“By the way, what is your schedule for this week, my lady?”

Moreover, as Sieghart changed the subject first, it became ambiguous to belatedly add an explanation.

Natasha, who had no intention of explaining to the point of changing the subject, smoothly transitioned to the new topic.

This week’s schedule…

These days, Natasha spent all day resting in bed. With nothing to do, she counted how many circles were drawn on the ceiling.

Yesterday, she spent from morning to night counting how many squares there were on the marble floor.

After making numerous small mistakes, almost causing a major financial problem for the duke’s household due to a marking error, she gave up her duties as the duchess.

Even the letters addressed to her were being handled by Jenkins for the time being.

It had been a long time since she postponed attending social gatherings. Now, her only duty was to reply to private letters, which consisted of responding to five or six pen pals.

To others, it appeared that way. Natasha Asthart had been spending meaningless days filled with boring and tedious routines.

In reality, she had gone through much contemplation. She constantly pondered about the first thing she should do after her condition improved.

Should I hold a grand banquet to prove that I haven’t fallen? Or should I perfectly handle the ducal estate’s affairs to showcase my value again?

Or should I send letters and hold small tea parties to rekindle weakened friendships?

After much deliberation, she reached only one conclusion.

“I want to have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor. I need to go to the Imperial Palace.”

Meeting Kyle Letius.

“…Are you saying you want to go to the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes.”

Kyle Letius, another person who wished for Natasha’s misfortune as Cayena Ten’s accomplice. She had to meet that man.

There was no grand reason.

It was to definitively end this wearisome battle, and to completely condemn Natasha Asthart’s pure heart that sought to protect the one she loved.

“It may seem ridiculous that I’m now asking to create a connection after urging you to actively block contact with the Imperial family, but I’ll shamelessly ask for your help.”

“Natasha, but…”

“Please, Sieghart.”

Interrupting his words, Natasha slowly uttered his name. It was a cunning tactic taking advantage of the other’s weakness.

Looking at the woman’s eyes burning even redder as they reflected the sunset light, Sieghart finally accepted her request.

After much persuasion, Natasha was able to head to the Imperial Palace. The condition was that Sieghart would accompany her.

The request for an audience was easily accepted. On the day the letter arrived, the Imperial Palace sent a servant to deliver the Emperor’s order granting the audience.

The date was set for two days later, on the night of the full moon.

Two days later, a carriage was sent from the Imperial family.

Sieghart paid the coachman and sent the Imperial carriage back. The reason was that the carriage departing for the Imperial Palace must be from the Asthart ducal family.

In the distance, the emblem of the Asthart ducal family danced as it approached. Soon, an elegant black carriage arrived before the two.

The weather was good, so it only took half a day to reach the Imperial Palace.

Natasha headed to the audience hall at the appointed time.

Sieghart, who insisted on protecting her himself rather than trusting the Imperial knights, stopped in front of the ornate doors.

“I’ll be back.”

Sieghart continued to gaze at her steadily without responding to the farewell. It was his intention to enter the audience hall together.

She also finished her response with a nod rather than words. It meant, don’t we already have an agreement?

The two had negotiated that Sieghart would accompany her to the Imperial Palace, but Natasha would enter the audience hall alone.

“If something happens to me…”

“I’ll break down the door if I have to.”

“Yes, please come in then.”

It was a somewhat intense reaction.

“…But nothing to worry about will happen. I’ll make sure the ducal family doesn’t incur any debt to the Imperial family.”

She smiled brightly and knocked on the door. Shortly after, the door opened from the inside.

Natasha glanced around as she walked on the red carpet. The interior looked exactly the same as she had seen in her previous life.

She slightly bowed her head as she approached Kyle.

I greet the sun of the empire. She murmured briefly and maintained her lowered posture until the Emperor’s command fell.

“Everyone, leave.”

The arrogant man ignored the woman and dismissed the attendants and knights first. Though it was their workplace, they hurriedly left the audience hall as if they had been ordered to leave.

Until Natasha’s bent head straightened, the sound of numerous footsteps leaving the room continued.

The fading footsteps, followed by silence. Only then did Kyle seem to notice Natasha’s uncomfortable posture and withdrew the greeting.

“I didn’t expect the Duchess to seek me out first, what brings you here?”

“You must know why.”

This time, she looked up at him with her head held high.

“If Your Majesty is focused on the Asthart ducal family, you must be thoroughly aware of my unfortunate recent situation.”

“Ah, you mean the story about your maid betraying you out of ignorance? Well, the rumors were widespread, so I’m well aware of it.”

“Isn’t it all thanks to Your Majesty for raising your dog so well?”

Her eyelids closed. When they opened again, her now more beautiful red eyes began to move carefully.

Well-polished shoes, a splendid uniform, porcelain-like skin without small scars, a playful face.

Finally, blue eyes.

A cool redness spread over the bluish irises. Silence spread beyond the intense gaze that might break at any moment.

“Who was it?”

Natasha was the first to open her mouth.

“Who reached out first?”

There was only one reason she personally stepped into enemy territory.

