“What?”

Cadel’s brow furrowed in irritation.

“Why only two?”

“The entire Crown Prince’s Palace has been purified, but the protective barriers have not yet been restored. The only floor with an active barrier is mine, and it has exactly two guest rooms.”

“……”

“Then we’ll have to make use of those two. Casting barriers over an entire floor just to prepare extra rooms at this time of night would be too exhausting for the Grand Duchess.”

Jaina was clearly already tired. Even the shrine in the rear garden had only been purified; the barrier would not be set up until the following day. Creating a proper barrier was far more complex and time-consuming than purification. Having already expended a significant amount of holy power, she needed to rest if she were to create a flawless barrier later.

“In any case, you’ll be sharing a room with the girl you brought, so it hardly concerns you. The Grand Hierophant has been sharing a room with the Grand Duchess as well.”

Jaina looked at Shar as though questioning why he felt compelled to mention that.

Shar merely lifted the corner of his lips in a faint, knowing smile.

“I was simply curious whether, now that husband and wife are reunited, you still intend to sleep separately.”

“You seem entertained.”

Cadel arched a brow at him.

Shar shrugged, as though it were nothing.

“Not entertained. Just mildly curious about the Grand Duke and Duchess’s circumstances.”

“You’ve been sharing a room?”

Cadel’s gaze burned as he turned it on Elysion.

Elysion replied evenly.

“Should we have slept separately?”

“Of course you should have. Jaina is my wife.”

“And aren’t you the kind of man who values his wife’s safety above everything else?”

“……”

“Ah. Or was your own safety the most important?”

As though acknowledging a slip of the tongue, Elysion nodded once and continued calmly.

“In any case, the palace was surrounded by black magic. I could not leave her alone, so we shared a room.”

At that moment, one of Shar’s attendants hurried into the dining hall.

“Your Highness.”

Shar gestured lightly. The attendant rushed forward, bowed, and leaned close to the Crown Prince’s ear to whisper something.

The moment Shar heard it, he rose swiftly to his feet.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

After receiving a nod of acknowledgement from Cadel, he offered Jaina a short bow and stepped out of the dining hall.

There was a hardness to his expression. Watching him leave, Jaina murmured softly.

“Has something happened…?”

“It has nothing to do with black magic. Eat in peace.”

Elysion spoke calmly.

Only then did Jaina feel reassured enough to turn her attention back to her meal.

Cadel, who had been glancing between Jaina and Elysion, suddenly turned fully towards the Grand Hierophant and asked him a question.

“Must you take the form of a man when you assume human shape?”

The abrupt question drew both Jaina’s and Elysion’s gazes to him at once.

Still wearing a displeased expression, Cadel continued.

“Does it have to be a man’s appearance? You could take the form of a woman—or something other than human.”

“This is my true form.”

Elysion cut him off, answering evenly.

Cadel’s brows shot up immediately.

“Even if this is just the form shown to humans, it’s not much different to my original appearance. I neither have the ability nor the inclination to transform into a woman or anything else.”

“…This is your original form?”

Cadel muttered under his breath. Then he turned to Jaina.

“Even when you were a spirit?”

Instead of speaking, Jaina gave a small nod.

Cadel’s eyes widened further. He soon frowned, incredulous.

“What kind of spirit looks this human?”

***

“All four of you will be sharing one room?”

At the servant’s words, Violet’s face hardened instantly.

“Yes, that is correct. The beds are being moved to one place now, so please wait here a little longer.”

The servant poured hot tea into the cup in front of Violet, bowed politely, then left the room. Alone again, Violet’s expression darkened.

Not only had she been excluded from the dinner table—this was the final blow.

‘All of us, sleeping together?’

Violet could scarcely believe it.

‘It’s not as though this vast palace lacks rooms—so why…?’

For a moment, she was confused. But she was certain almost immediately that it must have been Jaina’s idea.

Otherwise, how could the idea of four people sharing a room have been suggested so suddenly?

‘What an infuriating woman.’

Jaina was a constant thorn in her side.

If she had known it would come to this, she would not have hesitated when the unknown being offered to make her disappear. She was consumed by regret.

