The start of the grand festival period meant that days filled with relentless busyness were imminent.

As the most celebrated holiday in the Western Continent, the Renel Imperial Palace was, as expected, bustling with processions of guests from various nations.

The once-quiet central garden was now crowded with noblewomen’s hats and vibrant parasols, to the point that the flowers in the beds seemed to wilt under the pressure.

“In one hour, there will be a luncheon with high-ranking nobles. His Majesty the Emperor has other engagements, so you will need to attend alone.”

At that moment, Kasallin was standing before a full-length mirror, surrounded by Loren Logia and senior maids, tying the ribbons of her dress.

Since it was the first day of the social season and only a simple meal was scheduled, there was no need to dress too extravagantly.

A pale sea-blue dress with subtle embroidery, small pearl earrings, and an inherited brooch were the entirety of her adornment.

“One hour, huh. That’s an awkward amount of time.”

She had already had a drink this morning, and reading a book didn’t seem like it would hold her focus.

While pondering what to do until the luncheon, a gatekeeper entered from outside and reported something to Sir Nigel.

“What’s the matter?”

“The King and Queen of the Kan Kingdom have just arrived.”

The inevitable had come.

Kasallin glanced at herself in the mirror once more, meticulously checking for any disheveled parts.

Welcoming foreign dignitaries was one of the primary duties of the Empress.

Last time, since she had not yet been crowned Empress, she could afford to pay little attention to their arrival, but now things were different.

From today onward, she would face Shallen as the Empress of the Renel Empire.

“What would you like to do? Since you have a prior engagement, shall I ask them to visit later?”

“No. It’s perfect timing since I have a moment. Escort them to the reception room. I’ll head there as well.”

“Understood.”

Kasallin sat before the mirror for a moment, closing her eyes and steadying her breath.

When she felt the minimal confidence that she could face those two without showing any wavering, she rose and headed to the reception room.

“As a maid, you should have properly attended to the Queen. If you weren’t Rose’s sister, you would have been dismissed from your position as a maid.”

“Stop pretending to be ill and get up. A maid is an extension of her mistress’s face. You should consider the Queen’s dignity.”

As she crossed the threshold, memories of her first visit to the Renel Empire as Rose’s maid flashed through her mind like scattered sheets of paper.

The days when she endured humiliation, swallowing all sorts of verbal abuse and unjust insults from Shallen.

Truly, life was unpredictable, as no one could foresee what lay ahead.

Who could have imagined that she, who had once been in such a position, would now face those two as the Empress of Renel?

“You’ve arrived.”

Shallen and Rose sat side by side, keeping a slight distance from each other.

Shallen had his legs crossed at an angle, while Rose was sipping tea with both hands.

Judging by their stern expressions, they had no intention of observing formalities.

It seemed that, in their eyes, she was still just an obedient maid.

“I didn’t expect you to actually grant us an audience, Kasallin.”

Shallen remained as arrogant as ever.

Unlike last time, when he at least restrained himself out of caution, he now brimmed with an inexplicable confidence.

He must be under the delusion that he held some clever scheme to bring Empress Kasallin crashing down in an instant.

It appeared they needed to be taught some manners.

“I am pleased to meet the King and Queen of the Kan Kingdom. It must have been a long and tiring journey.”

Kasallin, without so much as a blink, welcomed them with the utmost dignity she could muster.

As expected, her approach had the desired effect.

Seeing Kasallin’s courteous demeanor, Shallen and Rose seemed to realize, however slightly, that their own attitudes were petty and improper.

Shallen, his face flushed, cleared his throat softly, uncrossed his legs, stood up, and belatedly showed proper respect.

Rose, who had been determined to keep her head held high, reluctantly bowed to Kasallin when she saw her husband do so.

“…We greet Her Majesty, the Empress of the Renel Empire.”

Kasallin gave a brief nod and took her seat at the head of the room.

As she lifted her teacup with a clink, she could feel the curious gazes of Shallen and Rose observing her.

Soon, Rose averted her eyes from Kasallin, but Shallen continued to stare at her with a lingering, almost obsessive look.

To an onlooker, he might seem like a tragic man forced to part with a beloved lover due to unavoidable circumstances.

Shallen slightly opened his mouth, as if about to speak.

Kasallin, pretending not to notice, coldly turned her head and directed a question to Rose.

“Queen, you must be heavy with child, yet you made the journey to Renel. You could have postponed your visit.”

Rose seemed to hesitate, unsure whether to treat Kasallin casually as before or to act with deference, even if it meant humbling herself.

In that brief moment of silence.

