The Hated Empress Tames the Tyrant

“Shall I cover the wound, Miss?”
Regina asked as she finished her makeup for the party.
The scar Iris left last time was vivid on Elise’s neck.
Iris, who used magic on Elise, was not punished at all.
The viscount and viscountess, who returned after going out that day, ignored it after hearing the situation.
So Elise negotiated with the viscount and viscountess.
Not to touch her outings anymore.
The viscount and viscountess, who were worried that Elise might gossip about what Iris did, accepted it in a flash.
Elise gained the freedom of movement. And Iris became quiet.
‘A scar of victory.’
Elise gently touched the scar where the scab had formed.
“Should I wear a scarf?”
She wanted to expose the wound openly, but she was bothered by Karan’s gaze looking at her cheek that was swollen from being hit by Fraser before.
Regina quickly nodded and brought out a beautiful scarf from the dressing room.
“I’m upset that I have to cover it because our Miss’s neck line is a charm point.”
“It sounds like the rest is not much.”
“No! That’s not it!”
Elise chuckled. It was fun to see Regina react when teased.
“It was a joke. I should leave now. I’ve been lazy enough already.”
“Yes, Miss!”
Regina escorted Elise with a sweep of her chest.
****
The New Year’s party had begun.
From morning to night, the bustling streets were in sight.
Children got candies and toys from their parents after a long time, and merchants had the opportunity to make money from outside guests.
The New Year’s party was filled with fun events for everyone, regardless of age or gender.
A place where culture, love, and money come and go.
Everyone enjoyed the New Year’s party purely, but Elise couldn’t.
It’s been several years since she couldn’t participate in the street festival.
Every year during the New Year’s party, Elise headed to the palace instead of the streets.
She participated in the banquet held during the New Year’s party for three days straight.
She also interacted with people at the banquet until after midnight, slept when the sun rose after returning to the mansion, and repeated the life of going to the banquet again at night.
The reason was one, to build a network that would help Chase.
But this year, there’s no need to do that, so it’s time to fit in and come out.
‘It might be the last New Year’s party in Bedrokka, so let’s enjoy the festival.’
The carriage carrying Elise just stopped in front of the grand banquet hall.
The front of the grand banquet hall was noisy.
Even though they came to avoid the crowded time, it seemed to take quite a while to enter.
Elise and Regina got off the carriage and joined the long line.
“Iris must have gone in early, right?”
Iris left 20 minutes earlier than Elise, and she would have entered without standing in line with the privilege of the royal family.
Just like Elise did in the past.
“Are you bored waiting?”
Regina glanced at Elise.
She thought Elise would be upset about the changed treatment.
“But it’s nice to watch people.”
However Elise was fine.
Literally, she was absorbed in watching people.
Especially, what Elise noticed was the women’s hair clips.
She had already found two women wearing Jasmine’s hair clips.
It was a new design hair clip that added glamour by densely embedding small jewels according to Elise’s advice.
The hair clip that Jasmine used to use did not fit in a glamorous place like a banquet.
Because it focused solely on practicality. So it was not enough to captivate women’s hearts.
[How about attaching the jewel attached to the nail to the hairpin? It will look great under the lights, emitting various lights.]
Elise advised, and as you can see, the result.
“Your hairstyle is unique today. It looks comfortable but elegant.”
“Is that so? It’s all thanks to this clip.”
The woman wearing the hair clip turned her head as if to show off her hairstyle.
“Oh my, is this clip that famous hair clip? Where did you get it? I want to get one too.”
“I specially asked Jasmine Orleans for it. How is it, does it look pretty to you?”
A faint smile crossed Elise’s face as she listened to the conversation.
Thanks to the conversation between the women, the time spent in line was not boring.
However, it seemed that there were some who were not satisfied, as complaints erupted here and there.
“Why aren’t we going in? Has something happened?”
“I’ve never had to wait this long before, today is too much.”
Negative emotions are easily contagious.
As soon as someone started complaining, complaints burst out from most of the mouths.
Listening to the complaints continuously, Elise no longer found the act of standing in line enjoyable.
“Shall I go ahead and say something?”
Regina, seeing Elise’s expression stiffen slightly, spoke.
“What are you going to say and to whom?”
“To the administrator managing the entrance. I mean, I have to tell them that you have arrived.”
“Then will that person let me in?”
Elise guessed that the entrance of the guests was being delayed.
Usually, at a banquet, people enter in the order they arrive, but the New Year’s party was different.
Delegations from various countries, royalty, and major guests from Bedrokka made their entrance.
The order of entrance was used as a means for the king to wield the nobility, while considering the delegations from various countries.
