The atmosphere in the palace was peaceful, perhaps because the king was by the queen’s side. Elenia also seemed more at ease, having gotten away from her.

Whitney spent time drinking tea and taking walks with her. There were occasional encounters with Violet, but she only received Whitney’s greetings without exchanging words.

Many nobles visited the palace upon hearing news of the fire in the queen’s palace. Thanks to this, Whitney also encountered those she had met previously at tea parties.

“Lady Orlean. What a surprise to see you here.”

“It’s been a while, Lady Liona.”

Liona approached with a slight smile. She said she was on her way back from greeting Her Majesty the Queen and inquired about Whitney’s well-being.

“How is life here? You seem worried. Your face doesn’t look as good as before. Well, Her Majesty must have been very angry.”

She continued without waiting for Whitney’s response.

“Everyone was worried about you, my lady. You had gained such trust from Her Majesty, but then the engagement to Lord Cheston instead of Lord Karl… You even flaunted your relationship with the Queen.”

“I only answered the questions people asked. I didn’t have a chance to relay any messages afterward. It was all so hectic.”

“But didn’t your elder sister Melissa come here with you? Her Majesty must have been so heartbroken to call for Lady Melissa.”

With this, Liona seemed to be firmly on the Queen’s side. Right after Whitney’s engagement to Cheston, she was as good as aligned with the King, so her relationship with these people couldn’t have improved.

“Your conversation looks enjoyable. May I join in for a moment?”

“…Lady Heleny. You weren’t invited by Her Majesty, were you? Did you come with Count Owen?”

Liona asked, glancing at Heleny with a sour expression. Heleny, seemingly unbothered by Liona’s attitude, nodded with a smile.

“Yes, father received a summons from His Majesty, so I came along. We just met with Her Majesty as well, and here’s some flower tea she bestowed upon us.”

Liona’s gaze shifted to Heleny’s maid. Seeing the box in her hands, Liona’s brow furrowed.

“It seems Her Majesty has become more generous now that she’s with His Majesty.”

“Oh, is that so? I’ve received tea every time I’ve come with father. It seems Lady Liona hasn’t had such experiences. And here I thought you were one of Her Majesty’s people.”

Whitney awkwardly smiled, rolling her eyes at the two women’s battle of nerves. Unable to interject, she quietly waited for their conversation to end.

“I’m hurt that you’d say such things. How could I doubt Her Majesty’s heart? They say parents care more for the child they dislike, don’t they?”

“Then I should remain the disliked child. I prefer being the one who’s pulled closer. Oh, my lady. My father had something to tell you. Do you have a moment?”

“I have time for a chat over a cup of tea.”

“That’s plenty of time.”

Heleny approached Whitney. She didn’t even glance at Liona, as if she had no intention of continuing their conversation. Feeling humiliated by her behavior, Liona’s face turned red as she turned and left the palace.

“Will you be alright? Lady Liona’s eyes looked like she might cause some trouble.”

“She can’t harm me. She may have Her Majesty’s trust, but Her Majesty only cares about herself and Lord Karl, not others. Unless one is a dog she personally raises…”

“But it’s bound to become annoying.”

“If something interesting happens when I’m bored, I’d welcome it. More importantly, it seems like there’s never a dull moment in the palace. Tell me about it.”

She smiled playfully. She really didn’t seem to care about Liona’s existence. If Liona found out about this, she would surely be outraged, but Whitney felt somewhat relieved by Heleny’s words.

[This is the timeline separator]

Whitney, having arrived at the room prepared in the annex, quietly avoided Heleny’s sparkling eyes.

“Life in the palace must not be comfortable. Do you plan to stay here continuously?”

She didn’t intend to stay for long, but she couldn’t say that she would return to the duke’s residence. Her departure from this place would be at least after breaking off the engagement with him.

It seemed dangerous to speak of events that hadn’t yet occurred, given Heleny’s curiosity. Although she was more favorable to Whitney than Liona, it might be because she thought Whitney was on the King’s side.

For nobles, a sense of belonging was as important as pride. The bond of serving the same monarch created a stronger relationship than anything else.

Heleny probably thought that bond had been formed with Whitney’s engagement to Cheston, so when that relationship ended, this connection would also disappear.

“I don’t have any other plans yet. But I can’t stay here forever. It’s thanks to His Majesty’s consideration that I’m staying in the palace as a fiancée.”

