Chapter 9

— Knock, knock.

Alice knocked on the door of the office with a slightly nervous face.

She was inwardly surprised at the butler’s words that Edwin was in here even at this hour.

‘Does he even sleep?’

Even Alice, who didn’t know much about the duties of a family head, knew to some extent that the workload wouldn’t be small for the Esteban family, which managed a vast territory. But she hadn’t expected him to be working from the break of dawn.

Less than three seconds after she knocked, the door opened.

Dressed comfortably in a white shirt, he looked perfect. Seeing him, Alice smiled awkwardly and greeted him.

“G-good morning.”

‘Does this greeting fit the situation right now?’

Looking at it outwardly, she wondered if it was appropriate to greet someone from a bereaved family like this.

But making her worry meaningless, Edwin smiled.

“Yeah, good morning.”

It was a calm and composed face, no different from usual, but there was an air of distinct pleasure that she had come to find him first thing in the morning.

That emotion was conveyed to Alice as well.

Almost swept away by his atmosphere, she swallowed her bewilderment.

‘Looking at him at times like this….’

Doesn’t he look just like a pure young man in love?

She suddenly felt as if she were having a daydream where everything was her imagination.

“Come in and sit down.”

At Edwin’s words, Alice snapped back to reality and recalled whose office this originally was.

And where its previous owner was right now.

‘Suddenly it got cold….’

There was no spookier fact than this.

Entering the room, Alice hurriedly handed him the letter.

It was a letter from the Imperial Family that she had received in her room before coming here.

Edwin, sitting elegantly on the sofa with his legs crossed, began to slowly read the letter she handed him.

The letter stated that the Crown Princess investiture ceremony would be held soon, so she should come up to the capital quickly.

‘It seems unlikely Edwin can go up to the capital since he’s busy with family matters alone….’

Alice glanced at him with a worried gaze.

‘He won’t lock me up here, right?’

Recalling what Edwin did to Michael in the original work, Alice keenly observed Edwin’s mood.

No one would want to live confined by someone else.

‘Is it really true that Edwin likes me?’

Before reflecting on the original work, she asked a fundamental question. The very fact that Edwin confessed he liked her was suspicious.

That was how unreal and surreal his confession felt.

‘A man who looks like he wouldn’t bleed a drop even if pricked with a needle….’

No matter how kindly he treated her, she was someone who had already witnessed through dreams how cold a person lay beneath his kindness.

But Edwin likes me?

‘Is it a lie?’

She suspected it might be a lie, but there was absolutely no reason for Edwin to lie to her like that.

Unknowingly observing Edwin closely, Alice ended up meeting his eyes.

Startled, she slowly moved her gaze from his smooth cheek to his lips.

Sculptural and beautiful, yet blood-red lips opened slowly.

“I’ll tell them to prepare for your departure.”

She might see Edwin again at the investiture ceremony, but the fact that she wouldn’t see his face until then felt strangely unfamiliar.

“…Okay. Then take care, Edwin.”

At her bidding farewell, Edwin raised an eyebrow.

It was the moment she was about to leave the office, having missed his expression as she stood up from the sofa.

“Alice.”

At his call, Alice, who had placed her hand on the doorknob, stopped. A chilly gaze pierced the back of her head.

She turned her creaking body to look at Edwin. Edwin still hadn’t erased his smile, but she didn’t want to know the meaning behind that smile.

“Are you planning to leave me here and go alone?”

“Huh? That’s because Edwin is busy….”

Naturally, she thought he wouldn’t follow her to the capital as he had to handle the duties of the family head.

“So you’re saying it’s not because you want to shake me off.”

“That is….”

Alice pondered his words for a moment. Did I want to be away from Edwin?

It was true that meeting his gaze was hard because his eyes were scary, but she didn’t particularly feel like she wanted to distance herself.

However, misinterpreting her prolonged silence, Edwin’s smile began to fade coldly.

The heart that had been elated by the fact that she came to find him in the morning felt like it was falling into an abyss of unknown depth.

Because she was pondering seriously, she didn’t notice his change and tilted her head.

‘It’s not like I specifically tried to shake Edwin off.’

The moment she raised her gaze to answer, Edwin was already right in front of her.

She flinched and stepped back, but the door was already blocking her way behind.

“Uh, Edwin?”

“I wanted to return as much as I received….”

Edwin said. At first glance, it was quite a heartwarming conversation, and the voice of the speaker saying those words was seductive enough to make one blush.

“Does Alice dislike that?”

But his eyes.

His eyes looking down at her were dark and rippling with obsession.

Alice quickly took action at the alarm bell ringing in her head again.

She grabbed his arm abruptly.

“Then do you want to go together? I really thought you were busy.”

Why am I explaining this?

Alice was utterly bewildered.

Just listening to the conversation, didn’t it sound like she was deliberately trying to dump Edwin?

Even Edwin seemed to have thought so; his gaze looking at her looked somewhat hurt.

She initially thought it was her delusion.

“If you aren’t busy, do you want to go with me?”

At Alice’s question asking as if to confirm once more, Edwin’s atmosphere softened like melting snow.

Alice swallowed a sigh inwardly.

‘Anyway, it’s better for me if we go together.’

Thinking of the attack on the carriage, it was safer to have Edwin by her side. Alice smiled awkwardly, thinking that what’s good is good.

 

***

 

Kaden was surprised by Edwin’s words that he was going up to the capital.

However, Edwin was already fully dressed in his coat and adjusting his tie for the last time.

“But the succession of the family head hasn’t finished yet; wouldn’t it be better to go after that is done?”

“I will receive the approval for succession directly from His Majesty.”

“The family affairs that had been piled up… are finished.”

Kaden had nothing particular to say to the new family head who said he was going up to the capital after finishing his work.

Even he himself had neglected his duties due to the shock of the Duke’s death, whom he had served, but to think the son who lost his father had finished the work so swiftly.

Kaden was deeply impressed by Edwin’s appearance of thoroughly separating public and private matters.

“It must have been a difficult workload to finish in a few days; that is impressive.”

Even for Edwin with his outstanding work ability, the workload received upon newly ascending to the position of family head didn’t feel small.

However, he was able to finish it because he had predicted a day like today would come.

Namely, the day Alice would receive the Imperial summons and go up to the capital.

To finish the family affairs before that day came, Edwin had worked staying up all night for several days.

Because he couldn’t neglect the family affairs and follow her.

Moreover, the day might come when the reputation of the ducal family would be used for her.

Edwin was moving thoroughly in a direction where she could ascend to the throne smoothly and possess solid power.

Neatly adjusting his blue cufflinks and looking down outside the window, he spotted Alice taking a walk.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, Alice, with time left before the carriage departed, was sitting on a swing in the garden.

She was watching bees attracted to the flowers fully bloomed in spring.

“They are really diligent… Ena, they are trying to gather honey, right?”

“It must be the busiest time right now. They need to gather food in advance and diligently prepare food for the Queen Bee to eat.”

“If I were a honeybee, I don’t think I could do that….”

Perhaps because of the memories of only working in her past life, Alice was now fed up with work. Playing and eating as a jobless person was the best, indeed.

“Then you would have to starve to death.”

“How can you say such cruel words?”

“No, I mean if you became a honeybee…. There’s no way you’ll become a honeybee, My Lady.”

Ena grinned at her. But Alice couldn’t smile at her laughter.

The fact that she would be formally invested as the Crown Princess in a few days was heavily burdensome. And if she became the Crown Princess….

‘It won’t be any different from the plight of this honeybee.’

She had never conducted state affairs, but she could easily guess that the amount would be immense.

“Are you really going to follow me, Ena?”

“Yes.”

“Why? The Imperial Palace might be dangerous for you.”

“My thoughts changed after staying here.”

Ena said to her with a serious face. Alice also waited for her answer, tense along with her.

Was there an unavoidable circumstance for choosing to go to the Imperial Palace where life was at stake, leaving behind her warm home here?

“It’s too boring here.”

“…?”

“It’s so boring and tedious I feel like dying. I’d rather have a turbulent and fun time in the Imperial Palace even if it’s dangerous before I die.”

Alice was at a loss for words at her answer. What am I hearing right now.

“And there are many handsome people there too….”

Ena slipped out her true feelings. Alice had no choice but to admit her words. Then they must go….

 

***

 

“Your Majesty, have you been well?”

“It’s been a long time since the Grand Duke’s side asked to see me. Hoho.”

The Emperor welcomed the Grand Duke who came for an audience with a smile. However, the Emperor’s gaze looking at his nephew was full of disapproval.

When will I be able to remove that annoying fellow. Tsk.

The Emperor didn’t want to admit that the Grand Duke was more talented than him. But in reality, every business and diplomacy the Grand Duke touched succeeded, and his popularity was deepening accordingly.

There was plenty of room to shake the current Emperor’s existence. So the Emperor had long thought about finding a way to prevent the Grand Duke from stepping into the center.

“I heard a story about a gold mine business just now….”

The Grand Duke opened his mouth immediately.

He said he discovered a good mine with a gold vein, but lacked the means to transport the gold. The Grand Duke asked if the Imperial Family could help with that.

“If Your Majesty approves, I will discuss the profit distribution with the Minister of Finance.”

“It’s not a bad proposal.”

The Emperor thought while drinking tea. Although his mind became hazy due to the tea mixed with drugs, even judging with such consciousness, the proposal in front of him wasn’t bad.

The Grand Duke nodded and stood up from his seat with a neat attitude.

“And Your Majesty, that area is probably close to the Esteban territory. Could you discuss it well with the Duke who is newly succeeding this time on my behalf?”

“I will think about it.”

“Thank you. Your Majesty.”

The Grand Duke bowed his head and tried to leave the audience chamber. However, he brought up a story as if something suddenly came to mind.

“Ah, and… according to rumors heard there, a Holy Knight is staying in the Esteban territory.”

“…Hmm, a Holy Knight? It’s fascinating since it’s not even the pilgrimage period.”

The Emperor thought while drinking tea.

Cases of Holy Knights being out were rare except when high-ranking priests went on pilgrimage.

“I heard they are protecting a person with holy power….”

The Grand Duke said while holding the doorknob of the audience chamber and opening it.

“Since there are always many groundless rumors among people, it is fine to just let it flow in one ear and out the other. Your Majesty, then I will take my leave.”

