At least I was able to keep the Fairy’s Tear that I had taken to the temple, but Oberon’s necklace and all my jewels and money were in Count Ferial’s hands.

Just as I was deeply lost in thought.

“Rosemary, Rosemary Ferial!”

Bang-!

The one who opened the door and came in was none other than Count Ferial. He shouted with his nostrils flaring, seemingly very excited.

“You’ve received a marriage proposal!”

…Damn it.

I bit my lip at the Count’s words.

I haven’t even planned my revenge yet.

“Do you know who it’s from?”

What marriage?

Haah. How do I escape this crisis?

“It’s from the Berto Marquis family! The Berto Marquis family!”

“…Who?”

“Why can’t you understand at once! The Berto Marquis! Lucian Berto, the Marquis who is said to have more wealth than His Majesty the Emperor!”

What?

***

In the prayer room of the temple, under dim lighting.

Adriel, addressing the High Priest who was kneeling in prayer, spoke in a low voice, barely suppressing his anger.

“So you just let Lucian Berto, that criminal, go free?”

“How many times do I have to tell you? There is no evidence that Marquis Berto did it. Evidence.”

As the white-haired High Priest answered perfunctorily, Adriel gritted his teeth.

Just a few days ago, the High Priest had been rejoicing about catching Marquis Berto who had stolen the sacred relic.

But in half a day, his attitude had changed like this.

And right after the High Priest had a meeting with Lucian Berto.

“Marquis Berto admitted to his crime. His voice is clearly recorded on the magic device, yet you say there’s insufficient evidence. Do you think that makes sense?”

The recording magic device that had been installed in Rosemary’s room was submitted as evidence for the trial.

Lucian’s confession was clearly captured on the device, and it was irrefutable evidence.

However, the High Priest nonchalantly ignored the evidence.

“Someone could have imitated the Marquis’s voice. Without more concrete physical evidence, the judge concluded that guilt cannot be determined, so what more can I do?”

Adriel became more convinced of his suspicion from the High Priest’s indifferent attitude.

That there had been some kind of deal between the High Priest and Marquis Berto.

Damn it.

The High Priest had received something in exchange for releasing Marquis Berto.

What a disgusting fellow.

His insides were boiling.

Because they couldn’t catch Marquis Berto?

Because the demon the Marquis had contracted was actually a sacred relic?

Toward this temple that had secretly concealed it despite knowing the identity of the sacred relic?

Of course, all these would be reasons, but there was something else that made Adriel this angry.

The fact that Lucian Berto had tried to kill Rosemary.

He had been furious just hearing about it from the Saintess, but when he witnessed it firsthand, his eyes literally rolled back in his head.

For the first time, he was overwhelmed by a strong urge to kill someone.

And now they were going to let such a person go without any punishment.

Adriel barely suppressed the desire to grab the High Priest by the collar and shout.

“Do you have anything else to say?”

The High Priest sighed wondering why Adriel was still there.

Damn it.

Adriel gritted his teeth.

If the High Priest couldn’t do it, he would do it with his own hands.

No, he would definitely bring down Lucian Berto with his own hands.

“You will regret what happened today.”

Adriel left the prayer room with a cold remark.

After a brief silence, the High Priest quietly clicked his tongue.

“Such ignorance of the ways of the world.”

***

In the drawing room of Count Ferial’s mansion.

I was using all my strength to hold onto my fading consciousness.

“Are you that happy to see me?”

Why on earth…

“Yes. I see. You’re so happy you’re speechless, right?”

Why is Lucian Berto sitting in front of me with that smirking face?

“Me too, darling.”

“What… Are you insane?”

He’s definitely trying to provoke me, right? Otherwise, there’s no way he’d call me darling.

And what I understand least of all.

“And how did you get here? Don’t tell me you escaped…?”

Unless he filmed a movie in prison, why is someone who should be in the underground dungeon of the temple freely walking around in society?

To my question, Lucian smoothly replied.

“Well, I didn’t commit any crime, so?”

“You stole a sacred relic and claim to be innocent?”

“Well. It seems the judge’s opinion differed from our darling’s.”

What nonsense. They must have made it different.

I couldn’t even imagine what kind of shady things he must have done.

“Curious about what happened?”

Seeing my deeply furrowed brow, Lucian chuckled softly.

“It wasn’t anything special. I just offered to lend a bit of my demon’s power.”

“You offered… Taro’s power?”

“The old man at the temple is greedier than he looks.”

The old man at the temple? Who is that… Could he mean the High Priest?

Come to think of it, Cynthia once mentioned that only she and the High Priest knew the true identity of the sacred relic.

“When I promised to build a temple larger and more magnificent than the imperial palace, he drooled like a starving beast.”

So in the end, the High Priest had vouched for Lucian’s innocence.

Ah, they say there’s no one trustworthy in this world, but I never expected the High Priest himself to be like this.

Suddenly, I remembered how Cynthia’s expression had subtly changed whenever she talked about the High Priest.

Though I’d never met him personally, it was clear he was just as black-hearted as Lucian.

“He said he didn’t care what I did with that demon as long as I kept the identity of the sacred relic a secret. I guess money is greater than god after all. Don’t you think, darling?”

I thought no one could be as obsessed with money as me, but seeing them makes me feel humble.

I lowered my head and sighed.

“I agree with that… but could you please stop calling me that?”

“Hmm? Stop what?”

“Calling me ‘darling.’ Please stop calling me that. Who’s your darling, seriously.”

As I grimaced and brushed my arms, frantically wiping away imaginary dirt, Lucian tilted his head, feigning innocence.

“Why? You don’t like being called ‘darling’? Then how about ‘pretty one’?”

“Please just shut up.”

Even though I frowned in disgust and spoke seriously, Lucian just smiled with amusement and said something even more outrageous.

“You should get used to it though. We’ll be married soon, and will you still be this distant then?”

I asked incredulously.

“Who said I’d marry you?”

“You’d better.”

“Why would I?”

“Don’t you want to escape this house?”

I blinked blankly.

What’s this, suddenly?

As if he knew everything.

Lucian, who had been elegantly crossing his legs, took a teacup from the table, took a sip, and continued.

“It’s fortunate, though. That I could catch you before you ran away.”

I firmly closed my slightly parted lips.

That statement just now, could it be…

“Was it you?”

No way, surely not…

“Were you the one who told Count Ferial my whereabouts?”

The violet eyes watching me curved into half-moons.

Lucian put down his teacup and stood up.

“I believe a positive response will come. I hope you won’t deliberate too long.”

Lucian never answered my question directly, but in fact, he had already given his answer.

“How did it go?”

As I left the drawing room in a daze, Count Ferial grabbed me like he had been waiting.

“When did he say to hold the engagement ceremony? Tell me what you discussed in there. And if you had connections with the Marquis, you should have told me earlier.”

I coldly stared at Count Ferial, who couldn’t hide his excitement at the thought of having the Berto Marquis as his son-in-law.

Then Count Ferial said with embarrassment.

“Ah, I understand. You were too shy to tell your father?”

I looked at the Count’s hair, which had a slightly different color at the top, and fell into thought.

There’s no point in telling someone like him that I have no intention of getting married; he wouldn’t listen anyway.

“With the Berto Marquis as my son-in-law, no family will dare look down on us. It will be much easier to raise funds for business. Right away…”

I watched the Count smiling deviously and gently raised the corners of my mouth.

Yes. Enjoy this moment to the fullest.

Because you’ll taste hell at your happiest moment.