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“Pull yourself together, Young Lady.”

Kastiel’s voice echoed in my head, interrupting my thoughts.

“Quiet,” I muttered, taking deep breaths to clear my mind.

Truthfully, It was more like anxious daydreaming than deep thinking.

Well, I hoped it would remain just a daydream.

If I were to go back to my world, would I have to live with that man again? Constantly fearing for my life and letting him kill innocent people..

That doesn’t sound appealing at all.

“Lady Eilish!”

“Ah,” I exhaled in frustration this time.

Only after Kastiel’s voice grew considerably louder did I manage to really snap out of my daze.

I massaged my temples, seeking relief from the pounding headache he had just given me.

And as my blurry vision slowly cleared, I began to feel a tingling pain elsewhere.

Glancing down, I noticed Kastiel’s arm; his fingers tightly gripped my arm, creasing the fabric of my clothes and causing waves of discomfort to wash over me..

“My lord?” I uttered, my voice filled with confusion as I gazed into his trembling green pupils, which eventually steadied upon hearing my voice.

“Are you feeling unwell?” He cautiously inquired.

“No, just a bit sleepy.”

“Your eyes were open the whole time.”

“Oh my.” I faintly said as if I couldn’t care less.

This answer didn’t seem to please him because he still had that serious expression on his face.

And because he was so close, I caught myself wondering about the meaning behind his gaze. However, I quickly halted those thoughts, and freed my arm so I could put a safe distance between us.

Now was not the time to analyze and label his emotions or anyone else’s for that matter. .

It was a luxury I couldn’t afford at the moment.

I retreated to my corner, determined to remain silent until the carriage reached its destination. I wanted peace and quiet before facing the Emperor.

And I might have gotten it if it wasn’t for Kastiel running his mouth again..

“I’ve never thought of you as weak, Young Lady.”

Although his statement carried weight, I replied to it with silence.
Unfazed, he carried on speaking as if he neither cared nor expected a verbal answer from me.

“Do you remember when I told you I still hadn’t met someone I wanted to protect?”

“Yes,” I reflexively answered, breaking my vow of silence

That’s how I had always responded whenever he broached the subject in the past.

I once asked him, “If it’s not the young lady Beatrice, who is worthy enough to be protected by you in this empire?”

He didn’t answer then.

And this time, I wasn’t going to ask again because I believed he would simply ignore me as before.

But unexpectedly, he continued talking as if he had carefully pondered that question many times in hope to give me the truest answer he could come up with.

“Miss Beatrice was undoubtedly a delicate lady in distress. That’s why I said I would protect her from the former Duke, the assassin, and even your sister. But, Young Lady,” he trailed off.

I froze in place as if struck by a car. His large eyes locked onto mine.
And what I saw in there was…

No!

“Why can’t I accept the fact that I’m no longer needed by Beatrice?”

No!
Something was wrong. Kastiel wouldn’t normally say things like this.

I fought against the urge to avert my gaze.

“When the young lady talked about those two prisoners, about how empty and desperate they were, I realized that the look in your eyes was similar to the one you usually give me. You pity me, don’t you, Lady Eilish?”

“…”

Did I?

I narrowed my eyes slightly, seriously considering whether I was guilty of what he accused me or not.

In the original story, Kastiel’s only desire seemed to be safeguarding the Prince and Beatrice’s happiness.

Though protecting the relationship between someone he vowed loyalty to and the woman he sincerely loved might not have been easy for him, it was a cherished commitment he made .

At the end of the original storyline, as my sister drew her final breath he whispered ‘ it’s all over now’ to himself , acknowledging his fulfilled mission.

I remember the readers liked it so much, the closing chapter of the book mainly delved into Kastiel’s profound emotions.

Well, Kastiel’s actions had great meaning and couldn’t be trivialized or treated lightly.

And I acknowledge ‘that,’ but to call it pity…….

Please, keep talking; I pleaded in my head. And Kastiel opened his mouth once more as if he had read my mind.

“Yes, I saw it in your gaze whenever you looked at me. And you are right young lady, I feel empty and purposeless. I’ve never felt like this before,” he expressed with a voice brimming with emotion.

After contemplating his words for a moment, I gradually lifted the corners of my lips. A blend of contentment and vindictiveness welled up in me, gracefully flowing before dispersing into the air.

Again, I was not completely oblivious to his circumstance, but it became apparent that the knight in front of me felt even more out of place than I had initially believed.

“I don’t think Young Lady is weak. In fact, you mightYou may be the only person I want to protect when you clearly don’t need me .”

The corners of my lips, which had previously lifted, gradually fell at his unwanted words.

“Still, I hope that Young Lady will need my assistance someday.”

“…”

Straightened up, he murmured, “ Perhaps then my empty heart will start to fill up again.

Remaining silent, I neither affirmed nor denied any of his statements.

Actually, I never piped a word beside the unfortunate ‘yes’ during his whole speech. Finding clues in ambiguous situations was his job anyway, not mine..

So, with his last words came the end of the conversation.

Soon, the coachman announced our arrival, and without saying a word, I gently disembarked from the carriage, rejecting the hand offered by the palace’s escort.

Taking a deep breath, I proceeded towards the imperial palace’s hall.

It’s time to negotiate.

* * *

“Lady Margaret Eilish has entered the palace and is requesting an audience with his Majesty,” the servant’s voice boomed, making me feel anxious.

