It seemed he needed to go out. Abel jumped outside from where he was sitting on the window. Passing through the grass that brushed against his legs with soft rustling sounds, Abel crossed over the wall.

The security was lax, as if they thought Marian wouldn’t try to escape. Abel snapped his fingers. His black hair turned to bright gold, his red eyes to brown. His steps became more relaxed.

At this hour, only drunkards wandered about without fear.

Abel headed to Giverny’s main store. He entered the shop that always kept its lights on.

“How may I help you?”

“It’s been a while, Leona.”

Leona’s eyes widened. She was a middle-aged woman who had been managing Giverny’s main store all this time. Giverny was the base for all the secrets and wealth House Drake had accumulated over time. And Leona was at the center of it all.

Leona, who had been absent during his previous visit, had returned.

“I heard you visited before, Master.”

“Have you been well?”

“Of course. I’ve been doing well ever since receiving Drake’s grace.”

“How was your trip to the North?”

Leona’s expression subtly hardened.

“Is that bastard still causing trouble?”

Leona bowed her head.

“Yes, Master.”

There was only one person Abel would refer to as ‘that bastard’ — Abel’s uncle, known as Drake’s troublemaker. He was also the main culprit who had sold House Drake to the Madrians and the imperial family.

Born as the eldest son but unable to inherit the position of Drake’s head, he was a man with a severe complex about it. Moreover, he would often take out his inferiority complex on young Abel.

‘You monster. They say you’ll sit in that seat in the future? Drake belongs to humans. How dare a monster like you deserve such a position?’

Abel still remembered those snake-like eyes that had gleamed. The man who had taken most of Drake’s assets and claimed that position was still corrupting the North. He embezzled the northern territory’s residents’ property and raised taxes under the pretext of repairing broken castles.

The northern territory’s residents abandoning their homeland was all that bastard’s fault. Giverny and Leona were cleaning up the aftermath.

“Feed him poison. Make sure he can’t do anything.”

“Yes, Master.”

If he kept interfering while the northern territory’s residents were returning, everything would be for nothing. Giverny dealt in prohibited items as well. One of them was poison herbs, and among them were some that, when diluted and fed, would make one lose their memory and gradually lose their sanity.

Even without Abel explaining in detail, Leona bowed her head, understanding his intention.

“And this.”

Abel took out the Madrian seal ring he had been keeping. Leona’s eyes widened as she recognized the ring.

“Madrian……!”

“Yes, this is something you’ll need to handle personally. Go to the South, meet Viscount Bochetti, and promise him support. Then use this for that contract.”

Leona’s eyes widened.

“Viscount Bochetti is currently plotting rebellion.”

“You think I don’t know that? I plan to connect Bochetti’s rebellion to Madrian. How can I breathe the same air under the same sky as that bastard.”

Abel laughed viciously. His hatred toward Madrian was beyond imagination. A sharp killing intent rippled around him. Leona stepped back slightly. Someone of Abel’s level could hurt people with killing intent alone.

“Then…… the plan to go to Lorenzo……”

“Completely scrapped.”

“King Lorenzo has been reaching out again.”

“Tell Lorenzo not to worry. Federico will never start a war.”

“The Emperor is still gathering war funds and building up the army. The Emperor and Crown Prince will never give up their intentions.”

“How long can they possibly live.”

Abel let out a snicker.

“I have a different owner in mind for that position.”

A different owner?

Abel didn’t seem to want to become Emperor himself. So then…

Leona recalled who Abel was staying with now.

‘Princess Marian!’

According to Abel, she was a woman who possessed even greater magical power than him. He had said that Marian alone could face tens of thousands of enemies. While Abel had to make up the difference with force, Marian didn’t even need to do that.

Despite having such power, the reason Marian lived locked away was that she was restraining herself.

“Will the Princess become Emperor?”

Abel smiled darkly. Leona swallowed. Abel had never failed to achieve what he wanted.

Even when he was staying in the slave fighting arena. It was Abel who had taken the head of the arena master who had tormented him the most.

“Don’t worry about Viscount Bochetti, Master. Your wishes will certainly be fulfilled.”

