Only then did I discover the cause of the ominous shadow enveloping the entire palace.

But instead of feeling relieved, my mind plunged into darkness.

“What do you mean?”

Even as Sabine and I stood in the middle of the corridor, maids and soldiers rushed past us on both sides.

“Sabine.”

“……”

“Say it again. What do you mean by injured?”

“Miss.”

“No, I need to go check for myself.”

Yet something strange was happening.

Though I thought I should hurry, though I desperately wanted to see with my own eyes, my legs wouldn’t move as if rooted to the ground.

“Miss, I think you should go upstairs first.”

“No, I need to go see him.”

“But right now—”

“He can’t be sick. Not him of all people, absolutely not.”

Yes, we’re talking about Ainberg of all people.

How could the Emperor be severely injured? That doesn’t make sense.

And is he just any ordinary emperor?

He’s a man who fears nothing in this world.

Stronger than anyone, more solid than anything.

Plus, with all those knights guarding him, imperial guards, and the entourage of aides he travels with.

“If I go there, he’ll probably say ‘I wanted to surprise you’ with that irritating smile of his.”

“…Miss.”

“So let’s not worry too much. He has this bad habit of scaring people like this.”

No need to be tense, it’s nothing serious.

Just as I was about to move forward with a brave smile, I heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs connecting to the lower floor, and soon Oz the aide appeared.

“Mr. Aide! Ah, I’m so glad to see you like this.”

I deliberately approached Oz with a bright smile.

“My lady.”

His gaunt face and pale complexion intensified the sense of foreboding, but I tried hard to ignore it.

“Where is His Majesty?”

Oz looked back and forth between me and Sabine, then opened his mouth heavily.

“My lady, you haven’t heard yet. His Majesty is now—”

“No, I want to hear it directly. His Majesty has returned from a long journey, shouldn’t I greet him in person?”

“My lady.”

“Please guide me. I want to see him right now.”

Sabine tried to stop me while sniffling, but Oz maintained a calm face.

He stared at me quietly, then nodded.

“Very well, my lady.”

Despite the urgent atmosphere, we moved with composed faces.

I focused on maintaining a straight and proper posture to avoid falling into unnecessary thoughts.

‘It’s okay, nothing will happen.’

After a while, we arrived at the antechamber adjacent to the Emperor’s bedroom.

Doctors were moving about chaotically, having arrived before us.

“……”

I saw Ainberg’s bed through the half-open door.

On the way here, I had imagined countless times flinging this door open and rushing in, but now that I stood before it, I couldn’t move as if frozen.

Just then, urgent voices flowed through the gap in the door.

“Bring more hot water, quickly!”

“The scalpel over here.”

“I’ve finished treating his right side.”

I stepped back.

My wrist ached from clenching my fist so tightly, but I couldn’t relax my body.

“My lady.”

Meanwhile, Oz had come closer.

“Is the person lying in there really His Majesty?”

I had a bad feeling ever since he mentioned the bandits.

I was anxious from the moment he said he would go to that cold, treacherous place himself.

Before Oz could answer, I spoke again.

“It’s not, right?”

Oz sighed slowly and said:

“I apologize, my lady. It was something no one expected. His Majesty was suddenly attacked.”

“Attacked?”

My voice must have been too loud, as Sabine standing beside me flinched.

“We captured a bandit group operating systematically in Sutton. His Majesty spared no support to ensure the area could operate more stably with the Margrave.”

“……”

“But on the way back, he was attacked. We thought we had eliminated them all, but there must have been some remaining.”

“……”

So it happened on the way back here.

I closed my eyes tightly once, then opened them and turned my gaze back toward the bedroom.

‘It’s okay, he’ll be fine. Ainberg isn’t someone who would fall from something like this.’

Stop making a fuss over just getting stabbed and get up already.

“My lady, are you all right?”

“Your complexion looks terrible, Miss.”