 

***

 

Unlike when returning from the temple to the Imperial Palace, there were no suspicious approaches to Alice’s carriage throughout the return to the capital.

On the relatively smooth road, Alice forgot her worries for a moment and looked out the window.

This was possible because Edwin, who usually read books in the carriage, closed his eyes with a slightly tired look today.

If she had gone all the way to the capital receiving Edwin’s gaze inside the carriage, it would have been an awkward and difficult journey for her.

However, there was a minor problem.

Alice pondered what to do with the spirit stone vibrating slightly in her bosom since earlier.

‘It’s annoying, should I just throw it away?’

The thought even occurred to her to just return to the temple and give it back to Evan.

Then the spirit stone vibrated even louder as if rebelling against her thought.

‘Okay, okay. I won’t throw you away.’

She muttered inwardly just in case, and the vibration decreased deceptively. Alice was certain. This stone could read her thoughts.

Certain of that, she wanted to throw it away even more. How many people in this world would want to meet an existence that can read their thoughts?

Thinking she couldn’t even imagine wicked things freely made her a little uncomfortable.

Alice quietly pondered again how to dispose of this spirit stone.

[I won’t read! Don’t throw me away!]

Then, a ringing child’s voice from inside the spirit stone hit her ears.

‘You already read it. But who are you?’

[…I am a spirit of wind.]

‘Name?’

[None. Call me whatever you want if you need to.]

‘Then I’ll call you Stone.’

[No.]

‘Why did it say call it whatever I want?’ Alice thought it was a truly picky stone.

[Beware of the one in front of you.]

‘Why? Stone.’

[…Don’t call me that. That guy almost killed me.]

‘When?’

As soon as she asked, a memory was injected into her head.

And the event at the banquet came to mind. Specifically, when she infused magic to reveal the authenticity of the spirit stone.

When she was about to be swept away by the spirit stone’s wind, Edwin stepped in and placed his hand on the spirit stone. But in the injected memory, a scene she hadn’t seen at that time was discovered.

Black smoke came out of Edwin’s hand in the memory, and soon it seeped into the spirit stone.

Alice had simply thought at the time that he suppressed the power of the spirit stone.

[Fortunately, a person with holy power later breathed life into me so I could live. If it had been a little later, I would have been annihilated.]

‘Hmm, I see.’

Anyway, if Edwin hadn’t taken action due to the gust, additional damage could have occurred.

Perhaps because of that, she could only think it was self-inflicted.

[It’s not just me. Before that, even the people in the white castle almost all died.]

‘White castle?’

Alice tilted her head.

White castle, does it mean the Imperial Palace?

But the Imperial Palace was closer to ivory with a sky-blue tint rather than white.

[In the language of humans there, they called it the temple.]

‘Even the people in the temple almost all died…?’

Alice looked at Edwin’s peacefully sleeping face.

Black eyelashes hung long on smooth, white skin.

He looked like a beautiful painting depicting a fallen angel.

He still hadn’t noticed the conversation between her and the spirit.

‘Tell me the story in detail.’

[I don’t know the details either. I only overheard the conversation between flowers and trees.]

As if searching its memory for a moment, the silent spirit spoke again.

[If I eat something delicious… I might remember more.]

‘What? What does a spirit eat?’

[Bring me dew formed on grass leaves at dawn.]

You’re doing all sorts of things.

Alice seriously pondered how to dispose of this spirit stone. The spirit caused a strong vibration as if rebelling against it, but Alice ignored it and tucked it into her bosom.

The carriage was passing through the gates of the capital before she knew it.

Her body became drowsy from the spring breeze coming through the crack of the carriage window, and she closed her eyes for a moment.

And not long after, she opened her eyes in an unfamiliar space.

The floor touching her skin was cold and freezing like ice.

It wasn’t her room. She quickly realized that where she was now was inside a dream.

‘Where is this?’

The light was dim so she couldn’t see well, but the stone floor was rough and cold. She soon discovered iron bars.

It was a prison.

“Prison?”

She banged on the iron bars for a while asking to open up, then realized it was futile.

In the first place, the iron bars weren’t locked. Debating whether to leave like this, she slowly moved her steps.

Even though it was a dream, she didn’t want to stay in this cold and chilly space.

The structure of the prison was extremely large and complex. It was hard to find the exit even after walking for a long time.

“Kyaaaak!”

Walking for a while, Alice flinched at the screams of people heard through the prison window.

With a nervous face, she stood on tiptoe and thrust her face into the small window next to her.

Soon her blue eyes widened uncontrollably.

“…Gasp!”

The scenery outside seen through the small window was, in a word, hell on earth.

The sky was full of black clouds, and everything beneath was a sea of fire.

At the sight of black fire flickering, Alice trembled in fear. Even knowing it was a dream, she got goosebumps from the vividly felt heat.

‘What is going on?’

Belatedly, she discovered blood on her body. However, her body was fine without a single wound.

“Why am I looking like this….”

Alice couldn’t understand. She continued walking to find the exit, and finally found a door leading out of the prison.

No, there was a steel door broken as if it had long lost its use to be called a door.

It looked like the steel door was broken by tremendous force, so Alice came out of there with a strangely pale face.

Outside was even more horrific than seen through the window.

Living people were screaming to be saved with faces drenched in pain, despair, and fear.

Dead people were dried up like mummies, making it hard to predict what they looked like when alive.

As if their life force had been drained.

‘Life force drained?’

It was a story that gave a sense of déjà vu for some reason. Come to think of it, couldn’t Edwin’s power take away people’s lives?

As that thought occurred, her steps became incomparably bolder than before.

Although it was hard to see ahead due to the flickering black and red fire energy, this place was definitely the capital.

And at that moment, a scream asking for help was heard again. Unknowingly, Alice ran toward it. Then a familiar back came into view.

In front of a person crawling on the floor and screaming, stood a man, aloof and elegant.

“Edwin?”

Alice called him with a face saying ‘no way’. And the moment he turned around.

“Alice. Alice!”

“Gasp!”

Because someone shook her shoulder, Alice could wake up from the dream. Her heart was pounding.

“Edwin….”

She blinked slowly and looked at the person who woke her up. Red eyes were holding her with a worried light.

Although the appearance was the same as the person seen in the dream, it was a completely different person.

Looking at those eyes with bewilderment, she fell asleep again.

 

***

 

 

Alice fell severely ill with a fever after arriving at the Imperial Palace. She had caught a severe cold, just like the one she had 10 years ago.

 

Naturally, the Crown Princess investiture ceremony was postponed to a later date.

 

Ena, wiping the sweat off Alice as she lay in bed, sighed deeply.

 

“A cold in this weather… just what have you been doing, My Lady.”

 

“I don’t know… it’s bothersome.”

 

Alice answered almost mumbling, finding it hard even to speak. Her mind was hazy due to the fever.

 

The Evans couple had visited a little while ago, perhaps having heard the news that she was bedridden.

 

“What on earth is the cause?”

 

Ena asked the imperial physician who had just entered, with a face that couldn’t understand at all.

 

At the question that gave a sense of déjà vu, the imperial physician broke out in a cold sweat.

 

“Uh… shouldn’t you be lying in a sickbed too, doctor?”

 

Ena said. His haggard face looked like he might collapse at any moment.

 

Somehow his complexion was worse than the patient lying down.

 

“I-I’m fine.”

 

The imperial physician barely answered Ena.

 

Actually, the reason for the imperial physician’s condition was entirely due to Duke Esteban.

 

Yesterday, and the day before too.

 

He had been tormented by the Duke continuously. It was hard for an ordinary person to face the vivid murderous intent flowing in his eyes as he grabbed the physician and asked about the Princess’s condition.

 

After that incident, the imperial physician considered resigning for the first time in his 20 years of working in the Imperial Palace.

 

It was because he intuitively felt that if he didn’t save the Princess, he would die.

 

It was just a mere cold, but even a mild illness could go wrong with a very rare possibility.

 

Because of that sliver of possibility, the imperial physician hadn’t been able to sleep for several days, volunteering to nurse the Princess by her side.

 

“It seems she caught a body ache as if a dam collapsed due to accumulated fatigue and stress. For now, the best prescription is to eat balanced meals in a place maintained at a suitable indoor temperature, neither too cold nor too hot.”

 

“Your Highness….”

 

Ena’s eyes reddened at the doctor’s words that it was due to stress.

 

Alice knew it wasn’t because of that, but because the dream she had had a significant impact, yet she didn’t have the energy to open her mouth.

 

The imperial physician staggered out of the room, and Alice fell asleep again. Her face looked peaceful except for her red cheeks, as that had been the last of the nightmares like the previous time.

 

She was sleeping, breathing evenly like a baby.

 

After some time passed, she woke up from the coldness felt on her forehead.

 

It felt as if ice had been placed on her head.

 

Alice’s eyelashes slowly lifted.

 

Her blue eyes, not completely free from drowsiness, held a hazy light.

 

“Edwin?”

 

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

 

The answering voice was indeed Edwin. Perhaps because she had woken from a long sleep, her vision was blurry.

 

“What brings you here…?”

 

Edwin looked at her and slowly opened his mouth.

 

“I just came to see you briefly, so you don’t need to mind me.”

 

At his words, Alice closed her eyes again. But she lifted her eyelids again at the gaze sticking persistently to her face.

 

As Alice struggled to sit up in bed, Edwin quietly watched her actions.

 

Feeling burdened by his gaze, Alice rolled her brain slightly.

 

Her head was heavy like wet cotton, but she barely recalled one thing.

 

“…Edwin, aren’t you busy? You have to receive the formal succession approval from His Majesty too….”

 

“I already received it.”

 

“Ah, I see….”

 

Edwin blinked slowly as if gauging something from her words, then said.

 

“Don’t mind me and sleep.”

 

“How can I sleep when you look at a person like that….”

 

Alice retorted in a sullen tone without realizing it. Then realizing what she had said, she hurriedly checked Edwin’s mood.

 

Of course, he had never been offended by such words, but it was an action akin to the instinct of prey standing before a predator.

 

As expected, Edwin seemed unaffected by her words.

 

Looking at her, he handed her water and said.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“I wasn’t hoping for an apology….”

 

Alice felt her mind clear up a little more as she drank the water Edwin handed her.

