He seemed to be escaping into his dreams to avoid the painful reality.
‘It looks like his mind hasn’t deteriorated all that much yet.’
In my past life, after countless hardships had destroyed not only my body but my mental health as well, I was unable to find peace even in my dreams.
I would often exaggerate and reenact the painful events of the day, only to jolt awake in the middle of the night.
Back then, when I hadn’t properly awakened my ability, the occasional lucid dreams were the only times I could truly rest.
But this man…
‘In his dreams, he’s living a very cushy life. That ends now.’
Without hesitation, I changed the dream.
The buildings that had been shining so brilliantly melted in an instant into something black and sticky, and the people who had been beautiful and kind transformed into monsters with bulging eyes and protruding tongues.
“U-ugh…!”
When the women he had been holding under both arms turned into grotesque forms, Gerald screamed and let them go.
But their reptilian arms wrapped around his body. Twisting around him and even sealing his mouth shut, Gerald could no longer even scream.
After watching thorns sprout all along the monsters’ arms, I turned away. The pain would remain vividly real even after he woke up from the dream.
‘After giving him nightmares like this for a few days, he’ll probably become afraid of even falling asleep.’
Strangely enough, I felt as though I finally understood the dream demon’s intention behind planting the curse in Rastan.
Before leaving Gerald’s dream, I gave him an instruction in my mind.
‘During the upcoming slave trade investigation, spill everything you know without hiding anything. In detail. Honestly.’
As if the blockage in his throat had finally loosened, Gerald’s scream rang out loudly.
“Aaaaaaah! Someone save me!!”
“What an overreaction.”
I let out a quiet snort of laughter and left the dream, which had turned into utter chaos.
The preparation to land the blow I had been saving was complete.
Before long, Gerald would be letting out screams like that in reality as well.
***
The large, ornate carriage carrying Rastan and me drove deep into the Imperial Palace and came to a stop in front of the Princess’s Palace.
With the exception of the Imperial Family, most people had to dismount from their carriage or horse at the main gate of the Palace and walk the rest of the way in.
The only reason I could ride a carriage all the way in was because the one I was in bore the crest of House Blake, the powerful Ducal House said to stand just below the Imperial Family.
Rastan got down first and took my hand as I stepped out of the carriage, asking with concern,
“Are you sure it is alright for me not to accompany you all the way to the tea party venue?”
I was perfectly fine, but Rastan’s face was shadowed with worry, as if afraid I might be torn apart by the “hyenas.”
“Yes, it is fine. If you ask one more time, that will be the tenth.”
Even though I had answered him repeatedly, instead of feeling annoyed, I could only smile.
It must have been because his concern for me felt good.
“Understood. If anyone gives you trouble, be sure to remember their family name and tell me.”
“…And then what happens?”
“Well, who knows.”
Rastan avoided answering, but I could more or less guess what would happen.
“Do not make such a big deal out of something like this.”
“But…”
I patted the back of his hand, then slipped my hand out of the large one holding it with lingering reluctance.
“I will be back. You go take care of your work too.”
Rastan had come here by deliberately creating an audience with the Emperor he didn’t originally have, just so he could accompany me.
“See you later!”
I quickly said my goodbyes, turned around, and entered the Princess’s Palace.
Guided by an attendant, I entered the reception room, and the gazes of several ladies who had arrived earlier all turned toward me at once. It seemed the Princess hadn’t arrived yet.
“Oh, Lady Krone. Welcome.”
Marchioness Baden, who had once hosted a ball at her estate and invited me, greeted me.
As she introduced me and I exchanged greetings with a few people, I heard some young ladies whispering behind their fans.
“She was Duke Blake’s partner back then.”
“That is right. How did a young lady with no presence manage that…?”
It seemed the rumors about Rastan being one of the most sought-after grooms in the Empire were indeed true.
‘So they think I monopolized a public asset.’
