Chapter 3
“How come you are here in such a remote place?” Gladys asked. Her face was bright and radiant with a full smile. Aristide’s expression hardened noticeably.
Afrosa subtly signaled caution to her daughter, calling Gladys by her title, 3rd Empress.
“It’s been a while, 3rd Empress. I was watching over Laras. I was about to return to the Star Palace soon.”
“Oh my, returning to the Star Palace so soon. Why not stay a bit longer and keep us company?”
Gladys smiled with a hint of cunning. Her pulled-up lips were elegant and smooth. It was a strange smile, unsettling Aphrosa’s nerves. She couldn’t think of a retort and her lips tightened.
“…It doesn’t sit well with me to see the Empress unable to mingle with the nobles on such a fine day.”
As Afrosa searched for her words, Gladys looked sympathetic.
In an instant, Afrosa felt twisted inside. It was a familiar sensation, the feeling of being provoked. She knew she shouldn’t succumb to such shallow taunts.
“Endure it, Afrosa. You’ve always done so. Don’t give in to these petty provocations.”
Gladys’ provocation was familiar, at least until she left the palace.
Before departing to the Star Palace, Afrosa often found herself losing her composure to such subtle manipulations.
The reason for her departure to the Star Palace wasn’t just the betrayal she felt towards the Emperor but also towards Valerie and Gladys, the intolerable disdain she held towards the two women restricted by the Emperor.
“Thank you for your concern, but today…”
Afrosa, swallowing her rising anger, opened her mouth with a gentle face.
“Oh my.”
Gladys’ gaze fell on Laras. Afrosa’s cheeks reddened under the long stare at his wet attire.
“What happened to the Crown Prince?”
It was a theatrical expression.
The deliberate raising of her voice in hindsight was repulsive. It felt like witnessing a grotesque comedy, and Afrosa felt like she might burst into tears from the response she received from the peasant woman who laughed at the comedic play.
“Don’t cry, Afrosa. Before leaving for the Star Palace, you never succumbed to such manipulations, even those more severe than this. You must remain composed.”
“There was a little accident. As you know, the Crown Prince tends to be mischievous.”
“I see.”
Gladys narrowed her eyes. Behind her, the tall figures of the Third Crown Prince and the Second Princess were walking side by side. Aphrosa looked at them with a darkened expression.
The Third Crown Prince and the Second Princess were Gladys’ children from the Emperor, both flawless nobles and Gladys’ pride.
“You’re late, Anasenka. Renok.”
Continuously sneering, Gladys looked affectionately at her children. Afrosa averted her gaze. It had been so long since she had seen Gladys’ children.
She couldn’t remember exactly how long it had been. Probably a very long time.
It was difficult for Afrosa to face the children born to the Emperor and other women, rather than his own children, Laras and Aristide…Ailek.
It was a strange feeling, knowing that her husband had children with other women. But still, it was agonizing and distant. She knew she shouldn’t look at them or feel this way. It was predetermined to happen anyway.
When her husband decided to remarry and support their families as much as needed, it was predetermined.
But still, every time she watched Valerie and Gladys lovingly caressing their swollen bellies and laughing, every time her husband looked at their swollen bellies in their company… It was excruciating and miserable.
“The First Empress sends her regards.”
Princess Anasenka lifted the hem of her dress slightly as she knelt beside her birth mother. It was a graceful and dignified greeting. There was nothing amiss, and Afrosa blinked her eyelashes delicately.
“It’s been a while, Empress Dowager. Have you been well? Why haven’t you visited the main palace lately?”
The princess asked with a smile. The reason for not visiting the main palace… the reason for having to hide in front of them… the reason for having to move to the satellite palace. Even to the innocent question of the young princess, Afrosa felt a surge of heat.
“I’ve been busy at the satellite palace, Your Highness. Thank you for inquiring about my well-being.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just grateful to see you.”
Anasenka smiled. It was a simple smile unlike her birth mother’s. Well, she was at an age where simplicity was expected. Eighteen, was it? She must be eighteen.
Princess Anasenka, the second daughter of Emperor Ailek and Empress Gladys, was a year younger than Princess Amelie, the first daughter of the ballet.
“When you have time, please visit the satellite palace occasionally. There are still some juniper berries harvested from the backyard of the satellite palace, so I’ll prepare some juniper berry preserves for you, Your Highness. Feel free to come by anytime.”
Afrosa briefly averted her gaze before raising it again.
The girl with jewel-like blue eyes contrasting against her fair skin was as dazzling as her birth mother, who had been praised as an unparalleled beauty upon entering the palace. It wasn’t difficult to find traces of Alek’s features on her face.
“Thank you, Empress Dowager. I’ll definitely come by.”
