He looked ready to ask if she didn’t even know that.

Though embarrassed, she felt somewhat wronged too.

She wasn’t someone who’d been involved in politics—how could she know every single kingdom?

Honestly, when she barely understood the Empire’s political situation, how was she supposed to know where other countries were located?

She’d learned about neighboring kingdoms and those that could threaten the Empire through Jedrian.

But she’d never learned about or heard of lesser-known small nations, so there was no way she could have known.

Then, Ashar mentioned somewhere completely unexpected.

“Next to Asram. They were once allies too. Of course, now they’re mortal enemies.”

“What… Morzen is the country next to Asram?”

Hearing this for the first time, she was genuinely flustered.

She’d spent three whole years as Asram’s queen consort. Yet she was speechless at the fact that she hadn’t even known the name of the neighboring country.

Truth be told, life there hadn’t been much different from her time in the Empire.

The gentle old king hadn’t demanded she fulfill her duties as queen, and rather treated her like an adopted daughter, telling her to simply live comfortably.

She herself hadn’t been sound enough to do anything as queen, nor had she been interested in foreign affairs, so she’d lived a sheltered life under the old king’s protection.

When she hadn’t even attended a single tea party with noblewomen—the most common thing—how could she have known?

Her confusion was brief before Jedrian’s behavior became suspicious.

After arranging a betrothal with Asram on the premise of an alliance, he’d now planned to send her to Morzen, which had become Asram’s enemy.

Did that mean he intended to break the alliance with Asram?

Or had he already broken it?

Turning her gaze to Ashar, Laurencia asked urgently.

“Why did Morzen and Asram become enemies?”

“Because Asram’s old king betrayed them.”

“Betrayed?”

“The old king secretly made a deal with the enemy they were supposed to face together. Because of his betrayal, Morzen—which knew nothing—nearly fell. They ultimately prevented collapse by putting the king’s life on the line, but from Morzen’s perspective, they can’t forgive Asram’s betrayal.”

Laurencia’s eyes turned cold.

The enemy that Asram and Morzen had agreed to face together was undoubtedly the Empire, Armazé.

Back then, Jedrian had swept through small kingdoms by any means necessary.

And the deal between Jedrian and Asram’s old king seemed to be about marriage to her.

The old king had chosen his nation’s safety by taking her as his wife, and Morzen—left alone by their ally’s betrayal—apparently had no choice but to surrender without putting up any resistance.

Having grasped the situation, a bitter laugh suddenly escaped her lips.

‘So you were already preparing your rebellion from back then.’

While outwardly appearing to serve the Empire loyally by going to war, he’d secretly been winning over neighboring kings and plotting rebellion.

And she’d given him the wings of high status without knowing any of this.

Her insides burned as she bit down hard on the flesh inside her mouth, when Ashar—who’d moved beside her—quietly grabbed her cheek and turned it to meet his eyes.

“Be careful of Rubid. He’s as vile as Jedrian.”

‘Rubid?’

A strange suspicion arose at Ashar calling the King of Morzen’s name so casually.

A mere knight wouldn’t address a king’s name so familiarly.

Laurencia ultimately revealed her curiosity.

“Do you know him personally?”

She’d thought he wouldn’t answer, but surprisingly a forthcoming response flowed out.

And that answer was quite shocking.

“We were once close enough to go hunting together. Until I learned what a cowardly, servile beast he was.”

Contempt filled Ashar’s blue eyes.

Now that she’d heard the answer, their relationship became even more confusing.

It was strange from the start that a king would go hunting with a foreign knight.

Not a fellow royal, not even his own knight—what reason would there be to go hunting with a foreign knight?

But Ashar’s words didn’t seem false. His murderous expression showed genuine fury toward him.

She wanted to ask more, but if she crossed this line first, she’d give him grounds to cross it too, so she decided to stop the personal questions here.

Instead, Laurencia asked a different question.

“But why did he come here?”

Only then did Ashar compose his expression and look at her.

“Who knows. I’m curious about that too. He’s not the type to come trotting all the way here just because he became Jedrian’s dog. Has he become a loyal hound now?”

At his mocking vitriol, she keenly observed Ashar’s expression while casually dropping a fact she knew.

“Apparently he almost became my husband.”

“What?”

His expression—which had relaxed slightly—twisted murderously without fail.

Laurencia calmly explained the situation.

