《The Female Lead Raised The Villain》 Chapter 0 Prologue All of a sudden, a slender silver-haired woman fell on the floor, vomiting blood. With a face covered with tears, she reached out her hand and grabbed the man¡¯s foot. ¡°Grey, don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°You think I really loved you?¡± ¡°You said you did! That you loved everything about me¡­..¡± ¡°I was after your title.¡± Grey shook off Mary¡¯s hand and fixed his clothes. Mary didn¡¯t want to believe it. She couldn¡¯t make herself believe it. But, when she saw a smile of victory plastered on his face, she realized. He never loved her, not even a little. ¡°Oh my goodness! What an idiot!¡± I threw away the book I was reading and was overwhelmed by my own anger. Actually, I wasn¡¯t going crazy because I still had lingering feelings, but because the heroine of this novel was so frustrating. What the hell were you thinking when you still trusted the man who betrayed you right before you died? Aren¡¯t you vicious yourself? If so, then you would have acted more like one! I mean, the character was bound to collapse because of her current condition. But, I couldn¡¯t understand. The romance fantasy novel that was thrown far away in the corner of the hospital room was entitled, . Doesn¡¯t the title give you the answer? Don¡¯t trust him! You were told not to believe him, but why did you still believe him? The name of the heroine was Mary Anastasia. Her name itself was pretty. On top of that, her appearance is that of a goddess, according to the novel. Most of all, she was a princess who has never been ashamed. ¡®Why did you fall into his trap? Why did you not recognize such a scumbag? ¡® There was no other person like her who was an idiot when it comes to men. At first, Mary was frustrated when she was engaged to him because he neither had a high rank, nor did she love him. In addition, the author had set a time where she was determined to break off the engagement no matter what, yet¡­ ¡°Why did I have to read this?¡± I felt similar to her for no reason. Maybe it was because I was also bound to die soon like her. Since I¡¯m only 26 years old, there are still many things I haven¡¯t done and many I still want to do. ¡°If I had been Mary, I would have done as I pleased.¡± Since I was stuck in bed, all I could do was read the novel. I never would¡¯ve predicted that I¡¯d be told in the future that I¡¯d die soon. I just want to live a normal life and be happy like everyone else. Was that such a selfish request? I had to calm down, but I felt tremendous pain after I finished reading the novel. I tried to catch my breath while holding my chest tightly. Every now and then, when I felt pain, I¡¯d become scared. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die yet¡­..¡¯ I was afraid because no one would know of or remember my existence by the time I meet my end because I have nothing. Mary¡¯s life was better, even if she was dumb. Although she wasn¡¯t loved by the man she truly loved, she had a family¡­..Contrary to you, I-I have nothing. No one will remember me after I die. I will disappear in this world, as if I had never existed from the beginning. If it was a life that would be taken away so quickly, it should not have been given from the very beginning. Every day was too short for me, and I had no good memories either. I want to live. Even if I continue living like this without anyone around me. The pain in my chest felt stronger. I felt unusually strong today. Whenever the pain came, I wasn¡¯t able to stand it. Perhaps I have gotten used to the pain I¡¯ve been receiving until now. I took out a painkiller and put it into my mouth. The pressure in my chest grew stronger, making it harder for me to breathe. I tried to calm myself down and closed my eyes while lying on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­I took medicine, so I¡¯ll soon wake up after sleeping¡­.¡± I closed my eyes¡­ I could feel the sun and the wind brush my skin lightly. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. The sound gradually became louder, and my consciousness became hazy. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 1 - A Strange Place (Prologue) Chapter 1 ¨C A Strange Place (Prologue) At a glance, a thin silver-haired woman collapsed vomiting blood. With a face covered with tears, she struggled to reach out and grabbed the man¡¯s feet. ¡°Gray, don¡¯t abandon me.¡± ¡°Do you really think I loved you?¡±¡± ¡°You told me you loved me! That you understand everything about me¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I just wanted your position.¡± Gray shook off Mary¡¯s hand and fixed his clothes. Mary didn¡¯t want to believe it. She couldn¡¯t believe it. But when she found his smile of victory toward her, she realized. He didn¡¯t even give her a single grain of his heart. ¡°You crazy! What¡¯s with all these dogs?¡± Throwing the book she was reading, she couldn¡¯t beat her anger and bragged. She was going crazy because she still have lingering feelings in such a world, but the heroine in this novel was so frustrated. She tried to trust the man who betrayed her right before she died. What kind of bullshit is this? Is that a villain? Then they should have acted more like a villain! The character breakdown is obvious. Otherwise, the woman who has been turned into a villain cannot fall mercilessly in front of her only man. She couldn¡¯t understand. The book thrown in the far corner of the hospital room was a romance fantasy novel called Can¡¯t one tell the answer just by looking at the title? She was told not to trust him! It told her not to believe him, but why does she believe him? The novel protagonists name was Mary Anastasia. She had a pretty name and, as expressed, she had a beautiful appearance. Above all else, she was an impeccable princess. ¡®Why can¡¯t she recognize such a trashy person when he¡¯s been doing evil to others? As she was a princess.¡¯ She didn¡¯t even have an eye for men like a fool. Mary, who was in a high position, just wanted to get engaged to a man who gave love to her not her position, this was frustrating. Moreover, the author was set to a deadline, whether he was very sympathetic to the princess and was determined to act. ¡°Why do I have to choose this?¡± Her mind went a bit further. Like herself, she was also at the end of the time when she accepted her death. She was twenty-six years old. There were many things she had never done before and many things she wanted to do. ¡°If I were Mary, I would have done whatever I wanted.¡± She was stuck in bed. All she could do was read a book. She didn¡¯t know when she would die vainly. She just wanted to live a normal life and be happy like others, but was that a big desire? She had to relax, but she felt the pain in her heart because she was angry with the book. She grabbed her chest and chose to breathe. Sometimes she was scared when pain came. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡¯ She was afraid that there would be no one who recognized her end or remembered her because she would die when there was no one next to her like this. Mary in the novel was better even if she was frustrating or stupid. Still, she had a man who loved her. There was even a family¡­¡­. She herself has nothing. Even if she die, there is no one who remembers her. She will just disappeared as if she didn¡¯t exist in this world from the beginning. If it was a life to be taken away so quickly, she shouldn¡¯t have had it from the beginning. For her, every day was too short and had no proper memories. She want to live. Even if she live like this, she doesn¡¯t want to die even if there is no one around her. The chest pain felt stronger. It felt unusually strong today. She couldn¡¯t stand the pain she felt every day. The pain that she seemed to have gotten used to always became even greater. She took out the pain reliever and poured it in her mouth. The pressure on the chest became stronger and harder to breathe. She tried to calm down and lay in bed and closed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I took medicine, so when I wake up.¡­.¡± She closed her eyes. The wind passed by with the sun as it brushed its cheeks. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. The sound became lighter and lighter, and her consciousness also became dreamy. Chapter 2 Not Mary But Me (1) She opened her eyes with a feeling of opening her breath. She felt like the pain that she couldn¡¯t breathe was still tightening her throat. ¡°Gasp¡­¡± She put her hand on her neck like crazy. There was nothing. She also tried vomiting with her mouth open. She felt something stuck in her throat. Her chest was stuffy and she couldn¡¯t breathe properly. ¡°Why¡­ Why?¡± Wet hands covered with tears and saliva caught her eyes. Skinny hands and skin color tone without blood. It was the hand that she¡¯s always seen. ¡°But what is this incompatibility?¡± She swept her hair back with her hand. Her body trembled as if she still felt pain. Breathing gradually regained stability. She stared at her hand blankly for a long time. A soft feeling with a white blanket. It was strange. Only then did she raise her head and look around. It was a different window room from the hospital room, a different space from the world she was in. Her head was pounding. She felt the extreme cold. Hugging myself, she crawled out of bed shaking. ¡°What? What is it¡­¡­¡± A picture hung on one wall of the colorful room caught her eye. A beautiful woman was drawn at a glance with clear silver eyes that seemed to be transparent to silver hair. Knock, knock. She heard a knock on the door. She stepped back in surprise. She was dead and opened her eyes, but she was in a strange place, so she swallowed her fear. ¡°Princess! Oh my god.¡± When a woman she saw for the first time found her, she¡¯s horrified. She also throws away the things in her hand and runs to her and wraps herself in a blanket in a hurry. ¡°You can¡¯t move yet. Oh my god, did you put it up again? Come here.¡± Attracted by her hand, she came to bed and sat down. She couldn¡¯t understand this situation at all. ¡°Princess¡­¡± Wiping her face carefully, the woman wiped away tears. She carefully wiped her hands and face with a wet towel. She said she was glad she woke up. She turned her head blankly and looked at the mirror next to her. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t her. The woman in the picture on the wall was looking in the mirror. She turned her head to the side. ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Princess, are you feeling sick again?¡± ¡°Who am I?¡± She looked every inch of the room in front of her. She saw the woman¡¯s appearance on the wall and herself reflected in the mirror. She vaguely remembered the descriptions in the novel she had read. ¡°The Princess¡­ No one can forget you.¡± ¡°Who am I?¡± ¡°Mary Anastasia. She is the only Princess of the Arpen Empire.¡± She replied as if she were familiar with it. Listening to the woman, she couldn¡¯t say anything. She just kept smiling in despair. This was none other than Mary¡¯s room in the novel. *** Yeah, it would have been nice if she was Mary because she was frustrated while reading the book. She thought about this. Mary in the novel was so sad. It was so similar to herself, but it was so different from herself that she envied Mary. ¡°You have everything, but why are you giving up?¡± She didn¡¯t understand. It must be a power that others have never had, but giving up everything because of love? But did the man really love her? He betrayed Mary until the end. She envied Mary, but she didn¡¯t want to be Mary. Wasn¡¯t death a set fate for her, too? However, it was so terrible that she was in front of death again. In addition, the fact that she was here was like saying that she was dead. Otherwise, this ridiculous thing won¡¯t happen to her. ¡®I¡¯m really dead¡­¡­?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe she was dead. To live like that, she has endured by taking medicine persistently, and she have tried everything she can to live. She didn¡¯t expect to close her eyes in vain. It was miserable. It was unfair. From birth to death, she had never done anything at her disposal for a moment. Not a single happiness has ever been allowed to her. *** It was not easy to admit that she was Mary. She stayed in the room for a long time and never met anyone else. It took quite a lot of time to adapt, and it also took a lot of time to identify and adapt to the people around her. She opened the window and looked outside. She could see Gray coming to her again today. When she saw him talking with a gentle look while hiding his face, disgust came. ¡®I want to put my fist in that smiling face.¡¯ There was no one who didn¡¯t know him in the Arpen Empire. He had an outstanding appearance, a firm body, and was kind and caring to everyone. Yeah, to everyone. Mary Anastasia. The only Princess in the Arpen Empire. She, a time-limited woman who doesn¡¯t know when to die, always bothered others. Her maid, of course, who was a young girl of a noble family lower than herself, did not leave her alone. Chapter 3 ¡°A woman could do much more.¡± Even though Mary was vicious, no one was able to curse her. Everyone endured because she was the country¡¯s Princess and had few days left to live. The Emperor would do everything as he felt sorry for such a daughter. It was a book that she read over and over again. She memorized it so well that the contents of the novel spread out in front of her. Unlike what she read in a novel, it was not easy to think rationally now that it became her situation. Her father, who had brought this situation to this point, was also resented. ¡®So you must have engaged a ridiculous count.¡¯ Mary, who was engaged to Count Gray with the Emperor¡¯s permission, felt like she had the whole world. With the joy of having him whom everyone coveted, she was deceived by Gray¡¯s play that he loved her, and gradually gnawed down her life. ¡®She doesn¡¯t even know who¡¯s strangling her like a fool.¡¯ If she continued to avoid him, he she thought might understand, but it¡¯s time for persistence to come forward. He will never give up on her. While staying in the room and adapting, she organized what to do in the future. First of all, she¡¯ll take care of that trashy Gray. It will never be seen that he takes what is hers and stands in the position of Emperor. Even if she die at the time of death, she would have died at the hands of others if she died at her own. Enjoy until the day she die, engrave herself in people¡¯s memories and die. ¡°So, Mary, I¡¯ll step up from now on.¡± She brushed her long silver hair finely and left the room. She shook her head at the Palace that she couldn¡¯t get used to at all times. She felt like her space, which was full of only white, was filled with various colors. She felt alive. Each touch of the hand the tip of touches, and the scent that touches the tip of the nose makes her heart overwhelmed. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m alive.¡± Is it right that she¡¯s alive? Is it Mary or her who is alive? Is it Mary or her who died? Questions that are not easily solved fill her head. Soon, she shook her head to erase useless thoughts. She thought selfishly that she was the one who was alive and bit her lips gently. ¡°It¡¯s windy outside, Princess.¡± ¡°Carl. So what do we do? I want to get some air.¡± Carl that found her ran up and blocked her. Carl, who saw her lightly worn clothes, hurriedly turned his eyes. ¡°Then please stay for a moment. I¡¯ll bring something to wear.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She pitifully lowered her eyes and grabbed Carl¡¯s collar. Carl flinched and carefully releases his hand. She¡¯s sure he¡¯s being careful. Because she¡¯s about to get engaged. But will it be okay to avoid her touch now? He got used to Mary¡¯s touch. Before falling for Gray, Mary met many men and longed for love. She hate being alone in order not to be forgotten. Neither was wrong nor was it right. Mary was just afraid. ¡°You don¡¯t like me anymore?¡± If others hear it, it will not be enough to swear. She has someone to engage with, but can¡¯t believe she¡¯s checking another out. But it doesn¡¯t matter. She¡¯s not getting engaged to Gray. Even the rest of the time is a waste for such a guy. Carl might be better. ¡°¡­¡­Then put this on at least. I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Carl didn¡¯t answer her question. He just took off his outerwear and put it around her shoulder. It¡¯s a very funny thing. There are so many people who like Mary, but why such a guy? She almost cursed out of her mouth without realizing it. She walked around the garden with Carl to avoid Gray¡¯s place. Carl didn¡¯t even ask her why she chose Gray, not himself. He may be in love enough to respect Mary¡¯s choice. ¡®But I¡¯m sorry. You don¡¯t have the power to protect me.¡¯ It was cruel but real. Maybe he doesn¡¯t ask her for anything else because he knows that, too. He was firm even though she kept testing and shaking him around. ¡®You¡¯re such a fool.¡¯ Honestly, power and position didn¡¯t matter to her. But what if she die? She has to endure it on her own then. The day was quite creepy. If not, it¡¯s because Mary is not feeling well. She hated this cold because she remembered her old self. She doesn¡¯t like it when her body shrinks. Stuck close to Carl and smiled innocently. ¡°Princess, I think you¡¯d better go in.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not dark yet.¡± ¡°¡­but¡­¡± Carl blurred the end of his speech. He slightly moved away from her and coughed in vain. What did Mary do after dark? His ears were dyed red. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go in.¡± She stopped making fun of him and turned around. A short sigh came from Carl. She walked looking forward as if she didn¡¯t hear it. Chapter 4 She smiled as she handed over his outerwear back to Carl. As she was about to turn around and enter the room, she heard a sound approaching her with a quick step. ¡®It¡¯s obvious even if you don¡¯t look at it. He¡¯s persistent.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t control her facial expression. She greeted him straight away, controlling her mind and raising the corner of her mouth that didn¡¯t go up. ¡°Sir Gray.¡± ¡°Princess Mary.¡± He bowed his head slightly to her and greeted her. She just nodded and didn¡¯t do anything else. His eyebrows wriggled at a different greeting than usual. But he immediately changed his expression and smiled brightly at her. ¡°It¡¯s late, but you¡¯re still here. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s sensible.¡± Gray tilted his head, wondering if he heard it wrong. She folded her eyes and smiled as if she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°You came without telling me, so I thought you¡¯d leave without telling me.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you always welcome me no matter how much I visited you? You¡¯ll always wait for me.¡± Gray still sounded friendly, perhaps because he didn¡¯t understand her. She didn¡¯t mean to follow his rhythm, but she¡¯ll follow it for the time being. If he doubts her, she¡¯ll get in trouble, so she¡¯ll slowly tighten his neck to kill him. ¡°Oh, did I do that?¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯re feeling worse.¡± His eyes say he¡¯s worried. A voice filled with sincerity. Yeah, if it were Mary, she wouldn¡¯t have known. Even from her perspective, his eyes seemed to see a woman he loved. However, Mary, who fell for Gray, might have wanted to pretend not to know even if she knew. ¡®If you loved Gray that much, you should have asked him to bury you when you died.¡¯ Isn¡¯t it better to die together than to be remembered by him for being wrongfully killed alone? She looked carefully through Gray. Gray felt her gaze and raised one corner of his mouth with a look of ¡®So it is¡¯. ¡°Princess, you¡¯re not throwing me away at this hour, are you?¡± ¡°Of course, come here. Gray, do you love me?¡± She asked him shyly with an innocent smile. Gray kissed the back of her hand instead of answering. She got goosebumps all over her body. ¡®You¡¯re going to avoid answering? You must have some conscience.¡¯ She still watched his actions. Gray raised her head and tried to kiss her lips. She shook her head, covering his mouth with her palm. Gray¡¯s eyes are wide open. It soon bent beautifully. ¡°I asked you if you love me.¡± ¡°If the person I love is not the princess, who would it be?¡± She smiled brightly and looked happier than anyone else. Hugging Gray, she whispered in his ear. ¡°That¡¯s a relief, Gray. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be satisfied with just being remembered. If I die, you might meet another girl.¡± ¡°What is that¡­?¡± ¡°So Gray, you¡¯d better be with me when I die. If you love me, you can do that, right?¡± Gray¡¯s hands shook. She hugged gray tightly and smiled as if she was happy. Gray said nothing. She smiled at the corners of her mouth and pushed him away slightly. With a disappointed look, she bowed her head as if she were hurt. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Gray loves me only with words.¡± She coldly shook off his hand holding her. There were red marks on Gray¡¯s palm. His palms fluttered. Gray¡¯s expression was strangely distorted by her attitude of going back and forth. ¡®I can¡¯t make it obvious.¡¯ ¡°How can I express how I feel to believe it?¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know. I already can¡¯t believe your heart.¡± ¡°Princess, you¡¯ve never doubted my heart.¡± Yeah, it was Mary. Because she wanted to trust him. That¡¯s how she was made. Mary¡¯s last words came to mind. She, who had died in a place where no one knew on the cold floor, was vividly depicted in front of her. There seemed to be a voice and illusion of her howling like a scream. She covered her ears. She closed her eyes and tried to erase her appearance. Surprised by the power of the arm that held her, she opened her eyes. She could see Gray¡¯s mouth asking if she was okay. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not feeling well these days.¡± ¡°¡­I guess the time to die is approaching.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. There¡¯s still a lot of time left.¡± Time? Oh, he must have been waiting for the day she died. During a period she didn¡¯t know, he said it out loud as if he knew it. Can he say it if he really loves her in front of her who is dying? A smile that could not be hidden kept leaking out. Yeah, just wait for her to die like that. Because she won¡¯t be able to have anything even if she dies. Chapter 5 He¡¯s trying to lie flat, coveting others¡¯ things that he can¡¯t hold in his hands. Wait for her in the place where she can look down so that she can step on him more easily. ¡°Gray, you¡¯re talking too easily.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better go now for today. I¡¯m not in a very good mood right now, so I might harm you.¡± She smiled brightly at him. His lips were trembling. She was forced to hold laugh and had convulsions. He seemed to have seen a lot of her bullying, so he said goodbye without saying a word and left. She washed her hands nervously. The place where his lips touched was unpleasant like a bug crawling. ¡°Woo-Woo!¡± Her stomach twisted and she thought the pain in her chest was increasing, and soon red blood came out of her mouth. She wiped off the mouth with her hands casually. The hands she washed earlier was dirty again. Blood was everywhere on her face and hands, so it was bizarre. ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯m dead. I opened my eyes and death awaits me again.¡± She envied Mary. Mary, who had everything, thought she was better than her in the novel. Waiting for death was the same, but it was funny. Her face stained with red blood was creepy because of her pale face, bloodless hands, and hair and eyes that had no color. She felt that the shadow of death was near. ¡°Don¡¯t say it recklessly. Don¡¯t talk about death as if you knew it all.¡± It¡¯s unfair. She got a new life at best, but she was resentful and unfair that she had to die again. Will Mary feel the same way as her? Is she angry like her because she took her place? No, wouldn¡¯t they be thankful? She¡¯s going to deal with death instead of her. No, death may also be up to her. ¡°Mary, you must be the one who feels unfair.¡± She reached out looking at herself reflected in the mirror. As expected, it wasn¡¯t the cold wind earlier. She got chills and her hands trembled. What did she think about when she saw her body breaking down? ¡°Mary, forgive me for taking over your body.¡± She lost consciousness like that. *** When she opened her eyes, she was lying in bed in a clean state. She had no memory after that. It is clear that she has been unconscious for several days. She stared blankly at the ceiling. When she looked sideways to get up, a red curtain came in sight. ¡®Just looking at the red color makes my teeth tremble.¡¯ She grabbed the curtain as hard as she could and ripped it off. As soon as she woke up, she felt dizzy because she used her voice. Surprised by the sound of tearing and the scream supported by her voice, Carl and the maid came in. ¡°Oh, my princess!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sweeping her hair back, she pointed to the curtain that fell. Carl looked at her hand and approached silently to clean up the broken curtains. He folded it calmly and put it away where she couldn¡¯t see it. The maid hurriedly called in other maids to take the curtains outside, perhaps noticing Carl¡¯s actions. ¡°Princess, why didn¡¯t you tell me? You can¡¯t overdo it yet.¡± The maid did not comment on her behavior. She was just busy looking at her body and calming herself. Her hands were throbbing. Her heart was also throbbing. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you surprised by my actions?¡± She was really curious. Even though the day went by and she acted as she wanted, the maid silently did her job. Others were busy shaking their heads and avoiding herself, but she was as different as she can be. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me for not even calling your name?¡± She didn¡¯t know the name at first, but she didn¡¯t want to give her affection later. So she didn¡¯t say it. She tried hard to ignore the maid who was by her side every day because she was afraid that she would be caught in her eyes later. Because she¡¯s not Mary anyway. ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you do that to me?¡± The maid slowly took her mouth off. She felt her heart beat again with a trembling voice, looking at her reddened, swept palms. At best, she only pulled the curtains open. Mary¡¯s body was weakened to the fullest, perhaps even that was too much. ¡®What if I really die like this? What if she struggles and breaks her body?¡¯ Her eyes were darkened with fear. Her body trembled. In the fear of death, in the pain she suffered. The maid took her hand off her mouth. ¡°You said bad memories last longer than good memories.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So you told me that you would rather be remembered as a bad person and not be forgotten quickly, and that you would be less sad if they said you were rather a bad person and be remembered by people.¡± Mary was the same as her. She must have been afraid of being left alone. She couldn¡¯t throw a stone at Mary, who said she wanted to be remembered by others even in this way. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t justify this behavior.¡± ¡°How can I curse the Princess, who still holds the fear of death from an early age and tries to live, but still tries not to forget it?¡± ¡°Are you pitying me?¡± ¡°How dare I say you are pitiful? You are strong enough to not have to be pitied with.¡± The maid smiled at her and hid her sadness. She noticed her false smile, but she didn¡¯t say anything else. Because she was the one who put on a false mask more than anyone else to stay here. Chapter 6 ¡°Carl¡­ Was the banquet until today?¡± ¡°¡­but your Majesty won¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my birthday party, but it doesn¡¯t make sense for the person herself to be left out.¡±¡± Carl¡¯s expression hardened at my question. The maid caught me and stopped me, but I was not the one to listen. She had to go to the banquet today. Fortunately, the timing was right. It¡¯s her birthday and the last banquet day. Yeah, she might see him there. ¡°Get ready. I¡¯m going now.¡± ¡°But Princess.¡± ¡°Do you want me to say it twice?¡± The maid shook her head at the words. She got up from her seat, brought clothes to wear for the banquet, and left the room, saying she would bring in the maids. Carl sat down and looked at her. His eyes looked exceptionally red today. ¡°Carl, what are you doing? Go and wait.¡± ¡°Do you have to go?¡± ¡°You are arrogant because I didn¡¯t say much these days.¡± Not only was it cold, but a frozen voice quietly rang in the room. She got up from her seat silently and stood in front of Carl, who stared at her. Phat. She raised her hand and slapped Carl. Without any resistance, his head turned sideways. Her hands were throbbing again. A red scar remained on Carl¡¯s cheek. She had been lying in bed for several days, so her nails were quite long, and blood dripped down his cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t be arrogant. You just have to follow me.¡± Her heart has been trembling. The area around his eyes was invariably red, and he calmly accepted the smashing touch. It was Carl who was hit, but when she saw him, it was more painful than that. Don¡¯t have any expectations or vague hopes. This is all she can do for Carl. May it be remembered as a bad memory and forgotten. May he be happy to meet the person he loves. ¡°I¡¯ll take your order.¡± Carl bowed his head to her without shaking. He acted as if he knew his position well and that what he was worried about would not happen. It was not until he left that he sighed. The maids who came in immediately looked at her. She sat in a chair and nodded. At the touch of the maid, he left and she looked blankly in the mirror. Somehow, she felt like she lost more weight than she did in the beginning. The blue dress was vaguely reflected by the light and sparkled every time it moved. The brightness kept drawing her attention. Moreover, she liked it, not red. She wore light outerwear and came outside. She headed to the banquet hall with Carl. As the place neared, exciting music came to her ears. It was the first time she was in front of people since she became Mary. ¡°Carl, is Gray here?¡± ¡°He came every day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He must have been curious if she was dead. He¡¯d be in trouble if she died even before he got engaged. She entered the banquet hall under Carl¡¯s escort. Everyone stopped being surprised by her who suddenly appeared. The young girls swallowed dry saliva and looked at her. One by one, they greeted her politely. She just nodded and didn¡¯t give a look. Her father looked at her and ran to her in one step and looked at her. ¡°Mary, are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. A party without a main character. Isn¡¯t it boring?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s perfect for you to come. But you shouldn¡¯t overdo it.¡± Her father looked at her saying he was still worried. But he didn¡¯t say anything else, perhaps because he knew her stubbornness. He just asked Carl to keep an eye on her. She sat down and looked away at the people. Oh, she saw the unlucky Gray over there. She pretended she didn¡¯t see him and looked straight at another place. She could see Gray approaching herself. She rolled her eyes quickly to find him. ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± She quickly got up from her seat. Gray stopped walking because he thought she was coming. She immediately approached the man tilting a glass of wine with a mean look at the banquet hall. Neither her father nor Gray saw her. Passing through Gray, she stopped in front of Grand Duke Arthur Douglas. Grand Duke Arthur looked at her and put down the wine glass. It wasn¡¯t revealed on his face, but he looked a little embarrassed. He looked at her still, turning his expression back. ¡®Grand Duke Arthur Douglas. This guy is perfect.¡¯ The Grand Duke had his own land. He was powerful enough to be envied by others and to keep her father in check. Perhaps that¡¯s why bad rumors continued to spread around him in the empire. However, it was only a rumor and nothing was confirmed. The land he ruled was such a closed and secret place. ¡®But not a single person has left the territory.¡¯ She shouldn¡¯t judge people just by the rumors, but she rather liked the rumor about him. They seem to match each other well. There¡¯s no need to find it from afar. In addition, she doesn¡¯t think he¡¯ll care about whether she dies or what she does, and she thinks it¡¯ll be a clean relationship. Chapter 7 She looked at the Grand Duke and thought without saying a word. While rolling her eyes and thinking about this and that, she forgot about the gaze focused on her for a moment. ¡°Princess Anastasia. If you have nothing to say, please get out of my way.¡± Arthur¡¯s patience must have ended, he told her in a sharp voice. Only then did she stop thinking, and she took the wine glass he put down into her mouth. ¡°Ah, I really hate red.¡± She tilted her drink with her eyes fixed. Surprised, Carl tried to approach her. When her father saw her like that, he put his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was as if the bitter alcohol was running down her throat and running through her body. The wine glided into her mouth, wrapped around her tongue, and passed gently behind her neck. ¡°Princess! Dr, drink!¡± The maid who was watching was surprised and called her urgently. Her father raised his hand as if it was okay and blocked it. He seemed to know that it was useless to stop it. She felt sorry for the maid who rolled her feet and looked at her. But she drank as if she wanted to see. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to die whether I drink or not anyway. Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± It became quiet as if everyone was solemn about what she said, which made her feel worse. She can hear the whispers and sympathetic looks toward her. She was annoyed. The wine that Grand Duke was drinking seemed to be quite strong. Along with the scent, she could feel alcohol entering the body. The Grand Duke¡¯s intriguing smile shone through the glass, which was emptied of a creepy red wine. She gave up drinking more than she thought. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur Douglas. I am interested these days.¡± She turned the wine glass gently and saw a fluttering wine. The wine shaking in her hand is like the eyes of those around her. Oh, and Gray¡¯s shaking body. ¡°Does that interest mean me?¡± ¡°Hmm, aren¡¯t you curious if I¡¯m interested in the Grand Duke or your land?¡± The banquet hall was buzzing, and the wine circled the glass. She felt better for no reason, smirking and smiling. Gray approached her with an urgent step. Seeing that both hands are full of strength, it must be quite effective. She can¡¯t believe he¡¯s this angry. She knew Gray¡¯s dirty heart fully well. It may be less ugly to reveal the dark inside like her. Think carefully; his end is her decision. Arthur¡¯s eyes turned to Gray. He gently bowed his head to her, and his breath touched her ears and tickled. Her body flinched without realizing it. ¡°You must have something you want from me.¡± It was a pleasant voice to hear. There was a strange feeling that was calm and heavy, indescribable. She smiled slightly at him and shed her eyes on him. A neat yet angled tailcoat caught her eye. The bangs came down slightly and covered his eyes. His dark black hair and eyes were opposite her. His dark eyes were firmly covered as if he would not reveal anything. ¡°It¡¯s nice that you catch on quick.¡± She honestly expressed her feelings. It was just because there was no reason to hide it. Arthur straightened his back and took away the wine glass in her hand. The slightly leftover wine flapped in his hand. The transparent glass had marks from her lips. Arthur put his mouth on it as if looking at it and emptied the remaining alcohol. ¡°Whatever it may be, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her head was pounding because the alcohol was quite strong. As expected, it must have been too much to drink. She bit her lips as her forehead narrowed. This is a little dangerous, but she felt her body loosen. She thought her face was heating up, but soon her whole body was hot. Her eyes kept getting blurry. As soon as Arthur put down the glass, he put his hand on her staggering waist and firmly supported it. Gray approached Arthur and spoke politely. ¡°Grand Duke Douglas, I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Ha ha! Hahaha.¡± She laughed at what he said without realizing it. While laughing, she immediately hardened her face. In Arthur¡¯s arms, she turned her head and looked at Gray with loosened eyes. The face was distorted and red. Without getting out of Arthur¡¯s arms, she tilted and pulled Gray¡¯s arm. She whispered to Gray with an unmistakable smile. ¡°Gray, do you know what you look like now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gray glanced at her with surprise. She smiled deeper than before and slowly opened her mouth so that she could hear better. ¡°You¡¯re like a fucking dog.¡± An analogy is appropriate to be anxious about losing one¡¯s owner. Others glanced at her with a face that wondered if the princess was finally crazy. It was reasonable to say this from her mouth, busy praising and hanging on to him every day. ¡°¡­haha, I can¡¯t believe you look like a cute puppy.¡± Gray smiled and shrugged at the surroundings. He understood her correctly, but he avoided the situation by interpreting it at his disposal. Gray acted as if there was nothing wrong with his affection for her. Chapter 8 ¡°It¡¯s interesting, but I don¡¯t want to be involved between a man and a woman, so take her.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Grand Duke pushed her against Gray before she could continue to say anything. Gray managed to catch her, who lost her balance. ¡°Grand Duke! What are you doing?¡± ¡°I just handed over the Princess to the one who will be her fianc¨¦e.¡± Arthur smiled and shrugged at her father¡¯s words. Because of the Grand Duke, she was handed over to Gray. Thanks to him, she was completely sober. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± After sweeping her hair back, she escaped Gray¡¯s arms and approached him. Arthur still looked at her with a slightly rolled up mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your invitation, Grand Duke Douglas.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I think I¡¯m losing money.¡± ¡°Do you really think so? If you think so, I can¡¯t help it.¡± She turned away from him as if she had no regrets. She saw his mouth go up smoothly at her words. It was ¡®interest.¡¯ She immediately beckoned to Carl. Carl¡¯s face is stiffer than before. ¡®That¡¯s how it was obvious..¡­.¡¯ She didn¡¯t forget to bow to her father and shout at the surroundings. Clap clap clap. She clapped her hands to attract attention. Everyone looked at her as if they were nervous. She¡¯s the main character, but why does she feel like she poured water on it? Of course, she did provide the cause. ¡°It¡¯s a banquet, so enjoy it; the uninvited guest and the main character will disappear now.¡± With Carl, she left the banquet hall without looking back. Her stomach felt nauseous again. She stopped on her way and chose to breathe. ¡°You drank too much.¡± ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± Carl asked her. There was also a little resentment in his eyes. As if why Carl¡¯s eyes were fierce. Grand Duke Arthur Douglas, who everyone in the Empire hates. But why is that? There¡¯s nothing terrible about it. ¡°Princess Anastasia!¡± She heard Gray¡¯s voice rushing after her, calling her name. She was already feeling nauseous, but she felt worse because of him. She walked quickly with Carl as if she didn¡¯t hear anything. Gray tried to hold her hand as if he didn¡¯t understand her reaction, ignoring him. Crack! She heard a sharp frictional sound. She turned around and looked at him, hitting his hand hard. Gray¡¯s body flinched at the contempt he could see in her eyes. It had never happened to him. But now, it has been repeated many times. ¡°Gray, you must be mistaken for once.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What the hell are you talking about, Princess?¡± ¡°Just because I like you, you have the illusion that you have the upper hand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She looked quite fierce considering that. She reached out to Carl with a relaxed smile. In her hand in front of her, Carl knelt down without saying a word and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°Carl, stay still.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Carl bowed his head as he was on one knee. She smiled as if satisfied and held out his hand toward Gray without withdrawing her hand. Gray¡¯s face was terribly distorted. His pride collapsed to the point where he forgot to show his face. She tilted her head as if she stood there. ¡°Gray, what are you doing? My arm is about to fall.¡± Seeing her forehead narrowing, Gray slowly knelt very slowly with a distorted face and kissed the back of her hand. She knew it, but Gray didn¡¯t have a single heart for Mary. She felt bitter again. ¡®Mary, look at this man kneeling miserably in front of you. If I were Gray, I would have knelt down repeatedly with a smile.¡¯ His fists looked tense. She looked down at him with a stern look. His lips, which touched the back of his hand again, did not feel good. If he had any guilt against Mary, he wouldn¡¯t have acted like this. ¡®You have to show it like this. Then why didn¡¯t you wait until she died?¡¯ Mary was dead anyway. Even if he wasn¡¯t involved in her last death, she was dying. If she had waited a little longer, Mary could have died happily without knowing anything. Did she have to end it with her own hands because she couldn¡¯t stand it? ¡°Gray, take a good look. Your position.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The illusion that mine became yours just because you won my heart, and that you could swing me at will, has to end today.¡± ¡°¡­Princess Anastasia.¡± Gray tried hard to control his emotions and called her name. Yeah, he knows it well, too. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the only Princess in this country. You¡¯re just a toy I¡¯m interested in before I die, nothing more or less. So, you should try not to let me get tired.¡± Toys are invariably dull. Even if one pours out their affection, they will eventually find something new. ¡°Otherwise, you should bark like a real dog and act cute.¡± His grossly trampled pride and repressed dirty desires were revealed in his eyes tangled with anger. Join our Discord server for the latest news and announcement. Chapter 9 Gray¡¯s face was not the mask she had always seen but the raw appearance hidden inside. ¡°Yeah, you felt that your position was in danger.¡± He got angrier. He has to feel more unfair and resentful. Long for her more. Gray will want her more and more. She was satisfied with Gray kneeling in front of her and shaking his body with his fists clenched. She laughed at his patience to get what he wanted. ¡°What are you doing, Carl? Hurry up and say goodbye to Sir Gray.¡± She approached Gray and pulled him up by the shoulder. Gray¡¯s eyes were even more confused. She smiled, as usual, pretending to love him as if she were Mary. ¡°Gray, can I look forward to it?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± ¡°Okay, I wish I had Gray by my side. But as you know, I¡¯m very fickle, right? There¡¯s not much time left until I die. You understand how I want to be with someone who loves me, right?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± Parting his lips that did not fall, he put on the mask again. But the kind eyes that contained her were no longer visible. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s not fun if you just curl up. Reveal your claws so that you will feel more unpleasant when I destroy you, right??¡¯ Carl said he would guide Gray. He seemed to want to refuse. She can¡¯t believe he knelt the same way as an escort in front of her. But he won¡¯t be able to refuse her favor because he has to look better to her now. He has to pretend to love herself more than before and try to catch her eyes. It was only when Gray completely disappeared from her gaze that she exhaled for a long time. As expected, she¡¯s been outside for too long. She felt chills on her body. She tried to enter the palace with her arms wrapped around herself. ¡°I think I saw an interesting scene.¡± ¡°Grand Duke Arthur.¡± She shivered. She didn¡¯t even feel the sign of him approaching. To avoid embarrassment, she lifted the corners of her mouth as much as possible and loosened her expression. Perhaps because it was dark, she couldn¡¯t see his face well. However, one thing could be known. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s not easy. I didn¡¯t expect you to follow me. Even if I showed interest, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d come out right away.¡¯ She felt him staring at her and approaching her slowly and very slowly. Like a beast crouching in the dark and waiting for prey, he moved slowly, hiding and waiting for her words. As if, if he didn¡¯t like it, he was about to bite her neck. ¡°Are you interested in it?¡± She asked back naturally. They are alike. She¡¯s sure he thinks so, too. They look so much alike. As if the role was set from the beginning. As he recognized her, she recognized him. They were so similar in this novel. He¡¯s a villain, so they¡¯re bound to be similar.¡­. It cannot be denied that he would be reading her thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to be a toy replacement.¡± ¡°Arthur, are toys all the same?¡± ¡°Of course, it depends on the toy. But I think it¡¯s going to be a loss-making deal.¡± Arthur, who finally appeared in front of her, smiled faintly in the dark. Even if he said so, he seemed to find this situation quite interesting. His slightly folded eyes bent beautifully. In the strange atmosphere he exudes, she took a step back. ¡®This is dangerous.¡¯ She felt like the alcohol that she drank up earlier was coming back. Looking at him makes her feel thirsty without realizing it. ¡°The wine I drank earlier was strong, but it was good.¡­.¡± The red lips contrasted with his pale face caught her eye: black hair, black eyes, and red lips. She felt like the energy around Arthur was freezing. The chills have gotten worse and worse. She couldn¡¯t take my eyes off his lips without realizing it. She looked away and looked into his eyes. It was still full of interest. He had similar eyes to a cat who found an interesting toy. Jaguar rather than a cat. Yeah. He looks good with more dangerous animals like jaguars. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have me, Grand Duke Arthur?¡± She tried to stretch her body and smiled sensibly at him. Arthur shrugged with a deeper smile on his smile. ¡°I¡¯m not lacking enough to want to have a woman who only has the day to die.¡± ¡°Ahahaha. That¡¯s right. I was mistaken.¡± That was right. She has nothing to be desired. The interest he shows her is just because of something small that didn¡¯t happen in everyday life. Initially, he would have enjoyed drinking quietly listening to people¡¯s swear words at the party. As usual, as usual. Just like a boring daily life. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be fun to watch me like that? Wasn¡¯t it a moment when you were bored?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to say in front of a dying person, but it can be seen as that. Unless I strike this empire.¡± She narrowed her forehead slightly to what he said casually about death. It¡¯s a funny thing. Why does Arthur, neither Gray nor Carl, respond to her death? It¡¯s good for her, but she shouldn¡¯t have given that much more attention. ¡°As you saw earlier, Gray doesn¡¯t love me.¡± ¡°So, what do you want from me?¡± Arthur brought up the main point as if not to talk back. It was an attitude that he was not interested in other people¡¯s love stories. His eyes looked deeper than before. There¡¯s only one thing she wants. To get rid of him and die quietly enjoying her life. Additionally, revenge. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur, get engaged with me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He thought about it, right? She looked at him with an absurd look in embarrassment. Join our Discord server for the latest news and announcement. Chapter 10 He smiled more clearly than before to see if her reaction was interesting. She tried to control her mind and calmly continued her words. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be toys for each other?¡± ¡°Not me.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ I like it. Then what does Archduke want? Is it my position? I won¡¯t break up the marriage if I get engaged. I¡¯m going to die anyway, so this country will be yours.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a position or this country.¡± She frowned without realizing it. She felt pain in her head again. Perhaps because she cared, she didn¡¯t feel good again. she held her breath while holding back nausea that came up. She felt the shaking of her hands. Damn, she felt like she wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of the bed for a while. Thinking of staying in the room blankly as if she was trapped in the hospital room again, she felt like her blood was rising upside down. She felt like she was going crazy in a suffocating and stuffy mood. ¡°Of course! What¡­ What do you want?¡± She was choked up, so she raised her voice without realizing it and lowered her tone by looking around. She hasn¡¯t gotten into anyone¡¯s ears yet. It¡¯s just the beginning. Isn¡¯t it too embarrassing if he¡¯s already noticed? Looking closely at her breathing a little harder than before, Arthur looked at her body as if he didn¡¯t like something. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what the Princess is curious about. Instead, let¡¯s sign the contract at my castle.¡± What he brought up was unexpected. When she asked what he wanted or needed, Arthur replied that he would show her what she wanted. It was uncomfortable, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Whatever she was thinking, all she needed now was him. ¡°Okay. Get engaged, but we won¡¯t let anyone know we¡¯re engaged yet.¡± ¡°I guess you still have work to punish your toys.¡± ¡°What¡¯s left? It¡¯s just the beginning.¡± Arthur looked at the darkened sky once and saw her again. He used to walk ahead of herself as if to follow him. She was embarrassed by his impulsive behavior, but she followed him unexpectedly. ¡®Was there a path like this in the Imperial palace?¡¯ She felt unfamiliar with the road she saw for the first time, so she shrank even more. Come to think of it, she shouldn¡¯t have followed this smoothly. He¡¯s also a villain, and he might suddenly kill her or do something incomprehensible! As soon as she thought of that, she started walking far away from him. She walked too far to go back, and she was scared because she had to find her way alone. What if she gets lost and suddenly dies while wandering in a place where no one knows? It was terrible. She closed her eyes and shook her head to erase the image that came to mind. ¡°You¡¯ll have to write a letter as soon as you wake up in the morning.¡± ¡°What? What letter?¡± As he stepped aside, there was a wagon waiting in front of him. So, where are you going on this ride?¡­? She suddenly saw him with absurd eyes, hardened in place as if the accident had stopped. ¡°We¡¯re going to go to the castle.¡± ¡°What do you mean now?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± ¡°So, right now? At this hour? In this outfit?¡± She pointed to her body and asked as if this made sense. Arthur looked through her as if not knowing what the problem was and got on the wagon. He nodded at her, standing blankly without closing the door and looking at her. ¡®¡­¡­ He¡¯s a villain, but he¡¯s too cocky?¡¯ She¡¯s a Princess, but the Grand Duke nods at her. She was annoyed for no reason. In addition, he was looking at her first without escorting her. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t have any regrets, but the princess seems to have nothing to regret as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± So, what he¡¯s saying is, follow the person who¡¯s disappointed. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. Would the country go crazy if one of the Princesses disappeared? It¡¯s a time limit for today and tomorrow anyway.¡± Father, that¡¯s right, but only one person will go crazy. As soon as she thought of Gray, she got into the carriage. She felt burdened, but she didn¡¯t show it. She was used to enduring the pain, and revealing and informing this pain did not improve. ¡®There¡¯s still a long way to go, Mary Anastasia. So, wake up.¡¯ She tried to pull herself together by shouting her name mentally. Sitting face to face in a rattling carriage, he looked at her for a moment and soon turned his eyes toward the window. Looking out the window, it was dark, and she couldn¡¯t see anything. All she could hear was a wagon running down the street. Come to think of it, it was weird. If a carriage was waiting on a road, she didn¡¯t even know near the Palace, which meant that he knew the geography of the Imperial Palace better than she did. ¡®Really, you¡¯re just not interested in this empire.¡¯ She bit her lips again, reflecting on what he had said to her. But why did he change his mind? She thought he didn¡¯t get interested until the end. ¡°Princess Mary Anastasia.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± Strangely, she felt like her body was drooping more than before. His voice rang more and more languidly in her ears. Chapter 11 Her mind became more blurred than before, and she even felt dizzy. Arthur saw her like that and raised his body and bowed his head to her. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to fall asleep.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± She dropped her head helplessly as it was¡ªshe felt like she was being hugged. It was strangely warm and cold. She had a long dream. She thinks she walked endlessly in a place surrounded by darkness and couldn¡¯t see anything. She could feel the gaze staring at her in the dark. ¡°I feel bad.¡± The annoyance soared. She screamed, but it didn¡¯t work. She was so exhausted that she lay down in the dark. ¡°Ugh.¡± She felt pain in her head. Her head was pounding, and she struggled to get up. She felt bad about being heavy. She felt like she kept sinking, so she wanted to get up as soon as possible. ¡°What is this?¡± It was a strange place. Not her room. Wait, wasn¡¯t she riding the Douglas¡¯ wagon? So this is his castle? She got out of bed, took a breath, and woke up to look around. It was a room with no splendor and no colors with vitality different from her room. It was empty, with nothing but essential things. She was dizzy and stood on the wall for a long time. In the end, what Grand Duke said to her came to mind. ¡®It¡¯s time to fall asleep.¡¯ She bit her lips. She could feel the taste of blood as it was bitten so hard. Whatever he did to her, she couldn¡¯t tolerate this situation. ¡®How dare he, to me?¡¯ She was a Princess. No matter how powerful the Grand Duke, the only Princess in this country, should not have treated her like this. Are you saying that a villain is a villain? Then she has to show him, too. What she saw around her was thrown at random. She knocked down the erected table and knocked down all the chairs and furniture he had. Crash! It was a curtain attached to the bed with the sound of the mirror breaking, and everything in the room was dug up. The room was a mess itself. She was out of breath, so she tried to choose to breathe. She¡¯s still angry. She had to know what he did to her and why she was lying here without even remembering. Squeak. The door opened. She sat on the bed and saw the face of the person who came in quietly. As if he didn¡¯t care about the situation in front of him, he straightened a chair and sat facing her. ¡°Are you up?¡± ¡°As you can see.¡± ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t like your room.¡± She also doesn¡¯t have to have manners because she¡¯s not polite. She was the one above him. She didn¡¯t like the cheeky smile as if he knew everything. She still didn¡¯t know that the corner of his rolled mouth would come down. What was so enjoyable was that the eyes of the Grand Duke looking at her were bent. As she got up from her seat and approached Arthur¡¯s front, she immediately raised her hand and slapped him. Phat! ¡°I can¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll change rooms for you.¡± ¡°What did you do to me?¡± She asked in a cold, frozen voice. Arthur twisted his head and turned it toward her. His eyes, as empty as hers, sank heavily. ¡°I just brought you safely.¡± ¡°Really? Then you can tell the Empire as it is.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want. But they¡¯ll have to know where the Princess is.¡± Unlike before, Arthur¡¯s voice stood up. She felt the flow of airflow surrounding him changing. She got chills. She glared at him with a twitch. It was intimidation, but she had nothing to fear because she would die no matter what. ¡°Do whatever you want because I¡¯m going to die anyway. You know that, right Grand Duke?¡± She lay down on the bed as it was. She didn¡¯t forget to giggle and laugh. This colorless space was not inadequate either. No, it was somewhat familiar. She saw Arthur¡¯s eyes laying on the bed and looking at her. Even in her actions, he still didn¡¯t smile. ¡°You came here for a purpose, right? You have to cooperate to get what you want.¡± Arthur¡¯s words sounded like sweet temptation. The strange voice that she couldn¡¯t refuse soon raised herself up. Breaking the engagement is not difficult because she¡¯s a Princess. But all she wants is to break the engagement and at the same time give Gray the same pain and frustration. ¡°Did such a person bring me like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain it one by one.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t answer her anymore. He looked at the table lying on the floor and soon got up from the chair, took the paper out of his arms, and handed it over. The letter ¡®contract¡¯ written along with a lot of writing on parchment paper caught my eye. ¡°Contract?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the terms and conditions I want.¡± A cold sword in his waist caught her eye. Why does he have to wear a sword in his own place? Chapter 12 Arthur, who noticed her gaze, pulled out the sword and put it in the ground. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go over it first.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Reflected by the light, the blade twinkled. She tried not to care and turned to the contract. But unlike her mind, her nerves were all focused on the sword. ¡®What the heck¡­? I should look at the contract first.¡¯ First of all, she had to know what he was asking from her. She calmly read the contract. It was full of letters as if it would not allow the blank space of the paper. There were noticeable provisions in the contract. ¡¸Don¡¯t trust anyone. There should be no dying in Gray¡¯s hands. Act as usual. Don¡¯t die, no matter what.¡¹ Don¡¯t die from the time limit? She revealed her increasingly distorted expression intact. It was strange to call it a contract. This is the condition? Why didn¡¯t he just say he didn¡¯t want to sign a contract? Holding the contract in her hand, she looked up sharply and saw Arthur sitting face to face. ¡°Don¡¯t trust anyone?¡± ¡°Do not trust the maid of the Emperor or anyone else.¡± It was an answer without any hesitation. He answered her as if it had been set and as if he had waited. Warak. What was trying to hold onto the last reason collapsed. ¡ªteasing her or testing her. Whatever it may be, it¡¯s evident that he thinks she¡¯s very easy. ¡°Then I can¡¯t believe you either.¡± She tore the documents apart and threw them on the floor. Arthur¡¯s eyes turned fierce by her actions. She turned to the sword next to him. Shall we test it? Without hesitation, she got up from her seat and grabbed the sword. Blood came out of her hand. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She purposely grabbed the blade without holding the handle. Arthur kicked his chair and grabbed her wrist, and took her hand off the sword. The clear red blood rode her hand and dyed Arthur¡¯s hand red. ¡°As expected, it must be difficult for the Grand Duke if I die, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­it doesn¡¯t matter if you die.¡± ¡°Then let go of this. You shouldn¡¯t have pushed such ridiculous contracts.¡± She tried to pull her hand out by applying force to the hand he grabbed. The more Arthur tried not to let go, the more she twisted it with strength, and more blood flowed from the hand wounded by the sword. She felt a little, no, a very dizzy. Arthur let go of his strength with her appearance. Her hands, which fell helplessly, soaking the floor in blood. She saw him without saying a word. He saw her, shaking dangerously, without saying a word. ¡®Now he knows. I¡¯m not afraid of death.¡¯ She was already dead once. There was nothing she couldn¡¯t do because she was not afraid of death. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t afraid. However, it is not weak enough to be revealed to others. Silence. Only Arthur¡¯s and her somewhat faster breathing lingered. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s talk about it properly.¡± Arthur smiled faintly as if he finally noticed what she was thinking. Looking at the contract scattered on the floor, he breathed as if he was in despair. ¡°That¡¯s what you should¡¯ve said earlier.¡± She reached out to him with blood-stained hands. Arthur frowned as if he were asking what else this was. ¡°What are you doing? If I keep bleeding like this, I¡¯ll die if you leave it.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Nervously tilted his head back and exhaled. She didn¡¯t care and didn¡¯t let go of her blood dripping hands. Arthur tried to stay calm and left the room. She stood still in the place. She just stayed still as if she was protesting. ¡°It¡¯s not going to come like this, right? Then it¡¯s big trouble.¡± She thought it was important to get a head start. She can¡¯t look easy. She meant what she said earlier¡ªshe¡¯s not afraid of death. However, she doesn¡¯t want to go through it again. But the desire to live was nothing more than hopeful torture to her now. She¡¯s been suffocating again. She clenched her hand, where blood continued to flow. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever come. She looked around and found something to stop bleeding. She felt pain in her hands, but she didn¡¯t spit it out. Tak. ¡°So, who told you to do something that no one asked for?¡± Before she knew it, he came in and stood in front of her. She didn¡¯t feel any sign of him again. It was a strange thing. Arthur put down the treatment box and frowned his eyebrows without fail. She kept her mouth shut. She did it, so it¡¯s best to stay quiet in this case. ¡®It¡¯s here. I thought it wouldn¡¯t come.¡¯ She slowly opened her hand. Arthur grabbed her wrist and put it on a chair. Still, the impression was not good. He looked disgusted because he couldn¡¯t show that he didn¡¯t want to do it. ¡°Arthur, why don¡¯t you say anything when I call your name?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Whatever you call me.¡± ¡°Is that so? I like it, your attitude.¡± When he nodded satisfactorily, he held her hand as if to stay still and looked at the wound. The box was full of drugs that looked different from the treatments she knew. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t scream because it hurts for what you did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing treatment.¡± She breathed a short breath as he poured it into her blood-stained hands with transparent water. He kept pouring enough to think it was a little too much. It¡¯s intentional; this is definitely intentional. ¡®Oh, this hurts a lot¡­?¡¯ Her palms were sore. It wasn¡¯t just to the point of being sick. It felt like it was digging through her flesh as if it was digging into a wound, whether it was water or not. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± A moan came out of her mouth, unable to bear it. When Arthur saw her like that, he raised one corner of his mouth and poured more. ¡®Let¡¯s kill him. Yes, let¡¯s kill him.¡¯ Biting her lips, she stared at Arthur as if to kill him. He smiled even more and began to treat her hands with excitement. She watched it with a heart of seeing how long it would last. Arthur soon applied something and wrapped a bandage when he saw a cut in a sword on her clean palm. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur Douglas.¡± ¡°Why are you like that? Didn¡¯t you ask for treatment?¡± She wondered if she could recognize this as a hand. She looked at her hand. She couldn¡¯t wrap it in a bandage, and it was just a weapon. ¡°Ah, I guess Archduke is thinking of being my hand?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to do that.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do anything like this.¡± She waved her hand, wrapped tightly in a bandage, and couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°A servant is better than a dog. It sounds fun.¡± He folded his eyes and smiled beautifully with a voice full of murder. Chapter 13 Section 3: Secret Arthur picked up the box silently and raised himself, perhaps not feeling the value of an answer. Having not given a glance to her sparkling eyes, he said he would send the servant soon. ¡°I¡¯ll try sending another servant. It¡¯ll probably make everyone run out of fear.¡± She sat down with a smile and a modest smile. Arthur left after saying, ¡®Do as you please¡¯, with a stern look on his face. Shortly after he left, a maid knocked on the door. I looked at the door without saying a word. ¡°Princess Anastasia, may I come in?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stand outside until the Princess approves.¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do that.¡± Lying on the bed, she closed her eyes. Drowsiness has finally come, perhaps because she lost a lot of blood or because she was tired. She saw a messed up room with torn curtains. She laughed at what she did. Again, she couldn¡¯t help laughing at herself left alone in a strange place. Would it be too sad if it¡¯s relieved that she¡¯s alive? ¡®Mary, where are you? Have you been trapped in darkness too?¡¯ She was worried about the maid standing outside, but she soon went to sleep. She was a wicked woman anyway, and what she did was not different from what Mary had done. She also didn¡¯t want to care about anyone other than herself anymore. ¡®Because I¡¯m already going crazy enough.¡¯ She curled to the side and slept. She felt like she was getting chills again. She dug into the blanket and buried her face. It was quite hard to get a position because her hands were uncomfortable, but maybe because the bed was soft, she quickly began to fall asleep. Squeak. She could hear the door opening, but she couldn¡¯t open her eyes. She felt like she was breathing hot as her body sank heavily. She soon fell into a deep sleep. *** The air surrounding the body was cool. Her body shrank without realizing it. She dug under the blanket and wandered around looking for a warm place. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s cold¡­.¡± She continued to sleep again, hugging something warm and soft in the chills she felt in her body. She doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s a pillow that¡¯s soft and firm.¡­? She stuttered and tried to find out what object she was holding. She tried to guess the object that showed off its warm temperature with a dreamy consciousness because her eyes were still heavy. ¡°If you woke up, let go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Suddenly, Arthur¡¯s voice from nearby woke her up. She opened her eyes gently under the blanket and identified the object she felt and touched. Along with Arthur¡¯s upper body, which was not wearing anything, muscles that were firmly positioned came into her eyes. She grabbed her fluttering heart. She lifted her head as she pulled on the blanket with an effortless expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t attack me as a princess, right?¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Arthur exhaled for a long time as if he was amazed. She tried to sneak her hand off his body. Arthur¡¯s hand grabbed her wrist and pulled it back with a mischievous smile. ¡°If being a servant includes this kind of thing, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± Arthur¡¯s lips came close as if they were about to touch mine. She looked at him in the eye and smiled. It¡¯s not bad, she liked him more than Gray. ¡°There¡¯s nothing difficult about sleeping. If you write an engagement contract before that.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve come to your senses, so let¡¯s stop joking around.¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to be in the arms of a woman who waits for her death?¡± She smiled, sweeping down his chest with her hands. Arthur grabbed her hand, removed it from his body, and raised himself from bed. When he laughed and leaned back, he swept his hair as if he was offended. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about it and come out.¡± ¡°Before that, shouldn¡¯t you explain why you¡¯re lying down here first?¡± She poked the bed with her hands and asked innocently. The clothes would have been changed by the maid, but she didn¡¯t understand why she was lying here like that. ¡°I just shared body temperature with you because you had a high fever while being treated and you were grumbling all night.¡± ¡°Really? If you can hear sounds from other rooms to this room, I think there may be a problem with the architectural design here.¡± She got up from her seat, stretched slowly, and sat in a chair and held her chin. Is that why she got chills? She guessed he shared his body temperature because she was cold. In addition, it was ridiculous that it was not a small mansion, and that each room heard a groan in a castle with quite a wide distance. Rather, it seemed convincing to say that he was worried that she would die from a high fever. Chapter 14 ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this won¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t. If you die again, I might go crazy this time.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± She tilted her head at Arthur¡¯s small reciting words. She thought he said she was going to die again. Did she mishear it? Arthur changed his face again and simply put on his clothes and sat face to face with her. Arthur handed me the paper on the table. ¡°Hmm, if you mess with me again this time, then I won¡¯t be still, whether I jump from here or stab myself to death.¡± ¡°You will look like someone who is anxious to die.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left anyway, right?¡± Arthur¡¯s two pupils shook for the first time. As if he had agreed with her, he soon turned his head to avoid looking at her. Why is he so interested in her death? She was also about to be curious. Unlike the first time, the newly written contract was quite old-fashioned. She read it slowly and carefully. Honestly, she doesn¡¯t have to argue because she¡¯s dying, but she thought it would be better to look closely because she¡¯d be affected while alive. ¡°Arthur, I don¡¯t understand this provision.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing strange at all.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t weird?¡± ¡°I think the strange thing is not the contract, but the hand.¡± Arthur pointed to her hand holding the contract and said. She frowned and looked at the hand, asking what he was talking about. She found her hand holding the contract intact without a scar. She jumped up from her seat and looked at her hands. She was wondering what was going on, so she touched it again and again. It was treated so neatly that it was impossible to even know where she was injured. In just one day. ¡°What is this¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have to sit down to sign a contract?¡± Arthur raised his chair and tilted his head sideways. She sat down without taking her eyes off her hands. She couldn¡¯t think of anything. It was the second shock she had since she came here. The wound that disappeared overnight was more than fear to her. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± She asked Arthur in a different way than before. What he showed her by treating her hands is that he wants her that much. She wanted to know more and more about his identity. She was really curious about Archduke Arthur Douglas, where nothing was properly known, and about the Vivlant land, he was governing. ¡°Are you sure you want to be engaged with me so you don¡¯t have to be engaged with Lord Gray?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± It was an answer without any hesitation. At that time, she opened her eyes as if asking him. Arthur¡¯s mouth went up smoothly. He handed her an engagement contract and gave her a ballpoint pen as if to sign it. She was strangely hesitant to sign the contract. ¡°Princess Anastasia, do you want to die?¡± ¡°¡­What are you willing to do if I want to die?¡± ¡°The premise is wrong.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fool around and say it.¡± She put down the pen and turned the paper and held it out to him. Arthur picked up the pen she had put down and signed it in place without hesitation. The crunching sound on the parchment was particularly loud today. Arthur finished signing and turned the paper back to her. His name, written straight, caught her eye. She waited still for his answer. ¡®I was the one who suggested getting engaged, so why am I hesitating?¡¯ Strangely, she didn¡¯t feel good. It was going as she wanted, but she didn¡¯t feel good strangely. ¡°If you can live, I¡¯m asking if you want to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re asking something obvious.¡± ¡°Say it yourself.¡± ¡°¡­who would want to die? I don¡¯t want to die.¡± She struggled to express her feelings. She didn¡¯t want to die. She didn¡¯t want to die again. She doesn¡¯t want to experience the feeling of oxygen disappearing from her body like being sucked into a bog again. She doesn¡¯t want to disappear to a place where she¡¯s trapped in darkness and alone. At least, she doesn¡¯t want to die now. Even if she dies someday, she wants to live, she continues to crave and want life. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Sign it first.¡± Arthur spoke to her in a low voice as if he would not wait any longer. She signed slowly. It was written down in the contract with Mary as her name, not her name. ¡®Mary, I don¡¯t know if this is right. But if I can, is it ok I live?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure if she could continue living her life, taking over her body. Is that why she hesitated? She heard Arthur saying, ¡®You can live.¡¯ Was the reason why she hesitated to sign was that his words made her feel hopeful for some reason. Or is it because of the little miracle he showed her? Otherwise, she thought it might be because of the ridiculous hope that she could really live. ¡°Then now your fianc¨¦ is me.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So now stop saying you¡¯re going to die for Gray again. If you say that from your mouth, then you¡¯ll die at my hands.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What did you say now? I have no intention of doing such bullshit, and I will never die at your hands. No one can kill me if I¡¯m dying on my own.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to decide that from now on.¡± She tried hard to hold back her anger and bit her lips at Arthur¡¯s words. However, the flesh in her eyes was not a lie, rather it was the truth. Chapter 15 Don¡¯t die. Who stopped her from dying? He¡¯s going to kill her now? She didn¡¯t understand his dual attitude. Furthermore, it was Arthur who talked nonsense to her and folded the contract, and put it in his arms. She was speechless and laughed out in vain. ¡°¡­¡­Ha! What do you want?¡± ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t kill you? Don¡¯t be mistaken.¡± Arthur slowly approached her. It was the eyes of a beast that shone dimly in the darkness she saw that day. It floated her like a beast, seeking only a chance to grab her neck and bite her. He suddenly approached her and bowed his head and whispered in her ears. ¡°You¡¯re not the real Princess Mary Anastasia, are you?¡± There was another silence between Arthur and her. It was quite a distinct atmosphere than before. Arthur seemed frustrated because of her, who closed her mouth tightly. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re having fun joking around, too.¡± She tried to keep a smile and relax. Arthur seemed to be a little away from her, but soon he became closer. She faltered back, falling slightly away from him. ¡°Then prove that you are Princess Mary Anastasia.¡± Arthur¡¯s solid arms wrapped around her waist. She blinked her eyes as she looked at his hands around her waist. She didn¡¯t have to think about what he wanted her to prove. ¡®If it were Mary, she would have hugged him in this situation without saying a word.¡¯ Mary longed for love from any man, and Mary¡¯s night was always filled with someone. She always opened her eyes in a man¡¯s arms and made him call her name all night. ¡°Arthur, do you want to sleep with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a confirmation.¡± Arthur gently loosened his strength in the hand that was holding her waist at her straightforward words. There was a brief gap between them. What he said made little sense. Would he believe her even if he doubted and didn¡¯t believe in herself and proved it? No, he already knows that she¡¯s not Mary. Nevertheless, she was deeply disappointed in the distance between them. So, from now on, what she is doing is simply because she is sorry for the distance between them, and she is curious to see what will happen when she behaves unexpectedly. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s just a confirmation.¡± She put her hand around Arthur¡¯s neck and kissed him. Staring at his eyes with nothing in them, she coveted them even deeper and deeper. She felt her body shaking. She saw his eyes briefly. He just entrusted himself to her doing nothing. ¡°Hah.¡± She¡¯s seen enough of his reaction. Thinking about it, she took her lips off and exhaled. While looking into his eyes and kissing, her body heated without realizing it. She wanted more and more. ¡®¡­ You¡¯re really crazy.¡¯ Looking at Arthur¡¯s eyes, she felt like she was going to be sucked in without realizing it. There was a strong desire to fill his empty eyes with herself. Arthur¡¯s arms hugged her stronger even before she finished the thought of wanting to see his eyes move alive because of her. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t regret it. Mary Anastasia regrets nothing she does.¡± As soon as the words were over, Arthur¡¯s two eyes stood up, unlike before. She had a more intense desire than before. Looking at me reflected in his eyes, she kept thinking that she wanted to be contained a little more. While coveting her lips softly, he soon slowly took them to the back of his neck. Whenever his breath touched her neck, she kept shrinking. Without realizing it, the sound of her burning breath came out of her mouth. ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± Arthur saw her reaction like that, and it made her even more anxious. With one hand, he slowly swept down her body and gently laid her on the bed. Even while the clothes were being peeled off one by one in his hand, she was distracted by his touch. ¡°Do you want me to not to be Mary, Arthur?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Arthur grabbed her upper body straight with one hand, perhaps because he didn¡¯t want to hear what she was saying. He led as if he wanted to focus entirely on this situation. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± The wind made her moan again from her mouth. He didn¡¯t stop coveting her while answering me calmly. Arthur took off the clothes he had worn on top and raised the corners of his mouth to capture her in his eyes. ¡°Why do you say everything I do doesn¡¯t matter?¡± ¡°For me, Princess Mary Anastasia is the same as anyone.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­ Uhm.¡± Arthur kissed her and coveted her a little more persistently than before, perhaps because he didn¡¯t want to answer anymore. Despite the relationship without calm eyes and affection, her body wanted him as if familiar. What are all the stories he is telling her? She wanted to ask a lot, but she couldn¡¯t say anything because of Arthur, who blocked her mouth. Even though she could refuse, she didn¡¯t refuse. Chapter 16 In Arthur¡¯s room, with no color originally, felt a little filled with their colors mixing. He, who asked her to prove herself to be Mary, was completely focused on who she was today. Arthur¡¯s hand slowly came in through her legs, through the open clothes. Her body kept flinching at the relaxed touch without being impatient. ¡°Well¡­¡± His slightly rough fingers felt the soft texture of her skin and dug inward, and her legs were unknowingly tense and she shrank. Having struggled to moan, she saw Arthur looking at her with slightly open eyes. His shirt, which had been neatly trimmed, was loosened one by one. His good-looking body unknowingly stole her attention and she reached out. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Arthur bit her neck slightly with his hand that came into her clothes, perhaps because he felt her gaze. His tongue slowly climbed down her neck and gradually went down. The gaze persistently captured her in his eyes as if he would not miss every aspect of herself. The corners of his mouth rolled up, making him look happy for some reason. ¡°Archduke Arthur¡­!¡± She hurriedly called him and held Arthur¡¯s hand. Arthur kissed her with a soft look. ¡°Haa.¡± Arthur passed by every single inch of her body. He was slowly trying to leave his marks all over her body. Red stamps were left one by one where he passed by. ¡°Archduke Arthur Douglas¡±! While moving up and down, she was surprised to see the marks left on her chest and body and called his name. As if he didn¡¯t care about her reaction, Arthur grabbed her legs with both hands and pulled them toward him to make her lie down again. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to have sex with anyone other than your fianc¨¦.¡± ¡°¡­Ha!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can do that anymore.¡± Arthur smiled as if satisfied as he saw the mark on her body. He didn¡¯t budge even in her glaring eyes. His hand moved a little faster than before. At his touch, her clothes were peeled off. Arthur, staring at her body silently, suddenly held his breath tightly hugging her. ¡®Oh, how was her body?¡¯ After receiving the day of death, she couldn¡¯t have a healthy body like other children. Her skinny body came to mind, so she smirked and laughed without realizing it. ¡°What? Did you suddenly lose your desire after looking at my body?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it even when I look at it, but when a man like the Archduke sees it, it¡¯s even worse.¡± She pushed him away and tried to get up. However, the more she tried to escape, the more Arthur held her in his arms and did not let her go. Somehow, she felt something hot in her face that touched her shoulder. ¡°¡­You must feel sorry for me, don¡¯t you?¡± She was angry. She was ashamed and hated this situation. She couldn¡¯t wait to get out of it. Arthur looked at her with more subdued eyes than before. She could feel his hands shaking a little. ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want it first?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been longing for you more than anyone else.¡± Arthur coveted her body with a little rougher touch than before. She could feel her body heating gradually at the sound of his moaning, which was getting rougher along with the exhilarating breath. She doesn¡¯t know where the shame had gone before, and she was leaning into Arthur¡¯s touch as if she was familiar with it. Arthur, who gently stroked her hair and fixed her face toward him, soon bit her lower lip and did not let go. The saliva on the fallen lips stretched like a transparent thread and broke off. Arthur grabbed her chest with one hand and bit her neck slightly, perhaps because he felt her gaze. His tongue slowly went down her neck. Her mind kept getting confused by the pleasure dominating the whole body. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± As soon as she was distracted, she felt something heavy between her legs. Unknowingly, she opened her eyes and looked at Arthur. ¡°Well, wait.¡± Perhaps she was scared at the moment, so she pushed Arthur¡¯s waist away, but it was useless. His slightly loosened eyes stared at her, and at the same time, his breath was felt in her ears. ¡°Hut, argh!¡± Arthur slowly rubbed his pen*s against her so as not to be impatient. As the sliding friction was added to the slimy liquid, the excited vagin* was urged. Arthur¡¯s Pen*s, that touched the vagin*, slowly pushed in as if expanding the entrance. She exhaled her held breath and made a nasal sound at the same time as she felt it. ¡°Uhh.¡± She felt Arthur¡¯s penis filling the inside slowly but not too slow. As the genitals hotter than body temperature penetrated the inside, the heat rose and felt like covering her whole body. At the same time, as she felt the joined part getting brighter, her body trembled with strong pleasure as the wrinkles on the inner wall of the vagin* fit Arthur¡¯s. ¡°Ha-huh. Oh, oh, ah.¡± A scream-like moan continued to burst out of her mouth. Arthur moved his back slowly, tickling the n*pples while holding her chest. The sound of friction between her and Arthur¡¯s bare skin reverberated throughout the room. Chapter 17 Arthur sometimes touched the nipples strongly and turned around to examine her reaction. Regardless of her will, she followed Arthur¡¯s movement by itself. ¡°Oh, yeah, ah!¡± When he raised his back as if lifting his pelvis and buttocks, her body shook helplessly. Seeing her flinching body, Arthur slammed a little harder inward. ¡°Ha! Hhh¡­.¡± Arthur treated her harshly, but also gently. She felt cautiousness in his touch and never took his eyes off her. ¡°Oh, yeah! Heu-huh!¡± She tried not to make a sound as much as possible, but whenever Arthur moved, a moan came out of her mouth. His explicit gaze at her somehow made her feel hotter. Arthur turned around and hugged her from behind and grabbed her chest with both hands. As Arthur¡¯s posture changed, Arthur¡¯s genitals poked the other side and stimulated it. This pleasure! She couldn¡¯t come to her senses at the powerful stimulus that she couldn¡¯t explain in words. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, lean on me.¡± ¡°Ah! You say that, and you don¡¯t give me a chance to lean on¡­.¡± Arthur smiled and gently turned her face to kiss. His tongue slightly sucked his lips, squeezed in the gap, and tied his tongue. ¡°Ugh, uh-huh! Ah, ah!¡± She hugged Arthur as if she were hanging on. Arthur, who was digging through her mouth, was out of breath. Her body began to sweat, and it was hard for her to stand. It was too much to accept him with her physical strength and to last this position for a long time with this body. ¡°Let¡¯s change our posture a little bit.¡± Arthur, who noticed her struggling, made her lie down on the bed. His hands touched her as if he was barely touching down on the curve of her back. ¡°Haa.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ Who did that?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Ugh.¡± His body fell behind her. Being weighed down by Arthur¡¯s weight, she turned her head to the side. Arthur breathed into her ear and whispered. ¡°Haa¡­ I might not want to let go of you¡­¡­.¡± When his breath touched her ears, fluffy hair stood on her whole body without realizing it. Arthur lifted her waist slightly and floated the bed and space. A hand suddenly came in between the legs from the back. When he pressed down his sensitive penis, her back was shaken by pleasure. ¡°Ha-ang, ah-ah! Stop, haa!¡± By the time her body was trembling and eaten by desire, her consciousness became blurred. She felt like her body couldn¡¯t hold out. Arthur, who turned toward her and made her look at him, hugged her tightly and moved his back quickly. Strongly, he bounced his back faster than before and stirred inside her. She bent her back and unknowingly fixed her leg to his hip. The whole body was tense and the lower part vibrated quickly. ¡°Ah! Yes, yes!¡± Her body trembled quickly, and she continued to feel a strong tightening inside. She could feel the liquid pouring out. As if it was not over, her body reacted sensitively wherever Arthur touched, and her whole body was tense and pecked hard as if she was not going to let go of Arthur¡¯s. ¡°Ugh.¡± Arthur¡¯s low voice groaned. Her body lost strength and she was drowsy. Her legs trembled and she couldn¡¯t control her body. She looked at Arthur, trying hard to open her closing eyes. ¡°Mary, you do not know how desperate I am when I see you in the arms of others.¡± Arthur gently stroked her cheek and soon kissed her lightly. She could see him covering her with a blanket in a blurred view. He lied next to her and hugged her, and he told her. ¡°¡­¡­You are the most beautiful in my eyes. You, Mary, who came to me as you are.¡± ¡°Hmm, Ah¡­ mm.¡± She guessed she was oblivious to what he was saying, in her dizzying mind. She fell asleep in his arms, repeating in her head that she couldn¡¯t say that to him. *** She doesn¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been. She thought she focused only on him. She struggled to turn her sagging body and lay on her side. She felt nauseous again for a moment. Something hot in her heart choked up. ¡°Uhhhh¡±. She hurriedly raised herself, covering her mouth with her hands. She couldn¡¯t even afford to care about her naked body. She staggered and picked up the tissues around her. There was red blood on her palm without fail. She woke up with a dejected smile. After washing her hands, she wiped off the blood around her mouth. When she looked in the mirror, she could see herself with empty eyes. When she turned her head and looked at the bed, she saw Arthur sleeping. She couldn¡¯t see all of his naked body because he was narrowly covered by the blanket, but she turned her head because she thought of the night with him. Suddenly, she remembered what she said to Gray. ¡°¡­Arthur, will you die if I ask you to die with me?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question she wanted an answer to. She just enjoyed the time with him. Chapter 18 His touch was infinitely cautious, but he never called her name while hugging her. He just focused on her as if nothing had to do with it. She picked up the clothes that fell next to her and approached him. Along with his lively face, eyelashes that came down as long as a woman¡¯s, and dark black hair slightly covered his eyes. His lips, which were still red, caught her eye. Unknowingly, she reached out and touched his lips. When she thought of the place where his lips touched, her face heated up without realizing it. ¡°I asked you earlier.¡± Arthur took off his mouth with his eyes closed. He grabbed her hand that touched his lips and pulled it into his arms, so she fell vaguely on him. As he stood up, she could see his face in front of her. Her heart pounded with surprise. She felt like she could hear her heart. ¡®Why is my heart beating?¡¯ Sleeping with him was satisfactory. Above all else, it was intense and tenacious. The calm eyes seemed to sway with emotion somehow, and his touch was very friendly. It was just a confirmation, they talked for the first time and had s*x for the first time. It was just a relationship made up of her whim, obsessed with desire and curiosity, and his unknown thoughts, with no emotions. ¡°I asked you if you wanted to die.¡± ¡°¡­okay, look at this. I¡¯m already dying.¡± She showed him an indelible bloodstain. Arthur¡¯s gaze turned to her palm. Arthur kissed her hand and smiled brightly. ¡°Are you wondering why I said that?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me if I¡¯m curious? Aren¡¯t you the one who told me to prove who I am?¡± Of course, the proof was useless. She pulled her hand out of his grasp and raised herself. Arthur¡¯s hand gently swept over her hair, inhaled deeply, and stared into her eyes. She turned her head because she felt like she was going to be sucked into him again. ¡°If you cooperate with me well, I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± Arthur buried his face in her arms and hugged her by the waist. Looking at him, she lowered her eyes, grabbed his hand, and took it off her waist. After getting out of bed, she laughed at him who still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. ¡°¡­Archduke Arthur, then, shouldn¡¯t we try?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard work, isn¡¯t it the princess who wants to live?¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m not Mary. What¡¯s the point of living for me?¡± She wanted to live. Not as Mary, but as herself. Even if she lived here without dying, what does she have left? She would just live here as Mary, not herself. ¡®Is that meaningful? Even if I live?¡¯ Fear poured in. It was also a burden and uncomfortable for her to have to live as someone other than herself. Then what about her? What¡¯s the original her, not Mary? And what does Mary become? After being confused for a long time, she concluded. ¡°I don¡¯t like living like this.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no place to go back anyway¡± ¡°So I will not make an effort to live.¡± Perhaps because of the unexpected remarks, Arthur¡¯s face hardened coldly. Staring straight at her body after getting out of bed, he sent a deeper smile than before. Did they say the disappointed one will lose? Then she won¡¯t be disappointed from here on. ¡°If you want anything from me, follow me from now on. Otherwise.¡± ¡°Otherwise?¡± Arthur sat leaning against a chair in his gown, giggling as if it were fun. His drowsy eyes and rolled corners of his mouth felt quite sexy. She approached him sitting in a chair and grabbed the tip of his chin with her hand and made him face her straight. She bowed down and approached his ear and whispered. ¡°I will stab my heart with that knife and die in front of your eyes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She turned her face around and kissed Arthur¡¯s cheek lightly, then turned around and tried to leave the room. She will not die in anyone¡¯s hands. And she will not bow to those who want to stand above her. As long as she has entered Mary¡¯s body, no matter what anyone says, she is the Princess of this country, and she is ready to let go of her life at any time. Even if it¡¯s scary and terrible, she¡¯ll accept it if it¡¯s fate. ¡°So, from now on, you¡¯ll have to follow my orders. As you saw yesterday, I have no hesitation in dying.¡± As if she had no regrets, she got up from her seat and headed toward the door. She heard a rattling sound, but she didn¡¯t care This is the one relationship she shared with him. It was just a means of giving trust made under mutual agreement by necessity, she tried to erase it from her head, dismissing it. His breath kept lingering in her ears. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching her quickly. Arthur was clear. She stopped at the door. She didn¡¯t take the action of looking back or being conscious. The sound of his footsteps, which seemed to come straight to her, stopped. ¡°Of course.¡± Chapter 19 Arthur¡¯s voice was heard quietly from behind. At his endless sinking voice, she stopped walking without realizing it. She listened carefully to his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll die with you when you die.¡± ¡°Arthur, do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± She turned to look at him at his absurd words. He was far away, but his expression caught her eye. She could see him stepping little by little toward her, who stopped with a slightly distorted and eagerly desired face. ¡°I¡¯m saying that we¡¯re going to die together when you die.¡± ¡°¡­are you serious?¡± Arthur, who approached her, bowed his head and buried his face on her shoulder. He held her shoulder with both hands and gave her strength. ¡°So you¡¯ll have to kill me first before you die.¡± It is not clear how to accept this situation. She looked at Arthur with suspicious eyes. She didn¡¯t know how to get out of his arms, and he looked somewhat anxious. ¡°Arthur, why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Isn¡¯t it fun?¡± ¡®Fun?¡¯ There was none. Her face was wrinkled by his words and her whole body was twisted. Is he saying that her death is a fun game for him? A dejected smile leaked out of her. She didn¡¯t know she¡¯d say it herself. She nervously removed herself from his arms. ¡°It¡¯s not fun at all. This kind of thing.¡± ¡°People who want to die and people who don¡¯t want to die. Isn¡¯t it a fun combination?¡± Arthur grabbed her hand and went toward the drawer, took out a bunch of documents, and put them down as if throwing them in front of her. She stared at him with sharp eyes. ¡°Look, that¡¯s information about those who have been with Princess Mary Anastasia.¡± She carefully picked up the documents and opened them up. Along with the writings written like a diary, information and materials about Princess Mary Anastasia were organized. At a glance, different personalities, behaviors, and lines Mary talked about were all so different that they could not be seen as the same person. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± She wasn¡¯t the only one possessed by Mary. There seemed to be more than six people at the most, and that was also inaccurate information. ¡°When did you get to know her?¡± ¡°It was repeated from the beginning as if the story was over when Princess Mary Anastasia died. At first, I didn¡¯t even recognize it.¡± ¡°But you found out all of a sudden?¡± She read the paper in disbelief. And she could also see why he said that to her. ¡®Mary, who tried to change Gray¡¯s mind, tried to meet another man to get revenge on him and tried to kill Gray, who turned their minds to see Gray regretting it. Mary who was killed¡­¡­.¡¯ She smiled helplessly and covered the paper. How many times did Arthur watch Mary¡¯s death? No, in the first place, he was the villain of this novel and had a hostile relationship with the Empire. But if he continued to repeat his life, the story would be different. For him, life may have been terrible, like hers. ¡°That¡¯s why you said that to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Mary has rejected me thoroughly so far. Like, I¡¯m nothing.¡± ¡°So you knew everything, but you asked me to prove it to you?¡± As expected, he knew she wasn¡¯t Mary. Nevertheless, the reason why he wanted to sleep with her with such a good excuse may have been just out of interest. She also had no other feelings for him. She just wanted to at that moment, and she was just faithful to her desires. ¡°At first, you caught my eye without realizing it. I thought it was similar to me. But later, when I realized that the world was centered on Princess Mary Anastasia, I became interested.¡± He rearranged the documents and put them in the drawer. Sitting facing her, he swept her long hair with one hand and breathed in, bringing it to the end of his nose. His behavior made her flinch without realizing it. ¡°When the death of a person I didn¡¯t recognize at first became the most important part of my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand watching you any longer.¡± Arthur looked at her. She could see his eyes full of herself. ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I can behind Mary¡¯s back so she doesn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°You failed.¡± ¡°As the Princess said, I¡¯ve never succeeded.¡± She took the hand that was running through her hair behind her neck and pulled it back towards her. In the wind, she swallowed her breath and stopped breathing. In the place where his breath was felt, she faced Arthur¡¯s dense dark eyes again. Somehow, she couldn¡¯t avoid Arthur¡¯s gaze. ¡°So did you find a way to solve it?¡± She asked him, swallowing dry saliva. His drowsy eyes soon glanced at her lips. She raised her hand and swept Arthur¡¯s face down. Then he looked a little bitter and accepted her touch. He put his mouth on the palm of her hand and looked at her as if he was putting his heart in each finger and touched her lips. ¡°Mary has never given me a single glance.¡± ¡°Arthur, you already knew that. That you were of no value to Mary.¡± ¡°Value¡­ Is it worthwhile now?¡± Arthur gently grabbed her neatly healed hand and smiled. The reason why his smile does not look happy is probably because of Arthur¡¯s heart that she is feeling now. ¡°I¡¯m the one who can save you, and I¡¯m the one who can kill you.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand touched her cheek. He slowly stroked her face and looked at her with persistent eyes. She was mesmerized by his eyes again. Looking into his eyes makes her feel like she can¡¯t think of anything else. In the end, she felt like she was sinking into an abyss where she can¡¯t see anything. As her heart sinks, an unknown sense of incompatibility winds around her. Chapter 20 ¡°Arthur, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°I think we look pretty good together.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t deny it.¡± ¡°If Mary had reached out to me like you, it would have been different.¡± Arthur spoke to her as if he were sure. Does that mean Mary wouldn¡¯t have died? Or is it just that she wouldn¡¯t have been killed by Gray¡¯s hand? ¡­¡­If not, isn¡¯t Mary dead in Arthur¡¯s hands? She was confused. The more she listened to Arthur, the more she felt lost. There is no law that everything he says is true. But even though it couldn¡¯t be, she wanted to believe it in the corner of her heart. Do I want to live like this? Do I want to grab a little hope? Do I really want that? she¡¯s not sure actually. This was what she meant. She asked herself a question. She asked herself again and again what choice she should make if she could live in the face of death, and if she could really live, would she be confident in living in this body? ¡­¡­Did Arthur hold her hand to die? ¡°Did you want to save Mary? Or, did you want to die?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t answer her. He thought about something and smiled beautifully at her. A false smile. The expression that others always showed to her even when she lived as herself. It was a heartbreaking smile that she knew too well. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s both.¡± ¡°Then why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°You acknowledged my existence for the first time, and didn¡¯t you reach out your hand first?¡± Arthur got up from his seat, kissed her forehead lightly, and looked out the window. His expression quickly hardened and soon felt like the surroundings became freezing cold. ¡°You¡¯re the one who came to me and not to Gray. So it doesn¡¯t matter what heart the Princess came to me with.¡± ¡°Archduke Arthur.¡± ¡°A guest is coming. I have to get ready, so I¡¯ll send the maid.¡± Arthur swung out of the room even before she finished talking. What does he mean a guest here who is so secret that he didn¡¯t even tell her where to come? She got up from her seat and looked out the window. A wagon with Archduke Arthur¡¯s coat was seen entering the castle. ¡°Did my father send it for me?¡± However, something felt wrong to conclude. There is no reason to leave the imperial wagon and ride the Archduke¡¯s wagon while riding here. Knock, knock. Soon after, the maid knocked on the door and came in. And she left her body in their hands and hoped that the grooming would end in a daze. The maids handled her body very carefully, whether they heard her story, and tried their best not to touch her mood. She liked everything they prepared as if they knew everything about her. Arthur seems to have studied Mary deeper than expected. Is this the right word for research? She doesn¡¯t matter. She wasn¡¯t Mary, but this body was Mary and she liked it all as a result. The dress, which he prepared, was also a luxurious velvet fabric with blue color as if he had listened to her words that she hated red. ¡°Princess Anastasia, I will take you to the parlor.¡± Tired to answer, she nodded and followed the maid. Seeing that she was dressed up like this, it must have been her guest. Gray was the only one who would visit her. And her prediction was exactly right. Gray, who seemed a little confused in front of her, was losing his mind, lying upside down. Why are you bringing him if he¡¯s going to be like this? And Carl was also seen trying to pull himself together next to him. Only then did she approach Carl with a little quick step. ¡°Carl.¡± ¡°¡­Hwang, here you are Princess.¡± ¡°Did Archduke Arthur call you?¡± ¡°No, I have something to tell you.¡± Carl pulled himself together in her voice, shaking his head hard from side to side and frowning. She was in that state when she come here¡­Was it¡­? Gray was still distracted and struggled. She watched his ridiculous appearance with her arms folded. ¡°You have no cheek.¡± ¡°Princess Anastasia, has.¡± Gray, who grabbed his throbbing head, grabbed the sofa, and struggled to come to his senses, quickly came up and tried to hug her. Smack! ¡°Did I allow you to touch my body?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m here to pick you up. Let¡¯s go back together.¡± ¡°Huh, why should I do that?¡± She sat on the sofa and ordered Gray to sit on the tip of her chin. Gray sat down and looked at her unwillingly. She could see anger toward her behind his eyes. He managed to suppress his feelings with an expression he wanted to ask as if why was she here. Carl stood still next to her and watched the situation. ¡®You¡¯ve done it, but you don¡¯t even show up.¡¯ Arthur, who disappeared without explaining anything to her, did not show his face even after Carl and Gray came to their senses. It was as if to give her time to choose to do whatever she wanted. Chapter 21 ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so worried.¡± She rolled her eyes, frowning as if she was worried. With one hand, she tapped the chair and stared at Gray with a smile. ¡°Did you change your mind about me? I¡¯m even ready to give everything for the Princess. If you come to such a place now¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Stop it, because you talk like that, so you look sloppy. Making it unseemly.¡± She raised her hand to stop Gray from speaking, and he trembled as if he hated it. Carl looked at Gray with slightly sharp eyes. That¡¯s weird, Carl used to like Gray. She tried to bring it up, but she turned her head and looked at Carl. As a result, Carl knelt to meet her eyes and whispered to the point where only she could hear him. Ah, that was it. Gray, this is what you had done to Mary. Upon hearing Carl¡¯s words, she jumped up from her seat and told Carl to get ready to go back. When her coldly fallen eyes touched Gray, his eyes shook anxiously. ¡°Okay. Gray, let¡¯s go back together.¡± But they couldn¡¯t get a step out of the parlor. It was because Arthur, who she didn¡¯t even know when he came, blocked the door and hugged her firmly, and did not let her go. ¡°¡­¡­I guess I forgot to tell you, the Princess cannot leave here without my permission.¡± She looked at Arthur with a puzzled look. Arthur growled as if warning Gray. ¡°Not only here, but also from me.¡± No, not just Gray, but he might be included.¡­. ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?¡± Gray calmly continued his words to Arthur. His voice seemed somewhat more intense than before. Karl also looked stiff as if he didn¡¯t like the way she was in Arthur¡¯s arms. ¡°Arthur, that¡¯s my freedom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one thing.¡± Arthur whispered in a voice that would only be heard by her. ¡°If you leave this place, the repressed disease will worsen.¡± ¡°What did you do to me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make my efforts to save you go in vain.¡± He smiled gently and let her get out of his arms. Arthur, who smiled as much as he could with a relaxed expression, opened the way as if saying, if she doesn¡¯t mind, she can go if she wants. There¡¯s no way I can go. Even if she thought so, it was not easy for her to pass by him without worrying an inch about the pain.She felt the fear and pain of death that she had experienced all her life. She was shaking, but she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°You told me to do whatever I want?¡± She slowly walked past Arthur and beckoned Carl. Carl would bow to Arthur and greet him after her. Gray also looked unwilling, but all he could do in this situation was just go back with her. Why do you like him? He¡¯s blind to anger and doesn¡¯t even know where he is. She felt bad and walked away from Gray. Arthur looked at her and soon approached her quickly and snatched her arm. ¡°¡­¡­3 days.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come back in here.¡± Arthur put a small glass bottle in her hand. Even in her questioning eyes, he just said three days. His anxious and shaky eyes now seem somewhat pathetic. I don¡¯t get him. She nodded and shook the glass bottle to Arthur. After leaving a message that she would send details to him in a letter, she boarded the wagon Gray and Carl came in. ¡°Oh, wait¡­¡±. She fell asleep again even before she made a mistake. *** The place where she woke up was her room without having to think. Again, she grabbed her throbbing head and chose to breathe. Is this the only way? If she goes back, she must argue. She didn¡¯t know what the hell was being used. No, when she thinks about it, there were many strange things. It¡¯s so fast to find something that¡¯s not suspicious even for the first time. Besides, I didn¡¯t see people in the manor, did she? Of course, it may be because she fell asleep as soon as she got in the carriage, but it was strange. When she came to her senses, she picked up the glass bottle that Arthur gave her and called the maid. ¡°Princess, did you call me?¡± ¡°Gather all the court ladies of the imperial family right now.¡± ¡°What? Right now?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I don¡¯t like to say it twice?¡± The maid left the door immediately after what she said. When she went outside and looked at them, she saw maids gathering busily in one place. She told Carl to follow her straight away. ¡°It might not be true.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out when we check it out.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She could see the maids gathering in one place and shaking as if they were anxious with a frightened look. She told Carl to find it and watched it quietly. Carl looked at each one and pulled the other maids aside. ¡®It¡¯s fun, a kite running wild without knowing the place.¡¯ Holding a smile to the fullest, she waited for the maid to come out of Carl¡¯s hands. Yeah, that¡¯s what happened. She was a bad girl in this novel, right? But it¡¯s funny that she¡¯s destined to die as a villain when she¡¯s the main character. Is this the main character? Otherwise, she may be mistaken for the main character. Chapter 22 That maid, who is now shaking her whole body full of fear in Carl¡¯s hands, maybe the real main character. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess.¡± ¡°Oh, poor kid. Don¡¯t be nervous. You haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± She smiled, gently stroking the pretty-looking girl¡¯s face. A face that looks lively unlike her in her big eyes at a glance. In addition, it pure itself with no malice or anger on the face. Yes, she was the opposite child to her. A face that was full of happiness without fear of death or vague fear. ¡°But now you¡¯re just like me.¡± It was hard to recognize a pretty face due to the constantly flowing tears along with the face that was blue in fear. Unfortunately, this child caught by her trembled like a rain-soaked sparrow. ¡°Everyone, go ahead. You have a lot to do, right?¡± She smiled brightly and beckoned to the other maids. She meant that they should get off because they don¡¯t have anything to do. She found the one she was looking for, so she didn¡¯t need others. ¡°¡­ Help me! I am not. I said no!¡± ¡°Help you? Are you dying?¡± She tilted her head and grabbed the maid¡¯s hair and pulled it toward her. The maid breathed quickly as if she was out of breath and endured the tears and screams that burst out hard. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s Elliott.¡± ¡°Elliot, are you the one who secretly loved Gray?¡± ¡°No! Princess, it¡¯s really not me! I¡¯m not the one.¡± A child named Elliot cried and told her. She shook her head vigorously and prayed desperately as if claiming her innocence and shouted for trust. She let go of the hair she grabbed and gently stroked it. Elliot¡¯s body flinched whenever her hand touched her and forced herself to hold back tears. She didn¡¯t feel good when she saw the child covering her mouth with both hands. ¡°Elliot, you¡¯ll have to tell the truth.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Do you think Gray is interested in you?¡± ¡°I said no, Princess! I did not dare to step over your position princess, and I did not fall for his words.¡± Carl closed his eyes slightly. At what Elliott said, she burst into laughter. ¡°Ha ha ha. Seriously, not only do you not know the place, but you don¡¯t know anything at all.¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess¡­¡­ Please.¡± ¡°He said he¡¯d let you sit here if I died?¡± ¡°He told me that, but I¡¯ve never had that kind of heart. Princess, please trust me.¡± ¡°I trust you.¡± She stopped laughing and wiped away the tears with a kind smile at Elliott. She took out a handkerchief and put it in Elliott¡¯s hand, whispered to her in a soft voice as if she had never done it before. ¡°You¡¯re doing everything Gray wants from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes? Princess, me, I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Elliot, it¡¯s simple. You just follow what he says. Just accept him saying he likes you to death.¡± ¡°Princess, please..¡­.¡± Hugging Elliot with more friendly touches and expressions than ever before, she said. ¡°Elliot, this will be as if nothing had happened. As long as you do what I say. There¡¯s nothing that can harm you.¡± ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°Well, but if you disobey me, the story will change. So you do your best from now on to make him yours.¡± Sweeping Elliot¡¯s hair, she whispered, giving her money that she would not have even seen if she tried her whole life. She shook her with a voice of temptation that was nowhere else. ¡°Elliot, don¡¯t you want to get out of being a maid and live a better life?¡± ¡°Is there really nothing that is going to harm me?¡± ¡°Of course, I promise as the Princess of this country.¡± She doesn¡¯t know if she can keep that promise, but she promises if she¡¯s alive. But if she also feels the same way as Gray, she doesn¡¯t know if I can keep this promise then. In the first place, the premise of this promise was only when she was different from Gray. So she shouldn¡¯t blame herself later. You shouldn¡¯t have been greedy for something that wasn¡¯t yours. If that kid was the reason why he couldn¡¯t wait until she died, what should she do with herself, Gray? He¡¯ll be trampled more brutally now. ¡°Kill me, please kill me but I¡¯ll pay you back slowly until I struggle with the pain and work hard.¡± Only when everyone left the room and was left alone, did she lay down on the bed as if she were collapsing. Her head was pounding, perhaps because she was being evil. Three days¡­ It was three days. Why is it the 3rd? No matter how hard she tried, there was no answer. She didn¡¯t know what Arthur was thinking or what he wanted from her. Just one. That he¡¯s interested in Mary. A lot at that too. No matter what form of mind it was, that one thing was certain. Chapter 23 As she kept thinking of him, she felt like she could feel his breath next to her. His eyes that looked at her and Mary¡¯s name kept calling her. Why is Arthur¡¯s gaze, which was sticking tightly until she got on the wagon, bothering him? I¡¯m going crazy. Shaking her head, she jumped up and looked out the window. Only one moon shining brightly in the dark night sky caught her eye. At the same time as the silence, she can¡¯t feel anything at this moment. She got goosebumps without knowing why. She felt bad and returned to bed and buried her face in the blanket. She fell asleep with a cozy blanket. *** Knock, knock. ¡°Umm, Princess.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to wake up now, so don¡¯t think about coming in.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Even with her cold voice, the maid didn¡¯t know how to give up. She jerked up intending to throw a pillow and soon held back her groan by holding the tip of the pillow tightly. The pain she had forgotten again suppressed her. Her trembling hands soon fell helplessly to the floor. She lied down and buried her face in a blanket, and hid the sound of leaking out of her mouth. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Again, along with nausea, she came up with tears. ¡°Struggling.¡± She quickly escaped the bed with a staggering body and stuck her head in the toilet. She grabbed the surrounding walls and held things and struggled to control herself. Along with the pain of tightening her heart, her white hands caught her eyes. ¡°Princess!¡± Perhaps she heard a commotion, or a maid comes in and supported her. She didn¡¯t even have the strength to shake it off. Is this really living? Even if she can¡¯t do it until the day she dies, about a year. No, honestly, she doesn¡¯t know. Even in the novel, Mary¡¯s death day was never implied. ¡®It means there¡¯s nothing strange about dying tomorrow right away.¡¯ The original is already wrong. The story here will have changed since she came here and when she reached out to Arthur. Then she couldn¡¯t guarantee when she would die either. ¡°Princess, you¡¯d better go to His Majesty later.¡± ¡°Why? Is my father looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes, he told me to bring you when you wake up.¡± As soon as she came yesterday, she looked for Elliot and didn¡¯t leave the room. Meeting her father was the first thing, but she was worried that if she did, she would have no chance of finding Elliot. In the end, she decided to respond to her father¡¯s call, half arbitrary and half involuntary. She didn¡¯t want to, but she thought she should stay calm today because she had done something. ¡®Already 2 days. I have to go back in 2 days.¡¯ One of the three days he said has already passed. She didn¡¯t lose the day because she found Elliott and breathed her words into her, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t regret it. While walking through the long hallway, the people in the imperial palace glanced curiously at her. Since she was a Princess, they did not openly whisper or glance, but she could feel everything. She felt like everyone in the imperial palace was looking only at her. She¡¯s felt suffocated. Their eyes seemed to tell her what they were saying inside. ¡®I¡¯m telling you to swear as much as you want. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s been like that anyway.¡¯ Breaking away from the gaze that was holding her breath, she soon faced her father. He looked a little angry, different from usual. It was not enough to threaten his position and come from Arthur¡¯s territory like a thorn in the eye, but to ride his wagon, so he deserves to be angry. ¡°Did you call me, father?¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± She looked at her father still. She felt a little pitiful for her father who can¡¯t even get angry at her properly. This was definitely her fault. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think much about this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you said it first.¡± ¡°But father.¡± At the same time as her father exhaled relief, she immediately brought up the subject. Two days, it was a long time if it was long, but a short time if it was short. Every minute and second was precious to her now. ¡°I must have what I want.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Mary, are you really interested in Archduke Arthur?¡± ¡°Father.¡± She said with a smile. It could be of interest. But he had what she needed in his hand. What she wished for so much, maybe Mary, too. ¡°I have to go to the side of Archduke to live.¡± ¡°What does that mean? Mary, did you forget crying and asking me to allow you to engage to Lord Gray?¡± ¡°Is it possible? I have no intention of breaking my engagement with Gray.¡± ¡°Do you mean that you will stay in the territory of the Archduke without breaking your engagement?¡± Her father¡¯s deep wrinkles became clearer. Her father¡¯s fist was full of strength to the extent that his efforts to calmly continue his conversation with her were overshadowed. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen that will make Archduke Arthur threaten the empire.¡± ¡°Do you say that even after hearing rumors circulating? As the Princess of this country, are the people and the safety of the country not in your care?¡± ¡°What good is it if I die?¡± Isn¡¯t it possible to take care of the people as a Princess and to act beneficial for the country only when they are alive? What she went to Arthur was to live. ¡°So father, please don¡¯t stop me. If you want to stop me, just kill me.¡± ¡°Mary!¡± Her father yelled at her. For the first time, a fit of huge anger fluttered in her father¡¯s eyes. But she had no place to step back or move forward. If she could live, she would beg for forgiveness for today until the day her father leaves her. Chapter 24 ¡°I die here without doing anything, I die in my father¡¯s hands, but it¡¯s the same for me.¡± If there¡¯s even one hope, if there¡¯s even a little force that won¡¯t let her die, she¡¯ll hold on to it and drag on. Pride doesn¡¯t matter in the face of death. It is also a privilege of a living person. All she had left was one thing, desperation. ¡°¡­¡­ Have you finished talking to Sir Gray?¡± ¡°Father, there are talks of engagement, but it isn¡¯t official yet? I¡¯m fickle, everyone knows, so don¡¯t be hasty.¡± ¡°Mary, I still don¡¯t want you to be engaged to Lord Gray.¡± Her father looked at her with a worried look. Even if she is such a stubborn daughter, she must be a child. Mary, who resembles her mother, is the only daughter of the Emperor. ¡®You were still receiving a lot of love.¡¯ Regardless of the form of love or in any way, she was loved. Guilt came again. He tried to avoid his father¡¯s gaze and smiled faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be hurt by anyone.¡± ¡°Do you believe Archduke Arthur can save you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust him. But that¡¯s all I have, so I¡¯m just deceiving my mind and eyes.¡± ¡°What brought the maids together as soon as you arrived.¡± Of course, she expected it to hear about it. She smiled broadly without any malice on her face. ¡°I was just curious. I get jealous a lot, right?¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°Then, can I leave now? Because I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± ¡°You should do that.¡± Carl followed his father¡¯s wink. She could feel Carl¡¯s gaze behind her without saying anything. As if to resent her, no, he was clearly drawn with an entangled expression of anxiety and complexity. ¡°Carl, why do you like me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s not fair.¡± His expression of denial looked painful. He must be resentful of her asking him. His eyes sank as if blaming himself for asking why he couldn¡¯t even spit it out. Even though his hands, who were anxious about her falling, were showing everything about how he had a certain distance behind her and how he felt, she asked him a cruel question. ¡°Carl, leave this place.¡± ¡°Princess Mary Anastasia.¡± ¡°Get away from me.¡± She can¡¯t give him happiness, so get out of this boring place and find happiness. Carl, she wanted him to take off his shackles and spread a bright smile on his face. Standing in front of the door, she couldn¡¯t look back. Carl¡¯s hand, holding her fingertips narrowly, was shaking, so she didn¡¯t dare to face Carl, who would be crying with his head buried in her back. ¡°So don¡¯t hold me in your heart anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just keep it to myself. I won¡¯t reveal it to others or want the heart of the Princess.¡± ¡°Carl.¡± With such a distorted face, don¡¯t talk in a submerged voice. Her heart is down enough, so let¡¯s not get tired anymore. This may be her selfishness. Even though she knew his mind, she had to choose Arthur. Because he will be able to give her the life she wants. Arthur was a person who would only be sad up to that point even if she died. She¡¯s not Mary anyway, so to Arthur, she was just one of the countless Mary. It doesn¡¯t matter to him who she is. But Carl is different. ¡°¡­¡­please let me see it from the side, no, from the far end. It¡¯s okay to just see the back for the rest of your life, so please don¡¯t push me away.¡± Maybe if she met Arthur and didn¡¯t hear his story, she might have fallen in love with this child. But she said cruel things to Carl again. It cuts through his heart and engraves a bigger wound again. ¡°Oh, okay. It¡¯s been a long time since I hugged you, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Today will be the last day to hug you. This will be the end of the relationship with me and you.¡± Turning around, she put her hand around Carl¡¯s neck and kissed his lips. Little by little, she stroked his lips and waited for his mouth to open. Carl¡¯s face was captured in her eyes without closing her eyes. Tears flowed endlessly from Carl¡¯s eyes. His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her away. ¡°It¡¯s the last goodbye gift I can give you, won¡¯t you regret it?¡± Without answering the question, Carl put her hand on his heart and asked. ¡°Princess, can you hear me?¡± She heard it. She could feel his heartbeat, on her fingertips clearly. His heart, which was beating harder than ever, seemed to show that it was alive. ¡°To love, to have someone in your heart is not that simple, nor can you finish it at once.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Meet someone who will make your heartbeat, or feel alive.¡± Carl carefully steps back from her and smiled brightly with a tearful look. ¡°If you just remember me because there is someone who loved you, even a guilty feeling about me in the corner of your heart..¡­.¡± She gave Carl a sincere smile for the first time. Her heart contains a small heart for him, who will be the first and last. ¡°That¡¯s enough for me.¡± *** Chapter 25 It became the last day to go back to the Archdukes. Carl was not seen afterward. It was her who sent him, but why is her heart empty? If she knew three days would be this long, she should have sent a Carl a little later. She was selfish until the end. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, but there is one problem..¡­.¡± ¡°Problem?¡± The maid¡¯s expression looked quite difficult. She stopped while walking in the hallway and stared at the maid. As soon as she made eye contact with her, the maid hurriedly bowed her head and trembled. ¡°That, that¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stutter and say it properly.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! It¡¯s nothing but Sir Gray..¡­.¡± When Gray¡¯s name came out, her face naturally distorted. The maid¡¯s face turned into a crying face again. As soon as she was about to ask again out of frustration, Elliot was seen. ¡°Elliot.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Elliot, who saw her, rushed over and bowed his head. Elliot saw another maid with her head down and soon replied quickly. ¡°Princess, Lord Gray has made an audience with His Majesty. His Majesty has withheld the Princess from going to the Grand Duke.¡± ¡°My father put it on hold. You should go.¡± After sending another maid, she took Elliot to a place where no one came. Elliot followed her calmly. ¡°Elliot, you didn¡¯t forget the deal with me, did you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as that, princess. Lord Gray even offered me a little bit of time.¡± Elliot took a letter from her pocket. Her eyes twinkled. She slowly opened the letter. ¡®You¡¯re playing well.¡¯ The letter was a memorandum stating that after getting engaged with her safely, he would give Elliott the position of Empress after her death. ¡°Did Gray write you a memorandum easily?¡± Evidence will remain. Otherwise, he might have really intended to give Elliot the Empress¡¯s seat. All he wanted was the Emperor¡¯s seat, so it doesn¡¯t matter who was next to him. It won¡¯t be a threat unless it¡¯s from the imperial family. ¡°I thought I had to get it somehow.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I did everything you wanted. I¡¯ve thrown it all away for the sake of the Princess.¡± For her? Was it really for her? She noticed the child¡¯s two cheeks stained. She could even tell what was thrown away. ¡®I told her to know her place¡­¡­.¡¯ She pretended to know nothing and folded the memorandum and put it in her arms. Elliot glanced at her arms and saw the memorandum. She gave Elliot the jewelry she prepared as a reward and walked through the garden. ¡°Elliot, don¡¯t disappoint me. I don¡¯t forgive dogs that bite their owners.¡± ¡°Of course, don¡¯t worry.¡± Elliot smiled and nodded at her. She just hoped that the child¡¯s reflected excitement will be her luck. She hoped her vitality will not lose its light with the wrong choice. When was it that she walked in the garden under the sun, she came here and stayed only in her room feeling worse. Even so, it was only three days, but why does she feel worse after visiting the Grand Duke¡¯s? ¡°Let¡¯s stop and go in.¡± ¡°Princess, hold on a second! It¡¯ll take a moment!¡± Elliot rushed into the garden. Because of Elliot, who had left before she could stop her, she was forced to sit in a visible chair and catch her breath. ¡®How dare she ask me to wait? Should I just leave?¡¯ The child¡¯s face was too bright for that. Her bright smile at her was somehow a little lovely, so she couldn¡¯t go. No, maybe it was because she didn¡¯t have the strength to go back alone. When she was under the warm sun, warmth permeated her body and felt empty. She also wanted to stay in the green vitality of the grass and trees seen in the garden. ¡°Princess, look at this!¡± ¡°¡­ Is this why you told me to wait?¡± ¡°Yes, actually, I wanted to show you a pretty flower that resembles the Princess if we go a little further, but I couldn¡¯t pick it up because it seemed like you were struggling.¡± ¡°Get rid of it.¡± Like this. When she hit Elliot¡¯s hand, the flowers in her hand fell to the ground. Even the petals that were attached fell off, making it a form of nothing to call them flowers. ¡°Why? Do you want me to die like this flower?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just so pretty¡­¡­.¡± Elliot¡¯s face was filled with embarrassment. She didn¡¯t feel good when she faced the child¡¯s feelings that were revealed on her face. ¡®What? But are you going to pretend to be a saint now? You don¡¯t even want to do that anyway.¡¯ She walked past Elliot, trampling on the flowers that fell on the floor. Elliot bowed her head and looked at the flowers being crushed. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. I¡¯ll go back alone.¡± Is it because of the sudden feeling of deterioration or because she¡¯s been receiving sunlight for too long? Her head turned around. She thought she was a little better, but her body got weird in the meantime. Only the thought of going back to the room lingered in her head. Chapter 26 ¡°Princess.¡± She heard a low voice calling her. In the long shade that stood in front of her, she raised her head in case it was Carl. But her little expectation was just a vain wish that would not come true. ¡°¡­Gray.¡± ¡°Why are you here? I¡¯ve been looking for a long time.¡± ¡°I was already curious, but what the hell did you say to my father to stop me.¡± ¡°I just said something because I was worried.¡± Gray slowly approached her. The reason why his steps slowed down slightly is probably because of Elliot following her. Elliot¡¯s steps, which had been following her urgently, also felt a little slow. How many stories will come and go in the eyes of these two with her in between? ¡°Gray, can you help me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m dizzy.¡± The shyness reflected on Elliot¡¯s face came to mind. Elliot¡¯s expression of smiling after meeting her loved one behind her was drawn in her head. She¡¯s just a flower that will fall to the floor and rot away, but Elliott was as fresh as a flower that just bloomed. She wasn¡¯t happy to leave her body in Gray¡¯s hands, but somehow the strangely smeared smiles on their faces were unpleasant. No, she didn¡¯t want to see it. In front of her, she couldn¡¯t watch the feeling of happiness permeate the faces of those waiting for her death. ¡°What are you doing? Are you going to keep looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Princess, I¡­¡± ¡°Elliot, how dare you. Don¡¯t step up when I didn¡¯t order you.¡± As soon as she finished talking, Gray grabbed her hand and helped her. When she glanced slightly at Elliot, she saw her holding her clothes tightly with her head down. She came into the room with Gray¡¯s help and lay down straight on the bed. Strangely, she wasn¡¯t feeling better than before. She had to ask him, but she couldn¡¯t. Her stomach continued to feel nauseous and her head hurt like breaking. She let out her groans without realizing it in the pain that was tightening her heart. ¡°I think we should call a doctor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to go to the Grand Duke¡¯s right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good. His Majesty will not allow it either.¡± ¡°What the hell! what.¡± She stood up, grabbed her heart, and shouted. The pain got stronger and stronger. In her head, she remembered the three days Arthur said. She shouted strongly in her head that she should go to the Grand Duke¡¯s right away. ¡°Princess!¡± Listening to the cries of Gray and the maid, she lost consciousness again. ¡°This is difficult.¡± She heard someone¡¯s voice. Only darkness existed. She looked around and touched her hand. She walked forward, waving her hand in the air. She kept walking, but somehow she felt like she was hovering around the same place. What the hell, where are you? Her voice rang in her head. When it was useless to walk for a long time, she collapsed as she was. She crouched down and held her breath. She was terrified. Will she die like this? She didn¡¯t even do anything? She was going crazy because it was unfair. Even if she shouted, it was of no use. Only she heard her voice. Did she cry and shout for a long time? She felt like she was holding her hand and leading somewhere. Soon after, she saw a bright light and it was dazzling. ¡°Ugh.¡± She felt something coming through her mouth. Along with something warm and soft, a slippery liquid came in and passed down her throat. Naturally, the liquid that fell behind the neck spread to the body, and soon the painful body gradually felt comfortable. ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± The consciousness, which had been blurred little by little, returned and soon began to become clearer little by little. With a dreamy consciousness, a man came into her eyes with a bright view. The man, who was wiping her lips and looking down at her, soon met her eyes. ¡°Oh, this is really difficult.¡± ¡°Who¡­¡± She could see red eyes. The creepy red eyes stared at her, and soon covered her eyes and whispered in her ears. ¡°There¡¯s still a little left, so this can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t see anything because of him covering her eyes, but one thing was clear. He means that her pain is decreasing due to what he did. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth slightly with one hand and she soon felt comfortable with a soft yet warm touch. The liquid flowing into my mouth made her frown by swallowing it again. She couldn¡¯t do anything because she had no strength in her body. She just put the incoming liquid down her throat. And as his lips parted from her, the hand that covered her eyes also loosened up.e Her body became looser than before, and soon she fell asleep. She struggled to open her eyes and looked to the side. She vaguely saw a man with long silver hair. How¡­ ¡­ what¡­ ¡­ . Then she was unconscious again. Chapter 27 Lie Her body was light. No, it was so light that she felt like the pain she had been in for so long had disappeared. She couldn¡¯t believe it, as if she had had a long dream. When she woke up, she was grateful for this minor fact that could happen without pain. She sat up carefully. She blankly looked back on what happened, but all that came to her mind were red eyes. ¡®Who the heck was that guy? Was that real?¡¯ The warm touch on the lips was not a lie. When she looked next to her, there was a glass bottle that Arthur gave her. The contents were empty. ¡°3 days¡­¡± It was at the end of the three-day grace he said that she will collapse with great pain. And the man she saw last night seems to have fed her what¡¯s in this glass bottle. ¡®He said he¡¯s the one who can kill me or save me.¡­. Maybe it¡¯s true.¡¯ She didn¡¯t believe everything Arthur said. She heard that he had failed to save Mary, and he hadn¡¯t told her anything else. In addition, he told her one thing because he was afraid she would try to kill Gray first, like any other Mary. Never kill Gray first. That was one condition leading to her death. It was a ridiculous story that if it went wrong before she got better, she would eventually die, too. Nevertheless, she had no choice but to believe because of the story of the numerous Marys he showed her. And now she had no choice but to trust him because of this medicine. Even if he was cheating on her, she had to trust him in order to live. ¡®I can live. I might really be able to live.¡¯ With the conviction that he might really be able to save her, the idea of going to the Grand Duke¡¯s immediately lingered in her head. Without delay, she hurriedly woke up and prepared to go to the Grand Duke¡¯s. She doesn¡¯t even know the effect or duration of this drug he gave her. Perhaps soon the pain would come again. She opened the door and headed straight for her father. Surprised by her appearance, the maid followed her and looked at her. Seeing her restless, it was clear that she had something to say to her. But the only thing that matters to her right now was to go to Arthur right away. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible. It is a command that no one should go in. Moreover, I was told that the Princess should rest in the room.¡± The guard stopped her and didn¡¯t open the door. Only then did she turn her head and see the maid. In her eyes, the maid bowed her head and trembled. ¡°Tell me, who¡¯s in there?¡± ¡°That, that¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I¡¯ve been too quiet lately, haven¡¯t I?¡± She pulled the guard¡¯s cold sword out and put it on the maid¡¯s neck. The maid collapsed on the floor in fear. ¡°If you don¡¯t say it now, you won¡¯t be able to say it even if you want to.¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess! Save me!¡± ¡°Calm down!¡± Surprised, the guard tried to calm her down. She really didn¡¯t like the current situation. There is no way she can calm down with her life at stake. It¡¯s all because of Gray, that jerk. She doesn¡¯t know what kind of maxim blocked her father, but she can¡¯t stay still anymore. ¡°Say it. I don¡¯t see anything right now, so you¡¯d better say it.¡± ¡°His Majesty is talking to Lord Gray inside, Princess.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± How dare he? What is her father thinking about listening to him? ¡°Princess, you really can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She tried to bring a sword to her neck because of the guard that still blocked it. Rather than dying in pain, it was not bad to cut off the breath with her own hands. With the surprised eyes of the guards, she raised the corners of her mouth. Yeah, maybe this is better. Maybe it was wrong to be greedy for something that wasn¡¯t mine.¡­. ¡°Then if I die here, the door will open then.¡± ¡°Princess!¡± The frozen guard tried to reach out. She was about to give strength to the sword she took to her neck slowly. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°¡­Carl?¡± She heard Carl¡¯s angry voice holding the blade with his hand. She doubted her eyes. Why he was in front of her, or why he came back, her head turned blank. Nevertheless, she was glad to see him. No, she missed him. She missed the warm eyes that looked at her and the sincere eyes that seemed to worry. Because of that, she also felt alive. It was a help to her that her existence was precious to someone. She couldn¡¯t spit it out. ¡°¡­ Why are you here?¡± ¡°How can I pretend not to know the Princess who is shouting to see me like that?¡± ¡°Carl, I gave you a chance. You¡¯re the one who abandoned the opportunity.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you.¡± The hand holding the sword lost strength. She turned to the red blood flowing out of Carl¡¯s palm. ¡°Open the door. I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¡°But Sir Carl!¡± ¡°If Princess had really cut her body here, what would happen to you?¡± Carl warned low, watching the guard. Her guard, Carl, was ranked higher than the other guard. They looked in trouble and soon opened the door. Carl covered her eyes for a moment, pulled out the sword, and hid his hand with a cloth. ¡°Go in.¡± Looking at Carl¡¯s hand, she turned her head and turned away. Going straight inside, she saw Gray and her father talking. Chapter 28 She walked slowly toward Gray. Gray looked embarrassed by her suddenly entering the open door. But soon after, he changed his expression, got up from his seat and approached her. He pretended as if he really loved her, putting false emotions in his eyes. ¡°Princess Mary Anastasia! You woke up. Your body is¡­¡­.¡± Phat. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°If you open your mouth one more time, I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart here.¡± Gray sneaked a smile at what she said. Looking back, she saw her father crumpled his face. ¡°Mary, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Father, what are you doing? What did Gray say to you for you to stop me, your daughter?¡± ¡°Calm down and sit down. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re still not feeling well.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t someone who cares about that will send me away?¡± Her father sighed and soon showed her a map on the table. The areas marked in red were pointing exactly to the capitals. ¡°I heard that Grand Duke Arthur would take you as a hostage if you try to rebel.¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s dangerous. This is all for the Princess.¡± ¡°Shut up, Gray. Do you think it¡¯s a conversation where you can interrupt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her father¡¯s forehead narrowed further by her unfamiliar attitude toward Gray. She could feel the hostility and contempt that were revealed on her face. There was no image of Mary who loved him. He seemed to think she was acting on a whim. It was just an expression of contemplation on how to appease the child who used the person. ¡°Did you if I was silent because I didn¡¯t know? What were you thinking when you were by my side?¡± She took a piece of paper out of her arms, looked at Gray¡¯s and threw it at the table. Gray¡¯s eyes shook anxiously at the letter that fell in front of him. She was going to gradually collect evidence and let him die in the hands of someone other than her hands. When she was healed and her life was complete, then she was planning to slaughter him mercilessly. He endured and endured intending to tear his limbs one by one and killing him in pain. She had no choice but to leave the two alone, but she didn¡¯t intend to move on forever. ¡°Father, do you, like Gray, only want me to die?¡± ¡°What does that mean? Mary, how much I love you.¡± ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t believe the words of someone waiting for me to die.¡± She looked at her father with a little resentment. Gray fixed his gaze on the table. Seeing the strength full of his fists, she put her hand on his shoulder and whispered affectionately. ¡°What are you doing? Without opening it? Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Princess.¡± ¡°I told you to open it¡±. Princess father also nodded to Gray. Gray¡¯s trembling hands slowly opened the letter and tore it apart. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Your Majesty! This must be a conspiracy.¡± ¡°Do you know what that is and say it? You didn¡¯t even see it, but you act as if you knew the content in advance.¡± She lifted the torn paper and tilted her head as if it were strange. ¡°There¡¯s nothing written on this paper.¡± She took another paper out of her arms and spread it out to her father. It was a memorandum that Elliot gave her. She could see Gray¡¯s signature and seal, which were stamped intact. ¡°Do you believe that the grand army is trying to rebel? If the Archduke was going to do that, the war would have already broken out. You know the power he has. Do you want war?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. No king wants war.¡± ¡°So, what do you think of him exchanging memorandums like this with my maid hoping I die?¡± Her father¡¯s face was full of confusion. With Gray¡¯s reputation, the image he has accumulated so far, he would have never expected it. Because every time he treated her as if he loved her more than anyone else. ¡°What in the world are you afraid of? Is it my death or the throne?¡± She talked little anymore. It was up to her father to believe, and she had no choice but to do anything more. Crap. If Arthur hadn¡¯t said that to her! She wouldn¡¯t have handled things so awkwardly. She turned back and looked at Gray as she walked out. Gray hurriedly knelt on the floor and made excuses to her father. She closed the door before the flowers of despair bloomed on her face. ¡°Carl, what are you doing?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you get ready to go with me to the Grand Duke¡¯s?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your order.¡± A smile spread across Carl¡¯s face. She, who couldn¡¯t leave him and returned, might hurt him even more. Nevertheless, she was glad that he came back next to her. ¡°You¡¯ll blame me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Even if I fall in love with the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°That love wasn¡¯t mine anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Her heart collapsed again with the false sincerity reflected on Carl¡¯s face. Indeed, he was not greedy for her heart. She swallowed a bitter smile as she saw Carl, who said he was fortunate just being around her. ¡°I have a carriage ready.¡± She looked back at Carl¡¯s words and left the Palace. She felt Gray¡¯s scream leaking through the tightly closed door. ¡°¡­¡­ Why are you keeping him alive?¡± He looked like he couldn¡¯t understand her at all. She also felt the same way as Carl. She wanted to kill him with more pain than anyone else. ¡®It would be a different story if my life wasn¡¯t a prerequisite.¡¯ In fact, the pain was Mary¡¯s, not hers. This body is not hers either. Chapter 29 It was also funny to replace Mary¡¯s revenge as if she had been defined. Nevertheless, the reason why she couldn¡¯t just let it go was maybe because of what she would have experienced with this body if she didn¡¯t know. Above all, Mary¡¯s pain and memories were felt intact, so it was no longer someone else¡¯s. ¡®I¡¯m sure of it. I¡¯m living with Mary¡¯s body.¡¯ It was a feeling that would hold her and drag on forever. Mary¡¯s anxiety was hers, too. She knew nothing about when she will close her eyes again or when she will end her life. ¡°Princess, they deceived the imperial family and, above all, coveted the position of the Princess.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m actually thinking about how to cause pain enough not to die.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Her steps stopped at the sudden voice. A very familiar, low voice. It was Arthur¡¯s tone that should not be here. ¡°Three days. Didn¡¯t I say three days?¡± She stared at him quietly in a voice that was filled with her emotions slowly, as if suppressing them. The 3 days, he said. The glass bottle that gave her. She tried to pass Arthur without saying a word. Those three days almost killed her. A glass bottle that was held without a proper explanation. It was miserable because it seemed to be a humble life that depended on just one bottle. ¡°I guess you sent someone because you feared me dying.¡± ¡°Did you meet¡­¡± Arthur roughly grabbed her wrist and turned around. In his sudden action, Carl held Arthur¡¯s hand and restrained him. The throbbing wrist made her angry. Damn. ¡°Do you think you can treat me recklessly just because you¡¯re holding my life?¡± Arthur¡¯s head, which went back to the side, loosened the grip on her wrist. A gleam gleamed appeared in his dull, dry eyes. But soon after, she saw a smile slowly rising up around Arthur¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me on your own again.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Arthur smiled with a different smile than before. He swept her slightly red cheeks with one hand. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you again. Who did you meet?¡± His two eyes shone grimly again. She didn¡¯t talk about a man with long silver hair. She just turned around not to give him the answer he wanted. ¡°Arthur, why did you say you don¡¯t have to do that?¡± Arthur¡¯s reaction a while ago seemed as if she had met someone she shouldn¡¯t have met. ¡®I need to figure it out myself. I think this will be an advantageous card for me.¡¯ Someone she shouldn¡¯t know. Above all, if he¡¯s someone she shouldn¡¯t meet, there¡¯s something hidden from her. ¡°I¡¯m here to meet His Majesty¡±. ¡°Grand Duke himself?¡± Just in case she kills Gray? He didn¡¯t believe her. It was the same for her. Leaving her questionable eyes behind, he walked toward the palace. Looking at his back, she also took a step. ¡°Carl, you wait here.¡± She stopped carl from following her, went to his side and hit his foot. If she had Carl, she couldn¡¯t talk about anything else. She didn¡¯t want to let him know yet. No, she honestly didn¡¯t mean to tell him. She didn¡¯t want to let him know that she wasn¡¯t Mary, that Mary in his heart was someone other than her. He was mine now, and he was the only one who gave her love without wanting anything. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything about Gray right now, can you?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you should do whatever you want.¡± Arthur¡¯s gaze was still forward. His steps were fast, he was out of breath and somehow slowed down as he cleared his breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will not let him die unless I know he¡¯s involved in my death.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t want to let it happen that way.¡± She didn¡¯t like Arthur¡¯s answer. She still didn¡¯t like how her death was connected to him, that she couldn¡¯t break Gray¡¯s breath with her own hands. Why can¡¯t she even do this as she pleases? She was angry at Arthur, who was blocking her for no reason. ¡®If I had killed him, instead of just reaching out from the beginning, would I have been able to breathe a little?¡¯ But if Arthur hadn¡¯t stopped her, as he said, she would have already lost her breath like any other Mary. Nevertheless, she wanted to see Gray struggle in pain and desperately beg for his life in front of her eyes. ¡°Whether or not I kill Gray, does Archduke Arthur honestly have anything to do with it?¡± Arthur¡¯s gaze slowly headed toward her. Only then did he stop walking when he reached the front of the audience where Gray was. His mouth was fluttering with the door that opened just in time. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t matter, I wouldn¡¯t have come this far.¡± When the door opened, she saw Gray lying on the floor begging for his life. As soon as he found her again, he desperately shouted her name. His distorted expression gradually unfolded, wondering if she had changed her mind and came back to him. He put strength into his voice and pointed at Elliot. ¡°Princess Anastasia! As expected, you misunderstood! Elliot, or that maid, seduced me.¡± Elliot was seen shaking behind him. Elliot, lying close to the floor with her head down and ears covered, looked up at her. Elliot, who was full of despair and fear, also turned into a hopeful face when she saw her. ¡®It¡¯s not even funny.¡¯ Elliot¡¯s face, who faced her frozen eyes, was terrified again. She noticed that she would not be saved. ¡°Princess Anastasia, don¡¯t you know you¡¯re the only one for me?¡± Gray struggled to reach for her. Arthur¡¯s hand grabbed Gray¡¯s hand before he could reach her. Soon after, Gray¡¯s expression facing Arthur was intertwined with a sense of betrayal and complex emotions. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I hate when someone touches what¡¯s mine very much.¡± Arthur shook off his hand as if he had caught something dirty and looked down at Gray. As expected, they cannot put him in prison as he is. Chapter 30 ¡°Arthur, come to think of it, we just have to save him, right?¡± She was upset to imagine living in prison comfortably. Mary, who was dying in her memory, came to mind. She felt relieved to see Gray suffer, who killed Mary, whose death was just around the corner. Arthur just stood still in his seat at what she said. ¡®You mean I can?¡¯ She smiled when she got a positive answer. Even if she stopped him, she was going to move her way. Wouldn¡¯t he have known that? ¡°Father, come to think of it, I think I¡¯m so angry and miserable. Is there a law that says that Gray only played with that kid?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not! I really didn¡¯t mix my body with that maid!¡± Gray shrugged off his hand, crawled in front of her and grabbed the hem of her skirt. She looked down, capturing the appearance of him falling into an abyss. Yeah, she¡¯s going to make Gray beg a little more. ¡°Beg a little more. Will you save me like that? Then how can you bite your master¡± ¡°Please! Save me! I couldn¡¯t have loved that lowly thing. If the Princess wants, I¡¯ll really be a dog. So please, I only want the Princess! Ouch!¡± She grabbed her clothes and kicked Gray with all her might. The wind made her breathless, but she felt relieved. When she saw his face covered with sweat and tears and his whole body trembled with fear, she kept smiling. When Gray, who fell backwards because of her, tried to crawl back to her again, she slowly approached him and said, beating him with her shoe feet underneath it. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what happens when you play around with your part? You dare covet my fianc¨¦e¡¯s position and still think about wallowing with my maid?¡± ¡°Argh! Argh!¡± Gray struggled with pain and grabbed her feet. The face has already been crumpled, and the soft tone has twisted into a scream full of pain. ¡°So you have to be punished accordingly. Do you want to live?¡± ¡°Argh! Sa, save me!¡± After killing Mary, who wanted to live that badly, he wants to live. She can¡¯t believe he¡¯s struggling. She felt bad for Mary, who loved such a man. Still, she remembered her who believed it was love and tried to be happy for the rest of her life. ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯m not strong enough to kill a man I once loved. So as I was thinking about it, I came up with a good idea.¡± She pulled her foot out of Gray¡¯s hand and smiled at her father. His crying under her feet overlapped with his face, which would later flounder in despair and pain. She felt an indescribable joy. ¡°Father, cut off this man¡¯s bottom. Shouldn¡¯t that be the price of insulting the Imperial family and making fun of them? Of course, follow up immediately so he doesn¡¯t die. If you don¡¯t do that, I may be sick of heart and die sooner.¡± Her father turned his head at her request. Perhaps the pain was imagined automatically, but her father distorted his forehead. When she quickly beckoned the guards to drag Gray out, Gray desperately tried to hold her. ¡°Oh, also fix his eyes so that he can¡¯t close them so that he can watch it cut off. That¡¯s why, even if he woke up after fainting, wouldn¡¯t he see it right away?¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess! Argh! Let go of me! Didn¡¯t you love me! Now you¡¯re abandoning me!¡± But before he reached her, he was held by a guard and dragged out. Slam! As the door closed, Gray¡¯s screaming voice was no longer audible. However, in reality, only a heavy sense of silence lingered. Her father put a hand on his forehead and leaned his back against a chair as if his head were pounding. It was then that Grand Duke Arthur had seen him, and he said to Arthur that he did not understand. ¡°What happened to the Grand Duke so far?¡± ¡°I see His Majesty of the Arpen Empire.¡± Arthur bowed politely to her father and glanced at Elliot lying on the floor. Her father didn¡¯t show it, but he looked quite embarrassed. It was the first time since the banquet that Arthur stepped into the imperial palace, so her father¡¯s reaction was natural. ¡°I heard stories circulating around the world, and I thought it would be better to come and see you in person, so I stepped in.¡± ¡°¡­You came to see me in person.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what I want.¡± Arthur looked around with a relaxed look. Her father¡¯s eyes were slightly distorted, and he looked at him still. ¡°The engagement with Princess Mary Anastasia, and her stay in my mansion.¡± Deep wrinkles were dug into her father¡¯s forehead. He touched his chin with one hand and met Arthur¡¯s gaze. He touched the chair with his finger, worried about it, and soon opened his mouth. ¡°Is that all you really want?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Mary said, ¡®The Archduke can save her.¡¯ Is that true? ¡°If I say so, will you believe me?¡± Arthur tilted his head and looked at her. Following his gaze, her father¡¯s gaze also headed for her. ¡°Father, what the Archduke says is true. It¡¯s proof that I¡¯m alive right now.¡± She doesn¡¯t know why, but three days later, she was really on the verge of death. If it weren¡¯t for the medicine, she wouldn¡¯t be standing here. ¡°If there¡¯s a little hope, whether or not it¡¯s true, wouldn¡¯t it be right to trust me? You don¡¯t want to lose the only Princess.¡± Arthur¡¯s words slightly twisted her father¡¯s expression. She didn¡¯t like his attitude, either. There was no tension at all in front of the Emperor of a country. It was also because of the power he had. ¡°Above all, this will eliminate anxiety about the war. Rather, the Arpen Empire should be happy, right? As long as the Princess is with me, there will be no war.¡± Arthur¡¯s words, as if he could start a war shook his father¡¯s hand. There was no way to refute Arthur¡¯s words. Chapter 31 Grand Duke Arthur was the most likely candidate to succeed the current Emperor and her father in the Arpen Empire. He was younger than his old father, and he was also strong in power as he ruled over a large territory. War was not difficult if he was determined to rebel. ¡®But that means I¡¯m like a hostage, after all, right?¡¯ The rumour was not true, but listening to Arthur, she was like a hostage. His words were the same as saying that if he did not agree to the engagement and sent her to his side, he would at least start a war. ¡°Father, I¡¯m going because I like it. There¡¯s a way to live, so I can¡¯t give up, right? So don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop you if you say so.¡± ¡°And shouldn¡¯t he also be punished? I want to hurt that beautiful face, but that would be too harsh for a pretty child, right?¡± Her father¡¯s eyes were wide open at her words. Elliot was also surprised and looked up at her. She felt an uneasy gaze with hope. ¡°Mary, this child also deceived you and cursed the Imperial family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You should look back on yourself and not covet what belongs to others. Then you can make it hard and blind her eyes.¡± ¡°Princess! I don¡¯t want to! Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°That way, you can no longer covet others¡¯ things. How can you be greedy when you can¡¯t see it? I think it¡¯s a punishment that suits you so well.¡± Elliot shook her body and shook her head like a seizure. Along with her tangled hair, her face was so damaged that it was hard to see because of sweat and tears. ¡°Hwa, the Princess. I just did what you told me to do. Sa, save me! I! Just did what you told me to do! ¡°What do you mean, Elliot? How much I loved Gray. Now you are blaming me for your actions?¡± Her coldly drooping eyes glanced over at Elliot. The two cheeks, which had turned red, had long disappeared. Only the red cut that seemed to have been hit by someone remained clear. ¡°But I¡¯m sure the Princess..¡­!¡± ¡°What am I missing? If you have something to gain, don¡¯t you have more? I loved him so much. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s greedy for something that¡¯s not yours.¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess!¡± She turned her head as if she were hurt and sighed. Arthur stayed still and watched her actions with interest. As his father¡¯s expression hardened further, she grabbed her chest and took a breath. ¡°Mary!¡± Surprised, Father stood up from his seat and shouted. Arthur naturally supported her waist and held it in his arms. He bowed his head and whispered in a small voice in her ear. ¡°Your acting is improving day by day.¡± At Arthur¡¯s words, she opened her eyes with difficulty and relaxed her body. Then it became more like leaning on Arthur. Along with her slender body, the appearance in his arms was at stake. ¡°Oh, Father, hurry and get rid of this kid, too. Just thinking about it makes my heartbreak so much that I can¡¯t breathe. I¡¯m going crazy imagining the two tangled up behind me.¡± Her father quickly removed Elliot from her sight. When she disappeared, she escaped Arthur¡¯s body as if nothing had happened and smiled brightly. ¡°Father, can I leave now? I think the effectiveness of the medicine is decreasing.¡± Her father seemed to be tired, as if he had given up soon. Soon after, she asked him to come out and guide Arthur outside. Now her and Arthur¡¯s engagement will soon be known to everyone. Of course, along with the story of Gray, who deceived everyone and played with the maid. In addition, information on his territory and her story of accepting engagement for the alliance with Arthur, who asked for engagement, will be published in the newspaper. Coming out under Arthur¡¯s support, she laughed and tilted as soon as the door closed. ¡°Ahahaha.¡± She thinks she feels a little less sorry for Mary. She has returned some of the pain she has suffered on her behalf, so wouldn¡¯t this forgive her a little? ¡°For a while¡­¡± Then, suddenly, she remembered when she was heading to his territory, so she turned her head and looked at him. ¡°Will I lose consciousness like last time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Arthur smiled with an unknown expression. She still didn¡¯t like his raised mouth. She thought it will be the same this time. ¡®Do I have to go through that unpleasant experience again?¡¯ She didn¡¯t talk to him anymore. There was nothing different if she said it. Arthur approached next to her and followed her steps with a cooler attitude than before. ¡°If you say no, I won¡¯t do it this time.¡± ¡°How do I believe that?¡± At her suspicious gaze, Arthur hardened her lips with a friendlier look than anyone else¡¯s. ¡°Well, it¡¯s like building trust.¡± Arthur still stared at her without smiling. Carl was seen in front of her, who was trying to ignore her gaze. ¡°Carl.¡± At her call, Carl slowly tried to come close to her. ¡°But you¡¯re the only one I will allow.¡± ¡°Archduke Arthur, don¡¯t be mistaken. All I believe in is not you, but the medicine you gave me. Shouldn¡¯t there be one person who will protect me?¡± ¡°Princess Mary Anastasia, it¡¯s not anyone, but me who protects you.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes shook small. Unlike before, she trembled at Arthur¡¯s voice, which set up a lot of blades. The threateningly shining eyes looked like a beast. She breathed a small breath at his appearance, which seemed like it will bite her neck. At that moment, she felt like prey and her mouth dried up. The atmosphere changed quickly, and he was a person she couldn¡¯t predict. ¡°I¡¯m not an understanding person enough to take someone who wants what¡¯s mine with me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Because Carl knows my matter.¡± Carl just bowed his head at what she said. What kind of expression does he have when she says something that digs into his heart? She tried to turn her head as if nothing had happened. ¡°What I¡¯m worried about is you, not the servant.¡± Arthur¡¯s sarcastic voice lingered around her ears. Carl¡¯s head slowly sounded as he said. She closed her eyes and decided. He knows what she¡¯s thinking. His gaze fixed on her as if he had seen through her heart toward Carl. Chapter 32 ¡°Princess, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She hid her heart and erased her emotions from her face. She could see Carl¡¯s eyes shaking for a moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide it. Didn¡¯t you hug me without thinking?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for the Grand Duke? Mary¡¯s body¡­ The skin is just important, right?¡± He wouldn¡¯t blink even if she died. What matters to him was Mary, not her. There was also a reason for choosing Arthur, not Carl. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it then? I will die with you if you want.¡± When she saw him casually putting death in his mouth, she was angry. That attitude that it doesn¡¯t matter if he died kept scratching her nerves. She hated him, saying he wanted to die in front of a dying person. She got goosebumps because Arthur¡¯s words that when he said he could kill her or save her seemed not to be false. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you give me that life? I¡¯ll let you hold this body forever.¡± She said it out of anger to Arthur, but she meant it. But does she deserve to say that? No, she doesn¡¯t have that qualification. Maybe everything she does now will not be forgiven. To Mary somewhere¡­ No, before that, does Mary really exist? Where did the real Mary, the owner of this body, go while countless souls passed through Mary¡¯s body? ¡®Can she come back? Or because of me?¡¯ Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t feel sick. She no longer felt the headache or disgust. When was it? She quickly recalled her memory. As expected, it was after taking medicine. But it¡¯s just medicine. Can it last this long? Again, questions continued. She felt like she was falling into a quagmire. ¡°Life.¡± Arthur¡¯s mouth slowly opened. Unlike before, his eyes contained bitterness. However, unlike his unfamiliar feelings toward her, his voice was quite calm. Although the words he uttered were, unlike him, the waves were tremendous. ¡°If I give you my life, will you give me your heart?¡± Her eyes were shaken by his unexpected words. Somehow, his eyes looked sad, so she was speechless because they touched her as if they were serious. ¡®How come such words come out of your mouth? You just wanted me because I was Mary. Why¡­¡­.¡¯ She felt like her heart was pounding. Her heart trembled with a feeling of being beaten up. She couldn¡¯t readily answer him. Her head was filled with questions about ¡®why?¡¯. ¡°Just because I¡¯m Mary, weren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± Arthur¡¯s gaze turned to Carl. Only then was she conscious of Carl, so she hurriedly closed her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re the one who reached out to me.¡± Passing by her, Arthur spoke calmly again. Opening the door of the carriage, he nodded. She looked at Carl and got into the carriage. Arthur closed the door with himself climbing. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Carl.¡± Arthur made an impression on her. After sighing at her upright posture and powerful voice, he opened the door and told the servant to follow them. She was relieved to see the servant riding on another carriage prepared with Carl. Carl was the only one she could trust. Arthur told her not to trust anyone, but Carl was the only one who could lean on in this strange place. Even if she¡¯s selfish, she won¡¯t let him go. Carl was a man for her, only for her. Even if she wasn¡¯t greedy, he always told her what she wanted. Even if those were harsh words that dug into the heart, he did not hesitate. But that was it. That¡¯s exactly what Carl could do for her. ¡°Arthur, do you want to win my heart?¡± Looking at him sitting face to face, she asked quietly. Even she had a surprisingly soft voice. Perhaps it was the same for Arthur, but his eyes were squinted. ¡°Then try harder. Use everything you have to take my heart.¡± He leaned his back against the chair and tilted his head. Arthur¡¯s one corner of mouth went up at her crooked gaze. With a rattling carriage, he lifted himself up from his seat and leaned toward her. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can give you.¡± Staring straight at Arthur¡¯s gaze, she also hardened her mouth by raising it. Arthur¡¯s hand swept her hair and slowly touched her cheek. She pulled Arthur¡¯s collar and attached it to her body. ¡®If what you want is the heart, you can do anything.¡¯ The wind touched her as if she was about to face it. Arthur¡¯s breath was felt nearby. When he lowered it slightly, his eyes stared at her. When he breathed slowly, one side of his heart tickled. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is what I meant.¡± Arthur smiled more deeply at her actions than before. She didn¡¯t avoid his gaze, either. ¡°Do you want something bigger than being able to save you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll get everything else on my own.¡± His black eyes subsided calmly. The moment she gets out of dying, she will change everything. She will get on top of everyone and achieve what she wants. In order to do so, Arthur was needed. He who can save her will give her what she wants. ¡°Hmm.¡± Arthur¡¯s lips came right over her. His tongue, neither hasty nor relaxed, touched her lips slightly. He slowly licked her lips as if he was waiting to open, as if he was waiting for her permission. She was at an age when she had no emotions, but when she kissed him, she felt strange. She didn¡¯t hate him treating her as if she were a precious person. But when she thought it might be Mary, not her, she felt bad. ¡®Mary, I won¡¯t think about you anymore. Since I¡¯m Mary from now on.¡¯ With her hand around Arthur¡¯s neck, she continued her deep kiss with him. Arthur slightly removed his mouth with a little rough breathing. Chapter 33 ¡°I have a fever.¡± He put his hand right on her forehead. Looking at his slightly distorted eyes, she must have a fever. She stared at Arthur with a breathless breath. ¡°Why do you look like that? I can¡¯t tell if you really love me.¡± He chuckled and smiled a little. Arthur fell away from her, soon sat next to her, and made her head lean on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯d better go to sleep now.¡± ¡°Are you going to steal my consciousness like before? If you¡¯re trying to do that unpleasant thing again, forget it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do that, so close your eyes.¡± She looked up at Arthur. She turned her head to his eyes, which contained nothing. Why does she feel kindness in dry words? She didn¡¯t want to hear it. She endured the heavy eyes and did not close her eyes. She didn¡¯t want to experience the feeling she had again. She hates the fear of being trapped in the dark anymore. ¡°If you don¡¯t close your eyes now, I have no choice but to force you to close them again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re threatening me like you¡¯re eating rice now.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t even respond to her. Eventually, she closed her eyes, leaning her head against Arthur¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled into thinking that you have won my heart like this.¡± ¡°Did I want to get it from this?¡± Somehow, she felt like a smile was hanging around his mouth even if she didn¡¯t see it. She didn¡¯t feel bad about his sarcastic way of speaking now. Maybe it was because his shoulders were more reliable than she thought. She didn¡¯t actually believe him, but this time he really didn¡¯t put anything else like magic on her. Instead, she eventually saw nothing about the village because she fell asleep. ¡°Oh my, princess, are you okay?¡± Carl grabbed her head and shook her head. He opened his mouth to her staring at Arthur. ¡°You¡¯re the only exception.¡± He spoke as if it were too natural. A satisfying smile also caught her mouth whether she liked Carl¡¯s pain. At Arthur¡¯s words, Carl¡¯s face became more wrinkled. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and finish talking.¡± After putting his hand on Carl¡¯s shoulder and patting him once, he passed Arthur and tried to take the lead. She still had a lot of things to talk about with Arthur. Of course, there was also a flood of questions. She had to find out what could even be found out about this secret territory and castle. ¡®¡±What the hell is that medicine?¡¯ The medicine that he gave her. Where did the medicine come from and what the hell is his identity? There were over one or two things she was curious about. ¡°Princess, you have a lot of time. There¡¯s no reason to be in a hurry. So you¡¯d better go in and rest for today.¡± But Arthur, who did not follow her, caught her steps from behind. She turned her head and looked at him. Arthur remained the same without moving. He didn¡¯t seem to want to talk to her anymore today. She¡¯s just keeping her eyes on Carl¡¯s shoulder that her hand touched. ¡°Did you say something, Carl?¡± ¡°¡­yes, that¡¯s right. Your Highness.¡± Slowly approaching Carl, Arthur put his hand on Carl¡¯s shoulder. Carl¡¯s forehead was subtly distorted, as if his hand had been tightened. ¡°If it¡¯s a joke, I can overlook it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Carl¡¯s gaze came toward her. She could see Carl¡¯s eyes staring at her beyond Arthur¡¯s back. ¡°If you try to be greedy, you will have to pay for it then. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s your life or the life of the Princess.¡± ¡°No one can tell what to do about a person¡¯s heart.¡± She walked quickly toward Arthur without avoiding Carl¡¯s eyes. The power in his hand was visible. In addition, when she saw the sword in the other hand, she could no longer watch. ¡°But as the Grand Duke said, I¡¯m just the entertainment of the Princess.¡± ¡°Toys are also boring. Isn¡¯t that right, Princess?¡± At Arthur¡¯s words, she had no choice but to be frightened. It was a word that she swallowed alone while looking at Gray in the past. ¡°Oh, you can think of it as a new dog that the Princess brought in, not a toy.¡± ¡°Grand Duke Arthur Douglas¡±. Carl was her man. The escort of this country¡¯s Princess. But Arthur couldn¡¯t care less about it. In the first place, Arthur was not even treating her as a Princess. Otherwise, he won¡¯t be able to insult Carl in front of her. Arthur¡¯s attitude twisted her screening. It must only be her who can treat Carl carelessly. She¡¯s the only one who can hurt him and embrace him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same to me anyway?¡± It is Arthur who wants to get her heart for some reason. ¡®I can¡¯t stand other people swearing at Carl. He¡¯ll already be sick just by the wounds I gave him.¡¯ ¡°No, I have got none of the heart that Carl, who you call a dog, has taken from me, so you are worse than a dog?¡± Arthur was not getting her heart. She doesn¡¯t dare to trample on other people¡¯s hearts even though she didn¡¯t give any heart that Carl, who she refers to as a toy or a dog, took. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s funny even to me, I¡¯m thinking about this.¡¯ It was her who trampled and crushed Carl¡¯s heart more than anyone else. It is also her who is turning a blind eye to the side and being selfish. ¡°Archduke Arthur, if you want to make an effort, don¡¯t you think you should at least do as much as Carl? As you know, it¡¯s not going to be that easy to get.¡± Carl¡¯s eyes shook at an unexpected remark. He approached her with a calm look, knelt down, and kissed her on the back of her hand. However, there is nothing good about Carl against Arthur. Chapter 34 ¡®We have to move on from what we need to point out.¡¯ Carl looked up and looked at her. She lowered her gaze with the usual expression. ¡°Carl, If you say something you don¡¯t know about again, I¡¯ll throw you out then. You don¡¯t deserve to say that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think much.¡± Carl bowed his head at her dry tone. ¡°Who are you serving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Princess Mary Anastasia of the Arpen Empire.¡± With her hand out, she grabbed Carl¡¯s chin and bowed her upper body to face him. The empty eyes that erased Carl¡¯s feelings headed toward her. He almost turned his eyes and removed her hand from his face. She was heartbroken as she could see the wounded feelings beyond his eyes. Carl, please. Don¡¯t hurt herself anymore. If she can¡¯t, she has no choice but to let him go from her side. To her, love games are not important. ¡°A dog that doesn¡¯t listen well isn¡¯t needed. Because it¡¯s useful to have you by my side.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± She turned her head and looked at Arthur. His expression remained unchanged, as if he had expected what she was doing. The corner of his mischievous slightly raised mouth was telling her. He was enjoying the current situation. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re talking to me too.¡± Arthur smiled as if he was having fun. With his slightly tilted neck, she felt like his eyes were sweeping through her mind. ¡®You¡¯re unlucky.¡¯ He knew she had a heart for Carl, so he touched it on purpose. To see her reaction, to be sure of any doubts she might have had. Then there¡¯s nothing they can do. Since he said it was okay, she has no choice but to enjoy it that much. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur, don¡¯t touch what¡¯s mine carelessly again. This is my person. The insult that Carl suffers is what I get. I¡¯m the only one who can give orders to Carl.¡± Arthur shrugged lightly. I was even more offended by his behaviour. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if it looked like that. But I don¡¯t want to share what¡¯s mine with others.¡± ¡°Carl is just my entertainment, as the public said. But even toys can use their hearts. For example.¡± She rolled her eyes and thought. How can she give him a shot? She doesn¡¯t like Arthur, who is trying to move her in the direction he wants, standing at the threshold of death. She hates it now that her life is decided by someone. ¡°For example?¡± Arthur looked back at what she said and waited for an answer. She wanted to see his smiling face distorted. After becoming a wicked woman, is she really a wicked woman now? ¡°Among the many toys, there is one that I am particularly attached to. It¡¯s something that I never get tired of looking at, something that you can¡¯t throw away even if it¡¯s old and worn out.¡± ¡°That means now.¡± As she approached Arthur¡¯s side, she spun around him and soon stopped and bounced her hand. ¡°That¡¯s right. Carl is that kind of toy for me now! We can¡¯t use the Grand Duke¡¯s like a playground, right? You said you didn¡¯t want to be a toy.¡± ¡°Princess Mary Anastasia.¡± Her name was called low from his mouth. Nevertheless, she kept staring at him. Of course, he did not smile broadly. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s okay if the Grand Duke satisfies me.¡± She lightly stroked Arthur¡¯s face. Even at the moment her hands touched him, he didn¡¯t move. But soon after she hardened her face, she took her hand off Arthur¡¯s cheek. ¡°But I still think I need Carl.¡± His face was distorted. When she saw Arthur¡¯s face, she smiled brighter than before without realizing it. Somehow, she felt refreshed to see Arthur¡¯s wrinkled face. ¡°Carl, let¡¯s go now.¡± What she said was for Carl to get up from his seat and follow her. She turned around with a relaxed look and waved her hand as she looked at Arthur. ¡°I remember the room, so I¡¯ll go in on my own. Even the Grand Duke didn¡¯t want to talk to me anymore.¡± Her steps were light. Honestly, she was a little scared. What if he says he won¡¯t save her now? ¡®He can¡¯t do that.¡¯ This was her gut feeling. The way he looked at her, and that she was the only one who reached out to him. It doesn¡¯t matter if she changed his mind and doesn¡¯t save her. If she has to beg for her life in such a pathetic way, she may feel more comfortable letting go. She couldn¡¯t have wanted to die again. The fear of death always followed her, and she still felt it pulling her from behind like a shadow. ¡°¡­¡­Princess.¡± ¡°Carl, this is me. Even if I have a life at stake, I¡¯m the one who raises my head. Selfishly treating you as a toy to others.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not someone that should bow her head because of me, so don¡¯t bow to anyone else. That¡¯s the Princess I know.¡± Carl shook his head and refuted what she said. Why can he give her unconditional trust? She¡¯s fooling him right now, and the Mary that Carl knew was not her. She¡¯s not Mary from the fact that she¡¯s already a little interested in him. ¡°There¡¯s no Mary you know anymore. So the Mary you see from now on is me.¡± ¡°Mary Anastasia is always the same to me.¡± No, Carl doesn¡¯t know. He doesn¡¯t know who she is or whether she¡¯s deceiving him. Would it hurt him a little less if he knew she wasn¡¯t Mary, who took that heart for Mary and crushed it with hers and hurt her even more? If that happens, will he be able to stay by her side? No, he¡¯s going to leave, too. If she holds him then, he may not remain by her side. Not telling and deceiving are different. He¡¯s already used to holding back his feelings for Mary. But maybe it¡¯s because he believes he can tell her anytime. But when he finds out that she¡¯s not Mary, when he realizes that the end he can put down has disappeared, if there¡¯s no more hope left, he won¡¯t be able to stand it then. Chapter 35 If he has already dug it out and has been ripped to pieces before the new flesh grows in the place he has cut out, she may have no choice but to cover the wound¡­¡­. ¡°Carl, don¡¯t trust me too much.¡± She won¡¯t trust anyone either. May he believe only in himself. She hopes she doesn¡¯t trust his heart either¡­¡­. Even that heart running toward her could be false. She came into the room, changed her clothes, and lay down on the bed. She felt comfortable in a room that was neither dazzled nor colourful. ¡®It¡¯s not even my house, but maybe it¡¯s okay to feel so comfortable in the enemy camp.¡¯ Without realizing it, she kept smirking and smiling. Can she be this easy going after turning others¡¯ minds upside down? Carl smiled bitterly at what she said. She closed her eyes because his face seemed to grow in front of her. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s cold.¡± The cool air made her body shrink. When she opened her eyes that wouldn¡¯t open, it was nighttime from when she had fallen asleep. As she struggled to get up, she could see a slightly open window. ¡®Did I ever open a window?¡¯ She came in right away and lied down. She fell asleep. There was no way someone came in and opened the window. Suddenly, a silver long-haired man came to mind. She felt that creepy red eyes were looking at her from somewhere. She looked around and looked at the darkened room. Neither his shadow nor his presence was felt. Gently got out of bed and headed toward the window. Come to think of it, the drug effect lasts longer than expected. There was no place to be sick except for a slightly shaggy body. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s weird.¡± What kind of magic did he do? What does Arthur have in his hand that she doesn¡¯t know? She became more and more curious about him. If she knew what he was holding, wouldn¡¯t she be able to survive on her own? All of this was not in the novel. It was a twisted development from the beginning when she approached Arthur. If she dies like this, she¡¯d better try something. The curtain shook gently because of the wind entering through the open window. She reached out and tried to close the window. She says it doesn¡¯t hurt, but it¡¯s not in a normal physical condition, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with being careful. Silence hovered outside the window in darkness. She could believe it was the same space except that this room and outside where she was divided by a wall. As long as the moonlight shines faintly. ¡°¡­¡­Who is that?¡± She reached out to close the window, and she saw a human figure below. She held her breath and followed the person with her eyes. She couldn¡¯t see it properly because he was covered by the building, but she definitely saw him then. As expected, someone related to Arthur was involved. He said he had never sent her anyone, but seeing that he was here, it was clear that they knew each other even if he didn¡¯t ask them to. Who is it? Who visited the castle at this hour? She opened the door even before she finished thinking. Fortunately, there were no people when she looked outside. When she couldn¡¯t see whether or not Carl was away, she walked carefully into the hallway. She slowly looked around and headed outside so that there was no sound of footsteps. ¡®I hope it stays the same.¡¯ It was enough to insist that she come out for a walk at night because she was frustrated if she got caught like this. Or she can say that she¡¯s hungry. Honestly, she couldn¡¯t think of any excuse. Now only curiosity dominated her. The memory of the day, which still comes to mind clearly, lingered in front of her. Who made her escape from death? Seeing that he gave her medicine, she¡¯s sure he knows the medicine well. She slowly went to the place where the man was, and somehow she felt like she was hovering around the same place. She stopped at her seat and looked around because she thought the same place would come out even if she kept walking. She couldn¡¯t tell if it looked similar or if she was really going around the same place. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m doomed.¡± ¡­¡­she feels like she is lost. Come to think of it, she was foolish to think that she could find him in this wide place of course. ¡°I must have been possessed by something.¡± Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have left her place without thinking and would not have come out tonight. She sat down and thought about what to do. ¡°Even if I try to go back to where I was, I can¡¯t tell because it¡¯s night. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t this complicated during the day.¡­.¡± Even if she thought hard, when there was no answer, she jumped back from her seat and walked back. It was an unprepared idea, ¡®It will come out as you walk¡¯. And even though she walked for a long time, she couldn¡¯t see her room. ¡°Haah¡­¡± She stood at a distance and stared ahead. There was a light on the wall, but because Arthur¡¯s castle was totally dark, only darkness was visible at the far end. Chapter 36 She was grateful that Carl was away earlier, but now she was ashamed. If he hadn¡¯t been away, he would have stopped her or gone with her. She¡¯s also bad for blaming others. ¡°Hmm, should I just stay up all night here? Or wait for someone to pass by?¡± Come to think of it, it¡¯s weird. She didn¡¯t encounter a single person while she was wandering in this castle. It was dawn, but she thought she would meet a guard or two or some maids, but that was just her thoughts. What happened to the castle that there are no people around? Looking at it now, this castle had a unique atmosphere compared to the day. Should she say that it¡¯s at a minimum so that it can disappear at any time? No, there was no vitality. This castle looked so creepy that it resembled her. Nevertheless, it was incomprehensible that she felt comfortable. ¡®I liked that at first, but now that I look at it, this is also strange.¡¯ After walking continuously, she was exhausted and collapsed again. She hadn¡¯t been sick for a while, but her physical strength couldn¡¯t have been good. Gasping breathlessly she leaned against the wall. Should she just wait for the morning to come? Or should she scream? She tried to confirm that someone would not listen but soon closed her mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, so I¡¯ll just stay up all night.¡± She blinked blankly, looking at the ceiling of the hallway. It would be funnier to lie here without falling asleep, but in the end, she was disappointed that she couldn¡¯t see the man. She couldn¡¯t forget the red eyes that looked at her. ¡°Oh¡­ If the floor was low, I would have jumped off.¡± If she did that, her body may break somewhere, but wouldn¡¯t she be able to go down if she were on the first or second floor? It would be a relief if she didn¡¯t slip and die¡­¡­. She sighed with one thought or another, out of regret. After being absent-minded for a long time, she was thinking about what to do in the future, and she heard footsteps from far away. She put her head on her knees and listened quietly. She thought it¡¯s a bit fast? No, the urgent footsteps have grown louder and louder. Maybe here¡­.. There must be no ghosts or anything like that. Looking at the atmosphere, there was nothing strange about anything popping out. The faint light illuminating the hallway was shaking dangerously, as if it were going out. Suddenly, her mouth dried up without realizing it. She hugged both legs with her arms and swallowed her breath. Somehow she got goosebumps behind her back. ¡°Sigh¡­ Should I just look for my room again?¡± She didn¡¯t like the hospital room with the lights off, so she turned on the lights and slept well. She was afraid to see anything. Above all, our faint light seemed similar to her who worked hard not to die. She bowed her head and was troubled again. ¡°Well, it¡¯s too much to stay up all night here.¡± Her body was cold, and if she stayed up all night here, she thought she would be found dead the next day. It won¡¯t be easy to hold out with a weak body. Blurred. Suddenly, she heard human footsteps from far away. She couldn¡¯t find anyone like that, but she wasn¡¯t happy with the sudden appearance. ¡®Footsteps? There was definitely no one there.¡¯ The steps that were ringing in the hallway stopped near. She couldn¡¯t raise her head. she felt like someone was standing in front of her, so she got chills. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± She looked up at the familiar voice. It was Arthur, standing and looking down at her with a slightly angry look. Only then did she breathe out of relief as the tension eased slightly. ¡°Why? I guess you were scared that I ran away.¡± She casually spat out the words as if nothing had happened. So she thought it was a relief. ¡®You were surprised. But how did you know I was here?¡¯ She tried to get up from her seat on the wall, but she couldn¡¯t get enough strength. She lost her strength because she was nervous earlier. With shouts in her mind, she got up from his place and looked at Arthur. His eyes were intertwined with anxiety, anger, and numerous emotions. It was rather her who was embarrassed by his eyes. He looked anxious, as if he had lost something precious. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I came out and got lost.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t disappear saying nothing again.¡± In his slightly intense tone, she stared at him still. Why does she feel feelings similar to Carl¡¯s in his eyes looking at her? It was strange to see Arthur, who had been speaking formally, unable to suppress his emotions enough to speak informally. He, who looked restless, like a child who lost his mother, was not understood. What is she to him? No, what the hell is Mary to Arthur? ¡°That¡¯s up to me.¡± She also spoke the same way because others were not watching. Arthur bowed his head at what she said. Soon, he exhaled. There was nothing in the eyes staring at me after inhaling. ¡°Do you hate being by my side?¡± ¡°If I want to live, I have to. Did I have a choice?¡± Wasn¡¯t it a relationship established by necessity from the beginning? What they wanted from each other was clear enough to mix their bodies, even without a heart. Chapter 37 ¡°How come you never thought of me¡­¡­ No, let¡¯s stop here.¡± Arthur closed his eyes and bit his lips gently. He walked past her with his tightly closed mouth. ¡®It¡¯s highly likely that Arthur, who was with that man, came here, too.¡¯ She also followed Arthur without saying a word. Since she came anyway, she couldn¡¯t find what she wanted. Above all, it will be difficult to find the way here alone. ¡°Why do you want my heart? You won¡¯t be sad if I die.¡± What is he trying to do by winning her heart, saying he can kill her or save her? Just a sense of accomplishment? Maybe it¡¯s a longing for something he¡¯s never had. ¡°¡­¡­why do you think so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just one of the many Mary¡¯s. How do you know if Mary will reach out to you next time? She might have similar thoughts to me.¡± She spit out what she was thinking inside without addition or subtraction. It didn¡¯t have to be her. If he wanted someone who could reach out to him, there was a possibility other than her. But why does he want her? Arthur, who was taking the lead in walking, stopped walking. She also stopped following him and saw his back. ¡°You¡¯re right. So you¡¯d better not do this again.¡± Arthur¡¯s low voice contained an unexpected murder. She felt numb and hugged herself with her arms. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to die?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t want to die again.¡± ¡°Mary, you are mistaken. I can kill you at any time, and the words that I will die with you are not just words.¡± He was talking to her calmly about death again. But he couldn¡¯t die. At least so was the story that he told her. He said that he was living a life that started in the same place and again, and that it started because of Mary. That means if she dies soon, he has to go back to square one and wait for another Mary. ¡°If you kill me, you¡¯ll repeat the same life again.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one thing that¡¯s different from then and now.¡± She could feel Arthur¡¯s feelings right now. She didn¡¯t know why she could understand his mind with what he said silently, but she thought she strangely knew. ¡°You just want to have Mary¡¯s heart, don¡¯t you?¡± Desire and possessive desire. A strong heart that longs for something. She could see Arthur¡¯s crack as if his suppressed feelings were slowly sticking out. She wanted to break that solid-looking heart. It doesn¡¯t matter to her how important Mary is to him. But just because she didn¡¯t hold him in her heart, she didn¡¯t want him to see anyone other than her. She¡¯s grumpy. She hated that both Carl and Arthur have the original Mary in mind, not her. She kept shouting somewhere in her heart. If he loved her, not Mary, to look at her now. ¡°That¡¯s not wrong. But there¡¯s one thing you¡¯ve got wrong.¡± Arthur, who slowly turned around, smiled sadly and approached her. She slowly stepped back when she faced the dangerous feeling she could see beyond Arthur¡¯s eyes. She was afraid to face Arthur¡¯s heart. She¡¯s afraid the answer she wanted won¡¯t come out, so it was just her pride to provoke him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have Mary¡¯s heart, I want to have your heart.¡± Arthur gave her the answer she wanted, exactly as if he had read her mind. The sound of her heartbeat grew louder with the strange airflow flowing with his eyes. She was so overwhelmed that she was worried that it might run too fast and stop breathing. She never stopped moving away from him. For some reason, she was worried that if she got caught by him, he would notice a slight change in her heart beating loudly. ¡°You, who are the first to reach out to me, who is in Mary¡¯s body.¡± Boom boom. Her heart kept beating in her ear. Her whole body was nervous and her mouth burned dry. ¡®No, that¡¯s an illusion. I¡¯m just glad I got the answer I was looking for.¡¯ Arthur continued to approach her. But she kept her distance without taking her eyes off him. ¡°Will you love me even if I don¡¯t love you?¡± She didn¡¯t love him. Even if she fell in love, she will use it for herself. When she saw hope to live, she had more greed, and she didn¡¯t want to let go of it. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes turned fierce at a distance from her that could not be narrowed. He soon approached quickly and wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her. ¡°Because I love you. So you can¡¯t get away from me anymore.¡± She swallowed her breath at his actions. It was like a strong obsession with her. She felt stuffy as if she couldn¡¯t breathe because he hugged her tightly as if she was about to crumble. ¡°The red string of mischief. You and I are connected by an invisible string that does not break even if it is cut, no, it wears out if it gets farther away, and it is no wonder that it can break at any time.¡± Somehow, she was convinced by what he said. His hands, firmly attached to her, felt like a string that really tied her away from him. She was in his arms for a long time. She felt a lump in one side of her heart. Along with the chilly dawn air, the dark castle¡¯s appearance seemed to present him. Chapter 38 It¡¯s strange. As always, this man seems to be hiding something, so she can¡¯t figure it out. ¡°Wake up. Are you really going to give me your heart?¡±¡¯ Looking at her current situation. Who does he think he¡¯s going to die with? Arthur is not sure that he can really save her, but he has vague hope. It was funny. A few days ago, she couldn¡¯t believe it and hurt herself in front of him to die. But just because she survived due to one medicine he gave her, it was abominable that she wanted to trust him completely. ¡°Then save me with the string you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you still by my side?¡± Significantly less bloodshot or collapsed. Sometimes her head was aching, but the food didn¡¯t come up or suffer. ¡°How many days does it last?¡± The medicine he gave her. There must be a period. It¡¯s been three days since she took the medicine. If she had met him, she could have known everything. But there is no guarantee that he will tell her everything. ¡°It¡¯s been three days today. Tell me right away how many days the drug is working.¡± She was nervous. This time, only to live on her side, she didn¡¯t want to suffer again. If the effect is ending, she has to get the medicine again before then so that she could at least prepare her mind. The feeling of freedom that she learned once came to her with greater greed. If the duration is three days, she would tell him to bring it right away if she could make it a little longer or not be sick for life. ¡°The effect of the medicine is 3 days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t want to suffer again. Hurry up and give me the medicine.¡± She grabbed his collar as if hanging on to him. He buried her face in his chest and murmured, as if sobbing. For Arthur, neither her power nor her status worked. He is the one who knows that everything she has is false. It didn¡¯t matter what the drug was made of or where it came from. All she had left was the fear of the pain that was about to come. She didn¡¯t want to vomit blood, relieve food, and sleep all night in pain again. ¡°You look nervous.¡± Arthur will give her medicine. He didn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t seem willing to give it to her. He must not intend to give it away until he gets what he wants at least. What he wanted to get from her was her heart, but she was his life. It would be funny to compare the mind and life on a scale, but life was more important to her, who was dying. ¡®No, life is more important than my heart.¡¯ Time to live properly. A daily life where you can eat and talk normally like everyone else. Everything she wants to eat and live with the people she loves. She didn¡¯t have all the experiences and times that were nothing special to others. Even if it was nothing, something that was taken for granted, it was absolutely precious to her. She can enjoy it in her previous life and now. It was unimaginable. She wanted to enjoy it properly this time. Even if she says it¡¯s her greed and selfishness, she didn¡¯t intend to change her mind. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m nervous. I don¡¯t want to die in vain again. Why¡­ Why do I¡­¡­.¡± Her heart, which was shaking so hard, has been twisted. She couldn¡¯t grasp her breath. Emotions from the inside of the chest rose to the throat. She tried hard to swallow and calm the waves in her. ¡®Sigh¡­ I will survive.¡¯ If it overflows and comes out of her mouth, she¡¯ll collapse. She erased the expression she didn¡¯t want him to see and hid herself. Slowly raising her head and pushing him away, she said dull words. ¡°Can I love you?¡± ¡°If you want to live, try to love me.¡± ¡°Try¡­ Pfft.¡± She turned around, grabbed her belly, and smiled. She doesn¡¯t even know what love is, but is it love to be obtained like that way? If she can love just because she tries, she may love everyone here. ¡°I am sorry, but you are very pathetic.¡± Is he so romantic that he is hung up on love? No, rather, it was the opposite. Effort¡­ Yes, she can act as if she loves him. ¡°You can look forward to it. So, can you take me to my room now? When I felt the icy wind, I felt like my body wouldn¡¯t be strange no matter when I fell down.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better not leave the room at night again.¡± ¡°If I were old enough to listen to you, I wouldn¡¯t have run into you here again today.¡± Arthur took the lead, ignoring her words. He stepped slowly enough to follow. She kept her distance from Arthur as soon as he reached out. He didn¡¯t outrun her on what he was thinking. She just kept the distance she had opened. Arthur¡¯s feet were also relaxed to the sound of her feet. Her whole body was icy. Her whole body trembled with an icy touch on her fingertips. It was natural because she was overworked outside with a sick body. Chapter 39 ¡°Argh! What? What is it?¡± Arthur¡¯s hand wrapped around her waist and soon lifted her up and held her in his arms. Surprised, she screamed. Her heartbeat was harder than before. ¡°¡­¡­ Your whole body is icy cold.¡± ¡°So you could have taken me to my room faster.¡± Even with her words, Arthur walked calmly holding her. Holding her in his arms, she shook her head hurriedly because she remembered the night she spent with him. Arthur¡¯s body temperature was conveyed to her. When she was in his arms with no heart, the warm eyes that looked at her came to mind. ¡®Why am I thinking of that right now?¡¯ She thought it was ridiculous, too. The touch and breath when he hugged her passed vividly. She felt queer. Arthur¡¯s arms, holding her tightly, were unusually warm. Did she fall asleep without even realizing it? Suddenly Arthur opened the door and laid her on the bed. She opened her eyes to a soft touch with cold air. She could feel the heat in her breath, perhaps because she had a slight fever. ¡°A little more¡­¡± She grabbed Arthur¡¯s arm without realizing it. She didn¡¯t want the warmth to disappear. It was really just that. She wanted to feel his warmth a little more. ¡°I thought you were asleep, but what does this mean?¡± Arthur looked at her hand quietly. She cracked her drowsy eyes and looked at him. She could see his face lowering his head toward her. Black eyes and black hair. The serenely sinking eyes contained her. ¡°¡­..If you¡¯re going to do it, you should have done it properly.¡± She just wanted to be in his arms a little longer. It was just that. This room suddenly became too scary to sleep alone. No, maybe he¡¯s already hypnotized her since then. She wanted Arthur. She needed him. ¡­¡­What she wants is nothing else but Grand Duke Arthur Douglas. ¡°Do you even know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I don¡¯t know what you said.¡± She put her hand around Arthur¡¯s neck. His lips pulled toward her, touched her. However, Arthur¡¯s lips did not open. He put his hand on her forehead and soon made a frown. As soon as he pushed himself away, he took off his top and threw it away. She closed her eyes slowly and opened her eyes to his sudden behaviour. ¡°You won¡¯t have to walk around alone again.¡± Coming into the bed and holding her in his arms, he covered her with a blanket. She couldn¡¯t see Arthur¡¯s face on the blanket almost up to the top of her head. She just looked at his chest under the blanket and tried to figure out the situation while holding him in her arms. ¡°And don¡¯t say it¡¯s just your body.¡± ¡°What?¡± Suddenly, she wondered what he was talking about, so she removed her blanket and looked at him. When Arthur¡¯s body temperature touched, her body felt like it was melting, so she was much better than before. ¡®I guess I¡¯m going to catch a cold.¡¯ Nothing will be warmer than human body temperature. She asked Arthur with a dreamy consciousness. She just didn¡¯t want to sleep alone. There was no other reason. She just liked this body and tried to give him what he wanted. It¡¯s natural to give and receive what each other needs. That¡¯s exactly how she felt about Arthur. She chose Arthur, not Carl because she and Arthur were just like that. He doesn¡¯t know, but she did. The feelings he felt for her were not important. It¡¯s rather good that he loves her. Loving Mary meant that he would do everything for her, and she was willing to use it. It was more important for her to survive and live here now. ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You gave me your body carelessly..¡­.¡± Arthur¡¯s voice somehow felt watery. His throat rumbled and soon breathed deeply. Her body slumped as if she had been pulled up from a very deep place. Why does Arthur sometimes look sad? She still doesn¡¯t get him. And it may not be known in the future either. No, she shouldn¡¯t be curious. The first time she faced him when she reached out to him, the present question was useless. ¡°Mary, no more. You used me to live a selfish life anyway.¡± She will continue to swallow the questions she wants to ask him. She¡¯ll just pretend to love. Just to the point where he¡¯s mistaken, just that much. To get what she wants, and to survive as Mary, she has to change everything. First of all, the first thing to do is to get out of this beggar-like swamp of death. She loves herself. Arthur is talking, he¡¯s just mean. She hypnotized herself again. He doesn¡¯t really love her either, so they just need each other. ¡°I¡¯ve never been not sincere to you.¡± But her heart thumped off at his words to where her determination was overshadowed. Her eyes shook when she faced Arthur¡¯s sincerity in both eyes. Why does his heart look so clear at this moment, which she always faced even though they were dark and could not be known beyond those eyes? She could feel his heart beating with his body facing each other. ¡®Why¡­ Why can you love Mary so much?¡¯ Anxious thoughts. She was shouting in her head to stop here, but she felt she might not stop now. She became curious about his blind love for her and his feelings. And she realized. She cannot overcome this curiosity. Did her spell really work? Chapter 40 A Man Called the Devil (1) She felt drowsy. It stretched out to the fullest with warmth. She raised her hand and put it on her forehead because she thought she had recovered from her cold. ¡®¡­. I¡¯m fine, what?¡¯ Then why is her face so hot? She opened her eyes that wouldn¡¯t open. It was a different day than the days when she was unconsciously floating due to pain. Seeing the sun coming through the window, the morning must have passed a long time ago. She looked out the window blankly and looked to the side soon. She felt empty and looked at it, and she couldn¡¯t see Arthur. ¡°It must have been uncomfortable to face each other in the morning.¡± She shook her head, thinking about last night. She couldn¡¯t forget what he said. She pulled her clothes out of bed. When she left the room, the maid guided her as if she had been waiting. She, who couldn¡¯t even dress properly, also followed the maid casually. Even in her appearance, the maid never glanced at her. It was just like a doll moving to do its job. Her facial expression also showed no emotions. ¡®One or two should be weird. Everything is weird now, so I don¡¯t care about anything.¡¯ After following the maid for a long time, she talked to her. ¡°There¡¯s no one here at night. I guess there¡¯s no guard here.¡± ¡°Princess, the time and radius of each work are fixed here.¡± Of course, in the Imperial Palace, the maids also had different duties. However, they did not move within such a fixed range of action. They can call someone else, and there is also a situation in the bay. ¡°So you have soldiers?¡± ¡°Of course. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± At the words of the maid, she laughed. Could it be an impenetrable fortress? This place, like other places, is just a castle. However, it seems that it is not a lie to see the maid, who speaks out without shaking an inch. Arthur was just really not interested in war. If it was such a solid castle, he would have rebelled at any time and grabbed the throne, but he did not. Even at the moment he brought her, he told the Arpen Empire that he did not want war. If he decides, he will get his hands on the Arpen Empire. If Arthur had told her that it was easy to get the throne, it would not have been simply regarded as arrogance. ¡®He has everything I want.¡¯ He also had the power, the power to change, and above all, the life that he could give her. He was the one who would let her move forward. If he didn¡¯t know Mary, he didn¡¯t love her, she wouldn¡¯t have known about him¡­ He held her hand because he was interested in her. No, maybe it¡¯s a possessive desire for what he didn¡¯t have. ¡°Just change the clothes you¡¯ve prepared and leave.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± The door opened and the maids came in to help her dress up. She still left her body in their hands. She felt relaxed now because she didn¡¯t even get sick. Of course, she¡¯s relieved on the assumption that he would give her medicine, but she believed that he would. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± He told her to try, so she should show sincerity. She asked for warm tea, and soon another maid came out. A subtle scent spread throughout the room. She felt comfortable without realizing it. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Please call me if you need me.¡± ¡°Oh, tell Carl I¡¯m looking for him.¡± She couldn¡¯t see Carl. She asked the maid to call him because she had something to ask him to do. ¡°Hmm, it smells good.¡±¡¯ She didn¡¯t enjoy tea, but when she saw others drinking, she imagined that she would definitely try it like that. Unlike her, who lived in the hospital every day, above all, there was nothing she could do as she wanted except from eating to everyday life. When she secretly went out to the bench in front of the hospital because she was frustrated, the people sitting at the caf¨¦ always laughed and drank coffee or tea. She was so jealous of that. They looked happy. ¡®Then I became a Princess and am enjoying luxury.¡¯ The time limit was the same, but what could be enjoyed was different. It was a better life than back then, and it was now when she had more to lose. Mary¡¯s things, which are now hers, may still feel awkward, but if one day they become as comfortable as her own and take it for granted, she may become greedier then. Above all, she was already greedy. That¡¯s bad. Who can say that? Greed for a life that she never had, love and interest in herself that she never had before. She doesn¡¯t want to lose this to anyone else now. She will use those who are next to her to have it. ¡°After all, we each have everything the other wants.¡± She tried to justify and swallow a bitter smile. What¡¯s the use of regretting now? She had nowhere to go back, and she didn¡¯t think about going back. She started making plans while drinking tea. ¡®It¡¯s creepy that he knows all of my preferences¡­¡­ It¡¯s comfortable.¡¯ There was no need to shout at the maids. She literally acted on her own. It was the same as the other day. She just said that she would continue to wait outside. It was so businesslike that she could believe it was emotionless. Chapter 41 A Man Called the Devil (2) ¡°Let¡¯s clean up the situation first.¡± She spent her time here and wrote what she needed to find out and what she wanted on paper. ¡°First, I¡¯ll go see Gray. If possible later, it would be nice to lock him up on display so that people can see it. ¡®In the words of the person who moved the lower part carelessly.¡¯ I like it.¡± Imagining Gray¡¯s appearance, she smiled, satisfied. It was a pity that she didn¡¯t see his desperate appearance. She had to watch with her eyes, the face struggling with pain. She wondered if he would have lost his mind as he watched his thing cut off. ¡°No can do. I¡¯m so curious. I¡¯m going to send them a letter to find out what¡¯s going on.¡± I asked the situation of Gray and Elliott in a letter to be sent to the imperial family. In addition, she made formal remarks asking her father to say hello. Knock, knock ¡°Come on in.¡± She knew it was Carle without asking who it was. As expected, the person who opened the door and came in was Carl. Perhaps he didn¡¯t sleep well, because his face looked particularly tired. ¡°Carl, are you having trouble sleeping?¡± ¡°No, after I came here, I fell asleep without realizing it.¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even remember?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Somehow she couldn¡¯t see Carl, but it¡¯s clear that there¡¯s something happening here. It was a Carl that couldn¡¯t have left her side for a moment. It makes little sense that he wasn¡¯t there last night. ¡°I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t fall asleep at night, look at this castle. Oh, be careful not to get lost. You¡¯d better mark it.¡± Carl nodded at her words. With the letter in the envelope, she got up from her seat and prepared to leave. It was to go to Arthur to ask for a letter. ¡°One more thing. If you see a man with silver hair, please let me know.¡± ¡°Is there someone who you are looking for?¡± ¡°Someone who may become a very important being.¡± She smiled at Carl. Carl, who still maintained his gaze at her rising mouth, soon smiles. ¡°Someone important to the princess¡­¡­ If so, I will definitely find him.¡± Seeing Carl¡¯s face with a calm smile, she slowly turned her head. His smile no longer looked pleased. She knows the sadness behind that smile. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can trust¡±. Instead of answering, Carl only smiled heavily. It was a clearer answer than any other answer to him. She called a maid to go where Arthur was. ¡°Where is Grand Duke Arthur?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably in the office right now.¡± ¡°Guide me.¡± As expected, the maid immediately guided her to where Arthur was. She thought Arthur made a statement in advance. Don¡¯t mess with her? Wouldn¡¯t it be something like that? It¡¯s to protect his people. As she went in front of the office, the servant who was guarding the door announced she had arrived. Soon after, she saw Arthur sitting in front of his desk and working. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t work and play because you¡¯re a villain, but it¡¯s unexpected.¡± She sat on the sofa silently because he was working harder than she thought. His gaze was still on the paper. Carl looked at her still. ¡°Hmm, I think you¡¯re busy, so I¡¯ll talk to you next time. Just send this letter to the imperial palace.¡± She got up from her seat and put a letter on the table, and started leaving. Arthur¡¯s busy hand, which seemed unlikely to stop, stopped and soon looked at her. ¡°Is correspondence all you¡¯ve got here? You probably didn¡¯t just come to see me, and if that¡¯s true, you¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°Is it possible? I want to go out for a bit.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Arthur¡¯s words narrowed her forehead. Is he really trying to keep her from taking a step out of this castle? But that didn¡¯t mean she was going to back down. ¡°If that doesn¡¯t work, you can go out with me.¡± She stared at Arthur, still. She was going to go out of the castle and get information about this place. She was curious about the secret of why people didn¡¯t get out of here. It was important because she might have to rule it if she went back to the Arpen Empire later. Besides unknown achievements, no one has seen the appearance of the Princess before. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur, I must look around the land here today.¡± It was a firm word, as if it would not back down. And she was going to go out somehow, even if he stopped her from going out. This is the place where Arthur¡¯s castle is located. She has a lot of questions about Viblant. It will be the same not only for her but also for everyone in the Arpen Empire. ¡®I don¡¯t think it came out in the novel. Arthur didn¡¯t have that much weight.¡¯ She waited for Arthur¡¯s answer. She didn¡¯t care for him, but just looked at him. His dark eyes were seen between his long eyelashes on his calm eyelids. ¡°I¡¯ll go if you want to.¡± It was an unexpected answer. She thought he would say no until the end, so she was thinking about what to say next. His positive answer widened her eyes unknowingly. Arthur looked back at the documents and told the maid to bring her to the wagon when she was ready. ¡°Ready? I¡¯m already ready.¡± She told Arthur with a look that she didn¡¯t understand. But she no longer heard an answer from him. When she went to the room after the maid, the maid brought plain clothes and tried to put them on her. ¡®¡­¡­Does he want to go undercover?¡¯ She wondered if there was a reason to do this, but the maid told her that she would regret it if she didn¡¯t listen to the Grand Duke. At the maid¡¯s hand, she disguised herself as another person. No one knew she was Mary Anastasia. She became another her. She felt uncomfortable looking at herself in the mirror. When she first became Mary, she felt like she was reviving. Chapter 42 A Man Called the Devil (3) ¡®Why on earth?¡¯ All kinds of questions captivated her. However, as always, the answer was unknown. Half resigned, and left the door. Carl also appeared in disguise. Just in case, she went to the carriage and looked at Arthur. He also looked like he was disguised. What¡¯s the reason he¡¯s doing this when he¡¯s looking at his paper? ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there, so you don¡¯t have to stare.¡± Arthur said, looking at her staring at him without getting on the wagon. He sat face to face in the carriage without withdrawing his gaze. She asked Carl for a favor about the castle, so she¡¯ll call him right after she gets back. There was a strange tension. Arthur¡¯s eyes showed an unexpected intent to kill. One thing that was clear was not directed at her. ¡®That makes me more curious.¡¯ She wondered what made him so anxious or expressed such feelings. Arthur, who had not spoken for a long time in the running carriage, opened his mouth. ¡°Why is Princess so curious?¡± ¡°Hmm, it is also a territory, but I am more curious about the reputation of the Grand Duchy?¡± She held her chin and folded her eyes to smile. Arthur only smiled slightly, stiffening his mouth. Her honest answer didn¡¯t seem to be bad. She was curious about Arthur, who is expressed as a villain in the novel. In fact, she has never seen a villain in a novel. So she expected it to be so, too. After arriving downtown, she got off the wagon carefully and looked around. It did not differ from any other land. However, one thing that bothered her was the atmosphere of the village itself. Something seemed to have subsided, but she felt hidden in joy. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. I was curious about the secret.¡± ¡°So, are you disappointed?¡± Arthur¡¯s question was filled with laughter. She walked forward, pretending not to hear him. It was just ordinary people living their own lives busily. While walking on the street, she glinted at an interesting store. It was an unusual sign at a glance. She turned around and pointed at the entrance with her finger toward Arthur, opening the door at the same time. ¡®He¡¯ll follow me on his own.¡¯ It was a store with a mask-shaped standing signboard. Upon entering, the guide handed her a mask to cover her face. She quickly put on a mask and dug into the people before Arthur came. When she looked at the door, she saw Arthur looking around for her. She held her breath and listened to other people¡¯s stories calmly. It was like a ballroom with dark lights and a little sticky music. He smiled, sneaking in between the women, chatting with alcohol in one hand. ¡°Welcome. Apparently, it¡¯s your first time here.¡± ¡°If I had known there was a place like this, I would have come right away, but it¡¯s too bad.¡± She spoke naturally and exchanged words with women. Before Arthur found her, she had to find some information here. Maybe you don¡¯t know again, or you might hear something surprisingly good in an unexpected place. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to be in the city, maybe because I was in the countryside.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing particularly good about it.¡± A lady snorted and poured alcohol into her mouth. She ordered a few more glasses to the passing employee and distributed it out to them. ¡°Why are you saying that? I¡¯m curious because I know nothing.¡± ¡°Can I drink this?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m from the provinces, but I have a lot of money. Feel free to drink it.¡± In response to her pleasant answer, the ladies started talking while drinking to see if they were in a good mood. She watched where Arthur was, and when he came towards her, she clung to the ladies and hid from being seen. ¡®Work a little harder. Or enjoy it.¡¯ When she saw his lips tightly closed, he looked a little feverish. She focused on the Lady¡¯s story soon after seeing him like that. The drunk ladies continued to talk regardless of whether or not they were drunk. The story began with a legend handed down to the land. ¡°Everyone seems to have fun, but there¡¯s a story that hehe.¡± ¡°I see. You looked thrilled to me.¡± She responded and continued to induce the story. According to Lady, a devil has lived in this territory since ancient times. No one has ever seen him, but she can feel that he exists. As she said that , she shrank, stuck close to the table, and looked around. He looked anxious as if she were wary. She also spoke in a small voice, imitating Lady¡¯s actions. ¡°The devil.¡± ¡°Shh! You can¡¯t say that. You might get eaten up.¡± She put her index finger on her mouth and said as if she was giving a warning. She tried to smirk and laugh, but she looked calm and choked. ¡°The devil is greedy and illuminates women. So when he hears a woman calling him, he slowly comes to her at night when there is no one.¡± It was quite interesting to hear. Lady¡¯s expressions and gestures were vivid, so she fell in love without realizing it. It was also the type of content that matched the atmosphere of this place. ¡®Devil¡­ Maybe there really is.¡¯ If anyone brought her here, it would be nothing but evil. Hope gave her a false string, looked at the broken string, and became her who couldn¡¯t let go of it with her eyes closed. Chapter 43 A Man Called the Devil (4) ¡°What is he going to do?¡± If she could find it, she wanted to find it. The reason she thought it might exist was because it was a world in a novel that didn¡¯t matter if anything strange happened. Lady paused at her curious gaze, and soon continued to speak in a slightly subdued voice. ¡°After fascinating a woman with her appearance and getting drunk..¡­.¡± Every time her mouth opened at a narrow table, the ladies held their breath. She looked around with her head down to see if Arthur had found her. Lady took another sip of alcohol and took a break. Everyone waited for her words to drop. Then a lady who couldn¡¯t stand it asked. ¡°After getting drunk?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to eat her.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± It was a more terrible ending than she thought. It was a floating rumor, anyway. Nevertheless, what made her face look so serious? Questions arose again. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a devil?¡± ¡°Well, it depends on the person who believes it, right? Lady, be careful, too. Unlike how it looks, there are many hidden secrets here.¡± One lady who was listening silently stood up and warned her. It was as if she knew something. In an instant, the table hardened coldly at her words. ¡°Ahaha. There can¡¯t be a devil, can there?¡± ¡°I just told you a funny story, so please forget it.¡± Lady moved with an awkward smile as if she were sober. Mary tried to catch her out of regret, but she couldn¡¯t catch her quick movements. ¡°That¡¯s even weirder.¡± She leaned against the chair and looked around. From far away, Arthur strode up to her as he had found her. She waited calmly for him to come. All she heard was a wandering story about the devil. The music changed again. A little slower, but a strange sense of beat was felt. A man and a woman were seen kissing each other deeply behind Arthur. She stared at them blankly without realizing it. She took the glass in her hand to her mouth. Alcohol flowed into her throat naturally. No wonder since she was thirsty. Arthur was coming toward her and was caught by a woman. She watched Arthur with a keen eye. He grabbed it before the woman¡¯s hand touched his body and shook it off. She could imagine what his expression would be like. ¡®He¡¯s so cold-hearted.¡¯ The woman held her hand and stared at Arthur. He didn¡¯t seem to care at all. With his eyes fixed on herself, his steps got faster and faster. Contempt in his eyes seemed as if he was looking at a bug. She was not sure if he¡¯s looking at the glass in her hand or her. The scent and taste of the liquor that went smoothly through the throat were sweet. She looked at the appearance of a man and a woman kissing again. The man¡¯s hard hands supported and hugged the woman¡¯s waist, longing for each other hotly. Looking around, everyone seems to have that kind of vibe. After the kiss, the man and the woman seemed to try to leave the store. Holding the woman¡¯s hand, he swept her cheeks once with his hand, and soon whispered something in her ear. The woman continued to smile, having fun. Soon after, the man kissed the back of the woman¡¯s hand and turned around. As he turned around, she saw the face of the man. Mary leaned over her drink and almost missed it. ¡°Ah!¡± Soon after she made eye contact with a man, she jumped up from her seat. She almost let go of the cup because her hands were weak. However, Arthur, who took her cup one step earlier than that, did not break it. ¡°Go back now¡­¡­!¡± ¡°No, wait a minute.¡± She shook off Arthur¡¯s hand and hurriedly chased the man. It was crowded, so the distance from him was not easily narrowed. Arthur has also been chasing after her sudden action. She left the store and found a man, but she couldn¡¯t see him anywhere, as if he didn¡¯t exist. It was a really short time. There was no back or trace. Despair came rushing in. Annoyingly, she took off her mask and threw it away. She stared blankly at the side where he would have disappeared. ¡°Mary.¡± Arthur¡¯s chillingly subdued voice crossed her ears. His eyes that she had seen in the dark shook her body. She felt Arthur slowly approaching her. Her mouth dried up because of the slow but constant stride, and above all, the pressure she felt without looking. He¡¯s trying to right it now. He was trying not to be angry with her by suppressing his feelings. She felt it even without looking. She felt the flesh of her skin to numb up. A colder air than the coolness of the wind touched her. It was so sharp that her skin could be cut and torn. She tried to erase her trembling feelings and turned around with a smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m tired, so I want us to go back now. I feel like I¡¯m getting drunk.¡­.¡± Arthur¡¯s face that explicitly contained feelings for her. It was an emotion that could not be concluded with anger, doubt, longing, or any word. But she could tell. He is blaming her now. She doesn¡¯t know why, but that was clear. Chapter 44 A Man Called the Devil (5) Pretending not to know his feelings, she calmly stepped in front of him. His eyes stared at her as if they were going to penetrate her. She, too, stared at Arthur and spoke softly, bringing her hand to his face. ¡°I drank when we first met, right?¡± Arthur, who put his hand on her hand that was on his face, soon took off the hand slightly and kissed her palm. ¡°I saw something because of being tipsy.¡± It was a lie. ¡®For example, something like the devil.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t forget the story she previously heard. She drank, but strangely she wasn¡¯t drunk. Her mind was more intact and her head was full of a man she missed. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s nearby. The devil might really exist.¡¯ She remembered an unforgettable eye, a gaze toward her that kept lingering in her head. Shockingly red eyes. That man. There was silence in the carriages returning, just like when they came. Does Arthur know the story of the devil? She was curious. Whether what happens in the territory he controls will be real or just fiction. ¡°Ah, I heard an interesting story today.¡± Arthur¡¯s unfocused eyes saw her in her voice, breaking the silence. His indifferent expression, as if lost in thought, turned slightly interesting. ¡°Do you know about the man-eating devil?¡± She continued to talk with a fairly serious look, imitating the Lady¡¯s accent that told her the story. He looked at her with his arms folded loosely, perhaps because he was quietly listening to her story. ¡°What do you mean? There¡¯s no way that I don¡¯t know who rules this place.¡± Seeing his attitude, he seemed to know. She tried to close her mouth thinking that there was no need to talk with a sore mouth. ¡°Keep going.¡± His eyebrows slightly raised at Arthur¡¯s subdued voice. Is he thinking of comparing it to the story he knows? Or does he want to find a reason to talk about the rumor in her mouth? ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it anymore.¡± ¡°It may not be the story I know.¡± She didn¡¯t want to talk about it because she was so excited that she was fooled by his obvious lie. She was just curious about his reaction. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a devil?¡± ¡°What kind of devil do you think there is?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± As everyone knows, a general devil? For her, the devil was nothing much. Everything that threatens her life. The person who took her away. And he was sitting before her eyes, who might make her die again. ¡°You who say you can kill me at any time. For me, you are the devil.¡± He wants to die and kill her. What if he is not a devil who speaks out even though he knows she can¡¯t kill him? The devil in the story is unknown to others, but at least it was Arthur for her. Take her heart and give her life. Wouldn¡¯t it be unfortunate if she couldn¡¯t do what she wanted? Wouldn¡¯t it be if she really fell in love with him? Could it be? ¡°Come on, relax your face. That¡¯s why I really believe you¡¯re the devil in the rumor.¡± He shrugged as she saw his stiff face. ¡°I wish I was the devil in the rumor. ¡­If I were, you would have been mine.¡± Arthur, who quickly changed his expression smoothly, smiled gracefully. His eyes gleamed in darkness. Somehow, she felt creepy. Arthur¡¯s words made her speechless. She felt like she shouldn¡¯t answer what he said. As soon as the carriage arrived at the castle, she tried to head straight to the room. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so tired that I¡¯m going to rest in my room.¡± ¡°Stay a little longer.¡± Arthur held her hand and headed to the room. When she followed him, she found a dessert along with the tea. ¡®Why are you so anxious?¡¯ She looked at him with a strange look. She stared at the food with a suspicious expression, wondering if the dessert had poison. She lifted a macaron and put it towards Arthur¡¯s mouth. ¡°If you¡¯re a couple, feed each other like this.¡± Arthur picked up the tea and hardened as it was. She saw his eyes shaking slightly. As expected, something has been added. ¡°What are you doing? Your arms are going to fall off. I¡¯m trying to right now.¡± She smiled awkwardly and took it closer to Arthur¡¯s mouth. He smiled at my actions and soon put the tea in his mouth. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re thinking, but it¡¯s not poisonous, so you can eat it with confidence.¡± She guessed it was obvious. She bit the macaron casually. She thought she¡¯s going to choke on the way he looks at her. ¡°¡­ Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°If you have something to say, can you hold on to it?¡± Arthur told her, putting down the teacup. Not really, but as soon as she got here, she was going to call Carl and ask him if he knew anything about the castle. ¡°Oh, I forgot. I¡¯m nothing to you yet.¡± His eyes shook dangerously again. She drank tea while maintaining her expression. He was nothing, but he wasn¡¯t someone who didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Except for this.¡± Arthur took out the same glass bottle to the table. At his sudden action, she saw him silently. ¡°Since the medicine is running out, why not keep the promise?¡± ¡°This will increase the time I can fall in love with you.¡± He put a mask on his face and put a glass bottle in his arms. ¡°Ah, what kind of person was Mary that you loved?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that?¡± Arthur got up from his seat, putting down the teacup. Looking at his behavior, which seemed a little nervous, she still smiled. ¡°The one I love is you.¡± ¡°Then tell me, what love is to you. How much you love me. I¡¯m a skeptical person, so I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± After taking a sip of tea, she leaned against the chair and looked at Arthur. She hoped he would fall in love with her a little more. She wanted his sense to be blurred because he was blinded by his feelings so that her doubts about it would disappear. She hopes he will misunderstand that she is in love with him, or that feeling will not matter. Chapter 45 A Man Called the Devil (6) ¡°If you¡¯re going to be a devil for me, put everything in my hand.¡± She whispered sweetly to him. When he came by her side, she put her hand around his neck. She gently swept his face and buried her face on his shoulder. ¡°Then I won¡¯t leave even if you¡¯re a devil.¡± ¡°If you really love me, even if I¡¯m the devil, even if I¡¯m worse than that.¡± Arthur patted her head and hugged her even more. His breathing tickled her ears. Arthur, who bowed his head to her shoulder, told her in a wet voice. ¡°I can give the devil anything in return.¡± ¡°Ah, then I believe you. That you love me.¡± If he wants to believe it, it will look like that. Maybe one day she will really love him. Maybe she¡¯s really in love without even realizing it? She wanted to believe that if her heart fluttered at the thought that he could give her anything, it¡¯s just a feeling of regret. She doesn¡¯t want to ruin everything by being tied up in love like Mary. She just wants him as much as she needs him. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m the devil.¡¯¡¯ Arthur raised his bowed head and kissed her. Again today, she faced him by chanting a spell. ¡°Then I will fall in love with you.¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°So help me live the life I want.¡± As soon as she finished talking, Arthur covered her mouth. His tongue, slowly licking her lips, gently stirred in her mouth. Her body heated when she kissed him. Her heart pounded, and she was out of breath. His hand, which hugged her tightly, seemed to loosen and soon grabbed her shoulder strongly. ¡°Hah.¡± A hot breath leaked through the slightly open lips. She felt a sweet taste with the bitter scent of black tea in her mouth. Arthur continued to embrace her strongly, as if he didn¡¯t want to let go. As soon as Arthur¡¯s lips, which seemed unlikely to separate from hers, fell off her lips, he put them on the back of her neck. When she felt his breath, her body shrank without realizing it. ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± Arthur tried to get away from her as if he reasoned. She grabbed him like she was possessed by his slightly lowered eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t stop and keep going.¡± His eyes shook hard once again. He wanted to close his eyes, then put her hair back and lay her down on the sofa. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Arthur, who was staring at her still, loosened her shirt with a little rough hand gesture. Arthur looked down at her lying on the sofa. His gaze was fixed on her exposed neckline and her flowing clothes. As if possessed, Arthur reached out and grabbed her chest. He squeezed the front leaf and his finger came in and lightly scratched the nipples with his finger. He had become firmly sensitive to excitement. ¡°Hahaha, huh.¡± At Arthur¡¯s single touch, she groaned. He seemed to have already penetrated where she reacted. Arthur¡¯s touch, who was coveting her towering chest, stopped. She reached out to the bottom of Arthur as if pressing him. Pen*s was strained, as if it would break through the clothes. Slowly, she rubbed Arthur¡¯s heavy clothes. It was blocked with a cloth, but Arthur¡¯s body flinched at the feeling. Why? Why? She didn¡¯t like how Arthur¡¯s hand stopped. Obviously, he was already fully prepared. Frustrated, she tried to pull out his hard pen*s, but Arthur didn¡¯t give her a chance. She closed her eyes tightly, like a broken robot. ¡°¡­¡­..ha.¡± Arthur breathed deeply and washed his face dry. Arthur, who breathed out a rough breath as if he were about to rush in, breathed. For a moment, he bowed down as if he were falling over her, bit his lips, and then raised his upper body again and moved away from her. ¡°For the time being. No, at least I won¡¯t hug you until you love me.¡± He spoke to her as if he were determined. She turned her head to see Arthur in that posture. Looking at her, he turned around and walked toward the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest of the work, so if you¡¯re tired, take a nap.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡± He flinched at her words and shook his head slightly. Looking at the documents on the desk, he didn¡¯t look at her. As if he was really going to work, he fixed his eyes on the paperwork. She turned sideways on the sofa and looked at Arthur. ¡®¡­I really don¡¯t know.¡¯ While acting as if giving everything, he sometimes drew a line. Is it right to say he suppresses his emotions? Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Along with the sound of turning the bell, a pleasant sound hovered around the room. Looking at the documents on the desk, it seemed to take a few days. ¡®There¡¯s no devil who works hard.¡¯ She chuckled inwardly. Looking at him processing the documents, she thought she should rest her eyes for a bit and call in Carl to ask him if he had found out anything. Well, there can¡¯t be anything he found out in that short time, but a competent man might have found a little. Chapter 46 A Man Called the Devil (7) Seeing Arthur doing his job silently with a calm look, she suddenly became curious. ¡°If I fell in love with you, would you believe me?¡± He may think that she is deceiving him. It is not strange to think that she is pretending to love and trying as she is now. The busy pen stopped. He was still staring at the papers. She waited still for his answer. Arthur¡¯s mouth did not open for a few minutes. ¡®It means you can¡¯t believe it.¡¯ Even if she were Arthur, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it. She will continue to doubt and be suspicious whether she really loves him sincerely. Even if he didn¡¯t answer, she knew what he was thinking. She didn¡¯t ask to hear the answer, but honestly, she was a little curious. Whether he will trust her¡­ She doesn¡¯t trust herself either, but will he trust her? She¡¯s full of fatigue. She closed her eyes quietly. The sound of the stopped pen was heard again in her ear. The paper passed a little slower than before, and the crackling sound continued. She gradually fell asleep with a certain sound. She thought she could hear someone rising from the chair, but she felt something warm over her body. However, it was difficult for her to open her eyes while she had already fallen asleep. Arthur¡¯s quick sigh was felt. Soon after, his pleasant voice was heard. ¡°¡­¡­If you fall in love with me, there¡¯s no way I won¡¯t know, so you just have to love me. I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± She woke up in surprise. She looked out the window to see how much she slept, and the sun was setting. She didn¡¯t even know she was moved to her room because she was deeply asleep. ¡°¡­¡­ I guess it¡¯s worth buying.¡± She felt like she had a good sleep after a long time, perhaps because she was relaxed. She got out of bed and called Carl. Fortunately, she heard a knock on the door, perhaps because she was in front of the door. ¡°Come on in.¡± She could see Carl¡¯s face carefully opening the door and entering. As if he had something to say, Carl¡¯s expression looked quite nervous. ¡°You must have found something.¡±¡¯ Even though she didn¡¯t ask, Carl came up with what she wanted. Like taking out a map of the interior of the castle as it is now. ¡°I drew it avoiding the eyes of the people of the castle. I couldn¡¯t mark it all because the time was short.¡± However, the path of the castle on the paper showed how hard he tried. She didn¡¯t know he would do this in such a short time. ¡®He really doesn¡¯t let me down.¡¯ She asked, pointing to the red dot marked while looking at the map. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I marked this place as the soldiers passed by and looked at it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°There is nothing but that the maids often come and go.¡± The place where the red dot was located was at the end of the castle. Above all, the map looks complicated at a glance. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°There was a door, but it was locked tight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s suspicious no matter who looks at it.¡± Isn¡¯t it inevitable that it feels strange that it is a locked door and its location? As the sun went down and the night came, she had to look again. ¡°When night falls, Karl, can you try drawing a map in a different color?¡± Of course, if he doesn¡¯t fall asleep. From what she heard from Carl, he fell asleep without realizing it before sunset till dawn. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Carl put the map in his arms and shook his head. ¡°Have you seen a man with silver hair?¡± ¡°I looked around the castle, but I didn¡¯t see anyone like that.¡± She asked Carl if he came here, but he didn¡¯t come back to the castle. Then who the hell was he and where did he go? ¡°Great job. Keep looking.¡± ¡°Princess, are you feeling well?¡± Carl asked her carefully. Worries permeated in the calm tone. She nodded and smiled as if she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°I¡¯m as good as I look.¡± It¡¯s probably because she took medicine. If she takes the medicine she received from Arthur today, she will get out of the pain for a few more days. ¡°And a letter came from His Majesty.¡± Carl gave her a letter as if he remembered it. She didn¡¯t know that the answer to the letter she sent in the morning would come so quickly. When she opened it with anticipation, her father wrote down the answer that he would do as she wanted. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh. But again, the reason the laughter disappeared from her face was because of the contents written below. ¡®Let¡¯s officially announce your engagement and hold a banquet?¡¯ She had no regrets. However, she is not sure if Arthur will agree. Rumors may have circulated, but there must be a lot of doubts because there was nothing actually shown. ¡°I think he¡¯s doing this for me.¡± If they have a party, they have to go to the empire. Of course, with Arthur. If he agrees. ¡°How¡¯s the rumor about me?¡± She put the letter down on the table and put her chin on it. Carl rolled his eyes as if he were agonizing over her eyes. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Just say what you heard.¡± ¡°I think Sir Gray¡¯s reputation was so good that there¡¯s a lot of backlash.¡± ¡°Ha? They are defending him for deceiving the royal family and teasing me?¡± Her expression froze coldly. According to Carl, there is a rumor that she made up the work because she was less interested, and that she brutally trampled on him to prevent anyone else from having him. Chapter 47 A Man Called the Devil (8) ¡°It¡¯s fun. They must have read the memorandum, but they still believe it¡¯s manipulated, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The prestige of the royal family is ridiculous, right? They can¡¯t believe what the Princess says. My reputation is obvious without looking at it.¡± Apparently, there is one more thing that needs to be sorted out. They need to make the cheeky nobles kneel at their feet. ¡°If they want it that much, I should give it to them. Carl, find out the opposing noble families. The source of the rumor about me, too. In addition, tell my father that I will take part in the banquet with Arthur.¡± ¡°Princess, then I must go to the Empire.