were dealt with immediately after killing the King and Queen of Letiana.]

Ludvian had even caused the death of her parents. Shocked, Ariel spent hellish days before changing her mind.

If she couldn’t die, she would kill.

From then on, she held her breath, behaving obediently as he wished, and began researching dragons, the natural enemy of demons.

“Dragons open their eyes about 3 weeks after hatching. At this time, their size is about human knee-height.”

“Lady Ariel?”

“And after 3 months, they undergo their first growth spurt, from which point they gain the ability to protect themselves.”

“Are you awake?”

Though her eyes were clearly closed, Ariel’s voice was clear. At that moment, Ariel was dreaming of reading a book about dragons in the Brandt Library.

“After the first growth, their body size increases considerably, and from then on, dragons can freely adjust their size.”

Anna realized Ariel was dreaming and began shaking her arm to wake her. Fortunately, Ariel’s eyes soon fluttered open.

“…Anna?”

“Are you coming to your senses now?”

Ariel’s gaze, which had been blank for a while, slowly surveyed her surroundings.

“Anna, where is this? Why am I…”

“You collapsed. This is a guest room in the palace.”

“Ah…”

The memory vaguely came back. Seeing the main gate of the palace had overlapped with memories of countless demons kneeling, making her head go blank.

“Are you alright now?”

“Yes, sorry. Were you surprised?”

“Yes, completely. Just a moment, Lady Ariel. Try to get up slowly. I need to tighten your dress again since I loosened it.”

Anna spoke to Ariel, who was about to get up from the bed.

“Miss Anna, His Excellency has arrived…”

Before Ostian could finish speaking, the door opened and Kaius entered. Startled, Ariel hid back under the covers without even having a chance to adjust her slipping dress.

“Kaius, I’m fine. Could you please wait outside for a moment?”

But he approached unconcerned, and Anna had no choice but to step aside at Kaius’s eye signal. As he sat on the edge of the bed, Ariel blinked her large eyes while clutching the blanket.

“Where did it hurt?”

His hand instantly moved from Ariel’s forehead to her cheek, then rested on her nape. It happened before she could do anything about it.

As Kaius’s hand lingered, Ariel’s golden eyes wavered uneasily. Though he disliked how she stiffened at his touch, it was still better than how he felt upon hearing she had collapsed.

Anxiety.

An emotion he had never felt before. An emotion he hadn’t known even when the sudden demon attack began.

“I’m fine. I just fainted for a moment. I must have been nervous about today’s banquet. I’m okay now, so could you call Anna? I need to get ready again. We’re late for the banquet, aren’t we? I’m sorry. Because of me.”

As her chattering voice was heard, a sigh of relief and a slight smile escaped him. The small vibration transmitted through his hand, which he had been gripping tightly the entire way here, felt good too. It was as if her well-being was directly conveyed through his hand.

As if trying to erase his anxiety, Kaius’s hand caressing her nape felt the necklace. Suddenly reminded of last night, Kaius pulled down the blanket she was clutching without much effort. Just enough to see the necklace.

As expected.

The necklace he had expected filled his eyes. The necklace Ariel believed was a gift from Edward, but which Kaius had prepared.

“Ah, this is the wedding gift Edward gave me yesterday. I wore it because I liked it, is that okay?”

It was a question tinged with concern that it might not please him. Kaius’s gaze, which had been staring intently at the necklace, turned to Ariel’s eyes.

“It’s pretty.”

It was a low, soft tone.

Surprised by the unexpected answer, Ariel looked back into the night-like eyes that had been holding her all along. Then Kaius’s gaze deepened, and his Adam’s apple moved slowly without him realizing. Feeling uncomfortable and awkward under his gaze, Ariel slightly turned her head away.

She didn’t want to deceive him.

“Th-thank you. I’ll be sure to tell Edward when I see him next time.”

At those words, Kaius gently cupped her chin with the hand that had been on her nape, drawing her gaze back to him. She was clearly his woman. Yet something unfilled kept allowing base emotions to seep in.

“Kaius? We should go now. Today is an important day, isn’t it?”

Worried about being too late for the banquet, Ariel pushed his hand away firmly. At her voice waking him up, Kaius got up from the bed.

“I’ll wait outside, so come out when you’re ready.”

As Kaius walked out the door, his eyes were deep and calm.

