‘I want to quickly fill my stomach and crawl into the coffin to sleep.’

At night, the holy knights were more relentless in their search for her, so she couldn’t let her guard down for even a moment.

And what was even more frightening than that was the sun. It would soon be dawn.

“Master?”

This time, the window opened.

Janet immediately went inside.

Unbelievably, Lou was sleeping. Her bedroom, without even a single lamp lit, was in complete darkness.

She must have been in a deep sleep, as a steady, soft breathing could be heard.

Janet forcibly resisted the urge to scratch her nails.

‘To such a helpless girl…….’

Her teeth ground involuntarily.

A young human, still smelling of milk, could be harmed at any time. Though the price would be heavy, it wasn’t impossible to break the covenant entirely.

But it wasn’t the right time yet.

Janet’s gaze turned to the man sitting by the bed. He must have been the one who opened the window. He was looking down at the sleeping Lou with his back to Janet.

Living humans cannot see death.

Because they lose their life the moment they face death. Thus, since coming to the human world, Shahar only revealed his true form in perfect darkness.

Since Janet belonged to the darkness, she could see Shahar without any hindrance even in a place where not a single ray of light penetrated.

She knelt on the floor and respectfully called out to the man.

“Thank you for your help, Your Majesty.”

If Shahar hadn’t hidden her quickly, she would have been discovered by Gined Roengreen and burned at the stake by now.

The thought made her shiver.

“Yes.”

Janet endured the suffocating pressure and bit her lip.

Even though she possessed strong power, being in the same space as the revealed King of the Underworld was overwhelming.

‘They said humans had taken over Mount Acheron, but they didn’t mention such a big shot was there! If I had known, I wouldn’t have set foot in this damned city.’

Just seeing his back made her feel like her whole body was being crushed.

Moreover, she was a vampire who had defied the natural order and escaped mortal life. That was why she hadn’t recognized Shahar’s identity when she first saw him.

“But with the silver-haired holy knight tracking me, I don’t know how long I can stay by the lady’s side.”

“If you do not betray her, nothing you worry about will happen.”

Realizing it meant he would grant her his protection, Janet prostrated herself on the floor. Instantly, her hunger vanished as if it was a lie.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Janet hesitated before speaking again.

“I know you do not look favorably upon the holy knight. But rest assured. The lady will never be able to seduce him.”

Janet knew well about Gined Roengreen.

A few years ago, she had almost been purified when she failed to seduce him.

She was famously attractive even among the vampire clan. That stubborn man who hadn’t fallen for her charms wouldn’t fall for a girl who still smelled of milk.

“Why?”

“Because I taught her the wrong method. Even if a hundred years pass, she won’t win his heart that way.”

Though she had suffered from that little girl’s ignorant act of stuffing garlic into her mouth, Janet would have made the same choice if she went back.

The one she truly needed to win over was not Lou but Shahar.

“She will be heartbroken if she finds out.”

Shahar said in a genuinely regretful tone.

Janet was dumbfounded.

‘Could it be that he values that girl’s feelings more than himself? Had he gone mad from spending too much time in the Underworld?’

Janet couldn’t understand Shahar’s thinking.

Why would the master of death give his heart so much to a human with a finite life?

Lou Dronay was just as strange. Though Gined Roengreen was attractive, he was still just a human.

‘Living with the King of the Underworld and turning her eyes to another man? Is she an idiot?’

“If she wants another man, I must let her go.”

“Why do you worry about such things? The lady has a head, ah, no… the master is wise, so she will surely want to stay by your side.”

Shahar did not answer and reached out to Lou.

Before his fingers could touch her warm, soft skin.

“Mm… Janet, you’re here?”

Lou mumbled with her eyes closed, perhaps sensing someone else’s presence.

Shahar hesitated and then withdrew his hand.

Feeling like she was witnessing a secret scene she shouldn’t see, Janet turned her gaze away.

“Yes, Master.”

“Alright. Go and rest… let me know if you’re hungry.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Lou fell back asleep.

Janet bowed once more to Shahar before getting up.

Just before she turned into mist and left, she glanced back at the bedroom, but the man’s figure was no longer visible.

The suddenly lit bedside lamp drove away the darkness, and instead, a black stone lay alone on the nightstand.