 

Thirst kept rising, perhaps because she had woken up after sleeping for a long time.

 

Meanwhile, Edwin recalled the time she lost consciousness in the carriage three days ago at her words.

 

Even with her collapsed with a pale face, the only thing he could do was carry her and move her to the room.

 

Anger surged at his useless self.

 

And he felt helplessness for the first time. He had the power to take life, but no power to breathe life in.

 

Watching Alice lying down, a chilly aura lingered in his chest.

 

Leaving him here alone, what if she just died like this?

 

He even imagined dragging her back somehow if there was a hell, heaven, or afterlife.

 

He couldn’t stay calm like himself watching her sleep.

 

So unconsciously, he placed his hand on her forehead to check if she was alive.

 

Even knowing she would wake up because of him.

 

Only when he discovered a small vitality in her blue eyes did he feel relieved.

 

Unaware of his thoughts, Alice tilted her head at Edwin’s gaze staring piercingly at her.

 

“Is there something on my face?”

 

“No.”

 

“…Then do you have something to say to me?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

It wasn’t like this was Twenty Questions.

 

Alice examined Edwin’s face with a slightly absurd look. Did something happen? But Edwin’s eyes looking at her were endlessly serious.

 

“Don’t die, Alice.”

 

“Huh? Okay….”

 

“If you die, I can’t guarantee either.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Alice couldn’t follow Edwin’s out-of-the-blue words.

 

What can’t he guarantee?

 

“I’d rather turn this place into a real hell than live in a hell without you.”

 

Alice quietly looked at the glass of water in her hand. The words the spirit said came to mind.

 

That the people in the temple were almost all killed if things went wrong.

 

At that moment, a calm ripple occurred in the water glass she was holding.

 

Goosebumps rose all over her body.

 

She realized what the dream she had meant.

 

The dream showed what happened after she herself died.

 

To be precise. It was showing what Edwin did, mistakenly thinking she had died.

 

Because she didn’t die in the dream.

 

The ability had manifested.

 

 

***

 

Not long after, Alice’s health improved rapidly.

 

Along with that, the Crown Princess investiture ceremony approached right before her nose.

 

The day of the Crown Princess investiture ceremony, the biggest event in the Imperial Family next to the Emperor’s coronation and birthday banquet.

 

‘To think my health would improve this much even after hearing Edwin’s threatening nonthreat.’

 

It was her own body, but Alice thought it was fascinating herself. Her body felt light as a feather as if asking when she had been sick.

 

“It seems you take care of your health quite a bit these days, My Lady.”

 

“Huff huff. Got a complaint? Huff.”

 

Alice was out of breath and couldn’t answer properly. Ena, watching her exercise sitting on a chair, shrugged.

 

“I’m saying it’s good to see. I was worried you might turn into a pupa just lying down every day.”

 

As Ena said, Alice’s daily routine was a cycle of three things: bed—meal—bathroom.

 

Occasionally chatting a little if the Evans couple or Edwin came to see her took up most of her movement.

 

However, recently Alice’s daily routine changed significantly.

 

Exercise was included in that routine for the first time.

 

Of course, being a novice at using her body, she was doing jumping jacks, the easiest exercise, but this was a great stride forward.

 

‘Since I found out what that dream was, can I stay still?’

 

If she died before Edwin, something uncontrollable would happen, so it was important to take care of her health in advance like this.

 

“It’s all to save you, Ena….”

 

“You are taking care of your body, My Lady, so why are you saying you’re saving me?”

 

“Anyway, just know it’s like that.”

 

Despite the strange sophistry, Ena nodded saying she understood, and stood up from her seat.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

At Alice’s question, Ena answered.

 

“I’m going to get your decoction to save my life, My Lady.”

 

“Ugh….”

 

Alice wrinkled her nose fiercely recalling the taste of the decoction she was taking.

 

Ena tapped her lady’s cheek as if looking at a cute younger sibling complaining about not wanting to take bitter medicine and said.

 

“You don’t know how terribly the Young Master thinks of you, My Lady. He brought all the highest quality ingredients for the decoction.”

 

Ena looked at Alice as if satisfied with Edwin’s supply offensive. That much made him a decent groom candidate for the lady.

 

‘Though he is a little scary.’

 

Even if he was bloody, Ena concluded that such a man was better than a man who was kind to everyone.

 

Alice couldn’t laugh at her words.

 

Having drunk even the decoction Ena brought, Alice unconsciously reached for a sweet candy.

 

“Uh-uh, you said you’re taking care of your health. You shouldn’t eat sweets if you want to live long.”

 

“I’d rather die.”

 

“Then you said I would die too.”

 

Alice was certain Ena had no clue what she was talking about, but she withdrew her hand from the candy.

 

And muttered lowly.

 

“I need to meet Edwin quickly….”

 

Alice realized it was faster to persuade this side rather than becoming healthy. She pulled the bell rope.

 

 

***

 

 

The Crown Princess investiture ceremony held for the first time in 40 years.

 

The ceremony and banquet held in the 1st Palace were more resplendent and larger in scale than any other Crown Princess investiture ceremony.

 

Alice, attending a banquet without a partner for the first time, rolled her eyes awkwardly.

 

She felt like she was going blind from the colorful, flashy jewels spread everywhere she looked.

 

It was her third time attending a banquet, but it was hard to get used to this large crowd.

 

And the Emperor appeared in the banquet hall.

 

The nobles bowed in silent tribute to the sun, and the Emperor beckoned to Alice with a pleased smile.

 

It was the start of the investiture ceremony.

 

“Isn’t today truly a great auspicious event for the Empire!”

 

The Emperor didn’t hide his joy at his long-cherished wish coming true.

 

Alice stood before him according to the procedure of the Crown Princess investiture as Richet had taught her.

 

Then the Emperor beckoned to the chamberlain next to him. Receiving the signal, the chamberlain brought a glass case covered with velvet cloth with a careful attitude.

 

“Here, Elizabeth. It is yours.”

 

The Emperor revealed his white teeth and pointed to what the chamberlain was holding with a hand wearing several large jewel rings.

 

Alice swallowed a sigh inwardly and slowly approached him.

 

As she ascended the platform, Edwin was reflected in her vision. He was watching what she was doing with a faint smile.

 

‘What is he thinking?’

 

Alice was practically the only person who knew that the ruler of this place was not the Emperor, but Edwin.

 

Ah, maybe Chester already knew.

 

She lifted the velvet cloth, paying more attention to Edwin than her Crown Princess investiture.

 

Then the ring given only to the Crown Princess was revealed from under the cloth.

 

A blue falcon symbolizing the Elgorth Empire was intricately engraved on the ring, and a blue gem was embedded in the center.

 

‘It’s beautiful.’

 

Alice admitted.

 

It was the most beautiful and splendid ring among the jewel rings she had seen.

 

But the color of the gem felt familiar somewhere.

 

However, she could recall without difficulty where she had seen that color.

 

Because it was the color she saw every morning.

 

The gem on the ring was the same as her eye color.

 

It was a subtly different saturation from Karina’s eye color.

 

“The first Emperor discovered a gem resembling his own eyes and made the ring.”

 

The Emperor, who had approached her before she knew it, said looking at her eyes. At the gaze telling her to try it on quickly, she picked up the ring in the glass case opened by the attendant. And slowly put it on her hand.

 

Simultaneously, the nobles raised their champagne glasses and offered a toast for the new Crown Princess.

 

“Congratulations!”

 

“It is an auspicious event for the Empire!”

 

The Emperor signaled her with his eyes. When Alice bent her knees slightly, he draped a white fur cloak with the blue falcon symbolizing the Empire drawn on it over her body.

 

With this, the procedure of the coronation ceremony ended.

 

Alice sent a small regret that someone as ordinary as her had become the Crown Princess of this country.

 

‘I apologize, everyone living in the Empire.’

 

The fate of the country with her as the Crown Princess didn’t seem bright. Alice apologized inwardly, came down from the platform, and received a champagne glass.

 

Then Edwin came to her side before she knew it and placed his gaze on the glass in her hand.

 

Alice noticed that gaze and cautiously handed him the glass.

 

Accepting the glass, Edwin tasted the champagne with a skilled attitude. There was no poison in the alcohol.

 

“You may drink.”

 

In the past, she would have stopped his action, but now the situation was different.

 

Due to Edwin’s threatening nonthreat, Alice came to cherish her own life terribly.

 

If she drank poison and died here…?

 

It was certain that this banquet hall would become a sea of blood for starters.

 

Subsequently, an elegant melody began to flow in the banquet hall.

 

Everyone was looking at her.

 

The first dance was originally the Emperor’s share, but the elderly Emperor now wanted to enjoy alcohol quietly rather than dancing.

 

So now the first dance belonged to the Crown Princess.

 

Alice looked at Edwin hesitantly at the gathering gazes.

 

Thinking about it, the thought occurred that she had never danced the first dance with him.

 

First she danced with Michael, and the second time she went back without being able to dance due to an unexpected incident.

 

And today, the third time.

 

Alice held out her hand to Edwin. She didn’t know why, but it was something she did unconsciously the moment she met his eyes.

 

Belatedly surprised by her action, Alice opened her mouth awkwardly.

 

“Duke Esteban… would you like to dance with me?”

 

“It is an honor. Your Highness.”

 

He took her hand and kissed the back of her hand while kneeling. The nobles murmured at the appearance that looked even sublime.

 

It was not without a sense of excess to see it as etiquette a Duke shows to a Crown Princess of a country.

 

To put it bluntly, the courtesy Edwin was showing her now looked like treating an Emperor, not a Crown Princess of a country.

 

Alice, having experienced high society only three times, couldn’t distinguish that difference, but the rest of the nobles noticed it.

 

Behind the two, the gazes of the nobles were exchanged quietly.

 

The nobles recalled the event at the last banquet.

 

They recalled that both then and now, Edwin Esteban guarded the Crown Princess’s side and checked for poison.

 

The fact implied by that was certain.

 

It meant the Duke Esteban family stood thoroughly on the Crown Princess’s side, the side, the Emperor’s faction.

 

Considering the late Duke was a strong ally of the Emperor, it was probably a predictable event. The nobles thought so.

 

The nobles in the faction supporting Grand Duke Wigmund continued their conversation secretly with each other.

