Warm water poured from the showerhead. Chohee stood lost in thought as the streams of water cascaded over her n*ked body.

Even though this was a crumbling annex palace, she was grateful that warm water came out whenever she turned it on. To handle the l*st of Karad, Lars, and Claes, she needed to be able to wash her body with warm water at all times.

‘Claes…’

Right now, Claes couldn’t visibly show her any affectionate behavior, but his sincere words had made Chohee stronger. Though he would violate her without a single word from now on, Chohee could clearly feel that wasn’t what he truly wanted.

‘Can’t I somehow prove that I’m not just a simple breeding vessel?’

The contradictory oracle had defined her in one way, but people have many sides. Just like there were records documenting that the Elysias who had mingled with the imperial family until now had various tendencies, what if she proved through other activities that she wasn’t just a simple breeding vessel?

‘But I don’t think the Emperor will just sit back and watch…’

No, wait. Even so, couldn’t she at least try?

‘The Emperor spends most of his time lying in bed anyway. The Empress acts annoyingly like that, but she rarely leaves his side because she’s nursing him. So even if I do something different right now, they won’t have time to pay attention.’

Then what actions could prove she wasn’t just a simple breeding vessel?

‘Since this dream world is a class-based society, spreading ideas of equality might be considered treason against the state.’

Chohee turned off the shower and dried her body. The body wash mixed with scents of myrrh and hydrangea made her body fragrant. Moreover, after showering, she could smell the faint floral scent emanating from her body.

‘It’s strange how my skin gives off a scent. Seeing things like this, I think I understand what Lars meant when he said it constitutes the finest body.’

Unlike at the Crown Prince’s Palace, Chohee put on her dress without a maid’s assistance. The clothes Lars brought her were classic dresses that didn’t worry about trends, which actually made them look more refined. She opened the terrace and dried her wet hair well in the slightly hot air.

“How can I prove my worth?”

Talking to herself, Chohee went out to the terrace. Though the annex palace was in the deepest part of the Imperial Palace, the rose garden in front was emitting a fresh fragrance and coloring the entire view red.

‘The best thing would have been to do the paperwork Claes recommended and take classes to learn about the nobles… but I can’t do that now.’

Teaching something to someone who was merely a breeding vessel would seem useless. Even if she asked Lars, it would only put him in a difficult position.

So Chohee rested her chin in her hand and fell into deep thought. Meanwhile, the sun moved around emitting scorching rays, illuminating the gardeners moving here and there. Though the annex palace was three stories tall, each floor was quite high and rose up to block the direction of the sun’s rays, so the shade kept Chohee cool.

“I can’t think of anything… But… at least I’ve gotten a sense of what to do… Ah!”

After pondering, Chohee thought she should go to the library, borrow books, and study on her own. If she kept exposing that image to people, she could break down some of the prejudice against her.

Moreover, even if the two oracles contradicted each other, people’s thoughts would lean one way depending on what she showed them over time.

Then, if she consistently showed herself as suitable to be the only Crown Princess Consort and wife of the princes, wouldn’t those who knew the oracles contradicted each other come to accept her as Crown Princess Consort?

‘Good! Let’s go to the library right now and show myself studying. I always went to the library to study like this before getting a job, and that experience of trying hard won’t go anywhere. Cheer up, Chohee!’

With a chest swollen with anticipation, Chohee left the annex palace.

Then the maid followed from behind. Though she was the Empress’s spy, she hadn’t received orders to stop her, so Chohee looked around the garden without concern.

‘But… which way was the library from here?’

Since it was her first time going this way, Chohee was slightly flustered.

She had been to the Third Prince’s Palace study, so she knew how to get there, but she didn’t know where the library was attached. So Chohee wondered if she should ask the maid behind her.

‘But… if they find out I can speak and write, I don’t think anything good will happen. The Empress might learn about it and try to trap me in a scheme, or imitate my handwriting to call Claes and trap him.’

Chohee gulped.

For now, she decided to go to the Third Prince’s Palace. Since she had returned the books she borrowed from the study last time, she would meet Lars and ask where the library was.

‘Lars will understand my intentions even from my gestures. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll hug him and whisper in his ear asking where the library is. Then it won’t look like I’m talking and will seem like I’m kissing, so it’ll be natural.’

