“You have something to ask me?”

The maid hugged the tray she was holding and showed a puzzled expression.

Orange hair tied in two braids, freckles densely scattered under her nose and eyes.

She was the very girl who had received the handkerchief with startled eyes when Ainberg threw it away, saying it was worse than a rag.

Among all things, I vividly remembered this scene because it had caused me great disappointment.

Though it happened quite a while ago, since she had received an item from the Emperor, I thought she would remember it just as I did.

“What’s your name?”

“Lucy, my lady.”

“Lucy, about something that happened about a year ago.”

I told Lucy about the incident when the Emperor discarded the handkerchief gifted by the Empress.

Then Lucy asked me with a slightly flustered face.

“How did you know about that, my lady?”

…Because I was actually standing next to you when he threw it away.

“I heard it from the Empress.”

“Ah.”

“She’s always been curious about it.”

I deliberately added more, fearing Lucy might not open up.

“Of course, now that I know, I can’t tell her anymore.”

“……”

“Even though it was long ago, I’d like to know what happened.”

Please, just tell me what happened.

After a while, Lucy hesitantly opened her mouth.

“Yes, that’s right. I received it.”

Lucy’s answer made my heart sink.

I barely pulled myself together. Yes, then I might learn why the Emperor had it again.

“Do you still have that handkerchief?”

When I asked carefully, Lucy suddenly began looking around.

‘There’s something here.’

I waved away the maids who were glancing at us from a distance.

“You may go now.”

At my gesture, the gathered maids bowed their heads and walked away in the opposite direction.

At the same time, the perceptive Soniel also stepped back a couple of paces.

“Um, my lady. The thing is…”

Then Lucy cautiously began speaking. Even after confirming no one was around, her voice was somehow careful.

“I was planning to keep it forever since His Majesty gave it to me.”

“And then?”

“The very next day, the aide came and took it away.”

“Took it away?”

What kind of development is this?

“Yes, the aide gave me lots of necklaces and bracelets in exchange.”

Lucy glanced at me once and continued.

“It wasn’t that I wanted anything.”

“Was it the chief aide who took it?”

“Yes, that’s right. The one with black hair and tall.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

“Not at all, my lady.”

Lucy hurriedly bowed. Then she followed the maids who had left earlier.

As Lucy turned away, I felt urgent.

Oz, I need to meet him.

Right now.

‘It wasn’t a decision he made alone.’

Giving necklaces and taking the handkerchief back clearly meant someone had ordered it.

‘It was the Emperor’s command.’

Just as I was about to briefly explain to Soniel and ask for her understanding,

“Do you have something you need to attend to alone?”

The perceptive Soniel spoke first.

In my urgency, I didn’t bother to decline.

“I’m sorry. I think I need to see the aide.”

“Yes, don’t worry about me and go ahead.”

“I’ll walk you to my room first.”

We passed through the corridor in silence.

Though I was walking with Soniel, my mind was completely filled with other thoughts.

“…Um, by the way, my lady.”

“Yes?”

“You really are a perfect person, my lady.”

I almost stumbled.

Suddenly? I smiled awkwardly at this out-of-nowhere comment, and Soniel continued.

“I thought you were just beautiful and smart… and that you only had a handsome and excellent brother.”

“……”

“But you’re also loyal.”

“Loyal?”

I’m not really the loyal type.

I’m too busy trying to survive.

“Yes, to go this far for the Empress. I think Her Majesty will be very grateful to you when she wakes up.”

Soniel’s innocent words made me feel embarrassed and simultaneously very guilty.

No, it’s not loyalty, I’m just trying to solve my own curiosity.

“No, I’m just… curious myself.”

But Soniel already seemed unable to hear my words.

“Someone else would have just let it go. It’s not their business, so why bother spending time on it?”

No, it is my business.

“When I think about it, my lady, you really are—”

“No, I’m just a bit curious myself.”

I need to put this compliment bomber down quickly and move alone.

Just then, Soniel completely changed her expression and opened her mouth.

“But you know, my lady.”

“Yes?”

“He really is a scary person after all.”

“……?”

“His Majesty the Emperor, I mean.”

Oh, dear.

