Chapter 2

## **Summary**

When Kayena tells Regef to abandon the idea, he asks if it's because of her fear of retaliation, and assures that he'll protect her and never let that happen again. But Kayena shakes her head, and asks him who he wants to frame. Since she knows that his motive is to reduce the Kidreys' influence- his major obstacle to the throne, she tells him that if he chooses to frame and execute young Lord Gillian whose House is a vassal of the Kidreys, it isn't a bad idea. But she also tells him that even though it's easy to cover up poison acquired from the black market, flimsy evidence wouldn't be enough. But Regef again assures her saying that the evidence is clear and everything will be over once it's revealed to the public, and asks if she's saying all this because of Raffaello Kidrey- her unrequited love.

Kayena says no since she already got over her unrequited love for Raffaello a long time ago, and explains her reason. She explains that since her maternal grandfather Count Hamel is involved in the black market, the House of Kidrey would never sit still and watch their vassal get dragged down. Her explanation continues and she warns him that the Kidreys will discover House Hamel being involved in the black market and is siphoning off the Emperor's assets into the black market, and this in turn would lead to the declination of House Hamel and give Regef a hard time under accusations of fabrication. Thus, Kayena tries her best to not let him use his idea lest it backfires and makes her escape tricky by House Hamel's fall. She then suggests the idea of winning the Kidreys to his side instead of making them fall.

Regef gapes at her new grown-up attitude, and meanwhile Kayena asks if she could bring Olivia Grace as her new lady-in-waiting, an unblemished lady who wouldn't put her in harm's way. Regef ponders what she's thinking since she hated the fact that Duchess Kidrey was sponsoring her, but Kayena chooses her so that she can protect the novel's female lead when Regef falls in love with Olivia but tries to kill her after she chooses Raffaello over him. He asks if she's sure about her decision, and Kayena replies she can't do what suits her forever. He asks with a frown what she's really thinking, but to his shock she kneels down and kisses his hand saying he's her Emperor and the only one left for her.

Regef blushes and pushes her away while trembling with confusion and anger, and wonders if she's deranged because of the poison's impact. He clenches his fist asks what she's got up her sleeve, and Kayena asks him back if he trusts her and truly thinks of her as his sister. He's again shocked at her question, and she tells him that when she's no longer useful to him, she'll land in a difficult circumstance and that he'll probably marry her off to a House which benefits him, and she may get unlucky and get married to a psychotic husband who'll eventually murder her. Since her only goal is to escape from Regef to prevent her marriage and death by Henberton, she says she's well aware of her circumstances and that Regef still needs her to become the Emperor.

Regef asks what exactly she wants, and starts laughing when she says she wants freedom and asks if she'll give up all this wealth and honor. She clears it by saying that the freedom she desires is to to let her marry who she wishes, and says it's not Raffaello when he specifically asks. Regef smiles and brushes it off, and asks what she'll do for him in return. Just then, Kayena's body quickly starts trembling due to wearing out by fatigue, and she pulls herself together and says she'll make him the Emperor. She explains that he can become the Emperor without her help too, but then he'll need to give shares of what's his to others, especially to the Evans family who're concocting schemes for him. Regef mockingly asks if 'she' can scheme for him, but Kayena faints right after assuring that he can take time to trust her. Regef quickly catches her and feels her body burning up, and shouts for a physician. Kayena opens her eyes for a moment and caresses his cheek saying he's a sweet child, and quickly passes out again while Regef who's touched by her words looks at her with genuine concern.

## **Characters in Order of Appearance**

* Kayena Hill
* Henberton Gillian (cameo)
* Raffaello Kidrey (mentioned)
* Count Hamel (mentioned)
* Esteban Hill (mentioned)
* Olivia Grace (cameo)