Chapter – 05
Reneve grabbed the Empress’s hand with a determined expression. Her hand was warm.
If this person had been Lucius’s mother….
The thought crossed her mind briefly, but she soon shook her head.
This was simply a mutually beneficial arrangement. She must not forget that.
Of course, part of it was also the small sense of kinship she felt toward the Empress, who was carrying such a heavy burden alone.
The corridor leading to the Great Hall.
Standing in front of it, the Imperial Consort narrowed her eyes while staring at them.
“I heard you would be stepping away briefly, but I never imagined you would return together with Her Majesty the Empress, Lady of Marquis Seiren.”
Her tone was openly sarcastic, as if daring Reneve to explain herself.
On the surface, the Empress and the Imperial Consort maintained a relationship that appeared civil.
But everyone who mattered knew the truth.
They wanted each other dead.
Reneve had never declared she would take anyone’s side, yet the Imperial Consort had already assumed Reneve belonged to her faction. So to her, this situation felt like a complete betrayal.
“She must have gotten lost on the way to the powder room. She even had tears in her eyes… I felt so sorry for her.”
The Empress spoke playfully while looking at Reneve with feigned sympathy, and Reneve joined this trivial act.
“Thank you again for extending your hand in my difficult situation, Your Majesty.”
The Imperial Consort, momentarily speechless, suddenly grabbed Reneve’s hand.
“Well, she has spent her whole life stuck in the western frontier. Even if she has escorts, they probably can’t properly guide her around the Imperial Palace.”
The criticism suddenly shifted toward Reneve’s knight, Zen.
Feeling a little sorry for him, Reneve gave him a small glance.
Zen’s face had turned red and blue from the insult toward the Seiren family, but after seeing Reneve’s signal, he quickly bowed.
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
The Empress gently released Reneve’s hand and smiled faintly.
“Then enjoy your time, my lady.”
Reneve slightly bent her knees in greeting.
“I hope Your Majesty enjoys your time as well.”
Then, with an unhappy look, the Imperial Consort pulled Reneve along by the hand.
As she was dragged like a dog on a leash, Reneve reviewed their earlier conversation.
‘When the time comes, I will send the signal, Your Majesty.’
‘Good. I don’t know what method you’ll use, but I’ll look forward to it.’
“Looks like you went somewhere far?”
As they entered the Great Hall, the Imperial Consort’s close maids approached.
“Yes. You said you would only be gone briefly, but when you didn’t return for so long, we nearly searched the entire palace.”
Their criticism poured out as they tried to please their mistress.
Reneve simply responded with a faint smile. She had too many bitter memories with them to even want to speak.
“She says she got lost on the way to the powder room. Our Lady Seiren.”
“Should we perhaps put up a sign showing the way from the Great Hall to the powder room next time?”
The maids laughed among themselves.
Reneve endured quietly, anticipating the thrill of revenge that would soon come.
“Oh right. Gather the noble ladies. I have news I wasn’t able to share earlier.”
At the Imperial Consort’s order, the maids scattered across the hall. Meanwhile, she led Reneve toward the center.
“By the way, I don’t see Prince Lucius. Where has our main character gone?”
“Indeed. Surely he hasn’t gotten lost inside his own palace…”
At that casual remark, the Imperial Consort turned to Reneve.
Her expression clearly said such a thing was impossible.
“When he was young, I heard the prince sometimes got lost too.”
Reneve returned the earlier jab with a gentle smile.
“I should have kept my mouth shut.”
The Imperial Consort shook her head as if conversation was pointless.
Then she ordered a nearby maid:
“Bring the prince here.”
“By prince, do you mean the Third Prince?”
At that question, the Imperial Consort’s lips twisted upward.
That was the title she hated most.
Third Prince.
A title that emphasized how far he stood from the throne.
“Your Highness, the noble ladies are coming.”
Reneve deliberately pointed toward the approaching group.
“Go bring Prince Lucius. Now!”
After snapping at the maid, the Imperial Consort quickly composed herself.
“You said you had something to tell us, Your Highness? We’re very curious what the good news is.”
Several noblewomen glanced at the hands the Imperial Consort and Reneve were holding.
They seemed to already guess what she would say.
“Everyone knows Prince Lucius came of age quite some time ago, right?”
The noblewomen nodded.
Reneve lowered her lashes and pretended to listen attentively.
After praising her son for a while, the Imperial Consort finally reached the point.
“So before it gets too late, we plan to arrange his engagement. And the young lady in question is…”
She turned toward Reneve.
At that moment, Reneve—who had been swaying slightly—suddenly collapsed.
“…!”
“Oh my! Lady, are you alright?”
“She was just fine… Does she have some illness?”
“Call the imperial physician!”
As the noblewomen panicked—
“Lady! Wake up!”
Even as the Imperial Consort slapped her cheeks harshly, Reneve kept her eyes shut.
“…Reneve?”
Patrick arrived after hearing the commotion.
“Reneve! Wake up!”
Pretending it was accidental, he pushed the Imperial Consort aside and lifted Reneve into his arms.
Reneve, barely opening her eyes, struggled not to laugh.
“What is this disturbance?”
Finally, the Empress arrived.
She stood before Patrick and said:
“Has Lady Seiren collapsed?”
“This is urgent. Please step aside.”
Patrick sounded irritated.
“Forgive my son’s rudeness, Your Majesty.”
As the Marquis and his heir tried to pass—
“Mmm…”
Reneve stirred and slowly opened her eyes.
“Reneve! Are you alright?”
“My daughter!”
Ignoring them, Reneve looked at the Empress and gave a tiny wink.
Now, Your Majesty.
“It seems you were more worried than you let on…”
The Empress caught the signal perfectly.
“What concern are you referring to?”
The Marquis asked.
“Oh… It seems you haven’t heard yet.”
Reneve stepped down from Patrick’s arms.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier…”
Looking at the gathered nobles, she continued:
“I heard that the Emperor of the Bashker Empire suggested that the First Princess study abroad there.”
Gasps spread.
“It seems Her Majesty was worried about the sickly princess traveling so far… and I happened to learn of her concerns.”
Reneve glanced at the Imperial Consort.
She looked panicked.
Reneve continued:
“So… I volunteered to go in her place.”
“…!”
Her father and brother froze.
The Imperial Consort stiffened.
Lucius, who had just arrived, frowned deeply.
Reneve wondered:
Did the Imperial Consort and Lucius already know the princess would become a hostage?
She calculated quickly.
Outwardly, she looked like a tragic heroine sacrificing herself.
“Reneve Seiren. As the Empress of Paradium, I will remember your devotion.”
The Empress sealed the performance by embracing her.
Reneve glanced at the Imperial Consort, whose glare could kill.
Ruining her plans was already a small revenge.
But it wasn’t enough.
And soon this news reached the Emperor as well.
Inside the carriage returning to the Seiren estate, Reneve felt extremely uncomfortable.
Because the two men sitting across from her were glaring.
“Reneve. That’s not something you decide alone.”
“Why?”
In both the original story and before her regression, the First Princess returned after three years abroad.
But many nobles viewed her negatively.
Because she had lived in the garden where former concubines of Bashker emperors stayed.
Naturally, rumors spread she must have served the emperor at night.
But the truth was different.
