“What else could it be if it’s not that you dislike it?”

Don’t be scared. Although he looked scary, he wasn’t going to kill her right now. But with his threatening physique and distorted face, it was hard for her not to feel afraid. His pure golden eyes, with no other colors mixed in, seemed non-human. That’s why it was difficult for her to meet his gaze.

His alluring golden eyes seemed both dangerous and beautiful. Even if you brought gold, it wouldn’t be able to overwhelm his eyes.

“The bedside table. Did you think I didn’t know?”

“……”

“You’re holding on to it so tightly, enough to break it. Why do we keep using the same bed?”

At first, she felt sorry for him, who had to share the same room as her, even though she hated him so much. That’s how much he disliked Amelia. But as time went on, he started to get angrier. If he hated her that much, couldn’t he sleep separately?

“It’s even worse when you change it every time, thinking I wouldn’t notice.”

Don’t think I’m a fool. How couldn’t I have known when you’ve been doing it all night. She couldn’t understand why he wanted her by his side so desperately, even though it was so painful for him. After seeing it all, she felt sorry for Amelia.

How could she not go crazy when the man she loved hated her so much? Even she, who had no feelings, was about to go crazy.

“You knew?”

“It would be strange not to know.”

Amelia finally sighed at his widened, surprised eyes. He really thinks she’s a fool. Whatever.

“It’s not what you think it is.”

“If it’s not that, then what is it?”

She crossed her arms and looked him straight in the eyes. Just by meeting his gaze, she understood the saying about how just meeting someone’s eyes can send shivers down one’s spine. Is this what it feels like to lock eyes with a predator in a desolate wilderness? Her body instinctively flinched under his sharp gaze.

Eyes that didn’t seem human—the eyes of a beast. People said that about Siegfried.

“That…”

“There’s no reason for you to tell me. You don’t have to make excuses.”

Anyone could see that he was holding back.

“Don’t worry about it. It has nothing to do with you.”

Don’t worry about it. Again. There’s nothing she needs to worry about in this household.

“Yes, yes.”

“It’s really not like that. I don’t hate sleeping with you, Grand Duchess.”

He doesn’t mind sleeping with her? Was this man capable of lying? And not even for someone else… How could he possibly not mind sleeping with her? A question mark filled Amelia’s mind.

“If I’ve answered your question, I’d like to sleep now.”

“Uh…”

She hadn’t even properly replied, but she was already caught up by his atmosphere and laid on the bed. That night, he didn’t hold on to the nightstand.

***

Amelia stared blankly ahead at the sight of the nightstand, which was still intact when she woke up in the morning. She couldn’t grasp what had happened. Could it be that Raphael’s feelings had changed?

“Your Highness, have you woken up?”

“Ah….”

Amelia heard a voice from outside. It seemed like Ann and Jane were waiting outside.

“Come in.”

She probably have to ask about May’s whereabouts today. It had been quite a while since she last saw May.

“Did you sleep well? Is something bothering you?”

“Ah, yeah…”

Amelia was taken aback by their enthusiastic treatment. Now that she thought about it, lately, the maids’ attitudes had changed. It wasn’t just because she bought them gifts. Were they scared of her? They seemed excessively tense, trying hard to appear good.

“Shall we go to breakfast?”

“I guess Leonel and His Grace are waiting?”

“Yes.”

Was it because they were more cautious of Raphael’s reactions rather than hers? She couldn’t keep Raphael waiting much longer.

“Right.”

“Is there something you want to say?”

She pretended to be casual, but her anxiety was showing. It seemed like they wanted her to hurry and go down to the dining hall.

“What about May?”

“What?”

“May. I haven’t seen her lately.”

The maids had their own quarters, so she doesn’t know. May wasn’t just an ordinary maid, so it was strange that she hadn’t seen her for such a long time.

“Is it okay for the head maid to be absent for this long? Or is she only invisible to my eyes?”

