Knowing that it could be poisonous, Adin revealed all of Ertel’s secrets. From the destiny she was born with to all the incidents that had occurred because of it, he disclosed everything.

During the course of the story, the king and Henry were left speechless. As time passed, shadows darkened Pedro’s face, and Henry’s gaze turned cold and severe. By the time they had heard everything, the sun had already set. The king, now aware of the entire truth, rose from his seat without a word.

‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have come.’

A sense of regret crept into his heart. The more he thought about it, the more complicated his mind became. Adin, clinging to a shred of hope, grabbed at the hem of Henry’s robe and pleaded.

“Please, Your Majesty, have mercy on my daughter. She has nowhere to turn. If things continue as they are, she will soon be killed by Icarus.”

“Is there nothing you can do?”

“Pardon? I….”

“No matter how powerless you claim to be, will you simply stand by and watch? Waiting for someone to appear like a savior?”

“It’s not that… I just… I don’t know what to prioritize to help my daughter….”

“For now, I thank you for revealing your family’s secret to me today. I will return and come up with a plan.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Please, I beg you to look after my daughter.”

Leaving behind the tearful Marquis Adin, the two men departed, their hearts heavy. Though they had come to uncover the truth, they had unexpectedly gained a burden on their minds. Pedro, in particular, was deeply troubled.

The journey back to the palace, riding side by side, felt endlessly long. After a prolonged silence, Henry finally spoke.

“Now I understand why Icarus has been relentlessly pursuing Ertel. His ultimate goal is treason. And not just any treason—a very clear and deliberate one. Now that we’ve uncovered his intentions, Your Majesty must remain vigilant.”

“……”

“We must act before any disaster occurs. Somehow, we must eliminate Ertel first.”

“……”

“Are you listening, Your Majesty?”

Henry was a man of sharp calculations. He was goal-oriented and cold-hearted. Even after witnessing Adin’s sorrowful tears, his conclusion was to eliminate the potential threat. However, Pedro was slightly different.

“Don’t make any hasty judgments right now.”

“This is not a hasty judgment. Didn’t Your Majesty think the same? I was utterly shocked. Not only is Ertel of noble descent, but she is also the owner of the gemstone. Who could have imagined that she would be one of the rarest and most dangerous individuals on this continent?”

“……”

“Whoever possesses her will covet the Kingdom of Tiamor. They will target Your Majesty’s throne. Therefore, we cannot remain complacent any longer.”

“My head hurts.”

“Your Majesty.”

“For now, I need time to think alone after we return.”

Life is truly ironic. The path he had taken to save her had now led to a reason to kill her. Pedro couldn’t hide the turmoil in his heart. His gaze wandered, as if lost.

***

At the Juan estate.

“Your Grace, today I will teach you how to play the harp.”

In the study room, Sarah and Ertel were spending time together. However, Sarah seemed to be moving awkwardly. Ertel observed her closely. Beneath her dress, a bandage was faintly visible around her ankle.

“Sarah, what happened to your ankle?”

“Oh.”

Sarah hurriedly pulled down the hem of her dress to hide it.

“It’s nothing, Your Grace.”

“Nothing? I noticed earlier when you were climbing the stairs that you seemed uncomfortable….”

At this, Sarah let out an awkward laugh and eventually confessed.

“Well, the truth is, I twisted my ankle a bit while hiking the other day. I administered first aid in a hurry, but it’s nothing serious. You don’t need to worry.”

Ertel, with a concerned expression, knelt down. Without asking for permission, she lifted the hem of the tutor’s dress to closely examine her ankle.

“Uh, Your Grace?”

“Just stay still for a moment.”

Ertel focused her energy and opened her palm. This time, she confidently released her power. A warm magnetic field radiated from her hand, creating an aurora that quickly enveloped Sarah’s ankle and healed the injury completely.

Sarah covered her mouth in disbelief at the miraculous sight before her.

“Oh my… What is this? What just happened?”

She jumped up and down on the spot. Her ankle was fully healed, and she could now move freely. Sarah looked at Ertel with a face full of astonishment.

