Four days later. A letter arrived from Bertisha. More like a summons than an invitation, saying I should come see her before the week ended. Right now, I was boarding a carriage headed for the imperial palace, responding to Bertisha’s suspicious invitation.

I stared blankly out the window and thought.

‘Back then, when Yezar said he was happy… did he mean it?’

Inside the rattling carriage, I recalled Yezar’s expression once more. It had been like a vast, cloudless blue sky.

That’s why it was so hard to forget. Of course, the moment I saw that look, I rolled up my blanket and crawled into the corner of the bed.

‘Where are you going, my lady?’

‘It’s almost time to sleep. I’m just stepping away for a moment! It’s awkward to sleep close when your skin shows through everything. Sometimes it’s better to sleep apart—oh!’

‘You’re trembling from the thunder. Where are you going? Stay close beside me. I won’t look elsewhere, I promise.’

‘Still…’

‘And if you’re still not calmed down, just tell me. I’ll help you calm down.’

At that promise to “calm me down,” my heart beat wildly on its own. I even uselessly recalled kissing him once more.

‘I must’ve been crazy back then. Completely insane!’

One time should’ve been enough. Why did my body reflexively tremble again at the sound of thunder? He was holding me tightly. My trembling transmitted straight to him, so I couldn’t deny it.

The situation kept getting more tangled. Still, it was fortunate that Yezar seemed to have sorted out his feelings toward Bertisha to some extent.

‘I hope I can properly speak to Bertisha today.’

Tell her that my husband feels uncomfortable about her meeting me. Ask her to stop approaching our marriage. Given Bertisha’s personality, she’d likely be too proud to continue after such words. Yet remembering how stubbornly she’d clung in the past, maybe she wouldn’t stop after all.

‘Does Camileo find Bertisha’s actions strange? It’s clearly odd—constantly seeking out Yezar, summoning me, Yezar’s wife, to the palace at a time when there’s no official reason. Doesn’t he find it suspicious?’

Camileo might seem like a psychopath to me, but judging from the novel as a whole, aside from focusing solely on his own people, he also managed his image well and demonstrated exceptional ability in overseeing court affairs and running the nation.

Of course, that’s probably just because he’s the male lead.

‘I wish Camileo would notice the situation and take action… so that neither Yezar nor I have to deal with this nuisance.’

In the novel, I’d quite liked her character. But right now, Bertisha was nothing more than someone unpleasant, annoying, and bothersome to me whenever we met.

***

“Welcome, Duchess Ferhaem.”

Bertisha, smiling warmly, seemed to be in a good mood. Her expression was brighter than the last time we’d met.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, it has. Since I can’t easily leave the palace, I had to call you here. How have you been? I imagine you waited quite a bit, since I couldn’t contact you.”

Waited? I’d been worried she was plotting some scheme. I replied with a calm smile.

“I assumed you had your reasons. Your Majesty, congratulations on your pregnancy. I’m glad to share in such joyful news.”

Still, bearing a child was a cause for celebration. That part was sincere. Bertisha tilted her head slightly at my words.

“Really? I worked hard for it. To carry the child of my beloved sun, Camileo.”

Bertisha’s face, flushed with a rosy hue, looked like that of someone deeply in love. In the novel, whenever Camileo was mentioned, Bertisha was described as fresh and vibrant—making it obvious she wasn’t meant to end up with Yezar.

‘So that’s the kind of expression she wears. She loves Camileo like this. Then why does she keep approaching Yezar? What could she possibly be missing?’

While pondering such questions, I sipped my tea. Then she asked me:

“Do you know why I worked so hard to conceive, Duchess Ferhaem?”

“Did His Majesty wish for it?”

“No. Camileo was more concerned about my health and said it was fine to wait. I wanted it. A child would deepen his love for me and strengthen my position.”

It sounded strange. The love between the female lead Bertisha and male lead Camileo was supposed to be unwavering. Why desire deeper love or a firmer status? Bertisha spoke like someone being chased by something.

“Was there really such an不安 reason that made you so eager for a child?”

“Yes, there was.”

She smiled as she answered. But looking at Bertisha, I felt a chilling coldness. It seemed her eyes held hostility aimed directly at me.