Now was the perfect time, when the imperial family’s view of House Madrian was unfavorable.

“Ah, and I was thinking of borrowing a resident physician from Giverny.”

“A physician……?”

“Yes.”

Abel furrowed his brow.

“No matter how well she eats, she doesn’t gain weight.”

“That can happen with lots of worries. Or it could be her constitution.”

“Either way, she probably hasn’t seen a doctor in years, so we need to check.”

“How do you plan to bring them in? Most doctors aren’t good with physical activities. Climbing walls is definitely impossible.”

Abel shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ll carry them, of course. Call them now.”

Leona let out a laugh. No matter who ended up going, she figured a hefty incentive would be necessary as she eyed Abel’s broad shoulders.  

A glint of light shone in her eyes as she watched him.

A life that would shoulder countless lives and responsibilities.

Leona believed in every choice Abel made. He would never disappoint House Drake and those who followed him. Even though he was only twenty-two years old.

Abel had a shrewd side that made him seem like he had lived through the world dozens of times. Perhaps because he had to grow up too quickly from a young age, he had to fight against a world that hated and feared him.

After that day in his childhood, when Abel had engraved magic and went berserk, he had grown up suddenly.

Leona bit her lips tenderly.

‘Your Grace. Look how much Master Abel has grown.’

It seemed so vivid in Leona’s eyes. That solid back entering through the pure white gates of Drake. Leona just needed to believe and follow.

‘Please wait just a little longer. I will return with your son. To our Drake!’

Her heart swelled.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t disappointed when Abel had chosen to go to Lorenzo.

That’s why Leona was happier than anyone when Abel chose to go North.

“Drake’s glory will be with you, Master Abel.”

Leona said in a trembling voice. Abel met Leona’s eyes and smiled gently.

“May that glory be with you as well.”

Indeed, Abel was a born ruler.

**

Marian knew Abel had gone out last night. She had felt his magical barrier conflicting with her own, and she had sensed him coming back through the magical barrier.

But she hadn’t expected him to bring a guest.

Marian who couldn’t sleep properly because of nightmares, Abel who naturally didn’t need much sleep, and Rosette who voluntarily reduced her sleep because she had much to do.

They gathered in the early hours before dawn had even broken.

“You say you’re a physician?”

Rosette asked with round eyes.

“Is it that surprising that I’m a physician?”

From Better’s perspective, who had been dragged to the princess’s palace by the suddenly appearing Abel, Rosette was more surprising.

“……It’s been years since I’ve seen a doctor. About three years?”

“You haven’t been sick at all during that time?”

Better asked with curiosity. Rosette shook her head with a bitter smile.

“Even when I was sick, no one came. When I asked for help, they didn’t show up, and when I went looking for them, they refused to see me. That’s why I learned to handle most medicinal herbs on my own.”

Abel’s gaze shifted to Marian. His questioning look seemed to ask if it was true, and Marian nodded. If Rosette hadn’t been there, Marian might have already died.

Even when she burned with fever, the palace physicians wouldn’t even turn their heads toward Marian’s palace. They feared earning disapproval.

“……I’ll examine you once. While we’re at it, it would be good for Miss Rosette to be examined as well.”

“That would be good.”

Marian answered instead of Rosette.

“I don’t need it, Your Highness!”

“If you don’t need it, then I don’t need it either, Rosette.”

Rosette puffed up her cheeks. How could she refuse when Marian puts it that way? Besides, Marian was incredibly stubborn. She’s usually docile, but when she made up her mind, she was unyielding.

“……Yes.”

Marian extended her hand with a satisfied expression.

“Let’s hurry. No one must know you’re here. The maids from the Empress’s palace will arrive around seven in the morning.”

It was an international event that even foreign dignitaries would attend. Marian would have to appear before tens of thousands who came to watch Federico’s tournament. The Empress had no choice but to release funds to have several dresses made for her. After all, there was no money allocated for Marian.

Of course, Marian had some money she had earned secretly, but that wasn’t meant for buying clothes like this. It was money that could be used more valuably.