There was No One Beside Her

The servant stationed by the entrance had yet to announce the Emperor’s presence.

It just so happened that Cecile’s swift attempt to exit the hall coincided with the Emperor’s arrival.

He gripped Cecile’s arm and asked.

“Where are you going?”

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice.

Such a tone was deemed slightly younger than Cecile had recalled, but still carried the same deep resonance.

A recognizable figure stood before Cecile.

However, different from his previous life where he constantly stood in more dignified attire, the Emperor now appeared disheveled, resembling a ruined person.

‘It doesn’t matter anyway.’

Cecile dismissed her troubling thoughts and met his gaze with calmness.

“I am going to sleep.”

The Emperor’s brows furrowed at her composed response. Eventually, he raised them and asked again.

“…What did you say?”

His demeanor seemed to convey disbelief, perhaps even a hint of embarrassment.

Cecile found this shift in his behavior truly peculiar.

Wasn’t he originally someone who paid no attention to herself?

He habitually treated her as if she didn’t exist, so his current demeanor was quite perplexing.

Amid her contemplation, the Emperor’s grip grew stronger.

The hold on Cecile’s arm was unusually forceful.

Even more than the time when he was forced to escort her under the pretense of being a married couple.

In addition, what struck her as even more peculiar was the faint trembling in his hands.

‘What kind of change of heart is this?’

Of course, she was anything but grateful for his sudden interest.

Cecile lifted her head and glanced at Arbeuta.

Strangely, Arbeuta’s demeanor seemed markedly different from her previous life.

His disheveled dark brown hair resembled that of a wild beast, and the blood-red eyes lying beneath his unkempt brows were bloodshot.

His irises appeared weary and dark, and his lips were strangely swollen, as though they had been chewed on repeatedly.

The overall atmosphere exuded fierceness, leaving Cecile bewildered as to why he had undergone such a transformation.

In their previous life, Arbeuta had been an exceedingly rational and composed individual, to the point where even if he were to be pricked with a needle, not a single drop of blood would flow.

However, this altered character did little to capture Cecile’s attention.

Her eyes once again focused on empty space. Soon, a calm voice requested.

“Please let go.”

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

Arbeuta questioned, expressing evident shock at Cecile’s changed behavior.

His face contorted, resembling a predator that had just been robbed of its prey.

‘It wasn’t like this before.’

Cecile furrowed her brow, unable to discern the reason behind the Emperor’s sudden interest. Meanwhile, Arbeuta continued.

“I heard about what happened last night. Rumors claiming for you to have completely changed overnight. Tell me what happened.”

It was a command dripping with authority, a right wielded alongside his imperial status as Emperor.

Cecile could not refuse his order.

Although it wouldn’t be unusual if she retorted back as his wife, the situation was different when the Empress exhibited a lack of authority, especially one like Cecile.

She had no maternal family to lend her support. Her personal connections and knowledge acquisition were closely monitored as well.

While under Queen Dowager’s stern rule, she constantly felt stifled. Even the Emperor, who was supposed to be her pillar of strength, remained indifferent to her struggles.

Cecile, a naturally soft-hearted young lady, and Arbeuta, a man as cold as steel. They were far from an ideal couple. 

Constantly fighting against the Queen Dowager and the Emperor, Cecile would slowly wither, bearing the pain alone, hidden from everyone else.

But not anymore.

The arm, still held within Arbeuta’s strong grip, began to turn numb. Cecile swung her hand.

“Let go.”

Arbeuta complied, releasing his hold.

For some reason, his fingertips trembled, and his lips shook as if he were restraining himself.

He appeared surprised and embarrassed, but Cecile had no intention of delving into Arbeuta’s emotions.

Instead, she continued in a sigh-like statement.

“I wanted to rest. That’s all.”

Arbeuta remained silent, offering no response as Cecile walked away, leaving behind an echo of her name.

“…Cecile.”

His voice, low and seemingly hovering around her ankles, carried a tinge of sorrow. Cecile’s steps paused momentarily at the earnest tone, one she had never heard from him before.

But that was all. She resumed her journey without hesitation.

In the quiet aftermath, only Arbeuta lingered.

____

Cecile’s peculiar actions quickly became the talk of the town. It was only natural, given her absence from the banquet hall where distinguished guests had gathered.

Additionally, the Emperor also failed to make an appearance, citing work as an excuse, an explanation that everyone perceived as a mere pretext.

It was evident that he deliberately acted this way, fully aware that a scandal would ensue.

“It’s obvious even if you don’t think about it. The Empress will soon be cast away.”

The servants whispered amongst themselves.

It was clear as day. There had already existed a designated candidate for the seat of Empress.

However, despite the buzz outside, the atmosphere within the Empress’ palace remained heavy.

