The man who’d become light again—enough to make her suspect multiple personalities—approached with a sinister smile.

Ashar’s current appearance was so trivial and frivolous it mocked all the evaluations she’d made about him just moments ago, making them seem like delusions.

Far from revenge, he seemed simply happy to have found a place to lay his head, appearing utterly thoughtless.

In that instant, rage surged so intensely she wanted to gouge out her own eyes that still couldn’t judge people properly.

Laurencia, about to immediately dismiss this pathetically useless man, calmed herself with a short sigh.

She didn’t want to drain her energy before having to deal with Jedrian.

She could decide the man’s fate after returning—it wouldn’t be too late. With a coldly warning glance at him, she turned her gaze away with icy indifference.

As she stood to head to the dressing room, Ashar blocked her path and acted even more oblivious.

“Can’t you just say it looks good on me?”

At the man’s behavior—whether charm or tantrum, she couldn’t tell—her expression turned ice cold.

His actions were beyond disappointing, downright irritating.

His frivolous behavior seemed to prove she had no eye for people, making her blood boil.

Nevertheless, Laurencia commanded in a deliberately calm voice.

“Move.”

“Aw… aren’t you being too cold? We need to get close quickly to fool everyone—”

“I seem to have overestimated you. I didn’t realize you were someone who couldn’t read the room, let alone know your place.”

The atmosphere turned sharply cold at her piercing glare. Only then did Ashar’s playful expression gradually harden.

Having released that restrained comment, the emotions she’d been suppressing surged up instantly. Eventually, her twisted emotions made Laurencia reveal an arrogant royal demeanor unlike her usual self.

“We? Since when were you and I ‘we’? Just because I gave you a room, do you really think you’re my lover? You’re just a dog I picked up temporarily. Barking when told to bark, biting when told to bite—that’s your job. So don’t get cocky anymore. One more time you overstep, then!”

Her increasingly raised voice cut off abruptly.

Her chest heaved slightly as she glared fiercely.

Belatedly realizing she was on edge, Laurencia closed her eyes briefly to contain her surging emotions.

But her clenched fists trembled so much that her anger wouldn’t easily subside.

In truth, she didn’t even know at whom her rage was directed. Everything just irritated her.

Jedrian constantly targeting her, this oblivious man prancing around.

Most of all, she was angriest at her own powerlessness.

Forcibly swallowing her anger, she also swallowed the words that had risen to her throat. No need to dirty her mouth over someone worthless.

Slowly opening her eyes, Laurencia ignored the man standing before her and entered the dressing room.

However, unable to hold back, the shameless man touched her nerves yet again.

“Shall I call a maid? If you can’t trust anyone, I could help.”

Her movement reaching for a dress stopped abruptly.

An absurd scoff burst from between her teeth as she turned her contorted face.

How did he know in that brief moment that she couldn’t trust anyone?

Whether he was perceptive or pretending not to be, one thing was certain—he was no ordinary man.

With that thought, her boiling insides oddly calmed a bit.

Snorting, Laurencia skillfully changed her dress alone instead of answering.

As he said, everyone currently in the imperial palace was Jedrian’s eyes, so she didn’t want to show even the smallest thing.

Besides, it wasn’t formal attire but simple clothing, so she didn’t particularly need anyone’s help.

Of course, in the past she would’ve received help from maids for even trivial matters, but the situation had changed.

The moment a maid entered, whether she’d been sitting on the sofa or lying on the bed would be reported to Jedrian.

He would want to know what expression she wore while dressing, whether her breathing was calm or rough.

Jedrian was that kind of man.

A madman who obsessed yet ruthlessly cast aside—impossible to know what went on inside him.

“Haah…”

A sigh escaped naturally at the thought of having to deal with that man again.

Preparation finished quickly. With neither reason nor desire to dress up elaborately, Laurencia roughly tied her long flowing hair into one bundle and left the dressing room.

Without even glancing at the man still standing there like a statue, she prepared to leave when even more absurd words than before reached her ears.

“Why not seduce him first instead?”

The words were so absurd she couldn’t immediately comprehend what she’d just heard, her movements stuttering.

But the impudent man’s mouth opened ceaselessly.

