Chapter 36
“What do you mean by that?”
Layla turned around in surprise.
Rainier let go of the comb tangled in her thick hair—it had moved with her head—because holding on would have tugged at her scalp and hurt.
“Exactly what I said. Eclair annoys me too much, so I’m going to get rid of it.”
“Ah, right. You said you hated Hugo.”
“…Yes.”
Layla recalled him saying he bore a grudge against Hugo. She’d thought it was just talk, but apparently he meant it.
She was pleased—she felt she could show him even more of her usefulness.
Until he gave her his blood, she had to prove her worth.
If Rainier didn’t give her his blood, then—though she truly didn’t want to—she would have to get it from Crown Prince Anasis.
But the Anasis Crown Prince was a snake. If she showed even the slightest attachment to her life, he would use it as a leash. She wanted to avoid relying on him if she could help it. He was only a last resort.
Besides, it was actually easier to obtain blood from Rainier, who was trying to return to the imperial family.
She felt reassured when she looked into his eyes. Those crimson eyes were extremely rare. She thought it was unusual that he hadn’t bothered to hide such rare eyes when he came here.
Of course, with the “protagonist buff” on his side, he’d become emperor easily enough even showing them openly. Still, she often thought, If it were me, I’d be more cautious.
“In that case, starting a rival company would be the best move. But wouldn’t we need initial capital for that…?”
“We’ll take care of that on our end.”
For a moment, Layla couldn’t understand why he even needed her. In the original story, even before returning to the imperial family, he had been extremely wealthy and powerful.
Even if he failed to return, if the emperor died and Anasis ascended to the throne, Rainier had looked ready to stage a rebellion to reclaim his position.
So why did he want to bring down Eclair, which had nothing to do with the throne?
If it were just personal revenge against Hugo, he could do that after returning to the imperial family. Eclair had already gotten bad press because of him anyway.
Ah.
Could it be…
“You must really hate him?”
“Yes. Very much.”
“How much?”
“As much as the sky and the earth.”
“Wow, that’s huge. So… you want him dead?”
“Yes.”
Layla studied him, wondering if, like in the original, he was just blurting things out in fluster. But this time, he didn’t look flustered at all—he seemed perfectly calm.
Maybe there was a deep-seated grudge she didn’t know about.
Thinking that, she asked,
“So… how exactly am I useful?”
“You come up with the method. I’ll be the means to carry it out.”
“In other words, if I draw the blueprint, you’ll invest the money?”
“Yes. And if we go with the method you just mentioned earlier, I’ll split the profits with you.”
Layla looked at him to gauge if he was serious—and quickly saw that he was. She nodded.
“All right. Then 50% of the profits.”
“Understood.”
“I said fifty percent.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
It struck her as strange that he wasn’t surprised by such an absurd figure and agreed so easily. This was clearly a losing deal for him, and she hadn’t proven anything to him yet.
She hadn’t shown any business acumen or demonstrated her ability to make money.
All she’d done was annoy Hugo a few times and agree to accompany Rainier to the detached palace.
So why?
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because the terms are too good.”
“You think it sounds like a scam?”
“Yes.”
Just like him, she found herself responding honestly. Even though she thought she should be guarded, something about his blunt openness made her react without thinking.
But Rainier only smiled at her answer.
“It’s the price of your life.”
“…What?”
“I told you, didn’t I? Who I am.”
“…Yes.”
She was watching him pull the comb free from her hair when their eyes met again.
“Just being associated with me is dangerous. Going into business together will be even more so. So I’m paying you hazard compensation.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Do you dislike it?”
“No. I like it.”
Hearing him say that somehow lightened the heavy feeling in her chest.
The old her would never have agreed to such a partnership. She’d avoided anything that might put her life in danger, believing she didn’t have much time left anyway.
But now, she’d decided to love herself. She’d decided to act for her own future.
So she couldn’t turn down something that might be risky but could also become a stepping stone for her later.
