After speaking with his father and two brothers, Ard went back outside and headed straight for the side garden. He saw that everyone was still gathered there, laughing and enjoying themselves. Before approaching Eva to deliver the heavy news of the Emperor's death, he studied the faces of every girl and his three male friends, watching their movements with intense focus.

He began to analyze the situation.

"In just one day... even with a carrier pigeon, that is impossible. And even if it were possible, there is no way the news could have reached Edmund's ears that fast. There has to be something else going on," Ard muttered to himself.

He searched for other possibilities. For instance, maybe while they were passing through the Ateras Kingdom, a spy happened to spot Eva. But he quickly debunked that theory; at the time, Eva had dyed her hair black and was dressed in commoner's clothes. Besides, even if someone had recognized her and started digging, anyone they questioned would have said Eva was headed toward Rellios, not Fredonia.

"Hmm... that is right. There is no way they could know we came here... unless they were with us or literally followed us. It looks like Alexis is right; the spy is most likely among my friends," Ard whispered.

Ard observed everyone again, one by one, from a distance. He didn't just look at their behavior; he considered their outside connections and backgrounds. After carefully scanning each of their faces, they all seemed genuinely happy. They looked relaxed, carefree, and like they truly wanted to be there with him. It seemed impossible that any of them were traitors—unless one of them was a world-class actor, someone capable of faking a sincere heart.

"Hmm... my nine classmates seem impossible. That leaves only Mirea and Claudia. But considering what happened in her village... it does not seem like it could be Claudia. That means the only one left is Mirea. But if she told Edmund that Eva was here, what would she gain? A reward? Money? From what I know, Mirea is not like that," Ard muttered while watching Mirea.

Suddenly, Ard remembered something about Mirea. He turned the thought over in his mind, then immediately started walking toward the group. As soon as they saw Ard, everyone's face lit up—no exceptions. However, when they noticed the sour expression on his face, their smiles quickly turned to looks of concern. But before anyone could ask a single question, Ard walked straight up to Mirea.

"Mirea, can I ask you something?" Ard asked.

"Sure, what is it, Ard?" Mirea replied.

"Did you send a letter to Prince Nikolai recently?" Ard asked.

"Hmm... yeah, yesterday, while you were still sleeping. I just let him know that I'm in Fredonia with everyone now. I asked one of the palace staff for help... why? Is something wrong?" Mirea answered casually, her face calm.

Ard didn't say a word, but he studied Mirea's face intently, his brow furrowed. Being watched so closely, Mirea flashed an innocent smile.

"You want to kiss me, don't you? Come here," Mirea said, casually wrapping her arms around his neck.

But Ard immediately pulled Mirea's hands away. She flinched, her face showing that she truly didn't understand what he was doing. She reached up again and cupped Ard's cheek.

"What's wrong? Talk to me," Mirea said softly, stroking his face.

Once again, Ard pulled her hand away, leaving Mirea completely confused. She stared at him with a serious expression.

"Are you... mad at me? Did I do something wrong? Was I not supposed to send a letter to Nikolai?" Mirea asked, her voice filled with guilt and sadness.

Seeing Mirea's expression change three times in such a short span, Ard finally managed a smile. He pulled her into a hug.

"I'm not mad. I'm sorry," Ard said.

"O-okay. Just don't do that again. If I'm wrong, just tell me. Don't be like that... it scares me," Mirea said, her voice trembling.

Ard released her and asked who she had entrusted the letter to. Mirea told him it was the servant who had escorted her to the King's study.

"Alright, I understand. I'll look into it later," Ard said.

"What is actually going on, Ard?" Milia asked.

"Yeah, tell us," Alicia added.

"I'll tell you all later. Right now, I need to speak with Esmeralda in private," Ard said, looking toward Eva.

Ard took Eva's hand and led her toward the back of the palace, leaving the others to watch them walk away in confusion. Once they reached the back garden, Ard walked behind a pavilion. He reached toward a hedge in front of him, and as his arm passed through it, he pulled Eva inside. They emerged into a small garden featuring a monument surrounded by a circular pond. The garden was tucked away, filled with flowers, and was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Wow... I had no idea this place existed," Eva said, looking around in awe.

