“Lily.”

“I said I’m going too.”

Count Kent shook his head at his wife, who gripped his arm with a determined expression.

“Please, I beg you to stay home.”

“I’m begging you not to stop me.”

Lilias shouted at the maid to quickly bring clothes.

The cozy mansion suddenly became chaotic.

⁕⁕⁕

“Your Majesty!”

“Why? Is there a problem? Are you moved by my admirable heart that works tirelessly day and night for the empire’s prosperity? I already know your loyalty well, so you don’t need to get so agitated.”

“Your Majesty! What kind of words are those!”

What led her spirit to the surface through the hazy fog that still hadn’t lifted was the irritable argument.

Elia listened to the argument entering her ears without being able to lift her eyelids even halfway.

Though no one had tied her up, her heavy body that couldn’t move at all felt like iron weights were hanging from her limbs.

“Isn’t the reason for war something you can make up as you please? Let’s package it well while we’re at it. There was a shameless person trying to sell out the country, and we can say that person was a spy sent by the emperor of Rosellern who came to scout this country.”

War? What could this mean? Elia tried to understand the argument between Casiel and Duke Harber while lying in the same fixed position. However, her heavy head couldn’t produce clear thoughts.

“How am I supposed to accept that you want to declare war based on emotion, and to someone who is still in this country, in this imperial palace?”

“Though I want to rush over right now and cut off his neck, don’t you understand the kindness of wanting to personally show him the country burning?”

“There must be a reason you’re suddenly acting like this. If you declare war on someone who just yesterday was willing to shake hands for the friendship between our two countries and say you’ll burn them all to death! It wouldn’t be unreasonable for me to mistake Your Majesty for someone else wearing Your Majesty’s mask!”

“Consider it fortunate that as the person leading this country, I’m not rushing over right now to throw a glove at that pretty face out of minimum courtesy.”

Duke Harber fell silent for a moment at the chilling voice that made his hair stand on end.

“Duke Harber, don’t you know well that considering my childhood, this current judgment is tremendous progress? What’s the problem with kindly seeing him off and kindly waiting until he returns before declaring war?”

“……Your Majesty.”

Duke Harber sighed deeply and asked.

“What will the high priest say?”

“It’s something that would have happened soon anyway, just came a little earlier, so just tell him to understand.”

“Your Majesty. Even a bolt from the blue has its limits, but suddenly marriage vows? And today at that!”

At Duke Harber’s agitated voice, Elia barely grasped one thread among her floating memories.

When you come to your senses, it will be after completing the marriage vows.

He had definitely said that.

Marriage vows. When Elia came to her senses, it would be after completing the marriage vows.

How much time had passed since then? And.

‘Am I in my right mind now?’

Elia, who had asked herself, slowly concluded that she was not in her right mind now.

She could tell that Casiel and Duke Harber were outside the thick canopy of the bed, and she could understand what they were talking about. She could tell that Casiel was mentioning something big, but she couldn’t empathize with why Duke Harber was so excited.

War. Marriage vows. I see. His Majesty intends to do that.

Even after Duke Harber left following several exchanges of loud voices, Elia just lay there blankly. She was lying there blankly like a limp doll when suddenly the canopy was pulled back sharply.

Her eyes, which had barely been able to open due to the bright light pouring into her vision, closed tightly. Seeing her frown, Casiel commanded.

“Get up.”

Though she didn’t even want to think with her own strength, the compulsion that she must follow only that command welled up. Elia struggled to prop herself up on her arms and raised her body.

Her body, swaying like a newborn fawn, collapsed several times.

As soon as she barely managed to put her feet on the floor outside the bed, her body lurched forward greatly. Casiel’s arm caught Elia’s body as it was about to fall.

“Is it hard to walk?”

“……Yes.”

“I see.”

Arms that went behind her shoulders and under her legs lifted Elia up.

“The drug will circulate for a day or two. You just need to endure a short carriage ride, so bear with it a little.”

At first glance, his words sounded considerate. However, even in her state where her emotions were empty like blank paper, Elia knew those words were contradictory.

Because he was the person who had committed merciless acts against her.

