“Phew, that was close.”

I barely managed to send Brother Allentain away, but my heart was still racing.

‘Yes, this stagnant situation has dragged on for quite a while.’

Despite my best efforts to act like a troublemaker, Ainberg hadn’t budged an inch.

But while he hadn’t dismissed me, he also hadn’t declared me as his choice for Empress.

That was exactly what I wanted, and yet…

‘Something feels strange.’

If he had grown tired of my behavior, it would be normal to cancel our lunch meetings and dismiss me, but he didn’t.

Far from losing interest…

‘……’

Suddenly, I recalled dancing with Ainberg outdoors.

‘Isn’t this music enough?’

The music that flowed gently as if prepared just for us two, our joined hands, and his gaze that was slightly warmer than that.

For our first time, we moved together quite well.

We…?

‘W-what am I saying? ‘We’? Listen to me talking about ‘us’.’

I lightly patted my cheeks, trying to escape that memory.

“Brother Allentain is right. It’s natural for people to talk.”

Though I couldn’t hear it, people were likely already reacting sensitively.

His Majesty… acted like he would make me Empress at any moment, but in reality, he took no action.

‘What exactly are you thinking?’

This cunning man.

Just then, Sabine walked in carrying a tea tray.

“Miss, did your conversation go well?”

“Yes.”

I leaned my head against the window and spoke in a deflated voice.

“Are you unwell? Should I call for a doctor?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“You don’t look well.”

“……”

“The young master also looked upset. Did something happen?”

Sabine carefully asked as she set the tray down on the table.

“Sabine.”

“Yes, Miss.”

I forced myself to lift my head and spoke in a dreamy voice.

“When do you think His Majesty will return?”

“Pardon?”

“……”

Sabine smiled awkwardly, finding my question a bit strange.

“I’m not sure, Miss.”

“Have you ever been to Sutton?”

“No, I haven’t been there, but… I know it’s quite cold, being at the northern edge.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Cold…?

The more I think about it, what a strange person.

It’s far, cold, and dangerous—why did he go there?

He could have sent someone else; isn’t that what his position is for?

What matter was so important that he personally traveled all that way?

“Miss, are you worried about him?”

“Worried? No, it’s not that.”

Why would I worry about the Emperor?

When I jumped up and waved my hands, Sabine narrowed her eyes.

“Your face is full of concern.”

“It’s not! You know who I really am, yet you say such things?”

It’s not worry, it’s just that my situation makes me… yes, makes me concerned.

Because of my circumstances!

But Sabine shrugged and said:

“Disliking someone and worrying about them are two different things.”

“……”

“Spend enough time with someone and you grow attached even to animals. Oh, I misspoke. How dare I compare him to an animal. Please forgive my words, Miss.”

Sabine bowed her head, but I just laughed.

“There’s nothing to forgive. Sabine, you’re absolutely right.”

Yes, even with animals this happens.

How much more so with humans who eat the same food, converse, and share the same space?

I suddenly felt lonely and muttered almost to myself:

“But why did he do that?”

“……?”

“No matter how much he disliked me, I was the Empress. We were married. Why… why was His Majesty so cruel to me?”

Was it because time had passed?

Or because I had spent time with Ainberg, even if it was all pretense?

Or because I had discovered new aspects of him that I hadn’t noticed before?

‘I don’t know.’

It’s true that I still dislike him, and I still don’t want to be with him.

Yet it felt like unnecessary emotions had crept in between Ainberg and me.

“Miss.”

Just then, Sabine fidgeted with her clasped hands, watching my reaction.

“I’m not sure if I should say this, but…”

I slightly lifted my head from where it rested against the window.

“Say whatever you like.”

“Well…”

But Sabine couldn’t easily open her mouth.

What could she want to say that requires such hesitation?

I adjusted my posture and stared at her.

“…I don’t know much, but. Well.”

“Goodness, how frustrating. Anything is fine.”

“Even so…”

“Sabine, you’re the only one who knows my situation.”

