Chapter 1.4

Kiserian gazed quietly at Hildeltrud’s pale hand holding the teacup.  

Her overall delicate appearance resembled a single lily in bloom.  

She was far more beautiful in person than the rumors suggested.  

‘She’s lovely.’  

Her slightly lowered long lashes and the sapphire eyes hidden beneath sparkled like stars in the night sky.  

Uncomfortable with Kiserian’s blatant gaze, Hildeltrud set down her teacup.  

“It seems the Master is later than expected. I think I’ll leave for today.”  

“You must have come for something specific. Please wait a little longer. If you’re uncomfortable, I can step aside.”  

As he spoke, Kiserian stood up, prompting Hildeltrud to rise as well.  

“There’s no need for that, Your Highness. You arrived before me.”  

“It’s fine. I can return another time. I’ll yield to you today.”  

“Thank you, Your Highness.”  

Smiling faintly, Kiserian opened the door and left.  

Outside the door, Roel gave Kiserian a disapproving look and lightly scolded him.  

“You’re such a con artist, Your Highness.”  

“Shh, she’ll hear.”  

“That’s why I’m speaking softly.”  

“My coat.”  

“Oh, yes.”  

When Kiserian handed over his coat, Roel accepted it.  

“Illumination.”  

With a snap of his fingers, Kiserian instantly transformed into Silver Moon’s Master, Cain.  

“Mask.”  

Extending his hand, Roel handed Kiserian a mask.  

After putting on the mask, Kiserian, now in the guise of Cain, entered the room to meet Hildeltrud.  

“I apologize for keeping you waiting.”  

“I thought you were someone who always kept appointments precisely?”  

“The information you requested was highly sensitive, so it took some time. I hope you’ll understand.”  

He sat on the sofa and glanced at the now-cold tea.  

“The tea has gone cold.”  

Placing the teapot on his palm, Kiserian used fire magic to reheat it.  

He then poured fresh tea into his own cup and refilled Hildeltrud’s.  

“Shall we have tea first?”  

“I’ve already had mine. You can drink yours.”  

“You seem quite upset.”  

“If you understand, be punctual next time. I’m not someone with plenty of free time.”  

“I’ll do my best.”  

Hildeltrud watched him drink his tea with a baffled expression.  

He was utterly unpredictable.  

“Now that we’ve had tea, I’ll give you what you came for.”  

With a snap of his fingers, papers fluttered down from the air and landed in his hands.  

“Here is the information you requested.”  

Hildeltrud took the documents and reviewed their contents, her brow furrowing.  

“Are you certain this is the place?”  

“Why? Do you doubt me?”  

Hildeltrud leaned back on the sofa, her face filled with disbelief.  

She hadn’t expected Edgar’s women to be hidden so brazenly in the Crown Prince’s palace.  

The underground chambers of the palace housed such a secretive place.  

“Sigh.”  

“Do you intend to rescue them? It might be better not to.”  

“I’ll decide what to do. Thank you for finding this information.”  

Hildeltrud gathered the documents and stood up.  

“I’ll see you next week. I hope you’ll keep your appointment on time.”  

Cain rose from his seat and bowed politely.  

“Take care.”  

Leaving the jewelry store, Hildeltrud purchased two random pieces of jewelry and returned to the Duke’s mansion.  

Upon her return, the annoying mother-daughter duo clung to her again.  

“Hildeltrud, where have you been?”  

Though she felt as if she was being monitored at every turn, Hildeltrud didn’t let it show.  

“I went out to buy gifts for you. I felt bad for going out alone last time.”  

“Oh my, really?”  

“Yes, would you accept them?”  

“If you insist, I’ll accept them.”  

Hildeltrud handed the jewelry she bought to the two women.  

“You’re the only one who truly thinks about me.”  

“Nanny, you take one too.”  

“What did I do to deserve this…?”  

“I’m always grateful to you.”  

Hildeltrud displayed the most harmless smile she could muster.  

It was a carefully practiced expression meant to completely deceive them.  

***

After dinner, Hildeltrud went to the study and reviewed the documents she received from Silver Moon.  

They contained information about Edgar’s women.  

“So they’re in the underground chambers of the Crown Prince’s palace.”  

She thought it was incredibly bold.  

“It must be the Empress’s idea.”  

The Empress would do anything to hide Edgar’s disgrace.  

“For now, entering the underground chambers will have to wait until I’m officially part of the palace.”  

Soon, as the prospective Princess, she would begin her education. She would learn court etiquette and refinement to become part of the Imperial Family.  

Before her regression, she had entered the palace two years after her engagement.  

At that time, she had no knowledge of Edgar’s vile nature.  

“To use our family for his legitimacy and to mock me—he’ll pay for it.”  

She recalled the vile scene she witnessed on the day she fled.  

It was the day she swapped clothes with Jenny to escape the Imperial Palace.  

