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"I... I hope you don't meet Count Dietrian. Just the two of you."
Charles's face was filled with worry as he finished speaking.
It was just a word of caution, but Iana felt her face flush, as it sounded like a lover's jealousy.
In fact, she had been debating whether to tell Charles about Riel.
"You can tell a person's character by the way they treat the weak."
She thought Charles had come to know a little about Riel's true nature.
But it wasn't enough.
She didn't think he could accept the idea that Riel would become the Empress right now.
No matter how deep her trust was with Charles, he might think she was strange.
Like the oversensitive delusions of a woman who had her husband stolen.
So she had tried to say something but stopped, and Charles seemed to have understood it differently.
When Iana didn't answer, Charles, who was watching her expression, asked carefully.
"Was I being intrusive and making you uncomfortable?"
"No. No, it's not that."
Iana vehemently waved her hand.
"Count Dietrian is someone who could change at any moment, isn't he? I was worried, so I told you not to meet him alone."
"......"
"If you have something to tell him, be sure to meet him with the royal guard."
Charles, true to his character, didn't pry any further.
"......Yes, Your Highness."
"Then, go see Ru quickly."
Charles gave a nod and walked in the opposite direction.
Iana watched his back and struggled with herself.
Meeting Carrion was to shake the relationship between Carrion and Riel with the facts she knew from before her regression.
The problem was that explaining it to Charles, who didn't know she had regressed, might make her look like a childish woman trying to drive a wedge between her ex-husband and his mistress.
'Should I tell him?'
Still, she kept thinking that she should explain it to Charles.
She didn't know the exact reason, but she didn't want him to misunderstand.
Iana spoke to Charles's back.
"Your Highness, can I be honest with you?"
"Yes?"
Charles stopped walking and turned around.
She hurried to him.
"The reason I met Ca-, no, Count Dietrian."
"I'd appreciate that."
Charles looked at her with a serious face.
Iana hesitated, then squeezed her eyes shut and confessed her honest feelings.
"......I wanted to make Riel, who threw Ru, angry."
Charles thought for a moment and then asked.
"You met Count Dietrian alone to make Lady Riel angry? Is that what you're saying?"
"It sounds childish, but... that's right."
Saying it out loud made it sound even more childish. Iana's face flushed red.
"So, Count Dietrian chased you again?"
"Yes... so, ah, everyone has a story they can't tell others, right? This is a bit, it's hard to explain."
Iana unknowingly rambled on.
Charles chuckled to himself as if he was dumbfounded.
"Hmm, are you going to keep repeating my words?"
"I didn't repeat it, I, I quoted it."
"You're very angry."
Charles looked around and whispered in her ear.
"Just be patient. The investigation team has checked the royal guard's ledger, so they will be searching my office soon."
Charles was about to straighten up when Iana called out to him as if she had made up her mind.
"Your Highness."
"Yes?"
She put her hands to her mouth and said quietly.
"Please keep a close eye on Riel. Ca-, no, Riel is the one who moves Count Dietrian."
"......"
"Spreading the scandal of adultery, throwing Ru, it was all a calculated act to provoke me."
Iana was going to tell him when Charles clearly grasped the reality of Riel.
That Riel would soon become the Empress.
"I will follow your words. Then let's go together. I need to see if Ru is okay."
Iana and Charles walked side by side towards the Spire.
"Ah, so that's why you wore a pretty dress. Instead of the scribe's robe."
"A pretty dress?"
Iana tilted her head, looking down at her dress.
It wasn't a fancy dress, just a simple everyday dress she wore to chase after Riel.
More than anything, she wore it similarly not to look good to Carrion, but to provoke Riel.
She couldn't bring herself to say that, so she trailed off.
"That's..."
At that moment, Imperial Army soldiers were seen passing by the Spire.
'Your Highness is deliberately trying to show me.'
Iana felt that she had to do something too.
"Is my dress pretty?"
"Beautiful. Very much so."
Charles smiled gently.
At that moment, a gentle and refreshing breeze blew, as soft as his smile.
Ripples formed on the hem of Iana's white dress.
She knew. She knew that what he said was just to show others.
Thump, thump, thump.
She knew it all, but Iana's heart was beating fast.
