Tap, tap.

On the way back to my bedroom, neither Oz nor I spoke a word.

Perhaps it was because the sound of footsteps echoing in my ears seemed unusually loud in the deep night.

“……”

But both Oz and I knew that wasn’t the reason.

“Sir Aide.”

I was the first to break the pitch-black silence.

When I called him, Oz answered with a somewhat tense voice.

“Yes, my lady.”

Oz quickly composed his expression, but his subtly quickened pace revealed his inner thoughts.

“His Majesty must care deeply for the Empress.”

I didn’t intend to make Oz uncomfortable, but I couldn’t stay silent either.

Of course, I knew such a question would put him in quite a difficult position.

Oz smiled awkwardly and said to me:

“Forgive me, my lady. How could I dare to fathom His Majesty’s heart?”

“But he wouldn’t have called me by the Empress’s name otherwise, would he?”

In truth, when Ainberg had referred to me as Sienna just now, I nearly grabbed his arm.

I wanted to know if he was deliberately deceiving me, or what his intentions were.

But there were too many people around, and before I could collect my bewildered emotions, Ainberg had disappeared.

“His Majesty has been making such mistakes lately due to exhaustion. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Lies.

Ainberg doesn’t make mistakes because of exhaustion.

“Exhausted, you say?”

“Yes, there’s unrest near the border. His Majesty might soon depart for battle.”

The likelihood of unrest near the border being a lie was also high.

He just loves war, wants to swing his sword, and picks fights with anyone.

“How reassuring to hear His Majesty will be heading to battle.”

“Additionally, His Majesty is personally overseeing the upcoming memorial ceremony. He’s so busy that he can’t help being tired.”

Right, that ceremony was actually my responsibility.

With the position of empress vacant, the Emperor would preside over it. Is that why he’s rushing to marry Leonora?

To make me work?

If so, I should show him how incompetent I can be.

“Frequent mistakes due to exhaustion… that’s concerning.”

I pretended to shake my head in sympathy, then continued in a sharper tone.

“But why would someone who needs rest be out at such a late hour?”

When I spoke again, Oz showed an uncomfortable smile.

“It’s entirely my oversight.”

“Does His Majesty go there often?”

Judging by his skill in finding the missing Emperor, it seemed like more than once or twice.

He appeared to have come looking with certainty that Ainberg would be on the balcony.

“Not frequently.”

This also somehow felt like a lie.

Oz didn’t seem to be flustered by any question.

Though I had no particular grudge against him, I felt strangely stubborn.

“There’s something I’d like to ask you, Sir Aide.”

“Please speak, my lady.”

“What do you think it would be like if I became Empress?”

“……”

For the first time, Oz was at a loss for words at my question.

“It troubles me that His Majesty makes such mistakes due to exhaustion.”

“……”

“What do you think it would be like if I were by His Majesty’s side, supporting him?”

“What could I possibly say? I merely assist His Majesty.”

“That’s precisely why I’m asking you.”

“Pardon?”

“If I became Empress, wouldn’t you no longer need to search for His Majesty in the middle of the night?”

“Perhaps so.”

“So tell me. Would I suit the position of Empress?”

Despite my innocent-sounding chatter, Oz maintained a calm and consistent response, except for that brief moment of silence.

“I merely follow and convey His Majesty’s will. My opinion doesn’t matter at all, my lady.”

Oz’s pace was steadily increasing. He seemed eager to send me back quickly, regardless of conversation.

No matter what questions I asked, I wouldn’t get more than that answer.

I gave up and quietly walked alongside him.

“My lady, rest well.”

Oz withdrew, and the bedroom door firmly closed.

But the unpleasant pounding in my chest wouldn’t calm down.

I couldn’t even think of turning away, just staring blankly at the closed door.

‘See Sienna back.’

Had he made a mistake because we were just talking about the Empress?

He might have misspoken while thinking about something else, or perhaps he did it without any particular thought.

‘He couldn’t possibly know that I’m the Empress right now.’

That was absolutely impossible.

Yet I couldn’t shake this unsettling feeling.

‘Now he wants to show he loved the Empress? Is this some trick to polish his image?’

He never had the slightest interest in me. Yet he frequented my favorite place alone and mistakenly called my name.

‘Why is he acting like this now?’

No matter how I thought about it, it was strange, deeply strange.

I slowly turned and walked as if entranced toward the mirror across from the bed.

“……”

My reflection in the mirror was breathtakingly beautiful, even in the darkness.

‘This wasn’t a simple mistake.’

Ainberg rarely made mistakes and was chillingly calculating.

If it was intentional, what did it mean?

What would he gain by mistakenly calling me Sienna?

“I need to check.”

I strode to Sabine’s room where she was sleeping.

‘Sorry, Sabine.’

Then I selected one of Sabine’s dresses from the wardrobe and quickly changed into it.

But changing clothes wouldn’t instantly transform a lady into a maid.

‘This hair is the problem.’

I tightly tied my curly hair into a single braid. After rolling it up and tucking it into a bonnet, my voluminous hair was completely hidden.

‘This isn’t enough.’

Ah, right.

When I picked up the tea set from the table and held it neatly on a tray, my appearance finally became convincing.

I opened the door again and went outside.

‘I must check today.’

I could find my bedroom with my eyes closed.

And the bedridden Empress would be with her chamber maids or someone from the temple.

Ideally, I would quietly enter and check, but if someone happened to wake up, I planned to excuse myself by saying I came to check on the Empress’s condition.

With that thought, I tightened my grip on the tray.

I walked down the dim corridor toward the Empress’s quarters.

It was strange.

After changing my clothes and stepping outside, a different kind of courage bloomed within me.

I encountered guards a couple of times along the way, but they passed by without paying me any attention.

‘Phew.’

My heart grew calmer as I approached the Empress’s quarters. Just as I was starting to feel proud of my brave initiative—

I had already arrived near the bedroom.

‘I can’t just walk in.’

Over a dozen guards were stationed in front of the firmly closed door, providing strict security.

My room after so long.

Even when I was walking around normally, I don’t think I ever had this level of security.

While I was lingering with the feeling that something was strange, suddenly, a chilly breeze blew from somewhere. Just as I hunched my shoulders against the instantly cold air—

‘Your Majesty.’

I heard someone’s voice.

“……!”

I quickly turned my head, but no one was there. All I could see behind me was darkness like death itself.

‘What was that?’

A woman’s voice, as if submerged in water.

I thought I must have misheard.

Or perhaps it was a voice coming from inside that door.

But if a sound had traveled from inside the Empress’s quarters, all the guards would have reacted. They were still standing straight, staring ahead.

‘Who called me?’

My hands began to tremble, so I carefully set down the tray I was holding.

Just as I straightened up, shrinking my neck against the sudden chill—

‘Your Majesty, I’m here.’

This time it was a completely clear voice.

I couldn’t speak or move rashly in this situation.

Confused, I stepped backward and accidentally kicked the tea set with my foot.

Clack.

“Who goes there!”

The sharp voice of a guard protecting the Empress’s quarters flew toward me.

I should have said what I’d planned before coming here—that I was a maid checking on the Empress’s condition—but because of the voice I’d just heard, I was completely terrified.

‘Your Majesty, this way.’

At that moment, the voice calling me came again.

It sounded much clearer and more precise than before.

“Who are you? Where are you!”

When I shouted into the empty air, the guards began to rush over.

But that was as far as it went.

I couldn’t run away or move out of fear.

Just as I thought I couldn’t budge an inch, as if someone had firmly gripped my ankle—

Suddenly my head spun, and I collapsed to the floor.