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Chapter 10
“How would I possibly know that, Your Highness?”
Only then did Empress Gisela answer, her face adorned with a gentle smile.
I gave a faint chuckle at her words, and the Empress’s expression hardened.
Still, she quickly returned to her smiling face and asked,
“Why don’t you interrogate them?”
“Unfortunately, I killed them all.”
I replied with a smile.
“I’ll make sure to leave some alive next time.”
“Do that, please.”
The Empress answered seriously.
“I’m very curious about who’s behind all these attempts on your life.”
“Well… probably whoever stands to gain the most from me disappearing.”
“Is there really such a person in this empire? Everyone benefits from your abilities.”
“Exactly.”
I let out a short sigh.
“How lacking in self-awareness they must be.”
“That’s why I suggested assigning guards to you, but she keeps refusing,”
The Emperor, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. The Empress sighed and asked,
“Why would you refuse, Princess?”
“I already told His Majesty — those guards might include the very people trying to kill me.”
“Oh my, surely His Majesty would carefully select trustworthy ones.”
“I prefer keeping my life in my own hands.”
Good. Up to this point, I’d been perfectly rude — just like the original Renée.
Only then did I let a hint of my real thoughts slip out.
“It’s just… this life is getting tiresome. I’ll be getting married soon anyway, so I’m thinking of leaving the palace.”
At that, all three pairs of eyes flickered in unison. I pressed the advantage.
“Maybe I’ll raise a cute husband and clever little fox-like children somewhere quiet. What do you think, Father?”
“That’s out of the question, Renée. The successor hasn’t been decided yet.”
Normally, even a princess was considered part of another household once married — but when the heir was undecided, exceptions existed.
“Oh, come on. It’s obvious Anton will be chosen. There’s never been a female emperor in the history of the Shuttade Empire.”
Their gazes now turned strange, as if they were staring at a stranger.
Had I gone too far? I quickly took a step back.
“Of course, I am an unprecedented kind of mage myself.”
“To talk of succession already, that’s absurd, Princess.”
The Empress shook her head sharply, as though to forbid such words.
“His Majesty is still young. It’s far too early to discuss heirs.”
Of course she’d say that — given the Emperor’s current triumph, naming a successor now would only make Renée, the war hero, the most likely candidate.
And that was something even I didn’t want yet.
It was funny, really — we actually got along quite well when you thought about it.
“Well, it’s true, Your Majesty is still young enough to have another child right now.”
“At an age to see grandchildren, what nonsense.”
“Exactly, Your Majesty. Which is why I hope to have the wedding as soon as possible.”
“You truly mean to marry that slave?”
The Empress’s voice rose in alarm. I immediately corrected her.
“He’s not a slave — he’s the rightful prince of Kiel. My future husband.”
“I’ve heard he’s handsome… but what about Duke Rommel? He’s not lacking in looks either.”
Ah, so that’s what she was really interested in.
No wonder — my marriage to Joachim would indeed be a threat to her.
I gladly gave her the answer she wanted.
“I’m not marrying the duke.”
“But he escorted you today, didn’t he?”
“Well, my husband-to-be is still imprisoned, so I didn’t have much choice.”
Her probing questions were getting annoying. I frowned slightly before adding,
“I’ll hold the ceremony as soon as preparations are complete. My twenty-fifth birthday isn’t far off anyway.”
“There’s still half a year until then, Renée.”
“Well, if I want to bring you news of a grandchild by then, I’ll have to hurry, won’t I?”
The words came out lightly, though they meant nothing at all. I rose from my seat.
“Then I’ll excuse myself. Suddenly I can’t stand it — I miss my husband-to-be too much.”
That was the main reason I’d come here anyway: to make my marriage intentions perfectly clear.
I gave a small bow and left the banquet hall.
My early departure left Elsa looking flustered.
“Where is Friedrich?”
“He’s waiting in the princess’s palace.”
I headed straight to my residence. I planned to dine with Friedrich —
so that rumors would spread that the princess had left a banquet with the Emperor to see a prince from a defeated kingdom.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.
Dinner with a handsome man was far more enjoyable than one with loveless family.
“This is the prince’s room.”
At the door Elsa pointed to, I knocked. No sound came from within.
He might already be asleep, I thought. Poor man — I shouldn’t wake him.
“Your Highness?”
Just then, the door opened with a click, and Friedrich appeared.
His shirt was slightly unbuttoned, and his eyes were still half-closed with sleep.
“Oh dear.”
I gave an embarrassed laugh.
“I must’ve woken you.”
“I was just about to get up.”
“Liar.”
His lashes were still heavy with sleep. I reached out and brushed under his eyes teasingly; he flinched slightly, shoulders tensing.
“Go back to sleep. I’ll tell the kitchen you can eat whenever you like.”
“…I really was about to get up,” he murmured softly.
“I’m hungry. I barely ate lunch…”
Come to think of it, I was hungry too. I turned to Elsa.
“Dinner, please, Elsa. We’ll eat in…”
I almost said the banquet hall, then turned to Friedrich instead.
“Where would you like to eat? The banquet hall is grand, but the garden’s lovely too.”
“Anywhere is fine.”
“Then let’s go to the banquet hall. It’s a bit chilly outside.”
Friedrich nodded, and I led him there.
Wow, this is almost as magnificent as the Solar Palace banquet hall.
The moment we stepped in, I was struck by the walls lined with brilliant paintings, followed by marble sculptures gleaming under soft light.
The hall was practically an art gallery.
“It’s beautiful,” he said quietly.
“Isn’t it?”
I looked around in awe. I remembered the general layout from Renée’s memories, but not the detailed interior — it was breathtaking.
Then it hit me that such a reaction might seem odd coming from Renée, so I hurriedly added,
“It’s just… it feels different seeing it again after so long, haha. Sit wherever you like.”
Instead of taking the head seat, I chose one directly across from Friedrich.
He seemed a bit taken aback.
“Are you sure you should sit there, Your Highness?”
“It’s not proper etiquette, but who cares.”
I shrugged.
“Look — there’s no one else here.”
He seemed to consider that for a moment… then suddenly stood and moved to sit beside me.
I blinked.
“What are you doing?”
“There’s no attendant,” he said simply.
“You don’t have to— really.”
I frowned slightly.
“I told you, there’s no one to see. You don’t have to serve me. And I’m perfectly capable of feeding myself.”
Then, feeling mischievous, I added jokingly,
“Or have you just gotten used to waiting on me already?”
Friedrich said nothing. I was about to apologize, thinking I’d gone too far, when—
“…Maybe I have,” he said quietly.
I froze for a moment, then my eyes fell to his wrist.
The shining silver cuffs that had caught my eye so many times over the past month — were gone.
I stared before I could stop myself, and he must have thought I was curious about his wrists, because he rolled up his sleeves.
Friedrich’s skin was always pale — almost translucent — but the area around his wrists was different.
It was so unnaturally white that it looked carved from marble, sharply contrasting the rest of his skin.
I reached out without thinking and touched that area.
“It’s true,” I murmured.
“…”
“This isn’t something that would form after just a month in cuffs.”
So he really had spent five long years imprisoned, chained, and occasionally threatened with death?
“You…”
I frowned, looking at him closely. He lowered his gaze calmly.
“You’ve suffered far more than I imagined.”
The moment I said it, Friedrich’s long lashes trembled. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet mine.
He looked utterly stunned — as if he’d just heard something impossible — and those eyes, wide with disbelief, pierced straight through me.