✦ ✦ ✦
Riel was in her room, drinking wine straight from the bottle.
'Is there really something going on between Grand Duke Ervin and Iana?'
The only reason a weak human can act recklessly is because they have something to rely on.
"Ha..."
She felt hot from the alcohol. Riel opened the window.
A cold wind rushed in, and a butterfly landed on a pot of flowers by the window. It was a white butterfly. The same white color as Iana's dress.
Flutter, flutter.
The butterfly's wings fluttered gracefully.
Annoyed by the sight, Riel waved her hand and chased the butterfly away.
But the butterfly didn't move.
Splash-.
Riel poured the wine she was drinking over the butterfly.
The butterfly, desperately trying to escape, got caught in a spider web on the window. The white butterfly, stained with blood, fluttered its wings pathetically.
Riel smiled and slowly poured wine over it. Soon, the butterfly, stained with blood, became entangled in the spider web and fell helplessly to the window.
"It's your fault for not listening to my warning."
Unlike her cruel actions, Riel's voice was gentle.
The lifeless butterfly floated on the wine that had pooled on the window.
"Yes. If it's annoying, just get rid of it."
Knock, knock.
A knock on the door was heard.
"Come in."
Four or five lower-ranking administrators came in with documents.
The oldest-looking administrator among them said with a sullen face.
"These are the documents that the Count asked us to organize."
It was already shocking enough to put a maid-turned-mistress as an investigator.
But Carrion had belatedly joined Riel as an investigator and asked them to organize the data separately for her, which seemed to have increased their dissatisfaction.
"Are these the organized documents?"
Carrion entered through the open door. He leaned back on the sofa and rummaged through the documents, asking.
"Yes, Count. And after checking, the operating costs of The First Order of Knights matched the ledger perfectly."
The elderly administrator replied.
"Okay. You can go now."
The administrators bowed and left.
"I expected it, but it seems they prepared thoroughly before we came."
Riel quietly watched Carrion.
Carrion only rummaged through the documents and didn't bring up Iana's name first.
Riel approached and sat next to Carrion, asking.
"What did you talk about with Iana?"
"She told me to send you away right now. It was absurd."
"......"
"Riel, I think bad rumors will spread if you're here. She still seems to be under the delusion that she can become the Grand Duchess."
Carrion poured wine from the bottle on the table and drank it.
A moment of silence passed between the two.
Riel watched Carrion's expression and thought.
'The subtle emotional changes of men start with their words.'
Shortened words. Careless words. A context of conversation that hides something.
Carrion was hiding something now.
"And what else?"
"Huh?"
Riel grabbed Carrion's face with both hands, made eye contact, and asked.
"You wouldn't have just talked about that, would you?"
Carrion, who had been quietly looking at Riel, smiled.
"Why, are you worried after seeing me alone with Iana?"
"I don't like those kinds of jokes."
Riel's expression turned cold.
It was as if he was treating her like a trivial woman who was jealous, like a foolish woman begging for a man's affection.
"Don't worry. I told Iana not to come here like this again."
Carrion tapped Riel's cheek and got up from his seat.
"I'm going to go to the investigation room, so you can look at the data here."
Carrion was about to leave when he bent down and lightly kissed Riel's lips.
"Don't have any unnecessary thoughts because of Iana."
Riel felt humiliated by his actions, like a man appeasing a sulky woman.
Bang!
As Carrion went out, Riel stared at the tightly closed door.
"Hahaha."
Riel laughed loudly.
The sharp laughter filled the room.
She found both Iana, who was clumsily provoking her, and Carrion, who foolishly thought her emotions were jealousy, ridiculous.
But Riel knew very well.
'Rage that only burns is useless.'
Rage could only have power when it was expressed through action.
Riel calmly read through the data to find an excuse to attack Iana.
Then, the 'list of medical expenses and drug purchases' caught her eye.
Perhaps because it was a place where monsters appeared often, the amount spent on medicine and treatment was quite large.
At that moment, a good idea flashed through her mind.
'I can tie Iana to the medical expenses of The First Order of Knights.'
A wicked smile spread across Riel's lips.
'Under the pretext that Iana's illness was treated by embezzling the operating expenses of The First Order of Knights.'