 

Meanwhile, Alice, who came to the center with Edwin, was about to bend her knees before the dance started, then hesitated.

 

‘Ah, right.’

 

Belatedly, she, the Crown Princess, recalled Richet’s words that she should substitute a bow with nodding her head instead of such a greeting.

 

Etiquette that maintains the Crown Princess’s prestige even in such trivial matters.

 

It was a haughty etiquette of not bending knees and head beyond a certain point in front of anyone except the Emperor.

 

The waltz began to flow.

 

With hands on each other’s arms and shoulders, Alice said to Edwin.

 

“Edwin, I have something to say. I hope you listen without misunderstanding.”

 

“….”

 

Edwin quietly waited for her words. Alice, bewitched by his sculpture-like beauty, snapped out of it and pressed her body to him.

 

She felt Edwin’s body stiffen for a moment. Alice whispered in his ear.

 

“Edwin… people die someday.”

 

Why do I have to say such an obvious story through my own mouth?

 

Alice didn’t quite understand that.

 

Hearing her words, Edwin’s eyebrows shot up. He seemed to be gauging what her words meant.

 

Soon he figured out what she intended to say.

 

It was an extension of the conversation they had when she was bedridden with a severe cold last time.

 

His eyes cooled rapidly.

 

“…Alice.”

 

His eyes reciting her name lowly looked like an active volcano about to erupt any moment.

 

Alice swallowed hard.

 

I told him to listen without misunderstanding, but what on earth is he misunderstanding?

 

While she was choosing her words, Edwin spoke first.

 

“If you want to die that much, kill me first instead.”

 

“…Yes?”

 

Kill the strongest in this world?

 

Is that even a possible story?

 

Alice doubted her ears, wondering if she had misheard his words for a moment.

 

“I can absolutely never watch Alice die.”

 

“No, I’m not saying I’ll die right now.”

 

She realized clearly what misunderstanding he was having.

 

“Then you’re saying you’ll die later?”

 

Alice felt for the first time that she wanted to tear apart and fix Edwin’s thought circuit.

 

He suspected she might be thinking of death as an escape.

 

If that were true….

 

Seeing his dangerously rippling eyes, Alice hurriedly explained.

 

“No, I want to live for a long, long time.”

 

“Then why are you saying such things.”

 

“People don’t know what will happen.”

 

Alice persuaded him recalling the event she saw in the dream. It wasn’t even certain that she died in that dream.

 

Because the dreams shown by the ability so far ended in situations that looked like she was dying.

 

Edwin met her gaze as if noticing something from her words.

 

“The ability manifested, didn’t it.”

 

“….”

 

She couldn’t affirm or deny the piercing words. He was convinced by her reaction that his words were true.

 

“Who, when.”

 

“I don’t know either. But when I woke up, it was a prison….”

 

“Prison?”

 

Edwin fell into thought. Her going to prison was impossible unless she killed the Emperor.

 

But it still didn’t make sense.

 

Even if the Emperor died by her hand, there was no way he would just watch her being dragged to prison.

 

Alice answered Edwin’s question.

 

“Yeah, so… outside became a mess.”

 

Mess was too gentle an expression.

 

In a word, it was a fiery hell.

 

Alice trembled recalling the terrible sight that made her wonder if hell would look like this if it existed.

 

As the waltz ended and they came out of the hall, Grand Duke Wigmund approached.

 

“Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Princess. Ah, have you thought about attending the Spirit Festival?”

 

“Spirit Festival?”

 

“Yes, I hope it’s in a positive direction. Since the principality’s citizens would be very disappointed if Your Highness doesn’t come.”

 

“Who am I to disappoint… I haven’t even met them.”

 

At her words, the Grand Duke smiled, bending his eyes gently.

 

“Haha, Your Highness the Crown Princess is already a celebrity in the principality. Ordinary citizens are more interested in Your Highness’s story than you think.”

 

Does that mean they like stories like Cinderella?

 

Certainly, her life was flowing turbulently. She didn’t need this interest and just wanted to live a flat and long life, please.

 

“The principality’s citizens will like it if you visit.”

 

With those words, Grand Duke Wigmund said goodbye and left.

 

Alice mulled over the Grand Duke for a moment.

 

‘He doesn’t look like a bad person.’

 

It weighed on her mind that people in his faction all sent uncomfortable gazes at her.

 

Of course, the nobles on the Emperor’s side weren’t different. They were also frantic about taking care of their own interests thoroughly.

 

Looking around, Edwin was conversing with the Emperor.

 

Alice glanced that way and smiled gladly at a familiar figure she discovered.

 

“Richet!”

 

At her call, Richet Evans approached Alice with a smile. Alice, who originally called her Mrs. Evans, had become close enough to call Richet by name.

 

“Your Highness, the dress and cloak suit you so well.”

 

She praised looking at the clothes Alice wore. To her smiling with a pleased face folding her silver-gray eyes finely, Alice shrugged and joked.

 

“I do look good in any clothes.”

 

Richet burst into laughter as if finding her cute. While chatting amicably, Richet asked Alice.

 

“Will Your Highness attend the Water Spirit Festival too?”

 

“Hmm, I’m still thinking about it. What about you, Richet?”

 

“Our couple is attending. Since it’s a Spirit Festival held once every 5 years, it feels a bit regrettable to miss it.”

 

“Once every 5 years?”

 

Alice was astonished. To think the Spirit Festival, which she thought was an annual event, was held only once every five years. It felt like if she didn’t attend now, it would be difficult to participate, so she felt inclined to go.

 

“If not now, I wonder when I’ll ever attend.”

 

Richet gave the same answer as if reading Alice’s mind. However, recalling the carriage attack incident, Richet also couldn’t easily encourage her to attend due to safety reasons.

 

While they were debating whether to attend the Spirit Festival, someone approached. Richet discovered the man in front of her and muttered.

 

“Viscount Pend?”

 

A man with a face flushed red from alcohol approached, looking Alice up and down. The wine glass swaying in his hand looked precarious, as if it would spill the wine any moment.

 

“Your Highness the Crown Princess, it’s an auspicious event being invested after 40 years, shouldn’t you hold a commemorative tournament? Cough.”

 

His speech was already slurred; he was almost half-unconscious. Edwin slowly approached her side. While doing so, he picked up a dessert fork nearby.

 

“Wait a minute….”

 

Alice grabbed Edwin’s arm.

 

“Wh-where are you going to use that fork?”

 

Edwin looked as if he intended to pluck out the eyeballs of the drunken noble right in front of them, but spoke casually.

 

“There seemed to be delicious dessert nearby, so I wanted to taste it a little.”

 

“You don’t like dessert, Edwin….”

 

“My taste has changed.”

 

At his flimsy excuse, Alice pulled his arm even more. Edwin was dragged by her as if he had no choice.

 

“Commemorative tournament….”

 

Alice mulled over what Viscount Pend said. Alice exchanged glances with Richet.

 

Alice had also heard the story that in Elgorth, there was a tradition where the Crown Prince hosted a commemorative tournament upon ascending to the position.

 

Perhaps the Viscount was talking about that.

 

“Viscount Pend, your attitude is too disrespectful to be shown to Your Highness.”

 

Richet pointed out Viscount Pend’s rudeness. But there was no way such a rebuke would work on an already drunk person.

 

Other nobles looking this way were whispering and covering their snickering mouths.

 

But when Edwin looked that way, they immediately lowered their gazes. They instinctively realized his gaze was dangerous.

 

“Commemorative tournament, you say.”

 

Alice’s lips twitched with annoyance. It was a gaze that had followed her ever since she was proclaimed a Princess at her first banquet.

 

A gaze looking down on her and scorning her, as if asking if someone like her could do well as the Crown Princess.

 

She ignored it at first, but as it repeated, a baseless stubbornness arose.

 

Getting such gazes from nobles who looked like they would burst with grease if punched in the stomach made her even angrier.

 

Alice looked at the red-faced noble and said.

 

“Fine.”

 

Do they think I can’t do it? Alice spoke as if she had made up her mind.

 

Grand Duke Wigmund, who was nearby, spoke with a concerned face.

 

“Will it be alright? It would be a bit unreasonable for a beginner to hold a hunting tournament.”

 

Hunting tournament…?

 

Alice looked at Richet.

 

Richet also looked at her with a worried gaze like the Grand Duke and whispered.

 

“The virtue the first Emperor considered most important when looking at a successor was martial prowess.”

 

And the explanation followed.

 

When his son ascended to become the Crown Prince, the first Emperor ordered him to hunt a large beast in a hunting tournament.

 

After that, it continued like a custom.

 

So the commemorative tournament was a hunting tournament. Alice was appalled, but due to her pride, she didn’t show it on the outside.

 

She had never even handled a knife properly in the kitchen, and now learn hunting skills?

 

Her gaze fixed on Viscount Pend. Angry again at the gaze looking down on her, she retorted sharply.

 

“I can learn. Instead, the noble who brought this up must attend too. You aren’t thinking of running away after provoking me like this, are you?”

 

“Ha, very well.”

 

Viscount Pend laughed revealing his yellow teeth.

 

“Since it’s come to this, how about a bet?”

 

“A bet?”

 

“If Your Highness’s game is bigger than mine, I will apologize for today’s rudeness.”

 

“Deal.”

 

At her confident appearance, the Grand Duke sent a look of surprise.

 

“Since a hunting tournament is also held at the Water Spirit Festival, how about attending that one?”

 

“Oho, that wouldn’t be bad.”

 

At the Grand Duke’s suggestion, the Emperor spoke up as if interested in the Water Spirit Festival. Alice belatedly realized the Emperor had been watching this scene from earlier.

 

‘If he’s the Emperor, he should restrain this situation a bit.’

 

What is the intention of watching quietly and only appearing now? Resentment arose. But seeing the Emperor with dilated pupils, the resentment also subsided.

 

That man, he’s gone crazy again.

 

“I’m fine with it too.”

 

Alice nodded. Since it came to this, she thought attending the Water Spirit Festival wouldn’t be bad.

 

“I worry if those soft hands will get hurt handling guns and bows.”

 

Another noble looking this way said. Since the voice was relatively loud, it reached Alice’s ears.

 

‘Guns and bows?’

 

It was one problem after another. When hearing hunting tournament, she just thought of catching beasts by setting traps or something….

