Upon arriving at the library, Renev immediately looked for the nobility registry.

“Baron Shaban, Baron Shaban… Ah, here it is.”

He succeeded in finding a portrait of a man with curly brown mustaches within the pages.

However, he had never seen this face before, neither in his past life nor in this one.

Apart from knowing that the man hailed from the southeastern region of Bashuker, Renev left the library without any additional information.

“Could it be an innocent mistake?”

Renev had an allergy to peaches, a fruit referred to as Ppeshi in Bashuker.

Only his family, his maid Wendy who he left with the Seiren Duke’s family, and Lucius were aware of this fact.

“Could it be Lucius?”

Renev briefly suspected Lucius but soon shook his head.

If it were his past life, peaches could have been effectively used as a means to assassinate him.

But now, there was no reason for Lucius, who was in a distant foreign country, to kill him.

As he was walking through the palace, pondering, a part of the original story flashed across his mind.

“An episode where Renev suffers reverse backlash attempting to dupe Esika!”

In that episode, Renev fell for Esika’s plan and ate a peach tart.

Starting with hives around his mouth, he suffered from dizziness, vomiting, and respiratory distress.

Esika could set that trap because of a casual comment made by Lucius.

“Does it suit your palate?”
“It’s sweet, refreshing, and really delicious!”

To Esika’s innocent face, Lucius bitterly added,

“The Empress can’t even touch peaches.”
“I suppose Her Majesty is not grateful for what she’s given?”

Unlike Bashuker, where fresh fruit was rare, peaches were a common food in Paradium, and Esika seized upon this fact.

“Just… doesn’t agree with her body, it seems.”

Esika took note of Lucius’s offhand comment and put it to use later.

In the past, Renev had gone through a verification process to check whether he was allergic to peaches, as he had been in the original story before his regression.

To remove any possible future risks.

Holding an unwarranted hope that the change in his soul might have also eliminated his allergies, he had eaten a small amount of peach.

The reaction came immediately.

Since then, Renev had avoided peaches.

When someone asked why, he casually shrugged it off as a matter of taste.

Baron Shaban probably didn’t know about the original story, and likely had sent the gift unaware of Renev’s allergy.

Still, it felt uncomfortable to simply dismiss it as coincidence.

“I should look into Baron Shaban.”

Nodding to himself, he moved when a familiar voice halted his steps.

“Your Highness.”

Ikar approached swiftly and elegantly, like a hunting hound.

“Your Majesty.”

“You look quite serious.”

Renev brushed his cheek, forcing a smile.

His need for information about Baron Shaban coincided with Ikar’s arrival.

“Should I ask Ikar about Baron Shaban?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Renev cautiously spoke.

“Your Majesty, might I inquire about something if you have a moment?”

At Renev’s suggestion, Ikar widened his eyes in disbelief.

For a moment, he looked disconcerted, but his lips soon curled into a radiant smile.

His eyes, too, squinted delightfully.

“Luckily, I have some free time before the afternoon meeting.”

Ikar nodded, stroking his lips.

As his large hand slid down from his mouth, the smile that had adorned his face disappeared.

Renev felt a tinge of regret but did not show it, and stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, do you know Baron Shaban?”

“Baron Shaban?”

A hint of displeasure appeared on Ikar’s face, and his voice had dropped noticeably lower than before.

Unable to decipher the meaning behind that change, Renev proceeded cautiously.
A gift had come from Baron Shaban.”

Ikar, who had been walking in step with Renebv, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Upon seeing the slight furrow in Ikar’s handsome brow, Renebv swallowed a dry lump in his throat.

It seemed he had chosen the wrong person to ask about Baron Shaban.

“So he sent a gift to Your Majesty… What kind of gift did he send?”

Soon after, Ikar faintly lifted the corners of his mouth in a question.

Though clearly smiling, his eyes seemed rather ominous.

This made it clear that the relationship between Ikar and Baron Shaban was not on good terms.

‘I should have asked Duke Dehan or Lord Vain.’

Renebv inwardly sighed as he answered.

“He sent some fruit.”

“…Fruit?”

Ikar paused again, looking at Renebv.

He seemed displeased when Baron Shaban’s name was mentioned, but now he looked perplexed.

“Yes.”

“Was there nothing else?”

“What else would you be referring to?”

“High-value jewels, dresses, art pieces. At the very least, he could have sent a letter or an invitation.”

Renebv shook his head.

“Other than the fruit, there was really nothing else.”

“A man not worth looking at.”

Ikar snorted and resumed walking.

Renebv found it difficult to keep up with the quick emotional shifts of Ikar.

‘I chose the wrong conversational partner.’