It was that night.
Griffith had left the imperial palace in the afternoon.
Saying he had no intention of staying at the imperial palace, he went to the mansion he had asked Calyx and Romeo to secure for him in advance.
Leria lay in bed, her heart unsettled, unable to fall asleep.
So she had just taken out a rabbit doll and was hugging it tightly when—
Perhaps the wind was blowing hard, for the window rattled.
'What wind is blowing like this? Is it going to rain?'
Thinking something had to be done, she rose to shut the window tight.
*Shing.*
That was when it happened.
Someone who appeared in the blink of an eye placed a blade against Leria's neck.
"……!"
Leria held her breath, feeling as if her heart had stopped. Her mind went blank.
'An assassin in the imperial palace!'
Could Cedric and Prince Damian have sent him? Then it made sense. With the princes' permission, infiltrating the imperial palace would have been easy.
Or perhaps he was an imperial knight to begin with.
But the intruder was skilled enough to infiltrate without any trace or sound.
Most knights aren't trained with assassination as their priority, so this person was probably a professionally trained assassin.
Leria gulped, feeling the cold blade against her skin.
She slowly raised her lowered eyelids to look at her assailant.
He wore black clothes. Though she couldn't see clearly, he didn't seem to be wearing a mask.
'To infiltrate the imperial palace without even covering his face.'
He seemed to be someone who had absolute confidence in his skills.
That was when she had that thought.
The wind blew through the curtains of the open window, revealing the assassin's face.
The man's bare face, illuminated by moonlight, glowed faintly.
Ah…!
Leria unconsciously exclaimed in admiration.
It felt as if she were being enchanted by something.
The assassin looked like a demon from hell who, it was said, disguised himself in the form of an angel to steal the souls of the dead.
According to legend, that demon possessed a beauty more exquisite and noble than any angel. But its eyes were said to be as red as a demon's….
Belatedly realizing who he was, Leria's body froze. Goosebumps rose all over her.
"Oscar…."
As Leria called his name, he narrowed his eyes slightly. The corner of his mouth rose, ever so faintly.
"I kept thinking something was strange."
Oscar's low voice was as gentle and warm as a dream.
But the sword pointed at her throat was dangerously close, as if it would pierce her neck at any moment.
"So there's something I wanted to experiment with."
"……."
Oscar murmured words that Leria couldn't understand.
'Why is Oscar….'
Is he really trying to kill me?
Her heart pounded wildly. She absolutely couldn't die like this.
Just then, Oscar's gaze turned toward Leria's bed. He seemed to be looking at the rabbit doll she had been holding moments ago.
In that instant, Leria quickly struck Oscar's wrist away and tried to push him back.
But Oscar didn't budge, as if he were a massive stone pillar.
In an instant, their positions changed.
Leria gasped, inhaling sharply.
Both her wrists were seized, and before she knew it, Oscar's face was right in front of hers.
He looked down, glaring into Leria's eyes. The red eyes before her were filled with murderous intent.
"Let go of me…!"
Leria struggled.
She was ready to scream if necessary. If Romeo or Calyx heard and came, they would stop Oscar.
But at those words, an even fiercer flame rose in Oscar's eyes.
"Why on earth are you doing this…!"
Leria's words couldn't continue. Oscar had covered her lips as if to devour them.
At the sudden kiss, Leria's eyes grew even wider.
She pushed him away with all her strength.
Fortunately, this time Oscar stepped back without resistance.
Leria exhaled, looking at Oscar with startled eyes.
What in the world is this….
Her heart raced wildly.
"Will you still not speak even now?"
Having done such a crazy thing, Oscar laughed as if it were absurd. His eyes were strange.
Seeing his glassy, gleaming eyes, Leria thought Oscar had lost his mind.
There was such madness in his eyes that she wondered if he had been injured somewhere during the subjugation campaign.
Leria was confused.
Why was Oscar acting like this, and what was he talking about….
Could it be…! Had he figured out her true identity?
But until he left last time, there had been no such indication at all.
Romeo and Calyx, who had been with her the whole time, might have noticed, but how could Oscar suddenly….
That was when it happened.
Oscar, who had been waiting for the moment like a beast with its prey right before it, lunged at Leria again.
"……!"
Fortunately, this time he neither forced a kiss nor pointed a blade at her throat.
He seized both of Leria's hands and brought his face close to hers. That was all.
Oscar's hands that held her were trembling slightly. And they were terribly cold.
He looked into Leria's eyes with an earnest expression. Like someone desperately searching for something in her eyes.
"……."
But as Leria continued to keep her mouth shut, his gaze changed once more.
Oscar dropped Leria's hands limply and stepped back.
Standing one step back, Oscar had eyes like a wounded child.
"……."
Tears fell from his red eyes onto the floor.
Seeing Oscar cry without making a sound, Leria didn't know what to do.
But that was brief.
Oscar glared at Leria, then disappeared through the window.
'Oscar….'
She immediately looked out the window, but Oscar's trace had vanished in an instant. Leria collapsed right there.
"……."
Her head spun and her heart pounded. It was difficult to think straight about the situation that had occurred in the middle of the night.
It was hard to understand what had just happened.
Why on earth did Oscar….
Leria looked at the spot where Oscar had been standing with anxious eyes.
Those eyes.
Those eyes that had been looking at her were filled with distrust, hatred, and murderous intent.
Like someone betrayed by the person they trusted most… like a wounded child.
'He recognized me.'
Leria buried her face in her knees. Tears suddenly poured out.