The music playing and the array of food on the table were all impeccable.

From the salads and stewed fruits I used to enjoy while at House Chadmon to the not-too-sweet cakes and tarts.

Oz’s claim that everything was prepared for me wasn’t an exaggeration.

‘What does it matter? I feel like I’ll choke just looking up.’

I should be grateful the table was so long.

Thanks to that, it didn’t feel like I was sitting alone with Ainberg.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling.

‘This is the perfect opportunity.’

I could have babbled nonsense to escape his attention.

But whether from losing steam after visiting the garden or depleting my energy, I felt completely drained.

Moreover, the words Ainberg and I exchanged in the artificial garden kept coming back to me.

‘What appears isn’t always the truth.’

‘……’

‘Didn’t you believe everything was real when you first entered this place?’

Even while putting food in my mouth, his words echoed in my ears.

If I weren’t Sienna, Ainberg’s voice sounded genuine enough that I might have fully believed those words.

He seemed to be pleading with me to understand his sincerity.

‘Is there a truth I’m not seeing?’

While repeatedly stabbing a tomato that kept slipping on my plate, I heard Ainberg clear his throat.

“The food tastes wonderful, Your Majesty.”

After responding reflexively, Ainberg gave an unpleasant smile.

Then he shook his head a couple of times.

What’s with that reaction?

The food just tastes good, why is he acting like that?

“……Does it not suit Your Majesty’s taste?”

Just then, Ainberg’s low voice traveled toward where I was sitting.

“I’m not sure if you know, but you’re terrible at lying.”

“……”

I’m not sure if you know, but you’re incredibly oblivious?

You didn’t notice any of my lies. Seriously, you’re ridiculous.

“Me?”

When I put on an innocent face and asked, he once again didn’t hide his smile.

Just as I was about to eat my tomato in disbelief, the door suddenly opened, and Oz entered with a flushed face.

“Your Majesty, I apologize.”

He glanced at me once before handing documents to Ainberg.

“What is it?”

“These matters are quite urgent.”

Oz looked at me once more before lowering his voice.

Ainberg’s expression turned serious as he received the documents.

“I’ll handle this personally.”

“But Your Majesty, this schedule is somewhat dangerous. The terrain is particularly treacherous.”

“My presence will reduce casualties among the soldiers.”

“……”

“Prepare accordingly.”

“But…”

Oz tried to dissuade him once more but stopped at Ainberg’s reaction.

“Understood, Your Majesty. Then how should we handle this? There’s strong opposition.”

“Who had the idea to cut the budget for public hospitals and relief centers?”

“……”

“Drop that nonsense and execute as planned.”

“Understood.”

After that, Ainberg continued to give various instructions to Oz in a resolute voice.

‘Wasn’t he supposed to enjoy war?’

According to what I read in “The Forgotten Empress,” he supposedly enjoyed sl*ughter and deliberately started wars in fits of madness.

But from the conversation with Oz just now, that didn’t seem to be the case.

After Oz left, Ainberg said to me,

“I apologize for making the dining table uncomfortable.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty.”

And what was that about the public hospital budget?

It seemed someone had proposed cutting funds for those institutions, and Ainberg refused.

“That’s strange. Wasn’t he supposed to want to eliminate them because he resented the tax money flowing into them?”

What is going on?

Who are you, really?

Are you acting in front of me just like I am? Do you need to involve Oz in this performance?

After that, the meal concluded without much conversation, barely eating.

I don’t know how Ainberg felt.

After finishing the meal and coming out, Oz was waiting outside.

“I’ll escort you, my lady.”

Even while walking down the corridor with Oz, my jumbled thoughts continued to confuse me.

“Aide.”

When I called him, Oz was startled, unlike his usual self, then composed his expression and answered.

“Yes, my lady.”

“My guests… have they all left?”

“Yes, we’ve made sure none of them felt neglected, so please don’t worry too much.”

“Thank you.”

“Not at all.”

“By the way, Aide.”

“Yes.”

“First, I want to apologize for overhearing your conversation.”

When I brought this up, Oz glanced at me with a somewhat anxious expression.

