"No."

"Think carefully Allendis of Verita. Do you want to live in your brother's shadow for the rest of your life? Even though you're so much better?"

"..."

"If you join our faction, we will guarantee you the dukedom. Isn't that a reasonable deal? You just have to be our informer."

"...Let me think about it."

The aristocrats had always tried to negotiate behind the scenes, knowing that I was bitterly opposed to my father's choice regarding the heir of our family. It wasn't a bad deal.

The aristocracy, which lacked high ranked nobled, would get a duke on their side who can give steal information from the emperor's faction for them, and I could become the heir of my family.

But it was also a very risky deal. Not only was the current Emperor not such a pushover, but my father was also one of the most powerful men of his time. That's why I was walking a fine line with the aristocracy on hold.

"Tia."

My lady had been out of touch since I heard the Prince had gone down to the Monique estate. An ominous foreboding hit my whole body, but there was no way for me to interfere. My mother and brother desperately stopped me from going down to the Monique lands.

I really wanted to severe the ties between those two. If it weren't for my father's words about what I could and couldn't do, I might have just done so and run away.

When I heard that Tia had come back to the capital I thought she'd come to visit me soon. But days went by and blended into a week. She didn't send me any letter either. When she got sick, I sent her chamdamo tae with a letter, but no reply came.

My lady... Why don't come to see me ? Why don't you even reply? Do you still doubt me? Do you not need me anymore? Are you leaving me? Is that what it is, Tia?

[In Chapter 60 we can see a noble from the aristocracy faction trying to recruit Allen, and Allen burning the letter of Duke Jenna (so clearly refusing the offer) and then asking himself why Tia hasn't contacted him yet.]

***

[The following scene appears in chapter 62]

I shall be direct.

I would like you to refrain from contacting my daughter. You have not forgotten that she is the Prince's fiancée. Now that she has made her debut in society, I am afraid your interacting with her will lead to false rumors.

You have good sense so I am sure you will understand what I mean.

Keirean la Monique. >

This letter from the Marquis, the father of the girl, made me snap. You want me to refrain from interacting with her? The Prince's fiancée?! Tia has always been all mine. She was my life.

F*ck you.

I was going to spare you as much as I could because you were her father. And for my lady, who must be absolutely loyal to the emperor, I was going to be quietly in the shadow of the emperor's faction, even if I didn't like it. But I have changed my mind.

Monique, I'm going to break you. If your daughter is left alone, it'll be easier to bring her by my side. I didn't like sharing my little girl's blind obsession anyway.

***

[This scene appears in chapter 88]

"I'll join you."

"Good, Allendis. You won't regret it."

As I joined the aristocracy faction, I smiled brightly as people welcomed me warmly.

Wait, my lady. I'm getting ready to bring you in little by little.

***

[The following scene appears in chapter 63 and 64]

One day when I was stealing my father's papers and gathering information from the Emperor's faction, my lady finally visited me.

At first, I thought it was just a fantasy. So I cursed my broken mind. When I heard the calm voice calling me, I finally realised that my lady was really here and reached out my trembling hand.

My heart sank when I saw the girl stepping back from my touch.

As soon as Tia grabbed my hand, I realised it was my lady who was standing in front of me, and yet... it was not her.

The darkness in the golden pupils of her eyes which had always fascinated me, the heavy madness, the blind obsession had disappeared. Only a speck of it remained. It used to be so big that anyone were able to see them... now it seemed unnoticeable. What the hell happened? How did she change? Who was this girl? She was not the girl I knew.

"Tia, is it really you?"

"Yes."

"Tia."

"Yes, Allen."

"Tia, Tia, Tia..."

I hugged her closely because I was scared to see her unfamiliar face. I sang her name over and over. The girl I was looking at blindly. My little girl, with her little golden eyes, with dazzling darkness.

But my cold and sinking heart was already realising it. The girl I loved, the one who only looked at me, was gone. She was lost to me forever. I could never see her again.

