“Go call the court physician!”

Garnet, who had been crying with the maids, came to her senses and ordered.

Soon a maid ran to bring the physician, who examined the empress.

The physician, who had always struggled to tell her there was no hope, removed his glasses with a surprised expression.

“Your skin condition has improved greatly……! It seems your illness is getting better.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! If this condition continues, you’ll be completely cured within a year!”

“I understand. Thank you.”

The empress smiled and dismissed the physician. Her heart swelled as the hope that had seemed distant finally came within reach.

‘I must quickly tell Linus this good news……!’

The empress’s gaze, as she was getting up, stopped abruptly at a painting hanging on one side of the wall.

It was a family portrait of the emperor, herself, and Linus.

The empress looked quietly at the face of the emperor, who had completely abandoned her after she fell ill, then slowly spoke.

“What is His Majesty the Emperor doing now?”

“……He is having breakfast in the garden with Her Highness the First Imperial Consort.”

“I should go greet His Majesty.”

The empress declared with a resolute expression.

The maids dressed her as beautifully as possible. They put particular effort into her makeup.

The garden in front of the emperor’s palace.

The emperor, who had been dining and chatting with the First Imperial Consort, frowned at what the attendant reported.

“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”

“……The empress? What business does a sick person have this early in the morning?”

“Indeed, it would be better for her to rest without overexerting herself.”

The First Imperial Consort subtly agreed while showing her displeasure.

However, since he couldn’t just send the empress away, the emperor had no choice but to call her in.

The empress appeared leisurely with an atmosphere mysteriously different from usual.

“I apologize for interrupting Your Majesty’s meal.”

“Not at all. But what brings you here?”

The indifferent emperor didn’t notice her change, but the imperial consort did.

She immediately noticed that the empress wasn’t wearing gloves, that her exposed bare hands were clean unlike before.

An anxious light flickered in the imperial consort’s eyes. She had benefited most from the empress’s seclusion due to illness.

She enjoyed the power she held as the empress’s substitute.

“I came to deliver good news to Your Majesty.”

The empress spoke calmly and pulled down her veil.

Swoosh.

The face revealed as the cloth was removed…… looked perfectly fine thanks to makeup covering the remaining hives.

Her appearance, as if she had returned to before being cursed, left not only the imperial consort but also the emperor unable to take their eyes off her.

“The imperial consort has worked hard filling my absence all this time. Your Majesty must have had many hardships too. From now on, I will handle my own affairs.”

The empress smiled brightly as she declared. It was like a warning that she would take back what the imperial consort had enjoyed during her absence.

Unlike the imperial consort who had turned pale, the emperor nodded with an enigmatic expression as he gazed at the empress.

“Do as you wish.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then I shall withdraw. Please enjoy your time.”

The empress, who smiled only with the corners of her mouth, turned around without hesitation.

She had shown the emperor and imperial consort that she was still strong.

The only place her steps headed was the Crown Prince’s Palace where her son was.

***

She hadn’t slept a wink all night.

With a haggard face, she struggled to get out of bed in frustration.

‘This must be a failure, right……?’

It was the last day of the mission, and she hadn’t heard anything special from either the empress or the crown prince.

‘The male lead might not live in the capital. Right, maybe this could be an opportunity. A perfect chance to find the male lead outside the capital……!’

With a half-dead face, she desperately activated her positive thinking circuit.

In the middle, Mandy looked at her and seriously worried, saying ‘Miss, I think you should see a doctor,’ but.

She brushed it off saying she was fine and went to work at the imperial palace.

If she was really going to be kicked out of the capital, now was her last chance to make an impression.

When she went to the crown prince’s office as usual, the attendant guarding the front reported.

“His Highness is currently away for a moment. He left word for you to wait inside.”

“Ah, I see.”

She sat on the now-familiar sofa in the crown prince’s office and sighed.

Half a year……

Having to stay in this world for that long was truly the worst.

