Chapter 43…………………..
The Rotten Apple of the Imperial Family
Rumors that Queen Lea had healed Miklok from a grave injury soon reached the ears of the Malau envoys staying in the West Palace annex.
The people of the capital could not hide their shock and admiration at the Queen’s healing powers, though some dismissed it as mere gossip.
Of course, Shine, who already knew of Lea’s abilities, wasn’t particularly surprised.
What irritated her was that her carefully laid plan—to capture Miklok’s heart the moment he returned—had been completely disrupted.
She had prepared backup measures in case of failure, but Shine wanted to subdue him with her own charm alone.
At the same time, she found herself wondering: who could have driven the strongest warrior of the Northern Continent to such a state?
While she rode her horse near the palace grounds in frustration, her knightly escort, Julmon, quietly approached.
“Have you found out who did this to King Miklok?”
“They say it was the last surviving member of the Maon tribe.”
“Maon? Weren’t they in a long-standing alliance with Fritan? Then why?”
“The King of Fritan and his knights apparently wiped them out recently.”
“What?”
“There isn’t a trace of the Maon left on this land.”
The word extermination froze Shine in her saddle.
The Malau had always prided themselves on being the most civilized and superior of the demon clans, possessing both human and demonic traits.
So she never felt particular fondness or kinship toward the “lesser” Maon tribe.
But extermination? To erase an entire people from the world—that was something on an entirely different scale from waging war or reducing a nation to a vassal state.
“What crime did the Maon commit?”
“They say they helped the Haren Empire secretly log Fritan’s golden pines.”
“How could they?”
“For years, Fritan had used the Maon, who wielded fire, to process the golden pine, paying them with food supplies and even transplanting seedlings in return.”
Julmon sighed softly as he continued.
“They betrayed first. King Miklok couldn’t leave them be.”
Princess Shine frowned. Would her own father have made the same choice in such a situation?
“The only weapon that can pierce Dark Dragon scales—the golden pine! Yes, it’s important. But important enough to wipe out an entire people?”
For the first time, Shine’s blind obsession with Miklok wavered, giving way to serious doubt.
Was he truly a man worth staking the future of the Malau Kingdom on? Was Fritan a nation worthy of sharing the Malau’s demonic power?
As she returned to her lodgings, lost in these complicated thoughts, Shine spotted Miklok carrying Lea in his arms toward the Queen’s Palace.
The overwhelming man who had first captivated her at a glance—her heart, which had burned with blind attraction, suddenly cooled.
Would he lead Fritan to glory with his strength, or was he merely the bloodthirsty madman the world whispered of?
✦ ✦ ✦
At the Stone County estate, an imperial invitation arrived from the Emperor of Haren. It was addressed to young Lord Robby Stone, summoning him to a royal banquet that very night.
Count Stone was overjoyed and ran straight to his son’s room.
Ever since returning from his imperial mission to Fritan, Robby had done little but sleep for two days straight.
Though the Count had been itching to ask why he had gone, what he had accomplished, and whether he carried news that would please the Emperor, he had restrained himself. The imperial invitation now gave him the perfect excuse.
“Robby, are you awake?”
“He was just up a moment ago, but he’s already fallen back asleep.”
“So frail for a young man!”
The Count scowled at the closed door before seeking out Hans, the butler who had accompanied Robby to Fritan.
“Where is Hans?”
“He returned to his duties this afternoon, sir.”
“Good. Bring him to my study at once.”
The Count interrogated Hans in detail about what had transpired in Fritan.
But after an hour of questioning, the only answer he got was that they had spent a pleasant time in Queen Lea’s company. Nothing more.
“Surely His Majesty entrusted Robby with a grave mission. You mean to say you know nothing of it?”
“A mission? Was there such a thing?”
Hans blinked in confusion.
Useless fool.
Dismissed in frustration, the Count returned to his son’s room.
“Wake him! At this rate he’ll miss the entire banquet.”
“But my lord… Young Master Robby has already departed for the palace.”
“What? When?”
“Half an hour ago. As soon as he read the invitation, he prepared himself and left.”
The Count, who had hoped to strengthen ties with the Emperor through his son, scowled in disbelief at the thought of Robby attending alone.
✦ ✦ ✦
The Haren Imperial Palace looked completely different from when Robby had passed through it on his way to Fritan.
Now it was alive with music, laughter, and chatter befitting a grand imperial banquet, to which not only the nobles of the capital but also provincial lords had been invited.
“His Majesty requests your presence.”
“Yes, follow me.”
Robby presented his invitation, and the attendant guided him toward the Emperor.
The Emperor sat at the highest seat in the main hall. Beside him, on a slightly lower chair, sat Empress Hailey.