Because I didn’t want to see her? No, May was not that kind of person at all. She wouldn’t give up being by her side, just so she could see Raphael. Plus, she was someone who faithfully followed his orders. Was it because she hadn’t been on surveillance duty for so long? No matter how many maids had changed, she thought she would at least keep an eye on her from a distance.

“Who are you talking about…?”

“Don’t you know May? She’s a maid, isn’t she? She was your supervisor until recently.”

Even if Jane said she had no idea, Amelia would not have felt suspicious. But the way she said she didn’t know May made Amelia narrow her eyes. It didn’t make sense for her to say who May was, considering she was not just a maid but a head maid.

“Oh, you’re talking about the head maid. I guess I wasn’t paying attention.”

Although she quickly changed the subject, Amelia did not let go of her suspicious gaze. Something was off. There was something she didn’t know.

“I really don’t know. I haven’t seen her recently.”

“Should we find out?”

Should she believe these words? She, too, was once a subordinate working under someone. Everyone paid attention to their supervisor’s whereabouts. Especially if the supervisor was troublesome. May was definitely not a good boss in her eyes.

“Yeah, it worries me that she’s not around. She’s still the head maid, after all.”

“Yes, understood.”

But Amelia couldn’t dig any deeper from here. She didn’t know why Ann and Jane were lying, but if it was an order from above, they could only listen. Did May pressure them?

“When you find out, let me know right away.”

“Yes, understood.”

Jane seemed impatient, as though she wanted to take her to the dining hall quickly. Well, it would be scary to leave Raphael waiting.

“You’re here.”

“I guess I’ve kept you waiting for a long time.”

Amelia sat down and only gave her attention to Leonel. She didn’t turn her head towards Raphael once. Just like that happened last night, she couldn’t understand why he was acting in ways she didn’t understand.

“Are you going out again today?”

“Yes, I am.”

Since when do you ask me these questions as though you were interested in me? She wanted to think that it was just a misunderstanding, but Raphael seemed like he wanted to talk to her at least once more.

“Where are you going today?”

“I don’t know.”

She replied curtly. She didn’t have a specific plan today. Maybe they would just go around the city and come back. But there was no need to tell him about it.

“Oh, right.”

The maids told her they would inform her of May’s whereabouts, but someone who knew her better than anyone else was sitting in front of him now.

“What’s wrong?”

“I haven’t seen May lately. Do you know why?”

“…May?”

Surely Raphael wouldn’t say he didn’t know her.

“Who’s that?”

“What?”

It was Amelia who was rather surprised by his innocent question. He wasn’t pretending to ask, like Ann and Jane did. He really didn’t know who May was.

“She’s… she’s the head maid.”

“Oh, the head maid. I think that was her name.”

Raphael’s brow finally furrowed as he realized who May was. There was a displeased expression on his face, as though he didn’t want to think of her anymore.

“You didn’t like her, did you?”

“What?”

“You didn’t get along with the head maid.”

Of course, they weren’t getting along well. But when someone disappears into thin air, it’s hard not to worry. It would have been better if she cut her with her own hands. It was strange how she suddenly vanished like this in the blink of an eye.

“Edward takes care of the household management. Ask him.”

He said, uncaringly. If May were here, she might have been so upset. If she knew that the man she likes considers her to be less important than dust, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

That’s also why Amelia went crazy. He was a sinful man in various ways.

“I understand.”

She wanted to get out of this uncomfortable situation as soon as possible. The only thing he did was attend meals because he was busy. Maybe Edward is still anxiously waiting for him at the entrance of the dining hall. She couldn’t understand why he went to such lengths to always come to the dinner table.

“Mother!”

Leonel hurriedly followed when she stood up. It seemed like he didn’t want to be alone with Raphael.

“Then I’ll see you in the evening.”

“Just a moment.”

It would have been over if she had safely escaped like this, but at the sound that stopped her, Amelia forced a smile and turned around.

“I’ll go with you.”

“What?”

There was a blank expression on Raphael’s face, as always.