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Editor: Daed

“Then, trash!”

“Trash will be useful somewhere too.”

“Non-recyclable trash!”

“It can be burned and serve as tinder for someone.”

“Incombustible and non-recyclable trash!”

I was tired of watching them debate about this trash.

Claudia stopped vehemently shouting insults. She suddenly calmed down with rosy cheeks as if she felt she was being childish.

Then she grumbled as she looked back at Felix who was sipping his tea quietly in a graceful manner.

“Why are you so calm after hearing that Rin is forced to marry? You don’t even offer any solutions.”

That was because he was a gentleman with an upright character who didn’t lose his composure under any circumstances.

The gentleman silently put the teacup down and smiled.

Felix placed his fingers on his lap, straightened his back, and opened his mouth with a soft voice.

“Earl Tiev is an honorable earl from the Kingdom of Crutia. Crutia is not a vassal country to the Empire, and it’s located outside the continent, so teleport magic won’t work there. I heard that it’s a powerless and small country.”

“So?”

“The Earl came to the Empire for a while in connection with the opening of the port with Crutia. I heard that he is a duke in his country, so he would only exchange documents here and make the payment in Crutia.”

“Do we have enough time? That incombustible and non-recyclable trash would somehow try to get married.”

“It is an extraterritorial jurisdiction outside the continent. Furthermore, the detection magic is not applied on the surface of the sea, so even if a body is stored there…”

You would never find it.

I could feel Felix’s gaze over my back with a cold look on his face. It seemed like he was considering an idea.

Then, when our eyes met, he smiled like an angel and quipped,

“Or so that’s what I heard.”

Ah, I see. It was just something he heard from someone, there was no way angelic Felix could do that.

But why didn’t it sound like that? Was it full of sincerity?

I couldn’t help interjecting into their conversation and putting it to an end.

“Calm down, let’s not plan any crime.”

We couldn’t be the same as those three heroes.

Let’s say when Claudia was pissed off, her thoughts could get extreme.

But how could Felix act relaxed yet talk like a tyrant?

I thought he was only quiet, but was it the silence before the storm?

Well, come to think about it, it would be normal for them to respond that way.

If Lucas suddenly framed Claudia to marry him, I might be planning a treason very seriously.

Claudia held my hand tightly and said,

“You can’t get married. Please join our family as a foster daughter.”

“That’s not allowed.”

Felix cut her offer like a knife and smiled.

Perhaps it was too much to take me as a foster daughter.

When I heard unexpected words from an unexpected person, I was puzzled for a moment. I thought he would welcome me as a family member.

Did he no longer think of me as family?

That was right. I was just a friend of his younger sister who suddenly came in and made a mess…

Claudia hugged me tightly as I struggled to hide my disappointment.

“Then, do you mean we will just sit and watch when Rin is played in the Crown Prince’s hand?”

“I think Viscount Amber has been bribed. If we doubled the money, will he stop this marriage?”

Felix already had a complete picture of Viscount Amber.

Viscount Amber had no desire for success in his life.

In this era, responsibilities and obligations came with power; meanwhile, Viscount Amber hated taking responsibility.

This could be seen in the way he raised his children. He didn’t care about us, as if he abandoned us.

The only way to buy him was money or a threat to his life.

Even the prince would not make him an enemy and chose to intimidate a simple human like him who was easily blinded by money.

Generally speaking.

But Lucas certainly said this was the last chance. There was no better chance than this and he would send me off the continent using marriage as an excuse.

So, it was very likely that he would do anything he wanted to me. It was the Prince’s specialty to bully and crush others by power.

Thus, it was obvious that he would continue trying to make me marry, no matter how much he had to pay.

“There’s a better way than that.”

I didn’t have to make a fuss about what I could do quietly.

“I told you, I’ll take advantage of this situation.”

***

According to the gathered information, Erica got engaged to the Crown Prince during their adolescence.

Because of the interests of the Depallacions.

Whether she really loved Lucas or not was not mentioned in detail in the novel.

It was clear that Claudia was seen as a thorn, but it was not known whether it was because of jealousy or because she judged it to be something disturbing. Maybe both.

In other words, she only wanted the position of the empress unideally.

It could be said that Erica lived her life as a necessity.

