Reniel realized who he was as soon as she saw Terrison.

Vivid red hair with deep blue eyes.

He was the person who had appeared as Thanasis’ guard knight.

In the original story, Terrison was also the first person Thanasis encountered when he was released outside.

It felt ominous that things seemed to be flowing similarly to the original despite her momentary escape.

After all, in the original, the one who killed her was Thanasis.

But she regained her composure and kept a smiling face. Even if most things were similar to the original, she was not dead yet.

Moreover, she had escaped together with Thanasis and built quite a bond. That would mean not everything would happen exactly as in the original.

“How did you…!”

Thanasis frowned with an unpleasant expression upon seeing Terrison.

“Wow, Your Highness. My goodness. What’s with that strange attire? Did you really escape because you were tired of the imperial palace?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Even as he said that, Terrison signaled the nearby knights to surround Reniel and Thanasis, as if to prevent Thanasis from running away.

“Did my mother look for me?”

“Her Majesty the Empress… let’s leave it at that. For now, I really did search hard.”

Somehow, Thanasis didn’t seem as hurt by those words as before. After all, one needed expectations to be hurt.

He no longer had any expectations from his mother.

“Let’s return to the palace, Your Highness.”

“Fine. But I’m taking her with me.”

He gestured towards Reniel with his eyes as he removed the hood of the black robe he was wearing.

Terrison smiled with relief and followed Thanasis’ gaze. There, Reniel was wearing an identical robe with the hood pulled up, her head lowered.

“Who is this person?”

Reniel gently removed her ring and raised her head. Her pure water-colored hair flowed down her shoulders.

“My new lady-in-waiting.”

“…Your lover, you mean?”

Terrison ignored his master’s words and stared at Reniel in surprise.

“Didn’t I say lady-in-waiting?”

“Ah, you did.”

Terrison observed Reniel, who had not fully removed her robe. She lowered her head appropriately and pulled her robe on deeper once again.

“Perhaps someone I know?”

Terrison said that as he tried to approach Reniel.

“Shut up and just get ready to leave. You’re annoying me.”

Thanasis glared at Terrison, irritated by his show of interest in Reniel.

Coming to his senses at Thanasis’ glaring golden eyes, Terrison smiled good-naturedly and said.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

But still, really.

He thought he had seen Reniel somewhere before.

But on the other hand, he also thought that if he had truly been acquainted with someone as beautiful as Reniel, there was no way he wouldn’t remember.

“Let’s go.”

“Ah, yes.”

When Thanasis held out his hand, Reniel took it. And just as she was about to take a step.

Swoosh!

The knight’s trousers she was wearing inside were apparently too big for her body, as they slid down unceremoniously, rendering all her previous efforts meaningless.

“Huh? This is…?”

“Don’t look.”

Terrison was confused to see that Reniel, who was said to be a woman, was wearing trousers.

“Ah! Your Highness, I need a belt. The pants are too big.”

“The robe covers your entire body anyway, so just take them off.”

Thanasis said, looking at the black pants caught around her calves with bewilderment.

“Taking them off seems a bit strange…”

“Should I have someone buy clothes for you then?”

Thanasis was obediently listening to Reniel’s words. Terrison was watching this, finding it curious.

“I’ll go buy some clothes. Have you eaten? I’ll bring food as well.”

When Terrison asked this while assessing her condition, Thanasis coldly replied to him.

“Are you telling me to eat dirty food? Just buy the clothes. We’ll eat at the palace.”

“Your Highness might be able to endure, but this lady might not.”

Reniel didn’t dislike Terrison’s kindness. If they had to wait for clothes anyway, it wouldn’t be bad to fill their stomachs.

Behind them, the innkeeper was nervously watching the imperial knights, looking anxious.

“…Hey. When does breakfast start being prepared?”

Thanasis said that while looking at the innkeeper.

“It, it’s prepared starting now!”

He looked at the large wall clock nearby. The time was just 6 o’clock.

“Don’t accept any more guests here today.”

Thanasis gestured to Terrison as if giving instructions. Terrison then took out a few gold coins from his pocket and gave them to the innkeeper.

One gold coin was enough for a month’s stay at this inn.

“How could there be any objection!”

Thanasis sighed and said to Reniel.

“Just have a meal while we’re here.”

“You should eat together, Your Highness.”

“I don’t eat dirty food…”

I’d rather die than eat such things.

