“Ah, so you acted like that in front of my friends because you were thinking of leaving?”
As Karion sneered, Riel shot back with a twisted smile.
“I was friends with Iana too.”
“What?”
“But now I’ve become the Count’s mistress. Of course, it’s not an official mistress, though.”
“Men and women are different. Women…”
“I’m different from other women.”
The smile vanished from Riel’s face, and her expression changed in an instant.
“I have no intention of sharing my man with another woman. My man must be entirely mine.”
“Enough.”
Despite Karion’s command, Riel pressed on fiercely.
“Every touch, every gaze, even a single strand of hair must belong to me. A man who doesn’t meet that standard is simply to be discarded.”
Bang!
Karion roughly pushed Riel against the wall.
“Riel, speak clearly.”
“What do you mean?”
“Aren’t you trying to go to him because Franz is the son of Duke Havel?”
‘Count Dietrian is finally voicing his anxiety.’
Riel knew exactly what was going on.
It’s the impure and twisted emotions hidden deep within that move people.
The shame of possibly losing her man to another.
That feeling made Karion uneasy.
“That’s not my will; it’s a matter of circumstance.”
“What kind of sophistry is that?”
“If the son of Duke Havel calls for me, I have no way to refuse. Especially in a situation where I have no Count to protect me, right?”
The two locked eyes intensely.
Complex emotions flickered in Karion’s anxious gaze.
“Who has the right to call you?”
Karion kissed Riel roughly.
A passionate kiss mixed with anxiety and possessiveness.
Seeing him react so heatedly, Riel felt assured.
Karion would never leave her for Erwin…
* * *
After midnight, Iana sat at her desk.
“No! This isn’t it!”
She crumpled the letter she had been writing for a long time.
Loo, who had been sleeping on Iana’s lap, startled and twitched his nose.
“Loo, I’m sorry!”
Iana gently stroked Loo’s eyes, nose, and cheeks with both hands to soothe him.
“You have pretty eyes, a pretty nose, and round, pretty cheeks.”
Loo, who had been looking at her with a curious gaze, soon fell back asleep.
She looked at the letter again and muttered softly in distress.
“Ha…! I should have written something like this before.”
Looking back, she realized she had never written a love letter.
In her past life, she loved Karion deeply, but as their marriage progressed quickly, they never exchanged letters confessing their feelings.
It was more difficult than simply rejecting a confession.
It was evidence of Charles’s infidelity, and she was not guilty of infidelity.
So, even writing a single sentence felt precarious.
When Iana couldn’t think of anything, she took out the letter Charles had given her and read it slowly.
The handwriting was as neat and elegant as Charles’s.
[Even in the moment I breathe, I think only of you.]
It seemed to express feelings directly to create undeniable evidence.
Even while thinking that, a question arose.
“Loo, does His Highness the Grand Duke act this passionately towards the woman he loves?”
Iana felt a warmth rising to her face. She soon took Loo in her arms and went to the window, opening it.
In the deep night, the noble moonlight poured over the Grand Duke’s castle.
Whoosh-.
The cold night air rushed in through the window.
But her excited heart didn’t easily settle down.
At that moment, a lightning-like realization struck her mind.
“Riel could come to Erwin with Karion.”
In her past life, Riel had perfectly captured Karion’s heart, and after Iana’s divorce, she could easily rise to the position of Countess.
But not now.
‘She will come here to build a more solid public record. To become a Countess.’
In her past life, after Riel became a Countess, she met the Emperor at a royal banquet and became the Empress.
‘Should I just kill Riel with my own hands?’
Perhaps that was the easiest way.
But taking Riel’s life would mean giving up the new life she had just begun.
Did she sense something? Loo burrowed into Iana’s arms, whining softly. At that moment, Charles’s face flashed through her mind.
“So don’t avoid it; stand among the people.”
Because of the responsibility towards the one she had cared for and the gratitude towards the one who had helped her, she couldn’t choose the easy way out.
Until Marsel found information to put Riel on the execution block, she had to prevent Riel from becoming a Countess.
‘Riel, I will ruin your plans. Karion’s plans…’
* * *
Time passed quickly.
A week later, the day finally arrived when Karion would come to Erwin under the Emperor’s command.
Iana was bound by binding magic in Muel’s laboratory.
“Although it’s at the Grand Duke’s command, I don’t know how long this will last.”
