What I Gained by Giving My Body - Chapter 3.17

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“Let us speak candidly, Princess.”

Roxias did not hesitate. Now that he had realized who Adelheid truly was, he could foresee everything she was plotting. Humans, like Caitlyn, did not change as easily as one might think. Naturally, Adelheid would act exactly like ‘that woman’ from the past.

“We both know your goal is not me, do we not?”

“……Your Grace, how could you say such a thing…….”

Adelheid’s lips trembled. Roxias felt like applauding. Her acting was of such a high level that it couldn’t easily be found even in the theater district—not like Caitlyn, who desperately tried to put on a false front, but a performance that flowed naturally and with such ease.

“I have adored Your Grace since I was a child. And the late Empress Dowager told me stories about you constantly while she stayed at the palace. My feelings grew that way, yet you still harbor doubts?”

“Yes.”

Roxias’s voice dropped dangerously low.

“I doubt it even more—after all, Empress Alexandra hated me.”

“……!”

“There is no way she would have spoken of me to a Princess she cherished.”

The Princess of Solaris likely never dreamed of it, but this was the truth about Alexandra, who had appeared to adore Roxias on the surface. The late Empress, Alexandra, was a sensitive person. She immediately realized that Roxias was an extraordinary being and worked tirelessly to separate him from Chaser, but she ultimately failed.

After the late Emperor died, she became consumed by severe paranoia. She reached the conclusion that the one who killed her husband was none other than Roxias Akbar. Naturally, Roxias had no reason to kill the Emperor. He simply had no reason to save him either, so he just didn’t bother to stop him from dying.

Perhaps Empress Alexandra had sensed that very point, but the fact remained that she blamed and became obsessed with an innocent person. Fortunately, Chaser had already noticed that his mother’s condition was unusual, so as soon as the Archduke informed him of the situation, he took immediate action. Sending Empress Alexandra to Solaris under the pretext of recuperation was one such measure.

“……As expected, it is impossible to deceive Your Grace.”

Princess Adelheid let out a faint sigh.

“Yes, it’s true she never spoke of Your Grace directly. However…… rumors about Your Grace reached me through various channels. That is how I came to adore you, so is even that displeasing to you?”

Roxias had no intention of beating around the bush.

“Just the fact that you took advantage of the ailing late Empress Dowager Alexandra is enough to make me displeased.”

“……But……!”

The Princess’s voice trembled. She reached out her hand as if to grab Roxias, clenching and unclenching her fist, but Roxias did not waver in the slightest. In truth, even when she was the most beautiful woman in the world, he thought there was a woman even more beautiful than her. But now, with her outward appearance completely changed, she was a woman whose looks weren’t even worth a second glance.

“Leave the country immediately, and do not ever return to the Empire again.”

Roxias strode out of the room. He didn’t want to be with that woman for even a second longer. It was interesting when observing the situation from afar, but actually talking to her was exhausting, as she had a knack for subtly manipulating situations to her advantage. Above all, that obsession of hers.

‘……What is Cathy doing?’

Even if she hadn’t suffered any particular harm, a kidnapping was an event that could leave anyone deeply shocked. If he didn’t comfort her well, side effects might manifest later in some form. Thinking so, Roxias headed toward the house where Caitlyn would be staying, thinking hard about how he could best comfort her.

However, the news waiting for him was somewhat draining and a bit infuriating. Viscount Ashford, who delivered news completely different from his expectations, spoke with a look that was both uncomfortable and worried.

“Your Grace…… Miss Hardick insisted she was fine and went to the Hardick mansion.”

What on earth was the problem? At this point, Roxias couldn’t help but ask himself. If he had rescued her from a kidnapping, shouldn’t she at least say thank you before leaving?

‘……What an ungrateful woman.’

He had already given Caitlyn Hardick treatment that was far beyond her station. The fact that he chose to make a deal instead of taking what he wanted by force was proof of that. Whether Caitlyn wanted it or not, if he had taken her by force a hundred or a thousand times, the power would have eventually returned to him.

But he did not choose that method. Because there was nothing more unpleasant than taking a woman who had gone stiff with rejection. He had even made her his fiancée when her younger brother came to protest.

But what was Caitlyn’s actual reaction? Instead of being overjoyed or grateful, hadn’t she pushed him away by practically confirming that Solaris Princess as his wife?

‘I’ve been too soft.’