¡± It was natural. In order to find out, he had to go where the rumors were floating, and there was a limit here. She didn¡¯t make him do it without knowing it. She was a little anxious that Carl was not next to her right away, but she didn¡¯t mean to ignore those who were making fun of her and keep silent. She had to remind herself of what kind of evil woman everyone said she was and who is the only Princess in the country. ¡°So you have to take care of it quickly and come back. Carl, you know. That you are the only one I can trust.¡± She got up from her seat and hugged Carl slightly and whispered. ¡°Come back for me. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± She slightly kissed Carl¡¯s cheek, nodding slowly, and smiled. Carl looked at her smile and kissed the back of her hand and left the room. As she pounded the table and pondered, left the room and headed to Arthur. It was easy to go to his room because she remembered the way after following the maid the other day. She knocked on the familiar door and waited for it to open. ¡°I have something to discuss.¡± ¡°I was about to have dinner, so we can eat together.¡± She didn¡¯t mean to eat, but she followed him because she had something to say. It was her first time to come here and eat with him because she ate in her room every time. The place was too big for two people to eat. It¡¯s not as colorful as the Imperial Palace, but she thought the drawing room was also a perfect space. ¡®It¡¯s simple and nice.¡¯ She really liked the appearance of nothing unnecessarily colorful and only what it needed. Somehow, she thinks she has adapted too much to this place. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to eat together, so I don¡¯t know if it would suit your taste.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± That¡¯s what she said, but everything that came out of here was perfect for her. It may not be because it¡¯s a sudden situation now, but now that her appetite is much better than before, she doesn¡¯t know what to eat. ¡°I¡¯ll tell them to prepare again.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°It¡¯s okay. If it doesn¡¯t suit your taste, you can eat it separately later.¡± Soon after, food was placed on the table. She moved it to a plate because she could see some things that suit her taste. She didn¡¯t visit him to eat, so she brought it up first. ¡°First of all, I sent Carl to the Empire for a while.¡± ¡°Is something wrong? You sent the child you love so much.¡± Ignoring his sarcastic tone, she smiled and put the food in her mouth. It tasted good. While savoring, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked at Arthur. ¡°You seem to be jealous, but it¡¯s cute, so let¡¯s move on.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes turned fierce at what she said. It would hurt his pride to say that he was jealous of the person he called a toy. ¡°I had to send it because I had something to do. It¡¯s a different matter to discuss.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°I think I should attend a banquet officially announcing our engagement.¡± She looked at his expression still. It was rather her who was embarrassed by his calm face. She thought he would say no, but he didn¡¯t say anything to her. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s attend as soon as the date of the banquet is set.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you say no?¡± ¡°Why do you think it won¡¯t work? Don¡¯t you think I wanted to be officially known?¡± Arthur glanced at the food on her plate for a moment, and then he added softly cooked mushrooms and wholesome vegetables to a new plate. Soon after, he took her plate and put a plate full of vegetables instead. She frowned at the vegetables piled up on the plate. It was clear that he didn¡¯t want to go. He must be really a devil to bully people with food. She let go of the fork from her hand because she lost her appetite. Arthur, who was slightly raising one corner of his mouth while looking at her, said. ¡°You¡¯re officially announcing that you¡¯re mine, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll reject it.¡± Rather, she lost what to say when she saw him talking as if he had been waiting. Somehow, he seemed to be in a good mood. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only It was her who brought it up, but she felt uncomfortable. ¡°No, you definitely look happy, but your actions are the opposite.¡± It was clear that he didn¡¯t like it. As Arthur said, if it is officially announced, it would be like informing everyone, but the engagement could not be broken because she had already signed a contract. As long as she didn¡¯t die suddenly, as long as she didn¡¯t get over her illness, it was valid. Nevertheless, Arthur¡¯s expression felt an unexpected joy. Chapter 48 A Man Called the Devil (9) ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear rumors about me?¡± ¡°I heard it.¡± Arthur answered casually. His expression still looked pleasant. ¡°I can see how low my reputation is.¡± ¡°I know. But Mary, don¡¯t you know that?¡± He cut the meat and put it on her plate again. smiled gracefully and stared at me. She frowned at the spotless meat on the plate. ¡®¡­It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re teasing me.¡¯ She was even more offended to see the cut meat with the piled vegetables. ¡°I am not as well-reputed as you are. Someone else told me that I was a devil, right? At Arthur¡¯s words, she could now see why he was doing this to her. It was clear that he was still sour about what she had told him in the carriage. Of course, it wasn¡¯t empty talk, but she didn¡¯t know it would come out this cheap. ¡°I don¡¯t know who that is, but you saw the person very accurately.¡± She put the plates aside and snorted. She should go to her room and eat separately. ¡°But the devil would never be this childish. So don¡¯t worry, because you¡¯re not a devil.¡± Arthur¡¯s smiling face hardened at what she said. Looking at his expression, she smiled and took a sip of the drink. ¡°The banquet will be held as soon as possible. I have something to take care of.¡± She was going to stay calm until Carl found out what she wanted. Maybe it¡¯s because they thought she was dying, or because she has been quiet, they seem to have forgotten her. Like Mary, she won¡¯t become a villain just to tease others and make them remember her. She will tell them who she is. She was going to make them feel slowly what happens when they run around without knowing what kind of evil woman she really is like. *** Carl returned faster than expected. Of course, as always, he was unconscious. ¡°Can you please do something about this?¡± The appearance of Carl struggling, her expression crumpled. It was a reaction that came out of itself because she knew that feeling. ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Is there any reason I should pay attention to him?¡± Arthur looked down at Carl in a pretty crooked tone. She woke Carl up because she didn¡¯t think he¡¯d listen to her no matter what she said. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°You too are suffering. it¡¯s okay?¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes widened as if he didn¡¯t like her sweet voice. It was worth knowing what she was thinking because she pulled herself close to Carl. ¡°¡­Let go of this, alright?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Can¡¯t you say it here? I just have to open my mouth while talking. Do I have to move my body?¡± Arthur was determined, as if he would not let go. He seemed to be in a good mood these past few days without Carl, but she seems to be quite bothered to see him frown as soon as he faces Carl. ¡°Ha¡­ ¡­ Did you ask me to recognize Carl?¡± ¡°Here you go.¡± She opened the envelope after receiving it. She could see the name of a fairly prominent family. However, she tried to ask Carl because she was not familiar with information about the power or family here. ¡°Drov, Arman, Bartis? Somehow, this list doesn¡¯t seem to be about very pleasant families.¡± Arthur bowed his head and spoke in her ear. Her body flinched without realizing it. She turned her head and looked at Arthur. The eyes were definitely hardened while looking at Carl, but the corners of the mouth were up. ¡°Do you know these families?¡± ¡°Do you need information?¡± ¡°As much as possible.¡± About eight families, led by three families, seemed to be the main focus. Arthur picked up the documents and nodded at her. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, so follow me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the Grand Duke better than a single escort?¡± That was obvious. She didn¡¯t really like his attitude, but she needed Arthur¡¯s information. ¡°Carl, good job. Get some rest now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Carl said nothing else. He just looked at her silently. Carl, who was looking at her following Arthur, quickly approached her as if he remembered. ¡°Princess.¡± She stopped moving at Carl¡¯s voice and looked back. He agonized over his mouth and finally handed over a piece of paper. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s the date of the banquet.¡± When she opened the paper, she saw the date of the banquet officially announcing her engagement with Prince Arthur. It was a week later. It was a faster schedule than she thought. ¡®Isn¡¯t it kind of fast¡­?¡¯ Recognizing this look on her face, Carl carefully brought it up. He told her that her father wanted to pull it a little faster and that it was set for a week after another nobleman tried to stop him. ¡°Why? Is he afraid I¡¯ll die before that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Princess.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°You should¡¯ve told my father, I¡¯m very healthy and well.¡± Carl bit his lips slightly at her words and tightened his hand. It was clear that he didn¡¯t like these words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t die.¡± Carl still didn¡¯t seem to believe her. But she was no longer bound by the idea of dying. As long as Arthur has shown her that she can live, she will survive. Chapter 49 A Man Called the Devil (10) She headed to Arthur¡¯s office. He approached her and hugged her around her waist, who did not follow him immediately. ¡°Did you have a secret meeting after a long time?¡± ¡°No way. Now that I see it, you¡¯re quite jealous.¡± She sat on the chair, gently pushing Arthur¡¯s chest. Arthur acted as if she had asked him to sit down, and with a brief sigh, he sat down and opened the paper. ¡°The three families have always disliked the Imperial family. The Drov family is the most influential family in the Arpen Empire.¡± ¡°What influence do they have?¡± ¡°Wealth. I heard that they have more money than most nobles.¡± Money. Does that mean the wealth is as great as the Imperial family? No matter how noble they were, she couldn¡¯t believe they could build wealth to that extent. ¡°How did the imperial family manage it?¡± She didn¡¯t understand. No matter how much a Grand Duke he is, he has such great wealth in his hand. In other words, it could threaten the Imperial family. Perhaps it was built unjustifiably. Otherwise, her father wouldn¡¯t have left him alone. ¡®Even if I, the only princess, died, I don¡¯t think I would have left the nobles to play.¡¯ She listened to Arthur and fell into thought. What on earth did he make money from? Without anyone knowing¡­¡­. ¡°Keep going.¡± First of all, she had to listen. It wasn¡¯t supposed to end with a draw. They may have wanted her to die and tried to aim for a vacancy. ¡°The Arman family has quite a few soldiers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable. The Bartis family must have a long academic will. For example, children occupy one position in a powerful high-ranking position.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Other than that, they¡¯re families who put a lot of effort into their merchant groups and everything.¡± It¡¯s not that threatening if she looked at them one by one, but when she looked at it together, it was definitely powerful enough to face the Imperial family. It¡¯s a group with everything in various fields. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur, let me ask you one thing.¡± Arthur nodded slightly at what she said. From his eyes, he was expecting words to come from her mouth. It¡¯s been interesting from the moment she asked about the families, but he¡¯s curious as to what she¡¯s going to ask him. She pointed at the paper and put a smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re definitely ahead of these families, right? You told me as if you could get your hands on the Arpen Empire at any time.¡± Arthur shrugged and stared at her. Arthur¡¯s mouth bent smoothly after listening to her. He tapped the table with his fingers with slightly curved eyes. ¡°Should I get rid of them all?¡± ¡°Oh, my. How?¡± ¡°Do you want to choose?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks A darker smile than before spread on Arthur¡¯s face. However, unlike his smiling face, the words from his mouth were frighteningly cold. ¡°Are you going to destroy only their family, or will you kill them in front of everyone to satisfy your blood?¡± At that moment, she felt like she could see their necks cut off with everyone¡¯s screams. She closed and opened her eyes with a thrilling feeling. Arthur spoke as if urging her to do so without an answer. ¡°You knew it anyway. What kind of person I am. So don¡¯t put blood on your hands and use me.¡± ¡°¡­Arthur.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad it¡¯s worthwhile for you.¡± Arthur, who got up from his seat, called the bell and sent it out with a paper that wrote something down. ¡°I¡¯ll do what you want, so go ahead and tell me.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say anything. They are still famous families in the Empire.¡± ¡°So, are you going to leave them alone?¡± No, she didn¡¯t plan that. If the imperial family touches them for no reason, it can lead to antipathy from other nobles. If it was the old her, she would have pulled them out and insulted them, and she would have thought of only things to be done right away because she couldn¡¯t win, but now it¡¯s different. If she went back, the others had to be on her side. So it¡¯s comfortable for her to take care of it quietly with no one knowing, but she doesn¡¯t want to make it easy for her to come down. ¡°The wealth and power they gained must not be justified.¡± ¡°Mary, most nobles are unjustified.¡± ¡°I know. But for those who oppose me, it¡¯s a different story. I¡¯m going to pull them down to the floor thoroughly and then raise them.¡± She will make them a dog that obeys her. She will make them lose everything. She will squeeze it little by little so that they can¡¯t rebel, and they will play on her palm so that she can¡¯t think of anything else. ¡°What are you going to do after that?¡± Arthur kept asking because her reaction was interesting. He knows what she should do. ¡°If you want to have the throne, you can always hold it in your hand.¡± A touch of temptation that she could never resist reached her. Yeah, she wants to reign at the highest point. She wanted to get what Mary couldn¡¯t get and feel power and joy. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only When she thought she could live, her greed flowed endlessly. What would he want from her if she received what he gave? ¡°That¡¯s not bad either. Then what are you going to bring to me?¡± ¡°Freedom.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes shone dangerously. As long as she was here, there was no freedom for her. Not only did he not allow her to go out, but she was still under pressure from the medicine. If it weren¡¯t for the medicine in his arms now, she would have been nervous. Chapter 50 A Man Called the Devil (11) People are so pathetic. It was easy to put things down when there was nothing, but now she doesn¡¯t want to give up at all. ¡°I will make everything you think, see, remember, everything.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough in your heart?¡± His eyes gave her goosebumps. She really thought Arthur would do that. He sometimes showed a strong obsession with her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you lock me up?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯d be like a living doll.¡± Indeed, he answered quite seriously. Perhaps he had thought of doing so. Her forehead was narrowed without even realizing it. ¡°If I could do that, I would have already done that if you had just followed me. If you hadn¡¯t cut yourself with a knife to die on the first day, I might have already.¡± She was speechless at Arthur¡¯s words. But the reason why she couldn¡¯t ignore what he said was because she seemed to be a person who had to stay. ¡°¡­Did you find a way to live without the medicine?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t found it yet.¡± She needed Arthur continuously unless she found a way. Only after taking his medicine did the pain disappear and her face became lively. Suddenly, she thought of that. Maybe he doesn¡¯t let her know, even though he already knows. ¡°Arthur has already found a way. Don¡¯t you mean to not tell me?¡± She tried hard to hide her trembling voice and asked him. ¡°Can¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± She confessed honestly. What she believed was Arthur¡¯s medicine, not him. There were too many strange things about him to trust him. Arthur, who she thought would be angry, smiled as if he were in a good mood. ¡°Then keep doubting and be wary.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So that you can think of me a little bit more.¡± It was clear that he knew how. There was a little time before the engagement ceremony. She has been trying not to leave Arthur¡¯s side. He said he was looking for a way, but she couldn¡¯t believe it. Carl also tried to find out about the castle every night, but he failed repeatedly. So she can¡¯t help but be suspicious. ¡®What the hell is he hiding?¡¯ She stared at Arthur, who was processing the documents. He didn¡¯t care about her gaze. He was slow, but he still couldn¡¯t stop handing over the documents. It¡¯s been a while since she came here. Still, she was dying, and she had to endure through the medicine he gave her. It¡¯s fortunate that there¡¯s no pain that¡¯s been bothering her every day. ¡®It doesn¡¯t suit him whenever I see you working.¡¯ She somehow didn¡¯t like why he was so sincere, even though he was a villain. She jumped up from her seat and tried to leave the office. ¡°¡­are you here?¡± Arthur hinted at her. It¡¯s already been two hours since she¡¯s been like that. She snorted and opened the door and came out. As soon as she came out, she called in Carl and suggested that they walk together. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I walked like this.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m glad that your body seems to have improved.¡± On the surface, it was. It¡¯s just a life that lives in medicine. ¡°Have you looked around the castle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying again and again.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± She thought she¡¯d leave it to Carl and take care of other things first, but she thought there would be no end. Maybe she can¡¯t help it because he¡¯s holding the key. ¡°Oh, but I think I heard one strange thing.¡± ¡°Strange thing? Like what?¡± ¡°I think it was a scream¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t hear it closely because it was a wind-breaking voice.¡± Scream? There was no screaming in this castle. The maids also did not come out when they had time, and except for them, she was the only woman. Still, he didn¡¯t see silver hair, so Carl said nothing about it. She kept feeling nauseous, and she was nervous. It seems like she¡¯s constantly missing something, but she can¡¯t figure it out. ¡°Anything else besides that?¡± ¡°The maids enter the room before dawn and leave the room after dawn.¡± ¡°Is it the same as falling asleep and waking up?¡± Carl nodded silently. Can everyone fall asleep at once? No, that was impossible. Maybe someone is putting them to sleep on purpose. Then you might think it¡¯s weird, but there was no one to ask except for the maids. In addition, they didn¡¯t tell her anything as if they had promised. ¡°It¡¯s no use looking at the castle. I think you should stop doing this.¡± ¡°Can I do that?¡± ¡°You said you heard the same sound as screaming, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He didn¡¯t hear it. He couldn¡¯t sleep at night, but he couldn¡¯t hear anything. It was highly likely that other maids also heard what Carl heard. ¡°You don¡¯t even know where you heard it from?¡± He nodded again this time. As expected, he just heard the wind wrong¡­. ¡°Are the banquet preparations going well?¡± ¡°They are probably preparing quickly. Above all, they seem to watch the families that the princess cares about.¡± ¡°Yeah, I hope that day comes soon.¡± The garden was also beautifully decorated in the castle. It didn¡¯t go well with the atmosphere of the castle, but she felt like she was going to live because she was able to breathe like this. Arthur hasn¡¯t taken her downtown since that day. She often left the castle, but she¡¯s never seen him go out these days. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want that day to come.¡± Carl¡¯s voice was full of emotions that could be known without having to say. She was surprised by the sincerity that came out from time to time, but it wasn¡¯t that she was okay with it. ¡°Whether or not that day comes, it¡¯s the same for you and me.¡± ¡°I know. I made a mistake.¡± He apologized to her immediately without raising his head properly. She knows. He also knows that hiding emotions does not hide easily. If she didn¡¯t really care about Carl for a moment, she would have ignored this, too. But she wasn¡¯t in that position, so she just swallowed a bitter smile. ¡°Yes, I want you to be by my side.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± She raised his hand and gently put it on Carl¡¯s shoulder. In order to deceive Arthur, even he has to be deceived. And now it was time to deceive everyone. To make them believe she is in love with Arthur, she has to show that her engagement with him is not false. Again, people may dismiss it as just her whim. There were too many people hoping so. When she opened her eyes and looked around, there was no one on her side. She envied Mary, but maybe she was alone, too. Chapter 51 A Man Called the Devil (12) ¡°The wind is cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°My job, Princess, is always to take care of you.¡± She raised her hand and stopped Carl. She wanted to enjoy it a little more. As the cool wind passed by her, she felt like a core of her heart was flying with it. She stood still and felt the wind in the feeling of a little more frustration. ¡°It¡¯s no different in the room or here.¡± ¡°Are you frustrated?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? People are so sly. I thought there was nothing I could wish for if I could buy it, but now I want to have more.¡± After getting out of the room, she forgot the pain and was spending days similar to ordinary daily life, but she couldn¡¯t be satisfied. Arthur¡¯s castle does not differ from the room for her. She¡¯s suffocating, as if he¡¯s holding her in his hand and not letting go. When his gaze followed, she held her breath without realizing it. ¡°What are you¡­¡­.¡± She hated herself who couldn¡¯t do this or that. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just give up her life? There was no proper content about Arthur in the book. He was really just described as a villain and had no influence in the book. ¡°By the way, Carl, what does Grand Duke Arthur do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. I understand that very few people know.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°According to rumors, there¡¯s a group that follows Arthur¡­¡­.¡± Carl paused and looked around. She turned her head to his behavior and was conscious. Soon after, he told her with a slight voice down. It was a whispering voice, as if it were a secret. It was a voice that was too small to concentrate. Thanks to this, she approached closely and listened. ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s a rumor that he buys and sells people.¡± ¡°Buy and sell people?¡± ¡°Not only that¡­¡­.¡± Carl, who was trying to talk to her, looked behind her and closed his mouth. Why did he stop talking? Is there anything else? ¡°Selling drugs, gambling, slaves, etc. This is what I heard his business is like.¡± A low-pitched voice came from behind. She got goosebumps all over her body. She still didn¡¯t know when he came here. ¡°I guess eavesdropping is your hobby.¡± ¡°The princess must have a lot of questions about me.¡± Her face muscles trembled. She tried to smile with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, but it was not enough. When she saw Arthur¡¯s clear eyes at her, her forehead narrowed without realizing it. ¡°If you had asked me directly, I would have answered much more accurately.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Were you willing to tell me?¡± Arthur might have told her everything. However, it would not have been possible to believe that it was true. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks She felt like she was playing a close tug-of-war. How far is the truth? ¡°Whatever you want.¡± ¡°If so, tell me. What is happening in this castle?¡± ¡°What are you curious about?¡± Arthur did not deny it. He just asked what she wanted. She couldn¡¯t say anything to the look of admitting that something was going on in this castle. Arthur waited for her mouth to open like a person waiting for her to ask him quickly. ¡°Am I safe in this castle?¡± She couldn¡¯t forget the scream Carl told her. It wouldn¡¯t have been misheard. Arthur¡¯s expression was telling her that. ¡°As long as you¡¯re by my side, you¡¯re safe.¡± As long as she¡¯s by his side¡­¡­. Is it that the moment she leaves him, her safety is not guaranteed? What qualifications does he have? Since he has a medicine in his hand that can save her, he may intend to kill her without giving it to her. ¡°Let¡¯s stop. It¡¯s cold because of the weather.¡± She turned around and walked past Arthur. Will she be able to get out of it? In this boring place¡­¡­ Or will she really love Arthur? She felt like she was in agony every day. Now even if she really loved him, she thought she would deny it. ¡°Oh, did you get what I asked you to find out?¡± ¡°The necessary documents will arrive by tomorrow. I¡¯ll give it to you because you said it was what you wanted.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s great. You¡¯re a really valuable person.¡± Someone who helps her a lot. Nevertheless, she was one of the people who wanted to escape. The feeling of flowing as he wanted still lingered around her. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together starting today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work.¡± It was an unexpected answer. She turned around and looked at Arthur, hearing no from Arthur¡¯s mouth, who thought it would be good. There was still no change in the calm voice and expression. He was so expressionless that she couldn¡¯t see what the hell he was thinking. The occasional shaky gaze was also quiet today. If it was easier to understand, it would have been easier to deal with. She didn¡¯t know anything except that he was obsessed with her. Are you glad you can see that? ¡°I won¡¯t attack you, so don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t want to attack a man who doesn¡¯t want to sleep with me, either.¡± She was speechless even when she said it. But she was earnest. It was to know if he was involved in what happened at night, but there was no other intention. And she knows how to move Arthur well. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to sleep alone today.¡± Arthur sighed briefly. The engagement with him is just around the corner. Above all, if it was clear what was happening in this castle, she thought it would be comfortable to be with Arthur. ¡®At least the owner of the castle won¡¯t be in danger.¡¯ If she is lucky, she may encounter the silver-haired man. And she was sure it wasn¡¯t long before that day. Chapter 52 Selfish Mind (1) She slept together for a few days next to Arthur, but he showed no atypical behavior. Rather, she was the one who was embarrassed. ¡®There must be a connection.¡¯ He just slept next to her. Really, doing nothing next to her. The reason she was grumpy was probably because of his unassuming appearance. Or he might have wanted to get up in the middle of the night and leave the room. ¡°I think you don¡¯t like something.¡± Arthur hinted, as if he had noticed her heart. He looked at her reflection in the mirror as he adjusted his clothes. Staring at him from behind to the fullest, she smiled with a distorted expression. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you the information you wanted after going out today.¡± It was Arthur who had not been out of the castle for almost a week. That may be why she is unfamiliar with his current appearance early in the morning. Arthur stayed in the castle from the time she forced him to let her sleep in his room. It was in contrast to the appearance of being away often. ¡°Something must have happened suddenly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve always done. I just postponed it because I wanted to be by your side. I¡¯ll be late today, so you¡¯d better go to bed first.¡± ¡°Then will the information I want to hear be given tomorrow, not today?¡± Why does it take a whole day? It was only good for her if he emptied the castle. She might go around here and there to find out the source of the scream. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Well, maybe it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll be sleeping here anyway.¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± He declined to talk as if he knew it was no use talking to her anymore. Arthur, who was ready to go out, approached and kissed the back of her hand lightly. The way he smiled with his eyes slightly bent looked very caring. No, if others see it, they will think the two really love each other. ¡°Have a safe trip.¡± She also hugged Arthur slightly and whispered in his ear. She sent him off with the sweetest voice she could. It was only after she saw Arthur¡¯s wagon go out of the castle that she called Carl. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°I heard another scream.¡± ¡°Again?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen Arthur away during the night. So does Arthur really have nothing to do with it? Or does he not know about what¡¯s happening in this castle? ¡°He¡¯s going to come late today. I¡¯ll send away the maids, and you go into the room, Carl.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy because the door is locked. This is the shape of a lock.¡± Carl handed her a piece of paper with a lock on it. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°There must be a key.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Key, hmm¡­¡­.¡± If Arthur, the owner of this castle, does not have a key, it may be in the maid¡¯s hands. She looked at Arthur¡¯s room first. She asked Carl to stand at the door for a while and prevent others from entering. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of that? There might be a key in this room.¡¯ As she focused on other places, she was actually missing something important. She started searching the room right away. Unnoticeably, she carefully looked at the goods and found a bunch of keys. Arthur¡¯s room had little furniture, so if she hurried, it would be over quickly. ¡®Is the key here?¡¯ She was searching for the whereabouts of the key, but she heard a commotion in front of the door. It seemed that the maid and Carl were talking. She didn¡¯t feel good, so she quickly went to bed and tried to vomit. Squeak. Just in time, the door opened and a maid with a suspicious expression came in and looked at her. ¡°¡­¡­Whoops!¡± Once again, she was vomiting and looked at the maid with a fierce look. With a grin in her eyes, she shouted at her. ¡°Get out! How dare you open the door and come in when I didn¡¯t tell you to come in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Did you want to see me like this? I guess the Grand Duke educates the maids like this?¡± She wiped her mouth and staggered to stand on the bed. The maid bowed her head and immediately apologized. But her eyes were still full of doubts. She¡¯s never complained of any pain when she came here, and everyone knew. ¡®She must have known that I was on medication.¡¯ But she didn¡¯t take the last medicine that The Grand Duke gave her. It was to ask about this medicine when she met the silver-haired man on the day of the engagement ceremony. It was like gambling to her. Strangely, however, she didn¡¯t take the medicine, but it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°But Princess.¡± She didn¡¯t want to waste it, but she can¡¯t help it. She has no choice but to give up to erase her suspicion.¡­. She took out the glass bottle she had kept in her arms and threw it on the floor. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Are you talking about this?¡± Clink. Glass debris splashed everywhere on the floor, and a sharp sound rang in the room. Carl was surprised and rushed inside and looked at her. She looked straight at the maid and took a step closer. The pieces of glass scattered on the floor dug into the soles of the feet, and the pain was felt intact. At the same time as the blue liquid, the red blood carpet by her feet was dirty. Chapter 53 Selfish Mind (2) The painful and bitter pain continued. But she moved toward the maid with an expressionless face. ¡°Why? Guess what I think? Looks like the Archduke made you watch over.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°If not, are you trying to monitor me? You¡¯re just a maid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Soon after, standing in front of her, she bowed her head and lowered her eyes with a calm expression, facing the maid. She stood still there and waited for her words without moving. The maids gaze was on her blood-stained feet. ¡°Princess, I think we need to get treatment soon.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°If you stay like this, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± If Arthur had made the maid monitor herself, she had no intention of treating her even more. How will he react when he finds that the orders to the maid went wrong? No, what kind of expression will he make when he sees her injured foot? ¡°Who cares? I don¡¯t treat it. You, you¡¯ll have to never act without my order again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll do more than today without hesitation. I wonder how Arthur will react to you, who made me like this.¡± Fear readily appeared on the face of the calm maid. She was trying not to show, but her body was shaking. Her hands gathered neatly and trembled slightly. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± ¡°¡­Woo, the Princess. I went overboard on this one. So please get treatment.¡± ¡°Promise me that nothing will reach the Grand Duke about what I do in the future.¡± ¡°That alone!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really like it. I am desperate.¡± The cold frozen voice was laid low. The maid¡¯s face, which could not be found in emotion, collapsed. She is clearly afraid of Arthur. Mary doesn¡¯t know what the reason is, but one thing was certain. That if something happens to her, something will happen to her soon. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Carl, pull her out.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± ¡°What time did Grand Duke say he would come today? He said he¡¯d be here late at night. Will the wound get worse by then?¡± She smiled at the maid, turned around, and closed her eyes slightly. After inhaling in his heart, she walked around again, stepping on the carpet where the fragments of glass remained. Her face was distorted from time to time by the pain felt in her feet, but she tried hard to raise the corners of her mouth to maintain a smile. Crunch. Crunch. The sound of stepping on the glass filled the room with silence. Carl couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her while taking the maid out. She didn¡¯t stop. She turned around and drew attention to the maid, who was dragged out. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Okay! Please stop¡­¡­!¡± The carpet was stained with blood, making it difficult to recognize the original color of the white carpet. At that moment, her eyes were spinning. She held her consciousness by supporting her faltering body. ¡°Tired of red.¡± Still didn¡¯t leave her side. This time, she brought it on herself, but the red color was disgusting no matter how she looked at it. ¡°Really? Are you going to make a promise to me?¡± Looking at her, who stopped only then, the maid bit her lips tightly and nodded. The way the maid looked at herself with tears in her eyes was full of resentment. ¡®I don¡¯t know why, but don¡¯t blame me so much. I¡¯m not in a position to argue about this and that either.¡¯ She ignored the maids¡¯ gaze and smiled brightly. The maid eventually accepted her offer. Carl¡¯s relieved breath seemed to be heard all the way here. ¡°¡­¡­I will bring you something to heal.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± She sat calmly in the chair as if she had done nothing. As the maid fled the room, she frowned, vomiting the pain she had endured. ¡°Ha¡­ I¡¯m sure I¡¯m crazy, too.¡± The pain felt so strong that the soles of her feet were numb. When Karl tried to approach her, she raised her hand and stopped him from walking. ¡°Don¡¯t come. There¡¯s still a lot of glass.¡± ¡°I¡¯m wearing shoes.¡± ¡°No, just stand there.¡± She closed her eyes and tried to erase the red blood from her mind. She groaned out of the temple. It was because the tension was relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ll clean up the carpet.¡± ¡°Leave it. Why would you clean this up? Do nothing, that¡¯s for the maids to take care of.¡± ¡°¡­But don¡¯t you hate the color red?¡± Carl¡¯s voice trembled. She knew too well that he was worried about her. But she didn¡¯t want him to do anything for her anymore. There¡¯s nothing she can do for him. Of course, she didn¡¯t want him to do it even if it was something he could do. ¡°The people here will take care of it. You find a little more about the door.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± Carl went out of the room, turning his steps away. His gaze never seemed to fall from her. She could feel it even with her eyes closed. She can¡¯t forget the familiar gaze she has always received, his eyes with sincerity and affection for her. ¡®I¡¯m not the Mary you loved. So you should stop too.¡¯ Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only She had to tell him one day. But she probably won¡¯t be able to tell him. He was the only person she could trust, and he was on her side. She selfishly had no intention of letting him go. She was just hoping to ask how he felt toward her, but on the other hand, she wanted him to keep looking at her. Arthur and she were the ones who needed to be able to live here. Each was for different reasons, but she won¡¯t let go at least until she achieves what she wants here. Even if everyone curses at her, she can¡¯t help it. Chapter 54 Selfish Mind (3) Carl left and the maid came in. Seeing that she didn¡¯t bring others, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s a pretty smart kid. She stayed still and watched what she was doing. First of all, she came up to her and looked at her feet. Her face was a little distorted when she saw the bottom of her feet stained with blood with glass everywhere. She used to entrust treatment, but she was also wondering if it would be treated. ¡°I think it¡¯s stuck more than I thought. Will this be cured?¡± It would be the maid who was nervous. It¡¯s only her who can gloss over that she made a fuss when he comes, but this maid had to take responsibility for it. She took something out of her arms and soon poured it on her feet. Strangely enough, pieces of glass escaped and fell to the floor. ¡°¡­ha?¡± She was speechless. The medicine that healed her hand right away was clear. When she woke up after sleeping on a cut from a knife, it disappeared without a scar. When the medicine that she thought only Arthur would know came from the maid, she became more suspicious. A maid has this kind of medicine? What is the secret she doesn¡¯t know about this castle? ¡°Where did you get the medicine?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t even know if I got a scratch like this. I thought only the Grand Duke would have it.¡± The maid¡¯s hand trembled. She calmly put her hand on and held the maids¡¯ chin. She carefully looked at her and tried to catch the change of emotion. ¡°I made a promise, so please keep silent about this medicine.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s difficult when the Grand Duke finds out.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t tell you more.¡± The maid has since closed her mouth. She looked determined, as if he would no longer be drawn in. It was a shame, but not that there was no harvest, so she decided to stop here. Considering that she came in alone, it was clear that other maids received the same order. ¡°Let¡¯s get along well.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Her mouth trembled. She smiled and put her feet on the floor. The pain she felt earlier slowly decreased. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s your name?¡± She asked her name now. This was the first time since she came here and asked a maid¡¯s name. Embarrassed by her question, she couldn¡¯t keep a straight face. Waiting for her answer, she tilted her head to the side. ¡°My name is Delia.¡± ¡°Yeah, Delia. Can I ask you one more question?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He looked unhappy. His eyes shook as if he were anxious. The maids here always had a constant face as if they had no emotions. However, Delia had lost her composure to the point where her expression showed to her. She also understood that it was not normal for her to do so. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°If you¡¯re scared like that, I¡¯m sorry to ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I hear screams at night. Do you know about the screams?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about because I can¡¯t hear it.¡± As expected, she shook it off. She expected her not to tell her right away, but she didn¡¯t know she would answer right away. She still fixed the corners of her mouth with a smile on her face. ¡°That¡¯s weird. I heard it again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Silence. What she chose this time was silence. She asked again as she saw her still rolling the carpet. ¡°Then, do you know about the locked room at the end?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you a new carpet.¡± ¡°Delia, you have to look at me when I talk.¡± She got up from her seat and stood in front of the maid. Hmph. Her body trembled. She bowed her upper body and made eye contact with her, drawing a brighter smile on her face. ¡°Otherwise, I might get angry again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll change the question and ask. You just have to answer yes or no.¡± Delia¡¯s lips are tightly closed. As if she could no longer answer, Mary grabbed her chin with her hand and fixed it towards her. ¡°If it¡¯s hard to answer, you can do this. If it¡¯s right, nod or shake for no. That¡¯s the only answer you can give. You don¡¯t have to open your mouth, so just move your face. That¡¯s easy, is it?¡± Delia¡¯s gaze shook. She asked, letting go of the hand that held her chin. If she didn¡¯t answer again this time, she couldn¡¯t step down as she was. That was the only maid she had in her hands here. She never knew how it would change if the Grand Duke returned. She had to get what she wanted to know before that. ¡°Let me ask you again. What¡¯s happening in the locked room?¡± When Delia¡¯s head did not move, she stroked her cheek gently and approached her ear and whispered. ¡°Delia, you¡¯re afraid of the Grand Duke. But in front of you, I might do something worse. So move your stiff head and give me the answer I want.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a very generous person. As you know, I¡¯m not in a position to take care of other people. It¡¯s simple. All you have to do is move your head, right? I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Delia¡¯s eyes changed from fear to resignation and soon nodded slightly. When she heard the answer she wanted, she put her hand on the maid¡¯s shoulder and erased the murderous intent. ¡°Thank you. See you later. He¡¯ll be suspicious when he finds out that the carpet has been changed, so tell him I asked you to take it out.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Yes, I see.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way. Don¡¯t let him know I didn¡¯t take medicine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Delia¡¯s expression carrying out the carpet was disastrous. But Mary didn¡¯t mean to hurt her. She was the only one who could tell her about this place, but from Delia¡¯s own point of view, it would be a shame if she disappeared. Chapter 55 Selfish Mind (4) She didn¡¯t take the medicine he gave her, but she didn¡¯t feel the pain. She was also watching that point strangely. However, she couldn¡¯t point it out because she saw the pain relieved after taking the medicine. ¡®Why is there no pain even though I didn¡¯t take medicine?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t all better. She could feel it. That she was just fine for a moment. Still, her body was in danger and unstable. The pain felt from time to time was telling her. ¡®It¡¯s not that the medicine is ineffective. But why am I okay even though I didn¡¯t eat it?¡¯ As he said, after the three-day duration, she had to feel the fear of death with pain again. But she was fine. No, there was no pain that bothered her every day. She felt her appetite returning little by little, and her body was also lighter. It was night, but she didn¡¯t sleep. Looking out the window, she was watching when Arthur was coming. As the clock passed midnight, she fell sleepy little by little. She waited for him, trying hard to lift her eyelids that were getting heavy. ¡®I guess you put little effort into it today.¡¯ A little later, she could see the carriage he rode in. What in the world did he do that he came into the castle only at dawn after sunset? She sat on the bed looking out the window. He, who seemed to enter the bedroom immediately, did not take long to come. Somehow it felt strange, and as soon as she got up from her seat and opened the door, Arthur opened the door and faced her. ¡°I warned you not to go out at night.¡± ¡°I woke up while waiting for you.¡± It was a visible lie. He was fine, considering that she woke up from sleep. Nevertheless, she shamelessly continued to talk. ¡°I felt like I heard a scream.¡± She looked up at him. She didn¡¯t hear a scream today. Of course, she couldn¡¯t hear it from her room. It was said that it was only a little heard on the side where Carl was, so this was also a lie. Arthur looked at her and smiled, stroking her face. He didn¡¯t say anything else to her. He just walked past her and went to the table and put down a pile of documents. ¡°I¡¯m tired from a lot of work today, so I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m scared. Am I hearing hallucinations?¡± He shook his body pretending not to know and wrapped his arms around his hands. He bowed his head and approached him anxiously. He bowed his head to Arthur¡¯s back and closed his eyes still. ¡°The fear of death still doesn¡¯t let me go, and you always make me nervous.¡± ¡°¡­Do I make you nervous?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Grand Duke, you hide a lot from me.¡± His hand, which was organizing the documents, stopped for a moment. But it was Arthur who moved slowly and did his job. She hugged him from behind and said in a trembling voice. ¡°So if you love me, get rid of this anxiety.¡± ¡°Mary, as long as you love me, that anxiety will go away.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that really so?¡± What happens if she really falls in love with Arthur? She was afraid. Just in case she really fell in love with him, he was still questionable and unbelievable. But she knew that her heart was moving little by little. ¡®I may fall in love with him even if I don¡¯t want to.¡¯ When she was with him, she always thought like that. Even if she refused and pushed him out, she became more and more interested in him, and every time she tried to find out with doubts, she had to be swept away by unknown emotions. Maybe she¡¯s being pulled in by him. It was said that she was ahead of him and that she was secretly holding what Arthur wanted, but she felt like he knew everything. ¡°Mary, I¡¯ve always told you.¡± Arthur soon turned around and looked at her. His eyes looking down at her shone dimly in the dark. It¡¯s like the eyes of that time. When she saw his eyes swaying as if he were going to eat her at any moment, she felt dizzy, as if she would be sucked in. ¡°You just have to give me your heart, and you just have to love me as you are led.¡± ¡°¡­Arthur.¡± He exhaled his repressed hot breath and soon hugged her. He bowed his head and said with his face on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s a pain for me to be around you like this.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I want you to know how much I¡¯m holding it in.¡± Arthur¡¯s breath touched her neck and tickled. When her body flinched without realizing it, Arthur¡¯s hands were tense, and soon his lips touched the back of her neck. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only She thought he was breathing deeply, but soon his lips slowly drew near her collarbone and pressed against her neck. As if his composure, which he tried to control, collapsed, he swept the back of her neck with a hot breath. ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± She was so nervous that she could hear her heart beating. At the same time as his sudden action, his lips touching her were so hot that she moaned without realizing it. He hugged her hard enough to crush her. It looked precarious as if trying to endure it. Chapter 56 Selfish Mind (5) ¡°Ah¡­ Arthur.¡± When he heard his name, he lifted his face from her body and separated her. He didn¡¯t get drunk on her anymore. ¡°¡­Mary, don¡¯t test my patience.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t hold it in.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it? I will no longer have a relationship without your heart.¡± He turned his head as if he were stubborn. After separating from her, he sat at the table and unwound his shirt in frustration. She also sat on the bed and looked at him because she was slightly relaxed. ¡°Oh well, thanks to you. I¡¯m wide awake.¡± ¡°Then come here. I¡¯ll explain the documents I brought.¡± Nodding at his words, she sat in a chair and looked at him. Arthur opened the document and said. ¡°With this, it will be easy to manipulate them.¡± At Arthur¡¯s words, she carefully examined the documents. At the same time as the main families were listed, it was written how they built up the family¡¯s wealth and status. They were concrete and accurate evidence. It was less than 10 days. ¡°How did you find out so much information?¡± ¡°Mary, don¡¯t I also belong to one evil you speak of?¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re also related to what they¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡± He shrugged as if there was no reason to hide it. As she read the contents written in the document, her face was distorted little by little. It was disgusting to see with her eyes the dirty things they had done to get there. ¡®There¡¯s no way the Imperial family wouldn¡¯t know this.¡¯ The moment she thought of this, she thought of her father. Maybe he knew, but condoned. In order to solidify his throne, he needed the support of the aristocracy, and in order to do so, he might have to pretend not to know even though he knew their work¡­¡­ ¡°The Imperial power was not strong.¡± ¡°Mary, nothing in this world is eternal, without a price.¡± Nothing lasts forever¡­¡­ was right. Her father did not even have a successor to succeed. She was on a time limit to die, and no matter who she married, it was not the blood of the imperial family that is to inherit the throne. So it would have been even more anxious. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°What am I going to do?¡± Arthur asked her. Seeing that she was curious about his eyes, he seemed to look forward to her answer. She was then and remained the same. She has to get rid of things that interfere with her. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°They should all be crushed.¡± She closed her eyes and smiled, collecting the documents and putting them in an envelope. In her answer, Arthur had one corner of his mouth raised as if he had expected. He nodded to her, asking her to talk at any time. ¡°Whatever you say will come true.¡± ¡°I can trust what you say.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you trust how I feel about you?¡± He came at her without missing a gap. Despite his remarks, she laughed lightly, as if she had gotten used to it. Since he gave her what she wanted, it would make sense if she told him what he wanted to hear, too. ¡°I think the feelings you have for me are also sincere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°So I trust you, I love you.¡± If she believes it, it will look like that. If this was love, it would be love. It may not be the form of love he wants, but she needs him and she loves everything he has. Above all, if she really believed so, she may be in love like him. She hoped not, but she¡¯s not confident because she can¡¯t clearly define human emotions one way or another. ¡®You can think about what happened then.¡¯ She just didn¡¯t refuse because he said she could use himself. She didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity that rolled into her hands. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow.¡± ¡°I, too, look forward to our engagement.¡± Arthur stood up from his seat with a smile and kissed her forehead. She looked at him without smiling. ¡°It seems dangerous today, so I¡¯ll sleep separately.¡± ¡°Are you avoiding it? I won¡¯t eat you up, so sleep with me.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m running away. If I stay here with you, I might want to hold you in my arms like before.¡± She couldn¡¯t catch him anymore. She turned her head away from the feeling reflected on his face. It was like she was tormenting him. Knowing other people¡¯s feelings and moving freely between, she may be more of a villain. There will be nothing more evil than trying to get what she wants by hurting and using those around her. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®Come to think of it, he said nothing when he looked at the carpet.¡¯ There¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t know about the change in his room. He didn¡¯t ask her. Since he came straight into the room without facing the maid, it was impossible to hear about the carpet. Suddenly, goosebumps creeped up on the back of her neck and spread all over her body. He couldn¡¯t have not seen it. It was next to the bed, so he could see it when he entered the door. Why didn¡¯t he ask her? The maid had already gone to bed. *** Chapter 57 Selfish Mind (6) As the day dawned, the maids sent by Arthur entered the room. It was to attend the engagement banquet. They silently helped her with her attire. Gold patterns were drawn on her favorite blue dress. Perhaps thanks to dressing up after a long time, she felt strange. She looked carefully at herself in the mirror. Along with the silver hair shining in the light, she could see the transparent silver eyes so that she could see inside. She gained a little weight than before, but she was still skinny. Unlike loose clothes, the clothes fit her well, whether or not it had been tailored to her. ¡°Then, should we go now?¡± When she left the door, Arthur was waiting for her. Carl also stayed in front of the carriage while waiting. She got on the wagon under Arthur¡¯s escort. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little excited. When I imagine their expressions, it makes me smile.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy that you look happy.¡± Soon after, in the departing carriage, she looked through the documents once again. Arthur looked at her still and listened to her. He remained obedient, as if he would follow what she wanted to do. She laughed at the attitude that it didn¡¯t matter what way. ¡°Then what if I trip over you and fall?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a person who can show their flaws?¡± ¡°If work is involved, I may know their existence.¡± Arthur seemed to think quietly, but soon smiled softly. Confidence prevailed on his face, as if it could never be. He wouldn¡¯t be so sloppy, but if he was caught faking anything, there was a high risk that her side would suffer. ¡°Make it clear. I win this game, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± There was no hesitation or anxiety in his words. Arthur¡¯s eyes were also unshakable. It just looked like it was boring. She shook her head and sighed. ¡°I believe you won¡¯t let me down.¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? It¡¯ll all work out the way you want it to.¡± Arthur was confident again this time. She turned her eyes to the papers, remembering it in her head. Now she has no choice but to believe it. She may see blood today at the place where the grand banquet is held to announce her engagement. It depends on what they choose, but she will strengthen her position at this time. As the only Princess of the Arpen Empire, as Mary, she will find her way to live. When she entered the Arpen Empire, everyone welcomed her. Listening to the cheers of the people, she put a false smile on her face. It was just the beginning. She got off the wagon, grabbed Arthur¡¯s hand, and entered the Palace. She was guided straight to where her father was and greeted him. ¡°Mary, your face looks good.¡± Her father welcomed her as if he were relieved of her complexion. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks When he checked with his eyes, tears welled up in the corners of his eyes to see if he was relieved. ¡®You probably didn¡¯t believe it.¡¯ There was no one to save her. No one was trying to cure her illness or prescribe medicine. Therefore, it was close to a miracle that she regained her health to this extent. ¡°Yes, thanks to Grand Duke Arthur, my health has improved a lot.¡± With a smile, she slightly grabbed the Grand Duke¡¯s arm. It was also to show her father their friendship with each other, but it was also to let him know it was because she wanted to go to him. He must have suspected her sudden change in attitude, so he will be relieved if she shows this much. ¡°Everyone is waiting.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ve been waiting for this day, too.¡± Her father looked at Arthur at her meaningful words. It would be to ask him what she means. But Arthur also shrugged and smiled as if he did not know. Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the words that announced the entry of the imperial family. When her father entered and sat down, everyone greeted him with courtesy. Arthur and her also sat next to her father. Although she did not show it, everyone complained about the appearance of Arthur and her in front of her eyes. She wouldn¡¯t have believed it. There will be people who thought it was just a made-up story, and there will be people who laughed at it again, this time thinking it was her whim. ¡®They¡¯re all here.¡¯ Fortunately, it was confirmed that the families on the list attended. She kept her expression, lowering the corners of her mouth that were trying to go up. In a little longer, she¡¯ll see their faces distorted as they cover it with fans and look at her. ¡®I can clearly see what you¡¯re thinking inside.¡¯ Even so, she could see the expressions of those who laughed, saying that she was the Princess who was about to die. She is engaged, but they will think that she is not a threat because she is in a dying body, anyway. Looking at them, who thought they just had to endure it until then, she tried to keep smiling. What will they do when the power they firmly believed collapses? They would have heard rumors, too. There was no way that they didn¡¯t know what happened to Gray and where he is now. They are not fools, although they deliberately spread rumors. She¡¯s sure they believed there was something else and suspected it. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only When her father raised his hand, there was a moment of silence. Soon after, when Arthur announced his official engagement, everyone wore a mask and congratulated him. ¡°Congratulations on the engagement of Princess Mary Anastasia and Grand Duke Arthur Douglas!¡± The engagement ceremony of the Princess, who is about to die, is clear that everyone is cursing inside. She also had a false smile and accepted their congratulations. Soon after, she went down to the middle of the banquet hall to dance with Arthur, and they danced together to the music that was being played. Chapter 58 Selfish Mind (7) Arthur¡¯s smooth movement from everyone¡¯s eyes caught people¡¯s attention. As soon as Arthur¡¯s hand gently turned and his gaze slightly shook, a man with red eyes passed by the silver hair staring at her. ¡°It¡¯s that person. As expected, he came out.¡± She was worried that he wouldn¡¯t come, but he was definitely among the crowd. She danced with a smile around her mouth and chased him in the crowd the whole time with her eyes. She has never danced, but it was the same for Mary. However, thanks to Arthur¡¯s good lead, fortunately, it ended safely, without mistakes. As soon as it was over, she turned her head to find a man. It was difficult to find his appearance because of the crowd. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯m going to miss it again.¡¯ She bit her lips in frustration. Today will be an opportunity, but if she misses it, she doesn¡¯t know when she will be able to find him again. She couldn¡¯t even look around freely in case Arthur noticed her strange behavior. The song changed along with the applause of the nobles. She came out to Arthur¡¯s side and took a breather. ¡°You¡¯re a wonderful dancer.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t step on my foot.¡± She felt nauseous, perhaps because she moved her body after a long time. She was worried that the pain would finally come because she didn¡¯t take the medicine he gave her. It was just a little disgusting, but she didn¡¯t feel a headache or burning in her heart, so she took a breath again. ¡®You have to endure the pain even if you feel it.¡¯ Otherwise, Arthur may notice something strange. There were two days left before she got the medicine from him, so she had to act somehow. ¡°Speak to the old man, but no alcohol.¡± Arthur, who mistook her for looking at champagne, said in a determined tone as he was sitting blankly and lost in thought. She shook her head as if not to worry. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go outside for a while if you¡¯re tired?¡± ¡°¡­ Should I do that? In a little while, something interesting will happen.¡± She even announced her engagement for that. She had to see their faces with her own eyes. She will see them kneeling down in front of her. She looked at the stage slowly. ¡®How can you all laugh and chat in excitement knowing nothing?¡¯ A smile leaked out of her. Along with embarrassment, she was looking forward to how different the way he treated her would be. She got up from her seat and smiled. In an elegant figure, she slowly headed to them. With Arthur¡¯s arms folded, he stood in front of them in a more friendly manner than anyone else. ¡°I¡¯m seeing Your Grace.¡± Count Liber of the Drov family, who found her approaching him, hurriedly bowed his head and gave the courtesy. Soon after, he greeted her with his wife, including the Arman family and the Bartis family. When she came as if they had promised, they closed their mouths and smiled awkwardly. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Is it possible that only then, unless she is an idiot, she would not know that it is related to her story? ¡°What do you enjoy talking about?¡± ¡°Oh, I was just talking about business these days.¡± ¡°Your Highness, you are so beautiful today. I think your face has gotten better since we last saw you.¡± Seeing him change the subject, she thought she might be right. They glanced at Arthur and greeted him, trying to hide their shivering expressions. He was spitting out congratulations with his mouth, but his expression looked the opposite. ¡°Your Grace, Grand Duke Arthur Douglas, you get along well with the Princess.¡± ¡°I think so too. How do you two get along so well?¡± Arthur showed a self-help smile at their flattery. Then he giggled and tried to clear his throat and swallowed the sound. As if he was not satisfied with Arthur¡¯s appearance, the Duke of Hermann of the Arman family narrowed the forehead. But obviously, the Grand Duke was a higher rank than them, plus he was the fianc¨¦ of the Princess. ¡°Your Excellency must be having fun.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not close enough to be interested in each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡­We¡¯re asking because we want to enjoy it together.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re engaged, what¡¯s better than that?¡± His wife, who was reading the room, slapped him on his side and laughed at him. Even Mary turned her head and looked at Arthur, and then she erased the laughter left on her face. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Being engaged to the Imperial Princess, I can¡¯t help but smile.¡± Lies, his laughter, were obvious ridicule. It would be accurate because there is a great pleasure in what is about to happen, not a smile of happiness. It was the same for her. Sympathy for them rather than sympathy for Arthur, speculation that he will be abandoned soon, and a sad view that it did not go according to their will. No one believed in Arthur, who said he was happy by her side, which would not be strange if she died soon. Of course, everyone seemed a little surprised to see her face turning red. But she knew too well that they didn¡¯t think it would last very long. Her illness has never been cured. It was a fact that everyone living here could not deny. Arthur bowed his head and whispered in her ear. ¡°Tell me when we will stop letting them enjoy it.¡± ¡°Let them enjoy it just a little more for now. Today is their last day to smile like that.¡± With an innocent smile on her face again, she asked them, pretending not to know. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Since they said they were talking about commerce, she wanted to make it a little embarrassing. ¡°I¡¯m interested in investing these days. Can you tell me about any business?¡± ¡°¡­you are Princess?¡± She was interested in his surprised eyes. Soon after, however, he said that he had a good investment destination to see if something else came to mind. ¡°Good investment destination. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Chapter 59 Selfish Mind (8) ¡°These days, I¡¯m actually running a new business.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so? As far as I know, Count Liber is not doing any other business these days.¡± Perhaps he didn¡¯t expect her to be interested in himself. Count Liber¡¯s eyebrows strangely went up and down. It was embarrassing because the Imperial family openly said they were interested in the Count. If it were her father, they would have pretended not to know, but she wasn¡¯t. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it out of curiosity.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Oh, thank you. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been putting my heart and soul into these days.¡± She knew. She knew what kind of business he was talking about and what was behind it. However, she just asked to see if he would tell her the truth, but she didn¡¯t expect it. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a pain reliever that finds medicinal herbs that are effective, and if you take them, the pain disappears.¡± ¡°Then it must be the herb I need. I¡¯m dying, but I don¡¯t enjoy pain very much.¡± So, how will he hand it over to her? She looked at the Count with curious eyes. Arthur was just watching from the side. The Count seemed to hesitate a little, but soon he smiled and waved his hand. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I can dare to show it to the Princess because I haven¡¯t properly verified it yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I thought it was a must-have medicine for me. I would have been angry if I knew that and you didn¡¯t dedicate it to me.¡± The Count¡¯s neck trembled at the murderous intent. His mouth dried up. There was nothing in the eyes that looked at him. Only the fierce eyes that penetrated through him were directed to the Count. ¡°When I am dying like this, wouldn¡¯t that be blasphemous if I knew how to stay still? Or maybe you wanted me to die.¡± ¡°Wha, what are you talking about, Princess? I¡¯m worried about the health of the Princess of the Arpen Empire every day and looking for ways to cure her illness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a funny thing, too. The Count tried to solve what the Imperial Palace doctor couldn¡¯t do?¡± She scanned him with cold eyes. Oops, he hurriedly bowed his head and said to forgive the rudeness. His wife also bowed her head after him. ¡°Oh my, raise your head. Anyone who sees it would think that I told them to cut your throat. Show your faces.¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess.¡± ¡°Grand Duke, was I too mean?¡± She grinned at Arthur and tilted her head. He also shook his head with a calm smile. ¡°If the Princess says so, they may be surprised. There are rumors going around.¡± ¡°Grand Duke, weren¡¯t there always rumors about me?¡± ¡°Your rumors don¡¯t matter to me, but it¡¯s an unpleasant rumor. I always wanted to find the leader and cut their throat.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you love me that much. Grand Duke, I¡¯m happy to be engaged to you.¡± Arthur, who lightly kissed the back of her hand, hardened his lips as he saw the nobles standing in front of him. His eyes were clearly bent, but somehow even she felt a chill. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks He must have been quite offended. Knowing that they were the driving force behind the rumor, there was no way that the nobles would look fine. Furthermore, it¡¯s related to Gray, so he might want to tear these guys to death now. ¡®Well, that was unexpected. I also lost my heart to forgive them a little bit.¡¯ Nevertheless, it was still worrisome because she needed the strength, wealth, and foundation they had. Is this really the right thing to do? One choice will determine everything in the future. Whatever she chooses, she can¡¯t go back any more. So it would be advantageous for her to choose a side that would be less damaging. If so, she can think easily. She can make a nobleman who will be on her side and put him in their place. Her reputation has already fallen to the ground, and it is safe to say that only few people support her. If it weren¡¯t for the only Princess title, she would have been abandoned earlier. ¡°Arthur, I changed my mind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you regret it?¡± ¡°I have no regrets. We can put it back together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The nobles were wary of each other at what she and Arthur said. They couldn¡¯t understand what the two meant, but they must have felt instinctively. They were feeling a strange fear when they saw the fact that the situation was going strange and that she had changed from before. She can see from their slightly shaky eyes and awkwardly raised mouths. They are afraid of her now. She looked curious about what they would say but didn¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what power is all about?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± He told her. There¡¯s nothing good about leaving it alone, but she was just careful not to take unnecessary damage. However, when she met them in person, the idea had long since already disappeared. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± Clap clap clap. She turned around and clapped as she did back then to attract people¡¯s attention. Everyone looked at her, whispering at her sudden behavior. Her father also looked worried that she might cause another accident. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only She stomped and headed to her father. She whispered quietly because she didn¡¯t want him to be surprised. ¡°Father, everything that happens from now on is for me and my father. So don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Mary, what are you doing?¡± ¡°You just have to not interfere with it. The crumbling Imperial Throne. Should I take it back?¡± With a smile, she turned around and gazed at everyone looking at her with puzzled looks. Soon after she raised her hand, the guards came out and blocked all entrances. Chapter 60 Selfish Mind (9) Clank, thump. Everyone looked confused by the sudden locked door. People wandered because they were trapped in the banquet hall. Usually, they were looking forward to seeing if there was an event prepared separately, while half were trembling with anxiety. Standing in a position where everyone looked up and looked down, he looked up at the people carefully. Now she saw the face of the man she was looking for. She turned her gaze away and fixed it on the nobles she talked to earlier. Along with the sudden situation, their bodies trembled at her cold eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not that surprising.¡± Slowly, as she went down the stairs, she headed back to them. People held their breath because it was calm and overwhelming without shaking. There is no longer a Princess who used to act arbitrarily every day. However, there was a Princess who did not blink whenever a person died. ¡°I kept hearing interesting rumors. Of course, there were exaggerated stories based on facts. The most memorable thing is¡­¡­.¡± It was a great family with all the children and families of the Bartis family in high-ranking positions. That¡¯s what people know. One of the most important families who had always deceived people with a sweet face and avoided suspicion. ¡°The Duke of Bartis? I think you know it well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Did you not hear rumors about me while working in a job related to the imperial family? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard it until your ears are tired of it.¡± He looked like he really didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. She didn¡¯t think that the person in power would have kept the position so easily. That much effort would have been needed. For example, calming down his emotions as he is now, or spitting lies without a blink of an eye will also be a trace of the years he has lived. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone knows from the rumors. Sir Gray, whom I once loved, is now in prison. Oh! Did you hear the reason?¡± Silence lingered. Her father turned his head to see her like that. His eyes seemed full of worries about what else she was going to do. He didn¡¯t have any faith. ¡°He shared his body with my maid. He even wrote a memorandum to give her the position of the empress when I die. You all know what I did, right? The nobles made an impression on their faces. Gray¡¯s bottom thing was cut off, and Elliot was blinded. Everyone seemed to agree that it was enough to annihilate the Imperial family, but they seemed to shake their heads at the afterimage that came to mind. ¡°But I found out a more interesting story.¡± ¡°Mary, what in the world did you hear?¡± ¡°What would you do if all this was planned for the throne in the first place?¡± Everyone was astonished by what she said. In other words, it meant rebellion. With an exclamation of nonsense, the surroundings became noisy. Of course, it was half right and not half. Is there no reason why she can¡¯t make it up? ¡°Yes, I was on a time limit waiting for the day I¡¯ll die. I also know that I gave everyone a hard time with a young heart to let them know my existence. I won¡¯t deny it.¡± Patting Duke Bartis¡¯ stiff shoulders, she turned around and beckoned. The guard came to her and gave her the documents. ¡°So I¡¯m going to correct it from now on.¡± Her father frowned at her words. He was seen leaning on the throne with a shocked face. He never would have thought she would touch them, and he seemed very surprised at the word of rebellion. She started reading the documents one by one. ¡°When I looked into the Drov family, I noticed an abnormal profit structure in your family. And it¡¯s estimated that the Arman family and the Bartis family also earned from working together.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Princess, please don¡¯t defame our family! It¡¯s unfair!¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, Count. I hate being cut off while talking.¡± She was going to rip it off if he opened his mouth one more time. She had no intention of saving them because she changed her mind, anyway. It was better to get rid of it if it interfered. Didn¡¯t they decide that, too? To get rid of her, to take her place when she dies. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you how the three families have been rolling in money and helping each other from now on, so listen carefully.¡± The Imperial family had no choice but to not know because it made money through the dark channels. Since the Bartis family was in a high-ranking Imperial position, it was easy to forge documents. Thanks to this, several businesses were secretly carried out with the names of other nominal families. ¡°They secretly paid for the children without fathers and sold them as slaves, and to develop medicine, children who were not sold as slaves were imprisoned and tested, and girls were¡­¡­.¡± She closed her eyes and took a breath. She looked at Arthur, trying to quench her anger. It was something he didn¡¯t show her yesterday. Perhaps he knew that if she saw this, she would kill them and get rid of them without worrying. He wanted her to choose what she needed, so it was more beneficial. It must have been until she said she didn¡¯t regret it he showed her the complete document. Chapter 61 Selfish Mind (10) ¡°They were used as a sex slaves and sent to other countries, and if they try to rebel or escape¡­¡­ They would do unspeakable things, such as cutting off their legs, scorching their eyes, locking them in cages and arranging fights.¡± ¡°His Majesty the Emperor! This is a setup. Why would we do that?¡± She certainly warned him. She doesn¡¯t enjoy being cut off. With a scant breath, she tried to hold Carl¡¯s sword in her hand. ¡°Argh!¡± At that moment, she heard a scream close to the Count¡¯s scream. People also screamed and held their breath. As she turned her head, she saw the count bleeding while kneeling on the floor, covering his mouth with his hands. Arthur stood in front of him. Holding a bloody sword, he was looking down at the Count, struggling with pain under him with a stony gaze. ¡°Arthur! What are you doing?¡± ¡°I just put the blood that was supposed to be on the Princess¡¯s hand on my hand instead.¡± Arthur calmly wiped the blood off the sword with a handkerchief. He knew exactly what she wanted. If it weren¡¯t for Arthur, she would really tear his mouth apart. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± The people gathered at the banquet hall were quickly terrified by Arthur¡¯s cold frozen words. The Count¡¯s wife was also so surprised that she collapsed on the floor and trembled. Arthur smiled and returned the sword to Carl, and continued to talk. Their eyes, which had compassion for her, had now turned into fear and horror. She approached the bleeding Count and smiled as she walked slowly around him. ¡°That¡¯s right. Everyone wouldn¡¯t believe it. But isn¡¯t it a ridiculous asset for a single Count to raise money? Or did everyone know about it?¡± Duke Bartis is listening to her. Soon, he asked for the right to speak in full courtesy. She loved his attitude and decided to give him a chance at least once. Even so, the results will be the same. Wouldn¡¯t it be more devastating to give a little hope? ¡°Princess, our family has supported the Imperial family for generations. There¡¯s no reason for that, and if I had done that, it would have already gotten into the ears of other people.¡± ¡°Is there really no reason for that? Duke, can you be sure that you¡¯ve never been greedy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor for our family to be here.¡± Honor. He was citing the honor of the nobility. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so she laughed. She felt sorry for those who shamelessly lied without changing once. There is no need to honor them anymore. If they didn¡¯t take off the mask, she could take it off first. She told them in a different manner and tone than before. ¡°Duke, the reason you keep this position is because my father condoned it. Do you really think it¡¯s the power of the Bartis family?¡± ¡°Princess, no more¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re rushing my life. It is foolish of you to affirm that there will be no one in this wide empire who is superior to your sons and family in many families.¡± In order to maintain relations with the aristocracy, her father must have hired them knowingly. It was obvious that they turned a blind eye to other people¡¯s outstanding self-control even if they took control. They are still overlooking one. ¡°You are making fun of me.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true, right?¡± ¡°Bring it¡±. At her words, a guard carefully handed over something piled up in the fabric. She spread it out. It appears to be a medicinal herb, but it was a poisonous herb that gradually made one lose their mind and become addicted and made the ego disappear and become an empty state. It was like drugs, but it was just a poison that made it possible to manipulate people. As if hypnotized, they move according to orders and become irresistible. ¡°With this, the Arman family filled their private soldiers with slaves whom they secretly stole and fed them to control them at will. Others might have seen themselves wanting to do it. Above all, you killed people to remove evidence if you thought the information was going to leak even a little to hide this. Am I wrong?¡± She looked at them as she put the documents in her hand on the table. Along with the noise of the nobles, it seemed confusing, as if they could not believe what came out of her mouth. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you believe it?¡± She took the poisonous herb and held it out to Duke Bartis. He unknowingly stepped back on the poison that came to him. ¡°If it¡¯s not, eat it, that seems to prove it. I think that¡¯s the most definite testimony.¡± ¡°¡­That, Princess.¡± ¡°What are you doing? Without trying it? This might be the herb you told me about earlier. I won¡¯t say I don¡¯t know this.¡± The poison was brought from none other than his estate. It wasn¡¯t just the Bartis family. It was hidden and cultivated along with medicinal herbs in the private land of the Count Drove and Count Arman¡¯s properties. They won¡¯t know. That the distribution destination was none other than Arthur. ¡®I didn¡¯t know he would have reached out this far, but I wouldn¡¯t have known if it hadn¡¯t been for Arthur.¡¯ Duke Bartis opened the distance from her with an awkward smile. ¡°What are you doing? Without holding him back? He says he doesn¡¯t like herbs, so I¡¯ll feed him.¡± Guards approached and secured him firmly on both sides. When one forced his mouth open, he shook his head desperately. She smiled brightly at him and put it in his mouth to say it was a medicinal herb. ¡°Ugh!¡± She forced him to close his mouth and swallow. His whole body trembled and his face was pale. ¡°Let me go.¡± Chapter 62 Selfish Mind (11) When the guards let go of the Duke, he sat on the floor and put his finger in his mouth to calm him down. Everyone came out silently and looked at the Duke. No one has stepped up. ¡°The Duke of Bartis. What¡¯s the use of spitting it out?¡± She smiled satisfactorily and said words to help herself towards him. Nobles with expressions full of astonishment, or with fear that they might be next, were seen. ¡°Barf. Why are you doing this to me?¡± She really liked it when she saw him shaking and crying. She looked through the nobles with a generous smile, ignoring his words. ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask you. How ridiculous of you to have used a baron to kill me?¡± This is a different story from the original. In the first place, Mary had no choice but to love Gray. No, it was made that way. When She, the imperial daughter of this country, dies, it is the upper nobles who actually come to power. Families who did not take over the blood of the Imperial family but were powerful enough to be on par with the imperial authority. Representatively, two other families who have become the main pillars of the Duke of Bartis, who is constantly vomiting on the floor because of tears and runny noses in front of their eyes. Darkness cast over their faces. ¡®You didn¡¯t expect it to come out like this.¡¯ No, they wouldn¡¯t have thought she would even know business. Arthur said that it was a medicine made to forget the pain, and that he knew it was a poisonous herb, like a medicinal herb, but did not sanction it. He was not interested in anyone else. Arthur¡¯s interest was only her, Mary Anastasia. ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding! We¡¯ve never conspired like that.¡± In fact, she doesn¡¯t believe everything Arthur says. But it was not her loss. It doesn¡¯t matter if they didn¡¯t try to kill her or covet the throne. They were people who would only interfere with her when she came to life. Their greed is endless, and even now, they have coveted more and more money, honor, and strength. You wouldn¡¯t have known if she hadn¡¯t looked at the number of soldiers or assets they had at first. ¡°The Duke of Hermann, the number of private soldiers you have, is more than twice that of the Imperial Guard, right?¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s wrong information.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know that with so many men, you haven¡¯t tried to kill me and sit on the throne?¡± ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°Ah, now that my father is alive, you may aim for my father, not me.¡± Her father trembled at what she said. The father¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He didn¡¯t know she would turn it upside down this much. ¡°Mary! There should be no lies in what you¡¯re saying right now! This is a serious issue because it is the same as trying to rebel.¡± He looked anxious when he saw her, who was ignorant and acted like a fool, swearing at the nobles. If there is a lie in her words that reveals all the bare faces of the top nobles in front of everyone, this will rather pose a great threat to the Imperial family. Other nobles who saw this would not stay still, so it was also understandable that her father did that. Not only has Imperial power not stabilized here, but there is also no male successor they want. ¡°There¡¯s no lie at all. I will ask the Duke of Hermann.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At the gesture, the guards stood on both sides of him. Duke Hermann was intimidated and tried to pull himself back. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this either, so I want you to give me a proper answer this time.¡± ¡°Princess, I really¡­¡± ¡°Ah! Everyone might be curious.¡± After clapping once, she smiled skillfully and nodded toward Arthur. Then the locked door opened and a half-awakened boy walked in. The pupils were hazy and the whole body was full of wounds. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Is he even human? So terrible. How could you do that?¡± The nobles who saw the child sighed and turned their heads. Some people were nauseous, and some people lost their minds because they couldn¡¯t believe what they saw with their eyes. ¡°Do you remember that kid? The child was sold by his parents as a slave.¡± At her gesture, the child trudged along. It was hard to sneak out with the child. She couldn¡¯t bring him in here as he was brought, so she gave him simple treatment. The face of the Duke, who was looking at the child standing next to her, hardened coldly. ¡°Duke, I have to say this. Your death will be more painful than what you have done to this kid.¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess.¡± ¡°Can you see? There¡¯s nothing left in the child¡¯s clear eyes. That¡¯s right, this child was abandoned by his parents and didn¡¯t have any money.¡± The Duke stepped back and shook his head. Her father also got up from his seat seeing no more and was furious. ¡°This is my fault. It¡¯s my fault for ignoring their arrogance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, dad. This results from avoiding what is in front of you. So, father, you have to correct it right now.¡± She didn¡¯t deny what her father said. Today, she was thinking of changing the law here before returning to the Bivlant Territory. She was going to point out the problem of the successor that they talked so much about. Before that, let¡¯s clean up these dirty things first. ¡°If you¡¯re more curious, you can read this document before you die. Shouldn¡¯t you see what they did before you die?¡± She threw a bunch of documents in front of the Duke of Bartis, the Duke of Hermann, and the Count of Liber, who collapsed while vomiting. And she smiled, giving her father the same document. ¡°Father, I want you to leave this to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay, if you want to do that.¡± They were eyes of resignation. Whatever he said, he knew that she, who had already done something, would not listen. Chapter 63 Selfish Mind (12) When the guards let go of Duke Hermann¡¯s hand, he lay on the floor and read the documents down. She could see his hands shaking. No more excuses could be refuted. ¡°Hey, honey, take it. Antidote!¡± Duke Bartis¡¯ wife, who came to her senses after fainting, urgently shouted for an antidote. Funny enough, people must feel pain as they believe it. ¡°Can you stop and wake up? Because what he ate wasn¡¯t poisonous. Or maybe he believed it was because he thought it was really poisonous.¡± Not that she couldn¡¯t get her hands on poisonous plants. However, she thought she would be satisfied if she revealed everything properly and they suffered the pain when their mind was fully present. The important thing they thought about her and didn¡¯t think of, was not on herself. And they were not on the side of the Imperial family or the side of other nobles. They are only on their side. Foolish people who were blinded by desire and did not even know if they were walking on the right path. ¡°Hahaha! Of course!¡± Hermann, who smiled like a madman, wrapped his face and soon washed his face dry. But when he saw her still looking at him with unwavering eyes, he seemed to realize that this was just a show. ¡°Just because the poison you brought is a lie, isn¡¯t this also poisonous?¡± ¡°¡­haha. I want you to stop playing around like this.¡± ¡°The Duke of Hermann. I can¡¯t believe you think this looks like a joke. You¡¯re a funny person. If you can¡¯t believe it, eat it.¡± She smiled gently, sticking out the remaining poison in front of him. Duke Hermann¡¯s expression quickly changed and distorted. He won¡¯t be sure if it¡¯s false or real. If he could think properly in this situation, it deserves a compliment. However, seeing that he has lost his soul, he must not be the one to do so. ¡°I think I have to end it now. Thank you for the engagement banquet, it was quite interesting, but I don¡¯t think the faces of the viewers were very pleasant.¡± The guards were instructed to trap them. Arthur smiled from time to time watching her do it from the side from the beginning to the end. Taking the child standing next to her, she looked at the wound and looked through the sinners with sad eyes. ¡®Arthur would kill me even if it wasn¡¯t me.¡¯ Perhaps the child will return and receive Arthur¡¯s treatment. It¡¯s luck that came by chance for the child, but if it didn¡¯t happen from the beginning, he wouldn¡¯t have to go through it. So she didn¡¯t dare to conclude that this was luck, either. ¡°You deceived the Imperial family and abandoned your honor as a nobleman. I will be put to death tomorrow because you have wealth and power in various ways, but not enough to do what you should not have done.¡± ¡°Hwa, Princess! What do you mean death penalty? We are still for the imperial family!¡± ¡°The couple must want to rip their mouths together. I understand the heart of your wife who loves the Count, so I¡¯ll do what you want.¡± The Count¡¯s wife was frightened and covered her mouth with her hands. She drew her eyes and continued to talk. ¡°You can look forward to it. I¡¯ll kill you most painfully and slowly.¡± ¡°Please!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you expect this to be the end? Oh, that¡¯s possible. If I died, this would have been your world.¡± ¡°¡­ anyway! The Princess will not be the Emperor! This is the law!¡± The guard¡¯s sword was pulled out and placed next to the wailing Duke¡¯s neck. The heavy sword shook her hands. But she supported the sword with all her might. How they say it, if that¡¯s the problem, it¡¯s enough to change it. ¡°Law, law¡­¡­. Then, it¡¯s enough to change it from today. Why do you think I can¡¯t be the Emperor, unlike you, the enemy of the Imperial family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use crying! The Arpen Empire that came down from generation to generation! Argh!¡± ¡°Say more. Because I¡¯m looking forward to how long your big mouth will flutter.¡± Her father had no other children. Because he loved her mother, he silently endured public opinion and that of other nobles. The concubine existed, but it was the same as none. So she was the only one who had the blood of the Imperial family. A legitimate heir and only lineage, no matter what anyone says. ¡°I am the Imperial Princess of this country. Are you denying my blood? Is it okay to understand that I didn¡¯t inherit my father¡¯s blood?¡± ¡°That!¡± ¡°Ask everyone. Who am I? Father, who am I?¡± She asked the nobles who gathered here loudly. Everyone held their breath in her calm but honest voice. ¡°You are the only Princess Mary Anastasia of the Arpen Empire. No matter what anyone says, you are the legitimate heir to the imperial family and the only undeniable lineage.¡± Carl bowed his head and knelt down and told her. Her father¡¯s eyes looked a little wet. It was tears of relief that he was no longer worried. ¡°You are the only Princess Mary Anastasia of the Arpen Empire.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a legitimate successor.¡± Everyone bowed their heads to her and said. It was only then that she folded her eyes and smiled beautifully, picking up the sword that aimed at the duke. ¡°Everyone says so.¡± The Duke lowered his head with a puzzled look. She put the sword on the floor and drew a smile of victory on her face toward them. This is power. She said she¡¯d correct it, but no one can refute her. If they did, they might sit in the seats of the family who were waiting for death. Chapter 64 Selfish Mind (13) After being taken by the guards, the atmosphere was not just chilly, but frozen. The nobles were in a hurry to read the room, and music had stopped for a long time. Now that she got what she wanted, it was time to find what she wanted to know. In a quiet atmosphere, she raised her hand and looked at the band. ¡°Everyone, you should enjoy it, alright?¡± She looked at the stage with a smile on her face. She started moving one by one to catch her eyes for a while, even though no one was coming forward. Some danced with their partners without hiding their puzzled expressions. ¡°You won as you wanted, so will you give me the award I want?¡± Arthur pulled her waist and whispered in her ear. ¡°What you want is me, right? I think it¡¯s enough to be next to you.¡± She smiled, gently pushing his chest away. Looking around, she couldn¡¯t see a silver-haired man. Again, she felt nervous and rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything else in front of me.¡± Arthur pulled her close to him as if he couldn¡¯t tolerate a little distance. At this moment, his eyes didn¡¯t fall off her as if he could see what she was thinking. ¡®At this rate, I can¡¯t even have a short meeting, let alone find him.¡¯ She shrugged with a look that she didn¡¯t understand what he was saying and hugged Arthur¡¯s shoulder. His hand, clinging as if he would not let go, hugs her again. ¡°I want to rest because I¡¯m dizzy¡­¡­ There¡¯s a terrace over there. I¡¯ll take a break there. Can you take a look after the others here?¡± Perhaps because she acted so much in pain, her facial expressions and actions that she was struggling with came out soon enough. Originally, her body was weak, but she felt a little headache, perhaps because she paid attention after a long time. If she believes that she¡¯s sick, it really feels like her body is sick. Arthur stared into her eyes silently. She also looked at him in his arms without avoiding his eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± He seemed to not want to allow it, but he gently grabbed her shoulder and took her to the terrace. Quiet silence welcomed her with open air. ¡°Come on. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if you were there where I wasn¡¯t to check the situation? You know what you want, right?¡± ¡°Of course, but you know I will receive compensation accordingly.¡± ¡°Whatever you want.¡± She didn¡¯t care. He smiled as if he would give anything. It wasn¡¯t the mind that mattered to me. She wanted more, farther away. Today was the first step. ¡®How can I meet that guy now?¡¯ Don¡¯t say that he¡¯s already escaped in the meantime. She bit her lips well at an invisible appearance. She leaned against a chair, closed her eyes, and agonized over how. In the end, should she be satisfied with only the agenda today? She sighed automatically, out of disappointment. She didn¡¯t know how much she could come out in the future. Of course, in order to strengthen her position, she had to show off her influence, but Arthur also had to give permission. Medicine. He had medicine to save her, so she was weak to him. With her head tilted back, she opened her eyes and looked at the sky. With the blue clouds, she frowned in the dazzling sunlight. As soon as she raised one hand and opened her hand to cover the light, she could see red eyes at first glance through her fingers. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Surprised, she removed her hand, and the face of the man standing behind the chair and looking down at her came in. With an interesting smile, the red eyes bent beautifully. She didn¡¯t know he¡¯d come to her himself. Was he interested in her, too? Or did he notice she was watching him all the time? ¡®Do you know what I want?¡¯ What is he going to ask, and why was he looking for her? The long silver hair reflected in the sunlight and sparkled. In a word, it was beautiful. ¡°It¡¯s you, right? The one who took the medicine that day.¡± She hid her embarrassed look and asked in a calm voice. She turned around and faced him. She was confused about the difference from what she vaguely saw, but the red eyes remained the same in her memory. Bloody eyes shook little by little. ¡°Did you find me because of that?¡± He blinked still at the disappointing voice from her mouth. The eyes glistened as if they were someone who wanted her for another reason. As if waiting for another answer to come out of her mouth, he looked at her still and not carefully. With a calm smile on his chin, leaning his arm against a chair. ¡®I will not give you the answer you want.¡¯ That way, he¡¯ll be more interested. He doesn¡¯t want an obvious answer. She thought she could get what she wanted only when he liked the answer from her mouth. ¡°Do you know this story? Rumors about people with red eyes.¡± ¡°Red eyes?¡± ¡°The devil who is possessed by a person to make it their own and then take their life. Anyone as beautiful as you would fall for it. Not me.¡± He was such a beautiful person. She was almost possessed, too. The moment she faced him, she thought he was really a devil, so maybe the rumor is true. His eyebrows wriggled slightly when he said no. He reached out and swept down his hair. Thin silver hair flowed down between his fingers. Chapter 65 Selfish Mind (14) Red eyes that contrast with the white face. Even though it was a color that she hated so much, she didn¡¯t hate his eyes. ¡°Are you really a devil?¡± ¡°What if?¡± ¡°Are you going to eat me up?¡± He grabbed his face by drawing a smile around his mouth. Go ahead and speak, whether he¡¯s the devil or is it just a coincidence? ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s someone who¡¯ll get mad if I eat you.¡± ¡°Is there something that the devil is afraid of?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin fun things myself. Well, I¡¯ve seen something fun today, so let me tell you at least one thing.¡± He grabbed her hand, removed it from her face, and covered her eyes with one hand. At that moment, she could see Arthur¡¯s castle in front of her. Screaming, and a tightly locked door that appears straight. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± At the voice of the man whispering in her ear, she reached out to the door that was firmly locked. Her heart pounded. The door, which seemed unlikely to open, creaked open with an old metal sound. ¡°Gasp!¡± Her vision brightened sharply, so she exhaled with a hot breath. As soon as she lost strength, she leaned against the chair and took a rough breath. ¡°What was it? What was that?¡± She definitely saw it in the door, but she couldn¡¯t remember. She turned her head to ask again and looked for a man, but he was nowhere. He disappeared like a person who didn¡¯t exist before. When she opened her palms with a tingling feeling, she could see the name. ¡°Nox¡­¡± His name was clear. As soon as she read it out loud, the name fell off her palm and scattered in the air. He hid his existence with the words see you. Did he say that if she calls his name, he¡¯ll appear at night? The reason he let her know is because he wanted her to call him. ¡°Mary.¡± Arthur¡¯s voice was heard with good timing. Maybe it¡¯s because of Arthur that he vanished. She wanted to ask about the medicine, but in the end, she got nothing. ¡®Does it mean that there¡¯s something in the castle? It¡¯s about the door, too.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter to me whether he was a demon that ate people or just a wizard. Her intuition says he knows everything. Maybe he knows everything about her. He is interested in her. It was obvious. She doesn¡¯t want to die either. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have shown up and saved herself. Arthur didn¡¯t seem to enjoy knowing that he had contacted her. No, he acted as if she shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Is the banquet over already?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t feel good.¡± Arthur narrowed his forehead while looking around. She looked through every corner persistently, like a person looking for something. He seemed to look for traces of Nox, but unfortunately, he completely disappeared. The banquet was scheduled to be held for about two days. It seemed to have ended today, but she had to stay one more day. Her father was the only one who welcomed this, but today¡¯s incident will lead to a distinct atmosphere at tomorrow¡¯s banquet. ¡®Now the force is moving toward me.¡¯ Those who are quick will try to impress her. And it was a great opportunity tomorrow. She was about to return to Arthur¡¯s territory, and they, too, would try to seize the opportunity because it was extremely rare to see Arthur outside. Standing on her side and having the power comparable to that of the Imperial family, she will be busy calculating by looking at herself who moved to seize the Imperial power. It remains to be seen how the remaining aristocrats would move. ¡°Looking at it, I think some families will move.¡± ¡°Really? Did you expect that?¡± The aristocracy would have felt threatened by this incident. Since there was no successor, the Imperialists had also stayed still and watched the trend. But now they will move as well. It was clear that they would come into contact with her. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see what direction they¡¯ll come out, but I hope they¡¯ll move as expected.¡± ¡°Why? If it doesn¡¯t go as I expected?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make it that way.¡± Arthur was convinced that it would be. This time again, he was unshakable. He just said as if everything would work out as he wanted, no, as she wanted. She also doubted nothing about what he said. Until now, he is not a person who talks nonsense. He was a great person to have if it didn¡¯t work out. If it¡¯s about her work, he¡¯ll make it happen no matter what she does. ¡°That¡¯s the answer I want.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. His Majesty asked to see you for a while.¡± ¡°My father?¡± He must have been shocked by today¡¯s work. There must be something he wants to hear from her. She nodded as if she knew. When she tapped Arthur with her hand as if to sit on a chair, he sat next to her silently. ¡°It¡¯s a perfect day for the red sunset.¡± ¡°Tomorrow will also be a good day for you. At the time the sunset embroidered the sky, the imperial palace will also turn red.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s view will be more worth seeing.¡± She leaned her face against Arthur¡¯s shoulder and closed her eyes. She hoped they wouldn¡¯t walk along the path she laid down, and she hoped they could see the blue sky together. She just hoped people wouldn¡¯t disturb her on her way. It¡¯s never pleasant to put blood on her hands. Chapter 66 Selfish Mind (15) She could see her old father leaning against a chair with a worried expression. As the human revealed only to her what everyone does not see, he spit out words with a deep breath. ¡°Mary, I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I chose it.¡± Her father still seemed unwilling. What will happen in the future was so difficult that it was incomparable to the present, and patience was also needed. ¡°You really believe that you can correct it. I can¡¯t understand you these days.¡± ¡°Father, no, your Majesty.¡± ¡°What? Why are you?¡± She, who had suddenly changed, did not seem to be understood for her attitude to want to correct the Imperial Palace now. A deeper emotional valley was revealed in the eyes, but it was not directed at her. Looking for her mother through her. The two look quite similar. Seeing that he is looking at her with a look that he hasn¡¯t seen before, this time her father must have made a pretty hard decision. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you, who are not even physically strong, will leave my side sooner.¡± He is the Emperor of a country. But now it was just a human figure who was afraid of losing his family. He had only one daughter. It was heartbreaking that she felt like she was the one who stole all of it. That doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯ll die again and call her in. Anyway, isn¡¯t Mary already in a situation where she doesn¡¯t even know she existed? So she has to live. She will survive somehow. Even if she¡¯s trying to fool herself. ¡°Father, I¡¯m not going to die. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve abandoned the idea of dying.¡± ¡°But you¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to live. At all costs.¡± Even if she has to sell her soul to the devil that people talk about, or if it is Arthur, she will give anything if she can buy it and at any price. ¡°I couldn¡¯t accept it because I thought I didn¡¯t have a place. For being a woman, even though it is mine and I should have it. So, I will regain my rights from now on. You just don¡¯t have to stop me.¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°As always, you don¡¯t have to do anything.¡± The confrontation between the Imperialists and the aristocrats that has continued so far, and the one who has only sat on the sidelines between them. Although not detailed in the book, nothing other than Mary was important to the Emperor. Mary was the only one left after his wife died, so no matter what type of Emperor he was, it would have been difficult to grasp reason. But if he were the Emperor, and if Mary was going to die anyway, he shouldn¡¯t have done it. He was also the father of a child, but he was the Emperor of the Arpen Empire of this country. ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand his heart, but it¡¯s irreversible now.¡¯ She should keep it. This country, and everything about it. ¡°So all you have to do is think of me as a daughter who always loves you, the only Princess, and a red-handed person. Will you cheer for me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, my only daughter. I will mobilize all my strength to support you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She approached her father, hugged him lightly, and asked for forgiveness. ¡®I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not your daughter.¡¯ Even if her end is death, she can¡¯t die comfortably by his side. The guilt that she has to carry for the rest of her life, living in Mary¡¯s body. Even those who ask for forgiveness were for her convenience. Even she was colored with astonishment in a terrible and selfish mind. Her father¡¯s expression came to mind, but she shook her head and blew it away. The time to be obsessed with the thoughts was also a luxury for her. She was going to get busy from now on. *** According to Mary¡¯s memory, she would always spend time quietly in a greenhouse in the garden as a child. She looked at plants or saw people with curiosity about other things outside of pain. ¡®You were lonely since you were young.¡¯ Those were unwelcome memories. Mary¡¯s memories, which sometimes pop out as she gradually gets used to being Mary, did not come out well for her. It was also painful for her because she had more difficult memories than happy memories. She didn¡¯t want to be confused because they weren¡¯t thrilled even now. ¡®Let¡¯s go out, it¡¯ll be okay if we get some air.¡¯ Squeak- The sound of the door opening in the quiet imperial palace spread. She suddenly stopped acting in the feeling of echoing in an empty hallway in a large space. She stared blankly at the hallway and walked along the hallway as if possessed. Somewhere in Mary¡¯s memory, she walked as soon as she could. Perhaps because of the influence of the memory that came to mind, the body kept moving where it was unconsciously remembered. She came out to get some air, but the purpose had already disappeared as soon as she opened the door. ¡°Garden?¡± She just walked like this to come to the garden? No, there must be something. Chapter 67 Selfish Mind (16) It was not a garden where she went for a walk every time, but a space on a narrow road on the other side. Like a maze, the road was divided into several branches, so it looked complicated, as if it could not be found if one was lost. She tilted her head because it didn¡¯t match the place in the imperial palace. ¡®Did I see this place even during the day?¡¯ There¡¯s no way something that didn¡¯t exist suddenly, so she guessed she didn¡¯t see it. She slowly headed inward, sweeping the tree with her hands. Darkness has already come to the Imperial palace. The garden, which had lost its light, was hovering in disarray. She was afraid, but she kept walking without going back because of curiosity. ¡®What could it be? The reason she made this.¡¯ She felt like she was hiding something somewhere, and she continued to go inside, being led by a strange atmosphere that kept pulling her. ¡®Hold on. Come to think of it, why aren¡¯t there any guards guarding it?¡¯ There were always guards belonging to the Knights Corps and members of the royal guards in the imperial palace. During the day, there was no escort knight, Car, so they were watching her everywhere in the name of protecting her. But she can¡¯t feel any signs here right now. No one saw it the moment she left the room. It may be taken for granted that she did not encounter a person in this wide imperial palace, but she was different. She was a Princess and was under surveillance and protection. Until the day, it was full of Imperial guards watching her just by turning their eyes. She was trapped in a maze and looked around, and she couldn¡¯t see anything. When she looked up and looked up at the sky, she could only see the stars with the bright moon. However, nothing was colored around it as if it were eaten by darkness. Everything was dark, as if there were no colors in the first place. ¡°¡­¡­ Nox.¡± It was a Latin word for ¡®night¡¯. ¡®Is that why he said he¡¯d appear at night when I call your name?¡¯ It¡¯s childish. ¡°But you must have thought of me when you saw it and called me.¡± Suddenly, she felt his breath in the neighborhood. Turning his head, she could see his silvery hair with a subtle moonlight. She didn¡¯t expect him to really show up, but at one call, he immediately appeared. There was only one reason to call him. ¡°Well, think as you please.¡± ¡°I told you my name, but I didn¡¯t know you would call me right away.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand what I¡¯m curious about.¡± If he¡¯s a devil, if he¡¯s really a devil. Can he sign a contract with herself? It was the same silver hair as her, but it felt somewhat differently. How did it feel when she held it with her hands? The afterimage of the day remained, so she clenched and unfolded her fist without realizing it. When she was with him, there was a sense of silence, as if nothing existed around her. ¡°Why did you call me tonight?¡± Already standing in front of her, he bowed his head and made eye contact with her. Swoosh- His hair flowed down from his shoulder and touched her. Again, it is a similar situation as then. The long silver hair shook slightly in the wind. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat me, I¡¯m going to eat you. You¡¯re possessed by me.¡± He smiled naturally and put his hand around his neck. She said it out of anger. She wanted to sign a contract, but she didn¡¯t have a guarantee that he would gladly do it, and if it was interesting to her, she had to drag him out even more. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty.¡± He had a more beautiful face than a woman. Silver hair with white skin that was more glossy than hers. His body, which fell out well with his jawline, also needed no other words. A lovely person no matter who looks at it. It was an appearance that had no choice but to be left out. Fortunately, she¡¯s a little more rational than him. The reason why he gave her his name, and the way he appeared as if he had waited for her to call him, maybe he was also possessed the first time he saw her. If the expectation was wrong, he would not have put his hand on her waist and pulled it toward her. This situation wouldn¡¯t have happened now, coveting the inside of her mouth as if she wouldn¡¯t let her lips go with her lips folded. ¡®Yes, eat me, and make a deal with me.¡¯ Nox slightly bit her open lips, and soon licked them slowly with his tongue, and came into her mouth, and gently brushed her teeth. ¡°Hmm.¡± With the night air, she flinched at the body temperature of Knox, who was icy cold. ¡®It¡¯s cold.¡¯ His lips were soft. The two entangled lips were definitely hot. The heat felt with his breath was bound with his breath. ¡®Just be eaten by me like this.¡¯ He might think he¡¯s eating her, but does he know that she¡¯s actually eating him? Will he notice her hidden dark heart? Because he¡¯s a devil, so one never knows. Maybe he¡¯ll notice what she wants. Chapter 68 A Clue (1) ¡°This is a big problem.¡± She could tell while kissing him in his hard arms. He was hesitating now. And she noticed that the cause was Arthur. She pushed his arms away, removed his lips that seemed unlikely to leave, and stepped back from him a couple of steps. ¡°I am greedy. Is it Arthur? Do you love him?¡± Love? Well. Can she say she loves him? With this emotion? No, does it make sense that she loves someone? If it¡¯s a feeling of love, it¡¯s like that. She looked at Nox without saying a word. Perhaps because of the deep darkness, she couldn¡¯t see his expression well, so she frowned. She answered, avoiding his gaze. She didn¡¯t know if that¡¯s the answer he wanted. ¡°I think I love you.¡± At that moment, Nox¡¯s eyes flashed. She felt like the moon in the night sky was shining on her. No, it¡¯s clearly shining on Nox. ¡°When answering, make eye contact. You should look at me and tell me, Mary.¡± A feeling of intimidation came over her to where she cannot turn her head. The strange airflow blooming around him was weighing down because it couldn¡¯t suppress her. She couldn¡¯t breathe, so she even lost her mind. ¡®Can¡¯t, breathe¡­¡­.¡¯ She struggled to see him, holding onto her fading consciousness. He was right in front of her. When did he get as far away as he did? As only incomprehensible situations continued, anger soared, as patience seemed to have been cut off. Why was there no decent human being here? Including her. She raised her hand, clasping her neck, and stared at Nox. He didn¡¯t stop until she reached her limit, as if he was going to take her breath away, stronger than he could tighten. ¡°¡­¡­As expected, I¡¯m greedy. I want it.¡± As Nox¡¯s eyes eased, the fear, and power that weighed on her disappeared. He kissed the back of her neck, where the marks of her hand, which she had tightened, remained intact. His eyes were still on her. The persistent eyes and unknown emotions stuck to the whole body, giving her goosebumps. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t sign a contract.¡± ¡°Then we won¡¯t see each other again.¡± ¡°You said you have a question for me, right? I¡¯ll answer one thing instead, on the premise that you will call me next time.¡± ¡°The medicine you gave me. Can I live if I take that medicine?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Nox seemed to have expected another question. Seeing that his eyes became smaller and bigger, he seemed quite embarrassed. Nevertheless, it was also surprising that there was no change in expression. Can people control their emotions like that? Was he really a devil, not a person? Other than minor changes, she couldn¡¯t notice what he was feeling now. ¡°There¡¯s only one question you can ask me. Mary, are you really curious about that?¡± Is she really curious? What else should she be curious about other than what she needs now? She had nothing to say if she looked like a wriggling bug to him, struggling to live. ¡°What¡¯s more important than living and dying?¡± ¡°For example, the seat of the Emperor? The things you can get.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nothing if you die. Status? Fame? Authority? Wealth? It¡¯s only meaningful when you¡¯re alive. It¡¯s important for me to lead a life and to have tomorrow even when I open my eyes. Other things are incidental accordingly.¡± Nox kept smiling around his mouth to see if the answer was fun. Even with her sharp voice, he did not care and encouraged the next answer. As if to tell her more quickly, the eyes full of interest looked like Arthur. ¡°As long as I live, it means I¡¯ll take care of everything else. So you can answer the question I asked. Whether the drug is something that can make me live or not.¡± ¡°Well, unfortunately, I can only answer in this way.¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the way or maybe not.¡± Her face crumpled. She didn¡¯t call him that night, only to hear this kind of answer. Of course, she didn¡¯t mean to call him?. She didn¡¯t expect to give such a sincere answer to the person whom she kissed and proposed a contract with. Without realizing it, she looked at Nox with a sharp gaze. He said he was greedy, but he doesn¡¯t even know how to capture people¡¯s hearts? He said he was a devil, and he was someone that would satisfy her desires. She was annoyed for no reason. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and turned around to get away from him. ¡®I didn¡¯t think much. If he knew Arthur, he wouldn¡¯t tell me easily. This was to get somethin, like a fool.¡¯ It was a blurred judgment of the moment. She thought she was already fascinated the first time she saw it after saying she wouldn¡¯t be possessed. In any sense, he may have been imprinted in her head and walked into something magical that she couldn¡¯t forget and couldn¡¯t help but find. A lot of time has passed and Arthur may now find her strange. If he found out that she met him, her weaknesses that she had difficulty hiding would be revealed. Perhaps he already knew how she would have acted. If that was it, if it was Arthur as he knew everything about Mary. Even she, who entered Mary¡¯s body, was always caught by him. ¡°Wow, but I can¡¯t believe you turned around at once. That¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Since I didn¡¯t hear the necessary answer, what else is left between us? I just wanted to ask you something I was curious about in the first place.¡± ¡°So cold-hearted.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for the devil and warmth to go together.¡± ¡°Your lips are quite warm. Of course, my arms would have been warm, too.¡± Chapter 69 A Clue (2) With a sly look, he stood next to her and walked naturally without looking forward, as he looked at her. She was angry because she felt deceived. She turned her head and looked at Nox. ¡°Think about it. The answer is already there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play with me, I¡¯ll really eat you if you don¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°No one will know if you eat here.¡± Nox¡¯s hand suddenly grabbed her wrist and waist and pulled her through the bushes. With a short scream of ¡®Argh!¡¯ her body fell over his. Lying down, she closed and opened her eyes and looked down at Nox. This time, she couldn¡¯t turn her eyes when his face was revealed in the moonlight. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re tempted, aren¡¯t you.¡± ¡°¡­ Let go of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready to be eaten up.¡± Nox hugged her around her waist and locked her in his arms. His voice which whispered in her ear shook his body without his knowledge. ¡®What kind of person is getting ready to be eaten?¡¯ After a long sigh, she relaxed her body as if she didn¡¯t know. Does the devil not have a heart? She couldn¡¯t hear the heartbeat that she felt when she was held in Arthur¡¯s arms. ¡°Nox, you can¡¯t feel emotions.¡± ¡°Well? I know you¡¯re angry right now.¡± Without a heart, does he know a love that makes the heart race? He won¡¯t know what he likes and what¡¯s heartbreaking. Because he doesn¡¯t have a heart to feel pain. ¡°Well, I¡¯m jealous. But in a way, it is also a pity.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m sorry for the devil. If others hear it, they¡¯ll laugh at me.¡± ¡°Think as you please. Because that is what I felt.¡± She tried to push Nox¡¯s chest to get out of his arms, but he didn¡¯t budge. She just stared at him blankly at what he said. ¡°You let go of me when I¡¯m being nice to you, right?¡± ¡°You can say bad things.