“What did you say?”

‘So, so that’s why he tried to grab me?’

Come to think of it, it was strange that he reached out his hand in front of so many people.

I thought it just secretly shortened one’s lifespan without them knowing, but to think the curse doesn’t work when wearing gloves…

‘I got baited…’

In “Contract Saint,” the details about the Admiral’s curse weren’t explained thoroughly.

That scene only existed to show that Anael, the saint, loved Friedrich enough to pretend not to know his dark schemes.

And that she was virtuous enough not to reveal the Admiral’s secret.

So the curse was only briefly mentioned, and my memory of reading it was the same.

While I stood there with a dumbfounded expression, Zipfel spouted nonsense to the Admiral.

“But Admiral, she might have been caught after coming here without accurate information.”

At this moment, anger overcame fear.

“Do I look that stupid to you? If I were a spy, I would have noticed how you freely grab anyone when wearing gloves! And why would a Duke’s daughter even act as a spy! Ouch, hot! Won’t you remove this?”

The dagger hadn’t moved away, and I glared at the Admiral with eyes full of resentment.

The Admiral narrowed his eyes and muttered.

“A situation too troublesome to either dispose of or leave alone.”

“Do you think my f-father will stay quiet if I die like this?”

Even if he thinks he failed at raising his child, he wouldn’t consider it fine for me to die in a foreign land.

At least for the sake of reputation, he wouldn’t stay silent.

But the person holding the knife to my neck seemed to think differently.

“It wouldn’t be difficult to handle it through local disease or accident. I recommend not leaving any future troubles.”

This bastard. At this point, there’s only one way.

I gritted my teeth and shouted.

“Please spare me! I’ll make sure neither men nor women come near you!”

My cry echoed through the spacious residence.

No one immediately responded to my words. Instead, their gazes turned sharp.

“Making it so neither men nor women can approach, is it.”

Eyes like the deep blue sea pierced through me.

I instinctively knew I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“Even though the curse doesn’t work when wearing glo-gloves!”

As they say, knowledge is poison – thinking about how I got baited still makes my teeth grind.

But now isn’t the time for regrets.

“Still, Admiral, you must have pretended to have germaphobia thinking that if people got close, your curse might be discovered.”

This was confirmed in the original story, so there’s no need for further doubt.

“And so.”

The Admiral stared at me as if telling me to get to the point.

I opened my mouth, recalling my first executive presentation as a new employee.

“The germaphobia excuse isn’t perfect.”

I seem to have succeeded in catching his interest.

After receiving a look, Zipfel moved the dagger about a hand span away from my neck.

“After all, germaphobia is a psychological issue, and invisible problems tend to be relatively ignored.”

I spoke while looking into the Admiral’s eyes, then looked down at his hand.

On the surface, it looked perfectly fine, even aesthetically beautiful.

“Though I can’t exactly prove it to them.”

The Admiral muttered to himself as he peeled off his white gloves and stretched his arm across the black marble table.

On the low table sat an antique silver vase.

Crack-

The moment his long fingers touched it, the bright red hydrangea in the vase lost its vitality and withered.

As he withdrew his hand and put the glove back on, his face showed no expression.

For some reason, my chest felt tight, so I deliberately cleared my throat and spoke energetically.

“Ahem, of course, it would be hard to find anyone who would openly disrespect you, Admiral.”

Not if they don’t want to die, that is.

If Anael’s popularity in the capital was like that of a rising superstar, the Admiral’s status in the south was almost that of a living legend.

“However, precisely because you’re the Admiral, the opposite could also be true.”

“What do you mean?”

“The unreachable peach – they want to give it a try.”

The Admiral’s eyes turned cold, but thanks to my training with Mikhail, I could easily withstand that gaze.

“Is the Young Lady mocking me now?”

“Please take the metaphor as just that. Objectively speaking, it’s clear that you’re one of the empire’s most eligible bachelors.”

According to what Maribel and Louisa told me, there was no shortage of ladies asking the Admiral to dance and trying to strike up conversations.

“After all, everyone in the South knows about your germaphobia, Admiral. Which means, even if they get rejected, they don’t really have anything to lose.”

Some might scold him for being rude, but at least they won’t hear that they were rejected for lacking charm.

“Besides, from their perspective, it’s not like there’s absolutely no hope. Admiral, you’re someone who understands justice even before etiquette.”

“And how exactly is that supposed to be an excuse?”

His voice was heavy with fatigue as he asked. Seems he’s been quite troubled by all this.

But having no intention of sympathizing, I answered in a bright voice.

“Even today, you prioritized saving me over your germaphobia, didn’t you?”

When you break your own principles, others start taking those principles lightly too.

“…That was merely responding to an unavoidable situation. I’ve never made personal exceptions, not even once.”

His tone was cold, and both his gaze and expression remained impeccably firm.

But I just shrugged and replied.

“For some people, whether it’s public or private, the mere possibility of exceptions is all that matters.”

I could think of at least five Hollywood action scenarios right off the bat.

“What if a young lady ‘happens’ to run into you in an empty corridor and faints from anemia? Would you not catch her?”

“I’d prevent a concussion, but that’s all.”

“What if late at night, a maid severely twists her ankle and collapses on the stairs? Won’t you help her up?”

“Once I get her to a physician, it’s none of my business.”

“I bet quite a few people would try even just for that chance?”

“So that’s… damn it.”

Judging by his expression, he’s already been through this many times.

Seems he’s only now realizing the grand scheme of these pitiful ladies.

“You’re more naive than you look, Admiral…”

“Are you mocking me now?”

“No, I genuinely feel sorry for you.”

The Admiral glared at me sharply, but it wasn’t as frightening as before.

At least there wasn’t that murderous intent that had been choking me earlier.

I continued speaking as I watched the Admiral rub his face wearily.

“Anyway, there are far more people willing to use any means necessary to fulfill their desires than you think.”

“….”

“That’s how it’s been until now, and it will con-tin-ue.”

‘A steel wall for the heart, but exceptions for the body? The trope of “physical over emotional” exists for a reason.’

Of course, I had absolutely no intention of trying that myself.

Just look at that withered flower. Who’d want to seduce someone only to end up a mummy in a horror show?

Anyway. The Admiral stared at me with sunken eyes, and I spoke under his gaze.

“Their key to approaching you is your ‘sense of justice.'”

By the way, that bronze door has remained firmly shut even after all this time.

Mikhail should have been here by now.

“Even though you’ve essentially ‘imprisoned’ innocent me here, ‘threatened’ me, and had your subordinate make ‘death threats.'”

The Admiral flinched slightly at the triple conscience attack.

But that was all.

His blue eyes watching me still harbored suspicion and wariness.

“While the Lady has indeed provided helpful information, that’s not reason enough to trust you.”

“Then don’t trust me.”

A high noble’s daughter who’s never been to the South before knows about the curse. I’d be suspicious too.

I used the Sea God as an excuse, but I know better than anyone that I just exaggerated my fishing skills.

So everything I’ve said so far wasn’t meant to gain trust.

“Just don’t kill me either.”

This was all to make that request more convincing.

“It would be such a waste to kill me now.”

As long as the Emperor remains wary of the Admiral and tries to diminish his influence, I, who came from the capital, could be suspected again at any time.

“Everyone thinks their own life is precious.”

Ah, so that’s why he’s been listening quietly all this time.

I lightly touched my stinging neck and looked back.

A fierce-eyed man with ash-gray hair and dark skin glared at me as if asking what I was playing at.

“So you are a man after all.”

“If you’re trying to change the subject with pointless talk—”

“Same-s*x relationships don’t seem to be common in the Hessen Empire.”