Chapter 12
With a casual greeting, Ern passed by the two.
As he completely left, Anel led Jezel to a secluded place.
There were too many eyes watching.
She didn’t want to attract any more attention.
Finally entering an empty room, Anel placed her hand on Jezel’s shoulder.
“Jezel, I shouldn’t have taken Lord Hujak’s words too seriously—”
“No.”
Jezel shrugged off Anel’s hand.
“I was wrong to forget my place.”
With bowed head, Jezel gathered her hands as if apologizing to Anel.
“I should not have used such a tone with a lady-in-waiting about the future queen. I apologize, miss.”
However, a sly smile played on her face as she looked down.
Social status.
What does it matter?
Born on the same day, in the same place.
It’s just that she was a bit luckier to be in the womb of the Grand Duchess.
Blood began to seep through Jezel’s hand.
“Jezel…”
Anel touched her forehead.
She didn’t want this kind of situation.
The imperial palace, already filled with enemies, was a difficult place.
Anel didn’t want to turn even Jezel into an enemy.
So, she tightly held Anel’s hand.
“Jezel, if I become the empress, I’ll take responsibility for your troubles. So that days like today won’t happen.”
“…”
“I consider you as my sister. You know that, don’t you?”
At Anel’s words, the strength in Jezel’s hand gradually loosened.
Thinking that Jezel’s heart was finally opening up, Anel wiped away her tears.
However, Jezel withdrew his hand from Anel’s.
“Well, at least you’ll end up going to a wealthy merchant. Oh, if you’re lucky, you might go to a bankrupt viscount and offer a hefty dowry to become his third son’s wife, right? Do nobles even consider such things?”
“…!”
“No matter what I do, I will always be a lowly commoner. I wouldn’t dare speak to Her Majesty the Empress.”
Jezel’s eyes were filled with venom as he spoke.
Anel was at a loss for words, seeing this side of Jezel for the first time.
She vaguely knew that Jezel harbored discontent about his background.
But she didn’t know that this discontent was directed towards her.
“Jezel, how can you speak like that? So… so harshly?”
Anel was angry.
Nevertheless, Anel always treated Giselle sincerely.
The statement that he thought of her like a sister was also genuine.
But with such feelings, like this.
Giselle, who had been ignoring Anel until now, turned around and left.
“Lately, you seem to be wandering around here and there, Ern.”
On the night before the coronation ceremony, Johannes and Ern were sharing a drink in the Potentia Palace.
Johannes only drank when he was with Ern.
Ern couldn’t understand that psychology.
“Since Your Majesty is not moving, shouldn’t I move instead?”
“You’re wandering around in unnecessary places.”
“Are you keeping an eye on me?”
To Ern’s question, Johannes only gave an enigmatic smile. Of course, he must be keeping an eye on him. Ern blamed himself for asking such a foolish question.
“Why do you only drink when I’m around? I’ve never seen anyone who can drink as well as Your Majesty.”
There were times when he suspected that Johannes pretended to drink and secretly threw it away.
Despite drinking so much, Johannes never got drunk. He did enjoy drinking.
You wouldn’t drink so much if you didn’t like it. Ern clicked his tongue while looking at the empty poison bottle.
“So, what are your impressions of the woman you met?”
“That woman?”
Eren made a strange expression at the peculiar reference.
“You must be talking about Lady Morata.”
“Are there other women?”
“Your Majesty has quite a few, hasn’t she?”
Even with the subtle sarcasm, Johannes didn’t bat an eye. Eren was the same.
“Is this part of your planned investigation?”
“You brought me a created investigation as instructed, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t beat around the bush, Eren Lars.”
Boring. Eren chuckled as he poured a drink into Johannes’s glass.
“Much better than what I heard.”
Saying so, Eren observed Johannes’s expression.
However, there was nothing on John’s face.
A poker face.
“I don’t think you need to worry about the Empress. She’s an ideal Empress for us.”
Ern knew that Johann didn’t like ‘annoying’ tasks. And in Ern’s eyes, Anel Morata was the most capable woman in the world when it came to avoiding troublesome tasks. In her eyes, there was only a desire to escape from reality.
She was a peculiar person.
Hating all these situations, yet enduring them stubbornly. And accomplishing them perfectly.
Without any greed, quietly crouching in her place.
Whether to call it wisdom or lingering attachment.
“I quite like it. But Your Majesty may not, I suppose?”
Ern evaluated Anel highly, even though they only briefly met.
She seemed to be the most suitable empress for Johann.
“Not particularly.”
Johannes stared through the drink Ern handed him, then quickly downed it in one go.
Not particularly?
At the vague answer, Ern furrowed his brow.
“Well, if you insist on finding something that may irritate Her Majesty the Empress-”
Perhaps the servant girl. Ern recalled the servant girl who was next to Anel.
It was better to get rid of presumptuous servants even if it meant making excuses.
The Empress’s palace had to remain calm, without any disturbances or troubles.
As quiet as a mouse.
The only disturbance allowed in this empire was solely the Emperor, Johannes.
“However, Ern didn’t bother mentioning the maid. It wasn’t worth discussing to the extent of telling Johann.”
“Ern Bayerzen Lars.”
However, Johann seemed more curious about the matter, even grasping Ern’s middle name.
In response, Ern reluctantly revealed, as if there was no other choice.
“It’s about the maid brought by the Empress. I can handle it adequately in my capacity.”
“Maid.”
Johann pondered for a moment.
“Why was the maid bothersome?”
“After looking into it, it seems she had a close and complicated relationship with Her Majesty since childhood. Due to that, she seemed to have trouble understanding her position and boundaries.”
Johann tapped the glass with his fingertips.
“A woman who doesn’t know her place.”
Ern was taken aback by Johann’s unexpected interest.
‘’Johann was originally uninterested in any matter, especially something as trivial as this.”
“The matter is not of interest to Your Majesty.”
“Is the Empress being dominated by that woman?”
“Yes?”
In response to the incomprehensible question, Ern narrowed his eyes. However, Johannes didn’t seem completely insane.
Finally, he answered the Emperor’s question with a somewhat gloomy expression.
“It seemed like she was being dominated.”
Ern watched as a smile slowly deepened on Johannes’s face. Could it be?
“It seems interesting.”
Ah, Ern sighed. It was a defeat.
The morning of the coronation ceremony.
Anel was staring at the mirror in the toilet room.
The woman in the mirror was dressed in an elaborate ceremonial robe created by dozens of people for the coronation. Even her carefully styled hair emphasized grandeur.
The crown would soon be placed on her head.
There was nothing lacking in her appearance.
However, the overwhelming despair on her face couldn’t be hidden.
“I posted the most trending figure these days. Do you like it?”
“…”
Anel smiled bitterly as she looked at the red dress she used to cover her paleness.
“Well…”
The emotions that couldn’t be concealed by such things were not just ordinary.
“Your Majesty, it’s time to go to the Solis Palace.”
Sandman approached her and spoke.
“…Alright.”
Annele stood up, feeling the weight of her dress. As she turned around slowly, about ten maids, including Sandman, came into view.
Even though it was a festive day, all of them had dark faces.
Even if they claimed not to care about the Empress’s mood, they couldn’t smile when she looked so miserable.
Annele became aware of her position once again and took a step forward.
“Oh.”
Then, Annele stopped.
The maids behind her also stopped.
“Where is Jezel?”
