Being cunning isn’t something to be proud of, but being too dull to others’ emotions isn’t something to boast about as a member of society either. 

 Tatiana often felt that Gideon liked her. Though he could be spiteful at times, there was always sincerity in his attitude when dealing with her. 

But had the time come to reconsider even this premise? She could feel her long-held conviction shaking little by little.

 The guards watching the office entrance murmured while watching Tatiana’s reaction, then carefully said. 

 “Your Highness.” 

 “What, is His Highness coming?” 

 “Well…… no. We heard he turned towards his quarters after finishing his business.” 

 “Oh really.” 

 Tatiana felt the frustration and anger she had been suppressing starting to rise. However, she pushed it down and asked just to confirm. 

 “Did you tell him I was waiting?” 

 “We did tell him……” 

 “……” 

 “He said he’ll talk later.” 

 Who was it? The person who thought Gideon’s attitude was sincere? Tatiana wanted to tell them to come out for a moment. To scold them harshly not to be so delusional. 

 But since that person was herself, Tatiana only felt miserable. 

 However, that didn’t last long as she quickly moved her feet. She needed to catch even his leg before Gideon went into the bedroom. 

 Though she didn’t know why she had to become so pathetic, in the end she needed to see Gideon’s face to question him about it. 

 She wanted to ask if it made him feel better to make his spouse so wretched and humiliate her in front of subordinates. 

 Tatiana gathered her voluminous dress in her hands and ran up the stairs frantically. Then she caught sight of a group of men passing through the corridor. 

 “Your Highness!” 

 Tatiana didn’t like how desperate her own voice sounded calling him. But she was truly anxious. 

 She quickly approached Gideon, but suddenly stopped. She had suddenly felt something off. 

 As her green eyes pondered what this sensation was, suspicion gradually settled in. 

 ‘Wait, I smell blood……” 

 Tatiana looked over the prince’s group more carefully. Kay was among them. He was clearly the one who handled dangerous tasks for the prince, so this heavy smell of blood might be coming from him. 

 But Tatiana couldn’t be so sure. Because Gideon too was quite different from usual. 

 She felt an incredibly clear and distinct killing intent from him. It wasn’t the aura he would release as a warning or half in jest. As proof, Gideon hadn’t managed to fully contain that aura yet. 

 Whether he knew this himself or not, his voice was somewhat indifferent. 

 “I believe I said we’d talk later.” 

 Tatiana’s eyes, which had been filled with doubt and slight anxiety, immediately sharpened. 

 “When is later?” 

 “……” 

 “At this rate the seasons will change.” 

 Then Gideon shrugged very casually saying ‘That won’t happen.’ Later he even asked this with a composed expression. 

 “Would I leave my Titi alone for that long?” 

 After briefly marveling at his shamelessness, since she was the desperate one, Tatiana grabbed his sleeve. 

 “Please spare some time since it won’t take long. Really just a moment is fine.” 

 The reason Tatiana added the condition ‘just a moment’ was because he truly looked tired. Though he was saying shameless things with his mouth, she could clearly sense fatigue from him. 

 Gideon sighed and opened the door to go inside as if he had no choice. But it wasn’t just Tatiana who followed him in. 

 When his adjutants all rushed in together, Tatiana found it strange. But that question was quickly answered. 

 Gideon had only tried to avoid Tatiana’s path, not come to his quarters to rest. His official duties still seemed unfinished. 

 As he sat back on the sofa, Tatiana looked around the room broadly. 

 Gideon’s private space had not only piles of documents but quite a few books as well. Some appeared to have been set face down while reading, which honestly made Tatiana a bit curious. Though they’d been married for quite a while, this was her first visit to her husband’s private space. 

 He had never brought such things to their bedroom after all. But given the situation, she couldn’t dwell long on such personal observations. 

 Tatiana immediately brought up her business. 

 “About my adoptive father……” 

 “I believe I told you not to call him that.” 

 Before she could even start, Gideon cut her off by pointing out the title first. 

 Tatiana felt something rising inside but bit her lip hard and corrected herself. 

 “Yes, Duke Muller.” 

 “……” 

 “Please let him receive a formal trial.” 

