Her face was not clearly visible as she was turning her back. René quietly stood, waiting for her mother to introduce the guest.

Drrrr .

The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor, and then the friend’s daughter slowly turned around.

Then, with a bright smile, she greeted.

“Nice to meet you, Lady Evelyn Esmond.”

One corner of the lady’s mouth lifted.

Madam Esmond didn’t see it, but René saw it clearly.

The eyebrow gradually stiffened.

⭐⭐⭐

“I can’t express how surprised I was. Claire’s daughter became the empress. No one could have expected that.”

“I understand. I was just as surprised.”

“But it’s really worked out well. And, to be honest, I’m so happy. I was worried because Claire and I aren’t that close, so I wondered what Her Majesty would think of me…”

Madam Esmond spoke with a bitter smile.

“In fact, I was a bit concerned. Since Claire and I are not very close, I wondered what impression Her Majesty would have of me…”
“Bad impression? No, there isn’t such a thing. Our mother is our mother, and I am me. In my memory, Lady Esmond was an incredibly kind and gentle person.”

“Thank you for thinking that way, Your Majesty.”

Liz glanced at René and spoke softly, “Miss, you’re truly beautiful. Haven’t you made your debut in society yet? I’ve never seen you before, even once before marriage.”

“Oh, a society debut? That’s like a dream.”

Lady Esmond waved her hand, as if the idea was absurd. “This child is so frail that her ankles might break even if she dances a little.”

“…”

“Is that all? You also need to take a break every five steps on the stairs. That’s why her room is specially located on a separate floor.”

“Ah… Is that so?”

Liz’s face showed a subtle smile at the mention, but Lady Esmond didn’t see it. However, René saw it clearly once again.

“It’s really regrettable. Being so frail.”

Liz expressed a sympathetic expression. Then, as she sipped her tea, the corner of her mouth hidden behind the teacup chuckled.

“Is that the only reason? Haven’t you ever walked around alone anywhere?”

“For a social event, maybe, but otherwise, I’ve never been out alone. To feel secure, I need at least five escorts. Such a delicate noble lady makes an excellent target for villains.”

“Still, think about it.”

Liz closed her eyes slowly, then opened them with a glint as she said, “If you think carefully, Miss must have gone out alone somewhere. For example, lied about going to a relative’s house and secretly went to the outskirts alone…”

“Mom!”

René suddenly found her mother.

“Mom, I’m hungry.”

“…”

“I want Mom’s Baumkuchen. The tastiest Mom’s signature Baumkuchen in the world.”

René was Lady Esmond’s late-born daughter, born in her late thirties. She overcame a difficult birth and grew up dealing with various illnesses. For Lady Esmond, prioritizing her daughter above all else was a natural instinct.

“Oh, right. Make it quickly. Wait a bit, our baby.”

Lady Esmond greeted the Empress as she left, seemingly prancing, to treat René with Baumkuchen.

Liz forgave her with a pleased expression.

She also hoped for a moment alone with René Esmond.

“How did you know? Will you kill me if I tell?”

⭐⭐⭐

After the later part of the novel came to mind, Liz had been thinking all along.

‘I need an ally.’

It was impossible to handle what was to come alone. But having too many wasn’t good either, due to the fear of being exposed.

There just needed to be one person who would secretly carry out the task.

The person had to be trustworthy, agile, physically fit, preferably good at memorization, and, above all, a woman. Because having a man around was not an option.
Liz knew of a woman who met all these conditions.

That day, in a shabby restaurant on the outskirts of the capital, there was a tough-looking woman beside her. The woman skillfully avoided her attacks on the steep path. She didn’t even flinch when her face changed. The woman who handed her a significant sum of gold coins, claiming it was a fee for watching.

In the items that she dropped in a hurry, Liz found the emblem of a prestigious family. So, without hesitation, she could find it a little earlier.

René Esmond.

The fact that she was the renowned daughter of the Esmond Duke was an unparalleled stroke of luck for Liz.

As a maid, she could naturally stay close to her, and also…

“Sss!”

As Liz continued her thoughts, she suddenly burst into laughter.

It was due to a handful of memories that suddenly intervened in the calm flow of her consciousness.

“What? You’re too delicate, so you haven’t had your society debut? You need more than five bodyguards because the world is too dangerous? Hahaha!”

Liz just laughed it off.

“Your partner’s leg will break, not yours, and the guards should be there to protect the world, not you.”

“Did you forget…”

Listening quietly, René spoke in a chilling voice.

“This is my home, and here, there are only you and me, and your guards are outside the door.”

With golden-brown hair swept behind her ears, René spoke.

“To put it simply, there’s nothing here to protect you. I still have this.”

Liz looked at the earring dangling from her ear. It was the same earring as before.

Without taking her eyes off Liz, René separated the round pendant from the chain. Then, when she pressed the center.

Squeak!

Four sharp blades popped out like a windmill!

At the unpleasant sound of metal, Liz involuntarily shivered and said, “Do you know who I am? If you kill me, you won’t be safe.”

“Who’s going to kill you?”

René inserted the tip of the badge under her nails.

“What’s left for me if I kill you?”

“…”

“Still, well, I can provide you with an unforgettable trauma. For example, an advanced phobia…”

Dragging out her words while sweeping the tip of the badge under her nails, René laughed. Liz thought that Lady Esmond should have seen that. Even after seeing that, she wondered if she would still say “Our baby.”

Under the nails that had been dug, there were calluses. René blew on them, and suddenly burst into laughter.

“How funny would it be? Seeing the Empress fall apart at the mere sight of a fork.”

Gradually, a smile began to spread on Liz’s face as well. It wasn’t because she found the image of herself sweetly falling apart at the sight of a fork amusing.

“Yeah, this is you. This is how it’s worth coming here.”

Leaning back against the backrest with a clenched fist, Liz said.
René looked up from her nails.

In her uplifted sky-blue eyes, a tint of curiosity emerged. Liz spoke with a cheerful tone.

“Be my maid, René Esmond.”

“…”

For a moment, René seemed perplexed, then she chuckled as if she found it amusing.

“Have you gone mad? Or did you lose your mind after becoming the Empress? Why should I become your maid?”

“Firstly, it’s for me.”

“…”

“Secondly, it’s for you.”

Liz smoothly smiled and continued, “Right now, it’s almost written on your face that you’re suffocating.”

René’s expression hardened for a moment.