“I don’t know what you mean.”
Amelie pretended to be innocent, but her blood dried up. How the hell did he find out!
“It wasn’t just a day or two that I followed Miss Amelie. Oh, Miss Amelie was careful enough. No one knows you are a witch.”
Ruben began to explain how he followed Amelie.
He cast a spell on Amelie that would let him know when she left the palace. When the alarm came, he made his body transparent and followed her. But, because he could fly in the sky, even the knight couldn’t find a sign.
“Don’t worry, even a brilliant wizard like me would have figured it out only after making a decision and following along.”
“…Is it time to brag about yourself?”
“I was just telling you the truth. Well, I can’t help it even if I say that I’m proud of myself.”
Ruben smiled cheerfully.
“…So what do you want from me? Are you going to threaten me for being a witch?”
“No! There’s no way.”
Ruben strongly denied it.
“I have no prejudice against witches. Rather, I think it would be nice to be able to study witch magic. I haven’t told anyone Miss Amelie’s secret, so you can rest assured.”
“Then why did you tell me you knew I was a witch?”
“…I want to get close to Miss Amelie. A friend shouldn’t have anything to hide, right?”
“Friend?”
Amelie asked in confusion. What is this guy talking about now?
“Ah, did you make your own play until now because you wanted to get to know me?”
“Isn’t that often the case? It creates an opportunity to get closer.”
“Who the hell does that?”
“Everyone in the book is like that.”
Amelie narrowed her eyes. She doesn’t know if he’s serious or intentionally saying something ridiculous to cover up the situation.
“Why do you want to be friends with me?”
“…Do you need a reason to want to be friends?”
Ruben laughed it off, but Amelie noticed his short hesitation before answering.
‘I think he’s planning something— but he won’t tell me yet?’
Then, Lira tapped Amelie’s arm. Amelie listened to Lira.
“I have hypnosis. If you change the location, I will take care of it.”
“Ah…”
Using hypnosis, it was easy to see what Ruben was up to. However, she was somewhat reluctant to use such things on people.
“He found out that you’re a witch. Otherwise, our lives could be in danger for both of us. So don’t talk to him and join in.”
“…Yes.”
Lira’s words made sense. Since he knew she was a witch, she had to know for what purpose he had approached her.
Amelie began to think about how to get him to the right place. Of course, it’s best to take him to the attic, but—.
“Okay! Are we friends now?”
“No.”
“Miss Amelie, are you in a position to refuse?”
Even though Amelie didn’t like it, Ruben smiled happily. Amelie hated it even more because he had a simple but bright smile.
“Anyway, please invite me to celebrate our friendship.”
“Invite?”
“To the Imperial Palace.”
“…What are you really up to?”
“I’ve always wanted to go there.”
When he goes to the Imperial Palace, she’ll find out his thoughts. Lira glanced at Amelie, and Amelie nodded her head slightly. She didn’t seem to have much to worry about if she used hypnosis to figure out what he wanted to do before he did it.
“…Okay. Then go to the Imperial Palace. But as soon as I get to the palace, I’m going to tell His Majesty about this. He’ll probably come running at once.”
“That’s what I wanted.”
“What did you want?”
Amelie asked, but Ruben only laughed at her and didn’t answer.
*****
Marquis Lewin was spending time in a greenhouse in the mansion’s backyard. He took his hand scissors and trimmed the branches of his roses. His devotion was so strong that he filled the greenhouse with roses given to him by the regent king twenty years ago.
“You look nervous.”
The butler asked him.
“Does it look like that? I can finally get the item I gave up after searching for a long time. I guess I was nervous without realizing it.”
Marquis Lewin laughed, cutting off the leaves of the rose.
“I finally found my father’s ring.”
It was well known that Marquis Lewin believed in and followed Regent King Albert rather than his deceased father. The butler smiled softly and adjusted the rhythm.
“It’s not just a ring. It was a ring that he loved so much that he showed it to me only once.”
He had been looking for this ring for a long time. He tensed up like a child when he thought he could finally get it. He went to the greenhouse to calm his mind by cutting the roses, but it didn’t work out.
Just then, a man in black entered the greenhouse. He took off his black cloak and knelt toward Marquis Lewin.
