“Your Highness, what is all this? Why are you so angry?”

“Melli! How could I not be angry? Look at this article!”

Melli read the front-page article about Lloyd and Agatha’s broken engagement.

About the achievements Lady Raphilus had built over the past ten years as the Crown Prince’s excellent companion, silently standing by his side, and how the Crown Prince had ruthlessly betrayed her.

About his faithless betrayal and the foreign villainess who had encouraged it.

“This, this is…”

“It must have been Agatha! Look how that venomous woman ran to the newspaper office, feeling wronged, and spread rumors everywhere!”

A cunning seductress who vulgarly enticed the Empire’s Crown Prince with her body!

It was true that they had cultivated their love in a corner of the palace under the guise of deep friendship between their countries, away from Agatha’s eyes, but Melli had never once rolled under the same blanket with Lloyd in bed.

So this article was a lie that seriously damaged her honor!

She would accept criticism for things she had done, but must she also be criticized for things she hadn’t done?

“How could someone like Lady Raphilus do such a thing? Does the lady not know shame?”

“I told you. Agatha has a vicious personality!”

Lloyd clicked his tongue.

The truth was different. Agatha had never gone to the newspaper office herself, and this article merely captured the scandalous uproar that had occurred in the imperial palace.

Public sentiment.

But Lloyd and Melli denied the obvious reality.

It was much easier to believe that Agatha had paid and persuaded the newspaper to publish such an article than to accept the reality that they were being pointed at by the entire world.

Thinking that everyone was criticizing her made Melli feel miserable and pained.

But she felt that was exactly what Agatha wanted.

“Lady Agatha must have some grievances. Your Highness, I’ll meet with Lady Agatha and try to soothe her.”

“What ability do you have to persuade Agatha?”

At Lloyd’s doubt, Melli smiled gently.

“Your Highness, Lady Agatha and I are both women. Perhaps she can confide in me things she couldn’t tell you for fear of appearing jealous?”

Lloyd nodded as if it made sense.

“In any case, Lady Agatha once served Your Highness. I’ll try to understand and comfort her well.”

“How do you always say such pretty words?”

Just making a sad face wouldn’t solve anything. Doing something might create hope.

Seeing Melli’s smile, Lloyd’s mood improved.

“Yes, talking with you might smooth out Agatha’s rough edges. You tend to make people feel comfortable. Anyway, Agatha should have met you earlier.”

※※※

“Is that woman crazy?”

Clang! With a sharp sound, the spilled tea spread a wide brown stain on the floor.

Sandy had dropped the tea she was serving to the Crown Prince’s aide, outraged at hearing that Melli had invited Agatha.

“Hmm……”

Melli invited me.

And quietly, in a place away from others’ eyes, secretly at night.

What is she thinking? Is she setting a trap?

“How can she have the nerve to ask our lady to meet her? Does she think she’s something special?”

Sandy raised her voice, unable to contain her anger.

“My lady, there’s no need to accept. It’s already upsetting enough that our lady, who has done nothing wrong, is staying quietly at home like this!”

“That woman—watch your language. I’ll overlook it this time considering your personal feelings, but if you use such words toward a noble person one more time……”

“Fine, I’ll go.”

“Ha, nice talk about personal feelings…… What? What did you just say, my lady!”

“Huh?”

“You just said you’d accept the invitation. When should I go, William?”

The aide showed a momentary look of surprise, as if he hadn’t expected Agatha to agree so readily.

But I’m curious.

‘It can’t hurt to know what they’re thinking.’

※※※

Late at night, the Raphilus ducal family’s carriage stopped in front of the imperial palace.

There were no people, and the palace was quiet.

The unexpected event occurred after Agatha entered the Crown Princess’s palace.

As she went inside, she heard someone arguing loudly, and Melli Moisa immediately became angry upon seeing Agatha’s face.

“Lady, why are you so late! Do you know what time it is!”

Melli grabbed Agatha’s arm firmly with glistening eyes and positioned her in front of herself.

Agatha had arrived at the palace on time, not late for her appointment with Melli. So there was no reason for her to hear such words.

