“Did you only bring one maid?”
Her gaze turned toward Molly, who was standing off to the side. As soon as she felt the Empress’s eyes on her, she flinched and quickly lowered her head. It was a completely different attitude from how she had nagged me relentlessly in the carriage on the way here.
“Even if it’s a baron family from the provinces, to think you only brought one maid. Tsk tsk.”
The Empress clicked her tongue softly.
“It’s obvious you’ll be looked down on the moment you arrive at the duke’s estate.”
As soon as I heard that, the original story naturally came to mind.
There had never been a scene exactly like this in the original, but when Kaela first appeared at the ducal estate, she definitely had two attendants.
One was Stella. The other was a maid assigned by the Empress.
“So this is what happened.”
The maid assigned by the Empress must have reported every single movement Kaela made in the ducal estate. The Empress had eyes everywhere—she always knew everything.
Kaela had believed the Empress was looking out for her and had been grateful. Even when Stella subtly warned her not to trust the Empress’s servant too much, Kaela had scolded Stella instead, telling her not to be jealous and to get along.
Now, those scenes faintly came back to me. Back then, I hadn’t thought they were important at all.
“This won’t do. I’ll assign you one of my capable girls.”
“N-no, that’s not necessary!”
My voice rose slightly from instinctive refusal. My overly firm rejection made both the Empress and Knox look at me in surprise.
I forced an awkward smile and quickly made up an excuse.
“I’m grateful for the thought, but if someone from the Empress’s side comes with me, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings with the Duke…”
“Misunderstandings?”
The Empress’s eyes sharpened faintly.
“Yes. The Duke is already entering a marriage he is not pleased with. If he finds out someone from Your Majesty is also by my side, what would he think? He might not only refuse to recognize me as his wife, but even misunderstand Your Majesty’s intentions…”
I trailed off slightly, as if seeking their agreement.
Fortunately, the hastily made excuse seemed to work. The Empress’s expression turned thoughtful.
I didn’t miss the timing and quickly added,
“One attendant is more than enough to serve me. Molly, who came with me, knows me better than anyone. Right, Molly?”
I turned to Molly with a smile. She hesitated, wearing an expression that was neither quite crying nor smiling, then reluctantly nodded.
The Empress still looked unconvinced, so I drove the final nail in.
“After the wedding is held, if I need help later, I will ask you first. In this capital, I only have Your Majesty to rely on.”
I smiled faintly and especially emphasized the words “only Your Majesty.”
Perhaps she could no longer insist, because the Empress gave a bitter smile and nodded.
“If that is what you think, I won’t force you.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I bowed my head and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
With that, I had successfully cut off the Empress’s spy who would have watched my every move.
“You must be tired from your long journey. You should head to the ducal estate now. I will handle all preparations, so rest until the wedding day. Since there is a war, the ceremony will be simple.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After politely taking my leave, I exited the Empress’s reception room.
I had been extremely nervous at first, but meeting the Empress hadn’t been as frightening as I expected. Perhaps because I felt that I understood them better than they understood me, I gradually gained confidence that I could steer things in my favor.
“Then I will take my leave here. My subordinates will escort the young lady safely to the ducal estate.”
“Thank you, Sir Knox.”
I exchanged a light nod with Knox, who had escorted me here, and turned away. As I walked toward the carriage, the coachman opened the door for me.
As soon as I got in, tension returned.
‘So I’m finally going to the ducal estate.’
I tried to steady my mind and looked out the window. Unlike my complicated feelings, the weather was perfectly clear.
In a dim yet luxurious room, a thick fragrance permeated the air.
“So she’s clever and easy to talk to. If properly tamed, she’ll serve her purpose well.”
Delzaya adjusted an emerald-studded hairpin against her head, studying her reflection in the mirror. In front of her was a box filled with jeweled accessories, all shimmering faintly.
“Yes…”
Knox replied, but unlike usual, there was hesitation in his voice.
He couldn’t shake off a lingering sense of unease.
‘If you don’t want to die, watch your behavior.’
When he had heard that firm warning from the maid in the carriage on the way to the capital, he had dismissed her as smarter and more spirited than expected.
He had thought that kind of toughness was necessary if she was to become the wife of Duke Ghenkishi and function in that role. After all, if she ran away claiming she couldn’t endure it, it would cause problems on their side. Even if she was going to be the duke’s bride, she seemed to understand her precarious position like a candle in the wind.
But what had just happened was different.
‘Thank you for your consideration. But if someone from the Empress accompanies me, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings with the Duke…’
When she politely refused the Empress’s offer in one breath without offending her, he was genuinely surprised.
Even daughters of noble houses could barely make eye contact with the Empress, yet Stella Enrio was different. She lowered herself appropriately, but still clearly expressed her opinion—and ultimately had her way.
Each moment of her behavior lingered uncomfortably in his mind.
‘That young lady is not ordinary. I hope the Empress hasn’t done something unnecessary trying to weaken the Duke’s influence.’
He could no longer be certain whether bringing Stella Enrio to the capital instead of Kaela Enrio had been the right decision.
A field at sunset was filled with rows of burning field tents.
In front of the largest tent, a banner embroidered with a black lizard flapped in the wind. The atmosphere inside was anything but ordinary.
Gary stood under the flickering light, anxiously watching the back of the man reading a letter.
The Emperor’s illegitimate son. Field commander and war hero. The young man known by countless titles was Duke Ricardo Ghenkishi, the master he served.
Since he could guess the contents of the letter his lord was reading, Gary focused even more on his reaction.
And as expected, the Duke crumpled the letter in his fist after finishing it. Even the faint tremor in his clenched hand showed how much he was grinding his teeth at the Empress.
“So it’s about the marriage again?”
Gary broke the silence first. This was a reality they could no longer avoid.
Without a word, Ricardo threw the letter into the blazing brazier.
Before the campaign began, the Empress had told him—no, ordered him—to choose a bride and prepare for a wedding upon returning from the war.
Arranged marriages with someone he had never even met were common, but the Empress’s intentions were blatant.
“It’s to keep the Guineiro family in check. Even knowing Lady Yelena’s feelings for you, she’s pushing this marriage forward.”
Whether it was the Guineiro family or any other noble house, the Empress had no intention of allowing the second prince to form ties with any powerful lineage. She seemed intent on finding fault with Ricardo, the son she had not borne herself, constantly searching for ways to undermine him.
The bride she had chosen was predictable without even seeing her.
“I never thought she’d go so far as to interfere with marriage itself…”
Gary was furious. His master was a man who would not be unworthy even of the most beautiful and accomplished lady in the empire. To endure such humiliation simply because he had fallen out of the Empress’s favor…
He couldn’t imagine what Ricardo must be feeling.
But Ricardo Ghenkishi was a man of patience until his goal was achieved—like a predator waiting silently for the perfect moment even with prey right in front of him.
“If it’s my mother’s command, as her son I have no choice but to follow.”
Unlike Gary, who could not hide his anger, Ricardo calmly turned his body. Inside, flames raged, but outwardly he controlled every emotion with absolute discipline.
He leaned an arm on the large operational map at the center of the tent, gazing at it as if planning strategy in his mind.
He slowly rotated a red flag in his fingers, representing his army. His expression was careful, as if searching for where the next flag should be placed.
Watching him, Gary thought:
That flag would not be planted on an enemy nation—but on the imperial palace. And ultimately, on the Emperor’s throne at the very top.
He could not even begin to imagine the fury burning inside his master, but thinking of the day he would repay all this humiliation sent a thrilling chill down his spine.
