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I asked Evely to sit down again, but she looked awkward sitting alone, so I pulled up another chair and sat down across from her. Evely still looked awkward and tried to get up.
"You must be tired after all you've been through. It's okay for you to sit still."
"But that would be rude…"
"Don't worry."
As I tried to keep Evely from getting up, Laura brought a refreshing fruit juice made from a mixture of apples, grapes, ice, and sugar.
Evely hesitated as soon as she received the drink, but finally calmed down. She then took a few sips and explained the situation.
"His Majesty Sovieshu asked me to deliver a gift to you. He entrusted it to me because it is a personal gift apart from the official gifts. On the way here, suddenly one side of the carriage collapsed completely."
"Oh my!"
"In the end, we got out of the carriage to try to find our way back, but it wasn't easy… the carriage was also packed with official gifts for the Empress. They were precious and heavy, so it was difficult to carry them. Still, we all helped each other as we tried to orient ourselves in the dense forest. Fortunately, the knights arrived soon."
"That's a relief."
"It's all thanks to Your Majesty."
The credit is not mine. However, I couldn't say this because Evely would feel awkward again.
Instead of refusing to receive her thanks, I asked her about the magic I was curious about.
"Did you heal the wounded?"
I didn't know if Evely could heal with her magic. Even when I helped finance her studies, I was only informed that she had been admitted to the magical academy, but I didn't hear anything about her magic.
Many people tried to hide their magic, so I never asked.
However, now things were a little different. I wasn't curious about what kind of magic Evely used, what I wanted to know was if she had recovered her mana.
Although I thought Evely would answer without hesitation, she remained silent with her eyes down.
"Evely?"
When I called out to her in surprise, her face blushed and she clasped her hands together nervously.
While I wanted to know, I also didn't want to push her. So I didn't insist and changed the subject.
"What kind of personal gift did the Emperor of the Eastern Empire send me?"
"Ah, that…"
"?"
"It got a little ruined when the carriage broke down."
"It's fine."
Evely rose from the chair, squatted down in front of the slightly battered satchel that lay on the floor against the dressing table, and undid the clasp.
After a click was heard, the satchel opened to reveal a small box wrapped in a handkerchief. The box was also dented in one corner.
"Your Majesty, here you go."
Evely handed me the box and said,
"I don't know what it contains."
I wondered what Sovieshu had sent through the girl I used to be a benefactor for. After we exchanged a few more words, I went back to my room and put the box sent by Sovieshu on the table.
I was confused as to why he sent me this. I wasn't sure I should open it.
He had already sent several official gifts. One was a small racing chariot sent through Grand Duke Lilteang and the others I had not yet seen. In any case, they were gifts brought by the delegation that came with Evely.
So what could this be? No matter what it is, should I see it?
The other gifts had been given by the emperor of a neighboring country. This was clearly a gift from 'Sovieshu' to 'Navier'.
After I stood still pondering for a while, I carefully held the box in my hands and opened it.
Ever since it became public that the child in Alan's arms was identical to Rashta, the imperial palace employees had been talking about it every time they met.
"My goodness! So the child is the Empress'…"
"He definitely is. They're like two peas in a pod."
"You didn't see it wrong?"
"It wasn't just me who saw it. When the hat flew off, the Empress' face turned pale and she cried out in terror, "Nooo!"
The servant who imitated Rashta laughed. All the employees who sat down to talk about what happened found it funny and clutched their stomachs.
A maid who worked at the Western Palace before Rashta became the Empress sneered with her arms folded.
"It's a real disaster. She never revealed that she had had a child. It is obvious that she cheated on His Majesty so that she could marry him. Isn't that how a swindler acts?"
"His Majesty didn't know?"
"Of course he didn't know! Otherwise, he wouldn't have left Navier to marry her."
Not only servants and maids gossiped, the high-status nobles also talked about the child who resembled the princess.
"So that young man named Alan is the father of her first child?"
"First we have to find out if that child is the Empress' child."
