Meanwhile, the monks of the Chudov Monastery are plotting an assassination attempt on the emperor by rigging the Arsenal with explosives, while a young aristocratic woman, Maria, desperate to avenge her late brother, tries to shoot Napoleon. When her attempt fails, she crosses paths with Michel and a Polish officer, Joseph Sadok. Forced to hide there disguised as an actress, Maria becomes entangled in a dangerous game, where survival, mounting suspicion and the evolving connection with Michel irrevocably change the fates of everyone involved.