Even though she had greeted her along with her mother… Etienne said this with an uncertain voice, and the Empress nodded as if confirming. Etienne became more puzzled by her reaction.

‘No, I didn’t ask if you recognized my face from somewhere, did I?’

“I’ve always watched Etienne. Even when you came to the banquet, I observed you with interest, and when you visited the castle, I saw you by the window over there.”

“Me…?”

Although she shouldn’t have asked the Empress a question, Etienne involuntarily inquired before belatedly closing her mouth. She had made a mistake since she should have observed proper etiquette when dealing with nobles other than Leharht.
“When you were very young, I saw you wandering around, thinking what a beautiful child you were. After that, Leharht showed interest in you, so I watched you again. However, I haven’t called Etienne yet because I don’t know what rumors might spread when I, the Empress, start looking for you.”

When the Empress rose from her seat, around ten people moved simultaneously. They were the maids caressing her skirt, attending servants, and the knights guarding the Empress.

When nobles move, they are accompanied by so many people. Feeling the weight of the imposing tail, unseen by Leharht, Etienne took a step back.

Approaching Etienne, the Empress and Etienne exchanged glances from a distance of about one step.

“Now I see you up close.”

The Empress’s gaze and voice were so warm that Etienne couldn’t even move when she saw the Empress raising her hand.

“The child my son likes is…”

The hand touching her head was so warm that it felt unreal to engage in a conversation at such close proximity. Until the Empress’s words continued, Etienne found herself unknowingly holding her breath.

“A beautiful-eyed young lady.”

“Thank… you.”

Although feeling a bit flustered, Etienne expressed gratitude for the compliment.

“But there seems to be something going on.”

Even though it was about Prince Ludvi, the Empress seemed to find it amusing. As if she had heard an interesting story.

“Yes.”

“It seems you have no intention of accepting Ludvi’s proposal.”
Not wanting to go to him and ask if the rumors are true was on her mind already.

“I can see a look that knows how to solve it.”

If Ludvi didn’t like it, there was a proposal from Fernando. However, Etienne was not inclined to use it because Fernando was involved.

“Shall I tell you another way?”

“Another way?”

“It’s a way where you don’t have to hold someone’s hand and have a debutante ball….”

“Yes. I want to know.”

Etienne nodded obediently as if enchanted, and the Empress, with a smile, brought her face close to Etienne’s ear so that only she could hear.

A brief surprise crossed Etienne’s face as she listened to the Empress’s whisper.

“Miss.”

At the butler’s call, Etienne looked at him instead of lying down on the bed.

“It would be good to drink this before going to sleep.”

Seeing the glass brought by the butler, Etienne took it obediently and soon realized what he handed her.

“It’s just water.”

“Yes. Since you might be very thirsty, it’s good to drink a lot in advance.”

“Ah… right.”

It was a precautionary statement for what would soon be enveloped in a fever. Etienne agreed with his words and finished the rest of the glass.

“But is it really from tonight?”

Etienne, who had returned home, had said that the fever would start tonight, and the butler had acknowledged it. However, he asked again, sensing something suspicious.

“You might wake up earlier.”
Having already experienced it once, she knew how engulfing the fever could be, but she gave a vague answer to the butler because she couldn’t reveal everything.

“I’ll endure and get up.”

With that added, Etienne slowly lay down on the bed. The butler handed her hair and touched her forehead to check her fever. The heat was fainter than before, so it was about to start soon.

“Occasionally, Lady of the Marquis will come to check on you.”

“I already told her earlier, why is she coming again?”

She wanted the Lady of the Marquis to see her not only with a raised fever, but Etienne didn’t say more.

“What should I tell His Highness the Crown Prince and Duke Fernando? You two would be most worried.”

“I told Fernando not to come for a while…”

She drew a line, telling him not to come to the dressing room anymore.

“I told His Highness the Crown Prince too.”

Knowing that I couldn’t meet him while I was engulfed in a fever, we parted ways, thinking we would meet at the debutante ball. Now that everything was sorted out, she could endure the pain with peace of mind.

‘It’s something I’ve experienced before; I can endure it well.’

Just like the days when I rescued Fernando for the second time, the rise and fall of the fever for a few days would eventually pass.

‘During that time, nothing should happen to His Highness the Crown Prince.’

Just as this is my second time, a second crisis has come to Leharht. Since I warned him to be careful of falling, he must be making quite a lot of preparations.

‘I trust him.’