After pondering for a moment, Jieselgrante pulled one corner of her mouth into a smile and said:

“…I think I understand.”

“Did you know? That you were being followed?”

In response to his question asking if she had come here knowing, Jieselgrante quietly shook her head.

“Thanks to what the Count told me, I just found out now. I only meant that I have some idea of who might be tailing me.”

“Who would that be?”

“Probably someone high up in the imperial palace.”

Count Frederick, who had been silent for a moment as if considering who the high-ranking person she mentioned might be, lowered his voice.

“Do you mean His Majesty the Emperor?”

Jieselgrante lightly shook her head.

Instead of giving further explanation to Count Frederick, she blended into the direction crowded with people.

“By the way. Why did you insist on meeting outside?”

“Ah, about that. I think I’ll need to go to my county for a while. There’s a bit of… an issue with the territory.”

Though he said “a bit”, it seemed to be quite a significant concern, as a vein popped out on Count Frederick’s forehead.

“I hope you resolve it well. And please let me know if you need my help.”

Nodding readily, Count Frederick opened his mouth again.

“In addition to the news that I’ll be away from the capital for a while… I requested to meet in person to inform you that I likely won’t be able to attend the upcoming invitation from Baron Cypress.”

“Ah…”

A small sigh escaped through Jieselgrante’s teeth.

‘So that’s why he wanted to meet.’

Count Frederick, who had been building rapport with the nobles on the list she had previously given him, had caught some suspicious circumstances regarding Baron Cypress.

So he immediately delved into Baron Cypress, and quickly discovered that he was someone who helped the Empress and her natal Antares family.

Baron Cypress was a figure who handled dirty work.

Filled with hope that investigating Baron Cypress might lead to clues about Princess Trinity’s death, Count Frederick focused more on building a friendship with him.

And he even managed to secure an invitation that could only be received by those close to him.

‘And yet… to think a problem would arise in the territory at such a crucial time. Is this really a coincidence?’

Somehow, he couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.

“I plan to leave behind a few trusted subordinates to handle matters here. I’m thinking of sending one of the more astute ones to the invitation in my place.”

“Then may I attend in your stead?”

“…Pardon?”

Seemingly very surprised, Count Frederick stopped in his tracks and turned his head towards Jieselgrante.

“You mustn’t think of Baron Cypress, who survived long in a dangerous area, as an ordinary nobleman.”

Count Frederick moved to dissuade her.

“Since we don’t know what might happen there, I’m thinking of bringing as many guards as possible.”

“…”

Count Frederick let out a faint sigh. Three clear lines of wrinkles were etched across his straight brow.

Jieselgrante looked at the serious profile of Count Frederick and let out a small laugh.

“But since when have you worried about me this much?”

Count Frederick, who had been looking at Jieselgrante with an inscrutable expression, soon blurted out:

“Well, do as you please. I suppose I needn’t worry about you, young lady, as you’ll manage well on your own…”

With that, he began striding ahead.

Just when it seemed they would part ways like this, Count Frederick turned around and walked back towards her.

“Shall I… take care of that?”

He gestured with his eyes towards something behind her.

“No, just leave it be.”

Jieselgrante shook her head.

And she once again tried to guess who might have set someone to follow her.

The first person that came to mind was the Empress. But it didn’t seem like the Empress would gain much from investigating her.

‘Is it Joshua?’

He might be harboring resentment from being rejected on the terrace before, and trying to dig up dirt on her.

It seemed he intended to find something to criticize, then blackmail her and manipulate her to follow his will.

Jieselgrante shook her head with an expression of disgust.

Though her influence on Joshua’s character development had been minimal, she had never regretted it as much as now.

[This is the timeline separator]

After realizing she was being followed, Jieselgrante wandered around the square for quite a while before returning home, instead of going straight back to Duke Amaterasu’s mansion.

Moreover, she engaged in some eccentric behavior on the streets.

She stuck a flower that was poking out from between cloth bags behind her ear, and twirled around dancing in the middle of the square.

Afterwards, she went around meddling with people one by one.

Hoping that news that the Duke Amaterasu’s young lady seemed a bit strange would be conveyed without omission to whoever had ordered the surveillance.

‘I’m a bit tired…’

With her shoulders slightly slumped, Jieselgrante entered Duke Amaterasu’s mansion.

Just then, Mikhail, who was coming down the spiral staircase, spotted her and said:

“Jiesel, are you just getting back now?”

“Yes.”

“Where have you been?”

