At the Empress’s resolute words, Dante slowly closed his eyes and let out a quiet breath.
She was truly exceptional at tormenting and suffocating others.
And he was furious—not just at her, but at himself for being foolish and careless enough to reveal a weakness she could exploit.
“Your Majesty, this is far too severe a punishment.”
“No, it is not. Considering the agony the Prince endures from such a dreadful illness, it is entirely justified.”
Rosenthal’s voice instantly softened into something kind and sorrowful as she reached out her hand.
Dante frowned as he stared at her long nails, gleaming a deep crimson.
He clenched his jaw.
Then, beneath his mask, his expression twisted as he slowly spoke.
“…What if there is improvement?”
“Pardon?”
“What if my condition is improving?”
The cool tone of his voice gradually changed Rosenthal’s expression.
Her eyes widened slightly, then curved into a beautiful smile.
“Is there progress?”
Dante thought of Letier’s clear, earnest face.
“Prince, is there truly improvement in your condition?”
“Yes.”
Rosenthal nodded in satisfaction, her lips curling.
Yes… The time was drawing near.
It would soon be time to strip away that toy-like mask.
****
Dressed in her nightgown, Letier lay on her bed and stretched her arms toward the ceiling.
As she turned her body this way and that, stretching her limbs, she finally rolled over and gazed out the window.
In the distance, the massive imperial flag in the center of the palace garden fluttered in the night breeze.
The banner of the Trillante Empire, newly replaced not long ago, bore a proud eagle emblem that gleamed under the moonlight. It had been specially crafted for the upcoming Foundation Festival set to begin tomorrow.
“Lady Letier, are you bored?”
Lucy, who had been examining sample containers for an upcoming cosmetics line, lifted her head.
Letier turned toward her, taking in the sight of the many beauty products sprawled around.
“Yeah, I’m bored.”
“Because His Highness hasn’t called for you?”
“That too…”
Letier thought of the prince, who hadn’t sought her out even once since the Forest of Memories investigation ended.
He had spoken so urgently about needing her, and yet…
Ever since they returned to the palace, there had been nothing but silence.
“Well, thanks to His Highness being so busy, the launch of the new line went smoothly!”
Lucy beamed as she held up a bottle filled with product.
Though they hadn’t been able to use the plants collected from the Forest of Memories, the new anti-inflammatory line was a culmination of Letier’s expertise.
With the unexpected free time she had—thanks to the prince’s absence—she had managed to complete all planned experiments and successfully release the new line.
“It’s such a relief we got it ready before the Foundation Festival! Look! We’ve already received a ton of pre-orders!”
Excitedly, Lucy waved a piece of paper atop the table.
It was a ledger filled with the names of fashion-conscious noblewomen and trendsetting young ladies across the empire, along with their requested quantities.
“This time, I think we can expect some amazing sales!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Lady Letier, you should just relax now! We’ll take care of the distribution!”
Lucy sat down, flipping through the paperwork, carefully organizing delivery amounts and destinations.
Letier watched Lucy’s enthusiasm for a moment before burying her face into her pillow.
Lucy glanced at her before speaking again.
“By the way, Lady Letier, it looks like you’ll be spending this year’s Foundation Festival in the capital?”
“Looks like it…”
She had promised her father that she would return home before the festival…
She had only been concerned about the product launch and hadn’t expected the prince’s treatment to drag on like this.
Well, it wasn’t exactly dragging on—it had been impossible from the start.
She pictured Prince Dante’s flawless, unblemished face.
“Hmm…”
But if she played along with his little game, she would never be able to finish the treatment.
Letier began to wonder—just how much longer was she supposed to stay in the palace?
Was it time for her to give up on the treatment, just like the previous healers, and return to her duchy?
Regardless of what she decided, one thing was certain—the prince hadn’t even called for her!
“I need you.”
Dante’s deep, gentle voice echoed in her mind.
But what exactly could she do for him?
Still resting her face against the pillow, Letier blinked her eyes languidly, feeling strangely powerless.
****
The next day, with Lucy’s help, Letier sat in front of a mirror.
Humming to herself, Lucy cheerfully brushed Letier’s hair, seemingly excited about dressing her up for the first time in a while.
“Lady Letier! Wasn’t it a great idea to bring this soft pink dress?”
“Yeah, Lucy, you really are the most thorough person I know.”
