<To Ren, bright and lovely as sunshine.

Ren, have you been well?

I’ve been constantly regretful that I couldn’t properly say goodbye to you, not knowing I would stay in Bilmotz for so long.

Things I thought would be easily resolved didn’t go as planned.

My homeland kept holding me back whenever I tried to leave, so I couldn’t help you even knowing you were in trouble.

I’m sorry.

It may sound like an excuse, but I’ve always been listening for news flying in from Ostrin.

Whether Ostrin’s ruler has welcomed a consort, or what the atmosphere is like in the Chadmon household.

Seeing that there’s no particular news, I hope it ended with your victory.

Did everything go according to plan?

Or is it still in progress?

Fortunately, it seems I’ll be able to sort out my affairs soon and come see you.

I would be happier than anything to meet you and hear about your journey directly.

-Levi Merten>

The sender of the letter was Levi.

So he’s been doing well.

‘I’m sorry. I should have stayed and helped you, Ren.’

‘Please don’t say that. I’ll handle everything well, so don’t worry about my affairs anymore.’

‘How can I not worry? Wherever I am, I’ll be concerned about you.’

Levi was my only helper and friend.

When his plan to marry me to help me escape the Emperor’s attention failed, he was the one who found other solutions and offered advice without reservation.

He was someone I was grateful for.

After returning to Bilmotz, we lost contact, and I momentarily forgot about him. So much had happened in the meantime.

But what did he mean by sorting out his affairs?

I wonder if something bigger happened after the imperial prince’s accident.

“I was wondering when you’d contact me, and you did it so quickly.”

Just then, Brother interrupted my thoughts with a gruff voice.

“What do you mean?”

“Have you finished reading the letter?”

“Yes.”

Then Brother Allentain narrowed his eyes and gave me a meaningful look.

What’s with that expression?

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Anything to say?

“Not really. Oh, thank you for bringing me the letter.”

Brother chuckled as if he found it absurd.

“Is that all?”

“Are you curious about the letter’s contents?”

“I’m saying this because you had no reaction after reading the letter.”

“What kind of reaction should I have?”

Is this twenty questions?

When I stared blankly at Brother, he laughed heartily.

“Never mind. You’ll hear it directly later.”

“……”

What is this? Making me so curious and then—

“I’ll be going now. Miss Viper, I’ll see you next time.”

Then he bowed politely to Soniel and went back the way he came.

What was that?

Thinking I might have missed something, I looked at the letter again, but there was nothing special or surprising enough to share with Brother.

From his comment about hearing directly later, it seems Brother knows something.

I was blinking in confusion when I turned around.

“……”

Soniel was staring wide-mouthed in the direction Brother had disappeared.

Oh, what’s with this expression?

When I cleared my throat, Soniel seemed to come to her senses and turned her head.

But her cheeks were still flushed.

“My lady.”

She called me with dreamy eyes and continued.

“I think I just saw a god.”

“What?”

A god? The one I know?

“How can someone so perfect exist?”

Well, Brother Allentain is handsome.

Actually, when I first transmigrated into Leonora’s body, I was surprised and a bit awkward seeing Father and Brother’s flower-like beauty.

Now I’m used to it since I see them often.

“Soniel, you’re just as pretty and lovely.”

“What should I do? Was I strange just now? Did I talk too much?”

Soniel stamped her feet and didn’t know what to do.

At times like this, she truly looks like a child.

“Not at all. You were dignified and elegant.”

“Really?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then I’m truly relieved.”

She seemed to feel better and laughed before asking me.

“By the way, is the person who sent the letter your friend?”

This time she seemed curious about who sent the letter.

Hmm, closer than a friend but a bit more distant than that.

“No, he’s my ex-fiancé.”

I answered with a smile.

“What? Your ex-fiancé?!”

Soniel was startled by how loud her voice was and quickly covered her mouth.

“I’m sorry, my lady.”

Then she slightly spread her fingers and mumbled in a small voice.

“So, your ex-boyfriend—”

Hmm, it’s a bit ambiguous to call him a boyfriend.

