CH:33
“Oh my!”
The wet nurse, who had entered just as it was time to nurse Ian, was startled at the sight of a stranger and couldn’t help but exclaim. At the sound, Lady Howard opened her eyes wide from her nap, and Amelia also turned her gaze away from the window.
“M-My apologies.”
Realizing that her single exclamation had startled two people, the wet nurse quickly bowed and apologized.
“Priestess, this is Karen, Ian’s wet nurse. Karen, this is the priestess of Escleef.”
“Oh, my goodness.”
Rushing to shake off her drowsiness, Lady Howard straightened her clothes and rose from her seat. She then explained Amelia’s identity to the still-bewildered Karen.
“A lowly one like me failed to recognize you.”
“It’s fine, no need to be so nervous. It was my fault for suddenly appearing without a proper introduction.”
Amelia consoled the wet nurse with a gentle voice. She wasn’t angry at all—and she didn’t want to scold someone who had likely fed Ian every few hours in her absence.
“Thank you….”
But perhaps touched by such kindness, the wet nurse simply gazed at Amelia with sparkling eyes. Amelia, slightly overwhelmed by the intensity of the gaze, turned her head away. Her eyes drifted cautiously to where Ivan had been sitting earlier.
“……”
But he was already gone. As if no one had ever been there. Even though she realized that, it was difficult to take her eyes off the spot.
“What were you thinking, disappearing while I was unpacking your things?”
Louis didn’t hide her displeasure as she scolded Amelia. Her room was right next to Amelia’s, and while she had been ordering servants to unpack, Amelia had vanished.
“This isn’t the temple. You need to be careful with every little move.”
There were many secrets to protect—especially Amelia’s identity, which the temple had carefully wrapped in layers of secrecy. Even in the middle of it all, Amelia was someone who caused incidents. It was no wonder Louis was anxious, since Amelia could dart off anywhere the moment she looked away.
“From now on, tell me whenever you’re going anywhere. You must always take me with you.”
She had to emphasize it over and over again. In truth, Louis didn’t even know exactly why they were in the Imperial Palace, since Aaron hadn’t told her yet.
“It’s best not to say anything careless. Even within the palace, we have eyes and ears.”
“……”
“And as I’ve told you before, the Imperial Family and the temple have always been at odds. So they probably don’t harbor warm feelings toward the priestess.”
All Louis could do was try to discipline Amelia’s reckless mind before she did something foolish.
“No matter what the Emperor whispers to you, it won’t be sincere. He brought the child here to use as leverage against the temple. So don’t even think of playing along with his sweet talk, got it?”
Louis rattled off her words like a rapid-fire barrage. But Amelia didn’t believe her. Ivan had risked his life twice for her. The Ivan she knew would never do such a thing. He was Ian’s father. That’s why she believed he brought Ian here—because of that.
“Why is the temple on bad terms with the Imperial Family?”
She was genuinely curious. Ivan had asked her before why she disliked the Imperial Family, so it must be true that there was tension between the temple and the palace. She feared Ivan might hate or resent her. She didn’t want love to be repaid with rejection.
“The Emperor is the bad one. He keeps trying to steal what is rightfully ours.”
“……”
“You had to live like this, generation after generation, all because of the Imperial Family’s greed.”
Louis brushed off the entire matter with just that much. But Amelia couldn’t understand everything.
That was always the case. Louis and Aaron only gave disconnected commands, and Amelia, like a puppet with strings attached, merely followed. All she knew was the role assigned to her.
“Priestess.”
As Amelia was lost in thought, Lady Warner appeared with a knock.
“There’s a message from His Majesty.”
“I’m ready to hear it.”
She couldn’t guess what it would be about. But she did sense that Ivan didn’t want Louis and Aaron to find out about his relationship with her. At the very least, it probably wasn’t going to be a message that revealed any closeness.
“Since there was no prior notice of your visit, preparations were inadequate. His Majesty has ordered everything to be arranged by today and hopes you’ll join him and Lady Louis for dinner this evening.”
“……”
“That is His Majesty’s message.”
It was a courteous invitation.
“I’m not upset in the least. I came unannounced, yet he’s shown such consideration. Please tell him I’ll gladly join for dinner.”
There was no reason to refuse. Though she had accepted Ivan’s invitation without permission, Louis didn’t interrupt or glare at her for saying she’d attend.
“I really don’t understand what he’s thinking.”
Once Lady Warner left after delivering Ivan’s message, Louis let out a sigh as she spoke.
“Please remember what I told you.”
She warned Amelia once again. Amelia nodded reluctantly. Then, as Louis had instructed, she changed out of the dress wrinkled from the carriage ride and had her hair redone.
“I’ll escort you.”
About an hour later, Lady Warner returned to guide them to the main palace where the Emperor was staying and to the banquet hall.
“His Majesty…?”
“He’ll arrive shortly.”
Lady Warner whispered this and then stepped back a few paces from the grand banquet hall doors. With a heavy sound, the doors opened, revealing a hall far too vast for just three people.
“I heard the chandeliers in the palace’s banquet hall are famous.”
The first thing to catch the eye was, of course, the chandelier. Modeled after a fountain, it held candles with countless crystals. Each section was connected like petals to a stem, and even the crystal strands hanging like feet from the base gently swayed. When hundreds of candles were lit, they reflected light in all directions, creating a dazzling glow.
Below it was a long table that could seat dozens, but only three sets of cutlery and floral arrangements were prepared.
“This is amazing.”
Louis admired it without hiding her desire. There wasn’t a trace of discomfort in her voice. As the daughter of the powerful Skipper Count, she was used to wealth and splendor—but even she was amazed at the sheer opulence of the palace’s grandeur, especially from a family she usually looked down on.
“Is this your first time here too, Louis?”
“Only my father would be allowed in places like this.”
Louis answered, a little defensive. As if to say, why would a mere count’s daughter be invited to dine face-to-face with the Emperor?
“I didn’t mean anything by it…”
She hadn’t intended to belittle Louis, but it seemed she had. Just as Amelia was about to apologize, the doors to the banquet hall opened once again. Naturally, both Amelia and Louis turned to look.
“I apologize for being late.”
Ivan appeared, dressed in a sleek formal uniform, his hair neatly styled. It was only the second time she had seen him in such elegant attire. His beauty shone even more under the chandelier than through stained glass reflecting moonlight. It made the idea of him once being a mere temple apprentice seem laughable.
“I greet the Sun of Escleef.”
Louis quickly offered a formal greeting. Despite the temple’s strained relationship with Ivan, he was still the Emperor of Escleef. As the daughter of a noble house, Louis had to show proper respect.
“No need for formalities.”
Ivan passed by Louis effortlessly and approached Amelia. He pulled out the seat nearest to the head of the table for her.
“Ah, thank you.”
Amelia stared at the chair for a moment before realizing from his glance that he was offering it to her. She carefully lowered herself into the seat, and Ivan pushed the chair in behind her.
“……”
His hand brushed her arm as he let go of the chair. His gloved fingers, long and elegant in white silk, lightly grazed her. The touch sent shivers up her spine, and she instinctively looked up at him.
Ivan gave her a fleeting smile before taking his seat at the head of the table. Watching him settle in, Amelia couldn’t sense a trace of awkwardness in his demeanor. Though she still didn’t know what his true intentions were, one thing was certain.
He was a master of deception.