And Kastiel’s unwavering stare only added to my anxiety.

The Emperor’s permission to enter the room was quickly given, so I cautiously took a step forward; my low heels producing a soft echo as they touched the royal carpet.

Simultaneously, a commanding voice resonated in my ears, “Ah, you seem to keep appointments better than I thought.”

Lifting my head, I faced the Emperor, who I must say, appeared far more formidable than how he was depicted in the book.

With the story nearing its end, he still perfectly embodied the archetype of an all-powerful ruler with a whole nation under his feet, making it difficult to fathom the Crown Prince and the heroine sitting on the throne.

Despite my racing heart, I managed to stand tall before the man who made the male lead look like a joke.

‘Have you lost your mind? Seeing a lowly woman audaciously vying for the Prince’s affection, the future ruler of this Empire, makes one feel concerned about the future of our nation,’ the Emperor once admonished my sister

However, even in the presence of the most influential man, who constantly belittled her, Florencia smiled defiantly with her arms crossed over her chest.

Later on, as she, once flowing with confidence, faced a painful rejection from the Prince, the readers erupted in cheers.

At first we thought that this particular scene was merely used for the purpose of providing an emotional release.

But after reflection, it did serve an important purpose in the story..

The man before me seemed to possess better skills than the Crown Prince. Despite having been overshadowed in the book, his presence and aura were impossible for me to ignore..

Sister really… your tongue is too sharp for your own good.

Anyway.

“I greet Your Majesty,” Kastiel greeted first, receiving a nod from the Emperor before his gaze shifted to me.

“I did grant you permission, but I didn’t expect you to step so confidently in front of me. Your arrogance goes beyond my expectations,” the Emperor remarked in a mocking tone, sarcastically talking down to me.

“Unexpected things do happen from time to time. I am extremely grateful to be in your presence, Your Majesty.” I replied, countering his sarcasm with indifference.

I learned from Florencia that It’s better to not appear too humble and submissive.

What’s the point of groveling and begging when It’ll only make me seem like a loser.

The Emperor sighed and lowered his hand from his chin.

“I never permitted you to show such disrespect in my presence,” he asserted.

…Oh, the things you have to put up with as a supporting character.

With a sigh of my own, I lowered my head to the man who would soon have to step down from his position.

“May the goddess’ blessing be with you. I greet the sun of this Empire. Ah, was this better, or should I repeat it from the beginning?”

Suppressed gasps reverberated throughout the room as everyone wore expressions of shock, bringing a sly smile to my lips.

They seemed to have forgotten that my sister was Florencia Jay Eilish, The Villainess.

She perfectly embodied the characteristics of arrogance, glamor, cunningness, and wickedness that defined a villainess.

Well, in their eyes..

She may have tried to shield me from her social life and showered me with sisterly love, but she was my blood.

And considering that I have spent most of my time with her since arriving in this world , it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that I was more Florencia’s child than my foolish father’s, the Marquis.

So, It was only natural that I resembled her..

Moreover, I had managed to sneak a peek at her activities.

I learned her manners, her tricks, her skills. And while I couldn’t play the game exactly like her, it seemed I too could behave so rudely in front of the great Emperor.

Well, I still carefully considered the consequences of my actions. After all, I stood before the three pillars of this nation.

I must also say that behind my confident facade, several scenarios of potential repercussions played out in my head, including the possibility of being dragged away.

“Quite audacious. You truly take after your sister,” the Emperor remarked.

I had already realized he hadn’t acknowledged my first greeting, hence my rude response from earlier.

He wasn’t interested in my lack of noble manners, he simply sought to assert his dominance and pressure me.

Ah, such an idiocy.

Unfortunately for them, I couldn’t feel the humiliation they tried so hard to make me experience in this farcical situation.

As a result, the next words that escaped my lips were equally, if not more impolite than the ones before.

“Well, it goes without saying; we are sisters after all.. Regrettably, it seems that my sister has caused His Majesty, the Prince, more concern than anticipated.”

“What?” he exclaimed.

“However, ” I continued without paying attention to his question, “I can’t help but feel like your Majesty have mistaken me for my sister.”

“Insolence!!!.” the Emperor screamed this time, burning anger evident in his demeanor.

Yet, I merely blinked innocently and offered him a light smile.

“Your Majesty already declared my family innocent; except for Florencia of course. It was His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Beatrice themselves who delivered the final verdict. So why does Your Majesty treat and address me as if you were interrogating a criminal?”

I had been vigilantly observing the guards around me, all armed and ready to point their spears, as I spoke.

After giving the room a full circle glance, I said, “Has there ever been a moment when I posed a threat?” concluding my statement with a serene smile, just as Florencia would have

A very long silence followed.

* * *

The Crown Prince and Beatrice who stood closest to the Emperor, stared down at me.

And rather than shying away, I rolled my eyes towards the Crown Prince and waited for his response to my final question.

The Emperor aimlessly moved his lips as he looked at me with a gaze I couldn’t quite decipher.

Whether it was anger or curiosity, I was unable to label it.

And while I did challenge the Prince to step up, no one here, including myself, expected him to cut off the Emperor’s words.

“Father,” he said.

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised..

But what amused me more was the lack of outcry or reprimand for his presumptuous act, from the people present or even the Emperor.

Only Beatrice clutched the edge of his clothes and narrowed her eyes at him.The power hierarchy was so blatantly clear, it almost tempted me into bursting an uncontrollable laugh.