-101-
The beginning was sparked by a young lady with violet hair that curled adorably at the ends. With just a single careless remark, the atmosphere of the hall shifted. Alarmed, the young lady sitting beside her quickly spoke up.
“Did you just say… Lady Verner would become Empress?”
Her voice trembled as though the thought had never once crossed her mind. At once, the expressions of the young ladies and noblewomen in the hall changed. Shock, embarrassment, realization, and awkwardness—except for the one who had made the problematic comment, all of them wore nearly identical looks.
Of course.
The seat of the Empress was currently vacant. No woman in society could possibly be unaware of just how sensitive a topic that was.
And if one had any knowledge of Emperor Rayel, such words should have been even more impossible to utter lightly.
But the violet-haired young lady with green eyes, seemingly oblivious to the reactions around her, continued.
“Isn’t that so? If what Lady Esmeda said is true, then doesn’t that mean His Majesty and Lady Verner share a… special kind of relationship?”
“R-right?”
“If the two are truly close, marriage wouldn’t be out of the question. And if Lady Verner were to marry His Majesty, wouldn’t that make her the Empress?”
“Mm…”
The young lady beside her once again looked troubled, clearly uncertain how to deal with the careless remarks.
Well, most wouldn’t dare say such a dangerous thing so easily. No wonder she doesn’t know how to respond.
The issue of the vacant Empress seat had been one of the greatest scandals in both society and politics. Regardless of faction, nobles had long pressured Rayel about it—but he always ignored them.
In the original story, Rayel had firm views on the matter. Unless a woman had some degree of utility, someone who could restrain the nobles pressuring him, then he had no need for her. If she were of no help, her presence was worse than useless.
And he had no desire for a child of his own. He had no love to give. That was how he thought—until he met Angelica.
After meeting her, everything changed.
His thoughts about relinquishing the throne once he achieved his goals, even his understanding of what it meant to “protect,” all transformed. For the first time, he had met someone he truly loved—a fated partner.
Entrusting the dreaded position of Empress to one woman held enormous significance for him. It meant he had resolved to continue his long life as Emperor of the Empire, and even his attitude toward his younger brother, Lucious—whom he once wished to grant the throne—shifted.
Rayel pitied Lucious, who had grown up neglected by their mother’s love and under the constant control and pressure of their maternal grandfather, Marquis Calvino. He had wanted to give the throne to Lucious, a man with talent. But after meeting Angelica, his heart changed.
Through her, he came to understand what it truly meant to protect someone, and realized the path that could make Lucious truly happy. He tried to free him from Marquis Calvino’s shackles, to give him freedom.
Though in the end, Lucious’ descent into darkness ruined that plan…
Falling in love with Angelica twisted Lucious’ affection into obsession and madness. When he turned against Rayel, the brothers were forced into a painful conflict.
And only just before I transmigrated into this world did the truth come out—that it wasn’t Angelica Lucious had loved, but rather Tiana, the villainess, who manipulated the situation, incited the brothers’ war over the Empress seat, and laid its foundations.
But now that I have become Tiana, Lucious’ descent into darkness is no longer possible. And Rayel himself is different from the original.
The timeline itself had shifted—a whole year earlier than the original events. By now, the original story was meaningless. The moment I chose to live as Tiana, as Lucious’ wife, the destruction of the original was inevitable.
Still, there was one thing I wished would remain unchanged: the relationship between the heroine Angelica and the male lead Rayel. And, of course, the happy ending of the original.
Since I never got to see their joyous wedding nor the original ending, I wanted to witness it here.
Fortunately, unlike in the original, Rayel was being far more proactive in his relationship with Angelica. I wasn’t sure exactly what he was thinking, but it was clear he trusted Lucious and me.
Otherwise, he never would have confessed his feelings for Angelica to us so openly.
I lifted the special new product of Café Roland’s capital branch—a cup of Blue Rose Tea—and let the fragrance brush my nose before sipping slowly. The aroma spread in my mouth, followed by a subtle, nutty richness, and finally the faint sour note unique to rose tea that lingered on my tongue. I swallowed, set the cup down, and glanced around the now-bustling hall.
“Indeed, that young lady’s words have some merit.”
“Even so, isn’t it improper to speak so casually of the Empress’ seat? Besides, Lady Verner is only a count’s daughter.”
