“I didn’t leave my place for him to do such a thing.”

“Is she pretending to be crazy on purpose? For now, Duke Daga insists she’s feverish and delirious.”

As Duke Daga, he had no choice but to do so. It would be perfect fodder for gossip if the Empress, who was once in love with the prince, who had rebelled and returned, were to talk about it. Even if she weren’t crazy, she would have to claim she was.

However, Hyacinth had no reaction and merely continued to undress his outerwear. But the hand that untied the string that held his cape in place slowed down. It was because he was deep in thought.

As the Captain of the Imperial Guard waited patiently, almost at the same time as the string loosened, Hyacinth opened his mouth again.

“There’s nothing Ainy can gain by pretending to be mad, and there’s no benefit in bringing up Hewm’s story directly.”

“Indeed. Due to Empress Ainy bringing up the Prince’s story, even people who had forgotten about it are now gossiping about the old matter. There are also people who say the Empress is missing her old lover and has gone mad.”

Duke Daga was ambitious, but he wasn’t foolish enough to raise a revolt against Hyacinth at this time.

If there was a time when he would try to overthrow Hyacinth, it would probably be when Empress Ainy was pregnant with royalty. If that’s the case…

“Something’s strange.”

“There must be a catch?”

“No, the fact that Ainy is babbling.”

“Do you believe it?”

“The enemy’s words seem more plausible.”

Handing the cape he had taken off to the Captain of the Imperial Guard, Hyacinth looked out of the window. The night, unusually weak in starlight and moonlight, seemed much darker than usual.

“I have to go back first.”

‘Falling asleep cursing Hyacinth and having a nightmare, huh?’

Latil looked around the dark castle and clicked her tongue. This was the gloomiest castle she had ever seen in all the castles she had seen so far.

It was darker and more humid than the place where the royal harem had been abandoned.

‘Is it underground?’

Just looking at the corridor, you could tell this was quite a large castle, but strangely, there were no windows.

‘It’s like it’s underground.’

As the cold air brushed the tip of her nose and she felt an involuntary chill, Latil wrapped herself in her own arms and slowly walked forward.

‘The dream is so vivid.’

But a dream is a dream, and no matter how much she walked, there was nothing but the corridor. Just when she thought that this might not be a castle but a maze, someone grabbed Latil.

“!”

She was startled and turned around to see a man in a fox mask standing there. It was the man in the fox mask who had grabbed Latil’s arm.

When Latil looked at him, the man let go of her hand and opened his mouth. However, before the man in the fox mask could say anything…

The sound of shoes hitting the stone and loud voices began to come from the bottom of the corridor on the other side. Apparently, there were stairs over there, and someone was coming up from below.

Latil quickly looked around, but there was no place to hide in this corridor.

‘No, I’ve already been caught by the fox mask. There’s no need to hide.’

Then the fox mask took off his coat and put it over Latil’s head.

What? When Latil looked surprised, the fox mask brought his finger near his lips.

Shush. It meant to be quiet. Considering the circumstances, it seemed he was trying to protect Latil from the upcoming footsteps…

Latil was dumbfounded. No, even if I wear this coat and keep my mouth shut, people will still see me, won’t they?

Was that guy not wearing an animal mask, but was he an actual animal? Animals tend to think they’re hiding if they cover my eyes. But……

‘Does he truly not see me?’

Those who climbed the stairs completely didn’t look at Latil. Not just Latil, but also towards the fox mask.

‘Is it some kind of black magic?’

But the moment they saw the ones who appeared, Latil was even more surprised and opened her mouth wide. The person at the forefront of the group was Tlara, who she had ordered to be executed herself.

And those who followed Tlara were suspicious ones wearing different animal masks… Tlara was the only one who didn’t wear a mask and revealed her face.

‘Is she really alive?’

Surprised Latil took a step back when she heard a rustling sound from beneath her feet. There were small piles of stones on the floor that seemed to have been kicked by Latil.

At that moment, Tlara, who was walking, suddenly stopped and looked around.

“Did it sound like something just made a noise?”

Latil covered her mouth and looked at Tlara. Just when Tlara looked left and then turned her head to the right… as her gaze passed over Latil, she got goosebumps.

Fortunately, Tlara tilted her head and started walking again. It definitely seemed like she couldn’t see Latil.

“By the way, where’s the fox? Where did he go again without a trace?”

“That guy is always busy, isn’t he?”

However, as soon as she was relieved, Latil stiffened her shoulders again. It’s because the rabbit mask who answered Tlara’s grumbling glanced this way.

But instead of purposely acknowledging, the rabbit mask continued talking to Tlara while looking straight ahead.

“Thanks to him, things are getting resolved smoothly, so it’s a good thing.”

“My mother is trapped in the tower. My younger sibling has a bad personality, so he must be abusing my mother. I have to rescue her.”

Tlara and the group, who walked straight ahead, disappeared completely. As dark silence settled again in the space filled with voices, the fox mask removed his upper clothes from Latil’s head and spoke.

“It’s not time for you to come yet.”

‘Not yet?’

Latil frowned at his strange words, but instead of explaining further, the fox mask suggested.

“I’ll take you to the palace. Hold on to me……”

But before the fox mask could finish his words, Latil grabbed his mask and pulled it off. And the face revealed……

“You!”

Surprised Latil sat up abruptly and grabbed Guesta’s chin, but as soon as she met his surprised eyes, she quickly dropped her hand.

“Oh. Sorry.”

Guesta looked at Latil in shock and stuttered.

“Your Majesty? Are… you okay?”

Latil looked around.

This place wasn’t that gloomy, eerie corridor either. A wellarranged garden and the lights scattered like stars around it… It was a beautiful garden inside the harem.

“Why am I here?”

When Latil asked, Guesta shook his head timidly.

“I don’t know. I was walking around, and Your Majesty was lying here……”

Latil suddenly thought that Guesta might be that fox mask and that she and he were in that castle. Of course, Guesta was completely different from the fox mask and the clothes, but since this situation happened right after she took off the mask, it was a bit suspicious.

“Uh, Guesta.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

However, the moment Latil was about to ask a question about him.

“Your Majesty?”

Not far away, Carlein’s voice and the sound of stepping on the grass were getting closer.

“Hasn’t Your Majesty woken up yet?”

It was Carlein who appeared a moment later. Carlein, who brought the palace.

“Your Majesty.”

Seeing Latil, Carlein came with a relieved face and carefully reached out to touch Latil’s face.

“Are you okay?”

“Why am I here?”

When Latil asked, Carlein exchanged glances with Guesta and carefully asked.

“Don’t you remember?”

When Latil shook her head, Carlein said in a firm voice.

“When we found you, Your Majesty was already lying here.”

“We? You and Guesta found me together?”

“Yes.”

The palace looked at Latil, Carlein, and Guesta, one after another, with a closed mouth, as if wondering what was going on. Latil scowled and brushed back her flowing hair.

So, was it not that I was in that black castle and came here, but I was lying here from the beginning? Sleepwalking or something like that?

I felt hollow.

‘So, Tilla or the Fox Mask. Were my meetings with them also dreams?’