"He must be. That's why that young man went to see the Empress."
"Isn't the Empress an incomparable beauty? If the little boy looks like her, he's definitely her child."
"Her child… That's terrible!"
"A terrible scandal. If this is true, wouldn't her position as Empress be questionable?"
It was inevitable that there would be such an uproar. That day, many witnessed the scene. Even those who at first didn't know what was going on turned their heads when Rashta cried out in shock.
In the midst of this situation, Alan had refused for days to answer whose child it was that looked so much like the princess.
There were people who spread rumors that Rashta had previously had a child, and that she had hidden it in order to remarry. However, those who raised such rumors were the kindest.
Those who spread more provocative rumors whispered,
"Even though they come from the same womb, it's amazing how much they look alike."
"It seems that fathers should also be doubted."
"Who knows if her first child and the princess are from the same father."
Of course, behind the provocative rumors was Marquis Farang and his followers.
These rumors also reached Rashta's ears one after another.
'What should I do?'
Rashta wondered in tears, alone in her room.
She wanted to wait for the rumors to die down, but the rumors grew louder as the days passed.
'That damned Marquis Farang is trying to destroy me with his filthy mouth!'
Despite the rumors that spread, Alan did not step forward to deny them. Even if he did, no one would believe him. However, since he kept his mouth shut, the rumors snowballed.
Rashta asked Grand Duke Lilteang to organize a great banquet, and at that banquet she said flatly, "The princess is my first child and I was never married before. That little boy is not my child."
She had taken a firm stance, but even that didn't work.
After many saw two virtually identical children, no one believed Rashta's words.
— People keep coming to the mansion to investigate. Rashta, help me.
Alan, who was the cause of the trouble, sent a letter with these words.
'I should have killed that bastard! I should have taken care of him, not Rivetti!'
As soon as Rashta received the letter, she tore it to pieces in a rage.
'What should I do… what should I do, what should I do… even in this situation, His Majesty hasn't spoken. Isn't he supposed to quell the rumors for the princess' sake?'
Rashta racked her brain and finally came up with an answer.
'Why not pass the role of 'society's chewbone' to someone else, as I did in the past with Duchess Tuania?'
However, that would not work now.
Back then, this ruse had been made possible by the enormous popularity of Duchess Tuania. Currently, such a person did not exist in high society.
As time went on, people began to talk that Emperor Sovieshu should take a paternity test.
Sovieshu, who had not spoken out until now, gave his approval.
— If this can put an end to the unfair rumors about the princess and the empress, of course I will do it.
After this, people began to whisper that Emperor Sovieshu was also not sure that the princess was his daughter. He had taken advantage of people's doubts so that Rashta couldn't refuse.
'No!'
However, Rashta could not accept the paternity test.
"It is perfect. Now that Her Majesty has to go to the temple, she can also prove that Viscount Isqua and Viscountess Isqua are her real parents, which has always been a subject of controversy."
Marquis Farang lashed out at her again!
342
The princess waved her little hands as she went, "bubu, bubu."
Sovieshu smiled broadly and pressed the baby's cheeks with his fingers.
"My baby. Who's daddy? Who's daddy?"
"Bubu!"
"Who is daddy?"
"Abubu!"
Viscountess Verdi stared at Sovieshu. The Emperor was evidently an affectionate father. Even in this situation, he frequently visited the princess to take care of her.
Not as attentive as in the past, when he used to take her to his office, but much more so than an ordinary emperor.
In Viscountess Verdi's eyes, the Emperor and the Princess were like a glass cup just before it broke.
At times, Sovieshu would hold the baby in his arms and pat her on the back with a somber expression. At other times, tears welled up in his eyes even though he had a smile.
The baby's laughter brought Viscountess Verdi out of her thoughts. Just then, Sovieshu burst into tears as he held the baby.
Viscountess Verdi looked away and hurriedly left. Sovieshu sobbed in silence for a while, tears spilling down his cheeks and his broad shoulders shaking.
