Casius walked through the unfamiliar paths of the Empress Palace.

The Empress Palace he arrived at had a somewhat subdued atmosphere.

Without having a chance to feel puzzled, the door opened and he stepped inside.

As if sensing his presence, Vivian’s back as she stood up from the round table somehow felt unfamiliar.

It was because her hair had been chopped off.

Was she doing something foolish again this time to try to attract attention?

Casius sighed and moved forward.

As if hearing his footsteps, the Empress’s face slowly turned towards him.

The moment he faced that face, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

The Empress was exuding a completely different aura.

It wasn’t simply due to her cut hair.

Thick eyebrows that suited her eyes, cat-like upturned eyes.

Thick eyelashes casting deep shadows.

Shaded face and eyelids dyed with flashy colors…

On top of that, wavy short hair adorned with a splendid tiara.

If previously she felt like a newly born primordial egg, her current image was like an emerged butterfly.

Objectively speaking, it was an alluring and charming look.

If he had to choose, her current appearance suited Vivian perfectly, as if she was wearing her own clothes.

Previously, he hadn’t paid much attention, but now that he looked, her features were quite stunning.

The change was so drastic that it even gave the impression of looking at a different person.

As the Empress lowered her head, fair skin was revealed through the slightly deep-cut dress.

‘What is she up to this time?’

Casius looked at her dryly and soon averted his gaze.

Vivian’s gaze followed the side of his face.

The purple gaze was so persistent that it was impossible not to notice.

Nevertheless, Casius consistently ignored her.

As a result, only a heavy silence settled over the space.

It was truly nothing more or less than a formal dining setting.

Today, it was Vivian who broke the silence first.

“I hope the food is to your liking.”

The Empress had a smile on her lips as if she had no shame.

Come to think of it, the man she spent the night with called her to the conference room as if giving charity and suggested having lunch together.

Even cursing him as a bastard wouldn’t be enough, yet she was sitting there smiling.

Casius shook his head inwardly but didn’t show it at all outwardly.

In any case, if she was favorable to him, it would be much easier to manipulate and use her, so it was a good thing.

Soon, plates of food were neatly placed one by one on the table where the two were seated.

The food was so perfect that even his uncomfortable mood couldn’t find fault with it.

As if considering his dislike for seafood, the table was filled with meat-based dishes.

The occasional vegetables were also mostly grilled, not raw.

As if knowing well that he didn’t prefer crunchy textures.

In a word, it was a selection of his usual favorites, as if each of his preferences had been carefully considered.

“How does it taste?”

Vivian’s gaze was filled with worry as it wavered.

Casius ignored it, picked up a knife, and spoke.

“It’s edible.”

It must be just a coincidence. Isn’t it strange in the first place that this woman knows my tastes perfectly?

Ah, or did she investigate me again this time?

Casius sneered inwardly. The Empress, unaware of his inner thoughts, gave a pure white smile.

“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

Vivian’s curled lips were elegant and exuded a unique sensuality unlike usual.

Casius, disgusted by that sight, frowned and turned his gaze to the soup.

He sipped the soup, trying to calm his mind, and put on a gentle tone.

“I didn’t know the Empress would even know my food preferences.”

“……”

Previously, she even imitated Rachel’s perfume. Now she has figured out my eating habits as well.

She was truly going out of her way.

“Did you prepare it yourself?”

As if reading his inner thoughts, the Empress’s pupils wavered aimlessly.

The movement was very subtle, but it was unmistakably caught by his eyes.

Right now, the Empress looked flustered as if she had been caught doing something.

‘Well, obviously she’ll say she prepared it herself.’

She’ll try to win my favor with that.

He had no doubt that the usual Empress would do so.

But.

“No, I did not prepare it myself.”

“……”

“If you wish, I will personally prepare it from next time.”

I swallowed my saliva and looked at Casius.

Fortunately, he only raised one eyebrow without any particular reaction.

As Casius had predicted, this table had been carefully selected and prepared since yesterday.

Half of it contained the desire to make a good impression on Casius, and the other half was out of concern for him, who hadn’t had a proper meal since I disappeared.

