For a moment, Icar’s frozen expression softened.

“So, that proposal about becoming the Empress.”

Reneve nodded, looking directly at Icar’s face.

Icar bit his lower lip.

He seemed both thrilled and unsure how to express that joy.

The large man, much bigger than Reneve’s belly, looked cute and adorable, not knowing how to react to her words.

Reneve pulled Icar into a tight embrace. Well, it was more like being suspended from a large branch than a traditional embrace.

After holding each other and sharing warmth for a while, Icar’s face gradually tilted.

Looking into Icar’s passionately red eyes, Reneve closed her eyes.

Viscount Belcane belatedly realized something and hurriedly turned in the direction where Reneve disappeared.

Although the knights had inspected the nearby hunting grounds, venturing too deep was dangerous.

Hadn’t he just witnessed a strange-looking wild boar a while ago?

Viscount Belcane followed after Reneve.

And there, he faced the sight of Reneve and Icar sharing a deep kiss.

“Sigh…”

A disappointed sigh escaped Viscount Belcane.

He wanted to remain friends with Reneve, even though it seemed all twisted now.

Not long ago, he had intended to do so when he heard the news that Icar was leaving the palace for the war with Salty.

As friends, only.

He tried to approach Reneve as inconspicuously as possible, without arousing suspicion, sensing that Reneve might be opening her heart to him again recently.

He invited Reneve to social gatherings, increased the time spent together, and even left Reneve worried and misunderstood him about the blood splatter from the wounded wild boar.

He even made an impulsive choice.

Under the pretext of correcting her archery stance, he had tried to touch Reneve.

In the end, it turned into an unfavorable choice.

He didn’t even know that their relationship had deepened.

Viscount Belcane stood there for a while, feeling trapped.

With a miserable and dismal feeling.

Ezekiel sat on the outdoor terrace of a coffee house, sipping sweet coffee and observing people passing by.

Life in Paradigm had been quite satisfying so far. Of course, not as much as in the Basuker Palace.

But now, without the fear of being exposed as a fake princess, she felt more comfortable.

In the upscale inn where Ezekiel stayed, delicious meals were served when it was time, and her room was always neatly arranged upon returning from outings.

It felt like she was on an overseas trip, exploring various places in Paradigm and collecting newly discovered items from the shops.

Initially, it was quite enjoyable.

However, the days of luxury and peace didn’t last long. The gold coins were slowly running out.

‘Now what.’

Letting out a faint sigh, Ezekiel looked at the people passing by.

The murmur of gentle ladies’ conversations caught her ears.

“…So, should we give up now? Both my husband and I are very tired.”

“Lady, you’ve suffered a lot all this time.”

“What sin did I commit in my past life? Is that why the gods aren’t giving us a child?”

“Oh, please don’t say that. Surely the gods have a plan for you, madam.”

“…Do you think so?”

“Of course, of course. Fate is something that can touch us anytime, anywhere. It was the same for us.”

“…?”

“Oh, madam, you didn’t know. In fact, we adopted our third child.”

“…Is that so?”
“There are actually good points to it. In reality, parents and children can’t choose each other, right? Our eldest child says it all. Well.”

Ezekiel shifted her gaze away from the ladies.

“Adoption?”

It wasn’t precisely accurate, but she remembered that in the original work, Ezekiel was introduced as the noble daughter of Paradigm.

“She was from a minor noble family.”

Due to her inferior noble status, Reneve often ignored Ezekiel.

“Her father was respected among Paradigm Empire citizens, but she had no remarkable abilities.”

Even though in this life, she faced Reneve, the Salty princess and the daughter of a viscount, Reneve’s attitude hadn’t changed one bit.

“So, did you adopt a grown commoner child?”

“Yes, there are definite advantages. You can choose someone with good looks and a sharp mind to bring into the family.”

The lady slightly averted her gaze as if pondering.

Upon which, the lady sitting across added, “Since madam has already made up her mind, I suggest you adopt one boy and one girl each.”

“…Two of them?”

“The boy can carry on the family name, and for the girl, you can send her to a good family as a bride.”

Ezekiel, who had been eavesdropping on the ladies’ conversation, had a realization.

“Ah! Now I get it.”

The original work began with Ezekiel debuting at the Paradigm Palace ball.

She had momentarily been happy about being in the female lead’s body but had always wondered why she, who should have been a noblewoman of Basuker, ended up as a maid in the Basuker nobility.

And now, it seemed she might understand what had happened before the start of the original work.

Icar held Reneve in his arms for a long time, not letting her go.