“Who dares to give orders to whom right now.”

At an exquisitely perfect timing, Charlen burst through the office door.

“It’s nothing, Your Majesty.”

Rose smiled awkwardly, holding documents and a pen in both hands.

In the brief moment when a fine dust settled on the console rose slightly into the air, Katharine accurately grasped Rose’s inner thoughts.

Rose had heard Charlen’s footsteps approaching just before the office door opened.

And she suddenly changed her attitude to avoid showing Charlen that she was trying to dump all the work on her sister.

“Nothing? I just heard exactly what Katharine was saying to you as I came in.”

“I’m still inexperienced with work… To be honest, I was going to ask my sister. So I guess she was frustrated. Please be understanding.”

Charlen squinted his eyes at the ‘Queen’s maid’ with an incredulous look.

“Did you really try to teach the Queen like that?”

Katharine took a slow, deep breath, gathering patience.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

“What misunderstanding.”

“Her Majesty the Queen said she was having difficulty with her official duties, so I tried to teach her a little. However, Her Majesty said she had an appointment and tried to entrust me with all the work, so I simply advised that as Queen, she should fulfill her duties herself.”

“So in conclusion, you were wrong.”

A look of pure puzzlement appeared on Katharine’s face.

“Why is that?”

“It may have been advice in your opinion, but surely you didn’t speak all those words with polite, respectful language.”

“She became Queen overnight after being a younger sister. She’s not yet accustomed to honorifics. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“It’s not just about the way of speaking.”

Charlen walked across the well-polished office floor and abruptly pulled Rose up from her desk.

The two people standing side by side in the name of a married couple looked like an allied force trying to drive out Katharine as the enemy.

Katharine inadvertently glanced at their hands clasped together, as if to show off and as if it were only natural, then hastily averted her gaze.

She couldn’t believe that those hands were the same ones that had gently stroked her head just a few weeks ago. Katharine felt her chest tighten painfully.

“As you said, Rose has just become Queen. How unfamiliar and frightening must this huge palace be to her? Yet you, her sister and maid, can’t even look over a few reports for her?”

“A few reports? There are many important matters right now that affect the fate of the people. If such crucial issues are not reviewed now, and not by Her Majesty the Queen of the Khan Kingdom, who exactly will look after the welfare of the people?”

“You seem to misunderstand something. I am the ruler of the Khan Kingdom. Rose is my lifelong companion who helps me.”

When Charlen said this, Rose looked at him with surprised rabbit eyes, then a subtle smile that wasn’t completely hidden spread across her lips.

It was certainly nothing to smile about.

It meant that the Queen didn’t need to be deeply involved in state affairs, but Rose foolishly failed to understand the true meaning.

“It’s alright, Queen. For now, just stay healthy. That’s enough for me.”

“I’m at a loss for words at your encouragement, Your Majesty.”

“Oh my. Tears are welling up in your eyes again. Is it because you’re still young that our Queen is so easily moved by small things?”

Unlike someone else.

Charlen muttered as if deliberately for Katharine to hear.

He seemed to have no understanding of how a single careless word, meant to make someone else feel bad, could drive a person’s heart to the brink.

Katharine felt the resentful tears that she had barely managed to hold back by spending the night on the ice-cold bathroom floor welling up again.

‘He will ruin Rose someday.’

With his sweet talk of protecting and cherishing her, he would turn Rose into a foolish idiot who couldn’t do anything.

A puppet queen who only repeats “Do as you lords wish” even when corrupt nobles present misguided opinions.

Along with the gold and treasures that pour in without lifting a finger, and the officials who praise her to the skies.

Katharine dared to be certain that all those things would end up making Rose an incompetent and arrogant person.

Well, Rose had already been changing little by little since that moment she received an unexpected marriage proposal from Charlen.

Katharine bit her lower lip with all her might to hold back her sorrow and said:

“The grand festival is coming soon. Many royals and nobles from the ‘Renel Empire’ will gather for the festival, and if they ask Her Majesty the Queen about international affairs and she can’t answer, won’t that damage our national prestige?”

“It’s the maid’s job to take care of the Queen at such times.”

“Since when has a maid been the Queen’s nanny and spokesperson?”

“Katharine. Do you realize how sensitive you’re being today?”

Charlen suddenly turned accusatory as he began to lose the logical argument.

Katharine was at a loss for words at his sophistry.

“Your Majesty. Please don’t scold my sister too much. She didn’t do anything wrong. It’s all because of my lack of insight.”

Rose said, carefully grasping Charlen’s arm.

Charlen glanced at Rose, then looked at Katharine’s face again and clicked his tongue softly.

“Look at how she speaks. The Queen wraps you in such warmth and consideration, yet you as her sister are so cold to your younger sibling.”

