Chapter 63
Empress Sierra looked as if she was ready to expel them on the spot. Though she didn’t outwardly express it, it was clear that she was seething with anger.
“I never expected the discipline of the imperial palace to be this lax. If Your Majesty allows it, I will personally take charge of educating them. Will you entrust them to me?”
Sierra closed her eyes, hesitating. But in reality, she had no choice.
She could either reform them now or imprison them for treason against the imperial family—there was no third option.
I spoke again, as if trying to ease her concerns.
“I will handle it well. And if the 1st Prince’s palace is in such a state, I doubt the 2nd Prince’s palace is any better. I will also inspect Prince Aiden’s quarters.”
I deliberately mentioned Aiden, not giving her room to reconsider.
“No, you need only concern yourself with this place. I will take care of Aiden’s palace. How admirable you are.”
I bowed respectfully.
“I will follow Your Majesty’s wishes. However, should you need my assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“Very well. It is late; I must take my leave.”
Without looking back, Empress Sierra left. Now, only the palace attendants and I remained.
I smiled benevolently as I looked at them.
‘Where shall we begin?’
In truth, I had prepared a long list of tasks beyond just cleaning.
After hearing Ilias’s explanation in the library, I had recalled several classics and made a list of appropriate punishments.
In those stories, I always felt sorry for the kind protagonists who suffered injustices—but here, I found it quite fitting to use those punishments to discipline the wicked.
First, I planned to have them fill a jar with water, despite a small crack at the bottom. Then, I had wooden hoes ready for them to sift pebbles in the greenhouse.
I had also procured silkworm cocoons, under the pretense of weaving a fine silk gift for the Empress. And of course, they would also be tasked with washing all the blankets and curtains in the prince’s palace.
“I have assigned each of you your tasks. I will inspect them at noon tomorrow.”
“What?”
They looked at me in shock. The palace attendants here were both corrupt in heart and lazy in body.
Of course, perhaps they had simply grown complacent after years of idleness.
“If you find it too difficult, you are free to leave the palace. I won’t stop you—I won’t miss you at all.”
“N-No, that won’t be necessary.”
They had been collecting wages without working for years. My plan was to make them earn every bit of it in a short time.
—
Leaning against the headboard, I read a book while waiting for Ilias.
As promised, he arrived deep into the night. I appreciated his reliability.
“You’re still awake?”
“How could I sleep before Your Highness returned?”
At my exaggerated words, the corners of his lips curled up elegantly. He sat in the chair beside my bed and asked,
“What happened while I was away?”
“How did you know?”
“The palace lights are still bright. It hasn’t been like this for years.”
“I gave those freeloaders some work to do. And this is just the beginning, yet they’re already making a fuss.”
“Hahaha. Well done.”
Ilias’s gaze settled on me.
“The date for the Blessing Ceremony has been set.”
“That’s a relief. I thought we might not be able to hold it since Her Majesty the Empress didn’t want it.”
“I also received reports that Duke Crothos was making moves. But since the event is proceeding, something must have gone wrong on their side.”
Suddenly, Christian’s face came to mind.
‘Could he have interfered? No, that’s impossible. A cardinal can’t defy the Pope’s will. That doesn’t make sense.’
I quickly pushed away thoughts of Christian.
—
Since it had been a long time since the last Blessing Ceremony, the entire capital was abuzz with excitement. Fortunately, preparations were progressing smoothly.
A stage was being set up in the square for the blessing prayers, and many people from the provinces had already arrived to witness the event.
Since this was a joint event between the imperial family and the church, there was no room for mistakes, and even a rehearsal was scheduled. Naturally, for security reasons, the rehearsal would take place within the imperial palace.
—
In the meantime, the maids and attendants of the prince’s palace had been completely buried in work.
I had deliberately dismissed even the maids responsible for my personal service, replacing them with Sarah and a few newly appointed ones.
Additionally, I summoned the head chamberlain and head maid separately and explicitly ordered them not to assign any tasks to my new maids other than serving me.
The chamberlain and head maid, who now looked noticeably aged, were too overwhelmed to argue.
Even though it was merely a rehearsal for the Blessing Ceremony, the maids were filled with determination. Since this was their first event under my service, I could see how eager they were to do well.
Watching them bustle around to dress me up was quite entertaining.
Since it was a rehearsal, I was dressed as closely as possible to what I would wear for the actual event.
Sarah and the maids dressed me in a coral-colored gown, braided my hair to one side, and adorned it with fresh flowers.
Upon seeing their completed work, the maids squealed in delight.
“You look absolutely stunning!”
“It’s so rewarding every time we dress you up!”
Their excitement surpassed mine, making their enthusiasm all the more endearing. For a moment, I forgot the troubles that awaited me today.
