Although the Empress had maintained her composure until now, her voice was filled with turbulent emotions. She glared at Jeremiah and spoke through gritted teeth.
“As if it wasn’t enough to make my husband disabled overnight, she’s even committed this theft. At the very least, shouldn’t we have a face-to-face conversation?”
“Are you saying you wish to punish her?”
“If I could.”
Jeremiah’s face, which had been smirking the entire time, stiffened slightly. But that was only for a fleeting moment.
“I regret to inform you, but the Princess has already given up her status in the Empire.”
His mouth twisted into a clear sneer, yet his voice remained gentle. Before the Empress could even register her discomfort at this subtle discrepancy, her face turned pale with shock.
“Given up? What do you mean?”
“It’s unavoidable if she wishes to obtain Parma citizenship.”
“Isn’t that something I should hear directly from her? It doesn’t seem like something the King should relay.”
The Empress questioned sharply.
She couldn’t believe it until she saw it with her own eyes. Giving up imperial citizenship meant essentially giving up her status as a Princess.
She couldn’t believe that someone who had lived her life proud of being the late Emperor’s only legitimate daughter would make such a decision.
Just then, there was a knock from outside. Thinking it was a servant bringing refreshments for the guests, the Empress carelessly gestured to the attendant at the door without giving it much thought.
“Your words are valid, but as I mentioned…”
A woman entered with perfect timing. Jeremiah, who had been turning around absentmindedly, froze.
“I apologize for arriving late.”
As Sienna stepped inside, she exchanged glances with the Empress and bowed her head in respect.
Faced with this unexpected arrival, Jeremiah remained frozen, forgetting he was in the Empress’s presence. In the chilled atmosphere, only Sienna maintained a calm expression.
“May I take a seat?”
Jeremiah looked at her with a surprised face, but Sienna sat down beside him, paying no attention. She had no intention of leaving regardless of his answer.
The Empress, staring at her with cold eyes, raised the corner of her mouth crookedly and spoke loudly enough for Jeremiah, who couldn’t manage his expressions properly, to hear.
“I heard you weren’t feeling well.”
“It was just a mild fever, but it seems the King was unnecessarily worried.”
The Empress let out a laugh of disbelief. It was just ridiculous for someone with such an obviously ill face to say such things.
“Well, the journey from Sendelk Mountain to the eastern border couldn’t have been smooth. Aren’t you curious about the Emperor’s condition?”
“Empress.”
Jeremiah warned her with a stiff expression, addressing the Empress who made no attempt to hide her hostility. But the Empress paid no attention.
“Although the Emperor is currently alive, the healers say the situation is not optimistic.”
“I can only express my sincere regret for causing the Empress irreparable pain.”
Sienna quietly spoke up.
Regardless of Joseph’s condition, Sienna felt no regret toward him personally, but she did feel a twinge of guilt toward the Empress. Regardless of the relationship between Joseph and Sienna, she knew that the Empress had made efforts to be kind to her.
“But I have no regrets.”
“…”
“If I hadn’t done that, I would already be dead by now.”
There was no reason to make excuses, and such petty explanations wouldn’t work in this situation.
In any case, her relationship with the Empress had also crossed a point of no return. Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth, Sienna muttered calmly.
“After being robbed of my father’s property, losing my life too would be too unfair, wouldn’t it?”
“But in the end, the Princess has managed to keep both.”
Sienna didn’t answer. The Empress suddenly let out a hollow laugh.
“The Grand Duke has confessed to all crimes.”
Sienna’s eyelashes trembled slightly. Jeremiah’s expression also hardened subtly. And the Empress didn’t miss this opening.
“He claims that helping the Princess escape to Ricata and cruelly harming Emperor Joseph were all his doing alone.”
“…”
“I plan to demand a death sentence for the Grand Duke.”
The Empress spoke coldly. In reality, this was merely to gauge Sienna’s reaction. She needed to see Sienna’s anxious face, even if it meant doing this.
No matter how strained their relationship had become, Joseph was still her husband and Leopold’s father.