¡± ¡°I might make you want to swear.¡± She smiled meaningfully, pressing hard on something that touched between the legs. Knox¡¯s forehead narrowed down now and began to smile awkwardly. ¡°Is the Devil scared of this, as well?¡± ¡°You¡¯re worse than Devil.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re letting go now, right?¡± Slowly, Knox¡¯s hand finally released her. She stood up, shook off her clothes, and looked down at Nox with a firm face. ¡°I made a guy a eunuch a few days ago. Can¡¯t I do the same to you?¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Startled, he tried to get up, but at the same time she raised her leg and shot it down. However, it was after he disappeared as if to laugh at her. Beyond arrogance, it was shamelessness itself. ¡°But what does it mean that the answer is out?¡± She felt suffocated as if she was missing something. As she came out through the bushes, she could see people who became confused. ¡°Princess! Mary Anastasia Princess!¡± ¡°Where are you? Please answer me!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to search everywhere without missing a single place. If I don¡¯t find her, the servants who couldn¡¯t protect her will die in my hands.¡± Arthur was seen washing his face dry with a sharp expression, along with the appearance of the knights calling her name here and there with torches. Anxiety and fear at the same time. When she saw it, she called his name without realizing it. ¡°Arthur!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Mary.¡± His expression of relief and anger rose to the face of discovering her. Nevertheless, he called her name in a calm voice. Everyone gulped and looked at Arthur still. The sword in his hand hovered with tension. He would never stab her, but everyone except her fixed their eyes on Arthur¡¯s hand. His face, which walked up in front of her, had only the first look left. With a crumpled face, a sword that fell from his hand helplessly made a clattering sound and woke up the silence. Holding firmly on her shoulders with both hands, he slumped down and bowed his head. Standing still in front of her, he knelt down and shed tears. She could not say anything because she could feel him sobbing as he hugged her leg. Why is he crying so sadly, what¡¯s so sad about it? It would have been an hour or two if she had disappeared. ¡°¡­Again, my¡­¡­I thought you left me.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°¡­Leave me¡­¡­ in case you never come back.¡­ in case it disappeared. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡­ I¡­ How long¡­ How long do I have to wait¡­¡­ I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll never meet you.¡­.¡± ¡°I got lost for a while. I would not leave without saying anything, so raise your head.¡± She wanted to see his expression, his face. In what form is he longing for her, and with what heart is he speaking these words to her? It would have been better for her if she hadn¡¯t listened or seen it, but at this moment, she was curious about Arthur. She wanted to confirm that she made him hers, who wanted her completely. The moment Arthur slowly looked up and faced her, she couldn¡¯t think of anything. He was truly in love with her. Even now, when tears were falling down, Arthur¡¯s hand, which held her, was shaking. His boundaries, which had never been shaken, were broken down. The way her father and Arthur look at her contains a reprimand. But she also stood in the room and stared at both eyes slowly closing and opening them. ¡°Why are you all making a fuss when I¡¯m just out for a while? I trust the Knights of the Imperial Palace. There¡¯s no way they¡¯ll keep it poorly.¡± He yawned as if it were insignificant. She has no reason to stand like a sinner and be looked at by them. Of course, she¡¯s a little sorry for the guards and maids, but she didn¡¯t cover their eyes. She didn¡¯t have to be sorry because it wasn¡¯t what she did. Chapter 70 ¡°But Mary, you disappeared for as long as two hours. Considering what happened today, it was enough for someone to decide to harm you.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it dangerous in the past? Then and now, I am the same time-limited Princess. Is there anyone who will get blood on their hands when I¡¯m known as a Princess who will die even if they don¡¯t kill her? They¡¯ll be crushed like a noble family who¡¯ll die tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look down on them too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. But it won¡¯t happen, so relax.¡± It was clear that no one would touch her for a while if they saw the state of the families who would die tomorrow. At a time when they were put to death for treason, there will be no crazy person to touch the mad, dying Princess. If they¡¯re not a fool, they¡¯ll watch the situation quietly for the time being. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡± ¡°Mary, but where have you been?¡± Garden. The place she went to was a maze garden. However, there was a high risk of hastily spitting it out of the mouth because she had to check whether it was real tomorrow during the day. If it was a space created by Knox, it would not exist in the Imperial Palace from the beginning. Is there anything he can¡¯t do when he covers everyone¡¯s eyes except her? What she got was the answer she already knew, and the deal failed. She had to organize her thoughts and situations enough before she called him again. If she speaks without noticing the answer he gave, he will immediately lose interest in her. So she has to make him keep his eyes on her so that he can¡¯t let go of her. ¡°Father, where would I go in the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Next time, tell someone and go. Isn¡¯t everyone going crazy looking for you?¡± The reason why she didn¡¯t talk was because she didn¡¯t know it would take time. Above all, she didn¡¯t know she would call Nox without realizing it. ¡®I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d show up just by calling out his name.¡¯ When she peeked at Arthur, his red eyes were back to their original state. His face was so peaceful that she couldn¡¯t believe it even if she told everyone that he grabbed her. What kind of expression would he make if he found out she met Nox? What will he say to her? She was so curious, but she decided to hold it in. Because she can¡¯t ruin everything over a small curiosity. ¡®He cried and held on like that, and now he¡¯s got lasers coming out of his eyes.¡¯ She¡¯s already tired because she thought they¡¯ll continue to nag next to her before she goes back to her room. She was quite surprised when she looked back on today when the expression that had not changed every time and the mask he had not taken off was broken. She felt unknown that he was reeling and unable to control his feelings because of her. But what is more certain about today¡¯s work is that the momentum has tilted toward her. *** ¡°Hmm.¡± Arthur¡¯s violent action made her trapped in his arms without even taking a breather. She blocked it with her mouth because she didn¡¯t want to hear the nagging, and he immediately overpowered her and laid her on the bed. ¡®He¡¯s furious.¡¯ She swallowed laughter inside his usual kiss. Where was Arthur, who was sweet, who showed his claws and bit her without hiding his feelings? As if reprimanding or resenting, he constantly dug into her. He put his two hands over her head and held it with one hand so that she couldn¡¯t escape as if he would never let go. ¡°¡­I told you not to disappear from my sight.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t remember that.¡± His gaze fluttered as he looked down at her. It was a dark room. Why are his black eyes so visible? Arthur buries his face on the back of her neck with a careful glance. Whenever a shallow breath touched, her body flinched and twisted without realizing it. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯d rather scold you. Or get angry. Oh, I¡¯m angry right now.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand brushed her cheek and slowly bent down. His touch, which slightly stroked his back, shook again. ¡°Warning.¡± His hands went down on her thighs and soon stopped. She also looked at Arthur with a strange look at his sudden stop. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Arthur covered her clothes, that were disorganized without a word. He loosened his strength in the hand that secured her wrist and lifted himself up and fell off her. Rather, it was her side that was embarrassed. ¡®No way, is he really trying to keep what he said? Why?¡¯ The words that he said he would sleep with her when she fell in love. She guessed he didn¡¯t just spit it out. Unknowingly, the corners of her mouth went up as she was fed up with his stubborn look. He¡¯s stubborn in a weird place. ¡°If it¡¯s a warning like this, I¡¯ll want to do it again next time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even kiss me first from now on. If you¡¯re holding it in, don¡¯t touch me for nothing.¡± ¡°Why are you holding it in? I said it¡¯s okay.¡± She had to make him want more. Always look at her, lose reason in front of her, so that he can continue to step up in her work. It may seem cruel to others to see her trying to live using his love, but it was Arthur who first said it was okay to do so. Chapter 71 A Clue (4) ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. You¡¯re not going to sleep with me, right? Ah, I¡¯m bored and lonely because I¡¯m alone¡­¡­.¡± He frowns at what she said, and soon lies straight next to her and settles down. Without looking at her side, he closed his eyes and reached out and pulled her into his arms. ¡°You told me not to touch you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Just sleep, I¡¯ll sleep.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± She closed her eyes, suppressing the curled up lips while being in his arms. There¡¯s an unexpectedly cute side to him that¡¯s surprising. Maybe Arthur¡¯s existence itself differs from others in her eyes.¡­. *** He really only slept. He didn¡¯t move in his first lying position. She shook her head when she opened her eyes at dawn and saw him in a proper posture. The more she knows, the more eccentric he is. Arthur¡¯s arm could have been numb, but he didn¡¯t take it out and was waiting for her to get up. As soon as he woke up, he was ready for us. How should she spend her time today¡­¡­. The execution of the three families is still some time away. It¡¯s too much to execute as soon as the day comes, so she decided to give them a little time to prepare themselves. The reason why she prepared in such a hurry was to see their last moments. ¡®But I think there¡¯s something missing.¡­.¡¯ What the hell is she forgetting? She felt like she forgot something important, but she couldn¡¯t remember. She kept thinking out of frustration, but she still couldn¡¯t think of it. ¡°It¡¯s been 3 days.¡± Arthur handed her a glass bottle. She took it for granted and drank it with the lid open. And one thing that came to mind at that moment. Three days ago, she didn¡¯t take medicine. She broke the glass bottle she received in front of the maid, so she didn¡¯t eat it for three days. And she didn¡¯t feel any pain during those three days. Other than the tolerable pain that she feels sometimes, the pain that captivated her every time did not come. Even though she didn¡¯t drink the medicine he gave her. ¡°Why?¡± She was confused. Did her body change because of the medicine she has been drinking so far? Otherwise, how can she explain this situation¡­! Oh! Nox! Was he saying that she already knew the answer he told her? Even if she doesn¡¯t take medicine, it doesn¡¯t hurt as much as before. But it¡¯s so¡­¡­ It¡¯s ambiguous. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Arthur, who was watching from the side, asked her. It was because her face was mixed with embarrassment and joy. She couldn¡¯t share this situation with him. The moment she says with her mouth that she didn¡¯t take the medicine and that she doubted him, Arthur will be as far away as he had been to her. Or, the broken boundaries may become thicker. He was hiding everything from her, but when he found out that she noticed something small¡­¡­. ¡°No, I think the pain is already gone.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you take medicine consistently anyway?¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes penetrate her sharply. He seemed to know that what she was talking about and that she was ?hiding something. ¡°Maybe because I¡¯ve been eating steadily, I think I¡¯m feeling better. It¡¯s just that kind of feeling¡­The person who made it knows better, right?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have that effect.¡± There didn¡¯t seem to be hesitation in his straightforward words. Indeed, it was certain that the efficacy of the drug was neither more than three days nor less. She was anxious to know what the truth he was hiding was. Her heart pounded and trembled with anxiety and impatience. ¡°You said you can save me. Is everything going well?¡± She nervously tapped a glass bottle and threw it on the sofa to smooth her head. His gaze was toward the mirror and his face standing behind her was seen in the mirror. ¡°Of course. Maybe it¡¯ll be completed in a little while.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes slightly bend and show a drowsy smile. With his low voice, Arthur¡¯s hand on her shoulder was suffocating. Tensions lingered with an unknown silence. Obviously, Arthur was smiling, but somehow she couldn¡¯t feel joy in his face in the mirror. There was only one thing she noticed at once in his smile. ¡®I know. This man.¡¯ Does Arthur really know what she did and what she¡¯s hiding? She hoped it wasn¡¯t, but somehow she felt like she could hear her heart. ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect news for you. Only to you, not me.¡± At Arthur¡¯s words, she snorted and overlapped her hands with Arthur¡¯s on her shoulders and tilted her face slightly. ¡°It¡¯s good news for you, not for me. I¡¯ll live, so you¡¯ll live.¡± She gently patted Arthur¡¯s hand, she got up from her seat and opened the door. Turning slightly to Arthur¡¯s gaze from behind, she closed the door with the words to try harder. *** She sat down with a face that erased her laughter. The expressions of the people on the sightseeing and the firm faces of the nobles were quite contrasting. ¡®It won¡¯t seem like someone else¡¯s business.¡¯ She looked away from them and looked at the traitors on the guillotine. It was only a few days ago, and the eyes that lost light with an emaciated face were absurd. She was sorry they were set as an example, but that doesn¡¯t mean she feels guilty. By law, deceiving the Imperial family and buying and selling slaves were death sentences in the Arpen Empire. Chapter 72 A Clue (5) Execution began with everyone watching. Eyes full of resignation suddenly turn into fear and fear. The moving pupils constantly tried to recognize the current situation. Death. Where can she compare it? Amidst the silence, the executioner announces the guilty in a solemn voice. ¡°The Drov, Arman, and Bartis families who dare to deceive the imperial family and try to seat a new emperor are to be executed.¡± Death penalty. The three family heads trembled and struggled to get out of the execution table, as if they had just accepted the fact that they were finally dying. As if he felt the pain of being cut off, he begged for help and began to shout that it was unfair. ¡°Save me! Princess! What do you mean treason? I was just trying to raise the honor and wealth of the family! How dare I rebel! How did my family do this to the Imperial family? Did you forget the ball?¡± The Duke of the Bartis family had bloodshot eyes, but he did not stop evil. His trembling body was revealed as if it showed his current feelings. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the Duke of the Bartis family is punishing you without destroying it?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do this to my family!¡± He turned to her angrily. Not that he was ignorant of the work of the Bartis family, but he went beyond the point. How long did he believe the ball of the past would support him? He was a dull and foolish man. Has he never imagined that things would turn out like this with such a good head? Oh, she couldn¡¯t do it. She was a Princess who was about to die. ¡°You should¡¯ve done that much.¡± She said, looking down at him in a calm tone. Of course, the smart brains of the Bartis family were not a waste. That is why, without destroying the family, only the life of Duke Bartis, who led the work, was taken. His children inherited his blood, were smart and were listening to sounds close to genius, and she was going to fill his place with his children. ¡®He¡¯s smart, so he knows how to behave.¡¯ The Drov family and the Arman family¡¯s children were also spared. Children don¡¯t have to inherit their parents¡¯ faults together. Arthur advised her ?it would be foolish to keep them alive. She agreed with that, but she couldn¡¯t. It will be a future change, but she also had to ?decide then. Because they can¡¯t be free from her. ¡°What¡¯s the last thing you want to say?¡± The executor asked the heads of the three families. It was a tone without compassion or any emotion. The people who were watching said, ¡®Die!¡¯, ¡®You tortured me so badly and it¡¯s disgusting!¡¯ and so on. Welcomed their deaths. A voice mixed with anger, contempt, and joy soon resonated in the square. Some of them may have sold their children, and others may have been lost or taken away. ¡°The Arpen Empire will be destroyed by that Princess!¡± ¡°Villain! Witch! You can¡¯t be a Princess!¡± ¡°Do you think this will change now? You¡¯re just saying you don¡¯t want to die. I¡¯m going to curse you again and again!¡± The three states fired fierce criticism at her. Without any remorse, they were blaming others until the end. They can¡¯t beg for something for themselves while they¡¯re dying. ¡°It¡¯s too bad that you died without seeing what happens to this country or whether I¡¯ll become an Emperor.¡± Compassion for them did not eventually arise. Only her stronger mind is in place. She has to keep this position and be dull for herself. Cahak. A sharp blade fell over their necks. She watched the situation without avoiding it. She had to be stronger not to be in that position. Three faces rolled around on the floor full of blood. She left the square with her father because she didn¡¯t have to keep her seat once it was finished. *** She stayed a little longer in the Imperial palace to accept the invitation of other families. Arthur also did not leave and silently performed his work by her side. ¡°Where are you going today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m supposed to go to the Jamar family.¡± ¡°Well¡­ If it¡¯s the Jamar family.¡± Perhaps because of so many invitations, she couldn¡¯t think of the family for a moment, so she took a break. She couldn¡¯t sleep for a few days, studied about the family, and learned about their work, so her head was pounding. ¡°He¡¯s a baron, but he has a pretty big mine. He is known to own a famous diamond mine in the Sate Territory.¡± Only then did he remember, and nodded. Sate, a small land in the south, was lined with different sized mines. Among them, diamonds sometimes came out, which were mined in the largest mine. The mine, which was not being purchased because they thought nothing would come out, was purchased at a cheap price by the Jamar family, and it was a hit. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over. All you have to do is start.¡± ¡°Okay, get out of here. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡± After sending out the maid, she took out a glass bottle from her arms. It¡¯s been three days since she had to drink again. She¡¯d been drinking it as soon as she received it, but this time she somehow hesitated. What if she gets used to the medicine and she can endure it without taking it? Wouldn¡¯t it be longer than 3 days? Chapter 73 A Clue (6) She looked still in the glass bottle. As she shook the liquid emitting blue light here and there, the light shone softly as if reacting. ¡®What is this made of?¡¯ Every time she saw it, it was a mysterious feeling and an unpredictable substance. After contemplating for a long time, she eventually drank the liquid. So far, she hasn¡¯t taken courage. If she falls down at this important point in time when she has to meet other families, the plan will be ruined. At least nothing should happen when she is here. When she felt comfortable, she thought it was good to eat it. Arthur was seen with a carriage waiting for her outside. He was always neat and dressed up. ¡°Do well today.¡± Arthur¡¯s one eyebrow goes up to see if he didn¡¯t like the hard way she talks. She revealed her feelings as she decided not to hide them anymore. At that time, she also suffered, so can she do this? So, why does he only put people to sleep with the heat on? He smiled as if he didn¡¯t know and grabbed her hand and boarded the wagon. ¡°Are they really going to give it away?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± Arthur replied indifferently, staring out the window at what she said. Arthur narrowed his forehead, perhaps itchy because of his slightly shaken head in the wind. Sitting opposite her, she slightly stood up and stretched out her hand to tidy up her hair. At that moment, the wagon rattled and her body leaned forward. ¡°¡­¡­This will not work.¡± Arthur breathed a long breath as he saw her in his arms. When she raised her head and looked at Arthur, unlike his words, a friendly look was directed at her. ¡°I¡¯m in trouble here, too.¡± As she tried to get out by pushing his chest, Arthur¡¯s hand pulled her waist harder. His lips, which had a soft smile, soon overlapped with hers. Arthur¡¯s warmth reached her intact. Squeeze his lips and his tongue gently squeezes through his mouth. He was caught and hung, and he slipped out and worn her out. As his breathing grew a little rougher, his thick, long fingers gently stroked his thighs. ¡°Hmm.¡± Since when did she get used to Arthur¡¯s touch? He lightly touched her sensitive body as if he knew everything about her. She knew it would stop here anyway, so she didn¡¯t shake off his deep touch. Until Arthur¡¯s hand, which was lightly stroking her back, came into the skirt. ¡°Ah, I know you want me. Shouldn¡¯t we be aware of where we¡¯re going?¡± Holding his hand, she escaped from his arms, organized her skirt, and sat back in her seat. Smirking and laughing leaked out of his eyes, which were despondent and embarrassed. ¡°I guess you suddenly want to believe that I love you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°See? I¡¯m in love with you¡±. Believe her, she came to love him. She hopes Arthur will be by her side and wants her completely. Arthur and herself exchanged eyes silently in the silent carriage. Even if she didn¡¯t say it, she could see his thoughts. She just felt it. He is confused now. This was because it is hard to tell whether or not her actions and words were sincere. ¡®You¡¯ve already become insignificant about what the truth is.¡¯ She hasn¡¯t changed. His mind toward her has changed. Arthur who really fell in love with her who became Mary. Because of his feelings, he won¡¯t be able to see the current situation and her heart properly. When people fall in love, they try to dream of a better situation and future. He hopes that this feeling of being the same as him is what it will turn to, and he keeps turning a blind eye to reality. Even though he knows he¡¯s not in her heart, he desperately wants it if he has a small hope. She was the same from the beginning. It¡¯s not that she really loves him or that she doesn¡¯t love him. She just accepted the heart of a man who loves her and kept him next to her. Even if she really loves him, she won¡¯t let him know her sincerity until the end. Just as he is hiding from her, there must be one thing that she will not reveal to him, so it is a similar situation. ¡°So, stop accepting it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be rational by my side anymore, can you? Arthur, why don¡¯t you admit that you finally fell in love with me?¡± He fell in love with herself completely, not with Mary, who he first told her about. She wanted him to say it with his own mouth that the love he spat out to her was false in the first place. Arthur didn¡¯t open his mouth until the end. He was determined not to tell her the answer she wanted. ¡®Well, unfortunately, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡¯ She didn¡¯t hear the answer, but she already got what she wanted. An awkward atmosphere could flow, but the relationship between her and Arthur, who got off the wagon, seemed to be no different from usual. He was welcomed by the Jamar family with his arms folded affectionately. ¡°Welcome, Princess!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d come this far.¡± With a light smile on the appearance of the Baron and his wife, who were overwhelmed with emotion, guided themselves. Looking around, it was a fairly large mansion. Even though he was a baron, his wealth seemed as good as most Count families. The clothes didn¡¯t look so fancy, and when she entered, the number of maids was smaller than she thought. Chapter 74 A Clue (7) ¡°I didn¡¯t think your Highness would really come because it was a shabby place.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than being extravagant.¡± As if not to pay attention, she shook her head and drew a smile on her face. The Jamar family has been ? good at geography for generations. ¡°The reason ?I bought the mine may be because of my unknowingly eye.¡±¡¯ It was safe to say that he got this mine because he was purely lucky. This was because everyone was so negative that they shook their heads at the location or soil of a large mountain. However, if one pays a little attention to the family and investigates it, it will not necessarily be a coincidence. Most of the high-value mines used to be found on the land where the Jamar family lived. Therefore, it was more credible to say that this was a good feeling than a pure coincidence. The Jamar family¡¯s assets will be about 10 billion won if not. It¡¯s well over the value of diamonds and mines that haven¡¯t been dug up.¡­. ¡°I¡¯ll tell them to prepare your meal. Do you want to go see the mine with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor for me to be guided by you.¡± He glanced at Arthur and nodded. Following the Baron¡¯s guidance, they rode a carriage for a couple of hours and started to see vast mountains outside the window. There were over ten mines in the Sate estate alone. Of course, not all diamonds came out. Only a few of them come out, but the others are just dirt hills. ¡°You must feel reassured since you got the biggest mine.¡± ¡°It was a mine I got by chance, but thanks to it, my family was able to withstand it without collapsing. I think it¡¯s a blessing to the family.¡± The Baron smiled brightly and accepted. Well, if she were to get a mine where diamonds pour out, she would be surprised. There¡¯s only one reason ?she¡¯s here. Identifying his property. The mine she faced after getting off the wagon was bigger than she thought. The miners continued to work, and diamond gemstones were being carried out of the cart. The Baron stopped the cart he was moving to show her and brought one. The diamond gemstone, which was fully visible, was about the size of two fingers. After processing, it will shine clearly and reveal its beauty. ¡°Beautiful.¡± When she saw the gemstone, she felt strange with novelty. ¡°I prepared a gift when I heard ?the Princess was coming. I¡¯ll give it to you when I get back to the mansion.¡± The Baron, who saw her reaction, talked to her as if he had waited. The Jamar family had one child, who was quite intelligent. It was clear that the Baron would be a good talent, only to be unable to see the light because of his status. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± She appreciated the Jamar family being on the side of the Imperial family, but it was obvious that their reputation and power were not very helpful. She doesn¡¯t have to come forward and scratch it. ¡°Do diamonds like this come out every time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still in the beginning, so I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll be, but I¡¯m going to dig it until the end.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± The baron tilted his head at her words. It¡¯s their mine, but it¡¯s strange that she¡¯s so interested. She handed over the documents she received from Arthur and compared the size of the mine based on Baron¡¯s words. ¡°¡­Princess?¡± The baron carefully called her to see as he felt unexpected anxiety about her behavior of carefully examining the paper. Contrary to the compiled records, it was 1.5 times larger than the size reported to the Imperial family. There was also a difference in the quantity of diamonds coming out. ¡°Since I said it in the beginning, I can at least continue to pay taxes. But Baron, as I see it, why does it look different from what was reported?¡± Tax evasion. No accurate property report was made. The reason she came here was to curb tax evasion. The Imperial power was not intact because the nobles were not paying taxes properly and their finances deteriorated because of their luxury and reckless banquets. ¡®At least the national treasury won¡¯t be empty if it¡¯s a tax paid by this much of a mine.¡¯ Although he paid taxes regularly, the invitation came as soon as it was strange for the amount of taxes that were written less than she thought. He may have reached out to her for his child, but she wasn¡¯t the one to move on. Currently, the nobles are looking down on the Imperial family. Even the Baron¡¯s family is deceiving the Imperial family and evading taxes. ¡°There must have been a mistake.¡± Only then did the baron seem to notice her purpose. He looked sorry as his face became red with embarrassment. Should she have let him fall in love with sweet dreams for a day? As soon as she came, she thought it was too much, but she couldn¡¯t stay here for a long time, so there was no other way. She didn¡¯t mean to punish them. She¡¯s just thinking of making him pay more. ¡°As expected! It was a mistake. If the baron had done it on purpose, I would have been disappointed.¡­.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ It¡¯s a mistake! I guess there was a problem in the delivery process.¡± ¡°Then we can rewrite it and pay the difference between the previous tax and this month¡¯s tax together. Oh, looking at the scale, I think I need to measure the tax again.¡­ It¡¯s a mistake, but if other nobles know, they won¡¯t stay still and stand up holding that you deceived the imperial family.¡± ¡°That kind of thing! It¡¯s a misunderstanding of the Princess. It¡¯s deceptive. I can¡¯t stand it.¡± The Baron shook his hand in surprise. Considering that his complexion has become contemplative, he seems to have heard of the death penalty that occurred the other day. ¡°What about this?¡± ¡°Uh, what¡­?¡± The baron looked at her with anxious eyes. Smiling brightly, she pointed to the mine and said. ¡°You said it¡¯s in the early stages and it¡¯ll continue to be mined, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Ten thousand¡­.¡± Chapter 75 A Clue (8) ¡°Then even if it¡¯s a mistake, it¡¯ll be burdensome to increase the amount of tax lowered by wrong measurements along with taxes that you haven¡¯t paid so far, so forget the past and pay 25% of the profits from that mine to the Imperial family from now on.¡± As she said, it feels a little raw, but it wasn¡¯t a bad condition if one looks at all the taxes that would increase by measuring the amount of taxation and new taxes along with the taxes that had been paid low with false reports. Above all, there is also a crime of deceiving the Imperial family, so what she suggested would not be the worst for them. Again, Mary¡¯s reputation is not very good. She was a wicked woman that everyone knew, and it was sufficiently proven a few days ago. ¡®It was said to be a crime of treason, but none of them really thought they tried to rebel by setting up Gray.¡¯ The Baron, who was agonizing over it, eventually wrote a contract, as she said. There was no place for him to back down. She said she could think and answer enough, but he didn¡¯t take it straight away. Even calling her here seemed to be regrettable, but it doesn¡¯t matter to her. This opened up the national treasury a little. The Baron, who eventually signed the contract given by Arthur, sighed quietly. On his face, his expression was revealed as it was. ¡°Shall we go eat now?¡± The Baron nodded helplessly as he saw her smiling as if satisfied. The meal prepared looked quite attentive. Beyond its old colors, colorful and enormous amounts of food were placed on the table. She was hungry at the moment, so she sat down and ate. Arthur cut the meat into pieces and soon swapped it for a plate in front of her. She, too, did not refuse his favor, stamped it with a fork and put a piece of meat in her mouth and munched. It was quite savory to have the right amount of juice coming out. Thanks to the Baroness, who knows nothing, shaking her head and raising the atmosphere, she ended the meal more pleasantly than she thought. Before returning to the Imperial palace, she handed a document to the Baron¡¯s son. He looked at the paper and her alternately with his round eyes. ¡°It¡¯s an upcoming recruitment announcement. He¡¯s smart, so it¡¯s not bad to stare at him.¡± The Baron¡¯s face, which was dying at her words, was lively even though he had to pay more taxes, he was happier that his child¡¯s work went well, so she couldn¡¯t hide her smile and moved her lips. ¡°Thank you for inviting me. May the luck of the Arpen Empire be with the Jamar family.¡± She got into the carriage with Arthur and headed straight to the Imperial Palace. ¡°It turned out much easier than I thought.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that. Why did you do that?¡± He seemed dissatisfied with informing his child of the job posting. That would be the case, but the upcoming recruitment was supposed to go first to the families that had continued. The results were also obvious, so there was no chance for the next person. ¡°Well, you¡¯re smart.¡± He shrugged, saying, ¡®Can you give me this much chance?¡¯ she wanted the Empire she would rule to be fairer than it is now. We can¡¯t extract all the deeply rooted evils, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to at least have a world where generations are replaced and their children are making the future? ¡°There will be a lot of opposition.¡± ¡°Do I look like I would fear that?¡± She meant if they still don¡¯t know her. If it had been like that in the first place, she wouldn¡¯t have done it. He may think she trusts and acts on herself, but he can proudly answer that at least it¡¯s not that much. What she believes in him is not to die, but she never thought it protected her from other threats. If she can¡¯t keep it to herself, she doesn¡¯t even have the right to be in the position. The only thing she leans on and relies on Arthur for is her life, a way to save her. Although it cannot be refuted if it is included in the fear of not dying. ¡°You may be concerned, but you won¡¯t be afraid. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to clean it up?¡± ¡°Exactly. Arthur, so you don¡¯t have to say useless for us.¡± Arthur smiled and shrugged, as if he understood her. As he held his chin and stared at her, he eventually put a clear smile on his face. ¡°I admit it. How can I not love someone like this?¡± Arthur¡¯s face, which gave her the answer she wanted, seemed full of affection and joy, not defeat. A smile spread across her face looking at him, too. *** The first thing she did after returning to the Imperial palace was to look through the information of all the nobles of the Arpen Empire. Since she had to attract the power of the family that could be of help to her in the future, she stopped by the Imperial library whenever she had time and brought the documents to the room. ¡°Are you going to look at the documents again today?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only a few days left before we leave.¡± She read the paper with her eyes without even paying attention to Arthur, who approached her and talked to her. Chapter 76 A Clue (9) To be honest, she was in a hurry. When returning to the Viblant Territory, she would like to bring a lot of information with her, but it was impossible because they were secret documents belonging to the Imperial library. ¡®It¡¯s a relief that the Princess can read it.¡¯ It was a first-class secret security, so only Imperial blood could be seen. Knowing all the information from other families could benefit each other, but there was a high possibility that it would harm each other. Maybe it¡¯s an alliance or a friendly relationship, because information was a weapon in a hostile relationship. ¡®But how did Arthur find all the information?¡¯ He brought her the information of the families she had asked for the other day. This meant that there was always a place where his power could reach the Imperial family. As she handed over the documents, she looked up without realizing it and stared at Arthur. ¡®What kind of person is he?¡¯ She watched him ?closely, but she still didn¡¯t know him. Recently, he smiles at her every time as if he has abandoned his calm expression. ¡°¡­¡­Do you have anything to say?¡± He came to the room in the morning and sat across from her, looking at her face, and eventually spoke out of his mouth. But the only thing that came back is a deeper smile than before. ¡°Can you see me now?¡± Did they decide to change the plan? Arthur, who acknowledged her heart, approached her more boldly than she thought. Maybe if she didn¡¯t remind him, it would differ from now. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me and organize the documents that are scattered.¡± He shook it with his hand and pointed to the documents that fell on the floor. It was a waste of time to even care about him. Because of whom is she buried in these documents? Thinking still, she got a fever. Even if he had not set a deadline, he could have leisurely reviewed it. Of course, there will be a lot of work in his territory, so he will be worried about what to do when he goes back, but he expressed his firm intention to go back with her even though he could go alone. Arthur got up from his seat and started picking up documents one by one. ¡®Why did you suddenly become nice?¡¯ She was the one who made him do it, and now she was embarrassed. It is also surprising that he acts according to her words, but Arthur puts down the documents with a smiling face on her desk. What¡¯s wrong with him? It¡¯s scary. Even if she wrapped her head around it and thought about it, there was no answer. In the first place, it was difficult for her to understand that crazy human being. She shook her head and tried to erase useless thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s just work.¡± Again, she unpacked a bunch of documents and read them down. The finger, which was lightly sweeping down the paper, stopped because Arthur¡¯s family name came out. ¡®Arthur Douglas.¡¯ ¡¸The Tayron family currently rules the Viblant Territory. No one wanted to receive the land because it was difficult for people to live because it was barren. It is said that everyone was surprised that the Tayron family, who won the war, readily said they would rule it. Barkermann Douglas, the first-generation family owner,surprisingly revived the territory ?and the Tayron family¡¯s prestige has also increased day by day.¡¹ ¡®When she first saw Viblant, she thought the atmosphere was bleak, but it didn¡¯t seem barren.¡¯ She remembered looking around the village, but it differed greatly from the recorded information. It¡¯s been 100 years, so it could change, but that doesn¡¯t mean the land will change easily.¡­. ¡°It¡¯s about my family.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± She felt Arthur¡¯s body temperature on her back and she heard a voice as well as when he was watching. She wasn¡¯t guilty, but she was surprised and almost blew the paper away. ¡®Why! Why! Why aren¡¯t you giving me a heads up!¡¯ Obviously, he was organizing the documents a while ago, but he came back silently in a moment. Every time he did this, she touched her chest without realizing it. ¡°Arthur, please give me a sign.¡± Should she learn to read at least one sign? When she goes back, she¡¯ll ask Carl to learn how to read people¡¯s spirits somehow. If he did this, she would die of a heart attack before the disease. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, why don¡¯t you ask me? This is how the parties are close by.¡± He hugged her from behind and grabbed her hand, holding the document. Arthur¡¯s face was right next to him and sneaked away from him, and he tilted his head slightly and stared at her. ¡°How did you revive the Duchy in 100 years?¡± It¡¯s been 100 years. The Viblant Territory was not a small territory and was quite large. At that time, the scenery she saw in the wagon was well-equipped with a fairly good assortment of trees. ¡°Are you curious?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m curious about everything about you.¡± She took off the hand holding the document and touched Arthur¡¯s cheek. Arthur lifted his hug as if he were satisfied with her behavior and took out an empty paper next to her. The pen glided over the paper. On the map drawn in an instant, her eyes became round, and she looked very excited. Chapter 77 A Clue (10) ¡®I¡¯m really curious about who you are.¡¯ He is so versatile that he can do everything. And no mistakes or defects could be found. Except for that day. ¡®The problem is that it was lovely from her point of view to say that it was a flaw.¡¯ She didn¡¯t like tears very much, but she didn¡¯t hate Arthur¡¯s tears strangely. It was an unavoidable reason. ¡°This map currently includes neighboring countries drawn around the Arpen Empire.¡± ¡°Did you memorize this?¡± Now that she had no power to be surprised, he shook his head. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you conquer it? I think we¡¯ll still have a country left.¡± He told her when they first met, but she couldn¡¯t help but ask again. Perhaps the world here is in Arthur¡¯s palm. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve never done it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯ve done it.¡± He continued to say that death was repeated. When she remembered it, everything was solved. It would be 100 years for others, but she didn¡¯t expect how many days it would have been for Arthur. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you ask for another territory?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that. Because it¡¯s not mine.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to make it your own?¡± His words were strange, and he shook his head. Arthur continued to talk about whether he had any intention of explaining her questions. ¡°So I¡¯m going to put it in your hand this time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This one.¡± He smiled brightly as he handed her the map he drew. For no reason, she got annoyed, pushed his face away, and pulled the document toward herself. ¡°I thought you were telling me about your family, since I¡¯m working on it.¡± She turned her head coldly, saying she didn¡¯t need it because it wasn¡¯t what she wanted. Arthur put his chin on his head, smiling more than before to see what was so good. ¡°There are many secrets in the Viblant land. As you may have felt, there are secrets that no one knows. There¡¯s something that even I can¡¯t control it at will.¡± The Devil. When she heard Arthur¡¯s words, Nox immediately came to mind. It was dangerous to call him in the Imperial family, so she was going to call him when she went back, but she was also worried about the schedule being late. ¡°It¡¯s amazing that you can do anything you want.¡± She spoke plainly and read the documents carefully about the Arthur family again. He just looked at her still, tapping the desk with his hands to see if he had no intention of stopping her now. His fingers made regular sounds and soon stopped. ¡°Mary, your heart.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the things I can¡¯t have as I please.¡± ¡°This is really cheating.¡± She kept reading information about his family, keeping her head fixed. ¡¸When entering the territory, everyone is unconscious, and memories often disappear. According to a person who has not lost consciousness, something like fog surrounds the land, which is thought to be caused by rivers located around it. A legend comes down from the Viblant land.¡­.¡¹ After that, it was what she knew. After handing over a few pages, she hurriedly covered the document while looking at the last article. ¡¸One strange thing is that the faces of the Tayron family members are surprisingly the same.¡¹ ¡°Is it okay to have these words written on it?¡± ¡°There were no people who were particularly interested in me, so I just didn¡¯t care.¡± He looked indifferent to whether no one was important to him except her. It really didn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with Arthur because she already knew it. ¡°But what if someone thinks it¡¯s weird?¡± Her father must have seen this record, but why is he calm? ¡°Mary, you¡¯ll understand me if you find out how many times I¡¯ve repeated the past.¡± ¡°How many times did you repeat? The documents you showed me then¡­It wasn¡¯t everything?¡± She thought he showed her everything, but it wasn¡¯t everything. At that time, the documents alone were huge. But how long has he been waiting for Mary to hold his hand? The efforts to save her and the way she lived here may have been exhausting for him. ¡°Oh, I should¡¯ve told you earlier.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes grew and became smaller as if he realized something by looking at her stiff expression. ¡°The way you look at me shows compassion.¡± ¡°Compassion isn¡¯t a good thing.¡± ¡°Because those eyes that used to look at Carl are now mine.¡± He lightly stroked her cheek with a pretty satisfied face. His eyes sparkled as if he wanted something more. She has learned more about what he thought about Carl, but it was not pleasant. It was also her who made it like that, but it was her mistake that the way she looked at Carl showed her feelings. What Arthur knows is that Carl knows, too. He has been hurt not only by her actions but also by her eyes. Arthur suddenly hugged her face. He made her look straight at him, and soon, unlike before, his forehead narrowed, and he covered her mouth with his mouth. Surprised by the sudden kiss, she opened her mouth without realizing it. Without missing the gap, Arthur dug inside and breathed hot air. ¡°I can¡¯t allow you to think about other men in front of me.¡± With a short word, Arthur locked her in his arms. Arthur, who coveted her mouth somewhat roughly, soon lifted her up and laid her down on the desk. Chapter 78 Unanswered Questions (1) His touch was relentless. There was no hesitation, no sign of stopping. She just felt his thirst for her. Grasping Arthur¡¯s hard chest, she pushed him slightly to catch her breath in a rather rough kiss. ¡°Will it be okay?¡± At her sudden question, Arthur¡¯s hand dug into her thigh and stopped. ¡°At this moment when I¡¯m thinking of another man, there¡¯s no guarantee that I won¡¯t continue to do so.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In other words, she might think of Carl even at the moment she shared her body with Arthur. It was the worst she thought, but she just said it honestly because it wasn¡¯t too much. She can continue pretending not to know, but she didn¡¯t want to. Arthur¡¯s forehead has been skillfully narrowed. Sliding down. Arthur kissed her forehead lightly without saying a word and straightened up the rolled skirt. He lightly lifted her lying at the desk, sat her in a chair, and organized the documents as if nothing had happened. ¡°Are you offended?¡± ¡°When we go back to Viblant¡±. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°At that time, you¡¯ll have to focus entirely on me.¡± Arthur, who regained his expression before he knew it, calmly spit out his words. Now she can imagine a little bit whether she can see the hidden expression or what he is thinking inside. ¡®Contrary to what he said, he was angry.¡¯ She pretended not to know and stared at Arthur. Seeing that he doesn¡¯t make eye contact, he seems to have quite a temper. After organizing the documents one by one and putting them on the desk, he left the room, saying he remembered something he had forgotten. Thanks to him, she could review all the documents comfortably. Looking at the window, the sun went down and the night came. While shrinking in the cool wind, she opened the window wide and slightly leaned out at the thought of an instant. She called his name quietly, recalling him like the night. ¡°Nox.¡± After a short time, she opened her eyes and looked around, but Nox was not seen. Just in case, she looked under the window and at the sky, but she couldn¡¯t find his shape anywhere. ¡°What? He said he¡¯d appear whenever I called his name.¡± He, who seemed to appear right in front of his eyes as he did then, did not come?. ¡°Nox, Nox, Nox, Nox.¡± She had said it several times, but only the icy wind lingered around her. She thought hard, but she couldn¡¯t think of any other way. ¡°Princess! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± The guard who found her downstairs shouted in surprise. She shook her hand as if she didn¡¯t care, but the Guardsman, who had contemplated, reached out to her as if he had misunderstood and acted as if to calm down. ¡°Ca, calm down!¡± Calm down? Seeing him giving a glance to the side, she guessed he thought she was going to jump. Do you think I¡¯m crazy enough to jump off here? Otherwise, why are you making such a fuss? ¡°I¡¯m not jumping, so don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± ¡°Ar, are you serious?¡± She, who was lazy to answer, slowly leaned back toward the direction she had gone out. She heard a commotion from the bottom, but she closed the window and sat down in a chair. ¡°What the heck?¡± In the end, Nox, who didn¡¯t show up in the end, didn¡¯t feel bad. ¡°How can I meet him again if he doesn¡¯t come when I call his name?¡± The only way to call him out was to call his name. She got goosebumps with an unknown feeling. ¡°What is this? This dull feeling.¡± Perhaps because of the temperature, the chill down the spine gave a bad feeling. ¡°¡­Arthur.¡± Arthur, who was with her during the day and left his seat, came to mind. At the same time, Nox, who did not come even if he was called, was strangely irritated. Is this a coincidence? ¡°I should go back and say it again. It¡¯s dangerous because there are a lot of people watching here.¡± Otherwise, she may be misunderstood for acting strangely. She quickly folded the papers, she went back to bed and begged for patience. Apparently, Arthur wasn¡¯t coming back tonight either. If her expectations are right, he will be with Nox now. *** It was so bright it was blinding. She crouched down and dug into the blanket because she didn¡¯t want to get up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wake up.¡±¡¯ Perhaps because of excessive work for several days, she felt heavy. She melted helplessly into a strong force as if someone was weighing on her above, or as if the bed were pulling her. Knock, knock, knock. She sighed deeply at the sudden knock and woke up. If she didn¡¯t answer, they were about to wake her up until the end, so she gave up and answered in a dreamy state. ¡°Princess, are you awake?¡± ¡°Yeah, come on in.¡± As expected, it was a maid. She was glad to see her after a long time. Of course, she didn¡¯t make it obvious. It seemed the same for the maid. When she saw herself face with a better complexion than before, she had a bright smile. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave tomorrow, so I brought this because I thought it¡¯d be nice to read before that.¡± The maid gave her a book. The cover was stamped with Imperial seals. When she looked at her with a strange expression, the maid only said a short word that her father had told her to deliver. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± ¡°Should I help you prepare according to your schedule today?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you if I need you, so don¡¯t let anyone in until then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 79 Unanswered Questions (2) She didn¡¯t talk to her anymore, only asking what she needed. The maid just looked at the room and checked with her eyes to see if there was any inconvenience. ¡°I¡¯m not in any pain, so just go away.¡± The maid was so happy about what she said, but her face revealed an indescribable relief. It may not be because of the mood that the back of the maid looks light. ¡®How can she be like that, even though I treated her so harshly?¡¯ She felt sorry again for her consistent appearance but still didn¡¯t ask her name. She turned her eyes from the closed door and opened the book. At a glance, it looked quite thick. Looking at the full text, they were stories about the imperial family that had continued so far. ¡°That¡¯s an imperial record.¡± It was a book that she didn¡¯t even see in the library. In other words, it was a record that no one other than the Emperor could see. What did her father want to show her? She still read the book and sat down. From the first history of the Arpen Empire, the achievements of the predecessors and stories about them were written. And there was not a single female monarch. It was because of the law that continued. On the legal page of the Arpen Empire, there was a clause stating that even an enemy could not succeed to the throne. ¡°You wanted to show me this.¡± This afternoon, a noble meeting was scheduled on the agenda for the reformation of the law. She was going to officially eliminate this provision and believe it will. She also knows that no one will be able to object. She looked closely at the law to see if there was anything else to fix. Property reporting system and tax laws, etc., in which the power of aristocrats is bound to increase. She organized her suggestions by writing them down on paper. After getting out of bed and binding her hair, she checked the items?. They were laws that didn¡¯t make sense even to her who knew little about the law. It has long been a custom that has been hardened by law. ¡¸A woman cannot continue the family, and if there is no descendent, she will adopt. Nobles cut taxes in half because they contributed greatly to the country. (50% commoner of reported amount and 70% of reported amount of other classes for noble families) The children of noble families can enter each school without an exam if they have a certain contribution. When a noble family commits a crime, they are forgiven and return home after paying a fine. (Other classes are punished.) However, this does not apply to the crime of contempt or treason towards the Imperial family. Ranks other than nobles do not rise to a position higher than all nobles.¡¹ ¡°What the heck?¡± Her head was pounding, so she put down the paper and sighed. It didn¡¯t seem to be over in a day. She thought her father had been thinking about it until today. She was confused whether this was really right, and ?whether he trusted her. ¡°But you should¡¯ve given it to me sooner. It¡¯s going to be a long fight today.¡± When she looked at the time, it was already past 10 a.m. The nobles would gather at 5 p.m, which left her with about 6 hours. Even if she set the preparation time quickly, she had to set the time for an hour, so the given time was not very long. It will not be easy to change all laws in a short period. However, when their spirit was dampened even a little, she can press them down to see less backlash. ¡°I¡¯ll try it.¡± Their weaknesses, or what she needs to conquer, have been around for a long time. Perhaps the families who will take part in the meeting will think that she didn¡¯t know all about them. Just a while ago, she was just a dying Princess who was not interested in the country. Knock, knock, knock. When she glanced at the clock at the sound of another knock, it was already 5 p.m. Her neck was stiff and her wrist was sore because she looked through the documents nonstop. Only then did she stretch and get up. ¡°Come on in.¡± She was not hungry because they brought her food earlier. Rather, her motivation was burning up. ¡°I think we need to prepare.¡± ¡°The Grand Duke?¡± She remembered Arthur, who was still missing, and asked where he was. A familiar figure was seen behind her. Maybe he heard her voice looking for himself, but he smiled around his mouth. ¡°Why are you looking for me when you haven¡¯t seen me just for a day?¡± ¡°I know, right? Where have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to bring something that you might like.¡± Arthur approached her and handed her an envelope. There were several sheets of paper in it, so when she took it out one by one, it was a memorandum stamped with the family¡¯s disruption. ¡°In the upcoming proposal, do you promise that your family will not refute or oppose the words of the Princess?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it says.¡± He seemed to want a compliment from her. Meeting five families in one day was not very difficult, but it is by far impossible to obtain a memorandum. ¡°How did you do this?¡± This would make it easier to propose a law, but she couldn¡¯t readily accept it because she didn¡¯t know why they wrote this memorandum. ¡°Ah, if this memorandum¡­¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. But there will be no harm or problem to the Imperial family, no Mary, to you.¡± Chapter 80 Unanswered Questions (3) ¡°How can I believe that?¡± ¡°Mary, it¡¯s just your choice to trust or not, and I just give you a better choice.¡± He sat opposite her suspicious eyes, held his chin, and pointed at the document with his eyes. The memorandum of the five families at the desk was a great temptation for her. ¡®There¡¯s no reason to refuse.¡¯ Noble families attending the meeting can change the law only if more than half of the families attending the meeting agree. Of course, withdrawal was the same. ¡°Thanks to you, it¡¯s going to be easy.¡± Folding the documents and she put them in the drawer with the envelope. He smiled brightly and said as if he liked her behavior. ¡°I¡¯ll get compliments later when the two of us are together.¡± She stood up from the seat where she gently patted Arthur¡¯s face. As soon as the maids came in, Arthur left for a while. Memorandum of five out of twelve families. The heads of the three families that had to attend had already flown away, so even if their successors attended on their behalf, they were less likely to oppose. Above all, the vacancy that was not present every time the Tayron family was filled. It was Arthur¡¯s seat. In other words, nine votes in favor were secured. The maid looked strange when she was not nervous even at the meeting, which will begin soon. In addition, she said, looking at her slightly at the corner of her mouth. ¡°You look happy.¡± ¡°Why? Are you nervous?¡± ¡°No, the Princess will do a good job.¡± The maid shook her head, hurriedly erasing the anxiety revealed by her expression. He seemed to be at a loss because of the strange change in people. Silence flowed, and the maids focused on dressing up with their mouths closed. In a few hours, I will be a legitimate successor. If the bill was passed, it would be officially announced. Unlike usual, it was a calm and elegant dress. The gold pattern embroidered on the white dress shone even more. The necklace with the imperial seal, along with the neat decorations, seemed to show everyone who she was. When all preparations were completed, she headed to the conference hall with the documents she had organized. *** ¡°Princess Mary Anastasia is here.¡± When the door opened with the guide¡¯s words, everyone stood up and greeted her. Everyone stared at her with a firm face. Except for Arthur, who¡¯s smiling. ¡°Sit down, we have a lot of agendas, so let¡¯s move on quickly.¡± When she put the documents on the table, all eyes were focused on her. With anxious eyes, they glanced at each other on the cover stamped with Imperial seals. ¡°We haven¡¯t even started. Are you scared?¡± ¡°Aheum, aheum.¡± Coughing, she struggled to soften her expression. It was a mandatory meeting every time, but they also knew it would be different today. ¡°Do as you normally do. People might think I¡¯m eating you up. Today¡¯s meeting will begin with what we said earlier about the right to succeed to the throne.¡± She sat still and looked carefully at the representatives of each family. Some families who thought this meeting would end with their victory also straightened their shoulders and looked at each other. ¡°Anyone who has inherited the blood of the emperor, having abolished the right of succession to the imperial throne, has an equal status. This is the first agenda item.¡± ¡°But according to the law that¡¯s been going on so far, it¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we want to change it? Didn¡¯t the Emperor take over the Emperor¡¯s blood? Are you denying my blood?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± It was the Helberta family from the west who opposed her. Since he was a relative of the imperial family, there was a high probability that his child could receive succession rights if she did not become an emperor. ¡°Do you have any complaints about finding my rights?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Is there any reason why I can¡¯t be the emperor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll ask everyone. If there is anyone who opposes this, you can speak. However, you will have to give a justifiable reason for it.¡± Everyone held their breath. She clapped her hands and smiled brightly at the same time. ¡°Then let¡¯s say that this agenda has been passed. Starting tomorrow, I will have legitimate succession rights as a successor to the Emperor. Doesn¡¯t it feel like I¡¯m finally finding my place?¡± ¡°I think so, too.¡± Arthur shrugged in agreement with her. Helberta distorted his expression, chewing on his lips. ¡°Next, we should talk about the taxes of the nobility.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s tax, what kind of..¡­? We still pay a lot of taxes.¡± ¡°Cut it in half? As a result of estimating and organizing the property with the reports of each nobleman, there was no family paying properly.¡± ¡°Princess Anastasia, we lend local supplies instead¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I am paying interest. It¡¯s been called twice.¡± As expected, he rebelled against her and expressed his opinion that it was unfair. Even though they did not even pay taxes properly, they are being treated appropriately for lending supplies to others. They were talking. ¡°Ha ha, I think you know something is wrong. What do you mean, double? I don¡¯t think the Princess knows because she doesn¡¯t watch the affairs, but the interest set by the country is about 5%.¡± ¡°Right? I must have received the wrong report. There is no way that noble families would do such mean things. They¡¯re people who can¡¯t live because of their honor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chapter 81 Unanswered Questions (4) The judges were twisted when they saw the sinner telling lies without blinking an eye. But this was also expected, so she closed the papers and smiled. ¡°So from now on, I¡¯m going to manage the items supported by the aristocrats in the Imperial family. Does it matter who takes care of it anyway? Apparently, each family provides a certain amount of support every time, and everyone is busy, so I¡¯m trying to ease their work.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my consideration. If I do it in the Imperial family, there will be more trust, right? I think it¡¯s a good thing for both the noble family and the Imperial family.¡± She brought it up with this intention from the beginning. Along with one more job increase, it is also involved in overcoming the momentum of the aristocratic families and narrowing their position. They will easily be reluctant to give up the seat they occupy. So she has no choice but to create something new to work and give it a chance. ¡°There¡¯s too much to manage in the Imperial family, so you won¡¯t have enough workers.¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re worried about the imperial family¡­¡­ Do you need any help?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s a way you came up with, so tell me.¡± Arthur, who was silently watching this, answered to see if she noticed his intention. The answer to that was simple. ¡°Do you know the meaning of support? I thought you didn¡¯t know that.¡± Their faces were distorted to look good at the random words. And smart people soon noticed the hidden meaning of the words. ¡°It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s enough to hand it out to those who need it. Do we really need to collect them? The list of those who receive it every time must have been prepared.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t the regions and numbers of people receiving it different?¡± ¡°If you set a date and set a quantity, that is final. Don¡¯t you think so? Of course, the Imperial family will kindly inform the people of their location and method.¡± The mouths of the nobles were firmly closed as the fairly specific alternative. Even if she refuted what she said anyway, they couldn¡¯t object. It depicted that he was only upset because he knew that it would be bad for them to show hatred to her, who was already in power in the winning fight. ¡°Or do you have a better alternative?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No. I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Other than that, if there is no descendant to succeed each family, I will also revise the fact that they have to adopt a son.¡± ¡°What kind of¡­? It¡¯s our job. Until the Imperial family needs to intervene.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just to give equal rights to women. While the Princess is also becoming a legitimate successor, if the noble family prevents it within themselves, isn¡¯t this unfair treatment?¡± The nobles said nothing else about this because it was just one addition. Thanks to this, it passed easily. Knowing that they were determined to come out, they now stared at her as if they were worried about what would come out of her mouth. As a result, she achieved about 80% of what she wanted. ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll let everyone know about the new bills tomorrow. It¡¯s a relief that everyone thinks the same as I. I believe everyone will do well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°This will further develop the Arpen Empire. We finished a lot today, so we will hold a banquet for everyone to enjoy before we go back.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done what I had to do so far, and I¡¯m grateful.¡± She stood up from her seat, spitting out words that she didn¡¯t mean. She had a headache thanks to a series of headaches. Fatigue also accumulated ?because her body was not in good condition. Arthur followed and stood up and approached her. He readily held her hand and escorted her, perhaps to receive praise. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good.¡± ¡°Well, it feels like I¡¯m on the table, but it ended well. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re going to do behind my back, so I¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already instructed them. Above all, they won¡¯t be able to act hastily unless the weapon in your hand disappears.¡± The document was well hidden. They may think Arthur has a document, but they may have noticed that he is already in her hands. ¡°How¡¯s your business going?¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t intend to give up what I said, but Mary, there will be no harm to you.¡± She doesn¡¯t know the details of what he¡¯s doing, but she knows it¡¯s not on a good side. He, too, honestly confessed whether he knew the intention she had brought up. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯s going to tell her ?about the business, but he didn¡¯t have to talk about it if it wasn¡¯t damaging. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be strangled by the neck.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome if you¡¯re going to tighten it differently.¡± He clenched her hand in a sly voice. When she entered the room, she was in a situation where there were only two people remaining. That means it¡¯s time for her to compliment him. When she glanced at Arthur¡¯s neck, who wore a sling tie, she had a feminine smile. ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± As soon as she entered the room, she closed the door and pulled his sling tie. Looking at Arthur bending towards her, she lowered her eyes. Arthur¡¯s coveted lips are right in front of him. He could have been strangled because of the tight pull, but Arthur stayed still and waited for her next action. At the same time as his lips sprouted, he cut them without hesitation. Without closing their eyes, they coveted each other to capture the present state of being. Chapter 82 Unanswered Questions (5) Arthur¡¯s hand wrapped around her waist and hugged her. He took her to the bed at once and lay back. Riding on top of him, she blinked. ¡°I¡¯m the one who needs to be praised.¡± He grabbed her hand and took it toward his shirt, and unwound it one by one. With his slightly loosened eyes, he grabbed her thigh with the other hand and anchored it so that she wouldn¡¯t go anywhere. Arthur¡¯s hard upper body was revealed through the unopened buttons. ¡°Can I have this?¡± As soon as she raised her smiley mouth, she loosened his tie and bit it in her mouth. She grabbed his hand holding her thigh, raised it above his head, and leaned down. When both hands were tied with a tie, Arthur laughed and tilted back. ¡°You have to get it properly if you want to.¡± Sweeping Arthur¡¯s lips slightly with her hand, she buried her face on the back of his neck. Slowly, ?slowly, she passed through his neck with his lips and went down. ¡°Shh, you have to stay still.¡± She whispered in Arthur¡¯s ear with a soothing voice. He tried to move his hand at her touch, but every time she pressed his wrist to fix it. So that he can never touch her body. ¡°This, this, uh, that¡¯s too much, isn¡¯t it?¡± When Arthur couldn¡¯t move his body freely, he narrowed his forehead and protested at her. But she still had no intention of letting him go. She was even more unwilling to release his tied hands. Slowly loosened Arthur¡¯s pants and grabbed the swollen pen*s. Arthur¡¯s waist bounced off at her touch. ¡°I thought you were pretty good at holding back, but it was a pure lie.¡± Tuktuk, at the end of Arthur¡¯s genitals, a transparent liquid accumulated. She rubbed the pen*s with liquid exuding with her finger. ¡°Ugh, hah, Mary.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always giving you an excessive award. Why are you crying?¡±, he said while he made a pitiful face while she grabbed his penis. With Arthur¡¯s expression distorted by pain, a smile spread around her mouth. She wanted to eat him as soon as she could. ¡°Hmm, what should we do? When do you make me so impatient and have sex under the pretext of praise?¡± ¡°In the beginning, you tamed me, blame me, ugh¡­ It¡¯s ¡­¡± She was grumpy when she saw Arthur talking back without losing. Staring at the huge reddening penis, she bowed down and put it in her mouth as it was. ¡°Mary!¡± Arthur, who shouted urgently, struggled obscenely, but it was useless. She raised her eyes up and captured Arthur¡¯s mixed expression of excitement. When her tongue licked his pen*s gently, Arthur¡¯s body jumped up. That was it. Nothing more, nothing less, something that makes Arthur impatient and regrettable. When he reached his peak, she stopped, repeated harassment, and he was already excited and finished without putting the wet pen*s inside her. Arthur was constantly spilling. ¡°Is this the end?¡± ¡°This is enough.¡± After wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she lightly licked her lips with her tongue. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinking.¡± Still, his hands were tied and looked at her with resentment. She got up from her seat and undressed her clothes, lying next to him and sleeping. It was an act of teasing. Seeing her body without a thread, she wondered how he would overcome this difficulty. ¡°Hah.¡± Arthur looked at his bottom that was already upright and infiltrated. ¡°If it¡¯s unfair, try to solve it.¡± With a relaxed smile, she pointed at his hand. Arthur, who was sighing for a short time, turned toward her and looked at her. As soon as the gaze was focused, he lowered his hand and hugged her through the space. Because his hands were tied up, she was stuck in his arms. ¡°Do you really need to untie it? There¡¯s a way like this even if you don¡¯t solve it.¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re quite smart.¡± ¡°Sometimes this is fun, too.¡± In an instant, Arthur¡¯s eyes, which turned around and climbed above her, flashed like a beast. Smiling with interest, he looked underneath her and pulled the string tied on his hand with his mouth. She thought it was tied quite tightly, but Arthur skillfully loosened the string. She guessed the previous action was acting. Arthur¡¯s eyes looking down with a loose shirt felt sexy, so she swallowed her dry saliva without realizing it. She has never been held by Arthur since that day. Because Arthur, not her, didn¡¯t want to. Arthur, who slowly closed and opened his eyes, slightly twisted her wrist, looked at the condition, checked the red mark, and gently rubbed her wrist. ¡°I heard that pain doubles when you feel it together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably a dog¡¯s words.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious. Will you feel the same way as me?¡± She immediately noticed what Arthur was trying to do. He grabbed both of her hands and tied them with a string. Perhaps it was unfair for him to be the only one to suffer. The situation turned around, but she drew a smile on her face. The bottom became wet with a strange sense of excitement. It was almost as if she had already gotten wet and smeared with longing. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°I was going to do it even if you told me not to.¡± ¡°Right now, I will only think of you.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyebrows slightly wriggled and soon covered his lips. With both hands tied, she left herself to his touch. Her heart pounded without realizing it when she remembered that day. On the first day she was in his arms, the memory captivated her again. Chapter 83 Unanswered Questions (6) Arthur whispered sweet words to her as he did then as if he were trying to remind her one by one of how he held her and what he whispered to her. ¡°This is an exception.¡± ¡°Did my guess hurt you? Because I said something?¡± ¡°So, love me as much as you can now.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The tremors soon turned into strange excitement. Arthur¡¯s drowsy voice continued to grow in his ears, and his mind was confused by the soft touch. ¡°So now is the only opportunity.¡± ¡°What opportunity?¡± ¡°A chance to say that you love me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll overlook your lies, if you said you love me at this moment¡­¡­.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes looked strangely sad. He spoke brutally, as he wanted. ¡°I love you. At this moment, I¡¯m serious.¡± Again, she spit out her sincere heart to him. It was a truth they both knew, but they turned a blind eye to what seemed like it. Arthur opened her legs wide at the same time as she finished talking. She was overwhelmed with excitement even though she could only feel his gaze. He reached out and touched the already wet entrance. The clitor*s, which had already swollen red, rose. ¡°Haha, yeah.¡± With one hand, he opened her entrance and tapped around the clit*ris with his index finger. Obviously, the clitoris wasn¡¯t touched, but a similar strong pleasure came. She shivered like she was having convulsions. ¡°I¡¯m going to try something more fun.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t stop and ate her entrance. He pondered something if he knew she was responding to powerful stimuli and new things. Then it was the string tied to my hand that stopped his gaze. ¡°It would be quite fun to do it without looking at each other.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate¡­¡­.¡± Not seeing that good body, and Arthur¡¯s expression distorted by excitement were more stimulating than she thought, so it was a good excitement for her. But she thought it would be thrilling to make a different attempt, so she nodded her head as if she accepted it. He blindfolded her and covered her eyes. When the sight was blocked, the nerves all over the body became sensitive and focused on sound and sensation. Arthur¡¯s fingers fumbled and headed down on her body. ¡°Hmm, ah.¡± When she couldn¡¯t really see it, she felt like her senses doubled, even with small things. As she focused all her attention on Arthur¡¯s touch, everywhere he touched, she heated up like a fever. ¡°I think I know everything now, even if you don¡¯t see me.¡± Along with Arthur¡¯s confident words, a warm yet soft flesh was felt at the bottom. Surprised, she tried to put her legs together, but his solid arms grabbed her knees and anchored them. ¡°Ha ha, aah, hah!¡± The shudder spread throughout the body. Her back twisted as she continued to feel such strong irritation that she didn¡¯t know if it was pain or pleasure. Slowly, Arthur¡¯s tongue popped in as if it were violating her, touching her clitor*s. When he moved regularly or irregularly, using the tip of his tongue from bottom to top, pleasure surrounded her. Due to the continued stimulation, the vagin* vibrated rapidly and flapped as if it were looking for something to chew. She wanted Arthur¡¯s Pen*s to dig in her quickly. ¡°Hey, stop, huh, stop, hurry up.¡± She moved her hips up and down as if begging. Arthur never stopped pressing his tongue. Instead, he slid his finger into the vagin*. He moved his finger gently, as if scratching down the inner wall. She couldn¡¯t pull herself together at his touch of breaking through the vagin*s wall. ¡°Haha! Argh!¡± Arthur lightly bit the swollen clitor*s and soon rubbed it quickly. The urge to clench on Arthur¡¯s finger and not let go soon contracted strongly. ¡°Arthur, hah¡±. She, who was crying as if she was about to reach her peak, eventually moaned loudly and orgasmed. She could feel Arthur¡¯s fingers escaping with the hot heat at the bottom. Suddenly, she raised her upper body, but she was laid on the bed by Arthur¡¯s hand. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to give you your favorite thing.¡± Arthur held her waist with both hands and entered her gently, opened the vagin*. she trembled with the pleasure of being pushed back again as his pen*s penetrated inward. Parrrr. Dancing with joy all over her body, she accepted Arthur. Arthur hugged her and quickly raised his back, wondering if she could not stand it. It was a rather violent gesture, but she gasped at Arthur¡¯s movements, which had already reached its peak. Puck, puck, puck. She couldn¡¯t close her mouth at the thick pen*s that penetrated strongly inside. ¡°Ha, ah, ah!¡± The constant rush of pleasure piled up and swallowed her enormously. She felt like she was going to let go of her mind as the orgasm continued to be bright due to continued friction. Arthur stirred inside her repeatedly. And she had to struggle at the peak every time. They fully enjoyed this moment like beasts faithful to their instincts. *** They met in the morning without sleeping properly, but their minds were clear. It was because it was the day to go back to the territory. It was also another meaning for her to go where Carl was waiting. ¡°Information about the door and the opportunity to meet Nox.¡± For a while, Arthur was going to be busy with his backlogged work. That means that surveillance of her is also inevitably loosened. ¡°I think a day goes by really fast.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°In the past, I hated the passing day because I thought I was going to die, but these days, I can¡¯t wait for the next day.¡± That way, she can live a better tomorrow. These days, when she can only think about moving forward after seeing the life she wants and achieving it one by one, it was the perfect joy for her. Has she ever had so much fun every day? No, she¡¯s sure there¡¯s never been one. Chapter 84 Unanswered Questions (7) ¡°I¡¯m glad I met you.¡± ¡°Whatever the reason is, that¡¯s enough.¡± Arthur got up from his place and dressed as if he didn¡¯t want to hear anything more. She felt strange when she looked at him from behind. He has never shown his back to her since that day. It was her who always showed her back to him. When she thought of that, her mouth was strangely bitter. What did he lose while being by her side? What did he give up on? ¡°What am I to you?¡± It was a strange question to her, too. Despite her sudden question, he calmly buttoned his shirt. Arthur, who turned around only after dressing up, looked at her with empty eyes again in neat attire. ¡°Me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I see myself.¡± ¡°How can I be you?¡± ¡°Mary, I¡¯m here only when you¡¯re here.¡± Arthur seemed to give the same answer even if she asked again. Coming up to her staring at her blankly, he lightly kissed her forehead and said. ¡°When you stop, I stop, and when you die, my time and everything stop every day. Because you¡¯re the reason for my existence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an unexpected answer, but it¡¯s not unlike you.¡± ¡°So, Mary, you shouldn¡¯t hate me, no matter what I do.¡± Arthur, who hugged her tightly enough to crush her, buried his face in her shoulder. She felt strange anxiety when she heard not to hate him, but she couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Because that was the only way I could do it.¡± ¡°What in the world¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call the maid, so get ready and come out. I have to say my greetings before I go.¡± It was after the trembling voice disappeared nowhere again. The slightly blurred focus was suddenly invisible. His words sounded as if she might abandon him. Or he did something unforgivable to her. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s both.¡¯ One, can she abandon him? No, the answer to that question was not easy to answer. Since she has been feeling it every time, she vaguely knows that there¡¯s something wrong, and that there¡¯s something hidden between Arthur and her. And the fact that the day is not far away. The invisible string tightened her body again. Her throat was sore and she brought her hand to it, but there was nothing. Soon after, the maid came in and she started making final preparations before her leave. It may not be the last time in the Palace, but it was clear that she could not come for a while. Preparations for the succession to the throne were, of course, to be made at Arthur¡¯s castle. It was nominal medical care because her body was not completely better yet. ¡°When will you come back if you leave?¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to keep going back and forth from now on. I just don¡¯t stay in the Imperial palace.¡± The maids who stayed in the Imperial palace knew implicitly why she stayed in Arthur¡¯s territory. However, they seemed to be worried about the Imperial dispute that had just begun. Was it because of her slightly changed appearance that they had compassion for their master, or was it to stand on the side of those in power? Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t matter to her. ¡°Was it enough to get worried by you guys? Seeing you worry about useless things.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, never mind.¡± When a cold voice flowed out of her mouth while leaving her body still, the maid, who realized that what she said was wrong, hurriedly bowed her head. This is good. That she¡¯s quick to catch on. It was also that she knew Mary that well. She was comfortable thanks to that. ¡°As long as you know.¡± At the end of that, only silence flowed through the room. When the door opened, Arthur was seen. She still felt awkward with a smile, smiling at her as if he had waited. A different expression and atmosphere than before. She was frowning at the way he hid her again. ¡°You must feel better all of a sudden.¡± ¡°The moment I¡¯m with you is always good.¡± ¡°I like it, too. It¡¯s fun to see the expression that changes every time.¡± Watching him change his feelings for her from time to time felt like watching a movie. However, she decided not to pay attention because she didn¡¯t want to match his mood. That changes nothing. Arthur only put a minor force on his hand, held by her words, but there was no other reaction. ¡°You¡¯re here, sit down.¡± Her father looked bright when he saw her. She didn¡¯t know if he heard anything, but he looked very good overnight. ¡®He was worried, but did he feel relieved after hearing about the bill?¡¯ She sat down and looked at her father¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t get a clue, so she carefully brought it up. ¡°You must have heard something good. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because the bill was passed safely.¡­.¡± ¡°The story is about a document that has already been organized. You did better than I thought.¡± ¡°It was a fight to win.¡± Her father laughed loudly at her, talking casually as if it were natural. What makes him so happy? The reason ?the spoon for holding the food stopped was because of the unexpected words her father said. ¡°The Grand Duke said that he would come to the Imperial Palace regularly with you from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± She was the only one who was nervous, and neither her father nor Arthur changed their expression. There was always a reason why he readily suggested it. Her father¡¯s face, who could not have known this, was full of laughter. Still, a smile spread across her lips without realizing that she had not seen him in a long time without a shadow. Of course he had to come, but it seems she couldn¡¯t say it was because of treatment. Chapter 85 Unanswered Questions (8) ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy.¡± ¡°Of course, I wrote you a letter about the improvement of my disease, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about now.¡± ¡°You got a lot better.¡± The appearance was also different from before. A bright face and a slight gain in weight. Now she looked like a person who lived and breathed. She thought he was relieved to see her one step away from the shadow of death. She was just living with medicine, but she said nothing else. ¡°I can really let go of my mind now.¡± She turned to see her father¡¯s shoulder, who looked a little relieved and more comfortable. He tried to protect her by enduring all this time alone, but now he seemed to have put down his burden as he saw her moving forward alone. The one and only daughter who died at the end of the day, and the power that was not in good enough. Maybe her father had a hard time in the meantime, too. ¡°So don¡¯t worry about me now and worry about your safety, father. You may have a hard time while I¡¯m away from you.¡± Along with the subtle pressure of the nobles, other forces may arise. People depend on power and sometimes unite for profit. And this period was the most suitable for those who were likely to turn on each other to move. ¡°So keep it firm. It¡¯s not just me who has to endure it, but my father is the same.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as your father finds out what you want, he won¡¯t let others have it. So, Mary, my daughter. Be sure to survive.¡± In this terrible place, where one tramples on their opponent to survive. Her father was talking to her like that with his eyes. It felt new when she got on the wagon heading to the Viblant territory after a long time. Above all, she was worried about Carl, who was waiting. ¡®What did he find out?¡¯ As soon as she got there, she was going to call in Carl to ask, but somehow she thought Arthur would be next to her, so she was going to watch out for a few days. ¡°Are you happy to go back?¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Arthur, who was facing her while looking out the window, hinted. ¡®Am I happy to go back? Is there anything good for me?¡¯ There wasn¡¯t much. Whether it was in the Imperial palace or Arthur¡¯s castle, he was almost always next to her and the position of being monitored was the same. The only thing was that if you go back, you¡¯ll be a little free. ¡®Because there is no strict security.¡¯ It was a story limited to tonight, but that was good enough. Rather, it was easy to move the night that was not noticeable to others. There was a Carl that became her hands and feet, and it was good to call Nox. ¡®If you¡¯re lucky, I can go into that room.¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t you thinking, ¡®I¡¯m spending more time alone with you¡¯?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that, but I think it would be nice if you think so.¡± He folded his eyes and smiled while receiving her words skillfully. With a low voice, he cradled her hand and pressed his lips to it while looking at her. ¡°I think it would be better if it was night.¡± She snorted and pulled her hand caught by Arthur. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if I do something praiseworthy.¡± ¡°I should work harder on this.¡± As expected, he doesn¡¯t lose and responds to the words. It was him who turned his eyes to the eyes that were still gently bent. The faintly spreading obsession gave her goosebumps. He looked like he was going to eat her in one bite?. She took a deep breath without realizing it. ¡°That¡¯s enough. That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not enough.¡± Arthur pulled her hand that had escaped at the moment. In a sudden situation, she was held helplessly in his arms. As she jerked up, she faced Arthur¡¯s gaze looking down at him. He hugged her waist tightly with one hand and buried his face on the back of his neck to see if he wanted to let go. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His lips, which had been gently touching her neck, seemed to open and felt pain. ¡°Ah!¡± She struggled to get away from him. Suddenly, he bit her neck, licked it up with his tongue, and soon sucked it hard. ¡°Ugh¡±. She shook off his hand and got out of it. She wrapped her neck with one hand and looked at Arthur with an absurd look. Arthur smiled, as if satisfied. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sign that you¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°That way, the others won¡¯t covet you.¡± She breathed in again at Arthur¡¯s strangely flashy eyes. Why is he suddenly grumpy? ¡°That¡¯s childish.¡± ¡°Childish? No, I¡¯m just being honest with my feelings.¡± The back of her neck that he bit was throbbing. She chewed her lips in a burning and strange mood. She can tell without looking. What¡¯s engraved on her neck right now. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not confident seeing the nervousness.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you know better than anyone else that you have no choice but to be by my side?¡± Again, she turned her head to Arthur¡¯s appearance, talking about her life. She didn¡¯t like his attitude. When she saw Arthur, who knew but recognized that he was holding her life with confidence, she was coldly relieved. As she became calm, reason surrounded her. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m next to you, begging for love with my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You and I are so alike that I feel unpleasant.¡± ¡°They say you resemble each other when you love someone¡±. She saw him with a deeper smile than before. Arthur¡¯s hand stroked her face, grabbed her chin, and kissed softly. She accepted his tongue that slid through her lips and bit it hard. The fishy taste was felt, but Arthur did not stop. He ruffled her hair with his other hand, grabbed her hair, and continued kissing her. Chapter 86 Unanswered Questions (9) A few minutes later, Arthur¡¯s mouth fell off her. He licked his lips with his tongue as if he were smacking his lips and smiled crookedly. ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t have a heart.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even bite that hard. Resist more if you want to get away from me. Struggling with the determination to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t do that, accept it.¡± At the same time, he stared blankly at the stopped wagon. She bit his lips and gave strength to her hands. She thought she was slightly raising herself, but his fingers gently swept down her lips. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can get hurt.¡± Then, Arthur¡¯s forehead narrowed slightly as he rubbed the blood on his lips. She heard a tongue kick, and soon opened the door of the carriage and got off. Carl was seen running one step in front of the arriving carriage. She could also feel his eyes on her neck. ¡°Carl¡­¡± ¡°You are here Princess¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the owner here, but I guess you can¡¯t see it.¡± Arthur said to Carl, as if he didn¡¯t like it. His hand, holding her hand, gained strength again. She could feel the feelings for Carl on her hands. ¡®You wanted to show it to Carl.¡¯ Carl, who struggled to turn his eyes from her neck, bowed his head when he saw Arthur. Perhaps he didn¡¯t like the calm look, so he grabbed her hand and headed to the castle. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had a lot of work?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to be around you while I work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired. I want to go in and rest.¡± It was an obvious rejection, but he didn¡¯t let go. Feeling the gaze from behind, he entered the room with her. After ordering everyone to not enter the room while he is working. ¡°Rest here.¡± ¡°I want to go to my room. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m resting here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what I¡¯m doing?¡± ¡°If you see the documents, it¡¯ll change your words.¡± She sat down and stared at him. She was always curious about what he was doing. Perhaps there is also work on the land in the document. Arthur sat at his desk without saying a word and pulled out the documents. She didn¡¯t forget to cover herself with a blanket. It had a positive meaning. She brought one of the documents piled up high and unfolded it. Finance for the land. Situations and events were recorded. ¡®Missing?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Everyone went back to their places.¡± Arthur, who noticed what the documents she was looking at, hinted. When she looked up and saw him, she felt really calm as if nothing had happened. ¡°Did you find the missing people? It¡¯s a big deal, I thought there would be no noise in the Viblant territory.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t all places where people live the same?¡± Arthur, with a cold smile, calmly looked at the documents and signed them. Looking out the window, she could see a dim sky. He even bought food in the office to eat, perhaps thinking she was going to stay with him until he finished his work. He didn¡¯t care about the fact that she wasn¡¯t hungry, and only brought her favorite foods. ¡°Eating well is also an effort.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really want to eat it.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better eat it. You¡¯ll be busy starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Do I have a schedule tomorrow?¡± She didn¡¯t hear anything. There was a reason why he came to the office as soon as he arrived, but for a while, she thought he would take care of the territory¡¯s work, so she thought she would be free. If this happens, there will be a problem. Arthur, who was looking at her chewing, picked up the food and popped it out. When she pulled back a little wondering what he was doing, he stopped and stared at her. ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To be loved.¡± She closed her lips because his actions came to mind with what he said every time. She didn¡¯t know she¡¯d get back what she said to him.¡­. Arthur stretched his hand a little more toward her tightly closed lips, perhaps because he was raising his hand until she ate. She was forced to open her mouth to the food just around the corner. ¡°This isn¡¯t bad either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, I have no choice but to keep feeding you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat, I¡¯ll eat.¡± She picked up the salad with a fork and put it in her mouth. Arthur finally smiles with a relaxed face. She¡¯s definitely eating, but why does she feel like he¡¯s going to be on top of it? ¡°Are you going to stop staring?¡± ¡°I think I know what it means to be full even if you don¡¯t eat.¡± ¡°Ah, then I don¡¯t think I need to eat either.¡± She hurriedly responded to Arthur¡¯s words and put down the fork. When she rinsed her mouth with water and said she also felt the same way, he shook his head. ¡°No, you can¡¯t be full if you don¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So you¡¯d better hold the fork again before I feed you again.¡± She was forced to get out of his nagging only after eating a little more food. She didn¡¯t feel good because she was full because she ate a little, and a little more. He took the medicine out of his arms again and handed it over to her. Instead of eating immediately, she grabbed it in her hand and looked at the liquid in the glass bottle. As she shook it, the blue light shone. Whenever she saw it, she fell into the trance with a strange feeling. Chapter 87 Unanswered Questions (10) ¡°Arthur, when will I be able to stop taking this medicine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you to not take medicine.¡± Arthur, who wiped her mouth with a napkin, got up from his seat and headed to his desk. As the servants cleared the table, she leaned against a chair and continued to hold and shake the glass bottle. She felt familiar and unfamiliar. ¡°If I don¡¯t eat, will the disease that stopped develop again right Arthur?¡± She opened the lid of the glass bottle and tried to take it to her mouth, but stopped. Arthur¡¯s eyes shook strangely as he was looking at her drinking medicine. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t take medicine, there won¡¯t be something that will hurt, right?¡± ¡°¡­That won¡¯t happen.¡± She shrugged as if she knew and put it in her mouth. When she saw Arthur¡¯s eyes shaking at the moment, she thought something ridiculous. She thought maybe it¡¯s really like that. ¡°Come to think of it, there was a time when I didn¡¯t take medicine.¡± ¡°Once you begin to have doubts, your doubts will grow endlessly.¡± ¡°Hmm, I must have been mistaken. Because you couldn¡¯t have lied to me.¡± He still looked at her with calm eyes. Finding the embarrassment hidden in a soft smile, he smiled lightly. Lie. He was caught by her. Because she once really didn¡¯t take medicine. ¡°Suspicion is very scary. Because what I¡¯ve been struggling with makes me collapse in an instant.¡± Arthur¡¯s gaze stayed in the air and soon returned to its place. Only the rustling sound filled the silence in the room. She was not interested in looking at the documents, so she eventually got up from her seat. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can finish it by today. Why don¡¯t you let me go?¡± It was hypothetical to try to skim the documents, but it was meaningless to be here with nothing to do. Arthur nodded reluctantly to see if it was enough to catch her until this time. When she opened the door and looked back, Arthur¡¯s eyes looked at her. At the same time as he smiled, she closed the door and escaped. ¡°Where is Carl?¡± It was quite late. She thought she should see him tomorrow. Giving up quickly, she headed to the room. Maybe because she took the medicine, she felt lighter. She didn¡¯t know if it¡¯s just her feelings. ¡°Princess.¡± She heard Carl¡¯s voice from a short distance as he came towards her. When she looked back, Carl was standing at a close distance and looking at her. ¡°Oh, Carl. I was going to find you.¡± ¡°I was going to see you tomorrow because it was late. But I thought you¡¯d be curious.¡­.¡± ¡°Right, me¡­¡­ Yeah, you know me well.¡± Her. Mary that he knows. She¡¯s becoming Mary. A bitter smile spread around her mouth without realizing it. Oh, again. Her mouth is bitter. ¡°Follow me. There will be a lot of ears here.¡± She took the lead and came out of the Palace. Looking around, she saw the guards and headed toward the garden, pretending to be taking a walk. Carl followed, keeping his distance from her. It¡¯s been a really long time. The one Carl silently follows from behind. Was it this heavy to have someone behind you? ¡°What about the scream?¡± ¡°I heard it a few days ago. Two days before the Princess came.¡± ¡°Two days ago¡­¡± It was the day when Arthur was away because there was something urgent. That day when Nox didn¡¯t come even when she called him. Carl handed her a piece of paper. It was the number of screams written by the maid. The cycle was fixed, but it was not constant. Whether the maid who nodded to her at that time helped her or the location of the door changing is also marked. ¡°Have you tried it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no key. I¡¯ve searched everything, but I can¡¯t find any keys to open.¡± ¡°If the door was closed, there would be a way to open it.¡± She fell asleep at night. It was something that no one in this castle could avoid. Then, when did Carl move? ¡°You didn¡¯t fall asleep?¡±¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t spit it out. He just fiddled with the paper for no reason and moved his steps that had stopped. Looking at the paper, it is marked in quite detail. The maid could not have drawn this much. She must have helped him enough to take her foot out at any time. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Taking a walk together.¡± They, who are prevented by Arthur from being alone, have not talked to Carl in recent days. She turned toward Carl, following him. It¡¯s been a while. The gaze, that gaze that looked at her. That expression suppresses the feelings hidden in the distant depths from time to time. She missed him. Yeah, she must have missed Carl. Carl¡¯s love for Mary is so pretty that he seems to be there all the time without being shaken, while being none the wiser. If she asked if this is love, well. ¡°Come closer. You¡¯re so far away. How can you keep that distance?¡± ¡°¡­but.¡± Carl, who was looking toward the castle, came one or two steps closer, perhaps remembering what Arthur had told him. Distance he can¡¯t reach even if he reaches out. As if the distance between them was set, it stopped and did not approach. ¡°If I¡¯m okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± She turned completely toward Carl. Only then did Carl¡¯s obvious expression that caught her eyes hurt her heart. It collapses as if it were falling endlessly to the floor. Did he think it would be hard to see because it was dark? Or maybe she couldn¡¯t control her emotions because she hadn¡¯t seen him in a long time. Chapter 88 Unanswered Questions (11) ¡®If you make that expression¡­¡­.¡¯ The soft eyes, as if touching her body, captivated her. She could feel vividly what Carl was thinking, adding nothing. ¡®Unlike Arthur, he¡¯s an easy-to-understand person.¡¯ That was Carl. A person who stands right in front of her and captures her with his eyes without coming a little closer. It hurt her more. She wouldn¡¯t have been so uncomfortable if he had rather whined. She said she gave him a chance, but neither she nor Carl knew the answer. Can she approach him because he¡¯s not coming? Contrary to her thoughts, her body first approached Carl. Carl¡¯s gaze was shaken by her, who took a step closer. She drew a line, but she crossed it without hesitation. She shouldn¡¯t, but she doesn¡¯t even think about stopping this foot. ¡®If you don¡¯t abandon me, I¡¯ll hurt you until the end.¡¯ It will be constantly repeated and at some point, there will be a moment when she takes it for granted as well. Just as it was her from the beginning, without being grateful for his liking. She stopped there and reached out to Carl, who couldn¡¯t do anything. But not long after, her hand was put down in vain. ¡°Okay, just do it like now.¡± She heard a calm voice in her ears. Surprised by the familiar voice, she turned her head and it was Arthur. With her arm held by his hands, Arthur hugged her from behind and put his chin on her shoulder. Was he watching from the beginning? Since when? Where in the world? Her heart was surprised, and she jumped hard. She tried to take out the hand that was bound by him, but it was useless. As if he would not let go, she turned her head to the firm power and looked at Arthur. Unlike the voice whispered in the ear, the eyes were frozen. ¡°You must have been peeking at me like a cat.¡± Without dignity. It was a word that naturally came to mind without adding words. She got goosebumps that a man named Grand Duke Arthur Douglas was quietly watching as if he were a rat after overhearing other people¡¯s stories. ¡°Don¡¯t you think a Jaguar suits me better than a stray cat?¡± Isn¡¯t it the same to hide his body and just peek at the opportunity? Well, it might be good for the Jaguar side to listen to. Now, I didn¡¯t even want to bring the animal that suits him. ¡°¡­That¡¯s it, that¡¯s it. Why don¡¯t you let go now?¡± She looked at his hand and frowned. But Arthur¡¯s one hand wrapped around her waist and locked her in his arms even more. As if to see someone, it was the same behavior as a child who said he would not lose something precious. Arthur¡¯s breath was felt on the back of her neck. Fluffy hair stood on her body and then she put on strength. ¡°Was it nice to take a walk together at this hour?¡± ¡°The Princess said she wanted to take a walk, so I just followed her as an escort.¡± It was a pretty calm voice. Carl looked straight at Arthur. It differed greatly from the way he looked at her. It was the same for Arthur. She felt it even without looking. He doesn¡¯t like this situation right now. Maybe he noticed what she felt while looking at Carl. She wanted to see how far she was doing, but it was clear that he couldn¡¯t stand it and jumped on them. ¡°Is it wrong that the guard protects me? Carl is my guard.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I¡¯m the only one who protects you? Wouldn¡¯t it be ok as long as it¡¯s a toy? It¡¯s hard to show affection.¡± Still, Arthur¡¯s drowsy voice was heard behind her. ¡°If you get dirt on your hands, you¡¯ll be the only one looking for it.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that, it¡¯s already¡­¡± ¡°Shh¡­¡± Arthur approached her ear a little more and whispered softly. Carl¡¯s eyes were down as he looked quite friendly to others. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible because he doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re not Mary.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re mean and low.¡± ¡°I hope you understand my desire to monopolize it like this.¡± Slowly. He let go of the strength. Not yet. No. No, he¡¯s not confident. She¡¯s confident that she¡¯ll hurt Carle even more¡­¡­. Selfishly, she¡¯s afraid he¡¯ll leave her. She couldn¡¯t let go of their connected string and tried to squeeze it in her hand again. Even if her hands burst and bleed because she couldn¡¯t catch a cold, she can¡¯t let go yet. Cold air passed by her body. The wind cut her as if it were cutting her skin. His watery eyes and unnoticed drooping shoulders caught her eyes. ¡®Carl is crying.¡¯ Carl, who came out of his mind and wished for her happiness while looking at Arthur. His eyes were asking her. ¡®Princess, are you really happy?¡¯ Why, why does she feel like she¡¯s moving forward even though she knows she¡¯s going to fall? No, they were all leaving and asking her if she was happy. Whew. ¡°Happiness¡­¡± Can she find happiness here? She¡¯s not sure. She¡¯s always been anxious, and she¡¯s still in danger now. Her emotions changed dozens of times, so she struggled, and it was still too much to live with Mary¡¯s body, not hers. She¡¯s always been running away from the question she faced. ¡®Am I really satisfied with this?¡¯ ¡®Can I live as Mary?¡¯ Struggling is like a bug that struggles to death. Maybe that¡¯s the case. So, what¡¯s that? She closed her eyes by trying to erase the thoughts that spread in her head. At the same time as the silence flowed, she cast a spell. ¡°Be happy.¡± Being able to live, being able to do anything. Because there¡¯s someone who loves her. Even if it¡¯s not her, the shell is hers. Because she has it right now. Chapter 89 Unanswered Questions (12) ¡°Are you happy?¡± She asked them. Carl, and Arthur too. Nox who may watch as well, she wants to ask everyone here. ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re going to cry asking me like that?¡± Arthur¡¯s hand slightly lost strength. Is it because he was a little embarrassed by the sudden remark? Maybe this act is useless, too. ¡°I¡¯m happy right now.¡± She doesn¡¯t know what the form of happiness is. If she had taken one step forward, now even if she had nothing, there is at least one thing that she can hold on to and that can stand by her. She¡¯s happy. There¡¯s something she can have. Having someone next to her still felt alive just because she could breathe for a few more days and there was a place that needed her. Maybe it¡¯s her who¡¯s happy here. The only one. She got out of Arthur¡¯s arms, passed Carl, and headed for the castle. She¡¯s tired. The world surrounding her and the unknown emotions that keep on asking her. Her head was pounding. ¡°You said you were happy. What¡¯s this face?¡± Standing in front of the mirror after entering the room, she smiled in despair. What did the two think when they saw her say she was happy with this face? Would it have been a bit disappointing? Or pity? ¡°What¡¯s there to know?¡± Lying on the bed as it was, she covered her eyes with her arms. The behavior earlier was not like her. She¡¯s sure Carl thinks it¡¯s weird, too. Even if she doesn¡¯t, he¡¯ll feel that she has changed, but it¡¯s strange that she didn¡¯t notice. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible if she couldn¡¯t see the situation in front of her because she was blinded by her favorite¡¯s feelings? But the Carl she knew was not a person to do that. ¡®I would rather have known.¡¯ She doesn¡¯t have to cheat or hurt him anymore, but he¡¯ll naturally leave, even if he knows she¡¯s not Mary. She turned around and looked out the window. The moon, which is so bright that it makes her sick, felt unusually close today. ¡°Nox, you jerk. You don¡¯t come when I call you.¡± She sighed while chewing her lips. If he had appeared that day, she would have found out something. Eventually, she noticed what she said, but somehow she felt uncomfortable. ¡°What do you mean, jerk? Your mouth is quite rough.¡± Surprised by his sudden appearance, she pushed his face with her hands. She hurriedly looked at the door and blamed him with her eyes. ¡®How! Why is he standing out?¡¯ She was surprised every time she saw it, but there was no sign of when it came to them, whether it was Arthur or Nox. She cannot pursue them as if they were not alive. For whatever reason, they differed from her. ¡°Oh, you shouldn¡¯t have scratches on my handsome face.¡± ¡°Why? You should be mesmerized and eat me up, but I guess it won¡¯t work if there¡¯s a scratch.¡± Nox laughed at what she said. He scratches his fingernails and touches his bloody cheeks, wipes them off, takes them to his lips, and licks them looking at her. The red blood made her impression crumpled without realizing it. It was good not to see him for a while, but when she encountered him again, she felt nauseous. ¡°It¡¯s not as good as this.¡± When Nox¡¯s hand touched, his face became clean without any wounds. ¡°I found out what the answer is.¡± ¡°This fast?¡± It looked a little interesting. Nox, who slightly licked his lips with his tongue as if he were smacking his lips, sits on the bed and stares at her. She closed her mouth again with a rushing look as if to tell her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me how you knew?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fun if I¡¯m the only one who tells you things. Don¡¯t you think so? We¡¯re just asking each other three things.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, what are you going to do?¡± He giggles and laughs with an expression holding a fun toy in his hand. The red eyes were folded in half and bent beautifully, but the corners of his mouth remained the same. Nox, who stretched his long silver hair, waited for her answer. He seems to be strangely patient. He has a lot of curiosity in his eyes, but he doesn¡¯t take any other action. ¡°I don¡¯t gain anything. I won¡¯t call you anymore.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun to call for you, too. Aren¡¯t you curious about what I¡¯m going to say or ask?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As soon as his red eyes dug through her, her mood gradually subsided. He raised his arm with the chin on one side of the leg, tilted his head, and rolled his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, let it go. If another Mary besides me comes, she will entertain you.¡± She stood up, waving her hand. When she glanced, she finally smiled brightly to see if he was interested. ¡°I don¡¯t like other Mary¡¯s. I like you the most so far.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the answer?¡± ¡°Three questions. However, I can¡¯t tell you anything about Arthur. You can only ask about you.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± It was a pity, but she decided to take a step back because he looked really in trouble. If she is too greedy, she may leave out what she has to gain. One more thing, Nox, gave her information about what he just said. The contractor she mentioned last time, the person who will hate him if he has her. It was clearly Arthur. It became clear that he could not tell her about the contractor. And she was also convinced that the two were together two days ago. Chapter 90 Unanswered Questions (13) ¡®It¡¯s a long distance, but if it is Arthur and Nox it might be possible.¡¯ It would have been impossible for ordinary people, but since they were, they had to leave the possibilities open indefinitely. ¡°Then the first question.¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± As soon as she finished talking, she sat on a chair, watching Knox bring up a question. She has to take her time and slowly get what she needs. It might not come even if she calls him like then. ¡°You go first. I¡¯m letting you go.¡± Nox smirks and laughs because of her, who speaks as if she was being generous. Coming up to her from his seat, he knelt down on one knee and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°I was sad that day, so can I eat your lips now?¡± He smacks his lips and gently looks at her from below, perhaps thinking of what happened that day. When she pulled her hand slightly toward her body, he was close enough to breathe. ¡°I told you to ask questions, not to trick me.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to hang on?¡± ¡°I saw you answer my question.¡± It¡¯s just a kiss. There¡¯s nothing she can¡¯t do. Nox told her as it was. When he approached a little closer, the distance was enough to cover her mouth, and his eyes were quite strange as she lowered with a slightly twisted pass. Is she possessed like this? She didn¡¯t know at the time, but it was quite well now. She¡¯s so into it she¡¯s going to the point where she was kissing him. ¡®He told me to ask only about me, right?¡¯ ¡°Do I end up dying?¡± ¡°I thought I found the answer, but you didn¡¯t find the perfect one?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..Just answer the question.¡± Nox opened his mouth slightly, turned his head a little more, brushed his lips, and said to her ears. With a low voice, she narrowed her forehead to an incomprehensible answer. ¡°It depends on you. All to you.¡± ¡°Then.¡± Why did he ask for permission if this was the case? He covered her lips even before her words leaked out of her mouth. His tongue, which penetrated her lips smoothly, slowly penetrated her mouth. His red tongue felt hot like his eyes. Even when she tied her tongue in her mouth, she was out of breath because she sucked it in. She exhaled her sweet breath and pushed Nox¡¯s chest away. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too big an ask for the question? There are a lot of people who want these lips.¡± ¡°Second question, do you still not want to be eaten by me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡± Her body dropped as if she was disappointed by the answer he said without worrying for a second. Nox, lying on her lap, raises her hand and swings it. He¡¯s asking her to ask questions. Is that it? What did he want to get? For a kiss? ¡­¡­It¡¯s clear that this and that are crazy. ¡°Is there only one person who can save me?¡± Arthur. What he said to her hurt her face. He always said he was the only one who could kill or save her. She¡¯s always wondered about that. At first, she believed that she could live with the medicine he made, but she had to check if it was the premise that she knew it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Hmm, this is difficult. Are you doing it on purpose? The question is quite difficult.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious about that. You don¡¯t know who I¡¯m thinking of.¡± ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay because I didn¡¯t say it out loud?¡± She put on a shameless look and flipped Knox¡¯s hair. She nodded slightly to see if he felt better about her meaningless behavior. It was positive. He buries his face in her knees, hugs her waist, and breathes. ¡°Your warmth is strangely nice.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like a pervert. It¡¯s kind of gross.¡± Not just a little, but quite a bit. She tried to snap his hand off, but it didn¡¯t fall off. The more she did, the tighter he hugged herself and dug in. ¡°You don¡¯t have feelings, but you¡¯re pretending to know everything.¡± She trembled as if she hadn¡¯t gotten used to the sound of his heart that she still couldn¡¯t feel. Perhaps that¡¯s why his body felt a little cold unlike other people. ¡°But how can you be curious and possessive¡­?¡± Suddenly, she didn¡¯t understand his behavior. He wouldn¡¯t feel emotions, but he was a person with a lot of emotions. The problem is that it¡¯s too colorful. ¡­¡­even more in a strange way. ¡°It¡¯s not hard. Pretending to be.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can just watch others do it and follow along. If you make it like it was originally yours, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Really can¡¯t feel the emotions..¡­. No, this is not a question.¡± She almost asked him a question without realizing it, but she managed to close her mouth and shook her head. The last question cannot be used up like this. ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is the various emotions you feel, then yes.¡± ¡°But still now.¡± Looking at Nox¡¯s eyes, she breathed in. Unlike before, his eyes, which felt nothing, stared at her. She didn¡¯t hide her feelings or suppress them. Nox was really empty. As much as the heart he doesn¡¯t have, his eyes and warmth. ¡°Breathe.¡± Nox¡¯s hand gently swept over her back. Then the breath that was caught in her chest was exhaled. Was she scared for a moment? For what? Nox was similar to what she felt in the abyss. Can¡¯t condense in one word, yeah, similar to death. Chapter 91 Unanswered Questions (14) Did he notice how she felt? Nox teased her affectionately. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so scared, because at least I will smile in front of you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I like you.¡± ¡°The contractor was scared and couldn¡¯t even eat.¡± Nox just smiled slightly at what he said and escaped her arms. Looking at the door, he said goodbye to me with a voice full of regret. ¡°Unfortunately, we should meet next time.¡± ¡°If you do this all of a sudden, it¡¯s going to be a problem.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t go, both you and I will be in trouble.¡± Knock, knock. And she heard a knock, as if moving as Nox said. Nox, who took his index finger around his mouth, approached the window in a shh shape. ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you again, but I¡¯d like you to wait for me.¡± ¡°No! I!¡± After making a loud noise, she looked at the door and hurriedly covered her mouth. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sad, too. Think about me more while waiting. I hope you call me softly next time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°For example¡­¡± I miss you, Knox. His voice scattered through the air and disappeared. He stood tall and looked at the door showing no signs of presence. When there was no answer, the knock was no longer heard. The doorknob turned with a chirp sound. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see your face. Why don¡¯t you go back?¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. How far should she accept his actions beyond her limits? There was no end to his arrogance that he knew everything about her. He will pierce her heart, ruffle her at will, and wield her as if he knew everything. ¡®It must be you, not me, who is swayed.¡¯ The weight of the mind was definitely tilted this way. It wasn¡¯t her, but Arthur. She doesn¡¯t want as much as Arthur wants her. That¡¯s probably because she doesn¡¯t love him. She didn¡¯t have him in heart as much as he had her. Because she didn¡¯t have space for Arthur right now. Perhaps the exact expression is that she¡¯s not giving it away. She didn¡¯t hate it. It¡¯s just, she¡¯s afraid. Putting someone in heart is not pletely herself, so she can¡¯t just spit it out or fill it up. ¡°I don¡¯t like you looking at him.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t you let me see your eyes?¡± ¡°I want to cut your arms and legs and make you blind and make you think only about me.¡± Arthur whispered the cruel words over the door casually. It¡¯s possible if she just made up her mind. Of course, on the premise of Arthur. ¡°Then the body is the only thing you can have.¡± ¡°I know it well.¡± They couldn¡¯t see each other because they were blocked by the door, but his expression and feelings seemed to be drawn in front of her. Arthur¡¯s voice, which was infinitely immersed in a watery voice, was concerned. She laughed because she was speechless at this appearance. ¡®I can¡¯t do this or that. What is he saying when he can¡¯t even understand how I feel?¡¯ She sarcastically twisted her lips and laughed and tilted her head at him. Confusion continued to shake her and was there a heart that flowed in without her knowing while shaking her? She wanted to wake up. If she has decided to use it, she would use it properly. It won¡¯t change if she pretends to be weak now. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t forget what you said Arthur.¡± He held his breath at the sound of calling his name. Remembering what he said to her. He was the one who told her to use him in the first place. ¡°No matter what my heart is, if you love me, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t wonder how much I love you, I¡¯m just satisfied with it as it is now.