When Lenoa came to see Laila, she heard the two of them talking and quietly left the villa.

“Jay.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Jay, Lenoa’s escort knight who had been guarding the villa, stepped forward.

“Protect Princess Lailea carefully. She is in a very unstable state right now.”

“Yes, I will keep that firmly in mind.”

Although Nathan was beside her, Lenoa was still uneasy.

“As for Lord Carlo Siren….”

“They say no one has known his whereabouts since he visited Duke Crussian’s estate, but I have no idea what happened. No, I cannot understand what he is thinking!”

The more Lenoa dwelled on it, the angrier she became, and her voice turned harsh.

“His Highness Crown Prince Theodor discovered Crook Zegner’s whereabouts, so why did Carlo have to go that far…?! Whew….”

“They found Crook Zegner?”

Jay had guarded Lenoa for many years and carried out her secret commands, so he also knew about their revenge. Lenoa nodded and told him the news he had yet to hear.

“When you and Princess Lailea departed for the war, His Highness Crown Prince Theodor also sent shadow knights to the battlefield.”

“Were shadow knights among the reinforcements from Adelina?”

Jay thought of Nathan, who was currently with Laila.

“Yes. And His Highness entrusted them with a secret mission.”

“To find information about Crook Zegner?”

Quick-witted as ever, Jay immediately understood what Lenoa meant.

Duke Crussian had been responsible for the war in the Northern Territory. Had they been defeated, his position and reputation might have been severely undermined.

“Determined to secure victory, the duke sent not only the knights of his house but also mercenaries connected to him—after disguising them as members of his order, of course.”

Because the mercenaries carried out the duke’s secret and dangerous work, he was reluctant to expose their identities.

“His Highness Crown Prince Theodor must have discovered that.”

“Yes. He sent shadow knights who could easily blend in with the mercenaries and ordered them to befriend them.”

“I had no idea there were soldiers among us who had received such orders.”

Jay had noticed nothing. In fact, he had not seen anyone approach the soldiers sent by Duke Crussian with suspicious friendliness.

“Apparently, being together in the extraordinary environment of a battlefield made it relatively easy for them to open their hearts.”

The camaraderie forged in a place where life and death hung in the balance was unique. Jay immediately understood and nodded.

“One of the mercenaries was Crook Zegner’s subordinate, and through him, they discovered where Crook Zegner was.”

Jay’s eyes widened at the astonishing news. His reaction was unusually intense.

“Then have they captured him?”

“Not yet.”

“Pardon?!”

“Duke Crussian must not realize that his man has been discovered. For now, we are merely observing him in secret. Once all preparations are complete and all the necessary evidence has been gathered, the Shadow Knights will capture him.”

“….”

As Jay listened, he lowered his head and pressed his lips together, overcome with emotion.

“What is it?”

“It truly feels as though… everything is nearly over.”

Although his voice was calm, his words carried immense weight. Lenoa also felt a sense of heaviness settle over her heart.

They had endured a long and arduous struggle to expose Empress Scarlet’s crimes. They had faced countless dangers and endured anguish, despair and defeat.

But, as Jay had said, their preparations for revenge were almost complete. The downfall they had long awaited was finally approaching.

“Phew…”

Her heart should have raced with joy, but Lenoa merely sighed, her expression clouded with concern. Laila had sunk into such profound despair that she appeared to be slowly wasting away.

Of all those involved in their plan for revenge, Laila had suffered the most. Despite knowing nothing of the truth, she had watched her entire life crumble around her.

‘She will recover, won’t she?’

Lenoa glanced towards the room where Laila was staying and let out another troubled sigh.

“I will say this again: protect Princess Laila carefully. Sir Nathan will take good care of her, but you must remain vigilant in case anyone suspicious appears.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Neither Empress Scarlet nor Duke Crussian had made any suspicious moves thus far. In other words, they had not yet discovered that Laila was alive. This was fortunate, but they both possessed formidable intelligence networks, so Lenoa could not afford to lower her guard.

Above all, Laila’s recovery was the most urgent matter.

“And do not clash with Sir Nathan.”

“…. I have never done that.”

His hesitation was suspicious. Lenoa had already received a report that they had clashed once on the battlefield, yet he was lying to her.

“I understand that you respect Princess Lailea as a swordswoman, but the situation is different now. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

“Yes. I will serve and protect her with my life as a princess of the Adelina Empire.”

“Good.”

Reassured by Jay’s steady gaze, Lenoa turned away. She had wondered whether he might harbor feelings for Laila as a woman rather than merely admiring her as a swordswoman, but it appeared that was not the case.

‘Still, I wonder whether a beautiful spring will ever come for this innocent bear of an escort knight.’

Lenoa worried that Jay would spend his entire life happily devoted to nothing but his sword.

***

A secret letter from the Adelina Empire was delivered to Duke Crussian.

When the chief steward first handed it to him, the duke regarded the sender’s name with suspicion.

He was uneasy about receiving a letter from someone he knew nothing about, but upon reading its contents, he could not help but smile with satisfaction.

“So you intend to betray Empress Scarlet….”

‘It seems even the heavens are on my side.’

Empress Scarlet had held his family’s weakness over him and exploited him mercilessly for years. He had already been planning to bring her down, yet now an unexpectedly valuable pawn had fallen into his hands.

“Yes. It would be even better if evidence like this fell into my possession as well.”

The duke placed the letter on his desk, leaned back in his plush chair, and closed his eyes. Everything was going so smoothly that he could hardly wait for the day when he would finally be free of Scarlet’s long-standing threats.