“It was a feeling I’d never experienced before—the anxiety of someone taking what’s mine. It was novel, and unsettling. After all, everything I ever wanted always came to me effortlessly.”

For the heroine Bertisha, everything she desired had been granted. Overcoming minor trials brought her public support, Camileo’s love, and the position of empress.

“What is valuable to you, Duchess Ferhaem?”

Suddenly, the arrow of the question turned toward me. Though startled, I gave a safe, conventional answer.

“Perhaps time spent with someone you love?”

At my reply, she stirred her teaspoon a few times, then tapped her cup lightly. Soon, it seemed her interest had waned, and Bertisha’s eyes fixed on me.

A radiant smile spread across her lips.

“Is that so? What’s valuable to me is what can’t be easily obtained. There’s no need to strive for things that are always within reach, things that are easy to possess.”

If that sounded like she was indirectly referring to Yezar’s heart, was I overinterpreting?

No. That couldn’t be. Why else would she summon me just to say such things?

“Oh, for example, a heart offered by someone you’ve never wronged—wouldn’t that be valuable?”

At her clearly mocking words, I stood up abruptly. In response, she protectively covered her belly.

“Why are you suddenly acting like this, Duchess Ferhaem? You’ll frighten my child.”

I had wondered why she called me here. Was it to force me to listen while she mocked my husband? Rage surged from my scalp to my toes.

I knew exactly what kind of feelings Yezar had once held for Bertisha. Regardless of my own jealousy, those feelings weren’t worthless enough to be ridiculed like this.

In fact, that pure emotion—wishing only for the other’s happiness—had once seemed noble to me.

I suppressed my anger as much as possible and asked her:

“Your Majesty, are you aware of what you’re saying right now?”

“I was merely discussing what holds no value. Is there a problem? Glaring at me like that isn’t proper. Show proper respect before me, Duchess Ferhaem.”

Gnashing my teeth, I swallowed hard and sat back down. Lashing out at her wouldn’t help. So I decided to strike back in another way.

“I wasn’t glaring. I apologize if I gave you that impression, Your Majesty. But hearing you speak, I’ve become curious. What kind of psychology drives someone to strive to regain something they themselves declared worthless? I find it strange when someone persists despite the other’s lack of interest.”

In an instant, Bertisha’s expression turned icy. She surely knew I was provoking her—that’s why she reacted this way.

“Psychology? If it originally belonged to me, of course I’d want it back. Even if it briefly slipped from my hands, it doesn’t become someone else’s possession.”

“But what if it never truly belonged to you in the first place?”

At my question, Bertisha let out a small laugh.

“Oh, Duchess. What an amusing thing to say. It couldn’t possibly not belong to me. After all, it crumbled at just one tear.”

Bertisha was deeply mistaken. She truly believed that one tear of hers still held Yezar captive. Strangely, I felt like laughing.

Her arrogance was truly ridiculous.

“You think it crumbled? You’ve lived your whole life as if everything belonged to you.”

At those words, Bertisha’s body trembled violently. I felt a sudden urge to shatter her delusion.

“But the protagonist of this world is no longer you. No matter how hard you try, there will now be things you cannot obtain.”

Bertisha was no longer the heroine. Her story had already ended with a happy ending.

‘I wondered why Bertisha clung so desperately to Yezar’s feelings. Now I understand. Bertisha still lives in a world where she’s the main character.’

“The time when you had everything will never return. You can’t have it all. If you refuse to accept that, your days ahead will only grow harder. I can promise you that.”

Perhaps the reason Bertisha kept appearing anxious was because her world was changing.

No longer was everything hers. The reality had arrived where she had to accept situations she didn’t wish for.

“That’s impossible. Nothing can change. I miss the days when the three of us were together! When everyone smiled at me and willingly offered kindness…”

Her gentle voice rose in volume. Her face flushed, and her voice grew sharp with excitement. This was Bertisha’s true nature. She didn’t want to accept Yezar’s feelings, yet she hated losing the kindness he offered me.

She simply wanted to selfishly enjoy his affection.

‘Ah… Yezar. You fool. Why did you ever give such precious feelings to someone like her?’

I felt my heart ache for no good reason.