However, the person who entered through the prison bars moments later was not Maverick Phlox.

It was a familiar face, but not one she had wanted to see.

“Ah, my lady.”

He was handsome but with lecherous eyes, and an oily, sleazy impression remained.

Tony Gotfried.

He was her last lover before marriage. He was also the man who left for a diplomatic trade to another kingdom after their breakup. To have his face be the last one she’d see… Rose dropped her head weakly, but Tony stepped forward and lifted her chin.

“That won’t do. You must show me your dear face.”

“What do you want?”

Though her dry throat felt like it would tear, Rose spoke in a composed voice.

“What else? I came to see you crumble by my own hands.”

Rose wasn’t surprised. This was the man who had boasted about showing her how strong a man’s grudge could be when they broke up. Rose just smirked.

“…Is something funny?”

Rose just felt drained. She had no strength from not eating. She just wanted to sleep forever, but part of her also wanted to meet Maverick and ask him. If what the Crown Prince said was true. Why he hadn’t told her. And why he was taking her side.

‘Then again, were we close enough to talk about such things?’

Though married, weren’t they more distant than strangers? As Rose slowly closed her eyes, there was a ripping sound and a hollow feeling in her chest and thighs.

“Don’t look down on me! Do you still think you’re a noble lady?”

Her chest was torn, revealing the underskirt beneath.

“You look down on me until the end.”

Why was this bastard acting like a runaway carriage¹T/N: as in a runaway vehicle that’s moving forward quickly, and its driver or rider has lost control of it? Rose just stared blankly. Her clothes ripped once more, and pale thighs showed beneath the skirt.

Tony’s eyes gleamed. It was a familiar, dirty look of lust.

Rose bit her lip hard. Rather than letting this bastard touch her, she’d rather stab herself, but she was bound.

Besides, in a world without her father who had been family, tomorrow was her execution day. There was no reason not to end it now.

It would be her first time biting her tongue. She wondered if she could do it well.

Just as she thought this, with an “Ugh!” Tony’s body was slammed to the floor.

In place of Tony’s large body stood a man breathing heavily. A huge figure.

It was Maverick Phlox in completely disheveled attire. Rose blinked her eyes that wouldn’t open from pain.

“…I’m late.”

His naturally flowing words momentarily confused Rose.

Were we close enough to have such conversations?

Those words didn’t come out, and in the meantime, with a few knife cuts, Rose’s body was freed.

Maverick grabbed Rose’s arm and helped her up. His chest, which she naturally touched, was truly firm and reliable. Rose felt a strange sensation.

In two years, she hadn’t felt anything for any man.

She just wanted to stay in his embrace, feeling dazed. If his sweat hadn’t dripped onto her hand, she might have been lost in this feeling forever.

“I know you’re tired. But please be strong and gather your strength.”

After saying this, Maverick lifted Rose into his arms. He was running fast. Rose quietly marveled at the fallen knights throughout the corridor. They were all imperial knights.

‘To think he handled them so easily.’

She didn’t know he trained in swordsmanship… how did this man hide his abilities all this time?

No, Rose herself didn’t know and didn’t try to know. She reflected briefly.

She spoke with a voice that was rusty from long disuse.

“We could have known each other better.”

Maverick flinched very briefly, but soon a cold voice emerged.

“…No time for useless talk.”

This was an act of breaking out a traitor. With this, Maverick had essentially become a traitor himself. Wasn’t he afraid? Rose didn’t feel much fear even when she’s facing death. She had resigned herself when she heard of her father’s death. She hadn’t even thought of Maverick Phlox then. She simply assumed he would have left.

The closer they got to the outside, the more unconscious people there were. This wasn’t something one person could do alone. Rose guessed Maverick must have collaborators.

“This is as far as we go.”

Sadly, their escape couldn’t reach its conclusion. Just as they emerged through a narrow secret door, somehow, countless knights had surrounded the small door.

In front of them, the Crown Prince stood with an angry face, smiling.

“Haha, Lord Phlox. To think you would be so foolish… I misjudged my man.”

“……”

“That must be why you made this choice despite my persuasion?”

Rose unconsciously looked up at her husband. Their eyes met.

In the glance that looked down at her, countless emotions flickered. Most were not positive.

Anger, hatred, confusion, irritation, and sadness.

The first ones were familiar emotions, but the last wasn’t. It felt strange to see Maverick feeling despair and sadness in this situation.

You didn’t need to save me, didn’t need to rush here.

“This is it.”

His calm voice sounded as if it had already known the outcome. Soon Maverick whispered just loud enough for Rose to hear.

“Listen carefully. I’ll put you down and count to three. The moment I push you, run to the left.”

Though it was so quiet that it was intermittently drowned out by the Crown Prince’s boisterous voice, it wasn’t difficult to understand.

“Even if I refuse, do I have a choice?”

“No. You’re no longer a noble lady or anything else, are you?”

A voice that seemed triumphant. While this too must be sincere… Why did you come running? You.

The man who put Rose down turned his back to the Crown Prince and held her tightly.

Over the man’s shoulder, she could see the Crown Prince snickering.

“Well, what a touching scene. Perhaps I should mercifully give them some time!”

Against the backdrop of the Crown Prince’s snickering, a low voice resonated in her ears.

“Rose Clematis. You’ve lost everything, and I still have my title. So at this moment, you’re only mine.”

“……”

“You’re all I have. Understand?”

It was the first time a threatening tone had felt so un-frightening.

Could someone who showed only hatred and irritation at the sight of her display such obsession?

“You are a sinner to me. So atone to me, and atone again.”

The voice that returned to being polite whispered urgently.

“Live, survive.”

“……”

“That is your punishment.”

And Maverick slowly began counting to three.

One, two, three…

As he shouted three, Maverick threw some device from his waist to the ground.

As everyone coughed from the harsh poison amidst the thick smoke, Rose was thrown alone and ran toward the gap.

Her legs had no strength and felt like they would give way at any moment, but she gritted her teeth and ran desperately.

Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. Thanks to Tony, that bastard who had conveniently torn her skirt, she could run easily.

But to her bad luck…

“You b*tch!”

She hadn’t gotten far before her hair was grabbed.

And she had to see Maverick’s dead body upon returning.

“Haha… See, sister? I’ll throw that bastard’s corpse to the wild dogs.”

The Crown Prince, gripping Rose’s chin painfully, snarled.

“You won’t die peacefully.”

Two days later, she was executed.

In front of Maverick’s hanging head.