“Your Grace? What did you just show me? Was that some sort of spell…? Magic? How is such a thing possible? My goodness. Even seeing it with my own eyes, I can’t believe it!”

“Well, I don’t think it’s magic. Anyway, you can walk comfortably now, right?”

“Oh… I can’t contain my excitement! I want to hear everything about this from you, Your Grace!”

Though Sarah’s curious gaze was endearing, Ertel hesitated. She wasn’t sure if Sarah was someone she could fully confide in just yet. Still, there was something about Sarah Stewart that made her want to trust and help her.

“Hmm, it’s a secret I can’t tell anyone yet. Will you keep it for me, Sarah?”

“Yes, of course, Your Grace. You’ve shown me such kindness. I won’t ask any more questions. When you’re ready, please tell me.”

“Thank you.”

In the warm atmosphere, the harp lesson began. Strangely, the time they spent together felt incredibly comfortable for both of them.

“Your Grace….”

“?”

“For some reason, when I see you, I’m reminded of my late mother.”

“Really? Why is that?”

“It’s not because of your appearance. Nor is it your demeanor. I don’t know why, but being with you gives me a warm feeling.”

“You lost your mother… Who do you live with now? Your father? Siblings?”

“Due to financial difficulties, we were all scattered. We’ve lost contact with each other. I just live thinking that no news is good news.”

Sarah spoke of her sad story with a calm face, as if it didn’t bother her. Ertel realized that Sarah, like herself, was also left alone in the world. Perhaps that was why she felt a pang of sorrow for her. Even though she knew she wasn’t in a position to help anyone right now.

“You’re not alone anymore, Sarah.”

Ertel gently held Sarah’s hand.

***

Despite the ambitious undercurrents in the air, the weather in Elruk remained sunny. Wildflowers bloomed brightly, and fluffy clouds filled the sky. As the days grew warmer, many people began to feel excitement and hope for the future. The sunlight, filled with these wishes, poured into the Juan estate.

“Your Grace, I’ll put on the new necklace that just arrived.”

Ertel, who had risen early in the morning, was in the dressing room, attended by maids. Now that her status had risen from a maid to the Duchess, she no longer had to handle any tedious tasks herself. She simply sat still like a doll, and the maids took care of everything, from her hair to her accessories.

Ertel looked at her reflection in the mirror. Though her lips held a faint smile, her eyes were empty.

‘I can’t let my guard down.’

At that moment, Icarus quietly ascended to the second floor and stood by the door of the dressing room.

‘Ertel?’

He had come to see her but paused when he realized she was still getting dressed. Standing with his hands behind his back, he watched her elegant figure. From head to toe, she was a sight he couldn’t take his eyes off. His gaze lingered on the soft white nape of her neck, where stray baby hairs curled. The line from her neck to her shoulders was so delicate that it stirred a protective instinct within him.

Icarus didn’t even realize he was completely absorbed in the sight. His heart pounded wildly as if it had gone mad. Every movement of Ertel’s hands and eyes played out like a slow panorama. It was a moment that wasn’t boring in the slightest.

“Oh…?”

Finally, Ertel noticed Icarus standing at a distance through the mirror.

“Your Grace?”

When she called his name, the maids stopped what they were doing and greeted him.

“Welcome, Master.”

Snapping out of his daze, Icarus quickly composed his expression and approached her. Inside, his mouth felt dry.

“You’re still getting dressed.”

“Yes. Is there something you wanted to say this morning?”

“I was going to suggest we have breakfast together, but you seemed too engrossed in your preparations.”

“Oh….”

“But I can wait.”

Yet, something seemed odd.

“If it’s such a simple request, you could have sent the butler to relay the message. Why did you come up to the second floor yourself?”

“Hmm.”

Normally, Icarus was someone who rarely left his study. Though it was just a reasonable question, Icarus’s ears turned slightly red, like a flustered teenager whose thoughts had been exposed.

“That’s a fair point.”

Unable to come up with a rebuttal, Icarus let out an awkward laugh. However, feeling that his reaction hurt his pride, he quickly erased the smile from his face. Saying he would wait, he turned and descended the stairs.

“……”

Ertel watched his retreating figure for a long time.