Until The Real One Shows Up​

“Last night, Lady Fontaine secretly visited the Duke of Barantes.”

The unexpected news early in the morning nearly made Wilhelm drop the pen in his hand. “Is that true?”

“Certainly.”

Wilhelm remained silent for a while, clearly deep in thought. “Did we learn anything about their conversation?”

“Not much yet… though the motive seems clear enough.”

Of course, it did. Olivia Fontaine meeting with the Duke of Barantes could only mean one thing.

“She likely approached the Barantes family to propose putting Louis on the throne.”

“At this point, that’s the most probable reason,” Colton agreed. Noting Wilhelm’s frown growing deeper, he quickly added, “I’ll keep a close watch on him.”

“The same goes for the Fontaine family. It’s unusual for nobles to be gathering like this lately.”

“No need to worry too much. If they were plotting something, what could they do?” Colton replied in a calm, almost nonchalant tone.

“You know? The only option would be a coup, but right now the military power is…”

“Duke Barantes controls it. That’s why they’re trying to recruit from other circles and have been keeping watch for some time.”

“Trust the Duke of Barantes, Your Majesty. Remember, his beloved daughter is your Empress.”

“But he’s also my brother’s maternal uncle,” Wilhelm countered, a strange tension visible in his face. “This could be a revolution cloaked as a coup.”

“They have no reason.”

“What if I had killed my brother?” Colton frowned at the remark as Wilhelm added bitterly:

“That’s what they’re speculating—the rumors in society, from the very start… to the bitter end.”

“Then respond to rumors with rumors.”

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice joined the conversation, surprising them both. Anastasia entered the room.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. My apologies,” she said.

Wilhelm wondered just how much she’d overheard. Had she heard that he didn’t trust her father? The thought crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. She’d surely pieced things together by now, unless she was blind to it all.

Anastasia bowed gracefully, “Greetings to the Sun of the Empire, Your Majesty.”

Wilhelm gestured for Colton to leave and then addressed her. “What brings you here so early?”

“There’s something I need to discuss with you,” she replied.

“I heard Louis collapsed with a high fever yesterday,” Wilhelm began bluntly. “You sent Lady Fontaine away and brought the prince to the Empress’ Palace. Has Lady Fontaine been making him study to the point of near abuse?”

“As expected, you’re quick to get the news. I apologize for acting on my own without prior permission.”

“Your will is my will,” Wilhelm replied casually, causing Anastasia to flinch slightly. He didn’t seem to place much weight on the words.

“So, it doesn’t matter, wouldn’t you agree?”

“But regarding Louis…” Anastasia began cautiously, “I believe it’s something to discuss and decide together. After all, you are his legal guardian, Your Majesty.”

“The Empress has a much closer bond with the Prince than I do,” Wilhelm said softly. “I think you’ll make the best decisions for him. Far better than I would.” His expression held a hint of bitterness as he spoke.

Anastasia hesitated a moment before continuing. “I plan to replace all the palace maids. To help stabilize the Prince’s emotions, I initially brought in the attendants from Schweig Island, but I’m starting to think that might be doing more harm than good.”

“Some will certainly take this the wrong way,” Wilhelm replied with concern. “They’ll say we’re isolating Louis from the Fontaine family.”

“I’m aware of that,” she said. “But I can’t ignore Lady Fontaine’s actions out of fear of backlash.”

“So, are you planning to counter the rumors with more rumors?” Wilhelm asked.

“Yes, I intend to send people into society to spread the truth about what happened yesterday,” Anastasia explained. “They’ll hear how the sickly prince suffered a severe fever, and how Lady Fontaine used his condition as an excuse to ‘educate’ him.”

Recalling the events, her voice trembled slightly with anger. “I’ll make it clear to everyone exactly why I removed her as his nanny. That way, she won’t be able to spin the story to her advantage.”

“… That’s quite bold,” Wilhelm remarked. 

Anastasia paused, then shyly asked, “How… do you feel about it?”

“You’re better than me.”

