A simple breakfast was laid out on the table. The two of them began their meal calmly, gazing out at the view beyond the window.

Ertel tasted the soup first. It warmed her stomach and awakened her appetite.

‘Quite to my liking.’

In the quiet stillness, the only sound was the clinking of spoons. Ertel didn’t find the silence uncomfortable. She had grown somewhat accustomed to it. Whether it was because she had accepted and come to terms with reality, or because she was just getting used to him, she wasn’t entirely sure.

Breaking the silence, Icarus was the first to speak.

“This is just out of simple curiosity.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“You seem to have discovered your abilities in the underground library.”

Of course. What he was curious about was either the gemstone embedded in her heart or the abilities that could be drawn from it. Ertel nodded as if to encourage him to continue.

“How do you plan to use it in the future?”

Ertel gave a rather guarded reply.

“You don’t need to worry. Just because I’ve discovered this ability doesn’t mean I’ll use it as a weapon against you. It’s not even that powerful.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I’ll use it purely for personal purposes.”

Sensing that she had misunderstood his intentions, Icarus fell silent. Suddenly, he felt a sense of injustice. Leaning back in his chair as far as it would go, he tilted his posture.

“Isn’t that a bit too defensive for just a question?”

“Did it come off that way?”

“Your tone and the content.”

His hope for a peaceful breakfast was easily shattered. Ertel set her spoon down for a moment and replied in a calm tone.

“Even after signing the contract, your people are still wary of me. So why shouldn’t I be cautious too?”

“Your people?”

Ertel recalled Amar visiting her room not long ago, intimidating her with a high-handed attitude.

[If you attack His Grace again or entertain any foolish thoughts, I will kill you myself.]

However, that had been Amar’s own doing, something Icarus had no knowledge of. Seeing his puzzled gaze, Ertel regretted her careless words.

‘Was it unnecessary to say that?’

Not wanting to worsen the mood so early in the morning, she decided to change the subject before the conversation deepened further.

“By the way, this soup is delicious.”

“Is it? Then I’ll let the chef know to make it more often.”

“Thank you.”

Icarus stared intently at Ertel’s face. Her deliberate avoidance of meeting his gaze irritated him slightly. A person’s eyes often revealed their hidden thoughts, but Ertel seemed determined not to let him see hers.

Meanwhile, his gaze lingered on one spot for quite some time.

“Your Grace.”

“……?”

“I told you before, didn’t I? That if you stayed by my side for two years, I would help you with anything within my power.”

“Yes, you did.”

“Have you thought of anything you want?”

In truth, Ertel hadn’t given it much thought. She wasn’t materialistic, and her only desires were revenge and her family’s safety. Still, she felt she should say something. If she appeared to want nothing, it might arouse unnecessary suspicion.

“After attending the social gathering with the young ladies, I realized something. Those tedious hours are utterly unbearable for someone like me.”

“But those hours raised your reputation significantly. Many of the young ladies were envious of you.”

“Is being the object of envy truly such a happy thing?”

“……?”

“Instead of sitting pretty as a decorative doll in the mansion, I’d like to do something productive.”

“Productive?”

“For example……”

“For example?”

At last, Ertel raised her head and looked directly at Icarus. Her expression was calm and devoid of hesitation as she spoke.

“I want to work in the palace, doing something important, just like you.”

“……!”

Icarus blinked in surprise at the completely unexpected response. His head tilted slightly as he furrowed his brows. He had anticipated requests for treasures, luxury items, or perhaps a private estate.

At the same time, warning signals went off in Icarus’s mind. He instinctively knew it would be dangerous to let Ertel appear frequently before the king.

‘Exposure is risky.’

Thus, he couldn’t give her an immediate answer.

“You’re saying you want an official position in the palace, with an office provided? Is that it?”

“Yes. A role where I can assist you, the Foreign Minister, while also achieving personal fulfillment.”

“You want to work, you say. I’ll think about it and give you an answer later.”

Had she asked for luxury goods, it would have been less troubling. Icarus needed time to think.

***

Inside the royal palace.

Pedro and Henry were engaged in a heated discussion.

“Your Majesty. I understand that you’ve regarded Ertel as a woman until now, and that making a decision is painful for you. But, even after returning from the Agnes family, are you still undecided?”

It had been some time since they returned from the Agnes family, yet the king had made no decisions. From the perspective of the knight commander, this was a matter that required no deliberation.

“I’ve heard of such legends, but I never thought one would appear in my kingdom.”

“If you eliminate Ertel, Icarus will have no reason to challenge Your Majesty. No matter how powerful the Juan family may be, they would lack any justification to oppose the royal family.”

“There’s no flaw in your reasoning.”

“Then why are you hesitating?”

Henry’s frustration mirrored Pedro’s own inner turmoil. Knowing that her life hung on his words, Pedro found himself reluctant to speak.

“I’m aware of cases in neighboring kingdoms where gemstone owners have caused shifts in royal power.”

“Yes. To prevent such disasters, we must act preemptively.”

“I will never relinquish my throne to something as trivial as a gemstone.”

“Oh, so you’ve made up your mind?”

“This isn’t an issue that can simply be ignored.”

“Yes. Now is the time to think with your head, not your heart.”

Henry believed his efforts over the past few days had finally paid off. He had worked tirelessly to persuade the king to abandon Ertel, urging him to make a swift decision to avoid further complications.

Pedro’s voice carried weight as he spoke.

“Yes, I’ve spent days thinking and deliberating with my head. And I’ve come to a decision.”

“Yes! What decision have you made? Just give the order, and we’ll ensure Ertel’s death appears as a sudden accident. We’ll compensate the Agnes family generously to silence Adin, so—”

“I will ask her to become my queen.”

“What?”

For a moment, Henry doubted his ears. He thought he must have misheard.

“I will personally ask Ertel.”

“Your Majesty? What are you—”

“I will ask her to become my queen.”

Because that is the only way to save her.

***

Ertel made frequent outings. She wanted to avoid Icarus and get some fresh air. Of course, she couldn’t wander the capital alone. Under the pretext of ensuring the duchess’s safety, Icarus had assigned an aide to accompany her.

“Your Grace, you can feel at ease while exploring. I’m here to protect you.”

“Thank you, Amar.”

Though Ertel offered polite gratitude, she didn’t feel grateful at all.

‘Protection, my foot. It’s surveillance, isn’t it?’

Still, it was better for her mental health to go out than to stay cooped up in the mansion. Ertel visited the marketplace to buy necessities and even stopped by a famous workshop.

Wherever she went and whatever she did, Amar followed at a fixed distance, silently observing.

“What’s that commotion over there?”

A group of people had gathered noisily in front of a straw hut covered in lush greenery, drawing Ertel’s attention. When she paused, Amar offered an explanation.

“You must not know. That’s one of the famous landmarks in Elruk. It’s a fortune-telling hut where the renowned fortune-teller Magrid resides.”

“A fortune-telling hut?”

“Yes, it’s so mystical that it always draws a crowd like this. It wouldn’t hurt to visit for fun.”

“A fortune-teller, huh. That does sound intriguing.”

Ertel, driven by a sudden impulse, decided she wanted to meet the fortune-teller. It wasn’t out of any serious intention—just curiosity.

Amar noticed her interest.

“Are you interested, Your Grace?”

“I have some time to spare, and it might be fun to try.”