Celine was on her way to bring simple food to Rosana, who had said she’d eat in her room due to an upset stomach. Someone called out to her from behind. Celine turned around. A maid with an innocent face approached her, smiling.

“Celine, how did you become a personal maid again? Everyone’s curious. I guess maids loved by the head maid really are different, huh?”

“Veronica. Please refrain from making reckless assumptions.”

“Why so formal when it’s just us? Be honest. How did you get forgiven? Or was it… a bribe?”

“No.”

“It’d be great if we could rise together.”

Celine ignored Veronica’s probing questions.

“She’s… not that kind of person.”

“Oh my, why are you being like this? Maintaining a good relationship would be good for both of us.”

Celine let out a quiet sigh. Whether she liked it or not, they’d known each other for quite some time.

“Let me give you some advice. Lady Rosana despises people like you the most. So if you want to continue working as a maid for long, I recommend you stay out of it.”

“What did I even do?”

“……”

Celine looked at Veronica quietly. Veronica turned her head away primly and walked in the opposite direction from Celine.

“……She should be fine.”

* * *

Emma was expelled from the imperial palace. Rosana had the flashy items that hurt her eyes removed. She ordered the famous paintings hanging in the bedroom moved elsewhere and cleared away the sculptures that only took up space in the corridors.

The curtains covered in lace and the carpet with small cubic decorations on the edges were replaced. The curtains were changed to pure white, simple ones, and the carpet prioritized the feel underfoot over design.

Many servants were mobilized in the process. They couldn’t help but notice Rosana’s transformation. The changed room could be called completely remodeled without exaggeration.

The maids whispered. Lady Arcadi had changed. However, not everyone accepted this positively.

Officially, it was Jade who expelled Emma. So some people said Rosana had become passive after losing the power struggle with him. They claimed her active role in expelling Emma was an act.

However, even these people couldn’t condemn Jade’s attitude toward Rosana.

“Lady Rosana, His Majesty is waiting in the dining room.”

Rosana, who had been in the middle of preparations, heard the attendant’s words and sighed, saying it couldn’t be helped.

“Please hurry with the preparations.”

The maids’ hands moved faster. Rosana calmly looked at her reflection in the mirror.

It was awkward at first. From deciding the color of her dress to choosing which accessories to wear, how to eat. What bath salts to use when bathing, what fragrant oil to apply to her hair. 

There were too many things she had to decide for herself.

When Rosana chose a plain dress, Yuna had been flustered. Rosana wondered if she’d made the wrong choice based on Yuna’s reaction and became confused.

With Emma gone, she felt compelled to change and tried to make the “right” choice. Then Celine spoke, seemingly knowing Rosana’s state of mind.

“You can choose whatever you want.”

Those words brought her to her senses. The right choice? There was no such thing. There couldn’t possibly be a correct answer to choosing a dress.

She erased from her mind the Duchess’s words: ‘Rosana, you said you’d choose a red dress. And a dress with such small jewels doesn’t suit you.’

“……That’s right. I just need to choose what I want.”

Useless thoughts were a hindrance. She shouldn’t look back at the past but face the present.

‘I didn’t expel Emma just for this.’

Yuna also accepted Rosana’s decision. Though she did subtly recommend other dresses.

“Lady Rosana. How about trying this dress for a change?”

“Isn’t that too much?”

“What are you saying! You need to look good for His Majesty!”

Yuna clenched her fist. With Jade visiting every day, Yuna asked when they’d become close, if they were getting along well, and if Rosana had special feelings for him. The other maids also perked up their ears. Rosana shook her head.

Yuna sighed softly in disappointment. She wasn’t satisfied with the safe design Rosana had chosen. She was the Emperor’s fiancée, after all. Yuna thought it would be better to dress beautifully when meeting him.

“The dress is too plain……”

Celine quietly stepped on Yuna’s foot.

‘There are so many prettier dresses than this one……’

Yuna hoped Jade and Rosana would grow closer. Making her mistress beautiful was a maid’s pride.

“This is enough.”

Rosana smiled softly. Yuna pouted and grumbled, but her hands didn’t stop, and she ultimately followed Rosana’s wishes.

‘I should have done this from the start.’

She recalled the past when she’d been dragged along by Emma’s will. Emma had led according to her own will, ignoring Rosana’s wishes. But Celine and Yuna were different.

As time passed, Rosana felt proud of herself for now choosing dresses, selecting accessories, and even getting along better with the maids.

Rosana’s problem had been something else from the beginning. Not explaining herself to those who believed she’d committed evil deeds. 

In other words, the problem was not being able to deny the mask the Duchess had placed on her. Through repeated failures, she’d branded herself deep down, believing she couldn’t change, wouldn’t change.

Now it was different. Rosana, who had used Emma as a refuge, had already taken her first steps. With each passing day, Rosana realized she’d been a frog in a well. She learned this fact because she was changing little by little.

She hadn’t grasped the word happiness yet, but she was changing. She hadn’t found herself yet, but she was opening her mouth and writing a new character.

While Rosana quietly watched Yuna carefully place the tiara on her head, she noticed something strange. When Yuna raised her arm, a dark blue bruise was visible inside her slightly lowered sleeve. Rosana found the bruise on Yuna’s wrist odd.

“Yuna, are you hurt?”

“Huh?”

Realizing where Rosana’s gaze was directed, Yuna hastily pulled down her sleeve. Celine also frowned as she looked at her.