She lived with the thought, ‘I am your fiancée. I am the prince’s consort.’

However, when she was asked about ambition and desire for power, she would tilt her head.

It was because her greed in this novel was not particularly noticeable.

I questioned it and asked after paying Martina a fair price.

“Does Lady Depallacion really love the prince?”

If Erica truly loved Lucas, I would have given up earlier because it meant that no matter how much I tried to persuade her, she wouldn’t falter.

Then Martina smiled and shook her head.

“No matter how well I understand the emperor’s bed, it’s not the place for human emotions.”

“Why?”

“There is nothing more fickle than that.”

The moment I heard it, I felt a stiff and suffocated feeling.

This novel was a plate carefully woven according to the author’s will.

A story that had already ended perfectly according to the author’s will.

However, there was only one variable that would always turn over this vague situation.

It was a human emotion.

If you moved your mind, it became emotion; and if you moved your emotions, it became fate.

Just like what I looked inside Claudia, and when I completely changed Martina’s fate.

I already knew the answer. I was convinced there.

“Then, please tell me the environment surrounding Erica and the biography of her life.”

“You’re wise. The past can never change. Even if you struggle and escape from it, it will follow you forever.”

But if I could overcome it, it would make me stronger.

Freed from the oppression of the past, Martina laughed carefreely and told me everything about Erica.

On the day after the ceremony, a banquet was held. During the banquet, the capital was said to festive everywhere you looked.

As it was the first day, the banquet hall was still crowded with people even after midnight and dawn.

I quietly grabbed a snack and waited for the drunk people to get up from their seats.

Claudia, who had a lot of sleep, might have been tired, so she left the banquet hall with Count Chamberlain.

She had complained and asked me to leave with her a few times, but she seemed to give up after I kept smiling.

Later, as an apology, I will sleep in Claudia’s lap.

If someone heard this, they might wonder what kind of apology that would be, but Claudia would really love it.

I opened my mouth while looking up at the sparkling fireworks that lit up the night sky with the sound of popping firecrackers.

“Is Felix not going with them?”

Felix swirled his glass and proclaimed,

“I will be in charge of your safety today.”

His voice was calm, but I could sense his firm determination. I just shrugged with a sigh.

I understood why he was like this. It was because something happened at the time that Felix was away for a while to take Claudia yesterday.

Of course, even if he stayed, it would have happened anyway. But it seemed like he was sorry that he hadn’t been with me at the time.

Claudia and Felix are too overprotective.

However, this situation of desperately trying to protect each other wasn’t that bad. I released an itchy laugh.

“Then, don’t ask any questions about what I’m going to do from now on. Just watch.”

Felix laughed warmly and said,

“I understand.”

Was it because it was night time, or was it because of the alcohol? Somehow the atmosphere was a little bit…

I glanced down at his glass. As usual, Felix hadn’t drunk a sip.

In accordance with the fireworks dyeing the sky, a small lake shimmered, reflecting the light above.

The water was clear enough to look transparent and show our reflections like a mirror.

“I will be waiting where you can reach me.”

***

I pretended it was a coincidence and met Erica.

When we met face-to-face in the banquet hall, it wasn’t polite to ignore the other person, regardless of their social status.

No matter how much our enemies were, we must exchange greetings.

I avoided her gaze as if I felt guilty, and then slightly bent my knees to give a greeting.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you yesterday, Lady Depallacion.”

Erica valued courtesy as she was strictly educated by her family. She looked at me impassively, then nodded and answered.

“It’s not the first time we met, but it’s the first time you’ve greeted me, Lady Amber.”

It was a cold tone, like the swift, cold breeze.

Erica was seasoned as she had mingled in upperclass society for a long time. She gave off the feeling of a skilled, emotionless doll.

Even her smile was perfectly symmetrical, it gave me goosebumps.

How much effort had she put in until the dignity of each small movement appeared like that?

I asked with amazement, as if I didn’t know she knew me.

“Do you know me?”

“You’re famous these days.”

At first glance, it might sound sarcastic, but they were words that contained hidden relief.

As expected, she was pleased with my existence.

Or at least, she wasn’t hostile to me.

To others, her coldness would lead them to think ‘Does she hate me?’.