"This was my late mother's garden. She tended to everything here all by herself," Ard replied.

"I see. So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Eva asked.

Ard led her to the edge of a pond that was high enough to sit on. He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly to steady himself, and turned to face her. He took her hand in his.

"There are three things I need to tell you," Ard said, his expression grave.

Seeing how serious he looked, Eva simply nodded. She didn't say a word, bracing herself for whatever news he was about to deliver.

"First... this is incredibly hard to tell you, but I heard from Abel. He got word from his spies in the imperial capital. Emperor Ellard III has passed away. The cause is still unclear, but it happened a week ago," Ard said.

The air went still. Eva sat there frozen, her mouth slightly open, though she gripped Ard's hand with all her might. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Ard immediately pulled her into a hug, letting her let it all out. She wept silently, her body shaking with muffled sobs. Ard just held her, gently stroking her hair while he mentally composed the words for the second piece of news.

When Eva finally began to calm down, she gently pulled back and wiped her eyes. Ard brushed away her tears with a faint, sympathetic smile. Eva took a deep breath to steady herself and looked back at Ard.

"The second thing?" Eva asked, her voice quiet but steady.

"Today... Edmund was crowned as the new Emperor following a vote by the Senate. That is the word from Abel's spy, who sent the report via carrier pigeon," Ard answered.

"My brother is the Emperor now? What about the war?" Eva asked.

"Unfortunately, the war is still going on," Ard replied.

"That man... he has gone too far. He probably killed my father," Eva said, her anger flaring through her grief.

"It is a strong possibility, given the suspicious timing. Abel's spies are currently investigating the exact cause of Emperor Ellard III's death," Ard said.

"And the third thing?" Eva asked.

"This is related to why I asked Mirea about that letter. Edmund knows you are here in Fredonia," Ard answered.

This news caught Eva off guard. Her brows furrowed as she began to process the implications.

"So, at first, you thought Mirea was the one who leaked it?" Eva asked.

"Hmm... yes. Because it could not have been a random spy or anyone outside our traveling party. Our trip to Fredonia was completely unplanned. Whoever leaked it had to be one of us, whether they meant to or not," Ard answered.

"And you suspected Mirea? She only sent a letter to Nikolai, right?" Eva asked, clearly defending her friend.

"I was suspicious at first. But after seeing her reaction—without me even saying a word—I am certain she did not realize that sending that letter would reveal our location," Ard replied.

"So you think Prince Nikolai leaked it after hearing from Mirea?" Eva asked.

"That is assuming the letter actually reached Prince Nikolai. What if it didn't? What if it was intercepted along the way? I am going to investigate the servant Mirea gave the letter to yesterday while I was unconscious. One thing is certain: whether it was Prince Nikolai or someone else, someone opened that letter, read it, and leaked the contents," Ard answered.

"You are right. Thank goodness... I thought you were blaming Mirea," Eva said, sounding slightly relieved.

"Don't worry. Before I blame one of our own, I will always look at every other possibility first," Ard reassured her.

"I understand. Thank you for telling me," Eva said.

"You're welcome. But I need a favor. Please stay alert and keep an eye on everyone around you—even within our inner circle," Ard replied.

"Wait... you... you still suspect them?" Eva asked.

"I'm just being cautious. It doesn't mean I actually suspect any of them," Ard answered. "She's still so innocent, just like she was 3,000 years ago. That's exactly what got us caught back then and ended with her execution. Luckily, I've learned a lot from my nine past lives," Ard muttered to himself.

"Alright. I understand," Eva replied.

"Now, let's head back," Ard said, intending to stand up.

But before he could, Eva caught his hand and pulled him back down. Without a word, she threw her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. After they pulled apart, she looked at him.

"Thank you for being here for me when I'm at my weakest," Eva said.

"You're welcome. There's no need to thank me," Ard replied, resting his forehead against hers and smiling.

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