Chapter 4.1

Three days had passed. For three days, Violet Ryle’s Moel Palace, which had been bustling with a banquet, was filled only with the blatant sounds of men and women in passion.

The sounds ceased when Violet and Dein Bates, who should have been the protagonists of the banquet, opened the door and walked out together.

It was the morning of the last day of the banquet.

“It’s not the Imperial Guard.”

Violet, standing almost leaning against Dein, looked around and said.

There were no familiar faces among those lined up guarding Moel Palace.

Dein kissed her temple and replied calmly.

“That’s right. It’s the Imperial Knight Order.”

“But… they’re not the ones I usually see.”

“They’re not from the Imperial Guard. Anyway, they’re the troops that returned with me, so they are indeed the Imperial Knight Order.”

In other words, they were his forces. It meant that now her palace was occupied by those moving for Dein Bates.

In the past three days, she hadn’t been in her right mind to think about it, but she realized why there had been no interference.

Even if they were the Imperial Guard, the dispatched troops were those who followed Dein, so neither her sister nor the Emperor, her father, could break through them.

As he said, if he set his mind to it, he had the power to take everything, so it wasn’t difficult to occupy the palace of a powerless second Princess.

“When did it change? Was it the day you came into my room?”

“I took action as soon as I returned. While I was greeting, the palace was empty, and there was no time for the first Princess or the Emperor to be on guard.”

“Did you expect the engagement to be broken?”

“I guessed that the Emperor and the first Princess wouldn’t keep their promise. But the refusal that said they couldn’t force something you disliked was a bit shocking. I had been circling like an aloof nobleman, trying to stay in your favor.”

Dein rubbed his cheek roughly against her head.

Muttering that he was glad it wasn’t true, he expressed affection by kissing her from the crown of her head to her temple, and down to her cheek, making smacking sounds near her lips.

Violet blushed at the sweet affection but couldn’t be swept away by it.

Unlike the room where they were alone, there were many eyes watching now. Usually, she wouldn’t care this much, but today, knowing that everyone guarding the corridor were his colleagues, she was more conscious.

Now that she thought about it, she noticed faces that had glanced at her during the return ceremony.

Back then, those gazes had made her feel inferior, but now she felt a strange embarrassment knowing the curiosity those eyes held for the superior’s fiancée.

“I see…”

Violet glanced around cautiously and pushed at his chest with her slender hand. Of course, it was a futile effort, as he tightened his hold around her waist.

“Lean on me. You can’t walk alone.”

“I-I can walk!”

“Even if you can walk, we’ll go like this. So you can’t run away.”

Violet stopped trying to push Dein away.

Blushing, she hesitated but eventually gave up resisting and leaned into his embrace.

“…I won’t run away.”

“Really?”

“You promised you wouldn’t back down.”

“I believe that, but it seems like there are too many people trying to make you run away.”

He looked at her with an affectionate smile, yet his tone carried a hint of distrust.

His uneasy tone wasn’t unfounded.

As they headed to the main palace to hear the Emperor’s closing speech for the banquet, they encountered the Imperial Guard, Olivia, and Evan, who had been unable to enter and were standing at the entrance of Moel Palace.

“Vivi!”

Olivia rushed towards them as if she would snatch Violet away immediately.

“What brings you here so early in the morning? You must be busy wrapping up the banquet.”

Dein shielded Violet from the fuming Olivia and spoke curtly.

Seeing her sister, who had moved away right in front of her, trapped in his arms, Olivia’s face flushed with anger.

The once confident Princess’s face was on the verge of distortion.

Olivia took deep breaths to hold back her rising anger at Dein’s actions, which seemed to claim ownership of Violet.

After considering the eyes around her and calming herself, Olivia opened her mouth, glaring at Dein’s bronzed arm that encircled Violet.

“Sir Dein. What is the meaning of occupying Moel Palace at your will?”

“There’s a misunderstanding in your words, Princess. I merely blocked entry to care for Violet, who wasn’t feeling well. It’s not wrong to take care of one’s fiancée.”

