“Despite the situation, the silence speaks volumes, showing how the ladies’ gossip holds sway. If you feel unjustly accused, you should step forward and clear your innocence yourself.”
“Your Majesty, my apologies for interrupting, but your current actions appear to be hostile towards House Deneuve. If baseless suspicions against my sister continue, the nobles might lodge a complaint with the royal court. Do you wish to continue?”
Sat interposed in front of Retina, revealing hostility as he cautioned. Though Herald was stepping up, this was a significant issue involving House Deneuve.
“It saddens me that the eldest of House Deneuve feels this way. Your mother treated me well, but my heart aches that her children grow up like this because of her tragic death. I have a duty, on behalf of the ladies, to uncover the truth. That, too, belongs to the Empress.”
“Please refrain from such nonsense.”
“Herald, what kind of habit is this for your mother? Whether it’s nonsense or not, I must confirm and judge it myself.”
Even the men who hadn’t paid attention to the ladies’ conversation began to take interest in their ongoing confrontation. Some went to their tents and asked their lovers or wives about the current situation.
“Yeah, something seems off. All our siblings were born with navy blue hair, but only she has brown in the chestnut. Even if she’s a bastard, that doesn’t make sense, right?”
“Such an ugly color couldn’t naturally come out. Could it be picked up somewhere?”
As time dragged on, the situation increasingly turned against Retina.
Negative remarks towards Retina poured in from all directions. Spoken without any attempt to lower their voices, these words hit Retina squarely and inflicted wounds.
Those around Retina pondered how to navigate this situation. It would have been easier to quell the turmoil if only the Empress wasn’t at the forefront, stubbornly holding her ground.
“If there’s nothing wrong with Young lady, doesn’t that mean those words are strange? Setting fire to a person and suddenly going berserk. We must decide what to do before she harms someone else.”
When Retina didn’t respond, Helen prodded her nerves with her words. Anyone who had seen her riding on Retina’s silence could tell. Could she dismiss an animal she had been communicating with for a long time?
“Come on, reveal your true identity, Retina Cecilia. Let everyone see your hypocritical façade.”
Helen smiled calmly, holding back the finger that was about to enter her mouth.
“Do you think such coercion will work?”
“It’s the principle to punish those who harm others.”
When even the Empress stepped forward to support Helen’s argument, public opinion shifted in that direction. Whenever Herald tried to silence Helen, the Empress intervened to protect her.
The ones wielding power in the current empire were blind to anything other than what the Empress dictated, clapping along even if she was wrong.
Unless someone exposed the manipulation, whether Retina revealed her identity or not, her words would be dismissed.
“Was it because of me that Rodrigo…?”
On their way back to the courtyard, Herald remained silent, but Retina understood. Someone had manipulated Rodrigo.
She almost caused not only her own downfall but also Rodrigo’s, intending to punish him?
Retina clenched her chest in frustration, feeling as if her lungs were filled with water, making it painful to breathe. If it weren’t for Herald holding her from the side, she might have collapsed.
“If you feel unjust, shouldn’t Young lady prove it herself instead of relying on others? Or are you afraid the truth might come out and scare you from stepping forward? Your hesitation alone shows there’s something to be caught.”
“Helen Histing. Retina is part of the duke’s family. Even if she can’t show respect to someone higher in status than you, should you challenge her like this? Have you considered what might happen if the Empress were to find out?”
Through the muffling fabric covering her head, Retina heard Herald confront others on her behalf. Unable to see clearly due to the covering, she pieced together the situation through their conversation.
Because of that one thing, people around me were in trouble, and I felt ashamed that I couldn’t step forward confidently. The Grand Duchess had once warned me that this might happen, but I had failed to prepare myself.
“What have I done wrong? As the future Empress, it is my duty to identify the source of unrest in the empire.”
Helen stood tall, chin raised defiantly. Despite the failed engagement, Helen believed without doubt that she would become Empress.
Behind her stood Marquis Histing, firmly established in the imperial faction, and the Empress herself. The Empress’s position was not one solely driven by affection, despite the Crown Prince’s dislike.
“Empress? That’s laughable. Labeling them as cursed silver-haired individuals itself is an insult to the Raglaras, whom the empire strives to maintain friendly relations with. Yet someone who cannot read the situation seeks to covet the position of Empress?”
Herald criticized Helen’s claims point by point. Fortunately, the aging Raglaras were not present.
If Retina had seen how far things had escalated over a mere rumor about silver hair, she would have expressed her discomfort. Thinking about suggesting taking Retina to the north as an excuse, the Duke seemed cunning.
“Crown Prince, the more we defend her, the deeper the suspicion grows. If she truly isn’t silver-haired, wouldn’t simply lifting the muffler be enough?”
“Exactly. We’re hurt by being treated as if we’re insulting Princess Cecilia. Your Majesty, we only wish to uncover the truth.”
“If silver hair truly isn’t a curse, why would they conceal it? There must be something suspicious they’re hiding. Sending me out into society like this can only be a collusion between the Duke of Deneuve and the Countess of Lensia to deceive me.”
The Empress and Helen teamed up to push their favorable opinions forward. Herald glanced at those whispering behind their backs.
“Your Majesty…”
During a moment meant for conversation, Herald, intending to take Retina to the palace in a carriage, lowered his gaze at the faint voice only he could hear. He focused on Retina’s voice, speaking with a gentleness different from when facing Helen and the Empress.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll handle it.”
“This is my affair. Even if it’s aborted today, it will resurface someday.”
“Then I can handle it when you’re feeling better.”
He wanted to quickly show Retina’s condition to a doctor. However, Retina couldn’t stand by while her family’s name was being dragged into this.
She thought, If I step forward, it will be resolved. Helen and the Empress were targeting her.
No matter how strong the Deneuve and Lensia families may appear, if noble opinion turns against them, who knows what might happen. With strength comes many enemies, and there are surely factions seeking to weaken Deneuve’s power amid the turmoil.
That would not bode well for the Crown Prince, who surrounds himself with supporters. If the aristocrats of the Imperial faction turn completely away from Herald due to the suspension of the Crown Princess Consort election, he would face difficulties in his future reign.
“For now, I have no choice but to comply with what they want.”
If she weren’t afraid of revealing secrets in front of everyone, it would be a lie. However, she couldn’t continue to harm her loved ones under the protection of others forever.
Retina looked up at Herald, who was holding her hand to prevent her from removing the mantle. She reassured him by trying to show him her pale face with care, reading the worried expression on his face.
If she didn’t know anything at all, she would have retreated as the Crown Prince suggested. However, Retina had a weapon to reverse this situation.
It was like gambling with a hypothesis that had yet to be confirmed, but otherwise, it would harm not only the Deneuve family but also the Crown Prince.
“Since I was going to reveal it anyway, I shouldn’t be afraid.”
The response to the letter sent to the north was the secret she intended to reveal, formally proclaiming the Emperor with Norden. By then, she would have completed all preparations and wouldn’t have been as nervous as now. However, if she continued to ignore the Empress’s provocations, she would suffer even greater hardships later on.
“Retina reluctantly grasped the edge of the mantle, hiding her trembling feelings. Slowly pushing back the mantle, she revealed her face, and her silver hair, hidden until then, came into view.
“Agh!”
“A curse…! A cursed one has appeared!”
Retina closed her eyes tightly after revealing the carefully concealed secret with her own hands. This was the Empire’s true perception of her silver hair.
