Returning to her room, Alicia, having vomited everything inside, lay down on the bed with Amy’s support.

Perhaps due to emptying her stomach completely and straining to expel even the bitter gastric juices for a long time, Alicia looked exhausted, her eyes tinged red.

“Your Highness, shall I call for the physician again?”

“I’ll be fine after some sleep.”

“But still…”

“Amy…”

“Haa… I understand. I’ll just apply a cold compress to your eyes a bit longer before I leave. If you sleep like this, it’ll be difficult when you wake up tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Closing her eyes while listening to the voice of her concerned lady-in-waiting, Alicia let out a long sigh as she felt the cold, damp towel cooling the heat around her eyes.

She wanted to curse herself for being not only stupid but also weak.

However, she had to refrain, lest Amy, who was already worried sick, might faint from shock.

‘It’s not like I know many curses anyway.’

As she closed her eyes and felt the gentle touch filled with concern, her consciousness gradually faded.

How long had it been since she had slept so deeply that her waist ached…

Whether it was the encounter with the demon that brought on fatigue or the conversation with Killian that drained her energy, she couldn’t tell, but her whole body felt limp and powerless.

“Sleep, Your Highness. Everything will be alright when you wake up.”

A gentle voice.

Alicia felt Amy’s voice fading away as she drifted into a deep sleep.

“I thought I told you not to do unnecessary things?”

A cold gaze and a sharp voice.

Alicia was looking at Killian, who was glaring at her and clicking his tongue briefly.

For a moment, as if her mind was foggy, Alicia couldn’t grasp what was happening. She moved her head to take in her surroundings.

A wide space with a grand chandelier hanging high.

This place, familiar to her eyes, was the Grand Hall of the Imperial Palace, only opened for major imperial banquets.

Perhaps a banquet was still in progress, as she could see elaborately dressed nobles looking towards Killian and Alicia, whispering among themselves.

“You called me here for just this kind of banquet?”

“Just this… Killian, it’s our wedding anniversary.”

“I thought I told you to use proper titles in official settings, Your Majesty.”

Ah… This is a dream.

Alicia realized this was a dream as she watched herself speaking and acting automatically, ignoring her own will.

Such a vivid dream…

Moreover, this was a dream recreating something that had actually happened in the past.

‘It was a banquet held to celebrate our first wedding anniversary after marriage. I lied, hiding the fact it was a banquet and saying there was an urgent matter.’

There was no ill intent.

I just wanted to celebrate this day together and be celebrated.

I also thought of surprising Killian, but I lied to bring him here, thinking he wouldn’t come if I said it was to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

The reason for the lie was simple and at the same time pitiful.

Because I didn’t expect him to remember our wedding anniversary.

However, Alicia, while pitiful, did not despair.

She already knew that his heart wasn’t directed towards her.

At this time, Alicia believed that if she couldn’t be loved, she could love that much more herself.

She even held a little hope that if she did so, Killian’s heart might gradually turn towards her.

This banquet was also a plan born from such thoughts.

She felt sorry for lying, but she planned to apologize later and commemorate this special day in private time for just the two of them…

‘I didn’t think he would get angry like this in such a public place.’

Alicia was foolish to believe that Killian would show that much courtesy, even though it was an unwanted engagement and marriage, they were still a married couple after all.

“I despise wasting time the most.”

“Killian…”

“I despise repeating the same words twice. Use the proper title.”

“I… I…”

“If you call me for such useless things one more time… I won’t hold back either, Your Majesty.”

This is a nightmare.

It was the worst dream, vividly pulling past events and displaying them before her eyes.

In the eyes of the nobles gathered in a large circle, watching Killian and Alicia, a base pleasure lingered.

The fall of the noble was the greatest entertainment for those watching.

Not a single person stood up for Alicia.

They stood by and made it a spectacle.

In the past… Then, she was too hurt by Killian’s behavior to have the composure to look around, but now it’s different.

‘Did everyone look at me with such eyes?’

Although it pulled from past events, it clearly showed parts she couldn’t remember, so it must be a dream reflecting her imagination to some extent, yet there wasn’t even a person pitying her in this scene.

‘…How miserable.’

It was sad and painful, terrible and desperate.

Unable to hide her dejected feelings, she wanted to look away, but the cruel dream did not allow her to avoid it.

“I trust Your Majesty will wrap up the banquet you hosted well on your own.”

“Wa, wait… Just a moment! Killian!”

