Serena felt as if she had been completely reborn. It was different from when she first became the Serena of the story, as this time she had fully experienced the high fever from the beginning.

“Phew, I feel like I can live now.”

Serena showed a comfortable smile after eating the warm soup and soft bread. Anna was relieved to see her like that.

The doctor who came later also firmly stated that Serena had fully recovered, and left saying that he would report to the senior doctor.

“Anna, open the curtains for me.”

“Yes, my lady.”

The sunlight always shines the same, but today it seemed particularly brilliant. Nothing around had changed, but Serena’s world had changed.

In a moment of realization, Serena had shattered the framework of the world, and finally awakened as a protagonist with a firm will, not just a supporting character going with the flow.

“I caused such a commotion right after entering the palace, worrying everyone for nothing.”

“It’s alright now that you’re healthy again.”

According to Anna, Serena had lost consciousness for exactly two days due to the high fever, and for the next two days, she slept like a hibernating animal without eating or drinking.

“Still… for several days…”

It had been five days since the Empress sent items that were good for the Crown Princess’s health, so from the outside, it seemed as if Serena had been ill for exactly five days.

“I hope the Empress wasn’t inconvenienced because of me.”

“Why would the Empress be inconvenienced when you were unwell, my lady?”

“On the night of the first day, His Highness the Crown Prince just left, and the very next day, the Empress’s palace sent various things for my health.”

Only then did Anna nod. It was something she had forgotten for a moment because she had been so distressed.

“But in reality, my fever started the next night… was it night?”

Serena’s memory was still vague. It felt as if she had been sucked into the world of the unconscious as soon as an absolute truth flashed through her mind.

“Yes, it was after sunset. When I found you, your whole body was already burning up…”

“It’s alright, Anna. Look at me now. I’m fine.”

Serena deliberately put more effort into it in case Anna blamed herself.

“I was so upset, wondering if you had become unwell because I had said harsh words.”

“No. Everything Anna said was right. If you hadn’t taught me, I wouldn’t have known that I was ruining my own life.”

It was Anna’s strict words to face reality that changed Serena’s mind.

She may be the Crown Princess receiving attention from everyone now, but if she continued to push away her position and role like this, there would be no place for Serena.

“What bound me wasn’t the position of the Crown Princess, but the limits I had set for myself. So right now, I…”

“No, no.”

Anna quickly waved her hands. It was just like Serena to want to act immediately once she made up her mind, but Anna was worried that the fever might return in the cold winter.

“You can’t right now. Not now, and not yet. Understood?”

It was frustrating that she couldn’t move now when it felt like the whole world was changing. However, considering the concern her condition had caused in the palace, it was right to restrain herself now.

“Just before bringing the meal, I sent two head maids to Her Majesty. By now, she will know that you have woken up and be relieved.”

“To… that person?”

Serena casually looked away and asked about Lucas.

“I sent the maid with the fastest feet to him.”

Originally, in such matters, the head maid would notify the Emperor and Empress in turn before informing the Crown Prince, but considering Lucas, who would be more worried than anyone, it was right to send the fastest one.

“I think I had a dream because of the high fever. It felt like Your Highness was here.”

“Do you remember?”

Anna asked in surprise. It was true that Serena had recognized Lucas.

“Huh?”

Serena’s eyes widened.

“That wasn’t a dream.”

“Then he was really here?”

“Yes. He held your hand by your bedside with such anxious eyes. We couldn’t hear from a distance, but he definitely said that you recognized him and called his name.”

That wasn’t a dream.

“It was… real.”

Just before being dragged into the infinite darkness, when Serena opened her eyes, it was Lucas’s eyes that pulled her into this world and called her name.

“The doctor said rest was important, so His Highness had no choice but to leave the bedchamber, but his footsteps seemed very heavy.”

Serena could still vividly recall those eyes.

Thinking of his dark eyes filled with worry, self-blame, and regret, she could imagine how hard it must have been for him to leave.

“The last time I saw His Highness, I… unilaterally got angry at him.”

Serena already knew in her head that it wasn’t solely Lucas’s fault.

“I was being a coward.”

The reason she showed a cold attitude only to Lucas was because he was the only one she could do that to. Serena hated and was ashamed of herself for that.

“His Highness only wanted you to wake up and be well. He will have already forgotten that you were angry.”

He was a man of great generosity. So much so that Serena often forgot he was four years younger than her.

“But I can’t forget. Maybe I was being too selfish to him.”

Even if Lucas forgave Serena generously, she didn’t want to become a cowardly person herself.

“Emotional matters are often unexpectedly resolved just by seeing each other’s faces.”

