This was the third time Therese had seen Emperor Parnes.

The first time, on the escort ship, the situation was so chaotic that she was too distracted to notice much, and the second time, in the office, she was too busy greeting the Empress to observe him closely.

This time, at such close quarters that a stumble could bring their noses together, Therese was momentarily captivated by the overwhelming beauty emanating from Parnes.

She only now noticed that his hair was a mystical silver, like swan feathers, and that the bridge of his nose, falling straight between his brows, was strikingly perfect.

“Your Majesty, are you alright!”

Duke Ludwig checked on Parnes’ condition with what seemed like excessive fussiness.

With a barely audible sigh, Parnes tidied his disheveled clothes with minimal movements, letting that serve as his response.

“Where are your eyes, you clumsy and rude thing!”

Duke Ludwig’s harsh reprimand struck Therese’s ears like a sharp whip.

Still sitting on the floor, Therese bowed her head deeply and apologized.

She slightly raised her head, waiting for Parnes to show some kind of reaction.

Perhaps asking if she was alright, telling her to stand, or at the very least, warning her to watch where she was going.

Therese thought that even an emperor, having collided with someone, should at least do that much as a matter of courtesy.

But Parnes kept his lips sealed, as if cursed to never speak for life.

Right now, he wasn’t looking at Therese in front of him but at something far beyond her, lost in thought.

He was completely absorbed in something else, despite a person standing before him.

An inexplicable sense of disappointment settled coldly in Therese’s heart, like winter had arrived.

“Ouch…”

Therese clutched her knee with one hand, letting out a trembling whimper.

It wasn’t that her knee actually hurt, but she thought such a display might prompt someone to come and show her some kindness.

Had her exaggerated reaction worked to some extent?

Parnes suddenly stared toward the promenade lined with evergreens, then lightly gestured with his chin to Vincent and said,

“Help her up.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Following the Emperor’s command, Vincent approached Therese and politely extended one hand.

She had seen the young lords of the Preta family treat neighboring ladies in this manner a few times.

Therese felt as if she were a noble lady being escorted by a gallant knight.

Her heart swelled strangely.

Though Emperor Parnes hadn’t extended his hand himself, he had shown kindness through his guard, so wasn’t that a reflection of his own heart?

As she adjusted her loose hair and took Vincent’s hand to stand, a voice called out.

“Your Majesty. And Therese. What brings you here?”

From the promenade Parnes had glanced at earlier, Kasallin approached with Logia in tow.

Though she hadn’t done anything wrong, Therese felt a pang of guilt and couldn’t meet Kasallin’s eyes, stepping back.

Parnes, whose face had been as empty as a desert swept by cold sand winds, naturally broke into a pleasant smile as Kasallin drew near.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t a forced smile.

His eyes shining more brightly than ever, Parnes approached Kasallin and spoke warmly.

“I was passing through on my way to a schedule at the Central Palace. Are you heading to the luncheon, my lady?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright without my company? Of course, I know the Empress can handle any situation perfectly…”

Parnes lightly took Kasallin’s hand, continuing his words.

“But I can’t help worrying that some rude individuals might upset Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty, it’s an unnecessary concern.”

Watching the two from a third-party perspective, Therese was struck with fresh shock.

Kasallin, whose face had been icy under her husband’s touch, slightly flushed, but what was truly astonishing was Parnes.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her face for a single moment.

For some reason, watching the two of them didn’t exactly fill Therese with pleasant feelings.

The Emperor and the Empress.

Duke Ludwig, the guards, and the maid Logia.

The perfect, ideal world they formed among themselves was one Therese could never belong to, and that realization secretly upset her.

‘What makes me different from them? This is unfair.’

Others might have their talents, but in Therese’s eyes, Logia had no particular strengths as a maid.

She was always clumsy, constantly spilling things, and so timid that she stammered pathetically in front of strangers.

Therese couldn’t understand why Kasallin kept Logia as a close maid and treated her like a younger sister.

If Therese were a maid, she was confident she could please the Empress so much that everyone would be astonished.

“The luncheon is about to start, so I should go. Your Majesty, please head inside as well.”

“Alright. Until next time.”

As if reluctant to let her go, Parnes held Kasallin’s hand for a while before slowly releasing it.

He gazed longingly at her retreating figure as she disappeared around the corner, then suddenly turned to Therese and said,

“Now, speak.”

“Pardon?”

“Haven’t you been wanting to say something to me for a while?”

The long dining table, draped in white cloth, was adorned with silver candelabras and lush fresh flowers, awaiting a lavish banquet.

