The noisy banquet hall receded into the distance. Roshan examined the same species of lilies blooming throughout the garden as he descended the stairs connecting the corridor and garden. Considering he hadn’t seen them during the usual lily season, they seemed to be a rare variety that bloomed only during this period.

‘Quite nice. I should have them procured.’

Unlike common varieties, the lilies blooming in the banquet hall garden had small flowers with long stamens and translucent petals. However, with many flowers blooming from a single stem, they were compact and interesting to look at, and they also lacked the typical strong lily fragrance, making them more suitable for appreciation.

“……How far do you intend to follow me.”

Roshan spoke as he stopped where lilies bloomed profusely. Then someone emerged stealthily from behind him, from a well-trimmed cypress tree.

As Roshan turned around, the person who revealed herself moved with light steps, her hands tightly clasped together. Above her pink hair, visible even at night, a net-like jeweled ornament shone like stars.

“How long has it been since we’ve seen each other alone like this……”

The woman, who spoke in a delicate voice with tears welling up, exuded deep affection. But Roshan, whose rest had been unilaterally disturbed, looked down at her expressionlessly.

“Do you know how much I’ve missed you? And how worried I’ve been? I couldn’t even sleep properly at night, thinking of Your Highness.”

Taking another step closer and sighing deeply, she looked like a forget-me-not blooming in the night garden, but Roshan still showed no reaction. Embarrassed, Liliana hesitated for a moment, then called his name with glistening tears.

“Roshan.”

“……”

“Do you still hate me? Can you still not forgive me?”

“……”

“I understand if you hate me. But it’s been how many years now?”

The woman who had been pining alone now pressed herself completely against him and raised her head. Roshan slightly furrowed his brow at the olive-colored eyes that clung to him disgustingly and stepped back.

“You know how sorry I am, don’t you? Hmm?”

Liliana’s behavior wasn’t new. Whenever they were alone, she acted like a tragically separated lover.

“And back then, I had no choice. I was young at the time…… I had to follow my father’s orders.”

Looking at the actual past, Liliana’s behavior was extremely bizarre. She acted as if she had no choice but to break off her engagement with Roshan and marry Kedrick, who became emperor, thus ascending to the position of empress, all on her father’s orders. But during her time as Roshan’s fiancée, Liliana had been secretly meeting with Kedrick, who showed interest in her.

And when it became certain that Roshan would yield the crown prince position to Kedrick and Kedrick would become emperor, she immediately married him.

The loudest voice advocating for her marriage to Kedrick was Liliana herself. Her father actually wanted to delay his only daughter’s marriage, deliberating over whether to support Roshan or Kedrick.

“I’m truly sorry. But can’t you forgive me?”

However, Liliana’s relationship with Kedrick began to crumble from the beginning of their marriage, and as soon as their relationship fell apart, she acted like the tragic heroine of a sad tale. A heartbroken female protagonist who abandoned her loved one to marry another man because of her father and circumstances. Liliana genuinely believed herself to be such a figure.

“Despite the situation, my heart has always remained the same. Back then and now, I……”

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

As Liliana tremblingly reached out her hand, Roshan stepped back significantly and addressed her by her title. She looked at him with a disappointed expression, folding her hands over her chest.

“What exactly do you want from me?”

“Oh, you know.”

Liliana twisted her body slightly and stammered. She appeared to be too shy to speak properly, but anyone could see that the beautifully adorned woman was sending subtle signals with her seductive demeanor.

“Aren’t you afraid of what His Majesty might do if he finds out?”

“That man is……!”

“……”

“Haven’t you heard the rumors? I’m no longer a woman to His Majesty. And to me, His Majesty is no longer a man. His garden overflows with women. But I don’t want to lie in the same bed as those dirty wenches. So Roshan…… couldn’t you comfort me a little?”

“I imagine Your Majesty the Empress values your current position above all else. Are you prepared to step down from that position for this?”

“That’s……”

For the first time, Liliana was at a loss for words. The title of empress. She couldn’t bring herself to answer the question of whether she could give that up. Yet she couldn’t let go of the man before her, who had once been hers.

There was only one solution. Either become empress again by marrying Roshan if he became emperor, or whisper secret love to him.

‘If Roshan becomes emperor…… my family and I would actually lose influence.’

Liliana believed the latter option was more appropriate. Roshan already had enough close associates. If he ascended to the imperial throne, her father would have to compete for power with his confidants, and she herself would bear the stigma of being an empress to both brothers, likely unable to enjoy the same power as now under Roshan’s watchful eye.

