3.

To Princess Jains, secretly…

Marian fiddled with her maid’s uniform. There was no better outfit for moving around comfortably inside the imperial palace. However, because of Cesare who kept asking around about Ellie, she disguised herself with a different appearance than before.

“Going somewhere again today?”

Abel, who recognized Marian at once, asked. By now, even seeing Abel wearing an apron and holding a frying pan had become familiar. He filled a bowl with tomato stew that he had simmered slowly. Marian found herself staring at it, entranced.

Abel’s food, made with perfect combinations of ingredients, always gave off a savory aroma that stimulated the appetite.

Marian swallowed and answered.

“Yes. I have someone I need to meet.”

Abel’s eyes narrowed.

Rosette unconsciously watched both Abel and Marian’s reactions. There existed a stark contrast between the two — Marian usually failed to grasp the intent behind Abel’s questions, while Abel specialized in hiding his intentions.

Unlike the tense Rosette, Marian remained completely composed.

“……Who are you meeting? A man?”

Abel’s voice sank deeper and darker.

“A woman. Actually, I’m meeting Princess Jains.”

Abel’s expression softened at Marian’s answer.

“Ah. A woman.”

“Yes.”

Marian glanced at him. As Abel set down the plate full of tomato stew in front of Marian, Rosette let out a sigh of relief.

Neither of them paid any attention to Rosette’s situation.

Marian stared at Abel.

She still didn’t completely trust Abel. But she did trust that he was a clever person. Moreover, Abel had a hidden card that even Marian didn’t know about. Being in the fighting arena while owning such a huge merchant guild must have been for self-preservation.

It must have been worth all the pain Abel endured there.

Though reckless, he was someone with excellent situational judgment and boldness to achieve effective results even at the cost of self-sacrifice. Since he owned a merchant guild, his information network must be excellent too.

‘He might know a way to invalidate the treaty with Jains.’

Marian slowly ate the stew that warmed her inside. It had such a savory taste that made her appetite surge. As her stomach filled, her mind also became more at ease.

‘Keep it in mind. Asking Abel for help.’

Marian smiled brightly.

“It’s really delicious, Abel. Your cooking seems to be getting better.”

“Hearing your praise makes me want to try even harder.”

Abel rubbed Marian’s cheek with his thumb. The soft touch of her cheek made him feel good. Abel whispered gently.

“You’re not a child. Eating with food on your face.”

“Me?”

Marian opened her eyes wide. He let out a laugh. It wasn’t that she had food on her face — he just wanted to touch her. Her delicate skin that looked like it would crumble like whipped cream kept catching his eye. And there was no reason to hold back that impulse. Abel shrugged his shoulders.

“Have a good time, Marian. I’ll be waiting.”

Marian rubbed her cheek. It felt like Abel’s warmth still lingered there.

‘What was that. He surprised me.’

She suddenly realized just how big Abel’s hands were. Big enough to cover all of her cheek and more. Because of the dark memories remaining in Marian, she feared hands coming toward her face. But she felt no fear at all from Abel.

Strangely, she felt that way.

A strange certainty that Abel would never harm her.

Abel’s smile deepened.

**

Helena paced around the room with an anxious face.

‘Why hasn’t there been any contact yet?’

Helena bit her fingernails repeatedly. If Marian didn’t come, Helena would have to find another way. But were there any other ways?

Perhaps giving up everything and becoming a bridge between the two countries by marrying Crown Prince Benjamin was the right thing to do. Helena let out a breath heavy with moisture. She exhaled hot breath while squeezing her eyes shut.

‘I love you, Helena. How could I not stop my daughter from taking an unhappy path.’

No. This was Father’s selfishness and Father’s greed.

Helena flung open the door with reddened eyes. She wanted to try running away. Even if she got caught, she wanted to try her best. That was her mindset.

The maids stared at Helena with surprised faces.

But the maids were faster than Helena’s attempt to escape.

“Your Highness, this maid says she has something to deliver to you. She says it’s from Crown Prince Benjamin.”

A maid she had never seen before stepped forward. The maid’s bowed head revealed light brown hair that could be seen anywhere.

