There was No One Beside Her

“…I heard that the Minister of Finance requested an audience for urgent matters.”

It was the same. Cecile nodded wordlessly.

She recalled how he hadn’t visited under the pretext of a meeting with the Minister of Finance.

‘It was a mere excuse.’

In reality, it was evident he would be confined to his office, indulging in heavy liquor.

Rumor had it that the next day, he was drunk to the extent that any official duties could not be carried out properly.

In the past, Cecile foolishly and ignorantly awaited his arrival. She remained adorned in layers of stifling robes, anticipating someone who would never come.

Just recalling the past increased the weight on her mind. It felt as if the headdress alone was weighing her down.

‘He won’t come this time either.’

Even if he were to miraculously appear, it didn’t matter. Cecilia began to peel off the endless layers of clothing, one by one.

The maid hurriedly rushed over and attempted to stop her sudden action.

“W-what is your Highness doing? A sacred ritual is to be performed. Did your Highness forget?”

Her maid, Dorothea, belonged to the renowned family of the Count of Rodelin. She had been assisting Cecile ever since her arrival at the imperial palace.

Although she wasn’t exactly a maid, but more of a watchdog.

This was an unspoken rule between Cecile and Dorothea. To never explicitly acknowledge this fact.

Unfortunately, Cecile was not inclined to engage in such absurdity any longer. Furthermore, the moment she heard Dorothea’s voice, forgotten emotions surged within her.

The memories of being constantly monitored by Dorothea, unable to resist in any sort of way.

It wasn’t a pleasant recollection. Cecile, unable to control her mounting anger, glanced at Dorothea and spoke in a sharp tone.

“His Majesty has shown displeasure with me since before the ceremony, so it’s evident he won’t come today either.”

“… Even if that were the case, you shouldn’t be so reckless. You are no longer a child but the mother of an empire.”

“It doesn’t matter. As a matter of fact, why not just go about and spread this truth? The new Empress faced rejection from the very first night.”

Dorothea was left speechless, her mouth agape at Cecile’s astonishing words and actions. With a bewildered expression, she could hardly utter a word, as if she had encountered something beyond her comprehension.

Concerned, Dorothea finally managed to speak.

“The words you just spoke. Are you certain you won’t come to regret them?”

In response to Dorothea’s inquiry, a smile played on Cecile’s lips. Dorothea, puzzled by this unfamiliar reaction, furrowed her brow.

She couldn’t help but think that the newly crowned Empress had lost her sanity.

She refrained from vocalizing her thoughts due to their blasphemous nature, but the emotions she sought to conceal were evident on her face.

Cecile paid little attention to what Dorothea thought or whether she would truly carry out her request.

All she desired was solitude. How did she regress, and why did it have to be the day of the ceremony?

These questions, however, held little significance to her.

Exhaustion overwhelmed Cecile, leaving her too weary to inquire about those matters one by one. She muttered quietly to herself.

“…It’s noisy.”

“Yes? Pardon?”

“I said it’s noisy. If you’ve been monitoring me since my childhood years, shouldn’t you be able to discern my feelings just by looking at my face and lend me your support?”

Dorothea struggled to continue her words, shocked by Cecile’s blatant remarks. While she merely pursed her lips, Cecile had already finished undressing and loosened her braids enough to ease the tension in her scalp.

Though embarrassed, Dorothea managed to overcome her initial shock and began to console Cecile.

“His Majesty will be arriving soon.”

“No. That won’t happen.”

“It’s still too early to draw any conclusions.”

Cecile turned her head to meet Dorothea’s gaze. The expression on Dorothea’s face indicated authenticity. It was a stern yet reassuring look. In the past, that expression had calmed Cecile and pushed her to await the Emperor who never showed his face.

‘What lies, knowing he won’t come.’

Cecile remarked with a peculiar smile.

“Then, do you want to make a bet with me?”

Dorothea was taken aback by the sudden offer, unable to fathom why the usually docile Cecile had undergone such a change.

The present Cecile was somehow different. She was no longer the little girl who had to stifle terrified cries now and then.

She was asserting herself proudly. Dorothea moistened her dry lips at the sudden change and peered at her master.

‘A person can change so much overnight.’

Dorothea furrowed her brow at the unbelievable situation unfolding before her eyes.

Having served the imperial family for an extended period and encountered innumerable individuals, her years of experience had granted her the ability to discern people with just one glance. At the age of 50, she could often gauge a person’s character by simply looking into their eyes.

Swearing by her convictions, Dorothea was adamant that the Saint of Serendi, now Empress, was not the type of person to behave in such a manner. Since entering the palace at the tender age of seven, Cecile’s will was gradually suppressed, transforming her into a passive child.

However, the present Cecile was somehow unfamiliar. Dorothea had a feeling this current situation was not her half-hearted act of defiance. The change was so profound that it seemed as though the person before her had undergone a complete transformation.

‘Did she hear anything somewhere?’

In that scenario, the imperative was to identify the source of the leaked rumors and quash them. Additionally, Dorothea needed to impose suitable constraints on the Empress’s conduct.

Dorothea pondered silently, her lips sealed. A bizarre smile played on Cecile’s lips as she observed Dorothea.

Cecile muttered quietly, her thick silver-white eyelashes lowered with a subtle sparkle.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Offended at the audacity of betting with Her Majesty the Empress?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare.”

Dorothea hastily apologized, feeling a sense of embarrassment.

‘I can’t believe I’m apologizing to such a vulnerable person like this.’

