You are at the End of the Downfall

Her husband, who had insisted on letting Kaela sleep at the royal palace, according to Cecile, had held her the entire time from when she fell asleep until she woke up.

He had held her preciously and buried her deep in his embrace so she wouldn’t hear the sudden thunder and lightning that might startle her. Yet by the time she woke up, the rain that had supposedly poured heavily had long since stopped.

“Are you going to work?”

Peon asked her with a resigned expression, and Kaela rolled her eyes before nodding.

“Most people would say they couldn’t work today.”

“Setting aside how that might seem presumptuous… at this point, the Marchioness of Schroz would probably have reset everything to the beginning. If it was just my own effort being wasted, that would be fine, but the staff would have to work even harder…”

In other words, she was saying she would go and at least maintain some semblance of engagement ceremony preparations.

“Will you be alright facing the Marchioness?”

He asked carefully.

“I think now is the best time to work more. You really scared her. This was probably the most frightened she’s ever been in her life.”

Peon grinned at Kaela’s response about how much easier the work would be now.

“Let me know if you need anything.”

“I think once was enough.”

“Won’t it be uncomfortable?”

Peon kept checking on her repeatedly. Even if the Marchioness of Schroz was scared now, she was still the person who had crushed Kaela’s pride to her face. It was extremely awkward for nobles to face each other again after such an incident.

“I’m fine.”

As expected, Kaela answered nonchalantly. Her tone suggested she was used to having her pride wounded too many times to count. Peon nodded with a gentle smile.

“Alright.”

If she had no intention to get angry or seek revenge, he could do it on her behalf.

If Kaela was willing to endure the uncomfortable situation of standing again before the Marchioness of Schroz who had slapped her face, and the Marchioness’s maids who had forced her to kneel, he could simply eliminate such situations altogether.

When Kaela returned that day to check on the engagement ceremony preparations, she couldn’t meet the Marchioness of Schroz. The Marchioness had suddenly fallen ill and had gone to rest, leaving everything to Kaela.

****

The Crown Prince thoroughly silenced any discussion about what his mother had done. He was at least a better son than his mother in that regard.

While on the surface he apologized and rebuked his mother, it was because she had administered “punishment outside the law,” not because he thought his mother was wrong.

“Anyway, Mother was in charge of the engagement ceremony, and the Grand Duchess was only meant to review it. Besides, Mother is much older in age, so isn’t it natural that she could point out if something went wrong?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“So send a small consolation gift to the Grand Duchess of Lusenford. Mother merely went too far, but if someone deserves to be scolded, they should be scolded.”

Gregory was, after all, the Crown Prince facing his engagement ceremony. He thought that with the backing of the powerful kingdom of Keruzhan, he could further cement his position as Crown Prince.

After all, even that intimidating man, the Grand Duke of Lusenford, was treating him with proper respect as Crown Prince.

“Mother must have learned her lesson too, so this won’t happen again. Make sure this absolutely does not leak to the outside.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The Emperor would know, but if they resolved it well among themselves, he might let it pass without saying anything. As long as it didn’t get more controversial. Gregory focused his efforts on silencing the matter and furthermore, covering it up with other incidents.

As luck would have it, there was one very good incident, and thanks to Gregory actively fueling it, the newspapers were completely covered with that incident, with no mention of the Marchioness of Schroz affair.

The incident was about a party hosted by Lady Ravalley, the daughter of the Duke of Monde.

****

Beatrice couldn’t stand how Kaela had dominated daily, weekly, and even monthly publications as if she had merely gone for a stroll by the Ener River.

So, to announce her return to Craine with great fanfare, she hosted a party filled with appropriate gambling, exciting music, and hints of scandalous romance.

If she invited only a select few special people to enjoy themselves, everyone would be dying to know who was invited to the party, what jewels they wore, what activities they enjoyed, and what dishes were served at the banquet.

While journalists would try to gather more information, she didn’t plan to reveal much.

“That will make them more curious.”

“Indeed.”

The Emperor, who had been listening quietly, nodded. So if she could dominate the media for exactly twice as long as Kaela had, she would win.