As Agatha looked around to assess the situation, she saw menacing men surrounding them.

The men were all tall with thick bodies, wearing gloomy clothes unsuitable for the season.

And somehow, they appeared extremely angry.

‘The sounds I heard when entering were made by them.’

Melli shouted hysterically.

“Here is Lady Agatha Raphilus whom you’re looking for. So take up all matters with her. I know nothing about the Grand Duke’s palace stay arrangements!”

Agatha frowned.

“What is this all about, Princess Melli? I came because you said you wanted to talk.”

“I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t! Do you know how much trouble I’ve been through because of you, lady? How could you leave so irresponsibly without telling me anything?”

Irresponsible?

“Do you think running away ends everything? And then you expect me to explain to you! You handle it all yourself!”

“Running away?”

Who is accusing whom of running away right now?

She felt irritated enough to want to shake off Melli, who was clutching her skirt and trembling, but she needed to talk to the person who had placed a hand on Melli’s shoulder first.

“We’ve been contacting the palace all day, and only now do we see your face, lady?”

A dark shadow fell over her head. She felt a solid body playfully pressing close to her.

The man’s voice sounded light and playful at first glance, but underneath lurked an undisguisable irritation deeply entrenched.

His height easily surpassed that of most men, with thick fur draped over him, a sharp presence honed on the northern front, and pitch-black hair.

And above all, those red eyes identical to hers.

Goosebumps rose on her back as she faced his overwhelming presence.

She knew this man. No, anyone who had seen him once would never be able to forget him.

“His Highness Grand Duke Kueron Paloalto.”

He flashed a crooked smile. He was certainly a handsome man, but this aspect made him appear fierce rather than handsome.

Now she understood what had happened.

“For the past few years, whenever the Grand Duke visited the imperial palace, you, Lady, made sure his entourage was well taken care of.”

The Grand Duke’s entourage spoke.

The issue she had worried about until the moment she left her position as the intended Crown Princess after fighting with Lloyd.

The documents regarding “the Grand Duke’s palace stay” still sitting on a shelf in her study room.

It was just as she had predicted.

After Agatha left, Melli had failed to satisfy this difficult man, and as a result, he seemed to have come to confront Melli.

“Finally, someone who can take responsibility.”

“I’m no longer responsible. Deal with the person behind me. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

She meant exactly what she said. Agatha was no longer the future Crown Princess, so it was right for him to speak with Melli, not her.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“That’s quite rude.”

“I’m very angry right now. I don’t have the luxury to be considerate of your circumstances, lady. Just filter my words as you hear them.”

Kueron growled as he blocked her path.

‘Is this man even human?’

The arm blocking her way was as thick as a thigh, making it impossible to push past.

“From room arrangements to meals, nothing is satisfactory, and there’s no one taking responsibility. I came all the way from the north to the capital, and this is how the imperial family treats guests. Has the Empire finally reached its time to fall?”

He declared in a low voice.

“My entourage and I need to rest now.”

“Then rest. Who’s stopping you?”

“When I came before, you were the one in charge.”

“That was three years ago.”

Agatha pointed a finger directly at Melli.

She’s the Crown Princess now.

Melli, who had been fidgeting her fingers, met Kueron’s ominous gaze and instinctively lowered her eyes in surprise.

She seemed intimidated by his fierce appearance.

“I’m planning to return now. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to participate in this conversation.”

“Ha, you want me to talk with ‘that’? Are you joking?”

Kueron Paloalto sneered while still blocking her way.

“I’ve seen that woman before. When she traveled to the capital, she passed through my territory to reach the Empire. So I know well that she’s not someone worth talking to. Above all, she doesn’t even seem interested in dialogue.”

He wrinkled his face as if annoyed.

Kueron Paloalto always had good instincts.

A natural instinct cultivated by the harsh northern environment. He always instantly judged who was his enemy and who could become an ally, and had protected his position as Grand Duke without parental protection.

With those uncanny instincts, he had judged again this time.

That things would only be properly resolved if Agatha took over the task instead of Melli.