Silence.

The scenery before her eyes was just that. Sezlin wrapped her arms around herself.

Along with its impressive exterior, the garden at the back was also quite neat. The flowers blooming brightly even at night were entirely to Sezlin’s liking. This was definitely more to her taste than the Second Empress’s palace, which only pursued extravagance.

‘It’s nice and quiet.’

Good for moving around secretly, too. Sezlin reached out and gently caressed a flower petal.

“My lady.”

Sezlin turned around. The maid who quickly lowered her gaze moved her lips.

“If you stay out like this any longer, you might catch a cold.”

At those words, Sezlin examined her attire. Her upper body, without even a coat, was covered only by a thin slip. Though the weather had warmed, staying out until dawn in this state would surely result in a cold.

She shouldn’t fall ill during her visit to the imperial palace. Sezlin understood why the maid had said such a thing. She smiled at the corners of her mouth.

If that was the case.

“Would you bring me something to wear? It is getting a bit chilly.”

Sezlin slowly stroked her exposed arms. When she expressed her coldness with her whole body, the maid quickly nodded, saying she would bring something right away, and signaled to her colleague standing nearby. But while the maid returned to the palace, Sezlin turned to the other maid who had followed her.

“Go and bring some warm tea. The scenery is so beautiful, I’d like to stay a little longer.”

“But I cannot leave my post as well.”

“Are you refusing me?”

Sezlin tilted her head to one side. The maid, watching her expression, finally bowed her head.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”

Sezlin rolled those words in her mouth. After the remaining maid left too, Sezlin quietly walked through the garden. Two knights were following behind her, but she maintained her expression as if they didn’t bother her.

‘For now, only the fourth floor has lights on.’

Sezlin’s gaze gradually moved upward. At this hour when everyone was asleep, only the first and fourth floors in the First Prince’s palace had lights on. The second floor housed the servants’ quarters, and the third floor was probably the office.

Having visited the imperial palace before, she knew the general layout. With lights visible only in the corner of the fourth floor, the First Prince was likely there. Usually, the highest floor was used by the imperial family.

‘I must meet him somehow.’

Currently, the only way to get Ludwig’s attention was to bring up Friedrich. It was already well-known that they were worse than enemies.

But that alone wasn’t enough. If she simply mentioned the Second Prince’s downfall, there would be no trust.

‘I need to make the most of what I know.’

Of course, the same future as before could unfold. Even now, they were trying to push forward with her marriage to the First Prince. It was impossible to know how many things would go wrong because of that. Though things had flowed the same way so far.

‘I need to be careful.’

Nothing was more foolish than blurting out everything one knew. Especially in the current situation. Nothing was more dangerous than uncertain information.

She needed to observe how the situation unfolded and move only when she was certain.

So for now, she had to start with what was most certain.

“Step back for a moment.”

Sezlin only turned her head back. The knights following her widened their eyes in surprise.

“It’s dangerous, my lady.”

“I want to be alone.”

“The commotion from this afternoon…”

At this point, the other knight nearby nudged his companion. ‘Didn’t you see how she spoke to the maid earlier?’ The knight tactfully moved his lips.

“If you see anyone suspicious, please shout immediately.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Sezlin gestured toward them. It meant they should go now. After hesitating briefly, the knights left their posts. Only after confirming their footsteps had faded did Sezlin turn around.

Pretending to take a peaceful stroll, Sezlin looked for a suitable place to enter. Once they realized she was gone, they would quickly come after her. She needed to move quickly before the maids returned.

As she turned a corner, she spotted a door that would allow her to enter.

Sezlin looked around. With everyone withdrawn now, there was no one.

But it was too early to feel safe.

“!”

Sezlin instinctively turned around. Thump, thump. Footsteps were heard nearby. She couldn’t delay any longer.

She firmly gripped the handle in front of her.

“…?”

Shortly after, a maid who arrived a step too late tilted her head.

“My lady?”

No one was there.

* * *

“Haa.”

Sezlin, slowly catching her breath, looked around. As she had felt when coming out earlier, the First Prince’s palace didn’t have many guards. This was precisely why she had decided to come at night. While other palaces would have guards lining the corridors, this place did not.

‘Did the First Prince dismiss them all?’

Whether it was to catch spies or deliberately expose himself, either possibility existed. Though the Emperor was concerned, the current power in the imperial palace was the Second Empress.

As a long-absent rival, he might be deliberately setting a trap.

Confirming that no one was around, Sezlin headed straight for the stairs.

Here too, there was no sign of people. It seemed her assumptions were correct. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be this quiet.