“Too much attention on Lusenford overshadows Your Majesty’s glory.”

The Emperor laughed.

“What attention? It’s natural for young people to be interested in things like jewelry and clothes they wear. I’m not a jester who needs attention every day.”

“Oh, but Your Majesty, you’re the one who brought Lusenford here.”

Beatrice leaned slightly against the Emperor with a smile. The secret restoration of magical artifacts in Solei Palace and the rituals to restore the consciousness of the unconscious Empress continued regularly.

“I prefer not to appear in the media too often.”

Despite his words, the Emperor couldn’t help but be concerned about the attention focused on the Grand Duke and Duchess of Lusenford.

Beatrice knew the Emperor very well. While wanting to appear dignified, he also naturally assumed that popularity among young people should be his as well.

“Then please think of it as preventing attention from concentrating in one place.”

“Aren’t you just wanting to have fun?”

“Oh, with the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony approaching, I need to keep track of the nobles’ movements too.”

The Emperor burst out laughing with an “Oh, really.” Beatrice knew very well that this was permission. While holding back her laughter, she glanced at the distant bed where the Empress lay.

The Emperor absolutely forbade Beatrice from going near that bed. With his keen intuition and suspicious nature, he had judged that she might use some evil spell on the Empress.

He had her perform healing rituals for the Empress while surrounding the area with magical artifacts and checking each spell she used.

‘Healing? Am I crazy?’

The Empress needed to end there in that bed. Why would she want to wake her up? Besides, Beatrice was very weak at spells that revived people or restored consciousness.

The spells she excelled at were those that bewitched, brainwashed, and harmed people. So she was only pretending now. The Empress would end just like that.

“Have fun.”

“It’s not fun, I told you it’s work. Won’t you come play with me now, Your Majesty?”

She smiled coyly and tried to link arms with him, but the Emperor slightly backed away. Although the Empress was unconscious, he was avoiding being unnecessarily close to Beatrice in front of her.

‘Why care so much about a woman who can’t even open her eyes?’

Beatrice gently pushed the Emperor toward the door.

“The treatment is finished, Your Majesty.”

When the Empress first collapsed, he wouldn’t let anyone touch her, but who could endure a long illness?

Of course, the Emperor had an abnormal obsession with the Empress. However, he was also a man who had fathered numerous illegitimate children. Beatrice left the bedroom where the Empress lay with the Emperor.

After rolling around naked with him, she began to think carefully about where to hold the party.

Despite enormous debts, the Monde Duchy still owned some real estate through various methods, such as stabbing creditors to death.

It was “some” by Beatrice’s standards. For a prestigious family that usually lived lavishly, it was woefully insufficient real estate.

However, they still had three properties in Craine, including a townhouse, and all were suitable venues for large events.

The townhouse where she stayed whenever she came to Craine was spaciously wide, and the townhouse in Craine’s theater district was perfect for entertaining a small number of guests.

And the ‘Hill House’ near the Ener River, boasting magnificent night views, was perfect for hosting boisterous parties with windows wide open in weather like this.

‘Ah yes. It should be Hill House.’

Though it was extremely expensive and maintenance costs were enormous, it was a symbolic old building sitting in Craine’s prime location—literally the ultimate luxury in architecture. It was also rightfully the kind of property Beatrice should own.

“I’m thinking of having it at Hill House. Would Your Majesty like to come?”

The Emperor, who was opening his cigarette case after catching his breath, turned to look at Beatrice. She casually made bold suggestions that no ordinary person would dare make.

“You always say such interesting things.”

“While you actually find it amusing. May I have one too?”

She glanced at the ornate cigarette case and the portrait of the Empress in a jeweled frame beside it as she reached out. The Emperor handed her a cigarette and asked,

“What, now you want to be installed properly?”

He meant whether she wanted to be acknowledged as a mistress like the Marchioness of Schroz.

“I’m just inviting you to come have fun, why are you taking it that way?”

