“Anyone would think you’re a criminal if they saw you living like this.”

Liz muttered, looking out the window.

Around the empress’s palace, guards were stationed every ten steps. The only place they didn’t guard was the thorny bushes at the edge of the garden.

Watching the guards perform their duties with stern faces reminded Liz of the days in the outer Calier Village when she had a wanted order on her head.

‘Back then, I fled, but now I swore not to run away, so why…’

Liz couldn’t understand the reason at all.

Just then, Rosa entered the room.

“Why did Your Majesty deploy so many guards like this?”

Liz asked.

“I don’t really… know.”

From Rosa’s voice and the faint tremor, Liz was convinced.

‘I know. But she won’t tell me.’

Liz decided not to press further. There was no need to force a painful confession from a subordinate when she could ask the one who gave the order.

“It’s the end of the lesson.”

Liz said, glancing at the wall clock.

“What will we learn today? The history of empresses? Empress etiquette? Virtues an empress should possess?”

“There is no lesson today.”

Liz thought she misheard.

She had spent at least three hours a day learning about the empress’s role, memorizing etiquette, and the common knowledge of palace history, taking tests regularly.

Suddenly, the person who used to insist that skipping even a day would be a big problem was saying this.

“Why all of a sudden?”

“Your Majesty wishes it.”

Liz smirked.

‘Did she strengthen the empress’s palace security because of this?’

Of course, he didn’t want Liz to feel pressured as an empress, but even so, he had decided not to intervene until she asked.

‘I respect your rights. Always.’

He had clearly said so. So why this sudden autocratic decision?

“…”

It was puzzling, but when she thought about it, there was nothing wrong. Liz didn’t particularly enjoy wandering around, and she was gradually getting tired of cramming random knowledge into her head.

“Then I’ll just focus on preparing for the royal wedding. Right?”

“I’m sorry, but you don’t have to do that either. The palace will handle everything on its own.”

This time, Liz thought.

‘This seems a bit much…’

She didn’t know about other things, but she wanted to put effort into the royal wedding. Moreover, she was delighted to finally see a master in the palace when she saw him taking care of things that she cared about.

‘Why would he suddenly be like this? I’m dying to know.’

Liz waited for the night to come.

When Hershis found the empress’s palace, it was late at night.

In fact, he finished work around the evening, but he had something to think about, so he visited Liz about two hours later than usual.
What he had in mind was about Jaden Calton, and Ishaar was in charge of the investigation.

“There’s nothing special. He diligently serves as a new recruit, rarely goes out, and mostly meets people only from the Kingdom of Calton.”

“I see.”

Ishaar asked inquisitively as there was an empty look in the lord’s eyes.

“What do you want to know?”

“About him.”

Hershis asked, gradually brightening his gaze.

“Doesn’t he resemble my disguise?”

“If it’s Your Highness’s disguise… is it the face you had when you concealed your identity for a while?”

Hershis nodded.

“I don’t know. Similar hair and eye color, perhaps?”

In the moment when a relieved smile was about to appear on Hershis’s face, Ishaar said,

“But aside from that, Jaden Calton is much better looking.”

“…”

He just stated a fact purely, but he couldn’t help but think that it might hurt the other’s feelings.

Ishaar prepared herself to hear a scolding…

“Really… do you think so?”

“…”

Unable to hide her perplexity at the gloomy tone of her lord, Ishaar thought, ‘Oh my. How did the lord, who was so self-centered, end up like this?’

Having never experienced love, Ishaar couldn’t understand her lord’s heart, but still, she offered words of comfort in her own way.

“If he looks better than the Your Highness at that time, then it’s fine. If the current Your Highness looks even better.”

“…”

Unfortunately, it didn’t serve as much comfort to Hershis.

He sank even deeper into his abyss of thoughts.

‘Jaden Calton is better than Cain? What if he appears to be much better to the woman who longs for him, even if he resembles only a small part of Cain?’
Now that he had just started to open up to me, Hershis felt bitterly regretful about what had happened.

He should have prevented the priest’s visit.

Even if there were complaints about the lack of trust in the temple, he should have pushed forward without caring and kept the dignity of his position.

But even if he regrets it now, what’s the use?

He should just make sure he doesn’t meet him again in the future.

Trying to regain his confidence, he thought about the night he spent with Liz.

They exchanged a deep kiss that night.

‘Women never forget their first kiss.’

But just as he was trying to regain his confidence, the moment of crumbling confidence came again.

Liz’s first kiss partner was not Hershis, but Cain!