“Haa… haa…”

Rosé burst into her room, slammed the door shut, and leaned against it to catch her breath.

She had never imagined running into Maxim Lankert in a place like that.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t shaken. The unexpected encounter had genuinely startled her, but she had done her best to remain composed and appear unaffected.

‘At the very least, I managed to provoke him.’

If he dismissed her as nothing more than an eccentric woman, that would be the end of it.

Before she and Natalie became food for the wolves, she would have to give up on Maxim Lankert and find an alternative—if one even existed.

But if he had taken the bait she had thrown, she would see him again tomorrow.

Something felt strange.

Rosé couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.

Before meeting Maxim Lankert, her goal had been crystal clear.

Marry him, use him to crush Kasiax, and see her plans through to the end.

But now, after meeting him, she questioned whether marrying Maxim Lankert was the right choice.

‘Is my decision really the right one…? Will this be okay…?’

A foreboding sense crept over her—once entangled with him, escaping might be even more complicated than escaping from Kasiax.

Just in a slightly different way.

The memory of those beast-like golden eyes burning into her in the underground chamber sent a shiver down her spine.

She chalked it up to the damp robe clinging to her skin and quickly shrugged it off.

‘It’s too late for regrets now. I’ll deal with whatever comes later.’

Rosé shook her head, forcing herself to push away the unnecessary thoughts.

***

The crown prince’s office was suffused with an oppressive air so thick it felt suffocating.

“So… you lost her in the end?”

Kasiax spoke coldly, sniffing his wine as if savoring its aroma.

“The Hellevant bastards suddenly showed up, and—ugh!”

A goblet flew through the air, striking the knight’s face and splitting the skin near his eye.

Kasiax remained composed, his voice as calm as ever.

“Killing one measly woman—was that such a difficult task for you?”

“I have committed an unforgivable sin.”

The knight fell to his knees before Kasiax.

“You should have ended your life before crawling back here if you knew that. Must I be subjected to the sight of your filthy blood as well?”

“Your Highness!”

The knight looked up at him with terrified eyes.

With a mere flick of Kasiax’s hand, his guards emerged from behind his chair.

“Dispose of him. And the ones who were with him as well.”

His tone was devoid of emotion as if he were merely swatting away flies.

Two guards seized the knight and dragged him toward the door.

“Please, Your Highness! Just one more chance!”

Even as he was being hauled away, the knight desperately pleaded. Kasiax clicked his tongue in disgust.

“Pathetic bastard. And he calls himself a man?”

He popped a grape into his mouth, recalling what he had just heard.

‘Hellevant’s men showed up? Then that means the wench went to him. Damn, those wretched bastards.’

He bit down hard on his lower lip, his frustration mounting.

What was once his had ended up in Maxim’s hands. The mere thought of it made his insides churn.

His decision that night at the banquet had been made in a moment of anger upon seeing his own blood spilled.

But had Rosé groveled and begged for forgiveness, he had considered granting her mercy with his boundless generosity.

And yet, she had been in such a hurry to leave that she had actually fled to the North. The very thought of it ignited a furious rage within him.

‘Crazy b*tch.’

If he couldn’t have her, then he would rather see her dead than let her fall into Maxim Lankert’s hands.

He had planned to stage her death as a robbery in the woods, then select a noblewoman from a respectable family to take her place.

‘Damn it. It’s all ruined!’

Kasiax shot up from his seat.

“I’m going to see His Majesty.”

At his words, the chamberlain quickly signaled someone outside.

From some point, attendants and maids had been waiting outside, lined up as they entered, carrying clothes and shoes.

Even the crown prince had to observe proper etiquette when meeting the emperor.

As the maids handed over the items to the attendants and stepped back, Kasiax’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Wait. You.”

He turned one of the maids around. When she faced him, disappointment was evident on his face.

“A face I’ve never seen before.”

“M-my name is Sasha, Your Highness.”

Sasha trembled as she bowed her head before him.

Kasiax narrowed his eyes and slowly observed her again.

He had stopped her because her back view resembled Rosé’s, but upon seeing her properly, she was nothing like her.

Her face was certainly prettier than Rosé Etoile’s, but that was all.

Simply a cute and pretty face without any distinct features.

Even so, her beauty was enough to hold its ground among the renowned beauties in the Solstern Imperial Palace.

“I said, I’ve never seen your face before.”

