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Because she had passed away so early, she was someone Yevgenia could not have known about even if she had wanted to at her age.
‘I can guess that she might have been frail, but beyond that...’
Even the information regarding her appearance was limited to rumors that the Second Imperial Prince had inherited it.
No matter how early she had departed, the fact that there was so little information meant that everyone was keeping her existence a secret.
‘I think it would be best to talk to my father about this.’
Setting the complicated matters aside for a moment, she first had to deal with Yulan's cold attitude.
She didn't think she had said anything that problematic, yet his reaction was incredibly sensitive.
The existence of the former Empress must have played a significant role for Yulan.
Whether that role was positive or negative.
“The Imperial Princess is truly a strange person.”
“…….”
“I can't tell if you're brave enough to risk your life on an uncertain future, or if you've simply lost all sense of fear...”
The former likely referred to the act of erasing the name, while the latter referred to the current Yevgenia.
Finding it difficult to refute, Yevgenia pretended to drink her tea to avoid answering.
Or rather, she tried to.
Until he snatched the hand she had extended toward the teacup.
Clatter—
The teapot and cups on the table crashed to the floor, creating a noise that felt like it would pierce her ears.
He had pulled Yevgenia with such force that her body was dragged halfway across the table.
Yevgenia could not hide her bewilderment at the sudden proximity.
Yulan stared straight into her eyes and spoke.
“Look me in the eye.”
“…….”
“If you end up losing your life in some sudden accident, shouldn't you have someone to blame?”
Through her slightly shaking vision, only Yulan's green eyes shone vividly.
Yevgenia's face was reflected clearly in those eyes, which were transparently clear.
Every word that left Yulan's lips was freezing cold, yet for some reason, it didn't feel sincere.
It wasn't out of arrogance, thinking he wouldn't touch her simply because she was 'Princess Martyr.'
That was why she couldn't help but feel confused.
‘Yulan is definitely a dangerous man. But why don't I feel afraid of his warning?’
Rather, the kiss from their previous encounter had frightened her much more.
Because it had seemed as if he actually had feelings for her.
To Yevgenia, who had spent half her life blinded by the terrible emotion known as love, such a feeling was nothing more than a trap filled with poison.
If she were to be swept away by Yulan's emotions, which might be nothing more than a momentary whim, a conclusion even more horrific than that of the original 'Yevgenia' might await her.
Compared to that, his current behavior—seeming to want her to be terrified—felt almost like a consideration.
“No answer. Are you scared?”
As she remained silent, not knowing how to react, Yulan asked in a voice laced with mockery.
Hesitating, Yevgenia answered softly.
“I'm not... scared.”
Perhaps her answer sounded like a bluff, as Yulan's crooked smile deepened.
The grip on Yevgenia's wrist tightened.
She instinctively frowned slightly at the stinging pain.
However, Yevgenia did not get angry or try to shake him off.
Instead, she stared back at him intently, expressing her resolve more strongly.
Whether it was her reaction or something else, Yulan's actions became even more aggressive.
“Ugh...!”
He grabbed Yevgenia's chin, fixing her in place so she couldn't move, and stared deep into her eyes.
They were so close that for a moment, she felt as if she were falling into his pupils.
Unlike Yevgenia, who gasped for air, Yulan didn't even blink.
“Do you know why the Second Imperial Prince's eye color isn't famous, Imperial Princess?”
Yevgenia fell silent again at the question, which she couldn't even begin to guess the answer to.
As if he hadn't particularly expected an answer, Yulan continued on his own.
“A cursed thing that dared to use the Empress's womb to be born, a demonic brat who makes even the mother who gave birth to him turn away, a monster that leads those around him to despair...”
Even if one's mouth were full of poison, it would sound less shocking than this.
These were slurs that were hard to even imagine unless one viewed the other person not as a human, but as a literal 'abomination.'
Considering the flow of the conversation, the person these slurs referred to was...
‘...No way.’
Shocked, Yevgenia's eyes widened.
Yulan continued, ignoring her reaction.
“Who cares what the eye color of a being who is a curse itself looks like? A sane person would be grateful to be alive and try to erase it from their mind.”
He let out a short scoff and added.
“Unfortunately, it seems Duke Martir wasn't sane. If he thought his child might be cursed, he would have been even more careful with his words.”
Yevgenia's face stiffened at his sarcastic words.
When she snatched the hand that was holding her chin, Yulan readily let go.
As he released her chin, the distance between them widened slightly.
If she pulled back now, she could maintain a safe distance, but Yevgenia instead closed the gap further.
Moving her body from its awkward position on the table, she climbed fully onto Yulan's lap and grabbed his face with both hands.
Despite the reversed position, Yulan remained completely unfazed.
“Climbing onto a man's lap for the sake of your father. What surprising filial piety.”
Ignoring Yulan's mockery, Yevgenia looked him straight in the eye and spoke.
“The fact that my father told me about your appearance is actually because he is sane and intelligent.”
“I don't know, the Imperial Princess is just too...”
“No, I'm right. Unless an adult is completely insane, they wouldn't avoid a child who is like their own offspring by calling them a curse or whatever.”
The reason Yevgenia closed the distance was simple.
She felt that if she didn't look him straight in the eye at this distance, he would perceive her words as mere bravado.
“Even if you are truly a being close to a curse, or a grotesque abomination, the fact that you are the benefactor who helped me live a proper life does not change.”
“…….”
“Besides, what kind of dangerous things could you have possibly done as a mere child to deserve such words? I wouldn't mind if it was when you were young, but if you still believe that bullshit after growing up, I'd be quite disappointed.”
Yevgenia was now purely angry.
It didn't matter what feelings she had for Yulan.
She would have been just as furious even if the person in front of her had been someone else.
‘I'm glad my father is sane. Otherwise, I would have praised that bastard of an Emperor without even knowing he abused his own child.’
What made her even angrier was that Yulan, whom she had considered the most capable character in this world, seemed to believe that nonsense wholeheartedly.
It was frustrating that he still couldn't escape it, even though he must have realized deep down that it was all nonsense.
However, considering the fact that he was a victim, it was somewhat understandable.
He had essentially been brainwashed since childhood...
As she looked down at him with worried eyes for a moment, the hand wrapping around her waist pulled her even closer.
She could feel the low thumping of a heartbeat from where their chests met.
In a distance so close it felt as if they were about to kiss, Yulan spoke.
“I killed my mother. Do you still truly believe I am nothing more than a pitiful victim?”
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