Creeeeak—

As Roina entered the library, a woman wearing horn-rimmed glasses with her hair braided to one side sprang up from her seat.

“Oh my, madam! It’s been such a long time since you’ve come.”

Looking quietly at the librarian who greeted her warmly, Roina nodded slightly.

“It seems so.”

Even at her somewhat awkward appearance, the librarian added with a bright smile:

“Several more volumes of the book series you used to enjoy reading have been published.”

‘Books I used to enjoy reading here……?’

To the librarian who was carefully gauging her reaction, saying she might have already read them, Roina shook her head.

“I haven’t read them yet.”

“That’s truly fortunate then.”

The woman who let out a clear laugh guided Roina to the display shelf where the books were stored.

Unlike the quiet interior of the library, the display shelves were packed full of old books from bygone years.

The librarian, holding bibliographic documents in one hand and comparing them with the books, soon pointed to neatly arranged books and said:

“Here they are.”

On the dark green hardcover was written the title 《Cruel Fantasy Märchen》.

The novels, which seemed to have hardly been touched by human hands, looked almost new at first glance.

“It seems they’re rarely borrowed.”

Whether she heard Roina’s quiet murmur, the librarian answered with a gentle smile:

“They’re works that receive reviews of being rather difficult to understand.”

The woman said she had tried them herself but eventually put them back after reading only a little.

Soon the librarian checked something on the book loan record and let out a short sigh.

“Come to think of it, there was one other person besides you, madam.”

“……?”

“There were only two patrons looking for this book, so it somehow remained in my memory.”

The librarian’s gaze rested on one place—a window seat with good lighting.

“It would have been that seat. He was a tall gentleman.”

“I see.”

Roina thought there must be someone else with similar reading tastes to hers, not thinking much of it. Until the librarian added more.

“But it is strange.”

When Roina raised an eyebrow as if asking for the reason, the woman tilted her head and added:

“Looking at the book loan records, that person also came around the same time as you, madam, then stopped visiting.”

At the librarian’s words, looking at the display shelf again, the books following 《Cruel Fantasy Märchen》 showed no signs of even being opened.

Sensing something strange, Roina opened the book she was holding and checked the book loan register at the very front.

‘……Eden?’

In that register was written the name ‘Eden,’ which was the name of someone she knew well.

Just as she was about to dismiss it as merely the same name, she confirmed it was written in the same handwriting and swallowed dryly.

“Hmm, will you keep calling me ‘young lady’?”

“Don’t you also not call me ‘sir’?”

“That’s true. Then what should I call you?”

“Eden…… Please call me Eden.”

“Good, Eden. Then please call me Renée!”

Eden was also the name Roina had called him when they didn’t know each other’s identities.

In those days when they were slowly getting to know each other, revealing their identities had been cautious.

‘Could it really…… be you?’

Roina, whose lips trembled, casually asked the librarian:

“Do you happen to remember that person’s appearance?”

Then the librarian slightly narrowed her fine brow as if recalling old memories, then continued:

“Hmm…… He was tall with black hair.”

Slightly furrowing her brow, Roina asked again in a deliberately calm voice as if confirming the facts:

“You’re saying that man had black hair?”

“Yes, that’s right. He was truly a splendid person.”

At the librarian’s confident voice, Roina’s purple eyes trembled slightly.

There was only one nobleman with black hair named ‘Eden’ that she knew of.

‘Could it really be Conrad?’

Roina tried to deny the thought that arose. There was no way such a busy person would visit the capital library to read books.

With a confused heart, she bit her lower lip gently and casually asked:

“What did that person…… mainly do here?”

“He only borrowed books. There wasn’t really any occasion for conversation with me……”

Since she couldn’t keep bothering the woman who seemed somewhat troubled, Roina decided to borrow the book and return.

※※※

Whenever she had time, Roina often visited the library to borrow and read the next volumes of 《Cruel Fantasy Märchen》.

As the librarian had said, the novel was somewhat difficult, but it was interesting enough that she could read through it without difficulty.

After finishing her afternoon work and leaving her room, she headed downstairs with a book in hand.

She had sought out the living room terrace to catch her breath, but unexpectedly there was already a guest there.

“……!”

Black hair fluttering in the breeze before finding its place again, and golden eyes shining particularly bright in the sunlight.

Conrad seemed to also be working on the terrace because of the nice weather.

No emotion could be read from the man examining documents with his usual upright posture.

Just as Roina, who had been watching him briefly, was about to quietly leave the terrace, perhaps sensing someone’s presence, Conrad lifted his head and their gazes became entangled for a moment.

“I didn’t know you were here.”

The man quietly observing Roina glanced at the book in her hand.

After hesitating, she approached Conrad and carefully placed a dark green hardcover book on the table.

‘Could the person who read this book really be you?’

Recalling her conversation with the librarian, Roina observed her husband intently.

The man, checking the book indifferently, showed a minute change in expression.

Thinking it might indeed be him, Roina asked in a deliberately calm voice:

“Have you ever read this before?”

Even at her careful question, Conrad only quietly stared at the dark green hardcover.

After some time passed, he answered in his usual indifferent voice:

“I haven’t particularly read it.”

For some reason, Roina felt his words sounded like a lie.

※※※

One autumn afternoon with the sky stretching endlessly.

Carriages from conservative faction families began to line up one by one in front of the Asheter ducal residence.

The nobles who appeared showed their invitations and entered the banquet hall.

The day of the Asheter ducal family’s banquet had arrived.

Roina, who was getting ready in her room, repeatedly checked the time due to unnecessary nervousness.

‘This banquet must end safely.’

Taking on hosting a banquet for the first time as mistress, she had paid particular attention to it as much as domestic affairs.

Of course, even if she successfully concluded the banquet, her position at the ducal residence wouldn’t change much.

Still, the reason she prepared sincerely was partly to solidify her standing, but also because she wanted to be of even a little help to Conrad.

‘I can’t change his stubborn attitude overnight.’

Roina briefly watched the servants’ busy movements outside the window.

Perhaps because it was a banquet hosted by the ducal family, its scale seemed extraordinary.

Soon withdrawing her gaze, she muttered:

“There seem to be many distinguished guests attending today’s banquet.”

“I don’t know the details, but they say His Grace increased the number of invited guests.”

At Sophie’s calm answer, Roina nodded slightly.

This too would ultimately be decided by Conrad’s whim as the family head.

Therefore, she intended to be especially careful not to do anything that could be criticized.

‘I must be more careful than ever today.’

Today was also a more important day than others for her.

Someone who would normally be difficult to meet was attending this banquet.

Cedric Liam Kaldebaum—he was the one who had ascended to the throne three years ago.

‘There was even talk of him ruling the continent through intelligence.’

During his crown prince days, Cedric’s power had weakened drastically after the former empress’s death, but he was able to make a comeback through a marriage alliance with the Clovis family.

When the situation came where he, who had been hiding his true intentions and staying quiet, instead delivered a backstab, the former imperial consort reportedly couldn’t contain her anger.

‘He’s that quick-witted and intelligent.’

Roina was thinking of making contact with the emperor at today’s banquet.

There was something she needed to confirm directly with him, and no one else.

For instance, the hidden truth behind the imperial decree that brought about her marriage to Conrad.