The invited guests evaluated people based on the order of entrance.
Whether they have power that can be beneficial, or not.
‘Whether they are people to keep by their side, or not. They will also judge whether it will be helpful for business.’
Elise recalled the time when she was the first among the nobility to enter.
Was it the spring when she was 26?
It was a time that had become either three years ago before regression, or seven years later after regression, and a bitter smile spread across Elise’s face.
“You were here.”
A pleasant voice was heard as Elise was lost in gloomy thoughts.
Then other noises began to be heard.
“Is that the barbarian?”
“You can hear it. It’s the prince. But I thought the rumor was inflated, but he looks fine.”
Elise raised her head at the snide remarks filled with envy and jealousy. Karan extended his hand to her.
“I thought it would be difficult to pick you up at the mansion, so I waited. I thought you would come straight to me, but you’re here.”
Karan paused for a moment and looked around.
Those who met his gaze turned their gaze away and closed their mouths.
A sharp aura flowed from him.
“You’ve been having a hard time.”
As the surroundings quieted down, Karan finished his words.
The hardship Karan spoke of was not simply physical hardship.
Elise slightly smiled as if to relieve his heavy heart and held his hand.
“Just a moment, Your Highness!”
As Karan was about to greet her as he did when they met at the cafe, Elise quickly stopped him.
Karan looked at Elise with a posture that had been bent over.
The two had the same eye level.
“The greeting is done, Your Highness. But why are you here? You don’t have to stand in line.”
Karan was a foreign guest officially invited by Bedrokka.
Naturally, his order of entrance should have been a while ago.
“I told you earlier. I was going to pick you up. I plan to enter with you, but is it uncomfortable for you to enter with me?”
“Enter together?”
“We’re going to get married. I heard that in Bedrokka, people who are going to get married enter together.”
There was nothing particularly formal in the social circle of Tetris.
So Elise did not ask Karan for the formality of Bedrokka.
She also planned to enter the banquet alone.
Entering alone was not only to respect the culture of Tetris, but also for Karan.
‘It’s Karan’s first day revealing himself in Bedrokka. Even if he’s criticized, there’s no need to provoke people deliberately.’
If she entered alone, the focus would be on the gossip of the two, not on Karan.
“Your Highness, I’m fine, so please enter first.”
At Elise’s neat refusal, Karan’s facial muscles stiffened.
“Do you dislike entering with me?”
“Why would I?”
“Are you ashamed of my outfit?”
“No. Not at all.”
Elise strongly denied it. Today, Karan was very splendid.
The formal wear, wherever it was tailored, highlighted his slim but sturdy physique, and his handsome features were clearly revealed one by one, thanks to his forehead being fully exposed unlike usual.
“So it’s because I’m lacking after all.”
He twisted Elise’s meaning.
“Karan, you’re misunderstanding deeply. It’s me who’s lacking for you. The reason I said I wouldn’t enter with you today is…”
“Elise, the only thing I want to hear is ‘I will enter with you.’ If it’s something else, I wish you wouldn’t say it.”
His overly hard stance was unfamiliar.
When Elise didn’t answer, Karan stood by her side, holding her hand.
He even had a relaxed smile, as if waiting wasn’t boring at all.
In the meantime, the line had shortened a bit.
“We’ll be able to enter in about thirty minutes.”
At Karan’s calculation, Elise sighed.
The prince of Tetris was standing in line with those who had no titles and were not heirs to a family.
The choice to enter alone for his sake had turned the result to the worst.
‘It’s the worst. Then I have no choice but to choose the lesser of two evils.’
Elise gently shook Karan’s hand.
Karan, who had been looking ahead, turned his head.
“Let’s go.”
At Elise’s single word, Karan laughed. His splendid smile looked just like a picture.
****
When Elise and Karan appeared in front of the grand banquet hall, there was a moment of silence.
It was like an explicit criticism.
Elise was worried that Karan’s mood would be upset.
But Karan didn’t erase the faint smile on his lips.
Once again, Elise liked Karan’s solid personality.
“His Highness Karan Lisandro of Tetris.”
Haltbin handed the invitation to the administrator managing the entrance.
When the administrator put the invitation into a small box, a flash of light came from inside the box.
The blue light proved that Karan’s invitation was real.
“Please come in, Your Highness.”
When the administrator greeted him politely, the heavy doors of the grand banquet hall opened.
Ten knights in splendid attire raised their swords. The entrance music was played in response to the signal.
People’s gaze was instantly focused on the entrance of the banquet hall.
“We’re quite late.”
Elise spoke calmly, receiving dozens of pairs of eyes.
“Yes, I had some business.”
What could it have been?
He didn’t seem like the type to break promised agreed time.
Noticing Elise’s puzzled gaze, Karan slightly tilted his body.
“The welcome greeting of Tetris was aggressive. I just loosened up a bit.”
Hearing that, she became even more confused.aBianca seemed to be holding back tears, but her attitude was firm.