Charles's face was filled with worry as he finished speaking.
It was just a word of caution, but Iana felt her face flush, as it sounded like a lover's jealousy.
In fact, she had been debating whether to tell Charles about Riel.
"You can tell a person's character by the way they treat the weak."
She thought Charles had come to know a little about Riel's true nature.
But it wasn't enough.
She didn't think he could accept the idea that Riel would become the Empress right now.
No matter how deep her trust was with Charles, he might think she was strange.
Like the oversensitive delusions of a woman who had her husband stolen.
So she had tried to say something but stopped, and Charles seemed to have understood it differently.
When Iana didn't answer, Charles, who was watching her expression, asked carefully.
"Was I being intrusive and making you uncomfortable?"
"No. No, it's not that."
Iana vehemently waved her hand.
"Count Dietrian is someone who could change at any moment, isn't he? I was worried, so I told you not to meet him alone."
"......"
"If you have something to tell him, be sure to meet him with the royal guard."
Charles, true to his character, didn't pry any further.
"......Yes, Your Highness."
"Then, go see Ru quickly."
Charles gave a nod and walked in the opposite direction.
Iana watched his back and struggled with herself.
Meeting Carrion was to shake the relationship between Carrion and Riel with the facts she knew from before her regression.
The problem was that explaining it to Charles, who didn't know she had regressed, might make her look like a childish woman trying to drive a wedge between her ex-husband and his mistress.
'Should I tell him?'
Still, she kept thinking that she should explain it to Charles.
She didn't know the exact reason, but she didn't want him to misunderstand.
Iana spoke to Charles's back.
"Your Highness, can I be honest with you?"
"Yes?"
Charles stopped walking and turned around.
She hurried to him.
"The reason I met Ca-, no, Count Dietrian."
"I'd appreciate that."
Charles looked at her with a serious face.
Iana hesitated, then squeezed her eyes shut and confessed her honest feelings.
"......I wanted to make Riel, who threw Ru, angry."
Charles thought for a moment and then asked.
"You met Count Dietrian alone to make Lady Riel angry? Is that what you're saying?"
"It sounds childish, but... that's right."
Saying it out loud made it sound even more childish. Iana's face flushed red.
"So, Count Dietrian chased you again?"
"Yes... so, ah, everyone has a story they can't tell others, right? This is a bit, it's hard to explain."
Iana unknowingly rambled on.
Charles chuckled to himself as if he was dumbfounded.
"Hmm, are you going to keep repeating my words?"
"I didn't repeat it, I, I quoted it."
"You're very angry."
Charles looked around and whispered in her ear.
"Just be patient. The investigation team has checked the royal guard's ledger, so they will be searching my office soon."
Charles was about to straighten up when Iana called out to him as if she had made up her mind.
"Your Highness."
"Yes?"
She put her hands to her mouth and said quietly.
"Please keep a close eye on Riel. Ca-, no, Riel is the one who moves Count Dietrian."
"......"
"Spreading the scandal of adultery, throwing Ru, it was all a calculated act to provoke me."
Iana was going to tell him when Charles clearly grasped the reality of Riel.
That Riel would soon become the Empress.
"I will follow your words. Then let's go together. I need to see if Ru is okay."
Iana and Charles walked side by side towards the Spire.
"Ah, so that's why you wore a pretty dress. Instead of the scribe's robe."
"A pretty dress?"
Iana tilted her head, looking down at her dress.
It wasn't a fancy dress, just a simple everyday dress she wore to chase after Riel.
More than anything, she wore it similarly not to look good to Carrion, but to provoke Riel.
She couldn't bring herself to say that, so she trailed off.
"That's..."
At that moment, Imperial Army soldiers were seen passing by the Spire.
'Your Highness is deliberately trying to show me.'
Iana felt that she had to do something too.
"Is my dress pretty?"
"Beautiful. Very much so."
Charles smiled gently.
At that moment, a gentle and refreshing breeze blew, as soft as his smile.
Ripples formed on the hem of Iana's white dress.
She knew. She knew that what he said was just to show others.
Thump, thump, thump.
She knew it all, but Iana's heart was beating fast.