But suddenly remembering how Reniel had always come down to serve him food, he couldn’t bring himself to speak harshly.

“It wouldn’t be bad to try. It’s my first time eating outside.”

He said that and then bent down to Reniel’s feet.

Then he burned part of the knight’s trousers caught around her ankles that were too big and cumbersome, and removed them.

“Go get some clothes, Terrison.”

Terrison thought it impossible for his master to be capable of such kindness, but he reluctantly answered for now.

If he pointed it out, he might be burned to ashes.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Thanasis, as if he had no intention of listening to Terrison’s answer, was already heading towards a table in the corner of the inn’s first floor with Reniel as soon as he finished speaking.

Originally, inns typically operated a restaurant on the first floor and guest rooms from the second floor up.

And there was usually a stable in the back.

Soon, Thanasis sat at a table with Reniel. The guard knights then sat at other tables nearby.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Thanasis belatedly became concerned about her not wearing pants.

She nodded and was wondering if she could take off the hood of her robe.

“By the way, can I enter the palace when my identity is still unclear?”

“Why are you suddenly speaking as if that’s a problem? Are you saying this because you don’t want to go together?”

Although she had asked out of concern, Thanasis sharply retorted as if he felt she was trying to avoid going because she didn’t want to.

“I… I’m asking because I want to go together.”

She felt the robe become more uncomfortable due to her frustrating feelings.

As she hesitated with her hand in the air, unsure whether to remove the hood of her robe or not, he removed it for her.

“But wouldn’t it be better to treat Your Highness instead of having a meal?”

She said that, remembering the traces of wounds she had seen on his back when they escaped.

“Why? Are you worried?”

“How could I not be worried? The wounds are so severe.”

Thanasis thought it strange how his mood was fluctuating because of Reniel.

Originally, he was a person who was consistently irritated. But now his mood was swinging between good and bad in very short cycles.

“I’ll get treatment when we return to the palace anyway.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“It hurts. But it’s bearable. We have a long way to go, so we need to eat.”

“But earlier you said we should go like this.”

“I didn’t know you were hungry.”

Reniel smiled brightly at his words, seemingly grateful. Thanasis softened a bit more.

“Are you not hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. I’m more worried about Your Highness.”

Perhaps due to her ticklish words, Thanasis became docile again.

Soon after, the innkeeper approached very cautiously to take their order.

“I’ll have veal steak.”

“Ah… I’m sorry, customer, but we don’t have such luxurious food at our inn…”

Then Thanasis glared at him and said.

“Figure it out and make it. Isn’t that your job?”

Reniel waved her hands in panic and said.

“Then I’ll have bacon and sausage! And scrambled eggs too!”

“Just eat the veal steak.”

“No, come to think of it, I should eat lightly if we’re going to eat again at the palace.”

“Give us the same thing. We’ll eat again at the palace.”

“Okay.”

Somehow, she thought this master seemed more demanding than Felix.

On the other hand, she also thought it was natural for the difficulty of serving to increase along with the expected raise in salary.

“Then… give us what she said.”

“Yes, customer!”

With that, the innkeeper quickly disappeared, and other employees were asking the knights at other tables about their food orders.

Not long after, the food came out, and Reniel smiled when she saw that the same thing she had ordered was placed at Thanasis’ seat.

“You should eat too, Your Highness. You said it’s your first time eating outside food.”

But when Thanasis actually saw the grilled bacon, potatoes, smoked sausage, and scrambled eggs that were served, he felt displeased.

The meals he had eaten in the secret room seemed more luxurious.

He frowned but watched Reniel cut the sausage and ate it the same way.

As soon as he put it in his mouth, he frowned at the unpleasant texture of the tasteless sausage. This time, Reniel felt the same way.

She tried to make a good expression, but it wasn’t easy due to her palate that had been spoiled at the Le Pelique duchy.

Even the smoked sausage there was really delicious, but here it was at a level where you’d only eat it when really hungry.

“……”

Thanasis took one bite and then put down his utensils. Reniel smiled while watching his reaction.

“When we go to the palace, I’ll let you eat delicious food every day.”

“Really?”

“In return, I’d like you to feed me like before.”

Somehow, the food tasting bad seemed to be because she wasn’t feeding him.

“Of course.”

Reniel answered like that, thinking about the salary increase she would get.

Thanasis liked her compliant answer and watched her eat with his chin resting on his hand.