The baby didn't know what was going on, so she just looked around the room with wide open eyes. She was full of curiosity about the world, and everything seemed fun to her.
Eventually, Sovieshu raised his head to examine the baby. Today he also tried to find the resemblance he had to the princess, as he had done lately.
Again, there was no resemblance.
Sovieshu reached out and carefully fixed the baby's soft hair, which had become tousled.
"My baby. Princess."
"Bubu…"
"Princess."
After Sovieshu affectionately called the baby a few times, he carefully placed her in the splendid cradle.
As he began to rock the cradle gently, the princess's eyes slowly closed.
She was a very sweet baby, not even her personality resembled his. Sovieshu's gaze darkened, he removed his hand from the cradle and walked away.
Sovieshu always wondered if the princess had his blood, though he feared to know the answer. It would have been a humiliation for the emperor to take the initiative to do the paternity test.
Fortunately, that foolish young nobleman named Alan, created this situation with his own hands.
The paternity test, which he wanted to do but could not, had been raised by the people.
In this scenario, Sovieshu only had to say that he was forced to take the paternity test 'for the sake of the princess and the empress'.
If it turned out to be true that the princess was not his daughter, he might be seen as a lovesick fool in the Eastern Empire, but he thought that more people would sympathize with him.
However…
He wanted to believe in Rashta one last time.
Sovieshu watched the baby sleep peacefully, then shook his head and left his room.
Not in the current Rashta, but in the Rashta he had wanted to protect.
He didn't know what had made her change like that, but the Rashta of before definitely had no contact with other men.
Unless he had misjudged her, Glorym would be his daughter.
Definitely.
Definitely.
Definitely.
When I opened the lid of the box dented in one corner, I saw a light blue jewel. Inside it shone a fairy-like white color.
I sighed unconsciously.
Legend has it that this jewel, called the 'fairy tear', came from a fairy who lost her husband and fell into an eternal sleep.
It was very, very precious.
There are many precious jewels, but few with a story as mysterious as this behind it.
The jewel was sent by Sovieshu. My ex-husband.
What was the point? Now that I remember, I asked him for this jewel for my birthday a few years ago. Sovieshu agreed at first, but then changed his mind.
'I'll give it to you when we have our first child.'
Did he remember that promise? An unknown emotion welled up inside me, I clenched my fist and put the jewel back in the box.
He had not accepted that I was happy at Heinley's side. Why did he send this? Why did he send a jewel that reminds me of our happy days?
Also, this precious object was not sent as an official gift, but as a personal gift.
It would have been better if he had sent it through the delegation, along with the other gifts that I had not yet seen.
After I closed the box, I finally called Evely to return it to him.
"Can you return this to Emperor Sovieshu?"
However, Evely quickly shook her head and said quietly,
"Ah… I'm sorry, Your Majesty. But… it puts me on the spot."
"I can't keep it. It's a gift from my ex-husband."
"His Majesty Sovieshu ordered me to give it to you. If I were to return it to him…"
Evely spoke in a weak voice with her hands clasped tightly. Only after I heard those words did I understand the awkward position Evely was in.
Being the Empress of the Western Empire, I did not mind returning my ex-husband's gift. However, Evely was still a citizen of the Eastern Empire.
In the end, I had no choice but to let her leave. Then I placed the box on a small table as I reflected.
Sovieshu had secretly given it to me through Evely.
If I gave it to someone from the Eastern Empire delegation… even if I specified that it was to be 'returned' to the Emperor, it would look like a gift from me to Sovieshu.
The only alternative was to return it secretly with someone from the Western Empire. For that, I would have to get someone who completely believed in me to the point where that person wouldn't even consider it strange that I secretly sent something to Sovieshu.
Was there a person who would fulfill that and want to go to the Eastern Empire to meet Sovieshu?
Should I talk to Heinley first? But wouldn't he be offended?
Every time he heard me speak well of Sovieshu, he was saddened.
If I told him that Sovieshu sent me a very precious gift, wouldn't he feel sad and worried?
