‘It can’t be.’

Cecil, who had been feeling eerie herself, shook her head.

Her contemplation didn’t last long. On her way back after failing to meet Saedel, she encountered some noble ladies in the corridor.

The noble ladies, who were old enough to be Cecil’s mother, were far more insidious than the young ladies.

“It’s been a while, Lady Cecil.”

“When will we be able to help with your wedding? We’re eagerly counting the days.”

“What joy do we old folks have? All we can do is tell the young ones stories about royal weddings from when I was a young lady.”

While they seemed to be looking out for Cecil, they were actually persistently checking if her relationship with Prince Saedel had soured.

‘I suppose they’re hoping for an opportunity for their own families if I step down.’

There was a time when princes were abundant in the royal family, but now there were barely two. One of them was driven to the north after being born with a dangerous flame, so there was essentially only one left.

‘Because my family is humble and powerless, it’s relatively quiet.’

If she had leaned towards one faction, the other side wouldn’t have stayed quiet, but Cecil’s family was so powerless they couldn’t join any faction despite being the fiancée of the only prince.

‘He might have chosen me calculating that as well.’

It was when Cecil raised her head while thinking this. People were bustling about in the White Jade Palace, which should have been quiet as the Crown Princess’s residence.

Everyone’s gaze turned to Cecil. Feeling a strange pressure, she approached and asked.

“What’s going on?”

The head servant raised his head stiffly and answered Cecil.

“His Majesty ordered us to decorate the White Jade Palace, so we are in the process of doing so.”

“It must have been empty for a long time? Is there a guest coming to stay?”

“That is what we were ordered.”

It was the first time the parrot-like repetition of words felt irritating.

As Cecil pressed her lips tightly in anger, the noble ladies chattered on, oblivious to her feelings.

“Congratulations, Lady Cecil. They must finally be considering a wedding date, don’t you think?”

“Well, how long can we wait for Prince Hadel in the far north to get married? Those who have a partner should marry first.”

That wasn’t the reason the marriage was being delayed.

Cecil gave an ambiguous smile. She had been feeling uneasy lately because Saedel wouldn’t meet her, so she couldn’t be entirely elated by the noble ladies’ words.

As Cecil didn’t say anything one way or the other, the noble ladies’ conversation became increasingly inappropriate.

“Prince Saedel is kind to wait for his elder brother, but to marry someone who might attack you at any moment…”

The one who stopped their words was Saedel’s head servant.

“Mind your words.”

“Ahem, ahem.”

Too proud to apologize and unable to take back their words, the noble ladies cleared their throats and quickly disappeared as if fleeing.

While walking to the carriage storage, Cecil also thought about the White Jade Palace. As she did so, her heart began to race.

‘Is he really thinking about marriage?’

There was no other reason to suddenly decorate an empty palace.

‘That might be a little joyful.’

She had thought this marriage held no particular meaning, but now that it seemed imminent, her heart fluttered.

‘So what if it’s a bit hollow? As long as it looks like a glamorous life to others.’

Still, not knowing what might happen, she decided not to tell anyone for now.

The excitement of that day became Cecil’s secret.

And four days later. While having breakfast, her father burst in.

“Cecil! Have you heard the news?”

“What news?”

“Prince Hadel has come up to the capital!”

Cecil couldn’t understand why her father was so excited.

‘How would Prince Hadel coming up change my life?’

“Is that so.”

At Cecil’s calm response, only her father seemed frustrated, jumping up and down.

“Did Prince Saedel not say anything?”

“No, this is the first I’m hearing of it.”

Cecil’s father scratched his head.

“Really? Then it must not be anything important. He would have said something if we needed to pay attention.”

Cecil thought so too.

But contrary to her family’s expectations, Prince Hadel’s return to the capital was destined to have a great impact on her life.

The moment she saw that woman, Cecil couldn’t help but realize.

‘It’s her!’

That woman Saedel had been remembering had come.

Thanks to spending several days diligently in the carriage, our group entered the capital.

‘The capital.’

The high city walls were unfamiliar, but the streets inside were exactly as I remembered. It felt like I had returned to 100 years ago.

‘Nothing has changed since I was young. I suppose that’s to be expected.’

Cities where people live don’t tend to change dramatically. Especially in places like the capital where there are always many people, it’s not easy to erect new buildings.

‘Still, the atmosphere seems to have changed a lot. Well, there used to be wooden fences everywhere before.’