Jenny had worn a determined expression as she donned Hildeltrud’s clothes.  

‘I’ll pretend to be you, Empress, so please act as if you’re me and escape quickly.’  

‘What are you saying, Jenny? You could die.’  

‘It’s fine. What matters most to me is your survival, Milady.’  

‘I refuse. I can’t allow that.’  

‘The Duke and Sir Patrick would want you to live, Milady.’  

‘But…’  

‘For their sake, you must survive!’

‘Jenny…’  

‘Hurry! Hurry! There’s no time. Soon, His Majesty’s knights will come to capture you!’  

Hildeltrud, choking back tears, left Jenny behind as she tried to save her. With heavy and reluctant steps, she moved to escape the Empress’s palace.  

Dressed as a maid with her hair in disarray, she didn’t stand out.  

And then, she saw it.  

The root cause of all this misfortune—two people.  

Inside the Empress’s palace, Hildeltrud witnessed Edgar and Elisabeth in a secret rendezvous.  

The conversation they had was still vivid in her mind.  

‘I feel so relieved, Your Majesty. If Hildeltrud dies, could you give me the Duke’s mansion? I want it.’  

‘It won’t just be the mansion; the Empress’s palace will be yours as well.’  

‘Really?! I’m so happy. I love you, Your Majesty.’  

Seeing Elisabeth’s face lit up with joy as she clung to Edgar’s neck, Hildeltrud felt uncontrollable rage.  

‘How could you two…?’  

But the anger didn’t last long.  

‘The Empress has disappeared!’  

Jenny had been discovered. It seemed she had been caught. Hildeltrud suppressed her hatred and fled.  

And in the forest, she met a tragic death.  

Even now, thinking back on it made her hatred boil like an active volcano.  

“Phew…”  

Hildeltrud took deep breaths to calm her anger.  

“Let’s stay composed. There’s still a long way to go before I can begin my revenge.”  

Rising from her seat, Hildeltrud placed the documents she had received from Silver Moon into a box beneath her desk and locked it.  

She then hid the key under her bed.  

The documents contained detailed information about Edgar’s women, so they had to be kept safe.  

There would come a time when she would need to use them.  

***

The Centorea Palace of the Crown Prince.  

The palace belonged to Empress Isabel’s son, Edgar.  

Within Centorea Palace, there was a secret location—a special space underground.  

The underground area consisted of three rooms, each numbered.  

Edgar was currently in Room 1.  

Inside the room, there was only a large bed, and everything—the bed, bedding, and walls—was decorated in red.  

This reflected Edgar’s taste.  

He had designed each room with a different concept, but Room 1 was deeply aligned with his preferences.  

Edgar, shirtless, gazed intently at the woman lying on the bed in a red dress.  

Her pale white skin contrasted sharply with the red dress, making her look incredibly alluring.  

Reaching out, Edgar traced his fingers along the woman’s collarbone.  

With every touch of Edgar’s fingertips, the woman shivered.  

Edgar smiled as he looked at the frightened woman.  

“Smile.”  

At Edgar’s command, the woman forced a smile.  

Her unnatural expression made Edgar frown.  

“Can’t you smile more naturally? This makes me look like the bad guy.”  

“I-I’m sorry.”  

Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes.  

Her tearful expression was so enticing that Edgar grabbed her neck with one hand and kissed her.  

“Open your mouth.”  

When the woman parted her lips, Edgar kissed her deeply and aggressively.  

The suffocating kiss continued until Edgar was satisfied.  

“Hah… hah…”  

Finally able to breathe, the woman gasped for air, her chest rising and falling rapidly.  

At that moment, Edgar’s hand grabbed one of her br*asts.  

The sudden stimulation made the woman inhale sharply.  

Edgar’s touch was rough.  

Not content with one, he grabbed both br*asts and kneaded them.  

“Hah!”  

As she gasped for breath, Edgar tore the red dress covering her chest.  

When her smooth skin was exposed, Edgar pressed his face against it.  

His gentle touch made the woman let out shallow breaths.  

Lifting his head, Edgar pulled down the dress completely and ran his hands along her legs.  

He then guided her hand to his belt.  

“Undo it.”  

With trembling hands, the woman unfastened the belt.  

Because her hands were shaking, she was slow, prompting Edgar to grab her hair roughly.  

“Can’t you do it faster?”  

“I-I’m sorry.”  

The woman, on the verge of tears, hurriedly undid the belt.  

Edgar threw off his pants and lay back on the bed.  

“Now it’s your turn. You know what happens if you fail to satisfy me, right?”  

At Edgar’s threatening gaze, the woman nodded.  

She had been sold to repay her parents’ debt and had a younger brother she needed to protect.  

Her brother was trying to become a knight to repay the debt and save her.  

Of course, Edgar knew all of this.  

One word from him could crush her brother’s dreams in an instant.