“What kind of threat are we talking about?”

Worried about the danger Reynard had mentioned, Evelyn asked hesitantly.

“I don’t know yet. But what’s certain is that they’ll use you to provoke me.”

Evelyn wrapped her arms around herself.

She was already breaking out in goosebumps from fear.

“Will it be something like what happened in Hesta?”

In Hesta, they had targeted Evelyn’s life.

She had nearly died twice because of that threat.

She never wanted to face that kind of danger again.

But even if she refused, would it change anything?

She thought it over carefully, but no matter how much she considered it, the answer was still ‘no.’

One-sided goodwill never lasts.

Through this ordeal, Evelyn had learned a painful lesson.

“No, it won’t be that kind. I don’t know how you’ll feel, but this threat won’t be aimed at your life.”

“…Do you really think so?”

At her cautious question, Reynard nodded firmly.

“Is there a reason you’re so sure?”

“Because killing you isn’t their goal.”

“Then what is?”

“You’re just a hostage to lure me out. So to do that, they’ll have no choice but to keep you alive.”

Reynard reminded her of the facts once again.

Still, it was a chain of events Evelyn couldn’t fully accept.

“Do I even have that kind of value—as a hostage to draw Your Majesty out?”

She was just a maid from an enemy nation. Why did people keep treating her like she held any value to Reynard, the Emperor of the Western Continent?

Reynard lowered his gaze briefly to look at her.

Feeling the weight of his stare, Evelyn lowered her eyes.

“At the very least, Duke Emmett would think so.”

It was a vague answer.

Evelyn pressed her lips together, dissatisfied that he didn’t even explain why Emmett would think that way.

It became clear that Reynard had no intention of telling her.

“I understand.”

In any case, while she remained here, she had no choice but to do as Reynard said.

Reynard gave a bitter smile at the unusually powerless tone of her voice.

“Don’t worry. Even if something unexpected happens, I’ll make sure to protect you. Didn’t I say it before? I always keep my promises—no matter what.”

Evelyn gave a faint smile and nodded.

“Yes. I believe you.”

***

After Reynard left, Evelyn was alone in her bedroom.

The conversations she’d had with him gradually surfaced in her mind.

‘Why would Duke Emmett think of me as a hostage to draw His Majesty out?’

Was it because he knew Reynard would come to save her?

That wasn’t entirely implausible.

Reynard was someone who always kept his promises.

‘Yes, that must be it.’

There was no other reason she could think of.

But even after reaching that conclusion, Evelyn felt an unexpected pang of disappointment.

“……”

She didn’t even know where that feeling of disappointment was coming from.

***

“Make sure she’s treated with the utmost care.”

Meanwhile, after leaving Evelyn’s room, Reynard’s first command was directed at Laura, the senior lady-in-waiting who served Evelyn, and Joy, her maid.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

The two answered in unison.

“But, Your Majesty, should we continue addressing her as Her Majesty the Empress, like before?”

Unable to hold back her curiosity, Joy asked Reynard.

Until recently, they had served her thinking she was the empress, but now they knew she was a fake.

Not only that, but most of the Imperial Palace was now aware that Evelyn wasn’t the real one.

If they were to continue treating her like the empress, they would—but if not, they needed new instructions.

“Even if she’s not truly Princess Ophelia, it doesn’t change the fact that she married me. Treat her the same as before.”

Reynard’s directive was simple.

Treat Evelyn as the empress, just as they had before.

Laura and Joy were briefly surprised by the bold order, but quickly bowed their heads in acknowledgment.

“We will do so.”

The two answered simultaneously.

Reynard smiled in satisfaction and turned to leave.

“Martin.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“We need to assign more guards to the Empress. We can’t let Duke Emmett target her.”

At Reynard’s order, Martin hesitantly opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, may I ask you a question?”

Reynard glanced briefly at Martin and answered with a nod.

“I don’t understand why you care so much about a fake.”

Even though her true identity had been revealed, Reynard had ordered them to treat her as the Empress.

It was a command Martin found difficult to comprehend.

“Is it perhaps because of a past connection?”

When they had first discovered Evelyn at the border, Reynard had seemed to already know her.

Though it was unclear how Reynard, who had spent most of his life in Bait, could recognize Evelyn, it wasn’t hard to deduce that the two shared a past.

“Well.”

“So it is?”

“If you had asked me back then, I would’ve said yes. But now… I’m not so sure.”

“Pardon?”

Reynard’s answer only confused Martin further.

“At first, yes—it was because of our past. I wanted to repay the compassion she once showed me. But now… I can’t say for sure.”

As he finished speaking, a pleasant smile played at Reynard’s lips.

Noticing that smile, Martin stopped questioning him further and instead began pondering how many knights should be assigned to guard Evelyn.

Reynard had just reached the front of his office when—

“Your Majesty.”

A familiar voice called out to him.

He stopped in his tracks and turned toward the voice.

Standing there was Greta Emmett.

Greta greeted Reynard with elegance—her demeanor flawless in every way.

But Reynard wasn’t particularly pleased to see her.

“What is it?”

For her to approach him here, having just left Evelyn’s chambers a short while ago, meant she had waited for him in the corridor until his return.

Despite Reynard’s displeased expression, Greta took a step closer to him.

“If I may, could I request a brief audience—if it isn’t too much of an imposition?”

Frowning, Reynard folded his arms and replied.

“It’s quite an imposition. Today doesn’t seem to be the day, so I suggest you return—”

“It’s about my father. And I believe it concerns Her Majesty the Empress as well.”

Just as Reynard was about to refuse her request, Greta quickly added that it involved the Empress.

At the mention of Evelyn, Reynard’s brows twitched slightly.

Greta didn’t miss the subtle reaction.

“The matter of Duke Emmett and the Empress?”

There was only one possibility Reynard could infer.

When he reacted, Greta gave a bright and pretty smile, nodding her head.

“Yes. I believe what I have to say today will benefit Your Majesty rather than harm you.”

Her confident demeanor made him uneasy, but if he wanted to know what this was about, he had no choice but to speak with her.

“Fine. Come into my office.”

With that, Reynard began walking into his office.

Greta followed close behind.

Reynard guided her to the sofa prepared on one side of the room.

“Have a seat over there.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Once both of them were seated, a lady-in-waiting brought refreshments to the table and quietly withdrew.

Only when the two of them were left alone in the office did Greta finally break her silence.

“I heard from my father that Her Majesty the Empress is a fake.”

“If that’s it, it’s not much of a surprise. That matter was already brought up in the council.”

At the rather mundane opening, Reynard replied indifferently.

“Then I suppose I’ll need to start with something more surprising.”

Greta smiled with composed confidence, her lips forming a graceful curve.

“Would you like to make a deal with me, Your Majesty?”