Rose’s back, who had fallen into a light sleep while lying down, rippled in a strange shape as it caught the lamplight.

Charlen briefly gazed at her hair scattered messily over her shoulders before covering her with a blanket.

He drank a glass of lukewarm water, put on a robe, and went to the small living room attached inside.

Aster was standing with his hands behind his back.

“By any chance, are you the one who told the queen where the tower is?”

Aster tilted his head as if he didn’t understand the sudden interrogation-like question.

“How could that be, Your Majesty?”

“Then why did she come towards the tower today? We almost got caught with Katharine’s existence.”

“She just spotted Your Majesty heading towards the tower from afar. The queen said she found it strange that you haven’t been showing your face lately. You should have been more careful.”

Charlen momentarily felt irritation surge at the admonishing tone, but quietly acknowledged that his words weren’t wrong.

It was true that he hadn’t been paying attention to Rose lately, being preoccupied with Katharine.

“Anyway, Aster, you deserve the most credit for this. Frankly, I didn’t expect it, but you handled the matter perfectly.”

Aster bowed his head politely and courteously.

“It’s nothing. I should rightfully serve the great king’s command.”

“Since you safely brought Katharine, I should give you an appropriate reward. Is there anything you want?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Come now. When a superior shows sincerity, a subordinate should just say yes and gratefully accept. What do you want? Just tell me.”

“Well then…”

After a brief contemplation, Aster continued.

“Please grant me a title.”

“A title?”

“Yes. I don’t need gold and silver, fertile land, or a splendid house. The high society, called the playground of the chosen ones. I dare to request the minimum condition to enter there, the title of count.”

Charlen sank into the sofa backrest, swirling brandy with one hand.

A clear expression that it was somewhat troublesome appeared on his face.

“I’d like to grant your request, but all things in the world need justification. If your title suddenly gets promoted from baron to count, other nobles would find it strange, wouldn’t they?”

“I was just about to speak about that very justification. Do you perhaps remember the day when Miss Katharine suddenly appeared at her own funeral?”

Charlen rubbed his temple with a deep sigh, as if feeling troubled.

“How could I forget? Thanks to Katharine’s eccentric behavior that day, I still can’t properly show my face to the nobles. I have to hold a royal banquet soon, and I’m already worried about how much talk will go on behind my back. But why bring that up suddenly?”

“I’ve thought of a way to somewhat restore the damaged royal honor while also providing justification for my title promotion.”

“Is there such a method?”

Charlen raised his body, opening his eyes wide.

The brandy, resembling Aster’s flame-red hair, spilled over from the glass, thoroughly wetting Charlen’s hand.

“Yes. But to use this method, we need to break one long-standing rule of the Kan Kingdom.”

“Tell me first.”

“‘The Kan Palace is a sacred and holy temple, and only those permitted by God may enter and exit.’ Break this musty rule and invite children from the slums to host a grand banquet.”

Charlen’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Host a banquet for slum children?”

“After all, the absolute majority that makes up the country is still the common people. A kind king like a loving father, holding the hands of pitiful children and feeding them full. Isn’t it the perfect means to restore your reputation?”

Charlen fell into contemplation for a moment, unable to hide his sour expression.

It was undoubtedly a pretty good method, but Charlen had only heard of slums by word of mouth, never having even made eye contact with the people living there.

To bring those poor people carrying that unclean energy into the palace, host a banquet, and let them look around as much as they want.

“By the way, I hear that in the Renel Empire, they’ve been designating an annual palace opening day for 200 years now. Emperor Farnese even occasionally tours the country to personally check on the people’s circumstances.”

As Aster spoke while subtly gauging the reaction, Charlen’s lower jaw twitched as expected.

Aster had long since grasped that Emperor Farnese was Charlen’s only source of inferiority complex.

“…Alright. I understand. Count Aster, take the lead in setting the schedule and pushing forward with this. It’s about time our royal family changed too.”

“Everyone will be moved by Your Majesty’s grace. I’ll do my best.”

Charlen’s gaze turned to the clock.

“It’s almost two in the morning already. I should retire now. The queen has been waking up frequently these days. I should be by her side.”

“If I may, Your Majesty. Could I ask one more thing before that?”

Charlen looked at Aster while rubbing his tired eyes.