“Ahaha, I fell while carrying dishes the other day.”

“Really?”

Would you get a bruise on your wrist from falling while carrying dishes? Did she land on her hand wrong when falling?

“Lady Rosana, let’s go quickly. His Majesty must be waiting.”

“Ah, right.”

When Yuna changed the subject, Rosana’s attention shifted to Jade. She could clearly picture him waiting. At Yuna’s urging, Rosana quietly rose from her seat.

Rosana quickened her pace. Though she always hurried, Jade, who always arrived first, greeted her. The attendant opened the door when he saw Rosana approaching briskly. 

However, once again, she saw Jade already seated in the dining room with its lavish feast.

“Your Majesty. I apologize for being late.”

“I’m at fault for arriving early. Sit down.”

Rosana quietly went to her seat and sat.

“Your Majesty, if you’re too busy……”

“Tsk. Are you trying to leave me alone?”

“N-no.”

Having breakfast together like this has become routine. Rosana’s heart swelled whenever she noticed Jade’s consideration. Though she’d said it was fine, he stubbornly came to find Rosana. 

Even making excuses that he was lonely.

Mealtimes had always been an ordeal for Rosana. Mealtime with family. They’d sit around the table, each sharing their stories during the meal, but Rosana was never given a chance to speak.

She’d quietly eat just enough to fill her stomach and leave, or often wouldn’t come out at all. So even when she ate alone after coming to Diovaha, it didn’t bother her at all. Mealtime with others wasn’t pleasant for her.

But mealtime with him was different. It was comfortable. They exchanged small talk. Jade was curious about many things regarding Rosana. She hadn’t known that having someone interested in her could feel so ticklish.

Rosana, who had been smiling slightly, raised her head when she felt an intense gaze. Her eyes met Jade’s, who was staring intently.

“Your Majesty?”

Jade looked at Rosana carefully.

“Your dress……”

“Yes? Is something wrong?”

“No, no. You’re not lacking dresses, are you?”

“Of course not. His Majesty prepared so many dresses for me.”

It doesn’t look that way…… he muttered quietly.

Though he had no eye for dresses, he’d heard roughly from Jane. He’d heard she’d disposed of all the dresses or given them to the expelled Emma.

The dress Rosana currently wore was one he’d prepared just in case. Naturally, there weren’t many. He’d only prepared the minimum number of dresses because it was more efficient to buy them after taking measurements directly.

“Is the dress strange?”

“Of course not.”

Jade answered immediately, saying she was talking nonsense. Since it was Rosana’s opinion, Jade didn’t say anything more. 

‘Why did I prepare such a dress back then when I was thinking of tormenting her?’

Rosana’s attire was quite modest for someone who would become Empress. It was plain without even gold thread embroidery or any pattern. He’d also prepared flashy dresses for appearances along with such dresses, but he’d never seen her wear them.

She probably didn’t want to be ‘Rosana’……

At least it was fortunate that the accessories he’d practically forced on her were flashy, so the dress didn’t stand out much.

“It suits you well. Both the dress and the accessories.”

At Jade’s words, Rosana lightly touched the tiara placed on her head.

“Really?”

“Of course. What wouldn’t suit you?”

Rosana’s face flushed slightly at Jade’s calm words.

“I wish you’d accept dresses too.”

“I’m fine.”

Rosana cut him off firmly. Jade clicked his tongue.

She’d actually tried not to accept the accessories either. She would have if Jade hadn’t forcibly pushed them on her, saying they were extras. Jade smiled bitterly. She seemed to be trying to change in her own way…… but her overly compulsive attitude worried him.

“Tell me anytime you need something. I have that much ability.”

“The dresses Your Majesty personally prepared for me are enough. Besides, I’ve used a lot of money. I should economize.”

“……I see.”

With such a firm refusal, he had nothing to say. Being flashy doesn’t necessarily mean being labeled extravagant. Rather, there are situations where such attire is appropriate. 

The expression “extravagant” is used when spending money inappropriately for the situation, or when spending unnecessary money while lacking funds.

Thinking of the dress room emptied by the dresses given to Emma and the disposed dresses, he thought she could certainly buy more, but it’s too early for her. She’s changing little by little, so I should be satisfied for now. In fact,

“Your expression has improved a lot.”

Jade looked fondly at Rosana, whose face reddened at his words. Then Jade began to take care of Rosana in earnest.

“As I always say, eat meat too.”

“Yes, thank you.”

She was cute, chewing thoroughly even though she didn’t eat much. When he stared at her, he lost track of time. He stared intently at Rosana’s lips munching like an herbivore grazing on grass.

‘Truly severe.’

At first, he was shocked when he saw Rosana’s diet. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find any meat. She wasn’t an herbivore, yet only fresh vegetables existed. 

So Jade stepped in and shared some of his steak with her. She refused once or twice, but couldn’t overcome his firm attitude, and Rosana ate a piece. Then he found it fun.

Rosana smiled awkwardly at the chicken pieces piled on her plate. On the first day, she ate all the steak he gave her and ended up with indigestion. 

Just from that much? 

Jade had looked at her with an expression of disbelief. Rosana felt unnecessarily sorry.

After that day, Jade adjusted the amount. However, he constantly said she needed to eat meat to be healthy, that’s why she was small, that she’d collapse. 

It was nagging, but it was words of concern for her. It was awkward and embarrassing. No one had ever given Rosana affectionate nagging before.