Chapter 08
Evelyn had to spend the night wide awake until the darkness slowly faded into the brightness of dawn.
Fatigue came over her like a rising tide, but she could not fall asleep.
It was because worries and anxiety about what would happen in the future had remained inside her all night.
Raynard’s words were not wrong.
At this point, it was meaningless for Evelyn to refuse the man’s offer.
Evelyn was certainly isolated.
The only places she could go were Hesta to the east and Vite to the west.
Hesta wanted Evelyn dead, and Vite had no place for her.
Rather, from Evelyn’s perspective, Raynard’s offer was another lifeline.
If she remained by his side as Princess Ophelia, she could safely preserve her life under Vite’s protection.
On top of that, he had promised her freedom and money after one year, making it an excellent condition.
The problem was Raynard’s intentions.
Why on earth would he make such a generous offer to Evelyn while even giving her the title of Princess Ophelia?
That was the biggest issue.
It could not possibly be simple kindness.
There had to be some reason behind it.
Evelyn’s suspicion was not without reason.
Raynard had said to her:
“It’s fine if you don’t know.”
That meant there was a reason behind everything Raynard was doing for her.
She spent the entire night thinking about that matter.
Even so, Evelyn could not come to any conclusion.
“Princess, we have brought water for washing your face.”
At the sudden voice, Evelyn was startled and looked toward where the sound came from.
“Have you awakened?”
It was the voice of a maid she had heard before.
Evelyn briefly wondered if she should stand up from the chair she was sitting on, then answered while unable to hide her discomfort.
“Excuse me, but may I come in for a moment?”
“Yes. Come in.”
After Evelyn gave permission, the maid carefully entered the tent.
There were three of them.
The maid in the front entered empty-handed and gave instructions to the two following maids. The next maid placed the basin of water she had brought on the table so Evelyn could wash comfortably. The last maid entered carrying a towel and stood by Evelyn’s side.
As someone who had originally been a maid herself, Evelyn was uncomfortable washing while receiving their attention. However, she also could not bring herself to send them away.
When she put her hands into the cold water and wiped her face, her heavy head from exhaustion felt slightly clearer.
Thinking that it was better this way, Evelyn finished washing her face.
The maid waiting beside her immediately handed her a towel.
“His Majesty wishes to have breakfast together with you.”
Evelyn stopped wiping the water and turned toward the maid who delivered the message.
“Together…?”
“Yes. Since walking may be difficult for you, His Majesty said he would come here himself. Also, yesterday, the knights discovered the carriage containing the Princess’s belongings and recovered some of the items that remained intact. If you wait, we will prepare your clothes and accessories.”
The maid, unaware of Evelyn’s worries, continued speaking.
“After breakfast, the physician will visit to examine you. After that, we will depart for Vite.”
“Depart?”
“We will be returning to the Imperial Palace.”
After confirming the schedule following the examination, Evelyn clenched her tongue.
Whether she worried or not, the situation continued moving forward.
While she waited anxiously wearing a dress that originally did not belong to her, food began to be prepared on the table.
Fresh vegetables that were difficult to obtain while traveling, soup with a savory aroma, and bread were placed on the table.
“Princess Ophelia, may I enter?”
Raynard spoke formally from outside the tent.
However, it seemed he did not actually need Evelyn’s permission, as he immediately entered the tent.
Despite his rude entrance, Evelyn could not even bring herself to look directly at him.
“Oh, was I too impolite?”
Raynard smiled calmly and sat across from Evelyn.
Leaning back against the chair, he sent away the maids who had been waiting nearby.
“Are you that uncomfortable?”
Then he asked her directly.
“……I cannot say that I am not.”
“To the point where you could not sleep?”
Evelyn lightly bit her lower lip.
Even though she had tried to hide it, it seemed it was too obvious.
“I’m not brave enough to sleep peacefully in this situation.”
“You’re better at talking back than I expected.”
Evelyn flinched and watched Raynard’s expression carefully. Fortunately, there was no displeasure on his face.
“I’m sorry.”
“No. There is no need to apologize. Here, you are Princess Ophelia.”
Raynard tore off a piece of bread and put it into his mouth.
“Are you worried that other people will find out you are not Princess Ophelia?”
Of course she was.
Evelyn had never stood above anyone in her entire life.
For someone like her, pretending to be Princess Ophelia was not easy.
“There are already people who know your identity.”
“What?”
Evelyn raised her head in surprise.
It was a situation she had never considered.
Thinking back, the idea that Raynard knew but others did not was contradictory in itself.
Perhaps they had noticed first and reported it to Raynard.
“Still, there is no need to worry. They are my subordinates. If I say you are Princess Ophelia, then to them, you are Princess Ophelia.”
Raynard’s confident voice was filled with trust toward his subordinates.
However, Evelyn muttered in a quiet voice.
“How could I not worry?”
Raynard heard her voice but did not say anything to reassure her.
A quiet breakfast continued.
The contrast between Raynard, who ate elegantly, and Evelyn, who nervously only stirred the soup in her bowl with a spoon, was obvious.
Because of her anxiety and the fact that she had stayed awake all night, she had no appetite.
She tried eating a few times, but everything felt unpleasant, as if she were chewing sand.
After staring at the soup whose surface had begun to slightly solidify, Evelyn let out a small sigh.
At the sound of her sigh, Raynard put down his fork and wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin.
“So, when are you going to tell me your name?”
Only then did Evelyn remember that she had never told Raynard her name.
“Evelyn. Evelyn Ebenezer.”
It was not a name she needed to hide from Raynard, who already knew the truth.
“What kind of person were you in Hesta?”
“What do you mean?”
At Raynard’s sudden question, Evelyn widened her eyes.
She did not understand what his question meant.
“I mean what you did before becoming Princess Ophelia’s substitute.”
“Ah, I was a maid.”
A maid who had not even become a lady-in-waiting.
She was grateful that she was not merely a laborer, but in reality, the work she did was not much different.
“Do you have family?”
“I have a mother, but……”
“Hmm.”
Worried that he might react negatively after hearing her status, Evelyn watched Raynard carefully.
Raynard only nodded with the same expression he had before the meal.
“If you wish, even when I attack Hesta in the future, I will spare your family. Be grateful.”
He spoke to Evelyn as if granting her mercy.
Was that really something she should be grateful for?
Evelyn asked herself with a small bitter laugh.
The person who had pushed her into this deadly situation was her own mother, Glena.
She had never given Evelyn enough affection to feel a family bond, nor had she ever shown interest in her.
The one who always begged for affection was Evelyn, and the one who was always abandoned was also Evelyn.
However, that did not mean Evelyn wished for Glena’s death, so she lowered her head in resignation.
One year from now, a war would begin.
The people of Hesta who had pushed her into danger would not be able to stop Vite’s army either.
Evelyn lowered the hand holding her spoon.
The more her thoughts continued to spiral, the heavier her heart became.
“I’ll come by for breakfast every morning from now on.”
In the end, breakfast ended without Evelyn properly eating even a single bite.
Raynard left the tent, leaving behind the silent Evelyn.
She remained alone inside the tent.
