Elisia followed Patricia into the drawing room, biting her lip.
Franz was standing there in the humble drawing room of the Ambrose Palace—a place incomparable to the grandeur of the Imperial Palace.
Sunlight streamed in from the high windows, spreading like golden dust through his hair, illuminating his elegant, flawless face.
His erect torso, shaped from years of military training, and his long legs were wrapped in a bright navy uniform, not a single wrinkle on it.
If all the world's treasures and beauties were gathered and carved into the shape of a man, his appearance would come out like this.
If all the vanity of the world were shaped into human form, it would also appear like this.
“I have brought the lady and landlady,” the butler announced solemnly.
Franz, who had been standing upright, turned gracefully at the sound of the voice.
“Baroness Ambrose.
Lady Ambrose.”
“Hail to Your Majesty, His Highness the Second Prince.
May the glory of the sun descend upon you.”
“Get up, please.”
His cold, graceful voice.
Elisia swallowed softly—one day, his voice alone made her heart tremble.
“Lady Ambrose.”
When Elisia remained bent over in silence, Franz extended his hand towards her.
She stared at his white gloved hand, motionless.
In her previous life, she would have felt so grateful just to receive his hand.
But now, to her, he is a killer. traitor.
'I didn't expect to face him so quickly.'
She hated him.
As much as she had loved him before, she hated him now—she wanted to grab him by the collar, slap him, scream at him.
If he hated her, why didn't he say so?
Why did he drain her and kill her?
But this Franz did not know the past.
Her anger had nowhere to be directed.
So she ignored his outstretched hand and got up herself.
Franz lowered his hand silently as her body straightened and he looked away.
Elysia lifted her chin slightly when she noticed the slight crack in his refined features.
'What?
Did you expect me to faint?
You've never been ignored before, have you?'
As a second prince, he was unlikely to be ignored by anyone.
But that was in the past.
Elysia was planning to treat him exactly as he treated her—coldly and indifferently.
Just like he did.
“I came to pick you up.”
“Thank you for the trouble, Your Highness.”
She replied coldly, clutching her left wrist.
The first thing she did when she woke up was not to check the time or place, but rather to check her wrist.
In her previous life, he was covered in scars.
Those disgusting and ugly marks brought her many tears... and a lot of disdain.
“You hurt yourself again?
Remain detained until further notice.”
Franz was disgusted—and he punished her.
But he was wrong.
She never hurt herself.
Elysia tried to explain, but he didn't believe her.
What's worse, he locked her in the cold ward as if she were a criminal.
If he had only listened once—if he had believed that her pain came from him—perhaps she would have cried less.
But he laughed off her words as miserable excuses.
All those scars he accused her of?
It was because of him.
It all started six months after marriage, after their sixth meeting.
Every time they touched to neutralize the mana, red scratches would appear on her wrist—deep, jagged, like knife wounds.
Because that was the only part he could touch.
To neutralize the mana, they had to hold each other's wrists.
His mana was leaving marks on her skin.
When this first happened, Franz visited her in shock—for the first time since the wedding night.
But when he saw her reassuring expression, he frowned, thinking that she had made the wounds to attract attention.
Since then, it has happened repeatedly.
Every encounter between them left painful marks on her wrist.
And every time, he laughed.
Seeing him ignore her encouraged the noblewomen and maids to mock her.
“She is a peasant by birth, so her tricks are...unique.”
“She should spend less time cutting herself and more time fixing her face.”
“What's the point?
Her husband is more beautiful than her!”
Elisia endured all these insults silently.
The taunting didn't stop—even when it looked like her wrist would explode in pain.
At some point, Franz's proximity meant only pain.
And yet, she stayed—because she thought that pain was love.
Just stubborn pride. folly.
'This time, I won't let those wounds appear again.'
When Elisia passed her hand over her wrist, Franz's gaze followed her.
It was still warm, and her wrist was completely exposed.
“To...”
“Since you're here, would you like to stay to eat?”
Patricia interrupted excitedly.
“We can prepare a feast right away!”
But Franz shook his head lightly.
“They are waiting for Lady Ambrose at the palace.
We must leave immediately.
Thank you, Baroness.”
“...Of course, Your Highness.”
“So, Lady Ambrose.
Shall we go?”
Franz extended his hand again, as if to protect it from Patricia's gaze.
Elysia stared at his hand.
That hand—which was only given to her once a month, during mana neutralization.
Now he extends it twice in one day.
What has changed?
"Yes."
She answered politely, taking his hand.
Even through her glove, his cold seeped into her.
It was cold as ice.
His mana must have begun to overflow uncontrollably.
The Eustace family has always been known for the strength of their mana.
No matter the element—light, dark, fire, ice, wind—they needed someone compatible to neutralize it.
Otherwise, they will be consumed by mana.
In the Empire, the perfect harmony was called the “bond of souls.” This was extremely important.
Neutralizing mana only requires simple contact.
But the less compatibility, the greater the side effects—even death.
The first prince, Creto, was quite compatible with his wife, Glenna.
But Franz did not find that harmony throughout his life.
So, the imperial family desperately sought to find a suitable partner for his mana.
Up until now, Franz had kept his mana under control solely by his willpower.
But he has reached his limit—and his first attack, a sign of impending doom, has begun.
So the Empress organized a huge party to search for a suitable partner for her second son.
Elisia was among the noblewomen invited.
At that time, she was full of hope—dreaming of meeting the handsome Second Prince.
But what greeted her was not him… but a Mana Stone.
Franz refused to meet anyone in person.
Instead, they came into contact with a stone that held his essence.
Naively, I thought: 'He must be delicate and sensitive.'
But looking back, he was just a germaphobe.
Anyway, Elysia was completely compatible with the Mana Stone.
She was chosen to be the bride of the Second Prince.
'If only I had come back two months earlier...'
If she had, she would have skipped the party entirely.
But she woke up after everything was done.
By then, wedding preparations had begun.
The only consolation was that her body did not have any scar now.
“Let's go,” Franz said, urging her on.
Elisia looked at him coldly.
'Why did he come himself?'
In her previous life, Franz was waiting for her at the palace.
In this life, he seems to be more impatient.
At least before, he waited until the ceremony.
At this rate, you might have to pretend to neutralize the mana in the cart.
'This time, it's you who will feel betrayed, Franz.'
When she looked at his polished features, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She was going to the palace for one goal: revenge.
You'll just pretend to neutralize his mana.
At first, he won't notice.
But eventually, when his heart begins to harden, and his body begins to freeze—he will realize.
That his mana was never neutralized.
Then, it will be too late.
If heaven help her, he will die before he meets his lover, Lady Naerys.
Franz's remorse will come later than his request for forgiveness.
And you won't give it to him.
Her only concern was: Will she be able to keep up the deception for two years?
If he finds out early, it will ruin everything.
Simply blocking her mana wouldn't be enough.
If he doubts her... everything may fall apart.
She must find a new way to carry out her curse—which most likely disappeared when time returned.
'I still have time.
'No need to rush.'
When she left the palace, Elisia took a deep breath.
As she approached the entrance, a male shout arose:
“Liz!”
A young man ran towards her with a bright smile.
His silver hair and pale gray eyes, so different from her features, resembled Patricia.
“...Caleb?”
Elysia narrowed her eyes as she looked at her half-brother.
She did not notice the slight frown that appeared on Franz's forehead when she spoke Caleb's name with her lips.