“Would you like personal revenge against the one who made your neck like that?”

Prince Ludwig stared at Edith’s nape before slowly speaking.

‘What does he mean?’

Edith turned her face toward the prince with fear in her expression. Her face requested further explanation.

The previous night, the prince could have killed the assassins but chose not to.

Instead, he cut off the hand of an assassin attempting s*icide, preventing it. Probably to secure testimony about who was behind it.

“The t*rture of the assassin who held a knife to you last night has begun. You must harbor some resentment toward the one who made your neck like that. Would you like to observe?”

The man looked at Edith calmly, as if doing her a favor. Edith gave no reaction at first, then carefully asked.

“Why isn’t he talking? Does he have family held hostage?”

She recalled the voice of the man who had held a knife to her neck the night before. He was a young man, perhaps as young as herself. Could his family be held hostage, forcing him to remain silent?

The assassin had put a knife to her neck but hadn’t killed her despite having the opportunity. He seemed too young and beautiful to die a miserable death under t*rture.

“That’s not it. He’s likely from an assassin’s guild. They take orphans and train them as assassins so no one will recognize the bodies. He’s not speaking because of learned loyalty to his master. He was probably raised to value loyalty above his own life.”

‘If what Your Highness says is true, it’s too sad that he’s giving his loyalty to someone who planned to use and discard him.’

And to endure difficult t*rture for such a master. To Edith, it was an excessively terrible situation.

“Your Highness, if he tells the truth, do you intend to spare him?”

“If he provides useful testimony, perhaps. Why, do you feel sympathy for him?”

The prince tilted his head as he said the last words. His expression questioned whether she felt some kinship with someone who had harmed her.

“I suppose I do. Because he’s in a similar situation to mine.”

Edith quietly met the man’s eyes. Like herself looking up at him now, that person must have always looked up to his so-called master in his heart.

“Then perhaps you shouldn’t go watch the t*rture.”

“No. I want to go watch. Revenge is revenge. Feeling sympathy and returning the pain I received are separate matters.”

Edith answered with a slight smile.

“You sometimes give unexpected answers.”

The prince looked at Edith, tilting his head. They left the tent and approached the rear tent where the man was being tortured.

**

“Has he spoken?”

“He’s a tough one. He hasn’t confessed anything yet. I think we might need to burn him with a hot iron or flay his skin before he’ll talk.”

The torturer spoke cruel words to the prince. Edith, who frowned briefly at the brutal words, slowly approached the man bound all over with rope.

“Is this him? He looks so wretched I almost didn’t recognize him.”

The man without his mask was as young as Edith. Perhaps even younger.

All he had ever seen and learned was probably loyalty to a master who had raised him only to use him. He must have grown up thinking such loyalty was honorable.

Edith slowly approached the assassin whose face was covered in blood, apparently from being beaten all night.

“Don’t get too close…”

“What could he do to me when he’s so tightly bound? He didn’t harm me last night either. Isn’t that right?”

Edith turned to look at the prince with a slight smile, and the prince no longer restrained her.

Last night, if the assassin had wanted to kill her, he could have.

But the man hesitated after hearing she was a maid, then released her. He only gave Edith a slight scratch, not pushing the blade any deeper.

The man, who looked extremely tired from being interrogated all morning, stared blankly at Edith as she approached him, tied to a chair.

“Do you remember last night? When His Highness said I was just a maid and it wouldn’t matter if you killed me… But actually, I’m not a maid. I’m His Highness’s mistress. One he bought with an entire golden carriage.”

By the prince’s order, Edith was officially his mistress.

Edith introduced herself to the man before her in a bright tone inappropriate for the situation. Then, giving the bound assassin a sunny smile, she continued.

“But I can’t sleep in His Highness’s bed. I have to sleep on the floor. Because I’m not a noble. And I’m in a position to be killed immediately if an assassin breaks in. Just like last night. Perhaps it wasn’t His Highness who saved me, but you, assassin. Isn’t that right? I was practically abandoned yesterday.”

The man blinked his eyes wide, apparently surprised by Edith’s statement.

Edith continued.

“But you know, even if I had been left to die yesterday, I would never have resented His Highness. Because I haven’t given my heart or loyalty to His Highness. His Highness just bought me with money; he’s not my parent or family. If any brave knight were to buy me from His Highness for two golden carriages, I would follow that person.”

The sound of a sword dropping was heard from behind in response to Edith’s words. Had someone been startled by what she said?

