When we descended to the first-floor reception room, Father, sitting at the head seat, was the first to greet me with a bright face.

“My sweet lark, come here.”

As I’ve mentioned before, my father, Duke Chadmon, was an extremely affectionate and attentive person.

He was the type who would empty the entire ocean if necessary to find a deep-sea pearl for me.

‘There really are so many different types of fathers in this world.’

Comparing people might be petty, but I couldn’t help it when recalling the past.

My father when I was Empress Sienna Viper—

He was someone unworthy of the title “father.”

I could spend two full nights talking about Foil Viper, but to summarize in one sentence:

He was simply a man obsessed with power.

The kind of person who might hold a knife to the Emperor’s throat in his madness and it wouldn’t seem strange at all.

My father had a terrible relationship with the Emperor.

On the surface, they appeared to be the closest of allies, but in reality, they were desperate to kill each other.

I couldn’t show it, but I knew.

Ugh, why even talk about it? Now that I’m dead, I don’t have to see any of those people—life is wonderful!

“My little lark, why are you standing there? Come sit over here with Sir Merten.”

Sir Merten?

Judging by Father’s attitude, this Sir Merten wasn’t just an ordinary guest.

Given that he came all the way to my room, he might be quite close to our family.

But if that were the case, I hadn’t seen him once in the past year.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you two together.”

Just then, Father spoke while lifting his teacup.

“……?”

Have I been with this person before?

I struggled with how to react to something I had no memory of.

The one who rescued me from my awkward floundering was the stranger himself.

“We were close when you were very young, and during the time when Leoni was unwell.”

I lifted my gaze from my teacup to slowly look at the man sitting across from me.

Finally, I had a proper chance to see him.

God must have used all the jewels in the Empire when creating you.

With skin transparent and luminous as if dusted with silver powder, and those emerald eyes.

Who are you to call me by such a ticklish nickname?

Well… not that I mind.

But I don’t know this man who familiarly uses my nickname. Because I transmigrated into someone else’s body!

“Leonora, do you really not remember?”

My brother Allentain added a comment, oblivious to my discomfort.

“Ah… well.”

“You used to collect Levi’s notes like treasures.”

Oh, so I did that.

“You wouldn’t even let your brother touch them.”

“Ah, yes. That was me. Right.”

I smiled innocently as if the memory was coming back to me.

Haha, collecting notes like treasures.

Young Leonora must have liked him quite a bit. How cute.

“What can we do? Our Leoni truly doesn’t remember.”

Brother Orie laughed and brought his teacup to his lips.

I followed him with an embarrassed face and took a sip of tea.

But I couldn’t taste it at all.

Come to think of it, he had casually called me “Leonora Chadmon” through the open door.

I was so flustered that I forgot he had called me by name and only after asking who he was did he address me as “lady.”

That enigmatic look he gave me must have been because I acted so unfamiliar.

Just then, Levi opened his ruby-like lustrous lips.

“It seems Leoni is quite upset with me. She’s treating me like a complete stranger.”

“Oh dear, is our little lark’s feelings hurt?”

At Father’s gentle question, I seized the opportunity and nodded shyly.

Without even knowing why my feelings were supposedly hurt.

“Don’t be too hard on him. Sir Merten was more distressed than anyone about you being bedridden. Whenever he came to Ostrin, squeezing time from his busy schedule, he would visit you first.”

So he’s not from Ostrin?

At this point, I seriously considered whether I should ask about him as if I truly remembered nothing.

Just then, my brother Allentain resolved my dilemma.

“Levi, when are you returning to Bilmotz?”

“I think I’ll stay here for about ten days.”

“Great, then we should hold a banquet before you leave.”

The two continued their conversation with great familiarity.

‘He said we were close when I was young. Then these two must have been childhood friends as well.’

I was busily piecing together the puzzle in my head.

If I had known this would happen, I should have read “The Forgotten Empress” more diligently, all the way to the later volumes!

I deeply regret closing the book in anger after reading only the beginning.

Levi Merten from Bilmotz.

I don’t know his occupation or what he does, but he’s clearly my brother Allentain’s friend.

He definitely has a close relationship with the Chadmon family.

He says he was close to me in my childhood.

Young Leonora clearly found him handsome.

Of course, he looks quite good to my eyes now too.

I don’t know his personality yet, but his smile is impressive.

“By the way, Leonora, you’re really sitting there with such an awkward face, as if you’re seeing Levi for the first time.”

I pretended not to notice and lifted my teacup again, taking a full mouthful of tea.

Just as I thought I would properly taste the tea leaves this time:

Levi’s dignified voice spread across the table.

“Indeed, it seems like just yesterday when she threw a tantrum saying she would marry me.”

Pfft—

“Cough, cough!”

“Leonora!”

I was so surprised that I spat out all the tea in my mouth.

Of course, as everyone knows, the person sitting across from me was Sir Levi Merten.

“Miss, are you all right?”

Sabine rushed over and handed me a fragrant towel.

Pretending to wipe while completely covering my face with the towel, I wanted to run upstairs immediately from embarrassment.

Not only had I been caught in the act of scissors vandalism, but now I was spitting tea all over my face.

If I burp right in front of everyone now, it would be perfect!

Yes, goodbye. It was nice meeting you, but I think we must part forever now.

Just then:

Levi, who had received a towel from another servant, lightly wiped his face and said:

“Well, now it’s certain she’s upset with me, isn’t it?”

He casually made a joke to lighten the mood.

Father and my brother, who had frozen with shocked expressions, finally leaned back in their chairs after pulling them close to the table.

“I’m sorry.”

Putting down the towel, I bowed my head to him.

The lady of a ducal family was showing quite a variety of faces to a strange man in just one day.

Perhaps to change the atmosphere, my brother Allentain spoke up.

“By the way, Leonora, what were you doing in your room that made you come down so late? Did you check all the gifts?”

“……”

“Levi went up because we couldn’t wait any longer.”

Brother, that was a good attempt.

But what happened in my room isn’t a good topic for me.

I raised my head again to gauge Levi’s reaction.

‘Please don’t mention the scissors!’

Levi shrugged once and responded like a gentleman.

“She was engaged in an elegant hobby befitting a lady of the Chadmon family.”

“……”

“So much so that I felt quite sorry for interrupting.”

Then his lips slowly parted, beautiful and delicate like a well-ripened pomegranate opening.

What smooth talk, wrapping everything up nicely.

I thought we had smoothly moved past the topic, but:

“I see. By the way, did you like His Majesty’s gift?”

No sooner had Brother Orie finished speaking than one of Levi’s eyebrows twitched.

Though he said nothing, I could guess exactly what he was thinking.

“Ah, the gift.”

“Yes, I was curious what was sent that required such a large box.”

Brother, please don’t be curious.

I cut it all up.