* * *

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, indeed.”

Serena entered the reception room with a troubled expression, accompanied by Magnus who had insisted on coming along, and saw Rosia with an equally troubled expression, standing next to the Crown Prince.

“Ah.”

“Ah….”

A sound like a sigh escaped from both of their mouths simultaneously.

Serena and Rosia, whose eyes met for a moment, glanced to the side and sighed at the same time.

“First, please sit down, Serena.”

“Yes, thank you, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“You can call me Rosia like before, it’s okay.”

“Uh, no. That’s a bit…”

Serena shook her head and firmly refused.

“How dare you refuse Rosia’s offer…!”

“Isn’t it normal to be able to refuse a proposal?”

“Magnus!”

“Why are you calling me, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Whose side are you on right now!”

Magnus frowned at the Crown Prince’s words.

Why does it seem like he’s angry that I’m not taking his side?

Anyone can see whose side I’m on just by looking at who I followed here.

He felt a bit dumbfounded.

“Of course….”

“Of course, anyone can see he’s on Your Highness the Crown Prince’s side. This man’s love for Your Highness the Crown Prince is remarkable. He’s very loyal.”

“……?”

Magnus had a bewildered expression.

Not only was his answer interrupted, but Serena had given an answer completely opposite to what he was thinking.

“Uh, th-that’s right. O-of course that would be the case.”

The Crown Prince stuttered, flustered by Serena’s clean and refreshing acknowledgment.

‘I heard the right words, but why does it feel unsettling?’

The Crown Prince thought as he crossed his arms.

“He was constantly hinting at me to apologize to you.”

“What? When on earth did I do that!”

Magnus raised his voice in indignation.

Serena glanced lightly at Magnus and replied.

“Didn’t you ask me earlier on the terrace if I was going to apologize?”

“That was…!”

Magnus widened his eyes.

He wanted to say that he was just going to offer help, but the couple was right in front of him.

There’s no need to reveal that he actually intended to deliver an apology on her behalf when she came to apologize.

He clenched his fist tightly.

“Even yesterday. Didnt you get so angry about me potentially harming His Highness the Crown Prince and you through my business that you smashed the bed.”

“…That was…!”

Once again, Magnus widened his eyes, seemingly wronged.

He wanted to explain properly, but he couldn’t this time either.

Because this time, he had committed sins against both sides.

He had framed the couple, and she had to prepare for the banquet within two days.

“…I’m sorry, Magnus. I didn’t know you were this loyal…, well, of course I knew, but I didn’t know it was to this extent. To think I’m going to be a ruler while being this oblivious….”

“No….”

Magnus felt like he was going to go crazy from frustration.

“From now on, I’ll trust you without doubt.”

It’s Magnus who has things to apologize for, and it’s Serena who came to apologize, but ironically, it’s the Crown Prince who’s apologizing.

“……”

Magnus was at a loss for words in this chaotic situation.

“That’s good.”

“……”

Hearing the words coming from beside him, Magnus felt his insides boiling.

‘Is it okay to be this oblivious?’

If this woman were to be sent out to do business, she would surely be scammed.

Perhaps she’s already being completely fleeced by the cunning president of the Imperial Merchants Association.

Thinking this, Magnus’s expression became serious.

“Anyway, thank you for coming like this.”

Rosia smiled slightly, moving her clear, white, and transparent cheek without a single blemish.

“I should be the one thanking you for accepting my sudden request.”

“Ah… yes.”

Rosia’s eyes widened slightly.

Although her voice was dry, her attitude was quite polite.

This was because Rosia had been observing her for a long time, from her days as Serena Lavernia to her days of Serena Kelahinum.

She didn’t watch because she wanted to, but because she had to due to the academy.

Anyway, Rosia was seeing such a polite Serena for the first time since their brief initial meeting.

Usually, she would glare at her like an enemy, then look at her with disgust, and if their eyes met, she would pick a fight.

So Rosia was actually a little scared of making eye contact with her.

“First of all, I’m sorry for doing such a dangerous thing to Your Highness the Crown Princess before.”

Serena bowed deeply while seated on the sofa.

“……”

“……”

The Crown Prince and Rosia looked alternately at her and Magnus with disbelieving faces.

Magnus had an expression that wasn’t quite to his liking, but he just kept his mouth shut, knowing how great a mercy it was that her wrongdoing could be overlooked with just an apology.

“I’ve reflected a lot in the meantime. I swear that I will never again do anything dangerous involving poison.”

She had taken the approach of seeking sympathy from Magnus, but she bowed her head politely to the Crown Prince and Rosia.

The two people in the novel were the epitome of the male and female protagonists, so they had a soft spot for villains.

So if the other person sincerely repented and regretted, they would forgive them.

The Crown Prince had even taken such people as his subordinates in some cases.

It was a serious apology that came after an excellent calculation that this would work better than playfully whimpering.

“In fact, I’ve made similar mistakes with this person’s younger siblings.”

“Serena!”

Unable to understand why she was bringing up that story, Magnus called out to her.

However, Serena only glanced at him briefly, her gaze focused solely on Rosia.

Rosia was a bit surprised by this honest confession.

She didn’t expect her to reveal another wrongdoing while coming to apologize.

In fact, whether it was an attempted assassination of a noble or a royal, successful or not, it was quite a serious crime in the empire.

It would be better not to reveal it.

‘Has she… really repented?’

Rosia thought as she looked at that resolute and firm expression without a hint of wavering.

“So, as a sign of repentance, I’m planning to divorce this person, and I’ve also decided to be expelled from the Lavernia family to apologize for the trouble I’ve caused to the family.”

“…What did you say?”

Rosia’s eyes widened more than a lantern.

Her beautiful blue eyes, like jewels placed in them, shook continuously as if an earthquake had occurred.

“W-wait.”

The Crown Prince raised his hand, unable to follow the conversation that suddenly seemed to have jumped off a cliff after running smoothly.

“I think I heard wrong… can you say that again?”

Serena’s head tilted slightly.

She wondered if her voice was too quiet, so she put a bit more strength into her abdomen.

“As a sign of repentance…, I plan to divorce Duke Magnus von Kelahinum.”

“…I’ve already heard that news. The part after that.”

“Ah, to apologize for the trouble I’ve caused, I’ve also decided to be expelled from the Lavernia family. Is that the part you mean?”

“…Yes, that’s it!”

The Crown Prince suddenly raised his voice.

“Do you understand what it means to leave your family?”

“It means losing my noble title, having all support from the family cut off, returning to being an ordinary citizen, living without maids, luxurious meals, dresses and jewels, without soldiers or knights, in a shabby house where someone might come to kill me out of resentment at any time, right?”

“…Uh, th-that’s right. You… you know it well.”

The Crown Prince was at a loss for words because she knew too well and explained it too bluntly.

There was nothing wrong with what she said.

“…If you know all that, why are you still going through with it?”

“Your Highness. I think that since I’ve lived my life disregarding others’ lives, I should naturally experience the feeling of having my own life disregarded by others.”

Serena placed her hand on her chest and spoke naturally and devoutly, as if her tongue was oiled.