¡± Thud-. She thought she was a few steps away from the door, but she suddenly heard a thud. His voice sounded dimmer than before, as if it were sinking into the abyss. ¡°If loving a person hurts like this.¡± As if he was struggling to continue his words, each letter was clearly embedded in her ears, as if he were spitting out a core from within. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have started.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There was a time when I thought foolishly that I would need you here because I couldn¡¯t do anything from afar. Rather, I didn¡¯t know it¡¯s harder not to have you when you are around.¡± Sometimes it¡¯s better to watch from afar. When one dreams of a better situation with hope by just seeing what he sees knowing nothing. However, the most difficult thing in the world is the human mind and relationship. When he bumped into her and got to know each other, unpredictable situations often arise. He said he was not greedy, but his mind grows bigger and he hopes for something more. At first, it was good to just look at her, but as time passed, he felt like he wanted her to love him as much as he love. It¡¯s neither controlling nor repressing it. Even if he pretends to be okay, the inside is festering. Or it may appear in the wrong direction. Like Arthur right now. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be overwhelmed by emotions. If you do that, you¡¯ll really regret it after hitting the bottom.¡± He will be confused by the feelings he is experiencing for the first time. Isn¡¯t it the wrong meeting in the first place? It was not fixed, and it was a relationship that was forcibly fitted. Wasn¡¯t the other person¡¯s mind indifferent to each other¡¯s needs? Yeah, Arthur and herself were. It may be different now, but they got it wrong from the beginning. Chapter 92 Unanswered Questions (15) ¡°Don¡¯t lose yourself. Because you¡¯re more precious than anyone else.¡± She leaned against the door and sat down. She closed her eyes and put her face on her knee. She repeatedly spoke in such a small voice that Arthur could not hear. ¡°¡­¡­Now I can¡¯t believe what you¡¯re saying to me.¡± He knows everything. If she excludes the last question, how can he be like that? Her heart was choked up and her throat was filled with hot breath. However, she tried hard to prevent it from leaking out. ¡®I couldn¡¯t have been happy from the beginning.¡¯ The two of them, and no one else. Misfortune took over her instantaneously. In the thought of growing out of control, she shook her head like floundering. She couldn¡¯t breathe from the back of her neck. Please stop here. She wanted to tell him to confide in her. However, she couldn¡¯t spit it out because she guessed that the contract with Nox was related to her. If she finds out, she¡¯ll collapse, too. ¡°¡­¡­get away from the door, and I¡¯m warning you.¡± Arthur¡¯s cold, frozen voice was heard. Surprised by the feeling of the door shaking against her back, she fell a few steps and opened the door with a loud sound, as if it were breaking. Quang! Arthur¡¯s eyes, like the beast she saw for the first time, flashed. With a fishy smile, he took a step closer to her. ¡°You¡¯re the reason I exist, and you¡¯re the reason I keep living.¡± And one more step. ¡°¡­Arthur.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the emotion really fun? When are you begging me to save you, and now you can¡¯t give me anything I want because it¡¯s worth living?¡± Arthur¡¯s hand, which came in front of her, grabbed her chin roughly. Unknowingly, she groaned, Ugh. It was an unfamiliar appearance to him, but she could feel the anger he was trying to suppress with her trembling fingertips. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know my worth, so I¡¯ll have to tell you again.¡± Slurp- Seeing her distorted face, Arthur¡¯s hand loosened up. Anxiety poured into Arthur¡¯s words. When his drowsy eyes looked down at her, her mouth was burning. ¡°There¡¯s no medicine starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°So e to me if you want. You yourself, to me.¡± Did Arthur notice it? That she hasn¡¯t taken medicine? If the maid told him, it is not impossible. But Carl was always watching from the side and it was just a day. It is unlikely that he would have told him straight away in a moment. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll e to you even though I already know everything?¡± ¡°Once you spit it out, you can¡¯t pick it up. Mary, don¡¯t be sure of anything. Nothing is clear to you.¡± There is nothing clear, but there is something that can be felt without saying it. That Arthur is angry with her now and that his way is very childish. The fact that he is using what he has to suppress the other person means that he has also reached his patience. Growing emotions alone is much more burdensome than one thinks. Whether it¡¯s a good heart or not, if it gets bigger, it es to an unbearable level. ¡°I¡¯ve never been sure of anything.¡± Since she came here, she has been doubting and doubting everything. What can she be sure of? Arthur covered her face slightly and soon reached out. ¡°Other than I love you, so think of this as my love, too.¡± At first glance, it was warm, but Arthur¡¯s expression returned as if when. She got goosebumps all over her body with a strange feeling. Arthur, who smiled at her every day, was not seen. Instead, only Arthur, who expresses anger with hurt eyes, stood in front of her. She tried to hide her feelings by biting her lips tightly. Anxiety, fear, and unknown emotions swarmed her. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll give it to you just because you e to me.¡± She reached out and tried to grab Arthur, but it was useless. He walked far away toward the door even before she caught him. Seeing her shaking eyes, Arthur left the room after raising the corners of his mouth coldly. She couldn¡¯t say anything to his satisfied face. *** After that, Arthur really didn¡¯t look for her. It was her who was puzzled by his sudden change in behavior. She tried to erase the thoughts that always lingered in her head because she didn¡¯t want to care. Unknown displeasure still lingered around her. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Oh, Yes.¡± Carl handed her a letter and said in a small voice that could be heard. ¡°She said she didn¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, I would say that.¡± Who is it if it¡¯s not a maid? Since that day, she investigated the maids of the whole castle, wondering if the story had flowed into Arthur¡¯s ear, but nothing came out. Of course, the maid may have lied to her as it is Arthur¡¯s maid. She frowned by crumpling the paper in her hand. Nox, she had to meet him. To ask the last question. Throb- She felt pain in her heart, so she took a breath by touching her hand. Surprised by the sudden change in her body, her gaze shook here and there. It was a pain that she hadn¡¯t experienced in a while. It was her who hadn¡¯t fainted or vomited blood for quite a while. ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°It¡¯s weird. This can¡¯t be happening.¡± But why does her body hurt as much as before? Her head was pounding and she felt nauseous. She continued to feel the pain of her heart twisting. It has been six days since she took medicine. Even after three days, there was nothing wrong, so she was relieved and moved on. She thought her prediction was right, and Arthur¡¯s words were just to scare her. It was the same on the 4th and 5th days. But today, pain suddenly came. The pain she had so far doubled over her. Her body plummeted to the floor and her vision blurred. Chapter 93 Fake and Truth (1) ¡°Princess, are you awake?¡± ¡°¡­Carl?¡± She had a splitting headache and swallowed her groan. When she turned her head, it was her bed in her room. With a worried look, she slowly opened her closed her eyes to Carl¡¯s expression, who looked quite angry. How many days had she been lying down? She felt the bitter taste of medicine in her mouth and made a frown. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ve seen this all the time.¡± She shook her hand as if it was nothing. As she came to her senses little by little, she leaned her back against the bedhead with Carl¡¯s help. ¡°The Grand Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ There¡¯s a guest in the castle.¡± ¡°A guest is here?¡± She asked again what she couldn¡¯t believe. Arthur, who she thought would be next to her when she opened her eyes, was not seen. Is there really a guest? Who? Arthur did not have a friendly relationship with the nobility. He always liked to go around alone, and as she knew, he was a villain here. There was no damage to anyone else, but he was everyone¡¯s enemy. Reputation was not as good as hers was, so it was natural in a way. Carl, who was looking at her without words, hesitated for a moment. ¡°If you have something to say, don¡¯t look around and tell me.¡± ¡°¡­I think you¡¯d better go.¡± ¡°To whom?¡± There was no subject, but neither Carl nor she knew who it was referring to. She was confused whether her body was exhausted from the pain she had experienced in a long time. He finally told her when she waited for Carl¡¯s words to fall. ¡°She said she was Mary Anastasia.¡± Boom. Her heart dropped ?with a tap. Her heart rate continued to beat so fast that she could hear it. If others heard it, they would have said it was crazy, but she was different. Because she herself was fake. What if the woman that came here was really this body¡¯s Mary¡¯s? Then what should she do? In an unexpected situation, her body trembled and her mouth dried up. She tried to swallow her dry saliva and looked relaxed. She hid her trembling hands under the blanket and clenched her clothes tightly. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Grand Duke Arthur has been with her for days. Externally, she¡¯s supposed to be here for work.¡± ¡°¡­Carl, bring in the maids.¡± She also needed to ?check who she was. What should she do if Mary is really right? ¡®What are you thinking about? Are you going to give up now?¡¯ No, she doesn¡¯t want to be taken away by anyone. Now it was changing little by little as she wanted. But now, Mary? It shouldn¡¯t be her. She kept reflecting on it in her mind. ¡°If you¡¯re going now, I¡¯ll acpany you.¡± She nodded at Carl¡¯s words and stood up. She felt dizzy with her head spinning. She hurriedly touched the wall and closed her eyes. Then, Carl is¡­¡­? Wouldn¡¯t Carl recognize Mary? Then he might have recognized at once whether she was fake or real. ¡®No¡­ ¡­ If it was, I would have noticed too.¡¯ It didn¡¯t make sense. If Carl knew, he wouldn¡¯t have been by her side pretending not to know. What is she afraid of? Her heart was stuffy. She clenched her fist and breathed. ¡®Stop, stop thinking.¡¯ Carl¡¯s hand soon grabbed her hand. Carl, who held her in his arms, stayed still and waited for her to calm down. Relaxed by Carl¡¯s warmth, she escaped from his arms when her nervous body calmed. Knock, knock. ¡°Can I e in?¡± Even though Carl didn¡¯t go out, the maid came to the room and knocked on the door. The timing fell nicely, but she was suspicious. ¡°Come on in.¡± There was no word whether she was surprised by her sudden voice. The maid hurriedly opened the door and looked at us as if she had e to her senses. When she saw the other Mary 2 [TN- I¡¯ll be referring to the other Mary as Mary 2] sitting down, the maid approached her with a reminding face and looked at her. ¡°You have been in bed for a week. Oh my gosh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been lying down for a long time.¡± In her calm tone, the maid hid her feelings and coughed in vain. She asked another maid to help her dress up and helped her prepare. Carl closed the door after saying he would wait in front of the door. ¡°What kind of woman came to see the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know why she¡¯s here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. Because people who are blind and deaf can go around this castle for a long time.¡± The maid¡¯s words were somewhat creepy, so she wrapped her arms around herself without realizing it. ¡°If it¡¯s cold, I¡¯ll bring the outerwear.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± The maid glanced at how she felt. Apparently, this was the first time this happened. Carl also looked plicated. That means that she, who came as Mary(2), would not be pletely false. She walked slowly toward where Arthur was. She stepped slowly because she felt that her body was still not recovered. It wasn¡¯t that far from the room to the office, but it was too much to take a step forward now that she was not feeling well. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± It wasn¡¯t this much, even when she didn¡¯t eat it once. Obviously, she didn¡¯t get sick and moved on. It remained the same even after the day when she broke the medicine on the floor and passed over. Only the sound of footsteps rang in the hallway. It could have been suffocating in the silence, but her nerves headed to the story of a woman and Arthur who would be beyond the door. Chapter 94 Fake and Truth (2) It was over when she opened this door. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t open the door easily. She has never hesitated. ¡°Arthur.¡± ¡°¡­¡­e on in.¡± The door opened at once as if nothing else was needed for the voice calling his name. She slowly breathed in the sight before her eyes. It was a person who looked so much like her that it was okay to call them twins, so even if it was her. With Arthur¡¯s gaze, the woman turned to her in a friendly voice. The mouth slightly raised on the calmed eyes. It was thrilling. She thought the smile that smiled at her was really Mary. ¡°¡­Carl, can you go out for a moment?¡± ¡°He has the right to listen, too.¡± Arthur talked to Carl as if to e in and shut the door. Carl looked at her. It was an unspoken act to obey her orders. If it was the real Mary, would she have authority? ¡°Okay, just listen.¡± She didn¡¯t know it would e this soon. If she knew the day would be so early to tell Carl the truth, she would do a bit more than she wanted. She sat down casually and looked at Arthur and the woman. Arthur¡¯s eyes folded and soon approached her closely. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. This is separate.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°I came to see you because there¡¯s a fake that imitates me.¡± Arthur laughed and held his chin and stared at her. Clearing the embarrassment from her expression, she spoke in a calm tone. ¡°I fainted because I was sick. Did I get hit in the eye with another girl?¡± The woman, who was listening quietly, snorted and said in a calm voice. ¡°Did you make my Gray a eunuch?¡± ¡°This girl is Mary? You know, she¡¯s a fake.¡± Will Mary really exist here in the first place? From the beginning, or maybe from a long time ago, Mary has never been real. Mary alternately pointed at Mary(2) and back to herself, smiled and pointed at her. ¡°You have to say it right. You¡¯re the fake one.¡± There was no hesitation in her (Mary2) voice, as if she were sure. Arthur, who was looking at her and the woman interestingly, watched the situation without saying a word. It was Carl who was surprised by what she said. Mary(2 )was angry at the way she spoke confidently toward her, but she couldn¡¯t rush out because she was somehow used to it. Silence flowed and everyone was busy reading each other¡¯s minds. It was time to get tired of the invisible war of nerves. ¡°That¡¯s good. Now that Mary has appeared to give you the satisfaction you had hoped for so much for.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Arthur¡¯s face was strangely distorted. It was Arthur who was smiling as if he were having fun. In an instant, his frozen gaze reached her. ¡°Even though your body is still in that state.¡± Arthur, who was washing his face dry, got up from his seat and approached her. Arthur sighed as he swept her slender arms with a pale face without her blood. ¡°Why don¡¯t you look for me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to be sick?¡± And now that he pretends to be worried, he certainly knew what made her endure without looking for himself. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way he won¡¯t run to her, who¡¯s fallen down once. He said he loved her. Was this also a lie? ¡°You said you were Mary, right?¡± (Mary) ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really Mary. It¡¯s not like you.¡± (Mary2) ¡°Really?¡± (Mary) She drank tea gracefully and shrugged at her question. Mary sat across from her. Mary just looked at her still. She was a woman with silver hair, silver eyes, and Mary¡¯s characteristics intact. But she is not Mary. It was obvious that it was fake. She had no choice but to do that because she was the one in Mary¡¯s body. Even if she herself was not the real Mary. She was Mary. She was Mary, and she will be Mary. ¡°So what if you really get Mary? Are you going to talk to everyone?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should fix it?¡± ¡°Who will believe you, it would be a relief if I didn¡¯t cut off your neck just because you pretended to be a Princess.¡± Above all, it was her who became Mary and held the power of this country in her hands. It was an interesting story to the nobles, but she was not the one to let them talk freely. ¡°Yes, you are Mary. Then I ask you one thing.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you be cheeky and put this hand away?¡± Smack her hand and open her eyes wide. Judging from the way she spoke or acted, anyone who knew Mary well could have been confused. ¡°What do you think will happen if you leave this room?¡± After taking a sip of black tea, she put down the teacup. ¡°No, I¡¯ll change the question and ask again, so think carefully. Do you think you can leave this castle alive?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh, there¡¯s no place I can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to make fun of my words. I don¡¯t mean to let others ruin what I¡¯ve acplished.¡± Mary2 got up from her seat, laughed at her, and glanced down at her. The woman wanted to drink tea in an upright position without shaking, and then she (Mary2) threw the teacup towards herself (Mary). Clink-. The teacup that passed by her and hit the door broke loudly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Carl, who stood in front of her, asked her. His shoulders were wet as if he had been hit by the water in the teacup. She tried hard to quench her boiling anger and raised the corners of her mouth flat. Carl gently grabbed her hand as if he was trying to stop it, but shook it off and turned around. Arthur with a crumpled face as much as she did. Still keeping her eye on Arthur, the woman walked past Carl and stood in front of her. The woman pulled her face with one hand and stuck her cheek up. Damn-. Chapter 95 Fake and Truth (3) ¡°You have bad hand habits. But what do I do with this? I have bad hand habits, too.¡± Mary looked at the woman holding her cheek. With a soft voice, she wrapped her face and whispered in her ear. ¡°If you want to be Mary like that, change your body with me now.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough to give me a body that is not dying.¡± Instead, all she can give is Mary¡¯s body. Other than that, she was going to get back what she got. It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s voluntary or unintentional. Seeing a silly look, Mary turned around and left the room. She didn¡¯t look back at Carl¡¯s footsteps that followed. What should she tell him? Her head was mixed up. Like an uncontrollably tangled thread, she didn¡¯t even know where to start. She didn¡¯t ask if it was the same for Carl. He looked like a person who wanted her to tell the story herself. Standing in front of her room, she opened the door and entered, and Carl did not follow her in and stayed there darkly. When she faced Carl¡¯s expression looking at her before the closing door, she felt something collapsed inside her. She leaned against the door, closed her eyes, and rubbed her lips. Her heart was suffocating her. Carl, why doesn¡¯t he ask her? Why is he just still waiting for her mouth to open even though he knows she can¡¯t tell him? Maybe he¡¯s afraid of what¡¯s going to e out of her mouth. No way. She didn¡¯t think so. Just in case something can¡¯t happen. And anxiety es true as it is. ¡°¡­¡­Nox.¡± She needs him. Someone who will tell her the answer. She¡¯s not sure if he¡¯ll answer her call. But today she needed him. The situation in front of her made no sense, so it had never happened. ¡°If you call so desperately, I can¡¯t pretend to ignore.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t open her eyes, she felt that he came before she could hear his voice. Because the pleasant wind flowed from outside the window and touched her face. Standing against the door, she opened her closed eyes. Just in front of her face, Nox¡¯s face, standing with his hand on the door, came in. She wasn¡¯t even surprised. Now, it would be awkward to appear normally. ¡°Is that what the person who just appeared will say?¡± She pushed his hand out, escaped through the gap, and sat in a chair. Unlike her, Nox¡¯s expression, which was full of laughter and a smile, hurt her feelings. ¡®Why are you so happy?¡¯ Her mood was the worst. What should she do if the person she met earlier is Mary? Reason and emotion were confused. If it¡¯s really Mary, it¡¯s right to give everything back. But how? Is that possible in the first place? If it was possible to change the soul, she would not have suffered from the original Mary¡¯s dying body from the beginning. She may have already left to find another happiness. ¡°I guess something fun happened.¡± She couldn¡¯t stand it, so she sarcastically said to him. He always seemed like he¡¯d e if she called him¡­¡­ And why is he laughing so hard? Nox, sitting on the opposite chair, smiled brighter with his chin on the back of his hand. Her forehead narrowed even more as if he were teasing her. He seemed to know why she was feeling so annoyed and unpleasant right now. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t like the present.¡± ¡°The present?¡± The sudden word paused her mind. She knew it was out of the blue every time, but she didn¡¯t bring up anything unexpected today. No matter how much she looks back, she doesn¡¯t remember receiving a gift. It was her who had been lying down sick all this time. Because Arthur didn¡¯t give her medicine, and she didn¡¯t take it either. She thought she found the answer, but the feeling when she was wrong was inexplicable and disastrous. ¡°I¡¯ve never received a gift before.¡± ¡°I think you got it from your expression.¡± One thing came to mind at the moment. The woman who said she was Mary. A gift? ¡°I think you need to learn the concept of gifts again.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it fun? What about Arthur¡¯s face? Oh, it¡¯s too bad that I couldn¡¯t watch it.¡± ¡°¡­Fun?¡± Nox was again looking for fun in someone else¡¯s misfortune. Then is she not Mary? She can¡¯t figure out why he¡¯s doing this. Everything is a mess. ¡°I thought I found the answer, but I didn¡¯t. I was wrong.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Nox still reached out with a smile and put her hair behind her ears. If what he talked about was a woman, she was not happy with Nox¡¯s mess. ¡°Put it away, because if the gift you said was her, no one would think it was a gift.¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been perfect. Arthur didn¡¯t seem to have lost his response.¡± Nox¡¯s eyes, looking at her, shook strangely. As if looking inside, she turned her head and avoided looking. ¡°Is she really Mary?¡± ¡°Is it real or fake? What do you think?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. Because it¡¯s not fun.¡± Her face crumpled and expressed disapproval. She didn¡¯t feel good enough to play with his bad jokes. Above all, for her, ¡®Mary¡¯ was an infinitely heavy and huge being. The owner of this body, the object she has to live for. ¡°Well, what do you want to do if she¡¯s really Mary?¡± ¡°¡­Are you asking me that now?¡± ¡°You know, getting rid of her without anyone knowing, or returning her to the owner and leaving. Oh! Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be fun if you just left.¡± When she saw Nox spitting out words without hesitation, she felt creeped out without realizing it. Nox seems to want her to do something about the other Mary. No, it¡¯s not her. Nox wondered if he was pondering, but he clapped once and flashed his eyes. Chapter 96 Fake and Truth (4) ¡°Or you can cut her arms and legs so that she can¡¯t go anywhere. He really wanted Mary, but Mary really came. What do you think Arthur will do?¡± ¡°Nox, stop lying. Because it¡¯s not fun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for me. You can get away from Arthur, you can come to me.¡± His hand, which was gently stroking her hair, soon grabs a handful and savors the scent. Slowly, she saw herself in his attractive eyes that could take her soul out of her like a familiar person. Looking at his red eyes suddenly reminded her of what seemed to her during the day. Without realizing it, a smile spread around her mouth. ¡®I found it.¡¯ ¡°Fake.¡± She¡¯s a fake. She definitely saw it when she got close to her. The red light mixed in her eyes, a strangely familiar gaze. She was watching everything. Nox was watching everything through her as a gift he sent. Looking at their reactions, when they were together, holding his breath, hoping that they would take the bait that would shake Arthur and her and move as he wished. ¡°She¡¯s a fake.¡± ¡°Are you too sure?¡± His finger, which held a handful of her hair, smoothly slipped between her hairs. His expression illustrated regret. ¡°You must want me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But what should I do? It¡¯s Arthur¡¯s that I noticed first.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know much about Arthur.¡± Nox shook his head at what she said. Anxiety has been overtaken by a more determined appearance than expected. There¡¯s no way he won¡¯t notice. He will know because he said he loves her, not Mary. By now, he may have noticed. ¡°That¡¯s right, I don¡¯t know Arthur very well. But I don¡¯t know you either.¡± How she will come out from now on and how she will use the gift she received. There¡¯s nothing more to fear after knowing she¡¯s fake. Rather, it may be good for her now. ¡°I got a suitable present.¡± She thought she had a way to tie Arthur¡¯s feet and use him to get what she wants more easily. What Nox wants is for her and Arthur to keep a distance, so he will help as well. ¡°Let¡¯s make one thing clear. I don¡¯t know what the contract is between you and Arthur, but I won¡¯t leave Arthur until I know it.¡± ¡°It might be okay for you to leave him, right?¡± ¡°Maybe the answer was wrong.¡± Another thing became evident when she saw Nox trying to get her off Arthur¡¯s side like this. That she should not leave his side. ¡°I thought about changing my soul, but I gave up because I didn¡¯t think it would be possible. Above all, if it¡¯s not real, there¡¯s no reason for me to be considerate.¡± ¡°It was perfect, but you really can¡¯t keep up with it.¡± ¡°If you were curious, why didn¡¯t you hold it in?¡± How can she forget his eyes full of interest, whether or not to show red eyes? The horrifyingly red eyes were clearly beyond her eyes. ¡°What do you gain from doing that?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Everything?¡± His smiling expression hardened for a moment. He smacked his lips by taking the action of holding something in his hand. Nox¡¯s behavior was so strange that she watched him silently. ¡°Everything?¡± ¡°Yeah, what I want.¡± Nox said it was what he wanted and looked toward the door. There was Carl on the other side of the door. Why is Nox, who has nothing to do with him? ¡°Is Carl involved in this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Carl. What I want is more of a mess. Of course, I envy you, but unfortunately, I can¡¯t have it yet.¡± It may be because of the contract. Arthur¡¯s contract with Nox. And her in between. ¡°I have one question left then.¡± Out of the three questions he promised her the other day. One of them remained with her. Now was the only chance she had because she didn¡¯t know what fickle he was that he wouldn¡¯t appear like last time. Nox¡¯s steps to the window stopped. Soon, he turned around, leaned against the window frame, and frowned. The expression earlier returned to its original state of where it went. ¡°Think carefully before you say it, since it¡¯s the last question.¡± ¡°Why do I have to love Arthur?¡± Nox¡¯s expression was colored with embarrassment for the first time. As if she had spoken a taboo, his lips trembled slightly. His expression in the moonlight froze so cold that it was incomparable to before. Arthur told her to love him. Nox asked her if she loved Arthur. She doesn¡¯t know if she loves him. But the reason why she asked Nox that question was surprisingly simple. Because she thought that love that kept asking her for was a clue. She felt that the invisible link that binds the three of them, the contract, depends on that contract. ¡°If I love Arthur, can I finish it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t love him.¡± Nox¡¯s frozen eyes bent along the line. His determined words sounded sincere. It felt like an unknown intention was revealed for the first time. She knew what the answer was. ¡°It¡¯s over when you love someone.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you love me rather than Arthur?¡± Nox¡¯s hand slightly passed by her face. Her body trembled at the cool body temperature. ¡°Is there a woman who loves demons?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m charming.¡± He was quite shameless, as if he had returned to his original state. Nevertheless, it is not wrong to say that it could not be denied. ¡°Why are you so obsessed with Arthur?¡± He was seducing her every time, but in her eyes, it felt like it was directed at Arthur. He¡¯s obsessed with her because Arthur loves her. Perhaps not to love was also what he said with her in mind. ¡°I like girls.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s telling you the truth.¡± Chapter 97 Fake and Truth (5) He shakes his body with a hateful face. Nox¡¯s actions made her smile. She doesn¡¯t understand him laughing at this situation, but he didn¡¯t look good in that serious look. ¡°If I have to choose, you¡¯re the one I like¡±. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you like.¡± He, who didn¡¯t even know how to feel, spoke out. He likes her because she¡¯s a shell that can only imitate and she doesn¡¯t have enough to love herself. She turned her head with a sullen face. She was a person who had no more questions. She asked all three questions, so she couldn¡¯t ask him even if she wanted to ask him more. He won¡¯t answer anyway. ¡°That¡¯s too much. I still have something to do.¡± Nox tilted his head to the side and slightly struck out his lips. Where did he learn that from?¡­ When she waved as if to tell him to hurry up and speak, he smiled and came close to him at once. Now, she stared at Nox, who came close with a calm look, as if she had gotten used to this behavior. A slow finger brushed her face, stroked her neck, and soon lightly grabbed it. ¡°What are you going to do to stimulate Arthur now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I think Arthur is very confused because of the fake Mary you mentioned. Huh? Mary, tell me what you¡¯re going to do next.¡± She saw a flash of teeth in her eyes. A bit of strength entered Nox¡¯s hand, which gripped her neck with mad excitement. She kept her mouth shut, leaving her body in his hands. The tightened neck was suffocating, but she did not move. It was Nox who enjoyed the more she reacted. Asking what he would do next, he looked at her mouth that did not open and his mouth seemed to be irritated. ¡°Mary, do as you do now¡±. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Because the harder you struggle, the harder it must be for Arthur. One thing to tell you is that he¡¯s giving you more than you think.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me that?¡± He leaked information to her at no cost. He kept telling stories that she doesn¡¯t know the answer to as if he wanted her to notice something quickly. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who doesn¡¯t have time.¡± Nox¡¯s hand let go of her neck. It became easier to breathe, and she felt pain in her neck. His eyes curved along the line. Tick-tock, tick-tock. Nox moved his fingers, making the sound of a clock, and giggled as he turned away from her. She looked at the door again, went to the bed, lay down and looked at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this village weird? This castle, this land, everything.¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re the weirdest thing here, right?¡± ¡°Mary, this place looks like me.¡± She closed her eyes and couldn¡¯t move for a while, perhaps lost in thought. Today, Nox¡¯s strange behavior made her forehead distort. She didn¡¯t call him to do this. She called him to ask the remaining questions and solve what she was curious about, but she didn¡¯t take the time to hear strange sounds throughout. ¡°Are you going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so cold. Can¡¯t I stay here tonight?¡± ¡°Yes, you can¡¯t.¡± Nox stared at her sadly when she refused at once. Anyone else will be fooled by acting, but it doesn¡¯t work for her to know who he is. ¡°I¡¯ll really just sleep and go.¡± ¡°Should I just call Arthur? How about saying that we had secret meetings every night in my room?¡± ¡°Secret meeting. It¡¯s quite provocative.¡± A low-lying insidious voice has seduced her. The shape of tapping the bed was openly revealing what was inside. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything to see at the castle today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see you. Mary, you called me.¡± ¡°In that secret room. I guess you¡¯re not going today¡±. Nox lifted himself out of bed when he heard about the secret room. Looking at the time, he got up from his seat and approached the door. ¡°Are you curious?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me if I¡¯m curious?¡± ¡°You might regret it if you see it.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s related to you.¡± Nox recited it quietly and smiled lightly. As he said, she may really regret it. But she was curious. She wanted to know what was going on in this castle and what it had to do with her. ¡°I have no regrets.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He asked her again, as if checking. She nodded slowly. She was shouting not to follow him in her heart, but curiosity suppressed reason. What on earth is he and Arthur hiding? ¡°Well, this sounds fun, too.¡± At the same time as he said that, he opened the door and put Carl to sleep lightly. She was frozen by what happened in an instant and just watched what he was doing. ¡°Did you kill him?¡± ¡°No way. I don¡¯t enjoy killing.¡± Don¡¯t people usually say they don¡¯t kill? He waved as if not to worry, saying he didn¡¯t enjoy it. Nox slightly nodded toward her and waited for her to come out. ¡°I just put him to sleep for a while.¡± ¡°Did you put everyone to sleep like this?¡± ¡°No. Are you bothered by it?¡± ¡°Of course?¡± Why is he looking at her funny? He bobbed a finger and proudly advanced into the hallway. It was a walk without hesitation, as if there was no one to disturb him. She slowly followed behind him, walking ahead. It was silent, as if everyone had promised. No one was walking around outside, so nothing stopped Nox. The place she went with Nox to was in front of the tightly locked room. ¡°You¡¯re not going to run away now, are you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Her mouth was burning without realizing it. She swallowed his dry saliva and calmly gulped his head. When she faced him, her heart began to beat hard. Chapter 98 Fake and Truth (6) To be honest, she was afraid that there would be an unacceptable situation. Nox took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It was an effort to calm his trembling mind. The door opened with no sound. As if it knew Nox was the owner. ¡°Well, I¡¯d love to be over there. It will be difficult if you run away by surprise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not telling me to go in here, are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The place he pointed to was a closet with a door. She couldn¡¯t see any clothes inside. Looking at the empty closet, she saw Nox with an incomprehensible look. ¡®Why do I have to go in there?¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to, but she thought she had to do what he told her to do. The overall atmosphere of the room differed from the chilliness of the castle. When she entered the closet, Nox personally closed the door. When the light slowly disappeared and only darkness remained, she heard someone entering the room. Thud. She crouched in surprise at the sound of something heavy falling on the floor. She couldn¡¯t see anything because of the closed door, but she could tell. That the sound is the sound of a person. ¡°¡­ finish it quickly.¡± It was Arthur¡¯s voice that was full of signs of exhaustion. She didn¡¯t want to believe it, but Arthur was really involved. Then, did he bring the person who is on the floor now? ¡°You don¡¯t have to be in a hurry. Oh, I heard there¡¯s a new person named Mary.¡± ¡°¡­She¡¯s not Mary. There¡¯s only one Mary.¡± ¡°Who? The girl next to you?¡± Nox¡¯s voice was playful. Arthur remained silent even at Nox¡¯s strangely scratching words with a mocking tone. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Hurry up.¡± Arthur¡¯s brief sigh was heard. She held her breath and approached the door a little further. She vaguely saw the outside through the slightly open door. Arthur¡¯s face, standing face to face with Nox¡¯s back, caught her eye. She covered her mouth with the appearance of the woman lying on the floor. Nox seemed to reach out to Arthur¡¯s heart and pulled out the bottle. It seemed that the blue energy was coming out of Arthur¡¯s body, but it was soon absorbed along Nox¡¯s hand. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something you do every time.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t meet Mary, did you?¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes glimmered. Nox shook his head, shrugging his shoulders skillfully. ¡°If you know, you can¡¯t let it go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch Mary.¡± ¡°Ah, the more I¡¯m interested in her. Isn¡¯t this fun? What do you mean by a woman who reached out to you first?¡± ¡°Nox.¡± As Arthur warned, he called his name. The cool air seemed to hover around him and soon dispersed quietly. ¡°It¡¯s not fun. Are you going to stay? It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°¡­ Take care of yourself.¡± Arthur left the room holding a glass bottle in his hand. Nox looked at her and smiled. The woman lying on the floor opened her eyes to Nox¡¯s words and stretched. The beautiful man was standing in front of her, and the woman put her hand around Nox¡¯s neck as if possessed. The lips of the two overlapped and began to shine and scatter on the woman¡¯s body. The more the lips of the two interlocked, the more the woman¡¯s body disappeared. The woman¡¯s face was so full of smiles that she didn¡¯t even know her body was disappearing. Until she looked at Nox¡¯s two red eyes. ¡°Ahhh¡± The scream of a woman soon creepily rang in her ears. Soon after, however, the woman disappeared. Right in front of her eyes. She covered her two mouths. Nox¡¯s red eyes turned toward her and she unknowingly stepped back. His eyes in the dark were clearer. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it.¡¯ It was something she didn¡¯t dare to imagine. She heard the story, but the situation she actually faced was truly shocking. No, beyond that, she could not believe it to be reality. She heard Nox¡¯s footsteps. Her heart beat as if her heart was going to explode at the sound of him slowly approaching her. Squeak! When she opened the closet door and saw Nox with a smile, she lost consciousness. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were guarding the front? But I think we need to explain why Mary was down in the hallway.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry. When I opened my eyes, I was lying down.¡± ¡°You must know how irresponsible your words are now.¡± She heard a familiar voice. Her head was blank and her body was heavy. When she tried to open her eyes and turn her head to the noisy side, there were Arthur and Carl. Along with Carl, who bowed his head, Arthur looked as if he would cut Carl¡¯s neck at any moment. ¡®Why are you two doing this? What happened?¡¯ As she tried to think, her head was pounding. She remembered being with Nox, but she couldn¡¯t think of the situation before and after at all. Nox¡¯s actions that covered her eyes with two red eyes came to mind. She couldn¡¯t remember what he said towards the end. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± She told Arthur, who was talking at the door. The two looked serious, so she tried not to intervene, but she couldn¡¯t watch because she seemed to be at the center. ¡°Why did you leave the room again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to me. I guess you have time to pay attention to me¡±. ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°Where did you leave her (Mary2)?¡± She caused a crack on Arthur¡¯s face. The expression of concern for her quickly erased and filled with complexity. ¡°Let it go, come on. You know she¡¯s fake, anyway.¡± And she also knew that the woman was fake. She remembered the story vividly when she talked with Nox in the room. It was a problem if it was not too clear but clear. Fake created by Nox. A doll pretending to be Mary. His bait to move Arthur. Chapter 99 Fake and Truth (7) ¡°You have already made me aware of your heart, and now you are asking me to go to that Mary(2)?¡± ¡°Because you have a pretty complicated look on your face. If you want to show that expression, don¡¯t show up in front of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you Mary, who pushed me out.¡± He had never been pushed away?. She just left him as he was, without pulling or pushing him away. He did what he did and acted differently from time to time. Of course, it was true that he tested it because he had information to find out along with what he was deceiving her. She wasn¡¯t telling him the truth either, so she was in the same position. However, Arthur¡¯s hesitation when he faced her was not very pleasant. ¡°It was me who reached out my hand. Do you really think she is real?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± Arthur took a step closer to her. Her body, which had gained some weight, had suddenly turned thin, and her face looked dull. At the same time as he refused the medicine he gave her, she was weak. ¡®Medicine? Blue bottle¡­¡­.¡¯ She definitely remembers taking medicine on the day she was with Nox. As she tried to think more and think about it, her head hurt like a broken tooth. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Princess!¡± Carl came to her in surprise, but was blocked by Arthur¡¯s hand. It was a warning that he would not let it go if it approached a little closer with a cold gaze. ¡°Mary, I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Are you not going to take the medicine again this time?¡± ¡°I will not eat it.¡± As soon as she finished talking, Arthur opened the lid of the blue bottle in his hand and poured it into his mouth. She wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by his behavior. Carl also had a crumpled forehead looking at Arthur. ¡°What on earth?¡± Arthur stared at her with his tightly closed mouth. A smile leaked out of embarrassment through her slightly open lips. At that moment, Arthur¡¯s hands wrapped around her cheeks and his lips folded. Her body hardened in a situation that happened in an instant, and her eyes were as big as they could get. ¡®¡­¡­!¡¯ With a slightly tilted pass, something flowed out of Arthur¡¯s mouth and filled her mouth. Arthur¡¯s one hand gently stroked her neck and urged her. The medicine he had in his mouth came into her mouth and eventually she swallowed it. He took off his mouth only after she finished drinking the medicine. She grabbed the cup of water on the table and said, bringing it to her lips. ¡°Wash your mouth, the medicine won¡¯t taste so good.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s the medicine I take every time.¡± ¡°Then, you may not want to kiss me, so rinse it off.¡± At Arthur¡¯s words, he pushed a cup of water with his hand. She didn¡¯t hate it. Rather, she liked the fact that he cared about her and still treated her kindly. She, who said it was Mary, could now see him unshakable. She realized when she saw Arthur in front of her again, saying that it was Mary who pushed him away, that whom he had his gaze on. Realization soon became another emotion and wrapped around her. Scared. She kept getting signals that it was dangerous from somewhere in her heart. She needs to know what she¡¯s being deceived and what he¡¯s hiding from her. ¡°I don¡¯t hate it.¡± She confessed her mind honestly. She never hated kissing him. Not even once. But it wasn¡¯t always good either. ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t take medicine¡­ Did you feed me?¡± ¡°A week.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a week since you collapsed and opened your eyes.¡± She looked at Carl at Arthur¡¯s words. Carl¡¯s head slowly gulped down to see if he was right. ¡®A week? No way.¡¯ What happened in the meantime? She fell into thought, covering her head in frustration, but it was useless. What in the world did she do? Remember! Her head was choking again whether or not she knew how she felt. As if refusing to remember, her head kept getting dizzy. She¡¯ll have to deal with the women first. ¡°Let her stay here.¡± Words must not leak out. But she couldn¡¯t kill that woman. It was said to be a fake created by Nox, but when others see her, she was also an ordinary human being. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s not allowed.¡± Arthur¡¯s mouth, which seemed willing to say yes, gave an unexpected answer. Nevertheless, he had no intention of bending her will. ¡°I think I¡¯ll feel comfortable only when she¡¯s in front of me, so I want you to do that.¡± ¡°Anyway, she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°What about her?¡± Arthur swallowed the latter words without spitting them out. He looked reminded as if he would say it at any moment, but in the end, he didn¡¯t tell her the following. ¡°Mary, you just have to care about your health.¡± ¡°I think this is my job too. She¡¯s a person who says she¡¯s Mary, so how can I not care?¡± ¡°Then remove her from sight.¡± He said with a calm look. Her existence was insensitive and determined, as if it were nothing to him. His complex expression was no longer visible. ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill her, are you?¡± Or did you kill her already? She couldn¡¯t ask and swallowed it inside. She still didn¡¯t know what happened to this castle for a week when she didn¡¯t wake up. After he left, she was going to call the maid to check first. Carl will also not know properly, so it would be most accurate to call in a maid to ask. She prayed inside that it was not true, repeating what Nox had said in the room. Arthur swallowed a dry saliva without realizing it because he was afraid he was thinking the same thing. ¡°But I¡¯m not a villain enough to kill people.¡± He shamelessly lied without changing his expression. Arthur¡¯s face, which looked exceptionally tired today, caught her eye, but she couldn¡¯t ask. Chapter 100 Fake and Truth (8) She raised her hand and swept his face down. Arthur¡¯s body trembled a little by her sudden action. Carl quietly stood up, looked out at Arthur, and turned his head. ¡°But why am I here?¡± ¡°Mary, that¡¯s what I want to ask you. Why did you leave the room and fell in the hallway.¡± ¡°¡­ Were you alone?¡± The fact that she was lying down distorted his face. ¡®What did Nox do to me?¡¯ The memory of following him came to mind again. The appearance of Carl falling, but what she said and heard still didn¡¯t come to mind. With the story that loving Arthur might end everything, only the blue medicine bottle and Nox¡¯s eyes, which were particularly red, lingered in her head. ¡°Carl, did you see me when I came out?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t remember it at all. After you went in, I didn¡¯t see anyone coming out. Had I seen it, I would have stopped it.¡± The time she summoned him was also earlier than the time the others fell asleep. Carl, too, always went back to his room before that time, so it was definitely not a set time. ¡°Then why were you down too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Carl also seemed embarrassed. She¡¯ll be frustrated too because the entire memory has flown away. She didn¡¯t ask him to reprimand him. She didn¡¯t really remember, so she said it to understand the situation. ¡°Mary, I¡¯m going to attach someone else other than Carl.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± Because he was Carl, she was able to trust and be around him. Isn¡¯t he the one who didn¡¯t ask her anything even in front of the one who says she is Mary? ¡®It¡¯s not Carl¡¯s fault, there¡¯s something.¡¯ There was only a memory of meeting Nox, talking, getting up from his seat, and following him out the door. Obviously, Nox showed her something else. That was as certain as that. She chewed her lips without realizing it. ¡®What on earth is it? The memory I forgot.¡¯ Anxiety surrounded her because she felt like she had forgotten something important. She couldn¡¯t see the other Mary in the castle. Arthur didn¡¯t even tell her where he hid her. She had disappeared as if she didn¡¯t exist in the first place. She was stuck in the room because her body had not yet recovered. ¡°Carl, what happened in the past week?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ everything was fine.¡± ¡°But your face doesn¡¯t make sense¡±. Perhaps she was alright with Arthur, but she opened her eyes as he looked at Carl¡¯s tightly closed lips. She brought Nox on herself, but she was frustrated because she didn¡¯t know the situation would go like this. ¡°Do you feel better when you search all over the place?¡± ¡°Nothing really happened.¡± ¡°Carl, you shouldn¡¯t lie to me.¡± Because he¡¯s the only one she trusts. Don¡¯t hide anything from her as much as she does. She got out of bed and approached Carl. As she took a step closer, Carl took a step back. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Staring at his face, she took another step closer. Carl has never kept a distance from her. Not once until now. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t the princess tell me the truth?¡± ¡°What do you want to hear from me?¡± She stopped walking toward Carl and hinted. She smiled with her eyes folded, releasing her stiff expression. ¡°Tell me. What am I lying to you about, right now?¡± As expected, Carl must have noticed Mary that day. Otherwise, there¡¯s no reason to do this to her suddenly. She knew it, but when she actually met her (Mary 2), she felt strangely twisted. It was clear that it was her greed and selfishness, but she was still wondering. ¡°Why can¡¯t you talk?¡± Carl¡¯s eyes shook. His eyes staring at her showed an unexpected feeling. She strode up to Carl, who was standing firm in his spot. Standing right in front of him, she looked up and looked at Carl. Carl couldn¡¯t bear to look at her and stared straight ahead. She reached out, hugged Carl¡¯s cheek, and bowed his face toward her. Carl¡¯s eyes, which were filled with more confusion than before, burned her mouth. ¡°Yeah, I cheated you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I had no choice but to deceive you. Because I needed you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, are you resentful?¡± Even if he resents and gets angry, she can¡¯t help it. It was already expected, and it would happen someday. Didn¡¯t she have no intention of telling him honestly in the first place? She is afraid he¡¯ll leave her. By Mary¡¯s side, she thought there was no one next to her who she wanted as much as Carl. ¡°I told you then, leave my side.¡± She definitely gave him a chance. So that he can choose the opportunity not to be hurt and the time to find happiness. ¡°Carl, you¡¯re late now. I have no intention of letting go of whatever you feel or think.¡± Carl held her hand that was covering his face and separated it. He spoke in a biting voice with his slightly wet eyes. ¡°¡­¡­I knew it.¡± He looked like he knew she wasn¡¯t Mary, and that he already knew from the beginning what she wanted to hide. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t recognize the person I love.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Carl¡¯s words hurt a corner of her heart. Despair poured in with pain in the heart. Why did he decide to stay by her side even though he knew? She became curious. When she realized that Carl, whom she thought she knew everything about, was already out of her expectations, a flood of questions followed. Why? Why? ¡°It must have been fun to see me struggling.¡± ¡°The reason why I didn¡¯t leave and stayed by your side..¡­.¡± Carl continued to talk, suppressing his emotions. His hand, holding her hand, felt unusually warm today. ¡°Because you are Princess Mary Anastasia now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Chapter 101 Fake and Truth (9) ¡°What I¡¯ve been serving and what I have to continue to serve.¡± The hand fell down with a snap. She felt Carl¡¯s head was leaning against her shoulder, but soon he hugged her and pulled her with one hand. ¡°Always alone in a lonely place¡­.. shouldn¡¯t you be there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the Mary you loved.¡± ¡°I know. Throughout my time, I noticed that you were not Mary.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°But you are still Princess Mary Anastasia to me.¡± Tears flowed from her eyes without realizing it at Carl¡¯s words. Even though she was embarrassed by tears, she didn¡¯t know why. Holding him in her arms, she closed her eyes pressing down on the hot emotions filling her throat without saying a word. ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s the princess I loved, nothing will be unacceptable to me. I will always be here by your side.¡± Now she fully understands what he meant by not being greedy. Carl¡¯s intention to not leave her side¡­¡­. ¡°I¡¯m going to live as if I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why did you ask me to tell you the truth now?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I be greedy at least once?¡± Just that much, that¡¯s how greedy Carl was. Telling her honestly what Arthur and others know. ¡°Nothing will change. I¡¯m your escort and only the woman in front of me is Mary Anastasia, the only princess of the Arpen Empire.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°When I am just with the princess and my job is over, then¡­¡­.¡± Carl¡¯s throat clumped the end of his speech. She, who was in his arms, tried to turn her head, but she couldn¡¯t move because of Carl, who was gripping her. ¡°So don¡¯t hide it from me from now on. Shouldn¡¯t I know everything to help the Princess?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± After she collapsed and came to this castle and went through several times, Carl seems to have vowed. It sounded like saying let¡¯s reveal it to help her properly, and she doesn¡¯t have to care because he knows everything. She knew how heartbreaking it was to not have anyone to love, but she couldn¡¯t comfort him. She was the one who stole the body, whether intentionally or unintentionally. ¡°Then tell me what happened during the week.¡± She escaped from Carl¡¯s arms and sat in a chair. Carl thought about it for a while and stood opposite him and bowed his upper body. ¡°Sit down, standing up is more annoying.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll sit down for a moment.¡± Carl¡¯s eyes, sitting facing her, were red. Unlike his calm voice, he could not hide his sad face. ¡°She¡¯s a fake.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s only pretending to be her, but it¡¯s not the real thing either.¡± ¡°Arthur must have noticed.¡± She expected it, but she didn¡¯t know he¡¯d really notice it. Then, why the hell were they together for a week? ¡°I don¡¯t know what she was, but she was funny to watch.¡± ¡°Did you laugh?¡± Nox and Arthur must be crazy. How can they enjoy this situation? The two look alike but not alike. At first, Arthur thought she (Mary2) was similar to herself. But he was wrong. She is creepy, similar to Nox. ¡°She didn¡¯t smile for a week while the Princess was lying down.¡± Carl made an impression without realizing it. Looking at her still looking at him, he shook her head. ¡°I think it¡¯s better for the Princess to not fall down again.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been half crazy.¡± ¡°Arthur?¡± ¡°Even though he didn¡¯t look well, he searched the entire castle to find out why you collapsed and stayed in your room all day without sleeping.¡± Is it to make medicine? Since he said he studied, he might have tried to do something for her, but he collapsed. ¡°Yes, medicine. That medicine.¡± The medicine he gave herself as soon as she woke up. It keeps getting caught. ¡°Did he feed me even when I was lying down?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen it.¡± ¡°Then why were you two fighting in my room?¡± ¡°No matter how much he investigated, he couldn¡¯t figure out why the Princess fainted in the hallway, so he came to see me. It was strange for me, too, because I lost consciousness even though I didn¡¯t fall asleep every time.¡­.¡± Nox. It was clear what Nox did. If so, she also followed him. ¡°Where was I lying down?¡± ¡°It was the hallway in front of the room that didn¡¯t open.¡± ¡°I was lying down there?¡± One thing was clear if she followed Nox. He showed her something and made her forget. And that¡¯s probably one of the things she¡¯s been curious about. ¡®Secret room.¡¯ And the blue light that kept popping up was telling her to hurry up and remember something. Her mouth opened as if he couldn¡¯t believe the appearance of the room rising with the closet. ¡°I think I went into that room.¡± No, she went in. Obviously, she remembers opening the door with Nox and stepping in the room. ¡°You couldn¡¯t find a key or a way to open it.¡± ¡°Something keeps coming to mind in my lost memory. But I think it¡¯s related to the room.¡± Nox wouldn¡¯t need a key. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t do. Can¡¯t he do anything when he¡¯s created people? ¡°The key wouldn¡¯t have existed in the first place. Because he¡¯s not the one who needs that.¡± Carl was lost in thought of what she said, and his eyes grew big as if there was something that soon came to mind. He took out the paper, drew the shape of the door, and soon held it out to her. ¡°Do you remember when you first saw the door?¡± ¡°The one you drew for me?¡± Since Carl drew it in quite detail, an image came to her mind at once. Something changed when Carl traced his memory by comparing the two door paintings on the table. ¡°This, no way.¡± The shape of the door had changed. To be precise, it was the pattern of the door when the door was locked. ¡°¡­Magic.¡± And if what this means is what she thinks, she¡¯s right about entering the room. Chapter 102 Fake and Truth (10) Carl took out the picture of the door that he continued to look at and opened it. ¡°If I remember correctly,¡± Carl tilted his head and separated the shapes of the two different doors up and down. And he pointed to the picture of the door above and said. ¡°I always checked when I heard screams.¡± The pattern on the door on the day she collapsed matched the pattern that Carl had checked. That means she saw what happened in the room in person. Not anyone else but her. ¡°I have to remember.¡± ¡°It seems that the Princess¡¯s memory has been intentionally erased.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Nox.¡± Nox might have seen and enjoyed her reaction that day. He showed what she was curious about, but he erased it from her memory and took it. ¡°Is he the one you¡¯ve been looking for?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You must have found him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I found him, I got everything I was curious about.¡± As long as she looks for her memories. It may not be easy for her to find it, but she had to remember it by all means. ¡°First, let me find out more and tell you. For now, I think it would be better to leave it alone.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Carl¡¯s words made her feel down. Now she¡¯s trying to solve something properly, but why is he suddenly cutting it off? Carl, who read my expression, looked at the clock and looked at the door once. ¡°The Princess collapsed and he came at a fixed time every day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m awake now.¡± ¡°He just came and left, and every time he asked about the status at the door.¡± She thought he could do that enough. Carl said Arthur stayed with her even during the week she was down. He said she couldn¡¯t take the medicine because she was unconscious. Instead, Arthur always stayed by her side, checked her condition, and did not neglect nursing. ¡®¡­¡­She didn¡¯t take any medicine?¡¯ He said he refused, but he didn¡¯t feed her even when she collapsed. She couldn¡¯t believe what Karl said, but he can¡¯t tell her this as a lie. Eventually, on the day she came to consciousness, he gave her medicine, but Arthur thought he had put up with it quite a lot. ¡®It¡¯s a bit sad to think that she stayed by her side, fearing she was going to die.¡¯ Carl¡¯s face, which did not ask the maid to do it, but only told her that he was in charge of everything from beginning to end, was full of unknown expressions. He told her that Arthur¡¯s face was shaded. What he was afraid of was her death, so she could expect what kind of feelings it would have been. Strangely, her heart ached and she felt pain. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a moment.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Carl bowed his head to her, spoke in a calm voice, and opened the door. She could see Arthur standing around. The expression full of dissatisfaction looking at Carl coming out of the room was a bonus. ¡°Fortunately, your face looks good today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand there grumpily and come in.¡± ¡°Never mind. I¡¯m here to see your face.¡± Arthur and her exchanged conversations through the open door. Feeling frustrated at what he was doing now, she got up from her seat and walked to Arthur. ¡°Come in or close the door. Why don¡¯t you just do one of the two?¡± ¡°¡­Can I come in?¡± ¡°When did you ever ask?¡± Even if he asked, he came in at his disposal and seemed to be careful not like him. There was only one thing he had to be aware of. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pulling Arthur¡¯s hand, she approached him closely. As she twisted her head slightly and got closer, she whispered in his ear. ¡°That girl? What did you do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Tell me the truth, or I¡¯ll jump like crazy.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still alive.¡± Not yet. Her face was distorted by the word ¡°still¡±. She didn¡¯t think he said ¡°still¡± in a good way, so she stared a little away from him in anxiety. Patting his face gently, she continued to look into his eyes. She stared hard, thinking that she might notice him hiding even a little. ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯ve become quite active since you woke up sick.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re hiding something else.¡± ¡°If I tell you the truth, you wont understand.¡± ¡°When did I not understand? You¡¯ve never told me the truth.¡± Arthur covered her hand with his hand and slightly turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand. She narrowed her forehead due to his sudden behavior, but swallowed a dry saliva without realizing it in Arthur¡¯s eyes. ¡°I truly love you.¡± His eyelids closed slowly. She felt strange at Arthur¡¯s slightly twisted gaze. Is it because of the distance that she got close to him after a long time? Or is it because of the way he looks at her? ¡°¡­ Is work hard these days?¡± She remembered what Carl said and looked at him, and she saw a rather emaciated face. He looked tired to anyone¡¯s eyes, whether he had a lot of backlog work or if he had accumulated fatigue because he couldn¡¯t rest while nursing her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± ¡°If you put me to sleep, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Arthur drew her hand with a little tiredness and made her hug him. He bowed his head and buried it on her shoulder, and unexpectedly stood firm in front of the door. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be more tired if you nap like this. I¡¯d rather you sleep.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll sleep if I go to bed like this, so you¡¯d better just stay here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t have a hobby of touching sick people, so don¡¯t worry and lie down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this because I think I¡¯ll do it, not you.¡± Chapter 103 Fake and Truth (11) Arthur murmured with his head buried in a playful voice. At his first appearance, she raised her hand without realizing it and approached his head. ¡°Are you going to pat me?¡± Seeing her hand, she shook her head. When she was with him, she was in trouble because there were often situations where actions came out differently from what she thought. She was aware that her heart was going to him without even realizing it. But she tried to control herself consciously and ignore it. ¡®It¡¯s because I¡¯m worried about what I¡¯m doing right now.¡¯ She was strangely conscious of what she heard from Carl. There was something she didn¡¯t tell Arthur either. The suspicion that meeting Nox and perhaps the reason why she collapsed for a week were also involved. No, this was almost a conviction. She can¡¯t speak because she doesn¡¯t remember, not a fictional story that she made. She hurriedly tried to put down her hand in the air awkwardly. At that moment, Arthur grabbed her hand and made her hold his neck. ¡°Gasp!¡± Surprised, she pulled back, and his other hand held her waist tightly. ¡°It¡¯s hard to seduce like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t say nonsense and just sleep.¡± ¡°If you sleep next to me, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Rather nervously, she escaped Arthur¡¯s arms and held her hand, and led him toward the bed. It is clear that he is crazy because he cannot sleep. The dreamy eyes seemed to tell of the current fatigue. ¡°I think you¡¯ve gotten weird since I haven¡¯t seen you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not weird, it¡¯s honest.¡± As she approached the bed, she pressed his shoulder and made him sit down. As soon as she tried to roll up the blanket and press Arthur¡¯s shoulder again to lie in bed, Arthur¡¯s hand hugged her waist again. ¡°Argh!¡± Arthur¡¯s hands soon hugged her tightly and refused to let her go as she tried to raise herself, lying down in his arms. When she slightly looked up and saw him, her eyes were already closed. Except that the corners of the mouth were slightly curled up, it was tranquil itself. Even if she tried to get away with it, she couldn¡¯t have overcome his power. Giving up, she relaxed and listened to his heart. Boom, boom, boom. She heard a heartbeat. She thought it¡¯s a bit fast. She moved her hand to see if it was okay and put her hand on his chest, and it jumped faster than before. ¡°Oh, my. Your heart is racing too fast.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re not sick?¡± Perhaps because of what she heard from Carl, she was worried about him. Hearing his heartbeat doesn¡¯t make it beat as fast as Arthur is 1.5 times as fast as hers? It felt pretty fast. No, is it double? ¡°¡­¡­ Do not move.¡± ¡°Then let me go.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that. Because if I were around you, I¡¯d feel relieved and sleep a little.¡± ¡°¡­ Did you not sleep a wink?¡± Arthur¡¯s cold eyes opened wide. The eyes slightly opened to look at her below, and then they looked at her and folded beautifully. ¡°You might really leave my side.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand, which was hugging her tightly with a slightly sleepy voice, slowly lost strength. The mouth was also slightly curled up along the curved eyes while drawing the arc. ¡°I thought a lot about whether to follow you or wait.¡± He meant it. At this moment, Arthur was not telling a single lie. When she found the iris in his eyes expanding, she got goosebumps all over her body. ¡°Or should I give everything I have to save you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re contemplating.¡± She reached out and stroked Arthur¡¯s face. His body flinched slightly. He smiled lightly at the moment¡¯s shaking gaze. ¡°You¡¯re the one who will suffer more than anyone else if I die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You know that I¡¯m holding you and shaking you with my life as collateral. Why are you telling me?¡± She knows she¡¯s the one who makes him suffer more than anyone else. It was not what she wanted and she was not able to give it. She couldn¡¯t have it just because she wanted it, and she couldn¡¯t stay still in his grasp just because he grabbed her. Nevertheless, he wants her to find out why he told her that. ¡°Arthur, people are so cunning.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared of giving my heart, but I¡¯m happy to receive it.¡± She slowly closed and opened his eyes, passed Arthur¡¯s eyes, moved her fingers slowly along his nose and lips. Arthur¡¯s lips flinched every time her hand moved. ¡°Your mouth telling me honestly looks so pretty now.¡± When she touched his lips with her finger, his lips opened slightly. She thought the corners of her mouth were going up slightly, but soon licked her fingers that touched her lips. It was her who provoked, but her heart beat like a burst at one of his actions. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± When she quickly pulled out her hand, Arthur quickly turned around and climbed up. He grabbed her hand and took it to his lips, looked at her with his eyes down, and began to kiss her finger. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you meant you were going to put me to sleep like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I warned you that I was holding it in. So please bear with me.¡± Arthur¡¯s tongue licked her finger and kissed the back of her hand. His breath touched her skin intact. The room where the silence hovered was filled with Arthur¡¯s breathing sound. His lips soon overlapped her tightly closed mouth. Chapter 104 Fake and Truth (12) Arthur¡¯s tongue, which was gently sweeping over her lips, patted and stretched out with a bite on her lower lip. Without realizing it, she was out of breath and grabbed the blanket tightly. Impatiently she slightly opened her mouth to his tongue. He swept her teeth, shook her mouth, and hugged her back strongly. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Arthur¡¯s subdued voice cooled the back of his neck. His instinct flashed along with his suppressed emotions. His mouth dried up as he was slightly loosened and longing for her, his drowsy eyes were revealed so clearly. ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± When the hot breath touched the back of her neck, a moan that she held back burst out. She hurriedly tried to cover her mouth, but it was blocked by Arthur¡¯s hand. Both hands were held and raised above her head. Arthur¡¯s eyes gradually went down from eyes to lips and neck. She turned her head because she felt like she would be fascinated by the way he looked at herself. ¡°Look at me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to me wherever I look.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you look at me other than somewhere else?¡± Her head twitched. It fell down. At his sudden attitude, she turned her head with a puzzled look and looked at him. Arthur¡¯s hand, which was holding her hand, loosened up. ¡°When will you look at me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still looking at you.¡± ¡°I wish I could always be where you see me.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Carl, and it¡¯s not who you¡¯re looking for so much. But me.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand, which had been loosened, felt strong power again. Unlike before, she even felt horrified by Arthur¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t hear anything else. ¡®He¡¯s looking for it so much¡¯. Arthur also knew she was looking for Nox. She just closed her eyes pretending not to know. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pretend you didn¡¯t see it?¡± ¡°As you said, people are so cunning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°When I didn¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t have any greed, but after I found out, I was too greedy. I don¡¯t want you to see other people, talk to them, or recall the memories you shared.¡± ¡°Arthur.¡± Arthur buried his head in her arms. After a few minutes of no movement, he turned around and whispered in her ear. ¡°So, I¡¯m not going to just watch anymore.¡± ¡°Oh, Arthur¡­.¡± Arthur¡¯s lips took over the back of her neck. Her body shrank with a sneaky feeling, but she couldn¡¯t do anything. His hands were shaking. His breath shook irregularly. Crying. He¡¯s crying. Why? Why is he crying? A moan burst out of her mouth with the feeling of sucking the back of her neck. Arthur¡¯s one hand slowly came up, digging into her clothes. Long fingers carefully climbed up and headed inward. ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hesitant. Arthur¡¯s finger, placed above her thigh, hardened on the spot. Arthur¡¯s lips, which were heading toward the chest from the neck, were also removed. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, I¡¯ll stop here.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand, which held her hand, was completely exhausted. Tapping on her clothes. One by one, drops of tears fell. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time. It¡¯s the second time. What are you afraid of now? You slept with me in the name of confirmation.¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°Arthur, I have no reason to reject you.¡± It was true. To be honest, sleeping with him was not a bad memory for her. She felt his touch and sincerity toward her. She doesn¡¯t hate Arthur either. To be more honest, it bothers her and she keeps thinking about it. ¡°If you¡¯re just trying to hold me because you think I¡¯m going to leave, this is not right. You can hold me if you want me because you love me.¡± ¡°I¡­ You¡­¡­.¡± He¡¯s afraid of her leaving. Her body, crouched like a coward, soon hugged her a little harder. With his face buried in her arms, he breathed without moving. ¡®It really became what I wanted now.¡¯ How much she wanted him to want her. She needed him to achieve everything to survive. And she thought she finally got him. It was his usual words, but it wasn¡¯t just his eyes that seemed unusually sincere today. Nervous. There was a tremor in his voice. With his honest words, the sound of his fast-beating heart kept lingering in her ears. Arthur was changing because of her. He¡¯s not lying. He¡¯s serious. ¡°Every day is full of thoughts about you. I¡¯m going crazy because I¡¯m afraid and anxious about you leaving.¡± She raised herself and lifted Arthur¡¯s chin. Tears were still flowing down his eyes. Was a man crying in bed so hot? Without realizing it, a smile leaked from Arthur¡¯s appearance. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡± She covered her mouth with Arthur¡¯s lips and penetrated his mouth. Whenever she intertwined, the room was filled with rough breathing. Arthur slightly kissed her shoulder with the clothes coming off one by one. Arthur, who took a deep breath in her collarbone and looked up at her, soon took off his shirt. The solid body, which was revealed intact, wrapped tightly around her waist and lifted her up. As one hand ruffled his messy hair, Arthur laid his body over her. Long, thick fingers swept down her thighs and slid down in her clothes like a storm. Arthur grabbed her flinching body a little more carefully as it reacted to his hand. When his solid body touched her, she could feel the movement of his muscles vividly. Whenever she breathed in, moans leaked out of her mouth naturally along with the muscles of his upper body that moved. ¡°Arthur.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I will do everything for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You just stay with me.¡± He chewed her lips hard. He didn¡¯t say anything else to her. It was just a word. Even if he didn¡¯t say it, she was next to Arthur now. But did he notice it, too? That her heart is not like that. The fact that if she gets what she wants to get, she will leave him mercilessly. Even though he knows, he won¡¯t let go. Loving a person is not at her disposal. Therefore, love is a cruel and harsh emotion. Behind happiness is a consideration, understanding, and tens of thousands of other emotions. Chapter 105 Fake and Truth (13) ¡°Arthur, I¡¯m already by your side.¡± It would be different if he said what he wanted was the heart, but Arthur has already changed from the beginning. He wanted to win her love, but now he wanted her to stay with him without leaving. Not knowing how anxious and dangerous it was, she floundered with his feelings. Even before Arthur said anything else, she pulled his neck and kissed him. She hugged Arthur even tighter with her fingers, which were gripping the inside of his thigh. Swallowing the groan that erupted, she listened to Arthur¡¯s voice. She had slept with him several times, but every time she did, she felt new. Maybe it¡¯s a change according to her feelings. ¡°Mary¡­¡± Arthur¡¯s voice subsided. And the hands that coveted her became busier. Arthur¡¯s finger, which was already ready, rang the room. ¡°Hah, ah¡­¡­.¡± She leaned on Arthur and gasped. Arthur¡¯s red ears caught her eyes for a moment as the expression recalled by pleasure was revealed intact. She suppressed her groans as much as possible and grabbed Arthur¡¯s thigh. As Arthur¡¯s touch touched a sensitive place, her body trembled like convulsions. A surprisingly large pen*s sank deep inside the vagin* and then escaped. Arthur breathed roughly, but kept pushing her. ¡°Your¡­ Even your breathing, only a dream to me. It¡¯s the same.¡± While enduring, his heart beat faster than before at his voice leaking through his lips. The thick pillar of flesh, which was stirring tightly, was pushed in again. ¡°Ah, ang, ah.¡± When the inner wall of the vagin* automatically contracted due to pleasure, each wrinkle on the inner wall stuck to the penis that squeezed in and stimulated it. Arthur slammed his back up. In the wind, she gasped at the thrill that she felt one after another without losing herself in pleasure. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± She felt like her whole body was about to burn away. Whenever a hard lump of flesh struck in the vagin*, heat rose from the connection. Arthur, who strangely stuck to her body, caused friction on the cl*toris that bounced off, doubling her pleasure. As a dizzying moan squeezed out of his lips, hot liquid poured out from the bottom. As he wanted, she couldn¡¯t think of anything else at this moment. She, who responded honestly to Arthur¡¯s eyes and touches, was filled with thoughts. It felt quite different from then. A strange feeling, not the feeling she felt when she first met him, kept hovering around her. Her eyes opened because her chest was stuffy. When she turned her head, she saw Arthur sleeping with her in his arms as if he would not let go. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A smile spread on her face as he desperately held her. She shook her head in shock at the sight of herself smiling.¡­. She tried to get out of the bed by pulling out as much as she could so as not to wake him up. Arthur grabbed her hand and pulled it toward him. When her body was held in his arms, he said with his eyes closed. ¡°The maid will come soon.¡± ¡°Did you call a maid?¡± Did he even expect this to happen? She narrowed her forehead and looked down at Arthur. With his eyelids lifted slowly, he smiles while drawing a line. ¡°There¡¯s a place to go to, so get ready.¡± ¡°Where? Are we leaving the castle?¡± At his unexpected words, she asked in a very excited voice without realizing it. She has never left the castle since then. There may be a reason why she acted however she wanted that day, but it was because she knew she was paying attention to rumors. Something about the devil, that is, the story of Nox. ¡°Ah, you told me yesterday, right?¡± ¡°If I say I love you, I¡¯ve talked with my body enough.¡± ¡°Not that one.¡± Arthur was talking to her mischievously in his original form. Maybe he knew what she was saying and tried to change the subject. ¡°The person I¡¯m looking for.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Nox. You knew that, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I knew it.¡± It was a little surprising to hear the answer directly from his mouth. She thought he would avoid it, but why did he admit it? She was wondering why he changed his attitude. ¡°Why are you telling me you know now?¡± ¡°That way, you¡¯ll be more careful.¡± ¡°What does that¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll think about him no matter what I do when you think I¡¯m not watching you.¡± As he got up from bed, he stroked her blank face and put her hair back. With a light kiss, he escaped the bed. He turned his head toward her looking at her, buttoning his shirt, and smiled lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t trust him too much.¡± She didn¡¯t believe Nox, but what he said was convincing. Sufficient evidence also existed. However, as Arthur said, she knows that it is dangerous to trust him. ¡°Because he¡¯s a devil?¡± Because he was a devil, not a man. Stories that are parties to rumors and that may be true¡­¡­ Wait, was something about Nox that she forgot? Arthur¡¯s words confused her as if she could remember something. It was concluded that it was related to Arthur, but perhaps Nox is also involved. ¡°Did you know that I was meeting him?¡± ¡°Did you meet him?¡± Arthur¡¯s face, who was wearing a shirt, was crumpled. It seemed that he didn¡¯t notice it until now. Somehow, feeling as if he had dried him, he turned his eyes tightly, closing his lips. ¡®Are you trying to make me speak?¡¯ She sighed, blaming herself. She hasn¡¯t seen Nox since that day, so she didn¡¯t know what Arthur talked about with him. It was not a strange situation to think that he was acting to pull out the words even though he knew everything. He met and talked with Nox often, so it was her who was at a disadvantage to continue the conversation with him. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Where are we going?¡± She turned her words around without answering his question. She got up and slightly looked at Arthur, turning her head up. Arthur¡¯s eyes shook and soon he turned around and quickly began to dress. ¡®What? Why are you there?¡¯ The moment she approached the mirror, she closed her eyes and called Arthur low. ¡°Arthur¡­¡± ¡°I think a maid is here. I¡¯ll see you at the dining room later.¡± Arthur left the room in a hurry and laughed in vain. His traces were engraved on the back of her neck in the mirror. Not just one red spot, but several places¡­¡­. Chapter 106 Fake and Truth (14) The first night she spent with him came to mind. If she were to compare that time and now¡­¡­ she felt quite different between Arthur and her. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not plain.¡± Contrary to words, she tried to turn her face away from the reddened face. Only then will she dry it out? It felt strange that her heart was ticklish. Why is her heart beating so fast when she doesn¡¯t even have pain? At least she hopes it¡¯s not the reason she thinks it is. Not long after, as Arthur said, the maid knocked. However, she couldn¡¯t see a maid that she often saw. She meant the one who told her about the door. ¡°You must have changed people.¡± ¡°It changes when it¡¯s time to improve here.¡± Is that when Nox needs a soul? The screams were not regular, so it was impossible to pinpoint the exact period during which he took the soul. If Nox is the devil, as rumors say, he will take her soul. She is not sure, but she guessed so. ¡°Who will decide then?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only a fixed period of time.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s weird. I haven¡¯t seen the maid that¡¯s always been on my side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The maid she saw for the first time said nothing to her. It was a difficult question to answer easily. If so, she will be positive about what happens in this castle, and if not, the child she is looking for will not exist here. The maid just helped her get dressed with a smile. If she¡¯s gone, something must have happened while she collapsed. ¡°Ah, the necklace is fine.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s already a better decoration than a necklace. I would have left it like this to look at, but if I cover it, it¡¯s in vain, right?¡± She slightly touched the traces left by Arthur with his finger and smiled. She was curious about his expression when she stepped forward without hiding it. The maid hesitated as if embarrassed, but eventually gave up on the necklace and gave her a handkerchief. ¡°Please call Carl before you go out.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± When getting dressed was over, the maids left the room without regret. Knock knock-. She heard a knock and she got up from her seat looking into the mirror. When she opened the door, she could see Carl waiting for her answer. ¡°¡­Princess?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk on our way.¡± Looking at the clock, she had no choice but to walk and talk because breakfast was just around the corner. She could feel Carl¡¯s eyes following her heading to the back of her unobstructed neck. She turned around and tilted her head at an angle and stared at Carl. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯ll hurt my heart.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± Only then did she turn her eyes and stare ahead. Having rearranged her hair, she took the lead in walking and looked around. Fortunately, no one else was seen in the hallway. ¡°That maid, the girl who showed us the door.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a few days since I saw her.¡± ¡°Did you look for her?¡± ¡°Yes, it was strange, so I looked into it, and I don¡¯t think she¡¯s in the castle.¡± ¡°What about that woman (Mary2)?¡± ¡°Her too¡­¡­.¡± Did the maid and the girl get taken care of together? Arthur was enough to stay that way. For Arthur, she was more than enough. But no one but Carl knew what the maid said to her, so how did he know? Nox, isn¡¯t he watching her? What if he gave a tip to Arthur? It was a possible hypothesis. He seemed to enjoy the situation when she was in trouble. When she called him from the castle, he appeared without hesitation, and when she was dying in the Imperial palace, he fed her medicine himself, so there was no effort to hide his existence. But she didn¡¯t think he liked to reveal it.¡­. ¡°A few days ago, I saw a silver-haired man in the castle.¡± ¡°What?¡± Without realizing it, she turned around, asking back loudly. He¡¯s wandering around the castle? If Arthur knew, he wouldn¡¯t have stayed still. ¡°I followed quickly, but it was after I disappeared. One strange thing is¡­¡­.¡± Carl tilted his head and opened his eyes. It felt like hesitating to see if it was certain. She waited for him to speak without whining. Stopping in the hallway, Arthur¡¯s voice was heard behind her and Carl. ¡°As soon as I leave, you go out on a date with another guy right away.¡± Arthur¡¯s angry voice rang heavily. She felt a strange tension between Carl and Arthur. Somehow, the difficult situation felt like it had happened every day since she stayed here. If she wasn¡¯t in it, she would have sat on the sidelines, but all of this was happening because of her, so she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go.¡± Looking at Carl, she lifted her index finger and put it on her lips. When Carl nodded slightly, she turned around and looked at Arthur. She strode up to him and pulled his hand. ¡°Did you come to meet me because you couldn¡¯t wait for me?¡± Arthur¡¯s stiff expression on her sweet voice became a little loose. Arthur raised his hand to stop Carl from following him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow me, just keep your position.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a knight belonging to the Princess, not the servant of the Grand Duke.¡± He was saying not to order. Arthur¡¯s steps soon stopped at Carl¡¯s firm words. And she also agreed with Carl. ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t I tell you last time? Don¡¯t treat him recklessly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather be honest. You want the two of us to eat without interruption, because you are jealous.¡± ¡°If I say that, will you take him away?¡± ¡°Well, no. Carl is my escort.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Even if there is no guard here, nothing dangerous will happen to your body.¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with people.¡± She smiled at Arthur and headed to the dining room. The sound of her spitting out a smile in vain sounded low. Carl followed her silently. Thanks to Arthur¡¯s blazing eyes, she felt like the back of her head was going to be pierced, but she didn¡¯t care. Silence lingered throughout the meal time. However, no one noticed or felt uncomfortable with this situation. Chapter 107 Fake and Truth (15) Crunch crunch. All she could hear was the sound of cutting meat and handing over wine to her mouth. Looking at Arthur, he was also staring at the plate and savoring only the food. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me why we are going out to the city?¡± She didn¡¯t give up and asked him again. No matter how much she thought about it, he couldn¡¯t have made her a proposal first. ¡°Not only this place, but also other territories, I will visit them in the future.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to slowly get ready.¡± Now that the nobles in the system have been suppressed for a while, those on the periphery also had to grasp and hold them in their hands. She is not sure if they will cooperate with her because she has left them unattended so far. Looking at Arthur¡¯s expression, it seemed that he had already sent a letter and made an appointment. How many days is it okay to vacate the castle? ¡°When are you planning to go to another land?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving in two days.¡± ¡°You must have decided how long you¡¯ll stay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to the owner of the castle.¡± Arthur took a sip of wine and put it down on the table. He wiped off the area around his mouth with a napkin and held his chin and stared at her. Now that she doesn¡¯t care about this gaze, she emptied the food. ¡°It¡¯s up to you to persuade them.¡± ¡°If the person who will be the owner of this country can¡¯t persuade the people¡¯s hearts, shouldn¡¯t we doubt their qualifications?¡± ¡°You must be tired.¡± Tuuk. She put the napkin on the table and got up from her seat. Arthur, who was staring at her until the end, folds his eyes and smiles beautifully. ¡°You must be a pretty mischievous person. Seeing that you left a trace.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mischievous, I¡¯m a pathetic person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t do this, I¡¯ll be nervous. Isn¡¯t it that you don¡¯t even have anxiety, nervousness, and faith in yourself?¡± He snorted and ran his fingers lightly across the traces of her neck. Arthur¡¯s forehead narrowed slightly and corrected his expression again. ¡°Isn¡¯t that how much you love the other person? Seeing that you left a trace of your own so that no one could covet it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your first time. Is there anything grandiose? It¡¯s just a trace of lust.¡± It was a place that was clearly visible to others. She revealed it because she didn¡¯t have to hide it, but when she saw Arthur¡¯s expression of joy, she felt calm again. Next time, she should leave an unforgettable imprint on him. When she handed the handkerchief in her hand to Carl, he carefully lifted her head and tied it around her neck. When she saw Arthur¡¯s facial expression distorted noticeably, she burst into laughter. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s a pretty nice decoration, There should be no gossip about officially moving things.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Those who need to see it have already seen it.¡± Arthur took turns looking at her and Carl and approached her and reached out his hand. She decided to let go of his apparent behavior. Holding Arthur¡¯s hand, she left the restaurant and walked side by side toward the carriage. A little further from the back, followed by Carl. When she glanced, she was staring straight ahead with an expressionless face. ¡°I¡¯m not going to dress up today.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand, holding her hand, gained strength. Soon after, he pulled slightly toward him, making his steps a little faster. Arthur, who soon kept pace with her pace, often didn¡¯t have to walk. Is it that he doesn¡¯t even want to look away for a moment? ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll see how the territory you rule over today.¡± It didn¡¯t feel so good that he cared about Carl. He can¡¯t do anything and he¡¯s just sitting by his side, so why is he making a point like that? All Carl could do was follow her from behind and look at her. Like Arthur, it was a position where he couldn¡¯t say or express his mind at will. No, it was also an implicit rule between Carl and her. ¡°It will be less disappointing to not expect much.¡± ¡°I hope I won¡¯t be disappointed. The last time was more fun than I thought.¡± It was the first day she learned about Nox. It was a pretty good outing for her. Since it was informal, she went into the store and collected information comfortably, so there was nothing to be desired. It¡¯s going to be hard this time, but wouldn¡¯t there be something to get out of course. It¡¯s about sex and rumors about people who disappear. ¡°Oh, by the way. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t see a maid who always attends me.¡± She tilted her head and asked Arthur. His fingers flinched lightly, and soon he spoke a lie with a calm face. ¡°She quit because she had something to do.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe the maid who was assigned to me quit without saying a word to me, so her education is messed up.¡± She let go of Arthur¡¯s hand and kicked her tongue. Arthur looked at her hand with an unexpected smile. ¡°Mary, I didn¡¯t know you were so interested in the maid. I wouldn¡¯t have done anything to worry about from the beginning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know in advance next time.¡± Arthur shook off her hand and took the lead. Carl, who was behind her, approached and whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to accompany you there.¡± ¡°Well, I expected it to be the case. It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­But, if anything happens, use this.¡± Carl handed her the same decoration as a pendant. She just liked that it was small and pretty. ¡®Is it a necklace? What am I supposed to do with this?¡¯ She turned around and looked at things with her eyes wriggled. Carl, who was watching this still, leaned down and said to her ear. ¡°It¡¯s a bomb.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So don¡¯t use it unless it¡¯s dangerous. It¡¯ll buy you time. Oh, it¡¯s a bomb that explodes after a moment, so relax.¡± Sweeping down her surprised chest, she nodded. She thought Carl was finally determined to kill her for holding the bomb in his hand. Carl explained the original use as if he were relieved by her embarrassed expression.¡­. ¡°Next time, talk about important things first and explain.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± She was a bit grumpy and didn¡¯t even say goodbye to Carl, but turned around and went to see Arthur. Like this. Carl grabbed her hand and grabbed her hand holding the bomb as if hugging her from behind. ¡°Look carefully. Princess, if you press the protruding part and open the opposite lock¡­¡­.¡± With a back hug, Carl taught her how to use a bomb. His lips were far from touching just by turning his head slightly. Furthermore, she could feel the breath intact, so she drooled without realizing it. Chapter 108 Fake and Truth (16) Why is it so uselessly romantic to explain the bomb? She ignored her trembling heart and listened to his explanation. ¡°If you open the lock, you have to throw it within 10 seconds. I¡¯ll also put a protector here to protect your eyes.¡± Carl put his glasses inside her sleeve without anyone knowing. Her body trembled, but she avoided his gaze and shook her head. ¡°¡­¡­Okay? I¡¯ll go out now.¡± ¡°Have a safe trip, princess.¡± When Carl stepped back a couple of steps, he escaped his arms. ¡°¡­yes.¡± Looking at Carl standing firm on the spot, she headed to the carriage where Arthur was waiting. Arthur was leaning obliquely and looking at her without getting on the wagon. ¡®He¡¯s grumpy.¡¯ As she headed for the carriage with a calm look, she grabbed his arm and smiled brightly. ¡°Did you wait for me to escort me?¡± ¡°I was going to, but not now.¡± ¡°¡­a little boy.¡± ¡°No, that means¡­¡± After passing by Arthur, she opened the door, climbed up alone, and turned her head toward the window. She was smiling inside her complex expression, but tried to calm the corners of her mouth as much as possible. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you going to ride it? I¡¯m going to lose all of this.¡± After a short sigh at what she said, he got into the carriage and looked at her. Arthur didn¡¯t look away from her until they arrived downtown. Somehow she felt like she could hear him swearing inside. A wagon stopped in front of a store in the city. Arthur got off the wagon this time and reached out his hand. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on him as he stepped down holding her hand pretending he couldn¡¯t win. ¡°I think I know why you¡¯re coming out of town unofficially.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you know it now.¡± She greeted people and began to look around. Those who seemed to be wary but acted casually seemed strangely awkward. ¡°Viblant territory has the same atmosphere as the castle.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to it as a compliment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a compliment, but I won¡¯t stop you if you want to hear it like that. I felt this last time, but it¡¯s not energetic here.¡± Neither people¡¯s faces nor streets felt they had vitality. ¡°First, turn around. Shall we listen to the introduction of the Viblant territory?¡±¡± Arthur took a step to the store that they had stopped at on his words. Is this the place he wanted to show? As soon as she was about to follow him, she saw a familiar face among the people. ¡°¡­ Nox?¡± Loosely tied silver long hair and red eyes. It was really Nox. And next to him was the other Mary (Mary2) who had not been seen. ¡°I guess I saw it wrong.¡± But she had never seen a single person with red eyes like Nox. She looked back with a strange feeling, but she couldn¡¯t see him. When she completely entered the store, she was speechless at the situation in front of her. It was a completely different atmosphere from the outside. Her mouth opened wide in a warm yet lively situation inside. Trees and plants were growing profusely, and it was a landscape that could be said to be a garden or something similar. She looked around in a puzzled manner, drawing admiration. A smile naturally spread around her mouth with the sound of birds rattling and the rustling sound of trees moving as if welcoming her. ¡°Arthur, what the hell is this place¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What? This sister?¡± Ping. Glittering silver powder scattered around and flew away. When she looked up, a small fairy was looking around her and observing her. ¡°Fai¡­ry?¡± ¡°People sometimes call me that.¡± She smiled and spun in the air and soon sat on her shoulder. Mary turned her head and looked at the fairy. ¡°I just look like this, but I¡¯m not a fairy.¡± ¡°Then what should I call you?¡± ¡°Proserpine. I¡¯m not a fairy or anything, call me Finn.¡± She crossed her arms with a milky look and turned his head sharply. That was cute, so she smiled without realizing it. ¡°Did you laugh at me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just um¡­¡­ because you¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°You¡¯re rude. I¡¯m not cute.¡± She flew up into the air in an instant from his shoulder and shook her wings. Arthur came to the fairy and handed him a small marble. ¡°Do not be angry. It¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s you. Arthur saved my life. So why did you bring her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to find what we¡¯ve been keeping.¡± ¡°You¡­ No.¡± Finn was about to say something to Arthur, but soon closed her mouth. It was because of Mary¡¯s gaze at her. Mary felt that another secret she didn¡¯t know was hidden between the two. Shouldn¡¯t a place like this not exist in this store in the first place? As if there were other times and space, this place was full of heterogeneity. ¡°Finn, what is this place doing?¡± ¡°Everywhere in Viblant.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s literally the same. This is Viblant and Viblant is this space.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyebrows were raised by Finn¡¯s words. It was then lowered. It was not long before he approached her, pulling her hand and urging her. ¡°Are you going to be like this here?¡± ¡°Oh, no. By the way, what was that marble from before?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to know.¡± When she followed Arthur¡¯s hand and looked at Finn, Finn approached her and whispered with the bead tightly in his arms. ¡°Do you want it, too? This is so good.¡± The beads in her arms were black. There was a dreamy movement inside. The smoke rolling around in the beads strangely kept her eyes off. ¡°However, Arthur will be angry if he finds out. See you next time, Mary.¡± Finn smiled and disappeared quickly. Mary tried to chase her traces, but it was useless. It was already after hiding its existence, so only the rustling sound of the leaves was heard. Chapter 109 Fake and Truth (17) There were many miscellaneous items in the place where Arthur came in. The items displayed in the cabinet were stained with hand stains at a glance. However, whether he had been continuing to manage it, it was neat without any dust. ¡°What are all these items?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about you.¡± Arthur was referring to those who have been ¡®Mary¡¯ so far. She doesn¡¯t know how he got his hands on the items, but looking at the displayed items, she felt Arthur¡¯s affection. ¡°Did you manage all this until now?¡± From accessories to books, she could see a variety of items. She got goosebumps at the number on which Mary was written. She didn¡¯t have to say how obsessed he was with Mary. Looking at the bottom, she leaned back and looked around at the props that seemed a little more new than the top. ¡°But this looks similar to the thing you gave Finn earlier.¡± She asked, taking out the beads stored in the glass bottle. The silver splashing and shaking seemed to be alive. It looked like a transparent bead, but the color seemed to be reflected, perhaps because of the contents inside. ¡°It¡¯s like silver¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bead. Proserpine (Finn) loves to shine.¡± If she only likes sparkling things, why did he express it as delicious? Beads aren¡¯t meant to be eaten either. ¡°The reason I brought you here is to show you this.¡± He took out a book from the box and handed it over to her. The cover contained the title of the novel she read. Arthur calmly looked at her as if he had expected her reaction. ¡®No matter how much it is in the novel, she didn¡¯t know that this book existed here.¡¯ She went over the bookshelf and looked at the contents. She thought of what she had read. Because she read and read the book over and over again, she was able to vaguely remember what was on the page. But she couldn¡¯t be sure because it wasn¡¯t an accurate memory. Slowly, she looked through the book again. ¡®Huh? Hold on. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s from here.¡­.¡¯ Since she entered this place, the contents of the book have already looked different from the original. However, the content was slightly different, and the ending remained the same. ¡°Did you read this?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you want to talk about? Is this the only book you have?¡± She asked him if he had another book because Arthur might have revised the contents of the book. ¡°Yes, only this one book. This is the first time the content has changed.¡± Arthur shook his head. It¡¯s definitely a novel that many Mary besides her have gone through, but why hasn¡¯t the content of the book changed? Does it mean that the actions of the Mary(s) earlier did not affect the content of the original at all? Otherwise, otherwise Mary(s) would not have died in Gray¡¯s hands so far. They said that the end of them was death, so if Arthur¡¯s words were not false, this space now was full of contradictions. ¡°Arthur, you¡¯ve said that the end of Mary is your death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The fact that the story of death remains the same means that I can¡¯t be excluded either.¡± Just like how it¡¯s been. Otherwise, she might be able to get away with it. Maybe she can live without dying? ¡°Mary, have you ever seen this space in a book?¡± ¡°No, there wasn¡¯t. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a single line of explanation. In the first place, there was no talk about the territory of Viblant.¡± She fell into thought for a moment at Arthur¡¯s words. Based on his words, the plot and content of the novel are the same, but where she is currently is a place outside of the novel. Therefore, there was a great tendency not to affect the original work. Conversely, what if she acts within the radius of the Imperial Palace or Mary described in detail in the articles? Perhaps it was quite affected. For example, she collapsed because she didn¡¯t take medicine in the Imperial Palace. However, even if she thinks about it like this, there was a loophole. ¡°Then why weren¡¯t there any sanctions when I acted arbitrarily in the imperial palace?¡± ¡°Mary, don¡¯t you remember who you were always with when you acted arbitrarily?¡± ¡°¡­Ahhh, you.¡± It was Arthur. Arthur was always together with her at the end of the action. He was by her side even when changing rules with the nobles in the imperial family. Then her anomaly was Arthur. ¡°Because you¡¯re not important to the novel, I was able to do whatever I wanted, right?¡± ¡°To put it simply, yes. I¡¯m a person who isn¡¯t need it in this novel. And the fact that the content about me, which has never changed in such a long time, has changed like this.¡± ¡°Where did it change¡­¡­.¡± Arthur opened the book without hesitation and pointed to one place. The description of Arthur, which was expressed in a single line, and the explanation of the Viblant territory were increased. His gaze, curious about Mary, has also changed not only her but also Arthur¡¯s content. ¡°There¡¯s been a change.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is a good sign. But I brought it because I thought it would be better for you to know. In addition, I feel like you¡¯ll stay quiet for a while only when I solve your curiosity about the Viblant land.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Well, it¡¯s not wrong. It¡¯s better to put this book here. If others see it, it will be a difficult situation.¡± Arthur took the book from her and locked it back in a box. Sweeping her hair back, she sighed. Chapter 110 Fake and Truth (18) The more she knew, the more she felt like she was falling into a bog. As she tilted her head and looked up, she could see the dense forest in her eyes. She thought of Prosprin¡¯s words and leaned obliquely against the desk and asked. ¡°What did she mean by Viblant is here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a useless story, so don¡¯t listen carefully.¡± As expected, she approached him and reached out to him to see if he had any intention of answering. Standing against the desk, she was narrowly trapped in Arthur¡¯s arms. Arthur, who was leaning toward him, passed his lips and whispered in his ear. ¡°If you seduce me here, it¡¯s difficult. I have a place to visit for a while, so please wait here.¡± ¡°Did you plan to be tempted?¡± ¡°As much as you want in your room. The Outdoors isn¡¯t really my cup of tea.¡± Arthur, holding a box at his desk, smiled softly and put her hair behind her ears. He wrapped her back with one hand and pulled her up. Her hand, holding the desk, grabbed his arm. Looking at her blinking slowly, he smiled and took one hand to his lips and kissed lightly. ¡°Hmm, if you don¡¯t come quickly, you¡¯ll have to find me missing.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think I have to worry about that. You can¡¯t get out of this place without my permission.¡± She hurriedly grabbed Arthur¡¯s hand, but he quickly escaped from her. With a dejected look, she looked toward the direction of his disappearance. ¡°Hah¡­¡± A false smile came out of her mouth and she leaned against the chair without realizing it. It wasn¡¯t bad to see nature after a long time, but¡­¡­ Somehow she felt like she had been beaten. She closed her eyes and put her hands on her forehead to calm her throbbing head. It was the moment when she gradually calmed down and was about to become comfortable with this situation. ¡°Hi, it¡¯s been a while. Mary.¡± Until an unexpected person appears and digs further into her dizzy head. Hair rubbed against her face and tickled. She definitely knows this feeling. This situation where long hair tickles her face. ¡®¡­ Nox?¡¯ She removed her hands and opened her closed eyes. As expected, Nox was the person with a familiar voice. She didn¡¯t even hear him coming in, but how did he get in here? According to Arthur, this was a place under his control. He said she couldn¡¯t even go out on her own, so she thought it was the same to come in. However, it was natural to be embarrassed by the appearance of Nox making eye contact with her. ¡°How can you be here..¡­?¡± What she saw earlier really seems to be Nox. She thought she saw it wrong, but she just closed her eyes and opened her eyes and stared at Nox in front of her. A smile spread again on Nox¡¯s face. With a playful expression, he bowed down and approached her more and more. When she faced his red eyes, she felt strangely stiff. Being caught up in his gaze, her body could not rebel against him. Both hands holding the chair put strength into themselves. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but I don¡¯t like how you say hello.¡± ¡°Is that so? I like this the best.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let my body move? You are afraid I¡¯ll slap you on the cheek.¡± Nox¡¯s eyes bent in a line at her self-help laughter. It had a positive meaning. She chewed her lips and stared at Nox¡¯s approaching eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so bad at kissing.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s kind of hurtful. You¡¯ve never done it with me.¡± ¡°Do I have to try that? I got the hang of it when I took medicine.¡± ¡°Haha. Mary, that¡¯s why I like you.¡± ¡°This is why I hate you.¡± She said she would spit right away if he didn¡¯t remove the spell. Honestly, she was really going to spit. It¡¯s not because she doesn¡¯t like the kiss with him, but because she doesn¡¯t like this attitude now. Nox¡¯s behavior, which knew how she would react and blocked her actions in advance, was upsetting. ¡°It¡¯s okay to kiss once.¡± ¡°Then untie this. I¡¯ll give you a kiss that you like.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not too hot either.¡± Tuk- Nox kissed her lips lightly and pulled away from her. At the same time, feeling her body free, she got up from the chair and stared at Nox. ¡°I don¡¯t have courage, I have to be so scared at once.¡± ¡°Should I do it now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean the kiss.¡± Nox licked his lips with his tongue and folded his eyes to smile. He patted his lips with his finger, smacked his lips, and looked at her lips as if he was disappointed. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s sweet.¡± ¡°You know what I¡¯m saying, right?¡± ¡°My image has been ruined for a long time, right? I don¡¯t really need to care.¡± Nox¡¯s giggling appearance made her angry for no reason. She strode up to him and pulled on the shirt that had been loosened and kissed him. Not a childish kiss, but a kiss he wants. It was cold. She felt like her whole body was standing on edge when his icy cold body touched her with his cold lips. She squeezed her lips and gently violated his tongue. Nox¡¯s eyes grew round, but soon after, he naturally pulled her waist and savored the kiss. Both Nox and her stared at each other, and kisses continued. Nox, who was accepting her against the wall, turned around and locked her up against the wall. ¡°Hah¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I pretty good?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that bad. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s better than Arthur.¡± ¡°Wow, that really hurts my pride.¡± ¡°I just told you the truth. You don¡¯t have anything Arthur has.¡± Nox¡¯s eyes fluttered as if rushing her. His eyes got thinner vertically like a cat. Soon, it opened in a circle. ¡°Mary, I have everything.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have the most important thing.¡± Chapter 111 Fake and Truth (19) Nox¡¯s hand clenched her chin and raised its head toward him. The corners of his mouth went up and came toward her lips again. Just before Nox and her mouth overlapped, she said. ¡°Body temperature, you don¡¯t have warmth.¡± He narrowed his forehead looking at her, raising his eyes as he lowered his mouth. As if he had lost interest, he fell off the wall and tilted his head. After getting out of his arms, she knocked off her dress and removed her body from the wall. ¡°Is body temperature important? I didn¡¯t know if warmth is essential.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know because you didn¡¯t have it from the beginning. It¡¯s important if you¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird, Arthur doesn¡¯t live.¡± She shivered at Nox¡¯s words. Honestly, Nox¡¯s words were not wrong. Arthur has spent many years and has repeatedly died and lived, so it was highly likely that other people would not think of him as a person. And maybe she¡¯s not a person because she¡¯s a soul that entered Mary¡¯s body. She seemed to have been hit on the head by Nox¡¯s sudden words. ¡°¡­¡­I see. Even if I cancel it, I can¡¯t take back what I already said, so I¡¯ll correct it. I prefer a body that feels warm rather than cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯m better than Arthur, right? Much more than anything else.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop there. Because I don¡¯t want to know anything else.¡± Feeling no longer worth answering Nox¡¯s words, she looked at the clock on the wall. It felt strange that it was a space harmonized with the forest. With the addition of Nox¡¯s existence, this space seemed even more ridiculous. ¡°Then¡­ The woman who was with you earlier. Is it Mary that you made?¡± ¡°Did you see that? How about this time?¡± ¡°What else are you going to do?¡± ¡°I made it much more similar this time. Last time, Arthur got rid of it because she failed.¡­.¡± ¡°Did Arthur kill her?¡± She didn¡¯t expect Arthur to kill her. She took a breath and covered her mouth. Nox listened to her a little more to see if this reaction was fun. He nodded lightly and swept her face with a sad look. ¡°Well, it¡¯s like that.¡± ¡°What are you going to do when you make it again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything about it. People around me will move on their own.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who throws the bait, but it¡¯s up to the prey to bite it.¡± Nox smiled as he looked around. At that moment, she suddenly remembered Arthur, who was away. Arthur must be the prey he is talking about. She hurried out of the strange room and escaped to the place where she first stepped in. Then she saw Finn. Finn moved its wings excitedly and stopped coming toward her. When he saw Nox following her, she faltered and shook her wings. ¡°Finn?¡± ¡°Oh, oh. Something just came up for me!¡± Finn hurriedly turned the line and disappeared inward. In an instant situation, she closed her eyes and stared blankly at Nox. Why in the world was she scared to see Nox? ¡°Nox, do you know that fairy?¡± ¡°Haha fairy? Oh, did he introduce himself as a fairy?¡± ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not like that.¡± When Nox bounced off his finger, the missing Finn struggled from Nox¡¯s hand. Her face was distorted with fear. He looked pale and turned white. ¡°You were hiding here like a rat.¡± ¡°Ugh, let go of me!¡± She approached Nox to see Finn in distress and slapped him hard. With a surprised look, Nox¡¯s hands were exhausted. Thanks to this, Finn escaped from his grasp and shook her body, spreading her crumpled wings. ¡°Pin, weren¡¯t you going somewhere?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hurry up and go.¡± Black powder was scattered on the wings of the pin that were sprinkled with silver powder. Nox smiled and laughed at her hand, and soon became serious. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not important right now. Are you trying to find Arthur?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Nox must have set up something. He appeared shortly after Arthur disappeared, so maybe he expected the current situation. It¡¯s all about her looking for him and not being able to get out of here on her own. ¡°You need my help.¡± ¡°What do you ask when you know?¡± ¡°Hmm, is that your attitude of asking for help?¡± ¡°I think the kiss earlier was enough.¡± Nox seemed to be agonizing over what she said for a while, but he clapped his hands and nodded. She thought she had a good idea. ¡°I was beaten this time, so you can be beaten next time.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair. Well, it¡¯ll be fun today, so I¡¯ll move on this time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you¡¯re being nice.¡± She was dumbfounded by his false speech and crumpled her face. What in the world is he thinking? Do they believe that everything goes their way because they¡¯re demons? Or is it just that appearance itself a sample of demons? ¡°Mary, you must be the one who forgot. I¡¯m a devil.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you be a little scared?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to say nonsense, get out of my way.¡± She had no intention of keeping up with his rhythm anymore. It was just because she felt strongly that he was dragging time. Nox became more interested in the way she wasn¡¯t afraid of him, but he wasn¡¯t curious about why she was scared and trembling. ¡°You can¡¯t go out without me.¡± ¡°So what are you trying to say? Don¡¯t say anything round and round, say it properly.¡± Nox hugged her and then snapped his fingers. She hugged his waist tightly with a scream of death and closed her eyes. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She opened her eyes gently with the feeling of her feet touching the floor. Arthur, who had disappeared due to something in front of her, was seen. And next to him was the other Mary (Mary2), who was with Nox, holding her hand and smiling. Chapter 112 Fake and Truth (20) She tried to approach Arthur, but was stopped by Nox¡¯s hand. She was tired of shaking her head slightly, so she closed her mouth while trying to call Arthur. ¡°This is a funny situation.¡± ¡°What do you think it¡¯ll be like this time? You think he fell for it, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She just can¡¯t figure out what Nox is thinking. But Arthur must have known she was in that space, so why was he possessed by fake Mary? She stayed still and observed the other Mary. Again this time, she (Mary2), who has the same appearance as her, looked more sophisticated than last time. So, when she (Mary2) made that expression or habitual behavior that she did to Arthur. ¡°You put a lot of effort into it.¡± ¡°Mary, what do you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than last time. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something I should say.¡± Arthur looked quite serious as if talking to Mary about something. She listened because she was curious about what he was talking about, but she couldn¡¯t hear it at all because it was far away. She breathed in and called Arthur¡¯s name loudly. ¡°Arthur Douglas!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use yelling. Only your throat will hurt.¡± ¡°Nox, are you listening to what they¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Why are you curious?¡± Nox asked her with a flash of eyes. It was a quick response as if he had been waiting for that word. Honestly, she nodded because it was true that she was curious. That¡¯s not what matters whether Arthur falls or not, but Mary¡¯s words. ¡®I was just wondering how the heck he could be so confident if he made her (Mary2) look like me.¡¯ Nox grabbed her hand and tapped her ear with one hand. Then suddenly, the voices of Arthur and fake Mary, which were not heard, were heard. ¨C You mean you don¡¯t have to look around the city? ¨C Yeah, I¡¯m not really curious. -¡­¡­That¡¯s weird. So how the hell did you get out? -Proserpin helped me. The fake Mary really spewed out a lie casually. In addition to the sour tone, the expression was so consistent that it was safe to say she (Mary2) seemed like herself. Nox seemed to really care this time. What does he gain from doing that? ¡°Should he believe that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like Arthur doesn¡¯t have a possibility if he¡¯s a progenitor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­He seemed curious, but he didn¡¯t seem interested enough to help others.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t judge them too visibly.¡± Nox laughed at his mouth. He also seemed to know Proserpine well. She was curious how Arthur would respond to the fake Mary¡¯s words, so she waited for his mouth to open. Just because she went close, she wouldn¡¯t hear more, but her body moved forward a bit. ¨C By any chance, you gave her marbles¡­.. no. Marbles? Is she not supposed to touch them? A bead in a glass bottle came to mind. When Arthur wasn¡¯t around, she thought about giving it to Proserpine and getting away from him.