 Though Tatiana didn’t have high hopes, Gideon didn’t even snort. With a face that looked like not a drop of blood would come out if pricked, he said: 

 “Royal interrogation is the king’s authority. I have been delegated that authority by His Majesty. This is not a matter for my wife to discuss.” 

 “……Has the Duke committed such a grave mistake?” 

 Looking only at the charges revealed so far…… Tatiana honestly didn’t know. There were clearly problems with the tax revenues from the Muller territory and the operation of the Royal Guard. Evidence of accepting bribes for knighting appointments had also been revealed one after another. 

 Clear wrongdoings. But to be completely honest, there wasn’t a noble in Valter who wouldn’t have similar issues if investigated. That’s why commoners would say: They’re all the same. 

 That it was a world where you couldn’t expect complete integrity no matter who sat in that position. 

 But could this be used to corner the Duke’s family to this extent? This should be a political overreach even for Gideon. 

 While Tatiana wore a dubious expression, Gideon opened his mouth. 

 “Wife. The north might become my military stronghold in the future. I’ve been keeping an eye on that place. That’s why I promised military support.” 

 “……” 

 “But the Duke tried to cause trouble there by hiring private soldiers. He must have done it to strike at me. Hand in hand with the Queen.” 

 “……” 

 “Even so, would you say you don’t know what wrong the Duke has committed?” 

 Gideon looked at Tatiana. Due to his formal yet cold pressuring, Tatiana was bewildered. 

 Actually, he knew she had done nothing wrong. Without anyone telling her to, he was the one who opened a box that shouldn’t have been opened in that underground prison. He had no intention of telling Tatiana its contents. 

 While he could end it by just feeling somewhat bitter about it being a painful mistake, it wouldn’t be just that for Tatiana. 

 If she learned the truth and broke down, that would become an irreversible mistake for him. 

 But humans are so selfish. Looking at Tatiana trying to defend the Duke while knowing nothing, he felt beyond bitterness and pity — he was starting to feel resentment. Why did she give her heart even to such a household? Like a fool. 

 “Titi. You are my wife. You need to make your position clear. If it’s hard to take my side, then stay quietly withdrawn until this matter is settled.” 

 “……” 

 “Can’t you see this is my own way of being considerate?” 

 Gideon ran his hand through his forehead and hair looking truly tired. But at that moment, Tatiana’s hesitant eyes went wide. 

 There were dried bloodstains on Gideon’s large palm that he hadn’t managed to wipe off. 

 Royal interrogation means questioning in the presence of royalty, not that royalty directly conducts torture. Yet the dark red marks on his right hand were too clear. 

 Those weren’t marks that had splattered accidentally. They were marks that could only remain when someone used their own hands. 

 Tatiana couldn’t shake the thought that the target was Duke Muller. 

 Could it possibly be from some other criminal? No, Gideon wasn’t such a leisurely person. Being fastidious, he didn’t easily dirty his own hands, and rarely got excited enough to do so. 

 The killing intent she felt earlier in front of his quarters… As the sense of unease and anxiety she had tried to ignore raised its head again, Tatiana’s expression hardened as she asked. 

 “Where is the Duke now?” 

 Gideon laughed as if dumbfounded. 

 “Where did everything I just said go? Was there something difficult to understand?”

But Tatiana’s attitude remained firm. 

 “Don’t try to deflect by being sarcastic. That won’t get me worked up.” 

 “……” 

 “Is he perhaps in the underground of the west tower?” 

 Tatiana was the daughter of an officer who had frequented military camps since childhood. She knew where the royal family kept major criminals while preparing their statements. If not the west tower……. 

 Tatiana mentally listed a few other candidate locations but soon realized she didn’t need to. 

 Gideon pressed his lips into a line, and Tatiana confirmed the answer from that momentary reaction. 

 “I need to go see with my own eyes. I need to confirm he’s safe.” 

 “No. I will not allow it.” 

 “Why?” 

 “……” 

 “……Is the Duke still alive right now?” 

 Good heavens. Why wouldn’t he answer? Tatiana grew more anxious and prepared to leave the room, and Gideon finally rose from his chair. 

 “I said no. What nonsense do you want to go hear!” 

 “……” 

 “That bastard to you, he……”