"Hey, stupid dog! Are you even listening?!"

"Damn it—you bastard! This young master is talking to you, and you're spacing out?"

Maur had been about to share his brilliant idea with Lilith, this dumb mutt. But after several sentences, she hadn’t reacted at all.

She just stared blankly at him, expression utterly foolish—as if "I’m spacing out" was written across her face.

"??!"

Maur instantly snapped. He grabbed Lilith’s wrist, yanked her against his chest, looped his left arm over her collarbone to pin her, then leaned down. Cupping his right hand beside her silvery-white ear, he bellowed: "Stupid dog! Listen properly to what this young master is saying!"

Lilith jolted back to reality. Her pupils shrank into beast-like slits from sheer shock.

She shoved him away, instinctively scrambling to the farthest corner of the carriage before averting her gaze and growling:

"Too close! Y-you’re way too close…!"

"Hah? Weren’t *you* the one begging me to hold your hand earlier? Now you complain about distance?"

If Lilith weren’t crucial to his master plan, he’d have scorched her tail with magic the second he caught her zoning out. Leaning in to shout was him *holding back*!

Maur shot back automatically, then declared imperiously without waiting for her reply:

"I’ve decided, stupid dog—we’re getting engaged!"

Lilith had been ready to retort about the "begging" comment. Instead, Maur’s bombshell left her brain utterly scrambled.

"W-w-we? E-engaged?!"

…What just happened? What just happened? What just happened?

Trapped in shock and confusion, Lilith couldn’t think.

Meanwhile, Maur launched into his excited explanation:

"You’ve always hated Athena, haven’t you? Tch. She’s the radiant Dawn Princess—the undisputed next Empress of the Somaria Empire. Just her existence suffocates you, doesn’t it?"

Lilith, still young, was already an Lv4 expert swordsman with a boundless future. In any other nation—even as a bastard daughter—she’d have earned praise and a prestigious title with lands to envy. With her talent, she could’ve become a powerful Duchess, wielding real authority.

But she was born in the Somaria Empire. With an older sister so dazzling, everyone else faded to background the moment Athena appeared.

Athena Ophelia Orange—the First Imperial Princess, blessed by twelve angels since birth.

Nineteen years old. Lv7 legendary warrior *and* spellcaster. Half a step from Lv8 demigod.

Born at Lv4. Flawless in magic and swordsmanship.

Lilith’s lifetime goal was merely Athena’s starting line.

"Despair, stupid dog. You’ll never surpass Athena. For someone like you? Impossible. At best, you might scrape the heels of your perfect sister."

A reasonable deduction.

Lilith’s foggy mind cleared instantly. She stared at Maur’s smug face, expression going deadpan—but her fists tightened.

"Oh? So what’s your point? Shouting about *engagement*?"

At the word, her subtle stretch paused. She shoved aside the faint unease and focused: *Face? Torso? Legs?*

This idiot Maur needed a beating daily. Today, she’d make sure he couldn’t leave bed for a week.

Unaware of the danger, Maur beamed.

"You hate Athena—you want her humiliated! I don’t want to marry her. If we switch the fiancé to *you*, the Dawn Princess gets ‘stolen from’! Nobles across the Royal Capital will laugh behind her back. *You* humiliate your lofty sister. *I* escape the engagement. Win-win! And since you’re also the Empress’s daughter—if you propose it, and I get Athena to agree—it could *work*!"

Maur already pictured Her Majesty nodding. Political marriage, no feelings. Athena always granted his requests. If he said he loved her *younger sister*? She’d dissolve it without hesitation. Even if he failed to find the game’s heroine before the plot began, he’d avoid a bad ending.

All he needed was this dumb mutt’s cooperation. Only Lilith could sway both Empress and Athena.

He puffed his chest. "Well? Brilliant idea, right? I gave you the perfect revenge on that sister you can only ever look up to!"

Lilith: "…"

Speechless.

…Too naive. *Way* too naive.

For a heartbeat, she wanted to crack his skull open and check if it was hollow.

How could this absurd plan possibly succeed?! Didn’t he *still* not grasp why he was engaged to First Princess Athena?

He had *zero* right to refuse.

—Athena would never allow it.

Lilith opened her mouth. Closed it. Tried again. Gave up.

She yanked the carriage curtain aside and tossed Maur out.

"Return to the Second Princess’s residence."

She dropped the curtain, sealing him out.

*Deep breath.*

Calm down. Calm down.

…How?! One more second and she’d *actually* crack his skull open.

The royal carriage sped away. Maur stood frozen, dust in his mouth, realization dawning: *She rejected me.*

"AAAAAH!—Damn that stupid dog! How *dare* she reject this young master!"

*Mental note:* Next training melee—secretly singe that mutt’s tail with magic.

Fuming, Maur stormed back to the Earl’s manor.

He hadn’t returned all night. His personal maid, Daina, waited inside and hurried forward.

"Young Master Maur, you look exhausted. Would you like a bath to rest?"

*Obviously!*

Last night, Mavis forced him through "that" all night. Even after a rushed clothing change, he was sticky, grimy, reeking. He’d been craving a bath.

"Mm. Draw water. I’m washing up."

"Yes." Daina smiled faintly. "Then allow me to assist you with your bath."