At the Emperor’s out-of-the-blue question, the chief chamberlain’s eyes rolled around. Come to think of it, he had heard that Raul entered his office before sunrise. Naturally, no one knew the inside story.

“I heard you didn’t stay there long…… Wasn’t it because you had a lot of work?”

“If I’d stayed longer, I felt like I’d do terrible things to the sleeping person.”

“……What?”

“When I woke up at dawn and saw a face sleeping so deeply they wouldn’t know if I carried them away, only dirty thoughts kept popping up. Is that normal?”

At the words spat out with an expressionless face, the old chief chamberlain’s face turned red and purple.

“I, I don’t want to know such private matters! You’re courteous in front of Her Majesty the Empress, so why are you doing this to me!”

“Because I want to look good to the Empress.”

“Th-then what about me……”

“But you’d better know that your lord is a madman who gets aroused just looking at his wife’s face. Otherwise, you might say the wrong thing once and end up finishing your remaining years in the cold land of Yuberia.”

His spine chilled, and the chief chamberlain shut his mouth tight like a clam.

Seeing him raise the corners of his mouth while throwing that terrifying warning, Raul really seemed to have fully regained his former self. Except for his reversed feelings toward the Empress.

There were aspects that worried him inwardly.

The chief chamberlain, being old, was well-versed in all sorts of stories that occurred within the Empire. And of course, he had seen and heard stories about men in love to the point of exhaustion.

Of course, imagining Raul being swayed by emotions wasn’t easy for him either. However, at the same time, there was no telling how a man bewitched by a woman might change.

Raul had already issued an exile order to the Marquis and made the decision to expel his mistress. That’s why the chief chamberlain was worried. About what kind of things the future Raul might do.

However, since he wasn’t a foolish person who blurted out every thought, he silently prepared to deliver the thunderbolt-like notification to Evelyn Debussy.

Evelyn Debussy’s nerves had become extremely frayed lately. Her mood swings were so bad that at least one maid would run out of the room crying every day.

After hearing the news of the imperial couple’s consummation, her venom rose even more. The news that Raul had been inviting Kareina to meals for several days also didn’t improve Evelyn’s mood.

“Ha. So this is how it’s going to be?”

Evelyn ground her teeth while glaring at the mirror. The maid who had been brushing her curly hair flinched, worried she’d catch the sparks.

“After everything I’ve endured until now. That Niyev wench finally!”

Fortunately, the mistress’s anger was directed toward the legal wife.

As soon as the maid who hastily finished withdrew, everything on the vanity spilled onto the floor.

Red liquid and white powder mixed together, creating chaos. Cosmetics stuck in a mess to the carpet densely patterned with spiral designs and to the hem of the velvet dress she’d just changed into.

But it wasn’t as much of a mess as Evelyn’s miserable feelings. And this wasn’t just because of the rumors surrounding the imperial couple.

It was because of what the chief chamberlain, who had discreetly visited her as she fumed with resentment, had told her.

—It would be better for you to leave on your own, my lady. His Majesty said he’s giving you an opportunity.

—So…… you’re telling me to leave the palace? Completely?

—Instead, he promised compensation. He’ll arrange a marriage with the groom of your choice. Here’s a list of unmarried men from families within the Empire’s top ten. If Lady Debussy wishes, anyone from outside the Empire is also possible.

—The groom of my choice? The groom I want…… Hahahaha!

Evelyn laughed like a madwoman while crumpling up the list the chief chamberlain had left.

The position she had wanted from the beginning was next to Raul. Only that one spot. That very position where the damned Niyev woman who suddenly barged in was sitting. That seat she had considered originally hers.

Unable to contain her rage, Evelyn threw whatever she could grab. A thick crystal glass narrowly missed the maids’ heads and hit the wall.

The glass shattered into pieces and spilled onto the floor. In the midst of it, a young maid’s shrill scream grated on her nerves.

“Useless thing. Get out right now!”

Even after the maid left the room sobbing, she couldn’t calm down for a while. Evelyn glared at her own reflection in the mirror and ground her teeth.

“Kareina Fair Adrian……”

Those who only knew her as the beloved mistress would never dream of it. The fact that the Emperor had never once touched Evelyn.

Even now when she was about to be suddenly expelled, her pride as a woman carelessly provoked her more than her pitiful situation.

Evelyn, who had been grinding her lips with unfocused eyes, suddenly glared at the empty vanity. When she opened the drawer with rough movements, a small glass bottle rolled out and stopped under her hand.

Inside the bottle without a label or engraving, a transparent liquid sloshed around.

Evelyn gripped the bottle tightly with one hand. Then after a moment, she slowly put the bottle down and gently wrapped both hands around her belly.

“……The great Evelyn can’t end it like this. There’s still a chance left, isn’t there?”

In her eyes that regained focus, red greed was already blazing.

At the Empress’s palace, preparations for going out were in full swing.

Though going out only meant going to the Emperor’s palace, the ladies-in-waiting were putting all their effort into adorning Kareina for the meal that had continued for several days.

