At Ella’s words, Tailian’s expression darkened sharply.

“Why…… do you look like that, Sir?”

Even when Ella asked, Tailian only moved his lips without speaking, like someone reluctant to say what was on his mind.

She decided to wait quietly.

At last, his lips moved.

“……I worry that you are pushing yourself too hard……”

“Too hard?”

“I heard the sacred pain has been severe. I was told you coughed blood again yesterday.”

“Ah……”

He must have heard about the coughing blood during the luncheon with the Estrada imperial family yesterday.

It had been a luncheon she had no desire to attend, so she had swallowed toho leaves beforehand to end it quickly.

The coughing blood had started before even the first course arrived, and the imperial family gathered there had been horrified at the sight of sacred pain’s effects firsthand.

‘I apologize. I haven’t fully recovered yet……’

‘You better go back. There’s no need to push yourself to attend going forward.’

‘Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.’

Ella had been able to leave quickly, exactly as planned.

She had broken a sweat trying to dissuade Zikhart from insisting on walking her back to the crown princess‘s palace, but that was a minor inconvenience.

Watching Dienne burn with jealousy had been entertaining enough to make up for it.

“I’m all right, Sir Martis.”

Ella laughed lightly.

“This is something I came prepared for. If the palace’s safety can be guaranteed in exchange for my pain, that is enough.”

“……”

“You understand that better than anyone, don’t you, Sir? The palace’s safety is upheld by your loyalty.”

Ella placed her hand over her chest and lowered her chin.

“As a member of the imperial family to be, I express my deep gratitude for the efforts of you and the Royal Hounds.”

Tailian was briefly stunned by her thanks.

Had he ever received words like this? No, he would swear on his life that this was the first time since he had begun walking the path of a knight.

No one in the imperial family had ever expressed such genuine gratitude to the Royal Hounds who protected them.

They had simply taken it for granted.

“……I am only grateful for your kind words.”

A crown princess designate who had been in the palace for only a few days had left a deep impression on Tailian.

Even the pride he had as a knight, which he had nearly forgotten, rose alongside it.

“I will strive even harder going forward.”

“I will pray for your health and that of the knight order. May Solea’s blessing be with you.”

Ella had just finished her parting words and was about to turn away when Zikhart came into view, strolling through the rear garden with Dienne’s hand in his.

Their smiles were full of happiness.

Something twisted in her gut.

‘He’d been quiet for a few days and now they’re back together.’

She had heard recently that Zikhart was visiting Dienne’s bedchamber frequently at night.

Precisely from the moment Ella had refused his kiss in the chapel.

Of course their closeness had always been something else, but lately it had apparently become excessive. There were even rumors that the lights in their bedchambers hadn’t gone out for several nights running.

A conversation between maids she had overheard in passing had supported this.

‘Dienne’s moaning was echoing into the corridor again last night! Livie, you heard it too, right?’

‘Yeah. Don’t even get me started. I don’t know if it’s His Highness’s stamina or Dienne’s skills, but last night it went on until dawn……’

‘Incredible…… how do they do it every night? They weren’t like this before……’

‘I’m telling you, even when Miss Meriella becomes crown princess, she’ll be treated like a spare.’

No, that wasn’t going to happen.

‘Because I won’t let it.’

Ella’s eyes went cold and still. Perhaps he felt her gaze, because Zikhart suddenly turned his head.

Just before their eyes could meet, Ella looked away first.

She turned to face Tailian and gave him a bright smile. Feeling Zikhart’s gaze on her, she spoke.

“Ah, Sir Martis?”

“Yes, Miss Meriella.”

She extended her hand toward him.

“Would you lend me your hand for a moment?”

“Your…… hand, you say?”

Ella nodded, and he held out his hand somewhat awkwardly.

Ella brought her own hands together first and pressed her lips to her fingertips. Then she gently took Tailian’s outstretched hand and whispered.

“Solea Leoni. May the chief god’s blessing be upon Tailian Martis.”

A saintess’s benediction.

Sacred as the rite was, the atmosphere was oddly charged.

Tailian’s blue eyes, which had been meeting hers, trembled faintly. He swallowed, and the line of his throat moved visibly above his uniform collar.

