“The disappearance of commoners, is it?”

Raylin tilted her head slightly.

The words she had said earlier were being repeated, but what caught her attention was the aura of ‘certainty’ that had appeared beside Aiger.

Certainty? About what?

Before she could ask, he spoke first.

“I know where they are.”

“What?”

What in the world is he talking about now?

As confusion layered upon confusion, Raylin could only blink.

Meanwhile, Julia—who had remained silent since her introduction—suddenly lifted her head.

She wanted nothing more than to immediately press for answers—where, when, and how had he seen the children? Were they safe? What exactly had happened? Hurry and speak!

But the one before her was none other than the Crown Prince, whose reputation for bloodshed extended beyond the empire and across the continent. A man feared for his ruthlessness.

Though her first impression hadn’t seemed as monstrous as the rumors suggested…

“Even if the same noble blood flows in their veins, those from a higher realm are incomprehensible. Be careful.”

Julia had not forgotten her father’s face, shadowed with worry as he repeatedly cautioned her.

Then, as if reading her growing impatience, Theron spoke up.

“Forgive my impertinence, Your Highness, but may we hear the details?”

He, too, had long been aware of Aiger’s grim reputation, yet he paid little heed to such things.

His reasoning was simple.

If the Crown Prince’s cruelty was real, he would strike him down. If not, there was no need to concern himself with it.

Besides, if Aiger were truly the kind of man who indiscriminately wielded his sword and harmed others as the rumors claimed, then there was no way Greuga’s young lady would feel so at ease around him.

Having already dismissed the rumors as baseless, Theron’s question was respectful yet direct.

Aiger observed him briefly before leisurely reclining against the sofa.

“I could speak, but what reason do I have to trust the duke?”

Theron stiffened, as if taken aback by the entirely unexpected response.

Raylin, too, glanced between Aiger and Theron, tilting her head in confusion.

Why is he in such a bad mood?

He had seemed so pleased when he entered the greenhouse that she had assumed the conversation would go smoothly. But clearly, she had been completely wrong.

Did Theron somehow offend Aiger?

Raylin nodded to herself. It was possible.

After all, isn’t the classic male lead always cold to the world but warm only to his woman?

Theron fit that mold perfectly, making it understandable why Aiger wouldn’t view him favorably.

Raylin came to her own conclusion based on what she believed to be sound reasoning, but in truth, none of it was correct.

Well, except for one thing—Aiger was indeed in a foul mood.

Thanks to the imperial custom that required engaged couples to meet at least once a month to maintain their betrothal, he had planned to use this opportunity to officially enjoy a date with Raylin outside the palace.

Of course, before realizing his own feelings, he hadn’t exactly thought of it as a “date”…

Regardless, he had been looking forward to spending time alone with her, only for uninvited guests to barge in. How could he possibly be pleased?

Technically speaking, since a “date” was meant to be just the two of them, the fault lay with Raylin for bringing others along.

But blinded by love, Aiger would never blame her.

In fact, he had already forgotten Julia’s presence entirely after exchanging greetings with her.

The only one who bothered him was Theron.

Duke Lucart…

As far as Aiger knew, he had little to no connection with Raylin, so why had he come with her?

And to a place like this, no less.

In truth, their meeting was more of a business arrangement than a date, given that their engagement was politically driven.

Theron knew this, which was why he had agreed to Raylin’s suggestion to meet the Crown Prince together.

Raylin, too, did not consider this meeting a “date.”

With each of them harboring different thoughts and intentions, it was inevitable that the conversation would not proceed smoothly.

After a brief pause, Theron, having considered Aiger’s ambiguous response—whether it was an interrogation, a rebuke, or mockery—finally spoke.

“What do you mean by trust? I am a duke of the empire and have lived a life free of any suspicion. If you doubt my loyalty, I swear my devotion to the empire here and now.”

His statement flowed smoothly, almost effortlessly, drawing an admiring glance from Julia, while Aiger raised a single eyebrow.

Meanwhile, Raylin remained silent, unable to say what she truly wanted to:

That man is the male lead of 『Re.Vil.Bre』! He may be many things, but he is not a villain!

