“I’ll find a reason for you not to go. Let me have my way this time.”

“Kaern.”

“I don’t want to send you there when I don’t know what the Empress might be up to. I’ll take responsibility, so don’t go.”

He repeated the same words to me persistently. It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand Kaern’s feelings. I also knew he could protect me well.
Moreover, it was evident that if I were to step into a dangerous place that caught his attention, Kaern would undoubtedly stop me.

But would the Empress really give up if I refused today?

To me, it seemed like the Empress had thought about dragging me in somehow or perhaps even coming to me herself.

The determination in the Empress’s letter was clear; she believed I must attend.

At present, we had almost no evidence to corner the Empress.

The assassin who attacked Kaern and me in the temple continued to remain silent.

Although Blake agreed to join forces with us, there was hardly any progress.

However, in this situation, the Empress’s invitation arrived.

“No, it’s better to go and come back.”

“Helena.”

Kaern distorted his expression as if displeased.

“I’m curious about why the Empress invited me. And maybe it’s nothing serious.”

“Helena, please.”

Kaern lowered his voice, raising his head.

“It’ll be okay. Even if, really, something happens, I have Kaern, don’t I? Isn’t that right?”

I deliberately smiled wider, reassuring him not to worry too much.

“Sigh.”

Kaern let out a deep sigh.

“Be careful. The Empress is not someone to take lightly.”

“Yes. I’ll be careful.”

Kaern, unable to break my stubbornness, eventually allowed me to go.
“Instead, take either Logan or Jace as a bodyguard. They are trustworthy individuals.”

“Okay.”

Understanding his intention to assign his closest aide as my bodyguard, I nodded, meaning I would follow anything except not going.

“Don’t worry too much. It’s not just me who’s invited; others will be there too.”

Nevertheless, Kaern’s expression remained dark, indicating lingering unease.

And so, three days passed.

As I was preparing to leave and step out of the room, Kaern entered first.

“Kaern?”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes. I was just about to leave.”

After double-checking my appearance in front of the mirror, I stood up and walked towards the door.

“I’ll be back.”

“I’ll take you to the carriage.”

“No, I can go alone.”

“I want to take you.”

Without further refusal to his words, I smiled faintly and walked with him to the carriage waiting in front of the mansion.

Upon reaching the carriage, his subordinates Logan and several other knights were waiting beside the horses.

“Logan will accompany you. If anything happens, speak to Logan immediately.”

“Yes, I will. Then, I’ll be on my way.”

However, at that moment.

“Helena!”

As I exchanged greetings with Kaern and tried to get on the carriage, Adelia’s voice reached me.

“Don’t run, Adelia!”
Adelia was running towards me from inside the mansion. And in a panicked face, Calyx, following her, appeared.

“Adelia! You shouldn’t run.”

I quickly approached her to make her run less.

“Are you leaving now?”

“Yeah. I’m about to depart.”

“It would have been nice if I could go with you.”

Adelia pouted with a displeased expression and exhaled sharply.

Although Adelia learned that I had been invited to the queen’s tea party and sent a letter expressing her desire to attend, the queen promptly rejected her. The reason was that there was no space for Adelia since the seats were already full. Of course, someone who hadn’t received an invitation couldn’t just go.

I considered the queen’s rejection as a stroke of luck. While Adelia’s presence would have been reassuring, I couldn’t risk exposing her to potential dangers in her current state, not as a single individual.

“It’s okay. I can handle it on my own.”

“Still, why won’t the queen let me come?”

“Let’s go together next time.”

“Okay. Anyway, be careful. Promise?”

“I will.”

After receiving Adelia’s farewell, I took Kaern’s hand and boarded the carriage. Waving goodbye to the three of them, we set off for the palace.