Early in the morning, Aidan gathered all the servants and knights belonging to his palace in one place. Though slightly surprised by their unexpectedly large number, it made sense considering the size of the palace. With so many people, even the original prince probably couldn’t have remembered all their faces. That’s why he might have been ambushed without knowing there was a spy right next to him.

“Come forward in order and state your name and duties.”

Hearing Aidan’s instruction, the servants murmured among themselves. They couldn’t understand why the prince was suddenly acting this way. Kai stepped forward and lined them up in a row, then had them come forward one by one before Aidan. Aidan confirmed each person’s face as he listened to their names. That was all. After reporting their names and duties without any additional words or instructions, they were allowed to return.

“Why is he suddenly acting like this?”

“Who knows. He’s always been someone whose thoughts we couldn’t understand.”

“But something seems different from before…”

“More importantly, did you hear about Emily?”

“Really? I heard she just eloped with her lover.”

“Who knows. If she was really murdered, who could have done it?”

“I don’t know why the palace atmosphere is so unsettling. First His Highness being ambushed…”

Though puzzled by Aidan’s sudden behavior, the servants’ topics easily shifted to other matters.

With more people than expected, it took quite a long time. The personnel confirmation that started after a quick breakfast didn’t end until almost lunchtime.

“May I ask why you suddenly verified everyone’s faces and names?”

Only after everyone had left did Kai ask. Though Aidan had vaguely explained it as a general assembly yesterday, Kai seemed to have noticed that today, he meant to verify their identities.

“I like quick-witted people. You only need to tell them once instead of twice.”

Instead of answering, Aidan looked at him with a slight smile. Kai silently maintained eye contact without saying anything. He was waiting for an answer to his earlier question.

“But among quick-witted ones, quite a few stab people in the back. They cleverly calculate which side to join to survive with those quick wits.”

Aidan stared intently at Kai. Kai met his gaze without avoiding it.

“But stubborn ones like you would rather break than bend.”

Aidan opened a drawer and took out a rectangular envelope, placing it on the desk. When he gestured to take it out, Kai picked up the envelope and removed the paper inside. Aidan watched intently as Kai scanned the paper. He wanted to see his expression change, but there wasn’t even a hint of agitation.

“You’re not even upset?”

That document was an investigation report about Kai. Aidan had ordered others to investigate Kai Miller as well. He was the one protecting him from closest proximity. While he was the most reliable, he was also the one he who needed to be guarded against the most. Investigating him was natural.

“Because there’s nothing I need to hide.”

Kai calmly answered as he put the paper back in the envelope and placed it on the desk. Aidan chuckled as he put the document envelope back in the drawer. Kai was right. He had no connection to the Empress or Lloyd. Rather, he was someone who became a knight with House Hewitt’s backing. His rise to becoming the captain of Aidan’s knights after entering the imperial knights was purely due to his ability.

In truth, having someone too influenced by House Hewitt wouldn’t benefit him in the long run. As often shown in historical dramas, when in-laws became too powerful, that itself became a problem. However, at this point, House Hewitt was his perfect ally. That meant he could trust Kai as his completely loyal man.

“I just memorized everyone. So I can immediately notice if anyone sneaks in.”

Kai blinked at the calm answer.

“That’s the answer to your earlier question.”

Only then did he let out an “ah” sound.

“You mean you memorized all those people?”

“Why? Are you going to say it’s impossible?”

“No, that’s not it, but…”

Though he answered no, he still doubted if it was really possible.

“I’d like to tell you to memorize them all too, but I won’t ask that much.”

Aidan continued speaking with a playful smile. Since it would be impossible even if he ordered him to memorize them, Kai quietly let out a breath of relief.

“Anyway, rats won’t be able to sneak in carelessly anymore.”

Aidan rose from his seat, concluding the conversation.

“Let’s go eat lunch. I’m getting hungry.”

“I’ll tell them to prepare the meal.”

“No, no need.”

“……?”

“I’m going to Karina’s.”

“I’ll send someone ahead to inform her of Your Highness’s visit.”

