From the start, Kailen had said he’d guarantee her future regardless of what happened to William. 

As long as you keep the conditions I set.

〈I needed insurance. Insurance to protect me. Other than that, I’ve never done anything to harm you.〉

Perhaps understanding, he eventually said he’d make her son king. But she had to keep following orders like now.

For her, if he’d push aside the current king and seat her son on the throne, there was nothing she couldn’t do. If that happened, she’d become the king’s mother.

She couldn’t betray Kailen at this point anyway. She knew well that the moment she betrayed him, not only would her current status and safety vanish, but that man would “dispose” of her one way or another.

Right. Now if I just… hold onto that man.

Kailen Belliche. The man before her was someone with clear calculations. 

A man who moved based on gains and losses, so she thought perhaps he’d view her—someone who’d one day become the king’s mother—with different eyes than now.

If in the future he abandoned his wife and chose her, and the two of them divided Krauben between them, wouldn’t that be a good ending for everyone?

Eva relaxed the intensity in her eyes and slowly brought up the main point in a soft voice. About the drugs Kailen had given her to feed the king.

“William’s condition… isn’t good. I followed the set dosage exactly, but the addiction symptoms are appearing faster than expected.”

Kailen had told her through the count to feed it very little by little, very carefully. So it would look like the king was destroying himself from fatigue and stress. It shouldn’t catch anyone’s eye.

Eva had followed those instructions. Every day, she mixed only the tiniest amount into the water or food he drank. So originally, William shouldn’t have been completely ruined yet.

But.

“He seems to be seeing hallucinations. I woke up at night, and William was walking around the bedroom stark n*ked, muttering. Words that didn’t even make sense… saying he had to kill everyone…”

As though recalling that creepily disgusting scene, a very faint tremor mixed into her voice.

“Do you know how terrifying it was? If the addiction symptoms progress this quickly… what if someone gets suspicious? No, before that… before that, what if William goes crazy and kills me? Help me.”

Until now, Eva had tried to avoid meeting Kailen. She’d only contacted him occasionally through Count Russell, known as her cousin. But for this matter, she felt she needed to see him directly to feel at ease, so she’d grown desperate and ended up coming all the way here.

Despite her desperate plea, he showed neither sympathy nor impatience. Rather, he looked her over like she was pathetic.

The corner of his mouth twisted.

“So you came to my house just to… ask about that sh*t?”

She didn’t understand it herself, but her heart sank at that mockery. She’d believed she was a woman with guts. At least she’d wanted to appear that way, and she’d survived by doing so.

“…”

Kailen tapped his cigar on the ashtray. Ash fell softly.

“Where’d you sell off Russell?”

Eva tried to open her mouth to explain, but Kailen was faster.

“I didn’t know you’d be this stupid. I’m disappointed, Miss Lorenz.”

Eva’s eyes heated up instantly. Not just from fear. Injustice and defiance surged up as tears.

Do you know what I’ve done for you to get this far? 

Of course she’d wanted it and volunteered, but still, the fact was her contribution was significant. So Kailen shouldn’t treat her this way.

Under the crimson lighting, Kailen’s languid figure blowing cigar smoke looked so nonchalant it made her even more upset.

Honestly, if she decided to die together and blow everything open, Kailen wouldn’t be safe either. What had happened in the king’s bedroom, what state the king had become because of it, and who had orchestrated it all…

All of that was never her secret alone.

Eva burst out with the voice she’d been suppressing.

“I said it wasn’t a matter to convey through the count. And I’ve done enough to risk my life. For you!”

Kailen didn’t bat an eye. He continued after a beat.

“Right. You’ve done enough. So you’ve received enough.”

Eva’s lips parted then closed. Not so much because she’d run out of things to say, but because she felt certain first that no words would reach this man.

Kailen, leaning leisurely in his armchair, rubbed the armrest once with his finger. The ease showing in that action drove Eva even crazier.

While she was this anxious—stop whining. Kailen’s firm gaze pierced Eva’s eyes precisely.

“Stop with the pointless talk and get to the point. What’s the real reason you came to my house?”

Eva closed her lips as though choosing her words for a moment, then finally raised her head. Calculation and fear appeared simultaneously in her violet eyes.

“Make me a promise.”

Clear greed mixed into her cautious voice. Kailen showed no reaction. Eva didn’t avoid his sharp gaze.

“Not a verbal promise. Preferably… I’d like a document with your signature on it.”

“The content. You need to state your demands precisely.”

Eva’s words trembled slightly at the end.

“After my son becomes king, if the day comes when you don’t need me anymore… your mind could change. I need assurance that you won’t eliminate me then.”

Only then did the corner of Kailen’s mouth rise slowly. Too shallow to be a smile, too refined a curve to be a sneer.

“I can do that much for you.”

Kailen leaned forward and opened a drawer. He took out a clean sheet of paper from inside and placed it down on the desk like throwing it.

“As long as you keep obediently following orders like you have been.”

His gaze only seemed full of annoyance. Eyes that said he could write this right now, so stop hesitating and get lost.

Kailen continued leisurely.

“This will be the last time you set foot in this house anyway, so while you’re here, say everything you want.”

Eva Lorenz stood up from the sofa. She hesitated for a moment, but soon approached Kailen with apparent resolve.

She bent her knees in a submissive posture and placed her hand on his thigh.

“Then, what about putting me in your wife’s position? Is that possible too?”

Kailen’s gaze turned to her. Fine cracks began forming in his brow.

What b*llshit are you spouting?

That’s what his eyes said.

Naturally, no more words came from him.

“…”

Still, Eva didn’t back down. Her violet eyes gleamed with desire more than ever.

“If my son becomes king and I become your woman, Krauben will be entirely yours. Isn’t that why you came this far?”

Only after the question was thrown did Kailen react. He stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray, then with his now-free hand grabbed Eva’s chin and lifted it. As force entered his hand, Eva’s face jerked upward. Heat rose to her cheeks, quickly reddening them.

Kailen Belliche was a man as desirable as power itself. People are naturally drawn to strength. Eva’s heart beat rapidly at the intense presence felt up close.

Kailen, holding her chin, tilted his head slightly. As the distance between them narrowed sharply, Eva’s breath stopped momentarily. The distance seemed close enough for a kiss.

Eva instinctively lowered her eyes.

At that moment, Kailen exhaled the smoke he’d been holding in his mouth.

Hot smoke scattered before her face. Eva flinched as she inhaled.

“Miss Lorenz.”

“…”

At Kailen’s cold voice, Eva couldn’t say anything. It was the first moment his touch had reached her, but rather than feeling good, it felt chilling.

“Please only be greedy for as much as I’ve given you and live.”

Though he dressed it up in a soft tone while pretending to be respectful enough, his words were utterly cold.

Eva Lorenz’s hand trembled faintly. Her lips closed firmly, and tears quickly welled in her eyes. Humiliation bubbled up.

Not knowing your place. Kailen stood up from his chair.

A commoner subject, yet at least she was a baron’s daughter. The humiliation given by a man of insignificant origins was unspeakable.

He brushed his hand once like dust had gotten on his clothes, then headed for the study door like he had no further business.

Just before leaving the study, he stopped briefly. Kailen looked down over his shoulder at Eva Lorenz sitting there forlornly and threw out his final words.

“Remember well what I said today. If you don’t want your life f*cked.”