“You never used to let an unfamiliar woman stay in the same room with you.”

“I told you, she’s an old acquaintance. She’s not a stranger.”

“Binding a woman who doesn’t want to be there with your authority is also not like you. You never used to hold on to a woman without prospects.”

In Mediolam, after losing Idyllia, Silvio had become reckless, indiscriminately taking any woman he could find. The deep-rooted feelings forcibly torn from his heart left a painful wound that continued to bleed, and he couldn’t think of any other way to console his shredded ego than to use other women. Yet, not even for a moment did the pain disappear, and he was constantly reminded that no one could replace her. He answered his subordinate’s probing with difficulty.

“She is the daughter of my enemies… The same enemies who caused the deaths of my family and kin. Yet now, I need their cooperation and can’t even exact proper revenge on her.”

Listening to Silvio’s intense words, Robert seemed to ponder the reason for keeping the girl close.

“…So, she’s a subtle hostage to pressure the court dominated by the Leveaux family to negotiate favourably?”

Silvio responded hesitantly, “No…”

He knew that a single girl who had turned her back on the secular world and entered a convent would not sway their political manoeuvres. The queen herself would not permit it.

“I just want to play with her and make her understand,” he summarised simply, prompting Robert to snort.

“Is that so?”

Robert, who had fought alongside him for a long time, gave him a knowing look and stopped walking.

“Well, if you ever really want to make her understand, remember to call us.”

Silvio watched Robert’s retreating back with a bitter feeling. Though usually charming with women, Robert understood the use of sex as a means of violence. It wasn’t just him; all of Silvio’s rough subordinates knew this. When necessary, they used this method to break and subdue their enemies’ pride.

(No, I didn’t hand her over to them because I wanted to torment her myself—)

Silvio justified why he didn’t give Idyllia to his men, remembering Robert’s scrutinizing gaze. The meeting he attended with a heavy heart turned out to be as dull and predictable as expected. Sitting at the chairman’s seat, arrogantly crossing his legs to pressure the opposition, Silvio’s thoughts were filled with Idyllia.

(I didn’t intend to meet her…!)

Before returning to this country, he had found out that she was in a convent. He had no intention of getting involved at this stage. His plan was to focus on his duties and objectives, and only after everything was over, to visit her once and explain that she shouldn’t blame herself for what happened five years ago. Yet—unexpectedly, they met again. She had become a beautiful woman, but her voice and smile remained the same, rekindling the pure passion of his first love. He couldn’t suppress his desire to have her. Even without Robert’s remark, Silvio knew that she was by his side as a pawn of the queen. More than that, loving the daughter of the Leveaux family was a betrayal to his many lost relatives. A bit of thought would tell him he should send her back to the convent immediately. Yet, contrary to such rationality, he continued to keep her by his side. He couldn’t understand why.

(I have no intention of forgiving the Leveaux family—)

Silvio, born as the heir to the Fontana family, was raised with care. He loved and was loved by his relatives, and he believed without a doubt that his future was to live for them. Surviving the massacre alone was a nightmare. And escaping it only because he was with the enemy’s daughter…! Trembling with shame, he had gripped his dagger and contemplated death many times. What kept him in this world was the voices of his relatives demanding revenge. The voices of his family and kin, still alive in his heart, called for retribution against the Leveaux family.

(Of course. I will give the Leveaux family the same fear and humiliation that the Fontana family suffered, even if they now live in luxury, having forgotten the past.)

With this single-minded resolve, he rose to prominence in a foreign land. For now, he could only act within the limits permitted by the King of Mediolam, but if he could successfully conclude the ceasefire negotiations in line with the king’s final intentions, Silvio would gain immense power in this country. When that time came, he would falsely accuse the Leveaux family and massacre them all—while harbouring such firm resolve, he wavered at the thought of doing it in front of Idyllia after their unexpected reunion. ‘It seems some members of the Fontana family survived. If you want to meet them, I can look for them…’ Her sudden offer had shaken him greatly. The first thing he thought was that if he did that, he could no longer be with Idyllia.

That was all. Even if there were indeed survivors, they couldn’t see him now, spending every spare moment with her. No one would accept that he was debasing a nun for revenge—claiming he was merely enjoying corrupting her. Considering this, he refused her offer with various excuses.

(How pathetic…)

The incident five years ago completely destroyed the future where he and Idyllia could be together. Now, he shouldn’t even dream of such a future.

(I must never love her—)

He understood this well in his mind. So why did he keep Idyllia by his side? Silvio bitterly responded to the dead relatives who seemed to watch him from within his heart.

(I’m not loving her. This is revenge. I ravished her violently, humiliated her in front of the court. She is now the subject of everyone’s ridicule. When she’s no longer useful, I will discard her on the spot.)

By insulting her, he aimed to tarnish the honour of the Leveaux family. That was the plan.

(In other words, this is revenge.)

Yet, even he couldn’t fully believe his own words. Even Robert had seen through his feigned intentions. Nevertheless, he had no other way to explain his actions.

“────”

Silvio tightly closed his eyes.

♔♔♔