Still, I had to tell him. But I must do it in the right words and at the appropriate time.
While I was deep in thought. Unexpectedly, Grand Duke Kapmen came to visit me and asked me a strange question.
"Your Majesty, are you close to Miss Evely of the Eastern Empire?"
343
"Why?"
Once I asked him curiously, his expression turned serious.
"I'm jealous. I want to be close to you too."
"Hmm."
"It was foolish, Your Majesty. Please forgive my impoliteness. I came here because Miss Evely had strange thoughts."
"Strange thoughts?"
"I want to hide this ability as much as possible because you might be afraid of me, but I still tell everything to my beautiful ice that I can't get close to… ah, I'm sorry. The Eastern Empire suspects the Western Empire attacked their mages."
Due to Grand Duke Kapmen's incoherent words, I did not immediately understand the relevance of what he said.
After about thirty seconds, I asked in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Grand Duke Kapmen's eyes narrowed briefly as he spoke.
"Looks like there's a good reason to suspect…"
Instantly, I remembered the order given by Heinley to McKenna and the dean of the magical academy's attitude towards me.
It seemed that Evely had indeed regained her mana, but she tried to hide that fact from me.
Grand Duke Kapmen added as he stared at me,
"They lost the conclusive evidence in the middle of the investigation, so the matter will not be made public."
For a moment, I thought these words had been just to reassure me after he read my thoughts.
My legs weakened at once, so I sat down on the couch. My heartbeat quickened and my expression darkened.
I had tried to pretend not to notice the situation, but it had already come to this point…
Grand Duke Kapmen didn't think it would turn out this way, so he hesitated and put his hand to his forehead.
"Shouldn't I have said it?"
"Don't worry. Thanks for letting me know."
It wasn't Grand Duke Kapmen's fault. He was surprised to learn that the Eastern Empire's mages suspected that the Western Empire was mainly responsible for the phenomenon of mage decline, so he came to inform me.
After Grand Duke Kapmen left, I remained sitting on the couch.
I felt as if my mind was flying through the dark evening sky. When I came to my senses, Heinley knocked on the door.
"Come in."
I spoke weakly. I didn't have the strength to get up, so I leaned back on the couch and closed my eyes.
I didn't even have an appetite. No matter how many delicious dishes Heinley prepared, I didn't want to eat today.
Should I ask Heinley directly about the phenomenon of mage decline? Even if it came out of his mouth that he wanted to harm my country?
I felt a heavy pressure in my chest, until Heinley's voice reached my ears.
"Queen? What is this box?"
Ah, the box!
When Duke Elgy brought in the fake parents, he advised Rashta never to agree to a paternity test.
Naturally, if she were to take a paternity test, it would quickly be discovered that they were fake parents.
Recently, the controversy over her fake parents had been raised by the appearance of her real father. So Rashta took Duke Elgy's advice and insisted that she would not take a paternity test.
It was as if she had put on a blindfold, but there were people who understood Rashta at the time.
It could be considered a humiliation to take a paternity test. One would prefer to resolve the matter without this method as much as possible, especially nobles.
"Isn't it suspicious that she refuses a paternity test?"
"Does that mean her daughter is not a princess but an illegitimate child?"
"Oh my! It would be terrible if the Emperor's only descendant turned out not to be!"
There were many ladies in other noble families who had been raised to become the next empress, while Rashta had no one to back her up.
The only one who could help her was Viscount Roteschu. But the Viscount was in search of Rivetti, so she had not seen him at all.
If he didn't send letters or people to ask for money periodically, it would be impossible to know if he was still alive.
'What should I do… What should I do now…'
Rashta paced back and forth across the room with heavy footsteps.
If she were to take a paternity test, it would be discovered that she was not of nobility.
Fortunately, her real father was now a commoner. Being the child of a commoner was better than being the child of a slave.
Although she would no longer be able to make her daughter the Emperor's successor, several empresses who preceded her had also been of commoner origin.
'No, no, no. In that case, my Glorym would be scorned.'
