Along the intricately carved golden stonework, luxurious works of art lined up.

Following a servant dressed in finer fabric than others, I arrived at a banquet hall in the imperial palace.

The gaze of the person seated at the head of the table overwhelmed me as I just entered.

“I pay my respects to His Majesty the Emperor.”

As the emperor, who looked exactly like Serdis, laughed heartily, his golden hair that reached his neck swayed once.

“I knew I’d see the young lady again, but I didn’t think it would be as my son’s partner.”

His distinctive deep voice spread out. It was certainly a softer tone than when he met me in the audience chamber. Thanks to that, I sat near the emperor with a comfortable heart.

“Isn’t it better to meet me as family?”

The emperor’s red eyes stared at me, then soon his eyes curved kindly.

“Yes, it’s better! Hahaha.”

“I don’t know what to do with myself since Your Majesty looks upon me so favorably.”

A warm atmosphere continued between me, who had the emperor as a father-in-law, and the emperor, who had a possessed person as a daughter-in-law.

And the woman smiling with her eyes next to the emperor.

I turned my gaze to the woman with long dark green hair tied up, making her eyes appear upturned, giving her a somewhat scary impression.

“I apologize for the late greeting. I am Anette, young lady of the Leanberia Count family.”

It was the empress, Serdis’s mother.

Except for seeing her from afar at the banquet, this was the first time meeting her officially.

“You’re more beautiful than I heard, young lady.”

I looked up at the clear voice.

“It’s nothing compared to Your Majesty the Empress’s beauty.”

“Beautiful people speak beautifully too. How do you care for your skin to make it so fair?”

“Would you believe me if I said I don’t do anything special?”

“Don’t be like that, share just between us.”

The empress spoke jokingly.

And not long after, Hertian entered the banquet hall.

“I was late due to some business.”

And following behind him, Serdis entered.

“Thank goodness. I’m not late, am I?”

I’ve become used to encountering him suddenly popping up like this.

Besides, this is the imperial palace, Serdis’s home base, so I thought I might meet him once.

One thing different is.

“You’ve come too? I thought you wouldn’t come, pretending to be busy as the Grand Duke.”

Unlike just a few days ago, he was acting like his usual self.

Not angry, not with a pitiful face, but with a charming smile on his lips.

Hertian, who was watching that bewildering sight, glared at him. He seemed to be thinking the same as me.

‘What on earth is he up to?’

Just yesterday, he was about to tear up the wedding invitation, but today he was grinning like someone who had something good happen. He clearly came here with some other intention.

I briefly met eyes with Hertian.

He seemed to have roughly caught on to my thoughts.

“It’s the first time we’re all gathered to have a meal together.”

Serdis sat next to the empress, across from me, and smiled brightly at me.

It had been a really long time since I’d seen such an innocent gaze. Perhaps that’s why I even got goosebumps on my arms.

“Anette, sincere congratulations on your marriage.”

Are my ears blocked?

What is he congratulating?

Just the other day, Serdis was making a pitiful fuss in front of others, and now he’s congratulating the marriage.

How should I take this?

“I’m even happier to have Your Highness the Prince congratulate me on my wedding.”

Let’s smile for now.

I smiled widely, showing my gums.

“Of course I should congratulate. It’s not even a political marriage, but a marriage out of love between the two of you.”

Could this be what he was aiming for?

“Yes, it’s a suddenly ignited love, but it’s second to none.”

“It’s amazing that love can ignite so suddenly.”

He wrinkled his nose and smiled.

I roughly know why he appeared today.

He doesn’t believe that we are real lovers.

Because I have a history of looking for a man to have a contract marriage with.

“But why does it look to me like you two are being forced to marry?”

So he intends to reveal that we are in a contract marriage.

“Serdis.”

Right in front of the emperor.

“No, I mean it looks that way. You don’t look like other couples. It’s like there’s a wall between you two even though you’re smiling in front. As if you’re people having a contract marriage out of necessity.”

As he rested his chin on his hand on the table, the emperor stopped his mouth.

“Contract marriage? What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Ah, Father doesn’t know. I’ve just heard stories. They say young ladies and young men who don’t want to marry the fiancés arranged by their families pretend to be lovers and have contract marriages by mutual agreement.”

Bang, the emperor’s hand collided with the table.

“What ridiculous talk is this!”

“I’m just saying such things exist. I heard that Anette met with a young man from the Beirne family until recently. I wondered if she rushed into marriage because she disliked that.”

I inwardly shouted a hundred times.

Please, shut that mouth!

Did you have to reveal that I dated another man in front of the new bride to feel satisfied?

“I’m not doubting you, Anette.”

He must feel satisfied.

And thanks to that, I’ve become subject to the emperor’s suspicion.

“Young lady. You’re not thinking of marrying into the imperial family only to leave the stain of divorce, are you?”

The suddenly chilled voice made my insides turn cold.

But I won’t fall for such a cunning and simple trick.

“Your Majesty the Emperor. I’ll let you see your grandchild soon.”

I exclaimed plainly, neither more nor less.

“Grand……child?”