A sudden rush of loneliness came. I had missed her so much that I felt sad even though I was holding her tightly. Tears flowed from my eyes, which had never got wet before.

"Sorry, Tia. Were you surprised?"

The girl in front of me was also my lady, though I said she was gone. She still had everything I care about, except for the eyes that used to make me ecstatic.

[In the manhwa in chapter 64 Allen and Tia have tea and Tia actually sees Allen's spying activities, without realising what she is looking at. She trusts Allen to much to doubt him. But I think it will be important in the future.]

***

When we ran into her father in front of Tia's house, I deliberately called her by her nickname in front of him. At that moment, the look of the Marquis hardened. He should have understood that we wouldn't have mind his warning, so he had tried to keep us apart.

But I could never let go of Tia.

What do I do, my lady? You've become so lovely. What should I do, Tia? Even your unbroken self makes me excited. Should I destroy you or should I protect you? (T-T)

The smile I saw earlier made me so excited. What do we do now, Tia? What should I do? My lady.

***

[The following scene appears in chapter 70 (and 71)]

"Hello, Allendis. I heard you joined the administration. Congratulations."

One winter day, three months before my seventeenth birthday, I entered the administration. It wasn't that difficult. Of course, the Emperor's faction actively supported the idea, and the aristocracy only welcomed it in a formal way.

I couldn't decide what to do yet, so I just wandered around my lady who had joined the Knights. Every time she was with the redhead. I hated that my little girl liked him. I agonised several times a day. I thought I'd quit everything and just lock her up far from them all.

Whenever I saw that man stroking her silver hair, I wanted to cut off his hand. Where do you dare put your hands? She's mine ! My own little girl. I wanted to cut down the grin from his face. I wanted to get rid of him right away, but I couldn't show this in front of my lady. So I repressed my exploding anger.

I still needed him. Because I couldn't keep the Crown Prince from my baby on my own. She was his fiancée in name only, but it still tied her to him. It was deplorable, but there was nothing I could do right away except calm down.

***

"Hey, did you hear the rumor? Apparently the second son of the Duke of Ras and the child of God, Lady Monique, are lovers. That's why the prince's fiancée is so..."

"What did you say?"

"Didn't you know? Everyone's talking about it."

God damn it.

The scandal, which had initially been dismissed as mere gossip, was spreading increasingly because of the aristocracy that began to spread that rumor with malicious intent.

***

"I need your help, Mother."

I went to visit the woman named my mother whom I had never looked for. Rumors circulating in society must be resolved in society. Our family was one who was a key force in the emperor's faction and could resolve the issue from the perspective of a third party.

I turned away from the touching chocolate-colored eyes.

"Don't think I'm forgiving you just because I ask for help once. I'm just using you because I need you."

Damn it, I felt very dirty asking for a favour from her.

***

[The following scene appears in chapter 73]

I gritted my teeth. It made me feel terribly wretched to define myself as her friend, but I had too if I wanted to crush the rumors.

The rumors would have been silenced without my little girl knowing anything about them, if not for this stupid woman.

"The rumors say that Lady Monique and Lord Ras are lovers..."

I'll kill you. I was already getting irritated.

I glared at the woman who had no idea what she had just said. I saw her turn pale, but I didn't mind. Because my face couldn't be seen by my lady's eyes. Everyone except carrot and Tia was stiff with astonishment.

I'll just smash everything up. I felt dirty because you were showed the warmth of my little girl.

"I-I'm sorry Sir Allendi... I-I'll have to take my leave.."

That's the smartest thing you've done today. I don't know what I would've done if I'd seen a little more of that annoying face of yours.

Who's in love with whom? How dare you talk about it? Tia is mine. She's my girl. My lady, my own. I don't give her to anyone. She's lost to anyone. I'm the first who has find her. I'm the first who fell in love with her. So that child is mine. Mine, not anyone else. She's only my girl. How dare you get her involved with someone else?

"A jewel mine is a dangerous place. You don't know when an accident will happen. There's a lot of people who covet such riches."

