“Are you still harboring that vain dream, Lydia?”

“What dream?”

“The dream of marrying my brother and becoming the mistress of Atilei.”

“That’s none of your business.”

Lydia snapped. She shook her arm that Maximilian had grabbed, but it didn’t budge.

“How pitiful. What’s the use of being an Elfenbaum if you can’t have the one thing you want?”

“…”

“Oh, have you heard? They say my brother left the Saracen’s banquet carrying Abrams. People were gossiping about it. Saying that Cordelia Abrams might take the position of Atilei’s mistress.”

When Cordelia’s name was mentioned, Lydia’s eyes shook violently. Though it was pitch dark, Maximilian was close enough to notice the change in the woman’s emotions.

Maximilian inwardly rejoiced. It seemed he had hit the right nerve.

“I’ve never seen my brother so wrapped up in a woman before. It was obvious how much he cherishes her.”

“…Cordelia is Leo’s only disciple. Of course he cares for her.”

“Disciple? Well. From what I saw, he wasn’t looking at her as a disciple, but as a woman.”

“You don’t seem to know, but Cordelia is already married. So your words…”

“Married? Haha. What does that matter? I wouldn’t be surprised if that woman’s husband died tomorrow, you know?”

Lydia wanted to deny it, but somehow her lips wouldn’t part. Maximilian felt like a devil reciting the worst of her imagination.

He said with a gentle smile.

“My brother really has no eye for quality. When someone as beautiful and nobly-blooded as you is right in front of him, he’s doting on some woman from who knows where.”

“She has such exceptional magical talent, so Leo must be keeping her close because he recognizes that talent.”

“What’s that talent worth anyway.”

Lydia didn’t respond to his words, but deep in her heart, she agreed with Maximilian.

That mere talent. What was that talent worth?

The jealousy, sense of inferiority, and complex she had barely suppressed began to smolder.

And Maximilian perceived it like a ghost. He had started the conversation simply intending to silence her, but as they talked, a brilliant idea of how to use Lydia came to him.

“Shall I give it to you? That damned talent.”

“What?”

“The only reason Cordelia Abrams can stay by my brother’s side is because of that talent, right? If you had it too, wouldn’t my brother keep you closer than her? Don’t you think?”

“…But how?”

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t tempted. For a moment, Lydia forgot that this was Maximilian who had killed Leonard and perked up her ears.

“It’s possible with just a few holy relics. It’s no use asking Rosenblue. That rigid man knows nothing about this field.”

“This field?”

“Yes. There’s a method that magicians call the ‘evil path’. But the moment you tell anyone you saw me here, I can never tell you that method, Lydia.”

“You think you can persuade me with just that?”

“Just that? It’s the only way you can become my brother’s wife.”

Maximilian released her arm willingly. He had been gripping it so tightly that her entire arm tingled. Lydia quickly distanced herself from Maximilian.

“If you want to know that method, hang a red ribbon on your room’s window. I hope you make a wise choice, Lydia.”

He pulled his cloak down low again and disappeared somewhere.

Lydia couldn’t move her feet easily even after Maximilian had vanished from sight. Soon realizing the reality of the situation, she hurried towards the mansion.

She intended to tell the guards immediately that she had seen Maximilian. If she spoke now, it wouldn’t be difficult to seal off the mansion and capture him.

Fortunately, she saw a guard near the entrance of the mansion where the banquet was being held. Lydia approached him.

“Just now in the garden…”

“Yes?”

I saw Maximilian. Quickly seal off the mansion and inform the palace.

“What’s the matter? Did something happen in the garden?”

“…It’s nothing. Just, never mind.”

For some reason, she just couldn’t get the words out. She just needed to say Maximilian’s name and point in the direction he had fled. That’s all she needed to do.

‘Shall I give it to you? That damned talent.’

It wasn’t easy to shake off the temptation Maximilian had left behind.

If his words were true, if she could really obtain that talent, couldn’t she stand by Leonard’s side like Cordelia, no, even surpass her?

For the first time, as a way to end this wearisome unrequited love appeared, a thread-like hope sprouted deep in Lydia’s heart.

“My lady, are you already returning to the mansion?”

“Yes. I’m a bit tired.”

Lydia eventually returned home without saying anything to the guard.

