After meeting Killian, it became even more certain. Emily felt more than just affection for him.
'To clear Killian's name, I must meet the Crown Prince.'
Despite Giovanni's diligent efforts, the situation remained largely unchanged. If the trial continued in this state, Killian would inevitably be accused of murder.
Finally, Emily mustered up the courage to write a letter.
Fortunately, she sent a letter to Lucius expressing her desire to visit, and received a reply immediately. He said he would be waiting for Emily and that she could visit him whenever she wanted.
“Are you really going there?”
Alvin asked worriedly, knowing that Lucius was interested in Emily.
“I think it’s because of me... I need to find out if it’s really the Crown Prince’s doing.”
“Because of you, madam? That’s ridiculous.”
Alvin had no choice but to grit his teeth.
‘That bastard deserves to be ground into dust. How dare he scheme against someone and pull this stunt!’
'To clear Killian's name, I must meet the Crown Prince.'
Despite Giovanni's diligent efforts, the situation remained largely unchanged. If the trial continued in this state, Killian would inevitably be accused of murder.
Finally, Emily mustered up the courage to write a letter.
Fortunately, she sent a letter to Lucius expressing her desire to visit, and received a reply immediately. He said he would be waiting for Emily and that she could visit him whenever she wanted.
“Are you really going there?”
Alvin asked worriedly, knowing that Lucius was interested in Emily.
“I think it’s because of me... I need to find out if it’s really the Crown Prince’s doing.”
“Because of you, madam? That’s ridiculous.”
Alvin had no choice but to grit his teeth.
‘That bastard deserves to be ground into dust. How dare he scheme against someone and pull this stunt!’
“Anyway, I’ll go and see if things work out.”
Cezanne finished by putting a hat on her head.
“Take care and have a safe trip, madam.”
“Thank you, Cezanne.”
Emily was about to step forward, but Alvin hesitated and held her back.
“I really didn’t know I would be making this decision...”
While Alvin hesitated, Knox came into the lobby, making a fuss.
“Ugh! It’s so fucking hot today!”
“Mr. Knox?”
Alvin opened his mouth cautiously as Emily looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"I think your Madam needs an escort. We're commoners, so we can't enter, but I heard Knox has been granted a title and can enter the palace."
Knox chuckled confidently.
“I will escort you, ma’am.”
John, who was watching him from the second-floor stairs, sighed.
"Starr, it's over now. Who else can I ask but that fool?"
Anyway, it was better to go in with Knox than to go in alone.
“Thank you for coming with me.”
"Nonsense! But why are you visiting the Crown Prince, who is neither the Emperor nor the Empress? Does the Crown Prince have anything to do with this incident?"
Emily and Alvin locked eyes as Knox asked with a blank expression.
Alvin shook his head as if to tell her not to speak. If word of this spread among the Starr organization, Emily might be resented for nothing.
"What, why are you two exchanging glances? Are you bullying me again?"
Although he was usually very oblivious, he was quick to notice things like this.
“Knox, we don’t have time right now, so get the carriage moving quickly.”
In the end, Alvin forced him out.
“If anyone in the palace tries to talk to you, stop them immediately.”
“Hey, is it going to work if I just block it? I’ll just have to twist its neck.”
“If the other person is a member of the royal family, you should adjust accordingly.”
“Royal family? ...Could it be the Crown Prince?”
At those words, Knox's face, whose situation had roughly been fitted into his, suddenly distorted.
“Is the Crown Prince involved in this?”
“You seem to be thinking quickly today.”
“You’ll explain properly when I get back. What’s going on?”
Alvin pressed his temples as if his head were in pain.
“Yes, then take good care of Madam.”
Knox pointed his finger at Alvin's face once more as if warning him and then went outside.
Knox, who had climbed into the carriage with Emily, was very upset and pouting.
“Why don’t I know what Alvin knows?”
From Emily's perspective, it was questionable why Knox needed to know what Alvin knew.
But Knox was very upset by her attitude, as he firmly believed that he and Emily were best friends.
On the one hand, it was a pity that Emily was alone in this difficult situation, facing the palace without Killian.
“Well, if the Crown Prince had already set the blame on purpose, then nothing would have worked.”
All the time he'd been running around trying to clear Killian's name had been in vain. Knox couldn't help but chuckle.
“What are you going to talk about when you go?”
“I want to confirm whether it is really the Crown Prince’s doing.”
