“Why should I care?”

As long as she didn’t leave the castle, it shouldn’t matter. Amelia struggled to free her wrist from his grip. But it was impossible to overcome his strength. No matter how much she resisted, he didn’t budge.

“Let go of me, please.”

“How can I let you go when I don’t know where you’ll go?”

“Where could I go in my nightgown at this hour?”

“You seemed to have gone out in your nightgown before.”

She had no retort to that. It was true she had attempted to escape in her nightgown at night. He never let her win an argument. His unnecessarily large build and inhuman strength. She disliked everything about Raphael, especially those arrogant golden eyes.

“I’m going to Leonel’s room.”

“……”

“I’m going to sleep there tonight.”

And she would continue to do so in the future. She wouldn’t spend any more meaningless nights with him. She was terrified each time she realized she was getting used to him. She feared she wouldn’t be able to leave Raphael’s side.

Eventually, she would crave his touch.

“I won’t engage in any more meaningless acts.”

Despite Raphael’s hardening face, Amelia didn’t stop talking. This was a hurdle she had to overcome at least once. She didn’t understand why he suddenly displayed possessiveness over her.

“Meaningless… It seems it really meant nothing to you?”

“Yes. It meant nothing.”

The problem was that it was too significant to be meaningless. But Amelia spoke firmly, hoping he wouldn’t notice her trembling fist hidden under her sleeve.

“But what should I do? It’s not the same for me.”

He was so close their noses almost touched. His scent and golden pupils made her dizzy. Wasn’t immunity supposed to build up with more exposure? She didn’t understand why it got harder the more she was around him.

Even his cruel smile made her heart race.

“Your Grace has quite the stomach.”

“What do you mean by that?”

A heartless man. He made her say such things herself. Yes, that was Raphael Lloyd Siegfried. He lacked nothing and couldn’t understand others. Amelia bit her lip in frustration.

“Sharing a bed with a woman you don’t love, a woman who smells bad.”

She had given up. She couldn’t feel more miserable.

“When did I ever say that?”

“Ha, have you forgotten already? Or has the smell disappeared?”

Amelia let out a hollow laugh at his feigned ignorance. He had no idea how much it had bothered her.

“I said it was driving me crazy, not that it smelled bad.”

Wasn’t that the same thing?

“I think I told you before. When I said your scent was driving me crazy…”

Even though they were already close, Raphael moved even closer, making her panic. Her face flushed as if it would explode. Amelia felt like dying from the contact through her thin nightgown. She could feel his hard thigh and something twitching, asserting its presence.

Even the slightest movement, or just breathing, felt like intense stimulation. Although she was standing, she felt like she was pinned under him.

“This is what I mean.”

His lower body pressed against hers, and his hot breath above her left her trapped.

***

She was going to be devoured by him. Amelia panicked. She felt like she would never escape him. Her body, already accustomed to him, throbbed and accepted him. If it weren’t for the timely arrival of Leonel, she would have forgotten they were in the hallway and kissed Raphael passionately.

“Mother?”

Hearing Leonel’s voice gave her superhuman strength. In reality, it was Raphael who loosened his grip in surprise.

“Leonel! Wait a moment!”

She couldn’t let him see this. She pushed Raphael away with all her might and adjusted her clothes, checking carefully for any oddities.

“Mother?”

“Let’s go to your room.”

She glared at Raphael for his reckless behavior in a public hallway before entering Leonel’s room.

“Did something happen with Father?”

“No, we were just talking.”

If that could be called talking. It was a conversation between bodies. Amelia forced a smile and changed the subject. How had she not noticed Leonel coming? She thought Raphael would have noticed everything… Seeing him flustered for the first time was oddly satisfying.

“I wish I could sleep with you more often, Mother.”

“Me too.”

Meeting Leonel’s warm hazel eyes made her feel embarrassed. She almost showed him such a scene.

Absolutely not.

“Let’s sleep together tomorrow too.”

Leonel soon fell asleep, exhausted. Amelia stroked his head but couldn’t close her eyes. If Leonel hadn’t shown up in time, she would have been swept away by Raphael again.

“…”

Today, she finally understood why he had become so obsessed with her. So it was all because of that scent? The idea that he was attracted and excited by her scent was absurd.

“Just because of the scent…”

If there were another reason, it wouldn’t feel so empty. She kept letting out hollow breaths in her frustration. Just because of the scent… All her suffering seemed meaningless. In the end, Raphael was drawn not to her body but to her scent. She thought there couldn’t be anything worse, but there was.

In the darkness, Amelia’s violet eyes shone coldly. It actually calmed her mind, as if pushing her hesitant back forward. In hindsight, everything made sense. Raphael had changed since he mentioned her scent.

“How foolish.”

It wasn’t about begging for love.

“Mm…”

Amelia turned over and hugged Leonel as he approached her. His disheveled blond hair on the bed reminded her of someone.

No matter what, she had to leave Raphael. It took a long time to make this decision. Even as she left, she couldn’t let go of her lingering attachment.

“Even if it means getting help from someone else.”

Leonel’s suggestion to seek help from a third party was correct. Sneaking out was impossible.

“Master…”

A blood-red ruby sparkled between her fingers. She never thought she would need Master’s help again… In the end, she needed Master’s power.

“Mother? Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, good morning.”

Despite saying good morning, Amelia hadn’t slept a wink. She couldn’t sleep, busy making plans all night.

“Can you be alone today, Leonel?”

“What?”

“Mom needs to meet someone.”

Leonel’s hazel eyes shook with anxiety.

“I’m going to ask that person for help. Don’t worry.”

Amelia smiled along with his quickly brightening face. The problem was whether Raphael would allow her to go out. She needed a plausible excuse… He wouldn’t let her go if she just asked outright.

“Y-you’re awake.”

Returning to her room, Ann and Jane nervously tended to her hair. Did Raphael sleep here last night? It didn’t matter.

“Jane, do I have any invitations?”

“What? Invitations?”

“Yes, party invitations.”

There should be at least one or two. Since she attended the founding festival party, quite a few people had contacted her. Especially the Empress.

“There aren’t any.”

“What?”

How could that be? Even if she hadn’t participated in events, there should be at least one or two. And more importantly, there must have been a message from the imperial family. Prince Patrick, for one, was eager to approach her.

“Really…”

Usually, she might have let it slide, but not today. Amelia’s face hardened at Jane’s obvious lie. Unlike Ann, Jane was not good at lying.

“Bring them all.”

“Your Highness! You mustn’t!”

She didn’t know where the letters were kept, but she knew who to go to. Edward was probably managing them all.

“His Grace ordered it!”

Amelia’s steps halted.

“His Grace ordered that all correspondence to Your Highness be blocked…”

Jane confessed the truth. Raphael wasn’t just trying to keep her from leaving; he was trying to isolate her completely.