Anastasia blinked, caught off guard by his response, unable to fully process it. Wilhelm, noticing her reaction, chuckled dryly and added, “I mean it. I’m as surprised as you are. I never imagined I’d be saying this to you… It was unthinkable just last year.”

Strangely, his words echoed what Mrs. Rochester had said to her yesterday. Anastasia felt an involuntary smile twist her lips. 

“You must think I look timid.”

“Not at all,” she replied without hesitation. “You might have forgotten that, in these rumors, I’m an outsider. Everyone becomes a ‘goddess of justice’ in someone else’s issues.”

“No, I think I’m too lenient. It makes me question whether I’m fit to be emperor.” Wilhelm’s tone was troubled, even deeply so. Yet, Anastasia sensed it wasn’t true doubt in his qualifications as emperor, but rather something more.

“In fact, Colton mentioned something similar a few days ago. He said we should fight fire with fire in the rumor mill. I couldn’t respond right away,” Wilhelm admitted.

Anastasia nodded, knowing that he could do the job better than anyone else if he set his mind to it. After all, he had once used the oracle to shift public opinion, swiftly dispelling doubts around the Emperor’s reign after taking her as Empress. But Anastasia also understood that, without concrete proof that Wilhelm had not killed the former Emperor, any response would only be a temporary fix. 

Once Louis returned, didn’t the innocence he was trying to maintain become easily compromised? Unfortunately, there was no clear way to prove he hadn’t caused the former Emperor’s death.

Still, if they could decisively undermine the Fontaine family’s influence this time, any rumors could be quelled more effectively than before.

“Eventually, everyone might dismiss the rumors about the Emperor’s reign as groundless nonsense,” thought Anastasia, who, as an uninvolved third party, saw the situation more rationally. Theory always seemed simpler from the outside.

“This issue… I’m just exhausted by it. It feels like I’m sinking deeper into a pit of quicksand. If I…”

“…”

“If I end the rumors this way, people will truly think I…”

“Your Majesty.”

No, maybe it was easy to her. 

If Wilhelm Rosenberg hadn’t actually killed his brother, if he didn’t feel burdened by guilt, or if he saw this role merely as a nuisance, he might’ve dismissed it. But, regrettably, he cared too much, and his innocence was being doubted and weighed down unfairly by mere whispers. He wasn’t naïve—just pitiably caught in this.

It was daunting how people’s opinions could become overwhelming. Could anyone else have handled it like he did? To suffer the weight of suspicion for something he didn’t do, especially if even his supporters didn’t fully believe in his innocence—anyone else might be driven mad.

“No, that’s not it.”

So he should trust her.

“Your Majesty didn’t kill him.”

Then he wouldn’t have to doubt himself or suffer unnecessarily for a crime he hadn’t committed. For now, at least in this matter, she would resolve it before Avelin’s arrival.

“…You make it sound so easy,” Wilhelm said, looking bewildered, even struck by her words. “To say you believe I’m innocent.”

“There’s nothing simpler than speaking the truth. For me, it’s as easy as breathing.”

“…no one.” Wilhelm looked as if he’d been struck. “No one has ever said that to me.”

“…”

“Even my mother didn’t care…” Wilhelm trailed off, then smiled bitterly. “Killed or not, it doesn’t really matter.”

“…”

“What matters is that you became Empress, and I became Emperor.”

“…The truth will come out someday.”

“…”

“I know it all. The rumors that float around from time to time are completely false, and Your Majesty…”  

Anastasia finished with a gentle smile.  

“The truth is, you loved His Majesty the Sun Emperor very much.”  

“…”  

Wilhelm remained silent for a moment, watching Anastasia closely, not knowing what she was thinking.  

Anastasia met his gaze, saying nothing further and simply waiting.  

“…Alright.”  

After a long pause, he spoke just that single word. It was plain, almost indifferent, maybe even lacking warmth.  

Yet to Anastasia, it felt like his way of saying, “Thank you.”  

She almost found herself replying, “You’re welcome.”