“There were rumors that the public hospital was being shut down, is that not true?”

“Ah, there is a prevailing opinion to close it due to the high tax burden.”

“I see.”

“Fortunately, it’s been maintained so far by His Majesty’s will.”

This is a bit different from what I knew.

Institutions like relief centers and public hospitals had always existed, but with much controversy.

They required enormous budgets without generating any profit, and they served people of lower status.

I thought the local lords oversaw them.

“I didn’t know His Majesty personally attended to such matters.”

Well, he might be doing it deliberately for popularity management.

But I didn’t know that Ainberg would consider his public image.

He’s certainly working hard on his popularity both inside and out.

“He goes on inspections occasionally, and you should see how much he adores the children then.”

Haha, did I mishear something?

“Who does he… adore?”

“The children. He sometimes visits in plain clothes. His Majesty would truly make an excellent father.”

I could only smile, at a loss for words.

Who would make an excellent father? That man?

“……”

“If you had seen it yourself, my lady, you would probably think the same.”

Oz spoke with an expression that hinted at pride.

“Really? Then next time, I should join…”

Oops, I quickly swallowed the rest of my words. If I went along, he would obviously put on an act to show his good side.

I didn’t want to see such pretense anymore.

“Is that so? That’s unexpected.”

“He’s a person with many unexpected sides.”

I nodded slowly and then asked Oz again.

“Aide.”

“Yes.”

“By any chance, the artificial garden…”

When I got that far, Oz’s expression hardened, and he put on an awkward smile.

“My lady, I’m sorry, but I can’t say anything about that matter.”

Seeing how difficult it was for him to even mention it, it must be quite a secretive space.

“Yes, that’s enough.”

It seems not many people know about it either.

“Then, my lady, please rest.”

“Thank you.”

Oz left. But I stood there for a while, unable to open the door right away.

‘She was humble and thoughtful despite everything she had.’

‘She was an unparalleled woman as my companion and as the mother of the Empire.’

The moments alone with him in that fantastical artificial garden kept circling in my mind.

No, why did he take me there?

He really irritates me in so many ways.

I deliberately slammed the door shut.

❀❀❀

“Miss, where did you go with His Majesty?”

Only half a day had passed, yet why was I so tired?

I trudged over and collapsed onto the sofa.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“Sabine, what kind of person is His Majesty?”

I asked Sabine while staring up at the ceiling.

“Um, well.”

Sabine fidgeted before carefully answering me.

“I’m sorry to say this, but… wouldn’t you, I mean, the Empress, know better?”

That’s right.

I was the Empress, yet I don’t seem to know much.

That suddenly feels strange.

“Well, I’m not sure what kind of person he is either.”

I thought he was a cold-blooded man without blood or tears.

His only interests were war, women… his specialties included humiliating people in public and mocking me.

“Ugh, thinking about it makes me angry again.”

There was a time when I felt sorry for him.

His unhappy childhood and past filled with constant anxiety. Once, I even harbored the vain hope of making Ainberg happy.

That was a useless thought.

“Actually, I don’t… really know.”

Sabine, who had been hesitating, finally spoke.

“He seems very capable.”

“Capable?”

“Yes, and he’s really handsome too.”

“Haha… right.”

I nodded while laughing halfheartedly.

“I’m also looking forward to seeing how splendid he’ll look at the upcoming ball!”

I asked you the wrong thing.

“You must feel upset that His Majesty has given his heart to Miss Leonora?”

“What? That’s not it.”

“Somehow I think I understand. His Majesty’s feelings are puzzling, and it feels like your entire life is being denied.”

“I told you that’s not it. I already told you. When I was Empress, His Majesty didn’t even glance at me. So I have neither lingering attachment nor good feelings for him.”

“Still. You two were husband and wife.”

Sabine’s last words struck my heart like an arrow.

It was just an empty title, not a real marriage.

“It’s natural for you to feel strange, Miss. But… did I do alright at today’s tea party? I tried my best.”

Sabine pressed her lips together and her eyes sparkled.

“Mmm, you were the best.”

With each passing day, my lies only multiply.