Rashta unconsciously tugged at her hair. She rubbed her scalp roughly and crumpled to the floor.
She was too scared and worried to bear it.
Although she could not take a paternity test, the more time passed, the more doubts there were about the real father of the princess.
She could not even turn to Duke Elgy in this situation. Clearly, if she were to visit Duke Elgy, who had been embroiled in several scandals, it would only add to the rumors.
'What should I do, what should I do…'
After a long reflection, Rashta came to a conclusion.
'I'll take a paternity test.'
The only reason she couldn't agree to take a paternity test was because of her real father and her fake parents.
'I'll make them disappear.'
Although people might find it strange that they disappeared at the same time, if the Isqua Family and her real father disappeared, it would be impossible to know the truth.
Once she came to this conclusion, Rashta waited first to hear from her real father. He used to send her maid to ask for money, and it was time for her to come.
If she contacted her real father first, he might find it suspicious. So she had to wait for him to approach first, as usual.
Of course, she was a little worried. However, her real father sent the maid despite the recent rumors about Rashta.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. Here you are…"
As soon as Rashta received the letter from the maid's hands, she involuntarily shed tears. This had taken a load off her mind.
She was undoubtedly worried about what might happen if her real father acted differently this time. However, he acted as he always did.
'Why do I feel such strong pain in my chest?'
"Your Majesty?"
As Rashta shed tears, the maid asked in surprise.
"Are you all right?"
'How dare she ask if I'm all right?' She must know about the recent rumors about me, but she still asks if I'm all right?'
Rashta held back the urge to scream. She just glared fiercely at the maid with her wide eyes. She gave an eerie impression like that of a sea monster in the depths of the ocean.
The maid flinched, so she lowered her gaze. Rashta bit her lower lip and ordered the maid to leave her alone.
Finally, she opened the envelope after taking a deep breath. As she pulled out the letter, an unwanted hope rose within her again.
'This time. Maybe this time he wanted to behave like a good father.'
She was annoyed with herself for having that hope, but it was how she felt.
Rashta pulled out the letter and read it quickly. 'I need money for this… I also want to do this…' he asked for the same as always.
He didn't even bother to write her words of comfort. He only mentioned how difficult these days were for him. However, the amount requested was higher than usual. Not that he was completely unaware of the rumors, but that he only cared about the money.
Tears streamed down her face.
Rashta tossed the letter aside, squatted on the floor and covered her face with both hands.
Then she touched her fingertips to the scar on her forehead, which had been caused by a maid in the past.
No matter how much she covered it with her bangs, the scar was still there, and it bothered her a lot. Rashta scratched the scar with her fingernails as she thought.
'Why was I born a slave? Why did I have to be the daughter of that trash? Why was Navier born a noble? Why did Navier have loving parents and live happily?'
She knew that Navier must have gone through some hard times too, but not as hard as hers.
It was different from the start. Rashta had to fight because she had nothing.
She wanted to have a lot. She wanted to be loved, she wanted to laugh and she wanted to be happy.
She wanted someone who truly loved her, not a father who abandoned his daughter, nor a man who promised her love and did not protect her.
To love and be loved completely. Without being discriminated against for being a slave.
'Is that wrong? Is that so wrong? I took away her position as empress… I took away her husband… Yes, I did. Is that why I'm being punished like this?'
Rashta laughed through tears.
'No way, no way. Absolutely not.'
Rashta had always been unhappy as to say now that she was suffering because she took away Navier's position as empress.
Rather this time she tried to change her unhappy life with her own hands. But her unhappiness became even greater.
'Why? Why are happy people always happy, and why are unhappy people always unhappy? Do I find myself unhappy that I didn't settle for my life? What would have happened if I had conformed? Was I supposed to live my whole life as an obedient slave in the hope that one day my father would come to rescue me?'
Rashta sobbed and pounded her fist on the carpet.
Each time her fist hit the carpet, the more the splendid ring on her right hand sank into her flesh.
