The air in the room was heavy.

At the dining table where they ate a late breakfast, only the occasional clinking of utensils against plates broke the silence.

Whether it was because it had only been one night this time, or because she’d grown accustomed to that act, unlike the previous two days, Laurencia got up and about fairly quickly.

Blue eyes rolled around constantly in the air, trying to gauge her mood. Because yesterday’s events were bothering him inwardly.

More than anything, Ashar was pondering what to say to probe her, unable to understand her intentions when she’d readily accepted his invitation to dine together, though he’d naturally expected her to refuse.

But contrary to his assumptions, Laurencia’s physical condition still wasn’t good.

Whether one day or two, the time spent with Jedrian was too rough and overwhelming for her to handle.

Nevertheless, the reason she stubbornly got up was because she didn’t want to have another pointless argument with the man who had become frivolous again in the meantime.

Right now, everything just felt tiresome.

Fighting pathetic verbal battles trying to beat some lowly slave, desperately clinging to protect her already rock-bottom pride.

She’d foolishly realized through yesterday’s situation that the more she did so, the more pitiful she’d only become.

While she poked at the food before her with an expressionless face, unlike yesterday when he’d been sharp, a voice that had become considerably meek broke the quiet stillness.

“If nothing suits your taste, shall I have them bring something else?”

Laurencia kept her mouth shut, pretending not to hear.

Not only was the man who had changed on his own whim again in just one day absurd, but she knew that if conversation continued, only her insides would churn.

More than anything, having seen his hidden side that she’d only suspected and would have preferred never to know, she didn’t want to exchange words with him anymore.

Unaware of her feelings, he again kindly pushed over some well-roasted veal and said.

“Try this. The chef seems to have put quite a bit of care into it. The skin is golden brown and the smell is amazing.”

Something strange caught her eye on the man’s hand as it entered her field of vision while offering food. A handkerchief stained with blood.

Quite a bit of blood had spread—it didn’t seem like a small wound. Yet he hadn’t even treated it, just wrapped it with a handkerchief.

Laurencia quickly pulled down her gaze that had been following his retreating hand unconsciously, then dismissed the unnecessary thought.

Whether that impudent b*stard got treatment or not.

In the meantime, at her consistent lack of response, Ashar finally set down his utensils.

She inwardly scoffed, thinking he’d lasted quite long with that foul temper, when suddenly an unexpected statement flew at her.

“Let’s practice dancing after we finish eating.”

The pale white hands that had been mashing vegetables until they went from fresh to tattered stopped abruptly.

Only then did her golden eyes, showing a reaction, slowly turn toward him.

The man smiled brightly like he’d truly forgotten yesterday’s events and calmly spoke while moving aside the plate of food that had become a mess in her hands.

“A banquet will be held soon, so we should prepare.”

The golden eyes that had briefly met his quickly turned downward again, seemingly having lost interest.

Then she continued ignoring him, slowly moving her eyes like searching for food to mash.

Ashar’s straight eyebrows twitched as his patience was starting to run out.

Finally, he grabbed her slender hand to forcibly capture her attention, then brought up something she couldn’t help but react to.

“He sent a dress, that b*stard.”

However, the lifeless golden eyes still showed no reaction.

Finally, with anger surging, Ashar raised the corners of his mouth, planning to provoke her like yesterday.

But the words wouldn’t come out. Perhaps because he’d seen that state yesterday—looking at the woman’s vacant expression devoid of vitality, somehow he didn’t feel like spitting out harsh words.

Of course, it wasn’t because he worried she might get hurt. Just… Right, he was holding back because he worried this useful bait might completely break down at this rate.

Convincing himself thus and suppressing his anger, Ashar showed a smiling face again and coaxed her.

“Shall we take a walk after eating? Once you get a change of mood, you’ll feel much more—”

“Why.”

The red lips that had been stubbornly closed cut off his words with an unexpected statement.

He quickly smoothed out his slightly furrowed brow and nodded with a very affectionate expression, like telling her to continue.

But an unexpected question came out.

“You just left, didn’t you?”

“…What.”

For a moment not understanding what she meant, Ashar’s expression froze awkwardly.

