The hand patting her back felt familiar.

Recognizing the familiar touch, Elena peeked only her eyes out from under the blanket.

“Did you properly investigate the rumors?”

It was Count Jellisto, who had come with a pale face after being caught up in rumors that his daughter had killed the trading company master.

“I’ve only just arrived after calming my startled heart.”

While a noble killing a commoner could certainly happen with sufficient justification, Elena had never killed even an ant before.

For such a person to suddenly be accused of killing someone—Count Jellisto had nearly collapsed at that time.

This was the first time the father and daughter were meeting after Elena denied it and the Count went out again to investigate the truth of the rumors.

“Yes. You’re not a child who would kill someone. I was too shocked to think deeply.”

Only after learning that Elena killing the trading company master was false did he hear other rumors.

“The story of the Grand Duke being completely smitten with you is quite widespread.”

Count Jellisto stroked the round mound where Elena had curled up into a ball.

“So, His Highness the Crown Prince is also interested in you?”

“Where did you hear that?”

“A very intelligent employee told me.”

“Wei has been saying all sorts of things.”

Elena shook her head. Since the Crown Prince matter was something Wei would have noticed and reported, there was no point denying it.

“My daughter has captured the hearts of two men, really……”

Count Jellisto trailed off for a moment, as if revealing his complicated feelings.

“I’m worried.”

“Understandably so, right?”

“The Empire’s Crown Prince and Grand Duke. Neither is an easy person, and choosing one means you can’t maintain a smooth relationship with the other, so nothing is simple.”

As if seeing right through Elena’s thoughts, Count Jellisto patted his daughter’s back and sighed on her behalf.

“Have you made up your mind?”

“There’s nothing to decide. When I already know the outcome, there’s no reason to choose anyone.”

Count Jellisto stroked Elena’s hair. Indeed, his daughter might worry, but she had never hesitated without making a choice.

“Then there’s no need to agonize like this, is there?”

“Because if I choose one person, the other will be upset.”

Elena made a sad face.

“They’ll naturally think I should come to them, and if they feel betrayed later and seek revenge, what should I do?”

Elena raised her upper body, propping herself up on the bed as she looked toward Count Jellisto with a troubled expression.

“Then push away the one who won’t seek revenge.”

“Father.”

Elena’s eyes wavered greatly, moved by Count Jellisto’s suggested method. Thinking over her father’s words, there was a clear choice of who wouldn’t seek revenge.

“Anyway, the choice is yours to make.”

Count Jellisto stood up and took Elena’s hand, supporting her as she got out of bed.

“Get moving. They’ll both be waiting for you.”

“……I understand.”

Elena firmly squeezed her father’s hands before letting go.

“I’ll make it absolutely clear tonight.”

Saying she would be back, Elena immediately left the room. She followed the same path she had taken earlier. Count Jellisto looked around Elena’s room, clenching his empty hands.

“Whatever your choice, I will follow your decision.”

Even if it becomes the catalyst for the family’s downfall.

“I was foolish to hesitate. Why did I need to think so much? Knowing the original story is such a huge advantage—I should just choose accordingly.”

Elena strode confidently down the corridor, her footsteps marking her forward progress.

“If others criticize me, I’ll just accept it with a smile. No one can stop me from acting selfishly. Even if it were the author who created this world, or rather, a god—it would be the same. Why should I throw away my unique advantage of knowing the story? I should use it.”

Elena looked at the antique door and took a deep breath. With a solemn expression, she knocked heavily on the door with her tightly clenched fist.

Suharto watched the setting sun without moving, like a living sculpture.

“It should be about time she arrives……”

He was confident she wouldn’t go to the Grand Duke. He was sure of himself, knowing that taking the hand of a Grand Duke with an uncertain future would not end well.

“In the end, I am the one who supports the Empire, and the Grand Duke is like the setting sun. I’ll take everything away so he can never covet what’s mine again.”

