October in Actilus was peaceful.
For Raniero Actilus, peace was boredom. It was during these times that his nerves would get the better of him with the overwhelming boredom. This year alone, however, he seemed to pass through the period of peace quite calmly compared to previous years.
The reason was his wife.
It was because the peace Raniero hated so much was what his wife loved.
It was fortunate that the environment was peaceful. However, Angelica's insides were swirling in turbulent waves. Ever since they went to the beast subjugation, she has been having nightmares. The nightmares were followed by self-harm. Whenever she dreamed, Angelica would set her nails into her own body so Raniero instructed her handmaidens to keep his wife's nails short and round.
There were times when he asked what kind of dream she was dreaming of, and how it could be so painful for her to do that to herself. Then, Angelica would mumble through her sleepy eyes.
"I forgot."
Raniero knew it was a lie. The afterimage of the dream was clearly holding her captive. It was the same even during the day when she was quite lively, as if she was not aware of it herself.
Still, he didn't want to push her to tell him a lie.
For some reason, he couldn't erase Angelica's tearful face out of his head the day he pushed to question her. Even more so, the way she pushed him away at the temple and became desperately in fear of offending him.
In fact, the Emperor of Actilus usually wouldn't care about such things.
The terrified expression on her face was rather amusing. Blocking each and every path to lose reason and being busy was merely a form of entertainment for Raniero. However, it was uncomfortable for his wife to make such a face so he didn't dig too deep.
At least he knew that she was lying, so that was enough.
If Raniero Actilus had been a normal thinker or a little more sensitive, he might have been able to deduce that the summer hunt, which Angelica had executed so brilliantly, had been traumatizing and haunted her.
Unfortunately, he was neither ordinary nor sensitive enough to make the connection between her nightmares and his own atrocities.
Little did he know that he was to blame for all the horrors Angelica had to endure.
Therefore, he didn't regret anything he did. Because he didn't ask her how she felt because he was afraid Angelica would cry in front of him, he didn't even know she was distrusting of him.
Her occasional fatigue was chalked up to just nightmares.
There seemed to be nothing wrong with her relationship with him. Her frequent bad dreams were a problem, of course, but Raniero was able to wake her up every time. Trapped in the horror of her dream, he was able to whisper to Angelica that this was reality and that she was safe... At such times, she was held close to him so he didn't get the chance to see Angelica's eyes flicker for a moment at the words 'You're safe.'
Waking her up didn't bother him in the slightest.
In Raniero's opinion, the peace in their relationship seemed to last forever.
Peace.
Wasn't that what his wife wanted to receive as a present?
°:*✧*:.°
One day, Raniero came to the Empress' Palace and taught Angelica how to use a bow. It was around sunset, so the ladies-in-waiting came to say goodbye.
Angelica greeted them with a kind greeting.
He, of course, couldn't recognize the faces of the handmaids.
Raniero, who had been standing behind his wife and nodding his head without inspiration, suddenly blinked. It was because Cisen, the maid Angelica brought with her when she got married, also posted a greeting.
"It's Cisen. I'll be leaving now. Please rest well and have a peaceful night."
At those words, Angelica responded with this.
"See you tomorrow morning."
Even if he couldn't remember her face, he knew her name. It was because she was a special person who had received Angelica's trust and confidence.
He asked her.
"Seven out of eight are missing... even the maid you brought from your homeland."
Angelica looked back at him and smiled.
"Oh, yeah. Only Sylvia remains at night."
"Where is the handmaiden you brought from your homeland going?"
"I gave her a house to live in separately."
She then added cautiously.
"Countess Fallon thought it would be politically expedient to make Cisen independent."
"Oh, I see."
Raniero nodded.
Angelica's connections have always been tightly held by Duchess Nerma. If she didn't want to give the impression of being overly dependent on one person, Cisen's independence was a great choice.
The aristocrats who previously had to go through Duchess Nerma to reach Angelica would now be able to look for opportunities while having private meetings with Cisen. Besides, it was a welcoming development for a family that wasn't on good terms with the Nerma family. The Fallon family, who were only looking for an opportunity to keep the Duchy of Nerma in check, would have welcomed the news as well.
