The Hated Empress Tames the Tyrant

After parting with Eileen, Arundel safely returned to the palace.

 

‘Where is the real family of Empress Irina? Has the emperor already done something?’

 

There were still many problems to solve.

 

And since other people knew Empress Irina as the biological daughter of Count Dunkeld, Zion might be the only one who knows this fact.

 

‘Then, I need to find out who the biological brother of Count Dunkeld is.’

 

But as she was gradually getting to the bottom of things, the story seemed to be unfolding little by little.

 

Woof woof!

 

Lost in thought, Arundel, who was looking at the sunset, turned her head at the sound of a dog barking.

 

Through a small hole in the stone wall, a white dog poked its head.

 

“Hello!”

 

Since coming here, Arundel had spent a lot of time alone, so the dog felt like a welcome guest.

 

As if it had seen through Arundel’s welcoming heart, the dog forced its body through the small hole and came inside.

 

The dog ran around near Arundel, wagging its tail. Just as the dog was about to bark, Arundel grabbed its long snout.

 

“You, if you want to stay here, you have to be quiet. There are people with bad tempers.”

 

Arundel whispered to the dog. The smart dog seemed to understand the words and did not bark anymore.

 

“Where did you come from?”

 

She asked, although knowing that she couldn’t get an answer. Since entering the body of Empress Irina, she had been talking to herself more.

 

Without Bell, she had no one to talk to, so if she didn’t do this, she might just forget how to speak.

 

“…You won’t answer even if I ask your name, right?”

 

The dog, which had been running around near Arundel, was panting with its tongue out.

 

“Then I’ll name you!”

 

The dog lay near Arundel and stared at her intently. It felt as if it was waiting for a name.

 

“Since you’re panting, let’s call you Hegi!”

 

It felt like a somewhat insincere name, but in fact, it was uncertain whether this guy would come here again.

 

It was clear from its shiny fur that it had an owner. So, the probability of it coming here again was high.

 

‘Of course, it would be nice if it came often.’

 

Arundel looked at Hegi with somewhat lonely eyes.

 

Loneliness was a truly primitive emotion. It felt more so because it was an emotion that she had hardly ever felt in the Heavenly Realm.

 

It had been a month since she entered Irina’s body, and she spent most of her time alone. It was harder to endure than she thought.

 

Zion cruelly dug into this point. Empress Irina had no one to meet, no one to talk to, and no home to return to.

 

Even the occasional face that showed up was only Bell or Emperor Zion, who made it this way.

 

Arundel was a third party, but the more she was in this body, the more she felt like she was assimilating into Empress Irina.

 

Otherwise, what is this empty heart that suddenly comes to mind?

 

“Come often. Let’s get along.”

 

Arundel said to Hegi.

 

She believed that it would understand because it seemed smart.

 

“I don’t know where your home is, but you have to go back now. You can’t be seen by anyone.”

 

Arundel forcibly pushed Hegi out through the hole again. Hegi whined as if it didn’t want to go, but there was nothing she could do.

 

Since designating Bell, the only maid who brought dinner was Bell, but it would have been a disaster if someone else came in with her.

 

Arundel, who forcibly sent Hegi outside, went into the bedroom.

 

As she sat quietly at the bedroom table, Bell came in with a meal.

 

“I finally met my family today. It’s all thanks to Bell.”

 

“No, I have finally repaid my debt to Her Majesty the Empress!”

 

From the short conversations they had, Bell was a bright and kind child.

 

However, because she had to be mindful of the palace’s atmosphere, she couldn’t talk for long.

 

“Bell, what do you think about His Majesty the Emperor?”

 

At Arundel’s question, Bell was noticeably surprised. She was so surprised that she dropped the dishes with a clang.

 

As Bell picked up the dropped dishes, she said.

 

“How dare someone as lowly as me talk about His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

“So, you can’t even talk about him that much?”

 

“As you well know, Your Majesty, the Emperor is… very scary.”

 

Fear seems to be a common feeling everyone has towards Zion. Even a maid who doesn’t meet him often talks like this.

 

Even Bell, who usually talks a lot, is careful when talking about Zion. When she thinks of Zion, her attitude makes sense.

 

However, from talking to Bell often, she found that she had a weak spot.

 

“Ah… I want to get along well with His Majesty the Emperor, but he doesn’t seem to have that intention at all… I’ll probably die one day without a sound after being hated all my life…”

 

Arundel lowered her gaze and spoke pitifully.

 

Bell, who is emotional, felt sympathy for the pitiful situation of Empress Irina. She could tell from the occasional wistful looks she gave her.

 

Sometimes, when she wanted to talk to her more, it was one of the ways to hold her back.

 

“Cheer up, Your Majesty. His personality is a bit… unusual, but considering his upbringing, it’s understandable…”

 

“Upbringing?”

 

“Why are you pretending not to know, Your Majesty. It’s a story so famous that there’s no one in the empire who doesn’t know it.”

 

Arundel’s ears perked up. When they first met, he had said he would give her a chance considering his ‘hellish childhood without reason’.

 

As she stared at Bell with wide eyes as if he didn’t know at all, Bell beat her chest as if frustrated and whispered in his ear.

 

“His Majesty was born and raised in a brothel!”

