He had many words stored inside.

Back then I was trapped in an unpleasant past, you looked exactly like something related to the Emperor, it will never happen again, so…….

You’re the only one I’ve ever given true affection to in my life, and I was afraid you would break in the Emperor’s hands like that day. If by chance you wanted to escape from that man’s hands right now, you might have him as an option…….

But despite the various chaotic thoughts swirling uncontrollably, the moment their eyes met, he had to realize:

Ah, she would never ask me for help no matter what happened.

Even if he confessed now that he missed her affection, she would never turn her heart back to him. That’s what her eyes said.

She had looked quite tired from the moment she met him too. As if memories of their married life had surfaced the moment she saw his face, she wore a lonely expression.

Dietrich had hurriedly come to the imperial palace to find Lysith because he heard rumors circulating. Those rumors said the Emperor greatly cherished Lady Gronevelt.

Though the Imperial faction nobles didn’t show it, they all seemed pleased.

Only he felt unpleasant. Not only did he feel like something had been stolen from him, but the sight of her on the day she was poisoned still haunted his dreams occasionally.

Finally calming his breathing, Dietrich asked Lysith as if spitting out the words.

“I heard His Majesty treats you well.”

“……Has that become a rumor? Is that why you came?”

Well, rumors about being treated well, that was understandable. Even when they just had meals together, everyone in the imperial palace seemed to think that way subtly. Now that they had started sharing a bed recently, the gazes around them were almost piercing.

Though nothing that others expected was actually happening.

Anyway, rumors usually spread without the subject knowing, so this was the first time Lysith had heard of it.

Though she didn’t confirm or deny it, Dietrich realized it was true from her reaction and urgently grabbed one of her hands.

“Lysith.”

“Let go……”

“……I, I’ll never do that again.”

“Should I hold Your Highness’s hand back here then?”

Her cold blue eyes met his up close. His darker blue eyes had deepened so much they almost looked black at a glance.

Lysith slipped out of his loosened grip and was about to leave the room without even a greeting when she suddenly stopped.

Her small voice echoed in the quiet room.

“At least, I wish you had said those words earlier.”

For example, before the divorce.

To Lysith, who didn’t know his story, Dietrich was just someone who heard rumors about her getting along well with the Emperor and rushed to check if it was true.

Their bad relationship? What did that matter now?

Is there a problem if I get close to someone you don’t get along with? Such twisted thoughts emerged.

She left the room without lingering regrets, and the door quietly closed behind her. The man naturally didn’t follow, and confirming this, Lysith quietly swallowed her tears. In fact, she had been holding back tears since bringing up the carriage incident.

What she held back along with tears was anger.

She wanted to demand why he had done it.

She could no longer separate herself from the previous Lysith.

She calmed her surging emotions with deep breaths. Though she wanted to cry, nothing could be more unsightly than wailing in the corridor.

After taking a few minutes to calm herself, Lysith trudged along. She had barely taken ten steps when she caught sight of a man’s shoe tip at the edge of her vision. When she reflexively looked up, a man she had grown familiar with lately was looking down at her crookedly.

“……Your Majesty?”

Though Lysith called out in confusion, he silently glanced at the door behind her shoulder without answering.

Seeing how far he had come, he probably knew who had brought her here. Well, this was his imperial palace, entirely under his control.

Anyway, Lysith greeted him with her usual courtesy.

“Your Majesty, it’s an honor……”

“Skip the greetings.”

Unlike usual, Verheigen stopped her greeting and held out his hand with a slight gesture. As if telling her to take it quickly. As she unconsciously raised her hand, she briefly glanced at the door behind her from the corner of her eye.

She had no other intention; it just gave her a subtle sense of déjà vu from earlier when Dietrich had held out his hand to her.

Verheigen, who keenly noticed Lysith’s glance, quickly snatched her barely raised hand.

“Ah……”

As he started walking, Lysith had no choice but to match his pace. He was definitely acting this way because he had noticed her glance.

No, how do they align politically when they hate each other this much? She couldn’t tell if both were just professional or if this side was just narrow-minded.

