Joanna and Marilyn hoped it was a joke, but unfortunately, Sezlin was serious.

‘I really can’t tear her apart either.’

Sezlin, turning the pages of her book, leisurely shook her head.

Her neatly upturned lip corners showed a strange pleasure. How enjoyable it had been to see that distorted face earlier. She quite liked how Violet wanted to get angry but held back for her purpose.

‘What should I do?’

As Ludwig said, the simplest method was force. From Sezlin’s perspective, that was also the easiest approach.

But the other side was also nobility. If she dealt with her carelessly, it would only harm her reputation.

It’s amazing that there’s any reputation left to lose.

What Sezlin wanted wasn’t a clean resolution. Rather, her goal was to leave something unsettling, or in simple terms, to leave room for doubt.

That way, the Duke would be more anxious.

‘I’ll have to wait until he takes direct action.’

After driving Violet away, who would they send next? For the time being, they probably wouldn’t send assassins, and perhaps the Duke himself might visit.

‘If the Duke comes, I welcome it.’

His personal visit would mean he had used all his cards, or that a situation serious enough to warrant his presence had arisen.

When Ludwig bought the mine. Then, he would probably come.

‘I shouldn’t drag this out too long.’

She had no hobby of keeping pests instead of squashing them. Violet’s purpose was surely to monitor her. Though she wouldn’t do anything that could be criticized, variables always existed. To prevent that bug from hatching eggs, she intended to root it out completely before the auction.

“Let’s go back.”

The novel she had opened for show wasn’t to Sezlin’s taste at all. A man and woman meet dramatically and fall in love like a predetermined course. She couldn’t understand why people liked such things.

‘I should have read a history book instead.’

Anything would have been better than this.

Closing the book, Sezlin stretched her long legs. Her high heels stepped on the neatly polished marble.

“Oh my.”

The sound of heels and a gentle voice overlapped unintentionally. Her footsteps abruptly stopped.

“M-my lady.”

Joanna subtly called out to Sezlin.

It would be against etiquette to ignore him, regardless of who he was. Sezlin knew this fact as well.

But unlike her mind, her body refused to move. The familiar yet vulgar voice plunged Sezlin’s mood into the abyss. After a brief silence, Sezlin hugged the book in her arms.

Her steps, which had been heading toward the palace, forcibly changed direction.

“I greet His Highness the Second Prince.”

* * *

Friedrich silently stared at the woman who had bowed her head to him. And when Sezlin straightened her posture, he finally spoke.

“We met two days ago.”

For someone who had sent an assassin, it was an excessively polite greeting. Well, even when April died, he had pretended to be immersed in sorrow on the surface. There probably wasn’t a field he was more confident in than deceiving others. Sezlin firmly composed her twisting lips.

“What brings you here?”

“I was just passing by and happened to see the lady.”

‘B*llshit.’

Even excuses should have limits.

It wasn’t worth responding to.

Moreover, weren’t Friedrich’s palace and this place in opposite directions? No matter where he was going, there was no reason for him to come to the First Prince’s palace. Even to reach where the Second Empress was, it would be faster to cross the training grounds.

“Since you’ve come all this way, would you like to have some tea?”

“That’s alright. I need to go to class soon.”

“Oh, that’s a shame.”

Not at all.

For once, a response she liked.

But it was still too early to relax. Sezlin focused on a single word that came from Friedrich’s mouth.

“Class? You’re quite diligent.”

In fact, Sezlin knew what kind of classes he was taking. He had established himself as a prince before Ludwig, and his mother was the real power in this palace.

Isn’t it obvious?

“Thankfully, I’ve decided to study imperial studies starting today.”

“…Oh my.”

Responding a beat late, Sezlin slowly rolled her eyes. Of course, she wasn’t surprised by his answer.

‘As if it’s new.’

In the past, this was exactly when Friedrich had studied imperial studies. There was no need to be surprised now, so what was needed now was…

“So the rumors were true.”

The best she could do was pretend not to know.

“What rumors?”

His sharply raised eyes folded suspiciously. The gleam beneath his eyelashes flashed as if trying to grasp the point of her words.

His slightly dry lips moved softly.

“The rumor that Your Highness the Second Prince is a once-in-a-generation genius is already famous in social circles.”

“…I didn’t know such an embarrassing rumor was circulating.”

