Ethella stopped walking.
The voice that came through the crack in the door belonged to Conrad.
Her maid, seeing Ethella approach, tried to greet her quickly—but Ethella pressed a finger to her lips.
Her fingertips trembled.
Her heart pounded.
She had a terrible feeling.
Even though I shouldn't listen... I have to know.
She crept closer to the dining room door.
"We need to bring Olivia back. She came to this house for that purpose, didn't she?"
Conrad's back was visible through the narrow gap.
What does he mean—Sister came here to do something?
Just like at the Princess's tea party, an uneasy feeling swept over her entire body.
"If Ethella were to become Crown Princess—"
What? Sister is the Crown Prince's fiancée. They both love each other—so why is my name coming up?
"—she would suffer so much she'd die from the Empress's poison. I can't watch that happen."
At Conrad's heavy voice, Ethella reflexively thought of Olivia.
Then... what about Olivia?
In an instant, Ethella's face turned deathly pale, as if all her blood had drained away.
I don't understand what any of this means...
Ethella ran blindly back toward her room.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her shoulder.
Startled, she looked back.
It was Jade.
"Brother Jade..."
"What's wrong? What's going on?"
In an instant, Ethella lost all her strength.
Jade shouted, holding the limp girl firmly.
"Are you okay? Someone—call the doctor!"
The servants scattered in practiced order.
Jade stared at Ethella's white face.
What's happening? She has no color at all...
Damn it. I was about to go drag Olivia back from the Grand Duke's residence—but Ethella is more urgent.
Ethella had been weak since childhood. The family had always worried over her.
"Let's get you to bed first. Are you dizzy?"
"Brother..."
"Yes? Tell me..."
"It's not true, right?"
Ethella's voice was desperate.
But Jade couldn't immediately understand—she hadn't named a subject.
"What isn't true?"
"Sister..."
Jade, who had been walking toward Ethella's room, stopped in his tracks.
Ethella's voice trembled.
"She didn't... suffer because of the Empress, did she?"
Jade gritted his molars.
It was something he'd never thought deeply about.
If the Empress is a noblewoman to her core... she would have tormented Olivia as much as she could.
"...I don't know."
But whether that was true or not had nothing to do with him.
Ethella's eyes grew wide and bright.
"Tell me you're lying."
"You have a fever—"
"Then what does it mean that the Crown Princess position was originally mine?"
At that moment, Jade's eyes trembled violently.
---
I looked around my room in bewilderment.
"What is this now?"
I was embarrassed—my voice came out louder than I intended.
But the Grand Duke smiled proudly, as if he'd done something wonderful.
"We renovated it into a room more suitable for rest."
"You took out all the books?!"
I pointed at the bookshelf with a vain look on my face.
I'd taken my medicine, slept well, and woken up—only to find that the entire bookcase filling one wall had vanished.
The books that had been shelved there were gone too.
The Grand Duke's brows drooped as if he felt a little guilty.
His handsome face looked as pitiful as a puppy caught in the rain.
But I didn't let it go.
"I read books during my rest!"
"Who reads books during rest? You're supposed to lie still."
"That's for nursing a serious illness! I'm all better now!"
I smiled confidently.
The Grand Duke could barely swallow the words that she was still in enough pain that reading would be difficult.
Meanwhile, I cleared my throat loudly, as if to prove I was cured.
"Look. My voice is fine. I'm not dizzy anymore either."
I made a silent request for him to return the books.
The Grand Duke pretended not to notice and turned his head away.
If she'd slept a little longer, I would've replaced it with other furniture...
"The blank space seems empty. Should we go buy something else to fill it?"
"I didn't want a new bookshelf—I liked the existing one. I'd be grateful if you'd just buy me new books."
I was quite satisfied with how I'd handled that.
I phrased it well. Now he'll have to bring the bookshelf back.
But the Grand Duke just stared at me blankly.
His long lashes blinked slowly.
He looked surprised, even flustered—as if he'd encountered something completely unexpected.
"...Your Highness?"
"...It's good."
"What is?"
Is there anything good about this situation?
I tilted my head in confusion.
The Grand Duke's eyes curved, and he smiled.
It was a bright, beautiful smile.
"I can't believe you asked for a gift yourself. Are you feeling unwell again?"
"I did not ask for a gift!"
"Don't worry. You said you liked the bookshelf—so I'll return it."
A lazy smile spread across the Grand Duke's face, as if he were in a genuinely good mood.
I really didn't want a gift...
I gave up on replying.
He says it's okay to give gifts, so... I guess it's fine.
Actually, I knew well what that feeling was like.
My face, which had been smiling, blurred slightly.
I remembered the past—when my family and I had prepared gifts for Leopold.
Jewelry. Cufflinks. Homemade sword decorations. Rare old books that were hard to find.
I'd prepared those gifts hoping they would at least accept them.
But they were always left right in front of my door—as if to show off that they hadn't even touched them.
I'd even entrusted Leopold's gifts to his chamberlain.
Now that I think about it... I never saw him wear or use a single one.
Those were things I'd prepared with the hope he'd wear them at least once.
I couldn't help but feel depressed.
At the same time, a heavy sadness engulfed me.
What happened to the pink diamond I left in Ethella's room? And the boutique reservation I made for her...
Did she... want to send it all back?
I forced myself to swallow the bitter feelings rising in my throat and looked at the Grand Duke again.
He asked slowly, making eye contact as if waiting patiently.
"Are you okay? You're not feeling sick again, are you?"
I smiled faintly.
When he asks if I'm okay... it's my right to say I'm not.
But now, I had to move forward.
So—
"Everything will be okay."
Everything. I'll overcome these sad memories and get better.
Only then did the Grand Duke smile gracefully.
"That's a wise answer."
It was a smile so radiant it practically sparkled.
At that moment, I froze—forgetting even my gloomy feelings.
What...?
My heart pounded at the unfamiliar emotion.
I shook my head quickly.
It's gratitude. He does everything for me—there's no way I wouldn't be grateful.
I suppressed the strange feeling.
No matter how much I'd come to rely on the Grand Duke, I didn't want to open my heart so quickly.
And truthfully... it's scary.
My heart was still broken from being rejected—twice—by my family and my fiancé.
"Speaking of which—shall we have dinner?"
The Grand Duke spoke as if to change the mood.
The corners of my mouth naturally lifted.
"Dinner? Sounds good."
I was hungry after waking from a good sleep.
With this much appetite, I could probably finish a whole bowl of soup.
The Grand Duke winked mischievously.
"You need to eat better than before. Otherwise, I'll feed you again."
Suddenly, I remembered earlier.
I sulked and glanced at the Grand Duke, my face growing hot.
My pale, fair face was pouty—but my small earlobes, visible through my hair, flushed red.
The Grand Duke held out his hand to me, hiding his amusement.
"Then shall we go?"
"You really shouldn't tease me..."
Still, I took his hand.
It was then that there was a sudden knock at the door.
When asked to enter, Sobel opened the door and came in.
"I apologize—this is an urgent matter."
Sobel held out three letters, his expression as impassive as ever.
"Letters have arrived from the Imperial Palace. One for Your Highness—and two for the young lady."
---