Chohee grinned. And even without asking Lars, if she followed people walking around clutching books, the library would probably appear.

‘What’s so good about that Elysia? She just keeps giggling… Does she not know the seriousness of the situation at all?’

Unaware of Chohee’s feelings, the maid was looking at her pathetically. Of course, she was curious about what she was trying to do. But since Chohee was no different from the Crown Prince’s mistress, she, being merely the daughter of a lower noble, couldn’t speak to her first.

‘How annoying… She should just stay inside. If she meets any nobles, I’ll have to step forward to introduce them and attend to everything.’

Though following the Empress had been burdensome because of more work, the maid looked at Chohee pathetically without any such thought.

However, whether knowing or not knowing the maid’s heart that groveled so close to power, Chohee was walking with a bright smile. Just then, someone carrying a stack of books was walking quickly in front of the Crown Prince’s Palace, so she began following behind them.

“Hm?”

The man wearing glasses felt a gaze and briefly looked back. Then he opened his eyes wide. A beautiful woman with lovely fluttering black hair and delicate, intricate features was following behind him.

‘Elysia?’

He had heard this generation’s Elysia also had black hair. The hair color and black eyes that were uncommon in the Empire were truly attractive. The contrast between her innocent-seeming appearance and her body’s explosive volume made the man almost lose his mind in an instant.

‘Hmm… This Elysia seems somewhat different.’

Traditionally, Elysia served as a breeding vessel for the imperial family. But the woman following him had sparkling eyes. He felt curiosity about her growing at the gaze that seemed to hold intelligence.

“…!”

Whether she knew he had looked her over, Elysia met his gaze and smiled at him. Then she pointed with her hand at the books he was holding. The man took one more step toward her. His brown hair fluttering in the wind, he approached her.

“Are you perhaps looking for the way to the library?”

Then her expression brightened radiantly. Wearing a smile like spring flowers, she clasped both hands together and nodded. She was so adorable and lovely that the man understood why Crown Prince Claes and Prince Lars couldn’t help themselves around this generation’s Elysia.

“Then let’s go together. I was just about to choose books at the library myself.”

She nodded repeatedly and began walking beside him. Since he was holding more than five books, he couldn’t escort her, but he slowly matched his stride and walked.

It was a leisurely time. The man occasionally glanced at Elysia beside him and quickly looked away when he thought their eyes met. Since Chohee understood people’s reactions to her beauty well, she walked with a smile without concern.

“Here it is. After choosing books inside, there are desks and chairs where you can read, so use them as you like. You can write on the book loan list just before the library closes, so feel free to spend time without burden.”

At the man’s kind explanation, Chohee placed her hand on her chest and bowed according to etiquette. Seeing this, he felt his insides warming, but after seeing her beautiful face, he also bowed according to etiquette. Her heart expressing gratitude to him looked good.

“Then, I’ll go choose books. Farewell.”

Chohee waved her hand. The man chuckled and went inside toward the bookshelves. Chohee also carefully walked inside the library.

The library built of marble had the first floor packed with books. Most bookshelves were arranged so hands could reach them without using a ladder, which was consideration for noblewomen.

In the Seherta Empire, noblewomen could also participate in state council meetings and other matters exercising nobles’ rights, so arrangements considering both men and women were common.

“Hmm…”

Chohee looked mainly at thick books with lots of text, like the history book she had read last time. When she looked around the area where history books were gathered, focusing on the name of the author she had chosen before, she soon grasped a suitable book.

But this time, since she intended to show herself studying in the library, she didn’t borrow it right away but sat at a desk gathered in one corner of the library. The chairs were hard wooden chairs with soft cushions attached, so her bottom probably wouldn’t hurt even sitting for a long time.

‘…Don’t tell me she’s going to study here?’

However, the maid watching Chohee was dumbfounded. What use was it for a mere breeding vessel to study? Moreover, making her attend in a library where she couldn’t make a single sound.

‘If not for the Empress’s orders, I would have left her.’

“…”

Chohee opened the book and concentrated on the text. Doing this, she felt anew that this dream world had a complex and elaborate worldview.