Unlike the nobles, the Emperor’s expression was exceedingly relaxed as she welcomed Kartun and his mother.

Had she invited wolves without considering the consequences, just to quiet the foxes around her? She seemed amused by the current situation, smiling faintly.

She casually offered pleasantries to Margo.

“Time is cruel, and I was quite concerned when I heard about your declining health. How fortunate that it turned out to be something easily treatable by a doctor in the capital.”

“I hesitate to say this to Your Majesty, but rather than living long, I wished to live healthily until death, so I couldn’t refuse the Grand Duke’s suggestion.”

“A wise decision. It would be unkind to the Grand Duke to refuse when a solution exists.”

“Thank you for your generous words. I will return home as soon as my treatment is complete.”

The Emperor nodded with a smile.

There were no empty words asking her to stay longer. This actually helped quell the suspicions rising around them.

After watching them complete their audience and withdraw, Daphne went to the balcony to calm her racing heart.

‘I thought she looked familiar…’

It was from her past life, when Daphne had married Kartun.

Among the portraits hanging in his castle was one of Margo. In the painting, she was much younger and wearing armor instead of a dress.

Only now did she understand why the woman had seemed familiar yet unrecognizable.

‘In my past life, Margo died… around this time.’

It had been an endemic disease easily curable in the capital, as the Emperor mentioned. But this fact was only revealed after Margo’s death.

Daphne remembered how the Emperor had declared a day of mourning for the great knight’s death, and the Empire had been immersed in grief.

‘Another variable.’

Emotionally, she hoped Margo would live. After all, she had saved countless lives before laying down her sword.

But this variable was unwelcome.

‘Kartun. You seem determined to surprise me in this life.’

A warning bell rang in her mind that she should not become further entangled with him.

She wanted to go home right away.

But the image of Anaïs staggering into the powder room came to mind. It would be a shame to leave now.

Good spectacles should be savored thoroughly, shouldn’t they?

‘If I’m staying… should I greet Margo?’

High-profile figures often disliked having their identities publicly exposed and sometimes gave different names.

While Daphne understood Margo’s behavior, understanding didn’t mean she felt good about it.

‘Calling herself my friend and approaching me first…’

The warm time they had spent together made Daphne feel even more disappointed.

She looked up at the sky aimlessly, trying to clear her head. The night air was refreshing.

As she took a deep breath, someone addressed her.

“Is it because of my mother?”

Ugh.

A voice that now seemed irritating.

“How could you possibly connect Lady Margrit to my headache?”

“I heard you met by chance at the dress shop.”

Was it really by chance?

Daphne turned around, concealing her displeasure as best she could. Kartun offered her a glass.

“It’s warm water. The weather is cold, and your shoulders are quite exposed.”

Daphne frowned but accepted the glass.

“My shoulders are like this because…”

“Grand Duke, I did that. It’s just too pretty, tsk.”

Margo clicked her tongue as she entered the balcony. She approached Daphne and said:

“To express beauty in such a crooked way. My son has become quite arrogant since becoming Grand Duke. Daphne, let me apologize on his behalf.”

Daphne smiled more brightly at Margo, as if to show Kartun.

“Not at all. I love this dress so much that I cannot accept your apology.”

She glanced briefly at Kartun.

Despite her words, her gaze conveyed that she would certainly accept an apology from him.

Margo watched this situation with great interest.

What composure to subtly pressure her son, whom most men couldn’t even look at directly.

She increasingly liked this small, cute young lady who never missed an opportunity to attack.

Having once entrusted Kartun to the Armin family due to unavoidable circumstances, she had always felt grateful to them.

But as soon as she arrived in the capital, she heard about Daphne’s scandal.

Her longtime fiancé had been unfaithful.

Though she had never met Daphne before, she felt sorry for her.

Then, while going to fit a dress Kartun had ordered in advance, she saw a young lady sitting alone.

