Today was a particularly busy day for the nobles. In the morning, there was an engagement ceremony, and in the evening, a reception.

The noble ladies were eager to show off different jewels and dresses for the engagement and wedding ceremonies. The gentlemen were even more extravagant.

They searched for boots or shoes that made them look taller, and frantically looked for clothes that made their shoulders appear broader. Quite a few dandies suddenly summoned tailors to somehow supplement their original formal attire.

This was because the Lyssenford Grand Duke and Duchess, sitting in the rare royal family seats at the engagement ceremony, stood out so much.

The glittering diamond tiara worn by the Grand Duchess was in the shape of a headband, but piled so high that reporters had already started arbitrarily naming it the ‘Angel’s Halo’.

Everyone was buzzing about how many carats the center diamond was, where it was made, who gave it, and that it was the largest jewel to appear at the engagement ceremony.

The most prevalent speculation was that the Grand Duchess had received it as a gift from the Grand Duke while they were out at the Ener River.

Whether it was because they were newlyweds or not, the Grand Duke, who seemed completely smitten with his wife, chose blue to match his knightly cloak rather than his usual black, making him look much more dashing.

“I heard the Grand Duchess had it specially made. She’s always had a good sense of style, hasn’t she?”

“The Grand Duke originally looked a bit dark and fierce. But today, he looked quite handsome.”

While everyone was opening their family treasure vaults and rushing to find the largest tiaras, badges, cuffs, and rings, Beatrice didn’t even have time to change clothes. She was once again summoned to Soleil Palace.

“I don’t have many people I can trust now.”

The Emperor muttered, looking at the bed next to where the Empress lay. After the engagement ceremony and subsequent meeting, he had no choice but to lie down.

As a result, he was not expected to attend the reception following the eve’s festivities. Kerujan would surely be extremely displeased.

“Beatrice.”

Once, just being called like that would have made her happy, but somehow Beatrice was no longer pleased.

Strangely, ever since meeting that merchant, whether it meant insane dragon or dragon gone mad, she had been feeling an increasingly strong ominous instinctive signal.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You’re the only one who knows about the new dragon… How can a person face a dragon barehanded?”

At first glance, the Emperor sounded frustrated, but Beatrice knew well that he wasn’t that kind of person. The Emperor never compromised on matters concerning the Empress.

“A dragon must face a dragon. It’s fortunate that the Light Dragon has taken an interest in this matter.”

Though Beatrice wasn’t particularly interested in politics, even she could see that the Emperor had erred in this move that pushed aside both the Crown Prince and the entire Kingdom of Kerujan. It was something that shouldn’t have been done.

Strong imperial authority is even more stable when there is a grown heir. Beatrice found herself starting to worry about the future of this country as she looked at the Emperor now deeply buried in bed. She couldn’t help but laugh wryly.

‘I shouldn’t be worrying about the future of the country.’

That itself was a sign of decline.

“Tell him I can give him billions if he wants, ask if there’s anything he desires.”

“Yes.”

“If the Empress wakes up and stays by my side, the entire imperial family will be stable.”

In the end, that’s what the Emperor wants. Faced with the weak Emperor’s casually uttered true feelings, Beatrice once again felt an ominous signal.

“You’ve been working hard. It must be tough lately? Show me your injured hand.”

With a strange feeling, Beatrice extended her hand covered by a glove due to the burn. The Emperor patted it as if concerned. The strength completely drained from his once-powerful hand.

She had always dreamed of a better future and fearlessly stepped into the world of magic, which was pointed at as dirty and pathetic superstition. But really, is there a future in this powerless hand?

“You’ve been through a lot. You’re much better than that son of mine. You always find a way. I’ll give you a great reward.”

A reward? What kind of reward? It’s not even something that can be received with a clear conscience, is it? As if the debt of the Monde ducal family being held by that Light Dragon wasn’t bad enough, Beatrice was being pushed more and more into the shadows.

She wanted to go into the light. Somehow, she wanted to go out and sparkle brightly, reflecting light. She had to.

“It must be hard managing the household?”

As soon as she heard those words, Beatrice immediately realized what kind of reward the Emperor would give. Ah. This time too, it would probably be a box full of gold coins. That commonplace money from the Emperor’s private residence that never seemed to run out no matter how much was taken.

If after more than 10 years of devotion, she was still just an existence that could be bought off with money, what would happen when her usefulness decreased to the point where he didn’t even want to give money?

“Once the Evil Dragon is dealt with, I’ll give you something even greater. You can look forward to it.”

It was rare for the Emperor to talk like this. He usually didn’t mention the future, but this time he seemed really urgent.