“Marquis Lewin. I have just returned from my mission.”
The Masked Man was a secret messenger of the Marquis of Lewin. Even though the scale was small because of Serwin’s check, all of Marquis Lewin’s subordinates were highly skilled.
This time, Marquis Lewin gave the masked men a task to take away Amelie’s ring. It was a rather unreasonable plan, but there was a good reason.
His mother, Caitlyn, was also collecting the things of the Regent King. Even though it was a mother-son relationship, it was already so messed up that it couldn’t be called a family. Instead, it was just a fight over the Regent King’s possessions.
Caitlyn would go straight to the Imperial Palace if she heard the story about the ring. She was probably going to argue with Amelie herself. Marquis Lewin, who had to somehow end it before the two of them met, had no choice but to take a risk and stop her by pretending to be a robber.
“What about the ring?”
“We failed. I apologize.”
“Didn’t she have the ring?”
“No, we got the upper hand and took the pendant and ring. However—suddenly, a wizard intervened and disappeared with the woman and the pendant.”
“Wizard?”
“Yes. It was a young man with blonde hair and a lot of jewelry.”
There was only one wizard with blonde hair and jewels on the continent.
‘Why is Ruben Odorus suddenly— it can’t be, is he on the Emperor’s side?’
Recently, he knew that Serwin was empowering the Duke of Odorus faction, but that was something that had happened in the past, so he didn’t give it much thought and focused on gaining power from the Manvers faction.
‘He thought that Serwin let Ruben go because he was playing a crazy love game—but, it doesn’t look like that is the case?’
He really was the Emperor. He thought Serwin only played the crazy love game, but he never thought he would hit him in the back of the head this way.
Marquis Lewin recalled Serwin’s figure. He changed a lot after he brought his lover, Amelie, to the Imperial Palace. He didn’t kill people easily anymore, and his face became more gentle. There were times when he smiled.
‘How dare you kill my father and still want to be happy.’
Marquis Lewin couldn’t resist the rising anger and gave his hands strength. The delicately blooming rose was crushed in his hand.
After the death of the Regent King, Marquis Lewin lost the meaning of his life. The only part where he felt the pleasure was watching Serwin get ruined day by day.
But when Amelie appeared, she ruined it all. Marquis Lewin burned with hatred as he watched Serwin gradually regain his laughter.
“You still haven’t found out anything about her?”
“…I apologize.”
“What makes it so hard to find out where she was born and what she was doing? Does it make sense that we haven’t figured it out yet!”
“I apologize. No matter how much I try to appease them, all the people involved remain silent and don’t speak.”
“What about Mrs. Willow?”
“It was the same with her.”
“Tsk.”
Marquis Lewin clicked his tongue. It’s only because it’s so difficult for him to investigate a woman from a commoner. But he wasn’t the one to give up because of that. He could do anything as long as it made Serwin unhappy.
‘I’ll have to use my hands soon. For now, I have to get the ring in my hand first.’
“Wait for my mother to come out of the Imperial palace and then make a surprise attack on her. Take the ring away if she brought it out. There should be no mistakes this time. I’ll see His Majesty.”
“I will follow your order.”
The man put on the mask again. Marquis Lewin looked at him indifferently, then turned his gaze back to the rose. The sight of the crushed rose in his own hand rekindled his anger towards Serwin once more.
‘The Emperor will soon be crushed like this rose.’
Marquis Lewin laughed sullenly. Perhaps he had been waiting for Serwin to fall in love with someone. To avenge him for taking his father away from him.
*****
During the movement, Amelie stayed as far away from Ruben as she could to keep her guard up against him. Lira, as expected, also watched him in Amelie’s arms.
Despite the persistent gaze of the two, Ruben looked very happy.
They were easily passed the gates of the Imperial Palace. This was because, at Serwin’s order, Amelie’s carriage was allowed to pass through without being inspected. Because of this, Amelie could easily bring anyone from outside into the palace.
“I finally went through this gate and entered the Imperial Palace.”
Ruben kept looking around as if he were feeling something new.
‘The Duke’s son and his brother also work as a knight in the Imperial Palace, have you never been to the Imperial Palace?’
