She saw Liebe searching desperately for Marian, fearlessly returning. She saw Liebe holding the dead Marian and wailing.

‘No, Your Highness! How can this be! Take me with you too. I want to go too!’

She saw Liebe crying loudly like a child. She saw Liebe who truly mourned Marian’s death and missed her. Because of her, Marian was not alone.

Marian’s eyes widened as she felt tears coming.

All the hallucinations cleared and only the young Liebe remained.

‘I won’t leave you alone again, Liebe.’

Marian promised.

**

Cesare let out a deep sigh.

Yesterday, Ellie had definitely visited him. Though he didn’t know how she got in, she had entered Cesare’s bedroom and undressed herself.

But when he woke in the morning, he was alone again.

Cesare narrowed his eyes and looked around the bedroom.

“What is this.”

He muttered in a hoarse voice and rang the bell. The head butler who had been waiting for his master who woke up late entered.

“The woman who visited me yesterday.”

“……Yes?”

“When did she leave?”

“There was…… a woman?”

Cesare ran his hand through his hair.

“Yes. A woman with silver hair and green eyes. She came to see me last night……”

The head butler swallowed. Something was strange. Cesare’s eyes were slightly unfocused and the room was filled with a familiar fishy smell.

But as far as the head butler knew, there had been no visitors to the mansion yesterday, nor any woman who left at dawn. It seemed like this had happened before.

The head butler answered calmly.

“I must have fallen into a deep sleep due to my age.”

If the master falls, the family falls. If that happens, the head butler’s lifelong dedication to the Madrian family would end as well. For Madrian’s sake, Cesare needed to remain strong.

“I apologize, Your Grace.”

“Huh. Just like a loach.”

Cesare put on his robe. He thought it would be better to look for Ellie through official channels.

**

Rosette wiped her tears with her hands.

What Abel did to her today was humiliating and painful. Rosette couldn’t do anything. Abel went into Marian’s room as if he had finished everything he needed to do.

No matter how she thought about it, she needed to separate Marian and Abel. With that determination, Rosette thoroughly cleaned the room farthest from Marian’s room. She also cleaned the bathroom Abel would use.

She didn’t know what Marian was thinking bringing such a dangerous beast-like man into the palace, but the sad thing was that Rosette had no way to drive the man out.

Rosette came out after scrubbing the floor thoroughly.

She moved her feet with displeasure. The tin bucket full of waste in her hands shook. She wasn’t watching where she was going, cursing Abel as she walked.

Because of that, she collided hard with someone coming from the front.

“Eek!”

The contents of the tin bucket spilled onto the person she bumped into. Rosette’s face turned pale.

“He-Head butler!!”

It was the Emperor’s head butler. Rosette trembled violently.

‘My luck is really terrible today.’

She thought she might die right here. The head butler irritably dusted off his clothes.

“You foolish girl! Where were you looking! Do you know how much this outfit costs!”

Rosette backed away with a frightened face. All sorts of thoughts ran through her head. Why did the head butler come all the way here? Besides, Abel was in this palace. The head butler, who was like the Emperor’s faithful hunting dog, wouldn’t just overlook Abel.

An even more serious problem was that Marian wasn’t here.

‘What should I do!’

Rosette screamed internally. Would the Emperor stay quiet when he finds out about Marian’s absence?

Rosette kept swallowing nervously.

“I-I’m sorry! I was lost in thought…… But what brings you here?”

“What brings me here? I have a message from His Majesty the Emperor. Where is your master?”

The head butler glared at Rosette with cold eyes. He was truly displeased in many ways. He had been forced to come on an unwanted errand, and he didn’t expect to suffer such humiliation.

Moreover, the maid’s behavior today was strange.

She used to be quite sharp, but now she was just standing there staring at the head butler stupidly. What’s wrong with her?

“I asked where your master is!”

The head butler shouted.

“Ah, that. She’s taking a bath right now. So you won’t be able to see her right away, if you could tell me what this is about……”

Cold sweat ran down her back. When cornered, the lies came smoothly.

“Your master is bathing while you’re cleaning guest rooms?”

“My-My master ordered me to clean. She said she wanted to bathe alone. She told me to come back slowly since she’d be soaking for a while……”

“This is a message from His Majesty the Emperor! Get her out here immediately! I’ll wait outside.”