 

There was no way she, who was just an ordinary imperial citizen a few months ago, had had the chance to handle guns and bows.

 

However, hearing the laughter directed at her, Alice scoffed.

 

“There is no need to worry about my hands. And the person who just spoke, please attend too. I’ve remembered your face and voice.”

 

Even though I look like this, in my past life, I was from the nation of legendary archers.

 

The noble pointed out by Alice’s spirited remark smiled arrogantly and said.

 

“Hah, Your Highness is overflowing with confidence. It is good to see.”

 

Ignoring the noble’s praise that didn’t sound like praise, Alice looked around. She needed someone to teach her hunting starting tomorrow.

 

“By chance, Richet, do you know how to handle guns and bows?”

 

A moment later, Alice approached Richet and asked so others wouldn’t hear.

 

Richet shook her head with a regrettable face.

 

“Guns and bows are not my area of teaching…. I apologize, Your Highness.”

 

Alice only then recalled the characteristic of the Ertmann family. That family was a scholar family that had produced outstanding civil officials since ancient times.

 

That was also the reason why Alois, the eldest son of that family, initially came to Esteban to learn swordsmanship.

 

“It’s okay….”

 

When Alice showed a hint of disappointment, Richet also thought deeply and came up with an alternative.

 

“Thinking of guns and bows, there is one person who comes to mind.”

 

“Ah, who is it?”

 

Alice asked Richet with a delighted face. As expected of an educator family, she must have many connections….

 

“Duke Edwin Esteban. He probably possesses the most outstanding skills in the Empire right now. I am certain no one dares to rival the Duke with that.”

 

Richet spoke as if delivering an obvious fact. Alice’s mouth shut tight. Richet, unaware of what was going on between him and her, said.

 

“It would be best to ask the Duke to teach you. Although he seems to lack qualities as an educator, if he is that skilled, he can sufficiently help Your Highness’s skills improve rapidly.”

 

Since they were childhood friends, he would teach her well, Richet said with a smile.

 

Alice looked at Edwin hesitantly. He hadn’t taken his eyes off the drunken Viscount Pend since earlier.

 

Thick murderous intent was rippling in Edwin’s gaze. Seeing that, Alice felt cold sweat running down her spine. If left like this, a disaster seemed imminent.

 

Alice hurriedly spoke to him.

 

“Um, Duke Esteban.”

 

“…Yes, Your Highness. If it is fine for me to teach, I will gladly teach you.”

 

Edwin answered as soon as Alice called, as if he had been listening to the story while watching Viscount Pend.

 

‘It feels awkward to learn alone.’

 

Alice spotted Ena peeking at this place just in time and waved her hand. Then Ena came running hurriedly.

 

“Do you want to learn hunting together?”

 

“What hunting?”

 

She was tilting her head, seemingly having not seen the earlier event. However, thinking it wasn’t a bad suggestion, she opened her mouth.

 

“Well, I was bored so it’s not ba— totally bad idea, it seems the worst. Please learn alone.”

 

Receiving Edwin’s gaze, Ena hurriedly changed her words. A feeling seized her that if she said she would learn hunting here, she would become the prey.

 

“You talked like you would do it… okay.”

 

She also had no intention of taking someone who stubbornly refused to learn. Alice turned her gaze to Edwin.

 

‘Then we have to be alone together.’

 

Right, what’s good is good.

 

Originally, one-on-one learning was the most effective when learning something.

 

Thinking she could crush the pride of these nobles, learning from Edwin felt trivial for this moment.

 

Just then, the Emperor tapped his glass with a fork to draw attention.

 

“I have one suggestion. Since the Crown Princess investiture after 40 years overlaps with the Spirit Festival, how about opening the Spirit Festival very grandly?”

 

“Hoho, I consider it a very good idea.”

 

Marquis Bernhard, who was next to him, chimed in with the Emperor’s words. The Emperor looked at Grand Duke Wigmund and said.

 

“Does the Grand Duke think so too?”

 

Grand Duke Wigmund bowed his head with a flawless, neat smile.

 

“Of course.”

 

“Then how about dividing the Spirit Festival into Part 1 and Part 2, sharing it amicably with the Imperial Family? I feel sorry letting the Principality handle this grand festival alone.”

 

Alice gasped. What does this mean now? She felt Richet beside her also gasp.

 

Even Alice, who was just adjusting to the Imperial Family, knew how impactful the Emperor’s words just now were.

 

While the superficial intent seemed to be the Emperor helping the Principality, it meant the Imperial Family would intervene in the festival representing the Principality.

 

It was probably to show that the Principality was in his, the Emperor’s, hands.

 

In the end, it was a display of the Emperor’s influence and dominance. The nobles murmured at the Emperor’s words.

 

Even the pro-Emperor nobles looked a little flustered, perhaps not having expected the Emperor’s remark.

 

Everyone held their breath and waited for Grand Duke Wigmund’s answer. But on his face was a soft and relaxed smile as usual.

 

“I thank His Majesty for his consideration. However…”

 

He continued with a slightly troubled face.

 

“I worry that the Imperial Family and the Principality’s Spirit Festival might be compared. Please do not open it too grandly, Your Majesty.”

 

At Grand Duke Wigmund’s joke, the Emperor laughed heartily and nodded. A hint of a smile was also visible on the Grand Duke’s lips.

 

‘He’s smiling as if it turned out well instead.’

 

It might be her misconception, but Alice felt that way.

 

 

***

 

 

The next day, as soon as the day broke, Alice was wearing the hunting clothes the maids prepared.

 

Ena, who hadn’t seen the noble’s provocation yesterday, fumed belatedly hearing the story from Alice.

 

“No, what kind of shameless person is that?!”

 

“I have to crush his pride properly this time.”

 

“Is that person attending too?”

 

“That person?”

 

When Alice looked at her questioningly, Ena spoke as if frustrated.

 

“That drunkard. Is that person also attending the hunting tournament?”

 

“Yeah. Since I told him to attend… if Viscount Pend doesn’t attend, it would look bad.”

 

“It was Viscount Pend?”

 

Ena was surprised. Alice asked if she knew him, not knowing why she was surprised.

 

“He’s already a famous hunter in Esteban. Last time, he even brought a monster’s horn and became a topic of conversation.”

 

“Was he that famous?”

 

There was a reason he was so arrogant. Alice lost a little confidence, but spoke as if it were nothing.

 

“Why is such a person acting like a drunkard at a banquet.”

 

“I heard he’s a sharpshooter who once hit a bear’s head even after drinking a barrel of whiskey.”

 

She suddenly felt a surge of annoyance. At Ena’s words, her motivation felt like it died suddenly.

 

At the same time, she shuddered at the pettiness of Viscount Pend proposing such a bet to a beginner who had never held the grip of a gun or the shaft of a bow.

 

“So that’s why you suddenly said you’d learn.”

 

“Yeah. I must bring a cool game this time.”

 

“Didn’t you run away saying even a mouse was scary?”

 

Ena said, recalling Alice who was startled seeing a mouse in the Duke’s castle backyard a long time ago.

 

“I was too young back then.”

 

“In my eyes right now, you still look like a baby, My Lady.”

 

“Goo-goo ga-ga.”

 

“Really, why are you like this.”

 

At Ena’s face showing blatant disgust, Alice suddenly became sullen. I was just joking once.

 

‘Ha, I can’t take this back either.’

 

She couldn’t cancel the hunting tournament saying she forfeited the bet now. Should I just feign illness?

 

‘No.’

 

Alice clenched her fist recalling the gazes looking down on her at the investiture ceremony yesterday.

 

If she backed down now, wouldn’t she just become a laughingstock to the nobles?

 

Now, the only one she could trust was Edwin.

 

 

***

 

 

Arriving at the hunting ground alone, Alice marveled. A vast field spread under the clear sky and lush green thickets.

 

It was a private hunting ground arranged behind the Crown Princess’s palace.

 

Alice had arrived there first and was warming up.

 

Even if she said warming up, as a beginner, it was just rotating her shoulders or jumping in place.

 

“Edwin!”

 

Alice spotted Edwin dressed in hunting attire and waved her hand.

 

Dressed in brown leather hunting clothes over white clothes, his appearance was still cool.

 

He was approaching leading two horses. One was a black horse, the other a white horse.

 

“What are the horses for?”

 

Alice asked while stroking the horses carefully. Perhaps because they were well-managed fine horses, the texture of their fur was smooth and soft. The horses were docile and gentle, perhaps accustomed to human hands.

 

“In the tournament, you have to hunt while riding a horse.”

 

“…What?”

 

Alice was surprised by the unexpected obstacle. Edwin asked.

 

“Have you ever ridden a horse?”

 

“No….”

 

“Then we have to learn horseback riding first.”

 

He spoke as if it were a trivial matter. But Alice was incredibly flustered. Wasn’t it just hunting by going in with just her body?

 

“Okay….”

 

And a while later.

 

Alice realized she had even less talent for physical activities than she thought and despaired. She was at the point of wanting to ask to be adopted into the Ertmann family instead.

 

“Alice, relax your body.”

 

Edwin said looking at Alice on the horse. It had already been an hour. Alice held the reins and kicked the horse’s flank lightly.

 

The horse hadn’t even walked a few steps, but Alice wrinkled her nose at the pain coming from her waist and hips.

 

Whenever the horse picked up even a little speed, she repeatedly lost her balance.

 

When she almost fell again, Edwin caught her quickly.

 

‘If Edwin wasn’t here….’

 

She might have remained as the Crown Princess who died falling from a horse while learning horseback riding, not even during hunting.

 

Meanwhile, from a teacher’s perspective, he could have gotten angry, but Edwin’s face remained unmoved. Alice, feeling self-conscious for no reason, opened her mouth first.

 

“Edwin, aren’t you frustrated with me?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“You can be honest… even I would want to quit out of frustration with a student like me.”

 

Alice laughed self-deprecatingly and said.

 

She was confident she wouldn’t be hurt at all if he ran out right now saying there was nothing more he could teach her.

 

At those words, Edwin looked at her.

 

“I don’t feel like this situation is bad at all. Rather, it’s good.”

 

“Why?”

 

Alice suspected if Edwin was perhaps a type who enjoyed suffering. He said.

 

“Because I can keep being with you like this.”

 

“Uh….”

