When Tanya opened her eyes, she saw the transparent beads hanging on the bed curtain, each distinct and clear. A gentle breeze lightly brushed past, causing them to chime with a crisp and melodious sound, softly echoing around and drifting off into the distance.

“When did I come back?”

Her beautiful phoenix eyes settled on Verdant, who responded with a composed smile.

“Your Grace has been resting in the inner chamber this whole time.”

“And where’s Alexander?” He was the first person she thought of.

“Guard Alexander was summoned by His Majesty to the Secretariat. They say there’s new information regarding the executioner.” Verdant paused slightly before continuing, “Guard Alexander is truly remarkable. Even such a convoluted matter—he managed to uncover a clue in just one day.”

Tanya frowned, instinctively sensing something amiss.

“Take me to the Imperial Study.”

Heliam sat in the Imperial Study, his handsome brows slightly raised, a trace of worry lingering in his gaze.

“Your Majesty, Consort Vivienne requests an audience,” Eunuch Belmont murmured cautiously by Heliam’s side.

Lately, Francois had been quarreling with Heliam again, causing the atmosphere around him to plummet to freezing point. Not even the best delicacies could coax a smile out of him. Naturally, Eunuch Belmont had to tread carefully.

“Let her in.” He didn’t even think twice.

Tanya bowed gracefully, her eyes bright as the stars in the sky. However, such radiant stars appeared calm and indifferent when facing Heliam.

“Your Concubine greets Your Majesty.” Tanya lowered herself in a curtsy, instantly replacing the smile at her lips with one of allure and flattery.

“Raise your head so I can take a look.” Noticing the faint smile, Heliam’s curiosity was piqued for once.

Today, Tanya wore a plain green gauze dress, her hair adorned with a delicate emerald hairpin. She wore a refined princess bun, with three thousand strands of jet-black hair cascading down her slender back. Her lips were soft and vibrant, like freshly blossomed cherry petals—refreshing and charming.

Tanya lifted her eyes, her lips curled with an almost imperceptible smile.

In an instant, the splendor around her paled in comparison.

“Vivienne has grown even more beautiful lately.” Heliam’s lips moved, but all he could say was this slightly surprised statement.

“Your Majesty’s love is too generous,” Tanya lowered her head slightly, a fleeting smile at the corner of her mouth.

“I heard that Guard Alexander discovered a lead regarding the executioner in the harem, so I came to have a look.”

Heliam waved a large hand. “I’ve already sent him back.”

“In that case, I won’t disturb Your Majesty any longer. Your Concubine will take her leave.” Tanya offered her counsel, performed a formal bow, and elegantly withdrew.

“Did my beloved come here only for the matter of the executioner?” Heliam asked in a deep voice, his dark eyes flickering with a glimmer of hope.

It seemed as if he fervently wished to hear something related to himself from Tanya’s lips.

Tanya’s gaze turned cold as she pondered over how to advance and retreat.

If she acted differently and claimed that she was here under the pretext of the executioner matter but had really come to see Heliam, expressing her heartfelt sentiments, she might succeed in leaving an impression on him.

Heliam was exactly that kind of man—hoping the woman who belonged to him would only have eyes for him alone.

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of Tanya’s lips as she raised her gaze to meet Heliam’s handsome face.

“I’m staking my life to find that executioner, and I hope Your Majesty will have the wisdom to see that.”

As she spoke, she didn’t look at Heliam, but Tanya could guess the expression in his eyes even as she shifted her gaze away.

It wasn’t hurt—only anger, or perhaps bewilderment.

Heliam’s gaze deepened, lingering on Tanya for a long time.

“Are you blaming me?”

His voice was low and drawn-out, entirely different from Alexander’s.

By comparison, Heliam’s was the sinister charm of a malevolent spirit, while Alexander’s held the chill of ice.

That kind of coldness must have stemmed from long-harbored disappointment and resentment.

Tanya’s brows knitted in displeasure.

Both were NPCs from the system, but Tanya simply couldn’t bring herself to like Heliam.

“Your Concubine would not dare to presume to reproach Your Majesty.” She bowed deeply, trying to appear as submissive as possible, causing Heliam to frown.

“Why is Vivienne so distant with me?” A hint of surprise flashed across Heliam’s handsome face, but what was more prominent was the fleeting hurt in his eyes.

He even felt a sense of disbelief—if it were the old Vivienne, she would have raised those starry, shimmering eyes, looking at him with tears brimming, her voice gentle and charming, like the clear cry of an oriole in a mountain stream.

She would tell him, “Your Concubine has waited long for Your Majesty, but I wonder if Your Majesty no longer loves Vivienne.”

A trace of impatience flashed in Tanya’s eyes. She lifted her chin, a radiant smile curling at her lips.

“Your Majesty overthinks.”

Before Heliam could continue leading the conversation astray, she quickly bowed again.

“Time is of the essence. Your Concubine will go seek out more clues.”

Heliam watched her slender figure retreat, a peculiar emotion welling up inside him, rising and falling without release, making him feel unbearably uncomfortable.

“Two days from now, there will be an **Eight-Nation Conference** beneath Starlight Terrace. I want you to attend it with me.”

Tanya’s body stiffened slightly. She let out a soft sigh, bowed low in acknowledgment, and then quietly withdrew.

Heliam’s gaze was inscrutable.

