Fenor hadn’t expected Rihana to think that way. It was true that for the country’s sake, and for Raiden’s sake, the Taniaran family shouldn’t turn their backs on the royal family. 

Until now, Beriel’s one-sided love for Raiden had somehow maintained her loyalty, but the political marriage between Rihana and Raiden continued to create precarious anxiety. But he hadn’t expected Rihana to see through all of that already.

From her position, a longtime friend and subordinate who loved her husband would surely be more than irritating. He thought this would be the same even if Rihana didn’t love Raiden. 

Whether man or woman, everyone had at least some possessiveness or attachment to what was theirs.

But Rihana completely ignored such petty emotions and was thinking only of what would benefit Raiden, and furthermore, what would benefit Tarecus’s wellbeing. And she was doing this by finding ways to use someone who might have targeted her life. It was truly something even he hadn’t thought of.

Fenor had harbored negative feelings about accepting the next queen from the Empire for the alliance, so he came to see Rihana in a new light through her intentions. Including her stubbornness about personally going to obtain the antidote for Raiden despite her ailing body. 

This day was the first day Fenor truly decided to serve Rihana.

* * *

With Fenor taking charge of the poisoning case, Beriel found herself in hot water and hid her maid within the Empire’s delegation upon hearing that he was looking for the maid who had first discovered Raiden and Rihana. 

Since the delegation was returning at just the right time, Beriel entrusted a letter she had written to Melissa to the maid, and the maid who suddenly had to go to the Empire reluctantly handed over the letter to Fenor, who had secretly sought her out.

Fenor, who had been struggling because no evidence had emerged despite Taniaran’s reputation, had briefly felt somewhat relieved thinking that perhaps Beriel hadn’t fallen that far. 

But when he happened to see the letter Beriel had personally written to Melissa, given by Beriel’s maid who had hidden in the delegation, he realized his old friend had become irredeemably twisted.

To put Beriel’s fate in Rihana’s hands before she returned safely, he secretly extracted and hid the maid who was going to the Empire with the delegation. Unaware of this, Beriel breathed a sigh of relief after the delegation safely departed and stayed by Raiden’s side. 

Though she was on edge about Fenor’s movements, she was somewhat reassured knowing that even he couldn’t freely disturb Taniaran, the kingdom’s foremost family.

Originally, there was no evidence left that could serve as grounds, and anyone who could serve as a witness would fall into Melissa’s hands, so there was nothing to worry about. 

If only Raiden woke up safely, this incident would remain an unsolved case with no culprit found, and the suspected perpetrator of the unsolved case would be her maid who had disappeared with the delegation or someone from the Empire who had caught the maid’s eye.

“We should send more people.”

Beriel, who had come to the office thinking of work that needed to be finished today while guarding Raiden’s side, overheard Felton conversing with someone from the knight order and listened to their conversation.

“The second wave should have already arrived.”

“It’s the Monster Forest. We can’t be at ease just sending eleven more people.”

“But Lady Ariella was stronger than Tomaren from the knight order.”

“She’s in a poisoned state. If she gets hurt or loses her life there by any chance, His Highness won’t leave our necks intact.”

“……I’ll select and send more right away.”

Felton nodded once at the knight’s words. Beriel asked Felton as soon as the knight left.

“Why is that woman in danger?”

“Watch your words, Beriel. Even you shouldn’t speak so carelessly about the one who will become the prince’s consort……”

“She’s not yet.”

Beriel irritably cut off Felton’s words. Felton stared at her, thoroughly twisted, then let out a short sigh.

“His Highness won’t stand for it when he wakes up.”

“Hmph, if you’re going to tattle, go ahead.”

“Even if I don’t say anything, there are countless eyes and ears watching and listening.”

“Do you think she can obtain the antidote?”

“I can’t guarantee it. From what I hear in reports, she seems to be having quite a hard time……”

It would be fine if she just died there.

Beriel thought it would be better for Raiden if Rihana didn’t return rather than bringing back the antidote. Since they now knew Drabaden’s blood served as the antidote, if she failed and died, they could send other knights to obtain that blood.

Though she found herself frighteningly scary for having such thoughts, she figured what was one more cursed thought when she had already tried to poison Rihana to death. Ultimately, Beriel was mistakenly believing that if only Rihana disappeared from her future life, everything would go according to her wishes.

* * *

Rihana had come on expeditions to the Monster Forest several times while living in the Empire. 

Then she had luckily encountered Drabaden and accidentally learned that Drabaden’s blood could purify Teinori’s rare poison, and also learned that the heel area was better for drawing Drabaden’s blood without provoking it.

She never imagined that accidental knowledge would be so useful now. Rihana sincerely thanked God for being able to obtain Raiden’s antidote thanks to that chance memory, and headed toward Drabaden’s nest.

Drabaden, a giant eagle-shaped monster, had habits completely unlike birds despite its bird-like appearance. 

Instead of nesting in high places, it nested and lived in the misty swamplands inside the Monster Forest, and preferred walking on two legs rather than flying around with its giant wings spread. And this nocturnal monster always hid its body in the mist and napped from morning until nightfall.

