That afternoon, Elaina’s condition was exceptionally poor.

“……”

In the quiet bedroom without Sinclair, Elaina sat in front of the window and silently stared down at the tea cup that had cooled to the perfect temperature for drinking.

The reason she was like this now was not solely because her health had not recovered from the poison she drank last time.

[…Do you know that there is a secret place in your elder brother’s royal palace?]

It was because of what Hister had said just yesterday.

[The location is not very difficult either. It’s the innermost part of the royal palace. A small room in the deepest place.]

Looking back…

It had been quite a long time since she entered the royal family and started living in the royal palace.

Of course, Elaina’s range of movement was not very wide due to her inconvenient legs.

At most, it was the current bedroom, the backyard where she drank tea with guests like Chaz and Perin, and the place where she received bath service from Judith and Anna. No matter how much she thought about it, that was about it.

Moreover, life in the royal family was very hectic. Just considering what had happened so far, it was like that. Getting married out of the blue, preparing for the founding festival, the lion’s attack, Chaz’s birthday party, even fainting after drinking poison…

She was so physically and mentally exhausted that she didn’t even have time to look around here and there.

So it was not very unnatural that she did not receive a detailed tour of the royal palace.

However…

[Of course, your thorough elder brother ordered that no one other than himself be allowed in, but it wouldn’t be too difficult for the princess consort he loves so much to set foot there.]

Why does it keep bothering her?

Despite knowing that Hister said this hoping for something.

[Do you know?]

“……”

[You may discover an unexpected secret there.]

As expected…

[I wonder if you will still be able to speak with a smile then.]

Is it because of those words?

It was the moment when Elaina bit her lip slightly in anxiety.

“Is the tea not to your taste? Lady Elaina.”

“Ah, Anna.”

“Or are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Since when had she come close? Anna’s face, looking at Elaina, was full of concern.

“No, I’m fine. I was just distracted for a moment…”

Elaina, who came to her senses belatedly, smiled somewhat awkwardly and spoke.

“But where is Judith?”

It seemed like they always went around as a pair, but today Anna was alone. Did Sinclair assign her another task?

“Judith went to the reception room.”

“Reception room?”

“Yes. As you know, Duke Fredrick came earlier. Saying he has something to tell His Highness the Prince. She went there to attend him.”

That was also the reason why Sinclair, who had always stayed by Elaina’s side like an anxious puppy since she came to her senses, was absent today.

“Ah, I see.”

Elaina smiled and said.

“Come to think of it, it seems His Highness the Prince trusts Judith and Anna a lot.”

“What? Really?”

“Of course. Otherwise, would he have asked Judith to attend such an important occasion?”

At Elaina’s words, Anna made an unbelievable expression.

“Oh, but… suddenly…?”

“……”

“I, I’m sorry. I was just so surprised.”

“There’s no need to call it sudden. Judith and Anna have been helping us since before I became the princess consort, right?”

Helped us. At that unfamiliar sentence, Anna flinched slightly.

“He may not show it, but I’m sure he thinks of Judith and Anna specially. We went together on the trip to the Empress Dowager’s villa last time too, didn’t we?”

Looking at Anna’s face, which quickly began to blush after a few words, Elaina thought she was really cute.

“Judith must have been very nervous. It would have been nice if Anna was called together too.”

“But he earnestly asked me. To stick close to Lady Elaina’s side while he was away.”

“See? It’s true that he trusts you two.”

“…Ah.”

As if she finally understood Elaina’s words, Anna nodded her head greatly. Then, unable to hide her bright smile, she laughed like a child and parted her lips again, looking at Elaina.

“But is there a problem? You haven’t looked well since earlier.”

“Ah, it’s not like that.”

Elaina hesitated briefly.

After all, she heard that Judith and Anna had been living in the palace even before being assigned to Sinclair’s royal palace.

Then, could they know?

Whether Hister’s words were true or not.

“Anna, can you explain the royal palace to me?”

Elaina asked carefully.

“I’ve only been in the bedroom, and the palace is wider than I thought… I feel like there are quite a few places I don’t know about.”

“Oh! Of course. I don’t know the details either, but I roughly know the geography!”

