Chapter 91

Because Fabian had told Ashabel about losing his mother's keepsake when he first opened up to her, I remembered it.

Fabian cherished the keepsake from his deceased mother as if it were his life.

The sociopath Mateo often stole the empress's keepsake to torment him.

Not only that, but later on, he would even say in front of everyone gathered:

"I found this pocket watch and jewels at the crematorium... Could they be yours, Your Highness?"

It was a shameless lie, but Mateo's acting skills were excellent, and the emperor fell for it.

This was because there was public opinion that the first prince, who was the empress's son, was a disgrace.

After that day, the misunderstood Fabian lost the emperor's trust.

'Hmm. That’s right.'

I took out the necklace with the sacred stone that I had hidden under my dress.

The red and transparent sacred stone had once been revealed to the world.

'But it seems the royal family still doesn’t know about it.'

If they knew, they would have asked about the sacred stone by now, but it has been quiet.

It means the temple has kept it hidden.

'So if the royal family sees this sacred stone necklace...'

I smiled and finished setting it so that it was clearly visible.

Just then, a delivery person was there.

I cleared my throat and let my eyebrows droop.

"St-stop it...!"

I shouted with difficulty, interrupting the two of them.

* * *

"What do you want?"

Mateo frowned and turned his body roughly.

"…I’ve never seen your face before?"

Mateo approached Eli, who bowed her head to hide her face.

"I am Eli Schuetz. …It’s my first greeting."

"Schuetz, huh..."

He had heard about it from his mother, Empress Kardia.

That the mad Schuetz had brought in an adopted daughter without the royal family's permission and even arranged a marriage for her.

'And she’s a commoner, I believe.'

So this is that girl.

Mateo smirked and roughly grabbed Eli’s chin.

It was amusing to see her crawl in without knowing her place, and he wanted to mock her.

"Y-Your Highness...!"

Ignoring her resistance, he forced her head up, revealing her face.

"You..."

Mateo stared intently at Eli’s face.

His own face was reflected in her clear green eyes.

At that moment, a conversation with his mother came to mind.

"The Lumentia royal family has always been obsessed with green eyes."

It was a long time ago, when he was studying history with his mother.

"Do you know why, Second Prince?"

"The closer a person is to the World Tree, the source of mana, the clearer their green eyes are."

"Correct. But now that the World Tree has withered, and countless wars and immigrants have mixed the blood, green eyes have become more diluted."

But Mateo knew.

One day, his father, the current emperor Ventus Lumentia, had brought a woman with green eyes and locked her in a tower.

He didn’t know much about it, but he had heard that she was called the 'emperor's favored concubine.'

And his ambitious mother had hated her.

'But I heard that the emperor had more than one concubine with green eyes.'

Mateo, curious, asked Kardia.

"Did His Majesty also love the green-eyed concubine?"

He shouldn’t have asked.

"…That woman was a mistake His Majesty made."

At that moment, his mother’s eyes were... how to put it...

"Women with green eyes are all wicked. Can’t you see how they manipulated His Majesty?"

She looked like a madwoman.

"So, Second Prince, be careful not to be bewitched like His Majesty."

Then, as if nothing had happened, she returned to her calm demeanor and added:

"Remember your mother’s words. I’m saying this for your own good, Second Prince."

Since his mother was always right, Mateo could only nod.

'If I don’t fall for a woman with green eyes...'

I can become the emperor. I can become a stronger emperor than my father.

It was the future they had decided together.

But the moment he met these eyes, he felt he understood his father’s heart.

He felt an inexplicable interest in this girl. It was almost irresistible.

A mysterious madness flickered in her clear golden eyes.

Taking advantage of his pause, Eli roughly shook off his wrist.

Slap!

Mateo, snapped out of his reverie, chuckled and looked at Eli, who had turned away.

'You dared to push me away.'

His lips slowly curled up.

The unruly Second Prince had taken an interest in the Schuetz family’s daughter-in-law.

No one knew what would happen next.

That made those watching hold their breath even more.

Mateo strode up to Eli, grabbed her shoulder, and roughly turned her around.

"An orphan girl that Schuetz brought in on a whim."

"…."

"So it was you?"

Eli bit her lip as if she had heard something shameful.

She just fumbled with the necklace at her chest.

'What is it?'

Mateo’s gaze naturally followed her movement.

It was a necklace with a transparent red gem.

'I’ve never seen anything like this before.'

"Hmm."

His lips curled up.

A cornered person instinctively protects what is most precious to them.

"Pretty necklace."

Mateo leaned in, closing the distance between them.

"I’ll take it as a punishment for your insolence."

Snap!

The chain broke weakly. Eli’s expression turned to dismay.

"Your Highness, this is...!"

Eli rushed to Mateo, but she flinched when their eyes met.

"…It belongs to someone else. Please return it."

Despite her fear, she continued firmly.

Mateo found her tenacity maddeningly appealing. He smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth.

"In exchange, I’ll give you this."

He handed her a gem that had already lost its luster.

"If you want to trade, come back later."

"…Your Highness."

"You’ll have to apologize then."

Mateo laughed casually and pocketed Eli’s necklace.

Just as he was about to leave, his eyes met Adelane’s.

Adelane flinched, and Mateo muttered with a bored expression.

"Pitiful."

He left the room without hesitation, and the servant who had entered with him quickly followed.

The door closed, and a suffocating silence settled.

Everyone knew the Second Prince was a troublemaker, but no one expected him to be so ruthless.

Still, it was fortunate that it ended quickly. The young ladies sighed in relief.

But Adelane was still trapped in humiliation.

The Second Prince’s words were all true.

She knew better than anyone that she was not an upright person.

Just as Adelane’s head drooped,

"Miss Adelane."

Eli approached her. Adelane flinched.

Eli had not only had her necklace stolen but also become the Second Prince’s target.

It was all because of her.

"Sorry, Miss Eli. Because of me..."

It wasn’t something that could be resolved with just an apology, but it was all she could do.

"Then, will you do me one favor?"

Eli smiled, and her frightened appearance was gone.

Adelane blinked and asked,

"What... kind of favor? Can I help you?"

She was unsure.

It would be better for her to get along with the other young ladies than to receive her help.

"Is it too difficult for you?"

Eli’s expression turned gloomy.

"N-no, it’s not that... I really don’t think I can help... I might just be a hindrance."

"It’s not like that."

Eli shook her head.

"I would like your help, Miss Adelane."

Adelane hesitated.

But Eli had tried to help her and had her necklace stolen by the Second Prince.

'I have to do something to help.'

Adelane nodded with a determined look.

Fine.

'Then all that’s left is this.'

Eli smiled and fiddled with the Second Prince’s pocket watch hidden in her sleeve.