In the end, I did take Nathan’s hand and stand up.
But that didn’t mean I intended to leave with him.
After standing, I pushed his gloved hand away.
“As I said earlier, I can’t. I can’t go with you.”
“Why?”
“Because… I have my reasons.”
“My point is, what exactly are those reasons? You’ve been avoiding the question.”
Unable to answer, I hung my head.
Nathan immediately grabbed my chin and lifted it.
Forcing me to look at him.
“You’re not changing your mind, are you? Feeling reluctant now because you can’t bear to lose the title of Empress?”
“It’s not that!”
“If you don’t give me a proper explanation, I’ll have no choice but to think that you’ve had a change of heart.”
I had sworn not to say anything, for my safety and Mary’s.
But his relentless questioning made my resolve waver.
‘What do I do…? If I keep hiding things, my relationship with Nathan might crumble. We’re in this together, and I can’t let that happen.’
After much deliberation, I decided to reveal the truth.
“Alright. I’ll tell you, but promise me you’ll keep this a secret. And you have to swear not to get upset.”
“Of course.”
“Actually, my maid—one I cherish deeply—has been taken hostage by my father. If I disobey him and marry Your Highness, he might harm her. I don’t want her to suffer because of me… Wait! Where are you going?”
Though he had just promised not to get upset, he started moving as if he were about to go straight to the Duke.
I hurriedly stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
I couldn’t let him leave; I knew he’d do something reckless if he faced the Duke.
“You promised not to get upset!”
“You want me to stay calm after hearing that? I’m not some soft-hearted fool.”
“If you take action, I’ll be the one who gets hurt!”
Nathan, who was about to push past me, finally stopped at those words.
His eyes were still burning with rage.
But thankfully, he seemed to have enough reason left to worry about my safety.
“Please, don’t intervene. Think about what will happen to me if you leave me behind after all this.”
“Leave you behind? Who’s leaving? I’m taking you and that maid with me right now. Or do you think the Duke would dare refuse my request?”
“Yes.”
Nathan fell silent, seemingly lost for words at my firm response.
It wasn’t that I wanted to speak so harshly to him.
But he needed to understand the reality.
An Imperial Prince without the power to inherit the throne wouldn’t be able to stand against the Duke.
“My father is the Duke of Rubellaris. He has the Emperor’s absolute trust. Do you really think you can handle someone like him?”
“…”
“Can you truly guarantee you’ll save me? And if something goes wrong, what happens to me?”
Nathan remained silent for a long time before speaking in a drained voice.
“So… it’s because I’m not the Crown Prince, huh…”
I couldn’t deny it.
If Nathan were the Crown Prince, the Duke wouldn’t have opposed our relationship in the first place.
He would’ve welcomed it with open arms.
“…”
His prolonged silence suggested he was deeply affected by the truth.
I wanted to give him time to gather his thoughts, but we couldn’t afford to waste time.
I forced myself to speak again.
“…I’ll walk you to the front gate. Please, follow me.”
Though I asked him to follow, he didn’t budge.
I opened the door myself.
But Nathan, reaching from behind, slammed it shut.
Startled, I turned to him, only to hear something completely unexpected.
“You can make me the Crown Prince.”
“What?”
“That potion you used before, you still have it, right?”
“Oh, that? Yes, there’s still one bottle left.”
It seemed he was referring to the curse antidote.
Since we made two, I had one safely stored in my room.
“Good. Then I can show that I’m capable of being the Crown Prince.”
“You mean…?”
“Yes. I’ll show your father that I can take a wife and, beyond that, have children with her. Right in front of his eyes.”
His plan was shocking.
But not a bad one.
‘Indeed, if he shows that, the Duke won’t object to our relationship.’
The Duke’s only concern was that I become Empress.
As long as I married a Crown Prince, he wouldn’t care whether it was Regis or Nathan.
“Are you sure about this? You once said you didn’t want to be the Crown Prince.”
“I’ve changed my mind. After being humiliated like this, I can’t just stand by.”
He seemed completely resolute.
It was good news for me, so I quickly retrieved the potion hidden in my room.
I brought it to Nathan and touched his skin.
“The effects are kicking in already.”
The curse didn’t activate.
Immediately, he pressed his lips and nose to my palm.
He inhaled my scent, almost as if savoring it, and then spoke decisively.
“I’m ready. Call the Duke.”
—
* * *
—
Sitting by the bedroom window, Luke gazed outside.
Through the window, he could see Nathan’s knights.
They stood loyally, waiting for the Prince to finish his business.
Suddenly, Claudia’s words from before echoed in Luke’s mind.
[I’ve made a pact with Prince Nathan. We’re getting married.]
At first, he hadn’t believed it.
But after seeing the Prince come to visit Claudia in person, he couldn’t deny it anymore.
It seemed something had indeed happened between Claudia and the Prince.
Though what exactly had occurred, he had no idea.
‘Claudia… she might leave with the Prince soon.’
Most brothers would feel sad if their sister left home.
But not Luke.
‘If she’s going to leave, I wish she’d do it sooner.’
Thinking that, he closed the curtains he had drawn earlier.
He didn’t care anymore.
Claudia had long since become little more than a foolish villain in his eyes, tormenting Neyla.
Of course, he hadn’t always thought that way.
When they were younger, even Luke had found Neyla bothersome.
But about five winters ago, something changed.
That day, after his usual sword training, Luke came back to his room to find an apple lying on the table.
Thirsty, he had bitten into it without a second thought.
That’s when it happened. Sudden stomach cramps and dizziness overwhelmed him.
[Help… someone…]
Unable to even call for help, he had collapsed, writhing in pain, until Neyla had found him.
And she had nursed him back to health, bringing them closer.
After drinking the mysterious potion she gave him, his pain vanished as if it had never existed.
[If it weren’t for you, I might’ve been in real trouble. Thank you so much, Neyla.]
That was the moment Luke accepted Neyla as his sister.
Once he did, Claudia’s actions began to irritate him.
[Neyla! That wound… did Claudia do that again?]
[No. It’s not like that, brother. I just fell.]
[Fell? That’s clearly a scratch mark! Damn it, what’s wrong with Claudia?]
Luke had never been particularly affectionate toward Claudia.
She had always been frail, bedridden most of the time.
Of course, after regaining her health, she had followed him around constantly…
But even then, Luke had ignored her.
No matter how sweetly she acted in front of him, Claudia kept leaving wounds on Neyla.
—
“Ugh.”
Thinking about Claudia soured his mood.
Feeling it was a waste of time to dwell on her, Luke picked up the book he had been reading earlier.
—
* * *
—
We didn’t have to wait long.
The Duke arrived promptly after hearing that Nathan and I had summoned him.
Nathan spoke first.
“I’ve heard that you wish for Claudia to become Empress.”
He didn’t mince words.
The Duke, unaccustomed to such direct speech, furrowed his brows slightly.
Saying yes would make him seem opportunistic, but denying it when I had already confessed felt awkward as well.
Seeing the Duke’s hesitation, Nathan continued.
“I’ll become the Crown Prince. That way, no one will be dissatisfied.”
A long silence followed.
From the Duke’s reaction, I could tell he was utterly shocked.
Finally, after a prolonged pause, the Duke pointed out the obvious issue.
“…The Imperial bloodline would end.”
“Oh, Claudia can help with that. That’ll solve the problem.”
—
End of chapter.