As if happy to be able to help Elaina, Anna quickly began to chirp like a lark.

“First of all, as you know, there are three entrances to His Highness Sinclair’s royal palace…”

Soon, Anna’s explanation continued slowly.

There were a total of three passages leading to the royal palace. The backyard where she first encountered Chaz alone last time, the main gate.

And…

“I heard there is also a passage to the Imperial Palace, but I couldn’t go there myself because only the royal family members can use that path.”

“…I see.”

“The guest rooms, bathrooms, the dormitories where the maids belonging to the royal palace like me stay, and the three dressing rooms in this bedroom are places we can enter, but like that passage, there are also spaces not allowed for maids.”

Elaina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“For example, the study is like that. There are a total of two studies in His Highness Sinclair’s royal palace, but I heard only Sir Schuler can enter there, probably because of military information or confidentiality.”

Anna continued to speak.

“And there are a few more rooms on the first floor… I haven’t heard anything definite about those places yet.”

The place Hister mentioned…

It’s probably one of those.

Elaina thought.

“Wouldn’t it be better to ask His Highness the Prince directly? You are a proper princess consort, so unlike us, you can go to all places. He will gladly guide you! No, definitely!”

Elaina, with her head slightly bowed, made a somewhat self-mocking expression without realizing it.

In the end, she felt a little pathetic for being swayed by Hister’s incomprehensible words and harboring suspicions.

…Yes. Does that ‘unexpected secret’ really exist?

Isn’t it just words carelessly spouted by that utterly vile person to drive a wedge between me and Sinclair?

“I’ll ask him directly later. Thank you, Anna.”

“No problem! If you ever need my help again, please feel free to tell me anything.”

Perhaps because of that, even with the brightly smiling Anna in front of her eyes, she couldn’t smile like before.

* * *

House Fredrick.

One of the five shining families of Edenbell.

A family that always went along with Duke Heswin and thus was able to grasp considerable power and honor.

Will Fredrick, the current head of the family, was the wisest and quickest-witted person compared to any previous head.

Thus, he uncannily figured out things that could threaten the family and avoided them, and conversely, he never missed a single thing that could be helpful.

This time was no different.

Duke Fredrick quickly concluded which person he should side with in order to survive in the utterly chaotic Edenbell.

…Also, how he could gain a little more by using it.

“The three families, including myself. To be precise, it seems Duke Heswin and House Wilter have already made up their minds.”

Sinclair, sitting cross-legged, did not show any particular reaction.

It was a ridiculous situation. Even if he jumped up from his seat and asked for a handshake upon hearing this news, it would not be enough.

…But he is that kind of man, so he was able to face off against His Highness Hister. Duke Fredrick thought inwardly.

“It seems Duke Heswin has decided not to make the same mistake as in his grandfather’s time. It goes without saying for House Wilter. It was none other than Your Highness the Prince who brought that utterly will-less Prince Chaz into the limelight.”

“So.”

Sinclair, who had been listening silently, slowly parted his lips in a low voice.

“What do you want to say?”

Sinclair was no fool. He did not think at all that Duke Fredrick had walked all the way to the royal palace just to intentionally inform him of their decision, which he would find out eventually anyway.

“Putting aside the movements of House Heswin and House Wilter.”

“……”

“Duke Fredrick, why did you side with me?”

No matter how favorably the situation was turning out for Sinclair himself, Will Fredrick was not a person who would simply accept it.

He was a person who would desperately struggle to take even an undeserved share.

And as if to prove Sinclair’s prediction correct, Duke Fredrick burst into laughter and parted his lips.

“I always think that Your Highness seems to be consistently unadorned.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Of course, I meant it in a good way. I am also of such a disposition.”

“So.”

“We will spare no support for Your Highness to take the throne.”

Now we’re getting to the point.

Sinclair stared at Duke Fredrick with an expressionless face…

“In return, I dare to put forth one condition.”

Will Fredrick spoke with a good-natured smile.

“How about taking my daughter, Beatrice Fredrick, as the empress consort?”

Clang.

Judith, who was carefully carrying a teacup, dropped it on the floor and froze with a pale face.