Aris was only able to get out of the carriage after hearing the Marquis’s reprimands like “Don’t forget, remember” several times.

She was struck anew by the fact that she had rebelled against her father. It wasn’t a bad feeling to see her father, who always gave orders and treated her as if she didn’t exist, now being so anxious and attentive.

‘I guess this is why people do rebellious things.’

After the Marquis got out first, Aion and Aris followed.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to call it a ‘social gathering’ — several familiar nobles could be seen from the entrance.

As expected of the Eldeiz family, which dominated the East, many nobles came to greet them. Because of this, Aris had to break a sweat. Since it was Aris’s first time attending such an event, the nobles almost invariably mentioned her in their greetings.

After the hectic round of greetings ended, Aris finally caught her breath. Aion nudged her arm.

“Sister, you’re amazing. I thought you’d be too scared to say anything.”

“No, I was really nervous.”

At this time, Aris had lived a life like a flower in a greenhouse, so standing in front of so many people was extremely awkward for her.

However, she had almost overcome it by the time she became Empress. If she didn’t, she felt the person she wanted to be noticed by would look down on her.

While she was whispering with Aion, Marquis Eldeiz welcomed someone with open arms, his face beaming.

“It’s been a while, Count Magren.”

“It’s good to see you, Marquis Eldeiz. Today you’ve brought not only your son but your eldest daughter as well.”

It was Count Magren, who hosted the horse race every year. Aris grabbed her skirt and greeted the elderly man sincerely.

“Hello, Count Magren. I’m Aristena Eldeiz, daughter of the Eldeiz family.”

Count Magren nodded kindly with a gentle smile.

“It’s an honor to meet the much-talked-about Lady Eldeiz in person.”

At the Marquis’s words, Aris flinched for a moment. But soon, realizing that the ‘rumors’ he mentioned were not about her shameful reputation from her past life, but about her engagement to the Crown Prince, she smiled modestly.

After exchanging brief greetings, Aris stepped back and watched the Marquis and the Count converse.

‘I’m really… How can I be so timid?’

Thinking dejectedly, she turned her gaze. Everywhere she looked, there were people. It seemed that nobles from all regions had gathered.

‘There are many familiar faces.’

Most of them were people she hadn’t seen in a long time, due to her past life experience. And the majority of them had criticized her. Even though she no longer heard voices of condemnation, Aris still felt as if murmuring voices were crossing her ears. She started to feel a bit suffocated.

Just as she was about to turn her head away due to the discomfort, Aris spotted someone at the corner of her vision. She froze as if suddenly broken.

“…Sister?”

Aion, who had been listlessly overhearing the boring conversation between Count Magren and his father, sensed something was off and called out to her. Aris was looking in that direction with a face full of shock.

Trembling slightly, she soon abruptly turned her gaze away from there. Her face had turned pale.

“Sister, what’s wrong? What’s over there?”

“Nothing… It’s nothing. Father, I’m not feeling well after the long carriage ride… I’ll excuse myself for a moment. I’m sorry…!”

Hastily blurting out these words, Aris staggered away as if fleeing. Her hands, full of her skirt hem as she ran, were tightly clenched.

‘Why, why is that person here…’

Aris’s heart pounded violently.

Among the countless crowd, there was one person who stood out at a glance. A person with magnificent silver hair, as if moonlight had been poured on it. A person she could never forget no matter how hard she tried.

Aris only stopped running when she reached a secluded place with almost no people. Since she wasn’t breathing properly while fleeing all the way here, her breaths were labored and her head was spinning.

What should she do if she met him again?

Aris had been constantly thinking about this since returning to her body from 8 years ago. But even in that parade of questions, there was no answer she could reach.

Whenever she thought of him, her mind went blank and she couldn’t continue any other thoughts. It always ended up with the strange idea that she shouldn’t get involved with him, rather than an answer.

‘Why did he appear here of all places? Was it like this in my past life too?’

Although it was a horse race held in the East, those interested would come from the West as well.

But it was unprecedented for a person at the center of the Western Imperialists to come to a place teeming with Eastern nobles.

‘Could it be for harmony… Is that why he came?’