After all, if anyone was the villain, it was Aiger himself.

Still, Theron was genuinely a good man…

In her previous life, he was the person she had clashed with the most after Catherine. He was, in the truest sense, a man of unwavering principle.

His strictness applied not only to himself but equally to others, making him appear cold and unyielding.

And he had died at the hands of Catherine, who was driven mad by paranoia.

Looking back, there was no way a man like Theron wouldn’t have realized the tea was poisoned.

“Drink every last drop. I prepared it just for you.”

Yet he had drained the cup anyway, simply because Catherine had told him to.

Raylin, who had been among those who witnessed his final moments that day, had felt an undeniable sense of pity for him.

Of course, that was a past he himself could never know—a future that would never come to pass.

Noticing Raylin gazing at Theron with eyes unconsciously misting over, Aiger’s irritation only deepened.

“I do not doubt the duke’s loyalty to the empire. But that does not mean I am obliged to explain my affairs to you.”

Even as he spoke, Aiger was fully aware.

He was being petty and childish.

He was needlessly pressing Theron over something entirely unrelated to the matter at hand.

But so what?

What kind of man would stand idly by when the woman who had taken root in his heart looked at another with such a sorrowful gaze?

Theron, unable to pry open Aiger’s head and look inside, concluded that the crown prince was far more cautious than expected.

Though it wasn’t exactly incorrect, in this situation, he had completely missed the mark. With a solemn expression, he asked,

“Then what must I do?”

“First, I need to know why you’re getting involved in this matter.”

“I will explain.”

Theron recounted everything, from the circumstances of the port where the trade ships were built to meeting Julia and inspecting the surrounding villages. Of course, he did not mention the elixir of immortality. He knew that matter had to be handled with even greater secrecy.

However, Aiger, who listened without interruption, had already discerned the part Theron deliberately omitted—the elixir of immortality. Aiger knew far more than Theron, so making such a deduction was simple.

The subordinate tasked with cleaning up the horrific laboratory had reported back, his face etched with exhaustion and disgust.

“Almost all of them are dead. The ones who remain… I know I shouldn’t say this, but honestly, death might be kinder. To think they experimented on babies and children…”

He had already gathered substantial evidence proving the gruesome experiments conducted for the elixir of immortality. However, he couldn’t grasp the full scope of the operation. The groups leading the experiments frequently changed, and the emperor’s involvement ensured that no one but himself had access to the true blueprint of the elixir.

“…Thus, I am working to identify the missing individuals and personally—”

“That’s enough.”

Aiger raised a hand, cutting Theron off. He then turned his gaze toward Julia, who had been standing slightly behind. Until just moments ago, he had completely forgotten she was even there. But since Theron had glanced at her several times while speaking, Aiger was now fully aware of her presence.

“You’re Julia Everett, correct?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Julia, visibly tense, answered politely. Aiger gave a slight nod.

So that’s how it is.

The moment he called her name, Theron’s gaze followed instantly. And Aiger couldn’t possibly fail to understand the meaning behind that look.

It was the gaze of a man in love.

Meanwhile, he had been burning with jealousy over Theron, who was obliviously trailing after Raylin. A hollow feeling swept over him.

Still, the sense of satisfaction outweighed his disappointment, making him feel even more pathetic.

Well, in any case, this should be enough sulking.

Now that the discomfort in his chest had lightened, Aiger willingly shared the information he had. Of course, he skillfully concealed any mention of the elixir of immortality.

Though Duke Lucart seemed to know something, Raylin and the young lady of House Everett were clearly unaware. There was no way he would let Raylin find out about something this filthy and vile.

As he wrapped up his explanation, Aiger added,

“…So, I plan to meet their families myself. I will start by reaching out to those who can still be contacted…”

“You’re going to meet them in person, Your Highness?”

Shocked, Julia blurted out in a loud voice before quickly covering her mouth in embarrassment. Aiger didn’t reprimand her for the outburst and simply nodded.

“Yes. As someone in a position to protect them all, I must at least extend the minimum courtesy.”