He was one of the noble soldiers with well-maintained discipline, shining armor, and restrained attitude.

Reaching the end of the radius, he slowly raised the forged longsword, and when he reached the end, he tightly gripped the hilt.

His knuckles turned white. And…

“Urgh!”

Liz woke up.

Fortunately… really fortunate. She could wake up before Hersis’s neck dropped.

Liz wiped her chest.

Although it was a dream that had come to her not infrequently since she realized the ending, this time it was different.

It felt a little clearer, a little more realistic.
Like the encroaching darkness of a total solar eclipse slowly coloring the end of the virgin road, it felt as if the shadow of destiny was gradually approaching Liz.

The faces, expressions, and attire of the people in the dream were vividly clear. Even their breath and laughter sounded distinct.

For everyone except Hersis and his attendants, it was a moment akin to a festival.

It was dreadful.

Though fearful of falling asleep again, sleep found its way back.

When she woke up, it was a bright morning with sunlight streaming in. And then.

“Now you should get up, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Oops!”

A real nightmare had begun!

As Liz sat up abruptly, clinging to the edge of the bed, René spoke with a creaky voice.

“Why are you so surprised? Like seeing a maid for the first time?”

“Yes, why are you here?”

Liz asked, unable to hide her confusion as she faced the person she encountered as soon as she opened her eyes.

René replied as if it were obvious.

“The maid should be by the side of the empress.”

“There’s no need to stick around like this in the morning.”

“I know. I know, but someone keeps watching, you know.”

“…Who?”

“Isn’t there only one maid assigned to you? Her name is Rosa, right?”

René pouted her lips and pushed her hair behind her ear.

She was wearing that terrifying earring again today.

“She keeps complaining about the duties of a maid, saying she wants to kill me.”

“But she didn’t really kill you.”

Having regained her composure, Liz threw off the blanket and got up from the bed. René, lowering her ear again, said,

“I decided to endure for now. But I don’t know how long I can hold out.”

“Okay, that’s up to you to decide. Just one piece of advice, though.”

Liz, putting on her gown, turned around and said,

“Imperial maids must have updos. You can’t keep hiding earrings in your ears forever.”

“I already heard that from your maid.”

René immediately gathered the remaining hair, twirled it around, and, leaving only a handful, wound it around, fixing it with a hairpin she had from Corsage. Then, she stuck the disguised pendant into the center of the bun.

It looked like an ordinary piece of jewelry!

“Is this okay?”

Liz expressed sincere admiration for her skillful hands.

“Perfect.”

The appetite didn’t seem to be returning.

Liz gradually lost her appetite to the point where it seemed like it might disappear forever.

All the food in the world seemed like an enemy to be defeated. Except for water, her stomach accepted nothing.

For breakfast, she only had a glass of lemonade and a few pieces of bread. Even that didn’t digest well. While taking a stroll with René in the garden, Rosa ran over, panting.

“Viscount Baldemion is waiting in the dining room.”

At the mention of the dining room, Liz’s eyes widened.

Not the audience room, but the dining room. Could it be…

Liz asked Rosa discreetly.

“Did he bring something?”
“Yes, so I haven’t prepared lunch either.”

She was startled.

It was unimaginable that he had properly prepared a dish she had never heard of before. Clearly, he must have brought something with the thought that he should bring something,

But in her current state, it didn’t seem like she could eat even if he brought something delicious.

However, out of courtesy, she had to pretend to eat.

“I might vomit.”

As she forced herself to eat, the room seemed to darken.

Liz walked as slowly as possible, hoping that Ishar would have returned in the meantime, being busy.

“I present myself to Her Majesty the Empress.”

But he was waiting.

His composed manners felt more terrifying and eerie than any sarcastic expression she had ever seen.

Liz looked at the silver dome on the dining table.

It was uncomfortable to think that she wouldn’t be able to eat whatever was inside.

“Please sit.”

To take his seat, Ishar moved aside, and Liz took a step.

Even during that time, the reluctance clearly appeared on her face, but Ishar didn’t notice. He also seemed too tense to have the leisure to scrutinize the other party.

“Please hope that the food matches your thoughts.”

Without giving Liz a chance to prepare herself, Ishar lifted the lid.

…!

Liz’s eyes widened.

It was exactly the dish she had in mind!

The red color, the viscosity, the gloss of the ingredients, and the harmonious shape were perfect.

“You’re really amazing. How did you…?”

As Liz sincerely praised him, Ishar demurred.

“Please try it first before you speak. Appearance and taste are different.”

Liz agreed with those words, but she thought that reproducing the appearance so perfectly was worthy of admiration alone.

Because she didn’t think there would be anyone else in this world who could recreate it so closely.

Liz picked up her fork.

And she poked the contents. The feeling of the fork tip digging into the soft flesh was familiar.

“…How is it?”

When Ishar asked, seeing Liz only chewing without saying anything, he became uneasy.

‘Is it not the taste I expected after all? Or did I make it too spicy?’

“…Um.”

Liz spoke so softly that Ishar couldn’t hear properly.

“What did you say?”

“It’s delicious.”

Liz spoke clearly this time, and Ishar understood.

But it was strange.

Ishar chuckled and asked.

“But… why… are you crying?”