Arthur’s private reception room.

Tristan frowned with an uncomfortable expression.

Lukan looked at Tristan and clicked his tongue with a smirk.

“It seems the lady has made quite a bad impression on you, elder brother.”

Tristan replied.

“She hasn’t exactly done anything to make a good impression either.”

“Why? She’s pitiful and cute, isn’t she?”

Tristan looked at him with a serious expression.

Before Tristan could open his mouth to say something, Lukan furrowed his brow and waved his hand dismissively, as if responding to his expression.

“No, don’t you think she’s trying in her own way?”

Lukan continued.

“She must have had no choice since she was ordered. From a maid’s position, when the marchioness gives an order, she can’t say no or tell her to shut up. She must have just stood there quietly and said, ‘Yes, I understand.'”

“…”

“But look at what she actually did. Did she cause us any harm?”

Lukan gestured with his chin as if to say, think about it.

“The contents of that note. How do you think such a note came about? It’s obvious she wouldn’t have gotten a good reaction from the marquis and marchioness if she had passed it on. Why do you think she did that? Don’t you feel that she’s struggling in her own way to buy time and avoid harm, elder brother?”

Tristan spoke coldly.

“That’s an overly generous interpretation.”

Lukan leaned back against the backrest with a smirk, his face saying, ‘Well, of course you’d say that.’

His sidelong glance conveyed, ‘Well, that’s just like Lord Tristan.’

Tristan stood up from his seat.

“Anyway, investigate that woman a bit more.”

Lukan gave a casual salute to his forehead from his relaxed posture.

“Yes, sir.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“It seems she was passing notes to the Lorenson teacher or the maid who comes in the morning. I apologize.”

Lionel apologized to Kay for the imperfect surveillance and guarding of ‘Reina’.

Kay shook his head.

“No, it could have happened while I was on guard, and I didn’t notice either.”

A short sigh followed.

“And if she hid the note on her body and passed it on, there’s no way we could have known anyway. We can’t body search or closely watch a lady in her nightgown.”

Kay was not entirely at ease either.

Reina’s inclinations and the security gaps were separate issues.

Even if she was friendly towards them and didn’t pass on anything significant in terms of content, the fact that she could ‘pass’ something in the first place was a problem.

It was a bit concerning…

Perhaps I should have assigned a separate personal maid to stay by her side.

Kay asked while mentally considering several options.

“Were there any other suspicious points about that lady usually?”

Lionel answered.

“No. There were no unusual occurrences. She doesn’t leave her room except when His Excellency takes her out. We report all conversations she has with the maids or Teacher Lorenson to His Excellency.”

“How does His Excellency react when you report?”

“Well…”

Lionel trailed off, lowering his gaze as if lost in thought.

It was the behavior of someone who had a vague idea but was withholding judgment because it wasn’t clear enough to put into words.

“…He’s the same as usual. It seems he thinks she won’t be able to cause any significant harm.”

Lionel composed his expression and said.

“I will observe and guard more closely.”

Kay sensed from Lionel’s attitude that he had felt something similar to himself.

Kay began with a small sigh, running his hand through his hair.

“…Do you think His Excellency might want to take that woman as a mistress to protect her?”

Lionel made a strange expression.

“As a mistress?”

After a brief contemplation, he continued.

“…I don’t think it’s like His Excellency’s character to keep a mistress. He’s not the type to be so infatuated with a woman or show off to the point of disregarding political risks, and given his position as a son-in-law…”

Kay pressed his brow as if tired.

“I agree about His Excellency’s character. But because of the current situation, I thought he might consider it.”

“…Pardon?”

Kay continued.

“Because it can’t be revealed… After Lady Christina returns to her place, don’t you think that woman’s position could become precarious?”

Lowering his hand, he added matter-of-factly.

“Destruction of evidence could occur, you see.”

Lionel’s expression turned thoughtful, as if he hadn’t considered this possibility.

“…I see, that could happen.”

Kay gave a wry smile.

“That’s why I think there’s a possibility that His Excellency might consider officially acknowledging her as a mistress to protect her publicly. At least then she won’t be eliminated without anyone knowing.”

No wife would like her husband’s mistress, but no wife would want to be suspected of assassinating her husband’s mistress either.

Especially not the current Julius.

Kay smiled slightly, furrowing his brows.

“It would be disadvantageous for His Excellency. It would tarnish his image as a clean hero.”

Kay adjusted his monocle with his index finger and chose his words carefully.

“But if His Excellency continues to worry about that woman’s safety, it could end up holding him back. So I’m considering advising him to officially acknowledge her as a mistress, place her somewhere safe, and stop worrying about her.”

Kay lightly changed the atmosphere and looked at Lionel.

“What I’ve just said is merely considering the worst-case scenario. We should try our best to avoid going that far. Anyway, since Julius has obtained the position of Margrave and is being cautious in his movements, it probably won’t escalate into a serious problem.”

Lionel replied.

“I understand.”

