Eschika seemed flustered by Reneb’s confident demeanor.

“Are you trying to evade responsibility for what happened in the past?”

“Since no one died, it would be more accurate to call it attempted murder. Moreover, it seems a bit risky to discuss this matter recklessly without confirming the facts.”

Reneb spoke calmly and firmly, keeping emotions out of his voice.

Eschika chuckled and retorted.

“Well, only the parties involved would know whether what you’re saying is true. Besides, in some countries, attempted murder is considered the same as murder.”

A palpable tension hung between them.

“So, would you care to clarify why you’re bringing up the past, Your Highness?”

“The intention?”

“Yes, the intention. I sense some hostility towards the Paradium Empire from Solti.”

Reneb shifted the conversation towards issues of diplomacy between the two nations.

Eschika frowned, as if he hadn’t anticipated this turn of events.

“My previous statement has nothing to do with Solti. Please refrain from making baseless assumptions, Count Seiren.”

Eschika declared confidently.

Yet, from Eschika’s defensive posture, Reneb read a sense of guardedness.

As if sensing Reneb’s gaze, Eschika untangled his arms and brushed his hair behind his ears.

At the same time, Reneb’s gaze shifted towards Eschika’s ears.

‘The earring is… gone?’

Sensing Reneb’s scrutinizing gaze, Eschika hastily closed his empty hand.

“You’re not wearing the royal heirloom of the Solti royal family, are you?”

Reneb had met the real Princess Adria before the regression.

However, he only had a brief encounter with her, and his memory was vague.

Yet, during the conversation with Eschika, a part of that past dialogue resurfaced.

‘I received these earrings from my mother on my coming-of-age ceremony. In Solti, it’s customary to inherit jewelry worn by ancestors.’

Princess Adria wore large diamond earrings, not of modern design.

Though somewhat old-fashioned, they had a classic elegance.

At that time, Reneb thought he would pass on his cherished jewelry to his daughter someday.

Of course, after having Cael, there was no more opportunity for another child, and it remained an unfulfilled wish.

Reneb’s expression momentarily turned bitter, but he quickly masked it.

“I must have taken it off when I washed my hands.”

“Is there a need to remove jewelry worn on your arm?”

Reneb’s question made Eschika’s blue pupils quiver slightly.

But it was only for a moment.

Eschika soon spoke with a relaxed smile.

“I’ve lost a bit of weight recently, so it’s gotten loose. And it seems you’re mistaken, Your Excellency. The royal heirloom is a ring.”

Though he sounded relaxed, Eschika subtly blocked Reneb’s view of his arm by leaning back.

It seemed like an unconscious reaction borne out of defense.

“Is that so? My mistake then.”

Despite saying so, Reneb was more convinced than ever.

Earlier, he had deliberately baited Eschika, who had fallen for it beautifully.

By correcting himself to say that the royal heirloom is a ring rather than jewelry worn on the arm,

‘Regressed Princess Adria had inherited earrings from her queen mother.’
But Esika seemed completely unaware of that fact.

Esika furrowed her brow as she watched the receding figure of Reneb with half-lidded eyes.

‘Something’s off?’

A story she had heard not long ago from Duchess Dürenburg had piqued her interest.

The incident where Reneb had pushed Trader Count Young-ae into the ice pond.

Rumors labeled Reneb a villainess since that day.

Even if one were a naive child, it was an unforgivable act.

And every time people brought up that story, casting contemptuous glances, Reneb had exhibited a frantic, nervous response.

Reneb had once tried to plead her case, but no one was willing to listen.

They were rather choked with indignation that she showed no remorse for her actions.

Esika had thought that Reneb would lash out at her if she mentioned the incident.

If that happened, it would confirm the rumors about Reneb.

Public opinion would pity and ridicule her as the pitiable victim.

That had been Esika’s plan. And so she had deliberately sought out Reneb.

But Reneb’s unexpected behavior just now had thrown off her plans.

With her finely furrowed brow, Esika looked down at her hand.

‘I’ve never heard of the Solty royal lineage.’

Esika tried to recall the sequence of where Reneb’s gaze had landed just a moment ago.

First, it was definitely her hand. Then, her arm.

‘Right, there’s no doubt about it.’

There had been a previous instance when Reneb had looked at her hand suspiciously.

Back then, she assumed Reneb found her rough hand strange due to her maid duties.

If the roughness of her hand was pointed out, she had prepared an excuse so she wasn’t worried.

Hunting and embroidery were actually hobbies of Princess Adria.

She had tried to deceive herself with the phrase ‘bracelet on the arm,’ but fortunately, she seemed to have managed well without falling into the trap.

Still, she couldn’t shake off the lingering anxiety.