I want to tell her since she’s curious, but the story is too complicated to explain. It’s adult circumstances.

“Not exactly a boyfriend, but we almost got married.”

“Wow.”

Soniel slowly lowered her hands from her mouth and looked up at me.

“My lady, you’re really amazing. And I’m so envious.”

What is she saying now?

At what point did she find me amazing and enviable?

“What do you—”

I smiled awkwardly and touched the nape of my neck.

“Your ex-fiancé must be a wonderful person too? It’s impressive that he still remembers you and sent a letter, and it’s also amazing that His Majesty wants to make you Empress,”

“……”

“But what I envy most is that you have the most handsome brother in the world.”

At that point, I burst into laughter.

“My lady, you seem to have something special.”

Oh my, these continued compliments are making me itch all over.

I felt like covering Soniel’s mouth with my palm.

“I want to grow up to be a cool and excellent woman like you, my lady.”

Instead of covering her mouth, I showed a benevolent smile.

“You will grow up to be a far more beautiful and wonderful person than me.”

“My lady.”

“Come on, let’s go. I’ll show you the prettiest balcony in the imperial palace.”

❀❀❀

I showed Soniel around various places where she would be staying in the imperial palace.

“You probably won’t need to come this far, but you should still know where it is.”

Soniel listened attentively to my explanation with sparkling eyes.

“Yes, my lady.”

“If you turn right and go out, there’s the temple.”

“Wow, I’ve only seen it in books.”

Soniel admired it with pure wonder. And seeing the temple reminded me of someone.

Millean Hartmann.

When is that man coming?

All the men around me are equally difficult to see face-to-face.

“And if you take the left path at the fork, that’s the Empress’s chambers.”

“Ah.”

At the end of the corridor connected to the Empress’s chambers, I pointed my finger.

The atmosphere was so gloomy it was hard to believe the Empress was lying beyond that door.

“There are so many soldiers.”

“Yes, indeed.”

“It’s not a prison, so why do they need so many troops…”

Soniel mumbled quietly before finding her own answer.

“Ah, perhaps it’s because Her Majesty cannot protect herself?”

“That’s right. It seems so.”

Anyway, the security was so tight that I didn’t dare go near.

But at the same time, I wondered if I could hear that voice again.

‘No, since I’m with Soniel today, that might be troublesome in its own way.’

Besides, I almost got falsely accused for lingering here, so it seemed better to look from a distance and leave.

“Soniel, let’s go back.”

“So that’s where Her Majesty the Empress is.”

Just then, Soniel spoke to me in a calm voice.

“Yes.”

She couldn’t take her eyes away for a while.

“I feel sorry for the Empress.”

Perhaps because she saw Sienna’s portrait in the Viper household? Various emotions seemed to cross Soniel’s eyes.

“She must be at peace now.”

Then Soniel nodded once and smiled.

“I’ll pray for Her Majesty’s well-being.”

How kind she is.

I felt a strange feeling for no reason.

“…Yes, now let’s go to the opposite side.”

As I tried to lighten the mood—

Creak.

The firmly closed door opened slightly, and maids came rushing out from inside.

‘There are quite a lot of attendant maids.’

I was thinking that and about to turn around.

There was someone noticeable among the group.

It was definitely a face I knew.

“Aren’t you a maid who serves His Majesty?”

When I unintentionally raised my voice, the maids who were walking stopped.

One of them bowed her head and answered politely.

“Yes, my lady.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I received orders to move to the Empress’s chambers a few months ago, and I’ve been serving Her Majesty here.”

Maids being transferred wasn’t particularly unusual.

But I felt strange for some reason.

Where had I seen this girl?

“Ah, yes. Now I remember. It was you.”

When I mumbled slowly to myself, the maid glanced at me with puzzled eyes.

“I see. I’ve been looking for you all this time but couldn’t find you. You were in the Empress’s chambers, so I couldn’t see you.”

“…What do you mean?”

The maid stepped back, seemingly taken aback by my sudden words.

“I wanted to ask you something. It’s nothing special… but could we talk for a moment?”