That’s why Elena needed to make the right choice today.

“……Perhaps I didn’t need to mention becoming Crown Princess?”

He had merely used the position of Crown Princess as a point of comparison, saying it was better than becoming Grand Duchess. He had no intention of definitely placing Elena in that position.

“That’s something I can discuss later.”

Knock, knock, with the sound of knocking, a smile spread across Suharto’s face.

The timely sound of knocking at the door dispelled the anxiety he had been trying to ignore.

“Yes. I knew it.”

Suharto opened the door himself and gave Elena a bright smile.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Your Highness. It’s an honor. I’ve brought flower-infused alcohol that I wanted to give you.”

***

Suharto’s eyes froze when he opened the door expecting Elena. Roina, who hadn’t expected him to open the door himself, clutched her startled heart and held up the bottle she had brought.

She blushed with emotion at his words that he had been waiting.

“Your Highness. It’s an honor. I’ve brought flower-infused alcohol that I wanted to give you.”

Roina spoke with a shy smile. The alcohol was just an excuse; she wanted to be with Suharto.

Suharto looked down at Roina with his head and arm leaning against the door.

Instead of the blonde young lady he had been waiting for, a pink-haired young lady had arrived. The charmless young lady who had tried so hard to please him throughout the journey to the Grand Duchy.

“Was there…… anyone else here?”

Suharto gave a self-deprecating smile before quickly erasing it. It was unseemly for the Crown Prince to speak with such lingering attachment.

“No. I was just saying that.”

“There was.”

Even as he changed his words, he felt this too was unbecoming of him. So he canceled his self-deprecating statement. The oblivious Roina didn’t notice his emotions and received his words cheerfully.

Not an acknowledgment, but the words ‘there was.’

Suharto, who had been looking elsewhere, turned to her in surprise, and Roina, flustered by receiving the Crown Prince’s gaze, readjusted her grip on the bottle.

“She saw me here and left this before going.”

“She left because you…… were here?”

Suharto’s gaze momentarily swept over Roina’s neck.

If Elena had come but retreated upon seeing Roina, then she had committed a grave mistake.

‘If Elena left because of you, you’ll have to pay the price.’

“She said she hasn’t finished her trading company work yet and needs to work without sleep. That Wei man seems to only know work. Is that why you like him too, Your Highness?”

Suharto’s head, which had been boiling with murderous intent, felt suddenly dumbfounded, as if cold water had been poured over it.

“Wei?”

“Yes. Here.”

When she handed him the paper she had been holding, Suharto obediently extended his hand and took it. He looked like a seven-year-old child, making Roina laugh softly.

Suharto unfolded the paper on the spot. When the stiff paper, perfectly reflecting its owner’s personality, was unfolded, Suharto’s eyes were stained with bewilderment.

⟨You can hate me if you want. It’s okay if you clench your fist wanting to hit me every time you see me. You can make an expression like you want to spit in my face anytime.⟩

“What is this……”

He couldn’t help but be bewildered while reading the note that explicitly said it was okay to hate her.

⟨But please don’t seek revenge. I am too powerless and weak a woman to stop Your Highness the Crown Prince if you were to take up a knife against me and my father out of hatred. But if you must hate me, then I have no choice. I will endure it all.⟩

“Since when was she a weak young lady……”

What did it matter if she appeared delicate and fragile on the outside? She was a bold young lady who always said what she needed to say.

With a face that would obviously keep that tiny head of hers constantly working to somehow block him if he came at her with a knife, she had packaged herself quite well.

⟨I’m sorry I cannot accept Your Highness’s proposal. I will always go to the person who confessed to me.⟩

Elena had drawn a line, calling even Suharto’s smiling seduction a proposal.

In the end, she firmly stated she wouldn’t come to him, citing the valid reason that she would go to the man she had given her heart to.

“I’ve completely lost.”

Suharto muttered bitterly to himself.