A situation corresponding to “why did you just leave” came to mind exactly.

Right on cue, the golden eyes that had seemed devoid of any will throughout suddenly revealed emotion in an instant.

Inside them swirled contempt, disappointment, and unidentifiable emotions.

Laurencia very kindly exposed the secret he wanted to hide, one by one, in place of the man whose words were blocked.

“Last night. You had plenty of opportunities. A stupid prey was collapsed in front of you, exhausted and n*ked at that. Then you should have torn into her like the beast b*stard you are. Why did you just leave?”

Ashar’s face, which had maintained a detestable expression until the end, finally froze coldly.

Nevertheless, the black pupils hidden in his blue eyes trembled finely, unable to hide his confusion.

Last night’s events flashed through his mind.

Last night, it was true that l*st had surged when he saw her. However, he wasn’t trash enough to touch an unconscious woman, so he’d only properly tucked in the blanket the maid had roughly thrown over her before leaving the room.

Fortunately he hadn’t done anything suspicious, but the problem lay in the words he’d spoken.

And she seemed to have heard those words.

There was no room for excuses. But he had no intention of admitting fault either.

Ashar, who loosened his briefly frozen expression, instead asked back shamelessly with a smile.

“You were awake? Since when?”

“Since you were seducing the maid.”

The expression he’d tried hard to maintain as nonchalant twisted violently in less than a few seconds.

This was a misunderstanding not even worth explaining, but somehow it felt uncomfortable to just let it pass.

“Seducing? Do my standards look that low?”

“It would be better if it were just low standards. The problem is that behind that smiling face, you’re hiding a blade ready to attack anyone without discrimination.”

Looking at her intently with a face crumpled in displeasure like he felt wronged, he suddenly let out a deflating laugh and rambled.

“You’re more cunning than I thought.”

“As much as you?”

“That’s why I like you. A sinister partner is much better than a stupid ally.”

When Laurencia exerted force to pull out her caught hand, he released it obediently and kept letting out bitter laughs.

While the fact that he’d been completely fooled by the pathetic acting was absurd, seeing the woman who had become arrogant again, his irritated mood ridiculously subsided.

In the meantime, she set down her utensils and wiped her mouth.

Seeing this, Ashar barely swallowed the nagging that almost came out habitually at her behavior of ending the meal without eating anything.

She wasn’t a woman who would eat just because he told her to eat more, and rather than creating a situation like yesterday with pointless bickering, letting her do as she pleased seemed like the way to not break the current atmosphere.

After finishing what she had to do, she met his eyes again and stared at him.

Though he was troubled that she might persistently dig into yesterday’s events, Ashar obediently waited until Laurencia spoke.

Finally, her mouth opened.

“Being in the same boat as you seems impossible. So handle your revenge yourself. Instead, I’ll lend you the room until you arrange lodging, so disappear from my sight as soon as possible.”

His complexion, which had maintained composure, instantly sank coldly.

However, he didn’t provoke her or reveal anger like yesterday.

He just quietly… gauged her true intentions.

Whether Laurencia’s words were sincere or not.

“If you understand—”

“I’m looking for His Majesty the Emperor. Of course, it’s not easy.”

Her expression, which had been leisurely like a predator with the upper hand, instantly froze.

At her expression that immediately revealed her feelings, the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

Ashar, who quickly hid his expression, calmly informed her of information she didn’t know.

“There are rumors that His Majesty the Emperor’s health is not very good.”

“What?”

“It means there isn’t much time.”

At the dry voice without a trace of laughter, Laurencia’s expression visibly wavered.

“Revenge is a later matter. Shouldn’t we find His Majesty first?”

“Are you certain? Is that certain information?”

“Yes. I have my subordinates among that b*stard’s close associates.”

Her eyes widened.

‘Subordinates?’

Though she’d suspected there would be other spies besides him, her heart lurched at the word “subordinates.”

Because it seemed the number was far more than she’d expected.

Moreover, they’d infiltrated not as slaves like him, but as Jedrian’s knights.

Though she was dumbfounded at the unbelievable situation, right now there was a more important matter than that.