CHAPTER 40
Yevgeny’s face turned deathly pale.
‘What? What is happening right now?’
For the first time, her father—the Emperor—was looking at her sister Lilien with a gentle expression. She had never seen him make such a face toward anyone other than herself.
The faint smile she had always assumed belonged to her alone was now directed at Lilien—and that made her blood boil.
‘Father’s love belongs to me…! Why Lilien? Why her…!’
Suddenly, the voices of the palace maids echoed in her mind.
‘Did you hear? Princess Lilien discovered Orichalcum!’
‘Unbelievable. No wonder the capital is in an uproar. That ornamental First Princess finally proved her worth! And it’s the legendary metal Orichalcum, of all things!’
‘Even the nobles are starting to talk—should we be aligning ourselves with Princess Lilien now?’
‘My father asked me what the First Princess likes. Can you believe that?’
Their gossip rang in her ears like a hammer. Words she’d overheard slipping through a cracked door.
And the way they glanced back at her—furtively, cautiously.
‘So then what happens to us?’
‘We followed Princess Yevgeny’s orders and alienated the First Princess. Shouldn’t we be begging for Lilien’s forgiveness while we still can?’
Yes—she was sure they had said things like that.
Yevgeny stared at the Emperor and her sister with her pallid face.
A tide of anxiety surged inside her.
She felt like a foreign substance wedged between an affectionate father and daughter. Her fingertips tensed.
‘No… I won’t let Lilien take him from me.’
Her father’s affection, the maids’ admiration, the nobles’ greedy interest.
She wouldn’t be satisfied until she took all of it back.
Yevgeny slightly lifted her drooping head and noticed a maid coming over with a teapot to refill the tea.
She curled her lips into a small, secretive smile.
‘What would happen if that were spilled on Lilien’s face?’
A burn scar would mark her for life, and the nobles would look at her with disgust. Lilien would cry and lock herself away in shame.
Yevgeny subtly extended her leg beneath the table and tripped the maid.
Stumble…!
“Ah…!”
The teapot the maid was holding flew through the air, and the scalding tea hurtled straight toward Lilien like a demon’s claws.
‘Oh no. That’s going to hurt. But it’ll be fine. The Estien Imperial Court’s healers are called “Hands of the Gods” for a reason.’
That’s what she gets for making me miserable.
It’s all because of her.
Yevgeny wouldn’t have had such wicked thoughts if Lilien hadn’t tried to steal everything from her. Yevgeny was a good girl—Lilien just kept pushing her.
‘So this isn’t my fault. It’s all Lilien’s fault.’
‘I’ll visit often and be her companion once she’s disfigured.’
Yevgeny, feigning sympathy, quickly covered her mouth with her palm.
And then she saw it.
A split-second glimpse—she was smiling behind her hand.
Lilien looked at her in disbelief, bracing herself for the pain that was sure to follow.
Sizzle—!
“Ahhhhh! Your Majesty…!”
The Emperor hurled himself over the First Princess.
He moved so swiftly that even the guards, who had been rushing over, failed to intervene in time.
His hand snatched the flying teapot mid-air faster than light and flung it in the opposite direction.
Clang—!
A harsh crash echoed through the hall, followed by shrieks from the maids.
Both Lilien and Yevgeny covered their mouths as they stared at the Emperor.
His hand was glowing red.
Steam was rising off it. The tea had soaked his hand, now so red and raw it radiated heat just to look at it.
Had it hit Lilien’s face, the damage would have been devastating.
Lilien couldn’t take her eyes off his injured hand.
“…Your Highness?”
“…Majesty…?”
“Your Highness…!”
“Ah…”
When she came to, she was face-to-face with an old man with deeply wrinkled features.
He looked down at her with concern.
“Are you all right? Thankfully, you sustained no physical injuries… though the psychological trauma seems significant.”
“I… I’m fine.”
But more than that, she was worried about the Emperor. The image of his injured hand kept flashing in her mind.
“My condition doesn’t matter. What about His Majesty? Is he all right? H-His hand…?”
The palace physician gently took her hand in his and tried to soothe her.
“His Majesty is fine. He’s already received painkillers and medicine. He’s sleeping now. Perhaps you might consider visiting him once he wakes.”
“…You mean I should visit…?”
Would that… be okay?
He got hurt because of me.
If I had moved faster… if I had realized what Yevgeny was planning… His Majesty—father—wouldn’t have gotten hurt.
‘It’s my fault… He got hurt because of me…’
While silently blaming herself with her eyes closed, the court physician stood and gave a low bow.
“I hope Your Highness finds peace soon.”
Once he left, a dreadful silence filled the room.
It had been a chaotic, confusing day.
“You useless thing…!”
“P-Princess Yevgeny…! Please forgive me! I swear on my heart—I didn’t trip on purpose…!”
The maid had clearly stumbled over something.
But there had been no stones, nothing on the floor that could trip her. She got down on her knees and begged.
“I-I never meant to harm the royal family! Please, Princess Yevgeny, please believe me…!”
“Don’t speak my name with that filthy mouth! Do you even know what kind of crime you’ve committed? If not for you, His Majesty wouldn’t have been hurt!”