“How is it embarrassing? If you’re starting imperial studies…”

At Sezlin’s words, Friedrich’s expression momentarily became strange. Though it was a simple response, he instinctively felt something was off.

Sezlin, who didn’t want to continue the conversation any further, bowed lightly.

“It would be impolite to keep a busy person, so I’ll take my leave now. Please return safely.”

A well-honed gaze swept over her exposed white nape. An inexplicable smile settled on Friedrich’s lips.

“I hope we can have tea together in the future. After all, we’re family now.”

“…Anytime.”

Fortunately, she was bowing her head. Otherwise, the worst mishap would have occurred—showing her rotten expression directly to Friedrich.

‘Family?’

Her jaw, stiff as stone, began to tremble with anger. Who was talking about family to whom?

‘After what you did to April.’

Even if it was before the incident, that heinous nature couldn’t have changed. The hand holding the book trembled slightly. Something heavy choked her throat.

She needed to respond quickly. But if she raised her head, all the composure she had maintained so far would crumble at once.

With no choice, Sezlin closed her eyes deeply and then opened them. She told herself she needed to calm down, that she needed to endure calmly.

Having somewhat subdued her feelings, Sezlin raised her upper body. Or rather, she tried to raise it.

“I wondered where you went, but here you are.”

“!”

“Found you.”

The hand gripping her shoulder was like a net. The strength that held her firmly, preventing escape, lifted Sezlin’s head.

“Sezlin.”

Ludwig, who had embraced her shoulders, looked down at his fiancée. The name called calmly carried an indescribable weight.

“Brother.”

Friedrich’s gaze briefly swept over her small shoulders. When eyes similar to his own scanned her, Ludwig unconsciously felt displeasure.

“Have you finished exchanging greetings?”

Sezlin, glancing at Friedrich, moved her lips. But as if there was no need to hear the answer, Ludwig’s action came first.

“!”

When she came to her senses, a solid figure stood before her eyes. Ludwig, who had completely enveloped Sezlin like a mother bird protecting its young, immediately turned his back.

…Is he really leaving like this?

“Your High… No, Ludwig.”

“What?”

‘What do you mean, what?’

At his confident retort, Sezlin was rather at a loss for words. It had the nuance that he didn’t understand what he had done or what was wrong.

At this moment, Ludwig turned around. Belatedly noticing Friedrich, he said with a stoic face:

“Tea time.”

Well.

“It seems it will be difficult.”

That was it. As if the business was concluded, Ludwig moved without delay.

The scenery changed rapidly with his hurried steps. Exhaling emptily, Sezlin struggled to keep up with Ludwig’s pace. Though his steps were adjusted for her, her legs simply wouldn’t gain strength.

Sezlin placed her hand on the one embracing her shoulder.

“Ludwig.”

“Let’s talk inside.”

And until they actually entered the palace, Ludwig didn’t look back even once. As if he had completely forgotten that Friedrich was there. Focusing only on Sezlin, Ludwig led her to the room.

As soon as the door closed, Ludwig turned his gaze to Sezlin. During the time he brought her to the palace, Sezlin, who had somewhat regained her composure, removed the hand attached to her shoulder.

“Thank you.”

“Did that bastard spout nonsense again?”

“No. Nothing happened.”

What if he saw her face? Sezlin moved a bit faster. However, the moment she completely turned her back, Ludwig’s hand once again caught Sezlin. Exhaling a sigh, Sezlin spoke as if confessing:

“Nothing happened. We just exchanged greetings. He said he was dropping by while passing.”

“You heard b*llshit.”

Ludwig, who also knew the palace geography, coldly ignored his brother’s excuse.

“What else did he say?”

“Nothing.”

Sezlin wanted to leave this place quickly.

She hadn’t done anything wrong or had anything to feel guilty about, but Sezlin found this situation uncomfortable. She had momentarily revealed her true self, and Ludwig had arrived just then.

She had calmed down on the way, but it was inexplicably awkward.

“But why is your face like that?”

“…What’s wrong with my face?”

Her blue eyes, which had quickly shaken left and right, were soon covered by her eyelashes. At that moment, pitch-black darkness fell before her eyes.

Startled, Sezlin took a step back. A sharp nose bridge was right in front of her.

Ludwig, examining her pale cheeks, began to speak. Beneath her cooled cheeks, he could see slightly chapped lips.

“I might have seen wrong.”

But right now.

“You looked like you were about to cry.”

Rough fingers brushed her cheek.