Blood flowed down her hand, but she felt no pain.
She felt as if the splendid ring bit into her flesh and whispered,
'This position is not for you. You don't fit in such a high position. You are not worthy of me.'
As tears streamed down her cheeks, Rashta suddenly stopped crying.
She had changed her mind.
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Although I had done nothing wrong, as soon as Heinley asked me about the box, I immediately answered, "It's nothing."
Heinley didn't question my words, he walked over to me and kissed me on the cheek.
"So then why do you look so uneasy? Huh?"
I couldn't help but sigh. 'Should I tell him about the box sent by Sovieshu first, or should I ask him about 'it' that I was trying to ignore?'
"My Queen?"
"I was thinking."
"From your expression, it doesn't seem like you were thinking of anything happy…"
Heinley stared at me as he leaned toward me. He was right, so I nodded,
"I have two things to tell you."
"Were you thinking about whether you should say them?"
"No, I was thinking which to say first."
I needed to say both. So after thinking about it, I decided to start with the most important.
With the box that Sovieshu gave me, I was only worried that Heinley would get jealous. So it was more important to resolve the matter of the phenomenon of mage decline.
"Isn't it easy to say?"
Heinley whispered with a hand on his chin.
"What's wrong, My Queen?"
"Are you involved in the phenomenon of mage decline?"
As I was about to say, 'Are you the culprit?' I chose my words better.
"Are you involved?"
To call him 'culprit' in this situation would be to treat him as if he were a bad person.
Of course, if he really was involved with the phenomenon of mage decline, he had already affected hundreds of people… Heinley would be a bad person to them.
In the blink of an eye, Heinley's face became as cold as if it was covered by a thin layer of ice.
"Navier."
He spoke to me in a stiff voice. His eyes, less warm than usual, fixed on me.
His icy appearance, without even trying to disguise it, made him seem colder than I could have expected.
Not that he was angry with me. It's just that at my one question, his lovable and kind mask that he always wore disappeared.
"Heinley."
It broke my heart to see his stiff expression, not even trying to excuse himself.
"Heinley."
I called to him again, and placed a hand on his cheek.
"Heinley."
I called his name a third time and kissed his upper lip lightly.
Only then did Heinley's eyes tremble. His golden lashes rose and fell over his purple eyes.
"Navier, My Queen. Navier, I…"
"I'm not blaming you."
When Heinley looked down, his purple eyes were completely hidden.
"Heinley. I just want you to be honest with me."
The room was completely silent, only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard. As if reality had faded away and there were only the two of us left in this world.
I felt that no matter what Heinley said at this point, I would accept it without hesitation. When Heinley slowly looked up, his hidden eyes were revealed again.
"My Queen."
As soon as he called my name, the atmosphere enveloped in a magical and wonderful silence was instantly broken.
Reality dragged us back into the room. Suddenly, the tension awakened a fear in me that made me shudder.
"Not right now."
Heinley first merely answered my question. Then he put his hand over mine, which was on his cheek, and immediately explained.
"Mages are the pillars that have made the Eastern Empire the most powerful country, they are the strength of the Emperor himself. It is true that I have harmed the mages as a way to suppress the Eastern Empire. But not any more."
Heinley looked at me in fear.
"My Queen, I married you who are of the Eastern Empire. It is for you that I do not intend to start a war against that empire. I mean it."
"And Evely—"
There was no need to finish the question, Heinley confessed on his own,
"It's true that she lost her mana because she got caught up in my plans. But I was also the one who returned her mana. For your sake, My Queen. Because it was painful for you to see that girl like that."
Different emotions arose in me at the same time. Feelings so mixed that it was hard to distinguish between them.
I licked my lips, cupped his face in my hands and rested my forehead against his.
In the midst of all this complexity, there were two clear feelings for me.
Guilt and Gratitude.
As I promised myself before, I could not stop Heinley without a good reason just because he had plans to start a war against the Eastern Empire. Still, I would not like it. My husband would attack my country, my family and my friends.