“Isn’t attacking better than being attacked? Rather than feeling powerless, if I were you, I’d at least feel satisfaction watching someone fall for my seduction. Even if the conclusion’s the same.”

At words so outrageous no scoff would come out, her sharply honed golden eyes shot daggers at Ashar.

“Like you?”

Like he’d been hit where it hurt, he exaggeratedly furrowed his brow and suddenly sauntered closer.

Laurencia didn’t avoid the approaching man, staring straight at him.

Soon, the distance between them closed enough to feel each other’s breath.

Precarious tension circled between them.

Just as Laurencia was about to dispel the unpleasant air, Ashar’s mouth opened first.

“I haven’t even started yet. Because you’re not my enemy.”

“Sounds like you’re saying you’ll attack me anytime your mind changes.”

“How could that be? Though seduction might be another story.”

Ashar’s eyes curved sinisterly.

Though absurd, the more cunningly he acted, the faster her heart beat.

Because it felt like confirmation that her eyes hadn’t been wrong.

Rather than a thoughtless fool, his dangerous appearance seemingly hiding schemes felt more trustworthy.

To face that Jedrian, he needed to be this kind of madman to be worth betting on.

Her fiercely raised eyes lowered faintly.

* * *

On the way to Jedrian’s palace, Laurencia mulled over Ashar’s words.

‘It’ll be one of two things. Either his interest will fade quickly, or he’ll fall completely for you and throw away everything—intimacy and all. Men are simple creatures by nature.’

Those were his words just before leaving the room.

At first she’d only fixated on the word “seduce” and gotten angry, but the more she thought about it, it didn’t seem like such a bad method.

If things went as he said, whatever happened wouldn’t be bad for her.

If Jedrian’s interest faded, he wouldn’t seek her anymore, and if by chance he fell deeply for her, an opportunity to bring him down might arise.

Of course, being such a despicable man, she didn’t know what shocking move he might pull, but wasn’t doing something better than just taking it?

Jedrian’s words suddenly came to mind.

‘Still so naive—how will you face me like that?’

Defiance rose to crack that arrogant smile of his, so confident his power would last forever, like he owned the world.

If she could just bring Jedrian down, if she could just make him pay for his crimes, what couldn’t she do?

She’d already given her body—what was seduction compared to that?

But one thing bothered her.

What if he grew suspicious of her suddenly changed behavior, knowing her as well as she knew herself?

She feared perceptive Jedrian would see through her intentions.

“Let’s assess the situation first. He’ll definitely be suspicious if I suddenly act that way.”

She worried about arousing his suspicion, but also worried whether she could pull it off, having never seduced anyone in her life.

Her tongue suddenly stung.

Seduction.

And seducing that Jedrian at that.

“Haah…”

The mere thought turned her stomach.

After walking briefly while soothing her wavering heart, the Chief Chamberlain ahead stopped.

Laurencia, who’d stopped as well, instantly stiffened the moment she saw the man before her.

“Perfect timing.”

Meeting Jedrian right in front of the annex where he stayed, her gaze slowly moved beside him.

Next to Jedrian stood a woman wearing excessively revealing clothes and heavy makeup, smiling irritatingly.

Judging by her appearance, she didn’t seem like a respectable noble lady.

For a moment Laurencia wondered if she was his mistress, but the vulgarly excessive styling wasn’t Jedrian’s taste.

She had no intention of asking who she was, but Jedrian spoke first.

“Show respect—Her Highness the Princess is here.”

At the man’s unexpectedly cold voice, Laurencia found herself gauging the woman’s reaction instead.

But like it was needless worry, the woman smiled leisurely, stepped forward, and bowed.

“To the noble flower of the empire, Her Highness the Princess, this Margaret pays her respects. It is truly an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

Though seemingly respectful, the woman’s greeting was far from court etiquette.

Above all, her tone, voice, and every gesture overflowed with coquettishness difficult to imitate.

Only then did Laurencia roughly guess what the woman who introduced herself as Margaret did for a living.

What she didn’t understand was why Jedrian brought that woman before her.

But she could quickly learn the reason without asking.

“She’ll be your teacher in charge of your s*xual education from now on. She’s the best in that field, so learn well. Can’t hurt to learn anything, right?”

Her already cold complexion froze like ice.