Because of the difference in chair height, Hailey leaned her arm and body comfortably against the Emperor’s knee.
The Emperor, always willful and unconcerned with appearances, had never cared about the eyes upon him—but even for him, this display was shocking. Robby was taken aback.
“I greet the Sun of the Empire, His Majesty the Emperor.”
Though it was the Emperor who had summoned him, the gaze he turned on Robby was cold and indifferent.
Just as Robby began to wonder if the invitation had truly come from him, Hailey beamed and spoke.
“It’s been a while, Lord Stone.”
“Have you been well, Your Majesty the Empress?”
Hailey gave a languid, catlike smile.
“I hear you’ve returned from a long journey. Did you enjoy it?”
“As the saying goes, one only finds hardship outside one’s home. I learned that well.”
“Hohohoho~ I’ve known Lord Stone for years, but I never realized you were so amusing.”
Her plump red lips parted in laughter, her fan coyly hiding her mouth.
The Emperor glanced at her, then waved Robby away. Robby, who had prepared to report on his trip to Fritan immediately, faltered at the sudden dismissal.
But then—
The Emperor roughly seized Hailey’s chin and kissed her deeply.
Robby was stunned. For the Emperor and Empress to behave so publicly at a banquet before the gathered nobility was utterly unprecedented.
“When His Majesty requires you, we will summon you. Until then, enjoy the banquet.”
The attendant whispered discreetly to Robby.
Feeling as though he had witnessed something forbidden, Robby bowed and withdrew quickly.
He had known Hailey since the age of nine, when he frequented the Marquis of Uzcal’s estate. She had been foolish, greedy, jealous, yes—but also carried a trace of girlish innocence.
Now, however, she was a woman hardened by power and intrigue, a jaded noblewoman.
The gap between past and present left Robby unsettled, and he slipped away from the noisy main hall to wait somewhere quieter.
On the second floor, he opened the door to a small lounge—only to find it already occupied by young noble ladies.
Flustered, he tried to retreat, but they caught him.
“Lord Stone, please, join us.”
“Indeed, aren’t you close with the Marquis of Uzcal’s household?”
“Of course! Didn’t you train in swordsmanship there once?”
Before he could refuse, the young ladies surrounded him and pulled him into their tea circle.
Tall, handsome, heir to an earldom, and unfailingly gentle, Robby was popular with them.
They happily included him in their chatter.
“Tell us, Lord Stone—is it true that Empress Hailey has been a sly temptress since childhood?”
“Eh? A temptress? Lady Ryle, how can you speak so harshly?”
“Harsh? She’s the rotten apple of the Imperial Family. One day she’ll make all the sound apples rot with her.”
Startled, Robby chided her, but Lady Ryle didn’t even flinch.
“You’ve been away from the capital lately, so you probably haven’t heard the latest about her.”
This time Lady Clamin, a baron’s daughter and lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess, chimed in.
“What… latest?”
“They’re not rumors—it’s truth, from the Crown Princess herself.”
And what she told Robby was truly shocking.
✦ ✦ ✦
Five days earlier, the Haren Emperor and the imperial family had gathered for a rare family dinner. It was arranged at the Empress’s urging, hoping the Emperor and Crown Prince, usually distant, might bond.
The current Empress was the Emperor’s fourth consort, a woman of fierce ambition. By gathering her own power, she had pushed aside the sons of other consorts and secured the position of Crown Prince for her own son, thereby rising to the throne of Empress herself.
She had long since abandoned any hope of winning her husband’s affections, watching him take wife after wife. All she wanted now was to secure her son’s future.
But at that dinner, the Emperor committed a shocking breach.
He seated the Empress and Crown Prince couple at his right hand—and at his left, ignoring all hierarchy, he placed Hailey, who should have been relegated to the lowest seat.
It was natural that the Empress and the other consorts were displeased, but the Emperor did not care.
Clang!
The trouble began when Hailey dropped her knife during the meal.
“Oh my, I’m sorry.”
The Empress and consorts’ faces stiffened at such poor table manners, but Hailey only smiled sweetly and apologized to the gathering.
“Accidents happen. Don’t mind it too much,” the Emperor said.
A servant hurried forward to hand her a new knife and pick up the fallen one—but the Emperor moved first.
To everyone’s shock, he bent down himself to pick it up.
The royal family and the servants alike gaped in astonishment.
But the real scandal followed.
As the Empress resumed her meal, she soon sensed something was wrong.
The Emperor, instead of straightening after retrieving the knife, leaned further and further toward Hailey.
And then—
“Mmm…”
Hailey began making strange sounds at the table. She seemed to be trying to suppress them, but they kept escaping.
“I can’t endure this any longer.”
The Empress shot to her feet.