Mikhail asked as he strode towards Jieselgrante.

His face was full of smiles. For some reason, it gave the illusion that a tail was wagging vigorously at his hips.

“I was just… tired of being cooped up at home, so I went for a walk since the weather was nice.”

As Jieselgrante finished answering and was about to head to her bedroom, Mikhail posed another question.

“Have you eaten? Dinner?”

It didn’t seem like he was going to let her go just like that.

“Have you eaten, elder brother?”

“I was about to eat now.”

“Then let’s eat together.”

Mikhail nodded emphatically. Seeing the smile spread across Mikhail’s face, she thought she had made the right choice in not refusing.

‘Ah, I should bring that up.’

While having dinner in the dining room, Jieselgrante casually mentioned, as if it had just occurred to her:

“By the way. If there’s a knight who’s good at concealing their presence and is nimble in action, could you recommend one?”

“Among the knights of House Amaterasu?”

“Yes.”

“…There are a few. But why?”

Jieselgrante mentioned that while walking around the streets today, she felt like someone was following her.

“What bastard!”

Mikhail clenched his fist and slammed it down on the table.

Jieselgrante flinched, her shoulders jumping in surprise. Mikhail immediately apologized.

“Ah, Jiesel. I didn’t mean to startle you… sorry.”

Shaking her head and giving a small smile to indicate it was alright, Jieselgrante declined.

Though she had indeed been surprised by Mikhail’s sudden and violent action, she knew he was acting this way out of concern for her.

“The Duke has returned.”

Just then, the butler who entered the dining room announced Duke Amaterasu’s return.

As Jieselgrante and Mikhail were about to rise from their seats, the butler quickly added:

“I informed the Duke that the young master and young lady were having dinner. The Duke said to finish your meal without coming out to see him.”

“Where is Father now?”

In response to Mikhail’s question, the butler answered:

“He went to his bedroom to change clothes.”

Looking at the empty plate in front of Jieselgrante, Mikhail said:

“I just remembered some urgent business, so I’ll excuse myself first.”

“Alright.”

Mikhail abruptly stood up and quickly walked off somewhere.

As Jieselgrante quietly gazed at his retreating figure, a bowl of lemon sherbet was placed in front of her.

She thought it was perfect timing, as she was already tired from all the activity today.

Jieselgrante scooped up a spoonful of lemon sherbet and put it in her mouth.

A tangy, cool, and sweet flavor spread throughout her mouth.

The corners of her lips curved into a smile.

“How is it, does it suit your taste?”

The chef, who had been watching, asked.

Instead of answering, Jieselgrante gave a thumbs up.

[This is the timeline separator]

Knock knock.

“Father, it’s Mikhail. Do you have a moment?”

“Come in.”

Duke Amaterasu was in his shirt, as if he had been about to change clothes.

“It seems Jiesel has acquired a stalker.”

“What!”

Duke Amaterasu flew into a rage and summoned the guards who had accompanied Jieselgrante on her outing today.

He was informed about the presence of the stalker, along with the eccentric behavior Jieselgrante had displayed today.

“…”

The expressions of Duke Amaterasu and Mikhail became somewhat peculiar.

“Why on earth would Jiesel have done that, Father?”

“Hmm…”

After pondering on that for a moment, the two soon agreed that dealing with the stalker problem was more urgent.

To the two of them, it didn’t matter what Jieselgrante was like. She was simply their precious family member.

Naturally, their conversation flowed towards how they would teach a lesson to whatever impudent bastard dared to bother their dear Jiesel.

“How about stalking the stalker?”

Mikhail offered the first suggestion.

“Yes. Paying them back in kind wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Duke Amaterasu, his eyes narrowed, nodded and continued:

“I want to see the face of this person myself, so if they latch onto Jiesel when she goes out again, be sure to capture them. But don’t kill them.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

The guard knight nodded, looking at Duke Amaterasu’s solemn face.

[This is the timeline separator]

At that time, in the Imperial Palace.

While the Emperor was clutching his throbbing head and continuously downing grape wine, it happened.

The chamberlain entered the office carrying a bundle of parchments.

“…Your Majesty.”

“Is there more to review today?”

“My apologies…”

The chamberlain, biting his lip, gently placed the parchments he was holding on the Emperor’s desk.

Even without reading it, the Emperor could roughly guess what was written on the parchments.

It would say ‘petition’.

They were flowing into the Imperial Palace from all over the empire, and the volume was considerable.

Already, the Emperor’s desk was piled high with petitions that had arrived today and yesterday.