So much for being innocent—he was a complete pervert. Lydia giggled, and Arsen’s expression hardened.

“It wasn’t your nightgown I wanted to see.”

His voice lowered seriously, as if discussing something important.

“It was you wearing the nightgown that I wanted to see.”

Who would say such things with such a solemn face? She was so dumbfounded that she almost burst out laughing, but Lydia held it in and asked casually.

“So I look prettiest in a nightgown?”

“No, you’re prettiest when you’ve taken off the nightgown.”

“You’ve really become a pervert.”

“Thanks to whom.”

Lydia hit Arsen’s shoulder as he leaned toward her, whispering lewd jokes. Arsen caught her wrist, wrapped it around his neck, and lifted her up.

“It’s time to take responsibility for turning your husband into a pervert, wife.”

The destination was, of course, the bed.

* * *

My foolish mother. Michael inwardly clicked his tongue as he looked at Giselle, who was clearly still upset about the competition that had officially begun.

How could she believe she would receive the crown prince position after being defeated by the emperor time and again?

“The lady didn’t come today, Prince.”

Giselle murmured in a low voice as she tied a handkerchief to the tip of his bow. She was angry because yesterday Michael had acted as if he and Violet had developed feelings for each other.

“The lady is the goddaughter whom the Grand Duchess considers like her own daughter. Marrying the lady would be like gaining the Grand Duke’s faction as support, Mother.”

“That’s precisely why it can’t happen.”

Giselle’s voice rose momentarily before quickly subsiding.

“His Majesty won’t stand by and watch you become emperor with the Grand Duke’s backing.”

He knew. The emperor harbored an inferiority complex toward Arsen, whether he admitted it or not. Praise for the grand duke grew louder by the day, while songs celebrating the emperor gradually faded.

The emperor wanted to attack the grand duchy at any time, but he lacked the power to do so. He was already struggling to prevent conflicts at the borders.

Despite this, his eyes still held some lingering attachment when looking at the Grand Duchess. If he had loved her so much, why hadn’t he married the Grand Duchess instead of Mother from the beginning? Why make Mother the empress and trouble so many people?

“What if I make it impossible for His Majesty to just stand by and watch?”

Giggle giggle. His laughter, like that of a childish boy, scattered in the wind. Giselle looked at her son’s face, which she now had to look up to see, then turned her gaze to where he was looking.

At the end of Michael’s gaze stood Richard. Was he secretly seeking his father’s approval despite pretending otherwise? Or did he want to seize the throne to spite his father?

At some point, Giselle had completely lost track of what Michael was thinking. That made her even more anxious. She wondered if his desire to become emperor was genuine.

“Michael.”

Giselle called her son’s name for the first time in a very long while. Just like when she used to hold him in her arms and comfort him.

“You do want to become emperor, don’t you? Right?”

Was this something to be asked so desperately? Michael found it truly amusing and simply laughed. Her husband remained a mystery to her, and she couldn’t read her son’s mind either—how had she survived all these years as empress?

He just wanted to end it all. All these disgusting things—even if he had to k*ll to eliminate them.

“I’ll be going.”

Michael removed Giselle’s hand that was gripping his forearm. Today, he didn’t even say “don’t worry” as he usually did. An ominous feeling arose, but Giselle couldn’t stop Michael from leaving.

Just by not attending the hunting competition hosted by the emperor, there would certainly be gossip questioning Michael’s qualifications as crown prince.

“People are watching, honey.”

“If you had kissed me quickly, we wouldn’t have been caught.”

As they headed toward the tent prepared for those not participating in the hunt, a delighted voice could be heard from somewhere. Even without looking, it was obvious who it was.

Lydia and Arsen, the ducal couple, were still sickeningly sweet. Suddenly, Michael’s words came to mind. That her mother had poor judgment in men. If she had married Arsen instead of Richard, would she be the one smiling brightly over there?

It was a futile thought. Giselle quickly erased her regret. Look forward. Think only of the future. That was her secret to enduring life in this imperial palace, beside Richard. If only Michael became emperor, then she would ultimately be victorious. Over Richard, over Lydia.

“Let the hunting competition begin.”

The hunting horn sounded to start the hunt. Young nobles departed with youthful vigor, and Michael pulled on his reins a beat later. He looked back at Giselle one last time.

