“In my case, I can’t even remember to properly repent. It’s really the worst, isn’t it?”

Vanessa wore a bitter smile. While it was impossible to feel guilty about something she couldn’t remember, there was still an uncomfortable feeling in a corner of her heart.

Whether intentional or not, making someone unhappy carried such weight.

“…You hate me yet desire me.”

Until then, Jurgen had been sitting like a corpse, but at those words, his eyes flashed dangerously as he showed a reaction.

Vanessa realized she was poking at a part of him that shouldn’t be touched, but she decided to dig a little deeper.

“So… you’re caught in a contradiction that even you can’t sort out. You say you want to kill me but can’t, say you want to break me but have saved me several times already. If you had intended to make me miserable and wretched from the start… you would have abused me, used me as a slave, or locked me up somewhere without light. Isn’t that right?”

Now Jurgen looked ready to kill Vanessa with his gaze. Since she had no intention of pushing him to the brink of explosion, Vanessa wrapped up the conversation there.

“If you’re curious about your true feelings, why don’t you try really breaking me? Then you might know. When you see me broken…”

At those words, Jurgen’s fingertips twitched slightly. Vanessa turned her gaze away from him and looked out the window.

The city covered in thick darkness was eerie, as if ghosts might appear. Despite being so luxurious and splendid during the day.

“…Of course, I’m not someone who breaks easily. Even in Terevron… I desperately tried to protect myself, and succeeded.”

With those final words, Vanessa sealed her lips and quietly closed her eyes. By blocking her vision, she completely disconnected herself from him.

Others were beings that couldn’t mix easily like this. Just by putting up an invisible barrier, one could sense the distance between oneself and the other person.

However, ironically, people needed to mix and flow with others. Because if they didn’t flow, they would stagnate. In such a disconnected state, they could never change. From Vanessa’s perspective, Jurgen was exactly in that state.

Could he change? Or would he forever drive himself as a blood-crazed Bloody Avenger?

‘How special am I to you?’

Will I be enough to shake those solid castle walls of yours?

✦ ✦ ✦

In the Imperial City, at the grand mansion owned by House Roengreen of Brigenz.

“Vanessa…”

Declan let out a laugh of disbelief. He couldn’t believe the news he had just heard.

It was already maddening enough that Vanessa was to marry Duke Drake― but now she had received God’s blessing? And not just any blessing, but that of Vinea, the God of Life?

“I can’t believe it. How could Vanessa be chosen by God? Instead of me, the King of Roengreen?”

If someone from the Roengreen royal family were to receive a blessing, shouldn’t it rightfully be him? Yet why would God choose Vanessa, who no longer brings any national benefit to Roengreen…

He kept letting out hollow laughs at the absurdity of this reality. If he, as king, had received the blessing, he could have used that power beneficially for the country. But why that girl who had become useless after getting engaged to an Imperial Duke…

‘God is truly unfair.’

With this, the Empire has gained another Blessed One, and they will surely propagate this as all seven gods protecting the Emperor. Just imagining it made his insides twist.

‘If only that foolish girl Vanessa had quietly followed my will…’

By now, it would have been Roengreen, not the Empire, that gained a new Blessed One. If that had happened, Roengreen could have risen to a position where it wouldn’t have to endure interference and invasion from other countries, and all sorts of unfair treaties in diplomacy and trade.

‘You’re no different from a traitor, Vanessa.’

A hateful sneer formed on Declan’s lips. Though he had never liked her, who grew up like a flower in a greenhouse under their father’s favoritism, he still had some familial affection left because she was family.

But even that completely disappeared, leaving not a speck behind, after their meeting in the Emperor’s audience chamber.

‘To think she still resents me.’

Declan was greatly disappointed in Vanessa. Arranging her marriage with Leroy was all for Roengreen’s sake. He thought she would naturally accept it as a sacrifice for the country.

Yet she dared to condemn him as despicable instead. Declan was disgusted by her selfish behavior that valued her own insignificant happiness over the country’s welfare.

Given how deeply she seemed to harbor resentment towards him, knowing Vanessa’s nature, she wouldn’t just leave things be. She would surely seek revenge.

‘Having gained the position of the Duchess of Drake and now blessed with the power of life… she’ll surely use those two things to harm me.’

Since she had already made contact with Duke Evanwood, who was showing suspicious movements under the surface, it was only a matter of time.

‘I need to make a move before it’s too late. Using anything, whatever I can use…’

Declan anxiously drummed his fingers on the desk as he pondered how to secretly eliminate Vanessa.

Sending assassins who could shake off pursuit and had their identities laundered was one option, but… the problem was whether they could penetrate the strict security of Duke Drake’s castle.

‘It would be good if we could ambush their carriage before Duke Drake’s party reaches their territory, but there’s not enough time to prepare.’

