“Then you must know what I’m about to say, my lady.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Please help us, my lady. Not as ‘Daphne,’ but as ‘Duchess Seyfried.’”

Daphne narrowed her eyes.

So Rowell even knew she was operating under the name ‘Daphne’ here.

“If you know that much, you can probably guess why I came down to a small city five hours away from the capital.”

“Don’t you wish to part with Duke Seyfried forever?”

The man answered without a moment’s hesitation. Was this speculation, or had he obtained information from somewhere?

Either way, the source of the information didn’t matter much at this point.

“I also know that you were a famous figure in high society and used that position to help the Duke from behind the scenes, working as an informant on many matters.”

“Yes, I’m not particularly surprised you know that. Though I’m still not sure I can utilize that ability well.”

“Both I and His Highness the First Prince believe you’re more than capable. Just look at how smoothly you’ve established yourself here as an art dealer.”

“I have no interest or thoughts about Imperial politics anymore.”

Then Rowell pulled something from inside his coat.

A guarantee.

One stamped with the First Prince’s official seal at that.

Daphne hadn’t thought he’d go this far, so she widened her eyes silently.

“If you help His Highness the First Prince, we will help you divorce Duke Seyfried in the name of the Imperial Palace.”

Just sign this guarantee.

She would have the backing of power that feared nothing in the world.

With that power, she could escape from under Astaire’s shadow.

But…

“I’m honored that His Highness the First Prince recognizes my abilities.”

Daphne spoke in a calm voice.

“However, I’ll gratefully accept only the sentiment.”

“Pardon?”

“I cannot accept His Highness the First Prince’s proposal.”

Rowell stared at Daphne in great surprise, speechless.

His eyes seemed to ask whether what she’d just said was sincere. But Daphne’s expression didn’t change at all.

She couldn’t accept the First Prince’s proposal. No, she had no intention of accepting it.

“My lady, please reconsider.”

“Even if I reconsider, my answer will be the same.”

Daphne’s eyes were unwavering and clear as she answered firmly.

Of course, if she made a deal with the Imperial guarantee in the First Prince’s name, it would be certain that the First Prince would help her divorce Astaire later.

But to meekly accept the First Prince’s proposal like this—something didn’t sit right.

The First Prince was a dangerous man.

She couldn’t enter a snake’s den just to avoid a tiger.

“My lady.”

Rowell’s eyes turned cold in an instant.

He seemed to reproach her, like she’d just made an irreversible choice.

He folded his arms neatly and leaned closer toward Daphne. Then he whispered. “You may come to regret this someday.”

Pressure toward her—no, an outright threat.

“…That may be so.”

There was nothing particularly surprising about it.

The First Prince was the type to remember those who didn’t side with him and secretly retaliate from behind later.

But right now, the present was more important to her than the future.

Besides, who knew? There was also the very slim possibility that the First Prince might lose the succession battle against the Second Prince and fall from grace.

“But my answer won’t change.”

Rowell sat silently without moving.

Looking at his teacup again, there wasn’t a single mark where he’d taken a sip.

Soundlessly, Rowell pushed back his chair and stood.

Time to see the guest out. Daphne also stood and said.

“I hope you have a safe journey back.”

Rowell passed by her like the wind.

* * *

The next day.

The Imperial Palace in the capital where the First Prince resided.

Rowell, who’d come up to the capital Elysion from Timaru, went straight to the First Prince and reported what had happened.

“D*mn it, crazy!”

The moment the First Prince heard Rowell’s report, he grabbed a wine glass and threw it like he couldn’t contain himself.

Rowell flinched and bent over to dodge the flying wine glass.

Crash!

The glass shattered with a loud noise.

The floor was already a mess with liquid flowing from wine glasses the First Prince had broken and transparent glass shards. Moreover, a subtle smell permeated the room.

“She’ll regret it.”

The First Prince, Carlos, ground his teeth and muttered.

“So in the end, she’s going to side with the Second Prince, is that it?”

Hearing those words, Rowell felt puzzled inside.

From what he could see, Duchess Seyfried didn’t seem like she’d go side with the Second Prince just because she rejected the First Prince.

Rather, she seemed like she didn’t want to side with either of them.

The First Prince was definitely misjudging. He was trying to divide people in a binary way.

If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy.

If you’re not my supporter, you’re part of the Second Prince’s faction.

Even from my perspective as a close aide, the First Prince had been particularly clouded in judgment lately. After he started dabbling in things besides the alcohol he frequently drank, he got angry more often than before and his emotional ups and downs became severe.

“I apologize, Your Highness the First Prince.”

Rowell bowed his head until the back of his neck ached.

“Ah, d*mn!”

The First Prince spat out a vulgar curse and even raised his hand like he’d hit Rowell. But then he grabbed a bottle nearby and gulped it down.

A terrible smell of alcohol emanated from the First Prince.

“You’ll betray me too, won’t you?”

