Episode 129

“Come back with me, Yvonne.”

“…”

“Then I’ll forgive all of Grand Duke Leonhardt’s disgraceful actions.”

Hildebrandt gave Yvonne one final warning. If she didn’t go with him now, it was clear Yurian would be in danger.

Yurian was someone who had already lost to Hildebrandt once and been dragged off. And Hildebrandt, a mental ability user, wasn’t alone this time. Francis was with him, along with the knights he’d brought.

Emperor Hildebrandt was someone who would kill Yvonne without hesitation.

If she resisted here, Yurian would surely get hurt too.

Yvonne didn’t want Yurian to be hurt. He had been the one who brought her peace—and she couldn’t deny her feelings for him anymore.

“…Alright.”

“Yvonne.”

“Yurian.”

“Yes.”

Yvonne turned to look at Yurian. He was clearly anxious about her walking away. He looked as if everything would fall apart the moment she left.

“I’ll see you at the palace. Thank you… for protecting me.”

“Don’t go, Yvonne.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Hildebrandt unleashed his power on Yurian.

“Guh…!”

Yurian looked up at the emperor, startled to find himself suddenly on his knees.

“You think I wouldn’t have left something on you?”

“Your Majesty—”

“Don’t do this, Dad.”

Yvonne grabbed Hildebrandt’s arm, tugging it gently.

“How long do you think I’ll keep tolerating you?”

“Ugh…”

Hildebrandt grabbed her by the neck. Yvonne, instead of resisting, allowed her body to go limp and held on to his arm.

“Grand Duke Leonhardt only helped me, that’s all.”

“What?”

“I simply left the palace for a while, that’s all.”

“And Marquess Rohan?”

“Him too. He annoyed me, so I tossed him aside.”

Yvonne deliberately spoke coldly. Judging by Hildebrandt’s mention of Rohan, he must’ve been caught too.

Even if she was a worthless princess, Marquess Rohan was a top-tier ability user—they wouldn’t have killed him.

“Yvonne, don’t go.”

“I had a good time, Yurian.”

“Yvonne…”

Yurian looked at her, stunned. And then he realized—she was leaving to protect him.

“Let’s go, Dad.”

At Yvonne’s words, the urge Hildebrandt had to hurt her disappeared. If she came back to him willingly, he was prepared to forgive everything.

“…Alright.”

Like a man who had given up, he took her hand and led her away.

“Yvonne!”

Yurian cried out desperately—but she ignored him and walked on.

* * *

Yvonne was slightly unsettled upon returning to the imperial palace.

“I missed you.”

“…Dad.”

“We agreed you’d call me by my nickname.”

Yvonne was taken aback as Hildebrandt leaned against her knee while she sat on the bed. He sat obediently at her feet.

“Why did you take so long to come find me?”

Hildebrandt knew she was lying. He knew she had run away from him. He saw it in her eyes—how she no longer loved him.

“You love me.”

“Dad…”

He was hypnotizing himself again.

“I love you too.”

He smiled brightly and leaned into Yvonne. She was afraid—she didn’t understand why he was acting this way. The emperor was fickle. Even if he was gentle now, there was no telling when he’d change and strangle her again.

Yvonne was already growing weary of it all. This exhausting palace life, tiptoeing around the emperor’s moods—it was starting again, without question.

“What about Evony?”

“Should I bring her back?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

At the emperor’s signal, Francis received the message and stepped out.

“Dad.”

“Call me Hilde.”

“…Okay.”

She couldn’t refuse his command. She was only in her right mind because he allowed it—not because of her own power.

“Hilde.”

“Mm, good. Yvonne.”

Yvonne stroked his silver hair with a resigned expression.

“Yvonne.”

“Yes.”

“I love you.”

Yvonne didn’t respond. But then she realized—if she kept refusing to answer, Hildebrandt might grow suspicious and kill Yurian.

“I love you more.”

“Right?”

“Yes.”

She laughed bitterly inside at her reality: a puppet once again.

“Yvonne, don’t ever leave me again.”

“Only if you don’t let me go, Hilde.”

“Mm.”

