The next day.

As soon as she woke up, Ertel ran to the laundry yard.

She collected the maid uniform, which had dried well under the sunlight, from the clothesline. When she brought it back into the dressing room, she found Icarus getting dressed.

“Oh, are you preparing to go to work?”

“Yes. Are you planning to change back into your maid uniform again?”

Ertel hastily hid the maid uniform behind her back. However, Icarus had already seen it and let out a faint sigh.

“Are you going to make me a man who kissed a mere maid?”

“That’s…”

“I’ve told you before. I didn’t bring you here to be a maid.”

Thinking about the previous night, Ertel’s face turned red. Although it had only been a kiss before they fell asleep, her body still felt warm.

When Ertel tried to bow and leave, he stopped her.

“Wait.”

“My lord…?”

“This won’t do.”

Icarus called for Amar.

“Amar, prepare for the palace.”

“What?”

“Today, Ertel is coming with me. And Amar, you’ll come along too.”

“…!”

Everyone was taken aback by Icarus’s sudden declaration.

Icarus had decided that the only way to break Ertel’s stubbornness about working as a maid was to introduce her to the royals and nobles as his lover.

“Yes, understood. I’ll prepare immediately.”

Amar summoned the maids to help dress Ertel. She couldn’t possibly enter the palace in such a shabby appearance.

Ertel was led away by the maids to be dressed. Among them was Lisa. An indescribable tension filled the air between the two women.

Ertel observed Lisa’s expression through the mirror. When their eyes met in the reflection, Lisa cautiously spoke.

“What hairstyle would you like, my lady?”

“My lady?”

Ertel was startled by the unexpected title.

Lisa hesitated for a moment before adding an explanation.

“Please don’t be surprised.”

“All right.”

“Amar instructed us to address you this way… and we were told never to call you by your name again.”

Soon after, Icarus’s voice was heard from outside.

“Are you ready, Ertel?”

“Yes, I’m coming.”

Her hair was elegantly styled, and she wore a court dress that highlighted her deep neckline and flowing skirt. Paired with diamond earrings and a necklace, her beauty shone even brighter.

Icarus, who was waiting outside the mansion in front of the carriage, was momentarily stunned when he saw her approaching.

With every step she took, her graceful curves became more apparent. Her radiant skin and deep teal eyes captivated him, leaving his mouth slightly agape.

“You’re so beautiful… Ertel.”

Completely enchanted by her beauty, Icarus extended his hand to her.

Ertel, noticing his unwavering gaze, took his hand and climbed into the carriage with his assistance.

>><<

The carriage carrying the three of them headed toward the Aronder Palace.

For Ertel, this was her first outing since entering the mansion. As the carriage moved through the capital, Elruk, she was filled with excitement. She stretched her neck to look out the window.

“Wow…”

The square and marketplace were bustling with energy. People gathered to watch traveling musicians, and shops selling delicious food and rare goods lined the streets. Girls giggled as they wandered about, and soldiers marched in formation.

Icarus found Ertel’s fascination with the sights even more fascinating.

“…!”

He gently took her hand as she gazed out the window in awe. Startled, Ertel turned to look at him.

“My lord?”

“See? I told you to go out more often.”

“Oh…”

“You’re making such a curious face.”

“It’s not that… It’s just that the breeze coming into the carriage feels nice.”

At that moment, women who recognized the golden carriage of the Juan family began cheering.

“Oh my! It’s the Duke of Juan’s carriage!”

“Really? It’s so beautiful. Where could he be going?”

“But there’s a woman with him.”

“Wait… Could it be his lover?”

“I don’t know. How sad.”

The Duke of Juan was famous for being unapproachable, even to noble ladies. It was no wonder they were surprised to see him with a woman. After admiring the carriage with longing eyes, the women eventually moved on.

Meanwhile, Ertel, still gazing out the window, noticed something that caught her attention.

“…!”

‘Thud, thud, thud.’