“I heard you were threatened. Since the culprit hasn’t been caught, it must be unsettling to return to the duke’s residence. If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Of course, there’s the Rubeness family, but I’d like you to know that I’m here too.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I won’t forget this kindness.”

Heleny continued to chatter about many things afterward. She said the capital was bustling due to the social season, with everyone trying to find love.

“I’m also in search of love. I’m waiting for a romantic encounter. Like eyes meeting by a lake, or falling in love with someone I meet without knowing who they are. I’m hoping for such things.”

Love sounded like a far-off concept to Whitney. She didn’t have time to chase romantic encounters.

Even the encounters she had believed in her previous life had left nothing but hypocrisy and pain.

She stared at her teacup, then stirred in some sugar with a spoon. Somehow, the tea tasted bitter and didn’t seem like it would go down easily.

“Lady Heleny, you’re such a lovely person. I’m sure that kind of love will find you.”

Though it hadn’t happened to her, she didn’t want to crush others’ hopes.

“I’m so excited about the upcoming royal banquet. I wonder what kind of wonderful people will attend? I heard they moved up the banquet because of the fire in the Queen’s palace. I suppose they want to show the worried nobles that everything is fine.”

Whitney smiled at her chatter. Unlike when dealing with Liona, Heleny kept talking like a young girl, never stopping to catch her breath.

The teacups were refilled several times, and their conversation only ended when the dim evening light began to fall.

“Oh, His Majesty asked me to pass something on to Lady Orlean when I met you.”

“His Majesty did?”

Heleny handed her a small envelope and stood up. She said it was quite late and she should hurry back, apologizing for taking up too much of Whitney’s time.

Whitney carefully opened the envelope with a knife only after Heleny had left.

[I heard you’ve been of great help to Elenia. I’ve been pondering what reward I could give you while avoiding the Queen’s eyes, so please accept this. Whether it becomes a sword or a shield depends on how you use it, but the decision is yours to make.]

Along with the brief letter was a badge bearing the imperial seal. Whitney’s eyes widened at the sight of the golden badge.

It was one of the rarely given symbols of the King’s absolute power – a right of immunity. Surprised by this unexpected item, she checked the badge several times.

It was something Whitney needed. She had no intention of returning it now that she had received it, and perhaps the King had foreseen the events that would befall her. If Whitney, the fiancée of his favored Cheston, gained power, it would be the same as the King gaining power.

It would be of great help if she became the head of the Orlean ducal family, so it was as good as being handed to her. It also meant that he trusted her.

‘Should I really accept this?’

Her heart felt heavy. It felt like the number of people she was deceiving was increasing, and she felt she needed to resolve this situation quickly. When they find out that everything was a lie, would the King be angry or think it was for the best?

Whatever the case, having the right of immunity would be advantageous. She was happy that unexpected luck had come her way, but also anxious.

She discovered another gift inside the envelope. It was a small portrait of Cheston. An elegant man with a blank expression staring straight ahead. With beautiful blonde hair and not a hint of a smile, he was incredibly beautiful.

Whitney felt uncomfortable, as if she had received something she shouldn’t have. She went to the beach to quiet her conflicted mind.

[This is the timeline separator]

Cheston looked up at the sky with his feet in the seawater. Thanks to the many nobles coming and going, he had to greet them all day long with Karl.

The Queen didn’t investigate the fire incident, citing that she had entered the main palace. However, the annoying presence following him had increased.

‘Troublesome things have attached themselves.’

But he didn’t want to deal with them. He had no desire to disturb the quiet rest he was enjoying after so long. He also needed to stay quiet for a while and was worried about the banquet that would be held tomorrow.

As he gazed at the sea, he felt an urge to strip off his clothes and float in the water. Finally, he tossed his stuffy jacket on the ground and unbuttoned his shirt. Coming here made him recall that day even more vividly, but he tried to erase those thoughts by rubbing his face.

Immersing himself in the night sea might make things a little better. He hoped that both his complicated thoughts and confused feelings would quiet down.

As soon as Cheston entered the water, he felt the tranquility. After diving deep and gently rising to the surface, he enjoyed the night sea while swimming.

Cheston, who had heard nothing but the sound of waves around him, suddenly heard a splashing sound. He turned his head and stared at the figure visible on the beach.

The slender figure was revealed in the moonlight. At that moment, Cheston’s previously quiet mind became noisy again.