“…ful.”

Seen up close, his profile revealed a faint mischievousness reminiscent of a young boy.

His high forehead extending to his prominent nose created both a delicate and intense impression, topped with a vague smile on his closed lips.

After smiling while looking outside, he finally turned his gaze to meet my eyes.

“……”

His bright blue coral-colored eyes quietly examined me.

The smile had disappeared from his lips.

“You have a fever.”

“…What?”

Frowning, he placed his large hand on my forehead.

My breath caught involuntarily.

“Yes, you do have a fever.”

“……”

“Perhaps from riding in the carriage too long.”

The carriage was exceptionally comfortable.

Its spacious interior was covered with plush cushions and velvet, with everything from the classic curtains to the attached bell looking exquisitely luxurious.

“N-no. I’m fine.”

His serious, contemplative gaze studied me thoroughly.

“Your stomach. Are you feeling queasy?”

“What? No, I think I’m just nervous.”

“Nervous…”

“Well, we’re going to the imperial palace… It’s an unfamiliar place.”

This is harmful… harmful to my heart. Truly harmful looks…

This man is unnecessarily s*xy at all times and excessively decadent.

What if I just close my eyes and choose to stay by his side?

Plus, we seem to have grown subtly closer. He just touched my forehead, didn’t he?

“What place isn’t unfamiliar to you?”

“…Pardon?”

“I asked what place feels familiar to you.”

I almost forgot. I can’t let my guard down for even a moment with this man!

I couldn’t possibly tell him the real reason for my fever was his dazzling face so close to mine, so I made up an excuse about being nervous.

For someone with amnesia, nowhere would feel familiar, and after not being nervous in unfamiliar environments until now, suddenly using that excuse created a discrepancy in my story.

I take back what I thought about us growing closer.

That was just my imagination.

“Answer me. What place feels familiar to you?”

“Well, of course…”

I gave an awkward smile and lifted the corners of my mouth.

“…The beautiful St. Berte?”

I expected him to snort as usual, but he showed no particular reaction.

Hmm. I cleared my throat and subtly moved back, causing his hand to naturally fall from my forehead.

At the same time, his eyes seemed to fill with coldness for a moment. Or did I imagine it?

“The wind might mess up my hair.”

“……”

“Medlin put so much effort into styling it. I shouldn’t let it get completely ruined.”

While pretending to fix my hair to regain my composure after our close proximity, he grabbed both my arms and lowered them.

“Ah!”

Looking at him in confusion, he grabbed my waist and spun me around to face the window.

It happened in an instant.

“You don’t care if your dress gets ruined?”

“W-was it about to?”

“It nearly did.”

Really? Is this lace that delicate?

Sitting with my back to him, he reached forward from behind.

My head nearly touched his chest, startling me just as the window closed abruptly.

The moment I flinched, he began arranging my hair with rough movements.

“……”

Get a grip… pull yourself together…

Your heart is the only one pounding here.

He’s just doing this because we need to arrive at the imperial palace looking presentable, and he’s worried the lace might tear.

“Are you sure you’re not feeling ill?”

“What? Of course not.”

“Your neck is flushed.”

Ah, that’s because I’m embarrassed. I’ve never shown my nape to a man before!

“That’s… just from being nervous.”

“Are you that nervous?”

“Of course. We’re meeting the Empress.”

Each time his thick fingertips brushed against my skin while neatly arranging my long hair over my shoulders, my body twitched. Afraid he might notice, I unintentionally spoke in a cold tone.

Perhaps because of this, a moment of silence fell between us.

For some reason, his hand grabbed my hair once more before releasing it.

“Then stay by my side.”

His low, calm voice continued from behind me.

“I’ll be the only familiar thing to you there.”

Though not wrong, my earlobes mysteriously heated up. I was thankful my long hair covered my body.

“If a situation arises where that’s not possible, Violet Swinton will accompany you.”

“……”

“Answer me.”

Coming to my senses belatedly, I nodded slowly.

“Yes. I will.”

“And if anyone approaches you, inform me immediately.”

