Caleb resolved to expose Fabiola’s true face beneath her mask of a gracious queen. He was curious to see how she would react.

It might even be entertaining.

“I once visited Hestian a long time ago.”

“…Is that so?”

“Oh, don’t you remember? Back then, I had the honor of meeting Your Majesty at the Bowell estate. You were stunning then, but now your beauty is absolutely blinding.”

Caleb smiled as he gazed steadily at Fabiola. The subtle tension between them did not escape the notice of those nearby, who quickly began murmuring among themselves.

A startled Fabiola glanced sideways at the people busily whispering among themselves before nervously parting her parched lips to speak to Caleb.

“Your Grace, I’d prefer to discuss the matter of the grand duchess’s residence rather than old stories.”

“And why should I? Should I be discussing this with Her Majesty the Queen?”

Caleb’s previously relaxed expression vanished, replaced by a cold, stern demeanor. His tone was icy, sending chills through the air. Fabiola, caught off guard, flushed with embarrassment.

“Your Grace, what I meant was…”

“I have no intention of discussing my wife’s residence with anyone else. She will not leave. The place where she belongs is by my side, at Cliff.”

“But Your Grace! Isn’t it your duty to protect the royal lineage? For the stability of the child, I urge you to reconsider!”

By now, her pride was wounded.

Initially, Fabiola had only mentioned the topic lightly, intending to trouble Astrid. But both Astrid and Caleb outright rejected her suggestion without a shred of regard for her authority as queen. The brazen defiance of the grand duke and grand duchess was infuriating.

‘Rejecting the queen’s request outright? If this isn’t proof that the ducal house considers itself above the royal family, what is? I must report this to His Majesty—for the sake of this child.’

Fabiola gently placed both hands over her flat stomach, cradling it as if protecting her unborn child. Noticing the gesture, one corner of Caleb’s mouth curled upward into a sardonic smirk.

“When I visited Hestian, wasn’t there an epidemic of fever at the time? I heard Her Majesty the Queen suffered greatly from the aftereffects. I remember being quite concerned about it.”

“…!”

At the time, her father, Duke Bowell, had used the fever as an excuse to annul her engagement to Caleb. Claiming that the illness had left Fabiola with permanent damage, he had persuaded Caleb to agree to the annulment.

Though subtly expressed, Caleb’s words implied that Fabiola could no longer bear children.

The excuse had been devised because Caleb would not have agreed to the annulment otherwise. Though it came at a cost, the annulment had been achieved without significant fallout. Fabiola never imagined the matter would come back to haunt her like this.

‘And to think, he shamelessly accepted the Hestian potion back then. What a despicable man.’

Fabiola clenched her gown tightly with both hands, suppressing her rising anger. The crumpled fabric seemed to mirror the queen’s tarnished dignity in front of the audience.

“…Indeed. Your Grace’s consideration is remarkable, remembering even fleeting connections from the past. However, it seems you might be slightly mistaken, which is regrettable.”

“Hm?”

“It appears Your Grace’s memory is hazy, likely due to the passage of time. Although I did suffer from a fever, no scars were left on my body. Thanks to Hestian’s potion, I made a full recovery.”

“…Ah, is that so?”

Caleb’s exaggerated astonishment, accompanied by widened eyes, sounded like something a clown would say on stage. The few ladies observing began to stifle their laughter, their amusement thinly veiled.

To Fabiola, those faint giggles felt like blatant ridicule aimed directly at her.

‘How dare these barbarians…!’

Though not openly expressed, the aristocracy of Croatan subtly looked down on the young queen.

‘Barbarians ignorant of religion, culture, or academia dare to mock me?’

To Fabiola, their uncivilized habits and crude gossip were no better than the behavior of vermin.

Her brown eyes, filled with contempt, coiled like a snake as she glared at the Croatan nobility. She longed to expose everything and upend the situation but knew she could no longer act on impulse.

‘I’m no longer Bowell’s young lady; I am the Queen of Croatan.’

One day, as a queen reigning over these barbarians, she would teach them the true meaning of refinement.

Fabiola firmly believed it was her mission to instill values like culture, etiquette, and sophistication into Croatan, as ordained by Hestia, the goddess she revered.

‘Perhaps the goddess sent me to this savage land for that very purpose.’

For the glory that awaited her, she could endure such humiliation. Still, the sting of this moment was another matter entirely.

Suppressing her anger, Fabiola chose to retreat for now, knowing her position in the Croatan royal court was still fragile.

“As the queen, there could be no blemish on my body. I understand Your Grace spoke out of concern, but… I must admit, I’m a little disappointed.”

“…Hm.”

“I understand Your Grace’s sentiments. It seems I acted childishly, delighted to see my sister after so long. Yes, as queen, I shall remain here in the royal palace, while the grand duchess remains at Cliff. That is how it should be.”

Fabiola’s concession made Astrid’s tense shoulders relax slightly.

“But…”

“…!”

