I stared blankly at the horns growing out of the maid’s head.
‘This girl… is a half-demon.’
What are half-demons?
Because part of their flesh and blood comes from humans, they looked no different from regular people on the outside.
However, their physical abilities far surpassed those of ordinary humans—sometimes by two or three times.
They had the appearance and intellect of a human, and the strength and magical prowess of a demon.
After the Emperor of the Western Empire used the power of half-demons to unify the continent, more and more half-demons had begun to migrate into the human realm.
Still, they were somewhat unfamiliar beings to most humans.
The fact that they came from the mysterious demon realm made them seem both fascinating and frightening—something to be wary of.
‘To me, it leans more toward fear. They’re the ones who set fire to the Tower and killed Rebecca.’
A shiver of disgust ran through my body as the memory of Rebecca’s wretched death resurfaced.
“Your Highness… P-please, just this once, have mercy…”
The young maid eventually burst into tears at the end of her sentence.
I looked down at her as she bowed her head repeatedly and thought,
‘There’s no need to earn the hatred of a half-demon unnecessarily.’
Besides, I’d be divorcing soon, so there was no need to keep pretending to be the mad dog Rebecca.
I showed her the gentlest smile I could manage.
“A little champagne stain like that is nothing. Stop crying and get up.”
At that, the maid went pale, as if she’d seen something horrifying, and began to tremble.
‘Well, I guess it would be more terrifying if a mad dog suddenly turned sweet.’
I nodded slightly in understanding.
The maid’s tears fell faster now, as if she’d accepted her fate.
“A-Are you really going to cut off my horns?”
“Cut your horns? What are you talking about…”
An ominous feeling made my mouth shut on its own.
‘…So Rebecca has a history of cutting off half-demons’ horns.’
The fact that the other maids had all fled the bedroom in perfect unison only made it seem more likely.
To half-demons, their horns represented pride and identity.
Cutting off those precious horns was no different from insulting their entire race.
‘No wonder I felt uneasy! Rebecca must have a horrendous reputation among the half-demons.’
It wasn’t just the sacrificial incident that caused them to explode in fury.
If she’d even gone as far as cutting off horns over petty matters, things must have been serious long before that.
Every time I thought I’d reached the bottom of Rebecca’s depravity, there turned out to be even deeper depths.
“At this rate, isn’t Camilla my only ally? And she’s someone I need to cut ties with. That’s the worst-case scenario…”
Just to get a grip on the situation, I decided I needed to calm this small, precious half-demon maid and win her over.
‘Camilla won’t be around for the next month anyway. I need to turn at least one person to my side.’
With my mind made up, I rushed to the dressing room and returned with a small jewelry box.
“What’s your name?”
“M-my name… is Mina, Your Highness.”
“Alright, Mina. I won’t cut your horns, so get up.”
“…Huh?”
Her trembling only grew worse at my gentle tone.
She didn’t just disbelieve me—she probably thought I was testing her.
‘Ugh. Was I too gentle again?’
Maybe acting more like the old Rebecca really was my safest bet for now.
I summoned all the annoyance I could muster by thinking about my ex-husband’s lazy butt.
“Ugh, get your butt off the floor already! Sit on the sofa, now!”
“Ah! Y-Yes, ma’am!”
Only then did Mina scramble up and sit on the sofa across from me.
So I really had to talk like that to get anywhere… Being a villainess was exhausting in its own way.
But if I had to play the part, I might as well do it properly.
I crossed my legs, folded my arms, and spoke in a lofty tone befitting a villainess.
“Let’s forget about the spilled champagne. Just sit there and listen to what I have to say.”
“Y-Yes, go ahead, Your Highness…”
“I’m generously forgiving your mistake.”
“F-forgive… me?”
“Yes. But in exchange, you must become my person, Mina.”
Mina’s eyes wavered with anxiety.
“You’re saying… you’ll forgive me if I… become your person…?”
She seemed frozen by the very word “forgive.”
No wonder—it wasn’t easy to believe me just yet.
After all, fear alone wasn’t enough to win over an ally.
Which was why I’d come prepared with a jewelry box.
“If you find my words hard to believe, I’ll give you the reward first…”
Just as I reached in to pull out a necklace—
“Eek!”
Mina flinched and trembled violently.
“I-I’ll do it! I’ll help you, Your Highness! Anything! Just please forgive me this once!”
She burst into tears again.
What now?
I looked from Mina’s pale face to the necklace chain in my hand and suddenly realized.
To her, the chain must’ve looked like a metal wire—for cutting horns.
Wow… she really doesn’t trust me at all.
A tired sigh escaped my lips.
“Mina, didn’t I just say I was forgiving you?”
Without delay, I tossed the ruby necklace into her lap.
“See? It’s not a wire for cutting horns—it’s a necklace. A really big ruby necklace.”
She paused mid-sob, blinking at the gem in confusion.
“Wh-why would you give something so precious to me…?”
“It’s your reward.”
“R-reward…?”
“For becoming my person.”
I nodded and continued.
“Now do you believe me?”
Mina hesitated, her eyes shifting, before her lips slowly parted.
“Then… you’ll really forgive me if I become your person…?”
“Yes. And if you do well, more of this will come pouring down on you.”
“…”
“So? Starting to feel like becoming mine isn’t a bad idea?”
She blinked in a daze for a moment, then nodded slowly.
“Y-Yes…”
She still looked timid, but it seemed like she was starting to believe me.
Still, who knew what the future held—so I tossed in a light threat for good measure.
“That means you owe me two things now—this necklace, and your horns.”
“…Huh?”
