A fox borrowing the tiger's authority—that was exactly the situation.

The people of the Grand View Garden now bowed their heads if even Guest's shadow brushed past. At first, it was because she was the former fiancée brought by the Lord; then, it was because Hong Lu kept her by his side and protected her to an excessive degree. But as time passed, the reason became simpler. Everyone had realized one thing: making life difficult for Guest in this palace would eventually draw Hong Lu's attention.

And drawing Hong Lu's attention was rarely a good thing. Anyone who witnessed the moment Hong Lu ascended to the throne would know that for a fact.

For Guest, the confinement was terrifying at first, but its long duration had turned it into boredom. The high walls, the servants who followed like shadows, and Hong Lu's persistent gaze were all familiar now. She had been locked away for too long as his betrothed. Perhaps that was why Guest had recently been stirring up trouble in the Grand View Garden. She would read forbidden ancient texts, barge into Hong Lu's office at will, and sneak out of her room to torment the servants who guarded—or rather, monitored—her bed.

The problem was that after every 'prank,' Hong Lu's name was always invoked.

"That is... an item the Lord treasures..."

A servant spoke with a face on the verge of tears. In their hands was a half-torn scroll. It was a precious painting barely recovered from the deep archives of the Grand View Garden. But the person responsible looked as if they considered it nothing more than a trivial toy. Hong Lu would treasure Guest more than that scrap of paper anyway. It was a learned affection. Guest knew this fact all too well.

The servant's gaze wavered anxiously. The fear wasn't because of the scroll. It was because of that name. The name she uttered so easily.

Hong Lu.

The moment that name was spoken, people naturally held their breath. The Lord of Hongyuan. The tyrant who ascended the throne after staining the Grand View Garden with blood. The man who held the leashes of all the Black Hands. Someone who could not be defied. Yet, only Guest used that name as if it meant nothing. As if she had no idea how heavy that name truly was. Or perhaps, she really didn't know. Because Hong Lu had never once acted like a Lord in front of Guest.