“Then I shall take my leave, Your Majesty.”

Killian turned away as if he couldn’t hear Alicia’s voice and left the Grand Hall.

And following him was a young lady with intense red hair.

Cheryl Lewis, Killian’s lover.

Alicia left behind in the Grand Hall, and Cheryl who left with Killian.

The surrounding whispers gradually grew louder, beginning to weigh down on Alicia’s entire body.

“As expected, His Grace the Grand Duke…”

“Still with Lady Lewis…”

“Her Majesty is pitiful…”

“…That’s what happens when you take another’s man…”

Mocking conversations and contemptuous gazes tightened around Alicia.

Killian’s voice, the sound of Cheryl’s shoes as she followed him out, and the nobles’ sneers mixed together, shaking Alicia.

She no longer wanted to stay here.

‘Escape, I need to escape!’

Momentarily forgetting this was a dream due to dizziness, Alicia started running out of the hall towards somewhere.

Someone shouted from behind for her to come back, but Alicia couldn’t.

How long did she run like that?

The scenery surrounding her began to change.

As night turned to day and back to night again, Alicia passed through the glass greenhouse, her bedroom and the rose garden, and the temple where she had married Killian.

And the place where she stopped running.

Catching her breath that had risen to her chin, the place she examined was Alicia’s office.

Surely just moments ago she was panting and gasping for breath, but when did she end up sitting at the desk placed in the office?

Alicia, who had been holding her head with both hands and lowering it, finally recalled that this was a dream.

The place she had fled to was ultimately still within the nightmare.

“How long will you continue to just worry?”

Alicia, who had been contemplating how to end this nightmare, raised her head at the voice coming from above.

“Marquis Anderson.”

Silver hair loosely tied and draped over the shoulders, eyes of an icy purple color.

The man who became the youngest prime minister in the empire’s history.

It was Reilly Anderson.

The moment she confirmed his appearance standing on the opposite side of the desk looking down at her, Alicia, realizing what time this was recreating, clenched her fist.

“For Eregron, the Grand Duke must die.”

“…Have you forgotten he is my husband?”

Once again, her mouth opened on its own.

Even without hearing it, Alicia remembered exactly what Reilly’s next words would be.

“If the Grand Duke were not Your Majesty’s husband, this troublesome task of me standing here trying to persuade Your Majesty would not be happening.”

Yes, if that were the case, Killian would have already died by Reilly’s hand. Or vice versa…

Reilly hates Killian.

Because he killed the previous Marquis.

Although Killian didn’t wield the sword himself, the political situation he created drove the previous Marquis to his death.

The death of the previous Marquis shook the foundation of the nobles supporting the Emperor, which soon led to the weakening of imperial power.

Reilly was still the leader of the pro-imperial nobles, but he sided with Alicia not for the Emperor’s sake, but to keep Killian in check.

“Do you know how much resources your beloved husband has amassed in preparation for war?”

“…”

“Don’t say you don’t know. I know you’re not that incompetent.”

“Marquis…”

“The national treasury is empty. The nobles in the borderlands are living more poorly than commoners, and the people are starving to death.”

“…I know.”

“No. Your Majesty doesn’t know.”

Reilly’s resolute voice pierced Alicia’s heart.

Alicia knew that the fuel burning in those purple eyes was anger, but hidden within was compassion for those weaker than himself and affection for Eregron.

“Right now, Eregron is barely holding on. The moment war begins, it will quickly crumble from within.”

Even if they win the war, Killian will never be satisfied.

Since nothing in this world can fill his hunger, Killian will continue to covet and covet, that much was clear.

“If you are the Emperor of this Eregron, if you feel any responsibility for ruining this Eregron!”

I know.

I know what words will come next.

‘Kill him.’

“Kill him.”

Reilly took out a small black glass bottle from his breast and placed it on Alicia’s desk.

“It’s poison. You should know how to use it.”

If I say it sounds like he’s telling me to die along with Killian, how would this man in front of me answer?

“…I need time to think.”

The scene before her eyes distorted.

Alicia, knowing what would happen next, what would unfold due to her choice, squeezed her eyes shut as she recalled the pain of that time.

“I hope you make a choice befitting the great Emperor of this Eregron.”

Reilly’s voice constantly echoed in her ears, demanding an emperor-like choice.

And Alicia would make the same choice as she did then.

Even if this was just a dream, she would never choose anything that would harm Killian.

That was who Alicia was, after all.