…Speaking of ambush, something came to mind. Hadn’t Duke Drake’s party been attacked by demonic beasts on their way to the Imperial City?

‘And that too, on the usually safe main road…. It couldn’t be more suspicious. It seems artificial. As if someone was controlling the demonic beasts.’

Though he wasn’t sure, it was clear that there were others besides himself who held grudges against Jurgen Drake.

‘…It would be perfect if I could find that person and cooperate.’

Declan quietly calculated how many people might hate Jurgen enough to want to kill him, and who they might be.

Since Jurgen had made many enemies due to his arrogant and ruthless way of living, it seemed impossible to count them all.

However… among them, there was one person who particularly caught his attention.

‘Escal Drake…’

Escal, Jurgen’s half-brother. He had received some information that Escal had recently appeared at House Frambert, the family of the previous Duchess of Drake.

Like Jurgen, Escal was born to a mistress as an illegitimate child, and had no reason to seek refuge with House Frambert. And House Frambert had no reason to accept him.

Yet the fact that they accepted him meant… Escal must have presented House Frambert with trading conditions they couldn’t resist.

‘Either Escal knows the truth about the previous Duchess’s death… or…’

He must have an effective method to attack Jurgen in his hands.

Having thought that far, Declan quickly made his decision. Since eliminating Vanessa would inevitably mean confronting Jurgen, he had no choice but to join hands with Jurgen’s enemy.

“Escal Drake…”

A strange smile formed on Declan’s lips as he softly uttered that name. Indeed, if he could utilize him well, he would make a good ally.

Leaving his office, Declan leisurely walked towards Glena’s room.

He couldn’t leave her alone in the palace so he brought her here, but he didn’t want to show her to others. It would be troublesome if she unnecessarily caught men’s eyes and received love letters or marriage proposals.

Knock knock―

After knocking on the closed door a couple of times, he sensed movement from inside like a small animal stirring. Soon she would come silently to open the door. Declan slightly raised the corners of his mouth in a smile.

As expected, with the creaking sound of hinges, the door slowly opened. Glena, appearing through the gap in the door, stared at Declan with her vivid blue-green eyes. Then, with a somewhat hesitant air, she asked.

“Brother… what brings you here at this late hour?”

“What else? I came because I wanted to see you.”

Although it wasn’t unusual for Declan to suddenly visit Glena like this day or night, Glena would always be wary like a kitten.

Finding even that aspect cute, Declan grinned and threw the door wide open to enter the room. The interior was warm from the fireplace and filled with Glena’s scent.

Declan sat on the sofa, savoring the feeling of being in Glena’s space. Glena was now hesitating near the closed door.

Thinking she was being shy, Declan smiled kindly and patted the seat beside him. Then he called out to Glena in an affectionate voice.

“What are you doing there? Come here, Glena.”

“…Yes, brother.”

Like a puppet on strings, Glena obediently came and carefully sat beside Declan. As if he had been waiting for this, Declan’s hand reached out and grabbed a handful of Glena’s pink hair.

After kissing it and deeply inhaling the scent permeating the wet hair, Declan smiled softly. Then, looking into Glena’s eyes, he whispered.

“You just bathed.”

“…Yes.”

Glena was wearing an awkward smile as Declan stickily caressed her cheek. He slid his hand downward.

When his hand touched the bare skin of her shoulder, Glena flinched greatly and swallowed her breath. Blue veins were visible on her small white hands that tightly gripped the thin nightgown.

“Isn’t it lonely sleeping alone? Shall we sleep together tonight?”

“Ah, n-no, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, brother…”

“Why is your voice trembling? You must be cold in such thin clothes. Come here, come closer.”

Forcefully pulling the stiffened Glena into his arms, Declan buried his face in her shoulder and let out a satisfied sigh.

Glena bit her lips hard, holding back tears, and gathered her courage to make a request.

“Brother Declan, could I perhaps… meet with sister Vanessa…”

“No.”

It was the moment that Glena’s hope, which she had been anxiously holding since coming to the Imperial City, was cut off. Declan raised his head, met Glena’s eyes, and firmly rejected.

“That’s not possible, Glena. You promised not to go outside this room, not to meet with anyone.”

“Yes… I did…”

Declan gently smiled and stroked Glena’s head.

“That’s right, good girl. Let’s go to sleep now. It’s late.”

Declan picked up Glena and laid her on the bed. Then he immediately overlapped his body with hers and pressed his lips against her forehead.

Glena clasped her hands together as if in prayer and endured this time while swallowing her disgust. Having already realized several times that praying to God was useless, she silently called out to the person who could save her―Vanessa.

‘Sister Vanessa, please save me.’

Please… please, please, please.

Please help me escape from this demon’s clutches―