At that moment, Claude sat at his desk in his office, listening to what his attendant was telling him.

“Princess Natalie called her a slave?”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing the attendant’s confident answer, Claude tilted his head to one side.

No matter how he thought about it, she wasn’t a slave…?

When he first saw her at the shop, what felt off included her bearing.

Despite her shabby clothes, Lie carried herself with dignity and elegance. He couldn’t believe the princess’s words at all. Who did she take him for, a fool?

Rather, the princess’s behavior was suspicious. Tearing up the portrait and providing false information meant she was trying to hide something.

Did they know each other? Could she possibly know Lie’s true identity? Who could Lie be that the princess was so desperate to conceal?

“Should we have the portrait painted again?”

The attendant asked cautiously as wrinkles formed between Claude’s brows.

“No, I don’t think that will be necessary.”

After gesturing for the attendant to leave, he closed his eyes and calmly reconsidered the current situation.

The fact that he hadn’t found her yet suggested that Lie wasn’t her real name. And judging by the princess’s attitude, she must be someone of sufficient status to freely enter and exit the imperial palace, likely someone in Princess Natalie’s circle.

So if he looked into the people around the princess, he might find the answer to the question: who exactly was Lie?

While on patrol, Claude thought deeply, retrieving memories one by one to see if he had briefly encountered a woman resembling Lie.

Her skin was exceptionally pale, so if he had seen her even once, he should remember something, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall ever seeing her.

It was strange. After working as the Captain of the Imperial Guard for years, there were hardly any nobles he hadn’t encountered.

Even the most reclusive noble lady would have to attend events hosted at the imperial palace. So unless she went around with her face covered, he should have seen her.

Wait.

As the thought of a covered face entered his mind, he suddenly remembered a woman wearing a black veil. She was definitely called a princess…

He recalled a woman who felt strangely familiar and caught his eye. Her scent was similar, and her build seemed similar too. That’s why he had initially suspected they might be the same person.

What if his instinct hadn’t been wrong?

Claude’s eyes narrowed further.

If the two were the same person, it would explain why he couldn’t find her despite his efforts. Especially if she normally lived in seclusion.

Since hardly anyone in the palace had seen her face, she could freely move outside the palace away from others’ eyes. It would be entirely possible if she used secret passages.

Now that he thought about it, he remembered the painter saying he had also painted the portrait of the former empress. He said he had seen it in the imperial palace.

Claude immediately rose from his seat and called for his butler.

“Call back the painter who did the portrait!”

Though he tried to speak calmly, his voice was urgent with excitement.

* * *

“Will he believe what I said?”

After providing false information, Natalie remained restless. She hoped he would believe her, but knowing her opponent was Lord Usta made her increasingly anxious.

If only he would realize she was a slave and give up. She was waiting for a response from the spy she had sent to the Usta family, wondering why she felt so impatient.

“Your Highness.”

“Is there news? What did he say? How did he react?”

When the attendant who communicated with the spy arrived, Natalie asked urgently.

“Well… he says he’s figured out her identity.”

The attendant spoke cautiously while watching her reaction, and Natalie’s expression instantly turned grim.

“What? He found out even though I gave him false information?”

“The spy was caught and expelled.”

“He didn’t confess that I was behind it, did he?”

“He says he didn’t say anything until the end.”

“If he was expelled, how do we know whether he figured out that woman’s identity?”

“He was expelled without punishment. He was told to relay the message that if he spied again, there would be consequences. Especially to the imperial family.”

‘So he realized I sent a spy.’

“And he also said to convey this message: He’s found the woman, so now all that’s left is marriage.”

It was like a declaration of war. The moment she heard those words, Natalie realized Claude had figured everything out.

What was the point of hiding anything now? Since he already knew, she had no choice but to go see Lord Usta immediately.

“Is Lord Usta at his mansion now?”

“Yes.”

It irritated her that this man, who was usually so difficult to meet because he was always buried in the training grounds, was now available for a separate meeting because of Lisette. But this wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

“Prepare a carriage. I’m going to the Usta family right away.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now.”

She didn’t care if the attendant was surprised. This felt like her last chance to change Lord Usta’s mind. She had to go immediately. There was no time to waste.

“What brings you here?”

Claude’s response to Natalie was lukewarm. His expression seemed to ask why she had come at all.

‘Doesn’t he know I sent the spy? What’s going on?’

Natalie’s eyes narrowed, but his expression didn’t change at all. She couldn’t tell if he was pretending not to know or genuinely didn’t know.

There was no need to bring it up and reveal that she was behind it, so setting that aside, Natalie brought up what she had originally intended to say.

“I heard you’re looking for a woman to marry.”

“That’s correct, but let me clarify. I’m not looking—I’ve found her.”

“You’ve found her?”

“Yes.”

Did he really find her? Seeing how confidently he answered, it seemed he really had.

“May I ask who it is?”

“This is my personal matter, so I have no obligation to answer.”

Surprised by his unexpectedly cold response, Natalie tried not to show it.

“Can’t you tell me?”

“I believe Your Highness already knows she’s a slave.”

Claude’s previously expressionless eyes suddenly turned cold.

Natalie felt the hair on her body stand on end, but she didn’t back down. What reason did she, the Emperor’s daughter, have to be afraid?

“If she were a slave, I don’t think Lord Usta would be so calm about it. I might have been mistaken.”

A small sigh escaped from Claude’s lips.

“The person I was looking for was Imperial Princess Lisette. Are you satisfied with my answer now?”

This can’t be happening. Natalie wanted to deny reality as she bit her lower lip, but the moment she heard Lisette’s name, her face turned pale.

Even after hearing that he had figured out her identity, she had secretly hoped he was mistaking her for someone else. Anyone but Lisette. Just hearing Lisette’s name made her blood boil.

“Surely you weren’t looking for her with marriage in mind?”

“I do intend to marry her.”

The more Natalie conversed with Claude, the more anxious she became. His attitude was so firm that she had an ominous feeling nothing would change his mind.

“What about me? Why Lisette instead of me?”