“Did you use me to enter the Imperial Palace?”
“Yes. There is a reason for that.”
“Why? Anyone can enter the Imperial Palace, right? When the Duke or your brother come in, can’t you just come along?”
“I can’t get in. Neither my father nor my brother give me permission. Never.”
“Is that so?”
“Even though my older brother is the one who listens to any request I ask…”
Ruben grumbled.
‘Right. It is said the Duke family is a very harmonious family.’
In particular, he had a close relationship with his older brother. To the point that he went against the restraining order to save his brother.
‘This is the same as the original. Is his personality this way because he hasn’t been through hard times yet?’
Amelie, who had always felt distant from him, felt friendly toward him for the first time.
“I’m sure there was an order from His Majesty. I understand everything. His Majesty hates me, so I can’t help it.”
“His Majesty?”
Serwin didn’t seem to have any ill feelings towards Ruben. The last time she talked to Ruben, she was suspicious, but she didn’t think there was any prejudice or bad feeling about Ruben himself.
“Did His Majesty tell Amelie about me?”
“Yes?”
“Tell me. What did His Majesty say about me?”
Ruben’s face was more serious than ever.
“It’s good even if it’s not a big deal.”
“He was just… asked how you looked.”
“…I see.”
Ruben turned his head out of the window with a mysterious look on his face. Amelie suddenly had a question.
“Perhaps, your goal is not me, but His Majesty—”
Before Amelie could finish her questions, her carriage quickly stopped, and Milena’s voice could be heard. When she opened the door, she saw Milena and her maids gathered in front of her palace with a desperate look.
“Miss Amelie! Please get off now! A guest has arrived!”
“What’s wrong?”
Amelie asked after grabbing Ruben by the wrist to prevent him from running away.
“Miss Amelie! Who is that—”
“No, that’s not important! A guest! Oh my. Lady Caitlyn has been waiting for you for a long time!”
“Caitlyn?”
“Caitlyn Lewin, Marquis Lewin’s mother!”
“Ah. that!”
The woman who grabbed the head of the maid who had a scandal with the regent king? Amelie was bewildered by the unexpected visit.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Amelie pretended to be innocent, but her blood dried up. How the hell did he find out!
“It wasn’t just a day or two that I followed Miss Amelie. Oh, Miss Amelie was careful enough. No one knows you are a witch.”
Ruben began to explain how he followed Amelie.
He cast a spell on Amelie that would let him know when she left the palace. When the alarm came, he made his body transparent and followed her. But, because he could fly in the sky, even the knight couldn’t find a sign.
“Don’t worry, even a brilliant wizard like me would have figured it out only after making a decision and following along.”
“…Is it time to brag about yourself?”
“I was just telling you the truth. Well, I can’t help it even if I say that I’m proud of myself.”
Ruben smiled cheerfully.
“…So what do you want from me? Are you going to threaten me for being a witch?”
“No! There’s no way.”
Ruben strongly denied it.
“I have no prejudice against witches. Rather, I think it would be nice to be able to study witch magic. I haven’t told anyone Miss Amelie’s secret, so you can rest assured.”
“Then why did you tell me you knew I was a witch?”
“…I want to get close to Miss Amelie. A friend shouldn’t have anything to hide, right?”
“Friend?”
Amelie asked in confusion. What is this guy talking about now?
“Ah, did you make your own play until now because you wanted to get to know me?”
“Isn’t that often the case? It creates an opportunity to get closer.”
“Who the hell does that?”
“Everyone in the book is like that.”
Amelie narrowed her eyes. She doesn’t know if he’s serious or intentionally saying something ridiculous to cover up the situation.
“Why do you want to be friends with me?”
“…Do you need a reason to want to be friends?”
Ruben laughed it off, but Amelie noticed his short hesitation before answering.
‘I think he’s planning something— but he won’t tell me yet?’
Then, Lira tapped Amelie’s arm. Amelie listened to Lira.
“I have hypnosis. If you change the location, I will take care of it.”
“Ah…”
Using hypnosis, it was easy to see what Ruben was up to. However, she was somewhat reluctant to use such things on people.
“He found out that you’re a witch. Otherwise, our lives could be in danger for both of us. So don’t talk to him and join in.”
