Alsellon was waiting for Annelia’s body to weaken. Annelia had been eating sleeping pills laced with poison. Once addicted to it, she would slowly die. Luden would eventually get Annelia back after some time passed, but he probably wouldn’t be able to cure her.

He would grind his teeth at his own incompetence. What a sweet future.

“Truly a sweet future.”

Annelia had been ruined because of Luden, so she would resent him.

Alsellon admired his own brilliant scheme. Even if Annelia returned to Luden’s arms, she wouldn’t know anything, so this matter would fizzle out inconclusively.

He looked forward to the future ahead. A future where Luden, Annelia, and Anan all fell apart together.

“That’s the future I want…”

Alsellon drank his wine. The calm fragrance of wine entered his nose.

“Lord Alsellon.”

Just then, his butler Ikron entered. Alsellon frowned at him.

“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me?”

“A guest has arrived.”

“Who is it?”

Luden couldn’t have discovered this place already. Or maybe he had. With suspicion but no evidence.

“It’s Marquis Charlot.”

Alsellon thought he might be able to see Luden’s distorted expression.

“His Majesty has also arrived.”

“What?”

But things turned out differently than he expected.

The emperor came? Only then did Alsellon realize things were flowing differently than he had anticipated.

No, wait. This might actually work out well.

Alsellon’s expression turned cold. Since things had come to this, he just needed to devise a plan to completely destroy Luden.

* * *

Kajiian sat in a chair. Luden stood behind him as Kajiian drank tea and exhaled comfortably.

“Won’t Marquis Charlot sit as well?”

“No.”

Luden firmly refused. Kajiian nodded in understanding. From Luden’s position, Alsellon was someone he didn’t want to face again.

The drawing room door opened and Alsellon entered. He wore very splendid clothing. He seemed to have changed specifically to receive guests.

“I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.”

Alsellon bowed to Kajiian. Then he hesitated reluctantly before bowing to Luden. Luden’s expression as he looked at him held no emotion.

“Why have you come all the way to this humble place?”

“Your territory isn’t humble.”

Kajiian commanded Alsellon.

“I heard that the Marchioness Charlot is on your land.”

“No, such…?”

Alsellon’s eyes widened.

“How surprising that such a thing happened. But on what grounds do you say this?”

“Marquis Charlot said so.”

Alsellon naturally thought Luden was going on suspicion alone. So he asked him.

“Can I know who reported that such a thing happened on my land?”

At Alsellon’s words, Luden didn’t answer, and Sella spoke.

“I reported it.”

“And you are?”

“I’m called the dragon Sella.”

Why was a dragon suddenly appearing?

Alsellon was rarely flustered. His eyes were shaking.

He had heard Annelia had ties with dragons, but he didn’t expect them to step forward directly. And how did the dragon know Annelia’s location? He hadn’t heard of such magic existing.

“Aren’t you mistaken?”

Alsellon asked with a calm smile again, convinced they couldn’t possibly know what he had done.

“Are you saying the Marchioness Charlot truly isn’t on your land?”

“Of course. If she turns up in the investigation, I’ll take responsibility, but if not…”

“Understood.”

Kajiian nodded. Alsellon thought they were just making assumptions without evidence. Kajiian would never recklessly take risks.

“I permit you to investigate here.”

But it was different from the reaction he expected.

“…Your Majesty?”

“Marquis Charlot will take responsibility.”

At Kajiian’s following words, Alsellon felt uneasy but nodded.

Annelia wouldn’t be found here anyway, and Luden would have to be held responsible for this matter. The place where Annelia was located was a small island away from here. That island was uninhabited and he had discovered it by chance, so ordinary people didn’t know about it well.

Since it was in his territory, it was his island, but it wasn’t even on maps. So naturally they couldn’t find it.

Finally, the opportunity to bring down Luden had come.

* * *

I realized something was wrong with my body when I vomited blood after eating.

What did they feed me?

I was engulfed in fear. I thought I might die here without even meeting Luden.

Luden! Had he come this far? I had been continuously releasing my energy.

I shed tears and quickly used magic. This time I released my power with desperation, hoping Luden was nearby.

When I released the power I had been using sparingly, magical energy spread outward in a huge circle centered on me. Then the people in front of me suddenly clutched their chests and began crying.

They too were affected by the magic. But I didn’t care and used magic.

Luden, please come find me.

Sella caught the massive magical energy. She looked at the sky and shouted to Luden, who had been endlessly waiting for Annelia’s signal at the port.

“Annelia’s power has grown stronger.”

“Then…!”

“I think I know exactly where she is.”

“Let’s go.”

“I’ll follow too.”

The dragon family and Luden flew through the sky. Kajiian, who had been watching them, belatedly looked up at the sky. He had told Alsellon they would only investigate the port. 

He didn’t mention going to the island in case Alsellon contacted someone in advance to move Annelia elsewhere. And in case he moved separately, he stationed several knights to monitor him.

“She must be safe.”

He also deployed his knights around the area in case Alsellon’s people were attached. Fortunately or not, Alsellon knew his personality well, so he didn’t send anyone.