***

As Kaius and Ariel entered the hall side by side, the commotion instantly subsided.

Sparse exclamations and murmurs could be heard along the path leading to the raised platform where the imperial family was seated. Kaius looked down at Ariel. At least outwardly, she looked very dignified and elegant. Of course, his eyes saw differently.

She looked like she might startle and run away at the slightest touch. Would Ludvian or Edward know this face too? Kaius smiled bitterly at the unconsciously raised self-question.

What a foolish question.

The two men had deeper ties with his wife than he did. Maybe not Ludvian, but certainly Edward. Edward probably knew many aspects of her that he didn’t. Still, there was one thing. The disheveled appearance on the bed was his alone. The only one who knew. His.

Meanwhile, Kaius, who had led Ariel to the platform where the imperial family was seated, gently released her arm and stepped aside.

“We greet Your two Majesties.”

Emperor Hart responded to their greeting with appropriate words. He wanted to summon Princess Ariel separately to question her about the crime of injuring the Emperor, but for now, he planned to let her pay her respects first, as it was Grandmother’s birthday banquet. There was plenty of time anyway.

“Congratulations on your birthday.”

Kaius and Ariel, who had moved a few steps to the side, greeted today’s guest of honor, Olivia von Klardeus.

“Thank you, Duke Elbartan. And wife.”

Kaius, who gave an appropriate smile, gestured, and Lemon, who had been waiting behind, brought a gift box.

“It’s a jewel called the Dragon’s Heart.”

Inside the box was a red jewel. Seeing it, Ariel’s head tilted slightly. She felt like she had seen it somewhere before.

“Thank you.”

But there was no time to pay more attention to that. Ariel signaled to Anna.

“Your Majesty, though it’s modest, I too have prepared a gift. I heard you suffer from severe headaches, so I prepared this, though I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”

Kaius had guessed it was a gift from seeing Anna carrying it, but he was a bit surprised to learn it was for headaches. Her prescription was certainly effective. After all, he had been applying peppermint oil to his neck every day.

Anna carried it over and handed it to the Empress Dowager’s lady-in-waiting. After opening the box to check, the lady-in-waiting showed it to the Empress Dowager with a smiling face.

“How did you know I have headaches?”

“I apologize, but I saw it in the news. That since the late Emperor and Empress passed away, Your Majesty has been unable to sleep well and suffers from severe headaches. So I’ve shown this small gesture of sincerity, please don’t blame me for being rude.”

At Ariel’s words, the Empress Dowager smiled gently. Then she gestured for Ariel to come closer. At that sight, Emperor Hart’s eyes widened, and many nobles, including Empress Catherine, began to stir.

Olivia von Klardeus, the Fair.

It was the representative epithet describing her. She was famous for not getting close to nobles privately, knowing her own influence. In such a situation, to invite a duchess she had just met onto the platform? It was a groundbreaking move.

Unaware of anything, Ariel glanced at Kaius and then climbed onto the platform to approach the Empress Dowager. At the Empress Dowager’s command to come even closer, Ariel moved a bit nearer.

“Duchess, can you spare a moment now?”

Looking at the Empress Dowager’s eyes, it seemed she wanted to use the gift right away. It was what Ariel had hoped for, but she was also a bit worried. If what she had prepared proved effective, that would be perfect, but if not, it would be hard to guarantee the results of today’s council. Ariel fell into brief contemplation.

Watching the scene intently, Kaius walked up to just in front of the platform. It was because he had read Ariel’s seemingly troubled expression. Others might not, but at least he could tell.

“Alright.”

But Ariel was quick. At her acceptance, Olivia von Klardeus rose from her seat.

“Emperor, I will have tea with the Duchess of Elbartan and return, so please be aware.”

At the Empress Dowager’s bombshell statement, Duke Lantiano, who was nearby, stepped forward with an urgent expression.

“Your Majesty, there is a council today. Please reconsider.”

At Duke Lantiano’s remark, Olivia von Klardeus frowned. He had never made a single effort for her headaches until now. How unscrupulous. Even the Duchess of Elbartan, who was seeing her for the first time, was being so considerate. Yet he dared to interfere, let alone help.

“Duke Lantiano, are you saying I would lose my fairness over one gift? That’s quite insulting.”

Olivia von Klardeus coldly rebuked.