Especially as the Belladonna’s buds began to bloom, my health deteriorated rapidly, and every movement became burdensome.

So naturally, my appetite disappeared.

‘Is it time for me to die soon?’

“Do you see the pattern on my shoulder?”

I brushed away the wet hair and showed my back to the maid.

“Yes, it’s a very beautiful flower.”

Why did I see this just now? She smiled gently as she murmured softly.

“When do you think the flower will bloom in your view?”

I didn’t usually bother to look closely at the pattern. It spoiled the cheerful mood.

However, today I felt I needed to know.

How much time I had left.

“If it were a flower blooming in the palace garden, it seems to be the time to send out invitations soon.”

It meant that everyone would gather at the palace for a tea party when the flowers were in full bloom.

“Really? Then bring a mirror and shine some light. So I can see it.”

“Yes.”

The maid brought a hand mirror from the bathroom entrance and held it behind me so that I could see the pattern.

“Can you see it well?”

“Yes.”

The pattern, which became darker as the flowers bloomed, turned into a deep line.

“It seems to bloom soon, just as you said.”

It was darker than the last time I saw it. There wasn’t much time left until all the flowers would bloom.

“It would have been better if it had blossomed widely. Too bad.”

The maid, who didn’t know that the pattern was changing, smiled brightly. With her cheerful response, I shifted my gaze away from the mirror and hunched over.

“Then, I should tidy up before that happens.”

After the short bath, I calmly surveyed the room. Hertian was sitting alone on the sofa, apparently done with the conversation with the steward.

He noticed me, picked up a towel he had placed nearby, silently seated me on a chair, and quietly dried my hair with the towel.

I also looked at him through the mirror.

With the added warmth of his touch, my hair quickly dried. He then fitted his lips deeply into my hair and, staring at the reflection of me in the mirror, uttered a weighty remark.

“Should I kill the princess?”

As it was a statement that he hadn’t even joked about to the annoying Serdis, I looked at him with a slightly bewildered expression.
“Are you going to insist that I am the culprit no matter what?”

Even if it were Violet, she couldn’t forcibly push the blame onto me.

“If that were the case, I would have killed and returned by now.”

Hertian put down the towel, sat beside me, and chose a suitable comb.

Then, with a gentle touch, he combed my hair. Until the combing was complete, he remained silent with closed lips. When the combing finished, he finally spoke.

“We will hold a royal trial.”

“A trial? What crime am I being accused of when I’m not the culprit?”

“Even if you are not the culprit, you are responsible for this event, and I will inquire about that responsibility.”

“So, the Empress allowed the trial.”

The one who made this absurd story possible was also the Empress.

Whether I was framed as the culprit or not, I had set fire to be held accountable.

But why would both Violet and the Empress benefit from framing me as the culprit?

The answer could be found in Hertian’s words.

“The steward was a steward sent by the Empress. The Empress hopes that, even if you are not the culprit, you will stay in the palace and help with palace affairs by her side.”

Hertian and I were planning to go up north as soon as the match was over.

This was a scheme to prevent me from going up north.

“It’s because of the prophet’s words. Since you refused to help, they plan to tie you up in the capital. The Empress intends to use the lady in such a way, and it will eventually lead to her downfall.”

Hertian said it with a sharpened tone, shivering like his body was shaking.

His words were correct.

If I let myself be manipulated by Violet, I might meet the same end as Annette in the original story. The ending where I am charged with treason by reversing the crime of killing Serdis, leading to the downfall of the L’Angelier family.

‘Then Hertian will also be harmed.’

Not only the L’Angelier family but also Blanchede will be adversely affected.

My temples throbbed.

I didn’t have much time left.

“We cannot just leave the lady alone.”

Hertian might be feeling it too. Even the maid, who had seen me for only a few days, could sense it. But why did he…

“If the lady takes action in her own status, things will get complicated. We must cut it off before that happens.”

He said as if he would go to Sharpenen right away. At that moment, when I tried to soothe him, there was a muffled sound.

Thunk.

Blood spilled onto the newly changed dress. When I turned my head and looked into the mirror, blood was visible through both nostrils.

Ah, this feeling.

A discomfort I had felt long ago.

It had really been a while.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I closed my mouth at the amount of blood pouring out.

“… My lady?”

Hertian’s face was more distorted than my messed-up dress. He raised his eyes as if he had been hit and took out a handkerchief to wipe my face. The tingling sensation of his trembling fingertips felt sharp.

“You need to go to the physician. Right away, to Evan…”

But the redness in his eyes showed that physicians and medicine were of no use to me.

Maybe he wanted to see that sight a little longer.

Because Hertian’s side felt cozy and warm.

But I couldn’t delay it any longer.

“Hertian, I have something to say.”