“Now it’s done. Did you think someone like you could embrace me after losing the war against the Empress who was noble from birth? After hearing such remarks, you probably can’t let me live.”

Eva waited for Divlik’s next words. Something like, “Tomorrow your head will hang at the city gates.”

“I don’t know how you think I got this far. Former Empress.”

It was Eva’s ultimate move, completely denying and belittling Divlik’s existence, but Divlik laughed instead.

“That remark only makes me more eager. Didn’t I say I would eventually take you? Just watch. See how far a former empress can fall in the arms of someone like me with unknown origins.”

Far from shouting, Divlik kept laughing, saying this made things more interesting, and quickly rose to leave Eva’s side.

“In any case, I’ll definitely bring you Fabian’s head. It won’t be easy since he seems to be hiding cowardly behind his brother, but accomplishing difficult tasks is my specialty.”

It completely backfired. Eva didn’t have the courage to turn and face Divlik, so she remained lying down and pulled the blanket close to her chest.

“Until then, I hope you’ll understand if I continue to disturb your sleep like this?”

Divlik, who had stepped down from the bed, offered a courteous greeting that contradicted his earlier behavior, then left the room.

When the door closed, Eva finally turned over and wiped away a single tear that had formed at the corner of her eye like dew.

Did he mean he would come every day? If he came every day, could he stop at just this much? If he wouldn’t back down even with this level of provocation, would she eventually have to accept him?

Finn, who came early in the morning to wake Divlik, kept glancing at Divlik’s face and smiling to himself for some reason.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Ah…… well……”

It seemed unlikely that Finn had experienced something good that Divlik didn’t know about, yet he was acting as if something wonderful had happened.

“I heard you visited the former Empress’s bedroom yesterday.”

“And?”

Divlik got out of bed, moved his neck from side to side, loosened his shoulders, and approached the mirror. Finn responded with a voice that sounded like admiration for Divlik’s perfect body, which looked even better without clothes.

“She must have liked it, right? Even a man can see you have a body that needs no explanation.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What? Oh, I meant the former Empress. I was just saying that even though she said she hated it, she probably actually liked it.”

When Divlik continued to look confused through the mirror, Finn’s eyes widened in shock.

“Don’t tell me you went into her bedroom and just left?”

“Did you think I would force myself on a sleeping woman?”

“You should have.”

“What?”

“No. I mean…… you know. If she says she hates it, do you just leave it at that? Why? If you keep doing that, won’t people look down on you, Lord Divlik?”

“You think someone would look down on me because of my courtesy? Is that what you think, Finn?”

No. That can’t be. Absolutely not. Under Divlik’s piercing gaze that seemed to penetrate his very soul, Finn couldn’t even respond and just shook his head vigorously.

Finn approached the mirror and handed Divlik his prepared clothes while asking a question he’d wanted to ask for some time.

“Why not just take her? I don’t understand why you’re putting in so much effort, Lord Divlik.”

Divlik answered with an indifferent expression as he dressed.

“You speak as if you weren’t there when I first met the former Empress, Finn.”

“The Yarden Empire already belongs to you, Lord Divlik, and you are its Emperor. What is there in this empire that you cannot take? I wonder why there needs to be any steps before taking the former Empress that Fabian left behind……”

“Do you also think I’m a beast?”

“What? No, how could I? Don’t I know you, Lord Divlik?”

Divlik turned to face Finn directly and asked.

“Would you do it?”

“Do what?”

“If there was a woman you wanted to embrace, would you take her that way?”

“What? No! How could I……”

“Yet you tell me to do so?”

“It’s different, isn’t it? I don’t have a woman I would embrace like that. I might have women I like and want to embrace, but wouldn’t I treat such women more preciously?”

“What if that woman rejects you? If she says she would rather die than be embraced by you, what would you do?”

What is he saying? Is Lord Divlik saying he wants to embrace the former Empress because he likes her? Not just to feel like a proper conqueror?

“I would send her flowers, buy her jewels, gift her pretty dresses, and try everything to win her heart.”

Though his eyes wavered slightly at this unlikely hypothesis, Finn gave a sincere answer since Divlik had asked.

“And if that still doesn’t work?”

“Well……”

Finn paused and thought seriously about something that might never happen or might not even be possible.

Finn was still young and didn’t have the masculine appeal that Divlik possessed, but he was popular with women who preferred cute, delicate features. If not for this war, he might have already married one of them.