“…Yes.”
Lira’s words made sense. Since he knew she was a witch, she had to know for what purpose he had approached her.
Amelie began to think about how to get him to the right place. Of course, it’s best to take him to the attic, but—.
“Okay! Are we friends now?”
“No.”
“Miss Amelie, are you in a position to refuse?”
Even though Amelie didn’t like it, Ruben smiled happily. Amelie hated it even more because he had a simple but bright smile.
“Anyway, please invite me to celebrate our friendship.”
“Invite?”
“To the Imperial Palace.”
“…What are you really up to?”
“I’ve always wanted to go there.”
When he goes to the Imperial Palace, she’ll find out his thoughts. Lira glanced at Amelie, and Amelie nodded her head slightly. She didn’t seem to have much to worry about if she used hypnosis to figure out what he wanted to do before he did it.
“…Okay. Then go to the Imperial Palace. But as soon as I get to the palace, I’m going to tell His Majesty about this. He’ll probably come running at once.”
“That’s what I wanted.”
“What did you want?”
Amelie asked, but Ruben only laughed at her and didn’t answer.
*****
Marquis Lewin was spending time in a greenhouse in the mansion’s backyard. He took his hand scissors and trimmed the branches of his roses. His devotion was so strong that he filled the greenhouse with roses given to him by the regent king twenty years ago.
“You look nervous.”
The butler asked him.
“Does it look like that? I can finally get the item I gave up after searching for a long time. I guess I was nervous without realizing it.”
Marquis Lewin laughed, cutting off the leaves of the rose.
“I finally found my father’s ring.”
It was well known that Marquis Lewin believed in and followed Regent King Albert rather than his deceased father. The butler smiled softly and adjusted the rhythm.
“It’s not just a ring. It was a ring that he loved so much that he showed it to me only once.”
He had been looking for this ring for a long time. He tensed up like a child when he thought he could finally get it. He went to the greenhouse to calm his mind by cutting the roses, but it didn’t work out.
Just then, a man in black entered the greenhouse. He took off his black cloak and knelt toward Marquis Lewin.
“Marquis Lewin. I have just returned from my mission.”
The Masked Man was a secret messenger of the Marquis of Lewin. Even though the scale was small because of Serwin’s check, all of Marquis Lewin’s subordinates were highly skilled.
This time, Marquis Lewin gave the masked men a task to take away Amelie’s ring. It was a rather unreasonable plan, but there was a good reason.
His mother, Caitlyn, was also collecting the things of the Regent King. Even though it was a mother-son relationship, it was already so messed up that it couldn’t be called a family. Instead, it was just a fight over the Regent King’s possessions.
Caitlyn would go straight to the Imperial Palace if she heard the story about the ring. She was probably going to argue with Amelie herself. Marquis Lewin, who had to somehow end it before the two of them met, had no choice but to take a risk and stop her by pretending to be a robber.
“What about the ring?”
“We failed. I apologize.”
“Didn’t she have the ring?”
“No, we got the upper hand and took the pendant and ring. However—suddenly, a wizard intervened and disappeared with the woman and the pendant.”
“Wizard?”
“Yes. It was a young man with blonde hair and a lot of jewelry.”
There was only one wizard with blonde hair and jewels on the continent.
‘Why is Ruben Odorus suddenly— it can’t be, is he on the Emperor’s side?’
Recently, he knew that Serwin was empowering the Duke of Odorus faction, but that was something that had happened in the past, so he didn’t give it much thought and focused on gaining power from the Manvers faction.
‘He thought that Serwin let Ruben go because he was playing a crazy love game—but, it doesn’t look like that is the case?’
He really was the Emperor. He thought Serwin only played the crazy love game, but he never thought he would hit him in the back of the head this way.
Marquis Lewin recalled Serwin’s figure. He changed a lot after he brought his lover, Amelie, to the Imperial Palace. He didn’t kill people easily anymore, and his face became more gentle. There were times when he smiled.
‘How dare you kill my father and still want to be happy.’
Marquis Lewin couldn’t resist the rising anger and gave his hands strength. The delicately blooming rose was crushed in his hand.