The chamberlain quickly approached and whispered in Kasiax’s ear. Kasiax’s lips curled in a smirk.

“So now, Lady Trisha isn’t satisfied with just planting people in the emperor’s palace—she’s even placing spies in the crown prince’s palace?”

As Kasiax spoke with disdain, Sasha immediately fell to her knees before him.

“My parents have passed away, and I was left an orphan. My aunt took me in. From now on, I will dedicate everything to serving Your Highness.”

“Dedicate everything? That’s nice to hear. Alright, you may go.”

Kasiax watched Sasha’s trembling retreating figure as if he had discovered an amusing new toy.

***

Maxim was sitting at his office desk, carefully reading something.

“Etoile… Etoile…”

As he repeated the word, feeling like he was about to recall something, Jansen quickly stepped in to explain.

“A merchant family, very famous in the South.”

“Ah, right. They were the ones who practically rebuilt the capital with their wealth after the war devastated it.”

Despite the Etoile family’s extensive influence, they had no ties with the North, making them unfamiliar with Hellevant.

“With their contributions, they could have claimed a ducal title, but they intentionally remained in a lower position and kept their distance from the imperial family.”

“They’re skilled at navigating power.”

“Yes. They have a solid reputation among the people of Stern, and their wealth has made their daughter a highly sought-after match for many noble families.”

“Quite the impressive woman.”

Maxim sneered as he recalled the woman he had met the previous night. Jansen quickly added more information.

“She was even considered a strong candidate for the position of crown princess.”

Maxim’s face contorted. The crown prince… that meant Kasiax.

“But…”

Maxim raised an eyebrow, waiting for Jansen to continue.

“According to rumors, she voluntarily came to the North.”

“She came voluntarily?”

“Yes. That’s why in Stern, people are saying she must be insane. That since she wants to marry the devil, she must have been possessed by the same devil… There’s quite an uproar…”

“……!”

As Maxim shot him a murderous glare, Jansen immediately shut his reckless mouth and looked away.

Maxim, having heard enough, snapped the document shut.

“Leave.”

“There is one more thing to report today.”

Maxim lifted his gaze, and Jansen straightened his posture before continuing.

“This afternoon, the executions for high-level criminals will take place.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“There are three murderers, seven rapists, two kidnappers of women, one child abductor, six thieves, and ten assailants.”

Jansen listed the charges effortlessly, without even looking at a document.

“The numbers have gone down compared to last time.”

“That’s good.”

Maxim, as always, remained indifferent as he quickly signed the list Jansen handed him.

Just as Jansen was about to leave after obtaining the signature—

“Wait. I’ll attend in person today.”

“You’ll go yourself?”

Jansen’s eyes widened, but he quickly corrected himself and responded.

“I will make the arrangements immediately.”

As Jansen left, Maxim called for Freddy.

“Tell the woman from Stern that I will meet her now.”

“Pardon? But you’re headed to the execution site…”

“Tell her to come there.”

“Ah! Understood.”

Having grasped his master’s intent, Freddy promptly headed to the annex.

***

The sky was clear, as if last night’s storm had never happened. The lake’s surface shimmered like glass.

“A lake inside the castle? Just how massive is this place?”

Rosé couldn’t even grasp how much of the castle grounds she was seeing.

Visiting the chapel last night had been a major undertaking, and in the morning light, the fact that she had encountered Maxim Lankert there felt almost surreal.

His voice, his golden eyes, the warmth of his lips when they briefly touched hers.

It drifted hazily through her mind, like a lingering trace of the previous night’s air.

“My Lady! I’ll just finish hanging this up and come right up!”

A bright and cheerful voice snapped Rosé back to reality.

Natalie was waving at her from below.

She had been restless from being cooped up inside and had finally expanded her range of movement to the courtyard.

White bedsheets and blankets, freshly shaken out, fluttered in the wind.

“Are we really in Hellevant? Is this truly the place that everyone fears?”

The peaceful atmosphere around her made it hard to believe.

“Hm?”

Rosé straightened up and grabbed the window frame as she spotted someone approaching from a distance.

Was his name Freddy? That white-haired butler.

Natalie placed both hands on her hips, her expression full of anger, but he didn’t even spare her a glance as he walked straight into the entrance.

‘It’s finally happening.’

Rosé adjusted her attire as she waited for him.

‘I didn’t expect word to come this quickly.’