¡­ she rolled her eyes alone, feeling guilty. It wasn¡¯t hers, but she thought for a while about whether it would be okay to give it to him because she saw what Arthur gave her. -Why? Can¡¯t I give it to her? The fake Mary immediately asked Arthur what she was curious about, as if she (Mary2) were speaking for herself. Surprised, when she turned her head and saw Nox, she shrugged and avoided her gaze. ¡°Are you delivering it as it is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily like that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± Nox gave strength to his hand, which held her hand. Nox squeezed tightly not to let go, but the moment she lifted her foot and pounded Nox¡¯s foot with a shoe heel, she was able to release his strength in her hand. She shook off his hand and saw Nox with a cold look. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s too much to use violence.¡± ¡°Is it okay to put up a fake and pretend to be me? She (Mary2) also conveys my thoughts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun if you do it properly.¡± Holding his feet, Nox made a tearful face. She turned her eyes on Nox and saw Arthur and the fake Mary. It was very uncomfortable to look at a woman the same as herself. The strange thing is that she feels like she is looking in the mirror but also not. ¡°Until when are you going to play with dolls?¡± ¡°Well, at least until Arthur notices it?¡± ¡°The game will end when I go back to the castle.¡± Nox touched his chin by erasing the amplification magic. Pretending to be worried, he came up with a very simple method and told her. ¡°Mary, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t intend to send you back to the castle.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Nox pulled her and locked her in his arms, kissed her lightly on the back of his hand, and pushed her away. Nox¡¯s mouth was seen the moment she reached out without screaming. ¡°You can wait there.¡± Upon understanding what he said, she swore to herself. Making a fuss. Falling loudly, she got up from her seat groaning in pain from hitting her butt. Looking around, it was the space she was in earlier. So it was back again. ¡°Nox, you punk!¡± She swallowed the boiling anger by spitting out the swear words that flowed out of her mouth. She couldn¡¯t even see what Arthur and the fake Mary were doing after that. Apparently, it would take quite a while, so she was even more heated up. ¡°Why is Arthur being fooled?¡± The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. It¡¯s not once or twice, but isn¡¯t it time to suspect each time he¡¯s attacked? Isn¡¯t it time to know just by looking at her eyes? Chapter 113 Fake and Truth (21) Whether he has no sense or just doesn¡¯t doubt it. She couldn¡¯t grasp Arthur¡¯s thoughts. Obviously, it was Nox who made the work, but it was Arthur¡¯s side who she was angry with. She breathed in and began to take a closer look at this space. Except for the cabinet, there were only simple desks and chairs. She searched through the documents, but she didn¡¯t want to read them because only the stories she knew were listed. She was looking through it with her eyes and saw a piece of paper under the object, raising her body. ¡°What¡¯s with the number and note next to the item that doesn¡¯t suit him?¡± When she unfolded them one by one, it contained a short explanation of Mary and the meaning of the object. As Arthur, it was a really simple content. ¡°She passed by. Second, Mary.¡± Did it pass by? She guessed Mary had met him before. She began to open the notes under the object one by one. There was no particular interesting content, but it was still meaningful because it was about Mary. ¡°Second refusal. The 15th Mary.¡± This was a bit unexpected. Along with the letter, there was a handkerchief inside. It was not clear whether it was sent by Mary or Arthur, but considering the contents of the note, it must have been sent by Arthur. ¡°I¡¯d watch.¡± She clicked her tongue on a plain handkerchief. As Nox said, Arthur was a boring human being. It can be a little patterned or colorful. To be honest, the handkerchief embroidered with only the patterns of the Tayron family in distant embroidery was not good enough. Rummaging through for a long time. Having lost interest, she began to wander in search of Proserpine. He wandered around and called Proserpin. ¡°Proserpine are you here?¡± Even when she looked around the garden, she couldn¡¯t see him. It was the same when she left the room and came out to the lobby. There was no one other than her. The store¡¯s space was divided into only two. The same space as the lobby when one opens the door and enters, and the walls with forest-like gardens and cabinets that unfold when one goes inside. She pushed her head into the corner and called Proserpine, but eventually she didn¡¯t show up. ¡°What should I do here while waiting?¡± Sitting in a chair, she rolled her eyes with her chin on her hands back, and got up from her seat and headed for the forest. For some reason, she thought there would be a different space if she went inside. As she walked in recklessly, a bird that was chirping flew in and sat on her shoulder and turned its head around. The swollen fur was quite cute, so she smiled without realizing it. ¡°You seem strange, I am also curious about you.¡± ¡°Jjirr.¡± When she looked around her head at the sound of a cheerful bird, she saw a tree. The red fruit approached the open side, picked a few, and put them on the palm. The bird walked back and forth on her shoulders, flapping down with his palm and tilting his head. ¡°It looks delicious. But is it not good?¡± Looking at the bird that kept tilting its head without eating, she tilted her head along with the bird without realizing it. After tasting it from her palm for a long time, he soon began to eat a fruit from his mouth. He nodded and whistled as if he was in a good mood, as if he was quite satisfied with the taste. ¡°You must be in a good mood. Is it a relief that you¡¯re satiated?¡± She swallowed a vain smile and stared at the bird eating the fruit. Before she knew it, the finished bird spit out the seeds and flew away from her palm. With regret, she shook off the seeds in her hand and looked toward the disappearance of the bird. Soon after, the bird she saw earlier flew in and began to twirl around her and chirp. It seemed like a signal to follow, so when she nodded, the bird took the lead. She was going to miss it, so she walked fast and diligently chased the bird. ¡°Wow¡­ What is this place?¡± The inside of the place, which used to be like a forest, was more dense. Water was flowing along with the lake, and a few more kinds of flowers were visible. As the incredible scene continued, there was even a suspicion that she was in a dream now. She looked around to find the bird that led her, but she couldn¡¯t see where it went. ¡°It disappears from time to time¡­ ¡­ uh?¡± Glitter was scattering over the lake. ¡°¡­Finn?¡± This powder certainly looked the same as scattered from the wings of Finn. But not hearing any movement of the wings, she lay still on the grass and looked at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the forest. The sound of leaves shaking in the wind sounded pleasant. The texture of the grass made her whole body drowsy along with the softness it spread over her whole body. This place, which was so quiet that she couldn¡¯t help but hum, had a strange charm that made her feel comfortable. ¡°Hmm, hmm.¡± A smile spread on her. It wasn¡¯t even a situation to be so easy-going, but she shook off her complicated thoughts in her head with the thought that it would work out. She didn¡¯t think it¡¯s bad to just close her eyes like this. Chapter 114 Fake and Truth (22) She thought it would be okay to be buried in a quiet sound and disappear as if her existence had never existed in the first place. ¡®I endured since I hated dying, but I think it was okay to close your eyes and disappear here¡­¡­.¡¯ Maybe she¡¯s a little tired, too. Then suddenly, she was afraid to think of being trapped in the dark again and alone. Saddened by the saddened smile. She can¡¯t believe she is this weak. How much effort did she put in? She opened her closed eyes slowly and breathed in. Still, the space here was quiet and beautiful. Crunch. She could hear the leaves shaking next to her. It¡¯s not the sound of shaking with the wind, but the sound of someone passing through the grass. She turned her head slightly and opened her closed eyes. The sound stopped for a moment at her movement. She rolled her eyes and swallowed her saliva. She felt that she shouldn¡¯t move for some reason, so she looked to the side with her eyes open. ¡®It must be a very careful kid.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be the owner of the silver powder they saw earlier? She wanted it to be Finn, but from the way she acted, she didn¡¯t seem to be. She waited breathlessly for him to appear because she thought he would run away if she acted hastily. The movement that was approaching her through the grass continued, and soon stopped standing nearby. An unknown tension flowed. The opponent, who seemed to be searching for her, soon reached out through the grass and looked at her. It was another fairy that looked similar to Finn. No, let¡¯s say he¡¯s not a fairy, so let¡¯s say he¡¯s a little kid. ¡°Hmm¡­ How are you?¡± She said hello to the child while lying down and turning her head. The child with a softer impression than the Finn hid behind the grass in a sudden greeting. ¡°I¡¯m going to wake up, but I¡¯ll tell you in advance in case you¡¯re surprised.¡± Slowly, the little kid lifted up so as not to be surprised. Sitting on the grass, she turned toward the little kid. Golden eyes were overflowing and looking over her. After observing her carefully, a smile soon spread on her face. Fluttering. ¡°You¡¯re Mary!¡± Perhaps to decipher who she was, the fairy welcomed her when she found out that it was ¡®Mary¡¯. It¡¯s like a Finn. It was a part that she could know without having to see how Arthur explained her and talked to them. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m Mary. Probably.¡± She doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s Mary they know, but Mary is currently her. The fairy went around and sprinkled silver powder over her head. What¡¯s so amazing is that it goes through her hair and lifts a strand up and looks around. ¡°You have silver hair that I want. It¡¯s pretty.¡± The two eyes of the fairy stood apart. She quickly pulled herself out of the sense of incompatibility she felt at the moment. The fairy, who was smacking her lips regretfully, sat on the grass and looked at her with a long-expression as if it would be hers. She wanted to ask where Finn was, but she couldn¡¯t talk to her because she felt different from him. ¡°¡­¡­..Do you happen to know where the Finn is?¡± When asked, the fairy trembled her wings. Coming close in an instant, she reached out her hand and told Mary. ¡°Then what are you going to give me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What are you going to give me if I tell you?¡± It made sense to Lilith that if something is given, there should be something received. Unlike Finn, who told Mary her name, this kid seemed to have no intention of telling Mary about herself. Her eyes, which seemed to be greedy for something, only repeatedly dug into her. The gaze at her piercingly seemed to crave something. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Marbles. she remembered the beads she saw in the cabinet earlier. She really couldn¡¯t give up the hair that the fairy coveted, so she thought she could hand over the beads as Arthur gave her. ¡®It¡¯ll be okay, right? Um¡­Do you want me to just give you my hair?¡¯ She touched her hair and swept it down. Soft hair scattered through the fingers without a single tangle. ¡°You said you wanted to have hair, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already tired of it.¡± The fairy was bolder than before and asked her for something else. She said as if she was going to take it at any moment, then she turned her head to see if she had really lost interest, crossed her legs and clenched her chin. Mary looked at her still. She thought Lilith was slightly turning her eyes to see her reaction, but when she encountered Mary looking at her, her body trembled. It was clear that she was embarrassed, but she tried not to show it. ¡°Then what do you want to have?¡± ¡°You know that.¡± The fairy smiled and slightly looked up at her. The place where her chin was pointing was where the cabinet was located. Look at this. She was grumpy for no reason. Finn and this child treated her just like Nox. Mary didn¡¯t like the way they spoke and the strangely cheeky attitude. However, she was the one who was disappointed, so she shook her skirt and got up from her seat. ¡°Are you really going to give it to me?¡± She came up to Mary with twinkling eyes and sprinkled gold powder along with silver powder. Whirling with her hands, it looked at the child flying around her with a full look of anticipation. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you know in particular. Since it¡¯s Mary¡¯s first time seeing me. Call me Lilith.¡± ¡°Everyone must be attached to Mary.¡± ¡°Well, we have something to do with it.¡± ¡°Lilith, what do you mean?¡± Lilith took the lead over her with a pretty smile. It was an unspoken action that the question was difficult to answer. She flew looking at herself with a ¡®shh¡¯ mouth shape, putting her small index finger to her mouth. Lilith went in front of the cabinet and flew up lightly and sat next to a glass bottle containing beads. With a giggling smile, the front of her eyes slightly blurred. ¡®Beads¡­ I can¡¯t. Obviously, it¡¯s dangerous to see what Arthur told me. I don¡¯t even know what those beads are.¡­.¡¯ She was clearly repeating that she couldn¡¯t, but her body was standing in front of the cabinet. Unlike consciousness, feet moved on their own. Chapter 115 Fake and Truth (23) Tuk~ A glass bottle fell down on Lilith¡¯s hand. Being in a daze, she was surprised and hugged a glass bottle. Fortunately, she breathed a breath of relief while looking at the glass bottle safely held in her arms. ¡°Oh my, mistake.¡± Lilith came down quickly and saw a glass bottle. She held out her hand and laughed at the action of asking for it. It was too shameless for a person asking for it. In addition, if it¡¯s in the cabinet like that, you can just take it, but why is Lilith making her do it? ¡°Take it yourself.¡± She held out a glass bottle and opened the lid. Lilith trembled as if she was very grumpy. More golden powder scattered than before, disrupting her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me cheekily. What did you like about Finn?¡± ¡°Finn pleased me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like how you dragged Nox in!¡± ¡°Lilith, did you know that?¡± After seeing the reaction of Lilith and Finn, she noticed at once. They are afraid of Nox. She doesn¡¯t know why, but she can tell by looking back on Nox¡¯s actions to Finn. She clearly remembers Nox¡¯s two eyes looking down at Finn. The shaking Finn¡¯s reaction was also¡­¡­. ¡°If it¡¯s my call, Nox will come at any moment.¡± ¡°Hmph, you must have only saved your mouth. I expected Mary to be an idiot and foolish girl.¡± Lilith approached her with a stiff look and reached out. Something was floating in her hand, and the space looked slightly twisted. Mary shook her head and tried to reverse her blurred gaze. ¡®What from before? Unpleasant vibrations.¡¯ As Lilith approached her, her head was raised by itself. She was seen smiling unpleasantly in a hazy view. She tried to come to her senses by biting her lips, but the beads in her hand were moving towards Lilith¡¯s arms. ¡°So this, I didn¡¯t take it from you, you gave it to me. Right, Mary?¡± Her whisper was as sweet as the devil¡¯s temptation. Like when Nox craves for what he wants from her, they try to fulfill their greed. By using others, at their disposal. ¡°No, you¡¯re taking this.¡± She reached out and hurriedly grabbed the bead back. Soon after, the blurry front of my eyes became clear. Lilith¡¯s expression was terribly distorted. ¡°Chit, you¡¯re more than I thought¡­ Is it because of that?¡± Lilith¡¯s crumpled expression spread back and quickly flew toward her and pointed to her heart. ¡°The thing that flows inside your body. It smells like Arthur.¡± ¡°What do you mean by Arthur¡¯s smell?¡± She asked Lilith back. But she pointed at her bead and smiled brightly. ¡°See? You¡¯re giving it to me, right?¡± Kahahaha. Lilith¡¯s laughter rang in the space. ¡°Okay, you can have it.¡± It¡¯s not hers, but she handed Lilith a bead. The sway in the silver beads became a little faster. It was strange to see her shaking as if it were alive. ¡°For a while¡­¡± Lilith hurriedly hugged the bead, fearing that it would be taken away again. The beads were quickly absorbed into Lilith¡¯s body. She doubted her eyes about what happened in the blink of an eye. What did she just see? She saw Finn holding the bead, but she didn¡¯t see it absorbed. His words came to mind. ¡®Did he say it was delicious back then? ¡­ ? Was that what he meant?¡¯ What is that marble? ¡°Then tell me now.¡± ¡°Hmm, this isn¡¯t good. But I¡¯ll let you know because I feel better.¡± Lilith circled around her, drawing a gentle arc. Silver powder was been scattered more than before. The wings trembled as if they were in a good mood. ¡°Ask me what you¡¯re curious about.¡± ¡°What is this place for?¡± ¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s a storage place, or to put it simply, where everything started?¡± Storage place? It was plausible when she listened to Lilith and looked around. There were items on display that could remember and recall Mary, so the words storage place was suitable. However, she did not understand that it was where everything began. ¡®Finn said that, too. This is Viblant.¡¯ Finn and Lilith were throwing hints at her, but she couldn¡¯t easily notice it. Lilith grabbed her hand and led her and chatted excitedly. ¡°Come here, I¡¯ll introduce you to other friends.¡± ¡°Is Finn there?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so curious, follow me.¡± Lilith only smiled at what she said. She was forced to nod. Even if she was here, there was no answer, so she thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to follow her back. It was just her idea, but there seemed to be no bad feelings for her. If she¡¯s hated, wouldn¡¯t it be Nox? Following Lilith, she came back to the place she was in earlier. No, she thinks she went a little deeper than that. As she looked around, the leaves shook vigorously as if responding. Lilith flew up and breathed in, and shouted loudly. ¡°Come out! I bought a human that I like.¡± It wasn¡¯t a very pleasant tone to hear, but she decided to think it was Lilith¡¯s tone. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for her not to put meaning on it? In this situation, she means. They began to appear one by one at Lilith¡¯s cries. They flew up and disturbed the surroundings. One or two? No, it was more than that. ¡°So many¡­¡­?¡± She looked around with her wide eyes. It was so flashy that she was almost out of her mind. Among them, there was a male fairy, but the way he looked at me was very burdensome. ¡°Are you Mary?¡± ¡°Really? Is she Mary?¡± ¡°Lilith said she liked this person right away, right?¡± Lilith nodded as she sat on the grass. As if she was in a good mood, she waved her legs and hummed the song. Chapter 116 Fake and Truth (24) The fairy, who looked at her with pressure earlier, suddenly pushed her in the face. In an instant, a small fairy turned into a human shape and attacked her. Lying down in the forest, Mary put her hands together and looked at the man in front of her. His green eyes twinkled. The man leaned over her and took a deep breath. ¡°¡­ What are you doing?¡± ¡°You have some pretty good stuff.¡± ¡°Belial, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Lilith, who was watching, hinted. However, it was still interesting, so she just watched her and a kid named Belial. What she does is always¡­¡­ It¡¯s the same as Nox. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± The golden hair shook in the wind. The eyes were folded beautifully while drawing a line. He didn¡¯t budge even at her words and slowly got up. Completely away from her, he held her hand and raised her up. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be angry if he finds out.¡± ¡°Do you mean Nox? Or are you talking about Arthur?¡± ¡°Both.¡± ¡°Get out of my way, Belial. Mary, are you curious about us?¡± Another fairy lightly pushed out Belial and sat on the back of her hand. The falling red hair fluttered in the wind. Mary was curious about the way she looked at herself full of expectations. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m curious.¡± She nodded at the other child sitting on the back of her hand. She thought she was worried, but with a light step, she climbed up her arm and stared at her face. ¡°Did you sign a contract with Nox?¡± ¡°Contract?¡± She offered him a contract, but it was not accepted. Her goal was to sign a contract with him, too. At first, it was to survive here, to learn about Arthur, but¡­¡­ It¡¯s actually a little different now. ¡°Then did you sign a contract?¡± She asked the fairy, slightly changing the subject. She fell far away again as got closer to her. She looked through the other fairies looking at Mary and shrugged. ¡°As you can see, we¡¯re trapped here.¡± ¡°¡­ So you signed a contract.¡± Mary didn¡¯t answer her directly, but looking at their expressions, she thought they signed a contract with Nox. But what kind of contract did they sign that they were trapped here? ¡°But why are you trapped? In this small space, too?¡± It looked spacious, but she thought it was still in the building. Even when she was in the wide Imperial palace, she felt stuffy, so how can they not be? She pointed around with a strange look. Belial, who returned to his original form, breathed deeply. With his sigh, she waited still for their answer. ¡°You think so, too, right? It¡¯s too crowded here! It¡¯s too small!¡± The other fairy was angry and fluttering its wings. Lilith nodded positively at the fairy¡¯s words. Her eyes, holding her chin and looking around insincerely, looked insensitive. ¡°And there¡¯s only a bunch of bad food! I can¡¯t even touch anything else!¡± ¡°Lilith, you ate something other than what Arthur gave you.¡± Belial approached Lilith and circled around him. Lilith¡¯s expression was strangely twisted. She pretended to be fine and struck out Belial¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t bother yourself, Belial.¡± ¡°Look at this. You act like a person who feels angry when they are guilty.¡± ¡°Hey, am I a person?¡± Lilith opened her eyes wide at Belial with a humiliated face. For some reason, she didn¡¯t know if she could say this, but she laughed as she kept watching the small children chatter. Although the strange airflow didn¡¯t go with them earlier. She was quietly listening to their stories. They seem to have forgotten her presence. She gently wrapped his arms around her knees and listened to their voices. ¡®How am I doing this?¡¯ Obviously, she came to hear stories about this place, but she felt like she was watching a play. She held her breath and nodded as she listened to the small children¡¯s arguments. ¡°Mary, what do you know that you¡¯re nodding your head to?¡± ¡°Did you really give anything to Lilith?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking me.¡± ¡°Lilith¡¯s body smells like you! You really didn¡¯t give her anything?¡± Her smell? What she gave her was one bead in a glass bottle earlier. Listening to Belial, Mary looked at Lilith with confused eyes. She jerked and turned her head and snorted. Her lips were closed as if they were not going to tell her anything. ¡°I just followed Lilith.¡± ¡°Really? You said you were curious about this place, right? I¡¯ll show you something fun. What do you think, Mary?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun enough even now.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a story that you¡¯ll like much more than that.¡± Belial approached her. At the same time, other little kids flew to her and began to attract her at once. The laughter of various little kids resonated in her ears. It was so strong that she was dragged again and headed somewhere. ¡°You¡¯re not fooling me again, are you? Or use weird powers like before¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Lilith, did you use hallucinations against humans?¡± ¡°Huh? No.¡± Lilith pretended and rolled his eyes. Belial¡¯s eyes turned into triangles. The other little kids dried the belly eggs and pointed at me with a nod. ¡°Belial, don¡¯t you figure out which comes first? An opportunity like this is rare.¡± ¡°¡­Lilith, we¡¯ll talk separately later.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Chapter 117 Fake and Truth (25) The relationship between the two became cold. While looking at the two in the middle, she stopped in the swaying space revealed in front of her. However, despite her resistance, she was still moving forward as if she were dragged by them. ¡°Hang on. What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you go in. You¡¯ll have fun, too.¡± It didn¡¯t look like fun at all. Despite her rejection, they soon put her in front of the strange space. Suddenly, her hand was sucked inside. It was no use pulling back. ¡®I feel bad. What the hell is this¡­?¡¯ They were still full of laughter. She entered the darkness where she couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead. She could hear the voices of the fairies, but she could tell at once that they were not around. As soon as she was about to falter and step back. Someone hugged her waist from the back and pulled it with strong force. She escaped from the darkness with the sound of ¡®Oh no!¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­I was expecting something fun, but this is troublesome. I have no intention of losing you to them either.¡± It was him again. Why does it appear again when he was himself who left her? ¡°When did you leave me? Why did you come back?¡± She pushed Nox¡¯s arms away. She shook off his body and asked him. At that moment, she heard words whispering in the dark. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°So, why are you paying attention to her needlessly?¡± ¡°What? You ate alone in the first place!¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet. Nox is watching.¡± Nox approached the darkness and reached out. The voices and screams of the confused were heard. The space swaying with darkness shook and began to be sucked into Nox¡¯s palm. ¡°Argh! No, don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry!¡± However, Nox did not move enough to overshadow their screams. Eventually, when the door that connected the space disappeared, the surrounding area quickly became quiet. ¡°I thought I went through a lot here, but I guess there¡¯s more left.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re making trouble?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not asking me because you don¡¯t know who provided the question, are you?¡± Nox pointed his finger at what she said and tilted her head sideways. Shaking her head at Nox¡¯s appearance, she turned back toward the path she had entered. Throbbing. Her hands were numb with the feeling. When she raised both hands, there were red wounds here and there. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s like I¡¯m bitten by something.¡± The tingling pain came belatedly. When she looked around with her hands looking aloof, Nox pulled her hand and looked at the condition. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it because I was afraid you¡¯d get hurt. How dare they scratch what I want?¡± ¡°You keep saying this, but you change that habit first.¡± After knocking his hand out of Nox¡¯s words, he turned around and continued to walk forward. Nox followed her still. The fingertips continued to feel the pungent pain. ¡°Okay, stop being angry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, I can go out and get treated.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll work if you treat it?¡± Nox held her hand in front of her. His gaze was fixed on her wounded hand. Slowly raising her hand, he took it to his mouth and licked the wound. She tried to pull out her hand, but Nox stared at her and kissed the wound lightly. ¡°What? What are you doing?¡± ¡°Do they look like fairies?¡± Nox raised the corners of his mouth as if laughing. Nox even licked the wound with his open eyes, and finally rubbed his lips on the back of her hand. ¡°Well, in your eyes, who knows me as a demon, other than that, I may not be seen as a demon.¡± ¡°Does that mean that those fairies can be demons?¡± Nox put down her hand and smiled at her. Before she knew it, she could see her hands that became clean without any wounds. When she glanced up and looked at Nox, he drew a pattern with his finger on the palm of her hand. Nox¡¯s hand covered her eyes. ¡°You should have opened your eyes properly. Are you going to get fooled?¡± As she lowered Nox¡¯s hand that had covered her eyes, what caught her eye was the appearance of an ordinary store. Even if she looked around, she couldn¡¯t see the forest or the decorations she had seen before. ¡®But, can I trust this?¡¯ She felt like it¡¯s going to get weird. How far is true and how far is false? She couldn¡¯t believe what Nox showed her here either. Gradually, her head was filled with confusion. ¡°Trust is up to you, Mary.¡± ¡°Take me to the castle. I can¡¯t breathe.¡± She chose to breathe while holding her chest. Nox¡¯s forehead narrowed due to her rough breathing. He hugged her and snapped his finger. Returning to the castle, she tried to enter the room but couldn¡¯t turn the doorknob. Standing next to her, she looked at Nox. He nodded as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mary here? I¡¯d be confused if she appeared.¡± ¡°I know. Isn¡¯t that episode more fun?¡± ¡°Does she recognize you?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Maybe¡­¡­.¡± Nox smiled with a playful face. Suddenly, he pushed his head toward her. Stopped just within reach of his breath, he said. ¡°Just about the distance between you and me?¡± ¡°¡­..Put it away.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just like that, too. Did we get closer because of today?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to get closer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sad since last time.¡± Nox gently swept her hair over. He opened the door with an elegant gesture, pointed toward the room with one hand, bowed down, and raised his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go in, Princess.¡± Chapter 118 Fake and Truth (26) ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you call other women Princess.¡± ¡°I said I wanted to get close, so I¡¯m going to go back to the beginning.¡± ¡°I guess this is how you seduced them.¡± As she passed past him and entered the room, he said. She could feel him moving backwards. Her steps stopped on her own at the loss of playfulness. Her head turned back at his voice as if it were dragging her. ¡°No, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve done this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be so serious. Because I won¡¯t be fooled anymore.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t do this, you don¡¯t trust me. Why don¡¯t you trust me at least once?¡± No matter how much he says that, how can she believe that she felt his gaze looking at her from behind? She turned around coldly. As she stood against him, she saw another Mary leaning against the window and looking at her. ¡°What are you two doing? I think you came to the wrong room. This is my room.¡± ¡°Even after seeing that, how can I hear you asking me to trust you?¡± She stared at Nox, swallowing a false laugh. The second Mary, who resembles her, pointed at her with an unpleasant frown. Like her, she (Mary2) wasn¡¯t happy with this situation either. It would be her (Mary2) first time, but this was her second time. ¡°That thing? Did you just say that to me? Nox, where are you trying to get me a fake and put me in trouble?¡± The other Mary couldn¡¯t hold back her anger and approached Nox and asked him. Looking at it like this, it was really her. From the voice to the intonation to the actions she did, she crossed her arms to the appearance of a woman who looked like her and stared at the two. Tuk, to-duk. Tuk, to-duk. She took a wait-and-see stance, tapping his arm with his fingers crossed. Nox¡¯s eyes looked at her and Mary alternately. ¡°Okay, Nox, if you want me like that, go meet that girl.¡± ¡°I want that too. It¡¯s not as easy as it sounds.¡± Nox smiled and chatted. She lifted the wine glass Mary(2) was drinking and spun it around. She could see the white wine swaying. The sweet scent gently passed through the tip of the nose. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t like red, either.¡± (Mary) ¡°You, don¡¯t pretend to be the same as me. Because I feel dirty because you creepily look like me.¡±(Mary2) The other Mary¡¯s pretty face was distorted. With the feeling of fluffy hair standing all over her body, she also stared at Mary(2). She was in a bad mood because she(Mary2) said what she wanted to say. Taking a sip of wine, she sat on the sofa and looked at the two. ¡°Nox, why did you bring that kid? Take her with you right now.¡± (Mary2) ¡°That¡¯s not good. I only want real ones.¡± She snorted at Nox¡¯s words and drank the wine. The pungent scent slipped into her mouth and swallowed it. How long has it been? Was it when she first met Arthur? ¡®That¡¯s right. It was worth seeing his expression then.¡¯ Arthur suddenly came to mind. It was funny that he came to mind here. A helpless smile spread, and soon she couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. ¡°Ahahaha. I can¡¯t let you go.¡± (Mary) ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± (Mary2) ¡°You. You think you¡¯re real, don¡¯t you?¡± (Mary) ¡°Then? Are you saying I¡¯m fake?¡± (Mary2) She put the wine glass down on the table as she finished pouring the wine. It was an expected reaction, so she approached her (Mary2) without saying a word and whispered in her (Mary2) ear, pushing her (Mary2) hair back. ¡°Well, then I guess I¡¯m fake then.¡± (Mary) ¡°Who is this girl?¡± (Mary2) ¡°What do you mean, fake Mary?¡± (Mary) She patted her (Mary2) shoulder. Then try being real. She opened the door and found Carl. She also became curious. She decided to see if Carl could tell her apart and to enjoy this game that Nox was having fun with. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Nox couldn¡¯t stand his curiosity and follow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come out, too?¡± (Mary) She nodded at the fake Mary who looked inside the open door. ¡°I want to participate in a game that you enjoy alone.¡± (Mary) She would answer Nox and wave. She felt her (Mary2) standing tall and not following her, so she turned her head and asked Mary and Nox. ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t you curious? Should he recognize me again or not?¡± (Mary) ¡°What are you trying to do to Carl?¡± (Mary2) Mary(2) shouted at her. She(Mary2) is telling her that, even she(Mary2) is going to be fooled. She guessed he made her (Mary2) heart for Carl the same. Doesn¡¯t this need to be given a round of applause? Why does Nox keep making another her up and putting it in front of Arthur? ¡°He happened to come over here.¡± She stopped on his way and beckoned at Carl. Carl, who found her in the distance, suddenly stopped as he hurried to step. Mary(2), who followed behind her, stood next to her and tilted her (Mary2) head. With a smile full of victory toward her, she (Mary2) refined her (Mary2) outfit. ¡°You think Carl will choose you, right? But what should I do? He ate with me earlier and did something else.¡± She (Mary2) smiled and whispered in her ear. ¡°No matter how nervous he was, I approached him cautiously.¡± ¡°What¡­ ¡­ did you?¡± ¡°Why? You know what you¡¯re good at?¡± She beckoned at Carl. Carl¡¯s stopped step headed back toward us. She swallowed a vain smile at the sight of him approaching one step or two. Perhaps this time, she thought he might not recognize her. Perhaps the reason Nox was so confident was because of Carl. Carl¡¯s eyes, which had always been directed at her, were also at Mary(2), who stood next to her. Seeing the smile on his lips, she cast aside her doubts. The doubt has now become certain. Chapter 119 Missing Mary (1) ¡°Is it you again? This time, it looks better than the first time.¡± Carl¡¯s eyes cooled coldly toward her. Facing Carl, she stepped back and stared at him. He still looked at Mary2, not her. Nox hid his body. Carl knew little about his identity, so it was difficult for him to show up. Or is he even aware of his mistake? ¡°He¡¯s not even good.¡± He couldn¡¯t know what was wrong or reflect on himself. Initially, it was wrong to ask the devil to repent of his actions. ¡°What¡¯s the difference this time?¡± She was really curious. What is the difference between then and now, and where is the part that is so similar that Carl cannot recognize? Where do she (Mary2) and herself resemble so much that even Arthur was fooled? Her (Mary2) appearance did not differ from herself at first. ¡°Is that important? You still look fake to me.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Really? Then this fake has to leave now. Otherwise, you don¡¯t know what will happen.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better disappear before the Grand Duke catches you. Otherwise, it¡¯s not bad to die in his hands. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing to die at my own hands.¡± Carl¡¯s sword was pointed at herself. It was her first time to feel this kind of life for him, and the sharp blade of the sword moved close to her neck at any moment. Raising both hands, she forced the corners of her mouth to smile. Her heart had been pounding. It wasn¡¯t because of the blood from the slight cut by the blade of the sword pointed at her. Well, maybe it¡¯s easy. This is more comfortable. She slipped from the sword with his hand and stepped back from Carl a couple of steps. She would look at Mary(2) and Carl, who would be tied here on behalf of herself. ¡°Then, the fake will leave now.¡± She beckoned towards Nox. When he tilted his head to the side as if he was wondering, he made a sign of snapping her finger. At that moment, she saw Carl¡¯s expression was complicated and subtle. What can he do now? He was the one who didn¡¯t recognize it, but she felt disgusted for no reason. ¡®Take care of yourself.¡¯ The time given to her would be 3 days at the very least. She had to take Arthur¡¯s medicine, so she had to come back when the time came. ¡°So, I¡¯ll have to finish it in a short time.¡± She thought of something to do, so she decided to use this situation to her advantage. While she was thinking about something else for a while, her body was already out of the castle. ¡°Now Nox, you know how I feel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to know that.¡± ¡°I need a place to stay.¡± ¡°What are you going to do? Are you going to leave it like that?¡± Moved elsewhere with Nox¡¯s magic, she looked around. She will be quite busy since she has to move alone starting tomorrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t it great? It was frustrating to be trapped in a castle, but let¡¯s see how free we are.¡± It¡¯s only for 3 days. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s fun.¡±¡± She didn¡¯t know if it was a good thing to get his help, but it was the best option she could choose at that time. Or she had to kill Mary(2) pretending to be her or kick her (Mary2) out. She hates it when she has a lot of work. It was Nox in front of her who kept making it happen. ¡°Nox, don¡¯t get me wrong, because I¡¯m not trying to entertain you.¡± If he wasn¡¯t the devil, he¡¯d be the first to die. Seriously, this was sincere. Without him, things wouldn¡¯t have been this twisted. ¡°Excuse me. It¡¯s perfect.¡± She pointed to the vacant lot as if to take responsibility. Nox giggled and laughed and quickly created a mansion. She just pointed her finger, but he made her what she wanted at once. There seemed to be little that could not be made in his hands. ¡°Is this real?¡± ¡°Well, you can think of it as that.¡± ¡°Everyone else isn¡¯t seeing me sleeping on the floor and seeing everything? It¡¯s like saying that only my eyes see it as a mansion.¡± ¡°You can count on this. I¡¯ll be with you, too.¡± At Nox¡¯s words, she looked up and down. Did he say he¡¯d be with her now? That means he thought she¡¯d be like that. ¡°Are you crazy? If I know what you¡¯re going to do, do I stay with you?¡± ¡°That gaze. It looks like you¡¯re looking at me like a beast.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I saw it exactly.¡± She didn¡¯t deny it. Because there was nothing wrong with what he said. She still saw Nox with suspicious eyes. He eventually swore at her with his hands raised in her unearned gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never enter the room without your permission.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it anymore because I don¡¯t have trust in you.¡± ¡°When did you ever trust me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ no. I don¡¯t think so. Then we just hang out together.¡± Nox¡¯s eyes widened horizontally this time when she unexpectedly accepted it, which he thought she would continue to refuse. He looked around at her, took out the paper, and wrote something. It¡¯s not even a magical pocket, but seeing something keep coming out of the air made her laugh. ¡°Here you go. If I touch your body without your permission, I¡¯ll do one thing you want then.¡± ¡°This contract is real, right?¡± At his words, the letters on the contract fluttered with light. At the end of the paper, Nox¡¯s signature was written. He approached her by showing her what was written on the paper. ¡°You can¡¯t believe it, right? I can¡¯t trust myself either.¡± Nox leaned down and came close to her. His hand lifted one of her legs and pressed them to her. She looked at Nox¡¯s behavior without avoiding his gaze. Chapter 120 Missing Mary (2) One finger slipped up the skirt and crept up toward the thigh. Then yes. I snorted and tried to pull out Nox¡¯s hand. ¡°So I think I should write some on this.¡± Nox took out the dagger she had hidden in her thigh. His hand, which achieved the goal, was removed from her thigh without regret. Of course, she didn¡¯t forget to return her rolled skirt to its original state. Nox, who stole her hidden dagger, boldly grabbed the blade. Tap, tap. Red drops of blood fell to the floor one by one. The red color disturbed her eyes again. She felt nauseous and a little headache in her head. Nox opened the contract and dropped his blood. ¡°Nox, you must be really crazy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something you should say when you step on the glass bottle.¡± Did he know what she had done? She looked back on what she had done so far and ignored her lips. ¡°You were watching me secretly? Hiding in the back?¡± ¡°When you say that, it feels like I¡¯m always looking at you every day.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, I¡¯m glad. I almost got goosebumps.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t want to do anything you might hate.¡± Nox was spewing lies again with an okay face. She can¡¯t believe he¡¯s done everything she might hate and said he didn¡¯t do it. ¡°It¡¯s clear that your actions or eyes are like me, but why do words only come out like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my charm.¡± ¡°If you close your mouth, you will be halfway there.¡± She shed her eyes, laughing at Nox¡¯s words. She already knew that he was curious about her, but because he had no emotions, she is not sure if the feelings that are sometimes revealed, but curiosity is what she thinks. Because the screening just looked like a twisted devil. ¡°This is how I look and eat, and I¡¯m glad you noticed it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to say while bleeding.¡± ¡°Red is so hot and beautiful. It¡¯s like me.¡± He told her as if he didn¡¯t know, even though he knew she hated red. It would be an advantage if the consistency was an advantage, but it wasn¡¯t very sweet to her. ¡°Now, it¡¯s colored. Beautifully.¡± As soon as Nox finished his words, the contract was covered with red blood. Nox smiled with satisfaction as he saw the contract slowly spreading blood. However, as he said, the red color was entering very finely. She doesn¡¯t want to admit it, but it looked pretty beautiful. Maybe she went crazy because she was with him. She hated red so much, but at this moment, she was shy and it looked as pretty as a blush. The red-colored contract was wrapped in blood. It looked like a string, but it swayed like a long vine, and then completely swallowed the contract. ¡°A contract with devil¡¯s blood can never be broken. If you do that, it¡¯ll be fatal for me, too. This is trustworthy, right?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you mind if you don¡¯t do this?¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because this situation is just fun for me anyway. Maybe I¡¯m a horse built on an organ plate.¡± Nox handed her the contract. The contract that came to her was getting smaller and smaller, and soon became a pattern and engraved on her wrist. ¡°If the pattern disappears, the contract ends.¡± ¡°Are you going to do what I want till then?¡± ¡°Yes, if you¡¯re nervous, tell me what you want now.¡± She looked at the pattern on her wrist and saw Nox. Nox raised her hands to her face, as she was still full of doubt, and taught her how to call him. ¡°After kissing the pattern here, talk to yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?¡± She tried to take her wrist to her mouth, but she stopped and asked him. Nox turned his eyes and patted her lightly on the head. ¡°I¡¯m not falling for it anymore.¡± ¡°Get rid of it. Where am I trying to fool you?¡± She rejected Nox¡¯s brief touch and pulled it out. He¡¯s the kind of guy who doesn¡¯t miss a beat when he thinks she has loosened up a bit. Nox took off his hand and spoke to her as if it were real this time. ¡°As soon as this contract is broken, you can tell me. Then it¡¯ll come true right away.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, deceiving is not fun twice. The first reaction is the most fun.¡± Nox¡¯s mouth twisted up. She moved toward the mansion he made. He walked next to her side saying nothing to see if she was having fun without a reaction. ¡°Are you free?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be busy?¡± Looking at him constantly appearing, he didn¡¯t look busy at all. Honestly, what¡¯s the point of being busy with the devil? It was a question she asked, but it was obvious that it didn¡¯t apply to him. ¡°Why? Do you want me to stay with you?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, I guess you have a favor to ask me.¡± Nox now glanced at her, opening his eyes to see how much he could grasp what she wanted. As he said, she didn¡¯t ask him to know if he was really busy. It was because there was something to find out. ¡°Right. Do you read my mind now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I have to try to read your mind by using my strength that much.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She looked at Nox and asked. He grabbed her hand and took it toward his heart. Nothing was felt in the hand on the solid chest. Can she just imagine how hard Nox¡¯s body is without looking? ¡°Are you showing off your body?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, what do you want me to touch?¡± Looking through Nox¡¯s body, she got a little closer to him. His hands gently wrapped around her waist as she approached him to the fullest. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like it because it wasn¡¯t warm, so maybe you¡¯re attracted to this body?¡± When asked if she was attracted, she honestly wasn¡¯t in the place to refuse. He is 190cm tall, has wide shoulders, a face without blemishes, and has good looks. The body with solid muscles was so impressive that she looked around. But, because it¡¯s rusty, she wasn¡¯t attracted. Chapter 121 Missing Mary (3) ¡°It¡¯s not bad, it¡¯s very consistent. You.¡± How can he trick her whenever he sees a gap? A sly look and natural touch will probably play a part in the consistent trick. ¡°That¡¯s my charm, too.¡± As expected, he immediately accepted. His hand, which was still wrapped around her waist, put a little more force and made her stick to his body. Sweeping Nox¡¯s chest with her finger, he slightly raised his eyes. Silver long hair slipped down and tickled her face again. Nox¡¯s face, looking down with a friendly look, even looked gorgeous, as if he was in love. ¡°Is there anyone that doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re attractive?¡± ¡°There was only one person who didn¡¯t know that, so I was really holding back sadness these days.¡± If he¡¯s sad, he¡¯s sad. What does holding back sadness mean? That was a very rusty word. ¡°But I¡¯m happy that I have a chance to show my charm.¡± Nox smiled, pulling up his mouth. The wind blew out and scattered Nox¡¯s hair. It was definitely a warm body, but she felt warm at the moment. Spring is coming. The wind was quite warm. ¡°Isn¡¯t this skill worthy of being tempted?¡± At Nox¡¯s words, he turned his head to the side and looked at the mansion. At a glance, it was the size of a mansion owned by most nobles. She nodded slightly. ¡°Nox, are you interested in me? Or do you just want to have me?¡± ¡°Both. I want to have you because I¡¯m interested in you.¡± She escaped from Nox¡¯s arms and even took a step to the mansion. He¡¯s interested in her, so he wants her.¡­ was right. On the contrary, she may think that it is giving attention because she wants it. She grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. She could see the inside that matched the perfect appearance. No matter how much he was said to have transcendent power, not a person, it was hard to believe that it was made in one movement. ¡°What do you think of my ability?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to admit it, but I¡¯ll admit it this time.¡± She smiled brightly at Nox. As she looked around the room, she heard Nox¡¯s voice from behind. At the same time, she heard the footsteps and voices of others other than Nox, and soon the door to her room opened. ¡°Princess, if you have a favor to ask of me, please call me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting. First of all, you¡¯ll be hungry, so I¡¯ll prepare a meal.¡± The suddenly appearing maids greeted her and turned around. She approached Nox, who was touching his chin and looking around, and pointed to the maids. ¡°Those people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I made them for you.¡± ¡°I just happened to require people, you sure caught fast on that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so quick-witted, so why can¡¯t I understand your heart?¡± Yep, because she hid it deep down. She buried it deep behind her heart so that no one would ever know it and that it would not come out. She was afraid that if it leaked out, it would overflow and come out endlessly. She thought she couldn¡¯t stop once she revealed it, so she just pretended not to know and kept it behind her consciousness, knowing that a full heart would pop out one day. ¡°Why don¡¯t you know? You already know.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s a lie? Nox, you don¡¯t know, but human emotions are very easy.¡± The more one tries to hide anything, the more truth comes out, but if they show their sincerity openly, people will doubt it. If it doesn¡¯t match what one wants to believe, they tend to deny it even more. Like Nox. He said that because he wanted her to have a heart, not because he wanted to hear what was going on with Arthur. Already several times, he has taken a look at her true feelings. And he would have felt it. She thought Nox was trying to keep drawing attention by hovering around her because she didn¡¯t want to admit that she really loved Arthur. Still, the idea has not changed. ¡°You asked earlier, right? Do you have anything to ask me?¡± ¡°Anything.¡± Nox waited for her mouth to open. She brought the paper and wrote down what she needed. It was a necessary item to go to Emilton Street tomorrow. He shrugged as if there were no difficulties. ¡°And please find out the next schedule. Arthur probably knows.¡± ¡°What are you going to do here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go ahead of Arthus and persuade them.¡± ¡°What if Mary(2), who is next to Arthur, comes?¡± ¡°What can I do? I already signed a contract.¡± It wasn¡¯t important. What was important to her was the power of the marginal aristocrats and to attract them to her side. If she (Mary2) goes around, there will be rumors that there will be a woman pretending to be the Princess. So she had to finish all of this in three days. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it in three days.¡± ¡°Oh, you only have that much time.¡± ¡°Yeah, I have to go back after that.¡± ¡°But Mary.¡± Nox smiled meaningfully and took a small glass bottle out of his arms. ¡°If I have this, do you think you have more time to come out?¡± The medicine in the glass bottle on his palm was bluish. It was always a blue medicine that Arthur gave her. ¡°How do you have that?¡± ¡°Mary, you have to answer my question first.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the same as Arthur gave me, my answer is yes.¡± Nox came up to her and put a glass bottle in her hand, perhaps noticing that she didn¡¯t believe it. The blue light that fluttered in her hand was definitely the medicine. How can she forget the strangely swaying appearance? Chapter 122 Missing Mary (4) ¡°Hang on. This¡­¡­ Argh!¡± At that moment, she felt a strong headache, as if her head was splitting. She swallowed the bursting groan and sat down covering his head with both hands. Chaeng-grang- The glass bottle that slipped from the hand hit the floor and broke. She felt like she had seen this scene where she handed over a glass bottle somewhere. The memory of Nox giving it to someone came to mind vaguely. Was that the reason why she felt it? She kept trying to bring out things that she couldn¡¯t remember. However, only pain continued, and no memory came to mind. Nox slowly leaned down and looked at her. As soon as his soft hand touched her shoulder, a scene was drawn in her head. ¡°¡­Nox, what did you do when you met Arthur?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Arthur and you, what are you doing?¡± She pushed Nox¡¯s chest and saw a broken glass bottle on the floor. The blue liquid had already flowed on the floor and could not be picked up. ¡°What do you mean, Mary, whatever we do, it¡¯s all for you.¡± She shook her head and stepped back. Once the memory that came to mind did not stop and flooded in. She remembered him opening the locked room with her and even holding her breath in the closet after that. ¡°¡­ Was it really true?¡± ¡°This is difficult. I erased your memory. How did you come up with it again?¡± Nox tilted his head slightly to the side as if he was in trouble. He approached her, who was away from him, leaned down, and looked at her. Suddenly, his hand covered her eyes. Nox¡¯s breath, which had already come, was felt right in front of her. She couldn¡¯t move her body as if it had hardened there. Even if she couldn¡¯t see it, she could feel Nox¡¯s face coming closer. She felt like her whole body¡¯s hair was standing on edge in front of his dark eyes and the unfamiliar energy surrounding her. Being unable to do anything, she bit her lips. She could taste the fishy blood in her mouth. His fingers seemed to gently rub her lips and wipe the blood that leaked out. She thought Nox¡¯s face, which is looking at her beyond the hidden hand, is distorted. Nox, who took off his hand that covered her eyes, warmed his mouth as if he was disappointed. ¡°I can¡¯t help it because you broke the medicine. In the end, it¡¯s only three days away for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such contempt. You¡¯re the same as me.¡± Nox showed her a vision. It was the appearance of three families who were sentenced by her hands not long ago. She saw it with a calm look. When the feeling of tying her up disappeared, she felt free. ¡°That¡¯s right, maybe I¡¯m no different.¡± As she got up from her seat after shaking off her dress, she looked up at Nox, who showed her the vision. Turak- He pulled Nox¡¯s shirt and reached out one hand to meet his gaze to cover Nox¡¯s eyes the same. She smiled low and told Nox. ¡°We seem a lot alike. In many ways.¡± ¡°¡­Mary, I can¡¯t refuse your temptation. So, it¡¯s not my fault.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She didn¡¯t deny it. As he said, she may also look like a devil from others perspectives. She gently covered his lips. With his eyes covered, Nox still accepted her kiss. The repressed greed slowly appeared. It was just an act faithful to instinct without knowing what the emotions were caused by. Nox¡¯s tongue slid through her slightly open lips and swept through the teeth. It was quite different from when she had kissed him before. It felt a little steeper and sneaky. They bit each other without backing down. She¡¯s going crazy because she¡¯s thirsty. Nox¡¯s fingers slowly swept her back and went down. Suddenly, She realized that she was kissing Nox in the middle of the mansion. She opened her eyes and tried to push Nox¡¯s chest. Nox¡¯s lips, which seemed unlikely to fall off, fell slightly and soon he raised his hand and bumped her lightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t this how you do it?¡± Nox was on top of her, who moved to a soft bed. Nox looked down at her from above. With a softer touch than usual, he lightly kissed her forehead, sweeping her hair over. ¡°Mary, humans say they get nervous at times like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s usually divided into two. One is that the heart trembles with instinct in this act itself and that the person is really good, so I tremble in any situation.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, Nox, you don¡¯t know because you don¡¯t have feelings.¡± Nox¡¯s touch suddenly slowed down. She felt sorry for no reason because he looked a little sad. But he can¡¯t feel the emotion. He¡¯s just imitating it. So the second time was impossible. One can imitate a person¡¯s emotions, but not really own them. ¡°Mary, how do you feel now?¡± ¡°Try to guess.¡± She pulled his neck so that he couldn¡¯t think of anything else but to fall for her more. Nox eventually couldn¡¯t overcome her temptation and buried his face in the back of her neck. The touch of loosening the strap of the dress was somewhat cautious. He swept away the skin exposed by the completely open clothes and squeezed her chest. ¡°Uh.¡± It was strange, including Nox¡¯s eyes staring at her, his cheeks that looked a little red, and the way he was immersed in the atmosphere without realizing it. ¡°I hope you¡¯re the same as me.¡± Nox breathed a hot breath onto her chest. She tried hard not to moan and bit her lips. The hand holding the blanket tightly put strength into it. Chapter 123 Missing Mary (5) ¡°Please tell me what this feeling is.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ha.¡± Nox bit a handful of swollen breasts. There was a sound of pain as her legs closed on their own. ¡®Ha¡­ ¡­ Even thinking like this.¡¯ There was no such thing as Nox¡¯s touch. Is this what others said about Nox¡¯s temptation? Her face heated up with the feeling of being constantly dragged in. ¡°Mary, you can tell me about this feeling I don¡¯t know.¡± Nox grabbed her leg and slowly kissed her from her toes. She felt herself twisting and enjoying herself at some point. Perhaps this is Mary¡¯s instinct. Nox explored her leisurely. It seemed as if he was indulging in long-awaited prey. There was no impatience like the leisure of predators. He was just slowly spending this moment watching her reaction. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ with you.¡± She tried to say it wasn¡¯t the same, but she couldn¡¯t say it out loud. Nox pulled over her hair and revealed her neck. Seeing Arthur¡¯s traces left intact, his expression hardened coldly. ¡®Oh, he stopped.¡¯ She glanced still at Nox, closing her open clothes. She thought hard and raised herself. ¡°I¡¯m not excited anymore. I almost fell for your temptation.¡± Why did his words seem sad? She glanced at Nox. She didn¡¯t mean to sleep with him, so maybe it¡¯s a relief for her to end like this. Is it because of Arthur¡¯s traces on her neck? Nox got out of bed with a mean look and opened the door. ¡°I¡¯ll get ready to go out tomorrow, so go ahead.¡± ¡°When do you want to be with me? Are you running away?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say things that you don¡¯t mean.¡± Nox didn¡¯t look back at her until the moment he left the door. *** In the morning, as Nox said, the maid helped prepare. When she went there, there was information on Emilton Street on the table. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t help me.¡± She read the writing on the paper and went down. As expected, the maids were silent. Sarak- In the room, only the sound of turning the paper was heard quietly. Looking sideways, there were various clothes prepared. ¡°Weapon?¡± Emilton Street on the west side was trading with other countries on the seaside. It was also importing or exporting well-made weapons or materials. She saw the sales amount along with a list of quite a lot of transactions, then she thought. ¡°Since there has been no war recently, they were selling weapons to other countries as the next best option.¡± They can¡¯t just clean off their fingers, so they should sell it anyway. One problem was that quite a few weapons were being introduced into Fontra, a country next to the sea. It fought several wars with the Arpen Empire a long time ago and is now an ally with treaties. Words are allies, not knowing when they will change. ¡°We need to prepare a little bit, too.¡± Until now, it has been said that the peaceful state continues due to the great power of the Arpen Empire, but there is no guarantee of how long it will be safe. Fontra will continue to be greedy. They may try to swallow not only the small countries around them but also all the countries. Of course, as long as Arthur and Nox are in this country, they will not be eaten by another country. ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about being careful.¡± She came up with something to negotiate with Emilton Street. On conditions that are not bad for the Arpen Empire and Emilton County. If she does this, they don¡¯t have to offend Fontra. It won¡¯t be good to make them pay attention to Arpen for no reason. Wearing an enormous hat inside out, she carefully boarded the wagon. Covering her face with a fan in her hand, she created a gentle breeze. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be able to go out however I want.¡± There is neither Carl¡¯s gaze, who was watching her every day, nor Arthur¡¯s eyes, who was anxious about her running away. It should be good for sure, but why is a corner of her heart tingling? It¡¯s not until there are no people around that the hidden emotions raise their heads and encourage her. ¡°I¡¯ll go back before he finds me.¡± To live. She had no choice but to go to his arms. Is she really going to live? Is there any other reason? She constantly asked herself. But she was scared to bring it out of her mouth. She thought she couldn¡¯t turn it back the moment she revealed her mind alone. So hide it forever. Everything will be twisted and messed up the moment she gets caught. She closed her eyes and slept even a little. Since she couldn¡¯t sleep at all last night, she could be tired, but her heart kept shaking. The sound of her heart beating, which was unknown for some reason, was irritating. After running for a long time, the carriage stopped. She got off the wagon with her face covered with a fan and saw a large mansion in front of her. It seemed that there was no problem with the family¡¯s wealth, as their business was going well. ¡®You¡¯ve sold quite a lot, even to potential enemies.¡¯ The gardener, who was arranging the trees in a suddenly stopped carriage, was surprised and hurried into the mansion. He must have seen the seal along with the colorful carriage. Since it was a wagon stamped with the seals of the Arpen Empire, can any family stay still without being surprised? ¡°Oh, I greet the Princess of the Arpen Empire.¡± The Count of Emilton rushed out and bowed his head to show courtesy to her. His expression was full of embarrassment. She could have done that because she came earlier than she promised. ¡°I came earlier than I promised because I had work, so I don¡¯t need anything else.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if your preparation is immature, so I want you to go inside and talk.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Come on in.¡± The Count rushed her to the mansion. Everyone¡¯s faces in the Emilton household were tense. The appearance of the Princess, who had never visited, made them anxious. And it was also said that there might be some sanctions against them soon. Chapter 124 Missing Mary (6) Rumors have circulated that other nobles will be brought to their side for the Imperial power, but they would not have thought they would come forward like this. ¡°I want you to trade weapons with me.¡± Entering the drawing-room, she said her main point. ¡°¡­¡­ Speaking of the arms trade.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of buying weapons from the imperial family of the Arpen Empire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sudden suggestion.¡­¡­ May I ask why?¡± The Count asked her carefully about her intentions. He seemed to think that she did not know the details of the sale of weapons. It was a no-problem deal in fragmentary terms, but it was quite dangerous to the Arpen Empire in the distance. ¡°You¡¯re currently delivering weapons to the kingdom of Fontra, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That, it.¡± ¡°Of course, I know it is inevitable to continue the business that has been passed down from generation to generation in your family. However, are you sure that the alliance will continue as it is now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The opponent will continue to be greedy. They won¡¯t be able to fill their stomach just by swallowing up the small countries around them, and eventually, the Arpen Empire will turn to you at the end.¡± The country they deal with by unifying all continents. Swallowing down the empire and standing tall at the top, would be the last wish to achieve. ¡°The Imperial family will buy the weapons produced by the Emilton family,you can trade weapons with the Fontra Empire as usual. However, lower the completeness of the weapon just so that it is not noticeable.¡± Emilton was manufacturing weapons using mana stone. Since it was a location where magic stones were continuously appearing around them, they were continuously supplying magic stones to the Arpen Empire. However, since there were few uses for it, the purchase amount started to decrease, and the Emilton family started manufacturing weapons using the surplus magic stone. However, Emilton had no reason to refuse to sell it to the Imperial family. ¡°But if you do that, you¡¯ll be noticed.¡± The Count looked afraid of Fontra noticing. It was because they were almost facing each other along the sea, so it was clear that they would suffer immediate damage if a problem occurred. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to do it at once. We can slowly lower the mana stone content. Make sure to pay the original weapons to the Imperial family.¡± ¡°What should I do if they notice later?¡± ¡°Even if Fontra, who is crazy about war, notices, there will be no choice but to continue the deal. Even if they wage war on us, that¡¯s not for you to worry about, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± No matter what war breaks out, the Arpen Empire will not lose. There¡¯s no way Nox and Arthur will be watching it. The Count was filled with sorrow at her words. It was a proposal that he had no choice but to contemplate. Emilton¡¯s trading weapons in other countries would have been uncomfortable, too. Although he is an ally, he did not know when Fontra would change their mind. ¡°All of this will happen immediately if you sign here.¡± She took out the paper and spread it out. It was a secret contract. The Count slowly read down the clause and suddenly stopped at some point. The Count bowed his head hastily, as if he had only heard rumors but never thought it could really happen. ¡°Our Emilton family will support the Princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we got through this well, I didn¡¯t want to see blood. If you didn¡¯t open a contract with me, Emilton would have disappeared without a trace.¡± The Count¡¯s body trembled at her chilling words. His hands were intact because he couldn¡¯t hide his tremors. It was clear that he had heard the stories of nobles who had been circulating in the world. Therefore, if he opposed it, he would have thought that the title, as well as the family, might be destroyed. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to do that, but I tried to scare you a little.¡¯ She already played the villain, but there was no need to rush. Having set an example, she would have felt that if he were loyal to her, he could win a fairer future life rather than death. Since the nobles who were on her side in the past have benefited as much as they have put in their efforts, he would have known that if he showed her that he had done things to the best of his ability, the Imperial family would have his back. ¡°I¡¯ll do what you said. I¡¯ll act like I¡¯m not going to be anyone in the Arpen Empire.¡± ¡°The Count is such a smart man. Seeing that I¡¯ve already read the turning board.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big compliment. Who does this wise Princess become unless it¡¯s the emperor?¡± It was an obvious flattery, but she didn¡¯t feel bad. The Count signed the document without hesitation. Wearing her hat again, she got up from her seat with the contract. Looking at the time, Arthur will arrive in a little while. ¡°Are you leaving already? We¡¯d like to treat you to a meal.¡± ¡°I have to stop by other places, so I¡¯m sorry to say goodbye today. Don¡¯t worry about the food you prepared, someone else will come soon. You can treat them.¡± She remembered Arthur¡¯s expression when she arrived. She wanted him to be angry. She hoped he would struggle with the situation that happened beyond despondency. She hopes he is confused about who moved first, whether Nox made it to deceive her or whether she played a joke on him. ¡®Have a headache about whether Mary next to you is really real or not.¡¯ Chapter 125 Missing Mary (7) The Count tilted his head at what she said. She was the only one who would come here, but he didn¡¯t seem to understand why he said that. Then he asked her with slightly bigger eyes if something suddenly came to mind. ¡°I¡­ By any chance, Princess. Grand Duke Arthur Douglas¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well, is that important? I guess the existence of the Grand Duke is more important to you than I am to you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I thought you¡¯d come with him, but you came alone¡­¡­.¡± The Count glanced and looked behind her. Her eyes shook anxiously, perhaps because she felt strange now without an escort. She smiled softly at the Count. ¡°If I come with the knights, wouldn¡¯t that be a threat, not a deal?¡± ¡°Ah! I couldn¡¯t understand that deep heart.¡± ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s not bad.¡± The Count bowed his head straight away. Looking down at him, she shook her hand as if it was okay. She said as if she remembered something when the Count¡¯s head was gently lifted. ¡°Oh, I heard that there are fearless humans who pretend to be me and look for aristocrats these days. The count should be careful, too.¡± ¡°Are there people who are out of their minds? If I see it, I¡¯ll contact the Imperial Guard right away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that from the Count, then I¡¯ll get going.¡± Naturally, she turned around and escaped the mansion. A wagon stamped with the Imperial seal was waiting for her. She got on the wagon leisurely. She laughed out loud from the wagon that quickly left the Emilton family. ¡°What are you going to do now? Mary(2).¡± What would happen when the fake Mary arrives with Arthur was depicted in her head? The Count will surely be embarrassed to see the seal of the Tayron family. He¡¯ll think of what she said after seeing the fake Mary who came with him for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s say this is my timid revenge for not recognizing me.¡± When she remembered the distorted face of the fake Mary next to Arthur, she felt better. Humming the song, she put the contract she had in her arms. *** Returning to Nox¡¯s mansion, she read information about the Pravio family she will go to tomorrow. Nox had not appeared since yesterday. She hasn¡¯t known what the hell he¡¯s thinking since Arthur. It was Nox¡¯s heart that she sometimes seemed to know, but couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡°It seems simple, but it¡¯s surprisingly tricky.¡± When she looked in the mirror, the traces that Arthur had left were already pale. After changing clothes comfortably, she looked out the window drinking tea. Only the trees shaking quietly in the wind were greeting her. ¡°It¡¯s quiet. It¡¯s really too quiet.¡± No one bothered her, nothing to care about. It differed greatly from life in the castle. She first wrote down the organized things in letters. So far, she organized a list of families who have come to her side and those who are still rebelling, and sealed them with wax in envelopes with letters stating their business and future events. After calling the maid to send them to the Imperial family, she left the mansion to walk through the garden. As the cool night air swept through her, she shrank in the cold. She wrapped her arms around both hands and strolled into the garden. She could see the swing when it was made. ¡°How did they make this again?¡± She sat on the swing and moved her feet little by little. The swing swung back and forth as her feet moved. As the swing connected to the branch moved, she heard the leaves rustling around. As the wind passed by her, she felt better. When her hair fluttered in the wind, the wind brushed her face, and then it messed up her hair from behind and passed forward. She felt like she went back to her childhood, so she smiled. ¡°I wish someone would push it.¡± Adults who were pushing other children¡¯s backs at the playground came to mind. She was just looking at the children with envious eyes, and she was also drawn in front of her eyes. For a moment, she felt the swing being pushed from behind. The swing shook around in the wind and moved forward. The swing, which went farther than she had rolled, returned to its place and was pushed forward by force again. As she tilted her head back, she saw Nox. The feeling of pushing was none other than the wind he made toward her back with a blunt expression. ¡°You acted like you wouldn¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me.¡± ¡°Are you upset?¡± Nox only pushed the swing silently. She closed her eyes to the swing that shook in line with his wind. Smirking and a smile spread on her face. ¡°Open your eyes, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°If I fall, you¡¯ll catch me.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s good about you?¡± ¡°No, I can just fall and die.¡± Her eyes were still closed as she replied to Nox¡¯s words. He¡¯s going to accept what she says. She kept smiling. Does he know that he has changed a lot from the beginning? ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°There are many women who like me more than you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, maybe it¡¯s better to be loved by many people than one person.¡± ¡°Did you go to Emilton?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you, I got what I wanted. I think I gave Arthur a shot.¡± The swing, which was moving, stopped at her words. His eyes shone as if to tell him what she had been doing with a highly anticipated face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see it if you¡¯re so curious?¡± ¡°Hmm, I was about to go today. But I was curious if you¡¯re doing well.¡± Chapter 126 Missing Mary (8) Nox¡¯s lips were twitched as if he were excited. He looked down at her with a look of wanting to go soon. When she looked at him still, she bowed out of her upper body and looked at him. ¡°Whatever it is, if you did it, I¡¯ll definitely enjoy it.¡± ¡°Are you the only one having fun here?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you¡¯re next to me now and I¡¯m having fun now, so that¡¯s all that matters.¡± He lightly kissed her forehead and narrowed his forehead when he looked at her outfit. He wasn¡¯t normally dressed properly, but somehow he was wearing a jacket. Nox took off his jacket and put it on her shoulder. ¡°Human beings are so weak. You¡¯re weak and you hurt easily, so you will get sick easily in this cold.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to wear this because it¡¯s cold, right?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t get cold easily. Mary, you¡¯re still shaking.¡± Nox pointed at her with a calm look. Hearing a worried voice, she shrugged and drew a smile on her face. ¡°If I had body temperature, I would have hugged you, but as you said, I don¡¯t have body temperature. You can cover up with this.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Perhaps her answer was awkward, he scratched his head and avoided looking. Nox, who only left the word that he couldn¡¯t miss something funny, quickly disappeared. ¡®It¡¯s easier than I thought¡­¡­?¡¯ If she had known how to respond to this, she would have been more friendly. She thought she¡¯d found another way to respond to Nox¡¯s unexpected reaction. He used to imitate without knowing his feelings, but somehow he seems to realize it little by little. She¡¯s not sure if this will flow in a good direction or not. *** She was busy from morning to go to the Pravio family. It was to go a day early, but what can the family say when they see her who is already bold? It was different from the promised day, so she felt sorry for the family, but she couldn¡¯t go on the promised date. If she does that, she will face Arthur and the fake Mary, which will have a big impact. ¡°Do you have today¡¯s newspaper?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s here.¡± The maid handed her the newspaper as if she were ready. It was quite natural, as if the maid knew what she would ask for. There was nothing to be surprised about now, so she opened the newspaper. Sure enough, there was a story about fake Mary. ¡°Impersonating? Who wants to say this?¡± She laughed and read the newspaper. ¡°But I guess you felt uncomfortable. Seeing that, I didn¡¯t tell you the details of the contract.¡± She quite liked Count Emilton¡¯s heavy mouth. She¡¯ll have to prioritize the next contract as well. If things in the contract for the future are put to action right now. With that amount of wealth and judgment, they¡¯ll do well in anything. The newspaper continued to be full of articles about her. ¡°Did you read the newspaper?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it in the morning.¡± ¡°What do you think? What do you think about this newspaper?¡± ¡°There will be people who take the opportunity.¡± ¡°I think so, too.¡± Her authority, which she has held at best, might be shaken. Then, how will Arthur come out? She hid hard, but she never intended to enter the castle before the drug was due. Even if he made an appointment anyway, this was something she had to solve. ¡°You guys must be dolls made by Nox.¡± ¡°You can think of it as similar.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ Then you don¡¯t feel emotions either?¡± She suddenly became curious. Questions such as whether the doll made by Nox has no body temperature, the heart beats, what is different from humans, and whether there is a way to distinguish it. ¡°We can¡¯t tell you anything about it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± What is this strange feeling? She thought she had heard something similar somewhere. There are no emotions, there are certain things they shouldn¡¯t say, and they have to do only what they¡¯re supposed to do.¡­. It¡¯s the same as the maids in Arthur¡¯s castle. She pulled the hand of the maid, helping with the decoration. As she expected, they had no body temperature. However, the hand of the maid in Arthur¡¯s castle, which was touched could clearly feel her body temperature. Then, it was not made by Nox. ¡°If it¡¯s not that¡­¡­ or using humans.¡± There were two answers. Controlling humans, dolls made like these. She¡¯s sure it¡¯s close to the former. After letting go of the cold maid¡¯s hand, she folded the newspaper and put it in one place. ¡°Nox is amazing. Seeing him build mansions like this and build you too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we think.¡± ¡°How much can he make?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing he can¡¯t make.¡± The maid replied to her with an expressionless face. Her hands were moving diligently. While talking, her hands didn¡¯t stop. The same was true of the maid next to her. Like a controlled doll, they were only doing their own things, but they never looked elsewhere. ¡°Then, is it possible not only to have a mansion, but also a wider one?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but nothing is impossible.¡± The maid was quite determined. When she heard them, she remembered the fairies she met at the store. That they told her that Viblant was here. And they said they were trapped there. ¡®If so, if they are not fairies¡­¡­ If they¡¯re devils? If you¡¯re a Nox-like race.¡¯ The story fits. Looking back on the ability that Lilith showed her, it didn¡¯t look good enough to be a fairy. To mislead people, and to speak. ¡°Yeah, why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Nightmare. Their existence was not fairies, but demons. When Nox asked her if they looked like a fairy, other fairies that changed like humans felt the same. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± The maid asked, looking at her hardened face. She shook her head in a hurry, hiding her feelings. As if it was nothing, she cleared her throat and kept organizing her thoughts in her head. Maybe what she thought was the answer. It was possible if everything that had not been found out so far was made, and everything was being controlled by Nox. ¡®How the hell is it real?¡¯ She bit her nails well out of anxiety. As she took a step closer to the truth, she felt like there was something she shouldn¡¯t know. Now she¡¯s getting scared. If it was really better not to know, what should she do? Is that why Arthur tried to hide it? ¡®If I can¡¯t figure it out, it must be about Arthur and Nox¡¯s contract.¡¯ And she thought the contract was the beginning and cause of everything. Seeing that one was released one after another, it felt like the secrets of the contract were few and far between. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing. I was just a little excited.¡± When she broke the contract between Arthur and Nox and thought she could get out of it, her hips fluttered. She wanted to survive by noticing as soon as possible. She¡¯s definitely in their contract, so if she breaks the contract, she¡¯ll be able to get out of it, too. She left the mansion immediately after dressing up. She had to finish what she had to do as soon as possible and get her place back. She has to finish first before everything is over. ¡°I have no choice but to go back when I meet this family.¡± Recalling the writings in the newspaper, she got into the wagon and closed her eyes. She doesn¡¯t know if the Pravio family will find out if she¡¯s real when she goes alone, but wouldn¡¯t it be a little difficult if they read the newspaper? Unless she goes with Arthur, they will think it¡¯s weird. Of course, they can¡¯t suspect she¡¯s fake in a hurry. If they refused and later found out that she was real, it was the Pravio family in trouble. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a difficult decision. It¡¯s interesting even for me.¡± It was not enough to end in a slight disturbance that everyone was reeling from Nox¡¯s play. There may be reasons why she stepped up, but Arthur, accompanied by fake Mary, is also inevitable from responsibility. Now, what is Arthur going to do? She wondered how he would come out. Chapter 127 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (1) After arriving at the Pravio Residence, she would catch her breath and get off the wagon. The royal carriage arrived, so it could have come out, but the people who usually came to meet were nowhere to be seen. She slowly took off her hat and walked toward the mansion. At first glance, she could see someone standing in front of the door. She took a step toward the door with the idea of ¡®Well then¡¯. As she approached, a familiar silhouette caught her eye. ¡°¡­¡­ Arthur?¡± At her words, he turned to face her. Black hair and black eyes turned to her. His brows narrowed with the well-equipped clothes. Why is he here? He looked calm as if he knew she was coming. She stepped back, doubting her eyes at the sight of Arthur approaching her. ¡®What? How the hell did you know?¡¯ How¡¯s that girl doing? The first thing that came to mind was fake Mary. She¡¯s the girl Nox created to be just like her. She, who deceived Arthur as well as Carl, was not seen here. ¡°Mary.¡± ¡°What if I¡¯m a fake pretending to be Mary in the newspaper?¡± She didn¡¯t narrow the distance from him. When he approached forward, she stepped back. Suddenly, his hand grabbed her hand and pulled it toward himself. Arthur, who removed the scarf covering her neck, smiles low at her. His eyes, as if they were checking, stuck to her neck. He put a scarf around her neck again and pulled her hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Originally, I did whatever I wanted.¡± ¡°I know. Still¡­¡­ I thought you would come back in a day.¡± She clapped her hand at Arthur¡¯s words and rolled her eyes. Why does he say this when he spends time by the side of a fake without trying to catch her? As she was about to enter the Pravio mansion, he said from behind. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can¡¯t recognize my traces.¡± ¡°¡­ Maybe, did I know that?¡± ¡°I had no choice but to find out what Nox was using. Because I can¡¯t keep playing with his pranks.¡± ¡°Ha! Then Carl¡­¡­?¡± Arthur nodded slightly instead of answering. She felt an unexpected relief that he knew her, but she was annoyed that he abandoned her even though he knew. Why did he deceive her when he could have told her in advance? ¡°When you find out, Nox will find out faster, so I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°So did you get what you wanted?¡± ¡°Well, he won¡¯t be able to play that kind of joke anymore.¡± ¡°Did you meet Nox yesterday?¡± He shook his head. Nox said he was going to meet him, so it wouldn¡¯t be a lie. If anything had happened at night, he would have returned right away. Nox didn¡¯t come. She wanted to ask more, but she had to stop interrogating when the Marquis of the Pravio appeared. But why isn¡¯t he angry about what she did? ¡°Arthur, did you see the newspaper?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it later. First of all, the contract comes first.¡± His words were not wrong, so she nodded and closed her mouth. The marquis opened his eyes gently as he saw her and Arthur coming together. He must have looked at the newspaper. He couldn¡¯t come up easily and came out maintaining the distance and looked at Arthur alternately. ¡°If it¡¯s because of a newspaper article, here¡¯s the Imperial certificate.¡± Arthur handed the marquis a certificate stamped with imperial seals. The marquis accepted the certificate with a suspicious face and looked around. It was an undoubtedly perfect letter stamped with gold wax. It was only when he saw the Imperial seal that a smile spread on the marquis¡¯ face. ¡°I greet Princess Mary Anastasia. Thank you for coming with Grand Duke Arthur Douglas.¡± ¡°May I talk with you now?¡± Arthur hinted at the marquis and brought up the contract. The Marquis took us to the drawing-room as if he had been waiting. The Pravio family, located in the north, was in charge of waterways. She heard that the recent severe drought is causing trouble. Arthur and she immediately came up with a good contract. Although he was a Marquis, it was clear that the power of the family would have more influence than expected as it was holding the waterway. Water was important to everyone, and especially if it was a waterway, roads had to be built and maintained here and there. The Pravio family, which has been in charge of this task, is currently in charge of the waterway and has something close to a monopoly. It was cumbersome, but if it didn¡¯t rain, they had to purify and supply water through the reservoir and the sea, so they would have to penetrate all the geography in the system. ¡°I heard it¡¯s hard to supply water these days.¡± ¡°¡­How did you know that? I thought the Imperial family wasn¡¯t interested.¡± ¡°How can the Imperial family not be interested in the water supply when the people and everyone are supplied with water through the waterway? I know the Pravio family¡¯s credit well.¡± The Marquis shed tears as if he were touched by her words. It was not that she was unaware of his past achievements. In the ledger, it means that the Imperial family knew about the water and waterways supplied by the Pravio family. Of course, although they have never been rewarded for their direct contribution. It was buried because it was entrusted to the prime minister separately. Right now, she¡¯s taking a test to fill it up with others. However, it seems that there has not been a suitable person yet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t been able to pay attention to other things. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the current news, but we¡¯re looking for the right person after abandoning the prime minister and a few people, so we won¡¯t have to worry about it from now on.¡± The Pravio family seemed to believe only when the story, which they knew through rumors, came out of her mouth. He took out the carefully organized booklet. Chapter 128 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (2) Arthur opened it and found that the number of waterways to be built in the future was written along with the cost of constructing waterways that had not been properly received so far. ¡°The settlement that has been missing so far will be processed in batches. We¡¯re in a hurry, so the Tayron family will take care of it tomorrow.¡± Arthur took a blank sheet out of his arms and wrote down the numbers. He immediately handed the check to the marquis with the amount he had to receive. The Marquis accepted the check with a puzzled look. Now, she brought up the story in earnest at Arthur¡¯s expression that there was nothing wrong with it. It was concluded that the lack of water was to first build and supply waterways to reservoirs. However, when she heard that there was not enough reservoir to store water when it rained, she thought of Magic stones. ¡°Then, let¡¯s bring water from the sea.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so hard to purify the water.¡± ¡°The Imperial family will provide mana stones, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Having made a deal with Emilton County, that part was enough. Since they reduced the mana stone in the production of weapons, it was enough to send the mana stone to the Pravio family. Mana stone also has the ability to purify, so it will continue to purify water without taking too much time. ¡°Are you really providing magic stones?¡± ¡°Of course, if this deal is made. Along with the construction of the waterway, we will provide you with mana stones, so you have to give all these credits to me, the Princess.¡± ¡°If you provide it, I¡¯ll give all this credit to the Princess.¡± A bright smile quickly spread over the Marquis¡¯ face. She kept talking to the marquis, suggesting a better way from the existing method. ¡°What should we do for you?¡± The marquis carefully asked me for a price at her willing suggestion. If he made a contract with the Imperial family and continued to take charge of the waterway and construction, Marquis Fravio would most likely rise to the ranks of aristocrats. There was a vast difference between being monopolized alone and being pushed by the Imperial family. ¡®You¡¯ll gain trust and fame.¡¯ The Marquis swallowed his saliva, waiting for her mouth to open. His neck went up. After his neck went up and down twice, she pulled out the contract and unfolded it in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s a signature to support me in the future, I won¡¯t forgive betrayal no matter what. I¡¯m not such a generous person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± The Marquis blinked quickly at what she said. He looked into the contract, swallowing his saliva as if his mouth was dry. Seeing him read it slowly, he almost seemed to have fallen for it. The Pravio family was probably rich along with troubles, as they got the sea that didn¡¯t dry out and the mana stone that would continue to purify them. ¡°There is also a provision to help the people in need of some of the money earned from waterways and construction. Of course, all of this will be done under my name.¡± And she was going to use it to win the support of the people. Special measures were needed to raise the reputation that had already fallen to the ground. ¡°If it¡¯s part of the amount¡­¡­.¡± ¡°10%. What the country has decided is 5%. However, if you do business with the backing of the Imperial family, the reputation and wealth of the Pravio family will be doubled.¡± Arthur quietly listened to her story and looked at the Marquis. His eyes showed no signs of falling off the contract. Her mind had already crossed over, but she felt him hesitating at 10 percent, perhaps because he was greedy. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s already time. Arthur, where should we stop next?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just around the corner. There is a family that is quite confident in the waterway.¡± ¡°Really? Of course, let¡¯s go there. The Marquis doesn¡¯t seem to have much in mind.¡± She got up from her seat, stealing the contract the Marquis was looking at. Speaking of going to another family, the marquis hurriedly grabbed the contract and said. ¡°Ha, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll sign this contract.¡± ¡°You have to think carefully. If you stamp it, you can¡¯t go back.¡± The Marquis hurriedly signed the contract and stamped it. She opened the contract and confirmed the most important question for him. ¡°I recognize and support Mary Anastasia as an Emperor. You saw this question, right?¡± ¡°¡­Of course. The Pravio family will support Princess Mary Anastasia and help her ascend to the seat of the Emperor.¡± ¡°Good, I like it.¡± As a result, the second family also received a support signature. Arthur nodded and raised his mouth smoothly. He looked quite satisfied. She rode a wagon that went back with Arthur. The carriage headed to the Grand Castle, not Nox¡¯s mansion. Arthur spoke first before she could even open her mouth. ¡°Did you really think I didn¡¯t recognize you?¡± ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have abandoned me.¡± She wondered what his excuse was to leave him alone in the store where there was nothing. Arthur, sitting opposite her sour voice, moved next to her. He stared out of the window without giving him a look. Arthur did not draw attention to her who did not look at her. She wasn¡¯t looking his way, but she could feel his gaze. With the eyes staring at her continuously, she eventually turned to Arthur. ¡°Why? What do you see when you look at me like that?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a few days, so I¡¯m trying to see you enough. I missed you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Why are you here?¡± Arthur¡¯s words naturally distorted her face. However, contrary to her will, the corner of her mouth was filled with a smile. She tried to lower the corners of her mouth, but it was useless. Chapter 129 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (3) In the end, she bowed her head hurriedly at the sound of laughter that erupted. Arthur folded his eyes and laughed while drawing a line. She changed her expression again to see him rambling. It was because of one fact that came to mind. Just in case. ¡°Ah, I met other kids besides Finn.¡± ¡°I heard.¡± ¡°And Nox said, they¡¯re not fairies.¡± ¡°So what are you curious about?¡± Arthur looked at her, holding her chin as she was trying to talk around. His eyes and mouth, still smiling, were further fueling her curiosity. Why is he so relaxed? Is it okay if she finds out his secret? Then why did he try to hide it so much? Doubts continued to droop. She had to ask if she had guessed correctly. She couldn¡¯t postpone it any longer. ¡°Arthur, I think I found out the secret you were trying to hide.¡± Arthur was not shaken at all. He just looked like he had something to come. It would be strange if one thing showed a little sadness in his eyes. ¡°What contract did you sign with Nox?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that. The same goes for Nox.¡± As he said, Nox did not say any words related to Arthur. That said the same was true of Arthur. If this is right, can it really be established? ¡°This is what I have found so far. You made a contract with Nox, and that made Nox¡­. create this place.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes slowly subsided. He only listened to her. However, the smile that had existed until earlier had long disappeared. His hand grabbed her in a hurry. She was hoping he wouldn¡¯t tell her. His head slowly tilted sideways. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But she didn¡¯t stop. She had to check. Now she wanted to know what the truth she wanted to know was and what was at stake in their contracts, so she wanted to know that they made such a lie. ¡°And the place he created is here in Viblant. This castle and everything you have happened in Nox¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions about it Mary.¡± He spoke as if pleading. He didn¡¯t seem to want to let her know anything deeper. When she saw him, she was convinced. The idea that the hypothesis she has established may not be a hypothesis. She thinks all the clues will be solved now. ¡°Finn and Lilith are not fairies, but dreams, or demons. The reason they¡¯re trapped is that they¡¯re creating the city and everything. Humans who escaped from the temptation¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Mary, stop. Please stop.¡± Arthur¡¯s head was bent down. He looked so desperate that he couldn¡¯t talk. ¡®So you¡¯re not going to check?¡¯ She asked herself. Is he going to cover up what she¡¯s been trying to solve all this time? Maybe her death is related to this, will he really stop? Eventually, she turned a blind eye to Arthur¡¯s eyes. He pulled out his hand that was holding her hand and smiled softly. ¡°It must have been dedicated to Nox. I saw what happened in that locked room.¡± ¡°Mary, you mean the day you collapsed.¡± ¡°Yes, that day. Nox showed me and erased my memory.¡± Arthur¡¯s heart with the woman he brought¡­ ¡­ ? What did Nox do? Arthur¡¯s hand slipped away from her. With his resigned look, the wagon stopped, towering. Arthur washed his face dry without fainting. His coldly frozen eyes soon came from her. ¡°Let¡¯s go into the castle and talk. I don¡¯t think this is a good place to talk.¡± Fearful eyes sank endlessly. The light that had grown up in Arthur¡¯s eyes disappeared below the abyss. ¡°You should have told me honestly if you were afraid of losing me.¡± ¡°Do you think you would have understood me if I told you?¡± Arthur smiled tiredly at her. After that horse, he got off the wagon and took the lead. When asked by him, she couldn¡¯t immediately answer yes. She couldn¡¯t say what Nox and Arthur had done was justified. People¡¯s lives were at stake. She couldn¡¯t help but talk about the anxiety that may be the cause of all this started with her. The sight of his back made her heartache. Why do his words feel so painful? She closed and opened her eyes and exhaled long. As she headed to the castle after Arthur, she noticed Carl. The head and drooping shoulders that couldn¡¯t look at her looked unusually pitiful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess. At that time¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. Because my feelings and what I felt at that time can¡¯t be reversed anyway. You shouldn¡¯t regret what you¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°But¡­ I still remember the expression of the Princess vividly.¡± ¡°If the price for you is your guilt, it¡¯s up to you, too. Do you know that my trust and expectations for you collapsed that day?¡± Carl¡¯s eyes shook violently. The two clenched fists looked tense. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just got the wound I gave you back.¡± Gently patted Carl on the shoulder, and passed him and headed to the office. She didn¡¯t mean it. She hopes he will continue to care about her and will not be able to get away from her with guilt. Forever, until she dies. *** ¡°Now it¡¯s really just you and me.¡± She sat on the sofa and stared at Arthur. The calm voice was filled with a small tremor that could not be hidden. She was afraid of what would be said from his mouth. Even though she already took it out, she felt like something bigger was left. ¡°Mary, what will you do if everything you suspect is true?¡± ¡°Tell me everything.¡± ¡°Do you really want to hear it? The moment you hear it, everything you¡¯ve believed in may collapse.¡± She couldn¡¯t nod easily because it felt like he was saying that everything surrounding her was false. It was the truth she wanted to know so much, but why is she so hesitant? Arthur waited still for her answer. Unknown pressure weighed her down. But he didn¡¯t force her to answer or pressure her. He just stared at her eyes. ¡°Does the truth matter or your place matter?¡± ¡°Both. Both are important.¡± She didn¡¯t intend to give up anything. If it was up to her to accept the truth he said, it was also up to her to keep her place. She was finally getting everything, but she didn¡¯t even intend to step down now. Didn¡¯t you already notice a little from the beginning anyway? Everything is related to his continued longing for love and telling her that she can live if she¡¯s by his side. Chapter 130 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (4) ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to love me, so just don¡¯t say you¡¯ll leave me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably leave when the time comes.¡± If she doesn¡¯t love him until the end. But she will never be able to easily leave Arthur¡¯s side. As he said, they could no longer escape as they were tangled in an invisible string. Maybe he won. In a bet with her. ¡°Arthur, you won the bet.¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re starting to bother me. Even if I deny it, you come to mind every time.¡± Arthur stood up as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. The tea on the table shook slightly. He got her heart that he wanted so much. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to admit it. ¡°So from now on, you¡¯ll have to think carefully and spit it out. I hope you don¡¯t disappoint me because I have expectations and trust in you.¡± This was her warning. It was also a threat and a mean word that threatened that it was all up to him because she was willing to take it back at any time. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve earned my heart, can I have your life?¡± She didn¡¯t want to say it until the end, but she ended up spitting it out. The reason why she said this even with an uncertain mind was to open his mouth. Even if it was cowardly to use the mind, it was the best in the current situation. Isn¡¯t it bad to use what she has? Since Arthur used the desire she wanted to live in, she was just trying to show her true feelings and get what she wants. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s cruel?¡± Arthur stood up from his seat and asked her. She felt the same way. ¡°First of all, what did she do?¡± ¡°Nox took her.¡± Nox certainly went to meet Arthur, so it would not be a lie. But is that really it? Then he had to explain to her why he had her (Mary2) by his side. The reason why Nox and herself had to be together while deceiving each other. ¡°¡­Are you jealous?¡± Arthur recited it quietly as if he were talking to himself. She stared at Arthur, wondering if she heard it wrong, and he smiled brightly. He said to her, strengthening his ¡®jealousy¡¯ while staring into her eyes if he wanted to confirm. ¡°I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Mary, it feels good to think that you are jealous because of me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Jealousy.¡± She expressed her mind without hiding it. Not only is it a shame to be jealous, but she still didn¡¯t like that part. How can he not recognize her? She wondered what they talked about when he was with her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I deserve it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not curious, so you don¡¯t have to tell me that part.¡± ¡°You know it. Nox told you everything?¡± Arthur¡¯s face was distorted. Perhaps he didn¡¯t want to think of it, but he shook his head slightly and put his index finger on his lips. ¡®Well¡­ I have nothing to say because I did it.¡¯ He rolled his eyes with an awkward smile. Arthur held his chin and looked at her still. Somehow, she felt like the situation between them was reversed, so her hands sweated. Why does it feel like she¡¯s being stopped when she talks to Arthur every time? Slurp. Arthur suddenly got up from his seat and approached her. Standing right in front of her, she looked up at Arthur. He bowed his upper body, gently grabbed her chin, wrapped her back, and sat her on the table. ¡°Come to think of it, I can¡¯t because I¡¯m angry.¡± ¡°What? What?¡± ¡°I must have told you at first, but I really hate someone touching what¡¯s mine.¡± His hands gently rubbed her lips and wiped them off. Arthur¡¯s seducing eyes were always fascinating. When he lowered it, a shadow was cast on the long eyelashes above the eyes. The flashing eyes were slowly looking through her body. From the neck to the collarbone and back to the lips. He didn¡¯t do anything, but her mouth burned strangely just by looking at him. With his bent upper body, she was surprised by Arthur¡¯s face, which pushed close to her, and then he pulled back. ¡°Oh, my. If you avoid it like this, you¡¯ll get hurt.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t avoid it, but we had something to talk about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about this right now.¡± His eyes were fixed on her lips and pulled her waist close. His voice, which subsided to the fullest, tickled her ears. ¡°Then, let¡¯s solve what¡¯s bothering us and then talk about things properly.¡± When she kissed Arthur¡¯s lips, Arthur¡¯s tongue slid into her mouth as if she had waited. A small moan leaked from his mouth as if savoring slowly stirring his mouth. ¡°Ha.¡± Arthur¡¯s head fell on her shoulder. Both hands holding her shoulder were full of strength. He tried hard to hold it in, so he accidentally coughed and laughed. ¡°Did you leave a mark on my neck to see it all and forget it?¡± ¡°¡­You punk, Nox.¡± Arthur¡¯s low voice suddenly made her want to play a joke. Of course, she didn¡¯t forget what she had to solve with him. She just wanted to continue this moment with him for a while. ¡°You look hot because you cursed. Why don¡¯t you hold it in for a bit longer?¡± She pushed Arthur¡¯s chest, put her hand behind him, and leaned against him. Arthur chewed his lips at her rather provocative appearance. She dropped her shoes to the floor and slowly swept Arthur¡¯s thigh. ¡°There¡¯s no rule that you have to do only one thing.¡± His hand grabbed her foot and pulled it forward. When it was pulled toward Arthur, the elbow that was holding out slipped and the back touched the table. Chapter 131 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (5) Arthur¡¯s shadow cast over her. ¡°First, she was made using your memory.¡± At the end of Arthur¡¯s words, a string in front of the dress loosened. She tilted her head slightly to the side and reached out and said, loosening Arthur¡¯s sling tie. ¡°Then, what was the marble at the store?¡± ¡°The silver bead is Mary¡¯s soul and memory that have gone through so far.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand untied another string. Another game between Arthur and her began. ¡°Is there anything wrong with what I said?¡± She asked, unbuttoning Arthur¡¯s well-fastened shirt. Arthur groaned, and then he let out a long breath. Arthur¡¯s hand, which was loosening the strap, stopped. Without a word, she pulled Arthur¡¯s shirt collar close to her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d give up your life if I gave my heart? How can I trust you and love you as much as I want when you can¡¯t say one thing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you had that kind of heart, you wouldn¡¯t shake me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a waste of my life. But if that life is Mary, you will change your words.¡± Arthur wrapped her hand that grabbed the collar and separated it. He swept her hair over and put her in a chair properly and took out a piece of paper. ¡°There¡¯s not much I can say.¡± ¡°I know that much.¡± ¡°Mary, what you know is half right and half wrong.¡± On the paper, he redrew the map. It was not much different from the map she saw then. He colored Vibrant in a different color. ¡°Do you remember when you asked me how I changed it after 100 years?¡± Why is he suddenly asking that? She remembered the story they talked about then. The documents had information on Arthur and what Arthur answered when asked about him. ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t change. I made it up. Nox, not the fairy you said.¡± ¡°Why does he¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to disappoint you. So from now on, Mary shouldn¡¯t ask, just listen.¡± At Arthur¡¯s words, she nodded lightly. From the beginning, he began to tell her everything one by one. ¡°Viblant is a made land. And fairies like Lilith and Finn are also demons under Nox. They¡¯re trapped there to dazzle people.¡± She immediately recalled what happened in the Imperial Palace. The thing that covered the eyes of others in the maze garden and thought maybe it was a space created. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sorry for me. Because they¡¯re demons, too. It¡¯s held by the contract, but it¡¯s never going to be losing money.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± She clapped her hands. And focused while looking at the map he drew. From now on, it was real. The closest story to the truth she wanted to know. And the secrets of this hidden world. ¡°What happens in that room is also¡­¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± As expected. What she saw was real. Is this what he was worried about? He¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll be disappointed if she knows what he¡¯s been doing? ¡°People living in Viblant are real.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it even if you¡¯re disappointed. This is me.¡± ¡°Why did you do this? Are you going to say the same thing as Nox?¡± She got up from her seat. Her hands were shaking more than before. Her mouth fluttered. She wanted to ask him for an answer, but she couldn¡¯t. ¡­¡­she hoped not, but it was true. Everything was because of her. Why would they say it¡¯s for her at their disposal when she¡¯s never wanted it? ¡°¡­¡­It was all for me, all for me.¡± Her pulse is loosened. Laughter squeezed out of despondency. ¡°Pfft. Hahaha.¡± Was it really for her? She was not happy to hear all these stories. She just felt like she was relieving Arthur¡¯s guilt. Nox and Arthur said it was for her, but they didn¡¯t tell her a proper story. ¡°So why was it for me? What kind of deal did you make with Nox?¡± ¡°What I can say is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯ll stop here. Yeah, that¡¯s all for me.¡± She walked past Arthur toward the door. She slightly opened the door by turning the handle. There¡¯s no reason for her to stay here longer. Why is her mouth bitter when there are people who give it to her like this? Then it was also a lie to tell herself that she had found a way to live. There was no way in the first place. ¡°Arthur, I¡¯ll go back to the Imperial palace right away, so know that.¡± Her cold voice rang quietly in the office. Arthur bowed his head and smiled bitterly. Soon, he approached her and whispered in her ear, closing the open door. ¡°Mary, there¡¯s one thing you¡¯re mistaken for. Didn¡¯t I keep saying it from the beginning? You have to be by my side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you want to say I¡¯ll live.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you understand me?¡± Arthur grabbed her collar and said. Her eyes closed with his rather desperate appearance. Why can¡¯t she shake his hand firmly? ¡®What else do I want to hold on to at a time when trust is broken?¡¯ She can¡¯t believe it¡¯s always shaken when she¡¯s so determined. She bit her lips tightly with a broken smile. ¡°Understand¡­ It¡¯s funny to hear ¡®understanding¡¯ from your mouth.¡± Like this. She shook off Arthur¡¯s hand and opened the closed door. ¡°Then you should understand me too.¡± Arthur collapsed to the floor. She shook him off, grabbed her collar until the end, and left the room and called Carl. It¡¯s just going back to normal. So let¡¯s not regret it. ¡°Carl!¡± Carl, who was waiting, quickly approached her with her sharp voice. He seemed to recognize her cold eyes. ¡°Princess, did anything happen¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back to the imperial palace. Get ready.¡± ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Carl seemed hesitant to go back. It may be because he is concerned about her health. After all, she can only get medicine from Arthur if she is here. He¡¯s always been the first person to do so. He¡¯s never been a priority. Unlike Arthur, Carl was a person who was trusted by herself. He¡¯s never made her worry or anxious about anything she has to worry about. Oh, she was disappointed only once this time. Chapter 132 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (6) ¡°I have a lot of work to do. There¡¯s a lot to check.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be able to stop you. If you¡¯re so worried about me, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± She said so, but it is not clear whether Arthur will come to the Imperial palace. She just wanted it to be like that. No matter how angry she was and tried to leave him, she wanted him to follow her. She thought the wall was torn down only by Arthur, but she guessed she was the same. ¡®I need to find out what contract Nox made.¡¯ She closed her eyes tightly. She knows that there is something to do first. She also didn¡¯t forget to finish what she started. Maybe the truth she learned is a small part. She gave Carl instructions first and then headed to the room. She leaned against the chair and drooped down. ¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡± She got up and approached the window, and opened the door wide. The sun was setting down before she knew it. Suddenly, she remembered the Nox¡¯s existence. ¡®You must have noticed by now.¡¯ Does he want me to be a little angry? Since he didn¡¯t come back without saying a word, she may have been firmly upset by Nox¡¯s personality. She looked out the window and called Nox¡¯s name. ¡°Nox.¡± Hmm¡­ He won¡¯t come, right? He didn¡¯t come last time either. She thought he wouldn¡¯t come again this time. She would have thought it would last at least three days, but he suddenly evaporated.¡­ Maybe they expected it. She shrugged at the weather when there was no wind. If she goes back to the imperial palace, she will probably have less time to call him. ¡®I have to ask you what contract you signed. I don¡¯t think you are going to tell me, so maybe it worked out.¡¯ The frustration doesn¡¯t go away. Still, the uncomfortable feeling stuck to the whole body and was clingy. She didn¡¯t know the most important one, so she felt like she was going around continuously. ¡°What kind of contract did you make?¡± She already knows that the contract surrounding her is. If she were a devil, would she trade if he sold his soul? Since she¡¯s greedy, maybe she¡¯ll accept this condition? ¡°If you don¡¯t come, it¡¯ll be hard to see you for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­When are you leaving?¡± ¡°You are here?¡± Nox¡¯s voice was heard behind her. With a big smile, she turned around and looked back. With a grim look on his face, he was sitting on the bed and staring at her. She could tell at once that he didn¡¯t like the current situation. ¡°Arthur caught on quickly.¡± ¡°Is that why you left so cold-heartedly without saying goodbye?¡± ¡°Well, looking back, it must have been that I couldn¡¯t say hello. That¡¯s why I called you.¡± ¡°The intention to call me seems very impure.¡± Nox crossed his arms and looked up and down at her. At his gaze, she sat on the window and nodded. Tuk-tuk. She knocked on the window frame with her finger. ¡°That¡¯s right. I guess you know how I feel even if I don¡¯t say it now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little sad. There is always a reason when you call me. Again this time, you went to Arthur.¡± ¡°Is there a reason why I won¡¯t leave you? Nox, I need Arthur.¡± ¡°And I also love Arthur.¡± Nox¡¯s eyes flashed. She thought his red eyes were swaying, but soon it sank calmly. Feeling the pressure again, he held the window frame tightly with one hand and swallowed his breath. ¡°Mary, do you still believe in Arthur?¡± Nox asked as if trying to get her intentions. He still has an unpleasant personality. In this situation, asking for her trust in him was also asking if her feelings for Arthur still remained. And he¡¯ll talk to her if she touches him a little. For example, it¡¯s about Arthur. ¡°I believe him. He told me the whole truth today.¡± Only what can be said? However, she did not necessarily add the last words. The answer Nox wanted would have been ¡®I don¡¯t believe it,¡¯ but she answered with a little bit of falsehood, on the contrary. Nox was impatient to separate her from Arthur, so this story was enough. ¡°The whole truth?¡± ¡°Yes, everything.¡± She confessed everything Arthur had told her. Arthur¡¯s mouth spoke about the fairies, how Viblant was made, and what happened in the castle. He talked more plainly than expected and stared straight into his eyes. She wanted to see a change in his mind. At this point, Nox wondered how he would react and what he would come up with to have what he wanted. ¡°The most important thing is missing.¡± Nox, who was still listening to her story, opened his mouth. After getting up from sitting on the bed, he approached her. One corner of his mouth twitched, but he tried to fix his mouth straight. ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯ It was clear that he was caught in her trap. She expected Nox to tell a story she didn¡¯t know. A story that has been hidden and avoided. The story of Arthur and Nox¡¯s contract. ¡°Arthur loved Mary¡±. ¡°I know, I know that better than anyone else.¡± Because he¡¯s been telling her that since he first met her. He was interested in Mary¡¯s heart at first, and now¡­¡­. ¡°Because he loves me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you what you were curious about. I don¡¯t like how you two look.¡± Nox pulled out a contract. The contract, which had been swirling in the air, soon stood tall in front of her. The letters of the contract signed by Arthur and Nox began to surround her as they scattered in the air. ¡°Listen carefully. It¡¯s what you¡¯ve been curious about.¡± At every word, Nox said, her whole body could not move as if it were stiff. She blinked slowly as she was standing. Chapter 133 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (7) Nox, who was slowly hovering around her, stroked her face and smiled lightly. ¡°Right, all this was a bet that started because of you.¡± ¡°A bet, not a contract?¡± ¡°Mary, I like bets, not contracts. I just accept interesting bets that I won¡¯t lose.¡± He said that he eats human fear, and the bigger the fear, the more power he gained. Nox giggled and raised the shape of Arthur. Arthur¡¯s face shook dimly over his palm. ¡°Arthur was always sad to see that woman dying in the hands of a man like a fool. At first, he wasn¡¯t interested, but he seemed to be bored with living insensitively.¡± Nox clapped his palms and flashed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you an interesting fact. It all begins with this one book.¡± ¡°¡­¡­he gave me that book.¡± ¡°He, who was not interested in living, shook with anger and curiosity when he realized that his life was repeated due to a woman named Mary.¡± Nox looked excited as if telling her a story. Nox, who chats about the past, looked excited, so it may not be because of his mood. ¡°It was interesting to think that I wouldn¡¯t have done that if I were a strong possessive person. Never once did a woman named Mary look at Arthur. I felt the excitement of burning blood as Arthur became frustrated.¡± She frowned at Nox¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t call him to hear useless things. She is not curious about his feelings or Mary¡¯s feelings for him. What she wanted to know was simple. What bet did he make with Arthur? ¡°Nox, you talk a lot.¡± He shook his immobile body and hardened his expression. When he raised his eyebrows slightly, Nox still smiled and gently grabbed his chin. ¡°Did he say that if you take medicine, you will live? It¡¯s just an excuse for Arthur to stay by your side. Arthur said so, and he wants Mary to love her so that she doesn¡¯t die when she¡¯s with him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The bet between Arthur and me, if you fall in love with Arthur, you don¡¯t have to die and he doesn¡¯t repeat his life again. If you don¡¯t love Arthur? Arthur¡¯s soul is mine.¡± ¡­¡­It means that he made a bet with his life. If she loves Arthur, she won¡¯t die? Is he saying that she can live if she¡¯s next to him? What Nox said was very shocking. She¡¯s known it would be related to her for a long time, but she didn¡¯t know it would be this kind of nonsense bet. Then it means that Arthur deceived her from the beginning. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t it hurt even if I didn¡¯t take medicine¡­¡­ Was it because you were next to Arthur?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why he suggested staying in the Grand Duchy.¡± ¡°Why on earth¡­?¡± ¡°Other people call it love.¡± Arthur deceived her from start to finish. To get her, to see herself who loves him by his side. If love was this kind of thing, she would never have done it. A sense of betrayal came to the point where the love for Arthur was overshadowed. Immediately after hearing everything from Nox, the anger that wound around him cooled down. ¡°You asked me to trust you, but the result is¡­¡­.