The head butler pointed to the corridor. He would wait here, so use whatever means necessary to bring Marian before him. Rosette swallowed.

‘What should I do, what should I do.’

Should she say Marian disappeared? Then the Emperor would go berserk and search this place. Abel’s identity would be discovered……

‘It would ruin everything Her Highness is trying to do.’

Rosette bit her lips hard.

“What are you doing! Move quickly!”

At the head butler’s command, Rosette bowed her head. She was pushed into Marian’s bedroom as if she had no choice. The beast-like man was sitting lazily on the sofa. Rosette hesitated.

Her heart was pounding wildly.

“Wh-What should we do?”

Without realizing it, Rosette asked familiarly. In this situation, Abel seemed like an ally. He was also someone who couldn’t be discovered.

“Lord Abel!”

Rosette called out to Abel in a high-pitched whisper. Abel slowly raised his head. Abel spoke with an amused voice.

“Need help?”

“Ye-Yes!”

Right now, she wanted to grab even his pant leg. Just hours ago, he was the man who had threatened her. Strange how she felt this way. She thought Abel would somehow help.

For Marian’s sake, that is.

“If we make a mistake, something terrible will happen to Her Highness. Those cruel people won’t leave Her Highness alone. Do-Do you have any way? Like bringing Her Highness back right away……”

“There’s an easier way, you know.”

Abel got up leisurely. This was interesting.

The Emperor’s head butler would know many things.

“Is he alone?”

“What?”

“The head butler. Is he really alone?”

“Yes.”

Then this isn’t a crisis but an opportunity. Abel snapped his fingers. Magic enveloped Abel. Rosette’s eyes widened. Before the goosebumps from the crackling sound of bones realigning could fade, surprise struck.

Abel had disappeared, and Marian was sitting before her eyes.

“Her Highness… Marian?”

Abel smiled slightly.

“Convincing, isn’t it?”

Rosette quickly nodded. Now she understood. Abel might be terrifying as an enemy, but as an ally, he could be more reliable than anyone.

Rosette followed Abel like a puppy.

Of course, they could have invited the head butler inside, but that wasn’t what Abel wanted. He didn’t want another man entering Marian’s bedroom.

The head butler gave a perfunctory greeting when he saw Abel.

“What is it?”

Abel asked softly. But his eyes were glinting coldly. The head butler flinched. It was a different aura from the usual Marian. But no matter how he looked, it was Marian.

“……It’s a message from His Majesty the Emperor, Your Highness. He said you should spend time with Duke Madrian. Ahem.”

He should explain it properly, but it was somewhat embarrassing. The head butler kept clearing his throat and turning his head, but Abel, who understood the situation with just one word, swallowed his laughter.

Marian and Cesare?

How absurd.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Well. There’s a problem in the imperial family now. We need funds, and we need Madrian’s support.”

The head butler’s voice grew louder. Thinking he had to explain even this to an ignorant princess made his anger rise along with his embarrassment. Now even the shame was gone.

“His Majesty the Emperor wishes for Princess Marian to fulfill her duty. You must somehow persuade Duke Madrian to provide the money.”

“Ah.”

Abel smiled, showing his teeth. Both the head butler and Rosette thought he looked quite beast-like. Abel slowly snapped his fingers.

A magic field gripped the head butler. The head butler’s eyes went blank.

“What’s the money for?”

The head butler spoke in a slurred voice.

“We-We’re short on war funds…… Need to sell the princess to raise funds……”

“How shameless.”

Abel spat out a curse. Rosette flinched and rolled her eyes. Abel was too reckless. It was really dangerous, but equally reassuring.

“The war with Lorenzo?”

“Ye-Yes, that’s right.”

“How is the Emperor’s health?”

“He’s in good health…… But his blood pressure is high so he’s taking medicine, and he needs to be careful because he’s allergic to some medicines.”

The head butler listed everything.

“A useless old man should die sooner rather than later.”

Abel muttered.

“Any secret orders lately?”

“Ah, uh……”

“What about the Crown Prince’s secrets?”

“……Get medicine that damages a woman’s womb…… and, uh, make Princess Marian take it.”

Clang.