Scarlet had intended to use Carlo, who could one day become Duke Siren, as a safeguard against her father and Sophia betraying her.

The duke’s explanation filled Carlo with indescribable rage. Even now, his body trembled at the memory, and he longed to kill the man standing before him.

“Your Grace, trust me and tell me everything. I swear I will help you.”

Hiding his fury, Carlo urged the duke to confide in him, determined to exact his revenge at last. He was desperate to escape this nightmare and see those responsible suffer for their crimes.

Only then could he return to Laila, his one and only refuge.

***

Just as when Laila left Carlo’s estate, preparing to depart was simple, and she had little luggage.

Laila left the villa with Nathan and approached Lenoa, who was waiting to bid her farewell.

“Greetings, Princess Lenoa.”

“Laila, there is no need for such formality.”

When Laila bowed her head, Lenoa took her hand and spoke gently.

During Laila’s brief stay at the villa, Lenoa had visited her often and become her friend.

From afar, Lenoa had always appeared proud and coldly composed. But with Laila, she had approached not as a princess, but simply as another person.

“Thank you sincerely for giving me somewhere to stay and helping me.”

“I wish you could have rested more comfortably. It troubles me to see you leave on such a long journey….”

Affection filled Lenoa’s touch as she caressed Laila’s painfully thin hand.

‘I heard she will marry His Highness the Crown Prince. What a relief.’

It seemed the older brother she could not remember had found a wonderful partner.

“Thank you so much for comforting me. I will never forget it.”

“We will see each other again soon, so do not be sad.”

Like an older sister, Lenoa comforted Laila, whose eyes were glistening with tears. Smiling even more brightly as she adjusted Laila’s cloak, Lenoa was truly a lovely person.

After bidding Lenoa farewell, Laila walked toward Jay, who stood behind her.

“Sir Houston.”

“Princess Lailea.”

“The next time we meet, I promise I will duel you.”

Having heard from Lenoa how deeply Jay admired her swordsmanship, Laila extended her hand and made him that promise.

“Thank you. I will continue honing my skills in preparation for that day.”

“You are already an exceptional knight, but I will look forward to it.”

Seeing Jay’s eyes light up at her words made Laila regret not dueling him sooner.

There would be countless other opportunities in the future, though. Jay would also travel to the Adelina Empire to protect Lenoa on her wedding day.

Therefore, this was not an eternal farewell to either of them.

“Then I should be going.”

“Travel safely, Laila.”

“Yes. Please take good care of your health as well, Princess Lenoa.”

After embracing Lenoa one final time, Laila mounted her horse.

“Sir Nathan, take good care of Laila.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Unlike Laila, Nathan exchanged only a brief farewell before mounting his horse, and the two of them departed from the villa.

“Are you nervous?”

“Ah. A little.”

Noticing the faint trembling of Laila’s hands, Nathan asked as he rode beside her.

“An entirely unexpected future may be waiting for you.”

“Yes, perhaps.”

The future was impossible to predict.

Empress Scarlet, the woman who had abused Laila, was still alive in Adelina, and her influence remained strong.

Perhaps Laila was willingly walking into another pit of fire.

“But I will always remain by your side. So please, do not worry.”

“….”

‘I will protect you. Do not worry. ‘

Those words felt unfamiliar to Laila. As a formidable swordswoman, she had always been the one protecting others, not the one in need of protection.

Nathan knew that, too. Nevertheless, he made his promise with solemn conviction, as though pledging to devote the rest of his life to keeping her safe.

It was a kind of love Laila had never experienced before, leaving her unable to meet his gaze.

While she had become despondent and fragile, Nathan remained radiant and strong.

“If you are ready, we will ride at full speed from here.”

Hearing his clear, reassuring voice, Laila nodded and tightened her grip on the reins.

And so, Princess Laila — who had vanished without a trace seven years ago — quietly began her journey home.

***

The Adelina Imperial Palace was filled with ears listening to Scarlet. Following her ascension to the throne and the subsequent decline in the emperor’s health, the palace gradually fell under her control.

There was scarcely a corner of the palace that was not monitored by her spies. This time, her spies had succeeded in overhearing crucial information once again.

“Has the crown prince sent one of his men to Circlezia?”

Scarlet received the secret report from her subordinate in the garden of the Empress’s Palace. Her father sat quietly beside her.

“Yes, a knight named Nathan Riot. He is the heir to House Riot and has served His Highness the Crown Prince for many years.’

“But why? Surely….”

Roselina could not have changed her mind and given the evidence to Theodor instead of Scarlet.

Scarlet’s gaze turned cold. She had always thought Roselina was foolish, but not as witless as Sophia. Now, however, the two women seemed to be behaving in precisely the same way.

“According to my investigation, he went there to protect someone. He is now returning with that person.”

Protect someone? There should have been no one in the Circlezian Empire whom Theodor would go to such lengths to protect—not even Princess Lenoa.

“Father, who do you think it could be?”

Throughout the report, the Marquis had sipped his tea calmly. But when Scarlet asked her question, he put down his cup.

His expression was so composed that it bordered on coldness, giving him an eerie air.

The nobles knew only too well how much cruelty and cunning lay concealed beneath his serene exterior.

“Hmmm… who can say? Perhaps he has been hiding someone from us.”

Hearing the Marquis’s words, Scarlet bit down hard on her lip and fell into deep thought.

Then again, it might not be someone that Theodor had hidden. Perhaps Nathan had gone to collect subordinates stationed in Circlezia to gather information.

“Is there any other information?!”

Unable to discern Theodor’s intentions, Scarlet asked sharply in irritation.

“I have already sent someone. We should receive word soon.”

“Good. You must uncover the truth.”

“Yes.”

The arrival of the person Theodor’s man was bringing back could not possibly bode well.

“Whoever that person is, they are clearly no ally of Her Majesty the Empress. Make sure they never set foot on this land alive.”

The Marquis continued to smile benevolently as he calmly gave the order to kill.

Scarlet undoubtedly inherited her tendency to regard human lives as no more valuable than fallen leaves from her father.

“Yes.”

After bowing, the subordinate hurriedly disappeared.

“The crown prince’s recent movements are concerning.”

“…Pardon?”

Once they were alone in the garden, the marquis revealed why he had come to see Scarlet.

“He has quietly accumulated power all this time. It appears he is finally ready to spread his wings.”

“Father, what do you mean? Please explain more clearly.”

Scarlet’s expression darkened. He had spent years carrying out the emperor’s duties in his place, earning the trust of the nobles and the people.

He had amassed a following of people willing to sacrifice their lives for him.

The steadily growing presence of Theodor had long troubled Scarlet, and she now feared him.

Those who conceal crimes can never escape anxiety.

Although Scarlet appeared to have everything, she had always lived in a state of unease.

‘The crown prince’s secret knights are currently in Circlezia. They also appear to be searching for someone connected to Duke Crussian. Who do you suppose that could be?”

“….”

Someone connected to Duke Crussian….

It must be someone necessary to bring her down—someone capable of proving her crimes. A lightning bolt of dread struck Scarlet, and her eyes widened.

“Crook Zegner!”

At the name she exclaimed in horror, the marquis nodded as though he had expected her to reach the same conclusion.

“Then are you saying that he is the person currently returning to the empire?”

“Most likely…. If he falls into the crown prince’s hands, the truth about the poison we used in the past may be exposed. Therefore, he must be killed.”

“Yes…. He must.”

As always, everything she had done in the past had been necessary.

She had acted for the greater good. Therefore, she had committed no crime.

Scarlet struggled to calm her anxious heart, knowing this.

‘I need to see James!’

She desperately longed for the one person who could ease her pain.