At the sight of Seraphina smiling with effortless grace, Lady Mireille’s face twisted.

“Sorry? Are you mocking me right now?”

Seraphina tilted her head slightly. She blinked slowly before speaking.

“Why would I mock you, my lady? You seemed upset, so I apologized.”

Her tone was calm and unruffled.

Had this happened straight after she woke up, she might have been too disorientated to respond properly. Perhaps then she would have been swept along, as the Crown Prince had done.

But not now.

After speaking with Rosalynde, she had grasped the situation to some extent. She was simply responding as she normally would — quietly and evenly.

Apparently, that was what displeased Lady Mireille. The lady pressed her lips into a thin line.

“…Did you really lose your memory?”

She muttered the words, scrutinizing Seraphina suspiciously. The voice was far too loud to be a monologue.

Seraphina merely shrugged and replied.

“Yes. That’s why I don’t understand why you came to see me. May I ask what business you have? I’m terribly tired.”

And she truly was.

After falling down the stairs, she woke up to find that she had spent the entire night entwined with the Crown Prince. It felt as though a carriage had rolled over her while she slept — there wasn’t a part of her body that didn’t ache.

‘Whatever it is, I wish she’d just say it quickly and leave.’

Seraphina rubbed her shoulder and waited for the Lady to speak again. If Lady Mireille withdrew, Seraphina planned to take a short break before going to see Brandt.

Rosalynde, being a maid, was bound by her position and unable to speak freely, but Brandt was a knight. At the very least, he should be able to explain the situation.

“Are you seriously trying to dismiss me right now?”

At Seraphina’s request, Lady Mireille’s eyes flashed and she angrily snapped back. Her tone had become openly hostile.

Feeling put on the spot, Seraphina hesitated before answering.

‘What should I say?’

This was the first time she had spoken to Lady Mireille. As she was part of the Crown Prince’s household, their paths had never crossed before. Nevertheless, through the other maids, Seraphina had heard enough about Lady Mireille to form an impression of her.

Lady Mireille was not known as a kind mistress.

She was said to be demanding and capricious, and to alter her attitude according to her mood.

‘But I’m really exhausted.’

Seraphina let out a quiet sigh. Perhaps the Countess had drained her energy without her realizing — her exhaustion felt even heavier now than before the conversation began.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere made it clear that she could not say whatever came to mind. Seraphina chose her words carefully.

She glanced at Rosalynde, hoping for some sign of guidance, but her friend was pointedly avoiding her gaze. Just as a sharp sense of betrayal tightened her lips—

“So it’s this again. Pretending not to know anything, playing innocent!”

Lady Mireille raised her voice and glared at Seraphina with blazing eyes. The sharpness of her tone made Seraphina’s head throb, causing her to shake it slightly.

“I’m sorry, but I truly don’t know anything.”

This was impossible!

Seraphina dropped onto the sofa with a soft thud, mid-sentence. The jewel-encrusted dress and accessories were far too heavy for her to stand in. Her legs were too weak to support her, making matters worse.

“I don’t even know how I became the Crown Princess. Everyone just calls me ‘Your Highness’ and refuses to explain anything.”

Her words spilled out in the form of a complaint. As Seraphina muttered, clearly distressed, Lady Mireille’s eyes narrowed angrily. It seemed as though she was gauging their sincerity.

“It’s all so strange. Normally, it shouldn’t be me—it should be you, Lady Mireille, who became the Crown Princess. So why am I the one here?”

Lady Mireille crossed her arms. After studying Seraphina closely, she tilted her head.

“Your acting is impressive.”

“…What?”

“You’re soaked head to toe in His Highness’s pheromones, and you claim you don’t know why you became the Crown Princess? And you expect me to believe that?”

Lady Mireille let out a scornful laugh, shaking her head slightly as she continued.

“You’re so convincing I almost fell for it. If not for the pheromones, I might have truly believed you.”

“I really—”

“That’s enough of the performance. I suppose it’s a new strategy, but unfortunately it won’t work on me.”

Lady Mireille cut her off mercilessly, her brows knitting together. She spat her next words without concealing her disgust.

“You’re curious how you became the Crown Princess? It’s because you seduced His Highness the Crown Prince. I was pushed aside by your shameless, vulgar tactic of throwing yourself at a man without a shred of dignity.”

Seraphina’s lips parted slightly at Lady Mireille’s explanation.

It was absurd.

According to her, Seraphina had used her looks to ensnare the Crown Prince.

“Why would I do that?”

“Why ask me? ‘Your Highness, the Crown Princess.’”

Lady Mireille replied through clenched teeth, deliberately emphasizing the title as if to imply that Seraphina had wanted it all along.

But that was wrong.

She had never wanted to become royalty or be the crown princess. Even now, her thoughts were consumed with finding a way out of this situation. It was inconceivable that she would have approached the Crown Prince with such ambitions.

Stunned by Lady Mireille’s words, Seraphina turned to Rosalynde. When Rosalynde tilted her head in silent question, she slowly nodded, her expression troubled.

This confirmed that Lady Mireille was telling the truth.

Understanding the message her friend was conveying, Seraphina pressed a hand to her forehead. Drawing in a steadying breath, she finally spoke, her voice trembling.

“That’s impossible…”

“What’s impossible is Your Highness putting on such a clumsy performance that wouldn’t fool anyone.”

Lady Mireille let out a derisive laugh, then added coldly, as though driving a blade straight into her.

“If you have time for this, you’d better go and pay your respects to Her Majesty the Empress. Word spread that you had awoken, yet you did not come to greet her – she seemed rather displeased.”

“The Empress…?”

Seraphina echoed the words, her voice edged with steel.

The Empress. A rank far beyond anything she could comprehend.

At the mention of the Empress, Seraphina was struck by the sudden realization that she had become royalty. She had never properly seen the Empress, only catching a fleeting glimpse of her silhouette from afar. And now she was expected to speak with her?

The situation felt utterly unreal.

Everything was in chaos.

Becoming the Crown Princess was absurd enough. But to think that she had attained that position by throwing herself at the Crown Prince and that, as a result, Lady Mireille had been cast aside?

If that were true, then from Lady Mireille’s perspective, it would be unforgivable.

If Seraphina were in her position, she would have torn her hair out in rage.

The Empress would surely despise Seraphina as well. After all, the Empress had arranged the marriage negotiations with the duchy. There was no way she would favor Seraphina.

In the Empress’s eyes, Seraphina would be nothing more than a woman who had seduced her son while he was engaged to someone else.

‘My god. I’m basically trash… no, worse.’

Seraphina lowered her hand and looked at Lady Mireille again. Initially, she had found the countess’s sudden intrusion and anger confusing, but now she had heard everything, she felt guilty.

“My lady.”

“What now?”

Seraphina rose to her feet. Then, standing before Lady Mireille, she bent her knees and bowed deeply.

“I’m truly sorry.”

As Seraphina bowed formally and respectfully, Lady Mireille flinched and took a step back. Despite this guarded response, Seraphina remained calm.

“My memory loss is real. You don’t have to believe me—but it’s the truth. So I’ll try to set things right, somehow.”

Upon hearing those words spoken with such genuine resolve, Lady Mireille’s expression twisted.

The next instant, a sickly-sweet scent emanated from her.