The Emperor laughed amusedly at Beatrice, who had despised being officially recognized since the beginning of their relationship.

“You dislike it that much?”

“It’s still exciting and thrilling this way, isn’t it? You don’t need to feel burdened either. I love Your Majesty just like this.”

The Emperor laughed again.

“I’ll wear a mask.”

“Oh, really?”

Though his response seemed indifferent, the Emperor was capricious. He might slip into the masked party where no one knows who’s who. Beatrice hurriedly left the palace after the night passed.

“This is from His Majesty the Emperor.”

Before she left, the stern Count Horhen, the head chamberlain, handed her a heavy box. The box would undoubtedly be full of gold coins.

She could put out urgent fires with that. Satisfied, she returned to her townhouse and immediately gave orders to prepare for the party at Hill House.

“Ugh, don’t you ever get tired?”

The Duchess of Monde complained about all the commotion from early morning before retreating to a deeper room to sleep, but it wasn’t that tiring for Beatrice.

‘How could I be tired from His Majesty’s strength?’

The Emperor was getting old and losing his strength, and for Beatrice, who was born to act, faking appropriate moans was easy. She moved about energetically.

A special night would unfold in this jewel of a venue. People would be dying of curiosity if the Emperor appeared at the party. She prepared the party full of hope—no, full of ecstasy.

Everything had to be top-tier, everything expensive, magnificent enough to make those journalists who had written about Kaela regret and reflect.

The employees following the daughter of the Duke of Monde’s instructions were all too familiar with preparing such parties.

As Lady Ravalley was known for hosting all sorts of events, this small but intense party began to come together much more smoothly than the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony.

In a short time, they completed the guest list of only “important figures who know how to have fun and generate buzz,” and smoothly prepared elegant music, melt-in-your-mouth food, and even secret drugs that would actually melt minds a bit.

Guests who knew that parties personally arranged by Beatrice were always special eagerly accepted their invitations.

So everything was going according to Beatrice’s wishes.

Until the day of the party.

****

While news of Beatrice’s “secret and special party” was spread extensively to the media, none of the journalists received invitations, leaving everyone mad with curiosity.

So journalists flocked to Hill House where the party was being held. Determined to at least find out who was invited even without any information, they watched intently trying to catch any detail they could.

Of course, the journalists couldn’t get anything. Guests wearing masks and black robes only removed their robes after entering the mansion.

The dimmed lights added to the mysterious atmosphere. The party began with no one knowing who was who, only able to guess.

“Oh my, it was you?”

“Ahahahaha…”

Amid dreamlike music and exquisite delicacies, wine flowed from fountains lined with gold coins like something out of a legendary dragon’s lair. People drank the drugged wine like water, swayed, and laughed.

The party’s excitement was building. Someone spilled wine. Someone screamed with laughter at the sight.

A man who was splashed with wine kissed another man. A woman pulled off the shirt of the man who was kissed. People were falling apart and reveling, enough to forget what had happened by the Ener River.

Until suddenly the lights brightened and the music cut off.

“Huh?”

Everyone was having fun until that vulgar scene was fully exposed, with all participants giggling and willingly making themselves increasingly disheveled and obscene.

They looked at each other in confusion under the bright white lights, then turned their heads at the sound of approaching footsteps.

“What a mess.”

An ordinary, very ordinary-looking man walked in steadily and looked around with contemptuous eyes. Though ordinary in appearance, he had a solid build and, strangely, had the power to command everyone’s attention.

Through the suddenly wide-open windows, the hazy incense and smoke that had filled the room escaped as fresh air rushed in. In front of people coming to their senses, the man took out a pocket watch.

“Past midnight. Well then.”

Clap! People jumped when he clapped. The loud sound that seemed to strike the air itself brought everyone to their senses.

“From today, due to the Duke of Monde’s failure to repay his debts, this property will be seized by our trading company. So everyone.”

The man smiled slightly. People stared at him blankly. Though his appearance was so ordinary it would be easily forgotten, somehow they felt mesmerized.

“Please leave.”

It was the moment when the content of tomorrow’s articles would change.