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nNaen picked up a small note with trembling hands.

nShe checked the book again just in case she misinterpreted it.

nBut even if she check it again a few times, the contents in it have not changed.

nFlorin’s note reads, “I’ll give you poison, feed the prince’s dog with it.”

nShe couldn’t believe what she just read.

n‘Why is she making me do this?’

nShe didn’t understand at all.

nWhat does the prince’s pet dog have to do with Florin?

nAfter thinking about it, she found the answer.

n‘Is it because of the last marriage story?’

nHer Majesty the Empress invited Florin to the imperial banquet.

nFlorin had reached adulthood, but her mother couldn’t find a marriage partner for her, so the empress wanted to help.

nThe story was formally written in a letter to the mansion.

nIs it because she got angry when she read the letter?

nIt was something Naen couldn’t understand.

nKilling the prince’s dog just because she’s angry?

nAs Naen knows, Florin is not a person who takes out her anger unnecessarily like this.

n‘Why?’

nNaen grumbled all night and found the answer.

nIs Florin trying to keep the empress from retaliating against her?

nNo matter how much she thought, there seemed to be no answer other than that.

nShe’s trying to stir up trouble in the empress’ palace.

nNaen picked up the crumpled note and pondered.

nThe young prince she encountered in the hallway came to mind.

nHe was a really cute prince.

nShe is the youngest of the sisters, so she doesn’t have a younger brother, but she thought it would be good if she had a cute younger brother.

nNaen smoothed out the note in her hand.

n‘I don’t think I can do this.’

nIf it’s a matter of her sister’s life or the fate of the family, she will go out of her way to help.

nTo do something that hurts an innocent animal and makes the young prince sad even if there is no big purpose, she doesn’t think she can do that.

n‘About my sister’s marriage matter….., I will have to tell her in person that I think it’s better to find another way.’

nOn the banquet day, Florin will enter the imperial palace.

nI’ll meet her in person that day and tell her I can’t do this.

n***

nAstelle was sewing by the window overlooking the garden. The afternoon sun warms the garden full of flowers.

nIt was a quiet afternoon.

nWhile looking around the sunlit garden, she was inserting a needle into a plump cotton doll, and a low voice came from behind.

n“Why don’t you have the maids do it?”

nShe turned around and saw Kaizen coming inside.

nAstelle stood up. Kaizen frowned as he looked at the sewing box on the table.

n“Why are you doing this?”

n“Theor’s doll is broken again.”

nAstelle turned over the teddy bear she was holding and showed the torn part.

nThere was a hole in the doll’s back the size of a finger.

n“It’s too old. Buy him a new one.”

n“Theor likes this the most. It’s a doll that has a special meaning for him.”

n“Then you should have the maids fix it.”

n“It’s so old that it’s hard to fix.”

nAstelle smiled lightly, but Kaizen still looked dissatisfied.

n“But you’re busy with your work…..”

nThere was a hint of concern in his complaining voice.

nAfter the toy box incident, her relationship with Kaizen returned to normal.

nKaizen slept here once every two days.

n“The banquet work has been completed to some extent. It will go on without any problems,” Astelle changed the subject.

n“After the banquet, you will be busy preparing for the harvest festival.”

n“Yeah.”

nJust as the emperor is busy with government affairs every day, the empress also lives frantically throughout the year with the imperial housekeeping and preparations for official events.

nKaizen looked at the window where the sunlight was coming in for a moment, then spoke in a low voice, “I will be participating in the hunting competition at the upcoming harvest festival.”

n“You will participate in the hunting competition?” asked Astelle in surprise.

n“Why?”

n“…..nothing.”

nAstelle frowned.

nShe didn’t understand why His Majesty the Emperor was planning on going to the hunting competition.

nHe was a teenager when he was the crown prince, so it was nice to participate and win prizes.

nIt was a bit strange to do that until he became emperor.

nIn common sense, no one will enjoy the competition if the emperor takes part.

nKaizen seemed to have noticed what she was thinking.

n“I didn’t participate last year either.”

n“Is there any special reason for this year?”

nKaizen did not answer. Is there any reason why you can’t say it? Suddenly, Astelle remembered the hunting competition when she was a teenager.

nKaizen dedicated a wreath to Astelle every time he won the competition.