When a necklace studded with twelve large diamonds finally appeared, Kareina hastily shook her head.

“There’s no need to go this far. It’s just an ordinary meal.”

“But Your Majesty. This is a date!”

Ginny, who had been rummaging through the jewelry box, complained.

“A date?”

A date. Kareina denied it, but in a corner of her heart, she knew. Raul was constantly courting her.

Though he had politely asked her to open her heart, he didn’t seem to have any intention of waiting long.

And normally, Kareina only needed to act along with his tune. What mattered was what she could gain from him, not the heart that would disappear.

But after that night’s deep kiss, maintaining composure wasn’t easy. The expectation arose that this relationship might last longer.

“Oh my, Your Majesty, you’re so beautiful today. You really do pull off simple designs well.”

The maid who had been tucking smooth hair behind her ear was enchanted as she checked the mirror. Kareina raised her eyes to check her reflection.

She was wearing a gray-blue dress without decorations with a thin hairpin inserted. Thin, straight earrings hung from her earlobes, and long silver hair draped over her exposed collarbone, adding a pure yet elegant atmosphere.

“His Majesty the Emperor will surely fall for you all over again, won’t he?”

Even the maid’s mischievous joke didn’t feel bad. In fact, it had been a while since Kareina had come to look forward to meal times with Raul. Kareina fiddled with the area near her collarbone.

“Maria. Would you bring me the box inside the very bottom drawer?”

When she was suddenly asked to open furniture she didn’t usually use, Maria tilted her head and bent down.

“I didn’t know there was a box inside.”

“I haven’t opened it in a long time.”

Kareina opened the shabby wooden box. Inside was a necklace studded with gems that exactly resembled the color of her eyes.

Kareina held the necklace up to her bare neck. Fortunately, the gems hadn’t lost any of their luster and looked exactly as she remembered.

“It’s a necklace? Why didn’t you keep it in the jewelry box?”

“……Because I was planning to throw it away.”

“Goodness, something this expensive?”

Kareina nodded indifferently and once again surveyed her reflection in the mirror. The patternless gray-blue dress and the dark-colored gems matched quite well. Well enough to be glad she hadn’t thrown it away until now.

Kareina smiled faintly. Anyway, Raul wouldn’t recognize this necklace. Because he wouldn’t remember the moment he first placed a necklace around her neck when she was a hostage.

That’s why this expensive necklace was just right for containing her feelings. Feelings she couldn’t yet fully reveal.

Just then, an attendant who had arrived from the Emperor’s palace politely announced their departure.

“Your Majesty. If you depart now, you’ll arrive at just the right time.”

“Alright.”

Even as she descended the wide stairs, Kareina fiddled with the gem hanging around her neck with her fingertips. Thanks to her simple attire, the necklace would stand out even more. Perhaps that’s why a contradictory feeling suddenly rose—hoping Raul would recognize it.

“……At this rate, I’m really going to be in trouble.”

Kareina muttered quietly. To keep thinking of him even while going to meet him. The emotion she thought had ended at eighteen was gradually knocking on her heart.

Until she discovered someone who had arrived at the door first, the pleasant tension had been growing.

Click-clack. Perhaps hearing the sound of Kareina’s party’s footsteps, the person facing the door turned around. She recognized Kareina and hurried over.

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”

“……Lady Evelyn.”

Embarrassingly, Evelyn had arrived at the meal first.

Evelyn approached familiarly and slightly lifted the hem of her dress.

Then, as Kareina, who had likewise lowered her eyes in greeting, tried to pass by, she hastily added,

“Are you perhaps on your way to see His Majesty the Emperor now?”

“Her Majesty the Empress has a dinner appointment at the Emperor’s palace.”

At the attendant’s plain answer, the color drained from Evelyn’s lips. But it was only for a moment. Having regained her color, she clasped both hands together and smiled brightly.

“Perfect! The attendants wouldn’t let me in saying there was a prior appointment, so I thought I’d have to wait until the meal was over.”

Evelyn brazenly linked arms with Kareina.

“But fortunately it’s Your Majesty the Empress!”

What was fortunate about it? Though she made a displeased expression, Evelyn pressed her body closer and continued the conversation.

“There’s news that you both absolutely must hear together. I’ll go in with you, Your Majesty.”

Was she asking to be invited to the meal? From the looks of it, that seemed to be her intention.

But Kareina didn’t want to create a scene of dining amicably with the mistress with Raul in the middle. Strictly speaking, it would also be against propriety.

Moreover, Evelyn in her lime-green satin dress was excessively flashy today. The ribbon tied around her cinched waist was as full as if it had been puffed up three times, and the tiara perched on her head sparkled so much it was dazzling. So if they dined together, she’d surely feel like she was chewing diamonds.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can invite you to the meal on my own authority. Lady Evelyn. If you want to join, you’ll have to ask permission directly……”

“I’m his mistress. He’ll surely understand.”

She’d known for a while that she was someone you couldn’t have a conversation with. But Evelyn’s shameless attitude always left her speechless.