The head maid, summoned by Marianne, quickly took Leo away. The slapped maid also appeared to have left with the head maid.
Sienna glanced at where the maids had disappeared and silently sighed. Although she hadn’t committed any wrong, she felt uneasy in a corner of her heart.
Despite surely knowing that her maid had been humiliated, the Empress remained composed.
‘I see how it is.’
Sienna secretly sneered. The current situation seemed to clearly show the relative positions of the Empress and Marianne within the imperial palace.
The Empress was calmly pouring tea when she suddenly lifted her head as if remembering something.
“Ah! Speaking of which, have you all heard the news that a delegation from Parma will arrive soon?”
“Of course. Since I heard the news last week, the delegation should arrive in the capital soon.”
Marianne replied with a crooked smile. Though clearly sensing this, Sienna didn’t even spare her a glance.
An uncomfortable air flowed between the two. The Empress maintained a forced smile and turned to the Grand Duke.
“How long does it take to travel here from Parma?”
“It takes a week by land, Your Majesty.”
“That’s surprisingly close. I thought it would take several weeks since it’s beyond the eastern border.”
The Empress opened her eyes wide, as if this was new information to her.
It wasn’t strange for her to be surprised, given how vast the empire’s territory was. Imperial citizens in general were ignorant of the empire’s geography, especially those in the capital.
Moreover, the Empress was a foreigner who had come from a country in the northwest, so it went without saying.
“The eastern part of the empire is mostly flatland, that’s why.”
In response to Sienna’s casual remark, Declan nodded lightly.
“It is exactly as Your Highness says. It’s completely different from the northern region where two massive mountain ranges are located.”
“Then you’ll be able to visit the empire often even after marriage. That’s wonderful, Princess.”
“That’s not quite right, Your Majesty. The eastern border adjoining Parma is strictly closed as it borders the territory of the traitorous family. Unless state guests like the delegation arrive, it will never be opened again.”
Marianne cut in with a highly sarcastic tone.
“Besides, since it was Sienna’s maternal family’s territory, it probably wouldn’t be comfortable for her to visit frequently.”
“I don’t see why I should feel uncomfortable. The closure was simply due to the previous emperor’s excessive belief in superstitions.”
When Sienna dismissed her completely, Marianne’s face slightly crumpled.
However, the Empress showed unexpected interest in Sienna’s words. What was merely an old superstition to imperial citizens seemed different to her as an outsider. Her eyes sparkled unusually as she spoke.
“I’ve heard about it. The saying that if you bury a part of your body, your wish will come true? Since Ricata was a land where witches lived before being incorporated into the empire… Ah, of course, it’s just a groundless story from centuries ago.”
The Empress hastily corrected herself, probably thinking that the stigma of ‘witch’s land’ attached to Ricata wasn’t appropriate to mention in front of Sienna. In fact, Sienna felt nothing, having grown accustomed to such criticism.
While rumors about Ricata had been passed down for quite a long time, they were dismissed as mere superstitions because the Ricata duchy was such a prominent noble family.
However, after the ducal family was annihilated and the emperor closed off the entire region, the superstition became more than just a simple rumor.
“It’s just a groundless rumor, Your Majesty. If witches really cast spells using parts of their bodies as sacrifices as the superstition claims, how could the imperial family that conquered Ricata be safe like this? They would have been the most cursed existence to them.”
Marianne’s face clearly showed her discomfort, as if she disliked the new topic.
“Since it’s such an ominous land, there are many ridiculous rumors. If that story were true, the previous emperor would have met his fate when that woman was executed. Imagine how great her hatred must have been for the husband who killed her.”
“Princess, such irreverent words…”
“It’s already public knowledge that witch blood flows in the Ricata ducal family, Your Majesty. It’s natural, given how long they ruled that land.”
At these words, the Empress glanced anxiously at Sienna.
In terms of fiery temperament and pride as precious as life itself, this princess was no less than the First Princess.
Despite their mutual loathing, they inevitably shared similarities due to their shared blood. The problem was that these similarities manifested in their notably sharp personalities.
The Empress’s face clearly showed her anxiety, worried that this rare tea time might escalate into a fight between the princesses.
