Looking back, it was really weird.
“I should have realized that sooner.”
Saiki scolded herself again for her haste. But how could she repay an enemy, even if he was the one who saved her life? A bitter laugh escaped her lips involuntarily.
However, there were more than a few strange things to consider. No matter how many lives she saved, helping her escape from the Duke's Palace suddenly was unusual.
Acting as if they were lovers while her husband was there was another suspicious point. Coming to the Duke's Palace under the pretext of studying herbs aroused more suspicions.
Saiki thought she should have been more suspicious. However, it was always too late to regret it when things developed this way.
Of course, Saiki didn't fully trust him from the beginning. But the sudden intervention of fate in the situation made it seem like a natural meeting. She was saved from poison. She left the Duke's Palace randomly, only to meet the Prince by chance in an unfamiliar place. Such events made her reluctant to form accurate thoughts.
I thought it was just an miraculous coincidence.
Moreover, Saeki was desperate. Her judgment was clouded by the thought that her life was in danger. She could not trust the Duke, with whom she had lived for so long.
While she was thinking these thoughts, Saiki couldn't help but laugh. They both had a contract. With that crazy Rachel?
Well, maybe carrying a mandrake root wasn't a coincidence. It wasn't easy to get here.
Psyche thought of the mandrake root she had hidden somewhere, and her expression turned bitter.
She swallowed a bitter laugh and paused for a moment. Even though she knew she had no time to waste, Rachel's words stopped Saiki in her tracks.
She should have been angry, but she was so angry that she couldn't even think of what to say.
“Huh.”
Without realizing it, Saiki let out a sigh mixed with a bitter cry.
Did she trust someone she shouldn't trust again? She laughed self-pityingly.
She didn't trust him much from the beginning. Was there really no one else around? Psyche realized that she was in a really miserable situation.
She concludes that the real problem is that she has only been living in the Duke's shadow all along.
She decides to be more active in social activities, make acquaintances, and develop the ability to read others. She needed to build her own strength and could not rely solely on the Duke's promises. She wasn't willing to trust him like iron.
Moreover, she had no information about the prince. It seemed like a lot to ask, having made such a big request after only a few meetings. But without the prince's help, Psyche would never have been able to escape the duke's palace.
Thinking this way or that, I realized that no option is perfect in the worst circumstances and opportunities. She could not stay with the Duke.
“I can't waste time here like this.”
Psyche thought.
She pushed away her despair and sadness with great effort. She decided to postpone her thoughts until later.
Right now, the priority was to leave this place.
She no longer loved the Duke or the Prince.
Her feelings had withered almost to the point of nothingness, and the emotional attachment she had left could hardly be described as disappointment.
She slowly resumed her halting steps and pushed all her thoughts aside.
“Saiki!”
While she was moving, the prince called to her from behind urgently.
But she no longer wanted to talk to him.
She had no intention of hearing anything from him now, and no excuses about the past would be able to bring her child back to life.
Saiki just wanted to return to her hometown as soon as possible.
“Saiki!”
The prince realized something was wrong when Psyche moved, and stood up to explain the situation. But Rachel clung to him and screamed.
“Your Highness!”
“Leave him!”
He tried to push Rachel away, but she became trapped and started acting out.
“What is this, Rachel!”
When the prince kicked her hard, Rachel stumbled.
“Saiki!”
She started walking without paying attention to his words, and his voice no longer reached her.
She only had one thought in her mind- get out of here. There was no need to complicate matters by clashing with the Duke.
It had better disappear quickly. Psyche continued to walk towards the opposite door at the back of the palace in anticipation of the Duke's arrival.
“Saiki!”
She ignored the person calling her from behind, there was no point in listening.
“Your Highness!”
Rachel, who had fainted, clung to the prince again. She was persistent, too.
"Your Highness! You can't treat me like this!"
Although Rachel was clinging to him, the prince was firm.
“Shut up, I clearly said there is no contract.”
“But I have already done things for Your Highness, there can be nothing now!”
"Shut up."
Despite Rachel clinging to him, the prince tried to get rid of her and approached Psyche.
She continued walking quietly and gradually started to move away. She seemed about to open the door and leave.
And so…
Although this was not the right thing to do, the prince summoned the guards in a hurry.
"Guards! Don't let Saeki leave her room! Quickly!"
In response, two knights guarding the door quickly approached Psyche and aimed their spears to prevent her from exiting.
As the spears were directed at her, Psyche's face became even colder.
"What is this…?"
She was confused.
The Duke was soon to arrive, and they were doing this.
“Psyche”
After the prince finally managed to separate Rachel, he quickly approached Psyche, who was blocked by the guards, at the door.
“Psyche”
He grabbed her wrist but quickly let go when he realized what he had done. "I'm sorry. This is not it. Please listen to me."
“There doesn't seem to be anything worth listening to.”
Saiki replied coldly, gently touching the wrist he was holding.
“Please let me go.”
“First, listen to me.”
“I don't want to listen, Your Highness.”
“Saiki...”
Although he had a desperate expression, Saiki, feeling that all of this was a performance, turned away coldly from him.
“Step down.”
Psyche used her hand to remove one of the spears that was blocking her way.
“No, you can't leave.”
Psyche used her hand to remove one of the spears that was blocking her way.
“No, you can't leave.”
The annoyed Psyche sighed briefly at those words, then the prince turned in a different direction.
When she saw him, Psyche felt like she had changed her mind.
“So, you're saying you'll keep the promise you made to me?”
Well, here's why. It seemed strange.
“…”
Then, this time, Rachel interrupted him with a laugh.
"I initially had no intention of leaving at all! You should have died there! Do you know how much effort I put into this plan?"
She looked absolutely hysterical.
[Hysteria: A neurotic psychological disease in which emotional disturbances appear with dysfunction in the sensory and movement nerves. It is a disorder in which chronic emotions include the appearance of physical symptoms that have no organic basis. They occur for a purpose in the hysterical individual, which may be to escape from psychological conflict, anxiety, or a painful situation without realizing the motive.]
“Ha.”
Saiki was so angry that she couldn't contain her anger.
So, that was the plan. Did my baby die? She was so angry that her body was shaking.
She took a step forward and slapped Rachel without hesitation.
slap.
The sound of the collision was clear. In response, Rachel lunged at Psyche like a mad woman. It happened in the blink of an eye.
“Get out Rachel now!”
The prince was surprised and ordered, and the knights quickly rushed to control Rachel, who rushed towards Psyche.
Psyche looked puzzled.
She steadied herself, swaying slightly.
Are you well?
The prince, who approached her in surprise, felt her body.
Saiki laughed bitterly and opened her mouth with a cold expression.
“Your Highness, please do not try to explain anything to me, no matter what contract you have entered into. My child is already dead and gone. A lost life cannot be compensated for by anything.”
“Saiki…please.”
“Now, please let me go.”
And here it happened.
Suddenly, the prince knelt in front of Psyche.
This sight shocked both Rachel, who was submissive, and the knights who restrained her.
“…”
Psyche was so surprised that she burst out laughing.
What does it mean for a noble to kneel? It was an impossible event.
Of course, the mistake he made with Saiki wouldn't be forgiven or excused by kneeling, but there were many onlookers here.
His actions were not wise.
“Please don’t make things difficult for me, Your Highness.”
She turned away from him expressionlessly.
“Saiki...”
And then it happened.
"Your Highness! Duke Valentine has arrived!"
With this announcement, the door opened