He swallowed dryly but didn’t appear particularly tense or anxious.

“I understand your concerns well, my lady. But please don’t worry.”

He continued with a resolute expression.

“I made a pathetic judgment earlier, but this time I’ll handle it properly.”

“I’ll trust you, Aide.”

He stared at me intently and pressed his lips together.

“For you to think this deeply…”

“……?”

“I didn’t realize you would consider matters so thoroughly and seriously.”

Is that an insult or a compliment?

I wanted to respond playfully, but Oz’s expression was far too serious.

“No, it’s nothing like that. I just have a lot of time to think alone while guarding His Majesty.”

“I feel pathetic and ashamed, my lady.”

“You have so many duties to handle, Aide.”

I quickly brought up my next request before his self-reproach could continue.

“And I have one more thing to tell you.”

“Please speak.”

Though only the two of us were in the aide’s anteroom, I lowered my voice further.

“Send two of the men we captured to Sutton.”

“What?”

Oz didn’t immediately understand my intention.

But he soon seemed to realize and opened his mouth.

“You want to confirm if they’re from the same bandit group.”

“Yes, if the leader recognizes them, it would prove they’re accomplices.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then at least we know it wasn’t the bandits. And I’ll dig to the bottom of who did it.”

I showed a smile with just my lips.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll move right away.”

Then Oz, about to stand up, sat back down and said to me.

“First, I’ll report to His Majesty.”

“No, I’ll tell His Majesty myself.”

Oz nodded and finally rose from his seat.

Judging by his expression, he seemed anxious.

“Understood, my lady.”

I watched Oz’s retreating back for a while as he strode away.

‘Yes, the die is cast. For now, I have no choice but to trust him.’

Now I’ll know whether he’s friend or foe by watching how he acts.

I asked Brother Allentain for help, so I must hope he believes me and monitors well.

Just then, as I came outside,

“Sabine.”

Opening the door, I saw Sabine standing behind the guards.

“Sabine, what about Soniel? Why are you here?”

“Miss.”

Sabine faced me with a somewhat awkward expression.

Is something wrong?

I decided to leave this place first without saying anything more.

Moving away from the office, I immediately spoke to Sabine.

“Sabine, what’s wrong?”

“Miss.”

Sabine couldn’t open her mouth right away and mumbled.

“It’s okay, tell me. What’s the matter?”

“I was actually worried.”

Yes, the current situation is certainly worrisome.

With all this talk of treason, and Ainberg having issues on top of that.

“Yes, it is worrying. I feel the same.”

“……”

“But we can’t just sit still like this. Now that we know, we can’t just watch.”

“I know that too, Miss. But.”

Sabine hesitated again for a long time before finally speaking.

“How much do you trust Miss Soniel?”

I momentarily lost my words at the unexpected question.

“What?”

Sabine bit her lips a couple of times and spoke again.

“I know Miss Soniel is a good person, but I’m concerned.”

I couldn’t respond to these unexpected words.

When I remained silent, Sabine seemed to gain some courage and continued firmly.

“You’re usually cautious and careful about everything, but you seem to trust Miss Soniel completely without any doubt.”

“……”

“Miss Soniel’s life hasn’t been easy. I’m not sure if I should say this, but I know the characteristics of such people well.”

Sabine continued with a face that seemed to have made some decision.

“They’ll do anything to survive. They instinctively know when to bend and when to flee.”

“……”

“It’s not good to suspect people without reason… but I’d like you to be careful.”

I didn’t know how to respond to Sabine’s words.

It was true that I was treating Soniel without any reservations.

I was indeed trusting her completely without doubt.

I hadn’t looked back or reconsidered this.

I hadn’t verified whether this was right or if she was truly trustworthy.

Just because Soniel was young and smiled innocently.

I believed exactly what she showed me.

“…You’re right, Sabine. Thank you for the advice.”

“Miss.”

“It’s not right to judge people carelessly based on their background, but there’s no harm in being careful.”

Sabine blushed and lowered her head.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. Thank you for telling me that. I’ll be mindful.”

Though my mind was a bit complicated, I smiled gently and spoke to Sabine.

“How dare I say such things to you, Miss.”

“Sabine, you’re right. It’s a sensitive time, so being careful is correct.”

“I’m sorry, Miss. And thank you very much.”

“I’m going to see His Majesty now. Please take care of Soniel.”

“Yes, Miss.”

I headed straight to Ainberg’s bedroom.

I had planned to go with Soniel this morning, but I had something to tell him first.

Entering the bedroom, Ainberg was sitting up reading something.

No, I told him not to work, but he really doesn’t listen.

“Your Majesty, I’ve repeatedly told you that work is forbidden—”

Ainberg saw me enter and turned around what he was holding.

“…I was about to say something, but you weren’t working after all.”

What he was looking at was a letter I had written.

“What did I write to you in my letter?”

Oh, suddenly?

Right. He’s lost his memory now.

I smiled gently and slowly sat down on the sofa near the bed.

“Are you curious about the contents of the letter you sent me?”

Ainberg nodded without saying anything.

“You said you were sorry for leaving the castle without telling me. But you said that as a brave and courageous king, you would endure all this.”

“Did I really say that?”

“You were curious about what I was doing while you were away. And you apologized for not keeping your promise.”

“What promise was that?”

“It wasn’t anything special.”

I trailed off and then smiled brightly.

“We always had lunch together until you left for the expedition.”

“Why?”

Wait, you suggested it yourself and now you’re asking why?

“Haha, I wonder why.”

I scratched one cheek and laughed awkwardly.

Well, because your past self liked me.

You probably did it to win my heart.

But do I really have to say this myself?

Ugh, I could never say that even if I died and came back to life.

No, I won’t.

“You, Leonora Chadmon.”

Ainberg with his lost memories was strangely different from the original Ainberg, and one difference was how freely he called my name.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“If Sienna Viper is the Empress, then who were you?”

Wow, now he’s asking questions abruptly without letting me prepare mentally?

I wish he had said he had questions to ask like before.

“I was.”

How should I explain this?

So, because the Empress has been lying down for too long and couldn’t fulfill her role, they tried to bring in a new Empress,

and I was the candidate.

Would that be enough?

“…A kind of candidate, I suppose.”

“Candidate?”

Ainberg twitched his eyebrows and asked again.

That expression just now looked like the person I used to know.

“Yes, as I told you yesterday, Her Majesty the Empress has been bedridden for a long time.”

“……”

“So you were trying to bring in a new Empress.”

“And you were the candidate?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then where are the other candidates?”

Wait, what is he saying now?

Hey! You jerk, I was the only candidate.

“Unfortunately, I was the only candidate.”

I cleared my throat once and answered dryly, but a strange thought occurred to me.

Wait, isn’t this a good opportunity to break free from Ainberg?

He can’t remember, so if I tell the story my way, won’t he just believe it?

I was a candidate but not suitable for Empress, he didn’t like me because I was too extravagant,

so I was planning to return at an appropriate time, but the Emperor got injured and came back.

……

But if I say this.

I won’t be able to watch over Ainberg closely.

If I step back, I might not be able to protect Ainberg from Foil.

While I wonder what that has to do with me—

‘…When he looks at me with those eyes that know nothing, my heart wavers.’

While I lost my words in such thoughts, Ainberg said to me.

“It seems I quite liked you.”