“I heard you regained consciousness, but you still don’t look well.”

His broad shoulders and commanding presence hadn’t changed since before she lost consciousness, though he looked a bit younger now. That flat, emotionless voice was the same.

“You’re sweating a lot.”

Anger, hatred, fear. And a feeling even stronger—revulsion.

A thousand emotions surged up at once, choking her until nausea followed. At the pitiful sight of her trembling uncontrollably, Allen’s brows faintly furrowed.

“Shouldn’t the doctor take another look?”

“She’s much better now. The fever is completely gone.”

“Doesn’t look that way to me.”

As if to check for himself, Allen reached toward Margo’s forehead. When the shadow of his large hand touched her eyelid, Margo flinched and reflexively shrank back, closing her eyes.

“Eek.”

It was a lingering habit from the long torture in prison. Realizing her mistake too late, she cautiously opened her eyes and saw Allen frozen mid-reach.

“Margo, you…”

His voice faltered with a pained look. He slowly withdrew his hand and slipped it into his pocket. The tips of his polished shoes turned toward the door.

“…It seems I came at a bad time.”

“A bad time? You came immediately after she regained consciousness. How gracious of you. Such consideration.”

It was the nanny who jumped in dramatically, placing her hands over her chest, bowing her head repeatedly, and casting Margo subtle glances. She was always desperate to stay in Allen’s good graces.

“You’re right. She needs rest, and I was too hasty. I lacked consideration. I won’t come again for a while. Rest well, Margo.”

He was kind, but firm. Though gentle in his dealings with others, he never blurred boundaries or tolerated discomfort silently. As he prepared to leave, exuding a subtly cold air, Margo suddenly snapped to attention.

“Do you know how rudely Her Highness Margarita has acted? It’s amazing His Highness endured it this long. This was bound to happen eventually.”

The mocking whisper of a noblewoman fluttering her fan on the day Ingrid danced with Allen for the first time surfaced in her mind. She had flown into a rage and shouted without thinking, but looking back, it wasn’t wrong.

No. Margo, you can’t repeat the past.

Remember those who died for you. The ones who gave up everything and ran to save someone as worthless as you. The blood, the death.

“Allen.”

Before the thought had fully ended, her hand moved. She couldn’t bring herself to touch him directly, but she managed to grasp the hem of his jacket.

“Margo?”

Surprise filled his eyes as he turned. It was the first time she’d called him first, and the first time she’d ever reached out—even to grab his clothing.

She had always shouted at him to get lost, to go away.

“…I was just startled.”

Her voice cracked as it came out. What must she look like now? Drenched in cold sweat, hair tangled like a bird’s nest. She didn’t need a mirror to know.

So lacking and pitiful next to his perfection.

Everything had changed, like the ever-shifting seasons, but this remained constant.

“Th-thank… you, for worrying.”

Blinded by rage and fear, her vision blurred. Yet she barely managed to lift the corners of her lips. The first thank-you she had ever said in her life.

Everyone present, including the nanny, looked at Margo with shocked eyes. As for Allen, she didn’t know what expression he wore. She was too busy keeping her trembling facial muscles in check to notice.

A maid dropping a water tray broke the silence.

Clatter. At the sharp sound, time itself seemed to shatter. The nanny clicked her tongue, and the blushing maid fumbled as she picked up the wet towel and tray.

“Honestly, be more careful. Leave that and go get a fresh towel.”

Like shepherding a duckling, the nanny led the maid out of the room. Even in the flurry of movement, Margo did not release Allen’s jacket.

A quick glance confirmed it—his gaze was fixed on her fingers clutching the hem. Maybe she had held on too long. Someone as meticulous as him might be irritated by the wrinkles in his pristine clothes. Feeling out the mood, she cautiously let go. Then he looked up and smiled gently.

“No need for thanks. I’m the one who’s sorry I couldn’t care for you.”

His reply was smooth, without a hint of surprise at the unexpected gratitude. But as if trying to brush away the intensity of the gaze that met hers too deliberately, Margo shook her head.

“No. You’re the crown prince. You’ve got official events to attend and plenty of people calling for you.”

“Still, you got hurt because of me.”

“The nanny and maids can handle nursing just fine.”