Dein replied with a voice full of mockery and demonstratively kissed Violet’s head.

Violet looked at her sister with a flushed face. However, Olivia’s gaze was fixed only on Dein.

It was the same for Dein. As Violet had always envied, the two looked only at each other.

“No matter how you dress it up, it’s nothing but a brutal and barbaric occupation. I clearly told you about the marriage, didn’t I? Isn’t it ridiculous to call Vivi your fiancée?”

“That’s right. You made it clear. After using her for three years, you wiped your hands clean when she was no longer useful.”

However, the look in her eyes up close was very different. The color of her heat was filled with intense wariness and hostility.

Although Violet had already understood it was a misunderstanding, seeing it with her own eyes made it more real.

She realized anew how frightening blind infatuation could be, having envied even this prickly and sharp relationship.

“Then what can I do? I can’t force Vivi into a marriage she doesn’t want. Think about it yourself. How lacking are you for my sister?”

Olivia forced a smile, but her words were full of suppressed anger.

She sent a look telling him to let go immediately, but Dein scoffed and held Violet tighter.

“It doesn’t matter what you think, and it’s useless. Violet has already promised not to break off the engagement.”

“What? Did you threaten her?”

For three whole days…

Olivia swallowed her words, unable to speak them, and trembled.

Dein had intentionally instructed the maids to report all the shameless news from inside.

It was almost a relief that Olivia hadn’t fainted after hearing the shameless stories for three days.

Grinding her teeth, Olivia finally turned to Violet. Her sister, trapped in the arms of a merciless giant villain, looked fragile and pitiful enough to break with one hand.

“Vivi.”

Olivia grabbed Violet’s hand and pulled her from Dein’s embrace.

This time, Olivia managed to get her more easily. As Violet moved towards Olivia’s touch, the unexpectedly firm arms let her go easily.

“Are you okay? You must have been scared all this time.”

“No, Sister. I’m really fine, so don’t worry so much.”

“What? You’re fine? That can’t be. Vivi, you didn’t really say you’d continue the marriage, did you?”

“No, I did. I promised to.”

“What? Why… are you trying to sacrifice yourself for the Imperial Family? You don’t have to worry about that.”

Sacrifice. Violet found the situation both funny and futile. What she had thought of as greed, something she had tried hard to give up, was being called a sacrifice by Olivia.

“No matter how powerful he is, you don’t have to be afraid because of that.”

Olivia whispered resolutely into Violet’s ear, holding her hand tightly.

“If you want, I’ll help you escape. What happened during the banquet is nothing. You don’t have to be scared and tied down because of it. I can sneak you out.”

“Really, you don’t have to worry, Sister. So, don’t get excited—”

“My dear Vivi. How can I not worry about you? My heart breaks thinking about how scared you must have been, threatened by such a brute for three days.”

Violet was surprised to see this side of the sister she had always admired, but these days were already full of surprises.

Moreover, Olivia’s words seemed to be escalating, so she couldn’t just stand by.

Violet deliberately smiled more gently at Olivia, who was looking at her.

“It’s not like that. I wanted the engagement in the first place.”

“What, what?”

Olivia, who had been looking at her naïve sister with pity, twisted her face in shock. This was something she couldn’t hear. It was a mistake. Her face was full of such absurdity.

“You wanted it? What do you mean? No, it wasn’t. The Emperor and I forced you, didn’t we?”

“No. It was my decision. It wasn’t forced, it was an engagement I sincerely wanted.”

“No, Vivi, you… why? Why an engagement with someone like this?”

Violet smiled awkwardly at the face that clearly didn’t understand. Yet, she blushed slightly, embarrassed to say such words, and lowered her gaze.

“Because I’ve always liked Sir Dein.”

Her voice was shy but clear and distinct. A quiet silence settled over the space that had been bustling just moments before.

Olivia’s face was much more comical than when she had been twisted with displeasure.

“…What? Say it again. Vivi. I think I misheard something.”

“You didn’t hear wrong. I… like Sir Dein.”

Olivia, who had been bustling, stopped abruptly. She turned into a broken wooden doll, stammering her words.