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Very unfortunately, Yevgenia had not dreamed of anything last night.
Had she remembered even a single scene, she would have thought that the way she recalled the original story had changed.
However, looking at her light body and her refreshingly clear mind, it was only right to conclude that she hadn't dreamed at all.
‘Still, I feel like we were in contact for quite a while...’
Hadn't it been a length of time so overwhelming that even Yevgenia, who had grown accustomed to kissing Yulan, felt breathless?
If she had to maintain contact for any longer than that, Yevgenia might have suffocated to death before she could even recall the original story.
‘That means it's not a matter of time. The only remaining methods are the depth of the contact or the identity of the partner...’
Neither direction was particularly pleasant for Yevgenia.
While she had somehow managed to get past the kissing, Yevgenia was far too much of a sensible person to demand anything beyond that.
Nevertheless, since she was in a situation where she had to make a demand, she couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
To make matters worse, her plan to give the ‘Rose of Light’ as a gift under the pretext of the Imperial Crown Prince's birthday banquet had fallen through, meaning she had to find a new gift for Yulan.
‘I thought everything would be perfect once my engagement to Raymond was canceled, but why does it feel like it's just one mountain after another?’
She pressed her brow, trying to soothe her throbbing head, but it wasn't easy.
As she was being dressed by Anna, who had arrived right on time, Yevgenia asked as if something had suddenly occurred to her.
“Anna, if you had to give a gift to someone who had helped you immensely, what would you give?”
“Pardon? Uh, um...”
“I want something that isn't too common, something that shows I've put thought into the recipient, and something that can convey a special meaning.”
Anna's eyes spun at the string of requirements.
Though she groaned in deep thought, Anna's hands moved professionally.
Having perfectly finished dressing Yevgenia by tying the silk ribbon near her shoulder, Anna spoke.
“If I apply my own situation to this, the person who has helped me the most is you, My Lady. If I were to give you a special gift, I suppose...”
“I suppose?”
“I can't think of anything other than offering myself to you.”
Yevgenia whipped her head around at words that could sound frightening depending on how one heard them.
Then, Anna explained with a shy expression, making it hard to believe she was the person who had given such an extreme answer.
“Actually, I wonder if offering my lifelong loyalty to you would be too beneficial for me alone... Still, I feel that the most special gift I can give you is myself, so if you are okay with it, I would give it gladly.”
Anna's explanation, filled with sincerity, was enough to leave Yevgenia flustered.
Of course, Yevgenia did not deny that she had done her best for Anna since regaining her memories of her past life.
However, she had never imagined it would return to her as such a heavy sentiment.
And for good reason.
‘Everything I've done for Anna so far was just because it was helpful to me...’
Was this what it felt like to have a guilty conscience?
Anna was viewing even the actions Yevgenia had performed without much thought in an excessively positive light.
Turning immediately toward Anna, Yevgenia reached out and gripped Anna's hand tightly.
“What are you talking about! Of course, that would be incredibly wonderful for me too!”
“...It's because you are such a lady that I feel I am lacking. Even if someone like me devotes her entire life, it won't even reach the foothills of the gratitude I owe you.”
“Anna, don't think like that. I haven't done much for you, but... what I have done is far insufficient compared to your abilities.”
Yevgenia stopped Anna from saying anything further by squeezing her hand.
Then, she spoke slowly and with a firm voice.
“Just keep doing what you're doing. I promise that I will take responsibility for you, as well as Sona and Sena.”
“My Lady...”
“I'm always grateful to you, Anna. I mean it.”
With every word Yevgenia spoke, Anna's eyes grew increasingly moist.
Letting go of Anna's hand, Yevgenia smiled softly.
“If it weren't for you today, I wouldn't have been able to dress in something so pleasing. Look, doesn't it suit me perfectly?”
As Yevgenia gave a light twirl, Anna, whose face was now beaming with a bright smile, even clapped as she praised her.
“You are so beautiful, My Lady! As expected, choosing a dress in a calm color to make your red hair stand out was not a mistake!”
“Mm, right. Anna, your taste is always reliable.”
Though she had requested the reaction first, she hadn't wanted it to be this excessive.
Thus, Yevgenia merely nodded repeatedly with a slightly awkward voice.
‘Anna tends to praise me a bit too much, so, hmm.’
Stepping back slightly, Yevgenia brushed her hair back with her hand and asked.
“Anna, where is today's newspaper?”
“...Ah, that...”
Anna's mouth, which had been chattering away, snapped shut as if it had been glued.
At Anna's reaction, Yevgenia raised an eyebrow and began to interrogate her.
“I told you less than ten seconds ago. I always trust you, Anna.”
“M-My Lady...”
“Then shouldn't you trust me too and tell me everything?”
Despite the question, which was almost at the level of a threat, Anna continued to hesitate.
Finally, as if she had made up her mind, Anna closed her eyes tight and answered as if shouting.
“The Imperial Times! The Imperial Times wrote an article about you without permission...!”
Anna trailed off, as if she couldn't bring herself to say the rest.
Then, as if delivering good news after the bad, she added in a voice with maximum tension.
“The butler said he told Master as soon as he checked it! So, Master will surely handle it within today...”
“Ah, he won't.”
“No, My Lady! Master is a very busy man, but if it's something related to you, surely...!”
Yevgenia waved her hand toward the excited Anna and shook her head.
Only after two attempts did Anna's excitement begin to subside.
However, Anna's face was still cluttered with various emotions, which was something Yevgenia could easily clear away.
Because...
“I'm the one who placed that article, Anna.”
“Wh-what...?”
“If the butler relayed the story about the article to my father, Father would have figured it out sufficiently.”
The Duke, who had already silenced all the newspapers in the Empire, could not have missed it.
Rather than assuming a newspaper had suddenly grown a spine bold enough to ignore the Duke's subtle threats, it was far more realistic that Yevgenia had moved herself.
Therefore, no matter how much the butler shoved the Imperial Times in front of the Duke, the Duke would not move.
“It probably says something like Princess Martyr has gone mad for a commoner lover and acted recklessly without a sense of shame, right?”
Anna didn't answer, but that silence served as the answer.
It was a part that allowed Yevgenia to guess how much Lady Benson, having received permission from the protagonist, had run wild.
With a small snort, Yevgenia gave herself a quick check.
Perhaps because she had just finished preparing, she looked even more like the conceptual embodiment of a ‘Duke's daughter.’
“Hmm. The other newspapers that saw the Imperial Times must be scrapping all their morning editions and frantically printing new articles.”
The scene of the frantic newspapers was so obvious it was almost visible before her eyes.
At that moment, a flashing thought crossed Yevgenia's mind.
The smooth curve of her lips looked truly, perfectly ‘Martyr-like.’
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