Episode 52

Deputy Commander Eric had suggested that the captured spy had likely confessed everything because he had lost hope once he was caught. However, the White Shadow had always been taught to choose death over betrayal if captured. They had been meticulously trained for this very purpose.

But…

When Aiden was called out for the part that had been nagging at him, he fell silent. Sione took the lead and concluded the discussion.

“I’ll take some more time to think about how we should approach this matter. Since we’ve secured a witness, it won’t be too late to act after the Royal Guard is sent to Dyron.”

At this very moment, over a thousand knights were engaged in fierce battles at the Imperial Arena. In three days, the commander of the Royal Guard and the leadership would be elected. It was said that the most likely candidates for the position of commander were knights from the Senwood Marquisate and the Zernia Duchy.

There was no need to provoke the knights of the Senwood Marquisate, who were already riding high on their momentum.

“If you give the order, I can bring you their heads right now, Your Majesty,” Lian offered.

“I forbid it. Lian, this matter needs to be discussed with the Crown Princess first. Do not act rashly.”

Lian, who had been gazing into Sione’s clear green eyes, bowed his head. He knew she was not someone who could easily be swayed once she had made up her mind.

Lian was disappointed, but beside him, Vitrain, who was even more disheartened, gave Sione a determined nod.

“I will return to your side as quickly as possible, Your Majesty.”

With heavy steps, he headed south.

Vitrain Kidmillan, the Eagle of Belpator, the protector of the Empire’s borders. Never before had his ancient duty felt as burdensome as it did today.

With the report finished, Aiden also left the palace, leaving Sione and Lian alone.

After finishing her meal, Sione returned to the parlor and began nibbling on the chocolates Lian had brought.

She absentmindedly chewed on the chocolates, their sweetness pressing against the back of her head, while her thoughts drifted. She was so preoccupied with worry about how much this would hurt Lothania that she barely heard what Lian was saying.

Responding half-heartedly to his words, she eventually came to her senses and found Lian watching her intently.

“Sorry, Lian. I didn’t hear that. What did you just say?”

“I was asking if we should call it a day.”

“Would that be alright? Earlier, I thought you might have been upset that our time together was interrupted.”

“I had forgotten I had an appointment this afternoon.”

Lian smiled, shrugging lightly.

Then he asked, seeing her still chewing on the chocolate.

“Do you like the chocolates?”

Only then did the rich sweetness hit her.

The luxurious taste was sweet enough to tingle her throat but didn’t leave her mouth feeling dry, perfectly matching her preferences.

“They’re delicious, Lian. Thank you. I always seem to be receiving gifts from you.”

“It’s enough that Your Majesty accepts them. Thanks to you, I’ve come to understand the joy of giving gifts. It feels good, even though I’m the one giving.”

For once, the Serpent spoke like a human.

Sione looked at him, her face a mix of surprise and gratitude.

“Indeed. That’s what gifts are about. Hearing you say that makes me happy too.”

“What I like most is that you never complain about anything not being agreed upon beforehand.”

“Um?”

His follow-up comment was a bit odd.

Sione tilted her head in confusion, but Lian simply smiled warmly and rose from his seat.

He approached her, knelt on one knee, and gently kissed the back of her hand. As he looked up, his beautiful violet eyes shone brightly.

“You will soon come to know who truly protects Your Majesty.”

“Lian, what do you mean by that?” Sione asked, perplexed by his cryptic words, but Lian let go of her hand and stood up, his tone bright as he bid farewell.

“I’ll see you at tomorrow’s council meeting, Your Majesty.”

Preoccupied with thoughts of Lothania and used to Lian’s strange remarks, Sione merely waved him off, barely paying attention as he left.

After returning to her room, she spent a long time gazing out the window, where the autumn season had begun to settle in.

* * *

Eventually, I couldn’t make up my mind as the sun set.

With a heavy sigh, I rose to my feet.

My steps were unusually heavy as I made my way to the Crown Princess’s palace. Just as I arrived, Lottie, who had just finished her studies, ran towards me with a beaming smile.

“Mother! What brings you all the way here?”

As I stroked the hair of my stepdaughter, who had thrown herself into my arms, I had to stifle another sigh.