A curious gaze traced over her forehead, her hair, and the cobweb-thin lace that draped over her upper body. Under that watchful scrutiny, Margo subtly slipped her hand beneath the blanket.

It wasn’t unreasonable. In her past life, Margo had ended up like this because of someone, yet Allen had skipped out on caring for her, busy with training and events, so she had thrown a cup at him.

A girl so used to raging like that suddenly acting meek and murmuring thanks, so it was only natural to be suspicious.

“…Strange.”

The low, clear murmur pricked at her heart like a thorn. She felt anxious, as if those sunken blue eyes had seen through her. She furiously clawed at her hand beneath the blanket and forced a calm expression.

“What is?”

“You don’t know?”

With his head tilted halfway, it was impossible to feign ignorance, as there were just too many incidents. She recalled the days she had grabbed the collar of the exalted Crown Prince Allen and shaken him. Frankly, the only reason she had never been punished was thanks to Allen’s forbearance.

“I, um… sorry.”

Start by apologizing. It was only natural for her sudden change in attitude to seem odd, but the world did have a word for turning over a new leaf. And she had nearly died, so she had plenty of excuses.

“That’s not why I brought it up.”

“I was really rude to you, wasn’t I? I fell into the lake and nearly died, and it made me realize… how badly I treated you.”

Lowering her gaze, she recalled the last scene she had seen before dying. Allen, do you know? You’re beautiful now, but even the word ‘angel’ wasn’t enough to describe you then. Strange, you were taller and more mature back then…

She began to recall the faces of those who had bled and collapsed at the feet of someone who shone so brightly. Her eyes grew hot and welled with tears. When the beaded tears began to fall, she lifted her chin and met his gaze.

“I love you.”

It was sincere. Of course, the true subject wasn’t him.

The tear tracing her cheek soaked the blanket. During her pain-stained life in prison, Margo had thoroughly learned how to please the guards to avoid getting beaten. She had long since discarded her pride. With a pleading voice and dreamy eyes, no one would ever suspect a shred of falsehood.

With lips pressed tight, she wiped her tears with her sleeve before Allen.

Sudden, isn’t it? she murmured, playing bashful, chattering about when she had fallen for him. There were plenty of episodes. Turning moments of irritation and rage into sweet, soft, dreamy memories was too easy. Even back then, he had always been kind and gentle.

“Enough.”

Allen silenced the giddy murmurs in a single word. Instead of joy, his face paled as if he’d seen a monster.

“It’s enough that I saw you’re alright. Rest, Margo.”

Then, as if fleeing, he left without looking back. He was normally so proper that even after fights and tears, he never forgot to kiss her hand goodbye, yet not this time.

It was to be expected. A confession from a parasite couldn’t possibly be welcome.

“Your Highness Margarita, well done.”

Before she could even relax, the nanny burst in with a wide grin. How could someone look so mean while smiling?

Her sour expression reminded Margo of a Persian cat sitting on a sun-drenched terrace railing, grinning at its owner. Of course, cats were cute, and she was just revolting.

“I can’t tell you how worried I’ve been over your continued rudeness to His Highness Allen. At last, it seems you understand your position.”

The usual spiel poured out.

Be good to His Highness Allen.

You know Her Majesty the Emperor lost an eye to save you, don’t you? Out of gratitude, you must be loyal to Castor. I hear those clueless rebels attacked another government office today.

The nanny’s red-painted lips moved busily. Once, every word she said had shaken Margo’s heart.

The maid who had fled with newborn Margo in her arms from the mad king.

To Margo, she had been a savior and a surrogate parent. But after coming back from the brink of death, everything now seemed suspicious. How could she speak so tirelessly, cutting down Isiria and exalting the Emperor?

“Her origins and status are unclear. Even a maid serving the Emperor isn’t just anyone. I’m suspicious of her.”

That’s what Vanessa, whose deceased relative had supposedly been a palace maid, had said. There had been no short, brown-haired woman named Ramirez among her mother’s maids.

“Nanny, how old am I this year?”

“You don’t even know your own age anymore? Hah. Fourteen.”

Margo gave a bitter smile at the sharp reply. As if she didn’t already know.

“Fourteen seems old enough to manage without a nanny.”

“What?”

“I’m saying it’s time for you to leave the palace and enjoy a peaceful retirement.”

In other words, she was fired.