“Wow… it’s incredibly large. How is it as big as a bear?”

Peter approached on horseback, whistling as he looked down at the deer’s carcass.

“Do you like it?”

Lexion, who had brought his horse close behind Peter, said something unexpected.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Lexion took out a dagger and handed it over, and Peter blinked with wide eyes.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“I didn’t bring any attendants.”

“So? Don’t tell me… you want me to skin it?”

“It’s a gift for you, so you should prepare it.”

“A gift? Hey! I can’t do this! It’s disgusting!”

“Then take it as is.”

“Would this bulk fit on a horse? Ugh, look at that blood. It’s cruel.”

Peter kept examining the magnificent beast while grumbling.

“But… you’re saying this is a gift for me?”

Lexion nodded as if to confirm.

“What kind of gift is this? Hmm… well, the antlers are impressive, so if I taxidermy the head and hang it in my study, it might look impressive.”

What’s with him? It seemed like he was feeling sorry for his actions deep down.

However, Peter’s appreciation didn’t last long. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the smile on Lexion’s lips. It was the mischievous smile he always had when he was about to play a trick on someone during their Academy days.

“Peter, since you received a gift, you should return the favor.”

“What favor? This is a gift you forced on me!”

“You have a villa in Alphion, right?”

“Huh……”

Peter felt like he’d been duped with his eyes wide open. Of course. Lexion Herais was not the type to give gifts for shallow friendship. He had something he wanted, so he threw out bait to lure him in.

“Why the villa?”

“I need to use it for a while.”

“Is that villa mine? It belongs to our family! I’m living away from home to avoid the old man, you know?”

“Persuade him.”

“Ha……”

He was a relentless demon who would get what he wanted no matter how much one insisted it wouldn’t work. Peter suddenly felt like the deer lying on the ground.

“Fine… whatever, I just need to break the news once, but can you at least tell me why?”

Lexion, having at least that much decency, readily explained his reason.

“Estelle will soon leave for the Duke of Alexis’s estate.”

“……”

Peter’s face went blank at the unexpected answer. Could the purifying effect brought by the Saintess be enough to turn even Lexion’s ice-cold eyes?

‘Well… only those with special abilities would know.’

Still, Lexion’s statement seemed reckless.

“Are you serious?”

“Have I ever spoken nonsense?”

“No, no. You don’t actually like the Saintess as a woman, like the rumors say, do you?”

“……”

Lexion was silent for a moment. Peter felt uneasy, as if that silence implied a great deal.

“Well, I have no reason to hate her.”

Seeing the ambiguous smile, Peter’s thoughts became more complicated. It was also a moment when he felt sorry for his vicious sister who was harboring false hopes.

“So… you’re going to chase after the Saintess?”

Peter gave him a look as if he were seeing a perverted madman, but Lexion raised an eyebrow as if Peter’s expression was vulgar.

“It’s for her safety.”

His face showed he had never once considered that he himself might be the most dangerous person.

“Lexion, that’s obsession. What if a conflict arises in the Duke’s territory?”

“I’ll handle that. I need to marry her anyway.”

“Ah, marriage… what, what? Marriage?!”

Peter repeated his words at the nonchalant statement, then screamed with a shocked face.

“Lexion! You’re going to marry the Saintess?!”

“Keep your voice down. It’ll be troublesome if someone overhears.”

Lexion removed his gloves with a detached expression.

“But she’s not giving in easily. Well, I find that endearing too.”

“……”

Perhaps from the shock being too great, Peter looked like he might throw up at any moment. Appearing uninterested in whatever reaction Peter might have, Lexion wore a pure smile on his lips.

“I want my bride to enter the wedding hall with a happy face.”

“Ugh… right… okay, I understand, but could you please give some warning before making such announcements? I feel like my lifespan just got cut in half from the shock. Hah, more importantly… Lexion, your old man would never allow it. The Saintess can’t bear children. A Crown Princess who can’t produce an heir… it doesn’t make sense. Even for you, this is impossible.”

“If a situation arises where he has no choice but to permit it, even the Emperor can’t do anything about it.”

“What exactly… is this situation you’re talking about…?”

“Hmm… I haven’t thought about it specifically yet.”