“Surely Your Grace wouldn’t object to sisters sharing a private moment together? It won’t take long—I simply wish to speak with Astrid alone.”

Fabiola smiled sweetly. Her innocent expression deepened the furrow in Caleb’s brow.

He had thought the queen would relent by now, but she was proving more tenacious and audacious than expected.

“I’m sorry, but that too is out of the question. We’ll depart for Cliff immediately…”

Caleb was about to cut Fabiola’s request off without hesitation. However, he couldn’t finish his words. A cautious touch on his arm stopped him.

Though the strength behind it was faint, there was undeniable determination in the hand’s owner—Astrid.

“Caleb, that’s enough,” Astrid said, her calm voice breaking the tense atmosphere.

She gave him a meaningful look, signaling him to step back, and continued speaking in an even tone.

“I, too, wish for this, Caleb. It’s been a long time since I last saw Her Majesty the Queen, and I am delighted by this reunion. Surely, we can spare enough time for a cup of tea. Let us share the bond between sisters and then depart—for Cliff.”

“…”

It was a suggestion that Caleb found thoroughly unsatisfactory. What could she possibly gain from a private meeting with the queen? Caleb worried that the sly woman’s sharp tongue would leave Astrid wounded.

What he really wanted was to take Astrid’s hand and leave the audience chamber at once. But, that wasn’t an option.

“…Damn it.”

Caleb cursed under his breath. If he openly defended Astrid in front of the entire royal family, it would only weaken her position as the Grand Duchess of Cliff.

In the end, the private conversation between the two women was unavoidable. If they couldn’t avoid it, it was better to face it with confidence. Caleb understood this, but the thought of leaving Astrid alone with the queen deeply unsettled him.

If Astrid were his subordinate, he wouldn’t have hesitated to push her into such a situation. After all, Caleb’s method was to let people face challenges and grow stronger through them.

Caleb had unwavering faith in those who followed him, confident that they would return stronger. That belief allowed him to expose them to danger.

But Astrid was different.

‘…It’s like setting her adrift on a riverbank.’

Even though she had presented herself confidently today as the Grand Duchess of Cliff, in Caleb’s eyes, Astrid was still a delicate woman.

She had managed the Cliff estate alone during his absences, showing her wisdom and resolve. Caleb knew this better than anyone.

‘I know it in my head, but…’

His heart refused to agree. No matter how small the danger, Caleb couldn’t bear the thought of exposing Astrid to it. But there was no way out now. That was the infuriating part.

With a scowl of discontent, Caleb reluctantly declared his surrender.

“…Don’t take too long.”

Following Caleb’s lead, the royal family members began leaving one by one. Even the attendants withdrew, leaving only Fabiola and Astrid in the audience chamber.

***

A private conversation with Fabiola.

It had been so long ago that Astrid could barely recall it. The details were hazy, just out of reach.

‘…It wasn’t a pleasant memory, so maybe I just don’t want to remember it.’

As a child, Astrid had cherished the quiet moments spent with her father by the fireplace. Though they spoke little, she had loved the peacefulness of being with him.

The flow of air, the smells, the atmosphere, and the crackling sound of the fire—they were vivid memories for Astrid. Even the contents and illustrations of the books she had read then were etched clearly in her mind.

If such old memories remained so sharp, it was strange that her interactions with Fabiola felt like a void.

‘Which means it’s a memory I don’t want to revisit.’

Astrid bitterly acknowledged the wounds of the past that hadn’t fully healed, along with the lingering fear they still caused her. Consciously, she had tried to erase those memories, living as though nothing had ever happened.

The memories of Fabiola, or rather, Fabiola Bowell herself, and the nation of Hestian were a massive nightmare for Astrid. And now, the goddess of fate had cruelly brought her back to confront that nightmare once more.

‘In that case, I have no choice but to face it head-on.’

If she showed even the slightest fear, Fabiola would exploit it mercilessly. She was the type of person who had to have everything in her hands, controlling and wielding it as she pleased.

‘This time, I won’t let you have your way. I have things I want to protect, too.’

Steeling her resolve, Astrid looked at Fabiola with a determined expression.

“Heh…”

Fabiola let out a chuckle as she observed Astrid. It was a clear mockery.

“….”

Astrid bit her lip. Anger welled up inside her, but she tried her best to remain calm. The effort, however, was short-lived.

The sound of Fabiola’s blatant ridicule ignited a slow-burning heat deep within her. It grew steadily until it consumed her whole being.

She could stay silent no longer.

“Fabi, did you summon me here just to insult me? If that’s the case, I have nothing to say to you.”

Perhaps startled by Astrid’s sudden retort, Fabiola’s laughter abruptly ceased.

“…Why would I bother with something so unproductive?”

Fabiola’s face turned serious as she replied, causing Astrid to bite her lip again.

“Poor Astrid. Surely you’re not planning to waste your life consumed by vengeance over the past? That would be so… petty.”

“…Fabi.”