“I will reveal everything here.”

“Bi… Bianca, what do you mean?”

Duke Hellen’s face was crumbling. But Bianca, who seemed to have already made up her mind, did not back down.

“My father, no, Duke Hellen… committed a terrible act.”

All eyes were on Bianca.

“My father wanted to make me the empress.”

“Bianca… stop…!”

“He tried to assassinate the Empress.”

In the end, she revealed all the facts.

Arundel tried to stop Bianca from the side, but Bianca spoke faster.

A look of horror appeared on people’s faces.

‘Bianca…the family Bianca tried to protect…! The family name…!’

Arundel looked at Bianca with a worried look.

She always wanted to protect her family and her family name. That’s why she asked for a deal, even though she knew it was wrong. To protect the people she loved.

But in the end, she let go of everything herself.

The shocked Duke Hellen staggered towards Bianca.

“How… how could you…”

“I have records of letters exchanged with the magician you hired to kill the Empress.”

“…!!”

With Bianca’s confirmation, all the facts became clear.

The criticism against Duke Hellen grew more intense. Duke Hellen was dumbfounded by the betrayal of his trusted daughter.

Zion approached and grabbed Duke Hellen’s neck.

“How dare you, you’ve done such a thing.”

“Your…Your Majesty! You can’t!!”

At Zion’s momentum, as if he would break Duke Hellen’s thick neck at any moment, the prime minister and Cain hurriedly dissuaded him.

But Zion seemed to be far from calming down, glaring at Duke Hellen as if to pierce him.

Unable to bear it, Arundel grabbed Zion’s wrist.

“Stop it. People are watching.”

Only then did the strength gradually leave Zion’s arm. As Duke Hellen’s neck became free, he gasped for the breath he had been holding back.

“Don’t be relieved. I’ll make you feel as if it’s better to just die.”

At Zion’s cold voice, Duke Hellen gasped as if he would faint at any moment.

“…Huff… Huff…”

“Put this man in prison.”

At Zion’s command, the guards rushed over and dragged Duke Hellen away.

‘Ha… Is it over for now.’

Arundel took a deep breath and felt relieved.

But that was only for a moment.

A crowd of nobles rushed to the execution stand.

“It’s not right to end it like this!”

“That’s right! It’s true that Duke Hellen did wrong, and it’s also true that the Emperor is mad.”

“The Empress was assassinated before the execution ceremony, it stopped for now, but we don’t know when this will happen again!”

The crowd that suddenly broke in were the nobles who had gathered at Duke Hellen’s mansion yesterday. In other words, they were forces opposing Zion along with Duke Hellen.

They saw Duke Hellen crumble, but they were desperate to exchange opinions as it seemed like their plan to drive out Zion would be thwarted as it is.

They had to bring down the brutal emperor at this opportunity.

The nobles who had unified their opinions shook off their fear of Emperor Zion and stood here.

The person at the forefront shouted loudly.

“We must drive out the brutal Emperor!!”

Arundel looked at Zion.

Zion was quiet, as if listening to someone else’s story. He watched their actions with a blank face.

As Zion showed no reaction, Arundel became increasingly anxious.

People were swaying one by one.

‘Please…Zion…Say something.’

She was anxious about what decision he would make. If he really stumbled, he might turn this place into a sea of fire right away.

While she was worrying, someone was calling her.

“Arundel! Arundel!”

At the voice calling her from under the execution stand, Arundel looked down.

There was Hills, whom she had forgotten about.

Already feeling overwhelmed, the appearance of Hills further confused Arundel, and she spoke in an annoyed voice.

“Can’t we talk later, Hills?”

“I can solve it.”

“What?”

“I can solve this situation.”

Arundel looked at Hills’ expression, wondering if he was joking, but his eyes were serious.

“How…?”

“You’ll see.”

Arundel hesitated for a moment. Whether she could trust this demon.

“Are you going to mark me again?”

“No.”

Even if she didn’t trust him, she had no other choice right now.

She might regret it later, but she had to do something right now.

Arundel, who had made up her mind, looked at Hills.

“Help me.”

“There’s something we need to make sure of first.”

Hills grinned.

“Arundel is no longer my contractor. Because there’s no mark.”

Thinking about the hardships she had gone through because of the mark, she wanted to strangle Hills in front of her, but as a contractor, she had received a lot of help from Hills so far.