As if to say, if you have something to say, say it quickly.

“How long do you intend to keep Miss Katharine in that tower?”

“Well. We’ll have to watch for a while. If we grant all her wishes and soothe her gently while catering to her, she’ll eventually understand my heart.”

“…And after that?”

Aster asked with eyes coldly shining in the darkness.

“After that, I’m thinking of moving her to a cozier place. It wouldn’t be bad to build a small separate palace not too far from the royal palace and set up a household. Why do you ask suddenly?”

“…No. I was just curious. Then, have a good night.”

After Charlen crossed over to the bedroom, Aster, left alone in the moonlit living room, stood by the window.

He looked down at his hand, slowly clenching and unclenching his fist.

The sensation of her frail shoulders, which he had supported when she was staggering and about to breathe her last, was still vivid.

The tower standing lonely beyond that vast forest.

The image of her withering away while swallowing cold tears inside kept strangely stirring his heart.

“Pay your respects to Her Majesty, the Queen of the great Kan Kingdom!”

The dining hall where the warm noonday sun shone like a thin silver curtain.

The people invited to the palace opening banquet couldn’t close their mouths at the feast being laid out one by one.

Rose, who was directly overseeing this luncheon, smiled with utmost benevolence.

“I’ve put my skills to use after a long time for all of you. I hope it suits your taste.”

“You prepared all these dishes yourself for lowly ones like us, Your Majesty? Oh my, I’m so honored…”

“Don’t say that. All citizens of the Kan Kingdom are no different from my parents and siblings. I hope you eat your fill today and return home after enjoying yourselves comfortably.”

Thanks to Rose’s kindness and consideration, the luncheon continued in a boisterous yet fairly warm atmosphere.

Of course, those seated near Rose were all well-dressed individuals with some social standing.

Even then, Rose only sipped a few mouthfuls of white wine and merely pretended to eat by nibbling at the food.

It was only because of Charlen that she endured; for her, the idea of sitting with and sharing food with non-nobles was an unimaginable, horrifying thing.

“Ah, my treasure!”

At that moment, a small incident occurred that would change everything.

A snotty-nosed child of about eight or nine had crawled under the table, seemingly having dropped something.

The soldiers strictly guarding the surroundings immediately restrained the child and picked up the fallen object.

Simultaneously, the soldiers couldn’t help but gasp.

“Wait. Isn’t this a ring? My goodness, how precious this is! You, tell the truth. Where did you steal it from?”

People began to murmur, stopping their meals.

It was unlikely that anyone wouldn’t be suspicious when such an obviously expensive ring was found in the possession of a child from the slums.

As adults questioned and pressed with stern faces, the child started to cry in fear.

“It’s not true. I didn’t steal it… I found it in the forest…”

“You call that an excuse!”

“That’s enough.”

Rose set down her glass with a quiet sigh.

This was why she didn’t want to associate with these uncultured beings.

“He’s just a young child who doesn’t know the ways of the world yet. You should ask gently and coax him, not raise your voice on such a good day.”

“We apologize, Your Majesty.”

There were many eyes watching around them.

Rose approached the child, kindly lowering herself to his eye level and displaying a benevolent smile.

“Child. God grants forgiveness to honest and truthful children. So tell me. Where did you steal it from?”

“I didn’t! I didn’t steal it. I told you I found it in the forest!”

As always, these lowborns only open their mouths to lie.

Rose desperately tried to maintain her composure on her increasingly cold face.

She was about to open her mouth to ask one last time, drawing on the last piece of her dwindling patience, when it happened.

“It’s true. I really found it near the old tower in the north!”

The child cried out as if wronged, opening his small hand to show the ring in detail.

The all-too-familiar sapphire ring sparkled like a bright star in the chandelier light.

Rose’s expression froze.

“Where did you say you found this?”

“Near the northern tower. I couldn’t see well because it was far, but someone was there. It must be a gift from the princess living in the tower.”

“Someone was there.”

The northern tower.

The place His Majesty Charlen said was just an old empty warehouse and told her not to worry about.

“No. It can’t be.”

Rose kept denying it verbally, but before she knew it, she had rushed out of the dining hall and started running breathlessly towards the tower.

Praying that the person she was thinking of wouldn’t be there.