After that, throughout the meal, I had to repeat the same words over and over to my father, who continued his interrogation until the uncomfortable dinner finally ended.

Despite telling him that nothing was happening between Ian and me, and that I was quite satisfied with my work, my father nodded with a somewhat uncomfortable expression, allowing me to barely escape the topic. I couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

“Then why did you suddenly come home?”

“I just wanted to come home.”

“……”

I knew very well that my father wouldn’t look kindly upon me. Unlike typical noble daughters who strengthen alliances through political marriages with families of similar political stance, I had volunteered to be the Crown Prince’s aide, contrary to our family’s position in the Noble faction.

I had already had my debutante, and as the only daughter of an established Count family, I should have been learning to be the heir or finding a son-in-law to bring into the family.

“Is my coming home uncomfortable for you?”

“……Visit often.”

“……!!”

“It’s better to maintain distance like you are now at the Imperial Palace. I don’t want to see you being manipulated by those cunning raccoons.”

“Father……”

“I don’t like that you’re in the middle of the power struggle between nobles that will begin in earnest when the Second Prince returns. But perhaps it’s better for you to remain in the Crown Prince’s shadow.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Actually, I had decided to visit home after receiving my father’s letter, hoping to get some information about Ian and Callian. Important information about the power competition between nobles in this world that I knew nothing about.

Before I could even bring up the topic, my father mentioned the Second Prince first, saying it might be better for me to remain in Ian’s shadow. This was definitely something I needed to address.

But contrary to my intentions, my father stood up as if he had nothing more to say.

“I’m busy, so I won’t be able to join you for dinner.”

“……Father!”

“This is your first vacation, isn’t it? Rest comfortably and do what you want.”

As my father left the dining room, speaking as if he knew all about my forced vacation that shouldn’t have been known to anyone yet, I watched his back and thought: something is really strange.

***

“Haah……”

After meeting my father during my visit home, which I had hoped would give me some information about the original story, I found myself in an even deeper dilemma. There were too many strange things.

It was strange that my father, with whom I had an awkward relationship and who had been wary of me, thinking I was a spy for the Second Prince Callian at the risk of danger for the family, had enlarged my graduation photo and hung it in a frame in the most visible spot in the entrance hall.

It was strange that he spoke so irreverently about Ian, who was squeezing me dry, with worry clearly showing on his face.

And it was strange how he implied that I could be safely protected under Ian’s shadow as his aide.

After my father left for the Imperial Palace, I saw fresh jasmine flowers decorating the vase next to my bed, which was maintained exactly as in my last memory. My room felt so awkward that I eventually went out.

A famous dessert café in the center of the capital. Although it felt strange to be enjoying leisure outside instead of being at the Imperial Palace on such a sunny day, I really wanted to visit this place, which was famous among the maids of the Crown Prince’s palace.

I ordered all varieties of this place’s specialties—macarons, financiers, and éclairs—and held a cup of fragrant coffee in my hand while sitting by the window overlooking the street, enjoying this leisurely moment I had missed so much!

Of course, I had tasted this shop’s desserts before.

Ian, who looked at me strangely as I enthusiastically discussed desserts with the maids and praised sweet desserts that paired well with bitter coffee, would afterward drop well-packaged desserts on my desk every day during snack time.

‘Our Aide needs to eat sweet things to make her brain work well.’

I was just picking up a macaron with the same flavor as the first one Ian had brought me, bringing it to my mouth and shivering with the sweet happiness filling my mouth, when—

“Aide Weiana?”

“……!!”

When I turned around at the voice calling me, I was surprised to see the face of the Lady looking at me with interested eyes, and I jumped up from my chair. Dazzling golden hair and piercingly blue eyes. A high, straight nose and delicate lips. The most noble woman in the Empire after the Empress, and the flower of high society.

“My lady.”

Fleur Rosemond. I was so surprised to meet the original story’s female protagonist in a place like this that I bowed my head in greeting, buying time to compose my surprised expression. Fleur accepted my greeting with a smile and approached me.

“There’s no need for such formality. Aren’t you the Crown Prince’s aide, Aide Weiana?”

“Ah……”

“I happened to come alone too. If it’s not rude, may I join you?”

Although I had no connection with Fleur, the original female protagonist, in Ilena’s memories, I could only nod at Fleur’s request to join me as she smiled brightly.

“Thank you. I’ve actually been wanting to talk with you, Aide Weiana.”