A group of riders on horseback passed by their carriage. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a riding frock coat.

The moment Ertel recognized him, her heart began to race.

‘Adin…!’

She almost called out his name.

Adin le Agnes.

He was her biological father.

In the past, before her regression, the god Kaiya had revealed all of her forgotten memories. She wouldn’t have recognized him before, but now she knew.

The father who had abandoned her.

The father who had ordered her death.

Ertel couldn’t take her eyes off Adin until he disappeared from view. She had practiced countless times to remain composed if she ever faced him. But just seeing him from afar had already shattered her composure.

She couldn’t let Icarus notice her reaction.

Ertel covered her mouth to suppress her uneven breathing.

‘Ha.’

This small carriage suddenly felt like a very dangerous place.

Adin wasn’t the only one who had seen the scene. Amar had also noticed the riders and was now observing Ertel, who was trembling slightly.

Amar leaned in and whispered to Icarus.

“Ertel seems a bit strange.”

“Hm?”

“Could it be… that she recognized Marquis Adin just now?”

“There’s no way she could have.”

“Right, that couldn’t be.”

“It must be your imagination.”

There was no way.

>><<

At the Aronder Palace.

“It’s the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

The ministers and nobles murmured as they recognized the Duke of Juan. Icarus walked confidently through the grand hall, accompanied by Ertel and Amar.

He made no effort to hide Ertel, instead proudly showing her off to everyone.

“Who is that lady…?”

“Her beauty is remarkable.”

“If the Duke of Juan chose her, she must be the daughter of a prominent noble family.”

Speculations swirled as the three of them headed to the audience chamber. A guard who recognized the Duke announced their arrival to the king inside the chamber.

“Your Majesty, a subject requests an audience.”

“I’m in the middle of an important discussion with the captain of the knights. Tell them to come later.”

“It’s the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

The mention of the Duke of Juan changed everything. The king immediately adjusted his stance.

“Let them in.”

The king, Pedro von Mathias, paused his conversation with the knight captain, Henry Simon. At the king’s command, Henry stood silently against the wall, waiting.

As the doors opened, Icarus entered first, followed by Ertel.

The king, who had been watching them indifferently, suddenly faltered.

It was only for a brief moment.

As if someone had placed a reflector behind her, Ertel seemed to radiate a dazzling light. Her noble aura, enhanced by her elegant dress, was unmistakable.

Her unusually fair skin seemed to illuminate the room, her slightly lowered eyelids were long and captivating, and her orange hair framed her delicate face like a masterpiece.

King Pedro, captivated by her appearance, felt an unfamiliar surge of emotion. But he clenched his fists, determined not to show it.

What is this feeling?

“Your Majesty, it is I, the Duke of Juan. Today, I have come to introduce someone special.”

It was unprecedented for the Duke of Juan to bring a woman to the palace. The king immediately understood that this was no ordinary occasion.

Even the knight captain watched the scene with great interest.

The king asked cautiously, as if confirming his suspicion.

“So, you’ve brought a lady I’ve never seen before. Is she someone you intend to marry?”

“She is.”

His guess was correct.

“I have come to introduce my soon-to-be bride to Your Majesty.”

Ertel looked up at the king with a somewhat nervous expression.

She had seen him before her regression. Pedro was a completely different type of man compared to Icarus.

With his golden hair, sky-blue eyes, and gentle demeanor, he was a charming, princely figure. Though he seemed delicate, there was a resolute strength beneath his exterior.

“Introduce her.”

Ertel, who had learned basic etiquette before entering the palace, focused all her attention to avoid making a mistake.

“It is an honor to meet Your Majesty. My name is Ertel. I am currently staying at the Duke of Juan’s estate.”

“Ertel, is it? A beautiful name. So, which noble family are you from?”

Ertel hesitated.

If she revealed her surname, it would expose the fact that she had been abandoned by her family and raised by her maid mother.

As she hesitated, Icarus interrupted her.