Estevan suppressed that feeling with effort and then gave an order.
“Leave.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Elisha hurriedly left.
After turning away, she smiled triumphantly.
Mikael had said that this fragrance was almost like an addiction, so once someone smelled it, they would keep seeking it.
And its climax would explode at the Grand Banquet Hall where the engagement ceremony would be held.
Elisha smiled as she imagined the expression Liliana would make at the ruined engagement ceremony.
But she didn’t know that someone had been watching her.
Jennifer, who had been observing Elisha’s actions, smirked. It was because it was a method she herself often used.
“The scent of the fiora flower…”
The fiora flower was a flower that released a fragrance that stimulated male hormones.
A man who smelled the fragrance would become intoxicated by it and wander around searching for the scent, and when he met the owner of the fragrance, he would become violent.
Jennifer had used this method to seduce targets and obtain information.
‘This is a big problem.’
She quickly contacted Liliana.
***
After returning to the detached Palace, Elisha hurriedly took off her clothes and showered to remove the fragrance, then changed into new clothes.
The clothes that carried the scent were tightly wrapped in cloth and hidden under the bed.
Then she took the communication orb and entered the toilette room to contact Mikael.
“Elisha, did it succeed?”
As if he had been waiting for the message, Mikael’s voice sounded excited.
“It succeeded. There was a small variable, though.”
“A variable?”
“Prince Estevan’s aide was also affected by the fragrance.”
“Are you sure my brother was exposed to the fragrance?”
“Of course. I saw it with my own eyes. His eyes turned intense.”
“Good work. Continue to run into my brother from time to time. The stronger the scent of the fiora flower becomes, the more certain the effect will be. You took the purification pill, right?”
“Of course. Do not worry.”
“I will contact you again. I love you, Elisha.”
After ending the communication and leaving the toilette room, Elisha recalled Estevan’s face.
‘The Prince blessed by the Sun God really is different.’
Those deep crimson eyes that seemed as if they could pull someone in, and the dazzling golden hair reflecting the sunlight were truly radiant.
‘If only he were Prince Mikael.’
Elisha let her imagination run free.
She imagined Estevan, completely captivated by her, approaching her with a sweet expression.
Just imagining it was thrilling.
‘I’m looking forward to Liliana’s face.’
She wondered what expression Liliana would make while looking at Prince Estevan, who had fallen completely for her.
***
Early in the morning, Liliana received Jennifer’s message and couldn’t hold back her laughter.
“She used the scent of the fiora flower?”
It was truly unexpected.
‘It must be Mikael’s scheme.’
She had wondered what method they would use to seduce Estevan, and they ended up using the scent of the fiora flower.
“Is there a way to neutralize it?”
“There is, but…”
“Tell me.”
“The scent of the asta flower. It requires physical contact.”
“So it means suppressing one fragrance with another.”
“Yes.”
“It can’t be helped. We will have to obtain the scent of the asta flower.”
“There is another problem.”
“A problem?”
“Sir Leon, the aide, was affected as well.”
“What?”
It was absurd.
Jennifer explained. The one who had first been affected was the aide, Leon, and afterward Estevan was also exposed to the fragrance.
Liliana spoke to Jennifer with a serious expression.
“Jennifer, you will have to take care of Sir Leon.”
“What?”
“You have the scent of the asta flower, right?”
“…I do not.”
“Really? Then we will have to obtain it. Wait a moment.”
“Yes.”
Liliana ended the communication with Jennifer and contacted Paris.
“Master!”
Paris greeted her with a lively voice.
“What can I help you with?”
“I need you to obtain two perfumes made from the asta flower.”
Paris made a surprised expression.
“Eh, what will you use that for?”
“My innocent fiancé has fallen victim to the fiora flower.”
“Oh, dear. He made such a beginner’s mistake. Of course I will obtain it for you. Just trust me. There is nothing my black market cannot get!”
“I’m counting on you, Paris.”
The asta flower perfume was delivered a few hours later. In the black market managed by Paris, just as he had said, there was nothing he couldn’t obtain.
Liliana smiled as she looked at the asta flower perfume she had received from Paris, then contacted Jennifer again.
“Jennifer, I obtained the asta flower perfume. I will bring it with me and enter the Palace now.”
“Yes.”
After getting dressed with the help of a maid, Liliana entered the Imperial Palace.
