I blinked at Sir Penadel’s sudden criticism of his superior.

He was someone who never spoke carelessly about others, even in jest.

Moreover, when we first met, hadn’t he introduced the Grand Duke as quite a capable superior?

No, thinking about it, he had said the Duke was diligent in his duties, but I don’t think he ever mentioned that he treated his subordinates well.

‘This might be an opportunity.’

I wanted to indulge in a greed that my past self would never have entertained.

After clearing my throat a few times, I cautiously began like a headhunter trying to poach talent from a rival company.

“Sir, does the Grand Duke treat you poorly?”

I quickly continued with words of comfort before he could answer.

“No, I think I understand without hearing your answer. When I saw His Grace last time, he did seem somewhat insensitive.”

“…I will correct it.”

“Why should you correct it? His Grace should be the one to correct himself!”

I took his side, as he seemed somewhat dejected, and began to coax him in earnest.

I could easily guess what he intended to tell me after the succession ceremony.

‘He’ll probably say that since the promised six months of protecting me have passed, he’s returning to the North.’

Before he could bring it up, I needed to make the first move.

Anxiously glancing at the massive gates of the royal palace visible through the carriage window, I said.

“So if there’s anything you want, tell me. Anything at all.”

They say there are things money can’t buy, but that also means most things can be bought with money.

Though it would be like backstabbing the Grand Duke, I wanted to do whatever I could to keep Sir Penadel by my side.

Just as Leo had courageously told me.

***

Even after the carriage arrived at the royal palace, my mind was filled with dozens of ways to persuade Sir Penadel rather than focusing on the succession ceremony.

At that moment, a court attendant approached me and spoke quietly.

“His Highness the Crown Prince urgently requests your presence.”

“…His Highness?”

There wasn’t much time left until the succession ceremony.

I thought it strange that he would call for me separately when we would see each other during the ceremony anyway, but I silently followed the attendant.

Soon, I found the Crown Prince anxiously pacing in front of a glass greenhouse.

“Bel!”

His face, which brightened upon seeing me, suddenly changed when he noticed Sir Penadel following behind me.

“…Come inside first.”

I looked back and forth between Sir Penadel and the Crown Prince for a moment before hurriedly following the Prince into the greenhouse.

“Your Highness, there’s not much time left until the succession ceremony…”

I stopped mid-sentence as a question suddenly occurred to me.

The Crown Prince’s attire was unusually casual, considering he should have been dressed in formal regalia by now.

“I’ve cleared the area of people so that we can speak freely. Bel, didn’t you receive the letter I sent yesterday?”

“Letter?”

I repeated in confusion before belatedly realizing my mistake.

Come to think of it, the butler had mentioned a letter from the Crown Prince yesterday.

But with my mind completely occupied with Leo’s matter, I had totally forgotten about it.

“I apologize. I was too busy preparing for the succession ceremony to check it.”

“It’s alright. It’s not too late. Today’s succession ceremony will be conducted by His Majesty. And His Majesty is quite displeased with your succession.”

This wasn’t particularly surprising news.

Hadn’t the Crown Prince himself told me during last autumn’s ball?

That, for political reasons, the King had been very pleased with my engagement to the Grand Duke.

But now that I had broken off that engagement, it could be interpreted as an insult to the royal family, who had certified the engagement.

‘I didn’t worry much when I heard the Crown Prince would conduct the ceremony. But if the King is planning something…’

The recent rumors I’d heard about the King were uniformly terrible.

After checking my expression, the Crown Prince continued with a face like someone who had bitten into an unripe, bitter fruit.

“You could use the excuse of feeling unwell and go back today. I’ll conduct an abbreviated succession ceremony for you later. So…”

“I refuse.”

I firmly rejected his kindness.

“Bel, His Majesty has changed a lot from what you remember. So…”

“Misha, you said before that the Bel you knew is gone, that’s what you thought.”

Looking at the Crown Prince’s face, marked with concern for me, I gently but firmly interrupted him.