If he came to strengthen ties, his appearance wasn’t entirely nonsensical.

Aris buried her face in her hands in despair. If she went back like this, she would inevitably have to greet him.

‘I guess it can’t be helped…’

She raised her head as if giving up after worrying for a long time. But unlike before, her view was now shadowed.

“Are you alright?”

Aris gasped in surprise at the voice. There was someone in front of her, even though she hadn’t sensed any presence.

A pounding sound echoed in her ears. Aris grasped her clothes with trembling hands. She didn’t even know what state of mind she was operating in.

“I, I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince, the small sword protecting Belvaiden. I am Aristena Eldeiz, daughter of Marquis Eldeiz.”

It was just her head commanding her. That she shouldn’t make foolish mistakes in front of this person. That she shouldn’t disappoint him.

Even though she’s no longer his wife. Even though there’s no need for her to be flawless anymore. Her head was ordering that it must be so.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Eldeiz. But is there something troubling you?”

“Ah, no. It’s just dizziness from carriage sickness… That’s all it is.”

“Carriage sickness…”

Kalaian muttered softly with a serious face and then glanced at Aris. Cold sweat began to form on her hands.

Western and Eastern people differed in many ways, from build to constitution. Western people were generally sturdier than Eastern people, perhaps because they lived in harsh environments where monsters poured out and seasonal changes were extreme.

However, the person in front of her was from the imperial family, called the sword protecting Belvaiden, and was twice as sturdy as ordinary Western people.

And unfortunately, Aris was particularly weak even among Eastern people. Half-consumed by fear and anxiety, Aris thought nervously.

Will he think I’m pathetic? Will he think I’m feigning illness? Will he look at me coldly and think I’m lying?

Kalaian, who had been silent, spoke.

“You seem to be quite delicate, Lady Eldeiz.”

He stared at Aris for a moment with a thoughtful expression.

Aris felt she couldn’t endure this suffocating situation in her right mind. It seemed like being by her father’s side would be more comfortable.

“Th-thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to check on me. I, I should go…”

“Wait.”

Aris, who had been barely managing to say goodbye with a trembling voice, stopped her actions. Is he going to point out that I stuttered this time?

However, what he said was quite different from Aris’s expectation.

“I received your reply to my proposal well. You rejected it.”

“Ah… yes.”

“However, Marquis Eldeiz gave me a positive answer regarding the engagement. Is there a reason you rejected my proposal, going against your father’s opinion?”

Aris looked at him with wavering eyes. Kalaian had a serious look in his eyes.

‘Did he open the letter himself…? Or did he hear it from someone else?’

Perhaps he thinks that having his proposal rejected would damage his reputation as the  crown prince. After pondering how to answer this, Aris opened her mouth.

“I have no intention of harming Your Highness’s status. It’s just that the position is too much for me.”

“If that’s the only reason…”

“No! That’s not all…!”

In her urgency, she inadvertently interrupted the Crown Prince. Although she realized her mistake belatedly, Aris continued speaking.

“I… I want to live my own life. Such a high position is different from what I want. I’m truly sorry, Your Highness.”

Aris bowed her head in apology. She squeezed her eyes shut as if the past events were flashing before her eyes.

What had she achieved by ascending to the position of Empress? Aris, who couldn’t even gain recognition in her family due to her weak body and unremarkable intellect, ultimately failed to gain recognition there as well.

Must she spend her entire life as an insignificant existence, never receiving recognition? Blaming herself for being born this way? Or to go as far as blaming her very existence.

But she didn’t want that. Aris believed that there must surely be a place where she could be useful in some other choice.

Aris resolutely steeled herself and raised her head. But at that moment, a shrill ringing sounded in her ears.

Aris reflexively furrowed her brow and then relaxed it. She wanted to grab her ears, but couldn’t because the Crown Prince was in front of her.

‘What on earth is this sound?’

It didn’t seem like a simple ringing. It was a sound that stretched very long, from over there to where Aris was.

Feeling strange, she looked at Kalaian, but he didn’t seem to hear any sound.

After a while, the ringing gradually subsided.

‘I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about Aion… Am I like this because I’m tired?’