It wasn’t until she heard Reynard mention the title “Empress” that Evelyn could truly grasp her situation. Until then, everything had felt like a dream.

But now, in just two days, she would be marrying Reynard and becoming his wife. Not only that, but she would eventually become the Empress of the Bait Empire.

‘Is this really okay?’

The question kept surfacing in Evelyn’s mind. Even though Reynard had set a one-year term, the position of Empress was far too overwhelming and burdensome for Evelyn.

There was no way someone like her—once just a mere maid—could fulfill such an important role. 

Unable to bear the cold creeping into her fingertips, she clenched her skirt tightly and looked up at Reynard with trembling eyes.

“Is it really okay for me to do this?”

At Evelyn’s cautious words, Reynard raised a hand to rest against one cheek. His expression remained indifferent as always.

“Do you dislike it?”

“It’s not that I dislike it… You know, I’m just a mere maid. I’m far too lacking to sit in the position of Empress.”

Reynard quietly gazed at Evelyn. Then, after a brief pause, he asked her a question.

“Wasn’t that your intention from the start? Becoming the fake Princess Ophelia?”

Evelyn couldn’t bring herself to deny it. He was right.

But it hadn’t been her choice. She had been pushed into playing the role of the fake Princess Ophelia because of Glenna and King Hesta.

Simply because her hair and eye color matched.

“I didn’t want this.”

“……”

“I didn’t choose to become Princess Ophelia’s stand-in. I didn’t.”

Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke. She swallowed the injustice rising up inside her. Reynard, watching her, let out a long sigh.

“I know. Of course you wouldn’t have wanted it. No one in their right mind would volunteer for a position that might get them killed.”

Evelyn raised her head at Reynard’s words, touched that he understood how she felt.

“Even if Hesta hadn’t sent soldiers disguised as bandits, if you had truly tried to deceive me, it would’ve been hard for you to keep your life.”

But Reynard’s next words were chilling. Evelyn instinctively felt a cold shiver run down her neck and pulled it in slightly.

“But that’s not the case. I know you’re not the real Princess Ophelia. So I won’t ask you to act like a real Empress.”

“Then…”

“I say a year, but really, it’ll be shorter than that. I just need time to catch up on neglected affairs while I’ve been away and reorganize the military. A few months should be enough. Just hold the seat until then. That’s all.”

Strangely, Reynard’s words, saying it would be fine, seemed to ease her anxiety a bit.

“Your Majesty… are you okay with this?”

“In what way?”

“Marrying me. Even if you didn’t, you could still buy some time. Like you said, it’s only a matter of months. It wouldn’t be hard to delay the wedding until then.”

Evelyn had a valid point. After all, Hesta was a nation that had invaded and was losing the war.

It was only natural that Bait would look unfavorably upon a princess sent from such a nation. Even if the marriage was delayed using that as an excuse, Hesta would have no grounds to object.

Especially since the princess was a fake. No matter how she thought about it, there were plenty of reasons not to get married, so Evelyn hoped Reynard would agree with her.

“What if I just don’t want to wait?”

“…Excuse me?”

But contrary to Evelyn’s hopes, Reynard answered her with a short retort.

“I told you. I don’t want to.”

“……”

Evelyn blinked several times, unable to understand what Reynard meant. Something about the way Evelyn stared at him wide-eyed like a rabbit amused him, and he let out a short chuckle.

“I know what you’re worried about. But even if problems arise, I’ll take responsibility. You don’t need to worry—go rest.”

“But—”

“Or what? Are you going to run away now? Or maybe you’ll tell others the truth—that you’re a fake? That you dared to deceive me, the Emperor of Bait, in the heart of the empire itself?”

At Reynard’s words, Evelyn clamped her mouth shut. Even if Reynard was willing to turn a blind eye, there was no guarantee others would see her favorably.

Revealing that she was a fake in such a situation would be far too dangerous.

“If you wanted out, you should’ve looked for a chance before coming to Bait. Ah, though even then, there probably wasn’t anywhere for you to go.”

Seeing Evelyn hang her head in gloom, Reynard replied in a slightly lighter tone.

“You can’t run away now anyway, so just stay comfortably. As long as I allow it, nothing will happen.”

Evelyn parted her lips to argue, then closed them again. In the end, even if she said something, nothing would change.

And as Reynard said, she couldn’t reveal the truth now. Letting out a small sigh, Evelyn nodded with resignation.

“Yes… I understand. Sorry for taking your time.”

“It’s fine. I was annoyed about having to get back to work right after arriving anyway—this gave me a good excuse to rest.”

Evelyn bowed her head to Reynard and stood up from her seat. Then, with cautious steps, she left his office.

Returning to her bedroom, Evelyn collapsed onto the bed. She had mustered up her courage to respond to his summons, but in the end, nothing had changed.

If anything, the only relief was that the one-year period had gotten a little shorter. Feeling the weight of the burden pressing down on her shoulders, Evelyn covered her eyes with her forearm.

But even with her eyes closed, the pressure didn’t ease.

***

“It’s an honor to meet you, Princess Ophelia. I’m Greta, daughter of Ruben Emmett. Congratulations on your marriage.”

“Thank you.”

With the flurry of wedding preparations over such a short period, the day of the wedding arrived before Evelyn even realized how time had passed.

Now, on the day of the wedding, many nobles of Bait came to see Evelyn, offering their greetings and words of congratulations. Since Evelyn had little to no prior knowledge of the Bait Empire, she had no choice but to return their greetings with polite formality, unable to tell who they were or what their political stances might be.

However, there were some things she could clearly recognize. The eyes of the nobles who came to see her were filled with hostility.

She pretended to be fine, acted as if she didn’t notice, but each time she sensed their discomfort, Evelyn became more and more withdrawn. 

Being hated as “Maid Evelyn” was something she was used to, but now that she was “Princess Ophelia,” even the slightest hint of disgust felt overwhelming.

‘I just need to endure for a few more months. Then it’ll be fine.’

She had repeated those words to herself countless times. But she still couldn’t manage to relax.

“I hope to see you again.”

“Yes.”

Shortly after Greta stepped outside, Laura entered the waiting room.

“It’s time for your entrance.”

At last, the wedding was about to begin. Taking a deep breath, Evelyn rose from her seat.

Joy, who had been standing nearby, adjusted the wrinkles in her dress that had formed while she was sitting.

Finally, Evelyn followed Laura’s lead and began walking toward the Great Hall, where the royal wedding ceremony was to be held.

“Ophelia Flourette Fabian, please enter.”

The archbishop’s voice rang out from the opposite end of the hall. Nervous and tense, Evelyn cautiously began to walk forward.

With each step she took, the eyes of the nobles gathered in the Great Hall followed her every move. The stares, filled with curiosity, indifference, and hostility, felt so piercing and frightening that she wanted to collapse, but she clenched her teeth and endured it.

After walking down the long wedding aisle, Evelyn stood beside Reynard.

The archbishop soon began a speech to bless their future together. Her heart pounded so loudly that it echoed in her ears, drowning out the archbishop’s words. She couldn’t even tell how much time was passing.

Her fingertips turned pale and even began to feel cold.

Reynard, noticing how tense Evelyn was, gently took her hand. At the warmth enveloping her cold fingers, Evelyn looked up at Reynard.

He gave her a faint smile and then gestured with his eyes toward the high priest.

He was telling her to focus.

Only then did Evelyn snap back to her senses and shift her gaze to the high priest.