After my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I carefully rose from the bed.

Removing the blanket without making a sound and stepping onto the floor gave me a faint sense of freedom.

I walked straight to the window and sat at the desk placed directly beneath it.

Taking up the pen I had asked Sabine for and staring at the blank paper, I felt like I was confronting my complicated situation.

“Good. During the day, I played along to avoid the Emperor’s suspicion.”

Alright, let me organize what I’ve discovered so far.

For reasons unknown, something similar happened to both Leonora and me.

The only difference is that I can move while Leonora cannot.

Someone deliberately switched our bodies, and it must be quite a dangerous and forbidden spell.

Leonora in my dream said someone made a dangerous deal to protect me.

‘Who would do such a thing for Sienna?’

I should figure that out first.

‘For both Leonora and me.’

The vivid face of Leonora speaking to me in my dream kept interrupting my thoughts.

Though I know I need to go back, I couldn’t help hesitating at that point.

The life of Empress Sienna was lonely and depressing.

Despite being in the highest position, it was a place where I couldn’t easily share my true feelings with anyone nearby.

If I returned, I would lose my caring and loving father and brother, as well as Sabine.

‘But… they weren’t my people to begin with.’

After a year together, they felt like my real family.

But now that I had found a clue, I couldn’t continue pretending not to know.

Of course, if I went back, I wouldn’t live as the forgotten Empress like before.

‘I won’t long for an Emperor who ignores me, nor will I be manipulated by my father.’

I continued making meaningless doodles at the edge of the paper before suddenly stopping.

“Yes, let’s get out of here.”

Leave the palace and live freely.

Ainberg never liked me anyway. No, he actually despised and hated me.

If I return as Sienna, I’ll find freedom and live as I wish.

“I’ll formally divorce him and find a new life.”

I neatly wrote “divorce” on the paper and drew a bunch of stars around it.

…But for that to happen, I need to return this body to Leonora.

When I first transmigrated into Leonora’s body a year ago, I thought her soul had perished or disappeared.

Look at her family members who were amazed just to see me walking around.

Didn’t they say Leonora was so frail that she wasn’t expected to live past twenty?

So I never imagined her body had been switched with mine, or that her soul existed somewhere.

Then where do I find a way to return?

“Hmm, I should consider people from the temple.”

I nodded firmly while answering my own question.

The most suspicious person was definitely Millean.

That capable and eccentric priest might be able to do it.

His slick expression and detached attitude toward worldly affairs. The way he tells lies without blinking an eye—everything about him is suspicious!

But despite his past connection with Leonora, he doesn’t seem to have a motive for doing something this significant.

“Wait, what if it wasn’t done alone?”

Then, a strange thought suddenly occurred to me.

‘See Sienna back.’

“Could it be Ainberg?”

I remembered how he had called me Sienna on the balcony not long ago.

Of course, it could have been a slip of the tongue, or a mistake as Oz suggested.

But if he had planned to get rid of Sienna and remarry, it would make perfect sense.

Does that mean he knows who I am?

“This makes the most sense given the circumstances, but Leonora in my dream clearly said…”

Someone trying to protect me had arranged this.

‘Hey, wait, then it can’t be the Emperor. I’m back to square one again.’

I put down the pen and held my forehead.

“It would be nice if I could talk to Leonora again. Maybe I could hear her voice if I went back to the Empress’s chambers.”

That would be difficult.

Last time I got away with it thanks to my father, but it would be too dangerous this time.

I turned my thoughts elsewhere while vigorously crossing out Ainberg’s name with my pen.

‘If not the Emperor, then my father?’

I recalled Foil Viper’s cold eyes.

He seemed capable of killing his daughter or putting her into a long sleep for his own benefit.

But…

My father would lose if the Empress died. He’s the one most troubled by the Emperor bringing in another woman.

Then I suddenly remembered that Foil Viper had adopted a daughter.

