Chapter 60
After I Died, My Little Groom
The Emperor was, as the rumors said, a man as petty as he was stingy.
When he heard about the theft of the diamonds, he immediately realized it was the perfect opportunity to finally get rid of something that had long been bothering him.
Among all the noble houses of the Empire, none were as famous for their diamonds as the Marquisate of Desmond. Since the days when the Empire had still been a kingdom, the Desmond family had built its power through diamonds and, once upon a time, had even held the title of duke.
How many twists and turns must there have been for that ancient ducal house to fall to the rank of marquis?
Now, all that remained to the Desmonds was a vast diamond mine and the right of first negotiation with the imperial family.
Though their honor had faded from its former glory, they still had wealth enough to live comfortably.
The diamonds produced in the Desmond territory were of the highest quality—brilliant in color, pure in clarity, and abundant in quantity. Until recently, there had never been any problem.
But the passage of countless years changes everything.
The mines of Desmond could no longer yield diamonds of diverse color and brilliance.
When the chamberlain brought forth a beautifully decorated box containing the newest diamond, the Emperor’s face twisted with displeasure.
“…Is this the diamond they brought this year?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The young Marquis Desmond himself presented it. He claims it is the finest rough stone cut in the past two years.”
“Ha… Open it.”
At the Emperor’s gesture, the chamberlain carefully opened the box.
The crimson silk inside was valuable in itself, but it could not possibly rival the magnificent diamond resting atop it.
The light that struck the gem scattered in a dazzling display, radiating beauty. It was a first-class diamond—clear as glass and captivating to the eye.
Yet the Emperor clicked his tongue in irritation.
“Why is it that every time, you bring me disappointment? The Desmonds swore they would find the red diamond!”
The red diamond was not something one could simply obtain through desire.
Even if one offered mountains of gold, there was no way to buy it if none existed. Because of that, it was known by another name—the Dragon’s Heart.
Every red diamond that had ever appeared in the world already had a rightful owner.
The Emperor had both the money and the power to seize such treasures, but he lacked the justification.
For example, Count Lant possessed a brooch made from a red diamond—a gift bestowed by the Emperor’s great-great-grandfather generations ago. It was a royal heirloom and could not be taken by force.
‘If I try to buy it, that’s another problem…’
If he paid a low price, it would diminish the dignity of the Imperial Family. But if he paid too much, it would be a blow to the royal treasury.
If only another mine capable of producing red diamonds could be found—then all of this would be solved.
But every newly discovered mine turned out to be fake or yielded gems of unacceptably poor quality.
The Emperor was certain the Marquis of Desmond was somehow behind this.
With an irritated sigh, he threw himself onto the couch.
“This is maddening. Open the window.”
At his order, the servant moved quietly—but the sound of the window opening never came.
Just as the Emperor began to frown, an intoxicating scent of roses filled the air, and something cool brushed his cheek.
He opened his eyes to see a woman kneeling gracefully by the couch, silver hair cascading down like silk.
“Tasha…”
Even for summer, her dress was scandalously thin, showing the full curve of her figure. Her youthful face contrasted with her voluptuous form—an hourglass silhouette that drew the eye of both men and women alike.
But what made Tasha the Emperor’s favored mistress was not her beauty—it was her voice, enchanting like a siren’s song.
“Your Majesty, it rained at dawn. Opening the window will only make the air heavier. I brought you a drink instead.”
“So that’s why you dismissed the servant on your own? Ignoring my command?”
His tone was stern, but his eyes betrayed no anger.
As he stroked her cheek, there was even a trace of guilt in his touch. Tasha leaned into his hand, catlike, and smiled softly.
“Are you troubled, Your Majesty? Shall I sing for you?”
“That wretched marquis is useless, and it vexes me endlessly.”
When he rubbed his forehead, Tasha stood and sat beside him on the couch. The Emperor willingly shifted to make room for her.
As she brushed the hair from his brow, she widened her eyes as though realizing something.
“The Marquis… Are you still thinking about what I said before? Your Majesty, I told you I don’t need a red diamond.”
“Even if you don’t need it, I want to give it to you. Since when have you ever asked me for anything?”
“It’s not that I want it—”
“Yes, yes. You only said it was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen. I’ve never heard you speak like that, Tasha. How can the Emperor’s mistress have so little desire for luxury?”
He clicked his tongue, pretending to scold, though both of them knew affection hid beneath his words. Tasha blushed faintly and kissed his cheek.
“I don’t care about being the Emperor’s mistress. I’m just Your Majesty’s Tasha. I don’t need anything else if I have you. I’d rather not see you upset with the Marquis of Desmond because of me.”
“So innocent…”
The Emperor chuckled, and she laughed softly, snuggling into his arms.
He held her close, but his mind was still turning—still caught on the red diamond.
“Even if you say you don’t care, it still bothers me. My lover, unable to have a mere jewel? It’s ridiculous. I was already annoyed with that useless marquis, but you’ve only strengthened my resolve.”
“Then Tasha has helped Your Majesty?”
Her whisper was warm, bewitching—both sacred and sinful.
When her voice touched his ear, the Emperor felt as though he straddled the line between heaven and hell.
He gripped her arm tightly, eyes gleaming.
“Of course. So be ready for your reward. The seeds I planted are about to bear fruit.”
“Seeds?”
“Yes. The Baron of Hess’s adopted daughter. She’s quite clever, it seems.”
“The Baron of Hess’s daughter… Oh? The one rumored to be the Duke of Baldwin’s lover?”
“That’s all you care about, isn’t it?”
The Emperor chuckled and pinched her cheek affectionately.
Tasha only smiled sweetly, not probing further. She knew exactly why the Emperor adored her.
He called her special, pure—but in truth, that was what every imperial mistress was meant to be: a comfort, an escape, a soothing illusion.
Sometimes he treated her as the most precious woman alive; other times, as less than human.
And though she occasionally thought it absurd that such a foolish man ruled over all, she couldn’t deny that it suited her perfectly.
A clever man would never have a child with a mere concubine meant only for flattery.
Stretching languidly, Tasha began to sing for him.
While he drifted into bliss under her song, Tasha recalled his words and began to scheme.
“The Baron of Hess’s daughter… She’s said to be intelligent. Perhaps she could be useful to His Highness.”
She thought of her beloved son—the Imperial Prince Epion.
The Empress had a daughter, yes, but she was younger than Epion and too proud for her own good, often provoking the Emperor’s temper.
Epion, on the other hand, had inherited Tasha’s beauty and learned how to wear a mask as easily as breathing. The Emperor was fond of him.
Most nobles said the princess should inherit the throne—but nobles followed profit, not principle. A little justification was all it would take for them to change allegiance.
What use was the Empress, anyway? Tasha had no interest in being the Emperor’s “true partner.” What she wanted was real power.
If she could make her son the next Emperor, no one—no Empress, no noble, no saint—would ever look down on her again.
While the Emperor slept, Tasha returned to her quarters and summoned Epion.
At eighteen, the prince was strikingly handsome—so much so that few could believe he was born of a concubine.
“Mother, you called for me?”
Even his voice resembled hers—soft, refined, dangerous. Her treasure. Her mirror.
Tasha smiled tenderly and took his hand.
“Epion, you know His Majesty dislikes the Desmond family, don’t you?”
“Yes. I believe he grew even angrier after failing to present you with a red diamond.”
“Exactly. And it seems he plans to use the Hess family as an excuse to sever ties with Desmond.”
“To involve even a girl like that… how trivial.”
Epion frowned, already guessing where this was going. His expression was one of mild annoyance—but not disbelief.
“I understand. I’ll think of a way to help her.”