“……”

“So tell me anything. It could be a great help.”

Then Sabine squeezed her eyes shut once before opening them and—

“Could His Majesty have had his own circumstances?”

Having started speaking, she seemed to gain courage and began pouring out words.

“I don’t know much, but His Majesty seems like a good person. Enough to make it seem strange that he treated Your Majesty the Empress so harshly. Oh, I don’t mean that you’re lying.”

Sabine kept checking my reaction as she spoke.

“Yes, I know.”

“Could there have been some misunderstanding?”

“Misunderstanding?”

“Yes, perhaps you didn’t fully understand His Majesty’s true feelings.”

I must have asked “Misunderstanding?!” too sharply, because Sabine spoke in a somewhat subdued voice.

“I’m sorry, Miss.”

“Yes, you could think that way… but His Majesty genuinely disliked me.”

Before, I hated even recalling incidents with Ainberg.

But now it’s different.

To restore my somewhat embellished feelings, it might be better to revisit those memories.

“It was to the extent that…”

I told Sabine about several incidents I remembered.

How he stormed out during a meal saying he couldn’t stand looking at my miserable face, how he ostentatiously gave a handkerchief I had embroidered as a gift to a maid, how he enjoyed secret meetings with women even when busy with imperial affairs and ceremonies…

“My goodness.”

Sabine looked dumbfounded, at a loss for words.

“See? Do you still think I misunderstood?”

Then Sabine tilted her head and stared at me.

“But Miss, hearing your story makes it seem even stranger.”

“Yes, it’s extremely strange.”

“No, that’s not what I meant… it sounds like someone deliberately trying to hurt you.”

“Yes, he was determined to torment me.”

Then Sabine spoke with a voice full of questions.

“But why?”

“Hmm? Why, you ask? Does a person need a reason to dislike someone?”

I laughed and shook my head.

Yes, back then my heart felt like it was being torn apart, but with time, I can even laugh about it now—or so I thought.

“No, Miss.”

Sabine tensed her jaw then relaxed it, and began speaking carefully.

“When you dislike someone, you usually… don’t pay them much attention. You don’t even want to think about them. In my opinion, there must have been some other reason.”

“Another reason?”

“Yes.”

Sabine’s words didn’t sound completely nonsensical.

But I couldn’t believe Ainberg actually had such reasons.

If it had been someone else, I might have made such assumptions.

Being threatened by something, or afraid.

But for Ainberg, the Emperor of the Empire, such things don’t exist.

“If not that, could he have had some unavoidable circumstances?”

“Unavoidable circumstances?”

“Yes, like the situation between you and Her Majesty the Empress now.”

“……”

“Something that made him have no choice but to treat Her Majesty that way.”

My mind immediately wanted to reject this as nonsense, but I couldn’t say a word.

If, like the situation between me and Leonora now, Ainberg also had some circumstances?

“……”

“Miss.”

“What could those circumstances be? What circumstances could be so extraordinary that they would make someone deliberately ignore another person?”

I let out a hollow laugh and continued:

“If that’s true, isn’t it really funny? If he could act that well, he should be in theater instead of being Emperor, don’t you think?”

“You’re also pretending to like him when you actually disli— I-I’m sorry!”

“……”

Sabine, that hurts.

“Ugh.”

I clutched my heart and glared at Sabine once.

I really appreciate how she says whatever she wants while apologizing.

“I’m sorry, Miss. Please forgive me.”

“No, you’re absolutely right. I’m acting to escape my crisis, so there’s no reason he couldn’t do the same.”

Sabine’s words weren’t wrong.

Yes, perhaps… could I have misunderstood something?

I lay down on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.

Slowly closing and opening my eyes, I thought I saw my former husband’s face briefly flash and disappear.

Well, I don’t know.

Anyway, you, come back soon.

It’s not because I miss you or I’m worried.

I just want to conclude our story.

So please don’t get hurt and come back.

The next day, I headed early to the Viper family’s mansion.