The next day, Archel rose and prepared for work as usual. As though nothing had happened the day before, she looked exactly the same as always, and the attendants quietly helped her get ready.
Once she had dressed and stood before the mirror, she checked herself over, making sure her expression was in order and that her eyes did not look red. The Archel in the mirror was the very same Emperor Archel Orse everyone was used to seeing.
She had to maintain this face. She had no idea how far the treasonous rebellion reached or when it had begun, so she could trust no one—and could not afford to show the slightest weakness.
Knock knock
"Your Majesty, Sir Ren Cassius, Commander of the Imperial Knights, has arrived."
"Let him in."
Archel turned away from the mirror, and Ren stepped inside in the black uniform of the Imperial Knights. His dark blue hair, styled more neatly than the day before, immediately caught her eye.
Yes, in this place where she could trust no one and could not show the slightest weakness, he was the only person she could rely on. For a moment, she felt as though she could breathe again.
He gave her a stiff bow. Archel accepted his greeting with a slight nod, then asked Berosa,
"What is on my schedule today?"
"You have the council meeting of the high nobles this morning, followed by a meeting in the afternoon to review tax revenues from the eastern territories. And in the evening—"
As she listened to Berosa recite her schedule, Archel finished getting ready and moved on. Berosa took her place on her left, Ren on her right, and the attendants followed in a group behind them.
As Commander of the Imperial Knights, Ren often served as her escort whenever there was an important event, so having him at her side was nothing unusual. But today, in particular, his presence felt reassuring.
It eased the anxiety that made her feel as though she might be cut by the slightest movement.
Throughout the day's schedule of work, beginning in the morning, Ren remained silently at Archel's side, standing perfectly still. It was also his first time escorting her while she handled ordinary affairs, so he found plenty to enjoy in watching her. The sight of her wearing glasses, which he had never seen before. The way she listened to the nobles' reports and gave orders for the next task. There were countless sides of her he was seeing for the first time.
After getting through the morning meeting of the high nobles, Archel had a light lunch before setting off again to attend to her next appointment. Berosa handed her a letter from beside her.
"Your Majesty, this letter is from House Edelhardt. They wish to reschedule yesterday's canceled luncheon. The earliest date available would be—"
"No."
As Archel accepted the letter from Berosa, she faltered once when she saw the seal stamped on it, and a second time at Berosa's words. No one else noticed, but Ren, who had spent the entire day watching only her, caught it immediately.
Archel cut Berosa off and took a moment to choose her words.
"My schedule is busy for the time being. Tell them I will contact them again separately."
"But your marriage negotiations with House Edelhardt are underway. If you postpone the luncheon, the negotiations will be delayed as well—"
Berosa continued in a worried voice, but once again she could not finish. Archel stopped in her tracks with a Click! and fixed her with a stare.
"I decide my own schedule."
At her firm declaration, Berosa lowered her head and fell silent. The next item on Archel's schedule was the meeting to review the eastern tax revenues. The petitions from the three eastern territories each differed, and the officials in charge had conflicting opinions.
Archel remembered how she had handled those petitions in her previous life, as well as how the results had come back to her. But she did not pretend to know anything now. There were things she could not speak of yet.
She instructed the officials to organize and bring the additional documents required, with a decision to be made at the next meeting. Once the afternoon meeting ended, she was leaving the conference room when she heard someone at the far end of the corridor.
"Hey, Chel."
At the familiar voice, Archel flinched and stopped. Now… of all voices, it was the one she did not want to hear—the voice of the man she had loved. Had she already allowed him to call her by that nickname at this point? Archel forcibly suppressed her heart as it stirred in response. Coldly. Quickly. Then she turned around.
Kael was approaching at a brisk pace, his translucent ice-blue hair half tied back. His pale sky-blue eyes curved gently toward her. In his hand was a small bouquet.
Archel's gaze lingered for a moment before falling away.
"Grand Duke."
"I was worried when you canceled yesterday's luncheon and said you weren't feeling well. Are you all right?"
Archel knew all too well how sweet that voice sounded when it said he had been worried. It was the voice she had loved for seven years, after all. Even now, it wrapped familiarly around her ears.
But she knew that behind that sweetness lay enormous hatred.
Archel answered in a somewhat cold voice.
"I'm fine. What brings Your Highness here at this hour?"
"I only came because I was worried. And I brought you this, too."
He held out the bouquet with a smile, and Archel looked straight at him. At those sky-blue eyes. She wondered whether, if she looked at them again now, she might be able to tell that what they held was something other than affection.
"Thank you."
Archel accepted the bouquet and handed it to the maid standing beside her.
"I'll contact you separately about the luncheon we canceled yesterday. My schedule has gotten rather busy."
"It doesn't have to be a luncheon. Whenever you like. Take care of your health while you work, Chel."
The way his brows curved with genuine concern, the worried look on his face—everything seemed so real. No wonder she had been fooled. Thinking that, Archel pressed down hard on the emotions roiling inside her.
"Then I have another appointment, so I'll be going."
Archel turned away first. She could feel Kael's gaze clinging to her. Without looking back even once, she disappeared at a brisk pace, and the smile that had filled Kael's face hardened into something cold. Her attitude had been colder and more curt than usual, and his head tilted quizzically.
After leaving, Archel headed quickly for her study. As he followed her swift pace, Ren stole glances at her, trying to read the emotions hidden from view on her face. He knew that Archel had been meeting Kael Edelhardt frequently in private and that marriage negotiations had come up between them, but he had never imagined she had allowed Kael to call her by a nickname. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Since she had no face-to-face appointments in the evening aside from paperwork, Archel dismissed Berosa and the attendants as soon as she entered her study, then leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.
Her face looked as exhausted as it had the day before as she regulated her breathing, and Ren remained at her side with a worried gaze.
"…Ren. There is something I need you to do."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After taking a moment to steady her breathing, Archel opened her eyes and spoke. Ren bowed his head.
"There is an investigation that must be conducted in secret, outside any official assignment. Only you and I can know about this."
Ren's eyes changed ever so slightly. They were quiet, but sharp.
"Tell me."
"…Sophia."
At her murmur, Ren quickly ran through his thoughts, but it was a name he had never heard before.
"Who is that? I've never heard the name."
"Neither have I. That's why we need to find her. Where she lives, who she is, who she's connected to—find out as much as you possibly can."
Ren fell silent for a moment. He had to search for someone based on a single name, without a clue or a direction. Even so, he did not ask any more questions and bowed his head.
"I will find her."
"No one must know that you are carrying out a separate assignment in addition to guarding me."
Archel rose from her seat and walked toward the terrace.
Following her retreating figure with his gaze, Ren replied,
"I will obey your command, Your Majesty."
Ren did not ask why. Whatever she said, whatever task she entrusted to him, Ren was the kind of man who carried it out without a word.
"Ren."
"Yes."
There was one thing she had to say to him.
"…Thank you."
At her words, Ren stiffened in surprise. Ever since yesterday, she had been behaving and speaking in ways he could not understand. But his silence did not last long.
"…It is Your Majesty's command. Naturally, I will do my utmost to carry it out."
A short laugh escaped her at the characteristically Ren-like response. Ren left the room as well, and Archel poured herself a glass of whiskey before standing by the window.
The look in Kael's eyes when they had met in the corridor today came back to her.
She was not the same woman who had once been thrilled merely by meeting his gaze. There had been something unfamiliar in his eyes today. An empty look, as though he could not find his place.
This time, I will find out first.
Keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead, Archel took a sip of her drink.