“Episode 49”
Her affectionate Majesty had mentioned that the vertigo she experienced after the death of her childhood friend, Kendall, was due to an ailment, but Elenia knew deep down the true cause of her symptoms.
It was because of the saintly woman, Yoon, who received attention from the Emperor while being a guest at the palace. Elenia knew her boiling jealousy would only tarnish herself. Despite knowing that, she couldn’t stop craving Lucian Bhu Ariacne’s love.
“I think Viscountess Yuliana helped me stand out during the equestrian competition deliberately. By receiving her help, the contract was already established.”
A ‘contract.’ Was the equestrian competition really a ‘contract’ arranged by Yuliana Obin?
“But nobles in the capital don’t do anything without expecting something in return.”
Elenia Walter steadied her wavering heart.
Yuliana Obin had already twisted Elenia Walter to her side with her kindness. Whatever Yuliana asked for this time, Elenia was prepared to acquiesce.
A considerable silence ensued. Just as Elenia worried that the Viscountess didn’t understand, she spoke again.
“You must have heard the rumors about me being caught up in a messy purity trial, right? And my stepsister accused me.”
Yuliana calmly stated.
Her face, as beautiful as if it were made by a god, was frozen without expression. After Elenia took a sip of her tea, she responded.
“Her Majesty’s intention wasn’t like that. That saintly woman… about Her Majesty…”
Empress Elenia didn’t want to acknowledge Lucian’s faults directly.
But behind all of this was the suspicious saint, the saint who was connected to the great Ariacne magic stone. The saint subtly clouded the Emperor’s eyes with her sweet words.
While thinking like that, Elenia tried to forget Lucian’s faults. Seeing the Empress struggling to justify herself, Yuliana corrected her words.
“The saint only pandered to Her Majesty’s dark side. Of course, that woman disrupted Her Majesty’s plans too drastically. But tarnishing my honor and smearing the aristocratic family in this manner is not Her Majesty’s style, is it?”
“I wanted to justify myself more, but if I do, you’ll dislike me even more.”
Elenia chuckled lightly. Yuliana whispered softly in response to her smile.
“There will be a sacred power examination held secretly in the temple. Her Majesty mentioned it to me yesterday.”
“…That can’t be. There has always been a sacred power verification under the auspices of the noble class. Dealing with such matters this way will only provoke the nobles’ resentment.”
Yuliana slammed the cup she was holding onto the table. At the same time, her pale cheeks trembled. Elenia, seeing the anger seeping into her bronze-colored pupils, pursed her lips.
In addition to the forthcoming purity trial, ignoring the open disdain for the noble family that had already submitted a complaint and accusation to the temple was a blatant disregard for the powerful aristocratic families. Even just the minor noble families revered and served in the capital numbered over ten. Disregarding the powerful noble family of the western region, the Hilsen Viscount, who was also the landowner of the western region, would cause significant bleeding for both the royal family and the temple.
Elenia hesitated before speaking.
“S-so, what you mean is strange. I’ve never known Her Majesty to rush into such matters. Ah, the woman who supposedly communicates with the Ariacne magic stone is not a saint. How could someone who darkens the future of our empire be a saint?”
Elenia frowned in anguish.
Even the temple, supported by the imperial treasury, had spoken. That is, the sacred power verification was conducted by the Emperor’s authority.
Why did Lucian rush to create a place for that woman? Could it be that he…?
Even amidst this, Elenia struggled to suppress the jealousy that confused her heart. Concealing her trembling hands under the table, she continued.
“I, as the steward of the palace and protector of the empire, have the right to assist Her Majesty. When the purity trial opens, I will stand by the Viscountess’s side.”
“Can you ignore Her Majesty’s implicit support for the temple’s doctrine by helping the alleged saint?”
“Can I oppose Her Majesty’s will?”
“Yes.”
Yuliana said bluntly. Facing her chilling gaze, Elenia replied.
“This time, I intend to oppose Her Majesty’s will.”
She lowered her head and clenched the teacup with trembling hands.
As her hands shook, the tea in the still cup rippled slightly. With courage she mustered herself, Elenia calmly continued.
“My love is like that. Viscountess, you must understand.”
“…I understand. Empress Mama.”
“Viscountess, please stand by my side. Even if Her Majesty despises me…”
Elenia spoke lightly as if joking.
No, she tried to say. But just like her trembling hands, her voice quivered with moisture at the end. Holding the hand that held the teacup, Yuliana responded.
“Yes. I will. Empress Mama.”
And she tenderly comforted her friend who couldn’t say she was a friend.
—
Returning from the palace, Yuliana didn’t bother the servants to search any further for hidden newspapers. Nor did she restore the ash heaps by searching the incinerator. It was because the aftermath of the secretly conducted sacred power verification was too significant.
On that day, Evan, who returned from the palace, also heard the unpleasant news. He was annoyed and angry, but Yuliana said that the Empress would testify by his side, and Evan had nothing to say about her actions.
Rather, he was extremely distressed by the fact that a purity trial might actually take place.
For he had been focused on discrediting the saint and the Emperor even before the sacred power verification was conducted.
Even if the sacred power verification was conducted at the Emperor’s command, they couldn’t feign ignorance of their responsibility.
And as soon as the temple began to stir, retaliation from the noble families followed. Foreign dignitaries who were coming to participate in the “Adult Kazalba” festival this spring were detained at the western border. It was an awkward situation for the temple.
The nobles’ position was this: during the suppression of the barbarians, some barbarian mages used dark magic to control mines, and some of them survived and made their way to the western region.
At that time, the claim of the Viscount family, which had the most significant merit in suppressing the barbarians and even saved the isolated heretics, was beyond reproach.
The temple decided to open the festival without the benefit of foreign dignitaries. With the empire’s burden heavier than ever, the royal family remained indifferent.
On a night when spring was a little thicker, Yuliana looked out the window at the moon shining particularly brightly. She rated the Emperor resolutely. It was a very neat assessment.
“To remain silent when the situation has come to this. That Lucian, he’s completely insane.”
Yuliana giggled deliberately.
“At any rate, it won’t be good for the royal family. If the dignitaries don’t come, the temple will have something to say to the royal family.”
Laughing and sneering, Yuliana glanced back at her husband. Evan, who was lying in bed first, was watching Yuliana quietly. Ignoring it, Yuliana undressed carelessly and changed into pajamas. Then, with short steps, she approached Evan.
“Why do you have that look again?”
“Me?” Evan, who tried to pretend not to know, eventually confessed at Yuliana’s insistence.
