The Crown Prince halted the competition. Moreover, he did it right in the center of the pavilion where everyone was paying attention.
The rumor, spread from mouth to mouth without making it into any news outlet, quickly circulated throughout the entire empire. Although the Imperial Family did not officially express their stance, everyone who watched the martial arts competition, nobles and commoners alike, became witnesses to the fact that the Crown Princess’s competition had taken place against his will.
With this revelation, the Imperial Family had no choice but to address the issue and officially acknowledge that the Crown Princess’s competition had taken place without his consent.
In lieu of an apology, the Empress, as a gesture of goodwill, pledged her name and presented gifts to the young ladies who participated in the competition. Not stopping there, she went on to offer the Imperial Seal and actively promised to arrange their marriages within the imperial court.
The royal matchmaking, backed by the Imperial Family, was powerful enough that even those not as influential as the Crown Prince could form marital ties with prestigious noble families.
Although some were hesitant to send their own children to become the Crown Princess, those who had reservations quietly accepted the Imperial proposal. The promise made by the Empress to connect them with affluent families ensured that they would enjoy a life as prosperous as if they were the Empress herself.
With this, the noise surrounding the suspension of the competition subsided. While the Empress had plenty on her plate, the voices of opposition from the nobles dwindled.
However, there was one person who couldn’t accept the suspension of the Crown Princess competition.
“What… So, everything I’ve done so far was in vain?”
Helen, having read a newspaper summarizing the already widespread rumors, exclaimed in frustration. She tore the newspaper in her hand without hesitation, expressing her annoyance.
“How could Her Majesty the Empress do this to me!”
Helen, who believed without a doubt that she would become the Crown Princess, was profoundly shocked by the Crown Prince’s declaration to suspend the competition right in front of her.
On the day of the final match, she had been a prominent candidate for the Crown Princess, cheering for the Crown Prince right next to the Empress. However, what she received in return was a statement that nullified all her efforts.
“Why did I live trying to please the Empress!”
She had been assured by the Empress herself that unless there were unforeseen circumstances, Helen would become the Crown Princess. From the day of her debutante ball, she had believed only those words, but what she faced upon her return was the Crown Prince’s betrayal.
“It must be because of that woman.”
Helen couldn’t contain her anger, and her body trembled. The woman of the Crown Prince. She had tried to find out who she was, but for some reason, she couldn’t find any clue, no matter how hard she looked. Even shadowing the Crown Prince yielded no information about how and where they met.
“Who the hell is she?”
The Crown Prince, who had concealed every strand of hair, was openly revealing the presence of his lover. It meant that he would protect her without hiding the fact that he had a lover.
“I’m annoyed. I want to get rid of her.”
If only she could figure out who the woman the Crown Prince was involved with, she would eliminate her right in front of him. If she couldn’t handle it, at least she would ensure the woman didn’t boldly occupy the Crown Prince’s side by banishing her from high society.
“Oh, miss. Still, Her Majesty the Empress sent you a gift. She has promised to take charge of matchmaking for the young ladies who participated in the competition. Isn’t that reassuring?”
“Is that man higher than the Crown Prince? Rich? If you marry the man chosen by the palace, can you become the Empress?”
“Well, it’s not like that, but at least, he’s a marquis or a duke…”
“If that’s the case, one shouldn’t have aimed so high in the first place! All I want is to be the Empress of the Empire!”
Helen screamed, throwing the letter and the accompanying gift from the Empress to the floor.
Annette, who had been trying to calm the anxious Helen since the end of the martial arts competition, closed her eyes tightly and endured Helen’s outburst.
“Ugh! I hate it! I hate it! My place is only as the Crown Princess!”
Helen swept away everything on the table and pounded the empty surface with her fists. The necklace sent as a gift from the palace bounced out of the box and rolled on the floor.
Annette secretly sighed and picked up the fallen items from the floor. At that moment, a letter hidden in the box fell to the ground.
“Uh… Miss.”
“Don’t call me. Just hearing your voice annoys me. Put that in a place where I can’t see it!”
“Her Majesty the Empress is inviting you to the Imperial Palace?”
Annette spoke after confirming a letter that seemed to have come exclusively to Helen.
“What? The Empress is looking for me?” Anger-filled eyes softened instantly. Helen, still fuming, reached out towards Annette.
“Well, the Empress wouldn’t have abandoned me. Surely, that woman is in trouble.”
Reading the letter written in the Empress’s handwriting, she smiled brightly.
“The Empress is waiting for you in the Eastern Palace.”
Extending the Empress’s seal, Helen entered the palace without inspection and followed the attendant towards the Eastern Palace. Since it was not a formal visit, there were only the attendant and palace guards guiding her.
