Saying not to love a child who will soon die was effectively a threat to kill.
"'Judge well which line is the golden line' means Velkirei is not the golden line."
But Eliana already knew whose side she must take.
At least, it was not Hera's.
The final chapter serialized at the end of Part One ended with Hera's dreadful death.
Only Eliana knew that.
Yet on the surface Hera was the dominant one.
Eliana did not yet possess enough rapport to earn Velkirei's true trust.
"If I become a liability, Velkirei won't help me. He wouldn't risk exposing himself for a mere attendant."
So she would have to continue this precarious tightrope walk alone.
Resolving herself, Eliana rose from her chair and knelt by Hera's feet.
Hera smiled faintly at the sudden gesture and asked,
"What are you doing?"
"The golden line I judged is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."
"Oh?"
Hera looked down at Eliana with a face that said she was impressed by the firmness of the answer.
Eliana knew Hera's temperament well.
If she openly sided with Velkirei here, she would not leave alive.
She would be discarded as useless without a second thought.
Eliana recalled the circumstances that had brought her here.
"No one saw me go to meet Hera."
The corridor had been overly quiet. Only Sophia had escorted her to the main palace.
Even if someone had seen her, no one would stand against Hera—currently the highest authority—to help Eliana.
Calling her while Velkirei was away must have been precisely planned.
Hera was testing Eliana.
Would this child take Hera's side, or would she foolishly bask in the emperor's favor and grow arrogant?
Hera lifted Eliana's chin with her well-manicured fingertip.
"It seems Velkirei likes you."
"He is merely kind to those who stay by his side."
"Very well. Even if it is merely a liking, you must turn it into affection."
At Hera's words Eliana asked, bewildered,
"...Is that my role?"
"That's only the beginning. You must win Velkirei's favor as quickly as possible and then discover who is behind him."
"Behind him?"
When Eliana asked in surprise, Hera sneered lightly.
"It seems someone has been aiding him. Several times I've sent assassins to frighten him, and they vanished without a trace."
"Ah...."
"Of course, judging by how I've left him so far, they are not terribly dangerous individuals. But I like certainties."
"Leave it to me, Ma'am."
Eliana answered resolutely, and Hera smiled approvingly as she withdrew her hand.
The test was passed.
Hera helped Eliana to her feet and then, with a cold smile, patted her.
"My expectations for you are high."
Hera's voice dug into Eliana's head.
Yes—this was reality.
Eliana felt anew that she had stepped onto thin ice; the novel world was a harsh place.
"Welcome back."
Eliana greeted Velkirei brightly as he returned from bathing.
Thanks to Hera arranging his return time, he had not noticed Eliana's absence.
Hera had advised her to show no sign and simply remain at Velkirei's side until she was called again.
Eliana exhaled silently.
"I only thought about not being killed by Velkirei. I overlooked that Hera might put a noose around my neck and threaten me."
In the original story Eliana occupied a mere villain's flunky position and the details were sparse.
So she had little knowledge of how Hera would use her.
It was only described that Eliana swore loyalty to Hera and clung to her—nothing more.
But now Hera had subtly brought up Eliana's wound—her father—treated her specially while also intimidating her; each small thing grated.
Surely the panther was part of the staging.
Hera had meant to terrify Eliana by presenting a ferocious carnivore, making her fear being devoured.
Cutting the little cat's whiskers and pulling its claws earlier must have been the same cruelty at work.
In the original Hera had slowly bound Eliana to herself with sweet words and cunning tricks until Eliana relied only on her.
Having grown up amid abuse and neglect, Eliana would be easy to ensnare by lavish attention paired with terrifying discipline.
"Not going to happen. I won't be fooled like the original Eliana."
As Hera had said, Eliana already knew which line was the golden line.
Velkirei Owen.
Although she did not know the novel's ending and could not be certain of what came after, within the knowledge she had, the safest shelter was not Hera but Velkirei.
This incident had made that even clearer.
Hera was a person who could dispose of Eliana at any time.
If she remained beside Hera, she would be killed by Velkirei; if she remained beside Velkirei, she would be killed by Hera.
So she would pretend to side with Hera to put her at ease and earn Velkirei's favor.
At least she had to hold out until Velkirei revealed his power.
Luckily, Hera's orders had provided cover.
From now on she could approach Velkirei with full force.
If anyone suspected or questioned her, she could say all her attentions toward Velkirei were at Hera's command.
Velkirei entered the bedroom and extended his hand into the air; Eliana took it and placed it to her forehead.
He leaned on his cane with one hand and said,
"What were you doing?"
"Ah, I was resting because I felt a little tired."
Fatigue was evident on Eliana's face; merely facing Hera had exhausted her.
That excuse would suffice—yet Velkirei suddenly withdrew his hand from her forehead and then pressed his palm to her temple.
His hand was very cold.
It felt like a cool ice pack pressed against her brow; the unfamiliar sensation made Eliana flinch.
Velkirei, unbothered, looked worried and said,
"Palace life is not easy, is it?"
"Oh, no. I only had a sleepless night yesterday..."
"You seem to have a slight fever."
Velkirei leaned his cane against the wall and used his other hand to touch her brow.
He seemed to want to compare his temperature with hers.
She ought not to have a fever, yet his concern felt awkward.
The cool palm on her forehead did not feel unpleasant.
"Your hands are cold."
"Your forehead is hot."
Velkirei smiled at her reply, though his gaze remained unfocused; she felt as if he could see straight through her.
How could she truly align herself with Velkirei?
Eliana stared at him intently.
In truth, she was a subject of scrutiny for Velkirei.
She had been sent by Hera.
A disposable pawn for whom death would be acceptable. Someone who might turn on him at any time.
That was what Eliana Mushe meant to Velkirei.
So she must not arouse his suspicion.
If the day came when he transformed suspicion into certainty, she would quietly die.
"At least I must show I am on his side."
Eliana decided and, wrapping his hand that rested on her brow with her own, pulled it down into her grasp.
"Your Majesty, actually that was a lie."
"...A lie?"
"I was not resting. I visited the Empress Dowager."
When the word Empress Dowager left Eliana's mouth, Velkirei's expression stiffened.
Though he tried not to show it, Eliana noticed the subtle change.
She did not want to arouse suspicion by telling him an unnecessary lie.
As someone who knew the original story, she would do everything possible to avoid being killed by Velkirei.
She had already died unfairly in her previous life.
She recalled being toyed with by a senior who treated people like pawns.
She would never again be someone's pawn.
That did not mean she would rashly defy those who treated her as disposable.
She would pretend to be a pawn, holding her breath, and at the decisive moment block her owner's move.
Becoming the useless word that flips the odds and causes the owner to lose.
That was the best resistance the expendable could offer.
She would not die according to the original, nor be dragged around by these two.
Feigning submission, she would actually steer the game.
"My life is mine to decide and lead. I won't let anyone decide for me."
"You called to ask after my welfare, did you not?"
At that, Velkirei recovered his composure and offered a faint smile.
On the surface there was no trouble between Hera and himself; it was a customary question.
Eliana did not bother to correct him and simply nodded.
She could not reveal that Hera had ordered her to seduce him—too many cards would be shown.
Now was not the time to disclose everything; she needed to work beneath the surface.
To Hera, Eliana had utility; to Velkirei she did not.
Frankly, a powerless count's daughter practicing magic would scarcely tempt him.
So she needed to make small, safe disclosures showing she was not Hera's ally.
Hera had told her to show no sign, but she had no obligation to follow orders blindly.
Since Hera used Eliana, Eliana would simply use Hera in return.
Velkirei, leaning back on the bed supported by Eliana's hand, asked gently,