No, that’s not right. If not for this war, he would more likely have been living a life where death would be better than continuing as the Duke’s plaything. Having completed that thought, Finn answered honestly.

“I don’t know. What should one do in such a situation? Do you know the way, Lord Divlik?”

“You must grasp it in your hand.”

Divlik, feeling words were insufficient to express his meaning, raised his hand and clenched it in the air.

“You must use any means necessary. Once a man has his eyes set on a woman, he must possess her whether through threats or intimidation. Don’t you agree, Finn?”

“Yes, Lord Divlik.”

But wouldn’t that make the woman too pitiful?

Although he had just told Divlik to take Eva by any means, Finn couldn’t shake the feeling that it would make the woman too miserable.

In fact, he wondered if Divlik was hesitating because he didn’t want to cause Eva such pain.

A man with nothing to his name. A beast like the very embodiment of the word “wolf”—Divlik, leader of the Blue Wolves.

People described Divlik as someone who could snap anyone’s neck in an instant with his powerful body and his cold, indifferent face whose thoughts were usually unreadable. But Finn knew the truth—that Divlik was actually kinder, warmer, and more “gentlemanly” than any nobleman.

Finn had sworn absolute loyalty to Divlik not only because Divlik had saved him and Dean, but above all because Divlik was a good person. Of course, those who died by Divlik’s hand and the former Empress whose neck was now in his grasp would never agree.

“If that’s what Lord Divlik wants, then that’s what you should do.”

Despite his uncertain feelings, Finn answered affirmatively. If Divlik said so, then it was so.

“Lord Divlik. The morning meal is ready.”

A soldier appeared with a knock, announcing that breakfast was prepared.

“Let’s go.”

Finn silently followed Divlik, acknowledging that whatever Divlik said was right, yet still wondering whether expressions like “having his eyes set on a woman” or the premise “if courtesy is not enough—” actually applied to Eva.

* * *

A few days later, Hannah, who normally would knock and wait for Eva’s permission to enter, burst into the bedroom without warning.

“Lady Eva! Come quickly!”

“What’s happening, Hannah?”

Hannah was pale and already had tears welling in her eyes.

“Lord Divlik is threatening to kill someone right now.”

“Kill? Who?”

“A woman called Esther.”

Eva hurriedly covered her eyes and took Hannah’s hand to leave the room. She couldn’t understand why Esther would be in the castle or why Divlik would threaten to kill her.

As Hannah led her by the hand into the audience chamber, Divlik drew his sword as if he had been waiting for them. Eva swallowed hard at the sound of the blade being unsheathed and cutting through the air.

“You’ve come at just the right time. I was about to cut off this person’s head for spouting nonsense.”

“Esther. Are you there?”

“Your Majesty the Empress……”

Eva slowly moved her feet toward the direction of Esther’s voice. Divlik, who had been quietly watching, suddenly pointed his sword at Eva.

“Eek!”

“Lady Eva!”

Eva couldn’t see the blade coming toward her because her eyes were covered, but she could guess what was happening from Hannah and Esther’s simultaneous screams.

Eva froze in her tracks, and a chunk of her hair on the right side was cut off at neck level.

“It seems it should have been your ear cut off that time. You still don’t know your place, trying to protect someone again. I clearly warned you not to act this way.”

She could feel the cold energy of the blade just below her ear where her hair had been cut. If it moved just a little inward, Eva would be cut and bleed to death. She knew she should beg for forgiveness for Esther’s sake, but her lips wouldn’t move.

Death was something Eva had always wished for, but now that she faced it, her body froze and she couldn’t do anything.

Divlik tapped Eva’s shoulder with the blade and continued.

“In fact, it seems you’re the one whose neck should be cut off here, but tell me, Former Empress. Did you truly give this person permission to plant peach trees on the hill between the castle and Hael city?”

Finally, Eva recalled her conversation with Esther. Had her suggestion to ask for permission sounded like permission to Esther? But if she denied it now, Esther would likely die immediately. With this thought foremost in her mind, Eva still found it difficult to speak.

“No, Lord Divlik! Her Majesty the Empress only told me to ask for permission. She didn’t actually grant it!”

At that moment, Esther spoke up.

She must know that speaking rashly in this situation could get her killed. Yet she still spoke up, which made Divlik’s brow furrow even deeper.

Are all these people indebted to the former Empress for their lives? Even if the former Empress acts this way out of habit from when she was empress, why do these people fearlessly try to protect her?