Only after they had moved some distance from that problematic room did Verheigen speak.

“What did you talk about?”

“……Are you interrogating me right now?”

Verheigen’s face was completely stiff, looking like a stone block, if one had to compare. When Lysith answered shrinkingly as past memories naturally came to mind, he finally realized his expression and sighed while rubbing his face.

Actually, her complexion looked worse than his right now. He didn’t want to pressure someone who clearly wasn’t feeling or doing well.

He stopped walking and gently pulled her hand toward him. Raising his other hand, he softly wiped her eyes that still held moisture and asked again.

This time in a much gentler and kinder voice.

“Did that bastard make you cry?”

“Well. You could say that. I was just…… remembering old times a bit.”

“Then it’s that bastard’s fault.”

He answered with a fierce smile. Though he quickly smoothed his brow when Lysith made a subtle face seeing this head-on.

“But why are you asking about this?”

“Should I punish him for you?”

It was quite a terrifying statement considering the speaker was the Emperor. But it was also touching that the Emperor, sitting in the highest position, said this solely for Lysith alone. Well, his personal animosity toward Dietrich might have an influence.

His touch remained unusually gentle as he continued softly wiping her eyes. It was a tenderness that would have been unimaginable when they first started talking.

Lysith suddenly realized her capture was progressing successfully.

How high would his affection be? She briefly lowered her eyes before looking up at the man who was caressing her eyes with his thumb.

“……That’s not necessary.”

“Why? It’s rare for me to offer something like this. You should take advantage—”

“Noona!”

A man’s voice full of joy interrupted Verheigen’s words. And with a clear word calling the woman standing beside the Emperor.

Verheigen immediately furrowed his brow as he realized who had cut off his words. And what was with that form of address?

“……Noona?”

Whether Verheigen growled or not, Lysith’s head quickly turned at the familiar voice.

“Ash?”

“Ha, finally found you.”

Lysith’s face brightened instantly when she confirmed his presence. Like sunlight streaming into a dark room. Verheigen, who witnessed this change right before his eyes, felt his mood plummet into the mud.

Why? She barely reacted when I offered to punish that bastard earlier. What makes this bastard so special that she smiles so brightly just seeing his face?

He wanted her to show such expressions only to him. To be cold to others but soft with him.

He knew she had met the Tower Master about two months ago. That’s how much time had passed since their first meeting, but actually, if you only counted their time together, he had spent more time with her……

Expressionlessly watching Lysith’s profile while rubbing his fingertips that had just caressed her face, Verheigen recalled how these two first met.

Ah.

Unaware of what Verheigen was thinking beside her, Lysith was simply happy. She had been tired from dealing with the Emperor and then getting caught between the Emperor and Grand Duke, but now she unexpectedly reunited with someone she could relax with!

How could she not feel relieved?

Seeing Lysith’s face brighten in an instant, Ashites felt like he was walking in heaven. Though the Emperor’s presence beside her was annoying, and that ambiguous position from earlier was even more annoying.

Anyway, she was smiling brightly at him right now.

Ah, such smiles are bad for my heart.

Her slightly disheveled hair and the docile eyes beneath remained just as lovely. He quickly scanned her from head to toe but saw no signs of injury.

If there had been any, given his personality, he would have already grabbed the Emperor by the collar.

Ashites quickly approached her while completely ignoring the Emperor standing beside Lysith.

“Noona.”

“Ash, were you still in the imperial palace?”

“Yeah. ……Didn’t you know?”

“I knew you came to the palace…… but didn’t know you were still here. I thought you’d left since you’re busy.”

Actually, she hadn’t received any information about him at all. Though she had considered walking around the palace to meet Ashites, Lysith had half given up after seeing the knights standing in the corridors.

She couldn’t tell if it was nominal surveillance or if they were really protecting her, but it was too difficult to question Verheigen about it.

As Lysith continued smiling with a somewhat dazed look, Ashites bent at the waist and whispered in a voice that seemed about to melt while smiling with his eyes.

“How could I leave without meeting you, Noona.”