 

Arundel suddenly gasped for breath. She couldn’t hide her astonishment at the shocking background of Zion’s upbringing.

 

“Because of that, in the palace, they can’t even mention the word ‘brothel’. Last time, someone who was caught talking about it had their tongue cut off on the spot.”

 

Bell sighed briefly and spoke.

 

“I’ve been here too long. I’ll get scolded by the head maid again.”

 

“…Ah, okay. Thanks, go ahead.”

 

Arundel, who had barely come to her senses, gestured for her to go.

 

Left alone, Arundel sighed heavily again. She wanted to scream, but if she did, the guards would come running.

 

‘Crazy, crazy!’

 

The Emperor is from a brothel? What on earth happened that the precious royal bloodline ended up there?

 

As she thought about it, a sinister thought crossed Arundel’s mind.

 

‘Could it be…’

 

Could the biological father of Empress Irina and the birth of Zion be related? If so, she could fully understand Zion’s anger.

 

‘In that case, it won’t be easy to break this cycle of karma.’

 

Arundel looked at the stars in the window and thought. Whether it was unfortunate or fortunate, Zion had not visited the Empress’s Palace for several days.

 

Today, after hearing shocking information one after another, Arundel couldn’t regain her composure.

 

****

 

“An invitation?”

 

Arundel looked down at the luxurious invitation that was handed to her.

 

Sure enough, after breakfast, Bell handed her this invitation, saying that the head maid had told her to deliver it in the morning.

 

The paper made of high-quality parchment was something only high nobles would use.

 

The invitation must have been sent by someone of at least a duke’s rank. But did Empress Irina know such high-ranking nobles?

 

Arundel, in her haste, tore open the high-quality paper and hurriedly checked the contents.

 

[Dear all, in honor of Emperor Zion’s birthday, we are planning to hold a big party in the empire…]

 

Arundel closed the invitation without even reading all of its contents.

 

‘Damn, I thought fate had shifted a bit because it’s been quiet lately…!’

 

Arundel gritted her teeth and grumbled. There was a reason why she hated this so much.

 

There were a few memorable scenes from Empress Irina’s life that she saw in the mirror of projection.

 

The scene of the entire garden of the Empress’s Palace burning down and the scene where she was deliberately invited to a party and was ignored, causing her discomfort.

 

The Empress, who was invited to the party, had no choice but to be awkward like a broomstick, and even Emperor Zion played with other women as if to show off.

 

In the end, unable to withstand people’s gazes, Empress Irina always ran out of the place crying.

 

Zion enjoyed inducing such situations.

 

Found herself in a situation where she was experiencing what she had only seen in the mirror, she became distressed.

 

Fate still seemed to be flowing as it was. Thinking so, Arundel looked gloomy.

 

‘No! You can’t be weak-hearted like this, Arundel! Whenever you’re having a hard time, think of the Heavenly Realm, your lifelong sanctuary!’

 

Arundel slapped her cheeks with both hands. Anyone who saw her might have thought she was crazy, but she had to pull herself together like this.

 

Arundel was definitely becoming mentally assimilated to Empress Irina.

 

She gritted her teeth, thinking of Manheim, who hadn’t mentioned this point in advance.

 

‘Manheim… I won’t let you off the hook once I return to the Heavenly Realm.’

 

Arundel opened the invitation again to check the date.

 

‘It’s in three days. Maybe it’s a good thing.’

 

Since she rarely met people, she might be able to get different information if she went to a place where many people gathered, like a party.

 

Because her mind was troubled, she wanted to go outside and enjoy a bit of freedom.

 

After finishing lunch, Arundel headed towards the stone wall.

 

The inner curtain used to visit the home of Empress Irina was well tied and hidden by leaves. She untied the inner curtain tied to the tree branch and climbed up diligently.

 

‘It’s been a while since I went outside. Where should I go?’

 

With her face firmly covered with a hood, Empress Irina set out to temporarily escape from the Empress’s Palace.

 

Come to think of it, she had never looked around the city, only passing by every time. The time given from lunchtime to dinner time was only 6 hours.

 

‘Then, shall I take a leisurely look around the city today?’

 

Once she decided on a destination, her steps quickened.

 

The downtown of the capital of the Croyden Empire definitely had a lot to see and eat. The people were glamorous and the city was beautiful.

 

Arundel opened her mouth unknowingly and looked around as there were luxurious and magnificent decorations everywhere in the streets.

 

The wealth of the capital of the great power Croyden Empire was definitely noticeable.

 

While looking around for a while, something caught Arundel’s eye. It was a shabby old woman that didn’t fit in with the glamorous downtown.

 

She sat with a flat box in front of her, laying a mat on the floor that was almost torn.

 

‘What is she doing?’

 

Arundel was curious about what the old woman was doing and glanced at her, and their eyes met. The old woman waved her hand towards Arundel. It looked like she was calling her over.

 

Arundel tilted her head and approached the old woman.

 

“You’re a pretty lady.”

 

At the old woman’s words, she checked her clothes again to see if her hood had been taken off, but it was still the same. She sighed in relief and looked at the suspicious old woman.

 

‘My face isn’t even visible, but she says I’m pretty…Did I fall for a scam?!’