At the same time, in Lily Palace.

After receiving a four-leaf clover from the guard knight, Ines experienced a change in her otherwise monotonous daily life. She developed a new hobby of searching for four-leaf clovers in the garden whenever she had the chance.

Even when the maids looked at her strangely as she rummaged through the grass, she didn’t mind. It felt like she finally had a breath of fresh air in her stifling routine.

Ines carefully placed the clover she found that day between the pages of a book. Contrary to Dairen’s claim that they were easy to find, she had only managed to discover two after days of searching.

Perhaps because they were so difficult to find, the two she had uncovered on her own felt even more precious and meaningful.

As Ines closed the book with a satisfied expression, Margaret approached her.

“It’s getting late. You should get some sleep.”

“Yes, I should.”

Over time, Ines felt more at ease with Margaret than with the other maids. It was hard to remain wary of someone who consistently spoke with her best interests in mind.

“What do you plan to do with all those clovers?”

“Well…”

“Why not give them to His Majesty? I’ve heard about four-leaf clovers too. They say they bring good luck. Isn’t that why you’ve been looking for them every day?”

“…That’s true.”

Margaret nodded as if there was no issue.

“Improving your relationship with His Majesty will change how people treat you as the queen.”

“…”

Ines’s eyes widened at Margaret’s advice. It wasn’t that she didn’t know that improving her relationship with Carlos would enhance her situation. It was surprising to realize that someone other than Llewellyn was offering her such advice.

But soon, Ines concealed her emotions.

She had already planned to present the clovers to Carlos after carefully preparing them. Ideally, she wanted to gather several and give him the prettiest and most perfect one, but that was beyond her ability.

Of course, she could have asked Dairen for help in finding some, but it felt more meaningful to discover them herself.

She intended to give Carlos something that held their shared memories to ease the tension between them.

Like finding a four-leaf clover, luck doesn’t come easily. She thought she should try a little harder.

Perhaps it would be good to casually bring up the topic of Countess Ankerid. If she suggested bringing her to the palace to live with them, he might be pleased.

Carlos had always been devoted to his birth mother. She resolved once again to approach him first. She still loved Carlos too much to give up just because of a few hurtful words.

While Ines was absentmindedly fiddling with the book covered in clovers, Raella entered the room with a displeased expression.

She seemed to be looking for someone, glancing around the room.

“Have you seen Uriel?”

“Uriel hasn’t been here. It’s late, so she’s probably asleep.”

“I asked because she’s not in her room. Where on earth could she be?”

Come to think of it, Uriel hadn’t been seen since dinner.

Then again, Uriel had been wandering around the palace on her own since the first day, so it wasn’t particularly unusual.

However, Raella seemed to think differently.

“Your Majesty, please scold Uriel if you see her. Despite her appearance, she seems to lack proper conduct. She goes out every night…”

“She probably just wanted some fresh air.”

Margaret answered indifferently, and Raella’s gaze sharpened as she looked at her.

Although there was an invisible power struggle among them, Ines remained indifferent. She had no desire to get involved in their hierarchy battles.

While the maids chattered on, Ines continued with her own tasks.

Margaret approached Ines cautiously and offered some advice.

“Come to think of it, I heard His Majesty has been having trouble sleeping lately. Why don’t you offer him some tea, Your Majesty?”

“Me?”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to give him those clovers while you’re at it?”

Ines pondered Margaret’s suggestion for a moment. Raella’s expression beside her was quite a sight.

Yes, it wouldn’t hurt to muster a bit more courage and try.

Having made up her mind, Ines stood up.

Declaring that she would go alone, Ines carefully walked out of the room.

Carlos was known to fall asleep late, so he probably wasn’t asleep yet. Even so, her steps toward his bedroom were hurried.

As she approached Carlos’s bedroom, she saw someone lingering around the area. Ines froze at the unexpected sight.

“That girl…”

The woman, barely dressed, was a face Ines recognized well.

It was none other than Uriel.

Unaware that Ines was watching, Uriel cautiously opened the bedroom door. With a ‘click,’ the door closed behind her.

After that, Uriel didn’t come out for quite some time.

* * *

Before long, Ines returned to her room and quickly shut the door. Although no one was chasing her, she appeared as urgent as someone fleeing.

Ines leaned against the door, her body collapsing under the weight of her thoughts. The scene she had just witnessed lingered in her mind.

Uriel entering Carlos’s room. Her attire…

It sparked ominous thoughts.

“Your Majesty, please scold Uriel harshly when you see her. Despite her appearance, it seems her conduct is improper. It looks like she goes out every night…”

Raella’s words echoed in her ears.

Going out every night.

Perhaps it meant she was spending her nights with Carlos.

“Sigh…”

Ines let out another heavy sigh.

The maids had long since returned to their rooms. That was a small blessing in disguise.

If Margaret had stayed, she wouldn’t have been able to hide her expression.

Ines glanced at what she was holding tightly in her hand.

It was a four-leaf clover she had searched for days to give to Carlos.

“Luck, my foot.”

The green leaf crumpled weakly in her white hand.

“There’s no way something like that would come to me.”

Just as Raella had said, it was a pointless act. She felt foolish for believing that finding a few blades of grass would bring her luck.

Ines tilted her head back weakly, trying to calm her pounding heart.

“It’s okay. He just held another woman in his arms.”

It was all too common in the royal family. In some countries, they even had harems for women. It was a cruel world for illegitimate children, but amusingly, it wasn’t considered a problem for a king to have one or two concubines.

She was the only one who loved Carlos, but he didn’t love her back.

So it wasn’t a problem for him to hold another woman for pleasure.

Moreover, he was the king of a country.

Many women desired the position beside a king without an heir. It was only natural. As a queen without power, she had to brace herself for these scandals.

“But…”

Ines’s voice weakened as she muttered to herself.

Amusingly, she began to imagine impure scenarios about what kind of night the two spent together.

What was Carlos like when he held another woman? Was he as ruthless with her as he was with Ines? Or perhaps a bit gentler?

“Probably the latter.”

Unlike with her, he likely had no resentment toward Uriel. So he would have held her more gently than he did with Ines.

Carlos was originally a kind person.

What man in the world could refuse a young and beautiful woman like her?

As her thoughts reached that point, Ines’s shoulders drooped.

With her knees drawn together and her head bowed, Ines murmured, “If Uriel ends up pregnant like this…”

What would happen then? She might find herself powerless and ousted from her position as queen.

If Uriel became pregnant, her situation would undoubtedly become more precarious.

She was already a queen in name only.

With no support from her family or anyone else, the only reason she could stay here was Carlos’s affection.

But if even that affection disappeared, it would be the same as losing her only lifeline. And when that time came, she would have to leave this place.

“I’m so pathetic.”

Once, she had protested against becoming queen by fasting, and now she was struggling to remain by Carlos’s side.

She truly had no excuse for the maids’ criticisms.

It was both amusing and painful to be caught up in negative thoughts and self-reproach, unable to ignore the harsh reality.

“Enough. Stop thinking about it.”

She shook her head, feeling as though she was being swallowed by the misery she had created.

Moreover, she was tired from moving too much on her uncomfortable legs. Given her emotional shock, she desperately needed rest.

Ines struggled to her feet and slowly moved forward. Then, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

The necklace Carlos had given her particularly bothered her.

“……”

After staring silently for a while, she finally took off the necklace.

From the beginning, it had been an item that didn’t suit her shabby and unremarkable self.