 

At his straightforward remark, Alice’s face turned bright red.

 

‘Right, Edwin said he likes me.’

 

She had forgotten for a moment, distracted by the nobles’ provocation.

 

“Let’s practice shooting first for now. If you keep learning horseback riding forcibly, you might get body aches. Once your body loosens up, I’ll teach you horseback riding again then.”

 

Edwin became an even more excellent teacher than Richet expected.

 

Of course, limited to Alice.

 

Instead of target boards, Alice saw wooden dolls shaped like humans and scarecrows made of straw as targets.

 

He approached her and taught her the posture of holding a gun.

 

‘It’s embarrassing.’

 

As their bodies pressed close together like this, the scent of lemongrass felt increasingly stronger.

 

His hands correcting her body and hands felt hotter than usual.

 

She held the posture awkwardly with a strained face.

 

She was so embarrassed she wanted to take the posture quickly and separate from him. But as her mind rushed, her posture became even more disordered.

 

“Alice, if you grip the gun like that, you might get hurt.”

 

Edwin’s voice was heard right by her ear. At his breath settling down as he spoke, Alice momentarily put more strength into her hand and pulled the trigger.

 

—Bang!

 

Since the hunting rifle had a large recoil, Alice fell backward as soon as she shot. Edwin, who was behind, caught her.

 

“S-sorry.”

 

Alice scrambled up with a bright red face. Edwin looked at her gently, then stood up.

 

“It’s okay. You did well for a first timer.”

 

Did well?

 

Alice realized his gaze was directed at the target before she knew it.

 

In the dead center of the target, a hole was blown through as if properly hit by a bullet.

 

He held the gun once more, demonstrated, and said.

 

“The upper body of a person riding a horse has a slightly higher focus point than this, so you have to shoot at a slightly higher angle.”

 

Clack, bang!

 

Along with the loading sound, a gunshot rang out. How is he handsome like a sculpture even when shooting a gun? While admiring, she realized a strange point in Edwin’s words a bit late.

 

Why does it sound like he’s telling me to shoot on top of a horse…?

 

“…Edwin, the game is a beast, not a person.”

 

Edwin looked at her with a face that couldn’t understand.

 

“Wasn’t it to punish them?”

 

“Yeah, that is true, but….”

 

Does one usually shoot people to punish them?

 

Alice suddenly wanted to point out that there was a big problem with Edwin’s thinking.

 

Edwin, unaware of her mind, smiled faintly and said. It was a terribly beautiful and dazzling smile.

 

“It’s okay, Alice. As people live, they might shoot a person by mistake.”

 

Edwin loaded the gun clack again, and shot without even looking at the human-shaped target.

 

—Bang!

 

Once again, the target’s head flew off.

 

“I’ll bring the list of nobles who opened their mouths after Viscount Pend to Alice sooner or later.”

 

“I-it’s okay.”

 

She was grateful for the sentiment, but wanted to decline his favor. Feeling the conversation kept flowing strangely, she hurriedly changed the subject.

 

“H-how do I shoot a bow?”

 

Edwin picked up a bow placed next to the firearms and demonstrated by lifting the bow.

 

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart and holding the bow, he looked like an elegant beast.

 

“The most important thing when pulling the bow is to keep the arrow and shoulder horizontal. And you must not take your eyes off the target.”

 

—Whish!

 

The bowstring was released and the arrow flew to the target. Once again, the arrow stuck in the position where the bullet had lodged earlier.

 

Alice only then realized why Edwin had prepared the targets in human shapes.

 

Receiving the bow he handed over, Alice also adjusted her posture as he did.

 

Perhaps because she got a little used to the posture while holding the gun earlier, this posture wasn’t that difficult.

 

Edwin corrected her posture again and told her to pull the bowstring.

 

“Th-the bow is harder to pull than I thought.”

 

Edwin had pulled it easily like stretching a rubber band earlier, but this bowstring was tauter and stiffer than Alice had thought.

 

In the end, unable to pull the bowstring fully, she lost her strength and let go.

 

At the same time, the arrow thwacked into the target.

 

“Excellent, Alice.”

 

Edwin curved his eyes as if satisfied. Alice, who had been staring blankly at his smiling face, looked at the target at his praise.

 

This time, too, it was a bullseye.

 

‘Do I… still have Korean blood flowing in me?’

 

Alice felt more bewildered than happy.

 

Unlike when she shot the gun earlier, this time the arrow was stuck precisely in the target’s head.

 

Edwin imagined looking at the arrow in that target. The heads of the nobles who had wagged their tongues lightly at the banquet being pierced by her arrow.

 

Just imagining it was a delightful scene.

 

 

***

 

 

After eating lunch and training again, the sun was setting.

 

Returning to her room, Alice sprawled on the bed immediately.

 

“It’s so, so hard… should I just say I forfeit….”

 

“If that makes you comfortable, My Lady.”

 

“Can’t you even pretend to stop me?”

 

“If you don’t participate, My Lady, I don’t have to embroider handkerchiefs either, so it’s good for me.”

 

Ena said lifting the handkerchief and needle in her hand. Lying in bed, Alice looked at what was in her hand.

 

“Was that mine? I thought you were giving it to someone else….”

 

“Who?”

 

“A hidden love?”

 

“There are only women in this palace. Unless you give me time to meet men, please.”

 

“Hmm, I see. I’ll consider it. Did a letter come from Michael?”

 

“No, he hasn’t been writing at all lately.”

 

Ena said as if finding it strange too. Alice struggled up from the bed and examined the letters she had exchanged with Michael so far.

 

The last one exchanged was the letter received right after returning to the Imperial Palace.

 

Of course, she hadn’t had the energy to write because she was bedridden in between, but she had been sending letters continuously since then, yet there was not a single reply.

 

“Is the hospital work very busy?”

 

“Well, that hospital is doing exceptionally well. Still, with someone waiting so anxiously like this, Michael should send a letter at least once.”

 

Ena said while embroidering the handkerchief again. Alice felt something a little uncomfortable, but fell asleep as she was.

 

 

***

 

 

A man wearing the armor of an Imperial Knight knelt before the Emperor and continued his report.

 

“The opponent was stronger than expected, so it took time to bring him.”

 

“Good work. Where is he now?”

 

The Emperor lifted his teacup with a murky smile. The knight signaled to his subordinate behind him. Then a man with ash-gray hair and a sturdy physique was dragged out.

 

“God will punish you.”

 

Speaking with force, he was angry enough for veins to pop on his jaw. His trembling eyes allowed one to gauge how furious he was.

 

“If that god exists, I’d like to see him once.”

 

The Emperor lightly trampled on his curse and ignored it.

 

“Are you saying this man has holy power?”

 

“No. This man is a Holy Knight who was guarding the man suspected of possessing holy power. Now….”

 

Before his words even finished, another person was dragged out. It was a person possessing beauty so great it was hard to see him as a man. His long silver hair was let down as the tie was undone.

 

“Quite a remarkable beauty for a man. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere….”

 

Rubbing his wrinkled eyes, he searched his memory. However, his drug-addled brain didn’t work properly.

 

Michael seemed to have lost consciousness, sleeping quietly with his eyes closed.

 

The knight approached him and poured a bucket of cold water on his head.

 

“Which crazy bastard….”

 

Splashed with cold water while sleeping, Michael opened his eyes without hiding his displeasure.

 

Then he scoffed at the situation unfolding before him.

 

“What kind of dog-like situation is this right now?”

 

The Emperor quietly signaled the knight.

 

The knight dragged the ash-gray haired Holy Knight in front of Michael.

 

Michael, unable to grasp what this situation was, frowned looking at them, then was appalled by what happened next.

 

—Thud!

 

“Elian!”

 

Calling the Holy Knight’s name, Michael trembled. Because the Imperial Knight had plunged a sword into Elian’s body.

 

“Ugh….”

 

Elian, with a large blade stuck in him, groaned in pain. Michael’s heart pounded violently. Being a doctor, he knew how fatal that wound was.

 

Watching the scene with a trembling jaw, he spat out a curse like a scream.

 

“You crazy bastards! Does a human life look like a joke to you?”

 

The Emperor watched that scene without moving a muscle. And ordered the chamberlain next to him to fill the teacup.

 

The knights holding Michael dragged him in front of Elian.

 

“This won’t do, will it?”

 

The Emperor looked down at Elian with a pitying face as if looking at a poor thing.

 

“This poor lamb would need someone’s help….”

 

Michael realized without difficulty that ‘someone’ referred to him.

 

He chewed his lip until it bled.

 

Not long after, a holy light filled the Imperial Palace.

 

A bizarre gleam flowed in the golden eyes of the Emperor who confirmed the existence of holy power right before his eyes.

 

 

***

 

 

The day of the Water Spirit Festival held in the Imperial Family approached.

 

The capital was bustling as if fully revitalized by the first festival held after the war ended.

 

Alice, touring the capital in a carriage with Ena, hid her body inside the carriage at the gazes of many people.

 

“Why are you hiding like that?”

 

“Too many people are staring.”

 

They were purposely riding a plain carriage instead of the Imperial carriage, but attention was focused due to the guards tightly surrounding them.

 

Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of changing the carriage?

 

“Please enjoy the attention a little now.”

 

Ena spoke nonchalantly and handed Alice a snack bundle packed from the Imperial Palace.

 

Alice glanced at Ena saying such things and crunched on the cookies inside the bundle.

 

Who is the reason I’m out right now, yet she acts like that.

 

The reason she came out was because of Ena’s pestering that she was bored staying only in the Imperial Palace.

 

Even though she wanted to lie down all day because her body was aching from practicing hunting fiercely yesterday too.

 

“Everyone is living diligently.”

 

Alice glanced out the window. Boys selling flowers and girls selling necklaces and bracelets made of pretty beads were walking around.

 

The bustling solicitation of peddlers had its own fun to watch.

 

“Ah… smells delicious.”

 

“Do you want to eat again while eating?”

 

Ena looked at her as if finding her truly fascinating. It was the first time in her life seeing someone with such a hearty appetite.

 

Alice, unbothered, reached her hand out the carriage window and beckoned.

 

Then Chester approached.

 

“Is there something you wish to order?”

 

“Please pack up all the food from that stall over there.”

 

“It’s the first time in my life I’m running an errand for food.”

