As if he read Eve’s mind, Charles spoke up.

“Don’t give yourself so easily to other men. Men are all wolves.”

“…I can handle it on my own. And your expressions are quite peculiar.”

“I only spoke the truth.”

“…”

“Why is your waist so thin? Are you skipping meals?”

“Be quiet. I can drop you anytime.”

“You’re the one who insisted I grab your waist in the first place.”

Yes, Eve understood. That’s why she couldn’t express her anger freely. It was truly irritating.

While Eve muttered in annoyance, Charles’ laughter echoed.

“Don’t laugh.”

“Your neck is all red. Is it my fault?”

“And your way of speaking… trying to act like an emperor?”

“Yes, Eve. Trust me like that.”

Back and forth it went. An irritated Eve grumbled as the sound of Noah approaching rapidly, raising dust, caught their attention.

“Milady! I will never allow the two of you!”

“…I wasn’t going to take him away.”

Noah glared at Charles, who looked as if he was ready to devour her. Charles leaned on Eve’s shoulder as if to say, “Ah, scary,” and laughed.

“Hey…!”

Noah was unable to say something that he wouldn’t dare in front of the lady and squinted. Charles just shrugged, leaning even more on Eve.

“Don’t tease a child.”

In the end, as Eve scolded Charles, he casually shrugged.

“Stop it. It’s not good to be too harsh on adults, Eve.”

“But you’re the one making fun of an adult.”

“Well, you don’t even say a word.”

Charles chuckled once more, clearly amused by Eve’s discomfort. Then he held her hand, gripping the reins more tightly.

“Let’s stop. Where are we going?”

“To play a bit more.”

“Really!”

Charles continued to enjoy the ride, paying no heed to Noah’s calls. Eventually, the sound of hooves slowed as they reached an unknown location.

“Where are we going?”

“Just need a short break.”

“Hmph!”

Rocky roared as he began to accelerate again. Eve had become accustomed to the speed but was now taken aback.

“Milady!”

Noah shouted, but they were already rapidly distancing themselves.

“Hey, where are we going!”

“Just wanted to play a little more.”

“Seriously!”

Eve complained, yet Charles remained unfazed. Passing through a flat road, Eve lost track of how far they had come when Charles finally slowed down.

“Hey, Rocky! What if you understand others better than me?”

With an exasperated sigh, Eve, tired from the sudden burst of speed, scolded him while gently patting Rocky’s mane.

“I didn’t mean to surprise you.”

Hesitating for a moment, Eve ignored Charles’ offered hand and remarked, “I wasn’t surprised, just tired.”

“Well, that’s a relief then.”

Smoothly retracting his hand after the rejection, Charles responded nonchalantly.

Eve glanced around the dim surroundings and sat down on a nearby rock.

Observing her, Charles made a comment, as if finding it intriguing, “Everyone used to talk about how petite you were.”

“That was before I got married. I was quite mischievous in Lorange. Just… I heard being submissive was considered a virtue for a wife.”

“Who said that, Arsen?”

“…”

Confronted with Eve’s silence, Charles chose not to press further. He knew it might have been a wrong choice to ask.

“More than that, Eve, I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“For speaking harshly about you and your family back then.”

Surprisingly, Charles’ apology left Eve feeling flustered.

“I’ve already apologized before.”

“I felt like I needed to do it properly. Speaking ill of someone’s family like that wouldn’t have made anyone feel good.”

Eve became somewhat awkward in response to his comment.

“I’m not blameless either. It’s not right to hit people, whether you’re the Emperor or not.”

Eve sighed as she spoke.

“Our family is a bit complicated. You can tell from Nana and Noah, the fiery tempers run in the family. Takes after our maternal uncle. And… I have a bit of a temper, too.”

Having endured so much since her previous life, Eve now felt a tinge of regret as things started to unravel. She had vented her frustrations on someone who didn’t deserve it.

“I’m not perfect. When you’re angry, it’s okay to express it. I’ve kept it in for too long, and it’s not good. It explodes later.”

“…Seems like that’s so.”

Once again, Eve realized that this man was different from Arsen.

Following the moment of sincerity, Charles shifted his tone and spoke cheerfully.