Fortunately, Heinley said that for my sake he would not start a war against the Eastern Empire. Although it seemed that he had planned it for a long time, he gave up for my sake.
"My Queen."
I was grateful to him, but I was sorry that his image as Emperor of the Western Empire would be affected because of me.
Still, I couldn't say, 'Don't worry, attack my country and my family.'
Of course, in a corner of my mind also hovered the thought that if we had not married, we would have become enemies.
"My Queen."
Heinley called me again. He seemed frightened because I stood still without saying a word.
I had to say something, but what?
I searched through the various thoughts going through my head, and chose one. The one most appropriate for this moment.
"Thank you for thinking of me."
I whispered in his ear.
345
Heinley flinched and spoke softly as well.
"You're not angry?"
"You decided to not go to war for me."
"Even though I was the one who hurt Evely?"
"It was also you who returned the mana to her."
"If I hadn't taken it from her in the first place, she would have been stronger than she is now."
It seemed that her mana still hadn't fully returned. This was about Evely, so I couldn't speak on her behalf.
"Aren't you disappointed in me, My Queen?"
I first answered to myself, 'I've known for a long time that you are a very cunning person.' Then I shook my head.
"I'm not disappointed."
"My Queen…"
If Heinley had simply acknowledged it and apologized, perhaps I would have felt differently than I do now.
Or even if he had said that he loved me, but that the war was absolutely necessary for his country, I would have reacted differently. However, he said that he would not continue with what I feared most.
What could I say to the man who had given up his ambitions for me?
Then, I remembered his confession that he loved me.
"Heinley."
This man meant it. He really did love me.
In the midst of my daze, my attention was caught by Sovieshu's gift still on the desk.
Suddenly, I was curious. How would Sovieshu have acted in this situation?
"…"
Well, I don't know. Now I did not understand how he acted. When I was in the Eastern Empire, I never imagined that the proud Sovieshu would continue to send me such gifts after the divorce.
"By the way, My Queen. You wanted to tell me two things. What's the other…?"
Heinley asked in a nervous voice, while I was deep in thought.
The muscles in his shoulders and arms stiffened as if he was worried once again, he didn't know it was about Sovieshu.
"It's not about you."
"?"
"Sovieshu sent me a very precious gift."
"You mean the handicrafts the delegation brought?"
"No, a personal gift."
"A personal gift…"
Heinley muttered with his gaze on the dented box on the desk.
"Is it that by any chance?"
I nodded.
"I'd like to return it because it's a heavy burden to receive this from Sovieshu. But if I send it personally, it might cause misunderstanding. Can you do it for me?"
Heinley's expression darkened. Then he glanced at me several times, while he bit his lower lip in discomfort.
He seemed about to get jealous like when I said that Sovieshu was cautious.
However, he didn't behave as usual, in the end he sighed and rested his forehead on my shoulder.
"My Queen. Did you deliberately choose this order to speak?"
"Are you disappointed?"
When I asked Heinley in his own words, he laughed sweetly and lifted his head to look into my eyes. Then we kissed, uniting our hearts.
'He's not the kind of person who would leave just because I asked him to. He'll hold on to my ankle for the rest of his life!'
At first, Rashta was going to ask him to please disappear from her life, even if it meant giving him an important part of her possessions. She thought that even an upright person would not hesitate.
It seemed that her real father knew the journalist Joanson well, so he should know her situation better than anyone else.
But he didn't care. Rashta realized that she had been wrong.
Unless she died, her father would always hold on to her. No, maybe even after her death he would still hold on to her. Through Glorym!
'I have to get rid of him.'
Rashta ground her teeth.
Despite how her real father had treated her, she hadn't thought of getting rid of him until now. Harming her real father was like destroying a shrine.
'Come to think of it, he is the cause of all my misfortunes, not a shrine. The rotten roots must be cut off.'
Firmly determined, Rashta fixed her hair as she looked at herself in the mirror, took off the ring that had sunk into her flesh and placed it on the table.
