“I don’t believe you! Even if it’s true, it’s already too late!”

A person has died, and now you try to smooth things over with such words?

Rose isn’t the only one who crossed a river of no return. My trust in you has also collapsed beyond repair!

“……”

Khalid felt overwhelmed not by Aristie’s words but by her gaze. It was the same look he had shown whenever Estelle was mentioned.

Eyes full of distrust, unable to believe the other person’s words.

His persistent distrust that had eaten away at Aristie finally returned to him like punishment. Khalid, now realizing this pain, couldn’t easily speak.

What he could do for her, damaged by wounds……

“Do whatever you want.”

Khalid finally spoke.

“Anything is fine. I can help if needed. I’ll gladly accept whatever you decide.”

Khalid quietly conveyed his resolution. Aristie merely endured with a face that looked ready to collapse.

“I’ll count on that.”

After finishing his words, Khalid walked past her and went outside.

Aristie didn’t look back.

While all the servants bowed to see the Emperor off, Aristie never followed him out.

* * *

Back in her room, Aristie closed her eyes and collected her intense emotions. On the inside of her tightly shut eyelids, images of Roselina flickered like afterimages.

Her smile and jokes. Her serious face that was endlessly cheerful yet sometimes offered advice like an older sister……

Aristie quietly surrendered her thoughts to memories of her friend. With her eyes closed, it felt like Roselina was still alive.

What pulled her from these reminiscences back to reality was a gentle knocking sound on the door.

“Aristie…… Can you spare a moment?”

“Ah, just a second!”

Aristie hurriedly wiped away the tear marks on her face and opened the door. Aiden looked down at her with a face full of concern.

“Come in, brother. I thought you went out, but I see you were home.”

“I was wo…worried about you.”

Aiden had been waiting for Aristie at home the whole time. Concerned about his sister, he had wanted to accompany her to the funeral, but Aristie had firmly refused, saying she wanted to go alone.

Later, an argument broke out between Aristie and the Emperor after she returned home, and Aiden personally guarded outside the reception room, fearing servants might eavesdrop. Because of this, he ended up hearing not only about the conflict between his sister and the Emperor but also about Estelle.

“You must have s…suffered greatly all this t…time.”

“……”

Aiden silently embraced his sister who gave no response. Aristie felt her emotions surge.

But not enough to burst into tears. Her resolution was too firm to unravel her collected emotions.

“I h…heard roughly, but could you t…tell me more in detail?”

Aiden carefully asked while looking into Aristie’s eyes.

“……Actually……”

Aristie hesitated while facing eyes of the same color as hers, then opened her mouth. If she had been in the opposite position, she would have pressed her brother to hear the whole story.

Understanding this feeling, she couldn’t hide it any longer.

“Such a thing……”

Aiden’s expression darkened with anger after hearing the story. His deepened gaze seemed to be devising ways to help her, but Estelle wasn’t an opponent who could be defeated through legitimate means.

Moreover, there was nothing Aiden could do, having only high status but no real power or connections. For Aristie, just having him care for her was more than enough.

Her brother believed her words completely without doubt, unlike Khalid.

Feeling grateful for Aiden’s attitude, which contrasted with Khalid’s display of distrust, Aristie instead comforted him.

“It’s okay, brother. I have marriage as my weapon. When I become Empress and hold power, no one will dare touch me. You won’t have anything to worry about.”

‘And with that power, I’ll protect you too.’

Aristie added inwardly with a faint smile. Seeing her smile, Aiden had to exert great effort to suppress his rising anger.

In truth, he wanted to kill the Saintess and challenge the Emperor to a duel. But he restrained himself, knowing such actions would destroy Aristie.

His powerlessness felt painfully real. For the first time, Aiden regretted his reclusive lifestyle. With nothing to his name, keeping his mouth shut was the best he could do for his sister.

“Is there n…nothing I can do to h…help?”

“No. Your concern alone is enough.”

“If you ever n…need help later, please t…tell me. I’ll do anything.”

“Yes. I will.”

Aristie promised while feeling her brother’s reassuring hand patting the top of her head. The two talked for quite a long time.