“…”

“From now on, I have business outside with the Queen. We also have important matters to discuss. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you, so just organize those reports. Understand?”

Charlen was blind.

He failed to see Katharine’s wounds that had already been slashed countless times, and set fire to them again.

Not knowing at all how that price would come back to him someday.

* * *

With a face as empty as ruins where nothing remains after a storm has swept through, Katharine silently completed Rose’s work.

It wasn’t until nearly half a day had passed that she realized her forehead was burning with fever.

Yet it didn’t hurt.

Because her heart, torn to shreds and reduced to rags, hurt several times more.

Meanwhile, Rose, who had said she would return early after leaving with Charlen, showed no sign of returning even as the reddish sunset was fading.

As if she wasn’t the only one waiting, the head maid of the Queen’s palace came and cautiously asked where Her Majesty the Queen was.

It seemed she wanted to ask how to prepare for dinner, as it was almost time.

Not wanting to tell her to go out and search when she was surely already busy with kitchen work, Katharine said she would go look, forcing herself to get up with difficulty.

“Do you know where Her Majesty the Queen is right now?”

When she asked the guard at the Queen’s palace gate, he hesitated slightly, then pointed to the path leading to the inner garden without much confidence.

“She went that way with His Majesty the King several hours ago.”

“Thank you.”

Katharine walked along the narrow path untouched by the gardener’s hand.

But as she walked, it felt strangely familiar.

‘This is where Charlen often brought me when we were dating.’

Katharine’s steps gradually slowed, then came to an abrupt stop.

The small secret garden that most people didn’t know about, but Katharine knew all too well.

From inside came the sound of Charlen and Rose’s laughter.

Along with occasional gasps dispersing into the air.

“Your Majesty. I’m embarrassed.”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about between husband and wife. Come to think of it, you’re still like a shy young girl.”

“That’s because my heart can’t help but flutter when I’m in front of Your Majesty.”

“Even a single word from you is gentle and sweet, knowing how to please your husband. Now, show me more of your beautiful skin. We still have plenty of time. Our love will be eternal.”

“Really? You’ll really love Rose forever?”

“Of course. A man doesn’t go back on his word. I swear to God that I will adore only you, even if it means giving up the throne.”

The same place.

The same air.

The same confession.

And a different woman.

Just a few months ago, Katharine had been lying on the same rock where Rose was now lying.

Listening to the confession he had just recited to Rose, firmly believing that oath to be an indisputable truth.

Nothing had changed.

Only the object of Charlen’s desire had changed.

‘I should have just kept working in my room.’

Katharine hurriedly averted her gaze from the two people slowly intertwining on the grass and fled from the garden.

Surprisingly, she felt numb.

It was strange how a person becomes calm when the shock they receive exceeds its limit.

“I wish the grand festival would come soon.”

Sightseeing beautiful scenery in a foreign country without the old memories of Charlen that linger thickly throughout the palace.

Meeting strangers and having meaningless conversations.

Then maybe someday the fever on this forehead will disappear.

* * *

“You know, the Emperor of the Renel Empire. He’s still single, right?”

“I wonder what kind of amazing lady a man at the pinnacle of power will take as his wife?”

“Whoever it is will be the luckiest woman in the world.”

From early morning, there was a commotion among the maids talking about the emperor of the neighboring country.

This was because a rumor had spread throughout the continent that Emperor Farnese might find a bride at the upcoming 35-day grand festival.

So noble young ladies of decent status were already determined to catch the emperor’s eye by any means necessary.

‘Of course, this has nothing to do with me.’

Katharine half-listened to the maids’ excited voices with one ear as she helped Rose into the carriage.

“What are you doing? Get in already.”

Charlen, who was also ready to depart, said as he walked over.

Katharine deliberately avoided making eye contact with him as much as possible and spoke in a voice devoid of emotion.

Even though quite some time had passed since the wedding, it was still hard to bear being left alone with him.

“I’ll ride separately.”

“No, that won’t be possible. We didn’t prepare an extra carriage. Come, this way.”

He extended his hand as if to help her board the carriage, pretending to be a gentleman.

Katharine, who was about to answer that she would ride in the luggage carriage instead, closed her mouth. It was obvious he would force his way with a royal command anyway.

She looked at his brazenly outstretched hand as if it were filth, then got into the carriage on her own.

He slowly clenched and unclenched his hand that had lost its purpose, then sat down silently next to Rose.

“Let’s depart.”

The carriage wheels decorated with the Khan royal crest began to move with a jolt.

Katharine gazed blankly at the passing scenery outside, leaving blurred afterimages.

Not anticipating that the journey to the Renel Empire, which she hadn’t particularly looked forward to, would completely change her life.