She didn’t intend to have such thoughts, but unpleasant memories kept coming back, sticking to her like a murky darkness and pulling Ariana into it.
One difference from that time was that there were two red lights at the end of the darkness. Waiting at the end of the sticky dark emotions were crimson eyes.

Watching Ariana, blood-red eyes.

‘Did North Duke hide somewhere and watch people even back then? What did he think when he saw me, dressing up in an unsuitable figure?’

In such a moment, the reason for thinking of Cyrus could not be understood.

How do I look? Do I seem vulgar or inappropriate? Does my figure look like I’m wearing clothes that don’t suit me?

The reason for wanting to throw such questions couldn’t be understood either.

Silver hair and a beautifully sculpted face vividly came to mind.

The astonishment and tension of the moment when she first encountered him, the admiration for his outstanding appearance.

Even though he was someone who only thought to use her, the reason he came to mind whenever her vision darkened might be because he was the one who reached out to her in difficult moments.

Back then, his help was annoying and burdensome, but looking back now, it was because of his help that she was able to establish herself in Dongryeong more smoothly than planned.

Primarily because of the thought, ‘I want to see him,’ Ariana suddenly stood up.

‘What am I thinking?’

It seems that various thoughts come to mind due to the upcoming party tomorrow. Ariana had no good memories of the party.

‘I’m thinking all sorts of things because I’m alone in my room.’

Ariana put on her gown, grabbed a few medicine bottles, and left the room.

There were a few lanterns hanging in the corridor, so it wasn’t very dark even though it was late at night.

Ariana headed to the room with Signy. Except for a few people, no one knew that a golden-eyed slave was in Chase Castle.

Signy’s care was handled by a mute and illiterate young maidservant. As Ariana entered, the maidservant, who had been sleeping on a small bed, jumped up.

The maidservant, who had never met high-ranking people because she only did laundry, didn’t know what to do when faced with the appearance of a princess and lowered her head.

“Sorry for waking you up. I’ll be leaving soon, so keep sleeping.”

Even if Ariana said that, the maidservant couldn’t possibly fall back asleep. She quietly pressed herself against the wall, trying not to look directly at Ariana.

Ariana looked down at Signy lying on the bed.

Even though Signy looked uncomfortable lying on the soft bed, hunching over with a body that couldn’t straighten, she seemed smaller than Ariana, who was supposed to be taller.

Every time Ariana saw Signy, she thought of herself when she was in Seoryeong.

A pitiful existence that no one loved, just used until death. An existence that would die without anyone remembering.

Ariana opened the medicine bottle, poured it into Signy’s mouth, and applied ointment on the scars on Signy’s chest. Her hand, which was applying the ointment, hesitated on Signy’s dry shoulders.
On Signy’s shoulder, there was a tattoo of a wolf’s face inside a circle. It was a tattoo that proved her status as a slave.

Ariana cautiously traced the tattoo.

Signy, who had been making groaning sounds, opened her eyes. The sight of golden eyes peeking through her eyelids looked like the sun rising.

The trembling eyes stopped at Ariana’s face.

“Good… miss…”

Ariana gave a faint smile and stroked Signy’s cheek.

“Yeah, get well soon. So I can show you good weather.”

+++

The next morning, Ariana received a letter. It was a dispatch from the Northern Command, stating that Isaac and Andrei would be coming to Dongryeong.

‘If it’s Andrei, he must be talking about Duke Heron, right?’

Ariana had talked to Andrei before. It happened when she was 24, moving as the concubine of the Third Prince, during a small party held in a salon in the imperial capital.

The Third Prince, Harold, who asked Ariana to dance, pointed to a man clinging to him and said, “That person is Duke Andrei Heron, the closest aide to the North Duke.”

A man with shoulder-length black hair covering his neck, slightly downturned eye corners, large eyes with vivid purple irises, and a tall, handsome figure was surrounded by noble gentlemen.

“If you become close, it might be helpful later.”

The Third Prince didn’t command Ariana directly, but that statement was enough. If he could help her, Ariana needed to befriend Andrei.

Seizing the opportunity, Ariana approached Andrei. She handed him a drink, smiling brightly.

There was no shame.

This forced laughter and vulgar attitude would all be helpful to the Third Prince. If she did well, the Third Prince would need her, and there would be no need for someone like her to be born.

Andrei accepted the offered drink with a kind smile. As Ariana exhaled a sigh of relief, he whispered in her ear, taking a sip of satisfaction.

“I don’t like women who approach me so straightforwardly, madam.”

The sharp blade hidden in his affectionate voice pierced Ariana’s eardrums. Andrei, who had said that, was no longer looking at Ariana, who widened her eyes and looked up at him.

His purple eyes were directed toward the nobles filling the salon.

“This place is still filled with a disgusting smell.”

Ariana couldn’t understand what he meant. Andrei looked down at Ariana, staring directly at her.

“Don’t step on this filthy path, madam. There won’t be anything good at the end of this road.”