”I am the Crown Prince’s consort. How dare you lay a hand on me… Ah!”

The sharp blade sliced across my cheek. Beads of blood trickled down my neck.

Bayram and Rio closed in on me step by step. The blade was about to pierce my throat.

Messengers from the palace arrived.

A loud voice rang out. “I have come by the Crown Prince’s command to deliver Ms. Savoy’s wedding gown.”

When the butler, Mr. Smith, showed up, it sent everyone present into a panic. They all bowed in fear.

“Could Reverie Savoy truly be the Crown Prince’s consort? The palace even personally sent someone.”

“Are you crazy? How could His Majesty allow a spy from an enemy nation to marry the Crown Prince!”

“Enough talk! Can’t you see how dark Prince Bayram’s expression has turned!”

...

I paid no heed to their speculation and only thought of escaping the nonsensical situation as swiftly as possible.

After all, the Crown Prince had searched the entire realm for the finest embroiderers to create this wedding gown for me. If some reckless fool were to ruin it, he would surely be furious.

“General, Prince Bayram, may I leave now?”

Rio hesitated momentarily, but he eventually released my hand.

Mr. Smith quickly sensed the awkward atmosphere and smiled. He bowed slightly to me.

“Ms. Savoy, His Highness has specifically asked me to pass on a message to you.

“His Highness knows that you love magnolias the most. This is a pendant in the shape of a magnolia. He hopes you’ll like it.”

He handed the pendant to me. But before I could take it, Bayram, standing nearby, seemed to realize something. He raised his hand and used his powers to shatter the pendant.

He sneered in disdain.

“Such a clumsy trick might fool Rio. How dare you, imposter. Do you actually think of yourself as the Crown Prince’s consort?!”

“I’ve looked into this butler. He entered the palace the same year you returned. That could only mean he’s a spy, just like you!”

Bayram was confident in his assessment. He ordered for Mr. Smith and myself to be arrested.

“Prince Bayram, I am a direct servant of the Crown Prince! How dare you…. Ah!”

Mr. Smith’s loud voice rang out as Bayram raised his blade to the man’s throat.

“Rio, take him away.”

I wanted to struggle, but since Rio commanded an army of 100,000, I had no choice but to give up.

Mr. Smith, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded. He shouted loudly about “mutiny!” In the end, one of his arms was chopped off by Bayram’s men.

“No matter who you really are, you must know where Reverie is!

“If you confess of your own accord, I just might spare your life!”

In the dungeon, I turned my head away and ignored Bayram’s threats. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

In my previous timeline, I had believed Bayram’s words.

Just as I was about to be buried alive, I had confessed that I had no memory of my past. The only thing I remembered was that I was a spy sent by the enemy nation.

But Bayram had believed I was lying and cut out my tongue.

Meanwhile, Rio, who was standing nearby, showed not a shred of compassion in his eyes.

Ever since I lost my memory and arrived in the capital, they were the only two who had shown me any warmth.

They said my father and brother were heroes who had died on the battlefield. They had made it their duty to take care of me, an orphaned girl.

When faced with a young general whose presence was as refreshing as a spring breeze and a prince who was aloof yet secretly kind to me, my young heart naturally blossomed.

Later, when Bayram discovered my identity as a spy, he merely held me close in his arms as his heart ached for me.

“Reverie, that’s not your fault. The fact that you’ve returned alive is heaven’s greatest blessing to me.”

In contrast to those words, the agony I endured before dying in my previous two timelines was a constant reminder to me. I had been used as a decoy!

When I thought of this, I smiled.

“Just kill me if you dare!

“You two claim to be deeply in love, yet you went and staged fake deaths! Even if I’m not the real Reverie Savoy, I still wouldn’t stand for your dirty tricks!

“Using women as bargaining chips is truly disgusting!”

“Shut up!”

With a sharp slap, Rio, who had trained in martial arts for years, struck me with such force that half my face swelled up.

