Episode 131

“Kes.”

“Yvonne.”

Yvonne turned her gaze away from the pitiful sight of Marquess. Somehow, it felt like it was all her fault that he had ended up like this. She realized only after she had been brought here that he, too, had been captured.

She hadn’t thought the Emperor would come after her. Maybe the Marquess would have, but not Hildebrandt.

“Hilde, what are you trying to show me by doing this?”

“A punishment.”

“I did something wrong.”

“You did. So you need to be punished.”

“Ah…”

His voice was gentle, yet firm—and that frightened her even more. To her, Hildebrandt was a madman. He was the one who had killed her dogs without a second thought. And before that—back when she couldn’t remember—he’d supposedly killed her rabbit, too.

Would someone like that really spare the Marquess?

That was what Yvonne feared. What she didn’t realize was that what Hildebrandt feared… was the Marquess dying and being forever etched in her heart. She assumed his words of love were nothing more than the selfish mourning of a man who had lost his favorite toy.

She never once believed what he showed her was love. The love she imagined couldn’t possibly look like this.

It couldn’t be something so twisted.

“Every time Yvonne lies to me, that man’s finger will break.”

“I don’t lie to you, Hilde.”

“I know. That’s why I’m making it a game and a punishment.”

Yvonne stared at him in silence, as if questioning whether he was serious. He simply looked back at her with a bright smile.

As if he was.

“And how will you know whether I’m lying or not?”

“Like this.”

Hildebrandt stared straight into Yvonne’s eyes.

“Every time you lie to my question, kiss me.”

“Yes.”

It was like she was hypnotized—her head spun, but her mind quickly cleared. Even so, her body trembled, and what he’d just said buzzed around in her mind.

“Yvonne…”

She felt even more confused by the Marquess, who sobbed as he called out her name.

“Why did you stay? It’s pathetic, Kes.”

“Yvonne… why did you leave me?”

“Because I was tired of being with you. And you pushed me off the balcony.”

“That…! That was His Majesty’s scheme!”

“Ha.”

Hildebrandt let out a laugh, covering his mouth like he was amused—though his laugh clearly escaped between his large fingers, making the gesture meaningless.

“I could have died from that fall.”

“There were bushes below.”

“If I had broken my neck, I’d be dead.”

“I placed a healing charm on you.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you pushed me. Don’t deflect.”

“Yvonne, you’re still my wife. You can’t just leave me.”

“We were never officially married. I just needed that identity when we ran away.”

Yvonne felt a cold sweat from the Marquess’s desperation. She deliberately spoke harshly. She thought that was the only way he might let her go.

The only feelings she had left for him were guilt and a sense of responsibility. She knew all too well that he wasn’t the one her heart longed for.

“I never loved you. Not even for a moment.”

“How… how could you say something so cruel?”

The Marquess broke down sobbing, trying to approach her. But the knights behind him didn’t allow him to move.

“Hilde.”

“Yeah?”

“That’s enough. I don’t want to see any more.”

“It hasn’t even started yet.”

Yvonne grew more anxious, realizing her resistance was pointless.

“Did you love Marquess Rohan?”

“No.”

He waited for her to kiss him. But she remained still.

“Hh….”

The Marquess cried harder when he saw that.

“Not even once?”

“No.”

She lowered her eyes, feeling guilty, but she didn’t kiss Hildebrandt.

“Then why did you run away with him?”

“Because I felt sorry for him.”

“Then why did you agree to be his wife?!”

“I thought I might grow to love him… if we lived together.”

“Was that a lie?”

“No.”

Even under Hildebrandt’s scrutiny, Yvonne remained unshaken.

“Don’t tell me… you saw me in Marquess Rohan?”

“Yes.”

Yvonne had thought Rohan resembled Hildebrandt. At least, in the end, that’s how he had appeared to her.

“Ha.”

Hildebrandt looked quite satisfied. Contrary to his expectations, Yvonne had truly never given her heart to the Marquess.

“Did you ever sleep with Rohan?”

“…Yes.”

In that moment, she reached out and wrapped her arms around Hildebrandt’s neck. Then gently pressed her lips against his—briefly—before pulling away.

Yvonne, flustered, covered her face with her hands. At that, Hildebrandt grinned even more pleased than before.

