“…!”

Deneb looked down at Fey with contempt, as if his last remaining sibling was truly pathetic.

A chill crept through Fey’s body, causing her to freeze in place.

‘Dangerous, he was truly dangerous.’

Deneb was the only person who had a clue that Fey was the mastermind behind the incident.

Since Luné’s death, every path Fey trod was icy, and Deneb, of all people, had discovered a clue about the true mastermind.

“Deneb, what nonsense are you spouting again? I’m sick of hearing it. Please stop repeating this drivel.”

It seemed too late, but Fey slowly raised the corners of her stiff mouth and responded to Deneb’s accusation with a casual and indifferent expression.

It was more of an outburst than a response.

Nonetheless, at this moment, Fey had to deny the accusations unconditionally.

‘Luné’s death was truly not my fault, but the owner of the body before me,’ she thought, feeling an unspeakable sense of injustice, but she didn’t change her shameless expression.

Soon, Deneb’s forced laugh burst out.

“Haha!”

Even in the face of a pressure that felt suffocating, Fey didn’t attempt to lower the corners of her raised mouth.

The more she was pressed, the more she smiled, just like the old ‘Fey.’

Thanks to Luné, Deneb was a man who could rightfully be called a part of the O’Bellie family. Nevertheless, Fey and Deneb had never been that close.

It was only natural, considering that the first time Fey met him was the year she entered the Academy, at the age of fourteen. At that time, she had been eagerly waiting to meet her sister, but her sister arrived with a lump beside her and declared, “He will also be an O’Bellie.”

Hence, why would she treat him kindly?

It was the first time Deneb met her, yet her sister already called him an O’Bellie.

Luné was the one who always looked out for Deneb and catered to his every need, and Fey had never been a part of it, not even for a moment.

Deneb understood the feelings Fey had accumulated, and that was why he was so distrustful of her, though he wouldn’t go as far as to kill her.

However, that didn’t mean their relationship was always bad. At least when Luné was around, they would often have conversations. However, as soon as they were alone, the conversation would immediately end.

That was how their relationship was. So now that Luné was dead, they were in a state where they could neither kill each other nor live together.

As these thoughts came to her, Fey couldn’t help but burst into laughter herself.

“What’s so funny?”

Perhaps thinking her laughter was directed at him, Deneb raised his eyebrows and straightened himself. Instantly, a huge black shadow loomed over her.

Fey flinched and took a step back.

“I didn’t laugh at you…”

“I didn’t expect there would be anything left to laugh at in someone who would kill her own family to become a Crown Princess.”

“….”

Deneb slowly tilted his head.

“You’re willing to go to such lengths to become the Crown Princess yet the Crown Prince won’t even look at someone like you. How could you become so repulsive?”

“Yes.”

“….”

“That’s right.”

Fey smiled and raised her head. Instead of refuting the arrows of direct criticism, she chose to accept them.

A skeptical gaze fell upon her.

When Deneb had nothing more to say, Fey backed away slightly.

“I’ve been really repulsive all along. Of course, I wasn’t the one who killed Luné, but it’s true that I took the opportunity and wanted to become the Crown Princess, Deneb.”

“….”

“However, His Highness wouldn’t even glance at me. Just as you said, it was true.”

Deneb’s eyes narrowed at the unexpected reaction. Normally, she would have retorted, “You’re speaking nonsense. His Highness will undoubtedly make me his Crown Princess!”

But instead, she seemed lost in thought, contemplating something.

“That’s why I was planning to give up. I won’t even go near the palace anymore. I really didn’t kill Luné.”

She was already beyond the point of no return, but she didn’t want to provoke Deneb any further.

‘Let’s just buy time and endure as much as we can.’

If Deneb hadn’t reported her to the imperial family, it was most likely because he didn’t have evidence, and the memory of the trouble she’d taken to cover her tracks before and after Fey had done the deed was still fresh in her mind.

Hence, as long as Deneb wasn’t reckless, she could buy some time.

The probability of being murdered was higher than she had initially thought, but…

‘Still, I have to buy time and escape. It’s the only way I can survive.’

“Hmph. Empty words.”

A while later, a voice mixed with a snort pierced her ears. Deneb had clearly decided not to believe anything she said up until now.