“I came to have dinner with you, Lottie.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Today, we’ll spend the whole evening together.”

“Wow!”

Lothania seemed overjoyed that I had come to visit her in her palace.

As we waited for dinner to be prepared, we sat together on the sofa in the Crown Princess’s cozy parlor.

Lothania chattered away like a songbird.

She wasn’t just boasting about the praise she received in her studies; it was the earnest desire of a child who wanted to grow up quickly.

At twelve years old, she was at an age where childish bragging and pride would be natural, yet she spoke of becoming an Emperor soon to protect me, and it pained my heart.

How could I tell this sweet and innocent child that her aunt might have been the one who killed her father?

How could I ask her what she wanted to do about her aunt?

“Mother? Did something bad happen?”

Lothania asked with concern, noticing the sigh that had escaped despite my efforts to hold it back, her eyes filled with kindness as she looked at me.

Should I not tell her?

Should I just follow Lian’s suggestion, send the Royal Guard to crush the Senwood Marquisate, and tell Lothania only after everything was over?

What’s the difference between a swift execution and a trial?

Killing the Emperor is treason, and the penalty for treason is death anyway.

Wouldn’t it be better to spare her the pain of making such a difficult decision, even if it meant she might resent me for acting on my own?

As I hesitated, unable to make up my mind and speak, Lothania’s expression hardened, and she asked directly.

“What has the Marchioness of Senwood done now?”

It hadn’t been long since she had referred to her as ‘Aunt Bonita,’ but now the title had changed.

While I was relieved by the distance in the new title, the thought of how much pain this must have caused her brought tears to my eyes.

Not wanting to cry in front of Lothania, who was already worried, I steadied my voice and heart.

“Lottie, let’s say, hypothetically, that the Marchioness of Senwood did something very, very bad and needed to be punished…”

I tried to make it sound as light as possible, but Lothania’s expression shifted instantly.

“It was her, wasn’t it? She’s the one who sent the assassins after you, isn’t she?”

A mixture of relief and sorrow washed over me—relief that Lothania hadn’t connected Bonita to the Emperor’s murder, and sorrow that she had already suspected Bonita of trying to kill me.

I couldn’t bring myself to answer, but the silence was enough for Lothania to read the truth from my expression.

“I can’t forgive her. You’re all I have left, Mother. How could she…”

Lothania bit her lip, holding back her tears.

Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she struggled not to let them fall, making the sight even more heartbreaking.

Clutching my skirt tightly, Lothania took a deep breath and spoke again.

“Arrest her right away, Mother. I want her to know just how terrible her crimes are, and I want her to face the heaviest punishment in the world. And I want her to apologize to you.”

This child, who would one day become the Emperor of a great empire, was far stronger and braver than most girls her age.

Her heart was so large that she put me before her own despair.

But the redness in her eyes and the quivering of her chin showed just how much she was hurting inside.

I pulled Lothania into an embrace, letting her rest her head on my shoulder, and whispered gently.

“Lottie, this morning, I learned that my father in Dirmil wants to take me down from my position here. I was so very sad. So sad that, even as an adult, I couldn’t help but cry. So, Lottie, it’s okay for you to cry too when you’re sad or hurting.”

Without a word, Lothania buried her face into my chest.

Her small shoulders began to shake, and soon I heard the sound of her sobbing.

She must have been holding it all in for so long because Lothania cried in my arms for a very long time.

But in the end, she didn’t take back what she had said.

The woman who had been like a mother to her for ten years was now completely stripped of the name ‘family.’

Attempting to assassinate the Empress was a crime equivalent to treason, punishable by death.

Lothania wanted Bonita to be punished through a trial.

I decided that was enough, for now. It was enough.

I stayed by Lothania’s side until she fell asleep, and then I returned to my room.

I resolved to send the Royal Guard to Dyron and to bring Bonita to trial with the evidence Aiden had gathered.

Most of the nobles had contributed knights to the Royal Guard, so tomorrow’s council meeting would likely be challenging.

I stayed up late, poring over documents in preparation for the meeting, and eventually fell asleep.

The next morning, Brincia was thrown into chaos by an event no one could have anticipated.