“He said if I hadn’t brought up marriage yesterday, that man would have become my husband. Judging by how unsurprised he looked, he seemed to know too.”

“Ha! I had my suspicions, but he really has become a son of a b*tch.”

The more intense Ashar’s reaction became, the more an absurd suspicion grew larger.

Just then, his gaze turned toward the door.

The moment she turned her gaze as well, a maid’s voice came from outside the reception room.

“Your Highness, the King of the Kingdom of Morzen has come to see you.”

Both their eyes widened simultaneously at the unexpected visitor.

Soon Ashar, whose expression had twisted, lowered his voice.

“Obviously, but he knows my face.”

Only now did she understand why he’d disappeared like the wind from the banquet hall.

She was about to part her lips to casually ask why, but then closed her mouth. Now wasn’t the time for leisurely questions and answers.

After organizing her thoughts briefly, Laurencia calmly ordered the maid outside.

“I’ll be out shortly. Show him to the garden.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Since Ashar’s identity being discovered wasn’t particularly welcome to her either, she decided to deal with the visitor first and think later.

Only after hearing the maid withdraw did she stand up.

Staring at Ashar—who’d rarely shown emotion—Laurencia touched his cheek like soothing an irritated lover and subtly probed.

“You’re always so composed, yet you show this reaction. Meeting him must be quite thrilling.”

Ashar, who’d been glaring at her with narrowed eyes as though gauging her intentions, quickly changed his expression and covered the pale hand on his cheek with an enchanting eye-smile.

Then, rubbing his cheek against that hand like acting coquettish, he spoke in a voice contrary to his actions.

“If you’re not planning to replace your lover, refrain from pointless provocations.”

“I don’t carelessly discard what’s mine. I just wish my possessions would become more useful.”

“So, if he’s useful, you’ll seduce him?”

“Do you think my seduction would work on him?”

At her seemingly genuine question and serious eyes, cracks finally appeared in Ashar’s face, which had been struggling to maintain composure.

Since they’d formed this relationship for their purposes anyway, whatever she did wasn’t his concern.

Bluntly speaking, even if she brought another lover and let him into her bedroom, it had nothing to do with him.

Yet somehow, rage surged up.

His heart grew anxious that she might really seduce Rubid.

More than anything—would the seduction work?

What a foolish question.

The fact that b*stard had come all the way here on his own feet meant he was already interested in her.

Though he’d become Jedrian’s dog and must know the relationship between the princess and him, coming brazenly meant Rubid had also recognized her usefulness.

Jedrian’s weakness.

The only hope to bring him down.

Along with that, if he captured her heart, he could grasp even this Empire.

Besides, what man wouldn’t fall for such a beautiful woman’s seduction?

Unfortunately, he himself—already addicted to her body after just one night—was proof of that.

Biting down hard on the flesh inside his mouth at his pathetic state, Ashar soon composed his expression and retorted, trying to act indifferent.

“There’s no reason he wouldn’t fall. When such a beautiful woman seduces him. However, it won’t be sincere.”

“Like you?”

At Laurencia’s continued provocation, the expression he’d barely maintained crumpled again.

Unable to hide his true feelings any longer, he suddenly grabbed her nape.

Stopping just before their lips touched, Ashar warned in a sharp voice.

“If you’re doing this to provoke my jealousy, you’ll need to bewitch me more. So do it in moderation.”

Then, without giving her time to answer, their lips met.

Showing his twisted feelings, the kiss was fierce from the start as pale hands gripped the man’s collar tightly.

Saliva she couldn’t swallow leaked from the corners of her helplessly parted lips.

Even through all this, Laurencia willingly responded to Ashar’s desperate kiss.

She’d suck on the flesh invading her mouth, then offer her own when he wanted it.

When thrilling pleasure brushed through their fiercely entangled tongues, she didn’t bother hiding the moans that naturally escaped.

Each time, she quietly savored the increasingly impatient man’s reactions while suspecting the identity of someone who might have deceived her.

When their lips—which had been locked together for a while—slowly separated, Laurencia, watching the thoroughly angry man, returned words he’d once said to her.

“Human hearts really are the easiest thing to shake. Especially childish men who don’t even know what jealousy is—they’re even easier.”

Then she curved her eyes prettily.

Watching Ashar’s face crumple dramatically like she was enjoying it, she soon turned away without lingering.

Like she’d never smiled, Laurencia left the room with an instantly impassive face, deciding to satisfy her curiosity through this newly appeared useful piece.