Though trying to appear composed, her unmistakable sadness touched Margo’s heart—and it turned out to be Daphne.

So she had approached her without thinking. After a moment’s hesitation, Daphne had responded, and her gloomy mood had lifted.

Impressed by her depth and integrity, Margo had even mothered her, perhaps excessively.

But then, upon entering the ballroom, they had immediately seen those foolish people dressed more splendidly than the Emperor—Daphne’s fiancé and his mistress.

She had worried Daphne might be deeply hurt, but…

‘She seems to be enjoying this.’

It appeared her request for breaking off the engagement hadn’t been made in anger.

Margo liked her more and more.

Without realizing it, her gaze shifted to Kartun, who was still single.

‘Stupid boy!’

He deserved nothing but praise, yet he was commenting on her exposed shoulders.

Her fist clenched automatically and started moving toward her chest before stopping.

Her late husband had been the same way.

He wouldn’t notice if a woman he wasn’t interested in stood n*ked before him. But with Margo, it was different.

He would somehow sense even the slightest scratch she received in battle.

‘How worried he would be.’

He would only stop when Margo angrily told him to, and in the next battle, countless monsters would die by his hand.

People see nothing when they have no interest.

Though Kartun had commented on her shoulders, bringing her warm water suggested a definitely positive signal.

Having never seen Kartun pay attention to any woman, Margo was secretly delighted.

The problem was why he was being so irritating about it…

For now, Margo could only observe.

As she smiled knowingly, Kartun turned his head away with a serious expression.

Margo snorted and said to Daphne:

“I’ve been looking for you since finishing my audience with the Emperor. I wanted to apologize for giving you a different name.”

“I understand. If I had known who you were, I would have felt very uncomfortable.”

“Thank you for saying that. Besides, I’m used to my nickname, and Eckhart was my maiden name, so strictly speaking, it wasn’t a lie.”

Daphne took Margo’s extended hand with understanding.

Margo led her toward the Grand Ballroom.

Kartun, speechless for the first time since meeting Daphne, chuckled and followed them.

The sight of Daphne and Margo chatting affectionately with Kartun standing behind like a guard drew people’s attention.

It was even more surprising that their conversation involved calling the Grand Duke by his name and criticizing him. Yet Kartun stood beside them with a calm expression.

Seeing this as a good opportunity to approach, several nobles came forward.

But the Emperor blocked their way. She shooed away the approaching nobles with a wave of her hand and squeezed between Margo and Daphne.

“Sir Schwiers, isn’t that too formal? I’d like to call you Margo, just like Daphne does…”

“Please do as Your Majesty wishes.”

“Are you two acquainted?”

The Emperor asked, looking back and forth between Daphne and Margo.

“We met by chance at a dress shop. I took a liking to her at first sight and approached her.”

“Oh, really? I cherish Daphne very much too.”

“Your Majesty’s depth in understanding people’s hearts far exceeds this old woman’s.”

The Emperor laughed brightly at Margo’s compliment.

She had decided to make full use of Kartun’s stay in the capital for his mother’s treatment from the moment he asked permission.

Moreover, she now saw how devoted he was to his mother.

If Margo had become friends with Daphne, there might be a possibility for herself too, so she decided to use her advantage of youth.

“Margo, speaking of which. Do you know what the Grand Duke said to me in the audience chamber a few days ago?”

The Emperor chattered like a granddaughter tattling to her grandmother. When she reached the part about Kartun suggesting k*lling Daphne once she knew the Emperor’s weakness, Margo gave him a fierce glare.

Having gained a strong ally after a long time, the Emperor didn’t let Kartun’s disloyalty slide. She even reported his disloyal gaze to Margo.

Only after Margo firmly promised to properly educate her son on chivalry and loyalty—principles she had lived by her entire life—did the Emperor look satisfied like a well-fed lion.

The Emperor looked at Daphne with an expression that said, “I did well, didn’t I?” Daphne smiled brightly back at her.

She was so grateful.