“……Uh, what?”

“No… I mean, doesn’t he seem like a crazy bastard? He apologizes after starting the conversation, then suddenly gets angry and heated, and then raises his voice again. I’m so annoyed because I really don’t know what tune to dance to.”

Serena said, roughly brushing back her fallen hair.

“I mean, really, I’ve been holding it in until now, but what’s his reason for acting like that?”

“……Well, I’m not sure.”

Drukan saw the black energy swirling around Serena, and also saw Serena getting angry with her fists clenched.

He thought she might have strange thoughts when pushed to the limit, but he didn’t expect her to swear.

‘Well, I know it’s better than bottling it up, but……’

He also thought that maybe the person had changed too suddenly.

‘No, was this her original personality?’

After all, he had heard from the Duke that she was also stubborn and quite fierce.

‘Has she been holding back until now?’

Drukan narrowed his eyes and focused on the energy still swirling around Serena.

Her energy doesn’t seep into Drukan either.

‘Does it not seep into people who have goodwill?’

Even Darkness can’t create emotions that don’t exist.

So, a more fitting hypothesis seemed to be that it seeps into the slight dissatisfaction one has towards others and continues to stimulate it to grow.

If that’s the case, it made sense why the malicious energy no longer affected the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess, Serena’s parents, the Marquis couple, and Drukan himself and Duke Kelahinum.

‘That energy affected each of them once.’

Drukan was affected by that energy at their first meeting, and so was the Duke.

The same goes for the Crown Prince and the Marquis himself among the Marquis couple.

The fact that it happened once means it could happen twice.

In fact, Nocturne Lavernia had been unable to control his emotions due to that energy countless times until now.

However, the fact that others didn’t means there was a change in their mindset.

‘This person changed it.’

Serena herself, unknowingly, changed her perception.

‘…It might be solved more simply than expected.’

Just by changing people’s hearts to be favorable, this ticking time bomb of a situation could be somewhat reversed.

‘There might be characters like Nocturne from time to time, but……’

That’s something Drukan or other guard knights can simply cut off if they’re nearby.

It’s true that shadows exist because of light.

What Serena holds is a massive darkness created by the accumulation of shadows.

But in the end, it’s also light that eliminates darkness.

The moment she, who is only unfamiliar with people’s goodwill, becomes accustomed to it and starts believing in that warmth, the pitch-black darkness she holds will gradually disappear.

‘It was the same with Tiavias.’

She, who stubbornly refused to believe in love, at some point started to look quite upset if she didn’t hear the words ‘I love you.’

Drukan remembered the moment when her firmly closed heart opened.

That moment when the pitch-black darkness transformed into brilliant light.

Drukan’s lips curled up slightly as he thought of his wife.

‘She was terribly lovable.’

The nickname ‘Evil Dragon’ had long since disappeared.

He had cut it away himself.

‘In that sense, it’s fortunate that Serena met the Duke.’

Because it was obvious that she had a personality that didn’t listen to a word from others.

“I think so too. In my opinion, he seems crazy. Perhaps it would be better if I introduced him to a hospital.”

So, after pondering for a moment, Drukan calmly joined in on the gossip about Nocturne Lavernia.

“……Oh, really?”

Serena opened her eyes wide, as if somewhat surprised by Drukan’s participation, and asked again.

“Yes.”

Drukan answered calmly. Serena opened her eyes wide and then giggled.

“Thank you for saying that.”

“Even if it wasn’t me, anyone would have said the same, Lady Serena.”

“Hmm, but the problem is the sins I committed in the past.”

“You apologized and received an apology. You did your best to make amends and tried to meet all the conditions the other party wanted.”

Drukan said in a somewhat serious voice.

Serena’s eyes widened slightly at Drukan’s words. She slightly raised the corners of her mouth with slightly trembling eyes.

“Lady Serena, it’s good to have a sense of responsibility, but you don’t have to live thinking that everything is your fault.”

“……”

“I haven’t known you for long, but I know that the Lady Serena I’ve heard about in rumors is different from the Lady Serena I’ve seen in person.”

“……”

“The Serena I know is not someone who would do such things that I’ve only heard in rumors.”

Serena smiled with a face that looked like she might cry at Drukan’s additional words.

“Yes, that’s a kind thing to say.”

