“No.”

Like those of a deep forest, the boy’s dark eyes became calm for a moment. Unlike his usual transparent green, his dull, muddy eyes reflected nothing.

“The timing is important, isn’t it? It happened because of you, Your Highness.”

“Your Grace.”

It was a warning tone as if to say she would not let it slide if he pressed further. But it didn’t matter. The boy almost wished she wouldn’t let it slide.

He had been like a father to him, a figure who had quickly filled the void left by the parents he had lost long ago in a carriage accident. He was always righteous, never hesitating to speak the truth. A strong, broad back he could never fully catch up to, a guide who kept him from losing his way. Like a steadfast mountain, he had believed the man would always be there. Though he had already experienced the hollow pain of losing family, he had dared to hold on to such hope. Was this his punishment for that? But how could hope itself be a sin?

“When Her Highness mentioned, Marquis Klein was with me.”

The boy could even feel the deep breath the girl took from behind her fan. The maids standing nearby began to murmur softly. He hoped those murmurs would spread farther and somehow reach someone who could save his teacher. And he hoped it wasn’t too late.

But even that was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

“It seems you’re not fully awake, Your Grace. Making such nonsense at this early hour.”

“Your Highness!”

“The Marquis was caught at the scene. He’s a criminal in the act; there’s no excuse for it.”

The boy was again at a loss for words. After his master left the mansion following their training session, he hadn’t tracked his movements. But he couldn’t imagine his master ending their training, grabbing poison, and heading to the palace to kill the Queen. His behavior had been entirely ordinary, even saying goodbye and arranging to meet the next day. There had been no hint of such a drastic decision. If he had intended such a thing, he certainly wouldn’t have stayed late to train with him, waiting for the snow to stop. Someone must have set a trap. And the girl before him, he realized, was concealing the truth. He had to reveal it. His voice turned desperate.

“There must be some other explanation.”

“Only the Marquis and I were present. Do you think I killed the Queen?”

“Of course not!”

Unable to hold back, he raised his voice. The girl kept twisting her words, steering the conversation away from the core issue. He knew she was doing it intentionally. The boy felt a profound exhaustion and despair wash over him.

“In that case, only one answer remains.”

“This is a case of regicide. It requires thorough investigation and evidence.”

“I am the evidence.”

“Your Highness.”

“Don’t act recklessly. The conclusion won’t change.”

He understood. She had already decided; a royal decision was as good as a final verdict. Knowing this made his heart ache all the more.

Then, at least tell him the reason for speaking lies. Couldn’t she at least explain it to him? Was he so insignificant to her?

She kept silent as if to confirm that, no matter how long he waited.

‘Ah, I am this worthless to her. I mean nothing to her.’

As this realization slowly took hold, he fell to his knees, helpless. And yet, he couldn’t help but plead.

“If that’s the case, please allow me to see my master one last time. I ask for nothing else.”

“…”

“As your sworn knight, I beg of you.”

“…”

“Please…”

The girl looked down at him with cold eyes as he struggled to find his words. Her golden gaze remained utterly indifferent to his desperate appeal.

“Take out Duke Effenberg.”

“Your Highness!”

“You seem very tired, so resting quietly at your estate today would be best.”

Sensing her intentions, an attendant quickly supported him and led him away. Even as he was practically dragged out, he kept calling her desperately, but she didn’t respond. The door closed firmly before him, utterly cold. Her indifference, his helplessness, and the shallow connection he had shared with the princess—all filled him with disgust. Finally, he despaired. There was nothing else he could do.

That afternoon, the long-anticipated execution of Marquis Klein was carried out. With all except the royal family barred from entry, the princess served as a witness, and the sentence was promptly administered. The Klein family’s knightly order was disbanded, and associates were rounded up one after another.

The Klein family collapsed entirely under the disgrace of the accusation that the Marquis had assassinated the Queen. Only Lette survived, protected by the title of “Saintess.” Yet she, too, had to swear allegiance to the royal family that had taken her father’s life. She was forced to renounce the Klein name and, despite receiving an empty title as a countess, became part of the royal household, destined to live her life under constant “protection,” a guise for surveillance.

People whispered in hushed voices about the disgraceful actions of the Klein family, once known for their virtue. Some could hardly believe it, while others feared it even more precisely because it seemed impossible.

Yet, despite their differing opinions, there was one thing on which everyone agreed: never fall out of favor with the royal family. People began to censor their own behavior, choosing instead to remain silent and turn a blind eye to anything related to the royal family. Thus began the reign of the second King of the Bailey Kingdom, Rigel Edgar Bailey.

When King Arphon passed away, Rigel ascended the throne as if he had been waiting for his father’s death. The prince, already known for his violent nature, revealed his proper temperament upon taking the throne. Rigel’s tyrannical rule on dismantling his predecessor’s accomplishments began earnestly following the Queen’s death.