“Now, Eve, let’s go back. We’ve teased Noah enough.”

“Let’s.”

Eve agreed and reached her hand toward Charles.

“Ride together.”

* * *

A fortnight passed in the blink of an eye. Every day, Eve counted down the days, eagerly awaiting this moment. However, there was nothing special during this fortnight that convinced her otherwise.

Charles interfered in everything, played pranks on Noah, and teased her with mischievous laughter. He remained the same as before, unchanged.

‘What’s there to be convinced about?’

Eve reminded herself of the saying, “If he’s the emperor, then I’m the empress.” She reaffirmed this thought.

Finally, Eve handed the divorce document to Charles.

“As promised, it’s been a fortnight. Please sign it.”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

Expecting some elaborate last-minute persuasion, Eve was taken aback by Charles’ prompt response.

‘Did he give up…?’

As Eve hesitated, Charles, on the verge of signing the document, suddenly sighed as if recalling something.

“Eve, before that, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

‘Is he trying to stall again?’

While Eve pondered Charles’ intentions, she was surprised to see Tiago bring a man into the room.

“Who is this person?”

“The one you were looking for.”

“What?”

Charles chuckled, gesturing to Tiago to speak. He seemed to have realized something unexpected.

Eve asked with her eyes, but Charles turned his gaze as if to say, ‘Listen to the story.’

“At that time, we made a deal together and cheated nobles out of their money. Then, suddenly, we encountered a person who claimed to be the emperor…”

“So, is the person claiming to be the emperor this man?”

In response to Eve’s question, Tiago looked bewildered and shook his head.

“No. There was a woman. She was incredibly beautiful, and… It seemed like he was captivated by that lady.”

Snap.

Upon hearing that, Charles’ quill, held tightly, snapped. Tiago shrank back, frightened.

“Sorry, sorry…”

Charles apologized to Tiago, who seemed to be trembling in fear.

“Now, tell us more. What happened to that woman?”

Eve’s face drained of color as she asked.

“After that incident, she cut off contact with me… I found out later that the lady’s companion sold the ring and realized it belonged to a high-ranking official. When the lady heard him referring to himself as ‘Your Majesty,’ she…”

“And so?”

“She vanished after that. I don’t know if she went to the palace, but she hid her traces.”

In that moment, upon suspecting a name, Eve’s heart sank.

“Cecilia. Is it her?”

Pinned by Eve’s intense gaze, Tiago faltered in his response.

“I… I don’t know.”

Eve’s mind raced as she contemplated the possibility. Cecilia, that despicable woman, couldn’t be allowed to have any connections with the palace. Not in this life.

“Clarify. Was the lady’s name Cecilia?”

Tiago hesitated but nodded affirmatively.

Eve’s heart sank further. Cecilia, the one she had thought to ignore in this life, had now become a potential threat. She couldn’t let her get away with any mischief, especially concerning the palace.

‘I must find her and make sure she never crosses paths with the emperor.’

Eve made up her mind, her eyes filled with determination.

“Then she must have left, right?”

“…That’s not possible.”

This time, it wasn’t Arsen, but the woman who became the emperor’s companion? The woman who killed me?

‘Lies.’

Eve glared at Charles.

“Is this your scheme? To prevent us from divorcing…?”

Charles signaled Tiago to take the man out this time. After the two left, Charles rested his chin in his palms.

“Whether it’s a lie or not, you’ll find out at the upcoming palace banquet. Cecilia, that woman, seems to have already become influential in the palace.”

“…”

“But I want you to consider one thing, Eve. If Cecilia has already caught the eye of the emperor in a random village, isn’t there a possibility that the emperor’s body has switched with someone else, rather than just exchanging with Duke Fontaine?”

“You’re the emperor, and… Arsen is in the emperor’s body? Is that what you’re saying? And that’s why Cecilia recognized and captured him?”

“Isn’t that more credible?”

As Eve struggled to gather her thoughts, a sudden question came to her mind.

“…How do you know of Cecilia?”

“I investigated. About you and your husband. Then I stumbled upon overlapping names. Cecilia. The woman Arsen met just before the body swap, the woman you also secretly investigated.”

‘Did Arsen meet Cecilia before my regression point?’