¡¯ Now she can¡¯t even laugh. Her heart was pounding. No, she felt the pain while she was poking. It was a pain that she had never felt before. Is this what it means to collapse? No, the close trust that had been piled up like a sandcastle just collapsed. ¡°Did your feelings for Arthur cool down a little? Mary, you have to be a little angrier.¡± Nox filled with excitement to see if he liked her changed expression. When she tried to snatch the contract floating in the air, it quickly scattered in front of her eyes and disappeared. ¡°Are you going to get rid of it? I can¡¯t destroy this at will.¡± ¡°You look happy.¡± ¡°What? A little bit? I don¡¯t like how you love Arthur.¡± Nox smiled brightly at her question. Now she felt that she was facing Nox¡¯s true self little by little. Devil, how has she been looking at the devil so far? ¡°But I will never love you.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As you know, I can¡¯t feel emotions. I just like the way you do this, whether or not you love me.¡± ¡°I like you as much as I want, you¡¯ll be disappointed again soon.¡± Nox blinked slowly, blocking her from going out. When she raised her head and looked at Nox, he gently grabbed her hair in his grasp and flowed down and raised the corners of his mouth crookedly. ¡°Mary the medicines Arthur gave you, including the emergency medicine provided in the Archduke, were all made for you by Arthur.¡± ¡°¡­ Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought there would be a gap when you were confused, and then I might get a chance too.¡± Nox, who gently covered his hair, passed it behind his ears and looked at her lips. Nox¡¯s mouth, which slowly came out and looked at her, flinched small. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°I told you not to play tricks on me.¡± A heavy object was caught in her lowered hand. She grabbed Nox¡¯s back with one hand and pulled it toward her, turning his head slightly to the side. Nox¡¯s expression turned interesting again. ¡°I couldn¡¯t kill him, so I made him a eunuch¡­ ¡­ Is it true that if Gray dies, I may die too?¡± Nox¡¯s eyebrows wriggled at the words eunuch. His was a precious shape on the subject of the devil. He seemed to know that she was not joking right now. Nox answered smoothly. ¡°That¡¯s true. Gray is involved in your death.¡± She whispered quietly in Nox¡¯s ear and asked again. The story of Gray¡¯s death and her death is that it¡¯s all related to this. ¡°He¡¯s also involved in the contract.¡± She put a little stronger force on her hand. At the same time, she put her leg between Nox¡¯s two legs. The corner of Nox¡¯s mouth fluttered, and soon dried up and smiled. ¡°Mary, it¡¯s different to seduce you like this, but it¡¯s very good¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I still haven¡¯t come to my senses-¡± Chapter 134 Misunderstanding and Mixed Feelings (8) Nox¡¯s one hand grabbed her wrist and changed their position. Leaning against the door, he locked her up with both hands and faced her, and Nox folded his eyes and smiled. ¡°You can¡¯t seduce them so roughly. You didn¡¯t have a heart, but what you just did was a little cool.¡± Looking at Nox¡¯s close face, he popped out his wrist. Thinking of the contract she had with him, she opened her eyes wide and raised one corner of her mouth. When Nox¡¯s hand slightly rubbed her wrist, the pattern disappeared in an instant. Nox laughed again at the distorted gaze. He spoke in a low voice. ¡°The contract is limited to a place, Mary.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s no use here, but feel safe.¡± Nox nodded his head to the side, withdrawing his locked hands. She stepped out of him with a calm look and stood tall. ¡°Now I want to do it too. When you approach me on your own.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen, so don¡¯t hold your hopes or expectations.¡± He passed by and opened the door. She could feel Nox¡¯s perspective sticking behind her, but she didn¡¯t want to look back. With the sound of Nox¡¯s footsteps approaching, he hugged her from behind and bowed his head, feeling the breath in her ear. ¡°I¡¯m also hurt.¡±¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Even a devil gets hurt.¡± ¡°You killed me so thoroughly and I hurt you?¡± She turned around and faced Nox. His eyes looked a little teary. But she can¡¯t believe anything. Especially if it¡¯s related to Nox. While she didn¡¯t even know what he was thinking about doing to her. Is it really to get her attention? ¡°Nox, if you wanted my attention, you should have signed a contract with me.¡± If he had, she would have given even little attention. If she had held his hand as if she didn¡¯t know when he first approached her, it wouldn¡¯t have been like now. Now that she knows what kind of contract Arthur and Nox signed, there is no reason to find him. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me how to break the contract anyway, are you?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes. Now that you know what the contract is, you¡¯ll leave him.¡± She stepped back away from Nox¡¯s arms. Nox¡¯s words to her so far passed through her mind one by one. She remembered the words that said this place resembles him and that he said not to love Arthur. ¡®Why¡­ Why doesn¡¯t it end even though I fell in love?¡¯ Obviously, at that time, she thought it might be over if she fell in love. Perhaps it is also the illusion that Nox has brought about. ¡°See? I told you to love me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see me again, Mary.¡± She closed her eyes and closed the door because she thought it would work out as he said. He left the room by opening the door after leaving the word ¡®hello¡¯ in his mouth. Soon, she heard the words ¡®the end of the castle¡¯ in her head. She found Carl right away. She had to get out quickly before night came. Boom, boom, boom. ¡°Open the door Carl.¡± When she rushed to visit Carl, surprised Carl opened the door. Upon entering his room, there were traces of preparation to return to the Imperial palace with documents. Perhaps because of her who suddenly entered the room, Carl¡¯s eyes were a little embarrassed. ¡°¡­¡­ Is something wrong, Princess?¡± Carl approached her and looked at her complexion. Her face quickly hardened, perhaps because she was bothered from before. After checking if the door was closed well, he took her to the chair and let her sit. Carl, who sat on his knees and looked at her carefully, stared at her, holding the glass of water in his hand. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m leaving here.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s hard to say, I won¡¯t ask. But it¡¯s hard to leave the castle right now.¡± ¡°Is it because there¡¯s no carriage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know about this place properly, so I don¡¯t know what kind of danger is lurking at night. We didn¡¯t find out everything that was happening in the castle, did we?¡± He calmly told her with a worried look. She has already learned the secret of the castle that Carl spoke of. In addition, she heard everything about Vivlant, but she couldn¡¯t tell him. If she does that, she might get Carl involved. ¡®The end of the castle.¡¯ She remembered what she heard in her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the end of the castle.¡± ¡°Did you really decide to leave?¡± ¡°Carl, you said you believed in me.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe in you.¡± ¡°Then just follow my words. You have to get out before you go to sleep.¡± If they wait until the morning, they don¡¯t know how Arthur will come out, so they can¡¯t let go until then. Somehow, she thought she could hear the second hand of the clock from her ears. She headed carefully to the end of the castle. When she saw the guard, she held her breath and took a step. After a certain point, she couldn¡¯t see anyone. ¡°Princess, there¡¯s a carriage over there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Nox.¡± The wagon, prepared as if it was ready, was uncomfortable, but it was not time to argue about this and that. Even if it¡¯s a trap Nox dug, she has no choice but to use it. ¡°What are you doing? Are you not going to¡­.¡± When she got on the wagon, the wagon began to move quickly despite the absence of a horseman. Carl and her face hardened at the same time, but soon they lost consciousness. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not used to it even though I know it.¡± ¡°Princess, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not surprising at all.¡± Her face was distorted by her throbbing head. Maybe she escaped with the help of Nox. When the Grand Duke¡¯s carriage entered the Imperial palace, the guards welcomed her. She got off the wagon and headed straight to her father. The other day, she sent a letter saying that she would visit soon after the arrangements with the families, but she didn¡¯t know she would come so soon. It seemed the same for her father. ¡°Mary, you came earlier than I thought.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know I would come like this either. I¡¯m going to stay in the Imperial palace from now on.¡± ¡°It seems like the Grand Duke didn¡¯t come with you.¡± Her mouth was firmly closed by her father¡¯s words. How should she explain it? As long as she is away from him, she¡¯ll die? She has to go back to live? She can¡¯t say that from the beginning, her life is dominated by their bets. ¡°And I¡¯m going to break the engagement.¡± ¡°Mary, I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Father, I don¡¯t have much time. So from now on, we have to move fast.¡± Tick-tock, tick-tock. The clock kept ringing in her ears. Chapter 135 Twisted Truth (1) Arthur¡¯s eyes sank. The silence between the two has suffocated. She got goosebumps at his beast-like eyes when she first saw him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny to say that you love me even though you¡¯ve built a body that can¡¯t live without me?¡± ¡°I missed you that much.¡± Was the shackle, he said, the invisible red string, mean this? Didn¡¯t he want to have a doll that could only breathe when he was by her side? ¡°If you wanted to win my heart, you shouldn¡¯t have fooled me from the beginning.¡± ¡°Mary, the bet with Knox was made long before you came to me. At that time¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to say you didn¡¯t expect this to happen, shut up.¡± She didn¡¯t want to hear it. Now, what came out of his mouth was just a blatant excuse. No words will ever reverse their relationship. Mary and herself, who were in it, have suffered too much to return to the already broken trust and relationship. It was the same for Arthur. In the first place, his love was wrong. How can he say that it is love to hold a person¡¯s life to be by their side? The wrong way eventually ruins not only oneself but also their opponent. Like their relationship now. ¡°Mary, please.¡± Arthur¡¯s voice quickly got wet. His trembling voice revealed his current feelings. He was afraid now. Arthur¡¯s hand, one step closer, slowly stretched out to her. ¡°Stop.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand stopped at a close distance. Arthur¡¯s hand, which stopped towering, lost its place to go and floated in the air as if wandering. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. So please.¡± Arthur¡¯s body fell to the floor with a dull sound. His two knees touching the floor and his bent head shifted his gaze to the temple. His body was shaking. He looked white with a lot of strength in his hands and on his knees. She couldn¡¯t turn her head. As his gaze, which was facing downward, rose, she met his blood-red eyes as if trying to hold back. Her heart was stuffy, and it fell endlessly down there as if it were falling down. ¡®So why did you do that?¡¯ She wanted to pour out resentment. She wanted to ask if he had no choice but to do so or if that was the only way. But she couldn¡¯t spit it out of her mouth. Tears finally formed in his wet and blurred eyes and fell. One drop, two drops¡­¡­. The second view was Arthur¡¯s tears. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± She wanted to cry more than anyone else. Why is he screaming in front of her? Her face was distorted, chewing her lips to hold it in. ¡°¡­in the end. Mary, are you going to abandon me too?¡± ¡°Even the grandiose words of throwing away our relationship.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to forgive me, I leave, but ¡­ please don¡¯t leave me. ¡°If I die, you¡¯re happy, too. You can start all over again.¡± She was spitting out words that she didn¡¯t mean and returning the wounds she received from him. She wanted to trample on an injury like this thoroughly, thinking that it could not leave a single scratch. ¡°It¡¯s a doll¡¯s play that you can win Mary¡¯s heart, deceive her, hold her life in your hand, and shake it arbitrarily anyway.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true, I¡¯m doing it for you¡­¡­.¡± Arthur struggled to spit out his words as if throwing up. His breathing, which soothed his overwhelming emotions, was rougher. She knows what that feeling is up to her throat. But she¡¯ll pretend she doesn¡¯t know. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know or hear it. Is there a reason why I need to know?¡± Whatever he did for her, Mary, if he¡¯s the cause of her misfortune, isn¡¯t the result the same? They can¡¯t be together. ¡°Then what the hell should I have done?¡± ¡±¡­¡­.¡± ¡°When I got your life in my hands, she never looked at me, and you looked at me¡­¡­ Then where should I ask?¡± Arthur told her. Because of Mary, his life repeats repeatedly, and he repeated his death by watching her die while choosing another person. He¡¯s asking her like that. What should he have done? ¡°Anyone will say, not this way.¡± She got up from her seat and looked down at Arthur. Arthur¡¯s pupils shook aimlessly when he saw her cold eyes. Sliding down, his body collapsed to the floor. His body trembled with his head stuck. He grabs her skirt that is about to pass by and cries sadly. ¡°Why, why am I¡­¡­ You don¡¯t give me a single chance.¡­? You can give me a chance to repent¡­ It¡¯s like¡­¡± ¡°It hurts more. You can do that.¡± Snap- After hitting his hand, she walked toward the door. Also, the sound of heels filled the room. It¡¯s rattling. The door was opened by her hand. The wind turned Carl¡¯s head, who was standing in front of the door. At the sight of Arthur lying on the floor and holding a carpet, he opened his eyes wide. ¡°Take him outside. Because I have to work.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Carl slowly approached Arthur. Carl¡¯s voice heard Arthur¡¯s upper body. Arthur, who was looking at her with vain eyes, rose up helplessly. Carl quickly approached his staggering body. Arthur raised his hand as if he was stopping Carl. Carl stopped in his place. ¡°If you¡¯re not with me, you¡¯ll be in danger, so I¡¯ll stay here.¡± ¡°It is your heart that stays, but don¡¯t come in front of my eyes. I¡¯m not going to say anything good.¡± Arthur smiled faintly at the cold voice. His drooping shoulders and weak hands shook in his footsteps. Chapter 136 Twisted Truth (2) She closed her eyes and leaned against the door, seeing Arthur¡¯s back, seeing Arthur¡¯s back. She hated this bitter heart. The heart that he had already given to him continued to grow arbitrarily. She hated it so much that she blamed herself. ¡°¡­¡­Princess.¡± ¡°Carl, let¡¯s talk next time. This is a little bit of a nominee, but I will also give it to my father.¡± She grabbed her throbbing head and handed a bunch of papers to Carl. He left the room with an unknown expression. Sliding down, she buried her face in her knee. It¡¯s a particularly exhausting day. Maybe it will be more difficult in the future. He won¡¯t leave her and she doesn¡¯t want to die anymore. This was a fight she lost. She can¡¯t die and Arthur will save her so that she doesn¡¯t die by his side, so there is no winner. As long as she fell in love with Arthur, Nox and Arthur¡¯s bet was won by Arthur, but seeing that the contract was not broken, there was still something left. So it¡¯s just a showdown between who lasts and how long. She got up, sat in a chair, and looked through the documents again. She must not be caught up in emotions and do what she has to do. For that, her position was too heavy and there were many things to take responsibility for. ¡°I just have to ignore it. I just have to see what I have to do and move on.¡± Now she has to move on as a Princess, not a woman. After getting up from her seat, she left the room. She called the maid and went to the prison. As she said that, the maids¡¯ eyes grew bigger. ¡°Go, why is the prison suddenly¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you asking because you think I¡¯m going to do something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡­.¡± Reading her eyes telling her not to say it twice, the maid took the lead in guiding her. The maid glanced at her face to see her complexion. Gray, who cannot be killed or cleaned up, came to mind. That¡¯s all. If he dies, she¡¯ll be in trouble. She nodded forward to the maid looking at her. The maid was frightened and stared straight ahead. ¡°Yeah, here I think.¡± ¡°You should leave.¡± She looked at the guard guarding the door. He hurriedly opened the door and bowed his head. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in.¡± Seeing the guard answering with a full shout, she nodded with satisfaction. As she entered the open door, the stairs were connected to the bottom. Going down slowly, she frowned at the smell stabbing her nose. ¡°It¡¯s a smell that you can¡¯t get used to. Though he must have gotten used to it.¡± As she went down a little deeper, she saw a room. Even at a glance through the hard iron door, she could see an ugly man. Looking at the clock, it wasn¡¯t time to hang. ¡°Gray, it¡¯s been a while.¡± He was startled. His body shook violently, and the liquid leaked out of his eyes full of fear and his wide-open mouth. The bottom, stained with blood, was now wearing relatively clean pants. ¡°¡­Whaa, Princes! Please, please kill me!¡± ¡°Whenever she asked him to let her live.¡± ¡°Argh! Kill me! Kill me!¡± Gray ran to her as if having a seizure. He pulled a rattling chain and howled like an animal. Having not even approached the iron fence blocking the two, so he sat down on the floor as if he had resigned. ¡°Looking at you, I think I know what to do.¡± ¡°¡­hahaha.¡± ¡°I feel sorry that I can¡¯t kill you.¡± If he dies, she¡¯ll die, too. Because she can¡¯t tolerate dying due to him. She had a light smile as she saw the completely ruined Gray. If he had really loved Mary in the first place, it wouldn¡¯t have led to catastrophe. ¡°True people are foolish. Right? Clank clank clank~ ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s the same for you. Hahaha, we¡¯re all going to die anyway!¡± Gray once again flew toward her. However, he fell on the floor again with a short-chain. He continued to laugh and cough as if he had lost his mind. She left the prison only after watching Gray shouting with a blank mind for a long time. Perhaps it was fortunate that he couldn¡¯t think of dying himself. There¡¯s nothing more courageous than taking your own life. She¡¯s sure Gray won¡¯t even have the courage to do that. ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s not forget.¡¯ She went looking for him just to remember the day she struck him. This would also be an excuse, but she needed a medium to get her heart back. *** She repeated it again from the morning. She looked tired, but she couldn¡¯t show it and looked into the documents. Were there this many talented people? She couldn¡¯t help but admire the number of applicants. ¡°Fredio.¡± Looking through the documents, he was a member of the Imperial Academy. It was written that he graduated with excellent grades and was recognized for having a smart brain as well as a class attitude. ¡®A person like this was hiding somewhere until now?¡¯ She could see how much corruption has existed. When she saw the blind documents, these people came up here. She kicked her tongue. She needs to check a little bit. ¡°What do you think about the taxes that noble families are paying? The law has changed, but accordingly, there will be a way out.¡± ¡°It seems that regular audits are necessary. Currently, nobles are too extravagant and are not interested in the state¡¯s property.¡± ¡°Regular thanks¡­¡­ It sounds like catching a cloud.¡± Fredio¡¯s two eyes shone brilliantly in his heartless voice. He poured out specific plans on her as if to see. She listened to the confident voice without realizing it. ¡°Those who report can be rewarded. Irrespective of rank. The Imperial family can create a department that travels around for a set period and hears stories about reporting.¡± ¡°Do you trust people who work in the Imperial family?¡± ¡°You can reward them, too. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bad to reward those who have diligently paid their taxes.¡± He¡¯s talking about giving them a carrot. It wasn¡¯t an evil plan, and just what to do with the reward will be an issue. She doesn¡¯t have to do it with money, does she? It would be hard to give a class, but a formal act might be fine. For example, an honorary position. Chapter 137 Twisted Truth (3) ¡°You don¡¯t have to reward yourself with money.¡± Fredio carefully said, as if he thought the same thing as herself. She nodded as if she knew it even if he didn¡¯t say more. She circled and smiled deeply. She thought he got a decent chance. After that, she participated in everything, including vacancies and newly created jobs. Not alone, he made all decisions through meetings with his fathers and other aristocrats. Because the monarch does not carry it alone, but goes with it, she deliberately invited the nobles to participate. As a result, they were also quite serious as to whether they knew she respected them. ¡°Then let¡¯s end everything here.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trust you. I hope you don¡¯t disappoint me.¡­.¡± The nobles nodded as they saw her drawing a smile on her face. They will know a little bit of the meaning of this word. If they put a knife in her back, she will cut their throats and hang them on the gate. Her father was relieved that it ended safely, and he didn¡¯t say anything else to her anymore. After that day, he did not even ask Grand Duke Arthur whether he had decided to believe it or not. It wasn¡¯t until everyone left the audience that she asked her father. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking me anything?¡± ¡°I believe you¡¯ll do well on your own.¡± ¡°Did the Grand Duke not say anything else to father? Aren¡¯t you worried now?¡± Her father, who was afraid that the Grand Duke would wage war on the Empire, looked calmer than she thought. Perhaps he looked calm as if he knew he wouldn¡¯t. Rather than worrying about the country, he looked at her and was full of worry. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Grand Duke will lose you, but there¡¯s no way he will start a war.¡± That was also true. At least if it¡¯s Arthur¡¯s appearance that she¡¯s seen so far, he¡¯ll never give up on herself. With her father¡¯s kind smile, she could see the wrinkles. At least he seemed to know that she had the upper hand and that she was holding the cards. As a result of looking at the books and history given by her father, the Arpen Empire was not just an established country. It was strong because it did not collapse with the firm strength of the Emperors who had been there so far. Hundreds of years after peace arrived, the word war was awkward, and the Arpen Empire had never lost a single war. ¡°I¡¯ve become a coward over time, but Arpen is never weak.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I know.¡± What he wanted to tell her was also the power of the Arpen Empire. Although the imperial power was shaking as the power of the nobles became equal, it was nevertheless a country that could not dare to be overcome by other countries. That was the Arpen Empire. ¡°It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t trust the Grand Duke anymore.¡± She can¡¯t tell him everything honestly, and maybe she won¡¯t tell him anything until the end. Her father gently closed his eyes with a long sigh. She, who was watching quietly, got up from her seat, greeted him, and left the audience. Because she had been sitting for a long time, her whole body became stiff and warmed up. ¡°Three days starting today.¡± Even after three days, it won¡¯t hurt. It was because Arthur was with her in the Imperial Palace. In other words, if he changes his mind three days later and returns, she will be safe at least until then. Now that she¡¯s done with the urgent work, does she only have to break her engagement? She told her father that she would break up the marriage, but Arthur and her have a contract. And there was a high probability that it was designed so that it could not be destroyed at her disposal. Was there a provision for termination of the contract? There was none. No matter how much she thought of it, she can¡¯t think of termination. There were only terms and conditions for the contract, but nothing else was written. She came into the room, washed herself, and lied down on the bed right away. The room without a single light was swallowed by darkness, and only the little moonlight from the window permeated the room. ¡®What are you thinking?¡¯ She was confused for a moment. She didn¡¯t expect this to happen then¡­¡­ she did. ¡°Ha¡­ I had a shot.¡± He seemed to have predicted that the end of the contract was never good. She was furious at the thought of deceiving her from beginning to end. It is clear that screaming will surely fit in his ear. She bit her lips well and swallowed a scream. ¡°What a jerk¡­¡± Again, the hidden sadness squeezes and reveals itself. Why does sadness grow endlessly when she doesn¡¯t even cry anymore? She grabbed her breath by holding the blanket tightly in her hand. Until when does she have to be dragged by someone else¡¯s decision? She thought she was finally finding her place. In her own power, her way, and the law she had created. It was her misunderstanding. ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of it.¡± She hated herself for not being able to do as she pleased. It was painful because the head and chest moved differently and the direction they wanted to go was different. Above all, she felt terrible about her shaking self. *** Chapter 138 Twisted Truth (4) Squeak! She tossed and turned in the cool wind. She seemed to have fallen asleep in the bed when she fell asleep. When she struggled to open her eyes, she could see a shadow in front of her. ¡°¡­ Nox?¡± That can¡¯t be. No, was there a place he couldn¡¯t come? Nox was the one looking at her. No one in this Imperial palace can enter her room without being noticed at night. ¡°I was going to see you for a second.¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t want me to notice that you¡¯re here, did you?¡± Seeing her say something he didn¡¯t really like, he¡¯s rusty. He shook his head and got up, and he kept his distance from her and stared at her without saying a word. Nox¡¯s expression was not seen properly because he stood against the moonlight. It seemed that anyone who believed in God would believe that the glow around him had come down from heaven. Nox¡¯s voice rang low. His long silvery hair fluttered little by little in the wind. In the chills that even felt creepy, she pulled a blanket around her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop coming into the room without telling me? Because it¡¯s unpleasant.¡± She didn¡¯t want to give him any more affection, and he was enjoying her unhappiness. It may have been to see her endure to live since the first time he saved her. Whether it was her or Arthur, she thought all of this was just a long term for Nox. ¡°Don¡¯t hate me so much. I¡¯m also regretting it a little bit.¡± That was unexpected. What does he regret? It was a word that didn¡¯t go well with him. At that moment, silence lingered in the room. Even if he regretted it now, nothing would have changed. People should always be responsible for what they have done, and that¡¯s even a rusty thing to call a person. ¡°Why are you confessing that you regret it?¡± ¡°Ah. Doesn¡¯t it suit me as a devil?¡± ¡°God may forgive, but I am not God.¡± She got out of bed and approached Knox. She reached out and poked her finger at his chest, solidifying her expression. ¡°If I had a heart, I would have cut it out with a knife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry because I can¡¯t return the pain I¡¯ve suffered.¡± Nox grabbed her hand on his heart. She got goosebumps when she saw him staring at her with a calm look. ¡°If I could die in your hands, that wouldn¡¯t be bad either.¡± Taking it to his lips, he kissed it lightly. She took out her hand and wiped it on her clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me recklessly.¡± He looked happy and smiling, and took a step closer to her. The relationship between the two, which was already close, narrowed. Nox, who faced his eyes with his upper body bent a little, said with his red eyes folded. ¡°Maybe Arthur feels the same way as me.¡± Maybe that¡¯s the case. He wanted to die, so he wanted to escape from repeated life. When asked if he could die with her, he said he would do it without hesitation. ¡°Mary, you won¡¯t forgive Arthur, will you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Just like you do to me.¡± Can she forgive Arthur? She¡¯s not confident. She wanted to pull out those arrogant eyes that were penetrating her right away. ¡°Arthur came to me.¡± That was what she expected. Since she heard that he met Nox, he would have gone to argue as a contractor. She doesn¡¯t care what the two of them talked about, and it means that it is useless to regret now. She has no intention of forgiving him easily, but she won¡¯t move as they planned. ¡°Mary, you said you wanted to sign a contract with me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°As long as you have a contract with Arthur, it¡¯s impossible¡±. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I used my hand. To have you.¡± As soon as Nox¡¯s words were over, his soft hair stood on his whole body and anxiety wrapped around her. It is clear that he has done something. A deep smile spread on Knox¡¯s face when he saw her stiff expression. ¡°I think I need to touch what you value, so that you will respond.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± What she value? What is that? Does Knox know what she doesn¡¯t know? Looking at her confused eyes, he moved away from her with satisfaction. She couldn¡¯t catch him. It was difficult to act recklessly, as it would be like acknowledging whatever it was. He tried hard to hide his trembling voice in a calm voice and said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing precious about it. Do you think I made a weak point?¡± ¡°Well, maybe.¡± His voice that it doesn¡¯t matter was divided, and it wasn¡¯t enough to test herself. Light fluttered in red eyes. Looking at Nox¡¯s burning eyes as if to swallow them all, she thought she would be sucked in. She really hates red, but she kept staring at his eyes. ¡°The story would have been easier if I had a doll, but it¡¯s already eliminated.¡± ¡°¡­Dolls?¡± Is he talking about a doll that looks like her? She heard that Arthur had already taken care of it. Was it Knox who handled it, not Arthur? She couldn¡¯t understand him suddenly mentioning the same doll as her. ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted first. Mary.¡± The window opened with Nox¡¯s horse approaching the window. Reflected by the light, he was still beautiful and cold. The corners of the mouth that went up with the hair blowing in the wind still looked pleasant. ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted anything like this.¡± ¡°Ah, the contract with me.¡± ¡°Because I thought you were the only one who could save me, but not now.¡± There is no reason to join hands with Nox as long as she knows that she is living because of a contract. If it weren¡¯t for that, she wouldn¡¯t have had to live with this pain in the first place. Forced by Arthur¡­¡­ she wouldn¡¯t have had to love. Even if it wasn¡¯t Arthur, she might have died of love. ¡°I hope it¡¯s not a weakness. I hope nothing is precious to you.¡± Like that, Nox became the wind in front of her eyes and disappeared. She ran away from sleep with her throbbing head. Eventually, she stayed up all night with her eyes open. *** Chapter 139 Twisted Truth (5) Her head was blank because she couldn¡¯t sleep. Moreover, the headache continued to bother her because she had a lot to think about. ¡°Princess, you don¡¯t look so happy¡±. Carl watched from the side and told her. Hand over the medicine with warm water as if the maid was told to bring the medicine. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I think you should rest today.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that because I have a lot of work to do.¡± She¡¯s now correcting it, but she couldn¡¯t postpone it just because it hurt a little. In addition, a month later, the official ceremony will be held. So when she has taken the lead now, she has to finish everything. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be alive later.¡± Honestly, she doesn¡¯t think she¡¯ll die. She had no intention of dying in vain now. She will not give up on anything. At first, she held out hard to become Mary, but now she thinks she¡¯s moving forward to live as herself. She wants to end all this with her own hands. Nox¡¯s words kept getting caught, but there¡¯s nothing she can do now. Arthur wouldn¡¯t know how to end the contract, so he couldn¡¯t have any gain even if she went. ¡°Princess, will you be able to attend today¡¯s banquet?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry and get ready.¡± Responsibilities for positions at each level were also scheduled to take place today. If the story of her death also gradually disappears, there will be a voice of concern again. ¡°It¡¯s almost over. You worked hard, too.¡± After everything is over, wouldn¡¯t Carl be able to be a little free? After she becomes Empress, he will have a little burden on him. It¡¯s been a month until the official announcement. In it, she has to break the contract between Nox and Arthur, and she will break the ridiculous bet that binds her no matter what she does. ¡°Anything will work out the way you want it.¡± Did they know how she felt? Carl, who was staring at her, spoke quietly. As she slowly faced his gaze, he looked aloof unlike usual. Carl expressed neither anxiety nor other emotions. Carl, who was calm, was originally him, so there was nothing strange, but today something subtly different. ¡°Yesterday, Nox came.¡± She looked carefully at Carl. She just felt like she should. ¡°Did something happen?¡± The expression of no concern and the tone without high and low price were still calm. Suddenly, she thought her forehead was narrowing, but he approached her and looked at her. ¡°No, nothing happened¡­¡­ He said something weird.¡± Breath of relief. Carl showed her a smile that reassured her. He walked toward the door with determined words. ¡°He¡¯s the devil. Whatever you say, you have to be firm.¡± His hostility toward Nox seemed to be slightly revealed, but he tilted his head slightly as his expression disappeared. ¡°He said he touched what I valued.¡± ¡°Do you have anything precious?¡± She doesn¡¯t know. No matter how much she thought about it, she doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s precious. Is there anything that¡¯s not precious to her right now? No, there is nothing that is not precious. But why is it so uncomfortable? ¡°¡­¡­No, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all that matters. There are no weaknesses to the Princess.¡± When Carl said what she thought, her head turned to the temple. But it was after Carl opened the door and left. Why is her heart so stuffy? The maids entered the room to prepare when she pressed the twitching forehead against the chair with her hand. Along with clothes of various designs, accessories were sequentially entered and displayed in the room. ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t remember there being this many.¡± ¡°His Majesty instructed us to pay special attention.¡± ¡°Father?¡± When they nodded, she chose a dress that she liked. As always, she chose a blue dress. It was decorated with gold patterns and given points, and the line fell perfectly and she liked it. The tip of the sleeve also spread widely and was designed to remove the flatness around the waist with a strap. Excluding decorations such as laces, it looked elegant. The maids ¡® expressions also brightened when she nodded at a fairly satisfactory appearance. ¡°Princess, I¡­¡­ Prince Arthur is also attending.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Will you dance together?¡± ¡°I should dance.¡± Externally, she is still engaged, so there is no need to show a bad relationship in front of others. No scratches or weaknesses should be caught until the work is completed. Arthur was the background that would fill her with military power, strength, and her background now. ¡°Give him blue clothes, too.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll prepare for that.¡± The reason for trying to dance in similar clothes was simple, and there is no better way to show off in the eyes of others. The maids were wary of each other, and trying to break the engagement must have already spread in the Imperial Palace. Nevertheless, it would not have been understandable to say that they were matching clothes together. It was natural that they couldn¡¯t understand. In terms of words and actions were different. She said she would break the engagement, but others might feel like a love fight because he said he would stay in the Imperial palace and dance at the banquet hall. She went to Arthur¡¯s room with the maids when she finished dressing up. She knows that the maids went to the room for Arthur¡¯s grooming. When she opened the door and entered, she could also expect what kind of eyes he would look at her with. She wanted him to see her with an unwavering gaze. That way, she can treat him more harshly. There is only one way for her to kill him, who knows everything about him. Abandoning her. Leaving him alone by his side again. Chapter 140 Twisted Truth (6) Knock, knock. There was no response inside even though she knocked. Soon after, she saw the maids who brought clothes and items needed for the banquet. ¡®Am I earlier than I thought?¡¯ Seeing her standing at Arthur¡¯s door, the maids hurriedly bowed their heads and greeted her. ¡°Princess¡­¡­ he¡¯s not ready yet.¡± ¡°Not yet? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been preparing since the morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± At every word she said, the maids trembled with contemplation. Arthur said while looking at the tightly closed door. ¡°Well, I was the one who came before the banquet, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± She didn¡¯t mean to scold them. Her fault when she came was big, but when she saw the clothes they prepared, she couldn¡¯t see the blue clothes she had told them about. ¡°Why can¡¯t I see any blue clothes?¡± ¡°In fact, I was bringing the clothes back because of that. He said he wouldn¡¯t wear it¡­¡­.¡± ¡°He refused?¡± Smirking. Laughter came out. The maids nodded hurriedly. She waved her hand at them saying they would say it again somehow. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d say no, nor was he trying to call her out. She knocked once again. This was the last consideration she could give. Knock knock~ ¡°Grand Duke Arthur.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As expected, there was no answer. She stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and rolled up her sleeves. She knocked but did not get a response. So Arthur would have expected this, too. ¡°Hwa, the empress, in here!¡± The maid urgently stopped her, but she didn¡¯t give in. Considering that the door is not locked, she thinks he wanted her to come. She opened the door and went in. ¡°Wearing clothes¡­¡­.¡± The maid stood up a little to her with a devastating look. She leaned against the door and crossed her arms and stared at Arthur. Arthur was seen buttoning his shirt. A solid upper body was revealed through the buttons that were not fastened. ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°Why did you refuse? Is it to make me come this way?¡± The maids bowed their heads in surprise. She told them to bring blue clothes again, and they closed the door on their way out. ¡°That¡¯s why you are here. So I won.¡± Arthur slowly finished buttoning up. He, who neatly filled his sling tie around his neck, handed her the documents. It was an engagement contract. ¡°Why?¡± She asked Arthur while looking at the contract on the table. His actions embarrassed her. Why is he pushing the contract in this situation? What is he trying to tell her? ¡°The engagement was only formal from the beginning, so it doesn¡¯t matter if you rip it off here.¡± ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± There was no way he would listen to what she wanted without any consideration. Who can believe that he said he couldn¡¯t let go of her and that he would be by her side, but he would get rid of the reason why he could be by her side. ¡°What do you want?¡± She said looking up at Arthur without touching the contract. Knock knock~ ¡°Princess, can I come in¡­?¡± She said it was okay to go after opening the door and accepting the clothes at the maid¡¯s words. When the maid looked at Arthur and her alternately with anxious eyes and was restless, Arthur smiled brightly and reassured the maid. She hates his smile. The maid quickly closed the door and left the suffocating space. Her heart cooled down again. ¡°I told you from the beginning, what I wanted.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes suddenly changed. She instinctively stepped back from him. It was dangerous as always when Arthur looked at her like that. She clenched her trembling fists. She can¡¯t get away from him, and this is because Arthur has already settled deep in her heart. The more she tried to push him, the more he approached her. Avoiding Arthur¡¯s gaze, she bit her lips tightly. ¡®Wake up.¡¯ It was her who promised not to be shaken. She has no intention of forgiving him for what he has done to her, and she resents herself enough to want to kill herself for giving him her heart. ¡°Mary, it¡¯s just your heart.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand pulled her hand. As she faced his gaze, her heart began to fluctuate. She was already contained in the dark eyes that she couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead of her. His sincerity toward her was revealed. He is now deeply regretting his past. Silence. She couldn¡¯t dare to say anything other than the eyes of the two. She thought she¡¯ll be revealed if she does that. She hates him, but she¡¯s afraid Arthur will notice that there are other emotions inside. Maybe he knows but pretends not to know and is asking for forgiveness from her. He said that he could forgive her because he had her in his heart, and that he would understand if it was her. ¡°I did it because I loved you.¡± ¡°Then break the contract with Nox right now.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be possible.¡± ¡°Ah, all you can do is whine to me?¡± What can she say to him who is hovering around her asking for love? He was horrified, chopping a person¡¯s heart and longing for love. What did he think when he saw her struggling to live? ¡°It¡¯s creepy. You and Nox.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way even if I want to break it. Nox¡­ he won¡¯t tell me.¡± Arthur¡¯s words, which he was struggling to say, we¡¯re no longer reliable. Yeah, they hurt each other so much. His hand, holding her hand, gained strength. ¡°Yeah, I guess so¡±. Her eyes also cooled down as she saw Arthur¡¯s hand, which was blunt and punched. It was miserable and unfair. Chapter 141 Twisted Truth (7) ¡°If you love me, do your best. If you made me love you, at least you shouldn¡¯t have regretted it!¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°If you were going to make me unable to do anything like this, you shouldn¡¯t have given me hope from the beginning.¡± If he had, she wouldn¡¯t have tried to live. ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The heart drops again after a thud. Why is she so numb when she¡¯s angry that words are not enough to curse him? She faced Arthur while controlling her emotions. Put on a mask. ¡°Let¡¯s wear it. It might be the last day we¡¯ll be together.¡± She put down his blue clothes on the bed and touched Arthur¡¯s sling tie. Red lips were visible within a narrow distance of contact with him. Originally, she would have swallowed his lips, felt his firmly positioned muscles with his hands, passed his forearms, swept down his straight waist, and savored them. She may have been whispering love in Arthur¡¯s arms, feeling his breath, and indulging like a beast all night in a room full of heat. ¡°The last word is hasty.¡± Arthur¡¯s lips overlapped with her. He has invaded the area casually even on her lips. With his hot breath, his tongue tied her up and went through the heat. Arthur¡¯s hand grabbed her wrist and lifted it up at her hand touching her chest. ¡°Ugh!¡± His big hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her toward him. They stared at each other with their unclosed eyes. Arthur¡¯s hands were relaxed when his eyes were slightly lowered and her cold eyes faced him. Shove him away and pushed him to the table. Lying back by force, she lifted his well-wound sling tie and opened the buttons. ¡°Do you want the body? Then you should have told me. Love is a word that doesn¡¯t fit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Right, it was like that when we first met.¡± The legs were revealed through the dresses. When her hand opened his shirt, she could see his well-groomed upper body. Slowly swept down with his hand and kissed him. Arthur¡¯s hand suddenly stops over her, from her lips to her collarbone and to her chest. She removed his hand and said to Arthur beneath her. ¡°If you want it that much, I won¡¯t be bad either. We¡¯re good, aren¡¯t we? Things like this.¡± She reached out and pulled the corset strap. Arthur¡¯s eyes fluctuated greatly, and soon closed them and raised his body to hug her. ¡°Don¡¯t disparage me like that.¡± Arthur pulled her off as his wet voice came out and she came down from the table and adjusted her dress. When she saw Arthur¡¯s eyes, she smiled satisfactorily, picked up blue clothes, and threw them at him. ¡°So, wear it and come out.¡± This was not a request, but an order. As a Princess, as an Imperial family who will become the country¡¯s Emperor. After wiping her lips with the back of her hand, she left Arthur¡¯s room without looking back. The throbbing scene, her heart continued to hurt as if she had been strangled. Before going to the banquet hall, she called in the maid and headed to her father after finishing grooming. When she asked her because she couldn¡¯t see Carl, she said he had something to deal with and that he would have to leave his place for a few days. ¡®He didn¡¯t say anything in the morning.¡¯ Even when she looked around, she couldn¡¯t see him. She didn¡¯t know until this time. Would she have regretted less if she had found him sooner? She thought she had been believing that Carl can¡¯t do that to her. She thought vaguely that he would come back to her as always. She may have convinced Carl that it was a good choice for each other. Because it¡¯s Carl, not anyone else. The banquet hall showed not only aristocrats but also people from other classes. This was also to show the common people. She invited as many classes as possible to inform them of her power to lower her rank and class if she could. ¡°I don¡¯t have Carl, so someone else will take over your escort.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take charge of the day.¡± Arthur, who came out in blue, approached her. He smiles with his eyes folded while lightly touching his lips on the back of her hand. Because of people¡¯s gaze, she also smiled brightly and looked at Arthur. ¡°Father, what are you thinking?¡± When she turned her eyes and glanced at her father, he turned around and coughed in vain, perhaps determined to ignore her gaze. Sitting down under Arthur¡¯s escort, she closed her mouth. The corners of her forced mouth trembled. As she turned away from Arthur¡¯s gaze staring at her and assigned the ranks of those who were hired, the music rang out. Along with the sound of congratulations from the people, eyes full of anticipation fell on her. Arthur came out to her and reached out his hand. ¡®You¡¯re so shameless.¡¯ She¡¯s one as well, but he didn¡¯t change his expression. They covered themselves with masks and started dancing, hiding their feelings for each other. Slowly and gracefully, they stared at each other in the center of the stage and moved their feet. ¡°Oh, my. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She deliberately stepped on Arthur¡¯s foot, but pretended to be surprised and apologized with her eyes wide open. Arthur replaced the answer by slightly closing and opening his eyes. His attitude made her more annoyed, but all she could do here was keep stepping on Arthur¡¯s foot. Of course, so that it doesn¡¯t. ¡°You must be good at enduring pain.¡± ¡°Mary, whatever you give me.¡± This relaxed answer is also abominable. She wanted the music to end quickly, but the people who watched us felt sorry for one song, so the music continued without changing. When she turned her head, the music troupe came out with a pleasing look and was looking at Arthur. She turned around in a hurry and looked at her father, but he only lifted his eyebrows slightly. ¡®Didn¡¯t you hate the Grand Duke? Why are you like that all of a sudden?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t understand her father. Of course, her father also doesn¡¯t fully understand her for being fickle.¡­. Chapter 142 Twisted Truth (8) ¡°Ah!¡± To end this ridiculous thing, she pretended to be sprained. The music stopped and everyone looked worried at her. She raised her hand and reassured others as if it were okay, so she clapped and told others to enjoy it and fell off the stage. She quickly headed toward the terrace looking at Arthur following her. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to notice this kind of acting, right?¡±¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you looking for Carl?¡± Arthur looked back and tilted his head. There must have been doubts as he did not see a Carl that was always attached. She took off her gloves and took a breath while looking at the terrace. The wind on the terrace always feels good. When she stared outside in a daze, she felt like her dizzy mind was being sorted out. ¡°Is it important that he¡¯s by my side?¡± Why is he curious about that? Arthur wasn¡¯t there for her. If Carl asks her what she is, what can Mary say? It cannot be defined in a word. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m saying this because I don¡¯t know when Nox will show up.¡± He was suspicious of not answering right away, but she thought it was just her feeling of being sensitive. At Arthur¡¯s words, her head turned outward. She leaned back on the terrace and looked at Arthur. The wind shook her head and disturbed her gaze. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s coveting you.¡± It was a fact she knew from the beginning. The difference between then and now is that he is definitely suggesting that she be intrigued. For example, confusing her by saying unknown things, such as contracts, is of course not an exception. ¡°Why did Knox tell me about the contract with you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What did he lose after mentioning the contract?¡± She was curious. He didn¡¯t open his mouth to her like that, but just because he wanted her? ¡°He can¡¯t take my soul anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± It was good to hear. Her expression brightened a little when she heard that the screams of the Viblant people did not have to fill the castle. However, Arthur¡¯s expression remained firm. It must have been good for him, so why would he be dissatisfied? ¡°You¡¯re not talking about their souls, are you?¡± Arthur¡¯s light nodding head caught her eye for a moment. Suddenly, her head turned back at Arthur¡¯s gaze behind her. ¡°Nox.¡± Nox¡¯s eyes, reaching for her, stood out. As soon as she instinctively tried to separate herself from the terrace, Nox¡¯s hand was around her waist. Arthur quickly moved toward her, but it was useless. Nox, because he was a devil, and he stole her from Arthur and floated up in the sky. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± In his arms, she shed her eyes at Nox. She couldn¡¯t get away from him because she was floating in the air. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just taking you for a while.¡± Would they know that she¡¯s going out for someone who doesn¡¯t want her to worry? This place was the Imperial Palace. Everyone knows that she came to the banquet hall, and if she suddenly disappears¡­¡­. She was blinded by what was to come. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if other people know who you are?¡± ¡°You know what you saw last time, right?¡± Maze. Even then, he deceived many people¡¯s eyes and created a boundary with her alone. Why is he suddenly acting like this? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I told you. Keep an eye on what¡¯s precious. I thought you still didn¡¯t know, so I wanted to show you.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes shook anxiously at Nox¡¯s words. His hand, holding the terrace, looked tense. He quickly got out of the terrace and ran somewhere. Nox smiled deeply as he looked toward Arthur, and disappeared while hugging her. ¡°Oh, my. I guess you got it now.¡± It was obviously arsenic. What did Arthur notice? *** There was nothing in the forest that she came to with Nox. When she looked down from the sky, she saw a flashing light. She opened her eyes gently to a shape that seemed to be shaped. ¡°What are you going to show me?¡± ¡°Hmm, I really didn¡¯t know you¡¯d do it.¡± Nox muttered little by little. His words made her heart tremble. ¡°What?¡± She doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying, but she didn¡¯t want to see it. No, she thought she shouldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Take me to the Imperial Palace now.¡± ¡°No. I took so many risks because of this.¡± He shook his head. The forest was emitting a bleak atmosphere, and it seemed to be telling her not to come and to run away. The sound of the leaves flying against the wind sounded like a scream. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see it.¡± She turned her head and shouted at him. However, Nox smiled around his mouth to see if her reaction was fun. Nox began to go down close only after seeing the light flashing several times. She buried her head in Knox¡¯s arms at a faster speed than expected. It was so fast that she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Haah.¡± In his arms that stopped, she hurriedly caught her breath. The heart continued to fluctuate, and how fast it beat, she could hear a thumping sound in her ears. As soon as she put herself down on the floor, she fell down exhausted. She tried to calm down, breathing out on the floor. ¡®¡­¡­ It¡¯s wet.¡¯ The palms touching the floor were damp. The fishy scent poked her nose, and her body¡¯s hair stood upright at this familiar scent. Chapter 143 Twisted Truth (9) ¡°Blood?¡± When she raised her hand, red blood was tangled in her hand. There was a light disappearing around the flowing blood. When she looked closely, she could see the pattern clearly. It was a magic circle. Even if she didn¡¯t know what it was, she could guess that someone drew it. And she moved her gaze to the center along the line. ¡°Gasp.¡± She was suffocated. She shook her head hard when she found the figure of a person who collapsed in the middle and was vomiting blood. That can¡¯t be true, the person she¡¯s seeing probably isn¡¯t him, and she held the floor to swallow and swallowed her vomit to breathe in the blockage. There was no strength in her legs. Her trembling arms and whole body continued to deny reality. Words did not leak out of her mouth. Tears burst out of her eyes when the anger that was blocked up to her throat soon became a sound and popped out. ¡°Ahhhh.¡± It won¡¯t. It wouldn¡¯t be him. She crawled on the floor and approached the person who was crawling down. Like a person who couldn¡¯t speak, a voice barely came out of her mouth. She grabbed the collar of a fallen man with a voice garbled with saliva and the sound of a beast crying. Why is he here? Why? ¡°Ah¡­ Ah! Oh my god!¡± Even if she shook her head and denied it, it was him. It was none other than Karl, bleeding and dying coldly with a faint smile. He, who smiled at her, was already away from her, who seemed always to be there. She punched him in the chest and called him, but there was no answer. She squeezed out a voice that didn¡¯t come out and said Carl, but only her crying voice rang in the forest. Taking Carl away from her arms, she walked blankly to Nox with blurred eyes. Thak- She slapped him at once. Nox¡¯s face, which went back to the side, would steal a teary view and she slapped him one more time. Thak- She couldn¡¯t even feel the tingling sensation of her hands. No pain was comparable to the heart pain that seemed to be torn. She shouted at him as if he were pouring out resentment. Her body, which was close to collapse, staggered by evil. ¡°Carl¡­ What did you do to Carl?¡­ Is that it?¡± When she saw the calm eyes and the corner of the raised mouth, her mouth closed automatically. She felt her lips shaking and bit them gently, and blood came out. Nox smiled at her and said. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to keep what¡¯s precious.¡± ¡°¡­Precious¡­¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t know what he said was Carl, and she didn¡¯t expect Nox to care about Carl enough to take him from her. Because she kept her distance. She thought Carl would be safe. ¡°Why¡­ Why¡­..¡± Words didn¡¯t come out of her mouth. She wanted to ask him why he did it, but the sentence could not come out of her mouth. Her throat was suffocating as if it would burst out at any moment. Carl died because of her. ¡°It¡¯s not because of you. Since Carl made the choice.¡± She devoted herself to evil and put strength all over h body. Both eyes were bloodshot, and the tightly clenched hands were skinned on their fingernails and bleeding. Cracky teeth, and her teeth are split. ¡°Murderer.¡± ¡°Me? Or you?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± If he didn¡¯t like her, who just worked hard to live, wouldn¡¯t it be okay if she had killed him? ¡°Just kill me.¡± ¡°Then I can¡¯t have you.¡± ¡°If you do this¡­¡­ Can you have me?¡± Nox¡¯s words made her laugh in despair. He¡¯s nuts. Completely¡­¡­ she turned her head and looked at the cold Carl. At the same time, the black aurora began to circle around Nox. The ground rang low with a slightly distorted expression. She felt an unpleasant illustration around her. Carl¡¯s blood poured toward Knox. His body¡­ It was being scattered like it was breaking up. ¡°Carl, carl¡­?¡± She rushed to Carl. But she couldn¡¯t get close. An invisible wall was blocking her. She hit the wall and shouted. Thump, thump. Bang, bang. Still, she hadn¡¯t taken a step closer. Despite her crying voice and desperate struggle, she could not go to Carl. ¡°Argh! No! No! Carl!¡± Carl was disappearing as if it didn¡¯t exist. In front of her eyes, one, two¡­¡­. ¡°Mary, don¡¯t be too sad. You have to see what that child has done for you with your eyes.¡± What in the world¡­ At that moment, Arthur¡¯s voice was heard behind him. ¡°Mary¡­¡± Sliding down. She sat on the floor and looked back with a messed-up face. A black aura was also hovering around Arthur¡¯s body. ¡°No way, Carl¡­¡­.¡¯ Her whole body has been trembling. Arthur approached her slowly. She laughed out loud as she saw Arthur approaching. ¡°Ha, hahaha¡­¡­ Hah.¡± Despair was swallowing and destroying her. Her head was pounding and she felt nauseous. Eventually, she made Carl unhappy until the end. If the price of turning away and pushing him away to protect him by her side is the death of another person¡­¡­ Maybe she should have died. She took out the dagger from her arms. She didn¡¯t know she would use it like this. ¡°Mary!¡± Arthur reached out to her looking at her. Nox¡¯s red eyes flashed. Looking at them, she tried to stab the sword in a glow. Ping~ For a moment, her eyes turned around and they went black. *** Chapter 144 Twisted Truth (10) She didn¡¯t want to open her eyes. It was so creepy that the darkness swallowed her, but now it feels strangely cozy. ¡®I just want to disappear like this.¡¯ She felt like her mind was empty, and there was nothing left. She crouched down and sat still in the dark. Tears squeezed out again. She heard someone calling her, but she blocked her ears and held her breath. *** She could see the light. Someone called her again. However, she covered her ears and turned a blind eye to it. She was scared to get out of here. *** A warm liquid flowed into her mouth again. She closed her mouth because she didn¡¯t want to swallow it, but it continued to force itself through her throat, against her will. ¡°Please¡­¡± She heard a man¡¯s voice. It was Arthur, a voice that could not be forgotten even if she tried to forget. The eyes that she didn¡¯t want to open opened. She felt something hot flowing through her face. Oh, she¡¯s still crying. ¡°Mary, baby¡­¡­.¡± When she opened her eyes, what she saw right away was her father. She could see an emaciated face of how little he slept. ¡°¡­ Father.¡± She¡¯s sorry. He smiled lightly, picking up what he couldn¡¯t say. Seeing that no pain was felt, it is clear that he failed. ¡°Everyone out.¡± The guards sent everyone out of the room at her father¡¯s words. When even the guards guarding the door left the room, only she and her father remained in the room. It wasn¡¯t until everyone went out that she got up. The first thing she said when she saw her father was quite calm. ¡°I¡¯m alive and not dead.¡± ¡°Mary, what the hell happened?¡± Her father seemed quite shocked by what she said. She¡¯s really alive. She didn¡¯t have anything to say in front of her father, but she was frustrated. She tried to end it cowardly, but she was not angry that even that was blocked. ¡°I¡¯m kidding, how long have I been lying down?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a month.¡± ¡°¡­a month.¡± She closed her eyes slowly and opened them. When she looked in the mirror next to her, she could see her face that came back as before, and it was the same as Mary, who had died when she first opened her eyes. ¡°Carl is¡­¡± ¡°He left this for you.¡± What her father gave her was a small letter. In the letter in her name, she tried to take it calmly. She didn¡¯t dare to open it. It was the last thing Carl left for her, and he disappeared before her eyes, and Carl no longer exists here. ¡°In a month, is the ceremony over?¡± ¡°I postponed it for a while because I didn¡¯t know when you¡¯d wake up.¡± ¡°Do other people know that I collapsed?¡± Her father shook his head. He told the outside that she was just going somewhere else for work. Fortunately, when he found out that she had fallen, the nobles who were looking for a chance would have stood up. Everything that has been achieved so far may have collapsed. ¡°It¡¯s okay now, I¡¯m telling you.¡± ¡°Mary, can I really trust you?¡± She nodded while holding her father¡¯s hand. Their contract, the bet, is over, and things that were curses for her have disappeared. So it was time to fly. She carefully opened the letter. When she saw what was written in Carl¡¯s handwriting, her eyes were red again. Princess Mary Anastasia. This was not for you, but for me. I was happy that there was something I could do for the remaining Princess and go to the side of the person I love. It¡¯s been a while, but because we were together¡­¡­ Thank you for letting me stay by your side. I hope you move forward firmly. I will carry what disturbs you, so I hope you don¡¯t look back, don¡¯t regret, don¡¯t cry, and laugh. Carl¡¯s sincerity touched her intact. Her fingertips shook. She folded the letter and put it in a drawer without saying a word. ¡°We¡¯d better proceed as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll set a date.¡± ¡°If there are people who oppose it, I¡¯m going to meet them in person, so father knows that too.¡± Their lives will depend on what they answer. She can¡¯t step back and move slowly. If they try to rebel, only death is waiting for them. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur took care of you every second.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her father patted her unanswered shoulder once and left the room. He smiled as he opened the door and saw Arthur coming in. ¡°Congratulations on getting out of the bet.¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± Arthur carefully handed her something. Arthur placed a brown bead containing Carl¡¯s eyes in her hand. A little black light hovered, but somehow tears came up when she saw it. ¡°It contains the remaining soul of Carl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Transferring the beads in her hand into the box, she stared straight at Arthur. Arthur avoided looking at her eyes full of resentment and contempt. ¡°Nox, tell me how to kill him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Putting everything back to normal.¡± Do you mean the moment when she first came here? Or a long time ago? Arthur, who read her expression that he didn¡¯t understand, was lost in thought. She waited still for his mouth to open. ¡°You have to turn his eyes¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, there¡¯s nothing difficult about it. We can call him to make the contract he wants.¡± ¡°Nox might try to sign a ridiculous contract to have you!¡± Isn¡¯t the bet on her ridiculous in the first place? She smiled leisurely at Arthur. ¡°I decide whether it makes sense or not.¡± It was her turn this time. It¡¯s time to eat him. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 145 Despair (1) ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Arthur, who saw her eyes, told her. ¡°I was the only one who didn¡¯t know that others were guarding me.¡± Why is she not happy even though so many people protect her? Arthur¡¯s words were contradictory, and she felt ridiculous at him saying that he will protect her from what he has done. ¡°To you¡­¡­ Was I precious to you?¡± Arthur¡¯s words seemed to overlap Nox. Is it really Arthur she knew who looks no different from the devil? Carl was precious to her. In any sense, he was never a light being. ¡°He was precious.¡± This word distorts Arthur¡¯s expression. Like a hurt person, she wondered how many times she was chewing on her words, but she asked again as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I was the one you loved.¡± Yeah, she chose Arthur, not Carl, and she loved him. Even now, she couldn¡¯t empty her mind. Nevertheless, Carl had a different meaning. ¡°Not loving someone doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not precious.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t seem to understand this feeling properly like a broken person. He seemed to be a person who was not interested in friendship or other emotions, not love. Her heart for Carl and Arthur had distinctly different feelings and shapes. She, too, thought she would have fully recognized the difference. She just found out that it was her illusion. ¡°Don¡¯t make those wounded eyes. Don¡¯t forget what kind of hell you¡¯ve given me.¡± Now that she¡¯s free, she felt like she was walking in hell more than before. It was so painful that she thought it was better to die than to live like this, and guilt weighed more on her than she thought. *** ¡°Argh!¡± She failed again. Sitting on the floor, she screamed. Because she had been lying down for a month, she couldn¡¯t move her body as she wanted. ¡°Princess, please¡­¡­ Slowly or you will get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I have to do it quickly, and I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± She couldn¡¯t waste the time Carl gave her in this way. She picked up the rod and gave it strength to get back up. She fell and collapsed several times. She was nervous. She was afraid that the continually delayed succession ceremony would shake people¡¯s public sentiment, and she was afraid that bad rumors would spread about her again, causing disruptions in her work. And Arthur came to her with the blue medicine hovering in his hand, perhaps because he noticed her heart. Even though she threw it right in front of him and broke it. *** When the news of the succession ceremony was held, the visits of the nobles did not stop. Is it because she worked hard without taking a day off? Now there was no problem walking. When she received the blue medicine, she threw it on the spot several times and broke it, but Arthur gave her the same medicine the next day. ¡°This won¡¯t change me.¡± ¡°All I want is for you to live.¡± ¡°Why would you trust me to take this medicine?¡± Chaeng-grang- The maids rushed in and cleaned the room at the sound of a glass bottle breaking on the floor. She doesn¡¯t know how many times they repeated this. Even when the miss hit his face, he just sighed as he looked over her body. Even though blood was flowing from his forehead, he approached her to see if she was worried, scanned her weakened body, and turned around, leaving a message that he would come back the next day. ¡°That Princess¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± What he carefully handed her was a blood-stained handkerchief. ¡°Prince Arthur dropped it and left.¡± There was quite a lot of blood on the forehead to say that it had been wiped off, and Arthur would not have wiped the blood off. ¡°Throw it away.¡± She gave the maid a handkerchief and said, It doesn¡¯t matter if he bleeds or not, and she thought this was not important now because there would be no death. Although the bet between Nox and Arthur was broken, it was Arthur who won the bet because she loved Arthur. She doesn¡¯t know what he had to lose when he lost, but he was alive and the winner anyway. Arthur was not seen for days since then. It¡¯s definitely what she wanted, but why does she feel so dirty? *** The succession ceremony to the throne is just a week away. It was still uncomfortable to move her body than before, but it was much better than the first time. Knock knock~ ¡°Princess, Grand Duke Arthur is here.¡± She thought he would not come anymore, but Arthur¡¯s name, which was heard again, headed through the door. She has to hate it, and she has to hate him and hate and despise. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But why is he looking at her with that face? His face was quite emaciated, even though she had only seen it for a few days. He came to her with a sick face and a tired face. The corners of his mouth were shaking weakly. He put the medicine in her hand without fail. He said, holding her hand, which went up to throw away at any moment. ¡°I can¡¯t give it to you even if I want to now. So please, let me win this once.¡­.¡± What does that mean? She couldn¡¯t listen to him and act as she wanted. She¡¯s sick, but she doesn¡¯t really understand why he looks like he¡¯s about to die. ¡°What is that¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t speak until the end and swallowed it. What would she ask? Arthur, who was staring at her while talking, showed a light smile. Arthur left the glass bottle in her hand and turned around, saying he would come again. Arthur¡¯s voice, asking her to lose only once, echoed in her ears repeatedly. She was strangely anxious about the high and low voice that was different from usual. After drinking the glass bottle he gave her, she felt more comfortable as she did then. She fell asleep and lied down right away. *** If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 146 Despair (2) After taking the medicine Arthur gave her, her quick recovery allowed her to participate in the upcoming succession ceremony without worrying. Erasing the despair deeply embedded in the body and dressing up as a calm her. Unnecessary emotions are only weaknesses, and she just has to pretend to be okay. ¡®It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve been waiting for it.¡¯ Stand up straight and leave the room with a confident look. Even if she didn¡¯t tell them, everyone knows the stories are gossiping about her. People¡¯s guesses about missing Carl were also heard, pretending not to know. ¡®She sold him to the devil.¡¯ ¡®He was sacrificed to save her eternal life.¡¯ ¡®The reason why the court ladies of the Imperial palace disappear is because of the Princess.¡¯ People may be looking at her as a witch, and it wasn¡¯t all wrong. Carl was sacrificed for her, and she got her life. When she appeared at the banquet hall in such a fine state, everyone closed their mouths firmly and stared at her. The authenticity of the rumor is no longer important, and it is just judged as being seen. Their eyes stand sharp together. As her body was cut one by one by the gaze, her expression became stronger and stronger. Standing in front of her father, she bowed her head. It was the day when she achieved her long-cherished desire. There was no disagreement between her inheriting the throne and becoming an Emperor in the future. She took her breath by correcting her disturbed composure. ¡°Princess Mary Anastasia. Will you swear to uphold the will of the Arpen Empire and protect and lead the people?¡± ¡°I swear.¡± The crown was placed over her bowing head. People¡¯s whispers subsided when heavy swords were placed on both stretched hands. It was a sword that defended Arpen and a symbol of power that came down from the previous Emperor. Upon accepting the sword, the long silence was broken as soon as she stood up. The banquet began with the voices of people¡¯s excitement. Music fills the banquet hall, and people¡¯s expressions ease. ¡°Mary, you look exhausted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just that I left the room after a long time, so don¡¯t worry.¡± She was just frustrated. As she turned her head and looked around, she saw a face she didn¡¯t want to see. She brazenly pushed her face in and stared at Nox, she smiled brightly at Nox¡¯s smirk. Her hands were numb with anger. Her eyes were not cold, but they were sinking, and she slowly moved to Nox. ¡®Don¡¯t laugh. You don¡¯t deserve it.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know the meaning of laughter, and pretends to know what happiness is. His empty smile rarely calmed down her anger. She expected him to come here to see her, but she didn¡¯t know he would look at her proudly. Other people were also not even paying attention to whether he was visible. By the time she approached Nox, she was turned by someone. ¡°¡­Arthur.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Let go of me.¡± She struggled to escape Arthur¡¯s arms, but it was useless. His hard hands held her waist and pulled it toward the stage. She held hands countless times and danced to the music in everyone¡¯s eyes. She stared at Nox¡¯s eyes and weighed his lips. ¡°What are you doing? Are you crazy because you want to die?¡± ¡°What do you think you can do to him? You didn¡¯t even come up with a proper contract.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t think I need to hear this advice from you.¡± She pushed Arthur away and took a couple of steps back. She was acting impulsively, but she knew she couldn¡¯t do anything about it right now. She just didn¡¯t want to see his smiling face. ¡°Well, looking at Nox¡¯s face, this isn¡¯t bad either.¡± Looking at her and Arthur, Nox¡¯s face was crumpled with anger. ¡°He looks pretty angry.¡± If she thought the other way, she was rather an advantage. Nox¡¯s eyes were asking why Arthur and not him. Is the contract really completely broken? Arthur no longer has to experience death repeatedly. She also didn¡¯t have to dwell on it because she didn¡¯t know when she would die. The string connecting her and Arthur finally broke. At Nox¡¯s persistent gaze, she hugged Arthur closely and whispered in his ear. ¡°I need to get rid of Viblant.¡± They have to break down the world created by Nox. Viblant, which is his strength and a place to rest, must disappear. Arthur spoke in such a small voice that only she could hear from his serious expression and tone. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡± That it is not impossible means that it is possible on the contrary. For him, Viblant may mean something else. They have been together for many years, and it must have been his home and his only space. Nevertheless, she asked Arthur to break down his nest. For her sake. ¡°Sure, do it for me. It makes Nox disappear from my sight.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you really want.¡± ¡°I want it. Because I want to see him collapse.¡± She didn¡¯t mean to not to sign a contract with Nox, and she just wanted to bring it down to despair a little more perfectly. And she didn¡¯t want to see Arthur disappearing by Nox. Arthur was now also a being who could be killed at any time. There was nothing impossible to get rid of when the contract was broken. ¡°Don¡¯t die at the hands of others.¡± Something she didn¡¯t have to say came out of her mouth. Arthur¡¯s face seemed to be shaded, but it was quickly removed. ¡°I¡¯ll take your order.¡± At that moment, Carl came to mind. A bitter smile spread on her face. Did he answer on behalf of Carl knowing that she was missing him? He kissed the back of his hand lightly and moved away from her. While staring blankly at the place where he left, she turned away. Where Nox was, it was already filled with others. *** If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 147 Despair (3) The dimly settled night sky was unrealistically beautiful at any time. The dark blue surrounding the Imperial palace even looked dreamy. The moon was still shining brightly, and the surrounding area was filled with calm stars. When she reached out, she was mesmerized by the night sky, which looked clear as if it would be touched at any moment. Above all, she liked the quietness. The subtle sound of the wind and the cool night temperature made her feel better. Now that she felt it, she laughed in vain. The Imperial palace looked calm and colorful on the outside, but the inside was different. The invisible fierceness and cruelty are hidden. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She saw the guards who bowed their heads and stood guard. Even if many people protect like that, they will appear in front of her anytime they want through strict expenses. ¡°Did you wait for me?¡± Just like now. She couldn¡¯t even scream when she saw Nox smiling in front of her casually. Somehow, she thought the scenery was so beautiful. Instead of what he wanted to hear, she brought up what she wanted to say. ¡°Contract with me.¡± But Nox¡¯s eyes flashed as if her words were not too bad. The red eyes felt unusually creepy, and the slanted corner of the mouth was revealing the feeling of Nox today. ¡°You wanted to sign a contract with me, too.¡± It was Nox, who constantly tried to seduce her every time. He refused her offer due to his contract with Arthur, but there was no reason for him to worry now that everything was over. Just as Arthur became free, Nox was not bound by anything. Rather, he may need more contracts when he has lost something now. ¡°Aren¡¯t you mad at me?¡± Nox¡¯s eyes sank in an instant. She reached out to him, looking at him but not getting close enough to reach him. Her hand, which was approaching Nox¡¯s cheek, changed its orbit and grabbed Nox by the collar. ¡°Ugh.¡± Nox, pulled close to her with a short moan, fiddled with her hair and smiled. The strange air flowing between Nox and her, burned her mouth. They stared at the gaze still. ¡°You said it¡¯s okay to die in my hands, right?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Nox¡¯s fingers slowly climbed up her hair and stroked her face. She was exhausted when she saw his face, who was not afraid of death. She thought she should make a bet with him and look for loopholes. One, maybe this is an emotional and unreasonable behavior? ¡°You¡¯re so pathetic.¡± More than Arthur, perhaps a poor man. To live by imitating others and eating human fear without feeling emotions. ¡°Let¡¯s pretend there was no contract.¡± Everything is over anyway. As long as Arthur goes to Viblant, the space will soon disappear, and he was the only one who shared Nox¡¯s secret. She felt like her blood was cooling down. She let go of the collar she had grabbed while looking at Nox¡¯s fierce distorted face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get angry?¡±¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He looked relaxed, straightening his disheveled shirt. The answer to what he asked her was very simple. He continued to compare himself with Arthur, but he was mistaken for one thing. ¡°Of course.¡± The wind passed by her words. She breathed in and inhaled because it was stronger than she thought. Sadly, he was showing her his feelings in a different way. At Nox¡¯s action, saying that he didn¡¯t want to hear it, she picked up on it and smiled and etched it into his ear. ¡°Unlike Arthur, I don¡¯t love you.¡± Anger is something that occurs only when one is interested in emotions. The sense of betrayal was also an emotion she experienced because she trusted that person. But if there is no emotion in the first place, there is no reason to be angry with him. That was all. ¡°Do you understand? I mean I¡¯ve never been angry purely because of you.¡± It was a lie. Looking back on what she has done so far, it is easy not to be angry. ¡°Now you can tell lies. Did you erase Mary, who was angry at me that day, from your memory?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Nox is right. She expressed her anger without filtering the day Carl died. Nevertheless, she was silent. When Carl died because of her, she was angry with Nox for deliberately teaching him how to break the contract. However, when she realized that he would be happy to show such feelings, her feelings disappeared surprisingly. ¡°How does it feel?¡± She heard a crackling sound of teeth. A proper emotion appeared in his eyes for the first time, and he was angry now. A clear smile spread on her face at the first look on his face, which she had never felt before. ¡°That¡¯s right. It feels like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t like it.¡± Nox took out a letter from her arms and handed it over to her. She stepped back from his sudden behavior, but took a step closer to Carl¡¯s signature on the envelope. Why does Nox have Carl¡¯s letter? He disappeared after leaving the words, ¡®I bought it because of that guy.¡¯ She had an intuition that this meeting with him would be the last time. Sliding. She sat against the wall and opened the letter. Unlike the first letter she received from her father, it was a little longer. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 148 Despair (4) Princess, don¡¯t hate the Grand Duke because it¡¯s too much. He has done his best for you in his own way. Even if the process was not correct, he tried to save you by gnawing at my soul. The first word was about Arthur, don¡¯t hate the Grand Duke. She swallowed her saliva when he said he was worried about her, not about himself. She promised not to cry anymore. Carl¡¯s writing was shaking her to the point where it was overshadowed. Forgive and love. Don¡¯t let go of the only person left by your side. Grand Duke Arthur stopped me. He made his own choice to deceive and break the contract with Nox. He told her he didn¡¯t know, and he really didn¡¯t know, maybe it wasn¡¯t a lie. But is that important? No, it¡¯s not that important. ¡°You fool, until the end¡­¡­.¡± Everything is over, so remove the rest of the past. Everything ends only when he dies. It¡¯s okay to get rid of the cause from the resentment that brought you in. The rest of the past. It was a term for Gray. The male protagonist in the original, the beginning of all this, the resentment that brought him in. What he left behind was so that she wouldn¡¯t die. She got up from her seat with Carl¡¯s sword. When she saw him the other day, he yelled at her that it was over. They were all going to die, and they were crazy like evil people. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s over as you said.¡± He¡¯ll have to congratulate her as she got out of the pain that seemed to never end. She kept the letter in a drawer and stepped into jail. Slowly reflecting on what had happened so far, she approached him one by one. Boom! Boom! A big shock shook the ground. Surprised, she looked outside through the hallway window, and the roar from the side where the Viblant was located was clear. ¡°¡­Arthur?¡± There was one thing she had forgotten. In order to destroy Viblant, he also had to go there and destroy it with his own hands. Then what about him? What happens to him? Kyaang- The sword in her hand plummeted to the floor, and he tried to give her hell again. The Imperial palace became noisy. ¡°Princess!¡± She could see people running toward her in an urgent voice. She was okay except a little surprised. She never wanted the death of others, and she wanted the place Nox created to disappear, so she didn¡¯t want any other damage. She would say that sacrificing cows for the sake of the majority is nothing, but it was not something she was used to. It didn¡¯t matter how Arthur extinguished Viblant. ¡°I should go to Viblant right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you go as soon as the day comes.¡± Sir Bain, the captain of the Guard, offered her another way, but she couldn¡¯t accept it. She tried to think as cool as possible, but she couldn¡¯t think of another way easily because of her nervousness. ¡°Until dawn¡­¡­.¡± Can she wait? Everyone came out of the room with a surprised look and whispered. She repeated who she was again. She was a Princess. She is a person in a position that should not be lost easily. She chose breathing low. If she shakes like that, everyone will be nervous. She shouldn¡¯t show her weakness. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll head to Viblant when it¡¯s dawn.¡± Eventually, she decided to obey Sir Bane. He told the guards to look around the village and stay alert. Seeing that Nox came to her and disappeared, it is clear that he went to Viblant. An explosion sound was loud enough to cover Arpen, but there was no damage around. There seemed to be no signs of explosion in Viblant. There would be nothing strange with this sound even if the entire territory had flown away. ¡°Come on.¡± Her head was pounding with frustration. She lost the reason for the moment and put everyone in danger. She endlessly recalled that she should do it rationally without being angry, but she has acted differently from what she said. It was funny that she wanted to become an Emperor and couldn¡¯t control her feelings. ¡°Everyone, go back. This place will be safe.¡± Everyone went back to their respective seats at her words. She headed straight from the bedroom to see her father. Fortunately, her father was awake, too, as if he hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. It would be more correct to wake up from the sound. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Are you here to ask for advice? If that¡¯s not the case, you don¡¯t have to ask for permission.¡± Her father put his hand on her shoulder and smiled kindly. He said she would do well, saying she had no choice but to trust her judgment and move forward. The words cheered her up without realizing it. She never smiled comfortably because she felt sorry.¡­. It was the first time that she smiled from the heart. * She couldn¡¯t remember how she fell asleep. When I quickly checked outside, the sun was already up in the sky. She hurried out of the room and found another Sir Bain. ¡°What brought you here?¡± ¡°When it¡¯s bright today¡­¡­.¡± Sir Bain looked like he didn¡¯t know what he was saying. No way. She fell asleep suddenly yesterday was¡­¡­ It was like when she got out of Viblant. Just in case, she grabbed the maids around her and asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t hear anything yesterday.¡± ¡°Sir Bain. I need to go to Viblant right away.¡± Sir Bain¡¯s expression is more stiff than before. He tilted his head slightly and asked me carefully. ¡°Princess, the place called Biblant¡­¡­ It doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± She went to the room and quickly searched for books. Viblant marked on the map had disappeared, and it really disappeared in front of her eyes without even leaving a trace. Fortunately, however, the story of Arthur remained. She breathed out a sigh of relief. ¡°Did Grand Duke Arthur arrive at night?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find out. I haven¡¯t seen him since he left the day before.¡± Seeing his answer about Grand Duke Arthur, he seemed intact. It was only Viblant that disappeared. The name of the castle area where Grand Duchy is located was not written, and only Arthur¡¯s name was left as if it existed and did not exist. *** If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 149 Despair (5) After a few days, Arthur did not return. Nothing changed, and the Imperial palace was still silent. Every day was busy because there were many things to do after the succession ceremony. Dinner with aristocrats had to be carried out without forgetting, and whether the projects that had been carried out were going well had to be monitored. ¡°Your Majesty, rest a little¡­¡­.¡± Sein, an assistant, told her. She sighed as she saw the pile of documents. Looking out the window, she felt upset that the weather was good. ¡°It¡¯s a nice day for nothing. I should go to my father.¡± ¡°His Majesty will be pleased with the situation.¡± Sein was relieved to see her leave her work. He leaned back on his chair, saying he would prepare it. Everything was smooth. Since she became the Empress, corruption has decreased noticeably, and tax evasion has also decreased significantly due to strict laws. She pressed her forehead while looking at the letter on the desk. ¡°Your Majesty, have you decided yet?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to nag me, you¡¯d better keep your mouth shut.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cranky that they all tremble when they stand in front of Your Majesty.¡± Sein shook her head with a big frown. She doesn¡¯t budge even on her expressionless face and says what she has to say. She wanted to cancel Sein¡¯s position because she was worried, but it was beneficial to keep her head by the side. ¡°If you¡¯re going to cut me off again, bring someone as extraordinary as I am. Then I¡¯ll leave my seat anytime.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± She briefly kicked her tongue at the words of the proud and arrogant Sein¡¯s words. It¡¯s not wrong, so she didn¡¯t add anything else. ¡°Come on, you have to attend a banquet for Duke Berndi at night.¡± ¡°Huh. When you ask me to rest.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not the one who would listen.¡± Sein responded back to her words. It was a loss to continue talking to her. She tried to get on the wagon and sleep a little. ¡°Oh, what are you going to do with Gray?¡± ¡°I forgot because I was busy.¡± She¡¯ll cut his throat as soon as she gets back. She was busy with other things and forgot the most important thing. ¡°I¡¯ll stop by after the banquet.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, do you know this? That you sometimes casually talk about killing people.¡± ¡°Do I have to pay attention to things that aren¡¯t people?¡± Sein shrugged and closed her mouth. Pelond Palace, where her father stayed after a long time, was noisy, and he looked busy because she told him she was coming. ¡°Mary.¡± ¡°Fortunately, your face looks good.¡± After leaving everything to her, her father stopped paying attention to political affairs, and he said it would help prevent confusion among others. ¡°The tea you brought in this time was pretty good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mad because it¡¯s been a while, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re busy with your work in neighboring countries, so I don¡¯t mind. Not being in the palace does not mean closing your eyes and ears.¡± Her father took a sip of tea and turned his gaze to the garden. She put down her heavy burden for a while on her face and looked more comfortable. She sat down without saying anything, but she felt comfortable. So her father and her separated after drinking tea silently. *** She thought about it a little, but she was forced to head to the Duke of Berndi for Sein¡¯s tough response. It was difficult to pretend not to know because they made a lot of contributions to land reform this time. It was only a ritual visit. However, going as an emperor is given a different meaning. A token of gaining Imperial faith. It was an indispensable honor for the nobility. Above all, if she refuses the invitation even though she applied a lot, it would be a perfect justification for those who disapprove of her. She couldn¡¯t help but be cautious about every action. What she said soon went into everyone¡¯s ears and caused a stir, and people talked about it. Whether it¡¯s a good word or not, it honestly doesn¡¯t matter. As she entered the banquet hall with a noble look, their eyes were drawn one by one. Bow down, look at each other, and look above. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s an honor that you attended the banquet.¡± ¡°When I think of your work, I have to thank you.¡± When she spoke with a soft expression, Duke Berndi bowed his head to show courtesy. The items decorated in the banquet hall and the tableware are spectacular, as if they paid considerable attention. The Duke of Berndi was more special than anywhere else, and it was the first place to have a female Duke since the law she enacted. ¡°Is there any inconvenience?¡± ¡°Thanks to your care, nothing was difficult.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also happy that the first female nobel head was the Duke. Because others won¡¯t be able to refute it either.¡± Changes are likely to occur quickly in other classes thanks to the implementation of high classes. The sooner a good change is, the better it is. ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t know if I can say this.¡± ¡°Speak comfortably.¡± When she spun around transparent wine, she was lost in memories again. It was funny. She was angry that she kept thinking of him who didn¡¯t appear in front of her. ¡°The engagement with Grand Duke Arthur¡­¡­ Did you break it?¡± ¡°The Duke of Berndi. What I liked about you.¡± She put the wine glass down on the table and stared at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t cross the line.¡± Being contemplated, she bowed her head and asked for forgiveness. Sein approached and tried to clean up the awkward situation, but it was already after her mood plummeted down. ¡°I remember the things I have to do, I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Leaving behind the devastated look of the duke, she quickly left the duke with Sein. She was going to jail in this mood. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 150 Reunion with Two Men (1) ¡°I think you¡¯d better go in now. I don¡¯t think you have to watch it.¡± ¡°No, I have to watch it. Do you know how disappointing it was when I just finished it with a snitch?¡± At that time, she was nervous just to keep him alive without killing him. Even if she thinks about it now, her teeth are breaking. In front of the prison, they quarreled with each other and tried to enter first. She didn¡¯t feel good, and she wanted to see it finish because she started it. ¡°He is already insane.¡± ¡°He should be, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have left him alone?¡± If he hadn¡¯t looked away in the first place and hadn¡¯t been around without greed, the end would have been better than this. ¡°There are a lot of people watching. The letter is here, so you¡¯d better check it out.¡± ¡°What letter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a letter that your Majesty may have been waiting for so long.¡± The forehead narrowed down at Sein¡¯s words. She was the one who eventually gave up due to him holding out. She believed that Sein would take care of it properly, but it was a little uncomfortable to leave it in the hands of others. She slowly moved to the room. The last time she saw Arthur¡¯s face came to mind. As she walked through the quiet hallway, Arthur¡¯s castle in Viblant overlapped. The chilly atmosphere and the unknown atmosphere of the castle. And Arthur, who looked pretty good in it. She thought he was dead, and Nox may have taken him with Viblant when he disappeared. ¡°You don¡¯t keep your promise until the end.¡± She never even forgave him. Because she didn¡¯t even have a chance to forgive him. As a dying person, she no longer had to struggle in the fear of death. She was angry because she felt like she was tied to the past alone. She thought she¡¯d forgotten it now, but she didn¡¯t either, and she couldn¡¯t let go of anything in the end. When she returned to the room, she saw a letter on the table. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur Douglas.¡± She could feel the tremors on her fingertips, and she couldn¡¯t have the courage to open it. Even if she closed her eyes slowly and opened them again, the correspondence was still there. She sat down and stared at the letter for a long time. There was only one sentence. When she looked out the window, she saw a stranger. She knows that familiar appearance and that shady gaze staring at her in the dark. She left the room and headed straight to the garden. Her heart began to fluctuate. The steps that she had been maintaining while walking without running gradually grew as she came out. He was alive. Nevertheless, he finally appeared in front of her. With a slightly emaciated face, he stood there. Her face was terribly distorted when she saw his expression smiling at her. In time, standing in front of him, she slapped Arthur¡¯s cheek as it was. Phat- She looked at Arthur¡¯s turned head and chose to breathe. ¡°I feel like I have come back because I¡¯m so welcomed.¡± ¡°I think you wanted to die thinking about not coming back.¡± She warned Arthur in a low voice, but he didn¡¯t care. He just smiled deeply as he saw the sword in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s better to see you angry.¡± She grabbed Arthur¡¯s chin and looked at him. It looked a little emaciated. Her whole body was stiff. Something hot rose deep in her heart. Yes, she completely lost the bet with him. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Arthur, who was deeply established in her heart, could not be pushed out. It¡¯s her heart that she can¡¯t control, but she¡¯s been hurt too much by him. There is no easy way to forgive, and she didn¡¯t like herself being confused with this kind of mind. So now this is her heart she has to endure. She took her hand off Arthur¡¯s face and took a couple of steps away. ¡°Arthur Douglas, I will discuss the punishment for disobedience to orders tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your order.¡± She turned around and closed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw you, can¡¯t you show me a little more?¡± (he¡¯s asking to see her face) Arthur, who approached her before she knew it, grabbed her arm. ¡°Why did you withhold your engagement with me without breaking it?¡± ¡°I just missed the timing. There¡¯s no other reason.¡­ Nox, he won¡¯t be around anymore.¡± ¡°The power is sealed, not completely gone.¡± There were more than one or two things she wanted to ask what he did when Viblant disappeared, and she pressed the bursting question and knocked him out of the arm. ¡°It¡¯s late at night, so let¡¯s talk about what happened tomorrow.¡± Arthur no longer held her at her strong tone. *** As the day came, Sein hurriedly knocked on the door and found her. ¡°Your, your Majesty.¡± ¡°Is there something urgent that makes you stutter in the morning?¡± After preparing relaxedly, she glanced at Sein with a reminded expression. Sein, who was gasping, breathed heavily and soon chose to breathe. ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°If what you¡¯re asking is about Grand Duke Arthur Douglas.¡± Sein shook her head with an admiring look. When she heard that he asked her to see him, she told him to bring him to the Audience. ¡°Oh, before that.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t ask me to bring you the decapitated head and check it out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± Honestly, she thought maybe because she wanted to check with her own eyes. If she had said it out loud, she would have had to hear Sein nagging for more than an hour.¡­. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 151 Reunion with Two Men (2) The steps to Audience were not light. It¡¯s a time she¡¯s been waiting for so long, but why is her heart heavy? ¡°Then, will procrastination be resolved now?¡± ¡°If it was a marriage to another country, it would have already ended.¡± Sein began to provide information about princes from other countries who had been alone from the side as if she had not given up. She tried to attract her attention somehow by showing a well-painted portrait, but as a result, it was a failure. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in.¡± ¡°No way, me too¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Including you.¡± Perhaps she was a little shocked, but she opened her eyes wide as if protesting against her with a slightly open mouth. Mary ignored her, entered the room, and closed the door. Looking at him standing up and greeting her with courtesy, she sat on the chair opposite him and looked at Arthur. ¡°Talk about everything that¡¯s happened so far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be a longer story than I thought.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how long it takes, so there should be no lies in what you say.¡± Arthur started with the story of going to Viblant. Entering the store he went with her, he called out the fairies she had hidden. Free Arthur gave them the souls he had collected and obtained information. ¡°They must have signed a contract, but they helped you so easily?¡± Arthur smiled meaningfully at her doubtful voice. ¡°They were forced to give in to power rather than contract. Simply put, you can think of it as different from our contract.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve already heard, they were Vibrant, and Vibrant was Knox, so you just have to cut off what¡¯s connected to them.¡± ¡°You, a human being, broke the contract with demons?¡± As expected, there was no trust. The Fairies followed Arthur well, but they were beings who tried to eat her. It means that they were not very friendly to humans. Maybe he didn¡¯t like what started with Mary. ¡°Do you remember when they tried to take you to a strange place?¡± She¡¯s never told Arthur. But he told her as if he knew everything. How can she forget that she was almost taken away by the Fairies? ¡°I just opened the door. It took time to get out of the room because we went in together.¡± ¡°If you open the door.¡± ¡°Where they used to be. I just sent them back there.¡± Is it hell where the demons were? No matter what space it was, it was unpleasant according to the feeling she felt for a while at that time. ¡°Did Nox leave without a hitch?¡± ¡°¡­¡­If he had, you wouldn¡¯t have been this angry at me.¡± Nox, that punk. Until the end, he didn¡¯t change. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve lost a little bit¡­¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t answer what he lost, and she didn¡¯t ask either. She thought she should. ¡°I heard that there are many marriages from other countries.¡± ¡°Even so, he¡¯s just a prince.¡± Would you care whether it was a prince or an Emperor? Of course, she didn¡¯t mean to get married either¡­¡­ If it went into Arthur¡¯s ear, it must be Sein. ¡°Is it because you didn¡¯t break it off?¡± ¡°I forgot because I was busy with other things, but it didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡± Arthur¡¯s heartbreaking words sadly touched her. She said coldly that she had no intention. But at Arthur¡¯s words, she collapsed again. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it if I were abandoned again.¡± ¡°Do you deserve that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not qualified, so I¡¯ll have to try. From the beginning again.¡± Arthur held his chin and laughed at her. Why doesn¡¯t she get angry even though he¡¯s being shameless? Honestly, she thought it was a relief, and it wasn¡¯t bad at this moment when he lived like this and came to her eyes and talked to her like this again. Maybe she really went crazy. The heart that had gone all the way to the bottom rang again. She closed her lips tightly with his bright smile. Not only was it not enough to constantly talk about marriage, each country sent the first-ranked princes to the Arpen Empire under the pretext of a banquet. Arthur¡¯s Viblant estate officially disappeared, but his existence itself remained the same. It was just going back to its place as it was in the original work. The place of the Grand Duchy where one may not come out if they don¡¯t find it properly. He was only a villain in the original work, but not more or less, just that kind of existence. ¡°Your Majesty, we cannot kick out those who attend the banquet to celebrate.¡± The nobles who are worried that she will show displeasure with the princes of other countries say while reading the air. ¡®Even though I already told them what I meant..¡­.¡¯ She was the Emperor of this country, and no other country gave her a prince. People from other countries were excited to let their son go and benefit. She didn¡¯t stop even though she knew what it meant to send their child. ¡°Do I have to pay attention to that?¡± She narrowed her forehead by tapping the chair. Fredio pressed his temple hard as if his head was pounding. She can¡¯t kick him out, and she can¡¯t neglect him, so only annoying things happen. ¡°We can¡¯t back down this time!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty. Of course, there is no reason for the Arpen Empire to have a marriage alliance with other countries or be a government, but diplomatic relations between countries are not that simple.¡± She knows. Everything is intertwined with interests, and the Emperor should not be caught up in private emotions. Even so, she can¡¯t help but hate it. ¡°No, I¡¯ll think about it. Do you want me to accept that kings from other countries are blind and send princes who have just become adults to me?¡± To have a kid who smells like milk as a consort, they did not covet the empty office position and kept saying that they would become a Consort. ¡®This must mean that someone is using their hands.¡¯ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 152 Reunion with Two Men (3) She turned her head and looked at Arthur. Looking at the smile on her face, she thought the cause was Arthur. When she saw such an expression, she felt repulsion for no reason. ¡°Well, this is work too.¡± She used to shrug her shoulders and told them to proceed. A smile spread around her mouth when she saw Arthur¡¯s face crack. After all the meetings, she got up and headed to the office. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t like.¡± ¡°Is it me? You speak as if you know my heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As she looked forward without glancing at Arthur, he came close to her as if nervous and walked with her. ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything else?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± She could see his expression when she looked to the side, slightly biting her lips and drooling. Arthur¡¯s face, which was crumpled, was quite worth seeing. ¡°¡­¡­ How to get mad at me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but the Grand Duke is full of pride when I look closely.¡± She thought everything he does is related to her, so isn¡¯t this serious? Smirking. She, leaving Arthur standing blankly, moved forward after smiling. *** Her head was pounding during the upcoming banquet. Looking at the attendance list of the royal family, it seems that they have decided. When does it end with 10 people? Perhaps because it was her birthday banquet, the maids focused on dressing up as if they were putting their lives or death into it. Accessories that were so heavy that she was fed up with colorful dresses remained today. The boring time always made her numb. As everything she thought she would get used to began to get used to, it would turn into boredom. ¡°Your Majesty, I hear that the princes present are outstanding.¡± ¡°Really?¡± When she looked in the mirror as if she was not interested in her insensitive voice, the maid stomped her feet as if she were frustrated. The Empress¡¯ seat could not be left empty continuously. ¡°If you are not going to make Arthur the empress, why don¡¯t you break your engagement?¡± The chancellor, who couldn¡¯t see it, helped her with a word. His voice, which was full of muffled tones, blew her away slightly. The prime minister accepts her gaze without moving. He smiled with his lips slightly raised to see how she expected him to come out. ¡°Prime Minister, don¡¯t you already know?¡± ¡°I have no idea what your Majesty means.¡± She snorted and waved her hand at the tone and attitude of relaxation. She was the one who lost even if she fought with him. ¡°The Empress¡¯s seat has already been decided, and it¡¯s just not the time yet.¡± She still wants to punish him and she doesn¡¯t want to forgive him so easily. In addition, not breaking up her engagement with Arthur was intended to prevent him from daring to covet the position of empress in other countries. She still hasn¡¯t forgotten what Carl said. She still remembers what he said that she should forgive him and be happy. ¡®Forgiveness¡­¡¯ It¡¯s easy to say. ¡°How long are you going to punish the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°What? Why do you ask when you know?¡± As expected, the Prime Minister spoke in a way that knew all the situations. Anyone who has watched from the side will question the way she treats Arthur. It¡¯s a relationship in which her fianc¨¦e doesn¡¯t even serve as an empress, and she doesn¡¯t even give him proper attention. It¡¯s a strange relationship that leaves him by her side but is not given away. ¡°The nobles began to speak little by little.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s pretending to be a fianc¨¦ externally.¡± ¡°It seems to be bothering everyone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to me. When to bring in the empress, and who to bring in.¡± At her firm words, the Prime Minister closed his mouth again. This was because he knew well that it was useless to keep talking anyway. ¡°Do I really need an Empress?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The prime minister screamed as he narrowed his forehead. It was not in the right order for her to leave the position of the Empress vacant and put her consort first. It was not until she saw him angry that she smiled and hugged her chin. ¡°So even if I told you not to provoke me.¡± The ladies quietly noticed and helped with the dress. Soon after, the banquet time came. *** The first dance was with Arthur. She moved her feet to the music, facing his gaze that gently grabbed her hand. She stepped on his foot and looked surprised as if it were a mistake. ¡°Oh, no. I should have stepped harder.¡± ¡°You can step on my foot at any time. But¡­.¡± Arthur turned her body around and leaned back. He approached her with a close face and whispers in her ears. ¡°Don¡¯t trample on my heart.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± Arthur raised her body with a smile at her words. As the music ended, he kissed the back of her hand and talked quietly. ¡°Princes of other countries don¡¯t know everything about you.¡± Arthur, who looks arrogant as if he knows everything about her, glanced around and strengthened his lips. He is bound to be conscious of others. As if proving that her relationship with him was not twisted, he was relaxed and confident in his actions. She closed her mouth when she saw Arthur spitting out his jaw. As the music changed, she approached the princes one by one and began to ask for dance. As the maids said, the princes were all dazzling in appearance. ¡°I see His Majesty of the Arpen Empire.¡± Prince Persen of the Kingdom of Vladion. In terms of the order of the kingdom of Vladion, he was third. With a cute face, he continued to talk with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you this close.¡± ¡°You must have come from far away, so I hope you have a good time.¡± ¡°Oh, Don¡¯t you like me?¡± He was a pretty bold prince. When he asked her openly, she looked at his face in silence. She thought he¡¯s just 20 years old. She was about to get fed up again and burst out laughing. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 153 Reunion with Two Men (4) Arthur¡¯s eyes thinned as he swirled the wine leaning against the wall from afar. Golden hair in contrast to his dark hair. The blue eyes were so lovely that anyone could see them. But even at this moment, Arthur, who was just infinitely dark, was noticed. She liked his eyes blazing with jealousy, tightly closed lips. His touch, which tied her up, continues to attract her with a frighteningly strong obsession with her. Whoosh! Prince Persen¡¯s hair trembled as he suddenly approached her. At the same time, her eyes opened round at a breathtaking distance. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re looking away while I¡¯m in front of you. I¡¯ll have to try harder.¡± ¡°Ah. I¡¯m sorry, no matter how hard I try to ignore it, there¡¯s someone who catches my eye.¡± She responded casually, but she can¡¯t help but feel her heart pounding in a sudden situation. And seeing Arthur¡¯s expression twisted while watching her like this, she acted differently from her mind again. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you use me?¡± At Prince Persen¡¯s funny suggestion, she folded her eyes and laughed. She wondered if it¡¯s a new way to ingratiate herself with suggestions on topics he came to become a consort. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t sound bad either.¡± She didn¡¯t refuse. Even if he tries to change her mind using this, she is not stupid enough to put a prince from another country as an consort. If she had intended to put in a consort, she wouldn¡¯t have treated Carl like that in the first place. She has no intention of changing what her father has done. It was enough to form an alliance if it was due to necessity. There are few ways as certain as the marriage alliance, but it is also difficult to be complicated by it. ¡°Let¡¯s think about the prize for your cooperation.¡± When she gently kissed the back of the prince¡¯s hand, there was a sound of breaking the glass. When she looked up, glass debris was broken and scattered around Arthur. She smiled deeply at Arthur. It was more enjoyable than she thought to see Arthur¡¯s expression with cracks. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Arthur, who had not taken his eyes off her, hurriedly turned his head and covered his mouth. Suddenly, as soon as the servants approached to clean up his surroundings, he left the banquet hall. When she saw Arthur turning around, a corner of her heart throbbed. She was consistent with a calm look, but she cared about him. So much. ¡°You must be bothered.¡± Prince Persen, who was watching from the side, hinted at her. His gaze was also staring at where Arthur disappeared. ¡°Not at all.¡± She answered in a sour way and tried to turn her eyes. The princes¡¯ eyes all turned from Arthur to her, and their smiles were clearly drawn in their heads without looking. ¡°Even if the Empress¡¯s seat is empty, I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re leaving the consorts seat empty.¡± ¡°Of course, there is no king who refuses a consort.¡± The kingdom of Vladion has a total of four consorts. Prince Persen was also a child of the consort, not the Empress, and was the child of Cameron, the second mistress. And the Empress killed and removed the current consort¡¯s children one by one silently. Cameron sent his son to survive as a consort in another country to save one of her sons. ¡°The third rank means that you have two older brothers.¡± In a different sense, is it desperate? ¡°Did the coming of a child of a consort somehow upset you?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t have a consort anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± She was not even interested in princes from other countries in the first place. He seems like a fun person, but she can¡¯t afford to be interested in anything else¡­ ¡­ there won¡¯t be one. At the end of her gaze, she saw a familiar face. Prince Persen¡¯s face strangely hardened, perhaps because he saw her distorted expression. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you leave it as something other than the consort?¡± She answered his words in a firm posture. She couldn¡¯t look away. If she does that, she¡¯ll miss it. ¡°Something else?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, hold your hand for a moment¡­¡­.¡± His sudden behavior eventually turned her face around. Tuk~ A piece of paper was placed over her hand. ¡®A note?¡¯ Prince Persen smiled brightly, perhaps trying to make other suggestions as well as to use him. ¡°Many people are watching, so open it when you are alone.¡± As she glanced down at the paper held in her hand, Prince Persen bowed his head to show courtesy and disappeared among the people. She turned around and looked for the person, but he had already disappeared. ¡°Your Majesty, please dance with me this time.¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­¡­ Do it.¡± As expected, she must have seen it wrong, right? He can¡¯t be here. It was difficult to concentrate throughout the dance with another prince. Her mind has become more and more complicated. Looking at the Prime Minister Fredio, he closed his eyes and signaled as if to hold back a little more. Eventually, she was able to leave the banquet hall only after dancing with the 10 princes. Of course, it was after completing their gift procession with the celebration of the nobles. The night sky, where the darkness fell, welcomed her. When she saw the sky where only the twinkling of starlights remained beyond the greenery, she suddenly remembered what she saw earlier. ¡°It was definitely Nox.¡± Arthur clearly said he had sealed him. By the way, could Arthur really seal him? His words would not have been wrong if he saw what had not appeared so far. If Nox wasn¡¯t sealed, what if he hid himself for a while? But why is Arthur suddenly at the banquet hall¡­¡­. She turned her step and headed to the place where Arthur stayed. He couldn¡¯t have returned to his castle. So it was obvious where he would be. One room she gave him. She is sure he knows the answer. *** If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 154 Reunion with Two Men (5) Standing in front of Arthur¡¯s door, she couldn¡¯t knock hastily. Is it because she was afraid of the answer she would hear from him? She was frustrated at the thought that he might be cheating her again. ¡°Oh, your highness!¡± Unable to hide her embarrassment, the maid hurriedly approached and bowed her head. ¡°Is the Grand Duke inside?¡± She glances at the door and hides something behind him. Staring at the maid¡¯s hand, she waited still for her answer. The lady¡¯s eyebrows trembled thinly and swallowed her saliva. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ He is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± The moment she passed by the maid and approached the door, she hurriedly bowed and shouted. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m just saying that the Grand Duke told me not to speak¡­¡­!¡± Looking down at the maid trembling with fear, she trembled with tears. When she reached out her hand, the maid handed her what she had hidden behind. ¡°Blood.¡± It was dizzying, and her eyes were spinning and blood rose upside down. She opened the door and kicked it without thinking. She could see Arthur lying in bed and sleeping. ¡°How long are you going to deceive me?¡± The maid, who was watching the brutal atmosphere, closed the door. Arthur, who couldn¡¯t open his eyes properly, smiled and laughed with a hot moan. She can¡¯t believe he¡¯s laughing. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur Douglas¡±. ¡°If I had known you¡¯d be worried, I¡¯d have told you earlier.¡± Arthur sat up in bed with a pale face. The fabric on his forehead fell off. There was a cloth stained with red blood under the bed. ¡®How much¡­¡­.¡¯ Biting her lips well, she saw Arthur. Slowly approaching him, she put the cloth in her hand and hugged his face. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°The princes looked so beautiful. Are you tired of it?¡± Arthur took her hand, slightly changing the subject. He smiled after giving a light kiss on her palm. ¡°It¡¯s related to Nox that you¡¯re like this.¡± At that moment, Arthur¡¯s eyes shook. Perhaps because of the name that came out of her mouth after a long time, his expression became quite serious. ¡°I saw him.¡± She doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s him. It didn¡¯t really matter, and the answer was sufficient just because Arthur reacted to what she said. Reading Arthur¡¯s eyes staring at her, she noticed at once. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t hide anything from me.¡± She pressed Arthur. She doesn¡¯t want to be disappointed with him anymore. Because she didn¡¯t keep him around to get hurt. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur, don¡¯t make me abandon you.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you just harassing me by your side anyway?¡± Arthur hurriedly pulled her hand away from him. Pulled right in front of his face in an instant, she instinctively pulled herself back. His breath, his eyes, disturbed her head again. The body odor from his body was easy to obscure the judgment of reason. ¡°If you can¡¯t endure this much, you can leave anytime.¡± ¡°¡­Mary.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call my name so kindly.¡± Facing his gaze straight, she managed to pull herself together. She could tell the moment she saw Arthur¡¯s eyes. She had already forgiven him, and she is not confident to let go of him. ¡°Come on, if you have anything to hide from me, tell me right now.¡± ¡°The book I showed you has disappeared.¡± The book where everything was written disappeared. It was a big deal for her in the book. No, maybe it¡¯s a better thing. Now that her true story has begun, if the original work disappears in the first place, there will be no more interference. ¡°I think that¡¯s a good thing.¡± She meant it. Arthur looked unhappy with this situation, but it was good for her. What is more important than books is that Nox has reappeared and Arthur¡¯s condition does not look good. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m sick because you keep looking away from me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± Naturally, Arthur¡¯s hand wrapped around her waist brought her closer to him, and she didn¡¯t refuse. Because she has never hated his touch. Above all, she could feel the emotions in Arthur¡¯s hand touching her back carefully. Hesitating. Her nerves were on edge at each of his actions that were buried. Slowly bent down to him, her face finally kissed Arthur¡¯s lips. ¡°¡­¡­blood.