“……Come in.”

Helena mocked herself. She knew she would end up returning like this without taking even a single step out. Helena’s courage was this pathetic.

“What did he send?”

“Could I see Your Highness alone? I was told to deliver this secretly.”

The maid’s eyes met Helena’s. At that moment, Helena clearly witnessed the maid’s eye color changing. Helena’s eyes widened.

‘Im-Imperial Princess Marian?’

Come to think of it, Marian was a mage. Changing appearances must be easy for her. Helena’s heart pounded rapidly. She urgently ordered the maids.

“Everyone leave. I will call when I need you.”

The maids hesitated with uncomfortable faces. They were people the King of Jains had placed to monitor her. Helena’s personal maid looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

“Now!”

At Helena’s shout, the maids had no choice but to withdraw. After waiting for the door to close, Marian snapped her fingers.

She put her index finger to her lips and confirmed that her transparent magic barrier enveloped all six sides of the room.

“……I thought it would be better to be careful, Helena. This will block the sound.”

“Imperial Princess Marian!”

“I heard you wanted to meet me.”

Helena quickly nodded. She looked around. It seemed true that Marian was an extraordinary mage.

There was a reason why the King of Jains coveted Marian. Helena bit her plump lips hard. She spoke quickly.

“I thought Your Highness had something you wanted from me during our meeting that day.”

Marian sat comfortably on the sofa. Though she still wore the same clothes, Marian’s appearance had changed. With the magic removed, Marian’s black hair covered her shoulders.

Her clear blue eyes met Helena’s.

“Do you have something you want?”

Helena carefully asked to confirm.

“If I do want something, would that change anything?”

A vague answer. Helena hesitated before speaking.

“Many things would change, Your Highness. I have something I want from you. I don’t want this marriage. If Your Highness could help me escape safely and settle down with my lover……”

“I would need to gain more than that in return.”

Marian cut off Helena’s words. She stared at Helena with an expressionless face.

“What can you do for me?”

Helena was the anxious one.

She showed her cards first.

That’s why Marian could take the upper hand. Breaking off Helena’s marriage was necessary for her, but she pretended otherwise.

“……What I can offer is little, Your Highness. If there’s anything you want from me, I’ll give you anything.”

“Benjamin has illegitimate children.”

Those children were young but would become obstacles to Marian’s plans in the future. Being born with imperial blood meant having succession rights from birth. If things went according to Marian’s plan and Benjamin became unable to inherit the throne, those children would become variables.

There would be many people wanting to use young children as puppets.

“Hide those children. Somewhere even I can’t find them.”

Killing the children would be the cleanest solution. But I can’t do that. I didn’t want to become a monster who kills children for my goals. Even if I’m already a monster.

Helena nodded with a tense face. Her lips trembled. Tok, tok sounds echoed in the room.

The room was so quiet that even those small sounds could be heard clearly. Helena swallowed.

Marian gave Helena enough time to consider.

It meant interfering with imperial children, and the Crown Prince’s illegitimate children at that.

If Helena took the children and left, she might have to spend her whole life running. If caught, it wouldn’t end just as a foolish princess who ran away with her lover. She would become a criminal who stole imperial family members. It was a serious matter that could cause war between Federico and Jains.

Marian decided to ease Helena’s concerns.

“It won’t be for very long.”

Helena stared at Marian with round eyes.

“What do you mean? Are you saying you’ll return the children?”

“Of course not. Why would I go through the trouble of smuggling them out? I mean the pursuers will disappear.”

Though naive, Helena wasn’t so dull that she couldn’t understand Marian’s words. She spoke quietly in a metallic voice.

“Are you…… saying you’re going to eliminate Crown Prince Benjamin?”

Marian smiled brightly.

“Crown Prince Benjamin isn’t exactly suitable to be Emperor, is he? The position of ruler of the continent’s only Empire shouldn’t go to just anyone.”

Helena gulped. 

“H-how long will it take?”

If Benjamin falls, that would be even better! Helena’s eyes gleamed. Just as Marian was about to say something—

“Crown Prince Benjamin has arrived, Princess!”