The bluish light characteristic of dawn faintly seeped through the thin curtains.

Rose, who had unusually woken up early, quietly gazed at Shallen, who was deeply asleep beside her, breathing faintly and barely audibly.

‘It would be nice if only a child would come now.’

Rose touched her flat stomach, which showed no signs of life taking root.

Though she didn’t show it outwardly, it was true that she was gradually becoming anxious.

Despite countless efforts from their wedding day until now, there were no signs of pregnancy, so soon there might be talk among the noble ministers.

‘The stress has been considerable until now.’

But it’s alright.

A child will come eventually anyway.

It had been several months since Kasallin went missing. Shallen was also gradually finding stability under Rose’s care.

As evidence of this, yesterday he said he would soon end the search operation that he had been clinging to like a lingering attachment.

She was definitely dead. Now that there was no one left to interfere with the solid trust and bond between Shallen and herself, everything would flow according to its natural course.

Rose felt an inexplicable courage welling up as she thought she had become Shallen’s one and only.

She had taken the queen’s seat that even her renowned sister couldn’t grasp.

Her sister had unfortunately been abandoned due to her poor conduct, but she herself would be able to paint a hopeful future with His Majesty Shallen.

‘Even without my sister’s help, I can become an excellent queen.’

The first task that Rose boldly chose, believing this without doubt, was to widely announce Kasallin’s death to the world.

“It would be better to remove the phrase about fate’s prank. Instead, write that it was an unfortunate accident that no one could have predicted. Let’s make sure to clearly express that the royal family deeply misses and reveres my sister.”

Rose completely covered up the true circumstances of how Kasallin died, and appropriately fabricated that she had lost her life while going to a promised meeting place with a gentleman she met at a ball.

This was because only then could the royal family receive even slightly fewer arrows of criticism.

“I wonder if this isn’t sullying Kasallin’s honor.”

Shallen initially hesitated, wondering if it was really right to handle things this way, but such concerns didn’t last long.

Since he couldn’t tell all the people the truth that Kasallin had fallen because he pushed her, he had no choice but to make up some kind of excuse.

But one problem arose.

“Your Majesty the Queen. Some of the people are expressing anxiety.”

“Anxiety? What kind of anxiety?”

“It seems that the poor relief policies that Miss Kasallin had been promoting on Your Majesty’s behalf until now have suddenly stopped, causing various talk. Besides that, there are also those making absurd claims that the royal family won’t function properly without Miss Kasallin.”

Rose, who had completely forgotten about such complicated problems while comforting Shallen and holding consolation banquets, pressed her throbbing forehead.

“Why do they blame the royal family for their own poverty caused by laziness? They should be grateful that we protect their lives from foreign invasions.”

“Haha… That’s right.”

Baron Aster laughed soullessly and looked down at Rose with cold eyes.

“After all, those born with lowly blood are bound to be shameless. Truly, ‘blood’ cannot be deceived.”

At Baron Aster’s words, Rose’s fingertips holding the teacup twitched.

She seemed anxious and clenched and unclenched her fist several times, then suddenly got up from her seat and went somewhere.

It was the small study that Kasallin had used while alive.

Everything was exactly as it was on the day she left this place – the neatly arranged pens, a few books with bookmarks, and even a neatly folded blanket – but only the owner was gone.

Rose rummaged through the bundle of documents her sister had left behind in the drawer, and as if she had discovered something, quickly pulled out several sheets of paper.

“This is exactly it.”

Luckily, the paper she found contained all of Kasallin’s plans for the poor relief policies.

Rose appropriately pieced it together and adapted it to make it seem like her own idea, then personally gave a speech in front of everyone.

The people were reassured by the parade of moving sentences that could never have emerged without a perfect understanding of domestic affairs, and gladly sent their cheers.

Having succeeded in claiming her dead sister’s achievements as her own, Rose finally breathed a sigh of relief at the various tribute gifts pouring in from across the country.

“The craftsmen’s guild of Rebeyer port city sent a top-quality pearl necklace along with a consolation letter. Besides that, including fruits and silk sets from the south, about thirty gifts arrived just today.”

Baron Aster reported while examining the ledger.

Rose leisurely sipped her tea without even unwrapping the pile of gifts that had nowhere else to be stored and had taken over even the reception room.

The black tea that Aster personally served was much more delicious than what any ordinary maid could make, so she requested it several times a day.

“Thanks to our daughter, this mother is living in luxury. For the first time in my life, I’m even touring the queen’s palace.”

Marchioness Robepon gently fingered the Rebeyer pearl necklace and smiled softly.

Rose spoke as if giving a warning.

“Mother. This is practically a legacy that poor Sister Kasallin left for us. Don’t show such an excited appearance.”

“Right. Of course. I’m just so moved to see our Rose well-established as queen.”

“Mother should get used to it now too. As the queen’s mother and an in-law of the royal family.”

Marchioness Robepon seemed unable to hide her overflowing joy, as if the dead Kasallin was of no concern to her.

An in-law of the royal family. The king’s mother-in-law.

Who would have known that she, who in childhood was merely a fallen noble on the verge of being thrown onto the streets, would live in luxury thanks to her equally unremarkable second daughter’s miraculous marriage up in social status.

“But Mother. There’s something I’m curious about.”

“Yes. Tell me anything.”

“How did you come to meet Father?”

As soon as Rose asked the question, Marchioness Robepon’s face instantly froze and the teacup slipped from her grasp.

Crash, the solid teacup shattered into dozens of fragments and scattered in all directions.

Maids who immediately rushed over began cleaning up the mess.

“Mother, are you alright?”

“I’m, I’m fine. Really. I guess my hands are getting weak with age.”

“Be more careful.”

