Swearing under his breath, Icarus pondered why his mood had suddenly soured.

What the Prince of Paradium had done to Renev was rightfully condemnable.

Anyone who witnessed the scene would have frowned.

Yet, he wondered why he felt so foul about it.

Renev marveled at the large bathroom filled with misty steam and the grand bathtub.

“Wow…”

Of all the spaces in the VIP room, the bathtub was her absolute favorite.

Paradium didn’t have proper plumbing.

They filled the bathtub by pouring hot and cold water, a laborious task handled by the maids.

Even filling a small tub required tens of buckets, making a single bath quite time-consuming.

Of course, it wasn’t Renev’s time that was wasted, but the maids’.

Having been accustomed to modern plumbing, Renev had always felt grateful yet guilty for their hard work.

However, this newly built VIP room in Bashuker had proper plumbing.

‘It would be great to bring Bashuker’s plumbing technology back to Paradium.’

With that thought, Renev submerged herself up to her chin in the hot water.

Her lips curved up in satisfaction.

‘What else could I learn here?’

She had always felt pity seeing the maids scrubbing the floors on their hands and knees.

‘Making a mop might be a good idea.’

It didn’t seem too difficult.

Was her mood improving because of these thoughts?

Her mind began to work at full speed, brimming with ideas for new conveniences.

‘What other useful items could there be…’

She continued to think productively.

Even if she was a student in name only, she wanted to bring back the advanced culture and technology of Bashuker to improve life in Paradium.

Realizing that her thoughts were still geared towards improving the lives of the citizens of Paradium, even though she was no longer the empress, Renev chuckled to herself.

“Miss, Miss?”

Renev opened her eyes to find a cautious hand shaking her shoulder.

Amber looked at her with a worried expression.

“I came in because you’ve been in the bathroom for so long. I thought something might have happened.”

“Ah, I must have dozed off. Sorry for worrying you.”

“You must be tired from all the moving.”

Amber shook her head lightly and began scrubbing Renev’s arm with a foamy brush.
The moderate heat of the sauna lifted my spirits.

Reneb shifted her gaze from the stream of water pouring from the silver lion’s mouth to the small window beyond.

The mountain range separating Bashuker and Benistan was now richly adorned with autumn foliage.

‘Time really flies.’

It had already been six months since I left Paradium for Bashuker. But still, two more years remained before I could return to Paradium.

After a simple meal of freshly baked bread and mushroom soup, Reneb decided to go for a walk.

As she just stepped out of the VIP room, Rachel, who happened to be passing by, spotted Reneb and approached her.

“It’s been a while, Your Grace!”

Reneb hadn’t seen Rachel since the royal ball.

For that reason, Rachel greeted Reneb with a happy face. Reneb also returned the greeting with a smile.

“Princess, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Well, I’ve had my share of issues. It seems difficult to discuss them now. Shall we dine together soon and catch up?”

“Sure.”

“Ah, I’ll see you again soon then.”

‘Hm? I’ll see her soon?’

Just as Reneb was puzzled, Rachel’s maid came rushing.

“Princess, let’s go….”

“Alright, don’t rush me. I have urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

Rachel, with a slight furrow in her brow, waved her hand and quickly distanced herself.

She seemed busy attending a social gathering she had been invited to today.

Looking at the vibrant Rachel, Reneb could momentarily recall the happier times of the past.

When she had first come to live in the Paradium royal palace as a consort, she was filled with baseless hope that only good days were ahead.

At that time, Lucius was a prince far removed from the throne, and Reneb also felt distant from the eye of the storm that was the fight for the throne.

But not long after their marriage, Lucius revealed his ambition for the throne, and Reneb took on the role of kingmaker.

Following the mysterious death of the first prince and the demotion of the second, it seemed like nothing less than divine intervention on Lucius’s behalf.

Lucius’s claim to the throne suddenly became the foremost.

‘Hm?’

Lost in thought, Reneb suddenly felt a sense of incongruity.

This time, compared to her previous life, the first prince’s health had worsened dramatically.

What would happen if the second prince’s demotion is also moved up?

Lucius’s ascent to the throne would also be expedited.

What would happen to her if Lucius becomes the emperor and she returns to Paradium when the peace treaty ends?

A vague sense of anxiety arose.

Shaking her head lightly, Reneb dispelled the stray thoughts.

There was no need to waste the present worrying about a future that hadn’t yet arrived.

“My lady?”

Kiernan looked at Reneb with a puzzled expression.

Looking up at the clear blue sky, Reneb spoke.

“The weather is really nice today.”

“Yes, the sky is clear,” Kiernan agreed.

As they blankly stared at the fluffy clouds lazily drifting by, they heard Amber’s urgent voice.

“Miss, I have something to tell you.”

Amber’s expression wasn’t very good.

“Let’s go inside and talk.”