‘I’m sure it was her idea to exclude me from dinner as well.’

She was not in a position to dine with the Crown Prince, the Grand Duke and the Duchess. However, given that the Grand Hierophant was also present, they could surely have shown her a little consideration and allowed her to join them. Making her eat alone seemed unnecessarily cruel.

Violet clenched her teeth, forcing herself to believe that Cadel had wanted her at the table, but Jaina had refused.

‘That woman—daring to treat me like this after I was invited to the Imperial Palace…!’

A spark flared in her eyes.

She had technically come to the palace at Jaina’s request. If she was needed, why were they treating her like this?

She belonged at Cadel’s side. It was only natural that she should be acknowledged as such. The lack of that simple recognition filled her with indignation.

Then a thought struck her. She could not simply accept four people sharing one room. The first time would be the hardest. But if she did it once, it wouldn’t end with tonight. Before long, they might suggest that the three of them share a room whenever it rains.

‘That can’t happen…!’

Despite sharing a bed with Cadel for years, their relationship had never progressed. He had never given her the slightest opening.

Jaina must never find out.

‘If only I had followed that unknown being… Should I run away now?’

If she disappeared, Cadel would undoubtedly suffer. He would be frantic to find her.

‘Would it really matter if I hid for just a short while?’

Of course, there would be a punishment. However, if she told him that Jaina’s relentless torment had driven her away, Jaina would take all the blame.

‘I can avoid sleeping together—and give Cadel a reason to resent the Grand Duchess.’

Violet’s eyes gleamed as she congratulated herself on her brilliant plan. In a palace this vast, there must be countless places to hide. She rose abruptly, intending to hide immediately.

“Violet.”

At that moment, Cadel, Jaina, and Elysion appeared where she had been eating.

Violet’s face stiffened instantly.

“Have you finished your meal?”

“Yes? …Ah, yes.”

She answered Cadel’s question hesitantly. The improper thoughts she had just had made her chest tighten uneasily.

Elysion stared at the floor near her feet for a moment. Then, with a more serious expression than before, he turned to Cadel.

“Husband of Jaina. We need to speak privately.”

At his words, Cadel nodded and turned to Jaina.

“Stay here with Violet for a moment.”

“…Yes.”

Jaina answered somewhat stiffly. When she looked at Elysion, he met her gaze briefly before leading Cadel out.

Once they were the only two left in the dining hall, Jaina sat down opposite Violet.

“Sit. I doubt we will have to wait long, but conversations have a way of stretching on.”

At her invitation, Violet sat down, too. A subtle silence settled between them. After a moment, Violet began to fidget with her necklace, her fingers brushing over it almost unconsciously.

Jaina’s gaze rested on the necklace.

Seeing this, Violet seized the opportunity to boast.

“Isn’t it pretty? His Grace bought it for me.”

Jaina merely nodded once, looking unimpressed.

For a moment, confusion flashed across Violet’s face. It was only natural. After all, in the past, Jaina had been unable to hide her reaction to those words, turning away as though fleeing.

‘She must have expected that reaction.’

But Jaina already knew the truth. Given how many of Violet’s previous claims had probably been false, this might also be an exaggeration. Even if it were true, she doubted that the gift was very significant.

And if it did, it certainly had nothing to do with her.

‘Why isn’t she surprised? …Why isn’t she angry?’

Unaware of what was going through Jaina’s mind, Violet grew increasingly uneasy at her lack of reaction.

Perhaps she Sdidn’t believe her?

Forcing a brighter smile, Violet continued.

“This necklace was made by the most famous jewelry designer in the Empire.”

“……”

“Out of countless jewels, he chose this one for me. That must mean he thought this emerald suited me especially well, don’t you think?”

At the faint shift in Jaina’s gaze, Violet chattered on, emboldened.

“Of course, His Grace has already bought me many other jewels as well—”

“I did?”

At that moment, Cadel entered the dining hall, apparently finished speaking with Elysion.

“What did I buy you?”

He frowned slightly as he asked.

The color drained from Violet’s face in an instant.