Two-Faced Princess

ed the book without further delay.
As he was gradually immersed in studying, Apollonia finally left the room.

“Are you alright?” Uriel, who stood in front of the door, asked Apollonia without even turning his head toward her.
He seemed to be lost in thought.

After winning the tournament, he ran out of the banquet hall, and after returning to the capital, he did not make a public appearance on the pretext of worrying about the grand ducal family.

“I’m completely healed.” Apollonia smiled and rubbed the burn marks on her wrist.
The scar Adrian drew was already gone.

“…That’s a relief.” He seemed to want to say something more.

But she spoke first, “Thank you, Uriel.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

“What you said a few days ago was right.
I’m not going to die and I’m not going to give up.”

“I heard you have a plan.” With a thoughtful look on his face, he reluctantly added, “Even the marriage.
Adrian told me.”

His eyes wouldn’t meet hers.
Even though he tried to hide it well, it was clear that he was angry.
Apollonia could see him biting his lips.

Apollonia remembered the day she made Caelion promise.
Uriel’s face had flashed in her mind the moment she proposed to Caelion.
And for some reason, one corner of her heart was tingling.

“I have no choice but to include marriage in this political fight.
When the time comes, I will grant him complete freedom so that he can meet another woman.”

“Does he really want freedom?”

“Huh?” Apollonia, who failed to understand his question, only blinked a few times.

However, Uriel changed the subject again.
“It’ll take at least a few years to build power.
How are you going to keep the grand duke alive until then? The Leifer family will try to assassinate him countless times in a year.
They’ll use various means.”

“I’m going to give him a competent escort.”

“Pardon?” This time, he turned his head completely to face her.

“Uriel, you said you’d protect me, right?”

“Please don’t ask me the obvious.”

“Then follow Caelion.”

A complex emotion spread over his face.

“Uriel, I have to win every game in a few years before Paris succeeds the throne.” Apollonia took a step closer.
“To do that, I need you and Caelion.
You’re the only one who can protect him.

“What about Your Highness? Sid is dead…”

“If Caelion is alive and grows up well, they’ll eventually lose interest in me.
As you said before, I just need to evade their eyes.”

Uriel knitted his eyebrows.
His beautiful face was crumpled horribly.

“And this is necessary for you, too.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Apollonia did not take her eyes off him and told him the other parts of the plan.
“What is your status in the empire now?”

“That’s…” He couldn’t answer immediately.

It was only natural since he only lived his life in the shadows without having a formal status, so he couldn’t fully register the fact that he held such an important position.