“Don’t do that either. If we tell her in advance, she might run away.”

Aidan grinned and walked ahead. Last night, after that kiss in the garden, given Karina’s personality, she probably wouldn’t want to meet him until her emotional turmoil settled. But Aidan had no intention of giving her time. Usually, letting someone run away at times like this only made them grow more distant.

*

All morning, Karina sat in a daze, staring out the window. Though she held a book in her hands, she hadn’t turned a single page. Bernice, who was pouring tea into her empty cup, glanced at the book in her hands. She wasn’t holding it properly, and it was slowly slipping. As Bernice reached out to catch it before it fell to the floor, Karina startled and turned to look at her.

“What are you thinking about so deeply? The book is about to fall.”

When Bernice pointed at the book, Karina made an “ah” sound and adjusted her grip.

“Did something happen yesterday?”

Bernice had attended the banquet too, but not when Karina went to Aidan’s palace. She had told Bernice to go rest first, thinking there was no need to bring her along at such a late hour.

“Is it perhaps related to Kate Spencer again?”

Karina’s eyebrows twisted slightly at Kate Spencer’s name.

“Was the rumor true?”

“Rumor?”

“They say someone saw Miss Spencer leaving His Highness’s palace late last night. After declaring so boldly at the banquet that he wouldn’t look at another woman…”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Karina quickly shook her head at the words criticizing Aidan.

“Is it a false rumor?”

Bernice’s anger now turned toward the source of the rumor, wondering who would spread such false information.

“No, Kate Spencer did come to His Highness’s palace, but it wasn’t arranged with His Highness…”

She stopped mid-sentence. Kate Spencer had clearly come to Aidan’s palace on her own. She could be certain of that from Aidan’s reaction. The current Aidan had no interest in her whatsoever.

Then why had Aidan gone to the garden at that hour? Yesterday, she had been too dazed by his sudden kiss to think that far. When she left the banquet hall following Kai, she had been flustered not seeing Aidan. He had left the banquet hall due to pain, and she worried something might have happened in that short time, or if Lloyd had used someone to harm him while he could barely move.

Fortunately, someone had seen Aidan returning to his palace with some knight. She immediately headed to his palace with Kai and met the knight returning from the garden direction. The knight awkwardly bowed in greeting and disappeared as if fleeing. She had followed to the garden, guessing Aidan would be in the direction the knight had come from.

Who was that knight? Why had he led Aidan to the garden? At Kate Spencer’s request? A palace knight wouldn’t have followed Kate Spencer’s orders.

“It was deliberate.”

Someone had deliberately tried to show her Aidan and Kate together.

“Deliberate?”

“Yes. They wanted to show me. They wanted me to misunderstand.”

Bernice frowned, asking who would do such a wicked thing. Karina took a long breath. Perhaps if it had been her former self, she might have acted as the perpetrator intended upon seeing that scene. She would have turned away without hearing any explanation, not wanting to get involved between them.

The reason she didn’t doubt Aidan now was because she knew his soul had changed. The person who instigated Kate couldn’t have imagined this.

Things were flowing differently in many ways. Because Aidan had become a different person, her own thoughts and attitudes regarding matters related to him were also changing.

Perhaps she could create an entirely different ending from her previous life without running away from this palace. Then maybe she wouldn’t need to divorce Aidan…

Not divorce? To continue living as husband and wife with the current Aidan for life?

Her face grew hot just thinking of Aidan. Why was she feeling this way now about someone she had been married to for three years? Her heart fluttered, but not knowing the identity of this feeling made her anxious.

With the banquet over, she felt she should keep her distance from Aidan for a while. If she faced him now, she would only be swayed by him without understanding the nature of this turmoil. She needed time to examine her feelings.

Knock knock. At the sound of someone knocking on the door, both Karina and Bernice’s gazes turned to the entrance.

“Your Highness Prince Aidan has arrived.”

Hearing the voice from outside, Bernice turned to look at Karina. Ah… Karina bit her lower lip and furrowed her brows.

*