Despite her slight annoyance, there was an inexplicable sense of necessity driving her actions. It felt like she could not refuse Cecile’s request.

Her long-honed instincts screamed at her.

‘Don’t you dare mess with her.’

Typically, her intuition always proved reliable. This time was no exception.

Only when Cecile withdrew her gaze did Dorothea allow herself to exhale. She had been nervous to the extent she forgot to breathe.

Despite the old maid’s apprehension, it seemed that her young master, Cecile, had little interest in her.

Her deep blue irises were clouded, devoid of tears or contemplation.

The eyes that fixated on a corner of the room appeared lifeless, resembling those of a dead person.

Cecile’s previously harsh demeanor had vanished, leaving only a seemingly helpless figure, like that of a long-suffering person who had suddenly lost the will to live. Even those unfamiliar with Cecile’s character would find her current behavior perplexing.

‘Why on earth is she acting like this?’

The situation was beyond comprehension. For the first time since Dorothea had known Cecile, she decided to extend a gesture of kindness.

An act of compassion that hadn’t been offered to even the seven-year-old Cecile when she first entered the royal family, tearful and alone.

“Where… might you be uncomfortable?”

At Dorothea’s unexpected question, a gentle smile appeared on Cecile’s lips.

“I told you. I’m tired.”

“Then, let’s prepare her Majesty for bed.”

“You said you weren’t able to earlier?”

“… His Majesty the Emperor is late, and that is not your Majesty’s fault.”

“Hmm, that’s only logical, isn’t it?”

Dorothea’s demeanor abruptly shifted, but Cecile paid it no mind.

In truth, she had yet to discern if this was all a dream or reality.

She simply chuckled softly, as if welcoming the prospect of sleep.

“Then I’ll sleep.”

With Cecile’s permission, Dorothea swiftly extinguished the light in the room. She bowed respectfully before making her exit.

“Then, get some rest.”

“Right.”

Cecile responded lazily. Her eyelids blinked a few times before gently closing.

The expression on Dorothea’s face, as she observed Cecile drifting into instant sleep, was troubled.

She briefly contemplated whether she should report this to the Queen Dowager but ultimately kept her mouth shut.

____

Her breath slowed as her body, which had endured a great deal, began to register its complaints in the form of pain.

In the past, she might have been wary of revealing her discomfort, but not anymore.

Strangely, it felt as if the pain didn’t belong to her.

All that occupied her thoughts was, ‘It hurts.’ Upon the realization, Cecile gradually succumbed to sleep.

Just before drifting into a deep slumber, Cecile found herself recalling her earlier days, the times before she was brought to the imperial palace. While not particularly remarkable, those memories held a special significance for her.

A poignant aspect of her existence was the scarcity of such memories. Tending to flower beds with her mother, where pure white lilies once blossomed, was a simple yet cherished recollection.

There were memories of taking turns playing on the swings with her younger sister, accompanied by the sting of a harsh scolding when she injured her knee.

Additionally.

Memories lingered of the hunger and hardship from the days before she arrived at the imperial palace.

As Cecile’s dreams unfolded, tears she had thought long dried found their way to quietly dampen the pillowcase.

____

The day dawned. A scheduled banquet was to follow the ceremony.

As Empress, Cecile was responsible to greet distinguished guests and uphold her regal role. Her tasks were rather demanding.

Dorothea gently roused Cecile in a calming voice. She appeared composed as if the unsettling events from the previous night had ceased to exist.

“It is time Your Highness arises from her slumber.”

Cecile opened her eyes in reaction to the maid’s calling. Still half-asleep, her vision blurry, there was minimal change in her expression.

She briefly grasped the hem of her blanket before letting her hand fall back, her features remaining placid.

Cecile blinked her drowsy eyes a couple of times, then gazed at Dorothea and replied.

“Isn’t that right?”

Cecile responded in a calm and collected voice, devoid of any trace of misery or fear.

She could well anticipate how the Queen Dowager would react upon learning such news.

After carefully pondering her words, Dorothea spoke hesitantly.

“Your Majesty, as you are aware, the Queen Dowager will be seeking an explanation regarding last night’s events.”

“I’m surprised you’re concerned about me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I find it astonishing that someone who was once so concerned about not being able to control me is now showing concern for my well-being.”

Cecile’s voice was monotonous. She even sounded a bit cliché, as if she were commenting on something that held no particular meaning.

Dorothea frowned at her response. She dismissed the events of the previous night as a mere shift in the mindset of a new bride.

She had to do so; if not, the one who would suffer the most would be the Empress herself.

This was a fact Cecile understood more than anyone else.

Cecile harbored great fear for the Queen Dowager. Being reprimanded in such a degrading manner left her greatly scarred.

However, the Empress’s demeanor now displayed no trace of fear, a fact that left Dorothea, who had stood by her side throughout her life, bewildered.

Dorothea couldn’t comprehend what had brought about this change in Cecile.

However, as a disciplinarian maid, she believed that such transgressions were not to be overlooked.

‘I thought it would only be yesterday where she’d act in such a manner.’

She shook her head. Dorothea recognized that if matters persisted in this manner, the Queen Dowager would surely rebuke her. It would be better to settle this in her own hands.

Dorothea retrieved a whip from her bosom. She intended to exercise the power bestowed upon her by the Queen Dowager to discipline the Empress.

‘Before matters escalate, it’s better to establish the appropriate conduct.’

Just as Dorothea lifted her cane, Cecile, who had remained silent, turned her head.

She gazed at Dorothea with the same quirky smile from before.

____________

Note: Oop-