Chapter 89 ….
“Congratulations on your marriage, Your Grace. Your Highness, Grand Duchess.”
“You look beautiful. Truly the star of the day.”
“Your Highness, Grand Duchess, would you honor us by attending the banquet hosted at our estate next time?”
It took quite a while just to reach the hall, as nobles crowded in with greetings at every step.
Because so many nobles were swarming us, the Sevilla couple and Gemma didn’t even try to come close. They merely stood at a distance, watching as if enjoying an amusing spectacle.
At last, the attendant’s voice announced the arrival of the Emperor and the Princess, and all the guests bowed their heads in that direction.
I also observed proper etiquette as I greeted them and lifted my head a moment later—
—and doubted my eyes.
Britannia?
Wasn’t Britannia standing behind Princess Jasmine’s seat?
I clearly heard she’d been sold as a slave to some western frontier noble.
I couldn’t understand why she was here with Jasmine—standing proudly in the imperial palace of all places.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one shocked.
People looked more flustered by the appearance of the late Marquis Carlisle’s daughter than by the Princess’s entrance.
Naturally, Sevilla and Gemma’s faces had also gone pale.
Noticing my reaction, Shiraz spoke quietly enough that only I could hear.
“If you’re talking about the marquis’s daughter, there was a request from the Princess.”
I turned to look up at Shiraz.
So he already knew?
“Sevilla also begged me to spare her childhood friend’s life.”
I knew that much. At the time, I had thought no one of the Carlisle bloodline would survive.
I had assumed Sevilla would of course beg her brother to spare at least Britannia’s life.
So when she heard Britannia had been sent away as a distant slave, she had at least felt some relief…
But how could he leave Britannia in the capital—no, even in the imperial palace?
I need to find out exactly what’s going on.
Suppressing my confusion, I approached the Emperor with Shiraz.
The gazes of the imperial siblings and Britannia on the dais all turned toward me at once.
The Emperor’s curious eyes.
The Princess’s burning, jealous eyes.
Britannia’s hatred-filled eyes.
Just walking that short distance under those stares felt exhausting.
Shiraz behaved like the Emperor’s most loyal subject and gave a proper bow.
“Your Majesty is most gracious to host such a party.”
“For the Grand Duke’s wedding, it is only natural to prepare a celebration.”
It was strange seeing Shiraz bow politely and use honorifics toward someone.
Though it was ironic that the one receiving the greeting was trembling.
The poor young Emperor’s expression only darkened the more formally Shiraz behaved. He looked as if he might burst into tears.
Shiraz clearly knew how to make someone tremble in fear without even pointing a blade at their throat.
The nobles watching from behind were probably thinking the same thing I was.
“I also thank Her Highness the Princess for arranging this occasion.”
With a calm face, he greeted the Princess beside the Emperor.
As usual, she naturally extended the back of her hand. When Shiraz lightly kissed it, she closed her eyes.
Her face looked like someone who had just swallowed bitter medicine.
As if forcibly suppressing something surging up inside her, she spoke a beat late.
“May blessings follow the path of the two of you.”
It was the first time I had seen someone offer congratulations with such a cold face.
It was hard to tell whether she was giving a blessing or a curse.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
As I expressed my gratitude, I felt a piercing stare from somewhere.
When I slightly raised my head, I saw Britannia standing in the corner, glaring at Shiraz and me as if she wanted to devour us.
She looked ready to burn us at the stake with the flames in her eyes alone.
With her father dead, it was obvious who she resented most right now.
To her, Shiraz Rudkaye—who had destroyed her family overnight—must be a mortal enemy she wanted to tear apart.
I sighed deeply to myself.
As if Princess Jasmine weren’t enough, now Britannia too…
There were far too many people burning with hatred toward Shiraz. And yet he had kept them this close.
Even if the Princess had requested it, I couldn’t understand Shiraz’s careless decision.
We had barely relaxed after eliminating the Marquis Carlisle’s betrayal in advance—yet now it felt like he had left behind an even more dangerous spark.
Then a question suddenly arose.
Why did the Princess take Britannia in?
