In front of him stood a long-haired man with glasses. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Blood was splattered across his face, and in his hand, he held a pair of heavy pliers. Beside him, on a small side table, two iron rods rested in a brazier, glowing red-hot and waiting for the torture to begin.

"You had better spill everything before His Highness starts investigating, or you're going to regret it," he said with a shrug.

The heavy door groaned open. Harthen didn’t look back; he just moved a little and bowed his head. He knew who came because of the change in the air. A dominant mana flow spread throughout the underground dungeon.

As that figure passed, Harthene moved his head up.

“I just finished my investigation. They blurted out everything. The magic restrictions were ancient—it wasn’t something human. I wonder who could even know this type of magic, since practicing it has been forbidden ever since the war between humans and demons ended. He said he was a native of the Dawn Empire working under the Black Wolf Guild, ordered to harm Her Majesty for a handsome sum and a clean record to become a knight in the capital. But before he could say more, he died from the restriction magic. Whoever is behind this knows ancient magic and played their cards well, embedding the curse so deep that every single cell was bound by it. We need to be careful and investigate further who in the Dawn Empire could be responsible.”

Claude kept silent, then he opened his mouth.

“Hang his head at the gate of the capital.”

Harthen shockedly spoke, “Claude, we had better keep it secret. We shouldn’t alert our enemy!”

“Do what I said. They had better know what will happen to anyone who tries to touch what is mine. And Rahert! Go investigate the Wolf Guild immediately. If they refuse to talk, destroy their entire guild down to the ground.”

Harthen bowed quietly, but his mind was racing with heavy thoughts as he looked at his Emperor. So this time, I will finally get to see who she really is. For her, you sacrificed everything—even your own life. Harthen still couldn’t understand how such an intense, unyielding devotion was possible. I didn’t know you could still love her that much, even after everything.

 Filled with deep curiosity to see the woman who held the Emperor’s entire soul, Harthen used his magic. With a soft shimmer of mana, he vanished into thin air, heading straight toward the palace to observe the new Empress.

Meanwhile, in the quiet palace garden, Charlotte sat alone in the garden having tea. A cup of sweet tea was cooling in front of her, completely untouched. She was drowning deep in her thoughts, her eyes fixed blindly on the blooming roses.

If Calix’s information is correct, and someone from the Dawn Empire is secretly working with Empress Medea, then the situation is incredibly dangerous, she thought, her brows furrowing. 

But what should my next move be? Should we just wait for Calix’s next letter? Or should I take matters into my own hands and find the traitor myself?

“How about I attend the next national meeting with His Majesty? If I sit by Claude’s side, I will get a perfect chance to see all the high nobles of the Dawn Empire at once. I can observe their faces, watch their reactions, and figure out who is secretly hiding a snake in their heart.” She said in low voice that only audible to her.

She sighed heavily, leaning back against her chair.

“ Or… should I just ask Claude directly about the suspicious nobles?”

 Charlotte immediately shook her head, dismissing the idea.

” No”

 It’s not getting anywhere. She couldn’t afford to trust anyone yet, not even the husband who treated her with such overwhelming warmth. She had to play this game carefully, relying only on herself.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the garden, making her red hair swing wildly in the air. The leaves rustled loudly, but beneath the sound, Charlotte felt a sudden chill run down her spine.

Someone was watching her.

Her eyes snapped toward a massive, ancient tree nearby. She locked her gaze onto the thick branches, her posture instantly turning cold and deadly.

“You can come down,” Charlotte commanded, her voice dropping into a sharp, lethal edge. 

“I know you are up there. You better show yourself right now, or I will make your head roll on the ground.”

For a second, there was only silence. Then, a figure gracefully dropped from the high branches, landing soundlessly on the grafound.

“Pardon the intrusion, Your Majesty,” the man said, offering a polite bow.

Standing in front of her was a mysterious man with long, striking white hair that shimmered in the sunlight. He didn’t look like a common assassin.

“I was just curious,” he said with the face full of saddness.

 “I wanted to see the person who could be the reason for the world’s destruction… and for whom someone could sacrifice everything.”

A heavy blown of wind blew their hair silent was so high. Charlotte froze, her heart hammering violently against her ribs. What does he mean? World destruction? Someone sacrificing everything? 

Before she could process the heavy words, the man took a step back, a sad, mysterious smile touching his lips. 

“I hope you both don’t make the same mistake this time.”

“What did you say?!” she demanded, taking a desperate step forward, her hands clenching into tight fists.

“I will tell you next time, Your Majesty,” he murmured softly.

“Wait!” Charlotte shouted.

But it was too late. The white-haired man vanished into thin air, leaving only a few swirling leaves behind.

Charlotte stood entirely frozen in the middle of the empty garden, her breathing shallow and ragged. Terror and confusion swirled violently in her chest. 

What does he mean by ‘this time’?

 Does he know?

 Does he know that I died and came back to the past? 

A cold sweat broke out on her neck as the terrifying realization settled in—she wasn’t the only one who knew the secrets of time.