Even knowing that the capital would be turned upside down searching for Maximilian and that Leonard would be the most desperate to find him.

She knew it was a selfish choice, but there was no helping it.

Talent, that mere talent.

If she only had that, maybe Leonard would turn his gaze to her.

* * *

“We must hold Margrave Vasquez responsible. Wasn’t it his son who caused this situation while transferring the criminal to the tower?”

“Tsk tsk. What were they thinking, entrusting such an important task to Margrave Vasquez’s son who hasn’t even been knighted for a year?”

“I thought this was a meeting to discuss solutions, not to assign blame.”

The others who had been throwing out comments one by one fell silent. When the person directly involved spoke up first, they couldn’t add any more words.

The emergency meeting of the public council, originally convened to proceed with Maximilian’s trial, had changed its subject due to his escape.

“Margrave Atilei is right. It’s not too late to discuss right and wrong after we solve the problem. Marquis Russell. Report on the situation so far.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Currently, we have set up checkpoints at all gates leaving the capital, thoroughly verifying identities and controlling entry and exit. Moreover, since Maximilian Atilei has a distinctive gait, the soldiers should easily recognize him.”

“Yet the fact that he hasn’t been caught means he’s likely still within the capital, doesn’t it?”

“That’s correct. It takes at least two days to get out of Yebo Delim from the palace, and we started the checkpoints immediately after his escape, so he should still be in the capital.”

The meeting ended after sluggishly listing information they already knew. If there had been any sharp solutions to begin with, they would have already captured Maximilian.

It had already been a week since his escape.

Despite mobilizing every soldier available from the palace to search every corner of the capital like catching mice, there was no trace of Maximilian, as if he had vanished into thin air or sunk into the ground.

In other words, it was absolutely impossible for him to have done this alone.

“Master.”

As Leonard came out of the conference room, Baron, who had been waiting, hurriedly approached him.

“What is it?”

“Embly’s maid has finally spoken. Rosalyn Embly…”

“Margrave Atilei!”

At that moment, Pablo Vasquez called out loudly as he approached Leonard.

Vasquez, the only one of the sacred eight families not affiliated with the council, seemed to have waited for him to come out as he couldn’t enter the conference room.

“Maximilian? Still not caught?”

“They say they haven’t caught him yet.”

“Is, is that so? How strange. He must be somewhere. The soldiers are truly incompetent.”

“I’d appreciate it if you’d get to the point. I’m busy.”

Leonard looked at him with cold eyes. Pablo spoke with an awkwardly forced smile.

“Well, about my son. Dennis is deeply regretting his actions. As you know, he absolutely didn’t let Maximilian escape with any intention, it was truly a mistake, he escaped in a moment of distraction. How could we have known he would run away? He was wearing those heavy shackles.”

“You should be saying this directly to His Majesty, not to me. He trusted you and appointed Dennis Vasquez, and now he’s in a difficult position.”

“Of course, I must speak to His Majesty as well. But I thought if you forgave Dennis first, we could resolve this situation more smoothly.”

“Well. I don’t see why I should forgive your son.”

“Wait, wait. If Dennis were to be punished because of this incident, how sad would Cordelia be?”

He had intended to just ignore and pass by. If only he hadn’t mentioned Cordelia’s name.

Seeing him use Cordelia to cover up his son’s fault was utterly disgusting.

Above all, Leonard was furious at how differently he treated his daughter and son.

“Ah, don’t worry about that. Even if Dennis Vasquez rots in prison for life for the crime of letting Maximilian escape, I’ll keep it a secret from Cordelia.”

“What, what are you saying! Rotting for life! Look here, Atilei. Just once, okay? Please turn a blind eye just this once. It was Dennis’s first mission since joining the knighthood, wasn’t it? Anyone can make a mistake!”

“Seeing how he couldn’t even handle his first mission properly, it seems he wasn’t suitable for the Silver Stag Knights after all.”

“Atilei!”

Leonard left, sneering at him. Pablo chased after Leonard with a pale face, but Baron stopped his steps with magic.

“Continue what you were saying earlier. What about Rosalyn Embly?”

“She’s six months pregnant, sir.”

“What? She’s pregnant?”

Leonard paused for a moment before walking again. A carriage with the white lion crest was waiting for him. Baron opened the carriage door to assist his master’s entry, then got in himself.