“Ah! Miss, Wendy has received a proposal from the blacksmith at the forge.”

Amber, who had been nagging for a while, suddenly said.

I suppose it’s the same this time too.

“Wendy has accepted?”

Wendy was a maid who served Reneb at the residence of the Duke of Siren.

When Reneb got engaged to Lucius and began preparing for the wedding, Wendy also received a proposal.

The preparation for a commoner’s wedding was shorter than that of royalty, so they could marry right away.

But Wendy had postponed the wedding with the blacksmith, saying it was shameful to go to her husband’s house before the lady she served.

Because of that, only the blacksmith had suffered heartache.

“A maid marrying before the lady, where has that ever happened? It seems Wendy told the blacksmith they would marry after you return to Paradium,”

Reneb tapped her forehead.

‘Oh, poor Smith.’

However, a wedding that was postponed by about a year in the past was now delayed by more than three years.

Reneb decided to write a letter to Wendy. It was better for those who could go first to do so.

Afterwards, Amber continued to inform her about various news regarding the residence of the Duke and the Empire of Paradium.

Reneb paid particular attention to the condition of the first prince.

“Kiernan, I’ve been talking a lot, so my throat is a bit scratchy. May I have some tea?”

“Of course. I’ll prepare flower tea with honey.”

Kiernan, who answered quickly, left the drawingroom.

Though she trusted Kiernan to some extent, she was from Bashuker.

Of course, if the first prince dies, the news would spread to Bashuker in no time.

But Reneb didn’t feel the need to inform Kiernan about Paradium’s significant matters.

“Amber, how is the first prince’s condition?”

Reneb lowered her voice, and the perceptive Amber also answered in a whisper.

“He looks very weak, and sometimes he stares into space and talks nonsense.”

“I see.”

Since the Duke of Siren had recently stayed in the capital’s residence, Amber would have heard the rumors about the first prince.

Although Amber, being a maid from a noble house, was sensitive to rumors, it was also evidence that the first prince’s condition was worse than Reneb had thought.

“The atmosphere is hushhush, but it seems they already see it as hopeless.”

Amber shook her head.

Reneb thought, her eyelashes lowered.

‘Is it strudel this time too?’

Strudel was a pastry that commoners enjoyed, and after tasting it coincidentally while on an inspection, the first prince came to enjoy it.

The first prince particularly liked Monstrudel, filled with opium seeds, rather than fruit or meat.

Opium seeds are crispy and sweet, enhancing the texture when added to bread.

However, the problem was with opium’s addictiveness.

‘My brother loved Monstrudel.’

Someone had said this at a meal with the royal family, not long after the first prince’s death from an unexplained illness.

‘The first prince might have died from opium addiction.’

Reneb, who knew about the danger of Monstrudel, had speculated so.

Even though she knew, there was nothing she could do, as he was already dead.

“Lady, I’ve brought the tea.”

Kiernan returned to the drawingroom, holding a tray.

“Thank you, Kiernan.”

Soothing her throat with sweet flower tea, Reneb sat at her desk and picked up parchment and a quill pen.

It was needless to interfere and might lead to an unpleasant result.

Still, the conscience of a mother who had lost a child urged her to send a reproach to the Empress.

(This is a time separator.)

“Hoo…….”

Reneb loudly closed the book she was reading and stretched extensively.

Twisting her waist and looking back, the sky outside the window had begun to turn into the color of dusk.

While looking at the distant city of Bashuker, the chamberlain came.

“The Emperor wishes to have dinner with you.”

Having to thank Icar for the dress gift, Reneb hurriedly prepared to go out.
If the previous dining room was as spacious as the grand ballroom, today’s dining place was of a smaller scale, enough for a 10person table.

Of course, it was because the previous size was considerable; the current dining room was still quite spacious.

Moreover, the table was filled with delicacies from both the land and sea. Even Reneb, who was accustomed to the splendid imperial cuisine, was dazzled by it.

“Why so? Is the food not up to par?”

Icar’s head tilted askew, interpreting Reneb’s reaction in some way.

“How could that be? There are so many types of food that I have to ponder what to eat first.”

“That’s fortunate, then.”

Watching Reneb unfold a napkin on her lap, Icar waved the servants away.

“It will be more comfortable for us to talk like this.”

Reneb, nodding her head, scanned the spread of dishes and first scooped some green beans onto her plate.

“You don’t seem to enjoy meat much, do you? You ate mostly vegetables last time as well.”

Saying so, Icar popped a large piece of roasted lamb into his mouth.

Reneb didn’t remember what she had eaten at her last meal with Icar.

But Icar seemed to remember it all.