Yes. In the small annex attached to the flower garden, we sometimes find a womans belongings or underwear. Theyll definitely make an appearance in Gareths wild adventure story soon

Goosebumps crept down Adrians body as Apollonia spoke.

Gareth loves to boast about his skills at seduction. Hell soon summon you to the palace, under the pretext of you escorting him. Then hell take you to the Serbia Garden.

Are you saying he plans to seduce me with the garden? Adrian asked, bewildered.

Well, he calls it seduction, but theres no way he could actually win the heart of all women, Apollonia said dryly. And yet he boasts hes never failed to obtain a womans body in the Serbia Garden.

That that means Adrians face was almost white with fear. Apollonia answered her bluntly.

Because he cant rape women in the Imperial Palace, since its so noisy, so he planted azellia flowers in the garden.

Adrian looked stunned. The azellia flower was an aphrodisiac.

Theyre a powerful aphrodisiac, but the antidote isnt hard to find. If you drink it beforehand, youll be able to keep him from raping you.

Gareth may have been an idiot, but he wasnt so foolish as to forcefully rape a woman inside the palace without countermeasures. If his victim screamed, he would be found out.

Adrian turned back to the path, leaving Adrian, dazed, behind her. At Apollonias cue, Sid joined her.

Did you just plant a spy? Sid asked jokingly.

What do you mean, a spy? She wants to kill herself. If shed rather die than be with Gareth, dont you think I should help her?

That girl is the one the Duchess offered to the young duke. Even if she managed to escape him once, it wouldnt end there.

Are you sure about that? Gareth loses interest quickly. Dont you think shell be safe once she manages to get away from him?

So since shell be safe, you wont help her anymore? He asked this as if he were testing her, but his expression said he already knew the answer.

Please keep a close eye on Gareth, especially at the next time he enters the palace.

Sid nodded proudly. After the death of the late emperor, hed been Apollonias teacher, and theyd grown so close he was practically her father. Of course, he still served and respected Apollonia as his master. He admired her subtlety and cool-headedness. Yet what he valued most out of all her redeeming traits was her tenderhearted personality.

She was someone who tried to help others as much as possible, but she didnt go so far as to endanger herself in the process. She helped all kinds of people: from the servants kicked out by the emperor, to servants brutally beaten by the hot-blooded Paris, to the poverty-stricken people camped outside the palace. She even took care of Sids family, who received the emperors animosity for no reason other than that Sid was a servant of Apollonia.

Only

Sometimes she would use false aliases, and other times she would take advantage of her reputation as a kind, soft-hearted princess to give them money, or otherwise help the best she could. The inheritance shed secretly received from the late emperor was quickly dwindling, but she didnt stop.

Sid didnt think her efforts were a waste, either. A trait of a great emperor was taking care of their subjects. It was a bonus, too, that many of the people she helped became her informants in order to repay her.

He didnt know if she saw the warm smile he gave her, but it didnt matter. Apollonia simply continued walking forward firmly, just as she always had.

*****

Uriel was bored.

Six days had passed since hed failed his mission and been locked in a room in the Star Palace. The only person he ever saw was Maya, who came by three times a day to deliver his meals. The grey-haired knight had locked the door and placed a barrier around Uriel, so he was free to roam around the room, but he couldnt even get close to the door.

Of course, he had no plans to escape. No matter whether he returned to Safiro or not, the only thing that awaited him was an excruciating death. The princess had said shed raise him, but he found it hard to believe the Leifer dukedom would let that happen.