And I gave him the answer I couldn’t give before.

“You’re right. I’m no longer a child who had to choose just one thing while holding precious things in both hands.”

The Crown Prince needed to accept that I had changed, just as the once gentle King in Belinda’s memories had transformed into a tyrant.

That the young Belinda he had loved was gone forever.

“I’ve grown into a greedy adult who isn’t satisfied until I have everything I want. You’ve heard the rumors about me. How greedy I am.”

“.:..”

“If I avoid this place, those who wish for my downfall will laugh at me for a long time. If my dress hem must be soiled with filth, I’d rather dirty it with my own hands.”

The Crown Prince gave no reply.

I squeezed his hand once, then turned away with a smile.

As I left the greenhouse, the Crown Prince did not try to stop me.

***

The succession ceremony is a relatively simple ritual that ends after swearing loyalty to the King and receiving an iron-crafted laurel crown.

However, as the Crown Prince had warned, my succession ceremony did not conclude so simply.

“The second child of Viscount Blanche swears loyalty to the Sun of the Kingdom.”

Despite making the loyalty pledge like the nobles before me, the King’s attendant did not place the laurel crown on my head.

Only when the nobles attending the ceremony began to murmur did the King’s low, restrained voice come through.

“Let the second child of Viscount Blanche raise their head.”

I raised my head but avoided making eye contact with the King to avoid provoking him.

After a long moment, the King’s mocking words followed.

“With the same mouth that swears loyalty, you dared to break an engagement certified by the royal family. Yet you think I should believe in your loyalty and bestow the crown upon you?”

Despite the King’s blatant hostility, I answered with an unwavering voice.

“I humbly report that I thought proving my loyalty would be better served as the head of a family devoted to Your Majesty, rather than as a distant mistress in the North. I only hope that my sincerity is not misunderstood.”

Though it was a flimsy wordplay, thanks to the Crown Prince’s prior warning, I could respond calmly.

Soon, the King’s words continued, less venomous than before but still barbed.

“Hmph, your talent for wagging your tongue seems to take after your uncle rather than your father.”

Though it was clearly intended as an insult to imply I resembled my uncle, who was known to be illegitimate, it was fine.

Being compared to my uncle was more of a compliment to me.

“Then I shall believe in your loyalty and bestow the crown.”

As I secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the King seated on the high platform.

“So do not avoid what I bestow and receive it.”

Instead of handing the laurel crown to the attendant, the King carelessly tossed it at me with a dismissive gesture.

Unable to think of dodging the crown with its sharply crafted edges, I tightly closed my eyes.

Clang!

A chilling sound of metal colliding with metal rang out, along with the sound of something rolling on the floor.

When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw a familiar back, the laurel crown rolling on the floor, and Sir Penadel’s mask.

“How did you…”

Having shielded me, he had exposed his own face to the sharp crown, resulting in a keen laceration on his left cheek.

Yet without turning to look at me, he bowed his head before the King.

“Forgive me for standing before Your Majesty without permission.”

‘No.’

Though it was to protect me, for a mere northern knight to dare step before the King…

It would have been better if my forehead had been cut instead.

Just as I was about to urgently open my mouth to plead for his leniency.

“It was I who unilaterally broke the engagement Your Majesty had permitted. Lady Blanche was merely dragged along by my stubbornness.”

My throat felt completely constricted, and no voice would come out.

I couldn’t quite understand Sir Penadel’s words.

But with the King’s following statement, I could only look up at him with a dumbfounded expression.

“Well, if it isn’t Grand Duke Baluasten.”

…What?

“I don’t recall hearing rumors that you had crossed the northern border. I don’t know why you’re showing your face in this royal capital, but…”

Though I couldn’t understand the situation, I instinctively reached out and firmly grasped Sir Penadel’s collar.

I didn’t know if it was to stop him or to protect myself.

I could only intuitively sense that the King’s smile that followed,

“You’ve broken the covenant.”

was extremely cruel.