Anasenka replied. Afrosa softened the muscles around her mouth as much as she could. It was as torturous as poking a sore spot in her husband’s heart to see her grown-up children.
She had hoped that Valerie and Gladys would recover their usual speed after giving birth. She chided herself for not anticipating this, reminding herself every time she sought solace in other women’s arms during Valerie’s pregnancy.
Yet… to hate him, to resent him… to understand his decision and yet to feel nauseated by it… The self she couldn’t accept in the end was terribly unbearable.
“Let’s go, Mom. Stop smiling at them.”
Aristide muttered quietly. Aphrosa nodded.
“Aren’t you upset, Mom?”
“About what?”
It was while she was sorting through Laras’s clothes, away from Gladys.
Aristide muttered roughly.
Afrosa absentmindedly replied. Aristide just grumbled.
While she was brushing off her son’s formal wear, Afrosa glanced at her daughter. Aristide’s face seemed to scream, “Don’t you even have a single seed?”
“I’m feeling unlucky just looking at their faces, but you’re unfazed, Mom?”
“Stop it, Aristide.”
“What am I stopping?”
“You know where we are. If you have something to say, go back to the satellite palace and say it.”
“Fine.”
Aristide mumbled, and Afrosa continued to brush off her son’s clothes.
Afrosa cautioned her daughter with a stern expression. Aristide sealed his lips under his mother’s sharper gaze than usual and then turned his gaze away. Afrosa gripped the fan tightly in her hand.
Contrary to Aristide’s question about whether they were going too slow, Afrosa felt as if her insides were exposed and about to die.
That’s why she didn’t even glance at the third prince, Anashenka, seated on her right. It seemed impossible to soften the overturned inside once he was seen.
That was why she wanted to leave the palace. In fact, she had intended to leave the palace. Laura had turned out like that… My child consumed poison and his intelligence deteriorated.
He could never become a dignified prince like their sons, nor could he inherit his husband’s position. It was impossible to live calling a broken child a precious treasure.
“Where are you going? Your Majesty the Empress.”
She was about to leave the banquet hall with the children. Gladys blocked her path with a bright smile. Afrosa’s expression hardened.
“As you can see, because of Lara’s…”
“So, are you going back to the palace?”
“For now, it seems necessary. I’ll leave Julina here, so Her Majesty the Third Empress can grace the occasion in my place.”
“Oh my. Why should I grace the position of Her Majesty the Empress?”
Gladys whined. It was a childish ploy.
‘How dare she block my way and make such a fuss.’
Afrosa bit her lip. She couldn’t understand why she was being humiliated further, but if she got angry here, it would be the ultimate humiliation.
Gladys would get what she wanted. Afrosa looked at the woman who was scratching her with a smooth face without a single wrinkle.
“Third Empress. I’m done…”
It was time to put weight on her soft voice.
“Rose.”
A deep voice was heard. In this palace. No, in this country, there was only one person who could call her that. She turned to him with an unpleasant face.
“Your Majesty the Emperor.”
Calling him Ailek in a low voice, Gladys glanced at Afrosa.
The woman had a stiff expression. It seemed that even calling her ‘Rose’ made her uncomfortable. Even though she tried to hide it, Afrosa knew how ecstatic Gladys looked at him.
“What were you doing here?”
Ailek asked. Afrosa was tired of answering now. Without warning, Gladys cut into Afrosa’s words.
“Her Majesty the Empress seems to be going back to the palace because of the first prince’s attire. The banquet is about to start, so if Your Majesty…”
Ailek looked at Gladys. His eyes were as sharp as daggers. Despite the forced cheerful smile, Gladys froze.
“Let’s go inside.”
Aile gently led her to the dining table again. The ballerina followed behind the emperor. Afrosa stared at her. Next to her was the second prince and the first princess.
Like Gladys, Ailec seemed not to notice them. They didn’t seem to exist in his world, like objects. No matter how much she shouted, they didn’t seem to exist in his world. Afrosa stopped and looked up at him.
“It seems that Laura’s attire needs to be changed, so…”
“If he needs new clothes, he can wear mine.”
“But…”
Ailek’s face showed no problem.
Afrosa shook her head.
Although there was nothing she couldn’t point out logically, it was clear that she would end up arguing as he said. She remembered how stubborn Alec was on such occasions. He didn’t let her go as if he had a knot in his head.
“Take Lara with you.”
Ailek, who had never taken his eyes off Afrosa, muttered to the side.
Afrosa watched her son being led out of the banquet hall by the courtier.
“Stop and join us for dinner.”
Ailek turned around. His cloak fluttered lightly over his broad shoulders.
Afrosa looked at his outstretched arm to put it around her waist, then glanced at his other wives. Both of them had the faces of young maidservants being punished.