It seems a big misunderstanding has occurred.

“I know I shouldn’t say this… but isn’t he too cold? It seems too cruel, enough to make one cry.”

Soniel clenched her fists and trembled.

Yes, it was too much.

But today I could be certain.

That I had been misunderstanding something.

While I was finding excuses for Ainberg, Soniel couldn’t calm her excitement.

“I’ve tried embroidery myself, so I know it’s not easy at all. I’d rather wash a hundred embroidered handkerchiefs than do the embroidery myself.”

I chuckled at her words, and Soniel laughed along.

“Anyway, that was really too much. How could he throw away a gift in front of the person who gave it?”

“Soniel, I thought the same. But.”

“……?”

“It seems what we see isn’t everything.”

I thought what I knew was all there was.

Back then, I was so preoccupied with just taking care of myself.

Time flew by without giving me a chance to adjust to the fact that I had become the Empress inside the Forgotten Empress.

I was hurt by the fact that the Emperor ignored me, and I was only focused on the problems that derived from it, tormenting and isolating me.

‘I didn’t have the time or composure to think there might be other intentions.’

Because no one liked me.

That’s how it was before I transmigrated into Leonora’s body.

“Sometimes what we see on the surface isn’t everything.”

At my words, Soniel seemed to sink into thought for a moment, then murmured quietly.

“Like my father?”

Yes, exactly. Just like that person.

But I have to maintain my dignity as a lady, so I couldn’t just say, ‘Yes, like your dad.’ I simply smiled and changed the subject.

“I want to check. At least… the Emperor I’ve been watching closely isn’t such a cruel person.”

“If that’s what you think, my lady, then it must be right.”

“……”

“You said he’s a good person. So he must be.”

I looked at Soniel and smiled.

“The Empress doesn’t know this truth, but please help clear up the misunderstanding.”

“Thank you.”

“Go ahead now. I’ll go back and practice how to speak appropriately.”

❀❀❀

When I opened the door to the secretariat, Oz inside turned around in surprise.

“My lady.”

What’s with that face? As if he’s seen a ghost.

“Aide, I have something to ask you. Could you spare some time?”

At my request for time, Oz hesitated with a shrinking expression.

“You mean… now?”

“It won’t take long. I won’t keep you as long as last time.”

Oz turned his head to look at the other aides once, then answered.

“Alright.”

Soon after, we sat facing each other in a position similar to last time.

The difference from before was that Oz somehow looked extremely tense.

‘How should I bring this up?’

Suddenly appearing and going on about a handkerchief might seem strange.

Oz is different from Lucy. If I make flimsy excuses like being close to the Empress, he’ll surely be suspicious.

While I was pondering how to start the conversation, Oz suddenly spoke first.

“I’m processing what you mentioned, my lady. So if you could give me a little more time—”

“Aide, that’s not why I’m here.”

“…Oh, it’s not?”

“You know Lucy, right?”

“Lucy?”

Oz stared at me with a face that showed he had no idea.

With so many people working in the imperial palace, he wouldn’t know a maid just by name.

But if he had personally sought her out, and even given her expensive jewelry, he couldn’t possibly not know.

“I’ll ask you directly. Was it His Majesty’s order?”

“……”

“Did he tell you to retrieve it?”

“……”

“Just tell me one thing.”

When I asked bluntly without emotion, Oz remained silent for a moment.

He would have understood what I was talking about even without explanation.

After a long while, Oz slowly opened his mouth.

“If you’re talking about that handkerchief.”

“……”

“I just wanted it myself.”

“……?”

“Yes, so I went to get it personally.”

Haha. Who are you trying to fool?

Do you have some strange hobby of collecting ruined embroidery?

Why are you lying like this?

“So I was carrying it around, and on the day His Majesty was attacked—”

“I already know everything, Aide.”

“……”

“Do you think I’m really asking because I don’t know?”

Actually, I don’t know anything!

“My lady.”

“I’ll ask one last time.”

At that moment, Oz slightly turned his head to the side.

With somewhat gloomy eyes, he bit his lip, then opened his mouth as if having made a decision.

“You are right about what you know, my lady.”

“Aide.”

“I received orders from His Majesty.”