“No, Your Majesty. I’m happy just that you trust me.”

It’s fortunate for now. But now the Emperor had even managed to hold an engagement ceremony for the Crown Prince. He had to prepare for what comes next.

“I will contact the Light Dragon again.”

Bowing her head, Beatrice still trembled with a bad feeling. Should she abandon the Emperor after all? It wasn’t from rational calculation, but just a signal sent by an ominous instinct.

‘No. He’s still the Emperor after all. An Emperor that even the Crown Prince can’t match.’

The Emperor, who chose and used people according to his taste, ironically had no one to replace him. Even the Crown Prince could be replaced. Beatrice, who had always been fascinated by the Emperor’s strong power, found it difficult to immediately follow the signal sent by her instinct.

‘But somehow it doesn’t feel right…’

Beatrice looked back at the tightly closed door of the Empress’s bedroom. The Emperor seemed like he would abandon her without mercy. No, it seemed like he had already abandoned her once.

The problem was that no matter how much she thought about it, there were no traces or hints of such memories at all. But it clearly seemed that way. Her mind was in confusion.

“Lady Lavallee.”

Beatrice, who was about to return to her townhouse very naturally after leaving Soleil Palace, stopped in her tracks at the casual call.

“I’ve been looking for you for a while.”

Who was it? Ah, one of the maids that the Duchess of Schröz keeps with her.

“The Small Sun is looking for you.”

The Small Sun refers to the Crown Prince. Since the Grand Duke of Lyssenford is slowly starting to be called the moon guarding the empire.

Far from being displeased by that nickname, the Emperor thought that the moon, which only shows its face at night compared to the sun, was perfect for the Grand Duke of Lyssenford who was properly fulfilling his role.

So people supporting the Crown Prince desperately called him the Small Sun.

From Beatrice’s point of view, while the big sun was absolute, the small sun, well, didn’t sound that plausible.

But she was just claiming to be a mere duke’s daughter. For now, she followed the person sent by the Crown Prince.

The Emperor’s surveillance network has weakened somewhat now, and even if the Emperor questions her later, she can just say she didn’t have the power to refuse the Crown Prince’s summons.

It’s a very rare occasion to meet both the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Beatrice faced the Crown Prince, who didn’t look happy at all despite having held his engagement ceremony.

“You told an interesting story yesterday.”

The Crown Prince’s gaze, full of anxiety, wavered. It hurt his pride to ask such a question to a woman like this whose reputation had recently plummeted for hosting lewd banquets.

“I called you because I was curious why you said such things.”

But the Crown Prince is the Crown Prince. He didn’t get straight to the point and spoke indirectly.

While doing so, he looked down at Beatrice with an expression full of authority. But to her eyes, he only looked like a young man the same age as Kaella.

It wasn’t bad. If the Emperor made her uneasy, putting one foot in with the next generation Crown Prince was also a safe choice.

“Wasn’t it obvious?”

Beatrice’s reasons for wanting the Grand Duke and Duchess of Lyssenford to be torn apart were quite clear.

“What’s visible isn’t everything.”

But Beatrice wanted something else, and the Crown Prince had figured that out to some extent. Beatrice began to move very cautiously from now on.

*

While all the nobles, feudal lords, and guests from foreign countries were hurriedly preparing for today’s engagement ceremony and banquet, Kaella alone was calm during this busy time.

The event preparations were all finished. Now it was up to the staff to handle things, and even if she went and fussed about, it wouldn’t be of much help. For the evening event, she just planned to change into a different dress and go.

‘I’m tired.’

It wasn’t difficult for Kaella to remove all the hairpins from her intricately braided and twisted hair, and lower the tiara fixed with her hair.

Other noble ladies might not be able to do it, but at Lyssenford, where the maids helping her gradually disappeared, there were more and more things she had to do herself.

Cecil, who had done her hair, might complain. But Kaella didn’t care how her hair looked.

She just sat down in the armchair as if lying down. Her completely loosened hair felt much more comfortable. Kaella just lay there without moving a finger, her mind busy like any other noble lady.

‘After going to the banquet, tomorrow I should read the report from Lyssenford more carefully. Since Dad will want me to pay attention to Ostein as well, I should ask him how things are there.

It would be nice to have another chance to dine separately with Dad while staying in Krain a bit longer. Should I ask Peon? He’d probably say yes right away if I just asked…’

No, wait. Kaella de Chasseur. Stop for a moment. Kaella flinched.

Why did you assume that about Peon? Are you crazy? Did you go crazy just because your husband went crazy? Your husband is just a husband in name, he’s a stranger.