“If you betray me, I’ll take back the necklace—and your horns.”
“Ah! Yes, ma’am! Yes!”
Mina nodded vigorously.
She was still watching me warily, but her face was much less tense than when she’d first arrived with the champagne.
‘Alright, time to start asking what I really want to know.’
I pulled out a sapphire necklace from the box and held it up.
“Good. From now on, you’ll answer my questions honestly. Do well, and this one’s yours too.”
This time, Mina’s eyes lit up with a subtle sparkle.
Now that the fear had subsided a little, she could finally appreciate the jewelry for what it was.
“Yes! I’ll be completely honest, Your Highness!”
“Great. First question—how many half-demon servants are employed at Twins Castle?”
“At least over a thousand. If you count the townhouse in the capital… maybe just under two thousand.”
“Why so many?”
“Most of the half-demons who’ve migrated to the human realm are working here in Twins Castle.”
“All of them, in this one household?”
“Yes.”
So the ones who burned the Tower were all servants of the Twins family?
Rebecca had been the embodiment of obsession and cruelty.
It was obvious she’d treated the servants as punching bags.
And given her history of cutting off horns, the abuse must’ve been extreme.
‘No wonder the half-demons were full of resentment.’
A grim feeling crept in.
Even without sacrificing half-demons at a black magic altar, I had plenty of them already wishing for my death.
After a moment of sighing—
I leaned closer to Mina and asked in a low voice,
“Among them… if I got divorced and left Twins Castle, are there any servants who said they’d kill me?”
“W-What?!”
“Think about it. It’s not like Cedric and I have a good relationship. They might not be able to act now, but after I’m gone…”
Mina looked around nervously like someone caught doing something wrong.
‘So it’s not out of the question.’
I gave her a hard stare.
“I won’t ask who. Just give me a rough number.”
“Y-Your Highness, that’s…”
“A hundred? Two hundred? You don’t want this necklace?”
When I shook the sapphire necklace, Mina lowered her head.
“T-there are too many to count, honestly. I think… just about every servant has said something like that at least once…”
“Every one of the thousand-plus servants?”
Damn it. Just as I thought.
“And since Cedric and I discussed divorce a few days ago, some of them might be making concrete plans now?”
“…”
Silence meant yes.
‘Rebecca was safe in the Tower only because Cedric personally managed her as a prisoner.’
That had kept her alive until the latter part of the original story.
But if I went through with the divorce and left this house?
Yes.
The moment I left, I’d be a dead woman.
‘But if I don’t divorce, I’ll only make Cedric more hostile…’
I rubbed my throbbing temples and tossed the sapphire necklace to Mina.
“Kyaa! Thank you, Your Highness!”
“…You’ve made plans too, haven’t you?”
“W-What?”
“With a line that long, you should’ve gotten your spot ready in advance.”
I gave a bitter smile, half resigned. Mina shook her hands frantically.
“I-I got offers, but I never made plans! Hehe… Actually, I’m good at making poisons that don’t show up in human world tests!”
“Oh really?”
“Yes! Someone asked me to make poison and—ah! No, no! But I really didn’t want to do it!”
“Really?”
“Really, truly!”
“If you keep lying, I’m taking that necklace back.”
“…”
“Did you plan to kill me?”
Mina hesitated, then tapped the tip of her finger and smiled sheepishly.
“…A-a little?”
That evening, in the ducal bath chamber.
From the sprawling ivory marble floor to the grand chandelier above—
The place was filled with the warm steam rising from the massive tub.
The servants stood with heads bowed, awaiting their master.
How much time passed like that?
At last, the door opened and the master of this grand house entered.
The Twins Duchy—recognized as royalty in both the human and demon realms.
And its master, Cedric Twins.
Every servant looked at him with reverence and admiration.
Just six years ago, Cedric had elevated the small kingdom of Ruman into the Western Empire. He’d also brought recognition to the half-demons, who had been invisible in the human realm for centuries.
But the reason they adored Cedric wasn’t just his exceptional achievements.
Their master was beautiful.
There was no one in either realm who could rival Cedric in looks.
It was a source of pride for all who worked in the Twins household.
Even now, wearing nothing but a navy silk robe, his sharp shoulders and well-defined muscles couldn’t be concealed.
His beautiful face, dark hair, and elegant arched brows gave off a calm yet arrogant air—his sensual charm was undeniable.
To them, Cedric was like a divine masterpiece that ruled over everything.
Everyone was entranced—until—
“You may leave.”
His deep, mesmerizing voice shattered their reverie.
The servants reluctantly withdrew.
Now alone, Cedric slowly untied his robe.
His broad back and long legs were revealed.
Soaking in the bath, he finally felt the day’s tension melt away.
Especially since today had been the day to inspect the protective seal on the “Heart of Lilian”—he was utterly exhausted.
Leaning back, wet hair slicked behind him—
A name slipped through his mind again.
A name that had been gnawing at him for days.
“Rebecca.”
As he murmured lowly and opened his eyes, his icy, mysterious blue gaze was revealed.
The day they discussed divorce—
If things had gone as usual, Rebecca would’ve come running to him at the crack of dawn.
She would’ve cried, begged, thrown a fit about some other woman, pleaded and threatened—
And no matter how the tantrum began…
‘It would’ve ended with her begging me to take her to bed—tonight, at least.’
For Rebecca, all that mattered was that single night’s “marking.”
‘Yes, that’s the kind of woman Rebecca was.’
Cedric’s brows furrowed slightly as he caught himself thinking of her in the past tense.
‘So then… why…’
Why had Rebecca—
Not come to find him at all since that day?