After the death of the Regent King, Marquis Lewin lost the meaning of his life. The only part where he felt the pleasure was watching Serwin get ruined day by day.
But when Amelie appeared, she ruined it all. Marquis Lewin burned with hatred as he watched Serwin gradually regain his laughter.
“You still haven’t found out anything about her?”
“…I apologize.”
“What makes it so hard to find out where she was born and what she was doing? Does it make sense that we haven’t figured it out yet!”
“I apologize. No matter how much I try to appease them, all the people involved remain silent and don’t speak.”
“What about Mrs. Willow?”
“It was the same with her.”
“Tsk.”
Marquis Lewin clicked his tongue. It’s only because it’s so difficult for him to investigate a woman from a commoner. But he wasn’t the one to give up because of that. He could do anything as long as it made Serwin unhappy.
‘I’ll have to use my hands soon. For now, I have to get the ring in my hand first.’
“Wait for my mother to come out of the Imperial palace and then make a surprise attack on her. Take the ring away if she brought it out. There should be no mistakes this time. I’ll see His Majesty.”
“I will follow your order.”
The man put on the mask again. Marquis Lewin looked at him indifferently, then turned his gaze back to the rose. The sight of the crushed rose in his own hand rekindled his anger towards Serwin once more.
‘The Emperor will soon be crushed like this rose.’
Marquis Lewin laughed sullenly. Perhaps he had been waiting for Serwin to fall in love with someone. To avenge him for taking his father away from him.
*****
During the movement, Amelie stayed as far away from Ruben as she could to keep her guard up against him. Lira, as expected, also watched him in Amelie’s arms.
Despite the persistent gaze of the two, Ruben looked very happy.
They were easily passed the gates of the Imperial Palace. This was because, at Serwin’s order, Amelie’s carriage was allowed to pass through without being inspected. Because of this, Amelie could easily bring anyone from outside into the palace.
“I finally went through this gate and entered the Imperial Palace.”
Ruben kept looking around as if he were feeling something new.
‘The Duke’s son and his brother also work as a knight in the Imperial Palace, have you never been to the Imperial Palace?’
“Did you use me to enter the Imperial Palace?”
“Yes. There is a reason for that.”
“Why? Anyone can enter the Imperial Palace, right? When the Duke or your brother come in, can’t you just come along?”
“I can’t get in. Neither my father nor my brother give me permission. Never.”
“Is that so?”
“Even though my older brother is the one who listens to any request I ask…”
Ruben grumbled.
‘Right. It is said the Duke family is a very harmonious family.’
In particular, he had a close relationship with his older brother. To the point that he went against the restraining order to save his brother.
‘This is the same as the original. Is his personality this way because he hasn’t been through hard times yet?’
Amelie, who had always felt distant from him, felt friendly toward him for the first time.
“I’m sure there was an order from His Majesty. I understand everything. His Majesty hates me, so I can’t help it.”
“His Majesty?”
Serwin didn’t seem to have any ill feelings towards Ruben. The last time she talked to Ruben, she was suspicious, but she didn’t think there was any prejudice or bad feeling about Ruben himself.
“Did His Majesty tell Amelie about me?”
“Yes?”
“Tell me. What did His Majesty say about me?”
Ruben’s face was more serious than ever.
“It’s good even if it’s not a big deal.”
“He was just… asked how you looked.”
“…I see.”
Ruben turned his head out of the window with a mysterious look on his face. Amelie suddenly had a question.
“Perhaps, your goal is not me, but His Majesty—”
Before Amelie could finish her questions, her carriage quickly stopped, and Milena’s voice could be heard. When she opened the door, she saw Milena and her maids gathered in front of her palace with a desperate look.
“Miss Amelie! Please get off now! A guest has arrived!”
“What’s wrong?”
Amelie asked after grabbing Ruben by the wrist to prevent him from running away.
“Miss Amelie! Who is that—”
“No, that’s not important! A guest! Oh my. Lady Caitlyn has been waiting for you for a long time!”
“Caitlyn?”
“Caitlyn Lewin, Marquis Lewin’s mother!”
“Ah. that!”
The woman who grabbed the head of the maid who had a scandal with the regent king? Amelie was bewildered by the unexpected visit.