As soon as she arrived at the detached Palace, she summoned Jennifer.
When Jennifer entered the bedroom inside the detached Palace, Liliana handed her one of the perfumes she had received from Paris.
“It’s asta flower perfume. I leave Sir Leon to you.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
Liliana smiled brightly.
“Then shall we go punish my fiancé now?”
“Of course.”
After applying the asta flower perfume, Liliana headed toward the Sapphire Palace.
Estevan was practicing swordsmanship at the training ground in front of the Sapphire Palace.
Liliana approached him as she headed toward the training ground.
“Your Highness.”
“My Lady?”
Liliana, who had approached Estevan, grabbed his shirt with both hands.
“What are you—”
“You must be punished.”
“What?”
Her hands gently wrapped around his neck and pulled him into her embrace.
A sharp fragrance seeped into the tip of Estevan’s nose.
The violent heat that had been raging inside him just moments ago seemed to subside.
Only after a while did Liliana release him.
Estevan looked at her fiercely.
“What are you doing?”
“I saved you, Your Highness.”
“You saved me?”
“The fact that you were swinging your sword here—was it not because you were trying to calm the uncontrollable violence inside you?”
Estevan’s expression stiffened.
“You were targeted, Your Highness.”
“I was targeted?”
“Yes. You fell victim to the scent of the fiora flower.”
“What is that?”
Estevan frowned.
“The fiora flower is a demonic flower that turns a person into a beast when it mixes with a person’s body scent.”
Upon hearing that, Estevan’s face hardened.
“Then when you said you saved me…”
Liliana pointed to her own body.
“I sprayed a fragrance on myself that cancels the scent of the fiora flower. It is called the asta flower. This flower also mixes with a person’s body scent and counteracts the scent of the fiora flower.”
Only then did he realize why Liliana had embraced him.
“Was it Mikael’s doing?”
“Most likely.”
Estevan let out a short laugh.
“I was too careless.”
Estevan wasn’t used to plotting schemes. On the other hand, Mikael was quite skilled at plotting.
He let out a deep sigh.
“I apologize. I misunderstood you.”
“I will accept that apology. Do you remember where you smelled the scent of the fiora flower?”
“Now that I think about it, something felt strange since yesterday morning.”
When he returned to the Sapphire Palace after taking a walk with Leon in the morning, he had felt an intense thirst.
His throat was dry, so he searched for water and drank it, but the thirst wasn’t quenched.
The thirst that couldn’t be quenched made him grow violent. Then that scent came to mind. He felt the urge to smell that fragrance again.
In the end, he took a sword and went out to the training ground. He thought moving his body might help.
“Where did you first smell it?”
Estevan recalled his memory.
“A maid… I think that scent came from a maid of the detached Palace.”
“I see.”
While trying to recall more of his memory, Estevan suddenly widened his eyes.
“Leon…”
Estevan looked at Liliana with an anxious expression.
“Leon smelled the same scent.”
As Estevan hurriedly tried to go find Leon, Liliana grabbed his arm.
“Let go, Leon—”
“If it is Sir Leon, he will be alright.”
“What?”
“If Your Highness was affected, Sir Leon would not have remained unharmed either, so I sent the asta flower perfume through a maid.”
Estevan’s eyes widened.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Please believe me.”
Estevan let out a sigh.
“That is a relief…”
“Do you feel better now?”
“Thanks to you, the violence has subsided.”
“That is good.”
“Thank you.”
Liliana smiled brightly.
“It was nothing.”
***
Leon had felt that something was strange with his body since yesterday.
As soon as he left the Palace and returned home, he looked for water first. His thirst was severe.
But no matter how much water he drank, the thirst didn’t disappear. He barely managed to get up and entered the Palace.
His duty was to assist Estevan. There was no time to rest.
Suppressing the intense craving, he arrived at the Sapphire Palace.
Sweating cold sweat, he greeted the maids with the usual morning greeting and headed toward the office of the Sapphire Palace.
‘Come to think of it, I wonder if His Highness is alright. Or am I the only one like this?’
As he walked while thinking about various things, the violence was about to burst out.
‘Ugh, this won’t do.’
If he met Estevan in this state, it felt like a serious incident might happen.
Right at that moment, he heard a clear voice.
“You are Sir Leon, correct?”
