Seeing how shamelessly you place me, the daughter of your enemy, on the throne you obtained by ultimately deceiving me, I know how much you love me.

If I were to ask you to spare my brother after joining bodies with you, kissing you, moaning at your touch like yesterday… would you grant my request?

“My love, Louise. Today those under my control were quite obedient. So I’m in a good mood.”

“If Your Majesty is in a good mood… I’m very happy too.”

No. He will not grant my request.

Rondimio only gave Louise what he wanted to give.

Not what Louise wanted.

* * *

The Kingdom of Robisa, which has a hostile relationship with the Araceli Empire.

Around the time the long war between the two countries entered a lull, the king of Robisa sent a gift to the emperor of Araceli.

It was Rondimio, an illegitimate prince of the Kingdom of Robisa.

Though he was an illegitimate prince born from a lowly maid’s womb, his face was decent enough to be used as a plaything for the Araceli imperial family, they said.

Unable to understand the king of Robisa who treated his child like an object despite being illegitimate, the emperor of Araceli, Louise’s father, treated Rondimio, who had been forcibly brought over, well.

At least until the war, which was thought to have entered a lull, began to burn fiercely not long after.

It was from then that Louise’s life and Rondimio’s life became completely entangled.

Splash.

Louise, who had been enjoying a bath in warm water infused with fragrant oil, dunked her head completely underwater at that moment.

What should she do now?

Now that she knew she was pregnant, she could no longer have relations with Rondimio every night.

Nor could she wrap her arms around Rondimio’s neck after their relations and whisper for him to show mercy to her brothers in the underground prison.

What would the people of the empire say about the fact that the noble princess of the Araceli Empire lay with her enemy, who had killed her parents and married her by force, every night?

That she had not only sold the country to the new emperor but was selling other things as well?

“What do you want me to do for you……”

Louise curled up small in the warm water. She still couldn’t believe that a child had been conceived inside her.

Would Rondimio be happy to know this, since he wanted a child after their marriage for the stability of the empire through a legitimate successor?

He would probably be happy. But she felt that once the child was born, he wouldn’t love it that much.

Because the only reason for Rondimio’s existence was Louise herself.

“I decided to no longer love your father……”

Louise sighed and rose from the bathtub. She had spent more time than usual, so if she delayed any longer, Rondimio who was waiting outside would worry.

As she was getting out of the tub and putting on her bedroom gown, she suddenly felt dizzy.

“Ah……”

She tried to grab the bathtub with all her might to support her falling body, but it only made things worse. The pain from her leg hitting the hard bathroom floor made her groan involuntarily.

And with an urgent sound, Rondimio entered the bathroom and examined Louise’s condition as she sat collapsed on the floor.

While Rondimio examined Louise’s condition as she lay fallen on the bathroom floor, Louise took in the sight of his bedroom gown, its ties undone as if he had rushed over.

Evidence of the harsh abuse her father had inflicted on Rondimio. Horrific scars densely covered Rondimio’s entire body.

“Louise, look at me. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine…… I just got dizzy suddenly.”

“And I suggested we bathe together. I’m glad you weren’t seriously hurt.”

After confirming that Louise wasn’t badly injured, Rondimio carried her and climbed onto the bed.

Then, as always, he naturally laid Louise down and as his gentle hands moved toward the inside of her thighs, Louise let out a scream.

“Ah, no…… I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Not today.”

“What do you mean not today? It’s not your time of the month.”

“My body…… my body doesn’t feel well. Let’s just sleep today. In Your Majesty’s arms.”

“Oh dear, how unwell are you? I should call the imperial physician right away……”

“No! I said I hate it……”

“Louise…?”

Louise, seemingly embarrassed by the fact that she had just raised her voice, covered her mouth with both hands and quickly turned her body to the opposite side.

At Louise’s unprecedented reaction, Rondimio could only blink repeatedly. What had he done wrong just now?

“I…… no, this wasn’t what I meant to do……”

Though she tried to pretend otherwise, her voice was desperate and tinged with tears. Rondimio gently caressed Louise’s trembling cheek and calmed her, saying he would do as she wished.

“I’m sorry. I had no intention of forcing you. It’s all my fault, so please don’t be angry. I’m sorry, Louise.”

“Just for today…… let’s just sleep. I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

What could be wrong with my lovely Louise today?

Rondimio found all of Louise’s behavior suspicious today, but he pulled her closer into his arms and shared his warmth with her.