No—that wasn’t true. If Lilien hadn’t been there, none of this would’ve happened. Yevgeny wouldn’t have done what she did. The Emperor wouldn’t have needed to protect her.
‘He could’ve just used a protection spell…!’
Why had he thrown himself in front of her?
Why didn’t he look at me…?
‘Why… Why was he looking at her, trembling, while I was the one in shock…?’
“I can’t believe this… Father should love me more…”
“Please, Princess, spare me… I don’t want to die… Have mercy on my family…”
The maid sobbed, clinging to Yevgeny’s skirt.
Yevgeny looked down at her with disgust and ground her teeth.
“Gouge out her eyes. Cut off the hands and ankles that dared commit such a mistake.”
“P-Princess…! Please, I’ll do better… I’ll never trip over anything again… Please, no… AHHHH—!”
The maid was dragged away by guards.
Her bloodcurdling screams echoed all the way down the corridor into the dungeons.
The remaining maids stared at Yevgeny with terror, swallowing hard.
Yevgeny turned her bloodshot eyes on them.
“What happened today stays within these walls. If I hear even a whisper of this getting out, I’ll assume it was one of you and have you all detained.”
“Yes, Second Princess!”
“We understand, Your Highness.”
The maids trembled, doing their best not to provoke her further.
Yevgeny ignored them completely and returned to her quarters with Lanya and Blemie.
The Emperor awoke thirty minutes after the incident.
“That was reckless.”
“Is this what it’s come to, Cecile Blonmind? You scolding me?”
The Emperor chuckled at the red-haired warrior woman standing beside him.
Cecile frowned and rubbed her temple, clearly frustrated.
“You could’ve just used a protection spell. If you hadn’t, I would’ve protected the Princess.”
The Emperor met her gaze with a calm look.
“I don’t doubt that. You’d have saved her just fine.”
“Then why…?”
“Because the tea would have touched her, even if it was just a drop.”
“…What?”
Cecile tilted her head.
The Emperor winced as he glanced at his bandaged hand, still aching.
“In that moment, I was closest. If someone else had acted, that tea would’ve burned some part of her.”
“…Still, it was too reckless.”
Cecile clenched her fists tightly and bit the inside of her cheek.
The Emperor chuckled again and leaned against the bed.
‘You should’ve just used magic…’
‘Why didn’t you…?’
Even Cecile and Reynald had questioned him.
And Lilien’s silent, trembling voice still echoed in his ears.
‘Why didn’t I use magic…?’
Was it that urgent?
So urgent he couldn’t think clearly?
“…How laughable, Rius.”
All he’d ever provided Lilien was food, clothing, and shelter.
His affection had always gone to his youngest daughter and his first son. The rest, he ignored, hoping the Empress wouldn’t get jealous.
And now he was acting like this?
He almost wanted to laugh at himself.
“…How is the First Princess?”
“She seems herself. A bit dazed, perhaps. I think what happened this morning shook her deeply.”
“I see. Stay close to her.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You should return to her side. Dismissed.”
As Cecile bowed and left, the Emperor groaned quietly from the pain in his hand.
‘Damn it. I’ll have to stay in seclusion until this heals.’
Until then, Dmitri would have to take over as regent.
Two days after Dmitri assumed regency…
“His Majesty told me he’s planning a banquet to celebrate your discovery of the Orichalcum. I’ll oversee it in his stead.”
“….”
“Do you need anything else?”
“….”
“…First Princess?”
Dmitri frowned and leaned in to examine her face.
Startled by the closeness, she flinched, and he gave her an irritated look.
“If you’re that worried, go visit him.”
“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re worried because he got hurt.”
He hit the mark.
She looked away and nibbled on a cookie a maid had served.
“Nice weather today.”
“Perfect for tea.”
“…Or maybe even an outing…”
“Perfect for a hospital visit.”
“Did I do something to offend you…?”
She looked at Dmitri, who kept needling her with uncomfortable honesty.
He remained the same as ever—calmly sipping tea with a face so like the Emperor’s.
‘Even if the Emperor were to die, Dmitri would just keep doing his job.’
Sometimes she envied him. Other times, he scared her.
He felt… emotionless. Like ice.
‘I don’t understand him…’
Why had he invited her for tea, during such a busy time? Why probe her?
“I’ll handle the hospital visit. You have more important people to look after.”
Like her sister. Like Yevgeny. Like Yenny.
…Damn Yevgeny.
The maid who dropped the teapot had vanished without a trace.
‘Definitely Yevgeny’s doing.’
The royal gardens had no rocks or roots—nothing to trip over. The maid was chief among palace staff. She had served the Emperor tea for years.
‘She pinned the blame out of fear her own crime would be exposed.’
Lilien shook her head and lifted her teacup.
‘I’ll get back at her. The more she isolates herself, the better for me.’
With that, she finished her tea and slowly stood.
Dmitri’s eyes followed her calmly.
Their gazes locked for a moment—his crimson eyes meeting hers—and she gave him a faint smile.
“Thank you for inviting me despite your busy schedule. You don’t need to fuss over the banquet. Please focus on your duties. I’ll take my leave.”
“….”
Dmitri didn’t offer a word of farewell.
Not even as she opened the door and stepped out of his office.
“Who said I wouldn’t fuss…” he murmured.
But not a single word left his lips.