“Pardon?”

Rowell asked back in disbelief.

For years, he’d devoted himself to the First Prince more than anyone. In a way, he’d dedicated his life to assisting the First Prince far more than Astaire, who was busy with trading company and family affairs.

And now, suspicion?

Was his loyalty still not enough?

Deep in Rowell’s heart, the emotion of betrayal bloomed.

He began to feel resentment toward this man who saw him as a traitor. But Rowell hid those feelings and shook his head frantically.

“Absolutely not, Your Highness the First Prince. How could I possibly betray Your Highness?”

“Right, that’s what I thought?”

The First Prince started grinning like he’d been waiting for that answer.

Getting irritated and angry, then suddenly laughing.

Rowell found it hard to follow his emotional changes, but either way, he smiled back at the First Prince.

“Don’t leave me, Rowell.”

“……”

“If you leave, I’ll chase you until you die.”

“……”

“Right. Duke Seyfried. That bastard, that bastard betrayed me!”

At the First Prince’s shout, a startled Rowell asked back.

“Is that true, Your Highness? Did Duke Seyfried really betray Your Highness?”

“No, he’s going to abandon me!”

Rowell was gradually getting confused.

Why on earth was he afraid that Duke Seyfried would abandon him?

The First Prince was already entering the stage of delusion.

Rowell didn’t know what to do and worried about how to appease the First Prince.

“Get out.”

However, making Rowell’s concerns meaningless, the First Prince poured alcohol into his glass again and drove out his closest aide.

“I’ll call if I need you.”

“Yes, yes!”

Click.

The door closed, and the First Prince was alone in the room again.

Lately, he barely let even the servants he usually employed into his palace. He knew it deep down too.

That he was slowly going mad.

But so what?

To become Emperor, he couldn’t live normally. His subordinates dared to try to match him with just a little kindness. Even if they smiled to his face, there were enough people behind the scenes secretly racking their brains to somehow stab him in the back to fill with a broom.

So how could he live with a clear mind?

“Let’s see how far she goes.”

This time, the First Prince thought not of Duke Seyfried, but of the Duchess.

To dare refuse his proposal.

He’d watch to see how far that woman went.

“Ah, right.”

Suddenly, the First Prince’s eyes widened. A gleam appeared in his eyes for the first time in a long while. A red tongue came out and licked his lips like a snake.

A good idea just came to mind.

The thought that perhaps that woman could become Duke Seyfried’s weakness.

The First Prince remembered clearly then.

How Duke Seyfried had looked at his wife at the ballroom with eyes filled with such deep desire.

That emotion was more than simple love.

Possessiveness.

A man obsessed with what was his recognized Astaire, who was the same type as him, better than anyone.

Perhaps, if he used that woman well.

He might finally be able to grasp Duke Seyfried’s leash.

* * *

Since the First Prince sent his aide to her, he needed to go down to where Daphne was as soon as possible.

Currently, the First Prince was not normal.

Indulging in alcohol and other things, he was now even suffering from delusions.

A person going mad.

Anyone around the First Prince would think that seeing him. Of course, it was something that could never be said publicly.

Actually, who became Emperor didn’t matter to Astaire. The Seyfried ducal family he commanded was solid enough that even the Emperor couldn’t shake it.

Therefore, what Astaire was concerned about now was whether the mad snake would bite his wife or not.

If it were up to him, he wanted to bring Daphne back to the ducal estate right away.

Put her back in his cage, give her only food and drink, and make her live there until she died.

Never go outside.

And not even let other people see his beautiful, precious bird.

If he could, he wanted to do that.

“I’m going down to Timaru for now.”

“Yes.”

“Would a train be faster, or a carriage?”

“Unfortunately, the fastest train is at 7:40 this evening.”

“Dispatch a carriage immediately.”

“Yes, understood.”

He and Germo, who’d worked together for a long time, were perfectly in sync. Soon a splendid black carriage raced quickly along the unpaved gravel road.

Even in the midst of this, he sat in the carriage without swaying and looked out the window.

“I’m coming.”

Daphne.

Once again, you can’t do without me.

* * *

At the same time.

In Timaru, unlike the capital, it was raining.

“A sudden shower.”

“They didn’t say it would rain today.”

Before quitting time, staring blankly at raindrops dripping under the roof, suddenly an unknown feeling flashed through her chest like light.

“What’s wrong, Daphne? Are you okay?”

“…Yes.”

What is this feeling?

It’s not simple anxiety.

Daphne quietly placed her hand on her chest and stared blankly out the window.

After finishing up work at the gallery and opening her umbrella to head home.

Splash, splash, splash.

Someone was walking toward her.

The closer the silhouette came, the more Daphne was gripped by a strange sense of déjà vu.

She felt like she’d seen that person somewhere.

So she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

Finally, when the other person came close enough to see their face, Daphne could identify the source of the déjà vu.

“You… are…?”