“Really? Then she’ll come report separately.”

The Empress, having lost interest, checked her long nails again, touching them here and there.

‘Come to think of it, the Princess invited that illegitimate child to tea time today.’

It seemed no one knew whether the servants had kept their mouths shut well.

Even at the laundry area where maids gossiped most about such things, not a single related word had come up.

‘Did she do it behind the Empress’s back?’

If she did it deliberately, there must be an intention. She must be planning something separately.

A deep smile formed inwardly.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Go carefully.”

The Empress spoke, still not taking her eyes off her nails.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll see you at the next report.”

After greeting her, Haina left the Rose Palace.

The night breeze felt especially cool today.

‘May mud be thrown on your path.’

As much as I wish, as big as possible.

* * *

The woman didn’t regain consciousness all night.

Her condition was poor—she had a fever and coughed frequently, so Evolaine had to nurse her and even clean.

‘This isn’t an environment suitable for a patient in the first place.’

Why was someone who seemed to struggle even cleaning her room living such an isolated life?

“…”

The dark sky gradually brightened.

Dawn ended and morning arrived.

“Mmm…”

And the woman’s long sleep also came to an end.

Blink blink—

The woman worked hard to lift her heavy eyelids.

Then, while looking around, she spotted Evolaine and opened her eyes wide.

“Why are you here…”

“I’m not cold-hearted enough to leave a patient behind.”

When Evolaine repeated the same words from last night, the woman couldn’t find words to respond and only swept back her long hair.

“I’m also curious about something.”

“Curious?”

“Yes, I was so curious I didn’t think I could leave like this.”

She had to know why she’d smelled that scent from this woman.

If her remembering her was also related to ‘that,’ she might be able to find clues related to her mother.

“Are you a Gypsy?”

“…!!”

At the straightforward question, the woman couldn’t hide her flustered expression.

That reaction made Evolaine certain.

That she was a Gypsy.

“…I don’t know why you’re asking that question. I’m not a Gypsy.”

“For that to be true, your answer came quite late.”

“…”

The woman seemed anxious for some reason.

Constantly staring somewhere, biting her nails.

Everything looked suspicious.

‘The refreshing smell and objects that seem like they’d be used in rituals can’t all be coincidence.’

The distinctive refreshing smell from Gypsies couldn’t be imitated by ordinary people.

It manifested through the sorcery they handled.

The strange objects were the same.

The horned sheep drawn on the woman’s neck.

Books with covers engraved with that sheep, wrapped tightly in silver chains.

Black candlesticks with purple gems embedded in the center.

Kitchen knives combining black handles with blades dyed red.

Besides these, there were considerably many suspicious objects in this palace.

She’d found them while cleaning the palace, but they were all hidden deep.

Even if someone visited this place, unless they rummaged through every location like she did, they’d be hard to discover.

“The reason I asked if you’re a Gypsy is because I have something I want to ask Gypsies.”

“…Gypsies?”

“Yes, because only they can answer my question.”

When she stated her reason for seeking Gypsies, the woman fiddled with the ends of her hair, seemingly troubled.

Whether she hadn’t cut it in a long time, her sky-blue hair was long enough to drape across the bed.

Could it be related to the reason she stayed here?

“What… do you want to ask?”

The woman asked Evolaine back, gauging her reaction.

She’d indirectly admitted she was a Gypsy.

The woman’s eyes looking at Evolaine wavered.

A pale face full of fear, like being chased by something.

“Do you know about my family?”

“No, I don’t.”

A sharp answer.

Like a math problem with a correct answer.

The woman avoided Evolaine’s gaze at her persistent following.

“You really don’t know?”

“I don’t. I don’t know anything.”

“…I see.”

Though she hadn’t particularly expected anything when asking, she felt deflated.

Because this person she’d met for the first time recognized who she was.

Because she seemed glad to see her.

So she must have hoped she’d tell her even a small fact.

When disappointment heavily colored her voice, the woman flinched.

‘There’s no point asking again.’

Even if this was a lie, she would give the same answer.

Her face was full of pain, like a sore wound had been touched.

“I’ll be going now. I don’t know if we’ll meet again, but… take care of your health.”

“…”

The woman didn’t answer until Evolaine left the palace.

Like denying Evolaine’s words.

Stubbornly.

* * *

After escaping the gloomy palace, Ashiel’s garden came into view.

Since it was early morning, few people were walking around.

Evolaine moved carefully to avoid being caught and came outside the palace.

The carriage that brought her must have already returned, so she planned to catch a freight wagon at least.

However, embarrassingly, the carriage that brought Evolaine was waiting in its spot.

In front of the carriage adorned with the Duchy of Radelica’s crest and fancy decorations, a coachman could be seen yawning and working hard to drive away sleepiness.