“His Highness does feed and clothe me. But why should one be loyal to someone who feeds them only to use them? Even dogs are loyal only to masters who truly care for and love them. Not to masters who just feed them to use them as guard dogs. Being loyal to such a person isn’t chivalry; it’s foolishness. Don’t shorten your life for such a thing, Sir Knight. To nobles, we’re just cattle and pigs to be raised and eaten. Rather, as His Highness said, report the master who raised you only to use you. At least then you might preserve your life.”

“……..”

“You may think of that person as your benefactor, but that’s not true. If you keep your mouth shut and die in this miserable state, no one will remember you. If you leave your master as is, there will only be more people like you. Children who grow up as orphans, following anyone who gives them bread, dying before they turn twenty. Even if you die here under t*rture, your master won’t even remember your name. Why are you being so foolish? Just speak. Tell the truth. So that no more children like you will appear. Then His Highness will spare your life. The t*rture will stop too. Because to make other assassins talk, they’ll need to spread rumors that the first assassin who talked was spared and now lives in luxury. Isn’t that right?”

The prince watched Edith with amusement, arms crossed and lips curled up.

When Edith turned to pose her final question to the prince, he nodded as if confirming her words were true.

“That’s correct.”

After confirming the prince’s answer, Edith turned back to the assassin.

“Though you held a knife to my neck, I want you to live. Because in this place, only you and I are in the same position, owning nothing and not knowing when we might die.”

Edith looked at the man with sympathetic, warm eyes, as if understanding his heart. Had Edith’s words melted the man’s heart like a gentle breeze? The assassin’s gaze began to waver.

Edith didn’t miss this.

“Your Highness, would you give me one day to persuade this person? I’d like him to survive without being tortured, even for a day.”

“You are my mistress, Edith. I don’t want you spending time with another man, unless he pays the price of two golden carriages.”

Ludwig’s words seemed like a refusal, but not an absolute one. Reading his mood, Edith continued.

“But last night you still called me a maid, didn’t you? Your Highness, I just want to give this person, who’s in a similar situation to mine, at least some warm soup. People with nothing naturally feel strong camaraderie. Please?”

Edith began to act coquettishly, batting her eyelashes. It was such a charming cuteness that all the men present couldn’t take their eyes off her.

“Hmm. Very well, I’ll allow you half a day. If that man shows no change by then, I’ll have you whipped tonight. Is that acceptable?”

“It’s a bit scary, but… yes.”

As expected. Edith looked up at the prince and gave him the kindest smile she could muster.

Then Edith asked for soup to be brought for the exhausted assassin. When a soldier brought the soup, Edith began to feed it to him herself.

‘If he grew up as an orphan, he’s probably never had a woman feed him.’

“Why are you trying to throw your life away when the sun is so beautiful?”

Edith spoke gently as she gazed at the light streaming through the gap in the tent.

And so, for half a day, Edith worked hard to persuade the man.

**

“I heard he confessed, Edith. You seem to have quite a talent for persuading men.”

The prince, whose mood had improved, praised Edith with a brightened complexion.

“Thank you.”

“Come up, to the bed.”

Edith was still sleeping on the floor without even a blanket.

“Pardon?”

Edith raised her voice with round rabbit-like eyes.

“Wouldn’t it be better to lie on the bed than sleep on the floor?”

“Someone as lowly as me wouldn’t be taken as a mistress, would they? Isn’t that right, Your Highness? Are you trying to punish me now?”

“I was just trying to reward you.”

“If that’s your intention, I’m fine. No matter how rough the floor is, I think I can sleep more comfortably if I save myself for my future husband. Good night.”

Edith offered a polite greeting before quickly closing her eyes and trying to sleep.

Ludwig didn’t speak further, just watched the woman lying on the floor before slowly climbing into bed and trying to sleep as usual.

**

The next day, Edith rode in a carriage with the prince. However, the gazes surrounding Edith and the prince had changed somewhat.

In particular, Siren’s eyes had changed a little, Edith thought. He no longer tried to hide it and followed her with his eyes without rest.

“Siren, go to the rear and guard the prisoner.”

The prince spoke in a cold voice as he watched the man and woman making eye contact.

Receiving the prince’s order, Siren stiffened his relaxed face and silently turned to carry out the command.

“Your Highness! Someone has come from the Köhler ducal residence.”

“Someone?”

Ludwig asked lazily with a smile. He didn’t show any surprise, as if he had already expected this.

“Yes. The young duke of Köhler has come in person. He requests a moment of your time, saying he has urgent matters to discuss.”

Young duke… could it be Neil? Edith’s complexion darkened dramatically, as if she had swallowed lead, at the mention of the young duke.