“If Karion finds out I’m here, he’ll investigate me first. Surely, my magic won’t burst out on the first day.”
Through the tower window, she could see the First Knight Order in uniform moving busily.
Except for the minimum forces to protect the Grand Duke’s castle and the town, everyone was escorting the imperial investigation team.
Not only that, but there was a long line of regular soldiers from the castle gate to the main castle.
Since the investigation team was delegated by the Emperor, it was said that it was customary to treat them with the same respect as the Emperor.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
“Great Mage, it’s Johan.”
“Come in.”
At Muel’s words, Johan hurriedly entered.
“The investigation team’s procession has arrived at the outer castle. The two high-ranking mages who came with them are here. There are no magical beasts.”
“Just two? Is that Emperor playing a joke?”
“Great Mage, you need to be careful with your words in front of the Emperor’s investigation team.”
Just then, Johan spoke with a troubled expression.
“And, R-Riel, the mistress, has come along too.”
‘As expected.’
Iana smiled bitterly at that.
Muel shouted angrily at those words.
“Count Dietrian, is he not insane? How can he bring his mistress to a public affair?”
Johan glanced at Iana, gauging her reaction, and gestured to Muel.
“I’m fine. I should go down now, right?”
Iana followed Johan to the entrance of the main castle. In front of it, many people were bustling about.
Since it was the investigation team sent by the Emperor, nobles from Erwin and nearby regions had all gathered.
Iana stood among the secretaries wearing a purple robe.
Having heard the rumors of her affair with Charles, the nobles kept glancing at Iana.
“It’s about time the investigation team arrived, but where is the Grand Duke?”
The nobles seemed anxious, urging the castle steward repeatedly.
For some reason, Charles was nowhere to be seen.
Then it happened.
Boooom.
The sound of a horn echoed throughout the Grand Duke’s castle.
“It seems the investigation team has arrived at the castle.”
At someone’s words, Iana’s gaze sharpened.
Thud, thud, thud.
The golden-trimmed imperial carriage, escorted by the First Knight Order, came galloping in a line.
The regular soldiers, lined up in armor along the path, raised their swords to chest height in salute.
Clunk-.
The largest and most ornate carriage came to a stop in front of the main castle.
As the secretaries opened the carriage door, a senior knight shouted loudly.
“Salute to the head of the investigation team!”
Those gathered in front of the main castle bowed in greeting.
As if honoring the Emperor with utmost respect.
Karion, dressed in a white ceremonial robe, stepped down from the carriage with an arrogant expression. He soon scanned the surroundings and locked eyes with Iana.
He glared at her with a face full of rage and then extended his hand in front of the carriage.
“Get down.”
As Karion extended his hand in front of the carriage, Riel appeared.
With a bobbed haircut and a black silk dress that covered her from neck to sleeve. Long, dangling golden earrings.
An elegant figure that revealed her curves without being revealing.
“Wow!”
Those gathered at the Grand Duke’s castle gasped in awe, looking curiously at Riel’s short hair.
‘That’s…’
Iana’s eyes widened.
“Iana, now I am Countess Dietrian.”
It was the dress Riel had worn when she had pretended to run into her at a noblewoman’s tea party right after the divorce.
Following Karion’s gaze, Riel also looked at Iana. She seemed slightly surprised to see her in Erwin.
Riel slowly scanned Iana, observing her changed appearance closely.
With a gaze full of superiority as a woman.
With light steps.
Riel confidently walked towards Iana, keeping her gaze fixed on her, as if to satisfy the curiosity of the people.
All eyes in the main castle were on the two of them.
The former wife of the Count and the current mistress.
The nobles and mages in front of them fumbled and made way.
“It’s been a while, Lady Iana.”
Riel emphasized the word ‘Lady’ as if to highlight that she couldn’t even use a title for the divorced woman.
The two locked eyes, tension thick in the air.
As Riel seemed to provoke her, Iana stepped closer to her.
The golden necklace Riel wore sparkled greedily.
Iana slowly reached out and fiddled with Riel’s necklace.
“What are you doing? Lady Iana.”
Riel asked, seemingly amused by Iana’s sudden action.
As Iana slowly tugged at Riel’s necklace, Riel’s head lowered.
Iana looked down at Riel and said firmly.
“Riel, you should greet properly. If you see your master…”