“Your Majesty, we have arrived.”
The stillness inside the carriage was shattered by that single sentence. The two individuals, who had been silently gazing out of the window, looked at each other with surprise. Without a word, they both got out of the carriage and began walking toward their respective palaces.
Though not their first time kissing, a strangely awkward atmosphere surrounded the two.
“Ah.”
Ah, before they knew it, they had arrived at Camer Palace. Pristin nodded as if to say she would enter now.
“Please be careful, Your Majesty.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Jerald look around and mutter,
“Have we already arrived?”
His voice carried a sense of disappointment. Pristin smiled faintly, nodding her head.
“Hurry in. You must be really tired today.”
“Your Majesty must be tired as well, so please rest well.”
“Yes.”
Pristin cautiously walked past Jerald and walked to Camer Palace. Did she take about five steps like that? After about five steps, Pristin, as determined as ever, turned around and approached Jerald again.
Jerald looked at Pristin with a puzzled expression.
“Pristin, why are you…”
But Jerald’s words did not end properly. Pristin immediately lifted her heel and planted a kiss on Jerald’s lips before he could react. Jerald’s eyes grew quickly, and before he could hold her, Pristin fell from him with a shy face. Her cheeks turned red and she opened her mouth in a small voice.
“I really enjoyed my time with Your Majesty today.”
“Oh…”
“Well then, rest well, Your Majesty.”
Pristin quickly lowered her head and then left as if running away. Left alone, Jerald was standing there with a red face like a tomato. It was when Jerald was dazed and fidgeting with his lips, blinking quickly.
“Your Majesty.”
A servant approached Jerald quietly. He quickly regained his composure and turned to the servant.
“What is it?”
“Well…”
Approaching with a grave expression, the servant whispered something into Jerald’s ear. Jerald’s face, once adorned with a pink sweetness, began to darken.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“Have you returned, Countess?”
“Oh, Christine.”
Pristin approached Christine, smiling brightly, as she saw her waiting in front of the room.
“You were waiting for me?”
“I thought you might be arriving around this time.”
“You’ve got a good sense.”
“Have you been with His Majesty all this time?”
“How did you know?”
“I’m a maid at Camer Palace now, so I should know at least that much.”
Christine smiled proudly and then asked Pristin,
“Did you have a good time with His Majesty?”
“Yes. It was a lot of fun.”
“You must love His Majesty a lot.”
“What?”
“Did you know your cheeks are very red right now?”
At that, Pristin quickly put both hands over her cheeks. Christine giggled at the sight.
“You look very happy, too. I’m glad to see you enjoying yourself.”
“Thank you, Christine.”
“I was worried that, perhaps, because of me, you couldn’t spend time with His Majesty. Clumsily interfering…”
“No, Christine. You don’t need to think that way at all. The night events have a different charm compared to the day.”
“Oh, really? Then next year, go with me at night, and spend time with His Majesty during the day.”
“That sounds good too.”
“Your Excellency.”
Then Aruvina approached Pristin and said,
“You must be tired. It would be best to take a bath and rest in bed right away.”
“Oh, yes. I’ll do that.”
There would be no happier day if you ended your tiring-but-packed schedule with a fresh bath. Pristin nodded with a smile.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
At that time, Duke Gennant.
“Master, may I come in for a moment?”
“Come in.”
Without much concern, Duke Gennant allowed the ambitious-looking servant to enter. As soon as the door opened, the servant handed him something. It was a letter. Duke Gennant looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“What’s this?”
“Somebody just delivered it, asking for you, Master.”
“At this hour?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
Duke Gennant thought something was suspicious and questioned the servant. Left alone, he used a paper knife to open the envelope. Taking out the letter and unfolding it, he began to read its contents with an uneasy gaze.
However, as time passed, Duke Gennant’s eyes turned perplexed, and by the time he finished reading the last line of the letter, he was utterly shocked. Having read the entire contents, Duke Gennant involuntarily dropped the letter on the desk.
“… This can’t be.”
The duke murmured with a serious tone,
“The phoenix was alive.”
Albert was officially declared missing, and most people thought he died during the rebellion. Of course, Duke Gennant had also believed that for a long time.
‘If the contents of this letter are true…’
Deep furrows appeared on Duke Gennant’s forehead.
It seemed that he wouldn’t be able to sleep easily tonight.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
The next morning.
“Princess.”
After breakfast, Brelin approached Tanya, who was reading. Tanya asked without taking her eyes off the book.
“Brelin, what’s going on?”
“Your father sent a letter, and he wishes to see you for a moment.”
“My father?”
Tanya’s brow narrowed.
“What’s the matter?”
“He didn’t mention that.”
“Hmm. What could it be?”
Tanya opened her mouth after a moment of contemplation.
“Tell him to visit anytime at his convenience.”
“Yes, lady.”
