Early morning.

The bed was empty beside me.

Hertian moved very carefully, thinking I wasn’t awake, but I watched him open the door and leave.

‘I guess he’s still uncomfortable about what happened yesterday.’

After coming out of the closet, our conversations noticeably decreased. It felt like we had crossed a line too far. I realized anew how sensitive Hertian was about these things.

‘Have I gotten used to sleeping with Hertian now?’

Suddenly, sleeping alone felt lonely.

I gently stroked the empty bedding where he had been. For a moment, I felt bitter at the lack of warmth.

Knock knock.

I lifted my head at the sound of knocking on the door.

Hertian?

“Your Highness the Grand Duchess. I’ve come to attend to you.”

A middle-aged palace maid carefully entered the room. I was relieved I hadn’t called out for Hertian. The maid attending to me might gossip outside about what she heard.

“Greetings. I am the palace maid who will attend to Your Highness the Grand Duchess during your stay.”

The maid set down the washing water and bowed deeply.

“I’ll be in your care while I’m here.”

“Yes, Your Highness. But where has His Highness the Grand Duke gone?”

The maid asked cautiously.

“He went out early this morning to train. I don’t know when he’ll return, so please prepare breakfast separately.”

“Yes.”

“I need to hurry and get ready. I have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor this morning.”

“Let’s start with washing your face.”

She skillfully guided me even in the chaotic palace. I stared at her as I sat down at the table with the washing water. As a palace maid, she seemed adept at managing her expressions. There was nothing particularly suspicious about her.

However, there was one thing.

“The scent of the washing water is unique.”

Except for the familiar herbal scent coming from the washing water.

‘Where have I smelled this before?’

It was on the tip of my tongue.

What was certain was that this scent was harmful to people. Since I mainly dealt with herbs that heal people, there was no way I wouldn’t remember it.

“It’s water infused with herbs that are good for the skin, used by the royal family.”

“Is that so? Thank you.”

The herbs used in washing water were limited.

The herb I gifted to Jackson that treats skin conditions. If it’s an herb used for people without skin diseases, it’s one of only a handful. And there’s no way I wouldn’t know about it. I had even eaten rare herbs that my father brought back from his travels.

Ah, thinking of my father made me remember.

‘It’s a poisonous herb that causes blood congestion in the skin.’

I think the name was complicated, but I remember this distinctive sour smell. If it touches human skin, it swells up red for a week and causes quite a bit of suffering.

That’s why you shouldn’t touch it carelessly, and when handling the herb, you must wear protective, waterproof gloves. I remembered my father, who was always barehanded, wearing black gloves.

This confirmed it.

It was a method used by someone who wanted to prevent the upcoming audience with the Emperor. It was obvious they intended to use this to find fault with Hertian and prevent him from refusing to participate in the war.

‘Were they planning to give me the washing water and put some medicine in Hertian’s meal?’

It was truly a clumsy method. They didn’t know I had spent years researching herbs at the academy.

I looked at the yellowish washing water and asked the maid, pretending not to know:

“Do you know the name of the herb?”

“I don’t know. If you’re curious, I can find out after you finish washing.”

The maid gave a seemingly prepared answer. I still couldn’t tell if she knew what was in this water or not.

“I see. But you know, my skin is quite sensitive, so I can’t use this washing water.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll bring different water.”

“Alright. But it would be a waste to throw away such precious herbs, so I’d like you to use it instead of me.”

Huh?

For the first time, her expression crumbled.

‘So you did know. What kind of herb was in here.’

If that was the case, I couldn’t just send her away.

“Looking at your dull complexion. I’m fine, so go ahead and wash your face.”

“Ah, no. How could a mere maid like me use such a precious thing?”

“Even palace maids are of noble birth, so what’s the problem? Come on, don’t refuse and wash.”

I snatched the damp cloth she was holding and thrust it towards her face. As the cloth approached her nose, the maid’s face turned pale and she stepped back.

“Why? Will something bad happen if you put this on your face?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“Right. If it’s not you, then it’s not.”

When I put down the cloth, the maid visibly relaxed and swallowed hard. Instead, I picked up the mug on the table and filled it with the washing water.

“Now I remember the name of the herb in here. Aconite. It’s usually… used as a poison, right?”

At my words, the maid held her breath.

“Don’t be scared. You’re just following orders anyway, so even if I wash with this water, you won’t be punished.”

“Your… Your Highness.”

That’s right. That’s why she brazenly handed me this water despite knowing.

I’m glad Hertian left early. If he knew about this, it would have worsened his already poor mood.

“If you apply this herbal water to your skin, you’ll just be sick for a few days. But what happens if you drink it?”

“What? You’re going to drink it?”

“Blood rushes to your whole body and bursts from your mouth. That’s why they sometimes give this to death row inmates in the Eastern Empire.”

“Your Highness… why are you doing this?”

“The water is quickly absorbed by the body, so the effects appear rapidly, making it a method to kill death row inmates in a short time. Before you can escape this palace.”

I walked to the window, looked down once, and said.

“Perfect timing, the Grand Duke is coming. If you drink just the right amount, you won’t die but will be on the brink of death for a few days. You could say the washing water went down your throat and caused bleeding, but what will you do? You might die from torture while I’m collapsed.”

In fact, no one was coming outside the window.

It might sound cruel, but if we can’t overcome such a small crisis, who knows what obstacles we’ll face before meeting the Emperor. So I raised my chin high and intimidated her.

“I, I was wrong. Your Highness. Please don’t do this. Please, I beg you.”

Finally unable to bear it, the maid fell to her knees.

“I’ll give you a chance. Who ordered you to bring this to me?”

“……”

The mouth that had been begging shut tight immediately.

