"You've known that long?"

"Yes."

"So that was how you had an air of innocence that way? You knew everything, but did you ever ask me why I looked like Princess Kiellini?"

Even though Julietta's voice rose in disbelief, Killian nodded silently. "I thought it was a good opportunity. I thought it was the only way to have you. Even if I go back to the past, I'd make the same choice. So it's all my fault. My greed has put you in such a difficult situation. You don't have to be distressed and feel guilty."

Killian's sedate silver eyes were telling her not to bother herself and to blame him. But Julietta was not a fool, nor a coward. She wasn't in a good mood for Killian's cheating, but that was all.

It was she who decided to take the role of Princess Kiellini. Even when the Duke was trying to kill her, she herself had decided to take the role.

If she really hated it, she would follow whatever plot Killian made; she was confident of that. It all started because she wanted to be a real princess in her heart.

Now she didn't want to reverse all this. She tried so hard and earned this place. The Duke and his daughter lost their places because of their own faults, she decided to believe. No, she wanted to believe!

Even if she had a chance to get everything back on track, she didn't want to. She was not going to turn away. She didn't want to lose this man before her.

He was her man. He was hers. He was someone who she wanted to have, in spite of her conscience and guilty mind.

"Whose man is Killian?"

He thought she was going to cry and get angry, but a different question came out. Killian opened his eyes wide for a moment, but answered immediately, "I'm Julietta's man!"

"Do you swear to live as my own man for life?"

"I swear."

"You have to pay me back for what you've deceived me, by caring and loving me until you die. Are you confident?"

"I'm more confident than anything else."

"Okay, I'll forgive you." Julietta put her arms under Killian's armpit and put herself in his arms.

"I want to see your face."

"A little while later. Right now, I'm hugging you and trying to figure out if I'm losing anything."

"I can't wait for you to finish the calculation."

"Why?"

"There's a lot I want to do."

"I've said it before, just know that you can't do everything you want to do before you get married."

"Then would you tell me how far I can go?"

Julietta laughed low at Killian's soft question. "It's going to depend on my mood that day."

Julietta buried her face in Killian's chest and giggled. The giddiness made her forget the present situation. Happiness crept up again.

Killian leaned his back on the sofa as if he were surrendering. "I'll do my best to make you feel better."

"What and how much do you want to do?" Julietta pinched Killian's chest, as if he dared not dream.

"You'd be surprised to hear my thoughts." Killian's head came down to Julietta's ear.

"Oh, you beast!"

Ian, meanwhile, had been unable to do this or that since the two were in a lovely mood. As he looked back to see if the two of them knew that he was still there, he saw his master whispering in her ear.

'Should I go out without their noticing, or should I be the decoration on the front door?' As he agonized, the princess beat his master badly with a red face. As if he didn't see them, Ian turned around to the door and grabbed the doork.n.o.b to step out. At that moment, there was a knock. "Your Highness, this is Oswald."

Oswald o had gone to the main castle where His Majesty was. He entered without waiting for an answer and ran into Ia,. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, well, I..."

Ian glanced back, blocking Oswald's way. Before he knew it, the princess was standing, holding her hands demurely beside his master. Ian stepped away from Oswald after he confirmed it.

"Well, the princess. Your clothes..." Oswald was startled when he saw Julietta, but lowered his voice quickly. "So that's how it turned out."

Killian diverted the attention of Oswald as he stared at Julietta with sparkling eyes. "What's the current situation?"

"The investigation team leaving for Tilia tomorrow includes Marquis Marius. I think he's trying to see for himself," Oswald reported in a calm voice.

"What about Francis?"

"He was hopping mad, thinking a disturbance was getting in the way of what he thought was done."

"I'll have to go to the main castle. Julietta, you must be tired. Take a rest. Ian, take her to the bedroom so she can rest."

Killian pointed to his bedroom and Julietta shook her head. "Your Highness, I'm a maid. I have to go to the maid's quarters."

"No! I brought you here to keep you in front of me, knowing it was dangerous, but you can't stay in the maid's quarters."

At Killian's anger, Ian stepped in carefully. "Your Highness, I'll arrange her place in the dressing room. I heard that Jeff, the former servant, had his residence in the dressing room. I know it's a bad place for the princess, but for safety's sake, I don't think there's a better place than that."