Unable to hide her depression and sadness, she was about to lean over and lie down for a moment when she lost strength in her body.

Thud.

A large hand reached out from behind and caught her face.

Huh? What’s this?

When she looked up in bewilderment, the crown prince was looking down at her, having arrived at some point.

“Ah, Your Highness!”

“Are you sleepy?”

“No, no. I’m just tired……”

“I see.”

He smiled broadly and sat across from her with a pleased expression.

What’s this, it feels like bright flowers are floating around.

“Did something good happen?”

“Yes. I think you know well too.”

Me?

When she blinked in puzzlement, the crown prince’s lips curved in an even bigger arc.

“The medicine is finally taking effect on Mother. Her hives have faded.”

“What? Is that really true?!”

Too surprised, she jumped up then sat back down awkwardly.

But she couldn’t hide her excitement at the news that the empress’s illness had improved.

Her nostrils kept trying to flare.

“Congratulations! Your Highness’s hard work has paid off.”

“Not just me, you played a big part too. I heard you were the one who brought the medicine to Mother again.”

The crown prince looked at her with gentle eyes, completely different from his initial prickliness.

“It’s all thanks to you.”

“Waah!”

Hearing the words she had waited and waited for, a scream burst out involuntarily.

No, was that just a pterodactyl sound?

“Right? It’s thanks to me, right?”

Unable to contain her joy at reviving what she thought was a failed mission, she asked in an excited voice.

The crown prince didn’t say anything about this and just nodded.

“Ah, I feel so good that I could help Your Highness!”

She leaned back on the soft sofa and clasped her hands together.

Such a dramatic mission success.

Truly overwhelming gratitude.

“……Are you that happy?”

“Of course! I feel like I could fly!”

“Really……”

The crown prince chuckled and shook his head.

His ear, clearly visible thanks to neatly brushing back his hair, was slightly red.

And then.

— Ding!

【Fourth Mission Clear!】

A system window appeared.

【You who solved the crown prince’s worries and UNLOCKED★ his heart!

Congratulations! ദ്ദി ˃ ᴗ ˂ )

A special reward for your hard work.

Right here, right now, we’ll tell you one of your male leads!】

“Huk, crazy!”

Unable to contain herself at the welcome news, she cursed and covered her mouth.

The crown prince looked at her strangely, but she didn’t have time to worry about such things now.

Hurry up and tell me, who is it!

【Typical candy-type romance fantasy heroine.

Shailyn Sharofe, one of your destined partners is……

♥Crown Prince Linus♥

※ Linus’s current favorability is 58. (Highest among male leads)】

As expected, the crown prince was a male lead.

Having it officially confirmed made her feel much lighter.

‘His favorability is over half too.’

She felt proud that her hard work had paid off.

She firmly grasped the crown prince’s hand and smiled brightly.

“Please take care of me from now on.”

My male lead.

I’ll definitely max out your favorability to 100 and escape this world.

“How sudden. Well…… I’ll be counting on you too.”

The crown prince clasped her hand in return.

This was how she found her first male lead.

***

In a dark room without a single ray of light.

A person in a black robe stood with hands behind their back, listening to the report of a kneeling subordinate.

“The curse on the empress is being lifted. The court physician has officially made a diagnosis.”

“Is it the crown prince’s doing?”

“The crown prince and some noble lady worked together.”

“Who.”

“The eldest daughter of Count Sharofe, Shailyn Sharofe.”

At those words, the black robe fell into thought for a moment, then let out a faint laugh.

“Of all people, the daughter of the former lady of Diart…… How coincidental.”

“What shall we do from now on?”

“Strengthen surveillance on the crown prince. And keep watch on that Shailyn Sharofe. Tell El too.”

“Yes.”

The man who bowed his head brought his hands together in front and added.

“For Lord Rudvalt.”

The black robe nodded lightly.

Under the robe, deep purple eyes flashed like a snake.