The attendants welcomed the head of the household, who had left the mansion as a suspect in a murder case and returned as the empress.
They hadn’t even unwrapped all the gifts the empress had sent from her family when it was announced that she would personally visit them.
Every employee of the count, without exception, had adorned themselves to appear favorable to Celeste, the head of the household and now the empress.
“It’s true that the empress is coming in person, right, madam?”
“If the royal family has contacted us like this, it must be true. Stop chattering and go finish cleaning the stairs.”
“Yes, madam. I’m so excited. I can’t believe I get to see Her Imperial Majesty, the empress, in person!”
“Stop making a fuss. Is it appropriate for an attendant serving the empress’s family to behave so frivolously?”
“Yes, madam!”
“Lower your voice. Do it with grace.”
“Yes!”
Margaret shook her head. The maid, who started working two months ago, was said to be seventeen this year.
When the empress had an unfortunate incident on her outing about a year ago, Margaret firmly dismissed the housemaid who introduced the maid and the child who became the root of the problem.
Afterward, she gathered the attendants and began training them on how crucial it was to keep quiet, emphasizing that no information about their master should ever be carelessly leaked.
During this process, any attendant deemed lacking in ability or too loose-lipped was mercilessly sent away from the mansion.
Thanks to this, the count had recently seen a significant influx of new staff. This cheerful girl, who would frequently ask naive questions, was also among the newly hired.
Perhaps due to her young age, she sometimes lagged in judgment, but she seemed diligent in her assigned tasks, so Margaret decided to keep an eye on her.
Ding, ding, ding. The grandfather clock chimed noon. It was time for the empress’s arrival. Margaret hurriedly finished preparing the mansion and headed outside.
Before the royal procession arrived, she needed to open the mansion entrance and take her place. Following the butler, Margaret stepped outside and found her spot.
She stood tall, with her back straight and shoulders pulled back, leading the other attendants as they lined up in order.
The procession is now fully prepared to welcome them. Although they have served their master for a lifetime, this was the first time seeing them since the coronation.
Even Margaret, a veteran who doesn’t get nervous about most things, swallowed hard several times, feeling anxious about welcoming her master as royalty.
‘The royal procession is entering!’
Just as the sound of hooves was heard from somewhere, a servant stationed outside the mansion shouted out the arrival of Celeste.
Large four-wheeled carriages adorned with the royal seal began to line up and enter the count’s domain.
***
Leaving behind his anxious heart, Stilikov made full preparations to head to Urentum with Franz. The location suspected to hold the magic stones was near Count Louisette’s villa.
Stilikov’s eyes, examining the map, were exceptionally fierce.
The way to Urentum might very well be the last escape conducted within this country. Thus, no mistakes were permissible. Once they arrived at Urentum, they needed to act swiftly to find the magic stones.
‘Can’t we just move as we have been? What are you so worried about?’
‘Yes, Sir Franz. It’s…’
Stilikov felt quite flustered.
The map, which detailed the locations of the secret vaults where the magic stones were hidden, was mysteriously damaged at the bottom. The section depicting the southernmost part of the Empire had been torn away.
‘There’s a problem with the map.’
The issue was that the missing part was specifically Urentum and its surrounding cities.
‘What do you mean by a problem?’
‘The map is damaged.’
‘It seems we just need to get to Urentum. Does it really matter if one map is damaged?’
‘It just so happens that the part showing Urentum is the only section that’s been damaged.’
‘What are you saying…?’
‘This is a map indicating the locations of the vaults holding the magic stones. Given that Urentum is suspected to have the largest amount, the location of this last vault is critically important.’
‘So you’re saying we’ve missed that crucial part? What a pathetic fool, to overlook such important information!’
Franz’s eyes blazed with fiery anger. Lately, he had been particularly irritable, quick to anger over trivial matters and struggling to control his emotions.
‘I apologize. I should have double-checked…’
Even in the past, when he acted freely and as he pleased, he had never been this emotional. Stilikov bowed his head, seeking forgiveness for his mistake.
In truth, Stilikov was a tremendous benefactor to Franz. No matter how much he was a subordinate due to their lord-vassal relationship, dedicating himself to such an extent was no easy task.
‘Not having the map doesn’t mean we can’t find the magic stones.’
“Urentum isn’t such a big city, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find,” said Franz.
“Do you suspect something?”
“Yes. Given that the Louisette family villas are built not far from the mines…”
The villas of the Louisette family, constructed along the southeastern border of the Empire, were all located near hidden secret warehouses. This made Franz’s mind race.
“You’re saying there’s a high chance Celeste’s villa is located near Urentum?”
“Yes, sir.”
However, there was a problem. Before learning about Marina’s secret warehouse in Urentum, Franz had once attacked the villa where Celeste was, attempting to threaten her.
That attack had completely destroyed the villa, leaving it in ruins, and the Imperial investigation team had been fervently investigating the suspicious explosion until recently.
“Aren’t they still sending knights to continue the investigation?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Great, it’s like I shot myself in the foot…”
Franz’s head throbbed. Clenching his eyes shut against the piercing pain in his temples, he realized he had faced another unexpected obstacle at the last point of escape.
“Has the Imperial investigation team been conducting their investigation until now?”
“I’m not sure. But given the time that has passed, it might have concluded… That’s a vague assumption I can make.”
“A vague assumption? How can you move with such risks without certainty?”
“Even without certainty, we must act. If we don’t move, all that remains is the path to death…”
There were no options. Not moving wouldn’t increase the chance of survival. Stilikov gazed at Franz’s face.
***
“I have the honor of meeting Your Majesty, the Empress. I wish for the infinite grace and blessings of the divine to be upon you.”
Margaret knelt, bowing her waist and lifting one side of her skirt. Celeste smiled lightly at such an exceedingly respectful greeting offered to her.
The head of the household, whom she saw after a long time, was completely different from the person who had, due to lost memories, behaved like someone else.
It was a moment that dispelled her doubts about whether someone could truly appear as a completely different personality despite losing their memory, due to the lack of dignity in speech and actions.
Celeste moved elegantly and calmly, as if she had never lost her poise. Margaret felt relieved and apologized silently for her unnecessary worries.
“It’s been a while, Margaret.”
In Celeste’s arms, a lovely child had been cradled as she got off the carriage. The child’s soft violet hair sparkled in the sunlight, and her large, jewel-like eyes shone just like the first child of Her Majesty, the Empress.
When the duke couple, who had hastily married due to the child, delivered the news of their loss, both Margaret and the Count’s people genuinely cried.
To those unaware that the child had been sent back to where she originally belonged from the future, Celeste and Karl briefly explained that they had lost the child.
Should they be relieved? The couple had a new child, and as they rose to the throne, they became the true supreme rulers of the empire, so no one could question the absence of the first child.
The Count’s attendants consoled each other, just glad that the Empress would soon have a child to help her overcome her great sorrow.
“They named her Valerie.”
Margaret also heard that they had named the newly born princess Valerie.
She thought they must have done so, wishing to believe that their first child, who had left before, had returned to them, and was taken aback upon seeing the child in Celeste’s arms.
Not only was the name the same, but she looked exactly like the young lady Valerie she had seen before.
No matter that she was born to the same parents, how could she resemble her so perfectly? Margaret couldn’t close her mouth, astonished, unaware of her own silly expression, far from solemnity.
“It is an honor to meet Her Royal Highness. May God bestow infinite blessings upon her as well…”
Finally regaining her composure, Margaret offered her greetings to Valerie.
