Ilarid was taking a short break in the lounge. As she lay languidly in an armchair next to the table, enjoying the afternoon rest time, she heard familiar footsteps from the far end of the corridor.

‘Lynette.’

By now, she could tell who it was just by the sound of their footsteps. After all, they had lived together for over a decade. They were even like comrades who had shared life and death. Ilarid smiled faintly as she looked at the door that would soon open.

She could hear the sound of someone catching their breath outside. In a few seconds, Lynette would announce her arrival.

“Your Majesty the Empress, Head Maid Lynette is here.”

“Come in.”

Her voice sounded quite agitated, as if she had heard about that matter. Had she perhaps met Lebel before coming to the Empress’s palace?

The door opened immediately, and Lynette, still not fully composed, hurriedly entered.

“Speak slowly, you’ll run out of breath.”

“Your Majesty the Empress! What on earth are you thinking?”

“So you’ve heard.”

Was it Lebel, or other maids in the palace? She had expected some rumors to spread as early as today due to Cledius’s disgraceful behavior this morning.

Those who spread rumors wouldn’t stay quiet after hearing the voices of the Emperor and Empress. And many hypotheses would arise. Lovers’ quarrel, budget issues, and so on.

Rather than one certain truth, ten baseless rumors were better. The public’s speculations would grow and become a faithful fog concealing Ilarid.

Seeing Ilarid’s calm attitude, Lynette walked briskly forward. Then, with a solemn face, she leaned on the table placed in front of the armchair with both arms.

“Your Majesty the Empress. I told you I carry spare hearts around, right? It’s far from enough.”

“I’ll try to arrange it from the Empress’s palace budget. Submit a request.”

“Please don’t take a joke seriously. What on earth is this about? You didn’t even tell me anything…”

There was a hint of hurt in Lynette’s worried words.

Hadn’t they been living day by day in an icy routine, watching Cledius’s mood? In such a situation, one could have assumed there was another reason for choosing the risky move of bringing in a ‘shadow’.

It was certainly a difficult situation in any case. Cledius held all the power that an emperor could possess.

He had nobles and armies on his side, and the imperial guard closest to him. Even the parliament and courts couldn’t reign over the emperor. They only provided advice or suggestions.

Then who was on Ilarid’s side against this?

Lynette hadn’t said anything about such matters. The more so, she wished Ilarid had told her and they could have banded together, but perhaps Ilarid didn’t think that way.

Noticing Lynette’s hurt feelings, Ilarid rose and grasped the table that Lynette was leaning on. Her eyes, reflecting the time they had spent together, shone clearly.

“There’s something I haven’t told you. It’s about Lebel.”

Had they grown particularly close after visiting the ward where he was hospitalized last night? Ilarid wouldn’t have made him her ‘shadow’ impulsively without any thought. Lynette waited for her friend’s next words in a tense state.

“Remember when we were young, and we snuck out of the mansion to see the fireworks?”

“Of course I remember. Just thinking about when we confronted that slave trader…”

“The slave boy I saved that day was Lebel.”

“What?”

Lynette’s jaw slowly dropped. How many times had she uttered question marks today? Lynette, who had been just blinking silently, heard the hidden details and collapsed into any nearby chair.

“Are you alright, Lynette?”

“How could I be… I think I’ve learned too many facts today. It’s really too much…”

Lynette grumbled lowly, hunching her back. How could she have known all this by herself? She probably wanted to protect it, but it would have been nice if she had told me. The lingering taste of hurt at the end was bitter.

After that tragic day, Ilarid saw Lynette as someone she had to protect. She thought Lynette had suffered hardships because she brought her to the palace. But thanks to Ilarid choosing her as a maid, she was able to survive.

‘If I had stayed at the mansion, I probably wouldn’t have escaped death either.’

She had only received from the Melpirams. In childhood, Keira had reached out to her, and Ilarid had protected her from Cledius’s threats. By throwing away her own life.

“Your Majesty the Empress. I’ve already received two reprieves.”

A choked voice flowed from Lynette’s mouth as she curled up. Why did the word ‘two’ feel so heavy? Once would have been enough. But when another is added, the intensity of the weight changes.

Knowing that heaviness, Lynette decided to live for Ilarid.

“So please tell me too. We have years together, don’t we?”

Lynette straightened her back and came closer to Ilarid. She soon knelt before Ilarid, who was both her friend and the Empress, and leaned close.

“Aren’t we comrades who have shared life and death? It’s not just me who thinks that, right?”

Ilarid’s hands were still small and cold. Lynette grasped them tightly, intending to warm them.

“Just get angry, Lynette.”

“How dare I express anger towards Your Majesty the Empress.”

Their low laughter flowed beneath the floor of the lounge. Ilarid, seemingly embarrassed, kept fidgeting her fingers inside Lynette’s hands.

“I should have told you earlier, I’m sorry.”

“In return, please tell me most things. It’s better for me too when I need to take action. Although things in progress are still in a fog…”

Lynette rose and returned to her usual appearance as the head maid. After exhaling a short breath, she immediately got to the point.

“I expect there will be things for me to do from now on. Please give your orders, Your Majesty the Empress.”

A relationship that couldn’t be explained in words alone tied Ilarid and Lynette together – Empress and head maid, trusted friends and benefactor, family sharing the pain of losing everything overnight.

“First… tell the Emperor’s palace the final decided schedule for the Academy inspection. I want to start from there.”

“Is it because of the corruption issues you heard about last time? But a simple inspection will never bring it to light.”

