What an easy and uninteresting woman. But one thing he found useful was the fact that she was a polyglot.

Richard had always wondered why Tenstheon cared about Ancia.

He realized the reason just then. It was only natural to value her because of her skills.

Richard did it too.

The moment he found out that Ancia was a polyglot, he valued hre more and treated her nicely despite thinking of her as a tool.

Although Richard wasn't as possessive over her as he was seven years ago, he still thought that she was useful and didn't want her to be taken away by others.

He wanted to hide the fact that he had found Ancia and use her as his tool for the rest of his life.

But a sword would only rust if it was left unused.

If one has a good sword, then they must use it.

Richard weighed his options and eventually sent her back to the palace.

That was the best choice.

Ancia asked to see Richard because she was anxious and because of that Richard was able to come to the palace again.

"I want to be with you."

Richard smiled as he looked at her.

He felt a sense of accomplishment seeing the woman who was so reluctant to become his back then, finally come to him of her own volition.

And the fact that the brainwashing spell worked so well made it all the more better. It was so easy to control her.

The brainwashing spell was a really hard spell that only a few wizards knew.

Even Domiram barely managed to brainwash Duke Cassil. The spell that he put on Duchess and Neon nearly ended in failure.

They eventually committed suicide, but it happened much later than scheduled.

Ancia's brainwashing wasn't perfect either. Even apart from the spell, Richard had to seduce her.

"Ancia, I want to be with you too. But for that to be possible, the Crown Prince has to disappear."

"I know."

Richard looked at Ancia lovingly and whispered.

"Did you put the medicine in?"

Before coming to the palace, Richard handed Ancia a small bottle of poison and ordered her, "Everytime you dine with the Crown Prince, add this to his food. Ancia, you have to do this."

Ancia always nodded at him without any hesitation.

But now, she hesitated, unable to answer him easily.

"What's wrong?"

"That...I haven't had a meal with him yet."

"What?"

"He's always with that woman named Rose everyday."

Rose.

He heard that the Crown Prince doted on the hideous woman he brought back from the valley of chaos.

Even after Ancia was back, they hadn't had a single meal together?

This was unexpected.

But he couldn't give up here.

He quickly pretended to be worried about Ancia.

"He's such a scumbag. As soon as you went missing, he began to dote on another woman. He didn't even care about you."

Richard smiled inwardly seeing Ancia, who was about to burst into tears.

"When you fell into the door of darkness and nearly fought to death, the Crown Prince enjoyed parties everyday. He was so overcome by joy that he completely forgot about you."

"I know. Your family was also falsely accused because of the Crown Prince right? They even lost their lives."

Richard held her hand.

"Yes, he sacrificed my family to secure the Crown Prince position."

In fact, it didn't matter to Richard whether his family was executed or tortured to death, but he pretended to be sad.

"Ancia, let's get revenge. We'll take revenge."

"But the Crown Prince won't even look at me."

"Then visit the Emperor."

"His Majesty?"

"Yes. Ask him to help you get close to the Crown Princess. He couldn't protect you back then so he must be feeling guilty about it."

"What about you? He's the one who killed your family right? Shouldn't we kill him first?.

Ancia's eyes glistened innocently.

"We will...later."

If Tenstheon died first, then Blake would be the next Emperor.

He had to deal with the Crown Prince first in order to become the Emperor next.

"Why?"

"I lost my family because of the Emperor. I want the Emperor to feel my pain too, the pain of losing his family."

Richard gave his excuse.

"Ancia, can you do it? If the Crown Prince takes this poison, he will die painfully and we'll get our revenge. I will be the Crown Prince in the future and then no one would be able to stop us from being together."

This poison would kill Blake. It also contains black magic.

After Blake's death, Richard would marry into the Westin family.

It wouldn't be long before he regained his status.

Richard still had royal blood and he was famous for his 7 years of good deeds so he would emerge as a strong candidate for the Crown Prince's position.

Of course there would be other competitors, but he could deal with them later on.

As Richard wondered what to do after Blake's death, he heard Ancia say.

"By the way, Richard, what will happen to me after the Crown Prince dies?"

"What could possibly happen?"

"If the Crown Prince was poisoned, wouldn't I be suspected?"

As she said, if Blake died, Ancia couldn't avoid suspicion. Richard intended to manipulate Blake into committing suicide using the brainwashing spell he had put on Ancia.

Of course, that way she could survive without being caught.

Maybe his dreams of becoming an Emperor through Ancia from the past could come true.

But it was too big of a wish.

Moreover, he didn't know how long this brainwashing spell would last.

"Don't worry. It's the perfect poison. No wizard or physician can figure it out. You'll never get caught."

"But I'm scared..."

"It's nothing to be scared of. If it really was dangerous, I wouldn't ask you to do it. I love you, Ancia."

"Do you really love me Richard?"

"Of course?"

He smiled again.

"Ancia, we've loved each other since we were kids, but the Crown Prince broke our relationship because he wanted you. We had already promised to get married. You're the only one for me."

"Really?"

"Yes. I've been waiting for that moment."

Of course this was a lie.

There was no way someone who had fallen into the door of darkness could survive.

Richard immediately thought that Ancia was dead as soon as he heard the news. He considered the Emperor and Crown Prince stupid for searching for her so desperately.

He felt a bit sad when he thought of Ancia, who tied her handkerchief to his mother's grave.

But, Ancia played a big part in the Cassil's family collapse. Richard was a great liar and he only wanted to use Ancia as a tool for his own gain now.

"Ancia, I love only you."

Ancia just laughed bitterly in response.

"So why do you want to marry another woman?"

"What do you mean?"

"I heard you're marrying the daughter of the Westin family?"

"That-where did you hear such a thing?"

"The maids said it."

Damn it! Who told this idiot!?

Ancia was staying in the palace so he couldn't completely block any information from reaching her when he was away.

"It was decided before I reunited with you, Ancia."

"Then why don't you break your engagement?"

"It's not easy to do that. My opponent is the Marquis. I couldn't do it since I am a commoner myself."

"I see."

Ancia's gaze was cold.

That's weird.

She usually trusted and followed what he said.

Wasn't she brainwashed?

Richard said in a hurry.

"That's why the Crown Prince should be gone. When he's gone, I can do whatever I want. I could cancel this unwanted marriage and marry you..."

"Really?"

"Of course. You're the only one for me. If I become the Crown Prince, I'll give you the Crown Princess position."

"I'm so glad."

Ancia hugged Richard again.

Richard was surprised for a moment, but he felt relieved.

He never noticed that Ancia's, or rather Serphania's eyes, were completely empty as she embraced him.