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Chapter 08
Rosana Felix looked at her reflection in the mirror.
The stiff, undecorated dress felt unfamiliar. Rosana casually smoothed the collar, which had no wrinkles at all, pulling it even tighter. The skirt brushing against her legs instead of her usual trousers felt ticklish.
The reason she was wearing unfamiliar clothes was that her position had abruptly changed the previous night.
The Ishtaya–Lorance Empire’s emperor held many titles.
The oldest among them was the Marquess of de Armelia. The emperor, once a marquess’s granddaughter, had a strong attachment to her roots and had left traces of her origin throughout the imperial palace.
One of those was the Armelia Knights, an imperial order operating both inside and outside the palace. Rosana was a member of that order, assigned to internal palace security.
Last night, after finishing her shift and preparing to rest, Rosana had been summoned by Lady Hulyana de Vasquez, the emperor’s trusted attendant and countess.
Exhausted, Rosana had stood before her, only to be given a new order: she was to attend and observe a young lady who would soon be staying in the capital.
“What kind of person is she? I hope she isn’t too exhausting to serve…”
Rosana stood in front of the guest room and knocked.
There was no response.
Rosana grew slightly uneasy. The emperor had just announced that she wanted to have breakfast with the guest, and if that was to happen, preparations had to begin immediately. Rosana opened the door.
“Excuse me, young lady. I am Rosana, assigned to serve you from today—”
She stopped mid-sentence.
The bed was empty. The blanket was in disarray, and indoor shoes were still placed neatly beside it.
But there was no one in the room.
No one.
Her gaze drifted naturally to the open window. A pleasant April morning breeze filled the room, but it did nothing to cool the cold sweat forming down her back.
“Did she… escape?”
At that moment, a rustling sound came from somewhere.
Rosana quickly adjusted her stance and scanned the room, instincts as a warrior sharpening. The presence was above her.
She slowly looked up.
The canopy draped over the bed hung down unnaturally. Beneath the sagging fabric, a rhythmic movement could be seen.
Rosana pulled a chair over and climbed onto it.
The young lady she was meant to serve was curled up on top of the canopy, sleeping as if it were a hammock.
“Sorry. I couldn’t sleep.”
It took some effort to get her down, and even more to separate the two of them from the resulting tangled mess on the bed before they had even properly introduced themselves.
The red-haired girl smoothed out her wrinkled skirt and apologized awkwardly.
“I’m Rosana. I’ll be taking care of you from now on. Please speak comfortably, my lady.”
At the word “my lady,” Astrid’s brow briefly creased. She seemed unaccustomed to noble etiquette and formal titles, suggesting she was not used to high society.
Astrid suddenly held out her right hand.
“Got it. I’m Astrid. Nice to meet you.”
Rosana froze. In general, shaking hands was not an encouraged form of greeting among noblewomen.
Yet, looking at that hand, Rosana felt an urge to take it.
After a moment’s hesitation, she shook it gently up and down. It felt like a small rebellion in the middle of the imperial palace, and strangely, it made her a little excited.
This girl was strange—but in a refreshing way.
Astrid smiled brightly when her handshake was accepted.
“So what am I supposed to do today?”
“Ah—this is not the time for this!”
Rosana snapped back to reality. She had to get the girl ready quickly to meet the emperor on time.
She pulled out a brush from her basket and began vigorously combing through the wild red hair.
——
Thanks to Rosana’s intense efforts, Astrid barely made it in time to the inner palace dining hall.
There was some struggle over clothes—Astrid insisting she could dress herself—but after seeing garments she had never encountered before, she eventually gave up.
Her hair, somehow, had been reduced to a third of its usual volume, neatly arranged as if by magic.
At the entrance to the dining hall, Astrid sniffed her armpit. The salty smell was gone, replaced by a pleasant fragrance. The servants watching her looked utterly confused.
Astrid was guided to the far end of a long table.
As she sat, she wondered what kind of food would be served, when the door suddenly opened.
The emperor entered.
The countess Lady Vasquez shot Astrid a sharp look, prompting her to stand awkwardly to greet the emperor. The emperor sat at the opposite end and gestured for everyone else to leave.
“Good morning, Sasha. You may sit.”
So standing had been correct after all. Astrid sat.
After they were seated, dishes began arriving one by one.
After a while, the emperor spoke.
“About twenty years ago… before you were born…”
“Have you heard of the Battle of Alledo?”
Astrid nodded. It was one of those historical battles everyone in the empire knew at least by name.
“The one where Your Majesty won the war and became emperor?”
The emperor nodded.
“Yes. And the one who led that victory was your father, Faust.”
Astrid froze.
Her father had been a war hero—and had never told her.
And now she had been given a noble title she knew nothing about.
“…So you are Del Ponto now, Astrid del Ponto.”
Astrid didn’t know how to respond and simply stared at her plate.
“Living in my land means you still have much to learn.”
——
After the emperor left, Astrid remained seated in a daze.
Outside the dining hall, Rosana was waiting.
“I want to go outside for a bit to think.”
Rosana guided her to the palace garden.
The garden was beautiful in the morning light—flowers turning toward the sun, neatly trimmed hedges forming pathways.
Astrid looked around at the enclosed walls, layers upon layers of palace structures surrounding her.
Even the vast imperial palace felt like a cage.
“Am I going to live here from now on?”
Rosana replied, “Did Her Majesty not mention it? Once preparations are complete, you’ll move to the Del Ponto estate.”
“I’m being kicked out?”
“It’s not like that. It’s for your own good. An unmarried noble lady shouldn’t stay long in the palace without formally debuting.”
“Debut…?”
Rosana explained: a formal ceremony where noble girls are introduced to society and granted official adult status.
Astrid sighed.
“Rich people really do all sorts of things.”
Rosana laughed. Astrid was strange, honest, and amusing.
——
Meanwhile, Florian Ortez reviewed orders at his office.
A new destination caught his attention.
“Del Ponto estate?”
It had been abandoned for over ten years.
Soon after, he saw orders for large quantities of silk and fine fabrics.
“Are they bringing in a wife or something?”
Later, Astrid was moved to the estate.
There was no luggage—just a single trunk prepared by Rosana.
The estate was in a state of hurried restoration.
Then Astrid noticed a familiar carriage.
Ortez Trading Company.
She instinctively hid behind Rosana.
At the same time, Florian stepped down from the carriage.
Their eyes met.
“Eh?”
“Wait?!”
Astrid bolted into the mansion.
Florian thought the exact same thing—but was suddenly overwhelmed by anger and confusion.
He ran after her.
“Hey, stop!”
“Like I would!”
They raced through the mansion corridors.
Eventually, Astrid stopped, realizing she was faster.
She turned around.
Florian was bent over, out of breath.
“You’re really bad at running,” she teased.
Then she reached out.
The moment her hand touched him—
Thud.
He collapsed.