“Among the Academy’s faculty, there are those from provincial noble families. Though less prominent than nobles living in the capital and nearby, they’re more capable than anyone.”

These are people who have risen to faculty positions despite enduring subtle discrimination for being from unremarkable families. Naturally, they would have personally experienced all kinds of injustices within.

And to strike at the enemy, we need to slowly create division from within their ranks.

“Most provincial nobles are at odds with the royal family and capital nobles. I want to use this opportunity to properly split them apart.”

Among the provincial nobles, there were some who had maintained favorable relations with the Melpirams in the past. Although most contact was cut off after the tragedy that befell the Melpirams, at some point, families requesting cooperation from Ilarid also increased.

Of course, rather than revenge for the Melpirams, they likely wanted to vent their frustrations with Cledius and the capital nobles.

In the case of provincial nobles, although their families themselves were unremarkable, they were still influential leaders in their regions. Most were renowned scholars, lawyers, or professors, and some were even former ministers.

She planned to directly meet individuals from provincial noble backgrounds and students from commoner backgrounds during the inspection. If it’s a meeting with the Empress, perhaps they might quietly convey some facts they’ve been unable to speak about.

And this was the first inspection led by the Empress, not the Emperor. The press, including newspaper companies, will gather with interest.

“A place where the press gathers, and the Empress, who usually doesn’t show herself, attends. There’s no better place to bring a problem to light.”

Ilarid’s eyelashes lowered as she muttered quietly.

Although the Royal Academy claimed to admit students from commoner backgrounds, they barely reached double digits compared to the total number of students. On the surface, they packaged it as abolishing discrimination, but in reality, it was still a hotbed of inequality.

What about gender? They admitted female students, but emphasized that ‘what they need is to raise their children excellently and protect their homes with the right mindset’.

While restricting access to practically necessary studies, they only provided education to create virtuous mothers.

They said the world, the problems would definitely change. Time passed, but nothing changed.

Perhaps even if the Empress steps forward to bring it to light, it might just be a momentary spark. It could be a useless struggle, or a small spark that might go out before it even starts.

But what changes if we do nothing? Neither success nor failure is determined. Ilarid picked up the poker and stirred that faint ember, blowing air into it.

Well, you’ve waited long enough. It seems it’s time to rise, everyone.

**

Alice, who entered through the back door of the mansion, quickly hid her wig and sneaked in through the side door to the kitchen. Pale-faced maids sighed and pulled Alice in.

“Miss, where have you been until now!”

“Sorry I’m late, I thought there was no schedule today?”

“Marquis and Marchioness Geminia have arrived. The Count has been pressing us to have you greet them, we’ve been sweating trying to make excuses. Hurry and prepare, then go to the reception room.”

Marquis Geminia was one of the Emperor’s close associates. They were people who held mining rights in the eastern mountains and part of the tax collection rights in the imperial colonies.

“Why are they… Was my father such a renowned person?”

As if. A cat walking on the fence would be higher. The maids wanted to say but held back their words as they hurriedly helped with Alice’s preparation.

Allen instantly transformed into Alice. Was the free and comfortable time just a fleeting moment? The tightly laced corset made it hard to breathe. She took a deep breath and headed to the reception room on the first floor.

“My Lord. The first young lady is here.”

Alice awkwardly entered the reception room and greeted them. Inside were the Marquis, who looked stern at first glance, and the Marchioness, who appeared kind but whose true intentions were unclear.

“It’s nice to meet you. Count Diobe, how could you not say a word about having such a daughter?”

The Marchioness glanced at Count Diobe and spoke playfully. But somehow the gathered scene looked quite suspicious. Alice’s instincts, honed from rolling in workplaces and streets, sharpened.

‘This looks like quite a suspicious meeting.’

Noticing his eldest daughter’s sharp gaze, Count Diobe hurriedly added words.

“They are investors in our Gloria Foundation! Marchioness Geminia also boasts a wide network in social circles, so you should keep close and interact often. I hear she’s also deeply knowledgeable about artworks, isn’t that wonderful!”

Alice wasn’t particularly curious about Marchioness Geminia’s knowledge. What she was curious about was the mysterious object wrapped in white cloth, leaning slightly behind the Marquis and Marchioness.

‘Is it a canvas? Or a frame? It looks like someone’s painting at a glance.’

In a world Alice couldn’t imagine, she had heard that sometimes artworks were used to launder taxes or create channels for slush funds. Because art originally can’t have its value estimated.

When did Count Diobe step into such a world? It was strange when he suddenly started charity work he had no interest in before, and now the Marquis and Marchioness visiting with artwork. Alice hid her suspicions and left the reception room.

“Her Majesty the Empress also bought two paintings at this exhibition. Perhaps it’s because she inherited Count Diobe’s eye? How discerning and excellent…”

The Marchioness’s clear voice was heard through the closing door.

Even though she had all but cut ties with her sister, she was still worried. From the looks of things, it was clear that Selina was caught between the nobles’ black money.

“Miss. An invitation arrived while you were away.”

“What kind of invitation is on a silver tray…”

Alice checked the seal on the envelope and stepped back in shock. Her face had turned as pale as if she had seen a corpse revived from the grave.

“Why did this come here?”

“Why, you ask? Because you’re a proper lady too, Miss Alice.”

“An invitation sent directly by Her Majesty the Empress!”

It took some time for color to return to Alice’s face, which had turned white. Today, really, too many things had happened.