“……People in love don’t care about anything else. Let’s be like that. Roshan. Let’s not think about complicated matters and just focus on the present, the two of us. Hmm?”

Having quickly calculated, Liliana chattered in a voice sweet enough to drip honey. But Roshan, not focusing on her, muttered with a peculiar expression,

“Love…… What an embarrassing word.”

The man’s lips formed a gentle curve. And at his suddenly changed demeanor, Liliana couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, stretching her arms to embrace him.

“Don’t be shy…… Ah!”

But she failed to embrace Roshan. He twisted his upper body and moved half a step sideways, rendering her attempted hug meaningless. Then, looking at the lilies swaying in the breeze rather than at her, he said,

“His Majesty the Emperor is right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve always thought there were no particular similarities between His Majesty and myself. But it turns out we share a common disinterest in women who move between brothers.”

Liliana froze for a few seconds before her face flushed red. Had he heard the conversation between her and Kedrick in the banquet hall?

‘But we were far apart, how could he……’

Embarrassment and shame gathered on her face before quickly turning to anger. She trembled, unable to contain her fury. Roshan continued, paying her no mind,

“Please return now. I’d like to rest alone.”

“……It’s because of that wench, isn’t it?”

Roshan, who had half-turned his body, stopped at Liliana’s words. And for a moment, her eyes gleamed wildly.

“That prisoner from Sedas you’ve hidden in the tower. You may fool the emperor, but you can’t fool me.”

“……”

“A mere war trophy presented to His Majesty, yet she’s out taking walks with high knights of the imperial palace. Is Sir Frederick still guarding that wench?”

Liliana was nearly driven mad with jealousy over the fact that Roshan’s confidant Frederick was escorting Yerena. But did she know? That the man before her not only visited a mere prisoner through a secret passage connecting the Blue Palace and the tower but also stayed by her side as a guard under a false identity.

“Seeing that His Majesty hasn’t killed her despite talk of a curse, she must be quite a beauty…… But I don’t believe in curses and such. Seeing how she’s blinding you, she must be a witch! I’ll order her immediate execution……!”

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

Just as Liliana was raging about harming Yerena out of spite, Roshan called to her and moved. She flinched at the red eyes staring down at her from so close. The man’s expression remained unchanged. But a chill ran down her spine, and her survival instinct screamed at her to flee and save her life.

“My mother cherished Your Majesty the Empress. Even more than her son, me.”

Looking at the frightened Liliana, Roshan suddenly brought up the past. Camilla, Roshan’s mother and the late emperor’s empress. With her imperial crown atop dark red hair, she had exuded authority, and while endlessly hating her son Roshan, she had adored Liliana, her relative’s child, like her own daughter, summoning her to the palace daily.

Thanks to this, Liliana became Roshan’s match without much competition. Having dreamed of becoming empress since childhood, she was overjoyed when she became Roshan’s fiancée. However, as soon as Roshan and Liliana were paired, Camilla repeatedly told Liliana how sorry she was for matching her with such a monster.

Perhaps because she had heard such words from the empress since childhood. Naturally arrogant as the only daughter of a duke’s family, Liliana grew up believing herself to be a perfect woman, too precious for any man.

Additionally, after her engagement to Roshan, Liliana occasionally witnessed Camilla beating him. The act, closer to beating a disobedient beast than disciplining a child, was a cruel scene with blood and flesh splattering.

“Having seen me beaten dozens of times by my mother’s side, it’s understandable that you find me ridiculous.”

As Roshan said, Liliana began to look down on him after witnessing such scenes several times. The boy getting beaten by his mother at her feet while she ate sweet snacks seemed laughable despite him being the crown prince.

Once, while dissolving a lump of sugar in her mouth, she even thought:I should learn how to beat him before I marry that boy and become empress. That way, even if the boy becomes emperor, I’ll make him obey me.

“But…… if you witnessed my childhood up close, you should know.”

“……”

“I’m close to a beast that enjoys being covered in blood, as Your Majesty the Empress well knows. Therefore, I show no mercy to those who touch my territory, my possessions.”

But Liliana’s thoughts were shattered not long after. When was it? She had once discovered Roshan resting alone in the tower where Yerena now resided.

At that time, Roshan was holding a small white puppy that had somehow found its way in. Seeing the usually expressionless boy who showed no interest in her cradling and cooing to a puppy irritated Liliana, and she demanded he give her the dog.

However, Roshan ignored her words, and angered, Liliana went to Camilla and falsely claimed that the beast Roshan was raising had bitten her, crying crocodile tears. Camilla, who detested her son, not only took the puppy from Roshan using knights but also had it cruelly butchered.