Especially if it was a quarrel between newlyweds.

“Don’t worry too much.”

For some reason, Lucas’s face flickered now. Serena didn’t know what to say, but she wanted to see his face and show him that she was alright. Then he might feel relieved or scold her for making him worry.

“Hmm… Anna, since the doctor said I can resume daily activities now, I want to take a bath first.”

After suffering from a high fever for days, Serena missed a warm bath. In fact, since she didn’t know when she would meet Lucas, she wanted to shed her sickly appearance quickly.

“Yes, my lady. Let’s prepare right away. If you’re feeling up to it, shall I take out a dress as well?”

Now, instead of being shy, Serena imagined meeting him again.

“Well… sure. Since I’m feeling energetic for once.”

Finally, the daily life of the Crown Princess’s residence was about to return. At Anna’s instruction, the young maids happily prepared for the bath and the dress, and after dressing up, Serena braided half of her beautiful hair and inserted a diamond pin.

“Now it really feels like you’ve recovered, my lady.”

Anna smiled as she looked at Serena’s elegant appearance. The young maids also seemed more lively today, as if they had been anxious.

“As you ordered, a seat has been prepared in the reception room on the first floor.”

At the words of the head maid Peter, Serena nodded and stood up. It felt very refreshing to stand up and walk on her own strength after several days.

“We pay our respects to Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

As Serena had ordered in advance, all the palace servants working in the Crown Princess’s residence gathered and bowed their heads.

For them, the past few days had been almost like hell, and their hearts were still pounding at the thought that they had almost lost their mistress.

“You were all very worried because of me, weren’t you?”

Serena’s cheeks glowed with vitality, returning to her usual kind appearance. Seeing her directly, all the palace servants couldn’t help but feel relieved.

“As you all know, the doctor said I have fully recovered, so there’s no need to worry anymore.”

As Serena truly decided to live her own life, things that had passed by indifferently caught her eye one by one.

One of them was the people working for her. In a way, the lives of all of them depended on the fate of Serena alone.

“From now on, I will take good care of myself so that you won’t have to worry.”

It was deeply moving that Serena, who had just narrowly escaped death, was caring for the palace servants as soon as she got up.

Even as a palace servant serving a superior, there were cases where one’s name was never properly called in their lifetime, but Serena was as kind as if she saw each and every one of them as equals.

“You probably couldn’t even have proper meals while I was sick, right? Since we shouldn’t waste food in the Crown Princess’s residence, let them prepare the dishes to their heart’s content today.”

In fact, Serena had to have simple meals for a while as she was still recovering, but rather than letting good ingredients go to waste, she wanted to comfort the people who had been through a hard time.

“Make plenty of snacks too, and tell everyone to rest unless it’s an urgent matter.”

They bowed their heads low according to etiquette, but they couldn’t hide their joy. The young maids, in particular, couldn’t hold back their smiles.

Serena looked at the people she would have to rely on and live with from now on for a moment, then returned to the bedchamber.

“Aren’t you resting, Anna? You must have had the hardest time.”

When Serena sat on the sofa and asked, Anna sat across from her with a bright smile.

“I’m doing what I like the most right now.”

“What’s that?”

“Chatting with you like this by your side, my lady.”

Serena looked at Anna with inexpressible gratitude.

“Recently, since coming to the palace, you seemed to strangely lack energy… but rather, after being seriously ill, you’ve become more spirited.”

Indeed, Anna’s eyes were accurate.

“Yes. I realized that everything you said was right. I thought that I should live fulfilling my role anytime, anywhere.”

Serena clearly realized that her choices could change the future. It was a completely different realization from when she had suffered from a high fever before.

And recognizing that fact, she finally felt that she alone was the protagonist of this stage called life.

“Everything I was doing must have stopped while I was sick, right?”

“Yes.”

“Now that I’m okay, start the investigation again. We need to find Elise and find out about the strange history of the Tern Imperial Family.”

Seeing Serena, who had completely regained her energy, Anna nodded with joy.

“And I want to make my own office in the Crown Princess’s residence.”

“An… office?”

“Yes. Just like at the Astel estate. Fortunately, there are many reception rooms.”

It was more important how one lived rather than where one belonged.

“There’s a reception room on the first floor that gets a lot of sunlight, so that would be good.”

“Since we’re setting it up, we should put a fancy desk there.”

Serena’s eyes shone for a new beginning.

“Now, I will find a new daily life here.”

No one in this world is completely free, and no one lives only doing what they want. However, if one fulfills their duties in their current position, there will surely be enjoyable and happy days.

It was a very simple truth of life and a way to start everything anew.