***

The woman who had dared to steal the Crown Prince’s first kiss returned home unharmed.

“Your Highness.”

The knights who had concealed their presence revealed themselves and cast him concerned glances.

Looking at them as they struggled to comprehend what had just happened, Noel laughed.

“Fortune has come rolling into my hands of its own accord.”

“Your Highness, then could it be……? Did it truly work?”

That unexpected kiss?

Noel brushed his fingers over his lips, which still burned as though the heat of the kiss were still there.

The woman’s breath had been sweet.

It had soothed the constant pain scorching his mind and soul.

It was as though a black veil had descended, concealing the world he was never meant to see and finally allowing him to breathe.

‘It felt unbearably good.’

That was why he had craved it so desperately.

He found it strange, almost laughable, that he had clung to her as though his thirst could never be quenched, no matter how deeply he drank.

The woman would never have imagined it.

His condition was so severe that even the slightest touch of another person’s bare hand made him feel nauseous.

“That single kiss alone brought me relief. It seems the legend of Bluerose was true.”

“Good heavens! Then, my lord, do you truly intend to become engaged to that young lady—even if it means making an enemy of the County of Kierre?”

“Yes.”

The miracle of Bluerose—that woman had dared to propose such a deal to him.

“One treatment for every favor. What do you think?”

“Are you saying you will kiss me whenever you need to ask a favor?”

“……Only if it is just a kiss.”

“What exactly do you want me to do?”

“At my upcoming debutante ball, please make me Your Highness’s partner.”

“Do you truly intend to break off the marriage negotiations with the County of Kierre?”

The desperation in her eyes had been unexpected, but it was not a bad deal.

“The miracle of Bluerose……”

Someone with such desperation in their eyes would never betray him.

Nevertheless, he needed to take precautions.

He knew she was being mistreated by her family, but he could not fathom why she would resort to such reckless measures to end the marriage negotiations with the County of Kierre.

So, he issued an order.

“Gather every piece of information you can find on Cordelia of Bluerose.”

“As you command, Your Highness!”

Although he would never have admitted it, this was the first time that Noel had ever felt genuinely curious about someone, even if he hadn’t realized it.

***

The next day.

Cordelia was enjoying a rather lavish breakfast with Ruird.

As she soothed her throat with the rich, creamy soup, she smiled sweetly at Ruird, who kept glancing at her as though he were a puppy desperate to relieve itself.

It seemed her younger twin brother had little patience when it came to her.

“Ah, are you really not going to tell me anything?”

Since there was no threat behind his sudden outburst, she could only laugh. He must have been extremely frustrated.

In truth, even Cordelia herself was still so bewildered by yesterday’s events that they felt like a dream.

I went there to win over the Second Prince, but I met the Crown Prince instead. Then I kissed him and agreed to a bargain involving physical contact.

How could she possibly say something like that?

“Ruird, tell me everything you know about the miracle of Bluerose.”

“Pfft!”

Ruird, who had been gulping down his soup like water without bothering to hide his anger at his sister’s silence, choked.

After coughing for quite some time, he wiped away his tears and asked,

“Why are you asking about that? I think I’m starting to get scared whenever you say anything. Something happened there that made you curious about the miracle of Bluerose, didn’t it?”

“…….”

“Didn’t it? Just who did you meet?”

“‘You’? You should call me Sister.”

“Sister, don’t tell me…… Can you see something?”

“Yes. I think I can.”

Ruird clutched his head.

“Right. I knew something was strange when I tried to cover your tracks yesterday. Everything had already been taken care of before I could do a thing. What does that mean, Sister?”

“It must mean I met someone powerful enough to do that.”

“Don’t tell me you actually made a deal. What did you promise to give them?”

“I joined forces with someone powerful enough to help me safely end the marriage negotiations with the County of Kierre. That’s exactly what I wanted.”

Ruird’s expression turned grave.

“Sister, do you realize how much danger you’re in right now? We’re talking about the Imperial Family. They would have no qualms about exploiting the Bluerose miracle. My aunt’s hostility is nothing compared to what they could do!”

Ignoring him, Cordelia asked calmly.

“Ruird, is it true that the Bluerose miracle dwells within these eyes? I met someone who glowed with golden light.”

“What?”

“So I joined hands with that person. Are you still saying I made the wrong choice?”

“…….”

Ruird resented Cordelia for changing the subject without answering his question, but her words instantly drove that feeling from his mind.

Golden light?

“Good heavens, Sister. The miracle truly manifested in you.”

“Explain it to me in detail.”

This is what Ruird told her.

The miracle of Bluerose was vague and elusive, and only the family records provided any insight into it. According to these records, the golden light visible to the bearer of the Bluerose miracle signified that they had made the right choice, providing unmistakable proof of its manifestation.

Ruird’s eyes grew misty.

“So it truly was you, Sister. You were the miracle of Bluerose.”

Cordelia could not help laughing at the gentle look in his eyes, which seemed entirely at odds with his enormous build.

“What are you talking about? You already knew everything, and you protected the secret all this time.”

Having experienced the future, Cordelia knew that her brother was keeping something from her.

At any moment, his eyes might reveal the correct path — the choice that would bring them the good fortune they so desperately needed. It would be a breath capable of driving away curses and misfortune — a blessing.

If those around them had discovered that Cordelia possessed such powers, would they ever have left her alone?

This was why Ruird had remained silent, concealing the secret and burying the truth about their family deep within himself.

All the while, he had hoped that one day his sister would claim that miracle for herself, free from anyone’s control.

“Now tell me, Sister. Who did you make the deal with?”

The Crown Prince who had shone with golden light—Noel.

“The Crown Prince.”

“……What?”

Cordelia smiled radiantly at her brother, who looked as though he had fainted with his eyes open, and told him,

“Crown Prince Noel.”

“…….”

“I joined hands with him.”

“……!”

‘Through my deal with him, I will protect you, change my future, and take revenge on everyone who stole what belonged to us, Ruird.’

***

“Mother, we cannot let her get away with this!”

Sierra von Dios could not accept how suddenly Cordelia had changed. She was just Cordelia! How could someone like her behave like that?

What made her any different?

Her mother had always told her: “Sierra is far more lovable, beautiful and radiant than that gloomy, cursed girl.”

And yet that woman had spoken such vicious words to her and dared to slap her!

She was so furious that she felt she might die.

“I can’t even go out properly now. What is this? I have to prepare my dresses! There are still so many I haven’t worn yet! How could they do this to us?”

“There, there, my darling.”

“What if my debutante ball is ruined?”

Sierra burst into tears like a child. Baroness Giselle von Dios pulled her into her arms and clenched her jaw in anger.

She had never imagined that the twins were biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Controlling the household servants and keeping one of the heirs firmly under her thumb had clearly not been enough.

She could still remember the crushing humiliation she had felt when those vivid, gleaming eyes seemed to see straight through her.

The Baroness had no intention of backing down now.

“Do not worry, Sierra. Your mother has prepared many things for you. Do you truly think I would withdraw so easily?”

“Sniff…… Then?”

“You will be the most radiant young lady at the debutante ball. The name Bluerose will eventually be yours. I will make sure of it. But first, we must find a way out of this confinement.”

From the outset, she had entered this household intending to destroy the entire family.

Her older brother and his two detestable children. Simply because he was the legitimate eldest son, he had inherited everything.

The young twins did not seem to understand.

The affairs of a noble family did not always proceed according to the wishes of its heirs.

By now, she should have received a reply to her letter.

Anticipating that moment, the baroness smiled.