The answer was already apparent from Marianne’s glum-looking face.

Traditionally, it was natural for the emperor and empress to enter together at the coronation ceremony.

There were external gazes to consider, as well as the eyes of the nobles.

However.

“A message came saying to go to the hall first. His Majesty will be a bit late…”

‘Does Casius dislike me so much that he can’t even bear to look at me?’

Well, the last time I saw him, he didn’t seem to believe a word I said.

He probably assigned people to Snowfel and Wintertel as I suggested, since there was nothing to lose, but that’s separate from actually trusting me.

Marianne, who finished speaking in a dejected voice, kept venting her frustration afterwards.

“Iblina, that woman must have seduced His Majesty with her sweet talk.”

I didn’t think Casius had changed so much just because Iblina seduced him.

He probably just… harbors hostility towards me.

Marianne’s agitated voice overlaid my complicated thoughts.

The story, which began with Iblina blocking even entry to the Crown Prince’s Palace, flowed in the direction of condemning her.

“You know, I heard she recently went to volunteer at a shelter. The news article made her out to be as kind as Adel Teresa, even though she indulged in everything there. It’s so transparent.”

The regular volunteer activities of the Winterdel family were famous even within the empire.

They carried out quite a few activities to turn public opinion in their favor.

‘It’s all just for show, though.’

Behind the scenes, they squeezed out blood money from the people and used a tiny fraction of it to curry favor again – that was their method.

“People are being deceived by that woman right now.”

“…”

“Even this time, it’s too much. Sharing the guest list with Your Highness is absolutely basic.”

As Marianne said, Iblina hadn’t shared the list of attendees with me until today.

“We can’t just let this incident slide.”

In reality, preparing to receive guests without even a list of foreign dignitaries was unthinkable.

Marianne, who had become quite impulsive and emotional about my affairs at some point, snorted angrily this time as well.

I gave her a fresh smile and soothed her.

“Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

“But…”

Seeing her looking dejected, I added one more word.

“I don’t need such a list. I already know the etiquette of the continent by heart.”

Marianne seemed to think my words were just bravado, not believing them at all.

Well, ordinary young ladies don’t know the customs of all the nobles and royals on the continent.

To be precise, that was impossible even for advisors who had honed their skills over a long period of time.

The etiquette, languages, formalities, and cultures of other kingdoms are immeasurably diverse.

“You don’t believe me?”

“What? No, it’s not that… I just think we should give them a stern warning.”

I could read the concern for me in Marianne’s expression.

Leaning briefly on that great loneliness, I continued calmly.

“Iblina probably hopes I’ll do that.”

“Pardon?”

This matter was clearly entrusted to Iblina by Casius.

If I were to specifically demand the list, it would appear as if I was interjecting personal feelings into an official matter.

So there was no reason to reveal that and further lower my prestige in public while elevating her, as Iblina intended.

Marianne didn’t seem to understand my meaning, but she didn’t say anything more.

However, she poured all her energy into selecting a tiara, as if trying to wrap all the souls in the world around my body.

Looking at the sparkling tiaras in the jewelry box, I pondered about Iblina.

This event wasn’t simply a place for a power struggle between her and me.

The coronation ceremony was a place to display the national prestige of the empire.

If I, who was to become empress, made even a small mistake there, it would be like smearing mud on the empire’s face.

‘Well, Iblina, who’s so busy trying to oust me now, probably wouldn’t think of such things.’

I might have let other matters slide, but I had no intention of letting this one go.

‘At the very least, I should let Casius know.’

As I organized my thoughts, the maids who brought the dress moved busily under Marianne’s direction.

The dress chosen after days of fittings exuded an elegant feeling.

After the fitting was done, Marianne exclaimed in admiration as if she had never been upset.

The other maids also chimed in, as if trying to match her mood.

“I think everyone will only look at Your Highness today.”

“You look like an elegant black swan reborn.”

As they said, I looked like an elegant and spirited black swan that could hardly be believed to have such diligent legs.

I had to admit this beauty, just for today.

At that moment, the youngest maid spoke tactlessly.

“His Majesty will surely fall for you.”

The atmosphere instantly turned cold. Given that I had to go to the banquet hall without Casius, there was no way he would fall for me.