I looked at Sabine and struggled to relax my expression.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“Miss.”

“…It’s nothing. I’m just a bit surprised.”

When you think about it, I too am lying like a dead person.

But did Ainberg pity or worry about me?

I’m the same.

Whether you’re hurt or not doesn’t matter to me.

‘She was a good person.’

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

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

‘Would that have been an appropriate answer?’

I know it’s a lie.

I clearly know it’s all lies to win Leonora’s favor.

“Please don’t worry too much. With the best doctors, His Majesty will be fine.”

I tried to calm my mind and organize my thoughts.

‘Right. Whether that person lives or dies has nothing to do with me.’

However, I still had questions for him and problems that remained unsolved.

So this isn’t because I’m worried about Ainberg getting worse.

If he doesn’t wake up, I can’t satisfy my curiosity. That’s why my heart feels so anxious.

“I think it would be better for you to wait in your room, my lady.”

“……”

“When all treatments are done and His Majesty wakes up, I will come up to see you.”

Sabine also nodded vigorously at Oz’s words.

“Miss, I think it’s better to do as the aide says. Let’s go upstairs first.”

“……”

But I didn’t think my mind would be at ease by going up to my room.

If I’d be uncomfortable either here or up there, it would be better to hear about his condition sooner.

“No, I’ll stay here.”

“Miss.”

While Sabine was flustered with a troubled face, suddenly the door flung open and a group of people poured in.

“Where is His Majesty!”

The one who spoke with an intense voice at the front was Foil Viper, my former father.

He seemed to have rushed here after hearing about Ainberg’s accident.

With a flushed face, he said to Oz:

“Explain what on earth happened.”

“He was attacked on his way back. We thought we had eliminated all—”

“Attacked? Are you saying you couldn’t predict this situation at all!”

He cut off Oz’s words and raised his voice.

As Foil raged, men standing behind him stepped forward to restrain him. But Foil didn’t stop.

“What were you all doing when His Majesty was being attacked!”

“…I apologize.”

“This can’t end with just an apology. Especially you, you’ll have to pay for your crimes.”

Foil snapped coldly at Oz, then turned to look in my direction.

“I see the lady is here as well.”

“Yes, of course I should be.”

“This is no place for a woman. You should leave now.”

What? This is ridiculous.

Just as I was about to say something, Foil began scolding the attendants again.

“I must see His Majesty.”

“But Lord Viper—”

“Let go of me.”

Foil tried to enter while suppressing his excitement. But he was blocked by the attendants.

“There were instructions not to let anyone in during treatment.”

“I need to confirm His Majesty’s condition right now.”

“That’s difficult, Duke. Right now, there’s an urgent surgery—”

“So you’re saying I should just stand here and wait!”

Foil couldn’t contain his impatience and stamped his feet.

“Let’s wait for now.”

“Even if we go in, there’s nothing we can do.”

Unable to watch anymore, some nobles placed their hands on his shoulders.

“But His Majesty is fighting alone… how can we just stand here like this!”

I almost burst into laughter at that point.

It’s quite amusing to see him pretending to care about Ainberg more than anyone.

While secretly raising hundreds, perhaps more, of private soldiers.

Weren’t those soldiers meant to strike against Ainberg? Didn’t he want him to die like this?

Though I’m no champion of justice, I can’t stand such a disgusting sight.

Just as I opened my mouth to say something, footsteps were heard beyond the stairs, and soon a familiar voice caught me.

“Leonora.”

When I turned my head, Father and my brother were standing there with worried faces.

“Father.”

“Oh, what on earth is this.”

Father embraced me just as I was. As I nestled into his warm embrace, the emotions I had been trying to hold back seemed to collapse.

“…Leonora, it will be all right. His Majesty is a strong person.”

I just nodded without saying anything. If I opened my mouth here, I felt I would reveal all my violently churning emotions.

And a few hours later, the closed door opened, and we could finally face Ainberg.