MAE 06

Chapter 6….. The Fallen Empress

Even a hint of displeasure used to make him tremble, but now he was completely ignoring me.

Had even my own son started to look down on me?

Since becoming infertile, the Emperor had suffered a fatal blow to his pride. Seething with anger, he spun around and stormed out of the room.

The sound of his chief secretary, Marquis Pecori, hurrying after him followed, along with the closing of the door.

I thought that was the end of it, but then—

“Father.”

It wasn’t Marquis Pecori who followed, but Prince Nugos.

“What is it?”

I replied coldly, wishing he would leave quickly, but Nugos instead stepped forward boldly.

He looked extremely agitated. His eyes even seemed slightly wild.

Curious about what was wrong, I watched as Nugos spoke with a flushed, excited face.

“Let’s just kill her quickly.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Euribe!”

At his loud shout, the Emperor’s eyebrows shot up.

Ignoring that, Nugos continued to pour out his anger like a machine gun.

“Starving her to death will take too long, won’t it?”

“I have no intention of killing the Empress.”

“But do you starve people?”

“I never have. Taking care of the Empress is the duty of the palace attendants. Should I worry about that myself?”

“How dare they act without the Emperor’s order…!”

“They must have thought the Empress was insignificant. Haven’t you greatly contributed to making her seem insignificant?”

“…!”

Finally silent, the Emperor looked at his son with a sense of pity.

“So, suddenly you have sympathy because she’s malnourished? Look back at what you’ve done over the past three years. Do you even deserve to feel sympathy?”

“That’s…”

“They say the Empress collapsed from stress. From what I see, it seems like she collapsed after seeing you.”

“…!”

The Emperor was exasperated at his son’s shocked expression. Did he really not understand what he had done?

“The Empress must rest. From now on, you are forbidden from entering the Empress’s palace.”

The Emperor added coldly, with a tone of authority. All he could think about was returning to Vintera as soon as possible.

“What a waste of time.”

Shaking off Nugos, the Emperor strode ahead, followed this time by the real Marquis Pecori.

“Your Majesty, are you going to see Lady Vintera again?”

“‘Again’?”

The Emperor stopped abruptly, frowning.

“I do not like your tone, Marquis Pecori.”

“Your Majesty…”

Pecori, after closing and reopening his eyes tightly, finally spoke words he had been holding back, as if he had made up his mind.

“Your Majesty, you should return to attending state affairs. The empire revolves around you. If you abandon it like this…”

“Are my officials slacking off because I take a short break? Will the empire collapse over that?”

“Not exactly collapse, but… there are limits to what the officials can manage. There are important matters that require your personal decision, Your Majesty.”

“I am fifty-three. If it were long ago…”

“The position of heir is still vacant, is it not?”

“….”

“If you are too tired to manage state affairs, you should appoint an heir quickly.”

After briefly staring out the window, the Emperor washed his face and finally gave a new decree.

“Summon Theros.”

“Are you going to appoint the third prince as Crown Prince?”

“Who else is there? Nugos, if he became Emperor—or even Crown Prince—would do as he pleases. He would kill those he dislikes and keep only flatterers close. Am I supposed to create a tyrant with my own hands?”

“Actually…”

Pecori hesitated, then added,

“I was actually thinking about Princess Lucilla.”

“Hmm.”

The Emperor had been conflicted about this issue as well. If his first child were alive, there would be no question, but among the remaining three, Lucilla honestly seemed most suited to the throne.

“I wish she had been born a son.”

With a deep sense of regret, the Emperor clicked his tongue. Ultimately, he gave in to the Marquis’s urging and promised to return to his office.

“I’ll just see Vintera briefly. I felt too uneasy when I left her earlier.”

Euribe stared blankly at the ceiling.

Since when had she been lying down? She had no memory of entering the room.

‘Ah.’

The palace doctor. The Emperor. Marquis Pecori. The second prince.

Bits and pieces of memory returned.

The Emperor pressed her about being pregnant, then left when she said no. The second prince sneered at the mention of malnutrition. Marquis Pecori looked at her with pity, but ultimately did nothing. The palace doctor gave vague advice and left.

Overwhelmed by returning dizziness, Euribe covered her eyes with her hands.

“I hope your mother, trapped in hell, shed tears of blood.”

The words reminded her of her mother’s death. She sobbed uncontrollably until she lost consciousness. Every moment had been hell.

“It seems you are not unhappy enough.”

How could it get any worse? Could it be any more painful? Was this physical suffering? If so, she wished for torture instead. Torture to death, so she could finally be released.

No… not yet. She could not die yet.

“Your foolish mother could not protect you after all.”

She had to prove the Emperor wrong. Her mother had a reason, and this was part of her plan. Even if not visible, her mother had somehow protected her.

‘I won’t run. I won’t run like my sister did.’

A tangled mix of resentment and longing stirred an undefinable emotion. Tears streamed down her face. She was broken, utterly and completely.

“Euribe.”

She snapped her eyes open.

The voice…

Footsteps approached her from afar, growing closer. Eventually, a woman came into view.

‘How did you get here…?’

She tried to speak, but no sound came out.

At that moment, the scene from the Emperor’s bedroom flashed through her mind again. Nausea surged once more, and as she leaned out of bed, she heard someone rushing urgently toward her.

Go. Don’t come near. Don’t trouble me!

She glared with tear-filled eyes. Suddenly, the surroundings darkened, and in the darkness, green eyes shone like a predator’s.

Why… the eyes…

Dizzy, Euribe lost consciousness again. But at the same time… she felt all her pain disappear.

The Emperor returned in an instant, and his attendants bowed in surprise.

“Is Vintera still inside?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Before the attendant could report further, the Emperor flung the door open.

“Vintera!”

He spotted Vintera perched dangerously on the windowsill. Was the pregnancy news that shocking? Was he afraid his position would be threatened if the Empress had a child? Perhaps he should have mentioned the curse?

In a flash, countless thoughts crossed his mind. But standing against the setting sun, her black hair flowing and eyes fixed on him, Vintera looked like a painting come to life.

Smiling with the same enchanting smile that had first captivated him, she lightly stepped down from the sill and opened her arms toward him.

“You’ve come, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor hurried to her and held her tightly.

“Why were you sitting so dangerously? What if you got hurt?”

“Am I a child?”

When Vintera smiled, a smile finally appeared on the Emperor’s face.

“I thought you had returned to your room, but you stayed here all along.”

“Because I want to be near you, Your Majesty.”

Her green eyes gazed at him warmly.

“I can wait as long as needed.”

Flustered, the Emperor showered her face with kisses.

“How do you always pick such sweet words?”