Carlo would make an excellent heir, and the secret businesses that the duke had been running would continue to flourish. Perhaps one day his wealth and power would even surpass those of the imperial family.

“Hahaha. Yes, perhaps they will.”

Now that he had revealed his mother’s whereabouts and properly stoked Carlo’s thirst for revenge, all the duke had to do was sit back and watch Empress Scarlet fall.

Bang!

Just as the duke was leisurely savoring his satisfaction, the office door flew open and Roselina stormed inside.

“Father!”

“Roselina. What is the meaning of this? You are a lady soon to be married.”

“Where is Carlo?”

Roselina paid no heed to her father’s rebuke. Carlo had been gone for several days, and his absence had driven her nearly mad.

“Be patient. He will return soon.”

“You said the same thing several days ago! Where did he go, and why has he still not returned? We are busy preparing for the wedding, yet he isn’t even here beside me!!”

“My child, just wait a little longer….”

“No!”

Despite the duke’s gentle attempt to soothe her, Roselina stamped her feet and flew into a rage.

“This is important to me! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been planning this wedding? How can Carlo leave me alone? Shouldn’t he be by my side every step of the way?”

Roselina appeared to have lost half her reason. No, her obsession with Carlo had become excessive. Even after receiving his proposal and setting the wedding date, she could not rid herself of the fear that he might abandon her.

“There is someone he must meet, so he has left for a short while. Be patient. I will provide everything necessary for the wedding. What would you like? What do you need this time?”

“I need Carlo! Right now!”

With fury ringing in her voice, Roselina began hurling anything within reach in a hysterical fit. She looked nothing like a happy bride awaiting her wedding day.

“Roselina! You grow more ill-tempered by the day. Tsk!”

The duke’s good mood vanished beneath Roselina’s hysteria. Scowling, he left the office.

“Did he go to that knight b*tch?! He promised to marry me, yet he went to that b*tch?!!”

The Roselina who had always dressed beautifully and conducted herself with the expected refinement of a noblewoman was gone.

Until Carlo’s proposal, she had felt as though she were walking on air. However, on the journey back to the duke’s estate after the banquet, Carlo had been cold and distant.

He no longer smiled or responded to anything she said. He merely frowned before disappearing.

Carlo had changed. And there was only one possible reason why.

“Laila…. How dare you steal my man?”

Her pathological obsession and rage were anything but beautiful. Roselina was steadily falling apart, turning the days when she had been praised for being the proud, elegant daughter of a duke into a mockery.

Trembling with fury, she reached for the papers on her father’s desk, intending to throw them too. Then she froze at the sight of one particular document.

It was the letter that had pleased the duke so much.

The letter from Sophia Siren — the second wife of the duke and the woman responsible for Carlo’s mother’s death.

The duke placed the letter on his desk, leaned back in his plush chair, and closed his eyes. Everything was going so smoothly that he could hardly wait for the day when he would finally be free of Scarlet’s long-standing threats.

Carlo would make an excellent heir, and the secret businesses that the duke had been running would continue to flourish. Perhaps one day his wealth and power would even surpass those of the imperial family.

“Hahaha. Yes, perhaps they will.”

Now that he had revealed his mother’s whereabouts and properly stoked Carlo’s thirst for revenge, all the duke had to do was sit back and watch Empress Scarlet fall.

Bang!

Just as the duke was leisurely savoring his satisfaction, the office door flew open and Roselina stormed inside.

“Father!”

“Roselina. What is the meaning of this? You are a lady soon to be married.”

“Where is Carlo?”

Roselina paid no heed to her father’s rebuke. Carlo had been gone for several days, and his absence had driven her nearly mad.

“Be patient. He will return soon.”

“You said the same thing several days ago! Where did he go, and why has he still not returned? We are busy preparing for the wedding, yet he isn’t even here beside me!!”

“My child, just wait a little longer….”

“No!”

Despite the duke’s gentle attempt to soothe her, Roselina stamped her feet and flew into a rage.

“This is important to me! Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of preparing for my wedding? How can Carlo leave me alone? Shouldn’t he remain by my side every moment?”

Roselina seemed to have lost her senses. In fact, she was becoming increasingly obsessed with Carlo. Even after he proposed and they set a wedding date, she could not shake off her fear that he might abandon her.

“He’s gone out for a while to meet someone. Be patient. I will provide everything necessary for the wedding. What would you like? What do you need this time?”

“I need Carlo! Right now!”

With fury ringing in her voice, Roselina began hurling anything within reach in a hysterical fit. She looked nothing like a happy bride awaiting her wedding day.

“Roselina! You grow more ill-tempered by the day. Tsk!”

The duke’s good mood vanished beneath Roselina’s hysteria. Scowling, he left the office.

“Did he go to that knight b*tch?! He promised to marry me, yet he went to that b*tch?!!”

The Roselina who had always dressed beautifully and conducted herself with the expected refinement of a noblewoman had disappeared.

Until Carlo’s proposal, she had felt as though she were walking on air. However, on the journey back to the duke’s estate after the banquet, Carlo had been cold and distant.

He no longer smiled or responded to anything she said. He merely frowned before disappearing.

Carlo had changed. And there was only one possible reason why.

“Laila…. How dare you steal my man?”

Her pathological obsession and rage were anything but beautiful. Roselina was steadily falling apart, turning the days when she had been praised for being the proud, elegant daughter of a duke into a mockery.

Trembling with fury, she reached for the papers on her father’s desk, intending to throw those away too. Then she froze at the sight of one particular document.

It was the letter that had pleased the duke so much.

The letter from Sophia Siren — the second wife of the duke and the woman responsible for Carlo’s mother’s death.