Was it because she had found out that Duke Emmett was targeting her?

Evelyn couldn’t bring herself to go outside.

Considering all the circumstances, she was convinced that the imperial palace was the safest place to be.

Indeed, Reynard’s knights guarded Evelyn without letting their eyes stray for even a moment, and patrols by palace guards were carried out day and night.

In a foreign land where she knew no one, she had little choice but to stay holed up in her chambers.

Even Reynard, whom she had trusted, had declared that he would use her as bait to lure out Duke Emmett.

Although Reynard had promised to rescue her, the plan still required Evelyn to be kidnapped by Duke Emmett first.

Reynard had increased the number of knights guarding her and made extra efforts to ensure her security.

Even so, Evelyn was devastated by the reality of living a life consumed by someone else’s plans.

It had been the same in Hesta, and the same in Bait. Her role never seemed to change no matter where she went.

Perhaps that was why Evelyn found herself increasingly thinking about the person who might be Reynard’s lover.

To Evelyn, this person had no name or face. And yet, in terms of the impact she had on Evelyn’s life, she was equal to or even greater than Princess Ophelia.

At least with someone like Princess Ophelia, who Evelyn knew all too well, she could resign herself and follow her will without resistance. But this time, it was different.

She had no idea who this person was, and no way of finding out.

The only thing Evelyn knew was that Reynard had long held this woman dearly in his thoughts.

Evelyn sought the reason she had to be the bait in all this through that woman.

She couldn’t understand why Duke Emmett wanted to kidnap her in order to corner Reynard, but in the end, the fact remained that she was the one meant to be sacrificed.

‘What kind of person is she?’

Whenever questions about Reynard arose, Evelyn felt as though she were sinking into a deep sea.

It was because she had absolutely no information to go on.

Evelyn envied her.

Even more than she had once admired Princess Ophelia as a child, Evelyn now found herself consumed by envy for this unknown woman.

Looking back, Evelyn’s life had been a repetition of hollow, lonely days filled with envy and suppression of her emotions.

As a child, she had lost her mother to Princess Ophelia, and as an adult, she had been thrown into mortal danger in the princess’s stead. And now, she had to become bait for a stranger.

How long would she have to live as someone else’s substitute? Would this misery end only with her death?

But there was nothing she could do.

Knock knock.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

Evelyn, buried under the covers, peeked her head out and looked toward the door.

“Lady Ebenezer, it’s me. May I come in?”

It was Laura’s voice from outside.

Now that Evelyn’s true identity as a fake Princess Ophelia had been exposed, they had returned to calling her by her original name.

Evelyn threw off the covers and sat up, letting out a quiet sigh before speaking.

“Come in.”

No longer a princess or empress, Evelyn had also changed her demeanor toward Laura.

As a former maid who had received an elite education thanks to noble sponsorship, Laura was not someone Evelyn could treat casually.

Click. 

In the silence, the doorknob turned, and Laura stepped into the room.

Just as she always had, Laura offered a courteous bow toward Evelyn and then lifted her head.

“Lady Ebenezer, His Majesty the Emperor is calling for you.”

“His Majesty?”

“Yes. He requests your presence in the first-floor study.”

“All right. I’ll go.”

She didn’t know what the summons was about, but within the imperial palace of Bait, Reynard’s word was law.

Evelyn rose and checked her attire.

Joy, who had been waiting nearby, approached and straightened the wrinkles in Evelyn’s skirt.

Their eyes briefly met.

When Joy offered a warm smile first, Evelyn returned it silently.

Only Joy and Laura treated her the same, even after learning her true identity.

Even the knights assigned to her under Reynard’s orders had grown oddly cold since it had been revealed that Evelyn was not the real Princess Ophelia.

Having grown up constantly reading others’ moods, Evelyn quickly sensed the change, and her behavior naturally shrank in response.

Still, when she was with just Joy and Laura, it felt a little better.

At the very least, they treated her just as they always had.

After tidying up her appearance, Evelyn stepped out of her bedroom.

Laura naturally guided her to the first-floor study.

As they walked down the corridor, Evelyn glanced at Laura several times.

“Um, Laura.”

Evelyn cautiously called out to Laura, who was walking ahead.

Laura turned her head, sensing something unusual, and looked at Evelyn.

“Yes? Did you call me?”

Seeing Laura’s calm expression, as usual, Evelyn hesitantly opened her mouth.

“Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

“In what way?”

“…That I was a fake.”

Unlike Joy, who had grown closer to her after realizing they shared a similar plight, Laura was different.

Laura had found out that the person she had thought of as her superior was, in fact, someone of a lower standing than herself—yet her demeanor had not changed.

Evelyn found that quietly astonishing.

Laura paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts before speaking.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t uncomfortable.”

Her honest emotion flowed out, just like Greta’s had.

Evelyn hadn’t asked expecting her to deny it, but even so, Laura’s words made Evelyn shrink slightly.

Yet Laura continued speaking.

“But I also find it a little pitiful. It’s not like you wanted to be a fake, Lady Ebenezer.”

“You… understand me?”

“Well… I don’t know if you’d call it understanding. I’ve realized that accepting things I can’t control is better for my mental health than resenting them.”

Her tone was cool, but her words were plain and sincere.

“So that’s why you accepted it.”

When Evelyn spoke as though she’d realized something, Laura simply shrugged in response.

“We’ve arrived.”

And just like that, their conversation ended as they reached the first-floor study.

Laura knocked lightly on the study door.

The sound of her knuckles tapping echoed through the wooden door as she announced Evelyn’s arrival, but there was no response from inside.

“It seems His Majesty is running late.”

Evelyn, stopping Laura as she was about to knock again, smiled gently and said,

“Seems like it. Should I go in first?”

“Yes.”

At Evelyn’s response, Laura opened the door to the study.

As expected, no one was inside.

Evelyn stepped in and looked around the room.

The bookshelves lining the study walls were filled with meticulously arranged volumes, just like Reynard’s meticulous personality.

Taking in the sight, Evelyn seated herself on the sofa.

Soon, Laura prepared tea for her as she waited.

Through the musty scent of paper, a sweet fragrance began to spread through the study.

“Thank you, Laura.”

“It’s nothing. This is my job.”

Without a smile, Laura gave a slight nod as she answered, having set the refreshments in front of Evelyn.

Lifting her teacup, Evelyn began to ponder why Reynard had summoned her.

If there was any likely reason, it could only be one.

‘It must be about Duke Emmett. Has there been a change in the plan?’

Having finished that thought, Evelyn took a sip of her tea. A bittersweet flavor spread across her tongue.

She frowned slightly at the taste, which was more bitter than usual.

“Does it not suit your taste?”

Laura noticed the subtle change in Evelyn’s expression and cautiously asked.

Evelyn was about to shake her head in denial, looking up at her—

But strangely, her vision began to blur.

Huh?

By the time she noticed the change, it was already too late.

Her hazy vision faded into darkness.

Before her eyes closed for the last time, Laura’s expression etched itself clearly into Evelyn’s memory.

The final look on her face was endlessly cold and dry.