Long eyelashes fluttered momentarily, lost. When she looked at him again, Ludwig had stepped back.

“Your Highness.”

Her small shoulders heaved greatly. Sezlin recalled the knight’s voice she had heard earlier. Could they be looking for her? Her plump lower lip was firmly bitten. Ludwig watched her intently.

At that moment, a long arm wrapped around Sezlin. Simultaneously, Ludwig unlocked the door.

“What is it?”

Ludwig, who had quickly hidden Sezlin behind his back, asked. The knight’s head automatically lowered at the imposing figure visible through the door crack.

“I apologize, Your Highness. An intruder has appeared in the palace.”

“An intruder?”

At those words, Sezlin furrowed her brow. Ludwig, glancing back at her, exhaled.

“And?”

“It has been confirmed that the intruder just went up to the fourth floor.”

“Evidence?”

“The knights sensed someone’s presence. They testified to hearing someone running up. And…”

“And?”

“Lady Brioden has disappeared. When we asked the maid, she said this shoe belongs to the lady.”

The knight held out the shoe he had brought from the stairs. Ludwig recalled the other one he had just seen.

“Hmm.”

Ludwig twisted his lips.

“Quickly dispatch the knights to find the lady and…”

“No.”

His stiff lips rose languidly.

“Don’t worry about the duke’s daughter’s safety.”

“Pardon?”

The knight questioned with a stupid expression. Don’t worry? Even if she was disliked, she was still a duke’s daughter.

But the shock wasn’t over.

“The duke’s daughter is with me right now.”

Sezlin turned to look at him in one breath. However, despite her piercing gaze, Ludwig’s face remained calm.

The knight’s mouth opened wider than words could describe.

“W-w-what do you mean?”

“She said earlier she would show me the stars.”

His already narrowed brow now twisted irritably.

‘What is he thinking?’

Sezlin stared fiercely at the back in front of her. As if trying to protect her, the words from his mouth shielded Sezlin.

“I didn’t expect her to come so urgently that she’d lose her shoe.”

Ludwig naturally took the shoe from the knight.

“She must have been very excited.”

Ludwig turned around. Through the gap, Sezlin’s figure was faintly revealed. Seeing this, the knight hurriedly bowed his head.

“I-I apologize, Your Highness.”

“Find the intruder to the end.”

“Understood!”

The knight glanced at her. After hesitating briefly, he bowed to both of them in turn.

As the knights’ footsteps gradually faded, Ludwig closed the door again. Then he turned to Sezlin.

“Your expression is strange.”

“…”

“It’s not as if I said anything inappropriate.”

The door locked.

Sezlin glared at him with her lips tightly closed. Where was her boldness from just moments ago when she was making proposals?

“You said you would kill my brother. That you would make me Emperor.”

Ludwig found those arrogant eyes quite irritating.

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“Then an explanation is needed.”

He passed by Sezlin after releasing the handle. Ludwig, who sat on the sofa first, crossed his legs.

“From now on, you’ll need to convince me.”

His handsome eyes settled calmly.

“If you don’t want to be imprisoned.”

* * *

A man with his back to the window scanned the bookshelf. The densely packed books all boasted considerable thickness.

At this moment, his elegant eyes narrowed sharply.

“Your Highness.”

At the secretive call, the man also opened his mouth.

“The task?”

“…I apologize.”

The knight knelt on one knee as if ashamed. The man looked at the knight prostrated before him. After a moment, his long leg struck the knight’s chest.

“Kuk!”

The knight, knocked down in an instant, swallowed his breath. The sudden impact had blocked his breathing.

“I knew this would happen.”

The man clicked his tongue.

The knight, clutching his chest, barely exhaled.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness. Just one more chance…”

The man looked back at the bookshelf. The book he had been looking for caught his eye. His large hand grasped it.

With the extracted book tucked under his arm, the man turned around.

“There won’t be a second time.”

“Th-thank you.”

The knight’s head naturally lowered at the chilling gaze. Having bowed his head knowingly, he bit his lip at the approaching footsteps.

Soon, an enormous weight fell on his back. The startled knight strained his waist.

The man who stepped on his back moved leisurely. Like stepping on trash in the street, both feet stepped on his back and calf in turn.

The man, heading toward the door, glanced back.

“Do well.”

There were no further words. The door opened, and the man disappeared without a sound. Left alone in the study, the knight straightened his aching body.

He gritted his teeth.

“I will carry out your command.”

“Your Highness Friedrich.”

* * *

Sezlin stared at the teacup placed in front of her. Watching her, Ludwig took a sip of tea.

