When Lexion called her from inside with a tone urging her to leave, Maria departed, deliberately bumping Estelle’s shoulder.

“Have you returned from your walk?”

“Yes.”

Lexion, who had been staring at Estelle as she headed toward the dressing room, stopped her.

“Miss Estelle, don’t you have a duty to fulfill first?”

When she remained still without moving, Lexion emphasized, “Estelle.” Not wanting to engage in a pointless battle of nerves with him, Estelle moved her legs, which felt glued to the ground, and went to the desk. Lexion, who had been examining her expression with an indifferent face, stood up and faced her.

“Estelle.”

Lexion bent down and met her eyes, as if puzzled by her bowed head.

“You keep your neck stiff even if I were to kill you, so why are you so dejected now? Ah, is it because of Maria? Well, she is beautiful enough to intimidate even a fierce person like you… Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

Estelle looked up sharply, provoked.

“I am not!”

Seeing her become spirited again, Lexion smiled slyly. What a simple woman.

“There’s nothing to be jealous of. Maria is just a friend.”

A friend who rolls around in bed? Estelle glared at him, filled with suppressed disbelief.

“My… Estelle, you pretend otherwise, but you still like me, don’t you?”

To his teasing with a smug tone as if he’d caught her, Estelle shouted.

“I do not! It’s just… I’m embarrassed by my attire!”

“Attire?”

Lexion clicked his tongue as he lowered his gaze and then raised it again, as if only now noticing her appearance.

“I respect your desire to look younger, but… honestly, it doesn’t suit you at all.”

“I have nothing else to wear……”

“It’s strange that you, who walked around confidently in nightwear, now care about formality. Really, why go outside and face embarrassment?”

“I hate that woman looking down on me!”

Lexion smiled wickedly, narrowing his eyes as if he’d caught her.

“So it is jealousy.”

“Ugh……”

There was no point in arguing further with this madman who interpreted everything as he pleased; it would only give him more ammunition. Estelle turned her head as if at a loss for words.

“Miss Estelle, is there anything you want?”

Lexion’s fingertips touched her shoulder. His touch, which gently enveloped her, contained playfulness but also an intimate force strong enough to make her small body tense.

“Dresses, perhaps.”

His fingertips traced slowly up along the fine line as if measuring something, and brushed her earlobe.

“…Or accessories.”

Estelle’s face hopelessly flushed at his unfamiliar yet somehow familiar explicit touch. He always performed purification like this, like a pervert. Lexion, who had been savoring the sight of her skin reddening up to her neck, caressed the tip of her chin and forcibly drew her violet eyes to him.

“You’re such a high-maintenance cat. Not only is my work delayed because I have to entertain you, but I also need to worry about dressing you.”

Estelle, who had been holding her breath, exhaled deeply and shouted sharply.

“What dog-like…… No, what nonsense are you talking about?”

“Estelle, nothing comes for free. You must pay a price. Hmm… one display of affection from your noble self would be enough to get everything.”

“No thanks! Why would I accept such things? I’m not Your Highness’s concubine!”

“Ah, so you wanted to be a concubine?”

“What on earth are you saying!”

Lexion chuckled and removed his hand.

“Let me know if you change your mind. Though I must admit, I find your defenseless appearance more attractive.”

“You… lowlife!”

She raised her hand as if to slap his cheek, but Lexion nimbly avoided it and snickered mischievously, saying it wouldn’t work a second time.

Her one-sided fury was interrupted by a polite knock at the door. The aide entered with a respectful demeanor but flinched upon seeing Lexion’s childishly delighted face. However, like the experienced aide he was, he maintained a stoic expression.

“Your Highness, Count Arcis has been escorted to the reception room on the first floor.”

Lexion pushed Estelle, whose face had turned bright red, toward the door.

“It seems your much-desired father has arrived. Go quickly.”

Estelle glared at Lexion before following the aide out of the room. Just before the door closed, Lexion, who was about to turn his head thoughtlessly, suddenly looked serious. He flung the door open again and called the two knights who had been following her, summoning them into the room.

“Your Highness, do you have orders for us?”

Lexion examined them closely as they stood stiffly with their hands behind their backs.

“Has the saintess had contact with anyone?”

“No! The saintess walked alone in the garden and returned directly.”

“She didn’t encounter anyone?”