“Your Majesty, the **Eight-Nation Conference** involves participation from all eight nations. Consort Francois possesses exceptional martial skills and is ruthlessly astute. Does Your Majesty truly wish to discard her and choose Consort Vivienne instead?”

Heliam’s expression remained impassive. “Just carry out my order.”

Eunuch Belmont bowed deeply and then quickly followed after Tanya.

“Consort Vivienne, please wait.”

Verdant was the first to halt. “Does Eunuch Belmont have a decree from His Majesty?”

He nodded and directed his gaze at Tanya, his attitude becoming even more respectful.

“I have long believed that Your Grace would achieve great things. It seems I was not mistaken.”

Tanya frowned. “What do you mean by that, Eunuch Belmont?”

Eunuch Belmont bowed slightly, his expression filled with a smile. “Your Ladyship may not know this, but ever since the establishment of the Eight-Nation Conference, no one outside of the Empresses throughout history has ever qualified to attend.”

“Every four years, the leaders of eight nations gather to discuss the affairs of the common people. This has always been a highly secretive event, but not only did His Majesty casually mention it to you, he has even replaced Lady Francois, whom he previously favored, with you.”

His gaze held a sense of expectation, as if convinced that Tanya had already secured a place in His Majesty Heliam’s heart.

Tanya found the situation displeasing. “The matter of the executioner is not yet resolved. Who knows if I will even live to see that day?”

Besides, given Heliam’s habit of breaking his word, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t come up with some excuse to replace her at the last minute. Tanya silently added this thought in her mind before turning her gaze back to Eunuch Belmont.

“It was nothing more than an offhand remark from His Majesty. You’ve served by his side for many years, how could you take it so seriously?”

Eunuch Belmont had weathered many storms and was well aware of Tanya’s concerns.

“Your Ladyship might not understand,” he said, his voice steady, believing Tanya’s response stemmed from the repeated neglect she had suffered from Heliam. Women’s jealousy was something he was all too familiar with, having served in the imperial harem for so long.

But this time was different.

“His Majesty has always been very concerned about you.”

Heliam’s concern for Tanya was not even a third of what it was for Francois, but to Eunuch Belmont, this seemed like a clear indicator of her importance.

“What do you mean by that?” Tanya’s beautiful features were accentuated by the soft sunlight, which cast a delicate glow on her smooth forehead. Her cherry lips were as pink as fresh sakura, and the sheer green sleeves of her gown fluttered gently in the breeze. Her eyes, like the brightest stars in the night sky, shone with a quiet brilliance.

“Your Ladyship may not be aware,” Eunuch Belmont continued, as if about to reveal something even he found surprising, “In this vast harem, the consorts and ladies all believe that Lady Francois is the most favored.”

“I won’t speak on the reasons for that.” He paused briefly. “But I have served His Majesty for decades, and I understand his thoughts better than anyone. His Majesty has feelings for you, Your Ladyship. One could even say, His Majesty *likes* you.”

“His Majesty suffers from terrible headaches at night, a condition that only Lady Francois knows of,” he murmured, his eyes clouded with old memories. “Whenever His Majesty has a headache, he struggles to sleep, his worries during the day keeping him awake through the night. Your Ladyship, do you remember the sachet you once gifted His Majesty?”

Tanya followed his gaze and nodded slightly.

“Ever since you gave him that sachet, His Majesty’s headaches have lessened.”

“Your Ladyship, please forgive me for speaking out of turn. I once tried to replicate the same fragrance, filling the Imperial Study with the finest lavender I could find, carefully selected to ensure it was the best quality in the land,” he said softly, his gaze locked onto Tanya. “But His Majesty didn’t like it.”

“He only favored what Your Ladyship gave him. I once thought it was simply because I am a mere servant, and how could I possibly expect the things I offer to compare with what Your Ladyship presents.”

“What truly changed my mind was Lady Francois.” He spoke slowly, drawing Verdant’s curious gaze.

“Lady Francois?” Verdant asked, raising an elegant eyebrow.

“Yes,” Eunuch Belmont nodded slightly. “Though Lady Francois appears cold on the outside, she has a kind heart. At the very least, her intentions towards His Majesty are sincere.”

Tanya lifted her chin, indifferent to Eunuch Belmont’s words.

“Lady Francois, trying to follow in Your Ladyship’s footsteps, also made a sachet for His Majesty. She mentioned several times that she wished to personally help His Majesty put it on. His Majesty did wear it a few times, but each time, he grew restless. Even when talking in his sleep in the Hall of Ministers, he muttered *your* name.”

“His Majesty, truly, deeply cares for Your Ladyship. Only those of us who serve closest to him know this.”

Eunuch Belmont’s words fell like a tiny pebble into the depths of Tanya’s heart, creating ripples that spread outward.

He said Heliam likes her.

Tanya’s expression didn’t change. “Ridiculous.”

Naturally, it was ridiculous. This was all part of a livestream. If Heliam really had fallen for her, her system task would have been completed long ago.

There must be some misunderstanding here, but Tanya didn’t have the patience to explain it.

“I have urgent matters to attend to, so I hope Eunuch Belmont won’t delay me any further,” Tanya’s gaze turned cold as she spoke, her smile appearing unintentional.

Eunuch Belmont remained silent, only sighing softly after a long pause.

“It was presumptuous of me, Your Ladyship.”

Tanya turned to leave, only to be stopped once more by Eunuch Belmont’s voice.

“Your Ladyship!”