When Aiden was about to leave, saying they would see each other at mealtime, Aristie suddenly realized something and called him back.

“By the way, brother.”

“Yes?”

“Um, about your speech…… It seems much better than before?”

“Th…thank you for saying so, haha.”

“I’m not just saying that. It really is. Is it because of Princess Systea?”

“W…well?”

Aiden left the room, evading the question. The way he got flustered whenever Princess Systea was mentioned showed she clearly had a significant influence on him.

‘What should I do……’

Left alone again, Aristie sank into thought. She set her long-term goal to find evidence of Estelle’s crimes, but her immediate objective was to stop the woman’s arrogant momentum and tarnish her reputation.

This was absolutely necessary to prevent Estelle from expanding her influence.

Nobles who needed connections would sometimes bow their heads to the Emperor’s consort rather than the Empress. Unlike the Empress, who was chosen based on various conditions for political partnership, imperial consorts were selected based on the Emperor’s favor.

What if Estelle, a lady from a high noble family and the Saintess, took such a position? The power structure would clearly tilt toward her.

That meant Aristie’s life would be in danger. The monster who murdered Roselina wouldn’t leave her alive.

‘I must find a way!’

Aristie diligently formulated her plan. That plan included Khalid.

From the beginning, stopping Estelle without involving Khalid was impossible. Especially since the Emperor’s position served as Estelle’s backing.

Setting aside resentment and guilt, she concentrated her thoughts solely on preventing the villainess’s rise to power. Khalid’s words about not bringing Estelle into the palace briefly crossed her mind but only momentarily.

She couldn’t afford to be lured by such impulsive words and let her guard down, nor would Estelle meekly accept defeat.

—Do whatever you want. Anything is fine. I’ll gladly accept whatever you decide.

Only those words she heard afterward were engraved in Aristie’s memory like an imprint.

The completed plan would test how far Khalid could accommodate her audacity.

* * *

“Ha, haha……”

Aristie stood in the middle of the spacious room and let out a hollow laugh. Though it wasn’t a laughing matter, she kept laughing. Her plan seemed so absurd and outrageous.

‘Can I really do this?’

She had thought she wouldn’t feel this way, but she felt sorry for Khalid. However, she steeled her resolve again by thinking of Roselina.

Khalid bore no guilt. But because he accepted Estelle, that villainess orchestrated everything.

Though he had no guilt, he bore responsibility, and therefore it couldn’t be helped if Khalid became involved in stopping Estelle.

‘If this is the only method that came to mind, I must push forward.’

Aristie firmly sealed her lips and sat at her desk. She was going to write a letter to Ryuel.

Ryuel, who would be waiting for her contact without knowing anything……

She thought she should feel sorry for him. She had no energy to meet him in this situation.

I can’t drag Ryuel into the mud I’m creating. It’s enough if only I fall.

‘At least Ryuel!’

Aristie moistened the pen tip with ink and wrote neatly. The content was so brief it wouldn’t take even a few seconds.

“Deliver this by messenger. Make sure it arrives as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, Miss.”

When the maid who took the letter disappeared, Aristie leaned her head back against the chair and sighed. Her heart felt heavy.

When would this pressure weighing on her chest ever lighten……

‘……Futile hope.’

Aristie shook her head at the absurd thought.

She had known for a long time.

That such a day would never come unless she threw off the yokes placed upon her.

No, even if she did throw them off.

* * *

The mail Aristie sent was delivered to Ryuel the next morning. Ryuel, who had been about to go out, received the letter and returned to his room, slumping down in a chair.

Hope and worry crossed his mind. Though it was the letter he had been waiting for, he couldn’t help feeling an ominous premonition once he received it.

‘……’

After fiddling with the letter for a long time, Ryuel opened the envelope. His expression immediately turned bitter.

There was only a single line written.

<I cannot offer you tea. Not now or ever. I’m sorry. —Aristie Crua.>

It was a perfect rejection, announcing the end of their connection.

* * *

“My goodness! Where did you find such a supreme quality……!”