Franz did not even glance at the spoon that had fallen from him.
His eyes remained fixed on Elisia, piercing her face like arrows.
Elisia continued talking, pretending she didn't notice.
“According to proper tradition, I should have resided in the Separate Palace for the past month.
Although I resided in the Palace of His Highness the Second Prince thanks to his kindness, I was not able to properly learn court etiquette because of that.”
“But, Your Highness, the separate palace is just a temporary residence.
It is old and not suitable for your status.
Wouldn’t it be better for you to stay in the Second Prince’s Palace?”
said the Empress, who was trying to calm Elysia gently, and then turned to Franz.
She noticed his pale, frozen features before speaking cautiously.
“It will also be more convenient for purifying mana as long as you are in the same place.”
“Even if I stay in the Separate Palace, I will not neglect refinement.
I will appreciate the opportunity to adapt to life in the Imperial Palace.”
Elysia was firm.
She wanted to distance herf from Franz.
Because she fears that she will melt from his kindness.
Because Elisia knows the future.
Nerys Roshanak will appear a year from now at the Crichton concert.
Franz will abandon her to dance with Nerys.
From the beginning of the party to the end, it was as if he was declaring that he would have a complete monopoly on Nerys.
After that, Nerys will become his mistress, and will reside in the Second Prince's palace.
Everything was predetermined, like the sequence of seasons.
And worse, Nerys was his first love.
There is no denying this future.
Franz's feelings may end sooner than you expect.
One week...was more than enough, Elisia thought bitterly.
She didn't want to be banished to the Separate Palace after Neerys appeared.
If she moved in from the beginning, she could at least avoid that insult.
“If a separate palace does not suit me, I am satisfied with any other residence.
I will accept any place your Majesty allocates.”
Elisia lowered her gaze and spoke politely.
She could feel the cold coming from her side.
Franz was clearly dissatisfied.
But Elysia had no intention of changing her mind.
She wasn't thinking about his feelings.
What matters is reducing future pain.
At first, after returning in time, she was planning to quietly disappear once Franz and Nerys were together again.
But after experiencing Franz's warmth, she realized that it would not be that easy.
Every time he smiled at her, stroked her hair, or kissed her gently... she felt her heart contract.
It was extremely sad to know that this emotion had an expiration date.
You will never be able to completely hate Franz.
She was weak in front of love.
If she had not been, she would not have died so horribly in her previous life.
So — for her own sake — she had to start walking away now.
In order for her to suffer less later, moving to the separate palace was necessary.
Although the separate palace is connected to the Second Prince's Palace, it is still isolated.
If you move in, you'll rarely see Franz.
Unless he summoned her himf or deliberately searched for her, she wouldn't even see his shadow.
In her previous life, that feeling of loneliness crushed her.
She wandered around the gardens and walked aimlessly at night.
In the end, she was hanging out near his room.
Because she missed him so much—she longed for just one look from him.
What she got in return were looks of contempt and rebuke.
In her previous life, Franz was someone who could only be reached after hardship.
So in this life too, if she moved to the separate palace, they would naturally move away from each other.
“But you are newlyweds, isn’t it a very short time to be apart?”
“I am not requesting a new residence, Your Majesty.
I am only requesting to remain in an unoccupied palace.”
Elisia answered calmly, expressing the words she had prepared in advance.
“I am fully aware that I am not suitable for His Highness.
I want to study court etiquette myf and prepare myf to be worthy of him.”
“Common sense,” Glenna said with a smile, then looked at Crichton.
“It's a good thing Her Highness is being reasonable and realistic about herf.
Isn't it, Crichton?”
“If you say so...what does Your Majesty think?”
“Well… I would have preferred you to stay in the Second Prince’s Palace.
But that has to be decided by the person concerned.
What do you think, Franz?”
Everyone's eyes turned to Franz, who was still bowing his head in silence.
Elisia looked at him with calm eyes.
“His Highness will definitely agree.
There will be no problem with mana purification.”
She added, aiming directly at his weak spot.
Despite the harshness of her words, he did not answer.
It was as if he had completely frozen in place.
“...I...”
As the awkward silence began to drag on, Franz finally spoke, in a heavy voice.
He clenched his fist tightly on the table.
What's up?
Elisia furrowed her eyebrows, watching him cloy.
There's something wrong.
The cold emanating from it was strong enough to give her goosebumps.
His mana is supposed to have stabilized.
So why...?
The previously calm mana was beginning to become disturbed—and it wasn't just Elysia who noticed this.
The table shook, and the servants began to tremble.
The warm atmosphere of the banquet hall suddenly turned into a harsh winter.
"Franz?
What's wrong?
Are you okay?"
The Empress called him anxiously.
But he didn't move, sitting completely upright.
“Your Majesty...
I...”
He groaned between his clenched teeth.
Elysia stared at him in shock.
Is his mind so shaken?
How is this possible?
In her previous life, Manah calmed down immediately after the marriage was consummated.
The disturbance disappeared immediately.
And this time, they spent a whole week together — his mana should be more stable.
So why...?
Confused, Elysia looked at him.
Little by little, he turned to her as if it had cost him a tremendous amount of effort.
"no."
“No, Liz.”
He held her hand very coldly.
Across the table, Crichton and Glenna exchanged shocked looks.
“I heard that they consummated the marriage.
How can the Second Prince’s mana be in this state?
Is this possible?”
“I'm not sure.
Normally, this doesn't happen.”
“So, maybe...”
Glenna's suspicious gaze turned to Elysia.
“Perhaps Manah has hooked up with the wrong person?
Perhaps Miss Ambrose is not compatible with Manah?”
“Shut up.”
Franz's golden eyes flashed with anger.
He looked at Glenna with clenched teeth.
“Not Miss Ambrose.
She is the wife of the Second Prince.
Stop talking.”
"Franz!
How dare you!"
Crichton's face flushed with anger at Franz's harsh tone.
He shouted at the Empress in anger.
"Mother!
Won't you intervene?
Didn't you hear what he said to Glenna?"
“My hearing is fine.
Be quiet.”
The Empress raised her hand, stopping him with cold authority.
Then, after giving everyone a sharp look, she turned to Elisia.
“Your Highness, have you consummated your marriage to Franz?
Are your souls joined?”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Then, purify his mana.
Now.
In front of me.”
Elisia's warm face froze in a moment of shock.
"…Sorry?"
"Now.
I have to see with my own eyes."
The Empress's tone was stern.
Elysia's eyes twitched.
I looked at Franz.
He looked at her painfully.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but his lips were frozen.
I looked at his hands.
Ice had formed on the tablecloth under his fist.
The mana was consuming him.
If this continues, his heart may freeze itf.
This is what Elisia wanted — but not in this way.
“Your Highness, this is an order from the Empress.
Purify his mana immediately.”
She couldn't leave him like this.
Why here?
Why now...?
Elysia took a deep breath.
This was the second time she had seen Franz in such pain.
The first time, she was just confused.
But now… her feelings were even more turbulent.
She wasn't sure if what she was feeling was remorse, sadness, pity—or something else entirely.
“Her Highness.
Now!”
As the Empress's voice rose again, Elysia did not hesitate further.