Back then, monsters would frequently appear even in the capital, so wooden fences were built inside the city walls. It was common to see weapons like spears set up in front of houses. Naturally, there were no traces of that now.

‘I should feel proud thinking about that, shouldn’t I?’

Why do I feel so empty instead? As I looked around, turning my head this way and that with a gloomy expression, Hadel asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, I’m just amazed by the capital.”

I just answered evasively like that. Hadel tilted his head. Then, as if realizing that the capital was my hometown, he asked this.

“Do you want to look around leisurely?”

Honestly, the more I looked, the more hollow I felt, so I wanted to leave the capital again quickly. But since I was the one who first suggested going to the capital, I couldn’t say that.

“I’m not sure if we’ll have time.”

“I hope we do.”

Hadel, who had been nodding, suddenly said again in a serious tone.

“No, I’ll make sure we do.”

“Hadel.”

I opened my eyes wide.

‘Has Hadel changed a bit?’

Usually he was composed, or passively speaking, but today his tone was completely different.

‘He must have had to renew his mindset. Understandably.’

It’s that tense of a situation. I checked our status.

‘We have the artifact so Hadel can find me once if we’re in danger.’

After glancing at the bracelet on Hadel’s wrist, I also fiddled with the small package in my pocket.

‘I brought some ice powder just in case.’

Ice powder that can create ice monsters. It will surely be a hidden card in moments of crisis.

‘I just hope there’s no need to use it.’

My fingertips touching the package felt cold. As I kept my mouth shut for a moment, our destination finally appeared before us.

“That’s the royal palace.”

“Yes.”

I could tell even without Hadel saying it. I bit my lip hard.

Even though we were entering enemy territory, my heart didn’t feel tense at all.

‘The place where I was born and raised.’

Because the royal palace was both enemy territory and home to me.

There were many people who came out to welcome Hadel. But I wasn’t satisfied with them.

‘What is this motley crew?’

Normally, when a grand duke comes up to the capital, various people including civil and military ministers should be lined up according to their ranks as written in the etiquette book, but those who came out to welcome Hadel looked as if they had been called out without any criteria, even at a glance.

‘Has there been no one who received the title of grand duke in the royal family since I died?’

This too might be an important clue in grasping the situation of the palace. As I was examining those who came out to welcome us with sharp eyes, a man wearing a monocle stepped forward.

“We greet Prince Hadel.”

He said he worked as an official in the royal household department. Hearing his greeting, Hadel corrected the title in a stiff tone.

“Shouldn’t you call me Your Highness the Grand Duke? Why do you call me prince?”

“…”

They looked pathetic as they exchanged glances among themselves, seemingly flustered. I sighed through my nose.

‘They don’t even know the proper title, and there’s no system to the people who came out to welcome us. Even during the war, the royal palace wasn’t this improper.’

Despite being the royal palace, it didn’t feel any more substantial than an ordinary noble house. As I compared it to the royal palace from when I was young, I narrowed my eyes.

‘It makes sense if Espen completely took over the royal family after I died.’

Espen didn’t know etiquette well.

Espen came from a very humble noble background. If it hadn’t been during wartime, his attitude towards me would have invited much criticism.

‘Still, he wasn’t a bad person. He had very strong mana, so he was bound for a bright future once the war ended…’

Right before the end of the war, he suddenly experienced mana overflow, and now they say he’s been alive for over 100 years.

Even though I heard it from Yulnisia, it was still hard to believe.

I inwardly resolved.

‘That’s right. We can’t get answers to everything until we meet Espen in person.’

That’s why we came up to the capital.

Hadel, noticing that the time at the royal palace would only be unpleasant, immediately requested this.

“I want to see Father right away.”

But the answer that came back was negative.

“Not yet. His Majesty the King said that the prince should rest in Changgung Palace where you originally stayed.”

I didn’t think they would let us meet easily in the first place. Hadel sensitively picked up on the official’s words.

“The prince? Your tone suggests that only I should stay there, excluding my companions.”

At Hadel’s pointed remark, the official wiped his sweat and looked troubled. Then he carefully examined our group and continued speaking.

“We were told there would certainly be a companion…”

Without needing to ask who that companion was, the gaze fixed on me was the answer. I replied in a cold voice.

“You mean me.”

The official immediately bowed his head.

“The companion will stay in the White Jade Palace.”

At those words, my eyebrows raised involuntarily.

‘They’re separating our accommodations?’