 

“Do you have a complaint?”

 

“How could I? Cough.”

 

Chester spoke laughing, then coughed. But that appearance looked quite painful.

 

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

 

Actually, the reason he was in pain was due to the injury caused by being hit directly by the gust created by her spirit stone the other day.

 

At that time, his breath caught momentarily so he guessed a rib might have broken, but as he had joked, four were indeed smashed.

 

He was almost recovered now, but pain still came when sneezing or coughing.

 

Alice, unaware of this, asked with a startled face.

 

Chester came up with a vague excuse.

 

“Ah, well, I injured my ribs a little from falling off a horse.”

 

“Oh dear, please recover quickly.”

 

Alice comforted him sincerely.

 

Recently, she had also nearly been hurt several times from falling off a horse while learning horseback riding.

 

If Edwin hadn’t caught her falling every time, she wouldn’t be riding in the carriage safely right now.

 

“Please be careful in the future too.”

 

At her worry, Chester thanked her for the comfort, joked a bit, and left to pack the food.

 

“I guess even knights fall off horses.”

 

“Knights are people too, so I suppose so.”

 

Ena also answered with a slightly surprised face. Even a knight falls off a horse, so I, who am just learning horseback riding, can’t be perfect from the start. Alice reached such a conclusion.

 

‘I should have more courage to learn horseback riding in the future!’

 

In an unintended way, Chester recharged Alice’s courage.

 

Of course, Chester Douglas had never fallen off a horse since he was born.

 

 

***

 

 

“You really ate it all.”

 

Chester thought it was quite a lot while packing it, but he didn’t know the Crown Princess would eat it all.

 

Alice patted her full stomach and sighed deeply.

 

“I feel like I’ve eaten something now.”

 

Since they were touring the capital at low speed, the inside of the carriage wasn’t relatively uncomfortable for eating food.

 

“No, but if you’re going to do this, why did you come out. You only stay inside….”

 

Ena looked at Alice as if dissatisfied. Alice, feeling bad about that point, avoided her gaze and dusted off her skirt.

 

“Then let’s go out!”

 

“Really?!”

 

Ena rejoiced at her words.

 

Alice nodded and pulled her hood deep. She didn’t know when it was taken, but her face was already plastered largely on the newspaper, so she couldn’t walk around the capital revealing her face.

 

Ena smiled apologetically at her appearance.

 

“I’m sorry, because of me.”

 

“If you’re sorry, can I stay here?”

 

“That’s not it.”

 

Ena suddenly turned serious. Alice tapped the carriage door lamenting her situation with the already determined answer.

 

Then the coachman stopped the carriage and opened the door.

 

There was a jewelry shop in front of the carriage.

 

As they entered, the jeweler and shop owner came out immediately to welcome them.

 

“Haha, welcome!”

 

Inside the glass cases were accessories made of colorful jewels and brooches made of dried flowers.

 

Although made of dried flowers, the brooches retaining vitality like living flowers looked like quite expensive items to anyone.

 

Ena watched like a person entranced.

 

“The maids told me the capital’s fashion is far ahead of Esteban, and it was true. Everything is sophisticated and beautiful.”

 

Watching her quietly, Alice said.

 

“Shall I buy it for you?”

 

“Really? If it’s a joke, I’m going to lie down spread-eagle here.”

 

“Yeah, just buy everything you want.”

 

Alice pondered, then said to the merchant standing with an excited face in front of the glass case.

 

“No, I’ll just buy everything here entirely.”

 

“What?!”

 

“Pardon?!”

 

Both Ena and the merchant looked at Alice in surprise.

 

“You followed me all the way to the capital, shouldn’t I give at least this much in return?”

 

The pocket money given to her by the Imperial Family was piling up in the warehouse as she had spent almost none of it.

 

“My Lady….”

 

Ena spoke with a face full of emotion.

 

“If you have that kind of money, just give it to me in cash….”

 

Who does Ena resemble to be that shameless. Alice said.

 

“I suddenly changed my mind.”

 

“Hehe, My Ladyyy.”

 

Ena hurriedly pulled Alice’s sleeve. To her whining with a hamster-like face, Alice sighed deeply and signaled the shop owner.

 

“Can I give the money in cash right now?”

 

The shop owner hurriedly went into the inner room and brought out a contract.

 

Alice read the contract step by step. But something that should be in something like this was missing.

 

“Is there no certificate of authenticity or something here?”

 

Alice asked. The shop owner asked with a puzzled face.

 

“What is that…?”

 

“Ah, I guess there isn’t such a thing in this world.”

 

Alice clicked her tongue in regret.

 

Without a certificate of authenticity, how does one distinguish if this jewel is real or fake.

 

‘I should propose it as an agenda when I enter a meeting.’

 

Although she had never participated as no meeting had been held yet, a Crown Princess would have at least this much right to speak.

 

If it were someone who knew nothing, they would be swindled with their eyes open.

 

Alice signed the contract and looked at the recipient’s address left blank.

 

“Ena, where do you want to receive it?”

 

“Please send it to your room, My Lady.”

 

“Don’t you have a house, Ena?”

 

“My house is in Esteban.”

 

“Ah, right….”

 

Alice recalled her situation with an apologetic face. You followed me leaving even your house behind….

 

“If you are so sorry, can’t you buy me a house too?”

 

“At this rate, you’ll ask for this country too.”

 

“Hmm, if I can have it, it’s good to have.”

 

Alice wrote down the receiving address while letting Ena’s words flow in one ear and out the other. The shop owner’s eyes widened seeing the address.

 

“B-by chance, are you Her Highness the Crown Princess…?”

 

It seemed the news of the investiture had already spread within the capital.

 

“That’s right, this person is that person.”

 

Ena lifted her chin and spoke proudly instead. Alice felt ashamed for some reason and wanted to crawl into a mouse hole.

 

“Wow… I met a precious person here.”

 

The shop owner requested if he could shake hands even once. Alice awkwardly held out her hand to hold his.

 

But it was at that moment.

 

Blades, hiding who knows where, approached the shop owner’s neck densely in front of her.

 

The face, flushed with the fact that he met someone difficult to meet in his lifetime, drained of color in an instant and became pale.

 

“Uaaak!”

 

He screamed at the blades densely entering right before his neck. Alice turned back at Chester’s voice heard from behind, wondering when he had approached.

 

“Guarding must be done thoroughly, you see. Haha. Here, shake hands with me instead.”

 

Chester, wearing a kind smile, grabbed the frozen shop owner’s hand roughly and shook it up and down greatly.

 

Alice spoke awkwardly at his rough attitude.

 

“Chester, does one usually shake hands like swinging a person’s body?”

 

Can’t you see the shop owner’s body swaying as if flexible every time you shake hands? Despite Alice’s pointing out, Chester smiled shamelessly and said.

 

“I expressed sincerity in my own way on behalf of Your Highness. Doesn’t this person like it too? Right?”

 

“Haha, I, I l-like it.”

 

The shop owner nodded with an awkward smile.

 

Alice shook her head watching that scene. Just a moment ago, swords were aimed at him; she didn’t know how he could shake hands with a good heart.

 

Coming out of the shop and wandering here and there with Ena, the sun was already setting.

 

The hour hand of the pocket watch was already pointing to six o’clock.

 

‘Edwin must be waiting.’

 

Alice planned to visit a weapons shop Edwin knew well in the capital with him in the evening for a custom order.

 

Trying to go to the tea house where she agreed to meet him by carriage, Alice stopped in her tracks at a familiar figure.

 

The man was covering his body with a dark-colored robe. At Alice unable to take her eyes off him, Ena looked with a puzzled gaze.

 

“My Lady, what’s wrong?”

 

Alice shook her head at her question. In the first place, the person she guessed couldn’t be here.

 

“No… it’s nothing.”

 

Evan Elga.

 

Shouldn’t he be in the Vatican or Millen Village damaged by monsters?

 

Alice dismissed it as her seeing things wrong. But her gaze kept going that way.

 

“Are you looking for someone?”

 

“Yeah, no, wait a minute….”

 

Alice pondered for a moment, then walked towards there. Ena, flustered by her sudden action, soon chased after Alice.

 

“Excuse me, could you show me your face a little?”

 

Alice grabbed the man wearing the robe. Then the man flinched and turned his gaze to her.

 

The familiar scent of lavender. It was indeed Evan.

 

“Evan… why are you here?”

 

“Alice….”

 

His voice was trembling thinly. Alice’s face hardened. Something must have happened to him.

 

“Can we talk for a moment?”

 

 

***

 

 

The night grew completely deep, and Alice arrived at the teahouse where they had agreed to meet and spotted Edwin.

 

“Sorry, Edwin. Did you wait long?”

 

He, who had been waiting while reading a book, took his eyes off the book and looked at her. He blinked slowly and said.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“Something came up… I’m sorry.”

 

Alice made an apologetic face looking at him, but her inner thoughts were extremely anxious due to the conversation she had with Evan earlier.

 

She recalled what she intended to do with him and said.

 

“The weapons shop must have closed already, right?”

 

“No, not yet.”

 

“All the other shops were closed… they operate quite late into the night.”

 

The streets of the capital she saw before entering the teahouse were much quieter and darker than during the day. Everyone was wrapping up to spend the evening with their families.

 

When Edwin heard from the knight assigned to her that she would be late, he made sure the weapons shop couldn’t close its doors.

 

The merchant was stuck waiting until they went there.

 

Unaware of that fact, as soon as Alice sat down, she spoke looking at the teacup placed in front of her.

 

“Is this the tea Edwin ordered? Do you know what kind of tea it is?”

 

“Yeah. Darjeeling.”

 

“Thanks. It feels a waste to leave without drinking a sip of the tea ordered with care, so let’s drink just a little before going.”

 

Alice sat down and drank the tea. It had a nice aroma, perhaps made from good ingredients.

 

Actually, due to the conversation with Evan earlier, her throat was dry, so she had no moment to taste it properly. Sipping the tea, Alice gauged Edwin’s mood.

 

‘It shouldn’t be Edwin.’

 

Alice recalled the conversation she just had with Evan.

 

She found out the reason why no letter had come from Michael for several days.

 

Alice had taken Evan, whom she met after a long time, into her carriage and heard the whole story.

 

‘Michael and Elian have gone missing.’

