Chapter 10

Saving her from the river had been no big deal.

Just as he had explained to Penelope, Dylan would have saved anyone who fell into the water—no matter who they were.

After that, he tried to put the matter out of his mind.

But then he saw Penelope crying at Angela’s funeral.

He had been out there to clear his head, seeking a quiet place where no one would disturb him.

Yet in that place—where there should have been nothing but silence—he heard the muffled sound of a woman weeping.

‘What…?’

The sound seemed so close, as if it were right beside him. When he turned the corner, he saw Penelope.

‘Why is Lady Kruger here?’

What business did she have at Angela’s funeral—someone she wasn’t even close to—while crying like that?

Dylan’s confusion was only natural.

Penelope was not the sort of person to easily show tears. Even if Lord Kruger chose Ralph as his heir, she might get angry—but she would never cry.

“I… I was just sad. It’s a funeral…”

At that moment, Penelope’s reply had been clumsy. The way she crouched there crying, the tone of her voice—none of it suited her.

Even while speaking to her briefly that day, Dylan had thought something was off.

And then came the news that she had given up her claim to the inheritance.

‘What is she thinking? Penelope Kruger.’

It was as if, after falling into the river, she had become a different person.

The way she quickly wiped her tears and looked at him with reddened eyes remained vivid in his memory.

Who would believe him if he said that, for a fleeting moment, the proud woman had seemed pitiful?

‘Is she aiming for something other than the position of heir?’

For the first time, he found himself curious about her intentions—something he had never wanted to know

Having given up the succession struggle, Angela now faced surprised stares from both inside and outside the family—but she didn’t care.

More important was adapting to her new life by acting as Penelope, whose body she now inhabited.

“Senior? I had a question…”

A young man, familiar from memory, approached Angela hesitantly.

“Yes?”

“In the report you just handed in…”

Penelope had been an administrator in the Empire’s elite civil service. She worked in the Treasury Department, which handled policy and budgets—a core division of the administration.

After her leave, Angela had returned to work, handling duties with Penelope’s memories.

It had been a long time since she had worked.

Early in her marriage, Angela had once performed official duties as the consort of the crown prince. After establishing her own ducal household, Edward had taken over all affairs.

At the time, Angela had believed it was a kindness—because she had been emotionally exhausted—but Edward had truly given her no responsibilities at all.

“You don’t need to burden yourself. Just rest here.”

Even when Angela later expressed a desire to work, Edward had always responded the same way.

Thus, she had been cut off—not only from authority as the duchess but also from knowledge of how the world worked.

So working while pretending to be Penelope felt meaningful.

“Lady Kruger is working hard today. You should rest a little.”

Her superior, Count Hoffman, approached and spoke lightly.

‘What would Lady Kruger say in a situation like this?’

Since she admired Penelope, imitating her wasn’t difficult.

“It’s fine. I should finish as much as I can.”

“As expected of Lady Kruger.”

Working diligently like Penelope and returning to the Kruger manor left her tired—but it was satisfying.

‘It had been so long since I focused on something like this…’

Compared to the days when she was confined to the ducal estate, unable to go out unless accompanied by her husband, this time was incomparably more valuable.

“Lady Kruger. Still, it might be good to pause for a moment. I have something important to discuss.”

“Understood, Count. Mr. Beringer, we can talk about this when I return?”

“Yes. Please go, Senior!”

It seemed her superior had something to assign her, so she dismissed her junior and followed him.

But the room the count led her to was neither his office nor a meeting room.

“Where are we going?”

“Oh, it’s not far. We’ll be there soon.”

Though she asked, he didn’t clearly answer.

And when she entered the room and saw the Empress Dowager seated there, Angela froze.

Startled, she looked at the count, and he explained as if apologizing.

“Her Majesty wished to speak with Lady Kruger in private.”

Though the sudden summons unsettled her, Angela quickly composed herself and bowed.

“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

“Yes. Come, sit.”

The Empress Dowager, who had been waiting, motioned to the seat opposite her.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

Angela watched desperately as Count Hoffman bowed and departed.

‘If you leave me…!’

Just being in the presence of the Empress Dowager made it hard to breathe.

“Why so tense, Lady Kruger?”

But seeing that the Empress Dowager looked at her without hostility, she tried to steady her nerves.

‘I’m fine. I’m Lady Kruger right now. She doesn’t know I’m Angela…’

The Empress Dowager’s usually stern eyes held a hint of goodwill—something Angela had never seen when meeting her before.

“You asked to see me. I wonder why.”

“I wished to revisit the conversation we once had.”

The last memory Penelope had of the Empress Dowager was from that time.

When talk of marriage between the imperial family and the Kruger house had been underway.

“Since the Duke of Devonshire is now alone, he should take another spouse, shouldn’t he?”

The moment the Empress Dowager raised the subject directly, Angela almost grimaced.

‘You want me to become your daughter-in-law again?’

The memory was still vivid. It had been the most dreadful period of her life—beginning right after her marriage.

Angela’s marriage, once filled with excitement, had not been easy.

“How will you bear children with such a frail body?”

At the time, the Empress Dowager—then the Empress—regarded her coldly.

‘Did she never truly approve of me…?’

Angela had been confused, unaware of the Empress’s real thoughts.

“Come to pay your respects twice a day—at seven in the morning and nine at night.”

Though the Empress had instructed her, visits to the Empress’s quarters were not limited to twice a day. As a devout believer, the Empress also required three daily prayer sessions.

Angela tried to be warm and respectful, but the Empress’s attitude remained icy.

“I suggested we drink tea together, yet the lowest-ranking person arrives last.”

“I’m sorry, Mother. I didn’t expect the Empress Consort to arrive so early…”

“Excuses? I didn’t ask for reasons.”

If the Empress Consort had not intervened, the Empress would have continued to scold Angela.

Angela knew the Empress looked at the Empress Consort and herself with different eyes. Still, she tried to win her approval and never complained to Edward about the Empress.

But the Empress remained cold even in critical moments.

“Mother. Father is gravely ill. May I visit the manor for a short time?”

It had been the day she sought permission to visit her family after receiving news from the manor. Worried she might be refused, Angela had been anxious.

The Empress, meeting the second daughter-in-law with a distant expression, answered her cautious request.

“The Panning baron will be fine. Women of the imperial household do not leave the palace easily—return and remain in your place.”

“Mother, but…”

It had been the baroness’s request—someone who rarely sought visits so Angela would not feel burdened. Worrying for her family, Angela pleaded again, but the Empress rebuked her.

“How dare you talk back? Do you think the role of a crown princess is one where you do as you please?”

“…!”

“If that is how you feel, you should never have married the second prince!”

“…I’m sorry.”

In the end, Angela could not visit the manor and returned to her room, anxious.

That night, she received news that her father had passed away.

Angela’s tense hands had grown damp. She almost let her expression crumble, but she forced herself to remain composed.

‘I expected remarriage.’

It was not surprising that the Empress Dowager would want Edward to remarry.

What Angela had never imagined was that the Empress Dowager would approach her for the arrangement.

‘The Kruger family already had a broken engagement once. Why…?’

Why her of all people?

Being summoned before the Empress Dowager because of her ex-husband’s remarriage felt unreal.

‘Why the Kruger house?’

She could not understand why the imperial family insisted on dragging her into another marriage—bringing back memories that had once caused her so much pain.