She answered softly and then quietly headed towards the Emperor’s bedroom without saying anything more.

“I hope you’ll be happy, Lady Serena.”

“……”

“I’m sure I’ll be.”

Serena still smiled silently at the added voice.

Drukan quietly closed his mouth as he watched that expression, which seemed half disbelieving.

Because beyond this was not his domain.

As they approached the door, which was thoroughly guarded, two guards bowed.

“You’ve arrived, Duchess Kelahinum.”

“Yes, is His Majesty in?”

“Yes, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are also with him.”

As Serena nodded, the guard knocked on the door twice and announced Serena’s visit.

“Oh, tell her to come in.”

Serena tensed up at the aged voice.

Drukan, unable to enter the Emperor’s bedroom, stepped back to see her off.

As Serena entered, an old man with a much better complexion than when she first saw him was sitting propped up in bed.

“May glory be with the master of the Empire and the Sun.”

Serena uttered the prescribed greeting dryly as always.

“Ho ho, enough with such stiff greetings. The Duchess must have had a hard time coming here.”

“Thank you.”

Serena answered calmly and approached the Emperor.

Compared to the first time, when his complexion was close to lead-colored and when he slept almost all day as if dead, his condition had improved quite a bit.

‘At this rate, I think I could give a complete recovery verdict after just two or three more visits.’

Serena thought as she stood in front of the Emperor and slightly bent her knees to sit in a chair.

“It’s another good afternoon today, Serena.”

“Yes, it seems so, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

Serena hesitated and answered to the voice she heard as she was about to examine the Emperor.

“Hehe, I wonder when you’ll start speaking comfortably with me, Serena.”

“Hmm.”

Serena put on an awkward smile at the Crown Princess Rosia’s words.

Serena, who was particularly weak to direct speech, couldn’t give a proper answer and slightly glanced around.

“Your Majesty, may I examine your condition?”

“Of course. Thanks to you, I now feel like I can take walks that I thought I couldn’t do anymore, and I see the world differently as I feel my body getting healthier day by day.”

“Yes, I’m glad to hear that.”

Serena answered calmly and carefully extended her arm to check the Emperor’s pulse.

“It seems your condition has improved a lot. I think complete recovery might be possible after just two or three more visits.”

Serena said quietly after checking the pulse and examining the Emperor’s body several times.

It’s to the extent that anyone watching might think she was really a doctor.

The Emperor, with graying hair and a wrinkled face, made a subtle expression as he looked at the young Duchess who never flattered and seemed uninterested, remaining dry even after meeting several times.

‘I heard rumors that she was a troublemaker, so I wondered what she might do……’

Contrary to expectations, she not only didn’t cause trouble but didn’t even speak to him, the Emperor, when they met.

There was even a day when she came in just to greet, examined his condition, listed precautions, and then left after just greeting again.

‘At first… I even thought the Crown Prince might have bad intentions……’

He wondered if he wanted to kill him, the Emperor, early and ascend to the throne.

He felt quite hurt, but after meeting the Duchess three or four times, even the tiniest doubt disappeared as if washed away.

Contrary to numerous rumors, Duchess Serena Kelahinum, the woman in front of him, didn’t speak harshly or treat servants carelessly.

She looked a bit cold due to her somewhat dry voice, cool expression, and sharp eyes, but she was basically plain and dry.

Even when dealing with the Emperor, it feels like she’s handling a wooden block that shouldn’t be broken.

No desire, no ambition, nothing exists in those dry eyes, and occasionally what’s reflected is just annoyance.

She often had an expression that said it was annoying but she had no choice but to do it, even in front of the Emperor of this world.

‘It’s not like she’s asking for any favors either.’

The only requests she made to the Crown Prince were to allow her to be expelled from the family or to quickly approve a divorce, he heard.

Moreover, he heard that all the unusual businesses she’s been doing recently have been achieving great success one after another.

‘…I didn’t know she was hiding such talent.’

The Emperor also thought so because there wasn’t a single good word in the rumors he heard.

He heard that she seemed quite calm when she was young, but as she grew up, she gradually became a troublemaker and ruined several banquets.

“Don’t you have any wishes, Duchess? I would like to repay you.”

“No, I’m fine.”

Serena answered immediately without even making eye contact while recording something in her notebook.