Herman bowed his head in response to Carlos’s command.

“Yes, understood.”

As Herman was about to leave to carry out the order, Carlos stopped him.

“Where is Ines?”

“She’s currently in her room, receiving treatment from the doctor.”

Upon hearing this, Carlos stood up, put on his jacket, and left the office. But then, he suddenly paused and gave another order to Herman.

“Dismiss all the guards. If they can’t even stop a child, they’re not needed.”

* * *

Just as Carlos entered the queen’s quarters, Ines was in the middle of receiving treatment from the doctor. The doctor gently dabbed at Ines’s forehead with a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic, examining her wound.

Carlos’s gaze naturally fell on the cut on her forehead. The red wound on her pale skin seemed out of place. Her porcelain-like, fair skin was one of Ines Claudia’s most notable features.

Unlike his mother, who had calloused skin from hard work, Ines had soft, delicate skin, which Carlos admired.

Whenever she got even a small cut on her finger, everyone around would fuss and worry about her. In the past, no one dared to harm Ines. But now, things had changed.

“……”

As Carlos silently watched Ines’s face, he clenched his fist. The doctor, realizing Carlos had entered the room, quickly stood up and greeted him.

Carlos ignored the doctor’s greeting and asked directly,

“How is the wound?”

“Fortunately, it’s not very deep. If you apply the medication properly for about a week, there shouldn’t be any scarring.”

He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved that it was a child who threw the stone. Luckily, the throw wasn’t strong enough to cause serious injury to Ines. Carlos nodded at the doctor’s response.

“Good work. Finish up and leave.”

“Yes.”

With that, the doctor quickly left the room. Silence filled the space afterward.

“……”

“……”

Since Carlos entered, Ines hadn’t looked at him once. When had she started closing herself off like this?

Unlike the past, when they couldn’t stop laughing when they were together, now only heavy silence filled the gap between them. Reflecting on how different their relationship had become, Carlos let out a small sigh before speaking.

“I heard about what happened at the charity house.”

He began with the story of the charity house.

“You were hit by a stone thrown by a child.”

“Yes, as you can see.”

Ines replied in a calm voice.

“I’ve dismissed all the guards. New ones will be assigned by next week.”

Even upon hearing that the guards were dismissed, she still didn’t look at Carlos.

“And I heard the child was the son of the head of the Maxim Trading Company, a victim of the past diamond necklace incident. I understand you were aware of this, and that’s why you forgave him?”

“……”

After a moment of silence following his straightforward question, Ines spoke.

“I didn’t forgive. I just let it go.”

A child had thrown a stone at the queen. Normally, she should have ordered punishment according to the law, but Ines refrained for Carlos’s sake. Yet, she didn’t voice this reasoning.

Instead, she continued in a dry tone.

“Does it matter?”

At her question, he smirked.

“Why would it matter? You did well.”

“……”

“If you had punished the child at this point, you would have been criticized. And I would have been stained with scandal.”

The stain he referred to was Ines. Listening quietly, she bit her lip subtly. She hadn’t expected a different answer. But still, perhaps a little…

She had hoped that Carlos, at least, might get angry on her behalf, wondering why she didn’t punish the child or why she let it go.

But she realized just now how trivial that hope was. As a bitter smile crept onto Ines’s lips, Carlos unexpectedly spoke.

“Since things have come to this, why don’t you sponsor that child, Colin?”

Startled by the unexpected suggestion, Ines looked up quickly.

“Sponsor…?”

“Yes. Think of it as a way to atone for your past mistakes by supporting the child.”

Ines let out a short breath at the man’s order to give money to the child who had thrown a stone at her instead of punishing him. It was absurd.

“Are you seriously telling me to sponsor the child who threw a stone at me?”

“Why not? It’s just a few coins.”

Carlos spoke lightly, as if it were no big deal.

“Just lend your name. You won’t actually have to do anything. Well, maybe meet the child in front of people a few times for appearances.”

It was absurd. The only reason she hadn’t punished the child was because of Carlos. She had swallowed her pride and let it go, fearing he would be criticized because of her. But now, not only was she supposed to let it go, she was also expected to reward the child who had thrown the stone.

And she had to do it herself. Ines felt her heart sink. Even if he couldn’t be angry on her behalf, he shouldn’t have done this. Her pride wouldn’t allow it.

Her hostile gaze toward Carlos reflected her feelings.

“No. I can’t do that.”

Ines replied firmly, her demeanor showing she no longer found the conversation worth listening to. Carlos sighed softly and ran a hand through his hair at her stance.

“You have to. The news that you’re sponsoring the charity house has probably already spread.”

“Carlos!”

For once, Ines raised her voice, angry at Carlos for proceeding without consulting her. But Carlos continued coldly, unfazed.

“Do you still not understand your position?”

“My position?”

Ines let out a hollow laugh, incredulous, and questioned him without backing down.

“What do you think my position is?”

“That.”

Without hesitation, Carlos gestured somewhere. At the end of his gaze lay the dress Ines had discarded, lying messily.

It was the dress she had worn at the charity house today.

“How is your situation any different from that dress? You’re still the queen, yet you can’t even get proper protection from the guards and end up getting hit by a child’s stone.”

“……”

Ines’s lips pressed tightly together at Carlos’s sharp words. There was nothing incorrect in what he said. The dress, once luxurious and beautiful, had long lost its elegance, stained with dirt and blood.

It was just like her fallen status. He reminded her of her misery once more. Ines bit her lip silently. Carlos, interpreting her silence as agreement, continued.

“Then I’ll take it that you agree to sponsor. You’ll go back to the charity house tomorrow and meet the child…”

“No. I did nothing wrong. As I said a year ago, I have nothing to do with that incident. I’m a victim too. Just letting this matter go was a big decision for me. So I can’t sponsor.”

But Ines was resolute. Yes, Ines Claudia was such a woman.

A noble lady who believed herself to be the most dignified in a world full of aristocrats. A proud woman who lost much because of her stubborn pride.

Perhaps letting the child off at the charity house was a mistake. Carlos once liked that about Ines. Maybe it was an admiration for something he couldn’t have. But right now, at this moment, her uncompromising nature infuriated him.

That damned pride.

If she could just bend it a little, things could improve. She could soften the gaze of those who looked down on her. Why on earth…

Carlos suddenly found the whole situation irritating. He was offering Ines, who had fallen into the gutter, an opportunity. Maybe not a life where she was adored by everyone as before, but at least one where she wouldn’t be criticized. So why was she ignoring it?

Carlos clenched his fist and lifted his head.

“Ines.”

He looked at her with a steady gaze, as if offering a final chance.

“Follow my lead on this. It’s for your own good.”