The residence resembled a flower blooming under a bright moon, consisting of seven palaces arranged around the central Fortress.

The gardens situated between the palaces, adorned with pure white flowers, were perpetually shrouded in mist.

Legend had it that the haze was a trace of the tears shed by the god Serendi as she sorrowfully sent her daughters to Earth.

The Empress’s Palace, immersed in fog, exuded a mysterious atmosphere that captivated anyone who laid their eyes upon it. 

A beautiful white castle, a place welcoming the midnight moon.

Despite its splendid beauty, however, the palace welcoming its new owner felt remarkably calm, mirroring the demeanor of its mistress.

Just as Cecile’s actions perplexed those in the palace, Dorothea couldn’t help but express her bewilderment.

“Why is she acting like this?”

A sigh escaped her lips.

At some point, Dorothea had harbored concerns for Cecile, although unaware of it.

However, as a representative and close associate of the Queen Dowager, she held a significant position.

When she learned of Dorothea’s absence from her post, the Queen Dowager informed the maid of her secret mission.

____

Dorothea finished organizing the Empress’s bedchamber and stepped outside.

In the hallway, a maid belonging to the Queen Dowager’s palace awaited her.

Unmindful of any onlookers, the maid gestured to Dorothea and discreetly handed her a drug of some sort.

As Dorothea nervously received the medicine, the maid spoke in an indifferent tone, typical of a servant within the Queen Dowager’s palace.

“From now on, place the medicine in the Empress’ tea.”

“W-what?”

“Why are you so surprised? It’s already been decided.”

Dorothea gazed down at the medicine in her arms.

It was a colorless and odorless poison, dissolvable in water.

She recognized it as a powder refined from Lysilte flowers—a substance that, when administered daily for several years, would make it seem as if the person had died after suffering from a prolonged illness.

Dorothea fumbled with the medicine bag. The maid rolled her eyes as she discerned Dorothea’s apparent bewilderment.

“Do it without mistakes.”

With that, the maid from the Queen Dowager’s palace departed, leaving Dorothea standing alone.

However, Dorothea remained deeply lost in thought, grappling with the reality that she knew would eventually come.

‘I knew this day would come eventually.’

It was inevitable that the Queen Dowager would dispose of Cecile, as she was a half-empress and merely a stand-in for the rightful owner.

However, the timing seemed unexpectedly swift. Perhaps the Empress’s changed attitude played a significant role.

‘The Queen is not a great person to look down upon a sharpened blade.’

Dorothea was well aware that the Queen Dowager would always exhibit such behavior.

It wasn’t that she didn’t feel any guilt. However, there was only so much she could do for this young Empress.

Her position as Empress held paramount importance. It was not a position to be decided upon a mere old-fashioned myth.

However, at this moment, Dorothea felt a strong inclination not to involve herself in this whirlwind of succession.

‘After revealing this fact, I must either stand by the Empress’s side or remain neutral.’

However, even if Cecile had indeed changed, she seemed to lack the will to confront the Queen Dowager.

‘Can I stand beside such an Empress?’

Dorothea questioned herself. She was so deeply engrossed in thought that she failed to notice Teresa’s approach.

“What is that?”

Dorothea’s fingertips trembled at the abrupt sound of Teresa’s voice. She raised her head to find the knight standing before her.

“This….”

Teresa’s eyes shone a sinister glint at Dorothea’s apparent hesitation. Her sharp gaze indicated that she had likely deduced the contents of the bag.

‘I made a mistake.’

As Dorothea bore a sorrowful expression, Teresa snatched the bag from her. She issued a warning, glaring at the struggling Dorothea.

“If you do something like this again, I won’t just sit back and watch.”

Dorothea’s hands regained strength. Teresa, despite her commoner background, had the backing of the Emperor.

While the Emperor treated Cecile as if she were a stranger, the relationship between the Queen Dowager and the Emperor wasn’t harmonious.

The Queen Dowager’s attempts to surpass her Imperial authority to protect her son strained their relations. It was unlikely that the grown Emperor would appreciate his mother’s interference.

Regardless of the Emperor’s feelings towards Cecile, she remained valuable as a means to exert pressure on Queen Dowager if her poison scandal were to become public.

Even a child could understand the consequences of such a situation.

Dorothea quickly shook her head. Asserting her authority was not appropriate at this moment.

She lowered her stiff head before Teresa and offered a sincere apology.

“Please pretend you don’t know. This will never happen again.”

“How can I believe that? But let me make one thing clear.”

Teresa secured the bag in her arms.

She then continued speaking, a murderous expression on her face.

“If something like this were to happen again, your neck won’t be fine.”

__________

Note- I seem to only like Teresa at this point. She seems to be the least problematic.