Kay concluded as he stood up.

“Still, please continue to observe the atmosphere between His Excellency and that woman. I’ll look into things from a different angle.”

Lionel nodded and answered.

“Understood.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Knock knock.

“Yes.”

Reina, startled, jumped up from her seat and greeted Arthur as he entered the bridal chamber, her thoughts still unorganized.

“…”

Reina stood awkwardly facing him, her hands clasped together, her face more rigid than usual.

Wearing Christina’s dress, just from a distance.

The wedding ring was still on the ring finger of her left hand.

“…”

Though she tried to maintain a neutral expression, her demeanor was heavy, like someone waiting for punishment after committing a grave mistake.

Although he had left her alone to sort out her feelings after being caught with the note,

she seemed to have resolved none of her turmoil on her own.

Arthur’s words about not wanting her to meet Taylor.

Arthur’s offer to buy her off,

The worry about being caught with the note.

The wedding ring he had put on her finger.

None of it.

She seemed to have more words bottled up inside than ever before, yet she couldn’t approach or speak to him as usual.

The unconscious joy of not knowing what to do, standing and looking for him when he returned,

didn’t even surface.

He thought it was impressive that she still wanted to decide after meeting Taylor, even though she was agonizing like this.

The two bundles of gold coins he had left were still on the bed.

As Arthur seemed to glance in that direction,

Reina nervously twitched her fingertips and bit her lip slightly, looking a bit flustered.

Only then did she seem to belatedly realize that she should have put those away somewhere.

“…”

Arthur closed the door behind him with a bland smile.

He walked into the room and was about to unfasten his cape ornament and take it off as usual, but stopped his feet.

And standing a few steps in front of her, he looked at Reina.

For some reason, he didn’t want to leave Reina standing like that.

Arthur called out to her.

“My lady.”

“…”

She jerked her head up to look at him.

Arthur slightly spread his arms and said.

“Would you help me?”

“…”

Reina looked up at him with hesitant eyes.

And as if confirming what request she had received,

she glanced down slightly at the ornament fastening his cape and the emblem on his chest,

then looked up again with a somewhat cautious light.

Arthur gazed at her with the same smiling face.

“If coming to me isn’t too uncomfortable… I’d like to ask for your help.”

Reina couldn’t answer and just looked at him for a moment, then bit her lip.

Then, as if half nodding, she weakly lowered her head and took one step, two steps closer.

Arthur smiled gently.

“Thank you.”

“…”

Reina seemed to shake her head slightly as she lowered it a bit.

Then, trying to act as if nothing was wrong, she raised her trembling hands and unfastened his cape ornament.

Thud…

“…!”

Why was she startled by what she had undone herself?

Reina flinched slightly and then hurriedly grabbed the cape flowing down Arthur’s back with both hands.

As if she hadn’t expected it to flow down like this.

Unable to do anything about the cape slipping down behind his shoulders, which were quite taller than her, she fumbled a bit, trying to catch it as it fell from his shoulders.

Reina grabbed the cape on both of Arthur’s shoulders in a flustered posture, just short of clinging to him.

Arthur raised just one hand to catch the cape that was about to fall off his right shoulder and handed it to her.

“I’m, I’m sorry.”

“…”

Arthur just smiled.

“…”

Swish.

Reina received his cape with a flushed face from embarrassment and draped it over her arm.

Then, after swallowing hard, she reached for his outer garment with trembling hands…

Her face wandered, wondering how to proceed.

“…”

Reina hesitated, unable to touch him, and looked up at Arthur.

She had only thought about receiving and tidying up what he would take off and hand to her.

She didn’t dare to attempt undressing him any further.

But Arthur didn’t take off his coat himself,

He just stood still, looking down at Reina with a smiling face.

As he sometimes did, it seemed like he was teasing Reina a little.

“My lady.”

“Y-Yes?”

Arthur smiled.

“Don’t be so dejected. It pains my heart.”

“…”

Arthur gently touched her hair.

It was a soft, fleeting touch.

“I told you. I won’t blame you.”

“…”

The curtains by the window fluttered.

“I said I knew, didn’t I?”

Reina’s lower lip suddenly protruded as she fiddled with her fingertips, her face stiff as if trying to hide her emotions.

And with her head bowed, a pitiful expression formed on her chin as if holding back tears.

Reina, who had been hanging her head, slowly raised her eyes to look at him.

“…I’m sorry. The note…”

“…”

Her suppressed voice was barely audible.

Arthur chuckled softly.

“It’s alright, I said.”

Arthur looked into Reina’s eyes for a moment and then hugged her.

It was a light embrace that didn’t feel burdened with meaning.

Pat pat.

Arthur’s hand patted Reina’s back.

“…”

Only after speaking it out loud did Reina realize that it was what she had really wanted to say.

Reina sniffled and buried her face in his chest.

It was strange.

He was the person putting her in the most anxious situation,

Yet he was also the one who made her feel the most at ease.