“Eh? Ah, no, my lady. Just because it’s a royal wedding doesn’t mean you need to strictly adhere to formality……”

“I think a neutral color would make me feel more comfortable.”

“I see…… That’s a shame.”

When Aristie responded firmly, the owner couldn’t push any further. She politely told the disappointed owner that she would visit again and hurriedly went outside.

In truth, she had no intention of returning. Learning that Estelle had worked there made even staying feel unpleasant.

However, after taking just a few steps, she was hit in the forehead by the most unwelcome voice in the world.

“My, who do we have here. Isn’t this Lady Yentrice.”

“……”

Aristie stopped abruptly and glared at the woman before her. Estelle was facing her with a leisurely demeanor.

“Why look at me so fiercely? Don’t you like the way I addressed you?”

Estelle’s lips formed a thin curve as she received the glare. She approached with clicking heels and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

“Should I call you the bride-to-be then? You must be so happy with your upcoming marriage that you’ve forgotten your friend’s death, heheheh.”

Aristie glared at Estelle with wide eyes. But soon she moved on without responding. She judged that Estelle wasn’t even worth conversing with.

However, just as she passed by Estelle, determined to upset Aristie somehow, Estelle openly chattered.

“A fiancée who loves her best friend’s enemy—how does it feel to have a man like that as your husband? I can’t even begin to imagine how terrible it must be.”

The moment she heard those words, she remembered advice Roselina had once given her.

—Become a villainess. What’s there that you can’t do?

“……”

Aristie clenched her fist.

Then she turned around and spoke clearly and forcefully to ensure the other wouldn’t mishear.

“Not as bad as the woman who takes her rival’s husband.”

“What?”

Estelle’s eyes rose viciously. She seemed not to have expected Aristie to retort in the same manner.

Aristie provoked Estelle in a voice so venomous it surprised even herself.

“You must be furious, right? I understand your envy, but keep your jealousy out of sight. It’s disgusting, really.”

“Ha, what? Who’s envious of whom!”

“Obviously, you of me. You’re desperate for the position of empress, aren’t you?”

“Hmph, you must be the desperate one. Soon you’ll lose your position to me and die miserably!”

“Well, the miserable one seems to be your face.”

Aristie smiled softly and advised.

“Try to relax your expression. It’s so hideous it’s revolting to look at.”

“What!”

Estelle shouted and resorted to threats.

“Don’t you think Vivian will suffer if you act so impudently?”

“Ah, planning to spread dirty rumors in society?”

Aristie responded calmly, as if she had anticipated this.

“Let me tell you something. The position of Empress creates power where there was none.”

“……!”

“If someone like you can do it, why can’t I? I can spread dirty rumors too. And I’ll have the power to make those rumors reality. Then who do you think will believe people?”

Estelle had called Aristie a villainess from a novel. A wicked Empress who would try to poison the female lead.

Aristie thought at this moment that those words might be true.

“So you’d better shut up. Keep acting foolishly, and you might end up collapsing after consuming poison somewhere.”

Without being a villainess, such cruel words wouldn’t flow so smoothly from her mouth.

“Now, continue on your way, Lady Vascus. A life built on lies must be a busy one.”

Aristie sneered and rolled her eyes. Despite her fluent speech, her back trembled.

She felt like she might collapse at any moment, but her anger over Roselina supported her. Thanks to that, Aristie could calmly pass by Estelle and leave.

“How dare she!”

Estelle glared murderously at Aristie’s retreating back. But she had no words to throw back. This confrontation was her complete defeat, to the point where she regretted provoking Aristie.

‘Aristie……!’

Estelle ground her teeth in frustration.

‘I guess becoming Empress has made you blind to everything else. ……Fine, enjoy it while you can. The moment the Emperor falls into my hands, your head will fall right after!’

* * *

The day after Aristie’s visit, Zephyros went to work as usual to assist the Emperor.

Khalid, having finished his shower after morning training, was receiving reports from the head chamberlain while barely covering his lower half with a towel.

The idea of maids clinging to him to help with bathing was far from his reality. Khalid, who had been uncomfortable around women since childhood, preferred to do everything himself.

For him, the role of maids was limited to selecting clothes and helping him dress.