Blood fell from the bloody ring and drew a scarlet line.
Rashta took her red gloves, put them on and went straight into the drawing room.
In the drawing room, the maid sent by her father was sitting on the couch, chatting with other maids about how well she lived now.
She burst into laughter after saying that perhaps she could become the Empress' stepmother.
When the maid belatedly noticed Rashta's presence, she hurriedly stood up, clasped her hands together and bowed her head.
The maid thought that Rashta would be angry, so she looked at the Empress in fear. But on the contrary, Rashta smiled and said in a sad tone,
"I'd like to send a present to my father, but I think it's too heavy for you to carry alone."
"Your Majesty, don't worry. I have strength."
"Even if you have strength, you won't be able to carry it. This might be the last present, so Rashta put in a lot of things."
"The last present?"
"I'm currently in a very difficult position. It's impossible for you not to know."
"…"
"Besides, I want to see my father's face one last time. So I would like him to come in person, can you tell him?"
The maid answered 'yes' nervously.
"Ah. I almost forgot."
"What?"
The present is very big, so it will attract attention. If a rumor spread that he received a precious present from Rashta, it wouldn't be good for my father either. So make sure you tell him not to let anyone see him on his way here. He can come through the back entrance.
Rashta then went back into her room and picked up the ring she had left on the table.
She didn't wipe the blood off the ring, but deliberately covered it with more blood from her own finger.
To finish, she put on a light black cloak, kept the ring in a small pocket and concealed a dagger inside her wide right sleeve.
Eventually, Rashta said she would take a walk and left the West Palace. She headed for the back entrance.
There was no special scenery to see, and down this road one would take more turns to get anywhere else, so neither those who liked to appreciate the scenery nor those who were busy with work used this road.
Her real father wouldn't want to expose himself either, so Rashta was sure he would come this way.
After waiting for a while, her real father appeared.
He walked with his head held high, arms outstretched and a cocky smile on his face.
Rashta was hiding in the bushes as she waited for her real father to approach. But suddenly she saw a knight behind her real father.
'Who is it?' Rashta frowned, 'Did he come with my father?'
That didn't seem to be the case. Her real father was startled when the knight called to him from behind.
The knight spoke politely for a moment. Then her real father nodded a couple of times and followed him with a greedy smile.
Rashta followed them through the bushes, but in the end she returned to her room because she didn't want to be caught.
Rashta was so nervous that she couldn't even sit on the couch.
'What happened? Who took my father? Was it His Majesty?'
As she pondered, she saw a glimmer of hope.
'Yes. It was His Majesty! He definitely intervened for my sake and the princess'. Although her relationship with Empress Navier at the masquerade ball was already distant, Emperor Sovieshu took her side when she attended in a dress almost identical to mine. Because Navier was the Empress. Even now that our relationship has turned cold, he will naturally take my side in this critical situation. Because now Rashta is the Empress.'
Rashta's assumption was half true.
"What did you do with him?"
In response to Sovieshu's question, the knight bowed his head and said,
"I broke his face, and locked him in the depths of the dungeon."
Sovieshu had ordered to secretly deal with Rashta's real father once people lost interest. However, Sovieshu dared to deal with him now because the situation became extremely delicate.
If it were discovered that Rashta was not the daughter of the Isqua Family, it would not only be Rashta who would be in trouble.
Even if the paternity test concluded that Glorym was his daughter, the princess' future would be compromised by Rashta's real father.
So he had no choice but to end the problem beforehand.
Besides, since he took care of this man when Rashta called him to the imperial palace, he could use this to his advantage in the future.
"Your Majesty, what do you intend to do with Viscount and Viscountess Isqua?"
The corners of Sovieshu's lips twisted. The couple thought Sovieshu didn't know that they were actually Rashta's fake parents.
So maybe…
"If they agree to take a paternity test, they can stay in the imperial palace, if not, tell them to leave the palace. They won't want to get caught up in this and lose the rest of their honor, so they will probably flee immediately."