‘He’s a stranger.’

Her clear eyes, full of sky, sank weakly. She tried to recall the bleak distance she felt towards Peon before her regression. The fact that she was trying already meant it was hopeless.

He had come close and stuck to her at will while she wasn’t paying attention. It was ambiguous to call him a stranger, and somehow his actions and reactions had become predictable to the point where she couldn’t say she didn’t expect them.

This way, she keeps thinking about how she unreasonably lashed out at Peon last night for no reason. Why did she really do that?

‘It’s a relationship I should have cut off long ago, but it’s been entangled too deeply for too long.’

Like tree roots that can’t be untangled unless they’re cut off and burned, the two of them had become entangled like that. Looking back, Peon was there on every path.

It was impossible to cleanly remove his existence from her life. She had unilaterally become deeply entangled with him, and trying to remove him would hurt her too.

Peon probably wouldn’t be like that though.

‘He wouldn’t be. Do you really think that?’

The prisoner still confined in the north tower asked. Though long confined, she seemed less hungry now.

‘After pouring out emotions for so long, do you think it would be okay even for the person who just received them if you suddenly stopped?’

Would it hurt a lot? She’d like it if that man also hurt ‘because of her’, even if not as much as her. Kaella thought about smiling, but feeling like she didn’t even have the strength to smile, she gave up. Day by day, she felt she was becoming very mean.

‘Oh, but what am I…’

What am I thinking? While wondering, her consciousness drifted off to sleep. Though not as weak as before her regression, Kaella was originally sickly and prone to illness.

With such a body, she had twice collapsed and hovered near death, and there were many things to worry about in Krain as well, so it was natural for her to tire easily. The negative thoughts that gnawed at her consciousness and were rather bad for her body were abruptly cut off.

The Grand Duchess, who had fallen completely asleep while needing to prepare to go out in the afternoon, didn’t know when someone entered the room. She always slept so silently, as if dead, that it startled those who saw her.

A soft warmth was felt on the tip of her nose. The hand that checked her breath next touched her forehead. With her forehead covered, a shadow fell over her eyes, blocking the light. It felt much more comfortable. The warm hand also wrapped around her neck, checking her throbbing pulse.

It wasn’t bothersome. Rather, it even removed the annoying slippers on her feet, and adjusted her uncomfortably bent neck to a more comfortable position. Though it was summer, she felt a bit chilly, but something warm wrapped around her body. At that point, Kaella fell completely asleep.

“Kaella.”

A pleasant voice calls softly. Kaella burrowed further towards that voice.

“…Kaella.”

The voice lowered even more. It feels good.

“You need to wake up.”

Something soft touched her forehead and around her eyes. It feels nice but ticklish. And she wanted to sleep just a little more. She burrowed in further. It’s warm. Not too hot, just right.

“Kaella.”

The voice weakened, sounding troubled. Ah, this is fun. If it weakens, I can sleep more.

“You’ll get angry that I didn’t wake you up properly.”

Now it was weakening to the point of groaning. Then can’t you just let it go?

“…Alright, then sleep more. Sleep well and let’s play together.”

Play? What play? Kaella flinched but finally opened her eyes at the body heat touching her cheek.

“I said sleep more.”

The husky voice scolded. Huh? Kaella was puzzled by the voice coming from right near her forehead.

Why was Peon beneath her? He was lying on the bed in just a soft shirt and pants, with her on top of him.

“Mmm?”

A drowsy voice mumbled. At that faint sound, Peon put his hand to his forehead and sighed.

“…Don’t sleep in the chair.”

Kaella saw that the chair she had fallen asleep in was over there.

When did she come to the bed? She had slept after roughly removing some pins and leaving the rest, but now her hair was falling loose. Whoever moved her to the bed and removed her slippers must have taken out all the pins too.

“And don’t sleep where others can see you.”

“Huh?”

Peon looked down at Kaella, still too sleepy to understand his words, and kissed her. Though he couldn’t refuse his wife who insisted on clinging to him even in this hot summer because she hated the cold so much, he also felt very sorry.

The petite Kaella, still dazed from sleep even after being kissed, finally propped herself up on his body. Then she said very firmly:

“Let’s go.”

The corners of his mouth lifted. He liked how the sleepy Kaella spoke informally.

“I said let’s play together.”

“Let’s go.”

“The reception will probably be boring.”

“We’re not going there for fun.”

Kaella scolded him, but whether he was listening or not, he stared into space for a moment before grinning. It was as if he was listening to a story from somewhere else by himself.

“Today might be a bit fun.”

It really was.