To thoroughly investigate the relationship between the man and Cayena.

Since it wasn’t the right situation to have a deep conversation with a half-insane woman, she had to hear the remaining circumstances from the Emperor at least.

Why bother opening Pandora’s box, but even knowing that the contents inside would harm her, she had no choice but to confirm them.

Yes, if it was about Cayena Ten.

“Who reached out first, you ask?”

“I’m asking who proposed such a petty alliance.”

“Ah―.”

The Emperor, who had briefly groaned, unfolded his crossed legs and then crossed the opposite leg.

The misaligned leg and ankle on his knee repeatedly rose and sank as if swimming on the surface. It was a gesture of buying time by delaying a prepared answer.

“If you’re planning to make up a story contrary to the facts…”

“Ah, it’s not like that, so don’t misunderstand. I was contemplating how to say who reached out first.”

“…What do you mean?”

Natasha asked back as if she couldn’t understand. Then, Kyle, raising one eyebrow mischievously, began the introduction.

“I created the relationship with the wench, and she proposed changing the target.”

Afterwards, unbelievable stories flowed from his mouth. It was detailed inside information that Natasha had not known.

Three years and a few months ago, Kyle Letius, visiting the Asthart ducal residence, observed the maids working in the mansion and discovered a familiar face among the group.

There were only two cases where the Emperor remembered faces. Either extremely pretty or a target to be killed. Judging by her face, she couldn’t be the former, and since she was alive, she couldn’t be the latter either.

When he asked a passing maid about the wench’s identity, he learned that she was a country bumpkin maid who used to work in the palace.

As he was leaving the mansion, he ordered to send the wench named Cayena Ten to the Imperial Palace.

Since it was a common occurrence for a maid from a duke’s residence to receive the Emperor’s favor and become a palace maid, he sent Cayena to the Imperial Palace without suspicion.

The frightened wench confessed everything in front of the Emperor.

Ah, so that’s why one head was missing from the guillotine. I thought I had become senile at an early age, but I didn’t know that one less beast was actually caught.

Now, he had no intention of capturing the escaped princess. He already owned half the kingdom’s territory and had duchies under his feet, so why would he announce a failed plan to the whole world?

However, punishing the maid who almost ruined his plan was a separate matter. A lowborn who didn’t know her place might spread word of the Emperor’s mistake.

Should he pull out her tongue, sew her mouth shut? Cut off her ears so she couldn’t hear, or just kill her to avoid the hassle of cleaning up?

“I was about to kill the wench who knew my only flaw, as there was no reason to keep her alive…”

“…”

“But looking at her closely, she seemed useful. As she was a maid working at the duke’s residence, I used her effectively as an informant.”

As Kyle Letius was contemplating, the woman began to crawl like a dog in front of him. She promised to do any dirty work without complaint if he would just spare her life.

It was a fresh scene that his longtime dog had never shown. The despair the woman presented was just right as a snack.

Kyle told the woman to return to the duke’s residence and monitor Sieghart, in exchange for sparing her life. Along with the threat that if she didn’t do it properly, he would kill not only her but her entire family one by one.

Cayena Ten unexpectedly performed her role as a spy well.

“She was a subordinate who listened well. So I really cherished her…”

Until Sieghart turned his back on the role of a dog.

“I didn’t know she was planning to stab me in the back without anyone knowing.”

The longtime dog who had completed her betrayal demanded freedom, mentioning the previous contract.

How shameless, Kyle attached an almost impossible condition in exchange for giving the dog freedom― to marry the last princess of Charliee, whose survival and whereabouts were unknown.

How could she possibly achieve this condition when she would have completely forgotten about the existence of Natasha Charliee? Even if she remembered the princess’s existence, finding her would be a task in itself.

However, Sieghart Asthart broke Kyle’s expectations and proudly married the princess.

Finding a woman of unknown identity in just half a year? Given the size of the continent, it would be impossible even if people were sent to search the entire country.

Kyle Letius thought there must have been someone else’s assistance in this success.

Someone who was close enough to the princess to know her personal residence and at the same time physically close enough to the duke to easily and quickly convey that information.

Cayena Ten, that wench was the only one.

“My dog, who would gain freedom upon marrying royalty, received leaked confidential information from a new dog.”

The wench, unable to withstand torture, confessed everything.

It was true that she had informed Sieghart of the princess’s whereabouts, but the princess was not found in that village. It was actually the duke’s ability that located the princess.

―So she said.

What nonsense. In any case, wasn’t she planning to betray him? In the end, the longtime dog left his side.

He regretted not killing the wench. Wasn’t it like trading a few pieces of information for a dog! The loss of his beloved dog was unspeakably lamentable.

“Isn’t it right to eliminate traitors? So I drew my sword and was about to cut off the wench’s head. But do you know what that wench said then?”

Kyle Letius recalled the most beautiful moment of his life.

The wench, crouched on the floor, turned pale like a corpse at the sight of the sword pointed at her. Like any other insect facing death, the woman kept begging for her life, then shouted in a voice choked with evil.

‘I’ll offer you a new dog!’