Marchioness Robepon barely managed to lift her trembling lips into a smile.

“But why do you suddenly ask such things?”

“I have to live with His Majesty Shallen as husband and wife for many years to come. I want to hear Mother’s story. Did you fall for each other at first sight?”

“Something like that.”

“Don’t just brush it off like that, tell me in more detail. Come to think of it, Mother rarely tells old stories. What was it like before you met Father? First love, or weren’t there other people you were seeing?”

“My, my. How nosy.”

“There are no listening ears, so what’s wrong with it? Mother is naturally cheerful and has a pretty smile, so there must have been many people who liked you?”

“Well, that’s…”

Rose pretended to lead the conversation pleasantly while subtly probing. The Marchioness tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling, drawing out her words.

Then she glanced at the floor again for no reason.

Even the series of actions like touching her nose bridge with one hand were all unconscious habits she showed when lying.

The Marchioness cast her face toward the window with the kind of shameful sentiment unique to someone who had accidentally discovered their childhood diary in an old drawer.

“It wasn’t completely nonexistent. When I was in Saintfield, there was someone who called me Beth. But it’s all in the past.”

With that conversation ended, Marchioness Robepon said she remembered somewhere she urgently needed to visit, left her regards, and withdrew.

This convinced Rose that Nelson’s words hadn’t been lies.

Even though she had obtained everything – her husband’s favor, the people’s support and trust – the reason she felt so anxious was Nelson, that man whose existence she never knew when he might appear and what he might do.

“Aster. You said you’d do anything if I asked, right?”

“It would hurt my mouth to say it twice. Your Majesty the Queen, whom I respect.”

“Then find out right now where Nelson is and what he’s doing. If possible, also find out who the puppet master backing that man is. Though that might be difficult.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Baron Aster devotedly kissed Rose’s hand, gathered his identification papers, and left the palace.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he headed for the Renel Empire.

「If I commanded you to remain here, would you do so?」

It was a question she heard when she went out for her first walk, held in the Emperor’s arms.

In the end, she couldn’t answer that question.

When Kasallin couldn’t bring herself to speak, Parnes soon said with a cynical smile.

「It’s a joke. Let it pass.」

Was that truly just a joke?

If she had answered “Yes” to his words, what would have happened?

Kasallin had been mulling over such hypotheticals for months.

「Emperor Parnes will surely make you his mistress. After satisfying his momentary desires, he’ll quickly tire of you and abandon you.」

Kasallin brushed away Shallen’s past words that unconsciously surfaced in her mind and looked at the easel and palette placed in one corner of the room.

It was a gift from Duke Ludwig, who suggested she try painting when she felt bored or frustrated.

Kasallin carefully walked with her crutch and rang the bell on the table. Now, if she used the crutch, she could walk to some extent.

About five minutes passed.

Two maids reluctantly entered the room.

“What did you call us for?”

Kasallin’s attending maids changed periodically. Today’s two people had faces that showed everything was bothersome for some reason.

Had they had some tiring business?

“I’d like to paint in the garden out front, and if you’re not busy, could you help me move the art supplies?”

“Ah… Yes.”

Kasallin went with them to the small garden that appeared after going down just two steps.

They placed a portable chair, easel, and palette around the small sculpture fountain where autumn flowers bloomed.

“We’ve moved everything.”

“Thank you for helping.”

“We’ll be waiting in the corridor, so call us if you need anything.”

The maids bowed and disappeared into the inner corridor, whispering something quietly among themselves.

“How long is she planning to stay in the imperial palace?”

“Who knows. She’s just a mistress anyway, so what…”

Indeed, in other people’s eyes, she appeared to be a mistress living luxuriously by depending on Parnes.

Kasallin silently stared at the pure white paper hanging on the easel.

Silver hair that seemed touched by frost, deep and exotic features.

Looking down from there, she could see a sharp and firmly set jawline.

His sharp and insightful eyes that always seemed to see one step ahead of others were like a sea with crushed stars scattered across it.

And his stubbornly closed lips were…

When she came to her senses after thinking that far, the empty white paper was already being filled with Parnes’ portrait.

‘I’m crazy. How dare I draw the Emperor’s sacred countenance.’

Kasallin was about to paint white over the paper but dropped her hand.

Like a child hiding a precious object, she flipped the paper over to cover it and looked around.

The maids who said they would wait in the corridor had gone somewhere.

‘It’s fine. My leg has healed a lot, so I can do it alone.’

Kasallin first gathered the paper with Parnes’ portrait drawn on it and slowly took her crutch.

“Your Majesty. You’ve been looking at the same document for an hour.”

In the Emperor’s office, where the autumn flower fragrance flying in from the garden and coffee smell were mysteriously mixed, Duke Ludwig spoke carefully.

As he said, Parnes, who had been blankly staring at the same paper for an hour, threw the pen he was holding onto the desk.

Then he rubbed his face dry without saying anything.

“Are you unable to focus on work? This is unlike you.”

“…I can’t shake off distracting thoughts.”

Since asking about her intentions and then brushing it off as a joke, Parnes’ state of mind had often been visited by inexplicable frustration.

Duke Ludwig smiled broadly, wrinkling the corners of his eyes.

“Don’t do that, just go meet Miss Kasallin.”

Instantly, Parnes’ brow furrowed sharply.

“Why are you suddenly bringing up that child?”

“I’ve served you for 20 years. How could I fail to grasp the intentions reflected in your countenance?”

“…Nonsense.”

Parnes got up from his seat and walked to the window.

Believing that if he cooled his head in the cold wind, her face would no longer come to mind.

But at that moment, what entered his eyes beyond the garden was the sight of Kasallin carrying heavy art supplies and stumbling and falling.