The door soon opened.

“Sister? Are you still feeling unwell?”

Thinking I was sick, Iscallion pulled down the blanket to check my condition.

When I instinctively avoided his touch and trembled, he bit his lip hard.

“I have no choice. This is partly your fault, Sister. If you didn’t intend to tame me, you shouldn’t have embraced me in the first place.”

I wanted to protest that he was the one who followed me from the start, but since I had allowed it, I had no right to complain.

For now, it would be good to figure out Iscallion’s intentions while staying here, but if things got difficult, escaping quickly should be my priority.

“Did someone come by?”

Iscallion suddenly looked around.

“How could they? I don’t even know where this place is.”

“That’s true.”

When I sighed with a gloomy expression, Iscallion awkwardly tried to comfort me.

“If you stay quietly by my side, I’ll return Seren to you.”

His words made my eyes widen.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you, Leon.”

Iscallion’s eyes wavered. Despite feeling betrayed, it seemed he still had affection for me.

“You don’t have to love me. If you choose to stay by my side, we can be happy.”

We? Not me, at least.

Talking about happiness after kidnapping me like this.

Now I understand.

Why dealing with Iscallion had been so easy until now.

He was never tamed in the first place.

He just wanted me and followed me because he considered me his superior.

I lowered my eyes in distress.

* * *

Gined found the Crown Prince as Lou had requested.

Even upon hearing that Count Philip was the Grand Duke of Pontos, the Crown Prince’s expression remained unchanged.

“I only thought he was a lackey of Pontos, not the Grand Duke. I didn’t like him from the beginning.”

More than that, the Crown Prince was displeased that Lou had informed Gined first.

Less trustworthy than a holy knight from another country. Pinion smirked.

He had long known he didn’t matter to Lou, but confirming it always left a bitter taste.

“We have searched all places except those not permitted by Pontos. Further searching is meaningless.”

Gined said dryly.

“Places not permitted would be the top floor of the main castle where the Grand Duke’s bedroom is and the underground prison. Which do you prefer, sneaking in or using force?”

“The latter.”

“Then let’s do the former.”

“….”

They decided to divide and search their respective areas. The Crown Prince would search the underground prison, and Gined the main castle.

As soon as the decision was made, they immediately headed to their assigned areas.

* * *

After passing several rooms without any gains, Gined finally found what seemed to be Iscallion’s bedroom.

The bedroom was more spacious and luxurious than any other place in the castle. However, it was in disarray as if someone had hastily packed and left.

‘Could it be that the Grand Duke has fled?’

As he looked around the chaotic bedroom, a possibility suddenly came to Gined’s mind.

Someone might have been here before him.

And there was only one person he knew who could do such a thing.

Without hesitation, Gined turned towards Lou’s bedroom.

It was empty. Even Shahar, who was always by her side, was nowhere to be seen.

Something was wrong.

Gined felt his heart sink for the first time in a long while.

* * *

The Crown Prince carefully observed his surroundings with a wary eye.

For some reason, all the guards in the prison were down. Thanks to this, he easily found the keys by searching the unconscious guard’s body.

Just as he opened the thick iron door, a blinding light burst from inside.

He instinctively shielded his eyes, and once the light subsided, he hurried inside.

The missing people were lying, looking dead inside the narrow cell. Among them was Seren.

The Crown Prince quickly approached her to check her condition. Thankfully, she was breathing.

He tried to lift her, but black vine-like things were wrapped around her body.

After examining them for a moment, the Crown Prince realized they were part of a large summoning circle drawn on the floor.

The vines were so tough that even his considerable strength couldn’t cut through them.

Moreover, the more he tried to break the summoning circle, the worse Seren’s complexion became. The Crown Prince realized the summoning circle was draining the life force of the missing people.

Realizing he couldn’t do anything alone, he decided to join up with Gined.

He was just leaving the underground prison when Gined appeared.

“Hey, you won’t believe what I saw down there….”

Seeing Gined’s pale face, the Crown Prince trailed off.

After a moment, Gined spoke in a trembling voice.

“The lady is gone.”

* * *

At first, the Crown Prince didn’t believe it. But once he realized it was true, he almost lost his sanity.

It was obvious who had taken her.

Though Gined didn’t show it, he was equally distraught.

“Think rationally. The Grand Duke of Pontos favors Lady Dronay, so he won’t harm her for now.”

“How can you be so sure! That family has been mad for generations!”

“I understand Your Highness’s feelings, but getting agitated won’t help. Besides, isn’t Shahar with the lady?”

Even as he spoke, Gined’s knuckles turned white from clenching his fists.

Noticing this, Pinion let out a small laugh but gradually regained his composure.

Gined was right. As a man in love, he knew that Iscallion wanted Lou’s affection, not her life.

The Crown Prince’s breathing returned to normal.

Once his excitement faded, guilt set in.

When he kissed Lou, he knew from the start that Iscallion was watching.

Kissing her so boldly had been a mistake. It had provoked that youngster.

He had suspected he was a Pontos agent but hadn’t expected him to be the Grand Duke.

If he knew, he would have been more cautious. But it was too late for regrets.

What was even more frustrating was the secret envy he felt for Iscallion.

He had done what I always only thought about.

“Damn….”

The Crown Prince took a deep breath and buried his face in his hands.

It felt like a waking nightmare.

* * *

The content of his nightmares was always the same.

Pinion was no longer surprised and simply watched the scene unfold before his eyes.

A woman lay collapsed in front of Lou.

Pinion didn’t spare a glance at the woman and instead looked at Lou. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying so much.

“Stop this foolishness and come here.”

“And if I go? Are you going to kill me?”

“Of course not. You are my one and only fiancée.”

Lies.

Lou whispered silently.

She knew it too. The Crown Prince needed that woman, Lina. Regardless of the Crown Prince’s strong abilities, the decline of the imperial family was inevitable as the divine bloodline gradually thinned. To prevent this, they had to have a child with the girl from the oracle.

A strong and perfect heir. That was something Lou could never provide.

Lou tried to understand. It’s the way of the world to gain one thing and lose another.

So she believed that either the Crown Prince’s love or the position of Empress would be hers.

But the Crown Prince discarded her like trash.

He always said that it was unacceptable to ruin plans with personal feelings.

Knowing all this, she still dared to harm the woman who would be Empress.

She was prepared to be unforgiven.

Even though she had received the oracle, Lina was a commoner of unclear origin.

There were many nobles who opposed making her the Crown Princess over a noblewoman who had stayed by the Crown Prince’s side for ten years. The Crown Prince Lou knew would take this opportunity to punish her severely as an example.

Lou guessed the Crown Prince’s plan quite accurately.

But she didn’t realize that she was more naive than she thought and the Crown Prince more ruthless.

Lou believed her life alone would be a sufficient price, unaware that the Crown Prince intended to completely crush the overly powerful Dronay family.

The foolish Lou slowly stood and approached the Crown Prince.

Just before the blade fell on her slender neck, the Crown Prince spoke.

“If I were given another chance, I’d love you then. With all my heart, only you.”

At those words, Lou lifted her head. Her eyes, staring at Pinion, were filled with poison. But soon, tears welled up and flowed down.

“If I get another chance, I will never love Your Highness. Giving my heart to Your Highness was the biggest mistake of my life.”

Pinion smiled bitterly.

“Yes, make sure you do.”

Pinion then swiftly beheaded Lou, holding her head high.

For the sake of the imperial family, for the empire.