✦ ✦ ✦
Riel was in her room, drinking wine straight from the bottle.
'Is there really something going on between Grand Duke Ervin and Iana?'
The only reason a weak human can act recklessly is because they have something to rely on.
"Ha..."
She felt hot from the alcohol. Riel opened the window.
A cold wind rushed in, and a butterfly landed on a pot of flowers by the window. It was a white butterfly. The same white color as Iana's dress.
Flutter, flutter.
The butterfly's wings fluttered gracefully.
Annoyed by the sight, Riel waved her hand and chased the butterfly away.
But the butterfly didn't move.
Splash-.
Riel poured the wine she was drinking over the butterfly.
The butterfly, desperately trying to escape, got caught in a spider web on the window. The white butterfly, stained with blood, fluttered its wings pathetically.
Riel smiled and slowly poured wine over it. Soon, the butterfly, stained with blood, became entangled in the spider web and fell helplessly to the window.
"It's your fault for not listening to my warning."
Unlike her cruel actions, Riel's voice was gentle.
The lifeless butterfly floated on the wine that had pooled on the window.
"Yes. If it's annoying, just get rid of it."
Knock, knock.
A knock on the door was heard.
"Come in."
Four or five lower-ranking administrators came in with documents.
The oldest-looking administrator among them said with a sullen face.
"These are the documents that the Count asked us to organize."
It was already shocking enough to put a maid-turned-mistress as an investigator.
But Carrion had belatedly joined Riel as an investigator and asked them to organize the data separately for her, which seemed to have increased their dissatisfaction.
"Are these the organized documents?"
Carrion entered through the open door. He leaned back on the sofa and rummaged through the documents, asking.
"Yes, Count. And after checking, the operating costs of The First Order of Knights matched the ledger perfectly."
The elderly administrator replied.
"Okay. You can go now."
The administrators bowed and left.
"I expected it, but it seems they prepared thoroughly before we came."
Riel quietly watched Carrion.
Carrion only rummaged through the documents and didn't bring up Iana's name first.
Riel approached and sat next to Carrion, asking.
"What did you talk about with Iana?"
"She told me to send you away right now. It was absurd."
"......"
"Riel, I think bad rumors will spread if you're here. She still seems to be under the delusion that she can become the Grand Duchess."
Carrion poured wine from the bottle on the table and drank it.
A moment of silence passed between the two.
Riel watched Carrion's expression and thought.
'The subtle emotional changes of men start with their words.'
Shortened words. Careless words. A context of conversation that hides something.
Carrion was hiding something now.
"And what else?"
"Huh?"
Riel grabbed Carrion's face with both hands, made eye contact, and asked.
"You wouldn't have just talked about that, would you?"
Carrion, who had been quietly looking at Riel, smiled.
"Why, are you worried after seeing me alone with Iana?"
"I don't like those kinds of jokes."
Riel's expression turned cold.
It was as if he was treating her like a trivial woman who was jealous, like a foolish woman begging for a man's affection.
"Don't worry. I told Iana not to come here like this again."
Carrion tapped Riel's cheek and got up from his seat.
"I'm going to go to the investigation room, so you can look at the data here."
Carrion was about to leave when he bent down and lightly kissed Riel's lips.
"Don't have any unnecessary thoughts because of Iana."
Riel felt humiliated by his actions, like a man appeasing a sulky woman.
Bang!
As Carrion went out, Riel stared at the tightly closed door.
"Hahaha."
Riel laughed loudly.
The sharp laughter filled the room.
She found both Iana, who was clumsily provoking her, and Carrion, who foolishly thought her emotions were jealousy, ridiculous.
But Riel knew very well.
'Rage that only burns is useless.'
Rage could only have power when it was expressed through action.
Riel calmly read through the data to find an excuse to attack Iana.
Then, the 'list of medical expenses and drug purchases' caught her eye.
Perhaps because it was a place where monsters appeared often, the amount spent on medicine and treatment was quite large.
At that moment, a good idea flashed through her mind.
'I can tie Iana to the medical expenses of The First Order of Knights.'
A wicked smile spread across Riel's lips.
'Under the pretext that Iana's illness was treated by embezzling the operating expenses of The First Order of Knights.'
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