Acelia passed the audition.

Angel spoke with amazement.

“Has Your Highness the Princess performed on stage before? Your volume, pronunciation, gestures, and gait don’t seem like a beginner’s. You also control emotional expression well. There are areas that need polishing, but as an actor, you pass.”

“So can I take the lead role?”

“Of course. I’d like to request it of you, actually.”

Acelia’s face immediately brightened. She had been nervous, but it seemed her skills had shown through.

I’m not dead yet.

“However……I find it a shame. If the princess appears on stage, it will become an issue in itself rather than your acting skills.”

“I’ll hide the fact that I’m a princess while I’m on stage.”

“Pardon?”

Acelia smiled broadly and offered her hand.

“Please call me Ria, Director.”

“Are you serious? About hiding your identity to act.”

Acelia’s words meant she wanted to compete with acting skills rather than status. A rookie actor whose career was just beginning.

Though gathering followers was important to Acelia, right now she craved acting.

If the play succeeded, the response would eventually come back to her anyway. Doubled, tripled.

Acelia was confident. Confident she could create a massive hit.

“I’m more worried about you, Director. It won’t be easy promoting a play starring an unknown rookie actor.”

“That’s my role. Trust me with it. I’ll go door to door if necessary to bring in audiences.”

“That’s reassuring.”

Gale and the ash tree lady, who had been listening to their conversation, chimed in.

“What? Acelia, you’re really going to act?”

“Y-Your Highness the Princess acting in my script is such an honor for my family……!”

Gale merely raised an eyebrow as if surprised, but the ash tree lady’s eyes welled with tears until she began to sniffle.

How did someone so sensitive write such a script?

“The schedule is tight if we want to stage it during the Founding Day Festival, but let’s do our best.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Angel and Acelia clasped hands.

After sending Gale away and returning to the princess’s palace, Acelia sensed commotion in the palace.

‘What’s happening?’

“Welcome back, Your Highness the Princess!”

“Yes. What’s going on?”

“Well…… His Highness the First Prince has come to visit.”

Ian?

Acelia wrinkled her nose. Discomfort crept up as someone she wasn’t close with had arrived.

‘What’s his angle?’

With such thoughts, she entered the reception room, where Ian greeted her with a fresh smile as he leisurely drank tea.

Seeing her attire, he asked,

“You were out, I see. Acelia, how have you been?”

“For such a busy person to visit me personally. What brings you here?”

“Haha. We’ve grown distant lately. I came to see your face.”

This made Acelia even more suspicious.

What’s the real reason? Ian was said to be so busy with the succession battle against Second Prince Diego that even having ten bodies wouldn’t be enough for his schedule.

Sure enough, it wasn’t just a casual visit, as Ian awkwardly touched the corner of his mouth.

“……I wish that were the only reason, but I came with something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I’d like you to host the envoys from the Fernando Kingdom at this Founding Day Festival.”

You came to give me work?!

Acelia was internally flabbergasted. Even if she was just a freeloader draining the budget, suddenly dumping work on her like this…

Acelia made a resigned face.

“Is this an imperial order?”

“I’m planning to request it.”

“What? So it’s not decided yet?”

“I saw last time that you have political sense. As a member of the imperial family, you should use this opportunity to build your power base.”

Ian’s words were strange. What was she supposed to do with a power base?

“Why do I need to build power?”

“Because Diego has started to be wary of you.”

Green eyes gleamed coldly behind his glasses. As the consistently gentle person suddenly turned serious, Acelia gulped.

“Of course I’ll protect you, Acelia. But you also need means to protect yourself.”

“……”

Acelia was shocked. Did that mean Diego would harm her? Why would he target someone like her who posed no threat?

“Acelia, will you accept my request?”

“Ye…… well, yes.”

When Ian spoke kindly again with curved eyes, Acelia, overwhelmed by his presence, answered before catching herself.

‘Wait! I agreed to act in the play!’

She rolled her eyes to open her status window. In the status abnormality section, she could see the time remaining until execution.

[▶Celebrity: Gather 100,000 followers (Current followers: 13,243)

—If you fail to gather 100,000 followers and achieve 100 fame within 60 days, your infamy will increase, raising the probability of execution! (Time remaining: 53 days 18 hours 20 minutes 5 seconds……)]

‘I’ll accomplish both……! Definitely!’