However, Angelica seemed a bit nervous as she explained. Her anxiety was palpable all the way here.
"Don't you like the idea of her living outside the Imperial Palace?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"You don't look very happy."
Angelica shut her mouth as if she was a nail hit on the head by those words. She replied skillfully and ambiguously.
"...I'm worried."
It was a speech technique she had recently started using to avoid getting caught whenever she needed to lie.
"Are you lonely?"
Just like now.
Then, no matter what he said, she would hug him and change the subject, and he would easily give in to her intentions.
"I heard that Cisen's house has been decorated... can I go see it tomorrow?"
Raniero naturally agreed.
"Okay."
However, he didn't forget to add this.
"Though you can't stay overnight."
"I'll be back before sunset."
She whispered.
As he paid close attention to her slightly faster pulse, something very slightly dubious slipped down his throat. Just as he was about to ask the question, Angelica's appearance of fear as if she was going to run out of breath again, encroached.
Raniero ignored the subtle malaise.
What could happen?
She was his wife, who was too scared and just wanted nothing more than a peaceful life. There was no way she would leave the familiar place and go somewhere else...
He raised his gaze to Angelica in his arms.
As his eyes briefly locked eyes with the only handmaiden who guarded the palace of the Empress in the night, she turned away as if she hadn't seen anything and hurried away from his sight.
°.:*✧*:.°
Cisen, who was given a house near the imperial palace, had a total of ten servants.
Many nobles approached her, boasted that they would send their children to her, but Cisen politely declined. She only took in those into her house that wasn't related to any family. While the nobles who were rejected by her were disappointed, they understood her choice of recruiting servants with no connections. Some even said she was incredibly wise.
...Even though, in fact, it wasn't like that.
After returning home, Cissen carefully inspected the still unfamiliar house and informed the servants that the empress would be visiting tomorrow.
Her gaze was focused on a young man with a very short haircut among the ten servants who lowered their heads in unison. When the servants raised their heads, she pretended that she wasn't looking at anyone before handing the coat to someone and going up to the room.
She was a cold and silent employer today as well.
The servants glanced at each other, then quickly dispersed to their seats. Among them, one of the friendly ladies secretly spoke to the young man who accepted the coat.
"I don't know how you're so calm. I'm on a bed of nails* whenever it's time for the lady to arrive home though you don't look uncomfortable at all."
[T/N: '가시방석' - (figurative) The state in which one has to deal with a very uncomfortable person or situation. ]
"If you're good at your job, there's no reason to be uncomfortable. I don't want other people to be too intimidated."
The answer, which returned in a soft voice, was somewhat uncomfortable. Still, it was clear that it was a polite answer so she took the master's cloak from the young man without saying anything about it.
"I'll organize it."
"Thank you. Then, I'll go up to my room."
He was the only one among the servants who were given solitary accommodation. Even though it was obvious favoritism, none of the employees complained about it.
The young man's graceful speech and noble demeanor made them wonder if he might be the scion of a fallen nobleman who hid his identity. Other servants would look at him enviously, thinking that he must have a role other than doing chores.
The young man's name was Daniel, and he had black hair cut short enough to show his scalp and piercing black eyes.
No one knew...
...That he was, in fact, a promising paladin of the Temple of Tunia.
...The fact that he dared to confess that he had feelings for the saintess, stormed the temple and was banished for months with his hair shaved.
...That Her Majesty the Empress had made her most trusted maid independent, only to keep him close.
...And the fact that Cisen hired only those with no connections was a smokescreen to keep the unidentified 'Daniel' whose identity was unknown, without arousing suspicion...
No one knew that the Empress, her handmaiden, and an exiled paladin were plotting their escape.
The reason why Eden boldly changed his name and built a nest right next to the imperial palace was because he was confident that even if he met Raniero tomorrow, he wouldn't recognize him. If he were going to recognize him, he would have done so during the subjugation. However, even when he took on the role of the mother to demonic beasts, Raniero acted as if he had never seen him before.
Since Angelica would have difficulty moving because of Raniero, the independent Cisen would lead the charge. Meanwhile, Eden would be responsible for the specific planning and interpretation of the information obtained so far.
The young man's eyes sparkled with determination as he lit a lamp, sitting in front of the desk in his room.