A submissive Hildebrandt was somehow even more frightening—like holding a ticking time bomb to her chest.

“Hilde, be good.”

“Okay. I’ll be good.”

She didn’t believe that either, but she decided to act the way he wanted.

“What happened to Cass?”

Yvonne couldn’t return to her own room—Hildebrandt had fallen asleep in her arms.

So she had to ask Francis, who was nearby.

“Marquess Rohan is in the dungeon.”

Yvonne wasn’t even disappointed. She had expected as much.

She couldn’t imagine living in this cursed palace the way she used to. In the past, she might have thought that if the emperor treated her kindly, maybe—just maybe—she could find happiness here. But she no longer believed that.

She remembered every broken expectation she had once held as the imperial princess. How he had tried to kill her, humiliated her, trampled her sincerity.

He was a man who found joy in tormenting her.

If things had continued as they were…

If she had never left the palace…

She might have thought that surviving was enough.

But she had left. She had tasted peace outside the emperor’s shadow—and she missed it.

Especially Yurian, who was always happy just to hear her voice.

“Yvonne.”

“Yes, Hilde.”

Hildebrandt, eyes half-open, nestled into her arms and spoke.

“Are you worried about the tactician?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Conscience. I’m the one who abandoned him.”

Hildebrandt almost killed him—but didn’t. The emperor’s mind was slowly returning to him, because Yvonne was at his side.

Death romanticizes everything. Even if she felt nothing for Marquess Rohan now, if he died, even a shallow feeling could deepen.

He hated the idea of someone else occupying Yvonne’s heart. He didn’t want to repeat the mistakes that had driven her away before.

Hildebrandt wanted to change—to become the version of himself she once loved.

Not the foolish man who doubted her, but the fragile, pure one who had trusted her.

“Release him, Francis.”

“But, Your Majesty…”

“I said release him.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Francis figured it was safe. After all, the emperor had already hypnotized the marquess. Still, he couldn’t be sure if the emperor was in his right mind.

“And, Hilde.”

“Mm?”

“Don’t lay a hand on Yurian.”

“Why?”

“Because Yurian is a kind man.”

Hildebrandt pulled away from her embrace and looked into her eyes. He had the power to use his ability, but didn’t. Instead, he said,

“Then don’t give me a reason to.”

“Okay.”

To Yvonne, his request sounded more like a command.

“Are you doubting my heart?”

“…No.”

The emperor decided not to doubt her feelings. Even if she had run from him and toyed with his uncle.

That was the past. And even if she had, he couldn’t forget her. He still remembered the panic and self-loathing he felt when she first tried to take her own life—the way he wanted to follow her in death.

But if he died, everything would truly be over.

Even though he hated her, Hildebrandt loved her.

The memory of trying to use Yurian Leonhardt to kill her now seemed laughable.

If he killed her, he could never see her again.

“Then don’t make me anxious, Hilde.”

“Okay.”

Hildebrandt was listening to the sound of her heartbeat. The fast, fluttering rhythm that felt sweet to him.

He didn’t realize it was beating that way out of fear.

“Yvonne, hold me more. Pet me more.”

“Yes.”

To Yvonne, holding him felt like cradling a lion that could bite her throat at any moment. She was even more on edge because he still hadn’t given a clear answer about Yurian.

“The Duke…”

“Yes?”

“I won’t touch the Duke.”

“…Alright.”

Yvonne deliberately didn’t say thank you—something that had become a habit. She knew that if she let even a bit of emotion slip into her words, Hildebrandt would sense everything… and kill Yurian.

“I love you, Yvonne.”

“Yes, me too.”

Yvonne pulled his large body into a firm hug. If she gave him room to move, he’d become a beast that would devour her.

“Hilde, now that I’m here, don’t drink anymore.”

“Okay.”

Her words made Hildebrandt wonder—did she know he was her Guide?

“Yvonne.”

With shocking ease, Hildebrandt slipped free of her arms and pinned her beneath him. Her embrace was meaningless.

“I want to form a bond contract.”

With those words, Yvonne had no choice but to admit it—he truly was her Guide.