"S-Sir..."

"I've heard rumors that there are a lot of people looking around your mines these days. You'd better be careful."

"Th-th-thank you."

I faintly glared at the dumb woman who answered with a trembling voice. But my simmering anger melted away as soon as I saw Tia smiling brightly at me when I returned.

Ah, Tia, my lady, my angel, my everything. As expected, you are the only one.

You always smile at me even though everyone is afraid of me. Even if it's because you haven't seen my darkness, I'm fine with it. I love you, Tia. Keep smiling at me like you do now. My silver lady, dazzlingly beautiful.

***

[The following scene appears in chapter 74]

At the New Year's greetings, I studied closely as Tia greeted Alexis. I was very curious about how my lady, still wary of others, would treat Alexis. Although they were greeting each other with courtesy, I was satisfied with what I saw. They just looked at each others as strangers. I shut my eyes before stupid Alexis showed more interest in my lady.

Don't look at her. She's not the kind of girl you can go after.

The Emperor glanced at me. Fortunately, he didn't seem to know that I had a leg up in the aristocracy faction. Of course, I couldn't guarantee it. The current emperor had slaughtered half of the nobility of the Empire. He was the one who had killed all his brothers and sisters except for the Duchess of Ras because they tried to challenge his position as Crown Prince.

I had to be as careful as I could. For myself, and for Tia, who would be brought to my side later.

***

[Carsein's knighting ceremony appears in chapter 78 and 79, but is very different from the novel.]

Not long after the new year, the red-hair was officially appointed as an official Knight.

I felt dirty, but I couldn't help but admit his talent. That's why I didn't choose to be a full-time Knight, even though it was a much simpler way to get married than to wait until Tia became the heir of the Monique family.

I hated to admit it, but he was a genius in swordsmanship. His talent was a step above mine, at least in swordsmanship, and his time and effort far exceeded mine. If I were to walk the Knight's way, I would have been pushed by him and always ended up in a dime. I would have rather died than ending under his command.

"Weed, I didn't expect you to come. What's going on?"

"Well."

The noblemen, who began to trust me fairly with the information I had brought several times, had asked me to attend his celebration party. Since it was a party were only the Emperor's faction was invited, there were high-quality information that could not be easily accessed coming and going. I had no choice but coming.

I twisted my mouth slightly, looking at the carrot boy who looked serious.

"Think what you want."

My lady wasn't here anyway, so I didn't have to mind my face. When I was walking around collecting information, I suddenly heard something that made my heart sunk.

"The Empire's Rising Sun, Ruveliss Kamaluddin Shana Castina, the Crown Prince, and Aristia La Monique."

Who's here? Who is my lady coming with?

As I bent deeply, I saw a girl in a blue purple dress with a white ribbon, as if tailored to match the Crown Prince white outfit. My heart sank.

Why did the Crown Prince show up here?

He's not even interested in Tia, but he came here unofficially to escort her, and he's dressed up to match with her. Did he notice the charm of the silver girl? Did he find out the dazzling beauty of my lady who was invisible when she was in the dark? Is he falling in love with my lady, just like me, and the red-haired boy?

When the crown prince called out the redhead and me and nailed us as Tia's friends, one side of my heart became cold. Jealousy flared up when I saw him asking my lady for a dance in front of everyone.

It was a curse. My position as only the second son of a spy. The reality is that I can't say that I'm in love with this woman. Looking closely at the dancing couple, I felt as if I were falling into an abyss.

It was ominous. It felt as if the ground was splitting apart under me. I couldn't see it properly, but I felt a sense of uneasiness watching my lady's eyes looking at the crown prince. Unlike her previous fear, she had a calm look, somewhat cautious attitude. It might just have been courtesy towards the Crown Prince, a member of the royal family, as she was a member of the Monique family forever loyal to the imperial family, but somehow it didn't feel good. I felt a chill in my spine.

For a moment I couldn't see my lady who had gone out dancing with the carrot anymore.

