26 – She has arrived.
“Haah-“
In Elaine’s hand, as she sighed, was a single white flower.
After finishing breakfast, she sat down in a small garden outside the mansion.
The neatly plucked petals began to fall to the ground in a delicate zigzag pattern.
She’s coming.
She’s not coming.
It’s coming.
It’s not coming.
It’s coming…?!
It’s not coming….
The moment the last petal fell.
Tears welled up unexpectedly due to the conclusion that was never hoped for.
As the tears threatened to fall, the sky above, glanced at absentmindedly, was a sorrowful shade of blue.
A lone white cloud, floating desolately, seemed as if it was watching itself.
It’s been three weeks since the prince left.
The suffocating time, which could be seen as both short and long, continued endlessly.
During that time, many changes occurred for Elaine.
Her mother, who had been driven away, returned.
Elaine also received the title of the Baroness with her mother.
Prioritizing all of those events, Katia’s mother got divorced and was chased away with her daughter, crying all the way to her relatives.
Because it was something that would cause quite a stir.
Elaine knew very well that it was a complicated process that required a considerable amount of time.
However, as if she had been preparing for a long time, it progressed swiftly in just a few days.
Of course, it was something to be happy about.
But she was not happy at all.
She had no energy to pay attention to such things right now.
I couldn’t concentrate on any other thoughts as the face of Hwangja kept popping into my mind.
Hwangja had clearly wanted to be engaged to me.
Without me.
He had even said that he couldn’t navigate this treacherous world without me.
But why on earth could he go for three weeks without even a single word?
Could it be that he lied?
Sighing once again, I couldn’t help but feel irritated by the image of Hwangja’s smiling face that came to mind.
If he had come and gone like that, shouldn’t he at least have sent a single letter? Isn’t that the least one could do as a human being?
Of course, she knew very well that writing a letter was not an easy task.
She herself had tried dozens of times to write a letter.
In the early morning.
In the bright daylight.
And even in the late night when everyone was asleep.
Every time, she couldn’t get past three lines, and in the end, she would throw the crumpled paper behind her, crying out in frustration.
Initially, it was an emotion that was so sudden and uncontrollable.
Expressing this indescribable feeling in words was by no means an easy task.
It was a point of contact that was originally unimaginable.
Perhaps being struck by lightning in a clear sky is closer to fate.
And yet, there was no way to bear this overflowing and wavering heart.
Am I different from Hwangja?
Thinking that way, the feeling of resentment somehow faded.
The resentment of being lost on the path soon turned into worry.
Could it be because my fingers hurt, preventing me from writing a letter?
In truth, I really, really wanted to come and see myself, but it was also possible that I couldn’t come because of a serious injury.
Having already suffered from unbelievable injuries multiple times, it was impossible to completely exclude that possibility.
If that was really the case, I could just heal myself…
My heart is boiling.
Just a moment ago, I was angry, but now it felt like I had become someone with a split personality, filled only with a sense of pity.
The only thing circling around my heart was the desire to see Hwangja’s face, no matter what.
But I felt incredibly pathetic for not having a single convincing excuse.
Of course, that doesn’t mean…
I didn’t have the courage to go and find Hwangja on my own.
Since we were engaged anyway, I didn’t have the audacity to declare that I came to see his face.
Hm, it was at that moment when a cautious voice came from behind.
“Miss.”
It was the butler.
Now that Katiya had been driven away, the only lady receiving respect in this vast Marquis’s residence was myself.
“What’s the matter?”
Elen still sat hunched over, not even looking, and asked abruptly.
“The Empress has ordered your entry into the palace.”
The words, so politely delivered with all his might by the servant who had always scorned her, were more than welcome.
Elen stood up abruptly.
She didn’t know why the Empress had called for her, but now she had a reason to enter the palace.
Finally, she could see the Crown Prince.
But now that she actually thought about seeing the Empress.
She was much more scared than she had expected, and her legs trembled.
***
The Empress of the Mersen Empire, Herpina.
She was currently conversing with the Duke of Shlaine.
Well, if you could call it a conversation.
The Duke hadn’t taken a sip of tea for a long time.
Enduring the suffocating silence, he wore an expression of constant guilt.
His pitiful appearance looked as if he were a loyal subject begging for forgiveness.
On the other hand, the Empress, elegantly taking a sip of her tea, even had a smile on her somewhat drowsy face.
“So, what happened to Duke Felios?”
“He hasn’t left his mansion for a week.”
“That’s strange.”
The Empress lowered her teacup and smirked.