“It’s time to head to the Imperial Palace.”
While I welcomed the Blessing Ceremony itself, I didn’t feel entirely at ease on my way to the Emperor’s Palace.
‘Will Christian be there?’
I disliked the church, but Christian made me uneasy.
His presence weighed on my mind.
—
The rehearsal for the Blessing Ceremony was held in the grand banquet hall of the Imperial Palace. The purpose was to establish the setting and coordinate movement.
Though the ceremony itself was simple, the large number of participants made it appear complicated.
Since it was only a prayer, one might assume it would be easy, but there had been incidents in the past when mistakes were made due to a lack of rehearsal.
As a result, even if time was tight, a rehearsal had become mandatory.
Guided by the imperial palace attendants, I made my way to the grand banquet hall.
Inside, several officials in charge of the event had already gathered, along with cardinals who had arrived early.
As I entered, the officials approached and offered a formal greeting.
“We greet Your Highness, the Princess Consort.”
After exchanging greetings with them, I turned my gaze toward the cardinals. Their disdain for me was no less than Empress Sierra’s.
Our relationship had never been good, but now we stood in complete opposition to each other.
It was only natural that things had worsened.
‘And to think they once clung to me, begging me not to leave.’
A strange sense of defiance welled up within me, pushing aside my discomfort.
Just then, the doors opened, and Christian arrived late.
He skipped greeting all the other cardinals and walked straight toward me.
“It has been a while, Lady Adeline.”
As soon as he addressed me, the other cardinals visibly stiffened with discomfort.
I suppressed the laughter threatening to escape.
“It has been a while, Cardinal Verzel.”
At my formal and distant address, disappointment flickered across Christian’s face.
I paid no mind to it and added another remark, ensuring his disappointment was complete.
“Please adjust how you address me from now on.”
He let out a hollow chuckle and nodded.
“Yes, I understand.”
His voice was lower than when he had first greeted me.
Sensing the growing tension, the officials hurried to proceed with the rehearsal.
“We will now go over the process. Please prepare yourselves.”
With so many participants, the coordination was indeed complicated.
After three repetitions, the cardinals began to show their impatience and insisted on stopping.
The officials looked to me for guidance, and I gave a slight nod, permitting them to end it.
Just then, the head maid of the Imperial Palace entered, glancing around before announcing,
“A tea gathering has been prepared in the rose greenhouse.”
It was an old tradition for the cardinals and the princess consort to enjoy tea together after the rehearsal.
This was meant to foster goodwill, but I felt like a cow being led to slaughter as I made my way to the greenhouse.
Upon entering, a wave of rich floral scents and the delicate aroma of tea filled the air. My nerves, which had been on edge, seemed to ease slightly.
Once I was seated with the ten cardinals, the maids poured the well-steeped tea into our cups. Each setting was adorned with elegantly arranged finger foods that looked quite appetizing.
The atmosphere was heavy, with no one willing to speak first. Then, from the far end of the table, a cardinal’s voice broke the silence.
“Do you prefer the imperial palace over the temple?”
His tone was challenging, clearly meant to provoke.
“Of course. Isn’t it only natural to prefer a place where one can do more, rather than one where so much is forbidden?”
They looked at me with disapproval, and I returned the same look.
I wondered if these sharp-tongued men would even offer me a proper prayer tomorrow.
But I wasn’t particularly concerned. I had never trusted their abilities to begin with.
The same cardinal spoke again, still looking for a fight.
“Your personality hasn’t changed.”
“Neither has yours, Cardinal. You despised me while I was in the temple, and you still despise me now that I’ve left. Tell me, what exactly must I do to satisfy you?”
Another cardinal seemed ready to add to the argument, but Christian shook his head.
In a calm voice, he said,
“It is unwise to let discord brew on the eve of such an important ceremony. We must pray for the Goddess’s blessing tomorrow, so let us put this matter to rest.”
At his words, the cardinals clamped their mouths shut, as if they were oysters.
I had heard that Christian was a strong candidate for the next pope, but witnessing his influence firsthand made it even clearer.
“May I personally steep the tea and serve it?” he asked.
“It would be an honor, Cardinal Verzel.”
The cardinals’ eyes widened as if they were about to burst.
Christian brewed the tea with practiced skill, first pouring a cup for me. Then, he filled the cups of the other cardinals one by one.
Even before taking a sip, they made a commotion.
“What an honor.”
“I will drink it with gratitude.”
“The aroma is truly extraordinary.”
They fawned over him as if he had bestowed them with gold.
Their reactions only reinforced how powerful Christian was within the church.
‘A candidate for the next pope, huh? He seems even more formidable than I expected.’
Not wanting to risk receiving a curse instead of a blessing tomorrow, I decided I should return the favor.
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