ITPV 23

~Chapter 23~

‘We found the whereabouts of the maids who disappeared after working at the Arfin estate. Following the traces of people leaving the mansion led us to the Joubert merchant guild.’

‘It’s difficult to approach Viscount Joubert directly. We tried contacting the merchant union secretly for cooperation, but it was impossible while hiding our identities. Everyone believes there’s considerable power backing the Joubert guild. There are too many limitations.’

Khalid had been secretly investigating the disappearance of the maids from the Arfin household for over a year.

He couldn’t help but be suspicious. Before Livia changed, her childhood crimes included human trafficking and slave trading.

His suspicions grew deeper as he investigated and began gathering evidence—to trap her completely.

However, the investigation faced obstacles from the very beginning.

Because of her meticulousness, it took half a year just to trace clues and piece together the circumstances.

Not only was caution necessary to avoid Livia Arfin’s notice, but anyone remotely connected to the Arfin family refused to cooperate.

He couldn’t use his status as Crown Prince to force their help either. Doing so would destroy the secrecy of the investigation, and besides, in this country, the one who reigned above the Crown Prince was the master of divine power herself.

Continuing the slow investigation, the first lead he finally found was the Joubert merchant guild.

Around the time the maids went missing, the only major change connected to Livia Arfin was the rapid rise of the Joubert guild.

But that was as far as he could go.

The nobles feared the hidden power behind the Joubert guild, while commoners were afraid to get involved and suffer collateral damage.

He was disgusted. Especially by those who knew exactly who was behind it but closed their eyes and pretended not to see.

Even if commoners didn’t know, at least the nobles vaguely suspected that the master of divine power wasn’t entirely good. After all, a good person wouldn’t break off an engagement with their lover in that way.

It was ironic that his own miserable situation had become proof of her wickedness. Still, the nobles continued to turn a blind eye and feign ignorance.

All because of her ability to foresee the future.

The investigation stalled. Just investigating the merchant guild had reached a dead end.

Using his status as Crown Prince wasn’t an option. If he did, the master of divine power would surely retaliate, erasing everything he’d uncovered so far.

She would eliminate anything to ensure no one gained anything.

That woman was more than capable of such things. If something became an obstacle, she would remove it completely, no matter the cost.

Faced with this dead end, he paused the investigation. If things continued this way, it was only a matter of time before she found out what he was doing.

Even if she noticed, he needed to have at least one worthwhile discovery in his hands.

While agonizing over what to do, the name that came up was Marquis Valandier.

A brilliant businessman who had amassed the greatest wealth in the Empire and operated a merchant guild spanning the entire continent.

When he needed the Marquis’s cooperation, Khalid began paying attention to news related to him.

Taking in an adopted daughter with a bothersome name was only the beginning. Rumors that he was looking for a suitor for his now-adult adopted daughter came at the perfect time, like a lifeline thrown to him.

‘What will you do? Lately, there are too many eyes and ears watching us. Meeting the Marquis secretly is becoming difficult.’

‘That’s true. She probably already knows I’ve grabbed hold of something. She’s arrogant enough to think I won’t be able to do anything with it. And she’s right, so far.’

‘……May I make a suggestion?’

‘Speak.’

‘How about approaching the Marquis’s adopted daughter?’

‘So… you’re telling me to get engaged to her?’

‘Yes. The Valandier faction is currently neutral, but if the adopted daughter were to marry someone from Livia’s side, it would tip the balance of power. We need the Marquis’s cooperation, but thinking about the future…’

‘You’re telling me to at least create some connection. That woman won’t sit back and watch that happen. She’s as wary of neutral forces moving as we are.’

‘Yes. But if you do that, we can certainly divert her attention. What we need right now is the success of the operation that will come from the Marquis’s cooperation.’

Since childhood, his loyal and competent subordinate, Zerman, had watched Khalid closely. Even as he suggested this decent plan, he observed Khalid’s reaction.

To Khalid, anything involving “women” and “marriage” evoked strong rejection.

Using something like that was touching a forbidden nerve.

Just mentioning it made him react sensitively.

Yet Zerman still brought it up, meaning they truly had no other way to break through this dead end.

‘I’ll… try.’

Knowing this, Khalid remained silent for a while before finally giving that answer.

This was why Khalid, who hadn’t appeared in public for over five years, attended the imperial ball.

Before the ball began, he quietly inspected the banquet hall for anything suspicious, then stepped out to the garden.

Meeting nobles was important, but balls like today’s, held purely for “socializing,” were overflowing with Livia’s eyes and ears.

Anyone he spoke to here would be immediately reported back to her.

He had no intention of interacting with anyone in such a place.

He slowly walked through the garden behind the ballroom, familiar yet unfamiliar.

Seeing the perfectly manicured garden, as if the gardener had poured their soul into it, brought back old memories.

‘The palace gardens are so grand compared to the Arfin estate!’

‘If you don’t like it, I’ll have it redesigned to match your tastes.’

‘But then the poor plants would suffer. This garden suits the palace well. My tastes are too simple anyway.’

‘If you want weeds, I can fill the palace gardens with them.’

‘Is this what people call romantic? It’s so selfishly about me that it worries me… but it also makes my heart race. I’m terrible, aren’t I?’

‘If you’re going to be terrible, be worse. Want me more.’

‘Really? Can I make you unable to live without me?’

‘Hah… That’s exactly what I want.’

They had once desperately wanted each other. Even so, Khalid frowned.

His heart pounded like someone was gripping it tightly, then felt as if it would stop altogether.

Grabbing his chest against the crushing pain, he gasped for breath.

This was why he didn’t want to come here.

Their memories were scattered everywhere.

They had visited countless places together in what felt like a short yet long time.

There had been many times he left the palace, only to collapse, swept away by waves of memories.

He thought he was fine when he visited the bookstore they often went to.

He truly believed he was okay. He wanted to prove to himself that he had moved on.

But when he came to his senses, he was already in the carriage Zerman had summoned. The impulsive decision only proved that he still wasn’t okay.

Promises he had made so easily remained like curses, and now… Khalid merely lived each day feeling as though he wasn’t really alive.

With a hollow laugh at how pathetic he’d become, he turned back toward the ballroom.

Just then, he saw an unfamiliar woman sitting on a bench.

She was leaning back, silently gazing up at the sky.

A small, frail woman, with a delicate frame that looked like it would break at the slightest touch, and a sorrowful face that evoked pity.

Her skin was pale as the first snow of winter.

Her hair was deep black, blending into the darkness.

Though her face was beautiful enough, her thin, sickly body overshadowed her beauty with an air of illness.

‘I’m insane.’

He had never seen her before, yet he found himself staring at her, even stopping in his tracks. It was absurd. More unpleasant than enduring his memories.

Just as he was about to turn away,

Slap—!

She slapped her own cheek and pinched her colorless face, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

Khalid unintentionally revealed his presence.

Rustle—

Startled by the sound of his footsteps, the woman turned to look at him.

Thud—

His heart dropped. He couldn’t understand why.

His heart, which only ever brought him pain, now beat with a completely different sensation.

Did she have a reason for staring at the sky so long? In her eyes were reflections of the starry night sky, shimmering brightly.

Even in the dark garden under dim lighting, why did only her black eyes shine so brilliantly?

He couldn’t understand it at all.

Approaching her was either impulse… or whim.

Maybe he just wanted to shake off this unknown discomfort.