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Arthur, who hurriedly fell from her, covered his mouth with his hand. Tucked over his sweaty hair, she grabbed Arthur¡¯s neck and pulled him. Looking closely at him again, she whispered in his ears. ¡°I won¡¯t let you die in the hands of anyone other than me.¡± He smirked and laughed at the repeated words again. She licked Arthur¡¯s lips and slowly dug into his mouth. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Arthur pulled her waist and put her on top of him. Tud. She loosened the buttons of Arthur¡¯s shirt one by one, which revealed his body in sweat. She slowly swept down his exposed body, neither impatient nor relaxed, and looked at him. The thick cape slipped down to the floor on Arthur¡¯s hand. Lighter than ever, she climbed onto Arthur and looked down at him. His drowsy eyes went down from her lips to her neckline to the collarbone. Arthur¡¯s hand, which was sweeping down her waist, moved to open the front button, and she clapped his hand out. ¡°How dare you.¡± She was going to bother him until he told her the truth. Slowly and very leisurely so that he can¡¯t endure without talking to herself. ¡°Try holding out until the end.¡± Her finger slipped from Arthur¡¯s upper body toward the bottom, which became heavy. Arthur¡¯s eyes were thinly opened when he saw her mouth with one corner raised. She swallowed her breath at Arthur¡¯s revealed solid upper body. Seeing Arthur agitated by each of her actions, she bit his flesh without hesitation. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 155 Reunion with Two Men (6) She smiled blurredly as he saw the marks engraved one by one on his body. Arthur¡¯s breath was a little disturbed. Watching Arthur exhaling thinly as if trying to hold back, she suddenly reached out and grabbed the hardened place. ¡°Mary.¡± As she faltered at Arthur¡¯s gentle voice calling her name, Arthur, who she wanted to do at this time, took over and listened. She blinked blankly at the reversed position in an instant. He was quick at times like this. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll forgive me if I¡¯m honest with you.¡± ¡°You talk as if you have done something forgiving.¡± She reached out and stroked Arthur¡¯s cheek. She hates him, but she can¡¯t think of him not being around. So he must be by her side forever. ¡°Can¡¯t you just pretend you don¡¯t know?¡± Tuk. Arthur hugged her with his face on her chest. ¡°I hope you¡¯re pretending to be sick on purpose.¡± ¡°Then you can believe that.¡± ¡°No, you, you¡¯re really sick.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t answer at all. How many minutes has it been since he was still in her arms? No way. ¡°Are you sleeping?¡± Ha¡­ A ridiculous smile leaked out. The sound of breathing rang in the room. She got out of the room carefully so that he would not wake up and called the maid. She was the one who tried to bully, but why is she sad? She shook her head and pressed her throbbing head hard. ¡°When did it start?¡± The maid with her head down said in a trembling voice. She felt sorry for her shaking. She didn¡¯t do anything. Is there a reason to be so afraid? ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know exactly.¡± ¡°What are his symptoms?¡± ¡°He vomited blood frequently and had a high fever.¡± How much did he hide from her? The maid held her breath and looked around. No one didn¡¯t know that she was in a rut about Arthur. In addition, Arthur was her fianc¨¦ and a figure who might later become an empress. The name of the disease is also unknown to the maid. It was unlikely that he would have told others about himself. ¡°Go ahead, keep this from others.¡± The maid nodded quickly. ***** Arthur is sick. No, it may not be to the extent that it hurts. Entering the room, she took off her clothes and dipped herself in a bathtub. As the subtle scent penetrated the tip of her nose, her body relaxed. Even the maids at service were sent out and she tried to organize her complicated mind by herself. ¡®If Nox appeared¡­¡­.¡¯ What the hell does he want? She became an emperor and almost got what she wanted. What she hoped for when she first opened her eyes here has already been achieved. But why is it so empty? She was constantly thirsty and frustrated. ¡°Arthur.¡± How on earth did he get sick? She crouched down and dived into the water. In less than a few seconds, her face was eventually pulled out of the water due to the tranquility and frustration of suppressing her chest. ¡°Gasp!¡± She could see a face she didn¡¯t want to see with a sudden shadow. ¡°Nox?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Nox, who appeared in front of her again, smiled brightly at her with his long hair hanging down. by the way. ¡°You crazy punk.¡± She pulled the fabric to cover her body. Knox breathed a sigh of relief as he grabbed her hand, which was raised as if it was about to slap him on the cheek. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to show up at this time either.¡± ¡°Are you saying that now?¡± ¡°Do you want me to think about you like that?¡± If she remembered him and appeared, he should have appeared immediately. Otherwise, he was not showing up even though he appeared. He slipped away from her when she stared at Nox with the momentum of rushing in and covered his eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t. Why don¡¯t you calm down and wear your clothes first?¡± ¡°Ha¡­!¡± ¡°Or do you want me to look at you?¡± When she saw his chattering mouth, she finally realized what comes first in the current situation. She came out of the bathtub and headed for the room, suppressing her boiling anger. The maids approached in surprise and hurriedly wiped her bodies and handed over clothes to change. ¡°Your Majesty, are you done already?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I came out thinking of something urgent, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Are you going to the office?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s simple, so I¡¯ll do it in my room.¡± She changed into light clothes and sat in a chair and asked for tea. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in my room.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± Even at late night, she always didn¡¯t let go of her work, so the prime minister or anyone would often visit her when something urgent occurred. If Arthur comes, things may get complicated. Words that she couldn¡¯t hear from his mouth come out easily from Nox, so maybe now was the only opportunity for her. ¡°If it¡¯s not urgent, report it tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to say.¡± It wasn¡¯t like that from the beginning, but she naturally worked day and night as she worked. There were many bills that tried to change, but recently, things have increased due to princes from other countries, so it was inevitable. The maid poured the tea into a teacup and nodded. After carefully closing the door, Nox appeared as if he wanted to see. ¡°Did Arthur lie to me or did I underestimate you Nox?¡± She said, looking at Nox sitting face to face. Nox¡¯s eyes, holding his chin and staring at her, bent gently drawing a line. The slightly tilted pass made it even more annoying. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°Nox, you know this, right?¡± She asked him, controlling her breathing so that she wasn¡¯t impatient. Nox would always come up with the answers she wanted. Therefore, she believed that this time as well. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 156 Reunion with Two Men (7) ¡°When you tried to get rid of me, I guess I was sad?¡± She felt like her body was sinking to the floor with a thud, and it was the same power as then. Her hands trembled as she was overwhelmed and suffocating. She tried to put down the teacup and looked at Nox. ¡°Just as you tried to do anything to get your hands on what you wanted, I just did the same thing.¡± Isn¡¯t it natural for her to kill Nox, who killed Carl in front of her eyes, took Arthur¡¯s life, and signed a contract? To protect herself, she had to kill him. ¡°I¡¯m just sad that I can¡¯t kill you. As a result, you appeared again.¡± ¡°You must be curious.¡± Nox¡¯s eyes, which opened her mind, became thinner. She didn¡¯t like his smile, still smiling as if he was having fun. She expected that if he could appear again and again, it would be a little ruined.¡­. ¡°I think you¡¯re the reason¡±. Arthur is sick. She picked up the tea cup, took a sip, and put it down. The bitter taste of black tea felt unusually bitter. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Mary.¡± Nox lifted the tea cup she drank and shook it slightly to savor the scent. ¡°To be exact, it¡¯s because of you.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°The reason Arthur is sick.¡± Nox¡¯s forehead, which took a sip, narrowed. Putting down the teacup, he looked down at the tea and pouted his tongue with a hateful expression. ¡°All the reasons for Arthur are you.¡±¡± Carl also said that. Last time and this time, Nox says she¡¯s the cause again. The contract has already been broken, and they are no longer connected. ¡°Don¡¯t spin around and say it properly.¡± ¡°Still impatient.¡± Nox suddenly clapped with an interesting smile. After getting up from his seat, he came behind her, grabbed her shoulder, bowed his head, and whispered softly around her ears. ¡°I thought of something fun.¡± ¡°I want to tear you to death right now.¡± Nox did not budge at the life he revealed without hiding it. He shrugged as if he were familiar with it, stepped back and sat on the bed. She got up from the chair and stared at Nox, who was staring at her. ¡®I have no intention of telling you.¡¯ She could see clearly what he was thinking, and he must be thinking about something else. She thought she could hear the sound of his eyes rolling. ¡°No matter what you think, I don¡¯t want to listen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± Nox tilted his head to the side, turning his hair back. A grin clenched his fist at his smile. ¡°Was he the prince Persen?¡± ¡°¡­ Since when have you?¡± He watched everything from the beginning. Since the names of the ten princes who attended the banquet flowed from Nox¡¯s mouth. ¡°Mary, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m better than them?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± It was not worth listening to. After expanding her impression, she glanced at Knox. There was an invisible wall between Nox and her. ¡®You must be scared that I might kill you.¡¯ ¡°No, my lower limbs are important.¡± Nox shook his head and said, perhaps reading her thoughts. ¡°I feel dirty, so don¡¯t read what I think.¡± ¡°I can see it even if I don¡¯t read it.¡± Nox hummed with a deeper smile. ¡°Did Prince Harun dance with you longer than Persen?¡± He smoothed his chin by saying the prince¡¯s name she doesn¡¯t remember either. Turning the chair toward Nox and sitting down, she crossed her legs and smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t everything better than you?¡± In terms of face, body, and everything. Nox¡¯s eyebrows, who understood what she meant, wriggled subtly. ¡°This is disappointing.¡± Nox still stared at her with a distorted expression, perhaps she hurt his pride. His slow-moving hand soon lightly swept his chin. ¡°You talk like you know me without even trying.¡± She looked at Nox and smiled. She just didn¡¯t intend to match Nox¡¯s rhythm. She doesn¡¯t have to sit face to face with him unless he¡¯s going to tell her what she wants. ¡°I¡¯m holding my breath. Why did you show up?¡± No one welcomes him. He smacked his lips bitterly as if he understood what she had not said until the end. He crossed his legs and put his chin on the same position as her. ¡°Are you going to leave it as it is?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Nox seemed to want her to be shaken by his words, and it wasn¡¯t her who would do exactly what he wanted. As soon as she looked at Nox without saying a word, he raised his hands. It was a gesture of kindness as if he would take a step back. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what you want.¡± ¡°Without paying?¡± To be honest, it¡¯s been a long time since he appeared in front of her. She thought Knox might want something ridiculous again or put her in danger again. But if she rejects Knox¡¯s offer, Arthur¡­¡­. She closed her eyes. Unfortunately she doesn¡¯t want him to die. ¡°Arthur¡¯s death is just around the corner.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± Nox¡¯s calm attitude was uneasy. Her eyes shook and her heart beat hard. Arthur really dies? ¡°What do you think Arthur gave me all this time?¡± She suddenly remembered a bead. It is a bead that contains Mary¡¯s soul and life. Arthur must have been related to beads coming out of Nox¡¯s mouth. ¡®¡­Soul.¡¯ Arthur must have given Nox a soul. Because he has never been loved by any other than herself while meeting numerous Mary. In the first place, if Mary didn¡¯t love Arthur from the contract, it was like a bet. Arthur would not easily give up and continue to do it, and the number she knew was enormous. Nox kept him alive because the contract continued with him. Not only was he enjoying this bet, but he didn¡¯t lose anything. Nox folded his eyes and smiled with his big eyes. The corners of his mouth fluttered as if what she noticed was the answer. ¡°Mary, what I want is not that difficult for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult thing¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s difficult, you¡¯ll have to do it.¡± For Arthur. The unknown tension between her and Nox hovered around the room. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t see any other answer. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 157 Reunion with Two Men (8) ¡°Mary, don¡¯t think too hard¡±. Nox got up from his seat and stared at the door. He approached her as if he was a little disappointed, grabbed her chin and kissed her forehead lightly. ¡°I should get going now. I hope no one interferes with our time next time.¡± ¡°¡­Tell me what you want.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, staying by your side.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Is the reason he¡¯s obsessed with her really because of his feelings? Unbelievable. ¡°Soul, instead of Arthur, you can give me yours little by little.¡± Nox read her thoughts and came up with an answer. Other feelings have indeed arisen for her, but there was no way for her to take her soul now that it was sealed. A soul was needed to continue to appear and use strength. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good for you and Arthur? Arthur can extend his life as a result, and you can also live until the day you want because of my strength.¡± Will a life that does not die be happy? She didn¡¯t dare to answer Nox¡¯s question. It was her who had to endure hard to not die, and what Nox handed over in front of her now was so tempting. ¡°What do I gain when I sign a contract? Besides not dying.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect what you want to protect.¡± ¡°Nox, you always speak in a way that you know what I want to protect.¡± ¡°Arpen, this country.¡± Does it mean that the devil will pretend to be the guardian deity? She was impressed by Nox¡¯s ridiculous conditions. Perhaps he wants to break the seal. ¡°Nox, you¡¯d better not think about nonsense. Are you sure I won¡¯t try to kill you again this time?¡± ¡°Do you think humans can kill demons?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a human being, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nox made a smile. Despair flocked to the behavior of denying what she had done so far. As expected, he was misunderstood. What Arthur didn¡¯t tell her properly may be just because he didn¡¯t want to see her disappointed. Either about Mary or about herself. ¡°I just backed down because I lost my fun. For other fun.¡± Nox said as if he had expected this to happen. It was enough to stay that way. She had to admit that there was no place to back down. All of this was a plan he had made. Honestly, the conditions he gave her were worth considering. ¡°Give me time.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the same way to call me.¡± Nox leisurely disappeared from her sight. As if he had achieved everything he wanted, he had a satisfactory smile on his face. Arthur suddenly came in after Nox disappeared, but she was already alone in the room at that time. *** A state of daze continued throughout the day. Princes from other countries continued to make work to stand out. ¡°Your Majesty, please save me!¡± And the Prime Minister took over all the settlements. His face was as shady as hers. She said, putting down enough documents to cover her face on the desk. She turned her head to the side and saw the prime minister. ¡°Fredio. What is this?¡± Fredio put one hand on his forehead and sighed. He knows it¡¯s Buddhist scriptures, but he was about to resign immediately if she even said something to him. More than 10 princes came, so there was a lot to pay attention to and work would have doubled. ¡°Your Majesty, you have to send them back as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Are they jumping around? How dare they in the Arpen Empire?¡± Fredio looked in trouble at the cold voice. They weren¡¯t running wild. But that doesn¡¯t mean she let them stay. knock, knock. When he heard a knock, Fredio looked like he was crying. She knows what makes him impatient. Even though they said they would not let the government in place, they could not ignore the banquet and the cost of them because they were holding out in the empire. ¡°They¡¯ll have no choice but to go back soon, so wait.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± The anticipated eyes stared at her with pressure. She shook her hand as if it was annoying. knock, knock. She heard a knock again. Fredio greeted her and left the office. If they¡¯re going to come all the way to the office¡­¡­ Is it Arthur? She said indifferently while stamping the document. ¡°Come on in.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, that is.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±¡± As she was reading down the document, she looked up. She couldn¡¯t see because of the documents, so she got up from her seat and looked toward the open door. It was because it was strange for the mayor to hesitate unlike usual. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m sorry I came out of the blue.¡± But it was not Arthur who approached her and greeted her brightly. ¡°Prince Persen?¡± ¡°Your Majesty seems to be busy, so I came to see you in person.¡± Smiling, he saw her stiff face and took a couple of steps back. After greeting with proper courtesy, he sat quietly in a chair. ¡°Oh! I have no other intentions.¡± Prince Persen covered his eyes and said. He turned around as if he wasn¡¯t interested in the documents and waited for her answer. ¡°I hope your Majesty will not scold the servant for letting me in with mercy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth knowing how you think of me.¡± She covered the documents and got up from her seat. She sat opposite Persen, who was still blindfolded. ¡°So, what do you want to say when you come this far?¡± At her beckon, the mayor quickly pulled out the tea. She leaned against the chair with a sip of warm black tea. Her head was pounding all day, but it wasn¡¯t bad to rest like this. Persen removed his hand that had covered his eyes with a harmless face. He turned his head, looked out the window, stood up from his seat, and reached out to her. ¡°Isn¡¯t the weather nice today?¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°You should take a walk with me at least.¡± He leaned slightly toward her and whispered low. ¡°Arthur is outside. The Grand Duke is here. Weren¡¯t you curious about his reaction?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have to follow your beat.¡± She put down the teacup and got up from her seat. Persen shrugged and went out of the office. Even before the door was closed, Arthur reached out and opened the door. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you take a walk with me?¡± ¡°Will the Grand Duke say the same thing?¡± He tilted his head and lightly swept down the teacup. Arthur drew a smile on his slightly pale face. ¡°Because you¡¯re so pretty today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So if I said I wanted to be with you, would you do it?¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 158 Forgiveness (1) Eventually, she couldn¡¯t say no. While walking side by side in the garden, she did not talk about anything else. Arthur drew a smile on his face one after another to see if he was satisfied with it. She could feel Arthur¡¯s hesitation as if he was carefully trying to hold her hand in case they walked for a long time. ¡°Unlike you.¡± She couldn¡¯t ignore him who was trying to approach her carefully. He would never leave her, and he was the one to wait and wait until she forgave him. Eventually, Arthur couldn¡¯t hold her hand. Even the gaze staring at his hand was constantly drawn, and he struggled to look forward. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s an honor to see you here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I mean is what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯m glad to see your Majesty like this.¡± Perhaps because the weather was excellent, the Imperial palace was boring or taking a walk, but she faced a group of princes. At the same time, Arthur¡¯s expression hardened. Arthur¡¯s hand, which had hesitated, grabbed her hand and pulled it toward him. She picked it up and laughed at Arthur¡¯s sudden change of attitude. ¡°No matter how much you call yourself His Majesty¡¯s fianc¨¦e, how dare you hold hands.¡± Prince Harmon, who showed his unpleasant expression, sarcastically told Arthur. Arthur closed his lips tightly to see if she even intended to respond. Looking back, she could see Prince Persen also together. ¡®You must have known I¡¯d come out.¡¯ She thought it was Persen who made the work. She said while still looking at them. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t learn proper etiquette in the Prince¡¯s kingdom.¡± Prince Harmon¡¯s face heated up red. He must have been embarrassed to hear that she is indifferent because she did not let go of the hand even though she faced them and showed politeness. ¡°Grand Duke Arthur, next to me, is also a prospective candidate to become an Empress as my fianc¨¦. But did you, who came to become a consort, insult the Grand Duke?¡± For a moment, she felt the air frozen around her. The expressions of the other princes behind Prince Harmon also looked distorted. Those who agreed were no different from Harmon. ¡°Ha, but! Isn¡¯t there a rumor that you¡¯re breaking the engagement? No one doesn¡¯t know that you are in an unstable relationship. Isn¡¯t it your intention not to have Arthur Viblant next to you which is why the Empress seat is empty?¡± Intention. Persen closed his eyes and narrowed his forehead at Sedor¡¯s words, who seemed to be trying to help Harmon. But that guy seems to be quite smart. ¡°How dare a prince try to understand the lord¡¯s will of a country¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°You deserve to know the level of the kingdom of Herpondia.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Shaking his hand in disgrace, Sedor bit his lips tightly. The other princes, who were watching quietly, began to talk to her one by one as if they were telling on him. ¡°Your Majesty seems to know so little about that Grand Duke.¡± When she glanced at Arthur, she saw him with an expression of ignorance. ¡°I don¡¯t know Arthur?¡±¡¯ Instead, it was them who did not know her and Arthur properly. ¡°What¡¯s something I don¡¯t know?¡± As soon as she finished talking, the princes began to say what they had been through. From letters from unknown sources to information about themselves, they seemed to be praising at first glance, but it was more of a threat when opened. He was warning them to return with their weaknesses. Their doubts were reasonable. Even though she was so meticulous that she thought Arthur did it. She laughed at the details that were written in particular to the extent that he saw through weaknesses and the privacy of the princes in each country. ¡®I thought you were quietly jealous.¡¯ She raised her hand holding Arthur and said. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell when you see this? Grand Duke Arthur Viblant will be my Empress.¡± ¡°That kind of thing!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll pretend we understood. I¡¯ll do my best in the imperial palace so that you can go back tomorrow.¡± The princes, who looked puzzled as if they had nothing to say, turned around without hiding their anger. Persen approached her and bowed his head to greet her. ¡°I¡¯m glad it went well. Then I¡¯ve done my job, so I¡¯ll trust you and step down.¡± At Persen¡¯s words, she turned her head and looked at Arthur. ¡°How long did you think I¡¯d be watching others cling next to you?¡± Arthur¡¯s words made her realize that she was completely caught up in his plan. She laughed with despondency. She looked at the hand holding Arthur. *** ¡°Hold on!¡± ¡°Are you taking it out now?¡± Arthur shook his head stubbornly while holding both hands. Seeing him smile awkwardly while looking at her underneath made him feel better. ¡°Otherwise, do you not like this position? ¡°Mary, that¡¯s not it¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad to have a great ball on top at this time.¡± In an instant, he turned and fell back. Her body touched the blanket with a fluttering sound. ¡°¡­¡­really you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they say they¡¯ll give you a chance? I mean to you.¡± ¡°But this is still¡­¡± ¡°I want to give you the seat of the empress you wanted. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Mary.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re going to be inside and outside with me now? We¡¯ve shared too much to do that.¡± She reached out and untied the button that was well locked on his shirt. ¡°The gaze you stare at in the dark like this.¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± ¡°Arthur¡¯s breathing whispering in my ears.¡± ¡°Oh, wait!¡± Arthur hurriedly grabbed her hand. She warmed his mouth as if he was disappointed because his hand was caught facing downward to release the buckle. She acted more and more mischievous at his sudden cute behavior. She slightly raised her upper body and buried her face on the back of Arthur¡¯s neck, which was revealed, and licked his skin with her tongue. She bent her knees at Arthur¡¯s flinching reaction and poked at his bulging place. ¡°However, people have legs.¡± Arthur¡¯s face turned red, unable to hide his embarrassment. She rubbed his knees there without stopping. It was Arthur, who hurriedly pulled back. ¡®Because this is not the case.¡¯ She didn¡¯t miss it, wrapped her hand around his neck, and pulled it toward her. She licked and pulled his lips through the overlapping lips. Eventually, when Arthur¡¯s mouth opened, her tongue slid through his teeth and slowly dug through his mouth. When Arthur¡¯s hand, which was standing still, was placed on her chest, he hugged her waist and eventually stretched out with his tongue stirring inside. ¡°Well.¡± Arthur¡¯s hand slowly swept up her thighs on her calves when a peculiar nasal sound leaked out of her mouth. She breathed in and gulped without realizing it when he dug into a more sensitive place. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 159 Forgiveness (2) Arthur rose up, grabbed his legs carefully, and slowly kissed him from his calves. There was a strange feeling of excitement at the way he looked at her. Is it because of the flesh she hasn¡¯t seen in a long time? Or is it because of her heart that decided to forgive him and keep him by her side now? Each and every action and breath of him drove her crazy. She felt nervous about his careful behavior. He touched sensitive places as if he had already seen through all parts of her body. Arthur¡¯s caress kept twisting her body and covering her mouth because of the groans that burst out. Her hair quickly stuck to her face because of her sweaty body. Arthur¡¯s hair fluttered between her fingers. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Arthur¡¯s head slightly tilted back as she gripped her finger. His Adam¡¯s apple, which was seen along with the thick neckline in sight, fluttered. Arthur¡¯s waist moved hard with a low gaze. Her whole body heated up, and something as hard as digging into the vagina pushed in. ¡°Haah.¡± Holding Arthur¡¯s solid back, she crossed her legs as if hanging on to him. Because of its closer body, objects that felt hot from the inside dug deep. She felt a heavy pain deep in her stomach. Arthur kissed her forehead, gently flipping her hair back. When Arthur moved his waist, her body shook up and down without stopping. ¡°I wanted to hug you when you wanted to.¡± Arthur, who turned her upside down as he took his breath, whispered as he put her hair back to one side. When his breath hit the flesh, her body shrank by itself due to tickling. Arthur slowly kissed her back from the back of his neck and examined her reaction. ¡°Every day I waited for the day to you see me and forgive me.¡± ¡°¡­Arthur.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t think about falling asleep easily today.¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± When he rubbed the part where his long fingers popped out, a moan burst out. Arthur persistently asked if she was thinking of solving the wounds he had received from her. A little rougher than usual, yet gently, he made her impatient. ¡°Hang in there a little bit more.¡± When he pressed her upper body with one hand, it became an awkward posture for anyone to see. Arthur smiled as if satisfied, grabbed her waist, and moved his waist. Arthur¡¯s Pen*s, that was pushed inside, stimulated the inner wall as if expanding his territory. Her body trembled with the sticky sound explicitly filling the room. Arthur would leave her with a warning that she might have to rest in bed for a day, but stuck deep inside from behind her. The wrinkles on the inner wall of the vagina stretched with Arthur¡¯s p*nis in her. ¡°Hmm, umm, umm¡­¡­.¡± Whenever her smooth skin caused friction, she got goosebumps all over her body. She can¡¯t pull herself together. She could get used to Arthur¡¯s stuff, but it was too big again every time she did it. Perhaps because of the raised posture of the hip, it was deeper than usual. Thanks to the excitement that did not go away, the liquid continued to flow vigorously. The head was tilted back naturally, and the hand holding the blanket put strength into it. ¡°Ah, ah, ah, , wait¡­ Man! Ah!¡± She has been confused by Arthur¡¯s genitals digging into the body. She could feel Arthur looking down from the back. She felt a strange sense of obedience because she was never located below him. It feels different. Somehow, she wanted to be dominated in bed. And Arthur was fully satisfying her needs. As much as she wants, no more than that. ¡°Mary¡±. Arthur¡¯s voice was soft despite his beastly gestures. Her body trembled at the voice sticking to her ears as if to seduce them sweetly. ¡°Ahh, ahhhh!¡± She struggled to hang on to Arthur and cried. Tears are about to pour out. ¡°Mary, Mary, Mary.¡± Arthur kept calling her name in her ear. Watching where the moan erupted, he smiled and gently stroked her back. ¡°Was your back this sensitive?¡±¡¯ She focused everywhere Arthur¡¯s fingers were facing. Maintaining a close distance close to touching, he slowly moved up and down on his back curve. ¡°Hmm, hmm.¡± Her mouth automatically made a sound in her mouth. By the time she got used to the ticklish yet strange stimulus, a bursting sound that didn¡¯t fit the atmosphere rang out. ¡°Ha!¡± At that moment, her butt was burning as if it were on fire. ¡°Well, now what?¡± But she couldn¡¯t say anything in a strange sense. Good. Her mouth opened so wide that she thought she was a pervert. Something popped in her head when she felt a sensation that she had never felt before. She turned her slowly creaking head back and looked at Arthur. He looked embarrassed and lost what to do, perhaps because he thought she was shocked. ¡°No, again. Do what you just did.¡± Arthur¡¯s mouth slowly went up when he found her sparkling eyes. Recognizing that she had wanted it, he raised his hand with a look of momentum and hit her butt once more strongly. Arthur was a man who learned ten when he taught one. At the same time as he hit, he raised his back with the momentum of putting his roots in. ¡°Ah!¡± She responded with a breathtaking struggle. Beyond ecstasy, she felt like all her nerves had become sexual. It heated up and burned as if it would be ash at any moment. In the tightly coupled area, a liquid that may be hers or Arthur flowed down. She thought they should try more in the future. She even wanted to bring out Arthur¡¯s inherent power. ¡®What if everything they do is good?¡¯ What are we worried about? If they like it, they can do it more and more often. Starting tomorrow, she vowed to work hard on political affairs and on bedroom affairs. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want to do, try everything.¡± ¡°I allowed it.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes flashed like a beast. He leaned slowly and lightly licked his lips with his tongue. It was the eyes of an animal shining in the darkness she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Before hunting, he lowered himself like a beast and slowly tied her up. Trapped in his solid arms, she turned around and hugged Arthur with an expression of hope that he would devour her. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 160 forgiveness (3) arthur pushed her as if he had endured something from the beginning to the end without giving her a chance to rest. and really, she couldn¡¯t get out of bed the next day. yesterday¡¯s incident caused two major things to happen to the imperial palace. one was that arthur would ascend to the position of empress, and the other was that the humiliated princes returned to their home country in great anger. thanks to this, she was sitting face to face with fredio, who is very angry now. ¡°say your complaint. don¡¯t be in a hurry.¡± she tapped the table and said. the former was originally set, so there was no problem. fredio also wanted the empress¡¯s seat to be filled quickly. ¡°what did you do¡­¡­.¡± fredio handed her a letter. there was a content full of anger that could not endure shame, and she could even estimate who sent it without seeing the sender. ¡°they told me first, so i just told them straight.¡± ¡°but i¡¯ve said this all the time. if they cooperate and welcome the empire¡­¡­.¡± ¡°is there no problem if that¡¯s solved?¡± fredio¡¯s eyebrows were slightly heard after reading her relaxed expression. she didn¡¯t expect it from the beginning, but¡­¡­. ¡°do you think i acted without a way to respond?¡± ¡°your majesty. of course, the arpen empire will not be shaken by the kingdom. if the story floats outside, the people will be very anxious.¡± there was nothing wrong with what he said. she shook her head as if she agreed. ¡°so let them shut up on their own.¡± ¡°have you read the last sentence?¡± ¡°yeah, you can see it. a threat that doesn¡¯t even seem to mean going to war.¡± she stood up from her seat while looking at the letter. first of all, she thought of something to do first. ¡°don¡¯t worry. no one will be against arpen.¡± fredio left only words he couldn¡¯t understand and left the audience. she felt sorry when she remembered the prime minister¡¯s image washing his face with a devastated look. *** ¡°nox.¡± returning to the room, she summoned him. it could have bounced once, but nox immediately appeared. ¡°come on, sign it.¡± as soon as he prepared for this again, he pushed the contract. ¡°a contract as soon as i see it¡­¡­.¡± ¡°didn¡¯t you agree on the conditions verbally?¡± ¡°good.¡± she sat down and read the contract he gave her and went down. it was a contract that was not difficult. she looked satisfied with the neat content with only what she needed. ¡°you can¡¯t defend yourself with the devil.¡± ¡°hmm. who is going to be in the honor of the country? i feel a little bad.¡± ¡°it¡¯s natural that no one can be friendly to the country that the devil protects, right?¡± this should not cause the arpen empire to lose money. nox narrowed his forehead with her determined words. ¡°they will call you a god. now that you¡¯re coming down here only as a legend about divine beings, hide your identity.¡± ¡°do you want me to follow the beat of humans?¡± ¡°it¡¯s simple. as long as you don¡¯t reveal yourself.¡± as if one can hear voices from the sky. just a little smoke is enough. ¡°i don¡¯t think it¡¯s that difficult. you don¡¯t have to be bothered either.¡± nox rolled his eyes as if he was a little worried about what she said. to be honest, there was nothing to lose even if nox thought about it himself. ¡°if you want.¡± nox nodded as if he were being generous. the contract stated that the cycle of taking her soul and others were silent about the agreement. ¡°if i don¡¯t call you, don¡¯t show up except on a fixed day.¡± ¡°don¡¯t you think my daily life will be too boring?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t think i have to pay attention to that.¡± even if he continued to show up, there were only more things to care about. moreover, arthur wouldn¡¯t have liked it. nox¡¯s stay with her meant that something came and went with her. ¡°you don¡¯t want arthur to know?¡± ¡°then you¡¯re going to watch it secretly.¡± ¡°we need to add a clause. you seem to have a bad habit.¡± in the end, she was exhausted thanks to quarreling and coordinating the contract. nox and her, who eventually found a compromise with an exhausted look, dramatically signed the contract. ¡°this isn¡¯t a bet.¡± ¡°i¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°remember, you and i are equal contractors.¡± nox nodded as if he knew. then, he suddenly reached out and put his hand toward her heart. ¡°ugh.¡± she was breathless and suffocated, and her eyes were dark. ¡°oh, i forgot one thing.¡± when he quickly pulled out his hand, she breathed again. she gasped and chose to breathe as if she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°it¡¯s going to hurt this much.¡± in his hand, there was a round light that overflowed with silver. the moment she saw it, she noticed it was part of her soul. ¡°it¡¯s that easy to get out?¡±¡¯ with an unknown feeling, she placed her hand near her heart. was it because of the feeling that she wouldn¡¯t be running? badump. badump. fortunately, the heart was still beating hard. ¡°taking a little soul won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°¡­ it comforts me, too.¡± ¡°arthur is okay now, right?¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll put the power on him while he¡¯s sleeping.¡± nox swallowed her soul in his hand and warmed his mouth. she instinctively hugged herself with both hands. ¡°don¡¯t worry. i won¡¯t touch you except for the set amount.¡± ¡°that¡¯s a relief. i think i¡¯ll need help sooner or later, so i¡¯ll start as soon as possible.¡± ¡°what?¡± ¡°what do you mean? pretending to be a rookie.¡± she accepted the contract and shook his hand. ¡°i think something happened, can i help you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­i don¡¯t think you need to step out yet.¡± ¡°something is urgent, so you¡¯ll have to get the beat right away.¡± nox¡¯s grim smile was uneasy, but she couldn¡¯t afford to care about him. it was clear that the nobles who heard rumors about the upcoming imperial meeting would complain. ¡®this will give me a headache.¡¯ knock, knock. ¡°your majesty, you have to attend the meeting.¡± at the right moment, she got up from her seat and sighed at the mayor¡¯s voice. as more people had to fight, she had to stay alert. *** Chapter 161 forgiveness (4) everyone sat around the table and gathered their heads. no one wanted war. however, opinions were more divided than expected. ¡°it¡¯s a challenge to the arpen empire.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right! we have to catch it early. how dare they!¡± some aristocrats are angry at their provocations, while others are. ¡°you have to soothe it. even if the empire wins, there are more than one or two things to avoid.¡± those who opposed it made sense. instead, she was close to the other side. she doesn¡¯t want war, and this is because she thinks there¡¯s no need to bleed unnecessarily. ¡®i didn¡¯t think it would be reckless enough to say that i would start a war by building veins immediately like this.¡¯ it was a pity that the prince of a country was so foolish. ¡°first of all, why don¡¯t you suggest negotiating?¡± the prime minister interrupted and said. she doesn¡¯t know what to ask for, but it was the most peaceful way for now. ¡°what are you going to do if they want something that¡¯s not right?¡± ¡°shouldn¡¯t we listen to it first?¡± if she was thinking of using this as an opportunity to achieve what she wanted, she had to know the purpose. it is subsequently subdued. ¡°you don¡¯t have to bow first in the empire!¡± ¡°but what would you do if war broke out like this?¡± ¡°does it mean that the arpen empire will collapse?¡± watching this, she pressed down on her throbbing head and said. ¡°first of all, let¡¯s send a negotiator to hear what they want.¡± ¡°your majesty!¡± ¡°duke, are you saying that we should go to the country right now?¡± ¡°it¡¯s not that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°the barbarians won¡¯t do that either.¡± silence lingered for a moment, and they looked at each other and soon recalled whether there was any other alternative. when the nobles agreed one by one, the clerk quickly began to organize the documents. ¡°how are we going to decide who will go to the negotiation?¡± ¡°first of all, it may be dangerous, so i¡¯d like to receive applicants.¡± ¡°are there any volunteers?¡± who would apply when they might have to give up their lives? ¡°if you succeed, you will get a reward accordingly.¡± ¡°you can write down that you will make a reward that you won¡¯t be disappointed with. if there¡¯s someone who wants to go.¡± only those who are greedy and courageous will apply. and the consequences must also be endured by the decision itself. ¡°is there anything else to do?¡± the nobles agreed as if they didn¡¯t have to worry. it was an opinion that they would harm the people of the empire. she was indeed a little anxious, but there was no other way. and she heard a voice from the sky at the perfect timing. she thought the light was shining toward the imperial palace and soon headed to her. surprised, the nobles opened their mouths and looked at her. ¡°god will bless mary anastasia of the arpen empire from now on. the divine power flowing through her body has brought me out, which is why the arpen empire will be safe under my protection.¡± ¡®you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡¯ it was enough to pretend to match the rhythm, but nox grew the scale as if looking at it. she smiled brightly and calmly shrugged at the nobles. ¡°if there¡¯s god¡¯s protection, wouldn¡¯t other countries not be able to touch it thoughtlessly?¡± it became bright like a halo behind her. ¡°stop it.¡± that day, the arpen empire was in a frenzy. the people cheered, saying that the emperor, blessed by god, appeared. rumors spread quickly. there was a hassle of having to select because people for negotiations said they would go everywhere. eventually, a negotiating team of excellent talents went to countries around the world. ¡°mary.¡± she heard a welcome voice next to her leaning against the chair with a tired look. arthur¡¯s face staring at her from the door looked shaded. ¡®did you notice?¡¯ but she won¡¯t say anything that she admits. it was a site that arthur knew, too. nox and him are the ones who signed the contract before her. ¡°next month. when this is over, i¡¯m going to hold a ceremony for the empress.¡± ¡°mary.¡± ¡°through this, the arpen empire will get what it wants. if the people live a better life, isn¡¯t it a good choice as the lord of a country?¡± certainly, arthur¡¯s face looked better than what he saw the previous day. it is clear that nox has taken action against him. ¡°it¡¯s a relief that your face looks good.¡± ¡°mary.¡± ¡°stop calling my name. you¡¯re going to wear it out.¡± arthur caressed her cheek and bowed his head. his eyes were a little red because he knew what she gave to nox. she held arthur¡¯s hand without saying a word. ¡°it¡¯s okay, this is also my choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°this is why we have nothing to pay back to each other.¡± so she didn¡¯t want him to waste his time hurting her. what he did to her and what she¡¯s done to him. ¡°everything will end well.¡± ¡°i will.¡± arthur hugged her and gently patted her on the back. she leaned comfortably with her eyes closed for the first time at his touch. as one wishes, without any complicated thoughts or calculations. *** as expected, the situation was favorable to the empire. the kingdoms spared themselves because they thought they might be punished for starting a war in a blessed yard. ¡°take care of me like this, even sending a bribe.¡± the corners of her mouth were raised on the items of the kingdoms that were piled up. when she saw arthur staring at her, she thought he was cursing inside, but she ignored it. since she turned the devil into a god, he may try to rebel because it is not enough to swear with his eyes if others know. ¡®you have to be determined to die.¡¯ fortunately, no one noticed, so it¡¯s a relief. nox will not commit evil, so there will be no trouble with anything else. those who went to the negotiation showed her the documents saying that it was resolved well. ¡®they won¡¯t forget today¡¯s humiliation.¡¯ unfortunately, however, she will remain strong until the end. that¡¯s how she ended up doing it. Chapter 162 forgiveness (5) ¡°your majesty, we have not only the goods from the kingdom, but also the opportunity to exchange advanced technologies in each country.¡± ¡°the people will like it.¡± ¡°it¡¯s a good thing to experience the culture of another country.¡± instead, she understood their anger and decided to show a little consideration. they decided to grant them one thing they wanted. it was decided to meet each other¡¯s needs by trading legitimate trade and necessary goods. as a result, it was good for both empires and kingdoms. ¡°since you¡¯ve had a hard time, i¡¯ll give the prime minister a few days off.¡± ¡°can i do that?¡± ¡°well, his absence doesn¡¯t mean that the country won¡¯t work, so wouldn¡¯t it be okay?¡± fredio¡¯s mouth caught in her ear. he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement from the vacation he hadn¡¯t had in a long time, and he looked at her with teary eyes. ¡®i don¡¯t think he was like that in the beginning¡­¡­.¡¯ she thought the work had been arduous. she¡¯s sure the cause will come out as a result. ¡°if something urgent happens, you can call me.¡± ¡°i hope that won¡¯t happen.¡± how long has it been since he solved a big problem? she patted his shoulders a couple of times as if not to worry. it seemed like he didn¡¯t trust her, but¡­¡­. after this incident, not only the nobles but also the servants of the imperial palace changed their view of her. she used to smile awkwardly, feeling guilty inside. *** ¡°what do you think? i did a good job, right?¡± as always, he appeared through the window and told her while feeling the wind. it became a set date and took advantage of arthur¡¯s absence. still, she wasn¡¯t happy to meet him. except for what he sometimes does even though she didn¡¯t order it. nox magically created rain when the people said it was hard because it wasn¡¯t raining, perhaps because his work suited him. not enough, but she heard cheers everywhere, saying that god bless her. it wasn¡¯t just that. ¡®he even pretended to be sent from the empire to fill his own self-interest in other kingdoms.¡¯ because of that, she doesn¡¯t know how hard it was to correct the upset. it was not a blessing from god, but he pretended to be a rookie to secretly eat a soul by fascinating a woman, causing a pseudo-wind. as expected, he had an impure intention to imitate god. what¡¯s the point of regretting now? thanks to this, she should have revised the contract more, but she was still angry when she thought about it. ¡°if you do something useless again!¡± ¡°breaking the contract?¡± ¡°it¡¯s my fault to ask such a favor to the devil.¡± now, the contract has been adjusted so that it cannot be used in detail. it¡¯s been quiet since then, but when she saw that sly smile¡­¡­. ¡°yeah, it was good that you didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°arthur will be angry when he sees me appearing like this, right?¡± ¡°if you know, do it quickly and disappear.¡± after several times, she got used to the pain. nox pouted his lips to see if he liked her, who got used to it. ¡°do you know?¡± ¡°what else are you going to say?¡± nox did not give in to her harsh reaction. ¡°i¡¯m lonely.¡± ¡°¡­ what?¡± she asked again, wondering if she heard it wrong. ¡°i¡¯m lonely.¡± ¡°you¡¯ve finally gone crazy. i can¡¯t believe you¡¯re saying you¡¯re lonely. the demons under you will love it if they know.¡± ¡°hmm, you made it like this.¡± he might think she¡¯s fine with it, except for the occasional flirting with her. he was still the same. ¡°find the right woman for you. never in our empire.¡± ¡°that¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°no way. never.¡± nox disappeared after leaving only his firm words to wait and see. somehow, her spine was cool. *** she didn¡¯t have time to see arthur because she was busy for a few days. eventually, he couldn¡¯t stand it, so he sneaked into her room so he could see her face in a week. ¡®he¡¯s been doing pretty things these days.¡¯ it wasn¡¯t light, but it was comfortable to take off if he was going to sleep in her room. she tried to clear her voice by lowering the corners of her rising mouth. ¡°arthur, did you finish everything you were doing? if there is a reason for the disqualification of the empress.¡± suddenly, she remembered what he had done. ¡°if you¡¯re talking about business, i¡¯ve already been engaged to you and i¡¯ve organized things one by one.¡± ¡°when did you do that without saying a word¡­¡­¡± arthur was a villain here. the business he did couldn¡¯t have been right. when she used the business he had done in the imperial palace to deal with those who were against her, she knew everything he had been doing. it was fortunate for her that he organized it on his own. ¡°that¡¯s good. the nobles will give you one thing to bet on and fall on.¡± did arthur think about what would happen? he smiled and laughed at the gaze he stared at as if asking for a compliment. arthur kissed the back of her hand and waited for her, perhaps knowing the meaning of her laughter. his eyes shone in the dark as they did the first time. it wasn¡¯t bad to see him like a beast waiting for food after a long time. ¡°if i hadn¡¯t reached out my hand first that time.¡± the eyes staring at her gently fell down. arthur spoke out as if he were continuing her words. ¡°we wouldn¡¯t have faced each other like this.¡± ¡°do you mind if you lose everything you have?¡± if he comes by her side, he has to live for her. the position of the grand duke disappears and he becomes the empress of a country. he has lived to win the heart of mary. but, if she thought about it, isn¡¯t it too sad? ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter. because i¡¯ve only hoped for what¡¯s next to me after winning your heart.¡± arthur¡¯s soft voice tickled her ears. he covered her eyes and kissed as if not to think about anything else. she felt the body temperature intact. when she closed her eyes and left her body to arthur¡¯s lead, she wrapped his back and pulled his hair back. she feels this every time she kisses him¡­¡­. ¡°you¡¯re so good.¡± he was exceptionally skilled today to move on smoothly to the next action in this situation. she got grumpy and bit arthur¡¯s lips. ¡°ugh!¡± getting up from her seat and going to bed, she looked at arthur and nodded. ¡°it was good because you were skilled, but now that i think about it, i feel bad.¡± ¡°don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gotten better at it?¡± ¡°well, how much we¡­¡­.¡± hearing arthur¡¯s words, her face became red. it was because everything that arthur had done so far passed by. arthur, who was looking at her like that, kissed her lips once more and left the room. leaving her as it is, her whole body was heating up and she fanned herself in the heat. Chapter 163 forgiveness (6) eventually, she couldn¡¯t say no. while walking side by side in the garden, she did not talk about anything else. arthur drew a smile on his face one after another to see if he was satisfied with it. she could feel arthur¡¯s hesitation as if he was carefully trying to hold her hand in case they walked for a long time. ¡°unlike you.¡± she couldn¡¯t ignore him who was trying to approach her carefully. he would never leave her, and he was the one to wait and wait until she forgave him. eventually, arthur couldn¡¯t hold her hand. even the gaze staring at his hand was constantly drawn, and he struggled to look forward. ¡°your majesty, it¡¯s an honor to see you here.¡± ¡°that¡¯s what i mean is what i¡¯m saying. i¡¯m glad to see your majesty like this.¡± perhaps because the weather was excellent, the imperial palace was boring or taking a walk, but she faced a group of princes. at the same time, arthur¡¯s expression hardened. arthur¡¯s hand, which had hesitated, grabbed her hand and pulled it toward him. she picked it up and laughed at arthur¡¯s sudden change of attitude. ¡°no matter how much you call yourself his majesty¡¯s fianc¨¦e, how dare you hold hands.¡± prince harmon, who showed his unpleasant expression, sarcastically told arthur. arthur closed his lips tightly to see if she even intended to respond. looking back, she could see prince persen also together. ¡®you must have known i¡¯d come out.¡¯ she thought it was persen who made the work. she said while still looking at them. ¡°i guess you didn¡¯t learn proper etiquette in the prince¡¯s kingdom.¡± prince harmon¡¯s face heated up red. he must have been embarrassed to hear that she is indifferent because she did not let go of the hand even though she faced them and showed politeness. ¡°grand duke arthur, next to me, is also a prospective candidate to become an empress as my fianc¨¦. but did you, who came to become a consort, insult the grand duke?¡± for a moment, she felt the air frozen around her. the expressions of the other princes behind prince harmon also looked distorted. those who agreed were no different from harmon. ¡°ha, but! isn¡¯t there a rumor that you¡¯re breaking the engagement? no one doesn¡¯t know that you are in an unstable relationship. isn¡¯t it your intention not to have arthur viblant next to you which is why the empress seat is empty?¡± intention. persen closed his eyes and narrowed his forehead at sedor¡¯s words, who seemed to be trying to help harmon. but that guy appears to be quite smart. ¡°how dare a prince try to understand the lord¡¯s will of a country¡­¡­.¡± ¡°that¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°you deserve to know the level of the kingdom of herpondia.¡± ¡°your majesty!¡± shaking his hand in disgrace, sedor bit his lips tightly. the other princes, who were watching quietly, began to talk to her one by one as if they were telling on him. ¡°your majesty seems to know so little about that grand duke.¡± when she glanced at arthur, she saw him with an expression of ignorance. ¡°i don¡¯t know arthur?¡±¡¯ instead, it was them who did not know her and arthur properly. ¡°what¡¯s something i don¡¯t know?¡± as soon as she finished talking, the princes began to say what they had been through. from letters from unknown sources to information about themselves, they seemed to be praising at first glance, but it was more of a threat when opened. he was warning them to return with their weaknesses. their doubts were reasonable. even though she was so meticulous that she thought arthur did it. she laughed at the details that were written in particular to the extent that he saw through weaknesses and the privacy of the princes in each country. ¡®i thought you were quietly jealous.¡¯ she raised her hand holding arthur and said. ¡°can¡¯t you tell when you see this? grand duke arthur viblant will be my empress.¡± ¡°that kind of thing!¡± ¡°we¡¯ll pretend we understood. i¡¯ll do my best in the imperial palace so that you can go back tomorrow.¡± the princes, who looked puzzled as if they had nothing to say, turned around without hiding their anger. persen approached her and bowed his head to greet her. ¡°i¡¯m glad it went well. then i¡¯ve done my job, so i¡¯ll trust you and step down.¡± at persen¡¯s words, she turned her head and looked at arthur. ¡°how long did you think i¡¯d be watching others cling next to you?¡± arthur¡¯s words made her realize that she was completely caught up in his plan. she laughed with despondency. she looked at the hand holding arthur. *** ¡°hold on!¡± ¡°are you taking it out now?¡± arthur shook his head stubbornly while holding both hands. seeing him smile awkwardly while looking at her underneath made him feel better. ¡°otherwise, do you not like this position? ¡°mary, that¡¯s not it¡­¡­.¡± ¡°it¡¯s not bad to have a great ball on top at this time.¡± in an instant, he turned and fell back. her body touched the blanket with a fluttering sound. ¡°¡­¡­really you.¡± ¡°don¡¯t they say they¡¯ll give you a chance? i mean to you.¡± ¡°but this is still¡­¡± ¡°i want to give you the seat of the empress you wanted. what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°mary.¡± ¡°are you saying that you¡¯re going to be inside and outside with me now? we¡¯ve shared too much to do that.¡± she reached out and untied the button that was well locked on his shirt. ¡°the gaze you stare at in the dark like this.¡± ¡°hah¡­¡± ¡°arthur¡¯s breathing whispering in my ears.¡± ¡°oh, wait!¡± arthur hurriedly grabbed her hand. she warmed his mouth as if he was disappointed because his hand was caught facing downward to release the buckle. she acted more and more mischievous at his sudden cute behavior. Chapter 164 forgiveness (7) she slightly raised her upper body and buried her face on the back of arthur¡¯s neck, which was revealed, and licked his skin with her tongue. she bent her knees at arthur¡¯s flinching reaction and poked at his bulging place. ¡°however, people have legs.¡± arthur¡¯s face turned red, unable to hide his embarrassment. she rubbed his knees there without stopping. it was arthur, who hurriedly pulled back. ¡®because this is not the case.¡¯ she didn¡¯t miss it, wrapped her hand around his neck, and pulled it toward her. she licked and pulled his lips through the overlapping lips. eventually, when arthur¡¯s mouth opened, her tongue slid through his teeth and slowly dug through his mouth. when arthur¡¯s hand, which was standing still, was placed on her chest, he hugged her waist and eventually stretched out with his tongue stirring inside. ¡°well.¡± arthur¡¯s hand slowly swept up her thighs on her calves when a peculiar nasal sound leaked out of her mouth. she breathed in and gulped without realizing it when he dug into a more sensitive place. arthur rose up, grabbed his legs carefully, and slowly kissed him from his calves. there was a strange feeling of excitement at the way he looked at her. is it because of the flesh she hasn¡¯t seen in a long time? or is it because of her heart that decided to forgive him and keep him by her side now? each and every action and breath of him drove her crazy. she felt nervous about his careful behavior. he touched sensitive places as if he had already seen through all parts of her body. arthur¡¯s caress kept twisting her body and covering her mouth because of the groans that burst out. her hair quickly stuck to her face because of her sweaty body. arthur¡¯s hair fluttered between her fingers. ¡°¡­ah!¡± arthur¡¯s head slightly tilted back as she gripped her finger. his adam¡¯s apple, which was seen along with the thick neckline in sight, fluttered. arthur¡¯s waist moved hard with a downward gaze. her whole body heated up, and something as hard as digging into the vagina pushed in. ¡°haah.¡± holding arthur¡¯s solid back, she crossed her legs as if hanging on to him. because of its closer body, objects that felt hot from the inside dug deep. she felt a heavy pain deep in her stomach. arthur kissed her forehead, gently flipping her hair back. when arthur moved his waist, her body shook up and down without stopping. ¡°i wanted to hug you when you wanted to.¡± arthur, who turned her upside down as he took his breath, whispered as he put her hair back to one side. when his breath hit the flesh, her body shrank by itself due to tickling. arthur slowly kissed her back from the back of his neck and examined her reaction. ¡°every day i waited for the day to you see me and forgive me.¡± ¡°¡­arthur.¡± ¡°so don¡¯t think about falling asleep easily today.¡± ¡°hah¡­¡± when he rubbed the part where his long fingers popped out, a moan burst out. arthur persistently asked if she was thinking of solving the wounds he had received from her. a little rougher than usual, yet gently, he made her impatient. ¡°hang in there a little bit more.¡± when he pressed her upper body with one hand, it became an awkward posture for anyone to see. arthur smiled as if satisfied, grabbed her waist, and moved his waist. arthur¡¯s pen*s, that was pushed inside, stimulated the inner wall as if expanding his territory. her body trembled with the sticky sound explicitly filling the room. arthur would leave her with a warning that she might have to rest in bed for a day, but stuck deep inside from behind her. the wrinkles on the inner wall of the vagina stretched with arthur¡¯s p*nis in her. ¡°hmm, umm, umm¡­¡­.¡± whenever her smooth skin caused friction, she got goosebumps all over her body. she can¡¯t pull herself together. she could get used to arthur¡¯s stuff, but it was too big again every time she did it. perhaps because of the raised posture of the hip, it was deeper than usual. thanks to the excitement that did not go away, the liquid continued to flow vigorously. the head was tilted back naturally, and the hand holding the blanket put strength into it. ¡°ah, ah, ah, , wait¡­ man! ah!¡± she has been confused by arthur¡¯s genitals digging into the body. she could feel arthur looking down from the back. she felt a strange sense of obedience because she was never located below him. it feels different. somehow, she wanted to be dominated in bed. and arthur was fully satisfying her needs. as much as she wants, no more than that. ¡°mary¡±. arthur¡¯s voice was soft despite his beastly gestures. her body trembled at the voice sticking to her ears as if to seduce them sweetly. ¡°ahh, ahhhh!¡± she struggled to hang on to arthur and cried. tears are about to pour out. ¡°mary, mary, mary.¡± arthur kept calling her name in her ear. watching where the moan erupted, he smiled and gently stroked her back. ¡°was your back this sensitive?¡±¡¯ she focused everywhere arthur¡¯s fingers were facing. maintaining a close distance close to touching, he slowly moved up and down on his back curve. ¡°hmm, hmm.¡± her mouth automatically made a sound in her mouth. by the time she got used to the ticklish yet strange stimulus, a bursting sound that didn¡¯t fit the atmosphere rang out. ¡°ha!¡± at that moment, her butt was burning as if it were on fire. ¡°well, now what?¡± but she couldn¡¯t say anything in a strange sense. good. her mouth opened so wide that she thought she was a pervert. something popped in her head when she felt a sensation that she had never felt before. she turned her slowly creaking head back and looked at arthur. he looked embarrassed and lost what to do, perhaps because he thought she was shocked. ¡°no, again. do what you just did.¡± arthur¡¯s mouth slowly went up when he found her sparkling eyes. recognizing that she had wanted it, he raised his hand with a look of momentum and hit her butt once more strongly. arthur was a man who learned ten when he taught one. at the same time as he hit, he raised his back with the momentum of putting his roots in. ¡°ah!¡± she responded with a breathtaking struggle. beyond ecstasy, she felt like all her nerves had become sexual. it heated up and burned as if it would be ash at any moment. in the tightly coupled area, a liquid that may be hers or arthur flowed down. Chapter 165 forgiveness (8) she thought they should try more in the future. she even wanted to bring out arthur¡¯s inherent power. ¡®what if everything they do is good?¡¯ what are we worried about? if they like it, they can do it more and more often. starting tomorrow, she vowed to work hard on political affairs and on bedroom affairs. ¡°if there¡¯s anything you want to do, try everything.¡± ¡°i allowed it.¡± arthur¡¯s eyes flashed like a beast. he leaned slowly and lightly licked his lips with his tongue. it was the eyes of an animal shining in the darkness she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. before hunting, he lowered himself like a beast and slowly tied her up. trapped in his solid arms, she turned around and hugged arthur with an expression of hope that he would devour her. arthur pushed her as if he had endured something from the beginning to the end without giving her a chance to rest. and really, she couldn¡¯t get out of bed the next day. yesterday¡¯s incident caused two major things to happen to the imperial palace. one was that arthur would ascend to the position of empress, and the other was that the humiliated princes returned to their home country in great anger. thanks to this, she was sitting face to face with fredio, who is very angry now. ¡°say your complaint. don¡¯t be in a hurry.¡± she tapped the table and said. the former was initially set, so there was no problem. fredio also wanted the empress¡¯s seat to be filled quickly. ¡°what did you do¡­¡­.¡± fredio handed her a letter. there was a content full of anger that could not endure shame, and she could even estimate who sent it without seeing the sender. ¡°they told me first, so i just told them straight.¡± ¡°but i¡¯ve said this all the time. if they cooperate and welcome the empire¡­¡­.¡± ¡°is there no problem if that¡¯s solved?¡± fredio¡¯s eyebrows were slightly heard after reading her relaxed expression. she didn¡¯t expect it from the beginning, but¡­¡­. ¡°do you think i acted without a way to respond?¡± ¡°your majesty. of course, the arpen empire will not be shaken by the kingdom. if the story floats outside, the people will be very anxious.¡± there was nothing wrong with what he said. she shook her head as if she agreed. ¡°so let them shut up on their own.¡± ¡°have you read the last sentence?¡± ¡°yeah, you can see it. a threat that doesn¡¯t even seem to mean going to war.¡± she stood up from her seat while looking at the letter. first of all, she thought of something to do first. ¡°don¡¯t worry. no one will be against arpen.¡± fredio left only words he couldn¡¯t understand and left the audience. she felt sorry when she remembered the prime minister¡¯s image washing his face with a devastated look. *** ¡°nox.¡± returning to the room, she summoned him. it could have bounced once, but nox immediately appeared. ¡°come on, sign it.¡± as soon as he prepared for this again, he pushed the contract. ¡°a contract as soon as i see it¡­¡­.¡± ¡°didn¡¯t you agree on the conditions verbally?¡± ¡°good.¡± she sat down and read the contract he gave her and went down. it was a contract that was not difficult. she looked satisfied with the neat content with only what she needed. ¡°you can¡¯t defend yourself with the devil.¡± ¡°hmm. who is going to be in the honor of the country? i feel a little bad.¡± ¡°it¡¯s natural that no one can be friendly to the country that the devil protects, right?¡± this should not cause the arpen empire to lose money. nox narrowed his forehead with her determined words. ¡°they will call you a god. now that you¡¯re coming down here only as a legend about divine beings, hide your identity.¡± ¡°do you want me to follow the beat of humans?¡± ¡°it¡¯s simple. as long as you don¡¯t reveal yourself.¡± as if one can hear voices from the sky. just a little smoke is enough. ¡°i don¡¯t think it¡¯s that difficult. you don¡¯t have to be bothered either.¡± nox rolled his eyes as if he was a little worried about what she said. to be honest, there was nothing to lose even if nox thought about it himself. ¡°if you want.¡± nox nodded as if he were being generous. the contract stated that the cycle of taking her soul and others were silent about the agreement. ¡°if i don¡¯t call you, don¡¯t show up except on a fixed day.¡± ¡°don¡¯t you think my daily life will be too boring?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t think i have to pay attention to that.¡± even if he continued to show up, there were only more things to care about. moreover, arthur wouldn¡¯t have liked it. nox¡¯s stay with her meant that something came and went with her. ¡°you don¡¯t want arthur to know?¡± ¡°then you¡¯re going to watch it secretly.¡± ¡°we need to add a clause. you seem to have a bad habit.¡± in the end, she was exhausted thanks to quarreling and coordinating the contract. nox and her, who eventually found a compromise with an exhausted look, dramatically signed the contract. ¡°this isn¡¯t a bet.¡± ¡°i¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°remember, you and i are equal contractors.¡± nox nodded as if he knew. then, he suddenly reached out and put his hand toward her heart. ¡°ugh.¡± she was breathless and suffocated, and her eyes were dark. ¡°oh, i forgot one thing.¡± when he quickly pulled out his hand, she breathed again. she gasped as if she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°it¡¯s going to hurt this much.¡± in his hand, there was a round light that overflowed with silver. the moment she saw it, she noticed it was part of her soul. ¡°it¡¯s that easy to get out?¡±¡¯ with an unknown feeling, she placed her hand near her heart. was it because of the feeling that she wouldn¡¯t be running? badump. badump. fortunately, the heart was still beating hard. ¡°taking a little soul won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°¡­ it comforts me, too.¡± ¡°arthur is okay now, right?¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll put the power on him while he¡¯s sleeping.¡± nox swallowed her soul in his hand and warmed his mouth. she instinctively hugged herself with both hands. ¡°don¡¯t worry. i won¡¯t touch you except for the set amount.¡± ¡°that¡¯s a relief. i think i¡¯ll need help sooner or later, so i¡¯ll start as soon as possible.¡± ¡°what?¡± ¡°what do you mean? pretending to be a rookie.¡± she accepted the contract and shook his hand. ¡°i think something happened, can i help you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­i don¡¯t think you need to step out yet.¡± ¡°something is urgent, so you¡¯ll have to get the beat right away.¡± nox¡¯s grim smile was uneasy, but she couldn¡¯t afford to care about him. it was clear that the nobles who heard rumors about the upcoming imperial meeting would complain. ¡®this will give me a headache.¡¯ knock, knock. ¡°your majesty, you have to attend the meeting.¡± at the right moment, she got up from her seat and sighed at the mayor¡¯s voice. as more people had to fight, she had to stay alert. *** Chapter 166 forgiveness (9) everyone sat around the table and gathered their heads. no one wanted war. however, opinions were more divided than expected. ¡°it¡¯s a challenge to the arpen empire.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right! we have to catch it early. how dare they!¡± some aristocrats are angry at their provocations, while others are. ¡°you have to soothe it. even if the empire wins, there are more than one or two things to avoid.¡± those who opposed it made sense. instead, she was close to the other side. she doesn¡¯t want war, and this is because she thinks there¡¯s no need to bleed unnecessarily. ¡®i didn¡¯t think it would be reckless enough to say that i would start a war by building veins immediately like this.¡¯ it was a pity that the prince of a country was so foolish. ¡°first of all, why don¡¯t you suggest negotiating?¡± the prime minister interrupted and said. she doesn¡¯t know what to ask for, but it was the most peaceful way for now. ¡°what are you going to do if they want something that¡¯s not right?¡± ¡°shouldn¡¯t we listen to it first?¡± if she was thinking of using this as an opportunity to achieve what she wanted, she had to know the purpose. it is subsequently subdued. ¡°you don¡¯t have to bow first in the empire!¡± ¡°but what would you do if war broke out like this?¡± ¡°does it mean that the arpen empire will collapse?¡± watching this, she pressed down on her throbbing head and said. ¡°first of all, let¡¯s send a negotiator to hear what they want.¡± ¡°your majesty!¡± ¡°duke, are you saying that we should go to the country right now?¡± ¡°it¡¯s not that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°the barbarians won¡¯t do that either.¡± silence lingered for a moment, and they looked at each other and soon recalled whether there was any other alternative. when the nobles agreed one by one, the clerk quickly began to organize the documents. ¡°how are we going to decide who will go to the negotiation?¡± ¡°first of all, it may be dangerous, so i¡¯d like to receive applicants.¡± ¡°are there any volunteers?¡± who would apply when they might have to give up their lives? ¡°if you succeed, you will get a reward accordingly.¡± ¡°you can write down that you will make a reward that you won¡¯t be disappointed with. if there¡¯s someone who wants to go.¡± only those who are greedy and courageous will apply. and the consequences must also be endured by the decision itself. ¡°is there anything else to do?¡± the nobles agreed as if they didn¡¯t have to worry. it was an opinion that they would harm the people of the empire. she was indeed a little anxious, but there was no other way. and she heard a voice from the sky at the perfect timing. she thought the light was shining toward the imperial palace and soon headed to her. surprised, the nobles opened their mouths and looked at her. ¡°god will bless mary anastasia of the arpen empire from now on. the divine power flowing through her body has brought me out, which is why the arpen empire will be safe under my protection.¡± ¡®you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡¯ it was enough to pretend to match the rhythm, but nox grew the scale as if looking at it. she smiled brightly and calmly shrugged at the nobles. ¡°if there¡¯s god¡¯s protection, wouldn¡¯t other countries not be able to touch it thoughtlessly?¡± it became bright like a halo behind her. ¡°stop it.¡± that day, the arpen empire was in a frenzy. the people cheered, saying that the emperor, blessed by god, appeared. rumors spread quickly. there was a hassle of having to select because people for negotiations said they would go everywhere. eventually, a negotiating team of excellent talents went to countries around the world. ¡°mary.¡± she heard a welcome voice next to her leaning against the chair with a tired look. arthur¡¯s face staring at her from the door looked shaded. ¡®did you notice?¡¯ but she won¡¯t say anything that she admits. it was a site that arthur knew, too. nox and him are the ones who signed the contract before her. ¡°next month. when this is over, i¡¯m going to hold a ceremony for the empress.¡± ¡°mary.¡± ¡°through this, the arpen empire will get what it wants. if the people live a better life, isn¡¯t it a good choice as the lord of a country?¡± certainly, arthur¡¯s face looked better than what he saw the previous day. it is clear that nox has taken action against him. ¡°it¡¯s a relief that your face looks good.¡± ¡°mary.¡± ¡°stop calling my name. you¡¯re going to wear it out.¡± arthur caressed her cheek and bowed his head. his eyes were a little red because he knew what she gave to nox. she held arthur¡¯s hand without saying a word. ¡°it¡¯s okay, this is also my choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°this is why we have nothing to pay back to each other.¡± so she didn¡¯t want him to waste his time hurting her. what he did to her and what she¡¯s done to him. ¡°everything will end well.¡± ¡°i will.¡± arthur hugged her and gently patted her on the back. she leaned comfortably with her eyes closed for the first time at his touch. as one wishes, without any complicated thoughts or calculations. *** as expected, the situation was favorable to the empire. the kingdoms spared themselves because they thought they might be punished for starting a war in a blessed yard. ¡°take care of me like this, even sending a bribe.¡± the corners of her mouth were raised on the items of the kingdoms that were piled up. when she saw arthur staring at her, she thought he was cursing inside, but she ignored it. since she turned the devil into a god, he may try to rebel because it is not enough to swear with his eyes if others know. ¡®you have to be determined to die.¡¯ fortunately, no one noticed, so it¡¯s a relief. nox will not commit evil, so there will be no trouble with anything else. those who went to the negotiation showed her the documents saying that it was resolved well. ¡®they won¡¯t forget today¡¯s humiliation.¡¯ unfortunately, however, she will remain strong until the end. that¡¯s how she ended up doing it. ¡°your majesty, we have not only the goods from the kingdom, but also the opportunity to exchange advanced technologies in each country.¡± ¡°the people will like it.¡± ¡°it¡¯s a good thing to experience the culture of another country.¡± instead, she understood their anger and decided to show a little consideration. they decided to grant them one thing they wanted. it was decided to meet each other¡¯s needs by trading legitimate trade and necessary goods. as a result, it was good for both empires and kingdoms. ¡°since you¡¯ve had a hard time, i¡¯ll give the prime minister a few days off.¡± ¡°can i do that?¡± ¡°well, his absence doesn¡¯t mean that the country won¡¯t work, so wouldn¡¯t it be okay?¡± fredio¡¯s mouth caught in her ear. he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement from the vacation he hadn¡¯t had in a long time, and he looked at her with teary eyes. ¡®i don¡¯t think he was like that in the beginning¡­¡­.¡¯ she thought the work had been arduous. she¡¯s sure the cause will come out as a result. ¡°if something urgent happens, you can call me.¡± ¡°i hope that won¡¯t happen.¡± how long has it been since he solved a big problem? she patted his shoulders a couple of times as if not to worry. it seemed like he didn¡¯t trust her, but¡­¡­. after this incident, not only the nobles but also the servants of the imperial palace changed their view of her. she used to smile awkwardly, feeling guilty inside. *** Chapter 167 forgiveness (10) ¡°what do you think? i did a good job, right?¡± as always, he appeared through the window and told her while feeling the wind. it became a set date and took advantage of arthur¡¯s absence. still, she wasn¡¯t happy to meet him. except for what he sometimes does even though she didn¡¯t order it. nox magically created rain when the people said it was hard because it wasn¡¯t raining, perhaps because his work suited him. not enough, but she heard cheers everywhere, saying that god bless her. it wasn¡¯t just that. ¡®he even pretended to be sent from the empire to fill his own self-interest in other kingdoms.¡¯ because of that, she doesn¡¯t know how hard it was to correct the upset. it was not a blessing from god, but he pretended to be a rookie to secretly eat a soul by fascinating a woman, causing a pseudo-wind. as expected, he had an impure intention to imitate god. what¡¯s the point of regretting now? thanks to this, she should have revised the contract more, but she was still angry when she thought about it. ¡°if you do something useless again!¡± ¡°breaking the contract?¡± ¡°it¡¯s my fault to ask such a favor to the devil.¡± now, the contract has been adjusted so that it cannot be used in detail. it¡¯s been quiet since then, but when she saw that sly smile¡­¡­. ¡°yeah, it was good that you didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°arthur will be angry when he sees me appearing like this, right?¡± ¡°if you know, do it quickly and disappear.¡± after several times, she got used to the pain. nox pouted his lips to see if he liked her, who got used to it. ¡°do you know?¡± ¡°what else are you going to say?¡± nox did not give in to her harsh reaction. ¡°i¡¯m lonely.¡± ¡°¡­ what?¡± she asked again, wondering if she heard it wrong. ¡°i¡¯m lonely.¡± ¡°you¡¯ve finally gone crazy. i can¡¯t believe you¡¯re saying you¡¯re lonely. the demons under you will love it if they know.¡± ¡°hmm, you made it like this.¡± he might think she¡¯s fine with it, except for the occasional flirting with her. he was still the same. ¡°find the right woman for you. never in our empire.¡± ¡°that¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°no way. never.¡± nox disappeared after leaving only his firm words to wait and see. somehow, her spine was cool. *** she didn¡¯t have time to see arthur because she was busy for a few days. eventually, he couldn¡¯t stand it, so he sneaked into her room so he could see her face in a week. ¡®he¡¯s been doing pretty things these days.¡¯ it wasn¡¯t light, but it was comfortable to take off if he was going to sleep in her room. she tried to clear her voice by lowering the corners of her rising mouth. ¡°arthur, did you finish everything you were doing? if there is a reason for the disqualification of the empress.¡± suddenly, she remembered what he had done. ¡°if you¡¯re talking about business, i¡¯ve already been engaged to you and i¡¯ve organized things one by one.¡± ¡°when did you do that without saying a word¡­¡­¡± arthur was a villain here. the business he did couldn¡¯t have been right. when she used the business he had done in the imperial palace to deal with those who were against her, she knew everything he had been doing. it was fortunate for her that he organized it on his own. ¡°that¡¯s good. the nobles will give you one thing to bet on and fall on.¡± did arthur think about what would happen? he smiled and laughed at the gaze he stared at as if asking for a compliment. arthur kissed the back of her hand and waited for her, perhaps knowing the meaning of her laughter. his eyes shone in the dark as they did the first time. it wasn¡¯t bad to see him like a beast waiting for food after a long time. ¡°if i hadn¡¯t reached out my hand first that time.¡± the eyes staring at her gently fell down. arthur spoke out as if he were continuing her words. ¡°we wouldn¡¯t have faced each other like this.¡± ¡°do you mind if you lose everything you have?¡± if he comes by her side, he has to live for her. the position of the grand duke disappears and he becomes the empress of a country. he has lived to win the heart of mary. but, if she thought about it, isn¡¯t it too sad? ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter. because i¡¯ve only hoped for what¡¯s next to me after winning your heart.¡± arthur¡¯s soft voice tickled her ears. he covered her eyes and kissed as if not to think about anything else. she felt the body temperature intact. when she closed her eyes and left her body to arthur¡¯s lead, she wrapped his back and pulled his hair back. she feels this every time she kisses him¡­¡­. ¡°you¡¯re so good.¡± he was exceptionally skilled today to move on smoothly to the next action in this situation. she got grumpy and bit arthur¡¯s lips. ¡°ugh!¡± getting up from her seat and going to bed, she looked at arthur and nodded. ¡°it was good because you were skilled, but now that i think about it, i feel bad.¡± ¡°don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gotten better at it?¡± ¡°well, how much we¡­¡­.¡± hearing arthur¡¯s words, her face became red. it was because everything that arthur had done so far passed by. arthur, who was looking at her like that, kissed her lips once more and left the room. leaving her as it is, her whole body was heating up and she fanned herself in the heat. Chapter 168 side story 1 (1) her busy daily life continued to tighten her breath. there was an endless crowd of things to deal with, and it was very worrisome to meet the needs of other countries. she looked at the documents piled up on the desk stiffly. at this point, she can¡¯t even imagine what she¡¯s thinking. knox, who was still looking at her, gestured the documents into the air and looked at them. ¡°it¡¯s distracting.¡± what? i¡¯m just asking you to do something like this.¡± she frowned at knox, waving her hand. ¡°of course you are.¡± if he doesn¡¯t tell her, who will he tell? this seat was initially such a place. however, she couldn¡¯t help but select because she couldn¡¯t listen to everything that had to be selected. three times a week, they unconditionally gathered with the family members and went through meetings on the people¡¯s suggestions. of course, the correspondence that came up to her went through several times, but the amount did not decrease much. not only the people, but also the complaints of other countries and the gods¡­¡­ she was so short of even two bodies. of course, the prime minister fredio also struggled until the morning and was away for a while. even so, she went to the ministry of foreign affairs to review the letter to be sent to other countries. ¡®i¡¯m tired, i¡¯m tired.¡¯ was it greed? there was a lot of friction because she tried to change a lot. she missed arthur now that complaints piled up because she couldn¡¯t enjoy her honeymoon properly. ¡®what am i going to do?¡¯ thanks to being so busy, it seems like it¡¯s been a week since she last saw arthur¡¯s face. she knocked on the desk, and knox classified the paper according to the beat and quickly came to her and handed out a document. ¡°what¡¯s that?¡± her eyes stayed at the end as she was reading the documents knox gave her. when she raised her eyes and looked at knox, he looked like a child. ¡°just select a representative for each country.¡± ¡°should i?¡± it was a fascinating proposal. nevertheless, what she couldn¡¯t approve immediately was¡­¡­ if there are a representative, they may have to face knox. because she didn¡¯t trust knox completely. ¡°i don¡¯t think anyone is qualified.¡± knox touched his chin and said slowly, perhaps because he felt her suspicious gaze. ¡°why don¡¯t you have it? you know, like a representative of god. isn¡¯t it easy to make a temple?¡± temple? god¡¯s representative? she thought it was a pretty good thing to say, and there was something she wanted. ¡°a temple with a devil theme?¡± ¡°who turned the devil into a god and made him defend the empire?¡± ¡°that¡¯s it. no more.¡± ¡°if you¡¯re worried about that, why don¡¯t you use my hands?¡± knox turned around and spread his hands to both sides. at the same time, five handsome young men appeared and bowed their heads to me. ¡°ta-da, my present.¡± ¡°¡­calling in the devil? are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°don¡¯t just be angry like that, think about it. they are children who are moved by contract anyway. that they would not harm people.¡± ¡°if i were to¡­¡± ¡°i¡¯ll kill you.¡± the faces of the five were brutally distorted. knox smiled brightly without caring about those staring at her from behind. * ¡°so did you get a response from that person?¡± fredio looked at the expectation. it¡¯s just a revelation of god for him who doesn¡¯t know knox¡¯s existence. if he had known knox¡¯s presence, he would never stay still. falling down on the sofa with a tired look, she shook her head. fredio¡¯s face showed signs of disappointment at the action of not hearing anything. she can¡¯t leave it all to him no matter how hard it is. she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so she threw away a pile of documents and headed to her room. fredio, who became teary, tried to follow her, but even that was stopped by her hand. ¡°don¡¯t follow me. if you do, the day might be a week.¡± ¡°you¡¯re too mean!¡± ¡°you got rid of everything that was urgent. should i really watch myself fall down and call a doctor?¡± ¡°¡­¡­you don¡¯t even faint.¡± after signing a contract with knox, her body became ridiculously healthy. it was all thanks to knox¡¯s magic, but the problem was that everything became superior. although she was tired, her physical strength improved so much that she didn¡¯t get tired easily. ¡°uselessly.¡± she was so healthy. * she couldn¡¯t pass it today. as soon as she finished her work, she headed to the room where arthur was waiting. it was late, so as she carefully opened the door and entered, she saw arthur lying in bed and sleeping. when he sat on the bed and flipped his messy hair back, his forehead narrowed slightly and she tried to pull her hand off. ¡°isn¡¯t it too late today?¡± arthur¡¯s cracked voice resonated softly in his ears. ¡°are you awake?¡± she patted his face gently. as his long eyelashes slowly climbed up, arthur¡¯s eyes looking at her came into her eyes. when she faced arthur¡¯s half-asleep eyes, she felt that the day¡¯s hard work was washed away. hugging her waist, burying his face in her arms, he murmured. ¡°you¡¯ve been so busy these days that i¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°¡­i thought of that, too.¡± she tried to find a way to work with them every day, but they didn¡¯t come out. this was because outstanding talents were selected. she suddenly thought of that. how about having a child who resembles arthur? at the same time as she thought, she spit it out. ¡°i want a child who looks like you.¡± ¡°merry, are you serious?¡± arthur looked up and looked at her. his eyes were shaking quite a bit. she nodded her head gently. it¡¯s something she¡¯s been thinking about over and over again. the arpen empire has now regained peace, and there has been nothing urgent for the time being. ¡°so, work harder from today.¡± she climbed up, pressing arthur¡¯s hard thighs with her hands. the shirt, which was not even shredded, opened up, and his eyes went straight to the temple. ¡°it means there¡¯s no chance once or twice.¡± tuk. when she touched arthur¡¯s lips with her finger, it opened as if she had waited. she bowed her head and pushed her tongue through arthur¡¯s open lips. she wrapped arthur¡¯s tongue deep and pulled it. with warm body temperature and saliva entangled, her breath became rough. Chapter 169 side story 1 (2) ¡°ha.¡± arthur¡¯s eyes filled with her groans that were sighed out. his rigid arm held her leg and pulled it close to her. ¡°tomorrow¡¯s schedule is empty.¡± ¡°it¡¯s good to hear that.¡± the corners of her mouth rolled up at arthur¡¯s honest answer. arthur¡¯s lips, smiling after her, formed a cave, and her fingers suddenly dug into his clothes. ¡°hmm.¡± ¡°we have a lot of time, so let¡¯s enjoy it slowly.¡± relaxed, she swept his thigh with his finger. the lips overlapped again with the bent eyes at the gaze they faced. arthur slowly rubbed her skin as if savoring it. she let myself be possessed by his touch. arthur was not in a hurry to get what she wanted. even with her anxious touch, he quietly maintained his pace. ¡°well.¡± she leaned down and blew the wind into arthur¡¯s ear. watching arthur flinching and reacting, she bit his earlobe slightly. she didn¡¯t like arthur who kept calm. ¡°don¡¯t pretend to be relaxed¡±. it¡¯s not here. she pointed down arthur with her hand and made an arrogant look. arthur¡¯s eyebrows wriggled slightly, and soon he loosened his expression and pulled her waist. at the same time, there was a sense of alienation in the parts that were in contact. swee-chuck. the heat quickly went up at the sound of clothes hitting each other. she leaned back slightly and stood up. ¡°ugh.¡± arthur bit his lips tightly and grabbed her thigh hard. she thought she would let it slide because it was hypothetical to try to hold back the groan that was about to leak out, but she was in a hurry to do that. shaking his back slightly, arthur couldn¡¯t stand it and slipped his hand into her slip. arthur, who looked like he was about to collapse at any moment, was sexier than she had imagined. arthur, who held her ample chest, fell with weight on her. ¡°sigh.¡± when the hot breath touched the body, the legs were closed. the leg, fixed to arthur¡¯s hard waist, soon opened at once by his touch. arthur, who slid down at once without hesitation, buried his face in a secret place. her back was fluttering with his tongue moving around like a storm. covering her mouth with the back of her hand, she grabbed arthur¡¯s hair and pulled it harder. ¡°don¡¯t rush me. i¡¯m not going to sleep anyway and do it all the time.¡± ¡°you¡¯ll have to take responsibility.¡± she answered by barely connecting words that were not properly spoken. the heat went up where arthur¡¯s wet and hot tongue passed by. arthur tormented her by persistently sticking to her sensitive places as if obsessed. she reached out and grabbed him like scratching his waist. ¡°you¡¯re the one who started first.¡± ¡°arthur, you have to end it.¡± arthur clenched her shoulder and bit it and whispered in her ear. ¡°don¡¯t look forward to the end. i don¡¯t know the end either.¡± like this. she exhaled at his bulge digging down. he came deeper than usual because she accepted arthur immediately while being hugged. she got goosebumps from the bluntness and thrill. she hung on to arthur and swallowed her groans and called his name. ¡°arthur.¡± ¡°now you¡¯re calling my name.¡± with one stroke of arthur¡¯s waist, she spit his name out. arthur¡¯s throat trembled at her thirsty voice as if longing for something. it was peeled off, but the clothes flowed down and got caught. arthur glanced at her flesh slightly revealed through the clothes as if savoring it. he put his hand through the open clothes and grabbed her swollen chest. a strong moan broke out because he held it tightly. ¡°ha-ang!¡± at arthur¡¯s gesture her back shook obscenely. arthur¡¯s forehead was naturally distorted at the entrance that tightened. feeling sorry for him, biting his lips and holding his rough breath, she put her hand around arthur¡¯s neck and bit his earlobe well. ¡°uh.¡± her body flinched and shrank when she licked arthur¡¯s ear as if she were comforting him gently with her tongue. she didn¡¯t stop and headed down on the neckline. she stopped at the collarbone, buried her nose in her goal, and breathed heavily. the subtle body odor from him was raising the excitement even more. arthur, who was looking at her with her teeth stuck in his hard shoulder and left a trace, put his hand on her lower hip, fixed it, and began to move up and down. ¡°ha, ah, ah!¡± she groaned roughly, breathing heavily. the thick, hard penis pierced into the barrel as if it were hitting down from the top, and escaped. arthur lifted her lightly and piston her. the creaking sound and the sound of liquid meeting filled the room and disturbed the ears. ¡°as expected, you like this place.¡± arthur pierced inside her vagin*. hanging from arthur¡¯s neck as if pleading, her toes shrank with pleasure. thinking that he could move her body enough with one hand, he brought the other hand to the swollen red clitor*s and rubbed it. when he slowly rubbed her clitor*s with his fingers and caused friction, her back shook automatically. at its peak, the urge vibrated rapidly. ¡°aaaah! ah, ah!¡± the pain that had already flowed down wet the bed sheets, but water leaked out of the entrance endlessly. goosebumps appeared on his skin and his body trembled. ¡°where¡¯s the relaxation from before?¡± he swirled around as he violated her and moved violently inward. ¡°ah, arthur.¡­.¡± her vagin* sucked arthur¡¯s penis as if adsorbing it in the dizziness of pleasure. the twisted buttocks opened and flooded in endlessly with the body temperature that touched it intact. arthur¡¯s neck trembled like longing. a rush of heat engulfed arthur and his body was drenched in sweat. the bed¡¯s soft mattress shook by the body¡¯s movement and made a sound. ¡°call your name and i will do what you want.¡± arthur whispered low in her ear and stared at her still. and when his name came out of her mouth, he poked her back in hard as if he had waited. ¡°ah! sigh! yes!¡± she had to call arthur¡¯s name all night to get what she wanted that day. Chapter 170 side story 2 (1) ¡°do you have to go?¡± fredio crumpled his face in her words. she snorted at fredio, who said he had to do what was appropriate for a day off. ¡°i disapprove.¡± ¡°yes, i can¡¯t either.¡± as soon as she suddenly goes to the office, she has to go undercover in another country. fredio didn¡¯t care about her grumpy face. he stared at her with a determined look, put down the relevant documents on the desk, and turned around to leave the office. ¡°are you trying to disobey the emperor?¡± ¡°we do not obey unreasonable orders.¡± ¡°¡­fredio.¡± ¡°yes, your majesty.¡± fredio, who turned his head and looked at her, looked determined in her threats. she eventually opened the document because he threatened her, saying he would quit if she didn¡¯t like it. a list of items needed for trade was listed along with simple rules. ¡°do i have to go there myself?¡± come to think of it, it was ridiculous. isn¡¯t the diplomat below going to trade with other countries? she didn¡¯t even say she¡¯d go ahead and hide it. where is the emperor going herself? after getting up from her seat while squandering her desk, she saw the last sentence on the document and quietly sat down. ¡°¡­¡­talented. i picked a good person.¡± she¡¯ll apologize for swearing as if she were going to kill him just now. she began to prepare for latent action with a changed face. of course, she didn¡¯t have anything else to do because fredio had prepared everything in advance. ¡°thanks to you, i¡¯ll get some points.¡± she was excited to think of arthur¡¯s happiness. * everything is good. why is this guy going too? she saw knox sitting opposite her with a distorted face. she thought she would go along with arthur in the carriage, so she thought about a lot of things to do.¡­. ¡°what about you?¡± her heart was expressed as it was, but he didn¡¯t care. arthur also stared at knox and weighed on his lips, wondering if he had the same idea as her. ¡°you¡¯ll need me.¡± ¡°so, give me a valid basis.¡± knox crossed his legs and nodded his face sideways with an arrogant expression. then silver powder flew around him, and soon familiar children appeared. ¡°what? why did you bring him?¡± ¡°i think i need it.¡± knox brought the fairies, or monkeys she had seen before. not just one person, but three people. ¡°didn¡¯t you have a hard time killing each other?¡± ¡°we¡¯ve never been on good terms.¡± she kicked her tongue low. at the same time, the bellial flying to her stuck to his face and rubbed it. ¡°mary! i missed you! smells good! smells good!¡± exactly. ¡°hey!¡± ¡°away.¡± when knox bumped his finger, the bellial fell off and rolled on the floor. arthur hurriedly wiped her face with his hands and was wary of bellial. with a hurt look, bellial sat on her lap and grunted. ¡°i¡¯m not saying i¡¯m going to eat her soul. what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°your intentions are impure.¡± knox squinted when bellial chatted back to knox. at the same time, bellial dug into her arms like hiding. ¡°stop it, what are you doing making a fuss in the carriage? and you brought them.¡± she showed her palm to knox and sanctioned him. of course, it was true that the meeting with them was not very pleasant, but it has already passed, and maybe it will help this time. ¡°but don¡¯t ever get caught who you are.¡± no one should ever catch an empire protected by demons. they know that she is protected by the gods, but if it ever becomes known that they are demons¡­¡­ ¡°mary, don¡¯t worry. we won¡¯t get caught in front of anyone else!¡± ¡°you can¡¯t be greedy for people¡¯s souls either.¡± disappointed wings were visible, but what doesn¡¯t work is what doesn¡¯t work. even if it goes wrong for other citizens, war will be inevitable. ¡°more than anything else, there¡¯s no escort that¡¯s as good as me.¡± as she glared at knox without answering, he bluntly talked about his merits. ¡°you may go unnoticed, and if you do, you have the power to kill everyone, deceive people¡¯s eyes, and make them unable to see you.¡± ¡°is that good?¡± ¡°i think it¡¯s suitable for stealth.¡± she and arthur were nervous, but she couldn¡¯t refute it. as knox said, it was difficult to hide his good skills and performance in stealth. ¡°please don¡¯t make any trouble.¡± ¡°that¡¯s what i¡¯m going to say, mary.¡± she was at a loss for words due to knox¡¯s attitude, she interrupted the conversation by waving her hands, and she started talking with arthur. they used to ignore knox as if he were not thoroughly present. * Chapter 171 side story 2 (2) ¡°you¡¯d better look around the city first.¡± knowing the culture of other countries first will make it easier to present goods to trade. arthur shook his head as if he accepted what she said. ¡°knox and you guys hide and find out what¡¯s here and there from now on.¡± ¡°let¡¯s follow the headquarters.¡± ¡°mary, mary. will you give me an award if i get good information?¡± the monkeys flew around her with anticipated eyes. she nodded small as soon as she was contemplating. well, it wasn¡¯t hard to win an award. the monkeys, who were happily climbing up the sky, quickly scattered and disappeared. ¡°mary, do i have one?¡± knox twinkled his eyes and hinted. she let out a small sigh and shrugged. ¡°you promised.¡± ¡°if it¡¯s something i can give you.¡± arthur hurriedly shook his head holding her hand, but at that time, knox had already disappeared. she regretted it belatedly because she thought it was a mistake. can¡¯t she pick up the words she spit out and put them in? ¡°would you like something different?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°it¡¯s okay, i have an idea.¡± arthur chewed his lips as if he was anxious about what she said. she reached out and smiled, gently sweeping arthur¡¯s lips. ¡°arthur, if your lips bleed, i can¡¯t stand it.¡± arthur tilted his head sideways as if he couldn¡¯t understand her. ¡°i¡¯m very curious about what kind of expression you¡¯ll make if i bite and wash your painful lips.¡± a vein bounced on the back of arthur¡¯s hand, holding her hand. seeing arthur¡¯s gulping in his throat, she laughed lowly. ¡°so i want you to refrain for me.¡± ¡°i see.¡± ¡°wouldn¡¯t both be in trouble here?¡± when people pointed their heads at the city where they were coming and going, arthur¡¯s face quickly became clear and heated up. as expected, he was a fun man to tease. ¡®i don¡¯t think so, but i¡¯m very shy about things like this.¡¯ well, it¡¯s nice to be different when the two of us are together. ¡°then let¡¯s go, arthur.¡± she grabbed arthur¡¯s hand and smiled brightly. ¡°honey.¡± arthur¡¯s eyes shook vigorously. it seems that he was quite shocked by the words that came out of her mouth, that never once called him honey. arthur, who was hardened like a stone, creaked up and came to her. ¡°what are you doing?¡± ¡°it¡¯s a good word to listen to.¡± she approached arthur¡¯s words and hugged him and looked up at him. ¡°well, i don¡¯t think this would be bad.¡± indeed, she felt like she was speaking informally to him after a long time. it was the same for arthur, pulling her waist and drawing a deep smile. ¡°shall we go?¡± ¡°let¡¯s go there first. i think it¡¯s a pretty good thing for trade.¡± when she came to other countries, there were many beautiful artworks and various things to see. embroidery techniques and paintings that were not present in the arpen empire were quite visible. furthermore, she was busy drawing admiration for the well-groomed natural scenery. ¡°we¡¯d better take a leaf out of this.¡± pretty trees were seen here and there, perhaps because they were well versed in gardening. she went around the market making meticulous records. ¡®it feels like i¡¯m on a honeymoon.¡¯ she felt like an ordinary couple at this moment, so it was different and nice. it was unimaginable when she was an emperor. ¡°mary, i think this will look good on you.¡± arthur pointed to the hairpin on the stand and told her. it was a colorful pin decorated a male blue butterfly flower. ¡°isn¡¯t it too fancy?¡± ¡°nothing else seems normal compared to you.¡± wow. her hands and feet almost disappeared now, but she felt good. she ended up buying a lot of things from arthur¡¯s words. ¡°don¡¯t you think i bought too much?¡± ¡°it¡¯s okay. i paid for everything with my own money.¡± she stopped laughing at arthur¡¯s dignified words. * ¡°it¡¯s a pity that i couldn¡¯t see the scenery.¡± returning to the accommodation, she returned to her original state. inwardly, arthur asked me to call him one more time, pulling his waist and squeezing him. ¡°mary, please call me one more time¡±. ¡°what are you talking about?¡±¡± ¡°¡­honey.¡± she shook her head, pushing arthur¡¯s chest as if teasing him. ¡°look at what you do. shall we sort this out first?¡± as she fluttered through the hand-written list, arthur lifted her up silently and laid her on the bed. arthur, who climbed on top of her, overlapped her lips, grabbed her hands and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°i think the order of work has changed. your majesty.¡± ¡°hmm, didn¡¯t the work of the home country come first?¡± in her calm voice, arthur pulled her clothes down through his mouth and turned his head left and right. ¡°your majesty seduced me first outside.¡± arthur stuck out his tongue and licked her lips. blood seeped through the slightly open soft lips. in the end, she couldn¡¯t resist arthur¡¯s temptation and swallowed his lips. Chapter 172 side story 3 (1) it was the moment arthur went down and took a bite of her ample chest. in an instant, arthur reached out and pulled the blanket to cover her body. ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡± arthur got up from bed and growled low toward the window. ¡°oh, sorry. i didn¡¯t mean to disturb you.¡± knox smiled awkwardly as he slowly appeared. taking care of her outfit, she stared at knox with an angry look. ¡°there¡¯s something difficult behind me.¡± ¡°something difficult?¡± when she asked back with a frown, knox pointed back and shrugged. arthur, who felt his presence, stood in front of her. ¡°you dragged him all the way here without taking care of him?¡± at arthur¡¯s words, knox scratched his head and shrugged. he didn¡¯t seem to like it that he didn¡¯t do it even though he could handle it on his own without dragging him here. ¡°i thought it would be a war if i took care of it.¡± at that moment, the door opened and people poured in. confused, she, knox, and arthur¡¯s eyes turned to one place. people in uniforms with swords came out and came to arthur to block knox. ¡°dangerous! he¡¯s an unidentified person.¡± ¡°who are you to say that?¡± she and arthur did not understand this situation. what was embarrassing was that knox looked at her and winked, perhaps the same. ¡°is that idiot caught by people?¡±¡¯ ¡°we have been ordered to escort her majesty the emperor of the arpen empire.¡± ¡°how?¡± fredio definitely told her it was a latent act. even on the document, it clearly said ¡®subtlety¡¯. if he didn¡¯t cheat on her, how can she explain this situation? ¡°did you know i was coming from the berederik kingdom?¡± ¡°yes, that¡¯s right. he told me to escort you are not disturbed.¡± it¡¯s clear that fredio cheated her. looking at the uniforms they wore, the sentences of the berederik kingdom were embroidered. judging from the situation, the knights of the berederik kingdom still remained vigilant as if they recognized knox as an enemy. she opened her eyes and nodded to knox. she couldn¡¯t do it. knowing who knox is, not only do things go wrong, but it can also work against trade. ¡°he¡¯s my personal escort.¡± she showed them her hand and told them to pull the sword off. knox¡¯s outfit was too much to look like an escort. ¡°i came here knowing that he was following stealthily, so i asked the escort to follow me unnoticed, so don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± only then did the knights of the berrederic kingdom bow to me, putting in a sword. it was inevitable that i had to go to the kingdom immediately. ¡°i¡¯ll just change my clothes and go. can you wait outside for a moment?¡± when she spoke with courtesy, the knights immediately responded. she came out of the quiet room and arthur¡¯s eyes suddenly changed and looked at knox as if he were going to eat him. ¡°what did you do to get caught by the drivers?¡± ¡°i didn¡¯t do anything in particular.¡± knox slowly avoided her gaze and looked elsewhere. he caused an accident. ¡°knox.¡± knox¡¯s body flinched at her low voice. she continued to approach knox, who avoided her gaze and stared in the eye. ¡°if you¡¯re honest, i¡¯ll forgive you.¡± ¡°i just appeared for a moment.¡± ¡°location is important.¡± ¡°¡­party.¡± party? what about parties in other countries? her eyebrows frowned with anxiety. ¡°so, which party?¡± ¡°yeah, it¡¯s my fault. i went into the kingdom¡¯s party for a moment, for a very, very small moment.¡± a kingdom too? is this really crazy? she took the sword arthur was holding before she knew it and put it right away. she gently pushes the tip of the sword with her hand and makes an unfair expression. ¡°i was just watching for a while.¡± ¡°and they followed you?¡± ¡°i was just watching, but it¡¯s not my fault that lady fell in love with me and chased me.¡± she had nothing to say anymore because of that shamelessness. she eventually decided to get something else from knox before she let go of the sword. * she changed her clothes with the knights and headed to the palace. when she accompanied him under escort, her seat was quite recognized. ¡°fredio fooled me.¡± ¡°well, thanks to him, it was safe.¡± arthur calmly accepted the situation. perhaps he expected this to happen because he had guessed his personality in advance. as she entered the palace by carriage, she could see many people waiting to see her. after taking her breath, she got off the wagon and entered the palace with arthur. ¡°welcome, i¡¯ve been waiting for you¡±. ¡°if you had told me earlier, i would have stopped by right away, but i¡¯m sorry for the delay.¡± it was quite grateful that king frederic personally welcomed her. it was to show courtesy for the arpen empire. Chapter 173 side story 3 (2) a banquet with a different atmosphere from the arpen empire unfolded in front of her. she joined hands with arthur and slowly entered the banquet hall. as they entered, a calm performance began. they even provided food and space for us, perhaps because they were considerate more than she thought. as soon as she tried to drink a glass of champagne, knox reached out and stopped her hand. ¡°what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°i think it¡¯s better not to drink that alcohol.¡± ¡°so why?¡± she tried to put alcohol in her mouth by hitting knox¡¯s hand. knox quickly took the glass in his hand, took it into his mouth, and poured alcohol into his mouth. ¡°are you crazy?¡± arthur sat on the sidelines this time to see if he liked knox¡¯s behavior. eventually, she had to finish the banquet without having a drink. * the next day, she neatly arranged her clothes, and when she saw the period, she approached knox and nodded. ¡°what are you doing? hurry up and finish.¡± even in her words, knox stared at me without taking a soul. knox¡¯s gaze, slowly heading downward, soon stopped on the stomach. ¡°what¡¯s with that dirty gaze?¡± ¡°what¡¯s that in your stomach?¡± she couldn¡¯t understand what knox was saying. nevertheless, knox tilted his head sideways with his gaze fixed. she got annoyed and stepped lightly on knox¡¯s foot. ¡°what¡¯s wrong with you? what¡¯s on my stomach?¡± she wondered if he was saying she gained weight or turning around, so she frown and bowed her head and looked at his belly. it was a day to take away the soul, but knox did not intend to take it. i couldn¡¯t understand knox¡¯s attitude. she looked him over with a strange look. ¡°oh, what?¡± knox fell out of her with a tantrum. what¡¯s wrong with him? when she shed her eyes, she turned around and looked at arthur. arthur seemed to look at her and ask with his eyes at knox¡¯s sudden gaze. ¡°i¡¯ll hold it in for a while.¡± ¡°what¡¯s wrong with you? what else are you going to ask for?¡± she pulled knox¡¯s hand and said do it. however, knox only narrowed his forehead and did not take her soul. rather, he calmly told her in a more relaxed voice than before. ¡°don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret later, and listen to me this time.¡± knox got up from his seat, stretched, and headed toward the door. arthur also stared at knox¡¯s behavior to see if it was suspicious. there was no need to ask knox, who said he would not eat, to eat her soul. she just tried to follow the contract, and he didn¡¯t. ¡°where are you going?¡± ¡°because i have to live because of what you¡¯ve done.¡± what she did? knox disappeared without telling her properly until the end. knox, who suddenly disappeared, and the revealed monkeys approached me and looked around with wonder. ¡°wow, what¡¯s up with mary?¡± ¡°¡­¡­where else?¡± she thought knox would take them when he went, but he seemed to have left the monkeys to her to see if she was bothered. she felt tired because she felt like she was raising children. ¡°knox, do you know where he is?¡± ¡°hmm. i shouldn¡¯t have said it.¡± ¡°by the way, mary, you smell different.¡± ¡°different smell?¡± arthur came up to her and took it out of the monkeys. bellial flew towards her stomach. he stared and soon flew up. ¡°another soul!¡± ¡°it smells good!¡± another soul? arthur and her two eyes met unexpectedly. at the same time, her big eyes headed toward her stomach. ¡°no way!¡± the reason knox didn¡¯t take the soul and the other souls the dreamers talked about¡­¡­. ¡°child?¡± arthur stared at her, covering his mouth, wondering if he was overwhelmed. i turned a blind eye to arthur¡¯s gaze for a moment and asked bellial. ¡°belial, can you see another soul here?¡± ¡°yes! i can see it! it¡¯s very small.¡± ¡°knox, the reason why you went somewhere else¡­¡­.¡± ¡°he went to the original place for a while for mary.¡± it was true. she really had a child. she couldn¡¯t believe it, but bellial couldn¡¯t lie to her. with the unfamiliar feeling she felt for the first time, she couldn¡¯t speak for a long time in arthur¡¯s arms and hardened on the spot. ¡°i think i should go back quickly.¡± ¡°fredio will understand.¡± arthur took a list of things he had organized and handed it over to her. after quickly scanning through the neatly arranged documents, she lightly kissed arthur¡¯s cheek. ¡°thanks to you, i can go back quickly.¡± everything needed for trade was perfectly written. arthur and her succeeded in the trade needed for arpen, closer to perfection than expected. even in the kingdom, she was able to finish well without much friction as if she liked the conditions. Chapter 174 side story 4 (1) the ship gradually called in. knox didn¡¯t seem to like the change in her body at first. ¡°don¡¯t look so unhappy. take it.¡± she told knox to take it every day. ¡°do you think i¡¯ll like something with a different soul?¡± she doesn¡¯t know what the difference is, but knox refuses again and reaches out to spread the distance. arthur only stared at knox¡¯s behavior, waiting and seeing if it was interesting. ¡°oh, really! if you have a baby, you¡¯ll get drunk again.¡± ¡°so, why?¡± knox shut up at what she said. he approached her and put his hand on her stomach, bowed his head, and muttered. ¡°move.¡± ¡°what?¡± ¡°i guess knox saw the child¡¯s movement.¡± arthur got up from the chair and hugged her from behind and whispered. he looked straight at the stomach and touched it. ¡®i can¡¯t feel anything.¡¯ even after a few minutes, only the stillness lingered. eventually, she didn¡¯t feel the beginning and had to give up. ¡°so, what happened to the bill proposal?¡± she asked, rummaging through the papers on the desk. fredio and the gassins said she had to rest thanks unconditionally to having a child. eventually, she left her job to arthur, who refused. ¡°regular support for children¡¯s welfare centers has been passed.¡± ¡°hmm, what about continuous interaction with the beretic country?¡± ¡°we decided to host a banquet for exchange every year, and each country¡¯s arts and studies were asked to check their achievements through studying abroad.¡± ¡°what¡¯s the support of the country?¡± she kept asking arthur about work because she was anxious. eventually, arthur hardened his face and nodded to knox. ¡°argh!¡± ¡°if i don¡¯t take care of your soul, you should stay still on your own.¡± ¡°can¡¯t you think of this as more surprising?¡± she jumped and floundered in the air. at arthur¡¯s wit, nox floated her on the bed to take her off the desk. ¡°mary, listen carefully.¡± nox looked at her and arthur alternately, gently put her on the bed, and began to preach with a serious look. ¡°the moment you overdo it because your body is not intact, the child is in danger.¡± at the same time, arthur and her mouth opened. she looked at the stomach with surprised eyes and hurriedly hugged it with her hands. ¡°so take care of yourself.¡± she became an obedient child and immediately shook her head. arthur was also quite surprised, drawing documents and being wary. * ¡°what¡¯s this?¡± fredio shrugged at my question. he brought her all kinds of books, such as ¡®how to do parenting well¡¯ and ¡®how children grow up¡¯. ¡°your majesty, what if something goes wrong because you has no knowledge of the child?¡± ¡°¡­¡­how the hell am i.¡± fredio¡¯s words made her speechless. in addition, she could see other nobles waiting for what they brought. ¡°is it my birthday today?¡± ¡°isn¡¯t it more important than your birthday?¡± ¡°¡­¡­your attitude toward the emperor of this country seems very insufficient.¡± the nobles were busy avoiding each other¡¯s eyes. she thought they were hiding the gifts they brought but smiled awkwardly. ¡°so, what did the lords bring?¡± eventually, she had to receive gifts from the nobles for an hour. most of them were medicines and children¡¯s supplies for physical care. among them were rare items such as jewels. ¡°let¡¯s leave this and use it well in the state.¡± ¡°however!¡± ¡°if that raises my reputation, wouldn¡¯t it be all thanks to you?¡± she conciliated the nobles with smooth words. it was a gift brought for the child, but it was burdensome to receive in kind. once received, wouldn¡¯t everyone else prepare for it? ¡°mary, it¡¯s time to go to bed.¡± ¡°again?¡± arthur helped her and took her to bed. her body got better but she was bored thanks to him who took care of her sincerely, saying that she should eat well, rest well, and not get stressed. whenever she rebelled, arthur would hold her one by one, but today he gave her a children¡¯s book that is popular in the berrederic kingdom. ¡°it¡¯ll be good to read for your child.¡± ¡°you told me to take a nap.¡± ¡°if you read a book, wouldn¡¯t you be sleepy?¡± she immediately accepted it. these days, her stomach has become heavy and she has been drowsy all the time, but especially when she read, she quickly fell asleep. ¡°i¡¯ll be by your side until you fall asleep.¡± at the end of arthur¡¯s words, a cool wind blew from somewhere. when a pleasant scent passed by the tip of her nose at the right temperature, her body relaxed. when she looked up with her eyes up, nox was sending her the wind. he appeared quietly without anyone knowing when he came, creating the best space next to her until she fell asleep. *** Chapter 175 side story 4 (2) ¡°you have to be careful.¡± when she saw yvonne walking around, she was surprised and reached out. fortunately, arthur caught yvonne before she fell and prevented her from falling. ¡°oh, my¡±. she reached out and smiled broadly and opened her arms as she saw yvonne struggling. arthur followed yvonne from behind and was worried that he might fall. she rubbed yvonne cheeks while looking at her safely in her arms. ¡°does it feel good when our yvonne is out?¡± heehee. the laughter of the smiling baby spread in the garden. the little creatures watching yvonne from afar grabbed their heart. ¡°how can it be like this?¡± nox looked at yvonne and turned curiously. yvonne struggled with laughter, wondering if knox¡¯s magic was amazing. surprised, arthur snatched yvonne and locked her in his arms, and stared at nox. ¡°are you crazy? what if you miss your child?¡± she thought nox was playing with her, but it didn¡¯t seem so to arthur. arthur, who is more unusual than her, put yvonne on the floor and held hands. ¡°bba-bba!¡± yvonne reached out and looked up, holding arthur¡¯s leg. arthur sat down and hugged yvonne as if his heart was hurting at the sight. ¡°arthur, she can¡¯t breath.¡± ¡°mary, i am worried that my child is just like you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes?¡± black hair like darkness and silver eyes. contrary to her wishes, as arthur said, she gave birth to a girl who looked just like her. arthur said he didn¡¯t know what to do when he heard that the child born was a woman, perhaps because he wanted a daughter. and as one can see, arthur became a fool for his daughter. suddenly, flowers fell from the sky. yvonne¡¯s face was full of curiosity, and soon she shook her body as if excited and tried to reach out and hold the petals. nox continued to show what would interest the child, and whether yvonne¡¯s reaction was very satisfactory. thanks to this, mary was able to relax in the garden. ¡°your majesty!¡± fredio ran from afar and waved. mary had to frown looking at the documents in his hand. ¡°can¡¯t you wait for me to leave?¡± ¡°i know what you mean, but i¡¯m not here for work.¡± fredio said with a straight face and proudly reached out and handed over the documents. when she opened the document with a somewhat displeased face, she could see that it was designated as a national holiday. she was satisfied with the day that was named after yvonne. ¡°it passed without any complaints or objection.¡± she knocked on fredio¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡®good job¡¯. at the same time, fredio¡¯s eyes turned to yvonne. she called yvonne¡¯s name while playing with arthur because she wanted to give him a prize. ¡°mama! blue!¡± referring to fredio¡¯s blue hair, yvonne has been walking around. thanks to nox¡¯s watching, arthur stared at yvonne¡¯s walking. ¡°princess, do you remember me?¡± fredio bowed down and showed courtesy with a tearful look as if he was touched. yvonne, who stretched his fingers and squeezed them, suddenly grabbed fredio¡¯s hair. everyone was embarrassed for a while, but fredio gave up his hair with a nice smile. ¡°wow! blue!¡± yvonne played with fredio¡¯s hair for a long time. fredio¡¯s head, returning after greeting mary, looked like a mess. ¡°don¡¯t hide there and come out.¡± mary spoke to the little creatures watching secretly in the grass. everyone poured out as if they had waited and stared at yvonne with a sparkling look. they exclaimed at each of yvonne¡¯s actions as if they were audiences. watching, she felt the wind as she saw the peaceful appearance. ¡°mary, it¡¯s still windy.¡± arthur took off his jacket and put it on her shoulder. as he stared at yvonne, who was playing with the gasin while hugging softly, he bowed his head and kissed her head slightly. ¡°still, i¡¯m glad that my child grew up bright.¡± ¡°well, will there be anything unfortunate here? no one hates yvonne.¡± she wanted her to grow up in love. mary hoped that she would be a child who shines even at a glance with the love of everyone. and as she wished now, no, as she and arthur wished, yvonne was a child who shone just by her existence. may she grow up healthy without losing that light. hoping to be a child who can return the love she received as it is, arthur and her stared at each other, holding hands. it couldn¡¯t have been a happier day. t/n: thank you everyone fo reading and supporting us.