She had no intention of remaining the weak, helpless Layla she used to be.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Yes. Your hair’s done—take your medicine now.”
“Ah… yes.”
He sighed as he looked into her determined eyes.
“What in my words sounded sad enough to make you cry again?”
“I’ve been wondering—why do you keep saying I’m crying when I’m not?”
With a peculiar look, he replied,
“I can tell whenever you cry. Even if it’s not outwardly visible.”
“…You’re strange, Rain.”
She said that, staring straight at him. He averted his gaze and handed her the medicine.
Since they’d decided to work together, she figured it couldn’t be anything too harmful.
Thinking that, she gave a small laugh.
“When exactly are you going to recover?”
The Anasis Crown Prince had come again for breakfast. This time, Layla pretended she couldn’t even leave her room because of her terrible cold.
Ironically, she actually was sick this time—burning up with fever.
“Ah… Your Highness.”
She tried to get up but collapsed back into bed.
“Tch.”
The Crown Prince couldn’t scold her, realizing she wasn’t faking this time.
If it were an act, he could yell at her and force her to comply. But now, she truly looked like she was at death’s door.
Still, Layla Abbiere was the most certain trap for catching Rainier.
Maybe that’s why Rainier had been hovering around so much lately—because she was ill. He’d always been a fool who doted on the weak and small since childhood.
Thinking this, Anasis recalled his mother’s words:
“Hunting requires patience. You must wait until the prey bites. That’s why it’s not easy.”
He took a deep breath to keep his temper in check.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, I—” Cough, cough! “Oh! Pa—” Hack, cough! Cough cough hack!
He even wondered if she might start coughing up blood.
According to the Empress, Layla was frail—and the reason was her stepmother, Countess Carmen Abbiere.
Secrets that flowed into the imperial family went far beyond anything the lesser nobility could imagine. That was why Anasis had chosen her in the first place.
Once he was done with her, the Count’s household would take care of her anyway.
Countess Carmen’s desired picture was for her precious daughter, Syber Abbiere, to inherit everything from the family.
For that, the legitimate daughter Layla had to disappear.
“That’s enough. Don’t speak.”
He waved Catherine away and sat beside Layla’s bed. Her fever was so high her ears were flushed red.
When he noticed her eyes glistening from the fever, he was reminded of how sickly he’d been as a child. Perhaps that was why he felt a strange flicker of sympathy.
And then—
“I heard Sonette Bruce came.”
“Ah… Sonette…”
Once Catherine left, he dropped the polite façade.
“Is handing over your fiancé some kind of hobby for you?”
“Sonette…”
Layla was too feverish to even respond properly.
Her face burned, her whole body felt like fire, and her throat hurt so badly that speaking was agony.
On top of that, the Crown Prince’s grating presence made her wish everything would just disappear.
“Where is Sonette now?”
“In Syber Abbiere’s room.”
He knew she’d repeatedly had her fiancé or lovers stolen by others. Pathetic, in his eyes.
To him, who never took a fiancée and acted purely politically, Layla seemed the ultimate fool.
So he spoke coldly.
“Who knows? They might be enjoying a little private tryst right now.”
“Sonette… would never…”
Layla was too exhausted to care about acting anymore.
Why should she care about Sonette? If he was destined to end up with her sister, then he might as well get caught in a scandal and be done with it.
What she wanted far more than Sonette was royal blood to cure her illness.
Besides, Sonette was not someone she could trust—so there was no room for disappointment.
But she was so sick that fever-induced tears pooled in her eyes and slid down her temples.
“What, are you crying now?”
Startled by her tears, Anasis flinched.
“Your Highness… did you really come here to see me?”
She put all her will into telling him to go away—using the very words she’d once read in a book Rainier had been reading.
And then—
“My lady?”
Because she was crying, perhaps, Rainier—who hadn’t been in the room—suddenly appeared behind the Crown Prince.