The chairs, upholstered in blue silk, had only one seat left empty.

Everyone else was seated, exchanging greetings back and forth.

“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”

As soon as Kasallin entered the dining hall, she sensed it would be no easy day.

Baroness Hezen, a key figure in the Empress’s faction, had surely received an invitation but was absent.

A thought flashed through her mind, wondering what had happened.

But Kasallin knew well that she couldn’t let her expression harden over such a thing.

“We greet the great Empress of the Renel Empire.”

“Thank you all for coming. I hope this will be an enjoyable meal.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. It’s a luncheon hosted by none other than the Empress herself. Even if the menu were beans or turnips, it would be nothing but delightful.”

Marquis Clemens laughed heartily as he spoke.

On the surface, it seemed like a cheerful joke to lighten the mood, but it wasn’t.

Turnips were a common derogatory term used by some ignorant nobles of the Renel Empire to mock or belittle those from the Kan Kingdom.

Marchioness Clemens quickly fanned herself to hide her twitching lips.

Duchess Rudo and Isabella looked at Marquis Clemens with disdain but didn’t intervene, merely observing.

The reason for their behavior was clear.

In their eyes, Kasallin was destined to be exposed for deceit by Parnes and pitifully deposed.

A soon-to-fall Empress.

They were thoroughly mistaken, believing there was no need to show her courtesy or curry favor.

“Now that you mention it, I don’t see Baroness Hezen.”

Kasallin said, scanning the people seated around the table.

Duchess Rudo responded.

“Unfortunately, Baroness Hezen’s carriage wheel got stuck in a ditch on her way here, so she couldn’t attend.”

“Oh dear. I hope she’s alright.”

“Thankfully, it wasn’t a major accident. Baroness Hezen is quite robust, so she’ll recover quickly. Though it might be difficult for her to attend the remaining festival events.”

They had deliberately schemed.

To prevent those who supported her from uniting and raising their voices.

It was a cowardly act, no better than that of street thugs.

Some nobles close to Baroness Hezen seemed to share Kasallin’s thoughts, quietly chewing on their displeasure.

Poor Baroness Hezen.

Praying fervently that she wasn’t badly hurt, Kasallin urged everyone to begin the meal.

From the clinking of knives against plates to the lively laughter passing between wine glasses.

On the surface, it was a perfectly splendid afternoon meal.

“If I may be so bold, I’ve heard that the Court Painter has been frequenting the Empress’s palace lately. I hope it’s not due to a nasty summer cold.”

Isabella spoke up for the first time.

Her question was so refined and polite, her face thick with composure.

Even Kasallin, who knew everything, nearly fell for it.

With a sociable smile, Kasallin shook her head.

“No need to worry, Lady Isabella. I only asked Sir Leon for some tonics; it’s nothing serious.”

“Oh, that’s such a relief. Your Majesty is a precious figure who will soon bear the heir and future of the Renel royal family. All the people wish for your continued health.”

Thanks to Isabella’s masterful hypocrisy, the conversation naturally shifted to talk of Parnes and Kasallin’s heir.

It seemed they had planned in advance how to steer the discussion.

They likely had no idea that the heir to the Renel royal family was already growing within her.

“Decades ago, when His Majesty Parnes was born, the entire nation was in a festive mood. I still remember it vividly.”

“Many are eagerly anticipating this time as well. The most important thing for the royal family is to stably pass down the next generation.”

Marquis Clemens and his wife, a match made in heaven, continued the talk of heirs, taking turns speaking.

Their intent was to put mental pressure on Kasallin.

Even amidst this, Duchess Rudo didn’t openly join the conversation, occasionally glancing sideways to check if Kasallin’s face was growing pale.

“By the way, I’ve heard some strange rumors lately.”

Kasallin said, taking a sip of tea and setting her cup down firmly.

All eyes turned to her in surprise.

She wasn’t above applying mental pressure herself.

That was, after all, the purpose of arranging this gathering.

“W-What do you mean, Your Majesty?”

Marquis Clemens, not expecting Kasallin to directly address the rumors, asked in a trembling voice.

Duchess Rudo and her daughter, too, raised their eyes in shock, anxiously awaiting Kasallin’s next words.

“Well, I stay mostly in the palace, so I’m not sure, but His Majesty mentioned something yesterday.”

Kasallin gently wiped her lips with a napkin, then smiled charmingly with her red lips and continued.

“He said he would use every means possible to root out the source and instigators of unsavory rumors and punish them with unprecedented severity.”