Kasallin saw a mix of near-despairing distress, extreme fear, and anxiety flash across Rose’s face.

Kasallin narrowed her eyes and scrutinized her carefully.

“Queen, what’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing. Traveling for a few days is no trouble. Please don’t concern yourself.”

Rose’s voice was cold, yet it carried a hint of disarray, as if she couldn’t quite find her footing.

Even Shallen seemed to think her condition looked poor.

With a subtle expression of satisfaction, he raised his head and instructed an attendant waiting outside to escort Rose away.

“It seems the Queen is fatigued from the journey. Empress, I hope you’ll understand.”

“Of course, I understand. A palace for distinguished guests has been prepared, so please escort her there.”

The attendant led Rose out.

In the reception room, only Shallen and Kasallin remained, sitting in silence with cold tea between them, as if lost in their own thoughts.

Now, with no one watching.

Shallen leaned back comfortably, openly appraising Kasallin’s appearance.

His gaze, like that of someone inspecting goods on display or a rare artifact in a museum, seemed to cling stickily to her skin.

Kasallin deftly hid her faintly trembling hands within her sleeves and took a sip of tea to steady herself.

“…You’ve truly become befitting of a nation’s ruler. I’m a bit—no, honestly, quite surprised.”

“Is that so?”

“But do you know? The Empress of the Renel Empire was far more beautiful, like a flower, when she was my mistress.”

“Mistress? Please choose your words carefully. You never once loved me.”

Shallen let out a vile smirk and shrugged.

“Have you already forgotten our memories? To say now that I didn’t love you—our Kasallin is quite shameless.”

“You enjoyed everything without suffering any loss, so you can call it a memory. But for me, it’s a horrific nightmare and a shameful past I wish to erase.”

“Hmm.”

Shallen leisurely admired Kasallin’s exposed neck, then, as if unable to hold back, let out a small chuckle.

Kasallin looked at him with a mix of displeasure and disbelief.

He seemed utterly mad.

“Oh, I’m sorry for laughing. Your situation, acting so carefree while knowing nothing, just seems so pitiful and tragic.”

He was the one who was blissfully ignorant, yet he had no idea.

“Now that you’re married, isn’t it time to think about an heir? Oh, right, you can’t… My apologies for the rude remark.”

“I’m warning you for the last time. If you make another offensive comment, I won’t hold back.”

He ignored her and continued.

“Are you sure that’s wise? If the fiery-tempered Emperor learns of that fact, he might lose his reason in a fit of rage and turn the heavens and earth upside down. He could strangle you or impose an even harsher punishment. Deceiving the Emperor? That’s no ordinary crime.”

Shallen, arrogantly draping his arm over the back of the sofa, extended his hand.

“It’s not too late. Take my hand. Just say you need my help, and that’s all.”

“I’m sorry, King Shallen.”

Kasallin stood, holding the cold teacup.

She walked toward him, raised the teacup above his head, and slowly tilted it.

Like watering a withered, rotting plant in a pot.

With a clear sound, the reddish tea poured down, drenching his face and thoroughly soiling his shirt.

Shallen, pale with shock, could only move his lips without a word.

This was likely the most humiliating moment of his life.

Kasallin looked down at him with eyes colder than frost-covered thorns and said,

“I wonder if you could say the same in front of His Majesty.”

“…Deceiving the Emperor? That’s no ordinary crime.”

What in the world were they talking about?

Therese couldn’t focus, catching faint snippets of the two voices through the crack of the closed door.

She had been cleaning the fireplace in a small side room next to the reception room at a senior maid’s request.

While brushing away the sooty ashes and stifling a cough, she unintentionally overheard fragments of Shallen and Kasallin’s conversation.

‘It’s too far to hear clearly, but it sounds like Her Majesty the Empress is being insulted. Shouldn’t I help her?’

But Mrs. Dawson had told her.

A palace maid must not speak even if she has a mouth and must pretend not to see even if she has eyes.

‘Should I run to His Majesty the Emperor and report that the King of Kan is picking a fight with the Empress? Oh, but he’s not someone I can just meet. What should I do?’

Therese, ruffling her hair and crouching in the corner, suddenly noticed the outside had gone quiet and cautiously opened the door.

The conversation had ended, and both of them were gone.

Like a spy, she scanned her surroundings and hurriedly dashed out of the Empress’s palace.

As she quickly rounded a corner of the garden to avoid being caught, it happened.

“Eek!”

Therese collided with something and fell on her backside.

Expecting it to be a hard, massive wall, she looked up.

Standing before her was Emperor Parnes, glaring down with a terrifyingly stern expression that sent shivers down her spine.