“The one who embraces the sun of Ludenheim, greets the Empress.”
Entering the greenhouse of the Eastern Palace, Helen greeted the Empress who had been waiting for her, sipping tea. The Empress set down her teacup and welcomed Helen.
“You’ve come quickly.”
“Well, if the Empress is looking for me, I should put everything aside and come promptly.”
“Well, if you’re to become the Empress, you must learn what is important and what is trivial.”
Whether there was a prior command from the Empress or not, the attendant seated Helen right next to the Empress. With only the two of them in the greenhouse, the attendant securely locked the door.
“Did you like the gift?”
“Yes? Oh, yes. The necklace with topaz, right? The gem in the center is so eye-catching. How did you know I like the color blue?”
“I personally chose your gift. Haven’t you often worn blue gemstones?”
“I didn’t expect you to pay attention to my accessories. Thank you for the Empress’s care.”
Helen lifted her teacup, avoiding the Empress’s benevolent gaze. The Empress’s gift had been thrown to the floor, with the only acknowledgment being a brief glance at the necklace that bounced up. She was at least adept at recognizing jewels. With an awkward smile, she shifted the topic of conversation.
“By the way, may I ask for what reason you sought me out?”
“I’ve been busy entertaining unnecessary stories. I made a guarantee that you would become the Crown Princess, and now that things have turned out like this, it weighed on my mind.”
“Oh, really… While it’s regrettable that the competition was halted, I was comforting myself with the thought of the Empress’s broad generosity in finding me a good match. However, I still need some time to organize my feelings, as I haven’t forgotten Crown Prince yet.”
Helen did not conceal her disappointment from the Empress, and her determination to aim for the position of Crown Princess again was also evident.
The Empress, looking at the ambitious Helen, smiled contentedly. Confirming that her insight was correct, she comfortably set her mind at ease.
“If you promise to disclose the identity of the woman who captivated the Crown Prince, and if it turns out to be true, pledging to remove that woman and take your place by the Crown Prince’s side, will you agree to such a commitment?”
“Are you saying you know who the Crown Prince’s lover is?”
“I do. The Crown Prince came to me and spoke about it himself.”
Helen’s eyes sparkled as she turned toward the Empress. The lover of the Crown Prince? There was no one she knew of.
“But it seems that the child is not of noble birth. The concern is not just mine; as the Empress, one should assist the Emperor and handle matters within and outside the palace. Bringing in a child who hasn’t received proper education as the Crown Princess raises more than a few worries.”
“Well… It’s quite understandable that the Empress is worried about a woman who, without proper qualifications, aspires to become the Crown Princess. Your concern is indeed justified, Empress.”
Helen pretended to empathize with the Empress’s worries. Inviting her here to discuss this meant, in essence, the Empress wanted to remove an inexperienced woman from the Crown Prince’s side and have Helen take her place.
“As you know, even if I step forward, the Crown Prince won’t listen. So, I hope you can exert a little influence.”
“Of course, Your Majesty. If you just tell me who it is, I’ll make sure that, by any means necessary, I won’t allow her to stand by the Crown Prince’s side.”
Understanding the Empress’s reluctance to directly intervene, Helen smiled knowingly. Openly rejecting her would cause problems, but she was confident in gradually undermining her reputation from behind the scenes.
“How have you been dismissing the women who tried to get close to the Crown Prince until now? If I become the Crown Princess, I can handle and suppress these minor disturbances easily.”
“So, who is this woman?”
“Her name is Retina Cecilica.”
“Retina, Cecilica? The illegitimate child of Duke Deneuve?”
Helen repeated the name incredulously as it came from the Empress’s mouth. Since when did the Crown Prince and Cecilica…? The name, constantly causing disturbances in her life, made Helen bite her lip in frustration.
“The Crown Prince stopped the selection because of that illegitimate child. I expressed my anger towards Cecilica, who keeps ruining everything I do.”
“No, perhaps it’s for the best?”
“I have a tremendous advantage over her. Knowing her weaknesses from the information I obtained from a servant, I can handle this quite easily.”
“It seems things are working in my favor. Leave it to me, Empress.”
Helen gladly accepted the Empress’s proposal. After all, there were already rumors circulating about Princess Cecilica in the northern regions. If she were to expose her secrets to the entire empire, it might even be possible to send her away to the north.
Moreover, if diplomatic ties were entangled with other countries, the Crown Prince would be unable to make a move. It seemed like the fates were favoring her.
“As for the rumors I’ve heard…”
Helen leaned in closer to the Empress, speaking in hushed tones as if sharing top-secret information. The Empress’s expression subtly changed as she listened to Helen’s story.