“Get rid of him. He looks useless.”

He wanted to believe that the marks on Yvonne’s body were only remnants of a shape, not something real.

Hildebrandt knew he needed to ask about Yurian. But the thought of asking terrified him. The moment he did, the belief he’d struggled so hard to build would come crashing down.

In the end, he didn’t ask anything.

Because he couldn’t trust himself not to snap Yvonne’s neck when she answered.

* * *

“What is this?”

Just as Yurian was preparing to depart with his elite troops to search for Yvonne, an urgent letter was delivered to him. He had made up his mind—he would bring her back, even if it meant going to war.

[Marriage Proposal Letter]

[I’m grateful to you, Duke, for protecting my daughter.
But my daughter’s dignity is also at stake, so I’m willing to approve your marriage.
I want that diamond mine you own. You’d better respond quickly.
If not, I’ll just give her to someone else.]

A dry laugh escaped Yurian.

The Emperor, who had lost his mind after the disappearance of Princess Yvonne, was now giving his blessing for their marriage?

Yurian had long suspected that Hildebrandt and Yvonne might not be true family. But he had no proof. And if the Emperor truly loved her, he wouldn’t have thrown her into danger over and over again.

Was Yvonne really just a plaything to this capricious Emperor?

Yurian felt conflicted.

If it meant marrying Yvonne, he could abandon his title and lands without a second thought. He wasn’t proud of what he had.

As long as he had Yvonne—if she would just give him her permission—he believed they could live even on a remote island, just the two of them. Anywhere would be fine, so long as the frail Yvonne stayed by his side.

“We’re going to the palace. Now.”

“Shall we come with you?”

“No, you all stay and wait.”

At Yurian’s order, the knights exchanged glances and quietly stepped back.

Without delay, he shed his armor, changed into his ducal uniform, and made for the imperial palace.

* * *

“Came running the moment I called. Like a loyal hound.”

“I greet the strongest sword in the Bricesys Empire.”

Yurian no longer felt anger at the Emperor’s provocations. All he could think about was giving Yvonne the peaceful life she wanted—and staying by her side.

That was why he could endure the eccentricities of the man who might become his father-in-law.

“Sit.”

A chill ran down Yurian’s spine as he recalled the time the Emperor summoned him to his private garden. It had been just like this—when he was collared, drugged, and locked away.

“Don’t drink the tea. I don’t want to talk with you for long.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With that, Hildebrandt set down the teacup he’d been holding. To Yurian, the tableware on the table looked unusually small.

Surrounded by large men, the dainty dishes looked like toys for a child’s tea party. Yet when they were in front of Yvonne, they’d looked elegant and refined.

“You want to marry Yvonne?”

“Yes.”

“What’s so good about my Yvonne?”

“There’s no need for a reason to love someone.”

“If you had to name one?”

“She…”

Yurian didn’t want to say it aloud. But if enduring this humiliation meant he could marry her, he would bear it.

“She treats me comfortably. And I want to be someone who makes her feel at ease too.”

“She told you you’re comfortable?”

“No. She’s never said that.”

“Then?”

“I can tell… by the way she treats me.”

“I told you not to confess.”

As that warning, spoken with flushed cheeks, flashed across his mind, Yurian couldn’t help but smile.

“You’re not just imagining it?”

“No.”

“Sounds like you are.”

“I’m not.”

Hildebrandt’s mockery meant nothing to Yurian now.

The Emperor stared at him. Hildebrandt disliked Yurian. He was nothing like himself—not in looks, not in temperament.

Which meant—

Yvonne couldn’t possibly love him.

But Hildebrandt was not the kind of man to leave a dangerous spark unattended.

“Blinded by love, it seems. Running straight over here.”

“Yes.”

“No shame, either.”

“Yes.”

“Must be an idiot.”

Yurian was unfazed by the insults. If, at the end of all this, Yvonne greeted him with a smile—he would gladly endure a hundred more.

“Falling for the same trick twice…”

“Well, for Your Majesty to think I’d fall for it again—that’s a bit naive.”

Yurian raised his hand, briefly covering his eyes from the Emperor’s gaze—his ring, imbued with nullification magic, catching the light.