But as Hills said, she was no longer a contractor. She had no connection with him.

He was cool-headed, but as Hills said, he had no reason to be kind to her now.

“So, what kind of compensation are you asking for?”

“I’ll take the compensation later. The situation is urgent right now, isn’t it?”

Hills looked at the crowd of nobles and spoke with a smirk.

‘Am I being fooled again?’

Arundel bit her lip in thought. This was like getting a tattoo without checking the contract conditions.

But Hills’ words were also true.

People’s anger was increasingly shaking. Before Zion turned this place into a sea of fire, some action had to be taken.

Although she was anxious about what kind of price this guy would ask for…

“Okay, solve this situation.”

“Good. A new contract is established.”

Hills grinned.

“Watch carefully, Arundel.”

With his confident attitude, Hills…

‘Did he disappear…?’

What… where did he go…? Surely not a scam…

Arundel looked at the place where Hills had disappeared with desolate eyes. The situation had worsened while talking with Hills.

“Drive the Emperor out immediately!!”

“That’s right!! We don’t need a tyrant Emperor!!”

As if the nobles’ instigation worked, people were running wild.

Among them, one voice particularly resonated strongly through the chaos.

“He’s ruining the country, just like his lowly mother!”

Reacting to that remark, Zion’s expressionless eyes sparkled.

‘Damn…got it all wrong.’

Talking about Zion’s mother was absolutely taboo, a taboo. As expected, Zion’s energy shook.

It seemed like he was at his limit in enduring this situation.

‘Please… Hills… hurry up…!’

You said you could solve it…!!

Arundel closed her eyes tightly and prayed.

Please, I hope I wasn’t scammed.

Then,

With a loud noise, a lightning bolt of unbelievable size struck down.

Since the lightning bolt struck an open field, there were no casualties, but people were startled by the sudden natural phenomenon.

‘What is it? Did Zion do it…?’

Arundel looked at Zion, wondering if he was the one who had struck the enormous lightning bolt, but Zion was also looking at the sky with a blank face.

The person who struck the lightning was not Zion.

Arundel looked at the sky with a confused face. The clear sky was heavily clouded.

Soon the dark clouds covered the sky.

As the twinkling sun was obscured, the surroundings were quickly dyed in darkness.

Anyone could see that it was not a natural phenomenon. The huge lightning did not stop at once, but continued to strike all around.

In the unusual situation, people were running around screaming.

‘What on earth is this phenomenon…’

Arundel looked at the ominous phenomenon in the sky again.

Something was shining through the darkness.

‘That is…’

A huge roar was heard.

And soon,

“Impossible…”

A ‘dragon’ of enormous size revealed itself. Even amidst the shaking sky, the giant figure was clearly visible.

‘A creature that suddenly appeared is a dragon…?’

The dragon was a forgotten ‘monster’.

It was known to have hidden its appearance after revealing itself a very long time ago and devastating cities.

But the forgotten monster of legend has reappeared.

People were, to put it bluntly, in a state of chaos.

Screams echoed from all around.

“A dragon has appeared!!”

“We’re all going to die!!”

“Ahhhh!! Everyone run!!”

Actually facing it, the dragon’s momentum was tremendous. Every time it moved its wings, dust flew all around, and thin trees broke weakly and rolled on the ground.

The surrounding environment was literally devastated.

The roar echoing in the chaotic situation was so fierce and scary that it made the hairs on her arms stand on end.

‘If no one steps forward…’

We’re all going to die.

If she were still the Archangel herself, she would fight against the monster, but now it was absolutely impossible.

Pushed by the large wing flaps, it was hard to even stand.

The dragon, not satisfied there, produced a tremendous flame in its mouth.

And mercilessly, it spewed fire.

The flames headed indiscriminately towards the people.

But that was only for a moment, the flames bounced off something and ricocheted.

‘What?’

Arundel, struggling to open her eyes in the hot flames, looked at the friction of power.

At the center of it was Zion.

‘Zion…!!’

Thanks to Zion, the flames spewed by the dragon disappeared into the air.

Not stopping there, Zion summoned a large flame.

The enormous flame, shaped like a spear, blazed fiercely as if it could pierce anything.

As Zion made a big gesture, the flame plunged straight into the dragon.

Whether it was effective or not, the dragon, which had been flying threateningly in the air, crashed to the ground.

At that moment, the dragon’s purple eyes sparkled.

‘Purple eyes…? No way!’

The dragon that fell to the ground no longer retaliated.

Zion prepared the next magic. He seemed to be thinking of finishing it off perfectly.

A large flame rose again over Zion’s head.

‘If my thoughts are correct…I need to help.’

“Zion!!”