Looking at Fleur, who sat down across from me with a bright smile, I had to put an awkward smile on my face, as I never expected to face the subject of my Plan A-1, which was part of Plan A to prevent Ian’s escape.

Fleur Rosemond was originally Ian’s fiancée but was forced to become Callian’s fiancée after Ian escaped and Callian ascended to the position of Crown Prince due to his obsession. The original female protagonist who eventually took political steps with Callian to take revenge on her family, who had oppressed her and taken away her freedom just to make her Empress, ultimately leading the Empire to ruin.

Conversely, if Ian didn’t escape, she would never become entangled with Callian, the original male protagonist. Now that she was sitting in front of me, I wiped away the sweat forming on my hands and looked at her face.

“You wanted to talk with me?”

“Yes. We never had a chance to talk during our academy days.”

“Pardon?”

“We’re academy alumni, aren’t we?”

“……”

I had been an academy classmate with Fleur? Only then realizing that I was the same age as Fleur, I could only give an embarrassed smile. Fleur looked at me with a hurt expression.

“Of course, I had no talent for administration and only needed a nominal diploma, so I hardly attended the academy.”

“Ah……”

“Still, we crossed paths many times, but it seems you don’t remember me….. That’s a bit sad.”

“I’m sorry, my lady.”

Fleur, who had widened her eyes at me as I apologized with a bowed head in embarrassment, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! I’m joking. Just joking.”

“Ah……”

“But I wasn’t joking about wanting to talk with you.”

“Why with me……”

“Do you know how many people want to meet Aide Weiana, who hasn’t set foot in society since her debutante? A professional lady who graduated at the top of her academy and serves as the Crown Prince’s Chief Aide.”

“……”

“It’s actually not a common path for ladies like us from noble families.”

As she said this, Fleur’s face seemed to radiate light as she smiled brightly at me. Having taken a direct hit from the female protagonist’s high-powered facial attack, I could understand why she was the novel’s female protagonist.

“Well, actually, you must already know the rumor that I’m to become the Crown Prince’s fiancée?”

I nodded at Fleur’s words. Crown Prince Ian, who would turn 24 next year.

It wouldn’t have been strange if he had already been married, let alone engaged, at his age. He was the most valuable man in the Empire among nobles and unmarried ladies.

But the reason no one could easily approach Ian, despite being such a good marriage prospect, was none other than Fleur, the Empire’s only ducal lady.

From the beginning, Fleur’s family, the Rosemond Ducal House, had been openly pushing Fleur for the position of Crown Princess to the Imperial family.

The Noble faction nobles, led by the Rosemond family, were trying to sell their only Lady to the Imperial family, which the Imperial faction nobles resented.

But they couldn’t voice their complaints because they knew that the Empress subtly invited the Lady to the Empress’s palace for tea time or sent Imperial jewels as birthday gifts to show her support for Ian.

Besides such political moves, in society, other ladies couldn’t even approach the Crown Prince for a simple dance request because of Fleur’s presence as a ducal lady. It would be presumptuous to openly pursue the Crown Prince.

So when I heard about the engagement from Fleur herself, I couldn’t help but feel the blood drain from my body.

This was because after I became Ian’s aide, Ian had broken through the atmosphere of politics and society by taking me as his partner to all sorts of parties and balls.

‘I have no thoughts of marriage yet, but Mother is trying to pair me with Lady Fleur.’

‘……’

‘But I can’t avoid showing my face at noble parties, so I’d like you, Ilena, to be my partner.’

I couldn’t refuse such a request from Ian, who attended parties and balls with the purpose of consolidating Imperial faction and neutral faction nobles. I also believed that by staying by Ian’s side, the original story wouldn’t begin, so I had no choice but to attend numerous events as his partner!

“Though the Crown Prince, who is to become my fiancé, seems to think quite differently.”

“……”

“That’s why I absolutely wanted to talk with you, Aide Weiana. May I eat one of these?”

As she said this and brought a macaron to her mouth, I thought to myself while looking at Fleur’s face. Her expression as she bit into the macaron and smiled brightly seemed like she was passing a death sentence on someone who ‘knows all the rumors but still clings to my prospective fiancé and flirts with him.’

‘Ah, I think I’m screwed.’

Although she was A-1 in my Plan A, I didn’t want to meet the female protagonist, who had obsession and madness no less than the male protagonist Callian, with such misunderstanding(?) in place.

“It’s sweet. Just like the future you are dreaming of.”