And about two hours later, Duke Gennant arrived at Shrun Palace.
“Welcome, Father. Sit down. The tea is…”
“Forget about the tea. This isn’t the time for a leisurely chat.”
“What’s going on all of a sudden? What happened?”
Only then did Tanya sense something was wrong and said,
“Your face looks stern, and it seems you couldn’t sleep last night.”
“I came here to discuss something with you, and I didn’t sleep last night because of that.”
“Discussion?”
“Yes. It’s important, and it’s not the kind of talk to have over tea.”
“What is it…?”
“Let me ask you straightforwardly.”
Duke Gennant opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“Do you think there’s a chance that His current Majesty will accept you as empress?”
It was quite a sudden question, and Tanya became quite perplexed. She asked why he was suddenly saying that.
“Why are you asking such a thing?”
“You must not forget why you came here. You entered the palace as an empress candidate to be considered by His Majesty.”
“I know. Why are you suddenly telling me everything I know?”
“There are talks that His Majesty seems to have his heart elsewhere.”
“… I know.”
Tanya, her pride wounded, retorted with an edgy voice.
“But is that really important? I can’t become the empress just by His Majesty’s favor. I’m currently aiming for an opportunity to drive that woman out of the palace.”
“There’s a better option than that.”
“A better option?”
“Become the empress of another emperor.”
“…What?”
Tanya asked, doubting her ears.
“Are you going to send me abroad, Father?”
“No.”
Duke Gennant clenched his teeth.
“His Majesty is alive.”
“Yes…?”
Tanya murmured with a greatly bewildered look.
“How did Father…”
“I received a letter from him last night. Looks like he’s visiting the capital during the Foundation Festival.”
Duke Gennant went on in a serious voice.
“It was written that he would welcome you as empress if I helped him to return to the throne.”
“Father, His Majesty is as old as you. There’s not much age difference from Father.”
“Is that important for sitting on the empress’s throne?”
Duke Gennant said coldly.
“You said it yourself. Being the empress is not solely determined by the emperor’s favor.”
“But…!”
“Fine, make your choice. Will you stand by and watch as another woman takes the empress’s position? You don’t want that either. You were the one who first pleaded with me to become the empress.”
“I know, but I told you, I’m looking for a chance to kick her out!”
“Even if you become the empress that way, there’s no guarantee that His Majesty will cherish you. If you can’t bear a crown prince, being the empress has no meaning either.”
“Father.”
“If His Majesty sits on the throne again, he has made a promise, so he won’t turn a blind eye to you. I think it’s wiser for you to seek another opportunity.”
“But…”
“Think it over, Tanya. There’s not much time. There’s a deadline for this proposal.”
“…”
“And I believe my daughter will make a wise choice.”
“You’re not here to discuss, you’re here to persuade me.”
“This is the conclusion I came to yesterday after thinking about it all day.”
Duke Gennant spoke with a resolute voice.
“I cherish you, and I value my family. It would be great if you could understand my feelings.”
“Sending your only daughter to marry a man as old as her father is considered cherishing her?”
“It would be different if that man is the emperor.”
“Father!”
“Think about it carefully.”
With those words, Duke Gennant rose from his seat. Tanya, caught off-guard by the sudden turn of events, could only escort him without getting up from her seat. Brelin approached Tanya with a worried expression as she sat there with a blank expression.
“Why are you like this, Princess? What’s going on?”
“…I guess I need to find a way to get rid of that woman as soon as possible.”
Otherwise, she would have no choice but to follow her father’s words. Deep furrows formed on Tanya’s forehead.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
At the same time, the central palace.
“…”
Jerald stared at a single letter with a serious expression. On the neatly written white paper with a subtle pattern, detailed information about the situation and politics inside the palace was meticulously inscribed. Jerald recalled the story he heard from the servant earlier.
“Someone tried to sneak this letter out of the palace a while ago but got caught.”
There is a spy within the palace, and it turns out to be none other than Albert’s spy.
‘He was alive.’
According to the servant, the spy bit his tongue and died immediately after being caught, making it impossible to gather any information. Except for this single letter, the mysterious sender remained unknown.
‘Who could it be?’
Judging by the content of the letter, it seemed that someone had been secretly conveying information to him for a very long time. Someone who had worked in the palace for a considerable period, familiar with both major and minor affairs within the palace, and clever enough not to be exposed for such a long time.
Jerald instructed his servants last night to secretly investigate the handwriting of those working inside the palace. Since handwriting is not easily altered, it might not be too difficult to identify the mysterious informant.
Concerned about potential escape attempts, he strictly restricted anyone from leaving the palace. Discovering the identity of Albert’s spy seemed to be just a matter of time.
‘If we can find a clue…’
This time, he would catch them and put an end to this long-standing feud.
Jerald slouched wearily in his chair, his tired expression evident.