‘I wonder if he’ll even speak a word to me at the banquet hall.’

And so, I headed towards the Grand Hall alone, like a stranger.

*

As I entered the Grand Hall, escorted by the imperial guards protecting me from the incoming crowds, I saw the grand door engraved with a massive wolf emblem.

The doorkeeper hesitated for a moment, perhaps surprised by my solitary appearance.

When Marianne nodded towards him, the door finally opened.

Only then did a member in Wolf d’Or knight’s uniform standing on the opposite side shout loudly.

“Her Majesty the Empress enters!”

Due to the knight’s booming voice, the nobles’ gazes instantly turned towards me.

The murmuring in the hall suddenly died down, and as they lined up on both sides, my solitary figure became even more prominent.

As I advanced forward, hundreds of gazes flew and pierced me.

There was curiosity, malicious interest, and sympathy mixed in them.

As I walked on the road towards the chair on the central platform, I could hear the wide-eyed nobles whispering among themselves.

“Did she come alone?”

“It seems the rumors about His Majesty distancing himself from Her Majesty the Empress were true.”

“Can’t you tell from her coming alone even to the coronation? This has never happened before.”

“Then is it true that Lady Iblina has monopolized His Majesty’s favor?”

Most of those having such conversations, as if wanting me to hear, were nobles from the imperial faction.

Father stood among them with a slightly dark expression, not joining the conversation.

Father, who didn’t particularly like such occasions, usually stood alone at events… but this time, the imperial faction nobles didn’t seem to let him go.

At their center was undoubtedly Duke Bashubir Winterdel.

Seeing that he had taken a position easily visible from the entrance, it seemed he wanted to appeal to Casius that he was taking care of the Rosemary family to this extent.

Diarob was looking at that sight as if it was unsightly, taking a position on the opposite side with the nobles he controlled.

Diarob’s people, including himself, seemed quite displeased with the situation, maintaining silence without saying a word.

As I was watching this scene, Diarob’s gaze slowly turned and collided with mine.

The thought of him spouting nonsense about still not having seduced Casius gave me a headache just thinking about it.

But somehow, unlike usual, he showed a smile full of composure.

‘Why?’

He should be displeased that I entered the hall alone, so I couldn’t even guess why he was acting so nonchalant.

But since nothing in particular stood out, I decided to suppress such anxiety for now.

Today was the day I would become empress from crown princess, so many eyes would be on me.

There were many things to pay attention to just to complete the coronation ceremony without mistakes.

At that moment, there was a commotion near the entrance, and soon the doorkeeper announced Casius’s entrance in a loud voice.

“His Majesty the Emperor enters!”

The massive doors opened smoothly, and the scattering sunlight broke and shattered as it came in.

As the door closed and the light dispersed, Casius’s tall figure revealed his presence.

Over his muscular body that looked good in anything, he wore a suit that felt more splendid than neat.

Above the folded collar, a sparkling wolf-patterned brooch was embroidered, contrasting with his soft lines.

However, unlike usual, his half-shaved hairstyle evoked a rough feeling as fierce as a wolf.

And for a moment, his gaze touched me.

I thought it was an illusion, but that gaze lingered for quite a while, making my breath catch.

‘Why does he look at me like that when he made me enter alone?’

As my gaze, mixed with resentment and bewilderment, was about to bore into him, murmurs reached my ears, and my gaze naturally shifted to behind him.

The one positioned there was… Iblina Winterdel.

Of course, as an advisor, she could accompany him.

But what caught my eye first was the strange distance closer to being beside him than behind, and Casius not restraining it.

Moreover, her approaching appearance was entirely modeled after Rachel, taking the form I had done one day.

Even the modestly raised tiara resembled Rachel, which was laughable.

Furthermore, the dress with its cream-colored, modest yet elegant cuts reminded me exactly of my past self.

Iblina smiled brightly and said something to Casius, perhaps enjoying some conversation, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

That smile was insignificantly small compared to the one he had shown me, Rachel, long ago, but for me who hadn’t seen even such a small light lately, even this made my heart sink.

The rumors so far overlaid with this, forming anxiety within me.

‘Have they already become that close?’