***

After Gined’s visit, I couldn’t sleep for several nights. Finally, a sprout of hope had sprung between Gined and me. The world had never looked so beautiful.

When I closed my eyes, our happy future unfolded.

Gined had to give up everything he had built over his lifetime to meet me. He kindly comforted me, who felt heartbroken about it. He said he could give up that much for me.

Moved, he kissed me passionately.

It was the moment we confirmed our love…

“Young lady, young lady!”

“What?”

I glared fiercely at the butler who interrupted my happy imagination.

“His Majesty the Emperor has summoned you. He commands you to enter the palace immediately.”

“Now? Why so suddenly?”

“I don’t know that either.”

“Do they think I’m some dog that comes and goes at their beck and call?”

Grumbling, I headed for the palace.

After a few pleasantries, the Emperor got to the point.

I thought it must be something significant for him to summon me suddenly, but it turned out to be nothing much.

“I heard you found a portal to the Dragon’s Lair.”

“It’s still just a speculation. And I heard they haven’t found the magic to use the portal yet.”

“Isn’t there a sage from the Underworld by the lady’s side? Can’t you find a way by asking him? I have no other intentions. Finding the lair quickly will make the empire more prosperous.”

Lies.

Even if the lair was found, there was no way the Emperor would reveal them to the world.

It was clear he intended to keep the enormous treasures all to himself, without worrying about taxes or explaining their origin.

“He has been in the Underworld for so long that he doesn’t know much about this world.”

I answered that he didn’t know and withdrew, but I was just as curious about what treasures might be buried in the Dragon’s Lair.

After meeting the Emperor, I subtly asked Shahar.

“Since you’ve lived a long time, you must have been to a dragon’s lair, right? Even if not Enril’s lair.”

“Yes.”

“It must be dazzling, right? There would be treasures from other races too.”

“Some of the dragon’s treasures should never fall into human hands. It’s also a dangerous place for humans to enter.”

Unlike usual, he avoided my question.

No matter how many times I pestered him, it was the same.

But I still had a trump card. It’s called Ouija. If the coal won’t tell me, I’ll ask the gods.

A little later, when I visited the Crown Prince’s office, a dazed Pinion greeted me.

“Lou?”

“What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

Even I, who had been genuinely injured, had recovered long ago, but his condition seemed worse.

His complexion was pale, and his dark circles almost reached his cheeks. Moreover, despite it still being daytime, the office reeked of alcohol.

“Have you been drinking in the office? In broad daylight?”

The Pinion I knew wasn’t like this. He was a workaholic who prioritized national interests over everything else.

Even when Lina ran away in the original story, he never skipped a day of work.

“I have nightmares every night.”

He still seemed like a person intoxicated by a fairy’s dream.

There was no way he could properly prepare for the ritual like this.

“I’ll come back when you’re more clear-headed.”

As soon as I decided there was no need to stay any longer, I turned around.

But I hadn’t taken more than a few steps before I was grabbed. Strong, long arms reached out from behind and hugged me tightly.

“Don’t go.”

“Why, why are you doing this?”

I reflexively tried to shake off his hand, but it didn’t budge.

Pinion’s head rested on my shoulder.

“Lou…”

“If you keep doing this, I won’t just stand—”

Suddenly, Pinion collapsed.

“Your Highness!”

The attendants hurried inside at my cry.

They quickly moved Pinion to the rest area attached to the office and summoned the imperial physician.

“He’s fallen asleep.”

“What?”

I was dumbfounded by the diagnosis.

“He’s been overworking himself. Even a descendant of the gods would collapse if they pushed their body this hard.”

I see, he had been working day and night, traveling back and forth to Mount Acheron for months.

Since childhood, he had always been crushed by excessive duties, so it was no wonder his personality was a mess.

I tried to leave quietly so as not to wake him.

But before I could fully stand up, Pinion grabbed my hand.

“Don’t go, Lou…”

He still had his eyes firmly closed. His handsome brow furrowed slightly.

“Your sleep talk is quite troublesome, Your Highness.”

Delicately built yet incredibly strong, he showed no sign of letting go even in his sleep.

With no other choice, I sat back down.

“I was wrong.”

He muttered in his sleep.

I could guess what kind of dream he was having.

I snapped at the sleeping figure.

“Who told you to betray me?”

The sleeper gave no response.

While waiting for him to let go, I too eventually dozed off.