On top of that, I had barely shown my face in high society before suddenly appearing out of nowhere, so it was only natural for them to think, “Who is she, anyway?”
Even if my family was famous, it had been quite some time since members of our House regularly attended major social events.
Just then, an attendant’s voice rang out.
“Her Highness the Imperial Princess has arrived.”
At those words, everyone rose from their seats and bowed according to protocol.
Princess Selene entered with graceful steps, invited everyone to sit, and then took her seat of honor.
As soon as she took her seat, she wore a gentle smile and spoke to me.
“You came, Lady Krone.”
Perhaps because there were many people present, her tone was more formal than when we spoke privately at the Imperial banquet. Since she singled me out, everyone’s gaze turned to me.
“Thank you for inviting me to such an honored gathering, Your Highness.”
I returned the greeting politely, hoping my turn would pass without incident, but the Princess paid it no mind and brought up her true purpose more directly.
“At the last Imperial banquet, we became acquainted, did we not? I invited you this time so that you could also build relationships with the ladies and young ladies I am close to.”
Marchioness Baden, who was seated right beside her, quickly added,
“House Krone has always been a venerable noble family, but now that there’s even the possibility you might become the Duchess of House Blake, everyone has been curious about you.”
I barely managed to stop myself from gaping.
‘Right. Princess Selene probably thought she would be the one to become engaged to Rastan.’
She would know that her father had his eye on Rastan as a potential son-in-law, so it was only natural for her to feel uncomfortable about me suddenly appearing as Rastan’s partner.
Even if she didn’t harbor any particular feelings for Rastan, she might still find me unpleasant for daring to take what belonged to a Princess.
‘And on top of that, Rastan and I are actually engaged.’
Even if it was only a one-year contract engagement, the two of us were legally engaged at present.
The Princess likely didn’t know that yet, but I felt oddly guilty and spoke as if making an excuse.
“Being partners once does not mean marriage.”
However, Princess Selene seemed disinclined to take my words to heart.
“Since it was the first time Duke Blake ever attended with a partner, it is not unreasonable for people to think that way.”
“…I thought His Grace had been partners with Your Highness at many banquets.”
For a brief moment, something like spite, or perhaps a mischievous glint, flickered across her face before disappearing just as quickly.
Before I could even think about what that peculiar expression meant, she lightly shook her head with an elegant smile.
“Well. Neither I nor His Majesty the Emperor has ever considered him as a potential Imperial consort.”
‘What? What does that mean?’
Rastan had clearly told me at the beginning, when he asked me to marry him, that the Emperor was subtly pressuring him to marry the Princess.
He had said that if things went on like that, an Imperial decree might be issued outright.
‘And that he wanted to avoid a marriage imposed by Imperial order, so he rushed to get engaged to me before any formal marriage talks could begin.’
Unable to immediately make sense of it, I waited for her to continue. Princess Selene, however, spoke calmly while stroking the rings on her fingers.
“Duke Blake does have excellent qualifications, but His Majesty has no intention of marrying me to him.”
As she said this, the corners of her lips lifted slightly, then stopped.
At times, a person’s expression or gestures conveyed information more vividly than words ever could.
Convinced that she knew something and was speaking deliberately, I swallowed my dry saliva and asked,
“May I ask why…?”
“Well, for quite some time now, he has never seemed to harbor any feelings for me. No matter how much of a political marriage it may be, His Majesty still wishes for me to live being loved and respected by my husband.”
Still idly playing with her rings, she lifted her gaze and looked straight at me.
“And these days, his heart seems to be completely with someone else. I, too, have no desire to bind myself to a man like that.”
When she said “someone else”, the Princess met my eyes directly. Anyone could tell she was saying, “That person is you.”
After all, at the Imperial banquet, hadn’t Rastan openly expressed his displeasure to both the Princess and the Prince who had taken me away to the balcony?
‘From Princess Selene’s perspective, it’s understandable that she would think that way.’
