Chapter 173

It wasn’t long before she opened her eyes with a determined expression on her face.

“No.”

Apollonia raised one eyebrow.

“You must have forgotten something else aside from the wealth I promised you.”

She added quickly. “I told you that you would be free. Think about what that means.”

Evangeline smiled bitterly at her words.

“Your Highness. If I don’t agree with your offer, I could turn into the violent crown prince’s concubine or die at the Emperor’s hands.”

“You know it well.”

“But I still refuse your offer.”

Apollonia frowned.

She preferred a straightforward conversation, but Evangeline never answered all at once.

“I just want to let you know that living with Caelion doesn’t mean I can escape your father’s influence.”

Apollonia judged that Evangeline’s paranoia was due to the result of Paris’ stupid duel.

Her words were somewhat true because Caelion couldn’t protect Evangeline from the Emperor or Paris forever.

Once again, Evangeline burst into laughter and said. “You don’t understand me, Your Highness. It’s not like I don’t want to be free and of course, I don’t think there’s much the Emperor can do to me right now.”

“What do you want?”

As she stared at her, Evangeline opened her two long fingers and said, “You said earlier that you have two reasons for making the offer, Your Highness.”

“Yes.”

“I also have two reasons why I’m rejecting it. One is that the intelligence network cannot be controlled by anyone except me. It’s impossible to trade wealth and freedom for Milon’s Eye.”

Her attitude was completely different from the match Paris just hosted and when she dropped her books a while ago.

Only those who had confidence that they perfectly knew what they were doing could have said this.

Apollonia had to admit that what she said was true.

“Of course, I can provide you with the information that I find while controlling the intelligence network.”

“Do you want to do that?”

Evangeline tilted her head, thinking about whether she should teach her about it or not.

“Well, I’ll think about it.”

“What’s the second reason then?”

“That’s what I’m about to say.”

She straightened her head and leaned forward.

“I don’t want the wealth from your business empire. Money is good, but that’s not all. There’s something else I want.”

“Tell me,” Apollonia said. “If it’s what I have, I’m willing to cut my arm off. If I don’t have it, I’ll acquire it even if I have to steal it from others.”

She just wanted to find out about the Emperor’s scheme and how to grasp Petra’s each and every move.

In the long run, she also wanted other nobles to help her create the perfect means of government that could penetrate the dynasty’s dynamics like the palm of her hand.

Nothing was more important to her now than ‘Milon’s Eye’.

“Fortunately, Your Highness has what I want,” Evangeline whispered, her ears strangely turning red.

“What is it?”

“Grand DukeCaelion Ephinhardt.”

Silence ensued in the library as Apollonia wondered if she heard it right.

“What did you say?”

“The Grand Duke of Ephinhardt. You said that I could have anything I want, Your Highness. I’m just abiding your command.”

Evangeline looked as if she had no problem with her demand.

“You are living with him as a maid under my father’s orders. Why do you want him of all things? Do you want revenge for being his prisoner or do you want status?”

“Both reasons are false. I just want him.”

Evangeline shook her head.

Her ears burned bright red but she looked confident.

“What do you want from him?”

“I want him to be my lover.” She said bluntly.

Apollonia had never seen such an honest and bold person in her life.

“When the hell?”

“Well, I just find him impressive for beating me in an argument at Rajan Kingdom.”

Evangelie answered, rolling her eyes around to avoid Apollonia’s gaze.

“I also admired him at the duel a few days ago. I knew it was just an act but I find him cute.”

She must be talking about Caelion asking for Evangeline in front of Paris and the Emperor.

“So?” Apollonia asked in bewilderment.”He can be mean, good, evil, or affectionate when it comes to dealing with prisoners.”

“That’s all?”

“The women in the royal family of the Rajan Kingdom fall in love instantly and hold onto the male for the rest of their lives. So did my mother and my grandmother. If I have a crush on someone, I would never let him get away.”

Her eyes shone once more.

Apollonia seemed to know Evangeline now.

Indeed, she was a little crazy.

Just like studying and taming monsters, she assumed humans were the same.

The interest she showed in Apollonia was similar to her interest when it came to Caelion.

It was just that her attraction to the opposite sex was bestowed on him.