Their eyes didn’t meet. Giselle was looking at the emperor’s back. The back of a man who wouldn’t even accept her embroidered handkerchief. Ah, truly, how foolish she was.

A cold blue light swirled in Michael’s eyes as his smile faded.

* * *

‘Oil smell.’

After entering some distance into the hunting grounds, the smell of oil mixed with the wind. It was faint enough that someone not deliberately sniffing would not notice it.

If Arsen hadn’t heard about the oil from Violet yesterday, he might have passed by without thinking. He dismounted and ran his palm over the grass. The slippery yet sticky sensation was exactly that of hardened oil.

‘Why would someone spread oil in the hunting grounds?’

Were they planning to set a fire? Why? If assassination was the goal, arson was an inefficient method. Fire and smoke attack indiscriminately, including the assassin. That’s why it was typically a method used by close associates who would escape alongside the assassination target.

‘Could it be.’

Was Michael planning to k*ll the emperor? Even though he was his own father? In any case, oil had been spread, and nothing that happened in the imperial palace would be surprising, so it seemed best to prepare.

Arsen planned to find John and Baron Brastelma to warn them to stay at the forest entrance. That’s when it happened. Smoke began to rise from the other side.

“Fire!”

Thanks to the oil, the fire spread in an instant. It was complete chaos. Arsen covered his nose and mouth with a handkerchief and turned his horse toward the eastern part of the forest.

He galloped toward an area where the fire hadn’t spread yet. If his memory served him correctly, there should be a large pond in the middle of his path. It would be better to dampen himself with water there before moving on.

“Grand Duke Arsen!”

The pond already had a visitor. Arsen headed toward Count Bergman, whose voice burst out like a scream, cutting through the smoke.

“Please help me, Grand Duke.”

Count Bergman was groaning with an arrow in his arm.

“I’ll break the arrow shaft, so bear with the pain for a moment.”

Arsen broke the arrow shaft in the count’s arm as quickly as possible. The count, who had been suppressing his groans through gritted teeth, let out a painful cough as the arrow broke.

Arsen took him and his horse to the pond and haphazardly doused their bodies with water. There were a few others in similar situations on the opposite side of the pond.

“Where is your horse?”

“It ran away.”

“How did you end up getting hit by an arrow?”

“Prince Michael……”

So it was Michael’s doing after all. The count, who had been in pain when water touched his wound, shook his head and grabbed Arsen.

“This is no time for that. His Majesty has also been hit by an arrow.”

It had happened just minutes ago. When the fire spread, the emperor and his group fled toward the pond. Just as they were about to jump into the water, arrows rained down.

They couldn’t even enter the pond. One of the escort knights fell sideways and collided with the emperor’s horse, causing the emperor to fall as well. Bergman, who had dismounted to support the emperor, shouted.

‘His Majesty is here. Whoever you are, stop immediately… Prince Michael?’

Michael slowly walked out from behind a tree.

‘Your Highness, please don’t do this, Your Highness!’

He tried to stop him, but it was useless. Michael shot an arrow at another escort knight. The knight collapsed after being hit in the leg.

‘Don’t tell me what to do, Count. I spread oil and set the fire for this very purpose.’

‘You set the fire? Why? To k*ll your father?’

‘Yes.’

The dangerously honest answer burst forth freely.

‘You told me to compete for the crown prince position with my own abilities.’

The arrow tip pointed at Richard.

‘Is there a more certain method than removing His Majesty? His Majesty also took the throne from his brother using this method.’

Michael smiled broadly. That smile resembled Richard in a chilling way.

Arrows flew again. Bergman blocked the first arrow with his body, but the second arrow lodged in Richard’s shoulder. Fortunately, Richard managed to escape.

“We must, we must help His Majesty.”

“First, we need to get out of here. Get on.”

Arsen put Bergman on his horse and rode toward the imperial palace. Richard wasn’t his concern. But if Michael harbored any resentment toward Lydia, who had received the prophecy…!

Arsen’s movements became more urgent as he spurred his horse.

The hunting grounds were engulfed in flames in an instant. Among the people returning one after another, Lydia paced anxiously.

“The grand duke made us escape first.”

“Since he knew oil had been spread, the grand duke must have escaped safely too, Sister. Let’s hurry and get out of here.”

John and Baron Brastelma had returned first.

“Take Emily and Maria and leave. I’ll leave with Arsen.”