However, contrary to expectations, Sienna merely smiled, showing no signs of being affected.
From the moment she saw Marianne and Declan emerging together from the corner, Sienna’s mood had already plummeted.
Although she was the one who declared the breakup first and decided not to be involved with him, it was always difficult for the heart to follow reason.
‘Surely the unforgettable woman couldn’t be Marianne.’
Though the two didn’t appear particularly close from her glance, matters between men and women couldn’t be judged by appearances alone. Her subtle guilt about announcing the engagement without a proper rejection from him transformed into despicable jealousy.
Meanwhile, Marianne kept attacking her by bringing up Ricata. Though Sienna had learned to ignore Marianne’s nonsense since her death and revival, today it felt particularly irritating.
“Your Majesty, do you know what curse the last queen of Ricata laid down before her death?”
At these words, Marianne’s face hardened. When the Empress couldn’t answer with her troubled expression, Sienna continued in a soft, low voice.
“It was that the Emperor of the Empire would never obtain what he desired most.”
Sienna’s gaze turned to Marianne. Seeing her sister’s coldly frozen face, Sienna raised her lips mockingly.
“I wonder what he wished for, to be so afraid as to close off an entire territory.”
At this sneering mockery, Marianne’s face instantly contorted. However, she couldn’t easily refute Sienna’s words. She could only grip her teacup tightly in silence.
Who didn’t know that their dead father had lived obsessed with one woman?
While Sienna, born of such parents, spoke freely in ways that dishonored them, Marianne couldn’t do the same.
Perhaps it was the influence of living branded as an illegitimate child until her brother ascended to the throne. Although Marianne hated her father, she was obsessed with the imperial bloodline and could never utter words that would dishonor him.
It was the same now. As Sienna sarcastically remarked about their father’s actions, Marianne could only tremble her lips in silence.
The atmosphere froze instantly. Just then, Gaius, who had gone ahead to the training grounds, appeared breaking the silence.
“Pardon my interruption, Your Grace. The soldiers are waiting at the training grounds.”
“I’ll be there soon.”
As soon as Declan answered, the Empress put down her teacup as if she had been waiting for this moment. Barely maintaining her smile, she addressed the three.
“Shall we end here? I feel I’ve kept everyone too long when you must all be busy.”
As soon as the Empress finished speaking, Sienna stood up as if she had been waiting.
“It was an honor to be invited to tea time, Your Majesty.”
As she curtsied, the Empress nodded.
What started as a modest vacation had strayed far from its original purpose due to the successive appearance of unexpected, unwelcome guests.
Sienna felt guilty for unintentionally ruining the Empress’s rest. She carefully observed the Empress’s mood before turning away.
Just as Declan reflexively began to follow her steps, a hand suddenly extended toward him.
“Would you escort me to my quarters, Grand Duke?”
His gaze, which had been silently following Sienna, turned to the owner of the hand. Green eyes filled with anxiety were urging him to accept. Looking at the extended hand, Declan bowed his head instead of taking it.
“I apologize, Your Highness, but as the soldiers are waiting at the training grounds at this hour, I’m afraid I cannot escort you to your quarters. Please forgive my rudeness.”
After offering his polite apology, Declan turned to the knight standing nearby.
“Sir Gaius, please escort the Princess to her quarters.”
With that, he had fulfilled the proper etiquette. The earlier conversation with Marianne had long since vanished from his mind.
Declan turned away without hesitation. Marianne, who had been staring at his retreating figure while frozen in place, tightly clenched her hand that had been left hanging in the air.
****
As the walk had gone longer than expected, Declan’s strides gradually widened. The scheduled training time had already long passed. Participating in the conversation out of anger had been the root of the problem.
His brisk steps came to an abrupt halt just as he emerged from the Empress’s quarters. The soles of his military boots made a harsh sound as they scraped against the sand. Sensing his presence, Sienna turned around and their eyes met.
After a moment of silence, Declan bowed his head to her. Then he resumed walking, passing by her slowly at a notably slower pace than before.
Sienna, standing still and watching him, slowly opened her mouth.
“I have something to say.”
When his gaze fell on her, Sienna unconsciously avoided eye contact slightly.
