When he shouted tensely, a black shadow emerged from behind the curtain.

Marquis Belmont’s eyes widened when he recognized who it was.

“H-How…?”

His shock quickly turned to fear. He realized his hands were trembling without his awareness and clasped them tightly together.

“I’m surprised you’re surprised to see me.”

“Y-Your Highness…”

Aidan looked down expressionlessly at Marquis Belmont who bowed his head toward him.

“Who do you think protected you from the Empress?”

That question tangled Marquis Belmont’s thoughts complexly. He had been attacked by assassins several times on his way here. He had already guessed those assassins were sent by the Empress. But to think the mysterious masked people who saved him each time were sent by Aidan…

He couldn’t understand why Aidan had saved him. While he hadn’t tried to kill Aidan himself, he had participated in the aftermath cleanup. Could Aidan really not have thought that far? Did he perhaps show sympathy thinking the Empress was just trying to pin everything on him?

But why had his way of speaking changed? He was different from the Aidan that Marquis Belmont knew. After the knights’ tournament, no, come to think of it, something had felt different since the banquet. But he hadn’t spoken down to him like this before…

“Why such a stupid expression?”

Aidan bent one knee to match his eye level with Marquis Belmont’s who was sitting in the chair.

“Did you really not figure it out? Who was protecting you.”

Marquis Belmont frowned at the word ‘protecting.’ While he couldn’t deny being saved multiple times, it twisted his insides to acknowledge that Aidan, of all people — the prince he had only ever ignored — had protected him.

Aidan, who had been quietly watching Marquis Belmont, silently stood up and suddenly drew his sword. Marquis Belmont looked up at Aidan in terror as the blade was instantly pressed to his neck.

“W-Why are you doing this?”

“Why, you ask…”

His response suggested the very question was absurd. Marquis Belmont rolled his eyes to check his own sword leaning against the wall. Could he reach it? He couldn’t die so pathetically at Aidan’s hands.

“I’ll really cut you if you’re thinking foolish thoughts.”

Aidan warned in a cold voice, pressing the sword closer, seeming to have noticed Marquis Belmont’s intentions. Marquis Belmont swallowed hard as he felt the sharp blade prick his skin.

“You should have had enough time to think, but I didn’t expect you to be this stupid.”

He couldn’t follow what Aidan was saying. He only clearly felt the growing killing intent from the sword at his neck. The sense of crisis that he might really be cut down was certain.

“W-What do you want from me?”

Wouldn’t he have kept him alive because he wanted something? The fact that masked men had protected him from the Empress’s assassins meant they had been tracking him from the beginning until now. In other words, Aidan could have killed him anytime if he wanted to.

“Now we’re talking.”

Aidan sheathed his sword and sat across from Marquis Belmont. His gaze swept from Marquis Belmont’s head to toe.

“You look terrible.”

He couldn’t tell if it was pity or mockery.

“Looking at you now, noble or not, you’re just a pot-bellied old man.”

Though provoked by those words, he couldn’t talk back recklessly. Things were different now. Remembering Aidan’s skills shown at the knights’ tournament, he didn’t dare try to grab his sword from the wall. He was certain Aidan’s sword would take his head the moment he moved. They were never close to begin with, so that sword would show no mercy.

“Even in that state, life is precious, isn’t it?”

Aidan asked with a slight smile. Though he spoke casually, Marquis Belmont understood his meaning perfectly. He had fled, trying to preserve his life first, abandoning noble honor and dignity, and after being chased for nearly a month, he looked terrible. He couldn’t even wash properly, let alone eat regular meals. He had fled too hastily at first. His secret funds were running low too, making even getting through tomorrow a serious concern.

Being caught by the imperial knights was just a matter of time. For now, he bought time since the imperial knights were at House Belmont’s territory, but they would return soon once they realized he wasn’t there. Then an even bigger investigation might begin.

Everything was at its limit. He even thought about meeting the Emperor to plead his innocence. He hadn’t acted on it only because he knew the Empress well. She would have already set things up so his words wouldn’t be believed. The moment he appeared before them, he would just be a traitor who tried to assassinate the prince.

“Don’t you want to end this?”

Aidan asked again. The words ‘end this’ sounded exactly like ‘die,’ making him choke up. When he raised his head to meet Aidan’s gaze, he saw a faint smile.

“Show me the cards you hold. Then I’ll let you live.”

What Aidan wanted from him. Marquis Belmont ground his molars as he pondered, then released them. There seemed to be no other way anyway. The Empress was desperate to kill him. And Marquis Belmont knew well why she wanted him dead before the imperial knights could catch him.

That was his card.

“How can you guarantee you’ll save me?”

Aidan tilted his head at Marquis Belmont’s question.

“His Majesty is pursuing me. The crime of attempting to assassinate a member of the imperial family isn’t something that can be lightly covered up. What power does Your Highness have to save my life?”

After all, Aidan was just a prince. The Emperor stood above him, and the Empress had a better grasp of imperial politics than Aidan. Even with House Hewitt supporting him, they couldn’t face both the Emperor and Empress’s forces.

“I said I’d save you, not get you acquitted, didn’t I?”

Aidan smirked as though asking what he was talking about. Marquis Belmont found it increasingly difficult to gauge his intentions.

“Isn’t it greedy to hope to live safely after trying to kill a prince?”

“I never tried to harm Your Highness. Rather, I only tried to catch the person who tried to kill you.”

Saying this made him feel quite righteous. Aidan, who had been quietly watching Belmont, smiled amusedly.

“Right. Solely listening to just those words, one might feel wronged.”

At Aidan’s response, Marquis Belmont’s mind raced quickly. If he played his cards right, he might be able to pull Aidan to his side. The truth is, I tried to eliminate the person who attempted to harm you. There couldn’t be a more plausible excuse than that. If Aidan, the direct victim, testified to that, even the Emperor might have no choice…

“You tried to kill Liam Smith who tried to kill me. To cover up everything Lloyd did. And then got properly backstabbed by the Empress.”

Marquis Belmont bit his lip and frowned at Aidan’s cynical tone. He realized again that he had been treating Aidan too much like a fool.

“Let’s say I accept the Liam Smith part. How do you explain killing my palace maid?”

His mouth clamped shut at Emily’s death.

“Did you know the Empress found someone who witnessed your subordinate killing Emily?”

Marquis Belmont’s face twisted further at Aidan’s question. There couldn’t have been any witnesses. He was certain his subordinate wouldn’t have made such a mistake. The supposed witness must be someone the Empress deliberately prepared.

That b*tch is really determined to kill me.

Harsh curses circled in his mouth. If Aidan hadn’t been sitting in front of him, he would have spewed them freely.

“Stop thinking and choose. Either cooperate with me to save your life at least, or flounder in the Empress’s schemes and die taking all the blame. If both options are too troublesome, there’s also the option of dying by my sword right here.”

Aidan spoke in a cold voice, wiping away all traces of his smile. Marquis Belmont lowered his eyes and took a long breath. From the beginning, this man hadn’t given him choices. He had just kept him alive until he was cornered, then forced upon him a single choice.

Whether to keep his loyalty to the Empress or save his own life.

The answer was clear.

Foolish Lilith. If she had just accepted his proposal, accepted the woman he had prepared as Lloyd’s princess consort, he would have lived protecting her and Lloyd with lifelong devotion until death. The Empress was the one who let go first. Therefore, his choice couldn’t even be called betraying her.

Marquis Belmont took out a twice-folded paper from inside his jacket pocket and placed it on the table. How to use it was now Aidan’s choice to make.