“…Adella.”
A faint voice called out.
The second concubine’s eyes widened, and she turned her head. She stood up in surprise.
“Your Highness First Concubine. Why are you here…?”
“It’s Ferand’s funeral. I’m just sorry I arrived late.”
The first concubine, noticeably gaunt compared to before, approached the grave with the help of her maid. The second concubine took over supporting her from the maid.
Carlotta, seeing their interaction, quietly stepped back. “I’ll return to the palace first. Please feel free to talk.”
“Go ahead.”
With the first concubine’s permission, Carlotta hurriedly left.
Soon, the first concubine waved away even her maid and collapsed in front of Ferand’s grave.
“Your Highness, the ground is cold. You’ll make yourself more…”
At that moment, the first concubine burst into tears. She clung to the second concubine’s hand, sobbing.
“Adella, Adella…”
“I’m here. Calm down, Roxanne.”
Second concubine Adella urgently embraced and comforted the first concubine Roxanne. However, Roxanne couldn’t stop crying easily. Adella tried to hold her, but Roxanne seemed to lose all strength and collapsed to the ground.
“Adella, I’m so scared…”
“…”
“How did we get this far… How did I get this far! Everything I’ve built so far has become so precarious in an instant…”
Adella silently listened to Roxanne’s sobbing. Roxanne groped for Adella’s arm, holding it and looking up at her. Her beautiful light blue eyes were distorted with tears.
“Adella.”
“…”
“Adella…”
“…Yes.”
Finally, Adella responded.
Roxanne clung to her, whispering desperately. “If you truly, sincerely care for me.”
“…”
“Kill the third prince for me, please, please kill him…” Roxanne buried her head in Adella’s arms, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed.
“Father, who is she…”
“Introduce yourself, Roxanne. She will become your new mother.”
When she was twenty-two, Duke Findlay took a second wife. From the moment Roxanne laid eyes on her father’s new wife, she felt a sense of foreboding. This became a reality when the duke had a son in his old age.
“Father! How could you do this to me? Marry me off to the emperor? And not even as the empress, but as a concubine? How could you…?!”
“No more words, just follow my orders. I never gave you a choice.”
“…I’m the heir to Findlay.”
“That title is also given by me, the head of the family. The heir of Findlay is Joseph. There will be no changes.”
“Father!”
Just because Joseph was the ‘preferred’ son of Duke Findlay, Roxanne was pushed out of her position as heir. Everything she had prepared solely for the prosperity of the Findlay house became worthless in an instant. All because of a single word from the duke.
On the day her marriage to the emperor was decided, Roxanne held Adella and cried endlessly. Then she made a resolution.
“…From now on, I will not let anything be taken from me again, Adella. Never.”
Roxanne always desired the highest position she could reach. When she was in the duchess position. Now, it was the throne. However, as a concubine, Roxanne couldn’t legally ascend to the throne. Only her child could do that.
So, from the moment Rebecca was born, Roxanne prepared her for the throne. No, in fact, she had made painstaking efforts to make her child the emperor even before Rebecca was born.
But now, everything she had built was at risk of crumbling in an instant. The fear that once again, something she desired would be taken away by an unexpected intruder made her unable to hold back her tears.
“Adella, please…”
Adella had no choice but to comply with this plea. She gently wrapped her arms around Roxanne’s back with a serene look. Resting her cheek against Roxanne’s fragile back, she closed her eyes and replied quietly.
“Alright.”
“Sniff, really…?”
“Yes, really. After all, this is my fault, my mistake.”
At those words, Roxanne tried to raise herself. As Adella released her embrace, Roxanne sat up and studied her face. Adella wiped away Roxanne’s tears and kissed her forehead. A bright smile appeared on Adella’s face.
“I’m glad to be able to die for you. Thank you for giving me the chance to take responsibility for my mistakes…”
“Sniff…”
Adella hugged Roxanne and patted her back. She savored the familiar warmth and breathing.
“Father, I want to use that girl as my maid.”
Adella was born to a fallen noble family and lived her life as a payment for her drunken parents’ drinking debts. One day, her father, who had even started gambling, tried to sell her to a noble as a mistress. She ran away but was caught and almost dragged away when she first met Roxanne.
Roxanne had insisted on keeping Adella, despite Duke Findlay’s opposition, and saved her. It was natural to give back the life Roxanne had saved whenever she needed it.
“I will bear all the burdens of our mistakes.” Adella gently whispered to her savior. “So, don’t give up on anything.”
* * *
Before long, the social season was nearing its end. This meant the Founding Festival was just around the corner. As the winner of the defense battle, Kayden was to lead the Founding Festival parade. However, his duties didn’t end there.
The Founding Festival was a significant event both inside and outside the empire, and the symbolism of the parade leader was crucial. The one leading the Founding Festival parade was essentially the face of the empire. This was why Rebecca and Ludwig had fought so hard to secure victory in the defense battle. Thus, Kayden was having a hectic time preparing for the parade, welcoming diplomatic delegations, and practicing for the first dance at the Founding Ball.
While practicing the first dance for the Founding Ball with Kayden, Diana spoke seriously. “Kayden.”
“Yes?”
“Isn’t this dance… a bit…”
Too suggestive? Diana swallowed the last part of her sentence and fidgeted with her fingers.
It was understandable since she and Kayden were dancing so close that their lips almost touched, and their bodies were tightly pressed together.
It didn’t seem this close when Rebecca was dancing… But now that she was the one dancing, the posture, where they seemed almost fused together, felt incredibly embarrassing.
To hide her embarrassment, Diana deliberately made a pouty face and grumbled. “Why did they make the first dance of the Founding Ball like this?”
“Well, actually, it’s a bit of secret for the sake of imperial family’s dignity.” Kayden smiled awkwardly at Diana’s complaint and whispered in her ear. “The first concubine, Niota Findlay, loved the first empress, Daisy Bluebell, so much that at the first Founding Ball, he couldn’t let go of his wife, holding her in his arms and barely dancing. Apparently, the diplomatic delegations saw it in good light. Since then, the first dance of the Founding Ball has been like this.”
“It’s nice that they had a good relationship… but isn’t it a bit embarrassing? Actually, it’s very embarrassing…”
“Hey, don’t move. It tickles.”
When Diana squirmed uncomfortably in his arms, Kayden tightened his grip around her waist. As a result, Diana’s nose ended up buried in Kayden’s chest. A small thud was heard.
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