“Deputy envoy—the commander of the military.”

Those words struck sharply in my mind.

Ah… so that’s why he had been in Ishtin.

The image of Helares—his cold, cutting expression as he pulled me from the collapsing building—rose vividly in my thoughts.

“How could this even happen? It’s almost as if they were waiting for us to leave the Holy Kingdom…”

“Sienna. It’s not unusual for a military commander to visit another country for treaty matters. The timing is a bit… coincidental, but still.”

Right. He must be here for work.

I’m just letting my anxiety imagine the worst.

“He didn’t come because of you. Helares isn’t that unhinged. His life doesn’t revolve around you.”

That’s right. It can’t be that.

I’m overthinking it.

It’s not like his entire world is centered on me. Besides, he doesn’t even know for certain that I’m Sienna.

“The vice president and the minister of foreign affairs came with him. After what happened three months ago, he won’t be able to cause any trouble.”

So I decided to think of it this way, he didn’t come to the Empire because of me. He came for diplomatic matters, and I just happened to be here.

“Don’t worry too much, Sienna. You’ve changed your appearance and your voice. There’s no way he can take you. As long as you’re with me, you’re safe.”

It wasn’t that I doubted Jeremy’s ability or authority.

Nor did I doubt that we would return safely to the Holy Kingdom in a few days.

And yet, there was something unsettling about it all.

The journey to the Adelaide Empire, which I had believed would be completely safe from Helares… now carried an unexpected disturbance.

I shook my head, pushing away the unnecessary thoughts.

It would be stranger to keep hiding out of fear just because of him.

I resolved to play my role properly—as a Saint visiting as a guest of the prince.

We stepped out of Garnata Palace and began crossing the winter garden, its gray tones muted under the cold sky, heading toward the annex assigned as our residence.

“Speak of the devil…”

A delegation from the Estantian Republic approached, led by Vice President Theodore—whom I had once seen in a newspaper photograph.

“Commander Linzer. I trust you have been well.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs greeted Jeremy with an almost servile expression. Though the incident at the border had been smoothed over by sending Helares north to deal with heretics, it seemed the matter still weighed heavily on him.

“We’ve just arrived ourselves. We were on our way to pay our respects to His Majesty.”

I quickly scanned the group, searching for Helares but he wasn’t there.

For a moment, I remembered how badly he had been injured while saving me in Ishtin.

‘Did he return to the Republic because of that wound?’

I couldn’t decide whether to feel relieved that he wasn’t here… or uneasy.

And then, from behind me, a dark, suffocating presence crept closer.

A familiar scent brushed against my senses.

Before I could stop myself, I lifted my head—like a creature trained to respond to it.

“Fancy meeting you again.”

…D*mn it.

A delayed strike.

I bit down hard on my lip.

A long, imposing shadow stretched forward from behind me, tall and overwhelming—its presence unmistakable.

Helares appeared from behind me, brushing past as he moved forward and came to a stop in front of us, his expression utterly composed.

The other officials from the Republic couldn’t hide their discomfort at the sight of Jeremy and Helares facing each other. They watched nervously, clearly unsettled. They must never have imagined that, in the Adelaide Empire of all places, someone from the Holy Kingdom—especially those involved in that unfortunate incident—would cross paths with them again.

“What is it this time? Just go on your way.”

Jeremy stepped forward, tense with caution, shielding me behind him.

Slowly, Helares’s blue eyes drifted toward the hand resting on my shoulder.

I flinched at the subtle movement, my body stiffening.

“Commander. I’ve saved someone from your party’s life once again, haven’t I?”

As if to remind us, Helares deliberately brought up what had happened in Ishtin.

“If you remember that, then I don’t see why you need to look at me like I’m some kind of criminal.”

For a brief moment, my head spun.

Still, it felt wrong to treat someone who had saved our lives—twice—with cold indifference.

I gently placed my hand over Jeremy’s arm, signaling that I was alright, and offered a faint smile. Then, belatedly, I bowed my head toward Helares.

“My apologies for thanking you so late. We’re truly grateful for what you did for us back then. I seem to keep owing you… I’m not sure how I can repay you.”

