Facing the man with the splint, Descartes spoke.

“This man works as a gardener at our mansion. Unfortunately, he fell from a ladder a few days ago and broke his arm. Would you be able to heal him?”

“…”

Ines looked at the man’s arm. A broken arm, he said.

She knew that pain better than anyone.

She had transferred such injuries to herself several times when her brother, who enjoyed horseback riding, had fallen and gotten hurt. Her body trembled instinctively.

She was afraid because she knew how intense the pain would be. She wanted to run away saying she couldn’t do it. But…

She quietly bit her lip.

Through Margaret, she already knew how much they knew about Llewellyn working at the farm. As Descartes said, she had no choice from the start.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Ines slowly moved forward. Her steps were heavy as if lead weights were tied to her ankles.

The gardener had a bewildered look on his face, as if he had no idea what was happening.

When she finally reached the gardener, she placed her hand on his arm. Ines’s hand was visibly trembling.

“Are, are you alright…?”

The gardener asked with concern for Ines instead. At his voice, Ines looked up. The man had a kind face that reminded her of a good-natured uncle, and he seemed worried about Ines, who was young enough to be his daughter, trembling.

How ironic that the only person concerned for her here was a gardener she had never met before. Ines felt bitter but was relieved that the person she would heal seemed to be good-hearted.

She comforted herself thinking this was an act of kindness for a good person, not serving the interests of corrupt nobles.

Ines gave the gardener a faint smile. At the same time, a golden light began to spread from her hand touching his arm.

“This is incredible…”

Just as everyone present gasped and stared at the light as if entranced.

With a snap, Ines screamed and collapsed to the floor.

“Aagh!”

“Are, are you alright?”

Startled by Ines’s sudden collapse, the gardener supported her. However, he soon flinched when he saw his arm, now free of pain.

“This, this can’t be. My arm…”

The gardener examined his arm that had suddenly become painless from various angles.

Then he undid the splint and waved his arm around.

“My, my arm is completely healed!”

The gardener shouted loudly as if he had witnessed a miracle. Descartes, who had been watching everything from behind, came forward clapping his hands.

“Just as Baron Delmonsi said.”

Ines glared at Descartes while clutching her now broken arm. Just then, the healed gardener approached Descartes.

“This must truly be the descent of a saint. For my arm to heal in an instant like this, it’s a miracle… ugh.”

But that was all the gardener could say. The unidentified man who had been quietly standing in the back since earlier had cut down the gardener with his sword.

“Urgh… M-Marquis…”

With a thud, the gardener fell and red blood soaked into the carpet.

Ines stared blankly at the scene. She could hardly believe what had just happened before her eyes.

She lowered her gaze. The face of the man who died without even closing his eyes came into view. Just moments ago, she had taken on his broken arm. So why…

At that moment, Descartes crouched down to meet the eyes of Ines who had frozen on the floor.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I’ve taken measures to ensure today’s events won’t leak outside.”

The measures the marquis spoke of referred to the gardener’s death. Only then did her stopped thoughts begin to move again.

She barely managed to part her lips that seemed glued shut.

“…Was there… no other way?”

“Death is the most certain silence.”

Ines turned her head and met Descartes’s eyes.

Descartes had the same eyes as her father.

* * *

By the time she returned from Marquis Descartes’s mansion after completing the healing, it was well past evening.

Ines leaned against the bed’s headboard, looking exhausted as she stared blankly into space.

After confirming her ability, Marquis Descartes had expressed great joy and asked for her continued cooperation.

Then after calling a doctor to carefully treat her, he said there was someone she needed to meet and took her away.

As soon as they entered the room, Descartes approached the bed. Through the swaying canopy, she saw a man groaning in pain.

‘This is my son.’

Ines couldn’t help but be puzzled by the marquis’s words. She had occasionally seen his son at social gatherings.

Far from being sick, he was a robust man known for winning the intense jousting competitions. To see such a man in this sickly state…

Sensing her thoughts, the marquis continued.

‘The one going around outside is an adopted son from a branch family. This child is my real son.’

Only then did Ines understand what Descartes wanted from her. After examining the man lying in bed, she answered.

‘I cannot heal this. I can transfer injuries caused by external factors, but I cannot transfer illnesses that develop inside the body.’

‘You’ll have to find a way to solve this somehow, Your Majesty.’

‘What do you mean…’

‘It means your birth mother will only live if my son lives.’

Ines, recalling Descartes’s words, pressed her fingers to her forehead as if she had a headache. Even though her abusive father had died, her situation hadn’t improved. No, it seemed to be getting worse than before.

She didn’t want to think about anything right now. She was too tired. She even wished she could fall asleep and never wake up again.

How long would she have to do things like this? Why was she born with this unwanted ability and had to suffer like this? Why did I…

‘Will I never be able to be happy?’

Tears that had welled up in her eyes rolled down her cheeks. She wanted to cry out to someone to save her, help her. Then suddenly Carlos’s face flashed through her mind.

“Carlos…”

If I tell you honestly, would you help me?

No, before that, would you even believe me?

After thinking for a moment, Ines got up.

Not even properly dressed, Ines’s steps began heading somewhere.

After walking aimlessly for a while, Ines stopped abruptly upon reaching the Sun Palace. There was an unusual bustle inside the palace. It felt like someone was about to leave the palace soon.

At this, Ines caught a passing servant and asked.

“Why is the palace so busy? Has something happened?”

“Ah, we’re preparing for His Majesty’s provincial inspection tour that begins tomorrow at dawn.”

“Inspection tour? What do you mean…”

“I heard he’ll be away from the palace for about a month.”

At those words, Ines’s face hardened.

‘Carlos is leaving the palace?’

And he would be gone for over a month. Moreover, it wasn’t happening in a few days but tomorrow at dawn.

The news that Carlos would be away from the palace for a month without saying anything was shocking. But what frightened her even more were the nobles’ demands that would intensify while Carlos was away.

Just look at Descartes – he had killed someone to silence them after having her heal the gardener with the broken arm. He had her heal someone he had intended to kill from the start.

Furthermore, he threatened to kill Llewellyn if she couldn’t heal his son.

All this happened even with Carlos nearby, even though she was queen.

If Carlos would be away for a month, she couldn’t even begin to imagine what they might demand of her.

Ines clenched her trembling hands.

‘This can’t go on…’

It might be better to confess everything to Carlos. At least then…

Ines’s steps became urgent.

* * *

When Ines arrived at Carlos’s office, people were just filing out as if a meeting had just ended.

After waiting briefly for everyone to leave, she finally entered Carlos’s room. Perhaps due to preparation for the inspection tour, his eyes were fixed on some documents.

“Carlos.”

When Ines called his name, Carlos finally noticed her presence and looked up.

“I heard you’re leaving the palace tomorrow.”

“I was actually about to come find you at the palace. Tomorrow at dawn…”

Carlos, who had been speaking, suddenly closed his mouth. His gaze fell on Ines’s arm in a splint. He had just noticed that Ines was wearing a splint.

“What happened to that arm…”

Soon his brow furrowed as he took in Ines’s appearance.

“Don’t tell me you came here looking like that?”