Well, considering the actions Fey had carried out so far, it was likely more difficult for him to believe.

“Sigh, let’s forget about that for today.” Deneb ruffled his hair.

“I didn’t wait here for hours just to talk about this.’

“Huh?”

Did he have another matter to discuss? She anxiously chewed on her inner cheek. Deneb looked at her as if peering into her soul before opening his mouth.

“Fey, you surely haven’t forgotten tomorrow, have you?”

“Tomorrow?” As soon as she thought about it for a moment, she knew the answer.

It was a mistake for her to reflexively blurt out a reply due to the chilling tone in his voice.

“Luné’s death anniversary.” Deneb’s eyes lost their light at an alarming speed.

“Of course I know, it’s Luné’s death anniversary tomorrow!” Fey blurted out, a chill running down her spine.

She was truly terrified that Deneb might kill her on the spot. If only her worries were just baseless delusions, it would have been so much better.

Unfortunately, Deneb, or rather Deneb O’Bellie, was the type who followed through with his actions.

What exactly ‘follow through’ meant… she didn’t want to think about it any further.

Deneb smiled sarcastically, clearly not believing a single word Fey hastily uttered.

“Funny thing is, you’re the head of the O’Bellie now, so I need your company to go to Luné’s tomb. Other nobles can obtain a permit, but as you know, I am nothing more than a lowly commoner.”

Fey almost blurted out her passing thoughts. ‘You?’

When she glanced up, she met the terrifying eyes of the man and was relieved that she didn’t blurt out her thoughts. Yes, he was right. Deneb was just an ordinary commoner.

“Will you come with me? If what you said is true and you didn’t kill Luné,” he said.

“Ah, yes. I’ll go tomorrow. Of course, I have to go. I’ll go with you.” Deneb glanced at Fey, who nodded her head like a broken doll.

For some reason, he seemed to be smiling a little. After that, there was silence. The air became so stifling between them that she again felt suffocated.

After a while, Deneb broke the silence and said, “Yes. I’ve been worrying all day about what to do if you forgot, but luckily…”

He had a slight smile on his face. It was a conceited smile that seemed to say, ‘I’ll let it pass this time.’

“The carriage is already prepared, so there’s no need to call it separately. See you tomorrow, Fey O’Bellie.”

With those words, Deneb disappeared into the darkness of the corridor.

“Sigh…”

Even after he completely disappeared, Fey stood there for a long time. She exhaled the breath she had been holding in.

She sank down onto the dusty marble floor and barely supported herself gripping the railing due to her trembling legs. Cold sweat clung to her back.

Spring was beginning, but the only light in the hall was the dim moonlight shining through the window. It was cold.

‘Scary!’

Fey hugged herself with trembling arms. The feeling of ‘scary’ was different from when she was with Altair.

Combining the image of Deneb in Fey’s memory and the image of Deneb she had seen in person, the conclusion was clear.

Deneb La O’Bellie knew that Luné was murdered. There was no evidence now, so he was still leaving her alone, but if given the chance, Deneb will not hesitate to kill Fey.

The Deneb she knew would definitely do it. And he had the ability to do so.

“A commoner?” Fey chuckled, recalling Deneb’s absurd claim.

Of course, that statement was not a lie. At least, there was no power in the name ‘Deneb.’ The name Luné gave him indeed had no power, but the real name he had received from birth was different.

“What commoner, you Delphis Kaitos?”

Fey repeated the ‘real name’ Deneb didn’t mention earlier.

Delphis Kaitos.

Also known as ‘Sir Kaitos.’

It was the name of the rumored ‘Emperor’s Guard,’ which meant that Deneb, a commoner with no title or status, was actually the man most closely connected to the Emperor of Brimfe.

He had tremendous power and strength befitting the nickname ‘Emperor’s Guard.’

It was clear that the information that Fey was somehow related to Luné’s death was also obtained using the power of Delphis Kaitos. So the conclusion was evident.

‘I will lose my life if I continue to live with that guy here!’

If she continued to live with him, pretending not to know anything, she would definitely die.

Whether it was the ‘Emperor’s Guard’ who would kill her or the emperor who received the report from the guard.

There was no way Fey O’Bellie could survive in Brimfe.

‘Run, we have to run! There’s no other way! Run, run away…’

—