“Since I’ve been summoned in Your Highness’ name, I couldn’t ignore it. I didn’t expect Your Highness, who is very busy, to come earlier than expected.”

“I’d be crazy to sit around after receiving a response to a letter I don’t remember sending.”

When she heard his reply, she was convinced.

After receiving Theodore’s forged letter, Rishe called her handmaid, Elise, and wrote this reply: [I accept your invitation. Then I’ll go to the chapel alone at the specified time, 9:30.]

The time she indicated was 30 minutes later than the time Theodore summoned her.

It was right before Rishe left her room that she sent the letter through her maid. She didn’t want him to reply too soon and be stopped from going out.

It was nice of you to have come early, thank you. But…

Rishe looked at Arnold.

I feel like His Highness Theodore didn’t want to be heard speaking ill of him…

“What’s wrong?”

When asked, she was about to shake her head and say it was nothing.

But on second thought, Rishe decided to go for it.

She figured she had to clarify this matter properly.

“Why do they say you’re a cruel person?”

“…”

Arnold then lowered his gaze slightly.

“Because it’s true. I’ve killed a plethora of people on the battlefield, and I’ve done it more than once. I’ve done some atrocious things, not once or twice.”

I know, but…

Rishe still wasn’t satisfied with his reply.

“I don’t need to hear from you such tales that can be heard from others.”

“So what do you want to know?”

“Your thoughts.”

Not words uttered by a third party.

Right now, she wanted to hear what Arnold had to say himself.

“My thoughts?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I understand that you’ve earned exemplary merits in the last war. I also know you treated those bandits who attacked our carriage cruelly and heartlessly… And yet, you didn’t kill them.”

At that time, Rishe thought it was probably because the place where they were attacked was another country’s territory.

She thought the Emperor Arnold Hein she knew wouldn’t have shown mercy to those bandits.

However, seeing him up close and personal, it was hard to believe that that was the only reason.

“Hmph…”

Gloomy shadows shrouded his blue eyes when he looked up.

“It seems I’ve been a little too easy on you, haven’t I?”

Arnold’s hand reached for her.

And then his right hand, wearing a black glove, stretched out and slowly gripped Rishe’s neck.

“If you want to survive in this castle, you’d better get rid of those fancy ideas right now.”

“…”

Neatly shaped fingers dug into her throat.

Even with the weakest force he was exerting, his large hands could have easily wrung Rishe’s neck.

“I believe in what I’ve seen.”

“You haven’t even seen me on the battlefield, what are you talking about?”

“You’ve given me so much consideration. That unmistakably is your true self.”

“Ridiculous.”

Arnold sneered with a slight catch in his mocking voice.

“I brought you here to use you.”

“Then, all the more so.”

Rishe gently laid her own hand on Arnold’s.

Rather than pulling it off her neck, she wrapped it around her neck tighter. This way, would it convey even a little bit of her meaning?

“I don’t think you’re a cruel man, husband-sama” (I went for husband rather than Master.)

“――…”