When Ejnar entered the study, he seemed oddly displeased, and Robert seemed to know the reason.

“Should we send the princess back to Tems Palace now?”

He looked at Robert with an expression that said, ‘What are you talking about?’

“Is that why you’re not in a good mood now?”

“Not in a good mood?”

Ejnar furrowed one eyebrow, seemingly unaware.

“Anyone in the main palace would say the same thing if asked.”

Robert shrugged.

“You don’t look happy. You brought the princess back again. Isn’t that why?”

“I don’t necessarily think so…”

As he spoke, Robert stared at him with a puzzled expression.

After a moment.

“Robert.”

Ejnar asked Robert seriously.

“How’s my tone?”

“Your Majesty’s tone?”

“Yes.”

“Bad.”

“…You.”

“Straightforward.”

Robert added with a little more enthusiasm.

“It’s fortunate that you’re a king. If you were a noble, you’d be on the gallows for a heinous crime…”

As Robert spoke, he glanced at Ejnar. By this point, Ejnar should be glaring at him with a terrifying expression, but surprisingly, he was seriously contemplating.

…This was another kind of terrifying.

He couldn’t be thinking of sending me to the gallows for some terrible crime now, could he?

In a hurry, Robert opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, what I meant was…!”

“That much? Me?”

Taken aback by the unexpectedly serious response, Robert was bewildered. What, did he take it seriously? Robert asked in a bewildered voice.

“Who says His Majesty has an unfortunate tone?”

Of course, there couldn’t be such a straightforward person in the world. Nevertheless, seeing him seriously contemplating, he couldn’t help but be suspicious if someone had said such words to Ejnar.

“That can’t be.”

If that wasn’t the issue, then why would the woman cry so much right after parting ways with him? Ejnar remembered the tear stains on Elfreda’s face when she collapsed and furrowed his brow.

Even if she was a barbarian, she was still a princess who had lived like a greenhouse flower. It didn’t seem like he said anything harsh enough to make her cry so much. Besides, why was she crying so bitterly?

Anyway, she was a tiresome and annoying woman.

He shuddered at the thought of her.

The last image of the woman was following him annoyingly. As he casually reminisced, Ejnar shook his head soon after. The annoying woman quickly disappeared.

* * *

Elfreda’s condition improved day by day. During this time, there were no encounters between Ejnar and her. She had promised to stay locked in her room to avoid such situations.

Naturally, Ejnar didn’t go to find her first.

‘That day, I was too sick. My body and mind were completely messed up.’

Elfreda held onto such hope as she recovered.

The only emotion allowed for her was guilt. Any other personal feelings were not only unforgivable but also shameless and audacious. Most importantly, they would make her suffer for a lifetime. He wouldn’t sincerely smile at her even once. So, she had to get rid of those hopes by any means necessary.

“…So, it doesn’t snow much in Machi. Sometimes, if it snows in the current year, it’s considered a sign that the next year’s harvest will be good. That’s why we urgently hold festivals, even on short notice.”

During the days of her stay, Ilene treated her very kindly. She was even kinder and more affectionate than she had initially thought. Elfreda suddenly felt sorry for taking up her busy time. Therefore, she cautiously but honestly expressed her feelings.

“You don’t have to be this kind to me, Ilene. It’s okay if you just bring me a meal once a day.”

In response, Ilene replied in bewilderment.

“Then, you’ll collapse. You should eat twice a day.”

“I mean… Why are you so kind towards me?”

“What I mean is… Why are you so affectionate towards me?”

Ilene responded in more bewilderment.

“You will become the queen. You shouldn’t act cold.”

“But…”

“You seem to be a good person.”

Elfreda paused for a moment at her words. It was absurd, but it seemed like she wasn’t describing her. She was the princess of Makaeri. So because of that, she stared at Ilene puzzledly.

Surprisingly, Ilene smiled shyly as if expressing her sincerity.

“Queen. Even if it’s presumptuous, I think so.”

In the following words, Elfreda’s expression completely blanked. Misunderstanding her reaction, Ilene asked again.

“Are you offended because I treat you kindly?”

Elfreda, faced with a question she had never received before, was momentarily speechless. However, she quickly opened her mouth to explain.

“…There’s no way that’s true.”

Then, Ilene smiled widely, seemingly relieved. Elfreda felt a strange sensation in her chest. It was troublesome. She no longer wanted to return to Tems Palace. Yet, to take this child with her was a petty act.

Elfreda just smiled bitterly at the thought.

* * *

Anyway, her time to leave had come.

Ilene reluctantly saw her off, and Elfreda, though feeling even more regret than Ilene, didn’t show it. She returned to Tems Palace with heavy feet as if there were weight on her feet.

Naturally, no one greeted her. Even Marchioness Magnum warned her sharply when she saw her.

“From now on, don’t walk around recklessly at night.”

As soon as she returned… Elfreda, feeling puzzled, eventually uttered a sarcastic remark.

“You’re really kind to someone who came back from the dead, Missus.”

“It’s just a word of concern for the princess’s safety.”

Her safety.

Elfreda pondered Marchioness Magnum’s words. Actually, it wasn’t entirely incorrect. If she hadn’t walked around that night, she wouldn’t have met him, and then the haunting image from that day wouldn’t exist.

…Up until now.

Elfreda murmured with a bitter smile.

“Thank you for your concern, Missus.”

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