“I pray that your path ahead is filled with nothing but blessings, Sir.”

The consecration was a lie, but these words were Ella’s genuine wish.

The distant look in Tailian’s eyes had just regained its focus when a hostile gaze turned toward him.

“Miss Meriella.”

Zikhart had drawn close without either of them noticing and called her name. Tailian quickly bowed with proper form.

Ignoring him entirely, Zikhart addressed Ella.

“You came all the way here to perform the consecration rite?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I followed the trail of malevolent energy and ended up here. That was when I ran into Sir Martis.”

Ella glanced at Tailian and gave a quiet smile.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen him since arriving at the palace, so I was exchanging greetings.”

“I see.”

“Were you taking a walk with your consort, Your Highness?”

Ella looked past him as she spoke.

Dienne was standing with her back turned in the rose garden, holding a white lace parasol. Her face wasn’t visible.

But Ella could tell exactly what Dienne’s expression looked like without needing to check.

‘She must be seething.’

Dienne would never have let him go alone, so Zikhart coming all the way here by himself was unexpected, if anything.

The ripple from the small stone Ella had thrown seemed to be spreading quite far. She was satisfied.

Zikhart gave Tailian a displeased order.

“You may go, Sir.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Tailian bowed to Zikhart with precise, disciplined movements and straightened.

Naturally, his gaze and Ella’s crossed.

Zikhart’s eyebrow twitched for just a moment, but neither of them saw it.

“Then, Sir. Until next time.”

“……Yes, Miss Meriella.”

Tailian gave his answer a beat slowly and took his leave first.

Ella deliberately watched his retreating figure for a few seconds before turning her head. Zikhart’s face was set hard, as expected.

“Your consort appears to be waiting. You should go as well, Your Highness.”

He glanced briefly toward Dienne.

‘Pulled in two directions at once, how busy.’

Zikhart was an indecisive, greedy piece of trash.

Ella lowered her face before the contempt could show and offered her farewell.

“Then, Your Highness, I’ll take my lea……”

“What about me!”

Ella looked up at the sudden sharp outburst.

She opened her eyes wide as if to ask what he meant, and Zikhart said through his teeth with one corner of his mouth lifted.

“Will you not give me a benediction.”

“……Pardon?”

It was so absurd that Ella asked back blankly.

Zikhart’s eyes as they met hers were saying it plainly: I am quite hurt right now.

He continued with a furrowed brow.

“I deliberately kept my distance out of consideration for you, Miss Meriella…… it seems that was pointless.”

“……”

“If you have holy power left to perform a benediction for the knight commander, please use it on me instead.”

Zikhart displayed his jealousy without restraint, like a sulking child.

‘To think the crown prince of a great empire could be this pathetic.’

No wonder the country was in this state.

She had intended to provoke this, but she hadn’t expected him to express it quite so openly.

Ella listened to him in silence and then forced the corners of her mouth upward.

“If I recall correctly, I performed one for you on the day I arrived at the palace. A single benediction carries its effect for a long time, so there’s no need to perform another, Your Highness.”

“I don’t think you’re saying this because you don’t know that.”

Ella knew perfectly well why he was saying it, but she tilted her head and asked anyway.

“Then why……?”

“Hah…… never mind.”

Zikhart dragged a hand down his face and sighed.

Perhaps he recognized how childish it had been, because he let the stiffness in his expression go and spoke.

“I’m simply saying you should take better care of yourself, Miss Meriella.”

“Your Highness……”

Tears welled in Ella’s eyes almost immediately. It was an expression more skilled than any seasoned stage actor.

Her hand came to rest against Zikhart’s cheek.

His eyes went wide with surprise.

“You have no idea how happy I am to be joined with you in marriage, Your Highness.”

You have no idea how glad I am to watch you fall, Zikhart.

“Your future with me.”

Your future, crashing to the ground.

“You have no idea how much I look forward to the day we share it together.”

You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to it.

Zikhart stared at Ella’s eyes, gleaming like glass beads, as though bewitched.

A warm hand covered the back of hers where it rested against his cheek.

“Miss Meriella……”

“Please just call me Meriella, Your Highness.”