12. Just Act Like You Don’t Exist (1)

Kara was a maid whom Larael had never seen before, but she was well-acquainted with Lillian. Lillian had served her for quite some time and was a maid sent by the Empress Dowager.

‘She was a loyal errand runner for the Empress Dowager.’

“Then, I’ll go with that.”

Larael spoke while carefully observing Lillian.

Once Larael’s long preparation was finished, the Count and Countess of Hedway entered to see her. The Countess, upon seeing Larael, teared up.

“My daughter, may I hug you just once?”

Larael nodded and took the initiative to embrace her mother tightly. Holding back her tears, she glanced at her father, who stood with his hands behind his back, unable to look at her, instead staring into the air. After a long hug with her mother, Larael also embraced her father.

Caught off guard by his daughter’s sudden hug, the Count chuckled awkwardly but held her tightly. His eyes grew warm with emotion.

“Never desire something you cannot have.”

“Yes.”

Larael nodded as she answered.

“Larael, we will return to our territory.”

Larael lowered her head deeply. Finally, the tears that had welled up in her eyes fell, landing on her dress. She recalled the last day she had seen her parents before her regression.

It was today. She knew they had hurriedly left for their territory, fearing they might cause harm to her. Later, they lost their lives when a great plague swept through the Empire. Before her regression, Larael had been filled with malice even on the day she entered the palace, so she hadn’t even said a proper goodbye. That regret had always weighed on her like a stone in her heart.

It was a plague that could have been prevented.

‘If only Herwen hadn’t exploited the plague… This time, I’ll make sure to save both of you.’

“Larael, you look truly beautiful.”

The Countess gazed at her daughter again. Her eyes trembled as she took in just how lovely, precious, and proud her daughter was. Although Larael was heading to the highest place, where she would eat the finest food and live surrounded by the best things, the Countess couldn’t shake her unease.

“It’s time to go.”

The people sent by the imperial family to escort Larael could no longer be kept waiting. Larael bid farewell to her parents and boarded the carriage headed for the imperial palace.

A procession of carriages, guarded by the Emperor’s personal knights, stretched from the Hedway estate to the imperial palace. Most people knew that the person inside the carriage was Larael Hedway.

Due to the rumors circulating in society and the public’s sympathy for Grand Duke Vellaus, the gazes of those watching the procession were far from kind.

At that moment, Herwen appeared on horseback, blocking the procession. His golden hair was disheveled, covering part of his eyes. As he began calling out Larael’s name in a desperate wail, some onlookers even shed tears.

“Larael!! Larael!!!”

When Herwen’s voice suddenly echoed in her ears like an auditory hallucination, Larael felt goosebumps rise all over her body as she recalled his crazed behavior from the previous evening.

He must have been truly desperate to reveal his emotions so openly. It also meant that Larael was not acting according to his wishes.

If the Count and Countess hadn’t entered her room last night and asked Herwen to leave, who knows what he might have done? It wouldn’t have been surprising if he had caused a scene.

Larael, wondering if she was truly hearing things, pulled back the curtain slightly to peek outside. Fortunately, she wasn’t hallucinating. She caught a glimpse of Herwen on horseback, turning his horse toward her carriage and shouting.

The Emperor’s personal knights were blocking him from approaching her carriage. He was yelling and threatening the knights.

When Herwen, who was causing a commotion, looked in her direction, their eyes seemed to meet. Feeling as though she had seen something she shouldn’t have, Larael quickly closed the curtain.

“Your Highness, would you like to step out for a moment?”

Lillian, who was seated across from her, cautiously asked while observing Larael’s reaction. As someone sent by the Empress Dowager, Lillian clearly believed Larael was deeply infatuated with Herwen.

Larael let out a small, incredulous laugh at the presumptuous maid’s suggestion. Shaking her head, she replied.

“No, how could I possibly face him? Just stay still.”

Larael waited for the carriage to start moving again.

‘Herwen, I think this is more than enough. You’ve had plenty of eyes watching…’

The chaotic noise gradually subsided, and the carriage resumed its journey. It was clear that Herwen had no real intention of meeting Larael.

He was content simply to play the role of a tragic northern Grand Duke who had lost his love, basking in the public’s sympathy.

“What’s your name again?”

“It’s Lillian, Your Highness.”

Lillian answered with a slight smile.

“I see. Once I enter the palace, I’ll have to request a change of maids. How dare you presume to advise me…”

Lillian’s face turned pale. She had thought she was being helpful, but now she realized she had made a grave mistake.

“Your Highness, please forgive me. I was wrong.”

Lillian dropped to the floor of the moving carriage, lying flat in apology. The Empress Dowager had ordered her to report everything about the consort to her. But that was secondary. If she were dismissed before she could carry out the order, it would all be over.

“Lillian. And your name?”

“Ka-Kara, Your Highness.”

“Lillian, Kara.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“You know I brought my own maids, don’t you? Honestly, I don’t need any maids other than them. Since this is my palace, I can do as I please, can’t I? If you wish to continue working, just act like you don’t exist.”

“Yes, understood.”

Lillian and Kara swallowed nervously and bowed their heads.

Until they fully understood Larael, they had no choice but to remain submissive. To serve the Empress Consort, they had studied everything about Larael Hedway, from rumors to public knowledge. But all of that was merely surface-level information. They wouldn’t truly know her until they experienced her firsthand.

No matter how harshly the public viewed her, she was still the Emperor’s woman, entering the imperial palace for the first time. They couldn’t afford to look at her through the same lens as the outside world.

The face of the Empress Consort they had seen in news articles was radiant with life, like a freshly bloomed rose. In those articles, she stood beside Grand Duke Vellaus, smiling lovingly at him as if she had the whole world. Her beauty and charm had inspired both envy and admiration.

But the Larael they now faced no longer had that innocent smile. Initially, they had attributed the change to recent events and even felt pity for her. However, her expressionless face and detached gaze gave her an air of elegance so overwhelming that they often found themselves staring at her in awe while attending to her.

“Your Highness, we’ve arrived at the imperial palace.”

As the carriage slowed down, Kara formally announced their arrival and began preparing to disembark. She checked to see if Larael’s appearance was in perfect order. When the carriage door opened, Kara and Lillian stepped out first. Larael briefly glanced through the small carriage door, wondering who would escort her. She prayed it wouldn’t be the Emperor.

“Larael.”

The familiar voice she had hoped not to hear reached her ears, and she let out a short sigh. Yet, despite herself, she felt a strange sense of comfort. A hand clad in smooth leather gloves extended toward her.

“No, Empress Consort.”

‘I don’t deserve to take this hand, but borrowing it for a moment should be fine.’

Larael gently placed her hand over his. Edward quietly gazed down at her hand, which rested lightly on his. Larael, feeling uneasy, looked up at him.

‘Did I do something wrong?’