To confirm my death. It was a perfect confirmation kill. Knowing something in your head and hearing it directly from someone’s mouth were different. I thought I wouldn’t be shocked since I already knew, thinking I could accept it boldly.

“…….”

The moment I heard from his mouth that he had been waiting for me to die, my body seemed to freeze, unable to speak.

“But not anymore.”

“…… Why? Did you develop some sympathy for me?”

I didn’t want to sound like I was clinging to him, but my voice choked up on its own.

“Now, I wish you wouldn’t die.”

“…….”

“I won’t let you die.”

His firm tone made me forget the situation I was in. I didn’t even notice him wiping the tears from my eyes, my mind was lost in his intense golden eyes.

The vivid glow and the contracted bright yellow pumpkin-like eyes were not hidden even in the darkness. I was enchanted by that mysterious and irresistible aura.

“And the reason I want to save you is not because of some petty sympathy.”

It’s not sympathy. Nothing could be more ridiculous than saying Raphael Lloyd Siegfried feels sympathy. But if not that, there was no other explanation.

“Then… why……”

“Do we need a reason?”

In the end, he was just trying to keep her without knowing why himself. If he found a reason later, she would become unnecessary.

“Just the thought of you dying makes me angry.”

“…….”

“I feel so terrible, I can’t stand it.”

It was a childish excuse.

“You clearly wanted me to leave quietly.”

He didn’t even know why he was doing this. It couldn’t be helped. It couldn’t just be simple curiosity. It doesn’t mean she wants his love. She was going to leave him soon, after all.

“I need you.”

“…….”

Raphael, holding her cheeks and speaking to her, seemed desperate. This was sincere. Amelia couldn’t stop a sneer at his statement when he said he needed her. To anyone else, saying he needed someone would mean there really was a need.

Now I understand. She suddenly became important to him.

“Amelia, I want you.”

“Is there still something left for you to use me for?”

What a terrible thing to say.

***

Chills ran down her spine at his words about wanting to possess her. He had taken Amelia as his wife because she resembled his first love. And what he wanted from her was nothing more than the title of grand duchess. But now, a different need has arisen.

“It’s creepy.”

Raphael’s reaction, unable to respond to her question about being used, made Amelia leave the room. It seemed he hadn’t expected her to speak so bluntly. So much for not wanting to lose her, he didn’t even try to hold her back when his true colors were revealed.

Yes, this was Raphael Lloyd Siegfried.

Let’s go back. It’s not the time to hesitate. I must meet the master, finish the job, and escape.

“Where are you going?”

As she ran out of the room and crossed the hallway, a voice stopped her. She thought it might be Raphael, but it wasn’t his voice. Looking back, there was no one there.

“Over here.”

“Who…….”

Silver hair with purple eyes. At first glance, he screamed, ‘I’m from the imperial family’. During her time in Siegfried territory, she had never been involved with the imperial family, but attending just one founding festival allowed her to meet so many? The man had an immature, boyish charm, standing on the boundary between a boy and a young man.

Among the imperial men, only Crown Prince Patrick matched that age. There was about a four-year age gap between the second prince and Crown Prince Patrick. Aaron, the third prince, was even younger.

“I am Patrick Russell Khalid. Grand Duchess.”

“You are the Crown Prince.”

The emperor hadn’t bothered introducing the princes to her or anyone else, excluding Aaron. Normally, introducing the princes would have been standard practice. However, the emperor had almost neglected them completely. In fact, despite Crown Prince Patrick being of age, he hadn’t been officially named heir apparent.

So there were rumors that the emperor might have someone else in mind for the throne.

“Where are you hurrying off to? It seems like the party is still going on.”

Amelia quickly turned around and wiped her cheeks. She worried if her face still bore tear stains. The Crown Prince could go around talking about it. It would be absurd if they had been seen close together earlier, and now she was seen crying behind his back.

“I was heading to the waiting room.”

“Oh? But the waiting room is in the opposite direction.”

It was her mistake for not knowing the palace’s layout well enough.

“Ah, I must have been mistaken.”

Why did she have to meet someone from the imperial family now? Just after her incident with the emperor made even the Crown Prince seem uncomfortable to her. He hadn’t shown any malice towards her like the emperor did, but she still wanted to avoid him.

“Aren’t you planning to go back?”

“Your Highness.”

“Don’t misunderstand. Your face looked sad.”

So her eyes were still damp. Are all imperials like this? Why were they all so interested in her? It might have been more awkward because of their similar appearances.

“It doesn’t seem like something Your Highness should worry about.”

“Is that so?”

If making people uncomfortable was a talent, both the emperor and Crown Prince were naturally gifted. Was it a trait that runs in the imperial blood? She couldn’t understand why they would do this. Especially since she and the Crown Prince met for the first time today. The same went for the emperor; their first meeting was today as well.

Was it uncomfortable because she wasn’t imperial yet displayed traits of one?

“It seems your relationship with the Grand Duke isn’t real.”

“…….”

“It’s okay. I’m not planning to tell anyone.”

It was embarrassing to be caught in such a state. Of course, it was true that it looked like a staged scene, but… it wasn’t intentional. Raphael would know that he’s not the type to act.

“I was curious. I heard that Grand Duchess Siegfried, always hidden behind a veil, would attend the party.”

With each step Patrick took closer to her, she was reminded of the Emperor.

“But now I think I know why you were hiding.”

“What do you mean?”

“Perhaps it’s because they were afraid of having the beautiful Grand Duchess taken away.”

What is he talking about? Flirting when he’s not even an adult yet?

Where does this cheekiness come from?

“First Prince. What do you mean by that?”

“It means that the Grand Duchess is beautiful. I wouldn’t want to show you off to people either.”

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t speak properly. He was trash in the original story, but I didn’t expect this from now. There has never been such trash. And there was quite an age difference between him and her.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“It was just a compliment. Don’t misunderstand.”

As if I could not misunderstand when the intention behind his words was so clear.

“If you’re a prince, it would be best for you to maintain your dignity.”

“It seems His Majesty doesn’t want that from me either.”

“You want to be the Crown Prince, don’t you? You should start behaving properly from now on.”

The moment the word ‘Crown Prince’ came up, Patrick’s expression soured, and Amelia couldn’t hide her smirk. It seemed his desire to become Crown Prince was still strong.

“…His Majesty is still healthy, so there’s no rush.”

“How old is the Second Prince now?”

The reason the First and Second Princes lost in the battle for the position of crown prince was because they didn’t consider Aaron, the Third Prince, as a competitor at all. That made sense since Aaron was too young and was not born of the Empress but of a lowly maid. The youngest prince born from such a woman couldn’t possibly be a threat.

“I found it interesting enough to talk to you, but you don’t know your place.”

If she had met Patrick ten years later, he wouldn’t have revealed his true feelings like this. But the Patrick before her was still a minor, meaning he was still clumsy at managing his emotions.

“It seems like you’ve been abandoned by the Grand Duke.”

“Looks like both father and son are afraid of my husband.”

Seeing Patrick after dealing with the Emperor, who was like a hundred-year-old cunning snake, made him seem much younger. At least the Emperor didn’t show it like this.

“I don’t know what gives you the courage to do this.”

His silver hair and purple eyes felt like I was looking into a mirror.

“Are you really my hidden sister or something?”

Patrick, the First Prince, was not the Emperor’s biological son.