But that coachman wasn’t the one who’d come with her.

“No way…”

Her heart pounded like it would burst.

It was definitely not a good sign.

If Cardel had actually brought a carriage to the front of the imperial palace, it definitely wouldn’t end with just a scolding.

‘Why are there no freight wagons of all times!’

Of course, freight wagons couldn’t enter inside the imperial palace, but Evolaine, not knowing this fact, cried out.

Just when she was about to approach quietly like a thief so her footsteps wouldn’t be heard, the carriage door opened.

“Hello, Evolaine.”

“Y-Young Master.”

Flustered, Evolaine stepped back from the carriage.

In contrast, Cardel was smiling brightly.

The problem was only his eyes were doing so…

“Where have you been wandering around?”

“W-well…”

“Was the imperial palace more comfortable than the knight order dormitory?”

‘Isn’t that an obvious fact…’

Of course a palace where royalty lived would be comfortable and nice, but the atmosphere wasn’t appropriate to argue that.

‘I didn’t even sleep or stay at the imperial palace in the first place…’

Though the morning weather was still cool, cold sweat formed.

“Get in.”

“Yes…”

A brutal return to the estate began from morning.

Throughout the carriage ride, Cardel only looked out the window.

This situation of sitting face-to-face with his expressionless, silent self was extremely uncomfortable and awkward.

Like sitting on a bed of thorns.

Evolaine only fidgeted with her hands while gauging his mood.

‘He must have worried a lot… I’ll get scolded a lot…’

At Cardel’s appearance, solid and cold like an iceberg, Evolaine wanted to tear at her hair.

If she hadn’t met that woman, she wouldn’t have encountered this situation in the first place.

But when a woman who knew who she was despite meeting for the first time collapsed on the ground with her frail body, how could she pass by?

‘Absolutely unacceptable as a knight.’

Though the result was very poor, even if she turned back time, she would have acted the same way.

‘Should I just prostrate myself and beg?’

Clasping both hands and begging might be better than excuses…

Meanwhile, Cardel, who glanced sideways at Evolaine worrying about how to break through the crisis, sighed inwardly.

Her serious face and spinning thoughts looked exactly like a squirrel.

A squirrel seriously pondering whether to eat sunflower seeds now or tomorrow while clutching them.

Were his eyes covered with bean pods or something?

Cute animals increasingly overlapped with Evolaine, driving him crazy.

‘You don’t know what state of mind I was in.’

When she didn’t return even after midnight, Ashili barely stopped Cardel from storming into Ashiel’s palace.

She said Evolaine would return fine on her own, so let’s wait a bit longer.

“What if she’s in danger? Aren’t you worried, Sister?”

“I’m worried. That she won’t come back.”

“What?”

“Never mind, don’t worry about what I just said.”

At those words, Cardel’s face showed even more confusion.

For her younger brother who looked ready to collapse clutching his neck at any moment, Ashili explained the location tracking magic she’d placed on Evolaine.

“So Evolaine isn’t in a dangerous situation and isn’t alone either.”

“Then who is that person she’s with?”

“I don’t know that much. If you’re curious, ask her directly.”

Thus Cardel came to pick up Evolaine for interrogation.

Originally the Duke and Lucia also tried to slip in, but were caught by Elisa and dragged away.

“I’ll also go…”

“You need to go to work, don’t you? There’s a mountain of documents you didn’t process yesterday, hoho.”

“D-dear…”

After easily confining the Duke, who looked at her pitifully, in his office,

“Shall our Lucia make cookies with Mom?”

“We could make them later…, you know…”

Lucia tried to run away laughing “hahaha” at Elisa approaching menacingly, but unfortunately failed.

“Why the awkward formal speech, Lucia? Let’s make cookies and give them to Dad.”

Elisa, carrying Lucia tucked under her right arm heading to the kitchen, winked at Cardel preparing to leave.

“Mom trusts her son?”

“…”

Though he didn’t know what she meant by trust, Cardel nodded for now.

Back to the carriage, Cardel wanted to know who Evolaine had been with.

It was strange for such information to be included in a simple tracking spell, but anyway, now that he knew, glossing over it was absolutely impossible.

‘Should I probe? Or ask directly?’

If he probed and asked the wrong question, it seemed like things would flow strangely.

But asking directly didn’t sit well with his pride.

He didn’t want to be caught having waited for Evolaine, who stayed out all night without sleeping all dawn.

‘No, but it’s still better than having strange misunderstandings.’

Resolving to endure the pain of scraping his sky-high pride, Cardel opened his mouth.

“So…”

“Young Master…!”

Both their voices burst out simultaneously.

“…”

“…”

They’d mustered courage to speak, breaking the silent air, only to overlap.