“Can you confirm that it is correct?”
Emily looked out the window without saying a word.
'If it's true, I'll have to take care of that kid.'
***
Upon arriving at the Crown Prince's Palace, his aide personally welcomed Emily.
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting.”
The aide who had been welcoming Emily glanced at Knox next to him and asked.
“But what is the third son, Viscount Clive, who was expelled from the Howard family and even excommunicated a few days ago, doing here?”
“The number of adjectives before me keeps increasing.”
Knox said with a look of disgust on his face.
“I came today to escort the Marchioness.”
“Oh! Is that so? Then please wait over there.”
The Crown Prince's aide left Knox standing in the hallway and knocked on the drawing room door with only Emily.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince. The Marchioness Starr has arrived.”
After waiting for a while, she heard the Crown Prince tell her to come inside.
“Then, you two can have a comfortable conversation.”
The aide said this and quickly let Emily in through the open door. When she looked back, the door was already firmly shut.
“I was waiting for you to give me a letter.”
Emily turned her gaze toward the sound. The shy young man Lucius, was nowhere to be seen.
The Crown Prince's handsome and dignified appearance, which she was familiar with, had an inexplicable dark and sinister aura about it.
“Want to sit here?”
Lucius pointed to the chair across from him.
The table was already filled with simple dishes and refreshments. Emily sat down reluctantly in the seat he pointed to and took off her hat.
"It's made by the best pastry chefs in the palace. Why don't you try it?"
Not wanting to upset him right now, she just ate whatever she could without saying a word.
But the dessert she'd thoughtlessly picked up turned out to be a financier. Emily's mind raced as she thought of Killian again.
"How is it?"
“...It’s delicious.”
Actually, the financiers she had at home were much tastier.
“The Crown Prince’s pastry chef has changed. I’m going on a summer vacation to the palace soon, and I plan to take you with me then too.”
Emily didn't want to engage in any more petty conversation with him. She got straight to the point.
“The reason I came to see Your Highness today is that my husband has been falsely accused.”
At those words, Lucius looked slightly bored.
"I heard the story of the Marquis Starr. Didn't I tell you a long time ago to break up with such a dangerous man?"
Emily clutched her dress tightly at the words that were shamelessly blurted out without any change in facial expression.
“Your Highness, please be honest with me. Is this really unrelated to you?”
“Are you saying that I deliberately framed Marquis Starr?”
“You have to be honest with me before you can do business with me, right?”
Lucius, who had been sitting there as if nothing had happened, burst into laughter at Emily's words. Emily waited patiently for him to stop laughing.
After a moment, the laughter died down, and Lucius's mouth opened again.
“If you promise to come to me, I will do my best to ensure that Marquis Starr gets a favorable trial.”
Those words made it clear. Lucius was definitely involved in this incident.
Emily forced a smile.
"It's difficult to continue the story. That's a request I can't grant."
"What?"
Lucius frowned at the situation, not moving as he wanted.
Emily adjusted her hat to leave the room, stood up, and brushed the hem of her dress.
“Oh, and even if my husband doesn’t get out of prison, Your Highness and I will never see each other again.”
Emily greeted him politely and went out.
Outside the door, Knox hesitated, wondering whether to go in or not. He was deeply relieved when he saw Emily's face.
“Madam! If you had been even a little later, I would have caused an accident.”
“Then you almost got scolded by Alvin again.”
Emily also smiled faintly, as if her tension had eased at the sight of Knox.
***
Marlene came to Starr immediately after finding out that Emily had met the Crown Prince.
“You are crazy!”
As soon as Marlene saw Emily, she started getting angry.
"Don't you realize you're on the edge of a precipice? Where the hell are you going? Did you turn a deaf ear to my warnings?"
Emily, who knew very well how angry Marlene was, first tried to calm her down.
“Just calm down first...”
"You said you were serious just now? If you had sensed even a ten-thousandth of how I felt, none of this would have happened."
As soon as Roxy brought the cold water, Marlene gulped it down.
“So what are you going to do from now on?”
“What can I do? I’ll prove that person’s innocence myself.”
"You?"
Marlene blinked as if she didn't quite understand what Emily was saying and asked again.
"How?"
Emily hesitated for a moment, then carefully spoke, watching Marlene's expression.
"Your father was a knight commander in the security corps. Could you possibly help me get a job undercover?"
“...What the hell are you talking about?”
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