 

Evan said with a miserable face.

 

Only bloodstains of unknown origin and traces of battle remained in the Elga house.

 

And that Elian’s baptismal necklace, which he always carried on his body, was there.

 

Elian was the Holy Knight guarding Michael. Alice recalled the man who had looked at her coldly when she was lying in a sickbed making clumsy remarks.

 

He was someone who didn’t have an ordinary atmosphere even at first glance.

 

As she expected, Elian guarding Michael wasn’t an ordinary Holy Knight.

 

Guarding a possessor of holy power was a heavy responsibility.

 

So one of the most elite Holy Knights was specially selected, and that was Elian.

 

Evan asked her to help find Michael and Elian.

 

‘Then it means a skilled person equal to or superior to Elian subdued him and took him away with Michael….’

 

Based on Evan’s words, Alice had no choice but to think of one person.

 

Edwin Esteban.

 

It would have been very natural to think of him, the strongest in this world view, at that moment.

 

Her face darkened and her blue eyes trembled with anxiety.

 

Putting down the teacup, Alice was engulfed in worry. How do I ask this?

 

‘I can’t just ask abruptly if he kidnapped Michael.’

 

There was no physical evidence, and interrogating solely based on suspicion didn’t look very good.

 

Moreover, wasn’t there one more person besides Edwin who had the possibility of kidnapping Michael?

 

Namely her biological father, the Emperor.

 

If he, who knew the blood of a holy power possessor as an elixir for immortality, knew the fact that Michael possessed holy power… he would have moved to action immediately.

 

So she hesitated to hastily ask for an investigation using the Imperial manpower.

 

Because if she requested an investigation for no reason, and the Emperor found out about the existence of holy power he didn’t know about instead, things would get complicated.

 

‘The current Emperor probably doesn’t even know of Michael’s existence.’

 

Michael hadn’t gone around using holy power externally, and that was the same for Evan.

 

He said he thoroughly avoided using holy power externally as his younger brother could be in danger.

 

‘Still, just in case, if information leaked to the Emperor….’

 

Even though it was just a hypothesis, her head started to hurt.

 

The fact that she still couldn’t completely rule out Edwin from the list of suspects also made her uncomfortable.

 

So the desire to resolve this feeling quickly only grew.

 

‘If Edwin kidnapped him, I’d rather that emotion be love or obsession….’

 

Then at least she could be certain of Michael’s survival.

 

But she had confirmed Edwin’s feelings regarding Michael long ago, and they weren’t very good feelings.

 

“You have a face that says you have a lot to say to me, Alice.”

 

Edwin said watching her just stirring the spoon in the teacup sitting opposite him. Alice flinched at the words that completely pierced her insides.

 

“Just… what tea is Edwin drinking? It smells nice.”

 

“It’s lavender.”

 

“Ah….”

 

Lavender, the scent always present in the Elga house. Alice smiled awkwardly at the fact that the tea Edwin was drinking happened to be that.

 

Watching him tilt the teacup elegantly, Alice slowly opened her mouth.

 

“By chance, Edwin, listen without misunderstanding… what do you think of Michael? I hope you can tell me honestly if possible.”

 

“….”

 

At her question, Edwin, who was holding the teacup, slowly put it down on the saucer. It was a terribly expressionless face. Just what is he thinking….

 

Alice wanted to look into his thoughts.

 

“I think I want to kill him, but are you perhaps asking how I want to kill him?”

 

Alice, who was drinking tea while waiting for an answer, choked and coughed.

 

“E-Edwin. You have no intention of hiding it anymore…?”

 

“Wouldn’t it be strange to hide it now?”

 

He spoke as if letting it flow with a relaxed tone. His elegant lips like a sculpture drew a pleasing arc.

 

“And as I said last time, my patience isn’t that long.”

 

“Right… one should live saying what they want to say.”

 

Nodding, Alice spat out words without knowing what she was saying.

 

Then did Edwin kidnap Michael?

 

Edwin, looking at her, slowly parted his lips. And at the following words, Alice almost spilled her teacup.

 

“Did something happen to that Elga doctor?”

 

“….”

 

How did he know.

 

Alice retraced if the question she just asked contained such a meaning. But even listening carefully, there was absolutely no room to infer such a fact.

 

At Alice’s flustered face, Edwin knew his words were true.

 

He said without erasing his smile.

 

“So Alice suspects me.”

 

But that smile definitely didn’t look like it had a good meaning.

 

“…Th-that’s not it.”

 

Alice rebuked herself for how awkward her words could be even after spitting them out herself.

 

At the same time, at Edwin’s words that practically looked into her inner thoughts, Alice’s heart pounded.

 

She became afraid of what words would come out of his mouth. She felt like everything she was thinking would be dragged out entirely at this rate. Alice just asked in desperation.

 

“Then it’s not you…?”

 

It was just a moment ago she said she wasn’t suspecting him. She knew her appearance had only become strange with her own words, but she had to clarify this fact.

 

Thinking about it, it was also strange that he realized something happened to Michael just by her reaction.

 

Then is Edwin involved in this matter?

 

At her words, Edwin didn’t touch the teacup anymore and stared piercingly into her eyes.

 

The news that Michael Elga was kidnapped had already reached his ears.

 

But since it had nothing to do with him, he left it alone, and because of that matter, Alice was suspecting him.

 

Until just now, Edwin wasn’t sure where the subtly felt unpleasantness originated from.

 

However, Edwin, realizing the reason soon, opened his red lips.

 

“What if I did?”

 

Alice’s blue pupils shook uncontrollably as if an earthquake occurred. The person saying those words was relaxed and nonchalant beyond measure.

 

“I-if so… release him quickly.”

 

Alice scraped up the courage inside her to the bottom and spoke stammering.

 

Since when did a predator listen when a herbivore asked to let go of a comrade?

 

She knew it was useless, and regretted it.

 

‘I should have just answered appropriately.’

 

A sneer was placed on Edwin’s lips. A dark light flashed in his red eyes.

 

Like her, he also began to be curious about her thoughts.

 

“If I refuse, will Alice leave me?”

 

She looked into Edwin’s eyes at his words. In his red eyes, a subtle fire was constantly rising.

 

‘How long are you going to be at a loss?’

 

Alice made a firm resolution.

 

Although she was really scared, since it came to this, let’s just say everything honestly. The die was already cast.

 

But worry seized her whether it was okay to say such things knowing Edwin’s nature.

 

Alice, silent for a moment at his question, soon said with a determined face.

 

“…Yeah.”

 

She moistened her burning dry mouth with the teacup and continued.

 

“If you hurt Michael even a little, I won’t see you ever again.”

 

A chilly smile settled on Edwin’s lips. Alice knew his atmosphere was unusual, but didn’t say words to smooth it over.

 

He looked at her as if piercing through her. Soon his lips opened.

 

“What if I didn’t touch him?”

 

Edwin’s eyes shone deeply.

 

Alice, who didn’t understand his words immediately, slowly mulled over them. And realized. He was asking what she would do if he hadn’t harmed Michael.

 

“Th-then… I’ll apologize.”

 

“That seems like a condition too unilaterally disadvantageous to me, Alice.”

 

“Disadvantageous?”

 

“If Alice doesn’t see me, it’s better to die. Then shouldn’t there be a price equivalent to that for me to agree?”

 

He explained to her calmly with a languid attitude.

 

“No, that’s not something to die over….”

 

These days, Edwin’s words and actions were extreme beyond measure. She was helplessly flustered by that.

 

Still, his reaction was decent considering this. At least the confinement ending didn’t come out right away.

 

“Then your answer?”

 

Edwin urged for an answer without responding to her small protest. Alice racked her brain.

 

In the end, he was asking what compensation she would give him if he didn’t touch Michael.

 

A compensation equivalent to death….

 

No matter how much she thought, nothing came to mind.

 

Because everything she had, Edwin also had.

 

“Then I’ll grant you one wish you want.”

 

She felt like she was getting entangled by him, but if Michael could just be safe, she could grant ten such wishes.

 

Edwin’s lips went up pleasingly.

 

“Good.”

 

It was a satisfied smile as if her proposal was very pleasing. Alice couldn’t smile back looking at that handsome smile.

 

‘Just what wish is he planning to make.’

 

Alice was engulfed in anxiety wondering if she made a big promise she couldn’t handle. However, she couldn’t take this back.

 

Right now, Michael’s life and death were important.

 

“Instead, Michael has to be safe.”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Having obtained a promise from Edwin, Alice was relieved thinking she had put out the big fire for now. Drinking tea again to moisten her dry mouth, she asked.

 

“Then where is Michael?”

 

“Not with me.”

 

“Cough.”

 

Alice coughed while drinking tea. Excuse me? Did I hear wrong? She asked with a hopeful face.

 

“You’re saying Edwin didn’t kidnap Michael?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Edwin spoke as if conveying a perfectly obvious fact. The back of her head tingled at his words.

 

“H-how can I believe that?”

 

“If my words aren’t true, kill me. If it’s your hand, I’ll gladly die for you.”

 

“No, why are you telling me to kill you over such a thing again….”

 

Always dying or living.

 

Alice couldn’t understand Edwin speaking of his own death so casually. And she was more scared because it seemed he would put it into action.

 

“Really not you?”

 

Edwin nodded. Alice glared at him with an incredulous gaze.

 

‘Then why did you speak as if you kidnapped him.’

 

She couldn’t say anything to him openly though. In the first place, she was the one who first suspected him of kidnapping someone he didn’t even touch.

 

‘Then whose deed is it?’

 

The deduction went back to square one. She felt her head starting to hurt. In the meantime, Edwin called Chester who was outside.

 

“Find the whereabouts of Michael Elga. In the process, if you can find him, bring him.”

 

“Does it matter if it’s a corpse?”

 

Alice glared with her eyes wide open at Chester’s nonchalant words.

 

Is he crazy?

 

Reading that gaze, Chester let out a laugh. Edwin shouted at him.

 

“He must not die. Bring him with limbs intact.”

 

“Haha, I will obey your command.”

 

“Wait a minute, the Emperor must not know.”

 

Edwin and Chester looked at her with puzzled gazes.

 

“If the Emperor knows, Michael might get hurt.”

 

If Edwin didn’t kidnap him, the person holding Michael… might be the Emperor.