And so the Princess’s double life began.

* * *

In the dark night, Acelia’s nanny Madam Meredith walked down the corridor.

The sparsely lit corridor created a feeling of being drawn into a maze, but having spent a long time in the princess’s palace, the madam reached her destination without getting lost.

As she was about to knock on the door of the princess’s bedroom, her mistress’s voice flowed through the gap in the open door.

“You mustn’t do this, brother-in-law!”

Despite the urgent cry, the nanny wasn’t surprised and waited a moment.

Then muttering leaked out.

“Should I speak more haughtily here? ‘You mustn’t do this, brother-in-law.’ Like this? Hmm. I should ask Angel which is better.”

The princess was practicing acting. Having taken an interest in acting at some point, she burned with enthusiasm late into the night like this.

The nanny worried about her frail charge overexerting herself but didn’t think to stop her.

The princess who had lost her memories had become much brighter and more vibrant.

Sometimes she talked to herself while staring into space or got angry, but it was good to see her smile more often.

Before, she had no ambition or will to live.

Honestly, sometimes it felt strange. Could a person change this much just from losing their memories?

But whatever kind of princess she was, she was the lady the nanny served, so she set aside her doubts. All she had to offer the princess was her loyalty.

Knock knock.

“Your Highness the Princess, it’s me.”

“Nanny? Come in.”

Entering, she saw the princess with a flushed face and hair damp with sweat.

Pretending not to notice, the nanny presented what she had brought.

“I’ve brought your medicine.”

“Again? How long do I have to keep drinking this?”

Acelia immediately grimaced. But the nanny stubbornly held out the medicine.

“Until you’re healthy. Drink it all down, all of it.”

“Bitter!”

Acelia downed the medicine in one gulp and made a gagging gesture.

The nanny popped a chocolate into her mouth.

“Don’t stay up too late and go to bed early. Your body will wear out.”

“I know…… Good night, Nanny.”

“Good night, Your Highness.”

After leaving the bedroom, Madam Meredith wiped the smile from her face.

The madam walked back down the dark corridor the way she had come.

As mentioned, Madam Meredith liked the current princess. She hoped this peace would continue.

So this matter…

“The person?”

“We’ve tied her up.”

“Mmm! Mmmmph! Mph!”

Had to be buried in darkness.

Looking where the head maid pointed, she saw a maid struggling while bound.

She was a spy who had entered from another palace.

‘So that Your Highness the Princess won’t have any worries.’

Madam Meredith spoke coldly.

“Take her to the basement.”

“Mmmm! Mph!”

The princess’s palace remained peaceful today.

* * *

Acting practice progressed smoothly.

The two male actors partnering with her had excellent acting skills and didn’t look down on Acelia for being a rookie.

She hadn’t revealed her identity to the troupe members except Angel, as it might create awkwardness.

She also didn’t want to hear that she got the lead role because she was a princess.

So she had been recognized purely on skill. Acelia took pride in that fact.

After finishing practice and on her way back to the palace, Acelia decided to take a stroll around the square to get some fresh air.

But then…

“Acelia! Running into you here, we must be destined!”

“Liam. Why are…… you out here?”

Acelia made a strange expression, neither frowning nor smiling. She hadn’t expected to meet Liam here.

He clung to Acelia with an excited expression. It’s so hot, why is he like this, really.

“The Founding Day Festival is coming up. So I came with the knights to check the security areas.”

“Ah……Come to think of it, you’re also an imperial knight, right? The Golden Shield Knights?”

“That’s right! You remembered. See, even though you pretend to be indifferent, you actually……”

His behavior was so foolish that it was hard to believe, but Liam was indeed an imperial knight.

Ignoring his nonsense, Acelia said goodbye.

“Well then, work hard. I should get back to the palace now.”

“Wait a moment. Let’s date after I finish!”

“I’m tired.”

Why should I? I hate it.

Just then, someone approached and politely greeted Acelia.

“Devotion to the Star of the Empire. Hello, Your Highness Princess Acelia. I am Claude Miller, Commander of the Golden Shield Knights.”