“That’s right. Even if she is close to His Majesty, she’s still nothing more than the daughter of a count. It seems unlikely she’d become Empress…”
“I don’t see the problem. It’s not as if Lady Verner has any glaring flaws. The Verner family is a distinguished house, and they’ve only been rising in influence. I don’t see why she couldn’t.”
“I agree. Personally, I think she would make a fine Empress. Her cheerful change has been refreshing, but more than that, I never realized she was so passionate about her family’s business. She seems capable and knowledgeable—qualities befitting an Empress.”
“Still, isn’t her current standing a bit ambiguous? Even if she is from a distinguished count’s house, she is still just a ‘count’s daughter.’ I think more consideration is needed as to whether she truly suits such a noble position at His Majesty’s side.”
Their debate spread like wildfire throughout the hall. Judging from the atmosphere, opinion was divided—half in favor, half against. A small number remained silent, still unable to process the discussion.
I let my eyes drift over the gossiping ladies, ignoring the hesitant few.
Perhaps Rayel had confided his feelings to Lucious and me precisely to prepare for a situation like this. As someone who needed to focus on politics rather than society, maybe he sought my help—someone sympathetic to Angelica—when problems like this erupted among the social circles.
It was only a guess, but when I recalled the sincerity in his eyes that day, it felt likely.
Since I had been entrusted with an important role, perhaps it was best if I stepped in now. The swelling chatter needed to be calmed.
“Ah, ladies, I think you’re all getting a little carried away. I didn’t bring up the matter of those two with such intentions…”
The young lady who had first suggested the possibility of Angelica and Rayel being lovers now looked utterly flustered, clearly overwhelmed by how far the conversation had spun.
But of course, as a mere supporting extra who fueled rumors, she could hardly manage this mess. If only she had the courage to raise her voice a little more… But her once-confident tone was gone, and her clear blue eyes now shook violently.
Is this the limit of a supporting character?
Her plain long brown hair was unremarkable, but now that I noticed, her eyes were unusual—clear blue, much like Angelica’s. Remarkably striking for someone meant to be a passing extra.
Leaving her to squirm, I casually lifted my teacup and scanned the hall. Most were still chattering away, save for the young ladies at my table, a few noblewomen, and a handful of quiet individuals.
Clink!
I deliberately set down my half-empty teacup with a sharp sound. The young ladies and noblewomen nearby turned their gazes on me at once. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught others flinching, though further back, some still prattled on.
“If Lady Verner truly becomes Empress, I already have a few requests in mind. We became acquainted at the last gathering, after all.”
“Oh my, would Lady Verner really agree to such requests? She seemed rather principled to me.”
“Oh, come now—it would only be small favors. Surely Lady Verner wouldn’t refuse something so trivial. She’s only a count’s daughter, after all.”
“Indeed. Since it’s a request from the Marquess of Adena’s daughter, she’ll surely accept.”
The violet-haired young lady smiled slyly, and the one on her left chimed in agreement. Meanwhile, the young lady who had looked troubled earlier sat silently to their right, her lips pressed tight.
Ah, so that one is the daughter of Marquess Adena.
At first, I thought she was just a simpleton making careless remarks. But judging from her tone, she wasn’t naive at all. She was feigning support for Angelica while looking down on her.
The Adena family belonged to the neutral faction—or rather, they were one of the neutral families that had already shifted toward the Emperor’s faction, though they still pretended neutrality. Their brazen hypocrisy was irritating.
On the surface, the Adena house appeared aligned with the Verner count’s house, but in truth they had already crossed over to the Emperor’s side. If Angelica were truly to become Empress, they would form a close alliance.
But even then, she could never erase her original status as a mere count’s daughter. People would inevitably quibble over her rank. Some would certainly use it as leverage to pressure her.
The Adena girl was clearly one of them. For now, her rank surpassed Angelica’s. If Angelica truly became Empress, she would attempt to flatter and manipulate her for her own benefit.
Absolutely unacceptable.
In the original story, there had been many like her—those who judged Angelica by her birth rather than her worth. But things were different now. This time, there was a different Rayel… and there was me.
Those who didn’t understand the true meaning of status needed to be taught a lesson.
“Who among you,” I spoke loudly on purpose, “dares to speak so rudely and without propriety about the seat of the Empress?”
My voice echoed, and at once, the noisy hall fell silent.
