He tried to speak as coolly as possible, but he felt regret in his speech somewhere. Fortunately, Julietta answered with a natural air, seemingly not noticing it.

"Sure. This is not a normal situation. You will be busy for a while, so you won't even have to come to the shop. Sophie and Amelia will be comfortable."

She almost sighed with relief because he would be busy, and Killian barely held back his protest and poked up his mouth. "Oh, G.o.d, I'd love to go even more when you tell me not to come. I need more rest as I'm busy. Now that I'm engaged, I can't visit Harrods' mansion, so I am going to dispose of it. I'm thinking of disposing of the Harrods' mansion and sending the attendants who used to work there to Tilia. I asked Johanna, the head maid, if she could serve you as the Queen, but she refused."

Julietta was delighted to hear of Johanna for the first time in a long time.

"Why? I'd be so relieved if the head maid would a.s.sist me when I enter the Imperial Castle."

"She was afraid you'd be in trouble if she were known to have worked at the Harrods' mansion. She had served my other women and it would be a bad thing for you if she serves you, the n.o.ble Princess Kiellini. She doesn't know who you are, so she'd naturally have to think so."

"It's a pity. I need a person to trust."

Killian thought for a moment when he saw Julietta treating her entry into the Imperial Castle as if she were going to war. "Julietta, I am highly indebted to the troupe leader Maribel for raising you. So is the Marquis of Anais."

Julietta admitted Maribel's contribution, but slightly frowned.

"She said she's going to retire soon. I heard you recommended it."

"Yes. She's the most reliable ally I've ever had. But I don't think it would look good for the Prince's fiancé to meet the owner of the theater often."

"Yes. After she retires, she will return to being Mrs. Grayson, an ordinary low-ranking aristocrat. But what if some time after retirement, there's some amazing news for Mrs. Grayson? While they are working on the records to affirm the genealogy of Prince Killian, they will find out that Baron Grayson was accompanying and killed in the a.s.sa.s.sination of the Empress thirteen years ago."

Killian nodded as Julietta looked at him, wondering if that would be possible. "If I remember Baron Grayson, who I forgot after happened due to the impact of the incident at that time… that he died in a fierce fight to the last."

The death of the Baron, who they had been wondering if he was too old to even wield a sword, was being beautifully dressed up.

"I could even reward the Grayson family for making a tremendous contribution and not getting any reward. I could give her a succession to Count and a small but fertile southern territory. I'm looking for suitable land to buy.

"Mrs. Grayson is now a Countess with a territory?"

"Yes. She is fully qualified to be the head maid of the Queen."

"Do you mean to bring Maribel to the Imperial Castle?"

"That's why I'm planning to make this work."

Julietta was moved by Killian doing so much for her.

"There's going to be bad words about Maribel's past."

"It doesn't matter. She's going to be the head maid of the Queen. What does it matter? And Maribel isn't one who's going to sit back and watch that way."

"... Thank you."

No one could be more secure than Maribel in the strange and frightening life of the Imperial Castle. That man was aware of her anxiety and tried to put the most reliable person close to her.

Killian got up from his seat, pretending not to see Julietta trying to thank him again. "It's too late, so go back and rest now, the princess. I'll see you tomorrow at the dress shop."

Julietta laughed at him as he held out his hand lightly, as if he had done something natural. She stood up, holding Killian's hand and said, "I can't help it if you're going to come. See you at the annex tomorrow."

-------

As soon as the engagement ceremony was over, Robert returned to the Anais mansion and called Christine.

"Did you call me?"

Killian's engagement ceremony which she had tried to prevent somehow was over. Christine's mood was the worst. She wanted to console herself by doing nothing today, but she couldn't ignore her father's call.

Looking out the window with his back turned in his office, the Marquis was just as he had been at the engagement ceremony. The sight made her feel more and more uneasy.

"Why did you call me?" the shrill voice of Christine rang out in the Marquis' office. She had never spoken to her father in this way, but today she didn't want to play the usual loving, demure daughter.

Even though he knew what she thought of Prince Killian, his father showed no interest in her. He must have been paying attention to the engagement on behalf of the absent Duke of Kiellini. He didn't care about her.