“Yes, at this rate, I’m worried we won’t have time to enjoy our newlywed life.”

What other words would be needed?

When I say I’ll give him a grandchild.

Just as Serdis does whatever he wants, I too had no words I couldn’t say.

“You’re saying you’ll have a child?”

The emperor’s expression relaxed at once, as if it had worked properly.

“That’s the natural duty of a married couple.”

I smiled proudly and looked back and forth between the emperor and Hertian.

Serdis seemed unable to find words to rebut after the grandchild talk came up. If you can’t even beat me with words, why did you pick a fight?

After the short yet long banquet ended, there was a brief break time.

For Serdis, it was also time to regroup. He left the banquet hall and met his servant in a secluded spot.

“Your Highness the Prince. Did the banquet go well?”

His dedicated servant asked while constantly checking his surroundings.

“No.”

But contrary to his answer, Serdis didn’t look displeased at all.

“I didn’t think Anette would fall for just a few words. She even married that Hertian guy because of me.”

“She’s not an easy person.”

“Enough of that, the item I mentioned.”

“It’s here.”

The servant took out a small vial from inside his clothes and handed it to him.

“If you make a mistake this time too… You know?”

“There will absolutely be no mistakes. Just before coming out, I tested it on the palace people.”

The servant lowered his voice and smiled maliciously.

“They all ate this and suffered from stomach pains, groaning in bed, and only got up after an hour had passed.”

“Any abnormalities in their bodies?”

“When I told them to call a doctor for examination, they said there were no abnormalities in their bodies.”

“Is that so?”

Serdis scrutinized the vial in his hand with interested eyes.

“A medicine that causes pain to the body but leaves no abnormalities in the body……”

It was exactly what he was looking for. He smiled with satisfaction and then handed the vial back to the servant.

“Tell them to apply it only to the teacup that Anette will drink from, not anyone else’s.”

“Yes, Your Highness the Prince.”

“There must absolutely be no mistakes.”

The servant, swallowing hard, turned back with firm determination.

That was the real reason Serdis came out today.

The banquet at the imperial palace was more enjoyable than expected.

The food was top-notch, and above all, Serdis had been quiet since earlier.

‘It’s about time he should pick a fight….’

I glanced at him while munching on the macarons that came out for dessert.

But Serdis was leisurely enjoying his tea, as if he had really given up.

“Young Lady Anette seems to like the macarons. You’ve already eaten four. It’s so cute.”

The empress smiled gently while looking at me intently.

Wrong. It’s the fifth one.

This wasn’t my fault.

It was because these were the best macarons I’ve ever eaten, and my hand kept reaching for them without me realizing.

Let the imperial pastry chef come out and see!

“The taste is so good that I… I’ll restrain myself.”

“No, it’s just pleasant to see you eating well.”

I responded to the empress with a smile.

“Why don’t you eat some too? You’ve been sitting still without touching the food since earlier.”

However, the spark flew to Hertian, who was sitting next to me.

Unlike me, this place must be quite uncomfortable for Hertian.

That’s because it was the empress who drove Hertian out of this imperial palace. He lived suppressing himself under the knight grand duke at a young age, and after the shield of the grand duke disappeared, he had to flee to the battlefield.

I knew that fact too, but. I stayed quiet in case any coldness from me might affect Hertian, but.

“Why? Are you afraid I might have poisoned your food?”

The empress finally provoked Hertian. The atmosphere froze instantly.

“Look at him not even answering. It was my mistake to expect motherly treatment even in a place like this.”

I hoped it would pass safely, but it finally burst.

“Empress. That’s enough.”

The emperor, who had been watching quietly, stepped in to stop the empress.

But it seemed too late as Hertian slowly opened his mouth.

“Would the empress use such an obvious method like poison?”

The air felt cold under his chilling gaze.

“Would the method used 17 years ago work the same now? For someone who calls herself an empress.”

The corners of his mouth turned up sharply. It was clearly a sneer.

Even without adding an explanation, it was clear that he was talking about Hertian’s mother. He was saying that the empress had poisoned Hertian’s mother.

“Are you trying to say that I used poison to kill someone? Is that it?”

“You can say it’s not true if it’s not. Of course, believing it is a separate matter.”

“You!”

As the empress shouted at his unpleasant tone, he picked up a fork and dropped it on the floor. The sound of metal hitting marble rang out painfully.

“It’s not that I didn’t eat, but that I couldn’t. Because I have a weak stomach.”

His rough tone was unfamiliar. I could somewhat understand how deep and dark Hertian’s past, which I didn’t know about, was. I reached out under the table and covered the back of his hand. It was a firm hand without even a slight tremor.

“We should take our leave now.”

In the end, I decided to leave this place.

If we stayed any longer, I felt Hertian’s killing intent might spread out.

Even the emperor couldn’t bring himself to ask us to stay.

“Let’s go, Hertian.”

Just as I was about to stand up holding Hertian’s hand.

“Mother.”

Serdis, who had been listening, opened his mouth. I prayed that he wouldn’t provoke Hertian with unnecessary words.

“This time, Mother, you were wrong.”

However, unexpectedly, the arrow was aimed at the empress.