Her body being carried while embraced against his solid chest became heavy again.

Ah, this is the central staircase. And this is the first floor of the main palace. We’ve come out to the garden.

Her drooping eyelids habitually accepted the passing scenery and conveyed information to her head.

That was all. Without any emotion, thinking that she was going outside, Elia closed her eyes.

“Elia!”

If she hadn’t heard a woman’s voice from somewhere that could have been a scream or a shout, she would have fallen back into deep sleep.

“We greet Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty. That child is now……!”

“What are you doing right now?”

Voices poured out continuously in a jumbled mix.

“Your Majesty. Please let me examine her for just a moment. Please.”

“What’s the reason for even the head maid joining to block me?”

“Your Majesty. Elia’s current condition is……”

“Your Majesty, surely not truth serum……”

“Truth serum! Are you saying that child took that stuff that only prisoners take?”

The voice of shock that seemed ready to faint made her open her eyes.

What she could see were the people who had entered her line of sight. Rowell Kent. Lilias Chamber, no, now Lilias Kent.

“Your Majesty. Please stop walking for just a moment.”

It was the always kind head maid pleading with a wet voice.

“The high priest will be waiting, so this is troublesome.”

At the coldly cutting voice, the head maid’s expression became desperate. Count Kent stepped forward in front of the head maid.

“Duke Harber had a message to convey to me through Sir Turner. I need to confirm whether that truly reflects Your Majesty’s will, so I dared to block Your Majesty’s path.”

“You mean that I intend to attack Rosellern?”

“Your Majesty!”

Count Kent was horrified at the tone that sounded like mentioning an insignificant nuisance.

“It’s true, and I’m busy now, so everyone move aside.”

“Your Majesty. I am that child’s family.”

The large body that had been trying to ignore everyone and pass by stopped with a jolt at those words.

When Lilias looked at him with a challenging gaze, Casiel didn’t hide his displeasure.

“Countess. I must have clearly told you before.”

Casiel, who had carefully set Elia down on a stone chair placed in the garden, approached Lilias.

“I told you to remember the reason I show tolerance.”

Even under the threatening gaze looking down at her, Lilias didn’t avert her eyes, and Count Kent inconspicuously positioned himself between them.

“Why are you Elia Weiss’s family?”

“Your Majesty. My wife’s words are……”

“I didn’t ask you, Count.”

“Well, Elia knows that better. If she weren’t in a state of being made stupid by taking something like truth serum, she could explain it very clearly.”

At the challenging words, the surrounding air suddenly became cold as if winter had arrived.

“Lily. You should……”

“At least I’m someone who knows well that Elia would be sad about such a state of herself.”

She had to stop her.

That was closer to a sense of duty already deeply ingrained in her body rather than emotion.

Lilias Kent had a fiery personality and could be dangerously reckless without restraint. No one could stop her better than she could, so she had to do it.

Elia forced herself up from her body that seemed stuck to the chair.

Moving her disobedient feet to step forward one step at a time was a long journey. With each step, her body became strangely hot. No, were her legs hot?

As she struggled to gradually close the distance between them, the head maid, who had been restless due to the sharp war of words that seemed ready to explode at any moment, suddenly turned her head toward her.

The head maid with a pale complexion suddenly screamed. Because of that, everyone’s gaze turned to Elia.

Seeing their faces turn white simultaneously as if by agreement, Elia looked where their gazes were directed. The floor she was standing on……

Blood was flowing down between her legs, and on the floor there was already enough blood pooled to call it a puddle.

Casiel, approaching with a surprised face, seemed distant.

“Hng…… ugh.”

Suddenly, a sharp pain like being burned by fire stabbed her lower abdomen, which had been numb with dull pain. And one hot lump fell out between her legs with a thud. Even while gripping her stomach from the severe pain, she somehow felt relieved.

“Elia!”

Lilias screamed a tearing sound and ran over.

Her vision rapidly lowered. She was falling.

Anticipating the great pain that should naturally follow, Elia relaxed all the strength in her body. Though it was a body that had no strength in it to begin with.

And then darkness.