“As I’ve said before, I never expected anything in return.”

‘Ahem.’

A soft cough sounded behind him—someone from the Republic’s delegation discreetly trying to prompt him.

By rank, the vice president should have been his superior. And yet, it was Helares who kept them waiting, acting entirely on his own terms.

Even in that brief moment, the true hierarchy was unmistakable.

If anything, Helares’s authority—already formidable—seemed to have grown even stronger after returning victorious from the north.

“Still… I’ll assume you possess at least enough faith to remember the debt you owe.”

I pressed my lips together again.

I wasn’t a fugitive now. There was no reason for anything to happen between us. There wouldn’t be anything.

And yet… why did it feel as though I was being drawn back into his grasp?

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

Without any urgency, Helares turned and walked away at a leisurely pace toward the emperor’s audience chamber. The Republic’s officials followed after him, disappearing into the depths of the palace.

Only then did I realize—I had forgotten to breathe.

Like a cornered animal, frozen in place, I finally let out the breath I had been holding.

***

After everything, when we finally arrived at our quarters, an invitation was waiting for us.

Breaking the wax seal, I unfolded it, a formal invitation to the ball, with my name personally written inside.

Just imagining myself being paraded as a spectacle among the empire’s most prominent nobles was already exhausting.

But the ball, held over the next two days, was hosted by the emperor and empress themselves.

As a guest of the prince, I couldn’t refuse their invitation without cause.

After changing into the pure white attire of a Saint, I studied my disguised reflection in the mirror.

Black hair. Sharper features.

A face completely different from my own—no trace of my original self remained.

And yet, that stark, unfamiliar appearance clashed strangely with the immaculate white robes.

We arrived at the ballroom slightly earlier than scheduled and were seated at the high table prepared beneath the emperor and the princes.

“Saint Gwen Gracia… we meet again.”

The voice reached me just as I settled into my seat.

From the seat above, Prince Galahad casually greeted me as if we were acquainted.

“Ah… hello, Your Highness.”

I returned the greeting politely, but my smile was carefully measured, nothing more than a façade. Not wanting to engage further, I turned my head as if to continue speaking with Jeremy.

“Good evening. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Caleb Harold Linzer. It is an honor to be introduced to Saint Gwen Gracia and Holy Knight Isabel.”

I exchanged greetings with the First Prince, Caleb, as well.

Unlike Galahad’s overtly masculine presence, Caleb carried an air more similar to Jeremy’s—yet sharper, more ambitious, more calculating. When our eyes met for a brief moment, something in his crimson gaze flashed—the unmistakable intensity of someone born to rule.

Beneath the grand chandelier, the vast banquet hall shimmered with lavish decorations. Rare delicacies filled the tables, alongside expensive champagne and wine. A full orchestra played a beautiful, flowing melody.

It was a familiar scene, one that brought back memories of when I had still been a princess.

Back then, I had been little more than a decorative presence, forced to attend these gatherings and sit quietly like a doll.

“The Grand Duke of Lambert and his spouse have arrived.”

The attendant began announcing the entrance of distinguished guests one by one. Names of powerful nobles echoed through the hall.

“His Excellency Vice President Theodore of the Estantian Republic, along with the delegation, has arrived.”

“Sienna… it’s Helares.”

I didn’t need Isabel to tell me.

The moment he stepped into the hall, the atmosphere shifted. A ripple passed through the crowd as murmurs spread.

All eyes turned toward him.

Of course they did.

It wasn’t merely because he stood taller than most, with a striking presence and commanding physique.

It was because of the story that followed him.

The man who had risen from nothing who had cut down a king.

Even here in the Adelaide Empire, his name carried weight.

The nobles regarded him with a mix of disdain and fascination. A crude, uncultured revolutionary, they would say—and yet, he drew their attention all the same.

Unlike their carefully polished manners and pretenses of refinement, there was something raw about him. Unrefined. Untamed.

I couldn’t lower my head—it would draw suspicion.

So I forced myself to remain composed, keeping my gaze steady.

But at the same time, afraid that our eyes might meet—I quietly looked away.