“Are you afraid I might have poisoned it?”

Her slender fingers trembled slightly. Sezlin picked up the cup.

“Surely not.”

Ludwig chuckled. The empty cup was placed on the table.

“It’s fine to be suspicious. No, it’s better. At least it means you’re acting cautiously.”

The teacup paused in front of her lips.

His words had bite to them.

“You wouldn’t have mentioned treason without reason.”

Treason. That word was particularly emphasized.

“What are you thinking? If you want to secure a position, the Second Prince would be better than me.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration.

Ludwig truly couldn’t understand.

He knew his own situation well. Though praised as a war hero, he knew he needed to maintain this momentum to survive. Ludwig lacked backing. After all, wasn’t he practically driven out to war? The imperial palace he returned to after years was already under the Second Empress’s control.

Because of this, Sezlin’s proposal wasn’t entirely unappealing. Having the Brioden family behind him would certainly help. It would provide a solid foundation.

But.

—A few days ago, the Second Empress and Duke Brioden met secretly, they say.

—That’s not all. Among the Brioden family’s business partners, families supporting the Second Empress have been added.

Recently, news had arrived that the Second Empress and Duke Brioden had met. And he had thought they were a perfectly neutral family.

‘It seems that’s not entirely the case.’

Well, he understood.

The Second Empress would have needed her own preparations knowing Ludwig was returning. Extending a hand to a neutral family was certainly possible.

If there was one exception:

“Isn’t the duke’s daughter also a member of Brioden?”

Sezlin Brioden.

Her very existence.

“Is this decision made independently?”

His eyes, watching Sezlin, gradually sharpened. She couldn’t have missed that wariness.

“Yes.”

She finally put down the cup without drinking the tea.

“This is an action I’ve taken independently.”

Sezlin crossed her legs, just as he had. A member of Brioden. Sezlin had never once in her life considered herself as such.

“My promise to make you Emperor is also sincere.”

“Weren’t you afraid earlier?”

Sezlin smiled faintly.

“And now we’re sitting face to face.”

“You seemed scared earlier.”

“It was my first time seeing someone die.”

“I didn’t kill her.”

“Her neck was covered with handprints.”

“Lady Brioden.”

“Her Majesty the Second Empress has begun to move.”

At Sezlin’s words, his elegant eyes wrinkled with dissatisfaction.

“Of course, my father has too.”

“…So what are you trying to say?”

“Brioden is no longer neutral. They’ve pledged loyalty to Her Majesty the Second Empress.”

Ludwig probably already knew this. That’s why he had asked if her actions were independent, and why he had tried to confirm if she was a member of Brioden.

“My father wants me to be your match. So that Your Highness the First Prince can naturally blend in.”

Where he would blend into didn’t need to be said.

“That’s why I came to find you. Currently, Your Highness needs forces and must build power.”

“How audacious.”

“Am I wrong?”

Sezlin, who posed the question, picked up the cup again. The gaze on her skin was quite chilling.

“I’ll be your shield. Until you build the forces you want, I’ll ensure Brioden doesn’t become an obstacle to you. I’ll also be your eyes and ears in high society.”

Ludwig’s gaze wavered briefly. High society was an area Ludwig couldn’t involve himself in. And it was also an area firmly controlled by the Second Empress.

She was saying she would be his eyes and ears in such a place.

“Of course, we won’t live together forever. I don’t want that either. If Brioden becomes unnecessary to you, you can discard me. Once the Second Empress’s forces collapse, we’ll naturally separate anyway.”

When the Second Empress falls, Friedrich’s downfall would only be a matter of time. That was what Sezlin wanted.

At this point, he became curious.

“Do you desire Brioden’s downfall?”

What was she thinking?

“Yes.”

A response without a moment’s hesitation.

“We each get what we need.”

‘What we each need, huh.’

Ludwig mulled over her words. And uncharacteristically, he asked:

“What do you get? If you’re considering marriage to me, the position of Empress…”

“I don’t need such things.”

Honor had no value to Sezlin.

Just after k*lling the Second Prince.

“Only guarantee my sister’s safety.”

“I won’t ask for anything else.”

“I’ll be an excellent assistant.”

Perhaps because she had removed her makeup, her crescent-shaped eyes looked quite innocent. Her curved lips were full of confidence.

Ludwig was struck by that strange feeling he had experienced earlier.

The way she spoke, completely excluding herself.

As if thinking of others more than her own gain. Yet she wanted his half-brother dead.

“The tea has gone cold.”

It was interesting.

“I’ll have them bring more.”

Because the words from those lips were quite beautiful.