Chapter 71
Helena had joined the conversation.
“Oh my! So Your Majesty likes pink. Pink is my favorite color too! We’re really alike. Who would’ve thought we had this in common?”
Helena, barging in between Raymond and me, chattered noisily. She seemed delighted to have found an opening and didn’t hold back her excitement.
“I like pink so much that I always choose pink dresses. Even the dress I’m wearing today was made with fabric imported from the Grand Kingdom. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“…”
“And I prefer deep pink. Light colors feel kind of fake, don’t they? Oh, now that I think about it, it would be nice if the princess’s hair were a bit darker. This pale shade looks kind of washed out.”
Was she always this talkative?
Being interrupted during such a perfect moment, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of irritation, but I kept my mouth firmly shut.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one feeling that way. Raymond furrowed his brows and looked directly at the still-chatting Helena.
“I thought I told you I hate it when people intrude thoughtlessly?”
He pointed precisely at Helena’s dress with his finger.
“I meant that artificial pink isn’t beautiful—natural pink is.”
Suddenly standing, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me along without warning. Even as I was dragged away by his strong grip, I was bewildered by the situation. It went without saying that all the guests’ eyes turned toward us. It was only when we reached the main gate of the Kitten House that I came to my senses and looked back.
Helena stood frozen like a rock, glaring at us with all her might. Her face was filled with pure suspicion and anger.
In the end, Kyle had no evidence or rumors in his hands. With nothing to grasp onto, only suspicion remained.
But once suspicion started, it grew like a snowball.
Sitting on the throne in the audience chamber, Kyle furrowed his brows and sank deep into thought.
Why hadn’t I thought of this earlier?
That Adrien and Raymond were connected through Aelin.
Not that the two of them had a casual relationship, but if they had grown close through Aelin?
Everything clicked into place, and Kyle’s anger flared. He slammed his fist on the armrest.
Damn it. I only realized this now. I should have caught them in the act…!
He had let the perfect opportunity slip. He would need evidence to catch them red-handed.
Since Raymond probably realized that he had deployed the guards, he would be more careful from now on.
“Hey!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Kyle summoned another servant. As punishment for failing this task, he had to vent his frustration by ordering ten more lashes for the chief servant who had been imprisoned.
At that moment, a gatekeeper approached.
“Your Majesty, Helena, the daughter of the Kitten House, requests an audience with you.”
“What? The daughter of the Kitten House?”
Kyle was puzzled by this unexpected visitor. Curiosity piqued, he soon accepted the audience.
“Bring her in. And have the others step back.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The servant left, and shortly after, Helena entered the audience chamber and greeted him with proper etiquette. Today, too, she wore a pink dress, radiating the elegance of a flamingo.
“I pay my respects to the Sun of the Empire. It is an honor to be granted an audience.”
“Very well. Miss Kitten. What brings you to see me?”
The voice was sharp, still tinged with anger.
Helena’s heart fluttered at the sight of the emperor up close. His golden hair shimmered and swayed like silk. His beauty and grace, far too magnificent to be claimed by Princess Cowett, steeled her resolve inwardly.
“Yes. I can never forgive anyone who dares insult His Majesty. I will repay it along with my humiliation.”
Clenching her fists, she spoke politely.
“Your Majesty, I apologize for speaking out of turn, but I came with courage. What I wish to report concerns Princess Cowett and Grand Duke Ruslo.”
“What?”
A short, sharp retort burst from the emperor’s lips. Helena flinched slightly but knew she had to continue under his command.
“Go on.”
“Yes. Recently, the two have been active in the social scene, and I’ve repeatedly seen them at the same parties. Yet the Grand Duke dances with no one but the princess. They have danced together multiple times alone. Normally, this struck me as strange. This time, they attended my tea party, and the Grand Duke spoke only to the princess. He even ignored me, the host, and boldly walked out hand-in-hand with her.”