Naturally, the composition had to be just right for Casius.

After all, it was prepared by me, who knew him better than anyone else when I was his aide.

But to ask if I had personally prepared the luncheon…

Honestly, it made me flinch. I wondered if I had prepared it too perfectly to Casius’s taste.

Indeed, even for an attendant who had been by Casius’s side, it would be difficult to match his eating habits to this degree of perfection.

Unless it was to the extent of not including any allergenic foods that Casius should avoid altogether.

The table before my eyes was composed as if it had entered and exited his mind.

In reality, it was something that only Rachel, that is, I, who had been watching him as a lover for a long time, could know.

With a burning heart, I answered that I hadn’t prepared it myself.

After that, I glanced at Casius a few times.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be thinking much of it.

On the other hand, contrary to Vivian’s thoughts, Casius couldn’t properly taste the food.

The temperature and texture of the steak were all appropriate, but it was because the Empress in front of him was bothering him.

The sight of her avoiding his gaze and pretending to eat rice when their eyes met was even ridiculous.

Come to think of it, she was in a certain relationship with Prince Dilan, and if all of this was an act, it would be quite admirable.

“Did you tell Prince Dilan that you’ve decided to return the treasures?”

You’ve probably already scurried over and told him.

But.

“No. It’s something Your Majesty can announce at the official event, so I didn’t take the initiative.”

Her unwavering response was smooth as if she had a prepared answer.

‘Does she really mean she hasn’t talked about it yet?’

Or is she hiding it in front of me?

“I thought you would have already told him.”

The Empress smiled brightly and continued, lowering her knife calmly.

“Wouldn’t it be better for Your Majesty to personally tell Prince Dilan, since you are close friends?”

“Close friends?”

Casius’s eyebrows curved.

Prince Dilan, who had been going around talking nonsense about being best friends on his own, came to mind. He was someone who had been persistently clinging to him since their academy days.

To think he had been saying such things even to the Empress…

‘Have they gotten close enough to talk about such past stories?’

The image of the Empress constantly laughing and talking with Prince Dilan at the coronation banquet flashed through Casius’s mind.

The sight of the two of them leaving the banquet hall together was also vivid.

Well, it wasn’t his concern how she found out.

“…Very well.”

After that, only the sound of clinking tableware lingered in the space.

Casius, who had hurriedly finished his meal as if dealing with a day’s work, stood up from his seat.

Vivian raised a rather captivating face and invited him in a bizarre voice.

“Your Majesty, why don’t you stay for dessert as well?”

This time, as if she had practiced, her voice was superb, as if she was trying to seduce him.

Casius tried to maintain his composure, suppressing the urge to frown.

In order to take revenge, he had to see through the opponent, and going along with this much was not a big deal.

“Is there a need to eat it when the Empress didn’t even prepare it herself?”

The Empress countered with a dazzling smile.

“I personally prepared the dessert.”

Meanwhile, there was a tremor in the Empress’s purple eyes.

It even seemed to contain desperation.

Is she even acting with her pupils now?

“So, at least taste it before you leave.”

If she was this desperate, could it be that she had put poison in the dessert?

With the thought that he would rather prefer that, Casius eventually sat back down.

*

I was exhausted just from getting Casius to sit back down.

‘Why is nothing ever easy?’

He finally sat down only after I even spouted nonsense about the highest quality coffee imported from another country.

Perhaps he still didn’t want to have dessert together.

I felt a bit disappointed.

‘Anyway, this is just the beginning… I can’t let him leave.’

The youngest attendant, not Marianne, entered shortly after with a tray prepared as instructed.

Seeing that it was the youngest attendant and not Marianne, it seemed she had not returned yet.

I had no desire for Marianne to return quickly, but it was true that I was worried since she still hadn’t come back.

She had also said she would be back soon, and Marianne had never been late compared to the expected time.

‘I hope nothing happened to her.’

While I was worrying about Marianne, appetizing cakes such as macarons, financiers, and scones were neatly arranged in the center.

They were tempting desserts that exuded sweetness just by looking at them, but my hand didn’t reach for them.

Because today’s main dish was separate.