Why is she looking at me with that face?

Seeing Isabel staring at me with a pale face, then glaring as if she had been betrayed, I realized this is when one should use the phrase “I’m dumbfounded.”

“Amy.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Bring the Crown Princess here.”

“I will do as you command.”

The one who caused the accident was Alicia’s maid, and the one who nearly suffered from it was Killian, but it happened during the preparation for the banquet.

Although Alicia and Killian could have resolved it simply between themselves, that shouldn’t be done.

‘It wouldn’t be bad to show Sienna how far my power extends on this occasion.’

When her father died and she ascended to the throne, Alicia didn’t know what she could do or to what extent.

The emperor who could have taught her was dead, and the ministers didn’t want the emperor’s power to grow stronger.

So Alicia had to figure out the extent of her power by trial and error.

Of course, her husband Killian held greater power, so she could only gauge it without properly using it, but that experience made her current judgment possible.

“I present the Crown Princess.”

Alicia, who had greeted Sienna politely as she arrived with Amy, approached her.

The age difference was just one year.

Was it because they had built a friendship in social circles before marriage, and Sienna had been designated as the Crown Princess, participating in several royal events together?

Alicia and Sienna, who became family, grew close quickly, and because of that, they sometimes showed casual behavior even in official settings.

It wasn’t proper etiquette, but they thought it was one way to express their affection for each other, so in the past, they didn’t think to correct it.

But now she knows. That it was wrong behavior.

If she cherished and loved Sienna, she should have protected her authority as well.

This too was something she learned through experience.

“I feel burdened that I’ve increased Your Highness’s work when you must be busy preparing for the banquet, instead of helping.”

“… It’s alright. I didn’t expect to get through the preparation of a grand banquet without any small disturbances.”

Sienna, who was momentarily taken aback by Alicia’s formal tone, quickly composed herself and answered with a gentle smile.

Some people might misunderstand her as being shallow based on her cheerful personality alone, but Sienna was a clever person who was not lacking as a Crown Princess.

Being such a person, Sienna couldn’t help but understand why Alicia was behaving this way.

As if responding to Alicia, Sienna nodded politely and turned her gaze to Killian.

“I also apologize to the Duke. My inadequate preparation has caused you trouble.”

“… It’s not Your Highness’s fault.”

… Why is that man acting like this?

The Killian that Alicia knew would have not only refused to accept the apology but would have made some sarcastic remarks to irritate the other party or turned the situation into a bargain to extract something.

But why is he bowing his head and accepting the apology so readily?

Sienna was also surprised by Killian’s unexpected response.

She had been trying to hide her trembling fingertips, preparing herself to respond carefully even if Killian were to retort with sharp words, but why is he being so polite?

That fierce Duke Diaz? Why?

Could it be because of Alicia? But that couldn’t be…

Sienna cleared her throat and composed her expression as she thought that far.

Whatever the reason, it was good for her side if the other party was being so cooperative.

“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease.”

“However, I believe there should be proper punishment. I trust you won’t easily forgive someone who not only committed a crime but also tried to pin it on their master.”

“Of course.”

The gazes of Alicia, Killian, and Sienna fell on Isabel.

Isabel, who had been momentarily relieved seeing the gentle exchange between the three, bit her lower lip as she felt the atmosphere turning unfavorable for her again.

“Ah, please call my father.”

“Don’t worry. Count Fleming has already been summoned to the palace.”

She tried to commit an outrageous act in an embarrassing outfit, and then attempted to pin all the blame on Alicia.

Sienna, who had heard everything from Amy on her way here, glared at Isabel with cold eyes.

Although she was a noble of the imperial faction, there was no need to keep someone without shame or ability to reflect, at the cost of suffering losses.

‘I’ll be able to see how much Count Fleming cherishes his daughter.’

Recalling the face of Count Fleming, who had shown an arrogant attitude in front of her beloved husband, perhaps due to the recent enormous profits from trade, Sienna gritted her teeth.

Though she had cried in front of Adrian about how her life was ruined by a political marriage, if she hadn’t liked him, Sienna would have found a way to avoid the marriage by any means.

One point for his handsome face, another point for his kind words.

An opportunity had arisen to twist the neck of the rat who had irritated her husband, who was scoring higher points day by day, and if she missed this chance, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.