Right.

The imperial palace invited me too because they had some intention.

And discovering what that intention was our reason for going.

Finding evidence would be even better.

“Of course. I won’t forget my duty.”

When I turned to face him with a bright smile, his eyes faltered.

His face showed a trace of bewilderment.

“…What’s wrong?”

Did I do something wrong?

But he didn’t elaborate further, quickly returning to his usual calm gaze.

Brüpelier was like a palace straight out of a fairy tale.

The imperial palace, with its blue pointed spires and elaborate curved decorations throughout, was surrounded by massive sculptured fountains and geometrically arranged gardens.

While St. Berte’s land area was twice that of the capital, in terms of castle size, Brüpelier clearly had the advantage.

In contrast, St. Berte Castle evoked a deep sense of history with its classic atmosphere, giving it a more refined ambiance.

“Wow…”

After disembarking from the carriage and taking a boat, we arrived at Rishelt Island in the imperial palace.

The Conz River flowed on the western side of the palace, and they had created an artificial island in its center.

“…This was man-made?”

I asked Carlo while looking around at the pristine white sand and tropical trees planted throughout.

This place looked like a resort.

“Yes, your hand.”

Unlike me, constantly marveling at the scenery, Carlo indifferently told me to take his arm, either because such sights were familiar to him or they didn’t suit his taste.

“When you just say it like that, doesn’t it sound like you’re calling a dog?”

“What a shame. A dog would at least listen well.”

“That comment was directed at me, wasn’t it?”

When I glanced up at him, he deliberately pulled my arm closer to his side.

“Of course not.”

He replied nonchalantly, walking along the red carpet stretched like a guide over the white sand, with a faint smile on his lips.

The imperial family must have tremendous wealth and power to create such a splendid artificial island, yet they still colluded with the Azanie family to seize the Grand Duke’s fortune…

Human greed truly knows no bounds.

Squinting in the brilliant sunlight, I noticed nobles enjoying peaceful picnics under fluttering outdoor canopies.

“My goodness… look over there.”

The moment they spotted us, their faces showed visible surprise.

More precisely, their expressions were directed at me standing beside the Grand Duke.

“She really came along.”

“How shameless. She must have sought the Grand Duke’s sympathy using amnesia as an excuse.”

“Is the Grand Duke really that gullible? He must have brought her for a reason.”

“We should watch closely during today and tomorrow’s schedule. To think I came from so far away to see that woman!”

“They said she was exceptionally beautiful, but she’s not really. The Grand Duke deserves better.”

Whispers everywhere.

As we passed each table guided by the chief chamberlain, beautiful ladies and noble daughters revealed their impressions of me while hiding their mouths behind fans.

I got the picture immediately.

Ugh, this won’t be easy either. Sigh.

“Present your respects to Her Majesty the Empress.”

At the chief chamberlain’s quiet instruction as he stepped back, I quickly collected myself and looked straight ahead.

“……”

Her silver hair was lavishly styled with ruby and diamond ornaments decorating it like blooming flowers. The red silk dress with white lace collar and black ribbon accents suited her perfectly, as if painted in a portrait. The middle-aged woman with an imposing demeanor sat in her chair, smiling at us.

That’s her.

That woman is the Empress, Genevieve Muriel Mustein.

Recalling the Empress’s name I had heard from Norbert, I walked toward her.

“We pay our respects, Your Majesty.”

When Carlo and I greeted her, the Empress abruptly stood from her chair.

Then she approached us with confident steps.

“This is the first time since the wedding, Grand Duchess? You look much healthier than when I saw you then.”

She welcomed me with a bright smile showing her white teeth and extended her hand to me.

I awkwardly returned her embrace with an embarrassed smile before pulling away.

“I should have invited you sooner. I hope it’s not too late?”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. Thank you for inviting us.”

“How sweet you are.”

She smiled at me, then suddenly stopped.

“Your Majesty, a moment.”

A minister urgently approached her, apparently with important information.

At that moment, Genevieve’s violet eyes widened noticeably before slowly turning to look at me.