“There are suspicious elements, so I should look into my father as well.”

I filled the space around my father’s name with stars too.

“Ugh, I thought organizing my thoughts would help, but it hasn’t.”

While struggling with countless thoughts, I suddenly heard a rustling sound from the doorway of the bedroom.

“Sabine?”

When I turned around, Sabine was standing in the darkness.

With her hair completely undone, she looked almost eerie.

“When… did you wake up?”

Though I was startled, I kept my voice calm.

As I faced her with an awkward smile, Sabine’s strange gaze followed me.

I quietly put down the pen and stood up from the chair.

“Ah, I should drink some water and go back to sleep.”

“I’ll bring it for you.”

“No, I’ll get it myself.”

I hurriedly moved to get water, worried she might have heard my muttering.

“Miss.”

Sabine called out to me quietly.

I waited for her to continue, but no words followed. Her silence made me uneasy, and I swallowed hard.

“Who are you planning to divorce?”

Gulp!

Her chilling voice gripped my neck. I stopped moving and turned around.

Though I was shocked and flustered enough for my heart to jump out of my mouth.

Sabine must have misheard. I just need to insist on that.

“What are you talking about? You must be half-asleep.”

“……”

But Sabine didn’t respond at all.

‘I didn’t hear her footsteps at all. When did she wake up and enter my bedroom?’

My eyes kept drifting toward the desk.

The desk placed right beneath the window—I was unbearably concerned about the messy writing I had left there.

If Sabine reached out and picked it up to read…

“What did you mean by leaving the imperial palace?”

“I must be very tired today. Did I talk in my sleep?”

“Sleep talk?”

“Yeah, I was trying to write in my diary but I was tired… I must have dozed off.”

“You keep a diary, Miss?”

“Yes, why? I’ve written in it occasionally.”

Though I spoke confidently, Sabine didn’t seem to believe me.

I should have come up with a different excuse.

Trying not to show my panic, I picked up a cup and slowly poured water.

In the silence, only the sound of water filling the glass echoed.

‘What should I do?’

She must have heard my habitual muttering.

At times like this, I shouldn’t show any sign of panic.

I need to handle this calmly and move on.

No, besides, Sabine is my maid after all. I don’t need to be afraid!

As I raised the water glass, hiding my expression in the darkness:

“Miss.”

Sabine’s voice reached me again.

“I always believe in, follow, and respect you.”

Her words about trust and respect pierced my heart.

Sabine, I’m sorry, but don’t believe or respect me.

“I’ve thought for a while that something was strange about you. I couldn’t tell exactly what, but I had a feeling that something was wrong.”

“Haha, what do you mean by wrong?”

“I could pretend not to notice today, but you’re too important to everyone. Not just to the Chadmon family, but to me as well.”

“……”

“So if something is troubling you, I wish you would tell me. I’m always working for you.”

The person before me felt like someone other than Sabine.

Just as I’m not actually Leonora but Sienna.

I barely managed to speak, as if my throat was closing up.

“Sabine.”

“I’m ready to do anything for you. I wish you would trust me as much as I trust you.”

Sabine’s final words resonated strangely within me.

‘She says she’ll do anything for me.’

And then pearl-like tears rolled down from Sabine’s eyes.

In that moment, I realized that Sabine and I weren’t in an ordinary master-servant relationship. I also realized that a reliable ally was right in front of me.

“Sabine, just as you believe in me, I believe in you more than anyone.”

“Miss.”

“We’re not simply mistress and maid.”

At my words, Sabine nodded with somewhat unsteady eyes, seemingly moved.

“But I’m not sure how much you’ll believe what I’m about to say.”

“Even if you told me the sun rises at night, I would believe you.”

Sabine clenched her fist and wore a determined expression.

Though it didn’t take long for that fist to loosen.

“Alright, good.”

I took a deep breath, exhaled, and told her.

“The truth is, I’m not Leonora.”