“No! That’s correct!”

Their eyes contained not a trace of falsehood.

‘They’ve been brainwashed.’

The knights didn’t even realize they had been brainwashed. This power was clearly a special ability.

“Jeff Alexis……”

Lexion’s eyes, filled with murderous intent, twisted with a cold gleam.

* * *

“Estelle!”

“Miss!”

Count Merlin and Laura rose from their seats with tears in their eyes.

“Have you been well?”

Estelle sat on the sofa with a gentle smile, and Count Merlin firmly grasped her hand.

“What on earth happened! You, a saintess!”

Seeing her father’s face, which had become half its former self due to his evident emotional suffering, pained Estelle’s heart. She deliberately tried to speak calmly.

“That’s how it turned out. It’s truly an honor.”

“What honor!”

Count Merlin was infuriated by his innocent daughter’s words. Why had God bestowed such a cruel fate on a child he cherished more than his own eyes… Why, of all the many people, did it have to be his child!

He was already an inadequate father. The ordeal his daughter would face—who had lived uprightly without sharp edges despite difficult circumstances—was too harsh.

Count Merlin impiously cursed the goddess aloud.

“It’s this father’s fault…… This happened because I blamed the divine whenever things went wrong……”

“That’s not true! How could this be Father’s fault? Don’t think that way.”

Estelle warmly embraced the hands of Count Merlin, who was blaming himself.

“Father, I’m actually happy about it. I receive special treatment at the imperial palace and……”

Estelle carefully recalled the past. What had she said back then…… She seemed to have been so happy she could fly, being able to see Lexion up close and touch him.

Although she felt guilty about deceiving him, Estelle knew well what repercussions her father’s actions would cause if he learned the truth.

On the day she first regressed, Estelle had once confessed everything to Count Merlin. To protect his only precious daughter, he had fled. The father and daughter eventually wandered throughout the Empire, suffered all kinds of hardships, and ultimately lost their lives.

“Father, I’m satisfied. His Highness the Crown Prince treats me kindly……”

The lies flowed easily since it was also for her father’s sake.

“Above all, being able to see His Highness up close is so… ha, happy……”

Her tongue slipped because her stomach churned from telling untruths.

When the saintess’s power first manifested, she had truly been excited and happy. It felt as if the goddess had answered her earnest prayers, and when she married Lexion, she truly felt like she had gained the whole world.

‘Not knowing it would be the beginning of misfortune……’

Bewitched by his kind words and gentle gaze, she had foolishly mistaken that Lexion was marrying her out of love. She even thought his occasionally cruel behavior was just excessive attachment due to overwhelming love, and that it was her fault for making him that way.

“Estelle… being a saintess isn’t as good as you think.”

Count Merlin’s face darkened, well aware of how much she cared for Lexion.

“It doesn’t simply mean you’ve become necessary to His Highness the Crown Prince… it means you’ll have to maintain uncomfortable relationships with the other dukes as well……”

Concerned that his daughter, blinded by love, might offend them, Count Merlin thought he should tell her the reality, even if it was painful to hear.

“It’s fortunate that His Highness the Crown Prince treats you well, but the other dukes… there’s little known about them… even if you hate it, you must act wisely. You mustn’t provoke their anger. Unlike His Highness the Crown Prince, they aren’t known for being gentle. Even if they treat you rudely, you must endure and let it pass. Estelle, I understand your feelings for His Highness the Crown Prince, but you must treat them equally.”

‘Father… although I haven’t experienced them all, the one with the worst temperament is probably Lexion. At least the others didn’t kill people so cruelly without reason.’

Estelle silently recited the truth she couldn’t reveal today.

“Of course! Don’t worry too much. I’m fully aware of that. Is everything alright at home?”

The casual inquiry made Count Merlin’s face turn pale.

“O-Of course! The same as always……! Everything’s fine, so don’t worry.”

“Are you… sure?”

“Yes, there’s nothing for you to worry about… You just… focus on yourself.”

Seeing Laura’s expression darken as well while listening to the conversation, Estelle’s eyes grew somber. Sensing they wouldn’t tell her even if she pressed further, Estelle didn’t ask anymore.

“But… is His Highness the Crown Prince truly treating you well?”

Count Merlin was puzzled by Estelle’s shabby attire.