She must really not be feeling well, as her delicate body in his arms radiated a faint heat. And she fell asleep not long after closing her eyes.

Louise cannot fall asleep unless she’s in Rondimio’s arms. That’s how carefully Rondimio had trained her.

As Rondimio watched Louise sleeping peacefully in the arms of her parents’ killer, he fell into thought. What could have caused such a big change in Louise’s mood?

She had already accepted that her family, the main cause of her suffering, were all dead or beyond recovery.

Ah, family.

Having reached one conclusion, Rondimio lifted the corners of his mouth.

“Has she finally conceived my child?”

* * *

Thud. Thump, roll.

Young Louise, tightly holding the hand of Hiems who was no longer in this world, was trembling in fear.

The pride of the Araceli imperial family, the lovely princess with her beautiful appearance, platinum blonde hair, and blue eyes, was beloved by all members of the imperial family.

She was also the most pure and innocent being among the filthy and dirty imperial family.

When Louise, his youngest daughter whom he cherished dearly, turned fifteen, Hiems von Derl Araceli, the emperor of Araceli and Louise’s father, revealed one of the imperial family’s secrets to her.

It was the fact that an illegitimate prince from an enemy country was being held prisoner in the underground dungeon of the Araceli imperial palace, and that all direct imperial family members occasionally abused him to vent their anger.

He had revealed the secret to his other children at a younger age, but with Louise, he enjoyed seeing her pure innocence unique to young girls, so he hadn’t told her.

As soon as they entered the dark underground dungeon, Hiems strongly pulled Louise, who was trying to escape due to the smell of blood that stung her nose.

‘Father…… I, I don’t want to go.’

‘No. You must receive your fifteenth birthday present, Louise.’

It was very enjoyable to see his young daughter’s innocent and pure appearance, but a fifteen-year-old daughter who still acted innocently needed to be properly educated.

Otherwise, wouldn’t she easily give her heart and body to men other than the match arranged for her?

He was worried because the kind and pure Louise didn’t know how to play with men, so she probably wouldn’t take lovers other than her husband. His noble children should have everything in the world.

‘This is a toy that this father uses whenever he gets angry. If our Louise is interested, I’ll lend it to you occasionally.’

At the edge of the dark underground dungeon, in a large cell unlike the others, made of solid walls instead of iron bars, when the door was opened, a boy covered in deep wounds from severe whipping came into view.

The boy, unaware that the cell door had opened, was curled up on a small, worn bed, groaning as he looked at the wounds oozing red blood.

Surely not, the toy Father mentioned couldn’t be this wounded boy… Impossible.

The young Louise physically restrained Hiems, who seemed intent on abusing the boy again as he gripped the whip tied at his waist.

At the young Louise’s scream-filled cry, the boy curled up on the bed caught sight of her, who looked exactly like Hiems.

‘F-Father. That’s…… a person. Th-this is wrong!’

‘Louise. That is not a person, but merely a toy for the imperial family. You too, as a noble member of the imperial family, need to know how to play with it.’

‘N-no! I don’t want to do that. Please release that boy!’

‘Insolent child. You are my daughter. So you should obediently follow your father’s words.’

Hiems eventually forced the tearful Louise to hold the blood-stained whip. Then he dragged the boy who had been curled up on the worn bed and made him kneel on the cell floor.

The boy kneeling on the cell floor was looking up at the sobbing young Louise. As if he felt sorry for her.

‘Now, punish our toy. Isn’t he looking at you with such hateful eyes?’

‘No…… That boy is not my toy. Father, please……’

Hiems, who had been gently stroking Louise’s tear-streaked cheeks, soon frowned. As if displeased with his daughter’s behavior.

And he left Louise in the cell and locked the door. So that Louise too could not leave the prison until she punished that wounded boy.

“Please…… No. Father……”

Even today, Louise’s lips let out a scream close to a groan as she suffered from nightmares. Her beautifully manicured nails kept digging into her palms.

The boy with chillingly cold red eyes and beautiful silver hair, covered with blackened blood, whispered to Louise as always.

‘Noble princess…… Just whip me and leave the cell quickly. I’ll be fine.’

Despite being covered in wounds from prolonged abuse, the boy looked incredibly lovely.

Whether that was something the boy pretended for Louise’s sake, or evidence that Louise saw the boy differently from their first meeting.

What remained unchanged was the fact that Louise still loved that boy to this day.

* * *