‘This is driving me crazy……’

Zephyros stood next to the head chamberlain, gazing at his lord. Outwardly maintaining a rigid posture, inside he was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

The plan Aristie had foretold remained in his mind, disturbing his composure.

Perhaps that was why. Though he always saw his lord’s back, today it entered his vision with a strange feeling. Especially parts like the wide shoulders forming an inverted triangle or the intricately divided back muscles.

His flawlessly constructed, firm body was certainly sensual enough to captivate not only women but men as well.

Would it feel exciting to run fingers down that back……?

‘—What kind of crazy nonsense is this!’

Why should he, who had only ever been interested in women, feel fluttered looking at another man’s backside!

“Zeph.”

That was when it happened.

Khalid, who was drying his hair with his back exposed, dropped his towel and called Zephyros.

“Yes! Your Majesty.”

Zephyros, who had been staring only at his lord’s back, quickly came to his senses and answered. Khalid’s voice coolly swept through his ears.

“I tried to ignore it thinking it must be my imagination…… But it’s too blatant to ignore.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“I constantly feel some sticky, unpleasant gaze from you…… that’s just my imagination, right?”

“I-it must be your imagination! Probably.”

Zephyros almost bit his tongue while hastily responding. He felt a sting in his solar plexus, having been hit right on target.

“That’s a relief, that it’s just my imagination. If by any chance you were trying to seduce me with that gaze, I’d have to carve today’s date on your tombstone.”

Khalid growled menacingly. Then, picking up neatly folded underwear, he asked.

“Does your unsavory gaze have anything to do with meeting Aristie yesterday?”

“Your Majesty, what do you……”

Zephyros, trying to understand the question, suddenly looked shocked.

He knows I met the lady!

“Don’t tell me you’ve been having me watched!?”

When Zephyros demanded an answer, Khalid retorted in disbelief.

“I’m flabbergasted. Do I look like someone who would waste manpower on such things?”

“Then did you have Lady Aristie watched?”

“I did assign someone, but not for surveillance. I’m just worried about her, that’s all.”

“Isn’t that the same thing? She would be displeased if she knew.”

“They only observe her movements from a distance. I feel like I’ve missed a lot lately.”

Becoming increasingly defensive, Zephyros replied in a sullen tone.

“Even if you press me about the conversation with the lady, I won’t answer.”

“I have no intention of asking. But let me tell you this.”

Khalid, buttoning his shirt, gestured to the head chamberlain. He was already casually dressed in pants and a shirt.

When the head chamberlain opened the door, two maids entered and began skillfully dressing him in his uniform and attaching accessories. With his hands extended to the maids fastening his cuffs, Khalid continued.

“Do what Aristie tells you to do. Whatever it may be.”

“Ha, Your Majesty……”

Zephyros sighed in frustration.

“You say that because you don’t know. If you knew what I heard……”

“It doesn’t matter, just do it.”

“Really?”

“I gave her permission. I told her to do whatever she wants. I’ll accept anything.”

“If you insist……”

Even after starting like that, Zephyros couldn’t finish his sentence. He could anticipate how much turmoil Aristie’s plan would cause.

‘……Alright. Should I just go ahead with it, also to repay my debt to the lady?’

In the conflicted mind of Zephyros, the image of Aristie standing as a witness for him appeared. Her appearance at that time was nothing short of a savior’s arrival for him.

Thanks to her, the charges were dropped, but unfortunately, they failed to find who had framed him. The culprits and their contacts had vanished like smoke, having caught wind of the investigation.

In the end, the case was concluded as a conspiracy by forces trying to break the Irvant family. But that was something Zephyros couldn’t accept.

If the goal was to ruin the family, they should have targeted Rhion, not him. His younger brother, the commander of the Emperor’s direct knight order , was far more famous than himself, a mere guard in the Imperial Guard.

‘Yet why did they specifically try to entrap me with a honeytrap? Who on earth would benefit from my removal……’

Zephyros’s eyes suddenly widened as his thoughts progressed.

“Ah, could it be─!?”

At Zephyros’s exclamation, not only Khalid and the head chamberlain but also the maids arranging the Emperor’s collar all turned to look at him.