He seemed to believe this matter would absolutely never be discovered. If the dragons hadn’t found Annelia, that would have been the case.

Sigh. The fight between Luden and Alsellon over the position of Marquis Charlot seemed to be reaching its cl*max.

* * *

I recalled my first meeting with Luden. He was incredibly handsome, but since he was destined for the female protagonist Lorina, I deliberately tried not to keep him in my heart.

In the midst of that, I came to know Luden’s charm. How could I not love him when he cherished me?

I shed tears. After thinking I was on the verge of death, I used my power and happy moments when Luden and I met came to mind.

“I don’t want to die.”

The blood coming from my mouth was frightening. Fear arose at the thought that I might die.

Luden might not find me. Despair washed over me.

But I didn’t want to give up. I looked at those who were crying. The person in front of me couldn’t endure the pain of the past and ran out.

Now there was no one watching me. They had freed my hands and feet so I could eat.

Fortunately, I wasn’t sleepy yet. I got up, opened the door, and came out. The people who had been guarding the corridor were all pounding the floor, banging their heads, and crying.

They were all meeting their past selves.

“Those people are all the selves you abandoned.”

I said this and walked. Like punishing the self I abandoned, my past self tormented them.

How could they possibly receive forgiveness from themselves? That wasn’t for me to give.

If they were customers who came to the counseling center, maybe, but these were people who tried to kill me. I had no intention of showing them mercy.

I quickly passed them and left the building. The sunlight I hadn’t seen in a long time greeted me.

“Annelia!”

And the sound I had so desperately wanted to hear came from the sky.

“Luden…”

He had come to find me. I sat down on the ground as I watched him descending from the sky on a dragon’s back.

Thank goodness he was nearby. I cried foolishly and vomited blood before losing consciousness.

* * *

A dark red liquid flowed from Annelia’s lips. It was just like before his mother collapsed, so Luden’s complexion turned pale. He quickly caught Annelia as she fell.

“Annelia.”

He had finally found Annelia, but something was wrong with her body. She looked like she might die at any moment. A poison so potent that human-made antidotes couldn’t cure it, a poison only dragons could detoxify—they had clearly fed it to Annelia.

If Annelia hadn’t had ties with dragons… Luden embraced her as she collapsed on the ground.

“They used a potent poison.”

Sella clicked her tongue and grasped Annelia’s hand.

“Human power can’t detoxify this.”

Sella put strength into her magic power. The pale energy that had been swirling around Annelia’s body gradually disappeared. Luden looked at Annelia with sad eyes.

Annelia had suffered the same thing as his mother.

“I can’t let whoever did this to Annelia get away with it!”

Sella raged. Then Mesriten grasped her shoulder.

“This is human business.”

“But…!”

“Too much interference isn’t good. And we don’t yet know how Annelia wants to handle him.”

Mesriten was right. Luden nodded and stroked Annelia’s face.

“We will handle the Alsellon matter.”

Luden spoke firmly to them. Then Mesriten lightly patted Luden’s shoulder.

“Good attitude.”

“But what about the magic cast over the entire island?”

At Sella’s question, Mesriten replied indifferently.

“Just leave it.”

“Is that okay?”

“Annelia used it to survive. And they aren’t good people either, so we don’t need to save them.”

Mesriten said decisively. Luden held Annelia, who was breathing evenly, and returned to the port.

At the port, Kajiian had been waiting for hours for Annelia and Luden to return. When he heard Annelia had been poisoned, he was furious.

He immediately ordered the knights to launch ships and capture everyone on the island.

* * *

Alsellon couldn’t believe the current situation. In such a short time, Luden had really brought Annelia back. They shouldn’t have been able to find that place!

“How is she here!”

He quickly jumped up. He had to appear as though he had nothing to do with it.

“Everyone on the island will be arrested.”

Kajiian looked at Alsellon with cold eyes. There was a high possibility that Alsellon had ordered Annelia to be poisoned.

“Is that so? Please catch the culprit and clear my innocence.”

At Alsellon’s words, Luden bit his lip. Annelia hadn’t woken up yet, and there was no evidence to prove Alsellon’s guilt, so he just had to listen.

They might not be able to get confessions from them. Don’t expect it.

He understood why Sella had said this. Alsellon naturally denied any connection, and Luden clenched his fist as he looked at him.

How could he corner him? Of course, it wouldn’t be easy.

“A pigeon has arrived.”

At the knight’s words, Kajiian opened the door. Alsellon looked at the note the pigeon brought with fearful heart.

“Oh my.”

Kajiian clicked his tongue.

“What happened?”

“It says they’ve all gone insane.”

The note sent by the navy said that everyone on the island had gone mad. They were screaming, terrified, and only begging someone for forgiveness.

Luden recalled what Mesriten had said.

“They met their past selves and haven’t escaped yet.”

Since Annelia had only cried for about two weeks, they wouldn’t have it easy either. Annelia had escaped the bonds of the past with Luden’s help, but they might be consumed by their past selves. If that happened, maintaining their sanity wouldn’t be easy.

Would they not get confessions?

At Luden’s words, Kajiian frowned.

“What exactly are you hiding?”

“Rather than hiding, I haven’t told you.”