She spoke with an animated excitement that had escaped her.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. I cannot remain idle when the empire’s future is at stake. I cannot allow anything that would disgrace His Exalted Majesty.”
“I see. Thank you for your courage.”
Kyle’s words filled Helena with pride and relief, as if she had been awarded a grand prize. Though the rumors about the emperor had intimidated her, she had come with a single-minded determination to exact her revenge. And she concluded that her decision was correct.
“Lift your head.”
Kyle descended the steps, placing his hand under Helena’s chin to lift it. Her eyes naturally met his chiseled face. Unconsciously, she gazed at him, mouth agape.
“What do you think of me?”
“Y-Your… Your Majesty, you are magnificent and beautiful.”
Her expression was one made for praising the emperor.
‘Yes. This is the normal reaction.’
It would not have been appropriate to calmly remark, “Your Majesty is too sculpted to be realistic.” She had never encountered such a person in her life.
“Will you kiss me?”
“Y-Yes? To think I… to be granted such an honor…”
Helena’s eyes seemed to pour out hearts like a waterfall.
‘This is the correct reaction!’
Kyle thought of the old Aelin and felt a surge of anger. Helena and Aelin were complete opposites.
Aelin, who had trembled in fear even when granted the favor to touch him, was now incomprehensible in retrospect.
He abruptly released Helena’s chin, letting her go. Yet even after being released, she remained entirely enamored.
‘I won’t let this go, Princess Cowett.’
Seated back on the throne, the emperor crossed his legs, his eyes burning with restrained fury.
On the day of Helena’s tea party, a large full moon rose, and we gathered at the hideout. Sitting across from Raymond, I vented my frustrations at him.
“Ah. What do we do now?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You should have restrained yourself, no matter how angry you were.”
“I couldn’t stand seeing Aelin treated as a mere accessory. I should have held back more.”
As I scolded him, Raymond apologized repeatedly, clearly unsure what to do. Melas seemed uneasy at seeing this.
Perhaps the scolding should end here.
Though he had acted rashly, it was already done, and there was no use blaming him. Moreover, he had acted for my sake, so I could not entirely reproach him.
I hadn’t realized he was so hot-tempered.
There were so many people who could have seen us there. One wrong move could have ruined all the careful measures we had taken.
Above all, Helena’s expression before we left lingered in my mind. My status had plummeted from her close friend to her sworn enemy in an instant.
With that uneasy feeling, the day ended, and the next morning arrived.
After a long time, someone from the imperial palace came to the Duke’s mansion. As a result, the house was suddenly bustling from early morning.
“We are here to escort Princess Cowett.”
“Why do you come so suddenly without notice?”
“I merely deliver the emperor’s command and have no authority beyond that. I’ll give you time to prepare, so please do not be angry.”
As I moved to get ready, I saw the scene in the reception room. The emperor’s servant, despite complaints from the housekeeper Emma, paid no attention at all.
Thus, my plan to go to the bookstore was entirely canceled, and a trip to the imperial palace became the new schedule.
Ah… I don’t want to go.
While the maids washed and dressed me, that was all I could think. But with someone waiting in person, I had no choice but to hurry. Against my will, my body moved busily as if eager to go.
Upon arriving at the palace, the servant led me somewhere entirely unfamiliar.
“Where are we going today?”
“The emperor has ordered you to be brought to the audience chamber, Princess.”
Huh? An audience chamber?
I tilted my head, curious about this unexpected location.
“Princess Cowett, you may enter.”
At the gatekeeper’s announcement, the doors opened, and I stepped inside. A strange scene awaited me.
Two men knelt at the foot of the throne, heads bowed. One appeared to be a noble, the other seemingly a commoner. Both trembled as though guilty of some crime.
Then the emperor, seated on the throne, greeted me with a smile.
“Welcome, my Aelin.”
His expression was far too bright for such a scene.
Why had he summoned me here? I could not fathom it, but I moved forward slowly.