Arundel called out to Zion, who was casting magic. At the urgent voice of Arundel, Zion momentarily stopped casting magic and looked at Arundel.

At that moment, the dragon roared loudly. The volume was incomparable to before.

Just hearing it made it seem like the ears would tear, and Arundel hurriedly covered her ears.

The dragon flew high in that state.

Everyone was frozen in case of retaliation, but fortunately, the dragon flew straight up into the sky.

The shape of the dragon, which soared into the sky in an instant, soon became a dot and disappeared.

At the same time as the dragon disappeared, the lightning that was striking down stopped, and the sky cleared.

Looking at the clear sky, people cheered.

“The dragon has run away!!”

“It’s because it’s going to die!”

“The Emperor has saved us!!”

People, with a sense of relief that they were alive, praised the emperor who fought against the dragon.

Arundel was momentarily lost in the double-sided attitude of the people.

Of course, there were not a few voices blaming Zion for the appearance of the dragon.

But people seemed to be more grateful for the benefactor of life.

Certainly, who would have dealt with that impossible dragon if it wasn’t Zion.

Arundel, whose tension was relieved, fell as if she was about to sit down.

“It’s over…”

Duke Hellen who tormented her, the mark she was anxious about when it would be discovered, the voice that criticized Zion, everything.

‘Thank you, Hills.’

If her thoughts were correct, the dragon that just appeared was ‘Hills’.

High-ranking demons had a true body separate from the humanized body.

[If materialized, you’re not even a mouthful.]

The words he said while confronting the magicians in the magic tower came to mind.

At that time, I wondered what nonsense he was saying, but now I understood his words.

That dragon was Hills’ true body.

Purple eyes, tremendous strength and energy, the time it appeared.

Everything fit together.

It was the first time Arundel saw Hills’ true body. She didn’t recognize it at a glance, but thinking about it now, it was a perfect Hills.

‘He’s a simple guy, but he uses his head pretty well.’

In times of trouble, heroes are born, and chaos longs for heroes.

Hills becomes a perfect villain, and Zion becomes a hero.

Considering what he thought in a hurry, it was a great scenario.

‘By the way…is that guy okay?’

It seemed like he got hit pretty hard by Zion…

A huge fireball struck down. If he hadn’t stopped and the second fireball had struck, he might have suffered quite a fatal wound.

‘Ah… come to think of it.’

Arundel looked around.

The scorched surrounding environment came into view. Execution grounds and lands deeply dug by lightning, fallen trees and people running around.

Among them, a figure with red hair bowed as if it would be buried in the ground soon.

“Bianca!”

Arundel hurriedly approached Bianca.

She had been kneeling on the ground, unmoving, after Duke Hellen was taken away.

Bianca, with her head bowed low, seemed unusual.

“Bianca… lift your head.”

“Your…Your Majesty…”

Bianca was shedding tears.

“I… I betrayed my father…”

Arundel recognized the sorrow and guilt Bianca must be feeling.

Her emotions must be swirling. No matter how much she reassures herself that she made the right choice, she will resent herself for abandoning her family in the end.

“Bianca, get up.”

Arundel helped Bianca to her feet.

It’s true that her father did wrong, but it’s not right for her to inherit the sin as well.

Zion will somehow persuade…

“Ah…!!!”

Arundel couldn’t finish her thought.

Arundel, who was helping Bianca stand up, clutched her chest and collapsed. Arundel screamed in agony.

“Ahhhhhh!!”

“Your Majesty…!! Your Majesty!! Please come to your senses!!!”

Startled, Bianca shook Arundel, but Arundel, who had fallen into a pit of pain, was not herself.

Hearing Arundel’s scream, Zion hurriedly approached and embraced Arundel.

“Irina…! Irina! Pull yourself together!!”

Arundel could only gasp for breath, unable to utter a word. Zion looked at Bianca with fierce eyes and spoke.

“You must know why Irina is like this.”

“…Because of the heart-eating worm.”

“Speak clearly.”

Zion’s eyes flickered with anger. Bianca swallowed her tears and spoke.

“My father planted a bug in Her Majesty the Empress’s body that eats the heart. If left as it is, the bug will eat away the heart.”

“The solution is.”

“…There isn’t one.”

Bianca, with a desolate look in her eyes, mumbled as if she had lost her soul.

“…Her Majesty…is going to die.”

Zion shook his head as if to deny the tragic ending.

“That’s impossible.”

The hand that was holding Arundel was trembling.

“…She…is going to die like this?”

Zion’s face was filled with despair.
But Elise couldn’t ask him any more.
“It’s been a while, Elise.”
Chase, who had entered first, approached.