‘This works out better.’

The risk of being caught was reduced. Seizing this opportunity, Sezlin climbed the stairs. Even with no people around, there was no time to dawdle.

The silence of the surroundings also meant she couldn’t tell where the knights were.

Sezlin, who had even taken off her shoes, climbed to the third floor in one breath. This was to minimize the sound of her footsteps.

Stepping onto the corridor, Sezlin panted lightly. Her body, not in good physical condition, quickly tired from the high stairs. Biting the inside of her mouth, she glared upward.

Finally, just one floor below.

“…Who’s there!”

“!”

At that moment, Sezlin, who was about to climb the stairs, froze. Turning around, she saw a couple of knights.

‘D*mn it.’

Clutching her shoes, Sezlin hurriedly climbed the stairs.

“Hey, you! Stop there!”

“Intruder!”

The knights, who didn’t recognize her as the Brioden duke’s daughter, raised their voices. D*mn, just when she was almost there! Gritting her teeth, Sezlin rushed up the stairs. If she were caught now, she would be expelled from the imperial palace without even seeing the First Prince. Then she would never have another chance to see him.

“Haa, haa.”

Somehow making it to the fourth floor, Sezlin looked down at her hand. One of her shoes was missing. She must have dropped it while climbing.

“S***, really.”

Nothing was going right.

With no choice but to hold just the one shoe she had, Sezlin tried to open the first room she came to.

Or rather, she tried to.

‘It’s locked?’

Her fair face contorted with bewilderment. She tried the next room just in case, but it was the same. Meanwhile, multiple footsteps noisily crisscrossed. The knights were coming this way.

Sezlin recalled the room she had seen from the garden earlier.

‘It should be around here.’

As she headed deeper into the corridor, Sezlin grabbed another handle.

There was no time to politely knock on the door. Anything would be better than getting caught like this.

Sezlin turned the round handle with all her might.

“There she is! The intruder is over there…!”

Click.

“!”

Swallowing a scream, Sezlin quickly opened the door. Just as the knights rushed into the corridor,

Bang—. Sezlin closed the door again.

Gripping the handle, Sezlin breathed roughly. Her heart felt like it would burst. After swallowing hard, she slowly turned around.

“Lady Brioden.”

Purple eyes submerged in darkness fixed on Sezlin. She was very familiar with that gaze.

“What brings you here?”

Contrary to the leisurely question, the gaze looking at her was indescribably chilling.

However, for Sezlin, the situation that awaited her was more frightening than the First Prince before her eyes.

‘I can’t go back.’

Sezlin forcibly steadied her trembling chin.

If this marriage succeeded, she could protect April and plunge the Second Prince into the abyss.

“Please marry me.”

“…I don’t think I bathed in wine.”

Lowering his gaze, he stared at Sezlin. Meeting those deep purple eyes, Sezlin struggled to begin.

“If you marry me, I’ll give you the position you want.”

“My lady.”

Ludwig moved his foot as if he couldn’t listen to her. The distance that had been far gradually closed. Soon, a shadow darker than night fell over her.

“Do you understand what you’re saying?”

“Yes.”

This time, Ludwig reacted first. Again, that tone full of confidence. Ludwig had been bothered by that manner of speech all along.

The reason he considered Sezlin, whom he would normally have ignored, as audacious was because it irritated him how she acted as if she knew his entire situation.

“I don’t need the support of House Brioden.”

“No. I’m not talking about my family.”

Ludwig restrained himself from objecting.

Because Sezlin opened her mouth on her own.

“The Second Prince.”

“…”

“I’ll kill him for you.”

Her plump lips trembled slightly, like a wet mouse. Sezlin blinked her heavy eyelids.

“Please marry me.”

“You’ve already said that.”

As Sezlin continued speaking, the space between his eyebrows narrowed. But having been rejected once already, such a cold response was no problem for Sezlin.

She hadn’t stupidly entered this lion’s den without preparation.

“I’ll make you Emperor.”

“…Ha!”

Ludwig reached out his hand. Fine platinum blonde hair wrapped around his rough calluses.

“You say amusing things, My Lady.”

Ludwig took a step forward. The distance narrowed as if their bodies might touch at any moment. Sezlin unconsciously inhaled sharply.

A strange tension circled around them.

“Why.”

For the first time, playfulness seeped into the corners of his mouth, which had been full of mockery.

His hand, passing through her hair, moved toward the door.

“If you were planning to propose in the middle of the night, coming directly into my room,”

Click—.

“You should have been prepared for this much.”