Annette’s instructions about the item were simple: its location and one caution.

“It’s in the red case in the third drawer to the right under my desk. Don’t look inside.”

“Understood. May I leave now?”

“Of course. Send my regards to Annette.”

With Rene’s permission, Devona bowed deeply and quickly left the room. Her excited demeanor suggested she’d have spent the night craning her neck towards the palace if not allowed to go.

Rene watched her leave, a faintly enigmatic smile on his face.

His gaze lingered on the closed door, replaying Annette’s image from moments ago.

Her despairing expression, tears ceaselessly trailing down her cheeks, a look of utter shock as if she’d never stand again. Her crazed laughter as if she’d lost her senses. Eventually, Annette returned to her usual stoic facade, but Rene had clearly seen the turmoil of emotions that had briefly overtaken her. How brilliantly desperate it was.

Rene laughed aloud, but it was nothing more than a hollow sound. The smile on his face was merely habitual, his eyes and the hand resting on the desk were only following well-trained instructions, everything about him thoroughly mundane.

He might never reach the point of experiencing emotions as vividly as Annette does, laughing and crying with her whole being.

That’s why Rene had no choice but to help Annette.

Only she could bring vivid emotions to his barren world.

“…….”
Rene, lost in thought, withdrew his hand from the desk he was leaning on. Smiling like a child who had thought up a fun prank, he spoke.

“Ruben, put a word in with Grotear.”

It seems necessary to meet.

A few days later, at the Empress Dowager’s Palace.

“Lord Grotear! Didn’t I tell you, trust me!”

Bang! The usually quiet teacup noisily struck its saucer.

Usually, even the clinking of dishes was barely audible at the tea table, but today was different.

Sitting before it was Monique, unusually excited.

“What’s the matter, Your Highness, the Empress Dowager?”

The man sitting opposite her, Karim Grotear, was one of the few connections of Monique, who was widely regarded as having lost all influence. He was the head of the Grotear family and had inherited the title of Duke.

Others wondered why Karim would choose to back Monique, but she found him a convenient ally.

With a little trust, he would easily spill everything he knew. It was not too bad, considering the annoyance of being called upon incessantly.

“Your Highness, you insisted on meeting urgently, but I’ve told you not to believe such rumors. Lowell Hessen is….”

“No! This isn’t just a rumor. Do you think I would have you come in such a hurry for mere gossip? I’ve found the real thing, the real deal!”

Monique was so elated that even her heavily made-up face flushed with excitement.

She then gestured to a maid behind her to bring something.

It was a rather luxurious-looking velvet case, too big to contain jewelry but too small for clothing.

Karim looked at the case with suspicion, but Monique waved her hand, laughing.

“Open it, don’t dawdle, hurry!”