When he saw my swollen cheeks, he seemed to realize what had happened. Instinctively, he reached out to comfort me, but Bayram stopped him.

Bayram looked down at me with an icy expression. Then, he sneered sarcastically.

“Let’s see how long you can keep up this tough act!”

“Send the word. Without my orders, no one is to give these two spies any food or water!”

After Bayram left, Rio approached me while seething with rage.

He gripped my throat tightly. But just as I struggled to breathe, he tossed a jar of wound medicine at my feet and strode away.

When everyone had left, Mr. Smith slowly regained consciousness.

He let out a howl of pain as he glimpsed his blood-soaked wound.

I closed my eyes to rest. The wedding was just a few days away. If I could just hold on, someone would come to save me.

But I had overestimated my strength. The damp basement quickly sent a high fever coursing through my body. Seeing this, Mr. Smith immediately shouted for help.

“Quick, go fetch a doctor! If anything happens to the Consort, don’t even think about Prince Bayram. Even Rio would be put to death!”

He made a loud fuss. Rio eventually showed up.

But he merely ordered his men to douse me with ice-cold water, convinced I was faking my illness.

“Enough with the act!”

“Tell me where Reverie is as soon as possible, and perhaps I will spare your life.”

In my daze, a scene from my first timeline flashed through my mind. It had been the moment I chose Rio.

When Bayram buried me alive, he had stared at me just as coldly.

He said that as long as I agreed to be his maid, he would spare my life.

Thinking of that, I spat viciously at him. “Get lost!”

Rio paused for a moment, then gritted his teeth and warned me. “This is your last chance!”

Just as we stood facing off, Rio’s personal guard reported. “General, a bridal carriage is waiting outside the mansion. They say they’ve come to pick up…”

“Speak!”

“The man leading the group here to fetch Ms. Savoy is the Crown Prince’s personal attendant!”

Mr. Smith was overjoyed. “Rio, your time has come!

“And you, Bayram Anjou. The consort is the Crown Prince’s most cherished person. After humiliating her like this, you’d better brace yourselves for the royal family’s wrath!”

Rio looked nervously at Bayram as he approached us.

Bayram raised his hand and laughed. “Why all the panic? There’s no doubt she’s a spy from the enemy nation!”

“Do you really think His Highness the Crown Prince would marry a spy?”

Hearing that, Rio immediately let out a sigh of relief.

Taking advantage of his distraction, I pulled out the signal flare hidden at my waist and tried to light it.

Bayram’s sharp eyes noticed it immediately. He drew his sword and slashed my wrist, giving me a cold glare. “Behave yourself!”

I clutched my wrist and glared at the two of them through gritted teeth.

“Let me go right now! The Crown Prince is right outside the door. If I die, you won’t get off easy either!

“You’ve unlawfully imprisoned a consort and destroyed a Royal Decree. Do you really think you can get away with either of those? Bayram Anjou, don’t forget—you’re just a collateral branch of the family and haven’t even inherited a title yet!

“Rio, the imperial family has long been wary of you. This would be the perfect opportunity to get rid of you!”

The two exchanged glances. Mr. Smith added insult to the injury with a loud laugh.

“The consort is right. When has the capital ever been ruled by two lowborns?!”

“Just you wait…”

Before Mr. Smith could finish his sentence, his eyes widened. Bayram severed his head, and it fell to the ground.

Rio waved his hand. “Take her away to the back courtyard.”

The slightest touch from him sent a wave of pain through my festering wound.

I struggled while shouting, “Your Highness!” However, Rio clamped his hand over my mouth. Despairing, I thought I was going to die at their hands once again.

The next second, the door swung open.

A figure dressed in wedding robes strode quickly toward me, kicking Rio and the other man standing beside him to the ground.

Then, with a tender gaze, he pulled me into his arms. “Don’t be afraid, Reverie. I’m here!”