During his nine-year reign, King Rigel left behind a variety of legacies. He began by expelling officials who dared to speak the truth, raised taxes nationwide, and indiscriminately stripped titles from noble families who opposed him.

These titles were granted instead to loyal lower-ranking nobles who paid excessive taxes to the royal family. Families with historical ties to the kingdom’s founding, though not longstanding, were erased overnight. The kingdom began to fall apart even before its system had a chance to stabilize.

At first, there were attempts to set things right. High-ranking nobles submitted petitions, urging the King to change. And then they were executed. When commoners revolted, Rigel ordered them killed rather than suppressed, and he personally hunted down and executed young noblemen who plotted rebellion. Rigel was a king who wielded a sword, and that sword was always directed at those who spoke out against him. One by one, those who voiced reason disappeared until no one remained. Silence prevailed, and Rigel was satisfied.

The atmosphere within the royal court grew tense. People worked as though walking on thin ice; occasionally, some who couldn’t bear the stifling air simply vanished. During Queen Kate’s lifetime, things had not been so utterly helpless. After King Arphon’s death, she had clearly played a role in restraining Rigel’s brutality. But it was only for a time. Following the Queen’s death, Rigel’s tyranny spread unchecked.

As the nobility’s authority diminished, the monarchy’s power grew. With a mere gesture, royals could change titles, and lives hung on a sigh. They felt entitled to their power and wielded it without guilt. Even Rigel’s only daughter, Princess Helia Bailey, was no exception.

When Queen Kate, the former mistress of the Rose Palace, passed away, Princess Helia moved from the Lily Palace to the Rose Palace. The atmosphere of the Rose Palace changed entirely. Though not overly kind, she was once a master who treated her servants without cruelty.

Though she rarely spoke kindly, she knew how to forgive mistakes, and although she didn’t smile, she addressed her maids by name. However, after her mother’s death, her temperament grew increasingly irritable, and she eventually changed utterly. Her disposition became erratic, and she reacted sensitively to everything, often punishing even the slightest mistake. She had become precisely like King Rigel.

The moment the young girl, who had grown up to rule like her father, fully revealed her nature was when she dismissed her one and only nanny.

“How dare you serve me this kind of tea?”

The delicate porcelain teacup, crafted with masterful skill, shattered ruthlessly. Ellie, the nanny drenched in tea, knelt before the trembling girl she had raised herself.

“How dare you…”

“Your Highness, it was my mistake.”

Ellie began to plead, clasping her hands. But a mercilessly cold voice followed.

“No. It wasn’t a mistake. You did it on purpose.”

Ellie could barely breathe, gasping as the girl’s golden eyes glared at her. Ellie pressed her head against the floor.

“Your Highness, please have mercy…”

The girl scoffed as if amused. In the tense silence, her chilling laughter sliced through the air.

“You dare ask me for mercy?”

“…”

“You’re wishing for something you shouldn’t even hope for.”

The girl’s shoe stepped lightly on the shattered glass, crushing it into powder with a sickening sound. No one dared wonder if she might injure herself; they only worried for their own safety, fearing the fallout.

“It’s all my fault. I beg only for my life…”

Ellie’s sorrowful sobs filled the room. No one dared intervene, only bowing their heads in solemn submission.

From the moment the princess was born—or even before—this person had been with them, serving the family. Ellie, in particular, cared for the young girl with the utmost devotion, cherishing her as if she were her own child. Now, that faithful, kind woman was grasping the hem of the girl’s dress, pleading for mercy, and witnessing it was deeply unsettling.

It had only been a single cup of tea that didn’t suit the princess’s taste—a small, insignificant mistake. Those watching could only hope their mistress would show a rare touch of compassion. But compassion was a luxury the current princess could no longer afford.

“How dare you touch me.”

“What?”

With a sudden slap, the girl struck down Ellie’s hand, which trembled as it fell away. Ellie looked up, wide-eyed with disbelief. Those who could no longer bear the sight turned their gaze away.

“So you’re afraid to lose your life, are you?”

The girl sneered, the corner of her mouth lifting in a mocking smile. It was only human instinct to want to protect one’s life, yet she mocked that instinct as if it were something vulgar. How arrogant one could be when they stood in a place where their own life was never at risk. In that instant, everyone present understood.

“What are you waiting for?”

The princess’s voice was sharp as she addressed a servant anxiously waiting beside her. Startled, the servant replied without thinking.

“Yes—yes?”

“Aren’t you going to remove her immediately?”

“Your Highness…”

“I don’t want to see her ever again.”

The nursemaid, accepting her fate, said nothing more. Servants on either side of her gently supported her, guiding her away as she quietly wept. A deathly silence fell over the room.

Someone watched from a distance. Like carved gemstones, his emerald eyes darkened as he stood rooted in place, helplessly witnessing the grim scene before him.