nAstelle dried the flower crowns carefully so as not to break them, and she kept them precious.

n‘What happened to those flower crowns?’

nWhen she divorced and left the capital, she left them in the mansion.

nMaybe the maids threw them away while cleaning.

n“Anyway, the royal attendant will also help with the harvest festival. So don’t overdo it,” Kaizen changed the topic.

nHe didn’t seem to want to talk about the hunting competition anymore.

nAstelle just nodded.

n“Alright.”

n“I’ve told you many times, but if there’s anything I can do to help you, feel free to let me know.”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

nAt Astelle’s indifferent answer, Kaizen’s gaze turned to her again.

nThere was a lonely look that stayed for a while in his eyes and then disappeared.

n***

nNaen moved her steps with no energy.

nThere were no people in the garden by evening.

nShe walked along the side road of the garden with as little effort as possible.

nAfter worrying anxiously for several days, she came back to the garden.

nFlorin’s note was burned that night.

nShe was worried that Florin sent her a new note and poison and hide them in the garden.

nIt’s okay because no one can interpret the code in the note no matter who finds it.

nBut the problem is different if one finds the poison hidden next to it.

n‘I better get rid of it.’

nThat’s why she came to the garden.

nNaen went to the place where she found the note every time.

nWhen she lifted the stone under the tree, there was a small folded paper and a small pouch under it.

n‘As expected, you sent it too.’

nShe quickly grabbed the note and pouch and turned around, but someone appeared next to the tree on the opposite side.

n“Miss Naen.”

nHer heart almost stopped beating.

nIt was the maid of the empress’ palace.

nShe approached Naen and spoke, “Her Majesty the Empress is looking for you.”

n“Oh, no, I……”

nWhen she heard the word empress, she could realize the reality even in embarrassment.

nShe has been watching over me. Was she deliberately waiting for me because she knew I would come here?

nNaen clutched the pouch in her hand desperately.

n“I, I….., this is….., I am not…..”

nShe had to make excuses, but she couldn’t think of anything to say.

nSuddenly, she came to the garden and picked up a note and pouch hidden under the stone.

nIt was suspicious to anyone who saw it. She had no excuse.

nThe maid urged her, “Miss Naen, Her Majesty is waiting. Speak directly to the empress.”

n“……”

nShe wanted to run away, but there was nowhere to escape.

nNaen followed the maid with the pouch in her hand.

n***

n“Your Majesty the Empress, I have brought Miss Naen here.”

n“Let her in.”

nThe empress was doing the rest of her work in the break room.

nNaen walked in with shaking legs.

nThe empress looked at her with an unusual look.

n“Miss Naen, I’m sorry for calling you suddenly when you were done with your work.”

n“Oh….., no, Your Majesty……”

nNaen was as pale as a corpse.

nAstelle looked at the organized documents and spoke in an indifferent tone.

n“I knew that Lady Florin and you exchanged notes.”

n“I beg you pardon?”

nNaen’s face turned paler.

n“I know what’s written in the note. I’m sure Miss Florin sent the poison. Did you bring it?”

n“Well, that’s……”

n“Miss Naen. I asked you, did you bring it?”

nNaen clutched the pouch in her hand and barely nodded.

n“Yes……”

nAstelle put down the document, looked directly at her, and warned, “You know that bringing poison to the empress’ palace is a grave sin, don’t you?”

n“I, I……”

nNaen trembled and bowed her head.

nHer eyes were full of tears.

n“I didn’t mean to do what my sister told me to do. I just brought it because I thought I shouldn’t leave it there.”

nNaen explained the situation.

nHer sister told her to kill the prince’s dog, but she didn’t want to.

nShe just thought she shouldn’t leave poison in the garden, so she brought it after much deliberation.

nIt was roughly that.

n“……please, believe me, Your Majesty.”

nNaen cried and begged after she finished explaining.

nAstelle silently observed Naen, who was trembling in fear.

nShe didn’t seem to be lying.

nShe was already monitoring Naen and was carefully watching her actions.

nNaen did not reply to Florin’s note last time.

nIn the meantime, she didn’t even go near the garden, but only today she went outside.

n“Okay, I’ll trust you.”

nNaen raised her head as if she had found hope.

nLooking at her teary face, Astelle asked calmly,

n“Can you do what I tell you instead?”

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