“I heard that you were severely injured in the recent attack and are having trouble moving.”
The Duke’s mouth seemed to be burning as he anxiously swallowed his dry saliva.
“It’s not like you to give in so easily just because of that, is it?”
“Even the people who were close to me have all left, and on top of that, I’ve suffered a major injury at a relatively young age. I suppose my spirit has finally been broken.”
The Empress took another sip and wiped her mouth lightly.
“I see.”
“What should we do…?”
“….”
During a brief silence, the Duke cautiously reached out his hand towards the teacup, mustering up his courage.
His mouth was so dry that he could no longer bear it.
“I guess this is enough. Leave it be.”
But just as he was startled by his daughter’s sudden voice, his hand brushed past the teacup and it fell far away. In the end, he had no choice but to awkwardly touch the table and hastily pick it up.
“What about Bart Sandon? What happened to him?”
The Duke’s face, which had brightened a little, quickly darkened upon hearing the name Bart.
“The people who were sitting there… were all eliminated.”
“Ha! Father, why are you doing this these days?”
Even though it was clear that she was angry, the Empress continued to smile gracefully, as she always did.
“I-I apologize.”
“Why do you keep dragging this out when it would be enough to just kill one viscount?”
He spoke harshly, yet his expression remained gentle.
“Count Bart is exceptionally talented, and there is no one who can replace him no matter how hard I look. If he dies, the upper ranks will soon fall apart. I will plant another person, so please wait a bit—”
“Then at least properly fill his shoes. No, never mind. I’ll do it myself.”
The Duke’s face, even his minor usefulness denied, turned crimson.
“How is the Emperor these days?”
“A few days ago, he mentioned the engagement of the Crown Prince.”
“What about the Grand Duke’s position? Did he say anything about that?”
“No, Mama. It seems you need not worry about that part. The Emperor has always been someone who obsesses over legitimacy more than anyone else. He himself cannot tolerate bestowing the Grand Duke’s position on the Crown Prince, who committed a terrible crime. If he persists, I will use his beloved legitimacy to pressure the Emperor and make him obediently back down.”
The Empress’s face brightened a bit.
“Oh, by the way, didn’t they say someone would come out from the goddess religion today?”
“Yes, the Emperor and the Chief Minister have a scheduled lunch.”
“And the purpose?”
“It is said to be because of the Baekya incident that occurred in the imperial city a while ago. The temple believes that someone chosen by the goddess has demonstrated transcendent divine power.”
“Transcendent divine power? Does such a thing really exist? It’s just something the priests say, isn’t it? It’s not healing magic, it’s just divine power.”
“God is just a good means to make money. hahahaha.”
Finally at ease with her daughter’s atmosphere, the Duke naturally smiled and raised his hand to the teacup once again.
“Empress Mama, Elaine Bart has arrived.”
But just as his finger was about to touch the teacup’s handle, the voice of a maid was heard.
“Sir, please, don’t go anymore.”
In the end, the Duke, without even taking a sip of tea, had no choice but to leave the Empress’s palace with a sulky expression.
“I greet you, Your Majesty.”
As soon as the Duke left, Elaine entered.
Her stiff posture and moderate adornment clearly revealed her humble origins.
A satisfied smile lingered on the Empress’s lips.
“Oh, you’re here. You came so quickly, even though I called you not long ago. How about having lunch together with me?”
“Ah… Yes!”
In truth, after meeting the Empress, Elaine wanted to have a meal with the Crown Prince.
But…
In front of the Empress, who was smiling so brightly that it made her uneasy, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
***
It has been a week since Duke Pellios swore his loyalty.
-No, this can’t be happening. How could the Crown Prince… How could he!!
Even though he had just sworn an oath, the Duke seemed to be muttering like a madman for a while.
He appeared shocked and regretful, as if he had belatedly realized something.
But magic was based on the belief of the mage.
A mage’s oath, made by staking their mana, was never something to be taken lightly.
Regretting it afterwards was pointless. It was already too late.
The moment he went against the oath, the mana within him would go wild and explode, the absolute weight of the mana’s covenant.
That was why the Duke had been absent for the past week.
After spreading rumors that I had suffered a serious injury, I couldn’t possibly go against my own orders to stay quiet. That precious mass destruction weapon, known as the owner of the battlefield, was something I planned to use only when necessary. Heh, I smiled to myself.
Astia, who was dozing off by the window, woke up briefly and closed her eyes again. It was at that moment that Glentino burst into the room, panting.
“Your Highness! Queen Elaine, I mean… the prospective Crown Princess, has arrived at the Queen’s Palace!”