Where did you go?

I had forgotten my first purpose of gathering information. When I looked at her she had a strange unnatural look on her face. She had a fierce and sharp gaze and a wry smile. That smile was not something I had ever seen. It was a social smile. A smile that never showed any sincerity.

My heart ached. I fell in love with her broken self, and I thought that if I didn't let her out of the dark, she would only look at me. I felt sick when I saw she was already healed but had to twist herself.

Don't smile like that, Tia. Don't be sad, my lady. What the hell is going on? Who made you do this? Who made my precious little girl so sick? Don't get sick. Don't get hurt. My precious lady.

***

[The following scene appears in chapter 84, although Allen only kisses Tia's wounded hand.]

"I feel like I'm getting out of touch with you these days, Tia. I feel like I'm gradually trying to fly away where I can't catch it."

Holding on to my sour chest, I managed to talk. I thought she was my unwavering lady, but since I had returned from the land, the girl had been a little strange somewhere. I had not changed yet, and I had always been afraid that the growing tia would fly away from me. It was hard to get a night's sleep because of my anxiety, but I comforted myself, thinking that it would be enough if I kept her within my grasp.

But damn it. I fell in love with her shadow, but I was blinded by her light. I was scared. I lost my confidence more and more. I had not gotten out of the dark yet. How could I hold onto Tia who had begun to shine so brightly ?

Before I knew it, I leaned over her shoulder and looked down at the sleeping silver-haired girl.

What shall I do with you, my lady?

Now I want your heart. I love you, not the blind faith you showed me as a child, not just your warm eyes. What am I gonna do? I think I'm really into you. What do I do now? I don't think I can get away with you anymore.

"Tia."

I wish the time would stop, but before I knew it, the carriage stopped. As I looked out through the half-open window, I saw a light approaching the carriage.

Were you waiting for your daughter to come home, Marquis ?

You are truly loved, my lady.

I glanced down at the sleeping Tia.

"Tia, we've arrived. You have to get up now."

I whispered in her ear and shook his shoulders gently. But as if she were very tired, the little girl did not wake up.

As I was about to shake her up again, I saw the neat silvery eyelashes and pink lips slightly stretched under her cute nose. My heart leaped suddenly. Somehow I couldn't take my eyes off her lips. My mouth was dry.

I hesitated for a moment, then slowly stretched out my arms. My fingers touched her pink lips.

"Hum..."

I swallowed a tense sigh and carefully caressed the soft skin. My heart sank when her warm breath reached the tip of my hand.

I glanced out the window. The flickering light was getting quite close. I closed the window reflexively.

I lowered my face towards my beloved lady with a trembling heart. As the distance closed between us, the blood of my whole body ran faster. My heart beat as if it were bursting out of my chest. What if this noise waked her up?

When I was within breath's reach, I slowly closed my eyes. And...

At last our lips met.

My heart seemed to stop. I inhaled her lips carefully, which were softer than feathers and softer than baby's skin. My heart, which had always been crying out from loneliness, was all silent.

"Uh."

The girl's lips curled with a soft curve.

"It's warm."

The small whisper from her soft lips filled me in a gulp, which seemed to be always empty somewhere. If I could, I wanted to stay like this forever.

As soon as I was relieved of my disappointment, the carriage door burst open. The Marquis eyebrows stood erect when he saw the sleeping girl. The Marquis took the girl from my arms in a cold manner.

Still unconscious, the girl called her father and dug into his arms.

From the back carriage, I stole a glance at the girl's lips. When I recalled the sensation, I suddenly felt a deep thirst. Not long ago, I felt as if I had the whole world, but my greedy head was hoping for something more than that.

I want it, my lady. Can you come to me, Tia?

Can't you just look at me and think about me like I do?

My lady, please.

[The manhwa doesn't show Allen stealing Tia's first kiss and taking advantage of her while she is unconscious. Instead it mildly pictures him only kissing her hand as she sleeps.]