While her family faced sudden misfortune because of Sienna, she couldn’t bear to leave Sienna alone to achieve her happiness as if she had accomplished everything.
But Sienna looked as if she couldn’t properly comprehend what she had just heard. As the Empress’s words gradually pieced together in her mind, her face turned pale.
The anxiety that had been swelling deep in her heart finally became certainty, exceeding its threshold. She felt like she was going to be sick.
“According to the nobles, confiscating his territory and assets would also be justified.”
“Punishing the Grand Duke is not for me to decide, Your Majesty.”
Barely suppressing a scream that threatened to escape, Sienna answered calmly. Nevertheless, her own words felt like nails in her heart.
He’s going to sacrifice himself for me again.
The sudden memory of the past made her increasingly nauseated. She could hear Jeremiah whispering something with a concerned voice beside her, but she couldn’t understand the content.
Had she truly not anticipated that this situation would arise?
It was the natural course that attention would focus on the person behind her if she left the Empire.
She lacked the courage to stay by his side, yet felt she had come too far to give up everything. In the end, she had chosen to ignore it for her own convenience.
It was no different now.
What would change even if she blamed herself now? She knew well that if the Empress had made a decision, there was nothing she could change.
“But I’m curious. What opinion would the Princess offer regarding my punishment of the Grand Duke?”
“I believe Your Majesty will make a just decision.”
Even with her pale face, Sienna didn’t back down. The Empress’s brow furrowed deeply at her unexpectedly calm attitude.
“So you truly don’t mind if I execute the Grand Duke?”
Sienna didn’t respond further. Though her eyes were filled with bleak despair, her lips remained stubbornly sealed. The silence grew longer.
Taking that silence as an answer, the Empress let out a frustrated sigh and turned away. Jeremiah, who had been watching their conversation, finally whispered softly to Sienna.
“You look very unwell. Why did you come all the way here?”
Sienna responded to his concerned reprimand with a silent smile.
It was a smile meant solely to reassure him, but it was futile with her bloodless face. Jeremiah exhaled a soft sigh and pushed his cup toward her.
Unfortunately, as this meeting was arranged hastily, it wasn’t tea with an exquisite aroma. It was merely plain water, but it was meant for her to wet her throat.
However, as soon as she looked down at it, Sienna’s face contorted slightly. Noticing this subtle change, the Empress’s gaze silently shifted to Sienna.
Sienna covered her nose and mouth with her hand. The water placed before the King should certainly be harmless, yet for some reason, she detected a strong fishy smell.
She tried to dismiss it as her weakened constitution due to her poor health, but at that moment, her stomach turned. Sienna hurriedly covered her mouth as nausea suddenly rose.
“Are you alright?”
Sienna looked up at Jeremiah’s worried inquiry. Her unfiltered, bewildered gaze met directly with the Empress’s.
An ominous feeling began to emerge from deep within her heart. Sienna felt her fingertips growing cold.
After remaining frozen for a moment, Sienna finally forced her facial muscles to move. She smiled at Jeremiah, reassuring him that she was fine.
The Empress, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke.
“If it’s not too presumptuous, I’d like to speak with the Princess alone for a moment. Would that be possible?”
“Is there a reason I cannot hear it?”
Jeremiah responded sharply to the unexpected request.
“Let’s honor the late Emperor’s will.”
In contrast, the Empress’s attitude was completely calm. Even the faint resentment that had lingered until just now seemed to have been cleared away, but Jeremiah’s face showed even deeper wariness toward her.
There was something strange about the way the conversation was flowing. One moment she was burning with hatred toward the Grand Duke, and the next she was suddenly accepting the late Emperor’s will.
Sienna felt the same way. Despite the enticing proposal, her blue eyes were filled with distrust.
“However, there is a condition. As this is a matter that only the Princess can address, I’d prefer to discuss it with her alone.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jeremiah was about to refuse without a moment’s hesitation, but Sienna was faster.
“I don’t see why not, Your Majesty.”
Jeremiah frowned as he turned to look at her, hearing her quick response from beside him. Sienna stopped him with a quiet glance, indicating there was no need for further discussion.