“Well, since this is the imperial palace, I figured there would be an event like this!”
Lucy grinned as she pulled a pair of sparkling ruby earrings from a jewelry box in front of the mirror.
She beamed with pride at Letier, who, for the first time in a long while, looked every bit the noble lady she was.
“Lady Letier, you look so beautiful like this!”
“It’s not like anyone’s going to be looking at me…”
“What do you mean? Plenty of distinguished gentlemen will be watching you!”
Lucy spoke as if it were obvious.
Then, as if sharing a secret, she leaned in close to Letier’s ear.
“This is your chance to really make an impression on the noble bachelors of the capital!”
“Make an impression…?”
“Yes! Look around and see if there’s anyone who catches your eye! You never know—you might just end up engaged!”
“…Engaged?”
At the unexpected topic, Letier’s expression instantly hardened.
She had never been interested in engagements or romance, nor had she ever seriously thought about them.
“Why are you so surprised? You’re a grown woman now, Lady Letier. It’s only natural that talk of engagement would come up.”
“But Father…”
She thought of Duke Lenever, who often hugged her and playfully said she should never marry and just stay with him forever.
Of course, she knew she couldn’t stay by his side forever, but that didn’t mean she had ever seriously considered engagement or marriage.
“After the Foundation Festival, there’s always a surge in marriage proposals. The festival is the perfect setting for romance—men and women meet, and noble families seek out future sons- and daughters-in-law.”
“Is that so?”
Letier stared at her reflection in the mirror with little interest.
Her golden waves cascaded over her shoulders, adorned with fresh flower accessories carefully placed by Lucy.
Lucy fastened the ruby earrings to Letier’s ears and straightened the final folds of her dress.
“All set! Now, let’s get you to the palace ballroom!”
In the mirror, Letier slowly nodded.
A short while later, Letier stepped into the grand ballroom where the Foundation Festival banquet was being held.
The hall was lavishly decorated, with the gentle melody of string instruments filling the air.
Taking the champagne glass offered at the entrance, she quietly moved to a corner, feeling somewhat out of place.
This was her first time attending a banquet without a partner.
With so few acquaintances in the capital, she had no one to dance with.
Oddly enough, the thought made her feel lighter.
Leaning against the wall, she let out a quiet sigh—
“Lady Letier, you’re here.”
A voice interrupted her solitude.
Turning her head, she saw Crown Prince Aiden smiling kindly at her.
His silver hair, neatly tied back, matched the elegant white ceremonial uniform he wore.
For a moment, Letier was caught off guard before quickly bowing in greeting.
“Ah, Your Highness! Hello.”
“Did you come alone?”
Aiden stepped closer, speaking frankly.
Letier, having no reason to hide it, answered just as directly.
“Yes. I don’t know many people in the capital.”
“That works out well. I also struggle with making conversation with unfamiliar noblewomen. Would you mind keeping me company for a while?”
He naturally extended an arm toward her.
Letier glanced down at it.
It was hard to believe that the Crown Prince had come to the banquet without a partner.
Then again, this was the palace—things rarely made sense here.
“Are you refusing?”
Seeing her hesitate, Aiden asked again.
At last, Letier slowly placed her hand on his arm.
So much for her plan to remain unnoticed at the banquet—spending the evening with the Crown Prince made that impossible.
“This way.”
Aiden effortlessly guided her toward the center of the ballroom.
Looking down at Letier as they walked, he spoke again.
“I heard you had quite a dangerous experience during the Forest of Memories investigation.”
“Oh, I apologize for causing concern. Fortunately, the imperial rescue team arrived quickly, so I returned without any major trouble.”
“But at that time…”
“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!”
Aiden looked as if he wanted to say more, but at the herald’s announcement, he fell silent.
Letier, unaware of his hesitation, turned toward the ballroom entrance.
The Empress…
She felt her body tense slightly.
This was her first time seeing the Empress since learning about her from Prince Dante in the Forest of Memories.
The things he had told her were too unsettling to believe outright.
A tangled mix of fear, unease, and doubt swirled in her chest as she stared at the entrance.
At last, the grand doors swung open, and the Empress made her entrance.
She wore a striking crimson dress that accentuated her flawless figure, with a pristine white fur draped around her shoulders as she walked leisurely down the red carpet.
Her sleek silver hair shimmered beautifully under the chandelier’s glow.
