Somewhere in the palace gardens, Oulei admired the blooming flowers while slowly sipping her tea.

"Miss Mog is here," a nearby maid stepped forward to remind her.

"Hmm," Oulei nodded.

Guided by the maid, Laei approached.

Laei and the maid stood beside the table. Only after Oulei’s gesture did she dare sit opposite her.

After dismissing the maid, Oulei looked at Laei. "Did you get the items this time too?"

"Yes." Though no one was around, Laei cautiously scanned the area before pulling out two small vials. "I came straight here after getting them."

"When you got them, no one saw you, right?" Oulei picked up the vials. Each held a liquid that looked utterly eerie.

"No," Laei shook her head, her face still bearing a trace of lingering fear.

The palace was the safest place. Yet for her carrying these items, it was the most dangerous. If discovered, not only she but her entire family could be implicated.

Seeing Laei’s pale face, Oulei set the vials down and smiled. "Don’t be so afraid. Soon, I’ll be Empress. Then you’ll be my most trusted aide, with power to match."

Hearing this, Laei’s complexion improved slightly. "Regarding Lilith, I’ve arranged people to handle it. This time, for safety, I assigned two."

"Lilith..." At the name, Oulei frowned, her tone turning somber. "Are you sure this time won’t be discovered?"

"Last time was an accident. What I did wasn’t seen by anyone."

"Yet the Second Prince sensed it, didn’t he?" Oulei’s expression turned icy.

"Well..." Laei wanted to explain but found no words.

That time they poisoned Lilith, she was treated in time and no harm came. Their plan failed. But everyone blamed Xueyi, so Laei wasn’t suspected.

What they never expected was Lorin suddenly appearing afterward, as if he knew everything. Though he didn’t expose them openly, he subtly warned Oulei.

And in the forest, they planned to use a giant bear to eliminate Lilith. But Lorin appeared again and used Advanced Magic to instantly resolve the crisis.

Honestly, Oulei was genuinely afraid. She’d never noticed this ordinary Second Prince before, even starting to see him as a future brother-in-law.

But what he revealed forced her to treat him as a threat.

To avoid trouble in the Royal Capital, Oulei’s only solution was to transfer him away. No matter how capable he was, he couldn’t interfere from afar.

"It should be fine," Laei continued. "The Second Prince is about to be assigned his territory. This time, no one will interfere."

To be safe, Laei had someone watch Lorin leave the Royal Capital that day.

"That’s best," Oulei toyed with a vial, letting the liquid swirl. "Once I control everything here, even if he returns, it’ll be useless."

"But what if we’re discovered?"

"If?" Oulei snorted coldly. "As long as you don’t betray me, there is no ‘if’."

"Yes, yes," seeing Oulei’s displeasure, Laei nodded hastily.

In truth, Oulei had a backup plan. If discovered, she’d blame her family and plead with Romon. She’d face no consequences.

As for the Jonaka family? Once she became Empress, that dispensable tie would vanish.

After brief, unproductive talk, Oulei waved Laei away.

Oulei took the vials to her room. Romon sat at his desk, troubled by documents.

"Still busy?" Oulei asked.

Romon looked up, sighed slightly. "Yes. My father suddenly fell ill. Everything’s dumped on me."

"His Majesty is old; health issues are inevitable."

Oulei turned away. She dripped liquid from one vial into a glass of water. The eerie fluid melted instantly, blending seamlessly, its color vanishing.

"You’re the heir; you’ll handle this eventually. Better to get used to it early." She handed him the glass. "But take care of your health."

Romon drank. He was about to thank her when his mind grew fuzzy.

Even seated, his body swayed. As he reached for the table, Oulei caught his arm.

Feigning concern, she said, "Are you too tired?"

"Maybe... I am."

"Then rest today."

"No. Many documents need reviewing." Romon shook his head, fighting the dizziness.

Oulei leaned close, whispering in his ear, "I want you to rest now."

Simple words, yet they entered Romon’s ears like magic.

He blinked, gaze hazy. "Alright. I’ll rest today."

Seeing this, Oulei smiled. The magic potion worked. Worth the effort to have it made.

"By the way, who do you think is more beautiful—me or Lilith?"

"Lilith..." Romon’s face showed confusion. "Who’s that?"

"You’ve forgotten," Oulei said. "An insignificant person. Remember, you only need me. I am your Empress."

"Yes. You are my Empress."

Thus, supported by Oulei, Romon walked unsteadily toward the bedroom, like a drunkard.