“I will impose a punishment that will satisfy the Duke, so don’t worry.”

“I will trust in Your Highness’s wise and righteous judgment.”

“Thank you for your trust.”

“By the way… what will Her Highness Alicia do?”

Alicia, who had been relieved thinking that Sienna seemed to be handling the matter well and there would be no need for her to step in, flinched at Killian’s sudden question.

Of course… Killian wouldn’t end it like this.

“… Since it was caused by a maid from my palace, I should take responsibility too. Is there anything you want?”

Was this the answer Killian wanted?

Killian, who smiled with satisfaction, pulling up one corner of his mouth, pressed one hand to his chest and bowed his head slightly as he answered.

“I don’t want to make this a big issue. So… would you take a walk with me?”

“… Pardon?”

“One walk should be enough to keep my mouth shut.”

Killian is indeed strange.

Alicia could only nod her head once again, thinking such thoughts.

The place Alicia led Killian to when he suggested a walk was her rose garden, which was just beginning to sprout new buds to welcome spring.

It was still too early for the flower buds to bloom.

The reason she led him to this place, which was still in disarray as spring preparations hadn’t been completed, was for a different reason.

‘It’s a good place to avoid prying eyes.’

Alicia’s rose garden was located in the inner garden of the Princess’s Palace, a place where general visitors couldn’t freely enter.

It was the perfect place for Alicia, who didn’t want to be seen with Killian by others.

‘I need to let everyone know at this spring’s banquet that I’ve given up my feelings for Killian, but if we’re seen together like this now, no one will believe it.’

It didn’t matter that she had fallen for Killian again and still harbored feelings for him.

It was a love that couldn’t be fulfilled anyway, and feelings that wouldn’t be reciprocated.

If it was going to be painful either way, this time she wanted to do something that would benefit her family and the empire.

‘To do that, I need to make it clear to the nobles that I’ve given up my feelings.’

Once they realized that her desperate and foolish love had ended, the nobles would surely start making different calculations and schemes.

An unmarried princess without a match was a sufficiently attractive ‘commodity’ to stimulate their calculations.

If Killian had put her marriage up for trade before her regression, now it was her turn.

Alicia would now put her own marriage on the market.

‘It will fetch a high price. And the Empire will stabilize accordingly.’

She was willing to offer it even to places outside the empire if they paid a high enough price.

Of course, if that happened, she would be distanced from her family and it would be a bit lonely… but if she, who held the right of succession to the throne, left for a place far from the empire, it would actually be good for Adrian.

‘This is ultimately running away too.’

She didn’t have the courage to jump into that hell once again to try to capture Killian’s heart.

Nor did she have the confidence to not love Killian.

Even after making such resolutions upon traveling back in time, the moment she faced him again, she helplessly fell for him once more.

She might make another foolish choice at this rate.

So she was running away.

For now, this was the best option.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”

Alicia, who had been trying to convince herself that running away was the best option, was startled by Killian’s voice and stopped in her tracks.

It was shocking to realize that she had been so lost in her thoughts that she had forgotten who was standing right beside her.

“I-I’m sorry. I had something on my mind.”

To have completely ignored Killian, who had an absolutely unmissable presence, and walked for so long.

Alicia’s face flushed red at the thought of having made such an impossible mistake.

“Rather, I should be the one apologizing. For interrupting Your Highness’s thoughts.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

Alicia felt rather uneasy as she took in the sight of Killian speaking in an unprecedentedly kind voice, saying it was alright.

Why is he acting like this?

It was a demeanor he had never shown even when she had desperately begged for kindness.

So why?

Pondering over the unsolvable question, Alicia finally voiced her doubt to him, who was standing still, looking at her.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You’ve never shown me kindness before.”

“Ah, is that the issue?”

“It’s not an issue, it’s a question. Why are you acting like this?”

“Well…”

As she watched Killian rubbing his chin, choosing his answer, some kind of expectation began to rise.

It was a foolish thought, but if by any chance he had developed even the slightest feelings for her… if that were the case, couldn’t she form a different relationship with him, relying on even that small feeling?

It was an absurd thought, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress the expectation rising within her.

“Perhaps it’s curiosity?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m curious if the feelings written in Your Highness’s last letter were sincere. If they were sincere, I wonder how long you can maintain them.”