When I finally came to my senses, there was no one in the bedroom.
It was probably around noon, judging by the bright sunlight, but I couldn't tell exactly how many hours I had been unconscious.
There was no time to worry about that in the first place.
I just thought this.
'Thank goodness there's no one there.'
At this point, when my identity was revealed, I didn't know what kind of face I should have and how I should face people.
Above all, it was difficult to know how to deal with Kishian.
How should I really deal with that man who hates me even more than when I first met him...
"..."
After I got out of bed, I didn't do anything for a while.
My head was cluttered with endless gloomy thoughts and feelings.
'Now that I've come to my senses, I'll be dragged out soon. This time, I might actually be locked up. In a tower or an underground prison.'
When I was first brought to the Grand Duke's residence, Kishian showed me some mercy and let me stay in the northern wing, but now I won't be able to expect that kind of luck.
That mercy would have been shown to the savior Letie.
Knock knock. Just then, as a self-deprecating smile appeared on my lips, a knock was suddenly heard.
I flinched in surprise, feeling guilty.
Fortunately, the person who came was not Kishian.
"It's me. Are you awake?"
"...Come in."
I didn't want to say anything, but I couldn't ignore the worry in Anne's voice.
When I finally allowed her to come in, Anne came in quietly and looked at me.
Her gaze briefly touched my pitch-black mark and then dropped.
She could have said something about the mark, but she said nothing, perhaps out of consideration.
She just came closer and checked my condition.
"The doctor came by and said that you had temporarily lost consciousness due to mental shock, and that you would feel better soon if you rested for a while."
"I see."
"How are you feeling now? Are you okay? Is there anything that is particularly uncomfortable..."
"I'm okay. It must be someone else who isn't okay."
Kishian must be in great confusion right now.
He must be at a loss as to what to do with the betrayal and hatred he feels towards those who deceived him.
I wanted to ask how he was doing, but I was afraid to do so.
Instead, I asked something else.
"How many hours has it been since I collapsed?"
"You had been down for over a day."
"The banquet must have been canceled, too. Well, is that to be expected?"
It would have been cancelled even if I hadn't fallen.
Because it didn't seem like Kishian would be so generous as to throw a birthday party for the woman who had deceived him.
As expected, Anne nodded.
"Your Highness, the Grand Duchess collapsed, so we had no choice but to cancel the banquet. If you are not satisfied, I will tell His Highness the Grand Duke that we can hold it again in a few days..."
"Anne."
Anne, who was trying to speak to me normally, stopped with that firm call.
I gave a faint smile to Anne, who stopped in her tracks.
"I know you're a sweet kid, but you don't have to force yourself to act like you usually do."
"Yes?"
"Don't you already know that I'm not real?"
"..."
Anne, who was holding a wet towel to wipe me off, suddenly dropped her arm weakly.
I said, looking away from Anne, who seemed surprised.
"I'm saying there's no need to be so affectionate. It's all over now."
Anne's seemingly considerate attitude actually felt a bit bothersome to me.
She knows I'm a fake, and she's probably trembling at my meanness, but how tiring it would be to pretend otherwise.
I wish she would just ignore me. That would be more natural.
Anne's lips twitched and opened several times as if trying to find something to say.
"I'm not forcing you to do this."
"..."
"I don't think Your Highness, the Grand Duchess is a fake."
"..."
"The person I have been serving since I came here is definitely you, right in front of me. Not someone eIse in the palace."
It was such a cute comment that I couldn't help but laugh.
I really appreciate you saying that, but still...
"But in the end, I am not the savior. What Kishian wanted was the Princess, who was called the savior."
No matter how much you wrap it up with warm and nice words, in the end, a fake is still a fake.
But Anne shook her head.
"His Highness the Grand Duke would not think of Your Highness as a fake. And that 'savior'... is it really another Princess?"
"Yes?"
What I just heard surprised me a little because I didn't expect it.
Is Letie really the savior?
Anne was questioning the obvious truth that no one had ever believed without question.
"When Your Highness, the Grand Duchess, first came to the Grand Duke's office, not a single monster appeared on the way."
"It just so happened that I got lucky..."
"It was the same after you arrived here. I heard that the monsters that were swarming in the north suddenly disappeared for some reason."
"..."
"And I also heard a rumor that you cured a child who was contaminated by a demon during the festival.
"..."
"Is it really true that the other Princess is the savior? Are you sure?"
She is a really sweet kid.
She even gave me this kind of comfort when I was having a hard time.
But I nodded resolutely.
"I'm sure. The savior is that child."
"But..."
"I know myself well. I am not a human being fit to be a savior."
Anne's eyes suddenly took on a gloomy and sad look.
Still, my words continued without stopping.
"I'm selfish, helpless. I can't even save myself. I don't have the strength to save others."
"..."
"And you'd better not come to me too often in the future. Kishian must be gnashing his teeth thinking about me right now. If you keep showing him that you're close to me, he might get angry at you for no reason."
"..."
"So, you should go now. I... also need some time to rest."
Anne seemed like she wanted to say something more, but she ended up saying nothing, perhaps because I said I needed a break.
As usual, she bowed her head politely and stepped aside.
When I was alone and it was quiet, I got up from my bed.
After that, I opened the dresser drawer.
The sapphire ring in question was in a jewelry box that Anne had probably been organizing in the meantime.
I pretended not to see it and reached into the corner of the drawer, pulling out another trinket that had been hidden deep inside.
It was a butterfly-shaped brooch that Rodrick had given me before.
'Didn't you say that if you hold on tight, the magic will activate?'
As I gripped the brooch tightly, as Rodrick had instructed me, a faint light flowed out from it.
In that state, I tried calling quietly.
"Rodrick."
I thought maybe I wouldn't be able to hear it, but I wasn't.
The answer came immediately, as if it had been waiting.
"Your Highness?"
"Are you busy now?"
"No, I'm not busy at all. Even if I were busy, I would have had time to talk to Your Highness. What else is going on?"
Was it an illusion? For some reason, it was a voice that gave off a strange sense of anticipation.
I hesitated and then slowly opened my mouth again.
"First of all, I apologize. I'm sorry. I only come to you when I have a favor to ask."
"If you knew you were sorry, you should have contacted me more often. I thought I lost my brooch."
"Haha."
"What else can I ask you? Seeing you setting the mood so seriously and letting out a sigh, it seems like it's not an ordinary thing."
My voice must have been unusual.
I... I can see that he immediately realized something was wrong and asked me this.
Anyway, even if I tried to hide it, he would quickly find out, and there was no need to hide it, so I told him right away.
"I got caught."
"Hmm?"
"Kishian found out that I am not Letie."
As soon as I finished speaking, the tears that had been barely holding back fell down my cheeks.
Beyond the brooch, silence flowed for a long time.
I said, praying that he wouldn't notice the sadness in my voice.
"I don't think I can stand being here any longer. With a man who hates me."
At the moment, I had no idea what Kishian would do to me.
I really feel sorry for him, and I'm worried about the hurt he must have felt, but I still don't want to be ruined by his side.
"Even in this situation, I can afford to thank you. If you help me, I will thank you without making you feel bad..."
"Where should I send the person? Is there a way out of the Grand Duchy? It would be safer to make contact outside."
"...Will you help me?"
Even though he was Rodrick, this request must have been quite burdensome for him.
It is something that could turn the Grand Duke into an enemy, not someone else.
But there was not the slightest hint of hesitation in Rodrick's voice.
"It's your request. You are a good customer of our mercenary group, so we have to accept it."
I even forgot that I was crying and burst into laughter.
His jokes, which I had previously thought were pointless, felt more affectionate than any other consolation today.
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