In the original story, the two had almost no connection. I wondered what had brought them together.
“Garnet.”
After finishing the greetings and turning away, I heard Sevilla call me.
She snatched me away from Shiraz and led me to the edge of the hall where there were few people.
A large curtain at the entrance to the balcony concealed us well from others’ view.
“What on earth is going on? I was so shocked my heart nearly jumped out.”
She whispered while looking toward Britannia in the distance.
“I did ask my brother for leniency, but… who would have thought she’d be in the imperial palace? And as the Princess’s maid, of all things!”
Sevilla fanned herself repeatedly with her small hand fan, unable to hide her fluster.
“I don’t even know how to treat Bri anymore. What an awkward relationship…”
I understood her predicament. They had been childhood friends, and now their changed statuses had practically made them enemies.
“Sevilla?”
A gentle male voice sounded from somewhere.
Turning, I saw Jurgen searching for his wife with a bright smile.
He looked completely unaware of Sevilla’s distress—his expression open and warm.
“Honey.”
Sevilla, who had been stiff moments ago, melted like snow in spring at the sight of Jurgen.
With a sweet smile, she left me and went to him.
Watching the soulmate-like pair, I felt my efforts hadn’t been in vain.
“Well, well, who do we have here?”
Then a chilling voice like metal scraping rang by my ear.
When I turned toward the sound, I felt as if I’d stepped in filth.
“How is a maid from Iraz Castle in the imperial palace? Snag an old noble, did you?”
It was that old maggot—the one who had harassed me at Iraz Castle.
He must have just arrived; the moment he spotted me, his eyes gleamed as he approached.
He bared his yellow, crooked teeth and snickered.
Did I snag an old noble? Does he seriously not know yet?
While I briefly wondered why he hadn’t grasped the situation, my wrist was already in his grip.
“Do you have any idea what I went through because of you? Every day in that devil’s pit I swore—once I returned from Pansion, I’d tear you apart first.”
His crazed eyes and voice made it seem like he might rip me to pieces at any moment.
Pansion? Did he just say Pansion?
Pansion was infamous as the empire’s prison where the worst criminals were sent for forced labor until death.
No wonder I hadn’t seen this man in the capital. If he’d been imprisoned, he wouldn’t be here—he must have been transferred as some kind of overseer.
The only person who could exile a perfectly fine noble from the capital to a remote prison like that… was Shiraz.
Was it because of what happened at Iraz? Would he really cast aside a subordinate over a mere maid?
I recalled what happened at Iraz.
Because of this maggot, I had fled down the corridor and ended up entering Shiraz’s office.
While I was remembering that day, he shoved me toward the wall.
“Let go of me!”
When I struggled violently, he covered my mouth with his other hand.
“Silk dress, jewels too. Well, well—a noble lady now. But you’re still just a maid. Absolutely laughable.”
His eyes burned like a venomous snake.
Rather than fear, I only felt disgust and revulsion.
It felt like the spot his hand touched was rotting.
I tried to fight him off, but I couldn’t match his strength.
Desperately scanning my surroundings, I spotted a long-necked vase on the console.
Stretching my fingers as far as possible, I barely grabbed it and smashed it over the maggot’s head.
“Argh!”
He clutched his head and groaned at my sudden attack.
I tried to run in that instant—but the persistent bastard desperately grabbed the hem of my dress.
Just as I was about to scream for help—
Swish!
The curtain was violently thrown aside.
Shiraz?
His eyes, as he pulled back the curtain, blazed with a killing intent I had never seen before.
Behind his shoulder, I could see partygoers staring this way in shock.
They watched the situation in stunned silence.
“Y-Your Grace!”
The maggot instantly released my dress hem.
“Your Highness…”
My tension finally broke, and I called out to him through clenched teeth.
“I’ve been looking for you, my wife.”
Growling low like a wolf, he pulled my arm toward him.
At the word wife, the maggot’s face turned to stone.
Soon after, a grinding sound like cracking rock came from between his teeth.
“Y-Your Grace. I was away for a long time, so I didn’t know you had married…”
Shiraz slowly stepped toward the maggot.