Rihana was grateful that her memory of Drabaden’s nest location hadn’t faded at all, and hurried toward the misty swamp inside the Monster Forest. 

Minor monsters attacked along the way, taking some time, but with the second wave knight order and another second wave knight order arriving one after another on Felton’s orders, she could quickly reach Drabaden’s nest.

After checking the time in front of Drabaden’s nest, Rihana dismissed the knights and carefully climbed up onto the nest alone. Thinking Drabaden wouldn’t wake up since there were still three or four hours until nightfall, Rihana drew her sword and cut Drabaden’s giant heel.

After filling a medicine bottle with the purple blood seeping from the heel and capping it, she threw it to one of the knights waiting below the nest. And just as she was taking out another medicine bottle to make a spare just in case.

“Dan, danger!”

Along with an urgent shout, a tremendous impact occurred from behind.

* * *

Casian learned from his subordinate, whom he had planted in the delegation to monitor Melissa just in case when she went to meet Rihana, that Melissa and Beriel had conspired to make Rihana consume Teinori’s rare poison. And also that she, who had opened her eyes first, had gone to the Monster Forest to obtain an antidote for Raiden, who still couldn’t wake up.

As soon as Casian received the report, he headed to the Monster Forest leading his army without thinking ahead. 

His aide had created the pretext of monster subjugation so there wouldn’t be major problems, but when Melissa learned that Casian had gone to the Monster Forest for Rihana, she trembled with rage and screamed to bring Casian before her immediately, forcing the aide to break out in cold sweat trying to appease her.

The moment Casian arrived at the Misty Forest, he witnessed Rihana, who had climbed onto the nest, being attacked on the back by Drabaden’s front paw. Casian ran to the front of the nest faster than light and caught Rihana as she fell outside the nest, holding her in his arms.

Drabaden, excited by the sudden human intrusion, began rampaging, and the Tarecus knights and Casian’s army joined forces to begin attacking Drabaden. Since mere humans didn’t have the ability to kill the giant monster Drabaden, they moved by avoiding Drabaden’s attacks and counterattacking, gradually backing away from the nest to escape the crisis.

When they had moved some distance from the nest, Drabaden no longer followed the humans, and only then did the Tarecus knights and Casian’s army realize that Casian and Rihana had disappeared. The Tarecus knight order immediately contacted Felton, and upon receiving that contact, Felton held his head and groaned at the increasingly complicated situation.

* * *

The day after Casian and Rihana vanished without a trace, Felton woke Raiden with the antidote the Tarecus knight order had brought. Upon opening his eyes and hearing the situation explanation from Felton, Raiden stubbornly insisted on going to find Rihana first.

“Where do you think you’re going with that body!”

“Move aside.”

Though he had just awakened and looked haggard, his eyes alone were frighteningly fierce. That showed how angry he was. Felton sighed briefly and thought he should worry about his own neck’s safety.

“Sending her to such a place in the first place, are you in your right mind?”

“It couldn’t be helped. Her stubbornness was too strong……”

“Are you daring to babble in front of me right now that you just sent off a woman who wanted to jump into a sea of fire because you couldn’t break that one bit of stubbornness, Felton?”

“……”

“If you have no ability, why are you in that position? Pack your things.”

“……”

“If you don’t find Rihana, your neck will be cut before you pack your things, so you’d better prepare yourself.”

Raiden glared at Felton with a frightening expression as he passed him and went outside, continuing to speak.

“Release the shadows.”

After Raiden left, Felton sighed long and shook his head, then turned his head slightly and quietly called someone.

“Hitaen.”

Suddenly, a man dressed entirely in black appeared with a swoosh from somewhere.

“You heard His Highness’s words, didn’t you? We need to release the shadows. As many as possible if we can. This is about finding Tarecus’s prospective princess consort. Please carry this out immediately.”

“Yes, Sir Felton.”

The man, whose eyes alone were visible through a black mask, bowed his head and answered.

Raiden, who had come to his office, confirmed the data showing that Rihana, who had vanished without a trace with Casian, was not in the Empire either, and bit his lower lip. They said the two had vanished without a trace. Since Rihana was said to be unconscious with a back injury, Casian must have taken her and disappeared somewhere.

Raiden began quickly scanning through the materials Fenor presented. Though only a day had passed since Rihana disappeared, Felton and Fenor had already searched all the places she and Casian might have gone. 

Though he had growled about their incompetence, he could clearly feel from the data how quickly Felton had run around everywhere. But what use was that if they still couldn’t find her?

“Nothing will be solved by you going out now. First taking care of Your Highness’s body would be much more helpful in finding Lady Ariella.”

At Fenor’s words, Raiden covered his face with one hand and let out what sounded like a sobbing sigh. The anguished sigh was enough to create the illusion of a beast howling, and Beriel’s heart began to ache sharply.

Since regaining consciousness, Raiden had focused solely on finding Rihana. Beriel thought that perhaps Raiden knew she was the poison culprit when he stared directly at her while talking about wine. 

He, who hadn’t sent even a momentary glance her way since awakening, had looked at her when talking about wine. And with such chillingly cold eyes.

When Raiden’s cold, resentful gaze passed by like a flash, Beriel felt like the sky was collapsing from shock, guilt, and despair.