Lexion rolled his neck as if contemplating.

“Well, if I cause a major incident, wouldn’t it be possible?”

“Incident…? What kind of incident?”

“Let’s see, an incident big enough that I’d have to give up my position as Crown Prince?”

“You……”

He wasn’t a man who gambled on low probabilities. To Peter, the path Lexion was taking seemed unlike him. There could only be one reason why this arrogant and rational man had changed so much.

“Do you love the Saintess that much?”

“Love?”

Lexion tilted his head slightly as though he had heard an unfamiliar word and continued.

“Of course I find her appealing, but I didn’t expect you to still speak such fairy tale words. Peter, we’re adults now.”

“No! Then! Why would you jump into the fire when you have a smooth, flower-lined path ahead of you!”

“Because the Saintess will be useful in controlling the Guardians in the future.”

“What…?”

Though bewildered, Peter now thought this sounded more like the Lexion Herais he knew.

“Ugh… but you still need to have children, right? Are you planning to cut off the Guardian bloodline?”

“Children can be born through another woman. It’s not a big issue.”

“……”

What a demonic bastard. Peter felt foolish for momentarily thinking he had fallen in love.

* * *

It was a day when a light drizzle fell from the sky. Estelle watched Count Merlin reading the eulogy amid the mindlessly falling raindrops.

After suffering from an unknown illness for a long time, the Countess had finally passed away. Thanks to the doctor sent by Lexion, her death had been delayed by a week compared to the past.

Count Merlin, with a face full of sorrow, barely finished the reading as his voice trembled uncontrollably while reminiscing about the deceased’s final moments. In contrast, Estelle’s face remained expressionless despite having lost her mother.

Countess Arcis was not Estelle’s birth mother. Though they lived in the same house, there had been no exchange between them.

The Countess didn’t openly abuse Estelle, but she hated her husband’s illegitimate child.

Estelle understood her. Even she thought it would be unreasonable to look at the product of infidelity with loving eyes.

While he was a loving father to Estelle, to the Countess, he was a man who betrayed her love.

Estelle felt pity for the Countess whenever she showed spite toward her. She interpreted it as meaning that the wound she received from her father was as great as the size of her hatred for Estelle.

However, there was no way she could feel affection for someone who hated her. Thus, the Countess’s death caused no emotional stirring in Estelle.

Looking at Count Merlin’s sorrowful face, Estelle had many thoughts.

Was her father’s love for his wife real?

Was it love or guilt?

‘Did he feel guilty toward me too……’

Estelle had an idle thought. She wondered if she would have hated Maria’s child if it had been born.

‘I wish this would end quickly.’

The gloomy weather matched the solemn funeral. Estelle lowered her gaze to the ground, due to the countless stares pouring down more heavily than the raindrops.

If looks could kill, she might have thought it was her funeral, as the mourners showed more interest in her than in the deceased Countess.

Dressed in black mourning clothes, Estelle thought she had made the right choice by wearing a hat with a veil covering her face.

“Hey, Estelle, do you remember me? You know, we greeted each other at the Baroness’s party last time……”

“Saintess! Just a moment of your time…!”

As soon as the funeral ended, people gathered around Estelle as if they had been waiting. There were all sorts of people—nobles trying to have a conversation with her, people from newspapers, and the sick hoping to be cured by the Saintess’s power.

“Step back!”

Knights surrounded Estelle, pushing back the crowd, and guided her to a waiting carriage while holding an umbrella over her.

“Father……”

Before boarding the carriage, Estelle firmly grasped Count Merlin’s hand.

“You’ve been through a lot, coming with your ailing body.”

Unaware of the assassination attempt, Count Merlin thought she only had a mild cold.

“It’s all right, no need to make such a face. Having watched her lying down for so long, I had been thinking this day might come, so it’s not too difficult……”

With a face heavier than the surrounding air, Count Merlin nodded reassuringly at Estelle’s worried eyes, pretending to be fine.

“Yes… Mother must have found peace in the Goddess’s embrace. So Father, you must keep your spirits up.”

“Yes. Don’t worry about me and go on now.”

“I’m sorry I can’t stay by your side, Father.”