“You’ll only open your mouth if I drink it? Alright. Then I’ll give the answer to the Grand Duke who will be coming up soon.”

The maid seemed to think I wouldn’t drink the water in this cup. She didn’t open her mouth until I brought the cup to my lips. But when I took one big gulp and was about to take a second…

“I’ll tell you!”

Finally, her mouth opened.

“I’ll tell you… Your Highness, please take the antidote quickly.”

I wiped my mouth.

“Just answer quickly.”

I had eaten such poisonous herbs dozens of times before, so it didn’t matter to me. But I pretended to stagger in front of the hesitating maid. With my complexion already pale from my chronic illness, I must have looked sick to her.

“Well…”

I thought the answer was obvious.

Of course, it would be Serdis…

“It was Her Majesty the Empress.”

An unexpected figure came up.

“The Empress sent this? Not His Highness the Prince?”

“Yes, yes. Her Majesty the Empress sent it as morning washing water and told me to report if Your Highness complained of pain…”

No.

It wasn’t a completely unrelated figure either. The Empress who actively supports Serdis. And if the goal of both of them is for Hertian to participate in the war, wouldn’t they be capable of this much, even if it’s not poison?

To the Empress, even I became an enemy the moment I married Hertian. There was no guarantee that her merciless nature would be merciful only to me.

‘It’s not just the Empress. Everyone in the palace is an enemy.’

Even the palace maid right in front of me.

“You may go back now.”

The maid’s face brightened immediately as she hurriedly stood up.

“Tell Her Majesty the Empress that my skin reacted badly to the washing water. That’s your role. And come see me again in the afternoon.”

“Pardon?”

“If you don’t leave quickly, I might collapse.”

“Ah, understood, Your Highness.”

As I pretended to stagger, the maid disappeared like an arrow. Once she was gone, the tension eased.

“Hah. Not just anyone can play the role of a tough lady.”

Though I didn’t show it, my palms were sweaty at the thought of what I would do if the maid had reacted more drastically. I wiped the sweat on my nightgown and composed myself again. Here, if you let your guard down even a little, you’ll be taken advantage of.

As I looked at the washing water and thought about the Empress who played such a silly prank, I picked up a paper from the messy desk and blew off the dust.

“If you’re so interested in us, it’s only right that we invite you.”

I made an invitation for the person who invited us here.

“But when is Hertian coming back?”

A few hours earlier.

Hertian, who had left the abandoned palace in the early dawn, was indeed training.

Under the bright full moon, sweat glistened on his tightly woven muscles.

Unlike the cold north, the capital was warm, so someone with high body heat like him would sweat profusely with just a little movement.

He couldn’t bear to be near Anette out of embarrassment.

The sensation on his back was still vivid.

Whenever that thought came to him, he swung his sword once with great force.

“Like a giant wing crossing the blue sky.”

And he softly sang the imperial anthem. It seemed to help him forget the memory bit by bit.

But soon the sensation became clear again, and it was maddening. Since coming out of the closet, he couldn’t even look Anette in the face properly. His whole body felt stiff. Even though he knew it upset her.

It took great endurance to hold her in his arms every night. He could barely calm down after running twenty laps around the training ground in the morning. The unexpected incident left Hertian paralyzed.

“I need to pull myself together, as Anette said.”

He repeated it hundreds of times.

He couldn’t ruin Anette’s plans because of his physical abnormality.

He had to be careful, very careful.

It was around his 1,993rd swing through the air.

“Are you that upset?”

Osen, who had left late due to matters in the castle, arrived at the palace. Hertian stopped his sword at the sound of his voice and turned around.

Rather, it was Osen who looked upset. He stared at Hertian with a choked expression that looked like he might cry at any moment.

“Her Majesty the Empress must really hate you setting foot in the palace. This castle is still…!”

Osen couldn’t finish his words, overcome with emotion. Seeing Osen like this, Hertian was momentarily flustered by the suddenly serious atmosphere, but quickly explained.

“That’s not it.”

“Don’t pretend it’s not! I also stood by the last moments of the Empress. So for now, you can be a little honest.”

Osen, his glasses now foggy, blurted out emotionally. He was the one who became friends with Hertian, who was lonely as a child, by frequenting the palace. Although it was at the request of the previous Grand Duke, Callix, Osen took a liking to Hertian.

So he couldn’t just ignore the sight of this palace still holding onto those memories and being neglected. Osen’s teeth gritted.

“You’re the only one suitable for the position to rule this empire.”

Sometimes his anger turned into dangerous thoughts.

“Osen. Watch your mouth. This isn’t the Grand Duchy. Words carelessly spoken as jokes, like Evan’s, might come back as spears.”

Hertian immediately cautioned him. It wasn’t a warning, but concern. Because long ago, a woman who had said such things to Hertian met her end in death.

Fortunately, Osen realized the intention and quickly shut his mouth. Seeing Osen like this, Hertian relaxed his tense expression and approached to pat his shoulder a couple of times. Osen reluctantly relaxed his expression as well.

“Osen. Let me ask you something.”

“…Please speak.”

Osen answered a beat late to the sudden question. Hertian put on his shirt that was hanging on a tree branch and asked an important question.

“Where’s the patisserie with the most delicious desserts in this capital?”

“Suddenly?”

“Not suddenly, but always, isn’t it?”

Already, new memories with Anette dominated his mind more than the old past. Osen, catching the intention of the question, laughed dejectedly.

“There’s a dessert shop my sister always talked about. I’ll guide you there.”

And just as he was about to take a step, Hertian rushed to Osen and grabbed him by the nape of his neck.

“Gack, what sudden…!”

But before Osen could finish his words, an arrowhead flew right in front of his nose.